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INDEX uphold DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 11, 28 COMMENT 26, 27 Health Ministry teams REGION 11 BUSINESS 1 – 8, 16 – 20 Russian 17,559.00 9,791.65 47.98 ARAB WORLD 12 CLASSIFIED 9 – 15 up with Harvard to -84.00 +23.00 +1.77 INTERNATIONAL 13 – 25 SPORTS 1 – 12 -0.48% +0.24% +3.83% launch research site athlete ban Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SUNDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10124 June 19, 2016 Ramadan 14, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir holds talks with Palestinian president Regulations In brief for jewellery, QATAR | Diplomacy Emir to visit Turkey today HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will head to Turkey gold shops today for a short off icial visit. The Emir will confer with President Recep The Ministry of Economy and nents of the items displayed – such Tayyip Erdogan on regional and Commerce has asked all outlets as gold carats, type of precious stone international developments. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas at Al Bahr Palace selling gold, jewellery, precious and degree of purity, labour charge, yesterday. They discussed bilateral ties and exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues, particularly metals and artifacts to abide by etc – in a way that provides them with the Palestinian developments. The meeting was attended by a number of Qatari ministers and the off icial delegation the regulations of Law No 8 for full knowledge of the item they want ARAB WORLD | Response accompanying President Abbas. HH the Emir hosted an Iftar banquet for the Palestinian president and his accompanying 2008 on consumer protection to buy. Qatar slams mention delegation. President Abbas left Doha yesterday evening, after a three-day visit to Qatar. Page 2 A detailed invoice has to be handed he Ministry of Economy and over to the buyer, which will include of its name in verdict Commerce (MEC) has issued a information such as date and invoice The Qatari Foreign Ministry has Tcircular detailing business reg- number, name of the shop and other expressed strong condemnation of ulations for gold and jewellery shops information, manner of payment, se- mentioning the State of Qatar’s name in the country. rial number of the items, description in a verdict issued yesterday by Cairo The initiative is part of the MEC’s of the items, trademark, number of Criminal Court in a case. Page 12 Qatar’s consumer price infl ation efforts to protect consumer rights, items sold, weight, carat, colour and the ministry said in a statement. degree of purity (for diamond jewel- This is to be achieved by determin- lery), labour charge, price and weight SPORT | Euro 2016 ing the responsibilities of a retailer of precious stones and diamonds, to- Portugal held ‘may edge up from muted levels’ or trader towards the buyer. Accord- tal price, and stamp of the shop and by Austria ingly, a unified invoice model for the name and signature of the seller. By Pratap John (QEO) for all outlook years, it said. According to HE the Minister of De- purchase of gold jewellery and pre- A trader is also obliged to give Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo missed Chief Business Reporter The strength of the nominal eff ective velopment Planning and Statistics, Dr cious metals has been put forth by the consumers a warranty on the items a penalty and had a late headed exchange rate of the US dollar (to which Saleh Mohamed Salem al-Nabit, con- MEC. sold. This has to be in written eff ort disallowed for off side as they the Qatari riyal is pegged), subdued sumer price infl ation was “expected to In this regard, the MEC has asked form and verbal warranties are not were held 0-0 by Austria at Euro he introduction of value added global commodity prices and a possi- edge up from the muted levels” of 2015. all outlets selling gold, jewellery, allowed. 2016 yesterday. Sport Pages 1, 2 and 3 tax (VAT) in 2018 and the pos- ble weakening of demand growth in a The hikes to petrol prices in January precious metals and artifacts in the The terms and conditions of the Tsibility of new taxes on items context of lower oil prices explain these of this year as well as the removal of wa- country to abide by the regulations warranty will be mentioned clearly by RAMADAN THOUGHT deemed harmful to individuals like to- revisions. ter and electricity subsidies in late 2015 and stipulations of Law No 8 for 2008 including the following information Woe to him who witnessed the bacco will nudge up Qatar’s consumer The latest QEO forecasts present a will push up domestic prices a little, he on consumer protection. The initia- and terms: name of the commercial blessed month of Ramadan and let it price infl ation, shows a new report by similar trend, albeit from a higher base. said in his foreword to the Qatar Eco- tive aims to benefit both customers outlet and information of the suppli- pass by without gaining forgiveness. the Ministry of Development Planning A 30% increase in fuel and diesel nomic Outlook. and traders. er, duration of the warranty, date of [Al-Bukhari] and Statistics (MDPS). prices in mid-January 2016 and April’s The introduction of a range of taxes Under the provisions of Circular purchase, name of the item, type and Prayer times Analysts expect a gradual pick-up announcement of a new oil price for- and the further removal of subsidies No 4 for 2016, a trader has to promi- serial number, statement on whether Fajr....3.14 Zuhr....11.35 Asr....2.58 in consumer price infl ation over 2016– mula to determine fuel prices in the fu- will maintain domestic pressure on nently display the prices and relevant the warranty covers all aspects of an Maghrib.....6.29 Isha.....7.59 2018, from 2.7% to 3.4%, MDPS said ture will push infl ation upward. prices in the near term. data of the gold, jewellery, precious item and charges for repair and re- in its “Qatar Economic Outlook 2016 – Partial removal of subsidies, which A slight pick-up in global commod- metals and artifacts on offer. Gold placement, a statement on the obli- Fasting times 2018” report. began in late 2015, raised utility (electric- ity prices and an anticipated softening prices have to be constantly displayed gations of consumers in line with the Iftar today ...... 6.29pm The consensus forecasts are low- ity and water) prices, and a further rise of the US dollar will push imported in- on an electronic screen too. terms of the warranty, and any other Suhoor tomorrow ...... 3.14am er than those reported in Decem- may be brought in to bring the price paid fl ation up further in 2017 and 2018, he Consumers have to be properly in- information included in the warranty ber 2015’s Qatar Economic Outlook by consumers closer to fair market value. said. formed about the different compo- agreement. To Page 11 Gulf Times 2 Sunday, June 19, 2016 QATAR

Palestinian president leaves Doha Emir greets Emir meets Seychelles prominent Iraqi cleric president on National Day HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met the QNA Chairman of Islamic Supreme Doha Council of Iraq (ISCI) Ammar al-Hakim at Al Bahr Palace yesterday. The meeting dealt H the Emir Sheikh with the latest developments Tamim bin Hamad al- in Iraq. HThani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Ha- mad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas left Doha yesterday after a three-day visit to Qatar. Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin President Abbas and his accompanying delegation were seen off at Hamad International Airport Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables by HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali and the Palestinian of congratulations to President ambassador to Qatar Muneer Ghanam. of Seychelles, James Alix Michel, on his country’s National Day. Hyatt Plaza’s Fast-a-thon to benefi t children in Somalia

undreds of participants the local culture,” he said. gathered yesterday to In Somalia, according to IEC, Hjoin Hyatt Plaza’s sev- orphans learn their subjects in enth edition of Fast-a-thon, a Somali or Arabic with little or charity event aimed at giving no English. With English as the young and destitute children in main medium of instruction in Somalia the opportunity to learn most universities, the chance English. for higher learning is bleak for Held every Ramadan, the the thousands of high-school two-day Fast-a-thon is staged graduates from Somalia’s or- exclusively for non-Muslims, phanages. providing the participants with Despite fi nishing high school, not only the chance to help the most of them end up as street underprivileged but also expe- merchants, while others risk rience the true spirit of the holy their lives by fl eeing the country, month through fasting even for crossing the Mediterranean Sea just one day. to become refugees in Europe. Fast-a-thon was an off shoot “Others, unfortunately, become of “Help the Orphans” Intensive easy foot soldiers for Shebaab ex- English Course (IEC), a project tremists,” the statement added. spearheaded by renowned schol- Hundreds of participants gathered yesterday to join Hyatt Plaza’s seventh edition of Fast-a-thon. “In preparation for this noble ar Dr Bilal Philips, who sought to event, we have sent e-mails to make 500 bright children profi - donating QR200 on behalf of Prior to the Fast-a-thon, the culminated yesterday with an Feroz Moideen said the mall’s “Hyatt Plaza’s Fast-a-thon non-Muslim communities, urg- cient in English, according to a every person who registers for participants were given an in- Iftar party, which also served as annual Fast-a-thon aims to in- follows a two-pronged approach ing them to search their hearts, statement from Hyatt Plaza. the Fast-a-thon, which carried teractive orientation on Friday a venue for participants to share crease the chances of children in to help change Somalian chil- invite family and friends, and Both Hyatt Plaza and Eid this year’s mission “Educating where they received information their experiences and views Somalia to get a higher educa- dren’s life, promote tolerance make a huge diff erence by join- Charity “were determined” to Children in Somalia”, the state- about the campaign and instruc- about fasting. tion and becoming productive and brotherhood values and en- ing Hyatt Plaza’s Fast-a-thon,” raise funds for the project by ment noted. tions on how to fast. The event Hyatt Plaza general manager members of society. courage expatriates to discover Moideen added.

Gulf Times 4 Sunday, June 19, 2016 QATAR Qatar Charity joins forces with UK Al Jazeera Media Network denounces charities to spread message of peace death sentence

By Denise Marray he Al Jazeera Me- nounces targeting its journal- Gulf Times correspondent dia Network has de- ists and stands by the other London Tnounced the death sen- journalists who have also been tence awarded to journalists in sentenced.” an espionage case. Dr Souag pointed out that abour Party leader Jeremy “An Egyptian criminal court all the sentences issued and Corbyn attended as guest sentenced our colleagues Ib- all legal cases presented to Lof honour on Thursday an rahim Helal, former director Egyptian courts against Al Iftar sponsored by Qatar Charity of news at Al Jazeera’s Ara- Jazeera’s journalists since UK (QCUK) at Muslim Welfare bic channel, and Alaa Sablan, deposing Mursi were legally House in North London. identifi ed by the prosecution baseless, and that all the trials QCUK is sponsoring 28 or- as an Al Jazeera journalist, to were conducted in an environ- ganisations across the UK dur- death on Saturday,” Al Jazeera ment that lacked accuracy and ing Ramadan. Corbyn managed said in a statement yesterday. integrity. He affi rmed that all to attend despite having to deal The two journalists were allegations against Helal were just a few hours earlier with the falsely accused of wrongdo- totally false and that the “only shocking news of the murder ing in the case, together with thing such allegations prove of Labour MP Jo Cox. He was deposed president Mohamed is that the Egyptian judiciary warmly welcomed and made a Mursi and a number of media system is no longer independ- moving tribute to Cox. professionals, the statement ent but rather a follower to the “She had only been an MP noted. executive authorities who dic- for a year and her fi rst speech “Al Jazeera Media Network tate all its decisions”. in parliament was about the denounces, condemns and humanitarian crisis experi- entirely rejects the verdict. Al “Al Jazeera believes enced by the Palestinian people Jazeera believes this is an unjust this is an unjust and in Gaza. She went on to make a and politicised sentence that is politicised sentence that huge contribution about trying a part of the ruthless campaign is a part of the ruthless to bring peace to Syria. Her hus- against freedom of speech and campaign against band Brendan, in the hours after expression, in order to muz- freedom of speech and her death, sent out a remarkable zle the voice of free press. Al expression, in order to message. He said: ‘The only way Jazeera fi nds the sentence in- muzzle the voice of free to defeat this hatred, this wrong, criminating to the profession of press” this evil is by love, support and Guests including Jeremy Corbyn and the QCUK representatives at the Iftar. journalism, which all interna- solidarity. Hatred will never tional laws and legislation seek Further, he confi rmed that achieve anything.”’ should understand,” he said. work together to bring light to areas like Islington; we have very ton, said: “Here in Islington we to protect, and to all journalists Al Jazeera “is and will be stand- Corbyn has a long association Belgacem Kahlalech, project those who have been plunged high levels of child poverty and are a community of the haves who should be enabled to report ing by Helal and Sablan” like it with Muslim Welfare House. He manager, QCUK, said Muslim into darkness.” deprivation in this area.” and the have-nots. There is far with objectivity, professional- has done with all its journalists has served as a councillor and Welfare House played a highly Toufi k Kacimi, CEO, Muslim Acting Inspector Edward too much poverty in our com- ism and integrity,” Al Jazeera who were subjected to similar subsequently an MP in the area valuable role in the community. Welfare House said: “We are open Joseph, Neighbourhood Policing munity. It is organisations like said. circumstances, and it will not for over 40 years. Speaking to “Muslim Welfare House wel- and welcoming to everybody – Team Inspector for North Isling- Muslim Welfare House and other Dr Mostefa Souag, acting deviate from its editorial policy Gulf Times, he paid tribute to the comes people from diff erent this is what our religion teaches ton, attended with several of his charitable and religious organi- director-general of Al Jazeera or code of ethics. outreach work done by QCUK. backgrounds and has good rela- us. Islam teaches us to be harmo- colleagues from the police force. sations that often pick up the Media Network, said: “The Al Jazeera has called upon “I like the model of Muslim tions with their local authority, nious and gracious, to open the Asima Shaikh, Councillor, pieces when people fall through sentence issued by the Egyp- the international community Welfare House because while their MP and with the Christian- heart to the community.” Finsbury Park Ward and Ex- the cracks.” tian criminal court today is in general and international it is of course a place of prayer Muslim Forum. When QCUK He expressed his thanks for ecutive Member for Economic Councillor Rahkhia Ismail, considered an entire failure for and humanitarian organisa- and worship – it also has a good is deciding on funding, it is this the support of QCUK: “Without Development for the London Labour Member for Holloway the justice and court system tions in particular to show youth and women’s group and spirit that we are looking for – this the funds from Qatar Charity UK Borough of Islington, said: “In Ward, Islington and the fi rst So- in Egypt - a country classifi ed solidarity with the journalists good sense of outreach, provid- organisation refl ects the vision we wouldn’t be able to do this Finsbury Park we have levels of mali woman to become a coun- as one of the most dangerous who received “unjust sentenc- ing support and food for home- that we want to support,” he said. kind of event.” poverty here and poor education cillor in the UK said: “Without places for journalists to work es that outrageously oppose less people. It has open days Salman Mujtaba, develop- Richard Watts, leader, Islington and employment outcomes. It community cohesion we are in. This sentence is only one all international and regional which reach out to the wider ment manager, QCUK, said in Council, said: “Muslim Welfare is very important that organisa- nothing. We are all human be- of many politicised sentences laws and conventions that community. I want our children his address at the Iftar: “In these House does a fantastic job in pro- tions like Muslim Welfare House ings from diff erent backgrounds that target Al Jazeera and its clearly support the protection growing up in this area to think diffi cult times we must remem- viding services to the most vul- are prepared to do community and diff erent schools of thought employees. They are illogical of journalists and incriminate of Islam, Judaism, Christianity ber that there will always be nerable in Islington. It is fantastic work and development,” and when we come together we convictions and legally base- all forms of assault against and Hinduism as faiths that they challenges which is why we must if charities like QCUK can come to Kat Fletcher, Mayor of Isling- are something.” less. Al Jazeera strongly de- them”.

Gulf Times 6 Sunday, June 19, 2016 QATAR MEC launches SMS service to track transactions on ration cards

he Ministry of Econ- done using the card. those entitled for them. to enhance Ministry’s con- this regard to send an SMS gov.qa . In case of any doubt livestock fodder is an exclusive omy and Commerce The Ministry said the The citizens will be able to re- trol of the local market and to 50026060 including full or suspicious transactions, right for the citizens and can- T(MEC) has launched a move aims at enhancing the ceive SMS on the registered mo- discover any violations im- name of the card holder, ID the citizens should contact not be given to others for any short message service (SMS) protection of consumers’ bile number linked to the ration mediately. MEC has urged number, ration card number the call centre on 16001. reason whatsoever. Any viola- for Qatar ration cards hold- rights and to guarantee that card, the Ministry said. the citizens who have not and contact details, or e-mail The Ministry reiterated that tions will be decisively dealt ers to track every transaction the ration supplies reach The initiative is also meant yet received the SMS alert in the same to tamween@mec. subsidised ration materials with by the Ministry.

An MEC off icial during an inspection round. 10 consumer violations detected

he Ministry of Econ- the set price for subsidised omy and Commerce Australian mutton and oth- T(MEC) has detected er similar violations. 10 consumer violations The retail outlets con- at retail outlets across the cerned have been issued country, as part of an inten- a violation report each. sive inspection campaign, The penalties for such of- in the second week of the fences range from a fi ne holy month of Ramadan. of QR3,000 up to QR1mn The MEC inspections as well as the administra- covered more than 1,320 tive closure of outlets for outlets, including Ramadan varying periods. tents, cafes, meat stores, The ministry’s inspec- fi sh outlets, clothes and tors have been keen to accessories shops among ensure that retailers and others, according to a shopping malls abide by statement. the terms and conditions of The violations include the special off ers and pro- charging higher prices than motion licences granted to the ones mentioned on them, and suppliers comply the tag, not displaying the with the list of reduced- promotion licence copy in price items for Ramadan, a clear manner, increasing the statement notes.

Gulf Times 8 Sunday, June 19, 2016 QATAR Ooredoo volunteers’ visit warms the hearts of elderly

s part of its Ramadan campaign you all to support this important #CloserConnection, volun- work.” Ateers from Ooredoo visited the Khaled Abdullah Hussein, direc- Qatar Foundation for Elderly Care tor, Public and Media Relations, (Ihsan), to enjoy Iftar with patients welcomed the Ooredoo volunteers who are supported by the Foundation. on behalf of the Foundation and has Ooredoo’s delegation was received stressed the importance of their pres- by a group of employees and patients ence and what they are doing to warm from the Foundation. the hearts of the elderly and put a Ooredoo volunteers who spent time smile on their face during Iftar. with some of the residents, aimed to After breaking their fast together, learn more about their lives as well as Ooredoo’s delegation presented gifts share an Iftar meal. to the elderly people at the Founda- Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, direc- tion and congratulated the organisa- tor Community & Public Relations, tion for their work in Qatar. Ooredoo, said: “The Qatar Founda- The visit was part of a series of tion for Elderly Care is a subject close community and charity activities to everyone’s hearts in this time of by Ooredoo this Ramadan at vari- refl ection. These people helped shape ous events and locations around the our country, and now thanks to Ihsan country. they are receiving the greatest quality Customers can follow Ooredoo’s of care and support. Ramadan campaign via Ooredoo’s “We are proud to break our fast Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page with the staff and patients, and ask and the hashtag #CloserConnection. Ooredoo volunteers at the elderly care centre Sales of luggage surge in Ramadan

By Joey Aguilar selling on average 50 pieces of lug- “People also have diff erent pref- as passport holders, bags for gadgets Staff Reporter gage per day, an increase of around erences - some prefer luggage made and universal adapters, among oth- 30 compared to the corresponding of polycarbonate (hard shell) while ers, have also risen at the shop, he period last year. others go for the nylon or polyester said. ales of luggage have surged “It sometimes goes beyond 50, es- ones,” he noted. “The demand for all Meanwhile, sales of gadgets such at various hypermarkets and pecially during the weekend, and we types is very high.” as smartphones and tablets are at Stravel accessories shops in Qa- are expecting the number to further An Indian customer last month a “moderate level” this time com- tar since the start of Ramadan. increase by the end of this month told Gulf Times that he prefers to buy pared to last year, according to some Winners of QU Plant Design Contest with off icials Speaking to Gulf Times, a mer- when it is payday and Eid will be just luggage made of hard materials for merchandisers. chandiser at a leading hypermarket a few days away,” he noted. “safety purposes.” A long-time merchandiser said a in Doha said many residents buy One hypermarket is off ering QR50 A shop in one of the malls, lot of customers normally wait for such items during the holy month in vouchers for every QR200 purchase which sells high-end luggage, the Eid al-Fitr holidays before buy- time for the Eid al-Fitr holidays and while another store is looking to woo has also witnessed an increase in ing laptops and other gadgets in or- vacations. buyers with its QR499 promotion sales this Ramadan. A staff mem- der to take advantage of the promo- Qatargas sponsors QU People also look to take advantage for a set of three. ber said they were expecting sales tions on off er. of the special promotions and dis- The merchandiser said diff erent to surge in the coming days, es- “We usually launch our promos counts off ered by retail outlets dur- brands normally drop their prices pecially a week before the Eid al- during Eid when people go to the ing Ramadan, according to him. during Ramadan to compete with Fitr holidays. malls and spend their time with plant design contest The merchandiser said they were others and attract more buyers. Sales of other travel items, such their families to shop,” he added.

atargas sponsored the Best Over- They presented a proposal for a Gas-to- all Prize for the 13th Annual Plant Liquids (GTL) project. QDesign Competition at Qatar Uni- The proposed plant is capable of produc- versity’s Chemical Engineering Depart- ing aff ordable sulfur-free liquid fuel as an ment. alternative to fossil fuel and coal by utilis- A total of eight teams participated in the ing natural gas. competition with a wide range of projects. Qatargas officials Alae Sadic al-Has- The projects presented by the teams were san, engineering adviser, and Abdulla evaluated by a panel of judges comprising Radi al-Hajri, Surveillance Engineering industry representatives. Division manager, presented the prizes to Abdulla Radi al-Hajri, Surveillance En- the winning team at a special ceremony gineering Division manager, represented held at Qatargas Doha head office. Qatargas on the judging panel. Dr Fares Almomani, Associate Professor The students presented detailed reports of Chemical Engineering at Qatar Univer- and 25-minute presentations before taking sity, also attended the event. questions from the judging panel. The award was introduced by Qatargas in The competition was a culmination of 2004 in partnership with Qatar University two semesters of work for the students. in order to provide Chemical Engineering The winning team comprised of four students at the university the opportunity students: Shiva Yousefi , Dareen Dardor, to work on a plant design project relevant Mariem Chamekh and Baraa Anayeh. to industry.

The luggage section usually sees a lot of activity in the run-up to the holidays. Paper highlights contribution of Arab scholars to higher education

rab infl uence in the founda- higher education at a time when new on the idea of science and, simulta- other words, toward science,” Lyons tions of higher education is educational developments are tak- neously, strengthening the narrative writes. Athe topic of a paper published ing place in the Middle East. of the relative backwardness or even Lyons goes on to describe the this month by Northwestern Uni- “While today, European and outright failure of non-Western tra- transfer of knowledge from the East versity in Qatar. American institutions are involved ditions - Arab, Chinese, Hindu, and to the West, and the role that the Long before colleges and universi- in that development, the contribu- others.” Arab world played in developing ties thrived in Europe, Arab centres tions of early scholars and thinkers In addition to illustrating how what is referred to as the “core cur- of learning were thriving, the paper made all this impossible.” several organisational and institu- riculum,” which arrived at the Uni- posits. Lyons spent a week at NU-Q last tional components of the Western versity of Paris in 1230. The Western University and the academic year meeting with faculty tradition can be found earlier within Prior to that, Lyon states, “Gen- Arab Tradition: A Secret History is and students, lecturing and contrib- Muslim traditions, he also points to erations of Muslim scholars - all an expanded version of a convoca- uting to workshops and discussions. the core mission of a liberal arts edu- committed monotheists, like their tion address at NU-Q in August 2015 Known for his seminal book, The cation as having its roots in the Arab new Christian readers - had already given by Jonathan Lyons, a historian House of Wisdom, which chroni- world. spent centuries seeking to harmo- and former journalist who is an ex- cles the role of early Arab math- “The Arab contribution was both nise pagan Greek philosophy with pert on the intellectual history of the ematicians, philosophers, and other invaluable and unmistakable, for the tenets of their faith; and, unlike Middle East. thinkers, he is the author of several the scholars of Baghdad, Cairo, Aristotle and his school, they were As NU-Q Dean and CEO Everette other books on the Middle East and Cordoba, and other centres of me- deeply interested in connecting E Dennis put it, “the important role higher education traditions. dieval Muslim learning helped free metaphysics to their own under- that Middle East scholars played in In his paper, Lyons explores how their Western counterparts from standing of the one true God.” the development of knowledge is the Arab tradition has aff ected the the confi nes of religious speculation In his conclusion, Lyons off ers often ignored or overlooked. This creation of higher education in the and directed them toward the study some lessons for today, including paper is published out of respect West, claiming the Western narra- of what the philosophers of the day what he calls a “dramatic rethinking for the Arab intellectual tradition in tive has established a “monopoly … called The Nature of Things - in of the Western idea of Islam.” Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 9 QATAR

Expert shares ideas Health Ministry teams up with on setting up top healthcare facilities

Harvard to launch research site Qatari expert in the fi eld of healthcare, he Ministry of Public Health ADr Mohamed G A (MOPH) has launched Qatar al-Maadheed, shared his TSite Centre, a fi rst of its kind knowledge of establish- in the Arab countries, on Princi- ing world-class facilities ples & Practice Clinical Research in a presentation to fellow (PPCR) in collaboration with Har- professionals at the latest vard University. instalment of Weill Cornell The site aims at providing an in- Medicine-Qatar’s (WCM- Dr al-Maadheed teractive educational environment Q) Grand Rounds. for practice and clinical research in Dr al-Maadheed has proach I have developed is Qatar as well as establishing a glo- held many key leadership to divide my project into bal network of researchers to con- roles in the development three phases: a project solidate the future co-operation. of Qatar’s rapidly grow- phase, a commissioning Professor Felipe Fergni, PPCR ing healthcare sector in the phase and an operational course director at Harvard Uni- past two decades. phase. Now, the key point versity, delivered a lecture entitled Among many other is that the structure of the ‘Learning Model Change – Co- achievements, Dr al-Maad- organisation changes to operative Curriculum’ in connec- heed was instrumental in re- meet the challenges of each tion with the event. The lecture alising the vision to establish successive phase, so the was broadcast live from Qatar to a state-of-the-art, purpose- delivery vehicle adapts as Harvard University and the world. built orthopaedic and sports the project develops. Representatives from MOPH, medicine hospital in Qatar in “You must have this fl ex- Hamad Medical Corporation, Pri- his role as director general of ibility because otherwise, mary Health Care Corporation, Aspetar from 2003 to 2012, when the project moves Hamad Bin Khalifa University and which attained international forward, you will be left a number of physicians and medi- recognition when it was ac- with an organisation that is cal researches attended the lec- credited as a FIFA Medical set up to meet the previous ture. Centre of Excellence in 2009. set of challenges, which no Samar Hussain Maad, director, Speaking at WCM-Q to longer exist.” Human Resources Department, an audience of physicians, “Excellence in all projects MOPH, said that the ministry is researchers, students and is vital, but in healthcare it always keen on developing and healthcare professionals, is even more important be- updating the training and devel- Dr al-Maadheed explained cause there is such a strong opment fi eld to enhance the capa- Some of the participants at the launch event. the most eff ective strategies moral dimension. bilities of the human cadres and to for setting up and manag- “In healthcare, as with be updated with the recent devel- three hours weekly through the plete statistical exercises at the tical software packages, select the The applicants of the pro- ing healthcare facilities to humanitarian work, you opments on the world stage. video conference. Also, sessions end of the programme to ensure right and basic statistical tests, gramme should have university achieve excellence in patient must be absolutely dedi- “PPCR is a very distinguished from Harvard University are being their understanding of concepts. run the statistical analysis and certifi cate in relevant and diversi- care and health outcomes. cated to achieving 100% ef- and developed scientifi c pro- broadcast to diff erent centres all By the end of the programme, most importantly the ability to fi ed fi elds such as healthcare and In his presentation, en- fi ciency and eff ectiveness, gramme. It comprises of 130 coun- over the world,” she added. the participants will manage ef- read, understand research papers medicine, biostatistics, epidemi- titled ‘Healthcare facilities: because any less than this tries around the world in a remote The programme includes a fi ve- fectively to design clinical trials, and develop the clinical research ology, nursing, physical health, from a vision to recognition carries a risk that someone livestream with Harvard Universi- day workshop. The participants collect data appropriately, use the on the basis of principles and im- therapy for speech, dental medi- of excellence’, Dr al-Maad- will be harmed,” he added. ty. The participants have to attend are required to read essays, com- basic functions in modern statis- partiality. cine and pharmacy. heed said: “How do we plan Dr al-Maadheed was also these long-term projects? the director general and Well, unfortunately there project director of the Anti- is no manual that you can Doping Lab Qatar, which simply follow step-by-step was inaugurated in Decem- because in every case your ber 2012 and received World Strong winds, environment and circum- Anti-Doping Association stances will be diff erent.” (WADA) accreditation in He explained: “The ap- 2015. poor visibility due to dust

trong winds are ex- north by noon, with the sea pected in some places level rising to 7-8ft. Stoday along with poor Visibility, meanwhile, visibility due to blowing may drop to 2km or less in dust, the Qatar Met depart- some places at times. ment has said. Yesterday, the mercury Off shore areas, too, are level reached a high of 43C Doha Bank’s executive team welcomed guests during a Suhoor event held recently. likely to see strong winds in Turayna, 42C in the Qatar and high seas towards the University area, Sheehaniya north by this afternoon, ac- and other places, and 41C in cording to the weather re- Abu Hamour, Mesaieed, Al port. Khor and other places. However, the weather The maximum tempera- Doha Bank hosts Suhoor office said in a tweet yes- ture is expected to be 43C terday evening that the in Doha, Mesaieed, Wakrah “dust was expected to start and Al Khor today. dissipating and visibility should improve gradually for customers and partners during the next 24 hours”. The forecast for inshore areas says it will be hot dur- oha Bank, one of the tended by customers of var- of Doha Bank’s executive from a diverse array of in- ing the day, with slight to largest private com- ious Doha Bank operating team, led by chief executive dustries, share important blowing dust in some places Dmercial banks in divisions, including Whole- offi cer, Dr R Seetharaman. business updates with at times. The wind speed Qatar, has recently hosted a sale Banking, Business De- “The Suhoor banquet them, and gain a better may reach 25 knots in some Suhoor event for its clients velopment, Al Riyada, SME, for customers is more understanding of their areas by midday. and partners at The Westin and Public Sector. The event than just an annual tra- plans and requirements – Off shore areas are also Doha Hotel & Spa. was also attended by many dition for Doha Bank. It all in a relaxed, informal likely to see slightly dusty Organised in celebration diplomats. offers a wonderful op- setting that embodies the conditions today. of the holy month of Ram- Guests were welcomed to portunity for the bank to convivial spirit of Ram- The wind speed may go adan, the banquet was at- Ramadan tent by members connect with customers adan,” Seetharaman said. up to 25 knots towards the

Sports Ministry unveils its new website

QNA Doha

he Ministry of Cul- ture and Sports has Tlaunched its new website. The website carries news and events of the Ministry’s various departments and youth centres as well as all institutions affi liated to it. The new website is a “cul- tural window” that high- lights Qatar’s cultural and heritage attractions, and also includes the timings and dates of various events in the country, in collabo- ration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Qatar Mu- seums Authority, and Ka- tara. A press statement issued by the Ministry yesterday said that the new website’s address is: www.mcs.gov. qa. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, June 19, 2016 QATAR/RAMADAN Advice for mid-Ramadan

Ramadan food Khutbah by Salaah pastime. Join the righteous al-Budair people in their acts of wor- ship and fi ll your life with obedience to your Lord. ll praise is due to Al- Endeavour to perform the lah, Lord of all the congregational night prayer Aworlds. May peace (Taraweeh) for the remain- tips for obesity and blessings be upon the ing part of the month, for noble Messenger, his house- the Prophet said: “Whoever hold and companions. performs the congrega- Fellow Muslims! You are tional night prayer during now in the midst of a match- Ramadan with faith and in less month. It is a great and sincerity, his past sins will noble month with uncount- be forgiven.” surgery patients able merits and virtues. It is Ramadan is a month of a season rich with gains for refl ection over the Glorious atients, who have un- Patients are advised not “It is very important for patients should break their those who partake in good Qur’an. It is an opportunity dergone obesity or to fast for six months af- patients to eat their meals fast with water, dates or soup deeds as it destroys those for perfecting its recitation Pbariatric surgery, need ter bariatric surgery to on a regular schedule,” she to prepare their body for who transgress and commit and reviewing what has been to take special measures if avoid any health risks. said. “Having meals on time the main meal, which they sins in it. memorised of it. The Mes- they choose to fast during “The body’s ability to en- plays a major role in the suc- should eat after Maghreb It is a month that excels senger of Allah said: “Al- the holy month of Ramadan, dure fasting also varies cess of fasting and reduces prayer,” said al-Shammari. other months by a night that ways review what you have according to an expert at for diff erent individuals,” the health risks associated Al-Shammari also sug- is better than a thousand memorised of the Qur’an Hamad Medical Corpora- said al-Shammari. “Post- with it. Patients should gested not drinking too months. Blessed be the one for it escapes from people’s tion (HMC). bariatric surgery patients’ eat four to fi ve meals from much water, juices or other who sincerely fasts in that hearts faster than the cattle “Proper nutrition is im- food intake during Ram- breakfast to Suhoor.” fl uids for breakfast, but to month, invokes Allah in the when it escapes with its ty- portant for the long-term adan should not diff er from Patients should consider ensure enough fl uid is be- morning and evening and is indeed the fortunate one Have you prepared provi- ing rope.” He also said: “The success and eff ectiveness their usual food intake in the following timings for ing drunk between meals at wake up during the nights of and he who is deprived of sions that are suitable for example of the one who of bariatric surgery,” said terms of quantity and qual- their meals during Ram- least every hour, aiming to the months praying and de- their blessings is indeed the your journey to the Hereaf- memorises the Qur’an is like Sahar al-Shammari, thera- ity. The diff erence is limited adan: breakfast (directly drink about 2lt per day. voting his life to Allah. unfortunate one. He who ter or are you among those that of the tied camel. If it peutic dietitian at the De- to a change in meal timings after the Adhan), the main “Reduce stimulants such The fi rst half of Ram- does not work for his fi - who engage in deeds which is constantly checked and partment of Metabolic and and the arrangement of food meal (immediately after as tea and coff ee, as they adan is now almost gone. nal abode in these days has displease Allah and wander retied it will remain but if it Bariatric Surgery, HMC. according to each individual Maghrib prayer), light meal act as a diuretic resulting Try then to make good use wronged himself and will in this world as if they are is left, it will escape.” (Al- “Lack of attention to nu- patient’s condition.” (two hours after breakfast), in the loss of a large amount of the remaining half before be blameworthy. The Mes- created for nothing but the Bukhari & Muslim). tritional value of food, sup- Al-Shammari said bariat- snack (Ghabgha time at of body fl uids. This leads the month ends. Hasten senger of Allah, sallallaahu enjoyment of this life? Be- Fellow Muslims! Allah plements, protein intake or ric surgery patients should 10pm or 11pm), and Suhoor to increased thirst during to use the remaining days ‘alaihi wa sallam, one day ware, lest the harmful things has honoured you with this vitamins prescribed by a eat low fat and low sugar meal (shortly before Fajr fasting,” al-Shammari said, in thanking Allah for His ascended the pulpit and will be dearer to you. In this noble Book. Refl ect over its doctor can cause malnutri- meals and only use a mod- prayer). adding: “Avoid soft drinks blessings and try harder to said, “Aameen, Aameen, month, guard your eyes, verses, follow its injunctions tion. This can lead to a de- erate amount of salt. “They “The body’s ability to tol- and sweetened juices be- do righteous deeds and re- Aameen”. He was asked “O tongues and the rest of your and do not rush its reading. terioration of body tissue, should also avoid spicy food erate a certain dietary plan cause they contain high pent to Him for the hours Messenger of Allah! You limbs from sins. Though it is Further, the righteous emaciation and a loss of and those that are highly may vary for individual pa- amounts of sugar, causing a of the month are hurriedly ascended the pulpit and incumbent on you to do that predecessors used to re- energy.” acidic like limes.” tients, but bariatric surgery surge in blood sugar levels.” coming to an end. Do good said, “Aameen, Aameen, at all times, it becomes more cite the whole of the Qur’an deeds during the remaining Aameen?” He answered, biding during the month of many times and when Ram- days, you will be forgiven of “It was Jibreel who came Ramadan. The Messenger of adan came, they would re- the evils you did before; but to me and said, ‘Whoever Allah said: “Whoever does cite more. Angel Jibreel used if you persist in evil deeds, lived to witness Ramadan not refrain from false say- to meet the Prophet every QC holds Suhoor for staff you will be punished for the and yet was not forgiven ings and deeds, Allah has night during Ramadan and past sins and latter ones. his sins; and as a result en- no need of his abstention study the Qur’an with him Whoever holds fast unto tered Hell, may Allah keep from food and drink.” (Al- but during his fi nal year on the Rope of Allah and makes him away (from His mercy). Bukhari). the earth, he reviewed the good use of his time will be Say, ‘Aameen!’ And I said Jaabir bin Abdillaah al- Qur’an with him twice. victorious and free from “Aameen.” (Ibn Khuzay- Ansaaree said: “When you Fellow Muslims! Ram- all evils; and the miser and mah). fast, let your ears and tongue adan is the month of libera- unfortunate is the one who O you who are negligent also fast by keeping away tion from Hell and misery. sins during these remain- in good deeds in this Ram- from lying and forbidden The Messenger of Allah ing blessed days for his lot adan, are you sure that you things. Do not harm your said: “The Almighty Allah will certainly be ignominy, will live to witness the next neighbour. Let tranquillity - at every time of break- distress and regret and woe Ramadan? Give this month and peace be your habit and ing the fast - frees some of accursed will he be on a Day therefore its due and fear let there be diff erence be- His slaves from Hell.” Try that the negligent people Allah in public and private. tween your fasting and non- therefore, as much as you will shed bitter tears; a day Remember that you have fasting days.” can to free yourselves from that Allah will say, “O My two angels with you who Righteous people used to Hell, for this is the time for slaves! These are only your record all your deeds and do spend their Ramadan nights repentance and sincere en- deeds which I enumerate not disgrace yourselves in in sleeplessness for, the fear treating to Allah. This is a for you and upon which I front of Allah from Whom of Allah has separated be- month in which Allah ac- will reward you. So who- nothing of your secret is tween them and their beds. cepts the invocations of His ever fi nds good reward there hidden. They would weep out of fear slaves! Qatar Chamber (QC) organised a Suhoor for its employees, in the presence of general manager Saleh Hamad al-Sharqi. from, let him thank Allah Fellow Muslims! Days of Allah. Their hearts were Allah says, “O you who He welcomed all the employees, stressing that QC is keen to enhance the spirit of friendship and one family among and whoever fi nds other- of Ramadan ought to be tender and they would wor- believe! Turn to Allah with staff , which helps in creating a very productive work environment. wise, let him blame no one honoured. Do you guard ship Allah in the middle of sincere repentance.” (At- but himself.” yourselves from idle talks the night while other people Tahreem: 8). Ramadan days are the and immoral looks? Do you are fast asleep. cream of worldly days. He prevent your limbs from Try to rectify your past who is blessed in these days pastime and wild deeds? mistakes and shun your Diabetics should regularly check blood glucose levels during fasting: expert ome monitoring of fasting or during the night on their blood glucose lev- home analysis diff ers from blood glucose levels is time, to ensure the proper els,” she said. “It also iden- one patient to another. “In Hconsidered to be one control of blood glucose lev- tifi es blood glucose levels the fi rst instance, diabet- of the most important tasks for els,” urged Amani Ageenah, at times when the patient ics should seek the advice of diabetics, especially during the a health educator at Hamad feels they have a high or low their doctor or health educa- holy month of Ramadan. Medical Corporation (HMC). blood glucose level.” tor,” Ageenah said. “But, as a “All fasting diabetics are “Home monitoring ena- According to the health rule, home analysis should advised to carry out home bles diabetics to identify the educator, during Ramadan, be carried out before a meal monitoring, whether during impact of insulin and meals the timing and frequency of and two hours after a meal to compare the analysis results with the targeted blood glu- cose levels as determined by the doctor.” The acceptable limits of blood glucose level dur- ing the day should be more than 100mg/dl and less than 200mg/dl. It should be 70 - 130 mg/dl before fasting and 80-180mg/dl three hours after fasting. Further, analysis of blood glucose level should be done at noon, before Iftar, three hours after Iftar, just before Suhoor and two hours after Suhoor. Ageenah said diabetics face some complications during Ra- madan which can be managed. “Diabetics can be susceptible to hypoglycemia if Suhour is missed while taking sugar con- trolling medicines, or if too much physical eff ort is exerted during fasting,” she said. “It is important to main- tain the daily quantity and quality of food prescribed by the attending nutritional therapist.” she suggested. Diabetics must have two basic meals - Iftar and Suhoor - in addition to a light third meal in between. Suhoor should be delayed up to pre-dawn time. They must continue the usual dai- ly activities, but rest during the afternoon. They should also drink large quantities of water after Iftar to compen- sate for the fasting period. In cases of hypoglycemia, fasting should be imme- diately stopped and sug- ary food eaten, even if it is a short time before Iftar. Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 11 QATAR/REGION Yemen’s warring sides swap prisoners in Taiz

Reuters the entire city. A rocket attack there in early Riyadh June killed 12 civilians and wounded more than 122 others after it hit a busy market. The confl ict in Yemen has raged since outhi and pro-government forces March 2015, when a Saudi-led alliance in- exchanged nearly 200 prisoners in tervened to try to restore Hadi to power af- HTaiz in central Yemen yesterday, the ter the Houthis advanced on his temporary largest such swap to take place in the embat- headquarters in Aden and forced him to fl ee tled city since the beginning of a civil war last to Saudi Arabia. year, local sources said. The talks in Kuwait have made little progress The exchange of 118 Houthis and 76 pro- towards ending the war, which has killed more government fi ghters, will raise hopes that a Pro-government army official Brig. than 6,200 people and displaced more than ceasefi re declared in April may be taking hold Sadiq Sarhan (left) hugs a pro-government 2.5mn, causing a severe humanitarian crisis. in Yemen’s third largest city after repeated fighter freed in a prisoner swap between More than 14mn Yemenis, more than half violations by both sides. pro-government forces and Houthis in Taiz of the country’s population, are in need of The threat from an emerging common en- in central Yemen yesterday. emergency food and life-saving assistance, emy may be galvanising the two sides’ eff orts according to a report this month by the Unit- to co-operate. Islamic State militants appear government of President Abd-Rabbu Man- ed Nations and the Yemeni government. to be behind a rapid uptick in suicide attacks sour Hadi has eased in much of Yemen since Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said and Al Qaeda fi ghters continue to hold sway they announced the truce before the start of on Thursday the kingdom now sought to pri- over swathes of Yemen. UN-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait. oritise fi ghting Islamic State and other mili- Fighting between the Iranian-allied Houthis But the fi ghting has continued in Taiz, tants in Yemen over its desultory arm-wres- Pro-government fighters gather as they greet comrades released in a prisoner swap between pro- and supporters of the internationally-backed with neither side able to extend control over tle with the entrenched Houthi insurgents. government forces and Houthis in Taiz in central Yemen yesterday. Saudi deputy crown prince to meet UN chief on Yemen

Reuters Saudi UN ambassador United Nations Abdallah al-Mouallimi said that the meeting had been confi rmed for audi Arabia’s pow- Wednesday. erful deputy crown President Barack Obama Sprince is due to meet and the deputy crown UN Secretary-General Ban prince met on Friday and Ki-moon on Wednesday, discussed ways to support the kingdom’s ambassador Iraqis in their fi ght against said, after the United Na- Islamic State militants and tions infuriated Riyadh by the importance of a politi- briefl y blacklisting a Sau- cal transition in war-torn di-led coalition for killing Syria, the White House children in Yemen. said. Mohamed bin Salman Dujarric said that the UN will be in New York next had not yet responded to week for meetings with a June 8 letter to Ban from business leaders after a Mouallimi on behalf of visit to the US West Coast, the Saudi-led coalition in UN offi cials said. Yemen. “An offi cial request has The letter asked the come to the offi ce of the United Nations to reveal secretary-general for a details on the sources of meeting with the deputy information for its report crown prince and as soon on violations of child rights as we’re able to confi rm during armed confl icts. something we shall,” UN Dujarric said this week spokesman Stephane the United Nations would Dujarric said. not disclose those sources.

Common Saudi, US stance on Syria Saudi Arabian Foreign bilateral relations. Minister Adel bin Ahmed He described the visit of al-Jubeir confirmed the the Deputy Crown Prince depth-Saudi-US relations, to Washington as fruitful which are based on a and positive, pointing out historical basis and the that the bilateral talks common well-established have covered regional interests that endured all issues and several other challenges, Saudi Press issues, stressing that the Agency (SPA) reported. kingdom’s position towards During a press conference the Syrian crisis converged held at the Saudi embassy with Washington’s position, in Washington, al-Jubeir and indicating that the said US President Barack two countries agree on Obama’s meeting with a political solution to the the Deputy Crown Prince Syrian crisis and the need Mohamed bin Salman bin for the removal of Bashar Abdulaziz al-Saud, the al-Assad. Second Deputy Premier On Yemen he said that and Minister of Defence, the coalition led by Saudi was constructive and Arabia is making every aimed at strengthening eff ort to reduce losses.

Regulations for gold and jewellery shops

From Page 1 the competitive status of the gold and jewellery sec- efore fi nalising a tor in the country, the best purchase, a con- regional and international Bsumer has to be in- practices and the applicable formed about the shop’s regulations. It also sum- policy on exchange and moned companies active return in case a defect is in the local market to work detected. This will include out a formula for regulatory information on the terms decisions to enhance the and conditions of exchange effi ciency of the local jew- and return (submitting the ellery market and guaran- purchase invoice, abiding tee the rights of consumers by the instructions of us- in their transactions. age and not causing dam- The MEC has given jew- age to the item purchased) ellery outlets in the coun- as well as the time-frame try three months to comply and procedures for exer- with the guidelines with cising the right to exchange eff ect from today. It will and return items. resort to legal procedures The ministry had ear- against violators, if any, at lier conducted a study on the end of this period. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, June 19, 2016 ARAB WORLD Iraq forces hunt IS in Fallujah and eye Mosul

AFP shrink signifi cantly in recent Forces led by the police of the latest yesterday in a region precedented tidal wave of mass Aid groups have been warn- “The target of the operation Fallujah, Iraq months. Anbar province, where Fallu- called Zankura. displacement from Fallujah”. ing for days they would be over- is to take Qayyarah and make it Prime Minister Haider al- jah is located, were meanwhile Saadi and other commanders It said late Friday that up to whelmed by the fl ow of dis- a launchpad for Mosul,” Obeidi Abadi on Friday declared Fal- combing reconquered southern said Iraqi forces faced only lim- 20,000 people fl ed the city in placed and were running low on said. raqi forces hunted down lujah retaken after the national neighbourhoods for pockets of ited resistance during the major just a few hours. funding and supplies to respond Qayyarah, which has an air- holdout militants in Fallu- fl ag was raised over the main IS fi ghters and explosive devic- advance that saw them push into Footage on social media to the humanitarian crisis. fi eld, lies across the River Tigris Ijah yesterday after retaking government compound, but IS es, he said. the heart of Fallujah and secure a showed hundreds of people Building on the momentum from the main base for pro-gov- the city centre and trained their fi ghters still hold most northern Abadi announced the recap- breakthrough in the four-week- swimming across the Euphrates of the Fallujah operation, Iraq ernment forces in the Kurdish- sights on Mosul, the Islamic neighbourhoods. ture of the city of Ramadi, An- old operation. to reach safety. announced yesterday that joint controlled area of Makhmur. State’s last remaining major hub Elite Iraqi forces “are con- bar’s provincial capital, in De- Security sources said IS mem- “It is unknown how many Kurdish-federal forces were It is some 60km (35 miles) in the country. tinuing their progress in the cember but the security forces bers have been slipping out of families are still trapped inside starting a new phase in the push south of Mosul. While not fully under govern- liberation of neighbourhoods in only established full control the city by blending in with ci- Fallujah but we are concerned on Mosul from the south. Forces working their way up ment control yet, Fallujah is the northern Fallujah”, Lieutenant over the city in February. vilians fl eeing the fi ghting. they are the most vulnerable - “We started at 5:00am (0200 from the south along the Tigris latest in a string of battlefi eld General Abdulwahab al-Saadi, Over the past few days, IS IS’s retreat in Fallujah sparked pregnant women, elderly people, GMT) the second phase of the also revived a stalled off ensive losses for IS, which has seen overall commander of the op- has carried out several signifi - what the Norwegian Refugee people with disabilities,” the NRC liberation of Nineveh,” Defence yesterday, security offi cials in its two-year-old “caliphate” eration, said. cant attacks in the Ramadi area, Council described as “an un- said. Minister Khaled al-Obeidi said. the Salaheddin province said. Egypt court sentences Mursi to life

AFP Qatar condemns mention of its name in verdict Cairo The Qatari Foreign Ministry has last two years and abolished by Egyptian police, lawyers and a judge (centre-back) attend ousted president Mohamed Mursi trial on espionage charges at a court in Cairo. expressed strong condemnation the Egyptian Court of Cassation. n Egyptian court yes- of mentioning the State of He stressed that such verdicts terday sentenced ousted Qatar’s name in the verdict which lack the proper sense of Apresident Mohamed issued yesterday by Cairo justice and which are founded Mursi to life in prison in an espi- Criminal Court in the case known on reasons unrelated to the law, onage trial in which six of his co- as ‘Qatar espionage’. but on other known reason, defendants were handed death Director of the Information Off ice do not help in consolidating Rebels kill 7 in Aleppo assault penalties. at the ministry HE Ambassador the fraternal ties and relations Mursi, who has been sen- Ahmed al-Rumaihi said that between the sister countries. tenced to death in a separate tri- “though it is not final, the verdict Al-Rumaihi stressed that Qatar Reuters the northern city, the Castello attempts to cut the Castello road. announced by Russia on Thurs- al, was Egypt’s fi rst democrati- is unfounded, goes against truth comes at the forefront of the Beirut road. The YPG controls nearly all day has had little impact on cally elected president but the and contains misleading claims countries that sided with the An escalation in air and ar- of Syria’s northern frontier with fi ghting and air strikes and shell- army overthrew him in 2013 and which are contrary to the policy Egyptian people since the tillery strikes in recent weeks Turkey and has been a close ally ing have continued in and around cracked down on his supporters. of the State of Qatar towards all eruption of the January 25 t least seven people died around the road has made it vir- of the United States in the cam- the city since then. He was given life in prison sister countries, including Egypt. revolution. in rebel shelling of a tually impassable, putting hun- paign against Islamic State in Three people, two of them yesterday for leading an unlaw- The charge of espionage for This stance stems from the Aneighbourhood of the dreds of thousands of people in Syria. children, died and more than ful organisation and 15 years for Qatar against a former president genuine duty between brotherly Syrian city of Aleppo held by Aleppo under eff ective siege. Many rebels in western Syria nine people were injured by bar- having “stolen secret documents and media men is surprising and Arab peoples, he added. the Kurdish YPG militia at dawn Hundreds of people have been do not trust the YPG because rel bombs dropped from helicop- concerning state security,” his unacceptable.” He said that the State of Qatar yesterday, a monitoring group killed in Aleppo since peace talks they say it cooperates with Da- ters in the city, the Observatory lawyer said. He pointed that the issuance of has been and will remain said, as rebels took territory to broke off in April, as Syria’s Pres- mascus rather than fi ghting it, an said on Saturday. But Mursi was acquitted of such a verdict is not surprising committed to the fraternal the south. ident Bashar al-Assad seeks to accusation the YPG has denied. The White Helmets, a group of having supplied classifi ed docu- after the death and life sentences values and bonds with the More than 40 people were regain control of what was Syria’s Sheikh Maqsoud has been un- civil defence emergency work- ments to Qatar, Abdel Moneim issued by Egyptian courts in the brotherly Egyptian people. also wounded in the attack on largest pre-war city, now split der intense bombardment since ers operating in rebel-held ar- Abdel Maksoud said. the Sheikh Maqsoud area, the between rebel and government mid-February which has killed eas, said on Twitter one of their Mursi came to power after Britain-based Syrian Observa- sectors. more than 132 civilians and in- buildings in Haritan, in the north the 2011 revolution that toppled hamed Hilal and Jordanian Egypt has cracked down on Al tory for Human Rights said, a Rebels have said in the past jured around 900 more, the Ob- Aleppo countryside, was hit by longtime strongman Hosni Mu- citizen Alaa Omar Mohamed Jazeera and imprisoned three of district next to the only way in their attacks on Sheikh Maq- servatory said. an air strike yesterday. barak. Sablan, worked for Qatar-based its journalists in Cairo, including and out of rebel-held parts of soud were in response to YPG A 48-hour ceasefi re in Aleppo There were no injuries. But after about one year in broadcaster Al Jazeera. Australian Peter Greste and Ca- offi ce, he was overthrown and The third has been named as nadian Mohamed Fahmy, before detained by then-army chief Asmaa Mohamed al-Khatib, a releasing them by presidential Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is now female reporter with pro-Mus- decree. Egypt’s president. lim Brotherhood news outlet Mursi has already received Courts have since sentenced Rassd. sentences in several other sepa- Pentagon concern hundreds of Islamists to death, The three others handed the rate trials. including other Muslim Broth- death penalty, who were present In 2015, a court sentenced erhood leaders, though many during the trial, are documen- him to death in connection with have appealed and been granted tary producer Ahmed Ali Abdo, prison breaks and attacks on po- over Russia raids new trials. EgyptAir cabin crew mem- lice stations during the 2011 up- Hundreds of Mursi supporters ber Mohamed Adel Kilani and rising. were killed during protests fol- university teaching assistant He is appealing that verdict. AFP be addressed through ongoing diplo- lowing his ouster. Ahmed Ismail Thabet, according Mursi was one of the Broth- Washington matic discussions on the cessation of Thousands of others were de- to the prosecution. erhood leaders who were jailed hostilities.” tained in a crackdown that was The death sentences had been during the 18-day uprising, es- US defence offi cials said that Rus- later expanded to include leftist sent to the mufti - Egypt’s offi - caping with thousands of in- he Pentagon voiced “strong sian forces in Al-Tanaf targeted a and liberal dissidents. cial interpreter of Islamic law - mates who broke out of prison. concerns” over Moscow’s meeting of combatants supported by The Brotherhood has been as his opinion is legally required He has also been sentenced to Tbombing of US-backed forces the US-led coalition that was held to blacklisted as a terrorist group. on death sentences although it is life in prison for “espionage” on in southern Syria, a spokesman said co-ordinate the fi ght against forces of Militants who have sworn al- not binding. behalf of Iran and other coun- yesterday. the Islamic State group in Syria and legiance to the Islamic State Rights group Amnesty Inter- tries, as well as Hamas and Hez- US military offi cials holding a video Iraq. The Syrians belonged to the New group intensifi ed their attacks national criticised the trial out- bollah. conference with Russia “expressed Syrian Army, trained by the British following Mursi’s overthrow, come as “appalling” and called Another court sentenced him strong concerns about the attack on and the Americans in a coalition camp killing hundreds of Egyptian po- for the death sentences to be to 20 years in prison for clashes the coalition-supported counter-ISIL in Jordan, while the Iraqis were tribal licemen and soldiers, mainly in overturned and for the “ludi- that erupted outside his presi- forces at the Al-Tanaf garrison, which fi ghters, offi cials said. the north of the Sinai Peninsula. crous charges” against the jour- dential palace in December included forces that are participants Russia’s defence ministry said late The militants say the attacks nalists to be dropped. 2012 between his supporters in the cessation of hostilities in Syria,” Thursday however that it had not car- are in retaliation for the crack- The defendants can appeal the and opponents, killing up to 10 said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook ried out any strikes targeting opposi- down on Brotherhood support- rulings before the court of cas- people. after the talks. tion forces included in the ceasefi re, ers. sation, and those tried in absen- The clashes erupted after He added that the Pentagon “em- without mentioning Al-Tanaf - an as- Two of the journalists sen- tia can seek a retrial if they turn Mursi issued a decree placing his phasised that those concerns would sertion challenged by the US. tenced to death, Ibrahim Mo- themselves in. decisions above judicial review. Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 13 AFRICA

Seven police Corpses and silence after offi cers killed

DPA/Reuters Boko Haram’s Niger strike Maradi/Diff a AFP more than 2.6mn homeless in its Bosso quest to form a hardline Islamic he Islamist terrorist group state. Boko Haram has killed Extending the attacks to Tseven police offi cers in the otting bodies, looted neighbouring countries, the west African country of Niger, buildings and a grim group’s ascendancy has prompt- Interior Minister Mohamed Ba- Rsilence mark the once ed a regional military fi ghtback zoum said yesterday. bustling town of Bosso in involving troops from Niger, The terrorists attacked the vil- southeastern Niger following Chad and Cameroon as well as lage of N’Gagam near the Nige- one of Boko Haram’s deadliest Nigeria. rian border on Thursday evening, ever attacks in the west African Zembada, the shopkeeper, Bazoum said. nation. said he and his wife managed The attackers arrived in vehi- In the empty, dusty streets, to whisk three of their children cles and opened fi re on the po- soldiers outnumber the few re- to safety, but a four-year-old lice offi cers in the village, which maining residents - including daughter was among those killed is located in an area where many the elderly who were unable to in the attack. refugees live, according to Ur- fl ee the insurgents, and some “When we came back to get gence Diff a, which monitors the who have returned briefl y to col- her, that’s when the shell land- security and humanitarian situ- lect their possessions. ed,” he said. “My daughter was ation in the area. “Corpses littered the streets,” inside with two of my neigh- Bazoum had visited the vil- said Abdelaziz Zembada, a bour’s children... She hasn’t lage, located some 40km from 50-year-old local shopkeeper on been buried yet.” the town of Diff a, with a delega- a visit to see if it was safe to re- During the assault the local tion just a few hours before the turn for good. military contingent was over- attack. Boko Haram attacked a mili- run, its barracks looted and a Boko Haram is an extrem- tary post in town on June 3, kill- handful of their armoured ve- ist organisation that launches ing 26 soldiers, including two hicles, trucks and cars were regular off ensives in Nigeria, from neighbouring Nigeria, and torched. Chad, Niger and Cameroon with a number of civilians as well. In the charred ruins of their the ultimate goal of setting up a Everywhere, there are traces dormitory, only skeletons of fundamentalist theocracy under of people’s rush to escape. beds are still identifi able. a strict interpretation of Islamic A single abandoned sandal All the town’s public buildings law. rests in the courtyard of a build- - gendarme offi ces, the town hall Interior Minister Bazoum ing. Pots, pans and containers and an administration centre - said yesterday that no Chadian are scattered on the ground. In- were pillaged. troops have been deployed in its side one earth-and-straw home A local school and health cen- southeastern region of Diff a af- there is nothing, save a mattress tre, where someone had scrawled People from Bosso waiting to receive millet during a food aid distribution with Nigerien Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum, after they fled ter a deadly attack carried out by and broken tea cups. “Boko Haram” on a chalkboard, their home following attacks by Boko Haram, yesterday. the militant Islamist group Boko Behind a sheet of corrugated were not spared either. Haram two weeks ago. metal, a rotting goat gives off a In addition to what they took sequential number,” said Interior “We spent the night of (June) 3 Some residents are already to get by with business from the Military sources had said Chad putrid odour. A man’s unclaimed from the buildings, the attackers Minister Mohamed Bazoum. on the roof and ran away on foot home, beginning the struggle soldiers. In addition to cutting had sent 2,000 troops to Niger to body decomposes in a local au- also carted off some 200 tonnes “Within a few weeks we will in the morning with the whole to rebuild lives shattered by the hair he also off ers a service to prepare a counterattack against thority building. Witnesses be- of grain that were supposed to repopulate Bosso and the resi- family,” said El Hadj Abba Maka- attack. charge mobile phones. the militants after June 3 attack. lieve there are more undiscov- feed needy locals. dents will return to their lives,” ni, a father of 10 with two wives, “We’re discouraged. We “Things are getting bet- The attack prompted Niger ered dead scattered throughout Niger’s military claim to have he said. as he loaded all he could into a want people to come back,” ter, even if yesterday we heard President Mahamadou Issoufou the town. regained full control of Bosso, For now, many residents are shut- battered 4x4. said Souleymane Salissa, a gunfi re,” Salissa said. “(But) if to fl y one week later to Chad for Boko Haram’s seven-year in- but it refuses to reveal the exact tling back and forth between neigh- “We are afraid, but if everyone barber. you hear ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is talks with his counterpart Idriss surgency has left at least 20,000 size of its force. bouring towns and Bosso to pick up comes back we will too,” said the His home and shop were loot- greatest), that’s when you have Deby. people dead in Nigeria and made “Soldiers are there. It is a con- what is left of their belongings. shopkeeper. ed, but he is back and managing to worry.” The aim of the discussion “was mainly to accelerate the imple- mentation...of the FMM (mixed multinational force) and I think it’s already done”, Interior Min- ister Bazoum said. Call for removal of Angolan oil fi rm chief The multinational force in- 19 Ethiopians cludes Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin. Reuters nastic grip on power in the oil Angola, currently Africa’s led by David Mendes and Luis “It seems Chadian troops are Luanda exporter. top oil producer because of Nascimento challenged the already on the ground, they are “With matters of natural supply outages caused by mili- manner of her appointment, in Nigeria, they’re not in Niger”, found dead on strategic resources, the presi- tant attacks in Nigeria’s Niger saying it went against public Bazoum added. uman rights activist Ra- dent cannot change the rules Delta, said in April it would re- probity laws. The lawyers also Asked about the 2,000 Chad- fael Marques has asked as he pleases. He must seek a structure Sonangol to increase presented their concerns to the ian troops believed to be sent to HAngola’s attorney gen- request from the parliament. effi ciency and profi tability. Supreme Court. Niger after Bosso attack, he said: eral to revoke the appointment He did not do that and, there- In an interview with Reuters, Angola’s main opposition “I think it was a particularly vivid lorry in Congo of Isabel dos Santos as head of fore, the reforms on Sonangol Isabel dos Santos, 43, pledged party, the Union for the Total imagination of some journalists.” Sonangol, accusing the presi- are unconstitutional,” Marques to bring openness and effi cien- Independence of Angola (Uni- Chad was instrumental in dent of acting unconstitution- said after fi ling three requests cy to the 40-year-old company ta) requested on Tuesday that forcing the Nigeria-based Boko AFP ally by putting his daughter in with the attorney general offi ce. that is frequently criticised as parliament open an inquiry into Haram to cede territory last Lubumbashi passing through Kenya, in charge of the state energy fi rm. “The appointments as a con- being opaque and unwieldy. the business of Sonangol. year, undermining its seven-year search of better lives, accord- Angolan President Jose Edu- sequence of these reforms that She dismissed suggestions Dos Santos, who rarely ap- campaign to carve out a Nigerian ing to Lubosha. ardo dos Santos, who came to are under way, are also uncon- it was her family connections pears in public or gives inter- caliphate. ongolese border guards The lorry’s crew had power in 1979, appointed his stitutional because they are il- rather than business acumen views, said in March he intend- But guerrillas have since found the bodies of 19 claimed to be transporting billionaire businesswoman legal. The president uses his that led to her appointment af- ed to step down as president in ramped up attacks in remote CEthiopian migrants small fi sh. daughter as head of Sonangol in decrees, his powers to award ter the surprise dismissal of the 2018 but gave no reason for his border areas around Lake Chad, who had died of asphyxia in “The bodies were handed June by presidential decree in a state contracts to his families,” Sonangol board. decision and did not name a where the borders of Chad, Cam- a lorry carrying nearly 100 over to the Zambian authori- shake-up that cements his dy- he said. On June 9, a group of lawyers preferred successor. eroon, Niger and Nigeria meet. stowaways, after being alerted ties on Thursday. We inter- by a “nauseous” smell, offi - viewed the survivors who all cials said yesterday. claimed to be Ethiopian na- Seventy-six other Ethiopi- tionals,” said Lubosha. ans were found still alive when The survivors were handed the Zambian-registered truck over to Zambian offi cials on was stopped Thursday in the Friday. Fast food, fl ashy cars and malls: southeast of Congo, close to “We congratulate the Con- the border with Zambia. golese authorities for their “We stopped this vehicle ... vigilance, allowing them to because of the nauseous smell discover this scandalous hu- which was coming from the man traffi cking, implicating Africa hurtles into obesity crisis trailer,” said Jean-Pierre Lu- three Zambian members of bosha, the local head of the the (lorry) crew,” said Zambian Democratic Republic of Congo vice consul David Nyangulu. Thomson Reuters Foundation overweight and obesity in later (DRC) border guard (DMG). He added that an interna- Nairobi life.” All the survivors stated that tional investigation was un- While undernutrition is fall- they had fl ed their country derway to dismantle the peo- ing globally, few countries are to head for southern Africa, ple smuggling network. ith more money in succeeding in tackling obesity their pockets, Afri- and the four main non-commu- Wcans are eating more nicable diseases (NCD) linked to fast food and adopting more it: diabetes, cancer, cardiovas- sedentary lifestyles, leading to a cular diseases and chronic respi- surge in obesity and associated ratory diseases. Somalia sentences diseases like diabetes and can- NCDs are projected to become cer, experts have said. the leading cause of death in Rates of obesity and over- sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, ac- 43 militants to death weight are rising in nearly every cording to the World Bank. country in the world, the Global South Africa is the most obese Nutrition Report said, describ- country in sub-Saharan Africa, DPA bers of Al Shebaab, an organi- ing malnutrition as the “new Norris said, with over 40% of Mogadishu sation of extremists that has normal”. adults overweight or obese. been fi ghting for the domina- One in three people world- Other rapidly urbanising Af- tion of Somalia for years. wide are experiencing malnutri- rican countries are following ollowing three days of The Islamist insurgents tion, it said, with 44% of coun- suit, with middle classes often hearings, 43 Islamist mili- want to set up a theocracy in tries facing serious levels of both queuing at fashionable fast food Ftants were sentenced to the country. undernutrition and obesity. restaurants like Kentucky Fried death in the northeastern city The sentenced militants Obesity is a form of malnutri- Chicken. A branch of fast food outlet Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is seen in Cape Town. of Garowe in Somalia’s Puntland were part of 97 Al Shebaab tion as the body does not receive “The malls are the ‘in’ thing,” region yesterday, offi cials said. members captured in north- suffi cient nutrients and peo- said Zachary Muriuki, a nutri- mended fi ve portions of fruit and someone does not have HIV/Aids, Non-communicable diseases “The court has sentenced ern parts of the country. ple have too much salt, sugar or tionist specialising in diabetes vegetables a day, government which often leads to weight loss. account for half of hospital ad- to death 43 militants for their The defendants were give cholesterol in their blood. with Kenya’s health ministry. data shows. The report called for donors to missions in Kenya, the govern- role in recent attacks on Punt- one month to appeal. “Many countries now across “We are seeing a trend of Culture also plays a role, par- spend more on non-communi- ment says. land soil,” said Abdullahi Hersi “All of the defendants ad- the continent are facing a double obesity cases rising,” he said, ticularly for women who are seen cable diseases, which accounted “Long term management of Eed, Puntland’s regional at- mitted their guilt, insisting burden of malnutrition,” Shane blaming unhealthy diets and in- as successful, happily married for less than two% of their health these diseases is very expensive,” torney general. they took part in the recent at- Norris, a nutrition expert at the creased use of cars. and healthy when they are over- spending in 2014. Muriuki said. “We are struggling The attack left 24 soldiers tacks,” Hersi Eed said. University of Witwatersrand in In Kenya, 84% of people al- weight, experts said. Testing and treatment for ma- as a country, trying to manage dead and another 73 wounded, The court delayed the hear- South Africa, said. ways or often add sugar to their “Being overweight is seen as a laria and HIV/Aids is often free, cancer. We have cases and cases he added. ings of two militants who were “There’s still persistent un- food and drinks, while 94% of positive thing,” said Norris, adding which is not the case for NCDs, in our hospitals lining up to go The militants were mem- under 16 years old. dernutrition in early life and people eat less than the recom- that South Africans believe it means Muriuki said. through chemotherapy.” Gulf Times 14 Sunday, June 19, 2016 AMERICAS Parched land, winds feed fi res in S California

Reuters So far no serious injuries or Califorina damage have been reported. The fi re broke out on Wednesday and has been ex- wildfi re fed by parched panding since then. land and high winds Little relief is in sight with Aspread in Southern Cali- high winds and temperatures fornia yesterday, prompting set to top 37.8 C over the week- hundreds of people to evacuate end. their homes as the blaze formed The fi re is one of a series of destructive columns of fl ames blazes in western and south- known as “fi re tornadoes”. western states brought about The so-called Sherpa Fire in by high temperatures and a Santa Barbara County, about prolonged dry spell. 145km northwest of Los Ange- One of the largest has been les, had burned through about southeast of Albuquerque, 7,100 acres by early yesterday New Mexico, destroying about and fi refi ghters had contained two dozen homes and forced about a quarter of the blaze, evacuations. Santa Barbara County said on The so-called Dog Head its Twitter feed. Fire has burned through about More than 1,200 fi refi ght- 17,000 acres of timber and log- US president Barack Obama and his family walk to Air Force One as they depart from Roswell, New Mexico. ers have been dispatched to ging zones in four days. battle the fl ames being fuelled Governor Susana Martinez by dry chaparral and grass in this week declared a state of coastal canyons about 32km emergency to free up resources northwest of the affl uent city to fi ght the blaze. of Santa Barbara. For an area stretching from “Now is the time to gather Southern California to south- your family members, pets and ern Nevada and into Arizona, important documents in case the National Weather service Obama touts his green you need to leave quickly,” the has put out “red fl ag warn- Santa Barbara Sheriff ’s Offi ce ings,” indicating conditions warned people living in areas that could lead to dangerous record on visit to park threatened by the fi re. fi res. Conservation will be an icon of preserving the country’s natural resourc- natural gas and coal on the protected lands terfalls and granite peaks, the fi rst family Chelsea Clinton Obama’s administration es. or in protected waters. traveled to Yosemite National Park in Cali- For Obama, who has made the fi ght Some lawmakers question the legal fornia, known for its giant redwood trees. AFP against climate change a priority of his foundation of the Antiquities Act and The family outing is reminiscent of one has second child Yosemite National Park two terms in offi ce and complains of sys- what they see as a carte blanche for the the Obamas made in 2009 to Yellowstone tematic obstructionism by the Republican president. National Park in Wyoming. controlled Congress, the law has been a These lawmakers complain of poor The park system turns 100 on August 25. Reuters resident Barack Obama and the fi rst good way to get around his opponents on management of federal lands and stymied With seven months left in Obama’s sec- New York family are celebrating America’s environmental issues. economic development. ond and fi nal term, environmental groups Pcherished natural heritage, making a It allows the president to move swiftly They have tried in vain several times to are urging the president not to rest on his weekend tour marking the 100th anniver- to preserve threatened areas, which can have the law erased. laurels when it comes to protecting nature. helsea Clinton, daugh- sary of the nation’s vaunted national park be transformed into national parks if But the national park system remains “What he has done so far has been sig- ter of US Democratic system. Congress gives the go ahead. The Grand hugely popular in the United States. nifi cant,” said Sharon Buccino of the Na- Cpresidential candidate Obama, also using the occasion to tout Canyon, Death Valley and vast swathes of The 400-odd parks received a record tional Resources Defense Council. Hillary Clinton and former his record on the environment, is the fi rst Alaska have benefi ted from the law. Before 305mn visitors last year. “But the real measure of his conserva- president Bill Clinton, an- sitting president since John F Kennedy in Obama, 16 presidents have used the law. “Spectacular!”, the president said Fri- tion legacy is going to be judged based on nounced yesterday the birth of 1962 to visit Yosemite National Park. Only three, all of them Republicans, did day as he visited Carlsbad Caverns Na- what he does with his remaining time,” she her second child with husband Obama has made protecting nature ar- not do so: Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, tional Park in New Mexico, which features added. Marc Mezvinsky. eas one of the hallmarks of his presidency. and George H W Bush. more than 100 caves, three of them open The long family weekend comes after Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky Since 2009, he has set aside as protect- Before leaving offi ce in January, Obama to the public. the nation was shocked by the worst mass was born yesterday to Clinton ed areas more than 265mn acres of public could sign off on other protection projects The Obamas visited one called the Big shooting in US history – the death of 49 and her investment banker lands and waters (100mn hectares) across awaiting his signature, such as an expan- Room, which is 754 feet underground and people in a shooting at a gay nightclub in husband, according to a state- the country, which is more than any of his sion of a marine reserve in Hawaii that is fi lled with stalactites and stalagmites. Orlando, Florida last Sunday. ment released by the proud predecessors did. called Papahanaumokuakea, declared a It is also a sanctuary for hundreds of And before fl ying out West, Obama saw grandparents. A large part of that involves a marine decade ago by George W Bush and home to thousands of bats. his Syria policy challenged by 50 State De- His older sister, Charlotte sanctuary around islands and atolls in the many endangered species. “How cool is this?”, Obama said as he partment diplomats who signed a memo Clinton Mezvinsky, was born Pacifi c. Over the years, such presidential desig- turned to journalists, although the com- criticising US treatment of president on September 27, 2014. In doing so, he relied on the Antiquities nations have often triggered confl icts be- ment seemed aimed more at his teenage Bashar al-Assad as too soft, and calling “We are all over the moon Act, a law signed in 1906 by then president cause they end up prohibiting exploration daughters, Malia and Sasha. on the United States to use military force as Chelsea and Marc welcome Theodore Roosevelt, a fervent advocate of and development of fossil fuels such as oil, Several hours later, after fl ying over wa- against his regime. Charlotte’s little brother to Chelsea Clinton with husband the world and grateful for our Marc Mezvinsky. many blessings,” Hillary and Bill Clinton said in the state- Clinton and Mezvinsky were ment. married in August 2010. “Chelsea and Aidan are both He is the son of two former doing well and enjoying this Democratic members of Con- Asian illegals ‘out of shame’ are very special time together,” gress, former representative they said. Marjorie Margolies-Mez- Chelsea Clinton, 36, took to vinsky of Pennsylvania and Twitter late yesterday morning former representative Ed Mez- to announce Aidan’s birth. vinsky of Iowa. staying away from Obama scheme Her spokeswoman said the Clinton revealed in Decem- she delivered at Lenox Hill ber that she was due to give Hospital on Manhattan’s Up- birth to a second child, post- Reuters Asian communities. While an necessary documents, including per East Side. ing on Twitter, “Next summer, California estimated 80% of eligible Mexi- proof of entry at the Texas air- “Marc and I are over- Charlotte is going to be a big cans and Central Americans port where he landed in 1998. whelmed with gratitude and sister!” have applied for DACA, accord- Kim said he lost his original love as we celebrate the birth Details about the baby boy’s outh Korean-born Hyun ing to the nonprofi t Asian Amer- South Korean passport and is of our son, Aidan Clinton Mez- delivery, such as time of birth Kim feels American to his icans Advancing Justice less waiting for his mother, back in vinsky,” Clinton said on Twit- and weight, were not imme- Sbones, but the undocu- than 20% of Asians have sought her home country, to mail him ter. diately available, according mented immigrant has failed to protection. documents so he can complete Chelsea Clinton is the only to Chelsea Clinton’s spokes- seek protection from deportation Backers of Obama’s initiative his DACA application within child of the former president woman Erika Gudmundson. under a programme launched say the failure to reach eligible weeks. and the former US secretary of In March, 2016 Republican by President Barack Obama to Asians highlights the limits of Missing paperwork is a com- State, who is running for pres- presidential candidate Donald shield young people brought to the programme, which they say mon refrain for young immi- ident in November. Trump welcomed a grandson the United States as children. is seen by some immigrants as grants eligible for the programme Chelsea Clinton lives in New of his own when his daughter The 20-year-old Kim, who a partial victory because it pro- who have not applied, cited by York City and is the vice chair Ivanka and her husband Jared dreams of attending a US col- vides protection for only a two- 22%, according to a 2014 study of the Clinton Foundation, a Kushner announced the birth lege and works as a barista in year term that they must renew. co-authored by a Harvard Uni- charity that focuses on glo- of their third child, Theodore the Virginia town where he grew In all, hundreds of thousands versity sociologist, Roberto bal health issues among other James Kushner. The baby is up, is like many of the more than of young immigrants are thought Gonzales. causes. Trump’s eighth grandchild. 100,000 Asian immigrants who South Korean-born Hyun Kim poses for a photo at the National to be eligible for the programme But the main barrier is cost, are eligible for Obama’s pro- Korean American Service and Education Consortium in Annandale, but have not applied, accord- with 43% of those surveyed cit- gramme but have not applied. Virginia. ing to the nonpartisan Migration ing the $465 application fee. One dead in stabbing at Canada clinic Many cite shame over their Policy Institute. Fear and shame also play a role, unauthorised status as well as country before turning 16 and migrants who are the parents of Kim said his parents brought researchers said. One man was killed and a woman was wounded on Thursday trouble locating documents as before mid-2007. US citizens and lawful residents him to the United States as a Fifteen per cent of eligible im- in a stabbing attack at a medical clinic in Calgary, Alberta, with reasons they are not applying. For many individuals, it makes was blocked by a federal judge 2-year-old and that he has kept migrants are afraid to reveal their the suspect now in custody, a police spokesman said. Police said “I’m doing nothing with my it easier to attend college. It does last year. his illegal status a secret from all status to the government lest the attack appeared to be domestic in nature and that the scene life, just working these small- not, however, provide a path to The US supreme court is ex- but his close friends. they risk being deported, accord- would remain closed while police investigated. “Early reports time jobs,” said Kim, who be- citizenship. pected to issue a decision on the When asked why he’s not in ing to Gonzales’ study. were multiple people stabbed. When we arrived we found one lieves he is eligible but has been Donald Trump, the presump- administration’s appeal by the college, laziness is the lie he tells, Aman Thind, immigration person deceased at the scene and two other people with non-life delayed by diffi culties obtaining tive Republican presidential end of June. rather than revealing that he director for Asian Americans threatening injuries,” a Calgary police spokesman said. the required paperwork.”All I do nominee, has stirred the immi- The DACA programme has burns to study to become an in- Advancing Justice in Los Ange- The spokesman said one woman was taken to hospital, while the when I go home is sleep and pay gration debate, vowing to build a resonated in the Hispanic com- formation technology specialist. les, said when her group goes to suspect, who was also injured, was treated at the scene. He did not rent.” wall on the US border with Mexi- munities that make up the ma- The long-time Annandale, predominantly Asian churches have any further information on the suspect’s relationship with his The programme, Deferred co and deport an estimated 11mn jority of the nearly 730,000 un- Virginia, resident fi rst heard to talk about the DACA program, victims. A woman who answered the phone at the Olive Medical Action for Childhood Arrivals undocumented immigrants if he documented immigrants in the about DACA from a roommate they often are told no one there is clinic in the Central Landmark building said the stabbing happened (DACA), which was started four is elected. United States who have obtained more than two years after the undocumented. across the hallway from the medical centre in an acupuncture clinic. years ago, grants temporary le- A broader eff ort by the Obama protection from deportation un- program was launched. “There’s not just fear, but also “We called the police,” she said, adding that the clinic had notified gal status and the right to work administration to shield from de- der the programme. He said he has spent the last embarrassment about being un- its patients to not come in for appointments as off icers have closed to immigrants who entered the portation 4mn unauthorised im- The same cannot be said of two years trying to collect the documented,” Thind said. the building for investigation. Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 15 ASEAN In-work poverty prevails in Philippines: World Bank

By Mayvelin U Caraballo remain poor. This prevalence Manila Times of poverty among workers re- fl ects two things: the scarcity of “good jobs” and low earn- ervasive in-work pov- ing capacity of poor workers, erty, where workers re- the report said. Pmain below the poverty It describes good jobs as line despite having jobs, is the those which pay better, are in main challenge for the Phil- the formal sector, and provide ippine labour market despite social protection. economic growth in the last Many of the newly created decade, the World Bank said. jobs, however, are low-paid, This is why greater invest- precarious and informal, the ment in workers’ skills and ed- report said. It said that about ucation, coupled with fl exible three-quarters of all jobs and labour regulations, are needed two-thirds of urban jobs are to encourage fi rms to generate informal. more jobs that off er better pay Among wage workers, six and social protection, it said. out of 10 are hired informally. These are among the key Informal wage workers lack fi ndings of the report “Labour employment contracts and Market Review: Employment social insurance, and are not and Poverty in the Philip- protected against unfair dis- pines” released on Friday by missal. the Washington-based multi- Many of the existing jobs re- Supporters of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) hoist Budiman Mohamed Zohdi after he won a by-election in Sungai Besar, a coastal town in Sabak Bernam district, lateral lender. quire few skills, with labourers outside Kuala Lumpur yesterday. It analysed the labour mar- being the largest occupational ket performance in the Philip- group except for farmers. pines from the perspective of Even outside agriculture workers’ welfare and identi- and in urban areas, unskilled fi ed labour market constraints workers account for nearly to reducing poverty in the one-fourth of total employ- country. ment. The report claims that The study added that as Philippine economic growth many as 44 % of workers na- Najib’s coalition wins in the last 10 years has cre- tionwide have less than sec- ated enough jobs to absorb the ondary education. growing labour force. The fi gure is substantially It said that in the last dec- higher at 57 % in rural areas, ade, the Philippine economy while in urban areas about 30 has been growing at an aver- % of workers have not com- age of 5.3 %, while the working pleted secondary education. by-elections in Malaysia population and jobs have been Among youth from poor growing at an average of 1.8 % families, those who have not AFP over a splintered opposition. ing Barisan Nasional (BN) coali- split acrimoniously from PAS critics, while shoring up his hold and 1.9 %, respectively. completed secondary educa- Kuala Lumpur UMNO candidate Budiman tion. Last month, the BN scored last year, largely over the latter’s on power. Labour productivity has tion exceed 60 %.Completion Mohamed Zohdi won the par- a thumping victory in Sarawak increasing conservatism. Authorities in a half-dozen also been growing at 3.4 % of secondary education great- liamentary seat of Sungai Besar state assembly polls to extend Experts say that likely split the countries are investigating a year. “For many Filipinos, ly improves job prospects, it alaysia’s ruling party of west-central Malaysia, while its decades-old control of that votes of the Muslim ethnic Ma- 1MDB money fl ows, however, however, the main challenge is said, but added that even edu- won two parliamentary Mastura Mohamed Yazid won stronghold state. lays who are the country’s ma- and Switzerland and Singapore having jobs that can lift them cated workers are often forced Mby-elections yesterday the Kuala Kangsar constitu- “The victory in both the con- jority group. have frozen millions of dollars in out of poverty. by necessity to take unskilled that were closely watched for ency seat in the country’s north, stituencies (on Saturday) will Najib faces allegations that assets. With sound macro-econom- jobs and work as labourers. indications of whether graft al- the election commission an- enable Najib to entrench him- billions of dollars were plun- Najib led the BN — in power ic fundamentals and strong “The scarcity of ‘good jobs’ legations hounding Prime Min- nounced. self as the powerful leader of dered from a state-owned in- since independence in 1957 — to growth, the Philippines is well refl ects the structure of the ister Najib Razak were aff ecting Both candidates also pulled off UMNO,” said Oh Ei Sun, a senior vestment fund he founded. its worst-ever showing in 2013 positioned to address this chal- Philippine economy where his governing coalition’s sup- a thumping victory as predicted. fellow at the The accusations, which burst national elections amid voter lenge,” Mara Warwick, coun- low value-added activities port. The contests — held after the S Rajaratnam School of Inter- forth last year, include the rev- concerns over the economy, cor- try director for the World Bank predominate. This is partly The results in two mainly ru- previous incumbents died to- national Studies in Singapore. elation Najib received at least ruption and alleged government Philippines, said during the due to constraints in the in- ral constituencies were largely gether in a helicopter crash in UMNO benefi ted in yester- $681mn in deposits to his per- repression. launch of the report in Manila. vestment climate and the expected, as support typically May — are the fi rst parliamen- day’s contests from opposition sonal bank accounts in 2013. Malaysia’s opposition had Nevertheless, the report high cost of doing business runs strong in such areas for the tary electoral contests since the discord. Najib and the state fund, sought to highlight the 1MDB found that the growth of real in the formal sector,” said Jan dominant United Malays Na- corruption allegations emerged It had faced candidates from 1Malaysia Development Berhad issue in campaigning for yester- wages–or wages adjusted for Rutkowski, lead economist at tional Organisation (UMNO). last year. the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (1MDB), deny wrongdoing. day’s polls, but analysts say the changes in prices of goods and the World Bank’s Social Pro- The UMNO-led ruling coali- But for the second time in as (PAS) and Amanah, a new party But Najib has fuelled suspi- issue carries little weight with services–has yet to catch up tection and Labour Global tion also enjoys huge advan- many months, the results pro- comprising mostly former PAS cions by shutting down domes- masses of Malays who have been with rising productivity. Practice, and the leading au- tages in money and machinery vided relief for Najib and his rul- members.Amanah’s members tic investigations and sidelining raised on UMNO control. As a result, many workers thor of the report. Migrants in Indonesia boat stand-off ‘brought ashore’

AFP Lilianne Fan, international di- Lhoknga, Indonesia rector of Aceh NGO the Geutan- yoe Foundation, whose team on the ground witnessed the dis- ozens of Sri Lankan mi- embarkation. grants stranded on a boat “At this point the most urgent Doff Indonesia were al- thing from our point of view is lowed to come ashore yesterday that immediate access is given after a tense stand-off , but local to the UNHCR,” she added, re- authorities insist they will still ferring to the UN refugee agen- be towed back to sea. cy. The 44 migrants, who include When asked if the UNHCR many women and children, were teams in Lhoknga — the town allowed to disembark in Aceh where the boat ran aground — province and take refuge in tents, had been granted access to the a week after their Indian-fl agged refugees, Hudri said: “No, not vessel broke down en route to yet”. Australia. The week-long impasse boiled Authorities in the western over Thursday when police fi red province had drawn interna- a warning shot to disperse a tional condemnation by refusing crowd that had swarmed around to allow the migrants ashore, but the vessel. relented yesterday as huge waves That incident prompted Am- threatened to upend the dam- nesty International on Friday to aged boat. issue a statement accusing local However a local official said authorities of employing “crude authorities would proceed as intimidation tactics” against the planned and tow the migrants migrants. out to international waters “The immigration offi ce and once their boat had been re- security forces in Aceh are fl out- paired and the weather im- ing the authority of their own proved. vice president and not letting “The policy is still the same as the UNHCR do its job,” Josef yesterday,” Al Hudri, the head of Benedict of Amnesty Interna- social services in Aceh province, tional said in a statement. said. Hundreds of Myanmar Ro- “After the boat is repaired, hingya came ashore in Aceh they will be towed back to sea Migrant families from Sri Lanka take shelter in a tent at a beach in Lhoknga, Aceh province yesterday, after the authorities agreed they leave their stranded boat temporarily. last year during a regional boat and sent home.” people crisis and were warmly He said the migrants were The boat had suffered seri- before it would be seaworthy, ashore, as police began photo- The Sri Lankans were pre- Aceh offi cials to allow them to welcomed by residents of the brought ashore as rough seas and ous damage during its jour- he added. graphing the migrants in a bid vented from coming ashore for disembark. staunchly Islamic province, who strong winds were threatening to ney, with engine trouble and In the meantime a kitchen has to establish identities, an AFP a week, despite Indonesian Vice “We’re happy to see that is fi - felt sympathy for their plight as a capsize the damaged vessel. holes that needed repairing been set up to feed those brought journalist at the scene said. President Jusuf Kalla ordering nally being implemented,” said persecuted Muslim minority. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, June 19, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Tokyo skyline US dangles large land return in Okinawa

Reuters the United States to move Okinawa military personnel off the is- land. In 1996 the US and Japa- he United States Ma- nese governments agreed to rine Corps in Okinawa relocate some troops outside Tmay hand back a Okinawa and move others to 10,000 acre (40.5sq km) tract less populated parts of the of land to Japan early next island after the rape of a Japa- year, its commander said yes- nese schoolgirl by three US terday, as Washington con- servicemen. fronts a surge in opposition “They came with guns and to US military bases there fol- bulldozed people’s homes to lowing the murder of a Japa- build their bases. We didn’t nese woman. give it to them,” said Junsei The return of the land, part Shimoji a 76-year-old taxi of a jungle training camp, driver whose family home was known as Camp Gonsalves in destroyed during the US inva- Northern Okinawa, was agreed sion of the island in 1945 at the in 1996, but has been delayed end of World War Two. by protesters blocking the con- Nicholson announced a 30- struction of helipads by the day mourning period following Japanese government that the the murder last month, ban- Marines say they need before ning marines from drinking at the handover. bars off base. Visitors watch the Tokyo skyline at night while a projection of the summer sky is seen inside the observation deck of the Tokyo Tower. “There have been discus- “If you violate Japanese sions recently and we are law, you will be subject to it hopeful that in the second half and I think that is an impor- of this year there will be some tant and strong message that movement,” Lieutenant Gen- the Okinawan people need to eral Lawrence D. know,” he said. Nicholson said at his Troops will be allowed back headquarters at Camp Fos- into public bars from June 25, ter in Okinawa.”It would be Nicholson said, although ma- the largest land return since jor fourth of July celebrations 1972.” such as fi rework displays will Okinawa, which was under be cancelled. Defi ant bookseller US occupation until 1972, still “We are going to have a sub- hosts 30,000 military per- dued fourth of July, and that is sonnel living and working on on all of Okinawa and probably bases that cover a fi fth of the throughout the whole of Ja- island. pan,” he said. Local resentment about that Nicholson said he has or- burden surged after an Ameri- dered all of his troops to stay can civilian working at a US away from a demonstration leads protest in HK base was arrested last month on Sunday in Okinawa’s capi- in connection with the murder tal, Naha, to protest against Despite his detention Lam is autonomous system under which the city of a local 20-year-old Japanese US bases. The organisers are determined to make his voice heard is ruled. woman. expecting thousands of people Protester Simon Chan, 60, said it was The incident has spurred at what could be the biggest AFP time for people to speak up. calls, backed by Okinawa such gathering in at least two Hong Kong “If we don’t voice out, then this will just governor Takeshi Onaga, for decades. continue and we will be very scared,” he told AFP. Hong Kong bookseller who said Beijing has refused to be drawn on Lam’s S Koreans charged for exorcism death he was blindfolded, interrogated accusations, saying only that it is entitled Aand detained in China led a protest to pursue the case as he broke mainland German prosecutors said yesterday they have filed murder march yesterday defying Beijing as pres- Chinese laws. charges against three members of a South Korean family and sure grows for authorities to answer ques- Hong Kong authorities have expressed two adolescents suspected of beating to death a 41-year-old tions over the case. “concern”, saying they are attempting to woman in an exorcism ritual performed in a Frankfurt hotel Lam Wing-kee is one of five book- speak to Lam. room. A 44-year-old woman, her 22-year-old son and 19-year- sellers who went missing last year - all Pro-democracy lawmakers are urging old daughter, as well as two boys aged 15 and 16, will face trial worked for a publisher known for sala- the government to admit what it knows for the murder in December of a South Korean woman who cious titles about leading Chinese poli- about the case. they believed was possessed by the devil, spokeswoman Nadia ticians. “I request that the government clearly Niesen said. The case heightened fears that Beijing explain what they have done to help Lam Prosecutors say the victim’s body showed evidence of multiple was tightening its grip on semi-autono- or the other Causeway Bay bookstore blows to the chest and stomach and that the ultimate cause of mous Hong Kong, with Lam’s explosive workers in these past eight months. death was suff ocation. It is unclear whether the woman gave revelations earlier this week about how he If they don’t, then they’re not our gov- consent prior to the exorcism. The family, whose religious aff iliation had been detained in China further fan- ernment,” said legislator Frederick Fung. is not known, had arrived in the city around six weeks earlier. ning many residents’ concerns. In an editorial Saturday, the South Chi- One of the teenaged boys is believed to have been related to the Lam told AFP yesterday that he did not na Morning Post, which has recently been victim. The investigation led police to discover a second suspected feel afraid after breaking bail, refusing to criticised for being too Beijing-friendly, victim alive in a house the group had rented in the nearby town of return to the mainland and breaking si- also demanded both sides “come clean”. Sulzbach. The woman was badly injured and was suff ering from lence on his detention. Lam said he was allowed to return to hypothermia and dehydration. “I don’t feel scared because there are so Hong Kong on Tuesday on condition that many people here,” said Lam, surrounded Bookseller Lam Wing-kee (C) takes part in a protest march with pro-democracy he go back over the border Thursday, by more than 1,000 supporters who had lawmakers and supporters in Hong Kong. bringing with him a hard disk listing book- Eight buried in Tibet landslide gathered in Hong Kong to protest against store customers. his detention and to demand answers from The protesters, carrying banners say- his right to a lawyer or contact with his He says he did not want to hand over the Eight people have been buried hospital while the search for the city’s authorities over the booksellers’ ing “Fight until the very end” are march- family. records and decided to speak out instead. in a landslide following heavy the other villagers continues, case. ing from the Causeway Bay Bookstore, the He also described how he recited a Lam is one of four booksellers under rain in eastern Tibet, Xinhua it said. “I’m happy to be back in Hong Kong.” business at the centre of the controversy, scripted confession broadcast on Chi- investigation on the mainland for trading quoted local authorities as Mountainous regions of Tibet He added that he had been contacted by to China’s liaison offi ce. nese state television, admitting to trading banned books in China. saying yesterday. are prone to such disasters, the city’s police but had not yet responded In a surprise press conference Thursday banned books, out of fear. The fi fth, Lee Bo, the only bookseller to Nine people were sheltering in which can be exacerbated by to them. Lam told how he had been blindfolded and Pro-democracy lawmakers are de- disappear on Hong Kong soil, has said he is a cave near a village in Medog heavy mining activity. He would give no detail about where he transported north after crossing the bor- manding to know what Hong Kong au- simply helping with enquiries and is cur- county when the landslides In 2013 a total of 83 people died was now living. der into the mainland to visit his girlfriend thorities have done to help the booksell- rently back in the city. occurred, the off icial Chinese when a vast volume of rock Leading the rally, he shouted slogans in- in October. ers, accusing them of being a puppet of He has refuted Lam’s claims that Lee news agency reported. crashed down a mountainside cluding “Say no to authority!” and “Hong Lam said he was kept in a room, interro- Beijing. told him he had been taken to the mainland One was pulled out with east of the capital Lhasa, Kong has a bottom line!” gated for months and forced to sign away They say China has violated the semi- against his will. severe injuries and taken to burying a mineworkers’ camp.

China ‘democracy’ village chief arrested Palmer United

Reuters Wukan’s directly elected and popular village ions of police with shields and helmets block- Hong Kong chief Lin Zuluan had been arrested for abus- ing roads in the village. ing his position to take bribes. Days earlier, village chief Lin wrote an There were no other details. open letter pledging to launch a fresh mass uthorities in southern China have de- Lin couldn’t be reached on his mobile protest to demand justice for illegal land tained the chief of a village that was phone. sales and unauthorised construction on Aonce hailed as a model for grassroots A villager who declined to be identifi ed said village land - issues that have festered since democracy, accusing him of accepting bribes, that outraged villagers tried to surround the 2011. while deploying hundreds of riot police to local police station in protest. “They are all liars who say one thing and do stave off potential trouble. Hundreds of riot police and other security another. The coastal fi shing village of Wukan in personnel swarmed into the village, however, They are incompetent to be offi cials and southern Guangdong province was the scene and several arrests were made. should be kicked off ,” read a public notice of a massive uprising in 2011, when people “Everyone is very angry but we can’t do in Wukan calling for action against the land barricaded the area from security forces for much right now, there are police everywhere. grabs, that was posted online.”We cannot several months to demand justice against It’s very tense,” the villager said. trust them anymore. corruption and land grabs. The Lufeng city government, which has We shall solve the problems ourselves.” The defi ant civil movement drew interna- jurisdiction over Wukan, warned villagers in Several prominent villagers have also been tional media attention and eventually per- a public notice against taking any retaliatory taken into police custody, according to village suaded provincial Communist Party leaders action, and that authorities “would absolute- sources. to sack the former village chief and allow ly not use a soft hand” to deal with potential Many of the village’s democratically elect- elections, which a group of protest leaders unrest. ed governing committee from 2012 has now Australian mining magnate and politician Clive Palmer speaks during the campaign launch won by a landslide. The Lufeng government couldn’t be imme- been forced from offi ce, with some of the of the Palmer United Party (PUP) in Brisbane, Australia, yesterday, where he announced the In an open letter posted by the Lufeng city diately reached for comment. corrupt old guard reinstated to their former party would seek to win senate seats in every Australian state in the July 2 election. government late on Friday, however, it said Pictures posted by villagers showed battal- positions. Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 17 BRITAIN Death to traitors, says accused Mair

Evening Standard London

he man accused of murdering MP Jo Cox yesterday gave his name as “Death to Ttraitors, freedom for Britain” during his fi rst court appearance. Thomas Mair, 52, from Birstall, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London charged with murder, grievous bodily harm, and fi rearms off ences following the death of Cox on Thursday. Thomas Mair The 41-year-old MP for Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire was shot and stabbed in the the name he has just given, he ought to be seen street outside her constituency surgery in Bir- by a psychiatrist.” stall, near Leeds. Vigils for Cox were held across the UK last Mair refused to give his correct name and in- night as members of the public and politicians stead said it was “Death to traitors, freedom for came together to lay fl owers and light candles in Britain”. He remained silent when asked for his her memory. address and date of birth. Hundreds of people gathered for a candlelit Wearing a grey jumper, tracksuit bottoms and vigil in Parliament Square, where a two-minute black shoes, Mair was handcuff ed to a guard in silence was held for the MP, who leaves behind the dock during the hearing. her husband Brendan and two young children. He was not required to enter a plea and his Tributes have poured in from around the lawyer Keith Allen said there was no indication world, with Barack Obama making a personal of what plea would be given. phonecall to Mrs Cox’s widower Brendan to of- He also told the court legal aid has been ap- fer his sincere condolences. plied for. In a statement the White House said: “The Deputy chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot president noted that the world is a better place ordered that he be remanded in custody until because of her selfl ess service to others, and his next appearance at the Old Bailey tomorrow. that there can be no justifi cation for this hei- He will be held at Belmarsh Prison, and Ar- nous crime, which robbed a family, a commu- buthnot suggested that a psychiatric report nity, and a nation of a dedicated wife, mother, should be prepared, saying: “Bearing in mind and public servant.” Tributes in memory of murdered Labour Party MP Jo Cox at Parliament Square in London. Family of murdered Labour MP make emotional tribute A broken family is looking for and solidarity for the days, Cox, the mother of two chil- car sitting in the back seat. The ways to heal months and years to come as part dren aged three and fi ve, was at- car stopped and Jo decided to of Jo’s legacy. tacked by a gunman who report- come out. Evening Standard Murdered MP Jo Cox told her edly shouted “Britain fi rst” as he “My daughter didn’t know London assistant “my pain is too much” shot and stabbed her. she’d been shot. Because this in her fi nal words as she lay dying She had been arriving for her person must be waiting outside in the aide’s arms. 1pm surgery at a library in Bir- where the surgery happens.” he sister of murdered La- Fazila Aswat had tried to help stall, near Leeds. He added that the MP “was bour MP Jo Cox gave an the Labour MP after the bru- Witnesses said she was shot like a daughter” to him and called Temotional tribute to her tal attack in which she was shot three times, with the fi nal shot him “uncle” as he paid tribute. “perfect” sibling today as she three times and stabbed, as she to the head. Thomas Mair, 52, “I think she’s a caring person, visited a memorial near to the arrived for her constituency sur- was arrested minutes after the not just an MP but she liked to scene of the killing with her fam- gery in Birstall on Thursday. killing. help every human being, every ily. Aswat’s father, Ghulam Mani- Maniyar said his daughter had single person,” he said. Kim Leadbeater, her parents yar, said his daughter risked tried to stop the attack. “She worried about Syrian and other family members visit- her own safety by trying to beat “She tried to help her, she people, she worried about or- ed the ever-growing collection of away the attacker with a hand- tried to hit (the attacker) with dinary people. Whenever you fl oral tributes in Birstall in tribute bag, and then spoke to the MP her handbag, but he tried to go at approached her, she’d come for- to 41-year-old Mrs Cox. before the emergency services her,” he said. ward with a smile and try to help The family hugged and arrived. “People came so he followed you. thanked people before address- Maniyar revealed details of the them and he came back again and “It’s shocking. Not just for my ing the assembled crowd about 41-year-old’s fi nal moments in shot her (Jo) again twice. daughter but the whole commu- the Batley and Spen MP. an interview with ITV News to- “My daughter... she is in shock nity. We were living in harmony Leadbeater struggled to con- day. because she’s been with her (Jo) in the community, English com- tain her emotion as she told He said: “She said her (Jo’s) in- for one year and working very munity, Asian community. of how her sister’s husband, jury was so bad and she was in her closely with her. “This news is shocking for the Brendan Cox was at home look- arms. There was lots of blood. “It will take time to fully recov- whole community. My daughter, ing after their two young chil- Kim Leadbeater sister of murdered Jo Cox, is joined by her parents Jean and Gordon Leadbeater as she “She said ‘Jo, get up’ but she er from the shock. She knew that it will take time for her to recov- dren, aged fi ve and three. reads a tribute. (Jo) said ‘no, my pain is too much, she (Jo) was very badly injured. er.” She said: “For now, our family Fazila’. And I think those were the That’s why she’s not speaking He added: “I met her many, is broken but it will mend in time “She was a human being. She young age, all Jo ever wanted Leadbeter continued: “Over last words Jo spoke. about everything she’s seen. She many times. She’s a wonderful and we will never let Jo leave our was perfect.” was for everyone to be happy. We the last 48 hours, people have not “She could not do anything lost one of her best people.” lady and we all sadly miss her. I lives. Tweeting his support for his were brought up to see the best in been silent. They have been vocal else. She tried to comfort her. Maniyar said his daughter did saw Jo three days ago. “She will live on through sister-in-law, Cox wrote: “Very everything and everyone.” and passionate and have spoken Then the police came, the air not realise Cox had been shot. “She was campaigning in town Brendan, through us and through proud of my sister-in-law Kim She went on to discuss how from the heart. Genuine emotion ambulance came, they took He said: “She was with my and she rang me and I went there. her truly wonderful children who who spoke on behalf of us all and her sister had received abuse on with no hidden agenda. her to hospital. She was a wit- daughter. They’d left Batley of- She took a picture with me and will always know what an utterly did her sister proud.” Twitter and Facebook during her “Jo would have loved it. We ness and her clothes were full of fi ce, they were in the market- some colleagues. She was there amazing woman their mother was. Leadbeater said: “From a very political career. have to continue this strength blood.” place, she was in my daughter’s smiling.” Teenage girl is ‘dragged out of Pizza Hut, stabbed and raped’

Evening Standard Pound Lane with a stab wound to the man entered the restaurant old men. All are from Crawley. Police said the two suspects London her abdomen. and suff ered injuries to his arm as Detective chief inspector An- then made off the scene in a dark She is currently at St George’s a result but fortunately his inju- tony Archibald from the Sussex coloured car following the inci- The girl was allegedly dragged out of Pizza Hut. Hospital in Tooting where her ries are not believed to be serious.” and Surrey major crime team dent just before 9pm on Decem- man has been arrested on condition is described as serious Police, who have stepped up said: “This has been a fast mov- ber 20, 2015. man underwent numerous sur- a Sainsbury’s supermarket in suspicion of attempted but not life-threatening. their presence in the town centre ing investigation and we are still A Scotland Yard spokesman geries to save his leg. Hampton, west London, on May Amurder, rape and kidnap A 32-year-old Epsom man has since the incident, believe the girl making enquiries. said offi cers believe the attack “I am confi dent there are peo- 20. after a teenage girl was dragged been arrested on suspicion of at- knew her alleged attacker. We have arrested four people may have been a case of mistaken ple who know the identity of The women, aged 53, 62, 67 out of a Pizza Hut and stabbed in tempted murder, kidnap, rape Two women have been who are being questioned. identity. the persons responsible for this and 71, were allegedly targeted as the stomach, police say. and grievous bodily harm. arrested after a young man was “A scene guard has been set Yesterday the force renewed its crime and its motive, I would they got out of their cars. Surrey Police said a man He is currently being ques- stabbed to death in a quiet cul- up in Spencers Road and there appeal, off ering up to £10,000 for urge them to come forward. One was stabbed near a pub walked into the Waterloo Road tioned by detectives. de-sac in Sussex. are offi cers in the area to speak to information leading to the iden- “I appreciate they may be con- while the others were attacked branch in Epsom last night and Detective inspector Nick Two men were also held as po- residents about their concerns.” tifi cation and prosecution of the cerned or even frightened. in a different part of the car attacked a member of staff who Chambers said: “This was clearly lice launched a murder investiga- Gang police have off ered attackers. I can assure them that Trident park. tried to help the 17-year-old a very serious incident where a tion after the 20-year-old died in a £10,000 reward following the Detective chief inspector Mike offi cers have extensive experi- They were treated in hospital girl. young woman has been subjected hospital. shooting of a “totally innocent” Balcombe, said: “The venue is a ence in working with witnesses, for their injuries, and one is still The man then pulled the teen- to an horrifi c ordeal and we are Offi cers were called by para- man in a bustling Southwark pub. small, quiet friendly pub, and on and there are measures we can fi ghting for her life. ager out of the restaurant and in the process of carrying out a medics to Spencers Road in Up to 50 people were crammed the night in question was busier implement to ensure that their Orhon, of Deacons Walk, disappeared with her. thorough and detailed investiga- Crawley at about 3am yesterday. in the small Whelan’s Public than usual, with customers who information will be treated in the Hampton, appeared at Kingston Police descended on the out- tion to establish what happened. A spokesman for Sussex Police House in Rotherhithe when two came to enjoy the live entertain- strictest confi dence.” Crown Court via video link from let just after 10.30pm and began “This appears to have been a said the man was treated for what hooded men stormed the venue ment. A pensioner will stand trial Belmarsh Prison, pleading not searching for the girl in streets violent and pre-planned attack appeared to be a stab wound to and opened fi re. “Understandably everybody over a knife attack at a London guilty to two counts of attempted nearby. which took place in a very public his abdomen. They shot a customer in the leg present at the venue was left car park that left four women in murder and two of wounding At 10.49pm, they arrested location in the centre of Epsom.” Two women aged 22 and 24 while he stood at the bar, leaving shaken and shocked by what they hospital. with intent to cause grievous a man in a nearby recreation He said: “A member of staff at were arrested on suspicion of him needing extensive surgery to witnessed. Ethem Orhon, 66, is accused bodily harm. He will stand trial ground before fi nding the girl in Pizza Hut tried to intervene when murder, along with two 20-year- save the limb. The victim, a totally innocent of stabbing the women outside on October 31. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, June 19, 2016 EUROPE

Astronauts touch down Belgium arrests 12 amid after 186 days in space

AFP ‘imminent’ attack fears Moscow AFP Brussels hree astronauts including Briton Tim Peake landed back on Earth yesterday Tafter completing a six-month mis- elgian police staged sweeping sion on the International Space Station (ISS). nationwide anti-terror raids Peake, the fi rst British astronaut on the ISS, Band arrested 12 people, offi cials Russia’s Yury Malenchenko and Nasa’s Tim said yesterday, as security for 30 VIPs Kopra parachuted down onto the Kazakh was reinforced over fears of an “im- steppe in their Soyuz capsule at 0915 GMT minent” attack. after spending 186 days in orbit. The alert came as thousands of Video footage from the landing site, people gathered across the country southeast of the Kazakh city of Zhezkazgan, in fan zones for Belgium’s Euro 2016 showed medics attending to the smiling men. match against Ireland. “It was incredible. The best ride I’ve ever “Over the coming hours we are go- been on,” Peake said.”It has just been fantas- ing to take additional and updated tic, from start to fi nish.” security measures,” Belgian Prime The 44-year-old former helicopter test pi- Minister Charles Michel said after lot said he was looking forward to seeing his a national security council meeting family. called to discuss the threat. “I’m going to miss the view,” he said, refer- “The diff erent events planned ring to panorama of planet Earth visible from for the next few days will go ahead,” the ISS during his six-month stint in space. Michel added, urging people however As he was being carried away from the to “respect safety advice”. Dozens of landing site, Kopra said his trip back to Earth searches were carried out across Bel- had been “phenomenal.” gium overnight in a case that needed With this latest mission Russian space vet- “an immediate intervention”, federal eran Malenchenko has spent a total of 827 prosecutors said yesterday. days in orbit, according Russian space agency Forty people were initially held and Roscosmos. 152 garage boxes searched, they said. Malenchenko ranks second for the record The raids took place in 16 communes number of days spent in space, trailing be- in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia and hind his compatriot Gennady Padalka who “passed off without incident,” they has spent 878 days in orbit, Roscosmos said. said in a statement, adding that “until Peake, Malenchenko and Kopra had blast- now no arms or explosives were found.” ed off into space from the Baikonur Cosmo- Flemish commercial broadcaster drome in Kazakhstan in December. VTM reported that it was connected to a At around 0215 GMT, they bid farewell to threat linked to Belgium’s fi xture against Nasa astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian Ireland, held yesterday afternoon in Bor- cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ov- deaux, France. No incidents were imme- chinin, who remain aboard the ISS. diately reported after the match ended Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon arrives for a meeting of the security council in Brussels yesterday. Their Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft then with a 3-0 defeat for the Irish. undocked from the ISS, Roscosmos said. The channel said the threat was The latest raids targeted several ar- One of the searches in Wallonia ers had recently left Syria to carry out RTBF and daily Flemish newspa- Peake’s mission has generated great ex- against targets in Belgium, possibly eas tied to the attacks of November 13 was conducted in the area of Fleurus attacks. per Het Nieuwsblad, Prime Minister citement in Britain, where the government fans watching the game on television and March 22. close to Charleroi airport - the coun- “They would separate into two Charles Michel, Foreign Minister Di- unveiled an ambitious new space policy on in crowded places. Offi cers in Flanders moved on the try’s second international air hub groups, one for Belgium, the other dier Reynders, Interior Minister Jan the eve of his departure for the International A judge will decide later whether to town of Zaventem close to Brussels - and a region that also hosts part of for France, to attack in pairs. Accord- Jambon and Justice Minister Koen Space Station. detain those who have been arrested, National airport while there were the country’s nuclear industry. ing to the information received these Geens, are among a group of 30 Peake’s time in space was marked by a none of whom have been named. raids in the Brussels suburbs of Mo- France, which is hosting the Euro people are in possession of the nec- people who, along with their fami- number of milestones. Belgium is still reeling from the lenbeek, Schaarbeek and Forest were 2016 football championships, is on essary armament and their actions lies, have had their personal security In January, he became the fi rst Briton to Islamic State (IS) suicide bombings closely associated with the perpetra- maximum alert after an assailant are imminent,” an offi cial document stepped up since Friday. walk in space, undertaking a mission to re- at Brussels airport and on the city’s tors of both attacks. previously convicted for militancy revealed by the La Derniere Heure RTBF added that there is no link to place an electrical unit. metro on March 22 which killed 32 Molenbeek is notorious for being killed a police offi cer and his partner newspaper stated. the most recent raids. In April he ran a marathon in space in people and wounded hundreds more. a hotbed of Islamic extremism where last Monday. A source close to the Belgian au- Despite the disclosures, Belgium’s record time, strapped into a treadmill while They came fi ve months after mili- Salah Abdeslam, the only surviv- The latest raids have raised ten- thorities told AFP yesterday that terror level remains at level three thousands ran the London Marathon. tants, many of them from Brussels, ing member of the 10-man militant sions in Belgium which is already several leading Belgian political fi g- meaning that an attack is considered Peake managed to achieve the fastest ever carried out gun and bombing attacks team that attacked Paris, hid out for dogged by the threat of terrorism. ures have recently had their security “possible and probable”. The highest, marathon in space by marking a time of three in Paris on November 13, killing 130 months until his dramatic arrest on Belgian media reported last week increased. level four, would mean that the threat hours, 35 minutes and 21 seconds, setting a people and wounding hundreds more. March 18. that police had warned that IS fi ght- According to state broadcaster is “serious and imminent” Guinness World Record.

German minister warns Nato against Russia ‘sabre-rattling’

Reuters tion were crucial elements of any Berlin successful deterrence policy. This month the United States, Britain and Germany advanced erman Foreign Minister plans to spearhead a new Nato Frank-Walter Steinmeier force on Russia’s border from Ghas criticised NATO’s de- next year, prompting President cision to stage military manoeu- Vladimir Putin to order snap vres in eastern Europe, warning checks on the combat readiness such moves could worsen ten- of his armed forces. sions with Russia. Only weeks before a criti- His comments refl ect grow- cal Nato summit in Warsaw, the ing divisions within Germany’s three allies said they would each ruling right-left coalition over command a battalion on Nato’s policy towards Moscow. eastern fl ank to help deter any Steinmeier’s Social Democrats show of force against Poland or (SPD) generally back a more con- the Baltic states. ciliatory stance towards Russia Nato’s battalions are part of than Chancellor Angela Merkel’s a wider deterrent due to be ap- conservative bloc. proved at the Warsaw summit on “What we shouldn’t do now July 8. is to infl ame the situation by It will involve troops on rota- loud sabre-rattling and shrill tion, warehoused equipment and war cries,” Steinmeier told Bild a highly mobile force backed by newspaper in an interview to be Nato’s 40,000-strong rapid re- published today. action unit. “Whoever believes that sym- Steinmeier’s comments drew bolic tank parades on the alli- fi erce criticism from Rebecca ance’s eastern border will bring Harms, co-chair of the Greens People walk on the monumental installation entitled ‘The Floating Piers’ created by artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff on Iseo Lake, in northern Italy. more security is mistaken,” group in the European Parlia- Steinmeier said. ment. “We are well-advised not to She said Steinmeier was send- create pretexts to renew an old ing an “irresponsible signal” to confrontation.” Moscow at a time when Russia Steinmeier did not make was still refusing to fully support Christo fans fl ock to ‘walk on water’ clear which manoeuvres he eff orts to end the Ukraine crisis was referring to but Nato and pull back troops from the has just completed a large- eastern territory of the ex-Soviet AFP Lake Iseo. They create a 3km long Several of the fi rst visitors The number of visitors of those wanting to walk on the scale, 10-day military training republic. Ieso, Italy runway that connects the village to experience Christo’s brain- reached a peak after lunch with water,” said Lombardy regional exercise in Poland involving Moscow denies having any of Sulzano to the small island of child removed their shoes to a long queue snaking toward the president Roberto Maroni. more than 20 NATO and partner troops in Ukraine or providing Monte Isola on the lake. better appreciate the “physical project’s entrance. Around 150 people were post- countries. arms to the rebels. housands of people “It’s a very physical project, project” that was fi rst conceived A number of those queueing ed on the walkway to ensure Germany was among those Elmar Brok, a close Merkel ally stepped out yesterday you need to go there (to under- in 1970 but has taken until now were taken ill as they waited un- safety wile 30 lifeguards were on taking part. and head of the European Par- Tonto the latest work stand it),” Christo said last week to come to fruition. der a baking sun. hand in the event of an accident. The exercise, involving 30,000 liament’s foreign aff airs com- by renowned artist Christo of the project called “The Float- Others sunbathed on the pon- Christo himself advised his Christo fi rst rose to fame troops, was part of Nato’s drive mittee, told German daily Neue Vladimirov Javacheff in north- ing Piers” which opened to the toons while braver souls dived fans to visit another day and along with his late wife Jeanne- to reassure east European na- Osnabruecker Zeitung yesterday ern Italy, seizing their chance to public yesterday. The project head fi rst into Iseo’s dark green ordered that shuttle buses to Claude for their eye-catching tions rattled by Russia’s 2014 there was “no question” that the “walk on water”. concludes on July 3. water. nearby car parks should make packaging of famous landmarks annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea EU would extend by a further six The most eager fans of Chris- “The Floating Piers” cost “It’s like being on a boat, it fewer trips. like the Pont Neuf across the pensinsula and its support for months its economic sanctions to, as he is universally known, 15mn euros ($16.7mn) to create sways, it’s fun,” Agata, 12, told “It’s a great feeling, I am very Seine in Paris in 1985 and Ber- rebels opposed to Kiev’s forces in imposed on Moscow over the spent the night camped out to be but will be open to the public for Italian media. satisfi ed with the result which is lin’s Reichstag in 1995 - a project eastern Ukraine. Ukraine crisis. the fi rst to step onto a walkway of free day and night and is expect- Her family had driven over- the product of cooperation be- which took almost a quarter of a Steinmeier said history The decision will probably be 200,000 fl oating cubes covered ed to attract 500,000 visitors by night from Bergamo to arrive at tween all the organisations that century of bureaucratic wran- showed dialogue and coopera- made next week, he said. in orange fabric fl oating atop the time it closes. the installation in time for dawn. have guaranteed the safety of all gling to get off the ground. Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 19 EUROPE UN chief Ban lauds Greece on handling of migrant crisis

AFP to be the fl ashpoint island of Les- Ban put on what he called an Athens bos to visit the refugee camps. “important gift” but then quick- Lesbos and other eastern ly took it off as he thought of Aegean islands last year were the the thousands who never made N Secretary General Ban gateway into Europe for a migra- ashore. Ki-moon headed yester- tion wave unseen since World The UN chief said he was Uday to take a fi rst-hand War II. “deeply distressed” by the large look in Greece at the migration According to UN fi gures, Les- number of refugees who have lost crisis that has engulfed Europe, bos alone accounted for around their lives in crossing the Aegean as tens of thousands of migrants 500,000 arrivals in 2015. as well as the Mediterranean remain blocked at the doorstep A migration deal between the route from north Africa. to the EU. European Union and Turkey put Since the beginning of the Over the past year and a half into eff ect on March 20 has dras- year, around 2,510 people have more than 1mn refugees and mi- tically reduced the fl ow, but at died in the Mediterranean com- grants, many from Syria, have the cost of human rights viola- pared with 1,855 in the same pe- arrived on the Greek islands, and tions according to rights groups. riod last year, according to the Ban praised Greeks for show- Since then, around 3,000 mi- International Organization for ing “remarkable solidarity ... as grants have arrived in Greece Migration. Pro-choice campaigners march in Warsaw yesterday against proposed changes to Poland’s restrictive abortion law that would eff ectively Greece faces tremendous chal- with over 460 of them sent back The Greek government says ban terminations in the EU country of 38mn people. lenges of so many desperate peo- to Turkey, where critics say they over 56,000 migrants have been ple fl eeing war and persecution.” face discrimination and possible trapped in Greece after Balkan Speaking after talks with danger. states began shutting their bor- Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in A relocation programme ders in February to stem a grow- Athens, Ban also hailed Greece promising to move successful ing infl ux into wealthy northern for managing the refugee infl ux asylum claimants to other EU Europe. Poles demonstrate against at the same time as grappling states has made little headway. Most of them are now in with its huge debt crisis. At his talks with Tsipras, the state-run camps that aid groups “Despite the country’s eco- Greek leader gave Ban a life jacket including the UN refugee agency nomic diffi culties, Greece has found, like thousands of others, have labelled poorly equipped been saving human lives,” he on the Greek islands. and inappropriate for a long proposed ban on abortion said, adding that country de- “It’s a symbolic gift, a life- stay. serves the support of the inter- saving tool for thousands of ref- On Friday, medical aid group national community “and should ugees who arrived in the Greek Doctors Without Borders cited AFP cies that result from rape or incest, pose a two who joined the march, told AFP. not be left on its own to face this islands after crossing the Aegean the agreement with Turkey as Warsaw health risk to the mother, or where the foe- Marcher Agnieszka, a 40-year-old preg- challenge.” Sea,” Tsipras said in presenting one of the reasons behind a deci- tus is severely deformed. nant mother of one who declined to provide Ban’s next stop in Greece was the item to him. sion to stop accepting EU funds. Anti-abortion activists backed by the in- her surname, told AFP she supports existing housands of pro-choice campaigners fl uential Catholic Church now want to table abortion legislation insisting that termina- marched in central Warsaw yesterday, a citizen’s bill in the conservative-dominat- tions “must be available in cases of rape.” Trallying against proposals for an al- ed parliament that would allow abortions In power since November, Poland’s right- most total ban on abortion in the staunchly only when necessary to save a woman’s life. wing Law and Justice (PiS) government has Catholic country, where the existing law is The proposal would also increase the endorsed the restrictive citizens’ bill. Thief returns 100,000-euro violin already one of the most restrictive in the EU. maximum jail term for people who perform The petition needs 100,000 signatures to Chanting “I exist, I think, I decide” and unauthorised abortions from two years to be examined by parliament. touting banners reading “Women’s rights fi ve. The organisers have said they will con- violin worth 100,000 eu- that had been left behind by a fe- that his picture had been made are human rights”, thousands of women and Pro-choice advocates have launched their tinue their signature-gathering drive until ros ($112,800) stolen from male musician on a train in April. public. men joined the “March for Dignity”. own plan to garner 100,000 signatures sup- the end of June. Aa commuter train in the Police retrieved the violin He now faces charges of theft It was organised by the “Dziewuchy porting a bill liberalising pregnancy termi- Under 2,000 legal abortions take place in southern German city of Munich and accessories worth a total of and fraud. Dziewuchom” (Women for Women) Face- nations. Poland each year. in April has been returned, police 120,000 euros following a search The owner of the violin had book group that has drawn over 100,000 An opinion poll published in March found There are no hard statistics on the said yesterday. of the man’s fl at. been informed of its retrieval on members since being launch earlier this year. that, far from supporting further restric- number of illegal abortions performed, or The 35-year-old man who took He claimed that he had no idea Saturday morning and she was “Women make up half of this country. We tions, 51% of Poles want access to abortions on the number of women who travel abroad the musical instrument turned of the instrument’s value, police able inspect the undamaged arti- want respect. We want our rights to be re- widened. for the procedure to countries like Austria, himself in to police on Friday af- said. When he saw the violin sit- cle at the police station. spected,” Bozena Przyluska, one of the march “I want to show my solidarity with wom- Germany and Slovakia. ter the incident caused a media ting on the train, he simply “ex- She was not able to take the organisers, told reporters as it kicked off . en...everyone should be able to choose Women’s rights organisations estimate uproar. ploited the opportunity,” he said. valuable object home as it was Adopted in 1993, current legislation bans for themselves,” Jerzy Grzegorkiewicz, a their number at between 100,000 and Security camera footage A friend told him later that he being held by the public pros- all terminations except in cases of pregnan- 63-year-old graphic designer and father of 150,000 a year. showed the man taking the violin was the subject of a manhunt and ecutor. Ukraine rebel Patriots want ‘back in the USSR’

By Yuliya Silina, AFP But “if someone attacks my fam- Donetsk ily with machine guns, then I will fi ght back. I will defend my home,” says the round-faced college student. n camoufl age uniforms and red More than 9,300 civilians and fi ght- caps, a group of young people gath- ers from both sides have perished since Ier in the Ukrainian rebels’ de facto the revolt broke out in April 2014. About capital of Donetsk to sing patriotic 1.8mn people, including 230,000 mi- songs and discuss the confl ict. nors, have also fl ed the tension in the They are members of Patriot, a youth rebel-held east, according to UN fi gures. club set up by separatist authorities in Kozlovskaya’s own parents and the self-proclaimed republic who are brother moved to Russia, which is ac- increasingly glorifying the Soviet past. cused by Kiev and the West of but- The rebels - who view the govern- tressing the rebels and sending regular ment in Kiev as right-wing nationalist troops across the border - claims that “fascists” – hope to instil loyalty in the Moscow denies. young people as they liken their battle But Kozlovskaya insisted on staying to the Red Army’s World War II fi ght behind with her grandmother. against the Nazis. “The young people are leaving Donet- They have drawn inspiration straight sk. They say this isn’t their war and they from the Soviet era “Pioneer” move- don’t want to die. But it’s my city, why ment, a kind of Communist Scouts that shouldn’t I defend it?” she says. most children would join at age 10. Membership is on a voluntary ba- Around the campfi re, the Pioneers in sis and the Patriots off er no weap- their distinctive red kerchiefs and caps ons training, unlike some other youth were taught to revere Lenin, just as the groups cropping up that do carry out Patriots, with their red caps, sing the military drills. pro-Moscow rebels’ praises. Senior rebel offi cials and fi ghters of- “No one will bring us to our knees, ten join the meetings, encouraging Pa- Donetsk guys are made of steel,” spits triots to learn about relatives and “he- out 23-year-old Alexander in a “patri- roes” who fell both in World War II and otic rap” song he wrote and performed the current confl ict. for the group. The rise of such groups has paralleled They meet monthly at Donetsk’s the war-torn east’s growing nostalgia World War II museum, which is decked for Soviet days, and at least a dozen are out with Soviet fl ags and military ban- now operating in the rebel-held area. ners, as portraits of Stalin have started The mood was clear at a May 9 pa- cropping up in the city centre. rade in Donetsk to celebrate the Allied Only 55 school children and college win over the Nazis in 1945, when many students have joined the movement children wore red caps and kerchiefs A May 11, 2016, file photo of young members of patriotic clubs marching in Donetsk. since it started just over a year ago, but like the Soviet Pioneers. the organisation has big plans. Kiev’s pro-Western authorities have One group tried to call itself the Za- The organisers even created a red, if he praised the principle of the group. school friend, 18-year-old Nikita Tish- “Our goal is to bring up patriots, to deplored the trend, with Ukraine’s kharovists for rebel leader Alexander fi ve-pointed star badge with Za- His veto disappointed Ivan Fedko, 15, chenko. develop the new Donetsk People’s Re- deputy minister of information policy Zakharchenko, just as the Soviet Pio- kharchenko’s portrait, mimicking the whose grandfather was a member of the “I wouldn’t join the Zakharovists public as a state,” said its chief Lyud- Tetyana Popova calling it a blatant “vi- neers were called “Leninists.” Pioneers’ red, fi ve-pointed star badge old Pioneers. because I think it’s a return to the So- mila Mikhaleva. olation of children’s rights”. Its members would be “successors bearing the face of Lenin. “Zakharchenko is my idol,” he said. viet Union,” he said. “And I don’t want Yelizaveta Kozlovskaya, 18, enrolled “We are against any initiative in to the glorious deeds of the Pioneer But Zakharchenko scotched the idea, “So I would join such an organisation to go back there because it was the last after her parents dissuaded her from which children are taught to hate or movement in the Soviet Union”, said saying “it’s out of the question for a and I would wear such a badge.” century. There was a diff erent political volunteering to fi ght Ukrainian forces. even kill,” she told AFP. separatist negotiator Denis Pushilin. movement to be named after me,” even Not all agree, including Fedko’s system then – it was totalitarianism.” Gulf Times 20 Sunday, June 19, 2016 INDIA

CRITICISM CONTROVERSY SCHEMES ECONOMY INCENTIVES Teacher sacked for AAP questions ‘absurd Himachal CM unveils Eff orts needed to widen Cash awards for wearing abaya appointments’ by govt development projects tax base, says Ficci Odisha districts

The Jammu and Kashmir government The Aam Aadmi Party yesterday questioned Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra A top industry body yesterday said eff orts are Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik yesterday yesterday criticised a decision by the Delhi the central government over what it dubbed Singh yesterday announced a slew of needed to improve the tax-to-GDP ratio. “Given announced cash incentives for districts for the Public School in Srinagar to sack a teacher the “absurd appointments” made to leading developmental projects worth Rs270mn for the development priorities of the nation, it is successful implementation of various welfare for wearing abaya and said it was a “serious institutions in the country, saying former cricketer Sirmaur district, including setting up of a mini- important that all eff orts are made to improve the schemes. Addressing the district collectors’ issue and Kashmir is not France.” Education Chetan Chauhan’s appointment as National secretariat in Rajgarh town. During a visit to tax to GDP ratio,” Federation of Indian Chambers conference, he said the government will honour Minister Naeem Akhtar said the government Institute of Fashion Technology chief proved its the town, he also laid the foundation stone of a of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) president the districts every year to acknowledge the would inquire it. The teacher was working at contention. The AAP also accused the Bharatiya water supply scheme apart from inaugurating Harshavardhan Neotia said in a statement. “The outstanding eff orts and to motivate sincere DPS Athwajan on the outskirts of Srinagar. Janata Party-led government of harming the a building of the Government Degree College, government needs more resources to eff ectively teamwork. “The best district in the disbursement “We live in a multi-religious, secular country. reputation of the premier institutes by appointing an off icial statement said. The chief minister deliver the basic services to the economically of incentives for rural houses would receive This is not France, least of all, it cannot be “non-deserving candidates” to top posts. also announced introduction of science classes weaker sections of society as well as invest an award of Rs1 crore. One best model GP done in the state,” Akhtar said. Reports in the Chauhan was rewarded with the post for shielding at the Rajgarh college from this session. more in areas like health, education and physical (gram panchayat) selected in each of the thirty local media said the DPS management sacked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Delhi and Addressing a public meeting at Rajgarh that infrastructure,” Neotia said. Ficci suggested that districts would receive an award of Rs50 lakh the teacher after she refused to accept the District Cricket Association controversy, AAP falls in Pachhad assembly segment, the chief as a first step towards widening of the tax base, each,” said the chief minister. He said the best management’s order not to wear the abaya leader Raghav Chadha said. He said the former minister asked the Education Department to the government may consider making filing of district in coverage of BPL households in rural inside the school. cricketer had nothing to do with fashion. appoint science lecturers in the college. income above a certain threshold mandatory. electrification “will receive Rs1 crore.

No intention to isolate IAF inducts Congress on GST, says Jaitley fi rst batch

IANS New Delhi of women inance Minister Arun Jait- ley has denied reports that Fthe Bharatiya Janata Party was working with regional par- ties to isolate the Congress over the government’s pro-reform legislative strategies. fi ghter pilots “My intention is not to iso- late the Congress. The Goods The women will now get to emy and never felt they were be- the aircraft to a halt safely on the and Sales Tax (GST) Bill is not train on the Hawk advanced ing treated diff erently for being runway. a BJP bill. It was mooted by the trainer jets for a year women. Kanth said she was going in for Congress; the GST will help the before being allowed to fly Asked what role they expect to her fi rst ever solo spin and recov- country,” Jaitley told Times Now supersonic warplanes play in the force, they said their ery manoeuvre when, fl ying at news channel in an interview. immediate focus would be on the 20,000ft, “doubt started creep- Jaitley denied any trade-off Agencies next level of training. ing in,” on what would happen if between the government and re- Hyderabad Chaturvedi, from Satna dis- the aircraft didn’t respond. gional parties like West Bengal’s trict in Madhya Pradesh, comes On her fi rst solo night sortie, Trinamool Congress or Tamil from a family of army offi cers. Singh encountered bad weather Nadu’s All India Anna Dravida lying Offi cers Avani She was inspired by her brother with thunder and lightning. She Munnetra Kazhagam and said Chaturvedi, Bhawana who is also in the army. couldn’t distinguish “between that “GST is not a partisan is- FKanth and Mohana Singh She always wanted to fl y and the stars in the sky and a small sue.” were yesterday commissioned joined the fl ying club of her col- cluster of lights on the ground. “There is no political trade- as India’s fi rst women fi ghter lege. Visual cues were going against off . The understanding is if any pilots. Kanth hails from Darbhanga cues from the instrument. The state loses revenue the fi rst fi ve On completion of successful district in Bihar. As a child, eff ect - it was diffi cult to main- years the Centre will make it up,” training at the Air Force Acad- she always dreamt of flying tain or ascertain the altitude of Jaitley said. emy in Dundigal on the outskirts planes. the aircraft. Earlier, the minister said vir- of Hyderabad, the three were She opted for the fi ghter While women pilots have been tually almost all states support- formally commissioned into the stream after successfully com- fl ying helicopters and transport ed the bill. Indian Air Force (IAF) by De- pleting her stage-I training. aircraft since 1991 in the IAF, it The Lok Sabha cleared the fence Minister Manohar Parrikar Daughter of an offi cer in the was only last year that the gov- GST Bill in May 2015 but it is and were the centre of attraction Indian Oil Corporation, she set ernment decided to allow wom- stuck in the Rajya Sabha, where at the Combined Graduation Pa- the goal of becoming a fi ghter en into fi ghter jet cockpits. the government does not have rade. pilot and serve the nation. In February this year, Presi- adequate numbers to see it The women, who broke the Singh comes from Jhunj- dent Pranab Mukherjee an- through. barriers to etch their names in hunu district of Rajasthan. Her nounced that women cadets Jaitley said the government is the history of the IAF, will get grandfather was a fl ight gunner wouls be allowed in combat roles keen to ensure a consensus on to fl y fi ghter jets next year after in Aviation Research Centre and in all three services. the bill’s passage. completing stage-III training at her father is a warrant offi cer in Air Chief Arup Raha has said “I will, till the last day, contin- Bidar in Karnataka. the IAF. woman fi ghters would get no ue to persuade the Congress to The women, who fl ew the Pi- Singh is excited to continue preference and would be as- see reason so that they don’t go latus and Kiran jet trainers, will the family legacy of serving the signed according to the require- back on the bill they themselves now get to train on the Hawk nation. ments of the force. introduced. advanced trainer jets for a year The three women, all in their Speaking at the parade, Parri- “However, if the Congress before being allowed to fl y su- mid-twenties, have already en- kar said more women would join persists with its opposition, ulti- personic warplanes. countered uncertainties and the armed forces. mately a vote in the Rajya Sabha They were all elated and ex- hazards of fl ying during train- The minister reviewed the can only decide... what other cited after the defence minister ing. colourful passing-out parade options dowe have?” conferred on them the ‘Presi- Chaturvedi had to abort and conferred the ‘President’s Jaitley said once the GST Bill dent’s Commission’ to formally her second solo flight sortie Commission’, on behalf of the was passed, all consuming states induct them into the IAF. minutes before take-off. “As I President of India, on 129 gradu- would benefi t. Talking to reporters, they said started rolling for take-off near ating trainees of various branch- “The Left government in it was a great honour to be in the the first marker, I heard the es, including 22 women trainees. Kerala, the Trinamool Congress fi rst batch of women fi ghter pi- Canopy Warning Audio,” she Parrikar also presented the government in West Bengal or lots. “We are happy to get this recalled. ‘Wings and Brevets’ to the newly the JD(U) government in Bihar opportunity to serve the coun- The warning, she says, “con- commissioned offi cers of the y- fl and even Biju Janata Dal govern- Indian Air Force fighter pilot Bhawana Kanth walks with her mother Radha Kanth after the combined try,” said Chaturvedi. fused” her initially, but her hours ing branch and to offi cers from ment in Odisha - all are going to graduation parade at the air force academy at Dundigal in Hyderabad yesterday. INSET: Avani Chaturvedi They said they enjoyed the of training took over and she the Indian Navy and the Coast benefi t.” (left) and Mohana Singh. six-month training at the acad- “aborted” the take-off bringing Guard. Girl unconscious after Mehbooba seeks questioning by police decisive mandate IANS leadership, they want commit- Srinagar ment, they want accountabil- IANS She fell unconscious after her The SP has asked the Deputy ity...” Ranchi release from the police station Superintendent Police Barwa- “If you want a change of di- and was taken to a local hospi- dih, Mangal Singh Jamuda, to ammu and Kashmir Chief rection, not just a change of tal in Latehar district. She was probe the case. Minister Mehbooba Mufti government, the PDP is the only n a case of alleged police later shifted to RIMS. The SP himself has an- Jyesterday sought a decisive alternative.” brutality, a Class 10 girl She regained consciousness nounced that the cost of treat- mandate from people ahead of a The 56-year-old daughter of Istudent fell unconscious for some time on Friday and ment of the girl would be borne by-election in south Kahsmir’s later chief minister Mufti Mo- and had to be hospitalised af- told her family members that by him, while the cost of her Anantnag constituency. hamed Sayeed said her govern- ter she was interrogated for she was thrashed and throttled education and other expenses The state’s fi rst woman chief ment’s focus is on skills develop- more than 10 hours at a police by police during interrogation. would be provided by Latehar minister reiterated her Peoples ment, agriculture, horticulture, station in Jharkhand’s Latehar According to the girl’s father, police. Democratic Party’s resolve to handicrafts and tourism sectors district. the police took her mobile Earlier state Women’s Com- lift the state from the morass of which are the mainstay of the The girl remained uncon- phone on June 13 and she was mission chairperson Mahua political and economic uncer- state’s economy. scious for more than 70 hours taken to the police station the Manjhi met the girl at RIMS. tainties. “Various multilateral insti- after the questioning by police following day. She was being The state Child Rights Pro- “We have started picking up tutions and major corporate on June 14 at Manika Police interrogated in a case related to tection Commission had asked the threads from where we left houses have been roped in to Station. the elopement of a girl a month Director General of Police D in 2005 to revive the process of build and fine-tune the infra- Superintendent of Police ago. The eloped girl is said to be K Pandey to take action in the political reconciliation...,” Mufti structure in these key sectors Anup Birthare has suspended a friend of the victim. matter pointing to gross ir- said while addressing a series of to achieve the desired levels of Sub-Inspector Ram Pravesh The incident has once again regularities by the policeman roadside election meetings in growth,” she said adding that Sharma after he was found brought under scrutiny the while questioning the girl. Anantnag. infrastructure building in ag- guilty of questioning the girl working of the police in the The girl has not yet regained She needs to win the by-elec- riculture, horticulture, tour- for more than 10 hours inside state. full consciousness. It appears tion to become a member of the ism and handicraft sectors the police station without the Sharma has been held ac- that she was mentally tortured state assembly. would not only give a fillip to presence of a woman police countable for negligence. It is due to which she became un- Mufti said the people of the the State’s economy but would constable or even her parents. alleged that due to the pressure conscious. state, more than ever before, help create more job oppor- The girl was admitted to the of questioning the girl’s health The commission has asked want politicians to stand up tunities for the local youth by Rajendra Institute of Medi- deteriorated and she fell un- for adequate compensation Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti waves to and address the political and fully harnessing their enter- cal Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi. conscious. from the police. supporters during an election campaign in Anantnag yesterday. economic issues: “They want prising skills. Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 21 INDIA Ex-actress charged in Rs20bn drugs smuggling case

IANS “We have included Mamta Since April when a huge haul Goswami held meetings and Chinassa led the police to imprisoned for 25 years in the Thane, Maharashtra Kulkarni’s name in the fi rst in- of ephedrine drugs was seized discussed business with some other suspects who include United Arab Emirates in 1997 formation report (FIR) and are in during raids in Mumbai, Thane clients. Manoj Jain, director of Avon for drugs traffi cking but was the process of getting a Red Cor- and Solapur, the Thane police In mid-April, the Thane police Lifesciences Ltd, Punit Shrin- released in November 2012 on ormer Bollywood actress ner Notice against her. Earlier, have arrested 10 people and fi led seized 18.50 tonnes of ephedrine gi, Pradeep Gill, Sagar Powale, grounds of good conduct. Mamta Kulkarni has been we have issued an RCN against a charge-sheet against them in a and 2.50 tonnes of acetic anhy- Mayur Sukdhare, Dhaneshwar In 2013, he married Kulkarni, Fcharged in a Rs20bn drugs her husband Vicky Goswami,” local court. dride, both banned party drugs Swamy and Dnyaneshwar now 44. case here, an offi cial said yester- Thane Police Commissioner Seven others are still wanted valued at more than Rs20bn, Dhimri. “During questioning, the ar- day. Parambir Singh said. and are being probed by the from a pharmaceutical factory The US Drug Enforcement rested accused revealed they Police said they would ask Singh added that Moroccan Anti-Narcotics Cell of Thane in Solapur and other locations Administration too has joined had travelled to Kenya and met the Central Bureau of Investi- and Colombian drug dealers police. in Thane and Mumbai, blowing in the probe. The US agency Goswami with plans to set up gation (CBI) to get an Interpol were involved in the case and the According to investigators, the lid off an international drug officials met Thane police a drug factory in Mombasa,” Red Corner notice against her US Drug Enforcement Adminis- ephedrine meant for making smuggling racket. officers to get details as Gos- Singh said. to facilitate quick deporta- tration has provided pictures of medicines was allegedly smug- Eight people, including Nige- wami is allegedly wanted in During the 1990s, Kulkarni tion from Kenya, where she is Abdulla, an international nar- gled to a pharmaceutical com- Mamta Kulkarni: faces rian Sipren Chinassa, were ar- the US. was paired with some of the top reported to be living since the cotics dealer from Kenya. pany, Avon Lifesciences Ltd in deportation rested in what is billed as India’s Goswami and Kulkarni were Bollywood stars including Shah past few years with her hus- Kulkarni and Goswami had at- Solapur, and converted to nar- biggest drugs haul. The Mahar- detained by Kenyan authorities Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir band and business partner tended meetings in January and cotics, including a popular vari- ics racket was confirmed on ashtra and Gujarat police are on in 2014 on the charge of drug Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Ku- Vicky Goswami, a co-accused April of drug smugglers, accord- ety of party drug. the basis of statements of some the lookout for at least four oth- traffi cking. mar, Sanjay Kapoor and Atul Ag- in the case. ing to the police. Kulkarni’s role in the narcot- of the suspects that she and ers who are on the run. Goswami, 52, was earlier nihotri. Legal experts Yoga for peace and unity slam Mamata over Narada probe order

IANS Bikash Ranjan Bhattach- Kolkata arya, an advocate who is in- volved in the court case, said he will be moving the high xperts have questioned court against the Banerjee the legality of West government’s decision to con- EBengal government’s duct a probe. decision to probe the Narada “The probe order really speaks News sting operation since the about the intent of the state gov- Calcutta High Court is already ernment to derail the investiga- examining the issue. tion which the high court was Describing the sting as “a contemplating to pass (an order provocation and conspiracy on),” Bhattacharya said. to create a hostile public reac- “This is interfering with the tion,” Chief Minister Mamata order of the court. We will be People participate in Yoga Run for Peace & Unity, a mini-marathon from India Gate to Rajpath in New Delhi yesterday. The event was held ahead of the second International Banerjee on Friday ordered moving the high Court against Yoga Day to be held on June 21. A total of 10,000 participants will perform yoga in various places in Delhi on that day. the probe to be conducted by this on Monday.” Kolkata Police Commissioner However, Rama Prasad Rajeev Kumar. Sarkar, who had fi led one of Carried out by Narada News, the PIL petitions, welcomed the sting caught on camera the government’s move. over a dozen Trinamool Con- “In the PIL we had sought a gress (TMC) leaders, including detailed investigation into the former federal ministers, state entire sting. So the government cabinet heavyweights and MPs, has done the right thing by or- accepting money purportedly dering a probe,” said Sarkar. in return for promising to do Meanwhile, the ruling TMC Mallya’s presence at favours to a fi ctitious company. hit back at Communist Party Legal experts said the probe of India (Marxist) leader Sur- ordered by the government jya Kanta Mishra for ridiculing amounted to interference in the probe order. the judicial process as the high Alluding to the TMC leader- court has been hearing mul- ship and Police Commissioner tiple public interest litigation Rajeev Kumar, Mishra on Fri- book event sparks row (PIL) petitions seeking an in- day tweeted: “The accused in dependent investigation. the Narada sting now declares Indian envoy walks out The government washed its pate in the discussion about the present,” the statement said. back. The Indian High Commis- “The high court has ordered to conduct an investigation and after spotting fugitive hands off the event at the Lon- book. Seth, one of the authors of the sioner in England understands and forensic examination of the that too by its henchman cop!! businessman at London don School of Economics on “When the high commis- book, in a series of tweets insist- therefore he did not see any prob- tapes and is slated to hear the Farce of the highest order!!” function Thursday and said the event sioner (Sarna) spotted Mallya in ed that it was an “open event.” lem in attending the same event,” matter; so when the matter is TMC Rajya Sabha member where the book Mantras for Suc- the audience he left the stage and “No specifi c invitations (were Congress spokesman Manish Te- sub judice, ordering a probe Derek O’Brien said: “Look IANS cess: India’s Greatest CEOs Tell venue immediately after making given). Anyone could attend,” wari told reporters in Delhi. like this is wholly improper,” who’s tweeting! Shame. A de- London/New Delhi You How to Win by author Suhel his comments and without wait- Seth said, denying that Mallya “If the government is serious former Supreme Court judge feated, frustrated man like S K Seth and journalist Sunny Sen ing for the interactive session,” was among those invited. in getting him,” Tewari said, “let A K Ganguly said. Mishra. Why are they scared? was launched, was not hosted by the statement said. But the presence of Mallya at it make public the list of persons “The court is not only Are they conspirators? Let eleaguered industrialist the Indian High Commission. It said that there were two the book launch sparked off po- who travelled in his private plane seized of the matter but has truth come out.” Vijay Mallya, wanted in “The list of invitations for the events on the day - the book litical controversy amid frenzied in the last fi ve years.” also taken steps in this re- The Congress too accused Ba money laundering case event was determined by the launch by UK Minister of State social media reactions. Reacting to Finance Minister gard. So ordering such a probe the chief minister of diluting and declared a proclaimed of- LSE. They have written to the for Universities and Science Jo The Congress slammed the Arun Jaitley’s remarks that it was amounts to interference with the issue. fender, was spotted at a book High Commissioner that Mallya Johnson and later a reception at government for allegedly soft- not easy to extradite Mallya from the court’s process and can be “Having won the assembly launch event in London that was was not on their list,” the Ex- the High Commission for select peddling the probe against the UK, the Congress leader said: legally challenged,” he said. polls, Mamata Banerjee has also attended by Indian High ternal Aff airs Ministry said in a guests. The book launch event Mallya who fl ed India with more “Jaitley is ostensibly doing what A bench of Chief Justice Man- done a volte face on the issue. Commissioner Navtej Sarna, statement in New Delhi. was organised by the 100 Foot than Rs90bn of outstanding he has been asked to do. They try jula Chellur and Justice A Baner- She wants to establish that sparking a row back home. But The statement said the LSE Journey Club - a collaboration dues to 18 Indian banks. A non- and walk a tight rope and possi- jee on April 29 ordered a forensic electoral victory legitimises the government yesterday clari- had widely advertised the event between the Indian High Com- bailable arrest warrant has been bly try to subterfuge the action test on the Narada News sting the misdeeds by her party fi ed that the envoy left the event through social media and its at- mission and LSE. issued against the tycoon known and hide lot of inaction.” tapes to be conducted by the leaders,” state Congress presi- immediately after seeing the tendees were not required to “Mallya was certainly not an for his fl amboyant lifestyle. “If they would have been se- Central Forensic Science Labora- dent Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury fugitive liquor baron among the register in advance. invitee to the reception at the “They (the government) are not rious they would have never let tory (CFSL) of Hyderabad. said. audience. Sarna was invited to partici- High Commission...and was not serious about getting him (Mallya) him go,” Tewari said. Kerala govt under fi re Price hike protest Apache fuselages to be made in Hyderabad after Dalit sisters jailed world’s most advanced multi- IANS Hyderabad role combat helicopter and used By Ashraf Padanna New Delhi. “We’ll ensure that Vijayan feigned ignorance by the US forces as well as many Gulf Times Correspondent justice is done.” about it. However, several lead- other countries. The Indian Thiruvananthapuram Director General of Police ers, including former chief min- n a major boost for the Make Air Force is to purchase 22 ma- Loknath Behera has sought a re- ister Oommen Chandy and An- in India initiative, US aero- chines. port from the police chief of the nie Raja, a senior leader of CPM’s Ispace major Boeing and Parrikar termed the joint ven- ndia’s commission for pro- northern region N Agarwal, fol- key ally Communist Party of In- Tata Advanced Systems Limited ture one of the initial big foreign tecting the Dalits has sought lowing widespread outrage. dia (CPI) condemned the act. (TASL) have joined hands to set direct investment in defence and Ian explanation from the Ker- Akhila had to take her Several towns in the northern up a facility here to co-produce aerospace under the govern- ala government after two women 18-month-old baby too to the jail. district of Kannur, including fuselages for the Boeing AH-64 ment’s Make in India initiative. from the community were jailed Police in Thalassery, the Thalassery, have been witness- Apache helicopter. He noted that Boeing kept its on charges they attacked an of- hometown of Chief Minister Pi- ing a spate of such attacks after Defence Minister Manohar word to him at the concluding fi ce of the ruling party. narayi Vijayan, said the sisters the May 16 elections. Parrikar yesterday laid the of the Apache and Chinook deals Describing it as “shock- were arrested for “trespassing” The victims included a seven- foundation stone of Tata Boe- last year. ing,” National Commission for into the offi ce of the ruling Com- year-old boy, whose right arm ing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) “They had promised that this Scheduled Castes chief P L Punia munist Party of India (Marxist) was cut, and a teacher couple at at the aerospace Special Eco- particular facility will be located said he had sought a report from and attacking local leaders. Payyanur College, whose home nomic Zone (SEZ) at Adibatla in India and they will be shifting the state police chief over the ar- A local court, however, released and car were torched as allegedly on the outskirts of Hydera- it from the place where they have rest of Akhila and her sister and them after they spent one-and-a campaigned for rival candidates bad. the facility,” he said. Anjana, daughters of N Rajan, half days in in the Kannur jail. during the elections. The facility will also deal in TASL, a wholly owned sub- a Dalit leader of the opposition The women denied the charg- Police say the arrest was made integrated systems in aerospace sidiary of Tata Sons, is already Congress Party. es and said they went to the CPM on CPM’s complaint that the Vatal Nagaraj, the chief of the Kannada Chalavali Vatal and will eventually be the sole on contract to manufacture aer- “We will intervene and inquire offi ce only to ask party activists women had barged into their Paksha organisation, leads a protest against the sharp rise producer of AH-64 fuselage ostructures for Boeing’s CH-47 into the matter,” Punia told a to stop insulting them in public party offi ce and attacked a party in prices of vegetables, in Bengaluru yesterday. globally. heavy-lift Chinook and AH-6 Malayalam news channel from because of their caste. activist some days ago. The AH-64 Apache is the light attack helicopters. Gulf Times 22 Sunday, June 19, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

Mexico Shops shuttered after deadly fi nds 7 headless looting in Venezuela crisis cadavers Reuters AFP Mexico City Caracas he decapitated bodies of esidents barricaded their shops seven men were found in Friday in a Venezuelan city hit by TMexico’s western Sinaloa Rviolence after the country’s food state, near the heart of jailed crisis erupted into deadly looting. drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” The unrest came days ahead of a new Guzman’s old home turf, a state key stage in the opposition’s bid to re- law enforcement offi cial said on move President Nicolas Maduro from Friday. offi ce: the authentication of signatures Martin Robles, Sinaloa’s depu- calling for a recall referendum. ty attorney general, told reporters Police arrested hundreds of people in the state capital of Culiacan the in the latest unrest, which heightened seven men were loggers attacked hardship and political uncertainty in near the town of Rosario, located the impoverished oil-producing nation. about 100km south of the Pacifi c Some shop owners welded their resort of Mazatlan. shutters closed in the old colonial city In recent years, the state has of Cumana, where dozens of stores were been host to a number of con- looted on Tuesday. frontations between the army The Caribbean coastal city is the lat- and drug traffi ckers, but it was est fl ashpoint in a crisis that has killed not immediately clear if Guz- at least fi ve people so far. man’s notorious Sinaloa cartel “It ended in total ruin because the was involved in the killing of the businesses had not only their stock pil- loggers. laged but also their furniture. It was Gruesome displays of violence total destruction,” said Ruben Saud, have been rare in Sinaloa despite president of the Cumana Chamber of a longstanding rivalry between Commerce. the Sinaloa cartel and a sepa- The army was sent in to keep order rate criminal organization run by in Cumana after Tuesday’s outbreak of Isidro Meza, also known as “El looting, which erupted during a protest Chapo.” against food shortages. Robles said he could not con- The chaos started when gangs of fi rm widely circulated reports looters on motorcycles raided trucks Venezuelan National Guards watch over inmates, whose identity was ‘misappropriated’ by the opposition to sign a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro, from earlier this week that doz- transporting supplies. demonstrate outside the Public Ministry building in downtown Caracas on Friday. ens of armed gunmen attacked “They were beating and robbing the Sinaloa home of Guzman’s drivers. They pillaged trucks, bakeries “They went out into the street to look coalition of fomenting unrest to spark a opponents to remove him from offi ce The next step will require yet more mother. and supermarkets,” Saud told AFP. for food for their children,” a tearful Fe- foreign intervention to unseat him. through a referendum. signatures to be collected. Guzman, currently held in The state governor said more than bres said. He vows to defend the socialist “rev- The president has warned he may de- The government allowed some 300 a prison near the US border, is 400 people were arrested in Cumana. “The police have them but they won’t olution” launched by his late predeces- cree emergency measures if confronted prison inmates to hold a demonstra- awaiting extradition to the Unit- President Nicolas Maduro blamed the tell me anything. I have six grandchil- sor Hugo Chavez. with violence. Such measures could tion in downtown Caracas to argue that ed States to face drug traffi cking, disturbances on his political opponents. dren who want feeding. Two of them Even in troubled Cumana, the gov- prevent the recall referendum from tak- many signatures collected by the oppo- money laundering and murder He warned that those detained in the are still breastfeeding.” ernment has its defenders. ing place. sition were fraudulent. charges. looting would receive tough penalties. At least fi ve people have died in dis- “This area is 100 % Chavist,” said Next week, opposition supporters Wearing blue, yellow and pink prison “They wanted to impose anarchy and turbances in recent days, according to Rafael Gutierrez, a community leader in will carry out the latest stage in their uniforms and chanting “Fraud!” the madness,” he said in a television and ra- the state prosecution service. the north of the city. campaign from tomorrow to Friday. male and female inmates were closely Alberto Fujimori dio broadcast late Thursday. The opposition blames Maduro for an “We have stuck by it in good times Those who signed an initial petition watched by the military. “They are in jail and will be tried. economic crisis in which Venezuelans and bad. We do not understand why calling for a referendum must submit The list submitted by the opposition taken to hospital They are facing charges that could bring are suff ering shortages of basic foods people in the community want to get their fi ngerprints to the electoral au- included signatures of “prisoners who up to 20 years in jail. I have ordered the and goods. involved in the MUD. They have been thorities in order to authenticate their never would have been able to sign, ormer Peruvian president toughest jail sentences possible.” Maduro blames an “economic war” rejected more than once in elections.” signatures. even if they wanted to,” Prisons Minis- Alberto Fujimori, serving In Cumana, housewife Mari Febres, allegedly waged against his leftist gov- Venezuela is suff ering an economic Of the 1.3mn signatures recorded by ter Iris Varela said at the event. Fa 25-year prison term for 45, was waiting for news of her two ernment by the business elite. crisis brought on by the plunge in prices the electoral board in the initial peti- She said the supposed signatures corruption and crimes against daughters who went missing during He accuses the opposition centre- for its crucial oil exports. tion, at least 200,000 must be authen- of more than 1,300 prisoners were in- humanity, was transferred to a Tuesday’s disturbances. right National Unity Roundtable (MUD) Maduro is resisting eff orts from his ticated to pass to the next phase. cluded. hospital Friday after experienc- ing high blood pressure and pain in his tongue. The 77-year-old has been in and out of the hospital in recent months for a series of health Mexican teachers protest problems. Fujimori had “high blood pressure and severe pain in his against reform, arrests tongue, so the prison doctor recommended that he be trans- ferred to the hospital,” prison AFP The education department has service chief Julio Magan said. Mexico City vowed to fi re teachers who refuse He has previously had gastric to take the tests. problems, cataract surgery and The reform aims to remove fi ve operations for a cancerous housands of Mexican the power that unions have had growth on his tongue. teachers from a radical over jobs and end the practice in Fujimori, who was president Tunion marched in Mexico which teaching positions were from 1990 to 2000, was fi rst City on Friday to protest an edu- inherited or sold. jailed in 2007 and convicted in cation reform and the arrest of Much of the resistance to the 2009 for his role in killings by a two of their leaders. reform has come from the states death squad targeting supposed The demonstration along of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacan members of the Shining Path Mexico City’s main boulevard and Chiapas. guerrilla group in the 1990s. capped days of protests in im- Protesters were also angry He has also been convicted of poverished southern regions about last weekend’s arrest of embezzlement and bribery. where teachers blocked roads. the leader of the CNTE’s Section Fujimori’s children have asked The CNTE union opposes a re- 22 based in Oaxaca state, Ruben President Ollanta Humala to form by President Enrique Pena Nunez, over allegations that he grant him a reprieve on health Nietom enacted in 2013, requir- received illicit funds and laun- grounds. But the president re- ing teachers to undergo perform- dered $1.3mn. jected the request in 2013, saying ance evaluations in an eff ort to His deputy, Francisco Villalo- medical reports indicated Fuji- improve the country’s poorly bos, was detained on charges of The Chores indigenous people from the Mexican Zoque region demonstrate in support of the National Coordination of Education Workers mori’s condition was not suffi - rated education system. stealing text books. (CNTE) who oppose an education reform, in Tuxtle Gutierrez, Chiapas State, on Friday. ciently serious. US studios say enthusiastic ‘hola’ to Havanawood

AFP coined the phrase “Havana- producers line their pockets. Calvino says she has often it is coming from the independ- Los Angeles/Havana wood.” Independent production com- asked for permits, import licenc- ent sector rather than the big The detente also signals the panies get little or no funding es, vehicle rental and other help Hollywood studios. end of an anachronistic but nec- from the state and have struggled from the CFI and been turned During Havana’s fi lm festival ollywood has been clam- essary trick in fi lmmaking of to get their movies past the no- down because her project “did not in December, a Sundance Insti- ouring to capture Cuba’s representing Cuba through other toriously censorious Cuban Film represent Cuba in the best way.” tute delegation of directors, writ- Hcolourful charm since Latin and Caribbean locations. Institute (CFI). Director Carlos Lechuga’s de- ers and actors including Ethan a thaw in frosty Cold War rela- The Godfather, Part II and “Everyone knows that Chanel but fi lm Molasses, about a des- Hawke put on workshops on tions, but the islanders say the Sydney Pollack’s Havana used and Hollywood gain by choos- titute former sugar-producing screenwriting, production, edit- boom comes with their own un- the Dominican Republic, while ing Havana, a city frozen in time town, was shown at the Latin ing and scoring. derfunded fi lm industry in crisis. James Bond fi lms Golden Eye and with its dilapidated beauty, the American Film Festival of Ha- The institute, which has his- Several big American produc- Die Another Day turned Puerto forbidden city where art deco and vana in 2012 and won an inde- tory of engagement with Cuba tions have created jobs and put Rico and Cadiz, Spain, into the the Cold War collide,” said jour- pendent critics’ prize. going back to the 1980s, is re- Havana’s art deco elegance in the streets of Havana. nalist Sergio Alejandro Gomez But it had to wait almost a year turning in July with a programme shop window since US fi lmmak- It’s not just fi lm and television in a recent post on his personal for its theatrical release, and was of screenings to introduce Cuban ers were given the right to shoot dramas taking advantage of the blog. “The question is, what do screened only in one cinema. audiences to US and internation- on the Communist-led island in newly accessible Cuba. we get out of it?” Once the jewel in the crown al fi lms, and the people making January. Talkshow host Conan O’Brien, Claudia Calvino, 33, executive of Latin American cinema, years them. Showtime comedy series a Chanel fashion show and even producer at the private Fifth Ave- of neglect have led the domestic The focus, said the internation- House of Lies, starring Don Chea- A file photo of a vintage car used during the shooting of Fast and reality TV family the Kardashi- nue Productions, which made the industry to a crisis, says Lechuga. al director of the organisation’s dle, was the fi rst to profi t from Furious in Havana. ans have been seen recently in zombie comedy Juan of the Dead, “It’s simple – Cuban cinema feature fi lm programme Paul Fe- the lifting of US Treasury De- Havana, while Netfl ix has an- welcomes Hollywood’s growing and its fi lmmakers need to be derbush, has always been to sup- partment conditions imposed as ever thought would be possible. extras at $30 a day, according to nounced a new streaming service interest in Cuba. “But the truth strengthened. Now, more than port emerging Cuban artists. part of the 1962 embargo of the We are in Havana, Cuba. And you independent online magazine for the nation of 11 mn people. is that I feel upset and sad that ever, we need to feel loved, re- “The recent opening of dip- island. can see how beautiful it is with OnCuba, in a country where the But Cuba’s own independ- these mega-productions have spected,” he said. lomatic relations between Cuba The latest movie in Universal’s all these beautiful people,” Fast 8 average salary is $17 a month. ent fi lm industry, which began access to services and oppor- “We are not the enemy. We’re and the US presented a unique Fast and Furious series followed, star Vin Diesel says in a YouTube Such is the rush to the Carib- to take off in the 1990s as dig- tunities that have so often been trying to make a better country. opportunity for Sundance Insti- along with Paramount’s Trans- message from the city. bean island’s sun-kissed shores ital technology made fi lmmaking denied to domestic productions, What is there to fear?” tute to return to Cuba at a cultur- formers: The Last Knight. The action sequel hired 250 lo- that the US entertainment me- more accessible, says it is strug- especially independent produc- American support for Cuban ally and politically crucial mo- “We’re at a place that nobody cal crew members and numerous dia, perhaps inevitably, have gling to survive as Hollywood tions,” she added. fi lmmaking is being off ered, but ment,” he told AFP. Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

ENERGY Oil and gas discovered in Pakistan

Pakistan Oilfields Limited, the op- Afghan-Pakistan border erator of Tal block, has discovered a “significant amount” of hydro- carbon reserves in an exploratory well - Makori Deep-1. “As a result of drill stem test (DST) conducted at the well to test the potential of Lockhart formation, the well has tested 2,020 barrels reopens after clashes per day of crude oil, 5.4mmscfd of gas at 40/64” fixed choke size at AFP the flowing well head pressure of Jalalabad, Afghanistan 1,177 psi.” The POL explained that DST was a procedure for isolating and testing major Afghan-Pakistan the surrounding geological forma- border crossing reopened tions through the drill stem. Ayesterday after it was The test was said to be a measure- closed for several days following ment of pressure behaviour at the deadly clashes between the two drill stem and was a way to obtain countries after the construction important fluid sampling informa- of a gate on the Pakistani side to tion and to establish the probabil- control cross-border movement, ity of commercial production. offi cials said. Accordingly, the company cau- The clash, which erupted tioned, “It should be borne in mind along the Torkham border a that actual production may diff er week ago, left at least three Af- significantly from the test results.” ghan policemen and a Pakistani The company asserted that well military offi cer dead, with doz- stimulation through acid wash ens wounded. was also planned at the well and “The Torkham border reo- the true potential of the well pened around 6 this morning af- would be known after the conclu- ter around fi ve days of closure,” sion of acid stimulation job. Mohamed Ayub Hussain Khil, Production from the well shall border police chief in eastern start after the completion of pipe- Afghanistan, said. line to the production facility. “Everyday huge crowds of Af- ghans used to cross the border RELIGION for medical purposes, but now they are only allowing people Muslims help with visas and passports,” he Christians to said. The spokesman for the gov- build church ernor of the Afghan province of Nangarhar, Ataullah Khogyani, In a significant display of commu- confi rmed the reopening of the nal harmony, Muslims in Pakistan’s border saying it happened after Punjab province are helping their “days of negotiations” between A technician installs a security fellow Christian in raising funds to the two sides. camera at the border post in build a church that was allegedly A Pakistani offi cial who de- Torkham, Pakistan, yesterday. Trucks, stuck for days in Pakistan due to border conflict, travel toward the border post at Torkham yesterday. damaged by a mob. clined to be named told AFP that In 2009, Gojra city in near Fais- the border had reopened and formerly crossed the busy bor- tified the construction of the Pakistan also accuses some saying an Afghan delegation will crossings between Afghanistan alabad became a fiery furnace “the construction work on the der post without travel docu- gate at Torkham, saying “ter- elements in the Afghan govern- visit Islamabad to ease the ten- and Pakistan, where hundreds of after nine people including a gate has also resumed”. ments. rorists” were using the crossing ment of supporting a senior Pa- sion in Torkham. trucks and thousands of people bridegroom and bride were shot Pakistan’s foreign ministry The border clash prompted point. kistani Taliban leader Fazlullah “Pakistan welcomes the visit cross the border daily through dead during a wedding cer- spokesman posted a message on bitter recriminations on both Afghan offi cials have always who is said to be orchestrating and looks forward to meaning- the Khyber Pass. emony. Some 200 homes and Twitter saying: “Only passport sides, with Islamabad and Kabul accused Pakistan of supporting attacks on Pakistani soil from ful deliberations through a con- The border was closed over three churches were razed to the holders allowed from Afghan summoning each other’s dip- the Taliban and continuing to Afghanistan. structive engagement between similar clashes last month, but ground by a mob that attacked side.” lomats to lodge strong formal nurture sanctuaries on its soil in Hours after the border was the two sides.” the statement was reopened after an under- the minority community after local The new requirement will complaints. the hope of maintaining infl u- opened the Pakistani ministry of said. standing was reached between mosques called for retaliation to affect thousands of people who The Pakistani military jus- ence in Afghanistan. foreign aff airs issued a statement Torkham is one of the major the two countries. an alleged blasphemy. The local police, however, had discredited the allegation that torn shreds of the Qur’an had been used as confetti at a wedding. “I pray that we complete this TV shows banned for church. We have had to use dif- US Congress rejects cut ferent homes for services but our congregation has grown beyond discussing blasphemy the capacity of such places,” a release from British Pakistani Christian Association quoted a in funds for Pakistan AFP Ramazan Hamara Iman (host- resident, Khalid Aftab, as saying. Islamabad ed by Hamza Ali Abbasi),” a PEMRA statement said. PILGRIMAGE Internews Pakistan with Afghanistan but This includes providing ac- be abandoning Pakistan, be- The regulator ordered both 530 Sikh pilgrims Washington the US Senate passed a bill last cess, specialised training to cause we might actually have wo Ramadan shows channels to cease the pro- week, proposing a separate personnel, procurement and something even worse than what broadcast by private grammes from Friday evening to visit Pakistan fund of $800mn for assisting provision of supplies and equip- the gentleman describes if we Tnews channels in Paki- or face being shutdown. he US House of Repre- Pakistan. ment provided by that nation in turn our back on Pakistan,” he stan were taken off air on Fri- In his show earlier this At least 530 Sikh pilgrims were sentatives has rejected by The new proposal also delinks connection with a US military warned. day by regulators for discuss- week, actor and activist issued visa for Pakistan to attend Tvote two amendments to Pakistan from Afghanistan, rec- operation. Pakistan, he said, The ranking Democrat mem- ing blasphemy laws. Hamza Ali Abbasi discussed an event to mark the death an- cut US assistance for Pakistan. ognising that Pakistan has its was a key route for supplying US ber of the Committee on Ap- The channels, ‘Aaj News’ the alleged oppression of the niversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh While debating the annual own strategic importance. troops in Afghanistan. propriations, Congressman Pe- and ‘TV One’, were said by Ahmadi community and blas- in the eastern city of Lahore. Defence Appropriations Act for The house, however, is still ter Visclosky also opposed the Pakistan Electronic Media phemy laws. As per 1974 bilateral protocol be- the financial year 2017, Con- working with the old arrange- “I believe it is important amendments. Regulatory Authority (PEM- The discussion triggered tween Islamabad and New Delhi, gressman Ted Poe of Texas and ment, which would soon expire, that we continue to He said that US legislation had RA) to have violated its code debate on social media, while Pakistan High Commission in India Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard requiring Congress to work out a collaborate and, as my two in -built oversight mechanism to of conduct by promoting Islamic cleric Allama Kokab has issued the visas from June 21 from Hawaii moved an amend- new arrangement. Any new ar- colleagues have said, that ensure that funds were released sectarian views and disgrac- Noorani threatened Hamza to 30, a statement said. ment to cut the Coalition Sup- rangement has to be approved by we work extensively with only when it had been certifi ed ing the holy month of Ram- with “terrible consequences” Sikh pilgrims, like every year, will port Fund (CSF) for Pakistan both the Senate and the House. oversight” that Pakistan is cooperating in adan. for raising the topics. gather in Lahore at the mauso- from $900mn to $700mn. While discussing the pro- counterterrorism. Congress- “An immediate ban has Pakistan has extremely leum of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Another lawmaker, Congress- posed cuts, Congressman Poe Congressman Frelinghuysen woman Sheila Jackson Lee, co- been imposed on TV One’s strict laws against blasphemy. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder man Dana Rohrabacher, submit- called for reducing the suggested said that receipts for reimburse- chair of Pakistan Congressional programme Ishq-e-Ramazan PEMRA said it took action of the Sikh empire, was a former ted a separate amendment call- amount by $200mn on the ba- ments were submitted by co- Caucus, highlighted Pakistan’s (hosted by Shabbir Abu Talib) after receiving 1,133 com- ruler of the united Punjab region ing for ending all CSF assistance sis of reports that Pakistan was operating nations and vetted by own actions in counterterror- and Aaj News programme plaints in four days. under British colonial rule. for Pakistan. supporting the Taliban. the Pentagon, which “follow a ism. Earlier in May, the US House Congressman Rohrabacher strict and I say strict criteria to “Over the years, I have worked of Representatives had approved made similar accusations and meet standards for reimburse- with a number of persons in the $900mn CSF outlay for Pakistan also pointed at detention of ment, it is all about reimburse- Pakistani government. But, in as part of the annual Defence Dr Shakil Afridi as evidence ment”. particular, I want to emphasise Authorisation Bill. and that Pakistan was an in- He insisted that all payments that the Pakistan military, over The house rejected both sincere partner of the United were made in arrears and follow- a period of years, has fought Husband murdered by amendments by voice vote but States. ing notifi cation to members of against terrorism and suff ered a resorted to a recorded vote after Three Congressmen criticised Congress on appropriate com- great treasure in the loss of their both Congressmen insisted on it. the proposed amendments. mittees. Frelinghuysen noted soldiers,” she said. The amendment moved by Congressman Rodney Frelin- that the CSF remained a critical “I believe it is important that Poe and Gabbard was defeated ghuysen from New Jersey, who tool to enable Pakistan to ef- we continue to collaborate and, relatives of his wife by 230 to 191. Rohrabacher’s chairs the Defence Appropria- fectively deal with future chal- as my two colleagues have said, amendment was defeated by tions Committee, explained the lenges from the emerging US that we work extensively with 336-84. mechanism of the CSF saying drawdown. oversight.” She also warned the AFP district police chief Ghazi throughout the country. The Coalition Support Fund that the fund allows the Secre- “It also was a cost-eff ective house that Pakistan had nuclear Multan, Pakistan Salahuddin said. It was swiftly followed by was set up to reimburse US al- tary of Defence to reimburse any tool for the US to remain en- capability and this was another Irshad had married Mus- another killing, of a couple in lies for the efforts they make key co-operating nation for lo- gaged in the region and with Pa- reason for staying engaged with sarat Bibi, the daughter of a Lahore who married without for fighting terrorism. It links gistical and military support. kistan,” he added. “We shouldn’t it. man’s throat was slit by rich local agricultural family, their family’s consent. relatives of his wife who about an year ago and fled as On Thursday relatives slit Adisapproved of their he feared his in-laws would the throat of a young mother marriage in the latest “honour kill him, but he had returned who was pregnant with her killing” to hit Pakistan, police to see his parents, the police second child after she married said yesterday. chief said. against their will in the village Alisha’s killing unites transvestites Hundreds of women are of Buttaranwali, some 75km murdered by relatives in Paki- “The assailants were north of Punjab provincial stan each year on the pretext of armed with knives capital Lahore. Internews The transgender community ous walks of life attended her Alisha’s closest friend, Paro, defending what is seen as fam- and hatchets and On Sunday a young girl was Peshawar members and the rights activists funeral. recalled Alisha’s memories and ily honour, but it is rare for vic- after inflicting several killed by her brother for insist- believed she could have survived Her colleagues from various said that she had wished two tim to be a man. wounds on Irshad’s ing on marrying the man of her had the hospital staff tended to parts of the province also con- things a few days before her The murder happened at a body they slit his throat” choice in the city of Sialkot, he recent killing of a her properly and provided her tinued to come to the residence death. marketplace in the Punjab city also in Punjab. transgender, Alisha, unit- timely treatment. of Farzana, the provincial presi- “She gave me money to keep of Burewala on Friday, when A manhunt had been A fi lm on honour killings in Ted the transvestites across Her tragic death emboldened dent of the transgender asso- it, saying this is for her last rites Mohamed Irshad, 43, was at- launched to fi nd Irshad’s in- Pakistan won an Oscar for best Khyber Pakhtunkhwa prov- the community to raise voice ciation, to off er condolences and and burial,” Paro said. tacked by his father-in-law laws, who remained at large, he documentary short in Febru- ince of Pakistan and prompted for their rights as the transgen- fateha for Alisha. She said Alisha also suggested and two brothers in-law, police added. ary. the government to allocate ders in the past used to remain Alisha had been living with collecting funds and buying a said. Last week 16 year-old Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Rs200mn ($1.923mn) for their silent and submissive. Alisha, Farzana, who was also her Guru. car for Farzana, her Guru, who “The assailants were Zeenat Bibi was killed in vowed to eradicate the “evil” welfare in the annual budget. expelled from her house since It was witnessed that her col- faced problems while travelling armed with knives and Lahore by her mother for amid publicity for the fi lm, “A Alisha was shot multiple times childhood, was the first trans- leagues embracing each other to various parts of the province hatchets and after inflicting marrying a man of her Girl in the River: The Price of last month and died at the Lady gender who was publicly buried and recalling Alisha’s aff ection for highlighting transgenders’ several wounds on Irshad’s own choice in a case that Forgiveness”, but as yet no fresh Reading Hospital in Peshawar. and people belonging to vari- for them. problems. body they slit his throat,” sparked condemnation legislation has been tabled. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, June 19, 2016 PHILIPPINES Mayor accuses military of collusion with rebels

By Al Jacinto the chief of intelligence (divi- dian Robert Hall on June 13. Manila Times/Davao City sion) connived.We conducted Hall was one of the four per- an investigation when Dr Canda sons kidnapped in Samal Island was kidnapped.A colonel made in September last year. olo Mayor Hussin Amin ac- money, he was a partner. That His fellow Canadian, John cused the military of collud- case is in Congress but lawmak- Ridsel, was beheaded by the Jing with the notorious ISIS- ers never gave it much attention. ASG on April 26 after the Philip- linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) They should not hide that case,” pine and Canadian government and said some offi cers partook of he said. snubbed the bandits’ demand the ransoms paid for the freedom The Armed Forces of the Phil- for P300mn ransom. of some of the group’s hostages. ippines (AFP) immediately de- Padilla said such accusations Amin claimed that military nied the allegations, maintaining can undermine the operations to offi cials had been using some that there are no traitors in the catch the rebels. Abu Sayyaf members as their military. AFP spokesman Brig. “And we will hold the one who “assets,” a slang to refer to spy or Gen.Restituto Padilla said there released the statement account- informant. is no reason to doubt soldiers. able if he can’t substantiate his This handout photo taken yesterday and released by Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) shows Kanlaon volcano as He asked the government to “Our Armed Forces and police allegations. it spewed ash into the air as seen from the observation post of the Phivolcs in La Carlota town, Negros Occidental province, central Philippines. investigate these offi cers who have been at the forefront of the Local government offi cials are are in cahoots with the terrorists fi ght against all KFRGs (kidnap- at the lead of addressing peace and for the Armed Forces of the ping-for-ransom groups) and and order in their communities Philippines to conduct a loyalty the ASG for a long time.We have with the police and the AFP as check among its ranks. lost so many servicemen in the partners,” he added. “These are scalawags.They process. We do not doubt the Padilla said this co-operation Central Philippines volcano should be exposed, investigated. dedication and commitment of is the cornerstone in coming up Yes, ransom was paid, but who our troops,” Padilla said. with a permanent solution to the are making money? It’s not the He said commanders on the problem of lawlessness. Abu Sayyaf. These are groups, ground are in full control of all “Local offi cials should also and they are mushrooming be- troops and are focused on their come up with socio-economic spouts massive ash column cause they are the military’s as- primary mission of getting the plans that can help the locals sets,” he said in a television in- Abu Sayyaf rebels and saving veer away from supporting these terview. their hostages. crime groups masquerading as AFP sued an advisory, saying aff ect nearby communities. the past century, leading the Amin, a former judge, said the “There is also an established Robin Hoods when they share Manila “fl ights operating in the vicin- “It has been raining in re- government to impose a per- Abu Sayyaf may be getting sup- system to ensure no spies and the money received from kid- ity of the volcano are advised to cent days so there was likely manent four-kilometre “dan- port or information from scala- traitors are in our ranks. There napping. After all, peace and or- avoid fl ying close to the summit water that built up inside the ger zone” around the volcano wags within the military. also exists strong measures to der is their primary responsibil- rumbling volcano in the as airborne ash from a sudden volcano and since the crater is where people are barred from “The people asking and re- deal with those found to have ity in their respective provinces,” central Philippines shot eruption can be hazardous to hot, it built up the steam pres- living. ceiving ransom, those who made violated their oath,” he stressed. he pointed out. Aa huge column of ash aircraft.” sure,” causing the eruption of In August, 1996, the volcano money should be jailed,” Amin Major Felimon Tan, spokes- But despite the military’s into the sky yesterday, prompt- The volcano, located about ash, Veracruz, a member of the abruptly erupted, sending a said. man of the Western Mindanao denial, Malacanang yesterday ing the offi cial aviation agency 510 kilometres south of Manila, institute’s volcano monitoring spray of heated rocks that killed Amin, a former congressman, Command, dared Amin to prove called for an investigation on to warn aircraft to stay away, has been more active than usual division, told AFP. three hikers who were near the said that a colonel in the military his allegations. the alleged connivance between authorities said. since November, prompting the He added that it was possible summit at the time. benefi ted from the ransom paid “He has to prove that. If certain ranking military offi cers Mount Kanlaon, located in government to ban hikers from the volcano could experience The Philippines is located in for the release of Alberio Canda there’s such a case, why doesn’t with the ASG. the central island of Negros, its slopes. another ash eruption. the seismically active Pacifi c who was kidnapped in Sulu in he inform us? These things In a radio interview, Presiden- launched a plume of whitish- Veracruz said that so far the The civil defence offi ce said “Ring of Fire” and has over 20 2004 and freed a month later. should not happen, it makes the tial Communications Secretary grey ash about 1.5 kilometres authorities had not detect- they had not received any re- active volcanoes. He said a congressional in- organisation suff er. Herminio Coloma Jr said Amin’s into the air, said Kenn John Ve- ed any lava rising inside the ports of damage or people af- Earlier this month, Mount quiry into the kidnapping You’re a soldier and you do claim should be investigated racruz of the offi cial Philippine 2.47-kilometre high volcano fected from the ashfall but that Bulusan in the rural eastern showed the alleged involve- this, that is painful,” he said. because it may undermine the Institute of Volcanology and but they were checking how far authorities remain on alert. province of Sorsogon fi red a ment of the military offi cer.“It The allegations came in the campaign of the government Seismology. the ash was being scattered by Kanlaon has had several spectacular column of ash and is on the record in Congress, wake of the beheading of Cana- against the bandit group. The civil aviation offi ce is- the wind and whether it could eruptions, usually of ash, in steam into the air.

Rights agency to Learning the ropes Call to probe killing of join Metro quake drill criminal suspect By Catherine S Valente Manila Times AFP ent Wilben Mayor defended the Manila use of lethal force, saying that officials would only investigate alacanang yesterday further if the Turado’s family asked the public to par- he Philippines Commis- filed a complaint. Mticipate in the earth- sion on Human Rights The spokesman added that quake drill to be held by the Met- Tvowed to investigate the fears about extra-judicial kill- ropolitan Manila Development killing of a criminal suspect ings were overblown. Authority (MMDA) on June 22. shot dead in Manila this week, “The reason why the sus- In a radio interview, Presiden- as anxiety grows over the ris- pects were killed is because tial Communications Secretary ing number of deaths tied to the they engaged in shootouts Herminio Coloma Jr said the president-elect’s crackdown (with) law enforcers,” Mayor drill will train everyone on ways calls. told reporters. to respond to natural emergen- Duterte, who takes office on cies like an earthquake. Following Duterte’s June 30, has been accused of “What is important is that we victory, offi cials across the running vigilante squads that are prepared,” Coloma said. archipelago have launched have killed more than 1,000 The MMDA will be the lead their own crackdowns, suspected criminals in the agency in this undertaking and it parading suspects through southern city of Davao where will be supported by other agen- the streets and rounding up he has been the long-time cies like the National Disaster street children en masse mayor. Risk Reduction and Manage- Following Duterte’s victory, ment Council and the Depart- Incoming president Rodrigo officials across the archipel- ment of the Interior and Local Duterte scored a landslide win ago have launched their own Government. According to the in elections last month after crackdowns, parading suspects MMDA, the second “shake drill” running on a ruthless anti- through the streets and round- will simulate the aftermath of a crime platform, with a spate ing up street children en masse. 7.2 magnitude tremor. of recent criminal killings by In the central city of Cebu, One of the scenarios to be sim- police spurring fears of a extra- incoming mayor Tomas Osme- A boy learns how to ride a bike from his father at the University of the Philippines’ oval in Quezon City. Today, Father’s Day will ulated in the drill that starts at judicial clampdown. na has offered bounties to po- be celebrated. 9am is the collapse of the Guada- Human Rights Commission- licemen who kill suspects tied lupe Bridge in Makati City. er Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana to the drug trade. vowed to investigate the killing One such suspect hailing of Alfie Turado, a suspect in a from Cebu, Jeffrey “Jaguar” rape and robbery case who was Diaz, was shot dead along with shot dead by police in Manila a companion in Manila late Fri- Friday. day during a gunfight with po- Police say Turado was only lice. Palace lauds Duterte’s peace initiatives shot after attempting to grab Osmena hailed the death the arresting officer’s gun. on his Facebook page, saying “We have to find out if cer- “Cebu’s top drug lord, Jaguar is By Catherine Valente In a radio interview yester- of our peace-building process would be expanded further,” he MILF chairman Al-Hajj tain rights were violated in the dead,” but made no mention of Manila Times day, Presidential Communica- should be supported by our so- added. Murad Ebrahim and his first arrest,” Pimentel-Gana told paying any bounties. tions Secretary Herminio Co- ciety. Coloma issued the state- vice-chairman Ghadzali Jaa- ABS-CBN television in remarks After the incident Senior Su- loma Jr said they are happy with Especially if this is the initia- ment following Duterte’s far, as well as MNLF leader aired yesterday. perintendent Jemar Modequillo alacanang has ex- the incoming administration’s tive of the incoming adminis- meeting with leaders of the Datu Abul Khayr Alonto were “And we should see if exces- denied that a potential payday pressed optimism that expressed willingness to push tration,” Coloma said. Moro Islamic Liberation Front among the key figures who sive force was used in this par- led to the killing, saying “we Mthe Mindanao peace through with the peace nego- “We are delighted to see that (MILF) and Moro National met with the president-elect. ticular case.” don’t do rub-outs”. An assault process will be continued under tiations. they are also keen on pursuing Liberation Front (MNLF) at a Alonto described the gath- On Friday, national police rifle and a pistol were seized the administration of incoming “All steps that will lead to the the peace-process. hotel in Davao City on Friday ering as a “brother-to-brother spokesman Chief Superintend- from the slain men, he said. President Rodrigo Duterte. stabilisation and strengthening Hopefully, these eff orts evening. meeting.” Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Mars crater Suspect in Bangladesh named after lecturer attack killed Nepal village AFP lamists attacked and wounded week despite widespread criti- homegrown militant groups and against religious minorities in- Dhaka 50-year-old mathematics lec- cism by local and international say international groups IS and cluding Shia and Sufi Muslims, Al Qaeda have no presence in Christians and Hindus, journal- hit by quake turer Ripon Chakrabarti, a Hin- human rights groups. du, police said. Rights activists also ques- Bangladesh. ists, secular bloggers, publish- teenage suspected Islam- The attack was the latest in a tioned the incidents of deaths Although it is offi cially secu- ers, foreigners, police and LGBT IANS at Utrecht University in the ist militant being held in wave of brutal assaults on secu- in police custody, saying the lar, around 90% of Bangladesh’s activists. Kathmandu Netherlands, told the BBC he Acustody in Bangladesh lar activists, writers and reli- militants were shot dead in “cold 160mn-strong population is The attacks in Bangladesh, chose Langtang because his was shot dead yesterday in a gious minorities by suspected blood” in encounters staged by Muslim. Some 8% of the popu- a Muslim majority country colleague had worked there gunfi ght, police said, days after Islamist militants. offi cers. lation is Hindu. of 160mn people, began in crater on Mars has while studying Himalayan he allegedly hacked and criti- Police later told reporters Fa- Nearly 50 people have been Fatwa against terrorism: 2013 and intensifi ed in 2015, been named after one glaciers. cally wounded a Hindu lecturer. him was a college student and killed over the last three years in More than 400,000 Islamic claiming more than 40 lives A of the villages worst “It was his base camp for a Police said Golam Faizullah was a member of banned Islam- a wave of gruesome murders tar- scholars and Imams in Bang- in total. hit by the 2015 earthquake in long period, so we said maybe Fahim, 19, who was in custody ist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. geting Hindus, Christians, Sufi ladesh have signed a fatwa - a The most recent episode Nepal. it’s a nice tribute to call [the for questioning, was killed when Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Lib- Muslims, secular activists and ruling under Islamic law - that was on Wednesday when three At least 215 people were crater] Langtang,” he said. offi cers under attack in a farm- eration) is an international foreigners, with most blamed on declares terrorism and suicide suspected extremists attacked killed in Langtang, a popu- Langtang was a “scien- land area after taking him to a group which wants to combine or claimed by Islamist militants. attacks as “haram”, or forbidden and seriously wounded a Hin- lar trekking site, when the tifi cally important” crater, river in search of his Islamist as- all Muslim countries in a uni- Many of the victims were under Islamic law. du mathematics teacher at his April 25 quake triggered an de Haas said. “The marks on sociates. tary Islamic state. The group is hacked to death with machetes. A 32-page booklet comprising home in Madaripur, south of avalanche that swamped the the top of the crater wall were “Miscreants fi red at the po- outlawed in several countries, This month alone, an elderly the signatures on the fatwa was Dhaka. village, BBC reported yes- probably water fl ows, and be- lice van as we came near a jute including Bangladesh. Hindu priest was found nearly brought out yesterday. Masoud condemned the at- terday. low them you can see ridges farm. A gunfi ght ensued. After Six suspected Islamist mili- decapitated in a rice fi eld and a The process for the fatwa was tacks and said it was not written The International Astro- - the remains of former gla- the gunfi ght we saw Fahim was tants have now been shot dead Hindu monastery worker was organised by Farid Uddin Ma- in any Islamic scriptures that nomical Union has now named ciers.” shot and wounded. He died after since Bangladesh launched a hacked to death, while a Chris- soud, chairman of Bangladesh followers should kill in the name a 9.8km (6 miles) wide crater He has named another cra- we brought him to a hospital,” nationwide crackdown on local tian grocer was found murdered Jamiyatul Ullamma, “to raise of their religion. on Mars as Langtang. ter Bunnik, after his home- Sarwar Hossain, police chief of jihadist groups in the wake of a near a church. awareness of the fact that killing Police last week launched a The researcher behind the town near Utrecht. Both Madaripur where the shooting spike in murders of secular ac- The Islamic State group has in the name of religion is wrong”, nationwide crackdown on ex- move, Tjalling de Haas, said it names were approved by the took place, said. tivists and religious minorities. claimed responsibility for the Efe news reported. tremists, arresting more than was “a tribute” to the Nepali International Astronomi- Locals in Madaripur caught The drive has seen more than Hindu priest’s murder and other The booklet was part of a so- 11,600 suspects - including 200 village. cal Union Working Group for Fahim on Wednesday after he 11,000 people including 194 recent attacks. cial campaign in response to the alleged terrorists - in a week- Dr de Haas, who studies Planetary System Nomencla- and two other suspected Is- militants arrested over the past But authorities instead blame recent series of brutal attacks long operation. Mars’s physical geography ture.

Lanka Sirisena and Modi records unveil renovated rise in dengue Jaff na stadium patients

IANS named in honour of a former an arena for a prosperous and Jaff na/New Delhi mayor of Jaffna, the late Alfred healthy future for Jaff na’s IANS Thambirajah Duraiappah, has youth. Colombo been renovated by the Indian “Its foundations are sup- ri Lankan President government at a cost of over ported by your courage and Maithripala Sirisena and $1mn. great sacrifi ces. Its successful ri Lanka’s ministry of SIndia’s Prime Minister Sirisena attended the event completion is a signal that you health has launched a Narendra Modi yesterday joint- at the stadium in the Tamil- have left the past behind and Sdengue eradication pro- ly inaugurated the renovated dominated city in northern Sri are looking to the promise of a gramme as the number of cases Duraiappah Stadium in Jaff na Lanka. prosperous future,” the Prime rose to over 18,000 with 24 in northern Sri Lanka with Modi Modi said India will “walk Minister said. people reported dead. stating that India’s economic side by side” with Sri Lanka as it He said relations between According to the ministry, growth must bring benefi t to its charts its own path to progress India and Sri Lanka were not the army, police and health neighbours. and prosperity for all of its citi- limited to confi nes of two gov- offi cials will be deployed to Modi, who took part in the zens. ernments but reside in rich neutralise dengue breeding event through video-confer- He said support to Sri Lanka’s contacts of “history, culture, grounds, Xinhua news agency encing from New Delhi, said development will be based on language, art and geography.” reported. India desires to see an economi- the priorities of the island na- Modi also referred to the In- Measures will be taken to elim- cally prosperous Sri Lanka. tion. ternational Day of Yoga on June inate dengue mosquito breeding “A Sri Lanka where unity and “India strongly believes that 21 and Sri Lanka’s role of being grounds and take legal action integrity; peace, harmony and its economic growth must drive among the fi rst supporters of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of a meeting in New Delhi in May. against the owners of property security and equal opportunity and bring benefi t to its neigh- the UN resolution on the sub- where breeding grounds are and dignity prevails throughout bours. Duraiappah Stadium ject. The stadium suff ered huge diers by Daya Somasundaram, a seat 1,850 spectators. The sta- found. the country among all its peo- embodies the spirit of our coop- He said the curtain raiser for damages and remained aban- renowned psychiatrist in north- dium could be utilised for all The ministry said that 18,735 ple,” Modi said. eration. Indeed, India’s support the event had come in the form doned during the civil war. ern Sri Lanka. types of sports and track events, patients have contracted dengue He said the Duraiappah Sta- for Sri Lanka’s development is a of “Surya Namaskar” held at the Its renovation was started in The bodies were believed to except cricket. around the country. dium stands as another symbol promise of our friendship. And, stadium. 1999 when the confl ict-ravaged be of those arrested by Sri Lanka According to Indian offi - So far, 6,009 individuals have of lasting friendship between that it will be based on your pri- “The ‘Surya Namaskar’ has northern areas saw relative security forces and later alleg- cials, the renovated stadium been identifi ed as having dengue India and Sri Lanka. orities and your needs is an as- sent the message of holistic bouts of peace and calm. edly killed in suspected extra- will provide the necessary in- in capital Colombo. Sirisena, in his speech in Jaff - surance that you can rely on,” he healthcare, harmonious and At least 23 human skeletons, judicial murders. frastructure to promote sports The cities of Colombo, Kolon- na, described the inauguration said. sustainable living with nature including those of some disap- The stadium now fl aunts and recreational activities, and nawa, Kaduwela, Dehiwala and as “a historic occasion which Modi said the stadium was to the world. We could not have peared children, were unearthed two pavilions, a gymnasium, a benefi t more than 50,000 stu- Mount Lavinia in the western will strengthen relations be- not just brick and mortar but a asked for a more fi tting start when the stadium was being re- sprawling playground and in- dents from diff erent schools and province have been identifi ed as tween India and Sri Lanka”. symbol of optimism and eco- and tribute to the International furbished, according to a 2002 candescent lights. educational institutions in the the areas most aff ected by the Duraiappah Stadium, nomic development as also Day of Yoga,” he said. report on Sri Lanka child sol- It has two galleries that can Northern Province. spread of dengue. Tribute to Orlando victims One more month to fi le rights abuse complaints in Nepal

IANS Investigation on Enforced Dis- jured in the civil war waged by Kathmandu appeared Persons (CIEDP) had the Maoists in the Himalayan sought complaints from the nation. Thousands were inter- aff ected persons around two nally displaced while over 17,00 wo commissions set up months ago. people disappeared, the gov- in Nepal to seek com- Within this period, the TRC ernment data says. Tplaints of human rights received over 33,600 com- Krishna KC, a former Mao- abuses and forced disappear- plaints while the CIEDP got ist guerrilla and student leader, ances during the Maoist insur- over 2,400 complaints. in his complaint to TRC chair- gency from 1996-2006 have Among those against whom man Surya Kiran Gurung, de- extended for a month the dead- complaints have been fi led manded action against former line for receiving such com- with the TRC are former king king Gyanendra Shah and the plaints. Gyanendra Shah and former fi ve prime ministers over his “We have decided to ex- prime ministers Girija Prasad alleged illegal detention by the tend the time for registration Koirala, Surya Bahadur Thapa, Nepal army for 810 days during of complaints by another one Lokendra Bahadur Chand, the armed insurgency. month,” said Truth and Rec- Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Deuba and Maoist leader onciliation Commission (TRC) Sher Bahadur Deuba. Pushpa Kamal Dahal have the spokesperson Bishnu Pathak. Complaints have also been maximum complaints against The TRC, set up to seek made with the TRC against them from among high- complaints and probe cases of former security chiefs, includ- profi le Nepal politicians. No serious human rights abuses ing top brass of the Nepal army. complaint has been received A group of Nepalese paying tribute to the victims of the Orlando shootings at Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu yesterday. during the decade-long civil Over 13,000 people were against former prime minister war, and the Commission of killed and thousands others in- Baburam Bhattarai. Gulf Times 26 Sunday, June 19, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran To defeat terrorism, stop

P.O.Box 2888 the drift in US-Pakistan ties Doha, Qatar [email protected] History has made it clear after the Taliban were toppled from and most recently in Lahore, where 74 our military deems necessary for that the US and Pakistan are power. were killed and more than 300 injured. continuing off ensives against a Telephone 44350478 (news), US-Pakistan diplomatic, Here, members of Congress will fi nd terrorist network is ultimately 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) far stronger as allies Since commercial and cultural ties have a nation under siege, but nonetheless counterproductive and self-defeating. Fax 44350474 the Cold War strengthened during this longstanding committed across political diff erences It weakens our frontline actions partnership, and as a result, Pakistan to dismantling terrorist networks and against regional and global threats. today is more stable, prosperous and mitigating their sources. It undermines a democratic ally that By Asif Ali Zardari democratic. It holds more regional Doubters should know that Pakistan must maintain its legitimacy in the Chicago Tribune/TNS clout than ever before. has lost nearly 500 troops and many eyes of its people by taking every step Despite our sustained mutual thousands of civilians in this fi ght. to keep them safe. interests and democratic kinship, These losses were sustained in And it opens the door to new players GULF TIMES he worrisome ambiguity toward the off ensives against terrorist networks that do not share America’s interests relationship bilateral relationship is brewing in the Federally Administered Tribal and values. between among offi cials in both countries. Areas - a longtime US priority. Pakistan has one of the fastest- Tthe US This attitude surfaced recently As a direct result of these off ensives, growing economies and is the sixth and Pakistan, long in the US Congress - specifi cally in Pakistan has rooted out extremists’ largest population in the world. Brexit weighs on US a pillar of security and democratic the person of Republican Sen Bob safe havens, played a critical role This fact is not lost on China, which solidarity against threats from Russia Corker, chairman of the Senate in dismantling Al Qaeda’s deeply has swooped in to host talks with and nonstate actors like Al Qaeda, is Foreign Relations Committee - where entrenched networks and seized Pakistani leaders as the US wallows in faltering. there is outright opposition to a deal more than 160 tonnes of improvised ambivalence. Federal Reserve’s The rift has been laid bare in recent to sell F-16 fi ghter jets to Pakistan explosive device precursors. And Russia, which has been cozying weeks as a faction within the US to strengthen our capacity to fi ght As grievous as our losses have been, up to Pakistan since early 2015, is close Congress attempts to block the sale terrorism. the past year has seen the lowest on China’s heels. of needed fi ghter jets to Pakistan’s number of terrorist attacks and suicide History has made it clear that the ‘rate-hold’ decision military. Pakistan has been a bombings since 2007. US and Pakistan are far stronger as But the implications of the These actions are not representative allies, and that the world has benefi ted frayed relationship run far deeper, staunch American of a country that is half-hearted in greatly from this partnership. Britain’s possible exit from the European Union (EU) threatening to jumble the regional the fi ght against regional and global Pakistan is ready and willing to has weighed heavily on the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) balance of power, fracture the anti- ally extremist threats. continue its role at the front lines of the extremist coalition and sideline US Rather, it is clear that Pakistan is war against terrorism. But the US has recent decision to keep interest rates on hold. infl uence at a time when it is most The ostensible - and unsustainable committing vast resources and bearing a part to play in assuring our ability to The looming vote in the United Kingdom on whether needed. - basis of Corker’s position is that incredible sacrifi ce at the vanguard of fi ght and win on the battlefi eld. to leave the European Union certainly contributed to Since the Cold War, Pakistan Pakistan is not committed to the war the war. As talks between a delegation of the US central bank’s decision to leave interest rates has been a staunch American ally, on terrorism. In addition to the severe human top US diplomats and the Pakistani playing a critical role in driving I would challenge any faction in costs, three decades of war has also government continue, the US should unchanged, chair Janet Yellen said. Russia out of Afghanistan and Congress that holds this view to come meant slower economic growth and reaffi rm fi ghter plane sales and with it, Last week, the Fed kept interest rates at between serving as a democratic bulwark to Pakistan and bear witness to our foreign direct investment than that faith in an indispensable partnership 0.25% and 0.5% in the face of economic and political against communism and religious solidarity and resolve. of other developing countries whose in defence of civilisation. extremism. Pakistan continues to suff er mass- borders are not active war zones. uncertainties in the US and around the world. Following 9/11, the bilateral casualty attacks by the Taliban and Al These are among the hidden zAsif Ali Zardari, president of The possibility of Britain’s possible exit from the relationship was reinvigorated as the Qaeda, including at the Army Public opportunity costs of our commitment Pakistan from 2008 to 2013, is European Union, dubbed ‘Brexit’ was one of the US promoted a grand strategy to fi ght School in Peshawar, at Bacha Khan to fi ghting terrorism. co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s factors that led the US Federal Reserve to keep interest Al Qaeda and stabilise Afghanistan University in Charsadda, in Quetta, Denying Pakistan aircraft that Party. rates on hold, Yellen said. On the June 23 vote in Britain on whether to quit the European Union or not, Yellen said: “Clearly this is a very important decision for the United Kingdom and Europe. It is a decision that could have consequences for economic and fi nancial conditions in global fi nancial markets. If it does so it could have consequences in turn for the US economic outlook that would be a factor in deciding on the appropriate path of policy.” A vote by British citizens to leave the EU could possibly cause sharp swings in global fi nancial markets and currency exchange rates. London is a major global fi nancial centre and some multinational banks have already warned A vote by British that they could shift citizens to leave jobs out of Britain and to Europe if the UK the EU could decides to leave. possibly cause The US central bank said it expected a sharp swings in “slower path” for future rate rises. It raised rates global fi nancial in December for the markets fi rst time in nearly a decade. Fed policymakers did not reveal when rates might rise, but analysts say the door has been left open for an increase when they next meet at the end of July. Yellen said: “Proceeding cautiously and raising our interest-rate target will allow us to verify that economic growth will return to a moderate pace, that the labour market will strengthen further, and that Hillary Clinton participating in a round-table conversation on national security at the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton, Virginia. If she chooses a Latino infl ation will continue to make progress toward our candidate for the vice presidential post, it will boost Democratic turnout in states like Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and even Texas. 2% objective.” The Fed said in a statement that the pace of improvement in the labour market had slowed. The US central bank, however, added that economic activity How Clinton can win with a Latino VP will expand at a moderate pace and labour market indicators will strengthen even with gradual rate By Jaime Estades Mexican immigrants “rapists” even if he named the reincarnation of California Representative Xavier CQ-Roll Call/TNS and “criminals”. The Republican Simon Bolivar vice president. Becerra, a 20-year congressional increases. establishment did not initially react Secondly, Rubio demonstrated veteran who has a good relationship The key consideration in the Fed “rate-hold” with alarm. during the primaries that he is still with labour and a clean record and decision appeared to be the US jobs market. wo years ago, the Republican Why should they have, since they too crude and tender to run for either who is somewhat progressive. Party was salivating over had paved the way for Trump with a president or vice president. The vice presidential candidate But many economists believe Britain’s possible exit a secret plan to win the decades-long history of more subtle His campaign was such a failure that must be able to bring out the highest from the 28-member EU would add more uncertainty Tpresidency with a strategy and less aggressive anti-immigrant today he is not even a front-runner to Latino voter turnout ever. for the Fed as it seeks to “re-establish its rate-setting based on two states and two rhetoric? keep his Senate seat if he chooses to try. Of course, this might not be diffi cult candidates. Many thought that Trump’s Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, since Trump has been in charge of credibility in the face of skeptical markets”, which The states were Ohio, with 18 candidacy would be fl eeting. will make a huge mistake if she passes the turnout operation for the last six have now all but priced out a rate rise by the US central electoral votes, and Florida, with 29, Today, he is their presumptive on the opportunity to name the months. bank this year. represented respectively by Senators nominee. fi rst ever Latino running mate in a A Latino candidate is certain to They fear a “leave” vote could unleash turmoil on John Kasich and Marco Rubio. Since presidential ticket. boost Democratic turnout in purple- 1944, the United States has not elected Democrats The question is whom should she leaning states such as Colorado, global fi nancial markets. a president who did not win Ohio. choose? Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and even That said, there are confl icting signals on how The Republican focus in the need to make a First, the candidate cannot be Texas. Britons will vote, with betting odds suggesting they always-controversial state of Florida associated with Wall Street, or Clinton With 87 Electoral College votes in involved the “complete package” - a strategic statement will run the risk of off ending a large play, the Democrats do not necessarily will opt to stay in the EU, and some polls showing a young Cuban-American named Rubio part of her left-leaning party. need to win Ohio, due to the Trump “leave” decision will win out. sure to attract not only young voters by selecting a Second, he or she should have eff ect throughout the nation. of all races but most importantly record as a progressive, with less Democrats need to make a strategic the “Latino vote”, which had been progressive Latino hawkish positions that are to the left and historic statement by selecting a To Advertise completely neglected by Republicans or Latina as vice of Hillary on domestic, international progressive Latino or Latina as vice [email protected] since George Bush won his second and social issues. president. term with 43% of the Latino vote. president Housing and Urban Development Their presidential ticket will pay Display The Republican National Secretary Julian Castro was at off signifi cantly in many elections to Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 Committee seemingly had the perfect Republican leaders would love to one point in the mix, but he is too come. And it will take Republicans combination plan. push Rubio on Trump as a running young and lacks experience in many a long time to learn their lesson and Classified And then Donald Trump showed mate to soften the image of the ticket important areas. recuperate from their failed theatrical Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 up! and increase the likelihood of winning Having another woman, Elizabeth production: the Donald Trump Circus The whole plan melted down like Florida. Warren, on the ticket would be of Hate. Subscription a Mister Softie ice cream cone in the However, this makes no sense for a fantastic, but will not signifi cantly [email protected] sun. couple of reasons. aff ect turn out in most purple states, zJaime Estades is a lecturer on social Never before in modern US political First, the damage is done with since those states include a substantial policy at Rutgers University’s Graduate history had an opening campaign Latinos. Latino vote. School of Social Work and is founder 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved speech included such venom and There is nothing that Trump can do The name that is currently fl oating and president of the Latino Leadership fl ames of terror, with Trump calling to remedy the harm already created, heavily in Democratic corridors is Institute. Gulf Times Sunday, June 19, 2016 27 COMMENT Moving from debt to equity in China

While China has a relative underdevelopment of China’s build a strong equity market when the capital market. investment culture and tax system problem with ineffi cient Once these factors are taken into remain tilted toward debt. capital allocation, it is account, China’s overall debt levels do But China still has options. not seem abnormally high. A substantial share of the nowhere near a solvency While debt might be a problem corporations holding large debts or liquidity crisis for Chinese companies with excess are state-owned, and are thus more capacity and low productivity, subject to policy than they are to companies in fast-growing, markets. By Andrew Sheng and Xiao Geng productive sectors and regions may Simply put, the government has the Hong Kong not be in too much trouble. power to bring about balance-sheet More generally, China has changes. made recent progress in boosting The key will be to encourage the spate of recent commentary labour productivity, encouraging reduction of bad debts and increases has been warning of the technological innovation and in the stock of safe assets, while taxing vertiginous rise in China’s improving service quality in key excess capacity and encouraging Adebt, which jumped from urban areas, despite severe fi nancial innovation, thereby improving total 148% of GDP in 2007 to 249% at the repression and inadequate access to factor productivity. end of the third quarter of 2015. funding by small and medium-size Giacomo Corneo, of the Free Many are anxiously pointing out private enterprises. University of Berlin, has proposed that China’s debt is now comparable Of course, China’s debt is still rising that, in addition to taxing underused to that of the European Union (270% – a trend that, if left unchecked, could real estate, China should create a of GDP) and the United States (248% pose a mounting threat to fi nancial sovereign wealth fund to improve the of GDP). Are they right to worry? To and economic stability. management of public assets. some extent, they are. But the structure of China’s Given that those assets amount But while observers’ concerns are national balance sheet suggests that it to an estimated $18 trillion, a higher not entirely baseless, it is far too early still has plenty of room to mitigate the return on capital would boost GDP and to sound the systemic-risk alarm. risks that escalating debt might bring. reduce debt. As a recent HSBC report points Thanks to China’s high saving rate, China’s bank regulators have already out, the reasons for China’s rapid the country’s banking system had a permitted experiments in debt- accumulation of debt, which is loan-to-deposit ratio of 74% at the equity swaps, which the International concentrated in the corporate and end of 2015, with 17.5% in required Monetary Fund says should be local-government sectors, suggest reserves held at the central bank. A worker cleaning the facade of a subway station entrance in Beijing. China has made recent progress in boosting labour incorporated in a comprehensive that the situation is not nearly as The capital adequacy ratio was as productivity, encouraging technological innovation and improving service quality in key urban areas, despite severe strategy to accelerate reform of state- dangerous as many are making it out high as 13.2%. Given that China’s net financial repression and inadequate access to funding by small and medium-size private enterprises. owned enterprises. to be. external lending position amounts to China has the savings to address its For starters, China has a very high $1.8tn, or 17.2% of GDP, the central for 40.1% of total bank deposits to nearly 146% of GDP, mostly in real low infl ation, and even the possibility growing debt burden. Amid slowing saving rate – above 45% over the bank has enough liquidity to reduce of CN¥146.5tn ($22.5tn) at end- estate. of outright decline in the price level, growth, however, its window of last decade, much higher than in the banks’ reserve requirements without March 2016, while non-fi nancial In short, while China has a problem the real burden of debt has been opportunity is narrowing. advanced economies – which enables resorting to unconventional monetary corporations comprised 32.1% and with ineffi cient capital allocation, it is increasing. The sooner China rebalances from it to sustain higher debt levels. policy. the share of government deposits was nowhere near a solvency or liquidity A second option is to issue more debt to equity, the better off it will be. Moreover, China’s banking system Furthermore, after more than three 17.1%. The combined debt-deposit crisis. Nonetheless, China does need equity. -Project Syndicate remains the primary channel for the decades of rapid income growth, ratio of the non-fi nancial corporate to address its domestic debt overhang. The banking system is the wrong deployment of the household sector’s China has accumulated wealth (or net sector and the government sector was One option is higher infl ation. channel for allocating resources to zAndrew Sheng is distinguished fellow of savings, meaning that those savings assets) in almost all sectors. 97.6%, meaning that these sectors’ But advanced countries have high-growth, high-risk sectors, which the Asia Global Institute at the University fund corporate investment through By any standard, China’s household total deposits exceeded their debts to learned the hard way in recent years should hold equity as risk capital. of Hong Kong and a member of the bank lending, rather than equity sector has very low leverage, with a the banking system by CN¥1.7tn. how diffi cult this approach can be, But last year’s A-share debacle UNEP Advisory Council on Sustainable fi nancing (which accounts for only debt-to-deposit ratio of 47.6%. Even In addition, the Chinese Academy as their massive unconventional – when a price rout drove the Finance. Xiao Geng, director of the IFF about 5% of net investment). Indeed, the corporate sector’s leverage is not of Social Sciences estimates that the monetary policies have failed to government to suspend trading in Institute, is a professor at the University the sharp acceleration in the debt-to- as high as many reports suggest. central and local governments have overcome defl ationary forces. more than half of A-share companies of Hong Kong and a fellow at its Asia GDP ratio is partly attributable to the Household deposits accounted accumulated net assets amounting With much of the world facing very – underscored how diffi cult it is to Global Institute. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY An act of Mair, who wanted Britain to leave The trials of Pistorius and O J proportions has run its course, but High: 43 C the EU, resorted to do away with the Simpson have riveted the world. now it’s time for South Africans to Low : 32 C Strong wind and high to north intolerance MP who strongly supported the UK’s Pistorius’ trial enthralled the world. move on. by noon continuance with the EU. As millions of people binge-watched The legacy of Oscar Pistorius has Dear Sir, Because of his heinous act, Britain their way through the mesmerising been totally destroyed. lost a young member of parliament trial, and having to witness six History will remember him as MONDAY Your viewpoint “Murder spurs who was highly talented. gruesome pictures of the body of he catapulted from superman to High: 42 C calls for Brexit campaigners to drop Reeva Steenkamp, many were coming gunman. Low: 34 C fear projects” (Gulf Times, June 18) C Robinson up with their own conspiracy theories Cloudy highlighted the aftereff ects of the [email protected] and opinions as to “why he did it”. Farouk Araie killing of British MP Jo Cox on the A Shakespearean tragedy of epic [email protected] referendum scheduled to be held on TUESDAY June 23. A tragedy of High: 42 C Cox’s murder has horrifi ed the epic proportions Please send us Low: 32 C British people, irrespective of the fact Cloudy that whether they want the country to your letters remain in the European Union or not. Dear Sir, After Cox’s death, the campaign for Fishermen’s forecast the referendum has slowed down. Oscar Pistorius will know his fate By e-mail OFFSHORE DOHA Given that just days are left for on July 6. There are fewer commonly [email protected] Wind: NW-N 22-25 KT the referendum, the campaign has cited legal maxims than one expressed Fax 44350474 Waves: 7-8 Feet lost its vigour, it seems. The man by the Lord Chief Justice of England, Or Post INSHORE DOHA accused of shooting and stabbing Gordon Hewitt, in 1924, when he said: Wind: NW-N 10-18/25 KT Letters to the Editor Waves: 1-3 Feet Cox to death in a brutal street attack “It is not merely of some importance, Gulf Times ranted against “traitors” during a brief but of fundamental importance that Around the region court appearance. “Death to traitors, justice should not only be done, but P O Box 2888 Weather Weather freedom for Britain,” 52-year-old should be manifestly and undoubtedly Doha, Qatar today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Thomas Mair said when asked to give seen to be done.” Abu Dhabi Sunny 42/27 Sunny 41/27 Baghdad Sunny 43/27 Sunny 43/28 his name in Westminster Magistrates’ Implicit in this aphorism is the All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the name of the Court in London. public’s consent of justice served, Dubai Sunny 38/29 Sunny 38/29 writer, address and phone number. The writer’s name and address Kuwait City Sunny 45/30 Cloudy 47/31 According to press reports, Mair refl ecting a sense of fairness, honesty, Manama may be withheld by request. Cloudy 38/32 Cloudy 38/32 seemed to be mentally unstable. But equality, equity and consistency Muscat Sunny 37/31 Sunny 38/31 his act is seen as an act of intolerance. before the law. Riyadh Sunny 43/27 Sunny 43/27 Tehran Sunny 36/23 Sunny 37/23 Live issues When daddy went broke ...

By Barton Goldsmith at when I was in high school. later, thanks to a National Merit overtly upset or nasty about it. Tribune News Service Somehow I talked them into letting Scholarship. His outlook on the world was me play for tips and pizza, and so my My parents decided to move to Las positive until the day he died. music career began. Vegas into a less expensive townhouse, Spending those last few months I remember it like it was yesterday, I had no amps or sound system. and my dad tried to make ends meet. with him is one of the things in my life and it may have happened 50 years It was just me and the guitar, and I My dad never blamed anyone for what that I am happiest about. ago. I was sitting in our converted had to sing loud for people to hear. happened. He brought me into the world, and I garage/family room (tastefully Every Friday and Saturday, I’d ride He just kept putting one foot in was there to help him go to the next. Around the world decorated with AstroTurf and lime the old bike to my gig and hang out front of the other and got things done. Although it’s still sad that he’s gone, Weather Weather green cabinets to match) playing my with the owner and staff until it was He’d try to comfort my mother as the time we had together was a gift. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min little guitar. time for me to go onstage, so to speak. much as he could, but she was always My dad enjoyed a good cigar, so Athens Sunny 39/27 Sunny 38/26 My dad walked in and sat down on I guess they liked me, because I angry about the lifestyle change, every Father’s Day I light up a stogie in Beirut Sunny 32/25 Sunny 32/25 the couch. played there until I got into college and and that didn’t help them. Still, he his honour. Bangkok P Cloudy 35/26 P Cloudy 36/26 Berlin S Showers 22/11 M Sunny 24/14 He was an olive skinned man, but had to leave town. They even named continued to love and support her, Most of it just burns in the ashtray Cairo Sunny 38/23 Sunny 39/23 that day he was pale as a ghost. a pizza after me, “the Bart Special”, as she was his wife and he took the – I still have the one he used to use Cape Town Rain 15/10 Showers 16/08 I was strumming away and asked perhaps the fi rst vegetarian pizza in provider role seriously. – but the smell reminds me of the Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 him what was going on. town. Then he got cancer. journalist-turned PR man who could Dhaka S T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 32/26 P Cloudy P Cloudy 29/25 He replied: “We’re broke,” with Those were fun times despite the I was in my twenties. I was in always make me laugh. Hong Kong 29/26 Istanbul Sunny 33/20 Sunny 32/22 tears in his eyes. fi nancial hardships. college and had a job, but I went to Love you dad. Thanks for looking Jakarta Cloudy 31/24 P Cloudy 32/24 Without missing a beat, I said: Dad never fully recovered Las Vegas every weekend to be by his out for me. Karachi P Cloudy 33/27 M Sunny 33/27 “Well, I guess I’d better get a job!” I fi nancially, and we started living side. I still remember holding his hand London M Cloudy 21/15 Showers 18/14 was about 14 at the time and had only diff erently. No more country club. and realising how big his hands were zDr Barton Goldsmith, Manila S T Storms 34/26 T Storms 33/24 Moscow P Cloudy 29/17 Sunny 30/17 helped dad at the offi ce. My dad still played golf but at the compared to mine. a psychotherapist in Westlake Village, New Delhi M Sunny 36/28 P Cloudy 34/27 I had never really worked before and public course. My mom threw her card He was lucid much of the time, and California, is the author of The Happy New York Sunny 28/18 Sunny 28/21 wasn’t sure what I was getting myself parties at the house. we enjoyed being together. Couple: How to Make Happiness a Paris S Showers 21/14 Showers 19/16 into. Things were less extravagant, but I made sure to let him know how Habit One Little Loving Thing at a Sao Paulo P Cloudy 23/12 S Showers 18/12 P Cloudy P Cloudy 31/21 Time. Follow his daily insights on Seoul 29/18 I slung my guitar over my back I was too young to realise the toll this important he was to me and that I Singapore Cloudy 32/25 P Cloudy 32/26 (soft cases hadn’t been invented took on my parents. It all seemed okay wanted to be a good man like him. Twitter at @BartonGoldsmith, or Sydney Rain 20/12 P Cloudy 18/11 yet) and rode my bike a few miles to to me, but they argued more. He went through a lot in his e-mail him at Tokyo Rain 28/22 Cloudy 29/21 the pizza place we used to hang out I got into college a couple years later years, but he was never [email protected] Gulf Times 28 Sunday, June 19, 2016 QATAR Qatar Foundation’s Garangao festivities draw thousands ore than 5,000 mem- bers of the local com- Mmunity took part in the annual Garangao festivities of Qatar Foundation for Educa- tion, Science and Community Development (QF) at Al Shaqab on Friday. The proceeds from the event went to Reach Out To Asia’s ‘Reach Into Qatar’ initiative. During the fun-fi lled evening that celebrated youth and the richness of Qatari culture, fami- lies enjoyed a wide range of community activities includ- ing traditional Arabic games for children, arts and crafts, pony rides and storytelling sessions, as well as the chance to try pop- ular Qatari dishes. The exciting event also pro- vided an invaluable opportu- nity for QF’s various entities to celebrate and interact with the local community. Qatar Solar Technology facilitated creative lantern-making sessions using solar panels, while the Qur’anic Botanic Garden off ered visitors a range of planting activities as well as 3D puzzles and virtual re- ality games. Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar A series of fun activities were on off er for children throughout the night. Children take part in a race at Qatar Foundation’s Garangao celebrations on Friday night. off ered activities such as ‘The Operation’, which taught chil- National Library to produce a since then, but I think the fes- inforces the importance of our dience. A number of exciting marks, play games and solve which was cleverly designed to dren about medicine and the popular puppet show and story- tival is a great opportunity to history and traditions.” National Reading Campaign puzzles together. Thomas Pato- combine fun and Qatari culture. human body, as well as a ‘Grow telling session. bring the whole community A number of free horse-relat- activities were also held as part maki from Finland who has lived My three young children were all It Yourself’ activity that ena- One of the participants, Za- together to celebrate a special ed activities were provided by of this year’s festivities at the in Qatar for two years introduced very excited to attend tonight’s bled children to plant seeds and hya al-Mashaary, said: “I re- occasion in our cultural calen- Al Shaqab such as a mechanical popular spot located in front of his children to the Garangao event as they had heard about it understand nature better. In member celebrating Garangao dar. I know my little brother and bucking horse and pony rides the ‘Reading Truck’. traditions for the fi rst time and at school and we dressed them in addition, Qatar Green Building when I was a little girl. Of sister have really enjoyed all the which brought Qatar’s eques- Children were able to read at said: “I really admire the won- traditional Garangao clothing to Council collaborated with Qatar course, things have changed activities, but the event also re- trian heritage to a young au- the ‘Book Hangout,’ make book- derful set up here in Al Shaqab, celebrate.” Aspire Zone Foundation set for ‘perfect’ celebration

spire Zone Foundation is – all part of the eff ort to further welcoming families to its celebrate and revive authentic Asecond annual Garangao Qatari traditions and heritage. celebration at Freej Aspire today. “Freej Aspire is the perfect The evening marks a high destination for families to enjoy point of the second week of ac- Garangao as it recreates the de- tivities taking place at Freej As- sign of traditional Qatari neigh- pire, and builds on the incredible bourhoods and is the perfect success and popularity of the celebration of local culture and fi rst week. heritage,” a spokesperson said. The Garangao celebration is This year, Aspire Zone Foun- a longstanding Qatari tradition dation has extended the areas that takes place at the midpoint in the Freej Aspire dedicated to of Ramadan. Garangao rewards children and family sports in fasting children with various order to give greater numbers of sweets and treats to motivate parents and their children the and encourage them to complete opportunity to practice their their religious duty and to con- favourite sports. The children’s tinue to fast during the remain- play area includes miniature der of the holy Month. fi elds and courts for basketball, During the evening, groups of football and volleyball. children in traditional dress will Games and competitions bring the family together at the centre. “Cultural and entertainment make their way around Freej As- activities include cartoon shows pire and receive candy and other The evening also features a pet show and there will be various and workshops in Arabic cal- Garangao gifts while singing the unique programme of activity competitions and awards. ligraphy and graffi ti which all traditional Garangao song. The and includes several children’s For the fi rst time this year, contribute to Aspire Zone Foun- custom of children visiting their shows taking place on the Freej there is a corner of Freej Aspire dation’s eff orts to revive and cel- neighbours, singing and receiv- Aspire stage, adding to the unfor- dedicated to traditional Qatari ebrate traditional Qatari heritage ing treats at this time of year is gettable experience for visitors. games as well as a Henna station and culture with members of the an important part of Qatari cul- Youngsters will have the oppor- where visitors can have henna local community during the holy A gathering at Freej Aspire. tural heritage. tunity to see a magic show, a pup- designs applied to their hands Month.”

Brisk business

Souq Waqif is one of the favourite destinations to buy diff erent kinds of goodies for Garangao, which is to be celebrated today, with shops seeing brisk business and increasing footfall. PICTURES: Nasar T K