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SUNDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10376 February 26, 2017 Jumada I 29, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief New health

QATAR | Business strategy Milaha posts net profi t of QR711mn Qatar Navigation (Milaha) has posted a net profit of QR711mn in 2016 on revenues of QR2.55bn, the company announced last night. to focus Milaha’s operating revenue for 2016 was QR2.5bn compared with QR2.98bn reported in the previous year. The company’s operating profit in 2016 was QR555mn compared to QR855mn in the previous year. on lifestyle Earnings per share for 2016 was QR6.26 compared to QR9.63 in the ore than 80% of National She pointed out that work had been previous year, a company statement Health Strategy (NHS) going on to prepare NHS 2017- 2022 showed. M2011-2016 has been accom- to support the national development plished and work is going on to in- strategy and achieve Qatar National QATAR | Diplomacy troduce NHS 2017-2022, which will Vision 2030. Azerbaijan president HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) chairman Issa al-Mohannadi focus on “good health through better “Besides, the best use of the previ- (second from right), QREC general manager Nasser Sherida al-Kaabi (right) and Total E&P Qatar managing director Guillaume nutrition and sound lifestyle,” the ous experiences will be made to guar- arrives today Chalmin (third from left) with the winners of HH The Emir’s Sword (Gr1 PA) after Julian Smart-trained Ebraz, owned by HH Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) antee the ideal implementation of the President of the Republic of Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa al-Thani, won the 2,400m race yesterday. has said. NHS programme and meet the na- Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will arrive In a statement yesterday, the min- tional obligation of improving health in Doha today on an off icial visit to istry said NHS 2017-2022 will be within the Qatari society.” Qatar. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim based on the previous health strategy, During the past five years, NHS bin Hamad al-Thani and the Azeri which entails a strong and strategic effected fundamental improvements president will hold talks at the Emiri Emir patronises equestrian festival inclination towards continuous de- at all levels of the health system Diwan tomorrow pertaining to velopment of the health sector in the in the country through adopting a bilateral relations between the two country. comprehensive framework for care countries and means of enhancing The festival’s closing races were also hamed bin Khalifa al-Thani and HH QNA The MoPH organised an event on and enhancing integration among them. Doha attended by HH Sheikh Abdullah bin The Emir’s trophy to Maher Ibrahim Khalifa al-Thani, HE Sheikh Jassim Lutfallah, respectively. Thursday to honour the NHS 2011- the entities involved at the national EUROPE | Attack bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE the Advi- The Emir also handed the Silver 2016 team’s hard work during the level. H the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin sory Council’s Speaker Mohamed bin Sword to Khalifa bin Hamad bin Kha- past fi ve years. In addition, all the related chal- Man drives into crowd Hamad al-Thani yesterday Mubarak al-Khulaifi and a number of lifa al-Attiyah, owner of AJS Gannas, HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, lenges such as increasing demand for in German town Hpatronised the closing races Sheikhs and ministers in addition to the winner in the sixth race. Minister of Public Health, said: “What health services, shortage of medical A man drove into a group of people of HH The Emir’s Sword equestrian heads of diplomatic missions, horse The Emir also crowned the winners has been achieved with the National professionals and the spread of non- standing by a bakery in the German festival at the Racing and Equestrian owners and equestrian sport enthusi- in the Showjumping Grand Prix held Health Strategy programme shows the transmittable diseases due to un- town of Heidelberg yesterday, Club, Al Rayyan. asts. yesterday as part of the festival, where positive co-operation and integration healthy lifestyles, were addressed. injuring three people, one of them The event was attended by Sudanese Following the two feature races the winners were HE Sheikh Ali bin among the MoPH, Hamad Medical Besides, the MoPH has strived to seriously. A police spokesman said it President’s Assistant Abdulrahman al- which were won by Ebraz and Cho- Khalid al-Thani (fi rst), Abdullah al- Corporation (HMC), Primary Health improve the work quality of health was not yet possible to say whether Sadig al-Mahdi and Prince Abdulaziz bin pin, the Emir handed over the Golden Sharbatly (second), and Derin Demir- Care Corporation (PHCC) and all the professionals in the country through it was a terrorist attack. Page 18 Ahmed bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. Sword to HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Mo- soy (third). other partners.” various tools. To Page 2 Jewellery and watches show attracts over 15,000 visitors

oha Jewellery and Watches Ex- es and jewellery industry.” hibition (DJWE) 2017 attracted According to Jamil al-Majed, vice- Dmore than 15,000 visitors, the chairman of Al Majed Jewellery, “This organisers announced yesterday at the edition of DJWE has brought us new event’s conclusion. visitor experiences, raised the profi le of The six-day show had both visitors Qatar and contributed to the nation’s and exhibitors agreeing “it was an ex- economic growth. We are honoured to ceptional experience,” they said in a be part of this world-class event.” press statement. Aman Shahani, director of communi- Precious jewels and timepieces from cations at Amiri Gems, added: “It is al- over 400 brands were shown and sold ways a great pleasure to be part of DJWE. by 40 exhibitors at the exhibition, which This premier event shines a spotlight was held under the theme ‘Once upon a on the region’s expanding portfolio of time… luxury’. brands, which includes innovative new Also, unique visitor experiences ena- brands and luxury international jewel- bled more than 500 people to delve into lery houses from across the globe.” the world of artisanship, creating spe- This year’s edition featured a new cial memories at watch-making work- initiative, the Young Qatari Designers, shops by Objectif Horlogerie and por- a dedicated exhibition space that shined traiture sessions at Studio Harcourt, the a spotlight on the country’s emerging statement noted. talent. The initiative included Fajr al- Ahmed al-Obaidli, director of exhibi- Attiya (Trifoglio), Ghada al-Bouanain tions at Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), Ornaments made of precious stones (Ghada Al Bouanian), Nada al-Sulaiti said: “DJWE this year has told its visi- at one of the booths at the Alfardan (Hairaat), Noor Alfardan (Noudar), Nouf tors wonderful stories of luxury and his- Jewellery pavilion. al-Meer (Nouf Jewellery) and Sarah al- tory, and we are proud to count DJWE as Hammadi (Sarah’s & Co). one of our own success stories; a testa- man and managing director of Darwish Al-Sulaiti said, “Dreams do come ment to the potential that the business Holding, said: “We are honoured to be true: that is what we have learnt from events sector in Qatar holds.” part of the 14th edition of the DJWE, an this promising initiative. We thank HH “We owe this success entirely to the event that has become the highlight of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, patronage of HE the Prime Minister and the calendar for the watches and jew- the Emir of Qatar, for his support and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin ellery sector in Qatar and refl ects the we promise to do our best for Qatar. We Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani,” he added, country’s status as a world-class desti- would also like to extend our gratitude to stressing that they enjoyed an “excep- nation.” Qatar Tourism Authority and the spon- tional start” to this year’s calendar of ex- “This year, Fifty One East is proud to sors for facilitating this.” hibitions and business events and looked stand hand in hand with the Young Qa- Brands at DJWE unveiled special forward to sharing more successes with tari Designers initiative. It has always events at their booths. visitors through the rest of 2017. been essential to us that we help realise Swiss diamond house Mouawad, re- Al-Obaidli also thanked the Ministry their ambitions. They are the base for vealed a $3.5mn jewellery box encrusted of Interior and General Customs Au- the economic and social development with diamonds, sapphires and lapis la- thority for facilitating the entry of “all of Qatar.” zuli, which was certifi ed by Guinness the elements needed to make this show Sharing her experience of the show, World Records as the world’s most valu- complete”. Dana Alfardan, vice-president of Al- able jewellery box. The spacious Doha Exhibition and fardan Jewellery, said: “Since the fi rst Meanwhile, Robert Wan, House of Convention Centre enabled Qatar’s edition of the Doha Jewellery and Pearls off ered ‘Pearlsonality tests’ that premier retailers to bring creative fl air Watches Exhibition, Alfardan Jew- enabled participants to discover which to their exhibition pavilions - taking ellery has been keen to support the pearls suited their character. visitors on a journey of art, elegance and show and exceed visitor expectations DJWE 2017 was brought to its visitors legacy. by showcasing the most exclusive and by QTA together with this year’s part- Bader Abdullah al-Darwish, chair- unique high-end brands in the watch- ners, Auditoire. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, February 26, 2017 QATAR

MEC draw Sidra achieves international tomorrow to allocate plots distinction within 8 months for logistics he Ministry of Economy idra Medical and Research and Commerce (MEC)’s Centre (Sidra) has achieved TTechnical Committee to Sthe Healthcare Informa- Stimulate Private Sector Par- tion Management System Soci- ticipation in Economic Devel- ety (HIMSS)’s Analytics EMRAM opment Projects will conduct Stage 6 level of distinction – an in- a public draw tomorrow to al- ternational benchmark for the use locate 119 plots of land for mul- of advanced information technol- tiple use in logistics areas at Al ogy to improve patient care. Wakrah, Birkat Al Awamer and It is the fi rst outpatient (am- Aba Seleel. bulatory) based clinic in Qatar The draw will be conducted at to achieve the HIMSS Analyt- The Ritz-Carlton Doha, Al Wo- ics EMRAM 6 certifi cation. The sail hall. EMRAM Stage 6 is awarded to In a press statement, the MEC hospitals that have achieved said the committee had received a comprehensive list of IT re- 878 allocation requests elec- quirements. tronically, all of which were re- The accreditation was viewed for compliance with the achieved for using electronic terms and conditions. medical records and other sup- The Sidra Vital Signs Integrated Wall System. Accordingly, the MEC is hold- porting technologies to enhance ing a public draw as the number the quality of care provided to easy and secure electronic access ity of care. Not only are there of applications exceed the 119 patients and families at the Sidra to medical fi les on the Sidra pa- cost and resource effi ciencies – plots to be allocated. The com- Outpatient Clinic. tient portal, which can be viewed it also provides us with accurate mittee has said that the logistics Michael LeRoy, chief infor- From left: Dr Khalid Alyafei; Paul Casterton, executive director of Clinical Applications; and Michael LeRoy, externally by patients in Qatar or detailing on diagnoses and a safe areas projects are expected to be mation offi cer of Sidra, said: “To chief information off icer – Sidra. when overseas. and eff ective way to exchange operational by mid-2018. achieve HIMSS Stage 6 certifi - Further, it includes paperless details between practitioners.” The projects have a total of cation within eight months of medication orders, and has prov- patient Clinic’s medical devices, Sidra’s certifi cation will ben- integration of patient informa- “Sidra Medical and Research 1,968 pieces of land in the three opening our outpatient clinic is en to drastically reduce errors in software applications and tech- efi t patients in key patient serv- tion and also off ers an assurance Centre is making good progress areas. These include 119 com- a major milestone for Sidra. It medication administration and nologies have been integrated to ices related to appointments, that medication dosage and re- using its electronic medical mercial plots for the service puts the Sidra Outpatient Clinic dosage, illegible handwriting and allow data to be automatically vital signs, medical history and quirements have already been records to drive improvements of the area in general and the in the same exclusive league as patient allergy alerts. entered into a patient’s records. follow-up referrals – these are verifi ed by the time patients in its healthcare operations. workers there in particular. It some of the top technologically Another safety feature is the For example, every time a patient now integrated with their elec- proceed to the Sidra pharmacy They are demonstrating their is expected that the commer- advanced hospitals in the world.” fi ve rights of “closed loop” med- has a blood pressure, tempera- tronic medical records. Patients after their clinical visit. commitment to providing the cial areas would employ around One of the key technology ication administration – where ture or other result – the device will have access to all the infor- Dr Khalid Alyafei, acting chief best healthcare services possible 180,000 people, most of whom features available at the Sidra patient records and medications sends the information immedi- mation about their treatment of Medical Informatics at Sidra, through their information tech- would be living there once the Outpatient Clinic is that of the have bar codes to ensure right ately to that patient’s medical and services, ensuring that they said: “The integration of diff er- nology investments,” said John H project is completed. Computer Physician Order Entry. dose to the right patient at the records which allows the physi- are active participants in their ent types of technologies within Daniels, global vice-president, The committee pointed out This allows physicians to directly right time. cian or nurse to spend more time journey of medication and treat- Sidra has a direct impact on im- Healthcare Advisory Services that the commercial plots have enter patient data, including The majority of the Sidra Out- interacting with the patient. ment. It also provides 24-hour proving patient access and qual- Group, HIMSS Analytics. several advantages, such as im- mediate handover of the land to start construction, compre- hensive infrastructure, a fixed rent rate of QR8.33 per sqm a month (with a 5% increase rate every three years), long- QRCS attends GCC Red Crescent committee meeting term lease contracts for up to 30 years, rent payment every six months after the first year n offi cial delegation Volunteer Day 2017 events, crea- of land allocation and strategic from Qatar Red Crescent tion of a GCC volunteering group location. A(QRCS) has participated in and the GCC volunteering forum. The land is being off ered to the third meeting of the Standing The meeting reviewed the investors to open showrooms, Committee on Volunteerism of preparations for the fi rst GCC shops, clinics, banks, restau- Red Crescent Societies in the Co- volunteering forum, to be held in rants, parking lots and simi- operation Council for the Arab Abu Dhabi, the UAE, on March lar facilities to develop various States of the Gulf (GCC). 8. The event will be organised commercial sectors in these ar- annually by a Gulf national soci- eas. The meeting reviewed the ety under the supervision of the The logistics projects, located preparations for the fi rst GCC Secretariat-General. in southern Qatar, are consid- GCC volunteering forum, Also, the participants consid- ered among the largest contrib- to be held in Abu Dhabi, the ered the vision and mechanisms uting to the country’s economic UAE, on March 8. The event for the nascent GCC joint volun- development. will be organised annually teering group. The recommen- by a Gulf national society dations will be submitted to the under the supervision 13th meeting of Senior Offi cials Emir sends cables of the GCC Secretariat- of GCC Red Crescent Societies General to be held in Bahrain, in March, of congratulations for further consideration. Held in Kuwait, the two-day They also took a look to the to Kuwaiti leader meeting was attended by repre- amendments proposed by the sentatives of QRCS, Kuwait Red GCC Red Crescent Legal Com- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Crescent Society (KRCS), Saudi mittee to the draft volunteerism Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Red Crescent Authority (SRCA), regulations and annual award, Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Emirates Red Crescent and Bah- as well as the volunteer recruit- al-Thani, and HE the Prime rain Red Crescent Society. ment plans and strategies. Minister and Interior Minister Several important issues were Proposals were put forward as Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin listed on the meeting’s agenda, regards the events to be held in Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables including regulations on vol- celebration of the International of congratulations to Kuwaiti unteerism, annual volunteering Volunteer Day 2017, which would Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad award, KRCS’s volunteer recruit- be submitted for approval by the al-Jaber al-Sabah on his country’s ment strategy, joint International Bahrain meeting. Participants of the meeting. National Day.

4 new health Qatar’s fi rst living donor liver transplant an international aff air centres to team of 10 leading surgeons, anaesthetists, doctors and nurses and nurses – a team that open this year Afrom South Korea seamlessly orchestrated joined surgeons, anaes- two complex surgeries in From Page 1 thetists, nurses and tech- perfect step, despite living Public health projects represented nicians from Hamad Med- thousands of miles apart around one-third of the NHS, which ical Corporation (HMC) and not having worked to- included preparing an early diagno- and spent 20 hours in the gether before. sis programme for cancer, especially operating theatre at Ha- “I’m so grateful to all the for women, pre-marriage check-ups mad General Hospital late surgeons, physicians and and improving psychiatric health- last year as they carried nurses who participated in care. out the country’s fi rst liv- my transplant procedure In recent years, six new health ing donor liver transplan- and cared for me. The care centres have been inaugurated and tation. I received was excellent,” four others are set to be opened this First, they completed Zaid said, adding that he year. An additional 10 health centres the partial resection of the looked forward to return- will be opened during 2018-2021, donor’s liver, which took ing to his normal life in the which will make healthcare services some eight hours, and near future. much more accessible to the coun- then removed the dam- While the fi rst living try’s growing population. aged liver of 58-year-old donor liver transplanta- On NHS 2017-2022, which is set to Zaid and implanted the tion in the Arab world was be launched soon, the statement said donated portion of the conducted 25 years ago, attention would be focused on better liver into his body, which only a limited number of health and protection. took nearly 12 hours. Suf- liver transplants are com- “The initiative within such a strat- fering from liver cirrho- pleted in the Gulf region The team from HMC and AMC that performed Qatar’s first living donor liver transplantation. egy includes a work plan to fi ght to- sis, Zaid’s donor was his each year. Till date, HMC bacco use, a guidebook on nutrition 26-year-old nephew. has performed 17 trans- transplants each year. The mand perfect teamwork. liver transplants – among the South Korean team. the status of the patients and supporting Aspetar and Qatar The success of the sur- plants, with this most re- country has one of the Both teams must work the highest in the world. The November surgery after the transplantation. University to prepare Qatar Physical gery highlights the impor- cent being the country’s highest liver transplanta- together in perfect step, Living liver donation in- was the culmination of The living donor liver Activity Guidelines 2017-2022, which tance of international col- fi rst living donor liver tion success rates in the functioning as a cohe- volves two complex surger- many weeks of planning transplant surgery was will be launched soon. Also, a work laborations, HMC has said transplantation. world. sive unit,” said professor ies and our skilled surgical and dedication, which in- conducted in conjunction plan on national nutrition and physi- in a statement. The team from Korea “In a living donor trans- Hatem Khalaf, clinical team has extensive training cluded a small team from with the fi rst Qatar-Korea cal activities will be launched soon.” Two months after un- comprised doctors and plant, both the donor and lead and senior consult- and experience in this area. Qatar spending a week in Medical Forum. Nineteen The fi ve-year health programme dergoing the lifesaving nurses from Asan Medical the recipient undergo ant, HPB Liver Transplant We were pleased to share Korea receiving training leading doctors and nurses was launched to ensure world-class liver transplant surgery, Centre (AMC). surgery simultaneously, Services with HMC, who this expertise with our in living donor liver trans- from South Korea, along healthcare in the country through Zaid is comfortably recov- South Korea is a world with the donor’s surgery led the local transplant colleagues in Qatar,” said plantation and members with surgeons, anaesthet- three core areas of delivery: work- ering at his home in Doha. leader in organ trans- beginning a few hours in team. Dr Sung-Gyu Lee, presi- of the Korean team ex- ists, nurses and techni- force integration and quality, policy He says he owes his life plantation, carrying out advance of the recipient’s “In Korea, we perform a dent and CEO of the Asan tending their time in Qatar cians from HMC, partici- regulation and research. to the combined team of more than 1,200 liver surgery. The surgeries de- high volume of living donor Healthcare System, who led to assist with monitoring pated in the forum. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 3 QATAR

Silatech, Microsoft launch ‘Palestine Msheireb Properties awards car Works’ portal

QNA Ramallah park contract to Mawaqif Qatar ilatech, a regional social organisation that works sheireb Properties, Sto enable jobs and ex- a subsidiary of Qa- pand economic opportunities Mtar Foundation, has for young Arabs, and Microsoft awarded Mawaqif Qatar a con- launched offi cially in Ramallah tract to operate and manage car the new “Palestine Works” Por- parking at urban regeneration tal in co-operation with the Pal- project Msheireb Downtown estinian Ministry of Labour and Doha (MDD). Sharek Youth Forum. The deal, signed by Msheireb Following the launch of the Properties CEO Abdulla Hassan new portal, Sharek Youth Fo- al-Mehshadi and Mawaqif Qatar rum, Silatech’s partner which CEO Gilles Guillochon, was de- is responsible for implementing scribed as “an extremely impor- programmes in Palestine, signed tant milestone,” and comprises a number of memoranda of un- the integration and future man- derstanding (MoU)s with the agement of one of the world’s Ministry of Education and High- largest underground car parks er Education and representatives in the world – providing over of 11 local university aimed at 10,000 car parking spaces over enabling students to take advan- six basements to residents and tage of the portal’s services. visitors of MDD. On this occasion, the Chief Mawaqif Qatar said it will Executive Offi cer of Silatech, offer more than just parking Sabah al-Haidoos, said the or- space management at Msheireb ganisation is working through Downtown Doha. Car parks will the new portal on the rehabilita- not be standalone facilities, but tion of young people in accessing part of the mobility chain, dig- the labour market, which would itally integrated to enable MDD enable them to contribute in the to become a smart city, it said. economic and social develop- Mawaqif Qatar’s mission is ment of their communities. to bridge the gap between the “Silatech believes in the ca- cars and the smart city, de- pabilities and potential energies livering the highest standard of the Palestinian youth and is of customer services. With a pleased to work in co-operation wealth of global experience be- with its partners in order to hind them via Indigo of France launch and promote these ener- and locally through their ex- gies in line with the organisa- perience of managing and op- tion’s vision and the interest of erating the country’s prime Dignitaries from Msheireb Properties and Mawaqif Qatar after the signing ceremony. the Palestinian youth”, Sabah al- car parks, the company has Haidoos added. the proficiency to operate and companies is very important to partnered with Mawaqif Qatar oured to partner with Msheireb to deliver exceptional services, The developer’s fl agship For his part, Palestinian Minis- maintain the parking facilities us. It enables us to design and for this hugely signifi cant com- Properties and bring our spe- matching the vision of Msheireb project, MDD, which is now ter of Education and Higher Edu- at MDD and to sustain reliable operate a 5-star car park, offer- ponent of the MDD off ering. cialised knowledge and expertise Properties.” available for Phase 1 leasing will cation, Dr Sabri Saydam, described operating conditions based on ing our community a first class We look forward to celebrating into this transformative devel- Msheireb Properties said it off er a lively urban neighbour- the new portal as an opportunity high-end supervision digital parking and visitor experience. many more milestones, contin- opment. We aim to enhance cus- aspires to transform the urban hood featuring premier offi ce to promote the government’s drive solutions, using a remote man- A project of this magnitude uing to forge new partnerships tomer experiences, by ensuring landscape, creating an iconic space, retail services, leisure fa- to implement technical education agement approach. requires a specialised skill set, to add value to the community, a smooth fl ow of traffi c with ef- landmark that respects the envi- cilities, luxurious townhouses, and vocational training. He also Al-Mehshadi said: “Our industry experience, and inno- delivering the essential services fi cient systems, and well main- ronment and local surroundings, upscale apartments, hotels, mu- praised the bilateral relations be- partnership with one of the vative ideas to ensure it is per- to the people of Qatar, for the fu- tained parking areas. The visitor preserves cultural traditions, seums, civic services, cultural tween the Palestinian Ministry of Middle East’s leading traf- fectly managed. ture of Qatar.” experience has always been a and enhances the quality of life off erings, and entertainment Education and Higher Education fic and car park management “We are delighted to have Guillochon said: “We are hon- top priority for us, and we strive for communities. areas. and Silatech. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, February 26, 2017 QATAR

Strategic plan to preserve Qatar’s environment

HE the Minister of Municipality and Environ- in Qatar. He noted that dedicating a day for the ment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi has environment proves that the wise leadership of said that the ministry has developed a stra- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani Thundery rain and strong tegic plan to preserve and protect the Qatari is keen on preserving the Qatari environment environment. In remarks on the occasion of and natural resources. Qatar Environment Day, which is celebrated on He explained that the ministry is implementing February 26, the minister referred to the enact- plans and programmes aimed at enhancing ment of many laws and regulations that con- plantation development and increasing the winds in some areas today tribute to the preservation of the environment green areas.

hundery rain is again cloudy conditions. There is expected in some a chance of scattered rain Tplaces today along during the day, which may with strong winds, the Qatar be thundery in some areas at Met department has said. times. Off shore areas, too, are Hazy and cloudy condi- likely to see thundershowers, tions will also prevail in off - windy conditions and high shore areas and there is a seas today. possibility of scattered rain there, too, which may be A minimum temperature thundery occasionally. The of 15C is likely in sea level, meanwhile, may Al Khor, Wakrah and rise to 8ft during thunder- Mesaieed today, while showers. in Doha it will be 16C A minimum temperature of 15C is likely in Al Khor, The wind speed may go Wakrah and Mesaieed today, up to 23 knots inshore and while in Doha it will be 16C. 25 knots off shore during rain The maximum, on the other and thunder. hand, will range from 19C to Cloudy skies and scattered 22C. rain were reported from a Yesterday, a minimum number of places yesterday, temperature of 15C was re- including Doha. In general, corded in Karana and 18C in the southern areas received the Doha airport area. The more rain yesterday. maximum ranged from 18C Earlier in the day, the Met to 25C. department tweeted that the Meanwhile, the Qatar Civil rain was expected to contin- Aviation Authority has started ue until daytime today, while installing boards display- the off shore warning would ing weather conditions along also remain until today, coin- highways to provide informa- ciding with thundershowers. tion to motorists and ensure The detailed forecast for their safety along with that today says hazy to misty con- of the people accompanying ditions are expected in some them, according to informa- places at fi rst, followed by tion available on social media.

The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority has started installing boards displaying weather conditions along highways.

Gulf Times 6 Sunday, February 26, 2017 QATAR

Qatar, PNG to establish diplomatic ties Torch he State of Qatar and Papua New The two sides highlighted their com- Guinea held a signing ceremony at the mitment to enhancing co-operation in Theadquarters of Qatar’s permanent the political, economic, commerce, sci- committee to the UN for establishing dip- entific, technological, and cultural fields. Doha lomatic relations. Qatar’s permanent repre- They also said they intend to establish sentative to the United Nations HE Ambas- bilateral ties in accordance with the UN sador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani Charter. The two sides expressed their signed the agreement on behalf of Qatar, confidence that establishing diplomatic wins while her counterpart Max Hufanen Rai rep- ties will contribute to developing bilateral resented Papua New Guinea in the signing. co-operation. award

he Torch Doha has been recognised as Luxury THotel of the Year - Qa- tar at the Luxury Travel Guide (LTG) Africa and Middle East Awards 2017. The LTG awards identify the best hotels and accom- modation options with its criteria focused on innova- tion, design, rooms and fa- cilities, gastronomic achieve- ments, service excellence, use of technology, sustainable development, marketing and branding, employee satisfac- tion and location. Sherif Sabry, The Torch Doha’s general manager, said: “It is a great honour for us to have received such an impor- tant award. With great sat- isfaction we accept the most celebrated title in the 2017 Luxury Travel Guide Awards.” Vinny Bindra, account man- ager at Luxury Travel Guide, added: “Being recognised as Luxury Hotel of the Year in our awards really compliments the eff ort and hard work everyone at The Torch Doha has put into the hotel.” Standing at 300m high and off ering a 360° panoramic view of Doha, The Torch Doha has over 150 luxury rooms for guests looking for a luxurious experience. The judging panel for the awards included TV person- alities Anthony Melchiorri (Hotel Impossible, Five Star Secrets) and Shane Green (Resort Rescue), luxury travel photographer Antonio Cuel- lar, as well as the in-house team at Luxury Travel Guide. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 7 QATAR Ooredoo enhances TV app he Ooredoo tv app store For gamers, Ooredoo tv of- content now contains fers a host of interactive ap- Tover 30 applications, plications to “keep the fam- Ooredoo has said in a press ily entertained”, including the statement. classic game Hangman, the The company has high- popular Sugar Boost and ad- lighted the growing content venture fi lled Pirate-Com- as part of its push to “off er the mander game. best and latest digital content “By providing access to in Qatar”. these apps for all our Ooredoo “Ooredoo tv off ers a com- tv users, whether on a basic plete entertainment service for or premium package, we’re Qatar with the latest live TV enabling everyone to enjoy and video on demand services, our leading content solutions,” as well as digital applications added al-Kuwari. dedicated to video, music, To access the apps, one has games, news and more,” the to press the home button on statement noted. an Ooredoo tv remote con- Top Ooredoo tv applications trol, go to ‘apps’ and select A variety of attractions are on off er. include the Qur’an Al Kareem, the ‘more apps’ option to ex- Tune In, Al Jazeera, XITE and plore the full range available YouTube. on Ooredoo tv. Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, di- Ooredoo tv off ers users a 4K rector of community and pub- service that works with mul- lic relations at Ooredoo, said: tiple devices and combines Katara hosts Halal Qatar Festival “With an Ooredoo tv box, our apps, on-demand and live customers can enjoy free and television in one easy-to-use premium content from all over box. alal Qatar Festival, or- age – with the festival “provid- Other prizes include the shep- tari handicrafts such as rug weav- traditional market, inspired by the world via live TV and video- Mozaic TV and Ooredoo ganised by Katara for the ing a snapshot of Qatar’s ances- herd’s crook, which is considered ing, wool dying and quilt making. ancient Qatari architecture, which on-demand, as well as a grow- Broadband customers can ac- Hsixth consecutive year, tral way of life to the upcoming to be of great value to the shep- A ‘children’s tent’ depicting displays the day-to-day staples in ing digital library with games, cess Ooredoo tv by using the continues to “amaze visitors with generations”, the preservation of herd, as he uses it to escort and folklore performances was seen a Qatari household. The venue is video, music, news and more. “Collect & Go” service at any its distinctive variety of activi- the Arabic identity and Islamic guide his sheep, lean on it, and it to draw in large families over also dotted with kiosks selling tra- “Entertainment is evolv- Ooredoo shop to collect their ties”, the Cultural Village Founda- culture, and the introduction to also aids him in defending him- the weekend, as did other stalls ditional dishes such as madroobah, ing, it’s not about schedules new Ooredoo tv box. tion has said in a press statement. Qatari heritage by revealing the self from any threat or danger. that presented objects that re- harees, balaleet and biryani, and and recordings any more, it’s Installation can be done in- The festival is scheduled to run country’s traditions. The crook is sculpted from rich fl ected the Qatari heritage, and traditional Arabic lounges embod- about 24/7 access and multi- stantly by customers in their until March 4 in Katara’s south- The organising committee has German beech wood and will be displayed mummifi ed animals ying the warmth and hospitality of platform content to keep our own homes. ern area. sought to create a festival that dedicated to the winners who bag and other traditional objects, the the Qatari culture. customers updated and inter- Ooredoo tv is available now The event has received a large builds on the event’s success by the fi rst position in Halal Qatar statement noted. The morning session of the ested on the go.” via Ooredoo shops, Starlink, number of visitors from all walks off ering new contests and issuing competitions. In addition, a playground for festival, from 9am until noon, Other available applica- TechnoBlue and Jumbo out- of life since it opened to the pub- new conditions and regulations. In addition, the crook is gold- children has been set up to en- will be dedicated to informative tions include video streaming lets. lic on Friday, according to Katara, An expansion of the sixth edi- plated and contains handmade courage families to attend the school trips from today. The af- service Vimeo, photography The service has no upfront which stressed that the major tion of the festival involves more copper designs. festival and make the most of the ternoon session – from 4pm until site Flickr and news sites like charges, no equipment costs elements on view are a revival prizes, including the distribution The festival also features a series pleasant weather. 10pm – will be open to the gen- Deutsche Welle. and no ongoing contracts. of the Qatari culture and herit- of 27 cars to winners. of traditional tents showcasing Qa- Another major attraction is a eral public. Gulf Times 8 Sunday, February 26, 2017 QATAR Commercial Bank supports QU-CBE students QU’s Entrepreneurship Day learn the ropes of

ommercial Bank has supported Qatar CUniversity’s (QU) entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Day as exclusive sponsor of the event. he Centre for Entre- It also included the dis- Held by QU’s Centre for preneurship (CFE) at tribution of awards to win- Entrepreneurship under TQatar University Col- ners of the three best entre- the College of Business and lege of Business and Eco- preneurship success stories. Economics, the Entrepre- nomics (QU-CBE) hosted The fi rst-place winner was neurship Day was designed Entrepreneurship Day 2017 QU recruitment special- to inform the university’s recently. ist Othman al-Minhas for students about what it takes The event was held to in- his story, ‘Xdensity’. The to succeed as a business troduce QU students to en- second-place winner was owner. trepreneurship and famil- QU associate professor of As part of the centre’s iarise them with the various mechanical and industrial eff orts to educate the stu- services and activities of- engineering Dr John-John dents about entrepreneur- fered by CFE. Cabibihan for his story, ‘Tin ship, the event inspired The event, sponsored Can Wearable Technologies’, students and encouraged by Commercial Bank, was while the third-place win- them to establish their own attended by CBE dean Dr ner was Fatima Jafar Qaedi Dr Khalid Shams M A small-to-medium enter- Khalid Shams M A al-Ab- for her story, ‘QU ID’. al-Abdulqader prises. During the day, fi ve dulqader, CFE director Dr Dr al-Abdulqader said, student startup ideas with Mahmoud Abdellatif, and “This event demonstrates knowledge-based economy.” the potential to develop into Commercial Bank AGM, the continuous eff orts of Commercial Bank CEO a fully-grown business were head of Sadara Wealth Man- Qatar University in general Joseph Abraham said, “As presented, with voting and agement, Bouchra Sebbata, and the College of Business Qatar’s fi rst private sector judging conducted by the Off icials mark the occasion. and other offi cials from the and Economics in particular bank, Commercial Bank is audience. bank as well as CBE faculty, to support entrepreneur- pleased to support the in- Commercial Bank’s AGM, Commercial Bank is aligned and the Qatari youth, and members and enjoy Com- mercial Bank’s own com- staff and students. ship within and outside the valuable initiatives of Qa- head of Sadara Wealth Man- with QU in promoting en- is designed to support Qa- mercial Bank’s privilege mitments to both investing The event included an university, and promote the tar University to promote agement, Bouchra Sebbata, trepreneurship, especially taris aged above 18 years services that off er a VIP in Qatari youth to become opening speech by Dr relationship between QU a culture of entrepreneur- led the voting and partici- when this involves nurtur- old with their businesses banking relationship. leaders of the future through Khalid Shams M A al-Ab- students and entrepreneurs ship and innovation among pated in providing feedback ing the entrepreneurial skills through not only tailored Commercial Bank CEO our National Development dulqader, a presentation on and entrepreneurship insti- youth. The bank is commit- and valuable information of the Qatari youth. products but also encour- Joseph Abraham noted, “By Programme, and achieving CFE activities in 2017 by Dr tutions in Qatar.” ted to supporting entrepre- during the workshop. She further explained agement, consultation and focusing on Qatar’s youth economic diversity and sus- Mahmoud Abdellatif, en- Dr Abdellatif said, “This neurial projects in line with In her talk, she highlight- how Commercial Bank’s mentoring. and encouraging the devel- tainability through the pro- trepreneurs’ success stories event refl ects CFE’s ef- Qatar National Vision 2030 ed that economic develop- Sanaduk proposition is Qataris establishing their opment of the private sector, vision of specialised bank- by fi ve entrepreneurs from forts to support SMEs and the national aspirations ment is an essential part of based on the bank’s experi- businesses with Sanaduk the scope of this forum is ing services for local SMEs QU and an entrepreneurship and the national economy towards a knowledge-based Qatar National Vision 2030. ence of working with SMEs will also become Sadara strongly in line with Com- and entrepreneurs.” feedback workshop. and aspirations towards a economy.” Experts to discuss precision New Mazda Qatar medicine at biobank congress website launched

number of leading tion of the Qatar Biobank Held under the theme practitioners and research- ‘Genomic Cancer Research: ational Car Com- website is equipped with a biomedical experts Congress, taking place on ‘The Impact of Biobanking ers in biobanking, genom- Identifi cation of Molecular pany, the sole customer-fi rst experience Awill address topics March 14 and 15 at the Qa- on Precision Medicine Ini- ics and personalised medi- Signature of Common Dis- Nagent for Mazda design, including a sophis- related to precision medi- tar National Convention tiatives’, the conference will cine to discuss the fi eld of eases’, which will examine vehicles in Qatar, has an- ticated new look, ease of cine during the second edi- Centre. bring together top medical biomedical science and the how the study of diff erent nounced the launch of navigation and eye-catch- growing use of precision human populations of- the new, fully-redesigned ing visuals,” said Sheikh medicine to improve clinical fers insights into disease website – mazda-qatar. The home page of Mazda Ahmad bin Nasser al- outcomes. pathogenesis, based on ge- com. Qatar website. Thani, president director, Dr Asmaa al-Thani, chair, nomic analysis of colorec- Refl ecting Mazda’s new National Car Company. Qatar Genome Programme tal cancer in Saudi Arabian brand strategy, the website ers to make a well informed “The new site strengthens Committee and vice-chair- patients. off ers an enhanced user purchase decision. Cur- Mazda’s ability to capture person of Qatar Biobank On ‘The Importance of experience aimed at en- rent owners also benefi t consumer attention and Board, will explain how the Human Disease Biobank’, gaging premium custom- from the redesign, with an connect with our target Qatar Population Biobank Prof Peter Riegman of Er- ers and current owners. easily-accessible owners audience.” Project aims to establish a asmus University in Rot- In a statement, National section that features help- Drawing from extensive research enterprise plat- terdam, the Netherlands, Car Company said: “Maz- ful reference materials.” research into how Mazda’s form to achieve signifi cant will present his paper on da Qatar has built an in- The site’s engaging vid- diverse customers shop for improvement in diagnostic ‘Tissue Bank and Digital tuitive, user-friendly site eo experiences, immersive cars, mazda-qatar.com is and prognostic intelligence Pathology’. The session with enhanced shopping visuals and animation, and optimised to align with all to deliver personalised will explore the role of tis- tools and seamless navi- interaction cues help guide devices: desktop, tablet healthcare. sue banking in accessing gation. As a result, Mazda the customer along their and mobile. Optimisation Addressing the topic the promises of precision shoppers can more easily journey and articulate the presents customer with a of ‘Population Biobanks: or personalised medicine, access product informa- true emotion of Mazda’s fl uid shopping experience Goals and Perspectives’, especially where new tar- tion, promotions, warran- brand. regardless of the device Prof Elio Riboli, professor gets need to be discovered ty information among oth- “New Mazda Qatar they are using. of cancer epidemiology for new therapies, ac- and prevention at Impe- companied by the need rial College London, will for the discovery of new highlight how popula- biomarkers. tion cohorts have greatly Dr Mohamed Ghaly from contributed to increased the Research Centre for Is- scientifi c understanding lamic Legislation and Eth- of the causes of chronic ics at the College of Islamic diseases. Studies, Hamad Bin Kha- Prof Riboli will off er key lifa University, will host an insights into the unique informative session titled role of cohorts in research ‘Islamic Ethical Delibera- focused on the interac- tions on Genomics (1993- tion between genetic and 2015): Main Approaches, epigenetic characteristics Key Questions and Future in combination with envi- Research Agenda’. ronmental exposures and Dr Ghaly’s presenta- endogenous and metabolic tion will shed light on ethi- characteristics. cal deliberations within Prof Khawla al-Kuraya the Islamic tradition on will deliver a paper titled genomics. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 9 QATAR Farming is promising area of co-operation: S Korea envoy By Peter Alagos “Considering the Qatari gov- arranged 10 rounds of mutual above $50 per barrel, Park said: essential for Qatar’s goal of a Business Reporter ernment has been making every visits among South Korean “If oil and gas prices bounce sustainable economy. eff ort to achieve balanced devel- and Qatari small and medi- back, the trade volume would He added: “In relation to opments through economic di- um-sized enterprises (SMEs) increase accordingly. Qatar’s greenhouse farming outh Korea sees verti- versifi cation policies, we would last year. “South Korea and Qatar have projects to enhance food secu- cal farming as a promis- like to help Qatar pursue its goal “We will invite around six discussed on how to expand rity, indoor farming or vertical Sing area of co-operation of a ‘sustainable economy’ by South Korean trade missions to trade within the framework of farming requires advanced agri- with Qatar in relation to the expanding South Korea-Qatar Qatar and arrange visits of many the bilateral high-level strategic cultural techniques and experi- country’s greenhouse farming bilateral co-operation from en- Qatari trade missions to South co-operation committee lead by ence, LED lights and IT technol- projects to enhance food secu- ergy and infrastructure, con- Korea for this year as well,” he our respective ministers of in- ogies, all of which I believe South rity, ambassador Heung Kyeong struction to healthcare, smart pointed out. dustry and energy.” Korea possesses. Park has said. farms, manufacturing, and so Asked about South Korea-Qa- On initiatives the embassy “I visited a commercial in- The South Korea ambas- on,” Park told Gulf Times. tar trade volume, Park said the plans to put in place this year to door farm in Al Khor, which is sador said co-operation in He also said the plans will amount decreased from $26.4bn develop South Korea and Qatar producing mushroom, fruit, and vertical or indoor farming, include sending and receiving to $17.1bn in 2016 “due to low oil SMEs, Park said that aside from vegetables all the year round. I among other sectors, is one more trade missions from both prices.” arranging mutual visits of South think our bilateral co-operation of South Korea’s plans this countries. Asked to provide a forecast on Korean and Qatari SMEs, the could facilitate a sustainable ag- Heung Kyeong Park: “We would like to help Qatar pursue its goal of a year to strengthen bilateral The ambassador noted that South Korea-Qatar trade volume embassy is eyeing agricultural riculture, overcoming adverse sustainable economy...” relations with Qatar. the South Korean embassy has now that oil prices are hovering cooperation, which, he said, “is weather conditions in Qatar.” Tamuq hosts cyber security course for

Eighteen off icers from the Qatar Armed Forces attended the three-day course. Armed Forces offi cers vide scholarships and intern- The course was presented by communications and other spe- nology for communicating and ships for engineering students professors Dr Joseph Boutros, cial topics, such as Wi-Fi, cloud storing information is a funda- at the branch campus, increase Dr Hussein Alnuweiri and security and network integrity. mental part of our existence, it’s ighteen offi cers from and held at its branch campus in ing ceremony for the course, opportunities for custom-de- Dr Ali Ghrayeb, all faculty in Boutros, who led the devel- critical that we work to protect our the Qatar Armed Forces Education City. It was designed which was one outcome of an signed training and seminars the Electrical and Compu- opment of the course, said in- information and ourselves from Elearned fundamentals to be the fi rst of a series of train- agreement Tamuq and the RSC to support the RSC and Armed ter Engineering Programme structors explained how new cyber attacks,” noted Dr César O of cyber security and wire- ing opportunities to support signed in June 2016 to develop Forces’ operations and work- at Tamuq with expertise in networking technologies work, Malavé, dean, Tamuq. “We are less communication during a development of Qatar’s human human capital and technologi- force, strengthen links be- cyber security and wireless and how protocols and tech- proud to have high-calibre fac- three-day course last week at capital in defence and national cal knowledge base for Qatar’s tween the branch campus and communications. niques operate at diff erent levels ulty here in Qatar to off er their Texas A&M University at Qatar security. future. the Qatar Armed Forces to fa- Topics of the three-day course of the networking system - at expertise on this topic to help (Tamuq). Brig Gen Mohamed Owaidha Tamuq also signed an agree- cilitate exchange of knowledge included cyber attack mod- the level of end-user comput- members of the Reconnaissance The course was organised by al-Ramzani, chairman, the Re- ment with the Qatar Armed and expertise, and establish els, how to analyse and defend ers and devices and within the and Surveillance Centre as they Tamuq’s Continuing and Pro- connaissance and Surveillance Forces in January this year. collaboration in research and against malicious code, wireless Internet itself. continue their work protecting fessional Education programme Centre (RSC), attended the clos- Both agreements aim to pro- discovery. communication standards, drone “At a time when digital tech- Qatar and its citizens.” Gulf Times 10 Sunday, February 26, 2017 QATAR AZF teams up with

Ooredoo to launch The five-a-side football pitches ready for the Ooredoo Temba football tournament. Zone’s new fi ve-a-side-pitches, equipped with the latest innova- tive and sustainable technolo- gies powered by solar energy. These pitches are also covered football tournament with high-quality artifi cial foot- ball turf that meets FIFA’s qual- spire Zone Foundation The winning team will be including a goalkeeper and three rector of community and public ity standards and help reduce (AZF) and Ooredoo have given the chance to watch an substitutes. Matches will last for relations at Ooredoo, said: “We water consumption, the state- Aoffi cially announced a English Premier League game 35 minutes (15 minutes for each hope that, together with AZF, we ment notes. partnership to launch Ooredoo and enjoy an all-expenses paid half and a fi ve-minute half-time provide a platform that brings Friends and family keen to Temba, a fun football champi- trip to Europe. Second and third break). people together not just to play cheer on their teams can at- onship that gives people in Qa- place teams will receive cash Anyone who has already reg- but also to cheer on their friends tend the matches or follow the tar a chance to win prizes while prizes. istered will be expected to at- and family and enjoy the cooler Nasser Abdullah al-Hajri, director, Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, director, progress of participating teams getting fi t. The Ooredoo Temba contest tend the tournament’s technical weather. Good luck to all the PR and communications, AZF. community and PR, Ooredoo. through AZF’s social media The Ooredoo Temba football registration opened recently to meeting, which is due to be held teams participating.” channels under the hashtag tournament will run from March men aged 18 years and above, on February 28. During the tech- Nasser Abdullah al-Hajri, championship that is compet- form to connect people.” #OoredooTemba. More infor- 6 to 11 and feature 32 teams spread and has now closed after “seeing nical meeting, the rules and reg- director of PR and communi- itive yet friendly. We anticipate Also, he explained that ‘Tem- mation about the championship, across eight groups. Matches incredible demand”, according to ulations of the competition will cations at AZF, added: “This that teams comprising family, ba’ is the Qatari word for tradi- including the exact location of will be played on Aspire Zone’s a statement. be explained to participants and championship provides foot- friends or even co-workers will tional street football games. the pitches, is available through new fi ve-a-side football pitches To enter, teams had to register small entrance fees collected. ball enthusiasts with the per- take part, refl ective of AZF’s Ooredoo Temba matches will the Life in Aspire smartphone overlooking Al Waab Street. a squad of seven: four players, Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, di- fect chance to participate in a mission to use sports as a plat- be played from 6-9pm on Aspire app. 50 startups to showcase products at Qitcom 2017

itcom 2017 is set to pro- Digital Incubation Centre, the 2017 strongly promotes entre- smart travel (Qatar Airways), ceed’ business plan competition, will also feature Make the Deal In the Startups Hub, 20 lo- vide a launch pad for Qa- Entrepreneurship Zone con- preneurship, innovation, and e-health (Ooredoo), and where entrepreneurs and star- startup-investor matchmak- cal, fi ve regional, and 10 inter- Qtar’s digital industry by tains a variety of activities learning, as these are integral to assistive technology (Mada). tup owners will pitch an original ing that connects high-impact national leading startups are showcasing entrepreneurship, dedicated to entrepreneurs and building a vibrant ICT sector and After 48 hours of coding, a business idea to a judging panel. technology startups with lo- showcasing their businesses. championing digital innovation, small- and medium-sized en- a knowledge-based economy. judging panel will shortlist the Over the course of three days, 40 cal, regional, and international In addition to the Digital In- promoting investment oppor- terprises (SMEs) in the digital There are incredible opportuni- best three teams from each sub- ideas will be successively nar- investors. cubation Centre’s activities, tunities, and tailored learning space: a CodeCamp, Innova- ties for local entrepreneurs and ject to go to the Innovation The- rowed down in a series of pitch- Make the Deal is a special MoTC’s Digital Industry De- events, all taking place within a tion Theatre, Make the Deal SMEs at Qitcom 2017.” atre for a fi nal pitch where four ing rounds, with the fi nal fi ve track within Qitcom 2017 that partment is managing a Dig- special Entrepreneurship Zone, investor matchmaking, and a CodeCamp is a fi rst-of- winners will be announced. winners joining MoTC’s Digital provides 18 startups with an ital Masrah and BizTech Zone. the Ministry of Transport and Startups Hub. its-kind hackathon in Qatar The Innovation Theatre is a Incubation Centre. amazing opportunity to meet Digital Masrah is an open stage Communication (MoTC) has Around 300 entrepreneurs and a brand new addition to unique platform that promotes To qualify, the product or with investors, network, and featuring a combination of said. will participate in the Entrepre- Qitcom. Taking place from digital entrepreneurship by en- service idea must be innovative, grow their business. To qualify, knowledge sharing sessions and The Entrepreneurship Zone neurship Zone activities, with March 3 to 4, teams of young couraging talent to develop their technologically advanced, and the startups must off er a real specifi c workshops from tech- is part of Qitcom 2017, Qatar’s more than 50 local, regional, and students and coders will work businesses, and acts as a hub for have distinct competitive ad- solution in the digital and in- nology innovators focused on biggest digital event slated international startups showcas- together to develop creative entrepreneurs to network, learn, vantages. More than 30 mentors telligence space such as artifi - the digital transformation of for March 6 to 8 at the Qatar ing their products and services. technological solutions to a and share their latest innova- will be on hand to support entre- cial intelligence, the Internet of SMEs. The BizTech Zone brings National Convention Centre Reem al-Mansoori, assist- specifi c problem in four sub- tions, experience, and success preneurs to develop their ideas Things, smart home technology, business and technology to- (QNCC), the MoTC said in a ant undersecretary of the Dig- ject matter areas set by Co- stories. and pitch. augmented and virtual real- gether, enabling local businesses statement. ital Society Development Sec- deCamp’s partners: digital The Innovation Theatre is Separate to ‘Pitch-Win-Suc- ity, cyber security, big data, and to gain insights on how to adopt Managed by the MoTC’s tor at the MoTC, said: “Qitcom transformation (Microsoft), hosting the ‘Pitch-Win-Suc- ceed’, the Innovation Theatre smart analytics. new technologies. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 11 REGION/ARAB WORLD Saudi FM visits Baghdad to bolster ties

Reuters meeting Jaafari, Jubeir stated Baghdad Riyadh’s willingness to help bridge the sectarian divide. “The kingdom stands at an audi Foreign Minister equal distance from all Iraqis Adel al-Jubeir made a communities making up Iraq Srare visit to Baghdad and supports the unity and yesterday in a new attempt to stability of Iraq,” he told re- enhance the kingdom’s rela- porters. tions with Iraq. “The visit is a Saudi attempt Improving relations be- to balance Iran’s role in Iraq,” tween Riyadh and Baghdad Ahmed Younis, a professor of would help foster reconcilia- international relations at the tion between Iraq’s communi- University of Baghdad, told ties in the period after Islamic Reuters. State’s defeat. Jubeir’s visit to Baghdad A still image taken from a video uploaded to a social media website yesterday, purports to show air strikes in the rebel-held Al-Waer area of Homs, Syria. A US-backed campaign has is the fi rst by a Saudi foreign forced out Islamic State from minister since 1990. most Iraqi cities it captured Iraq asked last summer in 2014 and the ultra-hardline Saudi Arabia to replace its am- group is now fi ghting off an bassador, Thamer al-Sabhan, off ensive in its last major city after his comments about Ira- stronghold, Mosul, in north- nian involvement in Iraqi af- ern Iraq. fairs. Attack on Syrian security Iran, by leveraging its ties Sabhan was the fi rst am- with Iraq’s Shias, has emerged bassador appointed by Saudi as the main power broker in Arabia after it reopened its Iraq after the United States embassy in Baghdad, in De- withdrew its troops in 2011. cember 2015, ending a 25-year Jubeir told his counterpart, break. forces in Homs kills dozens Ibrahim al-Jaafari, and Prime The reopening of the Saudi Minister Haider al-Abadi the embassy in Baghdad, closed Reuters The head of military security, kingdom plans to appoint a in 1990 after Iraq invaded Ku- Beirut General Hassan Daaboul, was new ambassador, and would wait, was seen as heralding killed along with 29 others in Al- support resuming direct closer co-operation against Mohata, while another 12 people fl ights between the two coun- Islamic State, which controls uicide bombers stormed were killed in Al-Ghouta, the Ob- tries, an Iraqi foreign ministry territory in Iraq and in Syria two Syrian security of- servatory said. State media gave a offi cial said. and has claimed bombings in Sfi ces in Homs yesterday, lower fi gure of 32 people killed. Speaking to reporters after Saudi Arabia. killing dozens with gunfi re and “Five suicide bombers attacked explosions including a senior of- two branches of state security fi cer and prompting air strikes and military security in Homs... against the last rebel-held en- thanks be to God,” Tahrir al-Sham clave in the western city. said in a statement on the Tel- The militant rebel alliance egram social network. Tahrir al-Sham said in a so- Tahrir al-Sham was formed cial media post that fi ve suicide earlier this year from several bombers had carried out the at- groups including Jabhat Fateh tack, which it celebrated with al-Sham, which was formerly the words “thanks be to God”, known as the Nusra Front and was but stopped short of explicitly Al Qaeda’s Syrian branch until it claiming responsibility. broke formal allegiance to the glo- Although the government of An image grab taken from a video broadcasted by the Al-Ikhbariya Al-Souriya TV channel yesterday shows bal militant movement in 2016. President Bashar al-Assad has the aftermath following a suicide attack on two security service headquarters in Syria’s third city, Homs. Since it was formed, Tahrir controlled most of Homs since al-Sham has fought other rebel 2014, rebels still control its Al- The attack comes as govern- talks and has fought with fac- Al-Mohata district and a branch groups, including some that fi ght Waer district, which warplanes ment and opposition delegations tions that are represented there. of state security in Al-Ghouta under the banner of the Free Syri- A handout picture released by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s press off ice bombed yesterday, said the join peace talks in Geneva spon- Yesterday’s militant assault in district before suicide bombers an Army, as well as a faction linked yesterday, shows Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi (right) Syrian Observatory for Human sored by the United Nations. Homs began with clashes near struck in both locations, state me- to Islamic State, in northwest meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in Baghdad. Rights, wounding 50. Tahrir al-Sham opposes the a branch of military security in dia reported. Syria. Page 12

Tehran seeks 950 tonnes of uranium from Kazakhstan

AFP Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Tehran Iran’s Atomic Energy Organ- isation, told the ISNA news agency that the purchase ran’s nuclear chief said was supposed to happen yesterday that the coun- “within three years”. Itry had requested to buy “650 tonnes will enter 950 tonnes of uranium con- the country in two consign- centrate from Kazakhstan ments and 300 tonnes will over the next three years to enter Iran in the third year,” help develop its civil reactor he said. programme. Salehi said the fi nal ship- The request has been ment of concentrate, known made to the body that over- as yellow cake, would be sees the nuclear deal signed turned into uranium hex- between Iran and world afl uoride gas and sold back powers in 2015. to Kazakhstan. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, February 26, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Kuwait National Day celebrations Iraqi forces advance into western Mosul

Reuters terior Ministry unit known as Abu Laith, 49, said he over- Mosul, Iraq Rapid Response have recaptured heard disagreements between Hawi al-Josaq along the river local and foreign fi ghters. and begun clearing the Tayyaran “(The locals) said, ‘Tomorrow S-backed Iraqi forces district north of the airport, said you will withdraw and we will pushed deeper into west- Brigadier General Hisham Ab- be under the hammer’. (The for- Uern Mosul yesterday, dul Kadhim. Islamic State re- eigners) said, ‘That’s your prob- advancing in several populated sisted with snipers and roadside lem. We are not in charge, the southern districts after punch- bombs, he said. order is from the caliph’.” ing through the defences of Is- A Reuters correspondent saw Iraq’s counter-terrorism serv- lamic State’s last major urban two militants’ corpses outside a ice put a statement online last stronghold in Iraq a day earlier. mosque in Josaq. week off ering leniency to local About 1,000 civilians walked Counter-terrorism forces also fi ghters who killed foreigners, across the frontlines, the largest pushed on two fronts towards though the legal framework for movement since the new off en- Wadi Hajr and Mamoun dis- such a deal was unclear. sive launched last week to deal tricts, said Lieutenant General A police spokesman said a the ultra-hardline group a deci- Abdelwahab al-Saadi, a senior Russian member of Islamic State sive blow. commander. had been captured on Wednes- In the capital Baghdad, Saudi “Clearing operations are on- day near Mosul airport. A Kuwaiti man rides a car mounted with a national flag during celebrations marking the country’s 56th Independence Day and the Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir going and our forces have en- The Iraqi campaign involves 26th anniversary of the end of the Gulf war with the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation, in Kuwait City yesterday. met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider tered those areas,” he told Reu- a 100,000-strong force of Iraqi al-Abadi in the fi rst such visit ters on a hill overlooking the troops, militias and tribal fi ght- in more than a decade between battle. Saadi said a suicide car ers backed by a US-led coalition Saudi Arabia and Iraq. bomb had been destroyed before that provides vital air support as CONFLICT The new push in Mosul comes reaching its target. well as on-the-ground guidance Syria’s White after government forces fi n- The militants also launched and training. ished clearing Islamic State from mortars. Western advisors are increas- Helmets rescuers the east of the city last month, A Mamoun resident reached ingly present close to the front- Govt secures ceasefi re to skip Oscars confi ning the insurgents to the by phone said militant fi ghters line, helping co-ordinate air western sector across the Tigris had fl ooded the area in recent strikes and advising Iraqi forces Rescue workers from Syria’s river. days while moving their families as the battle unfolds. White Helmets group — the Commanders expect the bat- to relative safety in other dis- Kurdish journalist Shifa Gardi after Tripoli clashes subject of an Oscar-nominated tle there to be more diffi cult, in tricts. was killed by a roadside bomb documentary — will not attend part because tanks and armoured Islamic State broadcast mes- yesterday while covering the this weekend’s Academy Awards vehicles cannot pass through the sages via mosque loudspeakers battle. AFP reached to set up three com- heavy anti-aircraft guns ceremony because of intensified narrow alleyways that crisscross in some areas encouraging locals About a thousand civilians, Tripoli mittees to follow up on the moved in the zone. regime bombing, their leader ancient districts. to resist the “infi dels’ attack” mostly women and children, accord, the GNA said in a “Two apartments in hous- said yesterday. But Iraqi forces have so far while elsewhere they threatened walked out of southwestern statement released over- ing blocks on the airport “I am not going because of our made quick advances on multi- to kill anyone who refused to parts of Mosul yesterday and ceasefire went into night. road were hit by rockets. I workload due to intensified ple fronts, capturing the north- retreat deeper into the city, ac- climbed into military trucks tak- force early yesterday One committee will be can see columns of smoke,” regime strikes on the provinces ern city’s airport on Thurs- cording to several residents. ing them to camps further south. A in the Libyan capital tasked with enforcing the local resident Nuria al-Mos- of Damascus, Daraa and Homs,” day, which they plan to use as A woman forced to leave Wadi The United Nations says up after two days of fighting ceasefire, another consisting bahi said on Friday. Raed Saleh said. “There are many a support zone, and breaching Hajr district said the militants to 400,000 people may have to between rival gunmen in- of health ministry officials A convoy carrying GNA things that have to be done on a three-metre high berm and had climbed to her roof and leave their homes during the new jured nine people and forced will follow up the condition chief Fayez al-Sarraj came the ground, such as managing trench set up by Islamic State. knocked holes in the walls in or- off ensive as food and fuel runs residents to cower indoors, of those wounded and the under heavy gunfire near the operations and providing emer- The advancing forces are less der to move undetected. out in western Mosul. the government said. third will assess damage, the Abu Slim sector on Monday, gency vehicles,” he said. than three kilometres from the Several thousand militants, Aid groups warned on Friday The fighting between two statement said. but he and other top offi- Saleh and fellow White Helmet mosque where Islamic State including many who travelled that the most dangerous phase rival armed groups in eastern The Libyan Red Crescent cials with him survived un- member Khaled Khatib had been leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi de- from Western countries to join of the off ensive was about to be- Tripoli erupted on Thursday on Friday said nine peo- harmed. set to attend today’s ceremony clared a caliphate spanning Iraq up, are believed to be holed up in gin. after one accused the other ple had been injured in the Libya has been submerged in Hollywood, where The White and Syria in 2014, sparking an the city with practically nowhere Some of the people fl eeing of kidnapping four of its fighting. in chaos since the fall and Helmets is shortlisted for best international military campaign to go, which could lead to a fi erce Mamoun said they were origi- members, the Tripoli-based There was no official cas- killing of longtime dicta- short documentary. to defeat the group. standoff amid a population of nally from Hammam al-Alil, news agency LANA reported. ualty toll. tor Muammar Gaddafi in a Istanbul-based Khatib, who shot Losing Mosul would likely deal 750,000. south of Mosul, but were forced It said families trapped in LANA said the fight- Nato-backed 2011 armed much of the footage, also con- a hammer blow to the militants’ Ziyad, a 16-year-old living to move as Islamic State re- the conflict zone of Abu Slim ing with heavy weapons uprising. firmed that he would not attend dream of statehood, but they in Hawi al-Josaq, told a Reuters treated north into the city four appealed to the authorities in the centre of Tripoli Sarraj’s fragile GNA, the ceremony, despite obtaining still control territory in Syria and correspondent he had seen for- months ago. to intervene to halt the vio- erupted Thursday and raged formed under a UN-backed an American visa. patches of northern and west- eign IS militants withdraw as “They began shelling us ar- lence which closed down the throughout the day. deal signed in late 2015, has “I won’t travel to Oscar due to ern Iraq from where they could Iraqi forces advanced, leaving bitrarily, so we hid in the bath- city centre. A truce was reached, but struggled to impose its au- intensity of work, our priority is fi ght a guerrilla-style insurgency only local fi ghters behind. rooms. When the security forces The UN-backed Govern- quickly collapsed and clash- thority, particularly in east- helping our people,” he tweeted in Iraq, and plot attacks on the “They were really scared,” he came, they yelled to us so we fl ed ment of National Accord es continued on Friday. ern Libya where a rival ad- in English yesterday. West. said. “They were calling to each to them,” said civilian Mahmoud (GNA) said it had success- Residents caught in the ministration holds sway. Federal police and an elite In- other and saying, ‘Let’s go’.” Nawwaf. fully brokered a ceasefire be- crossfire said their homes UN envoy Martin Kobler tween the two groups, with were shaken by the sound has deplored the fight- LEGAL help from town elders from of exploding rockets, as col- ing and called, in an online Egyptian court Tarhuna and Gharian south umns of smoke rose from the statement, for “calm, dia- of Tripoli. zone of fighting while tanks logue and the protection of acquits Mubarak’s An agreement has been and trucks mounted with civilians”. closest aides A Cairo court acquitted one of deposed Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak’s closest aides in a retrial in a corruption case, state news Lebanese protesters dispersed agency Mena reported yesterday. While courts have absolved several Mubarak-era off icials, they AFP in order to disperse the gathering and prevent have been handing down lengthy Jerusalem further infi ltration into Israeli territory,” she sentences to liberal and conserva- said, adding there were no casualties. tive activists in cases ranging from Israeli news website Ynet and the Lebanese protesting to committing acts of srael’s army dispersed dozens of Lebanese national news agency said the soldiers used tear violence. Zakaria Azmi, Mubarak’s demonstrators yesterday after they crossed gas. former chief of staff , was sen- Ithe border protesting against the alleged in- Israeli media said the Lebanese protesters tenced to seven years in prison in stallation of spying equipment in their village, were demonstrating after information that the 2012 and fined the Israeli army and media said. Israeli army had installed spying equipment in 36.4mn Egyptian pounds ($6mn) “Dozens of people gathered at the border be- their village near the border. on charges of making illegal gains. tween Lebanon and Israel,” a military spokes- The Lebanese news agency said the protest- But in 2013, the appeals court woman said. ers gathered near a “surveillance camera, a ordered a retrial in that case, and An Iraqi refugee who fled from Mosul carries mats stuck together as she walks in a refugee camp in Al-Hol, “Upon the group crossing of the interna- communications device and a solar panel” east a separate criminal court ordered located some 14 kilometres from the Iraqi border in Syria’s northeastern Hassakeh province. tional border, IDF forces fi red dispersal means of the village of Mays al-Jabal. his release.

Sisi orders resettling of Sinai Christians

Reuters Islamic State, which Cairo is waging an insurgency there, claimed responsi- bility for the killings, five resident Abdel Fat- of which were shootings. tah al-Sisi yesterday One man was beheaded Pordered the govern- and another set on fire. ment to take all necessary Sisi held a meeting yes- measures to help resettle terday with the prime Christians who have fled minister, ministers of de- Egypt’s Northern Sinai fence, interior, intelligence after Islamic State killed among other officials to several members of the discuss “the importance to community. resist all attempts to sabo- Hundreds of Christian tage stability and security families and students have in Egypt,” the statement fled to Ismailia, north Si- said. nai’s neighbouring prov- Sisi had also “directed the ince, after seven Chris- government to take all nec- tians were killed in Arish essary measures to facilitate between Jan 30 and Thurs- settlements for citizens in day. their set resettled areas.” Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 13 AFRICA

Four die in pipeline blast in Mugabe talks about own Nigeria

AFP Warri death at birthday party DPA/AFP/Reuters liberation hero by other African believed to have been killed in t least four people were Harare leaders. the massacres by North Korean- killed following a gas He has avoided naming a suc- trained Zimbabwean troops, ac- Apipeline explosion in Ni- cessor, but his wife, Grace, 51, cording to rights groups. geria’s oil-producing south, a resident Robert Mugabe, is seen as a possible candidate “This should not be a place for local offi cial said yesterday. the world’s oldest head along with Vice-President Em- celebration,” Mbuso Fuzwayo, “We have lost three people” to Pof state, marked his 93rd merson Mnangagwa. spokesman for the Bulawayo- the explosion in Rivers state on birthday with lavish celebra- This year, the ruling ZANU- based campaign group Ibhetshu Wednesday afternoon said Chris tions in Zimbabwe yesterday, PF threw a birthday bash be- Likazulu, told AFP. “The whole Idika, a clergy and community despite a deepening economic lieved to have cost about $2mn area is a crime scene where the leader. crisis in the southern African for thousands of guests in Mato- bones of victims of the massa- He added that another body country. pos, about 600km southwest of cres are buried.” was discovered on Thursday In power for 37 years, Mugabe the capital Harare. Born on February 21, 1924, night “in the bush”. told the crowd that he had no in- Yesterday’s party included a Mugabe trained as a teacher and However the co-owners of tention of stepping down. feast and several vast birthday taught in what was then Rhode- the pipeline, Nigeria Liquefi ed “People who are busy form- cakes, angering some Zimba- sia and Ghana before returning Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) and ing their own groupings saying bweans as the country endures home to join the guerrilla war Nigerian Agip Oil Company, de- Mr Mugabe must go. I ask myself severe food shortages. against white-minority rule. nied the blast caused any deaths. where should I go?” Mugabe said One of the cakes was shaped He became prime minister on The cause of the explosion in a speech that was broadcast like Mugabe’s offi cial Mercedes- Zimbabwe’s independence from remains under investigation, on state radio and television. Benz limousine. Britain in 1980 and then presi- although local Evekwu com- The elderly statesman spoke Mugabe celebrated his actual dent in 1987. munity leader Ndudirim Amadi for over an hour, adding that he birthday on February 21 with a All schools around Bulawayo told AFP that it may have been would not choose a successor as smaller cake-cutting ceremony. were closed on Thursday and because of “high pressure on the this was the role of the party. Mugabe wore a suit embla- Friday to prepare for the cel- pipeline”. “Others are saying ‘President, zoned with his own image, dec- ebration, which was attended by The communities are accusing choose a successor before you orated in the black, red, green some ambassadors and foreign the pipeline owners of neglect, retire’. Is that not imposition? and yellow party colours of dignitaries. saying that they hadn’t visited Me imposing someone on the ZANU-PF. “Our children were told their the blast site to gauge the level of party? No, I don’t want that,” His wife Grace wore a match- classrooms have been turned damage to the people and com- Mugabe said. “This is an issue ing outfi t, as did other senior into boarding facilities, and they munities. for the congress to choose. members of the party. (were) frogmarched to join the “The incident has caused a lot “We can have an extraordi- Mugabe addressed his own Mugabe admires a cake made for his 93rd birthday celebrations hosted at Rhodes Preparatory School in birthday party,” local poet and of damage to the people of the nary congress if the president mortality in the speech. Matopos, Matabeleland South Province. opposition activist Desire Moyo area as farmlands and crops have retires but you said I should be “It’s not always easy to pre- told AFP. been destroyed as a result of the your candidate in the next elec- dict that, although you are alive live from 92 years last year to why have I remained so long, nazi also described the money Zimbabwe’s economy is set explosion,” local chief Ndudirim tion.” this year, you will be alive next 93, but much more than that I alone and alive’. I cannot answer spent on the birthday party as to contract by 2.5% this year, Amadi. Mugabe criticised the fac- year,” he said. “It does not mat- was able to live from childhood that.” “idiotic” and “frivolous”. according to the International NLNG external aff airs man- tional infi ghting that has taken ter how healthy you might feel. to this day – that’s a long, long Anti-government activist Holding the event at a school Monetary Fund (IMF). ager Kudo Eresia-Ete responded place without a clear succession The decision that you continue journey.” Promise Mkwananzi criticised in Matobo has also riled locals More than 80% of the work- in a statement, saying that “no plan. to live and enjoy life is that of one Mugabe said he only had one the decision to host the celebra- as it is close to where many vic- force scrape a living in the in- injuries or fatalities have been ZANU-PF has endorsed Mu- personality we call the Almighty sister left and missed his sib- tions in the Matabeleland re- tims of Mugabe’s crackdown on formal sector, while the gov- reported”. gabe as its candidate for gen- God. lings, adding that “when I look gion, the site of a massacre sanc- dissidents in the early 1980s are ernment has failed to pay civil “Emergency response proce- eral elections next year, and he “We should thank the Al- back I say, ‘Aah, oh Lord, why tioned by Mugabe in the 1980s. thought to be buried. servants’ salaries in time since dures were immediately activat- remains widely respected as a mighty God that I was able to were these taken before me and On his Facebook page, Mkwa- At least 20,000 people are June. ed and the relevant authorities have been notifi ed,” he said. He added that communities closest to the area of the explo- sion were “advised not to ap- proach the site in the interest is Mali soldiers, armed groups hold safety”. Attacks on pipelines by mili- tant groups have slashed Ni- fi rst joint patrol in northern town geria’s oil production helping to tip the country into recession as it struggles to adapt to the low Reuters Mali’s army, France’s operation The January 18 attack in Gao price of crude globally. Gao Barkhane, the UN peacekeep- claimed by Al Qaeda in the Is- Militant attacks reduced Ni- ing mission, the Tuareg sepa- lamic Maghreb shows the dif- geria’s output in 2016 by 1mn ratist Co-ordination of Azawad fi culty faced by the government barrels per day, resulting in a alian soldiers staged Movements and pro-govern- and international peacekeepers revenue loss of up to $100bn their fi rst joint patrol ment militias took part in the in combating militant groups, (€95bn), according to the gov- Mon Thursday with ri- patrol, a Reuters witness said. some with links to Al Qaeda, ernment. val armed groups in the town of They moved through the based in the desert north. At the same time, attacks on Gao, where Islamist militants town on foot and in pick-up Gao is a town of 50,000 peo- oil and gas facilities cut produc- killed over 77 people last month trucks, starting at around 9.45 ple on the banks of the Niger tion throughout last year. in the deadliest such attack in am local time (0945 GMT) on a river, where the offi ces of the The naira currency has shed the country’s history. roughly 7km (4-mile) route and 13,000-strong UN mission in value and foreign currency has The long-awaited patrol is met no resistance, the witness Mali, MINUSMA, were fl at- been in short supply, hitting in- part of an initiative aimed at said. tened by a truck bomb in De- vestors. easing local tensions so that “The patrol ... allows us to cember. The rise in the cost of living government forces can focus on make sure the situation is calm A French-led military inter- in Nigeria has led to increasing fi ghting the militants. so that people can get along. vention in 2013 pushed insur- anger. More such patrols are due Without patrols people will not gent groups back from northern Earlier this month, hundreds over the next few weeks under mingle but the patrols help peo- Mali – a vast desert area they took to the street to protest the terms of a 2015 UN-bro- ple feel more confi dent,” said had taken the year before – but against the government’s han- Malian army soldiers, pro-government militia members and former rebels, predominantly Tuaregs, take kered peace deal. Malian sergeant Alhousseyni Ag Islamist militants still conduct dling of the economic crisis. part in their first joint patrol in Gao in northern Mali. Hundreds of soldiers from Sid, who sat in a pick-up truck. frequent attacks there.

Solar-powered cinema opens in Burkina Faso UN warns Burundi’s

AFP leader over 4th term Ouagadougou

AFP ing party’s youth militia, known solar-powered cinema United Nations as the Imbonerakure, and said was unveiled in Burkina that more than 200 cases of dis- AFaso on Friday ahead of appearances since October were the city’s hosting of Africa’s top N Secretary-General An- “of particular concern”. fi lm festival, even as movie the- tonio Guterres is warn- The youth militia “is contrib- atres on the continent continue Uing Burundi’s President uting to a sense of insecurity and to disappear. Pierre Nkurunziza against seek- a climate of fear” and is implicat- The theatre, with its 300-seat ing a fourth term, saying that ed in many cases of killings, ar- capacity, will run on solar en- such a move risks deepening the rests, disappearances, and some ergy. People are seen at the new movie theatre which runs on solar crisis in the African country. cases of sexual violence, he said. Named Canal Olympia Yen- power during its inauguration in Ouagadougou on Friday night, In a report obtained by AFP, The report was sent to council nenga, it is now the third-largest on the eve of the opening of the Pan-African Film and Television the UN chief says he is “very members following the adoption movie hall in the Burkina Faso Festival (FESPACO). concerned” by recent state- of a resolution in July authorising capital Ouagadougou. ments by Nkurunziza, in power the deployment of up to 228 UN Located in the city’s posh Right: Women walk past a poster for the FESPACO in Ouagadougou. since 2005, suggesting that he police to monitor security and Ouaga2000 neighbourhood, could seek a fourth term in offi ce, human rights in Burundi. the theatre cost about €3mn terday and winds up on March French West Indian territory of which would require changes to The government in Bujumbura ($3.2mn) to build. 4 with a red carpet awards cer- Guadeloupe are competing to the constitution. has rejected the resolution and is It is the brainchild of French emony in the city’s football sta- take the top prize, won last year “An attempt by the president still stonewalling the UN over the businessman Vincent Bollore, dium. by Fièvres (Fevers), by Moroccan to seek a fourth term in offi ce proposed police deployment, the whose company owns French More than 100,000 people are director Hicham Ayouch. under the current circumstances report confi rmed. premium TV and cinema group expected for the 10-day event, The hall also opens at a time would risk intensifying the crisis Burundi’s ambassador Albert Canal Plus. held every two years, a year after when many historic cinemas and undermining collective ef- Shingiro described the report as “In the city of Ouagadougou, 33 people were killed and scores have shut and when many Afri- forts to fi nd a sustainable solu- “biased” and driven by UN envoy we lack movie theatres of this injured in an unprecedented Is- can cities just simply lack movie tion,” Guterres wrote in the re- Jamal Benomar, whom he ac- calibre,” said Burkina Faso Pres- lamist militant assault in Janu- theatres. port to the Security Council. cused of “seeking revenge” after ident Roch Marc Christian Kab- ary 2016. The Canal Plus group is set to Hundreds have died in vio- his government asked that he be ore. More than 160 movies are open about 50 other movie the- lence in Burundi triggered by the replaced. “Ouagadougou is the capi- screening, including 20 features atres in francophone countries president’s decision in April 2015 The ambassador told AFP tal of African cinema. We have vying for the top award, the in Africa where the group oper- to stand in elections for a third that it was “very surprising” every intention of keeping it that prized “Etalon d’Or” or Golden ates, said Canal Olympia presi- term in offi ce, which he won. that Guterres raised concerns way,” Kabore said. “It is in our Stallion. dent Corinne Bach. a three-man Islamist militant In December, the Burkinabe Some 387,000 people have fl ed about term limits for Nkurunziza interest to have theatres.” During the theatre’s unveil- It is the third hall the group unit on city hotels and restau- army suff ered its biggest ever the country, and that fi gure is “when many presidents in Africa Ouagadougou will play host to ing, Kabore hailed the “beautiful has opened after Douala in rants, the government ruled setback when 12 soldiers were expected to surpass 500,000 in and elsewhere are serving their the Pan-African Film and Tel- tool” of culture. Cameroon, Niamey in Niger, out cancelling the fi lm festival killed during a Islamist militant 2017, the UN refugee agency said. fourth, fi fth, sixth and seventh evision Festival, better known as A score of feature fi lms from and Conakry in Guinea. which has become the small na- raid on the country’s border Guterres expressed concern term without any concern being FESPACO, which kicked off yes- 14 African countries and the Despite last year’s attack by tion’s premier event. with Niger. over the growing role of the rul- raised”. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, February 26, 2017 AMERICA

Son of boxing Top media barred from legend detained White House briefi ng at airport AFP AFP Washington Washington

ajor US media outlets son of boxing legend Mu- have condemned as hammad Ali was held for M“unacceptable” and an Aquestioning for two hours “insult to democratic ideals” a at a Florida airport upon return- decision by President Donald ing from Jamaica because of his Trump’s White House to bar Arabic-sounding name, US me- several organisations, including dia reported late on Friday. CNN and the New York Times, Muhammad Ali Jr, 44, who from a daily press briefi ng. was born in Philadelphia and In an escalation in the admin- has a US passport, was travelling istration’s war on the media, the with his mother Khalilah Cama- White House excluded some cho-Ali, the late sports icon’s outlets that have provided criti- Spicer: the White House has shown an ‘abundance of accessibility ... second wife, friend and lawyer cal coverage from an off -camera making ourselves, our team and our briefing room more accessible Chris Mancini told the Louisville event on Friday that replaced than probably any previous administration’. Courier-Journal. the traditional on-camera daily Mancini told the newspaper briefi ng. Angeles Times and others were press will get “worse every day”. that both were held for ques- Friendly conservative media excluded. A number of news outlets that tioning on the Fort Lauderdale outlets like Fox News, the One On Friday Trump decried the regularly cover the White House International Airport on Febru- America News Network and media as the “enemy of the peo- as part of the “pool”, including ary 7 because of their Arabic- Breitbart News were allowed to ple”, a day after his top strate- newswires Reuters and Bloomb- sounding names. attend, while the BBC, the Los gist promised relations with the erg, attended the briefi ng. Camacho-Ali however was re- The Associated Press boycott- Journalists leave after several major news organisations including CNN, the New York Times and leased after she showed US Cus- ISIL is offi cially defeated ... in name at least ed in protest. Politico were excluded from an off -camera ‘gaggle’ meeting with White House Press Secretary Sean toms agents a photo of herself AFP protested being excluded, Spicer in his off ice that was held in place of the regular daily press briefing at the White House. with her ex-husband. ISIL is no more. At least, that’s the case in the hallways of the Pentagon, despite being in the “pool”, and Ali Jr however had no such where military off icials have done an about-face and started calling the attended the briefi ng uninvited. department wrote on Twitter. santly, and punish media that trouble. And I think Trump is photo – and according to Manci- Islamic State (IS) group ISIS, not ISIL. The White House Corre- “Apparently this is how they call him out,” Reich wrote on creating the same problem for ni was held for nearly two hours The latter acronym, standing for Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, was spondents Association said retaliate when you report facts Facebook. “These are the sort of himself.” and repeatedly asked “Where did for years insisted on by Barack Obama’s administration, even though few it was “protesting strongly” they don’t like. We’ll keep re- antics we’d expect from a two- Trump’s hostility towards the you get your name from?” and people outside of Washington seemed to use it. against the White House deci- porting regardless.” bit dictator but not from the press “may be the greatest threat “Are you Muslim?” ISIS stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and is more commonly sion, and promised to bring it up The New York Times wrote in president of the United States.” to democracy in my lifetime”, When he said that he – like used in daily conversation, as well as by President Donald Trump. with White House staff . an editorial that the exclusion John Dean, the White House said William McRaven, a retired his father – was a Muslim, the “We have made a decision to follow what our chain of command says During the off -camera brief- was an “unmistakable insult to counsel for Republican presi- admiral and Navy SEAL who agents asked further probing and ... (that) is what the American people understand,” Pentagon spokes- ing, spokesman Sean Spicer said democratic ideals”. dent Richard Nixon in the 1970s, oversaw the raid that killed Al questions. man Jeff Davis said on Friday. “ISIS is the term that Joe Q Public under- that the White House has shown Several outlets referred to a described the Trump media Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden “To the Ali family, it’s crys- stands what it means and is what they use, so we are using that term.” an “abundance of accessibility December interview in which bashing as “more Nixonian than in 2011. tal clear that this is directly The Pentagon issued a memo on February 13 off icially directing staff to ... making ourselves, our team Spicer told Politico that the Nixon”. McRaven made the remarks at linked to Mr Trump’s eff orts to use ISIS. and our briefi ng room more ac- Trump White House would nev- Nixon blasted the media as the college of communication at ban Muslims from the United When IS emerged in 2014, news organisations and international govern- cessible than probably any pre- er ban a news outlet. “the enemy” behind closed the University of Texas (UT) at States,” Mancini told the Couri- ments were divided over what to call it. vious administration”. “Conservative, liberal or oth- doors, Dean, 78, told the Democ- Austin, according to the student er-Journal, a reference to Presi- Most outlets went with the “Islamic State group” or “so-called Islamic It is not uncommon for Re- erwise, I think that’s what makes racy Now! radio show on Friday. newspaper. dent Donald Trump’s executive State”, often abbreviating the name to IS on second reference. publican and Democratic ad- a democracy a democracy versus “The big diff erence is, Trump McRaven became head of the order issued last month impos- In the Middle East, the Arabic acronym “Daesh” stuck, and that was a ministrations to brief select a dictatorship,” he said. is doing this right out” and chal- UT system after retiring in 2014. ing a 90-day entry ban for citi- term taken up by French President Francois Hollande and former British reporters, but the event was ini- Media organisations were not lenging the US constitution’s “Flaws and all, I believe the zens of seven Muslim majority premier David Cameron. tially billed as a regular briefi ng alone in defending the free press. fi rst amendment that guaran- free press is our country’s most countries. A British government Twitter account that had been called “UK Against open to credentialed media. “Trump is supposed to be a tees freedom of speech and of important institution,” McRa- The travel ban has since been ISIL” was changed to “UK Against Daesh” as Cameron made the an- CNN anchor Jake Tapper de- public servant, and the truth is the press. ven, who has a degree in jour- halted by a US federal court. nouncement. cried the move as “un-Ameri- a public good,” said Robert Re- He described it as “very star- nalism, added in a blog post on Mancini said that he and the “#Daesh is Arabic acronym for #ISIL. Daesh hates the term + sounds simi- can”. ich, a UC Berkeley economist, tling and very troubling”. Thursday. Ali family are trying to fi nd out lar to Arabic words Daes & Dahes: ‘to trample’ & ‘one who sows discord’,” “This is an unacceptable de- former labour secretary and a “Nixon failed, and he had a The United States “has the how many other people were read a tweet on the account. velopment by the Trump White prominent Democratic fi gure. deep reservoir of ill will to draw fi nest press corps in the world, stopped for similar question- House,” CNN’s communications “But he continues to lie inces- on when he got himself in real bar none”, he wrote. ing, and are considering a federal lawsuit. Airport and Customs offi cials did not answer queries from the newspaper about the case. Muhammad Ali, one of the Nasa mulls putting astronauts on deep space test fl ight iconic 20th century sports he- roes, passed away after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease AFP/Reuters planet, Mars, perhaps by the sociate administrator for Nasa’s astronauts on Orion’s second Under former president by exploring whether to add a on June 3. Miami 2030s. human exploration and opera- fl ight, EM-2, an eight-day mis- Barack Obama, the US space crew to an earlier test fl ight and He was 74. Until now, the Orion test tions mission directorate. sion in 2021. agency was working on the perhaps setting the stage for a Ali was celebrated as much for fl ight known as Exploration The capsule will be propelled The Nasa decision to study the heavy-lift Space Launch System human return to the moon. his three world heavyweight ti- he US space agency has Mission 1 (EM-1) was scheduled to space atop a rocket called the possibility of putting astronauts rocket and Orion deep-space Nasa offi cials said they do tles as for his civil rights battles said that it is considering for 2018 and was expected to be Space Launch System (SLS), on an upcoming test fl ight fol- capsule with the aim of sending not feel compelled to fl y the test outside the ring. Tputting astronauts on an unmanned. which is being developed. lows a directive from the Trump astronauts to rendezvous with mission with crew aboard. In 1964 Ali dropped his birth upcoming test fl ight of the deep “Our priority is to ensure the The study is evaluating the administration, offi cials said. an asteroid in the mid-2020s, “There’s no pressure to go name of Cassius Clay when he space capsule Orion as it aims to safe and eff ective execution of pros and cons of adding two This marks President Donald followed by a human expedition do this,” Gerstenmaier said. “I converted to Islam. orbit the Moon. all our planned exploration mis- crew members, and could possi- Trump’s fi rst step in shaping a to Mars in the 2030s. fi nd it encouraging that we were The Louisville, Kentucky na- Orion is being built with an sions with the Orion spacecraft bly delay the EM-1 mission until vision for the National Aeronau- The request for the study from asked to go do this study.” tive was married four times. eye to one day ferrying astro- and Space Launch System rock- mid-2019. tics and Space Administration the new Republican president’s The study is expected to take He was survived by seven nauts to Earth’s neighbouring et,” said Bill Gerstenmaier, as- The current plan is to send (Nasa). administration tweaks that plan about a month. daughters and two sons. Five things to watch at this year’s Oscar bash

By Jocelyne Zablit, AFP Batman v Superman, Hillary’s America win Razzie ‘worst’ fi lms Los Angeles Even the Razzie Awards are getting political. lywood awards season marked by outspoken speeches A documentary criticising US Democratic presidential and protests against the policies and behaviour of US t’s no secret that La La Land is contender Hillary Clinton tied yesterday with super- President Donald Trump. the big favourite to earn major hero ensemble Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice The season culminates with today’s Oscars ceremony. IOscars glory today. on a list of the year’s worst achievements in film, win- Batman v Superman also won four Razzies, including But there are other stories sure ning four Razzies apiece. worst screen combo for “Ben Aff leck & His BFF (Bad- to unfold on Hollywood’s biggest The annual tongue-in-cheek Razzie awards, which dest Foe Forever) Henry Cavill” and worst “remake, night. serve as an antidote to Hollywood’s Oscars ceremony, rip-off or sequel”. Here are fi ve things to watch named Dinesh D’Souza’s Hillary’s America: The Secret The annual Razzie Redeemer Award went to veteran for: History of the Democratic Party as the worst film of actor-director Mel Gibson. 2016. Gibson has been welcomed back into the folds of Hol- „ Clean sweep for La La Land? D’Souza, a conservative commentator and best-selling lywood with his war drama Hacksaw Ridge, a decade La La Land, Hollywood’s love let- author, was named the worst actor for narrating his after a drunken anti-Semitic rant made him an outcast. ter to itself, heads into the Oscars documentary and worst director alongside Bruce Hacksaw Ridge is nominated for six Oscars today, with a record-tying 14 nomina- Schooley. including Gibson for director. tions. Worst actress went to the person who portrayed Winners of the year’s worst films are given a gold, The whimsical musical ro- Clinton in the film. spray-painted trophy. mance is favoured to win the cov- Hillary’s America took in a modest $13mn at the North Winners of the Razzies are voted for online by around eted best picture prize, beating American box off ice last year. 1,000 Razzie members from 24 countries, who sign up out fellow frontrunners Moon- The Razzies, or Golden Raspberry awards, follow a Hol- online and pay a $40 membership fee. light and Manchester by the Sea, as well as six other nominees. The fi lm has already nabbed Visitors use selfie sticks during preparations on Friday for the 89th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. Katharine Hepburn for the most However, a new Oscars hash- challenge of keeping the more many of the top honours – Gold- Academy Awards in the best ac- tag – #OscarsSoMale – appears than three-hour show – usually en Globes, Baftas, guild prizes The gala already took a po- White House spokesman Sean tonight might just be Streep’s tress – leading and supporting – to be gaining steam, over the fact the most-watched non-sports – leading up to the Academy litical turn after Iranian director Spicer said Trump likely would chance to respond. categories. that a majority of speaking roles telecast in the United States – Awards. Asghar Farhadi – nominated for not watch the Academy Awards in fi lms go to men. upbeat in a year where no major Should 32-year-old Damien best foreign language fi lm for The as he will be hosting the annual „ Streep: another win on the „ Oscars not so white surprises are expected and where Chazelle walk away with a statu- Salesman, after his A Separation governors’ ball in Washington. cards? It has been a landmark year for „ Ultimate hosting test for the Oscars So White controversy ette, he would be the youngest won in 2012 – said he would not That does not necessarily Streep received her 20th Acad- diversity at the Oscars with Afri- Kimmel seems to be a thing of the past. director ever to win an Oscar. attend the ceremony following mean, however, that the presi- emy Award nod this year for her can-American actors nominated Comedian and late-night host “I’ve come to terms with the Trump’s controversial travel ban dent won’t take to Twitter to starring role in Florence Foster in all the top categories. Jimmy Kimmel will preside over fact that someone is going to be „ Will Oscars be ‘Trumped’? targeting seven mainly-Muslim react to any “Meryl Streep mo- Jenkins, besting her own record The diverse slate of nominees the Oscars for the fi rst time, and disappointed in me at the end,” Given the tension roiling the countries. ment” – she hit out at Trump in a for the most acting nominations will help the Academy of Motion critics will be watching to see the emcee, who recently hosted country since Donald Trump was The fi lm’s lead actress has also speech at the Golden Globes that in Oscars history. Picture Arts and Sciences put to how he pulls it off in front of a the Emmys, told the New York elected president, it is all but sure said she would snub the event, won praise and criticism. Should she win tonight, the rest the #OscarsSoWhite contro- television audience of tens of Times in an interview published that today’s ceremony will have a even though the travel order is A miff ed Trump reacted by 67-year-old actress will earn versy that has dogged the awards millions. this week. “I just don’t know who tinge of politics. currently on ice. calling her “overrated” – and her fourth Oscar, tying her with gala for the past two years. Kimmel, 49, faces the stiff it will be yet.” Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 15 AUSTRALASIA/ASIA Suicide in Ocean gate protest at high-profi le temple raid

DPA removed the chief of the de- Bangkok partment responsible for over- seeing Buddhist aff airs and re- placed him with a police offi cer male devotee of a con- yesterday, amid a stand-off troversial Thai temple between offi cials and monks at Aunder siege by the au- the country’s largest temple. thorities committed suicide The standoff at the scandal- late yesterday in protest at the hit temple represents one of junta’s ongoing occupation of the biggest challenges to the the temple complex, local me- authority of Thailand’s junta dia reported. since it took power in 2014. The unidentifi ed man be- Prime Minister Prayuth lieved to be in his 50s climbed a Chan-ocha used what crit- telephone pole at a market near ics call “the dictator’s law” to Wat Phra Dhammakaya tem- replace Phanom Sornsilp, the ple, 40km north of Bangkok, lay head of the National Offi ce threatening to jump off the of Buddhism, with an offi cial pole unless the junta revoked from the Department of Spe- its special order granting po- cial Investigations (DSI). lice full control of the prop- “The reforms must be im- erty, local TV station TNN24 plemented quickly and cannot reported. follow normal procedure,” the After a failed negotiation statement in the Royal Gazette with the authorities, the man announcing the move said. hanged himself from the pole The DSI are currently in Surfers enter the Pacific Ocean as a rainbow appears off the coast of Sydney’s Wanda Beach in Australia. with a rope. charge of ongoing operations The incident happened as to fi nd and arrest Phra Dham- the high-profi le search for machayo at the Dhammakaya a former abbot wanted for Temple. money-laundering and land It has ordered 14 other sen- encroachment reached the 10- ior monks belonging to the day mark without any sign of temple to give themselves up the wanted cleric. or face arrest. The monks have also contin- The National Offi ce of Bud- ued their hunger strike against dhism is responsible for the the use of the junta’s special administration of the reli- Malaysians to sweep order since Wednesday. gion followed by some 95% of Section 44 of the interim Thais, but does not have the constitution allows high- power to defrock monks. ranking military offi cers to ex- The Dhammakaya Temple is ercise powers similar to martial unusual in defying the military law. government. It has been used several Opposition from political airport for chemicals times by the ruling junta to parties and activists has largely speed up government projects. been silenced since a coup in Malaysia seeks to question with their national Siti Aishah eign ministry statement said. The law was used most re- 2014. an embassy off icial who has — one of the suspects detained The nerve agent VX is odour- cently yesterday to replace the The former abbot faces diplomatic immunity in connection with the murder — less, tasteless and can kill in head of the Buddhist depart- charges of conspiracy to laun- for the fi rst time since her arrest. minutes. It is one of the most ment believed to sympathise der money and receive stolen Reuters Aishah told embassy offi cials toxic chemical substances and is with the Dhammakaya sect goods, as well as taking over Kuala Lumpur that she believed she was part of classed as a weapon of mass de- with a high-ranking offi cial land unlawfully to build medi- a reality television show when struction by the United Nations. from the Department of Spe- tation centres. she lunged at Kim Jong-nam at Skin contact with the amber- cial Investigation, a policeman. His aides dismiss the ac- alaysia will sweep one of the airport with what she be- coloured, oily substance can be Phra Dhammachayo, 72, was cusations as politically moti- the terminals at Kuala lieved was baby oil. fatal. indicted in November for laun- vated. MLumpur international She said she had been paid Once administered, it blocks dering 1.4bn baht. The Dhammakaya Temple’s airport for toxic chemicals after 400 Malaysian ringgit ($90.15) to essential enzymes to the body’s The 400-hectare futuristic- brasher approach to winning Kim Jong-nam was murdered participate in the act. nervous system that would nor- looking temple is known for adherents jars on conserva- there with a nerve agent last “She only said in general that mally work as an “off switch” for its large-scale ceremonies and tives, who say it exploits its week, as authorities said they somebody asked her to do this glands and muscles, essentially unorthodox teachings. followers and uses religion to would issue an arrest warrant if activity... setting the body into overdrive. Thailand has been under make money. a North Korean diplomat wanted She said she was given a kind According to the Organization military rule since a May 2014 The temple says it is as com- over the death did not come for- of oil, like baby oil,” Indonesian for the Prohibition of Nuclear coup. mitted to Buddhist values as ward. A Hazmat team prepare their equipment before doing a sweep of deputy ambassador Andreano Weapons Thailand’s military junta anyone else. Kim Jong-nam was murdered KLIA2 airport terminal in Sepang, Malaysia. Erwin told reporters after meet- (OPCW), a minor VX poison- on February 13 at the budget ter- ing Aishah. ing can lead to symptoms of in- minal of Kuala Lumpur’s main Malaysian police on Friday He is one of the seven North She will be detained until creased production of saliva, a airport with VX nerve agent, a said one of the women had suf- Koreans wanted in connection March 1, after which police will running nose, a feeling of pres- chemical classifi ed by the United fered from the eff ects of VX and with the case. decide whether to prosecute or sure on the chest, headaches and Nations as a weapon of mass de- had been vomiting. “Reasonable” time will be giv- release her, Erwin said. reduced vision. 10 killed in hotel blaze struction. The two women — one Indo- en for the diplomat to come for- Malaysian police have said the Victims exposed to a lethal The police forensic team, fi re nesian and one Vietnamese — ward before police take further two women had rehearsed the dose of VX — chemical name O- department and the Atomic En- have been detained, along with a action, Samah said, adding that if attack before carrying it out and ethyl S-diisopropylaminomethyl Reuters and dozens of fi re trucks and ergy Licensing Board will be con- North Korean man. the diplomat did not co-operate, had been instructed to wash their methylphosphonothiolate — Shanghai rescue workers on the scene. ducting the sweep at the airport, Seven other North Koreans the police would issue a notice hands afterwards. typically die of suff ocation due to Xinhua said one person Malaysian cops said in a state- have been named as suspects or under Malaysian law, compelling The Vietnamese woman ar- respiratory system failure. had been injured jumping ment on Saturday. are wanted for questioning. him to appear before the investi- rested as a suspect in killing the The rapid eff ects of nerve A fierce blaze at a hotel in from a second fl oor window The sweep will be conducted Malaysian police are also gation team. half-brother of North Korea’s agents make them diffi cult to southeastern China killed 10 to escape and had been taken from 1am on February 26, the po- sweeping other locations in Kua- “And if he failed to turn up leader thought she was taking treat. people, the off icial Xinhua to hospital. lice said. la Lumpur the suspects may have upon given this notice, then we part in a prank video, Vietnam’s British scientists discovered news agency said in a post Rescue work in the build- The airport terminal will not visited. will go to the next step by get- foreign ministry said yesterday. the substance, which is not found on its off icial microblog ing was basically completed, be closed, but the search areas Selangor state police chief ting a warrant of arrest from the Hanoi had not previously con- naturally in the environment, in yesterday. said Xinhua, adding that would be cordoned off , a police Abdul Samah Mat said earlier court,” he told reporters. fi rmed that Doan Thi Huong was 1952 while working to develop an The fi re broke out yester- initial probes suggested the offi cial told Reuters. yesterday authorities raided an It was unclear if the embassy Vietnamese, saying only that it alternative to the now-banned day morning at the hotel in cause of the fi re was tools VX is one of the deadli- apartment in an upscale Kuala offi cial can be detained since po- was in touch with authorities in pesticide DDT. There is evidence the inland city of Nanchang, used to cut construction ma- est chemical weapons created Lumpur suburb earlier this week lice have said he has diplomatic Malaysia, where Kim Jong-nam to suggest that VX was used in the capital of China’s Jiangxi terials. by man: just 10mg of the nerve in connection with the killing, immunity. was murdered on February 13. chemical attacks by the regime of province, trapping people in- The news agency added agent or a single drop is enough and were checking for any traces Four others are believed to Vietnamese embassy offi cials Saddam Hussein during the Iran- side, including workers who seven people had been de- to kill in minutes, experts have of chemicals in the apartment. have fl ed to North Korea, while met her on Saturday. Iraq war of the 1980s. were carrying out renova- tained by police while inves- said. Samah also said 44-year-old two are still in Malaysia. “Her health is stable. Russia and the United States tions on the building. tigations continued. Kim Jong-nam was waiting at Hyon Kwang-song, a second The whereabouts of another During the meeting with em- are among the countries known Videos and photos on Chi- Deadly fi res are not un- the departure hall when he was secretary at the North Korean North Korean, Ri Ji U, are un- bassy offi cials, Doan Thi Huong to possess VX. The Syrian regime nese social media showed common in China, where attacked by two women who embassy in Kuala Lumpur, want- known, Samah said. said she was being taken advan- is also thought to have developed thick plumes of smoke com- safety regulations are lax and splashed his face with the liquid. ed for questioning in the murder Meanwhile, Indonesian em- tage of and thought she was star- capabilities to produce the lethal ing from the hotel building fi re exits often blocked. He died en route to hospital. has yet to come forward. bassy offi cials on Saturday met ring in a comedy video,” the for- toxin.

Rival rallies in Seoul over Park impeachment

AFP Anti-Park protestors, carry- president and her close friend Choi If the court upholds the im- Seoul ing yellow balloons and waving Soon-Sil. peachment, Park will be removed banners, marched in three di- “Arrest other tycoons,” the from her post immediately and a rections. protestors chanted. presidential election must be held undreds of thousands of One column proceeded towards The chaebols funnelled millions within 60 days. South Koreans held rival the presidential Blue House as an- of dollars into two dubious founda- Not too far from the anti-Park pro- Hprotests in Seoul yesterday other group headed to the Consti- tions controlled by Choi. test, the president’s supporters, mostly over the impeachment of President tutional Court, which has to decide They all denied providing funds senior citizens, waved national fl ags Park Geun-Hye on the fourth anni- whether to endorse or reject Park’s in return for favours, but suggested and chanted slogans urging the court versary of her swearing into offi ce. impeachment. they regularly came under pressure to nullify the impeachment. Park was impeached by parlia- A third group passed by the from high-level political circles. Otherwise it would face a ment in December over a corrup- headquarters of powerful family- Park has seen her approval rat- “bloody” civil resistance, they said. tion scandal that has brought mil- run business groups — known as ings plunge from 67% to fi ve% Anti-Park protest organisers lions of people onto the streets in chaebols — including SK, Lotte and as the country was rocked by the claimed a one mn turnout and pro- mass protests. Hanwha. high-profi le scandal. Park supporters said they had at- Around 17,000 riot police were The de-facto head of South Ko- The Constitutional Court will tracted three mn. mobilised, setting up barricades rea’s giant Samsung Group Lee Jae- Monday hold its fi nal hearing on Police stopped issuing their own with their buses at the centre of the Yong was arrested last week, a fi rst Park’s impeachment. estimates and an AFP journalist on capital to separate Park’s support- among business tycoons engulfed It is expected the verdict will be the scene put both numbers around Anti-government activists shout slogans during a protest in central Seoul. ers from those opposing her. in the scandal surrounding the handed down before March 13. 100,000 each or less. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, February 26, 2017 BRITAIN

NARCOTICS REAL ESTATE CRIME NATURE ENVIRONMENT Police seize drugs in Squatters in £17mn house Young man stabbed Scientists buzzing with UK looks at sterilisation to smuggling crackdown near palace evicted to death after fight exploits of soccer bees defeat grey squirrel

Detectives have seized millions of pounds worth Squatters occupying a £17mn property metres Police have launched a murder probe after a Using sweet treats and months of patient In a battle to save Britain’s indigenous red of Class C drugs following an investigation into away from Buckingham Palace have been evicted young man was stabbed to death following a coaching, scientists in England have taught a squirrels, the government said Friday it was smuggling at London’s airports. More than a million in an early morning “stealth mode” operation. The fight in south east London. Emergency services group of bumblebees how to play soccer. The 18 looking into a possible mass sterilisation prescription-only tablets – believed to be diazepam dozen or so activists had been branded a possible rushed to Lambscroft Avenue in Mottingham, month study at Queen Mary University of London programme for their disease-bearing grey – were uncovered, as well as half a million cigarettes risk to the Queen’s security for occupying the Lewisham, on Friday at 3.45pm after reports of saw scientists train 50 bees to move a small squirrel rivals. he agriculture ministry’s Animal and smaller quantities of other drugs. Intelligence seven-storey property on Buckingham Gate, in a fight in the street. Residents said police and yellow ball to a circled location in order to score and Plant Health Agency told AFP in a statement first led off icers to raid a house in Hayes on Thursday the shadow of the monarch’s residence. Eviction sniff er dogs descended on the scene, finding a goal and receive a sugary food reward. The first it would “look at the feasibility of using oral afternoon, where they arrested a 42-year-old eff orts took place at around 4am yesterday a 21-year-old suff ering from stab injuries in group of bees then showed others in the colony contraceptives” and would initially work on man on suspicion of importation of class C drugs, after the building’s owners filed a submission to nearby Charlesfield. Paramedics arrived while how to play, with the second group impressing developing a “suitable bait”. The Times newspaper possession of class A drugs and money laundering. the high court. The once-lavish property, which London’s Air Ambulance landed close by. But, scientists by expanding the game. “The bees reported that contraceptives could be concealed They seized around £18,000 in cash from the home, neighbours the Swaziland High Commission, had despite, battling to save the victim’s life, he was solved the task in a diff erent way than what was in chocolate spread and would reduce numbers on Coldharbour Lane, as well as a vehicle. They also been rebranded by the squatters as the Rogue pronounced dead at the scene. Three teenage demonstrated, suggesting that observer bees by more than 90% from 3.5mn. The decline of recovered what is believed to a quantity of class A Embassy. Daniel, one of the 30 campaigners who boys, aged 19, 18 and 16, alongside a 20-year-old did not simply copy what they saw, but improved the red squirrel population, which is now largely drugs. Off icers later searched a commercial address had been occupying the building for around four have been arrested on suspicion of murder. They on it,” said Olli J Loukola, who co-led the study. confined to parts of northern England, Scotland in Heston, Hounslow, where they found the tablets, days, said more than 60 bailiff s executed the are currently being quizzed by detectives at “This shows an impressive amount of cognitive and Ireland and numbers around 140,000, has cigarettes and other unidentified drugs. eviction. south London police stations. flexibility, especially for an insect.” been an issue in Britain for many years. Khan likens Pensive Scottish nationalism to racism

Evening Standard direction — the right direction. London “That is the message I’m tak- ing to the Scottish Labour Party conference today — that now is adiq Khan has sparked the time to build unity, create a a huge row north of the more United Kingdom and en- Sborder after likening sure everyone has the opportu- Scottish nationalism to racism. nities they need to succeed.” The Mayor of London spoke Scottish First Minister Nico- out ahead of a speech to the la Sturgeon said the comments Scottish Labour conference in were a “sign of the sheer des- Perth, saying there is “no dif- peration and moral bankruptcy ference” between nationalists that has driven so many from and people who “divide us on Scottish Labour’s ranks”. The the basis of our background, SNP leader tweeted that she race or religion”. He wrote in the was a “big admirer” of the Lon- A statue of former British prime minister Winston Churchill near the Houses of Parliament in London. Daily Record newspaper: “The don Mayor but that “today’s last thing we need now is to pit intervention is spectacularly diff erent parts of our country or ill-judged”. She added: “It is sections of our society against an insult to all those Scots who each other — or to further fuel support independence for rea- division or seek separation.” sons of inclusion & social jus- SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon tice — the antithesis of what he branded Khan’s comments says. “spectacularly ill-judged”. It “And it is a sign of the sheer comes after Labour accused the desperation and moral bank- Tories of a “racist” campaign ruptcy that has driven so many Ukip not tough enough against Khan in the London from Scottish Labour’s ranks. mayoral contest last year, with Very disappointing.” Conservative candidate Zac Scottish Labour would not Goldsmith’s repeatedly warn- join forces with the Conserva- ing that he had shared plat- tives in a joint campaign to forms with extremists. defend the United Kingdom if Khan said that London and Scotland held a second inde- on immigration: Farage Scotland — which both voted pendence referendum, leader against Brexit in last year’s Eu- Kezia Dugdale has said. Evening Standard enough, were we clear enough election. But if that’s how long it “He did it to unify our party. And it’s one that is not going to ropean Union referendum — are Momentum towards a new London with the electorate? It has got to be takes then that’s what we will keep I think by the evidence of the stop, it’s one that is going to roll out “twin beacons of progressive vote is growing, with Britain’s looked at.” doing, because that’s what we are number of people who came up to across the rest of the great world,” values and hope within the impending exit from the Euro- Ukip had seen Stoke — which here for.” support Paul during this campaign, Farage said to loud cheers. United Kingdom”. He claimed pean Union feeding secession kip failed in the Stoke-on- voted overwhelmingly for Brexit in Stoke had been regarded as that is what happened.” Last year “the nation-state de- the “world is becoming an in- demands. Trent by-election because last year’s referendum — as fertile promising territory by Ukip. Oak- Farage also defended Nuttall mocracy made a comeback against creasingly turbulent and divid- Dugdale, whose party rejects Uthey were not tough enough ground for a challenge to Labour in den acknowledged Nuttall had over the Hillsborough row, saying: the globalists”. ed place” with the election of Scottish independence, told a on immigration, former party lead- a contest triggered by the resigna- endured a “diffi cult” campaign, in “He had a tough time. He paid the Farage pointed to more “very ex- Donald Trump in America, the meeting at the party conference er Nigel Farage has said. tion of former shadow education which he had to apologise over a price for some mistakes that staff of citing elections” in store in 2017 in vote to quit the EU and the “rise in Aberdeen she could “not im- Farage — who warned last week secretary Tristram Hunt. false claim that he lost close friends his had made. I don’t think that this Germany, France, the Netherlands of right-wing populist and nar- agine” leading Scottish Labour that the contest was “fundamen- However, Nuttall’s gamble of in the Hillsborough disaster, but refl ects on Paul.” and possibly Italy, where last year’s row nationalist parties around into a joint campaign with the tal” to the party’s future prospects standing himself failed to come said he had the full support of the Nigel Farage told American tumult led to the downfall of prime the world”. Khan insisted: “It’s Conservatives like the 2014 — said they needed to learn lessons off as Labour’s Gareth Snell held party. conservatives Friday that Britain’s minister Matteo Renzi, along with up to us — whether in Scotland “Better Together” campaign after his successor Paul Nuttall the seat with a majority of 2,620 “This party is absolutely behind shock anti-Europe move and Don- British prime minister David Cam- or in London — to fi ght this which defended the union, a failed to unseat Labour in a hard- — raising questions as to whether Paul Nuttall as its leader. He is 12 ald Trump’s US presidential victory eron. trend.” Scottish Labour offi cial said. fought campaign. Ukip could take seats from Labour weeks into his leadership. We are all launched a “great global revolu- The elections, he said, will “shift He added: “There’s no diff er- Despite beating Scottish se- “I feel sorry for Paul Nuttall. He in its traditional heartlands. going to support him moving for- tion” that will spread through more the center of gravity in the entire ence between those who try to cession by a 10 point margin fought a hard campaign. I think Party chairman Paul Oakden said ward. This is one step along a long western nations. debate” as Europeans begin to re- divide us on the basis of wheth- in the 2014 referendum, that there are some lessons to learn from it could be another two decades be- road for our party,” he said. Farage received a warm welcome ject “the idea of being governed by er we’re English or Scottish and alliance of historic rivals La- it in terms of how we campaign, in fore the party can take another seat “He has had a diffi cult campaign. at CPAC, the Conservative Politi- a bunch of unelected old men in those who try to divide us on bour and Conservatives was terms of how we target,” Farage in a by-election. There is no doubt that he has been cal Action Conference, where he Brussels.” the basis of our background, consumed with infi ghting and told the BBC. “Politics is a long game. It took targeted by various unpleasant ele- praised Trump’s “quite remark- Europhobe Farage is known for race or religion. ended up discrediting many of “There is a debate in Ukip as to us 23-odd years to win a referen- ments during the last four weeks. able” victory. his stridently anti-immigration “The antidote to Brexit and those involved. The Scottish how strong we should be on the im- dum to get Britain out of the Euro- “I think it was incredibly coura- “2016, we did it!” boomed the positions, and at CPAC he slammed the rise of right-wing populist referendum was then followed migration issue. I personally think pean Union,” he told the BBC Radio geous of him to put his head above former head of Britain’s UK Inde- the “absolute madness and idiocy” parties is not to run away, break by a historic win for Nicola we should own it. 4 Today programme. the parapet and stand to be the pendence Party. of German Chancellor Angela Mer- away or push our neighbours Sturgeon’s Scottish National “So we will have to look at that “It may take that long for us to candidate for our party in this elec- “We witnessed the beginning of kel for allowing refugees to pour away. It’s to lead in a diff erent Party (SNP) the following year. and think: were we really tough get a seat in Westminster via a by- tion. a global political revolution. across her nation’s borders. Moss Side known for gangs now produces Isis recruits

Guardian News In a nearby gym a group of al-Harith was a close friend of suspected absolutely nothing.” Something that is out of our by Isis militants that Abdulrah- group of like-minded extrem- London young men are sweating and Hostey’s father, Ibraheem, 42, Core, who is used to gangs hands.” man has been killed and that his ists. Some of them would meet sparring through a Friday after- and they travelled together in an bringing their troubles to his In July last year a former RAF brother is missing, thought also at the nearby Jame’ah Masjid E noon boxing session. aid convoy to Gaza in 2009. premises says what is pulling Iraq-war veteran, Stephen Gray, to be dead. Noor mosque in Stretford. n the small pocket of Man- The scene could easily be one Raphael Hostey became a re- these youngsters toward terror- who called himself Mustafa Meanwhile, Hostey also had Elders said they were aware chester where the suicide of those glossy local authority cruiter for Isis. The graphic de- ism is something very powerful Gray, was jailed for fi ve years links with the Javeed brothers of some of the men using the Ibomber who killed himself propaganda pictures that tells sign student lured recruits with that he does not understand. after twice attempting to join and Khalil Raoufi . Hostey left building for meetings but said in Iraq this week grew up, many the story of a community try- the prospect of quick marriages The former lightweight jihadis in Syria. his wife and young child be- they had not been radicalised at before him had trodden the ing to shed its guns-and-gangs to “beautiful wives”. He had champion also knew al-Harith. Gray’s friend, Abdalraouf hind to go to Syria with fellow the mosque. same path. reputation. been in the middle of studying His sIster, Maxine, worked at Abdallah, a British-Libyan who students Khalil Raoufi and Mo- A spokesperson said: “We The handful of streets in Moss Former world champion for a degree at Liverpool John the gym. “Again a completely was left paralysed after taking hammed Javeed, both 20. knew of them as individuals. Side within a mile of the child- boxer Maurice Core has trained Moores University when he and normal family. Ronald would part in the 2011 Libyan upris- They were all mentioned at Most of them have now either hood home of Ronald Fiddler, young men there for decades two fellow students left for Syria come in sometimes — he was a ing, was convicted of trying to the trial of Jamshed Javeed, a bi- passed away or have been jailed. also known as Jamal al-Harith, and acknowledges that terror- in 2013. nice lad. I can’t begin to under- help Gray travel to Syria to fi ght ology teacher, who helped them We have had long conversa- have been home to nine who are ism is stalking the area’s disaf- Core speaks in a low voice stand what draws them [to ter- alongside militants. The two travel to fi ght. tions with the terrorism unit and known to have joined terrorist fected youth. from a back room in the gym. rorism]. I work hard here to try men had links with three other In January last year Jamshed we are now very careful about organisations and have either One of those who is under- “We had this kid [who] comes and steer them on to the right terrorists. was imprisoned for six years. who we allow in the mosque and been jailed, have disappeared stood to be dead after join- to this gym — a top boxer — he path but what is happening in Abdallah’s brother, Moham- Raoufi , also known as Abu monitoring what they are up or have killed themselves in the ing Isis is Raphael Hostey. The was amazing. And he would their private lives can some- med, and his friends, Nezar Layth, was killed in combat in to. We’ve never had any radical name of Islamic State. 24-year-old was a member of come here all the time and get times take over. Khalifa and Ray Matimba, are all February 2014, while Mohamed speakers here but you cannot A Guardian investigation has Core’s gym and knew al-Harith. involved, train. But then he went “Moss Side has always been believed to be in Syria. Javeed blew himself up in a sui- stop people from meeting each found that 16 convicted or dead He died last year after leaving off to college and the next thing linked to a gang culture but now It is not known whether they cide attack in Iraq later that year. other.” terrorists have lived within 2.5 Moss Side in 2013. I heard was that he was dead. He that is dying. I can’t say for sure are alive or dead. In August last year a cousin The Moss Side area has his- miles of al-Harith’s home address. Among Hostey’s and al- had become one of those suicide whether [Islamic fundamental- Brothers Khalif, 21, and Ab- of the Halane twins, Abdullahi torically had plenty of negative It is understood that they Harith’s other known associ- bombers. ism] is a new home for youth dulrahman Shariff , 18, are Ahmed Jama Farah, was jailed for press relating to gang culture. were part of a radical network ates were the twins Salma and “I still can’t believe it to this who want to be part of a gang thought to have headed to war- seven years after creating a com- That is something, local politi- and some of them prayed at the Zahra Halane, who became “ji- day. I mean, I know Raphael’s but something is drawing them torn Syria in November 2014. munications hub at his mother’s cians say, the community has same mosque. hadi brides”. It is understood family, they are ordinary and I towards it. The duo’s parents were told home in Manchester for his worked to combat. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 17 BRITAIN/IRELAND N Ireland feuds may force return to London rule

Reuters Union. The province’s cross- cally return to Westminster if the ruled from Dublin and pro-Brit- a collapsed administration to should not have equal status with push for Irish reunifi cation just Omagh, Northern Ireland community government — a deadlock persists. ish unionists who wanted the minimise the infl uence of the English in the United Kingdom. as Britain is negotiating its exit forced coalition between Irish “Sinn Fein seems to be saying province to remain British, which DUP during Brexit negotiations, Sinn Fein is also demanding from the European Union. nationalists and Foster’s pro- if they don’t get what they want ended with a 1998 peace deal. a charge Sinn Fein has denied. an investigation into the green- Under the terms of the 1998 rish nationalists may force a British Democratic Unionist Par- then they are prepared to live Neither side is showing signs The province could be the re- energy heating scheme. Belfast Agreement, Britain’s prolonged collapse of North- ty — collapsed last month after with direct rule,” Foster said in an of blinking fi rst ahead of next gion hardest hit by Brexit due to While a public enquiry has Secretary of State to Northern Iern Ireland’s devolved gov- Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness interview. week’s election, which was trig- the loss of signifi cant European been established to probe Fos- Ireland is obliged to order a ref- ernment and a return to direct resigned as deputy fi rst minister. Northern Ireland’s economy gered by McGuinness’ departure. Union funding and the risk of ter’s role, it has not started sit- erendum if it appears likely that a rule from London if they cannot Sinn Fein has detailed a had prospered in the 10 years Sinn Fein says he quit over border controls that are fi ercely tings and the fi rst minister has majority would seek to form part agree a new government with number of red line issues it says since devolved power was trans- the alleged abuse of a green-en- opposed by Irish nationalists. refused to contemplate standing of a united Ireland. unionists, the leader of the Brit- must be met before it governs ferred to the Northern Ireland ergy scheme, which could cost “To deal with Brexit... down. Most opinion polls in- Even if it was not success- ish province said on Friday. with the DUP again, including Assembly, she said. the Northern Ireland Executive we need to have a voice at the dicate the DUP will remain the ful, just holding a vote would be First Minister Arlene Fos- legislation to give equal status to “We will lose that if we have nearly £500mn. table and at the moment we don’t largest party, but that Sinn Fein destabilising to Northern Ire- ter told Reuters such a scenario the Irish language. direct rule and that is very dan- But Foster said the breakdown have an executive to have that may make gains. land, Foster said. would be “very damaging” for a Sinn Fein has, however, not gerous,” she said. was “caused by Sinn Fein want- voice,” Foster said. Foster described the March 2 “That would be disastrous for province recovering from three called for direct rule. The two parties supported ing to push ahead on their own Foster has rejected the pro- vote as the province’s most im- Northern Ireland in terms of the decades of sectarian violence Neither side has made any in- opposite sides of a three decade agenda”. posed Irish language act, saying portant in two decades due to the divisive nature of such a cam- and now facing the upheaval of dication of compromise and de- confl ict between Irish national- Some political commentators it would be too costly to oper- possibility that Sinn Fein could paign and indeed the instability Britain’s exit from the European cision-making would automati- ists who wanted a united Ireland have suggested Sinn Fein wants ate and that the Irish language become the largest party and that would cause,” she said. Teenagers The household cavalry ‘found in slave-like conditions’

Guardian News lish whether the men could be London assigned to the national referral mechanism, the framework for identifying victims of human vast marijuana farm traffi cking. discovered in a former This week’s discovery is an Anuclear bunker in Wilt- extreme example of a phenom- shire was staff ed by traffi cked enon police have been aware of Vietnamese teenagers working for the past decade: the large- in slave-like conditions, police scale traffi cking by organised say. crime groups of vulnerable The three teenagers, the young people from Vietnam youngest of whom was initially to the UK to work in cannabis thought to be 15, and one adult farms. in his 30s, were found working Often these farms are rela- as gardeners inside the 1980s tively small, bunker after a midnight raid on located in terraced houses A member of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment rides past gathered tourists at Whitehall in central London. Wednesday. which have been stripped in- DI Paul Franklin from Wilt- side, fi tted with complex ven- shire police said offi cers recog- tilation, lighting and water- nised that the four gardeners ing systems, and are tended by were victims, adding: “No one a lone gardener, who is often would do this by choice.” He locked into the property, re- described the living and work- ceiving food deliveries through ing conditions in the 20-room the letterbox and gardening in- bunker, hidden in the country- structions by text message. side, as “grim for anyone, let But police last year discov- alone a 15-year-old”. ered a number of much larger Party fi gures say Corbyn “This was slave labour. operations, raiding an ex- There is no natural light, no Barclays bank in Grimsby, a running water supplies, water disused sports centre in south had to be brought in. Wales, and a recently emptied This is hard, manual labour — GP surgery in Cumbria that had it’s not just a walk around with a all been turned into cannabis watering can. farms, tended by Vietnamese must take responsibility I was shocked by the scale of workers. it,” Franklin said. “There is no David Cameron visited Vi- Corbyn has rejected the idea byelection in Stoke, although he tall by 7,853 votes to 5,233, in a leader of our party attacks the MPs” seemed happy to attack the fresh air, just the cloying, sweet etnam in 2015, and promised to that Labour’s problems were said even that result should never constituency that some had de- party itself,” he said. leader. humid smell of the plants that crack down on the traffi cking his fault have been in doubt. scribed as one of Britain’s Brexit Ian Lavery, the party’s joint One MP, David Winnick, did permeates everything.” of children to work in UK nail “The blame for these results capitals. elections co-ordinator, told the criticise the leader openly, while Detectives were trying to es- bars and cannabis farms, but Guardian News does not lie solely with Jeremy Corbyn used broadcast in- Guardian that his time cam- a number of senior fi gures in the tablish whether the four men the fl ow of Vietnamese children London Corbyn, but he must take re- terviews and a speech focused paigning in Copeland had con- wider Labour movement also were able to come and go freely into the country continues, and sponsibility for what happens on Labour’s Brexit challenge, vinced him that the challenge waded into the debate. or were locked inside RGHQ there has never been a prosecu- next. Nurses, teaching assistants, making it clear that he did not was about people’s fears for their John Hannett, the general sec- Chilmark, built in 1985 to serve tion of a people traffi cker from eremy Corbyn has come un- care workers and ordinary people believe his leadership contrib- jobs and not Labour’s leadership. retary of Usdaw, the shop work- as the regional government Vietnam. der intense pressure to take everywhere need a Labour gov- uted to the defeat in Copeland “Honestly, Jeremy Corbyn did ers’ union which has not sup- headquarters in the event of a Franklin said there was a lack Jsome personal responsibility ernment. Jeremy has to show he and said he would not be step- not come up when I was knock- ported Corbyn in his bids for the nuclear attack. of public awareness about the for Labour’s historic by-election understands how to turn things ping down. ing on doors,” he said. leadership, called the the result a The two-storey underground conditions in which cannabis defeat in Copeland from senior around and deliver just that,” he The Labour leader admitted he Lavery joined other shadow “wake-up call” and warned the site is no longer owned by the was produced for UK consum- party fi gures, including trade un- said. was disappointed by the result in cabinet members, such as Ri- Labour party not to “pass the Ministry of Defence, but re- ers. “On social media people are ion leaders and even members of Keir Starmer, the shadow the Cumbrian constituency but chard Burgon, in describing the buck”. mains intact, with protective asking: ‘Why are police taking his own shadow cabinet. Brexit secretary, argued that the said it was important to high- Cumbrian seat as “marginal” de- “We can’t dismiss these by- nuclear blast doors still in place. action on cannabis? It’s harm- The Labour leader was urged result was not simply about La- light the victory in Stoke. “You spite it always being held by La- elections or blame other people It was unclear whether the less.’ I think perhaps people not to “pass the buck” or sug- bour’s battle to come to terms shouldn’t underestimate the de- bour previously. — whether previous politicians or workers had been held there for don’t appreciate that these are arcoat the result after Theresa with an EU referendum result feat for Ukip in a city they began Another senior fi gure in the the media,” he told the Guardian. several months, since the can- the conditions people are work- May’s Conservatives secured the that had divided its coalition of to call their own. party suggested that unfair treat- “All of that is a distraction from nabis plants were seedlings, or ing in, that people are being fi rst by-election gain by a gov- voters. It is a very signifi cant turning ment of Corbyn in the media, why isn’t the current Labour party if they were working in rotation traffi cked, ernment since 1982, in a Cum- He told the Guardian that the point in British politics,” Corbyn including the BBC’s decision to connecting with voters.” with other gardeners. and that this is what it takes brian seat that had been held by outcome was more “fundamen- said, claiming that the media had fi eld Mandelson days before the He said there needed to be an There were several thousand to get that product on to the his party since 1935. tal” than the question of Brexit, assumed Labour would be de- election, and bad weather as a re- “urgent debate” from the lead- plants, approximately 200 in streets.” As some claimed the result adding: “It was a very bad re- feated in Stoke. sult of Storm Doris had contrib- ership team down about how to each of the bunker’s 20 rooms, Anne Read, the director of placed Labour on track for elec- sult... I’m not sure we are ac- Asked by a journalist if he uted to the defeat. turn Labour into at least a “cred- at various diff erent stages of anti-traffi cking and modern toral meltdown, the general sec- knowledging how bad a result it had looked in the mirror to ask Despite some senior sources ible opposition” and then a gov- growth, and police estimated slavery at the Salvation Army, retary of a trade union that has was.” whether Labour’s problems were hitting out at fractious MPs who ernment-in-waiting. the street value of the cannabis who has worked with Vietnam- backed Corbyn in two leadership The prime minister described his fault, Corbyn responded with forced Corbyn into a second The concerns were based on was over £1mn. ese people traffi cked for can- elections issued a stark warning. the result as “astounding” after a curt “no”. The shadow chan- leadership battle last year, criti- fears of Labour being wiped out Three British men were nabis cultivation over the past Unison’s Dave Prentis de- her party secured a 6.7% swing cellor, John McDonnell, hit out cal backbenchers were largely from parts of the country if May charged on Friday afternoon eight years, said their numbers scribed the Copeland result as from Labour, handing Trudy at disunity within Labour, blam- quiet on Friday. decided to trigger an early gen- with conspiracy to produce had risen during the last two “disastrous”. “No one objective Harrison the seat with 13,748 ing both sitting MPs and Tony Some said there was a “vow eral election. cannabis, and conspiring to years. could argue last night’s by-elec- votes, ahead of Labour’s Gillian Blair and Lord Mandelson, who of silence” in order to prevent A projection from Electoral hold another person in slavery “They tend to be young men, tion results were good for La- Troughton on 11,601. criticised the party’s approach to disunity in the immediate after- Calculus based on recent polls or servitude. they are nearly always locked bour,” he said. The result overshadowed Brexit. math being blamed for any of La- suggests a Conservative majority The four Vietnamese men into a premises so they have no The Unison leader welcomed Labour’s victory in Stoke-on- “We cannot have a circum- bour’s diffi culties in the future, of 80 would occur with 41% of were released from custody, contact with the outside world. Labour holding off the Ukip Trent Central, where the par- stance again, where a week be- although sources close to the the vote going to the Tories and and were told no further action They don’t know where they leader, Paul Nuttall, in a second ty’s Gareth Snell defeated Nut- fore the by-election a former leadership claimed “unnamed 27% to Labour. would be taken against them. are, what part of the country An age assessment con- they are in, and they usually ducted while they were in the don’t speak English,” she said. police station provisionally put “Sometimes their clothes are the three teenagers at about 19 taken from them, so they are years old. left in their shirts and under- PM to challenge Labour in its northern heartlands There was plenty of food in a pants, making it harder to es- fridge in the bunker’s kitchen, cape.” police said, and a basic sleeping Often young people were Guardian News Visiting the Cumbrian con- Surrounded by cheering activ- will have the ear of government, attack at the local elections in May. area in one room.”We believe told in Vietnam they were go- London stituency for a victory speech, the ists, May said the victory was down but she is going to make sure she She claimed that Labour coun- they had no choice. ing to be helped to fi nd legiti- prime minister said it was an as- to her leadership of a “government delivers for Copeland,” May said. cillors “dance to the tune of the I think they were held there mate work in the UK, she said; tounding result and a “wonderful that is working for everyone and “The Conservative party is go- militant unions and Momentum’s in human-traffi cking, slave sometimes they were unaware heresa May has claimed victory for the Conservative party for every part of the country”, in- ing to deliver for everyone across hard-left activists, facing threats conditions,” Franklin said. “We that this was an illegal activity, that the Conservative by- and also the people of Copeland”. dicating that she aims to break the the whole country; a country that of candidate deselection if they have never seen anything on and were told they were grow- Telection victory in Cope- May delivered the message along- electoral dominance of Labour in works for everyone, not just the don’t”. There is no evidence of local this scale.” He said the men, ing Chinese medicinal herbs. land shows her party is govern- side Trudy Harrison, Copeland’s northern England and in cities. privileged few.” Labour councils being taken over who spoke no English, had been The traffi ckers encourage them ing for every part of the country, fi rst Conservative MP since 1935 “The people of Copeland are Later, May went on the off ensive by far-left entryists, with many of “very fearful and apprehensive” to build up a debt over a period as she signalled an intention to and the fi rst government candi- going to see that they have elected against Corbyn’s infl uence on La- the party’s local government lead- when they were arrested. of time that they will never be challenge Labour in its northern date to win a by-election against an MP who will listen to concerns, bour councils, signalling that the ers considered to be from the op- Offi cers were trying to estab- able to pay off . heartlands. an opposition party since 1982. who is going to raise her voice, she Tories are likely to use this line of posite wing of the party. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, February 26, 2017 EUROPE

Most Greeks want Police shoot suspect savings reforms: poll DPA The latest bailout deal, worth Athens €86bn in total, was agreed in July 2015. So far €31.7bn have been disbursed. ore than 60% of In return, the Greek gov- Greeks are in favour ernment has implemented tax Mof striking a new deal increases and cut pensions, in German car attack to unlock a fresh bailout from wages and public services. creditors as an alternative to Amid concerns expressed by Reuters The newspaper said the sus- snap polls, according to a sur- the Washington-based Inter- Berlin pect had stopped at a red traffi c vey commissioned by the To national Monetary Fund (IMF) light and when it turned green Vima newspaper. that austerity measures have put his foot down before hitting Despite this strong sup- gone too far, Greece’s Europe- man drove into a crowd the group of people at high speed port for continued defi cit- an lenders have signalled a new standing by a bakery in and crashing the vehicle into a slimming reforms, the study, focus on structural reforms of Athe southwestern German pillar. which was carried out by the the nation’s labour market and town of Heidelberg yesterday, in- The German authorities are on Kapa Research institute and tax system. juring three people. high alert after a failed Tunisian appeared in the newspaper Meanwhile, the political op- A police spokesman said it was asylum-seeker, Anis Amri, drove yesterday, revealed deep mis- position in Athens has been not yet possible to say whether it a truck into a Christmas market givings regarding the fi nancial demanding fresh elections. was a terrorist attack. in Berlin on December 19, killing pain of such measures. Despite the long-running Police said in a statement that 12 people. Forty per cent of those sur- debt crisis, the Kapa poll found one of the injured was seriously He was killed four days later veyed believe that the planned majority support for staying in hurt. in a shootout with police outside reforms would negatively im- the eurozone currency union, The suspect was seen getting Milan. pact Greece. with just 27% favouring a re- out of the car with a knife and The Berlin carnage evoked Just 11% expressed “hope” turn to the drachma. was later tracked down to near a memories of the July truck as- when considering the reforms Meanwhile, 70% were confi - swimming pool. sault in the French Riviera city put forward by lenders. dent that there would be no so- He is now in a hospital in Hei- of Nice, where 86 people were Greece has been bailed out called Grexit – or Greek exit – delberg having been shot by po- killed by a Tunisian Islamic State three times since 2010. from the European Union. lice while being arrested, leaving group-sympathiser. him seriously injured, they said. Meanwhile, Italy has deported Regional newspaper Rhein- two Tunisian asylum-seekers Neckar-Zeitung said he was not who have been classed as a dan- €20mn in assets, including land and fi t to be questioned. ger to national security, the inte- buildings, seized from Mafia clan Investigations by the public rior ministry in Rome said yes- prosecutors’ offi ce in Heidelberg terday. Italian police have seized assets worth €20mn (about $21mn) from and the town’s criminal police One of the two deportees is a renowned clan of the Neapolitan Camorra Mafia. were continuing, police said. thought to have been in contact Assets seized from the Mallardo clan include 74 buildings and lots Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung cited with Amri. of land in the cities of Caserta, Naples and Rome, two construction police as saying that the suspect The 44-year-old is thought to Police off icers stand around the car that was driven into pedestrians in front of a business building in companies, a real estate agency, and 15 vehicles. was a young German man. have met the prospective attack- Heidelberg, western Germany. “Seized assets from Camorra Mallardo Clan frontmen worth German daily Bild reported er in June 2015 while staying with €20mn,” Italy’s finance guard tweeted. that the suspect was suff ering another man from Tunisia. asylum-seeker in 2011, Amri from Berlin to Italy in the wake The Italian interior ministry Police uncovered what they called “a criminal holding company” from psychiatric troubles, but That man has since landed in spent four years in jail for various of the attack because he still had says that 147 suspected extrem- that “accumulated enormous wealth” by laundering the Mallardo authorities have made no com- jail in Italy. off ences. contacts in his former host coun- ists have been deported from the clan’s illicit gains, mostly via the construction sector. ment on that claim. After arriving in Italy as an It is unclear whether he fl ed try. country since January 2015. Police in November last year arrested several Mallardo clan relatives and aff iliated businessmen, seizing €12mn in assets. Investigators say the clan has extended beyond “traditional” mob activities such as loansharking and drug traff icking, and has muscled in on bread distributors, dairies, and supermarkets. The Mallardo clan plays a key role in the criminal balance of power in the region, according to a 2016 report by the National Anti-Mafia ‘Ring of fi re’ treat for Investigations Directorate (DIA), an inter-agency unit set up to fight organised crime across the country.

Italian hospital employees detained southern skygazers over mass absenteeism scandal

By Mariëtte Le Roux, AFP stressing that viewers should not fortunately see little or nothing. Nearly 100 staff at a hospital in southern Italy have been questioned Paris observe the eclipse unfold with It will take about two hours for in connection with a widespread absenteeism scandal, including a the naked eye. the Moon to move across the face doctor who skived off to play tennis, police said on Friday. “This ‘bite’ gradually gets of the Sun, but the “ring of fi re” During a two-year investigation which involved the use of hidden spectacular “ring of fi re” bigger and bigger as the Moon – peak will last a mere minute. cameras, police gathered evidence of a well-run system at the solar eclipse today will which is itself invisible – moves Starting in the southeast Pa- Loreto Mare hospital in Naples where certain employees clocked in Aregale skygazers in South further and further in front of the cifi c Ocean at sunrise, the eclipse on behalf of 94 absent colleagues. America and southern Africa, Sun,” he told AFP. “As about 90% will hit solid land at 1221 GMT in A total of 55 people have been placed under house arrest by the with seafarers in the nearby At- of the Sun is covered, you’ll no- southern Chile, near the town of city’s prosecutor – a neurologist, a gynaecologist, nine radiologists, lantic getting a front-row view tice a distinct drop in tempera- Coyhaique, then cut through Ar- 18 nurses, six administrative workers, nine maintenance technicians too, astronomers say. ture and brightness, and a change gentina – near Camarones Bay on and 11 social workers, police said. The eclipse – during which in the quality of the light which is the eastern coast – before hitting Among those milking the system were off icials who were in charge the Sun will all but disappear as hard to describe.” the South Atlantic. of keeping staff registers up to date, including one who skipped the Moon crosses its path – will As the day darkens, birds and At sea, the eclipse peak will last work to go and work as a chef at a nearby hostel. be most visible in a 100km band animals may enter a night-time 44 seconds and “only be visible In this handout provided by Nasa, sun spots are seen as the moon cutting through Chile, Argen- routine, thinking sunset is nigh. to any ships that happen to be in moves on May 20, 2012 into a full eclipse position after reaching tina, Angola, Zambia and the At the height of the eclipse the the right place at the right time”, annularity during the first annular eclipse seen in the US since 1994. Serial paedophile gets 70 years in jail Democratic Republic of the Con- Moon will be right in the middle said Moseley. A spectacular ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse today will regale skygazers go. of the Sun, leaving “a perfect, It will reach Angola south of in South America and southern Africa, with seafarers in the nearby A serial paedophile who abducted and molested at least four girls A so-called annular solar beautiful, symmetrical ring” of the town of Benguela around 1515 Atlantic getting a front-row view too, astronomers say. in Spain has been sentenced to 70 years in prison, the Europa Press eclipse occurs when the Earth, light around the edge before ex- GMT, then move to Zambia and news agency reported on Thursday. Moon and Sun line up. iting on the other side, said Mo- the Congo just before the Sun age onto a second sheet. Nasa’s eclipse website recom- A court found the 44-year-old Spaniard guilty of sexual assault, But even when perfectly seley. sets and the light show ends. The gaps between tree leaves mends watching the weather unlawful detention and bodily harm, according to the report, which aligned, the Moon is too far from For people just outside the According to the Astronomi- make for a similar eff ect on the forecast a day or two before the cited a court document. Earth to completely block out the band of optimal viewing, the cal Society of Southern Africa ground, says the ASSA website, eclipse, and picking somewhere The man had terrorised the middle-class Ciudad Lineal Sun, creating instead the impres- phenomenon will appear as a (ASSA), the eclipse can be safely calling this “the coolest and saf- with a cloud-free prediction. neighbourhood of Madrid for months beginning in 2013. sion of a fi ery ring. ring thicker on one side than the observed using a basic pinhole est way to watch a solar eclipse”. “Good weather is the key to He was taken into custody in September 2014 in Santander, some At fi rst, it will look as if a other, said Moseley – “not sym- projector. To look at the Sun directly, one successful eclipse viewing – bet- 400km north of the capital, after a cellphone wiretap operation and “bite” has been taken out of the metrical, but still an amazing Punch a tiny hole in a piece of would need special glasses. ter to see a shorter eclipse from three days of surveillance. Sun, said Terry Moseley of the sight”. paper with a sharp pencil, hold it Weather is the only potential clear sky that a longer eclipse un- He had pleaded not guilty in spite of the presence of his DNA on the Irish Astronomical Association, Anyone further afi eld will un- into the Sun, and project the im- spoiler. der clouds,” it says. victims. French army grooming eagles to down drones

By Philippe Bernes-Lasserre, 24-month test programme, but AFP the initial feedback is positive. Mont-de-Marsan, France “The cost is very low con- sidering the job at hand,” said Commander Laurent, listing aced with the risk of drones strategic sites such as airports, being used to snoop or or events such as summits and Fcarry out attacks on French football tournaments, among soil, the air force is showing its those where the eagles could be claws. deployed. At Mont-de-Marsan in south- To prevent the birds from western France, a quartet of harming themselves on the job, fearsome golden eagles is being the military is designing mittens trained to take out unmanned of leather and Kevlar, an anti- aircraft in mid-fl ight. blast material, to protect their The roar of a departing Rafale talons. fi ghter jet gives way to the buzz “I love these birds,” Machou- of a drone lifting into the air on kow said. “I don’t want to send a runway at the air base, some A soldier trains a royal eagle during a military exercise at the Mont-de-Marsan airbase, southwestern France. Right: An eagle catches a drone in mid-flight. them to their death.” 130km south of Bordeaux. He cautions against setting Suddenly, a loud squawk fi lls characters in French novelist Al- January 2015, they are now sink- Police in The Netherlands At between 3-5kg it also hap- So when drones buzz above, “impossible” tasks for his charg- the air as a beady-eyed eagle exandre Dumas’s The Three Mus- ing their beaks into national se- were the fi rst to come up with the pens to weigh about the same as their hunting instinct kicks in, es, like launching them against bears down at breakneck speed keteers – being put through their curity. idea of using raptors to intercept most of the drones that could be with falconer Gerald Machoukow larger drones with potentially from a control tower 200m away. paces since mid-2016. “The results are encourag- drones, inducting bald eagles used for nefarious purposes – or rewarding every successful inter- deadly propellers. In about 20 seconds the raptor Mont-de-Marsan is one of fi ve ing. The eagles are making good into the service in late 2015. that simply go astray. ception with a hunk of meat. Commander Laurent agrees has the drone between its talons, air bases in France to boast a fal- progress,” said Commander The French army followed And an eagle is devastatingly The birds begin with fl ights in that the birds are part of a palette then pins it to the ground and conry. Christophe, who heads the air suit last year, but it opted for the fast, clocking 80kph as it swoops a straight line, graduating to div- of weapons available to the army covers it with its broad brown Usually, the birds of prey – safety squadron that is training golden eagle – a natural-born in for the kill. ing from a height. in countering the threat from wings. generally falcons or northern the plumed predators. killer with a hooked beak, am- Hatched in captivity, the four Soon they will be casting off drones – not a fi x-all solution. The drone has been destroyed: goshawks – are kept to scare Like all French military per- ber eyes and a wingspan of up to “musketeers” had their food from peaks in the nearby Pyr- But the air force is already Mission accomplished for birds away from the runway to sonnel, he off ers only his first 2.2m (7’). served atop wrecked drones from enees Mountains. smitten enough to have ordered a D’Artagnan. reduce the risk of accidents dur- name and rank to journalists. Like all birds of prey, the gold- the age of three weeks. The buzz around the project is second brood of eaglets. The valiant bird is one of four ing takeoff or landing. He says the birds are perform- en eagle has excellent eyesight, Thanks to this technique, the palpable. Mont-de-Marsan expects to feathered fi ghters – along with But with France on alert after ing three to four months ahead of capable of spotting its target birds very quickly began to seize A fi rst progress report is due welcome four more future avia- Athos, Porthos and Aramis, all a series of Islamist attacks since projections. from 2km away. remotely piloted aircraft for food. in June, halfway through the tor eagles by the summer. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 19 EUROPE

Scientists to test 50 coral reefs Premier Rutte promises for ways to limit to defend Dutch values damage AFP penetrating cold drizzle, Rutte the numbers limited,” he said. Wormerveer, Netherlands patiently answered questions There would always be a place from curious shoppers in the for those fl eeing war “but we Reuters tiny left-leaning central town of have to be very clear about what Oslo utch Prime Minister Wormerveer. kind of country we are”. Mark Rutte hit the cam- He posed for selfi es, shook Wilders has vowed to close Dpaign trail yesterday, hands with young and old and Dutch borders to Muslim refu- cean scientists will pick vowing to defend Dutch values even helped a woman load her gees, to ban sales of the Qur’an 50 coral reefs world- as he seeks to drain support from shopping into the trunk of her and to close mosques – a mes- Owide to test ways to limit his far-right rival Geert Wilders car. sage which has found favour damage from climate change, amid a polarising debate over Some 28 parties are running in with a growing number of vot- pollution and over-fi shing that immigration. the elections. ers on the back of Europe’s worst threatens to wipe out 90% of all “The VVD makes the best cof- And amid the country’s frac- refugee crisis since World War reefs by 2050, according to a plan fee,” Rutte sang out, as he gath- tured political landscape, all II. launched on Thursday. ered people around a food truck eyes are on who will emerge in In recent weeks, taking a line Last year was the warmest on handing out hot drinks to talk pole position to form the next from Wilders, Rutte has tough- record the third time in a row, politics and promote his Liberal coalition – which analysts pre- ened his tone on immigrants, damaging corals from Australia’s party’s policies. dict could include up to fi ve par- urging citizens to integrate and Great Barrier Reef to the Carib- After six years in power at the ties. adapt to Dutch values or leave. bean, a loss for fragile species head of two coalition govern- “We are living in very unsta- The latest aggregate polling and a threat to coastal econo- ments, Rutte is fending off a bit- ble and insecure times. My main survey showed Wilders’s Free- mies in the magnitude of billions ing challenge from Dutch anti- task as prime minister is to keep dom Party would garner 24 to of dollars. Islam MP Wilders in the March this country safe and stable,” 28 seats with Rutte’s VVD set to An alliance of scientists, con- 15 elections. Rutte told AFP, among a small capture between 23 to 27 seats. servationists and philanthro- His party is running neck- knot of journalists. “That means But forming a government pists said that experts will se- and-neck with Wilders’s Free- that we have to reorganise the after the elections could prove lect 50 reefs around the globe dom Party (PVV) in the race for European Union, make Nato tricky as many of the par- thought the year 2017 and then control of the 150-seat lower work better for all of us, invest in ties have refused to work with Rutte poses for a ‘selfie’ with locals in Wormerveer as he campaigns for re-election ahead of the March test conservation techniques house of parliament. our defence.” Wilders. 15 vote. that will be extended elsewhere After Brexit and Donald But amid a polarising debate “The distance between the if successful. Trump’s election victory in the over immigration, he also argued government and people … with can look back in history and we receive death threats including cially for her elderly parents. “There’s been a lot of work United States, the Dutch polls that the country’s 17mn people weak social background is enor- can see the same developments”. from Islamic State and Al Qaeda, She admitted she still re- on identifying the train crash are seen as a litmus test of the wanted to see The Netherlands mous,” said retired businessman Wilders had been due to cam- and he is guarded at all times. mained on the fence, but ac- (for corals) but very little about rise of populism ahead of other defend its values. Wim Verhoeven, 70, adding that paign in his nearby stronghold Immigration was also an im- knowledged that she was con- ‘let’s not let this happen’,” said European elections this year, “For example on immigration, the elections were a “tense mo- of Volendam yesterday, but was portant issue for Selma van cerned about Wilders’s rising Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, director notably in France and Germany. for refugees we will always have ment” in the country’s history. forced to cancel amid security Kleef, 57, who with her daughter popularity. of the Global Change Institute Dressed in jeans and a blue a warm welcome, but not too There is “a lot of polarisation”, fears. Sara, 28, also quizzed the prime “He splits the people,” she at the University of Queensland weatherproof jacket against the many please. We have to keep he told AFP, warning that “we His views have seen Wilders minister about healthcare, espe- said. and one of the leaders of the “50 Reefs” project. “We can change the course” of coral losses, he told Reuters in a telephone interview, adding the plan was the fi rst global attempt to safeguard corals beyond na- Legal probe ups pressure tional measures. Methods could include no- fi shing zones, cutting pollution in coastal seas, fi nding ways to eradicate non-native fi sh spe- on Fillon’s election bid cies or limits on scuba-diving tourism. The reefs to be chosen for AFP leader Marine Le Pen has been study are likely to be vulnerable Paris bolstered by the scandal and has ones with a wide variety of ma- overtaken Fillon in the polls over rine life. the past month. Many people wrongly asso- French prosecutors’ de- But Le Pen is facing her own ciate climate change only with cision to launch a full ju- expenses scandal, and yester- heatwaves, storms and wildfi res Adicial inquiry into claims day news broke that a close on land, Michael Bloomberg, that presidential candidate confi dant had been charged in a the UN secretary general’s spe- Francois Fillon paid his family separate matter with making an cial envoy for cities and climate for fake jobs leaves him facing a illegal loan to her party. change, said in a statement fraught two months before elec- The latest surveys before the about the project. tions, commentators said yes- prosecutors’ decision on Fillon “Some of the most disastrous terday. showed he had regained ground eff ects of climate change are out Fillon, who was previously and was neck-and-neck with of sight – on the ocean fl oor. In leading the race as the right- 39-year-old centrist candidate fact, unless we take urgent ac- wing standard bearer, will be in- Emmanuel Macron in second tion, 90% of coral reefs are ex- vestigated by three magistrates place. pected to disappear by 2050,” he over allegations of embezzling Fillon denies wrongdoing but said. public funds and misappropri- has said he would drop out of the Le Pen: facing her own expenses scandal. Fillon: a full investigation represents ‘surge in the pressure’ on him. Warm waters can “bleach” ating corporate assets, prosecu- race if he is charged, although he corals by driving away algae that tors said on Friday. later appeared to backtrack and not have a pass to the National The Fillons have argued that the most votes in the fi rst round, fi dant Frederic Chatillon, who give the reefs their bright col- The 62-year-old former said he would put his fate in the Assembly building. Penelope was legitimately em- polls currently show she would heads a company called Riwal ours. prime minister has already been hands of voters. Lawyers for the couple said ployed and the couple’s lawyers be beaten by either Fillon or Ma- that did communications work Reefs can sometimes gradu- the subject of a preliminary The devout Catholic won the they were confi dent the inves- say they have provided proof of cron in the all-important run- for party candidates. ally recover from short-term probe. conservative nomination by tigators would fi nd them “inno- the work she did. off on May 7. Prosecutors allege Chatillon bleachings. An editorial in Le Parisien campaigning as a “clean” candi- cent, at last”. The claims had taken a toll on The FN leader is facing her used Riwal to make a loan to FN “The latest bleaching has been newspaper yesterday said the date unsullied by the scandals of The Canard Enchaine has al- Fillon’s standings in the polls, own fake jobs scandal. satellite group Jeanne, which the worst die-off ever record- move to a full investigation rep- his rivals. leged Fillon’s wife was also paid but this week surveys showed Her personal assistant was would be illegal because com- ed,” Richard Vevers, founder of resented a “surge in the pres- However, since January he has tens of thousands of euros by he had regained ground and was charged on Wednesday over al- panies are forbidden from con- the Ocean Agency, a non-profi t sure” on Fillon. been fi ghting claims by Le Ca- a literary review, the Revue des neck-and-neck with 39-year- legations that she was unlaw- tributing to political parties in Australian group supporting the The left-wing Liberation said nard Enchaine newspaper that Deux Mondes, owned by her old centrist candidate Em- fully paid from funds that Le Pen France. project, told Reuters. that he now faces a “perilous he used allowances to pay his husband’s billionaire friend, manuel Macron as they fi ght for receives from the European Par- The presidential race remains One in four types of fi sh spend period, both legally and politi- British-born wife Penelope at Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere. second place. liament, where she has a seat. highly uncertain with the unsta- part of their lives at reefs that are cally”. least €680,000 ($720,000) over Magistrates will investigate Macron, a former economy Le Pen on Friday refused to ble international picture – from estimated to be worth between With the fi rst round of the some 15 years as a parliamentary whether this amounts to misap- minister, has surged from out- attend questioning by anti-cor- US President Donald Trump and $300bn and $400bn each year in election set for April 23, the tim- aide. propriation of corporate assets. sider to a frontrunner but faces ruption investigators, saying she Brexit to the surge of right-wing terms of livelihoods from tour- ing of the magistrates’ decision Although French lawmak- The paper also reported that constant criticism from rivals would only speak to them after nationalism in countries such as ism, fi sheries and medicines, the could have a signifi cant bearing ers are allowed to employ fam- two of Fillon’s children were that his policy platform is too the election. the Netherlands – is mirrored by 50 Reefs project said in a state- on the outcome. ily members, it is unclear what paid as parliamentary advisers vague. Then yesterday news broke of an anti-establishment mood in ment. Far-right National Front (FN) work Penelope did and she did for brief periods. While Le Pen is forecast to win criminal charges for Le Pen con- France. Turkish PM seeks backing for ‘strong, stable’ Turkey in April vote

Reuters mocracy with a powerful executive Yildirim said, saying Kurdish mili- He won the largely ceremonial Ankara presidency is seen by Erdogan sup- tants, Islamic State and supporters post of president in 2014 and pushed porters as a guarantee of stability, of the US-based cleric accused of or- its powers to the limit. preventing a return to the fragile co- chestrating the failed coup all sought The reforms could keep him in of- urkey’s prime minister called alitions of previous decades. a “No” vote. fi ce until 2029. on voters yesterday to back But opponents fear a surge in au- Erdogan has said voting against The legislation enables the presi- Ta change to the constitution thoritarianism. the change means siding with sup- dent to issue decrees, declare emer- in an April referendum that would Tens of thousands of people have porters of terrorism, but Yildirim gency rule, appoint ministers and greatly strengthen President Recep already been detained and more sought to assuage concerns about a top state offi cials and dissolve parlia- Tayyip Erdogan’s powers, portraying than 100,000 public sector workers divisive campaign, saying the AKP ment. the reform as a vote for stability. suspended or dismissed since an at- aimed to unite rather than polarise The two largest opposition parties Thousands of ruling AK Party tempted coup last July. and would reach out to opposition say the proposals would remove the members waved Turkish fl ags and The Nato member of 80mn people supporters. balances to the already considerable rallying songs resounded around a will vote on the reform in a plebiscite The nationalist MHP opposition infl uence Erdogan wields over gov- packed sports arena in the capital as on April 16, with a simple majority supports the reform. ernment. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim hand- needed to approve legislation passed Erdogan, the most popular but also Uncertainty generated by the po- ed out red carnations and kicked off by parliament in January and rubber- most divisive politician in modern litical overhaul has worried investors the campaign for a Yes vote in April. stamped by Erdogan last month. Turkish history, has long cast him- already unnerved by a slowing econ- “There is a rising voice from the Erdogan says an overhauled po- self as the champion of ordinary, pi- omy, a volatile lira and a deteriorat- town squares: for a strong Turkey, litical system is needed to tackle un- ous Turks exploited by a secular elite. ing security environment. for lasting stability our decision is...” precedented security threats, from a But some pollsters and people But Yildirim said the reform would Yildirim called out earlier to thou- series of Islamic State (IS) and Kurd- close to the AK Party now think his provide an economic boost. sands who couldn’t get into the full ish militant bombings to the putsch polarising rhetoric risks scaring off “With the new system, the econo- stadium, eliciting the shouted re- during which rogue soldiers killed at moderate voters in April. my will advance on a stronger, more This handout photo released by the Turkish Prime Minister’s Press Off ice shows Yildirim sponse “Yes”. least 240 people. The AKP, which Erdogan founded, solid and healthier basis. With sta- giving a speech during a public meeting yesterday at Ankara’s Arena to garner support for The bid to replace the EU candi- “The new system will bring the has been in power since 2002, and he bility, investment, production and an April referendum on boosting the Turkish president’s powers. date country’s parliamentary de- end of terror, it will destroy terror,” became prime minister in 2003. employment will increase,” he said. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, February 26, 2017 INDIA Jats to mark ‘Black Day’

IANS Chandigarh

ven as their protest com- pleted 28 days yesterday, Ethe Jat community has de- cided to observe ‘Black Day’ today. Jat community leaders, under the aegis of the All India Jat Aar- akshan Sangharsh Samiti (AI- JASS), have decided to observe ‘Black Day’ to protest against their demands not being imple- mented by Haryana’s BJP gov- ernment. Authorities in Haryana said yesterday they have geared up to face any situation resulting from the ongoing Jat agitation. Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Ram Niwas said: “We have ordered district offi cials to maintain law and order. They have been directed to ensure that life is not aff ected and traffi c on roads and highways is not dis- rupted.” “Adequate para-military forc- es have been stationed,” he said. He said, if need be, the traf- fi c would be diverted at some places. “DCs (Deputy Commission- ers) and SPs (Superintendent of Police) are in touch with Jat lead- ers to see where traffi c has to be diverted,” Ram Niwas said. He said that parleys were be- ing held with Jat leaders on the issues raised by them and these were being examined by the gov- ernment. Talks between the state gov- ernment and Jat leaders hit a roadblock on Tuesday as the Haryana government made it clear that it has no jurisdiction People pay tribute to Hyderabad engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Kolkata yesterday. to withdraw cases being inves- tigated by the CBI against Jat leaders over violence during the agitation last year. Withdrawal of cases, includ- ing those on sedition charges, against Jat leaders is one of the eight demands of the Jat com- munity, which has been agitat- ing in Haryana since January 29. Slain techie’s wife wants The Jat leadership had held its second round of talks with a high-level panel of offi cers, led by Haryana Chief Secretary D S Dhesi, in Panipat on Monday. The talks had remained incon- clusive even though the Haryana government led by Chief Min- answers from US govt ister Manohar Lal Khattar had agreed to accept some of their IANS pers of some kind of shooting happen- miss her own concerns that some peo- attempted fi rst-degree murder in the In a statement, embassy spokesman demands regarding enhance- Hyderabad ing...And we always wondered, how ple viewed them warily because of their shootings of Madasani and Grillot. Pratik Mathur said the Indian consulate ment of compensation for those safe are we?” ethnicity. Purinton reportedly got into an argu- in Houston is in close contact with the injured in the Jat agitation vio- Of the two of them, she said, she was “He would assure me that only good ment with the victims and hurled racial family of Kuchibhotla. lence last year. he wife of slain Indian engineer most concerned, asking her reassur- things happen to good people,” Dumala slurs. “In their hour of grief, we are provid- Haryana’s Advocate General Srinivas Kuchibhotla has pub- ing husband: “Are we doing the right said. He yelled “get out of my country” and ing all help and assistance to the be- has told the Jat leaders that the Tlicly sought answers to what she thing of staying in the United States of Mourners fi lled the First Baptist “terrorist” before shooting them. reaved family. Arrangements are being cases being investigated by the perceived was a spread in American America?” Church of Olathe in Kansas state on White House Press Secretary Sean made to transport his mortal remains to CBI could not be withdrawn by hate crimes as mourners held a vigil at The body of Hyderabad engineer will Friday for a vigil for the victims of the Spicer called the shooting tragic, but India.” the Haryana government. a local church for the victims of the bar arrive home tomorrow. shooting. did not mention it was a hate crime, He said that government offi cials had The Jat community mem- shooting in which her husband died. Dumala said that she wanted to come “Love each other” was the overarch- saying it was too early for the adminis- also met the injured Alok Madasani and bers have been holding protests Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and his back to their home in south Olathe, ing theme as visitors were greeted with tration to attach such motivations while are ensuring his well-being. across Haryana in support of colleague Alok Madasani was injured fulfi lling her husband’s wishes for an solemn but spirit-fi lled musical num- the investigation was underway. The US government while condemn- their demands. in an apparent hate crime, when Adam American life and “me being successful bers before prayers were off ered for the “Obviously, any loss of life is tragic, ing the attack, has assured us that they Their demands include reser- W Purinton, a white who served in the in any fi eld I choose”, Kansas City Star families of Kuchibhotla, Madasani and but I’m not going to get into, like, to are conducting a thorough investigation vation for Jats, jobs to the next US Navy, shot them at the Austins Bar newspaper reported. Ian Grillot. suggest that there’s any correlation I into the matter, the statement said. of kin of those killed in violence & Grill in Olathe, Kansas state, earlier But before making that decision, “I Grillot, an American who tried to think is a bit absurd. In a statement, US Congressman Raja in the Jat agitation last year, this week. need an answer,” she said. “I need an save the Indians, remained hospitalised So I’m not going to go any further Krishnamoorthi, who represents Illi- compensation to those injured, “I have a question in my mind: Do we answer from the government....What in fair condition. than that,” Spicer said as he dismissed nois’ 8th Congressional District, said withdrawal of cases against belong here,” Sunayana Dumala asked are they going to do to stop this hate He was hit by a bullet that pierced his that the incident was linked to Trump’s the shooting incident appeared to be them and action against offi cers at a news conference on Friday at the crime?” hand and then lodged in his chest. stance on immigrants. “an act of hatred”. who ordered action against the headquarters of electronics manu- Dumala said that the couple were Authorities on Thursday charged Pu- The Indian embassy in Washington “We must address the tide of hate in Jats, among others. facturer Garmin, where Kuchibhotla planning on having children when he rinton, 51, with fi rst-degree murder in said it is closely monitoring the tragic our nation to prevent more of the at- Violence during the agitation worked as an aviation systems engineer. was murdered. Kuchibhotla’s death. incident in Kansas and providing all help tacks we have witnessed, including yes- last year left 30 people dead and “We’ve read many times in newspa- She said her husband also would dis- He also is charged with two counts of and assistance to Kuchibhotla’s family. terday’s shooting in Kansas,” he said. over 200 injured. Kerala fi lm actor back at work after sex assault

By Ashraf Padanna tion from someone from the pro- Soon all other male stars, in- cases of molestation. Crimes on by Suni alone, while media re- she also knew..that she had to see “NEVER AGAIN..never again Thiruvananthapuram duction unit, Prithviraj politely cluding Mammootty, Mohanlal children also increased to 2,899 ports quoting police sources said it through...for that would set an will I let disrespect for women asked them to spare her from and Dileep, joined the protests from 2,384, including 926 rapes there was a larger conspiracy. example..light a torch that will be celebrated in my movies! further embarrassment. both online and in public. and 31 murders. The defence counsel also cited show a path for many to follow! Yes..I’m an actor, and this is he Kerala star, sexually as- “She cannot talk, both legally The police held the attacker, Women say they could not go his statement to oppose the cus- Today she makes a statement.” my craft! I will wholeheartedly saulted in a moving car in and otherwise. For myself and as notorious as Pulsar Suni, from a out without a male companion at tody demand of the police who The actor had in his earlier post trudge the grey and black with Tthe busy port city of Kochi her friend, please, there should court in the city where he arrived night. argued there was a plot to be un- said she had called him to say she characters that possess un- last week, is back into fi lms. not be a media ambush,” he told to surrender almost a week later. “Look at the profi les of the ravelled. was pulling out of the project. hinged moral compasses...but I Encouraged by co-star Prith- them before she arrived. Separately, local legislator PT victims. They include three- “Today..she makes a But he insisted on her to act in will never let these men be glori- viraj Sukumaran, she joined him “I’ll always be obliged if you Thomas, who rushed to the home year-old to grandmas, laypeople statement..a statement that will the female lead, which is as pow- fi ed or their actions justifi ed on on the sets of Adam which began do not create an atmosphere with of director Lal where the actor to celebrities. Nobody is safe in echo through time, space and erful as the hero of the fi lm. screen.” shooting in Fort Cochin yester- all your 40 cameras around her. I took refuge after the assault for the state,” said Thomas. gender..that no one or no inci- He also vowed not to act in Adam is the directorial debut day morning. believe you have that goodness in nearly two hours, began a 24- “The policing should get bet- dent has control over your life fi lms that celebrate misogyny. of scriptwriter Jinu Abraham Also in the day, she identifi ed you.” hour fast against increasing at- ter, and all the culprits brought to but YOU!” Prithviraj wrote on “And to those voices, I apolo- which also has Narain and Rahul her tormentors during a parade The incident on February 17 tacks on women. book. But by ruling out external Facebook on Friday, announcing gise..for at an age and time when Madhav in pivotal roles, besides after a court left them to the po- evening had left the entertain- The southern state, which involvement, the chief minister the shooting. I wasn’t wise enough..I have Siddique, Jaya Menon and Baby lice custody for eight days. ment industry in deafening si- boasts of high literacy and qual- (Pinarayi Vijayan) was limiting “Behind the gutsy spunk, there been part of fi lms that celebrated Abida Hussain. She avoided media on both oc- lence until the young star took ity of life, has seen a steep rise the scope of the investigation.” is a vulnerable celebrity who misogyny..I have mouthed lines The 30-year-old award-win- casions. to the Facebook to praise his in crimes against women, from Vijayan had the other day as- knew well enough what this de- that vilifi ed regard for your self- ning star has some 75 fi lms in the Though reporters were waiting friend’s courage and expressing 12,385 in 2015 to 14,061 in 2016, serted that the abduction and as- cision of hers would mean to a respect, and I have taken a bow four southern Indian languages on the sets, apparently on invita- solidarity. including 1,644 rapes and 4,035 sault were planned and executed life under constant scrutiny. But to the claps that ensued,” he said. to her credit. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 21 INDIA Naga accord will not compromise Manipur integrity, assures Modi

IANS do they deserve to be here now?” Modi asked. Imphal He added: “The corruption that took place in Manipur in last the 15 years will be exposed by our government.” mid rising concerns over the Naga ac- Modi also highlighted various welfare cord, Prime Minister Narendra Modi schemes the NDA government has taken up for Ayesterday assured Manipur that there is the sake of the poor sections of people. not “a single word” in the 2015 agreement that Hitting out at the Ibobi government, he said: would compromise the territory of the north- “There is cash for jobs scam in the state. There eastern state. are diff erent rates for diff erent categories of He also said a BJP government would ac- jobs. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar formally opens the ‘Incessant Ganga’ conference in Patna. complish works in 15 months that the Congress Because of power shortage there is no indus- “took 15 years to do”. try in the state.” Speaking at an election meeting at Lan- Extolling the sportspersons of the state who jing Achiuba in Imphal West district, Modi have brought laurels from home and abroad said: “The Congress government in Manipur Modi said that a fund was sanctioned for the has been sleeping since 2015. The framework sports university. agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 and He also accused the Ibobi government of now the state government is raking up the issue driving a wedge among the communities in the with the election in view. Chief Minister Okram state for political gains. Nitish rejects Ganga Ibobi Singh and others have been spreading lies “Those who cannot ensure peace in the state to the people on the issue.” have no right to govern Manipur. They made “The Congress government has not done brothers fi ght each other in the state,” he add- anything for the youths,” he said during his ed. 53-minute speech. During blockades and other disruptions the The Corcom, the apex body of the six in- black marketeers get benefi ts, he said, and ac- surgent groups, has imposed a total shutdown cused the Congress of being hand in glove with waterways project from 6am against the prime minister’s meet- such elements. ing. “If northeast India does not progress, the IANS because it is not in the interest of He also fl ayed the idea of con- ways project is a dangerous one. Normal life was thrown out of gear and at- country’s progress will not be complete. When Patna Bihar and the country, as it will structing riverine ports along the I appeal to Nitish Kumar not to tendance at the rally was thin even by Ma- Atalji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) formed the gov- pose serious danger to the river river. give clearance for such project in nipur’s standard. ernment, he made policies for overall develop- Ganga, which is already fi ghting Bihar Water Resources Minister Bihar.” Modi held the state government responsible ment of the region. But Congress did not carry ihar Chief Minister Nitish for its survival.” Lalan Singh earlier said the state When constructed, the pro- for the continuing economic blockade and as- forward the good work,” he added. Kumar yesterday publicly The chief minister said the up- government will not approve the posed Allahabad to Haldia nation- sured that once a Bharatiya Janata Party gov- The prime minister said the BJP has a soft Bannounced that he and his stream of the river is already in bad inland waterways plan. al waterways will be the longest ernment is formed in Manipur there will be no corner for the people of the North East region government are against the cen- shape and now the central govern- “We have made it clear that Bi- one in the country, with a distance more blockade. and that added that apart from creating a sepa- tral government’s proposed Alla- ment’s plan will destroy its down- har will oppose it and will not al- of 1,620km. He also said the state government is not tak- rate ministry for the region all ministries were habad-Haldia national inland wa- stream as well. low it,” he said. The project will not only prove ing up eff ective steps to end the blockade. directed to spend money for the NE. terways project on the river Ganga For the proposed project, a se- The construction of waterways good for transportation of goods “The Centre is ready to give all assistances Security measures were tightened in Ma- via the state. ries of barrages would have to be would create huge siltation in the but also for river cruises. to end the blockade. The Congress government nipur ahead of the visit in view of the shutdown “We are against the national in- constructed, which will be a big river due to the construction of The project envisages construc- which has caused hardships to the people does imposed by the insurgents. land waterways project and would hurdle for an incessant Ganga, he ports, which would increase the tion of permanent and fl oating not have the right to stick to power.” However, there was no untoward incident. oppose it if the central govern- said. chances of various Bihar cities terminals at various places in Ut- “Unity of Manipur, welfare of its people All educational institutions were closed. ment goes ahead with it,” Nitish “If dredging is done for the na- getting aff ected with floods, the tar Pradesh, Bihar and West Ben- and development of the state is our only goal. Market places and other facilities were de- Kumar said at an international tional inland waterways project, minister said. gal. You gave them (Congress) 15 years, give us fi ve serted and vehicles were off the road. conference on “Incessant Ganga” it is bound to destroy this river. I Nitish Kumar was backed by the Gadkari has repeatedly claimed years. I assure you we’ll complete the pending Attendance in the offi ces was almost nil. here, attended by water, river and strongly fear that the river Gan- “Water Man of India”, Rajendra that Bihar will benefi t from the work in 15 months,” he said. The state assembly elections were scheduled environment experts from India ga will become extinct for such Singh. inland waterways project that will “Manipur has been ruined in 15 years. Who to be held in two phases — March 4 and 8 — to and abroad. moves, as it will create more prob- “Union Minister Nitin Gad- facilitate transportation of cargo is responsible? Congress did no development, elect 60 members. He said: “We will not accept lems for an incessant Ganga,” Nit- kari’s plan of dredging of the river between Haldia and Allahabad via national inland waterways project ish Kumar said. Ganga for national inland water- Patna.

Congress divided on supporting Shiv Sena for Mumbai mayor

IANS divisive policies, and people will ashtra Congress to prop up the ernment, then we can consider Mumbai not spare us if we attempt to Shiv Sena for bagging the crucial ahead, so let them fi rst decide,” align with them,” Kamat said in a post of Mayor if its tie-up with Chavan said. strongly-worded statement. the BJP failed to materialise. In the 227-seat BMC house, erious diff erences emerged “I have also informed Con- State Congress President Ashok the Shiv Sena emerged as the yesterday in the Congress gress Vice-President Rahul Gan- Chavan and senior party leader biggest party with 84 seats, but Sparty over the issue of ex- dhi of my (this) opinion. I take Narayan Rane have already indi- is barely a nose ahead of the BJP tending support to the Shiv Sena strong objection to any discus- cated an open mind on the issue. which has won 82 seats. for the post of mayor after a hung sion even, of having any tie-up or “Is the Shiv Sena an enemy? The third in queue is Congress house was thrown up in the re- indirect support to the Shiv Sena No, there are no enemies in poli- with 31, Nationalist Congress cent elections to the country’s in the BMC,” the former federal tics, that is my view,” Chavan Party with nine, Maharashtra richest civic body, the Brihan- minister added. said. Navnirman Sena with seven, Sa- Mumbai Municipal Corporation. He said it should be left to the However, he added that the majwadi Party with six, All India AICC general secretary and Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Congress was not committing Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen seniormost Congress leader Gu- Party (BJP) to sort out their prob- anything and is “waiting and with two, one from a local party, rudas Kamat raised “strong ob- lems and in the process “expose watching the unfolding situa- besides fi ve independents. jections” to even any discussion themselves and their lust for tion”. While Sena has secured sup- of a tie-up or indirect support to power”. “We have to bear in mind that port of four independents whose the Shiv Sena in the BMC. Kamat’s bombshell came a day Shiv Sena is also in alliance with names have been declared, the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son and Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray walk after a meeting “We have fought against both after back-end eff orts were be- BJP in Maharashtra and at the BJP also claims the backing of with the party’s 88 corporaters in Mumbai yesterday. saff ron parties all along for their lieved to be underway in Mahar- Centre. If they leave the gov- four unknown independents.

Campaigning ends for Festival rituals Odisha assembly slams fi fth phase of UP polls Modi’s poverty jibe

IANS lodging of FIR in a gang-rape IANS statue in the assembly premis- Lucknow case. Bhubaneswar es protesting the remark. The Bharatiya Janata Party They also created commo- (BJP) has named Garima Singh, tion in the House over the is- ampaigning for the fi fth the fi rst wife of Sanjay Singh. emanding an apology sue. phase of assembly elec- Voting will also be held in from Prime Minister Panchayati Raj minister Ctions in Uttar Pradesh Bahraich, Shravasti, Basti, DNarendra Modi for his Arun Sahu said the prime min- drew to a close yesterday Siddharthnagar, Balrampur, remark over poverty in Odi- ister should beg apology for evening. Ambedkar Nagar, Gonda, Faiza- sha, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and insulting the people of Odisha. Polling for 51 seats across 11 bad, Sant Kabir Nagar and Congress members created a However, Bharatiya Janata districts will be held on February Sultanpur. ruckus in the state Assembly Party (BJP) member Pradip 27, in which 18.4mn voters will Sultanpur is the parliamentary yesterday. Purohit said Modi has said cast their votes including 9.6mn constituency of BJP MP Varun Following the pandemonium, nothing wrong. women. Gandhi, who has been conspicu- Speaker Niranjan Pujari ad- “Modi has said nothing Among the prominent seats ously absence from the cam- journed the house several times. wrong on Odisha. It is obvious where polling will be held are paigning this time. As soon as the House as- that if a party ruling for more Amethi, the parliamentary con- Polling will not be held on a sembled for the day, Congress than 17 years is told about its stituency of Congress vice presi- seat in Ambedkar Nagar as the chief Tara Prasad Bahinipati incompetence, it will hit back,” dent Rahul Gandhi. SP candidate from here Chan- along with other party mem- Purohit told the media here. While the Congress is in an al- drashekhar Kannaujia had died bers rushed to the well shout- While addressing an election liance with the ruling Samajwadi during the campaigning. ing slogans against the Prime rally in Uttar Pradesh, Modi on Party (SP) for the state polls, Voting will now be held here Minister’s remarks and alleged Friday said: “There is so much both parties have fi elded candi- on March 9. Modi’s statement was an insult poverty in Odisha that if you dates in Amethi. All political parties tried to to the people of Odisha. search for the poorest districts The Congress has fi elded put their best in the last round “The remark of the Prime in the country, you will fi nd Ameeta Singh, wife of Rajya of campaigning, with Chief Minister has insulted Odisha. them in this state. I am sure if Sabha member Sanjay Singh, Minister Akhilesh Yadav, BSP He should beg apology to the the poor people of Odisha have while the SP has pinned its chief Mayawati and senior BJP people of the state,” said Bahi- stepped forward in support of hopes on tainted minister Gay- leaders seeking votes and sup- Devotees perform rituals on the banks of river Periyar on Mahashivratri at Aluva in Kochi nipati. the BJP, nothing will remain atri Prajapati, against whom the port for their respective candi- yesterday. BJD members staged a dhar- for other parties in the coming Supreme Court recently ordered dates. na near the Mahatma Gandhi days.” Gulf Times 22 Sunday, February 26, 2017 LATIN AMERICA Mexico warns of tariff s, spurns US aid

Reuters Videgaray said the trade strat- Mexico City egy would replicate a 2009 cam- paign of retaliatory tariff s that helped Mexico win a dispute n emboldened Mexico with the United States. hardened its opposition to On Wednesday, the minis- APresident Donald Trump ter mentioned Iowa, Texas and on Friday by saying it would re- Wisconsin as states that could be taliate if the United States im- targeted in a conversation with posed a border tax and that it can lawmakers leaked to two news- aff ord to lose fi nancial aid that papers. might be pulled to pay for a bor- “This is not our preference,” der wall. he said. “Mexico believes in free Foreign Minister Luis Videga- trade.” ray said Mexico could respond to A US executive order on Janu- any tax the United States were to ary 25 that mandated the con- unilaterally impose on imports struction of a border wall also from its southern neighbour to required government agencies fi nance the wall with levies on to report the fi nancial assist- select goods, aimed at US re- ance they gave Mexico in the past gions most dependent on exports fi ve years, leading to speculation south of the border. Trump wants to redirect the aid Revellers of the Academicos do Tucuruvi samba school perform during the first night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo. “Without a doubt, we have to pay for its construction. that possibility, and what we Osorio Chong said on Friday cannot do is remain with our that Mexico had no need for such arms crossed,” Videgaray said in fi nancial aid from the United a radio interview. States, signalling that it would “The Mexican government not come close to paying for the estimated $21.6bn cost of the Rio mayor skips wild carnival start would have to respond.” The statements by Videgaray wall. and Interior Minister Miguel Angel Like in other middle-income AFP Brazil faces almost lost decade due to crisis with us,” said Sueli, who only gave her Osorio Chong, who minimized the emerging economies, many in Rio de Janeiro fi rst name. potential impact of the rumoured Mexico consider it humiliating to Brazil is likely to suff er nearly a lost decade The economy is expected to resume The family that guards the carnival key loss of US security aid, toughened take aid from wealthy countries. of economic development with living growth this year at a slow pace of around during the rest of the year tried to hide its the defi ant tone from Mexico since A large part of US aid to Mexico he decision by Rio de Janeiro’s standards not returning to pre-crisis levels 0.5% after being pummelled by weak com- disappointment during the long wait. President Enrique Pena Nieto last comes through the Plan Merida deeply religious new mayor to until around 2022, economists said on modities prices and political fallout from But frustration spilled over. month cancelled a trip to meet programme, under which the US Tskip the traditional opening of the Friday. the graft scandal at state oil firm Petrobras. “If he doesn’t like carnivals, then all he Trump over the wall dispute. Congress allocated $2.6bn to se- world’s most famous carnival overshad- Brazil’s slow recovery from its worst- Since the recession began in 2014, GDP has to do is come here, give the key to Rei Mexicans are angry at Trump’s curity assistance between 2008 owed the party on its opening night Friday. ever recession means it will be another per capita has fallen 9.6%, said Julio Mereb, Momo, and say ‘right, from now on any calls for US fi rms not to invest and 2016. Carnival organisers resplendent in five years until per-capita gross domestic an economist with think tank Getulio problems are for him to solve,’ and then south of the border, insults to Of that, $1.6bn had been dis- white samba dancing outfi ts, stilt walkers product — a measure of a country’s living Vargas Foundation. he can leave!” family member Mauricio immigrants and threats to make bursed by November 2016, ac- and the Rio municipal brass band stood standards — returns to where it stood in Economists like Alessandra Ribeiro, a George de Jesus, 57, told AFP. Mexico fi nance the border wall. cording to the US Congressional waiting for two and a half hours in the 2013 before the crisis hit, said economist partner with consultancy firm Tendencias, The fi rst samba parades were getting The peso currency has weak- Research Service. Sambodromo stadium where the may- Bruno Lavieri. do not expect the indicator to return to its underway Friday at the Sambodromo and ened on concerns he will hurt “When they realize what’s left or was meant to give the carnival king, “It’s almost a lost decade,” Lavieri of record 2013 level of 30,800 reais ($9,903) were to climax in the elite contests run- Latin America’s No 2 economy. of Merida, they will understand known as Rei Momo, the ceremonial key consultancy firm 4E told Reuters. until 2023. ning through today and tomorrow nights Pena Nieto had faced criticism that it’s not even that signifi - to the city. Latin America’s largest economy Off ice clerk Andréia Zanetti, 34, is in front of 70,000 cheering and singing he was too accommodating with cant,” Osorio Chong told local Crivella — a bishop in the evangelical probably contracted more than 3% for a among Brazilians who have felt a dramatic fans. Trump but got a much needed radio. Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, second straight year in 2016, according to fall in income. The chance to have fun can’t come ratings boost after cancelling the “We don’t object to them founded by his billionaire uncle — never a Reuters poll on expectations for off icial She spent seven months looking for a soon enough for Rio, which is reeling summit. moving these resources...Mexico came. growth figures due out on March 7. job and agreed to earn about half of what from a cocktail of crises that make the A plan to deport third-country now has its own capabilities,” he Finally, the city culture secretary ar- Prospects of a lost decade raise the she used to before unemployment. glory days of hosting South America’s nationals to Mexico fuelled out- said. rived to do the ceremony, offi cially start- stakes for President Michel Temer and his “I had to change shopping habits, fi rst Olympic Games six months ago feel rage this week. The US Customs and Border ing Rio’s biggest annual event, drawing ambitious agenda of economic reforms, stopped having lunch and dinner out and light years away. Mexican offi cials were publicly Protection agency said on Fri- 1mn tourists to wild dancing, drinking seen by many analysts as the only way for canceled my landline phone,” she told Crime is on the rise and 9,000 troops blunt with US Secretary of State day it will accept proposals next and a panoply of exotic, often barely there Brazil to boost productivity and grow at a Reuters. “I’ve even switched my son’s milk were deployed on the streets in the runup Rex Tillerson and Homeland Se- month for the design of Trump’s costumes. sustainable rate in the future. to a cheaper brand.” to the carnival after relatives of police of- curity John Kelly over Trump’s wall, a fi rst step in picking ven- There had been rumours for days that fi cers angry at late payment of salaries immigration and trade proposals dors. Crivella would stay away, but no explana- tried to blockade police stations. in a visit to Mexico on Thursday. Videgaray said a meeting of tion or even confi rmation from offi cials. a conservative wave sweeping Brazil, church’s vision of carnival as a den of sin Add in Brazil’s two-year recession, Osorio Chong told local radio Tillerson, Kelly and Pena Nieto Besieged by journalists asking about where the long dominant Roman Catho- — cast a chill. record unemployment and brutal battles that Mexican offi cials’ rejection in Mexico City was a short cour- Crivella, the culture chief, Nilcemar lic Church is rapidly giving up ground to “Where’s Crivella?” several people between Rio riot police and anti-austeri- of Trump’s bid to send non- tesy visit. Nogueira, now explained: “His wife is well funded and politically active evan- shouted at the City Hall offi cials from the ty protesters in the city centre earlier this Mexican illegal migrants from He said in a more substantial sick.” gelical churches. stands. month, and Cariocas — as city residents the United States to Mexico was meeting of the ministers, Kelly “She has a very bad fl u,” the city tour- His standoffi sh attitude to Rio’s pre- “I think that because of the Univer- are called — need a break. “very clear.” told him that deportations of ism boss, Marcelo Alves, added at Nogue- Lenten bash is in especially marked con- sal Church he doesn’t like carnival,” said “The carnival looks like a party and it “They asked us if (non-Mexican undocumented immigrants from ira’s side. trast to that of his predecessor Eduardo Sueli, 59, who was watching from the is one, but it’s much more than that,” said illegal immigrants) could be here the United States would not be Rei Momo gave no reaction when asked Paes, who frequently joined street parties cheapest seats in the Sambodromo. writer Gregorio Duvivier, a prominent while they are going through the militarized, after Trump charac- how he felt about receiving the key from a and paid Rei Momo full respect. “He just doesn’t like it, but he’s mixing carnival participant. “It often serves to legal process there. We said that terised the process as a “military lesser offi cial, as security hustled him away. The new mayor’s absence — widely things. We’re the people and he should help us put aside our problems for a few there was...absolutely no way.” operation.” Crivella was elected in October on thought to be due to the evangelical share the joy of the people, he should be days.”

13 die in Argentina Show of support bus collision Pele’s son surrenders to hirteen people were killed and 34 injured Venezuelan President Nicolas Twhen two buses col- Maduro shakes hands with Brazil prison sentence lided head-on in eastern Ar- Palestinian Foreign Minister gentina on Friday, the emer- Riyad al-Malki during a meet- gency services said. ing at the Miraflores Presiden- AFP turning himself in at a police sta- The buses were full of pas- tial Palace in Caracas. Sao Paulo tion in the Brazilian port city of sengers when they collided Santos. and crashed into a ditch near “There’s great frustration the city of Rosario, civil de- he son of football legend because I am being accused of fence offi cial Marcos Escaja- Pele turned himself in late money laundering, but I never dillo told television channel TFriday after being ordered did that,” he said, according to C5N. by a Brazilian court to begin the G1 news portal. He said investigators had serving a nearly 13-year prison Edinho — who was accused of yet to establish the cause of sentence for money laundering laundering based on phone tap the crash, which occurred on and drug traffi cking. evidence — has said he will con- a level road and under good Edson “Edinho” Cholbi do tinue to fi ght the allegations and weather conditions. Nascimento, who briefl y played that his only contact with drug Two young women were for his father’s former club San- traffi ckers was as a drug user. hospitalised in critical con- tos, had so far avoided serving One of seven children of three- dition, a hospital director time while his case underwent a time world champion Pele, Edin- said. lengthy appeals process. ho was fi rst detained in 2005 fol- The bus company Mon- But on Thursday, a judge reaf- lowing a police swoop on a drug ticas said in a statement fi rmed the conviction, reduced traffi cking gang. that both drivers were Edinho’s original 2014 sentence He served six months in prison killed in the accident and from 33 years to 12 years and 10 but was then released on parole. that the two buses, model months, and ordered him to be- Pele is considered one of the year 2012, were routinely gin serving time. greatest footballers of all time inspected, had daily main- The 46-year-old former goal- and won three World Cups with tenance and were in excel- keeper spoke to reporters before Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970. lent condition. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

DIPLOMACY Pakistan president asks India to Pakistan returns resolve Kashmir

Islamabad to host Pakistan President Mamnoon Hus- 252 Afghans in sain has asked India to resolve the Kashmir issue by bowing before the sentiments of Kashmiri people. “India should bow before popular goodwill gesture public sentiments in held Kashmir in its own interest and end its un- economic summit lawful occupation of the territory,” IANS However, Afghan ambas- Hussain said on Friday. The Presi- Agencies Islamabad sador to Pakistan Omar Za- dent said the Indian forces were Islamabad khilwal said the border cross- using “brute tactic to suppress ings will partially be opened on Kashmiris”, Dawn online reported. akistan has returned 252 Saturday. “The pellet guns meant for hunting akistan will host regional Afghan nationals to their He said elderly persons, pa- wild animals have been used on countries at a conference Phome country in a good- tients and children would be the innocent and unarmed people Pnext week aimed at reviv- will gesture even as it kept the allowed to travel and those in of Kash mir,” he said. ing its economy despite a surge border entry points with Af- Pakistan would be able to re- in violence by Islamist militants, ghanistan shut for the ninth turn to Afghanistan on Satur- HARMONY the Foreign Ministry said. day for security reasons in the day. The 13th Economic Co-oper- wake of a series of bombings. The border crossings were Pakistanis stand ation Organisation (ECO) sum- The Afghan nationals, who closed following a terror at- guard as Hindus mit will be held in Islamabad on were returned on Friday, spent tack at the Lal Shahbaz Qa- March 1 and most of the mem- a week under the open sky as landar shrine in Sehwan town celebrate festival ber-states have already con- the Torkham border cross- of Sindh province which left fi rmed participation, the advisor ing point between two nations 88 persons dead earlier this In a remarkable display of com- to the prime minister on foreign remained closed for nearly 10 month. munal harmony, residents in aff airs, Sartaj Aziz, told a news days, Geo Tv reported. Pakistan has blamed mili- Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa conference yesterday. Trade between Islamabad tants operating in Afghanistan stood shoulder to shoulder with Sartaj Aziz assured that there and Kabul has come to a halt for the attacks. their Hindu compatriots as the is no threat to the summit. as Pakistani authorities closed The Islamic State affi liated three-day Maha Shivaratri celebra- He said most of the member- the Torkham and Chaman Jamaat-ul-Ahrar group has tions opened at the Hindu Dargah states except Afghanistan have crossing points with Afghani- claimed responsibility for the in the heart of Peshawar’s old city already confi rmed their partici- stan due to security concerns attack. last night. The gesture – whose pation. in the wake of series of terror The Pakistan Army last precedent was set earlier by the Sartaj Aziz said the forum will attacks across the country. week pounded militant hide- province’s inhabitants as part of deliberate and decide on ways People with valid travel doc- outs across the border in Af- tradition – was all the more mean- and means to augment co-op- uments are allowed to cross the ghanistan and killed militants ingful this year in the wake of a eration in the areas of connec- border on foot, a Pakistani of- belonging to the Jamaat-ul- recent wave of terrorist attacks tivity, trade, energy, tourism, fi cial said. Ahrar. across the country. investment, industry, economic Adviser to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Foreign Aff airs, Sartaj Aziz gestures as he briefs media growth, productivity, social self- representatives at the foreign off ice in Islamabad yesterday, ahead of the 13th Economic RELIGION aware and environment. Co-operation (ECO) Summit. He said initiatives for devel- Pakistani govt opment of education and sci- and cultural exchange within the Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kaza- the two countries’ border for Af- allows export of entifi c linkages, cultural and ECO will also be discussed. khstan and Afghanistan joined ghan sick, women, elders as well Lower house to Sikh holy water people to people contacts within “China-Pakistan Economic the group. as Afghans who are stranded in the ECO will also be deliberated Corridor is an outstanding ex- At least 130 people have been Pakistan with valid visas later upon during the Summit. ample of the summit’s theme of killed in attacks claimed by Is- the day. A well in one of the holiest sites Sartaj Aziz said the ECO Sum- connectivity. lamic State and the Taliban Zakhilwal posted a state- approve Qur’anic in the Sikh religion, believed to mit will focus on regional con- It will augment the existing across the country in the past ment on his offi cial Facebook be the birthplace of the religion, nectivity. and planned transit and ener- fortnight. page yesterday and advised Af- has been made functional and He said the $46bn China-Pa- gy corridors in ECO region for The uptick in attacks has fur- ghan nationals to “avoid travel the government of Pakistan has kistan Economic Corridor would greater progress and prosperity ther strained security and in- to Pakistan even if the border is education bill allowed the well’s holy water to help boost the transit and energy for the people of the area,” Aziz telligence agencies. An annual opened.” be exported. “The water from this corridors in the ECO region. said. literary festival in the eastern Pakistan closed Pak-Afghan well is like what Aab-i-Zamzam The forum would help in de- The ECO Vision 2025 is ex- city of Lahore was reduced from border on Feb 16 for “security Internews dends of the Holy Qur’an. is to Muslims. Now, the well has ciding ways to increase co-oper- pected to be formulated and three days to a one-day event reasons” as it insists militants Islamabad To a question, he admired the been shaped and a filtration ation in areas such as trade, en- adopted during the summit. yesterday because of security who have carried out recent at- KP government for imparting plant has been set up over it so ergy, tourism, economic growth It is aimed at reviewing the risks, local media reported. tacks in Pakistan operate from the Qur’anic education in schools that Sikh devotees can drink the and productivity. ECO’s state of aff airs, in the light To a question, he hinted that the Afghan side of the border. he government will saying it was basically the pro- water,” Evacuee Trust Property “Connectivity for regional of changing global and regional Pak-Afghan border will be reo- Pakistan Foreign Offi ce waste no time making posal of the Ministry of Religious Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiqul prosperity is the theme of the circumstances. pened in a day or two. spokesman Nafees Zakaria has TQur’anic education in Aff airs which was shared with the Farooq told a Senate committee summit,” Geo Tv quoted Aziz as The ECO was established in Earlier yesterday, Afghan said that a decision regarding Arabic language compulsory at Ministry of Education. yesterday. Farooq was briefing the saying. 1985 by Iran, Turkey and Pa- ambassador to Pakistan Omar reopening of Pak-Afghan bor- the primary level and will start However, in the next breath, Senate Standing Committee on The adviser said initiatives for kistan. In 1992, Azerbaijan, Zakhilwal expressed hope that der will be taken in due course teaching the Holy Qur’an with the minister went on to say that Religious Aff airs at the Parliament educational, scientifi c exchange Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan could partially open of time. Urdu translation from VI to XII KP had done a good job and his House. He explained that three class once the National As- ministry will write down a let- ancient gurdwaras visited by the sembly approves the bill. ter congratulating the KP gov- founder of Sikhism, Baba Guru The Senate has passed the bill ernment to this eff ect. Nanak, have been reopened. for making the Qur’anic educa- Imparting Qur’anic educa- tion compulsory and now it has tion from class 1 to intermedi- OBITUARY Counter-terrorism operations continue been placed in the National As- ate level will help generate true sembly which will approve it in Muslims with no hatred mak- Rights activist the next session, Federal Min- ing the society balanced and Nigar Ahmed Agencies was captured from Shikarpur in ports in the country. ernment provided 200mn yen ister for Religious Aff airs and free of all kinds of extremism. passes away Islamabad Sindh and at least 170 suspected The aid is designed to support for installing an advanced face Inter-Faith Harmony Sardar The minister said the gov- terrorists were arrested in crack- security and counter-terrorism recognition system at the Kara- Mohamed Yousaf said. ernment will initiate a drive down across Pakistan. by providing advanced face rec- chi airport which is being imple- Implementation of Qur’anic asking the managements of Pakistani civil society lost a star he Pakistan Army along A special team of Counter- ognition systems to the airports. mented. education in all public and private all mosques to ensure separate yesterday when Nigar Ahmed, with paramilitary forces, Terrorism Department (CTD) An agreement to this eff ect The system is a computer ap- sector schools across the country sitting arrangements for wom- known for her immense contribu- Tpolice and the Counter- gunned down six suspected was signed yesterday by Japa- plication capable of identifying will be ensured as the provincial en so that they could attend tion to women’s rights, passed Terrorism Department per- terrorists in river belt across nese ambassador Takashi Kurai or verifying an individual from governments are very much on Jumma prayers there. away at a hospital here after a sonnel, continued its opera- Chenab between Multan and and Economic Aff airs Secretary a digital face images captured by board and have given their nod to “We will start this move prolonged illness. She was 72. tion ‘Raddul Fasaad’ across the Muzaffargarh yesterday, sourc- Tariq Mahmood Pasha. closed-circuit television cam- the contents of the bill. from the 87 mosques of Au- She leaves behind her husband country, the ministry of defence es said. The system is equipped with eras. The minister vowed to en- qaf department in Islamabad Tariq Siddiqui and two sons, Bilal (MoD) said. Meanwhile, the Japanese advanced Japanese technology, Recently it has been used more force the imparting of Qur’anic enabling women to take part in and Ahmed. Informally known in According to a statement is- government is providing a aiming at improving security in security systems because of its education even in the main Jumma congregations and for activist circles as Nigar ‘Apa’, Nigar sued by the ministry, six people grant of Rs453mn for install- measures taken by airport staff capacity of mass identifi cation private school chains so that them every kind of facility will Ahmed helped form the Women’s were killed in Muzaff argarh dis- ing a ‘face recognition system’ to protect passengers. and non-contact process, unlike no student in Pakistani schools also be ensured in separate ar- Action Forum (WAF) in Lahore in trict of Punjab, a suicide bomber at major international air- Last year, the Japanese gov- fi ngerprint. could be deprived of the divi- rangements,” the minister said. 1982. Ski resort razed by the Taliban lifts Pakistan’s tourism

Reuters man Shaukat, a 22-year-old stu- large-scale bombings. tors to mud volcanoes dotting Malam Jabba, Pakistan dent from the sweltering Punjab A series of attacks last week the lunar landscape of Hingol in the south after his fi rst ski les- hit all four of Pakistan’s provinc- National Park are welcomed by son. es and two major cities, killing a carpet of plastic bottles and top the piste of Malam Shaukat, who travelled some nearly 100 people and shaking a cigarette wrappers. Jabba in Pakistan’s once 600km and braved pot-holed nascent sense that the worst of “The downside of local tour- Adangerous Swat Valley mountain roads by public bus to the country’s militant violence ists is that they throw trash skiers schuss downhill, a new reach the ski slopes, is part of a may be in the past. everywhere and have no respect Chinese-built chairlift ferries new wave of domestic tourists Before the 9/11 attacks in the for nature,” said Muqeem Baig, tourists to the peak, and a luxury emerging as security improves, United States foreigners ac- owner of tour company Climax hotel is under construction to the middle-class prospers and counted for the majority of Paki- Adventure Pakistan. replace one torched by the Tali- social media sites like Facebook stan’s tourists. At Swat’s Malam Jabba, which ban. reveal a Pakistan many never Today, Western embassies originally opened in 2000, locals The Taliban declared skiing knew existed. advise against visiting much of remember well-heeled busi- “un-Islamic” during their 2007- It is also easier for Pakista- Pakistan. nessmen and Western diplomats 2009 reign of terror over Swat, nis to explore their own country The actual scale of domestic sojourning on weekends. but improved security in recent than holiday abroad. tourism is hard to judge, as scant That changed when the Pa- years has allowed ski tourism Regional road trips are diffi - nationwide data exists since the kistani Taliban overran Swat in to re-emerge on Malam Jabba, cult, with war-torn Afghanistan government dissolved the fed- 2007, imposing their harsh in- a hill station in the Hindu Kush and arch-foe India next door, eral tourism ministry in 2011. terpretation of Islamic law for mountain range. while the United States and In Gilgit-Baltistan province, two years before the army drove Locals tout Swat as “the Swit- many European countries have home to the Himalayas and the them out. zerland of Pakistan”, with an in- tightened visa restrictions as world’s second highest moun- Samsons, a private company ternational ski tournament held part of tougher security meas- tain K2, domestic tourist num- that acquired the state-owned there in January. ures. bers rocketed to nearly 700,000 resort in 2013, hopes Pakista- But the experience is uniquely Part-time travel blogger Saira last year, from 250,000 in 2014. nis will now return, seeking a Pakistani. Ali, 27, began exploring her own Foreign tourists accounted for taste of the Alps on a shoestring Army checkpoints abound, nation after the United States less than 2% of all visitors, the budget. while gun-toting policemen rid- denied her a visa in 2013. A policeman stands guard at the base of the chairlift to the ski resort in Malam Jabba. Gilgit-Baltistan tourism depart- Returning to the resort for ing up the mountain fl out chair- “If my visa had not been re- ment said. the fi rst time since 2010, retired lift signs warning: “No Smoking, jected, I wouldn’t have seen Pa- Hotel owners say Pakistan’s northern mountains, which until a miniature zoo. “Because of the larger num- Malam Jabba engineer Akbar Ali No Weapons”. kistan,” said Ali, who charts her isolation has been a blessing for 1970s were a stop-off for West- “In the future, Swat will pros- bers of local tourists, no one is had thought he would never ski There is no apres-ski booz- travels on Instagram. business. erners on the “Hippie Trail”. per, as security here is now very really feeling the pinch of not again. ing, nor Swiss Raclette cheese, Growing car ownership and Last summer, visitors to cool Outside Swat’s main city of good,” said Khan, sitting near having the foreigners,” said Siraj Clad in traditional shalwar- but lentil curry and deep-fried freshly-paved roads have cut northern areas slept in cars as Mingora, where the Taliban once two caged monkeys. Ulmulk, a hotel owner in Chitral, kameez robes, Ali, 67, eyed the kebab patties make ample fuel journey times to remote holi- budget hotels sold out, say tour- hanged opponents from elec- Islamist militants have lost a a region bordering Swat. piste and wedged his feet into ski for skiers. day destinations, swelling the ist guides. tricity pylons, one business- lot of territory, but the Taliban But the surge in tourists has a boots. “I have never seen snow be- number of adventure seekers in a Guesthouses are now pop- man is ploughing $1.5mn into a and others, including Islamic price. In Pakistan’s southwest- “I’m very happy,” he said, and fore. I am very excited,” said Us- nation of 200mn people. ping up along roads to Pakistan’s 13-fl oor hotel with 60 rooms and State, still carry out periodic ern Baluchistan province, visi- headed up the powdery slope. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, February 26, 2017 PHILIPPINES

Two militants killed in clash with troops

By Al Jacinto gers and drove away the truck. Manila Times/Zamboanga Another getaway car tailed them while the gunmen tried to escape. wo suspected members Security forces alerted by of the local Maute mili- the incident set up road blocks Ttant group were killed while policemen and sol- in an encounter with police diers pursued the gunmen and commandos and Philippine caught up with them killing the Army soldiers in Iligan City, attackers who were later identi- Lanao del Norte on Friday. fi ed as Azzam Ampua Tahir and Another militant was cap- Wowie. Their companion Eye- tured. Authorities said the man Alonto, a native of Marawi fi ghting ensued after security City who was driving the car, forces intercepted the gun- was arrested. men who stole a pickup truck Major General Carlito Galvez driven by Othelo Adiong. Jr., commander of the West- Adiong, 36, his 62-year-old ern Mindanao Command, said mother Elvira, wife Esthep- recovered from the slain mili- hanie and son were onboard tants were M4 automatic rifl e the vehicle when fl agged down and three magazines, including Supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte raise clinched fists as they hold candles during a rally at a park in Manila yesterday, coinciding with “People Power” revolution anniversary. by a group of armed men. The dozens of ammunition and a gunmen released the passen- calibre 45 pistol.

Agency warns public Duterte fans, foes in against ‘fake quake’

By Dempsey Reyes Phivolcs said it prepares Manila Times earthquake scenarios and urged the public to avoid sharing news circulating that he Philippine Institute there will be a big one. mass Manila rallies of Volcanology and “Please avoid sharing TSeismology (Phivolcs) these messages because your AFP Ilagan said after leading more uty Asia director Phelim Kine warned the public yesterday friends and relatives will Manila than 1,000 protesters at another said in a statement. from sharing news that a big think that you believe these rally earlier yesterday. “Not only Congress, but other quake will happen between messages are true and they Ilagan, a playwright who was pillars of Philippine democracy February 24 and March 8. will take your word for it,” it housands of supporters tortured over two years in a po- should be deeply worried,” the “There is no reliable tech- said. and foes of President Ro- lice prison under Marcos’ mar- offi cial from the US-based rights nology in the world that can Earlier this week, a cer- Tdrigo Duterte joined large tial rule in the 1970s, cited the monitor added. confidently predict the date, tain website indicated that rallies in Manila yesterday, high- “culture of impunity” arising At one point during the rally time and location of large there will be a big earthquake lighting how his brutal drug war from Duterte’s crackdown. attended by Aquino, tempers earthquakes,” Phivolcs said and called everyone to be has polarised the Philippines. Duterte, who ranks Marcos as rose as several protesters con- in a statement. observant. A prayer rally for Duterte’s one of the country’s best-ever fronted a dozen young people eight months-long anti-narcot- presidents, has not ruled out us- who raised clenched fi sts while ics crackdown drew the biggest ing martial law himself to pre- holding up a pro-Duterte banner turnout, estimated by police at vent what he describes as the nearby. up to 200,000 although AFP re- country’s slide to narco-state “Why did you sell your soul?” porters said it looked a lot less. status. a white-haired man in a black 14 arrested over “Your presence here show- Last year Duterte stoked large shirt said, jabbing his fi nger at cases the strong support that Activists march on the Edsa highway on their way to protest President street protests when he allowed one of the Duterte supporters your president continues to en- Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs, in front of the Armed Forces of the Marcos family to bury the and telling him the president illegal gambling joy,” Justice Secretary Vitaliano the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Manila yesterday, during the 31st former leader’s remains at Ma- was “responsible” for drug-re- Aguirre told the crowd at the anniversary of the “People Power” revolution. nila’s Cemetery for Heroes. lated murders. prayer rally, who lit candles and Wearing a black shirt, Aquino “They (deaths) are still being By Thom F Picana do” (large funnel), six pieces sang religious songs. stances. Duterte critics includ- Some at this rally criticised marched alongside political al- investigated,” the young man re- Manila Times/La Trinidad of “labayan,” 24 pieces of The 71-year-old president, ing ex-leader Benigno Aquino the drug killings, many of which lies and around 2,000 other pro- plied calmly. “tapete,” 13 ping pong balls who spent the weekend in his and Vice President Leni Robre- have been described by interna- testers. Television footage showed and cash bet amounting to southern home city of Davao, do, who was elected separately tional foreign monitors as state- He denounced the govern- police hosing down a group of at ourteen individuals al- P88,941 were confiscated won the election last year after from the president, joined one sanctioned murder. ment’s treatment of Senator least 100 people protesting the legedly involved in il- from the suspects. promising during the campaign of the other rallies held near the The protesters warned they Leila de Lima, the top critic of drug killings, though no one was Flegal gambling were In Baguio City, three were to eradicate drugs in society by national police headquarters in foreshadowed another dictator- the Duterte drug war, who was seriously injured. arrested in a separate police arrested on Wednesday at the killing tens of thousands of peo- Manila. ship. By nightfall some sections arrested on Friday and faces life In a separate demonstra- operations in Abra and Ba- parking area of the Maharlika ple. This gathering marked the of the protesters were openly in prison if convicted of drugs tion yesterday, around 150 guio City last week. Building, just few steps from He launched the crackdown 31st anniversary of the victory calling for Duterte’s removal charges. anti-Marcos protesters chant- In Abra’s capital, Bangued, the Baguio City Police main after taking offi ce in June and of a pro-democracy movement from offi ce, chanting “Down “By arresting Senator Leila de ing “Exhume him” marched intelligence operatives ar- headquarters, for playing a police have reported killing 2,555 that culminated in a bloodless with Duterte”. Lima on politically motivated on the cemetery where he is rested 11 suspected illegal card game called “tong-its.” drug suspects since then, with “People Power” revolution that “We are warning our people drug charges, President Duterte buried, but riot police stopped gamblers playing “drop ball” A set of playing cards and about 4,000 other people mur- ended the Ferdinand Marcos about the threat of rising fas- is eff ectively expanding his ‘drug them near the gate, an AFP at the Fiesta Carnival in Zone P750 in cash bets were con- dered in unexplained circum- dictatorship. cism,” protest leader Bonifacio war’,” Human Rights Watch dep- photographer saw. 2. Also, six pieces of “embo- fiscated from the group. Meth dealers back on the streets as cops pull back

Reuters ness, but they don’t disrupt de- the target and now it goes back Manila mand.” to PDEA. As far as the PNP is Some police offi cers told Reu- concerned we did our part in the ters that they had received reports past seven months. I hope PDEA hilippine President Rodri- of increased street-level drug ac- will be able to do their part.” go Duterte’s war on drugs tivity since they were ordered to The PDEA has just about Phad until three weeks ago stand down. 1,800 people on its rolls com- driven the trade in crystal meth- Manila Police Commander Ol- pared with the national police amphetamine underground, ac- ivia Sagaysay, who oversees four force of 160,000. Of the existing cording to residents and drug precincts in the city, said the war PDEA personnel, only about half users in some of the slum areas on drugs had lost momentum and are fi eld operatives. of the nation’s capital city. morale among her offi cers had PDEA spokesman Derrick As thousands of users and suff ered since they were ordered Carreon said his agency will dealers were shot dead by police to stand down. add staff and that the president and vigilantes in the fi rst seven “It’s depressing,” she said. “But would soon be issuing an execu- months after Duterte came to who are we not to follow the high- tive order to set up an anti-illegal power last June, open deal- A small alley is pictured before a door on the far end left leading to a A sachet of “shabu”, or methamphetamine, is pictured between lamps er-ups?” drugs inter-agency council and ing in the drug, known here by drug den in Manila. inside a drug den in Manila. She said she expected the trade task force that would also draw its street name shabu, largely to increase but maybe not re- from the military, the National stopped. along the track when there are no almost two decades. More than The PNP stopped publishing an drugs not only failed to eradicate turn to its previous levels because Bureau of Investigation and the Instead, deals were done on trains in sight, a fellow passenger 8,000 people have been killed offi cial tally of drug war killings drug production, traffi cking and “networks were disrupted” and PNP. the quiet between people who will often off er them a sachet of since Duterte was sworn in al- from police operations on Jan 31 consumption but also pushed “pushers were killed.” The task force will be charged knew each other, maybe with a the drug. most eight months ago, about when Duterte ordered the Philip- drugs and crime into neighbour- In a written response to ques- with pursuing the war on drugs. text message fi rst. Eusebio, 52, who pushes a 2,500 of whom were killed in pine Drug Enforcement Agency ing countries, while “tens of thou- tions from Reuters about the im- “There is a temporary vacuum But since Duterte ordered the wood and bamboo trolley on the offi cial police anti-narcotics op- (PDEA) to take over the campaign. sands of people were slaughtered.” pact of Duterte’s campaign on of warm bodies but it won’t be Philippine National Police (PNP) track for a living, said dealers erations. According to reporters and Thailand launched a “war on the street-level shabu trade, the long,” Carreon said, adding that to stand down from the drugs sometimes walk alongside call- Human rights groups believe photographers from Reuters and drugs” in 2003 that killed about PDEA said that “based on reports those involved in the drug trade war last month, after declaring ing out: “How much are you go- many of the others were extra- Philippine news organisations 2,800 people in three months. gathered, the supply of illegal would be wrong to think they the force “rotten to the core”, the ing to buy?” judicial executions committed as working the crime beat on the But fi gures show it had no last- drugs in some areas are still con- were safe. “If that’s their per- drugs trade has come back out “Now that the operations part of the war on drugs, and in night shift, “vigilante-style” kill- ing impact on meth supply or siderably abundant.” ception, it won’t last long,” he of the shadows, more than half have been suspended, drugs co-operation with the police — a ings of drug suspects have contin- demand in Thailand. “The world The PDEA attributed low street said.”They will fi nd out in the a dozen drug users and dealers in have become rampant again,” claim the Duterte administration ued, but at a much slower pace. has lost the war on drugs, not only prices for shabu — prices overall hardest way that they are terri- some of Manila’s toughest areas he said.”Those who were hiding has vehemently denied. Police data shows 398 people Thailand,” the country’s then Jus- have risen only minimally since bly wrong.” said in interviews. have resurfaced.” The president’s offi ce did not were killed nationwide in the fi rst tice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya the war on drugs began and in Still, Jason, the bartender who Many spoke on condition that Another trolley-pusher, Boys- respond to a list of e-mailed 20 days of February. told Reuters last July. some areas have fallen — to a “lack is a shabu user, said Duterte’s only their fi rst names be used in er, 59, told two Reuters journal- questions about the drugs war Details of the killings were not When an aggressive anti-drugs of customers” or drug traffi ckers campaign was not successful this story. ists: “If you weren’t reporters, and whether dealers were now provided and it was unclear how campaign begins, supplies may be trying to get rid of their supply “in because he targeted the wrong Beside one of the less-used they would off er you drugs.” openly back on the streets. many were drug-related. tight for a while, street prices may order to avoid arrest.” It said drugs people.If authorities had gone railroad tracks in Manila — a In a dark cinderblock room Duterte has repeatedly said he Some anti-narcotics experts spike, but ultimately drug usage were being hoarded and that it after the “cookers”, the people grassy area scattered with hu- that serves as a drug den in an- will hunt down drug lords and say they will not be surprised if it does not drop, say those who have was diffi cult for users to transact manufacturing the drugs, in- man excrement only a few miles other part of Manila, there were other “high value” targets and to turns out that the drugs war has studied the results. directly with traffi ckers. stead of users and small dealers, from the gleaming high-rises of similar stories from users. date, there have been a handful been ineff ective. “We don’t know of any exam- The PDEA did not provide evi- people like him would be unable the Makati business district — “We have more freedom now,” of large-scale seizures and raids They say that ruthless opera- ples from around the world where dence for any of its assessments. to buy and would move on. shabu was easily available last Jason, a 39-year-old bartender on shabu laboratories. tions against drugs, like Duterte’s, very hardline approaches have PNP spokesman Dionardo As it is, Jason said, shabu is week, costing just a few pesos told a visiting reporter as he in- But most of those killed in the have failed elsewhere in the world. worked eff ectively,” said Jeremy Carlos said drugs would return always in plentiful supply, add- (cents) per hit. haled shabu smoke.”All the users war on drugs have been small- Colombia’s former president, Douglas, the regional representa- to the streets because it was “a ing he was addicted and the Residents said that when they are still users, except those who time dealers and users in some Cesar Gaviria, said in a New York tive for the United Nations Offi ce bn peso business” and “money drug eliminated any fear he travelled on the illegal trolleys have been killed,” he said, add- of the country’s poorest neigh- Times column earlier this month on Drugs and Crime. “They can talks”.In his view, though, the may have had of being shot by that ferry people for a few pesos ing that he has used shabu for bourhoods. that his country’s long war on temporarily disrupt street busi- drug war had not failed. “We hit police or vigilantes. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Seven more tribunals Hasina calls on brands to planned for speedy trial help renovate factories of terror DPA Hasina also addressed a need cases Dhaka to improve employer-worker relations, amid a dispute over the arrest of 34 union lead- By Mizan Rahman angladeshi Prime Minis- ers last year and harsh working Dhaka ter Sheikh Hasina yester- conditions, which led to several Bday urged international major brands withdrawing from clothing brands to help factory the conference. s only two years are left for owners overhaul their facilities. the crucial 2019 parlia- She made the call at a cloth- “Various brands and Amentary poll, the Bangla- ing summit in the capital buyers can come desh government is going to set Dhaka aimed at improving the forward to assist up seven more special anti-ter- apparel supply chain in what Bangladeshi factory rorism tribunals at fi ve divisional is a vital sector for the local owners as a huge headquarters in Rajshahi, Khul- economy. fund is required for na, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur “Various brands and buy- the factories to be to try arson cases against leaders ers can come forward to assist overhauled” of the Bangladesh Nationalist Bangladeshi factory owners as Party (BNP) and the Bangladesh a huge fund is required for the The decision by H&M, In- Jamaat-e-Islami, sources said. factories to be overhauled,” ditex (Zara), C&A, Next and Conviction in these cases may she said at the meeting organ- Tchibo came after the Bangla- bar the leaders from contesting ised by the garment factory deshi government and factory the poll, lawyers said. owners. owners imposed restrictions The opposition leaders were Referring to the measures put over the last two months on the accused of arson with fi re- in place after the collapse of the labour movement, according to bombing and instigating vio- Rana Plaza factory building in the Netherlands-based Clean lence across the country during 2013, which killed over 1,100 Clothes Campaign. a movement against the Awami people, Hasina said steps have The government relented and League (AL)-led government in been taken to make the garment released the last of 34 union 2013-14. sector safer. leaders on bail shortly before Seven district and session Thirty-nine out of a total of the summit, but the fi ve brands Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visiting a stall at the Dhaka Apparel Summit in Dhaka yesterday. judges would be posted to the 3,869 factories inspected since still did not attend yesterday. proposed special tribunals to try 2013 were found to be unsafe The Clean Clothes Cam- potential of long jail sentences.” of December forced many fac- Nearly 4,000 clothing facto- Annual trade is worth $30bn. the cases, law ministry and home and were closed, she said, and paign pointed out that most of More than 1,600 garment tories to suspend production for ries are in operation in Bangla- Bangladesh is aiming to achieve ministry sources said. the remaining factories are the detainees “continue to face workers were sacked in Bangla- more than a week in an industrial desh, the second largest export- $50bn in clothing exports A total of 42 posts, including being renovated. criminal charges that carry the desh after labour unrest at the end district near the capital Dhaka. er of clothing after China. by 2021. seven judges, would be created for the new tribunals, the sources added. At least 650 cases have been fi led against BNP-Jamaat men and others under the Anti-Ter- UNHRC urged to push rorism Act, 2009. At present, Factory workers arrested however, there are only two such special tribunals in Dhaka and Lanka on human rights Chittagong to try these cases. “Since the number of cases is large, the two tribunals are over wage protest released IANS missing and disappeared per- fi nding it very diffi cult to han- Colombo sons, a truth-seeking and rec- dle them all,” Home Minister onciliation mechanism, and a Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told AFP The Dhaka Apparel Summit, US to competitor markets like Workers in the industrial reparations mechanism. newsmen. Dhaka scheduled for this weekend, Myanmar. town of Ashualia staged mass he UN Human Rights HRW said that it remains The law ministry would is the signature annual event “We will continue to sup- protests in December to de- Council (UNHRC) has been concerned as the Sri Lankan send a proposal in this regard in the global textile hub with port the fi ght for higher wages mand a three-fold hike in pay, Turged to push Sri Lanka to government had made only to the cabinet for tabling it at angladesh garment Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and will closely monitor the which can typically run as low develop a timetable for imple- halting progress towards ful- the next meeting of the secre- workers arrested last year designated as keynote speaker. situation until all charges are as $68 a month. menting the recommendations fi lling these commitments. tary committee on administra- Bover wage strikes are be- But in a statement yesterday dropped,” IndustriALL’s Bang- The subsequent crackdown made in 2015 on fully restoring A hastily drafted and passed tive improvement to be held ing released, global union In- global garment union Indus- ladesh Council (IBC) spokes- by authorities was widely criti- human rights in the country. law to establish an Offi ce of soon, a ministry offi cial said on dustriALL said yesterday, add- triALL, who led a campaign man Kutubuddin Ahmed said. cised by international rights In a letter to the Permanent Missing Persons was done condition of anonymity. ing that international fashion against the Bangladesh gov- “We have informed the groups and top global brands. Missions in Geneva, Human without thorough consulta- At least 85 people were killed brands have agreed not to boy- ernment’s crackdown on the brands who earlier pulled out Human Rights Watch said Rights Watch (HRW) sought tion of key stakeholders, and and 1,320 injured during the cott a key industry conference movement, said most of the from Dhaka Apparel Summit the union representatives were support in ensuring that the the offi ce has yet to be set violent movement led by BNP- in capital Dhaka. workers had been released and about the agreement and re- facing “unfair or apparently upcoming consideration of Sri up. The three other promised Jamaat across the country A strike by tens of thou- the rest would be freed shortly. lease of the workers and union- fabricated criminal cases”. Lanka’s progress towards imple- mechanisms have not made in 2013-14. sands of workers in Decem- “This is an important victory ists. Following our confi rma- Last week union leaders said menting its commitments under signifi cant progress. Of those killed, 51 had died due ber demanding higher pay for garment workers in Bangla- tion, they have decided to join workers were “living in con- UNHRC resolution 30/1 accu- HRW said an additional note of to attacks with petrol bombs, fi re was quashed after around two desh, sending a strong message the summit.” stant fear” of being arrested rately and substantively refl ects concern on Sri Lanka’s progress bombs and Molotov cocktails. weeks, with 1,600 employees to the country’s industry to en- A senior BGMEA offi cial also as the police hunted those in- the situation within the country, on transitional justice is its on- At least 570 vehicles (including sacked and 34 workers and un- ter into a constructive dialogue said that the fashion companies volved in the strikes. Colombo Gazette online news- going resistance to any foreign buses, trucks, mini-vans, private ion leaders arrested. with the trade unions,” spokes- would be joining the conference Yesterday, Mohammad Ib- paper reported yesterday. involvement in the four mecha- cars etc.) were burnt and 454 Cases alleging such things as man Valter Sanches said. while H&M confi rmed in an e- rahim, a union leader who was HRW noted that the resolu- nisms, according to the report. others vandalised. burglary, arson, vandalism and IndustriALL said it had en- mail to AFP that it had decided jailed for nearly two months, tion, adopted by the Council This directly contravened Eleven incidents of railway extortion were also fi led against tered into an agreement with to participate. said that for now the majority of in October 2015 through con- the call by the UN High Com- sabotage took place, resulting in more than 1,500 others, while the government and the Bang- Bangladesh’s garment in- workers had only been released sensus, contains 25 key un- missioner for Human Rights derailment of trains that subse- authorities dismissed the work- ladesh Garment Manufactur- dustry accounts for 80% of on bail but he hoped the charges dertakings by the Sri Lankan for a “hybrid” justice mecha- quently killed and injured many ers’ demands saying that no pay ers and Exporters Association its annual exports, but it has a would be dropped soon. government across a range of nism given the shortcomings passengers. hike would be made before 2019. (BGMEA) – a body representing woeful history of poor pay and “Most of the arrested union human rights issues. of domestic institutions to en- In 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Global fashion companies, 4,500 clothing factories – al- conditions for its 4mn workers. leaders and workers are now A key element of the resolu- sure impartial investigations Hasina had told the parliament including H&M and Zara- lowing for the release of the Protests over wages, benefi ts out on bail,” he said. tion consisted of transitional and witness protection, and that the government would set owner Inditex – top clients of workers. and working conditions are “The harassment we had to justice promises: a special the Sri Lankan government’s a special tribunal to try BNP Bangladesh’s $30bn garment The BGMEA had previously common but gained intensity go through was unbearable. court including international failure to take meaningful ac- chairperson Khaleda Zia and her industry, later said they would labelled the strikes illegal and after the collapse of the Rana However we now want the au- judges and prosecutors to try countability measures since associates for instigating petrol pull out of a key conference in warned that salary rises would Plaza factory complex in April thorities to withdraw all of the cases of war crimes by all par- Sri Lanka’s civil war ended in bombings and sabotage during support of the workers. drive retailers in Europe and the 2013, which killed 1,138 people. false cases.” ties to the confl ict, an offi ce on May 2009. the BNP-led agitation.

Take all sections onboard before Lanka festival polls, Indian envoy tells Nepal

IANS He said Nepal-India bilateral re- itive progress will be seen soon. Kathmandu lations have always been positive, Rae added that they currently and both countries should seek to had fi ve connectivity projects, of make them stronger in economic, which two – Jogbani to Biratna- utgoing Indian ambassa- social, cultural and other aspects. gar Railway and Janakpur-Jain- dor Ranjit Rae has urged He stressed on emphasising agar-Bardibas Railway – were in Othe Nepal government economic co-operation between rapid construction process. to take all the parties into confi - the two neighbours to develop He added that the third project dence before going for polls. people-to-people connectivity. was the Integrated Check Post At a farewell programme, Rae Noting that a Rs34bn agree- (ICP) built on 165 acres separately said: “India, as the largest de- ment has been reached for con- in Raxaul and Birgunj, while an- mocracy in the world, supports structing the Mahakali bridge other ICP was under construction every move and eff ort made for and 15 roads, he said that when in Biratnagar, and two more would strengthening democracy in Ne- the bridge is built, it will espe- be built in the near future. pal. It has been our policy con- cially benefi t people of Nepal’s far He further said that the Hulaki tinuously over the period of time. western region and India’s Utta- Rajmarg and other bus services “And it is my request to the rakhand state in various aspects. would also be helpful in estab- government of Nepal to take all “Next project is the ongoing lishing people-to-people con- the political parties into confi - Pancheshwor hydropower project. nectivity. “There are bus services dence before going for the (local) It is our target is to approve de- from Kathmandu to Delhi, Kath- polls which is going to take place tailed project report (DPR) for the mandu to Banaras, Pokhara to on May 14.” project by June,” he said. Delhi, Mahendranagar to Delhi, India has consistently advo- Rae said that another issue which have positively impacted cated – since the promulgation of is railway connectivity, adding the people and the relations be- Nepal’s new constitution – that that Indian Railway Minister tween the two countries.” all sections and stakeholders in the Suresh Prabhu had announced “Another initiative is that the Himalayan nation should be on- that he wanted to build Kolkata- Indian cabinet has already ap- board in the constitution-making to-Kathmandu and Delhi-to- proved a budget of $1bn for the process and Rae’s statement, which Kathmandu rail links. Arun III Hydropower Project. echoed the same, was also the fi rst He said a smooth outline for This project will gain rapid imple- Sri Lankan Hindus off er prayers while holding oil lamps during the Maha Shivaratri festival in Colombo. The festival is marked by Hindus offi cial Indian reaction on the an- executing Indian projects in Ne- mentation from ground level very fasting and off ering prayers in a night-long vigil. nouncement of the local polls. pal has been made and some pos- soon,” he said. Gulf Times 26 Sunday, February 26, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Humanitarian situation

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar worsens in Myanmar [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) By Paul Vrieze Fax 44350474 Myaing Gyi Ngu, Myanmar

he crops were almost ready to harvest when fi ghting forced Naw Tin Swe’s family to fl ee Tto this camp on Myanmar’s GULF TIMES eastern frontier where food supplies always seem to be running low. “We had to leave our rice, our corn, our fi rewood,” said Naw Tin Swe. “Someone else maybe took it. We are so poor now.” Fed rate hike Naw Tin Swe is among about 5,500 people who have been stranded since September in Myaing Gyi Ngu, an area in Kayin State where relief may come supplies trickle in only sporadically as international aid agencies are largely blocked. The military and its Border Guard Force militia sent people to Myaing ‘fairly soon’ Gyi Ngu when they began operations against a faction that had broken away from the Democratic Karen Positive data from the job market has raised Benevolent Army, a former insurgent expectations of rate increases by the US Federal Reserve group that signed a “Nationwide in mid-March, when the Fed leaders will meet to review Ceasefi re Agreement” in 2015. The NCA was a centrepiece of the the rates and help speed up growth in the world’s largest previous government’s attempts to economy, which still remains under pressure. forge a peace deal with ethnic armies, In minutes released last week the Fed said, “Many some of which started fi ghting shortly participants expressed the view that it might be after Myanmar’s independence from Children displaced by fighting in Kayin State in a makeshift shelter Britain in 1948. appropriate to raise the federal funds rate again fairly But only eight of the 15 groups military’s intensifying off ensives in Zaw Htay did not answer phone calls areas in Myanmar is currently worse soon” if the job market stays on track. invited to sign did so. the north. to respond to IRIN’s questions about than at any point in the past few The Fed last raised rates in December, and most of its Others were excluded from the Instead, she implored them to sign the deteriorating situation. years,” said Pierre Péron, a spokesman leaders currently project three or more rate hikes this process, which wrapped up just before the NCA. The UN says about 218,000 people for the UN’s emergency aid co- elections ushered in a parliamentary “I want to request of national ethnic are displaced inside Myanmar, mostly ordination body, OCHA. year. majority for Aung San Suu Kyi’s groups who have not signed yet the in temporary camps in Kachin, Shan In this remote corner of Kayin After pursuing a ‘rate-hold’ policy for almost seven National League for Democracy. ceasefi re treaty to sign with bravery and Rakhine states. State, camp managers complain years, the Fed increased its benchmark rate, the federal Many hoped that Aung San Suu and self confi dence,” Aung San Suu Many of them fl ed after ceasefi res that the government is hindering funds rate, by a quarter-point in December 2015, the fi rst Kyi’s electoral triumph would revive Kyi said in a 12 February speech. broke down in Shan and Kachin in international aid delivery and said peace negotiations. The talks were Almost a year after the NLD took 2011, and when mobs of nationalist they relied on limited food donations rate increase since 2008. At the time, the US central bank fraught with distrust between power, the picture is grim. Buddhists chased minority Rohingya from authorities and local community had projected that it would hike the rate another four the ethnic armed groups and the Fighting has gotten worse, and the Muslims from their homes in 2012. groups. times in 2016. government, which was led by a party government was forced to call off the Another 100,000 people or so “We want foreign organisations But a signifi cant slowdown in US growth in the fi rst half mainly comprised of former offi cers of next round of peace talks scheduled more recently fl ed their homes. They to support us, but sometimes the the military that had ruled Myanmar for 28 February. include people like Naw Tin Swe in Burmese government doesn’t allow of last year, as well as global weakness and periodic bouts for 49 years. As the security situation has Kayin State, as well as thousands more it,” said camp leader Saw Paing Paing, of fi nancial market While expectations were high, declined, so has access to those in Shan and Kachin who have escaped using Myanmar’s former name. “We turbulence, has kept Aung San Suu Kyi actually has limited aff ected, with humanitarian groups clashes between ethnic armies and don’t know why.” The Fed last raised the central bank on infl uence over security matters. saying the government is preventing government forces. He showed IRIN the remaining A military-drafted constitution them from bringing aid to displaced But the vast majority are Rohingya supplies: enough rice, beans and rates in December, the sidelines. reserves a quarter of parliamentary people. and most of them escaped over the onions to feed the camp for four more The funds rate is seats for serving offi cers and puts key The situation is so bad that the UN’s border to Bangladesh. days, plus 300kilos of vegetables and most of its currently targeted ministries in military hands. special rapporteur on human rights in More than 73,000 Rohingya donated that day by a local group. in the 0.5% to 0.75% The constitution allows no civilian Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, recently told have arrived in Bangladesh since Arsen Sahakya, a WFP spokesman, leaders currently oversight for military operations, IRIN that she would call for a “special the military launched operations confi rmed that the organisation range, data indicate. which means that Aung San Suu session” at next month’s Human in October in Maungdaw, a border “does not have unfettered access to project three or While the Kyi’s government does not have Rights Council meeting in Geneva. township, and the UN estimates the camp” and that it had only been economy’s recent control over the military off ensives in At the moment, she is scheduled to that another 24,000 are internally allowed to deliver two months worth more rate hikes solid performance – Myanmar’s northern Kachin and Shan present her report on 13 March, which displaced. of rations of high energy biscuits for states, or western Rakhine State. will be followed by a two-and-a-half Amid reports of atrocities children in October and November. this year especially in the job What Aung San Suu Kyi does have hour discussion. committed by the military against He said state authorities told WFP market – may justify is a lot of political capital, and she has “That’s just not enough,” she said. Rohingya civilians in Maungdaw, the there was no need for its assistance. further rate increases, Fed leaders now face an uncertain been criticised for failing to expend Lee mentioned in particular the government refused access to media as People in the camp disagreed, future under President Donald Trump. some of it to stand up to the generals. recent assassination of Ko Ni, a well as aid agencies. including Naw Kin Yin, who is seven As horrifi c reports of atrocities respected legal adviser to the NLD The World Food Programme months pregnant. Three of the Fed’s 12 seats on its committee that votes committed against Rohingya civilians and a prominent Muslim, the surge reported that it has recently been “(The food) is not really enough for on monetary policy are open. Two were already open emerged, her government’s response in fi ghting in northern Myanmar, and allowed to distribute some relief items, me and the baby,” she said, adding when Trump was elected, and Fed Governor Daniel has been outright denial in defence of alleged abuses of ethnic Rohingya but restrictions remain in place in that rations sometimes run out before Tarullo announced in early February that he would resign the military. during military counter-insurgency Rakhine, as well as other regions in the everyone is fed. “Sometimes I go To the dismay of some ethnic operations in western Rakhine State. north and east. hungry, if I’m late and I miss the rice in April. Trump gets to nominate all three of those seats. leaders, she has not condemned the Myanmar government spokesman “Humanitarian access to confl ict distribution.” — IRIN Waiting too long to raise interest rates would be “unwise” as economic growth continues and infl ation rises, Fed Chair Janet Yellen told the US Congress earlier this month. Repeating caution that she and other central bank offi cials have issued in recent months, Yellen said that China’s weapons of trade war even though the Fed expects to hike gradually and to keep policy accommodative, getting rates back to normal levels By Keyu Jin A trade war could thus cost the US That, together with diminished playing fi eld for American companies, is important and hikes will be considered ahead. Beijing millions of jobs. growth prospects, would depress equity giving them better access to China’s “At our upcoming meetings, the Committee will If China switched from Boeing to markets, and declining employment large market. evaluate whether employment and infl ation are Airbus, for example, the US would lose and household income could lead to a But those talks will invariably be hina exports more to the some 179,000 jobs. sizeable loss of GDP in both the US and pushed back, while disputes over continuing to evolve in line with these expectations, in United States than the US Reduction in US business services China. intellectual property rights and cyber which case a further adjustment of the federal funds rate exports to China. would cost another 85,000 jobs. A more likely scenario, however, security will be reinvigorated. would likely be appropriate,” Yellen said. C That makes US President Soybean-producing regions – for is that both countries would For now, China’s leaders seem She urged the American lawmakers to focus on long- Donald Trump furious – so furious, in example, in Missouri and Mississippi initiate disputes in specifi c sectors, convinced that they have little reason to fact, that he may be willing to start a – could lose some 10% of local jobs if particularly traditional manufacturing bend to US pressure. term growth and productivity and to put the burgeoning trade war over it. China halted imports. industries like iron and steel For one thing, Trump seems more US debt load on a “sustainable trajectory.” Trump has leveled tough Moreover, though the US exports production. concerned with other priorities, such as The national debt currently sits at $19.2tn, of which the protectionist threats against China. less to China than vice versa, it is China Meanwhile, Trump will continue repealing the US Aff ordable Care Act, public is responsible for $14.4tn. As he attempts to consolidate his that controls key components in global to accuse China of manipulating its reforming the tax system, and investing presidency, he is unlikely to back away supply chains and production networks. exchange rate, ignoring the recent in infrastructure. The US presidential elections were perhaps a major from them. Consider the iPhone. downward pressure on the renminbi Even if a trade war does happen, reason why the Fed had maintained a ‘rate-hold’ decision And with the Communist Party of While China provides just 4% (which indicates that the currency was China’s leaders assume, it probably at its meeting in November 2016. China’s 19th National Congress set of value added, it supplies the core actually overvalued), not to mention would not be sustained for long, given But the dust has settled from the election now and there to take place in Beijing in November, components to Apple at low prices. the simple fact that many governments the income and job losses that both Chinese leaders are unlikely to yield to Apple cannot build an iPhone from intervene to manage their exchange sides would suff er. is no visible negative market reaction that would warrant US pressure. scratch in the US, so it would have to rates. In any case, they have no intention the Fed waiting any longer. A trade war would undoubtedly hurt search for alternative suppliers, raising Both Japan and Switzerland of sending any signal of weakness to a Many economists are currently forecasting at least two both sides. its production costs considerably. have engaged in outright currency leader so intent on testing other’s limits. more rate hikes in 2017, believing that low infl ation will But there is reason to believe that the This would give Chinese smartphone intervention in recent years, and the US For the past fi ve years, China has US has more to lose. businesses an opportunity to seize itself may well join their ranks, when sought to establish a growth model allow the Fed to stick to its intention to move rates up at a If nothing else, the Chinese seem to market share from major players. the strong dollar’s impact on US export that is less reliant on exports and more gradual pace. know precisely which weapons they Today, 80% of global trade comprises competitiveness becomes untenable. reliant on domestic consumption. have available to them. international supply chains. In any case, China can probably But China often needs a crisis or an China could stop purchasing US Declining trade costs have allowed forget about achieving “market external shock to drive reform. aircraft, impose an embargo on US fi rms to splinter their production lines economy status” under World Trade Perhaps Trump is that shock. To Advertise soybean products, and dump US geographically, with goods processed Organization rules until after Trump is While his policies will be bad for Treasury securities and other fi nancial and value added in multiple countries out of the White House. China in the short term, they may [email protected] assets. along the chain. The trade confrontation between the also provide the impetus China Display Chinese enterprises could reduce If China threw a handful of sand US and China will also aff ect bilateral needs to stop subsidising exports their demand for US business in the gears of these chains, it could investment fl ows. and perpetuating distortions in the Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 services, and the government could disrupt entire production networks, The US may cite national security domestic economy. Classified persuade companies not to buy doing serious damage to the US (and, concerns to block Chinese investments. If this happens, China may actually Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 American. indeed, all the countries participating It may also stop government emerge from the era of Trump better off The bulk of numerous Fortune 500 in such networks). An escalating trade purchases from Chinese companies than before. – Project Syndicate Subscription companies’ annual sales come from war, with each side erecting symmetric like Huawei, and force Chinese fi rms [email protected] China nowadays – and they already feel import barriers, would fuel infl ationary and wealthy individuals to reduce zKeyu Jin, a professor of economics at increasingly unwelcome. pressure in the US, potentially driving investments that have hitherto the London School of Economics, is a Beyond being America’s second most the Federal Reserve to raise interest bolstered US asset prices. World Economic Forum Young Global 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved important trading partner, China is rates higher and faster than it would A high-quality US-China bilateral Leader and a member of the Richemont America’s main jobs supplier. otherwise. investment treaty would create a level Group Advisory Board. Gulf Times Sunday, February 26, 2017 27 COMMENT Mapping the future of AI

By Margaret A Boden virtually every role that humans once physicians or family members when Brighton fi lled on a warehouse fl oor. necessary. Given this trend, it is not surprising Domestic robots could prove to be that some people foresee a point very useful for fetching food from rtifi cial intelligence already known as the “Singularity,” when the fridge and completing other plays a major role in human AI systems will exceed human household tasks. economies and societies, and intelligence, by intelligently improving But whether an AI system Ait will play an even bigger themselves. can provide genuine care or role in the coming years. At that point, whether it is in 2030 companionship is another matter To ponder the future of AI is thus to or at the end of this century, the robots altogether. acknowledge that the future is AI. will truly have taken over, and AI will Those who believe that this is This will be partly owing to consign war, poverty, disease, and possible assume that natural-language advances in “deep learning,” which even death to the past. processing will be up to the task. uses multilayer neural networks that To all of this, I say: Dream on. But “the task” would include having were fi rst theorised in the 1980s. Artifi cial general intelligence (AGI) emotionally-laden conversations With today’s greater computing is still a pipe dream. It’s simply too about people’s personal memories. power and storage, deep learning diffi cult to master. While an AI system might be able to is now a practical possibility, and a And while it may be achieved one recognise a limited range of emotions deep-learning application gained of these days, it is certainly not in our in someone’s vocabulary, intonation, worldwide attention in 2016 by foreseeable future. pauses, or facial expressions, it will beating the world champion in Go. But there are still major never be able to match an appropriate Commercial enterprises and developments on the horizon, many of human response. governments alike hope to adapt the which will give us hope for the future. It might say, “I’m sorry you’re sad technology to fi nd useful patterns in For example, AI can make reliable about that,” or, “What a lovely thing “Big Data” of all kinds. legal advice available to more people, to have happened!” But either phrase In 2011, IBM’s Watson marked and at a very low cost. would be literally meaningless. another AI watershed, by beating two And it can help us tackle currently A demented person could be previous champions in Jeopardy!, incurable diseases and expand “comforted” by such words, but at a game that combines general access to credible medical advice, what cost to their human dignity? knowledge with lateral thinking. without requiring additional medical The alternative, of course, is to And yet another signifi cant specialists. keep humans in these roles.Rather development is the emerging In other areas, we should be than replacing humans, robots can be “Internet of Things,” which will prudently pessimistic – not to say human aids. continue to grow as more gadgets, dystopian – about the future. Today, many human-to-human jobs home appliances, wearable devices, AI has worrying implications for that involve physical and emotional and publicly-sited sensors become the military, individual privacy, and caretaking are undervalued. connected and begin to broadcast employment. Ideally, these jobs will gain more messages around the clock. Automated weapons already respect and remuneration in the future. Big Brother won’t be watching you; exist, and they could eventually But perhaps that is wishful but a trillion little brothers might be. be capable of autonomous target change, and we may need to a real person on the phone, only to understand, and might even share thinking. Beyond these innovations, we can selection. consider providing a “universal be passed along from one automated your sentiments. Ultimately, the future of AI – our AI expect to see countless more examples As Big Data becomes more income,” assuming there is still a menu to another. Other examples are less trivial, future – is bright. of what were once called “expert accessible to governments and sufficient tax base through which Sometimes, this is vexing simply and I am particularly worried about But the brighter it becomes, the systems”: AI applications that aid, or multinational corporations, our to fund it. because you cannot get the answer computers being used as “carers” or more shadows it will cast. - Project even replace, human professionals in personal information is being A diff erent but equally troubling you need without the intervention of “companions” for elderly people. Syndicate various specialities. increasingly compromised. implication of AI is that it could human intelligence. To be sure, AI systems that are Similarly, robots will be able to And as AI takes over more routine become a substitute for one-on-one Or, it may be emotionally linked to the Internet and furnished zMargaret A Boden is Research perform tasks that could not be activities, many professionals will be human contact. frustrating, because you are barred with personalised apps could inform Professor of Cognitive Science at the automated before. deskilled and displaced. To take a trivial example, think from expressing your feelings to and entertain a lonely person, as well University of Sussex, UK. Her new book Already, robots can carry out The nature of work itself will about the annoyance of trying to reach a fellow human being, who would as monitor their vital signs and alert is AI: Its Nature and Future.

Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY End unsafe timely and thoughtfully maintained employees’ contribution in this regard Payments Bank (IPPB) incorporated High: 22 C and checked for air pressure, tyre has been commended by renowned as a public sector bank, was launched Low : 16 C Inshore: Expected thundery rain at driving practices damage, faulty parts, etc. economists, men of eminence, in January this year with 100% places associated with strong wind. Drivers must be imparted regular industrialists, the Finance Ministry government equity. With the advent Dear Sir, defensive training courses and and the general public. of technology, postal services faced regularly counselled on the topic. The RBI’s instructions were quite a serious setback and now with the MONDAY Qatar is poised for meteoric growth Company managements should listen dynamic and fast paced, and the banks formation of IPPB, customers even in High: 23 C and bustling with activity everywhere. to complaints about their reckless met the challenge with poise and remote rural areas can avail themselves Low: 12 C Almost all sectors of the national drivers and take remedial action. team work in the larger interest of the of banking services of international Sunny economy are gearing up to host the Lives and limbs are precious and nation. Besides, they have successfully standards. IPPB is fully operational FIFA Qatar 2022. It is obvious that the once lost cannot be replaced. The role completed their reporting to the RBI, with digitally enabled services of all construction sector is in the forefront and responsibility of construction the central bank. kinds between individuals. TUESDAY of the current developmental activities companies in educating their workers The Indian banks’ appetite for The banking sector continues to High: 23 C in the country and a lot of vehicles on on safe driving practices is the crying growth and new technology is play a crucial role in the impressive Low: 12 C Qatar’s roads belong to construction need of the hour. amazing. During September last year, development of India by adapting itself Sunny companies. ICICI Bank, India’s largest private to the emerging market challenges. As a I have been driving in Qatar for Niyaz Ahmed sector bank, introduced “software person hailing from a “banking family” the past 12 years. I am concerned, if Doha robotics” to power banking operations. for the last four generations, I am pleased Fishermen’s forecast not worried, with the unsafe driving They, thus, became the fi rst bank in to witness the progress and confi dent of OFFSHORE DOHA practices adopted by the bus and pick- India and among a few globally to the sector scaling new heights. Wind: NW-SE 07-17/25 KT up drivers, who ferry workers from their Kudos to introduce “software robotics”, that Waves: 2-4/8 Feet accommodation to project sites and emulate human actions to automate V Kalyanaraman INSHORE DOHA Indian banks Wind: NW-SW 04-13/23 KT back. These drivers pay scant regard and perform repetitive, high volume Waves: 1-2/4 Feet to lane discipline, speed limits and and time consuming business tasks Doha signals and have no patience to wait for Dear Sir, cutting across multiple applications. Around the region their turn at roundabouts and inter- The more than a century old City Weather Weather sections. Though several companies Indian banks proved their mettle Union Bank (CUB), a private sector Please send us today Max/min tomorrow Max/min display prominently their names and once again by living up to and in many bank, launched “Lakshmi”, an your letters Abu Dhabi S Showers 22/17 Sunny 21/16 contact numbers to report unsafe driving cases, exceeding the expectations of artifi cial intelligence-powered robot, Baghdad Sunny 24/07 Sunny 25/08 Dubai on their vehicles, some fi rms that I the people in the face of challenges in November 2016. CUB has become S Showers 23/17 Sunny 22/15 By e-mail Kuwait City Sunny 23/11 Sunny 23/10 contacted did not respond to the calls. posed by the demonetisation of high the fi rst to launch the “robot banker” [email protected] Manama Sunny 21/13 Sunny 21/12 All drivers have to be aware of the value currencies. The banks played in India. Apart from responding to Fax 44350474 Muscat P Cloudy 25/20 P Cloudy 24/19 need to practice safe driving because a pivotal role in replenishing the generic questions, this robot has been Or Post Riyadh Sunny 21/08 Sunny 20/11 many lives can be lost by careless thousands of ATMs spread across a programmed to connect to the core Letters to the Editor Tehran Sunny 14/02 Sunny 13/02 people behind the wheel. Under all vast country like India and eff ectively banking solution. The robot is well Gulf Times circumstances, drivers have to fully utilised the human capital available equipped to fl ash answers on the display. P O Box 2888 understand, appreciate and abide by with their branches for meeting the “Lakshmi” interacts in English, Doha, Qatar safe driving practices and respect needs of their customers, in line with gestures, turns around and engages in a fellow drivers and pedestrians. Such Reserve Bank of India’s stipulations. very life-like manner in conversations. All letters, which are subject conduct and behaviour will further The bank staff worked not only extra India’s top private lender HDFC to editing, should have the boost the image of this great country. hours but days too during November Bank recently joined this race by name of the writer, address We have a collective responsibility and December last year to mitigate introducing robots to answer customer and phone number. The to accomplish this noble objective. the suff erings of the people, who were queries, which also proved a hit in the writer’s name and address Innovative ideas need to be explored to caught unawares with the sudden industry. may be withheld by request. ensure that the vehicles are properly, withdrawal of Rs500, 1,000 notes. The Last but not least, India Post Live issues Depression top cause of disability: WHO Around the world Weather Weather Reuters “Depression is the single largest In fact in many countries people “When we stop working or we lose today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Cloudy M Cloudy 18/08 Geneva contributor to years lived with who are aff ected by poverty, our partner we become more frail, Athens 19/10 disability. So it’s the top cause of unemployment, civil strife and confl ict more subject to physical diseases and Beirut Sunny 21/13 M Cloudy 22/17 T Storms 34/24 disability in the world today,” Dr Dan are actually at higher risk of certainly disorders like depression do become Bangkok 33/25 M Sunny Berlin S Showers 09/04 P Cloudy 13/07 ore than 4 % of the world’s Chisholm of WHO’s Department of anxiety disorders and also depression,” more common.” Cairo M Sunny 26/13 P Cloudy 28/16 population lives with Mental Health and Substance Abuse Chisholm said. An estimated 800,000 people die Cape Town Cloudy 25/17 Sunny 31/17 depression, and women, told a news briefi ng. Three age groups are particularly from committing suicide each year, a Colombo M Cloudy 31/24 S T Storms 31/24 youth and the elderly are Depression is 1.5 times more vulnerable to depression — youth, “pretty horrifying fi gure”, Chisholm Dhaka Sunny 29/17 Sunny 31/17 M Hong Kong M Sunny 18/16 Sunny 19/16 the most prone to its disabling eff ects, common among women than men, he pregnant or post-partum women, and said.”It is more common in males in Istanbul P Cloudy 11/04 P Cloudy 16/05 the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. the elderly. higher income countries but more Jakarta T Storms 30/24 T Storms 31/24 said yesterday. A further 250mn people suff er “The pressures on today’s youth common in females in lower- and Karachi Sunny 32/19 Sunny 32/19 An estimated 322mn people suff ered anxiety disorders, including phobias, are like no other generation perhaps,” middle-income countries.” London Cloudy 11/07 Showers 08/02 Manila P Cloudy M Sunny 32/24 depressive disorders in 2015, a rise panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive Chisholm said. The WHO is running a campaign 32/24 Moscow M Cloudy -1/-4 Cloudy 02/-6 of 18.4 % in a decade, as people live behaviour and post-traumatic stress “Another target group is women to tackle stigma and misconceptions New Delhi Sunny 28/12 Sunny 29/13 longer, the United Nations agency said disorder, the report said. who are pregnant or have just given called “Depression: Let’s Talk”. New York P Cloudy 09/02 M Cloudy 14/07 in a report. Some 80 % of those stricken with birth. Depression around that period “We feel that is a key first step, Paris Cloudy 13/09 Rain 11/05 Global economic losses exceed $1tn a mental illness live in low- and middle- is actually extremely common, around that if we want to bring mental Sao Paulo T Storms 26/19 T Storms 25/18 Seoul Sunny 08/-4 Sunny 09/-3 year, it said, referring to lost productivity income countries. 15 % of women will suff er not just health, depression and other mental Singapore T Storms 31/24 T Storms 31/24 due to apathy or lack of energy that lead “That puts paid to the notion of ‘the blues’, but a diagnosable case of disorders out of the shadows, we Sydney S Showers 22/18 Showers 22/18 to an inability to function at work or these disorders being diseases of the depression.” need to be able to talk about it,” Tokyo Clear 13/04 Cloudy 10/03 cope with daily life. rich or the affl uent, that is not the case. Retirees are also susceptible. Chisholm said. Gulf Times 28 Sunday, February 26, 2017 QATAR

Jewellery by Rose from Mumbai, which made its debut in Doha at this year’s exhibition. Malpani of Hong Kong has been a regular participant for more than a decade. Discerning buyers are a cause for optimism among jewellers

By Ramesh Mathew Doha and Dubai where there is a grow- Mumbai, which made its foray into Qa- Staff Reporter ing interest among buyers to collect tar at this year’s exhibition, said her more exquisite ornaments made of dia- experience has been rather good. Ex- monds and other precious stones. pressing happiness at the response she number of emerging players in This was the general impression gath- received from local customers, she said the diamond business are look- ered from participants at the Doha Jew- some of their most expensive designs Aing at regional markets, espe- ellery and Watches Exhibition, which had found buyers. cially Qatar, with a lot of hope. concluded at Doha Exhibition and Con- “If one likes a design here it would All of them are particularly optimis- vention Centre (DECC) yesterday. take only little time for a customer to tic about young clients in places such as Purnima Sheth, founder of Rose from reach a buying decision. Most of them

Shenoy Jewellery of Mumbai, operated by Govinda Shenoy, had an array of diamond-studded jewellery at the expo. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed

know it too well which is the best and situation would improve further in the of the diamond business depends on the one that suits them most,” said Gulf region as oil prices have shown the jeweller’s ability to retain custom- Sheth even as she dealt with custom- signs of stabilising. ers and win over new ones. ers. Bahrain-headquartered Devji Au- Mumbai’s Shenoy Jewellery, which Ashu Malpani, president of Hong rum’s regional director (the UAE) Kapil has been present at the show for the Kong-based Malpani Exclusive Dia- Dasani said: “The trust that one builds last several years, exhibited an array of monds and Couture Jewellery, said among customers plays a signifi cant collections of diamonds and other pre- though the world economy has not role while being engaged in a business cious stones. The company, which has completely recovered from the slow- such as jewellery. It comes only when an offi ce in Dubai, has a loyal group of down and the diamond business is we supply them with the best things local patrons for its exquisite pieces. becoming more competitive, there are to suit their requirements,” said Das- One of its offi cials expects the eco- still resourceful buyers across the Gulf ani, whose company has not missed nomic situation to show an overall region who pick up exquisite pieces a single edition of the DJWE since its improvement and said markets will and precious stones. launch in 2004. be better towards the end of the year. Malpani, whose company has been Dasani noted that locals have a pen- “Hopefully, many active customers a regular participant for the last one chant for traditional jewellery collec- would be waiting to spend on exclu- decade, feels Gulf states, notably Qa- tions though they sometimes also look sive jewellery when economic condi- tar, have a number of diamond con- for something more creative, innova- tions improve throughout the region,” noisseurs. The merchant hoped the tive and diff erent. He said the success he said. Indian jeweller’s designs catch attention of collectors

By Ramesh Mathew Staff Reporter

n Indian jeweller, whose reper- toire includes precious stones Aand white and yellow gold jew- ellery, caught the attention of many serious collectors at the Doha Jewel- lery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE). At the region’s premier jewel expo that concluded yesterday, Gems & Jewels Palace from Rajasthan’s Jodh- pur garnered a lot of interest among the region’s jewellery patrons. Owned and operated by Pannu Bansali, a reputable designer, the showcase of the company had an ar- ray of exquisite ornaments made of Pannu Bhansali at her booth at the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition diamonds and precious stones as well (DJWE), which concluded yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed as gold. “Over the last fi ve years, we have “Even the new generation of Qa- of precious stones that an ardent cus- gauged the interests and tastes of lo- tari customers has a penchant for tomer could think of,” she said. cal buyers and designed jewellery to traditional designs and patterns, es- Local patrons are becoming suit the requirements of the region’s pecially while selecting necklaces,” more demanding, said the jewel- market,” Bhansali told Gulf Times said Bhansali, whose jewellery col- ler. This time, she exhibited at least from her booth in the Alfardan Jewel- lections have featured in Bollywood three pieces whose prices exceeded lery. hits like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Goliyon Ki QR1mn. Lauding local customers, especially Raasleela Ram-Leela and Jodhaa Ak- In three decades of business, the youngsters, she said they make their bar, among others. company has established itself as a buying decisions on their own and were “We have many classic and con- major player in both antique jewellery not infl uenced by any prevailing trends. temporary designs, featuring all kinds and modern ornaments.