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WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10512 July 12, 2017 Shawwal 18, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets US secretary of state Qatar, US In brief

ARAB WORLD | Reconstruction sign deal Qatar vows support to people of Gaza The Chairman of the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, ambassador Mohamed al-Emadi, aff irmed that Qatar to combat will not abandon its established principles, including the support of the Palestinian people, particularly the population of the Gaza, in light of the siege imposed on the Strip. At a press conference attended by Nikolay Mladenov, the UN special terrorism envoy to Middle East, al-Emadi said that his visit to Gaza aims to aff irm to Palestinian people that “We are staying here to finish projects and His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his accompanying implement new ones and to fulfil delegation at Al Bahr Palace yesterday. the commitments made by the State of Qatar in previous conferences.” fi nancing He said that Qatar’s policy is to support peoples and governments. Doha shows the way and dares siege nations to follow suit “Doha supports Hamas because it is a component of the Palestinian people, just like Fatah,” he added. Kuwait emir ‘extremely QATAR | Media NHRC to hold forum on freedom of expression The National Human Rights concerned’ about crisis Committee (NHRC) in collaboration with the International Federation Tillerson to meet FMs of siege nations in Jeddah today for the Protection of Journalists, will organise an international conference entitled “Freedom of Agencies future,” foreign ministry spokesman Expression: Towards Confronting Kuwait/Doha/Cairo Ahmed Abu Zeid said in Cairo. Risk” on July 24-25. The holding An agreement between Qatar and the HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and US of this conference comes out of US on combating terror funding is “in- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signing the agreement on combating terrorism keenness to support and promote uwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al- suffi cient”, the four Arab states said in financing in Doha yesterday. the freedom of opinion and freedom Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah yes- the joint statement . of expression as well as access to Kterday expressed “bitterness” They said the understanding an- US secretary of state lauds agreement to combat terrorism fi nancing. and exchange of information and and is “extremely concerned over un- nounced in Doha during a visit by US Qatar’s anti-terror measures The MoU is a separate bilateral to confront challenges that face precedented developments” in the Gulf secretary of state is “the result of pres- Qatar’s stance in Gulf crisis agreement between Qatar and the US, these freedoms and rights including crisis, Kuwaiti agency KUNA reported. sure and repeated calls over the past ‘very reasonable’: Tillerson he said, adding that it has been dis- traditional and modern challenges. Sheikh Sabah appreciates the posi- years by the four states and their part- cussed by the two sides for four weeks The conference aims to examine tive reactions and messages of support ners upon Qatar to stop supporting ter- QNA and has no direct or indirect connec- ways of activating international for Kuwait’s mediation eff orts regard- rorism”. Doha tion to the Gulf crisis or the siege im- human rights law, instruments and ing the stalemate, as displayed by Ku- Tillerson landed in Doha earlier posed on Qatar. procedures related to freedom of waiti nationals, Gulf states and the in- yesterday, as part of a regional tour to Sheikh Mohamed described the opinion and expression, access ternational community, read an Amiri discuss the Gulf dispute, which began atar and the United States have meetings he held with his US coun- to information and addressing Diwan statement. in June when the four Arab countries signed a memorandum of un- terpart as “constructive” on the level the problems and challenges These expressions of support have Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah cut diplomatic ties and transportation Qderstanding (MoU) on combat- of bilateral relations between the two related to international human “relieved” him from the resulting pain links with Qatar. ing terrorism fi nancing. friendly countries. He pointed out that rights law introduced by modern and “increased our determination” to towards fi nding a solution for the Gulf He began the tour on Monday in Ku- At a joint press conference with US a tripartite meeting where they dis- communications technologies. resolve the matter, said the Emir, who crisis. wait, which has been mediating in the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, HE the cussed the Gulf developments was also is leading mediation eff orts in the crisis Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, crisis. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin held with the brothers in Kuwait and QATAR | Military involving several Arab countries. the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt will meet He said he held “a good trilateral ex- Abdulrahman al-Thani said that Qatar, the friends in the US. The Emir warned that the Gulf Co- with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian change around the confl ict” with Qa- which has been accused by the siege The foreign minister said that his Fift h batch of Turkish operation Council bloc’s accomplish- coastal city. tari and Kuwaiti diplomats. countries of fi nancing terrorism, has meeting with Tillerson also discussed, troops arrives in Doha ments, based on the aspirations of The meeting will “explore their feel- During his visit, the United States become the fi rst country to sign with within the bilateral framework, the im- The Directorate of Moral Guidance its people, “cannot be compromised, ings and explore options of how we and Qatar signed an agreement aimed the US a similar agreement aiming to portance of continuing co-operation at the Ministry of Defence has and should be maintained and ad- might move this forward. I would not at boosting eff orts to combat terrorism. combat terrorism fi nancing. and consultation between the two announced the arrival of the fifth hered to”. comment on any expectations for a “The US and Qatar will do more to The MoU comes within the frame- countries, underlining that the most batch of Turkish troops in Qatar. “We will not surrender our historic timetable now because these are dis- track down funding sources, will do work of the continuous bilateral co-op- signifi cant outcome of these meetings According to the directorate, the responsibilities (towards the bloc) and cussions that are still ongoing,” Tiller- more to collaborate and share informa- eration between Qatar and the US, and was the signing of the MoU on combat- batch is joining the Turkish forces we will be loyal to it until we overcome son told reporters in Doha. tion and do more t o keep the region and as a result of the joint work between the ing terrorism fi nancing. currently in Doha (Tariq Bin Ziyad these developments,” he underlined, Egypt’s foreign ministry said the Jed- our homeland safe,” Tillerson said. two sides, the exchange of experience He reiterated Qatar’s support for battalion camp). Arrival of the batch stressing that the related parties them- dah meeting “will assert the position of He denied the agreement is con- and information and the development Kuwaiti mediation with the help of the will boost training tasks within the selves can only resolve this crisis. the four countries and the measures nected to the current diplomatic crisis of this mechanism as well as the devel- US. “From the beginning, we were posi- framework of military co-operation Meanwhile, foreign ministers of the they took against Qatar.” in the Gulf, saying it comes after more opment of institutions between coun- tive and open to a constructive dialogue between Qatar and Turkey and four Arab countries boycotting Qatar “The meeting is in line with the four than a year of discussions, a view which tries, Sheikh Mohamed said. that leads to settlement and resolution, to activate the terms of defence will meet with US Secretary of State countries’ keen interest in enhancing was supported by the Qatari Foreign The foreign minister called on the which is the usual behaviour of Qatar,” agreements between the two Rex Tillerson in Jeddah today, in the co-ordination and underscoring soli- Minister HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Ab- countries, which imposed the siege on he said urging the siege countries to fol- countries. fi rst major push by the United States darity on ways to deal with Qatar in the dulrahman al-Thani. Pages 2, 4, 24 Qatar, to “join the future” and sign the low the same behaviour. To Page 24 QP-Total joint oil venture to see $3.5bn investments

By Santhosh V Perumal Al Shaheen, which is located in Qatari “NOC marks an important milestone maintain production while preserving Business Reporter waters 80km north of Ras Laff an, for in Qatar’s oil and gas industry, and will the highest safety standards and reduc- the next 25 years on Friday from Maersk play an important role in maintaining ing operating costs,” Pouyanne said. Oil, whose production sharing pact ex- the longest possible plateau of sustain- NOC is set to become a world leading he North Oil Company (NOC), a pires tomorrow. able production levels and hence, in off shore operator by developing one of 70:30 joint venture between Qatar In June 2016, a development and fi s- contributing to Qatar’s economic de- the world’s largest and most complex oil TPetroleum (QP) and France’s Total, cal agreement was signed with Total, velopment over the next 25 years,” al- fi elds and by applying cutting-edge, in- will see investments of $3.5bn over the in which QP licensed the rights for the Kaabi said. novative and world-class technologies. next fi ve years in Qatar’s giant Al Shaheen development and operation of the fi eld, Stressing that QP remains commit- “The transition activities were con- oilfi eld, whose production will be limited and for the production, sale and export ted to its obligations towards all its cus- ducted successfully thanks to the to 300,000 barrels per day. of crude oil from Al Shaheen oil fi eld for tomers without exceptions, he said “we strong commitment of all parties and This was jointly announced by QP 25 years starting from July 14, 2017. have demonstrated a unique ability to the deployment of the best expertise president and chief executive Saad The fi rst phase of the development respect our contracts in the best ethical by both Total and QP,” he said, adding Sherida al-Kaabi and Total chairman would see drilling of 56 new wells, business practice regardless of the pre- there would be no disruption in output and chief executive Patrick Pouyanne which would start this summer with vailing circumstances.” and deliveries of crude during the tran- after Qatar’s Prime Minister HE Sheikh the mobilisation of the fi rst two rigs “NOC will leverage its technical capa- sition to Total as the fi eld’s operator. Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al- and a third one to be added at the be- bilities to optimise the exploitation of Al Assuring Qatar its total commitment Thani inaugurated NOC that will man- ginning of next year. The fi rst phase Shaheen complex oil fi eld. Our solid de- to develop its partnership with QP, he age Al Shaheen, Qatar’s largest off shore would be followed by two others over velopment plan for Al Shaheen includes said Total is “not reluctant” to invest in oil fi eld and one of the world’s largest the next fi ve years to further develop the drilling of more than 100 wells over Qatar and is willing to further expand off shore oil fi elds. the fi eld, which now accounts for about Prime Minister HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani inaugurates NOC the next fi ve years and the implemen- its co-operation in particular with new NOC will take over the operations of 40% of Qatar’s total oil production. as al-Kaabi and Pouyanne look on. tation of new technologies in order to projects. Page 4 Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 QATAR Qatar, Kuwait and US hold joint meeting Qatar denounces leak of Riyadh pact documents

zViolation of the GCC statute make a point or submit a com- their intention was not related zBid to thwart mediation plaint against another member- to their claims on compliance eff orts state. to the implementation of the z Siege countries’ actions He added that the GCC inter- Riyadh agreement, but rather contravene UN Charter nal regulations stipulate that any to destabilise Qatar’s security z Qatar remains ready to member-state has the right to and stability, interfere in its negotiate to resolve the crisis request an urgent meeting with internal affairs and undermine another GCC member-state its sovereignty. In the presence of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, a joint meeting was held at Al Bahar Palace yesterday. QNA whether bilaterally or with all The Government Communi- The meeting was attended by HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Kuwait’s Minister of State for Doha member-states. cations Offi ce director stressed Cabinet Aff airs and Acting Minister of Information Sheikh Mohamed al-Abdullah al-Mubarak al-Sabah and US Secretary of State Rex HE Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed al- that the hostilities of the siege Tillerson. The meeting discussed the developments in the Gulf crisis and its regional and international implications. It also reviewed Thani said the three countries countries contravene interna- the Kuwaiti mediation eff orts and the international support for it, in order to settle the current crisis and maintain the stability of the atar has denounced the neither submitted any complaint tional law and the UN Charter, region, its countries and people. leaking by some GCC nor requested any meeting be- which stipulates that the deci- Qstates of the Riyadh fore the start of the unfair and sion to besiege any state must Agreement in 2013 and its sup- unjustifi ed siege against Qatar be issued through the Security plemental agreement in 2014 on June 5, 2017. Council, noting that the siege to media in violation of the countries violate international GCC statute and other agree- Despite the hostile and conventions and the provisions ‘No legal basis’ for Qatar Airways fl ights ban ments and internal regulations illegal actions of the siege and principles of international of GCC, while also their on- countries Qatar remains law, particularly the principles of going illegal siege violates the ready to negotiate to equality, respect for states’ sov- QNA such a decision under the 1944 prominent position among other aviation offi cials from Saudi Ara- UN Charter and international resolve the current crisis, ereignty, non-interference in the Doha Chicago Convention on Civil global carriers and has recently bia and the UAE to distribute and law. and Qatar appreciation internal aff airs of other states, Aviation and its amendments. been ranked as the World’s Best reschedule Qatar Airways’ share Speaking to QNA, Govern- for the mediation efforts human rights, and the freedom Sheikh Dr Thani bin Ali al- Airline by SKYTRAX, described as in the Saudi market, he added. ment Communications Offi ce of the Emir of Kuwait of trade and international navi- he Qatar International Thani said the real reason the the Oscars of the aviation industry. He said the forced expulsion Director HE Sheikh Saif bin Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad gation. Centre for Conciliation siege countries banned Qatari Dr al-Thani said Qatar Air- of Qatar Airways from the three Ahmed al-Thani said the steps al-Jaber al-Sabah and US Despite the hostile and illegal Tand Arbitration (QICCA) fl ights is purely commercial, and ways’ success irritated the siege countries’ markets resulted in an currently being taken by these Secretary of State Rex actions of the siege countries, said the “brutal and unjust” the action aims to slow down countries as it announced in increase in the number of fl ights countries, especially the leak- Tillerson Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed al-Thani siege imposed on Qatar contra- and undermine the growth of 2016 that it bought 100 Boeing between Riyadh and Dubai in fa- ing of the Riyadh agreement said, Qatar remains ready to venes all international charters Qatar Airways, which is one of airplanes of diff erent types and vour of the Saudia airlines, it also and its supplemental agreement Instead, he added, they car- negotiate to resolve the current and conventions. the best air carriers in the world. sizes worth more than $90bn, increased the fl ights between before the visit of the US Secre- ried out a malicious campaign crisis, and expressed Qatar’s Speaking to Qatari newspaper The presence of Qatar Airways making it one of the largest air- Medina, Dammam and Dubai by tary of State Rex Tillerson, aim in international media to de- appreciation for the mediation Al Arab, QICCA board member in the global aviation market craft purchase orders in history. 70 weekly trips with an average to thwart the mediation eff orts fame Qatar and then published eff orts of the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Dr Thani bin Ali al-Thani became a source of concern to Dr al-Thani said banning Qa- of three trips daily. of Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah fabricated extracts attributed Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al- said the siege countries’ agree- other international, regional and tar Airways’ fl ights must be seen Dr al-Thani said Qatar Air- al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah and to His Highness the Emir and Jaber al-Sabah and Secretary ment to ban Qatar Airways from Gulf carriers, especially UAE air- as a procedure aimed at causing ways’ market share has been US secretary of state to resolve the Foreign Minister in order Tillerson. overfl ying their airspace was lines as it engaged in a legitimate business and economic loss to rescheduled and distributed the current crisis. to provoke the international He added that Qatar will con- meant to undermine the airline, competition with them and of- the airline, benefi ting the three between fi ve Saudi and Emirati HE Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed al- public opinion against Qa- tinue with them and with all as none of the civil aviation of- fered the best fl ight services to countries’ airlines companies. airlines amounting to 15% of the Thani said the governments of tar, and instead of submitting the parties working to settle the fi cials from these countries its passengers, he added. This is supported by the article Saudi market size, which was Saudi Arabia, the United Arab their complaint through GCC crisis so as to reach a settlement submitted any proof on threats Dr al-Thani said Qatar Airways published by a Saudi economic acquired by Qatar Airways alone. Emirates and Bahrain realise mechanisms, the besieging to the crisis within a framework to their security due to the over- has become a global player and a magazine on June 6, 2017, which Other international fl ights such that the Riyadh agreement is a countries launched malicious of mutual respect and not un- fl ights by Qatari aircraft, con- strong competitor in the global stated that a closed meeting was as to the UK and Australia have clear agreement based on which campaigns against Qatar, dermining the sovereignty of fi rming there is no legal basis to aviation market by occupying a held in Jeddah by a number of civil also been distributed. any GCC member-state can which is a clear evidence that states.

Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 QATAR

Emir, PM meet Total chairman Emir receives South African Minister OFFICIAL

Emir issues decrees on use of plots by Manateq

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday issued Decree No 45 of 2017, authorising Economic Zones Company (Manateq) to utilise the remaining plots of lands in Birkat Al Awamir. His Highness the Emir also issued Decree No 46 of 2017, authorising Economic Zones Company (Manateq) to utilise the plots of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met South Africa’s Minister of International lands of logistic industrial area in Relations and Co-operation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, at his off ice at Al Bahr Palace yesterday. (Al Rekayya Al Karaana). Regional and international issues, especially the developments in the Gulf crisis, and ways to The two decrees are eff ective enhance bilateral relations were discussed. Separately, HE the Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh starting from their date of issue Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also met the South African minister yesterday. The Foreign and are to be published in the His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met the Chairman and CEO of French Total Minister briefed the South African minister on the developments in the Gulf crisis and the illegal off icial gazette. Company, Patrick Pouyanne, at Al Bahr Palace yesterday. Patrick Pouyanne called on the Emir to measures taken against Qatar. greet him on the occasion of his visit to Qatar to attend the inauguration ceremony of the North Oil Minister briefs Company, the operator and the new developer of Al Shaheen Oil Field, which is a partnership OIC delegates between Qatar Petroleum and France’s Total Company. Relations between Qatar and Total Company, and the prospects for strengthening and developing them were discussed during the on blockade meeting. Separately, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani also met the Chairman and Chief Executive Off icer of Total, Patrick Pouyanne, and Qatar’s Minister of State for his accompanying delegation. They reviewed bilateral relations between Qatar and Total, and ways Qatar ranks third among Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad to strengthen and develop these relations. al-Muraikhi has met with Deputy Foreign Minister of Malaysia Reezal Naina, and First Deputy OCHA donor countries Minister of Foreign Aff airs of Kyrgyzstan Dinara Kemelova on the sidelines of the 44th QNA UN institutions and civil soci- projects and to avoid duplica- session for foreign ministers of Doha ety organisations to co-ordinate tion between the United Na- the Organisation of Islamic Co- humanitarian action and to fa- tions organisations and inter- operation (OIC), in Abidjan. cilitate sustainable solutions for national donors, he added. The meetings discussed bilateral he United Nations Offi ce developing countries. Qatar seeks to complete its relations and ways to develop for the Co-ordination Al-Kuwari noted that Qatar’s co-operation in the coming and strengthen them. Tof Humanitarian Aff airs ranking as the third donor coun- years and support the develop- The Minister of State for Foreign (OCHA) has updated the list of try for the United Nations Offi ce ment programmes and initia- Aff airs briefed the Malaysian major donor countries for 2017, for the Co-ordination of Human- tives launched by the OCHA. Deputy Foreign Minister and the with Qatar ranked third after itarian Aff airs with (US$10mn Al-Kuwari said that the sup- Kyrgyz minister on the latest Sweden and the European Com- for 2017) is clear evidence of the port provided by Qatar was developments of the siege mission, while Canada ranked pioneering role and eff orts of the unconditional, that it was not imposed on Qatar by some OIC fourth and Australia was fi fth. Qatari leadership to support sus- allocated to specifi c states or member-states, which resulted in Commenting on the occasion, tainable development and global regions, but was a substantial fi - humanitarian and social damage. Khalifa bin Jassim al-Kuwari, justice and security. nancing of United Nations oper- Drirector General of Qatar Fund Qatar strengthens co-or- ations, giving more fl exibility to Qatar-EU ties for Development (QFD) stressed dination in the United Na- the United Nations Offi ce for the Qatar’s eff orts in responding to tions humanitarian operations Co-ordination of Humanitarian reviewed humanitarian crises and dis- through this development Aff airs (OCHA) to act in various asters and in supporting and and humanitarian support to areas it deemed appropriate and HE the Secretary-General of the strengthening partnerships with achieve the greatest impact of necessary. Ministry of Foreign Aff airs Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi has met the head of the European Union Delegation (non-resident) to Qatar Michele Cervone d’Urso. The meeting discussed co- Energy Minister holds key operation relations between Qatar and the European Union as well as the latest developments in meetings in Istanbul the Gulf region. Real estate QNA Doha transaction Real estate transactions in Qatar E the Minister of En- from July 4 to 6 were worth ergy and Industry Dr QR530,684,000, off icial data HMohamed bin Saleh showed. The weekly bulletin al-Sada has held meetings released by the real estate with a number of interna- registration department at the tional ministers and offi cials, Ministry of Justice said that on the sidelines of the 22nd the types of real estate traded World Petroleum Congress in HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed ranged from plots of land, houses Istanbul. bin Saleh al-Sada with Lebanon’s Minister of Energy to residential compounds and According to a statement and Water Cesar Abu Khalil in Istanbul. multi-purpose buildings. issued yesterday by the Min- istry of Energy and Industry, HE Dr al-Sada met separately with Kuwait’s Minister of Oil Issam al-Marzooq, Russian Minister of Energy Aleksandr Novak and Lebanon’s Minis- ter of Energy and Water Cesar Abu Khalil. The meetings dealt with the latest regional develop- ments and aspect of co-oper- ation and oil markets. Dr al-Sada also held sepa- rate meetings with Vice Pres- ident, Business Development at Chevron Jay Pryor, Chief Executive Offi cer (CEO) of Shell Ben van Beurden, the special envoy and Co-ordi- nator for International En- ergy Aff airs at the US Depart- ment of State Mary Warlick and the Secretary-General of the World Energy Forum Dr Sun Xiansheng. In his opening remarks on Monday, HE al-Sada under- lined the strength and diver- sifi cation of Qatar’s economy, its commitment to all agree- ments with its partners and its determination to maintain this status despite the illegal and unjust siege imposed on it by neighbouring countries. Qatar TV launches new programmes

Qatar TV is launching a new package of programmes starting today. This package will launch another phase of Qatar TV’s journey and will bring to the viewers a new visual identity. With this new vision, Qatar TV aff irms its eff orts to satisfy viewers wherever they are and its care to change the content of TV and enhance its proximity to the viewer.

Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 QATAR QSTec project aims to promote solar energy awareness

By Joseph Varghese Arabic for sun) is an innovative, Ameena Hussain, director, and through numerous special Staff Reporter hands-on educational initiative programmes and community public event workshops. Since developed by QSTec, in collabo- development, WISE, said: “We its inception, the programme ration with Qatar Museums, as an congratulate Shams Generation has positively impacted well ne of the 15 fi nalists se- interactive learning programme of QSTec for making it to the over 16,000 people within the lected for the 2017 World that combines art, science, re- fi nalist stage. The WISE Award community. OInnovation Summit Edu- used material and solar energy. fi nalists refl ect our commitment The initiative draws upon cation (WISE) Awards is Shams “The education of our youth to empowerment, collaboration, the students’ various academ- Generation from Qatar, a solar on sustainability, renewable and transformation through ic skills to encourage learning energy initiative of Qatar Solar energies like solar, and the pro- education.” through a hands-on approach. Technologies (QSTec). tection of the environment are The pilot phase of the project Along with enhancing students’ The WISE Awards are to be tremendously important for the was developed with fi ve schools academic skills, Shams Genera- announced in September. future of our planet,” Dr Khalid to enable QSTec to assess, refi ne tion develops teamwork, critical Shams Generation aims to Klefeekh al-Hajri, QSTec chair- and improve the initiative with thinking, design, innovation and make learning about solar ener- man and CEO, and founder of teacher feedback from the par- social engagement skills that Dr Khalid Klefeekh al-Hajri at a Shams Generation exhibition. gy and sustainability a key com- Shams Generation, said in a ticipating schools. QSTec, in the foster lifelong learning. ponent of education for every statement. second edition, expanded it to 20 The Shams Generation pro- The project has developed a reused materials to design and The initiative is built on a primary and high school student “QSTec established Shams schools and one university and gramme is based on three levels range of workshops for teachers build solar art projects that are multidisciplinary hands-on ap- in Qatar and then expand across Generation in Qatar to address in the third edition to 25 schools of solar education: from primary that have been designed by pro- in line with their age, learning proach to learning by combin- the region. The project seeks these important challenges head and two universities. level to university. Each level fessional educators, to provide ability and independence. ing art, science and sustainabil- to promote creativity as well as on. We are very proud of what By the end of July, the ini- consists of a specially designed them with the skills they need to The solar art work produced by ity. Students are provided with build awareness of solar energy we have achieved so far with this tiative is expected to reach more solar kit, classroom curriculum, instruct the students on how to the students is exhibited in each Shams Generation solar kits, and develop the region’s solar important initiative, and we are than 10,000 students using the a teacher training workshop, im- use the solar learning kits. The of their schools and then the best used to build and design so- industry. honoured to have been selected Shams Generation solar learn- plementation and exhibition and teachers then work with their works are shown collectively at a lar powered art using reused Shams Generation (shams is as a WISE Award fi nalist.” ing kits both within schools online support. students using the solar kits and major exhibition. materials.

Malabar Gold names final winners ARTIC launches Aleph Rome MoTC, Hotel after renovation GAC ink

atar-based Al Rayyan MoU to Tourism Investment QCompany’s (ARTIC) property in Rome, Aleph develop Rome Hotel, has been opened after extensive renovation, according to a statement from customs the company. Aleph Rome Hotel, an el- egant property, is part of the services exclusive Curio Collection by Hilton, a global portfolio of upper upscale, independent he Ministry of Transport and hotels and resorts. Communications (MoTC) Acquired by ARTIC in 2015, Tand General Authority of Aleph Rome Hotel is now an Customs (GAC) yesterday signed 88-room hotel based just a a memorandum of understating short stroll from the legen- (MoU) to further develop customs dary Spanish Steps, Trevi A view of the Aleph Rome Hotel. clearance services in Qatar. Fountain, Villa Borghese and The MoU was signed by Ahmed many other attractions, it very proud of this property We are confi dent that Aleph bin Abdullah al-Jamal, chairman said. The 1930s-built prop- which has undergone sub- Rome Hotel will be another of GAC, and Hassan Jassim al- erty is the fi rst in Rome and stantial renovation and res- long term successful invest- Sayed, assistant undersecretary, the second in Italy for the rap- toration work to transform ment and another step in government information tech- idly growing Curio Collection it into one of Rome’s most strengthening our position as nology sector, MoTC. by Hilton of locally authentic distinctive and iconic hotels. a growing international hotel Under the MoU, the two par- Leading jeweller Malabar Gold & Diamonds has announced the final winners of its campaign, ‘Win hotels. This project refl ects Artic’s investment group.” ties will collaborate to execute up to 75 gold bars and be a gold bullionaire’. Raveendran, Subash, Ketan, Sajida and Latifa each won Vice Chairman of Artic, strategy to add value to its Mark Nogal, global head, the second phase of the customs 100gm of gold through a raff le draw conducted at Malabar Gold & Diamonds in the presence of two Sheikh Mohammad vin Faisal portfolio properties, enhanc- Curio Collection by Hilton clearance single-window system representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce; Naufal Thadthil, zonal head, Malabar al- Thani, said: “We are ex- ing their growth and devel- said: “We’re proud to bring -Al-Nadeeb, and support the Gold & Diamonds; Raju T Johny, deputy branch head; and other management team members. cited to announce that Aleph opment and increasing the Curio Collection to Rome, a deployment and implementation Rome is now open. We are returns on our investments. city full of classic treasures.” of its fi rst phase, according to a statement from the ministry. The agreement refl ects the two parties’ continuing co-operation in developing customs services in accordance with the direc- ‘Skate Girls of Kabul’ exhibition tives of the country’s leadership, heading towards modern elec- tronic services as outlined in the strategic goals of the Qatar Dig- opens at Katara on July 20 ital Government 2020 Strategy, the statement notes. The MoTC signed the agreement ward-winning photogra- in its capacity as head of the e-Gov- pher Jessica Fulford-Dobson ernment Steering Committee. Awill present her critically- “Developing and upgrading acclaimed series of portraits, Skate customs services in Qatar are a Girls of Kabul, in her fi rst show in supportive tool to achieve the the Middle East. goals of the Qatar Digital Gov- Presented by Qatar Museums ernment 2020 Strategy and con- (QM), under the leadership of its tribute to boosting national and chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa global economy, facilitating world bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, trade and encouraging investment the exhibition will be held at the through streamlined and smooth- QM Gallery Katara from July 20 to er Customs procedures,” al-Jamal October 21. said at the signing. The portraits tell the extraor- “The ministry is delighted to dinary story of Afghan girls who co-operate with GAC on devel- took up skateboarding, thanks to A portrait of ‘Skate Girls of Kabul’. oping services relating to cus- Skateistan, an Afghan charity that toms clearance and supporting provides skate parks as a hook to perfectly aligns with QM’s passion The Smithsonian chose the Skate GAC’s digital transformation get children from disadvantaged for supporting and enabling local Girls of Kabul book as one of their plans,” al-Sayed said. families back into the educational communities with access to creative ‘Top Ten Best Photography’ books “The MoU is a completion to system. learning environments,” he noted. of the Year in 2015. the co-operation that the GAC had The striking images bring to life The story of Afghanistan’s Skate Tim Marlow, artistic director of already started with the transport the hopeful spirit of these young Girls grabbed Dobson’s attention in London’s Royal Academy of Art, ministry at an earlier stage, which girls that show a new perspective late 2012 and she was determined to has personally selected QM Gallery included the automation of Cus- and dimension to skateboarding tell it to the world, sharing its up- Katara’s upcoming showing of the toms services through ‘Al-Nadeeb’ culture – one that shows strength in lifting message and inspiring others Skate Girls of Kabul as one of his in its fi rst phase and managing it the face of adversity. to support the Skateistan charity. ‘Must-See Museum Shows’ from over the past fi ve years, and provid- “We are excited to be the fi rst Dobson created the photo series around the world. ing it with the required information Middle Eastern country to welcome with the hope of showcasing the QM will set up a skate ramp that technology infrastructure and con- this inspirational show and share happiness Skateistan has brought to will be built on the occasion of the tact centre,” he added. it with the residents of Qatar. QM the girls whilst not infl uencing their exhibition and open to the public for Improvements in the second has a long history of sharing some culture, but working with it. the duration of the show. phase will be focused on streamlin- of the world’s best artists and their The series was fi rst shown in A robust education programme ing the procedures and enriching works with the people of Qatar and London at the Saatchi Gallery in has also been developed to com- the customer experience, aiming to the Skate Girls of Kabul is a per- 2015, where it was positively re- plement the exhibition, with many meet the growing needs and keeping fect example of that,” QM’s chief ceived and viewed by more than unique workshops and activities abreast of international best prac- strategic planning offi ce Khalid 74,000 visitors during its two- available to the public. tices in the fi eld, he said, emphasis- al-Ibrahim said. week run. The Art Newspaper in QM has brought a number of ing the MoTC’s keenness to continue “It is also a story that embodies a 2016 revealed that Skate Girls of high-profi le exhibitions to Qatar co-ordination with all ministries message of hope and perseverance Kabul came second in the Top Ten with the aim of inspiring artistic and government entities across the in reaching your dreams, in this case most popular International Photo interest and expression among the country to achieve the goals of Qatar access to education, a message that exhibitions of 2015. local community. Digital Government 2020 Strategy. Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 7 QATAR QDB ensures ‘competitive prices’ for local products

By Peter Alagos cal Products’ also has a platform help them enter the local market. programme and the new pro- Business Reporter where the contractors and local He said QDB invited around curement law, al-Kuwari said companies can renegotiate pric- 250 major contractors and buy- these initiatives could further es,” QDB Business Localisation ers from government and semi- support SMEs bid to partici- atar Development Bank Support manager Bader Shaheen government entities involved pate in mega infrastructure (QDB) initiated discus- al-Kuwari told Gulf Times on the in Qatar mega-infrastructure projects being implemented by Qsions yesterday between sidelines of the event held in projects. the government. major contractors and small Doha. Al-Kuwari said QDB will be He said the new procurement and medium-sized enterprises According to al-Kuwari, the initiating a similar event next law or Law No 24 of 2015, which (SMEs) to ensure that the prices economic blockade against Qa- month involving other sectors. took effect in June last year, al- of local products are competitive tar “had actually served the “We are also expecting that lows SMEs to participate in in the market. country in a positive way be- deals will be made after this government tender opportuni- Against the backdrop of a ‘Tamim Al Majd’ mural, Barwa Group CEO Salman bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi The discussions were part cause it pushed us to fi nd sub- initiative. But aside from these ties, and guarantees them 30% and Mohamed Hayil al-Omar shake hands after signing the contract. of the ‘Buy Local Products’, an stitutes and alternatives to the potential contracts, the par- of the contract from national initiative that aims to encourage products being imported from ticipants will also benefit from projects. SMEs to expand their local sup- siege countries.” the information being provided The new law supports enti- ply in the plastics, iron and steel, Al-Kuwari said QDB received by QDB such as exemption ties and national institutions, aluminium and copper, wood, more than 180 applications for from bid bonds or performance especially SMEs. and general building materials ‘Buy Local Products’ from local bonds, or advance payment It also underscores the coun- Barwa signs leasing deal sectors. companies but streamlined the guarantee in the contracting try’s ambitious economic de- “The main obstacle prevent- number of participants to 70. He process as provided by the new velopment plan and how Qatar ing contractors from signing said the event is part of a series procurement law,” al-Kuwari has developed several roles to with local companies is the price of QDB initiatives that aims to said. increase the job opportunities for warehousing project of their products. The ‘Buy Lo- support and promote SMEs and Citing QDB’s Moushtarayat SMEs create in the local market.

arwa Real Estate Group were awarded to several devel- tures. It also has 13 substations, has announced the sign- opers in 2015, he said. internal roads, loading and Bing of a leasing contract Sponsored by Manateq, the unloading areas and networks for its Mustawdaat project in projects off er “an ideal solu- for potable water, fi re, irriga- Umm Shahrain with a rental tion” for logistics activities tion, sewage and their respec- value of QR755mn over a ten- and were awarded to develop- tive tanks. It will also feature and-a-half-year contract term, ers under a build-run-transfer surveillance cameras, pump QNA reported. model. The facility is designed, rooms, and security rooms. Barwa Group CEO Salman constructed, operated and Al-Mohannadi also congrat- bin Mohamed al-Mohannadi maintained by the developer ulated shareholders and said and Mohamed Hayil al-Omar, and will be subsequently trans- the project refl ects the com- CEO of Mohamed Hayil Group ferred to Manateq following a mitment of all Barwa employ- for Trading and Contracting – 25-year concession period. ees “to maximise the share- the tenant company, signed the The project extends over a holders’ equity and increase the contract at Barwa’s headquar- 500,000sqm plot area located returns.” ters yesterday. in Umm Shahrain. He also noted that the de- Al-Mohannadi said: “The It has four types of low-cost velopment of the project was Mustawdaat project aims to warehouses, including dry and completed “in record time” at meet the demands of the Qatari air-conditioned warehouses a cost of QR450mn, includ- market for the logistics areas and chilled warehouses, as well ing the cost of design, super- and modern storages at reason- as freezer warehouses on a total vision, construction works, able prices that help reduce the plot area of 259,446sqm. infrastructure, and all related overall cost of providing goods The project, which has a total services. Barwa had announced and products to consumers.” built up area of 273,113sqm, in- the awarding of construction The development of the cludes a residential compound of Mustawdaat project in May project was awarded to Barwa for employees, offi ces, 38 retail 2016. It is expected to be fully Real Estate Company as one of shops and a mosque, in addi- completed in the third quarter QDB CEO Abdulaziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa and Qatar Chamber chairman HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani inspect some of the products four warehousing parks that tion to all necessary infrastruc- of this year. on display at the ‘Buy Local Products’ event organised by QDB yesterday. PICTURE: Thajudheen QTA team visits Oman to enhance tourism ties

delegation of senior representatives from Qatar Tour- ism Authority (QTA) made a three-day visit to Oman Aearlier this week in a bid to boost the country’s tour- ism relations with the neighbouring GCC country. QTA offi cials, who met with their counterparts in the Sul- tanate, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that forms part of Qatar’s eff orts to diversify its visitor source markets in the region. The delegation was led by QTA chief tourism develop- ment offi cer Hassan al-Ibrahim and included planning qual- ity director Nasser al-Maslamani, shared services director Omar al-Jaber and exhibitions director Ahmed al-Obaidly, among others. In a statement, al-Ibrahim said “the strategy’s main pillar is diversifi cation of products, services and source markets to guarantee the tourism sector’s sustainability and its contin- ued growth in spite of any changes in the world around us”. During their stay, the delegates met with Maitha bint Saif al-Mahrouqi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism of Hassan al-Ibrahim with an official in Oman. Oman, and visited Oman Tourism Development Company, Oman Convention Bureau as well as the Oman Exhibition “Qatar and Oman enjoy a long history of collaboration, and Convention Centre. and the activation of the MoU is testament to our ongoing The visit wrapped up with a roadshow, during which commitment to energising tourism in both our countries as QTA’s private sector partners showcased the country’s latest we each embark on our journeys to 2030 and 2040, respec- off erings to Omani tour operators. tively,” al-Ibrahim added. The Omani offi cials shed light on the Omani Tourism In 2015, QTA signed an MoU with the Omani Ministry of Strategy 2040 and its components that promote the Sultan- Tourism, enabling the two countries to establish a frame- ate’s authentic Omani identity and cultural aspects. work for more joint projects that have the potential to create Similarly, the visit allowed the QTA delegation to share a tangible impact on tourism in both countries. insights regarding its work towards launching the ‘Next Through the agreement, Oman and Qatar have been able Chapter of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy to build on existing successful collaborations such as the 2030’, which charts a pathway for developing a thriving hos- joint Oman-Qatar tourist visa and their participation in the pitality and tourism sector in Qatar. Cruise Arabia Alliance.

A delegation from QTA in Oman to boost co-operation with Oman’s Ministry of Tourism.

Mannai Corporation among top 100 firms in Arab world Mannai Corporation has announced that it has been listed Value, Sales, Net Profit and Total Assets. among the top 100 companies in the Arab world in 2017, Alekh Grewal, Group CEO and director, said: “Mannai feels according to recent survey results published by Forbes privileged and honoured to be included in the list of Top Middle East. Mannai occupied the 100th spot among Arab 100 Companies in the Arab World published by Forbes stock markets’ 1,300 listed companies from the GCC, Jordan, Middle East. We thank our shareholders, board of directors, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia and Morocco, making Mannai one of management and each and every staff member for their the 10 newcomers on this year’s list. contribution to achieve this success and look to the future Forbes ME ranked the companies on four metrics - Market with confidence.” Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD IS chief ‘confi rmed’ dead after Mosul loss

AFP ritory elsewhere in the country move regularly throughout IS- Beirut and in neighbouring Iraq. held territory in the area strad- Abdel Rahman said Baghdadi dling Iraq and Syria. “was present in eastern parts of The 46-year-old Iraqi-born slamic State group chief Abu Deir Ezzor province” in recent leader of IS has not been seen Bakr al-Baghdadi was re- months, but it was unclear if he since making his only known Iported dead yesterday, a day died in the area or elsewhere. public appearance as “caliph” in after Iraq declared it had driven There was no offi cial confi r- 2014 at the Grand Mosque of Al- the militants from their one- mation or denial of the news on Nuri in Mosul. time biggest stronghold of Mo- social media platforms used by IS destroyed the highly sym- sul. IS. bolic site before Iraqi forces The Syrian Observatory for The US-led coalition fi ghting could reach it as they pushed the Human Rights, a longtime mon- the militant group in Syria and militant group from Mosul. itor of the country’s confl ict, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Iraq said it could not verify the Iraqi forces launched their said it had information from top Observatory’s information. campaign in October to retake IS leaders confi rming Baghdadi’s “Top tier commanders from “We cannot confi rm this re- Mosul, which was seized by the death. IS who are present in Deir Ez- port, but hope it is true,” said militants during the mid-2014 The report could not be inde- zor province have confi rmed the coalition spokesman Colonel off ensive that saw them take pendently verifi ed and Baghdadi death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Ryan Dillon. control of large parts of Iraq and has been reported dead several chief of the Islamic State group, “We strongly advise ISIS to Syria. times. to the Observatory,” the Britain- implement a strong line of suc- Abadi announced in Mosul on But if confi rmed, his death based monitoring group’s direc- cession, it will be needed,” he Monday that the campaign had Displaced Syrian children who fled the countryside surrounding the Islamic State (IS) group’s stronghold would mark another devastat- tor Rami Abdel Rahman said. added, using a diff erent acronym ended with the defeat of IS in of Raqqa, wait for food distribution at a temporary camp in the village of Ain Issa yesterday. ing blow to the militant group “We learned of it today but for IS. the city, hailing “a victory over after its loss of Mosul, which we do not know when he died or Asked if the coalition had a darkness, a victory over brutality Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al- how.” process underway to examine and terrorism”. Abadi said Monday had been Deir Ezzor, in eastern Syria, such claims, Dillon said: “We The cost of victory has been retaken from IS after a gruelling remains largely under IS control have professionals who use all enormous: much of Mosul in ru- months-long campaign. even as the group is losing ter- information at their disposal to ins, thousands dead and wound- Americans, Briton killed verify reports before we would ed and nearly half the city’s pop- Militants capture village south of stronghold confi rm any allegations.” ulation forced from their homes. US President Donald Trump In Mosul’s Old City, where Islamic State has captured is expected to deploy now as yesterday tweeted “Big wins buildings lie crumbling and in key battle for Raqqa most of a village south of Mosul US-backed Iraqi forces regain against ISIS!” burned-out cars and other de- despite losing control of its control over cities the group It was not immediately clear if bris choke the streets, security AFP site, the YPG said Americans off ensive dubbed “Wrath of the stronghold in the city, an Iraqi captured during its shock 2014 that was a reference to the Mosul forces were still searching for re- Beirut Robert Grodt and Nicholas Euphrates” to retake Raqqa, army off icer and residents said, offensive. Mosul resident Hind recapture, Baghdadi’s reported maining IS fi ghters. Warden and Briton Luke Rutter and after months of fi ghting in deploying guerrilla-style tactics Mahmoud said by telephone death, or both. “What we are doing today is were among six “martyrs” on the surrounding province, they as its self-proclaimed caliphate that she had heard exchanges There have been persistent just combing the area and clear- wo Americans and a the Raqqa front, without say- entered the city in June for the crumbles. of gunfire in the Old City and rumours of Baghdadi’s death ing it of sleeper cells,” Staff Lieu- Briton have died fi ghting ing where exactly they died. fi rst time. In a video posted by The militants, armed with seen an Iraqi army helicopter in recent months, and Russia’s tenant General Sami al-Aridhi, Talongside Syrian Kurd- In tweets yesterday, the YPG the YPG on Twitter, Rutter ap- machine guns and mortars, firing on Islamic State militants army said in mid-June that it a senior commander in Iraq’s ish forces as they battle to oust said Rutter and Warden were peared on camera in military have now seized more than yesterday. was seeking to verify whether it elite Counter-Terrorism Service the Islamic State group from its “martyred in action” on July 5 fatigues, holding a gun, and 75% of Imam Gharbi, a village The top US general in Iraq said had killed the IS chief in a May (CTS), said yesterday. Raqqa stronghold, the forces and Grodt died the following said he had received training on the western bank of the that security forces would still air strike in Syria. “There are groups that are said yesterday. day. and Kurdish language lessons Tigris river some 70km south of need to clear Islamic State The US-led coalition said at hiding in shelters,” but they sur- The three men volunteering The YPG is the key compo- since arriving in Syria in March Mosul, and reinforcements are hideouts in Mosul, where as the time it could not confi rm render or are killed, Aridhi said. with the Kurdish People’s Pro- nent of the US-backed Syrian this year. expected, the Iraqi army off icer many as a couple of hundred whether the Russian strike had Since the Mosul operation tection Units (YPG) appear to Democratic Forces alliance of “I lied to people I care about said. Islamic State launched fighters could remain, and killed Baghdadi. began in October, 920,000 peo- be the fi rst foreign volunteers Kurdish and Arab fi ghters part- to come here,” he said. “Apart its attack on Imam Gharbi last would rest before fighting With a $25mn US bounty on ple have fl ed their homes, only a to have died since fi ghting be- nering with the US-led coali- from that I don’t regret my de- week, in the kind of strike it against the group in Tal Afar. his head, Baghdadi has kept a fraction of whom have returned, gan inside the northern Syrian tion against IS. On November cision and I hope that you re- low profi le and was rumoured to according to the United Nations. city. In a statement on its web- 5, 2016, the SDF launched an spect it.”

CRIME Four executed Sudan says has fulfi lled US over attacks on Four deaths, 21 injured after police, riots

Saudi Arabia yesterday executed conditions for sanctions relief Libya clashes east of Tripoli four men convicted of “terrorist crimes” including attacks on police and participating in riots in the Reuters ter-terrorism and improving ac- tem, potentially unlocking badly AFP ties were unclear, were among those killed, district of Qatif, the kingdom said. Khartoum cess to humanitarian aid. “The needed trade and foreign invest- Tripoli it said. Clashes broke out on Sunday evening The interior ministry named the natural and logical step is that ment that could help it manage between forces loyal to the Government of four as Zaher al-Basri, Yusof al- America’s economic sanctions soaring infl ation of about 35% and National Accord and fighters aligned with Meshikhes, Mahdi al-Sayyegh and udan has complied with are lifted from Sudan because a shortage of foreign currency that lashes between forces loyal to Libya’s former prime minister Khalifa Ghweil who Amjad al-Emeibid, according to a all US demands for lift- Sudan has implemented what has hampered its ability to pur- unity government and rival fight- refuses to recognise the UN-backed govern- statement aired by Al Ekhbariyah Sing sanctions, it said yes- was asked of it entirely,” Foreign chase from abroad. Cers east of Tripoli have left four peo- ment in Tripoli, witnesses said. state news channel. They were terday, a day before the United Ministry Undersecretary Abdul The economy has been reeling ple dead including at least two civilians, the The violence was continuing at dawn yes- convicted of “disobeying the ruler” States is expected to decide Ghani al-Naim told Reuters. ever since South Sudan, which health ministry said. terday, they said. and attempting to “sow sedition” whether to permanently lift 20- “The two sides have had contains three-quarters of former Another 21 people were wounded in the Pro-GNA forces backed by dozens of tanks in the kingdom, according to the year restrictions that have hob- monthly joint meetings to follow Sudan’s oil wells, seceded in 2011. fighting on Sunday and Monday in Garabulli and pick-up trucks mounted with anti-air- statement. They were found guilty bled the country’s economy. up on implementation and there With revenue drying up, the about 60 kilometres east of the capital, the craft guns deployed east of the capital head- of charges including opening fire at Former US president Barack doesn’t remain anything left to government last year was forced ministry said overnight on Facebook. ing for Garabulli on the weekend, the wit- police centres in the villages in Qatif, Obama temporarily lifted the be done. Positive progress was to usher in austerity measures. Two foreign workers, whose nationali- nesses said. in Eastern Province, and taking part longstanding economic sanc- achieved,” Naim said. At the end of June the United in riots and hurling petrol bombs tions for six months in January, Sudan this month extended a State said it was “very concerned” at security forces and government suspending a trade embargo, unilateral ceasefi re until the end of about Sudan’s human rights OPINION installations. The executions come unfreezing assets and removing October with rebels it has been at record, in particular about reli- Iran deal ‘does not belong to one country’: EU top envoy amid mounting attacks on police fi nancial sanctions. war with in the southern Kordo- gious, political and press freedom. in Qatif. On Saturday, two police The relief could become per- fan, Blue Nile, and Darfur regions. This status could still make in- The European Union respects the United States’ review of the 2015 deal with Iran but will make clear to off icers were wounded in an attack manent today if Washington de- The US State Department did vestors and banks hesitant to do Washington that it was an international accord endorsed by the United Nations, the EU’s foreign policy on a patrol in Qatif, while a police cides Sudan has complied with not respond to a request for com- business, at least initially, even if chief said yesterday. “The nuclear deal doesn’t belong to one country, it belongs to the international corporal was killed in a bombing in a list of demands that include ment on whether it planned to lift sanctions are permanently lifted, community,” Federica Mogherini told a news conference alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei La- the same area on Thursday. resolving internal military con- the sanctions. said Magnus Taylor, a Sudan ana- vrov. “We have the responsibility to make sure that this continues to be implemented.” The historic deal Another policeman had been killed fl icts in areas such as war-torn Sudan is looking to win back lyst at the International Crisis between Iran and six major powers restricts Tehran’s nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of and three others wounded in a Darfur, co-operating on coun- access to the global banking sys- Group (ICG). oil and financial sanctions against the Islamic Republic. bombing in Qatif last Tuesday.

Cholera may accelerate famine in Yemen as resources shift: UN

Reuters “What will happen is that this $2.1bn it sought to provide food Geneva cholera outbreak will in fact ex- to 12mn people facing famine in acerbate the conditions and the Yemen. threat of famine in more places Its $250mn funding appeal to emen’s growing cholera than ever in the country,” he combat cholera has yielded just epidemic may accelerate said. Hamanat al-Asimah, Haj- $47mn. Ylooming famine, as lim- jah, Amran and al-Hodeidah “As a result of that, organi- ited resources are shifted away are the four heaviest-hit areas sations who are in areas where from malnutrition and other hit by cholera, a disease spread cholera has broken out have programmes to try to contain the by faeces contaminating water had to use resources that they disease, the top UN aid offi cial in or food, he said. would have otherwise pro- the country said yesterday. The United Nations has grammed for something like A two-year war between warned of mass starvation in food insecurity or malnutri- Houthi rebels and a Western- Yemen, northeastern Nigeria, tion,” McGoldrick said. backed coalition has led to a Somalia, and South Sudan. “What we are doing right “system-wide collapse in the McGoldrick, asked how now is robbing Peter to pay economy” and health system, many faced famine in Yemen, Paul.” said Jamie McGoldrick, UN replied: “Some estimates say Plans to use a cholera vaccine humanitarian coordinator for 500,000 would be a target that have been “set-aside”, he said. Yemen. could happen if the conditions “The government at this Some 313,533 suspected chol- prevail.But it could be more point is deciding whether or era cases and 1,732 deaths have than that if the situation gets not to use them,” said Chris- been recorded since the outbreak worse.” tian Lindmeier, spokesman of began in late April, according to Children under age 15 ac- the World Health Organisation the latest UN fi gures that show a count for about 40% of Yem- (WHO). “spike”, he said. enis infected with cholera and a “There is a likelihood they “This epidemic is spreading quarter of the deaths. would not be used anymore in further and faster than anything A funding shortage is com- Yemen and therefore re-routed we’ve seen before,” McGoldrick, pounding difficult aid opera- to other areas/countries that speaking from Amman, told a tions. The United Nations has may need them more urgently Geneva news briefi ng. received only a third of the right now,” he said. File photo shows a man lying on the bed of a cholera treatment centre in Sanaa, Yemen. Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 9 AFRICA

Activists criticise Handover ceremony Senegal’s slow progress on child begging

AFP streets has hardly made a Dakar dent in the alarming num- bers of talibe children ex- ploited, abused and neglect- uman rights groups ed each and every day,” said in Senegal yester- Corinne Dufka, associate Af- Hday criticised what rica director at Human Rights they said was an ineffectual Watch. crackdown on child begging The rights groups suggest- driven by religious schools, ed that the government, cur- saying a year-long push to rently in an election period, remove 50,000 children from “strengthen the programme the streets is failing. as it enters its second year, In July 2016 the govern- to investigate and prosecute ment began rounding up abusive teachers, and to es- children as young as four who tablish a legal framework African Union (Amisom) soldiers from Burundi stand to attention close to a group of Somali policemen in Mogadishu yesterday. A contingent of Burundian soldiers stationed are forced to beg by their re- to regulate the traditional in Somalia under Amisom command have taken part in a leaving and handover ceremony. The Amisom military contingent has been using the National Somali university as ligious teachers for a certain boarding schools.” its command headquarters since 2007. daily quota of money, sugar Powerful religious fig- or rice, checking them for ures back the talibe system disease or signs of maltreat- in Senegal, saying it teaches ment at dedicated reception children humility and re- centres. spect. But Human Rights Watch They complain the “daar- and the Platform for the Pro- as” are not supported enough motion and Protection of by the government. Human Rights (PPDH) said in Co-ordinator of the PPDH a report that a lack of pros- Mamadou Wane said up to ecutions and reform linked 28,500 talibes beg on the to religious boarding schools, streets of the capital, Sen- US urges sanctions means little has changed. egal, alone, adding that a sea “The government opened change in public opinion was no formal investigations into needed. the teachers involved, no one “We have a population was arrested, and no official that gives. Giving money to inspections were conducted a child in the street doesn’t to ascertain the living con- help him, the contrary in ditions at the schools,” the fact,” Wane said at a press over Congo violence joint HRW-PPDH report conference. concluded. The toll of inaction is seri- AFP the deal is collapsing after the toral calendar and specifi cally DRC and help pressure all stake- and rapes including of civilians The sight of the boys — ous. Beyond frequent reports United Nations head of the electoral commission set a date for the presidential holders to play a more construc- by the security forces” and that known as “talibes” — beg- of scabies and malnourish- said last week that the vote will election to put in motion the DR tive role in moving the country “dozens of mass graves” have ging shoeless and in rags is ment seen among the talibe, likely not be held this year. Congo’s fi rst democratic transi- forward,” she added. been reportedly uncovered in common in Senegal, where Human Rights Watch has he United States yester- “Election delays cannot con- tion. France and Britain also de- Kasai province. poorer parents frequently documented two deaths from day threatened sanctions tinue,” US Deputy ambassador The United States and the manded that a date for the presi- A UN commission of inquiry send children to boarding abuse at the hands of teach- Tagainst the Democratic Michele Sison told the council European Union have imposed dential vote be announced and has been established to inves- schools with hopes they will ers, five sexual abuse cases Republic of Congo if elections during a meeting on the crisis in sanctions on several offi cials stressed that there was no al- tigate the killings in the Kasai learn about religion and leave and 28 cases of beating and are not held this year and urged the mineral-rich African coun- close to Kabila over the election ternative to the New Year’s Eve while a separate UN panel is pre- them with one less mouth to imprisonment in the past the UN Security Council to pun- try. “The international com- delays and human rights abuses, agreement on ending the politi- paring to release this month the feed. The rights groups said year in Senegal. ish those responsible for a fl are- munity must step up and apply in particular in the Kasai region. cal crisis. UN peacekeeping chief fi ndings of its probe of the mur- more than 1,000 children The US State Department up of violence. more pressure, not only on Pres- “We are ready to take addi- Jean-Pierre Lacroix told the der of two UN experts. identified by the government has said that Senegal’s gov- Under a deal reached last ident Kabila and his government tional action to sanction those council that worsening violence The bodies of American as beggars ultimately ended ernment does not allocate year and backed by the Security but also on the independent who stand in the way of the had led to a sharp increase of Michael Sharp and Swedish- up back at the same boarding enough money to the fam- Council, President Joseph Kabila national electoral commission,” DRC’s fi rst democratic transi- 26% in the number of displaced Chilean Zaid Catalan were found schools overseen by the same ily ministry to help victims, was allowed to remain in offi ce said Sison. tion of power,” said Sison. people over the past two months in March, weeks after they had teachers. and that existing legislation beyond his term until elections The deputy ambassador de- “The Security Council should to reach 1.3mn. disappeared while investigat- “Senegal’s programme to passed to tackle the problem in late 2017. manded that the commission also consider targeted sanctions Lacroix cited “disturbing re- ing reports of mass graves in the remove children from the is not enforced. But concerns are growing that “immediately” publish an elec- to reduce the violence in the ports of summary executions Kasai. Innovative war on poaching Madonna takes kids back to Malawi to open hospital

AFP has been a regular visitor for several years. Blantyre, Malawi Twins Estere and Stella, four years old, joined her other Malawian children, Mercy James and David Banda, both aged 11. S pop superstar Madonna yesterday took “I am a freedom fi ghter and a feminist with a her four adopted Malawian children back rebel heart...so I would not accept the word ‘no’,” Uto their home country for the opening of a smiling Madonna told a crowd of well-wishers a paediatric hospital wing that her charity has as she described the challenges of adopting the built. children. Standing alongside President Peter Mutharika, “I never gave up or backed down. I fought for she unveiled a plaque to mark the completion Mercy and won,” she said, adding the hospital of the 50-bed facility in Malawi’s second city of was built because “children should never die of Blantyre. The Mercy James Institute of Paediatric terrible diseases we can easily cure.” Surgery and Intensive Care — named after one of Madonna, who set up her “Raising Malawi” her children — has taken two years to build and charity in 2006, joined in with local dancers to includes three specialist operating theatres. celebrate the opening after a one-hour tour of It is the fi rst health unit for children in the the hospital, which was decorated with national southern African nation, and will double the ca- fl ags and bunting. pacity for paediatric care at the Queen Elizabeth The wards have been designed with murals in- hospital. cluding images of Nelson Mandela and archbish- A dog trained to sniff out ivory is seen with a member of Mali’s anti-poaching brigade during a training in Bamako, Mali. Earlier this year Madonna, 58, adopted twin op Desmond Tutu, while US actor Leonardo Di- girls from an orphanage in Malawi, where she Caprio was listed on a wall as a major benefactor.

Can development minerals avoid abuses and fuel African growth?

Reuters are mined, processed, manu- But like Africa’s big extractive take a back seat, industry experts according to the World Bank. was only interested in tax rev- To encourage the sector to Dakar factured and used locally in in- industries — plagued by prob- say. “Governments are extract- To cope with population enues (from the mining sector),” grow without exploiting its dustries from construction and lems from child labour to poor ing the royalties, rather than growth, Africa’s major cities will said Nigerian civil servant and workforce or polluting the manufacturing to agriculture. health and safety standards — using them to develop expertise need more roads, hospitals and mining offi cial Sam Hart. “Now, environment, the ACP-EU n a continent better “They are signifi cant because the potential of the development locally or improve the mining power stations. productivity comes fi rst.” project is working with govern- known for enriching col- the population of Africa is go- mineral sector may be held back sector,” said Gavin Hilson, a pro- Around $360bn in infrastruc- In many countries across the ments, small mine operators Oonisers and corporations ing to keep booming, with many by labour and rights abuses un- fessor and the chair of sustain- ture investments are needed continent, informal precious and communities to provide by exporting its gold, copper and living in urban environments,” less it is properly regulated. ability in business at Britain’s by 2040 to make the continent metal and diamond mines are training and boost regulations diamonds, so-called “develop- Antonio Pedro, the Central Af- “These commodities (devel- University of Surrey. competitive and productive, the often prey to violence, con- on health, safety and the envi- ment minerals” — ranging from rica director at the UN Econom- opment minerals) aren’t going “But there is potentially seri- African Development Bank says. trol and extortion by armed ronment. limestone to granite — could ic Commission for Africa, told to fuel wars or foul rivers,” said ous stream of revenue from ar- For each bn invested, between groups, and even the police and While mining experts, offi - help Africa fuel its own econom- the Thomson Reuters Founda- Daniel Franks, manager of the tisanal and small scale mining if 3mn and 7mn jobs are created, it military. “But when you open a cials and operators are quick to ic growth. tion. ACP-EU development minerals you regulate it and tax it prop- estimates. granite mine, hundreds of peo- hail the promise of development The sector, estimated by the “The potential of these min- programme. erly.” Plunging commodity prices ple aren’t going to come to ar- minerals, it could take a long United Nations to employ at erals for local economies is “Yet there are a large number Decades of neglect have led to — which saw economic growth gue, fi ght, and demand money,” time for that potential to be ful- least 8mn Africans, could cre- much higher than for metallic of labour and health and safe- poorly designed or implemented in sub-Saharan Africa slump to said Bob Andriamifi dy of Pro- fi lled, according to Dirk Willem ate millions more jobs across or precious minerals, as entry ty issues which are common policies for small-scale mining, a two-decade low last year — granit, a granite mining fi rm in te Velde of the Overseas Devel- the continent — many for young barriers like research and devel- throughout the sector...and and a lack of rights and support could also prove a catalyst for the Madagascar which has a public opment Institute (ODI). people and women — to meet a opment, and capital, are lower,” child labour is prevalent,” he for miners, the United Nations development minerals sector. project for constructing rural “Institutional constraints are fast growing need for housing he said. added. African governments says. Nigeria, a major oil producer, roads. holding back the sector — there and infrastructure, mining ex- The European Union, the Afri- have long been encouraged, or But rising urbanisation in Af- is looking to diversify its econ- And in a continent with high are a huge amount of natural re- perts say. can, Caribbean and Pacifi c (ACP) pressured, by multinationals to rica could spur governments to omy away from a reliance on levels of youth unemployment, sources in the soil across Africa,” Development minerals refer to nations and the United Nations prioritise the mining of metals breathe new life into the devel- crude production amid its fi rst the development minerals sector said te Velde, senior research materials and minerals that are in 2015 launched a $14mn project for export, which generate quick opment minerals sector. recession in 25 years, and small employs many youth and wom- fellow at the ODI, a UK-based considered low-value — such as to boost the fl edgling sector and and big returns for national cof- Half of all Africans will live in scale mining is on the agenda. en — estimated to make up over thinktank. “Good governance granite, gravel and sand — and improve its oversight. fers while allowing authorities to cities by 2030, from 36% in 2010, “Previously, the government 40% of the workforce. and regulations are key.” Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 AMERICAS

Trump Jr e-mail chain cites Russian support 16 soldiers killed in for father’s campaign

Reuters olution, does not have a “crown Washington prosecutor” but rather a pros- ecutor general. A spokesman for the prosecu- military plane crash resident Donald Trump’s tor general declined to comment eldest son eagerly agreed immediately. Reuters Pto meet with a woman he Legal experts are divided on Washington was told was a Russian govern- whether Trump Jr’s participation ment lawyer who might have in the meeting with the Russian information incriminating lawyer could lead to criminal li- S offi cials were yesterday inves- Democratic rival Hillary Clinton ability. tigating the cause of a military as part of Russian government Collusion in and of itself is not Utransport plane crash that killed support for his father, accord- a crime. 16 service members a day earlier, leaving a ing to an e-mail chain released But if the younger Trump con- fi ve-mile trail of wreckage in rural north- yesterday. spired or aided and abetted a ern Mississippi. The e-mail chain was between criminal action, such as hacking The KC-130 Hercules aircraft disap- Donald Trump Jr, who posted it into American computer net- peared from air traffi c control radar over on Twitter, and Rob Goldstone, works, that could be grounds for Mississippi after taking off from Cherry an intermediary who helped to criminal charges. Point, North Carolina. arrange the eventual meeting Several lawyers also said the It plunged into a fi eld at approximately with the lawyer. meeting could run afoul of fed- 4pm CDT on Monday in Mississippi’s It could provide ammuni- eral election laws barring cam- LeFlore County, about 160km north of tion for investigators who are paigns from accepting gifts or Jackson, the state capital. probing whether there was things of value from foreign na- Fifteen Marines and one Navy sailor collusion between the Kremlin tionals. were onboard, the US Marine Corps said. and Trump’s presidential cam- The emails do not at fi rst The names of the deceased were being paign. glance appear to provide evi- withheld until family members were no- “The Crown prosecutor of dence of illegal activity, and tifi ed. Russia...offered to provide the Trump Jr has said a meeting he Further details on the crash were not Trump campaign with some later had with a Russian lawyer released by military offi cials, but General official documents and infor- arranged via Goldstone primarily Robert Neller, Commandant of the Ma- mation that would incrimi- involved discussion of US sanc- rine Corps, pledged “a thorough investi- nate Hillary and her dealings tions. gation into the cause of this tragedy”. with Russia and would be very However, Goldstone’s state- The aircraft was originally based out of useful to your father,” said the ment that the promise of in- New York’s Stewart Air National Guard June 3, 2016, e-mail to Donald criminating information on Base, Marine Corps offi cials said. Trump Jr from publicist Rob Democratic presidential can- It was en route to a Navy facility in El Goldstone. didate Clinton was “part of Centro, California, transporting equip- “This is obviously very high Russia and its government’s ment and people. level and sensitive informa- support for Mr Trump” pro- Equipment on board included small Two US Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters receive fuel from a KC-130 Hercules over the Gulf of Aden in this file photo tion but is part of Russia and vides new ammunition for arms ammunition and personal weapons. released yesterday by the US Marine Corps. its government’s support for federal and congressional in- US President Donald Trump said on Mr Trump,” according to the vestigators who are probing Twitter that the crash was heartbreaking. The crash left a 8km trail of debris, the The KC-130 Hercules is used for air- Marcus Banks, told the Greenwood Com- e-mail posted by Trump Jr on Russia’s alleged interference “Melania and I send our deepest con- local Clarion-Ledger newspaper report- to-air refuelling, to carry cargo and per- monwealth newspaper in LeFlore County Twitter. in the 2016 US presidential dolences to all!” he wrote. ed. Local authorities urged people who form tactical passenger missions. that 4,000 gallons of foam were used to “If it’s what you say I love it,” campaign in which Trump beat Images posted online by local media are not emergency responders to avoid It is operated by three crew members extinguish the wreckage. Trump Jr replied in part. Clinton. showed the plane’s crumpled wreckage the area because of fuel on the ground. and can carry 92 ground troops or 64 Firefi ghters were at one point driven The e-mail exchange includes Moscow has denied any in- engulfed in fl ames in a fi eld surrounded The Marine Corps said it had sent an paratroopers, according to a US Navy back, he added, by several “high-intensi- at least one error. terference, and Trump says his by tall vegetation, with a large plume of explosive disposal team to the scene as a website. ty explosions” that may have been caused Russia, which ceased to be a campaign did not collude with smoke in the sky. precaution. The Greenwood Fire Department chief, by ammunition igniting. monarchy with the Russian Rev- Russia.

Canada inquiry into US missile hits test target as North Korea tension rises indigenous women Reuters is a faster and more diffi cult target and intermediate-range ballistic That has drawn fi erce criticism 55% success rate over the life of Washington to hit than shorter-range missiles. missiles. from China, which says the sys- the program. The US Missile Defense Agency In the latest test, a THAAD in tem’s powerful radar can probe But advocates say the technol- hit by resignations said the IRBM was designed to Kodiak, Alaska, intercepted a bal- deep into its territory. ogy has improved dramatically in he United States said behave similarly to the kinds of listic missile target that was air- Earlier this month Moscow recent years. yesterday it shot down a missiles that could threaten the launched from a C-17 aircraft fl ying and Beijing, in a joint statement, The GMD system successfully Reuters Tsimulated, incoming in- United States. north of Hawaii, the Missile De- called on Washington to immedi- shot down an incoming, simu- Ottawa termediate-range ballistic missile “The successful demonstra- fense Agency said in a statement. ately halt deployment of THAAD lated North Korean ICBM in a test similar the ones being developed tion of THAAD against an IRBM- This success leaves THAAD in South Korea. in May. by countries like North Korea, in a range missile threat bolsters the with a 100% track record for all The statement said Washing- That led the Pentagon to up- anada’s national inquiry into missing and murdered indig- new test of the nation’s defences. country’s defensive capability 14 intercept attempts since fl ight ton was using North Korea as a grade its assessment of the United enous women hit another road block yesterday after the Planned months ago, the US against developing missile threats testing began just over a decade pretext to expand its military in- States’ ability to defend against a Cresignation of a key offi cial, the second departure from the missile defence test over the Pa- in North Korea and other coun- ago. frastructure in Asia and risked small number of ICBMs, accord- long-awaited investigation into violence against aboriginals. cifi c Ocean has gained signifi - tries,” the Missile Defense Agency Lockheed Martin Corp, the upsetting the strategic balance of ing to an internal memo seen by The resignation of one of fi ve commissioners in charge of the cance after North Korea’s July 4 said in a statement. prime contractor for the THAAD power in the region. Reuters. inquiry comes less than two weeks after the departure of the launch of an intercontinental bal- The United States has deployed system, said it could intercept in- THAAD’s success rate in test- The Missile Defense Agen- executive director, and adds pressure to Prime Minister Justin listic missile heightened concerns THAAD to Guam and South Korea coming missiles both inside and ing is far higher than the one for cy told Congress in June that Trudeau, who came to offi ce promising to repair the relation- about the threat from Pyongyang. to help guard against threats from outside the Earth’s atmosphere. America’s Ground-based Mid- it planned to deliver 52 more ship with Canada’s 1.4mn aboriginals. The test was the fi rst-ever of North Korea. The United States deployed course Defense system, which is THAAD interceptors to US Army The inquiry, launched in August 2016, vowed to push ahead the Terminal High Altitude Area A ground-based missile de- THAAD to South Korea this year designed to shoot down an ICBM between October 2017 and Sep- with its plan to investigate the root cause of more than a thou- Defense system against an in- fense system, THAAD is designed to guard against North Korea’s headed for the US mainland. tember 2018, bringing total deliv- sand deaths of aboriginal women and girls in recent decades, coming IRBM, which experts say to shoot down short-, medium- shorter-range missiles. That GMD system has only a eries to 210 since May 2011. despite the loss of the two key offi cials. Marilyn Poitras will step down on July 15, the National In- quiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls said in a statement. No reason for the departure was given. The resignation follows that in late June of executive director Thousands of fi refi ghters battle California wildfi res Michele Moreau, who cited personal reasons. “We want to reassure the public that now, more than ever, we remain focused on this tremendously important work,” chief Reuters commissioner Marion Buller said in a statement. New York Indigenous Aff airs Minister Carolyn Bennett said the gov- ernment would discuss whether the inquiry, which is due to issue an interim report in the fall, can continue with reduced ore than 6,000 fi re- staffi ng. “That is a conversation that we will have here in gov- fi ghters were yester- ernment, as well as to hear from the commission,” Bennett told Mday battling at least 15 reporters outside parliament. large wildfi res across California, “Yesterday the commission felt they were more than pre- prompting evacuations as high pared to go forward as four commissioners...but ultimately it temperatures and dried out veg- will be up to government to decide, in consultation, as to what etation fuelled dozens of blazes the next step will be.” in the Western United States, fi re offi cials said. Hundreds of people have been 40% of Americans harassed online ordered to evacuate the remote canyons aff ected by the largest Roughly four-in-ten Americans of sexualised forms of online blaze, the Alamo Fire, which has have personally experienced abuse. scorched nearly 29,000 acres of online harassment, most Two-in-ten women ages Santa Barbara and San Luis Obis- commonly on social media 18 to 29 said they have been po counties since it started on platforms such as Facebook sexually harassed online, and Thursday. and Twitter, according to a just over half said they have That blaze was 20% contained Pew Research Center survey been sent explicit images they by yesterday, according to fi re of- released yesterday. did not ask for, according to fi cials, who warned that hot and The survey shows 41% of the survey. dry weather that makes it easier 4,248 respondents have been The most common venue for wildfi res to spread was ex- subjected to online harassing for online harassment was pected to continue through the behaviour such as off ensive social media, with 58% saying week. name-calling and embar- their most recent incident At least four people have been rassment, up from 35% in happened on a social media injured and more than 40 build- 2014 when the think tank last platform. ings damaged or destroyed by the conducted a similar survey. Social media companies California wildfi re, with another Nearly one-in-five said they such as Facebook, Twitter and 5,500 buildings in harm’s way, ac- experienced more severe Alphabet Inc’s Google enjoy cording to state fi re offi cials. forms of harassment such as broad protections under fed- “There are evacuations in place physical threats, stalking and eral law for content that users and fi refi ghters are contending sexual harassment. post on their services. with steep, rugged terrain provid- While men are more likely Merely hosting third-party ing challenges for them,” Califor- A helicopter drops water on a fire in Butte County, California. than women to experience content that is objection- nia Department of Forestry and online harassment overall — able or even illegal does not Fire Protection spokeswoman burned nearly 15,000 acres in Tu- western states, according to the “Winds were expected to be less disruptive than those in Can- 44% versus 37% — women, expose those companies to Amy Head said in a video state- lare County. It was only 11% con- National Weather Service. mild in most areas with pockets ada’s British Columbia province, particularly young women, are litigation as long as they adopt ment on Monday. tained by yesterday. “This week, we’re forecast to see of 20 to 30 miles per hour winds which have forced 14,000 people more likely to be the targets reasonable takedown policies. Further north, the Schaeff er The blazes were among 53 un- the hot and dry weather from this in the northeast part of the state.” from their homes and disrupted Fire, which began in late June, has contained large fi res burning in weekend continue,” Head said. The US fi res so far have been logging and mining operations. Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 11 ASEAN 8 killed in Shrouded in mist Thailand shooting

AFP “claimed to be offi cials who wanted Bangkok to check on illegal activity”. Photos taken by medical work- ers showed two bodies slumped on a ight relatives, including three blood-splattered children’s bed, with children, were killed by gun- a teddy bear thrown to one side. Emen posing as government of- Police said they are still investi- fi cials in Thailand’s Krabi province, gating possible motives, including a police said yesterday, a mass slaying property dispute between the village investigators believe was sparked by a chief and locals who occupied public personal confl ict. land in his community. Police say a gang of around six or “Personally I believe that the mo- seven men, dressed in camoufl age tive is a serious personal confl ict,” outfi ts, stormed a house in the south- said national police chief Chaktip ern province around 4pm on Monday. Chaijinda, who fl ew down to Krabi to They took ten people hostage and lead the investigation. waited for the owner of the property Firearm ownership is common in — a local village chief — to return. Thailand and the country boasts one of “Around 8pm the owner arrived, the highest gun-related homicide rates all of them (the victims) were hand- in Asia. But while petty arguments and cuff ed and blindfolded until mid- disputes frequently turn deadly, mass night when gunmen opened fi re,” organised killings are rare. Chaiwut Buathong, chief of Ao Luek Krabi province is a popular holiday district, told AFP. destination boasting beaches like Ao Six died at the scene and two oth- Nang and Rai Ley, though Monday’s ers died in hospital, Chaiwut said, killings took place in an area removed adding three of the victims were girls from the main tourist drags. aged under 15. The province boasts a large Muslim Three others were taken to hospital community who have lived in the re- with one in critical condition. gion for centuries. Deputy national police spokesman They are Thai speakers and eth- Krissana Pattanacharoen told report- nically diff erent from the Malay- ers the victims came from a local speaking Muslims in the country’s Muslim family and that the gunmen three southernmost provinces. Tourists ride a cable car as dense mist obscures the view following a heavy downpour in Genting Highlands, outside Kuala Lumpur.

Hanoi seeks to resolve monastery dispute Thailand approves $5.2bn for

Reuters a cross and a statue of Jesus on land Hanoi the church claims in a dispute. But the provincial committee ac- delayed China rail project cused the monastery of illegally cut- ietnamese authorities plan ting down trees and levelling land in AFP Nod for purchase of 8 South Korean fighter jets to Nong Khai on the border with to hold talks with a Catho- a special-use forest to erect a cross, Bangkok Laos. Vlic monastery and church besides destroying a road used for Thailand’s cabinet yesterday approved allies in Asia, after a May 2014 coup. Thailand will cover the construction offi cials to resolve a land dispute forest fi re rescues and obstructing the army’s purchase of eight T-50TH Political analysts said the sour rela- costs but the vast majority of technical that prompted a violent scuffl e last eff orts to rebuild it. hailand’s military government fighter jets from South Korea at 8.8bn tions with the US drove Thailand closer expertise will come from Chinese en- month, a provincial government Monk Joseph Mary Chu Manh yesterday approved $5.2bn to baht ($258mn), Prime Minister Prayut to China, with the Thai navy purchasing gineers — something that has disgrun- body has said. Cuong told Reuters the clerics op- Tbuild the fi rst stretch of a high- Chan-o-cha said. a submarine from China for 13.5bn baht tled local fi rms who were angered by Land disputes are common in posed the unauthorised construction speed railway that will ultimately link Prayut told a press briefing that the in May with a plan to purchase two Prayut’s decision to loosen restrictions Communist-ruled Vietnam, where of a road to link a lake to a tourist re- Bangkok to southern China, a massive purchase from South Korea proves that more. placed on foreign engineers. confl icts over property between sort. joint infrastructure project with Beijing Thailand’s procurement activities are In April, the Thai cabinet also ap- “Thailand will be responsible for the Catholics and regional authorities In the clash that followed, regional that has been dogged by delays. not tied to any particular country. proved the purchase of 10 Chinese tanks construction, while China will be re- have posed one of the key obstacles to authorities accused the monastery of The project is part of China’s huge The South-East Asian nation recently after purchasing 28 last year. sponsible for design,” Thai Transport a normalisation of relations with the having threatened people and injured regional infrastructure plan to build purchased military equipment from the Prayut said the Thai army needed to Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith Vatican. two. a high-speed rail network connect- United States and China. replace the L39 jets it currently uses, cit- said yesterday. The Thua Thien-Hue provincial Plainclothes police used sticks, ing the southern city of Kunming with In late June, the Thai army said the US ing the age and expired engines of the The rail deal is one of the biggest for- people’s committee said it would saws and water pipes to beat the Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singa- approved the sale of four Sikorsky UH- 30-year-old aircraft. eign investment projects in Thailand in meet clerics of the Thien An Saint priests, monks and nuns and hurt pore. 60 Black Hawk helicopters to Thailand, “We need to think about our pilots. years and is part of Beijing’s ‘One Belt, Benedict Monastery and church offi - many in the monastery, the monk Construction has already begun in signalling improved relations between What if there are malfunctions while One Road’ infrastructure drive which cials from Hue, about 700km south- said. Laos but the Thai segment of rail has the US and Thailand under US President in use? The price to pay would be aims to revive ancient Silk Road trading east of the capital Hanoi, to try to re- Reuters could not immediately been stymied for years by tussles over Donald Trump. much worse,” he said. The Thai army is routes. solve the dispute. verify the competing claims. fi nancing, loan terms and protective la- The previous US administration expected to sign a purchase deal with China’s largesse and increased in- The panel will “consider the legiti- In 2008, more than 1,000 Viet- bour regulations in the Southeast Asian downgraded its diplomatic and military Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) late vestment presence in Asia comes as mate aspirations of Thien An monas- namese Catholics protested in Hanoi kingdom. relations with Thailand, one of its oldest this month, off icials said. rival power the United States becomes tery within the framework allowed by as eight Catholics went on trial over The funding approval from Thai- more isolationist under President Don- the laws,” it said in a statement late their claim to a plot of disputed land land’s cabinet came after junta chief ald Trump. on Monday, without giving a date for in the capital, a rare expression of Prayut Chan-O-Cha invoked his abso- of the high speed railway...from Bang- The fi rst stage of the high-speed line Thailand’s junta has cosied up to Be- talks. dissent against the ruling Commu- lute powers last month to clear a series kok to Korat with 179bn baht ($5.2bn) will run 250km between Bangkok and ijing since its 2014 power grab, shelling On June 28, clergy at the monastery nist Party. of legal and technical hurdles standing budget for a four-year plan,” said Kob- the northeastern province of Nakhon out billions on Chinese arms and wel- said dozens of what they believed to In that case, the court ruled the in the way of the deal. sak Pootrakool from the Prime Minis- Ratchasima, also known as Korat. coming investment from the regional be plainclothes policemen took down land in dispute was public property. “The cabinet has approved phase one ter’s offi ce. The plan is to then extend the track superpower.

Elephant bath! Phnom Penh bids farewell to White Building

By Erin Hale, DPA when we left, it was the same thing.” neighbourhood built on reclaimed Phnom Penh As Chun Nath married and raised land,” he explains. four children in the building, he was “(The) Bassac area was a vision of also witness to the rise and fall of its connecting art and the public trans- ok Chun Nath peers through the fortunes, which inspired the work of lated into a physical space.” wooden boards sealing off the en- his fi lmmaker son Neang Kavich. The building emptied out with Ptrance to the three-room apart- “For me it’s quite emotional and the rest of the capital after the fall of ment he called home for almost forty also sad to leave this building,” says Phnom Penh in April 1975 and re- years in Phnom Penh’s White Building. Kavich. He fi lmed the process for a fu- mained vacant until Vietnamese and Just over a week ago, the building ture project which he hopes to release Cambodian forces overthrew the was fi lled with tenants but almost with his production company. Khmer Rouge in January 1979. all, like Pork Chun Nath and his wife, The structure that will be torn In 2014, the building was fi nally cleared out well ahead of the July 15 down, however, bears little resem- slated for demolition amid soaring move-out deadline. blance to what it was in 1963 when real estate prices in the capital and in All that is left of the 400-family it was built by Cambodian architect 2015 large structural cracks appeared community is rubbish along the ex- Lu Ban Hap and Russian engineer due to nearby construction. ternal staircase and some small busi- Vladimir Bodiansky. Buyout negotiations with the gov- nesses on the street level, that have It was one of South-East Asia’s ernment followed until residents yet to pack up shop. fi rst experiments in public housing agreed on 1,400 dollars per square The emptiness reminds him of and was long considered an achieve- foot for their apartments, enough to 1980, he says, the year he moved in ment in New Khmer Architecture, the move to the outskirts of Phnom Penh. with other surviving artists from the modernist-Cambodian architectural A 21-story, Japanese mixed-use de- Khmer Rouge regime. revival of the 1950s and 1960s. velopment will now take its place. Most had been targeted along- “The White Building is a concrete Nothing, though, can truly take side former elites for extermination, example and legacy of remarkable in- the place of the White Building, says but some like Chun Nath, a sculptor, tersecting histories of modern Cam- Lyno. “The neighbourhood has been managed to survive. bodia,” says Vuth Lyno, co-founder a vibrant, creative, and self-suffi cient “(The Vietnamese-backed govern- and artistic director of Sa Sa Art micro-city in itself, where genera- ment) wanted to gather all the artists re- Projects, a non-profi t art space in tions of artists and mostly low-in- maining from the Pol Pot regime to work Phnom Penh that has many projects come residents and city migrants live for them and because we didn’t have focusing on the building. and make their living,” he said. An Indonesian mahout cleans Sumatran elephants at the Sampoiniet Conservation Response Unit (CRU) in the any housing, they off ered us housing “The 1960s experimental social “Losing the White Building for new Ulu Masen Ecosystem wildlife conservation area in Aceh Jaya district, Aceh province. The CRU was built to reduce to live together,” he said. “The fi rst time housing apartment complex was development is very unfortunate. It’s human-elephant conflicts and recently is popular place for environmental tourism. we moved in, the building was empty. part of a larger project, Bassac River very upsetting that a renovation op- There were no doors or windows. So Front, which was a public and cultural tion was not given priority.” Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

Beijing rejects Japan fl ood ‘responsibility’ death toll on N Korea rises to 25

Reuters AFP Beijing Tokyo

hina yesterday hit back in unusu- he death toll from torrential ally strong terms at repeated calls rains and fl ooding that swept Cfrom the United States to put more Tthrough Japan’s south has pressure on North Korea, urging a halt to reached 25, the government said yes- what it called the “China responsibility terday, as rescue teams battled through theory”, and saying all parties needed to thick mud to rescue more than 100 still pull their weight. stranded. US President Trump took a more con- Further downpours were predicted ciliatory tone at a meeting with Chinese to pound Kyushu after swathes of President Xi Jinping on Saturday, but the southwestern island were devas- he has expressed some impatience that tated last week by overfl owing rivers China, with its close economic and dip- — sweeping away roads, houses and lomatic ties to Pyongyang, is not doing schools and forcing thousands of peo- enough to rein in North Korea. ple into makeshift shelters. That feeling has become particularly But many remain stranded, with acute since Pyongyang launched an in- emergency services struggling to reach tercontinental ballistic missile that some them amid treacherous conditions. experts believe could have the range to Some 150 people were still cut off reach Alaska, and parts of the US West as of Monday evening in hardest-hit Coast. Fukuoka and Oita prefectures, accord- Asked about calls from the United ing to local government offi cials. States, Japan and others for China to put A total of 25 people have died while more pressure on North Korea, Chinese at least 25 remain unaccounted for, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Sh- chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga uang said it was not China ratcheting up told reporters in Tokyo yesterday at an tension and the key to a resolution did not offi cial briefi ng. lie with Beijing. Some 12,000 rescuers were making “Recently, certain people, talking “utmost” eff orts to fi nd survivors and about the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, clear washed up driftwood hampering have been exaggerating and giving prom- People ride motorcycles under heavy rain in Rong’an County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. the search, Suga said. inence to the so-called ‘China respon- sibility theory’,” Geng told a daily news briefi ng, without naming any parties. “I think this either shows lack of a full, correct knowledge of the issue, or there are ulterior motives for it, trying to shift Australian data leaks responsibility,” he added. Tokyo-Seoul row over China has been making unremitting eff orts and has played a constructive role, hint at deeper malaise but all parties have to meet each other half way, Geng said. “Asking others to do work, but doing ‘comfort women’ By Paul Farrell His comments suggest the de- nothing themselves is not OK,” he added. Guardian News and Media partment believes Medicare de- “Being stabbed in the back is really not tails were accessed using legiti- OK.” AFP China — were forced to work at Japa- tration as well as with a project she an- mate login credentials to a health While China has been angered by Tokyo nese military brothels across the region nounced Monday to build a museum in ore than 200,000 system but in an unauthorised North Korea’s repeated nuclear and mis- during the confl ict. memory of the women. health profession- manner. sile tests, it also blames the United States Japan, which ruled the Korean penin- “The comfort women issue has be- Mals and administrators The department relies on a and South Korea for worsening tension apan has lodged a diplomatic pro- sula as a colony, was at war with China come a global issue, not a bilateral across Australia can readily ob- system called Health Profession- with their military exercises. test with South Korea over its sup- from 1937 and with the United States, one,” the spokesman quoted Chung as tain Medicare card details, rais- al Online Services to allow health China has been upset with the US de- Jport for registering with the United Britain and other countries from 1941. saying. ing further concerns about the practitioners to lodge claims on- ployment of an advanced anti-missile Nations documents related to “comfort The war ended with Japan’s surren- “We will be able to gather support security of Medicare data that line. system in South Korea too, which it says women” forced into World War II sexual der in 1945. from the international community.” has been sold on the darknet. It can also be used to access threatens its own security and will do slavery by Japanese troops, offi cials said Backing the registration of the docu- In late 2015, under now-ousted presi- Last week, the Guardian re- patients’ Medicare card details. nothing to ease tensions. yesterday. ments “could go against the original dent Park Geun-Hye, Seoul and Tokyo vealed that a darknet trader was But the Guardian can reveal Additionally, Beijing has complained The reaction comes after Seoul’s mission and purpose of the establish- reached what they described as a “fi - illegally selling the Medicare pa- that the number of users ap- about Washington putting unilateral sanc- gender equality minister on Monday ment of Unesco of fostering friend- nal and irreversible” agreement under tient details of any Australian on proved to access Medicare data tions on Chinese companies and individu- expressed support for eff orts to in- ship and mutual understanding among which Japan off ered an apology and a request by “exploiting a vulner- is far higher than previously als for their dealings with North Korea. clude the papers in the “Memory of the member countries,” Japanese foreign one-billion yen ($8.8mn) payment to ability” in a government system. thought. Geng questioned how China’s eff orts World” register of the United Nations minister Fumio Kishida told reporters. South Korean survivors. The human services minis- The department’s latest an- could bear fruit if, while it tried to put out Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Or- “We strongly conveyed our position New President Moon Jae-In has told ter, Alan Tudge, has referred the nual report shows that in 2016 the fl ames, others added oil to the fi re, ganisation (Unesco). to the South Korean government,” he Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe matter to the Australian federal there were 209,307 users able to and if, while it enforced UN resolutions, The plight of the women is a hugely said. that most South Koreans cannot accept police amid widespread concern access HPOS. others harmed its interests. emotional issue that has marred ties Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide the agreement as it is, although he has that Australians’ All of these users would po- Everyone needed to accept their re- between the US allies for decades. Suga, the government’s top spokesman, not so far formally called for it to be re- Medicare card details had been tentially be able to look up Medi- sponsibilities to get the North Korea is- Washington is keen for it not to ham- also said Japan “sent a strong message” negotiated. compromised. care cards. sue back on the correct track of a peaceful per co-operation against North Korea’s to Seoul. Suga, however, said Japan will not Ellen Broad Tudge has repeat- The report says the system was resolution through talks, he added. nuclear and missile programmes. Chung Hyun-Back, the gender give up pushing Seoul on the issue. edly said the data that was sold accessed 3,929,685 times during “The ‘China responsibility theory’ on Mainstream historians say up to equality minister, hit back through her “We will continue patiently asking was likely to be the fruit of “tra- this period. The number of us- the peninsula nuclear issue can stop,” 200,000 women — mostly from Korea spokesman, saying the government will South Korea to implement the agree- ditional criminal activity” rather ers has spiked since 2015, with a Geng said. but also other parts of Asia including push through with the document regis- ment,” he said. than some form of hacking. 27% rise.

Earthquake rattles South Korea’s fi rst black model faces widespread racism

New Zealand By Jung Ha-Won, AFP But a handful of designers found Han’s Seoul look unique and charismatic, and he hit the runways at more than 30 shows at the two 6.6-magnitude we have there could be light Seoul Fashion Weeks after his debut last year earthquake struck to moderate shaking in the eenage male model Han Hyun-Min’s — an unusually high number for a novice. Ayesterday off the southern South Island,” said long legs and powerful strut have made Han’s slim physique “had a good combi- coast of New Zealand, offi - Geoscience Australia duty Thim a rising star on South Korean cat- nation of strengths of both Asian models and cials said, with minor shak- seismologist Greg Breen. walks, but his agent knew there would be a Western models” said designer Cho Young- ing in the South Island but “But no damage is ex- problem in the ethnically homogenous coun- Jae, who used him to display his men’s cloth- no damage reported. pected.” try: he is half black. ing line, Chaos From Undermind. The quake beneath the Several Twitter users in Han, 16, has a Nigerian father in a society Neighbouring Japan has a similarly ho- ocean was estimated at a Invercargill and Dunedin where racial discrimination is widespread mogenous population, Cho said, but a long- depth of 10km, more than said they felt some move- and people of mixed race are commonly re- er history of immigration and already has a 475km south of the mainland, ment. But a Fire and Emer- ferred to as “mongrels”. number of biracial star fashion models. the United States Geological gency New Zealand spokes- “A dark-skinned fashion model like Han Even so, when half-black Ariana Miya- Survey said in Miami. No tsu- man told the stuff .co.nz was unheard of in South Korea, so recruiting moto was picked as Miss Universe Japan in nami threat was issued. news website they had re- him was a big gamble,” said agent Youn Bum. 2015 she faced open accusations of not being “Based on the information ceived “not one call for help”. Now Han is posing for top glossy maga- suffi ciently Japanese to represent the coun- zines as the country’s fi rst black fashion try, in a stark demonstration of the limits of model. acceptance. South Korea has for years sought to foster South Koreans have until recently been the image of a modern, sophisticated and taught at school to take pride in the coun- tech-savvy nation whose pop culture has try’s “single ethnicity”, with one race and made waves across Asia. language enduring for centuries. But behind the facade of an economic and A history of repeated invasions by power- cultural powerhouse lies a deeply-rooted ful neighbours China and Japan has ampli- racism — even as its immigrant population fi ed the sense of victimhood and rampant creeps up, doubling over the last decade but ethnic nationalism, many analysts say. still only 4% of the population. In addition, according to Choi Hang-Sub, Most foreigners in the country are from An assistant applies make-up on South Korean model Han Hyun-Min ahead of a photo shoot sociology professor at Kookmin University China and Southeast Asia, migrant work- at a studio in Seoul. in Seoul, Korea’s ultra-competitive culture ers or women who marry rural South Korean “worships those with money and power and men unable to fi nd local spouses willing to “When I was playing with other kids at “Being a fashion model helped build my despises those without”. live in countryside. school, some mothers whisked them away confi dence tremendously,” said Han. “Now “The rule also applies to foreigners,” he Discrimination against them is widespread. from me, saying things like, ‘Don’t play with I enjoy being looked at by other people, in- told AFP. Many are openly mocked at public transport a kid like that’,” he told AFP. stead of being ashamed or embarrassed.” “So white people from advanced nations for being “dirty” or “smelly”, or refused entry He was regularly stared at in public, with He hopes to become a role model for mul- are welcomed with open arms, and those to fancy restaurants or public baths. an elderly woman once asking him: “What tiracial children. perceived to have hailed from less developed A government survey in 2015 showed that are you doing in someone else’s country?” “I want to be more successful, not just nations are relentlessly looked down upon.” 25% of South Koreans do not want a foreign- “I wanted to become invisible,” he said. for myself but also for people whom I rep- The South has a growing number of for- er as a neighbour — far higher than the 5.6% “I hated my looks that stand out from eve- resent.” eign or multiracial fi gures on TV and other in the US and China’s 10.5%. ryone else,” he said. The duo were initially stonewalled by de- public sphere — but almost all of them are Mixed-race children are bullied at school He found his escape in fashion, taking part signers and magazine editors, some of whom Caucasians, whose looks are favoured by and constantly taunted as “tuigi”, a deroga- in modelling auditions and posting his pho- openly dismissed the dark-skinned model as many South Koreans as “beautiful”. tory term that literally means cross-bred tos on social media until Youn spotted the “bad luck” and urged Youn to recruit whites Commentators on social media, though, animals. images. instead. have warmed to Han. Many complain of poor opportunities in After seeing the then 14-year-old dem- “Some of them told me, ‘We don’t do “He has such good aura around him,” said many aspects of life, including diffi culties onstrate his “electrifying” stride on a Seoul dark-skinned models,’ or, ‘For us, non-Ko- one. socialising, getting a job or fi nding a spouse. street for fi ve minutes, Youn signed him up rean models mean white models with blue “I hope that our society will become more Han was no exception. immediately. eyes and blonde hair’,” Youn said. open to people like him.” Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 13 BRITAIN PM seeks to regain authority with ‘gig economy’ review

Reuters ment after an ill-judged election executive of The Royal Society of be to try to stop the clock,” May working for apps in fast-growing this prompted it to appeal. But the review proposes re- London gamble damaged her author- Arts Matthew Taylor, says many said. “While avoiding overbearing sectors such as takeaway delivery Responding to the review yes- naming workers such as those ity and eliminated her governing of those Britons working for com- regulation, we will make sure peo- and taxi services. terday, Uber said it would wel- operating in the gig economy as Conservatives’ majority in parlia- panies such as taxi app Uber and ple have the rights and protections While wanting the fl exibility come greater clarity in the law, “dependent contractors”, with rime Minister Theresa May ment, emboldening the main op- takeaway food courier Deliveroo they need.” such work off ers, some say they while Deliveroo said any attempt many of them becoming entitled yesterday tried to wrest back position Labour Party. should receive more benefi ts such She also urged her political ri- are left without the protections to limit job fl exibility could un- to annual leave, rest breaks and Pcontrol of Britain’s political The review into employment as the minimum wage. vals to “contribute, not just criti- that traditional jobs off er. dermine the gig economy and that the minimum wage. agenda by reviving her pledge to practices, which she ordered after May said her government cise” her plans — a move refl ect- Last year, judges sided with two any new measures should avoid Firms would have to prove introduce sweeping social reforms becoming prime minister a year would consider the fi ndings of ing both her need for help to push self-employed drivers at Uber restricting their ability to expand. that an average person, working at the launch of a report on how to ago, is viewed as a bid to show that the report, but stopped short of reforms through parliament and who had argued that they deserve In Britain, the self-employed “averagely hard”, is able to earn better protect workers in the “gig her promise to help poorer Britons promising to implement it in full. her resolve to press ahead despite workers’ rights such as the mini- have no entitlement to employ- the national living wage, which economy”. who are “just about managing” is “What’s clear from Matthew’s questions about her future as mum wage. ment rights beyond basic health stands at £7.50 an hour for the May wants to signal that it is more than just a slogan. report is that our response to the leader. The move would add to the San and safety and anti-discrimina- over-25s, with a 20% margin of business as usual for her govern- The review, compiled by chief changing world of work cannot More and more people are Francisco-based fi rm’s costs and tion laws. error, it said. MP’s Uber remark May orders criticised

London Evening Standard London inquiry into senior Labour fi gure was branded out of touch yes- Aterday after claiming that using an Uber taxi is “morally un- acceptable”. The comment by shadow busi- contaminated ness secretary Rebecca Long- Bailey provoked criticism, with a leading think-tank saying the cars were “safer and more convenient” for millions of Londoners. The row between Labour and Uber erupted as a major report blood scandal was released yesterday on work- ers’ rights in the gig economy. Guardian News and Media grown amid campaigning by parties and public bodies. Speaking to the BBC this morn- London Johnson and Andy Burnham, the “It is now incumbent on those ing, Long-Bailey said: “I don’t former Labour MP who is now organisations to work together to personally use Uber because I mayor of Greater Manchester. give the families truth, justice and don’t feel that it’s morally ac- inisters have announced In his fi nal speech to the Com- accountability without any fur- ceptable, but that’s not to say a full inquiry into how mons in April, Burnham said he ther delay or obstruction,” he said. they can’t reform their practices. I Mthousands of people had been contacted by victims Many of those infected by the don’t like the way they are exploit- were infected with hepatitis C and families who believed medi- contaminated blood were peo- ing their workers. and HIV by contaminated blood cal records had been falsifi ed to ple with haemophilia, who need “I don’t want to see companies transfusions, following a long obscure the scandal, saying there regular transfusion of blood prod- model their operations on the campaign by backbench MPs and was evidence of “a criminal cover- ucts. During that period many of Uber model.” pressure groups. up on an industrial scale”. these were imported from the US The shadow business secretary The decision by Downing where donors were paid, a practice referred to previous court rulings Street came hours before the gov- that increased the risk of unsuit- that have said Uber drivers must ernment faced possible defeat in able blood. not be classed as self-employed a vote on an emergency motion Donors in both the US and UK and should be paid the minimum about the need for an inquiry into at the time included prison in- wage. the scandal that is believed to have mates, where drug use was an Sam Bowman, executive direc- contributed to 2,400 deaths. added risk. tor of the free market think-tank Theresa May’s spokesman said “We need the strongest The Labour leader, Jeremy Adam Smith Institute, said: “If I the prime minister and the Health possible inquiry that Corbyn, said there was a need for was on an MP’s salary then maybe Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, had told can, if necessary, lead to a “broad, public, inquisitive in- I would have the luxury of taking the cabinet yesterday that an in- prosecution actions as a quiry”. black cabs. quiry into the “contaminated result, but above all get to “Two thousand four hundred “For many people Uber is not blood scandal” was required. the bottom of it” people died as a result of this con- just an alternative to taking a taxi The health secretary said the taminated blood, and it’s caused home but an alternative to the UK-wide inquiry would look into Such allegations were key to unbelievable stress to many, many night bus and the Tube. It’s fi ne the contamination that happened the government’s decision, Dunne more people,” he said. for her that she doesn’t want to mostly in the 1970s and 80s before told MPs: “In light of these con- “It was obviously a serious sys- use Uber, but I really think she mass screening all blood dona- cerns and reports of new evidence temic failure. I think we need the should think twice about why it tions was introduced in 1991. and allegations of potential crimi- strongest possible inquiry that is that people use Uber. “Hunt said that 2,400 people nality, we think it is important to can, if necessary, lead to prosecu- “Potentially it’s about cost but had died and it was necessary to understand the extent of what is tion actions as a result, but above it’s also about safety and conven- establish the causes of this appall- claimed, and the wider issues that all get to the bottom of it.” ience. Acting as if there’s no ben- ing injustice,” May’s spokesman arise.” Beginning the debate in the efi ts to Uber shows she might be a said. If anyone had evidence of crim- Commons, Johnson, the Hull little bit out of touch.” Giving more details to parlia- inality they should contact po- North MP, said the best approach Will Higham, executive di- ment during the debate on the lice “as soon as possible”, Dunne appeared likely to be a Hillsbor- rector at business group Lon- issue instigated by Labour MP Di- added. ough-style panel. “This has to don First, of which Uber is a ana Johnson, the Health Minister Burnham said the decision to have the support and confi dence member, said: “As a growing Philip Dunne said families would hold an inquiry was: “a vindica- of those aff ected,” she said. city, London has to keep giv- be consulted over what type of in- tion of all those people who have In a separate statement she ing people different ways of quiry would be best. campaigned bravely throughout said: “An inquiry must also ensure getting around, to meetings, The two most likely options the decades, often in the wilder- that those involved in the scandal events or home at night. Uber were a judge-led statutory in- ness”. provide oral and written evidence, is being well-used by London- quiry, or a Hillsborough-type “But this day has taken far and it must investigate not just ers and people should have a independent panel, Dunne said, too long in coming. People have the lead-up to this tragedy but the choice about which service — adding that the process would be- suff ered enough through con- aftermath – including the alleged the Tube, a black cab or Uber — Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street after chairing a cabinet meeting in central gin “as soon as practical”. taminated blood. They have criminal cover-up and the loss of works best for them.” London yesterday. Pressure for an inquiry had been let down by all political documents and medical records.” Parents up in arms over Great Yorkshire Show Body found in river in school’s expansion plans search for missing boy Guardian News and Media “He went in the water to save London a girl and help her get out, and he London Evening Standard year school. The senior school space they have. My daughter couldn’t swim much himself. We London pupil roll would rise by 84 to often tells me she has spent her don’t know the full story but all we 1,060, guaranteeing four forms at breaks playing there. I would also body has been found in the know is that he is a hero,” she said. year 7 entry. not use the drop-off area.” Trent river in the search for “He didn’t think of himself.” arents at an exclusive private Critics say the plans will lead Another mother, Angela Lo, Amissing 12-year-old Owen Ryan said Owen was a mummy’s school for girls are in revolt to years of building work, the loss said: “I am really upset with Jenkins, who is thought to have boy who had lots of friends. “They Pover “unsuitable” and “dis- of open space and more traffi c those parents who continue to entered the water to help two girls were told not to go, ‘don’t go play- ruptive” plans for new buildings around the school. drive and park irresponsibly... in diffi culty. The boy’s family de- ing down the weir’, and obviously and increased pupil numbers. The petition states that the And I fi nd this plan to be go- scribed him as a hero, thanking the that’s what they do – he only lives Almost 100 parents at Putney fi rst phase will see the “loss of ing backwards as other local emergency services and friends for around the corner.” High School, whose alumnae in- the junior school science garden, schools are replacing drop-off their help in the search for him. She said Owen’s mother, Nico- clude BBC newsreader Sophie newly installed long jump pit, a areas with much-needed green Search crews were called to a la, and father, Gary, were devas- Raworth, double Oscar-winning tennis court, many mature trees space.” School leaders said con- stretch of the river near Beeston tated by his death, adding that it fi lm costume designer Jenny and 30% of the girls’ astro-turf sultation responses will be fully Marina in Nottinghamshire at has been horrendous for the family Beavan, and Disney acting star sports/play area”. refl ected in any planning appli- around 6pm on Monday. About who joined the search. Sophie Simnett, have signed a pe- It also says the plan “seems cation lodged with Wandsworth 30 fi refi ghters, three power boats, “On Monday night everybody tition opposing a proposed four- disproportionately unfair on the council. a police helicopter and an air am- was there … the saddest part was year development. school’s current population” and A spokeswoman for Putney bulance were called to help in the we were told we all had to go be- Headmistress Suzie Longstaff will create “overcrowding and High said: “Every comment will search. cause the light was going, the po- and the board of governors want closeness of groups with diff er- now be carefully considered, we Nottinghamshire police said a lice said they had to just put the to start work early next year on ent social and developmental will then write to parents and body was discovered in the water helicopters up with the infrared,” the fi rst phase, which will include needs”. neighbours early next week to at about 10pm. “Our thoughts are said Ryan. a new “school run” drop-off lane A consultation on the plans let them know what feedback Sheep are judged in a show ring on the first day of with the family during this time,” “Then in the next breath he and temporary classrooms and ended on Monday after the we have received and how it in- the Great Yorkshire Show near Harrogate in northern said a statement. came and said they had found him, labs. 124-year-old school broke up for formed our thinking. There will England yesterday. The agricultural show, which was Liz Ryan, Owen’s great-aunt, and he wasn’t far. It was just see- The longer-term vision fea- the holidays. Parents comment- at that stage be another opportu- first held in 1838, showcases all aspects of country life. described the boy as a “loving, ing that man in the yellow coat and tures new permanent science ing on the petition agreed with its nity for parents and neighbours Organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), it is kind, considerate and well man- him saying ‘we have found him’, labs and music rooms, a drama concerns. Rachel Watson said: “It to have their say before formal held each July and attracts around 130,000 visitors over nered lad”. She said he had been and Nicola said ‘is he dead?’ and and debating block and upgraded would be a real shame if our girls plans are drawn up and submit- the three days. playing with friends at the time of he just said ‘yeah’. It hit home then. dining facilities for the £18,192-a- were to lose the only small green ted.” the incident. It was horrible.” Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 BRITAIN

Black cab turns green as all-new electric London taxi launches

Guardian News and Media Company since 1948, the fi rm will from politicians and regulators January 1, 2018, will need to be private hire and a premium prod- £100 less on weekly fuel costs. of the TX4 he was driving. “It’s London rebrand as the London Electric Ve- concerned about air quality. electric, or capable of producing uct. (But) you can’t rest on your It said the cars would also need bigger than a mortgage. They (oth- hicle Company (LEVC) to export “They (diesel cabs) will disap- zero emissions. Combined with laurels and say I’m ringfenced,” less maintenance. Alan Filsell, a er cab drivers) reckon if the bat- the new model, which runs for pear, this is the way forward. (But) an age limit for the cabs of 15 years, he said, adding that the company 61-year-old black cab driver drop- teries go wrong, it’ll cost £8,000. I he maker of the London about 70 miles off a battery before that won’t be as immediate as peo- that means the last diesel ones had not done a good enough job in ping off a fare in central London, do like the look of it, don’t get me black cab has unveiled the switching to a petrol engine for up ple think,” he said. should disappear from London by the past of explaining why its cabs liked the new design but was un- wrong.” Tnew, electric design of the to 400 miles. Gubbey hopes to have up to 2032. LEVC thinks that the new were functionally better. convinced about its cost. Filsell also questioned where car, which will hit the capital’s Chris Gubbey, the chief execu- 150 of the TX cabs on the capital’s cab will be able to compete in a LEVC said the private hire ve- While the company would not the new electric model would be roads in November and which it tive of the fi rm, which was bought streets by the year’s end, after the world of Prius-owning Uber driv- hicle fi nance for the model would disclose the pricing for the TX, charged up, and said a fare to Hea- hopes to sell to pollution-blight- by Chinese automotive giant Geely fi rst deliveries begin in November. ers, arguing that it off ers custom- be higher than previous versions Filsell said: “They’re talking to us throw and the drive back would ed cities worldwide. in 2013, said he expected older die- Under Transport for London ers a premium service. but this would be off set by lower about £50,000 (for the new car). wipe out most of the battery’s Known as the London Taxi sel models would soon face a ban (TfL) rules, all new black cabs from “There’s always been a place for running costs, including a claimed These are about £43,000,” he said range.

Prince meets Battle of Britain heroes Badgers ‘killed on shooting estate owned by royals’

Guardian News and Media HIT said investigators were London able to release the three lambs un- harmed, while a female mountain hare allegedly died from internal olice are investigating al- bleeding and stress after being legations that protected caught in a snare. A fox struggled Pwildlife was killed on a frantically to free itself before be- shooting estate owned by the ing shot three times when the Duke and Duchess of Rutland. gamekeeper arrived, HIT said. Footage fi lmed by an animal Under the Countryside Act rights group allegedly showed 1981, snares must be inspected badgers caught in snares and shot every day and any snared foxes this year. The Hunt Investigation killed quickly and humanely by Team (HIT), which fi lmed the a shot at close range from a rifl e. footage, said it was part of “hor- They must also only be set in plac- rifi c wildlife persecution” on the es likely to be used by a fox or rab- Moscar estate, a grouse shooting bit. Tanya Hall, a HIT campaigner, estate in the Peak District. said: “The cruel decimation of It is a criminal off ence to injure, wildlife is perpetrated daily in one kill or ill-treat badgers under the of the most popular tourist areas Protection of Badgers Act 1992 in of the UK. England and Wales. “The immense suff ering of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, patron of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, speaks with Ken Wilkinson, Battle of Britain pilot, at RAF Coningsby to mark the Flight’s The Moscar estate, near Bam- badgers, foxes and hares that our 60th anniversary yesterday. The Duke of Cambridge, who completed his service in the armed forces with a tour with the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force at RAF ford in Derbyshire, is owned by investigators found is infl icted Valley, Anglesey, is honorary air commandant of RAF Coninsgby. the 11th Duke of Rutland, David simply so that the Duke of Rut- Manners, and Emma Manners, land’s Estate has plenty of grouse the Duchess of Rutland. available to shoot. We must end The pair, worth a reported this cycle of violence and cruelty £140mn, also own the 15,000- and we encourage the public to acre Belvoir Castle in Leicester- add their support to our cam- shire, a stronghold established at paign.” the Norman conquest which has A Derbyshire police spokesman appeared in fi lms including the Da said: “Members of the group con- Vinci Code and Young Victoria. tacted one of our specialist wild- A spokesman for the Duke and life offi cers last week and we now Bath park-and-ride plan Duchess of Rutland said in a state- have a copy of the footage. ment: “They were not aware of “As a result, we have started an any alleged illegal activities being investigation and will be examin- carried out on the land. They are ing the clips as part of that.” horrifi ed by these allegations and It is not the fi rst time the estate will investigate them fully.” has faced scrutiny from animal HIT said an estimated 400 wire rights groups. In 2015, the League shelved after outrage snares were set across the estate Against Cruel Sports found 100 alongside a variety of traps to snares on the land after runners Guardian News and Media east of the city centre being con- north and south of Bath. at Bathampton Meadows was the 73,000 people travel into the city catch mammals and birds. were caught in the traps. London creted over. During a special meeting in best option. by car and the fi gure is expected The group said two badgers, Later that year, the Belvoir But yesterday Bath and North January, opponents claimed the Traffi c in Bath, one of Europe’s to grow by 2029 to 96,000 as new one mountain hare, one fox and Hunt was mired in controversy East Somerset council an- park and ride was a costly white most popular tourist destina- homes and jobs are created. three lambs were found caught in when a captured fox was found controversial scheme to nounced it had taken into account elephant that would wreck the tions, has troubled politicians and Opponents of the park and the traps, which are legal in the dehydrated and underweight in create a park-and-ride the views of people who live near meadows and precious views residents for many decades. ride including the Bath Preserva- UK, on one snare site over a four- an outbuilding hours before the Asite on the edge of Bath Bathampton Meadows and said it of the city from Little Solsbury The geography of the city, nes- tion Trust argued the move could week period in spring. annual gathering in Buckminster, that could have put the city’s intended to ditch the scheme. Hill. One leading Tory councillor tled in a valley surrounded by harm the city’s Unesco world The activists alleged that one Leicestershire. world heritage status at risk is to Instead it unveiled a transport called the project “evil”. hills with the Avon river running heritage status. It said the coun- badger was shot and dragged off In March last year, two men were be dropped. plan that included improving But following a meeting last- through, has made it diffi cult to cil’s scheme had echoes of the to be buried in a nearby wood. arrested on suspicion of assault af- There were protests this year access to existing park and rides ing almost four hours, the cabi- accommodate millions of visi- 1930s’ Bath bill, a plan for radical A second badger was allegedly ter two anti-hunting campaigners when the city council’s Con- and examining the possibility of net concluded that an 800-space tors a year – on top of commuters alterations that included driving caught overnight and endured “a were attacked while monitoring servative cabinet voted in favour a tram system. It said it would park and ride to the east of the city and residents – in and around its a new road through the Georgian prolonged capture and botched the Belvoir Hunt in March. The of the project, which would have look at creating a link road be- was necessary to cope with grow- Georgian streets. According to heart of the city and which led to release”. pair were released on bail. resulted in water meadows to the tween two major routes to the ing congestion and decided a site the council, every day more than a national scandal.

Turnbull meets Queen Boy held as pupil dies of 300,000 tonnes of allergic reaction to cheese clothing binned: study Guardian News and Media tonnes of carbon dioxide a year London by washing clothes at lower tem- Guardian News and Media Karanbir’s father, Amarjeet, expect with a child with an al- peratures and ironing and tumble- London told the Evening Standard he lergy were in place. We provid- drying them less. was heartbroken. ed these medications and they he carbon footprint of Just over a quarter of washes “We were in hospital I had to were delivered,” Alice Hudson, the UK clothing sector is (26%) were tumble-dried, down 13-year-old boy with a watch him die, no parent should executive headteacher told the Tworsening, a new report from nearly a third (32%) in 2012, dairy allergy died after have to go through that. While Evening Standard. “Everything reveals, driven by the ongoing while people were also ironing Asuff ering a severe reac- he was in hospital we were fully that should have been done was popularity of cheap and cheerful their clothes less, a survey of more tion to a piece of cheese allegedly concentrated on his condition. done. Very, very tragically in “fast fashion” and a shortage of than 2,000 people as part of the forced on him, prompting an in- Now we want answers. How this situation this was not ef- sustainable raw materials. research revealed. vestigation by the Metropolitan could this have happened?” he fective.” Although the amount of cloth- But the UK needs to fi nd new police’s murder team. said. She told the Daily Mirror that ing being sent to landfi ll has fallen sources of sustainable materials Karanbir Cheema was taken “My son had allergies but he Karanbir, known as Karan, had by 14% from 350,000 tonnes in and new markets for used cloth- to a west London hospital in a was very careful. He had an al- come to the school office to tell 2012 to 300,000 in 2016 a stag- ing, the report says, singling out life threatening condition on lergy to dairy products but was staff he was having a bad reac- gering one-quarter is still binned “fi bre to fi bre” recycling – where- June 28 after becoming unwell good at avoiding them. I don’t tion. rather than recycled. That is down by clothing is turned back into during a school break. how a piece of cheese hitting “He was able to come to the from 31% four years ago. clothing – as a key opportunity. He died on Sunday after 10 him could have killed him, it school office to indicate that he The volume of clothes bought Wrap launched a sustainable days in Great Ormond Street doesn’t make any sense. We thought he was having an ex- rose by nearly 200,000 tonnes to clothing action plan (Scap) in 2013, children’s hospital, devastating have been told very little.” treme reaction and they were 1.13mn tonnes in 2016, causing a voluntary agreement whose sig- his family and school friends. A postmortem has been able to immediately administer 26mn tonnes of carbon dioxide natories account for 58% of the Offi cers from Ealing borough scheduled for today to estab- the normal treatment, which emissions from production to dis- sector’s retail sales by volume, police were initially called to the lish the cause of what the Met was kept in the office for his posal and putting clothing fourth with targets to reduce carbon, wa- school after it “became appar- described as “an unexplained care. Very, very tragically in this after housing, transport and food ter and waste across the life cycle ent that an incident had occurred death”. situation this was not effec- in terms of its impact on the en- of products. Steve Creed, director which led to the boy coming into The head of William Perkin C tive.” vironment, according to new re- of the Wrap business programme, contact with the allergen,” the of E High School in Greenford, Hudson added: “He had search by the government’s waste said: “It’s great that fewer clothes Met said in a statement. west London, where Karanbir many friends who are devas- advisory body Wrap. are ending up in the residual A 13-year-old boy was arrest- was a pupil, said he was treated tated at his death, as are the However the 2017 Valuing our waste, but overall our carbon foot- ed and released on bail pending immediately in the school be- staff. He was a bright and keen Queen Elizabeth II meets the Prime Minister of Australia, Clothes: The Cost of UK Fashion print is rising so the next few years further inquiries and the case fore paramedics arrived. student who excelled in maths. Malcolm Turnbull, during an audience at Buckingham Palace report – an update on an study are critical in balancing growing has been passed to homicide “He had a full care plan and Our thoughts and prayers are in London yesterday. done in 2012 – also found that UK demand with supplying clothes officers. all the normal steps you would with Karan’s family.” householders are saving 700,000 more sustainably”. Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 15 EUROPE Srebrenica victims mourned AFP protected enclave at the time, on ally of ultranationalist Serbian Srebrenica July 11, 1995, fi ve months before leader Vojislav Seselj during the the end of Bosnia’s inter-ethnic war, has said their words “do not war. oblige the state”. housands gathered in Sre- In the following days they Vucic, who did not attend the brenica yesterday to mark summarily killed some 8,000 ceremony, told Serbian broad- Tthe 1995 massacre of about Muslim men and boys. caster Happy TV on Monday 8,000 Bosnian Muslims, Eu- Fata Omerovic regularly at- that a “horrible crime was com- rope’s worst atrocity since World tends the commemorations at mitted” in Srebrenica while also War II, with some relatives of the Potocari, where she already bur- pointing to crimes commit- victims giving their loved ones a ied her two sons and husband. ted against ethnic Serbs during proper burial for the fi rst time. “We know at least where Croatia’s 1990s war, as well as The remains of 71 victims of their bones are,” whispered the killings committed during World the bloodshed, which has been 65-year-old woman, who has War II. ruled genocide by international only one daughter left, while During a visit by Vucic to the courts, were laid to rest in a joint caressing the three white grave- 2015 anniversary of the massacre, funeral at a memorial cemetery in stones. a mob of people throwing stones Potocari, near Srebrenica. “We come here, pray, look at chased him away. They included a 33-year-old gravestones...It’s more diffi cult In Belgrade, a banner was woman and seven people who for those who didn’t fi nd their hoisted in front of the Serbian were under 18 when they were children and husbands.” parliament with photos of some killed. So far the remains of 6,429 of 3,000 Serbian soldiers and Adela Efendic said she had Srebrenica victims have been civilians killed in the Srebrenica come to “fi nally say goodbye” buried at the memorial site and area by Muslim forces during the to her father Senaid, who was 35 233 in other cemeteries, accord- war. “The families of slaughtered when he was killed. ing to Bosnia’s institute of miss- Serbian victims want justice!,” “His remains were found nine ing people. the banner read. years ago in a common grave, but The remains of more than Across the street, in the park only a few bones,” the 22-year- 1,000 other victims have yet to facing the Serbian presidency old said, her head covered with be located. building, the Youth Initiative for a violet veil and tears streaming The victims were found in Human Rights was to hold a vigil down her cheeks. about 80 mass graves, the last of to commemorate victims of the “We were waiting, hoping to which was discovered in Decem- Srebrenica massacre. fi nd more, but nothing turned ber 2015. The 1992-1995 war between up...We decided to bury him now Among the identifi ed victims Bosnia’s Croats, Muslims and so his bones fi nd peace,” said were 22 women and about 440 Serbs claimed some 100,000 Efendic, who was just 20 days old children less than 18 years old Bosnian women off er prayers near the caskets of 71 victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre at the memorial cemetery in the village of lives and left almost half of its when her father died. when they were killed, according Potocari, near the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica. 4mn inhabitants homeless. “I have only one photo of him, to the institute. It also split the country into two a small one, like for an ID card. In 2016, a UN tribunal found Ratko Mladic, a Bosnian Serb refuse to acknowledge the Sre- The Muslim member of Bos- It will be a “step towards a semi-independent entities, the But my mother told me a lot Bosnian Serb wartime leader Ra- wartime military chief, is await- brenica massacre as an act of nia’s tripartite presidency, Ba- genuine reconciliation and better Serb-run Republika Srpska and about him...it allows me to imag- dovan Karadzic guilty of geno- ing a verdict by the International genocide, despite urgings from kir Izetbegovic, yesterday urged future for all of us,” he said at the the Muslim-Croat Federation. ine him.” cide over his role in the atrocity Criminal Tribunal for the former a handful of Serbian opposition “Serbian people and its...elites to commemoration. Srebrenica, where Muslims Bosnian Serb forces captured and sentenced him to 40 years in Yugoslavia (ICTY) in November. leaders and prominent human accept the truth and stop deny- But Serbian President Ale- were once the majority, has re- the eastern Bosnian town, a UN- prison. Bosnian Serbs and Belgrade rights organisations. ing the genocide.” ksandar Vucic, who was a close mained in the Serb-run half.

Macron-led government Top European court upholds struggles with cuts and Belgian ban on the full-face veil surging expectations

AFP others” and that it was “necessary in a Violations can result in fi nes and up Belgian national, and Yamina Oussar, a AFP its foreign aid budget — a decision Strasbourg democratic society”, a statement said. to seven days in jail. Moroccan. Paris that came under harsh criticism from The EU’s top rights court said a bye- In May 2012, pockets of riots broke Both women said they chose of their humanitarian groups — while the law adopted in June 2008 in three Bel- out in the Brussels suburb of Molen- own free will to wear the niqab and transport ministry can tighten its belt he European Court of Human gian municipalities “could be regarded beek after a woman in a niqab was claimed their rights had been infringed he French government, fac- by 260mn euros by cutting back on Rights yesterday upheld a Bel- as proportionate to the aim pursued, asked by two police offi cers to remove and the law was discriminatory. ing the tricky task of trying to infrastructure projects. Tgian ban on wearing the full- namely the preservation of the condi- the garment. The court yesterday rejected this, Trein in public spending while The budget straitjacket looks set face niqab veil in public, calling the tions of ‘living together’.” France was the fi rst European coun- saying that the law was designed to en- implementing new President Em- to be even tighter next year, when restriction “necessary in a democratic It said a country should also be given try to ban the niqab in April 2011 and sure “public safety, equality between manuel Macron’s campaign pledges, experts say nearly 20bn euros in new society”. a “wide margin of appreciation in de- there have been around 1,600 arrests men and women and a certain concept has managed to fi nd billions in sav- savings will be needed in order to sta- The veil is a controversial issue ciding whether and to what extent a since coming in to force. of living together in a society.” ings, Budget Minister Gerald Dar- bilise spending. across Europe, with some countries limitation of the right to manifest one’s The ECHR had already ruled on a After Belgium introduced the ban, manin said yesterday. That fi gure may have to be in- banning the garment in public in the religion or beliefs was ‘necessary’.” challenge to the French law in 2014 Belcacemi continued wearing the veil “We have found 4.5bn euros creased given the latest government name of safety and rights groups argu- Belgian banned the wearing of the when it also rejected arguments for a while but stopped because of so- ($5.1bn) in savings...solely in the na- announcements. ing that this amounts to a violation of full-face veil in June 2011. that the restriction breached reli- cial pressure and fears she would be tional government,” Darmanin told On Monday, the government said civil liberties. It prohibits appearing in public “with gious freedom and individual human fi ned. the Parisien newspaper. “Neither so- it planned to press ahead with cuts The court ruled that the ban sought a face masked or hidden, in whole or in rights. Oussar told the court that she had cial security nor local authorities will to taxes in two areas next year: the to guarantee social cohesion, the “pro- part, in such a way as to be unidentifi - The Belgian case was brought by two decided to stay at home, the statement come into it.” elimination of a local residence tax tection of the rights and freedoms of able”. Muslim women, Samia Belcacemi, a from the court said. Macron, elected in May, promised for 80% of French households and while campaigning to keep France in reductions in wealth taxes. line with EU budget rules which re- A plan to delay the measures until quire member states to keep the defi - 2019 had come under criticism given cit below 3% of overall output. Macron’s campaign pledges to cut Run-up to bull run! “We will keep France’s word,” Dar- taxes for investors and businesses, a manin said. core part of his programme. The 39-year-old centrist presi- But the measures will need to be dent vowed to restore France’s “cred- funded either through more effi cien- ibility” in Europe after the country cy measures, increased tax receipts — missed the 3% target every year for a the result of higher economic growth decade. — or a combination of both. France and Spain are the only eu- Senate speaker Gerard Larcher rozone members still on notice from of the rightwing Republicans party the European Commission for failing described the proposed cuts as half- to meet budget rules. measures. Darmanin said the savings would “The technique has not really be achieved without aff ecting “the changed. We’re talking about cuts in- services provided to the French peo- stead of asking structural questions,” ple” or raising taxes, a commitment he said. made by Prime Minister Edouard Speaking to RTL radio, Darmanin Philippe. acknowledged that painful “structural Budget planners have examined reforms” would be necessary in 2018 expenditures one ministry at a time. such as cutting housing assistance Among the envisaged cuts are a and unemployment benefi ts to bring 526mn euro reduction at the interior about permanent spending cuts. ministry that will be achieved with- Macron had pledged to bring the out laying off any police, Darmanin public defi cit down to 2.8 % of GDP, said. but will now have to be satisfi ed with The foreign ministry plans to cut coming in just under the 3% bar.

Hamburg shop owners seek $20mn for damages incurred during G20 riots

amburg retailers have de- Many shops had to board up their manded 18mn euros premises and deploy security guards H($20.5mn) in damages from for their businesses ahead of the protests that turned violent during meeting. the Group of 20 summit in the north- The letter, signed by the North Re- ern German port city last week. tail Traders’ Association and Ham- Inner-city shop owners made the burg’s Association of Medium and request in a letter written to Hamburg Large Enterprises, maintained that Mayor Olaf Scholz after grocery mar- some businesses could not open be- kets and storefronts were plundered cause their employees were too fright- and badly damaged in the three days ened by the violence to go to work. of violence, public broadcaster NDR Potential customers were also pre- 90.3 reported yesterday. vented from entering the inner city by Chancellor Angela Merkel has con- police operations. demned the actions of the rioters and To cover revenues lost during the insisted that victims of the protests demonstrations, the retail traders receive compensation from the state. have demanded two additional Sun- The Hamburg retailers said their day shopping days during the crucial demands for damage had so far not build-up to Christmas in December. Dancers perform a traditional dance in a street during the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona yesterday. The festival is a symbol of Spanish culture that attracts included the costs of the protective Under German trade laws, shops thousands of tourists to watch the bull runs despite heavy condemnation from animal rights groups. measures they were forced to take are open for a set number of Sundays ahead of the G20 summit. each year. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 INDIA

LAW AND ORDER PEOPLE LEGAL DECISION UNREST Police questioning suspect Goa woman rescued from Bail granted to four Congress to protest over Darjeeling shutdown to in Jio data leak case locked room after 15 years ex-Maruti Suzuki workers GST outside Parliament continue: GJM leader

Police in Rajasthan’s Churu district were A middle-aged was rescued yesterday after nearly The Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday The Congress yesterday said that it will stage Declaring that the indefinite shutdown in the questioning a man suspected of links to the 15 years from a locked room of her maternal granted bail to four former Maruti Suzuki India a protest against the Goods and Services Tax northern West Bengal hills would continue, the Reliance Jio data leak case. “We are questioning house in Goa’s Candolim village. The woman, (MSIL) workers serving a five-year jail term in in its present format outside Parliament on Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee Imran Chimpa in the case. He belongs to Sunita Verlekar, was rescued with the help of connection with the 2012 Maruti factory rioting and July 18. Congress’ Delhi chief Ajay Maken told (GMCC) has decided to stage a hunger strike Sujangarh in Churu. As the case has been activists from a women’s right’s NGO Bailancho violence case, said a defence lawyer. After hearing reporters at a press conference here “Congress from July 15 to press for a separate Gorkhaland registered in Mumbai, we are waiting for Saad. Police sources said the victim lived in a arguments from both defence and prosecution, vice president Rahul Gandhi has opposed the state. The members of the committee also investigators from Mumbai police to arrive and locked room of the house, which is occupied by a bench comprising Justice S S Saron and Justice GST in its present form because the BJP-led demanded a CBI inquiry into the incidents of take over the investigations,” a police off icial from her brother Mohandas’ family. “The brother and H S Madan issued the bail order. The court had on central government has created six slabs in the violence in the hills and decided to lay siege Churu said. Imran was brought to police station his family used to provide her with food. We found March 18 awarded life imprisonment to 13 former GST with a 40% outer limit whereas the party to the district magistrate and sub-divisional yesterday evening. A website, titled magicapk. her without clothes in a room. She was being workers of the MSIL in connection with the July 18, was in favour of GST with 14% as the outer limit.” off icer’s off ices in Darjeeling from July 14 to com, claimed late on Sunday it had hacked into given food through a slit in the door,” a police 2012 Maruti factory rioting and violence. Maruti The former union minister also said that lakhs protest against the blockade of essential goods Jio database and has made personal details of its constable involved in the rescue operation said. Suzuki human resource department general of people demonstrated against GST in Gujarat’s to the district. “The indefinite shutdown in the over 100mn users available on the website but Jio Mohandas claimed Sunita was mentally unsound manager Ashwin Kumar Dev was burnt alive and Surat in which not only traders, but also workers hills would continue,” Gorkha Janamukti Morcha refuted reports of a breach in its database. and had, therefore, been kept in one room. over 50 persons were injured in the violence. and common people participated. (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung said. Gopalkrishna is opposition nominee for vice president

IANS Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit can- New Delhi didate, forced the Congress-led grouping to pick former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, ormer West Bengal gover- also a Dalit. nor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, The last date for fi ling of nom- Fa grandson of Mahatma ination for the vice president’s Gandhi, was yesterday named post is July 18. The scrutiny of the opposition candidate for the papers will take place on July the post of vice president by 19. The last date for withdrawal the Congress and 17 other par- of nominations is July 21. ties, including the JD-U (Janata Hamid Ansari has been the Dal-United), which is backing vice president and ex-offi cio the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) chairman of the Rajya Sabha candidate in the president’s since August 11, 2007. He won a Students from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), shout slogans as they carry India’s national flag during election. second term on August 11, 2012. a protest against the Khanabal terror attack in New Delhi yesterday. Setting the stage for a contest His current term ends on August with the BJP-led NDA (National 10. Democratic Alliance), which is During yesterday’s meeting, expected to announce its nomi- opposition leaders observed a nee soon, Congress president two-minute silence in memory Sonia Gandhi announced the of the seven Amarnath pilgrims name of Gandhi, a former Indian killed in a terror attack on Mon- envoy to South Africa and Sri day. They passed a resolution Modi, Kashmir govt under Lanka, at a meeting of the oppo- asking the government to in- sition parties here at the Parlia- trospect on its failure to prevent ment Library Building. the attack despite intelligence “Gopalkrishna Gandhi is the inputs. opposition candidate for the vice The opposition parties also presidential election. We have discussed the alleged victimisa- tion of political opponents by the fi re after Amarnath attack spoken to him and he has agreed to be the opposition candidate,” BJP-led government, suicides by she said along with JD-U leader farmers, demonetisation and the IANS “The Congress demands grims despite intelligence in- ist Conference leader Omar Valley after installation of Me- Sharad Yadav. The JD-U had fallout of the Goods and Services New Delhi/Srinagar safety for all. What steps is the puts. Abdullah said that the central hbooba Mufti as the chief min- broken ranks with the opposi- Tax rollout. The parties agreed government taking in this re- “This is very unfortunate. We government needs to reassess ister,” Abdullah told India Today tion and chosen to back Ram to meet once a month to co-or- gard must be stated by the gov- strongly condemn the attack. the situation and decide if gov- news channel. Nath Kovind, the NDA candi- dinate their strategy against the day after seven Amar- ernment, the prime minister Despite very good intelligence ernor’s rule needs to be imposed “If continuation of Meh- date, in the presidential election. government. nath pilgrims lost their and the home minister,” Con- inputs, why were precautionary in the state. booba Mufti as chief minister Gopalkrishna Gandhi’s name Trinamool leader Derek A lives in a terror attack in gress spokesperson Randeep measures not taken? The gov- “I believe the government becomes untenable, which I was proposed at the meeting O’Brien alleged that government Jammu and Kashmir, the op- Singh Surjewala told reporters ernment has to explain why this of India needs to take a long, believe is rapidly approaching by the Trinamool Congress and agencies were being used to tar- position yesterday slammed here. happened despite intelligence hard look at the deterioration that point, there may not be any backed by all parties present. No get opposition parties includ- the Narendra Modi govern- He alleged that the terror at- reports,” Yechury told reporters in the situation in Jammu and other option. But it is for the other name was discussed, op- ing the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the ment at the centre as well the tack was a serious security lapse outside Parliament house. Kashmir and particularly in the Centre to decide,” he added. position leaders said. Congress and the Aam Aadmi Mehbooba Mufti-led state on the part of the government He pointed out that the last The decision on Gopalkrishna, Party. government for failing to pro- and security forces. time such an attack happened Gujarat to nominate bus driver for bravery award a secretary to then president R “There was broad agreement vide security. “Are we again going to brush was in 2000, when there was Venkataraman, has set the stage on the issues. The opposition Describing the terror attack such an important issue in the a BJP-led government at the Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay government will nominate for the contest for the vice presi- parties will not only co-ordinate as “inhuman and barbaric”, the garb of meetings and enquiries Centre. Rupani yesterday said he Salim for the bravery award dent’s offi ce on August 5. inside and outside Parliament Congress sought “decisive ac- or are we going to take decisive “And now again when you will nominate the driver with the central government,” Gopalkrishna, who belonged but on other platforms also, spe- tion” against those involved. action to punish the guilty who have a Bharatiya Janata Party- of the Amarnath bus that Rupani said. Salim told to the IAS, was the Indian high cially social media where a lot of Seven pilgrims were killed have dared to carry out the at- led National Democratic Alli- was attacked by terrorists reporters that God gave him commissioner to South Africa vile is being spread,” he said. and 19 others injured on Mon- tack?” he asked. ance government at the Cen- in Jammu and Kashmir for the strength to keep driving and Sri Lanka. O’Brien said the decision on day in Anantnag district when Communist Party of India- tre, why is this happening? The a bravery award. “We want despite the firing. “Firing Earlier, Gopalkrishna’s name Gopalkrishna’s name did not militants fi red at a bus carrying Marxist general secretary Si- government needs to answer to thank the bus driver was going on from all sides, did the rounds as the opposition take more than 15 minutes as over 60 passengers in Khanabal taram Yechury asked why pre- this,” he said. who saved many lives amid so I kept driving and did not candidate in the presidential background work had already area on the Jammu-Srinagar cautionary measures were not Former Jammu and Kashmir heavy firing. The Gujarat stop,” he said. election. But the BJP’s choice of been done. highway. taken for the safety of the pil- chief minister and National- Ban on sale of cattle for Rains lash Allahabad India, China ‘can handle’ border row slaughter suspended points at a meeting last month Reuters Singapore on the sidelines of a regional IANS diction, the bench clarifi ed that Action Committee and others. summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. New Delhi high court order would extend to The All India Jamitul Quresh The two Asian neighbours entire country. Action Committee had chal- ndia and China can man- must not allow their diff erences Narasimha informed the lenged the Prevention of Cru- age the diff erences that are to become disputes, and should he Supreme Court yes- bench that the government elty to Animals (Regulation Ilikely to arise from time to ensure their relations were a terday extended across would not implement for three of Livestock Markets) Rules, time over their contested bor- factor of stability amid global Tthe country the Madras months the rules banning the 2017, banning sale of cattle for der, Foreign Secretary S uncertainty, Jaishankar said, High Court order putting on sale of cattle at livestock markets slaughter and the Prevention Jaishankar said yester- summarising the two points. hold the central government’s for slaughtering. of Cruelty to Animals (Care day, commenting on recent “This consensus underlines notification banning the sale Meat sellers have complained and Maintenance of Case Prop- tension sparked by Chinese the strategic maturity with and purchase of cattle for of the adverse impact on their erty Animals) Rules, 2017 which road-building. In early June, which the two countries must slaughter from the cattle mar- trade. Experts expect the indus- provides for the seizures, re- according to the Chinese in- continue to approach each ket. try to suff er losses to the tune covery of the cost of transpor- terpretation of events, Indian other,” he added at an event As a bench of chief justice Jag- Rs1tn. tation, maintenance and treat- guards crossed into China’s hosted by the National Univer- dish Singh Khehar and justice The central government ment of seized animals. Donglang region and obstruct- sity of Singapore’s Lee Kuan D Y Chandrachud extended the had on May 25 brought a no- It was contended by the or- ed work on a road on a plateau Yew School of Public Policy. operation of the Madras High tification by which sale and ganisation that both the rules adjoining the state of Sikkim. Asked specifi cally about Court order, the government purchase of cattle in the cat- banning sale of cattle for slaugh- Troops from the two sides the recent confrontation in told the court that it would be tle market for slaughter was ter and the other regulating the then confronted each other the region, Jaishankar said the renotifying the rules after con- banned. Several states refused transporting of livestock were close to a valley controlled neighbours had experience sidering objections from the to implement it. arbitrary, illegal, and unconsti- by China that separates India dealing with such situations. stakeholders. The court order yesterday tutional. from Bhutan — a close Indian “It is a long border,” Jais- “The interim order passed came on a plea by the All India It also argued the rule that the ally — and gives China access hankar said. “As you know, by the Madera bench of Madras Jamitul Quresh Action Com- purchaser of cattle “shall not to the so-called Chicken’s no part of the border has been High Court would extend to rest mittee, which has challenged sacrifi ce the animal for any re- Neck, a thin strip of land that agreed upon. It is likely that of the country,” the bench said in notifi cation banning the sale of ligious purpose” was contrary connects India to its remote from time to time there are dif- its order. cattle for slaughter and regulat- to the Prevention of Cruelty to northeastern regions. ferences.” Even as additional solici- ing the transportation of live- Animals Act, 1960, whose Sec- Delivering a lecture in Sin- He added, “It is not the fi rst tor general P S Narasimha told stock. tion 28 says it is not an off ence gapore, Jaishankar said Prime time that has happened. And the bench not to pass any order After passing the order, the to “kill any animal in a manner People make their way through a waterlogged street after Minister Narendra Modi and when such situations arise, as the central government was court disposed of the petition required by the religion of any heavy rains in Allahabad yesterday. China’s President Xi Jinping how we handle it...is a test of amenable to the high court juris- by All India Jamitul Quresh community”. reached consensus on two our maturity”. Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 17 INDIA

APPEAL DECISION POLITICS LEGAL CRIME Yemen urged to help Nagaland governor delays Panneerselvam cites Haryana asks Punjab to Man who tried to open free kidnapped priest floor-test for Liezietsu S Africa verdict in vote row honour ruling on SYL Canal jet door midair booked

External Aff airs Minister Sushma Swaraj Nagaland Governor P B Acharya yesterday, The AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar A passenger on board AirAsia India’s New yesterday asked visiting Yemeni Deputy Premier who had asked Chief Minister Shurhozelie Kazhagam) faction, led by O Panneerselvam yesterday hailed the Supreme Court verdict Delhi-Ranchi flight, who tried to open the and Minister of Foreign Aff airs, Abdulmalik Liezietsu to prove his majority on the floor of yesterday cited a recent South African top on the SYL Canal issue and appealed to his emergency door of the aircraft midair, has been Abduljalil al-Mekhlafi, to secure the safe the assembly by July 15, postponed the floor court verdict permitting secret voting as an Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh to take booked under relevant sections of the Indian and early release of abducted Indian priest test in view of the presidential elections on option on a no-confidence motion against immediate steps to ensure construction of the Penal Code. According to sources, the incident Father Tom Uzhunnalil. In the meeting, al- July 17. Acharya also issued another notice to President Jacob Zuma in their plea in the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal in his state so occurred on July 10. The man also injured crew Mekhlafi conveyed that, according to available former chief minister T R Zeliang to submit a Supreme Court for fresh trust vote through that the farmers of both states could benefit. members. AirAsia India yesterday said that information, Uzhunnalil was alive and the writ petition to speaker Imtiwapang Aier with secret ballot in Tamil Nadu against Chief “I thank the Supreme Court for its orders on an unruly passenger was handed over to the Yemen government has been making all eff orts at least “10 opposition legislators to move the Minister E K Palaniswami. Senior counsel the SYL Canal issue.” Khattar said following CISF in Ranchi for further investigation and has to secure his release. Sushma Swaraj stressed no confidence motion in a house of opposition- Gopal Subramanium told the bench about the the Supreme Court ruling asking both Punjab subsequently been booked. “AirAsia India would India’s concern for the safety and well-being of less government”. Earlier the governor asked recent judgment of South African Supreme and Haryana to resolve the vexed SYL canal like to confirm that the airline encountered an the priest who was abducted in March 2016 from Liezietsu to prove his majority by July 15 in Court which held that speaker of the National issue through negotiations within two months. unruly passenger on board flight number i5 546 Aden and reiterated the request for continued wake of the turbulence within the ruling Naga Assembly was wrong in not ordering secret Khattar expressed hope that the Punjab from New Delhi to Ranchi on July 10 that led to assistance from the Yemeni authorities in People’s Front (NPF) and demands for him to vote on a motion of no confidence in President chief minister would take immediate steps to inconvenience to guests and crew on board,” the securing his safe and early release. step down. Zuma. honour the orders of the Supreme Court. airline said.

Tejashwi must rebut Malayalam charges: Bihar CM fi lm industry IANS Patna

ihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday asked the BRashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) reels as Dileep and Deputy Chief Minister Te- jashwi Yadav to give a “fact-wise reply in public” to the corruption charges hurled at him. Nitish also stressed that the ruling Grand Al- liance will not break. sent to custody “So far, the reply or explana- tion given by them is not satisfac- tory. They should come out with IANS After the victim got engaged and Film Employees Federation of fact-wise reply in public,” the Aluva last year to a Kannada fi lm pro- Kerala (FEFKA) have also expelled Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader ducer, Dileep is alleged to have him. told his party leaders, breaking told Suni it was the right time to The AMMA executive took the his silence on the younger son of alayalam superstar teach her a lesson and infl ict the decision at an emergency meeting RJD chief Lalu Prasad. Dileep, who was arrest- pain of losing a partner. at the house of superstar Mam- Nitish Kumar’s comments fol- Med in connection with The actor is alleged to have mootty, who told the media: “We low a corruption case fi led by the the abduction and molestation promised Suni Rs20mn to execute wish to state we have always been Central Bureau of Investigation of a popular actress in February, the plan. The crime was carried with the victim and will continue (CBI). “I shall not compromise was remanded in custody yester- out nearly fi ve months ago. to support her. Please don’t mis- with my principles. I am fi rm day for 14 days and also removed The charges made out against understand us, we are for the wel- on my resolve of zero tolerance as member from various fi lm as- Dileep in the detailed custody re- fare of our members. Let the po- against corruption,” Nitish re- sociations. port could attract a life sentence lice go forward with their probe.” portedly said at his offi cial resi- The actor was questioned at an under the country’s strict anti- Earlier the police had forcibly dence here. undisclosed location near here on rape law. removed scores of Youth Con- His statement came after a se- Monday and later the police probe The arrest has shocked the in- gress workers who took out a ries of raids on the deputy chief team recorded his arrest. dustry as the actor virtually con- march to Mammootty’s house minister and other members of “I am innocent and I will prove trolled the reins of the main in- and tried to place a wreath there. Lalu Prasad’s family. my innocence. I was trapped,” the dustry bodies of actors, producers At the AMMA meeting, young “I will not tolerate corruption,” actor claimed before being taken and distributors. The industry stars like Remya Nambeesan, Asif Nitish was quoted as saying by a to the Aluva sub-jail. also stands to lose an estimated Ali and Prithviraj demanded ac- senior party leader. Coincidentally, Dileep’s last Rs600mn with projects likely to tion against Dileep. Without naming Lalu Prasad fi lm in 2016 was Welcome to Cen- be stalled. “The truth has triumphed, fi - and Tejashwi Yadav, the Bihar tral Jail and people who gathered The release of his big-budget nally. I’m happy,” said Nambee- chief minister said a “fact-wise in front of the prison were heard Ramaleela directed by debutant san. “We want to go to our work- reply” should be given in public shouting slogans, Welcome to Arun Gopi is now on hold. Though places without fear (of sexual by those against whom allega- Central Jail. the fi lm producer, Tomichan Mu- assaults),” she said. tions of corruption had surfaced. The police decided to arrest lakupadam, has said the movie In jail hardly a kilometre away He said whenever there were Dileep based on 19 pieces of evi- will be released on July 21, others from his home, reports said, Dileep allegations of corruption against dence that they were able to gather feel this may be unlikely in view of was staying in a cell with four petty any JD-U leader, his party had in connection with the abduction the protests against the actor. criminals, and he was eating the taken necessary action. of the young actress on February The shooting of Kammarasam- food the authorities provided. “The RJD will have to take ac- 17 when she was travelling from bhavam and a 3D movie, Professor The counsel for Dileep, K Ram- tion against its leader. It is for RJD Thrissur to Kochi by road. Dinkan, is only halfway through. kumar, yesterday said the actor’s to act against Tejashwi as he has The police claim the twice- Saddam Sivan and Njarana Mon bail application would be taken up been named in a charge-sheet married actor hatched the plan are other projects in the pipeline by the Angamaly court on Friday. fi led by the CBI.” with accused Pulsar Suni, a driver which all are likely to be stalled. The police will also move an ap- The chief minister said he and of actor and ruling party legislator Meanwhile, executives of As- plication for Dileep’s custody, for his party won’t break the ruling Mukesh, in 2013 after the former sociation of Malayalam Movies further questioning. Grand Alliance. had a quarrel with the actress. Artistes (AMMA) – which had Commenting on the develop- The Grand Alliance comprises The police say Dileep wanted come under heavy attack from ments, Kerala Chief Minister Pi- the JD-U, RJD and the Congress. to seek revenge against her as he several quarters over its stand narayi Vijayan said the “law will JD-U spokesperson Neeraj Ku- believed she was responsible for on the issue – removed Dileep as take its course.” “Anyone who has mar said his party wanted those the break-up of his marriage with treasurer and member. done a wrong, irrespective of the facing allegations of corruption to actress Manju Warrier by carry- The Film Exhibitors United stature, will be proceeded against. come out with facts in the public ing tales about his relations with Organisation of Kerala, which he The probe is continuing and none domain. “The JD-U will not com- Kavya Madhavan, a former co- launched last month and the Ker- who did a wrong will be allowed to promise on corruption and crime.” Malayalam actor Dileep is taken to Aluva jail yesterday. star and now wife. ala Film Producers’ Association escape,” Vijayan stressed. Nitish holds the key to Lalu’s political career alu Prasad Yadav has fought properties owned by the family all Lalu could well be cooling his the RJD and the Congress Party, The icing on the cake, as it were, many battles and won al- across the country while inquiring heels in jail by then, if not in the and Modi fought a bitter battle in came when the Bihar chief minis- Lmost all of them, except of into the construction of a grand cases relating to favouritism, then the 2015 assembly elections. ter announced his support for Ram course the one that mattered most shopping mall in the state capital. Delhi Diary the original fodder scam case But from the very fi rst day of Nath Kovind, Modi’s choice for the till date – the Rs9.4bn fodder The scam traces its roots all the which the Supreme Court has or- the new government it became next president, without consulting scam in which he was sentenced way to the fi rst United Progres- By A K B Krishnan dered revived to look into charges clear that Lalu would not let Ni- his coalition partners. to fi ve years in jail. sive Alliance (UPA) government of of criminal conspiracy by Lalu and tish have his way despite being Nitish has dropped many hints With that he also lost the Manmohan Singh in which Lalu Gulf Times Correspondent others. And the court has also or- chosen chief minister. that he has had enough with Lalu chance to fi ght another election was railway minister from 2004 to dered that the trial be concluded Lalu got his two semi-literate and the Congress. If it is interfer- for six years. 2009. He is alleged to have settled within nine months, meaning sons in the cabinet, the younger ence from the RJD in the day-to- But that is nothing compared for a quid pro quo with a company now in jail, is the most recent one ure almost every day. Yadav could face another indict- Tejashwi occupying the post of day running of the government to the challenge he is facing now. by the name of Sujata Hotels. As – had shouted: “political ven- The ‘surgical strike’ against ment well before the general elec- deputy chief minister, no less. And that has irked Nitish, it is the This one could not only end his railway minister Lalu awarded detta.” terrorists on the country’s west- tions. then the state witnessed a series Congress Party’s rudderless lead- own political career, even from contracts to the company which, But Lalu would be hard put to ern border, the demonetisation These cases could not have sur- of murders that rekindled fears ership that he is fi nding diffi cult behind the scenes, but also the in turn, ‘gifted’ prime land in explain the multi-billion fi nan- of high value currencies and the faced at a more inappropriate time of the ‘goonda raj’ that Bihar had reconcile to. fl edgling careers of his entire fam- Patna to proxy fi rms owned by cial stockpile that he and his fam- goods and services tax (GST), for Lalu. witnessed when Lalu was chief Meanwhile the BJP has said ily, especially his two sons. the Yadav clan. The shopping ily has amassed when, just a little to name a few, have all endowed Although the RJD (Rashtriya minister. A couple of months ago more than once it is up to Kumar It’s a double-whammy for Lalu mall was set to come up on this over three decades ago, he had Modi with a larger than life perso- Janata Dal) had emerged the big- one television channel broadcast to decide where the future of his as he is neck deep in trouble with land but construction has been started off as small-time govern- na that possibly only Indira Gan- gest party in the 2015 state as- what it said was a recording of a party lies. Observers feel it is only the Central Bureau of Investiga- stopped because it had fl outed ment clerk and all he did after that dhi had enjoyed in the early 1970s. sembly polls with 80 seats and the conversation between Lalu and a matter of time before he walks tion (CBI), the enforcement di- environmental norms. was politics. But India of 2017 is a diff erent party has been calling the shots a mafi a don serving life sentence into the embrace of the BJP once rectorate (ED) and the income Earlier, the income tax depart- Interestingly, the shopping country from the days when Gan- as the leading constituent of the in which the former can be heard again for another coalition. tax department on the one side ment had also raided the Yadav mall land scam was originally dhi was prime minister, what with ‘mahaghadbandhan’ or grand al- taking directives from the don. How and in what form that and his alliance partner and Bihar premises on charges of proxy raised by then Janata Dal-United 24X7 news television and social liance, it was always going to be Unlike his counterparts in West will unfold is still not clear. Some Chief Minister Nitish Kumar not land deals in several parts of the (JDU) president Sharad Yadav media dissecting every aspect of tight-rope walk for Chief Minis- Bengal (Mamata Banerjee) and even feel that Nitish, a stickler to coming to his help on the other. country while the ED came down who had approached then prime public life. ter Nitish Kumar who heads the Delhi (Arvind Kejriwal), Nitish ethical behaviour in politics, may Cow vigilantism has taken sev- on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) minister Manmohan Singh with With Modi’s popularity at an other major partner of the coali- has realised that it would be bet- even call for fresh elections and eral ugly turns of late in India but chief on charges of money laun- his complaint in August 2008. all-time high, if Lalu thinks that tion, the JDU (Janata Dal-United). ter to be on the right side of Modi join hands with the BJP for a new if eventually Lalu and his clan is dering. Lalu Yadav charges Prime by attempting to bring sworn Nitish, who had ruled Bihar to get the best out of him for his coalition. indicted and sentenced, large sec- Lalu’s daughter Misa, a Rajya Minister Narendra Modi and his enemies like Mulayam Singh and for 12 years in conjunction with state. So, even as he was vocal in Lalu too should be keenly aware tions of the society, cutting across Sabha member, allegedly owns Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with Mayawati on a common anti-BJP the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), criticising the BJP’s right-wing that his only chance to stay fi ght- party affi liations, would look at it properties and other valuables conspiring to destroy his political platform for the 2019 Lok Sabha had left the alliance in 2013 in a proclivities, he was open about his ing is to let his RJD remain in pow- as poetic justice being served on worth Rs80bn. career. In turn Lalu swears he will polls could hurt the prime minis- huff when Modi was chosen as support to Modi when the ‘surgi- er. If Nitish leaves the coalition someone who had cheated cattle It is but natural for Lalu to not rest until Modi and the BJP are ter, he will have to think again. the prime ministerial candidate. cal strike’ happened. and joins hands with the BJP to of their fodder to hoard millions. shout what every other politician ousted from power in Delhi. That It is, in fact, a desperate ploy Thereafter Nitish, who buried his Nitish also praised Modi for the form a government immediately The CBI had raided the Lalu – Chhagan Bhujbal of Maharash- sounds a little hollow because by Lalu. The Lok Sabha polls are diff erences with Lalu and stitched demonetisation and gave his state’s or even goes to polls, Lalu’s day of home in Patna and several other tra’s Nationalist Congress Party, Modi is gaining in power and stat- more than two years away and together the grand alliance with approval for GST without a hitch. reckoning will not be far. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 LATIN AMERICA

Mexico probes Venezuela enters key week killing of Honduran in battle on charter rewrite journalist Reuters AFP government insists are common Mexico City Caracas criminals. One analyst, Luis Vicente Leon, said switching Lopez from prison he attorney general’s offi ce of the ro- and anti-government groups to house arrest suggested the gov- Mexican gulf state of Veracruz said on are battling fi ercely for public ernment hoped to lower tensions, TMonday it has opened an investigation Psupport over a contested plan by and that political negotiations now into the shooting death of a Honduran photo- embattled President Nicolas Maduro seemed possible. journalist, who had apparently fl ed his home to have a new body elected this month Maduro especially wanted to avoid country fearing for his life. to rewrite the constitution. fractures within the army, without The body of Edwin Rivera Paz was found in The opposition, energised by the which his grip on power would end, the city of Acayucan on Sunday with gunshot release from jail of one of its em- he said. wounds and was then identifi ed by a family blematic leaders, Leopoldo Lopez, is Other observers noted that the op- member, the attorney general’s offi ce said in leading the charge against the new position leader’s release came three a statement. assembly to be chosen in a July 30 days after pro-Maduro militants Rivera Paz was a cameraman for the Hon- election. wielding sticks and pipes stormed duran television programme Los Verduleros On Monday, it organised a dem- parliament and beat lawmakers, in- (The Grocers). onstration in Caracas, during which juring at least seven, during a nine- He fl ed Honduras after armed assailants dozens of protesters and some se- hour assault. shot and killed Igor Padilla, the program’s di- curity force personnel confronting Maduro publicly condemned the rector and producer, in the violent city of San them were injured. violence and said he had ordered an Pedro Sula in mid-January. Unrest also spread to other cities. investigation. Rivera Paz fl ed to Mexico after Padilla’s On Sunday, the opposition will The offi cer in charge of parliamen- death, fearing that he might also be killed, hold its own symbolic public vote on tary security was on Monday charged a Honduran journalist who asked not to be whether the new constitutional as- with human rights violations for al- identifi ed told Reuters. sembly should be established. lowing the attack to happen. Julian Hernandez, a spokesman for the “This population has decided to Inside Maduro’s own camp, there Honduran police, said: “We are seeking more continue the fi ght for liberty,” one are voices of dissent. information about this crime in Mexico to opposition lawmaker taking part, The country’s attorney general, determine if it is related to the murder of Igor Freddy Guevara, said. Luisa Ortega, a strong supporter Padilla and to see if any criminal gangs from “Sunday will be the biggest act of of Maduro’s late predecessor and Honduras were involved.” civil disobedience in Venezuela’s his- mentor Hugo Chavez, has come out tory.” Venezuelan opposition activists clash with riot police during a protest in Caracas on Monday. against the constitutional assembly With Maduro determined to see and criticised government and mili- Peru recalls Ecuador envoy through the process — which critics According to the Telesur news legations that he was the victim of a lifted too, so he is completely free. tary actions. view as a way for him to bypass the channel, Jose Luis Rivas, 42, was foreign plot to topple him, the state- On Sunday — the 100th day of Venezuela’s Supreme Court is over border wall row opposition-led parliament — there gunned down at a campaign event. ment said. the protest wave against Maduro holding legal proceedings against are fears of more violence in the The Venezuelan president, who Campaigning for Venezuela’s con- — 4,000 demonstrators marched Ortega and is due to rule this week on eru on Monday recalled its ambassador streets. rules over a once fl ush oil-rich nation troversial constitutional assembly is against the president, some of them whether to suspend her from offi ce to Ecuador because of its neighbour’s Since April 1, more than 90 people reduced to penury, has been accused to end on July 27. wearing T-shirts with Lopez’s face and put her on trial. Pconstruction of a wall along a busy part have been killed during protests. by the infl uential Catholic Church of The opposition coalition has said and carrying banners that read: “One A grouping of Latin American and of their common border. The latest was a 16-year-old killed turning the country into a “military it will not fi eld any candidates in an hundred days and I continue to rebel Spanish attorneys general, AIAMP, is Peru’s move, announced by its foreign min- Monday in La Isabelica, a town in dictatorship.” election it denounces as a “fraud.” against tyranny.” to hold an extraordinary meeting in istry, came as Ecuador pushed on with build- northern Venezuela’s Carabobo However Russian President It has been bolstered by Lopez’s “I reiterate my commitment to Argentina tomorrow to discuss Or- ing the new 4m high barrier along of the west- state, authorities said on Twitter. Vladimir Putin, a longtime ally, on exit on Saturday from prison, where fi ghting until Venezuela’s freedom is tega’s situation. ern side of its southern city of Huaquillas. In what could be an ominous sign Monday praised Maduro in a tel- he had been kept since 2014 on won,” Lopez said in a statement read The body has already held two The wall would physically separate the city of violence yet to come, a candidate ephone call for “his eff orts in main- charges of inciting violence. by a leader of his party. similar gatherings on the same issue. from Peru’s town of Aguas Verdes, lying just for Maduro’s constitutional assem- taining stability and peace in the He is serving the rest of his 14-year The opposition also said it would In the most recent one last month, across a river, despite Peru’s repeated de- bly was shot to death Monday in Ma- country,” according to a Venezuelan sentence under home detention in the continue to press for the liberation it voiced support for Ortega and mands that the work immediately stop. racay, capital of the central state of foreign ministry statement. capital, although his lawyers said they of 400 other detainees it describes slammed the “illegal” pressure The row has revived tensions between the Aragua. Putin also endorsed Maduro’s al- are looking to have that restriction as “political prisoners,” but who the against her. two South American countries.

Citizens’ voice

ONE SMOKER. TWO PATIENTS.

Members of civil and political organisations hold photos and signs during a demonstration against femicides and violence against women outside the Attorney General’s Off ice in Mexico City yesterday. TOBACCO KILLS Rio teachers learn how to survive a shooting

AFP only seven of 120 school days have iane Tinoco, one of the educators tak- Rio de Janeiro passed without at least one of the city’s ing part in the course. schools being shut down because of Tinoco co-ordinates human re- outbreaks of violence. sources for schools in Rio’s poorer eachers in violence-wracked Rio Rio is in the grip of an increasingly northern zone where 13-year-old Mar- de Janeiro started a new course bloody war between rival drug gangs op- ia Eduarda was killed by a stray bullet Ton Monday — they are learn- erating in its favelas — the poorer com- in her school on March 30. ing how to react to the shootings and munities that lack adequate infrastruc- “Teachers know from experience violence plaguing the host city of last ture or police, but which are home to a that when a shooting breaks out, you year’s Olympic Games. quarter of the city’s 6mn inhabitants. have to lead the kids into a corridor and Some 40 teachers attended the Residents can all too often fi nd lie down. But they often feel very alone course organised by the International themselves pinned down by gunfi re, when faced with these stressful situa- Committee of the Red Cross, and each especially when the quasi-military po- tions,” she said. educator will go back and instruct col- lice force battles with gangs in pitched The daily newspaper O Globo said leagues in their own schools on how to shootouts. that 632 people had been hit by stray deal with a variety of violent incidents. On Monday, as the fi rst class on bullets in Rio between January 1 and “It’s a question of knowing how to dealing with violence began, 18 schools July 2, an average of three a day. Sixty- manage each situation — how to react were closed due to a police raid on the seven of them died of their wounds. during a shooting, for example. These City of God favela, made famous in the “We are not going to solve the prob- are simple courses of action that can movie of the same name by director lem from one day to the next, but we make a real diff erence,” said Lorenzo Fernando Meirelles, who also orches- can’t just do nothing,” said Rio’s public Caraffi , regional director of the ICRC trated the opening ceremony of last schools chief Cesar Benjamin. in Latin America. year’s Olympics. “Education is like Stalingrad — it’s Rio has more than 1,500 public “The situation has really got much the last bastion which must be de- schools, a third of them located in ar- worse recently, so it’s important to fended whatever the cost,” he said, re- Issued in Public Interest by eas deemed to be at risk from violence. have extra tools available to deal with ferring to the World War II battle in the GULF TIMES Since the start of the academic year, these chaotic situations,” said Emil- former Soviet Union. Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 19 PAKISTAN Pakistan PM faces calls SC to start hearings on to quit over graft probe JIT report zPanama Papers probe panel alleges Sharif’s family accumulated wealth far above its earnings zOpposition demands Sharif from July 17 resigns z PM’s allies say report Internews serving that federal government findings “trash” Islamabad has the discretion to probe this zStock market tumbles 4.7% issue, through a commission or otherwise. Reuters he Supreme Court of Pa- The bench also sought tran- Islamabad kistan will begin hearings scripts of all speeches made by Ton the report submitted Railways Minister Khawaja Saad by the Joint Investigation Team Rafi que, the PM’s Special As- akistani Prime Minister (JIT) on the Sharif family’s al- sistant Asif Kirmani, and PML- Nawaz Sharif was fi ghting leged money laundering from N MNA Tallal Chaudhry over the Pfor his political future yes- July 17. past two months. terday after judicial investigators After receiving the JIT’s report When Pakistan Tehreek-i- ruled his family had accumulat- yesterday, the apex court bench Insaf’s (PTI) Fawad Chaudhry ed unusual wealth, with his al- consisting of Justice Ejaz Af- chimed in, saying that the court lies denouncing the fi ndings and Nawaz Sharif Maryam Nawaz Sharif zal Khan, Justice Sheikh Azmat had omitted mention of Rana vowing he would clear his name. Saeed and Justice Ijazul Has- Sanaullah, Justice Saeed wryly A Joint Investigation Team Sharif’s family accumulated But Sharif’s allies dismissed The index opened sharply explain its wealth, which in- san adjourned the matter until observed that the bench “has (JIT), set up by the Supreme wealth far above its earnings, all the allegations against him lower on Tuesday and fell 4.65 % cludes upscale London fl ats. next Tuesday, indicating that also omitted your name”. Earlier Court to investigate corruption and says his children, including and the report. by the close to end at 44,120.58. The team recommended the the same bench would continue in the day, the JIT members held allegations that surfaced fol- heir apparent Maryam Sharif, “It’s trash,” said Defence Min- “After this JIT report, the anti-corruption National Ac- hearing of the case until its con- a fi nal meeting at the Federal Ju- lowing the Panama Papers leak, signed falsifi ed documents de- ister Asif Khawaja, adding that prime minister’s position has countancy Bureau (NAB) fi le a clusion. dicial Academy spent two months looking into signed to mask the truth. the report was “full of fl aws”. weakened and becomes unpre- case against Sharif, according to The six-member JIT, headed (FJA), which served as their the family’s wealth and gave its Opposition leader Imran Khan Sharif, the son of an industrial- dictable. a copy of the report seen by Reu- by Federal Investigation Agen- secretariat for two months, and fi nding to the court on Monday. said Sharif had “lost all moral ist, has denied wrongdoing and He may have to leave,” Talat ters, as well as reporting by Dawn cy (FIA) Additional Director reviewed the fi nal report before In their report, which has been authority” and must resign im- said his family’s wealth was ac- Masood, a political analyst, said. newspaper and other media. General Wajid Zia, brought presenting it to the court. leaked to media, the team alleges mediately. quired legally. Pakistan has for decades been That would likely undermine the investigation report, along Yesterday, the bench asked the In April, the Supreme Court plagued by rivalry between the investor confi dence even more. with two large cardboard boxes JIT to vacate the FJA premises ruled that there was insuffi cient military and civilian politicians “The market has taken the marked ‘Evidence’, before the within 10 days. Prime Minister Sharif won’t resign evidence to remove Sharif from and by pervasive graft. suggestions of an NAB investi- bench. It also directed the federal offi ce — by a split 2-3 verdict — Sharif was originally nur- gation and the overall JIT report The bench also issued con- government to ensure the safety Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will Tahreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran but it ordered further investiga- tured by the military and served as a negative,” said Saad Hash- tempt of court notices to the and security of six investigators not resign in the wake of the joint Khan,” he said. tions, which the JIT was set up to as prime minister twice in the mey, research director at broker- publisher, editor and reporter until further orders and also or- investigation team’s report, says Malik Ahmad does not see carry out. 1990s before he himself was age Topline Securities. of English daily The News for dered their respective depart- the Punjab government. disqualification of the premier Sharif’s daughter Maryam was ousted in a 1999 coup leading to “We expect volatility,” he said. “distorting the court order”, and ments not to take any adverse “There is no question of the pre- after the recommendation of the not available for comment but a decade of exile. The Supreme Court will de- ordered them to submit their re- action against them. mier’s resignation as he has been JIT to file a reference against the she also dismissed the report in a He won a third term as prime cide how to proceed and whether plies within seven days. Also yesterday, the FIA reg- elected by the masses. The PML-N premier and his children on find- post on Twitter. minister in a 2013 election. to call for a trial. The bench expressed its an- istered a criminal case against was expecting this kind of report ing ‘significant disparity’ between “JIT report REJECTED. Every Since then, periods of tension Sharif’s term expires in June noyance with a reporter, who Securities and Exchange Com- since it had strong reservations the known sources of income and contradiction will not only be between him and the powerful 2018 and elections are expected called a member of the Panama mission of Pakistan (SECP) over the manner the JIT was hold- the accumulated wealth of the contested but decimated in SC,” military have led to questions two months later. Papers case bench in connection Chairman Zafarul Haq Hijazi for ing the probe into the off shore Sharif family. she wrote, referring to the Su- about his prospects. If he were forced to step down, with a story. tampering with records related holdings of the Sharif family,” “From lifting of co-operative will preme Court. His brother, Shabaz Sharif, is his ruling PML-N party can ap- According to Justice Ejaz Af- to a company owned by Sharif Punjab government spokesman to tax evasion and money laun- The investigation has spooked chief minister of Punjab, Paki- point a new prime minister until zal, Ahmed Noorani, a reporter family. Malik Ahmad Khan said. dering investigation by the JIT, investors in Pakistan’s equity stan’s most populous and eco- the elections. for The News, called him and FIA sources confi rmed that He said there had been sev- the Sharif family has a strong case market, with the benchmark nomically and politically most The JIT team is made up of ci- sought his comments on a story the Special Investigation Unit eral question marks on the JIT’s against it and we do not expect index in retreat since June over important province. vilians and members of military headlined: ‘SC directed ISI to (SIU) had registered an FIR report. “It appears that the JIT’s any adverse verdict from the fears Sharif’s removal would The team in its 254-page re- agencies, including the mili- look after JIT’s aff airs’. against Hijazi under Sections report is a narrative of Pakistan Supreme Court,” he said. plunge Pakistan back into chaos port alleges the family’s busi- tary’s main Inter-Services Intel- “How a reporter can dare ap- 466 (forgery) and 471 (using after years of relative stability. nesses alone are not enough to ligence agency. proach a member of this court?” forged documents) of the Paki- the bench observed. stan Penal Code and Section 5(2) Besides, the court directed of the Prevention of Corruption the JIT to disclose identity of the Act, 1947. Calibri font becomes trending individual who leaked a photo FIA Deputy Director Tahir from Hussain Nawaz’s fi rst ap- Tanvir is the complainant in this topic in Panama graft case pearance. case. UN: Nearly 150,000 Afghans On Hussain’s plea for the The JIT had alleged that the constitution of a commission to SECP chairman had altered alibri, Microsoft’s default a Panama-based law firm. probe the leak, the bench left it records related to the Chaudhry font, became a trending “I have identifi ed the type font to the federal government, ob- Sugar Mills. Ctopic in Pakistan yester- used to produce both certifi ed displaced by confl ict this year day after a team of investigators declarations as Calibri,” the in- pointed out the country’s rul- vestigation team said in the fi nal Army commanders vow to support nation ing family strangely used it in report, which was submitted to DPA compared to the same period placed in Kunduz province a document which dates back the Supreme Court on Monday. Kabul in 2016. in the past week alone, due Pakistan military’s command said yesterday that its actions would to a time when the font was not “However, Calibri was not Last year, 196,112 people had to non-stop fighting be- continue to be grounded in national interest. commercially available. commercially available before been displaced by mid-July, the tween Afghan forces and Its public aff airs division, Inter-Services Public Relations, in a Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the January 31, 2007, and, as such, he ongoing confl ict in report said. insurgents in the areas sur- statement on the meeting of the corps commanders at the General daughter of Prime Minister Na- neither of the originals of the Afghanistan has forced Forced displacement was rounding the provincial Headquarters said: “The forum reiterated to continue supporting waz Sharif, had submitted a certified declarations is cor- Tnearly 150,000 people reported from most parts of capital, also known as Kun- and enabling national eff orts to play positive role in line with document in the font to a team rectly dated and had to have to leave their homes so far this the country, but the majority duz, the report added. Pakistan’s national interests. Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa presided of investigators, claiming to have been created at some later year, the United Nations said came from the north, where Last year more than 660,600 over the meeting.” signed it in 2006. point in time.” yesterday. 43 per cent of all internally civilians fl ed their homes. Gen Bajwa, it should be recalled, had while interacting with troops The team, appointed by the In addition to the comments A total 146,400 people displaced people were regis- At the beginning of 2017, last week said: “Country comes first, self later”. Yesterday’s meeting Supreme Court, is investi- about Calibri font, the report have so far been displaced, tered. the United Nations predict- was important because it happened on the day the JIT which gating Sharif’s family assets said, “There are glaring dis- according to the United Na- Numbers are likely to rise. ed that another 450,000 included representatives from the Military Intelligence and ISI in London and its offshore parities between the declared tions Office for the Co-ordi- According to so far un- people would be displaced submitted its findings to the apex court on Prime Minister Nawaz wealth, as revealed in last income and the known income nation of Humanitarian Af- verified reports, another inside the country by the Sharif’s off shore holdings. year’s leak of documents from sources of the family.” fairs (OCHA), a 25% decrease 14,000 people were dis- end of the year. In power-short Pakistan, switch to solar power hit by rumours

Thomson Reuters Foundation would actually make things worse. Tariq Mehmood, general power utilities are hampering nection from the utility. Larkana, Pakistan Unscrupulous local utility of- manager of the Islamabad Elec- this growing shift to solar en- IESCO’s Mehmood said that fi cials, he says, told him that the tric Supply Company (IESCO), a ergy through rumours, because although the utility had periodi- dark-coloured solar panels, built public power utility, said he was they fear the growing adoption cally received complaints from ohamed Aslam has fi - to absorb the sun’s rays and con- not aware of any IESCO employ- solar energy systems will lead to customers about bribe-taking, nally found a way to vert them to electricity, would ees spreading rumours. overall revenue decline from new it had taken steps to reduce the Mgive his family relief increase the ambient heat in the “Our power utility has noth- connection applications,” Shah problem. from extended power cuts. buildings they were attached to, ing to do with (any rumours) and said. “IESCO management has In February this year he in- pushing the temperature indoors disowns them. People shouldn’t Retired Pakistan Railways em- controlled (bribe-taking) stalled a 300-watt solar power even higher. believe them,” Mehmood said in ployee Raja Jameel said he was through a strong online public generating system on the roof of According to Aslam, the offi - a telephone interview. unsuccessful in getting a grid complaint redressal system es- his house. cials even said that the growing Aslam’s new solar home sys- connection two year ago for his tablished a few years ago. In Pakistan, power outages use of solar panels was to blame tem — two solar panels, four new home in Ghouri, a rural lo- Besides, we have made the scheduled by the country’s for the more frequent and in- ceiling fans, four energy-saving cality on Islamabad’s outskirts. process of sanctioning and issu- strained public electric utili- tense heat waves that Pakistan lights and a rechargeable battery “What (fi nally) worked in ing new electricity connection ties frequently hit households, has experienced — something — cost him $500. a matter of a few hours to get systems more transparent and lasting as long as 10 hours a day scientists say is entirely untrue. During the day the system what I was denied for nearly four hassle-free,” Mehmood said. in towns and cities and up to 16 Climate change and worsen- powers the ceiling fans and stores months was a $50 bribe to a su- In an interview outside the hours in rural areas. ing extreme heat is instead driven enough electricity in the battery perintendent of IESCO,” Jameel Parliament building in Islama- The situation is worst dur- largely by a huge expansion in the to run the fans and lights for six said in an interview. bad, Minister of State for Water ing the brutally hot summer use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil or seven hours at night if the grid As solar home systems become more aff ordable, many households He said he believes that in and Power Abid Sher Ali did not months, when air-conditioners and gas since the start of the in- electricity supply goes off . see them as an alternative to trying to get a new electrical connec- some utility companies, em- deny that power distribution often overload the national grid. dustrial revolution, they say. The battery can recharge in tion via the public power utilities. ployees responsible for approv- companies, including IESCO, Buying solar panels to create “I discovered it was a fake ru- sunlight in three hours. ing new power connections try have had problems with corrup- power at home might seem an mour only after I installed the “We have fans and lights (that) panels add to heat problems. electrical connection via the to dissuade potential solar adop- tion, but said the government obvious way to bridge the gap. solar system on the insistence remain on whenever power out- “To prove these rumours public power utilities. ters by spreading false rumours took all complaints regarding But although the panels have of my friend, a graduate in elec- ages hit us. What makes me wrong, often I have to take them According to Mir Ahmad about the panels, largely because such matters seriously. been available since 2014 in tric engineering,” Aslam told the more happy is that my family to the rooftop of my shop to Shah, executive secretary of the they do not want to lose poten- “We have a zero tolerance Aslam’s town of Larkana, in the Thomson Reuters Foundation in feels a great relief thanks to it,” show them the solar system that Pakistan Renewable and Alter- tial bribes for approving new policy regarding bribery in the southern province of Sindh, an interview. Aslam said. powers my shop,” Karim said. native Energy Association, pub- grid connections. public power utilities across the the 35-year-old entrepreneur His friend assured him that the Abdul Karim, a solar panel re- “Then many buy solar systems lic utilities that control power Jameel plans to build a sec- country,” Ali said. waited two years before fi nally rumours were just a trick by utility tailer at the Aabpara electronic from me.” distribution and supply fear that ond storey onto his home to The minister added there is a installing one. company employees bent on dis- market in Islamabad, Pakistan’s As solar home systems be- the gradual adoption of solar en- rent out, but he says he will robust complaints mechanism, Cost wasn’t the problem. couraging wide-scale adoption of capital, said prospective cus- come more aff ordable, many ergy will make people less reliant install a 2-kilowatt solar home and that any employees found to Instead, he said, he was put solar energy adoption in order to tomers often mention having households see them as an al- on the national grid. system to power it, rather than have been corrupt are demoted off by rumours that solar panels safeguard their jobs. heard the rumours that solar ternative to trying to get a new “Employees of the public begging for a new power con- or dismissed. Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 PHILIPPINES Army opposes Death toll in Marawi proposal for fi ve-year martial siege tops 500: military law extension DPA Manila By Llanesca T Panti administrator Delfi n Lorenzana & Catherine S Valente in a “few days,” he added. he death toll in a protract- Manila Times Lorenzana will then endorse ed battle between Islamic the document to the president TState-allied militants and who will make the decision on government troops in the south- he Armed Forces of the whether to lift martial law or ern Philippine city of Marawi Philippines (AFP) and ask Congress to extend it. has topped 500, the military said Tsome lawmakers put Martial law will expire on yesterday. their foot down on the pro- July 22. Alvarez had said that Ninety of the dead were sol- posal to prolong the imple- he would push for the exten- diers and police offi cers, while mentation of martial law by sion of martial law in Mind- 39 were civilians killed by the fi ve years, saying there is no anao until 2022. militants in Marawi City, 800 basis for it. Palace spokesman Ernesto kilometres south of Manila, said AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Abella clarifi ed that the exten- Brigadier General Restituto Pa- Restituto Padilla Jr said a fi ve- sion of martial law in Mind- dilla. year extension may be “too anao would be the decision of At least 381 of the dead were long” based on the current se- the president. militants killed in the fi ghting curity situation in Mindanao. “Speaker Alvarez has clari- which began on May 23 after “The Armed Forces, before fi ed that his remarks to extend government forces attempted it makes its recommendation martial law until 2022 is his to arrest a local leader of the Is- to the commander-in-chief, personal opinion,” Abella said. lamic State terrorist group, he must have enough basis, an in- Rep. Harry Roque of Kabay- added. telligent basis to make whatev- an party-list also on Monday Defence Secretary Delfi n er recommendation there is for said extending martial law in Lorenzana denied a local media the extension or the lifting (of Mindanao would be bad for the report that up to 2,000 civilians martial law),” Padilla said dur- country because it would scare had been killed in the confl ict, ing the Mindanao Hour news away tourists and investors. and urged the public to avoid conference in Malacanang. “The president is yet to ask sharing such “unverifi ed re- “We are sticking to some for an extension…but while I ports” that could “cause undue mission profi les that we were was supportive of the initial alarm, panic and confusion.” provided at the very beginning declaration, I hope that if an “Such information is not of martial law. These are the extension is made, it will be just only detrimental to our ongo- operational considerations,” for the shortest time possible ing operations. It also hurts our he added. President Rodrigo because declaring martial law is economy and our international Duterte had said that the de- never good for the country. By image as a nation,” he said in a cision to extend or lift martial extending it, it will be a contin- statement. This undated handout photo shows a militant member of the so-called Maute group, inside a house in Marawi. law in Mindanao will be based uing admission before the in- Lorenzana also allayed public on the recommendation of the ternational community that we fears of a prolonged period of President Rodrigo Duterte de- The decree is set to expire in in-chief that must be resorted to prevent it being abused as it has military. are yet to contain rebellion, in- martial law, which some legisla- clared a 60-day martial law in 10 days. only when warranted by our na- implications to the country’s But Padilla clarifi ed that the vasion,” Roque, also the House tors have proposed be extended Mindanao to help boost the fi ght Lorenzana said martial law tional security circumstances.” peace and order, economy, trade, AFP can only make recom- deputy minority leader, said. for another fi ve years in the against the militants in Marawi was “an extraordinary power of “Our constitution has pre- tourism, and our people’s way of mendations but the fi nal deci- “Under martial law, the southern region of Mindanao. City. the president as commander- scribed limitations precisely to life,” he added. sion rests on political leaders. military rule is supreme. Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez When the military is supreme earlier proposed that martial and not the civilian author- law be implemented until the ity, it means people without end of Duterte’s term of offi ce. the (electoral) mandate are in “First, we don’t know what charge,” he added. was the basis of the speaker The Constitution provides Kin of casino blaze victim in 66mn peso claim for saying that, because mar- the president can only declare tial law is a political decision,” martial law and suspend the By Jaime Pilapil processing their compromise agree- school assistance for the victim’s child ilies of the 37 victims as financial as- Padilla said. “The Department privilege of the writ of habeas Manila Times ments with RWM management while the family of Munoz is asking for sistance for funeral expenses and other of National Defence or AFP corpus in cases of rebellion, Acosta is helping 10 families on their additional claims like school, health, immediate needs. The casino and enter- will only recommend but the invasion or when public safety money claims. She said families have and employment for the victim’s child tainment resort resumed operations a decision will come from the requires it. he family of a victim of the June 2 agreed to settlements. aside from increasing the cash money few days after the June 2 incident. political leadership that has a “I would be cautious (in rampage at the Resorts World Ma- “But one family is asking for P66mn to P2mn. “I hope Andrew Tan, owner Acosta said that another mediation wider range of basis for their extending martial law). The Tnila (RWM) has fi led a staggering because the victim was a businessman,” of the resort, will agree to the settle- meeting is scheduled on July 19. decision,” he added. international community may P66mn claim for damages. she added without mentioning the ments,” Acosta said. “I suggest Resorts World will make Padilla said the military’s already conclude that we have The victim, a businessman, was one identity of the victim’s family. Asked what she will do if other fami- good offers to finally give closure to the recommendation on the pos- long term problems as far as of 37 persons killed when Jessie Carlos Acosta said most of the settlement lies of the victims will not agree to a set- case and avoid very tedious protracted sible extension of martial law peace and order is concerned, set gaming tables on fire before killing she is helping process are those of fami- tlement, Acosta said criminal cases will hearings,” she said, citing several cases will be based on whether or but I can see that martial law himself. lies of the casino and entertainment be filed against the casino’s operator. that took years to settle, like the sink- not it has accomplished orders is still badly needed in Ma- Thirteen employees and 24 guests resort’s employees, The first claims set- “We have a draft petition and we will ing in 2008 of the M/V Princess of the given to troops when martial rawi, in parts of Lanao del Sur died from suffocation. tled were those of Merylle Guen Kimun- just encode their names, including the Stars where 700 passengers died or went law was proclaimed. and Autonomous Region in Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) head do, P1.9mn, Pacita Conquilla, P1.8mn petition for the cancellation of the per- missing. Acosta said until now, hear- The military will submit its Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Persida Acosta on Monday said that and Shyreen Ivy Munoz, P1mn. mit to operate the casino,” she added. ings are ongoing since the ship’s owner, recommendation to the de- where the extremist groups are the families of the victims have started Conquilla’s family is also asking for RWM first gave P1mn each to the fam- Sulpicio Line, can afford to hire lawyers. fence secretary and martial law based,” Roque said. Bataan inmates meet Contract workers widely partners inside prison used by govt: lawmakers

By Ernie B Esconde was detained for a drug offence. “I will go on lov- By Llanesca T Panti Manila Times/Balanga City ing you. I love you so much,” the inmate whis- Manila Times pered to the woman who reciprocated the pledge. Some inmates met their partners who were ome 38 inmates exchanged “I do’s” with visiting relatives in jail. Some are both detained resident Rodrigo Duterte their partners in a mass wedding held inside and fell in love while in detention. promised to end the hir- Sthe Bataan provincial jail at the capitol com- An inmate said he was introduced to a woman Ping of contractual work- pound here. visitor in 2010. ers but lawmakers on Monday The covered court on one side of the big jail com- “We met, we fell in love.” claimed that the government pound under the Bureau of Jail Management and “Our inmates need these free wedding cer- itself is implementing the ille- Penology was abloom with fl owers where smiling emonies because they can’t afford the cost of gal labour practice. couples passed under a bedecked arc. getting married out of jail. I hope they love one Representatives Antonio From the exchange of rings and pledges of love, another for life. A marriage contract is for life, it Tinio and France Castro of Al- the couples sealed their troth with kisses, after isn’t an ordinary contract,” Supt. Andrew Tauli, liance of Concerned Teachers Balanga City Mayor Francis Garcia pronounced jail warden, said. said Joint Circular 1 issued by them husband and wife. He said it was the second mass wedding in the the Civil Service Commission A 45-year old inmate married her widowed 71- history of the provincial jail. allows government agencies to year old partner of 12 years. He shared to Manila There are 2,080 male and 260 female inmates hire personnel on Contracts of Times that he was about to marry her earlier but in the Bataan jail. Service (COS) and Job Orders (JO) or contractual basis. Since the CSC, Commis- sion on Audit (COA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) have no Napoles seeks bail in plunder case guidelines governing contracts of service and job orders, as of July 2016, there were 595,162 Manila Times cision of the the Offi ce of the Ombudsman, contractual workers in govern- Manila Sandiganbay- was able to establish “strong” ment, Tinio said. “The gov- Workers from Caraga region hold a rally in Mendiola, Manila to protest the practice of contractualisation an Third Di- evidence against her. ernment is already the biggest in the region. vision on Oc- Napoles countered: “All in all, user of contractual workers, etained businesswom- tober 16, 2015 the petition…will stand on its and the CSC circular further even for regular functions and take the service provided by painting, electrical, and the like an Janet Lim-Napoles and on March own merits. It is clear that the allows government agencies duties of the agency. The pros- the individual or institutional which are not part of the regular D(pictured) has asked the 2, 2016 in a Third Division of the Sandigan- to hire personnel on COSs and pect of ending contractualisa- contractor” and for “support functions of the agency.” Supreme Court to grant her pe- motion for re- bayan has acted with grave abuse JOs until end of 2018,” the law- tion in the public sector is now services” such as “janitorial, “Job security and decent tition for bail as the prosecution consideration of discretion amounting to lack maker added. far-fetched,” Castro said. “This security, driving, data encod- wages are the number one cry has failed to present a “strong” denying her petition for bail. or excess of jurisdiction in hold- Castro lamented that the will only lengthen the suff ering ing, equipment and grounds of the Filipino people. We call plunder case against her. Through her lawyers, Napoles ing that the evidence of guilt of CSC circular did not state a of workers who are deprived of maintenance and other serv- on the Duterte administration Napoles, who has been ac- had fi led a petition for certiorari petitioner for the crime of plun- commitment to create new po- job security, decent salaries and ices that support the day to day to fulfi l his promise to end con- cused of masterminding the before the high tribunal after the der is strong.” sitions for these contractual benefi ts.” operations of the agency.” tractualisation. We urge CSC, multibillion-peso scam involv- anti-graft court’s twin denials. Napoles’ co-respondent is workers. Provision 7.1 of the CSC cir- Provision 7.2, on the other COA and DBM to amend the ing several lawmakers’ Priority The prosecutors argued that former Senator Juan Ponce En- “The said circular has loop- cular permits hiring through hand, allows agencies to hire joint circular to ensure that the Development Assistance Fund the Sandiganbayan correctly rile, whom the Supreme Court holes that will pave the way for COS if it is “impractical or JOs for “emergency or inter- guidelines will really end endo (PDAF) or pork barrel, has asked rejected her petition for bail be- had allowed to post bail for hu- government agencies to contin- more expensive for the govern- mittent work, and manual tasks rather than assure its continued the high court to reverse the de- cause the people, represented by manitarian considerations. ue hiring COS and JO workers ment agency to directly under- such as carpentry, plumbing, proliferation,” Tinio said. Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 21 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Minister vows dengue control within month Sri Lankan Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne yesterday said that the UNHCR: Refugees may stay government was working on a programme to curb the spread of dengue 50% within a month. The minister said the programme would be implemented based on the recommendations of a team of experts from the WHO. in Bangladesh ‘for some time’ The report, compiled by the team of WHO experts, on the AFP ed Monday: “Struck by sense of eradication of dengue in Sri Dhaka despair of refugees in Cox’s Ba- Lanka, has been handed over to zaar: tangible progress in My- the government. anmar & better opportunities Dr Amal Harsha de Silva, deputy early half a million Ro- can restore trust in the future.” director, General of Health hingya refugees from Bangladesh in 2015 caused Services, said that the report NMyanmar living in an international outcry after would be presented to the squalid Bangladeshi camps face revealing plans to relocate tens cabinet today. staying “for some more time”, of thousands of Rohingya refu- He added that steps were being the UN high commissioner for gees to a barren island prone to taken to only admit critical refugees has said. monsoonal fl ooding. dengue patients to government Filippo Grandi, the chief of Earlier this year Dhaka or- hospitals in a bid to curb the UNHCR, visited two refugee dered preliminary construction influx of dengue patients at state camps in Cox’s Bazar on the to start at the site in Thengar hospitals. southeast coast where hundreds Char in the Bay of Bengal. of thousands of Rohingya Mus- Grandi, who met Prime Min- lims have fl ed violence in neigh- ister Sheikh Hasina during his bouring Myanmar. trip, said any relocation should Grandi warned the minority be voluntary. group faced a “very dire state “None should be forcefully Air force in northern Rakhine” bordering relocated,” he said. Cox’s Bazar, adding Myanmar Dhaka estimates 400,000 offi cials had said the verifi ca- Rohingya refugees are living in trainer tion procedure for refugees be- Bangladesh, including nearly fore any repatriation would be 70,000 who have arrived since lengthy. October fl eeing violence in My- aircraft “We off ered our technical ex- anmar’s western Rakhine state. pertise (to Myanmar). I think it’s Many recalled horrifi c sto- possible that refugees will stay ries of villages being torched, crashes here in Bangladesh for some relatives burned alive and the more time,” he said in Dhaka. gang rape of women by security The refugee chief also tweet- forces. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, third left, walks during a visit to a Rohingya refugee camp in the Bangladeshi city of Cox’s Bazar. By Mizan Rahman Dhaka ports that young Rohingya in the Bangladeshi camps are trying to training aircraft of Bang- join insurgents in Myanmar. ladesh Air Force (BAF) A Rohingya shopkeeper in Acrashed at Borohatia Suspect in Nayapara said on condition of Nepal speaker seeks Haridaghona in Lohagara sub- anonymity that Mohamed and district of southeastern Chit- his group fought with others in tagong district yesterday. the camps. Rezaul Karim, assistant direc- “They are like a bunch of hoo- tor of Inter Services Public Re- murder of ligans. Many say they are mem- end to gender bias lations Directorate (ISPR), said bers of RSO,” he said, referring to the aircraft crashed at around a Rohingya insurgent group who 2:30pm. were active in the Bangladeshi IANS appeal to all the people not know that in Nepal, a lot has The pilot and the co-pilot of Rohingya refugee camps in the Kathmandu to maintain any sort of dis- been done to ensure contra- the aircraft managed to come Rohingya early 1990s but are now widely crimination between sons ceptive prevalence and other down safely pulling up their par- considered defunct. and daughters,” the speaker aspects of family planning. achutes, but they suff ered slight Other community leaders epal’s parliament said. But there is a lot that still injuries while coming down, said described Mohamed as “short speaker Onsari Gharti Despite progress in gender needs to be done,” said Giulia Mohamed Shahjahan, in-charge tempered” but said the murder NMagar yesterday equity and family planning, Vallese, UNFPA country of Lohagara police station. leaders held allegations were “baseless”. urged all Nepalis to be com- enormous challenges remain, representative to Nepal. Wing Commander Kamrul “His father lives in Saudi Ara- mitted to ending gender- especially in rural parts of UNFPA’s report claimed and Squadron Leader Nazmul, bia, and sister in Australia. They based discrimination in the Nepal. that Nepal’s population of who were on board, parachuted AFP Dhaka estimates that regularly send him money, he country. Discrimination on the ba- 26.5mn, as per the 2011 Cen- to safety, a Bangladesh Air Force Dhaka 400,000 Rohingya didn’t work. He quarrelled with Addressing a programme sis of gender still exists in sus, is projected to grow to offi cial said. refugees are now in others in the camp,” said Mirza on the occasion of World the country with many cou- 30.4mn by 2021 and 33.6mn Karim said the aircraft was a Bangladesh, with 70,000 Ghalib, a Rohingya refugee from Population Day, Nepal’s fi rst ples preferring sons over by 2031. The fertility and Yak-130, which was inducted angladesh police have ar- arriving since October the Nayapara camp. female speaker said gen- daughters. mortality rates in Nepal have into the Bangladesh Air Force in rested a man suspected of “But killing someone or pos- der equity can lead to well- Most women and girls in the been fast declining in recent 2015. Bmurdering two Rohingya old Rohingya man, was arrested sessing illegal weapons is an managed population and southern plains of the country years. He, however, could not say refugee leaders in the country’s Sunday from one of the many unbelievable accusation against prosperity of the nation, do not receive any education. The Nepali government has what caused the aircraft to crash. southeast where tens of thou- squalid camps in Bangladesh’s him.” thus families should not dis- Sex-selective abortion prac- allocated 17% of its budget to The Russian-made Yakovlev sands from the group are living coastal district of Cox’s Ba- Local law enforcement often criminate between sons and tice is also prevalent in some achieve the Sustainable De- Yak-130 is a subsonic two-seat in camps after fl eeing persecu- zar, which borders Rakhine and blames the Rohingya for crimes daughters. parts of the country. velopment Goals linked to advanced jet trainer and light- tion in Myanmar, an offi cial said where thousands of the ethnic including drug traffi cking. Nepal marked World Popu- According to a report of the population management. attack aircraft or lead-in fi ghter yesterday. Muslim minority now live in Police arrested several Ro- lation Day under the theme United Nations Population “Investment on fam- trainer. Dhaka estimates that 400,000 grinding poverty. hingya men over an attack on a “Family Planning: Empow- Fund (UNFPA), 69% of the ily planning by the gov- Bangladesh had signed a deal Rohingya refugees are now in Police said Mohamed was police checkpoint in Bangladesh ering People, Developing potential demand for fam- ernment and development with Russian state arms export Bangladesh, with 70,000 ar- caught at Nayapara camp in pos- last year when the commander Nation” by organising vari- ily planning is being met at partners is increasing. agency Rosoboronexport to buy riving since October when My- session of fi rearms, ammunition of the checkpoint was killed. ous programmes across the present while many women We are moving towards 16 Yak-130 trainers developed by anmar security forces launched and drugs after a long manhunt. Bangladesh has fl oated the country, Xinhua news agency who are fi nancially poor and progress but we accept the Irkut Corporation. a brutal crackdown on the mi- “He is a key suspect in the idea of relocating tens of thou- reported. uneducated still lack safe that as compared to other The deal was signed in 2013, nority group in neighbouring murder of two refugee leaders,” sands of Rohingya refugees to “It’s your right to choose and eff ective family planning foreign nations, it is not according to Rosoboronexport Rakhine state in response to local police chief Mainuddin a remote island off its coast, the number of children you methods. satisfactory,” said Bishwa head Anatoly Isaikin in an inter- militant attacks on police posts. Khan said. despite opposition from rights want and when you want to “Family planning is vi- Nath Oli, secretary at the view with Russia’s Kommersant Dost Mohamed, a 32-year- The arrest comes amid re- groups. give birth. But I would like to tal for so many reasons. We ministry of population. newspaper. Rural women transform into Floating with flowers clean energy entrepreneurs

Thomson Reuters Foundation chargeable batteries, providing of the country’s 28mn popula- inventory control while Em- Kathmandu around 300,000 Nepalis with tion do not have reliable access power Generation provides access to cleaner, safer light and to electricity and daily power marketing materials. power. cuts lasting up to 18 hours are They then recruit and train undreds of rural “There are many slogans to common. female distribution agents women in Nepal are empower women. But in real- in their communities to go Hturning from house- ity little has been done,” Em- “If we want to out and sell the products and wives to entrepreneurs to power Generation’s co-founder really empower earn a commission on each bring clean, energy smart Sita Adhikari told the Thomson women, we must sale. They are also piloting products such as solar pan- Reuters Foundation in an inter- train them in selling “pay-as-you-go” els, lanterns and batteries view. business skills solar home systems using to power-starved villages in “If we want to really em- so they can mobile money. an initiative aiming to help power women, we must train generate income Empower Generation’s A Sri Lankan boy collects flowers in a lake at the boundary of a wildlife sanctuary in Udawalawe women out of poverty. them in business skills so and become business model has received National Park, 176km, from Colombo, yesterday. The social enterprise Em- they can generate income economically much praise and last month power Generation http://www. and become economically self-dependent” won the International Ash- empowergeneration.org/ pro- self-dependent.” den Award https://www. vides technical training and Wedged between India and The poorest spend around ashden.org/winners/empow- support to women in the im- China, Nepal – famed as the 20% of their income on kero- er-generation#continue for poverished Himalayan nation birthplace of Buddha and sene and candles which im- Clean Energy for Women and to set up clean energy business- home to Mount Everest – is pacts women and children Girls for its innovative ap- Nepal minister leaves for Lanka es and provide loans to poorer one of the world’s poorest the most by exposing them to proach to propagate sustain- customers. countries. One in four people fumes from fuels with mil- able energy among Nepal’s Since it began operations live on less than $1.90 a day – lions of women and children rural poor. IANS The high-powered Nepali “The meeting will discuss a in 2012, Empower Generation the World Bank’s measure of dying each year from respira- Adhikari said the company Kathmandu delegation visiting Colombo range of regional issues such as has created over 20 wom- extreme poverty. tory problems. Adhikari, 43, a wanted to expand the number comprises offi cials from home cross-border terrorism, drugs and en-led businesses, employ- Deep-rooted patriarchy social activist and mother of of female energy entrepreneurs and foreign ministries as well as human smuggling,” Kaphle said. ing 300 female distribution means women and girls are two, said she and her partner, from all of Nepal’s 75 districts epal Home Minister representatives of the immigra- The ministers will emphasise the agents who go from village- often marginalised and vul- US national Anya Cherneff , from the current 11 where it Janardan Sharma left for Sri tion department. need to improve monitoring system, to-village, selling, maintain- nerable to exploitation such as wanted to boost the fi nancial works. “We want to scale up to NLanka yesterday to attend During the meeting, the Saarc exchange of information and tech- ing and collecting repayments human traffi cking and sexual independence of Nepali wom- 100 entrepreneurs and 1,000 the 8th meeting of home minis- home ministers and interior nology to fi ght these common social for products. slavery. Female participation en by addressing the issue of sales agents by 2020,” she said. ters and interior ministers of South ministers will highlight the im- evils within the region, offi cials said. In that time they have sold is the formal workforce is low energy poverty. “This way more rural com- Asian Association for Regional portance of collective actions A meeting of the interior/ almost 60,000 products such and few opportunities are The entrepreneurs are munity will benefi t and more Co-operation (Saarc) nations. in fi ghting terrorism, Dipak Ka- home secretaries is scheduled as solar-powered mobile phone available. trained in business skills such women will be empowered,” The meeting will take place in phle, spokesman at the ministry to be held today to strengthen chargers, fl ashlights, and re- In addition, more than half as maintaining accounts and she said. Colombo today. of home aff airs, told media. counter-terrorism cooperation. Gulf Times 22 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka How healthy is the Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar global fi nancial system? [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), By Mohamed A El-Erian After irresponsible risk-taking Kingdom took the lead on reform, intermediaries have shrunk relative to 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) London almost tipped the global economy and Europe has been catching bigger and more complex end users. Fax 44350474 into a multi-year depression in 2007- up. Assuming that it does, as Third, the fi nancial system has yet 2008, regulators and central banks policymakers there intend, Yellen’s to feel the full impact of technological n recent weeks, policymakers in advanced economies launched assurance of a “much stronger” disruptions fuelled by advances on both sides of the Atlantic a major eff ort to strengthen their banking system in the US will apply in big data, artifi cial intelligence, have affi rmed that the nancial fi fi nancial systems. To that end, they to all of the other systemically and mobility, which already are in Isystem is sound and stable. The focused initially on banks, which have important banking jurisdictions in the the process of upending a growing US Federal Reserve announced in June since bolstered their risk-absorbing developed world, too. And the FSB’s number of other established sectors. GULF TIMES that all US banks passed its latest capital cushions, cleansed murky confi dent assertion that “reforms have And the fi nancial-technology (fi ntech) annual stress test. And Fed Chair balance sheets, increased liquidity, addressed the fault lines that caused activities that have expanded are Janet Yellen has now suggested that enhanced transparency, narrowed the global fi nancial crisis” will receive inadequately regulated, and have yet we might not experience another the scope of high-risk activities, and more support. to be tested by a full market cycle. fi nancial crisis “in our lifetimes.” partly realigned internal incentives Still, it is too early to declare To be sure, another systemic Don’t take food for At the same time, the Financial to discourage reckless behaviour. victory. Although the FSB describes fi nancial crisis that threatens growth Stability Board (FSB) – which Moreover, the process for resolving the fi nancial system as “safer, simpler and economic prosperity worldwide monitors regulatory practices around failing and failed banks has been and fairer,” it also acknowledges likely won’t originate in the banking the world to ensure that they meet improved. “nascent risks that, if left unchecked, system. But it would be premature to granted as global globally-agreed standards – has In addition to strengthening the could undermine the G20’s objective assert that we have put all the risks declared, in a letter to G20 leaders, banking sector, policymakers have also for strong, sustainable and balanced confronting the fi nancial system that “toxic forms of shadow banking” made progress toward standardising growth.” behind us. are being eliminated. derivative markets and making them As an observer and participant in Because risks have morphed – supply risks mount In short, ongoing measures to more robust and transparent, which global capital markets, three of these and migrated out of the banking buttress the global fi nancial system also reduces the risk of future taxpayer risks stand out to me. system – regulators and supervisors have undoubtedly paid off , especially bailouts for irresponsible institutions. First, as more carefully regulated will have to step up their eff orts and Few countries in the world are as dependent on food when it comes to strengthening capital Moreover, the system for payments banks have ceased certain activities, widen their focus to see beyond the imports as those of the Middle East and North Africa cushions and cleaning up balance and settlement has been made safer, voluntarily or otherwise, they have banks. After all, as Greg Ip of the Wall sheets in important parts of the thereby lowering the threat of a been replaced by non-banks that are Street Journal pointed out in 2015, region (Mena). The risk of disruptions to global food banking system. The latest assurances “sudden stop” in economic activity, not subject to the same supervisory “Squeezing risk out of the economy trade is increasing as climate change, rising demand from policymakers are comforting to like the one that occurred in the fourth and regulatory standards. can be like pressing on a water bed: the and political turmoil threaten to squeeze key routes, those of us who worry that not enough quarter of 2008. Second, certain segments of the risk often re-emerges elsewhere. So it according to the latest Chatham House report. has been done to reduce systemic It has been encouraging to watch non-bank system are now in the goes with eff orts to make the financial fi nancial risk and to ensure that banks national authorities co-ordinate their grips of a “liquidity delusion,” in system safer since the fi nancial crisis.” More than a third of all grain imports into the Mena serve the real economy, rather than eff orts under the auspices of the FSB. which some products risk over- – Project Syndicate region passes through one of the 14 global chokepoints, threaten its well-being. Better co-ordination has reduced promising the liquidity they can increasing the risk of disruption. Yet it is too soon to give the fi nancial the risk of regulatory arbitrage, and provide for clients transacting in zMohamed A El-Erian, Chief system as a whole a clean bill of health. address the threat that banks will be, some areas – such as high-yield and Economic Adviser at Allianz, was Recent events, such as fl ooding in Brazil or export Eff orts to shore up the banking sector in as former Bank of England Governor emerging-market corporate bonds Chairman of US President Barack bans on wheat from Black Sea countries that helped some parts of Europe are still lagging far Mervyn King memorably put it, – that are particularly vulnerable Obama’s Global Development Council contribute to unrest as part of the Arab Spring, behind. And, more important, fi nancial “international in life but national in to market volatility. And at the and is the author of The Only Game in risks have continued to migrate to non- death.” same time, exchange-traded funds Town: Central Banks, Instability, and underscore the kinds of upheaval that can happen bank activities. The United States and the United have proliferated, while fi nancial Avoiding the Next Collapse. when bottlenecks occur at vital junctures, says the Chatham House report. Policymakers should take immediate actions to mitigate such risks, the authors said. For the Gulf countries, imports typically account for 80% to 90% of the food needs for a population that is growing at three times the world average and expected to reach 53.5mn by 2020. Gulf food import bill is set to hit $53.1bn in 2020, said a recent Alpen Capital report with the 5% VAT implementation set to bring about an increase food prices across the region. This vulnerability was felt acutely in 2008 when fears of food shortages around the world led several producing countries to ban exports, most crucially staples such as wheat and rice. And the Gulf countries felt the heat with a spike in prices. Subsequently, Qatar and other Gulf nations started buying up swathes of land in Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia to ensure guaranteed sources of food. The current illegal siege imposed on Qatar by some neighbouring countries brings to the fore a very signifi cant priority: Global food Every country dependent on food losses and imports needs to have waste amount to contingency plans in place to deal with the $990bn worst-case scenario. That should simply account for the Qatari government’s wise decision to The remains of a structure and boats scorched by the Whittier Fire along SR-154 in the Los Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma, Santa Barbara County on build strategic food serves that can last as long as one Sunday. At least 200 people were evacuated from a remote area east of Santa Maria. Wildfires continued to rage across California amid a record-breaking heatwave. year. Qatar is also diversifying food stocks and imports while taking long-term measures to boost local food production. The country is leading the way with innovative projects such as soilless farming, using Forget the rain; here comes fi re saltwater for the integration of food production, revegetation and renewable processes. of 80 years of over-aggressive fi re grown the fi re season by a staggering the generous rainy season as a For sure, if only there is one single fail-proof method By Gary Ferguson Tribune News Service suppression, beginning in the early 75 days since 1972. The increased heat, blessing, but not a cure. Although we can exert complete control on regarding food security 20th century. Because of the arid along with profound drought have holdover moisture in trees and big is to do away with wastage. In the Gulf, between a third nature of the West, when trees die, routinely stressed trees – killing many shrubs may keep some fi res in check, ummer in the American West. the primary way they decompose outright or leaving them vulnerable when the thick mats of grasses created and half of the food produced is estimated to go to The time of fl ip-fl ops, river is through fi re. Putting out every to lethal beetle infestations. In 2016 by all that moisture dry out in late waste. Globally, annual food losses and waste amount to rafting, mountain fi shing burn we could get to played well alone, it’s estimated that more than summer, it will create conditions in roughly $680bn in industrialised countries and $310bn Sand Frisbee on the beach. But to the “conquer the foe” aspect 60mn trees died in California. which fi res can ignite easily and spread increasingly, also a time of stepping of our national character, but it And now, the deluded Trump rapidly. From January through June in developing countries, according to the UN Food and into our backyards and lifting our also eliminated the fairly regular, administration has yanked us out of in California, despite its wet winter, Agriculture Organisation (FAO). noses to sniff for smoke. For watching altogether natural “maintenance fi res” the Paris climate accord and begun twice as many acres had burned Here is the stark global food divide: On one side, an the fl ags atop the bank or outside that kept the forest healthy. the process of opening more Western compared with last year. city hall to see how hard the wind is Which leaves us today with hundreds lands, seas and forests to oil and coal Without a doubt, Westerners will estimated one-third of global food production, around blowing. of millions of acres of forest burdened development. This, when we should be in the news in the coming weeks – 1.3bn tonnes, is wasted every year, according to the Or if we’re especially unlucky – and with unnaturally heavy fuel loads. be doing all we can to end our carbon- clutching our loved ones and watching FAO. And on the other, one in every seven people in we’ve been unlucky a lot in the last Understandably, many wildfi re experts emitting ways. our homes go up in smoke. You’ll the world goes to bed hungry and more than 20,000 decade – for packing precious bits are pushing hard for “treatments” that A diff erent but equally dangerous see the tragic shots of smouldering and pieces of our lives into boxes and involve either thinning or prescribed delusion infects America’s worst backcountry tracts and houses burned children under the age of fi ve die daily from hunger. stacking them beside the front door, burning. Yet one of the agencies wildfi re zones. According to the to their foundation, right after the Make no mistake, hunger is the world’s most pressing ready to load into the car should word primarily responsible for such work, the International Association of Wildland clips of fi refi ghters, who will be cast, reality. come down that wildfi res are closing US Forest Service, continues to drain Fire, only about 3 percent of the deservedly, as the heroes of this story. in; that it’s time to evacuate. Indeed its budget in the actual fi ghting of fi res. 70,000 communities in those zones For most of my life I grew up some of us are right now in the worst In several years since 2000, the Forest have taken steps to make their thinking of summer as a time for of it all over again: In Breckenridge, Service has spent 500 times more on neighbourhoods “fi re-wise.” Simple optimism, a notion I still haven’t To Advertise Colorado. In California’s Yolo County. suppression – about $2.5bn – than on measures such as creating non- entirely shaken. I don’t hope for an In British Columbia. prevention. fl ammable 5-foot landscape zones end to the fl ames – they come with [email protected] From the Rockies to the Pacifi c, To make matters worse, our past around homes, cleaning gutters and the territory, after all. But I do hope Display the last 16 years have brought an forest management mistakes are covering attic vents with wire mesh we rise from the inevitable ashes Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 astonishing 11 summers with more running smack into climate change. to block blowing embers can make a determined to bring humans and than a dozen so-called mega-fi res, In a groundbreaking study published diff erence. County governments in fi re into better balance, to mitigate Classified defi ned as a single burn engulfi ng last fall, researchers at Columbia wildfi re areas should mandate at least the self-infl icted danger of climate Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 more than 100,000 acres. More to University and the University of Idaho 30ft between houses to help prevent change, as well as to make sound the point of our anxieties, about quantifi ed the eff ect of human-caused house-to-house ignition, and the forest practices a priority in the Subscription 120mn of us are living on some 200mn climate change on wildfi re activity: installation of adequate on-site water federal budget. If the beginning of [email protected] acres considered to be at high risk of Since 1985, global warming has nearly supplies for fi refi ghters. another burning season off ers harsh burning. We’re living our lives, as will doubled the annual number of acres In the winter of 2016-17, near reminders of the mistakes we’ve made, our children and our grandchildren, in burning in the western United States. record-breaking rains and snow it also prompts us to create a more 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved a land of fl ames. Faster melting snowpacks and relieved the drought in some parts of sustainable future for all the Western The problem is partly the result increased warmth in the fall have the West. Wildfi re experts recognise summers yet to come. Gulf Times Wednesday, July 12, 2017 23 COMMENT Asia’s future agricultural farms

By Mahfuz Ahmed of Asia’s total land area. While China’s 2007 Farmers’ Co-operative Manila governments cannot create new arable Law serves as a good model. By land, they can – and must – pursue off ering incentives such as value- policies to support, consolidate, and added-tax exemptions, the law ood shortages are a distant intensify farming operations on the has encouraged co-operatives and memory for many people land that is still available. other agricultural organisations to in Asia. But as the region For starters, the region’s collaborate and create economies Fstruggles to feed and nourish governments can promote farm of scale. Within three years of the a booming population, they could co-operatives. Not to be confused law’s enactment, the number of become a painful fact of life again. with old-style collectivised farming, co-operatives in China had increased Asia is already the world’s largest today’s co-operatives are thoroughly ninefold, to nearly 400,000. food market, and by 2050 its commercial, prioritising effi ciency and Co-operatives also help farmers population is expected to grow to profi ts. They comprise agricultural manage the eff ects of climate change, 5bn – an increase of 900mn people. enterprises as well as farmers, all of by creating networks through which Owing to its expanding middle class, whom pool their resources to create members can share knowledge the region will likely account for economies of scale, reduce costs, and about tricky adaptive strategies like half of the global increase in annual lift incomes. When bought in bulk by a switching from crops to fi sh or shrimp beef and poultry consumption and co-operative, inputs such as fertiliser in saline-aff ected areas. And with over three quarters of the rise in fi sh and equipment are less expensive, as the extra income that co-operatives consumption between now and 2030. is the harvesting process. By coming provide, farmers can buy greenhouses And by then, more than 60% of total together to co-ordinate planting, to prolong their production season, cereal demand in the developing world co-operatives in India and Nepal have and shield against erratic weather. will come from South and East Asia. made it possible for every member’s Co-operatives also allow farmers to To keep up with this growing demand, crops to be sown and harvested benefi t from previously unavailable food production will have to increase together by a machine, rather than techniques such as fertigation – using by 60-70% compared to a decade ago. individually by hand. irrigation to deliver liquid fertilisers. Ideally, Asia’s farms could simply Co-operatives can also add value Finally, co-operatives make expand their production. But they after the harvest, by streamlining crop climate-smart technologies more are woefully ill-equipped to do so. To cleaning, grading, packaging, storage, aff ordable. With new digital produce a suffi cient amount of food, and transportation. This increases the technologies, farmers can better Asia’s farms will need to undergo a supply of food and boosts farmers’ manage their land, water, and energy twenty-fi rst-century transformation. incomes, especially in places such as use, and prepare for bad weather. Helping Asia’s farmers cope with Bangladesh, where more than one- For example, the Philippines has climate change should be a central third of perishables spoil before ever experimented with apps that give part of this eff ort. Although a warming reaching the consumer. farmers news about plant and animal planet could boost agricultural output China is already modernising diseases, the best places to buy and in a few areas, it will severely limit farms through co-operatives, and by sell farm supplies, and upcoming production, and possibly trigger using digital e-commerce platforms weather events. prolonged food crises, throughout the to tap into high-value markets. In By using less labour, and more rest of the region. As water becomes Vietnam, a co-operative programme capital and technology, Asia’s future increasingly scarce in traditionally has improved the quality of produce farms can grow enough food to feed fertile zones such as the Indo- Asia’s farms are woefully ill-equipped to expand their production. for urban consumers, and boosted tea, everyone in the region. Co-operatives Gangetic Plain, rising seas will ruin fruit, and vegetable revenues by nearly are one way to make this vision a vast swathes of farmland. If sea levels According to Asian Development But this doesn’t have to be Asia’s or tractors to prepare the land for one third. reality. Only then will food shortages were to rise by one metre, the resulting Bank research, by 2050, irrigated rice future, if its farmers can adapt. planting. Although co-operatives are gradually truly be a thing of the past. – Project saltwater intrusion would threaten and wheat yields could fall by as much Most farmers today oversee family- Moreover, environmental catching on in Asia, they will need Syndicate 70% of Vietnam’s coastal farmlands. as 20% and 44%, respectively. This run subsistence plots, and lack the degradation has left huge swaths of more support. Most of the region’s And as waters warm and tidal fl ows would drive up the price for cereals, money and know-how to improve land barren. According to the United co-operatives are fragile, informal zMahfuz Ahmed is an adviser at change, yields from the Mekong soybeans, and wheat by 70%, causing productivity and crop quality. In Nations Convention to Combat arrangements. But with the right legal the Asian Development Bank on Delta’s vast fi shing grounds could the number of malnourished children Myanmar, for example, only 16% Desertifi cation, various forms of framework in place, they could become agriculture, rural development, and plummet. in the region to rise by 11mn. of farm households even use tillers desertifi cation aff ect nearly 40% far more effi cient and durable. food security. Weather report Embrace the courage of moderates Three-day forecast TODAY High: 42 C shades of gray that mark many of our moderate must speak fi rmly to both doctrine of the mean so right order Low : 33 C By Christopher M. Bellitto Inshore: Hazy at places at first life decisions? sides. The challenge is to confront might reign: balance and equilibrium becomes hot daytime and blowing The Philadelphia Inquirer dust to dusty at places by midday. Most of us have experienced co- a policy or person without being that lead to fairness and justice where workers or relatives who go from one confrontational. Moderates of many all do their proper duty. hen did being a extreme to the other: The left-wing faiths fi ght extremists within their Ancient Latin gives us the idea of THURSDAY moderate become a hippie becomes the buttoned-down own tradition – insiders who fear “mediocritas – not a bland mediocrity High: 43 C radical position? conservative. The atheist becomes a their faith is being hijacked by fanatics but a steadying solid middle ground. Low: 33 C W Extreme wings set believer and promptly tells longtime and radicals, violent in their words or The word connotes a sense of restraint Sunny the agenda for faiths and political members of their new faith tradition deeds, who don’t speak the truth of or discipline to tame our cruder parties. Why are both sides always what they’re doing wrong. Being an their religious principles but get the instincts and to make good rational yelling – and why are there only two extremist or acting with the convert’s most attention. choices. Moderation practised in this FRIDAY sides of stark black and white? Why fi re may make you a zealot or a sieve, Extremists wash out subtlety and boil way also brings with it a personal and High: 44 C does someone have to win and another but maintaining balance is much their traditions down to silly slogans. historical sense of proportion and Low: 33 C lose? Doesn’t “me fi rst” equal “you harder. Moderates embrace the fl aws and perspective deeply lacking in the wave Sunny second” – and what does that say Let’s revisit the middle ground, depths of theirs to fi nd a better way. of nonsense statements like, “Never about the common good central to where we won’t fi nd weakness but Aristotle, writing in the fourth- before in history” or, “If we don’t do democratic societies and religious strength to face the criticisms of century B.C.E. in Greece, didn’t this, here’s comes Armageddon.” Fishermen’s forecast traditions? both wings of your favourite cause. If believe that virtue was the opposite Moderation is still a virtue – if only OFFSHORE DOHA We’re extreming ourselves to death. you’re being hit by both sides, many of vice but that virtue occupied the we have the courage to practice it. — Wind: NE-NW 03-12/15 KT How about a word in praise of wise people have noted, you’re doing central ground between the two Tribune News Service Waves: 1-3/4 Feet moderation? Yes, some will criticise something right. It’s where historians extremes of too much and too little. INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 08-21/26 KT moderates with the easy bite that worth their footnotes stand: teaching Healthy pride, for instance, walks a zChristopher M. Bellitto is professor Waves: 1-2/3 Feet they’re just walking a cowardly yellow history in its fullness and not just careful line to avoid vain arrogance or of history at Kean University in line down the middle of the road. the pieces that support your banner. hubris (thinking too highly of yourself) Union, N.J., and author of Ageless Around the region “Take a stand!” they will say. “This is (That’s why historians can be very and a belittling feeling of being Wisdom: Lifetime Lessons from Weather Weather no time for half-measures. If you’re annoying.) unworthy (selling yourself short). the Bible. Follow him on Twitter @ today Max/min tomorrow Max/min not with us, you’re against us.” Can’t Speaking moderately doesn’t A century before and half a planet DrCBellitto. He wrote this for The Abu Dhabi Sunny 43/34 Sunny 41/32 we have adult conversations with the mean being without conviction. The away, Confucius off ered his stabilising Philadelphia Inquirer. Baghdad Sunny 46/30 Sunny 46/28 Dubai Sunny 43/36 Sunny 43/33 Kuwait City Cloudy 48/33 Cloudy 48/33 Manama Cloudy 41/34 Sunny 43/33 Muscat Sunny 38/32 Sunny 37/33 Riyadh Sunny 46/31 M Sunny 46/33 Live issues Tehran P Cloudy 34/23 S Showers 28/22 ‘Brain training’ apps don’t improve self control

By Andrew M Seaman report in the Journal of Neuroscience. Reuters Health Both groups also experienced similar improvements on the standard cognitive and decision-making tests rain training programmes may over the course of the study. make people better at using In a statement to Reuters Health, a brain training programmes, spokesperson for Lumosity said the Bbut they don’t improve research’s scope was narrow. decision-making skills in real-world “There remain many open questions tasks like making healthy choices, a in the fi eld – how, why, and in what new study concludes. circumstances cognitive training is Young adults recruited to use effi cacious – and so painting in such a commercial brain-training broad strokes potentially undermines programme for 10 weeks got better this important, ongoing research Around the world at that programme’s specifi c tasks, area,” wrote Sara Colvin in an e-mail. Weather Weather but on a standard test of so-called The lab’s research suggests there Before the study started and after 10 “We remain committed to supporting today Max/min tomorrow Max/min executive function – the brain’s ability are certain factors that make it easier weeks of online training or gaming, all quality research, regardless of the Athens Sunny 37/26 Sunny 38/26 to regulate itself – they improved just for some people to quit smoking than participants underwent a functional outcome: every study can be built Beirut Sunny 31/27 Sunny 31/27 Bangkok S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 32/26 as much as peers who had played video for others, for example. The new magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on, and they all move us closer to Berlin Rain 20/11 P Cloudy 19/11 games for 10 weeks. study aimed to examine whether scan to measure brain activity while answering open questions – in turn, Cairo Sunny 40/24 Sunny 39/24 People should be sceptical about brain training could modify factors they performed assorted decision- improving the quality of products Cape Town Sunny 16/10 Sunny 14/08 what benefi ts they can gain from like executive function to change how making tasks. available.” Colombo S T Storms 30/27 T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 brain training programmes, said people react in certain situations and The tasks tested whether the Colvin also said the company Dhaka 29/25 T Storms Hong Kong S T Storms 29/27 P Cloudy 30/27 senior author Caryn Lerman, of the ultimately make healthier choices. individual would choose smaller provides researchers – including those Istanbul Sunny 31/20 Sunny 32/22 University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman The researchers recruited 128 immediate rewards or larger rewards who conducted the new study – access Jakarta S T Storms 33/24 S T Storms 32/25 School of Medicine in Philadelphia. participants between 18 and 35 years later, and smaller rewards that are to Lumosity and some data through Karachi I T Storms 31/28 P Cloudy 31/28 “They may need to manage those old who were split into two groups. guaranteed versus larger, less certain its research network known as the London P Cloudy 22/12 P Cloudy 23/14 Manila T Storms 32/26 T Storms 31/26 expectations a little better,” she told While one group spent 10 weeks rewards. Human Cognition Project. Moscow Rain 22/16 Rain 23/17 Reuters Health. using the brain-training programme The participants’ overall cognitive Lerman also cautioned that the New Delhi T Storms 30/25 P Cloudy 33/26 “Our laboratory at Penn has Lumosity fi ve days a week for 30 activity was also measured with tests new study can’t say whether brain New York S T Storms 32/24 P Cloudy 36/21 been focused for many years on minutes each day, the comparison examining attention, memory and training would lead to diff erences for Paris Showers 23/13 P Cloudy 25/16 Sao Paulo P Cloudy M Sunny 24/12 understanding why it is so hard group spent the same amount of time other abilities. older people since her team focused on 22/13 Seoul P Cloudy 30/22 P Cloudy 31/22 for people to change habits and playing online video games chosen After 10 weeks, there were no young adults. Singapore I T Storms 31/25 S T Storms 29/26 behaviours that they know may specifi cally not to target executive diff erences seen in the brain activity “If it was eff ective we’d expect to Sydney Showers 14/07 Sunny 17/08 increase their risk for certain diseases,” function or to increase the level of scans between the brain-training and see it in younger participants as well,” Tokyo Clear 32/25 Cloudy 32/24 Lerman said. challenge players faced. video-game groups, the researchers she noted. Gulf Times 24 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 QATAR

Social media campaign ‘exceeds Qatar-US deal to combat terror funding From Page 1 The US secretary of state praised “The MoU has been in op- On the leaking of the Riyadh the wise leadership of His High- eration for almost a year and is agreement document, Sheikh ness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin considered a renewal of the talks Mohamed said that the leaking Hamad al-Thani for being the fi rst during the Riyadh summit and expectations’, says Al Jazeera and its timing indicate clear ef- to respond to the Riyadh summit US President Donald Trump’s forts to undermine the Kuwaiti on combating terrorism fi nancing. call for combating terrorism fi - Al Jazeera sure of Al Jazeera Media Network hanced its global reach to millions media fi gures, among whom are mediation and to infl uence the He asked all the region’s states to nancing. He confi rmed Qatar has Doha and its channels, following the of viewers in over 150 countries presenters, columnists and social visit of the US secretary of state combat extremism and violence taken several steps in this regard . blockage of all its websites and during its 20 years of service, but media activists, have shared the to the region as well as the ef- and not to provide a safe haven for The top US diplomat praised applications in their respective in reality is also an assault on the campaign video on their digital forts of the United States. terrorists. his talks with the Emir which, he social media cam- countries”, the statement noted. foundations of media freedom. accounts, condemning the attack He noted that the media cam- Tillerson told reporters that he said, touched on various top- paign launched by Al The campaign video was pro- on media organisations set forth paign about Qatar’s lack of com- the Qatari government had “rea- ics. He said his visit to Doha TJazeera Media Network duced in Arabic, English, Bosnian z The campaign records by countries boasting their lack mitment to the Riyadh agree- sonable” views in the month- holds the same spirit President demanding press freedom has and Spanish, showing Al Jazeera more than 53mn views of support for press freedom. ment is full of fallacies. “Qatar old diplomatic crisis with Arab Trump had on his visit to Riya- “exceeded expectations” in the presenters and correspondents and engagement during As part of the campaign, Al has complied with all the terms neighbours. “I think Qatar has dh, where the US had one goal— fi rst week of its launch, the net- requesting demands pertaining the first week alone, with Jazeera will be organising a series of the agreement and that there been quite clear in its positions, to eradicate terrorism around work has said in a statement. to media freedom, which “aim to 32mn views of the aligned of events in Geneva, London and were records attesting to its com- and I think those have been very the world. The campaign recorded more challenge the rising antagonistic campaign video since its other capitals, with participating mitment to this, pointing out that reasonable,” Tillerson said. He described his discussions than 53mn views and engagement statements issued by the block- launch on July 3 media professionals and analysts the Riyadh agreement is a collec- He said the US and Qatar will with the Qatari leadership as on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube ading countries against freedom to discuss the intimidation and tive agreement and not an obliga- work further to stop terrorism fi - deep and constructive, noting during the fi rst week alone, with of expression in the region, in- The campaign has attained ex- threats faced by the network, as tion on Qatar only. Qatar was not nancing and maintain the region’s that he will head to Saudi Ara- 32mn views of the aligned cam- cluding the illogical demand to tensive support from global media well as the status of media freedom mentioned as a single country re- safety, adding that the signing of bia to discuss their concerns paign video since its launch on July close Al Jazeera and terminate organisations, including CNN, in the Arab world. The fi rst event quired to comply with the agree- the MoU refl ected the hard work and the options for settling the 3, according to Al Jazeera. broadcast as a precondition to lift BBC and the Huff Post, which will be organised in Geneva tomor- ment,” he explained. and extensive talks held between crisis. He didn’t predict a time- The campaign was launched the blockade on Qatar”. have shared the campaign video. row in collaboration with the Ge- Sheikh Mohamed stressed both sides to reinforce the results frame for reaching a solution by Al Jazeera Media Network to In its campaign launch press A number of rights groups, jour- neva Press Club, the second event that the action taken by the siege of the Riyadh summit. and said the purpose of this visit support media freedom and ex- release, Al Jazeera Media Network nalism associations and media titled “Al Jazeera Case” will be or- countries against Qatar is a clear Tillerson said the MoU speci- was to support Kuwait’s media- pression “in response to the un- noted that the attack and fabricat- organisations defending media ganised in collaboration with the violation of this agreement be- fi es the steps each country will tion, to help both parties under- reasonable demands presented ed campaign against Al Jazeera is freedom have also commended Frontline Club in London on July cause they did not use any of the take to stop terrorism fi nancing stand the source of concern, by the blockading countries to not merely an attack on a leading the campaign and aligned slogan. 17, followed by a briefi ng for British dispute resolution mechanisms globally, and sets a timeline for and to fi nd a possible solution to Qatar, which included the clo- media organisation that has en- Renowned and prominent parliamentarians on July 19. mentioned in this agreement. its implementation. their diff erences. Qatar Airways’ commercial First batch of ‘top viral video worldwide’ cows fl own in atar Airways has said it cial was viewed more than 50mn “The blockade on the State of received “tremendous times on the airline’s Facebook Qatar initiated on June 5 stripped Qsupport globally” for its page, with nearly 800,000 views Qatar Airways of the rights recently launched television and on Twitter, more than 3mn views granted to it as an international from Germany social media commercial, “No on Instagram and more than 1mn airline. Nonetheless, our focus is Borders, Only Horizons”. views on YouTube,” the airline on ensuring that we continue to The commercial has been said. serve our passengers by deliver- Bloomberg Islamic militants, charges the seen by more than 54mn viewers Qatar Airways Group chief ing the award-winning service, The social media commercial gains more than 54mn views. Doha country has repeatedly denied. worldwide, making it the “top executive Akbar al-Baker said, which we are renowned for.” The boycott that started viral video” during the last week “Despite ongoing prejudice and Qatar Airways senior vice- shares with thousands of its at https://www.youtube.com/ on June 5 has disrupted trade, of June, the Doha-based carrier illegal actions, Qatar Airways president (Marketing and Cor- supporters from all parts of the watch?v=0mA7v_qFAeI he fi rst batch of an an- split families and threatened has said in a statement. continues to soar high in the sky porate Communications) Salam world, which affi rms the belief Qatar Airways has said it will ticipated 4,000 dairy to alter long-standing geo- The success of the commer- where borders and boundaries al-Shawa said, “This commer- that the sky has no limits. The continue its journey forward Tcows was fl own into Qa- political alliances. The show- cial comes from its expression do not exist, only horizons. We cial eloquently expresses the ‘No Borders, Only Horizons’ with the launch of its new route tar yesterday, fi ve weeks after down has forced the world’s of the airline’s “fi rm belief in are overjoyed to see that many sadness we feel at being sepa- campaign promotes the airline’s to Skopje, Macedonia on July the start of a Saudi Arabia-led richest country per capita to the idea that travel goes beyond of our loyal followers around rated from our passengers. Our core philosophy: that the world 17. The airline will also launch a boycott of the Gulf country. open new trade routes to bring borders and prejudice, and that the world have affi rmed our core brand message is ‘Going Places is a better place when we explore host of other new destinations A shipment of 165 cows, in food, building materials and it is a necessity and right for all values, which aim at bringing Together’. We are together with it together, the statement adds. throughout the remainder of sourced from Germany and fl y- equipment for its natural gas to explore this world that we live people together. It is because of our passengers in everything. To The commercial captured the this year and in 2018, including ing via Budapest, are ready to industry. in”, the statement notes. our diverse and global network be forcibly separated from them global media spotlight last week, San Francisco (US), Canberra produce milk immediately and As part of its response, Qa- “The campaign, launched of supporters that we continue is a violation of our fundamental making headlines in prominent (Australia), Douala (Cameroon), the product should reach local tar has imported Turkish dairy across the airline’s social media to fl y the skies together. We purpose, which is to bring peo- media outlets worldwide, in- Libreville (Gabon), Medan (In- markets this week, according goods along with Peruvian and channels, was listed as the top fi rmly believe travel is a right for ple together.” cluding Bloomberg and CNN. donesia), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), to a spokesman for Power In- Moroccan fruit. viral video after gaining more all, and this world is all of ours to The campaign highlights the The ‘No Borders, Only Hori- Santiago (Chile), Sarajevo (Bos- ternational Holding, which is Until last month, most of than 54mn views. The commer- explore. common ground Qatar Airways zons’ campaign can be viewed nia and Herzegovina) and others. importing the animals. the fresh milk and dairy prod- Other shipments will in- ucts for Qatar’s population clude cows from Australia of 2.7mn was imported from and the US, and should arrive Saudi Arabia. When all the every three days, the company cows purchased by Power In- spokesman said yesterday. In ternational Chairman Moutaz Dubai is weakest link in anti-Qatar stand-off total, the bovine airlift is ex- al-Khayyat are fl own in, his pected to bring in the 4,000 brand of milk will supply cows within about a month. about 30% of the country’s By Andy Critchlow, Reuters Trade and fi nancial transac- tion dominated by oil-rich Abu prohibited from shipping utility to import more expensive Led by Saudi Arabia, Qatar needs, he said in an interview London tions with its neighbour have Dhabi - has recorded narrow goods to Qatar. supplies from outside the region. has been accused of supporting last month. been stopped and direct fl ights budget surpluses over the last International businesses that None of this is a severe blow. grounded since Saudi Arabia be- fi ve years, that run is coming to use Dubai as a regional hub are Dubai can always fall back on ubai looks like a weak gan its campaign to isolate the an end. unable to get their workers into Abu Dhabi, or Saudi Arabia, for link in the Arab coalition Qatari economy in June. Moody’s expects Dubai to Doha. Real estate prices also fi nancial help - though with oil Dboycotting Qatar. The For its part, Qatar has rejected record a 2.2% budget defi cit this look vulnerable. Qataris bought prices stubbornly below $50 emirate’s real estate and export claims it is funding terrorism, year. over $500mn of property in the a barrel, those oil-dependent sectors are particularly exposed and refused to comply with the This could be an underes- emirate last year. states may be less than thrilled to disruptions which could arise 13 demands made by Saudi and timate, if government reve- Qatar’s best means of retali- to help. Even so, as a city that from the bitter dispute in the its close allies. nues are hit by the Qatari cri- ation against its detractors is to has thrived by keeping its poli- Gulf region. Unlike other parts Dubai’s economy is already sis. Dubai’s main port of Jebel shut off the undersea pipeline tics mostly neutral, and its doors of the region, the city has much on thin ice. Although the emir- Ali - the largest in the region that supplies natural gas to Du- open while neighbours kept to lose if its investor-friendly ate - the second largest of - has lost business to rivals bai. Such a move would cause theirs closed, Dubai is fi rst in line credentials suff er. seven sheikhdoms in a federa- in Oman because it is now blackouts, or force Dubai’s main to share Qatar’s pain. Picture for representational purpose only.