BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 We will compete fi ercely, says Qatar’s dollar peg Qatar star expected to hold fi rm, says report Akram published in QATAR since 1978

FRIDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 11053 January 4, 2019 Rabia II 28, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Djokovic enters semi-finals Top Qatari football ARAB WORLD | Business Qatar investment in Jordan bourse $1.5bn Qatari investment in Jordanian offi cial barred from bourse at the end of December touched 1.067bn dinars ($1.5bn). Qatari investments are ranked first in terms of nationalities with most holdings. Statistics provided entering the UAE by Jordan’s Securities Depository Centre revealed that Qatari investors held 180,579mn financial securities O Saoud al-Mohannadi is Chairman of Organising Committee of at the end of last month. According to the Centre, the number of Qatari Asian Cup, a prestigious tournament the UAE itself is hosting investment contributions in the ownership of securities reached By Sports Reporter FIFA is conducting a feasibility 373,000 in that period. Doha study on a possible 48-team World Cup in 2022, and Infantino had said REGION | Crisis in Qatar last month that a “majority” n a shocking and illogical deci- of the national football federations UN envoy heads to sion that not only calls into ques- were in favour of an expanded tour- Yemen as truce holds Ition its politics but also its eth- nament. The UN envoy for Yemen will hold ics and sporting spirit, the UAE last However, the prospect of countries a new round of talks with Houthi night barred top Qatari football offi cial like the UAE and Saudi Arabia hosting rebels and the Saudi-backed Saoud al-Mohannadi from entering some FIFA World Cup matches has not government in the coming days as the Emirates for the AFC Asian Cup found favour with Amnesty Interna- the United Nations said yesterday football tournament starting tomor- tional. that a ceasefire in the key port city row. The human rights body warned FIFA of Hodeidah was holding. Martin After he was disallowed entry, al- against expanding the 2022 World Cup Griff iths will travel to the rebel- Mohannadi, the Vice President of both to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, raising held capital of Sanaa tomorrow Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his quarter-final match against Georgia’s the Qatar Football Association and the concerns about human rights in these for talks with Houthi leaders and Nikoloz Basilashvili at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open at Khalifa International Tennis and Asian Football Confederation has re- Saoud al-Mohannadi two states. with the head of a truce monitoring Squash Complex yesterday. Details on Sport Page 1 turned to Doha. “Saudi Arabia and the UAE are in the committee, Dutch general Patrick What makes the UAE decision dou- 48 teams already in 2022,” Infantino throes of cracking down on govern- Cammaert, said UN spokesman bly cringe-worthy is that al-Mohan- said on Wednesday at a sports confer- ment critics and prominent rights de- Farhan Haq. He will then head nadi is also the Chairman of the Or- ence in Dubai. fenders,” Amnesty International UK’s to Riyadh to meet with Yemen’s ganising Committee of the Asian Cup, “The World Cup will take place in head of policy and government aff airs President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi a prestigious tournament the UAE it- Qatar with 32 teams. Obviously, if we Allan Hogarth said in October. and other off icials. self is hosting. can increase it to 48 teams and make “An expansion of the Qatar World Italy slams Saudi ban The Asian Cup is a quadrennial event the world happy we should try it.” Cup into Saudi Arabia and the UAE EUROPE | Aviation that brings together the top teams of He added: “If we can accommo- ought to come with a proper acknowl- the continent of nearly a month of ac- date some of the neighbouring coun- edgement from FIFA of the need for London airports order tion-packed football. tries in the Gulf region which are very both countries to substantially im- anti-drone equipment on women in stadiums Qatar’s national team, who are also close by to host a few games in the prove their human rights record,” he London’s Gatwick and Heathrow taking part in the event, are expected World Cup this could be very ben- added. airports have ordered military-grade “It should be organised in a country to fl y out tomorrow. eficial for the region and the entire Qatar has maintained that the de- anti-drone defences worth “several Reuters that respects our women and our val- The latest episode of UAE mixing world.” cision to expand from 32 to 48 teams million pounds” after drones Milan ues,” she wrote in a Facebook post. politics with sport comes only a day Two days ago, Aref al-Awani, the would be taken only after a feasibility caused three days of disruption The Supercoppa fi nal, which pitch- after FIFA President Gianni Infantino Tournament Director of the AFC Asian study is completed in March. at Gatwick last month, The Times es the Serie A champions against the said in the UAE that some of Qatar’s Cup, had stated that the UAE was in- Ever since an illegal blockade was newspaper reported yesterday. talian Deputy Prime Minister Mat- winners of the Coppa Italia, has been neighbouring countries may be called deed “willing” to host matches during imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, Transport Minister Chris Grayling teo Salvini yesterday condemned as played abroad several times, with the on to host a few matches of the 2022 the 2022 World Cup. UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, there have met police, aviation and defence I“disgusting” restrictions imposed United States, China and Qatar the FIFA World Cup if studies show a 48- “If FIFA were to propose it, we would been several instances of these coun- chiefs yesterday to discuss the issue, on women hoping to see the fi nal of previous foreign venues. team tournament in four years’ time is certainly look at the economic impact tries breaching international laws and the report said. The airports did not the Italian Supercoppa, which is being feasible. and media opportunities. It’s good to protocols. immediately comment on the report. staged this month in Saudi Arabia. “To have the Italian “If you think it’s a good thing to have have football in the region... sports for Rogue Saudi-based TV channel The encounter between Juventus Supercoppa being played in a 48 teams in the World Cup, why not us is to bring everybody together,” al- BeoutQ has been broadcasting pro- REGION | Weather and AC Milan will be played in Jeddah country where women cannot try four years before, that’s why we are Awani had said in comments reported grammes from beIN Sport illegally de- on January 16 as part of a three-match go to the stadium unless they analysing whether it’s possible to have by Al Jazeera. spite several warnings. Kuwait resu mes deal that Italy’s Serie A signed last are accompanied by a man is port operations year with Saudi Arabia worth €22mn sad” Kuwait’s port authority has resumed ($25mn). port operations at Shuwaikh, Doha The decision to go ahead with the The head of the Serie A, Gaetano and Shuaiba ports after temporarily game in the wake of the killing of jour- Micciché, defended the decision to halting them earlier because of bad nalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi play in Saudi Arabia and said there Pelosi elected US House speaker weather, the state news agency consulate in Istanbul had already would be no change of heart. Kuna reported yesterday. caused controversy. In a statement he said women would But the anger built this week when not have to be accompanied by a man to AFP we disagree, we will respect each oth- last November, Trump’s Republicans AMERICA | Controversy Serie A released information on how to get into the stadium, adding that this Washington er and we will respect the truth,” the managed to modestly expand its major- get tickets, saying some category of seats would be a “historic fi rst”. Democrat from California said. ity in the Senate, meaning Washington US updates China were only available for men and explain- “Until last year, women (in Saudi Pelosi was elected speaker in the gridlock is almost certain to deepen. travel advisory ing that women could only gain access by Arabia) could not attend any sporting ancy Pelosi, the newly-elect- 435-seat House yesterday after Dem- Vice President Mike Pence swore in The United States warned its citizens buying tickets in “family” areas. event,” he said. “We are working to en- ed Democratic speaker of the ocrats gained 40 seats in November the new senators – 53 Republicans hold yesterday they could face arbitrary “To have the Italian Supercoppa be- sure that in the next games that we play NHouse of Representatives, said midterm elections to seize control of the majority over 45 Democrats and two action by authorities when they visit ing played in a country where women in the country, women can access all yesterday she was under “no illusions” the chamber from President Donald independents who align with them. China, following the detention of cannot go to the stadium unless they the stadium seats.” that working with Republicans in a di- Trump’s Republicans. Among the newcomers is Sena- two Canadians. Updating its travel are accompanied by a man is sad. It’s A ban on women attending some vided US government will be easy. In her opening speech, Pelosi vowed tor Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican advisory, the State Department disgusting. I won’t watch the game,” soccer matches in the kingdom was “We have no illusions that our work the new Congress would be “bipartisan presidential nominee who has emerged maintained its previous guidance said Salvini, a passionate AC Milan fan. lifted in January 2018 as part of a wider will be easy, that all of us in this cham- and unifying” but acknowledged the as a Trump critic. that Americans should “exercise Giorgia Meloni, head of the far-right relaxation of social restrictions, with ber will always agree,” Pelosi said after reality of Washington’s bitter divisions. Pelosi’s reclaiming of the speaker’s increased caution” in China and Brothers of Italy party, called for the fi - special family sections set up in three accepting the speaker’s gavel. While the “blue wave” swept dozens gavel is a remarkable revival for a bat- stopped short of discouraging visits. nal to be postponed. stadiums. “But let each of us pledge that when of House Republicans out of Congress tle-tested politician. Page 5 Qatar’s economy shows robust performance; GDP up 4%

By Santhosh V Perumal uct (GDP) at constant prices (base year respectively, the Authority said. tion 11.5%, wholesale and retail trade grew 9.7% and 3.2% respectively. ing 11.8%, information and commu- Business Reporter 2013) rose 4% against the second quar- Within non-hydrocarbons, the 11.2%, fi nance and insurance 7.9%, ac- The yearly nominal growth in the nication 11.3%, transport and storage ter of 2018 on stronger hydrocarbons construction sector’s real growth commodation and catering 7%, con- non-mining sector during Q3, 2018 9%, manufacturing 4.8%, fi nance and and some of the non-oil segments such year-on-year is estimated to be struction 6.7%, transport and storage was mainly due to the manufactur- insurance 3.3%, accommodation and atar’s economy displayed ro- as utilities, wholesale and retail trade, 12.1%, accommodation and catering 5.3%, real estate activities 3.5% and ing sector which saw an 18.5% expan- catering 3.2% and real estate activities bust performance during the hospitality and transport, said the fi g- 9.8%, transport and storage 8.3%, fi- manufacturing 0.1%. sion, construction 15.9%, transport and 2.3%; while the construction GDP was Qthird quarter (Q3) of 2018 with ures released by the Planning and Sta- nance and insurance 6.8%, informa- On a nominal basis (at current storage 14.8%, fi nance and insurance down 0.8%. the real (infl ation-adjusted) growth tistics Authority. tion and communication 6.6%, real prices), Qatar’s GDP is estimated to 8.9%, information and communica- The import duties, on real terms, ticking 2.2% year-on-year as faster On a yearly basis, non-mining and estate activities 3.2% and wholesale have grown 20.4% on yearly basis tion 6.2%, wholesale and retail trade are estimated to have grown 16.5% expansion in non-hydrocarbons – es- quarrying sector is estimated to have and retail trade 1.4%; while that of and 6% quarter-on-quarter during 5.4% and accommodation and catering on yearly basis while it contracted pecially construction, hospitality and grown 4.3%, even as hydrocarbons utilities plunged 10.2% and manufac- Q3, 2018. 3.6%; whereas that of utilities and real 8.1% on a quarterly basis. On nominal transportation sectors – more than had reportedly eased marginally by turing 2%. The hydrocarbons saw 43.9% and estate activities declined 7.5% and 3.1% terms, their growth is estimated to be off set the weakened hydrocarbons, ac- 0.1%. On a quarterly basis, both min- On a quarterly basis, the utilities 11.1% surge on a yearly and quarterly respectively. 20.4% year-on-year; while it shrank cording to offi cial estimates. ing and non-mining sectors are es- sector is estimated to have expanded basis respectively during the review On a quarterly basis, the utilities sec- 7.6% quarter-on-quarter during Q3, The country’s gross domestic prod- timated to have risen 3.7% and 4.2% 15.6%, information and communica- period and similarly the non-oil sector tor recorded a 24% surge, manufactur- 2018. Gulf Times 2 Friday, January 4, 2019 QATAR Qatar-Germany relations reviewed QSTP kicks off Arab Innovation Academy atar Science and Tech- talented Arab youth who have nology Park (QSTP) and a drive to fi nd innovative tech- Qthe European Innovation based solutions to the shared Academy (EIA) launched the challenges this region is facing, second edition of Arab Innova- and become an integrated com- tion Academy (AIA) on Wednes- ponent of the rapidly developing day, bringing together over 160 entrepreneurship ecosystem and aspiring “techpreneurs” from knowledge economy in Qatar.” Qatar and the Mena region, as The programme also acts as a well as representatives from In- bridge for young “techpreneurs” dia and Russia. in Qatar to become extended In addition to over 80 students members of EIA’s global net- from Qatar, representing 26 dif- work, and benefi t from a valu- ferent countries, AIA delegates able mentorship and support and participants hail from other system that includes industry HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi met countries, including Morocco, experts at the heart of its foun- German Bundestag member and spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party of Germany’s Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Pales- dation. parliamentary group Nils Schmid in Doha yesterday. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral tine, Lebanon, Turkey, Oman, The fi rst edition of AIA ac- relations and ways of supporting and developing them, and issues of mutual interest. and Yemen. Yosouf Abdulrahman Saleh welcomes Alar Kolk at the opening of the cepted over 100 participants AIA, the fi rst and largest en- Arab Innovation Academy 2019. from 11 countries to come to- trepreneurship programme of its gether and develop their tech- kind in the region, is a strategic true: the next Snapchats, For- mentors, industry fellow and preneurial ideas. and exclusive partnership pow- nites, and Spotifys will come faculty member at University of This year, AIA selected over Official ered by QSTP, a member of Qa- from the Arab world,” Kolk add- California, Berkeley, said: “The 160 participants from a pool of tar Foundation Research, Devel- ed. whole idea behind AIA is to de- over 900 applicants, to have an Interior ministry opment and Innovation (QF RDI) As part of this initiative, par- velop the mindset of how to be- enriching experience of learning and EIA, known as the world’s ticipants will be introduced to come an entrepreneur, as well as from 25 speakers and 37 mentors Labour minister largest extreme entrepreneur- cutting-edge methods and tools provide the tools that are needed and investors, all representing meets member of ship programme. related to the entrepreneurship to take an idea from conception 30 diff erent nationalities, for its holds seminar for This unique programme is journey, from team formation to implementation.” second edition in Doha. German parliament aimed at equipping entrepre- and ideation to pitching venture “Students are at the most The fi rst day of the AIA saw neurs in the Arab region and capitalists and angel investors, creative stages of their lives and alumni from the previous edition HE the Minister of Administra- global community with the skills tactics that are accredited by we are trying to provide them share their valuable experiences tive Development, Labour Asian communities to build their start-up in just 10 leading global universities, and an entrepreneurship school in with the 2019 cohort in a moder- and Social Aff airs, Yousef bin days. endorsed by QSTP, Google, and a setting that doesn’t depend ated panel discussion. Mohamed al-Othman Fakhro During the AIA, which runs Amadeus. on lectures and case studies The budding entrepreneurs met the Member of the German he Ministry of the In- ance on safety of pedestrians, until January 15, participants AIA also off ers participants and text books. We teach how will also benefi t from sessions Parliament, Social Democratic terior, in co-ordination motorcyclists and how to use are introduced to an accelerated access to an extensive global to build companies by doing; off ered by speakers from Silicon Party parliamentary group’s Twith its departments, them in congested areas. mode of experiential learning, network of prominent experts, everybody rolls up their sleeves Valley and the University of Cal- spokesperson at the Foreign has organised an awareness The seminar reaffi rmed the including how to develop and mentors, and speakers from pre- and builds companies from ifornia, Berkley, all with the in- Aff airs Committee Dr Nils seminar for representatives of need to take safety measures launch new tech ventures in a miere organisations in the fi elds scratch.” tention of driving the collective Schmid and the accompanying Asian communities in Qatar. while driving and follow all real marketplace, with genuine of tech entrepreneurship and in- Dr Richard O’Kennedy, vice entrepreneurial sparks of our of delegation,currently visiting The seminar discussed dif- rules issued by the General Di- customer feedback. novation. president, QF RDI, said: “Such youth from Qatar, the region, Qatar. During the meeting they ferent topics such as an intro- rectorate of Traffi c for the safe- The opening of the AIA was Rick Rasmussen, chief of chief programmes help us identify and beyond. discussed aspects of co-oper- duction to the services pro- ty of road users. attended by QSTP executive ation between both sides and vided by the Unifi ed Services It also addressed the prob- director Yosouf Abdulrahman ways to develop them. Department, awareness about lems and dangers posed by Saleh and EIA president Alar the dangers posed by drugs and trucks on highways, and called Kolk. ways to avoid them, road and on truck drivers to stick to the Speaking at the event, Saleh Public security public safety and ways to deal lanes identifi ed for trucks as said: “We aim to develop an in- chief meets with fi res and other hazards. well as their hours of operation. novative mind-set among our The Unifi ed Services De- The General Directorate of talented youth to nurture an Ethiopian envoy partment off ers many serv- Civil Defence also gave a pres- unprecedented and competi- ices of the Ministry of Interior entation on fi re extinguishers tive environment in the Mena HE the Director of Public Secu- through its 16 centres spread and how to use them and deal region.” rity, Staff Major General Saad out across the country. The with fi re accidents, informing Citing that Google founders bin Jassim al-Khulaifi, met the centres receive visitors from the participants of ways to take were from Stanford while Face- outgoing Ethiopian ambassador 6am to 6pm. shelter, as well as the evacuation book founders were from Har- to Qatar, Metasebia Tadesse, in The department off ers visa plan in case of emergency, and vard, Kolk pointed out that “the Doha yesterday. services, residency approvals, the procedures to be followed in next game-changing companies During the meeting, they transfer of sponsorship and reg- the event of such accidents. will come from students’ dreams discussed bilateral relations and istration of companies, to citi- The Directorate also distrib- to make the world a better place.” means to support and develop zens, residents and companies. uted pamphlets and brochures “Be the change you want to AIA off ers participants access to an extensive global network of prominent experts, mentors, and them. The seminar provided guid- to the audience. – QNA see in the world. Make the dream speakers from premiere organisations in the fields of tech entrepreneurship and innovation. Alfardan Automobiles unveils Malabar Gold & Diamonds raffle winner New Year MINI 3-door off er

lfardan Automobiles, the ers with the very best offers, offi cial importer of MINI service and care is of the ut- Ain Qatar, has kick-started most importance to Alfardan the New Year with ‘a fantastic Automobiles. As such, we are deal’ on all brand-new MINI delighted to start 2019 with 3-door 2019 models. this exclusive offer, which is a With prices starting from wonderful opportunity for our QR109,000, the deal also off ers Qatar-based customers to own three years’ warranty with un- one of the world’s best-loved limited mileage and a 3-year or automobiles and enjoy a host of 40,000km service package, ac- great benefits.” cording to a statement. The New Year off er is avail- As part of the New Year off er, able until February 28, 2019. MINI owners will also receive a Customers are invited to take a free, two-night stay at the luxu- closer look at their next MINI rious Kempinski Marsa Malaz and book a test drive at Alfardan Hotel, located on The Pearl- Automobiles MINI Showroom Qatar. at Alfardan Towers, West Bay, The raff le draw winner of ‘Win up to 2 Kilos of Gold & up to 100% Cash Back’ campaign by Malabar Rabih Ataya, general man- or Suhaim Bin Hamad Street-Al Gold & Diamonds, Laila al-Boaing, receiving the prize of 100gm gold from Yahiya Gafoor, deputy The New Year deal is available on all brand-new MINI 3-door 2019 ager of Alfardan Automobiles, Saad from 9am to 9pm, Saturday branch head, Malabar Gold & Diamonds in the presence of other team members. models. said: “Providing our custom- to Thursday.

Al Shamal municipality conducts Sewage water not used for desert greening: ministry inspection of food outlets, eateries he Ministry of Municipality and Envi- ronment (MME) in co-ordination with Tthe Public Works Authority (Ashghal) l Shamal Municipality’s has issued a statement dispelling rumours Health Control Section on social media that sewage water is used for Arecently conducted an in- greening the desert. spection campaign on all the ea- The statement pointed out that the water teries, restaurants and cafeterias used in such places are triple treated sewage within its the jurisdiction. water compliant with the Qatari standards re- The two-day campaign fo- garding the irrigation of green areas, including cused mainly on measuring the lawns. It stressed that such water does not the compliance of the food pose any harm to the environment, in addition outlets with the prescribed to its high value as a resource that should be uti- health standards and regu- lised to restore the Qatari open deserts. lations. Simultaneously, the Due to the high levels of rain this year, the campaign worked to raise the soil at some of these areas has recently reached health awareness of the work- a state of saturation. Accordingly, agreement ers concerned and instruct Al Shamal Municipality off icials during an inspection. has been made with Ashghal to stop using them on the latest updates in treated sewage water and use an alternative en- the field. tours on building violations violation reports and 15 warn- vironment management plan to restore Qatari Al Sheehaniya Municipal- and the state property en- ings to remove encroachments deserts, taking into consideration the require- ity’s Technical Control Sec- croachments. on state property, in particular ments of the vegetation and employing the lat- tion conducted 60 inspection These resulted in issuing fi ve on the land of public streets. est technologies in the fi eld. A view of open desert. Gulf Times Friday, January 4, 2019 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD

97 die in fi ght between Syrian Al Qaeda and NLF rebels

Agencies ment ally Russia to set up a buff er Beirut zone around it. Sparked by the brutal repres- sion of anti-regime protests in t least 97 people have 2011, the civil war has since killed been killed in three days of more than 360,000 people and Afi ghting between Syria’s displaced more than half the Al Qaeda branch and rival rebels country’s population. in the northern and north-west- Local activists said the Al ern parts of the country, a war Qaeda affi liate had taken advan- monitor reported yesterday. tage of the departure of many The ongoing clashes erupt- NLF personnel from the area for ed on Tuesday in the northern the embattled town of Manbij in province of Aleppo between Ha- northern Syria, where Turkey is yat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Al preparing for a major off ensive Qaeda militia previously known against Kurdish militias. as the Al Nusra Front, and the Turkey has been sending National Liberation Front (NLF), troops and military equipment a Turkish-backed rebel group. to areas near the Syrian-Turkish The fi ght has killed 49 HTS border for the operation. fi ghters, 40 NLF rebels, and eight Ankara deems the Syrian civilians, including three chil- Kurdish fi ghters to be an exten- dren, the Syrian Observatory for sion of the outlawed Kurdistan Members of the Israeli security forces gather at the former outpost of Amona near the Jewish settlement of Ofra, following clashes as dozens of settlers were evicted early yesterday. Human Rights said. Workers’ Party (PKK), which is The Britain-based watchdog said waging an insurgency within the violence has extended to areas in Turkey. the north-western province of Idlib Meanwhile, British foreign and Hama in central Syria. minister Jeremy Hunt said that Over the past three days, Al Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Qaeda fi ghters have seized ter- will remain in place for “a while” ritory from the NLF, including thanks to support from Russia, 11 villages in the southern coun- even though Britain’s position Police clash with Israeli tryside of Idlib, the observatory was still that he remains a block said. to lasting peace. An NLF source said that the “The British long-standing group has declared a “high alert” position is that we won’t have among its ranks due to the in- lasting peace in Syria with that tense fi ghting. (Assad-led) regime, but regret- The source added that the fully, we do think he’s going to far-right in West Bank group started a counter-attack be around for a while,” Hunt told against the HTS yesterday at Sky News. Agencies fl atbed trucks were preparing to rived, they tried to break in (to fi rst new government-sanctioned politics and Netanyahu fre- noon with the aim of reversing its Nearly eight years into the war, Amona, Palestinian Territories take away the two mobile homes the mobile homes) but failed, so Jewish settlement since 1991 – quently expresses his support territorial losses. Assad has recovered control of put there in recent weeks. they started fi ring tear gas in- called Amichai – as a new home for settlers. “New fronts have opened up,” most of the country with sup- Settlers packed furniture and side,” said Oren Amitai. for those who had lived in Amona. Israel last week issued ap- Observatory chief Rami Abdel port from Russia, Iran, and Shia sraeli far-right activists supplies into a van and drove “People were coughing and Far-right activists advocate provals for more than 2,000 Rahman said. groups such as Lebanon’s Hez- clashed with police yester- away, while mattresses, a refrig- coughing non-stop,” said the Israel annexing much of the settler homes in the West Bank. The HTS had on Monday ac- bollah. Iday as authorities moved in erator, chairs and other items 43-year-old, who used to be a West Bank and oppose a Pales- Some 500,000 Israelis live in cused NLF member Nureddine Also yesterday Iraqi President to clear away two mobile homes remained scattered in the area. resident of the Amona wildcat tinian state. the West Bank and East Jerusa- al-Zinki of killing fi ve of its fi ght- Barham Salih arrived in Ankara illegally set up in the occupied Police said 23 offi cers were settlement. Key members of Israeli Prime lem, which was also captured by ers, and launched an off ensive for talks on Syria among other West Bank. lightly wounded, while seven The clash comes nearly two Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israel in the 1967 confl ict. against rebel positions. issues with his Turkish counter- Some 300 protesters threw arrests had been made. years after Amona was demol- coalition also oppose a Palestin- The two areas are home to HTS and NLF rebels have been part Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state metal bars, stones and oil at Is- Police spokesman Micky ished by Israeli authorities fol- ian state. more than 2.6mn Palestinians. battling each other for territory news agency Anadolu reported. raeli police, while offi cers re- Rosenfeld said they were en- lowing a Supreme Court ruling Settlements are seen as illegal While Israel’s settlement for two years. Erdogan received Salih in a tel- sponded with tear gas as the op- forcing a court order declaring that found it to be built illegally under international law and a projects have regularly drawn And the last major rebel bas- evised offi cial ceremony at the eration began around 5am (0300 the structures there illegal. on private Palestinian land. major stumbling block to peace condemnation from the Pales- tion of Idlib has been regularly presidential palace in Ankara. GMT) at the former wildcat set- After the confrontation, groups The demolition at the site as they are built on land the Pal- tinians and in Europe, the US rocked by assassinations. The two leaders will discuss tlement of Amona, police said. of young far-right activists, some where around 40 families lived estinians want as part of their administration under President Since September, the strong- regional and international issues, The windswept site – on a with their faces covered, could be was highly controversial among future state. Donald Trump has taken a large- hold has been protected from a particularly developments in hilltop near Ramallah – was seen gathered in the nearby Israeli Israelis and similarly led to Settlement construction ly uncritical public stand. regime off ensive by a shaky deal Syria, Anadolu reported, without cleared of protesters by around settlement of Ofra. clashes. however also plays an impor- Israeli general elections are signed by Turkey and govern- elaborating. 9am and workers with large “When the policemen ar- Israel later began work on the tant role in Israeli right-wing scheduled for April 9.

Iranian health minister Model suspected resigns over budget cuts of tax evasion

Agencies The ministry’s budget was port of Palestinians – instead of Agencies faeli and Rafi Refaeli that it in- Tehran signifi cantly cut for the year be- focusing on domestic aff airs. Jerusalem tends to charge them for fi scal ginning March 21. Meanwhile, the United States fraud,” the statement said. The cuts were linked to an issued a pre-emptive warning Israeli authorities suspect her ran’s health minister has re- acute fi nancial crisis caused to Iran yesterday against pursu- srael’s most famous model and her mother of having lied signed, saying that he could partly by US sanctions that were ing three planned space rocket Bar Refaeli is suspected of about residing abroad in order to Inot accept any further cuts to reimposed last year. launches that it said would vio- Itax evasion and will be called pay less in taxes. his budget as the country strug- As the sanctions have hit oil late a UN into a hearing ahead of her possi- She is also suspected of living gles with a severe fi nancial crisis. exports, it is not clear how much Security Council resolution ble indictment, authorities said in luxury apartments registered “I am not an impatient per- the state will earn from oil rev- because they use ballistic mis- yesterday. in the names of her mother and son, but enough is enough,” enues in the future. sile technology. The 33-year-old could be brother, as well as not declaring Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi said The US measures have badly Secretary of State Mike Pom- charged pending the hearing, cars made available to her. on a video posted to the Khabar aff ected the health sector, as peo said Iran had announced while her parents are also sus- She was already detained and One portal yesterday. some medicines cannot be im- plans to launch in the coming pected of money laundering, a questioned in 2015. Reports that Qazizadeh Hashe- ported due to bank sanctions. months three rockets, called justice ministry statement said. An investigation into the mod- mi had resigned have been circu- The sanctions have also put Space Launch Vehicles (SLV), She is suspected of not declar- el’s taxes also reportedly found lating for days, but yesterday came President Hassan Rouhani un- which he said incorporate tech- ing income received abroad be- that Refaeli had received a Range confi rmation on state media that der serious political pressure. nology that is “virtually identi- tween 2009 and 2012 at a value Rover vehicle in exchange for do- President Hassan Rouhani had ac- He has had to reorganise his cal” to that used in interconti- of some 23mn shekels ($6.1mn). ing publicity and public relations cepted his decision. cabinet due to pressure from nental ballistic missiles. Her parents Tzipi and Rafi for the British car company. Hashemi said that he could parliament. Many Iranians are “The United States will not Refaeli are suspected of money Later, she allegedly received a no longer work eff ectively given also unhappy that the govern- stand by and watch the Iranian laundering and are also being Lexus car, which was registered the restricted spending limits ment is spending money in con- regime’s policies place interna- called in for a hearing. in the name of the importer as proposed in the government’s fl icts abroad – including in wars tional stability and security at Israeli model Bar Refaeli is suspected of not declaring income received “The prosecutor’s offi ce has a “demonstration vehicle,” but next budget. in Yemen and Syria, and in sup- risk,” Pompeo said in a statement. abroad between 2009 and 2012. informed Bar Refaeli, Tzipi Re- which was actually used by her. Sudan forces fi re tear gas at protesters trying to deliver anti-govt petition

Reuters fuel following months of wors- want Bashir to dissolve the gov- tests, which offi cials have blamed last week it had credible reports idly expanding its money sup- all the funding of the social serv- Khartoum ening economic conditions. ernment and form a transitional on infi ltrators. that 37 protesters had been shot ply to fi nance its budget defi cit, ices, education, health,” he said. Security forces have blocked administration that would set a The protests are the most sus- dead.” causing spiralling infl ation offi - “So those people who are now and broken up demonstrations date for elections. tained challenge to Bashir since The protests come as the cially recorded at nearly 70% and in the streets have no social pro- udanese security forces using live ammunition as well as Signatories to the petition in- he took power in nearly 30 years 75-year-old has been pushing to a steep decline in the value of its tection nets, they are alone in a yesterday fi red tear gas to tear gas and stun grenades, wit- clude the Umma Party, led by ago, more widespread and long- shore up his position economi- currency. battle with fate they have noth- Sdisperse protesters who nesses say. opposition fi gure Mubarak al- er-lasting than bouts of unrest in cally as well as politically, lobby- In the eyes of protesters, the ing to lose.” were trying to deliver an anti- They have also detained some Fadil al-Mahdi, the Reform Now September 2013 and January 2018. ing to be removed from the list of economic troubles are deeply en- Members of Khartoum’s par- government petition to the local protesters and opposition fi g- Movement, and the Democratic “What we are witnessing today countries, along with Syria, Iran twined with corruption and mis- liament, which is dominated by headquarters of President Omar ures. Unionist Party. is the second and stronger wave and North Korea, that the US management in the political elite the NCP, proposed a constitu- al-Bashir’s ruling party in Port Earlier yesterday, Bashir said The petition also calls for the of the protests that swept Sudan considers state sponsors of ter- and the ruling National Congress tional amendment last month Sudan, a witness said. in a speech the government was investigation of alleged abuses by in September 2013. Frustration rorism. Party (NCP), said Amjed Farid to extend term limits that would More than 200 people took looking into handing out pay security forces during two weeks with the rising cost of living has That listing has prevented an Eltayeb, an activist and spokes- have required Bashir to step part in the demonstration, which rises, starting this month, but he of anti-government demonstra- been building up and is now boil- infl ux of investment and fi nan- man for the Sudan Change Now down in 2020. broke up before the protesters did not say by how much salaries tions across Sudan. ing over again,” said independent cial aid that Sudan was hoping movement. “We are committed to holding reached the building. would increase. Bashir and the head of Sudan’s analyst Mohamed Osman. for when the US lifted sanctions “The NCP for the last 30 years free and fair elections in 2020, Sudan has been hit by a series The protesters in Port Sudan, National Intelligence and Secu- Offi cials have acknowledged 19 October 2017, according to econ- have directed most of the nation- and we ask that all political pow- of protests triggered by price in- on the Red Sea, represented a rity Service have called for re- deaths in the demonstrations. omists. al budget to the security appara- ers prepare to participate,” Bashir creases and shortages of cash and group of political parties who straint in the response to the pro- Amnesty International said Instead, Sudan has been rap- tus, to the militias, and they cut said on Monday. Gulf Times 4 Friday, January 4 , 2019 AFRICA DR Congo poll panel may delay provisional results

AFP largest opposition party. Kinshasa But the few opinion polls con- ducted before the vote signalled Martin Fayulu — a little-known emocratic Republic of legislator and former oil executive Congo’s election commis- — as the clear favourite. Dsion may have to postpone As tensions escalated, the au- publication of provisional results thorities cut off internet access from the long-awaited presiden- and blocked broadcasts by Radio tial vote, the panel’s chairman said France Internationale, the French yesterday. public-service broadcaster which “We are working around the has a huge following in DRC, with- clock. We are doing our best to drawing its correspondent’s ac- publish the results on January 6. creditation. But if we can’t, we can’t,” said It has accused RFI of fanning Corneille Nangaa, head of the controversy by “declaring results Independent National Election (and) trends” — an allegation the Commission (CENI). broadcaster denies. DR Congo, which is sub-Saha- The move to cut Internet access ran Africa’s biggest country and and block RFI broadcasts drew a one of its most unstable, has been sharp rebuke from Paris yesterday. buff eted by political turbulence for Respect for the freedom of the the past two years. press and the freedom of expres- President Joseph Kabila, 47, sion was “a key element in guar- should have stepped down at the anteeing the transparency and end of 2016 when his constitu- credibility of the ongoing electoral tionally-limited two terms in of- process” in DR Congo, a foreign fi ce expired. ministry spokesman said. But he invoked a caretaker clause But Kinshasa appeared un- in the constitution to stay on, spark- President of the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) Corneille Nangaa (centre), gestures as bowed by the rebuke, issuing an- ing protests which were ruthlessly he leaves a joint meeting with the main presidential candidates and the African Union (AU) on January 2 in other warning to the foreign press crushed, leaving scores dead. Kinshasa. yesterday. After repeated delays, the long- “Only CENI is empowered to awaited presidential election to Compiling the votes by hand would then print out the relevant Nangaa said. announce and publish the voting chose his successor was held on was the biggest hurdle, Nangaa ballot form. “We had proposed a solution” results,” warned Communications Sunday. said. That form would then be placed to overcome DRC’s infrastructure Minister Lambert Mende, who is Tensions have however risen Each electoral area is respon- into the ballot box. problems, he said, “but it was re- also Shadary’s spokesman. over the marathon counting proc- sible for counting its own votes, CENI had wanted “to be able to jected, and now we have to live DR Congo has never known a ess with opposition fears running then sending a report on the tally transmit the results from the vot- with the situation.” peaceful handover of power since high that the result will be rigged along with the actual ballots cast ing machines to help us publish the Within hours of clearing the it gained independence from Bel- to favour Kabila’s preferred suc- to a “result centralisation” centre results quickly but nobody wanted fi rst hurdle of potential violence gium in 1960 and many fear there cessor Emmanuel Ramazani Sha- which compiles all the data. that procedure,” Nangaa said. on polling day, the elections ran will be renewed bloodshed if the dary. But the road network is noto- The opposition had fi ercely into their next challenge — claims results lack credibility. CENI had pledged to issue pro- riously poor in DR Congo, a vast criticised the machines, describ- of victory and entrenched suspi- The country lived through two visional results by January 6 — country which is the size of conti- ing them as vulnerable to hacking cions about electoral fraud. fully-fl edged wars between 1996 with the timetable confi rmed by nental western Europe. and manipulation. Kabila’s champion Shadary, a and 2003 that claimed millions of the commission on Tuesday. CENI had installed electronic “As the machines are not con- hardliner and former interior min- lives through bloodshed, fi ghting, Defi nitive results are due out on voting machines to speed up the nected to anything,” the business ister, claimed victory as did Em- starvation and disease. January 15, with the new president ballot, with voters selecting their of collecting and collating the re- manuel Tshisekedi, head of the Violence also marred elections to be sworn in three days later. candidate via a touchscreen which ports “is being done manually”, UDPS, the country’s oldest and in 2006 and 2011. Niger troops Zuma’s plan to record album kill over 280 Boko Haram angers S African opposition

militants AFP Johannesburg

Reuters Naimey ormer South African presi- dent Jacob Zuma’s plan to Frecord an album of apart- roops and air strikes have heid-era struggle songs sparked killed more than 280 Boko off a political row yesterday as THaram militants since the opposition politicians slammed Niger government started an op- the project as a taxpayer-funded eration against the group last week, waste of money. the defence ministry said. Zuma, ousted from power last Boko Haram has attacked Ni- year amid multiple fraud scandals, ger, Chad and Cameroon from its is famed for his rich baritone sing- base in northeast Nigeria, where ing voice and regularly bursts into it has been fi ghting for more than song at ruling ANC party rallies nine years to carve out an Islamist and public events. caliphate. He plans to record the album In this file photo taken on April 12, 2017 South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma gestures during celebra- Niger’s defence ministry said in front of a live audience in April tions for his 75th birthday in Kliptown, Soweto. Former South African president Jacob Zuma’s plan to record an in a statement on Wednesday that and to release it later in the year, album of apartheid-era struggle songs sparked off a political row yesterday. the army mounted a sweep opera- with his trademark song Awuleth’ tion against the group last Friday Umshini Wami (“Bring Me My do would be to forgot our past,” “The album itself is not an issue makers early last year after a fi erce along the southeastern Komadugu Machine Gun”) set to be on the Ngcobo said. “We chased presi- at all — except that it will be fund- battle for control of the party. river, which separates Niger from playlist. dent Zuma for three months and, ed by public money and we have no The former president, who is Nigeria. The song is one of many tunes when he heard about our plan, he idea how much,” local opposition thought to have little personal More than 200 militants were that played a central role in the was more excited than us about councillor Nicole Graham, from wealth, is battling to quash crimi- “neutralised” by air strikes and 87 decades-long struggle against it.” the Democratic Alliance party, nal charges against him over a were killed by Nigerien troops on white-minority rule and which are Ngcobo said Zuma would not be said. $2.5bn corruption case linked to a the ground, it said. still sung at protests in South Af- paid or receive any profi ts from the “This is about factional battles 1990s arms deal. In June 2016, more than 30 Ni- rica today. album, and was giving his time for within the ANC party, with his He also faces allegations of gerien soldiers were killed during “These songs remind us of free to “preserve and disseminate supporters attempting to give him fostering widespread corruption a Boko Haram attack on the town where we came from and how our of our liberation heritage”. a continued platform after his fall. while in power. of Bosso, prompting Chad to send country was forged,” said Them- Ethekwini municipality, which in- “The DA will fi ght this matter Ngcobo said Zuma’s singing was 2,000 troops to help its West Af- binkosi Ngcobo, head of recreation cludes the coastal city of Durban, is tooth and nail in the interests of a key part of his political image. rican neighbour counter the mili- and culture at the Ethekwini local in Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu all who prioritise service delivery “It was one reason for his popu- tants. municipality, which will fund the Natal — a hotbed of the corruption over politics.” larity. It projects him as an infor- Those troops were withdrawn album. scandals that beset his rule as presi- Zuma, 76, came to power in mal, friendly and accessible per- in October 2017, raising concern “The worst thing that we could dent and fi nally led to his ousting. 2009 and was ousted by ANC law- son,” he said. about security in the Diff a region.

China dismisses Africa debt fears at Ethiopia expects Nile dam to be ready to start operation in late 2020 start of FM tour

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Reuters August cancelled a state-run end of 2022, he said. METEC, including its head, have played down concern over Africa’s Addis Ababa conglomerate’s contract to build The project has caused prob- been arrested in a corruption debts with Beijing yesterday as the turbines. lems with Egypt, which fears the crackdown launched by the re- he arrived in Ethiopia at the start State media reported on dam will restrict Nile River wa- formist leader who took offi ce last of a four-nation Africa tour. China thiopia’s $4bn dam project Wednesday that the govern- ters coming down from Ethiopia’s year. has funnelled cash and loans into on the River Nile, which has ment had signed an agreement highlands, through the deserts of METEC had only completed infrastructure projects across the Ebeen beset by construction with GE Hydro France, a unit Sudan, to Egyptian fi elds and res- 23% of the work, Seleshi said yes- continent, where many African delays and criticism from Egypt, of GE Renewables, to accelerate ervoirs. terday. leaders consider Beijing’s terms a will start initial operations in De- the completion of the dam, and Ethiopia disputes that. There have been other con- better deal that than those off ered cember 2020, the water and en- water and energy minister Se- When Abiy cancelled the con- struction delays. by bilateral Western nations. Wang ergy minister said yesterday. leshi Bekele said yesterday the tract of Ethiopian military con- “Purchased generators, turbines initially sidestepped concerns — often The planned 6,000-megawatt project was on track to open in glomerate Metals and Engineering and other equipment are scattered made by Western nations — about Grand Renaissance Dam is the two years’ time. Corporation (METEC) in August, in ports and other places, meaning whether the debt repayments were centrepiece of Ethiopia’s bid to “750 megawatts is the planned he said not a single turbine was more costs,” Seleshi said. sustainable. “Generally, debt in Africa become Africa’s biggest power initial production with two tur- operational more than seven years GE Hydro France will be paid has been a protracted issue left from exporter, but until this week bines,” Seleshi told parliament. after the government awarded the nearly 54mn euros ($61mn) to history,” Wang said. “It didn’t come up progress had been unclear after The government expected the contract. manufacture, fi x and test turbine today, still less is it caused by China.” Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last dam to be fully operational by the Dozens of senior offi cials from generators, state media said. Gulf Times Friday, January 4, 2019 5 AMERICA Democrats seize House control as divided Congress gets to work

AFP Pelosi elected to be speaker for 2019-20 Washington Democrat Nancy Pelosi was to push legislation that would conduct in-depth oversight of he new US Congress con- elected yesterday to be the new spark large federal investments Trump administration off icials vened yesterday with speaker of the US House of Rep- in infrastructure projects that and likely would attempt to get TDemocrats controlling the resentatives as her party took Trump also has expressed an the president’s recent tax returns House of Representatives, mark- majority control of the chamber interest in tackling. But Pelosi’s as part of House investigations ing a dramatic power shift on following its election victory last Democrats and Trump’s Repub- into his business dealings. Some Capitol Hill less than two years Nov. 6. This marks Pelosi’s second licans have taken vastly diff erent of Pelosi’s Democrats already before President Donald Trump’s stint as speaker. She was the first approaches to rebuilding the have hinted that these oversight 2020 re-election bid. woman ever to hold the job, serv- nation’s bridges, roadways, investigations could lead to im- The opening ushered in a new ing from 2007 until 2011, when airports and other public works peachment proceedings against era of divided government in Republicans began an eight-year projects that also would spark Trump, depending on the find- Washington, with Democrats run in the House majority. Pelosi job creation. ings of committee hearings and intent on checking the Republi- received 220 votes for speaker, During last year’s congressional special counsel Robert Mueller’s can’s turbulent presidency nearly while Republican Representative campaigns Pelosi also talked separate findings from his inves- two years into his term. Kevin McCarthy got 192 votes. A about the need to improve Con- tigation into the 2016 presidential The clerk of the House rapped smattering of others received the gress’ ethics rules and to pass election and Russian interfer- the gavel to signal the chamber remaining votes in the chamber legislation to lessen the influence ence. As House speaker, Pelosi was into session, with 235 Demo- that holds 435 seats. The election of large corporate donations in will set the legislative agenda for crats and 199 Republicans recit- puts Pelosi in position to lead the congressional elections. Pelosi, the House, is a leading figure in ing the Pledge of Allegiance and opposition to President Donald a liberal who represents San Democratic Party politics and is being sworn in, ahead of a vote to Trump’s agenda and to conduct Francisco, will lead a House with second in line for the presidency elect Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the in-depth investigations of his ad- 235 Democrats, 199 Republicans after Vice President Mike Pence House. One seat in the 435-mem- ministration following two years and one seat in North Carolina if Trump were to become inca- ber House remains in dispute two during which Republicans have still being contested. Besides pacitated. months after the election. mainly given him a free pass. her legislative agenda, Pelosi Republicans maintain control of Several beaming new lawmak- Pelosi, 78, was first elected to the has made clear that the House’s the Senate by a margin of 53-47 ers were seen hugging and shak- House in 1987 and has pledged Democratic-run committees will for the next two years. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi gets a thumbs-up from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as ing hands with veteran members the US House of Representatives meets for the start of the 116th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington. and each other. Vice President Mike Pence swore in the new vowed the new Congress would unlikely to appease him. After thority and abused power in the vember, Trump’s party managed ate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- Republican, Steve Scalise, said he members of the US Senate, where be “bipartisan and unifying” and saying he remained “ready and nearly two years since Trump’s to modestly expand its majority Connell said. Pelosi will preside would be watching closely to see 53 Republicans hold the majority “will debate and advance good willing to work with Democrats” inauguration. They will have that in the Senate, meaning Washing- over the most diverse Congress how Pelosi and the Democrats over 45 Democrats and two inde- ideas no matter where they come late Wednesday, Trump lashed opportunity, as congressional ton gridlock is almost certain to in history. One hundred House will handle the changing of the pendents who align with Demo- from.” “In that spirit, Democrats out yesterday. “The Shutdown is panels will be led by chairmen deepen. Among the fi rst tasks of freshmen took the oath of of- political guard. crats. Pelosi was poised to take will be off ering the Senate Re- only because of the 2020 Presi- who have pledged to probe topics the 116th Congress will be ending fi ce, including trailblazers like “She’s been very clear about over as speaker for the second publican appropriations legisla- dential Election,” he tweeted. such as Trump’s income taxes, the shutdown, now in its 13th day New York’s Alexandria Ocasio- what her agenda is, and it’s far time in her career, a remarkable tion to re-open government later “The Democrats know they his fi ring of attorney general Jeff and which has left one quarter of Cortez, who at 29 is the youngest left of center,” Scalise told AFP. revival for a battle-tested politi- today – to meet the needs of the can’t win based on all of the Sessions, and the president’s federal agencies shuttered due to woman ever elected to Congress. Hovering in the background in cian who is so far the only woman American people, and to protect achievements of ‘Trump,’ so they ties to Russian leader Vladimir lapsed funding. But compromise The fi rst two Native Ameri- Washington will be the threat of to head the House. our borders,” she said. But such are going all out on the desper- Putin. That expected barrage of was still elusive. can women and fi rst two Muslim impeachment. While it is almost Her fi rst task will be to help co-operation across the political ately needed Wall and Border Se- investigations could bog down a “Democrats will have to get women were also elected. “It’s certain that some Democrats will end a partial federal government aisle appeared unlikely as Trump curity – and Presidential Harass- White House already besieged by serious about border security a new day in America,” tweeted introduce proceedings to remove shutdown over Trump’s insist- continued to dig in over his de- ment. For them, strictly politics!” Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s so that a government funding Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee Trump from offi ce, Pelosi has ence that lawmakers fund a US- mand that Congress approve a Indeed, progressives will be eager Russia collusion probe. agreement may be reached that elected from Minnesota. The downplayed the idea. “It would Mexico border wall. In excerpts $5bn plan to construct a border to push back with greater eff ect But while the “blue wave” can pass the House, earn 60 votes House and Senate will each have be very divisive,” she told Elle of the speech she was to deliver to wall aimed at thwarting illegal against an administration they swept dozens of House Repub- here in the Senate, and receive a a record number of female mem- magazine. “It’s not something the House later yesterday, Pelosi immigration – with Democrats believe has overstepped its au- licans out of Congress last No- presidential signature,” Sen- bers. The House’s number two that I’m stirring the pot on.” Shutdown continues US govt shutdown further strains immigration system

Reuters scheduled, frustrating eff orts by immigration judges’ union. “In Wilmington Trump’s Justice Department to the past there has been retroac- clear a backlog of 800,000 cases. tive pay provided but that has Jeremy McKinney, an immi- to be provided by Congress, so he partial US government gration lawyer in North Caro- there is a lot of anxiety among shutdown is showing signs lina, said a client who is fi ghting the judges about what will hap- Tof straining the country’s deportation had a procedural pen,” Tabaddor said. immigration system and has been hearing cancelled this week and A Justice Department spokes- blamed for worsening backlogs it probably will not be resched- man said he could not respond to in courts and complicating hiring uled until 2020 due to overfl ow- a request for comment because for employers. ing dockets. of the shutdown. US President Donald Trump “That’s one case for one judge A system known as E-Verify, has vowed to continue the shut- in one city. Multiply that by hun- which is used to check if a per- down until he gets the $5bn he is dreds in Charlotte and thousands son is authorised to work in the seeking for a wall on the Mexi- and thousands of cases across United States, was taken offline can border, which the opposi- the country,” he said. “The shut- for a lack of funding. Several tion Democrats have refused, down has resulted in a complete states require employers to use prompting the 13-day shutdown. standstill for most of the immi- the program and the Trump About 800,000 federal em- gration docket.” administration has considered ployees have been aff ected. That The Executive Offi ce for Im- making E-Verify mandatory for includes border patrol agents migration Review, which is part employers. who are working without pay, of the Justice Department and Shanon Stevenson, a lawyer according to Joshua Wilson, vice runs the immigration courts, said with Fisher & Phillips in Atlanta, president of the border patrol in a notice that immigrants in de- said she has heard from clients union in San Diego. tention still will have court dates. that they may postpone adding Immigration judges have been However, the judges hearing staff until E-Verify is available. A woman takes a photo of a sign that informs visitors the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian is closed furloughed, which means thou- those cases are working without “They don’t want to invest the due to the government shutdown in New York City, New York. sands of long-delayed depor- pay, according to Ashley Tabad- time and training and fi nd they tation cases will have to be re- dor, the president of the national then have problem,” she said. US factory activity hits two-year low, casts shadow over economy

Reuters health are escalating despite the 2016. The drop was the largest points to 51.1 last month, the low- with tariff s between US and Chi- to a trade war with China and tit- 19 months. Apple on Wednesday Washington labour market remaining strong. since October 2008, when the est reading since August 2016. na are causing longer-term con- for-tat tariff s with other trading cut its sales forecast for its quarter “The economy is just going to economy was in the throes of a The survey’s factory employ- cerns about costs and sourcing partners, including the European ending in December, citing slow- be spinning its wheels with sub- recession. A reading above 50 in ment measure dropped to 56.2 in strategies for our manufactur- Union, Canada and Mexico. In ing iPhone sales in China. S manufacturing activ- par growth in 2019 if the purchas- the ISM index indicates an ex- December from 58.4 in the prior ing operations.” Computer and addition to the tariff s, which have US stocks extended losses on ity slowed sharply to a ing managers report is to be be- pansion in manufacturing, which month. Tariff s imposed by the electronic product manufactur- raised input costs for manufac- the weak ISM survey, with the Utwo-year low in December lieved,” said Chris Rupkey, chief accounts for about 12% of the US Trump administration on steel ers said “growth appears to have turers, factory activity is also be- Dow Jones Industrial Average fall- amid a plunge in new orders and economist at MUFG in New York. economy. and aluminium imports as well as stopped.” ing undercut by a strong dollar, ing more than 600 points at one hiring at factories, suggesting the “New orders have dried up and The ISM said that demand had a range of Chinese goods are hurt- a shortage of skilled workers, a point. The dollar dropped against The Institute for Supply Manage- this will take a toll on business in- “softened.” It said while con- ing manufacturers. Transporta- Trade war fading fi scal stimulus and slowing a basket of currencies, while US ment (ISM) survey published yes- vestment and growth in 2019.” sumption continued to strength- tion equipment manufacturers President Donald Trump has growth in economies like China. Treasury yields fell. terday off ered a downbeat assess- The Institute for Supply Man- en, with production and employ- said “customer demand contin- defended the duties as neces- Data this week showed factory The sharp stock market sell-off ment of the manufacturing sector, agement (ISM) said its index of ment still expanding, this was ues to decrease due to concerns sary to protect American indus- activity weakened across much has raised the spectre of a sig- with almost all components de- national factory activity tumbled “at much lower levels compared about the economy and tariff s.” tries from what he says is unfair of Europe and Asia in Decem- nifi cant slowdown in growth this clining last month. 5.2 points to 54.1 last month, the to prior periods.” The ISM’s new Machinery makers complained foreign competition. The White ber, with Chinese manufacturing year, though economists see no Concerns about the economy’s lowest reading since November orders sub-index plunged 11 that “the ongoing open issues House’s protectionism has lead contracting for the fi rst time in recession. Gulf Times 6 Friday, January 4, 2019 ASIA Bangla opposition boycotts oath, calls for fresh election

Reuters Dhaka

pposition members of Bangladesh’s parliament Oboycotted a swearing-in ceremony yesterday, after reject- ing results of a general election that they said was rigged to give Activists of leftist alliance join in a rally to demand a new election under caretaker government, in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Dhaka, Bangladesh. her third straight term. Hasina’s ruling alliance won a re-run of the polls. “Our each including the United States and voting locations on election day more than 90% of the seats con- and every candidate will fi le a the European Union, have con- mean that an independent and tested in Sunday’s election, which case with the election tribunal demned the election-day vio- impartial commission should be was marred by accusations of bal- in their respective seats rejecting lence and called for investigation formed to determine the extent lot stuffi ng, voter intimidation and the results and bringing allega- of a range of irregularities. of the violations,” Brad Adams, violence that killed at least 17 peo- tions of vote fraud,” Islam said. Yesterday, New York-based Asia director at the rights group, ple. Hasina and her ruling Awami The BNP, which boycotted the Human Rights Watch said the said in a statement. League party have dismissed the previous election, in 2014, has run-up to the vote was charac- Hasina, whose father, state accusations. While newly elected been hobbled by the absence of terised by “violence and intimi- founder Mujibur Rahman, was members of parliament from the its leader, former Prime Minister dation against the opposition ... assassinated in a coup in 1975, ruling bloc, including Hasina, were Protesters cover their mouth with black cloths as they join in a rally to demand a new election under Khaleda Zia, 74, who was jailed in and the misuse of laws to limit has alternated in and out of pow- sworn in, the seven opposition caretaker government, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. February on corruption charges free speech”. It called for an in- er for nearly three decades with members stayed away. her party says were politically dependent and impartial inves- her main rival, Khaleda. “Why should we take the oath position Bangladesh Nationalist has denied any election impro- has rejected an opposition call motivated. tigation of the accusations of Khaleda was fi rst lady when when we’ve rejected this elec- Party (BNP), told reporters. Islam priety, calling it a peaceful vote for a new vote, but despite that, The party has asked the gov- electoral abuses. “Reports of bal- her husband, Ziaur Rahman, was tion?” Mirza Fakhrul Islam, sec- is one of the seven opposition that saw enthusiastic participa- the opposition alliance yester- ernment for permission to meet lot stuffi ng, intimidation of vot- president from 1977 until he was retary general of the main op- members who won a seat. Hasina tion. The Election Commission day submitted a new demand for Khaleda. Western governments, ers, and ruling party control of assassinated in 1981.

Street art Tourists fl ee Thailand islands as Tropical Storm Pabuk closes in

AFP into a full-blown typhoon, ac- recommendations.” On Koh such as Krabi and Phuket. The Khao Lak cording to forecasters. Samui, a Russian man drowned Similan National Park, home to “But we expect waves as high on Wednesday after his family pristine beaches and bays, has as 5 or 7m near the eye of the ignored warnings not to go into been closed until tomorrow as ens of thousands of tour- storm,” Phuwieng Prakammain- the sea. a precaution as the storm bites ists have fl ed some of tara, head of the Thai Meteoro- “A family of three went swim- hard into business during the TThailand’s most popular logical Department, told report- ming but the strong current peak season. islands and resort areas as Trop- ers. caught a 56-year-old man who “I was supposed to stay on ical Storm Pabuk closes in and No offi cial evacuation order drowned,” Police Captain Boon- a boat and dive all day tomor- threatens to batter the southern has been given but tourists are nam Srinarat of Samui Police row (Friday),” Annick Fleury, a part of the kingdom with heavy leaving in droves, with those told AFP. 29-year-old tourist from Ge- rains, winds and 7m waves. unable to book fl ights prepar- “Island offi cials announced neva told AFP in Khao Lak near The islands of Koh Phangan ing to see out the storm on ee- the warning and put up the red Phuket, one of hundreds cutting and Koh Tao, packed with hol- rily deserted islands. “I think ‘danger’ fl ags ... but maybe the short – or re-routing – their iday-makers during the peak the islands are almost empty ... family did not think the situa- diving holidays in the Andaman Christmas and New Year sea- between 30,000 to 50,000 have tion was that serious.” area. son, have emptied out since left since the New Year’s Eve Bangkok Airways, which has “If I can go to Krabi, I’ll try to Wednesday as tourists squeeze countdown parties,” Krikkrai a virtual monopoly on the air get there tonight. Otherwise I’ll onto ferries bound for the Songthanee, Koh Phangan dis- route to the island, cancelled all have to book myself into a nice southern Thai mainland, with trict chief, told AFP. fl ights in and out of Samui to- hotel and just wait for the storm swimming banned and boats set The acting mayor of Koh day. Authorities prepared shel- to pass.” to suspend services. Tao, one of Southeast Asia’s ters for tourists who decided to The southernmost provinces A man rides an e-scooter past a mural painted on a wall in Singapore yesterday. Pabuk, Thailand’s fi rst tropi- fi nest diving spots, said boats wait out the storm or who could of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala cal storm in the area outside of to Chumphon on the mainland not secure seats on ferries for near the Malaysia border are the monsoon season for around were crammed with tourists, but the mainland before services are also bracing for fl ooding. Thai- 30 years, is poised to hit the two several thousand guests were suspended late yesterday. land’s economy is heavily reliant islands as well as neighbouring still on the island likely to brave Pabuk, which means a giant on tourism. Koh Samui today afternoon, be- the storm. catfi sh in Lao, is also expect- The kingdom is expected to fore cutting into the mainland. “It’s diffi cult to predict the ed to dump heavy rain across welcome a record 40mn people Singapore activist found Packing winds of 104kmph, severity of the storm so people the south, including tourist this year, many bound for its Pabuk is unlikely to intensify should comply with authorities’ hotspots in the Andaman Sea southern beaches and resorts. guilty of illegal protest

AFP Philippine mayor charged Singapore Singaporean activist was found guilty yesterday of organising an illegal protest Aafter holding what he called a “harmless” public discussion in 2016 that featured Hong with killing of lawmaker Kong democracy campaigner Joshua Wong speaking via Skype. DPA assert my innocence,” he said in in public his bid for the may- the killing, saying, “In our quest Jolovan Wham, 39, was charged with violat- Manila a statement. “Let us not forget oral post of Daraga,” Albayalde for justice, let us avoid commit- ing public order laws because he failed to apply that while I am being used as a told reporters. “Mayor Baldo ting injustice.” for a police permit before inviting Wong, a non- convenient scapegoat, those allegedly off ered 5mn pesos “I am an easy target, but that Singaporean, to speak via video call to an audi- hilippine police yester- who are truly responsible for the ($96,150) for the hit job on Ba- does not make me guilty of the ence in the tightly controlled city-state. day fi led murder charges crime remain free and blame- tocabe sometime in September crime,” he added. “I am already Wham, who is also an advocate for migrant Pagainst a town mayor for less.” 2018 and paid an initial amount being persecuted in the courts workers’ rights, said earlier in a Facebook post allegedly masterminding the Batocabe was shot dead on of 250,000 pesos... for the pur- of public opinion.” Presidential that the gathering in November 2016 “was a killing of a lawmaker who want- December 22 after attending a chase of guns and motorcycles,” spokesman Salvador Panelo as- harmless and straightforward discussion about ed to contest the mayor’s post in charity event with elderly resi- he added. sured Baldo and his co-accused social movements”. But district judge Kessler mid-term elections in May. dents of Daraga. His security es- The six gunmen were most- that they would have their Soh Boon Leng said in his verdict yesterday Mayor Carlwyn Baldo of cort was also killed in the attack, ly former soldiers, paramili- chance to refute the charges that the prosecution proved the charges against Daraga town in Albay province, and seven elderly civilians were tary personnel and communist against them in court. Wham “beyond reasonable doubt” and set sen- 333km south-east of Manila, al- injured. Baldo is running for rebels employed by Baldo as his “While they too are aff orded tencing for January 23. Wong, who was among legedly employed the gunmen re-election as mayor of Daraga confi dential staff , a police in- the constitutional presumption the leaders of the massive pro-democracy pro- who assassinated Congressman town, a post that Batocabe had vestigation showed. Two of the of innocence and consequently tests in Hong Kong in 2014, spoke about the role Rodel Batocabe, said Director registered to contest in polls on six suspects have surrendered will be accorded due process, of civil disobedience and democracy in building General Oscar Albayalde, chief May 13. “Accordingly, the plan to police and given testimony the government shall nonethe- social movements. of the national police. Baldo de- to assassinate Batocabe was against Baldo. less prosecute them for the hei- Organising a public assembly without a per- nied the allegations and urged hatched sometime in August The incumbent mayor urged nous crime without delay,” he mit in Singapore is punishable by a fi ne of up to his constituents not to worry. “I 2018 when Batocabe announced the police to better investigate said. S$5,000 ($3,600). Repeat off enders can be nedfi up to S$10,000 or jailed a maximum six months or both. The wealthy city-state is regularly Death toll in Philippine floods goes up to 122 criticised by rights groups for its heavy-handed response to political dissent and freedom of ex- The death toll in landslides and Eastern Visayas, civil defence the province of Camarines Sur tally by the national disaster risk pression. Last month, the editor of a Singapo- floods in the eastern Philippines and disaster risk reduction alone, 57 were killed and 20 reduction off ice. rean website was charged with defamation for has climbed to 122 as emergency off icials said. missing, mostly in landslides, The tropical depression was publishing a letter alleging corruption among teams reached isolated areas Most of the victims, 105 of them, the regional civil defence off ice the last and deadliest cyclone the country’s leaders. and recovered more bodies, were from Bicol, where five said. Thirteen people died from to hit the Philippines in 2018. The same month, Prime Minister Lee Hsien off icials said yesterday. Nearly provinces were badly hit by the landslides and floods in Eastern Before it, Typhoon Mangkhut Loong sued a blogger for defamation over a Fa- 30 people were still reported landslides and floods caused by a Visayas, while four drowned was considered the deadliest, cebook post alleging he was the target of an in- missing in the aff ected areas in tropical depression that brought in the provinces of Laguna and killing more than 80 people in vestigation in neighbouring Malaysia related to Political activist Jolovan Wham arrives at the state the eastern regions of Bicol and heavy rains for several days. In Oriental Mindoro, according to a September. the scandal-plagued wealth fund 1MDB. court in Singapore yesterday. Gulf Times Friday, January 4, 2019 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA In a fi rst, China lands probe on far side of moon

AFP Beijing

Chinese lunar rover landed on the far side of Athe moon yesterday, in a global fi rst that boosts Beijing’s ambitions to become a space su- perpower. The Chang’e-4 probe touched down and sent a photo of the so- called “dark side” of the moon to the Queqiao satellite, which will relay communications to controllers on Earth, China’s national space agency said on its website. Beijing is pouring billions into its military-run space pro- gramme, with hopes of having a crewed space station by 2022, and of eventually sending hu- mans to the moon. The Chang’e-4 lunar probe This handout picture taken by the Chang’e-4 probe and released to AFP by China National Space mission —named after the moon Administration yesterday shows an image of the “dark side” of the moon. goddess in Chinese mythology — This file picture taken early on December 8, 2018 shows a Long March 3B rocket, transporting the launched in December from the Chang’e-4 lunar rover, lifting off from the Xichang launch centre in Xichang in China’s southwestern capability.” But China’s aero- logical feat — China has been tures drop to as low as -173C. southwestern Xichang launch Sichuan province. China’s Chang’e-4 lunar rover landed on the far side of the moon yesterday, the first space industry still has a long preparing for this moment for During the lunar day, also last- centre. probe to do so, state broadcaster CCTV reported. way to go, especially compared to years. ing 14 Earth days, temperatures It is the second Chinese that of the US, said Shen Dingli, A major challenge for the mis- soar as high as 127C (261 F). Add- probe to land on the moon, fol- quency radio astronomical stud- an aerospace power.” Beijing is and a Mars rover. The People’s a Shanghai-based international sion was communicating with ing to the diffi culties, Chang’e-4 lowing the Yutu (Jade Rabbit) ies — aiming to take advantage planning to send another lu- Liberation Army “looks at space studies scholar. the robotic lander as there is no was sent to the Aitken Basin in rover mission in 2013. Unlike of the lack of interference on the nar lander, Chang’e-5, later this as a new strategic high ground,” “Armstrong landed on the direct “line of sight” for signals the lunar south pole region — the near side of the moon that moons’ far side. year to collect samples and bring said Michael Raska, who studies moon more than 50 years ago to the far side of the moon. known for its craggy and complex offers many flat areas to touch The rover will also conduct them back to Earth. It is among security and defence issues at the —Chinese people still have not As a solution, China in May terrain. down on, the far side is moun- mineral and radiation tests, the a slew of ambitious Chinese tar- S Rajaratnam School of Interna- landed on the moon even today.” blasted the Queqiao (Magpie China’s previous moon rover tainous and rugged. China National Space Adminis- gets, which include a reusable tional Studies in Singapore. It was not until 1959 that the Bridge) satellite into the moon’s Yutu also conquered those chal- The moon is “tidally locked” tration has said. “It’s a very good launcher by 2021, a super-pow- An increased presence in space Soviet Union captured the fi rst orbit, positioning it so that it can lenges, and, after initial setbacks, to Earth in its rotation so the start,” said Wu Weiren, chief erful rocket capable of delivering will be vital for “anything for images of the moon’s mysterious relay data and commands be- ultimately surveyed the moon’s same side is always facing Earth. designer of China’s lunar explo- payloads heavier than those Nasa early warning, surveillance, re- and heavily cratered “dark side”. tween the lander and Earth. surface for 31 months. Chang’e-4 is carrying six ex- ration program, in an interview and private rocket fi rm SpaceX connaissance, targeting... nearly No lander or rover has ever In another extreme hurdle, Its success provided a ma- periments from China and four with state broadcaster CCTV. can handle, a moon base, a per- every military mission out there previously touched the surface during the lunar night — which jor boost to China’s space pro- from abroad, including low-fre- “We are now building China into manently crewed space station, is relying on some sort of space there, and it is no easy techno- lasts 14 Earth days — tempera- gramme. Lion Air ends search for cockpit voice recorder North Korean diplomat Reuters Jakarta in Italy ‘seeking asylum’ ion Air has ended its search for the cockpit voice re- Lcorder (CVR) from its Boe- AFP Intelligence Service (NIS) had to prevent their defection while ing 737 MAX jet that crashed into Seoul confi rmed the envoy had sought working abroad. the Java Sea in October, but In- asylum, but did not appear to Jo, however, came to Rome donesian investigators said they know his whereabouts. in May 2015 with his wife and plan to launch their own probe as orth Korea’s top diplo- A source close to the Italian children, suggesting he may be soon as possible. mat in Italy has sought foreign ministry told AFP the from a privileged family, the The crash, the world’s fi rst of Nasylum and gone into country had “no knowledge” of JoongAng said, adding the rea- a Boeing Co 737 MAX jet and the hiding, Seoul lawmakers told any asylum request from Jo. son for his defection bid was deadliest of 2018, killed all 189 reporters after a closed-door The source said the minis- still unclear. people on board. meeting with South Korean in- try had simply received a re- Relations between the nu- Contact with fl ight JT610 was telligence offi cials yesterday. quest for the “replacement” of clear-armed North and South lost 13 minutes after it took off It would mark the latest high- the diplomat, but did not know Korea improved markedly last on Oct 29 from the capital Ja- profi le defection by a senior Jo’s whereabouts, adding that year after the tensions of 2017, karta heading north to the tin- North Korean envoy since the the replacement had arrived in with the two countries’ leaders mining town of Pangkal Pinang. deputy ambassador in London Rome. meeting three times. The main wreckage and the CVR, abandoned his post in 2016. The NIS briefi ng to lawmak- Jo’s defection, if confi rmed, one of two so-called black boxes, “Acting ambassador Jo ers came after South Korea’s would not impact inter-Korean were not recovered in an initial Song-gil’s term was ending in JoongAng Ilbo daily reported ties, said Koh Yu-hwan, profes- search. late November last year and he that Jo had sought asylum in an sor of North Korean studies at Lion Air said in December escaped the diplomatic com- unidentifi ed Western country Dongguk University in Seoul, it was funding a 38bn rupiah pound in early November” with with his family. “unless Pyongyang thinks the ($2.64mn) search using the off - his wife, lawmaker Kim Min-ki “He sought asylum early last escape was arranged by South shore supply ship MPV Everest. Indonesian customs off icers patrol at a search area for Lion Air flight JT610 in Karawang waters, Indonesia. told reporters. month,” the JoongAng quoted Korean authorities”. The search using the ship end- Jo, 48, has been acting am- a diplomatic source in Seoul as The former deputy ambassa- ed on Saturday, Danang Man- remote-operated vehicle,” the ticated ship ... for several weeks, nesian authorities’ decision to bassador in Rome since Octo- saying. Italian authorities were dor to London who defected in dala, the spokesman for Lion Air commission’s spokesman said. we the families of victims were ask Lion Air to pay for the search ber 2017 after Italy expelled the “agonising” over what to do, the 2016, Thae Yong-ho, said at the Group, told Reuters. The clock is ticking in the hunt given only fake promises by Lion that ended on Saturday. Safety then ambassador Mun Jong- offi cial was cited as saying, but time that he had switched sides A spokesman for the National for acoustic pings from the L3 Air,” he said, adding he was not experts say air accident inves- nam in protest at a North Ko- added that they were “protect- partly to give his three children Transportation Safety Commis- Technologies Inc CVR fi tted to confi dent in the government’s tigation agencies typically lead rean nuclear test a month earlier ing him in a safe place”. a better future after being or- sion (KNKT), however, said yes- the jet. It has a 90-day beacon, eff orts. the search for black boxes with in violation of UN resolutions. Jo is “known to be a son or dered to return to the North. terday the agency would start its the manufacturer’s online bro- The family of the Indone- public funding to ensure the in- Italy is an important diplo- son-in-law of one of the high- Pyongyang denounced him in own search for the black box as chure shows. sian co-pilot of the fl ight fi led a dependence of the process and matic mission for Pyongyang, est-level offi cials in the North’s vitriolic terms, calling him “hu- soon as feasible. The CVR is like- A preliminary report by KNKT wrongful death lawsuit against that it is unusual to hand the task as it handles relations with the regime”, the JoongAng cited an man scum”, but did not demand ly to hold vital clues that could focused on airline maintenance Boeing in Chicago, adding to to one of the parties to the inves- Rome-headquartered UN Food unnamed North Korea expert as his repatriation. give investigators insight into and training and the response of litigation piling up against the tigation. and Agriculture Organisation saying. The Kim dynasty has ruled the actions of the pilots. a Boeing anti-stall system to a planemaker. Indonesian investigators pre- and North Korea suff ers from Most North Korean diplo- the impoverished North for The KNKT spokesman said recently replaced sensor but did The lawsuit alleges that the viously said that bureaucratic chronic food shortages. An- mats serving overseas are nor- three generations with little negotiations with the Indone- not give a cause for the crash. Lion Air-operated Boeing 737 wrangling and funding problems other member of the South Ko- mally required to leave several tolerance for dissent, and the sian navy were under way to “While we appreciate the fact MAX jet was unreasonably dan- had hampered the search for rean parliament, Lee Eun-jae, family members – typically regime stands accused of wide- use a navy ship to relaunch the Lion Air Group brought out the gerous because its sensors pro- the Lion Air CVR and they had told reporters that the National children – behind in Pyongyang spread human rights abuses. search for the second black box MPV Everest ship, we are dis- vided inconsistent information turned to the airline for help. In as soon as possible. appointed because there’s no to both the pilots and the air- 2007, eff orts to recover the black “It might be as soon as next actual results,” Anton Sahadi, a craft. At least two other lawsuits boxes from a crashed Adam Air Top Taiwan court revokes conviction of ex-leader Ma week. It won’t be as fancy as the relative of a victim of the plane have been fi led against Boeing in jet were delayed by disagree- (Lion-subsidised) MPV Everest crash, told Reuters by a text Chicago by relatives of victims. ments between the Indonesia but will be equipped with a CVR message. “It has been a waste of There has also been some de- and the airline over who should Taiwan’s top court ordered a protected by political immunity. It said Ma had attempted to dam- detector and we already have a money, of time and of a sophis- bate among experts over Indo- bear the cost. new trial of former president Ma But since he stepped down as age the “character and rights” of Ying-jeou, revoking his conviction leader in May 2016, the 68-year- opposition lawmaker Ker Chien- in a political leaks case, one of a old has been hit with a string of ming when he leaked confidential One dead in Sydney Scientology stabbing raft of lawsuits brought against corruption and other allegations. information about an ongoing him since he stepped down in Last year’s high court ruling was probe associated with Ker. 2016. Ma was sentenced to four his first conviction, which Ma The probe revolved around A “beloved member” of the Church caused some lacerations to an knife, before being arrested. The our Church”. The suspect remains months in prison last year by appealed. “The original judg- information gained from surveil- of Scientology died of a stab older gentleman” who was escort- victims were rushed to hospital in custody and is assisting with the high court for violating the ment did not state and clarify the lance on Ker which implicated wound to the neck and another ing him from the sprawling facility where the 24-year-old man died enquiries, police said. The incident communication security and essential facts about whether Ma the then parliamentary speaker, a man was injured yesterday after in the leafy north of the city, said after serious bleeding. The older occurred at what the organisation surveillance act, overturning a had committed the crime,” the rival of Ma, in influence peddling. a knife attack at the organisation’s Chief Inspector Simon Jones. Jones man is said to be in a stable condi- describes as its Asia-Pacific spiritual previous not guilty verdict from a supreme court said in its state- Investigators had been accused Asia-Pacific headquarters in Sydney. said the initial altercation between tion with a minor injury and has headquarters. The centre, dubbed lower court. ment revoking the original ruling of tapping Ker’s phone to acquire Police said the teenage suspect, the men appeared to have been been released from hospital. The the “Ideal Advanced Organization Ma’s Beijing-friendly Kuomintang and ordering a retrial. the information. The leaks now in custody, was asked to leave related to a “domestic incident that Church of Scientology lamented for Australasia”, was opened in 2016 (KMT) party held power from The high court had found Ma controversy sparked a political the premises but instead bran- occurred yesterday”, without elabo- the “very unfortunate matter” and by David Miscavige, the leader of 2008 to 2016, before it was guilty of breaching the personal storm in 2013 and saw two top dished a knife and fatally stabbed rating. After the attack, the un- in a statement to public broadcast- the Church of Scientology. It is the trounced by Tsai Ing-wen’s data protection act and of “using off icials resign, while thousands of the 24-year-old victim, believed to named 16-year-old was approached er ABC said the deceased victim group’s largest facility outside the Democratic Progressive Party his presidential power not for ex- protesters took to the streets to be Taiwanese. The suspect “also by police and asked to drop the had been a “beloved member of United States. (DPP). While still in off ice Ma was ecuting presidential legal duties”. demand Ma step down. Gulf Times 8 Friday, January 4, 2019 BRITAIN Shocking levels of sugar intake by children sparks concern

Daily Mail said the tax brought in last year judged overweight, Britain has tional diet, suggesting that par- making simple swaps each day, tains the equivalent of nine cubes said sugar consumption had al- London on sugared drinks should be ex- the worst obesity rate in west- ents could, for example, replace children can have healthier ver- of sugar, you can see how easy it ready been drastically slashed. tended to other products. ern Europe. From the age of two, chocolate cereals with shredded sions of everyday foods and is for a child to reach and exceed “The only reason children are “If we are to curb our escalat- children are consuming an aver- wheat or porridge. drinks, while signifi cantly re- their daily limit very quickly. eating twice as much sugar as the hildren are consuming ing childhood obesity epidemic age of almost 2oz of sugar – 52 “Children are consuming too ducing their sugar intake.” “The information presented government recommends is that 300lb of sugar by the age of then the government must en- grams – a day. This is more than much sugar, but parents can Latest fi gures suggest food on product packaging can be the government arbitrarily halved C10, shocking fi gures reveal. force more hard-hitting tactics,” twice the recommended daily take action now to prevent this manufacturers have cut sugar misleading or hard to interpret the sugar guidelines,’ he said. At almost 22 stone, the aver- said Kawther Hashem of the maximum. building up over the years,” said levels by an average of just 2%, so we need the government to “These unrealistic and unsci- age intake is twice the recom- charity Action on Sugar. Last year 26,000 under-10s Dr Alison Tedstone, of Public against targets of 5%. bring in clear front-of-pack la- entifi c new guidelines opened mended total – wrecking young- These could include clearer la- were taken to hospital with rotten Health England, which produced Dr Max Davie, of the Royal belling on all foods, to help fami- the door to government inter- sters’ teeth and future health. belling, halving sugar levels in all teeth. Being overweight increases the fi gures. College of Paediatrics and Child lies make these important deci- ference in the food supply on Experts called on families to products, a tax on confectionery the risk of major health problems “To make this easier for Health, called for clearer food la- sions.” a vast scale. The reality is that drop sugar-rich cereals, yo- and a ban on the promotion of un- including type two diabetes. Of- busy families, (fi tness initia- belling rules. “Sugar is in so many However, Chris Snowdon, sugar consumption in Britain is ghurts and juices in favour of healthy food and drink, she said. fi cials yesterday launched their tive) Change4Life is off ering a of the products families love,” he head of lifestyle economics at signifi cantly lower than it was in healthy alternatives. They also With a third of youngsters latest attempt to change the na- straightforward solution – by said. “When a can of cola con- the Institute of Economic Aff airs, the 1970s.” Ferry fi rm appears ‘all geared up to deliver pizzas’

Guardian News and Media in their feedback. Although your London intellectual freedom is respect- ed, (Business name) reserves the right to remove from our website irst, it emerged that the any material deemed threaten- “startup” company hired ing, immoral, racist, inaccurate, Fto operate extra ferries as malicious, defamatory, in bad part of no-deal Brexit planning taste or illegal.” had no ships. Among those criticising the Now, new questions are be- company after the curious lan- ing asked about the readiness of guage on the terms and con- Seaborne Freight to handle the ditions was fi rst pointed out £13.8mn contract after it turned by Twitter users was Labour’s out that terms and conditions deputy leader, Tom Watson, on its website appeared to be in- who said: “Seaborne Freight. tended for a food delivery fi rm. No ships, no trading history and Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt arrives to speak about “Britain’s Role in a Post-Brexit World” at the Fullerton Lecture in Singapore. “It is the responsibility of the website T&Cs copied and pasted customer to thoroughly check from a takeaway delivery site.” the supplied goods before agree- Andy McDonald, the shad- ing to pay for any meal/order,” ow transport secretary, said: read part of the text on the com- “Awarding a contract to a ferry pany’s website. company with no ships is yet Questions were also being another disgraceful misuse of raised about other parts of the public money by the transport terms and conditions, including secretary. EU leaders snub May bid a passage which stated: “Deliv- “The idea that Chris Grayling ery charges are calculated per is backing a new business and order and based on (delivery de- has looked at this ‘very carefully’ tails here).” is utterly risible. It’s yet another Another section, which ap- example of his incompetence peared to be constructed with a and mismanagement of the UK’s view more to mitigating against transport system.” for further Brexit talks the impact of prank pizza orders Another Labour MP, Tonia than transporting goods across Antoniazzi, said: “This is be- Guardian News and Media mit) in their conclusions that it the list of May’s Christmas calls, you to defi ne what temporary replacement agreement. some of the world’s busiest yond a joke. It’s not just that the London will not be renegotiated,” a com- but the commission spokes- means so we can have confi dence EU offi cials say this docu- shipping lanes, warned: “Users government have panic-hired mission spokeswoman said yes- woman said he was “always we’re not going to be trapped ment has signifi cant legal weight are prohibited from making false a fi rm with no ships to conduct terday. available to listen to Prime Min- in the customs union forever,” because it is the formal conclu- orders through our website.” ferry services. That fi rm has lit- he European Union has “As I understand for now, no ister May’s views with regards Hunt said. sions of a European summit. It added: “Seaborne Freight erally nothing prepared to sug- no plans for further Brexit further meetings are foreseen to the temporary nature of the The EU’s reluctance to reo- None think that a diff erent legal (UK) Limited reserves the right gest the £13.8mn handed over Ttalks, a spokeswoman has between the (European) com- backstop”. pen talks is not just a holding format – for example, depositing to seek compensation through to them is a sound investment. said, rebuffi ng British hopes of mission’s negotiators and the The British government is line over the Christmas holidays the text on the backstop at the legal action for any losses in- They’ve seemingly copied and more assurances on the contest- UK’s negotiators, as negotia- pushing for further guarantees but refl ects the deeply held view United Nations – would make curred as the result of hoax de- pasted their terms off a takeaway ed Irish backstop. tions have indeed concluded.” on the Irish backstop, the fall- among offi cials that the bloc has any diff erence to the chances of livery requests and will prose- fast food website, and their login Theresa May has been ringing An EU source said nothing had back plan to prevent a hard bor- gone as far as it can in off ering the Brexit withdrawal deal pass- cute to the full extent of the law.” portal sends you back to Google.” EU leaders ahead of this month’s happened regarding Brexit over der returning to the island of Ire- reassurance on the backstop. ing the House of Commons. The department for transport Other signs that the website meaningful vote in the House of the last 10 days, though May had land, which is an integral part of At an EU summit in December, “There is a general frustration said a section of the terms and may have been cobbled together Commons, but her Christmas spoken with the head of the Eu- the 585-page Brexit withdrawal EU leaders agreed that the back- with the whole process. We have conditions on the company’s included a “portal login” section holiday telephone diplomacy ropean council, Donald Tusk, on agreement. stop would “apply temporarily worked very hard for the last 18 website had been put up in er- that was an image of username does not appear to have blunted Wednesday. The prime minister The Foreign Secretary, Jeremy unless and until it is superseded months,” said one EU source. ror and was being immediately and password boxes rather than EU resolve to avoid further Brex- spoke to the German Chancellor, Hunt, told the BBC on Wednes- by a subsequent agreement” to “We have compromised, we have rectifi ed. an actual means of logging in. it negotiations. Angela Merkel, twice during the day that the government needed ensure that a hard border would done a lot to get this nailed down Ridicule was also heaped on A language settings option also “The deal that is on the table holiday period. more certainty the UK would not be avoided. The text also stated on time.” EU leaders were said to Seaborne’s “privacy terms”, appeared to be an image of a un- is the best and only deal possible Jean-Claude Juncker, the Eu- be trapped in the backstop in- that if the backstop were trig- be irritated by May’s remarks at which stated: “Members hold ion fl ag rather than an interac- and the EU27 leaders confi rmed ropean Commission president, defi nitely. “We’re not asking for gered, EU negotiators would use the December summit that Brit- freedom to express themselves tive option. on December 13 (at an EU sum- does not appear to have been on anything new, but we are asking “best endeavours” to negotiate a ish MPs did not trust the EU.

Zoo kicks Cold snap set to cause off annual chaos, fears top doctor stocktaking Reuters Guardian News and Media “Within the last week I have have arrived at hospital in an London London had colleagues warning of ambulance over the fi rst four emergency departments and weeks of winter have been forced intensive care units being full, to wait half an hour or more be- eepers at London Zoo be- ospitals will be hit by and that will only worsen in the fore being handed over to A&E gan the arduous task of “mayhem” this weekend coming weeks,” added Scriven. staff . The fi gure represents one Kcounting some 600 dif- Hbecause of the coming “Skeleton staffi ng” of social in 10 of everyone who arrived by ferent species yesterday, carry- cold snap, a growing number of care services over the festive ambulance. ing out the park’s week-long an- people with fl u and the NHS’s period has meant patients who Of those, 32,422 people waited nual stocktake. staffi ng problems, a leading doc- were medically fi t to leave had between 30 and 60 minutes and From tigers to monkeys, the tor has warned. not been able to get home from the other 7,004 had to wait with zoo keeps records of all animals Dr Nick Scriven, president of hospital, he added. “The capac- paramedics for an hour or more. great and small as a requirement the Society for Acute Medicine, ity problems this will cause will In another sign of the rising of its licence. Last year, it re- said hospitals will face “se- be profound,” he added. pressures in the NHS as win- corded 19,289 animals. vere diffi culties” this weekend Hospitals’ ability to withstand ter takes hold, A&E units were “We have a lot of diff erent spe- as lower temperatures lead to a a sudden increase in winter-re- also forced to divert patients to cies and within each species we surge in patients needing care. lated illness will also be compro- a nearby hospital 87 times in the have a lot of diff erent individuals “Infl uenza is here and is al- mised by the NHS being “hor- four weeks ending December 30. with diff erent behaviours,” ani- ready impacting the NHS and, rendously understaff ed”, Scriven That is more than the 72 “di- mal operations manager Angela with colder weather starting to said. Offi cial fi gures show that verts” that occurred in the fi rst Ryan said. “So being able to make set in, this will further stress al- the NHS in England has 103,000 four weeks of winter last year, sure that we can see them, that ready stretched services. vacancies, including for 42,000 which was the NHS’s worst we don’t double count them, can “I and many colleagues across nurses and 10,000 doctors. “winter crisis” for many years. be quite challenging.” the country are anticipating Scriven’s comments came as But it is fewer than the 101 di- New additions this year in- mayhem this weekend as tem- NHS England revealed that al- verts that occurred two years clude penguin chicks, tamanduas peratures drop, but it will come most 40,000 people so far this ago, in 2016-17. and rescued leeches Buff y, Angel as no surprise to us,” Scriven said. winter have had to spend at least There were 25 diverts in week and Spike. After the census is Some A&E units and intensive 30 minutes with an ambulance one, 30 the week after, 15 in the completed, the park will share the care units are already full, espe- crew because A&E units were too week before Christmas and then tally with other zoos around the cially with people who have serious busy to accept them. 17 in the week that included Zookeeper Sarah Ellerton-Baine feeds penguins during an event to publicise the annual stocktaking at world in a bid to aid international breathing problems, he disclosed. In all, 39,426 patients who Christmas. London Zoo in London yesterday. conservation programmes. Gulf Times Friday, January 4, 2019 9

EUROPE

STANCE DISASTER TRAGEDY FALLOUT ACCIDENT Naples off ers to welcome Four tourists missing after Man drives into pedestrian Far-right ‘patrols’ town Man dies while cleaning in stranded migrant boat avalanche in Norway group and kills son after migrant violence up after winter storm

Naples is ready to defy Italian Interior Minister Four tourists from Sweden and Finland A man has driven his car into a group of A German far-right group has launched a A man has died in Finland while clearing up Matteo Salvini and let in a charity-run ship were still missing yesterday, a day after they pedestrians in Luxembourg and killed his vigilante street patrol in a Bavarian town debris left by a severe winter storm that swept carrying 32 migrants that is blocked in the stormy were feared to have been swept away by an two-year-old son. Four other people, including where four Afghan and Iranian asylum seekers across the Nordics. The man believed to be in Mediterranean, the city mayor said. His off er adds avalanche in Arctic Norway, police said. The a second toddler, were injured in the incident in allegedly attacked passers-by last weekend, local his 40s died after the small excavator he was on to a growing challenge from opposition politicians avalanche occurred on Wednesday in the the town of Wiltz on Wednesday, according to authorities said yesterday. The mayor of Amberg, rolled over on him, police in the community of to Salvini’s far-right League, which has vowed northern Norwegian region of Troms in an area the public prosecutor. The investigators suspect Michael Cerny, said he was “shocked” after the Lumperland said. Lumperland is located in the to bar migrants and make life diff icult for those popular with skiers. Three Finns and a Swede a domestic dispute as among the victims was extremist NPD party posted photos online of four autonomous region of Aland. The island group already here. Both Italy and Malta are refusing to let were skiing in the area and were reported also the former partner of the perpetrator. The people wearing red protective vests to create is off icially part of Finland but residents mostly the Sea-Watch 3, a ship operated by a German non- to police as missing at around 1500GMT, injured were taken to hospital. The 47-year-old “safe spaces”, including outside a refugee centre. speak Swedish. The storm’s powerful winds governmental organisation, dock and set down the police said. Weather conditions did not allow male Luxembourger is said to have steered the Local police had last Saturday detained four men knocked out power to thousands of households, migrants who were rescued off Libya on December rescue crew to continue their work yesterday, car intentionally into the group of people on the from Afghanistan and Iran, aged 17 to 19, who damaged homes and buildings, and toppled 22. Both countries say they have taken in too many although the searches were not called off . Ski footpath. The group consisted of two mothers with had allegedly drunkenly attacked passers-by trees. The storm wreaked havoc across parts of migrants and accuse NGO rescue ships of acting as tracks were spotted going into the avalanche prams and another passer-by. The 47-year-old was at random. Twelve people aged 16 to 42 were northern Europe. Around 38,000 homes were a taxi service for would-be refugees. but not coming out. arrested on suspicion of murder. beaten and suff ered minor injuries. without electricity yesterday. French ‘yellow Lost cargo vest’ leader’s arrest sparks condemnation

AFP On the other end of the political Paris spectrum, Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the hard-left France Un- bowed party, also lashed out at ne of the leaders of the Drouet’s detention. “yellow vest” demon- “Again Eric Drouet arrested, Ostrations in France was why? Abuse of power. A politi- detained by police in Paris, sig- cised police targeting and harass- nalling a harder line from the ing the leaders of the yellow vest government that sparked a wave movement,” Melenchon tweeted. of criticism from opponents yes- Drouet, a 33-year-old truck terday. driver from a town south of Paris Eric Drouet — who already fac- who has closely cropped hair and es a trial for carrying a weapon at a beard, often appears on televi- a previous protest — was arrested sion as an “apolitical” spokesman late Wednesday for organising for the “yellow vest” movement. an unauthorised protest on the He has been criticised for ped- Up to 270 containers fell off the Panamanian-flagged MSC ZOE, one of the world’s biggest container ships, in rough weather near the German island of Borkum and floated Champs-Elysees avenue. dling conspiracy theories online southwest toward Dutch waters.” A bag containing 25kg of dangerous powder was found on the beach of Schiermonnikoog,” said Jan-Willem Zwart, spokesman for the He was released yesterday af- and accused of voting for Le Pen security services of the Frisian Islands, identifying it as “organic peroxide,” a highly flammable substance used in making plastics. ternoon. Speaking to reporters in elections last year, which he has after his release, Drouet said he denied. had been on his way to a restau- He became known through his rant with four others when they Facebook videos, often show- were picked up. “I wasn’t wearing ing him in the driving seat of his a yellow vest, just walking on the truck, and was one of the fi rst pavement,” he said, calling the ar- to call for nation-wide protests rest “incomprehensible”. against higher fuel taxes. “I’m not the yellow vests’ rep- The “yellow vest” demonstra- resentative. With or without me, tions — named after the high- it will continue”, he said, speaking visibility jackets worn by pro- Moscow charges former of the protests. testers — began in rural France “It wasn’t a call for a demon- in November over fuel taxes, stration,” he added, denying ac- but ballooned into a wider re- cusations that he had called for volt against President Emmanuel a rally on the Champs-Elysees Macron’s policies and governing Wednesday evening while failing style. to inform authorities in advance Drouet took the lead in call- US marine with spying of the protest. ing for protesters to hold the fi rst Economy Minister Bruno Le rally on the Champs-Elysees on Guardian News and Media a top secret state organisation. the source said, meet up with his Facebook, contains at least one “When he visited Russia in Maire defended the arrest, say- December 1, a demonstration Moscow Citing a security service online acquaintances individually clear reference to a visit to Mos- 2008, I met him in person, we ing: “It’s called respecting the which turned violent, with “yel- source, the Rosbalt news agency in Moscow “over a bottle”. cow, as well as a number of short had a brief sightseeing tour of rule of law. It’s normal that when low vests” clashing with police said the 48-year-old American “The US citizen tried to de- Russian-language messages such my city. I haven’t seen him since you break the laws of the republic, amid fl aming barricades. he former US marine de- received the USB drive from a termine if his acquaintance pos- as: “Happy Victory Day” and then,” the VK friend said, speak- you face the consequences.” Drouet had called on Face- tained in Moscow has Russian citizen who visited him sessed information that could be “Forward, President Trump”. ing on condition of anonymity. Under French law, protest or- book for another demonstra- Tbeen charged with spying in his room at the Metropol hotel of interest to American intelli- In one photograph, he is wear- “This time I was not aware that ganisers are required to inform tion Wednesday evening on the and faces 20 years if convicted, in Moscow on Friday. gence services, or if anyone in his ing a Spartak Moscow football he was in Russia until I sent him authorities of the location at least Champs-Elysees. Several dozen according to the Interfax news Offi cers from the FSB intel- close circles had access to such top. The pinned message at the my Christmas greetings on the three days in advance, but “yellow demonstrators gathered outside agency. ligence agency then reportedly information,” read the Rosbalt top of his VK page reads: “Next 25th, and he responded saying vests” have routinely fl outed this a McDonald’s restaurant near Paul Whelan, who is head of burst into the room and arrested report. The news agency often stop, Moscow …” Whelan has 59 that he’s in Moscow, and that he since their demonstrations began France’s famous Arc de Triom- global security for a Michigan- Whelan. The information could cites unnamed security service friends on his VK page, including plans to go to St Petersburg next.” in late November. phe to greet him, when he was based car parts supplier, is being not be independently verifi ed by sources in its articles. some former students at the Mil- Whelan’s lawyer in Moscow Far-right National Rally leader picked up by armed riot police held in the Lefortovo detention the Guardian. Rosbalt did not say Whelan’s brother, David, told itary University of the ministry of said his client was holding up well Marine Le Pen accused the gov- who forced him into a vehicle. facility, a former KGB prison in what had happened to the Rus- the Guardian: “We have not had defence of the Russian Federation and had a good sense of humour. ernment of “systematic violation He was also arrested last the Russian capital. sian citizen. any details from the state depart- in Moscow. Vladimir Zherebenkov said he of the political rights of oppo- month for carrying a wooden A Russian news outlet yester- According to its source, Whe- ment about the circumstances One of his VK “friends” said he hoped Whelan would be granted nents”, while one of her party’s stick at a demonstration, and he day claimed that Whelan was ar- lan began making contact with of Paul’s arrest.” A social media had fi rst been in touch with Whe- bail in the near future. “No evi- top men, Wallerand de Saint- faces trial on June 5 for “carrying rested just minutes after receiv- potential Russian informants on page apparently belonging to lan more than a decade ago, when dence that he could fl ee or put Just, said Drouet had become “a a prohibited category D weapon”, ing a USB drive that contained Internet forums and chatrooms Paul Whelan on VK, or VKon- the two exchanged contacts on a pressure on anyone was present- hero, a martyr”. a judicial source said. the names of people employed at about 10 years ago. He would then, takte, the Russian version of now defunct pen-pals website. ed,” he added.

Snow-covered Beyonce helps Louvre get Spain’s ‘Wolf Pack’ record number of visitors bailed pending plea Guardian News and Media While on remand the fi ve sus- Barcelona pects, who include a soldier and Guardian News and Media China. But 2.5mn French people Luc Martinez, told French radio. a member of the civil guard and Paris also visited, including increasing “The Beyonce video ensured are all from Seville, have to report numbers of schoolchildren, as that the Louvre was talked about Spanish court has ruled to the court once a week and are outings to tourist sites had been across the world, and one of that the fi ve members of prevented from visiting Madrid, he Louvre, the world’s limited after the terrorist attacks the consequences of that is the Athe so-called “Wolf Pack” the victim’s hometown. most visited museum, that struck the country in recent spectacular rise in visitor num- who were convicted of sexually This latest ruling is expected Tbroke all ticket offi ce years. bers last year.” abusing an 18-year-old woman to provoke further protests at records last year with more than The Louvre has managed to This year the museum is hop- during the running of the bulls what many see as the kid glove 10mn people viewing its Paris maintain its high numbers of ing to bring in more young visi- festival in Pamplona in 2016 can treatment of the fi ve – whose collection of fi ne arts and antiq- young visitors – more than 50% tors by adding free night-time remain at liberty pending an ap- WhatsApp group was called La uities, boosted by foreign tour- are under 30 – and was helped by visits on the fi rst Saturday of the peal to the Supreme Court. Manada, or the Wolf Pack – on ists and the interest in Beyonce the success of a Beyonce and Jay- month. There was outrage last April the part of the authorities. and Jay-Z’s music video fi lmed Z’s video last summer, which was The museum’s success in 2018 when judges dropped rape All fi ve assaulted the victim there. shot in the museum and featured was also helped by major exhibi- charges against Jose Angel Pren- whom they had only met 20 The 10.2mn people who came key works. tions, in particular a spectacular da, Alfonso Cabezuelo, Antonio minutes earlier, and fi lmed the to the museum in 2018 marked a The video, viewed more than retrospective of the 19th century Manuel Guerrero, Jesus Escudero assault on their phones. They 25% rise in visitors, beating the 150mn times online, was seen as artist Eugene Delacroix. This and Angel Boza and instead con- stole the victim’s phone before previous record of 9.7mn visitors an important comment on the year’s unprecedented Leonardo victed them of the lesser charge abandoning her in a hallway. in 2012. It is the highest number representation of power in art, da Vinci exhibition – part of a of sexual abuse, sentencing them The judges ruled in April that, for a museum of its kind, ahead and on race and colonialism, Europe-wide commemoration to nine years. The accused ap- as she remained passively inert of the National Museum of China as well as being a conversation of the 500th anniversary of the pealed but the sentence was con- throughout, no violence was used and the Metropolitan Museum of starter for young visitors. It led Renaissance master’s death – is fi rmed in December. and therefore the charge of rape did Art in New York. the museum to create a special expected to attract large num- Now judges in Navarra have not apply. One judge even argued The rise was due in part to in- visitor guide based on the video, bers. voted by two to one that the fi ve that they should only be charged ternational tourists returning to which was a success and gave the The museum also said the rise do not present a fl ight risk and with the theft of her phone. Paris after large numbers stayed permanent collection what one in visitors had been helped by the can remain on bail until the Su- Thousands of people took to away in the years after the 2015 museum worker called the feel- vast refurbishment of the entry preme Court ruling. According the streets to protest at the verdict Paris terrorist attacks. Foreigners ing of a “cool brand”. and ticket offi ce, funded in part to the victim’s lawyer, there is but moves to have the sentence made up almost three-quarters “It’s clear that 2018 was a re- through agreement with the Abu People walk through the snow at Hero square (Heldenplatz) almost no likelihood of the court increased to 14 years at a sec- of visitors to the Louvre; the big- markable year for the interna- Dhabi branch, as well as online in front of the Vienna imperial palace (Hofburg) in Vienna overturning the verdict or re- ond hearing in December, on the gest number of foreign visitors tional reputation of the Louvre,” ticket sales that had reduced yesterday. ducing the sentence. No date has grounds that aggression was used were from the US, followed by the museum’s director, Jean- waiting times. been set for the hearing. during the assault, were rejected. Gulf Times 10 Friday, January 4, 2019 INDIA

TRAGEDY CRIME CONTROVERSY LAW AND ORDER VIOLENCE 10 dead as boat Bajrang Dal leader held Congress mum on Rane Tax raids on Kannada Three militants, soldier capsizes in Odisha for Bulandshahr murder audio clip purchase claim actors, film producers killed in Kashmir gunfight

A boat packed with picnickers capsized in a river in Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj, the prime suspect The Goa Congress yesterday ducked questions on About 30 teams of the income tax depart- Three militants and a soldier were killed in a Odisha, killing 10 revellers including eight children. in the killing of police inspector Subodh Kumar whether the party had bought the controversial ment conducted simultaneous searches on the gunfight in Tral area in Jammu and Kashmir’s The mechanised fishing boat toppled while it was Singh during mob violence in December in Uttar audio clip in which Health Minister Vishwajit Rane is premises of four Kannada film actors and three Pulwama district yesterday. Police said bodies of anchored near Hukitola, an island in the Maha- Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, was finally arrested yester- heard telling a journalist that Chief Minister Manohar producers across Bengaluru for alleged tax eva- the slain militants had been recovered from the nadi river popular with tourists, after some of the day. Raj was caught after a tip led a police team Parrikar in a December Cabinet meeting said that sion, said an off icial yesterday. “The searches are site in Gulshanpora village. “Believed to belong occupants tried to disembark at the same time. to his hideout in Bulandshahr. Raj is the district Rafale deal files were stored in the bedroom of his being conducted by our teams at 27 locations to Hizbul Mujahideen, the exact identity of the “So far nine bodies have been recovered while the co-ordinator of Bajrang Dal and was wanted private residence. State Congress president Girish across the city in the off icial and residential militants is being ascertained,” a police off icer body of a six-year-old girl is yet to be retrieved,” said for inciting the crowds over the alleged cow Chodankar also asked why the state BJP was not premises of actors Shivaraj Kumar, his brother said. One of the three soldiers injured at the start Dasarathi Satpathy, the magistrate of Kendrapara slaughter at Sayana in Bulandshahr, which led to prompt in probing the contents of the audio clip, Puneeth Kumar, Sudeep and Yash and three pro- of the gun battle succumbed to his critical injuries district in Odisha. Rescuers managed to save 45 the murder of the inspector and a civilian, Sumit. especially after Parrikar, Rane and state BJP spokes- ducers Rockline Venkatesh, C R Manohar and B in hospital, the police said. “A search operation is other passengers, Satpathy. Media reports said the Another prime accused in the murder, Kalau, was person Nilesh Cabral have claimed that the clip was Vijaykumar,” the off icial said. The searches, which still going on in the area,” the off icer said. Security boat was meant to carry a maximum of 20 people arrested on Tuesday. He had allegedly hit Singh “doctored”. On Wednesday, Rane had requested began at 8am, were conducted under Section 132 forces started a cordon and search operation in but was packed with some 55 passengers, most of on his head with an axe. The weapon has also Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to probe the audio of the Income Tax Act, 1961, after warrants were Gulshanpora village after receiving information them women and children. been recovered. clip, claiming it was doctored. issued to the actors and producers. about the presence of militants. Govt ‘open to simultaneous Kashmir and Lok Sabha polls’

IANS He asserted that when history New Delhi gives its verdict on the view- point of India’s fi rst prime min- ister Jawaharlal Nehru and that he Parliament yesterday of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the approved imposition of ideologue of the Jana Sangh, the TPresidents Rule in Jammu BJP’s predecessor, the Congress and Kashmir with Home Minis- will feel the pain. ter Rajnath Singh stating that the He also defended BJP forming government will have no objec- alliance with the PDP in the state tion if the Election Commission to run a coalition government. (EC) decides to hold Assembly Jaitley said there “is a history polls in the state along with the of alienation, there are policies” coming Lok Sabha elections. and noted that assembly elec- The Rajya Sabha yesterday ap- tions in Jammu and Kashmir for proved the proclamation of Presi- successive years including in dent’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir 1957, 1962 and 1967 were not fair which has already been okayed by and Congress had also indulged the Lok Sabha last week. in destabilising governments. Replying to a debate which saw “If elections are held in such both Congress and BJP members manner, it will sow seeds of al- Protesters throw stones at police during a demonstration over two women entering the Sabarimala temple in Palakkad yesterday. targeting each other, Rajnath Singh ienation. The people of the state said that the government would felt they do not have right to meet all security needs sought by contest polls. This is the politics the Election Commission. you did to stay in power,” he said. “If the Election Commission Jaitley said people of the Valley wants, we won’t have any objection still recall that the fi rst free and to it,” he said while responding to fair elections in the state were a query by opposition leader in the held after Morarji Desai became Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. prime minister in 1977. Sabarimala protest Azad had sought to know “You had put all your eggs in whether the government is ready one basket,” he said, and added to conduct simultaneous elec- that the Congress government tions to the Lok Sabha and the had to change its policy and ar- assembly in Jammu and Kashmir. rest the National Conference “It is Election Commission’s leader Sheikh Abdullah. job to hold elections. But I would He said the Indira-Sheikh Ab- cripples life in Kerala like to assure the House that we dullah agreement was reached do not have any objection (to in 1975 but disagreements soon Reuters Yesterday morning, about were escorted by police into the Sakhare, inspector general of chant associations in the city. holding polls in Jammu & Kash- cropped up. Kochi/New Delhi 400 protesters — including temple through a side gate. police Kochi Range, said. The women, Bindu Ammini, mir). We are ready to provide The minister said that the then some women — marched to- The Kerala state government Since Wednesday, police have 42, and Kanaka Durga, 44, had whatever security support the state governor B K Nehru refused wards the main city junction in is run by left-wing parties and arrested more than 700 people approached state police to find Election Commission wants,” to play the Centre’s game to onservative Hindu Kochi to stage a sit-in, shouting has sought to allow women into and taken more than 600 pro- a way to enter the temple after Rajnath Singh added. destabilise the Farooq Abdullah groups paralysed Kerala slogans and waving fl ags, with the temple, a position that has testers into preventive custody, a failed attempt on December The minister also refuted al- government in 1984 and stepped Cyesterday protesting streets otherwise deserted. drawn criticism from both the V P Pramod Kumar, deputy di- 24. legations levelled by opposition down. He said a new governor against the state government for They were backed by offi cials main political parties, the BJP rector, public relations, state For more than a week before parties that the Bharatiya Janata was appointed and a new gov- allowing two women to defy an from Prime Minister Narendra and the opposition Congress. police headquarters, said. Wednesday’s visit, the women Party (BJP) was earlier trying to ernment was formed by splitting ancient ban and enter a Hindu Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi He added police had riot gear, were under police protection form a government in the state. the National Conference. temple. (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamse- Vijayan told reporters women teargas and water cannons in case at an undisclosed location, un- “No one should doubt the gov- Jaitley said Congress again Many small businesses were vak Sangh (RSS), the ideological were the target of some attacks protests became unruly. In several known even to their families, to ernment’s intentions. There was joined hands with Farooq Abdul- shut after the groups called for a parent of the BJP. by protesters, including women places protesters damaged state- prevent the plan from leaking no conspiracy,” he said. lah in 1986 and ran a government state-wide stoppage. The Supreme Court in Sep- journalists covering the event. run buses, Kumar said. out, the police offi cial said. Participating in the debate, till 1989 which caused “so much Most bus services were halted tember ordered the lifting of On Wednesday, a woman po- A majority of stores in one In the early hours of Wednes- Finance Minister Arun Jailtey alienation which the valley had and taxis were refusing to take pas- the ban on women entering the lice constable was molested by of the busiest markets in Kochi day, the police took the two wom- said that mistakes made by the never seen”. sengers as some drivers said they Sabarimala hill temple. The fi ve protesters near Kochi, while remained shut even after pro- en to the hill temple inside an am- Congress had led to alienation Jaitley targeted the Congress feared they would be attacked. temple has refused to abide by a protester was pelted with testers dispersed in the evening, bulance to avoid attention. among people in Kashmir and over the death of Bharatiya Jan Some protesters burst make- the ruling and subsequent at- stones and killed in a southern according to M C K Jaleel, the Medical services are fre- rejected its charge that the Sangh founder S P Mookerjee in shift bombs outside a police sta- tempts by women to visit have district of the state, police said. state joint secretary of Kerala quently used outside the temple process had started in the last custody, saying he gave away his tion in Thiruvananthapuram, been blocked by thousands. The protests yesterday re- Samsthana Vyapari Vyavasayi to help the elderly who go on the four-and-half years. life due to “barriers you erected”. police said. On Wednesday, two women mained largely peaceful, Vijay Samithi, one of the largest mer- trek, the offi cial said. Trump jibe at Modi on Modi rally Smog shrouds Delhi as pollution levels soar

Afghanistan dismissed Reuters sions, dust from building sites New Delhi and smoke from garbage burning has boosted pollution over much IANS Minister Narendra Modi as an “It is aimed at the welfare of of north India, including New New Delhi example of how world leaders the people of Afghanistan and esidents of the capital Delhi, home to more than 20mn. were talking about their contri- for a tangible improvement in woke yesterday to a thick, A spokesman for the federal butions that were nowhere near the lives of its people,” the source Rgrey smog, as pollution government was not immedi- he government yesterday the billions of dollars the US was said. surged to “severe” and “emer- ately available to comment. dismissed US President spending. “India seeks to build capaci- gency” levels, with authorities The city government refused TDonald Trump’s remark “I could give you an example ties and capabilities of Afghan showing little sign of fi nding new to comment. that it is not doing enough for where I get along very well with nationals and its institutions solutions to the crisis. Both the federal government peace and stability in Afghani- India and Prime Minister Modi,” for governance and delivery of The air quality index of the of Prime Minister Narendra stan, with sources here saying Trump was quoted as saying. public service, develop socio- state-run Central Pollution Con- Modi and Arvind Kejriwal’s Delhi New Delhi does not send troops “But he is constantly telling me, economic infrastructure, se- trol Board showed the concentra- government have not announced abroad except under specifi c UN he built a library in Afghanistan. cure lives and promote liveli- tion of poisonous particulate mat- any measures to fi ght pollution mandate. Library! That’s like fi ve hours of hood.” ter known as PM 2.5 stood at 440, this year. “India fi rmly believes in the what we spend (in Afghanistan),” Though India has not put up from 430 on Wednesday, and Cold weather has forced some critical role that developmental he said. its boots on Afghan soil, it has about 12 times the US government people, especially those spend- assistance can play in transform- “And he (Modi) tells me. He played a key role in the recon- recommended level of 35. ing the night in the open, to burn ing human lives,” a source said. is very smart. We are supposed struction eff orts of the war- Pollution levels hit 500 in some small fi res to keep warm, adding “India does not send its armed to say, oh thank you for the li- ravaged country, including key parts of New Delhi, with very poor to the smog. forces abroad except under the brary. Don’t know who’s using infrastructure projects. visibility in some areas. Unfavourable weather condi- specifi c mandate of UN peace- it (the library) in Afghanistan. These include construction of Last year, the high was 450 on tions have worsened the crisis, keeping operations.” But it’s one of those things. I the 218km road from Zaranj to December 23. but government measures have In his first Cabinet meet- don’t like being taken advan- Delaram for facilitating move- “Climatic conditions have also failed to improve air quality ing of the year on Wednesday, tage of.” ment of goods and services to contributed to the crisis, but in New Delhi and elsewhere. Trump asked India, Russia, Pointing out that India plays the Iranian border, the 220kV let’s admit that most steps an- As pollution spiked in the city Pakistan and other neigh- a significant role as a develop- DC transmission line from nounced in 2018 have failed in October and November, the bouring countries to take the ment partner in Afghanistan, Pul-e-Khumri to Kabul and a miserably,” said Sunil Dahiya, a government adopted measures responsibility for Afghani- the sources here said this part- 220/110/20 kV sub-station at senior campaigner with environ- ranging from a temporary ban on stan’s security as he defended nership was built on the spe- Chimtala, the Salma Dam with Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters during mental group Greenpeace. construction activities and gar- his move to withdraw troops cific needs and requirements an installed capacity of 42 MW a public rally of the BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alliance A sharp drop in temperatures bage burning to a clampdown on from that country. worked out with the Afghan and the new Afghanistan Parlia- in Gurdaspur, Punjab, yesterday. and wind speed, combined with polluting industrial plants, such Trump also referred to Prime government. ment building. vehicle and industrial emis- as coal-fi red power stations. Gulf Times Friday, January 4, 2019 11 LATIN AMERICA Brazilian booksellers face wave of closures

Guardian News and Media of 20 stores in October, book Bolsonaro election sending rip- are nonetheless already terri- been launching fewer new ti- by Penguin Random House, of door-to-door salespeople. Brasilia chain Saraiva announced in late ples of fear through the coun- fying … Here, many towns are tles, dropping slow sellers from Schwarcz said that he had laid He called on other publishers, November that it was fi ling for try’s cultural community. about to be left without a single their immediate plans, and let- off six employees in “one of the booksellers and authors to join bankruptcy protection, citing a In a widely shared “love letter bookstore, and publishers are ting staff go. With Cultura and worst moments of my personal him in “the search for creative These are dark days for the crisis in the publishing market to books”, Companhia das Letras now faced with the challenge of Saraiva in receivership, dozens and professional life”. and idealistic solutions”. book in Brazil”, one of the that combined steady declines co-founder Luiz Schwarcz has getting their books out to read- of stores have been closed, hun- The publisher has been ex- “For those of you who, like me, “country’s leading publish- in the price of books with rising laid out the stark reality of Bra- ers and have to deal with signifi - dreds of booksellers laid off and perimenting with creative alter- nurture a love of books as your ers has warned, after crises at infl ation. zil’s current book market, urging cant accumulated loss,” wrote publishers’ revenues slashed by natives to overcome the current very reason for being, I ask you the country’s two largest book- Rival chain Cultura has also readers to buy books to help the Schwarcz, who won a lifetime 40% or more, leaving a massive crisis, including launching a to spread this call, urge others to store chains have left many wor- fi led a reorganisation plan to sector survive. achievement award at the 2017 hole that threatens to engulf the phone and e-mail service called buy books this holiday season; ried that many towns may be left avoid bankruptcy this autumn. “It remains impossible to pre- London book fair. publishing market in Brazil.” Socorro, Companhia (Help Me, books by your favourite authors without a single bookstore. Brazil is in the middle of its dict the full extent of the knock- He added: “Publishing At Companhia das Letras, Companhia) to assist in tracking and by new authors you’ve been After announcing the closure worst recession in decades, with on eff ects of this crisis, but they houses in Brazil have already which was recently acquired down books, and forming a team meaning to explore,” he wrote. Controversial Bolsonaro aide takes over Petrobras reins

Reuters SA, is among a coterie of eco- Rio de Janeiro nomically conservative offi cials in the Bolsonaro administration who were trained at the Univer- epending on who you ask, sity of Chicago. Roberto Castello Branco, In Latin America, its pro-free- Dthe new chief executive market graduates — who have at of Brazil’s Petroleo Brasileiro SA, times in recent decades enjoyed will either save the indebted oil signifi cant sway over policy- major — or strip it to the bone. makers — are often referred to as Tapped by far-right President “Chicago Boys.” Jair Bolsonaro, who took power “It’s interesting that although on Tuesday, Castello Branco had he is a liberal, he’s going to be head said in a June newspaper column of a state-run company,” said he thought Petrobras — as the Carlos Langoni, an economist, company is known — should be who advised Castello Branco on privatised, a hardcore proposal his dissertation in the 1970s. even in an administration packed “He has been very consistent with free market advocates. in his ideas about reducing the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and chief of staff Onyx Lorenzoni attends a ministerial meeting at Planalto Palace in Brasilia yesterday. He has walked back on that role of the state in the economy... idea since being named as CEO he knows that state-run compa- in November, saying such a move nies are exceptions.” is not in his mandate, but has in- However, the extent to which dicated he remains laser-focused Castello Branco will be able to on an ambitious divestment pro- put his liberal ideas into practice gramme, aimed at cutting Petro- is in doubt. bras’ staggering net debt, which Various courts in Brazil have Bolsonaro govt rushes stood at $73bn as of the third suspended major Petrobras asset quarter. sales in recent months. Castello Branco has sharply The company is locked in a criticised the former government multi-billion-dollar dispute for meddling in domestic diesel with the government over an oil pricing. producing zone known as the In an interview last year with transfer-of-rights area, while through changes to Brazil Reuters, he also complained the state has eff ectively required about courts blocking Petrobras the fi rm to help front the bill for AFP and wants Brazil and America to secretary with the monitoring of and 2016 when the Workers Party day, though one day later it was asset sales, which include four subsidised diesel purchases since Brasilia form an axis through the western international organisations and ruled the country. treading water. refi neries and a pipeline subsidi- June. Hemisphere. non-governmental organisations The icon of the Workers’ Party, Bolsonaro yesterday said he ary known as TAG, among many Castello Branco, described Brazil’s new 22-minister Cabi- in Brazil. popular former president Luiz expected allowing private control others. by many around him as exud- he new government of net, staff ed with seven ex-mili- The Americas division of Hu- Inacio Lula da Silva, is now in of rail lines, airports and ports His stance has delighted in- ing confi dence, lacks the politi- Brazil’s far-right Presi- tary offi cers, a former anti-cor- man Rights Watch expressed prison serving time for corrup- would “quickly” bring in around vestors, who want the sprawling cal experience of his predeces- Tdent Jair Bolsonaro hit the ruption judge and a free-market concern, saying it showed a mis- tion. $1.8bn in investment and boost fi rm to slim down and consoli- sor Ivan Monteiro, who rose up ground running on its fi rst day economist, held its fi rst meeting understanding of “the independ- Bolsonaro has said he hopes infrastructure. date eff orts on core businesses, the ranks of state-run Banco do of business yesterday, rushing yesterday. ent role these entities have in an Lula will “rot” behind bars. An economist, Victor Candido notably exploiting Brazil’s deep- Brasil SA, deftly maintaining a through changes to put a con- The measures passed so far open and democratic society.” In terms of the economy, of Guide Investments in Sao Pau- water oilfi elds. healthy balance sheet even amid servative stamp on the country have been by temporary decree, z Removing fi shing from the which is still fragile after exit- lo, said the initial market ebul- Yet some lawmakers, judges periods of intense government by trashing progressive achieve- pending approval by the incom- responsibility of the environ- ing a record-busting recession lience refl ected hopes Bolsonaro and unions fear Castello Branco interference. ments of past administrations. ing Congress that starts its new ment ministry. two years ago, Bolsonaro has and Guedes would streamline will give away some of Brazil’s Castello Branco already ruffl ed The quick reshaping of Brazil- session next month. Other areas Bolsonaro has said handed much of the control over bureaucracy and boost produc- most prized possessions. feathers at Petrobras in Decem- ian politics spoke of Bolsonaro’s They include: he wants to tackle is removing to his Economy Minister, Paulo tivity. They have pledged to get in ber by setting up an offi ce be- desire to reform Latin America’s z Stripping the indigenous af- “Marxist garbage” from educa- Guedes, a US-trained free-mar- “The market feels not only his way. “It’s the worst situation fore taking on his role offi cially, biggest economy while in his ini- fairs agency FUNAI of the power tional curricula, and setting Bra- ket advocate. that there’s going to be a lot of possible; he’s a fox in the hen- sources said. tial electoral honeymoon phase, to defi ne native land. zil on a collision course in Latin Guedes on Wednesday reaf- privatisations, but also that the house,” said Eduardo Henrique, a Brazilian voters have consist- before fractures might appear in Bolsonaro tweeted that fewer America with the leftist-ruled fi rmed his determination to cut climate as a whole is going to be leader of the FNP oil workers un- ently opposed selling off public his atypical Cabinet or his ad- than a million people out of Bra- regimes of Venezuela, Cuba and Brazil’s public spending and better, that the climate will be ion, one of the nation’s largest. fi rms in part or in whole, even as hoc legislative alliances. zil’s population of 210mn lived in Nicaragua. debt, with reform of the unsus- positive for all companies in gen- “He’s come along to destroy they supported a candidate who It also echoed the changes territories set aside for indige- They all align with Bolsonaro’s tainable pension system a prior- eral,” he said. the company... and confronting promised to dramatically shrink President Donald Trump brought nous communities and those de- stated aim, voiced on Tuesday ity. But Candido cautioned the op- that is our big challenge.” the role of the state in the econ- to US politics. scended from slaves. “Together when he took offi ce, to “free Markets reacted favourably to timism will only hold if Congress Castello Branco, an academic omy. Bolsonaro, sometimes called we will integrate these citizens,” Brazil from Socialism” – to do the new government, propelling confi rms Bolsonaro’s measures, and former board member at That could also leave Castello “the Trump of the tropics,” is an he said. away with decades of centre-left the Sao Paulo stock market in- but so far “this government has Petrobras and iron ore miner Vale Branco’s agenda vulnerable. avowed admirer of the US leader z Tasking the government policies brought in between 2003 dex to a record high on Wednes- the momentum.” Peru top offi cial reverses Venezuela attacks decision on graft probe US and Colombia AFP where Maduro is due to begin his Caracas second presidential mandate on Reuters Vela and Perez from the case for corruption a core focus of his January 10. Lima exceeding their authority. government. Caracas responded by blast- By Wednesday, after protests His approval rating at the end enezuela’s government ing that as an “interventionist and waves of criticism, Cha- of 2018 exceeded 60% after re- yesterday accused the US position” designed to “subju- eru attorney general varry signed a resolution reap- forms he proposed to uproot Vand Colombia of gang- gate and violate the sovereignty Pedro Chavarry reap- pointing them to their posts, entrenched corruption crony- ing up on President Nicolas Ma- and self-determination of the Ppointed two lead pros- saying other prosecutors had ism easily passed a national ref- duro’s regime in a bid to defl ect Venezuelan people.” Maduro ecutors he had dismissed from declined to replace them. erendum. attention from their “failed anti- won an election in 2018 that was a high-profile graft probe after The reversal was a fresh win Vizcarra has repeatedly called drugs policies.” branded a fraud by the US, Eu- the decision sparked wide- for President Vizcarra, who had for Chavarry to step down, but US Secretary of State Mike ropean Union and Organisation spread opposition and a threat promised to do all he could to under Peru’s constitution only Pompeo met with Colom- of American States. by President Martin Vizcarra to return the two prosecutors to Congress can force the attorney bia President Ivan Duque on The foreign ministry said suspend him. the case. general from office. Wednesday, after which they that despite the US maintain- The prosecutors, Rafael Vela Earlier on Wednesday Viz- Odebrecht is at the centre vowed to “help Venezuelans re- ing “at least seven military and Jose Domingo Perez, had carra sent Congress legisla- of the “Car Wash” investiga- cover their democratic heritage” bases in Colombia and having recently drawn up a plea deal tion to suspend Chavarry from tion in Brazil, which has rippled and “reject the Venezuelan dic- squandered billions of dollars with Odebrecht that commit- his post and declare a state of across Latin America and which tatorship.” in the supposed fight against ted the Brazilian construction emergency in the attorney gen- US prosecutors have said is the A Venezuelan foreign min- drug-trafficking, the planta- company to providing evidence eral’s office in order to restruc- biggest political graft scheme istry statement said the “an- tions and production of illicit on some $30mn in bribes it says ture it. ever uncovered. ti-Venezuelan rhetoric” was drugs in Colombian territory it paid to local politicians. Chavarry has denied that he In 2016, Odebrecht acknowl- designed to “distract public have increased dramatically in The two are celebrated as sought to meddle in the Ode- edged it had paid millions of opinion from the resounding the last few years.” Maduro has anti-graft activists by many brecht probe by dismissing Pe- dollars in bribes to officials in a failure” of the two countries’ accused Colombia and Brazil of Peruvians for going after high- rez and Vela. dozen countries to secure pub- anti-drugs policies. collaborating with Washington profile politicians, including Vizcarra, who took office to lic works contracts dating back Meeting in the Caribbean to overthrow and assassinate four former presidents and op- replace former president Pedro over a decade. city of Cartagena, Pompeo and him, although both neighbour- position leader Keiko Fujimori. Pablo Kuczynski after his res- The company has committed Duque had discussed how to ing South American countries But late on Monday, Chavarry ignation due to a graft scandal to paying billions of dollars in Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro delivers a message in “restore democracy and con- have dismissed any suggestions announced he was removing last year, has made fighting fines. Caracas, Venezuela. stitutional order” in Venezuela, of a military intervention. Gulf Times 12 Friday, January 4, 2019 PAKISTAN

China to build advanced warship for Pakistan: report Fog in Lahore China has started building an People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Research Institute, Cao Weidong, advanced warship that Navy’s Type 054A frigate. it appeared that the equipment would be exported to Pakistan Pakistan has ordered four such installed on the ships will be under a defence agreement ships, the newspaper said, Chinese, which shows China’s between the two neighbouring quoting a statement by the “progress in the industry and the countries, China Daily has Pakistan Navy. In June last year, Pakistani Navy’s confidence in reported. Pakistan Navy had announced our technology and capability.” The newspaper, which quoted that it was purchasing two Previously, Pakistan would China State Shipbuilding Corp – multirole Type 054A frigates always ask its Chinese one of the largest state-owned from China for bolstering its contractors to install Western defence contractors – said war-fighting capability. The navy radars and weaponry as it the construction had started had said that Pakistan’s fleet believed that West’s technology at the Hudong-Zhonghua of Type054A warships would was superior to China’s, Cao said. shipyard in Shanghai. It is said grow to four by 2021. The PLA “I believe the reason they chose to be a version of China’s most Navy has about 30 of the Type our type is that ours is one of advanced warship. 054A ships, each of which has a the few that can carry out all of Though the Chinese corporation loaded displacement of 4,000 the air-defence, anti-ship and did not specify the type, China tonnes and is equipped with anti-submarine tasks,” he said, Daily quoted Pakistan Navy as advanced radars and missiles. adding that he believed that the saying the ship’s class was Type According to a researcher at ships would improve Pakistan’s 054AP, which is based on China’s the PLA Naval Military Studies naval defence. — Internews

Pakistan Army has no role in politics: ISPR

Amid accusations and blame political process. “How could and with democracy this country game mostly from opposition we have got involved in politics would move forward.” Asked parties, the armed forces have when we didn’t even have time about Indian Prime Minister reiterated their resolve to to share with our families during Narendra Modi’s claim of surgical support democracy which they the past two decades,” he replied. strikes inside Pakistan as well believe will further strengthen “The army has no role at all. Let as ties with New Delhi, he said in the days to come. During me say it again that the support no one was buying the claim, an interview to a private news extended by the armed forces not even people in India. Yet, he channel, Inter-Services Public to democracy during the time reiterated Army Chief Gen Qamar Relations (ISPR) director general of war on terrorism, it has never Javed Bajwa’s support for peace Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor was asked been there before. Democracy and resolving all issues with India A man feeds pigeons amid fog and smog conditions in Lahore yesterday. Smog levels spike during winter in southern Pakistan. about the role of the army in the would bring political stability through talks. — Internews

Malala’s latest book Sharif denied ‘orderly’ sheds light on refugees

Internews and said, “Like me, the young Karachi women who share their stories in the book from Colombia, Syria, the Democratic Repub- alala Yousufzai is set lic of Congo and around the to maintain jail room to launch her third world know fi rsthand what it Mbook following the means to leave home because Internews erence. Speaking to media personnel in Beg said. Meanwhile, responding at the not compromise on the matter. The PTI release of her memoirs I Am it’s too dangerous to stay. Lahore the presence of Punjab Governor Chaud- press conference to a question about the government believed that it was corrup- Malala and a children’s book “It’s titled We Are Displaced hry Sarwar at the Governor House, the PTI government’s stance on the Sindh tion that had destroyed institutions like Malala’s Magic Pencil. The because together we want to prisons chief said Sharif’s case was highly government, Governor Sarwar said the state-owned hospitals and even deprived education activist’s latest help others better understand lthough former prime minister sensitive and he could not be allowed to federal government did not want any the masses of clean drinking water, he book, We are Displaced: My the refugee crisis and how Nawaz Sharif has been given ‘bet- go outside his barracks in the prison. He confrontation with any political party said. Journey and Stories from Refu- they can help.” Ater class’ in the Kot Lakhpat jail, said Sharif’s “rigour had been kept within and instead wanted to take all political Sarwar said the country could not gee Girls Around the World, Regarding what’s the most the Punjab government has said it could his barracks”. parties along. progress and attain prosperity without a is set to release on January 8. important thing she wants not provide a prisoner to him who could According to the jail manual, he said, “The PTI is neither planning nor in- surgical operation to root out the cancer The book will be published by the world to know about what serve as his ‘orderly’ and that he would the former premier had been asked to tending to oust any provincial govern- of corruption. Little, Brown Books for Young it’s like to be a refugee, the have to maintain his room on his own. maintain his room himself. However, he ment,” he said and added that the in- About the inclusion of all the chief Readers, the publishers of her 21-year-old said, “Currently, Inspector General of Prisons Shahid later clarifi ed that Sharif had not been cumbent government would continue to ministers in the National Finance Com- debut book. more than 68.5mn people Saleem Beg said “Nawaz Sharif has been put to any rigour, adding that the manual root out corruption from society that had mission, he said the chief ministers were In the book, Malala writes around the world are living asked to maintain his room” to serve out allowed elderly inmates certain conces- eaten up all the resources and left people on the same page and that the federal about her own displacement — as refugees or internally dis- the seven-year ‘rigorous’ imprisonment sions on that count. to live in abject poverty. government would take all provinces fi rst as an internally displaced placed people due to confl ict, handed down to him in the Al-Azizia “Any issue related to Nawaz Sharif in He said the PTI was crusading against along. The smaller provinces needed to person when she was a young persecution and natural Steel Mills/Hill Metal Establishment ref- jail could bring a bad name to Pakistan,” corruption for the past 22 years and could be taken care of, he added. child in Pakistan, and then as disasters — the majority are an international activist who children and most are girls. could travel anywhere in the “People leave jobs they world except to the home she love. Most students never see loved — as well as the journeys a classroom again. They have of so many other refugees who no choice. Whether you cross Justice Khosa appointed Chief Justice of Pakistan have faced similar challenges, your country’s border or not, according to Parade magazine. fl eeing home and not know- During an interview with ing if you’ll ever return is a Internews to take oath under the November a decade. Likewise, he initiated believe that Justice Khosa was the In contempt cases, Justice the magazine, Malala shared harrowing experience for any- Islamabad 3, 2007 Provisional Constitution steps for speedy trial in murder one who highlighted discrepan- Khosa is not lenient. He authored how the book title came to be one.” Order (PCO). The biggest contri- cases in a few districts of Punjab. cies in the replies submitted by the verdict of sentencing Pakistan bution of Justice Khosa in his ca- The incoming chief justice was the Sharif family during the hear- Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) he federal government of reer is that he cleared backlog of elevated to the Supreme Court ing. Likewise, his verdict in An- Senator Nehal Hashmi for one Foreign Off ice refutes reports Pakistan has announced criminal cases. He decided over on February 18, 2010. Later, he war Saifullah case is also famous. month, even though Hashmi had Tthe appointment of ‘cou- 10,000 cases of criminal nature remained part of a number of Justice Khosa has also given tendered unconditional apol- of sending troops to Yemen rageous’ Supreme Court Justice since 2014. At present, a few hun- benches and authored landmark his view how to deal matters re- ogy in that case. Likewise, he was Asif Saeed Khosa as the Chief dred criminal appeals are pend- judgments in many high-profi le lated to corruption. The senior heading the larger bench, which The Foreign Off ice yesterday rejected a report by a US publication Justice of Pakistan, replacing ing. cases. lawyers believe that there is need sent police offi cials behind bars that had suggested Pakistan was sending a thousand soldiers incumbent Justice Mian Saqib When a special bench, led by He is the judge who authored to debate on his approach to deal in contempt matter related to the to Yemen. During his weekly press briefing, Foreign Off ice Nisar, from January 18. Justice Khosa, got active, crimi- a ruling that no second FIR (fi rst white-collar crime cases. In manhandling of former chief jus- spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said Indian spy Kulbhushan Justice Khosa, who is son-in- nal appeals, which were fi led in information report) can be regis- his 192-page judgment in Pan- tice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaud- Jadhav’s case is in court at the moment. law of former chief justice Nasim 1994, were pending. The bench tered in criminal cases. amagate case, he says that cor- hry in March 2007. However, “Information regarding Kulbhushan is contrary to the truth Hassan Shah, is seen as one of the cleared all pendency and now it is In National Reconciliation Or- ruption at high places is not a he disposed of contempt notice and we will not comment on it because of our respect for the top jurists on criminal law. Dur- hearing appeals fi led during 2018. der (NRO) case, he was part of new phenomenon but the meth- against two media men last year. judiciary,” he said. ing his career, spanning over a Interestingly, there is no concept seven-judge larger bench, which ods of corruption and concealing He also gave the landmark Condemning Indian spy drones in Pakistani airspace, Dr Faisal said period of more than nineteen and of adjournment in Justice Khosa’s disqualifi ed former prime minis- the proceeds of corruption have ruling in Salman Taseer murder that the Pakistani forces are alert and both the drones have been a half years so far, he has decided court. It has been witnessed that ter Yusuf Raza Gilani in 2010. He seen a dramatic change in recent case, in which he restored ter- shot down. “There were no surgical strikes from India. The Indian about 55,000 cases. after hearing every case, Justice wrote an additional note in Gilani times. rorism charge against murderer media themselves have denied the reports. Pakistan is ready to Born in Dera Ghazi Khan on Khosa dictates the orders in the disqualifi cation verdict. Also, Justice Khosa believes that the Mumtaz Qadri and upheld his answer any aggression from the Indian side.” December 21, 1954, Justice Khosa courtroom and announces them Justice Khosa led the larger bench standard of proof in relation to death sentence. Likewise, Justice He added that Pakistan is ready to sit down and hold discussions obtained his law degree from the without reserving the verdicts. that heard the Panama leaks case. corruption and corrupt practices Khosa also highlighted a number with India; however, India is running away from the talks. On UK in 1976. He will serve as the Due to his interest and hard He was the fi rst who disqualifi ed is ‘balance of probabilities’ (al- of discrepancies in the Aasia Bibi Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s four-country visit chief justice until December 20. work, dozens of convicts had former prime minister Nawaz lowing inferences from circum- blasphemy case. And on the basis last month, Dr Faisal said that the minister visited neighbouring He was among the Lahore High been acquitted and released af- Sharif under Article 62 (1)(f) of stantial evidence) and not ‘be- of those discrepancies, Aasia got countries to advance Pakistan’s policy of developing a peaceful Court (LHC) judges, who refused ter imprisonment of more than the Constitution. Senior lawyers yond reasonable doubt’. acquitted. relationship with all the countries. — Internews Peshawar’s BBQ masters drawing foodies from across the country

AFP “We are here just to see what the world,” gushes co-owner Nasir leagues from capital Islamabad major cities across Pakistan. Peshawar secret to this barbecue is,” he Khan, adding that the restaurant for a gluttonous lunch. “This Customer Muhib Ullah has been says, excitedly awaiting his aro- sources some of the best meat in taste is unique, that’s why we eating kebabs three to four days matic portion in Namak Mandi the country and serves custom- have come all this way.” a week for the last decade. “This he aroma of mutton smoke — ‘Salt Market’ – located in the ers from across Pakistan daily Orders generally take close to is the tastiest and most famous drifts through a maze heart of Peshawar. The hearty along with local regulars. an hour to prepare, with custom- food in Peshawar,” he declared. Tof crumbling alleyways, cuisine comes from generations- By Khan’s calculations, the ers quaffi ng tea ahead of the meal. For regular barbecue eater a barbecue tang that for dec- old recipes emanating from the restaurant goes through hun- For those looking for a little less Omar Aamir Aziz, it is not just ades has lured meat-eaters from nearby Pashtun tribal lands along dreds of kilograms of meat a day lamb, the city’s renowned chapli the heaping portions of meat across Pakistan to the frontier the border with Afghanistan. – or about two dozen sheep – kebab off ers an alternative. that attract foodies to Peshawari city of Peshawar. It is feted for its simplic- with hundreds if not thousands The kebab is typically made of cuisine, but the culture that has The ancient city, capital ity compared with the intricate served. minced beef and a mix of spices built up around the meal. of northwestern Khyber Pa- curries and spicy dishes from The clientele at Salt Market kneaded into patties and deep Other cities in Pakistan and khtunkhwa province, has re- Pakistan’s eastern plains and eateries usually arrive in large fried on a simmering iron skillet. abroad have more in the way of tained its reputation for some southern coast. “Its popularity is groups, with experienced cus- Rokhan Ullah — owner of Tory entertainment and nightlife op- of Pakistan’s tastiest cuisine. owed to the fact that it is mainly tomers ordering food by the kilo Kebab House — said the dish is tions. But in deeply conservative University student Mohammad meat-based and that always goes and guiding cleaver-wielding most popular on cold, winter Peshawar, eating out is the pri- Fahad had long heard tales of Pe- down well across the country,” butchers to their preferred cuts, days that see ravenous custom- mary leisure activity. shawar’s famed mutton. says Pakistani cookbook author A cook fries kebabs as customers gather around at the Tory Kebab which are then cooked immedi- ers fl ocking to its four branches Meals tend to last for hours “Earlier we heard of Peshawar Sumayya Usmani. For its bar- House in Namak Mandi in Peshawar. ately. Peshawar’s improved se- across the city, overwhelming after the meat has been con- being a dangerous place,” he told becue off erings, tikkas – cuts of curity has given business a boost, staff and making orders hard to sumed as conversation continues AFP – but security has improved meat – are generously salted and Its famed dish, karahi – or sparing amounts of green chilli Khan said. fi ll. over steaming cups of green tea. in recent years, and he fi nally sandwiched on skewers between curry stew – is made with slices and tomatoes. Plates are served “I’ve been coming here for “They eat it with passion... be- “That’s what we have and that’s made the hours-long journey cubes of fat for tenderness and of mutton pan-cooked in heaped with stacks of oven-fresh naan more than 20 years now,” said cause one enjoys hot food when our speciality,” says Aziz. from the eastern city of Lahore to taste, and slow-cooked over a chunks of white fat carved from and bowls of fresh yogurt. Hammad Ali, 35, who travelled to the weather is cold,” explained “We’ve been doing this for see if it could live up to the hype. wood fi re. the sheep’s rump, along with “It is the best food in the entire Peshawar with eight other col- Ullah, who plans to expand in two, three, four hundred years.” Gulf Times Friday, January 4, 2019 13 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH Islam is not merely idea o Muslim can accept the did not believe in Allah, or God, the success -- all have put their faith and his Lord, the Provider of all, then of "Verily, those who disbelieved and die Furthermore, of immediate categorisation of Islam Creator. In fact, the Qur’an tells Prophet trust in something in vain. This in what little consequence to such a one is while they are disbelievers, the whole relevance to the discussion, are those as merely an “idea”. Islam Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa itself is a great evil, for they have only ingratitude to the creation? If one denies earth full of gold will not be accepted qualities, unique to Allah, that single Nis based on the word of sallam, (what means): "If you ask them wasted their time and eff ort, yet this the rights and dues of Allah, which are from anyone of them even if they Him out, such as "Al-Haakim," (The God, revealed syllable by syllable to who sends down rain from the sky, and is least of the evil consequences. the most worthy of being fulfi lled, then off ered it as a ransom. For them is a Judge); "Al-Hakeem," (The Wise) Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu gives life therewith to the earth after its As for that which is most severe -- what rights and dues will such a person painful torment and they will have no and "Al-'Aleem," (The All Knowing). ‘alaihi wa sallam, (may Allah exalt his death? They would certainly say 'Allah!' those who have fallen into associating be fearful of denying? helpers." [Qur’an 3:91] Not only is Allah the Creator, mention), 1,400 years ago. Thus, it is Say: 'All praise and thanks be to Allah!' partners with Allah -- have earned Imagine the case of a fi ctional The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi Controller and Sustainer, He is also not merely idea; rather it is an idea, Nay! Most of them have no sense." His anger and wrath, and upon them worker in a company owned and wa sallam, explained: "On the Day the Sole Possessor of the wisdom and ideology, the Truth and a complete [Qur’an 29:63] shall fall humiliation in this life and run by you, who believes you are the of Judgment, the disbeliever will be knowledge, to legislate for mankind way of life. As the Qur’an states The pagan Arabs used to worship a most terrible fate in the next. The lavatory cleaner and the lavatory asked: 'Suppose you had as much gold and to determine what is good and (what means): "Whoever wishes for Allah, pray to Him and sacrifi ce to Him Qur’an says (what means): "Surely cleaner is the director! Would there as to fi ll the earth, would you off er it what is evil, what is right and what a way of life other that Islam, never in times of need and distress, as did Allah will not forgive al-Shirk (the not be evil results? Would you tolerate to ransom yourself from the hell- is wrong, what is lawful and what is will it be accepted from him and in the Jews and Christians, and they even association of partners with Him), such a person? If so, for how long? fi re?' He will reply: 'Yes!' Then it will prohibited; thus extending to the laws the Hereafter he will be amongst the claimed to love Him, but Allah rejected but He forgives sins less than that of Now envisage this fool teaching this be said to him: 'You were asked for we should judge by and the social, losers." [Qur’an 3: 85] their actions and referred to them as whomever He wishes." [Qur’an 4:48] to others and insisting on it, so that something easier than that, that you economic and political system we Allah mentions that this religion ‘senseless’, ‘astray’ and ‘disbelievers’. So Shirk or ascribing partners to the majority of the company came to should join none in worship with Allah, should utilise. The Qur’an says (what has been completed and perfected, Hence, this is the reality concerning Allah (whatever form it may take) believe it, ignoring your orders and and submit yourself to Him, but you means): "And no partner in legislating and has no need for alteration or most of the men and Jinn; they claim is an unforgivable sin, because it is prohibitions and inventing their own refused.'" [Al-Bukhari] has He - He is Alone." [Qur’an 18:60] adjustment (what means): "This day to believe in Allah and worship Allah, the source of all evil, the greatest rules, making the lavatory cleaner who The message of all the Prophets, may Allah admonished the Jews I completed your religion for you and but what they believe about Him is injustice, the worst oppression and is deaf and dumb their guide! Allah exalt their mention, is one and and Christians and called them perfected My favour upon you and incorrect and the way they worship wrongdoing. For, if one is unafraid The true causes of the evils that the same (which means): "Verily, We disbelievers, for (which means): "… chosen for your way of life Islam." Him is incorrect. The Qur’an says (what of speaking about Allah without beset mankind are disbelief, sinfulness have sent to every nation a Messenger, taking their priests and rabbis as lords [Qur’an 3:85] means): "Most of them do not believe in knowledge (and this knowledge is and ingratitude to Allah, as the Qur’an saying: 'Worship Allah and avoid false besides Allah." [Qur’an 9:31] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa Allah except while joining partners with attained only through Him, for He says (what means): "And whatever of objects of worship.'" [Qur’an 16:36] If Allah blamed the Jews and sallam, also said: "There is not one Him." [Qur’an 12:106] is the Best Knower of Himself and misfortune befalls you, it is because Indeed this is the very purpose for Christians for accepting changes and thing that shall bring you closer to There is one common cause for His will) and that which pleases and of what your hands have earned. And which Allah created mankind, as He alterations made by the men learned the Paradise and away from the Fire this rejection, that is, thinking displeases Him, then what will one be He pardons much." [Qur’an 42:30]The Says (what means): "I did not create in the Scripture and Divine legislation, without me having informed you and speaking about Allah without afraid of speaking about ignorantly? Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, the Jinn and mankind except for My for making the forbidden allowed and of it, and there is not one thing that knowledge, and thus ascribing to Him Anyone witnessing the destructive said: "There is none who has a greater worship." [Qur’an 51:56] vice versa, then how about those who will take you away from Paradise and that which should not be ascribed forces of nature and the untold sense of Ghayrah (a feeling of great Hence, Shirk (ascribing partners to accept such actions from every Tom, towards the Fire except that I have to Him, such as sons, or daughters, misfortunes and miseries over which fury and anger when one's honour Allah) is in contradiction to the reason Dick and Harry, who have no scripture, warned you about it." or human qualities and weaknesses; Allah alone has ultimate power and and prestige is injured or challenged) for which Allah has created us, and the no wisdom and only pure speculation, It is true that Islam does not draw claiming that some of the creation control, both in this life and the next, than Allah, and so He has forbidden purpose for which we exist -- which whims and desires? a distinction between the "inner" possess His powers and abilities, or would realise that Allah is the most shameful deeds and sins. And there is is to single out Allah for worship, Islam makes no distinction between and "outer" aspects of life, between by claiming that He, the Majestic, is worthy of being feared. Similarly, none who likes to be praised more than avoiding all false deities and to worship outward and inner, private and public belief and actions, religion and pleased by some action that in fact anyone contemplating the miraculous Allah does." [Al-Bukhari] Him completely, with sacrifi ce, life. People should not adopt ways politics; in reality, such distinctions angers Him, or that He is angered by order, precision and symbiosis within Allah is more infuriated by the supplication, submission, subjugation, of the worst erwwror: disobedience are fallacious. Man's beliefs are the some action that in fact pleases Him. the earth and universe, must realise disobedience of His slave than a obedience, compliance; and with love, to and rebellion against Allah and foundations and prime motivators Thus, the idol worshippers call the unparalleled knowledge and man of honour who fi nds his wife fear, hope, trust and reliance upon not commit the unforgivable sin of for actions, for what is held to be true upon that which can neither benefi t wisdom of its Creator. fornicating with another man. So Him, seeking only His pleasure and ascribing partners to Him. on the inside must manifest itself nor harm them; the Christians call If one is heedless of transgressing the how is His fury with those who insult not the admiration of His creatures; Article source: http://www.islamweb. outwardly. upon Jesus, may Allah exalt his laws of Allah, and attaches little or no Him by ascribing rivals and partners and to do all of that according to that net/emainpage/ Indeed, the very fi rst task given to mention; the Jews believe their racial importance to them, or worse considers with Him, while He is Glorious above which was revealed to His last and fi nal Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi origins guarantee His good pleasure; them bad, evil, and outdated, then what such things! In addition, the evil Messenger Muhammad, sallallaahu wa sallam, was to correct the false and there are those who believe of the laws conceived in the limited consequences are not limited to this ‘alaihi wa sallam, and not according to beliefs. It was not that the pagan Arabs that power and wealth are means of minds of men? If one is ungrateful to life, as the Qur’an says (what means): whims, desires and mere conjecture. Islam and freedom of thought Islam and the aim of life eople answer these questions Hereafter) is the time when each By Abdullah Ahmad against religion and morality. They are against Islam in diff erent ways. Some examinee enjoys or suff ers from the not because it restricts freedom of thought but only people believe the purpose outcome of his behaviour during the because it stands for the liberation of mankind from the Pof life is getting wealthy. test period. uring the course of a discussion I was dominance of its baser passions. However, what will be the purpose In Islam, the line of life is clear, told: The advocates of "free thinking" allege that the of their life after collecting millions simple and logical: the fi rst life, death "You are not liberal" Islamic system of rule is dictatorial because the state of dollars? If the purpose of life is then the Day of Judgment, and then D "Why?" I asked him. has vast powers. The worst of it, they say, is that the to become wealthy, there will be no the second life. With this clear line "Do you believe in the existence of a God?" He state enjoys immense power and authority in the purpose after becoming wealthy. of life, a Muslim has a clear purpose enquired. name of the faith which has a very great attraction In fact, here lies the problem of in life. "Yes, I do." for the people. So they blindly subject themselves some people in the last stages of their A Muslim knows that he has been "Do you pray and fast for Him?" to its tyrannical rule. Thus, they conclude, these lives. After they have collected the created by Allaah. He also knows that "I do". vast powers lead to dictatorship and the common money which they dreamt of, their he is going to spend some years in this "Well, then you are not liberal". people are made slaves with no right to think for life loses its purpose and they live in fi rst life, during which he has to obey Thereupon I asked him: themselves. Freedom of thought is lost forever. None tension, restlessness and suff er from Allaah, because Allaah will question " How do you say that I am not a free thinker?" dare challenge the rulers and he who does is accused the panic of nothingness. him and hold him responsible for his "Because you believe in nonsense that has no of rebellion against religion and God. public and private deeds, because existence at all," he told me. These false accusations are best refuted by Can attaining wealth be an aim? Allaah knows all deeds of all people. "And you? What do you believe in? What do you referring to these verses of the Holy Qur’an; Allah We often hear of wealthy people A Muslim knows that his deeds in think created universe and life?" I asked him. says what means: "…And their aff air is [determined committing suicide; sometimes, it is this life will determine his second life. "Nature!" by] consultation among themselves…" [Qur’an: not the wealthy person himself but He knows that his life is a very short "But what is Nature?" 42:38] and: "…And when you judge between people members of his family – his wife or one -- a hundred years, more or less, "It is the secret power that is limitless but has got to judge with justice..." [Qur’an: 4:58] children. The question is: Can aiming whereas the second life is eternal. manifestations which can be perceived by the sense Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, the fi rst for wealth bring happiness to the organs," he said. Caliph, said: "Obey me so long as I obey God and individual? In most cases, the answer The eternity of the second life: At this I said: "I understand by this statement His Prophet. But if I disobey God or the Prophet I is 'No'. Is the purpose of collecting This concept of eternal nature of of yours that you prevent me from believing in an shall no longer be entitled to your obedience." wealth a long-standing purpose? the second life has a tremendous Unknown Power because you want me to believe in 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, addressed As we know, a fi ve-year-old child eff ect on the Muslim during his first another equally unknown power. But the question the Muslims saying: "Put me right if you discover any does not look for wealth: he prefers a life, because the Muslim believes that is that why should I disown my God for the sake of crookedness in me." One of the audience retorted: "By toy to a million dollars. An 18-year- his fi rst life determines the shape of another equally unknown but false god, especially God Almighty! If we had found any crookedness in old adolescent does not dream of his second life. In addition, this will in the one I fi nd peace, tranquillity and comfort, you, we will put you right with our swords." wealth because he is busy with things be decided through the Judgment of whereas the false god of Nature neither answers my It is true that oppression and tyranny ruled in the that are more important. A 90-year- Allaah, the Just and Almighty. call, nor comforts me?" name of religion. It is also true that such oppression old does not care for money; he is With this belief in the Hereafter This in short is the case of the 'progressives' still dominates in some countries in the name more worried about his health. This and the Day of Judgment, a Muslim's who talk about freedom of thought. For them challenge and criticize Al-Azhar's understanding of religion. But is religion the only mask used by proves that wealth cannot be a long- life becomes as purposeful and freedom of thought is synonymous to freedom of of religion, for Islam is not the monopoly of dictators? Did Hitler rule in the name of religion? It is standing purpose in all the stages of meaningful as possible. A Muslim's disowning one's God. This is, however, not freedom any individual or class. Only those persons are now admitted even in Russia, that Stalin was a tyrant an individual's life. long-standing purpose is to go to of thought but freedom of atheism. Starting with considered as an authority on questions of religion and a dictator who ruled over a police state. But did Wealth can do a little to bring Paradise by pleasing his Creator. these premises, they accuse Islam of restricting who, in the light of their deep understanding of Stalin rule in the name of religion? Do all tyrants and happiness to a disbeliever, because he In other words, a Muslim's the freedom of thought simply because it prohibits it, apply it to practical life regardless of their own dictators including Mao Tse-tung, Franco, Malan in is not sure about his end or his fate. A continuous purpose is to obey Allaah, atheism. But the question is: Is freedom of thought professions. South Africa, Chiang Kai-shek in Nationalist China, disbeliever does not know the purpose to submit to Him, to carry out His and atheism one and the same, and is atheism really a When the Islamic rule is established, the dominate on behalf of religion? There is no doubt of life, and if he has a purpose, this orders, and to keep in continuous necessary precondition to the freedom of thought? 'Ulamaa' (Islamic scholars) will not automatically that the twentieth century which has managed to get purpose is doomed to be temporary or touch with Him through prayer (fi ve Misled by the history of European liberalism they become the governors or ministers or head of rid of religious domination has witnessed the most self-destructive. times a day), through fasting (one overlook the fact that if certain local circumstances departments. The only change is that the system of monstrous dictatorships which beguile mankind by What is the use of wealth to a month a year), through charity (either necessitated the spread of atheism in Europe, this rule will be based on Islamic Shari'ah (law) - the law attractive names no less sacred than religion. disbeliever if he feels scared of the obligatory or voluntary as often as does not mean that the same thing should happen of God. The engineers will continue to be charged No one would defend dictatorship; no man of end and skeptical of everything? A possible), and through pilgrimage everywhere in the world. with the engineering works, the doctors will be free intellect and conscience would approve of it. disbeliever may gain a lot of money, (once in one's life if he is able). In Islam there is no such thing as may drive people responsible for medical aff airs, the economists will But any noble principle can be exploited and used but surely loses himself. to atheism. There are no dilemmas which puzzle the direct the economic life of the community with the as a mask to hide personal ambitions. The French The need for a permanent mind. There is only one God; He has created all beings only change that the Islamic economy alone will Revolution witnessed the most heinous crimes Worshipping Allaah as an aim: purpose: and all will return to Him. It is a clear and simple then provide them with the guidelines. being committed in the name of liberty. Hundreds On the other hand, faith in Allaah People have diff erent purposes at concept, which even the naturalists, and atheists may History bears witness that neither the Islamic of innocent people have been imprisoned, tortured gives the believer the purpose of life diff erent stages in their lives such fi nd hard to reject or doubt. faith nor its system of rule ever came into confl ict or murdered on behalf of the constitution. he needs. In Islam, the purpose of as collecting money and property, In Islam, there are no churchmen such as the with science or the application of its theories. No Should all constitutions be annulled then? life is to worship Allaah. The term indulging in sex, eating and dancing. European church had. Religion is the common scientist in Islam has ever been burnt or tortured Oppression and tyranny dominated some countries "worship" covers all acts of obedience However, all these purposes are property of all, and every Muslim is entitled to for discovering or announcing a scientifi c fact. True in the name of religion. Should we, therefore, to Allaah. The Islamic purpose of life temporary, they come and go. Money benefi t from it as much as his natural, spiritual and science is not in confl ict with the Islamic faith and abandon all religions? It would be right to abandon can withstand the test of time. The comes and goes. Health comes intellectual equipment may permit. All people are the belief that God created everything. Islam calls religion if religion as such were to advocate true Muslim sticks to this purpose and goes. Sexual activities cannot equal and they are treated, as they deserve to be, in on people to study space and earth and to meditate oppression and injustice. This cannot be said of through all the stages of his life, continue forever. All these lusts for the light of their deed in life. The most honoured on their creation in order to discover the existence of Islam, which established the noblest examples whether he is a child, adolescent, money, food and sex cannot answer of all people are the God-fearing individuals God. It should be remembered that many Western of pure justice and equity, not only among the adult or an old man. the individual's question to himself: whether they are engineers, teachers, workmen or scientists who did not believe in God came to discover Muslims themselves but between Muslims and Worshipping Allaah makes life what next? craftsmen. Religion is not, however, one of these His existence through proper scientifi c research. their fatal enemies as well. purposeful and meaningful, especially so many occupations. There are no professional There is nothing in Islam which may drive people Tyranny is best fought by teaching the people within the framework of Islam. Then what? churchmen in Islam, so that Islamic worship is to atheism. The advocates of atheism in the East to believe in God and to respect freedom, which is According to Islam, this worldly life is However, Islam saves those who observed without the intercession of a churchman. are but blind followers of their erstwhile colonialist defended and safeguarded by religion. Such people just a short stage of our lives. After this, follow it sincerely from the troubling Still, it is necessary that some people should masters. They want to be given the freedom to would not allow the ruler to commit injustice, but there is the other life -- the Hereafter. question: what is the aim of life? specialise in the study of jurisprudence and attack the faith and all kinds of worship and to urge will keep him within the limits of his legal powers. The position of the person in the Islam makes it clear to the Muslim, law on which public order is based. The status people to abandon their religion. But why do they I do not think that any system has ever aimed at Hereafter depends on his deeds in this from the very beginning, that the such specialists in Islamic jurisprudence and want such freedom? In Europe, people sought to the establishment of justice or the opposition of fi rst life. At the end of the death, stage permanent purpose of life is to constitutional law enjoy is not more than that attack religion in order to liberate their minds from tyranny as much as Islam did. Islam made it a duty comes the Day of Judgment. On this worship Allaah. We should know that which their counterparts in other countries superstition and to free people from oppression and of the people to put the ruler right if he is unjust day, Allaah will reward or punish people the only way for our salvation in this do. They are not entitled to any authority or tyranny. with the condition that no bigger calamity occurs according to their deeds. life and in the Hereafter is to know the class prestige over the people. They are just the If Islamic faith already gives them all the freedom as a result of trying to execute the change. The Lord who created us, believe in Him, jurisprudents and counsels of the state. It may they need to have or they clamour for, why should Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "He who The fi rst life as an examination: and worship Him alone. be pointed out here that Al-Azhar is a religious they attack it? The truth is that these so-called liberals witnesses any vice should change it." He also said: Hence, Islam looks at the fi rst life What is the purpose of my life? institute but it does not have, as the churchmen did, are not interested in the freedom of thought but are "A word of justice uttered before an unjust ruler is as an examination or a test of man. What is the purpose of your life? the authority to burn or torture people. rather more interested in spreading moral corruption the greatest of Jihad." The Day of Judgment is similar to What is the purpose of our lives? All that Al-Azhar can do is to challenge and and uncontrolled sexual anarchy. They use freedom [From: 'Islam, the Misunderstood Religion'] the day of announcing the results of Article source: http://www.islamweb. criticise an individual's understanding of religion. of thought as a mask to hide their base motives. It Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/ the examinees. The second life (the net/emainpage/ On the other hand, anyone from outside can easily is no more than a camoufl age in their hideous war emainpage/ Gulf Times 14 Friday, January 4, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Deaths highlight children’s plight in migrant surge to US

The death of two Guatemalan children in the United States within weeks of each other has highlighted why there are so many children among Central American migrants heading north: smugglers tell them families have a better chance of being allowed in by US border guards, witnesses said. Agustin Gomez was one such migrant who decided to risk the trip. Gomez’s relatives in his western, mainly indigenous municipality of Nenton near the Mexican border said he had heard rumours that bringing along his eight-year-old son How inequality undermines Felipe might ease his way. Felipe died in a New Mexico hospital on Christmas Day, only a week after they were both detained by Texas border guards after crossing the border illegally. US authorities investigating the case say Felipe died after presenting with economic performance fl u symptoms. Just two weeks earlier, Guatemala had been rocked by By Michael Spence among the highest in Europe (roughly share of impediments to growth and growth-enhancing investments. It the death of seven-year-old indigenous girl Jakelin Caal, Milan $7 per gallon, including existing taxes). employment, such as those rooted in also has considerable experience with admitted to hospital suff ering from dehydration. Although such a tax might advance the structure and regulation of labour subsequent abrupt shifts to extreme environmental objectives by bringing markets. But any eff ort to address these market-driven models that ignore the She made the journey alongside her 29-year-old father bout a decade ago, the about a reduction in emissions, it raises issues must be coupled with measures complementary roles that government Nery from the Mayan town of Raxruha in northern Commission on Growth international competitiveness issues. that mitigate and eventually reverse the and the private sector must play to Guatemala. and Development (which I Moreover, as proposed, the tax (which job and income polarisation that has sustain strong growth. Though the surge of Achaired) published a report has now been rescinded) was neither been fuelling popular discontent and Greater political polarisation Guatemalan migrants that attempted to distil 20 years of revenue-neutral nor intended to fund political instability. has also resulted in an increasingly The surge of research and experience in a wide range expenditures aimed at helping France’s So far, however, Europe has failed confrontational approach in international to the US-Mexico of countries into lessons for developing struggling households, especially in abysmally on this front – and paid relations. This will hurt global growth Guatemalan border is caused largely economies. Perhaps the most important rural areas and smaller cities. a high price. In many countries, by undermining the world’s ability by the country’s dire lesson was that growth patterns that In reality, the eruption of the Yellow nationalist and anti-establishment to modify the rules governing trade, migrants to the poverty and violence, lack inclusiveness and fuel inequality Vest protests was less about the fuel tax political forces have gained ground. investment, and the movement of people Guatemalan migration generally fail. than what its introduction represented: In the United Kingdom, widespread and information. It will also hamper US-Mexico border The reason for this failure is not the government’s indiff erence to the frustration with the status quo fuelled the world’s ability to address longer- activist Roxana Palma, strictly economic. Those who are plight of the middle class outside the vote in 2016 to leave the EU, and term challenges like climate change and is caused largely said there are messages adversely aff ected by the means of France’s largest urban centres. With similar sentiment is now undermining labour-market reform. circulating on social development, together with those job and income polarisation having the French and German governments. But to go back to the beginning, by the country’s media that carrying who lack suffi cient opportunities to increased across all developed In Italy, it contributed to the victory the main lessons from experience children gives a reap its benefi ts, become increasingly economies in recent decades, the unrest of a populist coalition government. At in developing and now developed dire poverty and frustrated. This fuels social in France should serve as a wake-up call this point, it is diffi cult to discern viable economies are that sustainability in greater “guarantee” of polarisation, which can lead to political to others. solutions for deepening European the broad sense and inclusiveness are violence establishing themselves instability, gridlock, or short-sighted By most accounts, the adverse integration, let alone the political inextricably linked. Moreover, large- in the United States. decision-making, with serious long- distributional features of growth leadership needed to implement them. scale failures of inclusion derail reforms There seems little doubt that the main spur for the term consequences for economic patterns in developed economies began The situation is not much better in and investments that sustain longer- migrants is abject poverty at home. But taking children with performance. about 40 years ago, when labour’s share the United States. As in Europe, the term growth. And economic and social them is also a way for their parents to prevent them being There is no reason to believe that of national income began to decline. gap between those in the middle and progress should be pursued eff ectively inclusiveness aff ects the sustainability Later, developed economies’ labour- at the top of the income and wealth – not with a simple list of policies and recruited by gangs, migration experts say. of growth patterns only in developing intensive manufacturing sectors began distribution – and between those in reforms, but with a strategy and an Smugglers — nicknamed “Coyotes” — blatantly lie about countries, though the specifi c dynamics to face increased pressure from an major cities and the rest – is growing agenda that involves careful sequencing immigration procedures in the United States and do little depend on a number of factors. For increasingly competitive China and, rapidly. This contributed to voters’ and pacing of reforms and devotes for migrants beyond holding out the prospect of a better life, example, rising inequality is less likely more recently, automation. rejection of establishment politicians, more than passing attention to the said Palma. to be politically and socially disruptive For a time, growth and employment enabling the victory in 2016 of US distributional consequences. in a high-growth environment (think held up, obscuring the underlying job President Donald Trump, who has since The hard part of constructing “Unfortunately, they are the ones who misinform people a 5-7% annual rate) than in a low- or and income polarisation. But when the placed voter frustration in the service inclusive growth strategies is not about how to get to the United States ‘safely’,” she said. no-growth environment, where the 2008 global fi nancial crisis erupted, of enacting policies that may only knowing where you want to end up so According to another expert, “there was special treatment incomes and opportunities of a subset growth collapsed, unemployment exacerbate inequality. much as fi guring out how to get there. for parents who came with children” to the United States of the population are either stagnant or spiked, and banks that had been In the longer term, persistent non- And it is hard, which is why leadership under the previous US administration of President Barack declining. allowed to become too large to fail had inclusive growth patterns can produce and policymaking skill play a crucial The latter dynamic is now playing to be bailed out to prevent a broader policy paralysis or swings from one role. – Project Syndicate Obama, but that ended with Donald Trump’s arrival at the out in France, with the “Yellow economic meltdown. This exposed relatively extreme policy agenda to White House. Vest” protests of the last month. The far-reaching economic insecurity, while another. Latin America, for example, zMichael Spence, a Nobel laureate in “The smugglers continue to say that you can enter with immediate cause of the protests was a undermining trust and confi dence in has considerable experience with economics, is professor of Economics at children; that’s no longer valid,” said the expert, who requested new fuel tax. The added cost was not establishment leaders and institutions. populist governments that pursue New York University’s Stern School of anonymity in order to speak freely about the subject. all that large (about $0.30 per gallon), To be sure, France, like a number fi scally unsustainable agendas that Business and Senior Fellow at the Hoover but fuel prices in France were already of other European countries, has its favour distributional components over Institution. “We are also seeing how networks of coyotes recruit, how they make people pay and then deceive them,” said Danilo Rivera, co-ordinator of the Central American Institute of Development and Social Studies (INCEDES). Rivera said they were aware of cases in the indigenous western Guatemala where networks use local radio to make announcements of false off ers of visas and travel to the United States “immediately and safely.” Guatemalan authorities “aren’t doing a lot” to thwart this false and misleading travel information, nor does it do enough to root out the causes of emigration, said Rivera. According to studies by the International Migration Organisation (OIM), the majority of Guatemalan migrants sent back by Mexico and the United States come from western Guatemala, the country’s poorest region.

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French police walk through a cloud of tear gas used to disperse “yellow vest” protestors (Gilets jaunes) and others on a side street off the Champs-Elysees after New Year’s celebrations © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved in the French capital Paris on January 1, 2019. The unrest in France should serve as a wake-up call to others. Gulf Times Friday, January 4, 2019 15 COMMENT Turning Brexit into a celebration of democracy

By Yanis Varoufakis Former prime minister Tony Blair’s opportunity to come to terms with the Athens incomplete devolution made the country’s great challenges while re- English the UK’s only people not to thinking the UK’s relationship with the have their own dedicated assembly or EU. But to seize it, the UK must invest iscontent without end parliament, leaving them dependent on in a “People’s Debate,” leading, in time, looms over Britain. a Westminster parliament that many to a “People’s Decision.” Leavers and Remainers are feel is distant and unrepresentative of The People’s Debate must address Dequally despondent. Her their concerns. six issues: the British constitution, Majesty’s Government and the Labour Brexit also stress-tested a rigid including the creation of an English opposition are equally divided. The political party system forged by a fi rst- parliament or multiple regional English United Kingdom is deeply divided past-the-post electoral system that assemblies; the electoral system between a Europhile Scotland and a limits competition to existing players. and the role of referenda; the Irish Euroskeptic England, between pro-EU As a result, Britain’s parties have come question, including the possibility English cities (including London) and to function like cartels of confl icting of joint UK-Irish sovereignty over anti-EU coastal and northern towns. agendas. Northern Ireland; migration and Neither the working nor the ruling The 2016 referendum also freedom of movement; Britain’s class can unite behind any of the Brexit highlighted the question of direct economic model, particularly the options making the rounds in the democracy’s role in British politics. outsize role of fi nance and the need House of Commons. Is it any wonder Given growing calls for a second to boost green investment across the that so many Britons feel anxious and referendum, when and how popular country; and of course the UK-EU let down by their political system? votes should be held must be addressed relationship. And yet, paradoxically, while the sooner rather than later. To be democratic, the People’s current Brexit impasse is pregnant But the role of representative Debate must take place in regional with risk, the British should welcome democracy must be addressed as assemblies, leading to a national it. Since 1945, the Europe question has well. Brexit exposed the myth of the convention, where a menu of options obscured at least eight other questions sovereignty of the House of Commons is fi nalised before the next House fundamental to Britain – about itself, its when, in the process of leaving the EU, of Commons translates them into political institutions, and its place in the the government denied Parliament referendum questions that will enable world. Brexit is now bringing all of them any real say even in how EU legislation the People’s Decision by 2022. Thus, to the fore, and the prevailing discontent should be transcribed into UK law. the UK government must secure a is the fi rst condition of addressing them. Brexit also unleashed pent-up transition period after the country Indeed, Brexit may empower British frustration with austerity, which formally leaves the EU on March 29, democracy to resolve several of the took the form of a moral panic about lasting at least until the people can country’s long-standing crises. migration. Free movement of people Anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray holds EU flags as he demonstrates on Whitehall in central London on January 2. Britain’s decide three years later. First, there is the Irish question. within the EU obscured the role of chances of leaving the European Union are only “50-50” if MPs reject Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, senior During the transition period, the UK Though partly settled by the Good domestic budget cuts in curtailing minister Liam Fox warned at the weekend. should remain in the EU customs union Friday Agreement a generation ago, public services and social housing, and the single market, with freedom Northern Ireland’s Democratic making an uptick in xenophobia move beyond the troika of low skills, to remain in the EU – commands a The conventional wisdom in Britain of movement and full rights for EU Unionist Party is re-opening it by inevitable. low productivity, and slow growth, majority in Parliament or among the is that this impasse is lamentable, nationals in the UK. Then, in 2022, insisting that the province, which is Finally, since the mid-1980s, its citizens must re-think their place population. Each generates maximum and that it proves the failure of voters can choose whether to stay part of the UK, must not in any way be following Margaret Thatcher’s willful in the global economy. Brexit is a discontent: The no-deal scenario British democracy. I disagree on in the customs union and the single distinguished from, say, Wales or the vandalism of British industry, the UK splendid opportunity to do so, while strikes most as a dangerous plunge both counts. If any of the three market, exit completely, or apply to re- Home Counties. economy has relied on “the kindness shunning calls for even lower wages, into the unknown. May’s deal appalls immediately available options were enter the EU as a full member. The Scottish question has been of strangers.” No other European taxes, and regulation. Remainers and is seen by most Leavers endorsed, say, in a second referendum, When discontent is as plentiful as in revived as well. Just two years after economy, except Ireland, has needed With weeks left before the UK leaves as the kind of document only a country discontent would increase and the Britain today, abundant democracy is Scotland’s failed independence such large infusions of foreign capital the EU by default, none of the three defeated at war would sign. Lastly, a larger questions plaguing the UK our best bet. – Project Syndicate referendum in 2014 left nationalists to make ends meet. This is why Britain main options on off er – a no-deal Brexit reversal would confi rm Leavers’ would remain unanswered. Britons’ defl ated, the 2016 Brexit referendum relies on cheapness: low taxes, low Brexit, Prime Minister Theresa May’s belief that democracy is allowed only reluctance to endorse any Brexit option zYanis Varoufakis, a former fi nance put wind in their sails again. wages, zero-hour contracts, and withdrawal agreement with the EU, when it yields results favoured by the at present is, from this perspective, a minister of Greece, is Professor of There is an English question as well. unregulated fi nance. If Britain is to and rescinding Article 50 in order London establishment. sign of collective wisdom and a rare Economics at the University of Athens.

Channel migrant ‘crisis’ a tale of British hypocrisy Three-day forecast had already determined their status for There are at least three reasons irreligious, immoral, unclean and TODAY By Afua Hirsch Maximum Temperature : 260c London himself as “illegal” migrants. why it feels as if this is designed to unwholesome. Any one Englishman is a It’s not beneath us Brits to attempt appease far-right and anti-immigrant match for any seven of them.” Minimum Temperature : 200c to withdraw from international law sentiment, rather than to actually The greatest immigration scandal of SATURDAY he British Home Secretary on refugees – Conservative party solve any problems. This current 2018 – the treatment of the Windrush Maximum Temperature : 240c Sajid Javid cut short his leader Michael Howard campaigned “crisis” began in November, making generation – was a reminder that Minimum Temperature : 150c £800-a-night luxury safari on a platform of doing so in 2005 – but it far from obvious why the dramatic we have always exhibited a unique SUNDAY holiday in South Africa and despite the many steps the government re-entry of Javid in the middle of the hostility towards people who are Maximum Temperature : 240c T Minimum Temperature : 180c came back home with the message has taken to make life intolerable for Christmas holidays was necessary – visibly diff erent. The arrival of a few migrants, that is not yet among them. except for eff ect. hundred people from the Caribbean in that Britain is now facing a full-on Fisherman's forecast “crisis”. Even though we, as humans and Second, the idea that a crackdown 1948 prompted a moment of national There were plenty of scenarios citizens of international law-abiding on the French side would improve soul-searching (prime minister matters has absolutely no basis in Clement Attlee even considered WARNING that warranted that kind of nations, have a duty to process refugees Inshore : Expected strong wind conscientiousness. More people and accept those with a legitimate fact. One of the triggers for the recent diverting the Windrush to east Africa), at most places & poor than ever relied on food banks to get claim, this can seem an overwhelming increase in the number of people while the decision to off er citizenship visiblity at places through Christmas this year, around responsibility. I can sympathise with the coming across the Channel in boats to 200,000 Polish migrants the Offshore : Expected strong wind& and high sea half of them children. More than former mayor of Catania Enzo Bianco, for – albeit still in very low numbers – is previous year went almost unnoticed. 130,000 children faced Christmas in instance, who I once saw weep with grief that conditions for migrants in France That Polish people are included in WEATHER a state of homelessness, in temporary as he recalled the migrants he had buried have worsened in recent weeks. our newer incarnation of xenophobic Inshore : Dusty at first, with sctd clouds becomes slight accommodation or B&Bs completely in unmarked graves in his town in Sicily, Third, migration experts from EU frenzy gives me no joy whatsoever. It’s dust to blowing dust at unfi t for families. Almost every day, a just one tragic consequence of the more countries, which have dealt with more worth remembering that Dover, where places & cold by night woman is killed or takes her own life than 300,000 migrants who arrived by than 1.8mn arrivals since 2014 – the the current “crisis” is unfolding, is the Offshore : Partly cloudy at times because of domestic violence, a form boat in Italy between 2014 and 2015. majority from Syria, Afghanistan terrain of Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, WIND of abuse that often spikes at this time The “crisis” of which Javid is and Iraq – are unequivocal that the who equated anti-fascist protesters Inshore : Northwesterly 08-18 KT of year. speaking, by contrast, refers to the relentless focus on policing, defence with neo-Nazis, and defended a Tory Offshrore : Northwesterly 18-28/35 None of these are serious enough estimated 220 people who have and surveillance has not prevented councillor who described people of KT to be considered a crisis, however. attempted to cross the Channel to migrants from entering Europe, but Middle Eastern heritage as “sons of Visibility : 4-8/2 KM That privilege is reserved for the fi ve Britain since the start of November. has increased the likelihood that they camel drivers”. Offshore : 6-8/15 FT small boats in which 40 desperate The action he is advocating is the will die attempting to do so. None of this, of course, is actually The truth is that Britain’s stance about the refugees or migrants in people attempted to cross the Channel deployment of two Border Force Around the region on Christmas Day, no doubt hoping vessels – which had been conducting towards migrants has never had much question. It’s about us, and our Weather to make the case that they deserved search-and-rescue missions in the to do with reason and everything to do capacity for hypocrisy. We deported Weather tomorrow Max/min to seek refuge in the UK. That’s no Mediterranean – and the toughening- with a cultural hostility that stretches Windrush migrants while the today Max/min P Cloudy 17/11 small detail – there is a legal right, up of measures to prevent crossings back centuries. In just one example fl ags were fl ying in celebration of Baghdad Sunny 18/05 M Sunny 19/13 established in international law, to from France. Javid initially resisted highlighted in a new book on Brexit and the Commonwealth, and we are Kuwait CitySunny 20/09 Sunny 22/16 claim asylum in a country after you deploying the vessels for fear that the end of empire, Rule Britannia, an dehumanising refugees while the Manama Cloudy 22/16 P Cloudy 25/19 arrive there, which these people were the prospect of being rescued would 1893 magazine described immigrants Christmas trees are still twinkling. – Muscat Sunny 28/22 M Sunny 11/05 within their rights to follow. But Javid encourage more people to cross. and foreigners as “deceitful, eff eminate, Guardian News & Media Tehran Sunny 10/01

Live issues Cryotherapy malfunction results in burn, blisters

Around the world By Carolyn Crist Wang told Reuters Health by e-mail. cold helps muscle recovery after Reuters Health “Cryotherapy is increasing in strenuous activity better than ice packs Weather Weather popularity, but it’s not an FDA-approved or cold water immersion. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min treatment, and there’s not good However, the FDA hasn’t approved Athens Rain 08/01 Cloudy 06/-1 hole-body cryotherapy – regulation of the safety of these devices,” any cryotherapy chambers and warns Beirut M Sunny 18/12 S Showers 18/13 a trendy procedure that said Dr Lisa Chipps, a dermatologist about potential harmful eff ects Bangkok M Cloudy 29/24 Showers 29/24 exposes the naked body in Beverly Hills, California. Chipps, including asphyxiation, frostbite, burns Berlin Showers 05/03 S Showers 07/02 Wto subzero temperatures who wasn’t involved with this case, is and eye injuries. A 2015 Cochrane review Cairo Sunny 20/08 Sunny 19/09 – isn’t backed by evidence and can be president-elect of the American Board of previously published studies found Cape Town M Sunny 25/17 Cloudy 23/17 risky, doctors say. of Facial Cosmetic Surgery. insuffi cient evidence to support the Colombo Sunny 32/23 P Cloudy 31/23 Spas and gyms advertise cryotherapy Cryotherapy chamber. “When patients are undergoing benefi ts of muscle recovery for active Dhaka Sunny 26/12 Sunny 26/13 as a way to treat sore muscles, back Picture courtesy: Rocky Mountain non-FDA-approved treatments, they young men, and no data exist for women Hong Kong Cloudy 19/16 M Cloudy 20/14 pain, and skin problems. But a report in Cryotherapy website need to be aware of the potential risks of or elite athletes. Istanbul Rain 05/03 Rain 05/01 the Journal of the American Academy of that device or service,” she told Reuters “If the burn had happened on the Jakarta P Cloudy 32/24 S T Storms 32/24 Dermatology highlights a danger. said co-author Dr Jordan Wang of Health by phone. patient’s face in this case, that would Karachi P Cloudy 26/18 P Cloudy 29/13 In the report, a 71-year-old man using Thomas Jeff erson University Hospital, Traditionally, dermatologists use have been disfi guring,” said Dr Anthony London P Cloudy 04/-2 M Sunny 05/01 whole-body cryotherapy was severely where the patient was treated. cryotherapy to treat skin lesions such Rossi, a dermatological surgeon at Manila Sunny 30/23 Sunny 30/23 burned when a nozzle malfunctioned Cryotherapy chambers engulf the as viral warts, some skin cancers, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Moscow Cloudy -3/-7 Cloudy -6/-8 and sprayed liquid nitrogen directly body from the neck down in a liquid precancerous sun spots. Applied in very Center in New York City, who wasn’t New Delhi Fog 21/08 Fog 22/10 on his back for less than a minute. He nitrogen mist at temperatures between small areas by a trained physician, the involved with this case. New York M Cloudy 09/06 Rain 08/04 had stinging, pain and redness, which minus-150 to minus 220 degrees liquid nitrogen freezes the skin and lesion. “Most of these cryotherapy chambers Paris P Cloudy 06/-1 M Cloudy 06/02 developed into blisters with a yellow Fahrenheit (minus-100 to minus-140 Whole-body cryotherapy was shield the fi ngers and toes, but what Sao Paulo T Storm 28/21 T Storm 27/21 pus. Celsius) for several minutes. The head originally given to patients with multiple about his genitals or other areas?” Rossi Seoul P Cloudy 04/-9 Sunny 01/-8 “With the rise of cryotherapy stays above the top of the chamber. sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis for told Reuters Health by phone. “People Singapore P Cloudy 32/26 T Storm 31/26 facilities and the ease that consumers “Most consumers are unaware of the anti-infl ammation eff ects. In recent are going into this thinking they’ll Sydney P Cloudy 30/22 S T Storms 35/19 can be treated, it’s important to spread potential side eff ects and the lack of years, it’s become popular for a wider receive a medical benefi t, but it’s a cool Tokyo Clear 11/01 Clear 13/02 awareness of the harmful side eff ects,” data behind how useful treatments are,” audience. Proponents say the extreme trend that lacks evidence.” Gulf Times 16 Friday, January 4, 2019 QATAR

Joint Special Forces graduates 13th batch of parachute course

The Joint Special Forces celebrated yesterday the graduation of the 13th batch of parachute course. These graduates will form the 14th batch of the candidates of Ahmed bin Mohamed Military College for the 2018/2019 training season. The graduation ceremony was held in the presence of the Commander of the Joint Special Forces HE Major General Hamad bin Abdullah al-Fetais al-Marri, Commander of Ahmed bin Mohamed Military College HE Fahad Mubarak al-Khayareen and the Military Attache at the embassy of Kuwait in Qatar, Brigadier General Huwaidi Sahan al-Hajri. During the course, the participants attended lectures and exercises held in the Joint Special Forces’ wing. Among other skills, the participants practised jumping, in-flight procedures, under-parachute procedures, landing procedures and parachute control. The course included a number of tests to assess the graduates’ readiness for parachuting, parachute testing and emergency procedures. ‘Kaff einated 3’ off ers an Kuwaiti artist brings out array of unique concepts

By Joey Aguilar housed in a truck, opened its National Day celebrations at history from old books Staff Reporter main outlet at Qatar Sports Darb Al Saai. Club a month ago and now tak- “The name Yadooh stands ing part for the fi rst time at a for grandma and we chose the he Cultural Village Foun- Kaff einated 3’ opened at special event like ‘Kaff einated word ‘factory’ instead of cof- dation – Katara has Katara – the Cultural Village 3’. It serves latte, cappuccino, fee or café because the latter is Topened a colourful his- ‘yesterday, showcasing an and fl at white, among oth- commonly used by many,” she torical photo gallery by Kuwaiti array of unique concepts that ers, using organic coff ee beans explained. literary fi gure and artist Dr Iman refl ect the enthusiasm of aspir- from Belgium, and its signature Kafoud lauded the event al-Shammari. ing coff ee connoisseurs. drink – Strawberry Blastino. and described it as “one of the The gallery in building 22 The 11-day event, present- Yadooh Factory owner great festivals in Qatar” for be- will run until January 14. ed by Kaffeinated Festival, Alanoud Kafoud is also exhibit- ing well-organised, providing It sheds light on life in the features nearly 70 exhibitors ing her own concept, which has a platform for young entrepre- Middle East, especially the from various coffee shops in a ‘feminine touch’, at the Katara neurs to showcase and promote Gulf region during the early Doha which provide a variety Esplanade – a combination of their products. 20th century and highlights of coffee flavours and desserts Some of the shops’ interest- some major events and pub- – from hot and cold beverages “The name Yadooh stands ing names such as Coff eeholic, lic figures. to cakes, doughnuts and cr- for grandma and we chose Anime Café, Coff ee Connec- Katara human resources man- oissants. the word ‘factory’ instead tion Community, Blue Wings, ager Said Saad al-Dosari opened Speaking to reporters on the of coff ee or café because El Profesor, Dark Ego, Insert the exhibition on behalf of gen- sidelines of ‘Kaff einated 3’, Na- the latter is commonly Coff ee to Begin, Halo, and eral manager Dr Khalid bin Ib- tional Service Café co-owner used by many” Strange Things, among other rahim al-Sulaiti along with Hussain Albuhaliqa said they titles, also raised curiosity Kuwait’s deputy ambassador want to be of service to the hot chocolate and ice cream. among coff ee lovers, prompt- Nasser al-Ghanim. people, particularly the youth, “When I started my coff ee ing them to try some of their Using a new technique to as the name of their coff ee shop shop it was only about desserts, off erings. colour black and white photos, suggests. and then later on we added ‘Kaff einated 3’ will run until Dr al-Shammari has brought “As a café, it has a message the coff ee menu,” she added. January 13 from noon to mid- them to life with their real col- to the people that as a commu- “There are a lot of competitors night, off ering not only a wide ours. The photos on show are nity, you can help us and we can so we try our best to produce range of coff ee blends and au- coloured in a special way that help you,” he said. something special and diff er- thentic fl avours but also activi- makes them look as if they were Albuhaliqa also highlighted ent.” ties related to the preparation shot recently using rich colours Kuwaiti artist Dr Iman al-Shammari briefs Katara officials and other dignitaries during a tour of the the shift of many residents, es- From then on, Kafoud said of coff ee. and fillings. exhibition. pecially the young generation, she has been taking part in var- According to Katara, visi- “I realised the importance of from the traditional Arabic cof- ious exhibitions and festivals in tors will have the opportunity bringing out history from old fee to the Italian or American Doha, including ‘Kaff einated 2’, to learn diff erent ways to make books and archives and present type served by most outlets as well as Qatar Development coff ee through various tech- it to the public in a contempo- nowadays. Bank initiatives for startups niques, including traditional rary and modern way as read- National Service Café, and during the recently-held methods. ing has decreased a lot”, Dr al- Shammari said about the idea of her exhibition. Some of the photographs in the exhibition date back to 1900 of the gates of Jerusalem and some are of the Royal family of Kuwait, while one photograph is of a Turkish lady that dates back to 1920. The artist also presents a dis- tinctive experience by using col- lage art which helps to refl ect the Islamic history to the rest of the world in a good form by integrat- ing it with world famous paint- ings. Dr al-Shammari, also a writer and poet, launched a humani- tarian campaign which was the fi rst of its kind against racism, sectarianism and bullying. She accomplished her voluntary journey in 2017 and was the fi rst Arab woman to enter the Bang- Hussain Albuhaliqa showcases his coff ee shop at ‘Kaff einated 3’, being held at the Katara Esplanade. ladeshi-Burma border for relief The exhibition showcases black and white PICTURE: Ram Chand work. One of the pictures on show. photos coloured with a new technique. HBKU’s College of Islamic Studies hosts workshop for madrasa students

he College of Islamic The participants were chal- Studies (CIS) at Hamad lenged to consider theological TBin Khalifa University and moral teachings in light (HBKU) hosted a ‘Winter In- of pluralistic societies, sci- tensive School’ from December entific and technological ad- 25 to 30 for participants of the vancements, and promotion Madrasa Discourses Project, an of human dignity and devel- initiative founded and led by Dr opment. Ebrahim Moosa and Dr Mahan Some 40 madrasa gradu- Mirza, faculty members at the ates attended the School at University of Notre Dame in In- CIS, which complemented diana, US. the course’s intensive training The course, open to a select held via videoconferencing number of madrasa graduates over a three-year period, and from India and Pakistan, aims offered an annual opportu- to equip future religious lead- nity for participants to gather ers with the tools to confi dently and actively engage in guided function, debate, and contribute readings and open debates on to Islamic thought within the contemporary societal and contemporary global context. global concerns. The participants of the ‘Winter Intensive School’, held at the CIS.