BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 QP Late Saez awards deal to goal gives JV for Wakrah INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 4 – 8, 26 – 28 COMMENT 24, 25 supplying REGION 9 BUSINESS 1 – 7, 18 – 20 HIA with 3-2 victory 15,913.00 9,485.90 29.44 ARAB WORLD 9, 10 CLASSIFIED 8 – 18 +301.00 -133.58 +3.23 INTERNATIONAL 11 – 23 SPORTS 1 – 12 jet fuel over Sailiya +1.93% -1.39% +12.32% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SUNDAY Vol. XXXVI No. 9998 February 14, 2016 Jumada I 5, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets former Turkish president QU makes In brief

ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Ministers put headway pressure on Libya Foreign ministers yesterday put pressure on Libya to finalise its unity government and head off the growing threat from the Islamic State group. “There is on algae no time to lose for the national unity government to assume its functions and securely establish itself in Tripoli,” said the newly appointed French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, following a meeting on the sidelines of the project Munich Security Conference. Page 10 The Algal Technologies CO2 and sunlight all year-round. Programme seeks to develop With high solar radiation and warm PALESTINE | Media technologies that can use Qatar’s temperatures, the country’s climate is New sports channel non-fossil fuel resources to protect highly suitable for algae production HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting with the former president of Turkey, Abdullah Gul, in Istanbul the environment and diversify compared with European countries. to start transmission yesterday morning. The Emir off ered condolences to Gul on the death of his father-in-law, Ahmet Ozyurt, praying to Allah economy by producing animal Qatar is home to more than 200 A new Palestinian satellite sports Almighty to rest his soul in peace. The Emir left Istanbul yesterday afternoon, concluding a working visit to Turkey. The feeds locally specialised algae strains which are channel is to carry out a pilot Emir was seen off at Ataturk International Airport by Qatar’s ambassador to Turkey, Salem bin Mubarak al-Shafi, a number abundant in many locations from the transmission on Wednesday, with of senior Turkish off icials and members of the Qatari embassy. On Friday, the Emir had discussed the latest regional and By Joey Aguilar north to the south, including Zubarah, plans to start regular broadcasts international developments with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Staff Reporter Thakhira, Al Khawar, The Pearl-Qatar, in the summer, one of its founders Fardat Al Samak, Mesaieed, Abu Sam- said yesterday. Wael Romana, ra, and Dukhan. director of the Palestinian Sport Qatar University (QU) project Qatar also has large pieces of non- Channel, told AFP it would cover to develop sustainable tech- arable lands (which cannot be used for Wednesday’s friendly between the A nologies from algae has entered agriculture) where algae can be easily Palestinian and Algerian Olympic the second phase, offi cials have said. grown. football teams in Algeria. The Algal Technologies Programme Schipper said they prefer using sea New initiative to boost water to grow algae than fresh water (ATP), of the university’s Centre for Sustainable Development, seeks to which is costly, considering that such AMERICA | Tremor develop technologies that can use valuable resource evaporates faster Quakes hit Qatar’s non-fossil fuel resources to during summer. Like other plants, al- protect the environment and diversify gae also absorb CO2 emitted to the at- Oklahoma business environment mosphere and turn it back as oxygen. economy by capturing carbon dioxide Oklahoma was struck by a (CO2) in the atmosphere and produc- “In a sense they are helping us in our magnitude 5.1 earthquake he Ministry of Economy and wired and wireless communication zThe establishment’s licence is ing animal feeds locally. greenhouse problems and Qatar has yesterday morning, the third- Commerce (MEC), in co-oper- infrastructure and furniture, in addi- granted for a minimum of one year “We are going to scale this up now high CO2 emissions,” Schipper noted. strongest quake ever recorded in Tation with the Ministry of Mu- tion to other organisational services and a maximum of two years (an eval- in the near future so we can go to the “We need to make it further with al- the state, which has experienced a nicipality and Environment (MME), such as facilities for holding confer- uation period) that can be extended to demo phase which will take approxi- gaes and some of these new ideas we surge in seismic activity in recent has announced its second initiative ences and provision for transporta- fi ve years. mately fi ve years, after that we hope are using it for anti-cancer research, years, the US Geological Survey to ease the procedures and specify the tion services. The main divisions that make up to hold the pre-commercial and com- some for waste water treatment but reported. The quake at 11:07am conditions for construction licences Owners of business centres can business centres include service of- mercial phases,” research associate we also have an area for commerciali- local time (1707 GMT) was followed of business centres. obtain the necessary approvals for the fi ces, the space of which should not Kira Schipper told reporters during a sation,” she said. by several aftershocks in the next The initiative is part of MEC’s ef- subdivision from the MME, the Gen- exceed 70% of the leased space of the visit, led by French ambassador Eric “We don’t want our ideas to stay 90 minutes, including one with a forts to improve and develop the eral Directorate of the Civil Defence main offi ce, common services, the Chevallier, to the algae plant in Al here in the labs where nothing hap- magnitude of 3.9. business environment in the country and the MEC. area of which should not be less than Khor. pens with them, where they get only through providing comprehensive The general conditions for issuing a 30% of the overall space of the main The initiative, led by project man- published in scientifi c journals, we investment solutions for entrepre- licence for a business centre are: offi ce, including corridors, meeting ager Hareb al-Jabri, started in 2009 want to take them to the next level AUSTRALIA | Politics neurs. zThe maximum licensing area of a and conference halls, reception of- with the establishment of the Qatar that would mean something for the Turnbull unveils According to a statement issued business centre shall not exceed 25% fi ce, waiting areas, attached services Advance Bio Fuel Platform which led country,” she stressed. “That is our by the MEC , the initiative will allow of the overall space of the building for (toilets, kitchen, etc.) and other serv- to the Bio Fuel Project (later rebranded ultimate goal.” Page 6 new-look cabinet owners of business centres to subdi- administrative activities. Buildings ices dedicated to the same business to ATP). Australian Prime Minister Malcolm vide the internal area into open spac- designed as business centres at the centre. The subdivisions are calcu- The ATP included the establish- Turnbull announced the reshuff le es, semi-closed spaces, completely- Towers Area shall be exempted from lated on the basis of the overall leased ment of the 100-cubic metre outdoor of his ministerial cabinet yesterday, closed spaces, or partitioned sections this rule. space and areas where the centres are cultivation unit and carbon sequestra- just five months after taking with screens. The step would allow zIn case the business centre is located located. tion project, in partnership with the off ice. Turnbull described the new the lease of the property to a number near public transportation networks, This initiative is expected to boost Qatari Diar Vinci Construction. line-up as a dynamic and young of tenants, from large corporations to metro stations and multi-storey car the business environment in the The centre currently focuses on team, saying there were now six small enterprises. parks, the building can secure one country and improve the productivity producing marine animal feeds, be- women in the cabinet, a historic for Business centres are equipped with parking lot for each two offi ces instead of all sectors, the MEC said in a state- lieving it is something more feasible Australian politics. Page 14 all the necessary support services, of one parking lot per offi ce. ment. and useful for Qatar in the future. It was seen to help save so much in terms of transporting feed from other coun- tries. According to Schipper, such projects will help Qatar not only in Kerry wants Russia to change Syria military targeting food security but also in diversifying its economy which is an important pillar of the National Vision 2030. Research associate Kira Schipper DPA wards Tel Rifaat and Azaz,” two rebel- In her presentation at QU prior to giving an update on the algae Munich held areas on the northern edge of the on-site visit, she said Qatar is one research project of Qatar University’s Aleppo, he said. of the best places in the world to grow Centre for Sustainable Development, Also yesterday, local media reported algae due to the presence of water, College of Arts and Sciences. ussia must stop targeting Syria’s that Saudi Arabia will deploy war planes legitimate opposition as part to the Incirlik air base in southern Tur- Rof an air campaign in support key, used by the US and allied powers to of President Bashar al-Assad before a launch attacks against Islamic State. truce can be implemented next week, The exact size of any potential Saudi US Secretary of State John Kerry said deployment had yet to be determined, yesterday. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Ca- “To date, the vast majority of Rus- vusoglu told Yeni Safak and other out- sia’s attacks have been against legiti- lets on his plane back from Munich, mate opposition groups,” Kerry said at adding that Turkey and Saudi Arabia the Munich Security Conference. “To could launch a ground operation. adhere to the agreement it made, Rus- On Friday, US Defence Secretary sia’s targeting must change.” US Secretary of State John Kerry speaking during the second day of the 52nd Ash Carter told reporters that the UAE “The entire International Syria Sup- Munich Security Conference yesterday. was ready to “restart their participa- port Group, including Russia, will work tion in the air campaign” against Is- together to ensure that happens,” Kerry Medvedev, who attended the Mu- monitoring group reporting airstrikes lamic State and stressed the key role said, referring to more than a dozen nich conference in place of President against a rebel-held area in the town of of both the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. countries that agreed early Friday to Vladimir Putin, claimed that there Tel Rifaat in northern Aleppo. He implied special forces from the implement a truce in one week’s time. was no evidence Russia was bomb- “The intensity of the raids has in- Gulf would help “local forces” in Syria The agreement, whose signatories ing civilians in Syria. The accusation creased in the past 24 hours,” said to retake al-Raqqa, the Islamic State’s include Saudi Arabia and Iran, fore- had been earlier levelled by his French Rami Abdel-Rahman, the head of the de facto capital in the north. The US sees a “pause” in fi ghting while details counterpart, Manuel Valls. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. has so far largely allied with Kurdish of a more permanent ceasefi re are ne- Supported by Russian airstrikes, Tel Rifaat, around 20km from the forces on the ground in Syria to push gotiated. It will not include the Islamic Assad’s forces are trying to encircle Turkish border, is one of the last rebel back Islamic State militants. State and al-Nusra Front militias. the strategic city of Aleppo - a strong- strongholds north of Aleppo. Al-As- Tens of thousands of people have Russia has insisted it is only tar- hold for the Syrian opposition - and sad’s forces are just three kilometres fl ed the airstrikes, creating a humani- geting “terrorists” as part of its cam- cut off their supply route from Turkey. away, according to Abdel-Rahman. tarian crisis on the Turkish border, French ambassador Eric Chevallier, second left, accompanied by a Qatar University paign. The Russian campaign seemed “This intensity sets the scene for a which remains closed to the refugees. research team, visiting the algae plant at QU’s farm in Al Khor. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry to be intensifying yesterday, with a ground advance (by Syrian troops) to- Pages 10, 17 PICTURES: Najeer Feroke

Gulf Times 4 Sunday, February 14, 2016 QATAR

Green building council to launch new season of sustainability education programme

atar Green Building gramme in March. will highlight a multitude of re- 1,100 trainees have attended will you learn this year, 2016?’ to respond to the ever increas- sional development in Qatar are Council (QGBC), a mem- The new season of the educa- lated topics, including sustain- numerous courses encompass- The survey seeks to understand ing demand in the country. The key pillars of QGBC’s mission Qber of Qatar Founda- tion programme will feature an ability in the built environment, ing 16 diff erent topics related to and identify gaps in Qatar’s survey can be accessed through to foster awareness and under- tion for Education, Science and array of standardised courses rating systems, essentials of a green buildings and sustainabil- green building and sustainability QGBC’s website: http://www. standing of green buildings in Community Development (QF), and workshops for creating tech- green building, and green build- ity. education sector. It is aimed at qatargbc.org/courses Qatar.” will launch a new season of its nical awareness and knowledge ings’ certifi cation process. In addition, to mark the start helping QGBC expand its cur- Meshal al-Shamari, director The survey’s outcome will be Sustainability Education and of green buildings and sustain- Since the launch of the pro- of the new season, QGBC has rent portfolio of professional of QGBC, said: “Education and shared with the wider commu- Professional Development Pro- ability in Qatar. These courses gramme in November 2014, over launched a survey titled ‘What development training courses sustainability-oriented profes- nity.

Beach clean-up

The Beaches and Islands Section at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment has cleaned the Wakrah fishing beach. A large quantity of wastes, including discarded fishing nets, tyres and other materials were removed and notices for removal were put on abandoned vehicles.

QNB, MasterCard kick off campaign

NB, in collaboration pions League since 1994. with MasterCard, The campaign, which Qhas launched a cam- starts today and runs until paign giving card holders April 10, gives QNB Mas- the opportunity to watch the terCard credit card holders UEFA Champions League the opportunity to earn one fi nal live at the San Siro sta- entry into the draw for every dium in Milan, Italy, in addi- QR800 spent locally and tion to an exclusive shopping three entries for the equiva- experience accompanied by lent spent abroad. a dedicated shopping assist- The minimum amount ant at Milan’s fi nest stores. does not include cash ad- Tickets are courtesy of vances, donations, fees and MasterCard, an offi cial charges, or erroneous trans- sponsor of the UEFA Cham- actions.

Gulf Times 6 Sunday, February 14, 2016 QATAR

FM holds meetings in Munich Poor visibility due to fog

oor visibility is expected in some parts of the country Pin the early hours today due to fog, the Qatar Met de- partment has said. Visibility may drop to 1km or less during this period, accord- ing to the weather report. The forecast for inshore areas says it will be misty to foggy in some places at fi rst, followed by moderate temperatures during the day with some clouds and a cold night. Off shore areas are likely to see some clouds. The minimum and maximum HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani holding separate meetings with the Minister of Foreign Aff airs of Norway and Armenia - Borge Brende and Edward Nalbandian, respectively, temperatures in the country to- on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference yesterday. HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also met Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin in Munich. Talks during the meetings dealt with day are expected to be 11C and bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. 24C, respectively, with the fore- cast for Doha being 13C and 24C. Algal technology to help Qatar achieve food security: French envoy

By Joey Aguilar oil and gas but also taking care of involved in the project particu- very important agreement to Staff Reporter sustainable development.” larly the Qatari Diar Vinci Con- protect the environment was The project started in 2009 struction (QDVC). sealed. with funding from Qatar Air- QDVC’s aim is to invest in He said French companies are rench ambassador Eric ways and Qatar Science and certain applications leading to a also looking at many collabora- Chevallier described the Technology Park. It collected CO2 capturing solution, accord- tions with Qatar on sustainable FAlgal Technologies Pro- more than 200 local microalgae ing to research associate Kira development including solar gramme (ATP) as “a very inter- and cyanobacteria species from Schipper from QU’s Centre for energy. esting and promising” research various parts of the country. Sustainable Development, Col- “We have also several compa- project aimed at helping Qatar The research team also start- lege of Arts and Sciences. nies who are working on the en- achieve food security, environ- ed converting algae biomass to “For every kilogram of CO2 ergy effi ciency. France is known mental protection, and biore- biodiesel, bioethanol and bio- they emit, they are investing a for being involved on wastewater mediation. crude oil as part of the experi- certain amount of money which treatment, these are also things Speaking on the sidelines of mental stage. has something to do with re- that we are working on. It is a his visit to the algae plant in Al QU expects commercial algae search reducing the amount of wide range of partnerships,” he Khor last week, the envoy said production in Qatar for animal CO2 by algae,” she said. added. he was impressed with the ATP feed and biofuels (phase 4) to Since algae need CO2 and nu- Chevallier said ATP is very in- after Qatari scientist Hareb al- take place in 2025 using a 100 trients to grow, they can be used teresting because it has a strong Jabri presented the project at a hectare lot. to capture CO2 from fl ue gas. research component, which conference held at Qatar Univer- Based on al-Jabri’s conclu- They can also remove pollutants looks at the future to develop sity (QU). sion, the past fi ve years have from waste water and produce new applications. “It (ATP) is looking at diff er- seen a strong increase in re- useful products. The envoy also cited the im- ent possibilities from a natural search and development activi- France’s keen interest in portance of developing technol- resource here, from health to ties on algae and QU’s research the research project is due to ogies not only on CO2 seques- food safety, to also trying to use activities also showed promis- its commitment to sustain- tration but also about producing part of CO2 for positive pur- ing results. able development, Chevallier nutrients for animals, fi sh and poses,” he noted. “It is very im- Chevallier said some French noted, adding that they organ- humans. “Some applications portant that Qatar does not only companies, research institutes ised Conference of the Parties may be hopefully for cancer, so Members of Qatar University’s Centre for Sustainable Development research team brief the French appear as a country producing and scientists from France are (COP) 21 in December where a this is very broad.” ambassador Eric Chevallier (centre) on the Algal Technologies Programme. PICTURE: Najeer Feroke Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 7 QATAR Panel to submit Swift action averts potential accident QC report on police role in school disputes he Education Commit- The committee recently person to handle communica- tee of Qatar Chamber convened its second meeting tion with the local press. The T(QC) will submit a set of for this year, headed by Dr Jabr media outlets, on their part, recommendations to the Capi- bin Muhaana al-Nuaimi on be- should refer to these persons An alert Public Works Authority (Ashghal) team yesterday tal Security Department on the half of QC vice-chairman, and for information pertaining to cordoned off the area surrounding an uncovered manhole on issue of police intervention in head of the committee Mo- schools. Ahmed Bin Hanbal Street in Matar Qadeem. A resident saw the school disputes for review. hamed Ahmed bin Tuwar. The committee will prepare open manhole, which could have a posed a threat to pedestrians, This was decided at a meet- At an earlier meeting, the a list of such persons and send and posted a photograph of it on Twitter. On seeing the image, ing held recently. committee had reviewed the it to all media outlets. Ashghal sent an emergency team and cordoned off the area The meeting also decided issue in the presence of Briga- Earlier, the committee had with road safety cones. Ashghal also thanked the resident for her that a joint meeting of the dier Nasser bin Jabr al-Nuaimi, expressed dissatisfaction with initiative. The authorities said the manhole would be covered committee members and po- director of the Capital Secu- the way some school-related today. lice representatives will be held rity Department, stressing that issues were published with- to study the procedures and the police should interfere in out having any version of the precautions for any future po- school disputes only when ab- schools concerned. lice intervention in schools if solutely necessary and when Further, the committee dis- necessary. all other means of an amicable cussed the issue of some gov- Further, such procedures settlement are exhausted by ernment entities setting up and will be implemented in close the school management. operating private schools. co-ordination with the Min- Meanwhile, the commit- The issue was accordingly Ooredoo boosts fi bre network speed istry of Education and Higher tee members agreed that every referred to the QC legal aff airs Education. private school should appoint a department for further study. oredoo has announced than 40 simultaneous connec- other device, Ooredoo has in- next generation Mozaic TV with that its free speed up- tions, to satisfy even the most troduced the new device off er. high-defi nition programming Ograde on the fi bre net- demanding of homes and em- With the promotion, valid till and a range of advanced features. work is now live. With the up- ploys the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi the end of April, the device can Customers who want to join grade, all 50Mbps home fi bre specifi cations. be purchased in Ooredoo Shops the “fi bre revolution,” can view plans received a double speed Ooredoo Qatar COO Yousuf for QR399, instead of the usual the fi bre availability map on increase to 100Mbps, while Abdulla al-Kubaisi said: “We’re QR499 for all 100Mbps and Ooredoo’s website. The map al- existing 100Mbps plans were introducing a range of exciting 300Mbps customers. lows customers to check if they boosted to 300Mbps - the fast- new devices to let our custom- The Ooredoo fi bre network are in a fi bre-ready “green” area est home fi xed line connection ers experience the full power of is available across Qatar, with and shows customers how to ap- ever off ered. the Ooredoo Supernet. Our new more than 260,000 homes and ply for a fi bre upgrade. In some On top of the speed boost, gateway device can boost speeds businesses currently benefi ting cases customers are limited to Ooredoo is also off ering to all fi - and give customers incredible from super-fast Internet and the maximum speed 100Mbps. If bre customers a QR100 discount Wi-Fi access to our 300Mbps next generation services. this applies Ooredoo has a spe- on a new enhanced Supernet Fi- fi bre plan.” Since its launch in 2011, the cial off er ready for them. bre Wi-Fi Broadband Gateway Since May 2015, all new fi - fi bre network has not only trans- Detailed off ers, pricing and for all 100Mbps and 300Mbps bre connections have been au- formed the broadband Internet tips on how to measure the speed customers. The Supernet Fibre tomatically provided with the market but also the digital en- properly is available at www. Wi-Fi Broadband Gateway is a new device, but for customers tertainment industry in Qatar, ooredoo.qa, on the “at home” Members of the Education Committee of Qatar Chamber hold a meeting. new device that supports more wishing to upgrade or buy an- enabling customers to enjoy section. Gulf Times 8 Sunday, February 14, 2016 QATAR

Fourth Middle East Forum to be held in May

amad Medical Corpo- Professor Adeel Butt, ME ration (HMC) and the Forum chair, and HHQI direc- HInstitute for Health- tor, said: “The ME Forum is an care Improvement (IHI) will important conference for doc- host the fourth Middle East tors, nurses and allied health Forum on Quality and Safety in professionals who use the event Healthcare (ME Forum) from as a chance to learn new quality May 13 –15 at the Qatar Na- improvement methodologies, tional Convention Centre. exchange ideas with their peers Led by HMC’s Hamad and to showcase their own im- Healthcare Quality Institute provement initiatives.” LAIC 2016 conference chair Dr Trinidad Rico from Texas A&M University. Right: Attendees listen to speaker presentations. (HHQI), the annual conference IHI President and CEO, will reinforce the continued Derek Feeley who will attend partnership between HMC and the forum said, “This is one IHI, a not-for-profi t organisa- of the leading healthcare im- tion that is a leading innovator provement events in the Mid- in health and healthcare im- dle East region, and lays a plat- provement worldwide. form for encouraging positive This year’s conference change and progress in HMC theme centres on a trans- hospitals and clinics, as well Top scholars attend Tamuq formative approach to im- as other public and private proving healthcare delivery healthcare facilities in Qatar by inspiring innovation. The and beyond.” conference will feature key- note lectures and seminars “The ME Forum is an from local, regional and global important conference for liberal arts conference health experts, as well a series doctors, nurses and allied of intensive pre-conference health professionals exas A&M University at to Souq Waqif and Mathaf: Arab in my own fi eld, but also because Penn State University. She also noted that liberal workshops. who exchange ideas with Qatar (Tamuq) recently Museum of Modern Art and sev- of the diversity of thoughtful per- Varisco’s talk, “The Social arts fi elds infuse STEM (science, Topics will highlight the their peers and showcase Thosted its fourth annual en parallel sessions consisting of spectives from people in diff erent Relevance of Sustainability: The technology, engineering and science behind improvement, their own improvement Liberal Arts International Con- 20 panel discussions. fi elds that made me think about Future of Post-traditional Cul- math) education by promoting the continuing transforma- initiatives” ference (LAIC) at Hamad Bin Collaborations from past con- my own research in a new way.” ture in the Gulf”, examined the critical thinking, imagination, tion of clinical interventions Khalifa University Student Cen- ferences have led to several aca- eff ects of rapid modernity in the logical analysis and empathic and clinical systems, how The conference will include tre in Education City. demic articles and two books. “Our graduates have Arabian Gulf. understanding of human expe- healthcare leaders can drive a poster exhibition highlight- This year’s conference fea- The event served as an op- diverse skills that enable Varisco tracked Qatar’s ascen- riences, thereby creating global improvements in their teams ing successful quality and tured 70 papers from institu- portunity in Qatar for scholars them to provide creative sion and evolution from seafar- citizens. and organisations, and ways safety improvement initia- tions in 15 countries across six in the social sciences, arts and solutions to future ers inhabiting scattered Bedouin Dr Troy Bickham, assistant in which healthcare workers tives, a knowledge area that continents, and included 40 humanities to engage with col- problems we cannot yet outposts to one of the richest dean for academic and student can enhance engagement with allows delegates to meet and speakers from Qatar. leagues from around the world even imagine” countries in the world in a short services and professor of history patients. engage with subject matter The Liberal Arts Programme and stimulate research and period of time and examined at Tamuq, said: “Our graduates HE Dr Hanan Mohamed experts, and a number of op- at Texas A&M at Qatar hosts the learning eff orts. There were two keynote what eff ects this may have had have diverse skills that enable al-Kuwari, Minister of Public portunities for participants conference each year to explore a Conference speaker and at- speakers this year: Professor on society. them to provide creative solu- Health said that the ME Forum to converse on healthcare im- wide variety of regional and glo- tendee Dr Amy Hodges from the Daniel Martin Varisco, research In the second keynote address, tions to future problems we can- had become a mainstay on the provement topics. bal topics from a multidiscipli- Writing Centre at MIT/Singa- professor in social science at Glenn presented the lecture, not yet even imagine. The liberal event calendar and a popular Doctors, nurses, and allied nary perspective. pore University of Technology Qatar University, and Profes- “What is happening to the Lib- arts are essential in this regard, professional development op- health professionals attend- The three-day conference, and Design said, “I enjoyed the sor Cheryl Glenn, liberal arts eral Arts?”, explaining how the because they develop students’ portunity with healthcare in- ing the Middle East Forum “Crossing Disciplines, Crossing LAIC, not only because of the research professor of English liberal arts are under-appreciat- communication, writing and dustry workers in both Qatar are eligible to earn continuing Borders”, featured lectures, trips connections I made with people and women’s studies director at ed - if not under siege. critical-thinking skills.” and the region. healthcare education points.

NBK Automobiles to continue special off ers on selected Mercedes-Benz cars

asser Bin Khaled (NBK) Automobiles, Nthe exclusive dealer of Mercedes-Benz in Qatar, has announced that it is con- tinuing its special off ers on selected models of Mercedes- Benz cars at its showroom on Salwa Road. The off er is valid until the end of February on the CLS400, A250, E200, E400 and GL500. NBK Automo- biles launched this off er dur- ing Qatar Motor Show 2016, which took place from Janu- ary 27 to February 1. The off ers are in line with the company’s policy to pro- vide customers with the “best The off er is valid until the end of February. savings and allow them drive the dream car that features the best specifi cations and highest standards of safety”, NBK Automobiles has said in a statement. Khaled Shaaban, general manager of NBK Auto, said: “Nasser Bin Khaled contin- ues its off ers on carefully se- lected models of Mercedes- Benz cars to give our valued customers more chances and time to own the car they like. The off er is valid for diff erent models from various seg- ments, ranging from sporty to elegant sedan and SUV cars.” “We hope that all will ben- efi t from these deals and en- joy driving one of our amaz- ing cars,” Shaaban added. CLS400 off ers “high driv- ing pleasure to the driver and utmost comfort to the pas- sengers”, and is available at a starting price of QR280,000. The A-Class is a car with “comfort, technology and equipment, which are tai- lored to youth personality”. The A250’s price starts from QR119,000. The Mercedes-Benz E- Class is a “high luxury car and a perfect fi t for all times”. The price of E200 starts from QR165,000, while that of the E400 starts from QR239,000. For SUV fans, the GL500 blends “elegance with high performance and power that turns every journey into a symphony of select and truly electrifying impressions”. The GL500 is available from QR369,000. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 9 REGION/ARAB WORLD Medical aid delivered to war-torn Taiz

Reuters the International Committee of out by the pressure of bombs Geneva the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation landing nearby, and several di- in Yemen, said in a statement. rect hits have reduced one ward The ICRC team delivered sur- nearly to dust. he Red Cross said yes- gical items, intravenous fl uids ICRC spokesman Francis terday it had entered the and anaesthetic supplies to help Markus confi rmed that al- Twar-torn Yemeni city of treat hundreds of wounded, he Thawra was one of the four that Thousands of Egyptian doctors demonstrated in Cairo on Friday in a rare protest at what rights groups call police impunity after two Taiz for the fi rst time since Au- said. received medical supplies, along doctors were alleged to have been assaulted in a hospital in the city last month. gust, delivering three tonnes “Essential medicines and with Al-Taawon, Al Hikma and of life-saving medical supplies supplies for pregnant women Al-Jumhoury hospitals. “What to four hospitals treating the were also provided. All of these is needed is regular unimpeded wounded. items are in high demand by the access,” he said. Taiz has been one of the hard- hospitals in Taiz that continue to After the government fl ed est-fought fronts in a war in receive a daily infl ux of wounded into exile, a Saudi-led alliance of Thousands of doctors stage which local militias and forces people,” Grand said. Arab states joined the war to re- loyal to a Saudi-backed govern- Living conditions for civil- store it to power, recapturing the ment ousted by Houthi rebels ians in the city have continued port city of Aden, where Presi- last March are seeking to fi ght to worsen, with residents fac- dent Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi their way back to the capital ing daily insecurity and a con- is now based. anti-police protest in Cairo Sanaa. stant struggle for medical care, Riyadh and its allies have Many residents of the city food and water, the ICRC said. launched hundreds of air of 200,000, in the south- Yemen has become one of strikes, sent in ground troops Reuters of people on the streets of Cairo Matariya doctors be referred to gestions its security services west of the country, say the the world’s worst humanitar- and set up a naval blockade Cairo have become rare since a strict the prosecutor,” she said. could have been involved. Houthis have blocked aid ian crises. The UN says famine to restrict goods reaching law was passed allowing for jail Shaaban said the meeting Several human rights groups from entering and bombed ci- looms as over half the popula- Yemen. The Saudis say the sentences of up to seven years on Friday was called to ad- spoke out in solidarity with the vilian targets. tion, or 14.4mn people, face Houthis, drawn mainly from housands of Egyptian for those participating in dem- dress “daily assaults on medical doctor’s syndicate on Friday “This is a breakthrough and hunger and not even its hospi- a Shia sect that ruled a thou- doctors demonstrated in onstrations without prior po- staff ” that are being ignored by and called for greater account- we hope that today’s operation tals are spared. sand-year kingdom in north TCairo on Friday in a rare lice approval. the authorities. ability. will be followed by many more to The al-Thawra hospital in Taiz Yemen until 1962, are puppets protest at what rights groups The syndicate said on Friday Human rights groups say that “The authorities (must) end come,” Antoine Grand, head of has had all its windows blown of Shia Iran. call police impunity after two that if the offi cers involved are police brutality is widespread in the overall impunity enjoyed doctors were alleged to have not brought to trial they will Egypt and that there is a culture by police today to prevent the been assaulted in a hospital in continue to protest. of impunity. Trials are rare and constant recurrence of such the city last month. “The general assembly of when they do occur, sentences incidents,” the Cairo-based Sultan Qaboos to travel to Germany for health checkup The Egyptian Medical Syndi- the syndicate decided to es- are usually appealed and subse- Egyptian Initiative for Per- cate held an emergency meet- calate the situation and is or- quently reduced. sonal Rights said in a state- Sultan Qaboos of Oman is to fly will be of “limited duration, God never been any off icial statement ing on Friday and called for the ganising a protest across all The demonstration comes ment. to Germany today for a medical willing”, a statement carried by on the nature of his illness. prosecution of police offi cers hospitals on February 20,” Dr after the body of an Italian stu- Earlier this week a police of- checkup on his progress after eight the off icial ONA news agency State television reported at the involved in the alleged assault Rashwan Shaaban, assistant dent was found by a roadside fi cer in Egypt’s eastern city of months of treatment there in 2014- yesterday said. time that his treatment was a in Matariya, a district of north- secretary-general of the syn- in Cairo marked with cigarette Ismailia was sentenced to eight 15, his government announced. Qaboos has made only short “total success”. ern Cairo. The syndicate says dicate, said. burns and other signs of tor- years in jail for beating a man to The 75-year-old monarch will public appearances since But he has since returned the offi cers have not been held “It’s a way to escalate the sit- ture. Italy has demanded those death in custody and falsifying undergo a “routine medical his return from treatment in to Germany at least twice, a accountable. uation should none of the po- responsible be brought to jus- police records, judicial sources examination” during a stay that Germany last March. There has diplomatic source said. Protests involving thousands lice offi cers that assaulted the tice. Egypt has dismissed sug- said. Arab Israelis demand release of Palestinian hunger striker

AFP rested on November 21 at his home in to be transferred to a hospital in Ram- Afula the West Bank city of Ramallah and allah. placed under administrative deten- Israeli police said that Friday’s pro- tion, an Israeli procedure allowing in- test had been authorised despite the rab Israelis demonstrated on defi nite imprisonment without trial. Islamic Movement ban because the Friday in support of a Palestin- He has been refusing food since request for a permit was not made in Aian journalist who has been on November 25 in protest against the its name. hunger strike for 80 days, demanding “torture and ill treatment that he was The demonstration passed off an end to his detention without trial subjected to during interrogation”, ac- without incident, police spokeswom- by Israel. cording to Addameer, a Palestinian an Luba Samri said. An AFP journalist in the northern rights organisation. In Qiq’s hometown of Hebron, in Israeli town of Afula said that fi re- On February 4, Israel’s Supreme the southern West Bank, hundreds brand Islamic cleric Raed Salah de- Court lifted the administrative deten- of Palestinians also demonstrated livered a sermon to hundreds of wor- tion order but ruled that he may not on his behalf, an AFP journalist shippers at the end of weekly prayers leave hospital. there said. held outside the hospital where Mo- Qiq responded that he would con- Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic secu- hamed al-Qiq is being held under tinue his fast until he is freed. rity service, says Qiq was arrested for guard. His lawyers and the Afula hospital “terror activity” as part of the Islam- “Pray for the victory of the pris- say his medical condition means that ist group Hamas, which controls the oner who is being held hostage, op- his life is in grave danger. Gaza Strip. pressed and detained without reason,” His wife Fayha Shalash told report- He was jailed for a month in 2003 said Salah, who is himself awaiting ers late Friday that “his state of health and then for 13 months in 2004 for the outcome of an appeal against an has never been so critical”. Hamas-related activities. 11-month jail sentence for inciting Salah, whose radical wing of the In 2008, Qiq was sentenced to 16 violence against the Jewish state. Islamic Movement was outlawed by months on charges linked to his ac- Qiq, 33, a correspondent for Saudi Israel in November, said on Friday he tivities on the student council at the Arabia’s Almajd TV network, was ar- had spoken to Qiq who said he wanted West Bank’s Birzeit University.

Libyan naval forces in Tripoli say have Teen shot dead seized foreign tanker Libyan naval forces have seized a Sierra ‘trying to stab Leone-flagged oil tanker on suspicion of illegally entering Libyan waters in an attempt to smuggle gasoline, authorities Israeli soldier’ said yesterday. The vessel, the Captain Khayyam, was stopped in Libyan waters on Friday night AFP with Israeli and Palestinian lead- 25 miles northwest of Zuwarah city, and Hebron ers. was carrying 1.6mn litres of gasoline, “Arrived in Israel... to discuss said Ayoub Qassem, a spokesman for the US commitment to 2 states side naval forces allied to Tripoli’s self-declared sraeli forces shot dead a Pales- by side in security & peace,” she government. tinian teenager as she tried to wrote on her offi cial Twitter ac- “The tanker was seized due to illegal Istab a soldier in the fl ashpoint count earlier. entrance to Libyan waters without West Bank city of Hebron yester- Since the current round of blood- permission,” Qassem said. He said more day, Israeli and Palestinian au- shed erupted at the beginning of details would be announced when the thorities said. October, 167 Palestinians have been tanker was docked in Tripoli. “An assailant drew a knife and killed by Israeli forces. Most were He said it was a sailing under a Sierre attempted to stab a soldier,” an carrying out attacks but others died Leone flag with a crew of nine including Israeli army statement said. “Re- during clashes and demonstrations. nationals of Turkey, Ukraine, and sponding to the attack, forces fi red The violence has claimed the Azerbaijan, including one woman. at the perpetrator, resulting in her lives of 26 Israelis, as well as an Five years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, death.” American, a Sudanese and an Eri- Libya has two rival governments each Palestinian hospital offi cials trean, according to an AFP count. backed by competing armed factions, and a named her as 17-year-old Kalzar The army statement said yes- UN-backed government of national unity that al-Uweiwi. terday’s incident occurred near is trying to bring the sides together but faces Palestinian security sources said Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque. resistance on the ground. Israel passed her body to Hebron Hebron is a regular fl ashpoint Each side accuses the other of illegally hospital so she could be buried by in the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict, trying to smuggle out oil or bringing in her family. with several hundred Jewish set- weapons to arm Islamist militants or other The incident took place as tlers living in the heart of the city fighting groups. Tankers and ships are Washington’s UN ambassador, under heavy military guard among often seized off the coast, and have in the Samantha Power, arrived for talks around 200,000 Palestinians. past been hit with air strikes. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, February 14, 2016 ARAB WORLD Turkey strikes Kurds, mulls ground attack with Saudi

Participants of the Libya meeting (left to right) Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the Support Mission AFP year against PKK targets in their coming weeks, with 4 F-16 fi ghters in Libya; Federica Mogherini, President of the European Commisssion; Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Aff airs of Egypt; Jean-Marc Beirut Qandil mountain stronghold in to arrive in a fi rst wave. Ayrault, French Minister for Foreign Aff airs; Paolo Gentiloni, Minister for Foreign Aff airs of Italy, unidentified; John F Kerry, US Secretary of State; northern Iraq. Asked if Saudi Arabia could and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Minister for Foreign Aff airs pose prior to the meeting on the sidelines of the second day of the 52nd A YPG source said that the send troops to the Turkish border Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich yesterday. urkish artillery yesterday Turkish shelling targeted the to enter Syria, Cavusoglu said: shelled areas of Aleppo strategic Minnigh airbase, which “This is something that could be Tprovince in northern Syria Kurdish forces retook late on desired but there is no plan. Sau- held by Kurdish forces, a moni- Wednesday. di Arabia is sending planes and tor said, as Ankara said it could Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mev- they said ‘If the necessary time launch a ground assault along- lut Cavusoglu, quoted in Turkish comes for a ground operation ‘No time to lose’ to install Libya side Saudi troops. newspapers, said Riyadh and An- then we could send soldiers’.” The Syrian Observatory for kara were co-ordinating plans to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Human Rights said Turkish artil- intervene in Syria, where Russia al-Jubeir, for his part, said in a lery struck areas of Aleppo, in- has been backing a successful re- German newspaper interview: unity government: ministers cluding Minnigh airbase recently gime off ensive against rebels. “There is discussion on whether taken by the Kurdish People’s “If there is a strategy (against ground troops are needed against Protection Units (YPG) militia the Islamic State militant group), IS. AFP The meeting was attended by “The time of tactical ma- “That point is clear,” he said. from Islamist rebels. then Turkey and Saudi Arabia “If a decision is taken to send Munich US Secretary of State John Kerry noeuvring is over. Now it’s time Libya has been in chaos since Ankara considers the Syr- could enter into a ground opera- in special units against IS, Saudi and his counterparts from Brit- for Libya to show responsibil- the 2011 ouster of longtime dic- ian Kurdish Democratic Union tion,” he said. Arabia is ready to take part.” ain, Egypt, Germany and Italy, ity,” said German Foreign Min- tator Muammar Gaddafi , with Party (PYD) and its YPG militia Cavusoglu said Saudi Arabia is Saudi Arabia had already said oreign ministers put pres- as well as EU and UN represent- ister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. two rival administrations and to be branches of the Kurdistan also sending planes to the Turk- earlier this month that it was sure on Libya yesterday to atives. “Germany, Europe and the in- armed groups fi ghting for con- Workers Party (PKK) which has ish base of Incirlik, a key hub ready to join any ground opera- Ffi nalise its unity govern- The speaker of Libya’s interna- ternational community are ready trol of the oil-rich country. waged a decades-long insurgen- for US-led coalition operations tion against IS. ment and head off the growing tionally recognised parliament, to off er any help to support the A militia alliance including cy against the Turkish state. against IS already used by Brit- Russian Prime Minister Dmit- threat from the Islamic State Aguila Saleh, was also present. Libyan government in this. Islamists overran Tripoli in Au- The shelling came shortly after ain, France and the US for cross- ry Medvedev said yesterday that group. His parliament has given it- “This also applies to state- gust 2014, establishing its own Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet border air raids. strains between Russia and the “There is no time to lose for self until today to form a new building and the training of government and parliament and Davutoglu said Ankara would, if “They (Saudi offi cials) came, West over the Syrian and Ukraine the national unity government national unity government security forces,” Steinmeier causing the recognised admin- necessary, take military action did a reconnaissance of the base. confl icts had plunged the world to assume its functions and se- aimed at ending years of chaos added. istration to fl ee to the country’s against the PYD. At the moment it is not clear how into a “new Cold War”. curely establish itself in Tripoli,” in the North African country. Ayrault, who took over as remote east. “We can if necessary take the many planes will come,” Cavu- “Almost every day we are said the newly appointed French The Islamic State militant France’s foreign minister from Last month the recognised same measures in Syria as we soglu said. accused of making new horrible Foreign Minister Jean-Marc group has taken advantage of the Laurent Fabius this week, parliament rejected a 32-member took in Iraq and Qandil,” he said Turkish media later quoted threats either against Nato as a Ayrault, following a meeting on turmoil to establish a strong- warned that anyone obstructing unity government announced as in a televised speech. military sources as saying between whole, against Europe or against the sidelines of the Munich Se- hold with thousands of fi ghters the process would face interna- part of a UN-brokered deal, say- The premier was referring to eight and 10 Saudi jets would be the US or other countries,” curity Conference. in the coastal city of Sirte. tional sanctions. ing it was too large. Turkey’s bombing campaign last deployed in Incirlik within the Medvedev said. UN probe zeroes in on fi ve chem weapons cases

AFP Aid convoy reaches rebel-held area: report United Nations A convoy carrying medical aid entered The UN Off ice for the Co-ordination of the besieged rebel-controlled Douma Humanitarian Aff airs (OCHA) confirmed UN investigative team has ze- area near the Syrian capital yesterday, the aid delivery to Douma in the East- roed in on fi ve potential cases of the off icial SANA news agency re- ern Ghouta, a rebel stronghold east of Aserious chemical weapons use ported, citing the Syrian Red Crescent. Damascus besieged since 2013. in Syria but has yet to identify the per- The aid consists of medicines and According to UN figures, some 486,700 petrators, according to its fi rst report also milk for children, said Syrian Red people in Syria currently live in areas released on Friday. Crescent director of operations Hazem besieged by either government or The Joint Investigative Mechanism Bakla. rebel forces. was established by the UN Security Council in August last year to come up with a list of names of those responsi- all states and other sources,” the panel bombs, that the West blames on the ble for attacks using toxic chemicals in said in the report. The investigative Syrian regime. Syria. panel was set up after evidence sur- These took place in Kafr Zita on April In its fi rst report, the panel told the faced of chlorine gas attacks on three 11 and 18, 2014, Talmenes on April 21, Security Council it wanted to further in- Syrian villages in 2014 that left 13 dead. 2014, Qmenas on March 16, 2015, and vestigate fi ve chemical weapons attacks President Bashar al-Assad’s regime Sarmin on March 16, 2015. in Syria’s Hama, Idlib and Aleppo prov- and rebel groups have accused each A more recent attack in Marea on inces, that took place in 2014 and 2015. other of using chemical weapons in August 21, 2015, pointed to the likely “The process of identifying those the nearly fi ve-year war that has killed use of mustard gas by Islamic State involved in the use of chemicals as more than 250,000 people. militants. weapons is a complex task for which The report did not provide details, The panel said it may add more cases the mechanism will require the con- but four of the fi ve cases point to the for investigation to its current list of tinued support and co-operation of alleged use of chlorine gas in barrel fi ve attacks. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 11 AFRICA

CAR candidates promise ‘peace’

Reuters supports wound through dusty Bangui streets lined with roofl ess, loot- ed homes and past checkpoints manned by armed UN soldiers. andidates for today’s elec- “Of course, we’ve organised tions in Central African election. But that’s only one el- CRepublic wrapped up ement ... in emerging from this campaigning on Friday night with crisis,” Touadera, a mathematics promises to put an end to years of professor, said in a televised de- religious and ethnic bloodshed in bate on Friday night. the impoverished nation. “There are still Central African Voters will cast their ballots brothers with weapons ... Right today in a presidential run-off after these elections, we must between former prime ministers open dialogue with them so that Anicet-Georges Dologuele and (disarmament) is automatically Faustin-Archange Touadera and begun,” he said. vote in the re-run of a fi rst round The election period, which legislative poll which was can- began with a constitutional ref- celled over irregularities. erendum mid-December, has Central African Republic has remained relatively peaceful. remained one of the world’s most And turnout of nearly 80% for unstable nations since gaining the fi rst round of elections was independence from France more widely viewed as an indication than fi ve decades ago. Investors of the people’s desire to turn the have shied away from its gold, page on the years of violence. diamonds and uranium amid “It’s changing. I’ve seen the regular coups and rebellions. change,” said Coretta Gonda, 25, “At a certain moment the state who lost her aunt and younger had collapsed. All the ingredients brother to the fi ghting and had that make up a state had fallen her home looted. “God taught us away,” said Bangui’s infl uential to forgive. I’m ready to forgive.” Catholic archbishop Dieudonne Gonda was among thousands Nzapalainga. who gathered in the national The latest crisis erupted in ear- football stadium on Friday for ly 2013 when Seleka rebels drawn a fi nal rally organised by Do- mainly from the Muslim minority loguele, a banker who has served toppled President Francois Boz- in regional fi nancial institutions. ize, provoking deadly reprisals by “The country has fallen. We Christian militia fi ghters. must build it back up again,” Demonstrators hold signs reading “We ask Kagame to let the refugees come back home to Burundi” and “We denounce Kagame’s attempt to destabilise Burundi and the Great Thousands have died in the he told a crowd of thousands of Lakes region” during a protest in front of the Rwandan embassy in Bujumbura. violence. And one in fi ve Central supporters. “All of you here can Africans has fl ed either abroad or build it back up.” internally, including most Mus- Edouard Mathos Matandji, a lims in the southwest, who were resident of the traditional Bozize targeted by a campaign of ethnic stronghold of Boy-Rabe in Ban- cleansing. gui, has faith that the country is The themes of peace and rec- on the verge of a turn-around. onciliation have been at the cen- “It’s the politicians who have tre of both presidential candi- abused the Central African peo- dates’ campaigns. ple ... We’re tired of that,” said Burundians protest On the edge of the capital the 25-year-old Touadera sup- Bangui’s PK5 Muslim enclave, porter. “We’re not in the past. dozens of trucks and motorcy- This is the present. The past is cles carrying cheering Touadera the past.”

Shebaab claims Somalia airplane bomb Rwanda ‘aggression’ omalia’s Shebaab insur- A passenger believed to be the gents yesterday claimed bomber, identifi ed as Abdulahi Ab- Sresponsibility for a bomb disalam, was killed, probably after AFP gion,” a placard waved by one of the pro- that were violently repressed and calls Hundreds of people have been killed attack which ripped a hole in a being ejected from the aircraft in Bujumbura testers read. from world leaders for him to step aside. in the unrest in Burundi, which has be- passenger plane shortly after the explosion, investigators said. Relations between Burundi and its Smaller anti-Rwandan demonstra- come entrenched, with armed opposition takeoff from the capital Mogad- The man had initially intend- neighbour to the north have deteriorated tions also took place yesterday in the Bu- members periodically engaging in shoot- ishu earlier this month. ed to board a Turkish Airlines housands of people took to the since Burundi sank into a deep politi- rundi’s second city of Gitega and in Nku- outs with the security forces. On February 2, Shebaab “mu- fl ight but the Turkish plane did streets of Burundi’s capital Bujum- cal crisis ten months ago over President runziza’s home province of Ngozi. Over 230,000 people have fl ed the jahideen carried out an opera- not turn up and Daallo Airlines Tbura yesterday to condemn what Pierre Nkurunziza’s quest for a third term Last week, UN experts told the Securi- fi ghting abroad. tion targeting dozens of Western agreed to fl y the passengers on- the country’s embattled government in offi ce. ty Council that Rwanda has recruited and Yesterday’s pro-government demon- intelligence offi cials and Turkish wards to Djibouti. calls neighbouring Rwanda’s meddling in Yesterday’s demonstration in Bujum- trained refugees from Burundi, among strations have dampened expectations NATO forces aboard an airplane Somali intelligence offi cials its aff airs. bura came to a halt outside the Rwandan them children, who wanted to remove for a breakthrough in the crisis during an bound for Djibouti,” said a state- have released surveillance foot- Around 4,000 people rallied to the embassy in Bujumbura where Kagame Nkurunziza from power. upcoming visit by African heads of state. ment issued by the group. age appearing to show a passen- government’s call to demonstrate over was copiously booed. Rwanda has denied the allegations. “Of course, Rwanda has meddled in The blast left a 1m wide hole ger being given a laptop in which Rwanda’s “acts of aggression” towards “We are on the battlefi eld. Encourage Last week, Kigali announced it would Burundi’s aff airs but it’s clear Nkurunziza in the fuselage of the Daallo Air- the bomb was concealed. Burundi, journalists at the scene said. our soldiers! Kagame is an enemy, we are relocate the estimated 75,000 Burundi- is overdoing it. He’s adding fuel to the lines plane shortly after it took Shebaab said the bomb attack The organisers estimated the turnout at going to wash him away,” the crowd sang. ans sheltering on its soil to third coun- fi re to try show he is facing an external off from Somalia’s main airport, was “retribution for the crimes over 10,000. Burundi has accused Rwanda of back- tries, saying the “long-term presence aggression and not a domestic political killing the suspected bomber and committed by the coalition of “We condemn (Rwandan President ing rebels intent on overthrowing Nku- of refugees so close to their country of crisis that is turning into a civil war,” a forcing an emergency landing. Western crusaders and their in- Paul) Kagame and his plan to destabilise runziza, who was returned to power in origin carries considerable risks for all diplomat based in Burundi, who spoke on Two of the 74 passengers telligence agencies against the Burundi and the entire Great Lakes re- July elections, despite weeks of protests involved.” condition of anonymity, told AFP. aboard were slightly injured. Muslims of Somalia”.

Would-be Boko bomber ‘caught by her ponytail’

AFP Maiduguri

would-be suicide bomber who refused to detonate her explosives in northeast Nigeria was identifi ed as Ashe tried to fl ee because of her distinctive hairstyle, a military offi cer said over the weekend. The offi cer, who was at the camp for displaced people in Dikwa, Borno state, when two other women blew themselves up last Tuesday, killing 58, said the third was spotted as she tried to leave. “The Kanuri women are known for plaiting their hair but we realised over time from the bodies of female suicide bombers that they all had ponytails,” he told AFP on con- dition of anonymity. “Based on that we came to the con- clusion, after a thorough investigation and the testimonies from female bombers arrested alive, that before going on suicide bombing they are made to wear a ponytail because in Kanuri traditions when a woman dies before she is bur- ied her hair is loosened and made in to a ponytail. “Because they (Boko Haram) assume these women would never return when sent on the suicide mission, they are given that ritual before they go out. So, when we saw her fl eeing the camp with a ponytail, we just knew she was one of the bombers, so we arrested her and she confessed.” Many women wear a hijab covering their head in the Mus- lim-majority north but the offi cer, who was involved in the arrest, said hers had slipped in the panicked aftermath. Satomi Ahmed, of the Borno state emergency manage- ment agency, told AFP the failed bomber decided against detonating her explosives after realising her parents were staying there. Ahmed, who viewed her interrogation video, said she told investigators she was kidnapped by Boko Har- am when they took over her village of Boboshe, near Dikwa. “She was turned into a sex slave. She and four other girls were picked and detailed to carry out attacks on the camp (in Dikwa). Apparently they (Boko Haram) were tired of her,” he added. “She already knew that her parents were apparently in the camp. They left Boboshe towards the camp in Dikwa. Three of them were sent as the fi rst batch of bombers to the camp. When they arrived at the camp, she quickly moved away from the other two because she knew they were carrying explosives. When they exploded, she tried to fl ee the camp.” Gulf Times 12 Sunday, February 14, 2016 AMERICAS Oregon wants occupiers to pay for costly standoff It cost millions to deploy dozens of off icers The governor’s $1mn fi gure, equal to half of the from outside the county law enforcement budget of Harney County where Bundled up in Times Square, NewYork. the refuge is located, is based on the estimated cost Reuters of personnel, transportation and lodging incurred by Burns, Oregon the state’s 36 counties, which all sent reinforcements to help Harney County deal with the occupation, said Kristen Grainger, a spokeswoman for Brown. he cost of the six-week standoff in rural Or- Harney County alone spent nearly $240,000 egon that ended peacefully on Thursday will through the end of January, the latest fi gures avail- Cold grips northeast US, Tlikely cost millions of dollars, with local and able, said Laura Cleland, who was contracted to act state agencies looking to the federal government - as the county’s temporary spokeswoman during the and the arrested occupiers - to shoulder the bulk standoff . Cleland’s $6,400 monthly fee is included of the bills. The total outlay may not be known for in the county’s tabulation of the standoff cost. weeks or months, but the remote location of the oc- Harney County judge Steven Grasty, who also could break records cupation, at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge serves on the county commission, said the total cost in the eastern part of the state, combined with the to the county could reach $500,000. Grasty said the Reuters colder and colder as the day goes their heat and had expanded ef- peratures in the US Northeast complexity of the law enforcement response, suggest county plans to seek reimbursement directly from Boston, Mass on,” said Alan Dunham, a me- forts to bring homeless people and Midwest. a costly operation, said Brian Levin, a criminal justice the occupiers, and is prepared to take legal action. teorologist with the National into shelters. In Boston, some were hurry- expert at California State University San Bernardino. “If you’re going to come in and undo a little a com- Weather Service in Taunton, “It’s so important to take this ing through their mornings to get “When you have an unpredictable occupation munity, come prepared to pay the cost of it,” he said. dangerous cold snap Massachusetts. seriously, to stay indoors to the outdoor chores done before the like this you have to free up a lot of personnel assets Other agencies and municipalities are also begin- seized the northeastern The temperature in Boston was maximum extent possible, go worst cold set in. and resources,” Levin said. “The cost of maintaining ning to weigh in. The week-long closure of public AUnited States yesterday expected to drop to -7 degrees out for as little time as possible. “Right now I’m going to drink a multi-agency task force can get very expensive.” schools in the area in early January over safety con- with temperatures in some areas Fahrenheit overnight (-21.7°C), Do not have skin exposed. These a coff ee” to stay warm, said Car- The protest over federal control of Western lands cerns adds $160,000 in teacher salaries and other set to fall below zero and Boston but feel as cold as -30 degrees are tough conditions,” de Blasio men Pichente, 40, en route to her began in early January and ended Thursday when expenses to the bill. The city of Burns, closest to facing its coldest Valentine’s Day Fahrenheit (-34.4°C) with the told reporters. “Be really care- at a Boston restaurant. “Tomor- the fi nal four holdouts surrendered. Oregon Gover- the refuge, incurred $30,000, neighbouring Hines in almost four decades. wind chill. ful.” row, I’m going to stay at home all nor Kate Brown is seeking up to $1mn from the state spent about $25,000. Figures are not yet available Offi cials warned people to stay That would be below the He ordered construction crews day.” legislature to off set expenditures by counties and for the costs of repairing the damage to the refuge indoors away from what the Na- record low of -3 degrees Fahren- to put cranes into secure posi- Others brushed it off as an inev- towns, and said the state in turn would seek reim- itself, a popular bird sanctuary operated by the US tional Weather Service described heit (-19.4°C) set in 1979. tions following the collapse of a itable part of life in New England. bursement from the federal government. Fish and Wildlife Service. as “life threatening” cold. Wind “That one looks quite break- huge crane in high winds earlier “To me, it’s nothing. I lived Ron Hosko, former assistant director of the FBI’s On Friday, the FBI said it had deployed its Art chill advisories were in eff ect able,” Dunham said. this month, which killed one per- in Boston all my life.” said Eddie criminal investigative division, said while the FBI Crime Team, trained in cultural property investiga- over parts of nine states extend- New York City was bracing son and injured three. Brown, 51, a delivery truck driv- will pay for its own personnel, the state of Oregon tions, to work with the Burns Paiute Tribe to iden- ing from northern Pennsylvania for its coldest night in 20 years. The lower-than-average tem- er who was out on his rounds. and the aff ected counties will likely be expected to tify and document damage to the tribe’s artefacts to western Maine, with forecast- Mayor Bill de Blasio said offi cials peratures for mid-February Asked why he wasn’t wearing a cover their own costs. “It’s going to be every agency and sacred burial grounds located at the sanctuary, ers expecting gusts up to 72 kph. had put on extra staff to help re- come after a mostly mild winter coat, Brown replied, “I got long for themselves,” he said. a process they estimated would likely take weeks. “Wind chills will be getting spond to residents who had lost and higher-than-average tem- underwear on.” Two killed at school in ‘murder-suicide’

Reuters the scene has led homicide detectives Jasmine Molina, 15, was in English Glendale, Arizona to determine that one of the girls ap- class when the lockdown was de- parently killed the other before tak- clared. ing her own life, and that no other “I never thought it would happen wo 15-year-old girls who were students witnessed the shooting, here. This tells me that it could happen believed to have been roman- police said. anywhere, at any school, even if it’s Ttically involved were found “Information gathered by detec- a good school,” said Molina, who was shot dead on Friday at an Arizona tives reveals the two girls were very holding a stuff ed bear her boyfriend high school in an apparent murder- close friends, appearing to also be in had given her that morning for Valen- suicide that initially triggered a se- a relationship,” and no other suspects tine’s Day. curity lockdown of the campus, po- are being sought, the police statement Ana Lisa Romero, whose son, Lalo, lice said. said. attends the school, said in a Facebook The pair, whose identities were not “The investigation has led detec- message to Reuters, “I am going crazy made public, were both 10th-grade tives to believe this incident was a just thinking that could have been my students at Independence High School murder-suicide,” it added. son or nieces or nephews.” in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, and Glendale police spokeswoman Public offi cials expressed condo- a suicide note was recovered from the Tracey Breeden said the school was lences over the shooting. scene of the shooting, according to a placed on lockdown after the shooting, “Our hearts remain with the stu- police statement. and the street in front of the campus dents, educators and families of In- After a report of gunfi re at the was also shut down. dependence High School and the school, the two girls’ bodies were Students, meanwhile, posted up- entire Glendale community,” Arizona found near the cafeteria under a cov- dates on social media from their Governor Doug Ducey said in a state- ered patio, each having sustained a classrooms as dozens of anxious par- ment. single gunshot wound, and a weapon ents, who were barred from the cam- Independence High, which is just was discovered nearby. pus, gathered in the parking lot of a a couple miles outside Phoenix, has Although the incident remained nearby Wal-Mart store to await their about 2,000 students, school district under investigation, evidence from children. representative Sara Clawson said. Community centre in apology for racial slur

Agencies was just really upset, he couldn’t even human resources matters, the indi- Winnipeg talk,” she said Friday afternoon. vidual in question is no longer work- Harper said she doesn’t know what ing at our community centre.” could have prompted the remark. She Harper said it wasn’t clear why the Winnipeg community centre added that a community centre super- employee in question wanted her son is apologising to a mother af- visor who later approached her on the off the community centre grounds. A ter her teenage son was called fi eld tried to defl ect the issue. She wanted both the worker and a “stupid ******* Indian” by an em- “’Why would your guy call my son the supervisor terminated. Harper ployee while waiting for a ride after a stupid ****** Indian?’ Like, why? says she still hasn’t received an apol- school. What’s going on?” she said. ogy directly from the community Lisa Harper says her 14-year-old “I didn’t get an answer [as to] why centre. son was with his friends just after 3pm somebody would do that to a child. It “I think that somebody like this just Thursday on the fi eld outside Cham- didn’t make sense to me.” can’t work with children. Like, you plain Community Centre, which backs The community centre issued don’t do this to children. You don’t call onto the school he attends, when a the following statement on Friday them names. You don’t try and intimi- worker yelled at them to get off the evening: date them, and being racist is just vile grounds. “The board at Champlain Com- on so many levels,” she said. Harper said she learned of the in- munity Centre has reviewed the in- “You scared my child. He was cident a few minutes later, when she cident reported in your interview shaking. You scared him. And the arrived at the school to pick her son with Harper earlier this afternoon. supervisor, on top of that — the man up. The board take these types of inci- that approached me — [was] so ag- “I got a call from him and he just dents very seriously and has contact- gressive and condoning this kind of said, ‘Mom, the guy in the park called ed Harper and offered our apology. behaviour. I think they should be re- me a stupid ****** Indian,’ and my son While we are unable to comment on moved.” Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 13 ASEAN

Thai students mock Army chief to get fi ve year military at football extension as talks continue match in rare

Reuters Yangon show of dissent

yanmar’s powerful AFP offi cers did detain a student ac- army chief Min Aung Bangkok tivist leader who attended the MHlaing and his deputy game and had a standing arrest are slated to extend their terms warrant for a previous protest for another fi ve years, a lo- hai university students against military corruption. cal newspaper said yesterday, lampooned the military Police also ordered students to as the military and democracy Tat a football game yes- adjust one parade fl oat by sawing champion Aung San Suu Kyi terday in a rare act of open defi - off part of a paper mache gun to negotiate the terms of transi- ance against the junta, which has make it look “less real,” students tion. strangled political expression said. The move means Min Aung since seizing power two years The fl oat took a shot at the Hlaing has consolidated his ago. military-appointed drafters who power base among the military In a colourful parade around are penning a new constitution leadership and would allow the the Bangkok stadium where to replace the charter torn up af- army to avoid a top-level re- crowds gathered to watch a ter the coup. shuffl e at this sensitive period. match between two of king- It featured a larger-than-life It will also boost Min Aung Hla- dom’s top universities, students effi gy of the drafting committee ing’s position in talks with Suu brought out elaborate hand- chairman alongside a gun point- Kyi. made fl oats and banners mourn- ed at a bloody puppet. Suu Kyi’s National League ing prolonged military rule. “It represents that a con- for Democracy (NLD) defeated The parade is a long-running stitution that comes from the army-backed Union Solidarity tradition at the annual game be- army will destroy the rights of and Development Party (USDP) tween rival universities Tham- the people,” said a student who in the November election, kick- masat and Chulalongkorn and is helped make the fl oat and re- ing off a lengthy transition that often provocative and political. quested anonymity. will end on April 1 when the new But the show has taken on The proposed charter is government’s term begins. new signifi cance in the past two scheduled to go up for a public The NLD’s massive election years as a rare chance to speak referendum in July, but has al- win means it will be able to push out under the military junta that ready been slammed by critics as through its presidential candi- outlawed all political activities anti-democratic. date during a vote in parliament in Thailand after toppling an Thailand has seen 19 constitu- on March 17. elected government in May 2014. tions come and go since absolute Still, it has to deal with the “What is the reason we have monarchy was abolished in 1932, military, which is guaranteed soldiers (in power)? No one dares with a string of military coups 25% of seats in parliament and Suu Kyi: getting ready for transition to ask,” read one banner marched putting the pin in attempts at three security ministries under around the arena by students be- full-fl edged democracy. the junta-drafted constitution. It added that Min Aung Hla- Reuters were not immediately the president, or a change of After two busy weeks after fore the game. The host of this year’s football Details of the talks between ing’s deputy, Soe Win, will also available for comment. law, to obtain an extension. the NLD-dominated parlia- Coup leader turned Prime match, Thammasat University, the NLD and the army remain get a fi ve year extension. The newspaper did not clar- Current regulations stipulate ment opened on Feb 1, Myan- Minister Prayut Chan-O-cha was founded in 1934 by Thai- murky. “The decisions were an- ify the legal basis for the move that the army chief has to retire mar’s lawmakers are in for a says he was forced to take power land’s foremost democracy fi g- “Senior General Min Aung nounced at the recent quarterly and it did not explain whether at 60. quieter week from tomorrow. to restore order after months of ure Pridi Banomyong and holds Hlaing, who is turning 60 soon, meeting of top-level military the decision would require an On Thursday, Myanmar’s The lawmakers are set to mass street protests. a hallowed place in the hearts of will take the duty of the com- offi cials,” said the paper citing approval by the president. outgoing President Thein Sein undergo induction and train- But critics have questioned the kingdom’s pro-democracy mander-in-chief for fi ve more the same source. Myanmar’s opaque and im- has at the last minute can- ing organised by the parlia- his intentions in response to his movement. years,” said the Voice news- The Voice is typically correct precise constitution has con- celled plans to attend the US- ment and international or- sliding timeline for fresh elec- For decades it incubated stu- paper, citing a military source when it comes to news on My- fused lawmakers and experts Asean summit in California ganisations supporting the tions. Police allowed yesterday’s dent activism and debate against based in the country’s capital anmar’s military. over whether the army chief next week, giving no reasons development of democracy in parade to go forward despite a the military and elite strangle- Naypyitaw. Military sources contacted by would need permission from for the decision. Myanmar. ban on political gatherings, but hold on the country.

Wedding ceremony

Bride Duangreuthai Amnuayweroj and groom Kasemsak Jiranantiporn run among sheep during a wedding ceremony ahead of Valentine’s Day at a resort in Ratchaburi province, Thailand yesterday. Four Thai couples took part in the wedding ceremony arranged by the resort.

Electricity Indonesia beefi ng up restored, no security at all airports casualties Agencies and-bomb attack in Indonesia’s capital, in Jakarta a reminder of the threat posed by extrem- after quake ism in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Jonan defended the slew of safety ndonesia is upgrading security at its regulations he has issued or enforced since DPA 192 airports to guard against pos- taking offi ce in October 2014. The rules in- Jakarta Isible terrorist attacks, weeks after a clude immediate route suspension for air- deadly bombing and shooting assault by lines involved in safety incidents, as well as militants in downtown Jakarta, Bloomberg a fl oor on ticket prices. here were no reports of reported. “I know the airlines might not be happy casualties or serious dam- The measures will include fences that with this, but I’m not happy with them ei- Tage after a 6.6-magnitude comply with International Civil Aviation ther. I come here not to serve the airlines earthquake struck Indonesia’s Organisation standards, “fi rst-class” bag- but (to ensure) the safety of the public. The Sumba island, a disaster man- gage X-ray machines and retraining for challenge is how to discipline operators,” agement offi cial said yesterday. security offi cers, Transport Minister Igna- Jonan said. The quake Friday cut electric- sius Jonan said in an interview this week. Driven by a decade of rapid economic ity and telephones lines, leav- “We shouldn’t wait for indications and growth, Indonesia’s annual air passenger ing the island incommunicado then act. We have to prepare better. We numbers have more than trebled since for hours, said Sutopo Nugroho, will increase the standards of airport se- 2006 to nearly 95mn last year, accord- spokesman for the National Dis- curity all over the country.” ing to the World Bank. That has strained aster Management Agency. Aviation security has come under re- the country’s aviation infrastructure and “Electricity is back and there newed scrutiny since an apparent bomb regulatory capabilities. are no reports of fatalities or major downed a Russian passenger plane last Indonesia has stepped up eff orts to im- damage,” he said. October, killing 224 people, and a suicide prove its record in the past few years, but Sumba, part of East Nusateng- bomber blew a hole in the side of a plane challenges remain. It has a shortage of gara province, is one of the least fl ying from Somalia earlier this month, skilled pilots, ground crew and air traffi c developed islands in Indonesia killing himself. controllers. Equipment and planes often and is short of infrastructure. Last month, militants carried out a gun- are outdated or do not work. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, February 14, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

Japanese paternity Turnbull makes more leave trailblazer big changes to cabinet quits over Reuters is a revitalised government and revamp of an emissions trading several trade negotiations, in- aff air Perth it is revitalised because of new scheme and give farmers a great- cluding free trade deals with In- blood coming in,” he said. er say in government policy. dia and Singapore. Turnbull’s Liberal-National Agriculture Minister Barna- The coalition government AFP ustralian Prime Minister coalition is the frontrunner to by Joyce became deputy prime clinched a landslide election in Tokyo Malcolm Turnbull has win elections expected in Oc- minister when he was voted to 2013 but Abbott saw his popu- Aannounced more than a tober – his fi rst poll as Liberal lead the coalition’s minor part- larity plummet in the wake of a dozen changes to his cabinet, party leader and prime minister. ner, the Nationals. hugely unpopular 2014 austerity Japanese politician who the second major reshuffl e in the A victory would secure Turn- Turnbull appointed eight budget. made headlines over his fi ve months he has been leader bull a popular mandate and se- new ministers and boosted the Plummeting commodity Aquest to take paternity and ahead of national elections cure his position as party leader. number of women in his cabinet prices have depleted the govern- leave quit on Friday after con- expected later this year. Turnbull ousted former Lib- from fi ve to six yesterday. ment’s coff ers, a major nancialfi fessing to an aff air with a bikini Turnbull was forced into the eral leader Tony Abbott in a The major change sees Aus- stumbling block for Turnbull, model while his wife was preg- major cabinet reshuffl e by the leadership coup last September tralia’s trade minister Andrew whose rise was sparked partly nant. resignation of one minister, the and is under pressure to unite his Robb, who led negotiations for by his image as a prudent fi nan- Kensuke Miyazaki, 35, shook retirement of two long-standing divided government. landmark free trade agreements cial manager based on his back- up Japan’s conservative political senior ministers and the sacking The retirement of Austral- with China, Japan and Korea and ground in the private sector. scene when he sought to take a of two others over their involve- Turnbull: Change off ers opportunity. ia’s deputy prime minister on the multinational Trans-Pacifi c Australia in December fore- month’s leave to help his then- ment in political scandals. Thursday saw Turnbull inherit Partnership, become a special cast its budget defi cit would pregnant wife, a fi rst for a male The new cabinet line-up rep- sense of innovation and enter- ... there comes a time when you a National party political ri- trade envoy. swell to A$37.4bn ($26.48bn) in Japanese lawmaker. resents “a dynamic team which prise”, Turnbull told a news con- need to transition from older val, hard-right, climate change He will be replaced as trade the year to June as falling prices His bid drew criticism from combines youth, new talent, ex- ference in Sydney. leadership to newer leadership. sceptic as his deputy, an ap- minister by Steven Ciobo. for key resource exports open a many politicians in a country perience, continuity, and a real “Change off ers opportunity Turnover, change, is good ... it pointment that could block any Australia is in the midst of gaping hole in tax revenue. where fathers taking time off to care for children is rare. Miyazaki, however, won the backing of Prime Minister Shin- zo Abe, who supported his trail- blazing idea. On Friday, the ruling Liberal Hospital won’t release baby Democratic Party lawmaker an- nounced his resignation after a weekly magazine revealed his af- fair with the 34-year-old wom- an while they were in Kyoto, his girl for detention on Nauru constituency. Miyazaki’s mea culpa was tel- evised nationally with lunchtime Reuters The girl and her parents face lum-seekers will be treated “All decisions relating to a pa- news showing the disgraced pol- Perth being returned to a camp on the “with compassion” and depor- tient’s treatment and discharge itician bowing deeply to convey tiny South Pacifi c island of Nau- tation will be decided “on a case are made by qualifi ed clinical his contrition. ru, about 3,000km (1,800 miles) by case basis”. staff , based on a thorough as- Friday’s evening newspapers octors at an Australian northeast of Australia. Immigration Minister Peter sessment of the individual pa- followed suit with the same hospital are refusing to The detention centre, which Dutton’s offi ce did not respond tient’s clinical condition and photo being splashed over front Drelease a baby girl fac- houses more than 500 people, yesterday to a request for com- circumstances,” the hospital Activists hold placards and chant slogans as they protest outside pages. ing repatriation to an off shore has been widely criticised for ment on the hospitals’ stance. said in a statement. the off ices of the Australian Immigration Department in Sydney in The admission of his aff air immigration detention camp, harsh conditions and reports of Protesters opposed to the de- The decision to only release this file picture taken on February 4. triggered outrage online, but after she was treated for serious systemic child abuse. tention of asylum seekers gath- the child to a suitable environ- politicians were at pains to point burns, adding to pressure on the Earlier this month the High ered outside the hospital late ment “is the case with every Nauru or on Manus island in Pa- from Indonesia to Australia. out that Miyazaki’s fall from government over its tough asy- Court rejected a legal test case on Friday in support of medical child who presents at the hospi- pua New Guinea. The number of asylum-seek- grace should not detract from lum seekers policy. that challenged Australia’s right staff and called for the closure of tal”, it said. They are not off ered resettle- ers trying to reach Australia are the debate on paternity leave. The year-old girl will not be to deport 267 refugee children the off shore detention centres. The hospital stance, although ment in Australia. small in comparison with those “The issue of men taking va- released from Lady Cilento Chil- and their families who had been Further protests were planned not political, adds to pressure on The government says the pol- arriving in Europe, but border cation or paternity leave should dren’s Hospital in Brisbane until brought to Australia from Nauru this weekend. the Australian government and icies are necessary to stop asy- security is a hot-button po- not be rejected or devalued be- a “suitable home environment for medical treatment. The baby girl was fl own from its policy of sending asylum- lum-seekers drowning aboard litical issue in Australia which cause of this sort of thing,” said is identifi ed”, a hospital spokes- Prime Minister Malcolm Nauru to Brisbane for treatment seekers who attempt to reach the unseaworthy vessels used by is scheduled to hold a national Japan’s Education Minister Hi- man told Reuters yesterday. Turnbull has said that the asy- for serious burns last month. the country by boat to camps on people smugglers to ship them elections later in the year. roshi Hase, who could not resist a thinly-veiled swipe at Miya- zaki, adding: “We reap what we sow.” Health, Labour and Welfare Minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki in- Rescue eff orts at sisted that the scandal would have no bearing on government policy. “It is an individual case,” he Taiwan building told local media. “It is not some- thing which will have any infl u- ence on issues of policy.” Miyazaki met the woman collapse site ends – also a professional kimono dresser – when she helped him and other politicians dress up in DPA/Reuters Two other people died else- ceremonial garb for the open- Taipei where in the city. Another 550 ing of Japan’s parliament last people were injured in the col- month. lapse. The sexual relationship hap- escue eff orts at a 17-storey “The search and rescue has pened several days before Mi- building that collapsed come to an end,” said Tainan yazaki’s wife – fellow politician Rduring a 6.4-magnitude Mayor Lai Ching-te, in remarks Megumi Kaneko – gave birth to earthquake in southern Taiwan carried live on local television, their fi rst child. earlier this month ended yester- identifying the last individual “I have done such a cruel thing day, with the overall death toll to be pulled out from the rubble to my wife,” he told a press con- reaching at least 116. as Hsieh Chen-yu, who was part ference. “I’m deeply, deeply, Rescue work has focused on of the fallen building’s manage- deeply sorry that what I’ve been the wreckage of the 17-storey ment committee. advocating (on paternity leave) building. The missing person was iden- was contradicted by my care- The building had 256 regis- tifi ed by the surname of Lin by less actions. So, I have decided tered residents but when more Lai as he announced the end of to quit.” than that number were pulled the search as the building site. An excavator breaks open the remains of apartments during the search and rescue operation at the Wei-Kuan complex. out in the initial days after the According to Lai, Lin – who quake, it became clear more has been diagnosed with men- City offi cials have added her be either reinforced or scrapped, city of 2mn people to have com- developers for some survivors, China dismisses people were in the building tal disorders – is not a registered to the missing persons list. the state-run Central News pletely collapsed. Its lower sto- the agency reported. when it toppled. resident of the collapsed build- Offi cials said that 32 victims, Agency reported. reys, fi lled with arcades of shops, Lai said late on Friday that the UK criticism over At least one person remains ing, but was seen there hours including six children, discov- Three former executives of pancaked on top of each other local government was likely to HK bookseller missing, authorities said. before the disaster occurred. ered at the site remained uni- the company that developed the before the entire U-shaped take further measures after re- Most of the deaths – 114 – However, rescue teams have dentifi ed. complex were arrested on Tues- complex toppled in on itself. ceiving more requests from sur- China has rebuff ed British came when the Wei-Kuan Jin- not found a trace of her at the The city government said day on suspicion that the build- No one has yet been formally vivors and victims’ families. allegations that a Hong Kong long building collapsed on Feb- site. yesterday that 123 buildings in ing did not meet safety stand- charged. In September 1999, Taiwan bookseller was probably ruary 6, the Central Emergency Lin’s family had lost contact Tainan were seriously damaged ards. Tainan on Friday sought the was hit by a magnitude-7.3 forcefully taken to the mainland Operation Centre said yesterday with her since the earthquake, by the earthquake. The Wei-Kuan was the only provisional seizure of 30mn Tai- earthquake that left more than before he was detained. evening. Lai said. Those buildings will have to major high-rise building in the wan dollars ($910,000) from the 2,400 people dead. The British Foreign Off ice said Lee Bo was likely “involuntarily removed” to China, in its latest six-monthly report on Hong Kong to parliament. The Chinese government was China urges caution on US missile system “strongly displeased with and firmly opposed to the report since it contains groundless Reuters Terminal High Altitude Area De- drawing renewed international States,” Wang added, according accusations”, state-run Beijing fence (THAAD) system, China’s condemnation just weeks after it to the statement. Xinhua news agency wrote on foreign ministry said late on Fri- carried out a nuclear test. In Seoul, the US military sta- Friday, citing foreign ministry day. It said the launch was for tioned in South Korea said that spokesman Hong Lei. he United States needs to Wang “demanded that the US peaceful purposes, but Seoul and it had deployed an additional China has said it is holding Lee proceed with caution on side must act cautiously, not use Washington have said it violated Patriot missile defence unit to and three other Hong Kong Tpossible deployment of the opportunity to harm China’s UN Security Council resolutions the country in response to recent booksellers in the case, which has an advanced US missile defence security interests and not add a because it used ballistic missile North Korean provocations. raised concerns in the territory system following North Korea’s new complicating factor to re- technology. An air defence artillery unit about freedom of speech and the recent rocket launch and not gional peace and stability”, the Wang also repeated China’s from Texas is conducting ballis- autonomy of its legal system. use this as an excuse to aff ect ministry said. stance that sanctions “are not tic missile defence training with Lee, who holds a British passport, China’s security, the Chinese South Korea and the United the aim” and that everyone existing troops deployed in the is one of a total of five missing foreign minister said. States are expected to begin talks should think of ways to restart South, the US Forces Korea also men associated with the Speaking to US Secretary of next week on possible deploy- talks on the North Korean nu- said in a statement. Causeway Bay Books shop in State John Kerry in Munich, ment of the system. clear issue. The Patriot system is a high- Hong Kong, which is known for Chinese Foreign Minister Wang North Korea launched a long- “This completely accords velocity interceptor that defends selling books containing rumours Yi expressed Beijing’s opposi- range rocket on February 7 car- with the interests of all sides, against incoming ballistic and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meeting US State Secretary John about high-ranking members of tion to the deployment of the rying what it called a satellite, including China and the United cruise missiles as well as aircraft. Kerry in Munich. the Chinese Communist Party. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 15 BRITAIN Award winning tea UK arrests teenager for hacking CIA chief

Reuters The website Motherboard Washington reported on Friday that inves- tigators suspected the arrested youth posed online as a hacker 16-year-old boy in Brit- known as “Cracka” who led a ain has been arrested group called “Crackas With Aon criminal charges re- Attitude”. lated to the alleged hacking of Motherboard reported that e-mail accounts used by CIA it had spoken to the teenager director John Brennan and on Wednesday, who denied other US offi cials, according to being “Cracka” but acknowl- US and British sources familiar edged that he had been ac- with the investigation. cused by UK authorities of A spokesman for Britain’s hacking Brennan, White House Thames Valley police said that offi cials, and a purported hack on Tuesday, a regional organ- on the department of justice ised crime squad had arrested which resulted in the publica- the unnamed youth in Eng- tion of basic contact informa- land’s East Midlands on “sus- tion on an estimated 30,000 picion of conspiracy to commit FBI and DHS workers. unauthorised access to com- The CIA and justice depart- puter material” and related of- ment declined to comment. fences. The department of homeland The police statement did security did not immediately not identify the youth but said respond to a request for com- that he had been released on ment. Cafe owner Mike Haggerton pours a cup of Dalreoch white tea at the Habitat Cafe in Aberfeldy, Scotland. Tam O ’Braan, owner of the Dalreoch Estate, has been a soldier, bail until June 6. The police Following the disclosure last an agronomist and an entrepreneur. He now grows tea in the foothills of the Scottish Highlands, and is the envy of those who once called him crazy. Four years since he statement also did not iden- October that Brennan’s AOL began growing tea at Dalreoch, a former sheep farm, the Irishman saw his tea crowned a winner at the Salon de The awards in Paris last year. Now O’Braan sells his tea in tify the targets of any of the email account had been at- luxury stores like Mariage Frres (78 euro for 20 grams) in Paris and Fortnum & Mason (40 for 20 grams) in London, as well as to famous hotels like The Dorchester. arrested youth’s alleged hack tacked, the FBI confi rmed that attacks. it was investigating the hack However sources on both attack jointly with the US Se- sides of the Atlantic familiar cret Service. with the case said that the ar- At the time, Cracka claimed rested hacker was believed credit for publishing mate- to have been involved in the rial from Brennan’s e-mail ac- hacking of Brennan’s private e- count, which included e-mail mail account. He also report- contact addresses, some of edly may have been involved which were out of date, and in the hacking of other US offi - the Social Security numbers cials and posting of names and and personal information of Baftas are ‘too white’, contact information for thou- US intelligence offi cials. The sands of FBI and US Homeland WikiLeaks website later re- Security Department (DHS) published some of the mate- employees. rial. admits awards chief Mother choked in The issue of diversity among award bought a house next to Charlotte Ram- winners is taking hold in Britain too pling. We get on like a house on fi re. Her house is going to be. front of toddler Evening Standard “How do you know things are funny? London Normally I get it on a note written by Charlotte Rampling attached to a brick,” Evening Standard to the ground in an unprovoked he added. London assault at a bus stop in north lack of diversity in the fi lm indus- Henry’s joke comes after Rampling was London. try is to blame for the small number criticised for her reponse to the backlash The 75-year-old received Aof black and ethnic minority Bafta over the lack of diversity in this year’s Os- mother was “strangled” hospital treatment for head nominees, the charity’s chief executive car nominations. until she passed out in and facial injuries following has claimed. When asked about the row, she told ra- Afront of her two-year- the attack at Angel Corner on Amanda Berry’s comments come as dio station Europe 1: “We can never know old daughter in a terrifying Fore Street, Edmonton, shortly campaigners prepare to stage a demon- if it was really the case, but perhaps the robbery in north London. after 9pm on Thursday, police stration outside London’s Royal Opera black actors did not deserve to be in the The woman was attacked by said. House ahead of Sunday’s awards. fi nal straight. It’s racist to white people.” two men as she got out of her He was waiting for a bus A group called Creatives of Colour will The British actress, 69, later apologised car in Belsize Park Gardens, when he was approached by a protest outside the fl agship ceremony for the comments in a statement to CBS, with the toddler still sitting in man behaving in what police against the lack of diversity in front of the saying: a car seat. described as an “erratic man- camera. “I regret that my comments could have One of them grabbed her by ner”. Berry told the Daily Telegraph: “Not been misinterpreted this week in my inter- the throat until she fell uncon- The man knocked the victim enough fi lms are being made with diverse view with Europe 1 Radio. scious, before they stole her to the ground before running talent in front of the camera. Our industry Idris Elba is one of just two black actors nominated . “I simply meant to say that in an ideal wedding ring and other jewel- from the scene, police said. A isn’t diverse enough, so the pool of people world every performance will be given lery, police said. spokesman called it an “un- to draw award winners from isn’t diverse job than the Oscars. I admire their stance. been using the hashtag Bafta Blackout on equal opportunities for consideration. I The mum, who was too provoked assault”. enough. They’ve said that they’re going to make social media. am very honoured to be included in this afraid to be named, told the He is believed to be about “I want the awards to be as diverse as changes. He told the paper: “The protest is not year’s wonderful group of nominated ac- Hampstead & Highgate Ex- 25 years old, approximately they possibly can be. But people can only “They know it isn’t good enough. I don’t against Bafta per se, but against the fi lm tors and actresses.” press: “He squeezed my neck 6ft 6ins tall and of a slim build vote on what they’ve seen.” want to gloat and say we’ve done better, industry. The problem is that all the judg- She continued: “Diversity in our indus- until I passed out… with dark hair. He was wearing She added she was “supportive” of because it could have gone the other way. ing panels are white. I want to create a level try is an important issue that needs to be “My daughter had been a black jacket, blue jeans. the planned demonstration, and said the I can’t control who’s nominated.” playing fi eld.” addressed. I am highly encouraged by the asleep when the attack started A London commuter train charity would be setting membership tar- Beasts Of No Nation star Idris Elba, who Lenny Henry has made a joke in re- changes announced today by the Academy but when I came round she was evacuated after reportedly gets on diversity. is nominated for best supporting actor, sponse to Charlotte Rampling’s recent to diversify its membership.” was awake. I am terrifi ed. They being “shot at” this evening. She also said she did not want to “gloat” and Star Wars actor John Boyega, a rising comments about the Oscars diversity de- A number of stars including Will Smith, could have taken her.” A carriage on the 5pm serv- that the acting shortlist was more diverse star nominee, are the only black actors to bate. Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee will be Police have launched an ap- ice from Cannon Street to than the Oscars, which is again embroiled appear in this year’s Bafta shortlist. The British comedian hit out at the Os- boycotting this year’s Oscars after it was peal for witnesses after the at- Hastings was left with a bro- in a race row and faces a boycott from stars. Leon Herbert, who appeared in the fi lms car-nominated actress while hosting the revealed that only white actors had been tack on Tuesday, January 26, at ken window after the incident. Berry said: “It would be inappropri- Batman and Alien 3, is leading the Crea- BBC Audio Drama Awards on Sunday. given nominations for the second con- about 7.50pm. It is not known if anyone was ate for me to say that we’ve done a better tives of Colour demonstration, which has Addressing the crowd, he joked: “I’ve secutive year. An elderly man was thrown injured. Britain needs nuclear weapons, says US defence secretary

Reuters play that outsized role on the global stage that interest in your success, as we do in a very London it does because of its moral standing and its strong UK staying in a strong EU,” Kerry said at historical standing”, he was quoted as saying. the Munich Security Conference. “It’s important that the military power The British government is engaged in an in- ritain must renew its submarine-borne matches that standing and so we’re very sup- tensive round of high-stakes diplomacy aimed Trident nuclear weapons system if it is to portive of it. We depend upon the United King- at renegotiating the terms of Britain’s EU mem- Bmaintain its “outsized” role in world af- dom, the United Kingdom depends on us, that’s bership before holding an in-out referendum. fairs, US defence secretary Ash Carter said in part of the special relationship.” Prime Minister David Cameron is seeking to comments published yesterday. While most lawmakers in Cameron’s party convince his 27 fellow EU leaders to back con- A decision on replacing the ageing fl eet of support keeping nuclear weapons, Labour troversial reform proposals at a leaders’ sum- four submarines which carry nuclear warheads leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran left-wing and mit in Brussels on February 18-19. is due to be made this year and while Prime anti-war activist, supports unilateral disar- “The truth is, in every decade since its Minister David Cameron is committed to re- mament and is holding a review of the party’s founding, the EU has been tested by forces — newal, the issue has caused deep divisions in policy. internal and external — that benefi ted from a the opposition Labour Party. That has led to deep divisions among its law- house divided,” Kerry said. The government has said replacing the sub- makers and earlier this week Labour’s home af- “We know many Europeans feel over- marines will cost £31bn while Reuters has puts fairs spokesman Andy Burnham said it might whelmed by the latest round of challenges, in- the overall cost of renewing and maintaining be impossible for the party to agree a position. cluding concerns about the UK’s potential exit a successor to Trident at more than £167bn The United States strongly backs Britain from the EU. ($234bn) over 32 years. staying in the European Union as it gears up for “I want to express the confi dence of the Carter said the submarine fl eet helped the a referendum on its membership, US Secretary United States... that — as it has so many times “special relationship” Britain enjoyed with the of State John Kerry told an audience in Germa- before — Europe is going to emerge stronger United States, the BBC said on its website. ny yesterday. than ever, provided it stays united and builds The deterrent allowed Britain to “continue to “Obviously, the United States has a profound common responses to these challenges.” HMS Victorious berthed at the Clyde Naval Base in Scotland. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, February 14, 2016 EUROPE Merkel urges patience

Merkel: I know that the people are impatient and want fast answers but fast answers are often the wrong on her refugee policy answers. Reuters Christian Democrats (CDU) and surge in support for the Alterna- vince Turkey to help Europe stem listen to Merkel, referring to the hall and the CDU crowd cheered and ousting leftist coalitions in Magdeburg, Germany their Bavaria-based Christian tive for Germany (AfD), a right- the fl ow and her European part- chancellor’s “Wir schaff en das”, for about a minute at the end of the two other states. Social Union (CSU) allies remain wing anti-immigrant party, ners to take quotas of refugees to or “we can do this”, mantra. her speech. In all three regions, her con- top in opinion polls. which is polling at 15%. make the fl ow more manageable. “She simply can’t continue The conservative bloc is poll- servatives could end up running hancellor Angela Mer- “I know that the people are “This is why I am aware that More than a thousand people glossing over all the problems ing at 36% nationally, down from “grand coalitions” with the cen- kel pleaded with German impatient and want fast an- this election campaign will be a continue to pour over the border that arise with the mass migra- 41.5% in the 2013 federal elec- tre-left Social Democrats (SPD), Cvoters yesterday to show swers but fast answers are often diffi cult one,” she added. each day. The arrival of 1.1mn mi- tion. Things don’t look good in tion, which secured Merkel a mirroring her right-left partner- patience with her refugee policy the wrong answers,” Merkel told Merkel, who for years has been grants last year prompted a rise in the CDU base right now,” Franke third term. ship at the federal level. as anger builds over a record in- CDU supporters in Magdeburg, her conservative bloc’s main the popularity of the AfD, which added. Voters in Saxony-Anhalt as Such a result could help silence fl ux of migrants that could hurt capital of the eastern state of electoral asset, has rejected de- has been drawing voters away Despite anger at her refugee well as in the southwestern states critics in her party who have been her conservatives in three state Saxony-Anhalt, at a campaign mands by CSU leader Horst See- from the conservatives. policy, Merkel remains popular of Baden-Wuerttemberg and demanding a tougher crackdown elections next month. launch event for the state votes. hofer to close Germany’s border “I expect Merkel to really say among conservative voters. Rhineland-Palatinate go to the on migration. But if the infl ux Merkel’s popularity has fallen Merkel acknowledged that the with Austria and put a cap on the in concrete terms how we’re go- This was on display in Magde- polls on March 13. of refugees accelerates again as over her decision last year to refugee infl ux would be the top number of refugees that Germa- ing to do this,” said Silvia Franke, burg, a city of 230,000 people. Polls suggest that Merkel’s summer approaches, the respite open Germany’s doors to refu- issue in all three votes. ny would take each year. 58, one of about 500 CDU sup- Merkel drew a standing ova- party has a good chance of re- for Merkel could prove short- gees fl eeing confl icts. But her In Saxony-Anhalt it has led to a Instead she is trying to con- porters who gathered at a hotel to tion when she entered the hotel taining power in Saxony-Anhalt lived. Greeks at the frontline angry at criticism Refugee documentary By Karolina Tagaris, Reuters port of Lesbos, the island on the “We’re giving 150%,” said compare to what has become Aboard The Agios Efstratios, frontline of Europe’s migration Lieutenant Commander An- Europe’s biggest migration cri- Aegean Sea crisis. tonis Sofi adelis, head of coast sis since World War II and which From Greece’s islands, the guard operations on Lesbos. has continued unabated despite cheered at Berlinale refugees and migrants travel to Once a dinghy enters Greek the winter making the Aegean reek Captain Argyris the mainland and then to the territorial waters, the coast- Sea even more treacherous. Frangoulis lifts his bin- northern border with non-Eu- guard is obliged to rescue it and After days of gale force winds AFP grows more entrenched. Goculars and with eyes ropean Union member Macedo- transport its passengers to the and freezing temperatures, Berlin “I’ve seen so many terrible fi xed on the Aegean Sea horizon, nia. Most of them are trying to port. more than 2,400 people arrived things, so many dead children, steers his patrol boat out near reach Germany. “The sea is not like land. on Greece’s outlying islands on so many dead women, so many the Turkish border to a dinghy The infl ux has led some in the You’re dealing with a boat with Monday, nearly double the daily searing Italian documen- raped women. These things leave full of stranded refugees. EU to accuse Greece of failing to 60 people in constant danger. It average for February, according tary on Europe’s refugee you with a great big empty hole He zeroes in on the target and make use of available EU funds could sink, they could go over- to United Nations data. Ainfl ux drew cheers yes- in your stomach,” he said. “These gasps – “My God!” – another and personnel to ensure people board,” he said. Sofi adelis, the Lesbos com- terday at the Berlin fi lm festival, are nightmares that haunt me grey rubber motor boat packed arriving in the Schengen zone More than 1mn people, many mander, said controls should be which has rolled out the red car- very often.” with about four times as many of open border travel are docu- fl eeing war-ravaged countries stepped up on the Turkish side, pet for pictures off ering unique Tim Robey of London’s Daily people as it can hold, many of mented. and poverty in the Middle East while Europe should provide as- takes on the crisis. Telegraph called the fi lm “perti- them young children and babies. Some EU members have sug- and Africa, reached Europe in sistance with more boats, more Fire at Sea by award-winning nent, humane” and “shattering” “Everybody safe, OK?” he gested Greece should be sus- the past year, most of them ar- staff and better monitoring sys- director Gianfranco Rosi, set on Twitter, while Kate Muir of yells at the passengers, mainly pended from Schengen if it does riving in Greece. tems such as radars and night- on the Mediterranean island of the Times pronounced it “bril- Syrians and Afghans, approach- not improve. For the crews plying a 250km- vision cameras. Lampedusa, emerged as an early liant”. ing the coast guard vessel bewil- But the criticism and threats long coastline between Lesbos Greek boats, assisted by EU favourite among 18 contend- Festival director Dieter Koss- dered and in near-silence. “Stay have been met with anger in and Turkey, the numbers at- border control agency Frontex, ers for the festival’s Golden Bear lick said ahead of the festival that calm and do not panic!” Greece. tempting the crossing are sim- already scan the waters night top prize, to be awarded by jury Director Gianfranco Rosi and a single theme ran through much About 50 people are pulled Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras ply too big to handle. and day. president Meryl Streep on Feb- protagonist Samuele Pucillo of the selection this year: “the aboard one by one, smiling but on Wednesday said the EU was It is but a fraction of a coast- By late morning on Mon- ruary 20. pose during a photocall to right to happiness – the right to a too exhausted to speak. “confused and bewildered” by line thousands of kilometres day, Captain Frangoulis and his The fi lm provides an unfl inch- promote the movie home, to love, to self-determina- By the time they stagger wea- the migrant crisis and said the long between Greece and Turk- crew – including a seafaring dog ing look at the thousands of des- Fuocoammare (Fire at Sea) at tion, to life and to survival”. rily to the boat’s rear, a dinghy is bloc should take responsibil- ish shores. picked up at a port years ago – perate people who arrive on the the 66th Berlinale International Hollywood star George Cloon- spotted in the distance. ity like Greece has done, despite “The fl ow is unreal,” Sofi ade- have been at sea for more than island each year trying to enter Film Festival. ey and his wife Amal, a Leba- Then another, and another, being crash-strapped. lis said. 24 hours. the European Union, and the nese-born human rights lawyer, crammed almost entirely with Most Greeks, including the Lesbos has long been a stopo- Each time his crew spot a thousands more who have died missions answering the terri- used the occasion of the festival women and children. coastguard, the army, and the ver for refugees. boat that could be carrying mi- trying. fi ed SOS calls of people on over- to off er their backing and as- By midday, the Agios Efstra- police were “setting an exam- Locals recall when people grants “our stomach is tied up in But Rosi, who spent several crowded boats, most of them ar- sistance to Chancellor Angela tios, a gunboat with 29-mem- ple of humanity to the world”, fl eeing the Iraqi-Kurdish civil knots”, Frangoulis said. “There’s months on Lampedusa making riving from Libya. Merkel in a meeting at her offi ce ber crew who work in shifts, had Tsipras said. war in the mid-1990s swam this fear that everything must the documentary, also off ers a They are taken to a reception on Friday, after Germany let in plucked more than 600 people For those at the frontline, for- across from Turkey. go well, everyone boards safely, tender portrait of the rhythms of centre for medical examinations 1.1mn asylum-seekers last year. from sea and ferried them to the eign criticism is more painful. Yet those numbers do not no child falls in the sea, no one’s daily life in Lampedusa’s ancient and processing while awaiting The 11-day cinema showcase injured.” fi shing villages and eff orts of lo- transfer to other sites in Italy. is also featuring around a dozen Though fewer than 10 nau- cal people to help those in need. Rosi captures the migrants’ fi lms shining a light on the crisis tical miles separate Lesbos “It bears witness to a tragedy overwhelming relief to be on dry in various ways. from Turkish shores, hundreds that is happening right before our land, the shock that gives way to German documentary Havarie have drowned trying to make it eyes,” Rosi told reporters follow- mourning for their dead, and the traces the fate of a small rickety across. ing a enthusiastically received crushing boredom they break up refugee boat in the Mediterra- Patrol boats, as well as local press preview. “I think we are all with rough-and-tumble football nean, spotted by a tourist who fi shermen, have often fi shed out responsible for that tragedy and games. made a mobile phone video from corpses from the many ship- perhaps after the Holocaust, it is In one powerful scene, a Ni- a cruise ship. wrecks of the past months, the the greatest tragedy we have ever gerian man recounts the perilous Danish fi lm Those Who Jump bodies blackened and bruised seen in Europe.” journey to Italy in a call-and-re- hands the camera to a Malian mi- from days at sea. The picture is told through sponse chant with other African grant trapped in the high-securi- After every rescue operation, the eyes of a 12-year-old local migrants, describing what was ty border facility between the EU a sense of relief fi lls the crews. boy, Samuele Pucillo, and a doc- for many a deadly trek through and Africa as he and hundreds of Once the Agios Efstratios tor, Pietro Bartolo, who has been the scorching Sahara, and the other would-be asylum seekers docked at the Lesbos harbour on tending to the often dehydrated, suff ering endured at the hands plot their next move. Monday, Frangoulis’ beaming malnourished and traumatised of Islamic State (IS) militants and And Syrian-Iraqi production crew helped passengers disem- new arrivals for a quarter cen- prison guards in Libya. Life of the Border allowed eight bark, holding up crying babies tury. Bartolo, the doctor, said that children in a refugee camp in the in their arms. Rosi, who clinched the Venice he hoped the fi lm would open Kurdish Syrian town of Kobane “There’s no room for senti- fi lm festival’s 2013 Golden Lion more Europeans’ eyes to the to fi lm their own stories. mentalism. We execute com- for his fi lm Sacro GRA, also ac- plight visible in Lampedusa The festival runs until Febru- mands,” Frangoulis said of the companied coastguard rescue every day, as the political debate ary 21. rescue operations. “Beyond commands, we’re human. We’ll lose heart, we’ll cry, we’ll feel sad if something doesn’t go well. There isn’t a Berlin fi lm National Bird gives Assistants of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei decorate the columns of Berlin’s Konzerthaus concert hall with person who won’t be moved by lifejackets yesterday as part of an installation intended to remind people of the ongoing refugee crisis. this,” he said. whistleblower view of drones

Iraqi migrants leave Finland voluntarily Reuters duced with Errol Morris and Heather, a former imagery an- Berlin Wim Wenders, strongly hints at alyst, is so distraught about what what Lisa thinks the threat is by she saw while dealing with mili- Reuters now having second thoughts, Finland and the lengthy asy- Hostility to migrants has also showing drone’s eye views of Af- tary drone strikes that she wants Helsinki so Finland will begin charter- lum process did not meet their increased in Finland, a country isa, a former technical ser- ghanistan and neighbourhoods a diagnosis from the US Veterans’ ing fl ights to Baghdad from next expectations, or what they had with little experience of mass geant who worked for a US in the United States. Administration to let her to be week to take them home. been told by the people they immigration and which now has Lgovernment data-gath- “This could grow to get so out treated for post-traumatic stress housands of Iraqi refu- Offi cials said that about 4,100 paid for their travel,” said Tobias economic problems. ering system, thought the way of control and we’re not the only disorder. gees who arrived in Fin- asylum-seekers had so far can- van Treeck, programme offi cer Germany too, which took in information was being used for ones that have this. This is going Kennebeck traveled with Lisa Tland last year have de- celled their applications and at the International Organisa- 1.1mn people in 2015, has seen military drone strikes put her “on to be commonplace, if it’s not al- to Afghanistan to meet victims cided to cancel their asylum that number was likely to reach tion for Migration (IOM). small numbers of Iraqi refugees the right side of history”. ready,” Lisa says. of an infamous strike involv- applications and to return home 5,000 in the coming months. Echoing that comment, travel choosing to go home. Now, in the documentary Na- Kennebeck said the fi lm had ing drone surveillance in 2010 voluntarily, citing family issues “My baby boy is sick, I need agent Hassan said: “Some say Finland had been prepar- tional Bird shown out of compe- been diffi cult to make, given the that killed 23 civilians, including and disappointment with life in to get back home,” said Alsaedi they don’t like the food here, ing to reject up to 20,000 asy- tition at the Berlin Film Festival, problems other whistleblowers women and children. the frosty Nordic country. Hussein, buying a fl ight back to it’s too cold or they don’t feel lum-seekers from 2015, but the she and two other whistleblow- like Edward Snowden have faced. The then-commander of US Europe is in the grip of its Baghdad at a small travel agency welcome in Finland. There are number of voluntary returnees ers talk about what they see as its “I wanted ... that everyone and Nato forces in Afghanistan, worst migrant crisis since World in Helsinki. many reasons.” could signifi cantly reduce that dangers. involved in my fi lm is safe,” Ken- General Stanley McChrystal, War II, with more than a million Somalia-born Muhiadin Has- Nearly 80% of the migrants fi gure. Lisa thinks the drone pro- nebeck told Reuters. apologised for the attack. people arriving last year, fl eeing san, who runs the travel agency, returning home are Iraqis. “The number of returnees is gramme poses a threat not only “We were also very careful Kennebeck said the survivors wars and poverty in the Middle revealed that he was now selling Just 22 of the 877 Syrians increasing steadily ... all asy- to civilians killed accidentally in with our communication, about traveled for three days to meet East and beyond. 15 to 20 fl ights to Baghdad every – whose country is racked by lum-seekers are informed about Pakistan and Afghanistan, but to publicising this project. This ba- her. Germany and Finland’s day. civil war – and 35 of the 5,214 the options for voluntary return Americans back home as well. sically has been a ‘do-not-dis- Kennebeck does not get drawn neighbour Sweden have taken “It’s been busy here for the Afghans who sought asylum in and about the available fi nancial “It’s not just one person sitting close, do-not-publicise’ project into a debate about drones, but in many of the migrants but past few months,” he said. Finland last year have asked to assistance,” said Paivi Nerg, a there with a little remote control, throughout the production.” like the Afghan survivors, she Finland too saw the number of A majority of the home- return to their home country. senior offi cial in the Finnish in- a little joystick moving around a The home of a former govern- hopes her fi lm will wake up the asylum-seekers increase nearly bound migrants have told immi- Along with other Nordic terior ministry. plane that’s halfway across the ment intelligence analyst was world to the growth of drone tenfold in 2015 to 32,500 from gration services they want to re- states, Finland has recently However, most Iraqi return- world,” Lisa, whose last name raided by the FBI during the fi lm- warfare. 3,600 in 2014. turn to their families, but some tightened its immigration poli- ees pay for their own fl ight and those of the other two are not ing. “As a society, as a global com- Almost two-thirds of the expressed disappointment with cies, for example requiring home or seek assistance from revealed in director Sonia Ken- He continued working with munity, we have to think very asylum-seekers last year were life in Finland. working-age asylum-seekers to Iraq’s embassy in Helsinki, she nebeck’s fi lm. the fi lm, but by the end of fi lming carefully if this is what we want,” young Iraqi men, but some are “Some say the conditions in do some unpaid work. added. The documentary, co-pro- had dropped out of view. she said. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 17 EUROPE Russian PM warns of a new Cold War Reuters “I sometimes wonder – are “We’ve seen cases of redeploy- that Moscow has troops engaged tored local election in the east. Munich we in 2016 or 1962?” Medvedev ment of heavy armaments closer in the confl ict that erupted fol- Zannier said the vote could not asked in a speech to the Munich to the contact line ... and multi- lowing Russia’s annexation of happen until there was a cease- Security Conference. ple rocket launchers, artillery be- Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014. fi re and even then it would be dif- iolence in eastern Ukraine Implementation of a deal ing used,” he said, referring to the Russia denies such accusa- fi cult to do by mid-year because is intensifying and Rus- agreed in Minsk a year ago, which heavy weaponry that is meant tions. international observers need to Vsian-backed rebels have would allow for the lifting of to be removed under the Minsk Nato’s Supreme Allied Com- be in place. moved heavy weaponry back sanctions on Russia, and a lull deal. mander General Philip Breedlove Medvedev said Ukraine, not to the front line, international in violence late last year raised Medvedev accused Kiev of try- said that Russia had the power to Russia, was in breach of the monitors warned yesterday as hopes that the confl ict that has ing to shift the blame onto Mos- “dial up and down” the confl ict Minsk deal because Kiev was yet Moscow responded by accusing killed more than 9,000 people cow for the continued shelling in as it wished to put pressure on to change Ukraine’s constitution the West of dragging the world could be resolved quickly. the industrial regions of eastern the government in Kiev but he to grant special status to eastern back 50 years. But Lamberto Zannier, who Ukraine now under rebel control. said Nato did not want, nor cur- Ukraine. Medvedev: are we in 2016 or 1962? Russian Prime Minister Dmit- heads the Organisation for Se- “The Minsk agreements have rently see, a new Cold War. Russia wants an amnesty for ry Medvedev described East- curity and Co-operation in Eu- to be observed by everyone. But Extended at the end of last mainly Russian-speaking peo- people won’t be able to partici- tional Monetary Fund (IMF) bail- West relations as having “fallen rope (OSCE) monitoring eastern we believe that it’s fi rst and fore- year, the Minsk peace deal signed ple in the east who seized gov- pate in the elections,” Medvedev out, but say Russia must respect into a new Cold War” and said Ukraine, said that the situation most up to the Kiev authorities to by Russia, Ukraine, France and ernment buildings during the said. Ukraine’s sovereignty. Nato was “hostile and closed” had “become diffi cult again”. do that,” he said. Germany aims to give Ukraine upheaval of early 2014, when Kiev’s Western backers ac- “Neither the people of Ukraine towards Russia, in the latest sign “We see a multiplication of in- The West says it has satellite back control of its border with pro-European protesters toppled knowledge the government of nor their partners in the interna- that peace eff orts have made cidents, violations of the cease- images, videos and other evi- Russia, see all heavy weapons Russia-backed president Viktor President Petro Poroshenko must tional community believe they scant progress almost two years fi re,” he told Reuters at the Mu- dence to show Russia is provid- withdrawn, return hostages and Yanukovych. speed up reforms, especially have done enough,” US Secretary since Moscow annexed Crimea. nich Security Conference. ing weapons to the rebels and allow an internationally moni- “Without this amnesty, these those tied to its $10bn Interna- of State John Kerry said.

Hundreds of schools lost in Fresh Ukraine war, says HRW protests in Athens By Alex Whiting, Reuters London over undreds of schools in eastern Ukraine have pension Hbeen attacked by both Ukrainian government forces and their Russian-backed militant reforms opponents in the past two years, forcing many of them to close, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said AFP on Thursday. Athens Schools on both sides of the line of contact which separates the combatants have been hit, housands gathered in and many, especially in rebel- Athens yesterday in soli- controlled areas, remain too Tdarity with farmers who damaged to reopen, HRW said. have blocked dozens of high- Greek farmers take part in a demonstration against planned pension reforms in front of the parliament Both sides have deployed forc- ways and border crossings in building in Athens. es in and near schools, turning recent weeks in protest over a them into military targets. People look at the debris of a passenger minibus after it hit a mine as pensions overhaul. On Friday evening, around dozens of farmers spent Friday the reforms has led to the rare Even schools that were not be- they queue at a checkpoint to cross the demarcation line between An estimated 12,000 people 10,000 protesters waving black night camped out in Syntagma sight of professionals marching ing occupied have been attacked, territory controlled by pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian territory gathered in the Greek capital’s fl ags, including thousands of Square, lighting a fi re in front of alongside blue-collar workers the rights organisation said. near Marinka. Three people were killed in the February 10 incident. central Syntagma Square out- farmers, marched through Ath- parliament. in recent weeks, a phenom- “Civilians, including children, side parliament, police said. ens behind a column of tractors The farmers are angry about enon that has been dubbed the on both sides of the line of con- school furniture and equipment some parents in rebel-held areas More than half were members blaring their horns. government plans to increase “necktie movement”. tact have been bearing the brunt and left behind heavy artillery or send their children to schools in of the communist-leaning Pame Earlier on Friday, protesters their social security contribu- Farmers also reject plans to of this protracted war,” said Yulia unused munitions, HRW said. areas under government control, trade union, off ering support had clashed with police in front tions as part of pension reforms scrap benefi ts such as cheaper Gorbunova, Ukraine researcher In one case, HRW researchers HRW said. for the huge wave of farmers of the agriculture ministry and demanded by Greece’s creditors fuel and double their income at HRW. “All parties to the con- discovered undetonated land- The journey across the line who arrived in Athens from the on a motorway outside the city. in exchange for a third massive tax by 2017 as the debt-wracked fl ict have a responsibility to pro- mines in the school grounds, of control is slow because of countryside Friday to protest Vowing to keep up the pro- bailout agreed last year. Greek government tries to re- tect children and to make sure apparently thrown off a supply travel restrictions imposed by against the reforms. tests throughout the weekend, Widespread opposition to plenish its coff ers. that their hostilities don’t cause truck while it was parked in the the Ukrainian government, and further harm to their safety and schoolyard. can be dangerous, due to spo- education.” Progress has been made in radic shelling and the presence of More than 9,000 soldiers and repairing and reopening dam- mines, HRW said. civilians have been killed since aged schools, particularly in “Teachers and parents on both the confl ict broke out in April government-controlled areas of sides of the contact line have Hungarians protest 2014, when pro-Russian separa- Luhansk and Donetsk regions, shown tremendous commitment tists rose up following Russia’s thanks in large part to leadership to continue children’s education seizure of Ukraine’s Crimea. by parents and teachers, HRW despite the war,” Gorbunova said. education policy Fighting continues despite a said. “The warring parties should also year-old ceasefi re agreement. But local authorities and do a lot more to avoid irreparably Last week the head of the Or- school administrators in many harming children’s safety and AFP Since then, more than 700 ganisation for Security and Co- places told researchers the risk education.” Budapest schools and 30,000 teachers operation in Europe (OSCE), of renewed fi ghting made them The researchers visited 41 and parents put their names to which monitors implementation reluctant to fund or carry out schools and kindergartens be- the letter. of the ceasefi re deal, voiced deep school renovations. tween September and November housands of Hungarians Last week, some 5,000 concern over escalating violence Ukrainian authorities do not 2015, in both government-con- A woman holds a sign reading ‘we stole the money’ and depicting angry at the state’s tight teachers, parents and students in eastern territories. recognise school documents trolled areas and territory con- leaders and sympathisers of the ruling Fidesz party in front of the Tgrip on public education marched through Miskolc. When military forces occupied issued in rebel-held areas of trolled by Russia-backed mili- parliament building in downtown Budapest during their rallied yesterday in Budapest, “There are daily problems schools, they often destroyed Donetsk and Luhansk regions, so tants. demonstration to protest the government’s education policy. in one of the biggest street like not getting enough chalk, protests against Prime Min- teachers are overburdened, as ister Viktor Orban in recent are the children, they have to years. spend more time learning than Soon after coming to power an adult does working,” Oliver in 2010, his right-wing gov- Pilz, a teacher at the Miskolc Italian student showed Poland mulls punishing historian ernment launched sweeping high school, told AFP yester- reforms of the public educa- day. tion system, which it said was The rally was the biggest an- signs of electrocution who exposed anti-Semitism too liberal and had failed chil- ti-government demonstration dren. since 2014 when street pro- It brought schools under the tests drew tens of thousands Reuters tain a copy to verify the con- DPA Poles by highlighting their vio- movement, they actually killed control of a state agency KLIK, outraged by a planned tax on Cairo tents. Warsaw lent anti-Semitism in the recent more Jews than Germans during introduced a national curricu- Internet usage. However, a senior source at past. the war.” lum, centralised teaching ma- The protests forced the gov- the forensics authority told A spokeswoman for President Gross, who has written books terial, and imposed minimum ernment into a rare U-turn and gypt’s forensics author- Reuters that Regeni, a graduate oland’s nationalist govern- Andrzej Duda said more than about anti-Semitic violence, has hours for pupils. led to a sharp drop in approval ity handed over to the student at Britain’s Cambridge ment is mulling the retrac- 2,000 people had written to ask divided Poles, with some prais- But teachers have long ratings for the ruling Fidesz Eprosecutor general’s of- University, had seven broken Ption of an honour to a lead- that Gross be stripped of an order ing him as a lone voice of truth slammed the changes for tak- party. fi ce yesterday its fi nal autopsy ribs, signs of electrocution on ing historian, Jan Tomasz Gross, of merit awarded him in 1996. and others seeing him as sullying ing place without professional However, Orban now enjoys report on the Italian student his penis, traumatic injuries who contended that more Jews She said Duda had now asked their country’s good name. consensus, a charge often lev- strong public support again who was tortured and found all over his body, and a brain than Germans were killed by the the foreign ministry to comment Some have come out in sup- elled at Orban whose powerful mainly due to his hardline ap- dead in Cairo last week. haemorrhage. Poles during World War II. on the request. port of him as the Duda govern- supermajority won six years proach to the migration crisis, Giulio Regeni, 28, had been His body also bore signs of Gross, Princeton University In an op-ed piece last year for ment mulls ways to penalise him. ago allowed him to rewrite the which included building fences researching independent trade cuts from a sharp instrument professor of history and sociol- the German newspaper Die Welt, Historians and experts on the constitution. on Hungary’s southern borders unions in Egypt and had writ- suspected to be a razor, abra- ogy in the US, who is himself of Gross wrote: “Although Poles are Holocaust said in a joint letter Among yesterday’s crowd – in 2015 to keep refugees out. ten articles critical of President sions, and bruises. Polish origin, has outraged many properly proud of their anti-Nazi to the editor of the newspaper estimated at more than 10,000 The 52-year-old strongman Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s govern- Regeni was likely assaulted Gazeta Wyborcza that taking by an AFP photographer, de- has nevertheless appeared rat- ment – prompting speculation using a stick as well as be- Action over use of ‘Polish death camp’ phrase away the order, which is only spite pouring rain – demon- tled by the scale of the teach- that he was killed at the hands ing punched and kicked, the given to Poles abroad and for- strators held banners reading ers’ movement. of Egypt’s security forces. source added. Poland is drawing up new regulations to punish use of the phrase “Polish eigners, would be a “dangerous “Free country! Free school!” Known for usually sticking Egypt’s interior and foreign A second autopsy in Italy death camps” when referring to war-time Nazi concentration camps on signal for the freedom of schol- and chanted “Orban get out!” with his loyal allies, he demot- ministers both dismissed the “confronted us with some- Polish soil, Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said yesterday. arly opinion”. The teachers’ movement ed the state secretary for edu- notion of security forces being thing inhuman, something an- Poland has long sought to eliminate the phrase from historical and news- The International Council on began on November 27 when cation on February 6. behind Regeni’s murder. imal”, Italian Interior Minister paper accounts since it suggests that the country, which was occupied Auschwitz also appealed to Duda the board of a prestigious high The new state secretary The prosecutor general’s of- Angelino Alfano told Sky News by Nazi Germany during World War II, was responsible for Holocaust-era not to withdraw the honour. school in the eastern city of has pledged to reform KLIK fi ce said it would not publicly 24 television last week. camps on its territory. It was reported last year the Miskolc posted an open protest and invited teachers to talks, disclose the contents of the Egypt’s initial autopsy re- The Nazis operated their most infamous death camps, such as Auschwitz- Warsaw prosecutor’s offi ce had letter online. but unions have called the report as the investigation was port showed Regeni had been Birkenau, Sobibor and Treblinka complexes, mostly in occupied Poland launched a probe into the legal- “The whole education sys- moves cosmetic, are insisting ongoing. hit on the back of the head with rather than in Germany. ity of the article by the US-based tem is in danger, everything on a system overhaul and are Reuters was not able to ob- a sharp instrument. historian. has turned to chaos,” it read. threatening strike action. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, February 14, 2016 INDIA

APPEAL ANGER OFFBEAT MYSTERY NEW PRODUCT Doctors, researchers BJP workers protest Modi’s faux pas: greets Missing army off icial Milma launches deserve respect: minister killing of Bihar leader Ashraf Ghani on ‘birthday’ found in Faizabad jackfruit ice-cream

There is a need for society to respect doctors, The Bharatiya Janata Party yesterday Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday An army officer who had been missing from Keralites can now enjoy a new flavour of ice-cream researchers and scientists so that they can expressed anger over the killing of its Bihar committed a faux pas when he greeted Katihar in Bihar for the last six days surfaced - jackfruit - made completely from natural juice transfer their knowledge across the world without unit vice president Visheshwar Ohja by forcing Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on his in Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh yesterday, and without synthetic additives. The state-run the barriers, Federal Science and Technology the closure of markets in the Bhojpur district. ‘birthday’ on twitter. Ghani’s birthday is police said. Shikardeep Dhawan, 25, went Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Minister Harsh Vardhan said yesterday. Vardhan Police said they detained eight people in on May 19. “Happy birthday @ashrafghani. missing on the night of February 6 while (Milma) launched the jackfruit ice cream as part was speaking at a function to pay tribute to connection with the murder. The BJP workers Praying for your long life & exceptional health travelling on a train from Katihar to Jammu. of its diversification plan on making more milk Subhash Mukhopadhyay, the mastermind of forced the closure of markets in Shahpur, Bihia and a joyful journey ahead,” tweeted Modi. A police official said the army officer walked products. “This new ice cream has been received the first in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) baby of India and Karnamepur in Bhojpur district to protest Ghani was quick to respond: “@narendramodi into a police station in Faizabad yesterday and well. Milma specialises in ice creams made out in 1978. Mukhopadhyay’s achievements as a against the killing of Ojha, 53, who was shot Greetings from Munich Mr PM. Although, introduced himself. According to the police, of natural juice and not from synthetic additives. physician and death by suicide had inspired the dead on Friday evening in Ara in the district. my Birthday is on 19th May, but I’d still like he had got off at Patna station to get a bottle Thus we are able to make the product without any Hindi movie Ek Doctor Ki Maut. “Today, I feel They also shouted slogans against the state to thank you for your gracious words :)” of water. He returned to his seat and began change in flavour or texture,” Kallada Ramesh, sad Mukopadhyay was humiliated by the then government and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The mistake may have happened as Google frothing at the mouth. He did not remember chairman of the Thiruvananthapuram Regional central and state governments. They put so many Meanwhile, the police said they had arrested throws up Ghani’s date of birth as February anything after that until he regained Co-operative Milk Producers Union, said yesterday. restrictions on him that he was compelled to take Harender Singh, the “main accused” as well as 12, 1949. Their tweets went viral, with many consciousness and found himself tied to a “We have to diversify to remain in the market as own life,” Vardhan said. “another accused.” speaking out in jest. chair in a dark room, Dhawan said. selling milk alone is not enough,” Ramesh said.

Candidate selection By-election tough task for parties a dry run for IANS Thiruvananthapuram

andidate selection for the upcoming election to the C140-member Kerala as- BJP ahead of sembly is going to be tough for most political parties with one quitting from electoral politics. The parties in the Congress-led United Democratic Front are likely to face a tough time selecting can- didates given the rebel menace. 2017 UP vote The communist parties in the recent past have come out with Divisive politics return as fl aws of the state government, have been thwarted by the oppo- a general norm that two-time party eyes make-or-break led by the Samajwadi Party that sition. Defeat could turn his gov- legislators will have to bow out. assembly election is widely supported by Muslim ernment into a lame duck ahead While the Communist Party of voters. “It’s not illegal to voice of the 2019 general election. India (Marxist) has made excep- Reuters the concerns of Hindus,” said With Modi’s promise of tions, the Communist Party of Muzaff arnagar the aide, who did not want to be growth and jobs yet to materi- India is strict about it. named. alise, the temptation to shore up But since there is no such norm “To assume that we will only his political base is growing, say in the Congress, drawing up can- year before Uttar Pradesh win elections by polarisation is political analysts. didates is a diffi cult job. Over the holds assembly elections ridiculous. Our work will prove “The party has nothing to years, the Congress begins the job Athat could make or break a point and Modi’s image will boast about on the economic or of fi nalising candidates fi rst but is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work the best for us.” development front,” said Sanjay always the last to fi nalise their list. chances of a second term, po- At a BJP campaign rally in Mu- Kumar, director of the Centre The fi rst round of talks in the litical opponents, analysts and zaff arnagar, a town of 300,000 for the Study of Developing So- Congress here has already begun commentators say his Bharatiya people, ahead of the by-election, cieties, a New Delhi think-tank with senior party leader Ghulam Janata Party (BJP) is re-testing a a businessman chants a Hindu specialising in social sciences Nabi Azad spending two days divisive formula at a by-election prayer and, to cheers, says girls and opinion research. “If po- and speaking to top leaders. in a troubled corner of India’s should not fall for Muslim boys larisation works, then they will Meanwhile, state Power Min- most populous state. waging a “Love Jihad” against be tempted to replicate it in the ister Aryadan Mohamed, a father It was here in Muzaff arnagar, his community. 2017 state elections.” fi gure in the Congress for close to in 2013, that at least 65 peo- As a drunk party worker tot- Party leaders say the BJP is fi ve decades, said he has decided to ple were killed in communal ters off the wobbly podium, he determined to keep its base in- call it a day from electoral politics. clashes between Hindus and gets a pat on the back from San- tact with a message of Hindutva, Asked if his son Aryadan Muslims. Around 12,000 people jeev Balyan, the federal minister or the idea that India is a Hindu Shoukat will replace him in his were driven from their homes in of state for agriculture who was nation. traditional Nilambur assembly the surrounding villages where elected as the local MP in the “Many people are taken aback constituency in Malappuram farmers grow sugarcane. 2014 landslide. by the directness of the BJP’s district, he said: “Don’t you The following year, the BJP Balyan, 42, is being tried in a Hindutva messaging in the Mu- know ours is the Congress Party? won 71 of 80 seats in Uttar Muzaff arnagar court for riot- zaff arnagar by-election, but we “In our party there has been a Pradesh in a general election, ing, disturbing the peace and are only speaking the truth,” history of chopping and chang- handing Modi India’s biggest unlawful assembly during the Chandra Mohan, a BJP spokes- ing and hence it’s too premature parliamentary majority in three 2013 clashes, his lawyer said. He man in state capital Lucknow, to say anything at the moment.” decades. spent 12 days in prison before said. Three-time Congress legislator Despite two major state poll being granted bail. Further hear- “The BJP has mastered the art M A Waheed who won from the defeats since, the BJP recently ings are pending, and Balyan has of winning elections by label- Kazhakootam assembly constitu- re-appointed Amit Shah as its pleaded his innocence. ling Muslims as terrorists and ency under which the Technopark campaign manager, counting on Modi must win in Uttar traitors,” said Sajida Khatoon, IT campus comes, said: “I will be him to win again in the 2017 as- Pradesh, India’s biggest electoral a 54-year-old Muslim whose facing my toughest election battle sembly vote. Shah, who holds prize, to sustain his hope of one brother and eight neighbours as it is a three-cornered fi ght.” the rank of party president, was day gaining full control of par- were killed in 2013. Senior CPM legislator and banned by the Election Com- liament, where he lacks a ma- She says she has warned her former state industry minister mission of India from cam- jority in the upper house Rajya two teenage sons to avoid Hindu Elamaram Karim, who has had paigning in 2014 for statements Sabha that represents the federal youths and not get involved with two successive terms, said they promoting “hatred and ill will” states. Hindu girls. “They’re at an age will start talks for candidate se- between religions. A victory there would help the when they easily get attracted to lection after the party rally led by A senior aide to Shah said the 65-year-old leader advance his girls, but a Muslim falling in love their politburo member Pinarayi Sanjeev Balyan, the federal minister of state for agriculture and a BJP leader, addresses a by-election Muzaff arnagar campaign raised development agenda by passing with a Hindu can lead to riots Vijayan ends today. campaign rally in Muzaff arnagar district in Uttar Pradesh. legitimate issues to expose the land, tax and labour reforms that here.” Jnanpith award winner DMK, Congress to join hands for TN election

Agencies “The Congress has promised Chennai full co-operation. Mr Karuna- and poet ONV dies at 84 nidhi has already given an invite to the DMDK. We are hopeful of he Dravida Mennetra a positive response,” Stalin said. By Ashraf Padanna cists in Malayalam fi lm, drama Kazhagam, and the Con- He said the alliance between Gulf Times Correspondent and TV serial industry. Tgress, which had serious the Congress and DMK has Thiruvananthapuram He was part of many dramas diff erences over the issue of Sri been sealed while the sharing of staged by the Kerala People’s Lankan Tamils, yesterday said seats was not discussed. Arts Club (KPAC), which spread they would ally for the forth- Asked what had changed be- N V Kurup, Kerala’s most the communist ideology in coming assembly elections in tween 2013 and 2016 when the celebrated contemporary Kerala villages that elected the Tamil Nadu. DMK snapped ties accusing Opoet and winner of In- world’s fi rst communist govern- Congress leader and former the Congress of betraying Sri dia’s highest literary prize Jnan- ment through popular vote. central minister Ghulam Nabi Lankan Tamils, Azad said that pith Award died yesterday aged He also contested parliamen- Azad and DMK leader M K Sta- there were “compulsions and 84. tary elections in 1989 as a can- lin announced their decision to pressures” in politics and that Popularly known as ONV, he didate of the Communist Party contest the assembly elections the two parties had won elec- was hospitalised last week and of India (CPI) from here, but together. tions together in the past as was put on ventilator on Fri- lost. However, no decision has been well. day as his condition worsened. Kalam Marunnu (1956) was taken on the important aspect of The DMK-Congress split had He died of cardiac arrest at his fi rst fi lm with composer G seat-sharing, the leaders said. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad speaks to DMK leaders as party also come against the backdrop 4.50pm. Kurup: renowned poet Devarajan, also a debutant. He The decision to join hands chief M Karunanidhi looks on in Chennai yesterday. of the arrests of former telecom He is survived by wife Sarojini, penned over 900 songs in over and take on the ruling All India minister A Raja and Karuna- son Rajeevan and daughter May- won his fi rst state award as a 200 fi lms, besides numerous Anna Dravida Munnetra Ka- for 63 seats during the 2011 as- for the state Mukul Wasnik ac- nidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi, a adevi. The funeral will be held playback singer for the ever- songs for plays and albums. zhagam (AIADMK) and others sembly elections. The DMK had companied Azad. Rajya Sabha MP, in the spec- tomorrow after his granddaugh- green hit song Manikyaveenay- ONV was the fi fth recipient came after an hour-long meet- subsequently parted ways with According to Azad, it does trum allocation scam. ter Aparna arrives from the UK, umayen. “I learnt a lot of things of the country’s highest literary ing between the Congress team the Congress-led United Pro- not matter whether the party The Congress Party in the family sources said. from him.” honour for Malayalam, after G led by Azad and DMK chief M gressive Alliance (UPA) govern- will share power with the DMK state has been weakened with Chief Minister Oommen “You will be remembered Sankara Kurup, S K Pottekkatt, Karunanidhi his residence here. ment. or lend support from outside (as the exit of G K Vasan and oth- Chandy remembered ONV as a as long as Malayalis are alive,” Thakazhi Shivashankara Pillai “We are sure of forming the In the 2014 Lok Sabha elec- was the case in the past) - the er leaders. The party is out of great humanist who took Malay- Oscar-winning sound designer and M T Vasudevan Nair. government under Karunani- tions, the Congress and DMK goal is to form the government. power in the key southern state alam literature to higher plains Resul Pookutty wrote on Twit- Born on May 27, 1931, at Cha- dhi’s leadership along with oth- fought separately and the He said the number of seats for nearly fi ve decades and has while former chief minister A K ter. vara, Kollam, he lost his father er parties,” Azad told reporters. former drew blank in all the 39 that the Congress would con- generally been aligning with Antony described him as a keep- A recipient of Padma Vib- when he was just eight. He stud- This time around the talks seats in Tamil Nadu. test would be decided later. either of the Dravidian party - er of Kerala’s conscience. hushan, India’s second-highest ied economics and Malayalam between the two parties were The president of Congress’s Azad said the DMK will de- DMK or AIADMK. It has con- “I considered him as a guru,” civilian honour, the left-leaning literature and retired as a profes- cordial as against the mood Tamil Nadu unit E V K S Elan- cide on admitting other parties tested alone too but without said singer K J Yesudas, who poet was one of the leading lyri- sor of Malayalam. when the Congress negotiated govan and the party’s in charge into the alliance. much success. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 19 INDIA Bouquets, brickbats as AAP completes a year in offi ce

IANS While there are plenty of crit- choked roads, making driving a heart and lungs of the party, Saying corruption had fallen years were solid achievements. jriwal government has also been New Delhi ics, Kejriwal fi nishes his fi rst pleasant experience. feels that his government’s ma- in Delhi, he said: “We removed Analyst Jha admitted that locked in unceasing confl icts year in offi ce seemingly with “On substantive issues it has jor achievements were slashing our own minister (Asim Ahmed the AAP had “started clean with Prime Minister Narendra more admirers, primarily due to been a government with good electricity tariff and providing Khan) when we found he was in- politics as the level of indi- Modi’s government. he Aam Aadmi Party be- the odd-even traffi c scheme he governance,” Pradeep Kumar free water up to a limit, ben- volved in corruption.” vidual corruption is very low With Delhi police not re- gins its second year in unleashed from January 1 to 15 Dutta, a professor of political efi ting millions. Both were major Pandey admitted that not in this government. But con- porting to the Delhi gov- Toffi ce in Dehi today, earn- and will repeat from April 15 to science in Delhi University, said. election pledges. every election promise had been crete development is yet to be ernment but to Lt Governor ing, surprisingly, more bouquets 30. “The odd-even scheme was a “Our government deserves fulfi lled, including the provision witnessed”. Najeeb Jung, the central gov- than brickbats despite a tumul- It was a unique experiment much needed step, in the right accolades for fulfi lling its prom- of free Wi-Fi in the entire city. Within weeks after taking of- ernment’s representative, the tuous period when it was at war that put only petrol and diesel direction.” ises despite the central govern- “We are committed to meeting fi ce, the AAP, born from the Kejriwal-Modi row has often both within and with others. driven cars with odd registra- Rajesh Jha, also a political ment’s constant eff orts to derail all our promises. We still have anti-corruption movement of taken ugly turns. When income tax commis- tion numbers on roads on odd science professor at Delhi Uni- our good governance agenda,” four years.” Anna Hazare, sacked two of its Six AAP legislators - or 10% sioner-turned-activist-turned- dates and even registration versity, felt the Kejriwal govern- AAP leader Dilip Pandey said. Deputy Chief Minister Man- founder members, Yogendra Ya- of the 67 members it has in the politician Arvind Kejriwal took numbered cars on even dates in ment had “under-performed” “We fulfi lled our key promise ish Sisodia said the AAP gov- dav and Prashant Bhushan. They 70-member Delhi assembly - power on Valentine’s Day last a bid to reduce pollution. While but he also called the “odd-even to provide cheap electricity and ernment’s focus on revamp- promptly called Kejriwal a dicta- have been arrested on various year, there was more of an air of it is not clear if the aim was met, scheme a good and bold deci- free water. For the fi rst time in 22 ing the educational and health tor. charges and let off on bail. Each uncertainty coupled with lots of the curbs brought great order to sion”. years, electricity rates were not sectors in the capital which he And thanks to the complex arrest has ignited more ugly expectations. Delhi’s otherwise perennially Kejriwal, undoubtedly the hiked.” claimed had derailed over the power structure in Delhi, the Ke- spats. Govt has failed to boost growth, says former PM

Reutes and social media accounts, Mumbai Jaitley blamed Singh’s admin- istration for mismanaging the economy, adding that the op- ormer prime minis- position Congress has been ter Manmohan Singh unwilling to support reforms Fcriticised his successor in parliament. Narendra Modi’s government in a rare interview, saying it “In the hands of a has failed to capitalise on low- purposeful government, er commodity prices to propel this could be an growth and is inconsistent in opportunity to step its policy towards neighbour- up investment in the ing Pakistan. economy in a big way” Speaking to the India To- day magazine, Singh said “Both the Parliamentary Modi’s government should Affairs Minister and my- use improving fiscal balanc- self have discussed the GST es to raise investment in the with every senior Congress economy and increase the leader in Parliament,” he availability of credit to busi- said, responding to Singh’s nesses. criticism that the govern- Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at the opening ceremony of Make in India week in Mumbai yesterday. “In the hands of a purposeful ment has not consulted the government, this could be an opposition. opportunity to step up invest- The proposed goods and ment in the economy in a big services tax (GST), India’s big- way,” said Singh, who left offi ce gest revenue shake-up since after a 2014 election loss. independence in 1947, has Singh, regarded as the ar- been stuck in the upper house chitect of economic reforms Rajya Sabha where it needs that led to years of rapid Congress’ support to make it growth, said the government a law. India a bright spot, has not been able to take ad- Singh also said Modi should vantage of falling oil and com- focus on improving relations modity prices that have low- with neighbouring countries, ered India’s import bill. adding that the government Sharp falls in import prices had not succeeded at making have reduced the trade defi cit, headway with Pakistan, which raising hopes that it will boost India accuses of supporting economic activity. But turbo insurgents across their shared PM tells investors charged growth fi gures have border. been criticised by many ana- “Certainly relations with Modi inaugurates the Make which runs until February 18. plex regulations and poor in- we also decided there will be no ashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, said lysts for giving too fl attering a major powers have improved... in India week in Mumbai The glitzy showcase is part of frastructure with suspicion - to retrospective taxation,” he said. in a speech he sought to turn view. But I would say that the real a drive to convince foreign fi rms invest in the country. Modi said India was particu- Mumbai into an international fi - The economy expanded test of foreign policy is in the Agencies to take advantage of cheap Indi- He is seeking to attract foreign larly keen on scaling up invest- nancial services centre, describ- 7.3% in the quarter through handling of your neighbours. Mumbai an labour and invest in factories direct investment (FDI) into 25 ments in infrastructure - from ing his state as a national power- December, but consumer in- And here I would say that the in the country as rising wages key sectors, from traditional in- roads and railways to digital net- house of FDI. fl ation inched up unexpect- Modi government’s handling make traditional hubs more ex- dustries such as leather goods to works and clean energy. Towards Indian offi cials often lament edly last month and capital of Pakistan is inconsistent,” rime Minister Narendra pensive. high-skill areas such as defence this, he said, interest-free bonds their country missing the boat goods production, a proxy for 83-year old Singh told the Modi renewed his call yes- “This campaign has the ca- manufacturing. were the next on the agenda. on manufacturing, while China’s investments, fell nearly 20% magazine. Pterday for fi rms to invest pacity to boost India’s economy In the speech yesterday, he “Do not wait. Do not relax. drive to skill its vast, low-wage in December. “It has been one step for- in India and turn it into a global and also brighten the global sce- said FDI had increased 48% You should take advantage of workforce to make goods for Finance Minister Arun ward, two steps back.” manufacturing hub, painting the nario,” Modi said. since his government took pow- the immense opportunities in the West powered its economic Jaitley wants to present a Singh, an Oxbridge-edu- country as a bright spot for in- “This century is Asia’s cen- er in May 2014, with December India.” boom. credible budget on Febru- cated economist, was cred- vestment in an uncertain world tury. My advice to you is to make recording the highest monthly Earlier in the day Modi met India’s gross domestic prod- ary 29, people involved in ited as fi nance minister in 1991 economy. India your centre if you want infl ows ever. with foreign leaders including uct grew 7.3% in the third fiscal the process say, but the for reforms that opened up The prime minister was ad- this century to be your century,” The prime minister also listed Swedish Prime Minister Ste- quarter, year-on year, accord- government may end up the economy. But his legacy dressing a gathering of indus- he said. a number of initiatives taken by fan Lofven and Finland’s Prime ing to statistics ministry data breaking its budget deficit is marred by his fi nal term try leaders, CEOs and foreign Modi faces a huge challenge in the government to make it eas- Minister Juha Sipila and offi cials published on Monday, retain- targets to stimulate de- marked by corruption scan- dignitaries in the commercial persuading foreign companies - ier for doing business in India, from Germany, Japan and Po- ing its place as the fastest- mand. dals, ballooning infl ation and capital Mumbai to mark the many of which still eye India’s along with enabling policy deci- land. growing major economy in the In a rebuttal on his website slowing economic growth. start of Make in India week, labyrinthine bureaucracy, com- sions and corrections. “I repeat, The chief minister of Mahar- world. Rahul is supporting Woman ‘abducted by someone close to her’ anti-nationals: BJP IANS tion was “shrouded in mys- Ghaziabad tery”. Police teams were working IANS the university as unfortunate, assaulted the former minister. on this aspect, “to ascertain New Delhi the BJP leader asked him not to The senior Congress leader Snapdeal woman exec- under which circumstances make educational institutions a had gone to the JNU campus to utive, who went miss- the kidnappers allowed her to hub of politics. meet the protesting students Aing but returned home go and that too with a return he Bharatiya Janata Par- “This shows the bankruptcy who have been agitating against after two days, was abducted fare of Rs100”, he said. ty yesterday slammed of the Congress, that they went the arrest of JNUSU president by someone close to her, police Referring to Deepti’s state- TCongress vice president to support anti-national activi- Kanhaiya Kumar in the alleged said yesterday. ments that her abductors Rahul Gandhi for addressing a ties of a handful of people. The sedition case. The JNUSU denies Deepti Sarna, 23, was ab- treated her well, giving food students’ meeting organised to BJP condemns it,” Sharma said. allegations that any of its mem- ducted by four criminals pos- of her choice, the police offi cer protest against a police crack- “When anti-India slogans bers raised any such slogans. ing as an auto-rickshaw driver said: “The courtesy extended down on Janawarlal Nehru Uni- were raised, these people (Con- Prior to the incident, Gandhi and passengers on Wednesday to her also raises some ques- versity campus and the arrest of gress) were demanding action addressed the students criticis- night while returning home tions as to why they provided the students’ union president in and when the government took ing the police crackdown. from the Vaishali Metro sta- items of her choice. a sedition case. action, they are staging protests. The ABVP, the students wing tion. “These questions remain to The ruling party accused Gan- This is unfortunate,” he said. of the BJP, also staged a counter- On Friday, she phoned her be solved. But primary inves- dhi of supporting “anti-nation- Meanwhile, Congress leader protest, shouting slogans in- father Narendra Sarna and tigation indicated that some- al” forces. Anand Sharma was attacked by cluding “Rahul Gandhi go back.” told him she managed to one close to the executive was “A handful of people gather unknown assailants while par- Also yesterday, a group of re- flee from her abductors and defi nitely behind the kidnap- and raise anti-India slogans. This ticipating at the protest. tired servicemen said they would reached the New Delhi Rail- ping.” is not any ideology. It is anti-na- Eyewitnesses said Sharma was return their degrees to the uni- way Station. Police said they were tional and Rahul Gandhi had gone repeatedly struck on his ear by versity over the ongoing anti- Superintendent of Police looking into the woman ex- to support them,” BJP national an assailant which led to profuse national activities taking place Salman Taj Patil said it was ecutive’s personal life and secretary Srikant Sharma said. bleeding. inside the campus. established that Deepti was friends. “This is an insult to our nation The JNU Students Union soon Communist Party of India kidnapped, based on the last Top police sources said they and our martyrs. He insulted our issued a statement condemning (Marxist) general secretary Sita- location of her mobile phone were focusing on her former Constitution and the judicial the attack, and alleged that it ram Yechuri met Home Minister ABVP students show black flags in protest against the visit of in Morti village. boyfriend Vikram and the system,” Sharma added. was an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Rajnath Singh and demanded Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to the Jawaharlal Nehru He, however, said her return current one whom she called Describing Gandhi’s visit to Parishad (ABVP) activist who the release of the student leader. University yesterday. to the New Delhi Railway Sta- when she was kidnapped. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, February 14, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

Maduro takes on Pope, Patriarch seek to ‘emergency’ powers

AFP heal 1,000-year-old rift Caracas AFP Mexico City enezuela’s opposition on Friday vowed to speed up Veff orts to oust President rancis yesterday became the fi rst Nicolas Maduro after he defi ed Pope to enter Mexico’s National lawmakers by securing emer- FPalace to meet the president, gency powers to intervene in the marking a new step in church-state rec- crisis-hit oil state’s economy. onciliation in a staunchly Catholic na- The manoeuvers intensifi ed a tion hit by violence and poverty. political standoff that has raised Thousands thronged the streets of fears of unrest and deepening Mexico City to wave at the Argentina- economic suff ering in the oil- born Pontiff as the popemobile took him rich, violence-plagued South to the historic Zocalo square housing the American state. palace and the capital’s cathedral. The Supreme Court on Thurs- “He’s our spiritual guide and we hope day overruled opposition from that he supports us in this diffi cult mo- lawmakers by approving Maduro’s ment for our country,” said Magdalena decree to place the country in a 60- Caballero, a 50-year-old government day state of economic emergency. worker whose nephew was kidnapped The opposition reacted with a few weeks ago. “His presence fi lls us outrage, accusing Maduro of ex- with hope.” panding economic policies that President Enrique Pena Nieto gave they say are ruining the country. Pope Francis a red-carpet welcome at “In the next few days we will the ornate National Palace, a symbolic have to present a concrete pro- location as it is the seat of governments posal for the departure of that that were militantly secular throughout national disgrace that is the gov- the 20th century. ernment,” the opposition leader Previous visiting popes, John Paul II of the National Assembly legis- and Benedict XVI, were not invited to lature, Henry Ramos, told a news the palace, which features a mural of conference on Friday. Mexico’s history by communist painter The decree gives Maduro’s ad- Diego Rivera. ministration special temporary While Mexico is the world’s second powers to take over private com- most populous Catholic country after panies’ resources and impose Brazil, diplomatic relations with the currency controls among other Vatican were only restored in 1992. measures. The Pope’s presence at the National “The Supreme Court of Justice Palace “closes a cycle,” said Mexico’s has spoken, its word is holy and ambassador to the Vatican, Mariano must be respected by all parts of Palacios Alcocer. society and all institutions,” Ma- Mexicans hope the Pope will use the duro said on television. visit to push Pena Nieto to fi x the nation’s Ramos and other leaders in the persistent problems, like a prison riot that opposition MUD coalition had killed 49 inmates on Thursday or the dis- already promised to devise a way appearance of 43 students in 2014. within six months to oust Madu- “Since relations with the Vatican ro, possibly through a new consti- have improved, the government will tution or a referendum, before his maybe change its views and listen to the current mandate expires in 2019. pope,” said Adan Gonzalez, 68, a retired “Nobody doubts now that industrial contractor who arrived at the that six-month timeframe is too Zocalo at 2am to ensure he would be long,” Ramos said Friday. “It is close enough to see Francis. not we who impose the timing, it The palace meeting “off ers a study in is the needs of the country.” contrasts” between a popular pope and It was not clear however how “an unpopular head of state who faces the opposition might overcome one setback after another,” said Andrew resistance from the court, which Chesnut, religion professor at Virginia critics say is packed with Madu- Commonwealth University. ro’s supporters. “It’s the Mexican president, of course, “We will fi nd a method - have who has the most to gain from basking in no doubt,” Ramos said. the glow of one of the world’s most pop- Another senior opposition ular fi gures,” Chesnut told AFP. leader, Henrique Capriles, said he Hours before landing in Mexico late expected the court would over- on Friday, Pope Francis took care of an- rule a constitutional amendment other, much older rift by holding a his- against Maduro and that a refer- toric meeting with the head of the Rus- endum would be better. sian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, “The moment has come,” in Cuba in a bid to end a 1,000-year-old Pope Francis (left) embraces Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill at the Jose Marti International airport in Havana on Friday. Capriles said Friday. “This Christian rift. government does not want to The 79-year-old Francis, in white sunshine and shook hands with Cuban on a piece of fabric after she appeared drug cartels: That’s not the Mexico that es and approve a decree allowing native change anything and every day robes and a skullcap, and Kirill, 69, in President Raul Castro on the tarmac at before an indigenous peasant in 1531. Our Mother loves,” he said days before languages at Churches. the situation gets worse.” black robes and a white headdress, ex- Jose Marti Airport before heading into “The Pope’s encounter with Guada- his visit, referring to the Virgin. “I don’t On Tuesday, Francis goes to Morelia, He acknowledged obstacles to changed kisses and embraced before the private meeting with Kirill. lupe will be monumental - he’s strongly want to cover up any of that.” the capital of the western state of Mi- a referendum too, however, al- sitting down smiling for the historic The white-bearded Orthodox leader Marian and she’s not only Queen of The Pope has chosen to visit regions choacan, were farmers formed vigilante leging that the electoral authori- meeting at Havana airport. was also greeted by the 84-year-old Mexico but Empress of the Americas,” aff ected by many of these problems. forces in 2013 to combat the cult-like ties in charge of such a vote are “At last we meet. We are brothers,” Castro after arriving on Thursday. Chesnut said. Today, he will lead a massive out- Knights Templar drug cartel. under Maduro’s infl uence. said the Pope as they met. “Clearly this After his meeting with Pena Nieto, The Pope has asked for time alone to door mass in Ecatepec, one of the many He will cap his trip on Wednesday in Venezuela has the world’s meeting is God’s will.” the Pope was to undertake a pilgrimage pray quietly in front of the image after Mexico City suburbs hit by crime and an Ciudad Juarez, the former murder capi- largest known oil reserves but The two religious leaders called for to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guada- the mass. epidemic of murders against women. tal of the world across the border from has suff ered as crude prices have “unity,” while Francis later said they lupe, a major Catholic shrine. The following days will take the pope The next day, he travels to Chiapas, Texas. There, he will lead hundreds of fallen sharply, slashing the rev- had talked about a possible program of The basilica houses the image of a to some of Mexico’s notoriously poor the poorest state in the country, where thousands in a cross-border mass, with enues that the government had “activities in common.” dark-skinned Virgin Mary that Catholics and violent regions. he will preside over a mass that will be the parents of the 43 missing students used to fund social welfare pro- Francis stepped off a plane in the believe miraculously became imprinted “The Mexico of violence, corruption, conducted in three indigenous languag- expected to be in the crowd. grams. All hands on deck as Brazil battles deadly Zika

Reuters Over 5,000 pregnant women infected in Colombia breeding spots will be launched Brasilia later this month. More than 5,000 pregnant Co- The government has said More than 70,000 troops were lombian women are infected with pregnant women with Zika are deployed in Rio de Janeiro, a pri- razil’s government yes- the mosquito-borne Zika virus, eligible to access much-restricted ority because of the Olympics, terday launched a nation- the country’s national health insti- abortion services. Rousseff said, adding that sports Bwide campaign to fi ght the tute said yesterday, as the disease Many women struggle to find authorities have said the Zika Zika virus, with President Dilma continues its rapid spread across abortion providers even when outbreak did not jeopardize the Rousseff and cabinet ministers the Americas. they meet strict legal require- event. personally visiting homes and Cases of the virus total 31,555, ments and illegal abortions are Much remains unknown about handing out leafl ets along with the institute said in a epidemiol- widespread. Zika, including whether the virus 220,000 troops. ogy bulletin, among them 5,013 One Bogota abortion clinic actually causes microcephaly. Under a scorching sun in the pregnant women. said several women with Zika Brazil is investigating the neighbourhood of Zepellin in the The institute said 29.4% of had come for consultations, but potential link between Zika in- outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, which pregnant women with Zika live would not confirm if procedures fections and more than 4,300 will host the Olympic Games in in Norte de Santander province, took place. suspected cases of microceph- August, Rousseff said everyone along the eastern border with Local media reported what aly, a condition marked by ab- needed to take part in the battle Venezuela. they said was the first abortion in normally small head size that against the mosquito carrying Colombia’s Caribbean region, the country because of Zika last can result in developmental Zika, suspected of causing the which includes popular tourist week. problems. birth defect microcephaly. destinations Cartagena and Santa Colombian authorities have Researchers have confi rmed There are currently no vac- Marta, had more than 12,488 cases urged women to delay pregnancy more than 460 of these cases as cines or treatment for the virus, of the virus, the bulletin showed. for six to eight months. microcephaly and identifi ed evi- though research institutes and dence of Zika infection in 41 of pharmaceutical companies are these cases, but have not proven working on several possibilities. Twenty-seven cabinet ministers popular Ibirapuera park. Troops that Zika can cause microceph- “Brazil and the world have lost including central bank chief Alexan- also visited homes in downtown aly. the battle against dengue, but we dre Tombini participated in the op- Brasilia. The Zika outbreak is aff ect- won the war against yellow fever, eration aimed at visiting 3mn homes The so-called National Day for ing large parts of Latin America which is carried by the same mos- across 356 towns and cities. “Zero Zika” is focused on rais- and the Caribbean and is likely quito. We will win the war against Soldiers in Sao Paulo handed ing awareness about the disease, to spread to all countries in the Zika,” Rousseff said as she launched out fl iers with the slogan “A mos- Rousseff said. Other operations Americas except for Canada and the campaign, which also targets quito isn’t stronger than a whole specifi cally aimed at spread- Chile, the World Health Organi- Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff walks with residents at an event yesterday on the ‘National Day of other mosquito-borne diseases. country” at entrances to the ing larvicides and eliminating zation has said. Mobilisation – Zika Zero’ in Rio de Janeiro. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 21 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN US OKs sale of F-16 jets to Pakistan The United States approved the proposed sale to Pakistan. stan and the United States and in selling up to eight Lockheed “As a matter of policy, we the interests of the region more Martin F-16 fighter jets to don’t comment on proposed broadly.” Pakistan, along with training, arms sales or transfers or even Asked if he had any fi gures to radar and other equipment, our preliminary consultations back up the claim that US as- worth a total of $699mn with the Hill, with Capitol Hill, sistance to Pakistan had reduced prior to any formal congres- terrorist activities, Toner said Agencies sional notifi cation,” Toner re- he did not have such fi gures in Washington/Islamabad plied. front of him but noted that no But he off ered to address the country in the region had been broader issue of US security as- more touched by terrorism than he Obama administra- sistance to Pakistan, saying: “We Pakistan. tion notifi ed the Congress are committed to working with “We believe it’s in our vital Tyesterday that it planned Congress to deliver security as- national security interests to Pakistani demonstrators hold posters as they take part in a protest against Valentine’s Day in Karachi yesterday. Pakistan president to sell eight F-16 fi ghter jets to sistance to our partners and our support Pakistan in carrying out Mamnoon Hussain has urged the nation to refrain from celebrating Valentine’s Day, while other off icials blasted it as “vulgar and Pakistan. allies that we believe furthers US its eff orts to destroy these ter- indecent” as they moved to outlaw festivities. The proposed deal will now foreign policy interests by build- rorist networks, and we believe go through a 30-day notifi ca- ing the capacity to meet shared it’s an important partner in the tion period after which it will be security challenges.” region in achieving a stable and fi nalised. Responding to another ques- secure Afghanistan,” said the US Earlier this week, the US State tion about terrorists using safe offi cial. Department informed Con- havens inside Pakistan to attack Toner said the US also wel- Pak president urges people gress that it was committed to US troops in Afghanistan, Toner comed Pakistan’s eff orts to sup- improving Pakistan’s precision said: “We believe US security port Afghan-led reconciliation strike capability, which was assistance to Pakistan actually talks. He noted that recently, Pa- seen as a veiled reference to F-16 contributes to their counterter- kistan hosted the Heart of Asia fi ghter jets. rorism and counterinsurgency ministerial and two of the fi rst to ignore Valentine’s Day And on Thursday, a State De- operations.” three meetings of the Quadrilat- partment spokesman, Mark Further explaining this point, eral Coordination Group. Toner, said at a news briefi ng he added that such operations “And they have carried out Reuters it should be avoided,” Hussain faraz Hussain said. But another report said the that US weapon sales to Pakistan “reduce the ability of militants multiple operations against Islamabad said at a ceremony celebrating a A local authority did prohibit district’s police were not in- contributed to the fi ght against to use Pakistani territory as a some of these terrorist networks nationalist leader. the sale of cards, fl owers and oth- tending to enforce the ban. terrorism and furthered Ameri- safe haven to carry out terrorist that are operating on their soil,” Local media reported ear- er paraphernalia marking the day “The order has been discard- ca’s foreign policy interests. attacks and as a base of support he said. resident Mamnoon Hus- lier in the week that Islamabad of love in Kohat district, around ed as it is illegal and violates ba- The remarks followed a move for the insurgency in Afghani- “We believe that destroying, sain has urged Pakistanis would ban celebrations on Val- 200km west of Islamabad, Dawn sic human rights,” the Express by some US lawmakers and a stan.” eliminating those networks is in Pnot to observe Valentine’s entine’s celebrations as an “in- Newspaper reported on Friday. Tribune quoted a high-ranking campaign in the US media to That’s why, he said, the United our national security interests, Day, the romantic holiday that sult to Islam”, but city offi cials “Valentine’s Day has become police offi cial as saying on con- stop the Obama administration States believes “these operations as well as the security interests hardline Muslim clerics want later said such a rule would be a common and unnecessary dition of anonymity. from selling eight F-16 fi ghter are in the interests of both Paki- of the region,” he added. banned but offi cials in the capi- unenforceable. part of our culture,” said the na- The Constitution does not jets to Pakistan. tal say they cannot suppress. The northwestern city of Pe- zim, or local council chairman, prohibit citizens from celebrat- Although Congress has de- India summons US envoy The president criticised Val- shawar, near the Afghan border, who issued the notifi cation. ing Valentine’s Day, he was layed the proposed sale, the entine’s Day, which falls to- has banned Valentine’s Day cel- “There is no need to desig- quoted as saying. administration still seems in- India yesterday summoned said. “The record of the last day, as a Western import that ebrations, local media said. nate a special day where people Around 40km further north terested in pushing it through, the US ambassador to Delhi to many years in this regard threatens to undermine the Is- The president’s comments give cards, chocolates and gifts in Peshawar, local authorities insisting that it’s in vital US in- convey its “disappointment and speaks for itself.” lamic values of Pakistan. came amid reports of bans on to each other,” nazim Maulana also passed a resolution against terests to do so. displeasure” over Washington’s Indian Foreign Secretary Despite its roots as a Chris- the sale of items marking the Niaz Mohamed was quoted as Valentine’s day, but a police At the State Department news plan to sell fighter jets to S Jaishankar summoned tian holiday, Valentine’s Day occasion this weekend. saying by the Express Tribune. spokesman said no instructions briefi ng, an Indian journalist neighbour Pakistan. ambassador Richard Verma has gained popularity among The Interior Ministry de- Local police were to inspect had been given to enforce a ban asked spokesman Mark Toner if “We disagree with their and told him that India was Pakistanis, with fl ower vendors nied that the restriction was markets and make sure retail- on celebrations, Dawn reported. US Secretary of State John Kerry rationale that such arms deeply concerned, ministry reporting booming sales this imposed in Islamabad. “There ers were not selling such items, In past years, religious hard- had received a letter Republican transfers help to combat spokesman Vikas Swarup year, as in recent years. is no truth in these reports. We which were in breach of Shariah liners have disrupted gatherings Senator Bob Corker sent to him terrorism,” the Foreign Minsitry said. “Valentine’s Day has no con- cannot even think of such a ban law, the Dawn report cited the of youth celebrating Valentine’s on Tuesday, asking him to stop nection with our culture and in the capital,” spokesman Sar- nazim as saying. Day in the country.

ENVIRONMENT Pak Parliament Ex-Afghan governor powered by Security personnel to be deployed solar energy abducted in Pakistan Pakistan’s parliament is now the at Islamabad’s educational institutes first parliament in the world to Reuters thorities “to use all their tools be completely powered by solar Islamabad/Kabul and possibilities to identify the energy. Members of the National Internews Chaudhary, while responding a cols for public educational insti- that CADD ministry transferred group of kidnappers and take ac- Assembly met for the first time Islamabad question on security at education- tutes involve raising of boundary 180mn to the Public Works De- tion to free Wahidi immediately”, while the lower house was al institutes in the federal capital, walls, digital visitor identifi ca- partment (PWD) to build walls fghanistan’s government the foreign ministry said. being powered by solar power said the interior ministry had re- tion systems, regular security around educational institutes. yesterday appealed to The former Afghan president, yesterday. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq n a move to beef up security, cently made the off er to CADD. inspections, and installation of He said that like other prov- APakistan to take action to Hamid Karzai, who is reportedly announced that the solar panels Frontier Constabulary (FC) He said the Federal Direc- surveillance cameras. inces the federal government fi nd and free a former provin- close to Wahidi, issued a separate in the house generate 80MW of Iguards will now be deployed torate of Education was also Through a written reply, he had felt the need to establish a cial governor who has been kid- statement on Facebook about electricity, 62MW of which are at Pakistani Capital Islamabad’s fi lling 597 vacant positions for said, boundary walls at 46 ed- curriculum wing adding that a napped in Islamabad. the “respectable elder”, who he consumed by the National As- public educational institutes. watchmen at 422 public sector ucational Institutes had been building had also been allocated Fazlullah Wahidi, former gov- said had travelled to Pakistan sembly and 18MW are contributed State Minister for Capital schools and colleges. raised, while at other institutes for this wing. ernor of Afghanistan’s western to apply for a visa to the United to the national grid. The first ‘Net Administration and Develop- Besides, FDE is also tempo- the status varied between sev- The wing, he said, would Herat province, was abducted on Kingdom. The UK does not issue Metering’ licence in the country ment Division (CADD) Tariq rarily hiring private security eral stages of completion. resolve issues related to educa- Friday afternoon in the Pakistani visas to Afghans in Kabul. was also issued to the National Fazl Chaudhry told the Na- guards to fi ll the gap until the Walls at the remaining schools tion and curriculum. Chaud- capital, the Afghan foreign min- An offi cial in Pakistan’s for- Assembly by the National Electric tional Assembly on Saturday recruitment is completed, the would be raised in the second hary added that teachers train- istry said. eign ministry said yesterday that Power Regulatory Authority. A Net that CADD would soon recruit minister informed. phase of the Prime Minister Edu- ing programmes for the staff of The motive for the kidnapping the Afghan embassy had report- Metering system helps in deliver- FC guards through the interior The house was told that the cational Reform Programme. capital’s schools would also be was not clear, but the Afghan ed Wahidi missing, and local po- ing and adding surplus production ministry. recently-devised security proto- The minister of state said initiated by this wing. government asked Pakistani au- lice were investigating. of energy to the national grid. The project is also environment friendly because it reduces emis- sions of hazardous gases.

ASSISTANCE Punjab seeks Top US general bullish on Afghanistan $300mn WB loan for education AFP insurgency has been riven with ing inroads in eastern Nangarhar Kabul discord over his rule, and at least province. one faction has broken away to The US military has been giv- The Punjab provincial govern- challenge him. en legal authority to target the ment in Pakistan has submitted he top US and Nato com- Campbell also admitted re- group’s fi ghters in Afghanistan. a project proposal to the World mander in Afghanistan cent estimates that the Taliban “I think today I have what I need Bank (WB), seeking a loan of Twas bullish on the coun- now have control over around to go after Daesh,” Campbell said $300mn to support achievement try’s future despite concerns 30% of Afghanistan “may not be yesterday, using another name of the province’s 2018 education over peace talks, as he confi rmed that far off ”. for Islamic State. goals under its growth strategy. his looming retirement at a press The US and Nato-led mission He confi rmed his retirement The government plans to acceler- conference in Kabul yesterday. in Afghanistan has transitioned after his tour ends in March, ate progress in the sector through General John Campbell voiced into an Afghan operation, with when he is due to hand over to the ‘Parho Punjab, Barho Punjab’ confi dence about the future of allied nations assisting in train- replacement Lieutenant General scheme, building on the system Afghanistan as he neared the ing and equipping local forces to John “Mick” Nicholson. strengthening having taken end of an 18-month tour of the tackle Taliban and other groups. But he denied the move had place under the second phase country, though he admitted any But throughout 2015 the Tali- anything to do with a cata- of the Punjab Education Reform political solution could be jeop- ban dealt some stinging blows strophic US strike on a charity- Programme, which will close in ardised by divisions within the to Afghan forces, including run hospital during October’s June this year, and acknowledg- Taliban. a short-lived takeover of the Kunduz off ensive that caused ing the challenges that remain. “Right now I’m not sure who’s northern city of Kunduz. international outrage. The project is aimed at improving in charge” of the insurgents, he However, Campbell dismissed “I’m doing this on my own school participation, completion said when discussing hopes of any notion that a recent push by terms and Mrs Campbell’s and teaching-learning practices, bringing the Taliban to the ne- the insurgents could see entire terms,” he said, adding that he with a particular focus on low- gotiating table. provinces fall in 2016. “[The in- had been off ered another post by performing districts. According Long-time Taliban leader Mul- surgents] are not ten feet tall. the US Secretary of Defence but to a WB document, the govern- lah Omar was confi rmed dead last They can be beaten.” had turned it down. ment is committed to continuing summer in an announcement that Further complicating the Afghanistan, he said, will re- reforms as well as implementing threw off a nascent peace proc- fragile security situation is the main in his heart. “I believe... new initiatives such as early child- ess. Mullah Akhtar Mansour was emergence of Islamic State ji- that they are worthy of our con- Commander of international and US forces in Afghanistan, US Army General John Campbell, speaks hood education and stipends for named as his successor, but the hadists who have made alarm- tinued investment and sacrifi ce.” during a news conference at the Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul yesterday. out-of-school children . Gulf Times 22 Sunday, February 14, 2016 PHILIPPINES

Bodies of OFWs killed in Iraq flown home

The remains of the 13 Filipino Aquino remains most trusted women workers who died in a hotel fire in Iraq have been flown home, Malacanang said yester- day, Manila Times reported. In a radio interview, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Manuel Quezon said the remains offi cial but ratings dip: survey of the victims arrived in Manila at 4pm yesterday. The women By Joel M Sy Egco ings to the officials, except was highest in Metro Manila, were among the 21 killed in a fire Manila Times Sereno. where it rose by 14 percent- that struck the Capitol Hotel in Aquino got 51% from the age points, to a steep 41% from Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan group, up by seven percentage 27% last December. autonomous region last week. he overall trust and ap- points; Binay, 36% from 30%; Several issues that may have “The remains of six of the victims proval ratings of Presi- Drilon, 57% from 45% and Bel- caused the drop in Aquino’s will be brought to their respective Tdent Benigno Aquino and monte, 40% from 35%. trust ratings include his veto of provinces,” Quezon said in a radio Vice President Jejomar Binay Holmes explained that at the the bill granting a P2,000 hike interview. He said the Depart- fell below the 50% mark in Jan- national level, only Binay, the in Social Security System pen- ment of Foreign Aff airs (DFA) has uary, based on the latest Pulse United Nationalist Alliance sion and the reopening of the immediately worked on providing Asia survey. standard bearer, had a marked Mamasapano tragedy investi- aid to the family of the victims. “All Although the president re- improvement in terms of pub- gation on January 27. remains will be received by their mains the most trusted offi cial, lic indecision on performance. For Binay, the conclusion of next of kin and that the DFA is Aquino’s rating dropped by six From only 25%, his rat- the Senate probe on various al- committed to facilitate the release percentage points to 49% in ing rose by eight percentage legations of graft may have af- of benefits due and extend assist- January from 55% in December. points. The same held true in fected his standing. ance to the bereaved families,” he On the other hand, Binay’s Visayas, Mindanao, and Class- Last month, the SC up- said. The Philippine government rating declined fi ve percentage es D and E (+6 to +15 percent- held the constitutionality of has placed most of Iraq under points to 47% from December’s Benigno Aquino and Jejomar Binay : ratings setback age points). the Enhanced Defence Co- Alert Level 4, which calls for 52%. The president’s trust ratings operation Agreement, caus- mandatory repatriation. Kurdistan, Across geographic areas and points), Pulse Asia President eno gained majority approval 25% from 29% in December and fell by 8-9 percentage points ing a slide in the trust ratings however, remains only under Alert socio-economic groupings, ap- Ronald D Holmes said. from the 1,800 respondents in- Belmonte, the “least trusted” in all geographical locations. of Sereno. Another issue that Level 1 due to a more “stable se- proval for the president’s work The result of the survey re- terviewed from January 24 to 28. among the fi ve offi cials, got Aquino’s ratings declined may have caused the dent on curity situation.” There are about eased in Class E (-15 percentage leased on Friday also indicated However, Drilon’s rating 24%, fi ve points lower than his by seven and 16 percentage the officials’ grades are the 1,500 Filipinos in Kurdistan, most points) while Vice President Bi- that Senate President Franklin dropped by seven percentage 29% rating in December. points, respectively, among disqualification cases against of them working as hotel and nay’s approval scores dropped Drilon, Speaker Feliciano Bel- points to 44% in the January By socio-economic classes, Classes D (44% from 51%) and Sen. Grace Poe, which were restaurant crew, engineers, nurses in the Visayas, Mindanao, and monte Jr. and Supreme Court survey while Sereno suff ered only those belonging to Class E (64% from 48%). largely blamed on the current and household service workers. Class E (-11 to -12 percentage Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Ser- a four-percentage point cut to ABC gave higher approval rat- Aquino’s distrust rating administration. Mixing business with pleasure Santiago-Marcos Jr tandem reveal senate candidates

By Jaime R Pilapil Manila Times

he tandem of Senators Miriam Defensor Santia- Tgo and Ferdinand “Bong- bong” Marcos Jr yesterday bared its 10 candidates for senator. They are former Energy Sec- retary Jericho Petilla, Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) advo- cate Susan Ople, former Metro Manila Development Author- File photo shows presidential candidate Miriam Santiago (right) ity (MMDA) chairman Francis and vice-presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the son of late Tolentino, former Technical dictator Ferdinand Marcos, gesture to supporters onstage during a Education and Skills Develop- campaign rally in Batac town in Ilocos Norte province, north of Manila. ment Authority (Tesda) director general Joel Villanueva, former choice for vice president in the lowed by Senator Allan Peter Armed Forces chief of staff and vote-rich province of Pangasi- Cayetano, 13.3%. director general of the Philip- nan. Camarines Sur representa- pine Drug Enforcement Agency In a non-commissioned sur- tive Leni Robredo was fourth Dionisio Santiago, actor and tel- vey on 1,500 residents of Pan- with 7.6%, followed by Senator evision host Edu Manzano, Sen. gasinan on January 10 to 18, Gringo Honasan with 6.9% and Ralph Recto, Leyte representa- 2016 covering fi ve cities and 43 Senator Antonio Trillanes with tive Martin Romualdez, Sarang- municipalities, Marcos got the 5.3%. gani representative Manny Pac- highest rating — 41.5%. The survey, conducted by Is- quiao and Manila Vice Mayor Senator Francis Escudero was sues and Advocacy Centre, has a Sidewalk vendors wait for customers as they rest on hammocks under their umbrellas at an overpass walkway in Quezon city, Francisco “Isko” Moreno. a far second with 25.4%, fol- margin of error of 2.8%. Metro Manila yesterday. The 10 will be proclaimed to- day at the Ynares Sports Arena Poe ‘is not my biological sister’ in Pasig City during the launch of Youth for Miriam, a group of Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos yesterday categorically volunteer young voters. dismissed speculations that Senator Grace Poe, who is running for Marcos and Santiago will at- president, is his biological sister. Marcos was forced to put a period tend the event. Only Petilla and to the controversy to stop speculations that he is abandoning Sen. Olongapo wages war against illegal drugs Recto are from the administra- Miriam Santiago, his presidential candidate in the coming May 9 tion slate of the Liberal Party. polls. “There is no point (of having me undergo a DNA test). Why? It Others are from the tandem will not help her. I just said that I am willing to undergo a DNA test By Patrick Roxas criminal groups are the primary concern of law enforcers and city of Senators Grace Poe and Chiz because media people were persistently asking me. I was just joking,” Manila Times/Olongapo City residents. He warned that even uniformed personnel are not ex- Escudero except Romualdez he told reporters at the house of Mangatarem Mayor Ted Cruz, after empted from the war against drugs as he reiterated that “No one is and Pacquiao who are from the a sweeping caravan from Mangaldan to Dagupan City. “I am running above the law.” group of Davao City Mayor Rod- together with Sen. Miriam Santiago as my president,” he said. While ewly-appointed Olongapo City Police Offi ce (OCPO) Offi c- Sumbad exhorted the community to be vigilant at all times and rigo Duterte and Sen. Alan Peter in the province, Marcos paid a courtesy call on Lingayen-Dagupan er-in-Charge, Senior Supt. Jerry Tait Sumbad, has declared encouraged active participation in the battle to suppress illegal ac- Cayetano. Marcos, who wrapped Archbishop Socrates Villegas. “We talked about several topics but noth- Nall out war against illegal drugs in this city. tivities in the city. He said diff erent strategies on crime prevention up his campaign in Northern Lu- ing about politics,” Marcos said. “I asked for his blessing,” he added. Sumbad said the proliferation of illegal drugs and the presence of and crime solution have been created to increase public awareness. zon yesterday emerged as the top Ballots rejected in mock polls conducted by Comelec

By Catherine S Valente because each one has an assigned in Robinsons Ermita, said the vot- Manila Times ID. ing process seemed slow in some Comelec chairman Andres instances. Bautista, who personally oversaw He observed that one voter took he “election” was peace- the proceedings in some precincts 11 minutes to cast his vote when the ful and orderly, but sev- in Metro Manila, said the poll body ideal time should be two to three Teral glitches were reported will investigate the glitches en- minutes. prompting Malacanang to call countered during the simulation of Bautista said the ideal time for on the Commission on Elections the election process. voting is 2-3 minutes. (Comelec) to immediately address Malacanang expressed confi - The Comelec chief was also dis- these technical problems. dence that the poll body will be satisfi ed with the low voter turn- The Comelec held mock polls in able to fi x the problems. out. The poll body had expected 20 areas nationwide yesterday to “They (Comelec) are independ- more than 25,000 voters to partici- test the vote counting machines ent and they have responsibil- pate in the mock elections held in that will be used on May 9, when ity over these issues. They said it’s Aparri and Tuguegarao in Cagayan the country elects new leaders. better that we are informed and Valley, Alaminos and Dagupan in However, several problems know about these potential issues,” Pangasinan, Quezon City, Manila, cropped up, including the rejection Presidential Communications Un- Taguig City, Pateros, Kalibo, Sor- of ballots by vote counting ma- dersecretary Manuel Quezon said sogon City, Matinog, Cebu City, chines (VCMs). in a radio interview. Malay, Santander, Dipolog, Sin- The glitch, according to the “That’s why we are joining those dangan, Surallah, Jolo, General Comelec, may have been caused who are calling on the Comelec to Santos City, and Lamitan City in by a Board of Election inspector explain clearly what is happening Basilan. whose signature exceeded the as- so that public trust in the election The “candidates” in the mock signed space. Because of the sensi- process will remain,” he added. polls were all celebrities. Justine tivity of the system, the VCM may The mock elections were held a Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, Selena have considered it as dirt. day after the Comelec announced Gomez, Whitney Houston, Michael In some areas, some ballots were that the incompatibility problems Jackson, Adam Levine and Taylor also rejected because of overshad- among the election systems have Swift vied for the presidency, while ing. been fi xed. the vice presidential bets were Zac Votes cast on rejected ballots are Bautista, who observed the mock Efron, Ariana Grande, Alicia Keys, not counted. Voters whose ballots elections at the H Atienza Elemen- Avril Lavigne, Nicki Minaj and were rejected are given new ballots tary School in Baseco, Manila and Ashley Tisdale. An elderly voter feeds her ballot on a counting machine during mock elections held at the Ramon Magsaysay Elementary School in Quezon City. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 23 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Bangladesh begins survey of Rohingyas DPA ruary 17, followed by a more de- 300,000 to 500,000, accord- associated with criminal and policies to repress the Rohingya Dhaka tailed census of their conditions, ing to the Planning Commis- militant activity in the country, since the 1970s, according to it said. sion, which is responsible for the the Daily Star reported, citing Burmese Rohingya Organisation Around 33,000 Rohingyas latest survey. media and police reports. UK (Brouk). angladesh has started a are currently registered as resi- The survey was to be car- In 2015 tens of thousands were They are denied basic serv- tally of the Rohingya com- dents of two refugee camps in ried out across six eastern dis- stranded at sea after surround- ices and their movements are Bmunity on its territory, southeastern Bangladesh’s Cox’s tricts with the assistance of the ing countries would not let severely restricted. after reported persecution in Bazar, the report said. International Organization of them in. In June and October 2012 neighbouring Myanmar has driv- Bangladesh Bureau of Statis- Migration. While the Rohingyas say they there were large-scale attacks on en thousands across the border, tics (BBS) has begun the listing The Muslim Rohingyas say are descendants of Arab traders Rohingyas following the gang- A fisherman handling the giant fish. a news report said yesterday. of households as part of primary they suff er persecution in Bud- who have been in the region for rape of a Buddhist woman. An initial household survey task in six southeastern dis- dhist-majority Myanmar, where generations, Myanmar’s govern- The government of Myanmar would register the undocument- tricts - Chittagong, Cox’s Ba- they are denied citizenship, and ments say they are not a genuine has pledged to take back these ed migrants and the circum- zar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, considered Bengali immigrants. ethnic group but are actually undocumented nationals af- stances of their fl ight from My- Bandarban and Patuakhali. In Bangladesh they are also Bengali migrants. ter verifi cation of their origin, anmar, the Daily Star reported. But the total number living considered an immigrant mi- Successive Myanmar govern- a Bangladeshi foreign ministry Fish weighing It was to be completed by Feb- in the region is thought to be nority. The community is often ments have been introducing statement had earlier said. 82kg caught Maoists mark 20 years since start of civil war in Teesta river

AFP stitution. Introduced in Sep- By Mizan Rahman “Later we found the fi sh Kathmandu tember, the charter established Dhaka weighed 82kg,” the fi shermen Nepal as a secular federal repub- said, adding that they never lic, refl ecting Maoist ideology. netted, or even found, such a epal’s former Maoist “The constitution is the prod- group of fi shermen big-sized fi sh anytime in the rebels paid tribute to uct of our war and we... take netted an 82kg Bagha past during their long profes- Nfallen comrades yester- ownership of the new consti- AAiir fi sh from the Tees- sional life. day in a ceremony marking 20 tution,” Maoist chief Pushpa ta river in Rangpur district However, the fi shermen had years since the start of an in- Kamal Dahal told cheering cad- yesterday. to sell the tasty and rare spe- surgency that transformed the res in Kathmandu. Hundreds of people of all cies of fi sh at throwaway price Himalayan nation from a Hindu But for many ordinary Nepa- ages of the area as well as of only 20,000 taka to a bigger monarchy to a secular republic. lis, who voted for the party in highway passengers gathered fi sh trader on the spot as they On 13 February, 1996, Maoist Nepal’s fi rst constituent as- there to have a look at the fi sh could not carry the same to the guerrillas attacked a police post sembly elections held in 2008, after hearing the news. bigger towns or cities. in western Nepal’s Rolpa dis- the Maoists failed to deliver on Like every day, local fi sher- Now-a-days, fish fairs are trict, launching a decade-long their pledge of bringing equality men Nitai Das, Jharu Das, Nir- held at this time of the year civil war that eventually claimed and progress to the deeply feudal Members of the All Nepal Free Student Union Revolutionary movement, a sister wing of the Unified mal Das and Habibur Rahman across Bangladesh. This is some 16,000 lives and left hun- country. Maoist party, take part in a rally to mark the 21st People’s War Day in Kathmandu yesterday. went to the river for fi shing, not one of those usual fairs dreds of people missing. “Many people lost their lives, set their three nets in the river where craft items from weav- Hundreds of Maoist cadres many went missing or became soon came under fi re for aban- sitions in government... all this But it has instead sparked vio- water and caught some small ers and potters are the main gathered at the party’s offi ce in disabled so things would change doning revolutionary ideals and needs to be rectifi ed to bring real lence, with more than 50 people fi shes till the afternoon. attractions. This is a fair Kathmandu, waving red fl ags in this country,” Rina Tamang, a developing a taste for luxury. change,” said former guerrilla, killed in clashes between police “After fi shing quite some where people rush for the as senior leaders placed gar- shopkeeper in Kathmandu, said. They alienated their voter base Laxmi Prasad Chaulagain. and demonstrators from Ne- time, we sensed something love of fish, all kinds of fresh lands on the “martyr’s pillar”—a “Now we have a new consti- and crashed out in Nepal’s sec- The constitution, the fi rst pal’s Madhesi ethnic minority, heavy in our nets and fi nally water fish. monument built to honour fallen tution but we are still waiting for ond constituent assembly elec- drawn up by elected repre- who say it leaves them politically caught the Bagha Aiir fi sh Fishermen and fi sh traders and missing combatants. the change the Maoists promised tions in 2013, fi nishing in third sentatives, was meant to bol- marginalised. after struggling for an hour from the entire wait through The rebels laid down arms in us. Personally, I have no hope left place. ster Nepal’s transformation Ongoing discussions between when our colleague Habibur the whole year for an oppor- 2006 before entering politics anymore,” the 39-year-old said. “A few leaders compromised into a peaceful democratic re- the government and protesting Rahman sustained little injury tunity to be present at the fairs and eventually helping to draft After sweeping to victory in on their promises, a few betrayed public after decades of political parties have failed to yield an as the fi sh hit him with the with rare species and giant the country’s new national con- the 2008 polls, the former rebels the revolution for lucrative po- instability. agreement. tail,” Jharu Das said. sizes of local, fresh water fi sh.

HRW slams ex-army chief’s appointment Political Water crisis spells cold comfort as lawmaker An international rights group parties has said that the Sri Lankan government’s decision to appoint the civil war-winning general to to resolve for Nepal earthquake survivors parliament contradicts its pledges to investigate alleged abuses under his command. issue of By Pete Pattisson, GNS of fuel, gas and other essential “The appointment of former army Barkobot supplies. The blockade was commander Sarath Fonseka signals called off last weekend, but it that the government may protect federalism will be weeks before supply senior military leaders suspected t is an hour before dawn, levels return to normal. of abuses,” said New York-based and on the slopes below Survivors now face a perfect Human Rights Watch (HRW). IANS IBarkobot village in Nepal’s storm of a bitterly cold winter, Fonseka took his oath as a Kathmandu Sindhupalchowk district, a the aftermath of the blockade lawmaker on Tuesday. He small crowd of women are al- and a long-delayed eff ort to commanded Sri Lanka’s army ready waiting to fi ll up their begin reconstruction. from 2005 until the end of war in epal’s three major politi- water pots from a single plas- After months of political 2009 and is credited with leading cal parties and the United tic hose. It will be a lengthy wrangling, Nepal’s National the army to victory over the NDemocratic Madhesi Front interlude. Reconstruction Authority ethnic minority Tamil rebels. yesterday reached an agreement to After the massive earth- (NRA), the body charged with The rights group said Sri Lankan set up a political mechanism to re- quake that struck Nepal on 25 distributing $4.1bn of donor forces under Fonseka’s command solve the issue of federalism. April last year, the main water funds for earthquake recon- were implicated in numerous A meeting summoned by source in the village dried up. struction, has fi nally been instances of shelling of civilians Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli at Since then, people have had to established. Despite a grand and hospitals, rape and other his offi cial residence here in Bal- rely on a slender pipe as their launch event for a “recon- sexual violence, and summary uwatar decided to resolve the is- chief source of drinking water, struction mega campaign” execution of prisoners. sue of demarcation of provincial but all that comes out is a thin on 16 January, rebuilding on a “The government should boundaries, Xinhua reported. trickle. It takes almost an hour large scale is unlikely to begin meaningfully demonstrate to the The issue has been behind the to fi ll a 20-litre pot. for months. Sri Lankan people and the UN that almost six-month-long unrest in While they wait, the women “The NRA understands how it’s serious about accountability the southern plains of the Hima- joke about their predicament. serious the concerns of people and not on the road to a layan nation which claimed the “We’ll soon have to walk all the are,” says Sushil Gyewali, the whitewash,” said Brad Adams, lives of more than 50 people, in- way down to the river in the body’s CEO. “We are seriously HRW’s Asia director. cluding police personnel. valley to get water. It’s so far working to expedite the proc- Sita Giri and other women wait to fill water pots. Their main water source dried up after last April’s Sri Lanka has promised to “The task force made up of four we might as well have a picnic ess in creating an environment earthquake. investigate abuse allegations parties is scheduled to resolve the while we’re there,” says one. so that people could receive with foreign help in a consensus issue through a separate political The others laugh, but after a government aid to recon- Ram Krishna now spends people from starting the re- cash distributions were 30% resolution at the UN human rights body prior to the prime minister’s pause the conversation takes a struct their houses as our fi rst most of his time lying in bed in building work themselves, but behind schedule because of council last year. India visit,” leaders said. sobering turn. “It would have priority.” their tiny tin hut. He can reach even those who want to begin the blockade, with a sub- According to UN estimates, up Prime Minister Oli is set to pay been better if I had died in the Gyewali’s words will come out to rock his baby son’s cot, have been deterred by the lack stantial quantity of supplies to 100,000 people were killed in a six-day offi cial visit to India earthquake,” says Maiya Giri, as little comfort to Sita Giri. but do little else. A wheelchair of water (vital for building) and stranded in India for months. the war but the figure is believed commencing February 19. 30, a mother of three. “I hope Like everyone else, Sita, 25, stands in the corner, but the the rise in the cost of building “For people whose homes have to be much higher, including up The ethnic Madhes-based par- another one comes and kills is struggling with the water path from his hut to the nearby materials and other essential been destroyed by the earth- to 40,000 civilian deaths in just ties have been agitating for almost me so I won’t have to face these shortage, but she has other road is steep and rocky. supplies due to the blockade, quake and are living in tempo- the final months. Months after the six months, citing reservations on problems.” problems too. When the earth- “For me it’s diffi cult. I have which lasted more than four rary shelters, life has been ex- war victory, Fonseka challenged the seven-province federal model Nine months after the earth- quake struck, Sita, who was a small child and a sick per- months. tremely diffi cult as they have then-president Mahinda in the country’s new Constitution quake, which claimed almost four months pregnant, was son to look after,” says Sita, “They are selling cooking gas to brave the cold,” said a WFP Rajapakse’s re-election. that was adopted on September 9,000 lives, not a single home resting indoors with her hus- cradling her four-month-old for 7,000 rupees because of the spokesperson. Soon after his election defeat 20 last year. has been rebuilt in Barkobot. band, Ram Krishna. They both son, Avash. “Our only concern blockade [more than four and The prospect of rebuild- Fonseka was arrested and The agitating parties late last Almost everyone is living in tin made a dash for the door, but now is how to survive. The cold a half times the usual price]. ing all of Nepal’s shattered charged with corruption and week formally announced an end shacks, just as they are across the house fell on them before season is unbearable. It’s really The government gets every- homes seems a long way off . implicating Rajapakse’s brother, to the border-blockade they had all the districts struck by the they could get outside. Their tough with a small child.” thing - gas, petrol - but we are The NRA estimates Nepal will who was defence secretary, resorted to as part of their protest, earthquake, which destroyed neighbours managed to pull Soon after the earthquake, left with nothing,” says another need at least an additional in rights abuses. He won a but they continue with other forms an estimated 500,000 homes. them out of the rubble, but the government promised Barkobot resident, Hare Baha- $3bn to complete the task. In parliamentary seat he contested of protests across the country. For the past four months Ram Krishna immediately 200,000 rupees for each fam- dur. “No one has come to ask the meantime, Sita and the while he was in detention, but lost Earlier in January, Nepal’s their plight has been com- knew something was wrong. ily who had lost their home, but us what we need. Any rice that residents of Barkobot have lit- it when he was convicted. parliament voted to amend the pounded by a blockade of “When they rescued me like most survivors, Sita and comes into the district is di- tle choice but to struggle on. He was released from prison in new Constitution to address Nepal’s border posts with In- I couldn’t feel anything,” he her husband have only received vided up by the political parties “Instead of planning for the 2012 and was part of President the 11-point charter of demands dia by groups opposed to the says. “Now nothing works be- 25,000 rupees so far. among themselves.” future,” she says, “we are only Maithripala Sirisena’s alliance that raised by the Madhesi Front, an country’s new constitution, low my waist. It’s completely The promise of government The World Food Programme thinking about how to survive defeated Rajapakse in last year’s alliance of four regional parties. which caused severe shortages paralysed.” funds has dissuaded many said its emergency food and today.” presidential election. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, February 14, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Production Editor: C P Ravindran Welcome to the century

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] of doom and gloom Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Political and economic order in which the response will come – if be the world’s strongest power, but it retreat is not an option, because Fax 44350474 does not simply arise from at all. is no longer able or willing to play the the resulting power vacuum would In which political structures, role of the world’s policeman or make endanger the stability of the entire peaceful consensus or an by whose initiative, and under the sacrifi ces needed to guarantee system. unchallenged claim by the which rules will these questions be order. Indeed, overseeing the end of Pax negotiated – or, if negotiation proves Indeed, in a globalised world, with Americana is likely to dominate the most powerful impossible, fought over? ever closer integration in terms of tenure of America’s next president – Political and economic order – communication, technology and – as whoever that might be. GULF TIMES particularly on a global scale – does we have recently seen – the movement For Europe, this raises an equally By Joschka Fischer Berlin not simply arise from peaceful of people, the centres of power are diffi cult question. Will the decline consensus or an unchallenged claim by diluted and dispersed; by its very of Pax Americana, which has served the most powerful. It has always been nature, a globalised world eludes the for seven decades as a guarantor he start of 2016 has been the result of a struggle for domination imposition of twentieth-century of Europe’s internal liberal order, Special zones set anything but calm. Falling – often brutal, bloody and long – order. unavoidably lead to crisis, if not equity prices in China between or among rival powers. And yet, while a new global order may confl ict? Rising neo-nationalism Thave destabilised markets inevitably emerge, its foundations are across the continent seems to point worldwide. Emerging economies Wherever one looks, not yet indiscernible. A Chinese-led toward such a scenario, with appalling seem to have stalled. The price of order seems unlikely. China will remain implications. to help Qatar oil has plunged, pushing petroleum chaos seems to be self-absorbed, focused on internal The bleak prospect of European producers into crisis. North Korea is stability and development, and its suicide is no longer unthinkable. What fl exing its nuclear muscles. And in ascendant ambitions are likely to be narrowed to will happen if German Chancellor diversify economy Europe, the ongoing refugee crisis is control of its immediate neighbourhood Angela Merkel is brought down by her fomenting a toxic tide of nationalism, Only through confl ict are the new and the surrounding seas. refugee policy, if the United Kingdom which threatens to tear the European pillars, institutions, and players of a Furthermore, China lacks, in nearly leaves the European Union, or if The realisation of economic zones under Manateq Union apart. new order established. every respect, the soft power that the French populist Marine Le Pen is expected to further enhance Qatar’s position as a Add to this Russia’s neo-imperial The liberal Western order in place would be indispensable if it were to try captures the presidency? major commercial hub in the GCC region and speed up ambitions and the threat of terrorism, since the end of World War II was to become a force for global order. A plunge into the abyss is the most and comets streaking across the sky based on the global hegemony of the Nor are these times of turbulent dangerous outcome imaginable, if not the country’s policy of diversifying the economy away may be the only thing missing from a US. transition likely to end in the the likeliest. from oil and gas. picture of a year shaping up to be one As the only true global power, it emergence of a second Pax Americana. Suicide, of course, can be prevented. A law is on the anvil, which will regulate the of prophetic doom. was dominant not only in the realm Despite America’s technological But those who are happily chiselling Wherever one looks, chaos seems to of hard military power (as well as dominance, there would be too much away at Merkel’s position, the UK’s company that develops, maintains and runs the be ascendant. The international order economically and fi nancially), but in resistance by regional powers and European identity and France’s special economic zones and specify regulations about forged in the fi res of the twentieth nearly all dimensions of soft power potential counter-alliances. Enlightenment values threaten to the businesses to be set up in these zones. century seems to be disappearing, (for example, culture, language, mass In fact, the main challenge of the undermine the ledge on which we’re The proposed economic zones in Qatar will allow and we have not had even the faintest media, technology and fashion). coming years is likely to be managing all standing.- Project Syndicate/ glimpse of what will replace it. Today, the Pax Americana that America’s declining infl uence. There Institute for Human Sciences investors - nationals, foreigners, individuals or It is not diffi cult to put names to ensured a large degree of global is no framework for the retirement corporations - unrestricted repatriation of profi ts and the challenges we face: globalisation, stability has begun to fray – most of a hegemon. While a dominant zJoschka Fischer was Germany’s capital abroad. digitisation, climate change and so notably in the Middle East and on the power can be brought down through foreign minister and vice chancellor All types of businesses will be allowed to be set up in forth. What is not clear is the context Korean peninsula. The US may still a struggle for domination, voluntary from 1998 to 2005. an economic zone. They can be proprietorships or partnership fi rms or any other types of companies or business entities, according to a draft law approved by the Cabinet recently. Special rules will apply to businesses operating from the economic zones and no other national law or regulations whatsoever, whether related to companies, customs or licensing, will apply to such businesses. The licensing of a business to be set up in an economic zone will be single-window and solely done by Manateq or the Economic Zones Company. The company is to be granted a 50-year concession from the date of issuance of the law, Qatar has during which it will established be solely in charge of the management, Manateq development, operation, and to develop maintenance of and operate the zone and zones associated with projects three special the state assigns to it economic zones as per the law and the fi rm’s statute. Qatar established Manateq to develop and operate three special economic zones that provide infrastructure in accordance with the highest international standards in order to reach new levels of economic diversity and promote the growth of the small and medium-sized companies and private sector. Plans have already been announced for state-run company Manateq to set up three economic zones in Ras Bufontas east of Al Wakrah Road; in Al Karana, south of the Industrial Area; and at Um Alhoul near China faces currency dilemma Hamad Port, south of Al Wakrah. Besides facilitating foreign investment, the By Yu Yongding Nonetheless, given the size of eliminate depreciation expectations still running a large current-account Beijing China’s foreign-exchange reserves, in the more distant future, let alone surplus and a long-term capital- economic zones are expected to create thousands of markets remained confi dent that reduce capital outflows unrelated account surplus, and it has not fully jobs, mostly for nationals, and enhance trade. the PBOC could fi x the renminbi to depreciation expectations. In liberalised its capital account; so the The economic zones will make it easier for he People’s Bank of China exchange rate at whatever level it fact, the crawling peg encourages chances are good that the renminbi companies to do business, providing access to growing (PBOC) faces a dilemma. wanted, regardless of China’s external some kinds of capital outflows, would not fall too far or for too long. After nearly a decade of balance-of-payments position. As a such as carry trade unwinding, the Moreover, even if the renminbi markets, using the country’s resources prudently. trying to curb expectations result, depreciation expectations were dollarisation of household accounts, did experience a double-digit Qatar has made it abundantly clear that it is T of continued currency appreciation not strong. and withdrawal by portfolio depreciation, China would not be focusing on a large number of initiatives that help (spurred by China’s current- and Then, last August, the PBOC investors. Meanwhile, China’s thrust into fi nancial crisis. After improve investment climate and multiply chances of capital-account surpluses), it fi nally lowered the renminbi central parity economic fundamentals continue to all, the country’s stock of corporate succeeded in the fi rst quarter of 2014, rate by 1.9%, perhaps in response to an worsen. external debt is not too large; the projects available to the private sector. Equipping and when its forceful market intervention International Monetary Fund report All of this has forced the PBOC currency mismatch within Chinese enhancing the capabilities of the private sector have drove down the renminbi’s exchange encouraging China to align the parity to spend a huge amount of China’s banks is small; and infl ation is just also been top on Qatar’s priority. rate to discourage carry trades. rate more closely with the market rate. foreign-exchange reserves to keep above 1%. To bolster such fi nancial Many experts say the establishment of economic Now, however, the PBOC is facing The move intensifi ed depreciation the level of renminbi depreciation buff ers, China must enforce existing an even more diffi cult challenge, as expectations. vis-a-vis the US dollar within 5%. capital controls much more strictly. zones with special incentives would make Qatar more seemingly irreversible depreciation At this rate, those hard-earned Nonetheless, there remains the attractive to foreign investors. expectations undermine economic The situation is far foreign-exchange reserves will possibility of a market panic. Given Eff orts made for speedily realising the special stability at a moment when China can soon be exhausted. That is not an this, the PBOC could engineer a economic zones are a testament to Qatar’s fi rm least aff ord additional uncertainty. from dire option. transition during which the renminbi Because the 2014 intervention Recognising the challenge at hand, is pegged to a basket of currencies, resolve and unwavering commitment towards a fully- coincided with the weakening of The PBOC quickly intervened the PBOC has been allowing the with an adjustable central parity rate diversifi ed national economy. China’s economic fundamentals, it to avert a panic by halting the renminbi to fall, slowly but surely, and a wide fl uctuation band of 7.5% or ultimately amounted to pushing on depreciation, but it was too late: since November. But while this even 15%. an opening door. Instead of providing expectations of further renminbi “stealth devaluation” worked for a It could choose not to announce the To Advertise credible resistance to upward pressure weakening became fi rmly established while, market participants decided (very wide) fl uctuation band, so that on the exchange rate, as intended, it in the market. at the beginning of this year to dump investors, judging that the renminbi [email protected] triggered an outright reversal, with As these expectations drive an their renminbi again. had fallen far enough, might begin Display depreciation expectations beginning increasing amount of capital out The PBOC now has three options: to purchase the currency before it Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 to creep into foreign-exchange of China, thereby intensifying it can stop all interventions and let actually reached the fl oor, thereby markets. depreciation pressure, the PBOC the renminbi fl oat; link it to a basket stabilising the exchange rate before Classified Thus, in the second quarter of 2014, continues to intervene in the of currencies; or peg it tightly to the PBOC was forced to spend more Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 China recorded a capital-account foreign-exchange market, often the US dollar, as it did during the foreign-exchange reserves. - Project defi cit for the fi rst time in decades. in unpredictable ways. As a result, Asian fi nancial crisis of 1997. So far, Syndicate Subscription And by the fi rst quarter of 2015, that the PBOC has de facto adopted a however, the PBOC has off ered no [email protected] defi cit more than off set the current- crawling-peg exchange-rate regime. indication of its plans. zYu Yongding, a former president of account surplus, meaning that China While a crawling-peg system can In my opinion, the PBOC should the China Society of World Economics, registered its fi rst international eliminate short-term depreciation reinforce the Chinese government’s served on the Monetary Policy 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved balance-of-payments defi cit in recent expectations, thereby reducing the market-oriented reform plans and Committee of the People’s Bank of memory. associated capital outflows, it cannot allow the renminbi to fl oat. China is China from 2004 to 2006. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 25 COMMENT Getting away with murder ...

Despite government pledges Some university forensic Performing autopsies is arduous to increase the autopsy rate departments are on the verge of and can take up to two days if a collapse - 20 out of Japan’s 47 body is badly damaged, Iwase said, to 20% by this year, the provinces have only one professor adding that specialists face a high fi gure remains around half performing autopsies, according to the risk of contracting Hepatitis C or Japanese Society of Forensic Medicine. HIV. that in Japan In the Kakehi case, police initially And despite such challenges, determined her previous partners died forensic scientists on university By Natsuko Fukue from illness. Her arrest only came salaries often earn less than doctors AFP/Tokyo after police discovered her most recent working at even small hospitals and husband, 75-year-old Isao Kakehi, also must juggle autopsies with died from cyanide poisoning and academic research and teaching. ubbed the “Black Widow” began looking into the earlier cases Police have been beefi ng up the after the mate-eating spider, and found a pattern. number of offi cers qualifi ed to conduct Chisako Kakehi awaits The 69-year-old has been charged visual postmortem inspections, Dtrial: Initially arrested on with three murders and one attempted jumping to 340 last year from 160 in suspicion of murdering eight lovers murder. Police investigated four other 2008, according to the NPA. for insurance payouts, her case is cases but ultimately could not fi nd They must have more than 10 years notorious in Japan as much for its suffi cient evidence to charge her, of experience in murder cases as well body count as the shortcomings of the according to local media reports. as 10 weeks of special training, said investigation. According to OECD data on safety Kazuhito Shinka, who heads the NPA No autopsies were reportedly published in 2015, the homicide rate, division supervising post mortem performed on six of those eight at the which is the number of murders per inspections. time of death, a situation experts say 100,000 people, was only 0.3 in Japan “It’s important for police to co- is indicative of Japan’s fl awed system, while it was 5.2 in the US, 0.6 in France operate with doctors with forensic warning the country’s low post- and 0.5 in Germany. knowledge,” he told AFP. mortem exam rate may mean criminals There were 933 murder and But Shinka added thorough are getting away with murder. attempted murder cases in 2015 in investigations of relatives of the dead In 2014, 11.7% of “unusual Japan, according to police, with the are needed to ascertain any motives deaths” - the term used for cases number on a declining trend since for murder. in which cause is not immediately 2004, but the low autopsy rate may be Iwase says authorities have “lost clear - resulted in autopsies, National hiding the true fi gure, experts say. their motivation” to improve the Police Agency (NPA) fi gures show. “I believe crimes would be less situation. That compares with 40% in England overlooked if there is a system where “Ministries are running away from and Wales in 2014. And in Sweden, autopsies are conducted on bodies their responsibilities and they’re autopsies are performed on 95% of where the cause of death is unclear avoiding budget requests. As a result, “unclear” deaths, according to the even if the cases are not suspicious,” the autopsy rate does not improve,” National Board of Forensic Medicine. explained Professor Shinichi Kubo, Hirotaro Iwase, professor at the forensic medicine department of Japan’s Chiba University, at his legal medicine lecture he said. “The low autopsy rate means there a forensic scientist at Fukuoka room at Chiba University, in Tokyo. In 2014, 11.7% of “unusual deaths” - the term used for cases in which cause is not In a sign lessons are being is a higher chance crimes are being University. immediately clear - resulted in autopsies, off icial figures show. Despite government pledges to increase the autopsy rate learned from the Kakehi case, overlooked,” said Hirotaro Iwase, Hidemichi Morosawa, an expert to 20% by this year, the figure remains around half that. Iwase attributes this to a shortage of forensic specialists as well as from April, police will conduct professor at the forensic medicine on police investigation at Tokiwa budget cuts at public universities, which carry out the majority of the crime-related procedure. toxicology tests on all bodies that department of Chiba University. University, said he suspects part of the they handle. Despite government pledges to problem is that offi cers likely prefer to forensics staff , police with more carbon monoxide poisoning - she And in 2007, when teenage Iwase added toxicology tests were increase the autopsy rate to 20% by avoid the demands of murder cases, a than one corpse needing urgent burned charcoal inside after giving the sumo wrestler Takashi Saito died also necessary to help determine the this year, the fi gure remains around huge burden on workloads. examination often have to drive men sleeping pills to knock them out. during training, police concluded cause of death. half that. Iwase attributes this to a “Police should send as many bodies hours to neighbouring provinces for Police initially determined he had succumbed to heart failure. He explained: “You cannot shortage of forensic specialists as well as possible for autopsies” to increase autopsies to be performed. the fi rst victim had committed His parents, suspicious of the detect crimes just by conducting an as budget cuts at public universities, the chance of determining possible It took three deaths for police to suicide therefore did not conduct a circumstances around his passing, autopsy. You need to fully carry out which carry out the majority of the foul play, he told AFP. arrest Kanae Kijima in 2010, who postmortem examination. Kijima was demanded an autopsy, which a toxicology test as well. Otherwise crime-related procedure. But due to the shortage of qualifi ed allegedly killed her boyfriends through found guilty and sentenced to death. determined he was beaten to death. you’ll miss crimes.” Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Make every day more calories one burns. diffi culties and challenges of the life principle for the younger generation High: 24 C We need not set aside large chunks of military personnel who serve in any everywhere. Low : 13 C Expected poor visibility at places at a Sport Day of time for exercise to reap weight- climatically challenging conditions. At the same time, in a global first due to fog loss benefi ts. If we can’t do an actual When it comes to military personnel perspective the increasing confl icts Dear Sir, workout, get more active throughout posted in the Siachen glacier area, it in the recent past have taken the the day in simple ways - by taking the is highly important that they must be lives of countless number of military MONDAY The way the Qatar National stairs instead of the elevator or revving provided with critical equipment to personnel; and we must always admire High: 24 C Sport Day was observed was highly up one’s household chores. counter landslides. their obligations as guardians until the Low : 15 C commendable. Almost all public Notwithstanding, last moment. Sunny establishments, including ministries T P Rasheed Hanamanthappa has conveyed an and various government departments, PO Box 766 inspiring message to the youth of the Ramachandran Nair organised various activities and Doha country. Let his courage be a guiding (Address supplied) TUESDAY programmes to mark the day. I visited High: 25 C some of the venues and was impressed Challenges facing Low : 15 C by the enthusiastic participation Please send us Sunny of the people too. This means that military personnel the Sport Day’s message about the your letters importance of leading an active Fishermen’s forecast lifestyle has reached the general Dear Sir, By e-mail OFFSHORE DOHA public. Wind: NW 10-18/20 KT The fact that many private The news about the unfortunate [email protected] Waves: 3-5/6 Feet companies have joined in marking death of Indian soldier Fax 44350474 INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 05-15/18 KT the day was an additional cause for Hanamanthappa was extremely Or Post Waves: 3-5/6 Feet satisfaction. But the most important troubling. The Siachen braveheart Letters to the Editor thing is that the activities should has left the people of India to think Gulf Times Around the region not be confi ned to just one day in a about the life of defence personnel and Weather Weather year. People should learn to follow an how and in which conditions they live P O Box 2888 today Max/min tomorrow Max/min active lifestyle throughout the year. while performing their duty. Doha, Qatar Abu Dhabi Sunny 24/13 Sunny 24/14 A moderate exercise regimen should Like Hanamanthappa, there are Baghdad Sunny 23/08 Sunny 24/11 form part of every resident’s life. many others who do their duty in Dubai Sunny 23/16 Sunny 23/16 All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the name Kuwait City Sunny Regular exercise can help prevent challenging and hostile weather Sunny 23/12 24/14 of the writer, address and phone number. The writer’s name Manama Sunny 21/14 Sunny 21/16 excess weight gain. When one engages conditions, especially in Siachen. Muscat Sunny 25/17 Sunny 25/17 in physical activity, one burns calories. Though it is a global scenario, and address may be withheld by request. Riyadh Sunny 23/09 Sunny 25/10 The more intense the activity, the it’s time for people to realise the Tehran M Sunny 13/03 Sunny 14/04 Live issues Solving and resolving life’s problems

By Barton Goldsmith Learning that it’s okay to talk about Having the problem in writing also Tribune News Service our problems can feel a bit like a trip creates a checklist that you can use to the dentist. You know that the later in resolving the issue. As you discomfort will stop once you get the return to the list, you will see where lot of people long for a magic tooth fi xed, but you don’t want to you have accomplished some goals bullet that would make all go though the process to begin with and where you can add some new their problems disappear. because it hurts. ones. The truth is that there isn’t And sometimes, with emotional Everyone encounters problems. A Around the world one, and we have to think and work issues, you may be embarrassed about Sometimes we make them bigger than Weather Weather our way through our issues, both sharing what’s really going on for they need to be, and sometimes we today Max/min tomorrow Max/min personal and professional. you. But talking with a good friend or choose not to look at them. Be sure to Athens P Cloudy 20/14 Sunny 22/13 No quick fi x or Pollyanna intimate other may help you get the keep your head out of the sand to see Beirut M Sunny 20/15 Sunny 22/16 affi rmation is going to change nonjudgmental emotional support what is going on around you. Ignoring Bangkok Sunny 34/25 M Sunny 35/25 Berlin Rain&Snow 07/01 Showers 04/01 everything for the better. The truth that you need to see things through. your problems will get your nowhere. Cairo Sunny 27/14 Sunny 30/15 is that making positive life changes All you need to do is open up about Remember, too, that not every Cape Town S Showers 24/17 P Cloudy 23/17 is often hard work. This is where what’s going on. problem has to be solved by you. Some Colombo M Sunny 32/23 S T Storms 31/23 learning and believing that you have There will always be problems in problems resolve themselves, and Dhaka M Sunny 30/20 M Sunny 31/20 S Showers P Cloudy 12/08 the power to resolve your own issues our lives, and sometimes we don’t others just go away. Having patience Hong Kong 19/09 Istanbul P Cloudy 16/11 P Cloudy 18/12 can make a big diff erence. So can the have the capacity to handle them all helps. All you have to do is listen to the Jakarta S T Storms 32/24 S T Storms 32/25 insights of a good professional advisor. by ourselves. Getting a 360-degree voice inside your head and heart, and Karachi Sunny 28/13 Sunny 29/15 No one can take away all your view is impossible when you are in the trust others to help you through. London P Cloudy 07/0 P Cloudy 07/-1 troubles, but talking about them can middle of a dilemma. Manila Sunny 33/22 P Cloudy 32/24 Moscow Snow 01/0 Rain&Snow 03/01 help shed light on how to get through Talking things over with your mate zDr Barton Goldsmith, a New Delhi Sunny 24/09 Sunny 24/09 a diffi cult issue. That’s how therapy You also may fi nd that or a trusted friend can give you some psychotherapist in Westlake Village, New York Sunny -6/-9 Snow 1/1 works. Sharing your problem with brainstorming with a friend or even much-needed perspective. California, is the author of The Happy Paris Showers 09/02 P Cloudy 07/0 another person will lighten your a group will help you fi nd new ideas You may want to try dictating your Couple: How to Make Happiness a Sao Paulo P Cloudy 33/21 T Storms 31/21 Seoul M Sunny 01/-7 M Sunny 05/-6 burden, and a professional may also be to help you move forward. When you problem while the other person takes Habit One Little Loving Thing at a Singapore T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/26 able to provide some good suggestions know someone has your back, that notes. Seeing it in writing and getting Time. Follow his daily insights on Sydney T Storms 32/21 M Sunny 27/19 as well as the emotional support that emotional support can make all the feedback is only going to give you Twitter at @BartonGoldsmith, or email Tokyo ClearRain 24/ 13 Cloudy 12/03 you need to face what’s in front of you. diff erence. greater clarity. him at [email protected] Gulf Times 26 Sunday, February 14, 2016 QATAR France ‘enjoys good relations with Qatar’ By Ramesh Mathew mentioned the recent signing of Staff Reporter a partnership between Institut Pasteur and Qatar. Last year when French Presi- dent Francois Hollande visited rance is extremely pleased Qatar, agreements were signed at the pace in which bi- between the two countries in- Flateral relations are grow- cluding one related to the host- ing with Qatar, said the French ing of the 2022 FIFA World Cup ambassador to Qatar, Eric in Qatar. “Besides exploring new Chevallier. possibilities in building facili- Prof Maurice Zeegers speaking at Qatar University’s College The envoy said France which ties for the World Cup, France is of Medicine. was one of the fi rst countries to also looking at how it could con- establish diplomatic relations tribute to strengthening secu- with Qatar, has all along enjoyed rity during the conduct of such a good relations with this country major sport event,” he said. and he was optimistic that the Speaking on the contribu- ties would continue to fl ourish in tions of French architects and QU-CMED the coming years as the two na- designers, the ambassador said tions have been working togeth- it is a matter of pride that one er in a number of fi elds of mutual of their main architects, Jean interest. Nouvel, has designed the up- “We work closely with Qatar coming Qatar National Mu- hosts seminar on such areas as political, stra- seum overlooking the sea. tegic, education, research, eco- “When completed the Qatar nomic, health, cultural, defence National Museum would be and architecture among others,” one of the major landmarks of said Chevallier. not only this country but the by research France was the second larg- entire region,” he said. est supplier of goods to Qatar Chevallier said French com- in 2015 with a market share of panies have an extensive 9.1%. There has been an 89% in- experience in smart cities. crease in French exports to Qatar French ambassador Eric Chevallier: ‘More Qataris visiting Frannce now.’ The ambassador said it is a director between 2014 and 2015. matter of immense joy that so While expressing happiness Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani was said the French oil major Total More than 100 French companies many Qatar residents are show- at the growing number of peo- among the fi rst leaders to visit was one of the fi rst companies are actively involved in Qatar and ing an interest in learning French atar University’s Col- search faculty body and the ple visiting France and Qatar, France to express solidarity with to start operations in the oil sec- many of them are working in vital and enrollment for the language lege of Medicine various academic and research the ambassador said this can our nation soon after the ter- tor in this region and it has been areas like infrastructural. Many is on the rise at most institutes Q(QU-CMED), as part areas which include fam- contribute to generate better un- rorist attacks in Paris. His visit 80 years since they started their of them are associated with de- and other facilities where the of its medicine seminars se- ily medicine, epidemiology, derstanding among the people of showed how Qatar looked at the activities locally. velopment projects such as Doha language is taught, including ries, hosted a session by Prof methodology and statistics, both the nations. growing ties with our country,” “Similarly, there are several Metro and Lusail Light Rail,” said the Lycée Voltaire, The French Maurice Zeegers, director of international health, health “In fact, Qatar Prime Min- he said. other French fi rms that have wide Chevalier. Institute, Qatar University and Caphri, the School for Pub- promotion, health services ister HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Answering a query, Chevallier ranging business activities here. In the fi eld of healthcare, he several schools. lic Health and Primary Care research, orthopaedic surgery, of Maastricht University, The rehabilitation, social medicine Netherlands. and ethics. The seminar came as part He also touched on the in- of the memorandum of un- stitute’s focus on societal rel- derstanding signed last year evance, as well as its attraction between QU and Maastricht for top scientists from around Alfardan Premier Motors extends University that established the world. medical education and re- The forum was moderated search collaboration, and staff by QU vice president for med- and student exchanges. ical education and CMED dean The event was open to stu- Dr Egon Toft. dents, academics, practition- He said, “Professor Zeegers’ Qatar Total Open partnership visit is of particular relevance ers and researchers in the fi elds of medicine and health- at this time not only because it lfardan Premier Motors maintained the title of ‘offi cial care. It was an opportunity for strengthens existing collabo- Co, the exclusive retailer car’ for the prestigious tourna- attendees - especially health ration between the College of Aof Jaguar Land Rover in ment for six consecutive years,” practitioners and academics Medicine and Maastricht Uni- Qatar, has announced that it is the company said in a state- to gain insight into the medical versity but also in the build- the offi cial transport provider of ment. research scene in The Nether- up to boosting the college’s Qatar Total Open 2016. Rabih Ataya, general man- lands in general, and within research agenda and solidify- This marks six consecutive ager, Alfardan Premier Mo- Maastricht University in ing the university-hospital years of partnership with Qatar tors, said: “We are delighted to particular. partnership with HMC.” Total Open, which takes place be extending our role as offi cial Prof Zeegers provided in- Prof Zeegers holds many from February 21 to 27 at the transport provider for one of the formation on the Caphri Re- accomplishments in addi- Khalifa International Tennis and world’s top tennis tournaments. search Institute, Maastricht tion to his current position at Squash Complex. It is a great honour to once University’s largest research Caphri. These include honor- As the offi cial transport pro- again transport the players and institute which focuses on ary professor in epidemiology vider to Qatar Total Open 2016, offi cials. healthcare innovation and at Huiyang People’s Hospital Alfardan Premier Motors will “Our six-year partnership public health research, and (China) and the universities of transport the likes of world No. 1 with Qatar Tennis Federation conducts multidisciplinary Birmingham (UK) and Leuven Serena Williams, world No. 2 and is hugely important to Alfardan research addressing the com- (Belgium); vice chair of the Qatar Total Open 2014 cham- Premier Motors and we look plete healthcare chain from board of European Epidemio- pion Simona Halep, defending forward to the championship prevention and primary care logical Federation; chair of the champion Lucie Safarova from by giving guests a memorable Off icials marking the partnership. to aftercare and rehabilitation. International Association for the Czech Republic and other top travel.” Seminar attendees learned Law and Epidemiology; edi- players. Saad al-Mohannadi, tourna- that the players and staff have for the sixth year in a row.” nifi cant share of the Qatar about the institute’s research torial board member of sev- “A fl eet of 45 luxury vehicles ment director of Qatar Total a smooth and pleasant journey Alfardan Premier Motors market mainly due to its high which is discipline- and eral scientifi c journals; and will ferry players and staff to and Open, said: “We are excited to and from their matches. We represents some of the world’s attention to aftersales cus- theme-oriented. member/chair of several com- from the stadium in style and to be working with Alfardan are delighted to have them as leading names in luxury car tomer care and satisfaction, Prof Zeegers provided de- mittees for advice, review or comfort. Jaguar Land Rover has Premier Motors, who ensures our official transport provider brands and has captured a sig- the statement adds. tails about the institute’s re- inspection. Participants of Winter Career Camp receive certifi cates

atar Career Fair (QCF), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Sci- Qence and Community Development (QF), recently celebrated the conclusion of the second edition of its Winter Career Camp by awarding completion certifi cates to participants. The camp aims to equip young Qatari students with the necessary skills to help them choose their future career paths. This refl ects QF’s mission to invest in human capital, which, in turn, will help establish a progressive and knowledge-based economy. The camp featured a series of stimulat- ing career-oriented workshops that were tailored to help students discover their tal- ents. They included a team building session, which aimed to encourage participants to work together, and an ‘I Paint My Future’ workshop, which helped students visualise Participants share feedback on the activities of the Winter Career Camp. their professional future. Abdulla A al-Mansoori, director, Qatar organised by Qatar Career Fair, which are western University in Qatar to learn more Career Fair, said: “Today we are celebrat- designed to prepare young men and women about the variety of academic programmes and ing the students that took part in this year’s professionally. We urge the Qatari youth to admission requirements. The students were camp. Through the programme, they have participate in these programmes and activi- given the opportunity to experience university acquired the skills and knowledge that will ties to be better prepared to tackle the chal- life, as well as tour the available facilities. enable them to make a more informed deci- lenges posed by the local labour market, bol- Students also visited Rumailah Hospital, sion about their future. stering the growth of their country.” toured the simulation station at Qatar Aero- “This camp is part of a series of year- During the camp, participants also visited nautical College, and explored Al-Rayyan TV A participant receives his certificate from Abdulla al-Mansoori. round integrated programmes and initiatives Texas A&M University at Qatar and North- studios. Gulf Times Sunday, February 14, 2016 27 QATAR

Brisk business for dhows

By Ayman Adly Sport Day inspires Staff Reporter

he National Sport Day celebrations have given dhow operators some- Tthing to cheer about. After what they described as a prolonged dull period, year-long activities the operators said they did brisk business on Tuesday, when a large number of people Two dhows cruise past the Corniche. By Joey Aguilar gathered at the Doha Corniche to mark the PICTURE: Jayaram Staff Reporter occasion. Many of those who visited the Corniche QR20 per adult and less for children. that day went for a ride on the dhows, with Another dhow operator observed that atar’s National Sport Day some of the attendants off ering special business was excellent on National Sport (NSD) celebration has in- deals and discounts to woo customers, Day, particularly in the morning and early Qspired many companies in particularly large groups. afternoon, as many visitors wanted to the country to continuously run “We have been witnessing a low turnout enjoy the sunny conditions. On normal sport and fi tness programmes to of customers in recent times even though weekends, he added, the number of cus- help raise awareness on the impor- the weather has been conducive for dhow tomers was usually the highest during late tance of living an active and healthy trips. The number of customers increased afternoons and in the evenings. lifestyle. a bit on weekends. However, business was Meanwhile, some visitors suggested These initiatives also encouraged excellent on Tuesday and most dhows that that dhow cruises should include certain a large number of residents to exer- had been without work for many days re- facilities and attractions to make them cise and participate in a wide range mained busy on National Sport Day,” said more appealing. These include having a of sporting activities regularly, going a dhow operator. tour guide on board, who can explain the beyond the second Tuesday of Feb- “National holidays are a good opportu- local marine history, as well as entertain- ruary, which is celebrated annually nity for us to get more customers. It de- ment activities. as the Qatar National Sport Day . pends on the dhow attendants to attract Some tourists and families also felt that “We care a lot about our em- customers and off er them good rates,” said the trip was too short and had little to of- ployees’ health and wellbeing,” another operator. fer other than just sitting and listening to Ooredoo’s Community and Public A quick look at the rates shows that for loud music. Relations director Fatima Sultan al- a short cruise, which last 20-40 minutes, “The trip should have some fun activities Kuwari told Gulf Times. the operators charge around QR40 per to make them more attractive to visitors. Besides celebrating the NSD an- person. This, though, may come down Some of these activities could be tailored nually, she said they also organise signifi cantly depending on the negotiating for children. Otherwise, many people will several internal tournaments and skills of a customer. The rates may drop to not return for a trip,” said a French tourist. competitions, which draw a lot of participants from diff erent depart- ments. CNA-Q marks Sport Day with week-long events Ooredoo’s “Goal Tournament” gives employees opportunities to ollege of the North Atlantic - Qatar participate and enjoy playing foot- (CNA-Q) held a number of activi- ball, volleyball, cricket, table tennis, Cties throughout the week to cele- basketball (for men), table tennis, brate the National Sport Day. volleyball and shooting for women, Qatar Billiards & Snooker Federation ex- according to al-Kuwari. Ooredoo hosted several sporting events during the NSD celebration including fencing. ecutive manager Mubarak al-Kharayin was She said they also organise an an- on hand as the College offi cially opened nual Ramadan football tournament Mall” programme led by its walking Another mall offi cial lauded what nis Complex during the annual cel- the Male Billiards Hall on campus. Snook- “in addition to Ooredoo’s many club. they described as a “great initia- ebration. er expert Allan Trigg demonstrated a sam- other health and lifestyle activities The mall’s corporate communi- tive” saying it educates and inspires An active table tennis player like pling of trick pool shots. Children participate in one of the CNA-Q throughout the year.” cations executive Fawaz Mohamed people to start taking small steps to- Vikram Arora echoed the statement The tennis courts on campus were a activities marking National Sport Day. The company also encourages its told Gulf Times that they continue to wards living a healthy lifestyle. of Santos saying the NSD brings na- busy place with the action at the 2016 employees to have a gym workout welcome visitors who want to walk For a diplomat like Philippine am- tionalities together not only for one CNA-Q Tennis Tournament. A team from son,” said CNA-Q president, Dr Ken Ma- after working hours. and exercise inside their premises bassador Wilfredo Santos, the NSD day. Qatar University won, with a CNA-Q team cLeod. Ooredoo hosts an annual mara- especially during summer. brings together all communities “Sport gives us a sense of belong- placing a close second. The week was capped off when students thon which attracts a large number The programme was organised by in Qatar to be involved in diff erent ing and honour. When we play with One of the largest events of the week was from the Qatar Canadian School visited of residents in Qatar and profession- its Human Resources department kinds of sport and healthy physical other nationalities, we bond and the 5km CNA-Q Fun Run, held on Tuesday, the CNA-Q campus for a sport activ- al runners from others countries. as part of promoting a healthy life- activities. NSD is a great way to celebrate the for students, staff and their families. ity day. More than 200 students from el- Some malls such as Hyatt Plaza style among its staff and their family The envoy said several embassies true essence of sportsmanship,” he “Fitness is a vital part of being a well- ementary to high school participated in a also continue to run its “Walk in the members. had set up booths at the Khalifa Ten- noted. rounded student and a well-rounded per- number of sport and fi tness activities. Gulf Times 28 Sunday, February 14, 2016 QATAR

Some of the works on display. QM artworks on show at Madrid exhibition aim to ‘build bridges’ major exhibition, “Looking privileged role that art can play in at the World Around You: building bridges and opportuni- AContemporary Works from ties whose signifi cance extends Qatar Museums,” is on show for well beyond the museum walls”. the fi rst time at the Santander Art How we look at the world Gallery in Financial City, Boadilla around us is the central idea del Monte, Madrid, until June 19. that guided the curator, Kar- The exhibition has been or- roum, in the process of choosing ganised by Fundacion Banco and interrelating the portraits, Santander in partnership with photographs, sculptures, instal- Qatar Museums and under the lations and video installations leadership of its chairperson, HE that comprise this show. The ex- Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad hibition explores the connection bin Khalifa al-Thani. between art and history through Mansoor bin Ebrahim al- multiple works. Mahmoud, CEO of Qatar Muse- The exhibition is, in the words ums; Abdellah Karroum, curator of Karroum - curator of the show of the exhibition and director of and director of Mathaf: Arab Mathaf: Arab Museum of Mod- Museum of Modern Art - an ern Art; and Rodrigo Echenique, invitation to look again and see chairman of Santander Spain, anew; an invitation, in other were in attendance at the open- words, to rethink the alignment ing of the show. of histories and how to make The majority of the works in sense of the world today. “Looking at the World Around Rodrigo Echenique, chairman You: Contemporary Works from This selection, totalling more tar, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, works by foreign-born creators opportunity to contemplate, for for dialogue and exchange and of Santander Spain, added: “The Qatar Museums” have been than 160 works, represents the Algeria, Iraq and Kuwait, includ- whose art is related to the Arab the fi rst time outside Qatar, an prompt new understandings of Santander Art Gallery exempli- loaned by Mathaf: Arab Museum history of contemporary Arab ing Etel Adnan, Shirin Neshat, world, such as Yan Pei-Ming and ample selection of works from the human history.” This collabora- fi es the bank’s interest in build- of Modern Art, and there are also art as seen through the eyes of Mona Hatoum, Wael Shawky Cai Guo-Qiang from China and Qatar Museums collections. tion between Fundacion Banco ing a more prosperous commu- a number of pieces from other 34 artists, most of whom are na- and Yousef Ahmad. the Belgian master, Rene Magritte. Sheikha Al Mayassa said: “Art Santander and Qatar Museums, nity through culture, creativity Qatar Museums collections. tives of Arab nations such as Qa- The exhibition also includes Visitors to the gallery will have the can create new opportunities according to her, “speaks to the and education.” Conference to discuss electricity, desalination CMUQ’s hackathon contest attracts record participation

his year’s CarnegieApps plication that searches through agement Office Munera Fahad The competition was also Hackathon saw record video content using keywords, al-Dosari, who represented judged by Khalifa Saleh al-Ha- Tparticipation, with 20 directing users to the exact the company on the judges’ roon, founder of I Love Qatar teams competing in the 24- mention in the video. panel, announced the awards and chief executive offi cer of hour regional programming Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, and delivered the closing re- Haroon United Group, Ahmed competition at Carnegie Mellon director of Community and marks. Elmagarmid, executive director A two-day conference on electrical power and water desalination will be held at Al Gassar Resort, University in Qatar (CMUQ). Public Relations, Ooredoo said: CMUQ Team Hack4 of Deek- of Qatar Computing Research Doha on February 22-23. It will be attended by electricity and water experts from across the region. Organised by CarnegieApps, “The students all showed im- sha Singh, Dhrishika Megchi- Institute( QCRI), Indica Amar- The ‘Conference on Electrical Power and Water Desalination in the Arab World’ is being held with the a student-led club, and spon- pressive dedication and prob- ani, Sabrina Akhter and Shobii- asinghe, head of the Digital In- support of Qatar Petroleum and Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa). sored by Ooredoo, the Hacka- lem-solving capabilities, and taa Krishna won the best rookie cubation Centre and Francisco Announcing this yesterday, Qatar Society of Engineers (QSE) chairman Ahmed Jassim al-Jolo said thon required participants to I think the winning team had a team award. Team Whatever of Guzman, a QCRI computer sci- the experts would talk on a number of issues pertaining to desalination and electricity at the meet. work around the clock to de- great idea. Competitions such Azharul Islam, Naheel Kamal, entist. The sessions would also feature presentation of some papers by the experts. Besides al-Jolo, head velop software for an innovative as the Hackathon, prepare stu- Ahammed and Waseem Palliyali CarnegieApps Hackathon of QSE (memberships) Ibrahim al-Sulaiti and QSE board member Abdullah Mohamed al-Baker game, mobile application or dents for real-life scenarios in from Qatar University received is part of Carnegie Mellon were among those who attended the briefing. Picture shows off icials announcing the details of the web application. the working world where they the award for best design. The Qatar’s contribution to the upcoming conference. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil The best overall app prize will be expected to solve a prob- best technical challenge award computer science industry in went to CMUQ team The Walk- lem in a short amount of time, was won by Team Three and a Qatar and the region, an effort ing Coders, which included and create something new from Half Men from CMUQ, com- that promotes an interdisci- Rachel Marella, Sungho Park, scratch.” prising Mohamed Fituri, Yasser plinary approach to develop- Eishaank Gakhar and Shaden Ooredoo’s assistant direc- El-Sayed, Musab Popatia and ing innovative technological Shaar. The team created an ap- tor in the Programme Man- Ahmed Shah. applications. Kahramaa seeks entries for competition

he Qatar General Electricity & Water Cor- trial. Sports venues and the tourism sector were poration (Kahramaa) has started receiving added later. Tentries for the fourth annual, “Conserving Only existing and operational buildings are Building Competition”. eligible to enter the competition. Buildings with It is being held as part of the ongoing National window air-conditioners and where landscaping Programme for Conservation and Energy Effi cien- has been done with fl ood irrigation systems are ex- cy (Tarsheed). The fourth edition, launched by the cluded. Conservation and Energy Effi ciency Department The entries will be evaluated in diff erent phases with the slogan “Become one with Nature”, is open by a panel of experts representing research centres, to all buildings, covering the industrial, govern- universities and ministries, among others. ment, commercial, residential and tourism sectors The winning buildings from each sector will re- as well as sports venues. ceive a prize and certifi cate for being a role model The Tarsheed “Conserving Building Competi- in the fi eld of building conservation. These will be tion” recognises the buildings that incorporate, honoured during the fourth Tarsheed annual cel- support and promote best practices in the conser- ebrations, to be held on April 21. vation of energy, water and other natural resources. The buildings will be evaluated based on spe- Those interested can apply for the competition cifi c criteria set out by a team of qualifi ed experts via the Kahramaa website, www.km.com.qa/Tar- to test the effi cient design of mechanical, electri- sheed, where they can view the terms and condi- cal & plumbing systems in all buildings, which in tions and fi ll up the form. turn include the HVAC system, lighting, plumbing Entries will be accepted until March 10. For fur- fi xtures, building automation, sustainability meas- ther queries contact 44846878 from 8am to 3pm. ures, specifi c energy/water consumption, building The contest started with four sectors in 2012 — envelope for the roof and façade, landscape, opera- commercial, government, residential and indus- tion and maintenance measures. The winners of the competition with their certificates.