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Natural gas in focus on world Qatar University holds workshop stage, al-Kaabi tells GECF meeting on road safety management published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11382 November 30, 2019 Rabia II 3, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief QATAR | Offi cial Free travel for Amir condoles with Japanese emperor His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His FIFA Club World Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani sent cables of condolences to Emperor Naruhito of Japan and Prime Cup ticket holders Minister Shinzo Abe on the death of former prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone. HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh on match days Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al- Thani also sent a similar cable Prime Minister Abe. Page 7 IFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 third time after beating Japanese team match ticket holders will ben- Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0 in the two- QATAR | Reaction Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Fefi t from free travel on the Doha legged fi nal, while Flamengo won the Qatar slams London Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani and other off icials at the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup match between Qatar and Yemen Metro, according to a report on the Copa Libertadores for the fi rst time in at the Khalifa International Stadium yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Supreme Committee for Delivery & 38 years after a dramatic 2-1 victory Bridge stabbing Legacy (SC) website. against River Plate. Qatar has strongly condemned the Anyone with a printed match ticket Al Hilal and Flamengo join host stabbing incident that took place in will be eligible to collect a free stand- country representatives Al Sadd SC, London, causing several injuries. In ard class Day Pass from any Metro plus Hienghène Sport, CF Monterrey, a statement yesterday, the Ministry station on match days. Tickets will be ES Tunis and Liverpool FC in the tour- of Foreign Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s available at any Metro station Gold nament, which will be held in Qatar for firm stance rejecting violence and Hassan scores a Club offi ce. the fi rst time from December 11 to 21. terrorism, whatever the motives For more information on Doha Metro The Last-Minute Sales Phase for and causes. It wished the injured services, one can visit www.qr.com.qa FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 tick- a speedy recovery. Police said the In addition to free match day travel, ets continues via FIFA.com/tickets stabbing near London Bridge was a fans will also be able to enjoy the FIFA Tickets are priced in three categories, “terrorist incident” and the suspect Club World Cup Fan Zone at Doha ranging from QR25 for Category 3 was shot dead. Page 8 hat-trick in Qatar Sports Park, which is part of Doha Golf tickets for the fi rst three match days, Club, the sc.qa report states. More de- up to QR400 for Category 1 tickets ARAB WORLD | Unrest tails on opening hours and the enter- for the double-header comprising the Iraq PM to resign tainment programme will be commu- third-place play-off and fi nal. A full nicated in due course. overview is available at https://www. aft er bloody protests Saudi Arabian team Al Hilal SFC and fi fa.com/clubworldcup/organisation/ Iraq’s embattled premier win over Yemen Brazilian side CR Flamengo recently ticketing/ announced yesterday he would booked their spots in the 16th edi- The full match schedule is available resign in keeping with the wishes By Sahan Bidappa national Stadium. The Asian cham- al-Ahrak and Akram Afi f found the tion of the tournament. Al Hilal won at https://www.fi fa.com/clubworld- of the country’s top cleric, as Doha pions bounced back from a shock net once each. the AFC Champions League for the cup/matches/ renewed violence added to a 1-2 loss to Iraq in their opening Felix Sanchez’s men will now take soaring death toll in two months match on Tuesday, with a clinical on the United Arab Emirates in their of anti-government protests. Adel atar roared back into the performance yesterday. fi nal Group A match on Monday, in Abdel Mahdi’s written statement 24th Arabian Gulf Cup con- Abdelkarim Hassan started the rout what is now a winner-takes-all show- was greeted with cheers and Qtention with a thumping 6-0 with a brace, before he completed his down. A draw against UAE would en- blaring music across Baghdad’s win over Yemen at the Khalifa Inter- hat-trick, while Almoez Ali, Abdullah sure a semi-fi nal spot for the hosts as iconic Tahrir Square, where they have a better goal advantage. demonstrators have massed since Iraq, who earlier in the day beat UAE early October against a ruling class 2-0 for their second consecutive vic- deemed corrupt and in hock to tory, became the fi rst team to seal their foreign powers. Page 3 place in the semi-fi nal. Iraq now can fi nish as Group A table-toppers with a victory over Yemen on Monday. Before the kick-off , Qatar players 24th Arabian Gulf Cup stood in unison with a fl ag in support of their teammate Bassam al-Rawi, Today’s Schedule who underwent a surgery to his leg, which he injured during Iraq match. 5:30pm: Kuwait vs Oman Al-Rawi, watching from his hospi- tal bed, would have been proud of his The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 trophy. 8pm: Bahrain vs Saudi Arabia mates. It was a must-win game for Qatar Venue: and Yemen, unarguably the weakest Thousands evoke ‘climate emergency’ Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium side among eight teams in the tourna- ment, bore the brunt of the hosts’ at- Climate protesters gathered in the globe, according to the Fridays for tack. Qatar raided Yemen’s goal from cities from Australia to India and Future network. Greenpeace, Extinction Yesterday’s Results the very fi rst minute, but they were Europe yesterday, citing the “climate Rebellion and other NGOs also held found wanting in the fi nal third. That emergency” declared by EU lawmakers protests. The protests come after UAE 0 - 2 Iraq (From left) Qatar’s Almoez Ali, Akram Afif, Abdelkarim Hassan, Hassan was until Hassan opened the scoring in just days before a major climate summit lawmakers in the European Parliament al-Haydos and Tarek Salman celebrate Hassan’s hat-trick during the 24th the 30th minute after which the goals opens in Madrid. voted on Thursday to declare a “climate Yemen 0 - 6 Qatar Arabian Gulf Cup match against Yemen at the Khalifa International Stadium rained down at the Khalifa Stadium. More than 2,400 cities in 158 countries and environmental emergency” in yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed To Page 16 Sport Pages 1, 2, 3 took part in demonstrations across Europe. Page 5 Huge crowds throng Doha malls for Friday mega sale

By Joey Aguilar Domasco outlet in Villaggio Mall while and up, QR100 voucher on every QR350 Staff Reporter his compatriot said he got a jacket at a spent (on selected items), buy 2 get 2 sports shop for half the price. free on everything, and other simi- “I think I saved a lot of money from lar deals. People were seen queuing up housands of shoppers thronged this mega sale (in Doha), it is the time hours ahead in the vicinity of outlets various malls yesterday for Qa- of the year when you get the best value such as FNAC in Doha Festival City. Ttar’s Friday mega sale to take for your money,” he said. Many shops Mall of Qatar (MoQ) prefers to call advantage of the huge promotions and and boutiques are giving away gift it ‘White Friday Sale’, a one-day sale discounts on a wide range of products vouchers for a minimum amount spent off ering customers with an array of off ered by retail outlets. while others off er fl at (mostly 30% or special discounts and deals. Shoppers Deals ranging from ‘buy one and get 40%) discounts on all items. also get a free QR50 gift card for every one free’ to 50% off (and above) across Doha Festival City, considered one QR500 gift card bought. major brands attracted many, particu- of the largest entertainment and retail “Hot” or in-demand items also in- larly those who are planning to take developments in the Gulf, witnessed clude electronic devices and gadgets a break in December and want to take an infl ux of shoppers since it opened in such as mobile phones, tablets, and some gifts for their families, relatives the morning yesterday. laptops; shoes and other accessories; and friends back home. The mall calls it ‘Friday Super Sale apparel for the winters season (sports An Asian expatriate told Gulf Times 2019’ with more than 100 of its shops and outdoor clothes); watches; luggage that he bought two G-Shock watches giving a wide range of off ers, which and other travel accessories; and jew- for the price of one item (QR388) at a started on November 27: from 20% off elleries; among others. To Page 16 Malls witnessed an influx of shoppers yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Gulf Times 2 Saturday, November 30, 2019 QATAR

MME stops licences to general services in villas

he Ministry of Munici- pality and Environment Snapshots from various sessions of the conference. T(MME) has stopped re- ceiving applications for licences to new general services activities at the residential villas within residential areas. Local Arabic daily Arrayah reported yesterday that the MME has exempted from these licences nurseries, kindergar- Conference sheds light on tens, beauty salons, Holy Qur’an memorisation centres, and edu- cation centres for persons with disability, in addition to popular kitchens. In a correspondence addressed to the Ministry of Commerce and histories of art schools Industry, the MME has asked the department concerned to stop athaf: Arab Museum This year’s conference is also at the Department of History of associate professor at the Eng- receiving new applications for of Modern Art and an opportunity to discuss the Art and Archaeology at SOAS lish Department, American such licences and abide only by Mthe Doha Institute for circulation of knowledge and and senior research associate University in Beirut; Faten the designated use of these as Graduate Studies (DI) wrapped ways of connecting the faculty at Khalili Research Centre at Nastas Mitwasi, artist; and residential villas. Further, an ad- up a three-day conference research and museum practice.” Oxford University. Jumanah Abbas, architect. ministrative circular was sent to titled, “Art Schools: Histo- Dr Ismail Nashif, professor The lecture was moderated The third day was opened the municipalities concerned to ries and Trajectories”, shed- of sociology and anthropology by Housni Alkhateeb Shehada, with a keynote lecture titled act accordingly. ding light on the histories and at the DI for Graduate Studies, head of the Department of Vis- “Organic Connectors: Art Dy- In the meantime, the other trajectories of art schools. said: “The radical transforma- ual Art at the Levinsky College namics, New ‘Intellectuals’ services activities will be able The conference particularly tions in Arab societies in the of Education and senior lecturer and Schools of Thought in Mo- to operate at the designated focused on fi ne arts institutions last decade necessitate that we at the Bezalel Azademy of Art rocco”, delivered by Ksikes and areas of administrative towers, as well as the marginal avant- think about artistic expressions and Design in Jerusalem. moderated by Fraixe. commercial and administrative garde groups that emerged in and how to deal with art in its The fi rst session of the day The fi rst session was titled streets, urban commercial cen- response to the multiple de- broadest sense – particularly its one was titled “Ways of Teach- “Interdisciplinary Art Teaching tres, and the approved percent- velopments in art theories and role in these transformations. ing: Schools, Movements, and Practices” and moderated age of residential apartment innovative artistic practices “Hence, we need to shed Styles” and moderated by Driss by Gonsalves. buildings. around the globe. Palestine, Lebanon and Tunisia. Alkhateeb Shehada, a researcher light on artistic schools and the Ksikes, director of Economia. Speakers included Ozioma The new directives are part of The fi rst day of the con- Speakers included Tina Ba- and curator; Gerogia Kotretsos, pioneering and marginal groups Speakers included Mohamed Onuzulike, professor of Ceram- implementing the comprehen- ference took place at Mathaf routi, a PhD candidate in the an artist and researcher based that formed their antithesis in Jabali, artist and author; Cathe- ic Art and African Art/Design sive urban development plan in Library in Education City – History of Art and Architecture in Greece; Hamad al-Mulla, a the modernist era. rine Fraixe, professor of Modern at the department of Fine and the country, and meant to sup- Qatar Foundation, and con- at Boston University; Rawan researcher at DI; and Fabrice “We also need to ask our- and Contemporary Art History Applied Arts at the University port the development of invest- tinued for two days at the DI Sharaf, art director, cura- Hyber an artist based in France. selves: how can art be taught at the Ecole Nationale Super- of Nigeria; Ahmed Mjidou, pro- ment projects at the designated Amphitheatre. tor and researcher; M K Harb, Abdellah Karroum, director today after the transforma- ieur d’Art de Bourges; Sirine fessor of Art History and His- areas and activities while main- The conference opened with an anthropologist and writer; of Mathaf, said: “We are pleased tions that have swept Arab Abdelhedi, councillor for Af- tory of Civilisations at the Na- taining the privacy of residential Ebrahim Alkazi, an autodidact and Hela Hedhili, an assistant to host the second annual con- societies? Is the structural re- rica and the Middle East within tional Institute of Fine Arts in areas. and creator of Para-Academic professor of Fine Arts at the ference in collaboration with lationship between the centre the International Soceity for Tetouan; and Nassar. A number of businessmen, Spaces in 1950s Mumbai, and University of Sousse. our colleagues at DI for Gradu- and the marginal, institutional Education through Art (InSEA); “Developed as part of an on- members of the Central Munici- Ranjit Hoskote, a poet, cultural The session was moderated ate Studies. This edition exam- and avant-garde still generat- and Sabih Ahmed, curator and going dialogue between Mathaf pal Council and economic ex- theorist and curator based in by Issam Nassar, professor at ines the varying historical and ing capacity at present in our researcher. and DI, the conference aims to perts said that the new decision India, as keynote speakers. Illinois State University and DI. institutional formations of art societies? What about artistic The second session was ti- open venues of discussion to will alleviate traffi c congestion The session was moderated by The second session was titled schools, and the emergence of community productions?” tled “Center/Periphery: De- a wide range of professionals, in the residential areas and help Brian Edwards, dean of Tulane “Building Institutions: Experi- movements around new and The second day of the con- constructing Binaries in Art practitioners and thinkers,” a maintain a peaceful and calm en- University, New Orleans. ences, Critiques and Lessons” disruptive ideas. ference opened with a keynote Schools and Movements” and press statement notes. “Mathaf vironment for the benefi t of the The fi rst session was titled, and moderated by Mohamed “These experiences have lecture titled “Art Institutions moderated by Sharaf. sees itself as a place for debate residents. According to them, it “Changing Art Schools: A com- al-Baloshi, a consultant at the shaped the fi ne arts fi eld in their in Modern Iran: Refl ecting or Speakers included Dounia and a platform for reading and could refl ect positively on reduc- parative institutional perspec- Ministry of Culture and Sports respective regions and continue to Resisting Avant-gardism” de- Bengassem, professor emeritus sharing art histories, as well as ing the residential rental rates, tive” and shed light on various in Qatar. be important case studies for the livered by Hamid Keshmir- of Linguistics at the Hassan II enabling the community to ex- and encourage investment in case studies from Morocco, Speakers included Housni modern questions we face today. shekan, senior teaching fellow University; Joshua D Gonsalves, perience iconic art movements.” commercial complexes.

Shura Council MoFA secretary-general Speaker returns Special team to ensure food quality, safety for Gulf Cup teams meets Swedish minister from Djibouti

HE the Shura Council Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud returned to Doha yesterday from Djibouti after heading the Qatari delegation to the 42nd Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the African Parliamentary Union in Djibouti (APU). The Shura Council Speaker and the accompanying delegation were seen off by the Speaker of House of Representatives of Djibouti, Mohamed Ali Hamad, and acting charge daff aires at the Qatari embassy in Djibouti Faisal bin Rashid al-Nuaimi. Qatar, represented by the Shura Council, signed during the conference a memorandum of The Doha Municipality has decided to enhance measures to ensure understanding (MoU) with the hygiene, safety and the highest quality of food at hotels for team members Ministry of Foreign Aff airs (MoFA) Secretary-General HE Dr APU and obtained the status and off icials participating in the ongoing 24th Arabian Gulf Cup, a statement Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi met Swedish Minister of of observer member of the at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment said. The municipality, Foreign Aff airs Ann Linde in Stockholm yesterday. During the parliamentary union, thus making represented by the Health Control Department, has set up a special team of meeting, they discussed co-operation in relations in addition Qatar the first member state food inspectors to carry out daily inspections at the hotels, especially where to topics of mutual interest. observer from outside the African the teams are staying. continent. (QNA)

MME holds cleanliness HBKU extends logistical support to Cudos Congress drive at Shura’awa island amad Bin Khalifa Uni- innovative healthcare solutions and insightful outcomes relating versity (HBKU) contrib- and technologies for diseases to the investigation and treatment Huted logistical and mate- aff ecting the Qatari population. of prevalent diseases in Qatar and rial support to Sidra Medicine’s As things stand, diabetes and the region. Our ongoing collabo- Cudos Congress 2019, which obesity have major implications ration with HBKU, whose colleges also served as an ideal oppor- for the country’s health services and research institutes are at the tunity to highlight the former’s and providers. forefront of invaluable research, contributions to the fi ght against “Second, QBRI is a regional enables us to support national ef- diabetes and obesity. hub for biomedical research that forts to work towards the preven- The event, held November partners with international in- tion and improved treatment of 23-26, promoted a deeper un- stitutions to tackle shared heath diabetes and obesity.” derstanding of diabetes, obesity A stall put up by HBKU at Cudos Congress 2019. challenges. Diabetes, obes- Dr Luis Luque, a scientist and related syndromes, as well ity and related conditions are at QCRI, said: “While lifestyle as their implications for Qatar Dr Edward Stuenkel, dean of contributed to the discussion. among the defi ning illnesses changes and medicines are front- and the wider world, according the College of Health and Life Four CHLS students and QBRI of this century. Proactive and line treatment for diabetes and The Ministry of Municipality and Environment’s (MME) Public to a statement from HBKU. Sciences (CHLS), and Dr Essam researchers were presented with productive partnerships of- obesity, technology can help us Cleaning Department, represented by the Beaches and Islands HBKU fi elded faculty members Abdelalim, a scientist at Qatar awards for their contributions to fer the brightest prospect for to better understand the lifestyle Section, held a cleanliness drive at Shura’awa island. A huge from across its colleges and re- Biomedical Research Institute’s the healthcare fi eld. confronting both head-on.” of patients and also given them quantity of waste, left behind by visitors, was recovered, including search institutes. Contributions (QBRI) Diabetes Research Center, Dr Paul Thornalley, director Dr Ammira Akil, principal in- extra encouragement. We’re con- coal bags, plastic cans and containers. These were transported to included a discussion on digital chaired sessions on islet biology. of the Diabetes Research Center, vestigator and chairperson of the fi dent that our contribution to designated locations for safe disposal. The Beaches and Islands health’s contribution to childhood Principal QBRI investiga- QBRI, said: “Our involvement in Cudos Congress 2019, said: “The Cudos Congress 2019 refl ected Section has appealed to the visitors to maintain cleanliness in health promotion led by Qatar tors Dr Alexandra Butler, Dr Cudos Congress 2019 was im- collective contributions made by QCRI’s capacity for world-class order to preserve the marine environment and aesthetic view of Computing Research Institute’s Paul J Thornalley, Dr Hyung- portant for two reasons. First, institutions during Cudos 2019 multidisciplinary research where the beach. (QCRI) Dr Luis Fernandez-Luque. Goo Kim, and Dr Essam also QBRI is focused on developing gave rise to stimulating discussion it is needed most.” Gulf Times Saturday, November 30, 2019 3 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD

CMU-Q professor’s British Council to hold call to promote competency in photo expo from Dec 2 multiple languages he British Council Qatar, will organise ‘The Place TI Call Home’ a unique udley Reynolds, a teach- travelling exhibition at Fire Sta- ing professor of English tion from December 2 to 21. Dat Carnegie Mellon Uni- The exhibition will travel versity of Qatar (CMU-Q), has across seven countries over six urged education systems around months, it was announced yes- the world to examine how they terday. support their communities’ lan- The exhibition uses the me- guage resources. dium of contemporary photog- In a research report he pre- raphy and fi lm to explore what pared for the World Innovation ‘home’ means to young people Summit for Education (WISE), living in the Gulf and the UK at a held recently in Doha, Reynolds time of rapid change and social off ered a frank discussion of is- mobility. sues that must be addressed to Exploring the theme of build cohesive communities. ‘home,’ the work of the artists The report, titled ‘Language Dudley Reynolds illustrate stories of culture and Policy in Globalised Contexts’, heritage, and challenge stere- suggests that languages should however, begins with changing otypes whilst also exploring not be in competition with each popular ideologies around what identities, commonalities and other, particularly in the class- language is and how it is learned. diff erence. There will also be room. Reynolds states, “We live At WISE, Reynolds shared his engaging activities, inviting in an age where multilingual- fi ndings during a research panel visitors to become active par- ism is the norm. Language rep- on distributed leadership and ticipators. A frame by Sara al-Obaidly. resents cultural identity and the complexities of the multi- There will be a private view national belonging, as well as lingual education space. WISE with the curator and a selection ists. Drake, said, “The speed of communication beyond political research reports are produced of visiting artists on December change in the Gulf has created borders.” in collaboration with recognised 2 from 6pm to 8pm. Curator new perspectives that are some- He believes that too often, ed- experts from around the world. David Drake also invites bud- times highly local and specifi c, ucation systems emphasise one They address pressing global ding and professional photog- but also transcend borders. The of these goals at the expense of education issues and refl ect the raphers to capture images of Place I Call Home explores this the others. “National cohesion priorities of the Qatar National downtown Doha on December 4 process of change and its im- and wider communication are Research Strategy. The compre- from 10am to 1pm. pact on people. Through the ex- often viewed as more important hensive reports feature action- A panel talk on December 5 hibition, workshops and talks, I than languages spoken in the oriented recommendations and from 6pm to 7.30pm will bring want to capture and make sense home,” said Reynolds. Viewing policy guidance for education together resident artists and of these societal shifts in order multilingual competency as the stakeholders. visiting international photog- to build understanding around educational goal has signifi cant Reynolds is the former presi- raphers to talk about what home the strong and rich cultural his- implications for what is taught, dent of Tesol International As- means to them through their tory that informs the identity of how profi ciency is assessed, and sociation, the world’s largest work. the contemporary world”. what people understand to be a professional association for The exhibition in Doha fea- “We are delighted to bring good teacher. teachers who support multilin- tures work that refl ects unique The Place I Call Home to Qatar. The report recognises that gualism through English lan- experiences in Qatar by Qa- This exhibition demonstrates changing educational practices, guage learning. tari photographers Mashael the impact generated through al-Hejazi and Sara al-Obaidly, shared and cross-cultural crea- Brit Abi Green, and Colombian tivity. We are delighted to be An exhibit by Abi Green and Sebastian Betancur-Montoya. Sebastian Betancur-Montoya, able to provide a platform for as well as the work that refl ect contemporary artists to show- people of the UK and the Gulf ‘The Place I Call Home’ is ship between the UK and Qatar the sense of home from photog- case their work. It allows all vis- through the power of photogra- part of the Qatar-British Festi- through the expression of pub- Dutch ship to join raphy in the UK and other Gulf itors to explore the connections phy,” added Sam Ayton, direc- val programme, that celebrates lic art, photography, music and countries by other selected art- and understanding between the tor, British Council Qatar. the longstanding relation- fi lm. European mission to monitor Gulf waters

Iraq PM to quit after deadly protests AFP volved just for show, but because The Hague we want to.” The Netherlands would Reuters cover from decades of confl ict demonstrators people since also send a number of staff to Baghdad and sanctions pits protesters mass anti-government protests he Dutch government said the headquarters of the mis- from heartlands in Baghdad and broke out on Oct. yesterday it was send- sion, which France said earlier the south against a corrupt rul- 1.More than a dozen mem- Ting a navy frigate to join this week will be stationed at a raqi Prime Minister Adel ing elite. bers of the security forces have a “French-initiated, European French naval base in Abu Dhabi, Abdul Mahdi announced Iraq’s current political class also died in clashes. mission” that will monitor Gulf the government said. Ihis resignation yesterday is drawn mainly from powerful The burning of Iran’s consu- waters amid regional tensions. Since May, tensions in the after the country’s senior cleric politicians, clerics and para- late in the holy city of Najaf on The Netherlands and fi ve Gulf have escalated following a urged lawmakers to reconsider military leaders including many Wednesday escalated violence other countries will also join a string of attacks on oil tankers. their support for a government who lived in exile before a US- and drew a brutal response from fi nancial channel for Iran that is Iran, has previously admitted rocked by weeks of deadly anti- led invasion overthrew dictator security forces who shot dead immune from US sanctions, as to shooting down a US drone in establishment unrest. Saddam Hussein in 2003 — in- more than 60 people nation- they seek to keep a nuclear deal June for allegedly fl ying over its Violence raged on in southern cluding Abdul Mahdi. wide on Thursday. with Tehran alive, they said. territorial waters. Iraq, however, killing at least 21 “In response to this (the Sistani, who only weighs in The Dutch ship with an on- Washington insisted the air- people, and protesters contin- cleric’s) call, and in order to fa- Iraqi protesters march with a national flag during an anti-government on politics in times of crisis and board helicopter will be sta- craft was in international air- ued a thousands-strong sit- cilitate it as quickly as possible, demonstration in the southern city of Basra, yesterday. wields huge infl uence over pub- tioned in the region from the space. in at Tahrir Square in central I will present to parliament a lic opinion, yesterday warned end of January to the end of The Netherlands also said that Baghdad. demand (to accept) my resigna- Protesters celebrated the al-Sayeda, another demonstra- against an explosion of civil June 2020 “to enhance mari- it, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Young, unemployed and un- tion from the leadership of the imminent departure of Abdul tor. “We need them all out, root strife and tyranny. time security in the Gulf region”, Norway and Sweden would join armed protesters have led calls current government,” a state- Mahdi, but said they would not and branch. We can’t let up the He urged government forces the Dutch government said in a the initiative by European pow- for a rehaul of a political system ment signed by Abdul Mahdi stop their demonstrations until pressure.” to stop killing protests and pro- statement. ers Britain, Germany and France they say is endemically corrupt said. the whole of the political class Security forces meanwhile testers themselves to reject all “It’s very important to ensure to join the INSTEX mechanism. and serves foreign powers, es- The statement did not say was removed. shot dead at least 21 people in violence. a free and safe passage” through Also dubbed the “special pur- pecially Baghdad’s ally Tehran. when he would resign. Violence continued in south- the southern city of Nassiriya The government “appears the strait, Dutch Prime Minister pose vehicle”, it will allow con- The departure of Abdul Mah- Parliament is to convene an ern Iraq. after protesters tried to storm a to have been unable to deal Mark Rutte told reporters. tinued trade with Iran without di could be a blow for Iranian emergency session tomorrow to “Abdul Mahdi’s resignation is local police headquarters, hos- with the events of the past two “The Netherlands is happy to exposing companies or coun- infl uence after militia allies and discuss the crisis. just the beginning. We’ll stay in pital sources said. months...parliament, from take part. We are not getting in- tries to US sanctions. its own commanders intervened Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sis- the streets until the entire gov- In Najaf, unidentifi ed armed which the current government last month to keep the premier tani earlier urged parliament ernment has gone, and all the men shot live rounds at dem- emerged, must reconsider its in place despite mass anti-gov- to considering withdrawing rest of the corrupt politicians,” onstrators sending dozens scat- choices and do what’s in the ernment unrest. its support for Abdul Mahdi’s said Mustafa Hafi dh, a protester tering. interest of Iraq,” a representa- The biggest unrest for years government to stem spiralling at Baghdad’s Tahrir Square. Iraqi forces have killed nearly tive of Sistani said in a televised in a country struggling to re- violence. “It’s not enough,” said Ali 400 mostly young, unarmed sermon. Lebanese block roads as petrol stations strike

Troops shoot dead Palestinian on border: ministry AFP with a barrier or yellow tape, Beirut but a handful had remained open, the photographer said. AFP nition,” he added. At least 348 health ministry in Gaza said. Clutching empty one-gallon Gaza City Palestinians have been killed by Raid al-Sarsawi, 30, was ngry Lebanese blocked (four-litre) bottles, dozens Israeli fi re in Gaza since weekly wounded in an Israeli air strike main roads yesterday as clustered around pumps in the protests began in March 2018, on November 13, the Palestinian Apetrol stations across the few still operating to fill up on sraeli forces shot dead a Pal- more than half of them during health ministry said. country went on strike for the fuel. estinian teenager near the demonstrations. Islamic Jihad’s military wing second day in a row, an AFP pho- “My motorbike ran out of Iborder with the Gaza Strip Others have been killed in air said he had been wounded in a tographer and local media said. petrol, and I’ve been wait- yesterday, the health ministry strikes or by tank fi re. strike in Shajaiyeh, east of Gaza Filling station owners an- ing outside the petrol station in the Hamas-run enclave said. The often violent protests are City. nounced the walkout from for three hours in vain,” Yahya Fahd al-Astal, 16, died after demanding that Israel ease its His death brings to 36 the Thursday over mounting losses al-Shami said as he queued up being shot in the stomach east blockade of the Strip and that number of Palestinians killed in due to a dollar liquidity crunch. for his fill in the capital’s Cola of Khan Yunis in the south of Palestinians be allowed to re- the two-day fl are up sparked on More than a month into un- neighbourhood. “People are the enclave, and four other Pal- turn to their ancestral homes November 12 when Israel assas- precedented anti-government very worried because they all estinians were wounded, the now inside Israel. sinated a senior Islamic Jihad protests, Lebanon is facing a need petrol to work,” he said. ministry said. Israel accuses the coastal en- leader in the Gaza Strip. dual political and economic cri- “The station is opening for Weekly border protests along clave’s rulers Hamas of orches- No Israelis died. sis. half an hour, then closing again the Israeli frontier were offi cial- trating the protests and using Over two days the group fi red In Beirut and several other because all the drivers are ly cancelled yesterday. them as cover to carry out at- around 450 rockets towards major cities yesterday, driv- fighting amongst each other as But residents said a small Relatives of a Palestinian teenager who was killed near the border tacks. Israel, many of which were in- ers briefly stopped their cars in they wait.” number of mostly young Pal- fence, mourn at the hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, yesterday. Israel and Hamas have fought tercepted by the Iron Dome de- the afternoon, blocking some On local television, a woman estinians still approached the three wars since 2008. fence system, according to the main roads, the national news complained she had to abandon border fence. “We are look- protesters assembled close to it were made and several explo- Meanwhile, an Islamic Jihad army. Israel struck dozens of agency and the AFP photogra- her car in the middle of the road ing into information about the the security barrier in the Gaza sive devices were thrown at the fi ghter yesterday died of inju- targets in Gaza. pher said. as she looked for petrol. “I’ve death of a Palestinian,” an Is- Strip,” the spokesman said. barrier. ries sustained two weeks ago Islamic Jihad has pledged In the capital, most stations been to ten different stations raeli army spokesman said. “Several attempts to ap- Israeli forces used riot dis- during a fl are-up with Israel, to avenge Sarsawi’s death and had closed their pumps and looking for gas and I haven’t “In recent hours, dozens of proach the barrier and sabotage persal methods and live ammu- the group and the Palestinian those of others killed. blocked off their entrances found any,” she said. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, November 30, 2019 ARAB WORLD/AFRICA

Namibia president DR Congo buries 27 massacre takes lead in partial election results victims as anger mounts credibility took a hit over a giant AFP Windhoek fi shing scandal that erupted just AFP before the election. Oicha, DR Congo A series of leaked documents amibia’s President alleged that senior government Hage Geingob yester- offi cials awarded horse mack- he Democratic Republic Nday looked set to se- erel quotas to Samherji, one of of Congo town of Oicha cure a second term with par- Iceland’s biggest fi shing fi rms, Tyesterday buried 27 vic- tial results from this week’s in exchange for bribes. tims of the latest massacre in general election showing him Fishing is one of Namibia’s the country’s volatile east, with leading with 56% of the vote. key economic sectors, second hundreds paying homage while The southwestern African only to mineral mining. lashing out at security forces for country held its sixth presi- Two ministers resigned but failing to stop attacks. dential and parliamentary have denied any wrongdoing. Mourners gathered in si- elections on Wednesday amid They appeared in court lence around the tiny morgue of economic woes and growing Thursday over alleged bribes of Oicha, located near the Ugandan frustration against the regime. $10mn. border and east of the DRC town Geingob’s South West Afri- The saga took another twist of Beni, the scene of repeated ca People’s (SWAPO) party has yesterday when two South Af- deadly strikes. been in power since Namibia’s rican lawyers representing the Workers wore face masks as independence from South former ministers were detained they wrapped the decomposing Africa in 1990, and is widely for operating without work per- corpses in shrouds. hailed for its role in the libera- mits. Namibia’s chief immigra- They were barefoot in line tion struggle. tion offi cer Nehemia Nghishek- with local tradition out of re- But the president — who wa said the lawyers would be spect for the deceased. was elected with a sweeping brought to court and were likely Wooden crosses marked the 87% majority in 2014 — is pre- to spend the night in custody. graves and many wept as the dicted to lose a share of votes Around 1.4mn of Namibia’s bodies were lowered. to a breakaway SWAPO mem- 2.4mn population were regis- During the mass funerals, ber running as an independ- tered to vote. gunfi re broke out from the near- ent candidate, former dentist Half were under 37 and by bush but it was unclear who Panduleni Itula. around a third born after 1990. was fi ring. The breakaway candidate The election was “gener- “My neighbour, who was my is particularly popular among ally peaceful, well organised son’s mother-in-law, had her youth frustrated by the lack of and conducted in a professional throat slit and was then cut up,” jobs and too young to remember manner,” the Southern Afri- said Kahindo Kamabu, a woman the SWAPO-led war for inde- can Development Community in her fi fties. pendence. (SADC) regional bloc said yes- “I am very sad but I’m not Partial results published by terday. crying any more as I want to the Electoral Commission of Commonwealth observers tell these murderers that we are People gather in Oicha, yesterday, as 27 victims of the latest massacre in the country’s volatile east were being buried, with hundreds paying Namibia after around 65% of echoed that assessment and strong and dignifi ed despite our homage while lashing out at security forces for failing to stop attacks. the votes were counted showed said the polls were “carried out pain.” Geingob leading with 56.08%, in a largely peaceful and orderly Janvier Kasahirio, the head of east since the 1990s. “I recog- Yesterday, a DR Congo soldier cal residents said. They said the to Beni, about 30 kilometres followed by Itula with 28.49%. manner”. Namibia was the fi rst a local youth association, said: nised my aunt from her clothes,” was killed by civilians who mis- released hostages carried back away. “Alarming reports from PDM candidate and second- country in Africa to introduce “We found the remains of our said Rosette Kashauri. took him for an ADF fi ghter, the pamphlets exhorting locals to the region suggest people being time runner McHenry Venaani electronic voting machines in brothers in pieces,” adding that “Her face was barely recog- army and a local offi cial said. embrace their religion and stop trapped and under threat from was third with 5.71%. SWAPO 2014. The machines — opposed some of the victims had been nisable. Her body was chopped The soldier opened fi re as he co-operating with security the armed groups, with daily was also ahead in parliament by opposition parties fearing burnt. up like the meat one sells in the saw local youth approaching forces. reports of loss of life,” the UN with 65.34% of the vote. the lack of paper could facili- He said they found the bodies market. I am sad and angry,” she him, before running out of am- Some said they had paid ran- High Commissioner for Refu- The party’s long-standing tate fraud — were meant to ac- in the bush. said. munition, local leader Donat som to the ADF to secure the gees said yesterday. opponent, the Popular Demo- celerate the voting and counting The victims were hacked The massacres have sparked Kibwana added. release of relatives. “Abductions and attacks on cratic Movement (PDM), was process. to death with machetes on protests against the local United A general shutdown was ob- “My four children were schools, health centres and in- a distant second at 15.67%. But the voting process was Wednesday, taking to 107 the Nations peacekeeping mission, served in Oicha as well as in kidnapped by the ADF,” said digenous communities are also SWAPO looks likely to retain painfully sluggish and had peo- number of people killed in and known by its French acronym Goma, the main city in DRC’s 35-year-old Reagan Kimbu. on the rise,” it said. the two-thirds majority in the ple queueing for hours. “We around Beni since November 5. Monusco. east, in solidarity with the be- “They were released against a “Information is difficult to 76-member parliament it has observed that the processing of The vast majority of the kill- “It’s unthinkable that people leaguered residents of Beni and payment of $4,500 (4,000 eu- verify, as the movement of hu- enjoyed since 1994. voters remains slow, thereby re- ings have been carried out by the kill the local population and that Oicha. ros).” manitarian workers is restrict- But Geingob’s popularity has sulting in an arduous polling ex- Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the young go to look for bodies Yesterday, the ADF released The UN refugee agency ed due to insecurity around the slipped. perience for many voters,” said a militia that has plagued the while soldiers watch them,” said 12 hostages, including two meanwhile said there was an city and in the territory of Beni, His fi rst term was overshad- the head of the Commonwealth Democratic Republic of Congo’s Moise Kakule. women and some children, lo- exodus of locals from Oicha as a result of violence.” owed by a recession, and his Observer Group.

DISCLOSURE Syria constitution Copters that crashed talks end round without meeting in Mali were not South Africa’s Zuma loses bid At least 26 killed in under IS fire: general A second round of talks on amend- ing Syria’s constitution ended to appeal against bribe trial South Sudan clashes The French army said yesterday yesterday, after disagreement on that two of its helicopters that the agenda prevented govern- crashed in Mali this week had ment and opposition negotiators AFP He is alleged to have tak- Both Zuma and Thales, DPA was ambushed by a member not been under fire from Islamic from meeting, the UN mediator Johannesburg en bribes worth 4mn rand have the option to approach Juba of the Manuer clan. “We con- State militants, contradicting a said. The United Nations-brokered ($270,000) related to a $3.4bn the Supreme Court of Appeal demn this barbaric act in the statement from the militants. A constitutional review committee arms deal in 1999 when he or the Constitutional Court in strongest terms,” Laat said. day earlier, Islamic State in West includes 150 delegates — divided South African court was deputy president. their push to stop a trial, con- t least 26 people were The minister has urged the Africa Province (ISWAP) said the equally among President Bashar yesterday dismissed In all Zuma faces 16 charges stitutional lawyer and legal killed and 30 wounded government of South Sudan — helicopters collided after one of al-Assad’s government, the opposi- Aformer president Jacob of fraud, graft and racketeer- commentator Pierre de Vos Ain tribal clashes in the itself in turmoil — to carry out them retreated under fire from tion and civil society. Zuma’s attempts to appeal ing related to the purchase of said. town of Rumbek in central mass disarmament of civilians its fighters, but it did not provide A smaller group of 45 negotiators against a corruption trial in fi ghter jets, patrol boats and Another legal analyst South Sudan, an offi cial said in the state. any evidence for its claim. has been charged with hammer- which he faces charges related military equipment when Mpulelelo Zikalala, suggested yesterday. The country signed a peace “There has been no gunfire ing out a new text, but there is little to a 1990s arms deal involving he was deputy to the coun- that “the prospects of success State Information Minister agreement aimed at ending a from jihadists on our helicop- hope for a breakthrough towards France’s Thales. try’s second black president, are slim”.Legal commentators Benjamin Laat said that clash- bloody civil war last year, but ters,” French army chief of staff a political solution to the conflict The High Court in the Thabo Mbeki. suggest Zuma is simply buy- es had broken out on Thurs- President Salva Kiir and oppo- François Lecointre told French that has killed more than 370,000 southeastern city of Pieter- Both Zuma and French de- ing time. day between the rival Manuer sition leader Riek Machar have radio station RFI. The army people. “It was not possible to call maritzburg ruled that “Mr fence company Thales, which The largest opposition, and Gaak clans in the Western failed to set up a government of has said the helicopters had for a meeting of the small body Zuma’s leave to appeal is dis- supplied equipment for navy the Democratic Alliance (DA) Lakes state. “We have con- unity. crashed after colliding acciden- of 45 (negotiators) because there missed”. Zuma fi led an appeal vessels, deny the charges. welcomed the High Court fi rmed 26 people are dead and Chairman for the South Su- tally during a combat operation. has not been an agreement on last month ahead of the initial Thales’s application for decision and said it looked 30 were wounded,” he said. dan Youth for Development Lecointre also said France had the agenda,” UN Syria envoy Geir October 15 trial date, in a case permission to appeal against “forward to seeing this mat- It is thought that the fi ght- organisation, Dominic Chuang no intention of withdrawing from Pedersen told reporters. that has seen numerous legal the trial was also thrown out ter fi nally moving towards ing was sparked by the murder Marial, said that the clashes Mali but that it needs more sup- turns over a decade and a half. at the same time as Zuma’s. conclusion”. of a Gaak businessman who are proof of a broken peace. port from its allies.

Fired doctors reject Zimbabwe lawyers march against police brutality off er to return to work AFP investigations into all cases of Harare police violence and asked for a complaints mechanism be es- Reuters decade ago. According to the tablished. Harare Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors As- ozens of Zimbabwean Mnangagwa took over after sociation (ZHDA), the last wage lawyers took to the the toppling of former-presi- off er by the government would Dstreets yesterday to pro- dent Robert Mugabe in 2017. imbabwe state doctors see the doctors earning a total test against police brutality that He was elected last year on a who were fi red for going package, including allowances, has escalated since President promise to boost the economy Zon strike have rejected a of Z$3,900 (about US$240) per Emmerson Mnangagwa came to and end human rights abuses government off er to return to month. power in 2017. that took place under Mugabe’s work, their union said yesterday. “Sadly, the moratorium has Wearing black court robes increasingly despotic rule. The doctors went on strike on come without a new off er on the and bandages smeared with to- But six people were killed in Sept 3 to protest against poor table having been communicat- mato ketchup, the lawyers car- August last year when military wages, in some cases less than ed to us,” ZHDA said, explaining ried boards that read “stop state offi cials opened fi re on demon- US$100 a month. its rejection of the off er. sanctioned violence” and “no strators protesting against a de- President Emmerson Mnan- The strike by junior and mid- to police brutality”. The group lay in elections results. gagwa’s government, which re- dle-level doctors has paralysed marched from the High Court in Another 17 people were killed sponded to the job boycott by state hospitals, used by Zimba- the capital Harare to the Minis- in January when security forces fi ring 448 doctors and pursuing bwe’s poor majority. try of Home Aff airs, where they cracked down on people who disciplinary action against more Even before the strike, the deposited a petition. took to the streets after a hike in than 1,000 others, on Thurs- hospitals had already been They then proceeded to po- fuel prices. day off ered to reinstate them if struggling with shortages of lice headquarters to hand over a Human Rights Watch decried they returned to work within 48 drugs and other basic products. second petition. the violence and called for the hours. Critics say President Em- “We are here to march against Zimbabwean lawyers, dressed in their robes and jabots protest against police brutality, while marching from state to prosecute those respon- Zimbabwe is experiencing merson Mnangagwa has failed police brutality, not only as the High Court to the Ministry of Home Aff airs where they submitted their petition in Harare, yesterday. sible. its worst economic crisis in a to keep promises he made in concerned citizens but as con- Some 50 kidnapping and tor- decade that has seen resurgent last year’s election campaign to cerned offi cers of the court and in the past. Riot police brutal- condemnation from within and lyn Hanzi at the protest. ture cases have been reported infl ation soaring to three-dig- revive the economy by pushing custodians of the law,” 25-year- ised supporters of the opposi- outside Zimbabwe. “We have seen protests being since. Hundreds of political op- it levels, eroding salaries and through reforms, attracting for- old Sandra Dhizwani said. tion Movement for Democratic “We are concerned that there banned even after the conveners ponents, trade unions and civil bringing back bitter memories eign investment and rebuilding Zimbabwean security forces Change (MDC) earlier this has been an escalation in terms tried to follow the procedures of society members have been of the hyperinfl ation era of a collapsing infrastructure. have violently quashed protests month, drawing widespread of violence,” said lawyer Rose- the law.” The lawyers called for arrested. Gulf Times Saturday, November 30, 2019 5 AMERICAS Trump visits troops

Trump poses for pictures during a Thanksgiving dinner with US in Afghanistan base troops at Bagram Air Field, during his surprise visit to Afghanistan. AFP About 13,000 US troops re- started eating when he was called States due to the killing of an Taliban ready to resume peace talks with the United States Bagram, Afghanistan main in Afghanistan, 18 years away, and didn’t even get to taste American soldier. after the United States invaded his turkey. “We were getting close and we The Taliban said yesterday they were ready to restart “Our stance is still the same. If peace talks start, it will be following the September 11, 2001 “I should’ve started with that, pulled back. We didn’t want to peace talks with the US, a day after President Donald resumed from the stage where it had stopped,” Mujahid resident Donald Trump has attacks. instead of the mashed potatoes,” do it because of what they did,” Trump visited US troops in Afghanistan and said he said. said that the United States Trump said he planned to re- the president said. “But I hope Trump later said during a meet- believed the group would agree to a ceasefire. Taliban leaders have told Reuters that the group has Phad resumed talks with the duce the number to 8,600, and everyone enjoyed the fantastic ing with Ghani, referring to the Yesterday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said been holding meetings with senior US off icials in Doha Taliban as he made a surprise later added “we can go much fur- meal, it certainly did look good death of the soldier. “Since then, they were “ready to restart the talks” that collapsed after since last weekend, adding they could soon resume trip to Afghanistan to celebrate ther than that”, without giving and hopefully everyone can get we’ve hit them so hard, they’ve Trump had called them off , according to Reuters. formal peace talks. (QNA) the Thanksgiving holiday with details. some well-deserved rest this never been hit this hard.” troops. “There’s nowhere I’d rather holiday.” Trump said on Thursday that On a brief visit to Bagram Air- celebrate this Thanksgiving than The United States earlier this the war in Afghanistan “will not a tough battle to win a second and an Australian – after three of Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher fi eld outside the capital Kabul, right here with the toughest, year reached a deal with the be decided on the battlefi eld” term. years in captivity in exchange who was accused of war crimes Trump served turkey dinner to strongest, best and bravest war- Taliban to pull US troops from and that “ultimately there will Afghanistan remains roiled by for three high-ranking insurgent but only found guilty of a lesser soldiers, posed for photographs riors on the face of the earth,” the Afghanistan and wind down need to be a political solution” violence, and US presidents are prisoners, a move seen as a boost off ence. and delivered a speech after president, who was making his America’s longest war in return decided by people in the region. still only able to make fl eeting, to peace talks. Before taking the secret 13- meeting Afghan President Ashraf fi rst trip to the war-torn country, for security guarantees. The US president has often unannounced visits to Bagram Back in Washington, the presi- hour fl ight to Afghanistan, Ghani. told the troops. “I’ve just come However, Trump made a shock vowed to pull out of the US’s – the biggest American base in dent’s relations with the US mili- Trump had been expected to “The Taliban wants to make from serving Thanksgiving din- move in September, describing “endless wars”, and he is keen to the country – due to the security tary leadership have soured over spend Thanksgiving at his Mar- a deal, and we’re meeting with ner to some of you ... and we had the year-long talks as “dead” withdraw many troops from Af- threat. his repeated interference in high- a-Lago residence in Florida and them, and we’re saying it has to a good time.” and withdrawing an invitation to ghanistan ahead of the Novem- The Taliban last week handed profi le discipline cases. to make video calls to US troops be a ceasefi re,” he told reporters. Trump joked that he had just the group to meet in the United ber 2020 election when he faces over two hostages – an American Trump reversed the demotion deployed abroad.

‘Black Friday’ seeing smaller crowds in US

AFP stayed strong throughout 2019 New York even as manufacturing has stagnated and business invest- ment has been lacklustre. he US holiday shopping “Consumers are in good fi - season offi cially opened nancial shape and willing to Twith a deluge of “Black spend a little more on gifts for Friday” promotions but the the special people in their lives frenzied crowds of the past this holiday season,” said Mat- have thinned out with the rise thew Shay, chief executive of of e-commerce. the National Retail Federation Companies in the retail, en- (NRF). tertainment and tourism in- The NRF has projected that dustries once again tried to US consumers will spend an entice shoppers after Thanks- average of $1,048 this year, up Not all black giving with a bevy of off ers on a about 4% they said they would day synonymous with Ameri- spend last year. and white can consumer culture and no- But increasingly more of Activists of the environmental torious “doorbuster” sales that those sales are migrating on- movement Extinction Rebellion start at the crack of dawn. line. (above) hold a banner during a However, US consumers This trend includes Amazon demonstration against the Black aren’t buying Black Friday the of course, but also traditional Friday event, in front of the way they once did. brick-and-mortar chains like entrance of Galeries Lafayette Only 36% of US consumers Walmart and Macy’s that have department store, in Bordeaux, plan to shop this year on Black evolved into “multichannel” France. Friday, down 1% from last year retailers, as well as companies and a decline of 23% from 2015, and organisations hawking Right: An activist wearing a gas according to a Pricewater- everything from pet food to mask waves during a houseCoopers (PwC) survey. hotel stays to political mer- demonstration in Warsaw, part “Just a few years ago, Black chandise. of the Global Climate Strike by Friday had the aura of a FOMO Donald Trump’s “Make the ‘Fridays for Future’ (fear of missing out) event,” America Great Again” mer- movement. PwC said. “Now it seems more chandise was being once again symbolic than signifi cant in the discounted on his political pantheon of retail holidays.” website at 35% off . Black Friday will be followed Democratic presidential in three days by “Cyber Mon- candidate Elizabeth Warren day”, a second highpoint of of Massachusetts was off ering spending early in the season. 25% off merchandise orders of Yesterday’s sales have $75 or more. prompted copycat versions Due to the lateness of throughout Europe, an eff ort Thanksgiving, this year’s holi- that has generated no small day shopping season is about amount of friction. six days shorter than last year, This year’s events prompted prompting more retailers to protest in parts of France, Ger- push up promotions even ear- many and the Netherlands that lier in the season than usual, included environmentalist ral- according to analysts. lies outside Amazon distribu- Online consumer spending tion centres and human chains on Thanksgiving day came in blocking malls. this year at $4.2bn, up 14.5% A holiday shopper squeezes through to the New York City Subway Shoppers stream into a Best Buy store in Chicago, which opened late in the evening as part of the Black There has been little sign of from a year ago and the fi rst following Black Friday shopping in New York. Friday shopping event. that sort of subversiveness in time above $4bn, according to the United States. Adobe Analytics. Rather, the bigger emerging Jason Woosley, a vice-presi- challenge for Black Friday has dent with Adobe, said prelimi- been shifting consumer pat- nary data showed Black Friday terns. was also on track to top its per- Thousands evoke ‘climate emergency’ in global Friday demos The PwC survey said that formance from last year by al- for the fi rst time in 2019 more most 19%, with promotions for consumers (54%) said they’ll sporting goods and appliances DPA The Germany chapter of Fri- In Belgium, hundreds were denounce the fence-sitting and bushfi res on climate change, do more of their shopping on- especially popular. Berlin days for Future likened the EU joined by organisations from the inactivity of all of the world’s hundreds took part in protests line than in stores. The data suggested the parliament’s actions to a fi re bri- “Grandparents for the Climate”, governments,” the group added. in Sydney, Adelaide and Mel- Economists and retail indus- Thanksgiving Day shopping gade screaming, “There’s a fi re!” as well as the local “yellow vests” The two-week COP25 envi- bourne. try insiders are broadly confi - spree hasn’t “stolen any traf- limate protesters gath- Yesterday, 630,000 people off shoot, Amnesty International ronmental summit is due to begin Numbers were lower than in dent about the outlook for the fi c from Black Friday”, he said, ered in cities from Aus- demonstrated in 520 German cit- and Extinction Rebellion. in Madrid on Monday. September, possibly because it is 2019 season, owing to a strong adding that about 20% of the Ctralia to India and Europe ies, according to the German off - French protesters hit the About 135 climate protests and exam season in Australia. labour market. overall online sales for the yesterday, citing the “climate shoot of the climate movement, streets from Paris to Grenoble, school strikes were scheduled Climate researchers joined the Consumer spending ac- season are expected between emergency” declared by EU law- in bike demos, blockades, picnics and in Lyon and Saint-Priest they yesterday across Sweden, from protests as far away as the Arc- counts for about 70% of US Thanksgiving and Cyber Mon- makers just days before a major and protests at coal plants. protested excessive consumption Kiruna in the far north to Hels- tic and Antarctic, with scientists economic growth and has day. climate summit opens in Madrid. The demonstrations drew far on the Black Friday shopping ingborg and Malmo in the south. on the German research vessel More than 2,400 cities in 158 fewer attendees than the huge holiday, blocking entrances to Extinction Rebellion staged Polarstern on the Arctic ice, and countries took part in demon- “climate strikes” seen across the Amazon warehouses in a cam- a so-called “die-in” in central experts at the Neumayer station Law to give indigenous peoples strations across the globe, ac- globe in September. paign dubbed #BlockFriday. Stockholm where a dozen activ- on the Antarctic, calling for more cording to the “Fridays for Fu- In Berlin, 60,000 participants According to organisers, more ists lay down at the entrance to a climate protection. more sway in British Columbia ture” network. gathered at the Brandenburg than 300,000 people took part shopping mall. The climate protests can be Greenpeace, Extinction Rebel- Gate, organisers said on Twitter. in the Italian Fridays for Fu- A banner reading “Act now” traced back to Swedish activ- British Columbia passed a law that will give indigenous people lion and other non-governmen- Two dozen young protesters ture demonstrations, including was placed in front of them, ist Greta Thunberg, who staged more sway in matters aff ecting them, becoming the first Canadian tal organisations (NGOs) also jumped into the River Spree, de- 30,000 in Rome, 25,000 in Mi- while others sang a song titled her fi rst “school strike” in 2018 province to formally adopt UN standards on the issue. held protests. spite local temperatures of 5C. lan and 10,000 each in Turin and This is an emergency. outside the Swedish parliament, “It is time we recognise and safeguard indigenous peoples’ human The protests come after law- Organisers reckoned with Naples. In Cameroon, about 450 peo- inspiring a youth-led movement rights, so that we may finally move away from conflict, drawn-out makers in the European Par- 30,000 attendees at a protest in The protests also took aim at ple protested against deforesta- that has held climate strikes court cases and uncertainty, and move forward with collaboration liament voted on Thursday to Hamburg. Black Friday, a day when global tion, including fi ve schools and a worldwide. and respect,” Scott Fraser, British Columbia (BC)’s minister of declare a “climate and environ- Hanover saw 40,000, while in retailers off er discounts. clutch of NGOs. Yesterday Thunberg and Luisa indigenous relations, said in a joint statement with indigenous mental emergency” in Europe. Cologne, 20,000 protesters were “Big brands are off ering dis- They marched to the prime Neubauer, who has been at the leaders who helped write the legislation – including the BC The symbolic move urges the expected. counts on consumer items to minister’s offi ce in Yaounde to forefront of the German climate Assembly of First Nations, and First Nations Summit. European Union’s executive In Lisbon, thousands gathered encourage us to buy things we protect the rainforest and its in- movement, urged decisive action BC on Tuesday became the first province in Canada to legally branch to align their activities in front of the Portuguese par- would normally not buy. We need digenous people, and to “raise ahead of the climate conference. commit to bringing its laws up to the standards outlined in the UN to limit global warming to under liament and further demonstra- to change this unsustainable awareness among Cameroonians The duo noted that “striking Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial tions were planned in cities from model,” Fridays for Future Italia that climate change is real”, said is not a choice we relish; we do it Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government attempted to pass a levels, the more ambitious of two Porto to Coimbra, Faro, Penafi el, said. Andoh Rex of Greenpeace Africa. because we see no other options” law that would commit Canada to UNDRIP’s standards during its targets set out in the Paris cli- Evora, Santa Maria, the Azores “We are also demonstrating In Australia, where many have in an online opinion piece pub- first term in power, but the bill stalled due to criticisms that it would mate accord. and Caldas da Rainha. ahead of the COP25 in Madrid to blamed a recent wave of severe lished on Project Syndicate. give indigenous groups a veto on future energy projects. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, November 30, 2019 ASIA

Maldives India off ers $450mn to Lanka ex-leader jailed for money for economy and security laundering IANS process underway in Sri Lanka, “We exchanged our views New Delhi keeping in mind the interests of on reconciliation in Sri Lanka. ethnic Tamils. President Rajapaksa told me AFP Addressing the media joint- about his inclusive political Malé ndia yesterday announced ly with Rajapaksa after their point of view on ethnic har- lines of credit amounting to meeting at Hyderabad House, mony... I hope and believe the I$450mn to Sri Lanka as its the prime minister underlined Sri Lankan government will isgraced Maldives ex- newly elected President Gota- India’s neighbourhood-fi rst take forward procedure of rec- president Abdulla baya Rajapaksa held talks with policy and said the Sri Lankan onciliation to fulfi l ambitions DYameen has been sen- Prime Minister Narendra Modi president’s visit will boost the of equality, justice, peace and tenced to fi ve years in prison for on ways to push the bilateral re- age-old ties between the two respect for Tamil citizens of the money laundering after a cor- lations and undertake develop- countries. country,” the prime minister ruption probe into the former mental activities jointly in the He assured Rajapaksa that said. strongman’s rule of the luxury island nation, including those India is with Sri Lanka in its The process of reconciliation tourist destination. benefi ting ethnic Tamils. fi ght against terrorism and includes implementation of Yameen, who ran the Indian Rajapaksa, who took over as announced a line of credit of 13th Amendment, Modi added. Ocean archipelago with an iron the Sri Lankan President on No- $50mn to the island nation for On the occasion, Rajapaksa fi st before his shock election loss vember 18, has chosen India as the purpose. said the Indian boats seized in 2018, was accused of illegally the fi rst country of his foreign Modi announced another by Sri Lankan forces will be transferring $1mn from one of visit, accepting an invitation line of credit of $400mn to help released. his bank accounts during an on- extended by Modi soon after his strengthen Sri Lanka’s economy. Rajapaksa arrived in New going graft investigation. election. He noted that India is already Delhi on Thursday. The 60-year-old was arrested The Indian prime minister undertaking a project to build He is in India for a three-day in February on charges of bribing had sent External Aff airs Minis- houses for ethnic Tamils in offi cial visit to discuss ways witnesses in the ensuing money ter S Jaishankar to Colombo on Sri Lanka. to strengthen bilateral ties in laundering trial. November 19 to personally hand “Under Indian housing key areas. Rajapaksa is accom- Authorities also froze bank ac- over the invitation. project, 46,000 houses have panied by a delegation, which counts belonging to Yameen that Modi and Rajapaksa held de- already been built in Sri Lanka includes his country’s Foreign held around $6.5mn at the end of tailed talks yesterday, covering and 14,000 more are being Secretary Ravinatha Aryas- last year following accusations various aspects of bilateral re- constructed for Tamil origin inha and Treasury Secretary Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands during he had taken illicit payments. lations and the reconciliation people,” Modi said. S R Attygalle. a photo opportunity ahead of their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi yesterday. Investigators believe Yameen could have millions more stashed abroad and are working to repat- riate the cash. Yameen’s government regu- larly jailed opponents or forced Bangladesh UN envoy off ers to them into exile during its fi ve Vietnam and China years in power, and the former president relied heavily on China opposition assess Bangladesh’s for political and fi nancial sup- port as his human rights record faced criticism. leaders held agree on more talks refugee island plan Current leader Ibrahim Mo- hamed Solih won an unexpected AFP state, are now living in squalid landslide victory last year on a for inciting Dhaka camps in Cox’s Bazar, south- pledge to end corruption, and eastern Bangladesh. dissidents have since returned to over S China Sea Bangladesh has constructed the country. violence UN envoy has off ered facilities for some 100,000 technical expertise people on Bhashan Char, an DPA fl icts in an appropriate and are also claimed in part by Ato Bangladesh to as- island in the cyclone-prone IANS Hanoi peaceful manner,” accord- Vietnam. sess arrangements on an is- coastal belt, and says it is ready Dhaka ing to a press release from Oil and gas exploration land where the South Asian to shift the refugees from the Vietnam’s foreign aff airs in the South China Sea is a country plans to shift about crowded settlements. ietnam and China ministry. highly fraught issue in both 100,000 Rohingya refugees. But aid agencies and rights he Detective Branch (DB) agreed yesterday to Both nations agreed to China and Vietnam, which Kelly Clements, a deputy groups have opposed the idea. of Bangladesh Police has Vhold more talks and maintain dialogue over saw a series of violent dis- high commissioner of the UN- Bangladesh has recently Tarrested two opposition take steps towards peace- maritime disputes and said putes between 1974 and 1988 HCR, told reporters in Dhaka been erecting barbed-wire leaders for instigating violence. fully resolving the con- they were looking ahead to over control of the Spratly and on Thursday that the UN fences around the Cox’s Ba- Hafi z Uddin Ahmed, vice fl ict over the South China co-operating in 2020. Paracel Islands. wanted to be “engaged” in the zaar camps, a move that the chairman of former prime min- Sea, which has seen ten- “The two sides agreed to In 2014, anti-Chinese sen- proposed refugee relocation, Human Rights Watch (HRW) ister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh sions rising in the region in promote high-level visits and timent boiled over in Vietnam which has been criticised by compared with building an Nationalist Party (BNP) and recent months. contact and co-ordinate well- and sparked deadly attacks rights groups. “open air prison”. also a former minister, was ar- The announcement came organised activities to cel- against Chinese-owned fac- “We have off ered and told Clements said the fencing rested shortly after he came out after a three-day diplomatic ebrate the 70th anniversary tories and businesses after a the government that we’d like “is not always the best answer of Bangladesh’s apex court in visit to China by Vietnam’s of establishing diplomatic Chinese drilling rig entered to be engaged and understand in terms of security.” Dhaka Thursday, Xinhua news deputy foreign minister, relations between Vietnam the disputed waters. better their plans. We have “Obviously we’ll try to see agency reported. Le Hoai Trung, who held and China [next year],” the Most recently, tensions off ered our technical experts how it can be implemented in BNP joint secretary general talks with Chinese Vice For- statement added. have soared between Beijing to come... and assess and see a way that doesn’t adversely Khairul Kabir Khokon was also eign Minister Le Yucheng in Beijing claims almost all and Hanoi as Chinese survey what arrangements have been aff ect the refugee community arrested from the Supreme Court Beijing. of the South China Sea as its ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 has re- made,” she said. nor the host,” she said. area Thursday. While the ministers territory and has built artifi - peatedly violated Vietnam’s Nearly 1mn Rohingya, in- In a reply to a question on the A Dhaka Metropolitan Police stopped short of saying they cial islands with military-ca- exclusive economic zone cluding some 740,000 who refugees’ chances of repatriation, Abdulla Yameen arrives at a (DMP) offi cial said both the BNP expected tensions to cease, pable facilities over reefs and while searching for oil and gas fl ed a 2017 military crack- she said it would be “extremely criminal court for his trial on leaders were arrested in connec- they agreed to “resolve con- outcrops in the area, which reserves. down in Myanmar’s Rakhine diffi cult to set a timeline”. Thursday in Male. tion with Tuesday’s clash be- tween police and a group of BNP leaders and activists on a road in front of the apex court. The DMP offi cial who did Flashmob protest not like to be named said police Slow and steady hope for lodged the case on Tuesday nam- ing 20 to 25 BNP leaders for insti- gating violence. Two policemen were report- near-extinct tortoises edly injured in the clash which erupted while BNP men were staging a demonstration in front By Shafiqul Alam, AFP newborns are released back into of the High Court building seek- Rajendrapur the wild. ing Zia’s release. Logging and slash-and-burn A number of vehicles were re- agriculture are eating into their portedly vandalised during the ewly-hatched tortoises natural habitat, Rahman says. clash. take their fi rst steps at The human population in the A BNP spokesman who did not Na Bangladesh conserva- lush Chittagong hills has soared, want to be named said the arrests tion park, their feet barely vis- with the area’s tribal minor- aimed at silencing critics and ible under hard shells that carry ity groups pushed further into weakening oppositions’ voices. the weight of the species on their the jungle by the encroachment Zia has been in jail since Feb- backs. of settlers from elsewhere in ruary 2018 after being convicted These tiny newborns – 41 in all An Asian giant tortoise walks at Bangladesh. in two corruption cases. – belong to a species thought to the Turtle Conservation Centre at Hills have been stripped bare In April last year she was shift- have gone extinct in the country a forest reserve in Rajendrapur, of vegetation for new roads and ed to a hospital in Dhaka when until seven years ago, when they some 40kms (25 miles) north of development, and the tortoises she fell ill and has remained there were rediscovered by conserva- capital Dhaka. are also popular in tribal cuisine. ever since. tionists with the help of locals in World Bank conservationist Her party leaders want her re- the southeastern Chittagong hills. The 41 to have survived are Ishtiak Sobhan said environ- leased for treatment abroad as, Climate change activists lie on the ground as they stage a ‘drop dead’ flashmob protest Once abundant across dense growing at a “healthy pace”, mental activists are working to they say, her health kept deterio- against climate change consequences at Lumpini Park in Bangkok yesterday. tropical forests in Bangladesh, conservationist Shahriar Caesar encourage the indigenous popu- rating. Myanmar, and Thailand, the Rahman said. lation to cut tortoise meat from population of Asian Forest Tor- “It is a huge achievement be- their diets. toises has fallen sharply after cause without this intervention Some tribespeople are also be- widespread habitat destruction they would have gone extinct ing trained to rescue the animals and rampant poaching. from the country,” Rahman said. from poachers, with around two With their local population “We are giving them a realistic to three saved each year. Cambodia promises building for ‘outdoor students’ estimated at less than 50 be- chance now for them to get back Meanwhile, a decades-long fore the recent births, wildlife from the brink. And we hope local insurgency has hampered DPA he had reported the issue to Photos published by the from 300 last year to 425 this experts and forestry offi cials that in future they will survive eff orts by authorities to protect Phnom Penh Prime Minister Hun Sen, who Times and shared online show year, principal Tes Sophorn have worked hard to boost their and thrive in Bangladesh.” the wild creatures and other en- has agreed to replace a primary students in school uniforms said. numbers. Across the region, the popu- dangered animals in the forest. school building in the northern sitting on a blanket in front of a About 87% of students in Two years ago they brought lation of Asian Forest Tortoises Senior forest department of- ambodian students in province of Preah Vihear. teacher and white board set up Preah Vihear complete primary two male and fi ve female adults has plummeted by at least 80 fi cial Imran Ahmed said the a rural province are set “After fi nding out the actual under the shade of a tree. school, higher than the na- to a forest reserve north of the percent in the past 135 years and government will roll out new Cto get two new school situation, we are recommend- Teacher Lim Soklin told the tional rate of 79%, according to capital Dhaka in an eff ort to the species is critically endan- projects to conserve the fauna in buildings after photos of doz- ing to the Prime Minister to newspaper that the photos were Education Ministry fi gures for breed them in captivity. gered, according to the Interna- the hilly area. ens of them studying outdoors help facilitate the construction publicized as part of an appeal 2017 to 2018. To their delight, the ap- tional Union for Conservation of “Our plan is now to involve the due to school overcrowding of a cement building to replace for donors to help rebuild the Of the province’s 509 school propriately-named Casano- Nature. local tribal people to conserve went viral on social media, local the small wooden one which school, which lacked enough buildings, more than 130 don’t va, around 15 years old, and Environmentalists say the these rare animals. We want to co- media reported yesterday. cannot accommodate all the space, tables and chairs due to an have a good fl oor, 120 have poor Big Boy, aged between 50 and success of the breeding pro- manage the project with them. Senior Minister Kun Kim students in the school,” Kim increase in enrolment this year. walls and 65 have poor roofs, 100, mated with four females gramme is no guarantee the I think that’ll bring sustainable told the Khmer Times that said. The number of students rose the ministry said. giving birth to 46 babies. species will survive once the success,” Ahmed said. Gulf Times Saturday, November 30, 2019 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Samoa measles toll hits 42 as nations despatch medical teams, supplies

Reuters children younger than four. A way between Hawaii and New under the age of four, the govern- of whom are very young, need- Australia said it had also sent players from New Zealand, where Wellington signifi cant drop in immunisa- Zealand, with its government ment said. ing complex care as a result of medical personnel and supplies. Auckland, the biggest city, is tion over the last few years has saying 50,068 people have been Neighbouring New Zealand the measles outbreak,” said New Measles is caused by a highly tackling a growing number of made Samoa highly vulnerable vaccinated. The health ministry said it was sending more sup- Zealand’s foreign minister, Win- contagious virus that spreads cases. ore nations were fl ying to outbreaks of the disease, with said 3,149 cases of measles have plies and personnel, including ston Peters. easily through coughing and Measles cases are rising world- medical staff and sup- the World Health Organisation been reported, with 213 during emergency medical assistance New Zealand would also fund sneezing. wide, even in wealthy nations Mplies to Samoa yester- (WHO) saying vaccine coverage the last 24 hours. Of 197 victims teams, nurse vaccinators, inten- 100,000 more vaccines for mea- Other nations in the Pacifi c, such as Germany and the United day to battle a measles outbreak is just about 31% there. in hospital, 20 are critically ill sive care specialists and Samoan- sles and rubella, Peters added in such as Tonga and Fiji, are also States, as parents shun immuni- that prompted the Pacifi c island Schools have been shut and a children and three are pregnant speaking medical professionals. a statement. Britain said a group grappling with a spike in the sation for philosophical or reli- nation to declare a state of emer- mass vaccination eff ort launched women, it added. Deaths in the “The Samoan health system is of British doctors and nurses left number of measles cases. Tonga gious reasons, or fears, debunked gency this month, as the death in the nation of just 200,000 lo- outbreak have now reached 42, under serious strain with grow- yesterday to help Samoa’s eff orts has said its outbreak followed by doctors, that such vaccines toll rose to 42, most of them cated south of the equator half- the majority of them children ing numbers of people, many to rein in the outbreak, while the return of a squad of its rugby could cause autism.

Kim HK protesters supervises N Korea weapons plan agitation test

AFP over weekend Seoul orth Korea’s leader Reuters victory to pro-democracy can- people during the turmoil at the Kim Jong-un super- Hong Kong didates. Activists are trying to university, Kwok Ka-chuen, a Nvised Thursday’s test keep up momentum, after win- senior police offi cial, told re- of what it called a “super-large ning backing from US President porters on Friday. A total of multiple launch rocket sys- ong Kong police yes- Donald Trump that has renewed 5,890 people have been arrest- Anti-government protesters gesture as they display Union Jack flags after a rally outside the British tem”, Pyongyang’s state media terday withdrew from global attention on the Asian fi - ed since early June, he added. Consulate General, at Pacific place in Hong Kong yesterday. said yesterday, hinting that it Ha university campus nancial hub and infuriated Bei- Before police left, they seized could be the last in that series. trashed by weeks of clashes as jing. nearly 4,000 Molotov cock- menting unrest. Beijing warned fell 44% in October from a year Hong Kong’s justice secretary Pyongyang fi red what Seoul pro-democracy activists can- “Many classrooms, laborato- tails and hundreds of bottles of Washington of “fi rm counter earlier. has urged him to report the described as “unidentifi ed pro- vassed social media to promote ries and library were destroyed. chemicals, Kwok said. measures” after Trump signed A few hundred protesters, matter to the relevant Chinese jectiles” on Thursday – the more protests at the weekend. Even so, there’s been no loss of At one point yesterday, a legislation supporting the pro- some carrying Union Jack fl ags, authorities and said she has no Thanksgiving holiday in the US Senior members of Hong Kong life. We insisted on adopting a man and woman emerged from testers on Wednesday. gathered at the British consu- opinion on the accusations. – South Korean offi cials said, as Polytechnic University toured humane way to solve the crisis,” the campus wearing black face On a visit to Bangkok, Hong late yesterday urging London Other demonstrations nuclear talks between the North buildings strewn with debris af- university president Teng Jin- masks and walked out hand- Kong Chief Executive Carrie to extend citizenship to Hong planned over the weekend and the United States remain ter police left, including a sports Guang told reporters, saying the in-hand, with no sign of po- Lam yesterday tried to reassure Kong residents born before the include a rally by second- deadlocked. hall and a ruined Starbucks out- next semester would go ahead lice. Demonstrators are angry the Thai government and busi- 1997 handover to China and ary school students, a protest Japanese Prime Minister let, seeing smashed windows on time. at what they see as Chinese nesses that her city was still an classifi ed as overseas British against the use of tear gas near Shinzo Abe said the weapons and charred piles of former bar- Located on Kowloon penin- meddling in freedoms promised attractive fi nancial hub. nationals. children, and a “march of grati- were ballistic missiles which ricades. sula, the campus became a bat- when Britain returned Hong The anti-government pro- They chanted “We are all Si- tude” to the US consulate. A represented “serious defi ance” After more than fi ve months tleground earlier this month Kong to Chinese rule in 1997. tests have at times forced busi- mon”, referring to a former con- rally planned for Dec. 8 by Civil of the international community of increasingly violent demon- when protesters barricaded China denies interfering, says it nesses, government, schools sulate employee, Simon Cheng, Human Rights Front, the group – Pyongyang is banned from strations, the Chinese-ruled themselves in and fought riot is committed to the “one coun- and even the international air- who said Chinese secret police that organised million-strong such launches under UN Securi- city has enjoyed relative calm police in a hail of petrol bombs, try, two systems” formula put port to close. The unrest has beat him and deprived him of marches in June, is likely to pro- ty Council sanctions over its nu- since local elections on Sun- water cannon and tear gas. Po- in place at that time, and has hit the economy, with data on sleep seeking information about vide the best gauge of the de- clear and missiles programmes. day delivered an overwhelming lice arrested more than 1,300 blamed foreign forces for fo- Friday showing tourist arrivals activists behind the protests. mocracy movement’s support. North Korea’s KCNA news agen- cy released pictures of a smiling Kim attending the launch wear- ing a black leather trenchcoat, being applauded by fur-hatted Charity drive troops. Singapore offi cials It also showed an image of one of the rockets ascending into the evening sky in clouds of fl ame from a four-barrelled order Facebook to truck-mounted launching sys- tem. The test “aimed to fi nally examine” the system’s combat abilities, and “proved the mili- correct post under tary and technical superiority of the weapon system and its fi rm reliability”, KCNA said, adding that Kim expressed “great satis- disinformation law faction”. The phrasing was an advance from a previous launch in Sep- AFP overseeing the law then said it tember, when KCNA said that Singapore had ordered Facebook to put some aspects of it remained to up a “correction notice” by the be tested. article, which would link to a Kim had ensured that “lots ingapore authorities yes- statement on the government’s of arms and equipment of pow- terday ordered Facebook own fact-checking site. erful performance were devel- Sto correct an article on That statement said that oped and perfected this year for a fringe news site containing Tan’s article, which claims the military”, KCNA said. The “scurrilous accusations” of elections are rigged in Singa- agency’s wording implied that election rigging, ramping up pore to ensure the ruling party Thursday’s test “may have been their use of a controversial law stays in power, contained “false the last” in the super-large mul- against misinformation. The statements of fact” and “made tiple rocket launcher system, social media giant, which has scurrilous accusations”. said Rachel Minyoung Lee, sen- previously expressed concerns The increased use of the law ior analyst at specialist site NK about the legislation, did not comes as speculation mounts News. respond to requests for com- that elections could be called South Korean children wait their turn for a performance during a ceremony to launch a year-end fundraising campaign ment and the article was still within months, although a of the Salvation Army at Gwanghwamun square in Seoul. The Salvation Army launched its year-end charity campaign for on the site without any chang- weak opposition is seen as no underprivileged people from November 29 to December 31. Former Japanese es. The order is a test of the match for the long-ruling Peo- new law, which gives ministers ple’s Action Party. Singapore premier Nakasone powers to tell platforms to put used the law for the fi rst time dies aged 101 warnings next to posts au- Monday, ordering opposition thorities deem false, but which party member Brad Bowyer to Former Japanese prime minister activists fear could be used to correct a Facebook post au- Yasuhiro Nakasone, known for curb free speech. thorities said could “smear the trying to revise the country’s On Thursday authorities reputation” of two state in- K-pop star jailed for six pacifist constitution and being a ordered Alex Tan, who runs vestment funds. close friend of former US presi- anti-government website the Bowyer — a naturalised dent Ronald Reagan, has died at States Times Review, to put Singapore citizen originally the age of 101, Japanese media up a correction next to a No- from Britain — immediately reported yesterday. vember 23 post on elections. complied. Facebook, a major years for spycam crimes A conservative politician with But Tan — who is based over- investor in Singapore, has its a better command of English seas — refused, saying he is an Asia headquarters in the city- than most other premiers before Australian citizen and would state and last year announced AFP crimes in South Korea, which the country’s largest portal site cam videos are largely made by or since, Nakasone dominated not comply with requests from plans to build a $1bn data cen- Seoul have prompted widespread anger Naver. Another added: “I hear men secretly fi lming women in politics in Japan for decades and a “foreign government”. A body tre there. and seen women demonstrating they burst into tears at sentenc- schools, toilets and elsewhere, gained widespread international in Seoul, chanting: “My life is ing. The victims will live in tears although the term can also be recognition. outh Korean singer-song- not your porn”. Jung distributed for the rest of their lives.” applied to clandestinely-shot He was in power from 1982 to Climate protests kick off in Sydney writer Jung Joon-young his videos in mobile chatrooms Jung rose to fame in 2014 footage of consensual sex. 1987, but never achieved his aim Swas convicted yesterday with recipients including fellow when he came third in the audi- Friday’s verdict came just days of changing Japan’s post-war Protesters across Asia kicked off a fresh round of global demon- of rape and distributing videos K-pop star Seungri of BIGBANG, tion show Super Star K and had after the death of Goo Hara, a constitution — an issue still hotly strations against climate change yesterday, with bushfire-ravaged of the assaults and other sexual who has been accused of illegal a number of solo hits before the former member of girl group debated in the country today. Australia taking the lead. Hundreds of people gathered outside the encounters, and was jailed for gambling in connection with a video scandal broke in March, Kara, in an apparent suicide after He argued that Japan should be off ices of the conservative Liberal party, as protesters in several six years in a scandal that has sex and drugs scandal. Jung was when he announced his retire- she was blackmailed over “re- able to support its interests with Asia-Pacific cities heeded the call to action from 16-year-old climate rocked K-pop. jailed for six years and Choi, 29, ment. At the time the rape accu- venge porn” — private sex videos military means, and advocated a change campaigner Greta Thunberg. The protests have taken on ex- Jung and Choi Jong-hoon, a for fi ve, the Seoul Central District sations had yet to emerge, but he made with or without consent strong military alliance with the tra urgency in Australia – the country’s southeast has been devastat- former member of boy band FT Court said. said he had “committed crimes but shared without permission United States. ed by hundreds of damaging bushfires in recent weeks. Brandishing Island, were found guilty of sex- Both men wept when the that cannot be forgiven”. “I apol- by disgruntled former partners His close ties to Reagan gave placards that read “You’re burning our future” and chanting “we will ual assault of two diff erent vic- sentences were announced. But ogise to the women victims who or malicious acquaintances. birth to the phrase “Ron and rise”, the demonstrators turned out as Sydney was again enveloped tims on two occasions in 2016. while the minimum sentence are suff ering because of me,” Goo’s ex-boyfriend last year Yasu” diplomacy. There is sig- in toxic smoke caused by the fires that have blanketed the city for Separately, 30-year-old Jung for rape in South Korea is three and his fans, he said, adding he threatened to “end her enter- nificant opposition to changing much of the last month. “My home town was on the frontlines,” said was also convicted of fi lming years most online commenta- would “spend the rest of my life tainment career” by leaking the the country’s pacifist constitu- student Sam Galvin who was protesting in Melbourne. “That kind of himself having sex with other tors said the penalties were too refl ecting on my wrongdoings”. footage after they split up last tion — which was written with the shocked me into realising that this is something that is happening women without their knowledge lenient. There was no immediate year, and a CCTV clip showed victorious Americans after World and it’s time I do something about it.” Six people have died and hun- and sharing the footage. “The victims have to live in statement from his lawyers or her kneeling before him appar- War II — because of lingering dreds of homes have been destroyed in the crisis, which scientists It is the highest-profi le ex- agony for the next 60 years, not his record company. Known as ently begging him not to. He was concerns about the memories of say has been worsened by rising temperatures. ample of an epidemic of spycam just six,” one poster wrote on “molka”, South Korean spy- later convicted of blackmail. Japanese wartime aggression. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, November 30, 2019 BRITAIN

Queen Elizabeth I revealed as translator of historic manuscript

Guardian News and Media fellow in English studies at the known to have translated any of tremely distinctive, disjointed – there really is nothing like it – one’s authorship that’s an abso- and the rise of his successor Ti- London University of East Anglia, while Tacitus’s Annals: the queen her- hand”. and the idiosyncratic fl ourishes lute gift. That was the exciting beriu. It also features a section he was researching manuscript self, whom her contemporary “The paper stock fi rst got me serve as diagnostic tools. If you moment, the real clincher.” in which Germanicus’s wife, translations of the Roman his- John Clapham described taking thinking – it’s a very specifi c were a professional scribe you Philo’s article on his discovery Agrippina, calms unruly troops. he appalling handwriting torian. “pleasure in reading of the best kind of paper, but I was still be- were trained to write regularly was published in the Review of Part of Elizabeth’s translation gave the game away. An Philo noticed that the water- and wisest histories, and some ing rigorously pessimistic,” said and elegantly, you needed your English Studies yesterday. It also of this part reads: “She a wom- Tacademic has identifi ed marks on the paper stock used for part of Tacitus’s Annals she her- Philo. “The thing that clinched writing to be understood. reveals how the scribe’s writing an of great courage playde the the anonymous 16th-century the translation – a rampant lion self turned into English for her it for me was the handwriting. As a general rule the higher up was matched to a professional Captaine for that tyme, and be- author of a translation of Taci- and the initials GB, with a cross- private exercise”. That was the strongest clue. I the hierarchy you are the more copyist working in the Eliza- stowed on the soldiors as euery tus: Queen Elizabeth I. bow countermark – were those Then he looked at the hand- collected as wide a sample of liberties you can take. In her lat- bethan secretariat in the mid- man needed or was wounded, Kept in Lambeth Palace’s li- used for the queen’s private cor- writing. While the translation her handwriting as possible and er years, you have letters sent by 1590s. bread and clothes … she stoode brary since the 17th century, the respondence and translations. itself is copied in the elegant compared her other transla- Elizabeth and then an aide add- The text translated by Eliza- at the bridges end to give lawde manuscript was identifi ed by But there was only one translator hand of a scribe, the corrections tions.” It was a match. “Her late ing: ‘Sorry, please fi nd a fair copy beth deals with the death of the and praise to the returning le- John-Mark Philo, an honorary at court in the late 16th century and additions are in “an ex- handwriting is usefully messy here.’ In terms of proving some- fi rst Roman emperor Augustus gions.” Man who shot dead pregnant ex-wife gets life sentence

Guardian News and Media require a license for ownership.” London Unmathallegadoo took up po- sition in the garden shed armed with two crossbows, bolts, a man has been jailed for knife, duct tape, cable ties and a life with a minimum term hammer. He was discovered by Aof 33 years for the cross- the victim’s husband who called bow murder of his heavily preg- for his wife to run as he was nant ex-wife. chased into the house. Ramanodge Unmathallegadoo, Sana had an arranged marriage 51, killed Sana Mohamed, 35, at to the defendant, who was 30 her home in east London on the at the time, in Mauritius on her morning of November 12, 2018. 16th birthday, the court was told. He burst in and fi red an arrow into Their relationship broke down in her stomach as she tried to fl ee 2012 after an incident in which upstairs. Sana, formerly known as Sana jumped out of an upstairs Devi Unmathallegadoo, sustained window and broke her ankle. She catastrophic internal injuries and told the police that Unmathal- Police and emergency vehicles gather at Leadenhall near London Bridge in central London yesterday. died while her unborn son – her legadoo had stared at her as he sixth child – was delivered by cae- sharpened knives in the garden. sarean section and survived. In 2013, Unmathallegadoo A jury at the Old Bailey reject- was cleared of attacking Sana ed the defendant’s claim it was and acquitted on the judge’s di- an accident and found him guilty rection of a charge of attempted of murder after four hours of de- strangulation under the Off enc- liberations last week. es Against the Person Act 1861. Passing sentence yesterday, Sana successfully fi led for an Police shoot dead man the judge Mark Lucraft QC said emergency non-molestation or- it was a “brutal and evil attack” der, which barred the defendant and were it not for the presence from coming within 100 metres of Sana’s children, he would of the family home in Ilford. The have shot her new husband too. order was still in place at the He told the defendant: “You time of killing. have carefully planned this at- Sana went on to marry Imtiaz after several stabbed tack. You had two loaded cross- Mohamed, a builder, and the bows and I’m entirely satisfi ed couple had two children together Reuters I can confirm that this suspect drags another person away from he would be giving him a full a packed concert hall in Man- you intended an attack on Sana and were awaiting the imminent London died at the scene,” the coun- the man on the fl oor. briefing. chester, as crowds began leaving and then on Imtiaz. One can only arrival of their third. try’s top counter-terrorism Soon after, what sound like “I’m being kept updated on a concert by US singer Ariana assume that you were jealous of Unmathallegadoo started to officer, Neil Basu, told report- two gunshots ring out, and the the incident at London Bridge Grande. their life together and the fact plot revenge after the divorce, olice yesterday shot dead ers. man on the ground stops mov- and want to thank the police And in March the same year, that they had formed a loving the court was told. He bought a man who had strapped a “A number of other people ing. and all emergency services for an attacker stabbed a policeman bond between themselves and two crossbows online for around Pfake bomb to his body and received injuries during this in- Reuters could not immedi- their immediate response,” close to London’s parliament with your children.” £250 each, which were discov- stabbed a number of people in cident,” Basu said. “We believe a ately verify the footage. Johnson said in a statement. buildings after a car ploughed The judge said the crossbows ered stashed near his ex-wife’s what they said was a terrorism device that was strapped to the The ambulance service de- London Bridge was the scene into pedestrians on nearby and bolts the defendant acquired home by a neighbour in March incident in the London Bridge body of the suspect was a hoax clared a “major incident” in the of an attack in June 2017 when Westminster Bridge. did not require a licence and 2018. Unmathallegadoo replaced area of the capital. explosive device.” area and London Bridge sta- three militants drove a van into Six people died, including the could be bought online. “As is the crossbows and organised Police said they had been A video posted on Twitter tion, a busy commuter hub, was pedestrians and then attacked assailant and the policeman he shown by events that followed, surveillance on the house. alerted at just before 2pm to showed a group of about half closed. people in the surrounding area, stabbed, and at least 20 were they can be used to devastating Imtiaz paid tribute to his out- a stabbing at a premises near a dozen men wrestling with People in buildings around killing eight people and injuring injured in what police called a eff ect to kill,” he said. “Many, I going and bubbly wife. He said: London Bridge, the scene of a someone on the ground on the the scene were evacuated to the at least 48. “marauding terrorist attack”. am sure, will fi nd the ease with “She was very friendly, talkative deadly attack by militants two sidewalk of the bridge. north side of the River Thames Islamic State said its fi ghters Earlier this month, Britain had which some items are available and always made me laugh. She years ago. One of them backs away from by security services. were responsible. lowered its national terrorism deeply concerning. It is for oth- was my soulmate, my best friend, “A male suspect was shot by the scene carrying a knife. Prime Minister Boris John- The month before, a sui- threat level to “substantial” ers to consider whether these my wife, my companion and my specialist armed officers from As he looks towards the me- son was on his way back to cide bomber killed 22 children from “severe”, its lowest level items should be controlled and everything, and I love her dearly”. the City of London police and lee, an armed police offi cer Downing Street and Basu said and adults and wounded 59 at since 2014. PM urges Trump to Duchess ‘secretly worked’ at hospital keep out of election Daily Mail It is not unheard of for roy- London als to undertake longer periods of work experience ‘under the Reuters “The best (thing) when you and during a previous visit radar’. Earlier this year, Prince London have close friends and allies like criticised Johnson’s predeces- he Duchess of Cam- William spent three weeks the US and the UK is for neither sor Theresa May over her Brexit bridge has spent two with MI5, MI6 and Chelten- side to get involved in each oth- policy. Tdays secretly under- ham GCHQ, while his mother, rime Minister Boris John- er’s election.” Corbyn has said Johnson will taking ‘work experience’ in a Diana, often dropped in unan- son yesterday said it would Johnson has said that, if he re- sell off parts of Britain’s widely busy hospital maternity unit, it nounced to homeless shelters Pbe “best” if US President tains power, he will deliver Brexit cherished health service to US emerged. and hospitals she supported. Donald Trump does not get in- by January 31 — after nearly four businesses after Brexit, but Kate, 37, joined the team at Kate’s visit was simply an- volved in Britain’s election when years of political crisis follow- Johnson denied this. Kingston Hospital in Surrey nounced in the Court Circular, he visits London for a Nato sum- ing a 2016 referendum in which Trump previously said eve- on Tuesday and Wednesday the offi cial record of royal en- mit next week. Britons voted to leave the Euro- rything including health should to learn more about frontline gagements as: “The Duchess Trump waded into the elec- pean Union. be on the table in trade talks, maternity care. of Cambridge, joint patron, the tion in October by saying oppo- He said he wanted to keep in though he later said health As a mother-of-three, Royal Foundation of The Duke sition Labour Party leader Jer- place government preparations would not be. Kate is no stranger to the is- and Duchess of Cambridge, emy Corbyn would be “so bad” for a possible no-deal Brexit Johnson said he would use sues around having a baby and completed two days with for Britain and that Johnson — under which Britain would Brexit to introduce new state aid parenting – but all of her chil- Kingston Hospital Maternity should agree a pact with Brexit leave without agreement on the rules, change state purchasing dren were born in the exclu- Unit in London.” Party leader Nigel Farage. terms with Brussels and poten- policies and reform farming so sive private Lindo Wing at St Kensington Palace refused to But senior Conservatives are tially expose itself to more eco- that public bodies aim to “buy Mary’s, Paddington. comment further, while King- nervous that Trump could upset nomic uncertainty — but that British” goods. Kingston delivered 5,330 ba- ston Hospital had been told not the campaign when in London, he expected to secure a trade “The NHS is not for sale,” he bies in 2017-18 and was rated discuss the visit, although it just over a week before the De- deal with the EU by the end of said. as ‘good’ by the Care Quality was made clear that the duch- cember 12 election which polls 2020. Taking questions from LBC Commission. Sources said that ess has not delivered babies nor indicate Johnson is on course to “Many of those preparations listeners, he declined to say how Kate was there as part of her helped with procedures. win. will be extremely valuable as many children he had or whether work into ‘Early Years’ provi- Eighteen months ago, it was “What we don’t do tradition- we come out of EU arrange- he would have any more. sion, one of the cornerstones revealed that the duchess had ally as loving allies and friends, ments anyway,” he told report- Johnson, 55, is living at the of her offi cial work as a royal. launched a ‘game-changing’ what we don’t do traditionally, is ers. prime minister’s Downing Street It was not announced in ad- initiative to mend ‘broken get involved in each other’s elec- The US president, who is due residence with his partner Carrie vance and most hospital staff Britain’ by tackling anti-social tion campaigns,” Johnson, 55, to arrive on Monday, has cast Symonds after separating from Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures at a news conference in weren’t told about her presence behaviour, addiction and men- told LBC radio. Johnson as “Britain’s Trump” his wife last year. London yesterday. to keep disruption to a minimum. tal health issues at birth. Gulf Times Saturday, November 30, 2019 9 EUROPE Reports: Maltese premier to resign over journalist’s murder probe

DPA man Yorgen Fenech is offi cially Fenech’s immunity request Valletta charged in connection with the was discussed overnight in an Caruana Galizia murder. emergency cabinet meeting, and Murder investigations have denied. altese Prime Minister gathered pace after the Novem- Muscat told reporters that Joseph Muscat is pre- ber 20 arrest of Fenech, who was both the police commissioner Mparing to resign in the stopped aboard a luxury yacht and attorney-general had ad- wake of the growing fallout from while apparently trying to escape vised against it. the Daphne Caruana Galizia from Malta. Muscat, 45, has been prime murder probe, press reports said Fenech was arrested last week minister since 2013. yesterday. and has since been released and He has come under huge pres- Caruana Galizia was a Maltese re-arrested a number of times. sure to resign since Schembri, investigative journalist who ex- He appeared in court yesterday Mizzi and another government posed government corruption in to demand a stop to the investi- minister, Chris Cardona, left her blog. gations. their positions this week after She was assassinated in a car The prominent businessman being linked to the Caruana Gal- bomb explosion in October 2017. is alleging a confl ict of interest izia probe. Muscat’s “decision to leave between Keith Arnaud, an in- Schembri was arrested on was precipitated by the political vestigator, and a key potential Tuesday and released two days Muscat: reported to have informed President George Vella of his and legal crisis brought about by suspect, Muscat’s former chief of later without charge. intention to resign. the Daphne Caruana Galizia in- staff Keith Schembri. The decision angered the vestigation debacle”, the Times of Fenech also claims to have evi- Caruana Galizia family and other It is “both inevitable and im- state of the rule of law with rep- Malta newspaper said. dence incriminating Schembri as campaigners. perative for our country to start a resentatives of the government, The prime minister has in- the mastermind of Caruana Gal- “We are dismayed to see that desperately needed cleaning-up the judiciary, the investigating formed President George Vella of izia’s assassination, but wants Schembri was released under the and healing process after six and authorities and civil society, as his intentions and is due to speak legal immunity to reveal it. watch of the prime minister, who a half years of lies, corruption well as journalists and the family to the nation in a televised ad- Shortly before her murder, continues to play judge, jury and and an assassination that killed of the murdered Daphne Caruana dress, the daily added. Caruana Galizia received a large executioner in an assassination one of us,” he tweeted. Galizia,” in’t Veld said. Malta Today, another news- leak of data concerning a power investigation that so far impli- A European Parliament del- Meanwhile, civil society paper, said it was “informed that station deal in which Fenech has cates three of his closest col- egation will visit Malta on Mon- groups announced another dem- Muscat will offi cially step down a business interest. leagues,” the journalist’s family day to look into the latest revela- onstration outside the prime when a new Labour Party leader E-mails leaked later showed said in a statement. tions about the murder case, the minister’s offi ce in Valletta to de- is elected in the coming weeks. that a secret company owned by Simon Busuttil, a former con- head of the EU’s Democracy, Rule mand his resignation. He will remain prime minister Fenech, 17 Black, was named as servative opposition leader and of Law and Fundamental Rights “Let’s gather tonight and start until then”. the source of funds for off shore member of the European Parlia- Monitoring Group, Sophie in’t together the rebuilding of our According to the Times of companies Schembri and a gov- ment, joined calls for the prime Veld, told DPA yesterday. country,” Manuel Delia, a blogger Rose Vella, mother of late journalist Caruana Galizia, holds a picture Malta, the prime minister will ernment minister, Konrad Mizzi, minister’s “immediate depar- “We intend to discuss the cur- and journalist due to speak at the of her daughter during a demonstration to demand justice over her step down as soon as business- set up in Panama. ture”. rent situation in Malta and the rally, wrote on his blog. murder, outside the Off ice of the Prime Minister in Valletta.

Over 160 nations agree to speed landmine clearing The 164 signatory countries to the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) agreed yesterday to accelerate Erdogan slams Macron the work to achieve the goal of a “mine-free” world in 2025, Norway’s foreign ministry said. “Countries have now agreed that it is necessary to speed up mine clearance over the next five years,” Norway’s Minister of Foreign Aff airs Ine Eriksen days before Nato events Soreide said in a statement following a meeting in Oslo. AFP but you cannot even properly for a scrap over spending and According to Landmine Paris pay for Nato. You are a novice,” how to deal with Russia, in a Monitor, an annual report by the Erdogan said. huge test of Nato’s unity. Landmine and Cluster Munition The French government said it Macron set the ball rolling Monitor, 6,897 people were killed urkish President Re- would summon the Turkish am- for a fractious gathering by de- or injured by mines and other cep Tayyip Erdogan has bassador in Paris for talks over scribing the club in a November explosive remnants of war in Tlashed out at Emmanuel the broadside, the second time 7 interview with the Economist 2018 and the report noted that it Macron over his criticism of it has called in the envoy in as magazine as suff ering from was the fourth year in a row with Turkey’s military intervention many months. “brain death”. “exceptionally high numbers of in Syria, saying that the French “This is not a statement, In support of his assessment, recorded casualties”. president was suff ering “brain these are insults,” an offi cial in he cited the shock decision by Of those, 3,789 were victims of death”, a phrase Macron recent- the presidency said, adding: US President Donald Trump to so called improvised mines, the ly used to describe the North “The ambassador will be sum- withdraw troops from northern highest recorded number to date. Atlantic Treaty Organisation moned to the ministry to explain Syria and the ensuing Turkish Under the “Oslo Action Plan”, (Nato). things.” off ensive against the Kurdish adopted yesterday, states Erdogan used a televised Erdogan appeared particularly YPG militia which Ankara views undertake to “identify mined speech to launch a stunning at- irked by Macron’s criticisms of as terrorists. areas and put in place national tack on Macron, just days be- Turkey’s cross-border off ensive Yesterday was not the fi rst plans for mine clearance”. fore the two men join other Nato in October against a Western- time he came under attack from They also commit to measuring leaders in England for events to backed Kurdish militia that had Ankara after criticising Turkey. their progress in the final stretch mark the alliance’s 70th birth- been leading the fi ght on the In October, Foreign Minis- before 2025, the goal set by day. ground against the Islamic State ter Mevlut Cavusoglu likened the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban “I am talking to France’s Pres- (IS) group in Syria. him to a “crowing cockerel” af- Convention or Ottawa Treaty in ident Emmanuel Macron, and The Turkish off ensive killed ter Macron criticised Ankara’s 1997, the Norwegian ministry of I will also say this at Nato. First dozens of civilians, mainly on This file photo taken on January 5 last year shows Macron and Erdogan walk away after a joint press record on human rights in a foreign aff airs said in a statement. of all, have your own brain death the Kurdish side, and prompted conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris. speech at the Council of Europe. The meeting in Oslo this week checked. These statements are hundreds of thousands to fl ee Didier Billion, a researcher at was the last in a series of five-year suitable only to people like you their homes. “with the fait accompli of a mili- ing against terror is. That is why cron. “Jump up and down as the French Institute for Inter- meetings to implement the treaty who are in a state of brain death,” During a press confer- tary operation that endangers ‘yellow vests’ invaded France,” much as you like ... you will re- national and Strategic Aff airs, drafted in 1997. Erdogan said. ence alongside Nato chief Jens the actions of the anti-IS coali- he added, in a swipe over the spect Turkey’s right to fi ghting described the deterioration in Armed groups are increasingly He was referencing Macron’s Stoltenberg in Paris on Thurs- tion of which Nato is a member”, protests that badly rattled Ma- against terrorism sooner or later. relations between France and using improvised mines. much-publicised recent claim day, Macron said he understood he added. cron’s government last year. There is no other way.” Turkey as “nearly as serious as According to Landmine Monitor, that Nato was suff ering “brain the security concerns of “our Seizing on the remarks, Tur- Erdogan said Ankara had a The war of words adds to the during the time of (ex-president non-state groups used this type death” owing to the lack of Turkish ally, which has suff ered key’s 64-year-old president ac- right to intervene in Syria given tensions among Nato members Nicolas) Sarkozy”. of weapon last year in at least strategic co-operation among several attacks on its soil”. cused 41-year-old Macron of the countries’ shared border. that threaten to overshadow Sarkozy drew Turkey’s ire by six countries: Afghanistan, India, members. However, it was unacceptable being “very inexperienced”. “What is your business in next week’s summit. opposing Turkey’s Turkey EU Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, and “You know how to show off for Turkey to present its allies “He doesn’t know what fi ght- Syria?” he said, addressing Ma- National leaders are bracing membership ambitions. Yemen.

Albanians Space agency agrees on record budget hold mass AFP tifi c work, citing moves to in- highlighted were the fi rst gravi- transition to the next generation Seville crease earth observation as part tational wave detector in space, of launchers, the massive Ari- of eff orts, among other things, LISA, and the black hole mis- ane 6 and the smaller Vega-C, funeral to monitor climate change. sion Athena, designed to “en- “and have given the green light uropean Space Agency “It is a giant step forward for able fundamental advances in to Space Rider, the ESA’s new (ESA) members have Europe, 50 years after the moon our understanding of the basic reusable spaceship”. for quake Eagreed a record €14.4bn landing,” said Jean-Yves Le Gall, physics of the Universe”. Going into the meeting, ESA budget, promising to maintain head of the French space agency. The ESA reiterated its com- offi cials had said the agency was Europe’s place at the top table “We have beaten all records in mitment to the International hoping to get increased funding victims as the United States and China terms of fi nancial contribu- Space Station until 2030 and to ensure Europe does not lag press ahead and industry dis- tions.” its participation in the Gateway behind. Relatives mourn during the funeral in Thumane, Albania, of six ruptors such as Elon Musk’s Germany made the largest project, the fi rst space station Europe has established itself AFP members of the Cara family. Space X present new challenges. contribution to the budget, at planned to orbit the Moon. as a major space player, with Thumane, Albania The budget is split, with some €3.3bn, followed by France “European astronauts will fl y the Ariane 6 launcher the latest where numerous buildings col- tended the funerals, kneeling €12.5bn ($14.1bn) committed for on €2.7bn, Italy €2.3bn and to the Moon for the fi rst time,” it off the production line and the lapsed, loved ones wept before down to toss dirt on the coffi ns in three years and the full €14.4bn Britain with €1.7bn. said in a closing statement, and Galileo GPS system operational. lbanian families buried the six wooden coffi ns of the a local custom of respect. over fi ve, representing an in- The ESA is not a European the ESA will support a “ground- Critics say however that it has their loved ones yesterday Cara family and three more be- In a message of condolences crease of some €4bn on the pre- Union body, so Britain’s position breaking Mars Sample Return been slow to develop some key Aand the country mourned longing to the Greku family. posted on Facebook, he wrote: vious spending plan. as a member remains unchanged mission in co-operation with innovations – notably reusable the 49 people known to have died The victims were among more “You will never be alone.” “It’s a surprise, even more despite Brexit. Nasa.” rockets pioneered by the likes of in this week’s earthquake, as of- than 20 people whose bodies In the other hard-hit coastal than I proposed ... this is good,” To reinforce that message, the In telecommunications, the Musk. fi cials grapple with the destruc- were pulled from ruins in Thu- city of Durres, search eff orts fo- ESA head Jan Woerner told a UK Space Agency issued a state- ESA aims to help develop fl ex- This “New Space” evolution tion left in its wake. mane, where a sombre silence cused on a toppled hotel on the news conference on Thurs- ment recalling that Britain was ible satellite systems integrated has seen Musk develop reus- Entire families were crushed reigned yesterday after the fren- Adriatic shore. day after ministers from the 22 one of the ESA’s founding mem- with 5G networks, “as well as able launchers for dramatically by their homes when the 6.4 zy of the search eff ort had ceased Around 45 people have been member states met in Seville for bers, and detailing its commit- next-generation optical tech- smaller yet more powerful sat- magnitude earthquake – the a day earlier. rescued this week by relief teams two days. ments to a series of programmes nology for a fi bre-like ‘network ellites, many designed to create most deadly and devastating “Respect the dead,” said Fat- who worked around the clock Woerner said the funding including earth observation, 5G in the sky’, marking a transfor- and run the “connected world” in decades – jolted the Balkan mir, a relative of the Cara family, with foreign experts – who pledges meant that the ESA telecoms and monitoring space mation in the satellite commu- of driverless cars and countless country before dawn on Tuesday. shooing away media. brought dogs, cameras and other could run a full series of pro- debris. nication industry”. other aspects of everyday life on In the town of Thumane, Prime Minister Edi Rama at- equipment to comb the rubble. grammes plus additional scien- Among the projects the ESA Ministers also endorsed the earth. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, November 30, 2019 INDIA

DECISION VIOLENCE LEGAL SCAM TOUGH TIMES Aarey car-shed work Student activists clash Malayalam actor’s plea One litre milk mixed with Engineers, graduates apply suspended: Thackeray at Kerala college in assault case dismissed water served to 81 children for sanitary worker post

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray Trouble broke out at the University College in Malayalam actor Dileep suff ered a setback when Two days after children were served diluted milk After the rush of people with professional yesterday announced that work on the upcoming Thiruvananthapuram yesterday evening when the Supreme Court ruled against his appeal for in an Uttar Pradesh primary school as part of qualifications seeking sweeper jobs in the Tamil Mumbai Metro car-shed at Aarey Colony has been student activists of the Students Federation handing over the visuals of the assault on an midday meal, Pakaudi Lal Kol, Apna Dal lawmaker Nadu Assembly secretariat early this year, it suspended. “The work on the Mumbai Metro will of India (SFI) aff iliated to the ruling CPI-M and actress after she was abducted. The court however from Robertsganj admitted there is “lethargy” in is now the turn of Coimbatore Corporation to continue unhindered. However, the work of the the Congress party-aff iliated KSU clashed. ruled that Dileep or his counsel can have a look governance which was leading to incidents of graft be flooded with applications from engineers car-shed will be suspended until further orders. The unrest began when a KSU post graduate at the visuals, subject to conditions. The actress in the midday meals scheme. Reacting to the latest and others for the post of sanitary worker. We will not allow even a leaf from Aarey Colony to student was attacked by SFI students. Angry was abducted and assaulted in a moving car on such incident in which a bucketful of water was The Coimbatore Corporation had sought be removed,” he asserted. Thackeray’s statement KSU activists yesterday took out a march to the February 17, 2017. Dileep was arrested in July in the mixed in one litre of milk and served to 81 children applications for 549 grade-I sanitary worker came barely two months after the Mumbai Metro state secretariat, while another KSU student was case and is presently out on bail. Dileep has said in a government primary school in Sonebhadra, posts which had evoked response from Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) authorities chopped attacked in the afternoon To protest the attacks, that until he gets a copy of the memory card, which he said, “I will ensure that action is taken in the about 7,000 applicants many of whom were down 2,141 trees in a few hours. Thackeray pointed KSU activist reached the college but were denied he asserted proves his innocence, the framing of matter.” After the news of the incident went viral qualified engineers, graduates and diploma out that he had become the first CM of the state entry by the police. Soon, SFI students inside the charges would result in “irreparable damage” to his yesterday, an assistant teacher was suspended holders. DMK president M K Stalin condemned from Mumbai and would ensure that “not a single college started throwing stones. Later, they came reputation. With this fresh development, the stay from school. The cook claimed that she had been the state government and said it shows the paise of public money” is misused. armed with sticks to take on the KSU students. on the trial in the case has been lifted. told by the teacher to add boiled water to the milk. unemployment problem in the state. Four arrested Poll campaign for woman’s rape, murder

IANS charred body near Shadnagar Hyderabad and it was identifi ed as that of the missing woman. Meanwhile the victim’s family truck driver and three alleged that the Cyberabad Po- cleaners have been ar- lice had not responded promptly Arested by Cyberabad po- to their complaint and that quick lice for the alleged gang-rape response could have saved her. and murder of a woman veteri- The victim’s father said though narian near the Outer Ring Road they approached the police (ORR) on the outskirts of Hy- around 11pm on Wednesday, the derabad on Wednesday night, it police wasted time debating over was announced yesterday. jurisdiction issue and asking var- Cyberabad police commis- ious questions. He said consta- sioner V C Sajjanar told a news bles were sent only around 3am. conference that the accused The parents also found fault trapped the victim by defl ating with the police for asking them one of the tyres of her bike and inappropriate questions about raped her near the Tondupally their daughter like whether she Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy campaigns for Girish K Nashi, party’s candidate from the Mahalakshmi Layout Assembly constituency in Bengaluru yesterday. toll plaza at Shamshabad. had any aff air. He said the victim died of as- The victim’s father said when phyxiation during the rape as they approached the Shamshabad the accused had tightly held her police station he was informed mouth. The accused later carried that the area came under the juris- the body 28km away to Chatan- diction of another police station. pally bridge near Shadnagar Later, police checked the town and set it ablaze. CCTV footage, which showed All the accused hail from the the victim parking her bike near Narayanpet district of Telangana. the toll booth before going to Disclosing details of the Gachibowli. However, there was Modi snub ‘led Pawar crime, the police chief said the no footage of her returning to victim had parked her bike at pick up her vehicle. the toll plaza to go visit a nearby The family and women groups dermatologist. When the victim have demanded capital punish- returned around 9pm to collect ment for the guilty. The victim’s her bike, the accused told her father said those involved in the that her bike tyre was defl ated. ghastly crime should be hanged. to align with Sena’ They then off ered to help her get “They should be hanged so that the tyre fi xed and sent one of the nobody dares to commit such a IANS fer the agriculture ministry to Hence, it was diffi cult for the Ajit Pawar had the backing of didn’t happen. Finally, he de- accused with the vehicle. crime,” he said. New Delhi the NCP, the Janata Dal United BJP to accept the NCP supre- around 30-35 MLAs who were cided to form the government in As the woman waited for her Women leaders of political (JD-U), its ally from Bihar, will mo’s demand. ready to support the BJP. alliance with the Shiv Sena and bike, the others caught hold of parties and activists, who con- demand for the railway min- The sources said Pawar had It was also speculated that the Congress. her and took her away from the soled the family, also demanded o support the Bharatiya istry. In this situation, despite sent a message to the BJP, Modi Sharad Pawar had given his tac- Dilip Deodhar, RSS ideologue main road and raped her. immediate death penalty for Janata Party (BJP) in having the mandate, the BJP and Home Minister Amit Shah tical consent to his nephew’s from Nagpur, said, “There was According to police, the vic- those involved in the crime. Tforming the government would lose two big ministries. expressing his demands. This move but afterwards he took to a buzz about Sharad Pawar’s tim had called her sister around Opposition Congress legis- in Maharashtra, National- As far as the second demand was the reason Pawar didn’t Twitter to deny the alliance of demands in the Sangh, but Mo- 9.45pm to tell her that her bike had lator Seetakka said despite tall ist Congress Party (NCP) chief of Pawar was concerned, the make any strong remarks the NCP with the BJP. di’s denial was more than that. a fl at tyre and that somebody had claims by the Telangana govern- Sharad Pawar had placed two sources said the party was never against the BJP after the results “Ajit Pawar’s decision to sup- Since the farmers’ issue is one off ered to help her and had taken ment, women lacked security conditions before the saff ron ready to replace Fadnavis as of the Maharashtra Assembly port the BJP to form the Mahar- of the main matters in the state, her vehicle. She also said she was in the state. “Where are the She party. chief minister, mainly because elections were out. ashtra government is his per- the agriculture ministry would feeling frightened due to presence teams of police which claim to be First, he wanted the agricul- he had successfully completed Since there were no posi- sonal decision and not that of have been the best bet for the of some truck drivers near her. protecting women,” she asked. ture ministry for his daughter the fi ve-year tenure without tive signals from the BJP on his the Nationalist Congress Party NCP. Sharad Pawar had earlier The victim’s sister had ad- Seetakka said there should be Supriya Sule, who is active at any controversies and allega- demands, the NCP chief had (NCP). We place on record that served as the agriculture min- vised her to leave the vehicle, go no delay in handing death pen- the Central level, and second, he tions. a 45-50-minute long meet- we do not support or endorse ister. to the toll plaza and return home alty to the guilty. wanted someone other than De- This apart, the party contest- ing with Modi in parliament on this decision of his,” Sharad Pa- “Secondly, Fadnavis was the by a cab. However, when she Telugu Desam Party (TDP) vendra Fadnavis to become chief ed the elections with Fadnavis November 20. But Modi didn’t war had tweeted. choice of Modi so there was later called her again, the mobile leader N Rajkumari said the minister of Maharashtra. How- as the CM face and even the agree to his demands during the If sources are to be believed, no question of replacing him. was switched off . culprits should be hanged im- ever, Prime Minister Narendra prime minister, while address- meeting, the sources claimed. Sharad Pawar was hoping that When Sharad Pawar fi nally un- The family lodged a miss- mediately. “There is no need for Modi turned down both the de- ing the party workers from the On November 22, Sharad Pa- the BJP would agree to his de- derstood that the BJP will not ing complaint with the po- an inquiry or evidence. The pun- mands, BJP sources claimed. BJP headquarters on October war’s nephew and senior NCP mands as it was left reeling in agree to his demands, he decid- lice around 11pm. The police ishment should act as a deter- The sources said the party 24, had announced Fadnavis as leader Ajit Pawar off ered sup- the state after the Shiv Sena ed to ally with the Sena and the on Thursday morning found a rence,” she said. thought that if it decided to of- the chief ministerial candidate. port to the BJP. It was said that broke the alliance, but this Congress.” Thakur apologises Toxic foam Congress says Kerala facing fi nancial crisis for Godse remark IANS tre is yet to release Rs16bn by Thiruvananthapuram way of the state’s share in GST, but he is silent on the around IANS Thakur tried to speak more on House publicly called me a ‘ter- Rs130bn of outstanding taxes New Delhi the issue, but the Speaker did rorist’. No allegation has been xtravagance, corruption that have to be collected. May not allow her. proved in the court despite the and poor resource mobi- be he is not keen on collecting In her earlier apology, Thakur conspiracy hatched by the then Elisation have left Kerala’s the outstandings and this is JP lawmaker Pragya alleged that her statement was government against me. It is fi nances in a shambles, the tantamount to corruption,” the Thakur yesterday ten- “wrongly interpreted and twist- against the law to call me a ter- Congress-led opposition said opposition leader said. Bdered her apology in the ed”, which triggered another row rorist without proving me guilty. yesterday. Chennithala alleged that the Lok Sabha twice over her re- in the House which lasted over It was an attempt to insult me Addressing the media here, only thing happening in Kerala marks on Mahatma Gandhi’s as- 30 minutes with the opposition as a woman and as a member of opposition leader Ramesh is the state government spend- sassin Nathuram Godse, denying raising slogans. parliament,” Thakur said. Chennithala blamed the poor ing borrowed money. The gov- she made any such remark, but “In the backdrop of past se- She said, “The then govern- fi nancial management of ernment is unable to raise any regretting if her statement had quence of events, I express regret ment had tortured me physi- economist-turned-State Fi- resources, he claimed. hurt anybody. and apologies if any statement cally and mentally as a woman.” nance Minister Thomas Is- “And whatever is raised The Bhopal MP, who faces made by me in the House has Thakur’s apology made in Hindi sac for the present situation, through loans and borrowings charges in the Malegaon blasts hurt anybody in any way. But, I followed a ruckus in the House adding that “even a Rs750 is being blown up for appoint- case, fi rst tendered her apology also want to say that my state- with the entire opposition, in- telephone bill was not being ing people close to this gov- after the question hour which led ment made in Parliament was cluding the Congress, TDP, RSP, cleared from the treasury.” ernment in key positions and to an uproar in the House with wrongly interpreted and twist- DMK, BSP and SP, trooping near “This November, the gov- this trip by Vijayan itself was opposition seeking her “unquali- ed,” Thakur earlier said. the Speaker’s podium demand- ernment treasury was able to a needless one. What should fi ed apology”. She tendered her “The way my statement was ing her “unqualifi ed apology.” sanction just two bills and it in- have been done by a secretary apology for the second time dur- twisted is condemnable. I re- Thakur on Wednesday cluded the salaries and pension is being done by the chief min- ing zero hour after an all-party spect the service done by Ma- sparked a row with her remarks besides the clearing of a bill of ister in Japan. What is most meeting chaired by Lok Sabha hatma Gandhi for the country.” in the Lok Sabha during DMK the ongoing ‘pleasure trip’ of hilarious is that the govern- Speaker Om Birla over the issue. Thakur in her fi rst apology had leader A Raja’s reference of a Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ment said Vijayan had signed In her latest statement, also pointed out how a senior statement by Godse before a and a 12-member high level an expression of interest with Thakur said: “I did not call member of the House had called court on why he killed Mahatma delegation to Japan and South Toshiba. Incidentally it was Godse a nationalist during the her a “terrorist” publicly and Gandhi. Raja had cited Godse’s Korea. The contractors’ out- signed by offi cials of Toshiba discussion on the SPG Bill on how the previous government statement during a discussion standing as on date is in excess India and not by the Japanese November 27. I didn’t take his had “tortured” her by “hatching on the Special Protection Group A boy plays with foam formed from pollution at the Marina of Rs14.7bn, for the work they offi cials. He could have done it name, even though, if someone a conspiracy” against her. (Amendment) Bill, 2019, to beach in Chennai yesterday. have done,” said Chennithala. in Delhi,” Chennithala pointed is hurt, I regret and apologise.” “A senior member of the which Thakur reacted. “Issac says that the cen- out. Gulf Times Saturday, November 30, 2019 11 LATIN AMERICA

Conservative Lacalle Pou wins Uruguay presidential election

AFP have a meeting,” Martinez wrote holding talks with party leaders to most Latin American govern- margin between the candidates. ments can point to a record of Robert Wood, Latin America man- Montevideo in a tweet. “I thank everyone who on the makeup of the new govern- ments — continues to recognise Lacalle Pou told supporters he progressive government since it ager for the Economist Intelligence placed their trust in us by casting ment. Maduro as president. was confi dent his victory would be broke a decades-long conservative Unit. their vote for us from the bottom Ernesto Talvi, leader of the Guaido saluted Lacalle Pou’s vic- confi rmed, however. stranglehold with an election vic- “Public debt is rising as the fi s- entre-right candidate Luis of my heart.” Colorado Party, is expected to be tory. “We know that we have your Opinion polls since last month’s tory in 2005. cal defi cit nears 5% of GDP,” said Lacalle Pou won Uruguay’s The National Party acknowl- named Uruguay’s foreign minister, support in the struggle for demo- fi rst round had indicated the Lacalle Pou had tapped into vot- Wood. Cpresidential election after edged victory in a tweet saying: the daily El Pais reported. cratic restoration that we wage in 46-year-old former senator would er concerns over the country’s high “Lacalle Pou will pursue this his rival conceded, bringing an “Now it’s our turn, let’s celebrate The election result signals a sig- Venezuela,” Guaido said in a tweet. comfortably win the run-off . tax rates and concerns over creep- mainly through spending cuts. His end to 15 years of leftist rule in the everybody’s Uruguay!” The news nifi cant shift in foreign policy, with Martinez had refused to con- But with almost all the votes ing insecurity. congressional majority raises pros- South American country. set off a cacophony of horn blow- the incoming right-wing adminis- cede on Sunday when the election counted, his lead over Martinez, a Uruguay has long been consid- pects of passage of labour and other Daniel Martinez, candidate for ing in downtown Montevideo by tration making no secret of their was deemed too close to call by the 62-year-old former Montevideo ered a bastion of peace and stabil- market-friendly reforms, but un- the ruling Broad Front, recog- Lacalle Pou supporters. intention to recognise Venezuela’s electoral court, with just 30,000 mayor, was just over 1%. ity in an often turbulent region. ions, the political left and vested in- nised that an ongoing vote recount Lacalle Pou, a business-friendly opposition leader Juan Guaido as votes separating the candidates. The result confi rms defeat for But public safety has been eroding, terests will provide resistance. would not aff ect his already slim conservative, will take power on interim president. The court ordered a recount the long-dominant leftist ruling with a sharp rise in some violent “Piecemeal progress on re- chance of victory and conceded. March 1 at the head of a right-wing The move will reverse current on the grounds that the number Broad Front coalition after 15 years crimes reported last year. forms is probable, helping to lift “We greet president-elect Luis coalition of fi ve parties. Uruguay policy under President of provisional or contested votes in power. The new president’s main chal- the economy, which has been fl at Lacalle Pou, with whom I will The president-elect has been Tabare Vasquez, which — contrary — around 35,000 — exceeded the The coalition of leftist move- lenge will be fi scal, according to since 2018.”

Brazil govt It’s a bargain! fi nances Mexicans reject improve Trump plan to Reuters Brasilia

razil’s public fi nances im- proved in October, Treasury Bfi gures showed, as a sea- crack down on sonally expected monthly surplus helped reduce the government’s overall defi cit this year and keep it on track to come in below target. Still, the 8.7bn reais ($2.1bn) primary budget surplus in Oc- terror groups tober was less than economists had expected and social secu- AFP the US has moved to add mafi a opponent of leftist President An- rity spending continued to rise, Mexico City groups to the list, he said. “These dres Manuel Lopez Obrador. highlighting the underlying organisations have no political Alex LeBaron, a former Mexican strains on the public accounts. component.” congressman and relative of some Treasury Secretary Mansueto onald Trump’s plan to des- The debate goes back to Novem- of the victims, called the accusa- Almeida said there will be hardly ignate Mexican drug car- ber 4, when alleged members of the tions against the the LeBarons any fl exibility in the budget for Dtels as terrorist organisa- La Linea drug cartel fi red a hail of “baseless” and “insulting” in an the next two years, adding that tions has ignited a raging debate bullets at three SUVs in a remote, interview. public investment, already its in Mexico on whether the groups’ lawless region in northern Mexico. “They’re terrorists, these car- lowest on record, will more likely horrifi c violence should be con- Inside were 17 members of three tels, whether they are declared as fall further than rise. sidered terrorism. Mormon families. such or not,” LeBaron said. Previ- “Don’t think that we will have Mexicans broadly agree on one The gunmen killed three wom- ously, he rejected a US-led inter- much room for public invest- thing, though: they don’t want the en and six children, including twin vention and instead called for co- ment in 2020 or 2021. Under our American president’s help. eight-month-old babies, and set operation to improve security for current rules, the trend for this And experts say such a designa- one of the vehicles on fi re with the all Mexicans. spending in 2021 is that it will tion would have little impact on occupants inside. But Mexicans have broadly re- be lower than it is now,” Almeida the ground, anyway. Prominent members of one of jected Trump’s push to designate told reporters in Brasilia. Mexico’s powerful cartels have the families, the LeBarons, sent a cartels as terrorist groups, as well as Almeida also said the govern- certainly sown terror, whether petition to the White House urg- his earlier off er on Twitter for the US ment is on track to post a nominal throwing grenades into a packed ing Trump to designate Mexican to help Mexico “wage WAR on the defi cit this year of around 6% of crowd, hanging headless corpses cartels as terrorist groups. drug cartels and wipe them off the gross domestic product and regis- from bridges, laying siege to city “Their unbridled acts of vio- face of the earth.” ter an increase in gross public debt streets or — the incident that drew lence and murder have overrun The remark on “designating” far lower than anticipated. Trump’s attention — massacring our borders and created an in- cartels came in response to a ques- Almeida was speaking after nine Mormon women and chil- ternational crisis,” it said. “They tion from conservative media host Treasury fi gures showed the dren who had dual US-Mexican are terrorists, and it’s time to ac- Bill O’Reilly, who asked whether central government’s primary citizenship. knowledge it!” Trump would react to the Mormon budget surplus in October was But experts say that on one key That triggered a politically massacre by adding the groups to less than the 10.7bn reais sur- point, organisations like the Si- charged debate in Mexico. On so- the blacklist and “hitting them with plus median forecast in a Reuters naloa or Jalisco New Generation cial media, the hashtags “traitors” drones.” “I don’t want to say what poll, and 11% smaller than the cartels diff er from the groups the and “LeBarons get out of Mexico” I’m going to do, but they will be des- 9.5bn reais surplus posted in the US has blacklisted as Foreign Ter- went viral. ignated,” Trump said. same month last year. rorist Organisations. “They’ve got double nationality Any hint of US intervention, October tends to be a surplus Whereas Al Qaeda, the Islamic so why don’t they return to their military or otherwise, is an instant month, thanks to the infl ow of State group, ETA, the Revolution- country instead of selling us out,” insult to national pride in Mexico, oil-related funds and corporate ary Armed Forces of Colombia one such post read. “All Mexicans which still resents losing more and income tax intakes. (Farc) and the rest of the 68 groups feel unsafe but that doesn’t make than half its territory to the US in The year-to-date primary defi - on the list have political or reli- us ask for foreign intervention.” 1848 after the Mexican-American cit, before interest payments are gious motives, drug cartels’ main But others rallied behind the War — just one on a long list of taken into account, narrowed to goal is making money. family’s call to label narco-vio- grievances. 63.85bn reais, 14.8% less in real “Mexican cartels can’t be com- lence terrorism. Foreign Minister Marcelo terms compared with the fi rst 10 pared to the Farc, for example, “That is what they try to pro- Ebrard huff ed at a “violation of na- months of last year, Treasury said. which certainly had links to drug voke: terror. Leaving dismembered tional sovereignty” after Trump’s In the 12 months to Octo- traffi cking but was not exclusively bodies in public with threatening statement. Even Lopez Obrador, ber the primary defi cit stood at an organised crime group,” said messages causes terror among the who has tried to maintain a rela- 113.1bn reais, or 1.1% of gross do- Jorge Castaneda, a Mexican aca- civilian population,” said Diego tionship of “peace and love” with mestic product, down from 1.3% Shoppers buy TV sets at a supermarket during a Black Friday sale in Sao Paulo, Brazil. demic and former foreign minister. Sinhue Rodriguez, governor of the Trump, responded, “co-operation of GDP a year ago. “This is the fi rst and only time” central state of Guanajuato and an yes, interventionism no.”

Bolivia urges Mexico to Colombia strikers hand over ex-offi cials

AFP years of this government and the expand demands La Paz next,” Longaric said. “These peo- ple will stay in the embassy resi- dence for a very long time.” Reuters Duque has opened a “great ernment take action to stop the olivia’s foreign minister said Relations between Bolivia and Bogota national dialogue” in response murders of activists and former Mexico will face a “very se- Mexico have been strained since to the demonstrations, meeting Farc fi ghters, combat corruption Brious problem” if its embas- Morales fl ed there after resign- with business leaders, student and protect the environment. sy in La Paz refuses to hand over ing on November 10 amid violent he organisers of strikes groups and briefl y, unions. The protests have expanded ex-government offi cials wanted street protests that erupted after against Colombian Presi- But the National Strike Com- in recent days to include alleged for arrest, warning they could be the disputed October 20 election. Tdent Ivan Duque’s policies mittee, comprised of major police violence, after an 18-year- there for years. Morales, who had been seeking have demanded new conditions unions and students organisa- old demonstrator was killed by a More than 20 former members a fourth term after ruling for nearly for dialogue with the govern- tions, said in a letter to Duque his projectile fi red by riot police. of ex-president Evo Morales’s 14 years, claimed victory. But op- ment, including the possibility of dialogue “does no comply with The letter asked for an end to government are holed up in the position groups said the results restarting peace talks with leftist these minimum requirements “all violent action against peace- Mexican embassy. Bolivian prose- were rigged. rebels. and so does no permit advances”. ful marches.” Duque suspended cutors have issued arrest warrants Interim President Jeanine Anez, Over the last eight days, dem- “We propose...the formation talks with the ELN, considered a for fi ve of them, the ministry said. who replaced Morales after he quit, onstrators have rallied against of a pluralistic and diverse Na- terrorist organisation by the US They include Morales’s former has signed off on new elections. economic plans — such as a rise tional Dialogue,” the letter said, and the European Union, after he top minister Juan Ramon Quin- Federal prosecutors are inves- in the pension age and a cut to the demanding the government im- took offi ce. tana, who has been accused of tigating allegations that Morales, minimum wage for young people plement previous deals made Hopes for a restart to nego- sedition and terrorism — the same after arriving in Mexico, encour- — that Duque denies supporting. with indigenous groups and stu- tiations were extinguished when allegations levelled at Morales — aged his supporters to maintain They are also angry over what dents. the group claimed responsibil- and former culture minister Vilma road blocks that caused severe they say is a lack of government The letter also asked for “com- ity for a January bombing at Bo- Alanoca, who is wanted for “insti- food and fuel shortages in La Paz. action to stop corruption and the plete implementation of the fi nal gota’s police academy that killed gating a crime.” Interior Minister Arturo Murillo murder of hundreds of human peace accord and the exploration 22 people. Foreign Minister Karen Longar- played a telephone recording to rights activists. of the possibility of restarting The government did not re- ic told foreign reporters Mexico’s journalists last week, allegedly of The number of protesters has dialogue with the ELN,” refer- spond to requests for comment refusal to hand over people ac- Morales issuing instructions to a fallen from a 250,000-person ring to a 2016 peace deal with on the letter. cused of common crimes “would leader of the opposition move- march last week but opposition the Revolutionary Armed Forces Three other people have been be a very serious problem for them ment in Bolivia. parties in congress are already of Colombia (Farc) rebels and killed in connection with the and uncomfortable for us.” The “Don’t let food into the cities, leveraging the protests to pres- scuppered talks with the still- protests and vandalism, espe- Mexican diplomats “would have we’re going to block, really en- sure the embattled Duque over active National Liberation Army cially of public transit stations, Bolivian Foreign Minister Karen Longaric speaks during a to resign themselves to these peo- circle (the cities),” says the voice his tax reform proposal. (ELN). It also demanded the gov- which will cost millions to repair. conference with the international press in La Paz. ple staying in the embassy for the Murillo attributed to Morales. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, November 30, 2019 PAKISTAN

Legal team under fi re over PTI embarrassment The Pakistan government’s legal team has received a verbal drubbing at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s parliamentary party meeting, where lawmakers faulted the legal experts for repeated discrepancies in the summaries for the reappointment of the army chief, leaving the govern- ment red-faced in the Supreme Court. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi presided over the meeting as Govt ‘at fault’ in legal Prime Minister Imran Khan was unable to, due to off icial engagements. Some participants, according to sources, were disappointed at the pre- mier’s absence. The meeting convened hours after the Supreme Court gave the govern- ment six months to legislate on the extension in tenure or reappointment of the chief of the army staff . Minister Qureshi briefed the PTI MPs about the current situation, and took them into confidence regarding the decisions taken by the prime minister. crisis over army chief The participants expressed confidence in the decisions of the prime minister and the judiciary, saying that the judiciary has always remained a Internews As proceedings moved further, strong pillar of the state. Islamabad it was evident that the issue was However, sources said, the MPs came down hard on the government’s not a routine one as many might legal team for its “disappointing performance”. have thought at the beginning. According to sources, there was near unanimity among the participants oday must be a great What alerted the judges was that the government’s legal team was incompetent, which almost put the disappointment to the failure of the attorney-gener- state institutions on the collision course. “Tthose who expected al to come up with convincing ar- MP Noor Alam said the government’s legal team has made the ruling the country to be destabilised by guments to justify the extension. party a “laughing stock”. a clash of institutions. That this The chief law offi cer of the He blamed the legal team for creating a conflict among the state institu- did not happen must be of special state could not give defi nitive an- tions. disappointment to our external swers when the bench pressed to Major (retired) Tahir Sadiq said the legal team proved itself to be “ex- enemies and mafi as within.” cite specifi c laws that permitted tremely incompetent”. The tweet by Prime Minister extension or reappointment of He called for holding the legal team accountable for making the party the Imran Khan was in response to the army chief. target of ridicule in the court. the Supreme Court order that It was during the proceedings In the light of the Supreme Court ruling, the PTI decided to initiate legisla- allowed the government to bring that the Supreme Court found tion immediately. necessary legislation to deter- out that the government even did “Legislation will remove ambiguity in Article 243 [of the Constitution],” mine the tenure of the chief of not follow the proper legal pro- Amir Dogar told the participants. army staff while granting incum- cedure to issue the notifi cation of Naseem: resigned as minister on Tuesday to fight General Bajwa’s General Bajwa: given a six-month MP Akram Cheema expressed disappointment at the absence of Prime bent army chief General Qamar the army chief’s extension. case in the Supreme Court. extension to his term. Minister Khan in the meeting. Javed Bajwa six months’ exten- The detailed examination of “This meeting has been long overdue, but regrettably the prime minister sion. the issue revealed that on August the court had already suspended mary moved by the Prime Minis- On November 28, which would did not come,” he said. There was a feeling of relief in 19, Prime Minister Khan issued the notifi cation, throwing a seri- ter’s Offi ce to the president men- have been Bajwa’s last day as Several members complained about lack of development funds. the government camp, and when the notifi cation only to be told ous challenge to the government. tioned “reappointment” of the army chief had the notifi cation The foreign minister assured them that their problems would be ad- Attorney-General for Pakistan later that under the Constitution The issue was discussed in de- army chief, but the notifi cation remained suspended, the attor- dressed. (AGP) Anwar Mansoor Khan, only the president could issue the tail. issued with the approval of the ney-general presented a fresh He also called for an important meeting on Monday to review the issues former law minister Mohamed notifi cation of the army chief’s The cabinet then took a break president talked of “extension” summary. faced by the parliamentary party members. Farogh Naseem, and the prime extension. and reconvened in the evening. instead. The apex court bench again minister’s special assistants – Dr In order to rectify the glaring The second session was pri- This irked the Chief Justice raised questions, particularly Senator Naseem back in cabinet as minister Firdous Ashiq Awan and Shahzad error, the Prime Minister’s Offi ce marily meant to discuss the con- Khosa, who remarked that edu- about the reference to the Su- Akbar – appeared at a joint news moved a fresh summary, which troversy. cational degrees of the offi cials preme Court in the summary. Senator Mohamed Farogh Naseem has returned to the federal cabinet conference, they tried to portray was quickly approved by Presi- In view of the court’s observa- who were dealing with the matter The bench also ordered the at- after representing Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the the three-member bench’s deci- dent Dr Arif Alvi. tions and objections, the federal needed to be verifi ed. torney-general to present before Supreme Court. sion as the government’s success. However, it emerged later that cabinet moved a fresh summary What happened in the court- it the retirement notifi cations President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath to Naseem at the President’s But their triumphalism aside, the prime minister could not after amending Rule 255 of the room soon became a major em- of former army chiefs – Gen- House. what happened in Courtroom send the summary to the presi- Army Regulations by adding the barrassment for the government, eral (retired) Raheel Sharif and Naseem had resigned on Tuesday to fight Bajwa’s case in the Supreme No-1 during the last three days dent without his cabinet’s ap- new words “extension in service”. as many started questioning its General (retired) Ashfaq Pervaiz Court regarding his extension of service. cannot gloss over the sheer in- proval. Law Minister Naseem also de- competence. Kayani. The senator had to step down as law minister as his licence was sus- competence of the government. The summary was then circu- cided to resign in order to rep- A few days ago, no one could Still, no one knew what would pended by the Pakistan Bar Council, since he was a member of the federal If the apex court did not show lated among the cabinet mem- resent the army chief before the even imagine in their dreams that happen next since it was evident cabinet. restraint, the country would have bers but no fresh notifi cation was Supreme Court. the issue of the army chief’s ex- from the proceedings that the According to the laws, Naseem had to resign from his cabinet post to take been grappling with a serious issued. With the latest changes, the tension would dominate the na- government’s legal team failed up his private practice. constitutional crisis. Also, the court questioned attorney-general was confi dent tional scene, with people openly to cite any provision of the Con- It all began on November 26 how the army chief’s tenure be that the issue would be settled debating the issue on the TV stitution or in the Army Act that when the Supreme Court bench, extended under Rule 255 of Army and the court would dispose of channels. allowed extension or reappoint- The attorney-general, how- the potential constitutional im- headed by Chief Justice of Paki- Regulations, which did not ex- the petition. The most immediate challenge ment of the army chief. ever, sought six months and the passe, but the entire controversy stan Asif Saeed Khosa, took up a plicitly talk of an extension in the Time was running out as the for the government was to avert a The issue could not have gone army chief’s lawyer Naseem has triggered a debate on wheth- petition challenging the exten- army chief’s tenure. current tenure of the army chief potential constitutional crisis in that far had the government ac- agreed to give an undertaking to er the government, which could sion granted to the army chief’s In an unprecedented move, the was to expire on the midnight of case the court passed any adverse knowledged mistakes the very the court for necessary legisla- not draft a proper summary, is tenure. Supreme Court bench suspended November 28. order. fi rst day of the hearing and tion. capable of delivering on chal- Initially, few had taken interest the notifi cation of army chief’s Thus, the government eff ec- As the clock was ticking, the sought court’s guidance. After a three-hour break, a lenges that are far more daunting in the petition fi led by a lawyer, appointment. tively had only 24 hours to rectify prime minister convened yet an- But that was now irrelevant new summary was submitted by and complex. who habitually moves the top The court adjourned the pro- the procedural error. other huddle on November 27 to since the court now had to pass the government before the court, In this hour of crisis, one has court on diff erent issues. ceedings to November 27, with a The situation, however, took a fi nd a way out of the current im- the order. which then issued a short order to give credit to the sense of hu- The news channels were not direction to the attorney-general turn for the worst when the Su- passe. During the course of proceed- extending the incumbent army mour of Pakistani public. giving much importance when to come up with a fresh notifi - preme Court found out that the This time, apart from his legal ings, the court then off ered the chief’s tenure for six months Someone aptly summed up the the proceedings kicked off . cation, the same day the prime amendment in Rule 255 of the team, army chief Bajwa joined in. attorney-general a conditional to give the government time to incompetence of the government But things began to change minister was to chair a routine Army Regulations had nothing Another summary was pre- extension in the army chief’s bring changes to the Army Act by saying: “The PTI has prom- fast when the three-judge bench cabinet meeting. to do with the chief of the army pared and then circulated among tenure, subject to legislation keeping in view the scope of Ar- ised to create 10mn new jobs, but started asking serious questions By the time he reached his of- staff . the cabinet members, who gave within three months to address ticle 243. instead it put the most secured of the attorney-general. fi ce to preside over the meeting, Not just that, the second sum- their approval after midnight. the loopholes in the laws. The verdict may have ended job in Pakistan in real danger.”

Female Pakistani peacekeeper gets International students back solidarity march UN certificate Women off icers in the Pakistan army have been breaking Internews barriers, and Major Samia Islamabad Rehman is the latest from Pakistan to be recognised for her exceptional achievements in the cores of Pakistani student line of duty. leaders studying at inter- She has been selected for the Snational universities have UN Special Representative of voiced support for the “student the Secretary-General (SRSG) solidarity march” that took place certificate of the year. across campuses in Pakistan yes- She is the first female Pakistan terday. army off icer to get the honour. In an open letter addressed to The certificate was awarded to the government, students have the major for her extraordinary come together under the ban- performance in Mission Level ner of the Pakistan International Studies, analysis, and other Students Alliance, and registered valuable contributions. opposition to the current ban on Major-General Thierry Lion student unions in Pakistan. presented the certificate to “The ban on student unions Rehman on behalf of the SRSG. has not only signifi cantly re- In March this year, a Pakistani stricted the ability of students to peacekeeper honoured with UN politically mobilise themselves medal posthumously. and silenced their political voic- Then Pakistan’s Permanent es, but also prevented students Representative to the UN, from campaigning on issues Protesters take part in a demonstration in Karachi to demand the Maleeha Lodhi, accepted the crucial to their well-being such reinstatement of student unions, education fee cuts, and better award on behalf of the family as campus safety, fee hikes, ac- education facilities. of Naik Mohamed Naeem Raza, commodation security and many who died while serving with others,” reads the letter, which Right: Students act out a scene during a demonstration in the UN Stabilisation Mission in has been signed by nearly 40 Islamabad to demand the reinstatement of student unions, the Democratic Republic of the student body leaders from uni- education fee cuts, and better education facilities. Congo (MONUSCO). versities including Cambridge University, Cornell University, day to demand better education “International Pakistani stu- Harvard University, Mcgill Uni- and a fair academic environment. dents have access to many of versity, and National University One of the key demands of the these things, but had we not been of Singapore. march’s participants is to lift re- in the spaces that we are in today, “It is our duty to use our privi- strictions that bar students from we would also be facing the same Pakistan is 4th in world for diabetes incidence lege and the resources at our forming unions. problems, and rising up against disposal to further the values of Organisers say if the govern- them.” democracy, representation and ment does not meet this demand, Hamza Tariq Chaudhry, the Internews in terms of having the highest He warned that diabetes had likelihood of diabetes, even in progress in the country we call they will challenge the ban in the president of the Pakistan Devel- Islamabad number of people living with the potential to cause damage people who are at high risk of home,” the letter adds. courts. opment Society at the London diabetes but now, the ranking to various body organs if people developing it. The letter has been under- Laila Tauqeer, president of the School of Economics, said: “Our position has reached fourth as were negligent. He also called for lifestyle in- signed by the student presidents Harvard College Pakistani stu- hope is that this can help but- akistan is ranked fourth the disease has reached epidem- The head of the Diabetes De- terventions to improve insulin of Pakistan societies in universi- dents association, said that the tress the advocacy of students on in the world for diabe- ic proportions,” the expert told a partment said the hospital was sensitivity and blood lipid pro- ties in the UK, US, Canada, Aus- fact that the march is happening the ground in Pakistan, and sig- Ptes prevalence, so there is World Diabetes Day seminar at going to begin an awareness fi les and help lower high blood tralia, and Singapore. is inspiring, even if all the objec- nal to the government the grave a dire need to take emergency the hospital. programme for diabetes control sugar levels. Together, these students rep- tives are not achieved. concerns held by a signifi cant steps for the control and pre- Later, a walk was held to and prevention. “A healthy, balanced diet and resent the interests of thousands “There is a greater responsi- constituency of their electorate: vention of the “silent killer” highlight the need for adoption He said exercise lowered regular physical activity are im- of Pakistani students enrolled in bility on us because we take a lot international Pakistanis.” characterised by abnormally of preventive measures against blood glucose levels and boosts perative for diabetes manage- these universities across coun- of things that are being fought for He added that international high glucose levels in the blood, diabetes and early diagnosis of the body’s sensitivity to insulin, ment,” he said. tries. in Pakistan for granted, including students hope to develop for- said Dr Sarwar Malik, head of the disease. countering insulin resistance Dr Astori warned obesity in- In the midst of fee hikes, har- the constitutional right to un- mal connections with student the Federal Government Poly- Polyclinic executive director and thus, benefi ting people with creased the chances of develop- assment scandals and arrests ionise, demand accountability, groups within Pakistan and work clinic Diabetes Department. Dr Shoaib Khan was present. diabetes. ing the common type of diabe- from campuses, students across and protest the general lack of together to determine how stu- “In Pakistan, the situation re- Dr Malik called for better Polyclinic spokesman Dr tes, type 2 diabetes. the country came together for a priority accorded to higher edu- dents abroad can help their col- garding diabetes is alarming. We public awareness of diabetes for Sharif Astori said diet and ex- He said negligence could lead Student Solidarity March yester- cation in Pakistan. leagues back home. used to rank 10th in the world prevention and treatment. ercise could sharply lower the to death by diabetes. Gulf Times Saturday, November 30, 2019 13 PHILIPPINES Call for action against climate change Two children found dead in Negros town

By Eugene Y Adiong She said police have arrested Manila Times/Bacolod City within the area the following day a suspect in his late 20s. Emborniza added that mur- wo fi ve-year-old chil- der charges in relation to vio- dren have been found lation of Republic Act 7610, Tdead in less than 24 or the “Special Protection of hours in Negros Occidental. Children Against Abuse, Ex- The fi rst fatality, whose ploitation and Discrimination name is being withheld by Act,” would be fi led against authorities, was found in a the suspect. Also in Ponteve- swamp in Pontevedra town on dra, another fi ve-year-old — a Wednesday night. boy — was found dead after he MSgt Jenne Emborniza, failed to get out from a burning head of the Women and Chil- house at Purok Sigay, Barangay dren Protection Desk, said 2 on Thursday morning. the victim was last seen by Chief Inspector Publio Plo- her family around 2pm after tena, city fi re marshal, iden- she went with her aunt to the tifi ed the fatality as Raniel swamp that day. She, however, Macapal. stayed at the area to play while Plotena said the fi re broke her aunt returned home fi rst. out around 5.32am at the house That night, the victim was of Belinda Cuadra, where the found lifeless in the swamp victim was staying. around 9 pm. He added that an occupant She sustained scratches and at Cuadra’s house rescued other injuries Emborniza said Macapal and an infant inside the victim had lacerations on the burning house. her private area, an indication Cuadra, however, got sepa- that there was alleged foul play rated with the victim while in the incident. they were escaping. The boy Police, however, refused was left behind in the burn- to confi rm if the victim was ing house. Plotena said they Activists take part in a rally calling for action against climate change, in Manila, yesterday. raped. Based on autopsy re- do not know if the occupant is sults, according to Emborniza, a relative of the victim or the the victim drowned. house owner.

Nation on alert President claims huge ahead of typhoon

DPA Defence (OCD) called on lo- Manila cal officials and residents in the eastern region of Bicol, success against drug lords northern region of Luzon and hilippine civil defence metro Manila to start tak- DPA have not killed drug lords,” he only 18 days into the role. offi cials yesterday urged ing precautionary measures Manila said. Robredo had expressed deter- Pthe public to brace for a ahead of Kammuri. “You just don’t know. You mination to stop the killings in powerful typhoon barrelling “We cannot leave this don’t know how many bodies favour of arrests and rehabilita- towards the country’s eastern storm to chance,” said Ricar- hilippine President Rod- I’ve thrown in Manila Bay,” he tion. coast. do Jalad, OCD administra- rigo Duterte has bragged added. She had also asked for a list of Typhoon Kammuri was tor. “Let us strengthen all Pthat the bodies of sus- “You devils, do you also want high-profi le targets of the cam- packing maximum sustained preparedness efforts at the pected drug lords have been us to throw you in? Why? Did we paign after observing that the winds of 140 kilometres per national, regional and local “dumped” in ravines and bays, announce that this drug lord was crackdown appears to be aimed hour and gusts of up to 170 government levels.” “We also amid criticism the country’s thrown in Laguna De Bay, or the only at poor people, who make kilometres per hour as it advise affected residents to crackdown has failed to reach other one I dumped in a ravine at up most of those killed in police moved towards the country, expect possible pre-emptive high-profi le targets and mostly Mountain Province? Do I have to operations. the weather bureau said in a evacuations and take precau- resulted in deaths among the advertise that? You’re all crazy,” According to Philippine police bulletin. tionary measures,” he added. poor. he said. statistics, 5,779 suspects have “Steady intensification is Kammuri was expected to He said bodies were dumped The comments from the been killed in anti-drug opera- likely throughout the fore- enter the country today and in Manila Bay, the harbour serv- 74-year-old leader, who is tions from July 1, 2016 to August cast period,” it added. “The bring heavy rains next week ing the Philippine capital, and Rodrigo Duterte: claiming success known to exaggerate, came days 31, 2019. intensification of Kammuri over Manila and central parts Laguna De Bay, the country’s after he fi red Vice President Estimates by human rights into a super typhoon is less of Luzon, where the South- biggest lake, in ravines in Mountain Province speech on Thursday evening. Leni Robredo from leading the groups place the death toll at likely at this time, but not East Asian (SEA) Games will adding that some were thrown in the northern Philippines, in a “These columnists say we campaign against illegal drugs — more than 12,000. ruled out.” The Office of Civil be held. New police chief’s Cayetano says ready to appointment ‘delayed quit House speaker post

By Franz Lewin Embudo over background check’ Manila Times

By Catherine S Valente who’s the best to handle the for the post are Lt. Gen. Camilo peaker Alan Peter Manila Times command. Just give me an hon- Cascolan, PNP deputy chief Cayetano has said there est man, period. And for all of for operations, and Maj. Gen. Swas no need for a coup the Cabinet members, including Guillermo Eleazar, deputy chief d’etat at the House of Repre- resident Rodrigo Duterte the military men who are about for directorial staff. sentatives because he was will- has said he was consid- to enter the civilian service. Just Meanwhile, Makabayan bloc ing to step down from his post. Pering the possibility of be honest, that’s all,” he said. members of the Lower House In an ambush interview at supervising the Philippine Na- Duterte also admitted that opposed the idea of Duterte the Club Filipino in San Juan tional Police (PNP) if he could there were “so many things that heading the PNP. City, Cayetano said he did not not fi nd an “honest man” to be the police has to improve on.” ACT Teachers party-list want to speculate if there were his new police chief. “These police, they have lots Rep. France Castro said it was plans to replace him as Speaker Speaking to reporters in Ma- of problems. Even these gener- an insult to the PNP’s officer amid swirling coup rumours. lacanang, Duterte said he was als, they’re involved in the illegal in charge and the other can- “‘Those who want to be taking his time in appointing the drug trade. That’s what I don’t didates. “Does this show that speaker can have the position. next PNP chief because he was like. Even generals,” he added. President Duterte does not I will not cling to my post,” he still conducting an “extensive The last PNP chief, Oscar Al- trust the organisation that is told reporters. background check” to ensure the bayalde, retired from the police incessantly linked to crimes He added that his colleagues next top cop was free of corrup- service in early November amid and corruption? This might could ask him to step down if tion cases. accusations that he was involved also result to demoralisation to they want to change the House “If they have even a single case in the so-called ninja cops issue. the PNP,” he added. leadership. of corruption, you’re out,” Du- Albayalde and 13 other police The PNP has thrown its sup- President Rodrigo Duterte terte said in a chance interview. offi cers are facing charges of ports to the assumption of Du- last week warned Cayetano and “I would rather not appoint graft, qualifi ed bribery, falsifi ca- terte as head of the police force. Velasco not to break the term- anybody for that matter. I will tion of public documents, der- “The PNP supports the sharing deal they agreed upon. handle it. I will only be there eliction of duty and violation of statement of the president ex- Coup rumours swirled after for guidance and direction,” he the Comprehensive Dangerous pressing his readiness in the Davao City Mayor Sara Du- added. Asked what would push Drugs Act in connection with a possibility of leading the PNP terte-Carpio posted a cryptic him to lead the police force him- “questionable” anti-drug raid administration,” spokesman message for lawmakers on In- House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano self, Duterte said he would only in 2013. Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac told stagram. come up with the decision as a The former PNP chief had reporters. “‘I told you so’ is a sure-fi re regional party Hugpong ng against turning their backs on “I was there when we last resort. denied the allegation and Banac said it would not be a way to kick-start an argument. Pagbabago, had opposed the the term-sharing deal, saying it agreed. (It was the) three of “You’re talking of arrival, that claimed that some retired gen- problem because as president, In the same way, ‘You do not term-sharing agreement be- was a gentlemen’s agreement. us, and I announced it after,” will be a long journey, but that is erals were conspiring against Duterte is, in fact, the com- listen’ will ignite a conversation tween Cayetano and Velasco, He said there would be he added. in the event that I could not fi nd him. mander-in-chief. into a heated one,” she said. saying it was “counter-produc- a problem if Cayetano will Cayetano had repeatedly someone I could trust,” he said. The PNP is now being led He added that Duterte head- “May I just say to everyone tive” and would “slow down” change his mind. said the House speakership The president, meanwhile, by acting chief Lt Gen Archie ing the PNP would not disrupt in Congress, ‘I told you, but you the remaining three years of the “He (Cayetano) does not should be put to a vote. urged the PNP to suggest the Francisco Gamboa, who is one its operation, as the president did not listen, so there you go,’” Duterte administration. want to honour it. That’s his “Under the rules of the “best guy” to be the head of the of the top candidates as next was part of the chain of com- she added. Last week, the president cau- problem,” the president said House a voting should be police force.“Show me, tell me, top cop. The other contenders mand. Duterte-Carpio, head of the tioned Cayetano and Velasco in a television interview. done,” he told reporters. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, November 30, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Time for adaptation Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko Production Editor to climate change Amjad Khan

By Emma Navarro whether they are rich or poor, hot or larger strides toward strengthening fi nance target, so that at least 50% of P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar Luxembourg cold. adaptation, by deepening our expertise, its lending will support environmental The economic and broader social creating new systems to ensure the sustainability by 2025 – an increase [email protected] benefi ts of adaptation to climate change resilience of our investments, and from around 30% today. 44350478 (News), s world leaders gather in are clear. working closely with the public and And by 2030, the EIB Group plans Madrid for the United Nations In September, the Global private sectors. to support $1.1tn of climate action 44466404 (Sport), Climate Change Conference Commission on Adaptation issued For example, we will no longer fund and environmental sustainability 44466636 (Home delivery) A(COP25), they must address a report calling on governments, infrastructure projects that are not investments through loans and grants, more than future targets for reducing businesses, and communities to take climate resilient. including for developing countries to 44350474 greenhouse-gas emissions. urgent action to step up adaptation Accordingly, we have introduced a help them strengthen the resilience facebook.com/gulftimes They must also address the harm measures. climate risk-management system, and of roads, railways, ports, farmland, to people and livelihoods that climate The report fi nds that an investment are adding climate adaptation criteria to sanitation and drinking water systems, twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar change is already causing. of $1.8tn across fi ve key areas – all infrastructure projects. and digital-communication networks. Strengthening our ability to adapt early warning systems, resilient The EIB will also be focusing on Underinvestment in adaptation is to climate change has never been more infrastructure, agriculture, mangrove adaptation from the very earliest particularly a problem for low-income urgent. protection, and resilient water supplies stages of project preparation, both countries, most of which are located in Many regions are experiencing major – from 2020 to 2030 could generate through advisory services and technical hotter, more vulnerable regions. GULF TIMES diffi culties as a result of higher global $7.1tn in benefi ts. assistance. Supporting these countries’ eff orts to temperatures and changing weather Still, today’s investment gap is huge. Whereas we have gained much adapt to climate change is essential to patterns. The climate challenge demands much experience in the fi eld, many of our their ability to develop. We must do more to help citizens and deeper co-operation between the public public- and private-sector clients may Yet we also must not lose sight of the Nato summit: Serbia governments tackle issues such as rising and private sector to increase green lack the resources or expertise to assess big picture. sea levels, wildfi res, hurricanes and investment. climate risks. The higher global temperatures other natural disasters, and increased We need to ensure that infrastructure For example, the EIB has been rise, the less we will be able to rely on coastal erosion. is built to cope with the increased working closely with the Caribbean adaptation. buff eted between Even if we meet the Paris agreement’s impact of climate change and develop Development Bank to ensure that all of Scientists estimate that we are now goal of limiting the average global clear global standards for disclosing the its projects consider climate risks, and heading for a temperature increase of temperature increase to well below 2C, climate risks that investment projects to develop a pipeline of climate-friendly 3-4C by the end of the century, with West and Russia at least 570 cities and some 800mn pose. investment projects worth more than disastrous consequences for people people will be at risk from rising For example, how will a city cope $300mn. around the world. sea levels and more frequent and with increased flood risk, and how Finally, the EIB plans to increase its The world’s most vulnerable Since October, French President Emmanuel Macron destructive storms. will agricultural land be maintained support for innovative technologies populations are already bearing the has questioned the eff ectiveness of Nato, hit pause on EU And these dangers will grow as productively as droughts grow more such as weather analytics and brunt of climate change, because they enlargement and called for a new “strategic relationship” with temperatures climb ever higher. severe? Big and small investors alike climate-resilient food systems, to are the most exposed to the risks and Russia. The very existence of some island should know exactly how their money help companies, individuals, and have the fewest resources with which countries and coastal communities will could be affected by a changing communities prepare for climate to adapt. Plenty of countries have reason to pay close attention to his be threatened. climate. change. But, given that all cities, regions, “shake it up” style of diplomacy, but few places will feel his It is thus essential to reduce the risks Here, public investment institutions To that end, the EIB now supports and countries are facing some type of words more keenly than Serbia. that climate change poses to humans like the European Investment Bank can the Climate Resilience and Adaptation climate risk, the adaptation imperative For Belgrade, any pullback by Europe or Nato could allow and the economy. assist with adaptation in many ways. Finance and Technology Transfer simply cannot be ignored. – Project space for Russia to fi ll the void, given the close political, military Unless action is taken, climate change The EIB has long invested in projects Facility (CRAFT), the fi rst private- Syndicate will reduce global GDP per capita by that reduce emissions and help sector fund dedicated to addressing and economic ties Moscow has with its Balkans cousin. more than 7% by 2100, with equally countries adapt to climate change. these problems in developing countries. z Emma Navarro is Vice President of That is likely to be of concern for Nato leaders, who gather severe consequences for countries, But now we are making even The EIB is also raising its climate- the European Investment Bank. in Britain next week to discuss the future of their military alliance, since the Balkans, much like the Baltics, can be seen as a bulkhead against Moscow’s infl uence. “Nato works to promote stability, security and co-operation in the Western Balkans,” said a Nato offi cial. “Any outside interference in domestic democratic processes is unacceptable. We urge Russia to do the same.” In a recent example of alleged interference, Serbian intelligence agencies uncovered evidence of Russian spies building contacts with former members of the Serbian military. Russia’s foreign ministry played down the report, calling it a “provocation”, while Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said it wouldn’t harm relations between the two, adding he was sure President Vladimir Putin “was not informed about this”. Alarm bells for the region rang in mid-October, when Macron refused to sign off on allowing Albania and North Macedonia, two of Serbia’s neighbours, to begin talks on joining the EU. Macron has grown increasingly wary of EU “Nato works to expansion, arguing that the promote stability, 28-country group needs to take stock of its near security and co- doubling in size over the past 15 years, assess the operation in the impact of Britain’s pending Western Balkans” departure, and think hard about the criteria it applies It is essential to reduce the risks that climate change poses to humans and the economy. to those seeking to join. While Serbia has already begun membership talks, it now feels the chill of Macron’s refusal to open the door to others on its patch. At the same time, while nearly all surrounding countries have joined or are about to join Nato, Serbia remains out and is committed to neutrality, the memory of Nato’s bombing of its What kind of capitalism do we want? territory during the 1999 Kosovo war still fresh. It does belong to Nato’s “partnership for peace” and takes By Klaus Schwab Chicago School, had neglected the fact “stakeholder” table. salaries should instead align with the part in Nato exercises, but its military has ties to Russia and Geneva that a publicly listed corporation is not The US Business Roundtable, new measure of long-term shared value Moscow provides technology and patronage, recently deploying just a profi t-seeking entity but also a America’s most infl uential business creation. its S-400 missile-defence system in Serbia for training. social organism. lobby group, announced this year that Finally, large companies should hat kind of capitalism do Together with fi nancial-industry it would formally embrace stakeholder understand that they themselves are Russia also regularly supplies fi ghter jets, surface-to-air we want? That may be pressures to boost short-term results, capitalism. major stakeholders in our common missiles and other weaponry. the defi ning question of the single-minded focus on profi ts And so-called impact investing is future. For the EU, much of the problem lies in what it sees as weak Wour era. caused shareholder capitalism to rising to prominence as more investors Clearly, all companies should still rule of law in Serbia, analysts said. If we want to sustain our economic become increasingly disconnected from look for ways to link environmental and seek to harness their core competencies “What is worrying for the EU is not so much Russia but the system for future generations, we must the real economy. societal benefi ts to fi nancial returns. and maintain an entrepreneurial answer it correctly. Many realise this form of capitalism We should seize this moment to mindset. circumstances that allow Russia to have infl uence — lack of the Generally speaking, we have three is no longer sustainable. ensure that stakeholder capitalism But they should also work with other rule of law, lack of accountability, state capture, corruption,” models to choose from. The question is: why have attitudes remains the new dominant model. stakeholders to improve the state of the said Dimitar Bechev, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic The fi rst is “shareholder capitalism,” begun to change only now? To that end, the World Economic world in which they are operating. Council and a specialist on Russian infl uence in the region. embraced by most Western One likely reason is the “Greta Forum is releasing a new “Davos In fact, this latter proviso should be “They are local phenomena, but Russia knows how to operate corporations, which holds that a Thunberg” eff ect. Manifesto,” which states that their ultimate purpose. corporation’s primary goal should be to The young Swedish climate activist companies should pay their fair Is there any other way? State in such an environment and is empowered by it.” maximise its profi ts. has reminded us that adherence to the share of taxes, show zero tolerance capitalism, its proponents would say, In its latest assessment of Serbia’s progress in meeting the The second model is “state current economic system represents a for corruption, uphold human rights also pursues a long-term vision, and criteria for joining the EU, Brussels fl agged its concerns about capitalism,” which entrusts the betrayal of future generations, owing to throughout their global supply chains, has enjoyed recent successes, especially corruption as well as Belgrade’s failure to align with the EU on government with setting the direction its environmental unsustainability. and advocate for a competitive level in Asia. restrictive measures imposed on Russia. of the economy, and has risen to Another (related) reason is that playing fi eld – particularly in the But while state capitalism may be a prominence in many emerging markets, millennials and Generation Z no longer “platform economy.” good fi t for one stage of development, Serbia’s task is to remain on good terms with Moscow, not least China. want to work for, invest in, or buy from But to uphold the principles of it, too, should gradually evolve into convince Brussels it is doing what’s required to become an EU But, compared to these two options, companies that lack values beyond stakeholder capitalism, companies will something closer to a stakeholder member state and avoid alienating Nato. the third has the most to recommend it. maximising shareholder value. need new metrics. model, lest it succumb to corruption “Stakeholder capitalism,” a model I fi rst And, fi nally, executives and investors For starters, a new measure of from within. proposed a half-century ago, positions have started to recognise that their own “shared value creation” should include Business leaders now have an private corporations as trustees of long-term success is closely linked to “environmental, social, and governance” incredible opportunity. To Advertise society, and is clearly the best response that of their customers, employees, and (ESG) goals as a complement to standard By giving stakeholder capitalism to today’s social and environmental suppliers. fi nancial metrics. concrete meaning, they can move [email protected] challenges. The result is that stakeholder Fortunately, an initiative to develop beyond their legal obligations and Display Shareholder capitalism, currently the capitalism is quickly gaining ground. a new standard along these lines is uphold their duty to society. dominant model, fi rst gained ground The change in direction is long already under way, with support from They can bring the world closer to 44466621 44418811 in the United States in the 1970s, and overdue. the “Big Four” accounting fi rms and led achieving shared goals, such as those expanded its infl uence globally in the I fi rst described the concept back in by the chairman of the International outlined in the Paris climate agreement Classified following decades. 1971, and I created the World Economic Business Council, Bank of America CEO and the United Nations Sustainable 44466609 44418811 Its rise was not without merit. Forum to help business and political Brian Moynihan. Development Agenda. During its heyday, hundreds of millions leaders implement it. The second metric that needs to be If they really want to leave their mark Subscription of people around the world prospered, as Two years later, attendees at the adjusted is executive remuneration. on the world, there is no alternative. – profi t-seeking companies unlocked new Forum’s Annual Meeting signed the Since the 1970s, executive pay Project Syndicate [email protected] markets and created new jobs. “Davos Manifesto,” which describes a has skyrocketed, mostly to “align” But that wasn’t the whole story. fi rm’s principal responsibilities toward management decision-making with z Klaus Schwab is Founder and Advocates of shareholder capitalism, its stakeholders. shareholder interests. Executive Chairman of the World © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved including Milton Friedman and the Now, others are fi nally coming to the In the new stakeholder paradigm, Economic Forum. Gulf Times Saturday, November 30, 2019 15 COMMENT East Asia’s political vulnerability

By Lee Jong-Wha And their interventions – ire is China’s central government, Seoul including income redistribution, which they argue is violating the “one fiscal and monetary expansion, country, two systems” framework that protectionism, discriminatory defi nes the city’s relationship with the opular discontent is fuelling regulation, and capital controls – did mainland. protest and paralysis across bring some short-term benefits, But key sources of popular frustration Latin America. particularly to the poor. – such as soaring property prices, which P If East Asia isn’t careful, it But, such measures were often exacerbate inequality – are familiar. could be next. plagued by populism and, ultimately, To avoid Latin America-style political In Ecuador, protests against anti- did more harm than good. crises, East Asian governments must austerity measures, including the Relying on commodity revenues ensure that their economic policies reduction of fuel subsidies, forced to fund their social programmes, support equitable growth. President Lenin Moreno to declare a these leaders failed to diversify their Their priorities should include state of emergency. economies or improve economic boosting productivity, strengthening In Chile, it was a modest increase in fundamentals. export competitiveness, encouraging Santiago’s metro fares that triggered Excessive fi scal and monetary technological progress, nurturing large-scale demonstrations, which expansion made these economies domestic demand and service soon evolved to take aim at inequality unstable. industries, building robust social safety and weaknesses in the education and Current-account defi cits grew, nets, and implementing redistributive pension systems. resulting in frequent foreign-exchange tax-and-transfer policies. In Argentina, the people expressed crises. Fiscal sustainability is also crucial. their economic frustrations at the ballot The combination of social While economic stagnation demands box, electing the Peronist presidential polarisation, inadequate institutions, fi scal expansion, governments must candidate Alberto Fernandez. and weak economic fundamentals Demonstrators clash with riot police water cannon during a protest against the government in Santiago. Furious Chileans spend wisely. In Bolivia, the electoral route was has made it diffi cult for even reform- have since October 18 been protesting social and economic inequality, and against an entrenched political elite that comes That means investing in long-term compromised: President Evo Morales minded governments to escape from a small number of the wealthiest families in the country, among other issues. growth potential by, say, deepening violated the constitution by standing for the trap of short-termism and lay human capital and strengthening social a fourth term, declared victory despite the groundwork for long-term such as food and medicine. other than Kirchner – will do any better. In recent decades, the region’s long- infrastructure, rather than committing widespread concerns about fraud, and development. Venezuela is now mired in a East Asian economies avoided term growth potential has declined and to unsustainable hikes in welfare then resigned after weeks of protests. In this context, “neoliberal” reforms humanitarian crisis that has already many of these mistakes over the last income distribution has worsened – spending. While the details vary, there is – such as the rapid economic opening driven more than four mn people to fl ee half-century, implementing carefully trends that populations blame, at least Finally, East Asia must make sure that a common thread in all of these and fi nancial liberalisation promoted the country. designed economic-development plans partly, on their political leaders. it holds its political leaders accountable. movements: the belief that governments by the International Monetary Fund – A similar story has unfolded in that fostered export competitiveness Not surprisingly, populism is on the To that end, countries should are not working for ordinary people. made economies even more vulnerable Argentina, where it was the Peronist and technological progress. rise. In South Korea, President Moon continue to fortify their institutions As Daron Acemoglu and James A to external shocks. President Cristina Fernández de Throughout this process, strong Jae-in’s administration has pursued (including an independent judiciary), Robinson have observed, the extractive Venezuela is a case in point. Kirchner who, upon taking offi ce in and inclusive institutions ensured policies that include sharp increases in protect free and independent media, institutions on which many Latin From 1999 to 2013, the populist Hugo 2007, used commodity revenues to the eff ective functioning of markets, the minimum wage and social welfare and nurture a vibrant civil society. American economies depend protect the Chavez used the country’s oil revenues expand welfare spending and public- supported sound macroeconomic spending. East Asia has a long tradition of interests of the rich and elites. – bolstered by rising global commodity sector employment, thereby increasing management, and upheld the rule of As Latin America’s experience forward-thinking policymaking. Across the region, inequality has been prices – to fi nance large-scale welfare the economy’s vulnerability to external law. has starkly demonstrated, while At a time of growing economic, skyrocketing, and there is little reason programmes, rather than investment in shocks. As a result, East Asian economies fi scal transfers may help to bolster a political, and social challenges, to expect political power structures new industries. When Mauricio Macri took over in achieved “growth with equity,” which sluggish economy and strengthen the upholding that tradition has never been favouring those same privileged people His handpicked successor, Nicolas 2015, the economy was in dire straits, lifted them from middle- to high- social safety net, a rapid increase in more important. – Project Syndicate to address it. Maduro, attempted to follow in his with limited access to international income status. unproductive spending could weaken After years of economic stagnation footsteps. capital markets. In 1970, per capita incomes in economic fundamentals in the longer z Lee Jong-Wha is Professor of and even crisis, the public’s patience has But when global oil prices plummeted Yet voters resisted the needed Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, term. Economics and Director of the Asiatic worn thin. in 2014, the fi scal defi cit soared. reforms, owing to their short-term and Taiwan were lower than those in The situation in Hong Kong – which Research Institute at Korea University. To be sure, many Latin American The subsequent monetary costs. Argentina and Venezuela; today, they are has been roiled by nearly six months His most recent book, co-authored with leaders have, in recent decades, risen to expansion fuelled hyperinflation, Macri failed to overcome that much higher. of increasingly violent protests – is Harvard’s Robert J Barro, is Education power on the promise of levelling the making it impossible for millions of resistance, and it is far from clear that But East Asia must not underestimate somewhat diff erent. Matters: Global Schooling Gains from playing fi eld. Venezuelans to afford basic goods Fernandez – whose vice president is none its potential for political crisis. There, the target of protesters’ the 19th to the 21st Century.

The EU’s university in exile Three-day forecast TODAY support in Brussels.” are still fl ying the populist-sovereigntist the Soviet-era understanding of Maximum Temperature : 290c By Laszlo Bruszt Minimum Temperature : 210c Budapest/Vienna And Ignatieff did get some backing, at fl ag. sovereignty. least initially. What matters for them are not the But as R Daniel Kelemen of Rutgers SUNDAY In December 2017, the European economic freedoms anxiously defended has argued, their gains from the votes Maximum Temperature : 280c n November 15, Central Commission took Hungary to the by the Commission and the ECJ, but that Orbán delivers to their coalition far Minimum Temperature : 200c European University (CEU) European Court of Justice (ECJ) over rather the freedom of EU member-state exceed the reputational costs they may MONDAY offi cially inaugurated its new the government’s so-called “CEU law,” governments to violate the bloc’s rules incur by supporting him. Maximum Temperature : 270c Ocampus in Vienna, Austria, which the university said was intended at will. Moreover, Orban’s staunch defence Minimum Temperature : 210c to force it out of the country. In fact, the Orban government’s of backroom bargaining among having been arbitrarily ousted from Fisherman's forecast Hungary. As The Guardian reported at the time, harassment of CEU is just one of its national governments as the dominant On the same day, Hungarian Prime “Brussels steps up its fi ght to protect many attacks on Hungarian citizens’ mode of EU decision-making serves democratic values in central Europe.” political rights and freedoms. the interests of the bloc’s more WARNING Minister Viktor Orban’s government Inshore : Nil opened another large sports stadium in Then, in March 2019, the European The inability of EU institutions conservative forces. Budapest. People’s Party (EPP), the largest political to stop Orban’s assault on judicial Orban fears that moving toward Offshore : Nil Predictably, the government- group in the European Parliament, independence, as well as on academic a federal European polity, including WEATHER controlled Hungarian media focused suspended Orban’s Fidesz party. and media freedom, thus reveals a by strengthening the legitimacy and Inshore : Moderate temperature on the latter event and ignored the True, the decision was prompted fundamental institutional imbalance powers of the European Parliament, daytime with scattered departure of CEU, the country’s leading primarily by Fidesz’s fake news campaign within the bloc. could prompt calls for the bloc to protect clouds Offshore : Scattered clouds university in European and global against Commission President Jean- The EU can sanction member states a broader range of EU citizens’ rights, rankings. Claude Juncker, rather than by its attacks for curtailing economic liberties, and thereby depriving his regime of its EU- WIND But European Union leaders also on academic freedom. also has greater powers to impose level defences. Inshore : Northwesterly-North were largely silent – deafeningly and But the EPP also demanded that fi nancial and economic policies on For European conservatives, most easterly 05-15 KT dishearteningly so – on the day that the Orban’s government clarify “the national governments than the United of whom are clustered within the EPP, Offshore : Northwesterly-North- EU’s fi rst “university in exile” opened in pending legal issues regarding the States federal government does vis-a- any move toward political federalism easterly 03-13 KT the capital of a neighbouring member Central European University.” vis the 50 states. represents a slippery slope to a Visibility : 4-8 KM state. In the end, however, the Hungarian For example, the EU can limit member “transfer union.” They fear that EU By contrast, the mayor of Vienna, government did not “clarify” the states’ scope to make democratic member states, which already share Offshore : 2-4 FT Michael Ludwig, emphasised the position of CEU in the country’s legal decisions on national budgetary sovereignty in economic matters, matters, and can restrict the right to may also be asked to share the risks importance of the occasion. “Two years system. Around the region ago, we all witnessed something that I Worse, by pushing the university out, strike. of maintaining a European market of Weather believed to be unthinkable, and should, Orban has established a precedent for But the EU has far less power to 500mn people. Weather tomorrow Max/min in fact, have no place in a united Europe,” other like-minded EU leaders to follow. defend the non-economic rights of the Orban’s attacks on “Brussels” today Max/min P Cloudy 23/14 he said. “An academic institution was It is telling that, fi ve days after bloc’s citizens. might be a nuisance, but his hostility Baghdad Sunny 23/10 Sunny 24/17 told that it was no longer welcome CEU inaugurated its new Vienna The legal scholar Dimitry Kochenov to a “United States of Europe” helps Kuwait City M Sunny 24/13 Sunny 26/21 in a nation’s capital city.” Ludwig’s campus, Hungary and Poland vetoed argues that the EU’s “democracy,” to revitalise the sovereigntist cause Manama Sunny 27/21 Sunny 27/19 sentiments, however, found few echoes an EU resolution proposing that the although praised in legal texts, “emerges and fortify European conservatives’ Muscat Sunny 28/19 M Sunny 15/07 elsewhere in the EU. Commission produce an annual report as a rather fl imsy façade for something dominant position. Tehran Sunny 14/05 To be sure, nearly all of the EU’s key on the state of the rule of law in each EU else, protecting the market from the The forced departure of CEU from political actors have expressed their country. citizens, rather than the other way Hungary is a sad and dangerous episode. solidarity with CEU at one point or The ouster of CEU from Hungary round.” Unless the EU starts standing up to another. highlights two realities about the EU. Second, the fate of CEU, together autocrats like Orban and protecting Speaking at the European Parliament First, despite the British Conservative with the Hungarian government’s other citizens’ rights better, it won’t be the in Brussels in April 2017, CEU President Party’s catastrophic attempt to violations of citizens’ rights, underlines last. – Project Syndicate and Rector Michael Ignatieff could reclaim “sovereignty” from the EU the lack of will among leading European say, “I have support in Washington. I through Brexit, and the defeat of politicians to stop Orban-type z Laszlo Bruszt, Professor of Political have support in Berlin, I have support softer “sovereigntist” parties in the autocrats. Science at Central European University, in Budapest, […] I have got support European Parliament election in May, The EPP’s members may despise served as Acting Rector and President of in Munich. It is now time to get some the governments in Poland and Hungary Orban and his revitalisation of CEU in 1996-1997.

Around the world Weather Weather Live issues today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens P Cloudy 22/11 Sunny 17/07 Beirut P Cloudy 22/17 S Showers 22/17 Bangkok P Cloudy 34/26 M Sunny 34/26 Big cat craze in America Berlin P Cloudy 05/0 Cloudy 03/-1 Cairo Sunny 26/14 P Cloudy 24/16 Cape Town P Cloudy 21/16 Cloudy 21/16 By Jennifer O’Connor churn out cubs to exploit in “encoun- ers into believing that they’re helping to It’s deeply disturbing to imagine what Colombo T Storm 29/24 T Storm 29/24 Tribune News Service ter” sessions and photo opportunities “save” endangered tigers, while others happened to 23 tiger cubs who died at an Dhaka P Cloudy 31/21 M Sunny 31/19 in which people pay to hold and be don’t even bother. Some take to the road, Oklahoma breeding mill in one seven- Hong Kong Sunny 22/17 Sunny 23/13 photographed with them. They’re pre- hauling the helpless cubs around the month period. Istanbul S T Storms 18/09 Showers 11/06 ven if you don’t pay much at- maturely taken away from their mothers country on the fair circuit, stopping in Such abuse is not limited to the United Jakarta S T Storms 33/26 S T Storms 34/26 tention to wildlife issues, most – some just hours after birth – so they shopping malls and parking lots. States. A Canadian tiger trainer was Karachi Sunny 27/16 Sunny 28/14 people are aware that tigers can “get used to” public interaction. Even though they appear harmless, caught on video gleefully admitting, “I London P Cloudy 08/04 P Cloudy 07/0 Eare critically endangered. As The window of profi tably is short since tiger cubs are strong and have sharp like hitting him in the face.” Another was Manila P Cloudy 31/24 P Cloudy 31/24 detailed in a new National Geographic cubs quickly grow too big and strong to teeth and claws, leading some exhibi- charged with cruelty to animals after Moscow Rain 03/-4 P Cloudy -3/-6 expose, there are more tigers in captivity be “managed.” After they age out, tigers tors to take drastic action to curtail their a tiger and a lion were found living in a New Delhi Sunny 24/12 Sunny 23/11 in the United States than there are in the typically spend the rest of their lives in natural instincts. One Indiana roadside dark cage amid mounds of faeces, rotting New York M Sunny 07/01 Rain&Snow 06/04 wild – worldwide. Roadside zoos oper- cramped cages often in deplorable con- zoo forcibly smacked cubs with a riding chicken parts and mud. Paris M Cloudy 08/03 S Showers 04/01 ating as breeding mills play a huge role ditions. They can’t be released into the crop and told “playtime” participants to The time is long overdue for the Sao Paulo I T Storms 28/19 P Cloudy 30/18 in creating a very real overpopulation wild, and all the reputable sanctuaries in hit cubs on the nose if they got too “row- government to impose laws restricting Seoul Cloudy 09/0 S Showers 08/-2 crisis for captive tigers in America. the world can’t provide enough refuge dy.” The same outfi t hired a veterinarian individuals from breeding dangerous Singapore T Storm 31/26 S T Storms 31/26 Tiger cubs are irresistibly adorable, for all these big cats. The heartbreaking to declaw 12 big cats, which was illegal. exotic species. Sydney Cloudy 22/16 Cloudy 23/15 which also makes them moneymakers. cycle continually repeats itself. After the surgery, they suff ered without z Jennifer O’Connor, People for the Tokyo Clear 12/04 Cloudy 13/05 Sleazy roadside zoos across the country Some roadside zoos dupe custom- any pain medication. Ethical Treatment of Animals Gulf Times 16 Saturday, November 30, 2019 QATAR

Sheikha Al Mayassa participates in QM’s clean-up day at Freiha Hassan scores a hat-trick in Qatar win over Yemen

From page 1 57th minute. The Asian Cup MVP exchanged a 1-2 pass from After a Boudiaf header was Afi f, before unleashing a left- not completely cleared by Yemen footer past a hapless Saeed. midfi elder Nasser al-Gahwashi, Qatar were awarded a pen- Hassan took full advantage of alty in the 72nd minute, after the blunder to tap in for Qatar’s al-Gahwashi handled a ball from opener. In the 32nd minute, Ismail Mohamed in the box. Afi f, Boualem Khoukhi spurned an Qatar’s designated penalty-tak- easy chance after he was late to er, generously handed the ball to get a touch into Afi f’s cross. Hassan, who then completed his Hassan, however, got into the hat-trick. scoresheet in the 37th minute Youngster al-Ahrak then made with a thunderous left-footed it 5-0 with the substitute scoring strike from 30 yards, that brushed from outside the box. Afi f, mean- Yemen goalkeeper Saleem Saeed’s while, also had enough time for right hand but had enough power himself to score in the 89th minute to smash into the net. Qatar had and complete a dominating win. couple of chances but went into Qatar coach Sanchez was a the break with a two-goal lead. happy man as it was exactly the Upon resumption, Yemen kind of response he expected threatened a comeback but a after his side’s defeat to Iraq. dangerous move from Omar al- Against Yemen, Qatar bossed Dahi was thwarted by Khoukhi the contest with 20 shots fi red, Qatar Museums (QM) organised a clean-up day at Freiha — one of the country’s most important settlements, in the presence of Chairperson HE Sheikha Al inside the box. It was a wake-up of which 11 was on target. They Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, it was announced yesterday. In alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030, which emphasises the importance call that Qatar needed as they also enjoyed a whopping 79% of creating a sustainable environment, QM is moving towards a renewed focus on protecting the environment — particularly when it comes to heritage sites, went into overdrive. possession. Now Sanchez will according to a statement. The initiative was organised in collaboration with the Doha Environmental Actions Project (DEAP), a volunteering organisation leading Almoez, who has struggled hope for a similar performance the beach clean-up movement and fight against plastic pollution in Qatar. in recent matches, got a much- against UAE, as the Qatar eye needed boost with a goal in the their fourth Gulf Cup title. QU holds Doha parks welcome 1,500 students in November workshop on road safety management he Qatar Transportation group exercises, management QTTSC director, Prof Faris and Traffi c Safety Centre of fl eet safety programmes, and Tarlochan said: “Road Traffi c T(QTTSC), at Qatar Uni- the application of diff erent tools Safety is one of the important versity’s College of Engineering to support RTSM-related proc- challenges that confronts the (QU-CENG), hosted a training esses. local and international commu- workshop recently on Road Traf- More than 35 participants from nity, thus QTTSC is working ac- Parks in Doha are turning out to be favourite destinations fi c Safety Management (RTSM). the National Traffi c Safety Com- tively to contribute in improving for school students to engage in educational recreation. Organised in collaboration mittee, senior engineers from the traffi c safety status in col- According to a statement issued by the Ministry of with the International Road Fed- General Directorate of Traffi c, laboration with local authorities Municipality and Environment, the parks under Doha eration, the workshop was part and Ministry of Municipality and and international partners. Municipality’s jurisdiction received more than 1,500 students of the continuous eff orts of the Environment, as well as from a This workshop is one of a from various schools in November. Centre to implement the Qatar variety of engineering consulta- number of forums that aims to National Traffi c Safety Action tion companies and contractors, raise public awareness and re- Plan (2018-2022). participated in the workshop. sponsibility in road safety.” According to QU, the work- Susanna Zammataro, director QTTSC workshop co-ordina- shop aimed to provide informa- general of the International Road tor, assistant professor Dr Wael tion on the elements of RTSM Federation; and Martin Heath, Alhajyaseen said that having an Cleanliness drive by Al Shamal municipality system, including institutional technical director of RTSM Glo- eff ective RTSM system in the management, interventions bal Limited and member of the institutional level is essential to and results. It also addressed ISO 39001 British Standards ensure sustainable improvement the requirements of ISO 39001 Working Group RTS/1, delivered in road safety levels through the standards and discussed the im- the workshop. continuous reduction in road fa- pact of RTSM on business and Khatib & Alami Engineer- talities & severe injuries. operational performance. Par- ing Consultation Company co- ISO 39001 can signifi cantly ticipants learned about RTSM sponsored this course as part of help institutions or organisations institutional processes, proce- their commitment to support in placing a comprehensive man- dures to perform capacity review the eff orts for improving traffi c agement system of road safety through practical examples and safety in Qatar. interventions.

Al Shamal municipality, represented by the Department of General Services Aff airs, carried out a cleanliness drive at the beaches of the municipality. The drive, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), was initiated as part of the ongoing campaign ‘together hand in hand’. It was held in co-operation with the Department of Public Hygiene, Al Gashamiya Primary School for Boys and Al Shamal Primary School for Girls. The campaign is aimed at making students aware of the importance of hygiene and preserving the environment and beaches. The participants of the road safety workshop. Friday mega sale a big hit

From Page 1 Ansar Gallery, among others, and hassle-free access to City also received huge crowds. Center Doha (with the DECC Apart from restaurants, “We still have a lot of regu- station) and Villaggio (with the cafés, and hypermarkets, serv- lar customers who we know Aziziyah station). ices such as haircutting (or sa- will be visiting us in the next A metro passenger who used lon) and play areas for children, few weeks before they leave the to drive to the malls said he as well as car wash at mall car country soon on vacation and finds the metro more conven- parks also had their fair share they normally buy in bulk,” an ient now. of windfall. employee of a popular apparel “I really enjoy riding the met- Seen as a big hit and crowd- brand in one of the malls told ro with my family. No traffi c, no puller, the weekend mega sale Gulf Times. hassles, and no need to look for a enticed many of shops and re- It is learnt that while com- parking slot, which usually takes tail outlets at diff erent malls to muters found it diffi cult to get time. I just take a ticket for QR4 extend their promotions up to parking slots at various malls (to and fro), walk a little or take January 2020. yesterday, the opening of Doha a cab if necessary to reach your Meanwhile, other malls like Metro’s Gold Line provided resi- destination stress-free, and Mirqab, Lagoona, Gulf Mall, and dents and visitors faster, easier, then shop,” he said. A long queue of vehicles outside Doha Festival City yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma