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WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10946 September 19, 2018 Moharram 9, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir chairs SC Board meeting ICC to probe Myanmar crimes against Rohingya is Highness the Amir Sheikh In brief Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani O UN investigation confirms genocide Hchaired the third meeting of the Board of Directors of Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) AFP Rohingya because Bangladesh is a for 2018. The meeting was held at the The Hague member. Amiri Diwan yesterday morning. “I have decided to proceed to the The meeting was attended by His next phase of the process and to carry QATAR | Offi cial Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh he International Criminal out a full-fl edged preliminary exami- Amir congratulates Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and the Court’s prosecutor opened a nation of the situation at hand,” Ben- Personal Representative of the Amir Tpreliminary probe yesterday souda said in a statement. president of Chile His Highness Sheikh Jassim bin Ha- into Myanmar’s alleged crimes against Bensouda said the initial probe His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim mad al-Thani, Vice-Chairman of the Rohingya Muslims, including killings, “may take into account a number of bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness board. sexual violence and forced deporta- alleged coercive acts having resulted the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah HE the Prime Minister and Minister tions. in the forced displacement of the Ro- bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nass- Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda will hingya people.” Prime Minister and Minister of er bin Khalifa al-Thani, who is also a look at whether there is enough evi- The ICC announcement came on Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser member of the board and the other dence to warrant a full investigation the same day as UN investigators said bin Khalifa al-Thani sent yesterday members of the board also attended. into Myanmar’s military crackdown that Myanmar’s army had used “hard cables of congratulations to Chile’s The meeting reviewed the latest de- which has seen some 700,000 people to fathom” levels of violence against President Sebastian Pinera on velopments of the FIFA World Cup Qa- fl ee into neighbouring Bangladesh. the Rohingya and should be prosecut- the anniversary of his country’s tar 2022 projects. A presentation was The move comes nearly two weeks ed for genocide. Independence Day. made on the overall achievements. after judges ruled that even though The UN fact-fi nding mission also The championship’s security plan Myanmar has not signed up to the repeated suggestions that crimes ARAB WORLD | Confl ict and comprehensive transport plan at Hague-based ICC, the court still has against the Rohingya be referred to the Syria mistakenly downs the state level were also reviewed. jurisdiction over crimes against the ICC. Page 11 Russian warplane Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to defuse a crisis yesterday after Syrian Qatar Airways has over defences mistakenly downed a Russian warplane after Israeli air Qatar Airways keeps strikes. The incident late Monday 300 aircraft worth more was the deadliest known case of friendly fire between Syria and its key backer Russia since Moscow’s than $90bn on order game-changing 2015 military up strong earnings intervention. Putin said it was the result of “tragic accidental By Pratap John Baker said: “As much as possible we circumstances”. Page 8 Chief Business Reporter continued with a ‘business as usual attitude’ while we made adjustments EAST ASIA | Diplomacy to the deployment of our aircraft that atar Airways has more than had previously been fl ying to the now despite blockade S Korea leader, North’s 300 aircraft worth more than 18 blockaded destinations. Kim hold summit talks Q$90bn on order, illustrating the “New destinations to Sohar, Qatar Airways Group more than 300 aircraft on order worth South Korea’s president and the national carrier’s appetite for growth Prague and Kyiv were quickly an- generates earnings before more than $90bn with both the leading North’s leader Kim Jong-un drove and expansion in the face of the illegal nounced and launched within 10 aircraft manufacturers - Boeing and together through the streets blockade by the country’s neighbours weeks while a number of aircraft interest, taxes, depreciation, Airbus. of Pyongyang yesterday past and other challenging geopolitical and crew were leased to British Air- amortisation, and The national airline’s cargo revenue thousands of cheering citizens conditions. ways to overcome the strike impact- restructuring or rent costs witnessed very impressive growth of before opening a summit where Aircraft on order include planes ing their operations during the peak 34.4% against cargo capacity (Avail- Moon Jae-in will seek to reboot from both the leading manufacturers- summer season.” (EBITDAR) margin of 23% at able Tonne Kilometres) growing 13.95% stalled denuclearisation talks Boeing and Airbus. Al-Baker noted: “Our expansion QR9.7bn in fiscal 2018 annually. between his hosts and the United On order include 100 Boeing 777Sx continued apace throughout the year Currently, Qatar Airways Cargo is States. Kim and Moon embraced at (including options), 60 Boeing 737 with additional services being added By Pratap John the world’s second largest cargo op- Pyongyang’s international airport Max 8 (including 20 fi rm), 30 Boe- to our global network to popular desti- Chief Business Reporter erator. — where the North Korean leader ing 787s, seven Boeing 777-300ER and nations such as St. Petersburg, Chiang The report noted that EBITDAR had supervised missile launches last three Boeing 777F, 80 Airbus A320 neo Mai, Pattaya, Penang and Canberra. In was lower than the previous year by year as tensions mounted. Page 12 (including options), 54 Airbus A350s, total our route map increased by 14 new obust business planning and QR1.759bn “due to longer fl ying time eight Airbus A330 freighter (options) destinations during the fi nancial year, swift actions, post-blockade, resulting from the illegal blockade and AMERICA | Politics and one Airbus A380. connecting our passengers to even Rhave helped Qatar Airways group Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive loss of departing seats from the block- During fi scal 2018, Qatar Airways more exciting business and leisure hot generate earnings before interest, tax- Akbar al-Baker ading countries.” US mulls Polish request reached another important milestone spots around the world. es, depreciation, amortisation, and re- Replacing 18 mature routes, which for military base when it welcomed its 200th aircraft “This turbulent year though has structuring or rent costs (EBITDAR) of ience in the face of adversity. were closed due to the illegal blockade, President Donald Trump said into the fl eet. inevitably had an impact on our fi- 23% at QR9.7bn in fi scal 2018. Qatar Airways said “lower revenue the airline opened 14 new destinations yesterday the United States is As of March 31, 2018 Qatar Airways nancial results, which reflect the The national airline’s overall revenue growth was directly attributable to during the fi scal year (24 new destina- considering a request from Poland fl eet stood at 213 aircraft with an aver- negative effect the illegal blockade and other operating income grew 7.22% the illegal blockade” since June 5, 2017, tions to date). for a permanent US military age age of under fi ve years, making it has had on our airline. However, I am annually compared to capacity (Avail- which impacted departing seats by 19%. New destinations come with launch presence in the fellow Nato country, “one of the youngest fl eets fl ying the pleased to say that thanks to our ro- able Seat Kilometres) growth of 9.96%, The national carrier carried more costs and the necessity to establish acknowledging that he shares skies” today. bust business planning, swift actions revealed Qatar Airways Group annual than 29.1mn passengers and lifted market presence, which resulted in an Poland’s concerns about possible In the months that followed the in the face of the crisis, our passen- report 2017/18 released in Doha yes- nearly 1.4mn tonnes of cargo in fi scal overall net loss of QR252mn. Russian aggression. Polish President blockade, Qatar Airways took many ger-focused solutions and dedicated terday. 2018. Qatar Airways Group Chief Execu- Andrzej Duda asked Trump for a steps to ensure that the impact of the staff, the impact has been minimised With a positive operating cash in- The Qatar Airways fl eet stood at 213 tive Akbar al-Baker said: “This turbu- permanent US base during a White blockade on the airline was “contained – and has certainly not been as nega- fl ow, the cash position of the Group (as of March 2018) and now the airline lent year has inevitably had an impact House meeting, off ering to name and controlled”. tive as our neighbouring countries remained strong at QR13.31bn, accord- fl ies to more than 150 destinations all on our fi nancial results, which refl ect it “Fort Trump,” and explaining In its 2018 annual report, Qatar Air- may have hoped for.” ing to the annual report, which demon- over the world. the negative eff ect the illegal blockade it would be a bulwark against ways Group Chief Executive Akbar al- Business Pages 1, 16 strates the airline’s strength and resil- Additionally, Qatar Airways has has had on our airline. To Page 3 what he considers a threat from Russia. Trump said he agreed with Duda that Moscow had “acted aggressively” in the region and said the request for a base was under consideration. Big 5 event to open infra sector to wider markets BUSINESS | Technology Huawei opens new By Peter Alagos manager Jamal Sharida al-Kaabi. establish a foothold in regional and glo- scheduled face-to-face appointments, push for Qatar to gain top ranking in offi ce at Doha West Bay Business Reporter Al-Kaabi made the statement yes- bal markets. according to QTA director of Exhibi- the world as the government strives to Huawei, a leading global provider of terday during a press conference an- “From this time forth, QDB will tions Ahmed al-Obaidli. expand its economy. Professionals in information and communications nouncing The Big 5 Qatar’s debut in provide Qatari entrepreneurs in the “In collaboration with The Big 5 Qa- the country are keen to enhance their technology (ICT) infrastructure atar’s vast infrastructure sec- the country from September 24-26 at construction industry with adequate tar, we look forward to providing inter- expertise across a range of related and smart devices, has become tor would be opened further to the Doha Exhibition and Convention space to help them expand their reach national visitors a memorable experi- topics. Our top performing sessions one of the first technology firms to Qwider markets with the inau- Centre. He was joined by offi cials from and network with greater companies, ence in Qatar as a place where they can include business best practices, sus- register with 100% ownership in gural staging of ‘The Big 5 Qatar’ slated Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), Qatar as well as showcase their product of- do business and enjoy unique tourism tainability, and smart buildings and Qatar. The company also opened next week in Doha, a Public Works Au- Development Bank (QDB), and Tadmur ferings, which will give them an oppor- off erings,” he said. cities.” a new off ice at West Bay in Doha thority (Ashghal) offi cial has said. Trading. tunity to nurture and enhance business According to Tadmur Trading Busi- Sleem said The Big 5 exhibitors will to support its increased activities “The Big 5 event will encourage QDB acting executive director of In- relationships that will benefi t them as ness Development manager Omar showcase the latest innovations in con- in the country. “As an enabler construction companies to explore telligence and Localisation Saleh Ma- entrepreneurs and their SMEs, thereby Halawa, Qatar’s construction industry struction across seven dedicated prod- of technology and innovation, the available and upcoming avenues jid al-Khulaifi said the bank’s support achieving our strategic objectives for a will benefi t from the event through the uct sectors covering all stages of the Communications Regulatory in Qatar’s infrastructure development, for the event is part of its wide range sustainable and diversifi ed economy,” networking activities of local manu- construction life-cycle. Authority (CRA) works with industry understand the market, and partici- of initiatives to provide the small- and al-Khulaifi said. facturers and companies with their “More than 230 exhibitors from 20 leaders and governments across the pate in bidding procedures to share medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector Together with The Big 5 Qatar organ- international counterparts. It is also countries will participate in the event. globe to encourage direct foreign their expertise and be a part of one of with the needed support to build their isers, dmg events Doha, QTA will hold an opportunity for the participants to National pavilions from China, Turkey, investment in ICT sector,” CRA the world’s most dynamic infrastruc- capacity and contribute eff ectively to a ‘hosted buyers programme’ that will showcase their products and services. Italy, India, Iran, and Kuwait are taking president Mohamed Ali al-Mannai ture transformations,” said Ashghal the sustainability and diversifi cation bring buyers from 16 countries to meet dmg events Doha country manager part to support the ambitious demands said. Business Page 15 Planning and Quality Department of the national economy, in addition to local manufacturers and SMEs during Rawad Sleem said: “There is a huge of Qatar’s built environment.” Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 QATAR

Cote d’Ivoire president WEF chief praises Qatari leaves Doha eff orts in education field

QNA including the availability of the countries on the basis of their Beijing Internet in schools, where Qatar ability to provide high levels of in this regard ranked 19th in the prosperity for their citizens, world, as well as ranked fi fth glo- which in turn depends on the E the Minister of Edu- bally in the quality of the educa- productivity of countries using cation and Higher Edu- tional system, while ranked sev- their available resources. Hcation Dr Mohammed enth in the world in the quality of In a panel discussion of minis- Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi school management. The report ters and offi cials on recent trends met yesterday with World Eco- also revealed Qatar ranked sixth in entrepreneurship and innova- nomic Forum (WEF) president in the world in the quality of tion, the minister explained the Cote d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara left Doha yesterday Borge Brende, on the sidelines mathematics and science. experience of Qatar in this fi eld after an off icial visit to Qatar. The Cote d’Ivoire president and his of WEF’s annual meeting of the In terms of the innovation in- and the eff orts of the state’s bod- accompanying delegation were seen off upon departure at Hamad New Champions, which started dex, Qatar ranked 34th globally ies in the fi eld of entrepreneur- International Airport by HE the Minister of Municipality and in Tianjin, China and will run for in innovation capacity, 20th glo- ship and innovation and the in- Environment Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi and non- three days. bally in the quality of scientifi c cubation of youth projects. resident ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire to Qatar Toure F. During the meeting, they dis- research institutions and 13th in The minister noted “The role cussed co-operation between global expenditure on research of the Ministry of Education and Qatar and WEF as well as issues and development. Higher Education in promoting of common concern. HE Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi during a meeting Qatar ranked 12th globally in the concept of entrepreneurship, The WEF president praised with Borge Brende. cooperation between universi- whether through focusing on the the eff orts of Qatar in the field of ties and factories in research and curriculum to provide students DI signs MoU with education. which measure the progress of nological readiness, global mar- development, while it ranked with the skills and abilities nec- WEF’s Global Competitive- nations at the social, economic, ket development, labour mar- third in the world in the fi eld essary to establish business, and ness Report for 2017-2018 cultural and technical levels. ket effi ciency and commodity of government procurement of build their personality by pro- Qatar Youth Hostels ranked Qatar 25 internationally Global Competitiveness Re- market effi ciency. advanced technology products moting the values of self-reli- among the 137 countries covered port index consists of 12 key pil- According to the Global and ranked fi fth in the world in ance, creativity and innovation by the index. The quality of edu- lars, including health, primary Competitiveness Report, Qa- the availability of scientists and in them, as well as through vari- oha Institute for Gradu- exchange for the institute to cation plays an important role in education, higher education, tar ranked 10th in the quality of engineers. ous competitions and events that ate Studies (DI) signed provide support, consultancy determining the ranking of Qa- training, innovation, business primary education. The report Global Competitiveness Re- organized in co-operation with Da memorandum of un- and training courses to employ- tar in the international reports, development, market size, tech- also had several sub-indicators, port 2017-2018 assessed 137 various bodies,” he said. derstanding (MoU) with Qatar ees at Qatar Youth Hostels in the Youth Hostels to promote joint various administrative and hu- co-operation between both manitarian fi elds, and any other parties. subjects that the institute will The MoU was signed by DI provide in colleges, programmes acting president Dr Yasir Sulei- and specialised centres. Agreement man Malley and Qatar Youth Malley said the MoU comes as Hostels chief executive offi cer part of institutional and com- Ahmed Hassan Alobaidly. munity integration and aims to on Idlib The agreement promotes intensify the institution’s role the co-operation and partner- in serving the Qatari commu- ship between both parties in the nity, along with an association welcomed fi eld of culture and knowledge that communicates with the exchange. It also works on in- youth and spreads knowledge on creasing community awareness, Qatar’s history and culture. atar has welcomed the especially between youth and Alobaidly said the agree- Russian-Turkish agree- The Qatari delegation at the Nato headquarters in Brussels. organise joint activities and trips ment comes as part of the as- Qment on the establish- to the most prominent tourist sociation’s keenness to diversify ment of a demilitarised zone in sites in the country. its programmes and activities to Idlib Governorate, northwest of Qatar Youth Hostels will also serve youth in all segments. “It Syria, between the armed Syrian provide practical training, es- also complies with the goals of opposition and the Syrian regime pecially during the summer to the association and comes part forces. Relations with Nato strategic a number of students in DI, in of its strategic plans.” (QNA) In a statement issued yes- terday, the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs said that this important agreement contributes to stop- Envoy presents papers ping the bloodshed of innocents and deep, says ambassador and sparing the region a great humanitarian disaster. The ministry stressed that QNA Africa section Nicola de Santis tasks undertaken by Nato with the people, and through their unity, reaching this agreement dem- Brussels headed the Nato’s delegation in mandate of the Security Council, alignment, cohesion, and soli- onstrates the possibility of con- the meeting. the latest of which is Nato’s strong darity behind their wise leader- certed international and regional A high-level delegation from support mission in Afghanistan. ship served as a strong wall in eff orts in order to resolve the ex- he third meeting of the the Ministry of Defence and rep- “The visit of His Highness the the face of the siege”. isting confl ict and establish the Individual Partnership resentatives from several minis- Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad He noted that the Qatari peo- foundations of a just peace be- Tand Co-operation Pro- tries and entities attended the al-Thani to Nato headquarters in ple succeeded in thwarting those tween the confl icting parties in gramme between Qatar and the meeting. March came to give these rela- countries’ threats and have the Syrian war. North Atlantic Treaty Organiza- In his speech, ambassador tions a strong impetus and great yielded countless gains to make The statement affi rmed Qa- tion (Nato) started in Brussels on al-Khulaifi described the rela- momentum.” Qatar stronger, and self-reliant tar’s full support for all eff orts Monday. tions between Qatar and Nato as The ambassador explained in terms of food production and aimed at reaching a political so- Abdulrahman bin Mohammed strategic and deep. that Qatar had been targeted by processing. Iran’s Minister of Foreign Aff airs Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif has lution to the Syrian crisis on the al-Khulaifi , Qatar’s ambassa- He also pointed to the many some of its neighbours who im- “The relations between Qatar received a copy of the credentials of Mohammed bin Hamad al-Hajri, basis of the Geneva communique dor to Belgium and head of Qa- areas that witnessed intensive co- posed a siege on it in order to un- and Nato will be refl ected posi- as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Qatar to Iran. 1 and relevant Security Council tari mission to Nato, headed the operation between the two sides, dermine its status and gains as tively on security and peace in The Iranian minister wished the ambassador success in his duties, resolutions to meet the legiti- Qatari delegation participating which included the hosting of well as to deprive its independ- the Gulf region, the Middle East and the relations between the two countries further development mate aspirations of the brotherly in the meeting, while head of Qatar for the Nato’s meetings and ent decision, “but the people of and the rest of the world,” he and growth. Syrian people. Nato’s Middle East and North events, and its participation in the Qatar, the government and the said.

FM holds phone call with Turkish Kuwaiti Amir receives papers of envoy minister QNL and Russian HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani held via telephone a conversation with Turkey’s library sign MoU Minister of Foreign Aff airs Mevlut Cavusoglu. During the phone call, they atar National Library discussed the bilateral relations (QNL) and the Boris and ways to boost and develop QYeltsin Presidential Li- them, in addition to topics of brary signed a memorandum common interest. of understanding (MoU) at The Deputy PM and Minister the recent 84th World Library of Foreign Aff airs praised the and Information Congress in Russian-Turkish agreement on Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. establishing a demilitarised The MoU was signed by QNL zone in Idlib city of Syria saying Kuwait Amir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah received the credentials of Bandar bin executive director Dr Sohair the agreement will stop the Mohammed al-Attiyah as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Qatar to Kuwait. During Wastawy and Presidential Li- bloodshed in the city. He further the meeting, the ambassador conveyed greetings of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin brary’s acting director-general stressed Qatar’s stance, which Hamad al-Thani to the Kuwaiti Amir and his wishes of health and happiness to Sheikh Sabah Valentin Sidorin. calls for solving the Syrian issue al-Ahmad as well as his wishes of further progress and prosperity to the government and people Commenting on the agree- under the related UN resolutions of Kuwait. For his part, the Kuwaiti Amir entrusted the ambassador to convey his greetings to His ment, Wastawy said, “We are in a way that realises peace and Highness the Amir, wishing him best of health and happiness and Qatar further progress, delighted to have entered into transitional justice for the Syrian development and prosperity. The Kuwaiti Amir wished the ambassador success in his duties, assuring this partnership with the Boris people. him of all support to further take bilateral relations to closer co-operation in various fields. Yeltsin Presidential Library, particularly during the Qatar- Russia Year of Culture. We very PM sends message much look forward to explor- Dr Sohair Wastawy and Valentin Sidorin shake hands after signing to Nepalese Workshop on providing guidance for students kicks off ing the areas in which we can the MoU. co-operate”. counterpart A three-day workshop on care of gifted students because academically gifted students and Sidorin said, “We have no The research materials on ge- history. In its role as a research programmes for identifying, they possess outstanding abilities give them programs that match doubt that our co-operation ography and history of Arabia, as library with a preeminent herit- HE the Prime Minister and catering and providing that must be pursued, developed their talents as well as develop with Qatar National Library will well as offi cial diplomatic docu- age collection, QNL fosters and Minister of Interior Sheikh guidance for gifted students and taken care of, especially that their creativity and distinct result in multiple projects and ments refl ecting the relationship promotes greater global insight Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al- kicked off yesterday. It is being scientists, thinkers and inventors intellectual abilities. will lead our nations to better between Russia and Qatar and into the history and culture of Thani has sent a written message organised by Qatar National who societies rely on them are She stressed that the wise understanding each other. We the League of Arab States take a the Gulf region. As a public li- to Nepal Prime Minister K P Commission for Education, from them. leadership has paid great are also looking forward to our special place in the Presidential brary, QNL provides equal ac- Sharma Oli, pertaining to bilateral Culture and Science (QNCECS) Al-Sulaiti said in a speech that attention to the distinguished, collaboration in the next four Library collection. These docu- cess for all Qatari residents to an relations and means to develop in co-operation with the Islamic teaching gifted peoples is one of pointing to an annual prize years as the FIFA World Cup ments are presented in the col- environment that supports cre- and promote them. Educational, Scientific and the top priorities of education in allocated to them under the 2022 will move from Russia to lection “Russia - Qatar: from the ativity, independent decision- The Qatar ambassador to Nepal, Cultural Organisation (ISESCO). Qatar, adding that the curriculum name of the Excellence Award, Qatar, and this will not only be a history of relations”. making and cultural develop- Youssef bin Mohammed al-Hail, QNCECS Secretary-General Dr and teaching methods have which covers students in all celebration of sport, but will also QNL acts as a steward of Qa- ment. Through all its functions, handed the message during a Hamda al-Sulaiti said that societies been developed, and modern levels of education, teachers, contribute to the strengthen- tar’s national heritage by col- QNL provides leadership to the meeting with the Nepal prime at diff erent degrees of progress technologies in education were educational institutions and ing of friendly relations between lecting, preserving and making country’s library and cultural minister yesterday. attach great importance to the introduced in order to identify scientific research. (QNA) countries”. available the country’s recorded heritage sector. (QNA) Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 3 QATAR QCV conducts over 3.6mn eye screenings

in Bangladesh, India Participants at one of the workshops. atar Creating Vision (QCV), funded by the QQatar Fund for Develop- ment (QFFD) and implemented MoPH launches baseline survey by Orbis International, has pro- vided over 3.6mn screenings, it was announced yesterday. on health and safety of employees The programme has pre- scribed around 179,000 pairs of he Ministry of Pub- The data collected will inform needs of population groups, eyeglasses to children and a fur- lic Health (MoPH) has decision making on workplace rather than individuals. ther 1,100 surgeries have taken Tlaunched a national base- health and wellness initiatives The strategy identifi es place. Over 45,000 individuals line survey on the health and during the coming years. healthy employees as a key have been trained on eye health. safety of employees in Qatar. At the workshops the at- driver for societal develop- In August, two Qatari doc- The launch was carried out tendees were provided techni- ment and economic produc- tors from the Ministry of Pub- through a series of workshops cal assistance on how to fi ll in tivity. It aims to achieve health lic Health (MoPH) and Hamad attended by over 70 represent- the survey and identify sources improvements by promoting Medical Corporation (HMC) atives from 55 diff erent govern- of information to facilitate data healthier lifestyles, improving witnessed fi rst-hand the work ment and semi-government collection. workplace safety and reducing of the initiative in Pune and organisations. A pilot phase ‘Healthy and Safe Employ- injuries, in addition to improv- Madurai, India. was carried out last month. ees’ has been identifi ed as one ing occupational health capa- QCV was established in 2015 The survey is a critical step of seven priority populations bilities with the health sector. to provide free eye tests and forward towards achieving the within the recently launched “We are aiming to work treatment to children across national health target of pro- National Health Strategy with employers through work- India and Bangladesh. In addi- viding 80% of government and (NHS) 2018-2022. It refl ects shops and awareness sessions tion to ophthalmologists and semi-government employees the strategy’s population to achieve our targets,” said community health workers, the Dr Mohamed al-Hajri and Dr Faisal Naqadan with children. with access to occupational health approach, which aims to Dr Asma al-Nuaimi, nation- training has also been provided health-based wellness pro- achieve health improvements al lead for Healthy and Safe to teachers, government offi cials, Hajri will be instrumental in ror Among Children programme. ladesh to devise a programme to grammes by the year 2022. through addressing the health Employees. community and religious leaders. future activities.” One of India’s largest eye screen- help the Rohingya people, and Ali Abdulla al-Dabbagh, dep- Dr Mohamed al-Hajri, direc- ing programme, it aims not only those within the local host com- uty director general for planning tor, Emergency Preparedness and to identify children with re- munity, who are struggling with Workers on immunisation services to be trained at the QFFD, commented, “By Response at MoPH, said, “This fractive errors but also to pro- vision loss. engaging the MoPH and HMC, visit was a unique experience. I vide them with prescription Since February 2018, Orbis The Ministry of Public management for health service in the country. It includes we have the opportunity to had the opportunity to witness eyeglasses and surgeries when has worked with local partners Health (MoPH) plans to train providers in hospitals and lectures to train participants combine QFFD’s fi nancial con- a programme built for sustain- required. in Bangladesh to screen almost health workers providing private clinics. The course will and update their information tribution and Qatar’s technical ability and was impressed by the “I am very happy to see how 25,000 Rohingyas, carry out 413 immunisation services in include 35 doctors, pharmacists with the latest practical and skills and experience to tackle collaborative eff orts of Orbis, the the combined expertise of the surgeries, and prescribe nearly private health facilities that and nurses from health facilities scientific developments related avoidable blindness. Through local partner hospitals, and the QFFD and Orbis is changing so 8,000 treatments. The number have been granted new licences and private hospitals. to vaccination services, as this partnership, we are able to schools.” many lives in India and Bangla- of treatments required has been to provide vaccination services. The course, which starts today, well as the ideal ways to save help many more children across While in India, both Dr Hajri desh,” said Dr Naqadan. higher than originally expected In this context, the National comes as part of an annual vaccines and the great attention India and Bangladesh. The posi- and Dr Faisal Naqadan, from Following a request by QFFD, with most being severe cases; the Immunisation Programme training programme to promote it receives once it arrives at the tive insights shared by Dr Faisal HMC’s ophthalmology depart- Orbis International, recently ex- majority of Rohingya people have at the ministry is organising and develop the eff iciency and health facility until given to the Naqadan and Dr Mohamed al- ment, visited the Refractive Er- panded the work it does in Bang- never had access to eye care. a training course on vaccine quality of immunisation services beneficiaries. Doha to host ATBH conference in 2020

nterprofessional.global, World Confederation for Interprofes- Isional Practice and Education, has announced that Doha will host the 10th edition of the All Together Bet- ter Health (ATBH) conference in 2020, bringing the biennial event to the Mid- dle East for the fi rst time. The conference is expected to gather more than 500 health and social care professionals, medical educators, policy makers, students as well as health serv- ice users from around the globe for a three-day programme which addresses global health challenges against the backdrop of Qatar’s state-of-the-art education and health facilities. Dr Johanna Dahlberg, chair of Inter- The bid to host ATBH in Qatar was led by QU and supported by Qatar Tourism professional.global commented, “The Authority (QTA) as part of its efforts to attract global conferences and events confederation, with representations to Qatar. across the globe, welcomes the excit- ing opportunity for Qatar University dedicated work of our team internally The bid to host ATBH in Qatar was (QU) to host the conference and rec- headed by Alla El-Awaisi and the con- led by QU and supported by QTA. This ognises the development of interpro- tribution of our outreach teams.” is the second successful bid the two fessional practice and education in the Dr Alla El-Awaisi, College of Phar- organisations have collaborated on. Middle East.” macy assistant dean for student aff airs Ahmed al-Obaidli, director of Ex- Dr Egon Steen Toft, VP for Medical and QU Health chair of the Interpro- hibitions at QTA commented, “We are &Health Sciences at QU said, “It was fessional Education Committee (IPE) pleased to have supported Qatar Uni- a fi erce competition and only accom- commented, “We are very much look- versity throughout the bidding process plished thanks to the support from ing forward to organising this global by helping them to showcase Qatar’s Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), the conference.” unique capabilities.”

Qatar Airways keeps up strong earnings

From Page 1 24 new destinations in total since the During the fi nancial year, Qatar start of the blockade, further expand- Airways Group also continued apace “However, I am pleased to say that ing its network of more than 150 “ex- with the expansion of its investment thanks to our robust business planning, citing gateways” around the world and portfolio to include an initial 9.94% swift actions in the face of the crisis, continuing its ambitious growth plans stake in Cathay Pacifi c, which has our passenger-focused solutions and in Europe and Asia. since increased to 9.99%, as well as a dedicated staff , the impact has been Against this backdrop of regional 49% share of AQA Holding, the par- minimised – and has certainly not been political tension, just six weeks after ent company of Meridiana fl y, which as negative as our neighbouring coun- the start of the blockade, Qatar Airways was relaunched as Air Italy in February tries may have hoped for.” proved to the world that its neighbours 2018. The report noted, “A strategic and had failed to reach their objective in re- With its “business as usual” ap- rapid response from the airline when ducing the airline to collapse by instead proach to the blockade, the airline also neighbouring countries illegally winning the coveted title of ‘Skytrax continued to invest in sports sponsor- blocked Qatar’s airspace on June 5 last Airline of the Year’ for the fourth time ships, which it sees as the ideal plat- year put Qatar Airways in a position of in less than 10 years. The airline also form for bringing people together from strength from which to recover from took home awards for ‘World’s Best all corners of the globe. the unprecedented attack on the coun- Business Class’, ‘Best Airline in the Qatar Airways Group’s sponsor- try’s sovereignty. Within 10 weeks new Middle East’, and ‘World’s Best First ship with FIFA remains the core of its destinations to Sohar, Prague and Kyiv Class Airline Lounge’. sponsorship portfolio, and is comple- were announced and launched, while Throughout this “turbulent” year, mented by the addition of sports part- other routes saw an increase in fre- Qatar Airways “has not wavered from nerships with Bayern Munchen AG, AS quency and capacity, thus swiftly rede- its strategy and vision of constant Roma and Boca Juniors. These spon- ploying capacity with a view to soften growth and development to give its sorships further enhance the airline’s the impact of being illegally blockaded loyal passengers the best possible commitment to leveraging sports as a from 18 regional gateways.” on-board experience every time they means to connecting with passengers The national airline has launched travel.” across its global network. Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 QATAR QBRI launches grants for collaborative research

By Joseph Varghese ing executive director, QBRI told collaborators. Two IDGP projects As a disease-focused insti- Staff Reporter Gulf Times. “QBRI currently fo- that have been funded and hold tute, QBRI has been working on cuses on research in the area of promise as they continue to several innovative projects. Sci- diabetes, neurological disorders evolve and fl ourish, are in the entists at the DRC are working atar Biomedical Re- and cancer. While working to- area of diabetes and autism. in collaboration with Hamad search Institute (QBRI), wards improving personalised The project on diabetes aims to Medical Corporation to under- Qa research institute under medicine, QBRI also looks at the identify and validate biomarkers stand the genetic causes lead- Hamad Bin Khalifa University, potential for commercialisation for diabetes complications and ing to the clustering of diabetes has launched an Interdiscipli- through the IDGP,” he explained. comorbidities such as nephropa- in families. nary Research Grant Programme “The idea behind the initia- thy, stroke, and dementia. The Meanwhile, work is also be- (IDGP). tive is to encourage researchers outcomes could be useful in tar- ing carried out on the molecular The research initiative takes tackling common scientifi c chal- geting patients with type 2 dia- mechanisms of diabetes, specifi - into account the complexity of lenges across QBRI’s research betes for early risk-factor reduc- cally looking at developmental the human body and various dis- centres – Cancer Research Cen- tion as well as to prevent or slow transcription factors and how eases and fi nd more holistic bio- tre (CRC), Diabetes Research down the complications. they determine cell fate such as medical solutions. Centre (DRC), and Neurologi- The project on autism focuses pancreatic development. “The programme extends cal Disorders Research Center on identifying molecular bi- Studies at the DRC are also grants worth QR4mn per year for (NDRC). While IDGP calls for omarkers for the early diagnosis progressing in the area of stem a period of three years which can the collaboration of multiple in- of this disorder. It also aims to cell in diabetes, to develop active be extended up to fi ve years. The vestigators from QBRI’s research enhance the understanding of pancreatic insulin-producing proposals for IDGP are screened centres, it can also involve part- the underlying mechanisms of cells. A QBRI project in collabo- by a team of local, regional and nerships with other national and autism pathophysiology. The ration with the Qatar Biobank international experts. A peer re- international organisations,” outcomes could help the devel- involves the investigation of the view committee involving world continued the offi cial. QBRI in opment of clinical targets for association of low salivary al- leaders in the proposed fi eld of consultation with several part- early intervention to prevent, de- pha-amylase levels with diabetes research oversees the selection ners, has already identifi ed some lay, or reduce the severity of the type 2 and obesity in the Qatari process,” Dr Omar El-Agnaf, act- signifi cant projects with relevant disease. population. Some of the researchers at one of the labs at QBRI.

Barwa Real Estate joins ‘Year RoSPA honour for of Culture Qatar-Russia 2018’

arwa Real Estate Group has joined the Year of BCulture Qatar-Russia 2018 with Group CEO Salman Ashghal’s Sewage bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi participating in a seminar ti- tled ‘Qatar: No Limits of Ar- chitecture’. He was joined by Arab En- gineering Bureau CEO Ibrahim Mohamed al-Jaidah, Barwa programme Group advisor Abdelwahed Elwakil, and Ministry of Mu- shghal has received a gold through a 40m deep foul sewer- nicipality and Environment’s achievement award from age pumping station. head of R&D – Urban Planning Athe Royal Society for the An important feature of the Department Dr Ali Abdelrouf Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) programme is the gravity main Ali Abouelsaad. for Doha South Sewage Infra- trunk sewer that will link a In his opening speech, Qa- structure Programme. The award number of areas in the south of tar’s ambassador to Russia Fa- Group CEO Salman bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi gestures acknowledges the programme’s Doha to the sewage network. had bin Mohamed al-Attiyah while delivering a speech at the seminar ‘Qatar: No Limits of outstanding occupational health It will reduce the environmen- underscored the importance Architecture’ held during Year of Culture Qatar-Russia 2018. and safety performance during tal impacts by fully controlling of providing opportunities for 2017, according to a statement the odours at the sewage treat- experience and knowledge ex- Barwa Real Estate an example On what made Doha the from Ashghal. ment works and conveying sys- change between both coun- to be followed by other com- Middle East’s “capital of the The award was received by en- tem, and reduce other environ- tries, especially in the fi eld of panies. creative economy,” Abouelsaad gineer Khalid Saif al-Khayareen, mental problems arising from architecture and urban devel- Al-Jaidah, on the other hand, spoke at a public interview ti- manager, Drainage Networks sewage overfl ow due to excess opment. addressed the urban changes tled ‘From Boring to Smart and Projects Department, as part of hydraulic pressure on the ex- At the panel discussion, in Qatar from the 1940s to its Resilient City’. a ceremony held in Glasgow, UK. isting drainage network, where al-Mohannadi discussed the current urban situation, draw- He explained how mega Since its start, the programme Ashghal off icials receiving the RoSPA Award in Glasgow recently. sewage fl ows exceed its absorp- importance of the balance be- ing on modern projects that projects like the Museum of Is- achieved outstanding occupa- tive capacity. tween architectural culture, have succeeded in reviving lo- lamic Art, the 2022 FIFA World tional health and safety per- The strong safety perform- ern and western, which will be The programme is designed to economic feasibility, market cal identity in contemporary Cup projects, and the National formance, through adopting a ance and alignment is supported excavated using 11 shafts. In ad- serve areas in the south of Doha needs, social benefi ts, and architecture. On the benefi ts Museum of Qatar had changed successful strategy that requires by a committed leadership team, dition, the programme compris- and the expected population minimum environmental im- of old engineering techniques the physical and cultural land- constant vigilance and com- weekly health, safety and en- es approximately 24km of lateral growth. It can be linked to fu- pact. and their compatibility with scape of Qatar’s capital city. mitment from top leadership at vironment site tours, positive sewer tunnels project. ture infrastructure projects when He also addressed major the climate, Elwakil praised the The seminar was moderated Ashghal, the management and working relationships and col- The lateral tunnels are being completed, and enable the de- contributions by leading com- characteristics of the Islamic by Monika Konrad, project di- supervision consultant, and con- laborations between supervisors completed using 170 shafts at commissioning of more than 20 panies such as Barwa Real Es- architecture, which respects rector at Strelka KB; Mikhail tractors down to the construc- and contractors and supervisory diff erent locations within Doha old pumping stations currently tate, which plays a key role in traditions. Alekseyevskiy, head of Strelka tion workers on-site. staff empowered to step in and South. The fl ows from these located in the residential and the development of the Qatari He also compared it with the KB Center for Urban Anthro- This award recognises the tire- stop unsafe works on-site. lateral sewers will be conveyed commercial areas in the south of property market to meet the modern architectural designs pology; and Ville Hara, mem- less eff orts of the entire team to The programme includes the to three segments of the main Doha. country’s urban development inspired by diff erent environ- ber of Finnish Architects As- plan for and ensure that all the construction of a 16km main tunnels, which will then convey The programme will be com- needs. Al-Mohannadi also took ments that may not be com- sociation, and was attended works are executed safely, Ash- trunk sewer project, divided into these fl ows to the existing Doha pleted in stages starting from the into account the desired bal- mensurate with the country’s by more than 800 visitors and ghal said. three segments, eastern, north- South Sewage Treatment Plant fi rst quarter of 2019. ance in all aspects, which made climate. over 10,000 online viewers.

AJ+ Espanol wins Online Journalism Award for Verificado 2018 AJ+ Espanol, the Spanish-speaking channel of AJ+, has won the Online Journalism Award (OJA) in the category of Excellence in Collaboration and Partnerships for Verificado 2018, a collaborative news verification and fact-checking initiative to fight disinformation during the Mexican electoral process. The channel, based in Mexico City, was awarded during the US-based Online News Association (ONA) 2018 conference on September 15 in Austin, Texas, Al Jazeera Media Network said in a statement. Verificado 2018 was created and co-led by AJ+ Espanol to debunk stories during the biggest elections ever held in Mexican history, in which 56mn people cast their votes. Over 119 days, Verificado verified videos, images, articles and WhatsApp chains that circulated on social media about the electoral process and fact-checked politicians’ statements. It published its findings through its own website and social media accounts as well as a partner network of 90 organisations across Mexico. Dima Khatib, managing director of AJ+ channels, expressed excitement at AJ+ receiving the second OJA – the first one being awarded to AJ+ English in 2016, for Excellence in Online Journalism. “Now, our Spanish-speaking channel is consistently engaging with media from around the world that want to learn from our experience and adapt Verificado 2018’s concept to their local needs in an era of fake news.” Verificado 2018 is the “first initiative of its kind” with a dedicated multimedia desk and a WhatsApp line to fight disinformation, the statement notes. The initiative connected with the audience through the hashtag #QuieroQueVerifiquen (#IWantYouToVerify) “to receive verification requests and engage with communities through direct messaging, message by message”. In just over three months, Verificado published more than 400 posts and around 100 visuals, including videos, GIFs, loops and social media cards. Its Twitter and Facebook accounts organically reached more than 200,000 followers each, and its WhatsApp line amassed more than 10,000 subscribers. The initiative was mentioned more than 1mn times on Twitter and racked up 2mn interactions on both Twitter and Facebook. After the end of Verificado 2018, which was specifically tailored for the election period, AJ+ Espanol launched a new project, AJ+ VERIFICA, through which the channel would keep verifying content and fact-checking politicians to bring back journalism to digital platforms. One can follow AJ+ Espanol on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and learn more about the channel on its website. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 5 QATAR Mandela kin to attend SA Heritage Day in Doha

he South African commu- September 24 every year to recog- made from crushed corn and beans. Ubuntu refers to behaving well sectors. Chief Mandla, who is fol- nity in Doha is set to welcome nise the cultural wealth of the South The embassy said it is especially towards others or acting in ways lowing in the footsteps of the great TMandla Mandela, chief of African nation. proud of the young South Africans that benefi t the community. Such Nelson Mandela, is currently a the Mvezo Traditional Council and South Africans mark the day by who will be participating in the ba- acts could be as simple as helping a member of the South African Par- grandson of former South African staging various events to remember zaar as they will provide a range of stranger in need. A person who be- liament as well as the Pan-African president, the late Nelson Mandela, the cultural heritage of the many South African sweets and baked haves in these ways has Ubuntu. He parliament. to Qatar, the South African embassy cultures which make up the popula- goods. or she is a full person. Chief Mandla has been very ac- has announced. tion of South Africa. The event will also witness the The literal translation of the tive in promoting the plight of the Chief Mandla will be the guest of The Ubuntu Bash in Doha will see welcoming of the Supreme Com- word is “I am because you are”. It is Palestinian people. While in Doha, honour at the Ubuntu Bash, Herit- more than 30 stalls selling South mittee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) this spirit of Ubuntu that allowed he is set to meet several members age Day Bazaar, at the Doha Golf African delicacies such as bunny assistant secretary general Nasser South Africans from all cultures to of the diplomatic community and Club on September 21. chows (South African style curry al-Khater by the South African em- shed the legacy of colonialism and attend a round table discussion at Ubuntu is a complex word from served in half a loaf of bread), boere- bassy. apartheid and unite in the success- the Brookings Doha think-tank. the Nguni language with several wors rolls (traditional, unmistakable Ubuntu is best known as a hu- ful modern country we see today. South African ambassador Faizel defi nitions, all of them diffi cult to South African sausage), koeksisters manist philosophy associated with According to the embassy, more Moosa is inviting the South Afri- translate into English. At the heart (a very traditional baked dessert) Nelson Mandela and Archbishop than 6,000 South Africans are liv- can community and all friends of of each defi nition, though, is the and many more. Desmond Tutu. The meaning of ing in Qatar, many are employed in South Africa to the Golf Club for connectedness that exists between Of special interest will be the var- Ubuntu is correct behaviour, but the education and health systems the celebration, being held in part- people. ious Zulu and Xhosa dishes that will correct in this sense is defi ned by a of Qatar, as well as in senior mana- nership with Sasol, Qatar Airways Mandla Mandela The celebration is celebrated on be served including a fi rm favourite person’s relations with other people. gerial positions in a wide variety of and Grand Hyatt Doha.

Hip-hop dance group enthrals Katara audience Top French artist to showcase The French-based hip-hop dance group ‘The Swaggers’ enthralled works at Fire Station Cinema the crowd with their stunning performance on Monday at the Katara – the Cultural Village’s nternationally-acclaimed contem- fl ects Qatar’s her- Drama Theatre. The “In the Middle” porary French artist Jean-Michel itage and culture. show was organised in partner- IOthoniel is set to discuss and present With a marked ship with the French embassy in his work at a public art talk today at the taste for meta- Doha. Katara general manager Dr Fire Station Cinema, it was announced. morphosis, sub- Ibrahim bin Khalid al-Sulaiti and The artist, in collaboration with Qa- limation, and several diplomats, including am- tar Museums (QM), is the man behind transmutation, bassadors Franck Gellet (France) Cosmos, a new and impressive public Othoniel (born on and Pasquale Salzano (Italy), were art piece located at the Hamad Interna- January 27, 1964 among the dignitaries present. tional Airport. He visited the airport the in Saint-Etienne, “Katara always provided the aid for other day to inspect his artwork. now lives and more cultural co-operation and this QM is encouraging its Culture Pass Jean-Michel Othoniel works in Paris) is not the end as we are planning members to come to the show, which shows a fondness for the ‘French Cultural Year’ in will be moderated by the head of Public for materials with reversible properties. 2020,” said Gellett, who welcomed Art, Abdulrahman al-Ishaq. He started out, at the beginning of the the audience and lauded the According to QM, Cosmos is inspired 1990s, exhibiting his works at the Kas- continuous support of Katara in by the oldest astrolabe in the world, sel documenta in 1992. A turning point staging the show. A huge number found in the collection of the Museum in his output came the following year of visitors from various communi- of Islamic Art. when he began employing glass. ties thronged the venue to witness Cosmos is the latest addition to QM’s Working with the fi nest glassmakers the live performance of ‘The rich portfolio of public art pieces, all cu- in Murano and Basel ever since, he ex- Swaggers’, a well-renowned French rated by experts and created by some of plores the properties of a material that band comprised of seven dancers. the world’s most creative minds. subsequently became a hallmark of his Speaking at a press conference Othoniel, who is best known for mod- work. prior to the show, the performers ernising the gardens of the Chateau de These days, Othoniel’s work has an said they were excited to visit and Versailles with his striking glass foun- architectural dimension and the artist hold a show in Qatar. tain sculptures, described his artwork as has permanent installations in public a monumental public art piece that re- and private places all over the world. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 QATAR Qatar Motor Show to be held next month

nder the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin UKhalifa al-Thani, Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Fira Qatar, yesterday announced that Qatar Motor Show (QMS) will return for an eighth edition on October 17- 21 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC). A number of automotive brands will participate in this year’s edition, under the theme ‘Driving to Innovation’, a statement elaborated. This year’s exhibition is the fi rst to be held under QMS’ new strategy, which aims to provide richer content, with Off icials with high school graduates at the academy. a focus on innovation and sustainability. The show’s strategy is also geared towards raising the profi le of the show on the international calendar of au- tomotive events, with the dates of the show changing to make it the fi rst in the region, giving international brands Q-Chem reaches out to fresh Qatari graduates the opportunity to showcase their latest designs to audi- ences in Qatar before any other market. Ahmed al-Obaidli, director of exhibitions at QTA, atar Chemical Company Ltd (Q- Besides, it enabled Q-Chem to receive and a series of speeches by Q-Chem rep- commented: “QMS is a testament to how a true public- A view of the crowd at Qatar Motor Show 2017. Chem) recently showcased its fi rsthand feedback on issues that mat- resentatives from several departments. private partnership can raise the profi le of a local event on Qachievements and the role it plays tered most to the community. “Reaching out to NSA recruits is the international level. QMS and other exhibitions form a The previous edition of QMS welcomed more than in national development at a special “Q-Chem has a big role in helping a good opportunity for Q-Chem as key part of our strategy to empower important players in 50,000 visitors. event, and also reached out to high school students achieve their aspirations,” the it helps draw the attention of a large the business events industry, while raising Qatar’s profi le Ahmed Almulla, chief operating offi cer — entertain- graduates attending national services at statement notes. number of young Qataris. as a premium destination for business events.” ment at Elan Events, commented: “QMS remains among National Service Authority (NSA). Technical manager Abdulhadi al- It is an integral part of the Qatarisa- He added: “QMS’ new strategy is aimed at maximising the biggest consumer events in Qatar, receiving consist- The initiative is part of Q-Chem’s Marri, Maintenance superintendent tion drive,” the statement adds. the exhibition’s value for both exhibitors and visitors, by ently great interest from residents and auto enthusiasts “determination in reaching out to Abdulaziz Muttawa, HR Services head “Q-Chem takes its duty of exemplary enhancing content related to innovation. This will help from around the region. We develop the show every year communities and presents diverse op- Saad al-Hababi and other department corporate citizenship very seriously,” promote the status of the show as a prominent interna- so that it can keep abreast of the fast-developing auto- portunities available at its facilities in representatives attended the event at said Nasser Jeham al-Kuwari, chief ex- tional automotive event.” motive market, as well as changing consumer needs. We Mesaieed, Ras Laff an and Doha”, the the NSA academy. ecutive offi cer of Q-Chem. Over the past seven year, QMS has evolved to become are pleased to cooperate with exhibitors to enrich their company has said in a statement. At the beginning of the meeting, Q- “We are actively engaged in the devel- one of the leading motor shows in the region, strengthen- experience and that of the show’s visitors.” The event provided an opportunity to Chem showed a fi lm highlighting the opment of Qatari youth, raising aware- ing its position as a platform for interaction between in- QMS will off er engaging and exciting experiences for have direct communication with young company’s operations and its contribu- ness by attracting their attention to is- ternational brands and their local agents on the one hand; visitors, who will be able to see the newest car models and Qataris who had recently graduated tions to the national economy. sues that Q-Chem considers vital for and consumers and potential customers in Qatar and the the best off ers from various brands under one roof, ac- from high schools. This was followed by presentations the sustainable future of our country.” region on the other. cording to the statement.

QBG showcases initiatives to international audience at Warsaw education congress

he Qur’anic Botanic Gar- gardens in more than 100 coun- ternational Congress from the & Learn’ programme for primary ing of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Holy Qur’an, the Hadith and the Fatma Saleh al-Khulaifi , man- den (QBG), a member of tries. University of Warsaw Botanic schools, the ‘Food Security’ pro- well as its restoration programme Sunnah of the Prophet Muham- ager, QBG, said: “Participation TQatar Foundation (QF), BGCI is the largest plant con- Garden, having been an ac- gramme for secondary schools for native plants that attracts all mad (peace be upon him). in the BGCI 10th International participated in the 10th Interna- servation network in the world, tive member of BGCI since May and the environmental research segments of the community in It inspires appreciation of na- Congress of Education in Botanic tional Congress on Education in and aims to collect, conserve, 2016. contest. Qatar to participate with the aim ture by encouraging people to Gardens presented us with an ex- Botanic Gardens in Warsaw, Po- characterise, and cultivate sam- The event enabled QBG to Representatives from QBG of strengthening cultural herit- show respect and responsibility cellent opportunity to showcase land, from September 9-14. ples from all the world’s plants to highlight its educational pro- also showcased its outreach ini- age awareness. towards the environment, sup- to an international audience the The event was organised by safeguard them against extinc- gramme that off ers unique op- tiatives, such as the ‘Ghars’ cam- QBG exhibits the plants, bo- porting QF’s commitment to educational programs that we have Botanic Gardens Conservation tion. portunities for exploration and paign that encourages members tanical terminologies, conserva- promoting sustainable develop- provided to the community in Qa- International (BGCI), which rep- QBG received an offi cial invi- scientifi c research to school stu- of Qatari society to plant 2,022 tional principles, and environ- ment and community develop- tar, in collaboration with numer- resents a network of 500 botanic tation to participate in the In- dents in Qatar, including the ‘Fun trees in support of Qatar’s host- mental ethics mentioned in the ment. ous local organisations.”

Toyota Avalon recalled over safety concerns Unimoni 2018 comes to Ooredoo tv The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), oredoo has announced that live cover- in collaboration with age of the Unimoni Asia Cup 2018 is Abdullah Abdulghani & Oavailable for Ooredoo tv customers with Bros Co, has announced an Ultimate Sports or Pehla Prime Package. Granprix, UFC, Caribbean Premier League, the recall of Avalon model The 2018 Asia Cup is a One Day Interna- and Ryder Cup coverage in the coming months. of 2012 over the possibility tional (ODI) cricket tournament featuring Ooredoo tv is Qatar’s best next-gener- of a defect in the front left the Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indian, Paki- ation TV service and off ers features such and right seat belt buckle. stani, and Sri Lanka national cricket teams. as 4K resolution, time shift, apps, parental The MEC said the recall Ooredoo tv customers who wish to access control, thousands of hours of on-demand campaign comes within the Unimoni Asia Cup 2018 can subscribe to content and much more. the framework of its the Ultimate Sports Pack (QR80 per month) Ooredoo tv is available now via Ooredoo ongoing eff orts to protect or Pehla Prime (QR145 per month) by visiting Shops, Starlink, TechnoBlue, and Jumbo out- consumers and ensure their nearest Ooredoo Shop or by calling 111. lets. The service has no upfront charges, no that automobile dealers Apart from enjoying the Unimoni Asia Cup equipment costs, and no ongoing contracts. follow up on vehicles’ 2018, Ultimate Sports or Pehla Prime Pack- Details are available online at ooredoo.qa/ defects and repair them. age add-on customers can watch live Moto GP portal/OoredooQatar/ooredoo-tv_2. The MEC said that it will co-ordinate with the dealer to follow up on the maintenance and repair works and will communicate with customers to ensure that the necessary repairs are carried out. The MEC has urged all customers to report any violations to its Consumer Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department through the following channels: Call centre: 16001, e-mail: info@ mec.gov.qa, Twitter: @MEC_ Qatar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar MME conducts over 363,000 transactions The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) has accomplished around 363,857 customer transactions and services across its various departments from January until the end of August 2018. These include 274,815 transactions at the eight municipalities sector, 52,206 at the agriculture aff airs and fisheries sector, 9,854 at the environment aff airs sector, 14,816 at the public services aff airs sector, 1,107 at the urban planning sector and 11,059 transactions at the building permits complex. These transactions were handled through the various online means such as the website of MME, MME smart devices application, telephone calls and the various services centres. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 7 QATAR ICT sector’s global New offi ces in Doha capabilities displayed ‘confi rm confi dence in Qatari market’ at Telecom World event QNA leading global provider of com- with industry leaders and gov- Doha munications and information ernments across the globe to technology (ICT) infrastruc- encourage direct foreign in- he recently-held Telecom ture and smart devices. vestment in the ICT sector. World 2018 has provided he launch of offi ces and Al-Mannai said the CRA is Collaboration with stakehold- TQatar with an excel- branches of leading in- seeking to encourage inter- ers is a hallmark of the CRA’s lent platform to drive its digital Tternational companies national companies to have mandate and we will continue transformation, and for strategic in Qatar confi rms the confi - offi ces in Doha, pointing out to boost and support develop- networking opportunities with dence of foreign investors in that the issuance of the law to ment of similar new initiatives innovation leaders, according to the strength of the Qatari mar- encourage foreign direct in- in the sector.” the Communications Regulatory ket as well as in infrastructure vestment in the country is one The opening of the new offi ce Authority (CRA). provided by Qatar for these of the most important meas- of Huawei in West Bay comes in The event, which focused fi rms, Communications Regu- ures that will contribute to the support of its increased activi- on technologies, innovations, latory Authority (CRA) presi- development of the national ties in the country. In line with ideas, policies, and regulations dent Mohamed Ali al-Mannai economy and the ICT sector. the aim of driving the devel- to bridge the digital divide, was has said. “We welcome Huawei’s ex- opment of the ICT industry in organised by the International He made the observation pansion in Qatar and look for- Qatar, Huawei’s new offi ce will Telecommunication Union (ITU) while speaking to Qatar News ward to their active contribu- expand and enhance the com- in Durban, South Africa. Agency on the sidelines of the tion to the economy further. pany’s activities in sectors with a The CRA said the event at- opening of Huawei’s offi ce in As an enabler of technology key role to play in achieving the tracted 3,100 participants from Doha yesterday. Huawei is a and innovation, the CRA works country’s developments goals. 94 countries, 300 exhibitors, 157 speakers, 43 panel sessions, workshops and sponsored ses- sions, 65 shortlisted SMEs for the MoTC assistant undersecretary Tadmur Holding ‘off icial sponsor of Qatar Sustainability Awards’ ITU Telecom World Awards 2018, CRA president Mohamed Ali Qatar’s ambassador to South of Digital Society Development and over 200 leaders and decision al-Mannai Africa Abdullah Hussein al-Jaber. Sector Reem al-Mansoori. atar Green Building Council (QGBC) deadline for applying for the Qatar Sustain- makers from 74 countries. has announced Tadmur Holding, a di- ability Awards is September 27. A shortlist of A high-level Qatari delegation key topics included technologi- CRA achieve its objective of ena- to transform Qatar into a truly Qversifi ed Qatari conglomerate, as the the candidates will be announced on Octo- led by CRA president Mohamed cal developments and impacts bling the development of a sus- information-based economy. In- offi cial sponsor of the Qatar Sustainability ber 16 following an expert jury review of the Ali al-Mannai was supported by in 5G, IoT, artifi cial intelligence tainable digital society for the itiatives such as the Tasmu Smart Awards 2018. nominations. Qatar’s ambassador to South Af- (AI), digital literacy, supporting people of Qatar,” said al-Mannai. Qatar programme are driving It is the second year in a row that Tadmur Meshal al-Shamari, director, QGBC, said, rica Abdullah Hussein al-Jaber tech SME growth, and the chal- Al-Mansoori said: “The ad- Qatar’s digital transformation to- Holding has sponsored the awards. “Qatar Sustainability Awards is a wonderful and Ministry of Transport and lenges and opportunities of the vancements in digital technolo- wards a smart future.” Qatar Sustainability Awards is organised opportunity for individuals and organisa- Communications (MoTC) as- digital age. gies have opened up new av- Al-Jaber said: “Qatar and by QGBC, a member of Qatar Foundation tions in Qatar to gain recognition for efforts in sistant undersecretary of Dig- “ITU Telecom World featured enues to transform the spaces South Africa have witnessed a for Education, Science and Community De- sustainability and environmental protection. ital Society Development Sector inspiring showcases of cutting- we live in. Qatar is adapting and steady increase in the develop- velopment. It aims to recognise the efforts, “No matter how big or how small the con- Reem al-Mansoori. edge technology and innova- integrating cutting-edge tech- ment of bilateral relations and in commitment, and contributions of individu- tribution, we would urge people to consider Al-Mansoori spoke at the fo- tions that truly refl ect the social nologies to help achieve out- multiple areas, including politi- als and organisations in furthering sustain- applying for an award. With the deadline fast rum, ‘Smart Cities: Innovations impact and the progress made in standing results and innovation cal, economic, and investment. able development and environmental protec- approaching, the coming weeks represent the in Sustainable Urban Living’, the ICT sector on a daily basis. for our people. “ITU Telecom World has pro- tion in Qatar and beyond. last chance to apply,” he continued. which was attended by infl u- “Together with the MoTC and “Smart technology drives sus- vided an excellent platform ena- There are 24 categories in the areas of Tadmur Holding CEO, Dafer Hallawa, said, ential global audience spanning the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs tainable growth across diff erent bling the ICT sector to leverage green building, green hospitality, green serv- “Tadmur Holding is proud to partner for the governments, key ICT industry offi ces abroad, it is CRA’s inten- sectors of the economy. However, local and global digital capabili- ice providers, building products and tech- second year with QGBC in Qatar Sustainabil- players, international organisa- tion to bring the Qatari technol- it is vital to ensure that the Qatari ties, and promoting key invest- nologies, green research and sustainability ity Week-2018. We praise and join this hon- tions, high-growth SMEs, con- ogy innovations to such interna- society in general and businesses ment opportunities with inno- initiatives. ourable mission to raise awareness for sus- sultants, academia, and media, tional platforms to showcase the are empowered with the skills, vation partners across the world The awards are open to government, busi- tainable practices and innovations aligned among others. potential our young entrepre- knowledge and understanding to bring the best practices and ness and non-profit organisations. The with Qatar National Vision 2030.” Besides smart cities, other neurs have. This will truly help they need to use ICT eff ectively ideas to Qatar.” HMC’s awareness programmes to mark World Alzheimer’s Day

amad Medical Corporation It is the cause of 50-60% of cases of (HMC) is marking the World dementia. It pre-dominantly aff ects HAlzheimer’s Day that falls on people aged 65 and above. Although September 21 annually with several dementia mainly aff ects older people, awareness programmes. September it is not part of normal ageing,” the of- has also been marked as World Alzhe- fi cial said. imer’s Month for the last seven years. Dementia describes a set of symp- “HMC has joined with Alzheimer’s toms that may include disturbance in Disease International in raising aware- memory, thinking,orientation, ability ness. Alzheimer’s disease is the leading to comprehend information ,also af- cause for dementia,” said Dr Hanadi fecting ones language and judgement. al-Hamad, senior consultant geriatri- In addition there can be behaviour cian, HMC. changes too.These symptoms become It is estimated that within every Dr Hanadi al-Hamad severe enough to reduce a person’s three seconds, someone in the world is ability to perform everyday activities. developing dementia and it is becom- ices-the fi rst responders, and events Dementia is caused by diff erent dis- ing a trillion-dollar disease this year, to enhance understanding and support eases aff ecting the brain and Alzheim- This year’s World Alzheimer’s Month for families of people with Alzheimer’s er’s disease is the most common cause refocuses on challenges and stigma disease and dementia,” explained Dr of dementia. that surrounds dementia. al-Hamad. She said that this year’s “We run the memory clinics at Ru- “The Department of Geriatrics and events include awareness sessions for mailah Hospital under the department Department of Psychiatry at HMC traffi c and police departments, em- of geriatrics. We started with one clinic has organised awareness events across phasising on both awareness of poten- and it has grown to three now. There the country. The events aim at rais- tial risks related to the condition and we have three clinics in a week. We ing awareness and dispelling myths working on ways to enhance safety. get patients referred by the Primary in community, education across the “Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic Health Care Corporation and other healthcare professionals including neurodegenerative disease that usually departments of the HMC,” added the those working with emergency serv- starts slowly and worsens over time. offi cial.

GU-Q in partnership for rights workshop

ith all eyes focused on Qatar’s ongoing construc- tion works to prepare for the 2022 FIFA World WCup, the Diplomacy Training Programme (DTP) at the University of New South Wales, Australia, in co-opera- tion with Migrant Forum Asia (MFA) and Georgetown Uni- versity in Qatar (GU-Q), will host a four-day programme to build knowledge and understanding about international hu- man rights and labour standards and their relevance for the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar. The programme will take place from September 23 to 26. A large number of migrant workers are currently employed Capacity-building programme on human rights advocacy in these massive projects everywhere, in addition to those in and migrant workers. services and domestic work, making the migrant worker ra- tio in the country higher than ever, highlighting the need for In addition, the programme will make use of the knowl- a large-scale programme to raise awareness about the hu- edge participants bring with them about their own back- man rights of migrant workers. ground and situations. The programme would also enable participants to apply The programme has proven to be useful to NGOs who have international standards and mechanisms more eff ectively in faced several limitations and barriers in the past. All those their individual and organisational eff orts to ensure respect interested in supporting migrant worker rights or working for the human rights of migrant workers. with migrant support communities based in Qatar are in- Professor Patrick Earle, executive director of the Diplo- vited to register. macy Training Programme, said: “DTP and MFA hope that The programme will cover topics such as the laws, stand- this programme can contribute to the eff orts of all com- ards, and United Nations conventions regarding human mitted to ensuring respect for the human rights of migrant rights, and the best practices that should be followed by workers. This programme will draw on the knowledge and businesses employing migrant workers. experience of academics and practitioners at a time of major Applicants should be interested and committed to learn- change in the laws governing migrants in Qatar.” ing more and working with others to promote and protect The programme will provide a valuable forum for building the rights of workers. The programme will be conducted in collaboration and sharing knowledge and skills. It will help English with simultaneous Arabic interpretation. participants engage with their own societies, employers and To register or fi nd out more, visit https://epe.qatar.geor- offi cial departments. getown.edu/HRCB Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 REGION/ARAB WORLD Putin begins eff orts to defuse Israel crisis after Russian plane downed

AFP The two key actors agreed to Beirut create a demilitarized zone, 15-20 kilometres wide, along the line of contact between rebels and re- sraeli Prime Minister Ben- gime troops in the Idlib region. jamin Netanyahu and Rus- That would be implemented Isian President Vladimir Putin by October 15 and would entail a sought to defuse a crisis yesterday withdrawal of all militant fi ghters after Syrian defences mistakenly from the area. downed a Russian warplane after The demilitarised zone will be Israeli air strikes. secured with the help of “mobile The incident late Monday patrol groups of Turkish contin- was the deadliest known case of gents and contingents of Russian friendly fi re between Syria and its military police”, Putin said. key backer Russia since Moscow’s By the end of the year, trans- game-changing 2015 military in- port routes must be restored be- tervention. tween Latakia and Aleppo, as well Putin said it was the result of as those linking the port to Hama “tragic accidental circumstances”. city, he added. The Ilyushin plane dropped off the Iran, the third member of the radar over the Mediterranean after so-called Astana process aimed Turkey and Russia announced a at ending Syria’s seven-year war, deal that off ered millions of peo- praised the deal as an example of ple reprieve from a threatened “responsible diplomacy”. United military assault in northern Syr- Nations Secretary General An- ia’s Idlib province. tonio Guterres said the accord The deadly chain of events should avert an all-out military started when Israeli missiles File photo taken on July 23, 2006 shows an Russian IL-20M (Ilyushin 20m) plane landing at an unknown assault on the rebel stronghold struck the coastal region of Lata- location. Russia blamed Israel yesterday for the loss of a military IL-20M jet to Syrian fire, which killed all and “provide reprieve for millions kia. 15 servicemen on board. of civilians”. Damascus, which Israel said it had targeted a Syr- has regained swathes of territory ian military facility where weap- tice”. The Kremlin said Putin also Israel denied the accusations, site of the technical industries in- thanks to deadly Russian-backed ons manufacturing systems were warned Netanyahu against car- saying its jets were already back in stitute. Rami Abdel Rahman, the off ensives in recent months, wel- “about to be transferred to Hez- rying out such operations in the Israeli airspace when Syrian forces head of the Britain-based moni- comed the Sochi agreement. bollah.” future. Putin “reminded” Netan- launched the missiles that hit the toring group, said at least two But the deal was met with dis- “Israel is determined to stop yahu that such operations “vio- Russian plane. fi ghters were killed and 10 wound- trust by some of the 3mn Syrians Iranian military entrenchment in lated Syrian sovereignty” and said Russia stressed the incident ed in the strike. living in the Idlib region. Syria, and the attempts by Iran, “agreements around the preven- would have no impact on the Idlib Israel has conducted frequent “The decision that came out which calls for the destruction of tion of dangerous incidents were deal, but warned Israel of reprisals raids in recent months against was just a partial one. It doesn’t Israel, to transfer to Hezbollah le- not observed”. and summoned its envoy in Mos- Syria’s military infrastructure, solve the Syrian people’s prob- thal weaponry (to be used) against “The president of Russia urged cow. US Secretary of State Mike including against bases it believes lem,” said Wassim Sweid, one of Israel,” said Netanyahu. the Israeli side not to allow such Pompeo also expressed “sorrow” host Iranian combatants. hundreds of protesters who gath- Israel expressed “sorrow” for situations from now on,” it added. over the Russian deaths, and said Earlier in September, Israel ad- ered in the rebel-held town of the Russian deaths, but insisted The plane, downed by Syria’s the incident showed “the danger mitted carrying out 200 strikes in Binnish. the Russian plane had been felled Russian-made S-200 air defence of tragic miscalculation in Syria’s Syria over the past 18 months. “In my opinion, this agreement by “extensive and inaccurate Syr- system, had a crew of 15 who were crowded theatre of operations”. The Syrian blunder came hot will not put a stop to the shelling.” ian anti-aircraft (surface-to-air all killed, Moscow said. The Syrian Observatory for Hu- on the heels of a major deal an- The UN had warned a fully- missile) fi re”. Putin said Rus- The Russian military accused man Rights said some missiles, nounced by Putin and his Turkish fl edged ground assault could sia would beef up security for its Israeli pilots of using “the Russian suspected to be Israeli, did get counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdog- spark the worst humanitarian ca- forces in Syria, in what he called plane as a cover, exposing it to fi re through the Syrian defences and an after talks in the Russian resort tastrophe yet in a confl ict that has “steps that everyone will no- from Syrian air defences”. struck ammunition depots at the of Sochi. killed more than 360,000 people.

CONFLICT Troops fire on Gaza protesters Renewed battle for Hodeidah killing two Israeli forces opened fire during a demonstration in the northern sparks humanitarian crisis fears Gaza Strip near a border crossing yesterday, killing two Palestinian protesters and injuring 46 others, AFP the Palestinian health ministry Aden said. Israel was marking the Yom Kippur fast day from dusk yesterday, when very few off icials audi-backed government are available for comment. Many forces in Yemen launched a youths burnt tyres and hurled Sseries of attacks on rebel- stones at Israeli security forces, held Hodeidah, military offi cials local residents said. A doctor at said yesterday, raising fears of a Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital said humanitarian crisis as an 11-week both men were hit by live am- pause in the battle for the port munition, one in the chest and city ended. the other in the back. Three of the The Houthi rebels accused the wounded were hit by bullets. government and its Saudi-led al- Meanwhile, a Palestinian was shot lies of deliberately targeting food dead by police outside Jerusalem’s warehouses on Monday night, as Old City yesterday after an alleged the coalition said it had resumed attempted stabbing attack, Israeli a “military operation to liber- and Palestinian off icials said. ate Hodeidah and its port”. Pro- Israeli police reported “an attempted government forces and medical stabbing attack” near Damascus sources in Hodeidah province Gate and that “a police unit at the said that 40 Huthis had been spot neutralised the suspect”. killed around the port city since Monday night. The fi ght for Hodeidah, which UNREST the Huthis seized in 2014, was put A Yemeni woman carries an ill child as they wait to travel abroad via a UN-sponsored humanitarian air Libya rivals clash on hold for 11 weeks as the United bridge, at the Health Ministry headquarters in the capital Sanaa, yesterday. Nations struggled to bring war- south of capital ring parties to peace talks in Ge- lition of targeting food supply UN envoy Martin Griffi ths left there was “no date set for the fi rst neva. warehouses in the raids, claiming the Yemeni capital Sanaa yester- fl ight” pending “fi nal approval New clashes flared between rival But the talks collapsed ear- the international community was day, ending a three-day trip. from all parties”. While the rebels militias south of Libya’s capital lier this month after the northern complicit in the attacks. Progress was made to resume control the capital, Saudi Arabia Tripoli yesterday, causing wide- Yemeni rebels refused to attend. “International food supply consultations and confi dence- and its allies control Yemen’s air- spread power outages, the national The Red Sea port of Hodeidah warehouses were targeted in Ho- building measures, including the space and have put Sanaa’s inter- electricity firm said. The fighting is a vital lifeline for aid shipments deidah, a clear sign that there is reopening of Sanaa airport to national airport under blockade. underscored the fragility of a to Yemen. a plan...to make warehouses and commercial fl ights and the re- In wheelchairs and carrying United Nations-backed ceasefire The United Nations has warned densely populated neighbour- lease of prisoners, the envoy’s of- sick babies, Yemenis in the rebel- reached earlier this month after that any major fi ghting could halt hoods legitimate targets of their fi ce said in a statement. held capital lined up yesterday days of deadly violence between the distribution of food to 8mn terrorist operations,” said the The UN envoy will be heading outside the health ministry as armed groups in the capital, beset Yemenis dependent on the sup- head of the rebels’ Supreme Rev- to Riyadh today. rumours of the impending fl ight by turmoil since the fall of dictator plies to survive. olutionary Council, Mohamed Ali Griffi ths is pushing for new spread. Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Brigadier General Ali al-Taniji, al-Houthi. peace negotiations after the Ge- Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, commander of coalition forces on “International tolerance of ter- neva talks failed to get off the Yemen’s ambassador to the UN, TRAGEDY Yemen’s west coast, confi rmed rorism has only encouraged (the ground, with the Huthis saying said his government was willing the alliance had launched an op- coalition) to plan and deliberately they had not received guarantees to “do whatever it takes to al- 19 die as bus and eration in Hodeidah, in a state- commit crimes,” Houthi said. for their safe return home after- leviate the suff ering and pain of ment to state media in the United A spokesman for the Saudi-led wards. The United Nations on Yemenis”, in a letter to Secretary fuel tanker collide Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia’s coalition did not respond to a re- Monday announced it was work- General Antonio Guterres. At least 19 people were killed main partner in the coalition. quest for comment, while a World ing to open a humanitarian air But he asked that the UN and when a bus and a fuel tanker Speaking on condition of ano- Food Programme spokeswoman bridge to transport Yemeni cancer all its branches not sign agree- collided in central Iran, state nymity, a senior coalition offi - declined to say whether the UN patients abroad for treatment. ments “except with the legiti- television reported yesterday. The cial said the operation was being agency’s facilities had been hit. The Houthis said plans to fl y mate, internationally recognised collision, which occurred around fought on multiple fronts. Saudi Arabia and its allies ac- patients out of Sanaa yesterday government of Yemen”. 11:15pm (18:45 GMT) on Monday, Residents in and around the cuse the Houthis of smuggling had been foiled by the coalition, Saudi Arabia and its allies triggered a fireball that engulfed city, home to 600,000 people, arms from Iran through Hodei- accusing it of failing to co-oper- launched a major operation to both the truck and the bus on the reported hearing explosions dah, a charge the rebels and Te- ate. retake Hodeidah in June before motorway between Kashan and throughout Monday night. hran deny, and they have imposed World Health Organisation announcing the pause for peace Natanz, more than 200km south The Houthis accused the coa- a partial blockade on the port. spokeswoman Fadela Chaib said talks. of the capital Tehran. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 9 AFRICA

Plague outbreak kills two in Madagascar

n outbreak of plague in Madagascar has killed two people, a health offi cial said yesterday, marking the of- Afi cial start of the season when the disease is considered to be at its deadliest. Last year more than 200 people were killed before epidem- ics of bubonic and pneumonic plague were brought under control in November. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that this year’s strain could be even more virulent. “According to counts undertaken between August 1 and September 13, we recorded eight suspected plague cases, six of whom recovered and two died in their villages,” said health ministry offi cial Manitra Rakotoarivony. The fi rst fatality was recorded in Fiadanana, north of the capital Antananarivo, while the second was reported in Am- balavao in the Indian Ocean island’s interior, added Rako- toarivony. Madagascar has suff ered bubonic plague outbreaks almost every year since 1980, often caused by rats fl eeing forest fi res. The disease tends to make a comeback each hot rainy sea- son, from September to April. On average, between 300 and 600 infections are recorded every year among a population approaching 25mn people, ac- cording to a UN estimate. Last year cases sprang up far earlier than usual and, instead of being confi ned to the countryside, the disease infi ltrated towns. The authorities recorded more than 2,000 cases. The plague germ Yersinia pestis is typically transmitted to humans from infected rats via fl eas. It can also be transmitted from human to human through cough droplets expelled by a person with a pneumonic form of the disease. Pneumonic plague can prove fatal between 24 to 72 hours Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa reviews the guard of honour ahead of his inaugural address at the parliament in Harare. while the bubonic form is less dangerous.

100 feared dead in Nigeria flooding

igeria has declared a national disaster in several states after about 100 people died in fl ooding over the past Ntwo weeks. Zimbabwe president rules out “Based on the available records at our disposal, a hundred people have died in 10 states as a result of the fl oods,” Sani Datti, spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, said yesterday. “The fi gure could rise as it is being updated,” Datti added, and heavy rains are continuing. early return to local currency A national disaster has been declared in four of the worst- hit states, the Nigerian presidency said on Twitter. AFP nomic measures, including cur- infl ation, Zimbabwe dumped the in conjunction with “fi scal policy”. threw out the MDC’s bid to over- Offi cials have warned water levels resulting from heavy Harare rency reforms and better forex local dollar and adopted the US Lawmakers from the opposition turn the results of the July 30 pres- rains this year could be higher than those recorded in 2012, availability. greenback and other foreign cur- Movement for Democratic Change idential elections. when 363 people died and more than 2mn were displaced. But, he said, conditions had to rencies, including the South Afri- (MDC) boycotted Mnangagwa’s In other comments, Mnangagwa imbabwe’s new president be right before foreign currencies can rand. inaugural state-of-the-nation ad- vowed to wipe out a cholera out- yesterday ruled out an early were replaced once more by the But the economy remains deep dress. break which has killed over 30 Missionary kidnapped in Niger Zreturn of the Zimbabwean Zimbabwean dollar. in the mire, crippled by poli- “MDC members of parliament people, most of them in the capital dollar, toning down remarks by “My government shall continue cies adopted under Mnangagwa’s have just defi ed the illegitimate Harare. unmen have kidnapped an Italian missionary in his fi nance minister that backed with the use of the multicurrency predecessor, Robert Mugabe. president and ZANU-PF leader “Let us as a nation commit to southwest Niger, the latest abduction of a foreign reintroducing the bloated cur- system up until the current nega- On September 10, new Finance ED Mnangagwa by walking out permanently eradicate these me- Gworker in the troubled Sahel country, his organisation rency. tive economic fundamentals have Minister Mthuli Ncube said he during his uninspiring reading of dieval diseases mainly through said yesterday. In an inaugural address in par- been addressed to give credence to backed a return of the Zimbabwe a speech,” Sibanda tweeted yes- addressing challenges related to Pier Luigi Maccalli was seized on Monday night in Bamo- liament marked by an opposition the introduction of the local cur- dollar, “the sovereign currency,” to terday. clean water and sanitation provi- anga, a village 125km from the capital Niamey, said a spokes- walkout, President Emmerson rency,” Mnangagwa said. help economic revival. Mnangagwa was declared win- sion as well as sustainable waste man for the Catholic mission to Niger, Thomas Codjovi. Mnangagwa pledged a raft of eco- In 2009, wracked by hyper- But, he said, this had to be done ner after Zimbabwe’s top court management practice,” he said. “The kidnapping happened at around 9pm,” Codjovi told AFP. “According to local residents, about eight men arrived on motorbikes, broke into his house opposite the church and forced him to go with them...They returned 10 minutes later, fi ring into the air to frighten people. There were also nuns ‘Hardline takeover’ blamed for latest Boko Haram violence there, but he was the only one they wanted to kidnap.” Mac- calli, a priest, has lived in Niger for 11 years, said Codjovi.

By Aminu Abubaker, AFP followed the death of Nur, who was Nigeria’s government has made tained with other fi ghters loyal to Internal dissent about the Dap- Kano allegedly killed because of his more no offi cial comment about Nur, him soon after the release of the chi abduction and Nur’s alleged moderate approach. while analysts suggest that at the schoolgirls. demise provide context for the ISWAP has previously vowed to very least, events indicate possible A UN claim in August that a killing of Khorsa, who was seized he execution of a kidnapped hit only military and government rifts within ISWAP over operations “large ransom payment” then con- with two colleagues during an at- aid worker and the apparent “hard” targets, unlike the fac- and ideology. vinced hardliners he had cheated tack in March. Tdeath of a senior factional tion headed by Abubakar Shekau, The sources said opposition to them, the sources added. One source said fi ghters had leader have sparked fears of an up- which has repeatedly attacked ci- Nur had built up since the Febru- “Betrayal is an unforgiveable made an “outrageous (ransom) surge in Boko Haram violence in vilians. ary kidnapping of more than 100 crime punishable with death in demand that was just insane” for northeast Nigeria. “The death of Mamman Nur schoolgirls from the remote town Boko Haram and Nur was put to their release but it was ignored. The International Committee has lifted the lid off the radical el- of Dapchi, in Yobe state. death on the belief that he took the “The execution of Saifura of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Mon- ements in the group, who prefer All but one of the students — ransom and hid it,” said one. Khorsa was meant to send a mes- day announced that one of its em- indiscriminate violence as carried the only Christian among them “We are now likely to see more sage that their demand should ployees, midwife Saifura Khorsa, out by Shekau,” said one source. — were brought back just over a escalation of violence from these be met. It is a clear warning,” he had been killed after more than six “The case of Saifura Khorsa is month later. radical elements,” he added. added. months in captivity. just the beginning of more night- A second source involved in With Nur apparently out of ISWAP is dominant around the That followed reports last week mares to come,” he told AFP on talks for their release said no ran- the way, the position of the of- shores of Lake Chad in Borno while that hardliners in the Boko Haram condition of anonymity because som was paid. fi cial ISWAP leader Abu Mus’ab the Shekau-led faction is concen- splinter group, Islamic State West of the sensitive nature of the is- “The only condition they (the al-Barnawi is likely to be under trated in rural areas of the state. Africa Province (ISWAP), had sue. government) gave was for troops threat. Talk of a possible rapproche- killed their de facto leader, Mam- The source said Nur, the al- to hold temporary ceasefi re and Al-Barnawi, the son of Boko ment between the two sides have man Nur. leged mastermind of an August safe passage to allow them to bring Haram’s founder Mohamed Yusuf, circulated on and off for months Recent weeks have seen a 2011 Boko Haram attack on the UN back the hostages,” he added. was widely seen as just a fi gure- in the confl ict, which has left more marked increase in ISWAP attacks headquarters in Abuja that killed A third source said Nur’s lieu- head, with Nur directing day-to- than 27,000 dead in northeast Ni- on the military, which security 25, was seen as a more “stabilis- tenants were unhappy at the lack day operations. geria since 2009. analysts tracking the confl ict said ing” element. of a potentially lucrative payment The more radical command- One source said regardless of was a sign of renewed strength and “Now that hardliners have and a lull in attacks during back- ers have reportedly chosen a new any truce “an unprecedented es- organisation. killed him and taken over control, channel talks with the authorities. leader they call “Amirul Jaish”, calation of violence” was likely, But sources with a deep knowl- they are running berserk, as was “Behind his back they plotted to which translates roughly from Ar- even as the authorities maintain edge of ISWAP activities and talks demonstrated in the execution of depose him,” he added. abic to “commander in chief”, the the group is weakened to the point with the government said it also Saifura Khorsa,” he added. Nur was said to have been de- sources added. of defeat. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 AMERICA

INDICTED HEALTH ISSUES FIRST CHOICE HIGH FLYER FIGHTING POVERTY Spanish golfer was killed Bob Seger hangs up guitar Twitter to off er option to go SpaceX’s first private patron US ranks low on commitment by homeless man: police after half-century career back to ‘chronological’ feed is a Japan fashion magnate to development, claims report

A homeless man who allegedly wanted to “rape Heartland rocker Bob Seger said yesterday Twitter is preparing an option for users to go back SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space transportation The United States ranks near the bottom of the list and kill women” has been charged with murder that he was retiring from touring, announcing to its original chronological news feed, responding company, on Monday named its first private of countries with the best commitment to global for stabbing to death champion Spanish college final dates after a half-century career. The to complaints about its algorithmic system passenger as Japanese businessman Yusaku development, a report released yesterday found. golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena, police in Iowa 73-year-old songwriter — best known for his implemented two years ago. In a series of tweets Maezawa, the founder and chief executive of The rankings showed Sweden claimed the top spot, said yesterday. The 22-year-old Iowa State hit Old Time Rock and Roll, his 1979 tribute late on Monday, Twitter told users it was “working online fashion retailer Zozo. A former drummer according to the Center for Global Development, a University student’s body was discovered Monday to what then already seemed like a retro on new ways to give you more control over your in a punk band, billionaire Maezawa will will take research institution focused on poverty reduction. morning by staff at Goldwater Golf Links in the musical style — will tour across North America timeline.” The social network said it still believes a trip around the moon aboard its forthcoming The rankings look at a country’s contribution in city of Ames. “Coldwater staff alerted off icers to a starting in November with a final date on May most users will want to see the “best” tweets at Big Falcon Rocket spaceship, taking the race to several areas, such as aid, finance, technology, body found in the water next to the number nine 2 in Houston. Seger’s representative said in a the top of their feed but will allow people to switch commercialise space travel to new heights. The first trade and migration. “Good development policy is tee box,” Ames police commander Geoff Huff statement that the concerts would be his “final based on their preference. “We’ve learned that passenger to travel to the moon since the United about much more than foreign aid,” CGD president told a news conference yesterday. Huff said the tour” but did not elaborate on the reasons. But when showing the best tweets first, people find States’ Apollo missions ended in 1972, Maezawa’s Masood Ahmed said in a statement. “While aid is attack had happened in “broad daylight,”. Police Seger has repeatedly hinted at retirement and Twitter more relevant and useful. We’ve heard identity was revealed at an event Monday evening important, US policymakers need to assess all the identified Colin Daniel Richards, 22, as their lone last year underwent surgery for a ruptured feedback from people who prefer to see the most at the company’s headquarters and rocket factory ways their choices, from refugee policies to tariff s, suspect and charged him with first-degree murder. disc in his back. recent tweets,” the San Francisco company said. in the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne. help or hinder developing countries.”

Trump orders more probe Kavanaugh accuser has not documents to be declassifi ed

Reuters agreed to testify: senator Washington

By Lawrence Hurley, Reuters Grassley said the hearing would be but only after a nasty televised hearing S President Donald Washington televised and would include just two in which Hill faced pointed questions Trump has directed the witnesses, Ford and Kavanaugh. from Republican senators and the nom- UJustice Department to He questioned whether the hearing inee said he was the victim of “a high- immediately declassify more he Republican US Senate com- would take place if Ford declined to ap- tech lynching for uppity blacks.” information related to the in- mittee chairman said yesterday pear. “What would be the purpose of Feinstein said late on Monday that vestigation into possible election Tthe woman who has accused the hearing if Dr Ford doesn’t want to with Hill’s allegations the FBI had car- meddling by Russia, the White President Donald Trump’s Supreme respond?” Grassley asked. ried out an investigation. House said on Monday. Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of Democrats have so far also refused to Grassley off ered his assurance that Trump’s demands mark his sexual assault decades ago has not yet co-operate with the committee’s Re- Ford would be treated respectfully and latest eff ort to turn up the heat agreed to appear at a public hearing publican leadership. not badgered during the hearing. on the Justice Department, planned next Monday. They have asked that the FBI conduct All 11 Republicans on the committee whom he and his Republican al- Senator Chuck Grassley said Chris- an investigation, a request that Repub- are men. lies have accused of running a tine Blasey Ford, a university professor licans have rebuff ed. Four of the 10 Democrats are women. tainted probe into Russian inter- in California whose allegations have put Grassley said yesterday that “the FBI Grassley said details about how the ference in the 2016 US presiden- Kavanaugh’s once-safe nomination in is not doing any further investigation.” hearing would be conducted had not tial election. serious jeopardy, has not responded to Feinstein said yesterday there should been worked out, including parameters Among the documents Trump attempts by the Judiciary Committee, be more than just two witnesses, pos- for panel members posing questions or ordered the Justice Department which oversees the confi rmation proc- sibly to include people who Ford previ- the possibility that committee Repub- and the director of national in- ess, to contact her. Senator Chuck Grassley speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. ously confi ded in. licans could choose a single questioner. telligence to make public are 20 The hearing represents a potential “This is another attempt by Repub- Inside the White House, plans are additional pages of FBI surveil- make-or-break moment for the con- ley said. “And she deserves to be heard tomorrow on Kavanaugh’s nomination, licans to rush this nomination and not not currently being made in case Ka- lance warrant applications re- servative federal appeals court judge’s because these are serious accusations. which requires Senate confi rmation, fully vet Judge Kavanaugh,” Feinstein vanaugh’s confi rmation unravels, in- lated to his former campaign ad- confi rmation chances for the lifetime And I would surely hope she’d come and scheduled the high-stakes hearing said in a statement. cluding identifying a potential replace- viser Carter Page. post on the top US court, as Trump Monday. I mean, after all, read all the on Monday with the nominee and his The confirmation fight comes just ment nominee, according to a source Trump also ordered the re- seeks to continue his goal of moving the details she put in the Washington Post. accuser to testify. weeks before the November 6 con- familiar with the nomination process lease of FBI interview reports federal judiciary to the right. She’s surely prepared. She hired a law- Ford has accused Kavanaugh of try- gressional elections in which Demo- who spoke on condition of anonymity. with Justice Department offi cial Kavanaugh, who has denied the assault yer, I understand, back in August.” ing to attack her and remove her cloth- crats are seeking to take control of “It would be unjust and foolhardy to Bruce Ohr related to the Russia allegation, yesterday met offi cials at the Ford detailed her allegation in a letter ing while he was drunk 36 years ago in Congress from Trump’s party, which think of any Plan B until this matter is probe, and FBI interview reports White House for a second straight day. sent in July to Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Maryland suburb outside Washington could be a major blow to the presi- completely resolved,” the source said. related to the Page surveillance “We have reached out to her in the the committee’s top Democrat. when they were students at diff erent dent’s agenda. Republicans control the Senate by warrant applications, White last 36 hours, three or four times by The letter’s contents leaked last week high schools. The showdown has echoes of Su- only a narrow margin, meaning any de- House spokeswoman Sarah email, and we’ve not heard from them. and Ford identifi ed herself in an inter- Debra Katz, a lawyer representing Ford, preme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ fections could sink the nomination and Sanders said in a statement. So it kind of raises the question...do they view with the Washington Post pub- said in television interviews on Monday contentious confi rmation hearings in deal a major setback to Trump. Finally, Trump directed the want to come to (the) public hearing or lished on Sunday that included details that the professor would be willing to tes- 1991 involving sexual harassment al- Trump picked Kavanaugh to replace Justice Department to release, not?” Grassley said in an interview with about the alleged assault. tify and called the alleged incident “at- legations lodged against him by a law retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, a without redactions, text mes- conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. The committee announced on Mon- tempted rape.” Katz did not respond to professor named Anita Hill. conservative who sometimes sided with sages relating to the Russia probe “I want to hear from Dr Ford,” Grass- day it would postpone its planned vote Reuters requests for comment. Thomas was ultimately confi rmed, the court’s liberal wing. from former FBI Director James Comey, former FBI Deputy Di- rector Andrew McCabe and oth- er offi cials, including FBI agent Peter Strzok. Trump fired Comey in May Court told black teen was shot dead for ‘ignoring’ the police 2017, originally citing the Rus- sia probe, and then saying that the firing was not “because AFP Lead prosecutor Joe McMahon, de- None of the other nine offi cers at the “We’re going to show you the con- agreed that McDonald had “raised the of the phony Russia investi- Chicago tailing a case heavily dependent on po- scene fi red their weapons. text, because it’s important in this case.” threat” level, when he ran toward near- gation.” McCabe was fired in lice dash-cam video, said Van Dyke un- Offi cials did not release the video The defense questioned McDon- by restaurants. March by Attorney General Jeff lawfully shot McDonald “not once, but footage for a year after the shooting, fi - ald’s state of mind, invoking a sense of Only a handful of protesters were Sessions. white Chicago policeman shot twice, three, four, fi ve, six, seven, eight nally making it public only after a judge escalating threat on the night offi cers outside the courthouse Monday, but Strzok was also recently fi red, a black teen 16 times simply for — and we’re only halfway done — nine, compelled them. trailed him following a 911 call over an the city was keenly watching the case’s and has been criticized for send- Ahaving the “audacity” to ignore 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 times.” Protesters demonstrated for months, attempted burglary at a parking lot. outcome. ing texts disparaging Trump as a police, prosecutors said Monday, as “Not a single shot was necessary or alleging a cover-up and demanding res- Van Dyke’s lawyers argued that he Few police offi cers have been convict- presidential candidate. opening arguments began in his politi- justifi ed,” he said. ignations. fi red because the teen suddenly began ed after recent highly-publicized inci- The Justice Department said it cally-charged murder trial. Van Dyke simply saw “a black boy, Chicago’s then-police chief and top heading toward restaurants fi lled with dents of deadly encounters between law was working to comply with the Attorneys on both sides set out their walking down the street...and having prosecutor both lost their jobs. people. enforcement and African Americans, order. cases in a courtroom packed with media, as the audacity to ignore the police.” Van Dyke’s attorney Daniel Herbert “Jason Van Dyke had a reason to be- which have prompted the establishment But one source familiar with well as supporters and family of both offi cer McDonald’s family looked on expres- countered with a portrait of McDon- lieve that Laquan McDonald was going of the Black Lives Matter movement. the process, speaking on condi- Jason Van Dyke and Laquan McDonald. sionless as video of the shooting was ald as a dangerous criminal, high on to hurt somebody,” Herbert said. “What “We’re trying to get justice,” McDon- tion of anonymity, said neither The 17-year-old’s 2014 killing has played for the jury. the hallucinogenic drug PCP, who had happened to Laquan McDonald was a ald family spokesman Marvin Hunter the Justice Department nor the become emblematic of decades of doc- It showed Van Dyke fi ring at McDon- threatened members of the public dur- tragedy. It’s a tragedy. It’s not a murder.” told reporters. FBI had any idea how the declas- umented police abuse in the Midwest- ald, who appeared to have been walking ing a “wild rampage.” Police offi cer Joseph McElligott, “Justice in the matter of this case sets sifi cation process was supposed ern city, which has been on edge over away from offi cers when shot. “The government wants you to look among the fi rst at the scene, testifi ed a precedent around this country for all to work in this case — suggesting concerns that violence could break out Van Dyke kept fi ring even after the at just the videotape,” Herbert told the that he was not threatened by the teen. of the people that have suff ered what Trump’s order had taken them if Van Dyke is acquitted. teen collapsed. jury. Under cross-examination, however, he Laquan had suff ered.” by surprise. Rising fl ood waters from Florence menace Carolinas

Reuters ways into rivers and left thou- Philadelphia, the weather serv- emergency management has Wilmington, NC sands to be saved by rescue ice said yesterday, reduced to said. workers. an elongated low-pressure area The Coast Guard said it had 26 Waterways were expected to with maximum sustained winds helicopters and 11 aircraft look- esidents of the Carolinas keep rising yesterday in places of 35kph. ing for people in trouble. yesterday struggled to like Fayetteville, North Carolina, It was still dumping heavy rain Property damage from the Rreturn to normalcy after a city of 200,000 in the southern capable of setting off fl ash fl oods storm is expected to total at least taking a beating from Hurricane part of the state, according to the in the northern part of the Mid- $17bn to $22bn but that forecast Florence, but those eff orts were weather service, hampering ef- Atlantic region and southern could be conservative depending hindered by standing water and forts to restore power, clear roads New England. on further fl ooding, risk man- the anticipation of more fl ooding and return to homes. Thousands of rescues have agement fi rm Moody’s Analytics from swollen rivers. “Flooding is still going to be taken place in the Carolinas, and said. At least 32 people have been a concern into the weekend and more than 650 people were taken Risk modelling agency Air killed since Florence came ashore into next week,” weather service to safety in and around Wilming- Worldwide said yesterday in- as a hurricane on Friday, includ- meteorologist Hal Austin said, ton, North Carolina, said Barbi sured losses from Florence’s ing 25 in North Carolina and six noting there is a chance of rain Baker, a spokeswoman for New winds and storm surge will range in South Carolina. for the region till today. “No more Hanover County. from $1.7bn to $4.6bn. Those fi g- One person was killed when water, not even a drop, please.” The coastal city took a direct ures do not include losses from at least 16 tornadoes developed With 1,500 roads closed across hit when Hurricane Florence continuing fl ooding. from Florence on Monday in North Carolina, fi re and rescue came ashore and has been largely A power outage at a waste- Virginia, where dozens of build- crews were waiting to go into cut off since then due to storm water treatment plant in Wilm- ings were destroyed, the National many areas to assist with struc- surges and fl ooding from the ington caused partially treated Weather Service reported. tural damage after Florence Cape Fear River. sewage water to be released into Estimates of damage from the dumped up to 91cm of rain on the More than 347,000 custom- the Cape Fear River, said Reg- storm ranged as high as $22bn. state since last Thursday. ers, mostly in the Carolinas, were gie Cheatham, director of the As the remnants of Florence “Road conditions are still without power yesterday morn- US Environmental Protection pushed through Pennsylvania changing,” the North Carolina ing, according to power compa- Agency’s Offi ce of Emergency and reached into New England, Department of Transportation nies, down from a peak of nearly Management. the weather service said the wrote on Twitter yesterday. 1mn outages. Sewage releases in the Neuse storm had dumped more than 8tn “What’s open now may become North Carolina had deployed River were reported, as well as gallons of rain on North Carolina. impassable.” about 2,000 boats and 36 heli- overfl ows at several hog “la- Widespread fl ooding already Florence itself was centred copters to help people stranded goons” used to store waste from Members of New York Urban Search and Rescue Task Force One work in an area flooded with waters from has reached roofs, turned high- about 165km north-northwest of in fl oods, the state’s director of pig farms. the Little River in Spring Lake, North Carolina. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 11 ASIA Prosecute Myanmar generals for genocide: UN probe team

AFP reforms beginning in 2011. tions, the report said that their Geneva Aung San Suu Kyi’s demo- “acts and omissions” had “con- cratically-elected government tributed to the commission of remains in a delicate power atrocity crimes”. Sri Lanka President Maithripala yanmar’s army has balance with the generals, Pointing to “deeply en- Sirisena used unfathom- whose presence in parliament trenched” impunity in Mable levels of violence gives them an eff ective veto on Myanmar, the investiga- against minority Rohingyas, constitutional changes. tors said the only chance to UN investigators said yester- “There cannot be any demo- obtain accountability was day, calling for the military to be cratic transition in Myanmar through the international Pick up removed from politics and top unless the Tatmadaw relin- justice system. generals to be prosecuted for quishes its control of the poli- They also repeated sugges- genocide. From left: Radhika Coomaraswamy, Marzuki Darusman and Christopher Sidoti, members of the tics, of the economy and of tions that crimes against the phone or In the most meticulous Independent International Fact-finding Mission on Myanmar attend a news conference at the United the constitution,” UN investi- Rohingya be referred to the breakdown of the violence in Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday. gator Christopher Sidoti told International Criminal Court, Myanmar to date, a UN team reporters. which concluded in August pack up: of investigators presented a 700,000 Rohingyas to fl ee over able grounds to believe that the fore being locked inside burning “We have seen not the birth that it had jurisdiction to in- 444-page report laying out in the border into Bangladesh atrocities were committed with houses. of democracy in Myanmar, re- vestigate even though Myanmar horrifying detail a vast array amid accounts of arson, murder the intention of destroying the Of those who survived, many grettably, but the stillbirth.” is not a member of the treaty Sirisena to of violations committed by the and rape at the hands of sol- stateless Rohingyas, warranting had been severely bitten, in The UN mission said Myan- underpinning the tribunal. country’s powerful military, diers and vigilante mobs in the the charges of “genocide”. what appeared to be “akin to a mar’s civilian government had Myanmar has dismissed the especially against the Rohingya mainly Buddhist country. A shorter version of the mis- form of branding,” he said. also helped enable the wide- tribunal’s authority and ana- diplomats Muslims. Myanmar’s army has denied sion’s report, published last Darusman said the “scale, spread rights violations in My- lysts have pointed to the court’s “It is hard to fathom the level nearly all wrongdoing, insist- month, had already called for cruelty and systematic nature anmar by allowing hate speech lack of enforcement powers. of brutality of Tatmadaw op- ing its campaign was justifi ed Myanmar’s army chief and fi ve (of the sexual violence) reveal against the Rohingyas to fl our- The UN investigators also AFP erations, its total disregard for to root out Rohingya insurgents other top military commanders beyond doubt that rape is used ish and using civilian laws to recommended an arms embargo Colombo civilian life,” head of the UN who staged deadly raids on to be prosecuted in an interna- as a tactic of war.” crack down on media and others and “targeted individual sanc- fact-fi nding mission Marzuki border posts in August 2017. tional court for genocide. The UN analysis decried the speaking out against abuses. tions against those who appear Darusman told the UN Human The UN team said the mili- In his presentation, Darus- army’s hold on political life The investigators directed to be most responsible”. ri Lanka’s president has Rights Council, referring to the tary’s tactics had been “con- man provided excruciating de- in Myanmar, which only re- specifi c criticism at Suu Kyi, They called for “a compre- justifi ed his decision to nation’s military. sistently and grossly dispro- tails of massacres in Rohingya cently emerged from almost a whose global reputation has hensive, independent inquiry” Ssack six diplomats - in- Myanmar’s ambassador portionate to actual security villages, pointing out that “the half century of total military been shattered by her failure into the UN’s own role in My- cluding an ambassador - for not to the UN, Kyaw Moe Tun, threats”, and said that estimates men were systematically killed. junta rule. to speak up for the Rohingyas anmar since 2011, warning that answering his phone calls, saying slammed yesterday’s report as that some 10,000 people were Children were shot, thrown into The military holds a quarter against the military. “quiet diplomacy” appeared more would follow if the foreign “one-sided” and “fl awed”. killed in the crackdown was the river or onto a fi re.” of seats in parliament and con- While acknowledging that to have sidelined those push- service did not shape up. A brutal military crackdown likely a conservative fi gure. Women and girls meanwhile trols three ministries, making the civilian authorities have lit- ing to loudly denounce rights Maithripala Sirisene was criti- last year forced more than It said there were reason- were routinely gang-raped be- its grip on power fi rm despite tle infl uence over military ac- violations. cised for the shock dismissal last week of his top envoy to Austria and fi ve other Vienna-based staff after his offi ce tried unsuccess- fully for hours to reach them by phone. Former premier Bangladesh to move Rohingyas “I am being attacked fero- ciously over social media for re- calling the entire embassy staff . to island from next month Yes, I did that to send a power- blames Thai ful message to other embassies,” Sirisena told a public meeting in AFP “Initially, 50 to 60 Ro- Bangladesh to drop the idea. Colombo. Dhaka hingya families will be relo- But the government He said he ordered the sack- junta for making cated in the fi rst phase be- pumped $280mn last Novem- ing of ambassador Priyanee ginning next month,” said ber into transforming it into a Wijesekera and fi ve other staff to angladesh will next the offi cial, Habibul Kabir habitable site. set an example. month start moving Chowdhury. A navy offi cial said a 3m- Sirisena did not say why he country worse B100,000 Rohingya refu- Bangladesh, a low-lying riv- high (9ft) embankment had needed to contact the embassy gees to a remote island, offi cials erine country vulnerable to ris- been erected around the en- urgently, or why other avenues Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday, despite warn- ing sea levels, is prone to tropi- tire island to make it fl ood- were not explored to reach the AFP Military leaders have argued ings the silty strip is prone to cal cyclones, especially in the resistant. staff ers. Bangkok that taking control has been Thailand to prosperity. Our violent weather. Bay of Bengal between April “We’re ready to receive refu- The Sri Lankan embassy in necessary to restore stability. country is now suff ering.” Prime Minister Sheikh and November. gees,” he said, asking for ano- Austria is accredited to UN bod- But in a Facebook post at Both Thaksin and Yingluck Hasina is scheduled on Octo- Hundreds of thousands nymity as he was not authorised ies in Vienna, as well as Bosnia illionaire former premier times emotional and accusa- live in self-exile to avoid court ber 3 to offi cially open newly- have died from natural disas- to speak to the press. and Herzegovina, the Czech Thaksin Shinawatra yes- tory, the exiled former leader cases they say are politically constructed shelters for the ters in the last 50 years, mostly Secretary of the disaster Republic, Serbia, Slovakia and Bterday hit out at Thai- looked back over the turbulent motivated. displaced Muslims on Bhashan in coastal areas near Bhashan ministry, Shah Kamal, said the Slovenia. land’s ruling junta, saying period and asked Thais wheth- But they have been amping Char, a muddy islet that only Char. refugees would be able to ac- It was the second time in coups targeting his family have er they were really better off in up their social media presence emerged from the Bay of Bengal The island is one hour by cess humanitarian relief on the days that Sirisena has raised made the country worse off education, healthcare and the in recent months as the coun- in 2006. boat from the nearest land island and receive training in eyebrows. over the past 12 years. economy. He accused a small try edges closer to an election The controversial plan is but violent storms make the skills such as fi shing. Last week, he fl ew into a rage His comments are among fraction of benefi ting from the expected as early as February. already behind schedule. Of- journey by sea dangerous or Offi cials say refugees will over nuts served aboard Sri- the most pointed criticism for power shifts. On Friday, the junta eased a fi cials previously said they sometimes impossible. not be forced to leave exist- Lankan Airlines, the island’s na- some time and come days after “There are some people longstanding ban on political wanted to start moving refu- The plan to relocate refu- ing camps in Cox’s Bazar dis- tional carrier, saying they were the junta eased bans on politi- who got rich from these two activities, allowing parties to gees from overcrowded camps gees there was revived after trict, among the most crowded unfi t for animals. cal activities before a promised coups but there are sev- meet and recruit members. But near the border with Myanmar 700,000 Rohingya Muslims, places on earth and prone to “Returning from Kathmandu, election next year. eral areas which have gotten on-the-ground campaigning to the island in June, before the fl eeing a violent crackdown in landslides, disease and other I was served some cashews on The Shinawatra clan - a worse and our beloved Thai- remains off limits. monsoon began. Myanmar in August last year, dangers. board a SriLankan fl ight, but it wealthy and powerful fam- land has been viewed unfa- Pheu Thai, the party asso- The navy has fast-tracked poured into southeast Bangla- If we can ensure full hu- was so bad even a dog wouldn’t ily - has won every election vourably by people around ciated with the Shinawatras, construction of shelters and desh and overwhelmed existing manitarian assistance to eat it,” he said. since 2001 through populist the world,” the 69-year-old called for all the conditions to evacuation centres for 100,000 refugee camps. them, I don’t see any reason An airline spokesman said it platforms and welfare schemes said on the eve of the be lifted “immediately” in a refugees and nearly three- Rights groups have warned why they won’t come to the had cleared its stock of cashews that have angered Bangkok’s anniversary of his ousting. statement yesterday. quarters of the project is com- the silty strip is uninhabitable island. We’ll convince them,” - only served in business class military-aligned elite. “Hasn’t our country suff ered But analysts say that even if plete, a senior disaster man- and prone to fl ooding and other said Chowdhury, the disaster - and would change its Dubai- Thailand’s modern history enough?” the election goes ahead a re- agement offi cial said. natural disasters, and urged offi cial. based supplier. has been marked by attempted More than 2.6mn people fol- turn to full-fl edged democracy and successful coups. But the low Thaksin’s offi cial Facebook is remote, as the constitution era since the putsch that top- page and that post quickly went written by the junta calls for an Bangladesh, India pled Thaksin in 2006 has been viral, racking up thousands of upper house whose members dubbed the “Lost Decade”, with likes, shares and supportive are appointed. begin work on street protests and instability a comments. The current prime min- oil pipeline Lanka tanker train kills feature of political life. “No jobs, no money,” ister and coup leader Prayut Another coup in 2014 toppled said Facebook user Thawat Chan-ocha has also been rais- Bangladesh and India have begun a civilian government headed Thanmunkongkul. ing speculation of a politi- constructing a cross-country by Thaksin’s younger sister “The country needs people cal run with a spate of public oil pipeline to carry diesel to mother elephant, calves Yingluck, who fl ed the country. with good management to push appearances and photo ops. Bangladesh from the world’s third-largest energy consumer. Bangladeshi Prime Minister AFP Sheikh Hasina and her Indian Colombo counterpart Narendra Modi flagged off the construction of Nepal holds meeting on the 130km underground pipeline train transporting oil via video conferencing from their in eastern Sri Lanka hit respective off ices in Dhaka and Aand killed two baby el- New Delhi yesterday. ephants and their pregnant gender-based violence “This pipeline is now a new mother yesterday, police said, milestone in the history of the second jumbo tragedy in a co-operation between the two month. IANS lence, especially rape, have formed local governments can countries,” Hasina said. The three elephants, part of Kathmandu increased at an alarming rate form a mechanism to protect Bangladesh will initially import a larger herd, were crossing the across the country. and promote women. 250,000 tonnes of diesel per year railway track at dawn in jun- Addressing the inaugural According to statistics, an from India through the pipeline to gle near Habarana, 180km (110 three-day meeting at function, Tham Maya Magar, average of three rapes is re- meet its growing energy demand. miles) northeast of Colombo, the national level on minister for women, children ported in Nepal every day, The volume will gradually be when they were hit. Residents try to salvage oil that spilled from a tanker train that hit A“Multi-Sectoral Servic- and senior citizens, said that while the actual number could increased to 400,000 tonnes per The train was derailed and elephants near Habarana some 180km of Colombo yesterday. es to Respond to Gender-Based the government was commit- be higher as many incidents go annum, she said. several tankers began spilling Violence in Nepal” kicked off ted to addressing the gender- unreported. Bangladesh has been importing fuel, police said, adding that elephant populations. aries have led to the death of yesterday. based violence at the national, UN resident co-ordinator and diesel oil from India since 2016 they set up a cordon to pre- Drivers are usually expected 375 people in the past fi ve years, The meeting was organised provincial and municipal level UNDP resident representative in through rail wagons covering a vent villagers trying to salvage to move slowly and sound the according to offi cial fi gures. by the ministry of women, by formulating right policies. Nepal Valerie Julliand said that distance of 510km. the oil. horn continuously to warn any Enraged villagers have also re- children and senior citizens “We already have many laws UN agencies were ready to work The two neighbours entered into “It is a very hazardous ac- wild animals on the track. taliated by slaughtering nearly with support from the UN to minimise gender-based together with the Nepal govern- an agreement for the pipeline cident scene. We have pushed Yesterday’s accident came 1,200 of the beasts. and the Women’s Rehabilita- violence but implementation ment and civil society to combat construction in April this year. back many people who tried to three weeks after seven el- Last month the government tion Centre to review progress, really takes long time. I am gender-based violence. Bangladeshi energy off icials say collect the spilling oil,” a police ephants drowned in a swamp said authorities would begin strengthen co-operation and hopeful that the conclusions “The multi-sectoral re- construction of the 1mn-tonne offi cer in the area told AFP by in the same district. Six of the constructing 2,651km (1,556 share lessons learnt on the im- of this meeting will be helpful sponse to gender-based capacity pipeline, at an estimated telephone. seven victims were below the miles) of new electric fencing plementation of multi-sectoral to formulate policies to mini- violence will not just help cost of $50mn, is expected to be He said railway authori- age of 12. to keep elephants away from services to address gender- mise violence and to safeguards women for recovery and em- completed by 2020. ties were holding a separate Sri Lanka considers ele- villages bordering wildlife based violence, Xinhua news women’s rights,” Magar said. powerment, but will also help The pipeline will connect Shiliguri investigation into whether phants a national treasure and reserves. agency reported. Stressing on the need of to eradicate poverty and will in the Indian state of West Bengal the train driver had followed they are protected by law. The Sri Lankan elephant The event is being held at compliance at all levels, the contribute to the country’s with the northern Bangladeshi standard procedures while However, human-elephant population in the wild is a time when the cases of vio- minister said that the newly- development,” Valerie said. district of Dinajpur. (DPA) operating in jungle areas with confl icts near wildlife sanctu- estimated at 7,500. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

A convoy of vehicles transporting South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seen during a car parade in Pyongyang. Kim hopes for ‘big outcome’ at Korean summit

Reuters President Donald Trump. Trump Seoul has asked Moon to be “chief ne- gotiator” between himself and Kim, according to Moon’s aides, orth Korean leader Kim after Trump cancelled a trip to Jong-un said he wanted Pyongyang by his secretary of Nto produce a “big out- state last month. come” as he began three days Washington wants to see of summit talks yesterday with concrete action toward denu- South Korea’s President Moon clearisation by North Korea Jae-in aimed at rekindling stalled before agreeing to a key goal of nuclear diplomacy. Pyongyang — declaring an end to The two leaders began offi cial the 1950-53 Korean War. talks yesterday afternoon, af- “If North Korea-US dialogue is ter parading down the streets of restarted after this visit, it would Pyongyang in Kim’s black Mer- have much signifi cance in itself,” cedes limousine to loud cheers Moon said before his departure. from nearly 100,000 North Ko- Underscoring the challenges reans who waved fl owers and Kim Jung-sook, wife of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, ahead, North Korea’s offi cial Ro- chanted “Unifi cation! Mother- talks with Ri Sol-ju (centre left), wife of North Korean leader Kim dong Sinmun said yesterday “the land!” Jong-un, during a visit to the Kim Won-gyun Conservatory in responsibility falls squarely on Earlier, Kim greeted Moon Pyongyang yesterday. the United States” for the stalled with hugs and handshakes as the nuclear discussions. South Korean leader landed in with developed nations,” Kim under Kim’s initiative to mod- “It is due to its nonsensical, ir- the North’s capital with a mis- told Moon. “I’ve been wait- ernise the city, Kim and Moon rational stubbornness that other sion to revive momentum in fal- ing and waiting for today. The briefl y stepped out of the vehicle issues can only be discussed af- tering talks between Washington level of the accommodation and to greet and take fl owers from ter our country has completely and Pyongyang over denucleari- schedule we provide may be low, members of the crowd. verifi ably, irreversibly disman- sation and advance the prospect but it’s our best sincerity and The two leaders were sched- tled our nuclear capabilities... of formally ending the Korean heart.” uled to attend a musical per- without showing the intention War. Moon said it was “time to bear formance and have dinner at to build trust including declaring As Kim escorted Moon to the fruit” and thanked Kim for his Mokrankwan, a top banquet the end of war,” the newspaper Paekhwawon State Guest House, hospitality, which included a hall where Kim hosted mas- said in an editorial. where the South Korean leader massive welcome ceremony at sive celebrations last year to Moon, himself the off spring of will stay during his three-day Pyongyang International Airport congratulate scientists and of- a family displaced by the war, has visit, Kim said he wanted to featuring a large, goose-stepping ficials for tests on long-range met Kim twice this year at the produce a “bigger outcome at a honour guard and a military missile capable of reaching the border village of Panmunjom. faster pace” than the two leaders band. United States. Travelling with him are South have achieved so far. During their motor parade This week’s summit, the third Korean business tycoons, in- “You Mr President are trav- through Pyongyang’s landmark between Moon and Kim, will be cluding Samsung scion Jay Y Lee elling all around the world, but Ryomyong Street, a new residen- a litmus test for another meeting and the chiefs of SK Group and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in review a honour guard during our country is humble compared tial district launched last year Kim has recently proposed to US LG Group. a welcoming ceremony at Pyongyang airport.

15 dead in Malaysia from suspected Australia strawberry industry in crisis alcohol poisoning Chinese paper Fifteen men, most believed to be with strychnine, prompting the foreign workers, have died in Malaysia By Colin Packham Strawberry saboteur evades Australia police says Vatican may Sydney, Reuters tablets to be recalled nation- and 33 more are in hospital with wide. The suspect died in jail suspected poisoning after consuming Australian police yesterday leap from the half dozen first before being tried. In 2006, a alcoholic drinks, police said yesterday. send delegation ustralian police said yes- admitted they still don’t know reported countrywide. case against a woman accused of The victims drank two types of whisky terday they are investi- who has been putting sewing “We still haven’t any confirmed contaminating salads at Sizzler and one type of beer at several Agating reports of dozens needles in supermarket motivation or reasons why a restaurants with rat poison was locations in Selangor state next to the to China soon of cases of needles embedded strawberries, but warned person would want to do this,” deemed mentally unfi t for trial. capital Kuala Lumpur, said local police in strawberries and other fruits, perpetrators behind the said Doherty. “We haven’t any The strawberry industry is chief Mazlan Mansor. and warned that those respon- nationwide scare face a confirmed demands. worth A$160mn ($115mn), ac- The first victim was a factory worker Reuters ruling Communist Party’s sible could be jailed for 10 years. decade in jail. As the number “Who puts needles and pins cording to the sector, with most who died on Monday evening while Beijing offi cial People’s Daily, said The issue is fast turning into of reported attacks ballooned into strawberries, knowing of the fruit consumed locally. A the latest passed away yesterday there were no “disputes on one of Australia’s biggest ever and suspected copycat attacks that’s going to go to families small amount of the crop is also afternoon, the off icial news agency issues of principle” between food scares that has halted ex- were reported – with one apple and young kids? There’s some consumed in New Zealand. Bernama reported. The first seven to he Vatican may send the two. ports to New Zealand and forced and one banana contaminated issues there, obviously.” Both of New Zealand’s biggest die were one Malaysian, four Nepalis, a delegation to Chi- Since the previous meet- at least one strawberry farm to in the Sydney area – police The scare has prompted supermarket have halted Aus- one Indian and one Bangladeshi, Tna before the end ing was held at the Vatican, start dumping its fruit at the peak issued a warning about the supermarket recalls and for tralian strawberry orders even Mazlan said. He did not disclose the of this month and if the the Vatican delegation of the season. Another farm is seriousness of the crime. some stores in New Zealand though New Zealand’s Ministry identities of all the other victims meeting goes well the two would come to China this installing metal detectors, media It “is a serious off ence which to temporarily ban the sale of Primary Industries has con- but added most were believed to be could reach an agreement time for a meeting late Sep- reported. carries 10 years jail,” warned of Australian strawberries fi rmed none of the contaminated foreign workers. on the appointment of tember and “if the meeting The needles, originally found New South Wales Detective wholesale. No significant strawberry brands has made it on “The off icial cause of death is yet bishops, a widely read Chi- goes well, the agreement in strawberries produced from Superintendent Danny injuries have been reported. to shop shelves. to be confirmed. However initial nese state-run newspaper would be signed”, the paper one supplier in the northern state Doherty, who described the In the state of Queensland, Australian police said yes- investigations found all of them said yesterday. cited, citing an unidenti- of Queensland, are now turning fruit contamination as an act where the scare is believed to terday they had yet to identify a were admitted to hospital after The Vatican and China fi ed source. The talks have up around the country. Police in of “treachery.” Police now say have originated, the authorities suspect or a motive. consuming alcohol,” the police chief are in advanced talks to been controversial within New South Wales (NSW) state there have been 20 reported have announced financial While six brands have been said in a statement. Local media said resolve a dispute over the the Catholic church. said yesterday needles had been cases of needles or pins being support for growers who directly aff ected and withdrawn police confiscated boxes of various appointment of bishops in The most outspoken found in more than 20 straw- found in strawberries in New have been forced to pulp their from sale, consumers have be- types of alcohol from some shops China, one of the biggest critic of the pope’s China berry punnets, and there were South Wales alone, a dramatic product. gun to shun the fruit altogether. following the deaths. Relatively obstacles to resuming dip- strategy has been Cardinal reports that a banana and apple Queensland state, the country’s aff luent Malaysia is home to an army lomatic ties that were cut Joseph Zen, a former bishop also had needles in them. largest strawberry producing re- of migrant workers from other Asian almost 70 years ago. of Hong Kong, who has said Police in other states are also very unhelpful for authorities,” he suff ered minor injuries to his gion, is particularly vulnerable countries, who typically toil in low- China’s estimated 12mn the direction of negotia- investigating reports of similar NSW Detective Superintendent mouth after biting on a strawber- to a sustained downturn in the paying jobs in factories, on building Catholics are split between tions suggests the Vatican is sabotage, though they have not Danny Doherty told reporters in ry with a needle embedded in it. market. sites and on plantations. Deaths an underground Church that preparing to sell out the un- given details on the number of Sydney. Previous contamination cases Its premier, Annastacia Pal- caused by bootleg alcohol have been swears loyalty to the Vatican derground church. China complaints. “They will be treated as con- in Australia have led to arrests, aszczuk, said yesterday the gov- rare in Malaysia in recent years unlike and the state-supervised maintains a tight grip on “Any incidents of self-con- tamination, which is a serious of- but not convictions. ernment would set aside A$1mn in other Asian countries such as India Catholic Patriotic Associa- religious groups, despite the tamination or copycat incidents fence and carries 10 years in jail.” In 2000, a man was accused to help farmers survive the sea- and Indonesia, where fatalities from tion. China’s Global Times government professing to impact on the industry and are One person has told media of lacing paracetamol tablets son. fake alcohol are common. newspaper, published by the guarantee freedom of belief. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 13 BRITAIN/IRELAND Second Brexit vote campaign faces race against time

AFP call for a vote, joining former prime fi nal deal”. The government is op- clear at all,” said London School increase in people’s support for print to stay close to the EU on ratify any deal by Britain’s depar- Brighton ministers Tony Blair and John Ma- posed, while the main opposition of Economics professor Sara a second referendum”, pointing trade would be no deal at all. But ture date. jor and celebrities like football star Labour Party is not supporting Hobolt. to a YouGov poll in July in which she has said a second referendum University College London’s Gary Lineker. the calls but also not ruling out the Time is running down, as Brit- 42% of Britons favoured a refer- on any options would be a “gross Constitution Unit calculated in alls for a second referen- The Liberal Democrats, the only prospect. ain is set to leave the European endum on the terms of the Brexit betrayal” of British democracy. a report that the earliest possible dum on Brexit are mount- major political party advocating a Supporters of a second ref- Union on March 29, 2019. In the deal — against 40% who were Bookmakers reckon the odds date for a referendum would be Cing as Britain approaches vote, pushed their message again erendum are also divided over 2016 referendum, 52% voted to opposed. of a second referendum are March 28 — a day before exit day the last six months before leaving at a conference yesterday. what the actual question might leave and 48% wanted to stay. But Hobolt doubted whether a around one in four. Some com- — and said the only alternative the EU — but the sands of time At the meeting in Brighton, par- be, including whether it should Hobolt said polls indicate new vote could take place with- mentators say that technically it would be to delay Brexit. could be running out for diehard ty leader Vince Cable urged Prime include a question on staying in those proportions have reversed, out the support of either of the may already be too late. They say “To hold a referendum, Article Remainers. Minister Theresa May to “lead her the EU. with 52% who would now back main parties. there would not be time to hold 50 would almost certainly need London mayor Sadiq Khan this party and the country by opening “What would a second ref- staying in the bloc. May said on Monday she thinks a referendum and for the Brit- to be extended and exit day post- week became the latest big name to her mind to a people’s vote on the erendum be about? That’s not She also pointed to “a marked the only alternative to her blue- ish and European parliaments to poned,” the report said.

LibDems must free Govt ‘must end UK from nightmare, special access says Cable

Guardian News and Media London for EU workers

ince Cable has urged Liberal Democrat activ- Vists to lead a fi ght to lib- erate Britain from the “Brexit nightmare”, by making com- after Brexit’ mon cause with moderates from other parties. The LibDem leader Guardian News and Media report is likely to strengthen the the conclusion to the report, said was giving the closing address to London hand of those who want the UK the problem with free movement his party’s annual conference in to take a tough stance in the Brexit from the European Union was Brighton, where he sketched out negotiations. that “it leaves migration to the UK reforms aimed at tempting a wave ree movement from the EU The MAC report says there has solely up to migrants and UK resi- of new supporters to sign up for should end after Brexit and a been small impact on wages and dents have no control over the level what he has called a “march of the Fthe UK should embrace a employment in the UK, arguing it and mix of migration”. But he also moderates”. Canada-style system in which has had “neither the large negative concludes that free movement is He insisted the LibDems would there is no preferential access to eff ects claimed by some, nor the not guaranteed to cause problems be “leading the resistance to the the labour market for citizens of benefi ts claimed by others”. because “that likely depends on forces of illiberalism. Leading a any other country, according to It also argues that because “the the level and mix of the migration fi ght to give the people the fi nal the government’s migration ad- biggest gainers from migration are fl ows that result”. say on our future in Europe, and visory committee (MAC). often the migrants themselves”, The MAC report says that the looking outwards to a changing The report, which is intended British ministers should see pref- existing tier 2 skilled workers world, with confi dence and de- to advise ministers on how to pro- erential access to the UK labour scheme, which applies to people termination that our values will ceed after Brexit, concedes it may market as “something of value to outside the EEA for skilled jobs outlast and outclass the forces not be possible to achieve a coun- off er in the negotiations” with the earnings more than £30,000 a ranged against them.” In a strong- try-neutral system because the UK EU over the UK’s exit. year, provides a useful template for ly worded attack on both major may not have an entirely free hand Any future policy determined a future migration scheme. Exist- parties, Cable said Labour and the in determining migration policy by the UK should favour higher- ing monthly caps should be abol- Tories had been captured by the after the it leaves the EU because skilled workers over lower-skilled ished and Manning said it should extremes – and the LibDems must the fi nal policy will be subject to ones, the MAC advises, and says be extended to “workers in medi- “extend the hand of friendship” to exit negotiations. there should be no sector specifi c um-skilled jobs”. disillusioned members from both. It concludes that if “immigra- migration schemes except possi- Manning said there should be no “Let them in. And if they are too tion is not to be part of the nego- bly for one to supply seasonal la- scheme for lower-skilled workers, shy to come in, let us extend the tiations with the EU, and the UK bour in agriculture. aside, possibly, from in agriculture, hand of friendship and co-operate is deciding its migration system in Jonathan Portes, senior fel- although Manning recognised that with them,” he said. isolation, we recommend moving low at the think-tank The UK some employers in industrial sec- He added: “The two big parties to a system in which all immigra- in a Changing Europe, whose tors “will lobby intensively against have changed from broad church- tion is managed with no preferen- research fed into the report, this proposal”. es into intolerant cults. And those tial access to EU citizens”. said: “Contrary to fears that im- He concluded that there would who question the faith are un- It said the model would be simi- migration might reduce the in- be enough low-skilled workers in welcome.” With the prime minis- lar to that used in Canada, which centive for businesses to boost the UK because “most of the ex- ter battling to secure a deal with had “an open, welcoming ap- productivity, my paper suggests isting stock will remain and there Brussels, which she will then have proach to migration but no free the opposite: immigration has a would likely be a continued fl ow to bring back to parliament for ap- movement agreement with any substantial and positive impact through family migration or the proval, Cable hopes the LibDems other country”. on productivity. Areas that see existing youth mobility scheme”. can profi t from the deep divisions The committee was set up by infl ows of immigrants see pro- The academic also indicated rocking Labour and the Conserv- Amber Rudd when she was home ductivity rise. that he believed that the govern- atives. “The Labour leadership is secretary to inform the UK’s mi- “What does that mean for pol- ment’s annual net migration target dominated by people who believe gration policy after Brexit. It is de- icy? The MAC are too polite to say of 100,000 was not helpful, argu- in doctrines far removed from the signed to inform a white paper that so, but this report shows beyond ing it would be better to raise the sensible social democratic tra- has repeatedly been delayed but is doubt that the government’s eco- salary threshold for skilled worker dition which prevailed from the due this autumn. nomically illiterate net migration visas to reduce infl ows to the UK. days of Clement Attlee to Gordon EU citizens have, until now, target should fi nally be put out of The target has never been met Brown.” been able to enter the UK freely, its misery. After Brexit, we will since it was introduced by David “They in turn are the mirror seeking work on arrival, and con- need immigration – for growth, Cameron in 2010. Manning said: image of the Tory zealots who cerns about the impact of free productivity, and not least to help “If you want infl uence migration have more in common with Ukip movement is considered to be one the public fi nances – more than fl ows it is much better to infl uence than their party’s one nation tra- Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable and his wife Rachel arrive at the party’s annual conference in Brighton of the central reasons why the ever.” salary thresholds rather than use ditions,” he said. yesterday. country voted for Brexit. But the Prof Alan Manning, who wrote hard caps.”

Sea angling event Artwork to photograph Tortured slave left at London’s Year 3 pupils mercy of cruel traffi cker Daily Mail cently started thinking about London old classmates. “Where are they, what happened? People have Daily Mail from Luton Airport, one offi - peared to have been kept as a slave. been lost, have died, people are London cial was apparently heard to joke: The bailiff s called police but the teve McQueen is enlisting doing well, people are not doing “This is good, Brexit works.” woman was bundled into a van at thousands of schoolchil- well.” The woman’s removal — which knifepoint before offi cers arrived. Sdren to help create perhaps He said he felt “an urgency to vulnerable woman who enraged frontline staff concerned She was later traced to another the most ambitious artwork ever refl ect” on the city he was born in: was found starving, beat- for her welfare — breached nation- property in east London several seen at Tate Britain. “We all think we know London and Aen and forced to work al guidelines allowing her more miles away, at which time she was The artist has invited primary we don’t”. McQueen, who grew up as a slave was returned to her time to recover in safe accommo- taken into care. Her stepfather schools to join his project to create in west London and went to Little suspected traffi cker in a major dation after being accepted as a and two Romanian youths found a unique portrait of every single Ealing primary school, fi rst won blunder by council offi cials, the victim of modern slavery. at the second property were held Year Three pupil in London. Pho- acclaim for his video art, and was Standard revealed. Social workers in Romania say on suspicion of false imprison- tographs of some 115,000 pupils awarded the Turner Prize. The woman, who had learn- the pair have been missing since ment, but the police investigation will be taken by 30 Tate photogra- His directorial debut in the ing disabilities, was discovered April last year. After a “shocked” was dropped less than two months phers over the next nine months. movies, Hunger, came out in 2008. by chance, fi lthy and freezing and health worker turned whistle- later. The report said police failed McQueen— whose fi lm 12 Years He said he had chosen not to take apparently living in a garden shed, blower, a report was commis- to treat the stepfather as a suspect, A Slave won three Oscars includ- any of the pictures himself as he when bailiff s raided a house in east sioned by Barking and Dagenham despite his apparent involvement ing Best Picture in 2013 — said did not want to become “a distrac- London. Safeguarding Adults Board. It said in removing her from the fi rst the pictures would off er an over- tion” for the children. Neighbours later said they had she had probably been forced back house and her indicating that he view of an entire age group “and to Tate director Maria Balshaw seen her showering in the garden into slavery, and criticised “sig- hit her while drunk. some extent our future”. said the project would put “a col- and being forced to unload scrap nifi cant failures” in the way the “Scarring, suggesting burns” The pupils, aged seven and lective portrait of London’s fu- metal from vans, but they had been council handled the case. were found on her leg and thighs eight, would be at “the point ture” at “the heart of our national too frightened to alert the police. It added: “Ultimately, services but police and council staff “ap- where you are getting to some ex- art collection”. She added: “This Barking and Dagenham council failed to ensure her protection and pear not to have acted on this evi- tent to understand your surround- may well be the most ambitious bosses arranged for the woman, this should never be allowed to dence of possible physical abuse”, ings”, he added. artwork we have ever shown at who is in her thirties, to be accom- happen again.” The woman fi rst the report found. “At some point in one’s life you Tate Britain.” panied by her stepfather when she came to the attention of the au- Brian Parrott, chairman of tend to look backward and you ask The project has echoes of the was returned to Romania in De- thorities in November 2016 when Barking and Dagenham Safe- where is so-and-so and what’s Seven Up TV documentary series cember 2016, despite him having she was spotted by bailiff s shelter- guarding Adults Board, said the People participate in the Diawa Irish Pairs sea angling happened to them. It was one of which began in 1964 and has fol- been apparently involved in her ing under a mattress in the garden case exposed “unexpected levels event on the Dingle Peninsula of Inch beach in Inch, those things I wanted to refl ect on, lowed a group of children from traffi cking and abuse. of the east London property. She of ignorance and inappropriate ac- Ireland, yesterday. how I got to where I am”. the age of seven, revisiting them at After fast-tracking the fl ights smelled of excrement and ap- tions” by police and council staff . McQueen, 48, said he had re- regular intervals. Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 BRITAIN

NHS fees for maternity care ‘putting migrant mothers at risk’

Guardian News and Media are charged 50% more than the environment” for immigration. suspend charging for NHS mater- said Rosalind Bragg, the director of The normal NHS tariff for the some erroneously. These included London normal tariff s for antenatal care, The additional 50% on top of the nity care has been signed by more Maternity Action. cost to the taxpayer of antenatal one woman with EU citizenship, births and postnatal care. Some cost of the treatment was part of a than 700 people, including heads “Many of these women are care is £1,590 to £4,233. A straight- a dependant of an EU citizen, a with secure immigration status package of measures introduced of trade unions, NHS professionals poor or destitute, and are likely to forward birth with the shortest European Economic Area (EEA) igrant mothers and their have also been mistakenly charged in 2015 to incentivise the NHS in and campaigners. have underlying health conditions possible stay in hospital will cost national, and a woman married to babies are being put at for treatment. Attempts at debt England to work harder to charge “Evidence from a growing which require regular antenatal around £3,282. Postnatal care a British citizen. It also includes Mrisk because they are too collection launched shortly after more eff ectively and consistently, number of studies and reports care to provide the best chance of can cost up to £1,207.50. Those women who were undocumented frightened of incurring large debts new mothers leave hospital can as part of a crackdown on “health from migrant advice organisa- maintaining their own health and deemed ineligible for NHS mater- or refused asylum. and falling victim to the so-called trigger mental health issues among tourism”. tions shows that women at risk of achieving good pregnancy out- nity care, however, pay themselves “All the women experienced hostile environment immigration some of the poorest and most vul- The report, What Price Safe (being charged) for maternity care comes.” and are subject to a 50% surcharge additional anxiety and distress policy to access vital medical care, nerable women in the UK, the re- Motherhood?, was launched yes- are more likely to delay or avoid Provision of maternity care on the usual cost. throughout diff erent stages of a report has found. search found. Charging for NHS terday by Maternity Action. The care because of fears of incurring cannot be refused or delayed. But The report collated interviews pregnancy, with the undocument- Mothers who are not set- secondary care was introduced by charity’s open letter to Matt Han- large debts and of jeopardising the report reveals women are fre- with 16 women of varying immi- ed specifi cally fearing detention or tled in the UK are not eligible for Theresa May when she was home cock, the health secretary, calling the success of future immigration quently refused care if they cannot gration status who were deemed deportation if they were unable to taxpayer-funded treatment, and secretary as part of her “hostile for the government to immediately applications to the Home Offi ce,” pay upfront for their treatment. ineligible for free maternity care, pay,” said Bragg. Labour plans to end incentive for teachers to ‘off -roll’ pupils

Guardian News and Media cational needs; pupils eligible for London free school meals, children looked after by local authorities and some minority ethnic groups are also abour has revealed plans to more likely to be aff ected. tackle the problem of “off - The problem is worse in Lon- Lrolling” in schools, when don, where a higher propor- headteachers exclude students tion of schools are losing pupils who are likely to do badly in their compared with other areas of the GCSEs because their results country and academies are losing could compromise the school’s proportionately more pupils than performance in league tables. local authority schools. Recent analysis by the schools Labour would also like to close watchdog, Ofsted, found that a loophole that allows schools to more than 19,000 pupils who were receive funding for a pupil before in year 10 of secondary school in they are counted towards exam 2016 vanished from the school roll results. According to Labour this by the start of year 11, when they creates a window in which pupils Waves crash over the lighthouse at Porthcawl, Wales, yesterday. sit GCSEs, of which around half do can be off -rolled without conse- not reappear in any state school. quences, having already generated Now Labour wants to remove additional revenue for the school. the incentive for heads to off -roll Rayner, who is due to give a pupils by making schools ac- keynote conference speech in countable for the exam results of Liverpool next Monday, said: students who leave until they have “We must all take responsibility another permanent school place. for our must vulnerable children, This would in turn encourage and that is why we will reform the Residents warned as schools to help the excluded pupil accountability system to support to fi nd the best possible alternative them, while moving towards a provision. system that is co-operative, gets In an interview with the Guard- teacher workload under control, ian before next week’s Labour par- and gives schools the resources ty conference, shadow education they need. secretary Angela Rayner raised “That is why Labour will close Storm Ali to hit today her concerns about off -rolling. the loopholes and end the per- “Teachers and heads want to do verse incentives. This will en- Warning of danger to life Forecasters warned of danger come after commuters in Scot- London, after a high of 26C on for 2018-2019 is: Ali, Bronagh, the best for all their pupils, but too sure that there is no unintended from flying debris as warm to life from fl ying debris, while land and northern England ex- Monday. Callum, Deirdre, Erik, Freya, often they fi nd themselves caught reward for so-called off -rolling weather gives way to power cuts, damage to build- perienced a wet and windy start Amber severe weather warn- Gareth, Hannah, Idris, Jane, in a system that doesn’t reward and give schools an investment autumnal gusts ings, road closures and trans- to the day yesterday, as the rem- ings for the north of England, Kevin, Lily, Max, Niamh, Oliver, them for doing the right thing. in ensuring that excluded pupils port cancellations were also nants of Storm Helene, down- Scotland and Northern Ireland Peggy, Ross, Saoirse, Tristan, “As it is, some of the most vul- move on to the best possible pro- Guardian News and Media possible. graded from hurricane force, were issued ahead of Storm Ali’s Violet and Wyn. nerable are being let down or vision.” London Dean Hall, a meteorologist, tracked across the British Isles. arrival It is the fourth year that the falling between the gaps of an in- Philip Nye, a researcher with said: “We could see close to Parts of the UK were hit by gusts Power cuts may occur, with Met Offi ce and Met Eireann creasingly fragmented system and FFT Education Datalab, said: 80mph, possibly even higher of about 30-40mph, with wind the potential to aff ect other have run the Name our Storms out of education altogether. There “Our own research has shown cotland, Northern Ireland miles per hour in exposed areas reaching 50mph in Wales. services, such as mobile phone scheme, which aims to raise needs to be a clear responsibility the need for action over off -roll- and the north of England in the far north of the country.” Forecasters cancelled a coverage, the Met Offi ce warned. awareness of severe weather be- for these children, and account- ing, so it’s positive to see Labour Shave been advised to bat- Strong winds were expect- weather warning after the storm “Moving into tomorrow we fore it hits. ability for their educational out- putting forward this proposal. ten down the hatches for the fi rst ed to strengthen through the dissipated before it reached the will see widespread heavy and The season’s names have been comes.” While a step in the right direc- named storm of the season. morning and be accompanied by shore. The forecast for today persistent rain which looks set to compiled from a list of submis- Off -rolling disproportionately tion, we’re concerned that under The Met Offi ce issued the heavy showers in some places. was not part of Storm Helene, change to sunshine and showers sions by the public, choosing aff ects vulnerable and disadvan- this proposal, pupils could still weather alert from 6am today, They would gradually ease, with which would have moved on, on Friday, before becoming more some of the most popular names taged pupils. Around 30% of those be encouraged out and on to the when Storm Ali was expected to the weather warning ending at Hall said. settled on Saturday,” the weath- and also selecting those which who leave their school between roll of another school operating roll in from the Atlantic bringing 10pm. Temperatures could climb to er forecast added. refl ect the nations, culture and years 10 and 11 have special edu- below capacity.” gusts of 80mph. The autumnal conditions an above average 24C (75F) in The full list of storm names diversity of the UK.

Sheep sales Londoners arrogant, ‘Drug dealing’ zones created to shame cops say Brits outside capital Guardian News and Media programmes have been cut, men- London tal health programmes have been cut, and it’s a perfect storm.” Guardian News and Media pride in London as the capital city Despite scepticism about Lon- The signs were removed by the London of the UK, while just over a quar- don’s local economic impact, he freedom with which drug London borough of Tower Ham- ter (28%) say they were not proud. moving institutions out of the dealers have been trading in lets within 24 hours, which Creed Expressions of pride drop signifi - capital to rebalance the economy Tone of the busiest areas of said was swift given that an alleged ost people in Britain who cantly in Scotland and Wales (44% did not attract widespread sup- east London has inspired a local dealer’s car smashed into a bollard live outside London do in Wales, and 39% in Scotland), port among the 1,883 adults polled community to mount a satirical some weeks back and it was yet to Mnot believe the capital but even in the north the majority online earlier this month. fi ghtback by installing street signs be fi xed. contributes very much to their lo- of people still said they were proud When presented with a list of 10 designating “crack pickup” points The frustrated residents be- cal area and many consider Lon- of London (51% proud compared institutions that could be moved and telling drivers to “give way to lieve the success of Shoreditch’s doners arrogant and insular, ac- to 31% not proud). out of London to make the UK a oncoming drug dealers”. nightlife has brought in beggars cording to a survey. More than three-quarters of fairer place – covering the media, The signs went up on Sunday and homeless people to “work the The results show the need for people (77%) polled by YouGov felt royalty, government, galleries – morning close to the nightlife hub streets” which teem with revellers radical ideas to spread London’s that London contributed a lot or a the top choice for non-Londoners of Shoreditch, where people liv- during much of the week. Drug prosperity, according to the Centre fair amount to the UK as a whole was none (40%). ing in the area have complained dealers have moved in to service for London, the think-tank that but 68% felt their local area had Of those who did select an insti- that they can witness 10 drug that market, they claimed. commissioned the YouGov poll. not been a benefi ciary of the capi- tution to move, the most popular deals a day on street corners. Deal- “One corner of our street is used When asked to choose the word tal’s success. option was government depart- ers speed through narrow streets as a drug collection point 24 hours that best describes Londoners, A similar proportion (78%) of ments, but it was selected by just in cars and on motorcycles and a day,” said Jonathan Moberly, “arrogant” was the most popu- Scots said London contributed not 19% of people. Parliament was mount the pavements, locals have a resident of Chambord Street. lar choice for respondents in the very much or nothing to their lo- second, chosen by 14%. said. “Heroin and crack addicts gather north of England, cited by 38%. cal economy – with 74% of Welsh Jack Brown, senior researcher On one street, residents painted in small groups waiting for deliv- Other favoured adjectives in- people and 75% of people from at the Centre for London, said: a parking bay marked “Drug deal- eries, which arrive by speeding car. cluded “diverse” (35%), “insular” northern England saying the same. “Brits might be proud of Lon- ers only” and on another they It is barely possible to avoid walk- (22%) and “rich” (15%). Philip Cowley, professor of poli- don, but too many people feel erected a “No cars” sign which ing around or through these gath- Across all regions the most tics at Queen Mary University of excluded from the city. With said the same thing. erings when leaving or returning common word used to describe London and director of the Mile public support for the decen- “In the last two to three years home. London itself was “expensive” End Institute, which co-commis- tralisation agenda dwindling, we it has become a huge problem,” “Six months ago my stepson (47%), followed by “crowded”, sioned the poll, said: “Most people need radical ideas to ensure Lon- A man wearing a flat cap talks to a man in a trilby during said Penny Creed, vice-chair of Jake was victim of a hit-and-run “diverse” and “chaotic”. think London delivers for the UK’s don is spreading prosperity and sheep sales at the livestock market in Melton Mowbray the Columbia Road Tenants’ and by one of the dealers. His ankle A majority of people living out- economy – they just don’t think it rebuilding relations with the rest yesterday. Residents’ Association, which was badly smashed and he is still side of London (56%) said they had delivers for them.” of the country.” commissioned the signs. “Drug unable to return to work.” Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 15 EUROPE EU questions Poland over rule Merkel removes spy of law concerns

Reuters for the Judiciary (ENCJ), which Brussels decided that the Polish council is no longer independent be- chief to defuse row cause it is now appointed by oland’s right-wing gov- politicians, rather than judges AFP/Reuters ernment sought to ex- as before. Berlin Pplain itself to its Euro- The forced retirement of pean Union peers yesterday judges has been criticised by for the second time in three EU institutions, human rights ngela Merkel’s govern- months amid concern over groups and the opposition as ment has removed domes- changes to the judiciary that going against the rule of law. Atic spy chief Hans-Georg the EU believes undermine it’s The Supreme Court itself Maassen from offi ce, transferring courts’ independence. has asked the European Court him to a diff erent post to defuse Polish Minister for European of Justice (ECJ), the EU’s top an explosive row over immigra- Aff airs Konrad Szymanski said court, to rule if the early retire- tion and the far-right that once on entering the hearing before ment was legal, but an ECJ rul- more rocked the German chan- EU ministers in Brussels that ing may take months. cellor’s fragile coalition. he would defend changes to the In the meantime, the Polish “Mr Maassen will become state judiciary brought by the euro- Supreme Court ruled that the secretary in the interior minis- sceptic PiS government. proposed PiS changes should try,” Merkel and the leaders of her He is facing a tough task. be frozen until the ECJ ruling coalition parties announced in a Merkel: Mr Maassen will become In a joint declaration deliv- is made. statement after crisis talks. state secretary in the interior ered by German Minister of However, President Andrzej The face-saving compromise ministry. State Michael Roth in the name Duda, who is backed by the PiS, lets Merkel’s fourth-term gov- of France and Germany at the has moved to appoint new Su- ernment live to see another day, gency government of the election start of the hearing, the two preme Court judges nonethe- after her Social Democratic (SPD) losers.” biggest EU countries said that less. coalition partners had insisted The far-right attacks in Chem- despite numerous discussions “As we observe, in the last on Maassen’s departure as head nitz, which caused revulsion in already held with Warsaw, con- weeks, fi rst steps are being of the BfV intelligence service, Germany, were triggered by the cerns over on the rule of law in taken to replace the Supreme against the wishes of Interior fatal stabbing of a German man Poland have not dissipated. Court Judges,” Roth said. Minister Horst Seehofer from her over which police are holding a “On the contrary, since July This was problematic, he Bavarian CSU sister party. Syrian suspect and searching for 3rd and the implementation said. Maassen, 55, was at the centre an Iraqi man. Maassen: had directly contradicted Merkel in his remarks on recent xenophobic attacks. of the new retirement regime “We hope that Poland acts of a heated controversy after he A court freed another initial for Supreme Court judges, the constructively and does not raised doubts about the veracity Iraqi suspect yesterday. Whatever Maassen’s true po- However, Maassen had the Union (CDU) and SPD, are dis- situation has become more take actions which cannot be of reports of far-right hooligans Days after the unrest, Maassen litical leanings, the issue has backing of his immediate boss, trustful partners stuck in a po- urgent than ever,” delegation changed afterwards,” he said. and neo-Nazis randomly attack- questioned the authenticity of turned him into a martyr of Mer- the CSU’s hardline Interior Min- litical marriage of convenience sources quoted Roth as telling The PiS has already replaced ing immigrants in the eastern city amateur video footage showing kel haters and the far-right. ister Seehofer, who has for three after the AfD, a one-time fringe the hearing. many judges at the Polish Con- of Chemnitz in late August. street violence and voiced doubt The AfD’s Alice Weidel wrote years been Merkel’s nemesis party, poached millions of their The hearing is part of the stitutional Tribunal and the In his senior new role, essen- that racists had indeed “hunted on Facebook that “anyone who within the ruling grand coalition. voters in last year’s elections. bloc’s procedure, called Article heads of regular courts. tially a promotion, Maassen will down” foreigners – comments criticises Merkel’s illegal im- Seehofer, a harsh critic of But the rift is deepest between 7, used against countries that Since coming to power in not be responsible for supervis- that directly contradicted Mer- migration policy is mercilessly Merkel’s 2015 decision to allow a Merkel and Seehofer, whose violate fundamental rights and late 2015, it has also tightened ing the Federal Offi ce for the Pro- kel, who had deplored the xeno- put through the wringer by the mass infl ux of migrants and refu- own political future hangs in the the rule of law. its grip on public media and tection of the Constitution (BfV), phobic attacks and “hatred in the mainstream parties”. gees, had in July brought the gov- balance as his Christian Social The process fi rst allows EU controls over non-government the party leaders stressed in their streets”. Maassen has rejected accusa- ernment to the brink of collapse Union (CSU) braces for poten- governments to give a for- groups. statement. SPD leaders – as well as the tions that he has supported AfD with his threat to shutter nation- tially massive losses to the AfD mal warning to a country ac- The legal paralysis of the “Maassen is no longer the top opposition Greens, Free Demo- lawmakers with early access to al borders to asylum seekers. in Bavarian state elections next cused of violating fundamental Polish Supreme Court also spy. This is good. But it is a farce crats and Linke parties – had de- unpublished data and advice on With that bitter dispute barely month. rights but ultimately could end poses additional diffi cul- that he is practically being pro- manded the resignation or sack- how to avoid surveillance by his papered over, the confl ict over Seehofer recently labelled the in suspending its EU voting ties because it is the institu- moted and that the SPD is go- ing of the spy chief for political offi ce. Maassen’s fate once more high- migration issue “the mother of rights. tion that declares the validity ing along with this,” said Diet- meddling, and pointed to his re- Social Democrat leader Andrea lighted the deep chasms within all problems” in German politics Poland’s situation echoes of elections in the country of mar Bartsch of the hard-left Die peated meetings with leaders of Nahles had charged that Maassen Merkel’s coalition. – a comment read by many as a that of Hungary, which the Eu- 38mn people. Linke party. “This government the anti-immigration Alternative had “provided material for right- On one level, both major par- veiled reference to Merkel’s nick- ropean Parliament last week Poland is due to hold local has reached its end. It is an emer- for Germany (AfD) party. wing conspiracy theorists”. ties, the Christian Democratic name “Mutti”, or Mummy. sanctioned for fl outing EU elections in October. rules on democracy, civil rights In August, the European and corruption. Commission stepped up its le- The process was triggered gal case against Poland taking a by the European Commission formal infringement procedure because the Polish govern- against Warsaw to a second EU’s Tusk calls for end to ‘mutual ment has enacted laws forc- level, giving Poland one month ing into early retirement many to reverse the changes or face a Supreme Court judges, and it trial at the ECJ. trying to replace them with its However, Warsaw has made resentment’ at migration summit own nominees. no concessions and the Com- As a result Poland was sus- mission is expected to fi le a pended on Monday from the lawsuit against it at the ECJ DPA has joined the hardline stance of managed to bring the infl ux of The latter would be based in European Network of Councils today. Brussels Austria and several Central Eu- migrants back down to pre-crisis northern African countries, with ropean states that argue that the levels, Tusk noted. a view to returning migrants res- only way to stop illegal migration The issue of migration has cued in the Mediterranean Sea. Greek authorities move to ease uropean Council President is to strengthen external EU bor- been seized upon by populist, While no breakthrough is ex- Donald Tusk has called ders, while opposing attempts nationalist and anti-EU parties pected on either proposal, Italian overcrowding in migrant camp Eon EU leaders to end their to redistribute asylum-seekers ahead of EU elections next year Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte Tusk: If some want to solve the “mutual resentment” ahead of within the bloc. in which such movements are ex- is due to advance some ideas that crisis, while others want to use it, Greece said yesterday that it would move 2,000 asylum-seekers talks in the Austrian city of Salz- “If some want to solve the cri- pected to challenge the political came out of his talks with leaders it will remain unsolvable. from the island of Lesbos to the mainland by the end of the month burg aimed at making progress sis, while others want to use it, establishment. over the past few months, an EU as pressure mounted on the government to ease overcrowding. on the migration deadlock. it will remain unsolvable,” Tusk At their last summit in June, source said yesterday on condi- on the issue of migration, in light Human rights groups and local authorities have criticised Greece for Despite a steep decline in the wrote to EU leaders in his invita- EU leaders agreed in principle tion of anonymity. of new proposals by the Europe- the poor conditions at the country’s biggest migrant camp, Moria, number of arrivals to Europe tion letter to the summit, taking to the idea of controlled migrant Egypt, in particular, has suc- an Commission. currently operating at almost three times its capacity. since the infl ux of 2015-16, the place tomorrow and on Thurs- centres and so-called disembar- cessfully tamped down migra- They include boosting the size About 9,000 migrants and refugees are holed up in the camp, a issue returned to the political day. kation platforms. tion fl ows to Europe in close co- and powers of European border collection of tents and shipping containers in a former military base, agenda in recent months after “I am hoping that in Salzburg Both concepts remain to be operation with the EU. and coastguard agency, Fron- according to the latest government data. Italy started blocking its ports to we will be able to put an end to fl eshed out. This could be a “blueprint” for tex, further developing the EU A local governor threatened to shut it down within 30 days unless migrants rescued at sea, insisting the mutual resentment and re- The former would be based other states outside the bloc, the asylum agency to help member authorities clean up uncontrollable amounts of waste. other member states take them turn to a constructive approach,” on European soil, to process mi- source added. states process asylum claims, and “The situation in Moria really is diff icult,” government spokesman in. he added. grants and initially assess asylum Last week, Conte said Europe accelerating the return of illegal Dimitris Tzanakopoulos told a briefing. “It really is borderline.” Italy’s populist government By co-operating, the EU has claims. has the chance to “turn the page” migrants.

Big time Hungary media sale fuels new concerns over press freedom

AFP criticising opposition parties and lets like Index that covered polit- Budapest independent media. ical scandals have either swiftly According to Agnes Urban, an gone out of business, or been analyst with the Mertek Media taken over by government allies he latest shake-up in Monitor think-tank, the new and rapidly adopted pro-Orban Hungarian media since owner of Index’s sales house now editorial lines. TPrime Minister Viktor controls the site’s advertising The lopsided media landscape Orban’s election win in April revenue stream and, potentially, and “restricted” access to infor- sparked fresh fears yesterday its editorial line. mation in Hungary was cited by about increasing government “Basically, Index is very vul- Organisation for Security and control over the sector. nerable now, its independence is Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Since coming into power in probably gone,” Urban told AFP. election observers as part of an 2010, Orban has transformed A defi ant joint statement “adverse climate” that helped the country’s public media into signed by several dozen Index Orban win a third consecutive a government propaganda organ journalists vowed to maintain the term as premier in April. while allies have bought up the site’s editorial freedom. Since the vote, several more private media sector. “We just want to keep on doing government-critical outlets have According to statements pub- what we have been doing, that is gone bankrupt or changed hands lished on Monday, Cemp-X me- creating a newspaper to the best and, soon after, their editorial dia group – which sells adver- of our ability, independently stance. tising space for the independent from the right-wing, or from the A similar fate likely awaits In- news-site Index.hu – was sold to left-wing,” it said. dex.hu, which Urban predicted buyers who include a governing In their own statement, the would become “fi nancially un- party politician. new owners of CEMP-x Online sustainable” as an independent A 50% share of the company insisted that the deal will not in- outlet. is now owned by Jozsef Oltyan, a terfere with editorial tasks. “Either it becomes a propa- businessman and member of the That is also “guaranteed ganda organ like others before Christian Democrats, the coali- thanks to the publisher’s foun- it, and its current staff leave and tion partner of Orban’s right- dation ownership (structure)”, are replaced, or it will simply wing Fidesz party. according to a statement by the be starved, its revenue stream Giant balloons of comic strip and movie characters float on Saturday during the Balloon Day Parade along the downtown boulevards, Hungarian media reported head of the entity that operates closed down, and the journalists as part of the ‘Comic Strip Festival’, in Brussels. yesterday that Oltyan has regu- the news-site itself. will have to leave anyway,” she larly posted online comments But in recent years media out- told AFP. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 EUROPE French interior Macron injects cash minister reveals plan to resign

AFP into fi x healthcare Paris Reuters €200bn budget, Macron said. paid for their costs from the in- Paris “Without changes, the hospi- come they receive from the state rance’s Interior Minis- tal system will collapse,” Macron for treatments. ter Gerard Collomb an- said in a speech at the Elysee Pal- The state regulates how much Fnounced yesterday that resident Emmanuel Ma- ace. “We need to rethink how we it will pay public hospitals for he would stand down after cron has promised extra organise healthcare for the next each intervention. next year’s European Parlia- Pmoney and more doctors 50 years.” Pressure to keep public spend- ment elections, in yet another in rural areas to ease pressure France’s public healthcare ing down over the past decade blow to President Emmanuel on France’s hospitals, which are system is considered one of the has, however, led some hospitals Macron. creaking under the weight of world’s best, but an ageing popu- to carry out unnecessary proce- Collomb, one of Macron’s budget constraints and closures lation and fi nancial constraints dures to generate suffi cient rev- most loyal ministers and a of clinics outside towns and cit- have put it under strain. enues to cover their costs. heavyweight in his cabinet, ies. Patients increasingly com- “This has gotten crazy. Every- told news magazine L’Express Macron’s announcement came plain of overcrowded emergency thing in our system encourages that he would quit the ministry days after he unveiled a separate rooms and, in rural areas, travel it and we lose sight on quality of to run for his old job as mayor €8bn plan to help some 8.8mn times to the nearest clinic, while care,” Macron said. of Lyon in eastern France in people who live below the pov- nurses frequently bemoan a Samuel Bottaro, a healthcare 2020. Collomb: plans to run for his erty threshold. shortage of beds and staff . specialist with private consul- The announcement comes old job as mayor of Lyon. Macron hopes his social re- Macron promised the recruit- tancy fi rm Mazars, said that he just three weeks after Macron’s forms will help counter criti- ment of 4,000 medical assistants was encouraged by the propos- popular environment minister promise to reinvigorate the cism from left wingers that he is to handle paperwork and free-up als but cautioned a number were Nicolas Hulot quit and as the French economy, Macron has a president of the rich and help doctors in urban areas to treat short on detail. president’s approval ratings pushed through pro-business turnaround a sharp fall in popu- patients. Macron: We need to rethink how we organise healthcare for the next Funds for the digital mod- have plummeted. policies such as tax cuts for the larity. Some 400 doctors will be de- 50 years. ernisation of France’s healthcare “The local elections are still wealthy but which have yet to Spending on healthcare will ployed to rural zones where cov- system will also be available from far away – I will run in Lyon if bear much fruit, with growth increase by 2.5% in 2019, high- erage is thin. cies will be diverted to local Macron said that in time he a €4.9bn envelope set aside for I don’t get diagnosed as seri- forecasts recently cut to 1.6% er than the initial 2.3% target No hospitals would be closed, practices to alleviate pressure on wanted to overhaul the convo- “social cohesion” investments ously ill any time before that,” of GDP this year. and amounting to an additional he said. hospital emergency rooms, he luted fi nancing of hospitals. during the 2018-2022 period, the Collomb joked. The 40-year-old president, €400mn ($470mn) in a near Some non-critical emergen- added. Since 2004, hospitals have government has previously said. “I won’t be interior minister a former investment banker, right up until the last moment. also became embroiled at the After a certain amount of time, weekend in the latest of a series it would be better to be totally of comments criticised as ap- free for the campaign,” he said. pearing out of touch with ordi- Ready for move “I think ministers who want nary people. Jobless to run in the 2020 local elec- Macron told an aspiring tions should be able to quit the young gardener he could fi nd government after the European him a job just by “crossing the gardener fi ght,” he said of the May 2019 street”, in a restaurant or hotel. European Parliament vote. A Kantar Sofres Onepoint Collomb, 71, previously poll released on Monday found gets off ers served as Lyon mayor for 16 only 19% had a positive view of years until Macron poached Macron, with 60% expressing him for the interior ministry, a negative opinion. AFP and it has long been rumoured Collomb has previously said Paris that he was eyeing a fourth that he viewed Macron “almost term running the city. as a son”, but surprised politi- Right-wing opponents cal commentators this month he unemployed gardener called on Collomb to step down by saying that his government who French President immediately. suff ered from a “lack of humil- TEmmanuel Macron said “France deserves a full-time ity”. had only to “cross the road” to interior minister, not a man A Socialist wooed into Ma- fi nd a job has described the con- who’s only thinking about cron’s centrist government, troversial remarks as “hard to himself and is just doing the he has been faulted by former swallow”. job part time,” said Guillaume leftist allies for his record in Speaking publicly for the fi rst Peltier, a senior member of the offi ce, not least an immigration time about his encounter with Republicans party. bill that was nonetheless seen the president during an open- The news comes after Ma- by right-wingers as too lax. doors event at the presidential cron struggled through a ma- Hulot, a TV presenter and palace on Saturday, Jonathan Ja- jor scandal this summer over veteran environmental cam- han said he seized the moment to revelations that his former paigner, quit on August 28 bring up his fruitless job search. bodyguard Alexandre Benalla – live on the radio without in- “Initially, I didn’t expect to roughed up protesters while forming Macron beforehand – meet him. I took a photo with wearing a police helmet. saying that he felt “all alone” him, shook his hand and then The crown, that makes up part of the France’s Imperial Canoe of Napoleon I, is dismantled yesterday before being transferred along with Collomb became embroiled on green issues in the govern- said to myself ‘It’s now or never’,” the boat from the Musée National de la Marine (National Navy Museum) in Paris, to the city of Brest. To move the crown, which in the aff air after it emerged ment. Jahan, 25, told France’s Europe 1 decorated the deckhouse, and the boat, a huge breach will be pierced in the wall of the Palais de Chaillot at the Trocadero where the that he knew about the inci- A second popular member radio. museum in housed, to allow the imperial 18m boat, completed in 1810, out for the first time since 1945. In Brest, the boat will be restored, dent but decided it was not his of the cabinet, former Olympic In a scene that was caught on the crown reassembled, and it will be on view to the public in late 2019. The boat was built for the emperor’s trip to Antwerp to visit the job to inform prosecutors. fencing champion Laura Fles- video and went viral, he com- arsenal which he had ordered established a few years earlier. In 1814 the canoe was shipped to Brest and new modifications were made Benalla has since been sel, resigned as sports minister plained to Macron that he had before the visit to Brest of Napoleon III and the Empress Eugenie in 1858. charged with assault. just a week later, citing person- applied to town halls “every- Elected in May 2017 on a al reasons. where”. “I send resumes and cover letters, they don’t lead to any- thing,” he said. Macron advised him to head to the bustling Montparnasse Italy’s League gets 75 Italy’s M5S vows no favours to Berlusconi neighbourhood of Paris, saying he could fi nd a job as a waiter in the blink of an eye. years to repay funds Reuters our reforms over the advertise- ian cities and regions, including “If you’re willing and moti- Rome ment ceilings,” Lezzi told state the wealthy Lombardy region vated, in hotels, cafes and res- channel RAI 3. around Milan. taurants, construction, there’s Reuters gally to avoid detection. Berlusconi’s media realm, However, relations between not a single place I go where they Rome The League, headed by taly’s ruling coalition of the which includes three national Berlusconi and Salvini have de- don’t say they’re looking for Deputy Prime Minister Matteo anti-establishment 5-Star television stations, radio sta- teriorated since the election and people,” he said. “If I crossed the Salvini, has denied this, and IMovement (M5S) and far- tions, a major publishing house in August Forza Italia blocked street I’d fi nd you one.” talian prosecutors said yes- some senior party fi gures had right League party will pay no and numerous magazines, has the appointment as chairman of The remark was widely con- terday that the far-right warned that the court ruling regard towards ex-prime min- exerted considerable infl uence state broadcaster RAI of euro- demned by leftist critics of ILeague can repay some could force the group, which ister Silvio Berlusconi’s infl uen- on Italian politics since he fi rst sceptic journalist Marcello Foa, former investment banker Ma- €45mn ($53mn) it owes the rules in coalition with the anti- tial media empire, an M5S min- became prime minister in 1994. who had been proposed by the cron, accusing him of being pat- state over the next 75 years, establishment 5-Star Move- ister said yesterday. League leader Matteo Salvini League and M5S. ronising and out of touch with saving the governing coalition ment (M5S), to disband. The League governs with M5S met Berlusconi at the tycoon’s RAI is the country’s biggest ordinary people. party from possible bankrupt- Since the inconclusive na- but remains part of a centre- villa near Milan on Sunday and television group and competes The Liberation newspaper cy. tionwide election in March, right alliance with Berlusconi Italian media reported that Ber- with Mediaset, the company compared it with a supposed A court ruled this month when the League won 17% of at the regional level, giving rise lusconi obtained “guarantees” controlled by Berlusconi’s fam- quip by the famous French queen that prosecutors in the north- the vote, Salvini has dominated to widespread speculation that over his business interests. ily. Marie-Antoinette that if the ern city of Genoa could seize Italy’s political agenda with an Salvini will do nothing to off end M5S has always been a fi erce In what was seen by some as poor had no bread they should some €49mn from accounts aggressive and popular cam- his long-standing ally. adversary of Berlusconi, creat- a retaliatory move, Vito Crimi, “eat cake”. and businesses belonging to paign against immigration. However, Barbara Lezzi, the ing potential tensions in the rul- Berlusconi: his media empire a senior M5S offi cial, said last Macron’s ministers rallied the party following a fraud in- The head prosecutor in M5S minister for Italy’s eco- ing coalition that formed a gov- includes three national week the government was plan- behind him however, pointing vestigation. Genoa, Franco Cozzi, said yes- nomically deprived south, said ernment following inconclusive television stations, radio ning to introduce ceilings on TV out that construction bosses The courts have already re- terday’s deal would guarantee on a television show that the elections in March. stations, a major publishing advertising, which would hit and restaurant owners have long covered almost €4mn, but the continued existence of the government must cap advertis- Berlusconi’s party, Forza Italia house and magazines. Berlusconi’s earnings. complained that they struggle to many League bank accounts League, while also ensuring ing ceilings to ensure greater (‘Go Italy’), and the League ran Foa, who used to work for fi ll jobs. were discovered to be empty that the state recovered the media competition, despite together at the election. up its political alliance at the lo- Berlusconi’s family newspaper, Jahan said he felt that what and magistrates are investigat- misappropriated funds. Berlusconi’s interests. Forza Italia voted against the cal level. has been criticised by the cen- Macron said “was not right”. ing whether other funds may The League is still appealing “We will not make gifts to new executive after Salvini did a The two political parties tre-left for his strong euroscep- “It was a bit hard to swallow. I have been shifted abroad ille- the original ruling. Berlusconi. We’ll go ahead with deal with M5S, but did not break govern together in many Ital- tic and pro-Russia stances. wanted to say to him: if that’s the case come with me to look for one (job),” he said, adding he had already worked in the restaurant trade, washing dishes. But his travails could soon be Germany’s far-right AfD moves against handful of radicals over, as the president’s offi ce said yesterday that it had been contacted by the French fed- Reuters third biggest party is becoming The AfD in the northern state many’s DPA news agency that Ahnemueller, from the parlia- German media as saying that he eration of horticulturists, which Berlin more radical. of Lower Saxony called on three the three had admitted they had mentary party for having re- would remain a member of the had “pledged to off er him a job in The AfD, the main opposi- of its members to leave the party taken part in the rock festival in peated contact with right-wing assembly but with no party af- the sector”. tion in parliament, has capital- or face exclusion after allega- Ostritz. extremist circles. fi liation. Federation president Francois wo regional branches of ised on voters’ fears about the tions that they visited a neo-Na- No one at the AfD parliamen- “Despite being given warn- Broadcaster SWR has report- Felix told France Info radio that the anti-immigration integration of more than 1.5mn zi festival in Saxony to celebrate tary group was immediately ings on a party level and an ur- ed that he had employed sev- his group had been fl ooded with Tfar-right Alternative for migrants and refugees in the Adolf Hitler’s birthday on April available to confi rm the news gent warning by the parliamen- eral security stewards who were job off ers for the youth. Germany (AfD) have taken steps last three years and has blamed 20, several German media re- reports. tary party, these contacts were supporters of a “identitarian” “We’ve become a job centre! to penalise members over sus- conservative Chancellor Angela ported. In the western state of Rhine- continued,” the AfD parliamen- movement which is under sur- So we’re asking this young job- pected links with militants as Merkel’s open-door migrant Dana Guth, head of the local land-Palatinate, the party ex- tary group said in a statement. veillance by the domestic intel- seeker to get in touch,” Felix said. concern mounts that Germany’s policy. parliamentary group, told Ger- pelled one of its lawmakers, Jens Ahnemueller was quoted by ligence agency. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 17

INDIA Goa govt in minority, invite us: Congress tells governor

IANS legislative party members met prove. We are already the single touch with the Congress leader- former chief ministers who have cancer, was admitted to the All is in the process of fi nding an al- Panaji Sinha for over an hour yesterday largest party, but we should be ship with a switchover in mind. bickered over leadership issues India Institute of Medical Sci- ternative leader, even as allies are evening, during which they also given an opportunity to prove the “The Parrikar government is in the past, had a chief ministe- ences in New Delhi. demanding a bigger role in gov- alleged a breakdown in the consti- majority,” Congress leader Chan- in a majority only on paper. They rial candidate in mind, Kavlekar Parrikar has been in and out of ernance, some even eyeing the he Congress party yester- tutional machinery due to the ill- drakant Kavlekar Kavlekar told cannot choose a leader today and said: “We will declare our chief hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New chief minister’s post. day claimed the Bharatiya health of Chief Minister Manohar reporters, after meeting Sinha they are talking of mergers with ministerial candidate when the York and now Delhi since Feb- The Congress is the single- TJanata Party-led coali- Parrikar, and said that there was with 15 Congress MLAs. regional parties. If regional par- governor calls a one-day session. ruary, when his illness was di- largest party in the 40-member tion government in Goa was in no one to lead the treasury bench- CLP member Aleixo Reginaldo ties merge, then the BJP’s own We are waiting for the opportu- agnosed, inviting criticism from Goa Assembly with 16 MLAs, a minority, and urged Governor es or head the cabinet. was out of town, a Congress lead- MLAs are not willing to stay back nity... there will be no leadership the opposition and civil soci- while the BJP with 14 MLAs is Mridula Sinha to convene a one- “We have requested her to call er said. Kavlekar also said that in the party. Those (BJP MLAs) squabbles between us. There will ety, which has demanded that he supported by three members day session of assembly to allow a special one-day session of the the BJP’s constant fl irting with are in touch with our leaders,” be no split over leadership.” should resign to make way for a each of Goa Forward and Mahar- it to stake claim to form the new assembly, where the government regional parties, urging them to Kavlekar said. The current political crisis has fully fi t chief minister who could ashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a government. should prove their majority in a merge with the ruling party had Asked if the Congress legisla- arisen after Parrikar, who is suf- effi ciently discharge his offi cial Nationalist Congress Party legis- Fifteen of the 16 Congress democratic manner. Then we will ticked off BJP MLAs who were in tive party, which already has four fering from advanced pancreatic duties. The BJP high command lator and three independents. Varanasi to be ‘gateway’ to East India: PM

IANS ambassadors of tourism and Varanasi goodwill for Varanasi. Modi said the changing per- ception of Varanasi could be rime Minister Narendra gauged by the fact that while Modi yesterday said his in 2014 the footfall at the Ba- Pparliamentary constitu- batpur airport was 800,000, it ency Varanasi was witnessing had grown to 2.1mn now. all-round development under Speaking on various devel- his watch but care was being opmental projects since he taken not to disturb its ancient was elected from Varanasi to fl avour by conserving its rich the Lok Sabha in 2014, he said culture and heritage. serious eff orts were on to make Modi added that the cen- the BHU a knowledge centre of tral government was making the 21st century. serious eff orts to also develop Modi said that before 2014, Varanasi as the “gateway to the city was in a mess and fi les East India”. pertaining to its development Addressing a large gather- were buried. Without taking ing of locals and Bharatiya names, he accused the previ- Janata Party supporters at ous Samajwadi Party govern- the Banaras Hindu University ment of ignoring the constitu- Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses a press conference in New Delhi yesterday. (BHU) amphitheatre, Modi ency. detailed the many projects The prime minister said it being launched and inaugu- was only when a BJP govern- rated in the city and nearby ment was voted to power in villages to change the face of Uttar Pradesh that due atten- Varanasi. tion was given to Kashi. “To make Varanasi a smart Speaking about the un- city, a gateway to East India, derground cabling of electric world class infrastructure is wires in the city, he promised SC hears case against being brought in, transporta- that the problem of low voltage tion is being improved, LED in some localities and villages street lights are being in- would soon be tackled. stalled, medical facilities are A new bridge would be built being improved and strength- over the Ganges to minimise ened, roads are being laid and the entry of trucks into the city existing highways and roads and said that the Ring Road Rafale fi ghter jet deal are being expanded and wid- project was being expedited. ened,” Modi said. Work on the Varanasi-Haldi Agencies pany Dassault Aviation. mittee) to bring out the truth,” A “The UPA government could ment was compromising national He added that care was be- national waterway was on and New Delhi The deal came four years after K Antony, Congress party leader have done anything to strengthen security by reducing the number ing taken not to disturb the soon ferries and cruises would the earlier Congress-led alliance and former defence minister said HAL’s off er, to make sure its terms of jets to 36 from the 126. temple city’s rich history and be available along the route, government selected Rafale and at a press briefi ng. were appealing enough for Das- “He has done the negotiations, culture. Modi said. he Supreme Court ad- proposed a plan to buy 126 jets, with Defence Minister Nirmala sault, they could have done eve- so he knows about how do they go. The prime minister, who Eff orts were on to clean the journed a hearing yesterday 18 to be bought in fl yaway condition Sitharaman dismissed the alle- rything to ensure the terms were These are not over-the-counter celebrated his 68th birthday on Ganges from Gangotri, its Ton a petition seeking a stay and 108 to be made in India by Das- gations saying the price negoti- appealing enough for Dassault to purchases...Orders have to placed Monday with school children source, to Gangasagar, the end on a controversial fi ghter jet deal sault along with state-run Hindus- ated by her government was 9% conclude the agreement,” she said. and then they have to be manu- and party workers here, also point for which Rs210bn worth between India and France that has tan Aeronautics Limited. cheaper than that agreed upon by “This entire issue of HAL not factured, thus there is a timeline. said he was doubly delighted of projects had been approved sparked a political fi restorm. The Congress, now in the op- the Congress-led government. being chosen happened during “The government has respond- each time he saw the people by his government. The court said the next hearing position, has claimed that the She also held the Congress gov- their time, so all these questions ed to the issues raised by the Con- of Varanasi posting pictures of Earlier, the prime minister would take place on October 10. current government led by the ernment responsible for HAL be- that they are now being directed gress including about the price of the city on social media. launched various projects and The governments of India and Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime ing overlooked for the deal. at us should actually go to them. the basic aircraft in parliament. He urged the people to roll laid the foundation stones of France signed an agreement in Minister Narendra Modi is buying “All these attributes that are You have not taken care of HAL, It was our duty to ensure that we out an unprecedented hos- a Vedic Science Centre at BHU 2016 for the purchase 36 Rafale the jets at an infl ated price. being put to us about HAL...it’s you have not made the terms ap- get the best price. The price you pitality to the hundreds who and a Regional Institute of fi ghter jets in fl yaway condition “Since there is a growing per- not for us but the UPA (Congress- pealing enough for the HAL to (UPA) obtained for a basic aircraft would come here for the ‘Uttar Ophthalmology. for the Indian Air Force. ception that the Modi govern- led United Progressive Alliance) to successfully bid with Dassault,” when compared with the inter- Pradesh NRI (Non-Resident He gave away modern fur- The Rafale fi ghter is a multi- ment’s Rafale deal has more skel- answer as to why the agreement she said. governmental agreement that we Indian) Diwas’ in January 2019 naces to potters and 500 honey role combat aircraft manufac- etons in its closet, let there be a between Dassault and HAL did She also countered Antony’s have done, it is 9% cheaper, and it so that they become brand bee boxes for honey collectors. tured by French aerospace com- JPC (joint parliamentary com- not happen,” Sitharaman said. assertions of the Modi govern- is fact,” she added.

Charges of duplicate Probe PMO, Jaitley role in votes misleading: EC Mallya escape: Congress IANS gress leaders claimed, there New Delhi were about 6mn duplicate votes. IANS mation’ to ‘Inadvertent Error’ to CBI including then director Anil Kamal Nath and Pilot are New Delhi ‘Error of Judgment’? Why are the Sinha, Joint Director Sharma and he Election Commis- president of Madhya Pradesh two offi cers - Joint Director A K SP Attaluri as well as the consor- sion yesterday told the and Rajasthan units of the Con- Sharma and SP Harshita Attaluri tium of banks, particularly the TSupreme Court that al- gress respectively. he Congress yesterday - mum on the reason for chang- management of State Bank of In- legations about the presence The Election Commission, upped the ante against ing ‘Lookout Notice to Detain’ to dia, for not acting against Mallya. of large-scale duplicate votes however, admitted that dur- Tthe government for its ‘Inform’,” asked Surjewala. The CBI meanwhile said the in electoral rolls in Madhya ing updating the electoral rolls “collaboration” in letting fugi- He also said that a consortium fi rst lookout circular (LOC) Pradesh and Rajasthan were between January 19 and July tive businessman Vijay Mallya of 17 banks led by the State Bank against Mallya for his detention “misleading and misconceived”. 31, “there was a net deletion of fl ee the country, and demanded of India was advised to move the at airports was changed as there The election watchdog as- around 24 lakh entries from elec- a probe into why the Prime Min- Supreme Court against Mallya was “no suffi cient ground” for serted that it had always upheld toral rolls and it is also correct ister’s Offi ce (PMO) and Finance on February 29, 2016 and get his his arrest. the integrity and purity of the that more than two lakh photo Minister Arun Jaitley did not act passport impounded. “As he was a sitting member electoral process and was com- entries were fl agged as unclear/ against the liquor baron. “On February 29, the banks of parliament and there was no mitted to holding “free and fair blank/repeated photos”. “Complicity, collusion, con- failed to fi le a case or move for warrant to arrest him, the agency elections”. It said that out of these nivance and collaboration of confi scation of Mallya’s pass- realised the need for making cor- “The ultimate decision- 2mn photo entries, as many as the Modi government at the port. They moved the Supreme rection in the LOC from ‘deten- making authority rests with 104,284 were found to be valid. highest level has been un- Court against Mallya only on tion’ to ‘information’ to the CBI the Election Commission of Only 97,687 entries had to be masked. Nothing can absolve March 5 after he had escaped whenever he travelled abroad,” a India and it cannot be com- corrected during the update of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 2, 2016. Who directed CBI source said. pelled to follow the directives the electoral rolls. and Finance Minister Arun them not to act against Mallya?” CBI offi cials later wrote to of any particular party or per- The Commission denied Jaitley of their responsibil- he said. the Immigration Department to son,” the EC told the court as malfunctioning of Voter Veri- ity in Vijay Mallya’s escape,” Surjewala also questioned seek modifi cation in the LOC as it described a Congress peti- fi ed Paper Audit Trails wherein Congress spokesman Randeep Jaitley’s failure to inform the “Mallya was co-operating” in tion on the matter as “mis- votes were recorded in favour of Singh Surjewala said. banks, the CBI, the Enforcement the probe and the agency was still conceived and mala fide and one party. Pointing to the Central Bu- Directorate (ED), the Serious collecting evidence from banks, an abuse of the process of law”. It also said “malfunction of reau of Investigation’s changing Fraud Investigation Offi ce (SFIO) the source added. Congress leaders Kamal Nath an EVM by recording an in- stance against Mallya in the Rs- and the immigration authorities The fi rst LOC against the head and Sachin Pilot had moved correct vote or of a VVPAT by 90bncrore loan default case, the about his meeting with Mallya of the now-defunct Kingfi sher the apex court about a large printing an incorrect vote is a Congress leader questioned if the and to detain him. Airlines was issued on October number of duplicate votes in complete conjecture and fi g- “PMO nudged the CBI to protect The Congress demanded a 16, 2015. The second LOC was is- the electoral rolls of the two ment of imagination as no such Mallya”. comprehensive probe into the sued on November 24, 2015, the Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat addresses a press states which will hold assembly instance has ever happened Why has CBI shifted its stance role of the PMO, Jaitley and offi c- day Mallya returned from the conference in Jaipur, Rajasthan yesterday. The state will hold polls this year. during the entire period of use thrice - ‘Seeking Advance Infor- ers of the Finance Ministry, the United Kingdom. assembly polls later this year. In Madhya Pradesh, the Con- of these machines.” Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 INDIA

EVENT POLITICS ALLEGATION INVESTIGATION CONTROVERSY Navy chief to present Raut appointed Shiv Sena NSUI claims DUSU Man held in Bihar over BJP demands probe into paper at US symposium parliamentary party chief chief’s mark-sheet fake Telangana murder shower on Congress MLA

Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba is visiting Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has been The Congress-affiliated National Students’ A hired killer who murdered a young Dalit Senior Congress legislator Naseem Khan Rhode Island from September 18 to 22 to attend appointed the chief of its parliamentary party, Union of India yesterday accused the newly- man in a case of honour killing in Telangana’s yesterday courted controversy as a video clip the 23rd edition of the International Sea-Power a party leader said in Mumbai yesterday. A elected Delhi University Students’ Union Miryalguda town was arrested from Samastipur showing him being showered with currency Symposium (ISS) organised by the US Navy. He close confidant of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav (DUSU) president Ankiv Basoya of securing district in Bihar yesterday, police said. Subhash notes at a religious event went viral. During a will present his views on the topic ‘Defending Thackeray and executive editor of party admission in the university using “fake Sharma, who was allegedly hired to murder visit to the event organised by the Bhanushali the Maritime Commons: Safeguarding the Free mouthpiece Saamana, Raut, 56, will now certificate” and questioned the validity of his Pranay Kumar, was taken into custody from community, Khan was welcomed by several and International Order’ and participate in panel exercise complete control over the entire admission and his election to the union. The Jagatsinhpur. Pranay Kumar, 23, was hacked people by showering currency notes on him. discussion during the symposium. During the Sena flock of 21 members in parliament, student group made the claim on the basis of to death on Friday as he was coming out of a The Congress leader is seen smiling as he visit, Lanba will hold bilateral discussions with US said the party leader. The party, a part of a letter apparently written by the Controller of hospital with his wife Amrutha Varshini. They entered the venue in Chandivali in Andheri Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral John the National Democratic Alliance led by the Examination of the Thiruvalluvar University, were in love since their school days and had East last week. BJP spokesman Madhav M Richardson, Indo-Pacific Command (INDO- Bharatiya Janata Party, has 18 Lok Sabha dismissing as “fake” Basoya’s graduation mark- married against the wishes of the girl’s parents. Bhandari demanded to know how so much PACOM) Commander Admiral Philip S Davidson, members headed by Anandrao Adsul, and sheet bearing the university’s stamp and logo. Since then, he was facing threats to his life. cash was thrown around freely and demanded Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) Commander Admiral John three in the Rajya Sabha led by Raut. His The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Amrutha, who is five-months pregnant, blamed a probe. Khan claimed a political conspiracy C Aquilino, Commander Naval Forces, Europe, appointment, the first ever for the party, of which Basoya is a member, rubbished the her father Maruthi Rao for the murder. Police behind the clip. Congress sources claim the Admiral James G Foggo and Commander of the became effective after Thackeray wrote to accusation as “NSUI propaganda”. Basoya, earlier arrested Rao, his brother Shravan Kumar clip could be the handiwork of a faction 5th Fleet Vice Admiral Scott Stearney. He will Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan late along with two other members of his group, and three others. Rao allegedly paid Rs1mn to the within the party’s Mumbai unit, especially as also interact with the chiefs of navies of Japan, last month, seeking the arrangement as a recently won the posts of DUSU president, vice hired killer. He reportedly told police that ‘honour’ attempts are on to dislodge Mumbai Congress France, Australia, the UK, Malaysia and Sweden. “facilitative measure.” president and joint secretary. was more important for him than his daughter. president Sanjay Nirupam from the post.

Farm loans waiver demanded Court slams media over reporting of Rewari rape

IANS “Where is the question of Nishu, Deendayal and Sanjeev New Delhi anonymity? We are concerned Kumar were remanded in police about her. How to stop the dis- custody for fi ve days. closure of identity...” In another incident, the Police detain activists of the Congress Party during a protest, demanding total waiver of agricultural loans, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat he Supreme Court yes- Three men from the same vil- principal and two offi cials of a yesterday. The opposition party supporters were also protesting against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s “tendency to run away terday slammed a section lage allegedly gang-raped the boarding school in Dehradun, from key issues by limiting the assembly session to make it a farce,” just to meet constitutional obligations. Tof media, especially news 19-year-old woman on Septem- Uttarakhand, were arrested yes- channels, for revealing the iden- ber 12 after kidnapping her from terday after a Class 10 girl stu- tity of a gang-rape victim in Re- a bus stand while she was on her dent accused them of suppress- wari, Haryana. way to attend coaching classes. ing the matter of her gang-rape “Where is the anonymity The victim said the suspects by senior students in August, of the victim,” a bench of Jus- gave her sedative-laced water police said. tice Madan B Lokur and Justice to drink and gang-raped her in Four students of the school Deepak Gupta asked as it ques- a room in agricultural fi elds till have also been detained for tioned an interview of the vic- she fell unconscious. They later questioning. The two other of- Under-5 child deaths declined tim’s father by news channels in dumped her at a bus stop near fi cials arrested are the adminis- the presence of co-villagers. her village. trator and the hostel warden. Hearing a plea against media An advocate, assisting the The victim, who lives with gag on reporting on the probe court as amicus curiae, told the her elder sister in the girls’ hos- faster in India, says UN report into Muzaff arpur shelter home bench that the media sensation- tel, has alleged that a school of- case, the bench expressed con- alised the news. fi cial tried to spike her drink cern over the revelation of the The court was hearing a plea with medicines to terminate her IANS decline,” the report said. millions are still dying because in a high-income country. And Rewari victim’s identity: “There that challenged a Patna High pregnancy after the rape. New Delhi According to it, the gender of who they are and where they progress towards saving new- is something wrong... saw on Court order to restrain the media The 16-year-old has said that gap in child survival has re- are born. With simple solu- borns has been slower than for news channel that a girl was from reporting on the investiga- on the eve of Independence Day, duced almost four-fold in the tions like medicines, clean wa- other children under fi ve years raped in Rewari. They say she tion into the Muzaff arpur shelter on the pretext of preparations ndia continues to show im- last fi ve years, with under-fi ve ter, electricity and vaccines, of age since 1990. was a board exam topper. There home case, where several women for an August 15 event, the four pressive gains in reduction mortality of girl child now be- we can change that reality for As per the UN, most children is only one topper. Identify- inmates were raped. senior boys sexually assaulted Iof child deaths with under- ing 2.5% higher, compared to every child,” Laurence Chandy, under fi ve die due to prevent- ing her is not a problem at all. The bench said it would hear her. fi ve deaths falling below the nearly 10% in 2012. Unicef director of Data, Re- able or treatable causes such Probably, if you Google, you will the plea on September 20. The police said the matter 1mn mark for the fi rst time, the However, as per the report search and Policy, said in a as complications during birth, fi nd out. Rewari is not a big city Meanwhile, Congress presi- came to light after the victim UN said in a new report. released by Unicef, the World statement. pneumonia, diarrhoea, neona- like Delhi, Kolkata... happened dent Rahul Gandhi attacked complained to her sister. It said India’s share of glo- Health Organisation (WHO), Globally in 2017, half of all tal sepsis and malaria. to see that by chance on a TV Prime Minister Narendra Modi The school has been accused bal child deaths continues to the UN Population Division and deaths under fi ve years of age For children everywhere, channel. over the Rewari gang-rape, say- of trying to suppress the matter, steadily reduce, declining from the World Bank Group, an esti- took place in sub-Saharan Af- the most risky period of life is “They interviewed the vic- ing his “silence is unaccept- fi rst by requesting the girl not to nearly 22% in 2012 to 18% in mated 6.3mn children under 15 rica and another 30% in South- the fi rst month. In 2017, 2.5mn tim’s father with his back to the able” and added “India hangs its take the matter ahead and then 2017, which is for the fi rst time years of age died in 2017 and the ern Asia. newborns died in their fi rst camera, but there are 50 peo- head in shame as another one of by trying to mix drugs into her equal to its share of the total vast majority of these deaths In sub-Saharan Africa, one month. ple from the village also in front its daughters is brutally gang- drinks for abortion, an offi cer global births. - 5.4mn - occurred in the fi rst in 13 children died before their Under-fi ve mortality rates of him. They know him. They raped”. said. India accounts for 18% of fi ve years of life, with newborns fi fth birthday. In high-income among children in rural ar- will tell 50 more and everybody “Prime Minister, your silence The girl has since recorded global births and now for 18% accounting for around half of countries, that number was one eas are, on average, 50% higher would know. Now, what’s to be is unacceptable. Shame on a her statement before a Sub-Di- of global child deaths. the deaths. in 185. than among children in urban done?” government that leaves India’s visional Magistrate (SDM) in the “The under-fi ve mortal- “Without urgent action, In 2017, 2.5mn newborns areas. In addition, those born to The bench expressed concern women unprotected and afraid presence of offi cials of the Child ity rate of India at 39 per 1,000 56mn children under fi ve will died in their fi rst month. A baby uneducated mothers are more and asked who should be held and allows rapists to walk free,” Welfare Department of the Utta- now equals that of the world, die from now until 2030 - half born in sub-Saharan Africa than twice as likely to die before responsible for revealing her he tweeted. rakhand government. highlighting the much faster of them newborns. We have or in Southern Asia was nine turning fi ve than those born to identity. “Tell us what can be Three men have been arrested The girl has named four stu- decline by India in the last fi ve made remarkable progress to times more likely to die in the mothers with a secondary or done? What should be done to but the main suspect is still on dents of Class 12 who allegedly years as compared to the global save children since 1990, but fi rst month than a baby born higher education. prevent it? Who is responsible?” the run. raped her. A singing village, where everyone has their melody

AFP corrugated tin roofs, perched on several hours of tough trek from ence to the Khasi people’s myth- Kongthong, Meghalaya a ridge miles from anywhere, is the nearest town. ical original mother. to walk through a symphony of Electricity arrived only in And unusually for India, this is hoots and toots. 2000, and the dirt road in 2013. a matrilineal society. urious whistles and chir- On one side a mother calls Days are spent foraging in Property and land are passed rups echo through the out to her son to come home the jungle for broom grass – the down from mother to daughter, Cjungle around Kong- for supper, elsewhere chil- main source of revenue – leav- while a husband moves in with thong, a remote village, but this dren play and at the other end ing the village all but deserted, his wife and takes her name. is no birdsong. friends mess about – all in an except for a few kids. “We consider the mother the It’s people calling out to each unusual, musical language of To call out to each other while goddess of the family. A mother other in music – an extraordi- their own. in the forest, the villagers would looks after a family, after the in- nary tradition that may even be “The composition of the use a long version lasting around heritance we get from our ances- unique. melody comes from the bottom 30 seconds of each other’s mu- tors,” Khongsit said. Here in the lush, rolling hills of my heart,” mother-of-three sical “name”, inspired by the But according to anthropolo- of the northeastern state of Pyndaplin Shabong told AFP. sounds of nature all around. gist Tiplut Nongbri, a professor Meghalaya, mothers from Kong- “It expresses my joy and love “We are living in far-fl ung vil- at Jamia Millia Islamia Univer- thong and a few other local vil- for my baby,” the 31-year-old lages, we are surrounded by the sity in Delhi, it is something of a lages compose a special melody said, her youngest daughter, dense forest, by the hills. So we “disguised patriarchy”. for each child. two-and-a-half years old, on are in touch with nature, we are Women “don’t have decision- Everyone in the village, in- her knee. in touch with all the gracious liv- making powers. Traditionally, habited by the Khasi people, will “But if my son has done some- ing things that God has created,” they can’t take part in politics, then address the person with thing wrong, if I’m angry with says Khongsit. the rules are very clearly demar- Villagers and school children are seen on an overcrowded vehicle as they travel to Kongthong village, this individual little tune – and him, he broke my heart, at that “Creatures have their own cated between male and female,” in East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya. for a lifetime. moment I will call him by his ac- identity. The birds, so many ani- she told AFP. They have conventional “real” tual name,” rather than singing mals, they have ways of calling “Taking care of the children, isn’t known, but locals think it is ern world creeps into Kongthong songs. And youngsters are in- names too, but they are rarely lovingly, said Rothell Khongsit, a each other.” that’s the women’s responsibil- as old as the village, which has ex- in the shape of televisions and creasingly going off singing out used. community leader. The custom is known as “jin- ity. Statecraft and all that is (a) isted for as long as fi ve centuries. mobile phones. their friends’ melodic names, To walk along the main road in Kongthong has long been cut grwai lawbei”, meaning “song of male function.” The tradition’s days may be Some of the newer melodic preferring instead to phone this village of wooden huts with off from the rest of the world, the clan’s fi rst woman”, a refer- The origin of “jingrwai lawbei” numbered, though, as the mod- names are inspired by Bollywood them. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 19 LATIN AMERICA Venezuelans fume as Maduro feasts at top restaurant

AFP enthuses Maduro with his wife ing in poverty in 2017 and 60% adopted from late predecessor “We shared a meal in a famous On Saturday, Maduro had an- thousands of angry messages. Caracas Cilia Flores as Nusret Gokce, a of people had lost an average of Hugo Chavez. restaurant. I send a greeting from nounced the trip to China was In one of the videos, Maduro social media star chef who goes 11kgs due to a diet that was lack- A main course in Gokce’s res- here to Nusret, who looked af- fruitful as he had secured com- is seen sucking on a thick ci- by the name Salt Bae, performs ing in protein, one of the primary taurant costs between $70 and ter us personally. We chatted, mitments from Beijing to help gar taken from a box bearing his mpoverished Venezuelans his signature theatrical prepara- nutrients contained in meat. $250 — equivalent to between enjoyed our time with him... He fund the oil industry that Ven- name engraved on a golden label, have reacted with fury after tion of slices of meat at one of his “Chavismo is asking China to two and eight months salary in loves Venezuela,” said Maduro on ezuela is almost entirely reliant while receiving a T-shirt embla- Ivideos of President Nicolas restaurants in Istanbul. borrow money because you can’t Venezuela on the minimum wage. a television and radio broadcast in upon. zoned with Gokce’s face. Maduro gorging on succulent Back home, Venezuelans face pay your debts and then going to Celebrities including Portu- Venezuela after returning to Cara- Gokce had published videos of During the visit, former bus pieces of meat in a restaurant food shortages while a group of luxury restaurants,” wrote social guese football icon Cristiano cas on Monday following a trip to Maduro’s visit on his social media driver Maduro, who likes to style owned by a celebrity Turkish the country’s top universities media expert Luis Carlos Diaz on Ronaldo and Hollywood star Le- China, which included a stopover accounts thanking Maduro but himself as the “worker presi- chef went viral. conducted a study that found Twitter in a broadside at Madu- onardo Di Caprio have eaten at in Istanbul where he was invited soon deleted them from Insta- dent,” was surrounded by armed “This is once in a lifetime,” 87% of the population were liv- ro’s left-wing populist politics Gokce’s restaurant. to dine with Turkish authorities. gram after he was inundated with Turkish guards. Ex-president Morales meets former presidents Kirchner charged in graft scandal

AFP deliver a percentage of the total Buenos Aires amount paid by the state to civil servants designated by Nestor Kirchner and Cristina Kirchner,” rgentina’s ex-president added Bonadio. Cristina Kirchner was The payments were compiled Acharged with corruption by ministerial chauff eur Oscar as a judge asked that her legis- Centeno in meticulous records lative immunity be lifted so she kept in notebooks. can be detained. More than a dozen former She is accused of having ac- government offi cials and 30 elite cepted tens of millions of dollars businessman are implicated in in bribes in the notorious “cor- the case fi rst reported by La Na- ruption notebooks” scandal that cion newspaper on August 1. has rocked Argentina’s political Prosecutor Carlos Stornelli Bolivia’s former presidents Carlos Mesa (left), Guido Vildoso (second left), President Evo Morales (centre), Jaime Paz Zamora (second right) and Jorge Quiroga pose and business elites. has said a total of $160mn in at the presidential palace La Casa Grande del Pueblo in La Paz, Bolivia. As a senator, Kirchner is pro- bribes was handed over between tected by lawmakers’ immunity 2005 and 2015. from imprisonment, although At her last court appearance, not from prosecution. Kirchner stressed her “categori- Unless that immunity is lifted, cal and strict denial” that she which is highly unlikely, she can- “committed any crime” or was not be jailed, even if found guilty. involved in “any illicit activity.” However, last month the sen- Also facing trial in several ate did vote to partially lift her other corruption cases, she has immunity so that investigators previously accused Bonadio of could search her three luxury carrying out “judicial persecu- Honduran activist’s homes. tions” aimed at derailing a pos- Kirchner is accused of head- sible presidential run next year. ing an “illicit association.” She Kirchner’s immunity will not has already been called in for be lifted, according to Miguel questioning twice by Claudio Angel Pichetto, the head of the Bonadio, the judge leading the Federal Argentina group, the wide-ranging corruption inves- most represented in Congress; murder trial delayed tigation, and was due to appear Kirchner is a member. again later yesterday. Pichetto said immunity can Guardian News and Media electric dam on the Gualcarque the judges’ showed a disregard are in the criminal justice sys- tention. Failing to do so could pro- During her fi rst two hearings only be lifted “in case of a con- Tegucigalpa river, which the Lenca people for the rule of law by refusing to tem in Honduras, because that vide grounds for appeal. she refused to answer Bonadio’s viction and not for remand.” consider sacred. sanction the public prosecutor’s will guarantee impunity for the “We want justice but we want questions, instead submitting a However, former president She was an internationally offi ce for ignoring court orders criminal structures responsible a fair trial, which respects due written statement, as is her right. Carlos Menem, who served two he long-awaited trial into renowned grassroots defender to share evidence with the fam- for the murder.” process for us the victims and Both Kirchner, 65, and her late terms from 1989-1999, has held one of Central America’s of indigenous and land rights, ily’s legal team. Caceres, the co-ordinator the accused,” said Bertita Zu- husband, Nestor, whom she suc- onto his senate seat, to which the Tmost notorious murders who was awarded the prestig- In addition, fi ve injunctions of the Civic Council of Popular niga Cáceres, the murdered ceeded as president in 2007, are 88-year-old was re-elected in has been thrown into disarray ious Goldman prize in 2015 for submitted last week must also be and Indigenous Organisations leader’s daughter and current suspected of having accepted 2017, despite a seven-year con- after the judges were formally leading the campaign to stop resolved by the appeals court. In of Honduras (Copinh), was Copinh co-ordinator. millions of dollars in bribes from viction for smuggling arms to accused of abuse of authority construction of the Agua Zarca one, the family’s lawyers contest subjected to surveillance, har- In a bizarre start to proceed- businessmen in exchange for Ecuador and Croatia. and a cover-up. 21 MW dam. the “arbitrary decision” by the assment, false criminal charges ings, the hearing was initially public works contracts. A dozen other ministers have The opening of the trial of eight Caceres’ murder triggered in- judges to reject witnesses, ex- and multiple death threats be- delayed as the judges decided According to Bonadio’s indict- been remanded in custody, men charged over the murder ternational condemnation, and perts and documentary evidence fore she was killed. to hear a petition from an unre- ment, “between 2003 and 2015, though, including deputy plan- of Honduran indigenous leader demands for justice in a country linking the murder to a wider The eight defendants are also lated drug traffi cking case. Three collusion between civil servants ning minister Roberto Baratta, Berta Caceres was postponed af- where impunity is rampant. criminal conspiracy. charged with the attempted mur- hours later than scheduled, the and business leaders created a whose chauff eur was Centeno. ter lawyers representing her fam- Yesterday’s application ar- Victor Fernandez, one of the der of Gustavo Castro, a Mexican jam-packed courtroom was in- system distributing bribes to civil Planning minister Julio De ily requested that the three judges gued that a series of decisions lawyers representing Caceres’ environmentalist who was injured formed that the trial was sus- servants,” in which the company Vido and another of his depu- be recused and replaced. and omissions by the judges three daughters and mother, in the gun attack but survived by pended until the appeal court bosses “claimed to have suc- ties, Julio Lopez, did not need to Caceres was shot dead in her during pre-trial hearings vio- said: “We will not tolerate or pretending to be dead. Five were decides whether the judges are cumbed to offi cial pressure.” be remanded in custody as they home on March 2, 2016, after lated due process and demon- stay silent about institutional arrested in May 2016. The law re- competent to proceed or not. In order to gain public works were already behind bars for a long battle opposing the in- strated bias against the victims. abuses, no matter how routine quires cases to be resolved within Under the law, the recusal ruling contracts, companies “needed to other off ences. ternationally fi nanced hydro- The application alleges that and normalised these abuses two-and-a-half years after de- should be issued within 72 hours. Trailer full of bodies New premier Haddad vows not to pardon Lula if elected causes row in Mexico AFP Should he be elected, he Rio de Janeiro won’t be exercising his right to pardon criminals to free Lula Reuters ised to speak about the matter. not immediately clear and how from a 12-year corruption sen- Mexico City The offi cial said about 150 they died, although Lopez was razil’s leftist presiden- tence, Haddad stressed. bodies were stored in the truck’s reported in Mexican media as tial candidate Fern- “Lula is not going to aban- container. saying they were unidentifi ed Bando Haddad yesterday don the defence of his inno- uthorities in western Mex- Like other parts of Mexico, victims of organised crime. ruled out pardoning the jailed cence. He’s the fi rst to say: ‘I ico swamped by mounting Jalisco is suff ering from a crime The container was at a ware- former head of state and his don’t want favours, I want the Amurders from the coun- wave that led to a record 31,000 house in the Guadalajara suburb own party’s iconic leader Luiz Brazilian courts and interna- try’s drug war have resorted to homicides in 2017. The state is of Duraznera for an unspecifi ed Inacio Lula da Silva should he tional forums to recognise that storing dozens of corpses in a home to one of Mexico’s most amount of time until mayor Maria triumph in October’s elec- I was the victim of a judicial refrigerated container truck that violent and powerful drug gangs, Elena Limon demanded it be tak- tions. error’,” Haddad told CBN radio in recent days has been parked in Jalisco New Generation Cartel. en away. She said on Twitter it had Haddad was named as the and the G1 website. several towns, angering residents. The surging numbers of been removed on Saturday. Workers’ Party (PT) candidate Lula was barred from stand- The semi-trailer truck was deaths has overwhelmed Jalis- A local Facebook group made up last week after Lula fi nally gave ing in the election by Bra- noticed last week in a warehouse co’s morgue and work is under- of truck drivers called “The Own- up his audacious bid to stand zil’s electoral court due to the of a suburb on the outskirts of way on a new facility that would ers of the Road” said on Saturday in the October 7 fi rst round country’s “clean-slate” law. Mexico’s second largest city hold 700 bodies in its fi rst phase, that the container had then been presidential election from his As well as campaigning Guadalajara, drawing the ire of the state’s general secretary placed in a large fi eld, but neigh- prison cell. for himself, Haddad said he the mayor of the borough, who Roberto Lopez told local media. bours demanded that it be moved. The 72-year-old, president wouldn’t abandon Lula’s fi ght said it was illegally parked. “When it is built, these bodies Images in Mexican newspapers from 2003-2010, was hop- for freedom. It then turned up, apparently will be transferred,” Lopez said. showed it parked near houses. ing to win a third term in of- “As a citizen I will remain in abandoned, next to houses in a He added that the new facility “This aff ects our kids, it smells fice and until last week Lula the campaign to free the presi- fi eld further from the city, where will be completed in a month- horrible and the longer it stays was streaks ahead in opinion dent,” said Haddad, 55. neighbours complained it was and-a-half. On Monday, Lopez it’s going to stink even worse,” polls. While Lula’s name still fi g- emitting a powerful stench. acknowledged that the use of said Patricia Jimenez, a resident But since Haddad was ured in opinion polls, Haddad Following complaints, by the truck showed a lack of re- of the small town of Tlajomulco, named as his replacement, commanded little support, Monday authorities had moved spect and promised to launch an describing the truck as a health the former Sao Paulo mayor but now that he is uncondi- it to a warehouse near Jalisco investigation. The government hazard. Haitian President, Jovenel Moise (right), speaks with the has quickly risen up the poll tionally the PT candidate, he state prosecutor’s offi ce in “will not tolerate displays of in- Mexican media reported that new Prime Minister of Haiti, Jean-Henry Céant, during the rankings to sit second behind has quickly climbed to second Guadalajara, an offi cial at the diff erence or laziness,” Lopez the mobile morgue held 157 bod- inauguration ceremony of the new prime minister, at the right-wing frontrunner Jair with a 17.6 % share, according offi ce said, declining to provide wrote on his Twitter account. ies, but an offi cial count had not National Palace, in Port-au-Prince. Bolsonaro in the latest fi gures to Monday’s poll by the MDA his name as he was not author- The identity of the bodies was yet been announced by offi cials. released on Monday. institute. Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 PAKISTAN

Charges laid over Sea-based deterrence Rawal Dam poisoning

Internews necessary: navy chief Islamabad Internews or without security assistance. The missile was tested from These are all conventional ceived, planned and executed threat from a neighbour, which Islamabad We have enough resources in a submerged platform off Paki- submarines and are not nuclear- from Afghanistan. That’s why is responsible for dismembering fter the incident in which Pakistan. We can world without stan’s coast in the Arabian Sea capable. we are trying to fence our bor- it,” he said. a large number of fi sh US assistance.” and fl ew to strike a target at an Responding to another ques- der,” he said. “We are all for a Abbasi explained that North Awere found dead in Rawal avy Chief Admiral Zafar Abbasi defended Pakistan’s undisclosed location. tion, Abbasi said it is “a myth political solution to the Afghan Korea was cut off from the inter- Dam in Islamabad, the Secretar- Mahmood Abbasi said decision to match India’s sea- The Inter-Services Public Re- that Pakistan seeks strategic problem.” national system while Pakistan iat police have registered a case Nyesterday that Pakistan based nuclear programme. lations (ISPR) announced that depth” in Afghanistan. “Af- Responding to a question was very much involved in it, be- against four people on the charge has to have a sea-based deter- “Sea-based nukes provide an the missile “incorporates ad- ghanistan is a separate, sover- about US-Taliban talks in Qa- cause Islamabad realises that a of mixing poison in the water. rence to maintain strategic bal- assured 2nd strike capability,” vanced aerodynamics and avi- eign country and we respect it as tar, he said: “We welcome these country cannot live in isolation. “This is the third such inci- ance in the region. he said, adding that India had onics that can strike targets both that. Whatever strategic depth talks. We hope that some sort of Asked if the new government dent since last year, and every At a news briefi ng at the Paki- disturbed the nuclear balance in at land and sea with high accu- we have is our own.” solution comes out of that.” will change Pakistan’s policy time a case was registered. stan embassy in Washington DC, South Asia by developing sea- racy, at a range of 700km”. The naval chief said that po- Abbasi rejected the sugges- towards terrorism, Abbasi said Though the suspects had been Abbasi rejected the “myth” that based nukes. Abbasi said Pakistan tested litical changes in Pakistan would tion that Pakistan is fi nancing that Pakistan is acting against identifi ed, the police had been Pakistan was seeking strategic “(Not having this capabil- the Babur-3 missiles to meet not aff ect its Afghan policy and the Afghan Taliban. terrorists out of national inter- unable to arrest them,” investi- depth in Afghanistan. ity) might induce India to start a the Indian challenge, but he the country will continue to “The Taliban’s biggest source ests. gation offi cer Imran Haider said. The navy chief also said that conventional war. We have legit- disagreed with a journalist who support peace and stability in is drug trade and we are trying The Pakistan Army, he said, Last year, reports about dead the US decision to suspend se- imate concerns towards India, hinted that it was developed Afghanistan. to stop that. About 30-40% of had conducted multiple opera- fi sh in the dam raised eyebrows curity assistance to Pakistan was our security is more important with Chinese assistance. Pakistan, he said, did not want this trade is carried through the tions, clearing the Federally Ad- among stakeholders. not a good decision. to us,” he said. “Our programme ’It’s an all-indigenous pro- large ungovernable territories in maritime route,” he said. ministered Tribal Areas (Fata) of The then-chairman of the “But it is not a life or death is aimed at discouraging India to gramme. I will leave at that,” he Afghanistan because it had re- The navy chief disagreed with organised terrorist groups, and Senate Standing Committee on situation for us. We want a good start a conventional off ensive.” said. percussions for Pakistan. the suggestion that Pakistan was now Fata is a part of the main- Climate Change, Mir Moham- relationship with the US, based In April this year, Pakistan Abbasi said that in 2016, Pa- “Terrorists take refuge in facing a North Korea-like isola- stream. mad Yousaf Badini, also took no- on mutual respect. Security as- conducted the second fl ight test kistan signed an agreement with Afghanistan and use its terri- tion. Abbasi is visiting the US to at- tice of the incident. sistance is not our primary con- of its Babur-3 nuclear-capable China for procuring eight sub- tory for launching attacks into “Equating North Korea with tend an international sea-pow- However, despite a number of sideration,” he said. submarine-launched cruise marines, which will be delivered Pakistan. Most recent terrorist Pakistan is not right. North Ko- ers symposium, organised by the investigations, the authorities “We want good relations with missile (SLCM). by 2025. attacks in Pakistan were con- rea does not have a legitimate US Navy. could not reach a conclusion. Some people were of the opin- ion that trucks of poison was re- quired for killing fi sh in the lake and it was impossible for anyone to have access to such a huge Poor response from overseas quantity of poison. Experts were of the view that the water of the dam had become polluted because of the dis- Pakistanis to iVoting drive charge of sewage and industrial waste into it. Investigation offi cer Haider Internews released by the Election Com- votes on election day. said that the suspects had been Islamabad mission of Pakistan (ECP), the On polling day, the voter shall identifi ed through pictures of website for the overseas vot- log in to the website using his or the dead fi sh that they uploaded ers remained functional 24/7 her username and password, and on social media. he campaign to register throughout the registration enter the voter pass e-mailed “The persons who had up- overseas Pakistanis for process and did not face any earlier. loaded the pictures on social TInternet voting (iVoting) technical problems. This will direct the voter to his media have been identifi ed. The in the upcoming by-polls evoked The ECP said only voters or her registered national and case has been registered on the a lukewarm response, with only holding national identity card provincial assembly constituen- application of Fisheries Depart- 7,419 expatriates – out of the to- for overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) cies to enable the casting of the ment inspector Mohammad Na- tal 632,000 – registering to avail and machine readable passports vote. deem,” he said. of the facility off ered to them for (MRPs) were able to register to A designated list of candidates Constructed on Korang River the fi rst time in the country’s vote. of the selected constituency in the 1960s, Rawal Dam is one electoral history. As many as 632,000 overseas would then be displayed by the of the main sources of drink- The process of registration of Pakistanis from the 37 constitu- system and the voter shall select ing water for the residents of overseas Pakistanis from the 37 encies settled in 177 countries of the election symbol of the can- Rawalpindi. constituencies where by-elec- the world were eligible to vote didate to cast the vote. The dam has a catchment tions are to be held on October through the Internet – which is Upon successful submission area of 275sq km and can store 14 had started on September 1 84% of the total overseas Paki- of the vote, a “confi rmation” 84,000 acre feet of water in an and came to a close yesterday at stanis from the given constitu- message would be displayed on Online voting would be conducted for 36 constituencies. average rainfall year. 9am. encies. the screen. Currently, around 40 nullahs There would be no by-elec- Under the plan, the 7,419 reg- The ECP had already uploaded had been launched through me- been defi ned by the ECP after what they called a hasty move, (stream), mostly carrying sew- tion held in one of the 37 con- istered voters will be sent voter on its website separate video tu- dia to create awareness about the being ordered by the Supreme the ECP initially said that it was age, fl ow into the dam. stituencies as the candidate is pass (password) between Octo- torials in Urdu and English lan- facility of internet voting made Court to provide the Internet just complying with the court In July 2009, the then-chief unopposed (see screenshot of ber 10 and October 14 to the e- guages as well as step-by-step available for the overseas Pa- voting facility to the overseas orders. justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar the ECP iVoting website ht- mail address that they had pro- help materials to guide voters kistanis and the embassies and Pakistanis for the upcoming by- However, it later said that it Chaudhry, took suo motu notice tps://www.overseasvoting. vided in their online application through the registration and consulates of Pakistan had also elections. was not moving in haste and said of the contamination in the dam. gov.pk/i-voting/). for registration, through which voting process. been involved in the campaign. After two major opposition the political parties should hail A number of hearings were According to a statement they would be able to cast their An advertisement campaign The complete procedure had parties criticised the ECP for the initiative. held but the issue was not re- solved. However, the district admin- istration of Rawalpindi informed the court that the water from the dam was treated according to the Prime minister on Senate panel wants security for standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO) before be- visit to Saudi Arabia Imran as defi ned by ‘blue book’ ing supplied to the public. Central govt to Reuters bailout package from the IMF, Internews ate standing committee on inte- Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for mak- Islamabad which would be its 13th since Islamabad rior, its chairman Rehman Malik ing certain claims and acting to take over NTS late 1980s, is inevitable. referred to the latest threat alert the contrary. However, Umar recently issued against fi ve politicians, He said that earlier President The government of Pakistan rime Minister Imran said that an IMF rescue was Senate panel has asked the including the premier. Arif Alvi was shown travelling to has finally woken up to alleged Khan left for Saudi Ara- a “fallback option” and that interior ministry to diff er- The blue book had to be prop- Karachi as an ordinary passenger mismanagement in the aff airs Pbia yesterday, the For- the government was exploring Aentiate between protocol erly followed, he said, directing without any protocol, but things of the National Testing Service eign Offi ce said, amid specu- other avenues for assistance, and security, and directed it to Interior Secretary Yousaf Na- were diff erent when he reached (NTS), and decided to bring the lation that he may be seeking which was broadly interpreted provide security to Prime Min- seem Khokhar to provide secu- Karachi, where dozens of vehi- service under its control to make economic assistance from a as Islamabad seeking help from ister Imran Khan as per the “blue rity to the prime minister and cles were present to accord him it a transparent, accountable and staunch ally instead of another China and Saudi Arabia. book”, even if he is hesitant. other politicians under threat an extraordinary protocol. state-run testing body. International Monetary Fund In 2014, six months after The “blue book” is a classifi ed regardless of what anyone said. Besides discussing security Imran Khan: has been hesitant to The NTS is a private organisation (IMF) bailout. Pakistan obtained its last IMF document and it carries matters “It happens everywhere in the measures, the Senate panel – avail of the full security detail. that conducts hundreds of tests Khan, on his fi rst interna- bailout, Saudi Arabia loaned relating to protocol, a compre- world. Do not bother about what through a unanimously adopted for admission in educational tional visit since taking offi ce Pakistan $1.5bnm, which the hensive security plan that is fol- the media says,” he remarked. resolution – voiced its concern They said that major areas institutions and appointments in last month, was accompanied government used to strengthen lowed during VVIP movements, The Pakistan Muslim League – over allegations of money laun- of Afghanistan were under the government organisations. by Finance Minister Asad Umar its rupee currency. especially those of the president Nawaz (PML-N)’s Javed Abbasi dering against Pakistan. control of the US forces, and de- senior off icials privy to the and Foreign Minister Shah Me- Pakistan’s current account and prime minister, and steps to was the only individual to oppose The committee members were manded that drug production development in the Higher hmood Qureshi at a time when defi cit widened 43% to $18bn be taken in the event of a disaster the idea of providing security to of the view that the drug money and supply be stopped by the Education Commission (HEC) the country is trying to avert a in the fi scal year that ended on or an emergency. the prime minister, saying that was being laundered by Afghani- American forces with immedi- and Comsats University have balance of currency crisis due June 30, while the fi scal defi cit The book also contains details “let them follow their party’s stan under the eyes of US forces, ate eff ect and that the “baseless confirmed that “talks are to a current account defi cit. has ballooned to 6.6% of the of sensitive installations. policy”. which was a source of production charges” against Pakistan be underway to put government’s Analysts say that a fresh economy. During a meeting of the Sen- He also criticised the Pakistan and supply to the world. dropped. tag on the NTS”. 61 out of 102 PM House vehicles sold at auction

Internews A reinforced Land Cruiser V8 Mohammad Asif told the media vehicles had been auctioned off of tax rates affi xed to vehicles’ Islamabad was auctioned for Rs27.4mn. that the most expensive luxury although the auction was still in windscreens. It was said that the auction has vehicles would be put up for sale progress at the time. They had assumed that in case added Rs200mn to the national after re-evaluation of taxes. He said that the bombproof of successful bidding, they would hile a majority of ex- kitty. He said the vehicles that were and bulletproof vehicles, which be charged the taxes separately. pensive bulletproof A member of the auction com- auctioned off during the day were classifi ed as “protected” In fact, the bidding included Wand bombproof ve- mittee said that six bulletproof fetched good bids. vehicles, would be off ered for sale tax rates. hicles of Prime Minister House vehicles and 55 other vehicles Interestingly, the commit- in the next phase. “I was interested in Toyota Co- failed to attract buyers during an were sold during the daylong ex- tee had to hold auction of nine Terming the auction success- rolla, but because of tax and duty auction, most of the other vehi- ercise. vehicles twice, as fi rst success- ful, the minister said that the rates, I did not submit a bid, later cles have been sold. He said that 20 low-priced ful bidders disappeared without objective of this exercise was to on I was told that tax and duty In all, 61 of the 102 luxury and vehicles were not included in submitting the token amount, send a message to the public that is included in auction amount, surplus vehicles parked on the Monday’s auction because of low probably after realising that they their prime minister was one of except for a 10% advance tax,” lawns of PM House were auc- bids, while 21 armoured vehicles, had given a higher bid. them and the government would said Mohamed Ali, a prospective tioned off during the daylong ac- which failed to attract buyers due While speaking with report- ensure that public money was buyer. This picture taken on Monday shows potential buyers and visitors tivity on Monday as part of Prime to their high prices, would be put ers at Parliament House earlier, not wasted. He said that participants in the at an auction of government-owned cars at the premises of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s austerity up for sale later. Information Minister Chaudhry During the auction, there was bidding process were expecting Minister House in Islamabad. drive. PM Offi ce administrator Major Fawad Hussain claimed that 70 confusion among buyers because lower prices than were asked for. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 21 PHILIPPINES

Trillanes to seek transfer of libel case to Manila

By Bernadette E Tamayo Manila Times

enator Antonio Trillanes yesterday said he might Sseek the transfer of the trial of the libel case fi led against him by former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte and his brother-in- law Manases Carpio from Davao City to Manila. The senator said he received on Monday a subpoena issued by Prosecutor Faizal Padate requir- ing him to present himself and the needed documents before the Offi ce of the City Prosecu- tor in Davao City “within 10 days within receipt of complaint.” Duterte and Carpio fi led sep- arate libel complaints against Trillanes for calling them “cor- rupt and extortionists” during a phone patch radio interview by a Cebu-based journalist in Sep- tember 2017. Rescuers dig next to a collapsed concrete house where dozens of residents are believed to have been buried in a landslide during heavy rains at the height of Typhoon Mangkhut in Itogon, Benguet province north “It’s very obvious that they of Manila, yesterday. were really looking for a way to shake me down or to harass me. But we will face that,” Trillanes said in a briefi ng. “They wanted to bring the case to their territory. The judges in Davao City receive special al- lowances from city government. The city mayor (Sara Duterte- Typhoon death toll rises to 74 Carpio0 is the sister. So, it’s very clear that they can infl uence the case,” the senator said. However, Trillanes said he may go to Davao “if it is really important for me to go there.” as searchers hunt for missing “I should expect that that is their territory (Davao City). But AFP dillera mountain range, a key no elected offi cial must be pre- Itogon gold mining area. vented from going to any part Many of those buried in Ito- of the Philippines, so we will go gon were small-scale gold min- there,” he added. he death toll in Typhoon ers and their families who took Mangkhut hit 74 yes- refuge in a building abandoned Tterday, Philippine au- by a large mining fi rm. thorities said, as rescuers used The Philippines has a poor Velasco denies their bare hands to sift through record of regulating mining, plan to challenge a massive landslide in which with tunnel collapses and land- Arroyo’s leadership dozens were feared killed in the slides regularly killing people worst-hit region. in other gold-rush areas in re- Marinduque representative Lord The typhoon, the most pow- cent years. Tearful families sur- Allan Velasco refuted allegations erful to strike this year, smashed rounded a whiteboard bearing that he was set to replace House homes and fl ooded key agri- names of the dead and missing Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cultural regions in the northern as others inspected recovered amid reports that she would be un- Philippines before battering bodies in an attempt to identify seated over a budget feud among Hong Kong and southern China their loved ones. top lawmakers, Manila Times with fi erce winds and heavy “Of course his death hurts,” reported. “I categorically deny any rain. Jocelyn Banawul said after her involvement in any plan whatso- As Hong Kong gradually got cousin’s corpse was pulled from ever to unseat the Speaker… I didn’t back on its feet, residents from the debris. “But he was found, aspire for such position then, in the teachers to refugees mobilised he’s not buried there anymore.” same way that I am not aspiring to help clean up after Mang- Across northern Luzon, for the Speakership now,” Velasco khut, which smashed windows, which produces much of the na- told reporters yesterday. His name felled at least 1,000 trees and Rescuers carry a body bag containing a landslide victim, after heavy rains during the typhoon, in Itogon, Benguet province. tion’s rice and corn, farms were previously floated as potential con- sent skyscrapers swaying. fl attened and fl ooded, with the tender when then-House Speaker The violent storm killed four buried in the landslide in Itogon Palangdan said. “The rescue ef- using human chains to extract aster before Mangkhut hit, as authorities saying crop losses Pantaleon Alvarez was ousted and in China’s southern province unleashed Saturday as the ty- fort will continue until the pres- debris. The eff ort has been get- it came on the heels of nearly a would likely total more than later replaced by Arroyo. “I assure of Guangdong and the toll rose phoon stalled over the area and ident orders us to stop,” he said. ting progressively more diffi cult month of continuous monsoon $250mn. Speaker (Arroyo) that I am not yesterday to 74 on the Philip- dumped a month’s worth of rain Because the landslide de- because the rain-soaked soil has rains that left the already haz- That could add to the Philip- behind any plot to challenge her pines’ northern Luzon island in a matter of hours. stroyed roads, authorities have started to harden in the scorch- ardous area soggy and danger- pines’ infl ation woes and wors- leadership, and I wish to put to rest according to police, with that “While I said there is a 99% been unable to bring heavy ing Philippine sun. ously loose. en a spike in rice prices that has all further rumour-mongering,” number expected to further chance that all of them are dead, equipment into the area to ac- Crews have been using water Almost all the storm’s victims hit hard the nearly quarter of the Velasco said, reiterating his support climb. there is still that one-percent celerate the search. to try to soften up the soil. were killed in dozens of land- nation’s population that sur- for Arroyo “since Day One.” Up to 40 people are still feared chance,” Itogon Mayor Victorio As a result the teams were The area was primed for dis- slides unleashed along the Cor- vives on less than $2 a day. Duterte in renewed call to end mining Miners dig for their

By Ralph Villanueva A priest called on the govern- Manila Times ment yesterday to order mining companies to “fi x” the damage own in storm aftermath caused by the landslide in Ben- resident Rodrigo Duterte guet. yesterday reiterated his “We need to make mining AFP families as the typhoon dumped triggered a landslide. He himself Pcall to end mining, say- companies accountable. Jus- Itogon a month’s worth of rain in a mat- could have been trapped under ing the practice could no longer tice means reparation for the ter of hours. Even before the storm the mud this time had he not de- continue because it had “cre- damage,” said Fr Edu Gariguez, hit, the hilly region was primed for cided at the last minute to visit ated a monster in the country.” executive director of the Cath- he miners in the mountains landslides after a month of mon- his children in another province. Duterte’s statement came a olic Bishops’ Conference of of the northern Philippines soon rains saturated the soil. “This is where I live,” he said day after he called on Congress the Philippines’ National Sec- Tusually dig for gold. Carlos Payadon, 62, was looking up at the gash the slide to “abrogate” the Philippine retariat for Social Action, in an But yesterday they were dig- working the hot, muddy pit yes- left in a towering green hill. Mining Act of 1995, in response interview. “The landslide site ging for their colleagues and terday in search of his nephew “In times like this, miners to a landslide that killed dozens was a mining site of Benguet relatives buried under a vast Sidney Dumugdog. from all over the region pitch in,” of trapped miners in Itogon, Corp. It was one of the areas landslide unleashed by typhoon He had hoped the young man, provincial police chief Lyndon Benguet. ordered closed by then Depart- Mangkhut. in his 20s, would fi nd a diff erent Mencio, said, adding they are In Isabela for a situation ment of Environment and Nat- Searchers have already pulled job with fewer risks, but Dumug- an asset because of expertise at briefi ng in the aftermath of Groups stage a protest as they march to the Sofitel Philippine Plaza ural Resources Secretary Gina over a dozen corpses from the dog needed the money. tunnelling. Typhoon “Ompong,” Duterte in Pasay City yesterday, urging the government to stop large and Lopez in 2017 for not comply- mud and debris in the mining “I know he is already dead. “All belong to the same pro- said “the time has come when small-scale mining. ing with environmental laws,” town of Itogon, and up to 40 more But I just hope we can dig up his fession and doing this gives our motherland is overused and said Gariguez. people could be entombed — with body,” Payadon said.”I can’t give them comfort, knowing they abused” by miners, and that the damage it had caused. he said in a mix of English and The site, the priest claimed, very little hope they are alive. up. When you give up it’s like could count on this same kind of “this cannot go on.” “How much (will) P70bn do Filipino. was subcontracted by Benguet “I know all of them. I work forsaking your family.” help,” he added. “Even before, I wanted to to the country if you compare it “It is, to me, obnoxious, if not Corp. to small miners. with them,” said miner Johnny Itogon is one of the country’s It will be an excruciatingly slow stop (mining) but ( could) not to the losses of the Philippines downright stupid, these mining On Monday, however, the Paggadut Jr. “The only thing on oldest mining hubs, with known eff ort to clear the site of debris. for the fact that it is allowed by because of mining. There are a people, occupying and mining mining company said it had my mind now is I want to help gold panning activity stretching Because the slide destroyed law. If it is allowed by law, little lot of holes in the lands,” Du- watershed areas,” he added. written several letters to the give the bodies of my friends back to before the 17th-century roads going into the area, no could I do anything about it. I terte said. On Monday, the Department Itogon miners to abandon the back to their families.” Spanish colonial conquest. heavy equipment has been able cannot stop mining because I He also called mining “ob- of Environment and Natural area, as it had been classifi ed Around him hundreds of search- Thousands of people from all to reach the site. am not allowed to abrogate any noxious, if not downright stu- Resources (DENR) ordered the by the Mines and Geosciences ers, a quarter of whom were min- over the country still fl ock to the The government said it has law here, but I want to stop it pid.” suspension of mining opera- Bureau as a geohazard location ers, scraped away at the hardening upland town seeking their for- sent a two-dozen-strong res- because it has created a mon- “Whether it is really boring tions in the Cordillera Admin- prone to landslides. mass of mud as cadaver-sniffi ng tune in largely unregulated min- cue team with high-tech life- ster in this country,” the presi- the hills and mountains from istrative Region. In a Palace news briefi ng, the dogs were led across the site. ing, which is accompanied by detecting devices. But yesterday dent said. the inside, or carving out as it Environment Secretary Roy president’s spokesman, Harry A roughly half-kilometre periodic deadly accidents. was already the fourth day af- Duterte also said P70bn in widens and widens … contrary Cimatu also revoked the per- Roque Jr, said the suspension of stretch of hillside in the Cordillera Paggadut helped dig out the ter the slide and while offi cials annual earnings from mining to what they say, in mining ar- mits of all 10 small-scale min- mining in the Cordillera Region range collapsed on dwellings used corpses of six friends in the same spoke of a possible miracle, the was nothing compared with eas there is noreforestation,” ing operations in the region. was “akin to rehabilitation.” by small-scale miners and their area in 2008 when a typhoon miners were more sombre. Gulf Times 22 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Daunting task for Britain to be ready for Brexit Concerns have for long been rising that Britain may crash out of the European Union with a no-deal Brexit as the warring sides have failed to agree on the terms of their divorce. The latest has come from the International Monetary Fund. The Washington-based Fund has added its voice to calls for UK Prime Minister Theresa May to strike a Brexit deal with the EU. All Brexit options would involve costs, but a no- deal goodbye would be costlier, inflicting “substantial Merkel takes a gamble with costs for the UK economy, and to a lesser extent the EU economies,” the Bretton Woods Institution said on Monday. Brexit uncertainty is likely to weigh on investment, according to the IMF. UK Chancellor Philip Hammond agreed a no-deal outcome is not impossible in a joint her new immigration law press conference with IMF managing director Christine Lagarde. By Michael Nienaber/ Reuters “If she can credibly make the point light from immigration authorities. learn German and get a professional The IMF is forecasting a “moderate” growth of about Berlin that this is about Germany’s economic In one case, Eyeem wants to hire a qualifi cation. 1.5% this year and next depending on a timely trade pact self-interest, it won’t fuel angst among specialist from Egypt but is still await- In addition, the coalition parties and a relatively smooth exit process thereafter. But a more those who already feel alienated in ing fi nal confi rmation. disagree over whether refugees should hancellor Angela Merkel their own country,” said Gero Neuge- This makes it hard for Eyeem to plan be allowed to shed asylum status if they disruptive departure could lead to “a significantly worse hopes a new immigration bauer, a political expert at Berlin’s Free and for the Egyptian worker to get on have found a job and learned German. outcome.” law will make it easier for University. with moving to Germany. The conservatives say this will en- Bank of England Governor Mark Carney just days ago Cforeign workers to fi nd jobs in “But if not, then this law will backfi re Other sectors aff ected by labour courage immigration by asylum seekers outlined worst-case scenarios to a cabinet meeting, Germany, but her push to fi ll a record on Merkel, especially taking into ac- shortages are construction, education, without the right skills. including house prices tumbling, a falling pound and number of vacancies risks angering count that there are three local elec- child care and geriatric nursing. The SPD want a more pragmatic ap- higher trade tariffs. voters who still resent her open-door tions next year in eastern Germany,” he Arno Schwalie, chief executive proach. refugee policy. said. of nursing home operator Korian in “It’s about preventing a situation An EU-UK divorce With an ageing population and a There are also regional elections next Germany, says the number of elderly where we send back the right peo- A no-deal with no agreement in shrinking workforce, Germany needs month in Bavaria and Hesse, where the people needing permanent care will rise ple - and then have to painstakingly place on how to continue greater fl exibility to fi ll more than a mil- rise of the AfD could make it harder to by more than a quarter over the next 15 search for skilled workers abroad,” SPD goodbye would doing business would lion empty positions, business leaders form coalition governments. years. Labour Minister Hubertus Heil told mean various rules, say. Allowing even more foreigners into “By then, we might have to deal with Reuters. be costlier for the permits and accords “We will continue to depend on the country is a risk for Merkel – even a shortage of more than 250,000 work- A compromise fl oated by offi cials foreign professionals,” Merkel said in if the labour force in Europe’s biggest ers in the care sector,” Schwalie said. envisages that only asylum seekers cur- UK as well as the falling into limbo. the Bundestag last week, defending her economy is forecast to shrink drasti- “Qualifi ed immigrants can help close rently in Germany can make the switch, Bottlenecks could bring immigration plans against criticism cally and can only be stabilised with net this gap. This is not the only solution, with future refugees excluded. EU, warns the IMF shortages of everything from opposition politicians. immigration of 400,000 people every but part of the solution.” Germany has become the second from imported food “Companies should not be leaving year until 2060. Health Minister Jens Spahn has said favourite destination for immigrants to manufacturing the country because they can’t fi nd Due to a prolonged economic up- young people from Kosovo and Albania after the United States, attracting more components. EU citizens living in the UK and Britons staff ,” Merkel said, adding that many swing, job vacancies have hit a record could help fi ll 50,000 geriatric care than 1mn in 2016, according to OECD entrepreneurs were more concerned high of 1.2mn while unemployment is at vacancies. fi gures. living on the continent could be stranded without about hiring skilled workers than get- its lowest since German reunifi cation in Labour unions say nursing homes Of those, more than 600,000 are permission to remain. ting tax relief. 1990, according to the Labour Offi ce. could attract local workers by improv- European Union nationals, who can For sure, the Brexit imbroglio is undermining London’s The new law to be discussed by Labour shortages cost the economy ing pay and conditions. choose where to live and work in the coveted status as the global financial hub. Merkel and her cabinet later this month up to 0.9 percentage points of output The AfD rejects the new law, saying it bloc. The “City,” home to over 250 foreign banks and the aims to attract workers from outside every year, according to the IW German will encourage immigration and lead to But Germany expects these num- the European Union, although they will Economic Institute. “wage dumping” at the expense of less- bers to fall as the economic upswing in Lloyd’s of London insurance market, has been facing a need a professional qualifi cation and Among companies struggling to fi nd educated locals. Europe means people can fi nd work at crisis ever since the Brexit vote on June 23, 2016. Firms are German language skills when applying staff is Eyeem, a Berlin start-up that “If you look at the very small wage home. debating whether to shift jobs to continental Europe to for a work visa, according to a paper connects millions of photographers rises, then you don’t need to be an In addition, the number of working keep serving customers there after Britain leaves the EU. drawn up by offi cials. globally with agencies and clients expert to say that there actually is not a age people in Europe is declining due to An Ernst & Young report in June 2017 predicted a loss of Government offi cials see the law, through an online platform. lack of skilled workers,” AfD lawmaker low birth rates. 232,000 financial jobs in Britain as result of Brexit. which is welcomed by employers, as a “We’re 100% aff ected by labour Uwe Witt said. “We must make full use of all the do- game-changer in the global race for tal- shortages,” Eyeem’s personnel chief, Merkel stresses that the immigra- mestic potential. But this simply won’t The UBS Group picked Frankfurt as its post-Brexit EU ent since other countries are espousing Michael Jones, said at the company’s tion law is accompanied by a €4bn be enough, we also need skilled workers hub a few weeks ago and has made preparations for the stricter immigration rules. headquarters in Kreuzberg, a multi- programme to help Germany’s 800,000 from countries outside Europe,” said worst-case scenario of Britain crashing out of the bloc But it could anger voters who feel cultural Berlin district that is home to long-term unemployed fi nd work. Ingo Kramer, president of the BDA without a deal. left behind after Merkel’s decision to many European immigrants. While a growing number of the 2015 employers’ association. A central theme of the Brexit discourse has been the welcome more than a million refugees “We’re struggling to fi ll numerous migrants are fi nding jobs, the process is For Kramer, Germany’s economic “passporting rights,” that entitles companies authorised in 2015. vacancies in areas such as software slow given the urgency of the need for future is at risk if the government fails An opinion poll this month showed engineering and sales,” Jones said. workers. to adopt a modern immigration law. in one country of the European Economic Area – 51% felt her government did not take In some cases, it can take six months It takes three to fi ve years for a For Merkel, the enterprise is part of currently comprising the 28 EU states plus Iceland, Germans’ concerns about immigration for a foreign candidate to get the green poorly-educated Syrian or Iraqi to her eff orts to secure her legacy. Liechtenstein and Norway – to sell their products and seriously. services throughout the bloc, accessing a $19tn integrated In eastern Germany, the fi gure was economy with more than 500mn citizens. 66%. The government last month warned UK financial There are regional elections next year in the eastern states of Saxony, services firms are set to lose the right to market their Brandenburg and Thuringia, where the products in the EEA post-Brexit, unless EU authorities far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) take action to prevent it. is expected to make strong gains at A disorderly Brexit would cause the British economy to the cost of Merkel’s conservatives and contract, weaken the currency and push up the budget her centre-left coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD). deficit, according to Lagarde. The unprecedented 2015 infl ux of Britain faces a “daunting” task to be ready for Brexit, asylum seekers, mainly from Muslim the IMF warned, and the fiscal costs will far outweigh the countries such as Afghanistan, Syria money saved as a result of no longer paying into the EU and Iraq, has already caused popular budget. anger and propelled the AfD, which rejects the new immigration law, into the national parliament. To Advertise Deep divisions became apparent last month in the eastern city of Chemnitz, [email protected] scene of violent far-right protests after Display migrants were blamed for the fatal stab- bing of a German man. 44466621 44418811 Referring to Chemnitz, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, leader of the Classified Christian Social Union, Merkel’s Bavar- 44466609 44418811 ian sister party, described migration as the “mother of all political problems” in Subscription Germany. Merkel may escape a political back- [email protected] lash if she can convince voters the new law will address specifi c labour short- ages and not increase overall competi- © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved tion in the jobs market. Merkel: defends immigration plans Gulf Times Wednesday, September 19, 2018 23 COMMENT Where does US relationship with UN stand?

By Helen Corbett/ DPA of being disrespected” at the UN. New York “The ‘we pay the bills’ rhetoric doesn’t help,” says Yeo. “It can always feel a bit like the end S President Donald Trump of the world” when the US falls out has never liked the UN. He’s with the UN, Gowan says, but this isn’t called it a “club for people to the fi rst time. Uget together, talk and have a The US came close to losing its good time” and said its spending was voting rights in the General Assembly “out of control.” under Bill Clinton for failing to pay its But where does the relationship dues. between the US and the UN stand as he And the diplomatic atmosphere prepares to make his second presiden- surrounding Iraq in 2003 was “utterly tial appearance at the UN podium next dreadful,” he says. week? The US rebelling against the UN is The US has repeatedly complained not strange, but what Gowan sees as about paying 22% of the UN’s regular “pretty unusual and disturbing” right budget. now is the US behaviour towards the The percentage is reached using a UN, paired with Trump’s overarching formula and based on the size of the attitude to multilateralism. country’s economy. Trump has criticised Nato repeat- Trump sparked fears that he would edly, and the US president said last slash US payments to the UN’s peace- month he would consider withdrawing keeping budget by roughly $1bn last from the World Trade Organisation “if year. they don’t shape up.” Many credit his ambassador to the Guterres said in a recent interview UN, Nikki Haley, with toning down his that the US is losing its “soft power” by plans to make slash-and-burn cuts. stepping back from its leading role. Additionally, UN Secretary Gen- This move could be dangerous as eral Antonio Guterres announced a there “is no way to solve most of the reorganisation of its peacekeeping de- problems in the world without” the US, partment and plans to streamline the he told The Atlantic magazine. management structure in July, which The outgoing president of the UN’s appear to be keeping Trump at bay. 193-member parliament, the General “I think Haley and Guterres will be Assembly, echoed him, saying a shift able to tell Trump – with a lot of cave- from a world dominated by a single ats and compromises – that they have UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, seen here with Trump, recently said the US is losing its “soft power” by stepping back from its leading role. power is taking place. pushed through development reforms Without explicitly mentioning the as promised when Trump was here last Haley, saying the UN chief was “work- UN agencies and agreements set to resolution of the UN Security Council. ment, a point it has made loudly when US, Miroslav Lajcak said this shift year,” says UN expert Richard Gowan, a ing hard to ‘Make the United Nations take hits because they don’t align with The US also hasn’t given up on its individual countries it supports make was happening unchecked and there senior fellow at UN university who has Great Again.’” White House philosophies. most controversial criticism of the decisions the US dislikes at the world have been violations of international also worked at New York and Columbia And there have been successes. On migration, Washington baulks at UN – that the world forum is biased body. agreements, norms and rules “with- universities. Peter Yeo, head of the Better World signing the Global Compact for Migra- against Israel. For example, after the US decided to out punishment or without adequate “I doubt Trump has any idea of the Campaign, an independent organisa- tion, which UN countries fi nalised in Anti-Israel bias was the justifi ca- recognise Jerusalem as the capital of reaction, which can trigger others to do detail of what those reforms are, but he tion that lobbies for US-UN co-oper- July as the fi rst common international tion given for pulling out of the UN’s Israel, the UN’s 193-member General the same.” can call that a win,” Gowan told DPA. ation, notes that Haley’s team has had approach on this issue. Human Rights Council and the Unesco Assembly overwhelmingly voted to “We really have to raise our voice Guterres has been successful in de- successes negotiating on issues at the And Trump caused controversy by world heritage site foundation. criticise the move. to demand that everyone respects the veloping a relationship with Trump. UN, including North Korea sanctions. pulling out of the Paris climate agree- And sometimes it is about money, Trump threatened to cut fi nancial rules – and it doesn’t matter how big After an Oval Offi ce meeting in May, However, while Trump has taken ment, which was negotiated under but not UN fi nances. support to countries that voted against or small the country is – so we don’t Trump tweeted a picture of himself, his eye off the UN and the budget as a the auspices of the UN, and the Iran The Trump administration has made the US, with Haley complaining that fi nd ourselves in a world we don’t like,” giving a thumbs up, with Guterres and whole, there are still several specifi c nuclear deal, which was endorsed by a it clear it expects a return on invest- the US is “asked to pay for the privilege Lajcak said.

Three-day forecast

Education for fragile states ODAY T Maximum Temperature : 410c Minimum Temperature : 320c By Homi Kharas and Rebecca equal for boys and girls. of the primary and lower secondary- The deceleration would be even Winthrop But while more children are attending school population) are not able to read greater if the 214mn women worldwide THURSDAY Maximum Temperature : 400c Washington, DC classes, school quality remains uneven. basic texts. who want to avoid pregnancy but can- The challenge now is to ensure that Development specialists know that not acquire contraception could access Minimum Temperature : 310c all children, including those who are in a good education is transformative for family-planning services. FRIDAY his week, the Bill & Melinda school – at all grade levels – are learning students as well as families, communi- It is no coincidence that many of these Maximum Temperature : 380c Gates Foundation will release the full breadth of skills they need to ties, and countries. women live in countries where fewer Minimum Temperature : 310c thrive. One study from 2008 found that the girls than boys attend school. its annual Goalkeepers report Fisherman's forecast card assessing progress towards To give young people the best chance quality of a country’s education system Taken together, schooling and family T WARNING the UN Sustainable Development Goals. of success, the two “bookends” to pri- – and the cognitive abilities of its gradu- planning could translate into a 120-gi- Among the expected fi ndings is a mary school – early childhood education ates – positively infl uences economic gaton reduction in carbon dioxide Inshore : Nil prediction that by 2050, nearly 90% of and secondary education – must also be growth. emissions over the next three decades, as Offshore : Nil global poverty will be concentrated in sturdy. That fact alone should be enough to fewer people consumed fewer resources. WEATHER Sub-Saharan Africa, and two-thirds of Early childhood education prepares convince fragile states and their donors It is no surprise that environmental- Inshore : Misty at places by early morning,becomes hot the world’s poorest people will live in children for primary school by teaching to invest in expanding access to quality ists like Paul Hawken believe that educa- and relatively humid just ten countries. co-operation, perseverance, self-con- education. tion – and educating girls in particular daytime. Humid by The ability to identify human- trol, and other essential skills. But there are other, more indirect ben- – is among the most eff ective steps night. development hotspots – what we call These formative years are critical for efi ts, especially for women and girls. the world can take to combat climate Offshore : Fine to misty at times “severely off -track countries” (SOTCs) a child’s education, because, according For starters, better-educated women change. WIND – should, in theory, make it easier to to Unesco, more than half of all children delay pregnancy and typically have The annual Goalkeepers report is a Inshore : Southeasterly-North- apply solutions. and adolescents worldwide never de- smaller families. reminder issues like gender inequality, easterly 06-13 KT Unfortunately, some aid agencies tend velop foundational competencies crucial Development experts, demographers, malnutrition, violence, and political in- Offshrore : Southeasterly-North- to avoid fragile states out of fear that to becoming life-long learners. and education advocates recognise stability will plague the world’s poorest easterly 04-14 KT their resources will be wasted. At the other end of the spectrum, that in many parts of the world, female people for decades to come. Visibility : 4-8/3 KM Currently, less than a quarter of OECD secondary education helps adolescents empowerment is proportionate to family Among solutions, few are as eff ective countries’ programmable aid is allocated prepare for the job market. size. as quality education. Offshore : 1-3/4 FT to SOTCs. To succeed at this level, students must For example, our research has found If fragile states and international that a woman with zero years of school- donors directed more resources to But the perception that fragility pres- achieve minimum profi ciency in reading, Around the region ages failure is misplaced. With adequate math, and numerous non-cognitive ing will have, on average, 4-5 more strengthening education’s three pillars Weather planning, it is possible to implement skills. children than a woman with at least 12 – early, primary, and secondary – the Weather tomorrow Max/min projects that improve lives in even the But even here, educational outcomes years of schooling. world’s SOTCs would fi nally have a today Max/min Sunny 42/24 riskiest places. are disappointing. Increasing educational opportunities chance to get back on track.-Project Baghdad P Cloudy 44/26 Sunny 42/30 Best of all, we know where to start: In low-income countries, nine out of for girls would also benefi t the planet. Syndicate Kuwait City Sunny 41/28 Sunny 39/31 by investing more in human capital, and ten young people lack basic secondary- The International Institute for Applied Homi Kharas is Interim Vice Presi- Manama Sunny 39/32 Sunny 32/27 especially in education. education level profi ciency across a suite Systems Analysis has projected that if dent and Director of the Global Economy Muscat Sunny 31/27 Sunny 29/19 According to the Goalkeepers re- of essential skills, ranging from literacy every girl in the world completed sec- and Development programme at The Tehran M Sunny 32/20 port, the number of children enrolled and critical thinking to mathematics, ondary education, fertility rates would Brookings Institution. in primary school in Africa increased and problem solving. drop and the global population growth Rebecca Winthrop is a senior fellow from 60mn in 2000 to some 250mn In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, an esti- would slow by as many as 2bn people by and Director of the Centre for Universal today, and the rate of growth was mated 200mn young people (about 90% 2045, and more than 5bn by 2100. Education at The Brookings Institution. Live issues This AI tool can specify lung cancer types Around the world Weather Weather IANS The current team trained a deep today Max/min tomorrow Max/min New York convolutional neural network, Google’s Athens Sunny 29/20 Sunny 29/20 Inception v3, to analyse slide images Beirut Sunny 29/25 M Sunny 29/24 obtained from The Cancer Genome Bangkok T Storm 29/24 S T Storms 32/25 esearchers have developed Atlas, a database with images of cancer Berlin M Sunny 29/17 M Sunny 28/18 an Artifi cial Intelligence diagnoses that have already been deter- Cairo Sunny 35/23 Sunny 34/22 (AI)-based system that can mined. Cape Town Rain 12/08 Sunny 14/09 Ranalyse images of patients’ That let the researchers measure how Colombo T Storm 29/26 T Storm 29/25 lung tumours, specify cancer types well their program could be trained to Dhaka S T Storms 36/27 T Storm 32/27 and even identify altered genes driving accurately and automatically classify Hong Kong P Cloudy 29/24 P Cloudy 28/24 abnormal cell growth. 86% depending on the gene, the study “learn” how to get better at a task but normal versus diseased tissue. Istanbul M Sunny 25/20 Sunny 26/21 The fi ndings, published in the said. without being told exactly how. Interestingly, the study found that Jakarta M Cloudy 33/25 T Storm 33/25 journal Nature Medicine, showed that “Our study provides strong evidence Such programs build rules and math- about half of the small percentage of Karachi P Cloudy 30/26 P Cloudy 30/26 the computer programme could dis- that an AI approach will be able to ematical models that enable decision- tumour images misclassifi ed by the London Cloudy 22/16 Cloudy 21/10 tinguish with 97% accuracy between instantly determine cancer subtype and making based on data examples fed study AI program were also misclassi- Manila T Storm 31/26 S T Storms 32/26 adenocarcinoma and squamous cell mutational profi le to get patients started into them, with the program getting fi ed by the pathologists, highlighting the Moscow P Cloudy 23/13 Sunny 22/11 carcinoma – two lung cancer types on targeted therapies sooner,” said “smarter” as the amount of training data diffi culty in distinguishing between the New Delhi Sunny 36/24 Sunny 36/24 that experienced pathologists at times senior study author Aristotelis Tsirigos grows. two lung cancer types. New York T Storm 26/21 P Cloudy 28/18 struggle to parse without confi rmatory from New York University School of Newer AI approaches, inspired by On the other hand, 45 out of 54 of the Paris Sunny 27/14 P Cloudy 27/16 tests. Medicine. nerve cell networks in the brain, use images misclassifi ed by at least one of Sao Paulo P Cloudy 28/18 S T Storms 26/18 The AI tool was also able to determine “Delaying the start of cancer treat- increasingly complex circuits to process the pathologist in the study were as- Seoul M Cloudy 25/18 Rain 21/18 whether abnormal versions of 6 genes ment is never good,” Tsirigos added. information in layers, with each step signed to the correct cancer type by the Singapore S T Storms 31/25 S T Storms 30/25 linked to lung cancer – including EGFR, In the current study, the research feeding information into the next, and machine learning program, suggest- Sydney M Sunny 26/11 S Showers 15/08 KRAS, and TP53 – were present in cells, team designed statistical techniques assigning more or less importance to ing that AI could off er a useful second Tokyo Cloudy 26/18 Clear 25/20 with an accuracy that ranged from 73 to that gave their program the ability to each piece of information along the way. opinion. Gulf Times 24 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 QATAR New Industrial Area hospital welcomes fi rst patients head of the offi cial open- chief of healthcare facilities said our wonderful new facility. We ing in the coming months, Hazm Mebaireek General Hos- believe this hospital will truly AHazm Mebaireek General pital will off er a range of services change the lives of the people The Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital in Industrial Area. Hospital (HMGH) has welcomed and facilities, helping to meet living and working in the In- the fi rst outpatients to its inter- the healthcare demands of Qa- dustrial Area by providing them nal medicine clinics. tar’s growing population. “Late with care right here in the com- Located in the heart of the In- last year His Highness the Amir munity. This new hospital builds dustrial Area of Doha, when fully Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- upon our commitment to pro- open, HMGH will join Hamad Thani offi cially opened HMC’s vide patients with easier access Medical Corporation’s (HMC) three new Medical City hospi- to care and an improved patient network of specialist and com- tals, signifi cantly expanding our experience. Additionally, we are munity hospitals and dedicated ability to care for patients. I am working closely with our Prima- to caring for adult males living extremely proud that we can now ry Health Care Corporation and and working in the Industrial build upon this success as we Qatar Red Crescent colleagues Area of Doha. start to see patients at Hazm Me- to ensure the journey between Off ering a range of outpatient baireek General Hospital,” said primary and secondary care is clinics and clinical support serv- al-Khalifa. as smooth and seamless as pos- ices, the new hospital will also pro- “When fully open, HMGH sible,” noted Wilson Ross, acting vide inpatient care, surgical serv- will off er the same high stand- CEO, HMGH. ices and emergency care. These ard of facilities, services, and “Once fully operational, services will be opened in phases care we have seen at all of HMC HMGH will have a major positive during the coming months. hospitals. It will provide all adult impact on health services in Qa- By bringing care closer to males, from Qataris to expatriate tar, and in particular for patients where it is needed in the com- labourers, with the best possi- located in the Industrial Area. munity, HMC’s newest hospital ble care right within the heart of These patients will no longer is expected to relieve some of the the Industrial Area community,” need to travel to Doha for care, pressure on other hospitals and added al-Khalifa. and the new hospital will also clinics, particularly emergency “In the coming months, we help to reduce the burden on our services at Hamad General Hos- look forward to opening more busy hospitals in Doha,” stated pital and Al Wakra Hospital. services and are extremely proud Hussein Ishaq, executive direc- Hamad al-Khalifa, HMC’s to welcome the fi rst patients to tor, HMGH. Off ering a range of clinical support services, the hospital will also provide inpatient care, surgical services and emergency care.

3-2-1 Museum shares progress at General Assembly of Olympic Museums Network

epresentatives from the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Mu- Rseum (3-2-1 QOSM) partici- pated in the 13th General Assembly of The Olympic Museums Network, it was announced yesterday. The event, which took place in Gothenburg, Sweden, from Septem- ber 3-5, gathered representatives from across the globe to discuss how sports museums can increase the pro- Indian Naval Ship INS Mumbai on its arrival in Hamad Port yesterday. The ship will return to Mumbai motion of the values of sports and the tomorrow. PICTURES: Jayan Orma Olympics, and create a unique plat- form for the global Olympic Move- ment. 3-2-1 QOSM acting director Fuad al-Mudahka shared updates with delegates at a session about the Indian naval ship docks at Hamad museum’s progress, including a pres- entation about the development of content and design in the galleries. Port, to participate in joint exercise He focused on the Qatar Sports section, which has been updated to host a larger representation of Qatari By Ramesh Mathew sport, from past and present. Addi- Staff Reporter tional updates included an overview of the museum’s 2017-2018 educa- tional activities, which had involved esides hoping to boost re- series of creative workshops. lations with Qatar, Indian “Since its inception in 2006, The BNaval Ship (INS) Mumbai, Olympic Museums network has which is on a three-day visit of worked hard to encourage co-opera- the country, will showcase the tion between members and fi nd ways naval capacities of the South to promote sports values of respect, Asian nation to their Qatari commitment and collaboration – counterparts. precisely the values that the 3-2-1 Fuad al-Mudahka (centre) with other representatives from the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports The ship, which arrived in the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum Museum at the 13th General Assembly of The Olympic Museums Network. morning yesterday carrying 321 aspires to represent,” al-Mudahka naval personnel, including 32 of- said. “We were pleased to renew our fi cers, is berthed at the Hamad membership in the network for the Port and will return to Mumbai sixth year in a row and are looking tomorrow. The reception cere- forward to future collaborations and mony was attended by the Indian exchanges,” he added. military attache and a number of 3-2-1 QOSM’s membership of the Qatari naval offi cers. network opens up paths for future The Indian and Qatari sides collaborations with its international will take part in a joint military members, including participation exercise, Passex, the Directorate The exercise is an outcome of previous agreements as part of in the Years of Culture programme, of Defence Communication at defence co-operation between the two friendly countries. loans and exchanges, as well as the Ministry of Defence said in a educational training for the 3-2-1 statement. It is aimed at the ex- viding security and safety to the The INS Mumbai is devel- QOSM’s team at The Olympic Muse- change of expertise and testing numerous vessels, especially oil oped wholly in India’s Mazagon ums Network Head Quarters. the effi ciency of equipment in tankers passing through the Gulf Dock and is the third of the Delhi In addition to the updates provid- addition to raising the operation- of Aden as part of a combined Class, equipped with missile de- ed, 3-2-1 QOSM suggested a series al effi ciency of ships’ command, international maritime defence stroyers. “The ship represents of strategic propositions including the statement noted. force and many of the vessels are the advances India has made in a refocus on audience perceptions The exercise is an outcome of taking turns to perform duties maritime technology and capa- following museum visits and the previous agreements as part of there,” recalled an offi cial while bility over the years,” said the In- creation of a new business model for defence co-operation between reiterating their naval force’s dian naval offi cial. Other offi cials exhibitions that will allow network the two friendly countries. commitment to the whole re- also gave a brief account of the members to produce common exhi- INS Mumbai, the second from gion. capabilities of the ship and ex- bitions and exchange insights. the Indian Navy to visit Qatar in The ship was involved in a plained the salient features of the The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and less than six months, has per- number of Humanitarian As- machine room and bridge. Sports Museum is designed to in- formed security and defence sistance and disaster relief op- With a displacement of 6,700 spire people to take part in sport and duties in diff erent parts of the erations including Operation tonnes, overall length of 163m physical activity. It aims to educate world, in recent years, some of its Sukoon —evacuation of the In- and beam of 17m, INS Mumbai the community about the origins of offi cials told the visiting media dian, Sri Lankan, Nepalese and has been recognised as a sophis- global (Olympic) and Qatari sport, who were on a visit of the vessel Lebanese citizens from Lebanon ticated ship, with the capability placing it in the context of Qatar’s yesterday. The ship arrived di- (2006) and Operation Raahat of carrying two multi-role heli- own development. rectly from Mumbai, where it is (2015) wherein over 5,600 Indian copters providing it with enor- Once open, the museum will join stationed, to the Hamad Port. and foreign citizens were rescued mous power and reach to counter a series of QM-supported museums “The Indian Navy has been ac- from strife-torn Yemen amidst threats in all the three dimen- and entities that aim to inspire audi- The event in Gothenburg, Sweden, gathered representatives from across the globe to discuss tive for several years now in pro- gunfi re and shelling, sions. ences living in and visiting Qatar. various topics on sports museums.