BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Hamilton wins crucial, chaotic INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-10, 24 COMMENT 22, 23 Singapore REGION 11 BUSINESS 1-7, 14-16 Qatar bank assets up 22,21900 8,375.18 49.89 ARAB WORLD 11 CLASSIFIED 8-13 +47.00 -34.30 +0.01 INTERNATIONAL 12-21 SPORTS 1-8 GP +0.21% -0.41% +0.02% 10.9% to QR1.3tn Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

MONDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10580 September 18, 2017 Dhul-Hijja 27, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir attends In brief US-Islamic

QATAR | Investment Kahramaa off ers QR19bn World Forum investment opportunities Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) will off er investment opportunities, most of opening in NY which target the domestic market, worth about QR19bn until 2022, its president Essa bin Hilal al-Kuwari has zIssues concerning Mena in said. Speaking on the sidelines of the opening of the ‘Buy Local Products’ exhibition in Doha, he said Kahramaa focus at inaugural session His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attending the opening of the US-Islamic World Forum in New York has succeeded in implementing yesterday. its projects on schedule and to the By Peter Alagos meeting in the coming weeks to de- highest standards of quality despite New York liberate on major issues that confront the ongoing siege. This is due to its us all. Among them, bringing an end adoption of the principle of economic to the ruinous wars raging in the Mena innovation and finding suitable is Highness the Emir Sheikh region, dealing with the immediate alternatives locally and globally, he Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at- consequences of the region’s instabil- noted, adding that the first phase of Htended the opening ceremony ity, including local and transnational the strategic water reservoirs project of the 13th edition of the annual US- terrorism and large-scale refugee fl ows, will be opened during the first three World Islamic Forum in New York yes- and pursuing a dialogue about a more Qatar rejects months of 2018. Page 4 terday. inclusive politics that can leave the re- HE the Minister of Foreign Aff airs gion and the broader Muslim world less QATAR | Reaction Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al- vulnerable to these convulsive forces. Afghanistan market Thani delivered a keynote speech at the “These are the subjects that we will opening of the two-day event. focus on over the next two days in our attack condemned His Highness the Emir also met dig- deliberations in this forum. There could Qatar has strongly condemned the nitaries present during the event, in- be no more important nor urgent task fanaticism and bombing of a local market in south- cluding the Swedish State Secretary for for all of us,” Indyk said. eastern Afghanistan, causing a number Foreign Aff airs Annika Soder, Somalia’s He added: “We at Brookings believe of deaths and injuries. In a statement Minister for Foreign Aff airs Yusuf Ga- that to do this, we need to start by lis- yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign raad Omar, High Representative of the tening to each other; and the purpose Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s firm position UN Alliance of Civilisations and repre- of this forum is to hear diverse points of rejecting violence and terrorism sentative of the UN Secretary-General views and listen to them and generate regardless of motives and reasons. in the forum Nasser bin Abdulaziz al- bridges of understanding out of that. extremism: FM The statement expressed Qatar’s Nasr, head of the Turkish Parliament’s condolences to the victims’ families, Foreign Aff airs Committee Taha Ozhan The Emir’s meeting covered By Peter Alagos ‘Doha Conference on US Relations with the government and the people of and Brookings Institution executive several issues of mutual concern, New York the Arab and Islamic World’ as part of Afghanistan, and its wishes of speedy vice- president Martin Indyk. specifi cally the topics to be global eff orts to address the repercus- recovery for the injured. His Highness the Emir’s meeting cov- discussed at the forum such as sions of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in ered several issues of mutual concern, ‘Stabilisation in the Middle East eiterating Qatar’s stance on ter- 2001. ARAB WORLD | Politics specifi cally the topics to be discussed at and North Africa (Mena)’; ‘The rorism, HE the Foreign Minister “We have to build bridges to achieve Hamas agrees to steps the forum such as ‘Stabilisation in the Future of Pluralism, Citizenship, RSheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrah- harmony between cultures. Recently, toward Palestinian unity Middle East and North Africa (Mena)’; and Religion in the Middle East’ man al-Thani declared yesterday that we have witnessed increased bigotry of ‘The Future of Pluralism, Citizenship, and and other issues the state believes in the “absolute rejec- religion and the use of selective agenda Hamas said yesterday it had agreed Religion in the Middle East’; ‘Refugees tion of all forms of fanaticism and ex- for political ends. Religion has noth- to steps toward resolving a decade- and Cities’; and ‘Counter-terrorism’. “If we’ve learned anything in the past tremism.” ing to do with terrorism but extremists long split with Palestinian President In his speech, Indyk thanked His decade and a half, it is that we’re all af- In the keynote speech at the US- work to spread the discourse of bigotry Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah, announcing Highness the Emir for supporting the fected by these issues whether we want Islamic World Forum, which opened in and isolation to exist in diff erent coun- it would dissolve a body seen as a rival forum, which assembled some of the to be or not and that they cannot be New York, he underscored the impor- HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman tries and societies, and they belong to government and was ready to hold world’s leading scholars and policy resolved without fi nding ways to work tance of addressing confl icts and po- al-Thani speaking at the forum. diff erent religions.” elections. The statement comes after makers to deliberate on pressing global together.” litical and ideological divisions in the Asserting that “the majority of re- Hamas leaders held talks with Egyptian issues. He stressed on the need to “con- Bruce Jones, vice-president and di- international community. that we have to deepen and protect re- ligious people are against terrorism,” off icials last week, and with the Gaza tinue to build bridges” between the in- rector of the Foreign Policy programme Sheikh Mohamed said under the cur- lations, and to reinforce co-operation Sheikh Mohamed reminded that while Strip run by Hamas facing a mounting ternational communities to counter the at the Brookings Institution said: “This rent “conditions and challenges,” the through direct and honest dialogue on “confronting terrorism, we have to re- humanitarian crisis. Page 11 negative impact of terrorism. year, we are happy to bring the event to global community has witnessed “in- the basis of mutual respect, which con- member that terrorism is not a popular “It has been a long and diffi cult world the sidelines of the UN General Assem- creased political division and ideolo- stitute as a basis for relations among phenomenon. There are some social, ASIA | Refugees and we still have a long way to travel be- bly in New York, since these challenges gies,” which, he said, “has led to insta- world countries,” he continued. ideological, and political reasons for the Rohingya Muslims in fore we could say that we have succeed- are truly at the centre of world events. bility in diff erent parts of the world.” Sheikh Mohamed stressed that Qatar emergence of terrorism. plea for safe passage ed in building those bridges but we have The Forum is an opportunity for frank Various unresolved issues are rife de- is continuously consolidating dialogue “There is no doubt that the relations not desisted from it,” Indyk pointed out. exchange and thoughtful dialogue to spite the issuance of several UN reso- and promoting co-existence between between the US and Muslim nations can Thousands of Rohingya Muslims in The forum has come full circle as this help chart better ways to address some lutions. “This shows that we should diff erent religions and cultures, citing infl uence this and can be infl uenced by violence-racked northwest Myanmar year’s annual gathering is being held just a of the major issues we confront today. implement these resolutions and stop the establishment of the Doha Centre this, hence there is a need for the inter- are pleading with authorities for safe stone’s throw away from the 9/11 memo- The forum, which carries theme ‘Cri- double standards, and we have to spread for Interfaith Dialogue, and events like national community to channel these passage from two remote villages that rial. According to Indyk, the forum was sis and Co-operation’, brings together the culture of understanding and co- the annual Doha Forum, as well as other communications and forum of dis- are cut off by hostile Buddhists and established by Brookings scholars in the leaders in politics, business, media, existence,” he said. conferences and meetings. course like this one to build bridges and running short of food. “We’re terrified,” wake of the 9/11 attacks seeking to under- academia, and civil society from across “We cannot call the situation of occu- “And the continuation of holding enhance co-operation between peoples Maung Maung, a Rohingya off icial at stand the dynamics that drive relations the Islamic world (including Muslim pation and oppression as co-existence. this forum is a clear evidence of this,” and to good results. In this way, we can Ah Nauk Pyin village, told Reuters by between the US and the Islamic world. communities in Africa, Asia, Europe, and We believe that common interest be- he stressed, while recalling that the fo- stand against those who incite terrorism telephone. Pages 14, 21 “World leaders at the UN will be the Middle East) and the US. Page 24 tween Arab nations and the US require rum was fi rst organised in 2002 as the on both sides,” he stressed. To Page 24

Qatar Post unveils its new brand Qatar to acquire 24

By Ramesh Mathew has launched a comprehensive pro- gramme for the development of Qa- Typhoon jets from UK Staff Reporter tar’s postal sector, incorporating the best of both digital and traditional atar and Britain yester- new chapter has been scripted applications to meet the growing day signed a Letter of in the country’s more than six- needs and requirements of the coun- QIntent to purchase 24 Adecade old postal history with try’s people in line with the goals and modern Typhoon aircraft with Qatar Post unveiling its new branding objectives of the Qatar National Vi- all their equipment. yesterday. sion 2030. The deal was signed by HE Apart from the new visual identity, Backed by advanced technologies, the Minister of State of De- the re-branding would also contribute and upgrading of its facilities, Qatar fence Affairs Dr Khalid bin to Qatar Post’s enhanced visibility at Post would put in extra eff orts to rein- Mohamed al-Attiyah and local, regional and international levels. force the communication between in- Britain’s Defence Secretary A special ceremony in this connec- dividuals and companies in the coming Michael Fallon at the Minis- tion was attended by HE the Prime days, said al-Naemi. try’s headquarters. Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh While thanking HE the Prime Min- It also aims to strengthen co- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al- ister and HE the Minister of Trans- operation and mutual support Thani, many ministers, ambassadors port and Communications Jassim Seif between the two countries in the and several senior Qatari offi cials. Ahmed al-Sulaiti for their initiatives in military and technical fi elds. Speaking at the launch, Qatar Post supporting the modernisation drive in The two ministers discussed chairman and managing director Faleh the postal company, al-Naemi said Qa- aspects of co-operation in the al-Naemi said the 67-year-old com- HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa tar Post would eff ectively use various military fi eld, especially in com- pany, which he described as one of the al-Thani formally unveiling the new branding of Qatar Post. digital platforms, including e-govern- bating terrorism and extremism. HE the Minister of State of Defence Aff airs Dr main pillars of Qatar’s development ance portals, to meet the growing needs The meeting also discussed the Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah and Britain’s over the years, would continue its ef- the customers, both inside and outside Al-Naemi said Qatar Post, one of and requirements of the country’s resi- most important regional issues. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon shake hands forts to provide innovative services, to the country. the country’s pioneering companies, dents. To Page 3 Page 2 after signing the deal. Gulf Times 2 Monday, September 18, 2017 QATAR

Deputy Emir, PM meet UK defence secretary

His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday met with UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, and his accompanying delegation at his office at the Emiri Diwan. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and means of enhancing and developing them, in addition, a number of regional and international issues of common concern. The UK defence secretary confirmed that the HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday met Secretary success of the International Alliance against Terrorism would not have been achieved without the great facilities of State for Defence of the United Kingdom Michael Fallon and his accompanying delegation, on the occasion of provided by Qatar to the Alliance through the opening of the airspace, the Qatari seaports and Al Udeid Air Base. He their visit to Qatar. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations and means of boosting them, especially in the security expressed his country’s appreciation and gratitude for this role. field. The meeting also discussed a number of regional and international issues, including the Gulf crisis.

Minister stresses Qatar a strategic ally commitment of Britain, says Fallon to developing QNA Fallon said the agreement on se- the ICT sector Doha curity and military co-operation signed between the two coun- tries and which was renewed last QNA ising Qatar National Vision ristish Defence Secretary year includes training operations, Doha (QNV) 2030 under the wise Michael Fallon has said Qa- pointing out that last month “our leadership of His Highness the Btar was and is still a strategic forces completed their last mili- Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad ally of the United Kingdom in the tary exercises with Ahmed bin E the Minister of Trans- al-Thani and the directives of region. Mohamed Military College, which port and Communica- HE the Prime Minister and In- Fallon praised Doha’s support was the third joint training be- Htions Jassim Seif Ahmed terior Minister Sheikh Abdullah for the international campaign tween the two countries’ forces in al-Sulaiti has stressed that the bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Tha- against terrorism and against IS, one month.” Ministry will continue to de- ni, which attaches particular pointing out that three years after Regarding Britain’s position on velop and strengthen the basic importance to the ICT sector the start of the campaign, achieve- the current Gulf crisis, Fallon af- elements involved in the ad- and considers it as the basis ments could not have been possible fi rmed that his country is not bi- vancement of the information for Qatar’s vision of building a without Qatar’s support. ased in favour of a specifi c party, and communications technol- knowledge-based society and In an interview with Al-Sharq but encourages mediation between ogy (ICT) sector by investing a diverse digital economy that newspaper, Fallon said UK sup- the parties, expressing his coun- heavily in securing an effi cient will cater to the needs of future ports all mediation eff orts to re- try’s support for the mediation ef- infrastructure and setting up an generations and achieve social solve the Gulf crisis, led by Kuwait, forts undertaken by Kuwait. integrated system of policies, and economic well-being. warning of the negative impact of During his visit to Kuwait three legislation and mechanisms. Al-Sulaiti underlined that prolonging the crisis on the entire weeks ago, Fallon said he encour- This will be done to create Qatar Post has all the strategic Middle East region, adding that aged the Kuwaitis to continue the the right investment climate elements to develop the qual- the crisis should not be allowed to mediation eff orts, stressing the and continue implementing the ity of postal services and the continue in the light of great chal- importance to fi nd a solution to projects and programmes of Qa- communication sector in gen- lenges facing the region. this confl ict. HE the Minister of State of Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah and Britain’s Defence tar Digital Government 2020 and eral in line with QNV 2030. He The defence secretary said the Fallon stressed the need to fi ght Secretary Michael Fallon sign a Letter of Intent to purchase 24 modern Typhoon aircraft with all with regard to electronic secu- stressed the commitment to co-operation between the UK and terrorism in a better and stronger their equipment, in Doha yesterday. rity. provide full support to Qatar Qatar is not limited to defence and way, noting the need to improve In this context, the ministry is Post to complete the necessary commercial aspects, but extends the way in fi ghting this phenom- focusing on implementing stra- requirements for transforma- to many other fi elds, stressing that enon. tegic and pivotal programmes tion to the business system, his country provides all support to Regarding the stability of the that contribute to the diversifi - enhance the economic status Qatar in its preparations to host the Middle East and whether the cur- cation of national income sourc- of the sector and enhance the World Cup 2022 and wants it to be rent Gulf crisis leads to the desta- es and help other sectors grow quality of services based on in- a success. bilisation, Fallon stressed that all and fl ourish, including the Qa- ternational standards. Qatar is always a strong ally of parties must work hard to fi nd the tar Smart Programme (Tasmu), The process of updating and Britain in the region and “our re- solution, adding that the unity of in addition to programmes that launching the new brand of lationship is not just defensive or the Gulf states is an important pil- increase investments in elec- Qatar Post includes a compre- commercial,” he added. lar of stability in the entire region. tronic commerce, al-Sulaiti told hensive change in its works, On the defence side, Fallon said: He also said that there are many reporters on the sidelines of the services and postal products “We are now implementing the challenges currently facing the re- inauguration of the new brand of through a three-pronged stra- defence and security co-operation gion including the war in Syria, the Qatar Post yesterday. tegic transformation process: agreement that was renewed last campaign against the IS and the The Minister noted that improving service and cus- year and our forces are working confl ict in Yemen in addition to launching the new identity and tomer experience, building a closely with each other,” describ- other issues. strategic direction of Qatar top-notch operating policy and ing the current relations between Fallon affi rmed that this “con- Post represents a new chap- strengthening the organisa- the two countries as excellent. fl ict” must not be continued in the ter in the achievements of the tional capacity of staff through As for more joint military ex- Gulf and a solution must be found modern State of Qatar and an the creation of an effective ercises between the two sides, now. Qatari and British delegations hold talks. important step towards real- working environment. Experts to attend WISH New accreditation for QU programmes atar University (QU) yesterday announced discussion on Alzheimer’s Qthe academic accredita- tion of its colleges of Education (CED), Engineering (CENG), he World Innovation Sum- most common form of dementia and Health Sciences (CHS), tak- mit for Health (WISH), and involves progressive damage ing the total number of accred- Tin collaboration with the to the brain. The word ‘dementia’ ited programmes to 37. Ministry of Public Health and describes a set of symptoms that Details of the accreditation Hamad Medical Corporation may include memory loss and were outlined by CED dean Dr (HMC), will host a public event diffi culties with thinking, prob- Ahmed al-Emadi, CENG dean Dr titled ‘Discussing Alzheimer’s’, lem solving and language. Suf- Khalifa al-Khalifa, and CHS Hu- QU president al-Derham addressing a press conference yesterday to announce the latest academic which will explore the issues ferers of Alzheimer’s disease may man Nutrition Department head accreditations as senior off icials look on. faced by people with the disease, also experience changes in mood Dr Tahra El-Obeid in the pres- its prevalence in Qatar and the or behaviour. ence of QU president Dr Hassan CENG was awarded renewal of ics (ACEND) of the Academy of strengthen links with the in- support off ered to suff erers and WISH’s research on Alzhe- al-Derham, vice president for its fi ve-year accreditation by the Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). dustry. Accreditation is a very their caregivers. imer’s disease and other forms of Academic Aff airs Dr Omar al- Accreditation Board for Engi- The ACEND accreditation has important process to improve The public event will take dementia will be presented by Dr Ansari and other offi cials. neering and Technology (ABET) been awarded to three uni- the learning outcomes and to place on September 21, from Walid Qoronfl eh, director of Re- CED was awarded a fi ve-year for seven of its undergraduate versities outside the US – QU ensure that they align with the 10am to 12.30pm, in Al AaQool search and Policy, WISH, while a accreditation by the Specialised programmes – Chemical En- (Qatar), Kyung Hee University needs of the labour market. I Hall at Qatar Foundation’s Rec- representative of the Ehsan, the Professional Association (SPA)/ gineering, Civil Engineering, (South Korea) and Universidad applaud the eff orts of the deans, reation Centre, Education City. Centre for Empowerment and Teachers of English to Students Computer Engineering, Electri- Iberoamericana (Mexico), mak- faculty, and staff in contributing Hosted by WISH, an initiative Elderly Care, will speak on the of Other Languages (TESOL) for cal Engineering, Industrial and ing QU the fi rst university in the to this achievement.” of Qatar Foundation for Educa- subject of family and community its Bachelor of Education in Sec- Systems Engineering, Mechani- Middle East to achieve this ac- CHS dean and QU Biomedi- tion, Science and Community support. ondary Education/English. The cal Engineering, and Computer creditation. cal Research Centre director Development, the event coin- Dr Hanadi al-Hamad Afdhal said: “WISH’s research college also achieved a fi ve-year Science. ABET accreditation is Commenting on this achieve- Dr Asma al-Thani said: “The cides with World Alzheimer’s into Alzheimer’s disease and de- accreditation by the SPA/Council the hallmark of excellence in ap- ment, Dr Hassan al-Derham achievement of the ACEND ac- Day and will come at the end of a Afdhal, acting CEO of WISH, and mentia highlights the need to for Exceptional Children (CEC) plied and natural science, com- said: “The new academic ac- creditation is a testament that week of Alzheimer’s-related ac- Dr Hanadi al-Hamad, chair of take an holistic approach to pa- for its Masters of Education in puting, engineering and engi- creditation adds value to QU CHS Department of Human tivities organised by HMC. the geriatrics and long-term care tient care and to involve all stake- Special Education (MSPED), neering technology. colleges’ numerous achieve- Nutrition meets the educational It will bring together a wide department at HMC, special- holders in discussions relating to and a fi ve-year accreditation by CHS Department of Hu- ments. It refl ects QU’s com- standards of ACEND and that it range of stakeholders, including ists from HMC will give practical the disease wherever possible. the SPA/Teachers of English to man Nutrition was awarded a mitment to advance the qual- provides its students with the healthcare professionals and car- demonstrations of methods used We look forward to hearing many Students of Other Languages seven-year accreditation by the ity of its programmes and the required knowledge, skills, and egivers of people with the disease. to diagnose the disease. diff erent viewpoints during the (TESOL) for its Diploma in Sec- Accreditation Council for Edu- level of its graduates, and the competencies to join the dietet- Following a welcome by Sultana Alzheimer’s disease is the event.” ondary Education/English. cation in Nutrition and Dietet- university’s ongoing eff orts to ics profession.” Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 3 QATAR

Qatar Post unveils its new brand

From Page 1 services in tandem with their part- ners in some of the major markets. The chairman also said more Prominent Qatari entrepre- than 2.2mn services were pro- neur HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qas- vided by the postal company sim al-Thani, HE al-Sulaiti, HE last year, covering over 220,000 the Minister of Energy and In- customers. About 220 countries dustry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh are also linked with the country, al-Sada, HE the Minister of En- through Qatar Post. dowments and Islamic Aff airs Dr Al-Naemi added with the Ghaith bin Mubarak al-Kuwari, company opening more branch- HE the Minister of Municipality es at Al Meera outlets, there has and Environment Mohamed bin been a growth in its network. Abdullah al-Rumeihi and HE the He also disclosed that the com- Minister of Culture and Sports pany’s eff orts to turn Doha into Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al- one of the major logistical hubs Ali, Qatar Airways Group chief between Asia and Europe, are ex- executive Akbar al-Baker, Mow- HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani is flanked by HE the Minister of Culture and Sports pected to be fulfi lled by the end of asalat chairman Nasser Moham- Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali, HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, prominent Qatari entrepreneur HE this year. Besides e-government ed al-Malki, managing director Qatar Post chairman and Managing Director Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, HE the Minister of Endowments and Islamic Aff airs Dr Ghaith bin Mubarak al-Kuwari, and HE the Minister of services, Qatar Post is also han- Khalid Nasser al-Hail were also Faleh al-Naemi speaking at the launch of the Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi at the Qatar Post event yesterday. PICTURES: Jayan Orma dling e-commerce and fi nancial present at the launch ceremony. new Qatar Post brand. Qatar has won global

Sheikh Ali bin Jassim al-Thani Addressing the IAEA Governing support, say experts Council in Vienna. By Joseph Varghese on several such issues? Some- Staff Reporter times, I feel that the blockade was created as a defl ection to Qatar calls for IAEA distract the attention from the s more than 100 days domestic political issues in Sau- have passed since it di Arabia and the UAE. However, safeguards to nuclear Ahas been put under it is also a big blow to the future blockade by some Gulf-Arab interactions among the GCC countries, Qatar has won the countries, making GCC very activities in Mideast support of the world commu- weak,” he added. nity and achieved high moral According to Dr Ghabra, the ground by eff ectively handling Turkish act of sending military QNA al-Thani said that Qatar be- the crisis, participants at a force to Qatar was a balancing Vienna lieves that the establishment panel discussion highlighted act as Qatar was caught unaware of a nuclear-weapon-free yesterday. of a major crisis one fi ne morn- zone in the Middle East that The event, titled ‘Crisis in the ing. “The crisis is the end of the atar has called for sup- would accelerate international GCC: Causes, Consequences, beginning. New allies and new porting the eff orts eff orts to achieve a peace- and Prospects’ was organised by power centres are emerging. It Qof the International ful and lasting solution in the the Centre for International and creates new balances and new Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) region and to rid the world of Regional Studies (CIRS), a re- The panellists at the discussion share their views. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed political alignments. The train on the early application of the nuclear weapons. search institute at Georgetown has left the station and now the agency’s comprehensive safe- Qatar expressed regret over University in Qatar. “Eff ective economic measures “The measures are also helping present crisis goes against the situation is going to be diff er- guards agreements (CSAs) to the lack of implementation The panellists included Dr are in place, the banking sector Qatar to become more self-suffi - whole purpose of the GCC as any ent,” said Dr Ghabra. all nuclear activities in the of the international resolu- Abdullah Baabood, director, is going stronger and stronger cient in various areas. This will, such matter should be discussed He also rubbished the argu- Middle East as a fundamental tions on the establishment of a Gulf Studies Programme at and new trade routes have been in the long-run, help the country and approved by the GCC mem- ment that Qatar supports ter- step towards the establish- nuclear-weapon-free zone in Qatar University; Dr Shafeeq established to overcome the situ- become stronger and self-reli- bers. This situation goes against rorism. “Muslim Brotherhood ment of a nuclear-weapon- the Middle East, stressing the Ghabra, professor of political ation. In addition, more chan- ant,” Dr Nonneman stated. the fundamentals and spirit of is known all over the region and free zone. importance of implementing science at Kuwait University nels of sport diplomacy as well as Dr Baabood noted that many of the GCC.” they are part of the Moroccan Addressing the IAEA Gov- these resolutions, especially and Dr Gerd Nonneman, pro- cultural diplomacy have been set the siege countries do not want “How can you trust GCC if the government. Hamas has not car- erning Council meeting, Qa- in the current circumstances fessor of international relations up and all these have been car- to change from the present situ- whole community is silent on ried out any kind of violence in tar’s ambassador to Austria which are witnessing a seri- and Gulf studies at Georgetown ried out with calculative moves ation or bring in modernism or such an issue? It does not have a any part of the world. What they and Permanent Representa- ous escalation as North Korea University in Qatar. The session winning appreciation and praise political Islam in their countries. working mechanism at present. are doing in Palestine is defend- tive to the United Nations and continues its nuclear weapons was moderated by CIRS director from the international commu- “The whole idea of the GCC is The GCC representative in Brus- ing their own country and the International Organisation in programme in the absence of Dr Mehran Kamrava. nity,” said Dr Nonneman. about security co-operation. The sels is Qatari and how can he act people,” he added. Vienna, Sheikh Ali bin Jassim international supervision. New shipping lines opened Credentials of ambassadors received

amad Port director Abdul Further, the offi cial observed Aziz Nasser al-Yafei has that Hamad Port is an important Hannounced the inaugura- part of the system of regional and tion of two new shipping routes global ports, especially as most linking Qatar with vital ports in ports in the region have reached a number of countries, including their capacity. Work is under China, Turkey and Greece. way to make Hamad Port a major Both new routes, the China point for re-exports, he noted. Gulf Express Service and the Al-Yafei said the new lines East Mediterranean Service, would bring economic benefi ts will be operated on a weekly ba- for the country, especially as Chi- sis, the Ministry of Transport na is the largest source of goods and Communications (MoTC) to nations around the world. The Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi received yesterday a copy of has said in a statement. direct lines with China would the credentials of ambassador of Tajikistan to Qatar Khisrav Sohibzoda and ambassador of Belgium The China Gulf Express Serv- help increase the volume of ex- to Qatar Bartde Jroof separately. The secretary-general wished the ambassadors success in their ice will connect Shanghai in ports destined for Qatar, which duties, and the bilateral relations between Qatar and their respective countries further development China with Hamad Port, with included all types of goods and and prosperity. designated stops at Ningbo products, he continued. (China), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), He highlighted the port’s Xiamen (China), Shekou (China) commitment to providing all and Port Klang (Malaysia) en necessary facilities to compa- route to Qatar. A single ship will nies, adding that it was ready to ply this route and have a capacity The East Mediterranean Service (MSC IMED). Infographics courtesy of receive all types of shipments of 6,000 containers, including Mwani Qatar. Below: The China Gulf Express Service (Yang Mang Line). from diff erent parts of the world. 400 reefer containers, according Hamad Port has been making ‘The Gentleman’s Sale’ to the MoTC. economic gains since it started The East Mediterranean Serv- functioning and seen the launch ice will link Qatar with Turkey and of some 15 direct lines till date, Greece. It will be serviced with which contribute to reducing four ships, with a total capac- costs and shortening the travel to feature 51 rare objects ity of 6,000 containers, includ- time, the offi cial points out. This ing 400 reefer containers. Ports is in the interest of importers to be covered by this service are whose goods have arrived di- multiple category life- Genève with a custom Doha city bodian oud – all available with Mersin (Turkey), Istanbul (Tur- rectly from the ports of origin to style auction dubbed as ring, along with unique wrist- samples for burning during the key), Tekirdag (Turkey), Cana- Qatar without the need for in- A‘The Gentleman’s Sale’ watches from boutique Swiss pre-sale exhibition. kkale (Turkey), Piraeus (Greece), termediate ports. will feature 51 unique, rare and watchmakers ArtyA, James Pel- A VIP opening reception and Iskenderun (Turkey) and Salalah He also said Hamad Port, one-of-a-kind objects on Sep- laton, Alexis Garin, and spe- press preview will take place on (Oman) before reaching Hamad which includes three major con- tember 27 at Katara – the Cul- cial edition wristwatches from September 20 from 6pm to 9pm, Port in Qatar. The ships will then tainer terminals with a capac- tural Village’s building 22c, it Bulgari, Perrelet, and HD3. featuring a ‘Collector’s Series’ by continue their journey to Sohar ity of 7.5mn TEUs per year, will was announced. For watch and car enthusiasts, Mohamed al-Delamy. (Oman) and Mundra (India), the play a major role in covering do- The event, being organised by Albahie will off er two rare col- Albahie, located in Doha Qa- MoTC said. mestic needs of goods as well as the Albahie Auction House, will laboration watches from Bugatti tar, is the fi rst-of-its-kind in Speaking at a press conference contributing to the needs of all showcase special edition wrist- with Parmigiani Fluerier and the region. An auction house yesterday, al-Yafei said he expect- countries in the region. watches, clocks, vintage and Pininfarina with Bovet. locally-owned and operated, it ed Hamad Port to receive more Part of the port’s strategy is to limited edition pens, arms and The sale includes a collection aims to promote culture affi n- than 1,000 vessels by the end of acquire 35% of the total Middle armour, and a special selection of limited edition Montblanc ity through artistic practices and this year and about 1mn TEUs East trade next year and is rap- of oud. Great Characters and Writers mediums by off ering works in (twenty-foot equivalent unit) in yesterday is the second direct at enhancing the functioning of idly following up on this – driven Among the highlights of the Edition fountain pens and roll- diverse sale categories from arts the same period, the offi cial Qatar link between Shanghai and Doha, Hamad Port and its competitive- by its strategic location and po- upcoming sale, under the ‘2017 erballs, limited edition Mon- of the Islamic worlds, watches, News Agency (QNA) reported. he added. ness, adding that more shipping tential as well as the facilities it Fall Auction Season,’ are: an tegrappa fountain pens, vintage banknotes and coins, special The new route (China Gulf He stressed that the new lines lines would be announced in the provides to companies, al-Yafei iconic Worldtimer Tempus Ter- Cartier pens and seven lots of plate numbers, orientalist art, Express Service) inaugurated are an important addition aimed coming period, QNA said. added. rae wristwatch by Andersen rare Indian, Sailani and Cam- and rugs and carpets. Gulf Times 4 Monday, September 18, 2017 QATAR

HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada (centre), with QDB CEO Abdul Aziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa (third left) and Kahramaa president Issa bin Hilal al-Kuwari (fourth left) at the event. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil ‘Buy Local Products’ exhibition opens

By Joey Aguilar ucts Plastic Factory (Newpro) general the construction industry is very Staff Reporter manager Mathhar Gharaibeh said such strong, all projects are going on sched- exhibitions serve as an important plat- ule and we do not feel any project de- form to develop the local manufactur- lays,” he explained. ome 60 local companies, includ- ing industry. Newpro, a two-month old local ing those in the energy, water “This is essential to improve the company, manufactures diff erent types Sand recycling market sector, are quality of our products, in addition to of plastics such as PVC pipes, and uses taking part in the 3rd edition of the improving the processes used internal- a corrugated HDPE machine, a fi rst in ‘Buy Local Products’ exhibition, which ly for the local industry,” he stressed. Qatar. opened yesterday at the Doha Exhibi- “It can also open the doors for new ide- Al Waab Plastics marketing manager tion and Convention Centre. as and help us develop our production engineer Eslam Abd Elfattah echoed The two-day event aims to provide lines in the future.” the statement of Gharaibeh saying the more opportunities for Qatari small About the economic blockade im- blockade helped provide bigger oppor- and medium enterprises to grow and posed on Qatar by the Saudi-led bloc, tunities for them. expand their operations. Gharaibeh noted that the siege serves The company manufactures CPVC The opening was attended by HE the as a good opportunity for local com- pipes and fi ttings, mainly used for Minister of Energy and Industry, Dr panies to grow and expand their op- bearing hot and cold water. Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, together erations, apart from investing more in Besides off ering reasonable prices, with Qatar Development Bank (QDB) research and development. he cited their capacity to produce prod- CEO Abdul Aziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa He added that the siege opened ucts at par with international compa- and Qatar General Electricity and Wa- the door mainly for local products to nies. ter Co-operation (Kahramaa) president thrive, especially now with fewer play- Technically, he said, local companies Issa bin Hilal al-Kuwari. ers in the market. have the ability to compete with oth- A panel discussion was also held as According to the general manager, ers and even produce better products, part of the programme, which focused increasing production and expanding particularly “in a market that accepts on the eff orts done to support local operations to cover the Qatar market something new.” companies and the role they play in form part of their responsibility to- Elfattah lauded the eff orts of QDB supporting the country’s economy. wards the country. and Kahramaa for continuously sup- Speaking to Gulf Times, New Prod- “The Qatar market is growing and porting them. Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 5 QATAR Qatar Genome Programme summer internships end

atar Genome Programme (QGP) Students study the Holy Qur’an at one of the sessions. has concluded its third annual Qsummer internship, titled ‘Ge- nome Interpretation: from Sequencing to Counselling’. The programme was attended by a 10,000 students attend Awqaf’s group of resident physicians and nurses at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Holy Qur’an Education Centres as well as biomedical graduates and phar- macists from Qatari universities. The two-week internship is designed QNA study session is in the morn- to enhance the knowledge of healthcare Doha ing from 8am to 11am and the providers with the latest genome issues evening session begins after Asr related to the medical sector. prayer and continues until the The initiative aims to develop the skills he Holy Qur’an Education Isha prayer. of interns in genomics to help them un- Centres at the Ministry of He pointed to the importance derstand the future of precision medi- TAwqaf and Islamic Aff airs of regularity and commitment cine, with Qatar being one of the pio- have resumed work with the start of students to attend the classes, neering nations in this area. of the new academic year. calling on children to better use The course includes an in-depth dis- About 10,000 students are at- their energies and skills and the cussion on a number of issues from ge- tending the Qur’an classes dis- use of leisure time in studying nome data, genomic reports, and some tributed in 111 centres all over the Shariah science through read- clinical issues related to precision medi- country. ing and memorising the Holy cine. Director of Da’wa and Religious Qur’an. Prof Asma al-Thani, chair of the Qa- Guidance Department at the He also referred to the social tar Genome National Committee, said: Ministry of Awqaf, Mohamed bin and educational roles of the Holy “This internship aims to support workers Hamad al-Kuwari, said in a press Qur’an centres, noting that the in various health sectors to open up to the A workshop in progress at the QGP event. statement that all the centres children enrolling in these cen- future of precision medicine, and to dem- were prepared in advance to meet tres will enhance the values of onstrate its importance in all diff erent nomic advancements, to provide optimal pharmacy and biomedical sciences facul- Cornell Medicine - Qatar, added: “The students and staff to follow up on Islam and raise the good morals stages of research, analysis, and treat- and specialised healthcare, based on our ties across Qatari universities. programme helped me understand the fu- their memorisation and review. which refl ect positively on their ment options, and genetic counselling; as belief that the eff orts of all medical insti- “It was a unique experience. The sub- ture prospects of medicine.” Al-Kuwari said that the one educational life. both genomic research and medicine will tutions should be combined to practically jects and the selection of lecturers were Another intern, Dr Ahmed al-Ghabawi, play a key role in the future of healthcare apply precision medicine.” distinctive, and the best part was our sense a resident at HMC, described his experi- worldwide.” A total of 15 interns were selected of mutual benefi t, since each of us came ence, saying: “I hope that all healthcare Dr Said Ismail, manager, QGP, said: “In through a competitive screening process, from a diff erent medical background,” said providers become aware of the applica- Qatar, we aim to create a medical com- due to high demand, including resident Dr Sumaya Abdul Aziz, whose colleague tions of precision medicine, to provide munity that is ready to integrate with ge- physicians, nurses, and graduates from Iman El-Ezzouani, a researcher at Weill better care for patients.”

Mercedes Benz models recalled over safety concerns

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce The MEC said the recall campaign comes with the dealer to follow up on the and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department (MEC), in collaboration with Nasser Bin within the framework of its ongoing maintenance and repair works and will through the following channels: Call Khaled Automobiles, has announced the eff orts to protect consumers and ensure communicate with customers to ensure centre: 16001, e-mail: [email protected], recall of Mercedes Benz GT-Class and that car dealers follow up on vehicles’ that the necessary repairs are carried out. Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: MEC_ C-Class models of 2015-2016 because faulty defects and repair them. The MEC has urged all customers to report Qatar, MEC mobile app for Android and Students memorise the Holy Qur’an at the Education Centre. ignition coils may have been installed. The MEC said that it will co-ordinate any violations to its Consumer Protection IOS: MEC_Qatar

Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 7 QATAR

Promotion launched for Toyota SUVs

bdullah Abdulghani & Bros ability. Entry level model is the Co (AAB), sole agents for stylish, comfortable and fuel ef- AToyota vehicles, has begun fi cient RAV4 which is powered by their exclusive promotion for a a 2.5-litre petrol engine. Toyota limited stock of Toyota SUVs. Fortuner, which has a compel- During the campaign period, ling design, is available in 2.7L AAB is off ering very attractive and 4.0L engines. Toyota Prado, prices on their SUV range of ve- known for its rugged strength, is hicles where the EMI price can be available in 2.7L and 4.0L engines. as low as QR59 per day for Toyota The retro styled Toyota FJ Cruiser RAV4, QR77/day for Fortuner, has a powerful 4.0L engine. QR93/day for Prado and QR124/ Toyota Land Cruiser main- day for Land Cruiser. tains its leadership with its 4WD These are calculated based on capability and a host of advanced 10% down payment and interest features to conquer the toughest rate calculated at 4.5% per an- terrain. Land Cruiser is available num for 48-month instalments. in 4.0L, 4.6L & 5.7L engines. However, the EMI may vary de- AAB has eight service centres pending upon the model grade, with some operating seven days model year of the vehicle and the a week. Toyota service locations bank which fi nances the vehicle. include: Toyota Main Service For more information, pro- Station in Industrial area, Land- spective buyers can visit the mark Quick Service Centre, Abu Toyota Showroom anytime from Hamour Quick Service Centre, 8am – 9pm (Saturday – Thurs- Al Nayef Quick Service Centre, The healthcare students who took part in the joint learning exercise at WCM-Q. day) and on Fridays from 5pm Wakrah Quick Service Centre, – 9pm. City Center Doha show- Aziz Quick Service Centre, Al room is open from 9am – 10pm Khor Quick Service Centre and (Sat – Thu) and on Fridays, from the newly opened Service Cen- 5pm – 10pm. Hotline 800 1800 tre near to the Toyota Showroom is operational 24 hours from Sat- (next to Al Mana Tower). urday – Thursday. AAB, founded in 1958 by one of Students learn real-life skills at Customers can also get free Qatar’s pioneering business fam- registration, in-house facil- ilies, is the leading automobile ity, three years’ warranty or distributor in Qatar. The com- 100,000km (whichever comes pany’s constant commitment to fi rst) and trade-in facility for all delivering a great customer ex- WCM-Q healthcare workshop Toyota models. Terms and con- perience coupled with the world- ditions apply. class quality and reliability of Toyota has a very good range of Toyota vehicles has enabled the total of 116 students College of the North Atlantic- from most of the healthcare reaction to her medication. The professionals in recent years in SUVs which are known for their brand to enjoy the highest market from four of Qatar’s Qatar (CNA-Q) respectively. colleges in Qatar. students gained key knowledge response to developments in high quality, durability and reli- share in the country. A leading healthcare col- They met at WCM-Q to learn After an icebreaker session, of dealing with systems issues medical science that have made leges convened at Weill Cor- vital collaborative working the students worked in groups such as ways to work safely care packages more sophisti- nell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) skills to help them deliver co- to consider care scenarios in despite disruptive challenges, cated and complex. As such, for a day of inter-professional ordinated care packages when which an elderly female patient including staff shortages, shift WCM-Q, QU-CPH, UCQ and education (IPE) workshops de- they enter the healthcare pro- had been admitted to hospital changes and issues with elec- CNA-Q have united to form and signed to foster collaboration fession after graduation. following a stroke. tronic health records. support communities of inter- among trainees of four diff erent This was the sixth IPE ses- In each training scenario, the This is very pertinent as Qa- professional learners. health professions. sion to be held by these colleges students were presented with tar’s healthcare sector relies The learning objectives and The participants comprised during the 2016-17 academic diff erent challenges, such as the heavily on electronic health case-study scenarios for this trainee pharmacists, doc- year, and the second to be held patient suff ering from pneu- records, which, when used ef- IPE activity were developed tors, nurses and respiratory at WCM-Q. IPE activities are monia, an outbreak of fl u at the fectively, can minimise medical collaboratively by faculty from therapists from Qatar Univer- organised by the Inter-Profes- hospital that caused regular errors. each of the four colleges prior to sity College of Pharmacy (QU- sional Education Committee nurses to be replaced by inex- Inter-professional education the event, and delivered by 20 CPH), WCM-Q, University of (IPEC), which convenes at QU perienced agency staff , and the has emerged as a key element experienced faculty members Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) and the and includes representatives patient having a severe allergic in the training of healthcare who facilitated the activity. Gulf Times 8 Monday, September 18, 2017 QATAR

QU study reveals results of campus Knowing the signs of sepsis carbon calculator 2013-2015

he average amount of emissions per per- and make the university more sustainable. can save lives: experts son (staff and students) at the Qatar Uni- To defi ne the campus carbon footprint, the Tversity campus was 3.33 metric tons of team followed the Greenhouse Gas Protocol amad Medical Corpora- and kidney or liver disease, are also CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2015, while (2004) guidelines that provide standards and tion (HMC) is marking at increased risk, as are individu- the total campus carbon footprint was 63,732.98 guidance for companies and organisations to HWorld Sepsis Day with als who have experienced a severe metric tons of CO2e over the same time period. prepare a GHG emissions inventory. It includes education and awareness raising burn or physical trauma. QU is the fi rst university in the GCC region to accounting and reporting of the six types of activities for healthcare profes- Last year, HMC launched a measure its campus carbon footprint as an op- greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Proto- sionals to improve recognition of sepsis programme as part of its erational exercise. col: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ni- the signs and symptoms of sepsis. patient safety agenda. The pro- A team from the Environment and Sustain- trous oxide (N2O), hydrofl uorocarbons (HFCs), World Sepsis Day was estab- gramme aims to boost care serv- ability Section at Qatar University’s (QU) Fa- perfl uorocarbons (PFCs), and sulphur hexafl uo- lished in 2012 and is observed Dr Ibrahim Fawzy Hassan Dr Ahmed Labib ices for all patients diagnosed cilities and General Services Department has ride (SF6). The amount of gases emitted was annually on September 13. with sepsis as well as to support calculated the QU’s carbon footprint, cover- reported in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), Sepsis is a serious illness and rahim Fawzy Hassan, chairman of ness of the signs and symptoms clinicians in recognising and di- ing the period from 2013 to 2015, as part of the which is the standard unit for measuring carbon can lead to a life threatening con- HMC’s Critical Care Centre. of sepsis and timely treatment agnosing sepsis early. University’s Sustainability Initiative, a strategic footprints. dition called septic shock. The “We have developed a corporate saves lives, according to a press Sepsis causes 6-9mn deaths commitment to environmental sustainability Talballa noted that 2015 values provide the condition is an extreme response programme for sepsis care, which statement from HMC. worldwide every year, many of through research, teaching, and operational ac- baseline for developing sound strategies, pro- triggered by an infection and if is based on international best Symptoms of sepsis can in- which are preventable. Accord- tivities. grammes and projects. He added that this untreated can lead to shock, or- practice that has been adapted to clude fever, chills, rapid heartbeat ing to the Global Sepsis Alliance, The team included QU environmental and should be followed while creating a QU sustain- gan failure, and death. our local needs,” added Dr Hassan. and confusion, with symptoms of it is a major cause of maternal and sustainability specialist Mays Abdalla and stu- ability network, with the aim of building an ex- “Sepsis is one of the leading Sepsis follows a unique and septic shock including confusion, neonatal illness and mortality. dent from QU College of Arts and Sciences Khan pertise base that will exchange ideas on issues causes of death. Greater aware- time-critical clinical course, nausea and vomiting, rash and Dr Ahmed Labib, senior con- Mohamed Sazzadur Rahman. It was led by QU’s related to carbon emissions, and raise awareness ness among the general public as which in the early stages is highly joint pain. Individuals with weak- sultant ECMO, ICM and anaes- Facilities and General Services Department on the importance of adopting more sustainable well as more specialised education responsive to treatment. Sepsis is ened immune systems, children, thesia, added: “Patients with Environmental and Sustainability Specialist practices both on and outside the campus. He for hospital staff is key to ensur- a medical emergency but can be infants, and the elderly are most sepsis have a better chance of Husameldin Talballa. also noted that the team followed the interna- ing that fewer patients with sepsis diffi cult to diagnose because ear- vulnerable to developing the con- recovery when their healthcare The collection of data on greenhouse gas (GHG) tionally recognised Campus Carbon Calculator have their condition deteriorate to ly symptoms are often confused dition. Those with chronic illness- teams are well trained in provid- emissions on campus aims to calculate QU’s car- guide, issued by the Sustainability Institute at a severely critical level,” said Dr Ib- with other conditions. Aware- es, such as diabetes, Aids, cancer, ing specialised and prompt care.” bon footprint. It is crucial to set reduction goals the University of New Hampshire.

New liberal arts director at NU-Q

orthwestern Uni- versity in Qatar N(NU-Q) has an- nounced that it has ap- pointed a new director and professor for its liberal arts programme, along with seven professors specialis- ing in the media and com- munication industry, as well as literature and phi- losophy. Hariclea Zengos Hariclea Zengos will serve as director of the lib- The additional faculty eral arts programme and include Rana Kazkaz, Aar- also teach courses in litera- on LaDuke, Sam Meekings, ture and literary studies. Torsten Menge, Pamela Most recently, she served Krayenbuhl and Dana At- as associate dean for aca- rach. demic aff airs in the offi ce Kazkaz, a director, pro- of the provost at American ducer and writer of several College of Greece. award-winning fi lms, will “Our new faculty – who serve as assistant professor bring international experi- of communication in resi- ence in various disciplines dence, while LaDuke, an of media and communica- authority on Great Plains tion, literature and philos- literature, will serve as as- ophy – will play an instru- sistant professor of liberal mental role contributing arts. to NU-Q’s success in pro- Meekings, an assistant ducing a new generation professor of liberal arts, is of communication profes- an accomplished novelist sionals,” said Everette E and poet who joins NU-Q Dennis, dean and CEO of from Qatar University NU-Q. where he was a lecturer Among the new faculty in writing and rhetoric. is George Anghelcev, who Menge has been appointed served as a visiting profes- assistant professor in the sor in 2016. He returns as faculty of liberal arts and an associate professor of will teach philosophy. journalism and strategic Krayenbuhl, meanwhile, communication. Anghel- will serve as assistant pro- cev was a tenured associate fessor in residence, while professor at Pennsylvania Atrach has been appointed State University’s College assistant professor in resi- of Communications’ De- dence in the Communica- partment of Advertising tion Programme, and is the and Public Relations be- fi rst NU-Q alumna to join fore joining NU-Q. the faculty. Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 9 QATAR HMC holds workshop on caring for stroke patients

multidisciplinary group of edu- care for patients who have experienced and nutrients, which can cause brain rhagic stroke). During sessions held in for the ongoing care and treatment of that may have been impaired as a result cators from Hamad Medical a stroke. cells to die. English and Arabic, family members stroke patients, including speech ther- of a stroke.The educational event was ACorporation’s Home Health- A stroke occurs when the blood sup- A stroke may be caused by a blocked were taught the benefi ts of stroke man- apy, physiotherapy, and occupational organised by the HCCS’s Education De- care Service (HCCS) recently hosted ply to the brain is interrupted or re- artery (ischaemic stroke) or the leaking agement at home. The workshop cov- therapy – all of which were designed partment and led by its education direc- a workshop for family members who duced, depriving the brain of oxygen or bursting of a blood vessel (haemor- ered a range of topics that are important to aid the patient in regaining faculties tor, Fatima al-Haddad and her team.

Sidra appoints physician in paediatric pathology

Sidra Medical and Research Center (Sidra) has appointed Prof Gordan Vujanic as senior attending physician in paediatric pathology. Prof Vujanic will be working closely with Dr Adrian Charles, chief, anatomical pathology and will be leading paediatric Prof Gordan Vujanic pathology services at Sidra. This includes foetal, personalised medicine, perinatal and paediatric treatment and care at Sidra,” surgical pathology. Prof said Prof Vujanic. Vujanic is renowned for He will also be delivering his work and international training in the field as well studies on paediatric renal as expanding on perinatal tumours. In addition to pathology services. This his new role at Sidra, Prof will help review the factors Vujanic is the chair of two related to perinatal deaths leading organisations to determine why they dedicated to cancer happened and provide research – the UK Children’s important information for Cancer and Leukemia Group counselling. As chair of Pathology Panel as well as the UK and SIOP Pathology the International Society Panel, Prof Vujanic of Paediatric Oncology introduced, for the first Pathology Panel. time ever, a rapid central “The diagnosis of many pathology review – which diseases is made exclusively enabled children to be by pathologists – this is diagnosed and staged the first and crucial step accurately, avoiding towards the appropriate mistreatment. This was treatment and care of our a drastic change from patients. It is especially previous studies, where the case for children with 20 to 25% of tumours cancer, where our diagnosis were misdiagnosed is critical for determining or mis-staged. Prior to the correct treatment and joining Sidra, Prof Vujanic predicting the prognosis. was the professor of I will be working closely paediatric pathology at with our clinicians and Cardiff University School of researchers to implement a Medicine in Wales. During range of modern methods his tenure, he developed and techniques within our paediatric pathology pathology labs. This will services for Wales as one of play a key role in supporting the centres of excellence in the path towards providing the United Kingdom. Gulf Times 10 Monday, September 18, 2017 QATAR Concussion in sport HEC Paris to conduct short-term courses in takes spotlight fi nance, management

By Joseph Varghese at Aspetar seminar Staff Reporter EC Paris in Qatar will spetar – the orthopaedic nal against Argentina, as a result pulsive force to the head. Con- universally accepted guidelines. hold two short term sports medicine hospital of which he couldn’t remember cussions occur across all sports, These protocols were discussed Hprogrammes – one in Ain Qatar – organised the most of the game, according to with multiple studies reporting in the workshop and we hope fi nance and another in man- fi rst concussion symposium in the statements he made to Sports that the highest incidence rates that it equipped healthcare pro- agement in September and Oc- Middle East on September 14. Illustrated. These are just a few happen in American football, viders in Qatar with the nec- tober. The event, titled ‘Aspetar of the well-known cases where hockey, rugby, soccer and bas- essary knowledge and tools so The fi rst programme “Man- Sport Related Concussion Work- coaches have allowed players to ketball. they’re prepared to deal with aging people to create impact’ is shop for Healthcare Providers,’ return to the fi eld of play with- The conversation around these situations on the fi eld.” delivered by Dr Matthew Mul- tackled the latest issues related out properly checking for any concussion in recent years has The workshop drew on the ex- ford, an affi liate professor in to concussion and off ered com- signs of brain injuries. been mostly focused on aggres- pertise of Aspetar’s staff in the HEC Paris while ‘Demystifying prehensive training to healthcare This has prompted interna- sive and physical sports such as fi eld of sports medicine to off er Finance’ the other programme providers on Aspetar’s protocol tional bodies, including FIFA American football and hock- a range of concussion-related is conducted by Patrick Leg- to help identify and treat con- and the English Premier League, ey, with much of the research topics and its implications on land, affi liate professor of - fi cussion injuries in sports, on and to revise their protocol regarding around it being conducted in the athletes in Qatar particularly and nance at HEC Paris. Dr Matthew Mulford off the fi eld, according to a press brain-sustained injury, particu- US. However, less is discussed or worldwide generally. The management programme statement. larly concussion. studied about the prevalence of These included introductory aims to help build the necessary present skills no longer match At the 2014 FIFA World Cup Concussion is a traumatic concussion-related injuries on sessions on concussion manage- skills to succeed in creating the skills they need to manage in Germany, Uruguay’s Alvaro brain injury following direct Association football players and ment, neuropsychological as- impact through and with oth- others successfully. The more Pereira collapsed on the fi eld af- contact or sudden acceleration Olympic athletes outside of the pects and physiotherapist treat- ers. Participants will be bet- senior managers become, the ter receiving a blow to the head and deceleration of the brain in- US, and even less focuses on ath- ment of concussion, on-fi eld ter equipped to tackle some of more time they spend delegat- in their match against England, side the skull. letes in the Middle East region. recognition and removal steps, the challenges associated with ing tasks to others in a co-ordi- Argentina’s Javier Mascherano Contrary to popular belief, Dr Scott Gillogly, chief medi- fi eld-side assessment, compu- managing others. The pro- nated way rather than carrying suff ered a head injury in the concussion injuries are not al- cal offi cer at Aspetar, said: terised neurocognitive testing, gramme in fi nance will cover the out tasks themselves.” semi-fi nal against Netherlands, ways a result of a blow to the “Healthcare providers and team concussion monitoring and re- basic foundations and will build He pointed out that one of while German midfi elder Chris- head. Such injuries could be doctors play an essential role in ferral, return-to-play post-con- up progressively to tackle more the objectives of the course is toph Kramer sustained a head caused by a direct hit anywhere protecting athletes and only al- cussion, as well as ethical and advanced concepts. to help participants build the injury during their World Cup fi - in the body if it transmits an im- low safe return to play under legal issues surrounding it. Speaking to Gulf Times, Dr necessary skills to create an The workshop was organised Mulford said that managing impact through and with the Patrick Legland by the Aspetar Sport Related others is probably the hardest support of others and to leave Concussion Programme, a com- thing as there are so many ways them better equipped and more counting and fi nance, which prehensive concussion man- to get it wrong. confi dent to deal with poten- they take back to their com- agement programme off ering “One thing we must remem- tially confl ictual situations. pany and provides them more evidence-based concussion care ber is that managing people is As for ‘Demystifying Fi- confi dence in being able to for athletes everywhere, partic- about an interaction between nance’ programme, Dr Legland tackle fi nancial matters,” high- ularly locally. yourself and others. It is about noted that a business executive lighted Dr Legland. Aspetar collaborates with the balancing your own needs and must have at least a minimum As for competence in fi nance Concussion in Sport Group, the desires with the needs and de- background in fi nance and the in Qatar and the region, Dr Le- authors of the consensus state- sires of others. At its core, ef- programme aims to provide a gland maintained that the level ment and the Sport Concussion fective leadership is all about better understanding of fi nan- of professionalism in the region Assessment Tool, as well as with mutual respect, fairness and cial aspects. is very high. “We have some UK-based Elite Sport Concus- empathy,” said Dr Mulford. “The economy is constantly exceptional executives and in sion Multi-Disciplinary Team He explained, “It is very changing and we are today at terms of fi nance we have the Clinic at the Institute for Sport, common for new managers to a real turning point. The pro- same principles in the region Exercise and Health, and Weill adapt slowly and poorly to their gramme gives participants a which apply worldwide,” he Aspetar, the orthopaedic sports medicine hospital in Qatar. Cornell Medicine – Qatar. new roles. The issue is that their better understanding of ac- added. Qatar on course to ‘become industrial hub’ due to siege

atar is on its way to become an in- dustrial hub thanks to the Saudi- Qled siege, leading businessman M S Bukhari told Qatar Urdu Radio’s live radio show Haqeeqat yesterday. Many positive changes have taken place in Qatar after the Gulf crisis began, he stated, while citing the strengthening of the industrial sector by the government as an example. “The trade between Qatar and Oman increased by a staggering 2,000%, while there has been an increase of around 400% between Qatar – India trade. Similarly, trade relations between Qatar and Turkey, among many other countries are also de- veloping at a fast rate,” he said, adding that there were more business opportunities in Qatar than ever before. “The reputation of the blockading countries was aff ected in the international business community with the crisis. Busi- nessmen are questioning whether or not these governments can be trusted since they acted so rashly against Qatar,” re- marked Bukhari. Haqeeqat, which aims to engage and in- teract with the large South Asian expatri- ate community in Qatar, is a joint venture of Gulf Times and Qatar Media Corpora- tion Urdu Radio. It is broadcast from Sun- day to Thursday on FM107. Log on to Qatar Urdu Radio on Facebook and ‘@QatarUrduRadio’ on Twitter for feedback and comments about the show. M S Bukhari: Qatar on way to become an industrial hub

6,297 complaints from blockade victims referred to law fi rms

he Compensation Claims Committee has started the Besides, the committee is yet to receive the applications, process of referring as many as 6,297 complaints, through Qatar Chamber, of the foreign companies, which Treceived from both individuals and companies, to a were harmed due to the land, sea and air blockade, espe- number of local and international law fi rms to study each cially from those working in export and import and other case and start fi ling the cases at the courts concerned. related areas. A highly qualifi ed team of legal experts and specialists are Earlier, the committee held a meeting with a British law classifying the received applications on a daily basis to en- fi rm, which off ered its consultative and support services, in sure that all the necessary documents and information are addition to other international and local law fi rms. in place, local Arabic daily Arrayah reported yesterday. The losses of Qataris in particular amounted to millions The committee received 44 applications from diff erent of riyals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE denying them ac- individuals within a week after the Eid al-Adha holidays, for cess to their real estate and properties there. losses incurred due to the blockade. Other losses include dismissal of Qatari students from A total of 28 complaints were related to the right to edu- their education institutes at the countries involved in the cation, safe investment, travel, and contact with family blockade, denying them the opportunity to complete their members. Majority of the complaints were regarding issues studies. with UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, which have de- Some others complained of close family ties being sev- clared the blockade against Qatar. ered due to the blockade. Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 11 REGION/ARAB WORLD Hamas ready to hand Gaza to a unity govt

Reuters Abbas welcomed Hamas’ move — a form a national reconciliation admin- Cairo/Ramallah result of talks mediated by Egypt — istration but could not agree on the and said he would convene the Pal- details. estinian leadership for discussions A unity government formed after amas has agreed to dissolve the upon his return from New York where Hamas won the last Palestinian gen- administration that runs Gaza, he was attending the UN General As- eral election, in 2006, was short-lived. Pupils walk on debris of a damaged school in Al-Saflaniyeh in eastern Aleppo’s countryside, Syria yesterday. Hit said yesterday, a major step sembly. Azzam al-Ahmad, who headed Fa- towards handing control of the enclave The development would “enable tah’s delegation to the talks in Cairo, to a Palestinian unity government. the formation of a national reconcili- told WAFA: “This step will enhance The group, which has ruled Gaza ation government to work in the Gaza the unity of the Palestinians and end since a brief Palestinian civil war in Strip and hold...elections,” he said in ugly division.” 2007, said it had taken “a courageous, a statement on offi cial news agency The two parties did not meet at the serious and patriotic decision to dis- WAFA. talks which took the form of shuttle- Syrian army, allies close solve the administrative committee” Earlier, a Palestinian government diplomacy with Egyptian offi cials me- that runs the territory of 2mn people, spokesman said Cairo’s mediation had diating. and hand power to some form of unity presented a “historic opportunity” Ahmad said the two sides planned government. that could help Palestinians towards to meet face-to-face but gave no date. Reunifi cation a decade after Hamas full statehood. Other Palestinian factions would in on IS in Deir Ezzor and President Mahmoud Abbas’ secu- But Fatah said it still needed clari- join the talks later to discuss practical lar Fatah movement battled for control fi cation from Hamas on the handing steps to implement the agreement, he Reuters Moscow and Washington are back- supply line in Deir Ezzor city. of Gaza may hinge on whether com- over of government ministries in Gaza added. Beirut ing separate off ensives in the oil-rich The British-based Syrian Observa- plex issues related to power-sharing and control of the enclave’s border Mending fences with Abbas would province of Deir Ezzor bordering Iraq. tory for Human Rights said govern- — which stymied reconciliation bids crossings with Israel and Egypt. be another step in Hamas’ diplomat- Both have advanced from opposite ment forces took Al-Jafra near the in the past — can be resolved. Hamas and Fatah agreed in 2014 to ic push to improve relations with its yrian troops seized a suburb of sides of the Euphrates which bisects city’s air base overnight, though Is- neighbour Egypt, which has kept its the eastern city of Deir Ezzor the province, Islamic State’s last major lamic State militants still hold nearly a frontier with Gaza largely closed and Syesterday, tightening the noose foothold in Syria. third of the city. accused the group in the past of aid- around Islamic State, a Syrian military Russian and US-backed off ensives Russian jets pounded movements ing militants in Egypt’s Sinai desert, source said. against Islamic State have mostly across the river as Islamic State fi ght- something Hamas denies. The army pushed into the city this stayed out of each other’s way, with the ers tried to escape in ferries, and many The United Nations’ envoy wel- month with the help of Russian air Euphrates often acting as the dividing civilians, including families of the mil- comed yesterday’s news. power and other militias, breaking an line.But the Pentagon accused Russia itants, had also tried to fl ee across the “All parties must seize this op- Islamic State siege of an enclave there this week of bombing US-backed forc- river in recent days, it said. portunity to restore unity and open a that had lasted three years. es on the river’s eastern bank. Separate air strikes by Russia and by new page for the Palestinian people,” Yesterday, the Syrian army and allied Russia’s Defence Ministry rejected the US-led coalition killed more than UN Special Co-ordinator for the forces captured Al-Jafra district on the the allegations yesterday. 34 people, including children, across Middle East Peace Process Nickolay western bank of the Euphrates river, Moscow had warned the United Deir Ezzor province over the past day, Mladenov said in a statement, add- the military source said. States well in advance of its operational the war monitor said. ing that the UN was ready to assist “They have no outlet except crossing plans and its jets only targeted Islamic Islamic State controls much of the the talks in order to alleviate hard- the Euphrates towards the eastern bank State militants, it said. desert region around Deir Ezzor city, ship in Gaza. and fl eeing towards the desert, or (the Russia’s RIA news agency cited an where its fi ghters are also under attack File photo shows a member of the Palestinian security forces, loyal to Hamas, Mladenov thanked Egypt for its towns) Al-Bukamal and Al-Mayadin,” unnamed source as saying the Syrian from the US-backed Syrian Democrat- standing guard as men set up a barbed wire on the border with Egypt, in Rafah “tireless efforts in creating this posi- the source told Reuters. army had cut Islamic State’s main ic Forces (SDF) alliance. in the southern Gaza Strip. tive momentum.”

POLICY Kuwait govt orders North Korea envoy to leave Khamenei warns US

Kuwait has ordered North Korea’s ambassador to leave within against ‘wrong move’ a month as the Gulf country downgraded diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, a North Korean diplomat in the Gulf region said on nuclear deal yesterday. The United Nations Se- curity Council imposed new sanc- tions after North Korea’s sixth and Reuters plying with the deal, known as the largest nuclear test this month, Dubai Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the United States called on (JCPOA).If he does not, Congress has countries to sever diplomatic and 60 days to decide whether to reimpose financial ties with it. The diplomat, ran will not be bullied by the United sanctions waived under the deal. who asked not to be named, States and will react strongly to any “Today, despite all the commitments told Reuters the ambassador, So I“wrong move” by Washington on and discussions in the negotiations, Chang Sik, will leave following Ku- Tehran’s nuclear deal, Supreme Leader America’s attitude towards these ne- wait’s decision to downgrade the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said yesterday. gotiations and their outcome is com- North Korean diplomatic repre- His comments came after US Presi- pletely unjust and amounts to bullying,” sentation to charge d’aff aires level. dent Donald Trump said on Thursday Khamenei said in a speech to Iranian However, Chang Sik was planning that Iran was violating “the spirit” of military academy graduates. to leave at the end of September the 2015 deal under which Tehran got “The Americans should know that the because he has ended his term, sanctions relief in return for curbing its Iranian people will stand fi rm on their the diplomat added. Kuwaiti off i- nuclear programme. honourable positions and on important cials did not immediately respond issues related to national interests, there when asked to comment. “They (United States) can will be no retreat by the Islamic Repub- Kuwait, where around 3,000 choose the right path and also lic,” he said. Iran said last month it could North Koreans live, has been host- enter the room where the food is abandon the nuclear agreement “within ing North Korea’s sole diplomatic served. We would not hours” if the United States imposes any mission in the Gulf region. have a problem with that” new penalties, after Washington ordered Kuwait’s announcement comes unilateral sanctions over Tehran’s ballis- after US President Trump met with “The Iranian nation is standing fi rm tic missile tests. the Gulf state’s ruler in Washing- and any wrong move by the domineer- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, ton earlier this month. ing regime regarding the (nuclear ac- speaking yesterday before leaving to at- cord) will face the reaction of the Is- tend the UN General Assembly in New lamic Republic,” state television quoted York, said the United States should join POLITICS Ayatollah Khamenei as saying. the countries that continue to support Iraq VP warns Washington extended some sanc- the nuclear deal, which he compared to tions relief for Iran on Thursday under a dinner party. against Kurds’ the nuclear deal with world powers “They (United States) can choose referendum plan but said it had yet to decide whether the right path and also enter the room to maintain the agreement. Trump where the food is served. We would not An Iraqi vice president warned must make a decision by mid-October have a problem with that,” state news yesterday that Baghdad would not whether to certify that Iran is com- agency IRNA quoted Rouhani as saying. tolerate the creation of “a second Israel” after the Jewish state be- came the only country to support a planned Kurdish independence referendum in northern Iraq. The leaders of autonomous Iraqi 12 Yemeni civilians killed Kurdistan must “call off the (Septem- ber 25) referendum that is contrary to the constitution and does not in Saudi-led coalition raid serve the general interests of the Iraqi people, not even the particular interests of the Kurds”, said Vice AFP years. The rebel news agency Saba also President Nuri al-Maliki. “We will not Sanaa reported the attack, saying the vehicle allow the creation of a second Israel was destroyed and all passengers killed. in the north of Iraq,” Maliki, said at Residents said four children and two a meeting with US ambassador welve Yemeni civilians including women were among the victims. Douglas Silliman, in a statement women and children have been The Saudi-led coalition, which has released by the vice president’s of- Tkilled in an air raid by the Saudi- been waging a war against the Houthis fice. A country set up on a religious led coalition northeast of the capital since March 2015, has been repeatedly or ethnic base, like the Jewish state Sanaa, an offi cial, residents and rebel criticised for attacks on civilians. established in 1948, would not be media said yesterday. More than 8,000 people have been acceptable, Maliki said. He warned A local offi cial said the coalition air killed, including at least 1,500 children, that an independence vote would raid hit a vehicle carrying the 12 civilians and millions displaced in the confl ict have “dangerous consequences for on Saturday in Hareeb Al-Qarameesh in which has pushed the country to the the security, sovereignty and unity Marib province, about 70km northeast of brink of famine. A cholera outbreak of Iraq”, and called for dialogue Sanaa. The area is held by Houthi rebels, has also claimed the lives of more than between Baghdad and the Kurdish who have controlled the capital and 1,800 people since April, with 400,000 Regional Government. northern parts of the country for three suspected cases across the country. Gulf Times 12 Monday, September 18, 2017 AFRICA

Congo investigates killing of dozens of Burundian refugees

AFP Kinshasa

he Democratic Republic of Congo said yesterday that it had opened an inquiry after soldiers fi red on Burundian Trefugees in the eastern South Kivu province, killing doz- ens. Government spokesman Lambert Mende also claimed that many of those killed during the clashes were members of an “armed group”, without providing details. The UN’s MONUSCO peacekeeping mission in the country had said Saturday that at least 36 refugees were killed in the vio- lence in Kamanyola on Friday, in which a Congolese soldier also died. But Mende appeared to dispute this, saying: “It has even been claimed they had Bibles. Was the Congolese army lieutenant killed after being hit by Bibles?” Witnesses told AFP that many of the Burundians in Kaman- yola were victims of religious persecution because they are fol- lowers of a female ‘prophet’ called Zebiya, who has attested to seeing visions of the Virgin Mary in northern Burundi. Interior ministry offi cial Josue Boji said Saturday that the clashes began after a group of refugees overran a jail run by the country’s domestic intelligence agency to demand the release of four Burundians who had been arrested for expulsion on Wednesday night. Boji said troops tried to disperse the refugees by “fi ring in the air but were overwhelmed” when the group responded by throwing stones. At least 124 refugees were also wounded. Tens of thousands of Burundians have fl ed to the eastern DR Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga addresses supporters at a rally in Nairobi yesterday. Congo to escape a wave of violence that unfurled in 2015 after Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza sought a fi ercely con- tested third term in offi ce. Overall, the violence in Burundi has claimed 500 to 2,000 lives, according to diff ering tolls provided by the UN or NGOs, and more than 400,000 Burundians have fl ed abroad. Around 36,000 are in DR Congo, mainly in the overcrowded Kenya election rerun camp of Lusenda in the east, or several transit camps. 4 killed in Nigeria turns acrimonious civilian clashes AFP By Fran Blandy, AFP lamitously to run an election after “It was expected that the IEBC fair election in October,” Odinga “A lot of the language has been Warri, Nigeria Nairobi such a short time”. would move swiftly to undertake said yesterday. really worrying,” Cheeseman A key hurdle is that the Su- far-reaching reforms. The opposition alleges that said. preme Court has yet to deliver So far this has yet to happen,” the August 8 election was rigged He pointed in particular to our people were killed by gunmen in southeast Nigeria, police oubts are growing over its full judgement detailing why the Daily Nation newspaper said through the hacking of an elec- comments by Kenyatta refer- said over the weekend, after a week of clashes with security Kenya’s ability to hold a exactly it decided to annul Presi- in an editorial on Saturday, de- tronic vote-tallying system. ring to Chief Justice Maraga as Fforces as inter-community tensions rise in the former Bia- Drerun of its presidential dent Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory. nouncing a “stalemate which has It said many of the so-called a “crook” and saying he would fra region. The attack appeared to target a market and mosque in a election in just one month as key Chief Justice David Maraga created paralysis and is confusing 34A tallying forms, meant to “fi x” the Supreme Court if re- neighbourhood of the city of Asaba inhabited mainly by the Hausa players remain unable to agree on mentioned only “irregularities the public”. back up electronic results, were elected. and Peul ethnic groups, who are originally from northern Nigeria. how to conduct a credible vote, and illegalities”, notably in the Fissures within the IEBC, delayed and often had not been He has also threatened to im- “Three armed men, all in black outfi ts, suspected to be mem- analysts say. transmission of election results. meanwhile, were exposed when signed or stamped, or were illeg- peach Odinga if he wins. bers of a cult group or Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) fi red Bickering on all sides and con- The court has until September a leaked memo showed chairman ible or lacking serial numbers or Analysts say the main prob- indiscriminately into Abraka market at Asaba...and in the proc- fusion over the process have only 22 to deliver the full ruling, which Wafula Chebukati outlining a raft watermarks. lem with a rushed election is that ess killed four persons,” a local police statement said. increased as the clock ticks down would give the IEBC little time to of irregularities in the election to French biometrics fi rm OT- the Supreme Court has now set Five others were wounded. to the October 17 vote, called af- make any necessary changes. the commission’s chief executive Morpho, which provided the re- a precedent by overturning an The IPOB is demanding an independent state for the Igbo ter the Supreme Court annulled “It is very uncertain,” said Nic Ezra Chiloba. sults transmission system, has election result based on shoddy people, the most populous ethnic group in Nigeria’s southeast. the initial August election, citing Cheeseman, a professor of Afri- Kenyatta has insisted that the said that an audit of its system procedures. Hassan Farouk, who sells yams in the market, told AFP that widespread irregularities. can politics at the University of election go ahead as planned, ac- showed no hacking or manipula- The losing party in another “it happened about 11pm on Friday. Over 20 armed members of Opposition leader Raila Odinga Birmingham in England. cusing his longtime rival Odinga tion of data. fl awed vote could again argue IPOB invaded our mosque at Cable Point and threw an explosive has vowed to boycott the poll if a “We don’t know if the Supreme of seeking to block the vote as a But the IEBC has yet to comply that improper procedures had into the mosque, but fortunately, it did not explode.” list of demands are not met and Court is going to say something way of forcing the president to with a Supreme Court order to marred the outcome, which could He said they raised the alarm “and the attackers all moved yesterday he launched a nation- about technology, we don’t know accept a coalition government. allow independent access to its lead the Supreme Court to again straight to the Hausa market, also called Abraka market, and wide campaign “against any elec- if they are going to directly im- The National Super Alliance servers. overturn the result. killed four people.” tion” run by the current electoral pugn any of the individuals in (NASA) of opposition parties has Cheeseman said that with According to Kenya’s constitu- The southeast has seen a resurgence of violence over the past commission (IEBC), which he ac- the IEBC. Will they have to be formulated a list of demands in- the IEBC suffering from lost tion, the IEBC has until October week, a situation Amnesty International has called “deeply cuses of rigging the fi rst poll. replaced? If so, how will that be cluding the dismissal of certain legitimacy, an ideal solution 31 to hold the new election. worrying”. “The challenges are pretty ex- done in the time frame?” offi cials, a change in the procure- would be for rival parties to sit “They do have a window. Even Nigeria, which is almost evenly split between a predominantly traordinary,” said John Githongo, In the absence of the judge- ment of election materials and down and negotiate the path to if it is late by a few weeks. How- Muslim north and largely Christian south, is a country of barely a prominent anti-corruption ment, the electoral commission live media coverage of the decla- an election which could be ac- ever if they go beyond (that date) concealed religious and ethnic tensions. campaigner in Kenya, who said he has pushed forward with plans ration of results at tallying cen- ceptable to all. that is unprecedented and there Violence frequently erupts but Biafra is a particularly sensi- believed the election date “does for a new election, dismissing tres. Increasingly bitter rhetoric, is no guidance as to what happens tive issue as a previous unilateral declaration of independence by not seem feasible because we are opposition calls to sack its top of- “IEBC as currently constitut- however, has driven them only there,” said Kenyan writer and the region in 1967 sparked a brutal, 30-month civil war. asking people who have failed ca- fi cials. ed...cannot conduct a free and further apart. political analyst Nanjala Nyabola. More than 1mn people were killed, most of them Igbos.

Solar grid keeps harvests high, hospitals lit in parched rural Zimbabwe

By Tonderayi Mukeredzi, Local leaders say schools have In their area, often aff ected Energy and Power Development, Reuters become more productive and by drought, “we depend a lot on only about 40% of Zimbabweans Mashaba, Zimbabwe medical facilities safer. government relief aid. have electrical power, and only The $3.2mn mini-grid was But the food donations have 13% in rural areas. funded by the European Union, lessened because some people Rural communities meet 94% ntil recently, farmers the Opec Fund for International can feed themselves through the of their energy requirements in this town in south- Development and the Global irrigation schemes”, he said. from traditional fuels, mostly Uern Zimbabwe struggled Environment Facility as part of Makhalima said a third irriga- wood. to water their crops, frustrated a drive to promote universal ac- tion project will soon be con- The biggest test for the by poor rainfall and the regular cess to modern energy in rural nected to the grid, and negotia- Mashaba community will be to breakdown of the diesel engines areas. tions are advancing to connect a keep their solar grid functioning. that powered their irrigation sys- Its construction was overseen new border post with Botswana At present, community mem- tems. by Practical Action Southern Af- at nearby Mlambapeli as well. bers do not pay for electricity As in most areas of rural Zim- rica, a development charity. Mpokiseng Moyo, a mother of while they await a determination babwe, rain-fed agriculture pro- The plant powers the three who grows winter wheat on on the tariff to be charged. vides most of the jobs in this part Mankonkoni and Rustlers Gorge a plot of at Rustlers Gorge, said “We’ve installed a prepayment of Gwanda district, some 130km irrigation schemes, which cover that in the past she could barely system but we are still working southeast of Bulawayo. 32 hectares and 42 hectares re- produce a tonne of food. on the tariff system. Once a tariff But sparse rains over the last spectively; the Mashaba Primary Now, since the new power is agreed with ZESA (the state- decade, a worsening problem School; a business centre with supply was installed, she can owned power utility), the energy associated with climate change, three shops; the Mashaba Clin- easily harvest 15 tonnes, she said. regulator and the community, have caused many harvests to ic; and the Masendani Business Moyo is one of 41 farmers — 26 users will then start paying,” said fail, and cut into the country’s Centre, which has four shops and women and 15 men — who col- Shepherd Masuka, Practical Ac- generation of hydropower, which an energy kiosk. lectively own an irrigation plant tion’s project offi cer for sustain- provides much of its electricity. A board of trustees selected that services the 42 hectares at Mpokiseng Moyo, a mother of three who grows winter wheat at Rustlers Gorge, near Mashaba, Zimbabwe, able energy for rural communi- In Mashaba, however, the by the community is responsible Rustlers Gorge. shows off her fields. ties. community’s luck is turning. for the day-to-day operation of “Before being connected to the The income will be used to In 2015, the town installed a the mini-grid, and community solar grid, we irrigated our crops her children to school and buy ment in Grade 7 (pass) results meant procedures took longer to maintain the grid, he said. solar mini-grid power station members have been trained to using diesel pumps and travelled provisions for the family, she from 21.5% in 2014 to 53.9% in fi nish, or we had to wait till day- Ncube, who also serves as sec- that has helped green the hot, maintain and operate it. as far as Gwanda (more than said. 2016, which is a positive upward light or refer the patients else- retary for the Mashaba Board of arid area transform into a hive of The mini-grid will be co- 100km away) to buy diesel for the Obert Joseph Ncube, the dep- trend premised on our retention where,” said a health offi cial at Trustees and a spokesman for the entrepreneurial activity. owned by an independent power pumps,” she said. uty head of Mashaba Primary of all qualifi ed staff ,” Ncube said. the clinic, who spoke on condi- grid, said that people are happy The off -grid power system, producer and the community “The pumps broke down many School, said the school’s enrol- At Mashaba Clinic, health tion of anonymity. to pay to keep power coming. with 400 solar panels that pro- through the trust. times, aff ecting productivity. But ment fi gures and exam results workers no longer need to work Pregnant women who come “We’ve had meetings with vide nearly 100 kilowatts of relia- Thomas Makhalima, a with solar energy we are able to have improved because the pres- by torchlight at night, including to the clinic to give birth are no farmers and they are already ble power, has made it possible to Mashaba councillor, says an esti- farm throughout the year with- ence of a reliable power sup- when delivering babies. longer required to bring their putting aside some grain reserves eff ectively irrigate crops, boost- mated 10,000 people are benefi t- out any hassles,” Moyo said. ply has dissuaded teachers from “It was diffi cult for us to oper- own candles, kerosene lamps and so that when they are asked to ing farming yields and fuelling ing directly from the clean power Selling the surplus harvest has transferring to other schools. ate or suture patients using can- matches. start paying for electricity they economic growth. grid. made it possible for her to send “We’ve registered an improve- dlelight or mobile phones, which According to the Ministry of are ready,” he said. Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 13 AMERICA Trump Mother of all rallies takes a swing at Clinton

Reuters resentative Adam Schiff , said Washington the retweet did not make him question Trump’s recent out- reach to Democrats but was S President Don- disturbing. ald Trump yesterday “It is distressing, though, to Uretweeted a doctored have a president that frankly video of himself taking a golf will tweet and retweet things swing and hitting former as juvenile as that,” Schiff Democratic presidential ri- said on ABC’s This Week pro- val Hillary Clinton, who then gramme. “It doesn’t help, I stumbles as she boards a plane. think in terms of his stature, Clinton had been back on the it doesn’t help in terms of the Republican president’s Twitter stature of our whole country.” feed in recent days as she pro- New York police and a host moted What Happened, her of federal agencies are prepar- new book about the 2016 pres- ing for the annual traffi c and idential election, with Trump security nightmare known as resuming his campaign attack the United Nations General of “Crooked Hillary”. Assembly, featuring a week The video, retweeted by sev- of speeches by US President eral users, shows Trump on a Donald Trump and a parade of Demonstrators wave national flags in front of the United States Capitol in a pro-Trump ‘Mother of All Rallies’ on the National Mall in Washington. Supporters of President golf course hitting a ball before other dignitaries. Donald Trump gathered in the US capital to show support of “free-speech”. seguing to the doctored shot The meeting of the world’s of a golf ball hitting then-Sec- top leaders and diplomats, retary of State Clinton in the scheduled to begin tomor- back as she is boarding a plane. row, will bring street closures, The original video of Clin- thousands of police offi cers ton, from 2011, does not show and hundreds of protesters to a golf ball. midtown Manhattan, an area “Donald Trump’s amazing already plagued with gridlock golf swing #CrookedHillary,” on an average weekday. the tweet read. “It’s the equivalent of the Trump attacked Clinton di- Super Bowl of security,” said J Haley: UN has run out rectly last Wednesday in a pair Peter Donald, a spokesman for of Twitter posts. the New York City Police De- “Crooked Hillary Clinton partment. blames everybody (and every Trump will be on hand to- thing) but herself for her elec- day and tomorrow, when he tion loss,” he said. “She lost the will address the body of world debates and lost her direction! leaders for the fi rst time. of options on N Korea The ‘deplorables’ came back to It was not immediately clear haunt Hillary. They expressed whether he would stay at his Haley stressed that the president North Korea launched a missile over Ja- of military force with the United States. campaign aimed at overthrowing leader their feelings loud and clear. Manhattan penthouse about made no idle threats pan into the Pacifi c Ocean on Thursday in Trump plans to meet with South Korean Kim Jong-un. She spent big money but, in the a mile away from United Na- defi ance of new UNSecurity Council sanc- President Moon Jae-in on the sidelines of Mattis has warned the consequences of end, had no game!” tions headquarters or sleep at Reuters tions banning its textile exports and cap- the UN General Assembly. any military action would be “tragic on an White House spokeswoman his golf course in Bedminster, Washington ping imports of crude oil. China has urged “I spoke with President Moon of South unbelievable scale” and bring severe risk Sarah Sanders said later that New Jersey. the United States to refrain from making Korea last night. Asked him how Rocket to US ally South Korea. day that Clinton was pushing The event also comes just threats to North Korea. Man is doing. Long gas lines forming in Democratic US Senator Dianne Fein- “false narratives” in the book. days after a homemade bomb S Ambassador to the United Na- Asked about President Donald Trump’s North Korea. Too bad!” Trump said in a stein said yesterday that Trump should Clinton admits mistakes on a packed commuter train tions Nikki Haley said yesterday warning last month that the North Korean Twitter post yesterday morning. not rule out talks with North Korea before during the campaign in the in London injured 22 people, Uthe UN Security Council has run threat to the United States will be met with White House national security adviser it agrees to end its nuclear programme. book but gives a harsh account though it failed to fully explode. out of options on containing North Ko- “fi re and fury” Haley said, “It was not an H R McMaster said on Friday, after the lat- “I think that North Korea is not going to of factors she believes led to A handful of anti-Trump rea’s nuclear programme and the United empty threat.” est North Korean missile launch, that the give up its programme with nothing on the Trump’s victory, including al- protests in New York have been States may have to turn the matter over to “If North Korea keeps on with this United States was running out of patience: table,” she said on CNN. leged interference by Russia scheduled, with more sure to the Pentagon. reckless behaviour, if the United States “We’ve been kicking the can down the Feinstein said that a freeze of both its on his behalf and former FBI come. A march on Monday to “We have pretty much exhausted all has to defend itself or defend its allies in road, and we’re out of road.” nuclear programme and missile arsenal, Director James Comey an- combat “white supremacy” the things that we can do at the Security any way, North Korea will be destroyed. On Sunday, he warned of imminent rather than ending them, would be more nouncement that investigators will start from Grand Central Council at this point,” Haley told CNN’s And we all know that. And none of us danger from Pyongyang. “This regime is palatable to North Korea and to China, were looking at a new trove of Terminal, while the left-wing State of the Union, adding that she was want that. None of us want war,” she said so close now to threatening the United who fears the US goal is toppling Kim. e-mails related to Clinton. activist group Code Pink has perfectly happy to hand the North Korea on CNN. States and others with a nuclear weapon, The United States still wants a peace- Clinton, who has been giv- organised a Tuesday march to problem over to Defence Secretary James “We’re trying every other possibil- that we really have to move with a great ful solution and has been waiting for the ing a series of interviews pro- the UN to protest Trump and Mattis. ity that we have, but there’s a whole lot of sense of urgency on sanctions, on diplo- North Koreans to indicate they are ready to moting the book, responded Israeli Prime Minister Ben- As world leaders head to the United Na- military options on the table,” she said. macy and preparing, if necessary, a mili- talk, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said to Trump’s earlier criticism jamin Netanyahu. tions headquarters in New York for the Pyongyang has launched dozens of mis- tary option,” McMaster told the Fox News on CBS’ Face the Nation. on Twitter with a suggestion Other protesters will gath- annual General Assembly meeting this siles as it accelerates a weapons programme Sunday programme. “We have tried a couple of times to sig- that he read her earlier book, It er outside the UN to call out week, Haley’s comments indicated the designed to provide the ability to target the Military options available to Trump nal to them that we’re ready, when they’re Takes a Village, a picture book specifi c countries, including United States was not backing down from United States with a powerful, nuclear- range from a sea blockade aimed at enforc- ready,” he said. “And they have responded for children. a rally against Iran President its threat of military action against North tipped missile. North Korea said on Sat- ing sanctions to cruise missile strikes on with more missile launches and a nuclear A senior Democrat, US Rep- Hassan Rouhani. Korea. urday it aimed to reach an “equilibrium” nuclear and missile facilities to a broader test.” Fight over electoral boundaries heads to top court

Reuters the deciding vote in the Wiscon- consin, but leading Republicans priate because their results can Washington sin case. including Senator John McCain, change from one election to the A federal three-judge panel 1996 presidential nominee Bob next. ruled 2-1 last November that Dole and Ohio Governor John Goedert noted that large shifts t is a political practice nearly Wisconsin’s redistricting plan Kasich have joined critics who in the mood of voters can cause as old as the United States — violated the USConstitution’s argue that partisan gerryman- even highly biased electoral maps Imanipulating the boundaries 14th Amendment guarantee of dering distorts the democratic to fl ip. of legislative districts to help one equal protection under the law process. “Partisan maps have a tenden- party tighten its grip on power and First Amendment right to Wisconsin Republicans argued cy to backfi re on the party that in a move called partisan ger- freedom of expression and asso- that election results since their drew them,” Goedert said. rymandering — and one the Su- ciation. redistricting plan was passed in The case began in 2015 when preme Court has never curbed. Over the decades, both Repub- 2011 refl ect the state’s political a dozen Wisconsin Democratic That could soon change, with licans and Democrats have been geography, with Democrats con- Party voters sued state election the nine justices making the le- accused of gerrymandering. centrated in cities like Milwaukee offi cials claiming the redistrict- gal fi ght over Republican-drawn Since 2010, Republicans’ con- and Madison and Republicans ing law intended to discriminate electoral maps in Wisconsin one trol of redistricting has coincided more spread out around the state. against them for their political of the fi rst cases they hear during with major seat advantages for The state also took issue with beliefs and create enduring Re- their 2017-2018 term that begins them in state legislatures, the metrics that the lower court used publican majorities. next month. Their ruling in the Brennan Center said. to determine that there was a They urged the justices to ei- case could infl uence American It is not just Republicans who signifi cant partisan bias in the ther greenlight the lower court’s politics for decades. Supreme Court justices in a new family photo. are accused of abuses. Repub- redistricting plan. method of deciding cases of par- Wisconsin offi cials point to the lican voters sued over districts This “social-science hodgep- tisan gerrymandering, or create diffi culty of having courts craft a ican democracy, that there is this The map, drawn after the 2010 but never those drawn simply to drawn by Democratic lawmakers odge”, the state told the justices, their own. workable standard for when par- eff ort to rig the rules of the game,” US census, enabled them to win give one party an advantage. in Maryland and have appealed to makes it impossible for judges to “Government should treat tisan gerrymandering violates said Michael Li, an expert in re- a sizeable majority of Wisconsin The justices have never settled the Supreme Court. fairly determine when an elec- voters equally regardless of their constitutional protections. districting at New York Universi- legislative seats despite losing on a standard by which partisan State and federal legislative toral map is unlawful. viewpoint and we have ways to Opponents of the practice said ty School of Law’s Brennan Cent- the popular vote statewide to the gerrymandering claims can be district boundaries are recon- “Plaintiff s’ social-science ap- measure it,” said Danielle Lang, limits are urgently needed, not- er for Justice.”Gerrymandering Democrats. The party’s majority measured. fi gured after the US government proach would sow chaos. Each an attorney for the plaintiff s. ing that sophisticated techno- used to be a dark art, and now it’s has widened since. In a 2004 case, Justice Antho- conducts a census every decade legislatively drawn plan would be If the justices rule that courts logical tools now enable a domi- a dark science.” The justices must decide ny Kennedy left the door open for so that each one contains about immediately challenged in feder- must stay out of this highly po- nant party to devise with new The justices will hear argu- whether courts should have a say a “workable standard” to eventu- same number of people, typically al court,” the state said in a legal litical process, voters will lose, precision state electoral maps ments on October 3 in Wiscon- in such matters. ally be found. by the party that controls the brief to the justices. Lang said. “There would be no that marginalise large swathes of sin’s appeal of a lower court rul- The Supreme Court for dec- Kennedy, a conservative who state legislature. Nicholas Goedert, a Virginia way for voters to rein in partisan voters in legislative elections. ing that found that the electoral ades has been willing to invali- sometimes sides with the lib- The Republican National Tech redistricting expert who gerrymandering, no way for vot- “There is a sense that some- map drawn by state Republicans date state electoral maps on the eral justices on a court with a 5-4 Committee and several conserv- testifi ed in court for Wisconsin, ers to take back control of their thing has gone amiss with Amer- ran afoul of the US Constitution. grounds of racial discrimination conservative majority, could cast ative groups have backed Wis- said the metrics may be inappro- government.” Gulf Times 14 Monday, September 18, 2017 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA ‘Last chance’ for Suu Kyi to end Rohingya crisis: UN chief

DPA ry day, the UN Children’s Fund ly horrible,” if the situation cannot the number of health workers, to Berlin/Vienna (Unicef) said yesterday. “I would be reversed. renovate birth clinics and to im- expect that the leader of the Amid the massive infl ux into prove hygiene in health facilities. country would be able to contain Bangladesh, UN agencies are try- The Rohingya crisis is set to fi g- N chief Antonio Guterres it, and would be able to reverse ing to prevent diseases outbreaks, ure as a key issue at the UN Gen- has said that Myanmar the situation,” the UN secretary- especially among children, which eral Assembly in New York, where Uleader Aung San Suu Kyi general told the British broad- account for 60% of the recent world leaders are gathering for has one “last chance” to stop the caster BBC. refugee arrivals. Some 150,000 meetings and to make speeches refugee crisis in the west of the “She has a chance, she has a last Rohingya refugee children in My- over the coming week. country. chance, in my opinion, to do so,” anmar will be vaccinated against Suu Kyi is skipping an appear- Over 410,000 members of the he said. Acknowledging that the measles, rubella and polio in the ance at the meeting, and is to in- Muslim Rohinyga minority have Burmese army — which still has coming days, Unicef announced in stead make a televised address in fled western Rakhine state into large sway over politics in Myan- Geneva. Myanmar tomorrow to talk about Bangladesh since a fresh outbreak mar after decades of military rule Unicef, the World Health Or- the crisis. of violence at the end of August, — also had a role to play, he said ganisation and Bangladesh’s gov- The exodus from western My- Antonio Guterres and thousands more arrive eve- that “the tragedy will be absolute- ernment are also trying to boost anmar began on August 25. N Korea missile launch sparks intercept issues

AFP will traverse over our ally Japan, ward or over US or allied territory vanced Patriot batteries, which or objects fall onto Japanese ter- Washington I would hope that we shoot it would be deemed a direct threat can stop lower altitude missiles, ritory. Recent missiles have fl own down as a message to the North that would “be addressed with and SM-3 missiles it is devel- far above Japan and nothing fell to Koreans and to other people, like the full range of US and allied de- oping with the US that can take the ground. orth Korea’s latest mis- in Japan, who are counting on us,” fensive capabilities.” out high-fl ying short- to inter- “Therefore, the government sile launch over Japan set Republican Congressman Dana The United States and Japan mediate-range ballistic missiles. did not issue a destruction order,” North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (centre) inspecting a launching Nsirens blaring and trig- Rohrabacher told lawmakers this together claim they can shoot in- The technology is imperfect but Takesada said. While Japan has drill of the medium-and-long range strategic ballistic rocket gered alerts telling people to seek week. coming missiles, but offi cials say the Pentagon has demonstrated decent anti-missile technology, Hwasong-12 at an undisclosed location. shelter — yet neither Tokyo nor “Unless we demonstrate we’re Friday’s siren-sounding launch it can hit ICBM and intermedi- it’s diffi cult to cover the entire Washington tried to shoot the willing to use force, there’s no didn’t meet that threshold. ate-range missile targets. Bruce Japanese archipelago, experts Japan’s capability of missile de- it plummets towards its target. rocket down. The test follows one reason for them to believe we Klingner, a senior research fel- noted. fence is insuffi cient,” Kato said. But the Pentagon also wants to in August that saw another rock- will.” The United States and low at the Heritage Foundation, “Also, it’s technically hard Japan also has a network of develop technologies to take out et soar over Hokkaido. The US Pacifi c Command con- Japan together claim noted that when North Korea to judge if a missile fl ying in an Aegis missile-defence destroy- missiles the moment they leave In that case too, much-vaunt- fi rmed Friday’s rocket was an they can shoot incoming fl ies a missile over Japan, it trav- early stage can actually be a direct ers, and President Donald Trump the launch pad, when they are in ed Japanese and US missile- intermediate-range ballistic mis- missiles, but offi cials say els higher than the capabilities of threat to the Japanese territory,” wants Tokyo and South Korea to their so-called “boost phase.” intercept capabilities were not sile (IRBM), and Seoul’s defence the latest siren-sounding any ballistic missile-defence sys- Akira Kato, an international poli- increase buys of such US gear. In The missiles at that point are used. ministry said it probably trav- launch didn’t meet that tem stationed nearby, including tics professor at J F Oberlin Uni- Japan’s case, that could include laden with explosive fuel and Now some in the United States elled around 3,700km, hurtling threshold the SM-3. Also, Japan is a pacifi st versity in Tokyo, told AFP. the purchase of a land-based ver- travelling more slowly, so are are wondering why all this so- to a maximum altitude of 770km. country constitutionally limited Japan and the United States do sion of Aegis. According to the more vulnerable and could be phisticated weaponry isn’t being The missile, which fell in the Pa- If the US and its allies “would to taking military action only in not want to risk trying an inter- New York Times, the US saw Fri- taken out with another missile used, especially as North Korean cifi c Ocean, represented North have determined that it was a di- self defence. cept unless it is posing a certain day’s missile being fuelled up a launched from nearby. leader Kim Jong-un accelerates Korea’s furthest-ever fl ight. rect threat, we would have shot it Hideshi Takesada, a North threat. A failed attempt could day earlier. The US military is also explor- toward his goal of building a nu- Evans Revere and Jonathan down,” said Pentagon spokesman Korea and defence expert who is cause wide alarm and tip off Kim Current US missile-defence ing launching cyber attacks and clear missile capable of strik- Pollack of the Brookings Institu- Colonel Rob Manning, noting the a professor at Takushoku Univer- about any limitations. “A poten- technologies focus on stopping a even the possibility of mounting ing the United States. “The next tion wrote in a paper that Wash- military’s “deep arsenal of capa- sity in Tokyo, told AFP that Japan tial failure in intercepting a mis- North Korean missile when it is lasers on drones, making them time the North Koreans launch ington should declare that any bilities.” plans to intercept a missile only sile could only result in giving in mid-fl ight or during the “ter- capable of shooting down ballis- a rocket, especially one that future North Korean missiles to- For Japan, these include ad- when it enters its territorial air an unnecessary impression that minal” stage of its ballistic arc as tic missiles shortly after launch.

Flights grounded as typhoon slams Japan

A powerful typhoon ripped seas, possible landslides ‘Jacinda-mania’ takes NZ polls to the wire into southern Japan and flooding across the yesterday, dumping torrential southern half of the Japanese rain, grounding hundreds of archipelago. AFP ister. “This will go down as the bour’s support surging to 44%. domestic flights and halting The meteorological agency Wellington most extraordinary period of my Ardern puts that down to a shift- train services. said the typhoon was life,” she said on the campaign ing national mood. “There’s a Typhoon Talim made a expected to head northwards, trail last week. movement for change and I think landfall in Kyushu, the dumping heavy rain across ew Zealand’s charis- Ardern grew up in the North after nine years people are start- southernmost of Japan’s four a large area, including on matic opposition leader Island hinterland, where her ing to believe that we’re drift- main islands, packing winds Tokyo. NJacinda Ardern rallied father was a police offi cer. She ing,” she said. of up to 162km per hour, The typhoon had earlier support yesterday for the fi nal credits the poverty she saw there While acknowledging New the Japan Meteorological battered the southern week of a rollercoaster election with shaping her beliefs. Zealand has maintained a robust Agency said. At least 644 Okinawan island chain, campaign that has her centre- She was raised as a Mormon economy under National, Ard- domestic flights have been dumping the most rain seen left Labour Party within sight of but left the faith in her 20s due to ern has argued for a more pro- cancelled because of strong over a 24-hour period in 50 an unlikely victory. its stance against homosexual- gressive agenda that addresses winds, according to public years on the city of Miyako, Labour had been heading for ity. After completing a commu- social inequality. Housing af- broadcaster NHK, while all before it hit Kyushu. Big disaster at the September 23 nications degree, Ardern served fordability, free tertiary educa- major regional train services storms regularly strike Japan, polls until Ardern took over last her political apprenticeship in tion, environmental action and have been suspended, with 22 people killed when month and sparked a surge in Clark’s offi ce before heading to improved healthcare have been operator JR Kyushu Railway Typhoon Lionrock pounded support that local media dubbed Britain to work as a policy adviser constant themes at the hustings. said. the country last September. “Jacinda-mania”. in Tony Blair’s government. She She has also vowed to slash Authorities have issued Last month, Typhoon Noru The 37-year-old has been was elected to parliament in 2008 immigration numbers and bar warnings of rainstorms, high killed two and injured 51. mobbed at shopping malls and and in March this year became La- foreigners from buying houses earned comparisons to Canada’s bour’s deputy leader, confi rming in New Zealand amid fears off - Justin Trudeau and France’s Em- her status as a rising star. shore money is fuelling the rise manuel Macron from pundits At the time, Ardern was in property prices. Ardern has Activists urge China to free such as former prime minister viewed as a talented, but still also allowed glimpses of her per- Helen Clark. Her rise has wrong- developing, future leadership sonality to emerge, speaking of detained Taiwan rights activist footed Prime Minister Bill Eng- prospect, unproven in a political her liking for single-malt whisky lish’s conservative National dogfi ght. But Labour’s top job and short-lived career as a mu- Hundreds of activists demonstrated in Taipei yesterday to Party, which had been cruis- was thrust upon her on August sic festival DJ. The former pub- urge China to release immediately a detained Taiwanese rights ing to a record-equalling fourth 1, when her predecessor Andrew lic relations student has a knack activist charged with subversion of Chinese state power. About term. English has dismissed Little quit after his polling hit for pithy soundbites that cut Leader of the Labour Party Jacinda Ardern has photos taken with 350 activists gathered in the Taiwanese capital to proclaim the Ardern’s appeal as “stardust”, 20-year lows of 23%. “Every- through the political clamour supporters at a Labour Party rally ahead of New Zealand’s general innocence of 42-year-old Taipei resident Lee Ming-che, who went focusing instead on National’s one knows I have just accepted, and grab voters’ attention. election next week, in Hamilton. missing on March 19 after he entered China from Macau. On strong record guiding New Zea- with short notice, the worst job It has proved particularly ef- September 11 at a court in Yueyang in China’s Hunan Province, Lee land through the global fi nancial in politics,” Ardern said after be- fective with young voters as “my generation’s nuclear-free before deciding whether to elect pleaded guilty to subverting state power in China during a trial that crisis and a deadly Christchurch coming Labour’s fi fth leader in Ardern argues for generational moment”. Doubts about her a young woman as prime minis- rights activists say was staged. It was the first time a rights activist earthquake in 2011. four years, and the youngest in change in New Zealand politics. temperament evaporated amid ter. “It is totally unacceptable in from Taiwan had stood trial in China. The case was also discussed Ardern herself admits she its 101-year history. “My generation has been sold several feisty debates with Eng- 2017 to say that women should at a session of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or is surprised at the public’s re- The gamble on a rookie less down the river by your gov- lish. Voters also saw a steely side have to answer that question in Involuntary Disappearances in Geneva last week. “It’s unimaginable sponse to a self-described “pol- than two months out from an ernment” she admonished the when a TV host told her that the workplace,” she responded, that China is to convict an activist based on things he’s done within icy nerd” who never envisioned election appears to have paid 55-year-old English, going on New Zealanders had a right to wagging her fi nger at the male Taiwan,” said Huang Yi-bee, head of Taipei-based rights watchdog herself running for prime min- off , with some polls showing La- to describe climate change as know her plans for parenthood presenter. Covenants Watch, who attended the Geneva session. Abe mulls snap election in October

Reuters cratic Party, which has been for battle,” domestic media battered by suspected crony- Given that there is no need for a Tokyo struggling with single-digit quoted Komeito party chief Nat- ism scandals and a perception general election until late 2018, a support and defections. suo Yamaguchi as telling report- that he had grown arrogant after snap poll could prompt criticism Abe told executives of his ers on Saturday during a visit to more than four years in offi ce. of Abe for creating a political vac- apanese Prime Minister Liberal Democratic Party and Russia. His popularity rebounded some- uum at a time of rising tensions Shinzo Abe is considering its junior coalition partner, the One option is to hold a snap what after a cabinet reshuffl e in over regional security. However, Jcalling a snap election for as Komeito party, that he might election on October 22, when early August and has since been an early vote would not only take early as next month to take ad- dissolve parliament’s lower three by-elections are scheduled, helped by worries over a volatile advantage of Democratic Party vantage of his improved approval house for a snap poll after the the sources said. Other possibili- North Korea, which on Friday disarray but could also dilute a ratings and disarray in the main legislature convenes for an ex- ties are later in October or after fi red a ballistic missile over Ja- challenge from an embryonic opposition party, government tra session from September 28, an expected visit by US President pan, its second such move in less party that allies of popular Tokyo and ruling party sources said the sources said. Top LDP and Donald Trump in early November. than a month. Governor Yuriko Koike, an ex- yesterday. Komeito offi cials will meet to- Abe will probably make a decision “If we have a snap election LDP lawmaker, are trying to form. Abe’s ratings have recovered day to discuss preparations, they after returning from a September now, we need to explain it to the Abe’s coalition would be likely to 50% in some polls, helped by added. 18-22 trip to the United States, the public, including how we will to lose its two-thirds “super ma- public jitters over North Korea’s “Until now, it appeared the sources said. cope with the threat from North jority” in the lower house but missile and nuclear tests, and election would be next autumn, Abe’s ratings had sunk below Korea,” Koichi Hagiuda, a senior keep a simple majority, political Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe chaos in the opposition Demo- but ... we must always be ready 30% in some surveys in July, LDP executive, told NHK. sources have said. Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 15 BRITAIN/IRELAND

TREND TRAGEDY COMMENT ACCIDENT PEOPLE Varadkar bounce gives Four people killed in I could become premier, Eight hurt as bus Baby boy found Fine Gael poll lead horror crash on M5 says LibDem leader crashes into walkway abandoned in park

Ireland’s ruling Fine Gael party has opened up an A woman and two children remain critically Vince Cable has insisted it is “perfectly plausible” Eight people were injured after a double-decker A baby boy has been found abandoned in an east eight-point lead over its nearest rival, an opinion injured in hospital after an M5 crash that killed that he could become the next prime minister. bus crashed into an overhead walkway at an London park. The newborn was found wrapped poll showed, suggesting the minority government four people. A lorry going south crashed The Liberal Democrat leader said politics was in a Edinburgh hospital. Emergency services were in a white blanket near to Balaam Street, Plaistow. was seeing a bounce under new Prime Minister Leo through the central reservation at 14.30BST “remarkable state of flux”, with both major parties called to the Western General Hospital at 15.25. Police said they were “growing increasingly Varadkar. Varadkar succeeded Enda Kenny in May on Saturday and collided with two vehicles divided. On day two of its conference, the party Police said none of those hurt in the collision concerned” about the child’s mother and urged the as members of his centre-right Fine Gael hoped a heading northwards, police said. Inspector Mark leadership saw off a challenge to its policy on received serious or life-threatening injuries. A woman to contact authorities to receive medical young leader would propel the party ahead of rival Whitfield, from Avon and Somerset Police, said a second EU referendum. Members backed the spokeswoman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue care and support. The baby has been taken to an Fianna Fail. Fine Gael secured the support of 33% the 18-tonne lorry had collided with the two idea of an “exit from Brexit” poll, although former Service said eight casualties were taken away from east London hospital where he has been named of respondents to the Sunday Times/Behaviour & cars killing four people – three people from one leader Tim Farron warned them not to treat Leave the scene by a waiting ambulance. She added Harry by medical staff . Appealing to the baby’s Attitudes poll, while the opposition Fianna Fail fell vehicle died and one person from the other. “The voters “like idiots”. Asked how Brexit could be that firefighters were still at the site of the crash, mother, detective chief inspector Jim Foley said: five points to 25%. “All of this increase has come main issue for us is why the lorry has crossed stopped, given that Article 50 has been triggered working to make the scene safe. A spokesman “We are growing increasingly concerned for your from those who were undecided about the prime over from the central reservation. There are a and both the Tories and Labour are opposed to for East Coast Buses said: “Our first concern is welfare and I would urge you to make contact with minister in the previous poll,” said Behaviour & number of lines of inquiry we’re looking at, one another vote, Sir Vince said “sensible” figures with everyone involved in this incident and our us or your local hospital or GP surgery. It is really Attitudes executive chairman Ian McShane. of which will be if the vehicle had defects.” within Labour were coming round to the idea. thoughts are with those injured and their families.” important that we know you are safe.”

Trump’s visit still Terror threat on despite terror tweets: PM lowered to

AFP Washington severe after rime Minister Theresa May has insisted a long-awaited Pstate visit by Donald Trump will go ahead as planned despite a diplomatic spat triggered by the US president’s comments after a terror attack in London. bomb attack Speaking to ABC News from Downing Street in an interview Reuters tered hundreds of children, in- that yet,” Rudd told the BBC. that aired yesterday, she added London cluding refugees. “The Joint Terrorist Analysis that London was in talks with in- The BBC said the couple, Centre, which reviews the threat ternet giants Google and Facebook 88-year-old Ronald Jones and level that the UK is under, have about “doing more” to assist au- he police have arrested Penelope Jones, 71, had been hon- decided to lower that level from thorities in tracking extremists a second man over the oured by Queen Elizabeth for their critical to severe,” Rudd said in a using the web to plan attacks, an Tbombing of a London com- work with children. televised statement. issue she said she would take up muter train on Friday that injured The bomb struck as passengers “Severe still means that an at- at the UN General Assembly next 30 people and the security serv- were travelling towards the cen- tack is highly likely so I would week. ices lowered the threat level for an tre of the capital. Some suff ered urge everybody to continue to be After an explosion in the Lon- attack from its highest setting. burns and others were hurt in a vigilant but not alarmed,” Rudd don subway early Friday injured The 21-year-old man was de- stampede to escape. said. more than 20 people, Trump on tained under Britain’s terrorism Prime Minister Theresa May Soldiers who had been deployed Twitter blamed “sick and de- laws in the west London suburb of put Britain on its highest security to guard key sites across the coun- mented people who were in the Hounslow just before midnight on level late on Friday and soldiers try in order to free up police offi c- sights of Scotland Yard.” Saturday, London police said in a and armed police were deployed ers on the streets “will return to Britons expressed outrage at the statement. to strategic locations such as nu- their original positions” during president’s suggestion that British Police earlier arrested an clear power plants. the next few days, Rudd said. authorities had advance knowl- 18-year-old man in the depar- The critical warning had last edge about the attackers. ture lounge of Dover port in what “Severe still means that an been used after the deadly suicide May herself told journalists on they called a “signifi cant” step attack is highly likely so I bombing at a pop concert in the Friday that “I never think it’s help- and then raided a property in would urge everybody to northwestern city of Manchester ful for anybody to speculate on Sunbury-on-Thames, a town continue to be vigilant but in May, for which IS also claimed what is an ongoing investigation.” near London and about 6km from not alarmed” responsibility. Trump’s keenness to underline Hounslow. But Rudd voiced doubt over the a series of attacks in Britain has led The home-made bomb shot On Saturday, armed police pa- IS claim that it was behind Fri- to repeated outcry across the At- fl ames through a packed carriage trolled the streets near govern- day’s bombing. lantic that has helped indefi nitely at west London’s Parsons Green ment departments in Westmin- “It is inevitable that so-called delay his much-vaunted state Tube station during the Friday ster and guarded Premier League Islamic State or Daesh will try to visit. morning rush hour but apparently soccer grounds hosting matches. claim responsibility but we have But in her ABC interview, May failed to detonate fully. The last time Britain was put on no evidence to suggest that yet,” made clear the planned visit is still Islamic State claimed respon- “critical” alert was after a suicide she told the BBC. on. sibility, as it has for other attacks bomber killed 22 people at the Rudd had earlier dismissed as “The Queen issued the invita- in Britain this year, including two Ariana Grande concert. “pure speculation” US President tion,” she said. “The president has in London and one at a concert by Meanwhile, Interior Minister Donald Trump’s claim, made accepted it. It’s just a question of American singer Ariana Grande in Amber Rudd yesterday said the Friday on Twitter, that a “loser getting dates to — and sorting out Manchester in May. second arrest showed it was not terrorist” behind the attack was the logistics.” Police yesterday said they were a lone-wolf attack but there was known to Scotland Yard. May said the point of the histor- searching a home in Stanwell in no evidence Islamic State was in- The tweet had already drawn a ic “special relationship” between the county of Surrey near the pe- volved. terse rebuke from Prime Minister the two countries was that “when rimeter of London’s Heathrow She said the threat level had Theresa May, who said: “I never we do disagree we’re able to say so Airport, in connection with the been lowered to “severe” from think it’s helpful for anybody to — and pretty bluntly.” Hounslow arrest. “critical”, meaning another attack speculate on what is an ongoing As an example, she cited the Police continued to search the was highly likely rather than ex- investigation.” sharp diff erences over the Paris house in Sunbury nearby but said pected imminently. In another security scare on climate change agreement. “I’ve there were no safety risks to local “It is inevitable that so-called Sunday, a London-bound British made very clear I was dismayed residents. Islamic State, or Daesh, will reach Airways fl ight was evacuated at when America decided to pull out A police off icer stands guard at a property being searched in connection with an explosion on a London Local media said the home be- in and try to claim responsibility. Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport of that.” Underground train, in Sunbury-on-Thames yesterday. longs to a couple who have fos- We have no evidence to suggest after a false bomb alert. Johnson accused of Anniversary service Ex-footballer Carlisle Brexit ‘backseat driving’ found safe: police Guardian News and Media lorry. He said he “should be London dead” and felt blessed to have Reuters Johnson’s article re-ignited as it sees fi t, he said. A prominent survived, he said. London speculation that he would chal- Brexit campaigner in last year’s In a statement posted online lenge May for the leadership of referendum, Johnson also re- ormer footballer Clarke last year, he said: “Two years the Conservative Party. peated the Brexit campaign claim Carlisle is “very unwell ago today I jumped in front of oreign Minister Boris John- Rudd, however, said she did that the government would be Fbut safe” in a Liverpool a truck. One year today I was son was yesterday accused not think Johnson was laying the £350mn a week better off outside hospital after he was reported back in psychiatric hospital. Fby Cabinet colleagues of groundwork to challenge May. the EU. missing on Friday, his family Today I’m away with the love “backseat driving” on Brexit af- “I think that he, like I, sup- Government offi cials criticised has said. of my life.” ter setting out his own vision of ports the prime minister at this Johnson for repeating the claim, Earlier on Friday, police said Lancashire police said the country’s future outside the diffi cult time as we try to con- saying the fi gure does not take they were growing increasingly the former Burnley player European Union. clude the negotiations with the into account the funding Britain concerned about the welfare was found in Liverpool, and Only days before Prime Minis- EU,” she said. receives back from Brussels. of the former Burnley captain, thanked the public for sharing ter Theresa May is due to speak in May’s deputy, Damian Green, David Norgrove, of the UK who has a history of mental ill- a missing person‘s appeal. Italy about Britain’s planned EU also weighed in yesterday, say- Statistics Authority, said he was ness. The force tweeted: “Great departure, Johnson on Saturday ing that Johnson had written a “surprised and disappointed” He was found in Liverpool news folks. Clarke Carlisle published a 4,300-word news- “very exuberant” article but it that Johnson was still quoting a on Friday night. His wife, Car- has been found safe in Liver- paper article that roamed well is “absolutely clear to everyone fi gure that confused gross and rie Carlisle, thanked the public pool. Thanks to everyone who beyond his ministerial brief and, that the driver of the car in this net contributions. for sharing the missing persons shared our appeal. Have a good in some cases, the approach set instance is the prime minister”. “It is a clear misuse of offi cial appeal for her husband, telling weekend.” out by the government. “It is the job of the rest of us in statistics,” Norgrove said in a let- her Twitter followers “we all Carlisle founded a men- Interior Minister Amber Rudd the Cabinet to agree on a set of ter to Johnson yesterday. owe you a debt of gratitude”. tal health charity, the Clarke said it was “absolutely fi ne” for proposals and get behind those The timing of Johnson’s article Carlisle, 37, is a former chair- Carlisle Foundation for Dual the foreign secretary to intervene proposals and get behind the prime — published a day after a bomb man of the Professional Foot- Diagnosis – a condition that publicly but that she did not want minister,” Green told BBC TV. injured 30 people on a train in ballers’ Association and made has been described as “mental him managing the Brexit process. Johnson had written in the London — also drew criticism more than 500 appearances for health problems co-occurring “What we’ve got is Theresa Daily Telegraph that Britain from some colleagues. nine clubs during his playing with drug or alcohol misuse”. May managing that process, would not pay to access Euro- Reacting to the furore his ar- career from 1997 to 2013. He is due to host a men- she’s driving the car,” Rudd said. pean markets in the future. ticle had generated, Johnson Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of He told the Guardian last tal health awareness evening Asked if Johnson was backseat Once out of the EU, the coun- tweeted on Saturday: “Look- Cornwall attend a service marking the 77th anniversary year how he was attempting in Birmingham next week driving, she replied: “Yes, you try should borrow to invest in ing forward to PM’s Florence of the Battle of Britain at Westminster Abbey in central to turn his life around after in memory of Nick Mowl, a could call it backseat driving, ab- infrastructure, reform the tax Speech. All behind Theresa for a London yesterday. he tried to kill himself in 2014 former Solihull Moors player solutely.” code and set immigration levels glorious Brexit.” when he stepped in front of a who killed himself this year. Gulf Times 16 Monday, September 18, 2017 EUROPE

ZAPAD DRILL PSYCHO WEATHER DEMONSTRATION CRIME US tourists injured in 8 dead, dozens injured as Greeks protest right-wing Man held over murder of France acid attack storm lashes Romania Golden Dawn party pregnant Frenchwoman

Two young female American tourists were sprayed A strong storm tore through western Romania Four years after the neo-Nazi murder of an anti- A man was arrested in France yesterday over yesterday with hydrochloric acid in the French city yesterday, killing eight people and injuring at least fascist rapper in Athens, hundreds of Greeks took the gruesome murder of a heavily pregnant of Marseille by a woman who appeared to have 67, emergency service off icials said. Road and rail to the streets of the capital over the weekend to woman who was suff ocated in her bed, a source psychological problems, a police source said. The traff ic was halted by trees felled in winds as high as protest against right-wing party Golden Dawn. close to the investigation said. The 23-year- attack occurred inside the Mediterranean port 100kph. Several hospitals, schools and apartment Demonstrators gathered in the centre of the old woman, who was eight months pregnant, city’s Saint-Charles train station at around 9am. buildings had roofs damaged and dozens of towns city to demand a ban on the far-right political was found naked, tied up and blindfolded on The woman sprayed the tourists in the eyes, the and villages were left without electricity. Some party and the closure of its off ices, local media Wednesday in her apartment in Ustaritz, in the source said, adding that she targeted the people of the casualties were people strolling outside reported yesterday. They were also protesting the southern Basque region near the Spanish border. closest to her and that the incident “was not of a or coming out of supermarkets, the emergency slow pace of an ongoing trial against the party’s The suspect, who had no fixed address, was terrorist nature”. The two injured tourists, both services said. A group of tourists was stranded leadership in connection with the death of Pavlos detained in nearby Boucau after a high-speed A Belarus military helicopter team take part aged around 20, were travelling in a group of for an hour in a charlift in the northern county of Fyssas, as well as charges that Golden Dawn is a car chase with police. The dead woman’s partner in a pilot rescue training as part of the Zapad four. They were not targeted because of their Maramures. “We can’t fight the weather,” Prime criminal organisation. The protesters stopped in had found her body and raised the alarm. An military exercises, near the town of Ruzhany, nationality, the source added. Both were admitted Minister Mihai Tudose told Antena3 TV. “The entire front of the European Union’s off ices and the US autopsy found that she had suff ocated after some 235km south-west of Minsk. to hospital but were discharged in the afternoon. medical sector is focused on the injured.” Embassy, the daily Kathimerini said. being gagged. Spain seeks to block Catalonia referendum

By Sam Edwards, Reuters Barcelona

panish authorities yesterday pursued eff orts to block an in- dependence vote in Catalonia, seizing campaign materials Sas the chief prosecutor said jailing the region’s top politician could not be ruled out. The government in the northeastern region is intent on hold- ing a referendum on October 1 that will ask voters whether they support secession from Spain, a ballot Madrid has declared illegal. In a raid yesterday on a warehouse in the province of Barcelona, police confi scated around 1.3mn leafl ets and other campaign ma- terials promoting the vote issued by the Catalan government. The haul was the largest in a series of similar raids, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Spanish prosecutors, who have ordered police to investigate any eff orts to promote the plebiscite, said last week that offi cials en- gaged in any preparations for it could be charged with civil diso- bedience, abuse of offi ce and misuse of public funds. German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a news conference with children at the Christian Democratic Union party campaign meeting centre in Berlin. More than 700 Catalan mayors gathered in Barcelona on Satur- day to affi rm their support for it. Asked if arresting regional government head Carles Puigde- mont was an option if preparations continued, Spain’s chief pub- lic prosecutor said in an interview: “We could consider it because the principal objective is to stop the referendum going ahead.” “I won’t rule out completely the option of seeking jail terms... It could happen under certain circumstances,” Jose Manuel Maza was quoted as also telling yesterday’s edition of newspaper El Mundo. Merkel faces red line The Catalan parliament passed a law enabling the referendum early last month, but Spain’s Constitutional Court suspended it the next day. Pro-independence activists have said they plan to distribute campaign leafl ets promoting the referendum in Barcelona. Although polls show less than half of Catalonia’s 5.5mn voters support independence, most in the wealthy northeastern region want the chance to vote on the issue. on eurozone budget Reuters her second government from zone budget or a banking union, The FDP have reinvented of a future ruling coalition,” said Berlin 2009 to 2013. is a red line for us”. themselves under Lindner, who Martin Lueck of asset manager They crashed out of parlia- Macron, who is to is present preaches a hard line on Europe. BlackRock. ment that year but are hoping to his views on the future of the They are polling 8% to 10% in A grand coalition with the cen- ermany’s Free Democrats re-enter the legislature on Sep- euro zone on September 26, surveys, while Merkel’s conserv- tre-left Social Democrats (SPD), (FDP) yesterday ruled out tember 24 as the third-largest has called for a fi nance minister atives are on around 37%, leaving Merkel’s current partners and Gjoining a post-election party. and a standalone budget for the their combined forces just short polling around 23%, would make coalition with Chancellor Angela “The toughest question is set- bloc, while European Commis- of a majority. it much easier for the chancellor Merkel if she supported French ting the agenda for the future of sion chief Jean-Claude Juncker Analysts say completing a to work with Macron on over- plans to deepen fi scal integration Europe,” FDP leader Christian last week urged EU governments banking union and creating a hauling the euro zone. in the eurozone. Lindner told the Welt am Sonntag to use economic recovery as a euro zone budget would provide The centre-left SPD have often Germany goes to the polls newspaper. springboard towards closer un- more stability for the currency criticized Finance Minister Wolf- next Sunday, when Merkel looks “I fear that Ms Merkel has al- ion. bloc, and that a conservative/ gang Schaeuble’s tough stance on almost certain to be elected to ready agreed to new funding Merkel has said she would FDP coalition might threaten Greece and have even backed the a fourth term in offi ce, though mechanisms (for the EU) with work with Macron on strength- such plans. idea of common euro zone debt. her conservatives will not win (French President Emmanuel) ening the euro zone. “I fear there could be a strong The FDP are fi ghting for third enough votes to govern alone. Macron. But Germany remains insist- reaction on bond markets should spot against the anti-immigrant Protesters hold Esteladas, the Catalan separatist flags, during a The socially liberal FDP have “Everything that goes in the ent that member states should the FDP push for a literal en- Alternative for Germany (AfD), rally in Madrid yesterday in favour of a planned referendum on long been seen as her natural al- direction of fi nancial transfer on take primary responsibility for forcement of fi scal rules or for which is forecast to enter parlia- the independence of Catalonia. lies and were junior partners in the European level, be it a euro their own economic problems. an expulsion of Greece as part ment for the fi rst time. Rejuvenated Berlusconi lays out election platform

By Crispian Balmer, Reuters a speech near Rome that eff ec- Berlusconi dismissed the Rome tively launched the Forza Italia chances of the ruling centre- election campaign. left, saying the left was in retreat While his allies have repeat- across Europe, and also took aim arking a formal return edly denounced the European at the anti-establishment 5-Star to Italy’s political stage, Union, Berlusconi said he wanted Movement, which polls say is Mformer prime minister more Europe, not less, calling for Italy’s largest single party, with Silvio Berlusconi yesterday laid common defence, foreign, in- support under 30%. out his policy priorities for the dustrial and fi scal policies. The 5-Star is expected to chose forthcoming election, portraying “I do not think we can leave the the 31-year-old lawmaker Luigi himself as a pro-European mod- euro,” he said, further underscor- Di Maio as its prime ministerial erate. ing how the anti-euro rhetoric candidate next weekend. Speaking at a meeting of his once heard from many Italian par- Berlusconi dismissed him as a Forza Italia (Go Italy) party, Ber- ties is receding as the vote nears. “little political meteorite” with lusconi said he wanted to lead the Berlusconi, who had open no practical know-how. group into the national ballot, heart surgery last year, cannot Highlighting his own long ex- which is expected by next March, run for offi ce due to a 2013 tax perience in business and politics, promising hefty tax cuts if the fraud conviction. he said he wanted to make a pact centre-right regained power. But he hopes the European with the devil to take 20 years off Subsumed by sex scandals and Court of Human Rights over- his life. legal woes, Berlusconi largely turns this ban when it reviews his He joked this his tan, brown vanished from politics after be- case in November. hair and slim fi gure showed a deal ing ousted from power in 2011. “I expect that Europe com- might have been struck. But he has emerged from the pletely restores my honour...But He also looked to swat down shadows this year and Forza Ita- court or no court, I promise you the hopes of Northern League lia, with its traditional rightist that I will take part in the election leader Matteo Salvini, who has allies the Northern League and campaign,” said the four-times put himself forward as the natu- Brothers of Italy, have combined premier. ral prime ministerial candidate backing of some 35%, according If Forza Italia won power, he for the centre-right. to polls, making them the largest said he would introduce a fl at tax “We have always had respect for single bloc. and eliminate inheritance tax, their ideas, but we created the cen- “We predict a great victory for hike minimum pensions, off er tre-right and we have always been the centre-right,” said Berlusco- pensions to housewives and give the leader to put its programme ni, 81, looking thin and fi t during more to impoverished families. into action,” Berlusconi said. Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi holds the party programme during European People’s Party meeting in Fiuggi, Italy. Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 17 INDIA Tributes pour in for war hero Arjan Singh ahead of state funeral

Agencies The government announced also mourned Singh on Twitter. miral Sunil Lanba, General Bipin their pensions being provided, Former defence minister and “During the Second World New Delhi that a state funeral would be held “India will never forget excel- Rawat and Air Chief Marshal B S which caused economic grief. Goa Chief Minister Manohar War, Arjan Singh fl ew close sup- for Singh today. lent leadership of Marshal of the Dhanoa – also paid their respects. They have disbursed Rs2.7 Parrikar called Arjan Singh the port missions during the Imphal “Marshal of the Indian Air IAF Arjan Singh in 1965, when Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said crore of loans to air warriors so father of IAF’s modernisation ef- campaign and also was part of ributes poured yesterday Force (IAF) was a hero of World the IAF saw substantial action,” Arjan Singh was a philanthropist far.” forts. the team that assisted the ad- for late war hero Marshal War II and won our nation’s grat- he said. to the core and always led from Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lan- Bollywood megastar Amitabh vance of allied forces to Rangoon TArjan Singh, who rose to itude for his military leadership “Even at the age of 98, he the front and brought many in- ba said: “The greatest air war- Bachchan described the “iconic, in today’s Myanmar,” a report in prominence during World War in the War of 1965,” President would be dressed in uniform. He novative reforms to the IAF. rior, true leader and an icon for valiant and most decorated son The Hindu newspaper said. II and for his leadership in the Ram Nath Kovind said in a state- would come on a wheelchair but “In 2004, when he was pro- generations to come, Marshal of of India” as an “epitome of valour “For his rile in successfully country’s 1965 war against Pa- ment. whenever he would see me, he moted as the Marshal of IAF, he, the Air Force Arjan Singh will be and dignity”. leading the squadron during kistan. “He served the nation with would stand. He was a soldier, he along with his wife, sold off their missed by the entire nation.” Singh fi rst rose to prominence combat, Singh received the dis- Singh, the only offi cer ever to be distinction and was the fi rst and never forgot his discipline.” property and started the Ar- No state mourning was an- after he received a distinguished tinguished fl ying cross in 1944,” named Marshal of the Indian Air only offi cer of the IAF who was Defence Minister Nirmala jan Singh Trust at a value of Rs2 nounced but the Home Minis- fl ying cross for his contributions it added. Force owing to his achievements, honoured with the fi ve-star rank Sitharaman laid a wreath on the crore, which has now summed up try said the national fl ag will fl y during the World War II from the After retiring from the IAF, died after suff ering a cardiac ar- as Marshal of the Air Force,” he air warrior’s body on behalf of to Rs3.7 crore. This was at a time at half-mast on the day of the last Viceroy of pre-Independ- Singh served as the Indian am- rest at the age of 98 at an army added. the prime minister. when there were many airmen funeral in Delhi on all buildings ence India, Lord Louis Mount- bassador to Switzerland and the hospital in Delhi on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi The three service chiefs – Ad- retiring from the service without where it is fl own regularly. batten. Vatican. Kerala offi cial lands in trouble after calling for attack on cinemas

By Ashraf Padanna lowing the controversy, its reso- Thiruvananthapuram nance continued on the social media. He clarifi ed that he had with- n offi cial of the state-run drawn the posts, #Boycott- Kerala Chalachitra Acad- Ramaleela, immediately and he Aemy promoting cinema was not responsible for others in the state has landed in trouble circulating its screenshots. after calling for attacks on thea- The fi lm was set to release in tres planning to show the new August, but the promoters had to fi lm Ramaleela in which contro- postpone the plan after the arrest versial actor Dileep is the hero. of Dileep on July 10, almost fi ve Tomichan Mulakupadam, the months after the sexual assault Abu Dhabi-based producer of on the actress on February 17. the Rs160mn fi lm scheduled to Meanwhile, actor-direc- hit the screens across the state tor Nadirsha, a close friend of on September 28, lodged a police Dileep, appeared before the in- complaint against G P Ramach- vestigators at the Aluva Police andran, a member of the Acad- Club yesterday. emy. He said police sought his clar- Ramachandran made the call ifi cation on the claim of Pulsar in a Facebook post last week, Suni, accused of molesting the saying the fi lm should not be actress, that he had given him screened as Dileep is in jail af- Rs25,000 as promised by Dileep, ter his arrest for being allegedly on the sets on his Kattappanayile linked to the kidnap and moles- Hrithik Roshan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Sardar Sarovar Dam, the country’s largest, yesterday. tation of a former co-star. “I could convince (the inter- Ramachandran also asked his rogators) the hollowness of the followers to share the contacts claim,” Nadirsha told reporters of a person running a piracy site later. “I believe Dileep has no role on the Internet, Tamil Rockers, in this.” to sabotage the fi lm’s chances at Today, the Judicial Magistrate the box offi ce. Court in Angamaly, from where The apex industry body Kerala the actress was abducted, will Film Chamber and Industry and deliver its judgment on Dileep’s PM opens controversial Film Employees Federation of plea for his release while the Ker- Kerala (Fefka) also demanded ala High Court will start hearing that the government take action on the anticipatory bail applica- against Ramachandran. tion of his wife Kavya Madhavan. “Making a public call to de- Dileep, 49, is in custody for molish cinemas and promoting the past two months and Kavya, piracy is a subversive activity 35, also a former co-star, says the Narmada dam project that the government should take police were trying to implicate seriously,” Fefka general secre- her also. Agencies fi rst prime minister Jawaharlal too, but “Maa Narmada is the not a government programme, four years later, but with condi- tary B Unnikrishnan said. The Judicial Magistrate had Dabhoi, Gujarat Nehru in 1961. only one which encountered the this is not a BJP event, this is a tions. “It’s akin to a terrorist call heard the arguments of both the The construction of the maximum hurdles. At one time, celebration of the people. Patkar and her support- which should be treated as such. defence and prosecution coun- project began in 1987. the entire world had ganged up “The Sardar Sarovar Project is ers started the protest against We’ll take it up with the govern- sels on Dileep’s plea and reserved rime Minister Narendra The dam is the second big- against the scheme, the World an engineering marvel. It should the inauguration of the dam on ment.” the judgment. Modi inaugurated India’s gest in the world after the Grand Bank decided and stopped the be part of the curriculum of en- Saturday and the opening of its Mulakupadam lodged his If the court dismisses his ap- Pbiggest dam yesterday, Coulee Dam in the United States. loan to the ambitious project on gineering studies in the country.” gates which would raise the level complaint with Inspector Gen- plication, he could move an up- ignoring warnings from envi- Ahead of the inauguration the pretext of environment but Dubbed as ‘Lifeline of Gu- of water and risk displacing sev- eral of Plice Vijayan, who asked per court seeking bail. ronment groups that hundreds Modi said in a tweet, “This the people of Gujarat stood fi rm. jarat’, the height of the dam was eral villages. the Kochi city Police Commis- He argues the police case was of thousands of people will lose project will benefi t lakhs of “They were committed to recently increased to 138.68m, “Today is a very sad day for sioner M P Dinesh to launch a built up on the statements of their livelihoods. farmers and help fulfi l people’s completing the dam even if the taking the water storage capac- India, and for one of our biggest probe. Suni, whom he doesn’t know, a The controversial Sardar aspirations.” Word Bank stopped giving mon- ity to 4.73mn acre feet (MAF). peoples’ movements and strug- His last fi lm, the Rs250mn position which Kavya also re- Sarovar Dam on the Narmada The dam is expected to pro- ey. Even temples of this state or- The Narmada Bachao Ando- gle – the Narmada Bacchao An- Pulimurugan, was the highest peated in her plea, saying the po- river in Gujarat that will provide vide water to 9,000 villages and ganised donations for this dam,” lan (NBA), led by social activist dolan,” Ravi Chellam, executive grosser in the Malayalam fi lm in- lice were pressuring her to admit power and water to three big the power generated from the Modi said. Medha Patkar, has been protest- director at Greenpeace India dustry which collected Rs1bn in a she knew him. states was dedicated to the peo- dam would be shared among “This is an emotional mo- ing against the project, raising said in a statement. month of release. Police say Dileep had off ered ple of India by Modi on his 67th three states – Madhya Pradesh, ment for me,” he said. several environmental concerns. “The Sardar Sarovar Project Though Ramachandran, a Suni Rs15mn and paid an advance birthday. Maharashtra and Gujarat. “I don’t celebrate birthdays Construction on the dam had signals ruin not development for writer and fi lm critic who is part of Rs10,000 for the “job” in 2013 The project has been beset by Modi said governments for- but today is ‘vishwakarma jayan- been suspended in 1996 follow- tens of thousands of unsuspect- of the pro-government intelli- which he allegedly accomplished controversies since the laying of mulate and implement schemes; ti’ and today a son has the bless- ing a stay by the Supreme Court ing, hapless and poor farmers,” gentsia, withdrew his posts fol- four years later. the foundation stone by India’s some of them face problems ings of lakhs of mothers. This is which allowed work to resume, Chellam added. Rickshaws to jump start India’s all-electric drive

AFP But electric and hybrid models make its chief executive S Vijayanand. could be withdrawn at any time – to New Delhi up just 3% of all cars on the road world- “The headache of managing and bring in electric cars. wide, say London-based consultancy charging the battery will not be with Tesla boss Elon Musk – who in July fi rm PwC. the driver then,” he said. launched Model 3, a mass-market ver- ndia will roll out nearly 100,000 That fi gure is even lower in India, Other ideas include setting tougher sion of Tesla’s pricier cars – has post- battery-powered buses and auto- underscoring the enormity of Prime effi ciency standards so new vehicles poned entry to the Indian market. Irickshaws onto its sulphurous city Minister Narendra Modi’s electric use less power. But at $35,000, even the cheapest streets in the coming weeks, setting it challenge. “The idea is to keep it as low-cost as Tesla is out of reach for most Indians. on the bumpy road to making new ve- On top of gradually bringing in elec- possible,” Jhunjhunwala said. Most of the 3mn new cars added to hicle sales all-electric by 2030. tric rickshaws and buses in New Delhi, “Vehicles and chargers must happen India’s roads every year are far cheaper, India, one of the world’s most pol- the government has issued a tender to without subsidies and must make busi- compact vehicles. luted nations, has one of the most am- auto makers for 10,000 cars to replace ness sense.” Nissan Motor is test driving its Leaf bitious plans to kick its fossil fuel ad- pollution producers at four government Mahesh Babu, chief executive at In- model to see how it performs on Indian diction. ministries. dian conglomerate Mahindra, said it roads and copes with pollution and ex- Analysts say the target is “daunting”. “To go all electric is a daunting task,” was an exciting project but government treme weather conditions. Transport is a major source of India’s said PwC partner Abdul Majeed. effi ciency targets are “idealistic and That leaves the fi eld wide open for carbon emissions and the Greenpeace “Electric vehicles have a few huge might lead to compromise on consumer Mahindra, currently the only company group blames at least 1.2mn deaths a challenges to deal with before they can needs and safety.” selling electric cars in India. year in the country on pollution. take off in a big way.” Others are more optimistic. Its hatchback, sedan and van sell in Getting off diesel and petrol would The government does not want to Reductions in the size and cost of Delhi from $11,000 to $15,000, after a improve the nation’s health and bol- pay for a network of charging stations electric vehicles, coupled with rapid subsidy of $2,300. ster India’s bid to meet the bold climate for millions of future green motorists to technological advances, mean India’s The company hopes to sell up to change targets it pledged in Paris in power up depleted car batteries. ambitions were “very feasible”, said 5,000 units this year, including auto- 2015. Instead it hopes private energy com- Bill Hare, chief executive of the Berlin- rickshaws. India is not alone in wanting all- panies will invest in “swapping bays”, Mahindra’s electric car “e2o Plus” plugged in for charging at a showroom in New based Climate Analytics consultancy. So far it has tied up with cab fi rms in electric cars, though it is aiming to go where drivers can exchange empty bat- Delhi. Foreign car majors are not ready to a handful of cities, logistics fi rms and faster than others. teries for fresh ones, Ashok Jhunjhun- bring their electric off erings to India. start-ups that off er a sharing system of Britain and France have said they wala, principal adviser to the power It plans to lease batteries separately easier to use batteries. Amara Raja Bat- Mercedes said it needs a reasonable self-driving cars. want to end the sale of fossil fuel cars minister and the offi cial spearheading for public transport and taxi fl eets. teries, a battery manufacturer, would timeline and improved incentives for “We want to meet India’s challeng- by 2040. the eff orts, said. It also wants more work on smaller, be part of the “swapping model”, said motorists – currently a tiny sum that es,” Babu said. Gulf Times 18 Monday, September 18, 2017 LATIN AMERICA UN launches food aid plan for Cubans in wake of Irma

Agencies for four months, according to a ba’s northern coast, destroying Cuban city are in “bad or regu- Havana housing, told a small shelters which means the pro- Cuba went through after the fall Havana WFP statement issued in Geneva farms, food stocks, power lines lar” shape, according to the pro- group of foreign reporters the gramme is achieving results,” of the Soviet Union. yesterday. and roads. vincial housing authority, due city had put a strategy in place in he said, noting the city had The country has also suff ered The UN food agency plans to Meanwhile, city authori- largely to a punishing tropical 2012 to repair housing as well as nearly doubled annual spend- from the decades-long US trade he United Nations has give priority to children, preg- ties held a rare media briefi ng climate, lack of adequate main- provide new homes even if lack ing on construction in that time embargo. started an emergency nant and nursing women, and to to stress they were prioritising tenance and passage of time. of resources made it hard to fulfi l to around 185mn Cuban pesos, Havana had focused fi rst on Toperation to bring food elderly people. solving the capital’s longstand- Some Havana residents com- its goals. equivalent to some $7.7mn. providing homes for those Cu- to more than 660,000 Cubans Irma was one of the strong- ing housing needs after Irma plained Irma would not have Around 50,000 families in to- Some Cubans had been wait- bans, then for those who had whose lives have been disrupted est Atlantic storms on record. wrought havoc on Havana’s de- been as deadly if authorities had tal were in need of new housing, ing in communal shelters for been waiting 15-19 years. Now by Hurricane Irma, the World As it ploughed across the Carib- crepit buildings and killed four addressed their housing needs, a Santos said. more than 20 years at the start it was looking to resolve hous- Food Programme (WFP) said. bean over a week ago, it battered in building collapses. criticism authorities rejected. “We have delivered 10,000 of the programme, said Santos, ing needs of those who had been The $5.7mn eff ort is set to last hundreds of kilometres of Cu- A quarter of buildings in the Euclides Santos, in charge of or so homes so far to people in pointing to the economic crisis waiting 10-14 years.

Argentina China foreign minister meets Varela Netfl ix predicts Maduro scout for growth Narcos of 3.5% TV show next year upbeat shot dead

Reuters Guardian News and Media Buenos Aires on crisis Mexico City rgentina’s 2018 budget location manager work- bill forecasts economic ing for the Netfl ix series Agrowth of 3.5% next year ANarcos has been killed and average annual infl ation of while searching for places to fi lm 15.7%, Treasury Minister Nico- when the show moves from Co- las Dujovne told Congress. lombia to Mexico for its fourth The bill proposes a 2018 pri- talks season. mary fi scal defi cit of 3.2% of Carlos Munoz Portal, 37, had gross domestic product (GDP) as Reuters the leader of congress which worked for many years fi nding previously announced. Caracas has been overridden by a pro- locations for US fi lm and tel- But it lowered the expected Maduro legislative superbody evision productions working in 2017 defi cit to 4% from 4.2% called a Constituent Assem- Mexico. previously. resident Nicolas Ma- bly. Netfl ix confi rmed the death of “We will continue to reduce duro has predicted that “If we don’t have iron-clad the scout. “We are aware of the spending on the national public Pa new foreign-led eff ort guarantees... that everything is death of Carlos Munoz Portal, a administration,” Treasury Min- to mediate Venezuela’s politi- leading to democratic change... respected location manager, and ister Nicolas Dujovne said in cal crisis would produce a deal we won’t take a step more,” he off er our condolences to his rela- presenting the bill to lawmakers. soon, but the opposition said told reporters recalling failed tives. The facts are still unknown The average exchange rate for it would not accept another 2016 Vatican-led talks. “We as authorities continue to inves- 2018 is seen at 19.3 pesos per US time-wasting “show”. want to avoid a repeat of last tigate what happened,” its state- dollar. Following months of anti- year’s show.” ment said. The government also revised Maduro protests earlier this Maduro says the Constitu- The Narcos series is about the its 2017 average expected ex- year that led to at least 125 ent Assembly has brought rise and fall of Colombian drug change rate to 16.7 pesos per dol- deaths, both sides sent delega- peace to the South American lord Pablo Escobar. Its fourth lar, down from the 17.92 included tions to meet the Dominican nation of 30mn. season will reportedly focus on in the 2017 budget. Republic’s president this week But many major foreign the Juarez drug cartel in Mexico. The budget foresees a fi nan- for a possible start to a negoti- powers do not recognise the Munoz had worked on fi lms cial fi scal defi cit, including in- ated solution. body given its origins in a con- such as Man on Fire, Mel Gib- terest payments, of 5.5% of GDP, “After weeks of conver- troversial election that the op- son’s Apocalypto and the fourth down from 6.2% in 2017. sations, we are close to an position boycotted. fi lm of the Fast and Furious fran- The 2018 trade defi cit is seen agreement, of political co- After more than four months chise. at 284.1bn pesos ($14.7bn at the existence, of peace and sov- of often violent protests, which There are fears in the Mexican expected average 2018 exchange ereignty,” Maduro said in also led to thousands of inju- fi lm and television industry that rate), due to a 6.8% increase in a speech late. “We’re very ries and arrests, Maduro says planned productions could now imports and a 5.6% increase in near.” a US-fanned coup attempt has be moved from the country after exports. But the opposition, which been defeated. the killing of Munoz. The average infl ation expected accuses Maduro of creating But the strife has seen in- A friend of Munoz said that in the 2018 budget marks a drop a dictatorship and ruining a ternational opinion harden on Monday he drove to the loca- from the 24.5% expected in 2017, once-prosperous oil economy, against him. tion to take some photographs according to the bill. insisted the talks in Santo Do- Dominican leader Danilo for Netfl ix. The circumstances The central bank is targeting mingo were only “exploratory” Medina said Mexico, Chile, that lead to his death are still un- year-end infl ation between 12% and would not proceed with- Bolivia and Nicaragua would known, but Munoz’s body was and 17% this year and between out fi rm guarantees of demo- join a new round of talks on found hours later in his compact 8% and 12% next year. cratic change. September 27, with two other car, having been shot several The budget includes a reduc- They want a date for the countries to be defi ned. times. tion in economic subsidies, in- next presidential election, due The Democratic Unity coa- His car was found on an un- cluding to energy and transport, by the end of 2018, with guar- lition said on Saturday one of named dirt road in the commu- worth 0.6% of GDP, confi rm- antees it will be free and fair, those was Paraguay. nity of San Bartolome Actopan, ing a Reuters report from last plus freedom for hundreds of While the government is in the municipality of Temasca- month. jailed activists, a foreign hu- eager to show the world it is lapa. The site is in the north-east That will bring total spend- manitarian aid corridor, and entering a dialogue, opposi- of Mexico state, close to the bor- ing on subsidies to 1.6% of GDP, respect for the opposition-led tion leaders face scepticism der with Hidalgo. down from 2.3% in 2017. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shakes hands with Panamanian President Juan Carlos congress. from their supporters, many Mexico, the most populous Capital spending, including Varela at the presidential palace in Panama City. Wang Yi is making his first off icial visit “They can’t mess us around of whom view a potential ne- state in the country, also has infrastructure investments, will to Panama since the Central American country established formal diplomatic ties with like last year, when they gotiation as a betrayal of dead the most homicides. In July, 182 rise by 21.5% in nominal terms to China in June 2017. promised us a lot but nothing protesters and legitimisation people were murdered, a rate of remain at 1.9% of GDP. happened,” said Julio Borges, of an autocrat. 12.2 per 100,000 inhabitants. US denies teacher visa Music festival Coff ee producers face to attend awards event climate change threat AFP tional Academy of Sciences of Washington the United States of America Guardian News and Media often have no street names, Some communities have (PNAS), researchers estimated Mexico City while 70% of the population of constructed small cellular net- changes in Arabica coff ee distri- Chiapas live in poverty. works, which operate in areas limate change is threat- bution in Latin America among Another factor for the rejec- overlooked by companies like ening the Latin American 39 species of pollinating bees. Mexican elementary tion was that he comes from a Telcel – the behemoth owned Czones most favourable for They concluded a tempera- school teacher who won “marginalised community in a by billionaire Carlos Slim. growing coff ee, according to a ture increase of over 3.6 degrees Aan award for his eff orts region that’s considered to be Gomez started his project study that warns seed produc- Fahrenheit (two degrees Celsius) to connect an isolated indige- one of the places most migrants seven years ago, when he set up tion could drop by nearly 90% by 2050 will reduce seed pro- nous village to the Internet has travel from to go to the US ille- a repeater to provide friends with by 2050. duction by between 73% and been barred from travelling to gally”, Gomez wrote in an open a signal from his family’s satellite The study suggests high qual- 88% in locations best known for the US to collect the prize. letter published online. connection. It slowly spread and ity coff ees are most at risk — coff ee production today. Mariano Gomez, 23, was to “It’s an example of the reality Gomez and a collective of self- with Arabica coff ee unable to A fall in the bee population of have been honoured by the In- of thousands of indigenous and taught colleagues known as Ik’ Ta withstand even slight fl uctua- 8% to 18% will also contribute to ternet Society (Isoc) at a ceremo- non-indigenous brothers, who K’op have connected 800 homes tions in temperature, humidity this decline. ny in Los Angeles on September go through the same experi- in fi ve communities to a wireless and sunlight. The largest production losses 18 for his working installing a ence,” he said. “What’s more, in network. They also established Robusta coff ee, mostly grown are expected in Honduras, Nica- wireless Internet network in the these times, they want to divide an intranet in the local high in Africa to be made into instant ragua and Venezuela. But it’s not remote community of San Mar- us with walls.” school stocked with educational coff ee, is slightly more resistant. all bad news — as researchers tín Abasolo, which has no tel- Isoc said in a statement that and some audio and video fi les. “Coff ee is one of the most suggested bee population and ephone or radio service. three awardees would not at- “This is more about com- valuable commodities on Earth, diversity in other areas is in fact But when Gomez travelled 16 tend the ceremony because they munications than entertain- and needs a suitable climate likely to increase. hours from his home in Chiapas were not granted visas. Ques- ment,” Gomez said in a Skype and pollinating bees to produce This would contribute to a state for a visa appointment at the tions sent to the US embassy in interview. “People used to go to well,” said study co-author Tay- favourable coff ee-growing en- US embassy in Mexico City, he Mexico City were unanswered a phone booth and pay 50 pesos lor Ricketts, director of the Uni- vironment in the likes of Co- was told that he could not apply. Communication networks in ($2.80) for a fi ve-minute call to versity of Vermont’s Gund Insti- lombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala Gomez, a member of the rural Mexico are often patchy, talk to family in the US. Now tute for Environment. and Mexico, where temperatures Tseltal indigenous community, where telecoms monopolies they go online.” “This is the fi rst study to show in mountainous regions are ex- was told his application was have kept prices high and rates “It’s a social model,” Gomez how both will likely change under pected to be more suitable. rejected because he was unable of mobile and Internet penetra- said, explaining that people global warming — in ways that The study also highlights the to provide a street address and tion low. The rugged geography can pay 200 pesos ($11.33) per Singer Shawn Mendes performs during the Rock in Rio Music will hit coff ee producers hard.” importance of tropical forests because he does not have a bank in mountainous areas like Chia- month or host a repeater in their Festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the study, published for bees and other key pollina- account. Rural Mexican villages pas also complicates matters. homes or volunteer services. in the Proceedings of the Na- tors. Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 19 PAKISTAN

Bomb kills Thousands vote in by-poll seen 6 in tribal region

AFP as test of support for Sharif Khar

Reuters graft crusade by making inroads roadside bomb killed a Lahore into Sharifs’ power base in local government offi - Punjab. A cial and fi ve policemen The Supreme Court in July yesterday in Pakistan’s restive housands of Pakista- disqualifi ed Sharif because he northwestern tribal area border- nis began casting votes did not declare a monthly sal- ing Afghanistan, offi cials said. Tyesterday for the parlia- ary, equivalent to $2,722, from The blast took place in the mentary seat vacated by ousted a company owned by his son town of Mamoond, some 25km prime minister Nawaz Sharif, when the veteran leader, who (15 miles) from Khar, the main in a by-election seen as a test had held power twice in the town of Bajaur, one of the coun- of support for the Sharif dy- 1990s, became prime minister try’s seven semi-autonomous nasty ahead of the 2018 general for the third time. Sharif denies tribal districts, where the election. receiving the salary. army has been battling Taliban Sharif’s ruling Pakistan Mus- Khan has turned the by- militants. lim League-Nawaz (PML-N) election into a plebiscite about “A local government of- party hopes a resounding vic- corruption, and has accused the fi cer and fi ve tribal police were tory in in the eastern city of La- provincial Punjab government, killed when an improvised hore would show that support which is run by Nawaz’s brother explosive device planted on a for the family was undiminished Shahbaz, of abusing state re- roadside exploded when their despite the Supreme Court’s sources to help the PML-N vehicle passed,” senior local removal of Sharif in July. campaign. government offi cial Anwarul Sharif’s daughter Maryam “Your prime minister owns Haq said. has spearheaded the PML-N some of the most expensive real Local security offi cials con- campaign for her mother Kul- estate in the world – all in his fi rmed the attack and casualties. soom - who is the MPL-N can- daughter’s name. Meanwhile Militant umbrella group didate despite receiving can- half the children of this country Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) cer treatment in London with are malnourished,” Khan told a claimed responsibility for the Nawaz at her side. rally on Saturday. explosion. “Our mission is Maryam, who some PML-N Analysts predict PML-N will to eliminate the black infi del leaders see as a future leader, win again but they say Khan’s democratic system in Pakistan has framed the poll as a chance party would build momentum and impose Islamic justice for voters to give a bloody nose ahead of the 2018 poll if PTI system. We will trample every to the judiciary by handing the candidate Yasmin Rashid, a gy- hurdle in the way of our mis- party a thumping victory. naecologist from the area, sub- sion,” spokesman Mohammad “Will you take revenge for stantially reduces the PML-N’s Khurasani said in a message your disrespected vote?” Mar- 40,000 vote-winning margin Voters queue to cast their ballots in a by-election in Lahore yesterday. sent to reporters. yam asked supporters at a from 2013. Violence in Pakistan has de- recent rally. “PTI would be very happy hore NA-120 constituency are competing against about 40 Hafi z Saeed heads the Jam- ple. The United States has placed clined in recent years following Opposition leader Imran if the margin ended up being confl icted. other candidates, including re- mat-ud-Dawa (JuD) charity, Saeed, the charity and LeT on a a series of military off ensives Khan – whose threats of street small. That would be a victory “My head goes towards PTI ligious parties. One candidate having founded and formerly led terrorist list. (L4N1LV52I) against insurgents along the protests pushed the Supreme for them,” said Hasan Askri, a while my heart goes towards is backed by a new party that is the Lashkhar-e-Taiba (LeT) mili- Voting began at 9am (0400 northwestern border. Court to launch a probe into political analyst. PML-N,” said Ali Raza, 25, a led by an Islamist fi rebrand who tant group that carried out the GMT) and the polls are due to But militant groups are still Nawaz’s wealth – is seeking to Many of the 321,633 regis- bank employee. is subject to a $10mn bounty of- 2008 attacks on the Indian city close at 5pm, with results likely able to carry out bloody attacks, build on the success of his anti- tered voters in the central La- Kulsoom and Rashid will be fered by the United States. of Mumbai that killed 166 peo- to be announced after midnight. particularly in the northwest. Academy Selection Plea for arbitration court as water talks fail

Internews ment on Sunday, which under- In the last two months, the Indian interpretation and has than 10 years ago, underlining Committee names Islamabad lines its commitment to help World Bank hosted two rounds asked the World Bank to set up its objections to India’s plans. fi nd a solution. of IWT talks. In the fi rst round, a court of arbitration; saying After the process failed to “While an agreement has not which concluded on Aug 1, In- that India was not fulfi lling its produce any results, on August been reached at the conclu- dia and Pakistan exchanged obligations as an upper riparian 19, 2016, Pakistan asked the Saawan for Oscar akistan has asked the sion of the meetings, the bank proposals. state. World Bank o to set up a court of World Bank to constitute will continue to work with both They returned to Washington India opposes the court of ar- arbitration as provided in treaty. Pa court of arbitration to countries to resolve the issue in this week for the second round, bitration and has instead asked On October 4, 2016, India Internews Chinoy and includes Jerjess Seja, settle its water dispute with In- an amicable manner and in line which focused on the techni- the World Bank to appoint a asked for a neutral expert to ad- Karachi Nadeem Mandviwalla, Asim Raza, dia after the latest round of talks with the Treaty provisions,” the cal issues of two hydroelectric neutral expert to look into the judicate the same dispute. Momina Duraid, Talat Hussain, ended without an agreement. bank said. plants Kishanganga and Ratle matter. The World Bank initially Sakina Samo, Rizwan Beyg, Mo- It was learned that India and The World Bank noted that that India is building on the In the latest talks, the two agreed to setting up both fora he Pakistani Academy Se- hammad Hanif and Ali Hamza. Pakistan failed to break the im- both countries “reconfi rmed tributaries of the Jhelum and sides were expected to present but later ‘paused’ both proc- lection Committee has About the selection of Saa- passe on choice of a forum for their commitment to the pres- Chenab rivers. proposals that could lead to a esses, saying that two forums Tnominated Saawan for Os- wan, Mashood Qadri producer/ settling the dispute. ervation of the treaty”. Pakistan believes the con- mutually acceptable defi nition carry the potential for confl ict- car consideration in the Foreign writer has said that today is the “India not only refused to The bank “remains com- struction violates the Indus of the “other uses” clause in the ing rulings. Language Film Award category at happiest day for Saawan fam- accept any of the amendments mitted to act in good faith and Waters Treaty which gives Is- Treaty but they failed to do so. The World Bank then invited the 90th Academy Awards. ily. Saawan carries a message proposed by Pakistan but also with complete impartiality and lamabad right of “unrestricted Both sides then urged the the secretaries for ministries of The Academy of Motion Pic- of hope. The story is based on refused to agree to any of the transparency in fulfi lling its re- use” of the waters of these two World Bank to play its role in water resources of both coun- ture Arts and Sciences will Voyage for Survival. Mind is dispute settlement options sponsibilities under the treaty, western rivers in the Indus sys- ending the impasse. But they tries to consultations for reso- choose the fi nal nominees for all mightier than might is a lesson proposed by the World Bank,” while continuing to assist the tem. further complicated the issue lution of the impasse. award categories including Best for those who consider disability an offi cial source said. countries”, the statement added. India, however, argues that by telling the bank how they In the fi rst round of con- Foreign Language Film in Janu- a liability. It will be an inspira- “While acknowledging the The secretary-level talks took the treaty also allows “other expect it to resolve this dispute: sultations, Pakistan proposed ary 2018. Complete and fi nal list tion to such children to become Bank’s continued eff orts, Pa- place on September 14-15 at the uses”, including the construc- Pakistan demanding a court of amendments to Indian designs of Oscar nominees will be an- a valuable asset of society. kistan has now requested the World Bank headquarters in tion of hydroelectric plants. arbitration and India insisting that would make the project nounced on January 23, 2018 with Saawan promotes under- World Bank to fulfi l its duties Washington, within the frame- India interprets “other uses” on a neutral expert. IWT-compliant. India agreed the presentation show for the standing and remove miscon- under the (Indus Waters) Treaty work of the Indus Waters Treaty as meaning that it can’t only The Treaty also has a mecha- to study those designs and the 90th Academy Awards scheduled ceptions surrounding polio by empanelling the Court of Ar- (IWT). Concluded in 1960 with construct the Kishanganga and nism – the Permanent Indus parties decided to meet again in to take place on March 4. vaccination that may facilitate bitration,” the source added. the World Bank’s support, the Ratle dams, but also several Commission – for resolving September 2017. But the second Saawan, directed by Farhan polio eradication in Pakistan. The World Bank, which was treaty recognises the bank as a other projects. such disputes and Pakistan meeting also ended without an Alam and written and produced Other sensitive topics explored hosting the talks, issued a state- mediator. Pakistan disagrees with the went to the commission more agreement. by Mashood Qadri, is based on a in Saawan are water crisis, child true story of a disabled child who traffi cking and the bravery of lives in a valley in the mountains women.” of Balochistan. He is rejected by Farhan Alam (director) said his father, intimidated by soci- that Saawan is a unifi ed suc- ety, harassed by friends and left cess of robust script-writing alone due to his disability. by Mashood Qadri, meticulous Rawalpindi’s Strengthened by memories editing by Aseem Sinha, capti- and dreams of the love of his vating soundtrack by Emir Ise- mother, he begins a perilous lay, Emmy Award winner sound journey back to his family in the designer Justin Lebens, bril- main city. The fi lm features Sal- liant cast, class cinematography railway station – eem Mairaj, Syed Karam Abbas, and crew members’ thorough Arif Bahalim, Najiba Faiz and dedication. Imran Aslam in the lead roles. Saawan bonds human rela- The fi lm won Best Foreign tions in harmony on a bigger Language Feature Film award at screen. We have received in all stark reminder the Madrid International Film humility such an encyclopaedic Festival 2017 and the Best Film audience applause and praise Rawalpindi railway station is over a century-old. and Best Soundtrack Award at with such accolades. Salento International Film Fes- Team Saawan extends special zir Bhutto led a train rally from bridges connect the platforms, liamentarians, politicians and tival in Italy earlier this month. thanks to GEO Films, specifi - of bygone era Karachi to Rawalpindi for her and the old clock, bell and kero- other dignitaries turn to air The committee was chaired cally Babar Javed, Rehmat Karim election campaign. sene lamps speak of the build- travel instead. by two-time Academy Award Fazli, Sulaiman Lalani Moham- More recently, former prime ing’s past. In a particularly nos- Pakistan Railways divisional and Emmy winning documen- mad Nasir and Irfan Alam for all Internews British viceroy in 1919. minister Mir Zafarullah Khan talgic touch, the bell still rings superintendent Abdul Malick tary fi lmmaker Sharmeen Obaid- their eff orts and support.” Islamabad The king had come to sign a Jamali opted to return to Quetta to announce the arrival and said most people used to trav- peace treaty between Afghani- by train from the Rawalpindi departure of a train. el by train before 2000, “but stan and colonial forces after station after resigning from Although the waiting rooms things have changed, and they relic of British colonial World War II to recognise Af- offi ce in 2004. have been refurbished, the prefer to go via airplane to save Court sentences man to death rule, the Rawalpindi rail- ghanistan as an independent Once a key landmark of the structure reminds the same, and time”. A man has been sentenced to intended to appeal against the Away station is a majes- country. city, the railway station building the resting rooms are also remi- He added that President death on blasphemy charges by verdict, passed on Thursday by tic sight nestled within its old Photos by the British au- is divided into three parts - pas- niscent of the facilities avail- Mamnoon Hussain arrived in a court in eastern Pakistan after a sessions court in the town of Saddar neighbourhood. thorities at the time, featuring senger rooms, a freight section able at the station more than Rawalpindi by train from Lahore a close friend accused him of Gujrat. Built in 1881, the building has the king arriving in Rawalpindi and main offi ces. The Railways 136 years ago. The rooms could last month. insulting religion, the defendant’s There was widespread outrage been modifi ed some, and con- via train, are also part of the Pa- Club building and the police be rented for a day by a fam- Malick said Pakistan Railways lawyer said, Reuters reports from across Pakistan last April when a tinues to serve its purpose. The kistan Railways archive at the station are adjacent to the main ily travelling towards Khyber was working on refurbishing sta- Lahore. student was beaten to death at railway track was laid by the divisional headquarters. building. Pakhtunkhwa or Delhi. tions in big cities, and would begin Blasphemy is a criminal off ence his university in Mardan following British in the northern areas, Political leaders such as Li- The building is constructed The station master said new doing so soon. He added that the in Pakistan, and religious insults a dorm debate about religion. and became a boundary of the aquat Ali Khan, Fatima Jinnah, in the Anglo-Indian style, with rooms have been added, and the old structure of the stations would are punishable by death. Police arrested over 20 students city and cantonment. Ayub Khan and Zulfi kar Ali brick and sandstone fi xed to facility is still available for peo- be preserved, while new facilities Nadeem James, 35, was arrested and some faculty members in Since it was built, the station Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto have the outer walls. There are three ple who want to change trains are added for passengers. in July 2016, accused by a friend connection with the killing. has been visited by foreign and arrived and departed from the gates to the building – for pas- or go to Murree or the northern He said new rooms are be- of sharing material ridiculing Since then, parliament has national dignitaries including Rawalpindi Railway Station. sengers, goods and VVIPs. Ven- areas from Rawalpindi after a ing constructed to manage the the religion on the Whatsapp considered adding safeguards Afghanistan’s king Amanullah In 1965, Fatima Jinnah’s Free- dors selling books, snacks and short stay. Rawalpindi-Kohat train, and messaging service. to the blasphemy laws, a Khan, when he travelled from dom Special train stopped in tea dot the area. The VVIP gate, however, freight service rooms would also Lawyer Riaz Anjum said his client groundbreaking move. Landi Kotal to meet with the Rawalpindi, and in 1989, Bena- Wood and steel pedestrian largely remains shut as par- be refurbished. Gulf Times 20 Monday, September 18, 2017 PHILIPPINES

Priest among two hostages rescued in Marawi

DPA On Saturday, troops retook Manila control of Bato Mosque and the Amaitul Islamiya Ma- rawi Foundation school, two Catholic priest held strongholds of the militants captive by Islamic in Marawi, after a fi ve-hour AState-allied militants in fi erce gunbattle, the military a besieged southern Philippine said. city has been rescued with an- “This enormous gain fur- other hostage, a government ther weakened the terrorist offi cial said yesterday. group by denying them their Father Teresito Suganob and erstwhile command and con- the other hostage were recov- trol hub,” armed forces chief ered on Saturday near a mosque of staff General Eduardo Ano recaptured by troops in Marawi said. City, 800 kilometres south of The military expects to take Manila, said presidential peace control of more enemy posi- adviser Jesus Dureza. tions as troops push the of- “He was rescued by our men fensive aimed at ending the on the ground,” Dureza said. “I nearly four-month confl ict, he still don’t have complete de- added. tails, but it’s confi rmed we got “We urge the remaining ter- him already.” rorists, especially former hos- Suganob was among about tages turned fi ghters, to en- 200 residents of Marawi, in- deavour to communicate with cluding women and children, the military to surrender while taken captive by the militants they still have time,” Ano said. when they laid siege to the Fighting in Marawi has been municipality on May 23. confi ned to a 20-hectare area Other hostages have es- in the centre of the city. caped or have been rescued by Recent footage from the be- troops since then, and the mil- sieged city showed buildings itary estimated that the ter- and houses shattered by air rorists were still holding about strikes and artillery fi re. Smoke billows from houses after aerial bombings by Philippine Air Force planes on militant positions in Marawi on the southern island of Mindanao yesterday. 40 captives, many of whom The militants have smashed were being forced to help fi ght walls in between the struc- the government forces. tures to allow them to quickly “We have ongoing rescue move from one building to an- operations at the main bat- other, drone footage from the tle area,” said Colonel Edgard military showed. Arevalo, a spokesman for the The confl ict in Marawi be- military. gan after government troops “We cannot give you details tried to arrest a local leader Army captures key IS as of now lest we imperil the of the Islamic State terror- lives not only of our soldiers ist movement, prompting the but more so that of the hos- militants to stage simultane- tages,” he added. ous attacks. base in besieged city Stray bullet kills student in Masbate

AFP tre in a deadly operation that be- covering the mosque. Its capture the battle, he said. Brawner said Middle East occupied Marawi, A bullet reportedly fired by suspected members of the New Marawi gan Saturday against a mosque may be a sign that the prolonged they had hoped to rescue numer- on May 23. People’s Army (NPA) killed a 15-year-old student in Barangay and another building. fi ghting with the Maute mili- ous civilian hostages when they The government said 666 Libertad, Cawayan town in Masbate on Saturday, Manila Times “This enormous (military) tant group, whose leaders have captured the mosque but they militants, at least 147 govern- reported. he Philippine military said gain further weakened the ter- pledged allegiance to IS, may be found none. ment troops and 47 civilians The Philippine Army’s Second Infantry Battalion identified the yesterday it had captured rorist group by denying them nearing a conclusion, he said. In the once-bustling city, have since been killed in the bat- victim as Vincent Pekiro, a resident of the village. Tthe command centre of their erstwhile command and “We believe we are close to gunfi re could still be heard ring- tle, which has forced thousands No further details were mentioned in the report. Earlier reports Islamic State group supporters control hub,” military chief Gen- the end. The area where the ing out in the distance as troops to fl ee their homes. showed that the NPA rebels were positioned about 200 metres who have besieged a southern eral Eduardo Ano said in a state- Maute terrorist group can move backed by armoured vehicles, Brawner said the ringleaders away from a daycare centre in Barangay Libertad where troops city for nearly four months. ment. is shrinking. We noticed that pressed towards militant posi- of the siege are still believed to from the 1st Platoon, Alpha Company of the 2nd Infantry Bat- Security forces have engaged “As follow up and clearing op- their resistance is weakening,” tions. be inside Marawi, adding that talion, were conducting a clean-up drive. It said a gunshot was in ferocious street-to-street erations continue, we expect the Brawner said. The rubble-strewn streets of the military was determined to heard, directed to the location of the Army troops at the daycare combat and launched airstrikes enemy to yield more previously “They are retreating while we Marawi were practically emp- hunt them down. centre. Authorities are conducting an investigation and pursuing in their eff orts to expel the ght-fi occupied positions, but not are assaulting but in the process ty except for scores of heavily “We do not want this to hap- the group of communist rebels to hold them accountable for the ers from Marawi, in a battle that without a fi ght,” he said. “We are of doing so, we are encountering armed soldiers securing the area. pen again in any other city in the crime. The Army’s 9th Infantry Division said the recent acts of has left 800 dead and raised fears ready for that.” many improvised explosive de- Philippine aircraft and an Philippines,” he said. the NPA only showed that the rebels “do not give importance to that IS is looking to establish a Colonel Romeo Brawner, dep- vices so we cannot just advance. American P-3 Orion spyplane President Rodrigo Duterte has the lives” of civilians. Meanwhile, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Southeast Asian base in the Phil- uty commander of the task force We have to be very careful,” he fl ew above the city. deployed thousands of troops Eduardo Ano said the military has yet to receive the final advice ippines. battling the militants, said the said. Hundreds of armed extrem- and imposed martial law across and order on the re-arrest of National Democratic Front (NDF) The military said it had cap- military had encountered some One soldier was killed and ists fl ying the black fl ag of the the southern third of the country consultants, who were released to participate in the peace talks. tured the militants’ control cen- of the heaviest resistance in re- seven others were wounded in Islamic State movement in the to deal with the crisis. Revilla, Reyes must De Lima sees president’s also get bail: Enrile hand in Estrada’s release

By Bernadette E Tamayo not quantify your time, your future. It’s indescrib- Agencies ranking government offi- Manila Times able.” Manila cial released from detention “I just hope President Benigno Aquino will not under the Duterte adminis- suffer what he did to us,” he added. tration. The first is former ow that the Sandiganbayan has granted But the release of Estrada did not sit well with he Rodrigo Duterte ad- president Gloria Macapagal- provisional liberty to former senator Jose Sen. Leila de Lima, who is also detained at the ministration’s “trade- Arroyo, who was acquitted of N“Jinggoy” Estrada, the court should also al- PNP custodial centre on drug charges. Tmark impunity” ap- plunder last year. low former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Gigi Enrile, Revilla, Napoles, and Estrada were peared to have reached the Reyes to post bail, former Senate President Juan jailed when De Lima was the justice secretary. judiciary with the Sandigan- “Is the judiciary Ponce Enrile said. “What is doubly alarming is that the trademark bayan’s order to release former now introducing Reyes, Enrile’s former chief of staff , was also impunity of the executive branch under Duterte Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Sen. Leila new procedure and charged with plunder in connection with the pork appears to have found its way into the judiciary,” de Lima said. doctrines just to barrel scam. She was accused by the ombudsman of De Lima said. De Lima raised doubts over accommodate the receiving kickbacks in behalf of Enrile. “If that is now the reasoning of the courts, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Di- whims of the president?” Enrile was released from the Philippine Nation- then I should be the very first person to be grant- vision’s decision to grant his al Police custodial centre in August 2015 after the ed bail, after I even returned to the country from petition for bail, an appeal the De Lima pointed out that Supreme Court allowed him to post bail for health trips abroad knowing that I would be arrested division junked last year un- the country was under an reasons. the following month if I come back to the Philip- der a different set of judges, “absolute dictatorship” as “They can be tried in court while enjoying tem- pines. When the time of my arrest came, I vol- Philippine Daily Inquirer re- President Rodrigo Duterte porary freedom. They already suff ered for three untarily surrendered to the arresting officers. If ported. could control the two other years. They will not escape,” Enrile said. “Life in that is not being a flight risk, then I don’t know “Is the judiciary now in- branches of government – the detention is diffi cult. There’s uncertainty. You can- what is,” she added. troducing new procedure Congress and the judiciary, and doctrines just to accom- who “allow themselves to be modate the whims of the dictated upon.” president?” De Lima said in a “We might be going back statement, which she posted to the martial law judiciary of on Facebook, labelled as Dis- the 1970s – a time when the Child abuse charges sought against cops patch from Crame No. 164. De Lima: warning about government’s impunity subservience of the judiciary “After a previous bail de- was symbolised by the chief nial on the ground that the todial Centre after posting a “After the Marcoses, En- justice serving as the umbrel- Manila Times the lead agencies tasked to en- Investigation showed that evidence against Estrada P1.3mn bail on Saturday. rile, Arroyo and now, Estrada, la-holder of Imelda Marcos Manila force the 1992 law protecting P26,000 worth of belongings is strong, a reconstituted His release came a day after and the impending release of – even without martial law,” children. They should be the were taken. Sandiganbayan division with the Sandiganbayan Fifth Di- Bong Revilla and Janet Lim she said. ones to fi le the criminal charges The policemen did not have a Duterte appointees suddenly vision ruled that “there was Napoles, Congress might as And with that kind of Con- he Department of Social against the offi cers involved,” search warrant when they raided finds cause to set Estrada free no strong evidence” that Es- well decriminalise the crime gress and judiciary, De Lima Welfare and Development Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay par- the house of Erobas and neither not because they now find the trada was the “main plunder- of plunder and repeal the said, Duterte would no longer T(DSWD) and the Depart- ty-list said in a statement. did they fi le a spot report. evidence weak, but because er” in the alleged P10bn pork Anti-Graft and Corrupt Prac- declare martial law. ment of Justice (DOJ) should fi le The policemen allegedly con- “We cannot have our very own the court thinks that Estrada barrel scam. tices Act because they have “We are already under a child abuse charges on 13 Ca- spired with a minor who was offi cers of the law exploiting is not a flight risk,” she added. De Lima, who is detained at become useless and worthless dictatorship, with Congress loocan City policemen who al- caught stealing valuables from children, just like Akyat Bahay Estrada, who was accused the PNP Custodial Centre on under Duterte and his virtual and the judiciary already un- legedly robbed a house following the home of 51-year-old Gina gangs using kids to break into of plunder and 11 counts of drug charges, said the exon- amnesty programme for the der Duterte’s thumb,” she an illegal raid last September 7, a Erobas based on footage from a homes, or drug pushers taking graft and corruption, was re- eration of plunderers under country’s top plunderers,” the said. “A martial law procla- lawmaker said yesterday. closed circuit television (CCTV) advantage of minors as movers,” leased from the Philippine the Duterte administration is senator said. mation would just be a “The DSWD and the DOJ are in the area. Atienza said. National Police (PNP) Cus- “almost complete.” Estrada is the second high- formality.” Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 21 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Rain and evictions add

Khaleda Zia to Rohingya misery Zia asked AFP “We are shifting them from Ukhia, Bangladesh the roadsides where many of them have been staying,” Kha- to appear led Mahmud, a government eavy monsoon rain spokesman for Cox’s Bazar heaped new misery yes- district said. before Hterday on hundreds of Mahmud said gradually all thousands of Muslim Rohinyga the new Rohingya would be tak- stuck in makeshift camps in en to Balukhali to bring order to court Bangladesh after fl eeing vio- the chaotic aid operation. lence in Myanmar, as authori- Yesterday, Myanmar’s gov- ties started a drive to force them ernment hinted that it may not By Mizan Rahman to a new site. take back Rohingya who fl ed Dhaka With food and water short- across the border, accusing ages already making life tough, those refugees of having links to torrential rain brought back the militants. Dhaka court yesterday swamp-like conditions to many “Those who fl ed the villages ordered Bangladesh Na- parts of the border town of made their way to the other Ationalist Party (BNP) Cox’s Bazar which has become a country for fear of being ar- chairperson Khaleda Zia, now in magnet for the Rohingya. rested as they got involved in London, to appear before it on About 7.7cm (3 inches) of the violent attacks. Legal pro- October 5 or face an arrest war- rain fell in 24 hours and more tection will be given to the vil- rant in a case fi led for dishonour- is predicted in the next two lages whose residents did not ing the country’s map and the days, the Bangladesh Weather fl ee,” the government’s Infor- national fl ag. Department said. mation Committee statement Metropolitan Magistrate Nur Bangladesh authorities, who said. Nabi passed the order this af- have already issued travel re- Previous statements have ternoon after hearing a petition strictions on the Rohingya, said the country will set up re- seeking Zia’s arrest. launched an operation late Sat- lief shelters in northern Rakhine AB Siddique, president of Janan- urday to get tens of thousands for Muslims “who can guaran- etri Parishad, a pro-Awami League out of roadside camps and hill- tee they are in no way connected organisation, fi led the petition as side shanties into a giant new to the terrorists”. Zia did not appear before the court camp. On Saturday, Bangladesh following its previous order. The United Nations says police issued tough new orders On March 22, the court had is- 409,000 Rohingyas have now banning the Rohingya from sued a summon asking Zia to appear overwhelmed Cox’s Bazar since moving out of designated areas. before it on September 12 but the August 25 when the military in The order even prevented them Rohingya refugees cross floodwater in Thyangkhali refugee camp near the Bangladesh town of Ukhia yesterday. BNP chairperson didn’t appear. Buddhist-majority Myanmar from taking shelter with friends On November 3 in 2016, Sid- launched operations in Rakhine and relatives. misery”, said Mohammed Kai- “They evicted us from the Cox’s Bazar urged the govern- compounding their troubles. dique fi led the case accusing Zia state. Checkpoints have been set up Kislu, police chief at Ukhia near rubber plantation,” she said, re- ment to shut local schools for Conditions deteriorated for and her late husband ex-presi- As existing camps are already at key transit points. Cox’s Bazar, the new home for ferring to the police and border three days to allow the Rohingya the Rohingya in what could be a dent Ziaur Rahman for dishon- full with 300,000 Rohingya With thousands more Ro- many Rohingya. guards forcing the refugees out to camp in them. key week in the crisis. ouring the country’s map and the fl eeing earlier violence, many of hingya arriving each day, Bang- Aid workers said thousands of of makeshift shelters. “It is another disaster unfold- Bangladesh Prime Minister national fl ag by appointing two the Rohingya have been forced ladesh authorities fear the refu- Rohingya were drenched by the “It took hours to fi nd a safe ing. Thousands of Rohingya had Sheikh Hasina has arrived at the ministers from Jamaat-e-Islami to live in the open air or under gees could swamp other towns return of the monsoon after a place. We were drenched,” she no place to hide when the rain UN General Assembly in New in 2001 though the party was fl imsy plastic sheets. and cities across the country. respite of a few days. said. came,” Nur Khan Liton, who York to press for greater help against the country’s independ- Police toured streets with But the United Nations is al- Arfa Begum and seven of her Faced with a spreading mud- headed Bangladeshi rights group coping with the refugees and put ence during 1971. loudspeakers ordering exhausted ready warning of intolerable family tried to hide under rub- bath, the Rohingya have started Ain O Salish Kendra, said. more pressure on Myanmar over Zia is now staying in London families to go to the Balukhali conditions in the camps around ber trees near the Balukhali set- building bamboo carpets to get He said moving the Rohingya the case. with her eldest son Tarique Rah- camp in Cox’s Bazar, which is be- Cox’s Bazar. tlement where they arrived fi ve over fl ooded land. from roadsides and open spac- She is to address the UN man and undergoing medical ing cleared to build new shelters. The rain “has doubled their days earlier. A human rights expert in es should be halted as it was assembly on Thursday. treatment. Disappearances bill to Nepal-Tibet border reopens have no retrospective to tourists after 2015 quake By Will Coldwell, GNS tween Lhasa and Kathmandu go to Kerung and make our own Kathmandu had no choice but to fl y on one assessment on whether it’s OK of the Chinese airlines operating for tourists.” the roughly 90-minute route. For climbing and outdoors eff ect, says Lanka PM he overland journey Round trips could cost anywhere writer Ed Douglas, who has trav- from Tibet to Nepal, on between $407 and $950. elled extensively in the Hima- Twinding roads and amid For those running tours in layas, poorly built roads and Agencies “It will be in eff ect only for and inquire any person anywhere towering Himalayan peaks, the region, the opening of the the risk of landslides mean the Colombo the future. We can’t pass laws to and added that they had the sole must be one of the world’s most border crossing is a “huge step” border between Tibet and Nepal have retrospective eff ect,” Wick- authority to take any document breathtaking. for tourism. will always remain fragile. In the remesinghe said. He said under to their custody. Now, two years after the “Nepal has always been a past it has also often closed to ri Lankan Prime Minister the Sri Lankan constitution it He said that accordingly the April 2015 earthquake that gateway to Tibet for travellers,” foreigners at short notice. “The Ranil Wickremesinghe has was not possible to do so. people were abided by the Act to Prime Minister R Wickramasinghe: devastated Nepal, killing close says Shiva Dhakal, managing Chinese want to be able to say Ssaid the proposed ratifi ca- However, joint opposition answer them and otherwise legal “We can’t pass laws to have to 9,000 people and leaving director of Kathmandu-based Tibet is open while maintaining tion of a bill that criminalises spokesperson G L Peiris said actions could be taken against retrospective eff ect.” countless homeless, foreign tour operator Royal Mountain strict control over it,” he says, enforced disappearance in the the government is attempting them by considering it as a con- visitors will once again be able Travel. “Most travellers dream adding that the priority is the country will have no retrospec- to ratify the ICPAPED as soon as tempt of court. The International Commit- to cross the border by land, as of going to Tibet overland but, millions of Chinese tourists in tive eff ect, a local media report possible and its background has “The legal protection given to tee of the Red Cross has put the road repairs continue. with no border open, the ad- the region, rather than the small said. been created with the approval the people by the law governing fi gure over 24,000 since the late In August, Chinese authori- venture was missing while number of westerners. “If you Wickremesinghe was re- of the Offi ce of Missing Persons in the country will be nullifi ed as 1980s. ties announced that the border travelling there.” keep the border open to tour- sponding to opposition’s accu- (OMP). a result of this law,” he added. Sri Lanka faced criticism at the at Kerung-Rasuwa had opened Dhakal says the infrastruc- ists you can say it’s open and if sations that the real aim of the International Convention for Peiris said that President UN Human Rights Council for for international visitors, mean- ture on the Nepal side remains you keep the numbers down, you Offi ce of Missing Person (OMP) the Protection of All Persons Maithripala Sirisena had delayed its rights record under Rajapakse ing the classic route from Lhasa, poor and Royal Mountain’s up- avoid problems,” he says. was to target the security forc- from Enforced Disappearances approving this Act for the past regime. Three resolutions since Tibet, to Kathmandu, Nepal, is coming trips are still fl y in/fl y However, the draw of the es personnel who defeated the (ICPAPED) is a human rights in- seven months, and he had re- 2013 have resulted in a demand possible once again. The border out, but he hopes to relaunch journey remains unchanged. “In LTTE after a three-decade-long strument of the UN that intends cently approved it due to claims to have an international probe on had been open as a trade route overland trips from April 2018. the space of a few miles, you’re civil war. to prevent forced disappearance. made by the UN representatives alleged war crimes committed for Chinese and Nepalis but not “The road is there but it’s going from around 1,000m up to He said the proposed rati- The joint opposition had condemning the court procedure by both government troops and to tourists; the crossing previ- one-lane only,” he says. “So if the Tibetan Plateau, which av- fi cation in Sri Lankan parlia- claimed that they would not per- in Sri Lanka. the LTTE. ously used by visitors, at Kodari, there’s a truck on it there’s no erages around 4,200m, crossing ment of the International Con- mit the debating of ICPAPED in A disappearance panel ap- The Rajapakse-led opposition on the route of the Friendship way to get round it. There’s a one pass at 5,000m,” says Doug- vention for the Protection of parliament on September 21. pointed by the then president has dubbed the bill as a betrayal Highway, remains too badly lot of construction, which is las. “It’s an astonishing journey, All Persons from Enforced Dis- He also said that under the Mahinda Rajapakse in 2013 has to the government troops which damaged to use. diffi cult to pass on the Nepal going from a lush green land- appearances (ICPAPED) will OMP Act, its offi cials were em- reported that around 19,000 have defeated the LTTE, ending their With the land border closed, side, and it is still the monsoon scape to an arid plateau. It is one have no retrospective eff ect. powered to investigate any place disappeared since the 1990s separatist campaign in 2009. travellers hoping to move be- season. In November, we will hell of an experience.” Faced with camp closure, Bhutanese refugees fi ght to return home

By Deepak Adhikari, DPA trek through dense wildlife for- for Nepal, where they ended ened to tear apart their mud and lic rally to press Nepal for their the government must com- seems uninterested in resolving Kathmandu est abutting Bhutan’s border up in seven makeshift camps bamboo huts. repatriation. pensate refugees for the loss the issue of these people. Bhutan with India. run by the UN Refugee Agency Some 110,164 of them have They marched inside their due to their exile in Nepal. Our doesn’t want them back. Many The Buddhist-majority Bhu- (UNHCR). That was 25 years ago. been resettled in eight west- shrinking camps with placards rights must be guaranteed,” read families have been separated due hen the Bhutanese tanese government banned ern countries, including the US, that read: “We need global sup- their four-page appeal, which to resettlement,” said Rizal. government cracked Nepali language from school ed- “We must be granted which has allowed in the largest port,” “We are hungry and sick” they handed to authorities in Kevin J Allen, the UNHCR Wdown on dissent in ucation and introduced Dzong- freedom of speech, number – 93,447, according to and “We want go back to our Kathmandu. representative in Nepal, said the the country’s southern region in kha, a language the community freedom to move and work UNHCR. country.” “We must be granted freedom UNHCR and the international 1991, 30-year-old Champa Rai couldn’t understand. anywhere inside Bhutan, Canada has resettled 6,826, Rai, who lives with his wife, of speech, freedom to move and community were working to fa- fl ed his home fearing arrest and The state forced them to wear freedom to establish while 6,669 Bhutanese refugees Dhan Maya Rai, 54, and their work anywhere inside Bhutan, cilitate dialogue between Bhutan torture. national dress instead of their organisation and practice have found new homes in Australia. 29-year-old son, said: “We still freedom to establish organisa- and Nepal to fi nd a solution. An electrician at a state power traditional outfi ts. And they our religion” The rest are scattered across have our citizenship card. Our tion and practice our religion.” “The large-scale resettle- utility at the time, Rai was mem- were stripped of their citizen- Europe in Britain, Norway, the human rights and civil rights Tek Nath Rizal, a refugee lead- ment programme was designed ber of the ethnic Nepali-speak- ship, which made them stateless. In the years since the mass ex- Netherlands and Denmark. must be ensured.” er who served a 10-year jail sen- to share international protection ing Hindus, which comprised Rai joined tens of thousands odus, Nepal has held talks with Rai, now a 56-year-old camp After the rallies, he led a group tence in Bhutan for his pro-de- responsibilities with Nepal and nearly 30% of Bhutan’s 700,000 of uprooted families – includ- Bhutan, urging the Himalayan secretary, is among 9,221 refu- of six refugee elders on a trip to mocracy campaign in the 1990s, facilitate better lives for those people. ing children and elderly people kingdom to take back its citizens. gees who remain in the camp the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. said some 1,500 of the remaining refugees who were relocated,” Rai left behind his wife, three – who crossed the border into But Thimphu declined to ac- facing an uncertain future. The delegation held meetings refugees had been disqualifi ed he said. young children and ageing parents. northeast India. But New Delhi cept them as its citizen. He said many want to return to with Nepalese ministers and UN for resettlement on the grounds “But it was also intended to He packed a pair of clothes denied them refuge. The refugees were left fi ghting Bhutan. offi cials and urged them to support that they had criminal cases in open the doors to alternative solu- and a sleeping bag, and em- Instead, they were bundled against hunger, illness, monsoon Early last month, he mobilised their call for repatriation. Nepal and Bhutan. tions - whether to return to Bhutan barked on an arduous three-day into trucks and buses headed rains and storms that threat- dozens of refugees in a pub- “Once repatriated to Bhutan, “The Nepal government or local solutions in Nepal.” Gulf Times 22 Monday, September 18, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Trump’s presidency

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] entering a new phase? Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Speculation about the offi ce hours, and controls what pieces September, when the president In fact, Trump merely saw an Fax 44350474 of paper reach the president’s desk, suddenly cut a deal with Democratic opportunity and took it. With no real possibility of a “new thus eliminating the highly ideological congressional leaders. Trump legislative achievements to claim, Trump” peaked in early screeds that some staff members used agreed with House Minority Leader he did something. The Republican to slip him. Nancy Pelosi, and her Senate congressional leaders, Ryan and September, when the The problem is that Trump likes counterpart, Chuck Schumer, on Senate Majority Leader Mitch president suddenly cut disorder; that’s how he had run his how to increase the federal debt McConnell, had been in bad odour business, and he doesn’t take well limit, which Congress must raise with Trump for a while, because GULF TIMES a deal with Democratic to being managed. He liked having each year as spending increases, they had been unable to deliver congressional leaders favoured people wandering into his and extend appropriations to keep on his legislative agenda. He was offi ce as they chose, and it’s been his the government running (because embarrassed and angered at their managerial creed to play people off Congress routinely fails to write failure to repeal and replace the By Elizabeth Drew each other. Nor does he bother to appropriations bills on time). Aff ordable Care Act, or Obamacare. Non-communicable Washington, DC control his temper when dealing with Both items were tied to a special (Trump didn’t recognise his own aides. Even Kelly, an ex-Marine Corps appropriation in the wake of contributions to the debacle.) On general, has come under the lash of Hurricane Harvey to pay for recovery many issues, Trump lacks a governing t’s generally agreed in Trump’s tongue. Observers now take efforts. (The larger Hurricane Irma majority in the Senate. diseases caused Washington, DC, that President bets on when Kelly will decide he’s had hadn’t yet hit.) Overlooked in all the excitement Donald Trump’s presidency is enough. In the midst of the discussion at over Trump’s lining up with Ientering a new phase. Defi ning I’ve never known a White House the Oval Offi ce meeting with Pelosi Democratic leaders was that the issue just what that phase is, is proving to be where so much depends on who has and Schumer, Trump interrupted at hand concerned legislative timing, 40mn deaths in ’16 problematic. incurred the president’s ire. Gary Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin as not substance. And the subsequent The widespread expectation Cohn, the former Goldman Sachs he was defending the Republicans’ fevered discussions about Trump’s was that the removal of Stephen president and chief operating offi cer position that these issues should core beliefs – maybe he was a crypto- It is a matter of concern that non-communicable Bannon – the former White House who serves as Trump’s chief economic be put off for 18 months, until after Democrat, who had, after all, donated diseases caused nearly 40mn or 72% of all deaths chief adviser and resident avatar of adviser, is the latest to be frozen out. the 2018 congressional elections. to Democratic candidates at one time white American nationalism – would Cohn’s sin was to let it be known The Democrats had argued that and sympathised with Democratic worldwide in 2016, as revealed by latest Global Burden make the administration run more publicly that he almost resigned the increase in the debt ceiling and positions (such as on abortion) – of Disease study (GBD), published last Thursday in the smoothly, mitigate (though not following the violence last month in extension of appropriations should missed the point. Trump harbours no health journal, The Lancet. Adding to the shock are eliminate) infi ghting, and reduce the Charlottesville, Virginia, when Trump last for only three months, thus particular political philosophy; he’s an number of leaks. The internal warfare equated white supremacist and neo- forcing the Republicans to take opportunist who craves publicity and the fi ndings that one in fi ve deaths worldwide is linked may be quieter since John Kelly took Nazi demonstrators, many of them electorally risky votes before the 2018 praise. to poor diet, while more than 7.1mn people died of over as White House Chief of Staff and armed, with those who opposed them. elections. But his maverick behaviour might tobacco-related illnesses in 2016. imposed more order in the West Wing. Actually, one can have some Before the meeting, House Speaker turn out to be self-perpetuating. For But so long as Trump is president, sympathy for a president with an Paul Ryan had adamantly rejected the all his contempt for the “dishonest The GBD is the only annual, comprehensive, peer- orderliness will not be the White aide who wants to have it both ways, Democrats’ proposal. But suddenly, media,” Trump was ecstatic about the reviewed assessment of global trends in health, House’s chief characteristic. In fact, as Cohn did – letting his apparent without notifying even his own aides, positive press coverage his bipartisan providing global and national estimates on more Trump remains in frequent contact anguish be known without acting on Trump went for it. The author of move received. And that might with Bannon, who is back in charge at it. But there can be problems when The Art of the Deal had accepted the lure him to try for more. – Project than 330 diseases, causes of death, and injuries in Breitbart News. a president chooses to disregard his Democrats’ opening position. Syndicate 195 countries and territories worldwide. The study is Inevitably, by early September, after chief economic adviser. Cohn has been Commentators went into overdrive, co-ordinated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Kelly had been on the job for all of fi ve seen as one of the administration’s imbuing the episode with broad zElizabeth Drew is a regular weeks, Trump was chafi ng under his more moderate voices, and he has signifi cance: Trump was now not a contributor to The New York Review Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, new chief of staff ’s restrictions. Kelly wanted to succeed Janet Yellen as Republican but an Independent. He of Books and the author, most recently, Seattle, US, and involves more than 2,500 collaborators has imposed tight controls over who chair of the US Federal Reserve. might start a third party. His move of Washington Journal: Reporting from across more than 130 countries and territories. may enter the Oval Offi ce, listens in on Speculation about the possibility marked the beginning of a new way of Watergate and Richard Nixon’s most of Trump’s phone calls during of a “new Trump” peaked in early governing. Downfall. In 2016, the total number of live births was 128.8mn whereas the total number of deaths was 54.7mn (up from 42.8mn in 1970). Mortality rates have declined across all age groups, with the greatest progress made in under fi ve mortality, with a decrease to fewer than 5mn in 2016 for the fi rst time, down from 16.4mn in 1970. The average global life expectancy for women is 75.3 years, and 69.8 years for men. Japan has the highest life expectancy (83.9 both sexes combined), and the Central African Republic the lowest (50.2 years). Ischaemic heart disease was the leading cause of premature mortality in all regions, apart from in low income countries where the leading cause was lower respiratory infections. Globally, ischaemic heart disease caused a total One in fi ve deaths of 9.48mn deaths in 2016 – an increase worldwide is of 19% since 2006. linked to poor diet Diabetes caused 1.43mn deaths globally in 2016, an increase of 31.1% since 2006. In 2016, there were 1.1bn people living with mental health and substance use disorders, and major depressive disorders ranked in the top 10 causes of ill health in all but four countries worldwide. Poor diets were associated with nearly one in fi ve (18.8%) of all deaths. In particular, diets low in whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds, fi sh oils and high in salt were the most common dietary risk factors. The authors note that the relatively poor track record for global risk reduction might in part refl ect low Volvo’s self-driving car investment, as compared to curative healthcare, as well as the continuing challenges of improving many risky behaviours. US push for self-driving law exposes regulatory divide The study also revealed that confl ict, terrorism and gun violence are claiming more lives around the world By Tina Bellon/Reuters restrictions” on the rollout of self- “California, for example, has higher governmental aff airs at NHTSA who New York driving cars. emission standards,” said Jennifer is now an adviser to the Self-Driving now than a decade ago. Deaths caused by war and Critics say the vague language could Cohen, government aff airs director Coalition for Safer Streets, which terrorism spiked after 2006, with 150,500 reported in lead the industry to sue states over for the Los Angeles Department of includes Ford, Alphabet’s Waymo, 2016 — a 143% increase from 10 years earlier. These s the US Congress moves any regulations they consider overly Transportation.”Does the federal pre- Volvo Cars, Uber and Lyft, said the quickly to pass the fi rst burdensome. emption preclude us from enforcing companies would oppose broad data fatalities occurred largely as a result of confl icts in federal law governing self- “If Congress pre-empts state and these? Can we still protect our school disclosure requirements. North Africa and the Middle East, the researchers Adriving cars, some state and local governments from enacting zones?” There are privacy concerns, he noted. Worldwide, gun deaths also climbed during the city offi cials are pushing back over smart safety protections, the adoption Though fully-autonomous cars said, as well as commercial fears of fears that the measure will limit their of this amazing technology could are still years away from widespread revealing trade secrets. same period: In 2016, fi rearm suicide fatalities reached ability to regulate vehicle safety at the be unnecessarily delayed by court adoption, 25 states have already California currently requires the 67,500 and fi rearm assault casualties rose to 161,000, local level. challenges and state legislative passed legislation or issued executive industry to hand over data on vehicle The debate highlights the challenges action,” said Leah Treat, director of orders related to autonomous vehicles, disengagements and collisions, and increases of 4.3% and 5.7%, respectively, from 2006. of rolling out a new technology that the transportation bureau in Portland, according to the National Conference the National Association of City Guns may be the direct cause of more deaths, but does not fi t neatly into an existing Oregon, which is set to enact its own of State Legislators. Transportation Offi cials has called there was an overall 3% decrease in fatalities caused by regulatory framework. self-driving regulations by the end of New York, for example, has taken a for the federal government to adopt States traditionally regulate the the year. strict approach to testing, requiring similar requirements. self-harm during the decade ending in 2016, the study driver while the federal government In a Sept. 5 letter to US self-driving cars to follow an approved Not all states are concerned about indicated. regulates the car, but that division of congressional leaders, the National route with a police escort. the federal bill. labour may be hard to maintain when Governors Association, the National The state also has a law that Arizona governor Douglas Ducey cars have no drivers. Conference of State Legislators and requires drivers to have at least one issued a 2015 executive order Industry officials say a single, other groups said the federal rules hand on the wheel of any car, though saying his state supported the self- To Advertise nationwide set of standards encroached on state authority and it was suspended until April 2018 to driving industry and hoped the would speed the development of urged federal lawmakers to change the accommodate autonomous vehicle technology would bring new jobs to [email protected] self-driving vehicle technology, bill’s language. testing. the state. Display ultimately lead to fewer highway The new measure authorises Data-sharing is also a major Arizona does not currently impose Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 deaths, and keep the United States manufacturers to put 25,000 self- fl ashpoint. any restrictions on self-driving cars. in the forefront of automotive driving cars on the road in the next Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said Kevin Biesty, the deputy director Classified technology. year for testing. earlier this year he was disappointed for policy at Arizona’s department for Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 The US House of Representatives Those numbers would gradually Uber, which is testing a fl eet of transportation, said the state largely unanimously approved the sweeping increase, with a total of 275,000 autonomous vehicles there, has trusted automakers to adapt their Subscription bill last week, and US vehicles permitted by 2021. been hesitant to share data the city technology as concerns arise. [email protected] Senator John Thune said last week Critics of the federal bill said they could use to improve traffi c fl ow and “One of the reasons we did not he wanted to move the bill out of generally support the development infrastructure. step forward and regulate is because committee by early October. of self-driving technology but felt Uber said it would share some data the industry is changing so fast and 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved The federal bill bars states and cities neglected and overruled by federal starting this year on a voluntary basis, what you release today might become from implementing “unreasonable legislators. but Chan Lieu, a former director of obsolete in six months,” he said. Gulf Times Monday, September 18, 2017 23 COMMENT A striking turnabout for Trump

By Michael Finnegan been advocating for years – and we’ve and Mark Z. Barabak already done it with 68 votes – and it’s Tribune News Service comprehensive reform.” Flake, who was also part of that earlier bipartisan effort, suggested onald Trump’s tough talk the contours of last week’s on illegal immigration was agreement could produce a deal. a big part of the reason “I hope so,” said Flake, who faces a DDave Hagstrom and many tough 2018 re-election fight. “I want others in this booming Phoenix it.” suburb of Mesa in Arizona supported While some of the loudest voices him for president. “Walls make good on the right have been savage in their neighbours,” Hagstrom said. criticism of the president – “At this So when the president moved last point who DOESN’T want Trump week to cut a deal – with Democrats impeached?” provocateur Ann no less – to block the expulsion of Coulter tweeted – surveys suggest 800,000 immigrants brought to the rank-and-file conservatives are US illegally as children, was Hagstrom more willing to go along with the disappointed? president. Not at all. One bipartisan survey, conducted “If you were to deport them, where in May, found that nearly 8 in 10 would they go?” Hagstrom, 60, a car- Sheryl Dressel of Chandler supports a border wall, but opposes deportation of so-called Dreamers. She is a Republican who voted for President Trump. Right: Joseph Trump voters supported continuation warranty manager, asked on his way Wise of Gilbert is a Republican who voted for President Trump. Wise, who was grocery shopping on September 14, 2017, in Mesa, Arizona, opposes the deportation of of the programme that protects to a Bible-study dinner at an upscale young immigrants who were brought to the US illegally as children. Dreamers from deportation, if that shopping mall. “To send them across was the president’s choice. “If Trump the border would be inhumane almost. Democrats agreed to much tougher Even Trump’s willingness to he favoured their expulsion. He vowed leaning suburbs – and former leads, his base will follow,” said Neil There’s no life for them there.” border enforcement, though not bypass Republicans in Congress and to reverse President Barack Obama’s Gov. Jan Brewer became national Newhouse, a Republican pollster, who Trump’s fi ery rhetoric and promise construction of a physical wall. work with Democrats to strike an “illegal executive amnesties” for fi gures for their harsh rhetoric and helped conduct the research. to seal the US border with Mexico “I’m a believer in America First,” immigration bargain failed to faze millions of immigrants, including uncompromising stance. Indeed, even Arpaio seemed willing attracted millions of supporters in Joe Dahlstrom, 45, a Mesa golf course supporters like Dave Buckett. Dreamers. By contrast, the state’s two to go along with the compromise, if last year’s election, many of them owner, said as misters sprayed him “His party doesn’t back him, so he “Anyone who has entered the Republican senators, John McCain and Trump thinks it best. older white conservatives like the ones and his 4-year-old daughter, Gracyn, might as well go to the competition,” United States illegally is subject to Jeff Flake, have backed comprehensive “He’s trying to make deals and get who repeatedly elected immigration outside the Panera Bread where they said the 76-year-old retiree from deportation,” Trump fl atly stated. legislation that would toughen border stuff done,” said Arpaio, a staunch hard-liner Joe Arpaio as sheriff here in stopped on Thursday night for a family nearby Gilbert. “There’s a lot of “That is what it means to have laws security while providing a path to supporter of the president who faced Maricopa County. dinner. swamp on both sides of the fence. I and to have a country.” permanent residency for the millions a prison sentence for racial profi ling But as Trump shifted last week “But I also think that at this point think there’s more on the Republican The sole route to legal status for of immigrants who came to the before Trump pardoned him last to a softer approach on the young we just have to take a hard look at side than people like to think. Sad to immigrants living in the US illegally, country illegally but have since proved month. immigrants in legal limbo through no who’s here,” Dahlstrom said. “And if say.” Trump told backers, would be to upstanding citizens. Sheryl Dressel, 61, a retired vision fault of their own, many of his most they’re good people who are doing the The deal with Democrats and “return home and apply for reentry Both expressed support for the therapist from Chandler, resents die-hard supporters moved right right things and have assimilated, I willingness to accommodate Dreamers like everybody else.” broad outlines of the compromise that hearing “Press 2 for Spanish” on along with him – among them Arpaio, think a plan needs to happen.” mark a striking turnabout for Trump. Arizona, a state renowned for taking Trump forged over dinner at the White automated phone greetings, and who was ousted in November by voters Young immigrants brought to the During the 2016 campaign he often one of the hardest lines on illegal House with Sen. Charles E. Schumer she opposes driver’s licenses for tired of his infl ammatory approach. United States illegally were able to tried – depending on his audience – to immigration in the country, has spent of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of immigrants in the US illegally. In more than a dozen conversations get work permits and a reprieve from avoid explicit statements regarding years at the forefront of the issue, as San Francisco, the top two Democrats But she, too, has no problem with with Trump voters in this sweltering deportation under the Deferred Action the Dreamers, who, polls show, are both a major point of illegal entry to in Congress. Trump agreeing to let the Dreamers Sonoran Desert oasis, not one found for Childhood Arrivals programme, viewed with sympathy by a majority of the US and home to several of the most “It’d be fi ne with me,” said McCain, stay in the United States, so long as fault with Trump’s abandonment or DACA. Trump halted the Obama Americans. prominent voices in the debate. a leader of the 2013 eff ort to pass they don’t commit crimes. of his vow to deport the young administration programme this But speaking directly to supporters, Arpaio, who served six terms as sweeping immigration legislation, “They don’t know Mexico,” she immigrants, often referred to as month, but gave Congress six months as he did in a fi ery August 2016 speech sheriff of Maricopa County – which which passed the Senate but died in said as she headed into a Mesa grocery Dreamers. In the bargain, he said, to try to come up with a replacement. in Phoenix, Trump left no doubt that takes in Phoenix and its Republican- the House. “What we need is what I’ve store. “They’re Americans.” Weather report UAE’s $5.3mn anti-Qatar London Three-day forecast TODAY High: 39 C Low : 31 C Inshore: Hazy to misty/ foggy at places at first becomes hot daytime conference fails to arouse interest with chance of local rainy clouds by afternoon and humid by night.

he London-based Centre for and Pro-Israeli lobbyist(s)”, and an London as “a vehicle to harm Despite the millions funnelled into TUESDAY Public Aff airs has revealed event that can justifi ably be called a Qatar’s stability, security and setting up the London conference, High: 39 C that the UAE spent around “UAE-AIPAC Conference”, due to its political system” and that the UAE British media seemed largely Low: 30 C T$5.3mn funding an anti- pre-selected, carefully crafted, anti- is working tirelessly to create Qatari uninterested in reporting it. Apart Sunny Qatar conference that aimed to prove Qatar panel. opposition, much of which is formed from Abu Dhabi’s The National report ‘Qatar’s sponsorship of terrorism The panel hosted no Qatari by “paid, recruited individuals and with under a dozen ‘shares’, amongst groups’. opposition or even Qatari nationals companies”. other Arab-based outlets, the media WEDNESDAY In a statement released on or members from the UK parliament In a statement released on either brushed over the event, or High: 39 C September 14, the Centre for Public apart from three conservative, pro- September 5, the centre revealed that failed to report it altogether in what Low: 31 C Aff airs added that the UAE Embassy Israeli politicians. The conference the conference’s organiser ‘Khalid al- reiterates many analysts’ views Sunny in Knightsbridge paid part of the however, did not fall short in hosting Hail’, supposedly a ‘Qatari opposition that the UAE is becoming overtly conference’s expenses, part funded by the infamous Islamophobe, Founder leader’ has in fact never worked in desperate, ready to channel huge sums its embassy in Washington and from and Executive Director of the politics. This is not to mention that of wealth to demonise the image of Fishermen’s forecast Qatar whilst others have found no other government companies based in Islamophobic think-tank, the Henry the young 29-year-old ‘businessman’, OFFSHORE DOHA Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Jackson Society (HJS), Alan Mendoza. pictured as one of its fi nancial reason to agree. Wind: NE 03-10 KT The statement dubbed Thursday’s In another statement, the Centre sponsors has no current business Waves: 1-3 Feet conference as one “run by Zionist reiterated that the UAE is using activity in the United Kingdom. Islam 21 C.com INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 05-15 KT Waves: 1-2 Feet

Around the region Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Live issues Abu Dhabi Sunny 38/31 Sunny 38/31 Baghdad P Cloudy 46/28 P Cloudy 46/27 Dubai Sunny 41/29 Sunny 41/29 Kuwait City Sunny 41/28 Sunny 42/28 Manama Sunny 39/31 Sunny 41/31 Muscat Sunny 34/27 Sunny 33/27 Riyadh M Sunny 42/26 M Sunny 41/27 Sleep: how much do you really get? Tehran Sunny 29/18 Sunny 29/18

It’s likely you have no real clue how much sleep you got last night, or how sleep-deprived you are right now

By Oliver Burkeman New York

ew things better illustrate how little we understand ourselves than the mysteries Fof sleep. For a start, there’s the big mystery of why we do it in the fi rst place, since in evolutionary terms, being unconscious for a third Around the world of every day is one of the most suicidal Weather Weather strategies imaginable. (This means today Max/min tomorrow Max/min that whatever sleep’s for, it must be Athens Sunny 36/22 Sunny 36/22 really important to make it worth the bad? After all, it’s only an hour less alertness was just as poor, the six- identifi ed a “sleep placebo eff ect”: you Beirut Sunny 28/25 M Sunny 28/24 S T Storms 33/26 tradeoff of staying exposed to snakes than the alleged ideal of seven hours, hour sleepers still rated themselves do better on cognitive tasks when you Bangkok 33/26 S T Storms Berlin P Cloudy 18/06 M Sunny 18/08 and tigers all night long.) Then there’s and 50% longer than the four hours less sleepy. Incremental sleep believe you’ve slept well, even if you Cairo P Cloudy 34/24 P Cloudy 34/24 the everyday mystery of how to make to which Donald Trump reportedly deprivation is like the water in the haven’t. Cape Town M Sunny 22/13 Cloudy 17/13 yourself do it when you can’t. (My confi nes himself. (Don’t think too proverbial exercise of boiling a frog. So the practical implications come Colombo S T Storms 29/26 P Cloudy 29/26 top recommendation remains the hard about that, or it will disturb By the end, it’s as bad as the sudden down to this: above all, you probably Dhaka T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/27 Hong Kong P Cloudy 31/27 S T Storms 31/28 visualisation method known as the your sleep even more.) Yet in a study version, but the change is so gradual need more sleep, even if you don’t feel Istanbul P Cloudy 29/20 Sunny 29/21 “cognitive shuffl e”: download the highlighted recently by Fast Company you hardly notice. sleepy, or you’re convinced you’re Jakarta M Sunny 34/26 P Cloudy 34/25 MySleepButton app, or just choose a magazine, participants whose sleep Making matters worse, you may getting plenty. On the other hand, once Karachi Sunny 34/26 Sunny 36/26 letter of the alphabet and sequentially was limited to six hours a night for well be getting six hours’ sleep, or you’ve taken that on board and adjusted London M Cloudy 17/08 P Cloudy 17/09 T Storms T Storms 31/26 imagine objects beginning with that 10 days performed just as badly on some other insuffi cient amount, your habits accordingly, please wipe the Manila 32/26 Moscow P Cloudy 23/12 Cloudy 14/07 letter.) But our ignorance about sleep certain cognitive tasks as those who while believing you’re getting your previous sentence from your mind, and New Delhi Sunny 37/26 P Cloudy 36/26 goes further: it’s also fairly likely you got zero sleep for two days straight. In full complement. That’s another do what you can to believe you’re well New York S Showers 24/20 Rain 23/20 have no real clue how much sleep you other words, after a couple of weeks, standard fi nding of sleep studies: rested regardless. (For example, by not Paris S T Storms 17/11 Rain 17/07 got last night, or how sleep-deprived six hours’ sleep is arguably as bad as we’re constantly overestimating how telling yourself how tired you feel.) You Sao Paulo P Cloudy 29/17 P Cloudy 29/16 Seoul M Sunny 26/17 T Storms 25/14 you are right now. none at all. Or even worse, in a way, much we get – by about 48 minutes need more sleep and you need to believe Singapore S T Storms 30/25 S T Storms 29/26 A six-hour night isn’t brilliant, I tell because at least the zero-sleepers were on average, according to one study. you don’t. It’s a paradox, but don’t let Sydney Sunny 24/16 Sunny 21/10 myself on the fairly regular occasions able to rate themselves as extremely Which is where things get complex, that keep you awake. – The Guardian Tokyo Clear 33/24 Clear 28/20 it happens, but surely it’s not too sleep-deprived; even by the time their because researchers have also News and Media Gulf Times 24 Monday, September 18, 2017 QATAR

Emir attends US-Islamic World Forum, meets delegates in New York

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attended the opening of the US-Islamic World Forum at Conrad Hotel in New York City yesterday. The opening was attended by Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Aff airs Annika Soder, Somalia Minister for Foreign Aff airs Yusuf Garaad Omar, and High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations and Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the Forum Nasser bin Abdulaziz al-Nasr, along with a host of senior off icials and experts, parliamentarians, academics, leaders, businessmen, economists and media personnel from the United States and the Muslim world. The US-Islamic World Forum will explore opportunities to strengthen co-operation between the Islamic world and the United States.

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meets Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Aff airs Annika Soder. His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meets Somalia Minister for Foreign Aff airs Yusuf Garaad Omar.

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meets High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations and Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the Forum Martin Sean Indyk, executive vice-president of the Brookings Institution, His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meets a delegate at the Nasser bin Abdulaziz al-Nasr. addresses the audience at US-Islamic World Forum. forum.

Arab and Muslim societies face increasing Qatar rejects ‘all forms of fanaticism, injustice and intolerance, says al-Nasr extremism’: FM

QNA ing injustice and intolerance lims themselves are the fi rst and and positive results,” al-Nasr the objectives of the Alliance of New York against them. main victims of these acts, he added. Civilizations is to use a com- From Page 1 peace because of selective poli- Speaking at the US-Islamic noted. Nasser bin Abdulaziz al-Nasr prehensive and multi-polar Sheikh Mohamed said the de- cies in the implementation of World Forum, organised by the He said that the UN Secre- said that the main objective of approach to study the state of sire to achieve peace “represents international legitimacy reso- asser bin Abdulaziz Ministry of Foreign Aff airs in tary-General Antonio Guterres the United Nations Alliance relations between modern so- the aspirations of all peoples lutions and double standards.” al-Nasr, High Repre- New York, al-Nasr said that had asked him to represent the of Civilizations is to promote cieties, their worldview and of the world.” Citing the issues Under the administration of US Nsentative for the Unit- many people have been caught Secretary-General at this im- dialogue, understanding and their mutual understanding besieging Palestine and other President Donald Trump, the ed Nations Alliance of Civili- in the trap of distortion of facts portant forum as he attaches tolerance as dialogue paves the which constitutes these rela- confl icts in the Middle East, the minister expressed hope that zations and Representative of through the acts of terrorist great importance to the promo- way for better understanding of tions. foreign minister said “the dis- “peace would be achieved in the the UN Secretary-General to and extremist groups, such as tion of constructive and positive others and thus “dispelling the He wished success for the tinguished” relations between Middle East.” He also praised the the US-Islamic World Forum, ISIS (Daesh), through despi- dialogue as a means of promot- fear of those who differ ethni- forum, which discusses many the US and the Islamic world is US for its eff orts to resume “se- said that Arab and Muslim so- cable and humiliating deeds ... ing mutual understanding. “He cally, culturally and religious- important and contemporary is- confronted with challenges like rious negotiations” to settle the cieties are witnessing increas- These people forget that Mus- wishes you fruitful discussions ly.” He pointed out that one of sues. the “continued failure to achieve war in Palestine.