QATAR | Page 2 SPORT | Page 1 Nasser begins

INDEX Dakar Rally DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 REGION 3 BUSINESS 1 – 8 QRCS distributes winter title defence 17,341.00 10,429.36 37.28 ARAB WORLD 3 CLASSIFIED 5 -168.00 -06.61 +0.82 INTERNATIONAL 4–13 SPORTS 1 – 12 aid to Palestinians -0.96% -0.06% +2.25% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVI No. 9955 January 2, 2016 Rabia I 22, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals A New Year dawns

In brief

QATAR | Weather Strong winds, chance of rain Strong winds have been forecast inshore today at places by noon apart from a chance of light to moderate rain. The off shore forecast also features strong winds and a chance of scattered rain, in addition to high seas. The maximum temperature of 25C is expected at Mesaieed and Wakrah, followed by 24C at Doha and Abu Samra, 22C at Al Khor and 21C at Ruwais and Dukhan. The minimum temperature of 16C has been forecast at Al Khor, Dukhan, Abu Samra, followed by 17C at Mesaieed and Wakrah, and 18C at Ruwais and Doha.

REGION | Budget

Oman cuts 2016 The sun rises on the first day of 2016 yesterday as a lone cyclist enjoys a leisurely ride through the Doha Corniche. PICTURE: Jayan Orma spending Oman will cut spending this year by 15.6% in the face of lower oil prices but still face a huge deficit after posting one in 2015, Finance Minister Darweesh al-Bloushi said. Spending is projected at 11.9bn Dubai investigates riyals ($30.9bn) in 2016 compared with $36.6bn, a statement from Bloushi said. Revenues are projected PHCC launches at 8.6bn riyals ($22.3bn), down a cause of hotel fi re massive 26% from 2015, resulting in a deficit of $8.6bn, said the statement cited by the off icial ONA AFP jured, one was moderately injured and news agency. Oman’s deficit last Dubai one person suff ered a heart attack dur- year was $11.7bn. Oman said on ing the evacuation, they said. All victims have been discharged call centre for Wednesday it has decided a series of measures to boost non-oil revenues. nvestigators in Dubai were working from hospital except for a pregnant yesterday to determine the cause women and an elderly man who were INDIA | Pollution Iof a spectacular fi re that engulfed said to be “well” but were kept in “to a 63-storey luxury hotel on New Year’s ensure their safety,” the civil defence New Delhi pulls Eve three hours before midnight. said. cars off roads The huge blaze at The Address Firefi ghters spent the night trying to cancer screening Hundreds of thousands of even- Downtown hotel erupted around 9pm extinguish the blaze. numbered vehicles went off the on Thursday, sparking panic but no re- Heavy black smoke still billowed he Primary Health Care Cor- and respond to enquiries but also to to 69 years to make a preliminary roads yesterday in the Indian capital ports of serious injuries. from several fl oors of the hotel early poration (PHCC) has an- proactively reach out to individuals determination of the proper clini- New Delhi as authorities introduced Authorities went ahead with a daz- yesterday, an AFP photographer said, Tnounced the launch of a call who are already in the database of cal protocol for the patient. Based a novel odd-even vehicle restriction zling fi reworks display at the nearby as fi refi ghters continued to douse the centre for its Breast and Bowel Cancer PHCC and the Hamad Medical Cor- on their responses to the assess- policy aimed at curbing alarming Burj Khalifa — the world’s tallest sky- building with water. Screening Programme. Those who poration (HMC). ment, patients will be scheduled for levels of pollution. After seeing scraper — despite the inferno, the lat- Roads leading directly to the hotel would like to know more about the screening and will be guided into the widespread compliance, Chief est in a series of fi res in recent years to were closed but otherwise Dubai city programme and to book an appoint- “The launch of our the right pathway. Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal hit the buildings that make up Dubai’s centre appeared normal, with passers- ment for the screening, can contact 8001112 Call Centre, which “The launch of our 8001112 Call said he was overwhelmed by the futuristic cityscape. by stopping to take pictures of the the call centre on 8001112. complements our website, Centre, which complements our response of the people towards the They said the fi re is believed to have building with their mobile phones. PHCC, last month, had announced signals the start of our website, signals the start of our January 1-15 trial run that seeks to erupted from the outside of the build- UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdul- the launch of the breast and bowel proactive interaction with proactive interaction with the pub- allow on roads only odd-numbered ing on its 20th fl oor before spreading lah bin Zayed al-Nahyan praised the screening programme that will come the public” lic,” Dr Mariam Ali Abdul Malik, four-wheeled vehicles on odd dates along its whole facade. But the exact “professional” civil defence response into eff ect from this month, most managing director, PHCC said. “This and even-numbered ones on even cause was not yet known. to the fi re. probably from the 17th at the Al For bowel cancer screening, call will certainly open doors for more dates. There are no restrictions on Dubai government’s media offi ce is- Many Twitter users also praised the Wakra Breast & Bowel Cancer Screen- centre staff will promote the screen- people to experience our life-saving sued a civil defence statement said that response of fi re and emergency servic- Sundays. Page 10 ing Centre. This will be followed by ing service, discuss the screening cancer screening procedures. Our the process of cooling the hotel down es, pointing to the fact that there were the launch of a Mobile Unit as well as pathway and provide participants state-of-the-art call centre facility is CHINA | Population was “ongoing” yesterday afternoon. no major injuries, though some ques- the Breast & Bowel Cancer Screen- with the necessary information to run by staff who have all been trained “Security services are investigating tioned whether New Year’s festivities Two-child policy the causes and circumstances of the should have gone ahead. ing Centres in Leabaib and Rawdat Al make an informed choice about their and equipped with the knowledge, law takes eff ect fi re,” said the statement. Emirati state minister for foreign af- Khail health centres. healthcare. Bowel cancer screening is skill and personality to deal with the China ended its controversial one- Witnesses described scenes of panic fairs Anwar Gargash however defended The call centre, along with a user- for men and women aged 50-74 years. subject and with individuals who may child policy yesterday, allowing after the fi re spread, with residents the decision as “courageous” and “in friendly and highly informative web- Once the choice is made, patients will have varying attitudes and questions. married couples to have two screaming and some fainting as they favour of normal life against fear and site, provides added convenience be scheduled for an appointment at We are confi dent that this call centre children, after concerns over an rushed to evacuate the building. pessimism.” for the public to schedule cancer the most convenient PHCC screen- will eff ectively and signifi cantly con- ageing population and shrinking Still, authorities said only 16 people “The fi re will not leave its print on screening appointments. Manned by ing location within four weeks of the tribute to the overall success of the workforce. The “one child policy”, had suff ered mostly minor injuries de- year 2016,” he tweeted. highly trained and qualifi ed English phone call. programme.” instituted in the late 1970s, allowed spite the presence of thousands in the The government said evacuated and Arabic speaking staff and medi- For breast cancer screening, a risk Screen for Life has also launched couples to have only a single area to watch the celebrations. guests were being off ered alternative cal professionals, the call centre is assessment will be conducted by its social media Facebook and Twitter off spring. Page 7 At least 14 people were slightly in- accommodation. Page 3 not only designed to receive calls call centre staff on women aged 45 platforms, ScreenforLife Qatar. Iran pledges to ramp up missile programme

Reuters “We don’t have enough space to store Iran under the breakthrough nuclear The standoff has turned into a diplo- demonstrate that they have not com- was planned for this week but delayed Dubai our missiles. All our depots and under- agreement reached in July. matic and political test for both Wash- promised on wider issues. for an unspecifi ed period without ex- ground facilities are full,” he said in Fri- Iran has abided by the main terms of ington and Teheran, even as the lifting US offi cials have said they are per- planation. day Prayers in Teheran. the nuclear deal, which require it to give of sanctions under the nuclear deal mitted to respond to the missile test by Rouhani, a relative moderate elected series of Iranian offi cials vowed Defence Minister Hossein Dehqan up material that world powers feared draws closer. imposing fresh sanctions against a list in 2013, has insisted that the nuclear yesterday to expand Tehran’s said Iran would boost its missile pro- could be used to make an atomic weap- Early in the New Year, the United of Iranian individuals and businesses deal does not include any off er to re- Amissile capabilities, a challenge gramme and had never agreed to re- on and accept other restrictions on its States and European Union are expect- linked to the missile programme. duce Iran’s missile arsenal. On Thurs- to the United States which has threat- strictions on it. nuclear programme. ed to unfreeze billions of dollars of Ira- Any such sanctions would be far nar- day he ordered his defence minister to ened to impose new sanctions even as “Iran’s missile capabilities have But Teheran also test-fi red a missile nian assets, allow Iranian fi rms access rower than the broad measures sched- expand Iran’s missile programme. the vast bulk of its measures against never been the subject of negotiations in October, which the United States to the international fi nancial system uled to be lifted under the nuclear deal. Iran’s senior nuclear negotiator Ab- Iran are due to be lifted under a nuclear with the Americans and will never be,” says would be capable of carrying a and end bans that have crippled Iran’s But Iran says any new sanctions could bas Araqchi said on Thursday Iran’s deal. he was quoted as saying by Press TV, an nuclear payload and therefore violates oil exports. torpedo the wider accord. October missile test did not violate the “As long as the United States sup- Iranian state channel. a 2010 UN Security Council resolution The deal was a risky diplomatic Republican lawmakers who control July nuclear accord, known as JCPOA. ports Israel we will expand our mis- The defi ant comments are a challenge which is still in place. achievement for both Obama and Iran’s both houses of the US Congress see the “There is a clear diff erence between sile capabilities,” the Revolutionary for the administration of US President Iran does not accept that the UN President Hassan Rouhani, leaders of plans for new sanctions as a test of the the JCPOA issue and the missile test Guards’ second-in-command, Briga- Barack Obama as the United States and resolution bars it from testing missiles, countries that have been enemies for Obama administration’s resolve. and the missile test is not a breach of dier General Hossein Salami, was quot- European Union plan to dismantle near- as long as it has no nuclear weapons to nearly 40 years. Both men are under The Wall Street Journal reported that the JCPOA in any way,” he was quoted ed as saying by the Fars news agency. ly all international sanctions against place on them. pressure from hardliners at home to an announcement of new US sanctions as saying by Press TV. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, January 2, 2016 QATAR

Emir congratulates Sudan president HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has sent a cable of congratulations to Sudanese President Omer Hassan al- Bashir on the occasion of the QRCS distributes winter anniversary of his country’s Independence Day. HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani has also sent a cable of congratulation to President Omer Hassan al-Bashir on the occasion aid to Palestinian families of the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day. atar Red Crescent So- Lebanon lack the basic needs psychologically support the HE the Prime Minister and ciety (QRCS) recently and the situation becomes even victims. Minister of Interior Sheikh Qstarted providing win- more grim during the winter. A large number of Palestin- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa ter relief to poor Palestin- “Every day, Palestinian deaths ian refugee camps and com- al-Thani has sent a cable of ian families in Lebanon, with are reported due to the severe munities are targeted in Tyre, congratulation to President Omer a total budget of $160,000 conditions inside camps, espe- Sidon, Beirut, Tripoli, Baalbek Hassan al-Bashir on the occasion (QR582,000). cially in the poorest and coldest and Beqaa. of his country’s Independence The initiative is part of the areas. They are desperate for The benefi ciaries were Day anniversary. annual Warm Winter pro- warmth and protection against selected in co-ordination gramme that helps many of freezing to death or frostbite with the community lead- the poorest families in needy amputation,” according to a ers and Irshad & Islah local FM holds talks with countries. statement. representatives. Funded by QRCS and imple- Lebanon hosts more than The criteria of selection in- Iranian counterpart mented in co-operation with the 500,000 Palestinians, who cluded Palestinian students at HE the Foreign Minister Dr Irshad & Islah Islamic Benefi - face tough economic, envi- UNRWA schools, families in cold Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah cent Association in Lebanon, the ronmental, health and social areas, people with disabilities and yesterday held a conversation project involves the distribution conditions, along with unem- special needs, old men and wom- over telephone with Foreign of 10,000 jackets to students ployment, poor living condi- en with no breadwinner, patients, Minister of Islamic Republic of at UNRWA schools at a cost of tions and inadequate housing and families with many children. Iran Mohammed Javad Zarif. $120,000 and 31,000 litres of to withstand the rain and snow, This project is part of QRCS’s They discussed the latest heating oil (100 litres per family) the statement notes. Warm Winter campaign for developments of the kidnapping at a cost of $31,000, in addition The aim of the project is to 2015-2016, which is providing of Qatari citizens in Iraq. to logistical and administrative reduce the suff ering of des- QR11 million worth of win- expenses. titute Palestinians by secur- ter aid for more than 200,000 Distribution has already be- ing heating in a way that pre- benefi ciaries in Afghanistan, gun in three schools of Beqaa as serves their dignity, alleviate Yemen, Syria, Lebanon (Syr- well as in four schools and one the pain of patients and old/ ian and Palestinian refugees), kindergarten in Tyre. disabled people, promote soli- Jordan (Syrian refugees) and GCC man The project includes the distribution of 10,000 jackets to students at UNRWA schools. Palestinian refugee camps in darity and compassion and Kurdistan (Syrian refugees). jailed for burning Qatar Shell supports Qatarisation by vehicle off ering development programme Doha Criminal Court has sentenced a GCC na- atar Shell has stressed stretch in my career and joined Ational to more than seven that it provides an “ide- the, back then, new Al Karaana years in jail and imposed a fi ne Qal platform” for ambi- project. This decision saw me of QR3,000 for setting fi re to his tious Qataris seeking to give leave my comfort zone and re- vehicle while intoxicated. back to their nation. locate to the Shell headquar- Local Arabic daily Arrayah has With about 300 Qataris ters in the Netherlands,” said reported that the Public Pros- within Qatar Shell, all holding Ahmad. ecution referred the defendant to technical and commercial posi- On the then Al Karaana the court accusing him of inten- tions at diff erent levels, Osama project, which has since been tionally setting fi re to his vehicle Ahmad is just one example of halted following a decision ar- parked on the street, putting the how the company seeks to sup- rived upon by both QP and lives of others at risk, besides port the Human Development Qatar Shell, Ahmad was a being intoxicated. Pillar of Qatar National Vision key player in the tendering According to the charge- 2030 through Qatarisation, it evaluation team. sheet, the defendant drank a has said in a statement. “Relocating to Shell’s head- substantial amount of alcohol Ahmad joined Qatar Shell in quarters for four years and and wine before becoming highly 2008 as a project engineer at working on a new project was intoxicated and he hired a private the Pearl Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) a great experience because it Woolen garments on display at a store. taxi. Then, he went to a fuel sta- plant, the world’s largest GTL Osama Ahmad, reliability manager, Pearl GTL. placed me in a completely new tion and bought some petrol and plant built in partnership with living and working environ- went back to where his vehicle Qatar Petroleum (QP). reliability manager, supported insight into what happens at ment, which taught me so much was parked. He poured petrol “I had a great sense of na- by a team of six. In this role, the project director level and about myself. On a professional on the car and set it on fi re, un- tional pride working on the he is tasked with ensuring that what it takes to bring the diff er- note, it was a real eye-opener to til it was completely burnt out. Pearl GTL project because it the world’s largest GTL plant ent pieces of the mega projects see how such a massive organi- sation such as Shell is organised Retailers The incident took place in the Al felt like I was making a big con- is running at optimal capacity. puzzle together,” he said. Shammal area. tribution to my country,” said “However, this formidable yet Ahmad then went on to join and operates,” he recalled. During interrogations, the de- Ahmad. “In my role as project tremendous responsibility was Qatar Shell’s Accelerated De- Ahmad was exposed to such fendant claimed he was suff ering manager, I became responsi- only achieved after a remarka- velopment Programme, which insights after also having joined from psychiatric troubles and ble for the pipeline that trans- ble journey within Qatar Shell,” saw him involved in the found- the business development team at the headquarters in the see jump was still under treatment. ported products to the jetty. So, the statement noted. ing of the Qatar Projects Hub However, the offi cial psychiat- in a way, I was facilitating the Ahmad advanced his ca- that now delivers small- and Netherlands. ric report about his case affi rmed exportation of Qatar’s national reer after being acknowledged medium-sized projects worth “I am proud to be a part of that his condition was stable and treasure to the world, which for his performance as project up to $500mn (QR1.8bn) for Qatar Shell because it is an or- he was a frequent abuser of alco- made me proud.” engineer, which saw him re- Qatar Shell. ganisation that recognises tal- “After the Pearl GTL execu- ent and nurtures it through a in demand hol. The report also stressed that Seven years on from his ini- warded with a second position he was aware of his actions and tial role at Qatar Shell, Ahmad as an assistant project director. tion phase came to an end, I tremendous support network,” can be accountable for it. has returned to Pearl GTL as “In this role, I gained fantastic decided to peruse another said Ahmad. for winter QC implements relief campaign clothes

By Ramesh Mathew level shops are reportedly less Staff Reporter than in previous years despite for drought-aff ected Somalians the arrival of fresh varieties, the options are still far from etailers are anticipating limited. atar Charity (QC) has project for the fl ood-hit in a jump in the demand Visits to some city shops implemented an urgent Middle Shebelle, QC has im- Rfor winter clothes and over the past few days indicate Qrelief project in Soma- plemented a number of rehabil- accessories in view of the ex- that there is a good demand for liland, in the north of Somalia, itation and income-generating pected cold conditions over “aff ordable” caps, sweaters, with more than 71,000 drought- projects for the aff ected fami- the coming days. gloves, muffl ers, jackets and hit people benefi ting from the lies in order to improve their While the mercury levels other types of winter wear, distribution of food supplies and living standards. have fl uctuated over the past many of which are imported provision of health services. The projects are also aimed few days, often becoming from China. QC’s project aims at helping at supporting the agricultural quite warm during the day, Somali people who have suff ered sector. latest weather reports suggest “Many of the younger from severe drought that has af- Some 750 sheep were distrib- that temperatures will drop expatriates who are fected the region for the past fi ve uted to 150 families, with each across Qatar from today due to arriving in the country years. The drought has taken receiving fi ve sheep. This was windy conditions. are going for cheaper stuff a toll on thousands of Somali meant to help them recover and Last month, Gulf Times had as they buy new pieces families who depend on graz- regain their normal life. reported apparent “delays” at virtually every year” ing and agriculture, especially in QC has also repaired fi elds for various levels in the clearance Somaliland. the benefi t of 250 targeted fami- of goods arriving from outside At one of the shops in Souq For the past two decades, So- lies who used to work in the ag- Qatar. This compelled trad- Haraj, Najma, which has a malia has faced crises and natural ricultural fi eld before their land ers to make do with their old large stock of woolen materi- disasters, with around 1,100,000 was damaged due to fl oods. stocks. als and jackets, salesmen said displaced people living in camps Further, QC recently opened a While this issue has since additional quantities of stocks in the big cities of Somaliland, dialysis centre at Arafat Hospital been sorted, the demand for have arrived and they have Puntland and south of Somalia. in Mogadishu. winter wear has somewhat also been able to clear their old According to the Food Secu- Considered the fi rst in Soma- plateaued after seeing a sud- stocks. rity and Nutrition Analysis Unit lia, it off ers its services to 150 den rise following the heavy Winter caps, whose demand reports issued in August 2015, patients a month. The number rain late in November. In gen- increases every time it gets the food situation in Somalia has Health services off ered through medical convoys. of patients suff ering from renal eral, it has been reasonably windy, are available for prices been deteriorating for the past failure is more than 500,000 cold at night and early in the starting as low as QR5/piece six months - 855,000 people face uted to 7,500 families (52,500 the people of Somaliland, 1,000 Medical reports showed that who need dialysis and complete morning since then, particu- while jackets are being sold for urgent conditions and 3,100,000 people), while 18,873 benefi ciar- in Puntland and 2,500 in south the most common types of dis- care. Many of the patients died larly in Doha, but quite warm prices beginning from QR30 face the threat of hunger if things ies have received health services Somalia. eases were those related to in- because they were not treated during the day. onwards, say sources. remain the same in the coming through medical convoys. Seven medical convoys were fl ammation, especially in the or were not educated on how to The impending cold spell, “Many of the younger expa- months. The relief campaigns covered sent to the areas for a month. It was pulmonary and urinary sys- deal with the disease and how to along with the availability of triates who are arriving in the As part of the QC project car- three areas: north of Somalia done through local partners who tems, and those resulting from prevent it from infecting them. fresh stocks, is likely to trigger country are going for cheaper ried out in two phases, food sup- (Somaliland), northeast (Punt- specialised in the medical fi eld. malnutrition aff ecting children Patients benefi ting from this brisk activity at stores selling stuff as they buy new pieces plies such as rice, sugar, dates, land) and south. Some 4,000 Around 45 villages and camps in under fi ve. project undergo dialysis twice a winter wear, say traders. virtually every year,” said a milk and oil have been distrib- food packs were distributed to the target areas were visited. Under its “Early Relief” week. While stocks at some mid- shopkeeper. Gulf Times Saturday, January 2, 2016 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD UN Libya Blaze aftermath envoy in Tripoli for govt talks

AFP and now has two governments Tripoli and parliaments. Jihadist outfi ts such as the Islamic State group have taken he UN envoy for Libya advantage of the lawlessness arrived in Tripoli yes- to make gains along the coast- Tterday to encourage the line, and the UN estimates administration there to com- that 435,000 people have been mit to a national unity govern- forced from their homes due ment aimed at ending years of to fi ghting. On December 17, violence in the country. under UN guidance, envoys Martin Kobler, on a desper- from both sides and a number ate diplomatic push to get two of independent political fi g- separate administrations to ures signed a deal to unify the sign a power-sharing agree- government. ment, met Thursday with Around 80 of 188 lawmak- representatives of Libya’s ers from Libya’s internation- internationally recognised ally recognised parliament government near its eastern and 50 of 136 members of the headquarters. rival Tripoli-based General “More discussions in Tripo- National Congress signed the li - I invite all to take respon- deal. sibility for Libya’s future, take It calls for a 17-member responsibility for next gen- government, headed by busi- erations,” Kobler tweeted after nessman Fayez el-Sarraj as meeting with head of the rival premier, based in Tripoli. parliament in Tripoli, Nouri But analysts have cast doubt Abusahmein. on the viability of a deal that Plumes of smoke rise from the 63-storey Address Downtown Dubai hotel and residential block near the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, a day after the hotel Libya has been in chaos would seek to bring together caught fire on New Year’s Eve, in Dubai yesterday. since the 2011 ouster of long- two parliaments controlled by time dictator Moamer Kadhafi hardliners.

Three civilians killed in missile fi re : Saudi Iraqi forces extend AFP been battling Iran-backed Riyadh rebels in neighbouring Yem- en since March. The rebels intensified their hree civilians including rocket attacks across the two children have been Saudi border in recent days, Tkilled in cross-border prompting the coalition to control over Ramadi missile attacks from Yemen threaten severe reprisals. on a residential area in south- The Saudis have deployed AFP ers “who were attempting to fl ee area north of Ramadi. “They plicated by the high number of lies according to a well-executed western Saudi Arabia, civil de- Patriot missile batteries de- Baghdad Ramadi by blending in with ci- used six suicide vehicles fol- roadside bombs and the fact that plan by our troops, and this plan fence authorities said. signed to counter attacks and vilians.” lowed by a commando of fi ghters IS was fi ring on civilians trying guarantees the safety of those Eleven others were wound- have recently been intercept- “We are following a plan put wearing explosive belts,” said a to escape. families,” he said. ed, among them nine chil- ing missiles fired from Yemen raqi forces pushed out of together in a way that will pre- lieutenant colonel. One woman who was evacu- A police lieutenant colonel dren, when several missiles on an almost-daily basis. central Ramadi yesterday to vent casualties in the ranks of “They managed to take con- ated from an IS-held area on the said another 90 people, includ- hit residential districts in the More than 80 people, most Iextend their grip on the city, the security forces,” he police trol of the base when the army eastern edge of Ramadi said the ing 73 women and children, were Jazan region on Thursday, of them soldiers and border sweeping neighbourhoods for chief added. had to pull out because it suf- jihadists tried to round up resi- evacuated Friday from the Thay- civil defence spokesman Ma- guards, have been killed in pockets of jihadists to fl ush out IS, which took full control of fered casualties... Iraqi forces dents when some of them start- la neighbourhood. jor Yehia al-Qahtani said in a shelling and cross-border and trapped civilians to evacu- Ramadi in May 2015, had planted have since counter-attacked and ed fl eeing. “Our forces there also found statement. skirmishes in the kingdom’s ate. thousands of explosive devices retaken control, with aerial coa- “We refused; we stayed in our seven bodies, including two Saudi Arabia is leading a south since coalition opera- Federal forces declared victory on roads and in buildings to de- lition backing,” he said. houses and the word reached us women and two children, military coalition that has tions began in Yemen. Sunday in the battle for Ramadi, fend the city. Coalition spokesman Colo- that the Iraqi forces were com- that appeared not to have any which was months in the mak- Clearing operations are led by nel Steve Warren confi rmed the ing,” she said, refusing to give wounds,” he said. ing, but the Anbar provincial Iraq’s elite counter-terrorism attack and said he expected the her name. Temperatures have been low DIPLOMACY capital has not yet been fully se- service (CTS), along with army, Iraqi forces to soon retake full “We were 15 homes. We got in in recent days and civilian sur- Riyadh ‘reopens’ embassy in Baghdad cured. police and local tribal forces, as control of the compound. touch with each other and left all vivors have said the fi ghting had “Our security forces launched well as aerial backing from the A CTS colonel confi rmed yes- together at seven in the morn- left them with little or no access Saudi Arabia has reopened its embassy in Baghdad, after a 25-year an operation from Khaldiya, east US-led anti-IS coalition. terday that around 30 IS mili- ing... They (IS) tried to stop us to food. shutdown, which will allow the two countries to co-operate more of Ramadi, and managed to lib- The jihadists are no longer tants had been arrested as they and chased us but the Iraqi forc- Sitting in a tented camp in closely against terrorism, Al Arabiya TV reported yesterday. erate the College of Agriculture,” in a position to fi ght back, but tried to slip out of Ramadi, de- es arrived,” she said. Habbaniyah where the army The kingdom closed its embassy in Baghdad in 1990, after the Iraqi said Hamid al-Dulaimi, Ramadi many managed to pull out of last scribing some of them as senior Lieutenant General Abdul took most of the evacuated fam- invasion of Kuwait. Its reopening will allow the two countries to co- district mayor. week’s main battle and redeploy local leaders. Ghani al-Assadi, the command- ilies, one woman recounted her operate on security and the fight against extremism, the new Saudi “They are clearing several in eastern Ramadi or nearby ru- Majed Mohamed, a CTS ma- er of CTS, said 400 families were family’s survival. ambassador to Iraq, Thamer al-Sabhan, told al-Arabiya. A thaw in other neighbourhoods,” he said. ral areas. jor, said: “What we are doing rescued and taken to safety by “We had no food, no fl our. We the once chilly relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq could help Police chief Hadi Irzayij said Yesterday, IS staged a large at- now is saving the trapped fami- the security forces on Wednes- only had fl our for animals. We strengthen a regional alliance against Islamic State militants who security forces detained 30 sus- tack on a compound used by the lies”. day and Thursday alone. had to pick out the bugs before have seized territory in Iraq and Syria. pected Islamic State group fi ght- army’s 10th Division, in a desert He said their task was com- “We take charge of the fami- kneading and eating it,” she said. Israel hands over bodies of Six dead as loyalists clash 15 drown with militants in Yemen in Nile boat

Palestinians killed in attacks AFP Qaeda in the southeastern city accident Aden of Mukalla, which has been under their control since April, AFP the sources said. AFP Jerusalem ix people were killed in Yemen has been rocked Cairo a fi refi ght yesterday be- since March by deadly fi ght- Stween Yemeni pro-gov- ing between pro-government srael handed over to their ernment forces and Al Qaeda forces and Iran-backed rebels, t least 15 people drowned families yesterday the bod- suspects who were travelling who seized the capital in Sep- when an unlicensed ferry Iies of 23 Palestinians killed in a weapons-laden vehicle tember 2014 before expanding Acapsized in Egypt’s Nile during recent attacks on Israe- toward second city Aden, se- south. The confl ict has been river north of Cairo overnight, lis, the army said, in an apparent curity offi cials said. exploited by jihadist groups, the government said yesterday. bid to ease tensions. Militiamen at a checkpoint who have made sweeping Rescue teams recovered 15 bod- Palestinian medical sources in the southern Abyan prov- gains, particularly in southern ies in the Kafr al-Sheikh province in Hebron said 17 bodies to be ince stopped the suspected regions. north of Cairo, the cabinet said in a buried in the area had already jihadists, prompting an argu- Aden, Yemen’s temporary statement, adding that three sur- been received. Six others were ment that sparked a gun bat- capital, has been the scene of vivors of the accident were hospi- handed over in the northern tle, the sources said. growing unrest as Al Qaeda in talised. West Bank. Three Al Qaeda suspects the Arabian Peninsula, long The government said the boat A spokeswoman for the army and the same number of loyal- active in the country, and the was carrying 18 people, although said the operation had been ists were killed. newly emerged Islamic State its maximum capacity was seven completed. Among the dead was the group appear to be vying for passengers, and its licence had ex- The army said its ambulances head of a court set up by Al infl uence in the port city. pired. The accident came months had met Red Crescent ones at after at least 36 Egyptians were checkpoints, and the bodies killed when a party boat collided were transferred and taken to Ambulances transporting the bodies of Palestinians, arrive at a hospital in the West Bank city of Hebron. WEATHER with a cargo ship in the Nile. Palestinian hospitals for iden- Snowstorm in Lebanon strands motorists Following that accident in tifi cation before being given to carrying out attacks on Israelis. The military spokeswom- Palestinian sources said the July, the government pledged to the families. Israel does not always imme- an said that after yesterday’s Israelis were still holding a total A snowstorm hit Lebanon yesterday, local media reported, strand- “achieve discipline” on the wa- Since a wave of violence diately return the bodies of slain handovers the army would have of 17 bodies. ing motorists and adding to the woes of tens of thousands of Syrian terway. It banned the use of loud erupted at the start of Octo- attackers. returned a total of 76 bodies and Police and internal security refugees living in makeshift shelters. Emergency services deployed speaker ber, 138 Palestinians have been Twenty Israelis, an American was still holding two. ministry spokespersons did not bulldozers to try to clear roads in mountainous inland areas in the s on vessels hired for private killed by Israeli forces, accord- and an Eritrean have also been Police could also be holding immediately respond to AFP north and south, but eff orts were hampered by continuing snowfall ceremonies and on ferries trans- ing to an AFP count, most while killed in the unrest. more bodies, she said. questions regarding numbers. later in the day, the National News Agency said. porting people. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, January 2, 2016 AFRICA Ghana minister quits over handling of power crisis

Reuters that he would resign if the crisis 2012 election year and the oppo- “The biggest problem the gov- thanks to increased capacity the is no exception,” another govern- all his appointees showing due Accra was not resolved by December 31. sition New Patriotic Party (NPP) ernment has is lack of credibility government installed in 2015. ment source said, adding that respect”, he said. “The president was unhappy says it is a sign of government so trust and empathy are the next His statement appeared to Mahama would have dismissed In a national address on New with his performance, particu- mismanagement. to go,” NPP policy adviser Boakye be an attempt to show that the the minister if he had not re- Year’s Eve, Mahama said he hana’s power minister has larly in handling the crisis. He Ghana was one of Africa’s top Agyarko told Reuters. government was upholding its signed. would ensure appointees uphold resigned after failing to has accepted the resignation and economies but growth based on The ministry of power was cre- promise but it was soon contra- The key issue is voter confi - their promises to citizens. Gresolve a three-year-old thanked him for his service,” one exports of gold, cocoa and oil has ated in 2014 to fi x the blackouts. dicted by another state institu- dence in the president’s ability “Those who fall short of that electricity crisis that President of the sources said. slowed sharply due to lower glo- Donkor, its fi rst head, submit- tion that said power capacity, to keep his promises, John Gatsi, commitment have been, and will John Mahama, who seeks re- Mahama will contest what is bal commodities prices. ted his resignation on Thursday, while improved, remained inad- a senior lecturer in the business continue to be, asked to tender election this year, had promised expected to be a close-run vote At the same time, the govern- a source close to the presidency equate to meet demand. school at the University of Cape their resignations,” he said. to fi x, sources said yesterday. in November against opposition ment is following an Interna- told Reuters. “The president wants to en- Coast, told Reuters. Transport Minister Dzifa At- Power Minister Kwabena leader Nana Akufo-Addo. tional Monetary Fund loan pro- A day earlier, he had said sure that people entrusted with Voters “want to see the presi- tivor stepped down last week Donkor told voters in February The power crisis began in the gramme to restore fi scal stability. planned power cuts were over responsibility deliver and Donkor dent exerting his authority and over a spending scandal.

In Nigeria, the threat of violence by Boko Kagame confi rms he Haram hangs heavy

AFP Kano will seek third term s Nigeria rings in 2016, the ever-present threat DPA/AFP lows Kagame to run for a third Opponents and some interna- Aof violence by Boko Kigali term in 2017 and potentially stay tional observers say Kagame has Haram hangs heavy over Af- in power until 2034, despite the eff ectively stifl ed democracy in rica’s most populous country, opposition slamming the move the nation of some 10mn. despite offi cial claims that wandan President Paul as undemocratic. But his supporters maintain the battle against the Islamist Buhari: This government will Kagame will seek a third Kagame has been a key fi gure that Kagame, an English speaker group has been “technically” not consider the matter Rterm after his current term in Rwandan politics since 1994, from the Tutsi ethnic group tar- won. concluded until the terrorists ends 2017, he announced yester- when rebels led by him put an end geted in the genocide by Hutu After setting a December 31 have been completely routed day. to a genocide by Hutu extremists majority extremists, is not an deadline to rid his country of and normality restored. The revelation ends specula- that left an estimated 800,000 autocratic fi gure but a beacon of Boko Haram, President Mu- tion on whether he will stand Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead. stability who has overseen eco- hammadu Buhari told the BBC: has made substantial progress again or not. He won the 2003 presidential nomic growth. “I think technically we have in the fi ght against the group.” He has the option of doing so election, and was re-elected in Kagame was elected with some won the war because people “But the fact that Boko Har- thanks to constitutional changes 2010. 90% of ballots cast both in 2003 are going back into their neigh- am can still carry out attacks made in a December 18 referen- Kagame has come under criti- and 2010 and he said the out- bourhoods.” like the ones ... last week is an dum. cism for the move to rewrite the come of the referendum would In his New Year message to indication that they are still a “You clearly expressed your term limit language under which determine whether he continued the nation, Buhari commended serious threat. Although there choices for the future of our he was elected. in offi ce. the military for “signifi cantly has been a lull in attacks in country. The process allowed Washington and the European Afterwards, he insisted he curtailing the insurgency” but Kano, the threat still remains,” us the time to make certain that Union have denounced the out- would stay put. acknowledged there was “still he added. “We don’t know the proposed changes had merit come as undermining democracy Rwanda’s opposition Green a lot of work to be done in the when and where the next at- and wisdom. You requested me in the central African country Democratic Party was the only area of security”. tack will occur.” to lead the country again after and called on Kagame to step recognised constitutionally ac- “This government will not The latest attacks “under- 2017. Given the importance and down in 2017 and allow new faces cepted party to oppose the con- consider the matter concluded score the diffi culty of dealing consideration you attach to this, to emerge. stitutional amendments. until the terrorists have been comprehensively with such a I can only accept,” Kagame said But he has slammed back The party accused the regime completely routed and nor- group”, Nigerian political ana- in his New Year’s message, de- at opponents, especially for- of manoeuvring to keep Kagame mality restored to all parts of lyst Chris Ngwodo told AFP. livered just after midnight (2200 eign ones, saying that outsiders in offi ce. the country that have been “The president said some GMT on Thursday). shouldn’t try to resist the de- Kagame’s aides have insisted adversely aff ected by the Boko days ago that Boko Haram had “But I do not think our aim is mands of Rwandan voters. that any bid for a third term Haram insurgency,” he said. been technically defeated. to have a president for life, nor “What remains is to follow would be in response to “popular But despite the offi cial as- What they meant to say was is it what I would want,” he said, the normal laws and procedures demand” that he stay in power. surances, violence and fear that the group’s ability to stage adding sooner rather than later, when the time comes,” he added. Several African states have re- continue to stalk several ma- attacks has been seriously de- the offi ce of presidency will be He said Rwandans were op- cently lifted or tried to lift con- jor cities in Nigeria’s troubled graded,” Ngwodo added. transferred from one person to timistic about the future and stitutional bars to multiple presi- northeast. But despite the deadline another. “have confi dence in the direc- dential mandates. Late last month, more than passing, Ngwodo said Buhari But he said the transfer must tion chosen. This should reassure Such was the case in neigh- 50 people were killed in a 48- still enjoys the backing of most be purposeful, not just to set an Rwanda’s friends and partners as bouring Burundi, which de- hour wave of attacks in the Nigerians in the fi ght against example. well”. scended into bloodshed in April mainly Muslim region that Boko Haram. Rwandans voted overwhelm- The referendum followed more when President Pierre Nkurun- were blamed on the jihadists. “A lot of people felt that the ingly in the December referen- than 60% of voters signing a pe- ziza announced his intention to Boko Haram has resorted previous administration (of dum to lift constitutional re- tition calling for the drafting of run for a controversial third term to suicide bombers – many of president Goodluck Jonathan) strictions that would have kept constitutional changes which in a July election that he went on them young children – to wage was simply at sea. Indeed, Kagame from running again. would allow Kagame to stand to win. its war for an independent Is- they were incompetent when Kagame: You (Rwandans) clearly expressed your choices for the More than 98% of voters elect- again. The violence has continued af- lamic state in the country. it came to dealing with security future of our country ... you requested me to lead the country again ed to lift the term limits for Kag- Both houses of parliament are ter Nkurunziza won the election The extremist group has also threats,” Ngwodo said. after 2017. Given the importance and consideration you attach to this, ame. dominated by his Rwandan Pa- that was boycotted by the oppo- spread its bombing campaign But he said that Buhari I can only accept. The revised constitution al- triotic Front (RPF). sition. to neighbouring Cameroon, should seek to change his Chad and Niger. strategy to end the insurgency, “Boko Haram is still a big which has claimed more than threat despite the govern- 17,000 lives since it began in Beach crowd ment’s claim that the group 2009. has been weakened,” said Ibra- In a possible sign of this tac- Two die in him Kulo, 47, a resident of the tical change, Buhari said on violence-wracked northeast- Wednesday that his govern- ern city of Maiduguri. ment was “prepared to nego- attack on “One cannot venture 10km tiate” with the Boko Haram (six miles) outside the city leadership “without precon- without the fear of Boko Haram dition” over the release of 219 university ambush. We live in real danger kidnapped schoolgirls from of Boko Haram,” he told AFP. Chibok once “credible” leaders Sanusi Ahmad, 33, voiced were identifi ed for talks. Reuters similar fears. He also hinted he could ban Addis Ababa “Boko Haram remains a the wearing of hijabs or other threat. I don’t believe it when headwear by Muslim women the government says they have if insurgents continued to use hand grenade attack defeated Boko Haram,” said the veiled women to carry out sui- killed two students and resident of the northern city of cide attacks. Ainjured six in a university Kano. “I agree that the military in southern Ethiopia, police said, the second such attack in the country in three weeks. An attacker or attackers hurled the grenade at students on the campus at Dilla Univer- One dead in Burundi sity in the diverse Southern Na- tions, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR) on Thursday grenade attacks evening, offi cers added. They did not give any details on any reasons for the attack in AFP The source added that the an area, about 350km (200 miles) Nairobi bar was a regular haunt of south of the capital Addis Ababa, members of the ruling party. where there have not been any Nkurikiye said three po- recent reports of signifi cant un- t least one person was lice offi cers were also hurt in rest. killed and a dozen in- two other attacks in the city, “The blast killed two students Ajured in a series of gre- where residents reported hear- and wounded six, of which four nade attacks early yesterday in ing shots and grenade blasts were seriously injured,” a police A general view shows New Year party revellers and holidaymakers gathered on the North Pier Beach during New Year festivities Burundi’s capital Bujumbura, for around an hour in the early offi cial in the town, Ejigu Shifer- yesterday in Durban. According to police, close to 100,000 people are expected to spend the day at the beach. The city on the east police and offi cial sources said. hours of yesterday. aw, told the state-run Ethiopian coast of the African continent attracts thousands of local and international tourists boosting the local economy at this time of the year. The violence put an end to He added police would tack- News Agency. three weeks of relative calm le any upsurge in violence af- The outlet said an unspeci- after December 11 attacks on ter last year saw a failed coup fi ed number of suspects were in three military bases which left in May amid unrest which police custody, without giving Turkish national believed gunned down in Mogadishu shooting: police 87 dead, according to an offi cial sparked fears of a return to civil further details. tally – although UN sources war. The attack took place 21 days Unidentified gunmen shot dead a man information we have obtained indicates that “One of them was killed in the attack and the estimate the toll was far higher. Tensions rose after President after a bomb was thrown at wor- believed to be a Turkish national in the a Turkish citizen was shot dead,” added the other two have escaped,” the witness said. “A grenade was thrown into Pierre Nkurunziza said he was shippers in a mosque in Addis Somali capital Mogadishu, police and off icial. “I have heard that the victim was a Turkish a bar around 10pm” in the cen- seeking a controversial third Ababa, injuring more than 20 witnesses said yesterday. The Turkish embassy could not immediately engineer who was working with a Turkish tral district of Buyenzi, police term, which he went on to win people. The assailants opened fire on a “foreign be reached for reaction. company.” spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye in July. Offi cials are yet to disclose de- national” near a mosque in the northwestern “Three light-skinned men got out of a No group immediately claimed responsibility told AFP, saying that 10 people UN sources estimate last tails of that attack, and there has district of the city, said police off icial mosque after performing Friday prayers but Shebaab Islamic extremists aff iliated to were injured in the attack. year’s unrest prompted some not been any claim of responsi- Mohamed Abidrahman. when they were attacked,” said witness Al Qaeda have carried out such attacks in An offi cial source said one 200,000 people to leave the bility. “We don’t have details but the initial Abdukadir Ali. the past. person had died. country. Gulf Times Saturday, January 2, 2016 5 AMERICAS

Puerto Rico reports case of Zika virus spread by mosquitoes

Puerto Rico has reported its first case of Zika, a Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, Suriname, the Rousseff vetoes over 50 budget amendments mosquito-borne virus that has been spreading Dominican Republic, Colombia, Guatemala and across South America and the Caribbean and has Paraguay, according to public health off icials. been linked by Brazilian authorities to a serious Brazilian authorities in November linked Zika to Reuters According to the government’s existing or new loans by state de- According to the gazette, birth defect, a US Congressman said on Thursday. a surge in babies born with microcephaly, a birth Sao Paulo/Rio de Janeiro offi cial gazette, Rousseff signed velopment bank BNDES to help maintaining the restrictions Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico’s representative in defect that seriously limits a child’s mental and the so-called LDO law on Thurs- Brazilian fi rms fund investments would force Rousseff ’s govern- Congress, said in a statement that his off ice had physical abilities. day. outside the country. ment to cut existing benefi ciaries been in touch with the US Centres for Disease Brazil has reported nearly 2,000 cases of babies razilian President Dilma Congress passed the LDO last Rousseff overruled that deci- of the stipends or add new ones. Control and Prevention (CDC), which had confirmed born with microcephaly, or unusually small brains, Rousseff has overruled month, following months of sion, saying that the ban could The online edition of newspa- the single case of Zika on the island. the World Health Organisation (WHO) said this Bmore than 50 amend- bickering over Rousseff ’s failure weigh down the ability of local per O Globo cited Senator Euní- “There is no reason for alarm, and the public should month. ments made by lawmakers in to meet defi cit-reduction targets corporations to compete globally. cio Oliveira, the leader of ruling continue to take common sense steps to avoid The WHO said the cause of the outbreak in Brazil the nation’s budget guidelines that almost led to a government Rousseff also overruled con- coalition member PMDB party mosquito bites, like using repellent and wearing had yet to be determined. legislation for this year, includ- shutdown. gressional restrictions on the way in the upper house as saying that long pants and shirts,” Pierluisi said. Between three and 12 days after being bitten by ing reductions to her fl agship According to the gazette, the Bolsa Familia programme, Rousseff ’s vetoes “could create Zika was first detected in Africa in the 1940s but a mosquito carrying the virus, three out of four social programme and a ban on Rousseff reversed a congres- which gives low-income families more problems” to the already was unknown in the Americas until last year. people come down with symptoms that include state foreign fi nancing for some sional ban on the approval, dis- a monthly stipend under certain tense relationship between law- The mosquito-transmitted disease has been mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis, headaches and joint projects. bursement and refi nancing of conditions, could be fi nanced. makers and the president. confirmed in countries including Brazil, Panama, pain. 1mn welcome New Year A file picture taken on February 8, 2009, shows singer Natalie Cole with the Grammy award for the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album during the 51st annual Grammy in Los Angeles. at Times Square bash Reuters mounted patrols, bomb-sniffi ng Natalie New York dogs, radiation detectors and hundreds of surveillance cam- eras. Cole dead ore than 1mn people As of 1am (0600 GMT), there in New York’s Times were no reports of trouble at the MSquare hailed the ar- event or any arrests, according AFP rival of 2016 early yesterday with to a New York City Police De- New York kisses, cheers and a measure of partment spokesman, Sergeant relief as America’s biggest New Brendan Ryan. Year’s Eve celebration unfolded For the fi rst time on a New inger Natalie Cole, the without a hitch under a blanket Year’s Eve, the city deployed its daughter of jazz legend Nat of unprecedented security. new Critical Response Com- S“King” Cole who overcame The transition to the new year mand, which includes more substance abuse to fi nd success was marked by the descent of heavily armed offi cers. in her own right, has died at age the traditional lighted crystal The unit is trained to detect 65, her family said yesterday. ball from atop a skyscraper amid and respond to attacks, such Cole, who had longstanding fi reworks and a blizzard of con- those in Paris that killed 130 health issues including com- fetti at the centre of the famed people on November 13, or the plications from a kidney trans- Manhattan crossroads, the cli- rampage in San Bernardino, Cal- plant, died on New Year’s Eve at max of an annual rite of winter ifornia, in which 14 were slain. a Los Angeles hospital. dating back to 1904. The US Department of Home- “Natalie fought a fi erce, cou- With memories of the deadly land Security (DHS) ranked the rageous battle, dying how she attacks in Paris and California Times Square celebration as a lived – with dignity, strength still fresh, police took extraordi- level-2 concern on its fi ve-point and honour,” her family said in a nary measures to ensure security scale of security risks for major statement. at a gathering that has come to public events, a designation one Quoting her most identifi - defi ne the New York experience step below the top-rated level-1 able song, the family said: “Our for many visitors to the largest classifi cation given the upcom- beloved mother and sister will US city. ing Tournament of Roses Parade be greatly missed and remain But the event, broadcast live in Pasadena, California. UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts on national television, went off About 700,000 people are ex- forever.” without a hint of trouble, as a pected to turn out for the 127th Tributes quickly came in. festive mood prevailed despite Rose Parade. The civil rights leader Jesse – or perhaps because of – the The famous New Year’s Eve Jackson mourned Cole on Twit- heavy police presence. ball, which is 12’ (3.6m) in di- ter as a “sister beloved ... of sub- “This is the centre of the ameter and weighs nearly six Revellers celebrate after the ball drop during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square. stance and sound. May her soul world on New Year’s Eve,” said tonnes, descended on a pole rest in peace”. Rick Milley, 60, who traveled mounted on top of One Times many blocks up Seventh Av- light and wafts of smoke through More than 100mn Americans through tight security check- In contrast to the rags-to- from Boston with his wife, Deb- Square, a narrow wedge of a enue and Broadway north of One the square. and 1bn people worldwide were points, with police stopping riches stories of many other art- bie, 59, to ring in the new year in building along 42nd Street at the Times Square. “I always wanted to come expected to watch the festivities anyone from carrying backpacks ists of her generation, Cole was Times Square. southern end of the square. From a vantage point about here, but never took the chance,” on television. and large bags while searching raised in relative affl uence in Los “This was on our bucket list,” Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed 20 fl oors above, the revelers ap- said James Gomez, 39, of New In Rochester, New York, a smaller bags and scanning peo- Angeles. Debbie Milley said as the couple the button that began the de- peared to be tucked into block- Haven, Connecticut, as he sur- 25-year-old man accused of ple with metal detectors. Her career was inextricably took pictures of themselves us- scent, leading to the 60-second long honeycombs encircled by veyed the area with friends look- planning to attack a restaurant The tradition of gathering in linked to that of her father. ing a selfi e stick. countdown to midnight, when uniformed offi cers and support ing for a prime viewing spot. on New Year’s Eve was arrested Times Square to celebrate the She had her fi rst break per- The pair have spent the holi- a giant illuminated “2016” sign workers dressed in bright red Gomez came to Times Square on Wednesday and charged with new year began in 1904, accord- forming in clubs as the daughter day in New York before but never fl ashed on, signaling the begin- coveralls. even though he said he was con- attempting to provide support to ing to the Times Square Alli- of Nat “King” Cole, but strug- before in Times Square, a year- ning of the new year. Cheers reverberated through cerned about the area being tar- the Islamic State, the US Justice ance, the area’s business-devel- gled to fi nd her niche singing round tourist draw, fi lled with Crowds began assembling in the area as images from the en- geted in an attack. Department said. opment association. more modern R&B numbers. chain stores, family restaurants Times Square hours before the tertainment stages played on “I’m scared,” he said. Afterwards, Rochester, about That was the year that the After delving into R&B, soul and fl ashy advertising displays. offi cial start of the festivities at a giant screen mounted on the In the hours before midnight, 330 miles (530km) northwest of New York Times opened a new and pop, Cole achieved her About 6,000 uniformed and 6pm on Thursday (2300 GMT). building just below the pole musical artists such as Carrie New York City, cancelled its New headquarters building at One greatest success in 1991 by re- undercover police offi cers, 500 The revellers were organised supporting the crystal ball. Underwood and Jessie J per- Year’s Eve fi reworks display. Times Square and the city offi - turning to some of the classics more than last year, patrolled the into neat pens formed by police On occasion, fi reworks ex- formed on stages set up in the Before entering Times Square, cially renamed the square after sung by her father. area, with the force bolstered by barricades that stretched for ploded above, sending fl ashes of area. visitors were required to pass the newspaper. Her album, Unforgettable ... With Love, won the Grammy for Album of the Year and has sold more than 7mn copies in the United States. In a technical feat considered Southern states face fl oods novel in the day, Cole sang the title track – with its elegant, string-backed opening line “Unforgettable, that’s what you as Midwest rivers recede are” – in a duet with her father who had died in 1965. Cole later pursued a career Reuters the holiday season after the in- the 1995 record, the NWS fore- in acting, appearing in several Washington ternational climate deal in Paris. cast. prime-time US series. Particularly hard hit in the Towns farther down the Mis- But her life was marred by United States in recent days has sissippi hoped their levees would personal woes including drug verfl owing rivers receded been Missouri, which has suf- take the strain. use and three divorces. in Missouri and Illinois fered historic fl ooding. Southern states including In a 2000 autobiography, An- Oyesterday after fl ood- Close to St Louis yesterday, the Louisiana and Mississippi are ex- gel on My Shoulder, Cole related ing swamped communities and Mississippi River, the second- pected to be aff ected in the com- how she struggled with depres- forced towns to evacuate, but longest river in the United States, ing days, the NWS said. sion especially after the deaths forecasters warned rain-swollen was falling after reaching near- Workers in Tennessee were of her father and her son who waterways could menace South- record heights, the National preparing for the Mississippi drowned in a swimming pool. ern states downstream. Weather Service (NWS) said. River in Memphis to reach fl ood Cole became addicted to her- Rare winter fl oods have killed The Meramec River, which me- stage over the weekend. oin and crack cocaine. at least 28 people in the US Mid- anders near St Louis and empties “We’re moving things up high She repeatedly sought rehab west since last weekend, most into the Mississippi River, broke and we’ve got our generators out but was diagnosed with Hepa- of them when they drove into height records on Thursday, and got some extra water,” said titis C and underwent a liver Missouri Department of Transportation workers and members of the Missouri National Guard work fl ooded areas after days of down- sending a deluge of water over its Dotty Kirkendoll, a clerk at Riv- transplant. along Interstate 55 on Thursday in Arnold, Missouri. The highway has been closed since Wednesday. pours. banks and forcing the closure of erside Park Marina on McKellar Midwest fl oods typically occur two major highways. Lake, which feeds off the Missis- in the spring as snowmelt swells Both interstates 55 and 44 reo- sippi River. Senior staff quit US Republican presidential hopeful Carson’s campaign rivers. pened yesterday, but many other Flood warnings were also in Dozens have died in US storms, roads remained closed in the St eff ect yesterday for parts of Tex- Republican US presidential hopeful Ben “I am deeply concerned about the campaign’s of aspects of his life story, and after he stated which also brought unusual win- Louis area, state offi cials said, as, South Carolina, Alabama and Carson saw his faltering campaign take ability to move forward successfully without that the pyramids of Egypt were built by the ter tornadoes and were part of a causing extreme traffi c conges- Kentucky, the NWS said, while another big hit on Thursday after three top them,” Cohen told the Des Moines Register biblical Joseph to store grain – archaeologists wild worldwide weather system tion. major fl ooding was occurring on aides quit, though the retired neurosurgeon newspaper. believe they were tombs for pharaohs. over the Christmas holiday pe- Thousands of people evacu- the Arkansas River and its tribu- called the staff ing changes “enhancements”. On his campaign website, Carson said he had His foreign policy credentials were also called riod that also saw severe fl ooding ated from their homes earlier in taries in that state. Carson, a conservative Christian, once rivaled picked retired general Bob Dees to serve as into question, especially after he repeatedly in Britain. the week were waiting to return Louisiana Governor Bobby frontrunner Donald Trump in the quest for campaign chairman, and Ed Brookover as mispronounced Hamas as “hummus” while More than 100,000 people to their communities and begin Jindal declared a state of emer- the Republican White House nomination, campaign manager. addressing a group of prominent Republican were forced to evacuate their the process of cleaning up. gency to prepare for fl ooding. but has been struggling in the polls in recent “As we enter a new phase of the campaign Jews. homes in areas bordering Para- Hundreds of structures have “All that water’s coming south weeks. cycle, it is necessary to invigorate my According to several US news outlets, guay, Uruguay, Brazil and Ar- been damaged or destroyed, local and we have to be ready for it,” First to go were campaign manager Barry campaign with a strategy that more Bennett and Watts quit in part over concerns gentina after fl oods due to heavy offi cials said. Lieutenant Governor-Elect Billy Bennett and communications director Doug aggressively shares my vision and world view about the influence of Carson’s longtime summer rains caused by El Niño, The Mississippi River is ex- Nungesser told CNN. “It’s a se- Watts. with the American people,” Carson said. friend Armstrong Williams, who doesn’t authorities have said. pected to crest at Thebes, in rious concern. It’s early in the A third staff er, deputy campaign manager Carson’s challenge for the White House first have an off icial role on the campaign but Weather is dominating con- southern Illinois, at 47.5’ (14m) season. We usually don’t see this Lisa Cohen, then quit later in the day. stumbled over questions as to the veracity frequently has Carson’s ear. versation on social media over tomorrow, more than 1.5’ above until much later.” Gulf Times 6 Saturday, January 2, 2016 ASEAN/PHILIPPINES

Call for EU-Asean talks to New Year mayhem kills resume

Reuters Berlin two, injures hundreds AFP/Manila Times ingapore’s trade and in- Manila dustry minister has called Sfor a resumption of free trade talks between the Europe- tray bullets and explod- an Union and the Association of ing fi recrackers have killed Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Stwo and injured hundreds now that problems over Myan- in the Philippines, authorities mar have been removed, a Ger- said yesterday, amid the coun- man newspaper said. try’s traditional riotous New The EU and 10-nation Asean Year celebrations. launched free trade talks in 2007, A drunk man died after he em- but abandoned them two years braced a giant fi recracker, called later, with the EU choosing in- “Goodbye Philippines”, as it was stead to conduct bilateral talks about to explode, health secre- with individual members. tary Janet Garin told reporters. The EU has accords with Sin- “His jaw was shattered. He gapore, Vietnam and South Ko- was so intoxicated he hugged rea and last week the EU and the the Goodbye Philippines,” Garin Philippines agreed to start free- said, adding the man was pro- A boy injured from playing with fireworks shows off his bandages at trade talks next year as Europe nounced dead at the hospital. the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Centre in Manila, early yesterday. attempts to tap into Asia’s faster Eighty per cent of the coun- economic growth. try’s 100mn people are Catho- fi recracker injuries, she said. in 2013 and in 2014. The business daily Han- lic but Filipino superstition In a Manila shantytown, a lit City disaster offi cer Johnny Residents pass water buckets to delsblatt cited the minister, Lim dictates making ear-shattering fi recracker started a slum in- Yu told AFP that the blaze left help extinguish a huge fire that Hng Kiang, as saying that ne- noises during New Year’s Eve to ferno, which quickly spread, fi re 3,000 people homeless. razed a slum area overnight in gotiations could restart because ward off bad luck. bureau spokesman Renato Mar- Panicked and weeping resi- Manila. the problem of the EU not want- Revellers set off fi recrackers cial told AFP. dents fl ed their burning homes ing to do business with the gen- and shoot guns into the air to The huge fi re left 84 families carrying clothes and furniture Right: A girl blows a party horn erals of Myanmar’s military dic- celebrate the December festive homeless in Barangay 56 Perico- while men, many of whom were at midnight during New Year tatorship had been removed due season. hon, a quarter past midnight on drunk from a night of merry- celebrations in Manila. to changes there. The health department listed Thursday. making, desperately tried to put “I am in favour of the EU and 380 injuries due to fi reworks and Tacloban City fi re chief Chief out the fi re with buckets of wa- fi recrackers in the city. Asean starting negotiations four others due to stray bullets. Inspector Charlie Gerzon said ter, an AFP photographer at the She added that police author- again,” the newspaper quoted In many hospitals across the the fi re that started around scene saw. ities and the local health offi ce Lim as saying in an advance ex- country, fi recracker victims 12.15am was fi nally put out A 65-year-old woman died reported that the holiday festival tract of an interview that was rushed into emergency rooms around three in the morning. from a heart attack as she went on smoothly. published this week. grimacing in pain as they held Damage was estimated at watched her house burn, Yu Zamboanga banned the sale Asean established an Asean their bloodied limbs. P2mn. said. of fi recrackers and other pyro- Economic Community at its an- An eight-year-old boy in the Gerzon said the fi refi ghters Meanwhile, Zamboanga City technic devices, including pellet nual summit last month, aiming northern farming province of had a hard time putting out the Mayor Beng Climaco said yes- guns, in support of the depart- to create a single market with Nueva Vizcaya had three of his fi re because of the area’s narrow terday that there was no report ment of health’s campaign and few barriers to the fl ow of trade, fi ngers amputated after a fi re- passages. of fi recracker and stray bullet- advocacy against the use of all capital and professional labour cracker exploded in his hands, It was the third fi re to hit the related injuries, and praised the these dangerous and hazardous Many Filipinos keep licensed legal and easily available. in an area of 625mn people. Garin said. residential area in the last three authorities for effi cient enforce- small explosive devices in wel- guns in their homes to protect The 384 injuries recorded so The AEC came into being on At least nine children had years. The fi re chief said that fi re ment of an ordinance banning all coming the New Year through an themselves in a high-crime so- far for 2015 are up from 354 in December 31. their fi ngers amputated due to hit the area before Election Day types of pyrotechnic devices and ordinance passed in 2014. ciety and most fi recrackers are 2014. Scars of Vietnam-era ‘napalm girl’ treated

By Daniel Garcia Marco, DPA caused by wounds that are only now their mobility improve. Miami starting to heal. Phuc is already feeling such im- “We will be able to help the appear- provements, Waibel and Ut said. ance of Kim’s scars and also greatly The woman’s scars have also marked ore than 40 years after being improve her mobility and range of mo- the photographer’s life and career. burned by napalm in Viet- tion,” doctor Jill Waibel, who runs the “I’ve kept in touch with Kim Mnam, the scars on Kim Phuc, Miami Dermatology and Laser Insti- throughout. I am her close friend and the girl who became a symbol of the tute, confi dently told DPA. like a big brother. We travel the world Vietnam War, are starting to heal. “Kim’s scars are moderate, but do speaking about the atrocities or war,” A new laser treatment is making give her trouble and cause her pain,” the 64-year-old photographer ex- a diff erence on her skin, which was the expert explained. plained about the mission the two burned on June 8, 1972 when South Vi- Phuc is already feeling some im- share. etnamese forces mistakenly showered provement from the treatment. At age 52, the “napalm girl” leads a napalm on the village where she lived “She has mentioned her scars are foundation under her own name which at age nine. softer,” the doctor said after the fi rst fi ghts to make sure that no other child Phuc took off her burning clothes stage in a process that is set to last six ever has to go through what she en- and ran naked, terrifi ed and shouting to nine months. dured. in pain. Waibel and Phuc came in contact “I realised that if I couldn’t escape Photographer Nick Ut was there after the doctor’s father-in-law heard that picture, I wanted to go back to to record the moment before pour- Phuc speak at a church and was moved work with that picture for peace. And ing water on the girl, covering her and by her message. that is my choice,” Kim told CNN in taking her to the nearest hospital in his He approached her afterward and August. car. mentioned his daughter-in-law’s “She has dedicated her life to help- Forty-three years later, Phuc and Ut work. ing others, and although her pain is are still close. Later, Phuc saw a television story a constant because of the extensive In September, the Associated Press Waibel’s success in burn treatment and scaring, she never complains. She is photographer travelled to Miami with called to schedule an appointment. like an angel!” the photographer said. Phuc for the fi rst session of treatment Waibel had seen the famous photo Ut, a Vietnamese-American, is cer- on her scars. while she was a student and did not tain that Phuc’s photo is the hardest he “I knew what I had in my roll of fi lm hesitate to set up a meeting. ever took in his life, although he has and I immediately knew this photo had “Kim is an amazing woman who has reported on many confl icts with his to be shown to the world,” Ut told DPA helped many people,” said the doctor, camera. in an interview. “I wanted to show eve- who is not being paid for her services. “We thought no one was there ryone how terrible war is.” “Kim is very special because of her his- but then we saw people running out Ut was awarded the Pulitzer Prize torical importance. She is truly a living through the smoke. I couldn’t believe for that photo, which many believe human symbol of war and the fact that it but I quickly put my camera up to my marked the beginning of the end of the innocent children can get hurt during eye and took some photos, including Vietnam war. times of war and unrest.” the pivotal one of Kim Phuc. I remem- Phuc gives very few interviews, and The medical procedure involves a ber how terrible their burns were and Ut acts as her spokesman. laser making tiny wounds on the skin, how sad it was to see the dying babies,” Phuc fl ed to Canada with her hus- which lead to a vapourisation of scar he recalls. band in the 1990s and still lives there. tissue. Within months, the aff ected “Even though it was hard to see my After being burned by the napalm, area recovers, thanks to the collagen in people suff er, I had to document it for Phuc spent more than a year in hospi- the new skin. the world to see, as photographs truly tal. At fi rst, patients report sensory im- help tell the story,” he explained pro- Over time, she got used to the pain provements and within a few days see fessionally.

26 BIFF rebels slain in attacks: army

By Moh Saaduddin spokesperson Captain Jo Ann Petin- BIFF militants assaulted Timban- Manila Times glay said the attacks were in the towns gan Detachment in Brgy Timbangan, of Datu Piang, Shariff Saidona Mus- Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. tapha and Shariff Aguak. One hour later, the Linantangan De- he Bangsamoro Islamic Free- Petinglay said the BIFF fi rst at- tachment in Brgy Linantangan, Shariff dom Fighters (BIFF) suff ered tacked a detachment in Datu Piang, Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao was T26 casualties after staging a Maguindanao with an M203 grenade also attacked by armed men. series of attacks targeting three mili- launcher. A 15-minute fi refi ght ensued, lead- tary detachments in diff erent towns of The grenade landed about 50m away ing to six fatalities on the BIFF side Maguindanao on New Year’s Eve, mili- from the Kaungan Detachment of a with 20 others injured but no casual- tary offi cials said yesterday. Mechanised Infantry Company. ties from the military side were re- The army’s 6th Infantry Division At 9.30pm on Thursday, about 30 ported. Gulf Times Saturday, January 2, 2016 7 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Premier Abe pledges to keep Japan out of war

AFP In September parliament in the of- na and on the Korean peninsula. built a foundation for handing down itary in recent years, rattling its neigh- ship which appeared to be armed with Tokyo fi cially pacifi st nation passed secu- Critics have warned that the chang- a peaceful Japan to the generations of bours and attracting the attention of several cannon entered what Tokyo re- rity bills opening the door for Japanese es could see Japanese troops dragged our children and grandchildren.” the US, which is making a foreign poli- gards as its territorial waters near the troops to engage in combat overseas into far-fl ung foreign confl icts similar Abe’s message came a day after cy “pivot” towards Asia. disputed islands. apanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the fi rst time since the end of World to the US invasions of Iraq or Afghani- China announced it was building its Relations between Japan and China Despite steps to improve ties, dis- yesterday promised he will keep his War II. stan. “Under the new legislation for second aircraft carrier, which will have — Asia’s two biggest economies — have trust remains high as China is wary Jnation out of war following the in- The legislation was met with strong peace and security, we will prevent war a displacement of 50,000 tonnes and often been strained over competing of moves by Abe to raise Japan’s mili- troduction of contentious new security public resistance at home with tens of by taking all possible preparations for carry China’s indigenous J-15 aircraft claims of the Senkaku islands, or Di- tary profi le while Tokyo frets about legislation, a day after China announced thousands taking part in street pro- any circumstances,” Abe said in a New along with other planes. aoyu in Chinese. Beijing’s increasing regional and global it is building its second aircraft carrier. tests, while also fuelling anger in Chi- Year’s message. “We have successfully Beijing has rapidly expanded its mil- Last month, a Chinese coast guard assertiveness. Another HK New Year’s Day parade bookseller goes missing

AFP pm,” Choi said. “He called me are fears these are under threat. Hong Kong that night at around 10pm to tell When the four other publishers me that everything was all right,” disappeared last autumn Lee Choi said. had said he was a shareholder Hong Kong employee of But she said the number from in the Mighty Current publish- a publishing fi rm known which Li was calling her did not ing company. Afor producing books crit- belong to him and originated “I think (it has happened) ical of the Chinese government from the neighbouring mainland probably because of publish- has gone missing, his wife said Chinese city of Shenzhen. ing matters... political books yesterday, following the earlier Choi said she reported the banned on the mainland,” he apparent disappearance of four case to Hong Kong police yester- said at the time. colleagues. day. Police said the incident had The other men who went It is the latest incident to fuel been listed as a “missing per- missing are Gui Minhai, a growing unease in Hong Kong sons” case. Swedish national and co-own- at the erosion of freedoms in the “It is a very diffi cult time for er of the Mighty Current pub- semi-autonomous Chinese city, me... I’m not sure what has hap- lishing company. with fears that the fi ve men may pened, these are not things that Local media said he failed to have been detained by Chinese normal people know about,” return from a holiday in Thai- authorities. Choi said. land in October. Lee Bo, the chief editor of a The source said that Lee was The publishing compa- publisher which produces books last seen in the publisher’s ware- ny’s general manager Lui Bo, on Chinese politics, was a col- house in Hong Kong at 5pm on an employee Cheung Jiping league of the four others. December 30. and bookstore manager Lam A source said Lee, 65, was last “Apparently he met some- Wing-kei are also reportedly seen in Hong Kong on Wednes- body and subsequently disap- missing after disappearing in day at the publisher’s ware- peared. This is very shocking if southern China in October. house, which he is in charge of. it is true.” Rights groups had expressed Lee’s wife Sophie Choi also Hong Kong was handed back concern at the previous dis- said he was in Hong Kong to China by Britain in 1997 un- appearances, with Human Wednesday but went missing der a “One Country, Two Sys- Rights Watch saying there was that night. tems” arrangement. It enjoys a “concerted effort” by the Disney characters Mickey (right) and Minnie Mouse , dressed in traditional Japanese kimonos, wave to greet guests from a float “I started looking for him liberties not seen on the main- mainland to prevent Chinese during the theme park’s annual New Year’s Day parade at Tokyo Disneyland in Urayasu, suburban Tokyo yesterday. The time around when he didn’t come home for land, including freedom of the political books travelling from New Year’s Day is one of the biggest holiday periods every year in Japan. dinner that night at around 7 press and publication, but there Hong Kong to China.

More than 1,500 protesters seek leader’s resignation

More than 1,500 people protested in Hong Kong Negative sentiment remains high against authori- on New Year’s day yesterday calling for the city’s ties after mass pro-democracy rallies calling for free China arrests 11 for deadly leader to resign and airing grievances over issues leadership elections in 2014 brought no conces- from expensive construction projects to Internet sions on political reform from Beijing and Hong freedoms. A procession of yellow umbrellas —- the Kong authorities. “It’s really for the next generation, symbol of the city’s democracy movement -- they deserve a better Hong Kong,” pro-democracy moved through the city’s downtown with protesters lawmaker Claudio Mo, who participated in the rally, landslide, death toll now 12 carrying signs reading “fight for the freedom of the said. “Leung has been provoking the Hong Kong next generation” and demanding the resignation of population non-stop,” Mo said, adding that spiral- off icials who “sold out” the city. ling costs for major construction projects, such as Reuters agency Xinhua said. The gov- clude a legal representative and to track down other suspects as Leading the protest was a large replica of a white el- a planned high-speed railway link with mainland Beijing ernment has blamed breaches a deputy general manager of soon as possible, Xinhua said. ephant with a model of the city’s unpopular leader China, have angered residents. of construction safety rules for Shenzhen Yixianglong Invest- It did not elaborate. Leung Chun-ying riding it, symbolising expensive Cost estimates for that project have risen by more the disaster on Dec 20, when a ment Development, which ran Calls to Shenzhen Yixian- public projects. than 30% to HK$85.3bn ($11.01bn) in recent years, hinese authorities have dump overfl owed and engulfed the dump, and offi cials who glong seeking comment went “We want universal pension, step down Leung and the completion date has been repeatedly formally arrested 11 33 buildings. It has started an were supposed to be supervis- unanswered. Chun-ying, we are against white elephant projects,” pushed back. Cpeople for their role in investigation. ing it, the report added, citing The disaster is the latest protesters repeatedly shouted. “We would like Leung Chun-ying to step down and a deadly landslide last month At least 12 people have been the Shenzhen prosecutor. deadly accident to raise ques- Police said that 1,600 people joined the protest at hold this march so he can hear what we want and in the southern boomtown of confi rmed dead while 62 are They have been charged with tions about China’s industrial its peak, while organisers estimate the crowd at know what he has done wrong,” Match Ip, a 19-year- Shenzhen and charged them missing, Xinhua said late on the crime of negligently caus- safety standards and lack of more than 3,000. old university student told AFP. with negligently causing a Thursday. ing a serious accident, and the oversight over years of rapid serious accident, state news The 11 people arrested in- prosecutor has urged the police economic growth.

POLITICS North Korea’s Kim Party patrons demand blames South for Beijing’s new two-child mistrust in speech refund over poor service North Korean leader Kim Jong- Un blamed South Korea yester- day for increased mistrust in a policy law takes eff ect Agencies New Year speech after a year Sydney of heightened tension between the rival countries. The speech AFP now ageing rapidly and has was Kim’s fourth since becoming Beijing severe gender imbalances, all ustomers who paid up to $500 to attend a private New leader in 2011 when his father, while the country’s workforce Year’s Eve (NYE) party are demanding refunds, describ- Kim Jong-Il, died, sparking a long is shrinking. Cing a night of hour-long toilet queues, greasy food, alcohol and turbulent succession proc- arried couples in Chi- Under the new law, married shortages and Justin Bieber music on repeat. ess marked by several bloody na have been allowed couples are now allowed to have The Sydney NYE Above the Harbour event promised “a relaxed, purges in the isolated country. Mto have two children, a second child, but the legisla- stress-free NYE in beautiful surrounds.,” the Sydney Morning “South Korea has made a uni- after concerns over an age- tion maintains limits on addi- Herald reported.For the fi rst time, an entire section of the Royal lateral case for unification and ing population and shrinking tional births. Botanic Gardens was reserved for more than 3,000 paying guests increased mistrust and conflict workforce ushered in an end Around 3mn extra babies will to enjoy views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. between us,” Kim said during a to the country’s controversial be born each year over the next Promoters Mothership Media advertised “fi ve star” bars and 30-minute long address, broad- one-child policy. fi ve years as a result, offi cials food supplied by the Shangri-la Hotel, including a “dessert gar- cast on North Korean television, The change, which was an- from the National Health and den” stocked by a celebrated pastry chef. But many patrons found highlighting its suspicion of the nounced in October by the rul- Family Planning Commission the Above the Harbour party distinctly below par. South’s unification policies. ing Communist Party, takes predicted at a briefi ng in No- “We spent most of the night lining up,” said David Smith, who Kim said in last year’s speech eff ect from January 1, 2016, vember. paid $500 for VIP table service only to fi nd there was none. “It he would be open to a summit Beijing’s offi cial Xinhua news This would add a total of took 1½ hours to 1¾ hours to get anything.” with Seoul but tension surged in agency reported over the week- about 30mn people to the la- People left the venue to get McDonald’s because it was quicker August after a landmine blast on end. The “one child policy”, bour force by 2050, offi cials than waiting in line, he said. The food itself received numerous their border wounded two South instituted in the late 1970s, re- said. complaints. Korean soldiers. stricted most couples to only a A couple and a child wait in the street of Beijing yesterday. Still, experts say the shift is “Brisket sliders tasted like paper with a very cold bread roll,” The South blamed the North single off spring through a sys- likely too little, too late to ad- Geraldine Parino Montejo said on Facebook. “Asian noodles we which denied responsibility. tem of fi nes for violators and two children if the fi rst was a parents, and prompted sex- dress China’s looming popula- got tasted burnt, no one can eat that crap! Smoked chicken legs The two sides met for talks in even forced abortions. girl, while ethnic minorities selective abortions or infanti- tion crisis. are not even cooked inside, inviting salmonella...”One patron said August after a sustained military For years, authorities argued were allowed an extra off spring, cide targeting girls because of a Others warn that many Chi- the dessert stall off ered only fruit skewers and popcorn. “I feel like stand-off and agreed to reduce that it was a key contributor to leading some to dub it a “one- centuries-old social preference nese couples do not want more I’ve been mugged by Scott Morrison,” Paul Harper-Jones said. tension and hold further talks at China’s economic boom and and-a-half child” policy. for boys. children, particularly given the Then there were the toilet queues. “People pissing anywhere vice-ministerial level, although had prevented 400mn births. But it also led to heart-rend- China’s population — the expense, and the eff ects of the they could because you only had the bare minimum portable toi- subsequent negotiations have Rural families were allowed ing tales of loss for would-be world’s largest at 1.37bn — is change remain unclear. lets,” Jason Littlewood said. been fruitless. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, January 2, 2016 BRITAIN/IRELAND

PEOPLE TRAGEDY LAW AND ORDER CRIME ATTACK Islington stabbing victim Man dies after Highland Farmer Martin released Two boys kidnapped from Widow mugged while at named as top medic canoe accident after firearm arrest home by masked men husband’s graveside

A man who was stabbed to death days after A man has died after falling out of a canoe into Farmer Tony Martin, who shot dead a burglar The Thames Valley Police have issued CCTV An elderly woman’s handbag has been snatched Christmas has been named as Dr Jeroen Ensink, a Highland river. The 36-year-old was airlifted to in 1999, has been released after his arrest on footage after two young boys were kidnapped while she was tending to her late husband’s grave. a lecturer at the London School of Hygiene hospital after he and an 18-year-old man got into suspicion of possessing an illegal firearm in in Slough early on New Year’s Eve. Three men The 73-year-old was cleaning the burial plot on and Tropical Medicine. Dr Ensink, 41, was found diff iculty in the River Garry, near the village of Norfolk. The 71-year-old was held on Thursday entered a home in Hemming Way on the Britwell Christmas Eve when the attack happened, police suff ering from stab wounds in Hilldrop Crescent, Invergarry, south of Loch Ness, at around 12.30pm while police searched his home. The Norfolk estate just after 7am and ordered the boys, said. She was approached from behind and Islington, north London, on December 28. He was on Thursday. Police Scotland said the older man Police said: “Off icers have... finished their search aged six and 10, to get inside a van parked pushed to the ground in Hanwell Cemetery in pronounced dead at the scene. His colleagues later died in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, while of the address and the man, who was arrested on nearby. Other people inside the property were west London. A Metropolitan Police spokesman have paid tribute to the “popular” public health the younger man was discharged. Next of kin suspicion of possession of an illegal firearm, has not disturbed. Once inside the van, the boys said: “After stealing the handbag, the suspect left lecturer, saying he will be “greatly missed”. Dr have been informed but formal identification has been released on police bail until late February were driven from Hemming Way across Long the cemetery, walking off briskly towards Church Ensink joined the school almost a decade ago, yet to take place, police added. Police, ambulance, 2016.” Martin was convicted of murder following Readings Lane to Upper Lees Road, where they Road whilst covering his face.” A member of the and at the time of his death he was leading a large fire crews, the coastguard and the Royal Navy the 1999 shooting. He was living alone in an were allowed to get out.. The young victims public recovered the bag but the woman’s purse study in the Democratic Republic of Congo to search and rescue helicopter were involved in the isolated farmhouse when he caught Brendon returned to the property in Hemming Way. was found to be missing. She suff ered minor understand how improvements in water supply operation to help the pair, who ended up in the Fearon and Fred Barras inside his house. He fired Neither was injured, although they and their injuries. Police have released a CCTV image of a could control and prevent cholera outbreaks. water after falling from their canoe. his shotgun towards the intruders killing Barras. relatives are said to have been very upset. man they want to speak following the attack. Speaker ‘stalls’ New Year’s day parade scrutiny of MPs’ drinking problems

Agencies and consider ways they could be London addressed. The FoI request sought “any evidence or reports produced by ohn Bercow has been accused the Safety, Health and Wellbeing of dodging scrutiny by sup- Service regarding the provision Jpressing reports detailing the and consumption of alcohol on scale of alcohol problems at par- the parliamentary estate, and re- liament. lated health eff ects”. The Speaker has invoked a The House authorities ad- controversial loophole in the mitted it held “correspondence Freedom of Information (FoI) Act and reports to the management to withhold material thought to board”, but cited Section 36 as raise concerns about the extent of grounds for keeping them secret. drinking in Westminster’s subsi- “The Speaker of the House of dised bars. Commons has formed the rea- The move, in response to a re- sonable opinion, under the above quest by the Press Association, sections of the Act, that disclo- The “Mayor” Balloon is pictured at a New Year’s Day Parade in central London yesterday. follows a series of incidents that sure of this information would highlighted the issue of alcohol at inhibit the free and frank provi- parliament. sion of advice and the free and There are around a dozen bars frank exchange of views for the and restaurants on the estate purposes of deliberation,” the re- serving politicians, staff and oth- sponse said. er passholders. “Further correspondence is Former MP Eric Joyce was withheld under 36(2)(c) because convicted of assaulting a fel- the Speaker of the House of Com- low politician during a brawl in mons also considers that the dis- Strangers’ Bar in 2012, while an- closure of this correspondence Cameron vows to fi x other ex-member, Mark Reckless, would prejudice the eff ective confessed to missing a late-night conduct of public aff airs. parliamentary vote in 2010 be- “In the case of the House of cause he was too drunk. Commons, Section 36 of the FoIA Dr Sarah Wollaston, Totnes MP provides an absolute exemption and now health select commit- and the public interest test does tee chairwoman, warned in 2011 not apply.” Britons’ EU frustrations that some of her colleagues were The only information the drinking “really quite heavily”. House did disclose was that nine AFP ship, ahead of an in-or-out ref- “It is a diffi cult negotiation there overnight. But during 2016, “Britain needs Europe to suc- “Who would go to see a sur- appointments were made with London erendum which must happen by with 27 other countries. But we will make some of our most ceed... the EU at its best could be geon who had just drunk a bottle the Health and Wellbeing Serv- the end of 2017. throughout we are driven by one signifi cant strides yet,” he said. formidable,” it said in its editorial. of wine at lunchtime? But we fully ice over “alcohol dependency” No date has been set for the consideration: what is best for A poll in The Times newspaper “The shock of one of its fast- accept that MPs are perfectly ca- in September 2012, and none the rime Minister David Cam- vote, though newspapers and po- Britain’s economic and national found that 42% wanted to leave est-growing economies leaving pable of performing as MPs de- following month. eron yesterday pledged to litical commentators have specu- security. the EU, while 41% wanted to stay. might be the wake-up moment spite some of them drinking really The House of Commons is the Pfi ght hard in 2016 to resolve lated that it could well come in “In the end, you will decide However, 55% said they ex- that precipitates the redesign of quite heavily,” she said. only public body that can use the “annoying” features of Britain’s 2016. whether we are stronger and bet- pected Britain would vote to stay, European institutions.” Commons bar staff have previ- Section 36 exemption without relationship with the EU ahead of “It’s a New Year, and Britain ter off with our European neigh- while 27% expected Britain would While offi cial Remain and ously been given extra training on demonstrating that the public a planned referendum that could begins it with renewed strength. bours as part of the European Un- vote to leave. Only 9% expect Leave campaigns will be desig- how to refuse to serve drunk cus- interest is weighted against dis- come this year. With a lower defi cit and enter- ion, or on our own.” Cameron’s renegotiation eff orts nated, an independent think- tomers, and told to top up glasses closure. Cameron said aspects of being prise fl ourishing, our economy Cameron said he thought Brit- to produce signifi cant change. tank yesterday urged a neutral less frequently at functions. The information commissioner in the European Union were the is becoming more secure by the ain was in the middle of a “great The YouGov poll was conduct- campaign group to be established Alcohol Concern has urged cannot even analyse the reasons cause of “so much frustration” day,” Cameron said. reforming decade”, a “turna- ed on December 17 and 18. to boost turnout. British Future, parliament to remove subsidies for the Speaker’s decision, as a in Britain - but ultimately voters “I am negotiating hard to fi x round” period where a revived The Times said voters would which focuses on migration and from booze in its outlets. certifi cate signed by him con- would decide whether the coun- things that most annoy British economy could spur “real social have to decide whether Britain integration, said such a campaign The House authorities are be- stitutes “conclusive proof” the try remains in the bloc. people about our relationship renewal”. can “better help to reform a tired should focus on trying to reach lieved to have conducted work to exemption has been properly ap- He is attempting to renegotiate with the EU,” he said in his New “We remain on the long walk and ageing Europe from inside or groups who are traditionally least establish the extent of problems plied. the terms of Britain’s member- Year message. to a Greater Britain. We won’t get out”. likely to vote. Shakespeare, Battle of Charity plunge Queen carries out 340 engagements last year

Hastings on new coins Agencies his royal duties with his role as a London helicopter co-pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance, a role he AFP of London, which started in a birth of children’s author Bea- took up in July. London bakery and destroyed much of trix Potter is also celebrated on n the year she became Brit- Harry, meanwhile, left the the city. a 50 pence coin showing one of ain’s longest-reigning mon- army in June after 10 years’ serv- The role of the army in World her cherished characters, Peter Iarch, the Queen showed no ice before spending the summer illiam Shakespeare, War I is commemorated this Rabbit. signs of slowing down as she car- as a volunteer with conservation the Great Fire of year as part of a £2 coin series “It is always exciting to see ried out more than 340 offi cial experts in southern Africa. WLondon and the Bat- running through the centenary the new year’s designs revealed, engagements during 2015. The Prince of Wales also out- tle of Hastings will appear on of the 1914-18 confl ict. commemorating the moments On September 9 the Queen did his children, undertaking British coins this year, mark- The design recalls the Pals that matter, and revisiting some surpassed the previous record, 380 engagements at home and ing major anniversaries in the battalions, in which people from of the great events and stories held by her great-great grand- 147 abroad. country’s history, The Royal the same towns served together. from our history,” said Anne mother Queen Victoria, and has But even his busy schedule Mint announced yesterday. Jessopp, director of commemo- now reigned for almost 64 years. could not match that of his sister, The centenary of World War “It is always exciting rative coin at The Royal Mint. But she remained as active as the Princess Royal, who carried I and Beatrix Potter will also to see the new year’s They should begin to appear ever last year, carrying out 306 out 456 engagements in the UK be commemorated on special designs revealed, in people’s change from March, engagements in the UK and 35 on and 88 overseas. coins marking “key moments, commemorating the she added. overseas tours. The fi gures were compiled by organisations and people that moments that matter” The coins received the back- Her vitality was almost Times reader Tim O’Donovan, have shaped the nation,” the ing of The Times newspaper. matched by that of her husband, who does so every year based on mint said. The bi-metallic, round £2 “Giving monetary value to the Duke of Edinburgh, who took engagements announced in the Three diff erent £2 coins coins are the biggest in regular our history is an inspired and part in 217 UK engagements and Court Circular. will mark 400 years of Shake- circulation in Britain. enduring way to remind us all of 33 abroad, despite turning 94 in He told the newspaper: “Dur- speare’s literary legacy since Meanwhile, the 950th an- our heritage,” its editorial said, June. ing the year the Queen became the death of the English lan- niversary of the 1066 Battle of much more so than anniver- Their eff orts exceeded those the longest-reigning British guage’s foremost playwright in Hastings and the Norman Con- sary “mugs mass-produced in of the younger generation of monarch; the number of engage- 1616. quest is marked on the seven- China”. royals - between them the Duke ments carried out by Her Majesty The coins celebrate his trag- sided 50 pence piece. The last batch of round £1 and Duchess of Cambridge and in her 90th year and by the Duke edies, comedies and histories The design shows Harold, coins was minted in December. Prince Harry had 198 engage- of Edinburgh, who will be 95 in with a designs featuring a skull, England’s last Anglo-Saxon A new, bi-metallic 12-sided Two women in fancy dress, leap into the water of ments in the UK and 94 abroad. June, is remarkable. a jester’s hat and a crown and king, being shot in the eye with coin, designed to combat coun- Carnlough harbour, north of Belfast in Northern Ireland The Duchess did not travel “Except for Christmas Day and dagger respectively. an arrow, as depicted on the Ba- terfeiting will enter circulation yesterday during the annual New Year day charity overseas, largely because she Easter Day, the Queen never has a A £2 coin marks the 350th yeux Tapestry. in 2017. Three percent of current harbour plunge and swim. gave birth to Princess Charlotte day off from the offi cial red boxes anniversary of the Great Fire The 150th anniversary of the £1 coins are fake. in May, while William juggles which pursue her everywhere.” Gulf Times Saturday, January 2, 2016 9 EUROPE Netherlands takes over EU presidency

DPA the helm of the EU, organiszing ment, which is led by the lib- months ahead of us,” EU foreign times,” the state of the union national referendum right in the Brussels high-level meetings and broker- eral Prime Minister Mark Rutte, policy chief Federica Mogherini report reads. “Unity and resolve middle of its presidency. ing legislative deals between the wrote in its 2015 report on the said. are needed at all levels.” Dutch voters will be asked to bloc’s 28 countries and with the state of the EU. The Netherlands has set mi- And yet, the northern Eu- weigh in on a high-profi le free he Netherlands took over European Parliament. Europe’s infl ux of migrants, gration and international secu- ropean country faces discord trade agreement between the EU the rotating presidency The Netherlands is an old the threat of terrorism and geo- rity, innovation and job creation, within its very own borders. and Ukraine. Erdogan: his off ice says the Tof the European Union hand at the presidency, having political challenges to the east sound fi nances and a robust eu- Euroscepticism is alive and The April vote will be non- president’s ‘Hitler’s Germany’ yesterday, keen to keep the bloc already held it 11 times over more are all creating diffi culties for rozone, and a forward-looking well in the Netherlands, led most binding, but a rejection of the metaphor has been distorted by united, but facing eurosceptic than fi ve decades. the EU, the report said, pointing climate and energy policy as the prominently by the anti-immi- deal would be a blemish on the some news sources. headwinds fuelled by Europe’s But it is nevertheless likely to also to “the threat of fragmenta- priorities for this EU presidency. gration and anti-Islam politi- Dutch presidency. migration crisis. be challenged in 2016. tion” within the bloc. “It is incumbent on the Neth- cian Geert Wilders. Before the Netherlands, the Every six months, a diff er- “The EU is being severely put “The Dutch presidency will erlands to help the EU fi nd com- The Netherlands will also EU presidency was held by Lux- Erdogan ent member state takes over to the test,” the Dutch govern- have to cope with a diffi cult six mon solutions in these turbulent have to contend with a sensitive embourg. references Hitler’s Germany Police lift

Reuters Istanbul

urkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is ‘imminent’ Tpushing for executive powers, cites Hitler’s Germany as an example of an eff ective presidential system, in com- ments broadcast by Turkish me- dia yesterday. Erdogan wants to change the Turkish constitution to turn the attack alert ceremonial role of president into that of a chief executive, a Turk- ish version of the system in the United States, France or Russia. Asked on his return from a visit to Saudi Arabia late on Thursday whether an executive presidential system was possible on Munich German police off icers are seen keeping watch at the main train station in Munich. while maintaining the unitary structure of the state, he said: AFP acting on information from A deployment of 550 offi cers were immediately suspended fi rst tip-off came as early as Year fi reworks displays in their “There are already examples in Munich “friendly countries” includ- overnight has now been reduced and police urged the public to December 23, but contained few respective capitals, with Brus- the world. You can see it when ing France, said they have so far to 100, and Andrae urged the avoid large gatherings. details. sels saying it had information you look at Hitler’s Germany.” failed to substantiate the threat. public to “live as you did before”. Both stations later reopened German intelligence agents about an alleged jihadist plot to “There are later examples in erman police lifted yes- “Overall I would say that the Nevertheless, the police chief around 3.30am, but police called were then able to interview an attack “emblematic sites” over various other countries,” he told terday an alert of an im- situation for Munich is as it was refuted speculation that the for vigilance. informant in Iraq and French the holiday. reporters, according to a record- Gminent attack in Munich, before this threat of attack,” threat was a false alarm, saying Regional broadcaster Bayer- authorities provided more in- Ahead of the celebrations, ing broadcast by the Dogan news hours after evacuating two key Munich police chief Hubertus that “if there is such informa- ischer Rundfunk said the sus- formation, the media said. Belgian police carried out several agency. train stations over fears jihadists Andrae told journalists yester- tion, we have to act”. pects were seven Iraqis living The alert brought an eerie si- raids in Brussels and the eastern The ruling AK Party, founded were planning a New Year sui- day. Interior Minister Thomas de in Munich who were allegedly lence to Munich’s busy rail hub, city of Liege in connection with by Erdogan, has put a new con- cide bomb assault. Investigators had in hand the Maiziere thanked Bavarian au- planning to work in pairs and which over the summer made the alleged plot. stitution at the heart of its agen- Offi cials had said they were names of some of the “fi ve to thorities for their action, warn- blow themselves up at the two headlines for the massive turn- Several days after the No- da after winning back a major- tipped off about a plot by the Is- seven” suspects allegedly plan- ing in a statement that the se- stations as well in other parts of out of volunteers welcoming vember 13 Paris attacks, Ger- ity in a November parliamentary lamic State (IS) group to strike at ning to blow themselves up at curity situation in Europe and the city. refugees to Germany. man police called off an interna- election. the southern German city short- locations including Munich’s Germany “remains serious in Bavarian Interior Minister Police, including some in riot tional football match at the last It agreed with the main op- ly before midnight as Europe main rail hub and Pasing station the New Year”. Joachim Herrmann revealed gear, were stationed overnight minute, evacuating thousands position CHP on Wednesday to prepared to ring in the New Year in the western part of the city, he “Security agencies continue that the crucial tip-off had come at the entrances to the station. of fans from the stadium over a revive eff orts to forge a new con- in an atmosphere of unprec- said, but have not yet found any to expect a high threat stemming from France, as he underlined Revellers seeking to access the “serious” bomb threat. stitution. edented security. evidence. from international terrorism,” that “the French do not make up site were turned away. Although an investigation Opposition parties agree on European capitals have been “We have examined data re- he said. this sort of information”. Meanwhile across Europe, was opened, no explosives were the need to change the constitu- on high alert since November lating to these names, but at Just over an hour before the US authorities had also ear- public celebrations went ahead found nor arrests made. tion, drawn up after a 1980 coup when IS militants slaughtered the moment, we do not know if New Year, police ordered the lier warned that a plot was being as planned but under the watch- De Maiziere – who had been and still bearing the stamp of its 130 people in a series of gun and these names are correct, wheth- evacuation of the two stations hatched, Bayerischer Rundfunk ful eye of thousands of police due to attend the match with military authors, but do not back suicide attacks in Paris, stoking er these people exist and where over a possible “terror attack”, said. and security forces. Chancellor Angela Merkel – lat- the presidential system envis- fears of assaults over the Christ- they are,” he said, adding that issuing alerts via Twitter in sev- The Munich daily Sueddeut- With fears of a fresh attack er said the event was cancelled aged by Erdogan, fearing it will mas and New Year holidays. the suspects were allegedly from eral languages. scher Zeitung as well as broad- high, both France and Belgium “to protect the population”, but consolidate too much power in But German investigators, Iraq and Syria. Rail services at both stations casters WDR and NDR said the scrapped the traditional New did not provide specifi cs. the hands of an authoritarian leader. Following outcry about his comments, the Turkish presi- Iceland president dency said Erdogan had been not running again misinterpreted. Man drives car at troops protecting mosque in France “Erdogan’s ‘Hitler’s Germany’ Iceland’s president since 1996, metaphor has been distorted by Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, said some news sources and has been Reuters told the iTELE news channel. yesterday that he would not used in the opposite sense,” the Paris The soldier had slight inju- run for another term at the next presidency said in a statement. ries to his legs. election in June. It said his comments were “The four soldiers were in In a New Year speech, Grimsson, meant to demonstrate that an soldier and an eld- front of the mosque, a moder- 72, said he felt it was the executive presidency can exist erly Muslim man were ate, quiet mosque, in between right time “to transfer the in a unitary state and does not A slightly injured when two prayer sessions, at a time responsibilities of the president depend on a federal system of a man drove his car at troops when many worshippers ar- onto other shoulders”. government, and that neither a protecting a mosque in Valence rived,” Daragon said. “A car Grimsson had planned to step presidential nor parliamentary in southern France yesterday, drove at them.” down at the last election in 2012, system is a guarantee against offi cials said. The driver tried twice to hit but changed his mind due to abuse of power. The driver was seriously the soldiers and they shot at strong voter support. “If the system is abused it wounded when the soldiers him on his second attempt. “The many-faceted uncertainty may lead to bad management shot at him but his injuries are France has been on high which, four years ago, resulted in resulting in disasters as in Hit- not life-threatening, the gov- A car is pictured in front of the mosque of Valence, southeastern France, on January 1, 2016, after a alert since Islamic State (IS) calls on me to continue in off ice ler’s Germany ... the important ernment said in a statement. soldier guarding the mosque shot and wounded a driver who rammed him with the car. Police said militants killed 130 people in as president is happily no longer thing is to pursue fair manage- The driver was taken to hos- the driver deliberately drove his Peugeot into the soldier. shootings and suicide bomb- a factor in the current situation,” ment that serves the nation,” the pital and his motives were not ings in Paris on November 13. Grimsson said. statement said, adding that it yet known. services, a source close to the lence and his wife has arrived at 72-year-old worshipper who Soldiers are protecting sen- More than previous presidents, was unacceptable to suggest Er- He had not been questioned. investigation said. hospital to see him, the source was hit in the calf by a stray sitive places across the country, Grimsson has used his right to dogan was casting Hitler’s Ger- The 29-year-old driver is He is from a suburb of Lyon, said. bullet shot by the soldiers, Va- including offi cial buildings and demand popular votes on key many in a positive light. not known to local intelligence about an hour’s drive from Va- The injured passerby was a lence mayor Nicolas Daragon religious sites. issues. New Year brings fresh challenges for Pope Francis

AFP Laid low by the fl u over Christ- been sent back to their dioceses benign brain tumour was imme- detail irregularities, extrava- believers or to allow the divorced Vatican City mas, Francis nevertheless had the and the wings of those who have diately attributed to hostile ele- gance and mismanagement in to remarry and still take com- energy to insist that his wave- stayed in Rome have been clipped ments seeking to undermine the church spending. munion. making shake-up of Vatican gov- by spending cutbacks. Argentinian Pope. That trial is due to resume ear- Francis now has to decide if he ope Francis faces a tough ernance would be pursued in the Francis’s regular public attacks The work still to be done on ly in the New Year and handling takes such views on board when 2016, Vatican insiders say, New Year. on extravagance and greed in the the Vatican’s murky fi nances was its eventual outcome will be one he outlines his own thinking in Pwith no let-up in his physi- “The reform of the Curia upper echelons of the church, his underlined on December 15 when of the many tricky tasks Francis a keenly awaited letter, or Ap- cally demanding schedule or the (the Vatican bureaucracy) will gift for cutting soundbites and a Council of Europe body that will have to deal with during a Ju- ostolic Exhortation, to the 1.2bn political battles over his eff orts to progress with determination, his quick-to-anger temperament combats money laundering and bilee Year dedicated to the theme Catholics around the world. modernise the church. clarity and resolve,” he said in have not endeared him to many terror fi nancing urged the Holy of mercy. The Jubilee year will add to The 79-year-old Pontiff , who his end-of-year message to the within the Vatican machine. See authorities to accelerate in- The Pope also faces a deli- Francis’s workload, notably with eschews holidays and has ap- faithful. This has helped to create a par- dictments and prosecutions of cate balancing act in relation to the scheduling of an extra weekly peared worn out at times during Top of the agenda for 2016 is adoxical situation where Fran- offi cials involved in large-scale church teaching on issues related audience on Saturdays, in addi- the last year, has already sched- the creation of two new minis- cis’s popularity with both believ- irregularities in the church’s to the family, including the vexed tion to his existing Wednesday uled major trips to Mexico (Feb- tries within the Vatican, one re- Pope Francis: The reform of the ers and non-believers around the scandal-hit bank and asset man- subjects of homosexuality and and Sunday appearances before ruary) and Poland (July). sponsible for Laity, Family and Curia will progress. world is mirrored by an unusu- agement body. divorce. the public. Visits to Kosovo and Armenia Life, the other for Justice, Peace ally high level of grumbling about The report from the Money- Deep divisions over these One of the highlights of the (to mark the 100th anniversary of and Migration. The reform process has en- him within the Vatican. val body was embarrassing as it questions were exposed at a Jubilee year is expected to come the World War I genocide there) The Vatican’s media opera- countered resistance amongst The scale of the internal op- came as the Vatican faces criti- meeting of senior clerics in Oc- in early September with the ex- are expected to be added to his tions are also earmarked for re- sections of the cossetted Vatican position was underlined in Oc- cism for pursuing the prosecu- tober with conservatives rally- pected canonisation of Mother diary while France and his native form alongside a continuing hierarchy. tober when an apparently erro- tion of three former offi cials and ing strongly to make it clear they Theresa, the late nun celebrated Argentina are also seen as possi- clean-up of the Holy See’s fi - Although there have been no neous Italian media report that two journalists over the leaking oppose any moves to make the for her work with the poor in ble destinations. nances. redundancies, many clerics have the Pontiff had been treated for a of classifi ed documents which church more welcoming to gay Kolkata. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, January 2, 2016 INDIA

LEGAL DECISION PLAN APPEAL DATA Jean-wearing devotees Khemka, five other IAS Mumbai to off er chopper Lalu urges party cadre, ally Nitish Kumar’s son barred from temples off icers promoted rides for tourists to refrain from squabbling richer than him

Temples in southern India yesterday began Ashok Khemka, senior IAS off icer of the Tourists will soon get to have an aerial view of In a bid to send out a message of unity, Rashtriya Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant turning away devotees wearing western clothes Haryana cadre, has been promoted as principal Mumbai from a helicopter, thanks to Maharashtra Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad yesterday advised Kumar is richer than him as far as movable and after a court order banning jeans and shorts as secretary along with five others by the Haryana Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and spokespersons of his party and ally Janata Dal- immovable assets are concerned. According to “inappropriate” for worship came into eff ect. government, an off icial spokesman said. “These Pawan Hans. The scheme, Mumbai Darshan, United not to squabble publicly. “Don’t speak details of movable and immovable assets declared In December, the Madras High Court ordered IAS off icers, on promotion, will continue to initially with two choppers, would be launched on needlessly,” he told the media, referring to the by the chief minister and his cabinet ministers temple authorities in Tamil Nadu to refuse entry function in their present postings till further January 7. The helicopters will take off from the spokespersons. “If you don’t understand an yesterday for 2015, Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant to anyone wearing jeans, bermuda shorts, orders,” the spokesman added. Khemka, whose Juhu airport and fly northwards, on the western issue, remain at home and be quiet.” Lalu Prasad has cash and movable/immovable properties skirts, short-sleeves or tight leggings. Hundreds actions even attracted Modi’s attention in his side of the city to avoid interference with the air made the remark while accepting greetings worth over Rs20mn, making him over three of staff members in the state’s 6,000 temples speeches during Haryana assembly elections, traff ic at the Mumbai airports. “A base formula from party leaders and activists on New Year›s times richer than his father. Nitish Kumar has remained on alert yesterday for people flouting hit national headlines in October 2012 when he of around Rs320 per minute, plus taxes, has day. He expressed displeasure over what he said assets including cash, deposits in banks and the ban, which came into force on January 1. “A cancelled the mutation of a Rs580mn land deal been arrived at between the state government were unnecessary remarks by several leaders of movable/immovable properties worth Rs5.8mn few people were politely turned back for not between Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s and PHL, for the Mumbai Darshan. Initially, his RJD and the Janata Dal-United. “The grand in contrast to his son’s properties worth about wearing the prescribed dress,” a superintendent son-in-law Robert Vadra and realty giant DLF two choppers will be deployed and it will be alliance is intact and united. There is no rift Rs.21.4mn comprising deposits in banks and at the Arulmigu Ramanatha Swami Temple in and ordered a probe into the controversial land gradually increased,” MTDC managing director P between us. The state government is on the right investment. Nitish Kumar has Rs40,566 in cash Rameswaram said. deals done by Vadra in Haryana. J Nainuttia said. track,” he said. and his son Nishant has Rs7,034 in cash.

Violators greeted with roses Cars off roads

IANS New Delhi in capital as ach time an even-num- bered vehicle was fl agged Edown here, the off ending motorist was off ered a rose - and some counselling about the ris- ing pollution levels in the na- scheme to cut tional capital. The scene was a busy traffi c intersection near Noida where a number of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers were assisting Delhi Police personnel in keep- ing a tab on vehicles follow- smog begins ing the launch yesterday of the odd-even scheme for restricting AFP ordered to return home. Others remain sceptical that movement of cars. New Delhi “I would have expected to drivers will observe the restric- There were no police barri- catch at least dozens in the fi rst tions for long. cades near the Delhi-Noida bor- half an hour, but surprisingly “Just wait for Monday, people der in the morning and the vol- ore than a million pri- most people are obeying,” said are going to be back to their old unteers tried to ensure a smooth vate cars were banned Ankit Kumar, a traffi c policeman. habits. Delhiites are too used to fl ow of traffi c on the road. The Mfrom New Delhi’s roads The restrictions, which run their cars,” said Kirti Lal, who volunteers, however, fl agged yesterday, as authorities began until January 15 on a trial basis, commutes by bus. down a few even-numbered trialling drastic new measures are part of a wider drive aimed A 2014 WHO survey of more four-wheelers and went up to to cut smog in the world’s most at cutting pollution that also in- than 1,600 cities ranked Delhi the driver to present a rose, re- polluted capital. cludes shutting some coal-fi red as the most polluted, partly be- fl ecting a Gandhian spirit. For 15 days from January 1, only power plants and vacuuming cause of the 8.5mn vehicles on its They also counselled the mo- cars with odd-numbered licence roads to reduce dust. roads. torists to follow the Delhi gov- plates will be allowed on the Schools have been ordered to Car sales are soaring as in- ernment’s odd-even plan and roads on odd-numbered dates remain closed for the period so comes rise, with 1,400 extra asked them to return. While and those with even-numbered that their buses can be used to vehicles pouring onto the city’s some vehicle owners followed plates on the other days to try ferry commuters to work. already crowded roads every day. the instructions, others gave to reduce pollutant levels which The Delhi government says the J B Khatri, a 59-year-old auto- their reasons for not being able regularly hit 10 times the World measures could be introduced on rickshaw driver, said he was en- to comply with the plan. Health Organization safe limits. a more permanent basis if suc- joying the unusually light traffi c. Shiv Kumar Sharma, a civil As the restrictions came into cessful, although some believe “Every day we spend hours defence volunteer from Geeta force yesterday morning, pollut- city residents could try to get stuck in long jams and breathe in Colony circle in east Delhi, said ant levels hit a “hazardous” 429 around the restrictions by forg- so much pollution, it makes us his group was able to persuade on the US embassy’s air qual- ing number plates or buying sec- sick. This is a good change,” he some motorists to turn back. ity index, meaning everyone is at ond cars. said. “We were here since 7am. We risk of respiratory problems and The scheme will be truly test- The capital has been shrouded gave roses to people and cous- children and older people should ed on Monday, when millions of in a toxic blanket of smog in re- elled them about the odd-even stay indoors. commuters will have to fi nd al- cent weeks as cooler tempera- formula. So far, we have per- Hundreds of traffi c police and ternative ways to get to work af- tures trap pollutants in the at- suaded around a dozen people to volunteers took to the streets to ter the long New Year weekend. mosphere, pushing harmful PM turn back,” he said. enforce the scheme including Many residents said they were 2.5 levels sky-high. “Some people said they were dozens of children wearing smog willing to do their part. These fi ne particles less than going to hospital or there was an masks and holding banners urg- “We are ready to travel in pub- 2.5 micrometres in diameter are emergency. We did let them go.” ing drivers to comply. lic transportation as long as there linked to higher rates of chron- The roses were provided by Most drivers appeared to be aren’t any hassles,” said Pallavi ic bronchitis, lung cancer and the area district magistrate’s of- adhering to the rule yesterday, Agarwal, a 37-year-old doctor, as heart disease after settling into fi ce. with Delhi’s usually clogged she stepped out of her SUV with lungs and passing into the blood- Another civil defence vol- roads fl owing relatively freely. her four-year-old son and hus- stream. unteer, who did not wish to be “Delhi has done it!” tweeted the band. Yesterday the US embassy fi g- named, said his group refrained city’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejri- “Pollution is a real health con- ures put PM 2.5 levels at 264 in from entering into any argu- wal, who said he was carpooling cern and we have to do some- Delhi, well above the WHO safe ment with the violators and with colleagues to get to work. thing.” limit of 60. requested them to comply with “Reports so far are encourag- Yet critics say the restrictions In a measure of mounting the rule. ing,” he added. do not go far enough, with mo- concern, the Supreme Court has “We cannot prosecute people. One early violator caught driv- torcyclists and women driving recently ordered a temporary The police will do that,” he said, ing a car with an even-numbered alone exempt. Campaigners say ban on large new diesel cars in adding that the police were co- Civil defence volunteers use electric bikes to spread the message on day 1 of the implementation of the licence plate on a busy stretch of motorbikes create up to 31% of Delhi and doubled a tax on diesel operating with them. government’s odd-even formula in New Delhi yesterday. road was fi ned Rs2,000 ($30) and pollution from vehicles. trucks. Offi cers opposing govt Benegal to head fi lm should leave: Kejriwal body revamp panel IANS to provide a holistic frame- New Delhi work and enable those tasked IANS Najeeb Jung was in Goa. He low his government to func- with the work of certifi cation New Delhi participated in the meeting tion in 2016. “The PMO de- of fi lms to discharge their re- through speaker phone. In clares all my orders null and cclaimed fi lmmaker sponsibilities keeping in view that meeting, it was decided void. He targets me unfairly. Shyam Benegal was this framework,” the statement elhi Chief Minis- that the officers will go on The centre wanted to foil the Ayesterday appointed to added. ter Arvind Kejriwal mass casual leave,” he added. odd-even scheme by making lead a committee to recom- Benegal is a Dadasaheb Phal- Dyesterday targeted Kejriwal said: “The LG senior officers go on strike. I mend a holistic framework for ke Award winner, and is cred- Narendra Modi and the Prime said he was in touch with the just want to request Modi to the country’s fi lm censor board ited with fi lms like Ankur (1973), Minister’s Office (PMO) for PMO, (PM’s principal secre- allow us to work.” and to suggest changes in the Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976) allegedly masterminding the tary) Nripendra Mishra and Asked if he ever tried to get Cinematograph Act, so that and Bhumika (1977). mass casual leave taken by the home secretary. The PMO in touch with Modi, Kejriwal artistic creativity and freedom The other members of the IAS officers here and the CBI is getting the mass casual said: “I tried to talk to him are not curtailed. committee include fi lmmaker raid at the Delhi Secretariat. leave done. It is mastermind- during Diwali, but he snubbed The committee, formed upon Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, ad “The Delhi, Andaman and ed by Mishra on the direc- me.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guru Piyush Pandey, veteran Nicobar Islands Civil Serv- tions of the prime minister. As for hiring experts in- intervention in the growing is- fi lm journalist Bhawana So- ice (DANICS) Association is All directions are coming stead of bureaucrats for better sue related to the Central Board maaya, National Film Develop- working as a B-team of the from the PMO. Who ordered a governance, the chief minis- of Film Certifi cation (CBFC), ment Corporation managing Bharatiya Janata Party. I sus- raid at my office? It was done ter said: “Bureaucrats don’t has been constituted for “ho- director Nina Lath Gupta, and pended three officers after by Modi.” have the expertise in a lot of listic interpretation” of the pro- the joint secretary (fi lms) in the they failed to provide relief The Delhi chief minister things. Governance is becom- visions of the Cinematograph information and broadcasting material after a demolition asserted that the Cabinet was ing very technical. Experts Act/Rules, an offi cial statement ministry as the member con- drive. supreme and no “hooligan- are needed for this. Bureauc- said. venor. Three officers were sus- ism” by bureaucrats would racy tries to be an obstruction The decision is in sync with The committee has been pended after auto-permit be tolerated. “IAS officers in everything. Modi’s vision that a milieu asked to submit its recommen- scam,” Kejriwal said during played politics... we will not They cannot give solutions. should be ensured wherein “ar- dations within two months. an interview to CNN-IBN TV tolerate this sort of behav- The Delhi government will tistic creativity and freedom The news comes just days news channel. iour. hire a consultant to advise us do not get stifl ed or curtailed after Information and Broad- “Two officers refused to All those IAS officers who about the fields for which we and the people tasked with the casting Minister Arun Jaitley agree to a few cabinet deci- have problem with our gov- need experts from outside. If work of certifi cation understand said that “the time has come to sions. We suspended them. ernment should leave Delhi,” you have to get the bureauc- these nuances”. have a look at the role of the cer- The officers called a meeting he added. racy to function, some tough “The recommendations of tifi cation board... (it needs to be when Lieutenant Governor Kejriwal urged Modi to al- action must be taken. Kejriwal: tough stance this committee are expected controversy-free”. Gulf Times Saturday, January 2, 2016 11 INDIA

POLITICS ANNOUNCEMENT POLICY CRIME SECURITY Prime minister to New waste management Congress leader complains Punjab police on alert visit Karnataka today rules soon: Javadekar over social media posts after off icer abducted

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Union Minister for Environment Prakash Javadekar Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi yesterday Security forces were put on high alert in Karnataka today and tomorrow where he will yesterday said the government will soon unveil lodged a complaint in the cybercrime cell alleging Pathankot in Punjab’s frontier district Gurdaspur inaugurate the Indian Science Congress, an waste management rules for the country, and some people had posted a false statement yesterday after a senior police off icer said he and off icial statement said yesterday. The statement 66 cities will have air quality monitors to track attributed to her, along with some photographs, his associates were seized by five armed men in said Modi will arrive in Mysuru today afternoon pollution levels. “The new waste management on social networking sites. The former Uttar army fatigues. Talwinder Singh, a superintendent where he will visit the Avadhoota Datta Peetham, rules, which will align ultimately with ‘Clean Pradesh Congress chief and national spokesperson of police, said he and his associates were an ashram in the city. He will also attend the India’ campaign, as envisioned by Prime Minister added that while inflammatory words have been travelling in a vehicle on Thursday night when centenary celebrations of Jagadguru Shivarathri Narendra Modi, are ready, and will be announced used, the persons who posted the material has they were signalled to stop by five men. The Rajendra Mahaswamiji of Sri Suttur Math. anytime soon,” Javadekar said on the sidelines also disclosed her personal number with a public incident took place near Dinanagar town. Punjab The prime minister will tomorrow inaugurate of his closed-door meeting with the ministry appeal to pester her with unwanted calls. She also Police sources said the entire area, not far from the 103rd session of Indian Science Congress off icials. The waste management rules will include alleged the post was an attempt to portray her as the border with Pakistan was being searched. at the University of Mysore. He will also lay solid waste, construction and demolition waste, anti-Hindu and foment trouble. Demanding the Intelligence agencies were also trying to verify An elderly woman casts her vote during the the foundation stone for a new helicopter electronic waste, plastic waste, biomedical waste police expose the people behind the “criminal act”, the incident and another in which the body of a Himachal panchayat polls near Shimla yesterday. manufacturing unit at Tumkur. and hazardous waste, the minister said. Joshi said she had a firm belief in the constitution. motorist was discovered nearby, the sources said.

Top tourist attraction CPI-M not to reverse Chandy initiatives if Left in power

By Ashraf Padanna (where the LNG terminal project Gulf Times Correspondent started later),” he said. Thiruvananthapuram “Similarly, why has the wid- ening of the highways been stalled. The government should inarayi Vijayan, widely convince the public that there is seen as one of the leading no other option but to part with Pchief ministerial contend- their land for development of the er in the general elections this state. The problem is the gov- summer, has said there would be ernment is not taking the initia- no reversal of current develop- tive here.” ment initiatives if the Left came He stressed the government to power. should address issues faced by Replying to a question on the expatriates. Vizhinjam International Sea- Evading a question on the port while interacting with the sharp drop in paddy production media here yesterday, Vijayan after the fragmentation of farms put development over politics due to land reforms that limited by stressing there would be no landholding, Vijayan said he was A Kashmiri man pulls a sleigh carrying a tourist in Gulmarg, about 55kms north of Srinagar. Gulmarg is the main ski destination in Kashmir and hundreds of tourists visit relook into the project. all for using advanced technolo- the slopes despite an ongoing insurgency in the region. The Communist Party of In- gy to increase paddy production. dia-Marxist (CPI-M) had boy- Vijayan’s views represent the cotted the groundbreaking cer- tectonic changes in the attitude emony of the prestigious project of the CPI-M, which has faced alleging favouritism in awarding severe criticism for opposing it to Adanis, India’s largest pri- mechanisation in the farming vate port builder. sector, and even caring out a vio- “We are not a party opposing lent agitation against computers development,” the CPI-M polit- claiming it would destroy jobs. buro member said. He added it was the govern- “The CPI-M is willing to lend ment’s duty to ensure that em- Economy stuck in its support to developmental ployees being paid from the projects. There should be a con- taxpayer’s money do their duty sensus on development above and deliver - another bane of the politics.” state’s development. Chief Minister Oommen He also agreed to the sugges- Chandy has initiated or put tion that the state should shift fi rmly on track a host of big- its focus on creating jobs as tens groove: Chidambaram ticket projects since he came to of thousands of young graduates power in 2011 and most of them are being forced to leave the state IANS fi dently predicted the growth “The Indian economy is like deviating from the path of fi scal in 2014. “There is no evidence are progressing in a time-bound to eke out a living. New Delhi of economy at 8.1% to 8.5% in a car running on two wheels. consolidation in 2016-17. that the promised jobs are be- manner under his supervision. Meanwhile, the chief minis- 2015-16 at the beginning of 2015 Corporate balance sheets are “Crop insurance is unavail- ing created,” the former fi nance These include the SmartC- ter said the state was no longer and that many of its promises, in- stressed, net sales have fallen by able to most farmers. Banks are minister said. ity Kochi promoted by Dubai’s a laggard and infrastructure he Indian economy is cluding on more jobs, were prem- 5.3%, and profi t after tax is fl at. reluctant to give loans against Chidambaram referred to low Tecom Investments, the Kan- projects were being completed stuck in a groove and ised on a high growth of GDP. Non-food credit growth at 8.3% jewellery. Education loans have prices of international crude oil nur International Airport, the in a time-bound manner where Tthe growth of the gross “I am afraid none of the is the slowest in 20 years. Growth practically stopped,” he said. and said there was no interna- Kollam-Kottappuram National earlier it used to take years. domestic product in 2015-16 promises has materialised. of credit to industry is 4.6% while The Congress leader accused tional pressure on the govern- Waterway, a world class multi- “The completion of the is not likely to be higher than For the whole of 2015-16, credit to medium enterprises has the government of failing to ment. “I am not yet prepared purpose stadium here and the projects also instills confi dence 7.3%, former fi nance minister GDP growth is not likely to be actually shrunk by 9.1%,” the check price rise and alleged to say that there has been fi scal metro in Kochi. that if Kerala wills and acts on its P Chidambaram said yesterday. higher than 7% to 7.3%, which Congress leader said. growing intolerance, saying mismanagement but there are Vijayan criticised the govern- dreams, nothing is impossible,” There was acute distress in means it will be the same as - The former minister said ex- these had led to “much grief and pointers to serious mistakes in ment for its failure to lay pipe- he said in a Facebook post yes- rural India since promised jobs or lower than - in 2014-15. The ports have recorded decline for fear among the people”. fi scal management.” lines to carry LNG stored in the terday. were not created and people economy is stuck in a groove,” 12 successive months compared The former minister said the Chidambaram accused the port city to the industrial hubs “The success of Kerala’s Star- were not impressed by Modi’s Chidambaram said. with previous year. “This is un- 26th quarterly employment Modi government of not en- of Coimbatore-Bengaluru and tup Village and the recognition numerous visits to foreign He said the mid-year eco- precedented,” he said. survey showed that job creation gaging the opposition on any Mangalore. that the Start-up Policy received countries, he said at a press nomic analysis has pointed out Chidambaram said the gov- in manufacturing and export- important issue and said peo- “The project was initiated is proof to the fact that the youth conference here. that private investment and ex- ernment did not seem confi dent oriented sectors fell by 43,000 ple were wondering if the cen- in 1996. Why is it still lagging? actively contributes to the de- The Congress leader said the ports - two of the four drivers of of meeting the fi scal defi cit target whereas these sectors added tral government had a clear and Gas is freely fl owing in Gujarat velopment,” Chandy said. BJP-led government had con- demand - were languishing. of 3.9% and cautioned it against 182,000 jobs in the same period consistent policy on Pakistan. Cooking gas for all in Street performance Pak singer deported from Hyderabad three years: minister Agencies we are authorised to travel. Hyderabad Hence, it was their fault.” “Khan had to go back to Abu IANS ply, Pradhan also asked offi cials poration (IOC) hiked prices of Dhabi and fl ew back to Delhi. New Delhi present to make the number non-subsidised LPG cylinders enowned Pakistani From there he came to Hy- toll-free. by around Rs50. singer Rahat Fateh Ali derabad and performed at the On the current LPG (liquefi ed Allowing for local levies, the RKhan was deported from event,” Ena Sharma, an offi cial eclaring 2016 as the “Year petroleum gas) availability in the market price of a non-subsi- the Rajiv Gandhi International associated with the event, said. of LPG Consumers”, the country, the minister said there dised LPG cylinder of 14.4 kg is Airport (RGIA) in Hydera- A senior police offi cial said Dgovernment yesterday are 270mn subscribers, of which now Rs657.50 in Delhi, Rs686.50 bad on Thursday on technical the movements of all Pakistani announced its plans to make 165mn are active subscribers, in Kolkata, Rs671 in Mumbai and grounds. nationals entering the country clean cooking fuel available to all while the oil marketing compa- Rs671.50 in Chennai. According to reports, Khan are recorded at the entry points households by 2018-end. nies cover around 60% of the This is the second successive came to India from Abu Dhabi of New Delhi and Mumbai. It also announced an online population. hike in less than two months. to perform at a New Year’s eve Since Hyderabad did not bill payment facility. “We want to cover 100% of Prices were last raised in Decem- event at the Taj Falaknuma fi gure in the authorised entry “The 2016 will be Year of LPG the population. But we have to ber by nearly Rs60 a cylinder. Palace. However, immigra- points, Pakistani nationals are Consumers. We will work to in- keep in mind the aff ordability Also yesterday, cooking gas tion authorities didn’t allow not allowed to enter the coun- crease accessibility and avail- and accessibility issues. We hope consumers with taxable income the singer to enter the city as try through this airport, he ability of the cooking fuel in the that a large proportion of popu- of more than Rs1mn per annum the legal ports for Pakistani added. country,” said Minister of State lation will avail the facility with will no longer get benefi t of the nationals to enter India are Meanwhile, noted singer for Petroleum and Natural Gas the increase in their purchasing subsidy on gas cylinders, the Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Adnan Sami, who is of Paki- Dharmendra Pradhan. power due to economic growth, government has announced. Chennai. stani descent, was yesterday “In the coming three calen- in next three years,” he said. To be applicable from the New The singer, 42, yesterday granted the certifi cate of In- dar years 2016, 2017 and 2018, On rolling out the LPG online Year, the directive would be ef- faulted the airline for the fi asco dian citizenship from Minister we will set an ambitious target bill payment service, Pradhan fected “initially on a self-decla- and said the authorities were of State for Home Kiren Rijiju to provide clean cooking fuel to said: “The pilot experiment is ration basis”, a petroleum minis- only following the rules. here. Describing it as his “new the entire population,” Pradhan on. We will launch this service try statement said. Asked about the incident, birth”, he has thanked Prime said here, while launching LPG during the 2016 calender year.” IOC also announced cuts in Khan told the Press Trust of Minister Narendra Modi and emergency helpline number Regarding the launch of the transport fuel prices eff ective India, “the authorities and I union Home Minister Rajnath 1906 for cooking gas consumers. composite transparent cylinder, yesterday with petrol prices per were right in our own ways Singh for making him an In- Consumers can call on hel- the minister said it will be a real- litre being reduced by Rs0.63 and the airline in question was dian citizen offi cially. pline number 1906 for assist- ised in the next fi scal. and diesel by Rs1.06, both at wrong as they should have Sami, who was born in Brit- ance in dealing with gas leakage. Meanwhile, eff ective yester- Delhi, with corresponding price A girl balances on a tightrope in Kolkata yesterday. known that as a Pakistani na- ain and was earlier a Canadian While normal call rates will ap- day state run-Indian Oil Cor- revision in other states. tional which ports in India citizen. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, January 2, 2016 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Pak courts Suicide attack targets sentence restaurant in Kabul 9 militants Two killed and 15 are injured after an attack by Taliban to death on an eatery causes a loud explosion and leaves a building engulfed in flames AFP kistan who had killed five Islamabad Shias in the eastern city of AFP Lahore. Kabul Their trials took place be- akistan military courts hind closed doors, with no have sentenced nine information on where or Taliban suicide car Pmen to death for ter- when they were held, how bomber struck a French rorism-related off ences or at- proceedings unfolded and Arestaurant popular with tacks on minority Shias, the scant details about their foreigners in Kabul yesterday, army said yesterday. crimes. killing two people in a New Pakistan has hanged more Pakistan has been bat- Year’s day attack that marks than 300 people since lifting a tling a homegrown Islamist the latest in a series of brazen moratorium on the death pen- insurgency for over a dec- insurgent assaults. alty in December 2014, many ade following its decision to Fifteen others were wounded of them convicted in closed side with the US-led coali- in the attack on Le Jardin, an military courts which critics tion against the Taliban in Afghan-owned eatery, which say fail to meet fair trial stand- Afghanistan. caused a piercingly loud explo- ards. Its troops have been en- sion and left a building engulfed “Today, (the) Chief of Army gaged in a full-scale off ensive in fl ames. Staff confi rmed death sen- against Taliban and other mil- The attack comes a day after tences (were) awarded to an- itants in North Waziristan and Afghanistan announced four- other nine hardcore terrorists, Khyber tribal districts since way talks in Pakistan on Janu- who were involved in commit- June 2014. ary 11, aimed at jump-starting ting heinous off ences relating The fi ght gained renewed peace negotiations with the re- to terrorism,” an army state- impetus following a massa- surgent Taliban. ment said. cre at a Peshawar school in “We can confi rm a suicide They include Muhammad December 2014 in which 134 car bomb attack on Le Jardin,” Ghauri, a Pakistani Taliban children were killed, leading Fraidoon Obaidi, the head of Policemen keep watch at the site of an explosion in Kabul yesterday. member linked to an at- to widespread outrage and a Kabul’s Criminal Investigation tack on a garrison mosque in series of measures aimed at Department, said. Mujahid on Twitter claimed sev- the eatery and two other militants the death of longtime leader tary gains to try to achieve great- Rawalpindi which killed 38 combating terror. “We are busy extinguishing eral foreigners had been killed and stormed inside and opened fi re. Mullah Omar. er concessions during talks. people and injured 57 in De- After the school attack the fi re at the scene... two Af- wounded in the suicide attack. The latest attack comes just Afghanistan sees the support Afghan forces are currently cember 2009. the government ended a ghans have been killed and 15 Taliban insurgents routinely days after Pakistan’s powerful of Pakistan as vital to bring the battling to push back Taliban Also sentenced were Har- six-year moratorium on ex- others wounded,” he added. exaggerate the death toll in at- army chief General Raheel Sharif Taliban to the negotiating table. insurgents who seized large katul Jehad-e-Islam activ- ecutions — initially only for The Italian-run Emergency tacks on government and foreign visited Kabul to try to prepare the But despite the growing bon- swathes of the key opium-rich ist Abdul Qayyum, who was people convicted of terror- Hospital in Kabul said on Twit- targets. ground for fresh peace talks with homie with Islamabad, analysts district of Sangin in the southern linked to a car bomb suicide ism but later for all capital ter that the fatalities included Yesterday’s bombing evoked the resurgent Taliban. caution that any substantive province of Helmand. attack on the Inter-Services offences. a 12-year-old boy who was de- memories of an audacious Tali- Both sides agreed to hold a talks are still a long way off . The off ensive has prompted Intelligence headquarters Pakistan also amended its clared dead on arrival. ban attack on another restaurant fi rst round of dialogue between On Monday, just a day after the fi rst British deployment in the central city of Multan constitution to allow military Security forces cordoned off popular with expats, the Taverna Afghanistan, Pakistan, US and Sharif’s visit, a Taliban bomber to the volatile province in 14 which killed seven people courts to try terror suspects the area and fi refi ghters and am- du Liban, in January 2014, which China on January 11 to lay out detonated an explosives-packed months. and wounded 72 in December for a two-year period. bulances were seen rushing to the left 21 people dead, including 13 a comprehensive roadmap for vehicle near Kabul airport, killing The deployment, in addition 2009. Supporters of the courts restaurant, which sports a large foreigners. peace, offi cials in Kabul said. one civilian in an attack targeting to a recent arrival of US special Two others were linked say cases previously dragged garden festooned with rose bush- Then, desperate customers Pakistan hosted a milestone a Nato convoy. forces in the region, comes a year to attacks on soldiers, while on for years and many sus- es and is a popular hangout for tried to hide under tables as one fi rst round of talks in July but the Observers say the intensifying after Nato forces formally ended five were said to be mem- pects escaped punishment foreigners and wealthy Afghans. attacker detonated his suicide negotiations stalled when the insurgency highlights a push by their combat operations in the bers of the Sunni sectarian due to legal loopholes or Taliban spokesman Zabihullah vest at the fortifi ed entrance to insurgents belatedly confi rmed the Taliban to make more mili- country. outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba Pa- intimidation of witnesses.

Celebrating New Year Afghan Senate panel okays peace talks draft proposal for on Jan 16

IANS speedy justice Islamabad he fi rst round of quadri- Internews and inexpensive justice to the It is for the fi rst time in lateral meeting of Paki- Islamabad people. the country’s history that Tstan, Afghanistan, US and The Senate chairman said law experts, members of China will take place on Janu- that recommendations and the Senate as well as Chief ary 16 to work out a clear and akistani Senate commit- proposals which are not made Justice of Pakistan Supreme comprehensive road map for a tee of the upper house part of the draft recommenda- Court has presented their meaningful Afghan peace proc- Pyesterday fi nalised the tions would also be included in point of view regarding the ess, Pakistani Defence Minister draft recommendations for the fi nal document as annexure matter. Khawaja Asif has said. provision of speedy and inex- so that people should know Rabbani, speaking on the oc- The eff orts to facilitate the Af- pensive justice system in the the work and eff orts put in by casion, congratulated all the ghan reconciliation were started country. each and every member of the members for fi nalisation of on the occasion of the “Heart of Mian Raza Rabbani, Sen- Senate. recommendations on speedy Asia” Conference in Islamabad ate chairman, commended the The aim of the committee and inexpensive justice in the on December 9. Diplomatic ef- members of the upper house was to get approval of the rec- country. forts will get momentum with for accomplishing a remark- ommendations given by the He said the credit went to all the meeting to revive the dialogue able job in a short span of time members of the Senate and law the Senate members for getting process between the Afghan gov- which will be laid before the experts so that draft report on success in this regard. ernment and the Taliban. house in coming days for fi nal speedy and inexpensive justice He appreciated the Senate Pakistan earlier brokered the approval and then the same in the country could be pre- members, law experts and oth- fi rst ever face-to-face talks in will be sent to the National As- sented to the National Assem- ers for suggestions made on the early July and the second round sembly for consideration. bly for further procedure. speedy and inexpensive justice was cancelled after the death of The committee comprising It was further decided that in the country. the Taliban leader Mullah Omar whole Senate deliberated upon the bills which are made part of The draft report of the com- was revealed in late July. all the points and suggestions these recommendations would mittee on recommendations All stakeholders are now mak- coming from members and be tabled before the upper house for speedy and inexpensive ing eff orts to end the deadlock in experts thoroughly and then by the parliamentary parties’ justice after its formal approval the process that was necessary fi nally drafted a set of recom- heads in the house as private from the Senate will be sent to to stop the Taliban’s Spring Of- mendations which will pave members bills in the upcoming the National Assembly for fur- Pakistanis celebrate New Year’s Day along a street in Lahore yesterday. fensive. The Taliban launch the the way for provision of speedy session of the Senate. ther action. annual off ensive in late March or early April. Asif told the senate the quad- rilateral meeting will clearly de- marcate responsibilities of each stakeholder at all stages. Talking about the Army Chief Seminaries’ bank accounts under scanner General Raheel Sharif’s recent visit to Kabul, he said the army chief carried a message to Ka- Internews accounts with very small A joint team comprising of- “The investigators tion’ for investigators to un- catch ‘facilitators and fi nanciers bul that the peace process would Lahore amounts of a few thousand ru- fi cials of the Counter-Terrorism have prepared a list (of earth the truth about channels of terrorism’. necessarily be Afghan-led and pees fuelling long-held suspi- Department, Federal Investiga- suspected seminaries) of their funding and bring them The State Bank, FIA, the Fed- Afghan-owned. cions that they had employed tion Agency, Special Branch of on the basis of any of its under fi nancial regulation. eral Board of Revenue and in- “It was agreed that they will ardly any ‘substantial’ other channels of funding such the Punjab Police, the National student found involved Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaf- telligence agencies are jointly pursue peace and reconciliation bank transaction has as hawala or hundi in their own Counter-Terrorism Author- in terror or suspicious fargarh, Mianwali, Khushab, working under this cell to track with Taliban groups willing to Hbeen detected in the name or that of an associate or ity, the Punjab Home Depart- activities” Layyah, Rajanpur Multan, fi nancial transactions between join the process,” the minister case of about 200 seminaries in they were being run on direct ment and a number of intelli- Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Baha- ‘national and international informed the upper house of the Punjab which are being moni- cash collections. gence agencies had prepared a Finding out that the seminaries walnagar, Vehari, Bhakkar and banking systems’. parliament on Thursday. tored for terror fi nancing, forc- “Joint investigation teams list of seminaries suspected to had carried out no substantial Jhang districts - all in south- The SBP is reported to have Elements that would still con- ing the authorities concerned to have completed verifi cation of have been receiving terror fi - bank transactions could indi- ern Punjab - have around 100 frozen Rs1bn in 126 accounts tinue to pursue violence will be try and trace any other channels bank transactions of the sus- nancing or funding from illegal cate that they are avoiding the suspected seminaries while the of banned groups and Rs250mn dealt, under a mutually worked of money transfer that they may pected seminaries. They will channels. legal channel to keep the source other 100 are in the rest of the has been detected transferred out framework, he declared. have used. now record statements of the “The investigators have pre- of funding secret,” the offi cial province. here through hundi and hawala All eyes are now on the four- Offi cials involved in the administration of seminaries pared a list (of suspected semi- said. On the other hand, the gov- since the launch of the National nation meeting that was seen monitoring of suspected sem- about the channels they are re- naries) on the basis of any of The offi cial said that the in- ernment has recently estab- Action Plan after the Taliban at- very signifi cant to explore ways inaries said yesterday that ceiving money from to run their its student found involved in vestigation of seminaries’ bank lished the National Terrorists tack on Peshawar’s Army Public for the revival of the dialogue the seminaries maintained aff airs,” an offi cial said. terror or suspicious activities. accounts had set a ‘clear direc- Financing Investigation Cell to School. process. Gulf Times Saturday, January 2, 2016 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Militancy under control Lanka govt says enough in Bangladesh: top cop proof against By Mizan Rahman high alert against militancy,” he Of the arrested, 1,793 mili- lodged accusing 660 members 118, diff erent other terms to 116 Dhaka also said. tants are from JMB, 208 from of the JMB. Of them, 103 cases others and acquitted 118 others Sixty-nine members belong- HuJIB, 693 from Hizbut Tahrir, have already been disposed of of the charges. ing to the banned militant outfi ts 23 from Hizbullah, 80 from Alla- while 58 cases are under trial,” In the latest verdict on Au- former regime ith the latest verdict Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangla- har Dal, eight from Hizbut Taw- RAB media wing director Com- gust 10, a Dhaka court sentenced delivered Thursday desh (JMB), Harkutul Jihad Al hid, 28 from Hizbut Tawhir Ulai- mander Mufti Mahmud told 17 JMB men to 10 years in jail Wagainst Ansarullah Islami Bangladesh (HuJIB), and yah Bangladesh, 14 from Ansar reporters earlier. in connection with exploding Bangla Team (ABT) men over ABT have been awarded death Ullah Bangla Team, and 10 from Courts awarded death sen- bombs at nine places in Gazipur blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider’s sentences. Shaheed Hamza Brigade. tences to 15 JMB men, life term to district. for corruption murder, a total of 183 cases re- JMB chief Maulana Shaikh The organisational activities lating to militancy have been Abdur Rahman, HuJIB op- of the JMB suff ered a setback Indian state credits Bangladesh for curb in insurgency deposed of with awarding of erational chief Maulana Ab- following the arrest of its chief Agencies death sentence to 69 militants, dul Hannan were among those Shaikh Abdur Rahman, his sec- Claiming the existence of has taken active measures Colombo life terms to 162 and diff erent jail awarded the death sentence. ond-in-command Siddiqul Is- terrorists camps in Bangladesh, against them, there are still terms to 239 others while 364 Some 145 cases against JMB lam Bangla Bhai, military com- the chief minister of Indian several camps in Bangladesh. more cases are now under trial, men have so far been disposed mander Ataur Rahman Sunny, state Tripura, Manik Sarkar, “I know the Bangladesh ri Lankan investiga- police said yesterday. of, 183 cases are under trial Abdul Awal, Khaled Saifullah has praised the neighbouring government may not agree tors have found enough “Activities of the militants while trial in four cases has been and Salahuddin and execution of country for its action against to that, but we have already Sevidence to arrest mem- have been brought under con- completed. their death sentences on March terrorism which has helped curb shared this information with the bers of the previous Mahinda trol as top leaders of diff erent Similarly, 33 cases have been 30 in 2007 in the case of kill- insurgency in the Indian state. central government,” he said. Rajapakse regime for alleged militant organisations have al- disposed of against operatives of ings of two judges in Jhalokathi “People helping insurgency Claiming that the Indian corruption and rights abus- ready been captured and many another banned militant outfi t district. in the state have their camps government has been able to es during his 10-year rule, of them have been sentenced in Hizbut Tahrir while 124 cases are HuJIB has suff ered a big blow in Bangladesh. The present tackle insurgency, Sarkar said a senior minister has said, diff erent cases,” Joint Commis- under trial. as most of its top leaders, in- Bangladesh government has the issue cannot be tackled according to a media report. sioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Trial in two cases against mili- cluding Mufti Abdul Hannan, taken active charge against entirely only through the use of “Investigations are nearing Police (DMP) Monirul Islam told tant outfi t Hizbullah, eight cases are now behind bars. them which has helped in security forces. end. All will be arrested and newsmen. against Allahar Dal, and four Of the 591 militant cases, the curbing insurgency in Tripura,” “We need to take support taken to court,” said Rajitha “Still, the militants are try- cases against Hizut Tahrir Ulaya JMB is facing most of the cases Sarkar told media persons at of the people and follow a Senaratne, Minister of Health ing to regroup under the ban- Bangladesh, are under trial. while Hizbut Tahrir facing the an event organised by the MCC holistic approach comprising and government spokesman. ner of diff erent organisations, A total of 2,856 operatives of second largest cases. Chamber of Commerce and ideological, political and social Senaratne said enough evi- but they have no strength to diff erent militant outfi ts have “In a single incident of cross- Industry. dimensions in dealing with dence has been uncovered to carry out subversive acts as the so far been arrested while the country bombings on August 17, “While Bangladesh government insurgency,” he said. hold trials against former re- law enforcers have been put on number of the fugitives is 660. 2005, a total of 161 cases were gime members facing human rights abuse and corruption charges. He said the government did not interfere in the probe as Celebrating New Year the investigators were provid- Nepalese ed complete independence, a PTI report says. Independent investigations climber’s were made possible as the Mahinda Rajapakse ... facing new government of President graft probe Maithripala Sirisena formed death after the January 2015 presi- Sinhala strongman, even dub- dential poll restored the free- bing the action taken by the dom of the law enforcement present government a political mourned agencies, the minister said. witch-hunt. The Sirisena government Since Rajapakse’s defeat IANS has pledged to restore the in January presidential polls, Pune, India rule of law, advocating strin- family members and close as- gent action against Rajapakse sociates of the former presi- regime members for alleged dent have faced corruption ountaineers mourned corruption, wrongdoings and allegations, including having the death of Nepalese rights abuses. secret bank accounts overseas. Mclimber and Himalayan But Sri Lankan people have Some of them, including rescuer Wongchu Sherpa who had shown discontent over the then economic development scaled the world’s highest moun- slow pace of the investiga- minister and Rajapakse’s tain Mt. Everest twice. He was 52. tions. There have been alle- younger brother Basil, were He died in Kathmandu on gations that the Sirisena gov- arrested. Wednesday after a two-year- ernment was shielding some Rajapakse’s wife Shiranthi long battle with cancer. of the alleged perpetrators to was also quizzed by police. “We are saddened by his de- cut-in political deals. His sons are said to be linked mise ... He was an ‘extreme Rajapakse loyalists have de- to the murder of a popular mountaineer’ and had twice Women from ethnic Gurung community dance as they celebrate the Tamu Losar (New Year) festival in Kathmandu. nied any wrongdoing during rugby player. The Rajapakses summitted the world’s high- the 10-year rule of the former have denied the charges. est mountain Mt Everest, scaled other 8,000m-plus peaks like Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Annapurna, Mt Makalu, Mt Shishapangma and Mt Cho-Oyu, besides helping conserve the Himalayan envi- Injured ronment,” Umesh Zirpe, an offi - Ex-child soldier blazes ultra trail cial of the Pune-based Giripremi mountaineering institute, said. Madhesi Wongchu, who is survived by AFP was left with little in the way of ning, racing remains a niche supported by Trail Running ment company Salomon, is a his wife and two daughters, was Kathmandu cash or career prospects. activity with the Himalayan Nepal, an organisation that rare success story, with a recent on Friday accorded a funeral with Desperate for work, she nation hosting just a handful promotes ultra running, but race yielding $1,500 in prize leader full state honours in Kathmandu prepared to leave Nepal for of events each year, including fi nding sponsors is a challenge money, double Nepal’s annual with Nepal Prime Minister K P s a child soldier with a job in a Malaysian elec- the world’s highest marathon for local athletes. per capita income. S Oli and other top dignitaries Nepal’s Maoists, Mira tronics factory before being held in the foothills of Mount “Sponsorship is near impos- Yet she shrugs off her ac- taken to present on the occasion. ARai learned to fi re guns, scouted by a Kathmandu- Everest. sible,” Richard Bull, founder of complishments, insisting she He was born in a remote disarm opponents and race based karate instructor, Other Nepali athletes are Trail Running Nepal, said. has been lucky. Himalayan village, Tapting Chy- down trails, little imagining Dhurba Bikram Malla, who making their mark in ultra “For trail running to grow in “I have been fortunate to get Delhi angba in Solumhumbu district of her guerrilla drills would help urged her to stay. running, with soldier Samir Nepal, we need people to or- opportunities... I want to in- eastern Nepal, and had lost his make her one of the world’s top Rai gave up her plans and Tamang crowned Asian men’s ganise (more) races. If it grows, spire other women, tell them parents at a tender age. ultra runners. started training — initially do- skyrunning champion after then fi nding sponsors will be that nothing is impossible if we IANS In his teens, he became inter- “It is like a dream, beyond ing practice runs on the capi- winning this year’s 50km MSIG easier.” work hard,” she said. Kathmandu ested in climbing and became a anything I ever imagined. I was tal’s congested roads because Sai Kung 50 in Hong Kong. Rai, now sponsored by the “There must be so many professional climber, helper and just a girl from a village,” Rai she could not aff ord the bus Both Rai and Tamang are multinational sports equip- other Mira Rais in Nepal.” rescuer for various expeditions said. fare to the nearest stadium. top Madhesi leader who to Mt Everest and other high The daughter of a Nepali “She was very single-mind- suff ered injuries in a clash peaks in the Himalayas. farmer, Rai was only 14 when ed. If you told her to do some- Abetween the agitating Zirpe said the credit for taking she ran away from home to thing, she would just do it,” Madhesi Morcha and the police a heavy camera to the roof of the fi ght alongside Maoist rebels Malla said. at the Biratnagar-Jogbani border world goes to Wongchu and enable against the government. “She is very consistent in her last Saturday, was fl own to New shooting IMAX fi lms from there. “In our society, girls are sup- speed (and) never seems to get Delhi yesterday for further treat- “He was engaged in search and posed to behave in a certain tired.” ment, a party offi cial said. rescue operations of the victims way. I didn’t want to be con- Rai made her racing debut Sadbhawana Party chairman in the 1996 tragedy on Mt Ever- fi ned by that,” said Rai, now in March 2014, running a steep Rajendra Mahto is one of the key est and created a record of stay- aged 26. 50km course along the hills leaders heading the over four- ing for 18 days in above-7,000m She chafed at the rules she overlooking the Kathmandu month-old agitation in Nepal’s altitude during that time, led the was expected to obey as a teen- valley. southern plains by Madhesi po- Everest Cleaning Expedition, age girl living in a patriarchal Dressed in a cheap T-shirt litical parties and ethnic groups and assisted BBC and National country and the Maoist call for and shoes that cost $4, she ran of the Nepal Terai demanding Geographic shooting expeditions revolution resonated with her. for hours before she felt dizzy amendments in the new Consti- to the world’s highest peak,” “The Maoists gave opportu- and stopped. tution which they deem discrim- Zirpe added. nities to women, they treated “I borrowed money to buy inatory and ignoring their rights. Besides, he had a burning de- us equally. I saw that women juice and noodles and started According to Manish Suman, sire to protect the Himalayan and could fi ght like men, be brave. running again,” she said. the party’s general secretary, surrounding environment, which I built up my confi dence there,” Soon, Rai crossed the fi nish Mahto was taken from Nepal’s led to his hosting the Nepal gov- Rai said. line, winning her fi rst race and Dharan city, where he was being ernment’s cabinet meeting at the She practised fi rearm drills prizes that included a new pair treated for his injuries, and fl own Mt Everest Base Camp to high- and competed with other cad- of running shoes. to Kathmandu yesterday. He was light the ill-eff ects of pollution res in running contests de- Since then, she has notched scheduled to leave for New Delhi and global warming on the Hima- signed to build endurance. up an impressive set of victo- on an Indian Airlines fl ight later layas and its high altitude peaks. “I did very well, I even ries, bagging gold in 13 of the yesterday. Several recommendations in this used to outrun the boys,” she 20 national and international Mahto received injuries on his regard, including liability to bring recalled. races she has taken part in, in- head, hand and leg. Two fi ngers back all garbage during Everest ex- Today, Rai ranks among the cluding Italy’s 83km Trail Degli of his left hand were broken in peditions by the teams, were ac- world’s leading ultra runners Eroi. the clash. cepted by the Nepal government. after a record-breaking win in Her victory at Chamonix Attending doctors said that Wongchu also contributed to the 80km (50-mile) Mont Blanc vaulted her to second place though he has marginally recov- his community with social, aca- race in Chamonix, France, last among female ultra runners in ered from his injuries, he is now demic and community projects June, when she beat her nearest the Skyrunners World Series suff ering from high level of blood and was president of Everest rival by 22 minutes. which involves races in fi ve sugar and blood pressure. Summitteers Association and But when the decade-long continents. He will be taken to Medanta in a leading Sherpa agency, Peak insurgency ended in 2006, Rai, Although Nepal is consid- Gurgaon for treatment, accord- Promotion. like many Maoist foot soldiers, ered an ideal spot for trail run- Nepalese athlete Mira Rai takes part in a training session on the hills surrounding Kathmandu. ing to Suman. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, January 2, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Production Editor: C P Ravindran India needs to overhaul

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] its education system Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) The very DNA of because bad education does not lead to This requires a fundamental Education is all about connecting and Fax 44350474 education - both at the employability in a globally competitive overhaul in the way one perceives thus, interpersonal relations. Students environment. This is a profound what education needs to deliver. First, need to be able to relate to their school and university and not imagined disaster that India the education environment cannot be teachers. If this is lacking, education level - needs to be changed credibly faces and will, most certainly, divorced from the external landscape. would fail to meet the high societal undermine India’s aspirations as a The ‘in-here’ experience needs expectations. in India global thinker. to be directly linked to the ‘out- 3. Embrace the Internet: The So, what is the role of education? there’ experience. Our schools and Internet has made learning GULF TIMES To paraphrase Nietzsche, all universities are not a comfort zone possible 24x7 without the teacher. By Amit Dasgupta, IANS New Delhi human action needs to be based on or an idyllic island resort but rather Unfortunately, while the teaching what we wish to achieve. Education, deeply rooted in the here-and-now. community acknowledges the similarly, must have an end-objective. The outside world is complex, volatile transformative impact of the he emergence of a For students, it is productive and unpredictable. Internet, the whole-hearted embrace knowledge-driven society and sustained employability. For Students need to be taught to is perfunctory. Consequently, Pak-Afghan demonstrated that governments, this translates into embrace uncertainty and not be educational institutions are unable to Teverything can and must contributing to the GDP. If education intimidated by it. Indeed, the job they take full advantage of the incredible change and that the process is a underachieves in this stated objective, would end up doing has not yet been world the Internet opens up, which, continuous search for better solutions. it would be perceived as a failure, since created. for the most part, is entirely free. military hotline Indeed, new scientifi c discoveries more and more young people would Did any of us realistically believe, 4. Redesigning Space: Design has and technological innovations become unemployable. when we were students, that a living assumed signifi cance and rightly have become an integral part of our What this requires is the radical could be made designing apps? so. Studies have demonstrated how everyday biography. shaking up of the education system. Second, education needs to design impacts thinking. Various Objects one had grown accustomed First, this would ensure that the inculcate learning agility. In other corporate offi ces are moving into open to cool tensions to have been replaced by newer and dead wood and dried-up leaves words, education must craft persons style functioning and a fl uid utilisation more effi cient products. If anything is fall off . Second, the system would who are open to new ideas, who of space with funky designs that are The decision by Pakistan and Afghanistan to set up a truly permanent, it is change itself. be reformatted to achieve the 21st are constantly learning new skills immediately attractive. Schools and hotline between their respective military commanders is the Yet the vast majority of people century objectives. In short, we need and willing to apply them but more classrooms have, similarly, started latest in a series of signifi cant confi dence building measures continue to have a pathological to usher in an educational revolution importantly, learning from experience changing. Indeed, even the term that will go a long way in easing tensions between the two anathema towards change. They and not just an evolution of teaching and failure. Third, we need to learn the ‘classroom’ is being replaced with harbour feelings of great mistrust techniques. importance of team work and focus. ‘learning centres’. The consequent South Asian neighbours and improve regional security. because they perceive change as an Yesterday’s curriculum and Teams are not a collection of silos requirement is for the campus and the The military commanders of the two countries used the explicit acknowledgement of failure. pedagogy has to give way to future but an integrated circuit with a clear learning centres to become interactive, hotline to make fi rst contact on Wednesday, December 30, Consequently, they are steadfast needs and requirements. In eff ect this objective. And fi nally, education engaging and functional. They play a the Pakistani military said. in their refusal to accept that the means shifting from an education administrators need to recognise that dramatic role in shifting pedagogy to a As is the norm these days, the Pakistan army spokesman failure to shift thinking would, most system that was crafted during the teacher is simply a facilitator. modern mindset. certainly, lead to their obsolescence. the industrial era to one that is in Unless education is refashioned, we 5. Globalisation is Multiculturalism: Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa took to the Twitter to make Research has substantively consonance with the present-day would embrace the 21st century with A rapidly integrating world has the announcement. “Hotline established between DGMOs established an inter-linkage between demands of an ever-changing a 19th century mindset. The result substantially diluted geographical (Director Generals of military operations) of both countries. countries that embrace innovation environment. In other words, the would be failure. boundaries. The role of the First contact/call just made,” Bajwa tweeted on December and thus, change, and economic very DNA of education - both at the Restructuring the approach towards educational institutions needs 30. prosperity. People in such countries school and university level - needs to contemporary education, accordingly, to recognise this dramatic new think diff erent. They are more be changed. needs to incorporate the following, requirement and help open minds, so He also disclosed that the direct line between the adventurous, less risk averse and For India, this is the need of the day. among others: that we are sensitive and welcoming of military commanders of the two countries was agreed open to experimenting. Governments She is at the cusp of transformational 1.Learning about learning: The other cultures. when Pakistan’s army chief General Raheel Sharif visited and the bureaucracy in emerging change. Global perception of her teaching community and education The future is hurtling towards Afghanistan on December 27. or developing economies, on the attractiveness is remarkably upbeat. administrators need to recognise the us at an extraordinary pace. Unless Another signifi cant announcement made after General other hand, tend to suff er from an She has been invited to the high table. need to shift from teaching to learning. education is refashioned by a acute disavowal of all that challenges However, all these positive This is the transition from the sage on visionary leadership, we face the dire Sharif met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was the decision existing paradigms. New ways of developments are directly related the stage to a co-learner. Substantive consequence of being left out of the to hold a meeting in Kabul involving offi cials from Pakistan, seeing worry them. Consequently, to whether India would deliver on evidence exists of teachers abandoning mainstream. This is one of the great the United States and China on January 11 to prepare the our schools and colleges are unable promise and expectation. Is she, the chalk and talk methodology with challenges Prime Minister Narendra way for possible peace talks with the Taliban. to respond to the rapidly changing in other words, a safe bet? The dramatic results. Modi faces. Afghanistan, the United States and China, which is educational needs of a knowledge attractiveness of the Indian workforce 2. Shifting the mind-set of economy. would be the key for corporate education providers: The fundamental zAmit Dasgupta, a former diplomat, planning to invest billions in Pakistan, see Pakistan’s This has serious consequences. investors. This means that education paradox is that teaching is provided by heads the Mumbai campus of the SP support as vital to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. First, it adversely impacts economic would need to produce a world class an older generation to a younger one Jain School of Global Management. The Afghan President Ghani has recently pushed to growth because the quality of workforce that is in consonance with leading to a credible likelihood of a views expressed are personal. He may strengthen ties with Pakistan in a desperate bid to restart education is the principal driver the expectations of the corporate mismatch and disconnect in thinking, be reached at amit.dasgupta@spjain. the talks with Taliban of the growth engine. And second investor. understanding and communication. org The military as the insurgency shows no sign of commanders of the abating. Ghani travelled to two countries used Pakistan in December the hotline to make to open the Heart of Asia conference in fi rst contact on Dec 30 Islamabad that shored up international support for Taliban talks. At the Islamabad conference, Ghani and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed commitment to the peace process. General Sharif’s December 27 visit to Kabul refl ects this commitment by the leaders of the two countries. Interestingly, the meeting between General Sharif and Afghan President Ghani took place two days after a “surprise” visit to Lahore by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who stopped by in the Pakistani city at the invitation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on his way back from Afghanistan where he opened a new Indian-fi nanced parliament building and delivered three Russian-made military helicopters. There is a need to usher in an educational revolution and not just an evolution of teaching techniques. Earlier, on December 13, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Ghani joined Indian Vice-President Mohamed Hamid Ansari and President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan in the Karakum desert outside the southeastern Turkmen city of Mary, Stop treating Google as your doctor in a ceremony marking the beginning of work on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) link. The $10bn gas pipeline expected to help ease energy By Nishant Arora, IANS Satnam Singh Chhabra, head (neuro- diagnosis, we found that headache when you are in a state of denial about defi cits in South Asia and stem tensions in the region. New Delhi spine surgeon) at the Sir Gangaram was due to prolonged sore throat and your symptoms. Hospital here, said. rhinopharyngitis (common cold).” One may think that generalised Afghanistan, India and Pakistan have all repeatedly stated He has observed many young adults “The patient visited me after a body aches started with a worsening their commitment to the natural gas project despite the re you among those who log getting hooked to the Internet to month of self-diagnosis through of mood, but a doctor may elect to do bilateral tensions. Attending the ceremony, the leaders in to Google every time you look for every little thing, even self- Internet. Whatever he found on the an electrocardiogram for chest pain praised the pipeline as a political project that will help bring are down with body ache, diagnosis. Internet made him believe that he had that reveals possible coronary artery about better relations. Energy experts say the project does Afever or cold, only to get For instance, if one has a health a brain tumour,” Singal said. disease, the experts felt. more confused and scared? abnormality, then the instant reaction According to Singal, people in the Are health websites trustworthy indeed have potential to ease relationships in the region. Many young people with is to Google the symptoms before 25-40 age group are more hooked on when it comes to answering health The region, usually riven by distrust, has seen a fl urry smartphones in their hands are falling seeing an expert or a doctor. to the Internet and such self-diagnosis symptom queries? of diplomatic encounters between offi cials and politicians prey to the “Google-as-your-doctor” “But one should be careful as people only increases one’s anxiety. “I don’t see any harm in doing that from Pakistan, Afghanistan and India over recent months. phenomenon and the dangerous trend normally look for symptoms to get Dr Rahul Gupta, senior neuro and because it’s about your health after These are welcome, although cautious, moves towards is on the rise in the country, health rid of curiosity and anxiety but to the spine surgeon at Fortis Hospital in all. In fact, a lot of times my patients experts feel. contrary, it just worsens the scenario Noida, is attending to many young come back with queries after surfi ng easing longstanding regional tensions, and the setting up of Although there is nothing wrong and leaves them more anxious,” Indians who come to him with weird about their health abnormality on the the hotline between the military commanders of Pakistan in checking your symptoms or trying Chhabra said. health queries after scanning Google. Internet,” Chhabra said. and Afghanistan is an important step in that direction. to fi nd more about your illness on the According to Dr (Prof) Raju Vaishya, “Self-medication via the Internet So, educate yourself as much before Internet, they say that one should senior consultant (orthopaedic can be dangerous. Patients at times do or after you visit your doctor, but know where to stop. and joint replacement surgeon) at not follow our advice and waste our let the experts do their job. Let your The ideal situation is to use search Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, one time with silly questions,” he stressed. doctor prescribe you a treatment well- To Advertise engines only when someone is should beware of getting trapped into According to Gupta, Google is suited for your ailment. diagnosed with a certain medical “Google as your doctor” behaviour as good when it comes to searching for “One should be wise enough to [email protected] condition and wants to know more this may cause more harm than good. a good doctor, checking spellings of a understand which is an authentic Display about it. The information available “Yes, there is an increasing surge in medication and reading about general website with relevant content as there Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 on Internet should be used to educate young Indians with smartphones who health-related issues. are a lot of paid sites which exist only oneself rather than trying to fi nd a google common health symptoms. I Another danger of self-diagnosis is to make business,” Chhabra advised. Classified cure for the disease. fi nd more such patients coming to me that you may think that there is more Vaishya asked youngsters to share Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 “The biggest problem is that the with queries related to hand, wrist and wrong with you than there actually is. their Internet-acquired knowledge Internet is loaded with enormous elbow,” Vaishya said. “For example, if you had insomnia, with the doctor but not to force it Subscription information which could be correct Dr R K Singal of the BLK Super- inattention and depression, you may upon the doctor to follow it. [email protected] too but then your symptoms could be specialty Hospital had an interesting believe that you have a sleep disorder “Trust your doctor more than similar to some other disease which case study to share: “Once a patient or major depression. Thus, you may Google,” Gupta summed up. may cause confusion. Therefore, in his mid-30s came to me with make things worse by worrying more 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved correct diagnosis of your health severe headache. He told me that he as well,” Singal noted. zNishant Arora can be contacted at abnormality is very important,” Dr thought he had a brain humour. After Self-diagnosis is also a problem [email protected] Gulf Times Saturday, January 2, 2016 15 COMMENT Ensuring global food security for all

We need to recognise our toward rising meat consumption fundamental problems of perpetual limitations, in terms of should be reversed. Stricter population and consumption growth regulation of fisheries and ocean or wealth inequality. As environments both social and biophysical pollution would maintain the supply deteriorate from climate change, factors, and do whatever it of marine protein essential to many toxifi cation, and loss of biodiversity people. Waste in food production and ecosystem services, people takes to ensure that we do and distribution should be reduced. will have less time and energy not exceed them And people should be educated for governance reform aimed at to choose more sustainable and reducing inequality or preserving the nutritious foods. environment. As a result, those in By Paul R. Ehrlich and John Harte Achieving these goals, TAD power will feel less pressure to arrange Stanford/Berkeley supporters recognise, would require systems to provide food to those who policymakers to give food security need it most. high political and fi scal priority, in The social-biophysical system irtually everyone in the order to support the needed research is replete with chicken-and-egg scientifi c community agrees and action. Responsibility for subsystems. Given that there is no that ensuring suffi cient launching programmes to distribute obvious single vulnerable point Vfood supplies for a surging food more equitably would also fall to in the system to initiate change, human population, which is set to governments. governments must address a range of grow by 2.4bn by mid-century, will But the TAD approach is issues simultaneously. Key starting require serious work. Indeed, we incomplete. Not only would its short- points include purging politics of have not even succeeded at providing term goals be extremely diffi cult to “big money”; introducing a more enough food for today’s population of achieve without more fundamental progressive tax system that eff ectively 7.3bn: Nearly 800mn people currently societal changes; even if they were caps the income of the extremely are starving or hungry, and another attained, they would probably prove wealthy; ensuring that policymakers couple billion do not get enough inadequate in the medium term, and have a basic level of scientifi c micronutrients. But there is no such certainly in the long term. understanding; and strengthening consensus about how to address the To see why, let us suppose that, women’s rights, including access to food-security problem. in 2050, the TAD goals have all been free contraception. The scientifi c community is split reached. More food is available, Just as social and environmental between two main approaches: “tinker thanks to higher agricultural yields problems can be mutually reinforcing, with agricultural details” (TAD) and waste-reducing improvements so can actions aimed at strengthening and “mend societal fundamentals” in storage and distribution. Improved our social and environmental (MSF). While the former approach environmental policies mean that fundamentals. Only by focusing on has support from a clear majority, the most of today’s forests are still these fundamentals, rather than latter is more convincing. standing and no-fi shing zones are merely tinkering with the details To be sure, the TAD camp has widely established and enforced. 7.3bn. In other words, even with takes to ensure that we do not exceed population down to sustainable levels, of food production, can intrinsic identifi ed many important problems Ecosystems are becoming stronger, such an extraordinary and unlikely them. MSF reforms are the world’s only systemic linkages work to the with current food production and with many corals and plankton combination of accomplishments Based on this conviction, the MSF hope. But, as it stands, implementing advantage of future generations. - distribution systems, and addressing evolving to survive in warmer, and good luck, our food-security approach demands that governments them seems unlikely. The US, the Project Syndicate them could indeed improve food more acidic water. Add an uptick in predicament would still be with us. take steps to empower women in country that consumes the most, is security. Yields could be increased vegetarianism, and it appears that The reason is simple: Our societies all areas of society, and ensure moving in the opposite direction: zPaul R. Ehrlich is Professor of by developing better crop varieties. the global temperature rise could be and economies are based on the fl awed that all sexually active people have women are struggling to hold onto Population Studies, Department Water, fertilizer, and pesticides should limited to 3C. assumption that perpetual growth is access to modern birth control, with their reproductive rights, wealth of Biological Sciences, Stanford be used more effi ciently. Maintaining As a result, the world could avoid possible on a fi nite planet. To ensure women free to have an abortion, if distribution is becoming increasingly University. John Harte holds a joint tropical forests and other relatively famines by mid-century. But, global food security – not to mention they so choose. At the same time, skewed, and Corps are becoming even professorship in the Energy and natural ecosystems would preserve in a human population of 9.7bn, other fundamental human rights governments must address inequality more powerful. Resources Group and the Ecosystem critical ecosystem services, especially hunger and malnutrition would – for all, we need to recognise our of wealth, and thus of food, not least If this trend continues, in 2050, Sciences Division of the College of soil fertility, pollination, pest control, be proportionately the same as limitations, in terms of both social and by curbing corporate dominance. governance systems will be even more Natural Resources at the University of and climate amelioration. The trend they are in today’s population of biophysical factors, and do whatever it Short of bringing the global poorly equipped to deal with the California, Berkeley.

LEGAL HELPLINE Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 24 C All partners have right to attend company meetings Low : 18 C Partly Cloudy with chance of scattered rain

By Nizar Kochery expenses between them according that appointed him, he shall, before dues. He has a credit card and Doha to what the court may decide in the expiry of such time, provide the some payments are due for last SUNDAY its judgment. The court may also court with a memorandum describing September. Recently he got a job High: 20 C order one of them to bear the whole the work performed by him and the in Dubai and is planning to travel Low : 13 C Question: I own 5% shares in expenses. reasons that prevented him from by next month. I came to know Cloudy a limited liability company in completing his assignment. If the about some issues related to the Qatar and act as a silent partner. court, during the session specifi ed credit cards and the bank holds The other shareholder who is Delays created by for the hearing of the case, fi nds some signed cheques. Foreseeing MONDAY actively involved in business experts in legal cases in the memorandum of the expert the chance of legal action by High: 18 C does not allow me to participate satisfactory reasons for his delay, bank, could you please advise on Low : 13 C in the meetings, saying that it shall grant him an extension to what options he should take to Cloudy partners who hold “less shares” Q: We have fi led a case in the perform his assignment and deposit solve this problem? Can the bank are not allowed to attend the Dafna court for recovery of some his report. initiate legal action even if he is meetings. The majority in the payments. During the proceedings If there is no justifi able reason for not in Qatar? Fishermen’s forecast Articles is limited to 75% and court asked to pay QR 2,500 as delay on part of the expert, the court OFFSHORE DOHA my shareholding being 5% is not expert fee and we paid it. The expert shall impose a fi ne not exceeding two GH, Doha Wind: SE-NW15-25/28 KT signifi cant in meetings. Is it legal came for hearing two months before thousand Qatari Riyals (QR 2,000) and Waves: 5-8/9 Feet to do so? Is there any provision in and we have explained everything to give him an extension to complete his A: The bank can fi le a criminal INSHORE DOHA Wind: SW-NW 10-18/25 KT the Qatari law? On the other hand, him. But till now, no report has been assignment and deposit his report or it complaint against the debtor by virtue Waves: 1-3/4 Feet can they transfer part of my profi ts fi led before the court. The expert is may replace him with another expert of the guarantee cheque deposited to capital reserve without my creating unnecessary delay in fi ling and obligate him to refund any amount with the bank, and the case can be Around the region consent? What is law with regard the report. We fi led an additional received from the court without any referred to the court in order to claim Weather Weather to capital reserves? note before the court indicating prejudice to recourse to compensation the outstanding amount. The court, in today Max/min tomorrow Max/min the delay. Is there any provision in for which he may be responsible. Appeal such a case, passes its judgment even Abu Dhabi Sunny 29/19 T Storm 22/15 RM, Doha law that mandates him to fi le the shall not be permitted on such orders. in the defaulter’s absence, the person Baghdad Sunny 11/00 Sunny 11/02 Dubai report on time or it depends on his will become a defaulter. Advised M Sunny 29/21 T Storm 23/17 Kuwait City Sunny 17/07 Sunny 12/06 Answer: As per Article 252 of the discretion? What will be the remedy Legal action settlement with the bank, as the bank Manama Showers 21/17 Cloudy 18/13 Companies Law, every partner has the on such failure to fi le the report? can pursue debtor’s name especially Muscat Sunny 31/22 M Sunny 29/22 right to attend the assembly regardless OD, Doha against debtors in all GCC countries as currently seen. Riyadh P Cloudy 17/06 Sunny 13/03 of the number of shares he owns, and by A: As per Article 351 of the civil Moreover the bank may appoint debt Tehran Showers 08/-3 P Cloudy 04/-4 virtue of a particular authorisation, he and commercial procedure law, if the collection agency which can carry out may be represented in the assembly by expert fails to submit his report within Q: My friend lost his job and proceedings and recover money from another partner other than the directors. the time stated in the court order left Qatar without clearing the the debtors. Every partner shall have a number of votes equivalent to the number of shares he owns or represents. Unless Articles of Association of LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR the company provide for a greater percentage, 10% of the net profi ts of According to Article 653, pursuant to occurs prior to the distribution of the the company shall be set aside each the proposal from the receiver, the proceeds from the sale of the movable year and allocated to a legal reserve. judge may order, if necessary, to utilise property, or where the two distributions Legal reserve is mandatory as per the first cash received in favour of the are made at the same time, the creditors Article 262. The general assembly bankruptcy to settle the debts of the who have mortgages or priority right may discontinue the deduction if the creditors who have priority rights over over the immovable property who have reserve reaches one half of the paid up the movable property of the bankrupt not received their debts, either in full or share capital. Any excess legal reserve whose names are included in the final in part, from the proceeds from the sale over one half of the paid up share list of the undisputed debts. Where the of immovable property, shall participate capital may be utilised to cover the priority right is disputed, payment may with the unsecured creditors in the company losses or increase the capital. not be made until the dispute is settled distribution of funds to which relates the by a final judgement right of the group of creditors, provided Payment of end A priority right prescribed for the for a period of thirty days for the that their rights are established in government on the basis of taxes and employees of the bankrupt and also accordance to the provisions of the law. Around the world of service benefits fees of diff erent kind shall only include the prescribed alimony and the last As per Article 659, if the bankrupt is Weather Weather the taxes and fees payable by the instalment payable to commercial the lessee of the premises in which today Max/min tomorrow Max/min bankrupt for the two years prior to the agents and representatives before he performs his trade activities, the Athens P Cloudy 12/08 Showers 16/09 Q: An ex-employee fi led a case judgment declaring bankrupt. adjudication of bankruptcy. issuance of the judgment declaring Beirut P Cloudy 11/08 Showers 14/12 Sunny Sunny 34/22 against our company for end of As per Article 655, in the event of In case of non-availability of suff icient bankruptcy shall not result in the Bangkok 33/22 Berlin P Cloudy -1/-7 P Cloudy -4/-7 service benefi ts. The court did not termination of the lease in accordance funds with the receiver to pay such termination of the lease or maturity of Cairo P Cloudy 14/07 Sunny 18/08 approve his full claim and even with the provisions of law, the owner of the debts, the settlement shall be made from the rent for the remaining period of the Cape Town Sunny 30/20 Sunny 31/21 then the decision was not in our leased premises for commercial purposes the first fund collected, even when there tenancy, and any clause to the contrary Colombo S T Storms 33/23 M Sunny 34/24 Sunny 27/15 favour. The court ordered to pay to the bankrupt shall have a priority are other debts in the order of priority. shall be null and void. Dhaka 27/16 Sunny Hong Kong Cloudy 21/18 Showers 22/18 the benefi ts. In the judgment the right for the year prior to the bankruptcy According to Article 657, if the The receiver may, with the permission Istanbul P Cloudy 02/-1 Rain&Snow 03/01 court ordered to pay expenses judgement, and for the current year, in proceeds from the sale of movable of the judge, decide to terminate the Jakarta T Storms 31/25 T Storms 31/25 according to Article 133. What is connection with all matters related to the property is distributed prior to the lease contract of the property where Karachi Sunny 30/13 Sunny 30/16 stated in the Article 133? Please execution of the lease contract and the distribution of the proceeds from the bankrupt carried on his business London Showers 11/06 Rain 09/06 P Cloudy M Sunny 31/22 advice. Manila 31/23 damages which may be awarded. immovable property, the creditors who within sixty days of the date of the Moscow P Cloudy -13/-14 P Cloudy -12/-16 Regardless of the existence of any have mortgages or priority right over bankruptcy judgment. In such case, the New Delhi Sunny 23/07 Sunny 23/09 XC, Doha other debt, the receiver shall pay the immovable property shall have receiver shall notify the lessor on such New York M Sunny 06/01 Sunny 07/-1 within the ten days following the right to participate in the distributions decision within the period. Paris P Cloudy 11/06 Rain 09/07 Showers Cloudy 24/18 A: According to Article 133 of the bankruptcy judgement from the for all their debts, if such debts have Sao Paulo 24/18 Seoul P Cloudy 11/01 P Cloudy 08/-1 civil and procedure law, if each of the fund at his disposal after seeking the been validated. zDr NIZAR KOCHERY Singapore T Storm 30/26 T Storm 30/26 parties fails in some of their claims, permission of the judge, the wages and If the distribution of the proceeds from Mobil:55813105 e-mail: leges@qatar. Sydney M Cloudy 24/18 Showers 22/17 the court may order each party to bear salaries payable before the judgment the sale of the immovable property net.qa Tokyo Clear 1 4 / 0 3 Clear 15/05 what he has incurred or divide the Gulf Times 16 Saturday, January 2, 2016 QATAR

New Year welcomed in style

A child flies a kite at the MIA Park, with the Doha skyline in the background. PICTURES: Joey Aguilar

Children play at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park in Doha yesterday. The swing is one of the most sought after attractions at the MIA Park. People engage in a variety of activities at the park. Residents hope 2016 will be peaceful, full of opportunities

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter Fawaz Mohamed

any expatriates in Qatar including diplomats, Mare hoping that 2016 will be a peaceful year, full of op- portunities and excitement. Indian expatriate Fawaz Mo- hamed expressed optimism that this year will continue to off er new and bigger opportunities that will challenge and inspire expatriates to learn more. “Let us develop ourselves to be better individuals,” he told Gulf Times. “I also look forward to a peaceful year where the in- ternational community will Indonesian ambassador Deddy Saiful Hadi (left) and Philippine Nicole Clark play an eff ective diplomatic role ambassador Wilfredo Santos. JR Dumlao (right) with his compatriots. that will ensure greater stability and harmony in the region and he hopes to see more recrea- more to give. She is looking for- development.“We as overseas dy Saiful Hadi told Gulf Times expatriate community in the across the world.” tional clubs, centres, coaching ward to see more places for en- Filipino workers should always that Qatar and Indonesian bi- country. “As ambassador to Qa- Mohamed’s compatriots, es- facilities (in sports, music, dance tertainment and fun for expatri- remember that we are here to lateral ties are set to grow in all tar, I look forward to the com- pecially those who have been in and arts) and amusement parks ates in the country to spend their work hard for our families and sectors. The envoy cited the visit ing year with great expectations Qatar for a number of years, have opening during the new year for holidays. children back home,” he stressed. of Indonesian President Joko toward the strengthening of the same wish list for 2016. the general public. Sri Lankan expatriate Nicole Like any expatriate, Dumlao ad- Widodo to Qatar in September our bilateral relations with our An expatriate for nine years, Arora also hopes to see more Clark also echoed similar sen- mitted that he also worries about last year as a remarkable event host country,” he said. “There is Vikram Arora believes that what cruise options from Doha similar timents. A number of Filipinos the impact of a number of issues and one of his biggest achieve- much to gain by both sides in re- matters to most expatriates is to Dubai and the West (Europe share the same expectations and which may pose setbacks. ments as an ambassador. invigorating our friendship and a sense of security and a good and the US), which he believes hopes but also see a lot of chal- Diplomats from two Asean For Philippine ambassador bilateral ties in various areas of quality of life — children’s edu- will help the tourism industry in lenges along the way. embassies in Doha also ex- Wilfredo Santos, the State of co-operation.” cation and the opportunity to Qatar. Part of JR Dumlao’s wish list pressed optimism that relations Qatar is very important to the He also expressed confi dence spend time on leisure and rec- For Jumna, 2015 concluded for this year includes a peace- between their countries and Qa- Philippines since it is home to that 2016 will bring more ex- reational activities. with pleasant memories and ful region that would pave the tar will improve further. an estimated 200,000 Filipinos changes and high level visits be- As a person who loves sport, now hopes that 2016 has much way for more progress and Indonesian ambassador Ded- who make up the third largest tween Qatar and the Philippines. Vikram Arora Katara exhibitions, workshops draw crowds

By Joey Aguilar said. “They did not have big muscles but rosy Staff Reporter fi ngers.” The female artist also described her sub- jects as those who “walked on stable steps but number of exhibitions and workshops struggle sometimes.” Her paintings are a col- at Katara – the Cultural Village contin- lection of diff erent faces of women who do not Auously attract visitors and participants belong to one race but face the same obstacles who spend their free time on artistic endeav- as others. ours in Qatar. A graduate from Qatar University, al-Safar Qatari artist Hassan Boujassoum’s ‘Good had participated in many art workshops, ex- Old Days exhibition’ portrays the life of Qa- hibitions, contests for a cause and activities, taris in the past, with 26 paintings displayed at among others in the country. These include Building No 22. Qatar Environment Fine Art, charity auction Each of the paintings tell stories of patience, for the benefi t of blind children and live draw- determination and creativity, some of the ing for the Qatar National Day. known Qatari and Arab values. An upcoming workshop dubbed as ‘Seeing The masterpieces paint a bigger picture of through my paint brush’ will take place from Qataris’ rich culture and heritage. January 7 to 9 (10am to 10pm) at Katara Art Boujassoum’s depiction of Qatari life also Studios Building 19. gives visitors a glimpse of how their grandfa- The activity will showcase the artistic tal- thers struggled for the country’s achievements ents of students from Al Noor Institute For today. The exhibition, which opened on De- The Blind. cember 24 will conclude on January 4. The winter season also brings again Like Boujassoum, another Qatari artist, QatART’s ‘Art and Craft Workshop and Pop- Dana al-Safar also shared her own portrayal of Up Shop’ starting on January 15 from 3pm to people’s struggles, passion and lifestyle. 8pm, also at Building 19. Al-Safar’s ‘Pink Shadows exhibition,’ which QatART, a community of Qatar-based mak- concluded yesterday, focused on the daily rou- ers of art, craft and design, also held a series of tine of women from diff erent countries. art workshops and trainings during summer. “Through a small brush and palette, I paint- The group has attracted many followers ‘Pink Shadows exhibition’ focused on the daily routine of women of diff erent races. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar ed the features of women on the podium,” she since it started in September 2013.