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SATURDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11250 July 20, 2019 Dhul-Qa’da 17, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Korean PM arrives in Doha Iran seizes British tanker, denies US downed drone z Revolutionary Guards capture Stena Impero tanker z Trump says ‘no doubt’ US shot down Iranian drone

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Lee Nak-yeon, arrived in Doha yesterday evening on an off icial visit to the coun- AFP try. He and his accompanying delegation were greeted upon arrival at Doha International Airport by HE the Minister of State Tehran for Energy Aff airs Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi and ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Qatar Kim Chang-mo.

ran’s Revolutionary Guards said yesterday they had confi scated In brief Ia British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz for breaking “international Algeria win Africa Cup as maritime rules” as tensions mount in the highly sensitive waterway. QATAR | Reaction Britain however said Iran had Qatar condemns twin Al Sadd star Bounedjah scores seized two ships in the Gulf, incidents Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt con- blasts in Afghanistan demned as “unacceptable”. Qatar has voiced strong n early goal by Bagh- The latest incident came as Presi- Undated handout photograph shows the Stena Impero, a British-flagged condemnation of the two explosions dad Bounedjah, a dent Donald Trump insisted yester- vessel owned by Stena Bulk, at an undisclosed location, obtained by which took place at a police centre Aprolifi c striker for day that the military had downed an Reuters yesterday. in southern Afghanistan and near Qatari club Al Sadd, pro- Iranian drone that was threatening a Kabul university, killing eight people pelled Algeria to their sec- US naval vessel in the Strait of Hor- third of the world’s oil is transported. drone that was threatening the an and injuring dozens. In a statement ond Africa Cup of Nations muz, despite denials from Tehran. “These seizures are unacceptable,” American vessel, the USS Boxer in the yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign title - and fi rst in 29 years The Stena Impero tanker “was con- said Hunt. Strait of Hormuz. Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s firm - after a 1-0 victory over fi scated by the Revolutionary Guards Britain confi rmed that one of the Yesterday he reiterated his claim. position on rejecting violence and Sadio Mane’s Senegal in at the request of Hormozgan Ports boats seized was British-registered. Iran categorically denied the al- terrorism, regardless of motives and yesterday’s fi nal in Cairo. and Maritime Organisation when The other was Liberian-fl agged, legation and deputy foreign minister reasons. The ministry expressed Bounedjah gave Algeria passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but reportedly owned by British com- Abbas Araghchi tweeted that Ameri- Qatar’s condolences to the families a dream start in the second for failing to respect international pany Norbulk Shipping. can forces may have shot down a US of the victims, and the government minute when his defl ected maritime rules,” the Guards’ offi cial There was no immediate confi r- drone by mistake. and people of Afghanistan, wishing shot looped over Senegal website Sepahnews said. mation from Iran that its forces had “No doubt about it, no — we shot it the injured a speedy recovery. goalkeeper Alfred Gomis, The UK-fl agged tanker “was led seized a second vessel. down,” Trump said yesterday, and he and it proved enough for to the shore and handed over to the The incident came hours after Gi- warned Iran against doing anything AMERICA | Weather the 1990 champions to lift Baghdad Bounedjah and teammates celebrate organisation to go through the legal braltar’s Supreme Court said it would “foolish,” saying it would pay a heavy Heatwave grips the trophy on foreign soil winning the Africa Cup of Nations in Cairo yesterday. procedure and required investiga- extend by 30 days the detention of an price if it did so. for the fi rst time. tions,” it said. Iranian tanker seized two weeks ago Trump’s National Security Adviser eastern, central US For Senegal, who lost to Algeria by Senegal had understandably feared Tanker tracking service Marine on allegations that it was heading to John Bolton said there was “no ques- A massive heatwave that has the same scoreline in the group stage, the absence of Napoli star Koulibaly, Traffi c showed that the Swedish- Syria in violation of sanctions. tion that this was an Iranian drone”. enveloped the US Midwest pushed the long wait for a fi rst continental banned after two bookings in the knock- owned Stena Impero last signalled British authorities’ detention of the The Revolutionary Guards released into the Northeast yesterday, crown goes on as coach Aliou Cisse, the out rounds, although the towering Sane its location near the Island of Larak Grace 1 supertanker sparked outrage a video yesterday which they said be- ushering in temperatures that could captain of the 2002 runners-up, again was unlucky as Algeria grabbed the lead in the highly sensitive waterway at in Tehran, with Supreme Leader Aya- lies the US claims. top 100F (38C) in Washington and fell short in the fi nal. with scarcely a minute played. 9:00pm local time (1630 GMT). tollah Ali Khamenei accused London The seven-minute-long footage, prompting utilities to take steps to It was the fi rst title-decider to feature As Bounedjah took aim from 20 yards, The Stena Impero’s Swedish owner of “piracy” and vowing retaliation. apparently shot from high altitude, prevent power outages. Page 5 two African coaches since 1998, with his eff ort smacked off Sane and arced high said the ship was transiting the Strait Tensions in the Gulf have soared shows a convoy of ships which the Algeria boss Djamel Belmadi complet- into the air before dropping underneath of Hormuz and in “international wa- in recent weeks, with Trump calling Guards said they were tracking as they EUROPE | Calamity ing a whirlwind 12 months at the helm the crossbar and beyond a static Gomis, ters” when it was “attacked by uni- off air strikes against Iran at the last passed through the Strait of Hormuz. 5.1-magnitude quake after inheriting a side that failed to make sparking delirious celebrations from both dentifi ed small crafts and a helicopter”. minute in June, after Tehran downed The vessels in the footage could not it out of the group stage two years ago. players and fans, some of whom arrived “We are presently unable to contact an American drone, and blaming Iran be immediately identifi ed, although rattles Greek capital With defensive rock Kalidou Kouli- for the fi nal on military planes provided the vessel which is now tracking as for a series of tanker attacks — charg- one looks similar to the USS Boxer. A magnitude 5.1 earthquake rattled baly suspended for Senegal, Salif Sane by the Algerian government. heading north towards Iran,” a state- es the Islamic Republic denies. Earlier a US offi cial said Washing- the Greek capital Athens yesterday, deputised at the back and Ismaila Sarr It was the fi rst time Gomis had con- ment said. Hours before the latest tanker inci- ton has “very clear evidence” that it briefly knocking out power and was recalled in attack, while Belmadi ceded in almost 400 minutes in Egypt, Hunt said he was “extremely con- dent, Iran and the US were caught in a downed the drone but gave no fur- telecommunications in parts of the kept faith in the same side that over- having replaced the injured Edouard cerned by the seizure of two naval ves- new war of words. ther details. “If you fl y too close to our city and sending people running from came Nigeria with an injury-time free- Mendy ahead of Senegal’s fi nal group sels by Iranian authorities in the Strait Trump said on Thursday that ships, you’re going to get shot down,” buildings in panic. Page 9 kick from Riyad Mahrez. game. To Page 16 of Hormuz” — through which nearly a Washington brought down an Iranian the offi cial said. QF highlights strong educational ties between Qatar, India

By Joseph Varghese the two nations will be celebrated a QF partner university. Together the multicultural academic commu- Staff Reporter throughout 2019. with his classmates, he recently co- nity at QF. She is studying for MA in The Qatar-India 2019 Year of Cul- founded an Indian subcontinental Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa ture is the latest edition of an annual club at Tamuq, aiming to collaborate University, a QF member, and says, atar Foundation (QF) is high- cultural exchange series between Qa- with other QF student bodies to pro- “Education City has presented us lighting the strong educational tar and a chosen country, traditionally mote the Indian culture and introduce with the opportunity to enjoy a high- Qties between Qatar and India as consisting of art events, festivals and cricket as an offi cial sport at Educa- quality education in a very culturally the country marks Qatar-India 2019 exhibitions that strengthen cultural tion City. diverse environment without having Year of Culture. and diplomatic links. The Years of Cul- “QF’s diverse community inspires to move abroad.” The Indian community’s contribu- ture programme is an initiative of Qa- students to openly represent their And, for Rahul Balamurugan, a tion to the cross-cultural fl avour of tar Museums. cultural background,” he says. “It also third-year student at Tamuq, the Education City, QF’s fl agship develop- QF’s educational ecosystem is a cul- off ers us great facilities, clubs and or- benefi ts of QF’s cultural diversity are ment, is just one aspect of the educa- tural bridge-builder – and QF’s Indian ganisations within its universities, interconnected with its academics. tional connections between Qatar and students can testify to the benefi t that and these encourage us as students to “Apart from QF being a very diverse India. About 3,000 students of over it brings to their studies and their lives, organise events, many of which refl ect and multicultural place, which has 80 nationalities are experiencing the inspiring them to contribute to their and promote our own cultures and warmly welcomed me, it also off ers value of a multicultural academic envi- adopted nation. backgrounds.” high standards of teaching by experts ronment at Education City and among Among them is Syed Mustafa Hu- Zinnira Shaikh, who considers Qa- in specialised fi elds and the opportu- them is a 160-strong Indian student sain Abidi, a fi rst-year mechanical tar as “my home”, is another QF stu- nity to learn subjects that are diff erent community. engineering Indian student at Texas dent to have experienced the benefi ts from the major you are taking,” he ex- Syed Mustafa Husain Abidi (second left) with fellow students at the launch of These – and other – ties between A&M University at Qatar (Tamuq), of both the calibre of education and plains. To Page 2 the ‘Aggie Desi’ club. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, July 20, 2019 QATAR Sheep market braces for Eid demand alesmen in the livestock good production in local farms QR1,400 a head. He noted that section of Doha Central and preference for this type of this the most preferred type of SMarket are getting ready sheep among customers”, the sheep among Qataris, who look to cater to the high demand salesmen point out. for Syrian sheep in case the local for sheep anticipated for the Some customers prefer to buy variety is not available. upcoming Eid al-Adha. sheep well ahead of Eid as they He stressed that the quality of Speaking to local Arabic daily expect prices to go up as holi- locally produced sheep is among Arrayah, the salesmen stressed day period nears. Besides, they the best as farmers in Qatar take that they have stocked consider- prefer to feed them at home for a proper care of them. able quantities of both local and while before slaughtering them. Mohamed Basheer, a sales- imported sheep. The imported Farah Ahmed, a salesman at man at the market, said he has sheep mostly include Iranian, the market, said traders have good stocks of Turkish sheep Jordanian and Syrian varieties imported a large number of - which are available in big as well as, for the “fi rst time”, sheep ahead of Eid al-Adha and numbers this year - due to their Turkish and Iraqi sheep, they supply levels at the market are relatively low prices and high inform. “very good”. This is also because quality. Customers have already Prices range from QR1,050- of the availability of a consid- started showing interest in this QR1,150 for Turkish sheep and erable number of Turkish and variety and the demand is ex- from QR1,100-QR1,200 for the Iraqi sheep at reasonable prices. pected to go up in the coming Iraqi variety, while Iranian sheep He added that a good number days, he added. have the lowest price of QR900, of customers have started pre- Al-Mahdi Abdullah, another the report states. Local sheep are ferring such varieties for their salesman, agreed that the mar- often sold for the highest price quality as well as good prices. ket has adequate stocks of vari- due to the huge demand for this Abdulrahman Mohamed, ous types of sheep, which will variety among Qataris. another salesman, said a large appeal to the diff erent tastes of The number of local sheep number of local sheep have customers. Besides, he feels that on display at this time will be been supplied this year with prices have gone down for most “higher than last year due to prices starting at approximately varieties due to the good supply. Both local and imported sheep are available in adequate numbers at the Doha Central Market, say salesmen.

Qatar envoy Environment law violation detected presents papers Ooredoo tv to provide live to IDLO chief The International Development Law Organisation (IDLO) coverage of Pacquiao match director-general, Irene Khan, met yesterday with Qatar ambassador to Italy Abdulaziz bin Ahmed oredoo has announced al-Malki. The meeting took that its Ooredoo tv place at the IDLO’s permanent Oservice will provide headquarters in Rome. live coverage of the highly an- During the meeting, ticipated boxing match, ‘Pac- ambassador al-Malki quiao vs Thurman’, “delight- presented his credentials as ing boxing fans across Qatar”. Qatar’s representative to the The fi ght will air at 4am International Development Law Doha time tomorrow and will Organisation (IDLO). (QNA) be available for all Ooredoo tv customers on pay-per-view channel 551 for QR73, the Dates Festival to company has said in a state- ment. begin at Souq Forty-year old Manny Waqif on July 23 Pacquiao is a renowned Fili- pino professional boxer as Pacquiao will be fi ghting part of the WBA Welterweight The Ministry of Municipality well as a politician, currently American Keith Thurman, Championship and will take and Environment (MME), a senator in the Philippines. who is nicknamed ‘One Time’ place at the MGM Grand Gar- in collaboration with Souq He is the only eight-division for his knockout power and den Arena in Las Vegas. Waqif, has announced that world champion in the his- considered one of the hardest Customers who do not yet the fourth Local Dates tory of boxing and is also the punchers in the welterweight have Ooredoo tv can visit any Festival would be held at the The Environmental Protection and Wildlife Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment fi rst boxer in history to win division. Ooredoo shop around town to Souq from July 23-August 3. recently detected a violation wherein refuse materials was being disposed of in an undesignated area. major titles in four of the The Pacquiao vs Thurman sign up and collect their new A large number of local farms Legal procedures were initiated against the violators accordingly, the ministry said in a statement. eight ‘glamour divisions’ of boxing fi ght, portrayed as set-top box, the statement will participate in the festival, boxing. ;Welterweight Supremacy;, is adds. the MME has said. Citizens’ proposal aims to off er old buildings a new lease of life

number of citizens have thetics of a neighbourhood, this any time - whether partially or labourers, and this may cause addressed as soon as possible in expressed concern over poses a number of risks to people completely, he noted. problems for neighbours, it was order to prevent the problems Athe presence of old, di- living around such buildings and In addition, some such build- pointed out. from aggravating. lapidated buildings in the coun- some of them could even collapse ings in Doha are inhabited by As a result, the issue should be Lawyer Mana Nasser said try, especially in certain parts of abandoned houses are largely An Indian student performing at the student-organised ‘Desi Doha, stressing that the author- concentrated in diff erent locali- Night’ at QF partner university Virginia Commonwealth ities need to eff ectively address ties of Doha, such as the older University School of the Arts in Qatar. the issue. parts of the city, Old Al Ghanim, Local Arabic daily Arrayah re- Umm Ghuwailina, Najma and cently reported that Qataris fa- others, and many of them miliar with the issue suggested could collapse and are unfi t for that a ‘supreme committee’ be housing purposes. QF highlights strong formed to record and register However, low-income ex- such buildings, classify them patriate labourers often live in and fi nd out the best ways to uti- these buildings though such a educational relations lise them in co-operation with trend is “unacceptable”, it was their owners. observed. Also, this could pose While many of these houses some safety and security risks between Qatar, India are abandoned, some are oc- besides spoiling the look of cupied by low-income workers the city. who live there despite the risks So, the municipal authorities From Page 1 ing Indian policy think tank involved, it is found. concerned should spot and reg- known for hosting the Raisina Some of these houses fea- ister such buildings and com- Connections of knowledge Dialogue, the country’s pre- ture architectural character- municate with their owners to and opportunity between mier conference on geopoli- istics that could be preserved, discuss with them the best pos- QF and India have also been tics and geoeconomics. Such maintained and, in turn, used sible ways to use such proper- strengthened through the partnerships amplify QF’s for touristic purposes, they Some old, dilapidated buildings in Doha. While many of these houses are abandoned, some are occupied ties in a safe manner. In case World Innovation Summit for contribution to pivotal eco- felt. However, some others by low-income workers who live there despite the risks involved, it is found. the owners could not be identi- Education (WISE), a QF initi- nomic and geopolitical forums are in a dilapidated condition fi ed, these could be acquired by ative that has created a global in the context of education, and need to be demolished the State for public good, it was community united in its com- and also refl ect how the edu- completely, while the plot suggested. mitment to shaping the future cational diversity in its con- could be used for other useful Speaking to the daily, Dr of education. nections with India stretches purposes. Ahmed al-Mohannadi said if left Since its establishment, beyond students. Also, there are houses that unused and unmonitored, these WISE has supported many “WISE aims for non-tradi- could be repaired and main- buildings could also be used as Indian educationists and edu- tional partnerships when ap- tained to be used for commercial potential breeding grounds for cation projects, through its proaching India,” said Elyas or residential purposes. criminal activities that could WISE Awards – which rec- Felfoul, director of Policy De- The implementation of all pose a serious threat to the so- ognise and promote innova- velopment and Partnerships at such solutions need the active ciety in general. This happens tive projects addressing global WISE, outlining the benefi ts support of the authorities as in places around the world, he education challenges – and of placing education onto the the owners of these properties felt. Accordingly, such buildings the WISE Learner’s Voice Pro- agenda on non-educational mostly do not have adequate should be repaired and put to gramme, where young peo- platforms in countries such as means to handle them on their use or demolished, with the va- ple’s perspectives are applied India and China. own, they said. cated land being used for useful to the challenge of rethinking “Discussing innovation At the same time, some of purposes. education. in education at education- these houses have been aban- Atiq Mohamed al-Sulaiti, re- In 2012, WISE Prize for focused forums is one thing; doned for a long period and their searcher and collector of folk Education was awarded to Dr however, doing so in econom- owners are diffi cult to trace, the heritage, suggested that old Madhav Chavan, a key driver ic and geopolitical forums report states. houses with distinguished ar- of equality of access to edu- could allow policymakers to Khalid al-Nasser, chairman of chitecture be preserved as an cation in India, and Indian connect the dots between the Qatar Society of Engineers, important part of the coun- thought-leaders in education how effi cient education can said it is normal for the condi- try’s heritage and then given to have made vital contributions be as a means of address- tion of houses and other build- some families to manage them to WISE’s research. ing global issues such as the ings - which are abandoned or for touristic purposes in co- WISE has also established refugee crisis, water shortage, unused - to deteriorate. Besides operation with the authorities a partnership with Observer youth unemployment and spoiling the beauty and aes- concerned. Research Foundation– a lead- poverty,” he added. Gulf Times Saturday, July 20, 2019 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD Rebel qualms delay Lebanon’s parliament Sudan army and protesters’ meet AFP “I’m going to Addis Ababa Khartoum to meet the Sudan Revolution- ary Front to get their opinion,” passes 2019 budget Digeir said, referring to the udanese protest leaders three groups which are cur- Reuters liament envisaged cutting the said that talks sched- rently based in Ethiopia. Beirut defi cit to 7.6% of gross domes- Suled for yesterday with “They are not happy with” tic product (GDP) from 11.5% in the country’s military rulers the agreement signed with 2018, but parliament’s budget were postponed after rebel army leaders, Youssef said. ebanon’s parliament committee said last week it members of their movement The three groups have said passed a “reforming” 2019 aimed to cut it to 6.6%. expressed reservations over Wednesday’s deal was “unac- Lstate budget yesterday, The International Monetary a power-sharing deal inked ceptable” to them, insisting it Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri Fund (IMF) has called into ques- with the generals this week. did not talk of bringing peace said, without giving details on tion even the government’s The generals and protest to Sudan’s war zones or ad- its defi cit target as his coalition 7.6% target, estimating that its leaders initialled an accord on dressing the needs of those af- government seeks to bring the initial budget plan would in fact Wednesday in Khartoum to fected by the confl icts. public debt under control. have produced a defi cit of about form a joint ruling body tasked “Unfortunately some par- The budget is seen as a criti- 9.75% of GDP. with creating a transitional ci- ties chose not to pay any at- cal test of Lebanon’s ability to Budget proposals have in- vilian administration and they tention to those issues and address years of economic mis- cluded both cuts in spending were due two days later to ne- went ahead without consult- management and corruption and increase in revenue, partic- gotiate details of a “Constitu- ing with their colleagues,” Gi- that have led it to build up one of ularly from higher tax on inter- tional Declaration” crucial to a bril Ibrahim, head of the Su- the world’s heaviest public debt est. The measures have sparked successful transition. dan Revolutionary Front, told burdens, equivalent to about opposition among some groups. But the talks have now reporters in Addis Ababa. 150% of GDP. Army veterans tussled with been postponed, three protest The rebel groups had been “This is a reforming budg- security forces in the streets leaders told AFP. fi ghting government forces for et and it was diffi cult,” Hariri around the parliament yester- “We need more internal years in the war-torn regions said after three days of parlia- day as they attempted to barge consultation to reach a unit- of Darfur, Blue Nile and South mentary debate on the budget, through a cordon to protest ed vision,” prominent leader Kordofan. adding that passing it was an against any cuts to their benefi ts Omar al-Digeir said, adding Sources close to negotia- achievement. in the budget. that no new date had been set tions said that these groups Finance Minister Ali Hassan In a sign of the political dif- for negotiations to resume. have demanded that the Khalil said passage of the budget fi culties in cutting spending, Veterans shout slogans during a protest against any cuts to their benefits in the state budget, at downtown Fellow protest leaders Sid- “Constitutional Declara- was a message to the interna- Defence Minister Elias Bou Beirut yesterday. dig Youssef and Taha Osman tion” specify that peace ne- tional community, including Saab said proposed cuts in ben- also confi rmed the talks had gotiations in the three confl ict credit rating agencies. efi ts and pensions for military Finance Minister Khalil has ance sheet and undermine its a deadly accumulation of debt been suspended. zones would be a top prior- However, details of the fi nal personnel would be reduced. also said the government plans to credibility. It added that there and debt service”. They said three rebel ity for the new transitional budget, including the defi cit The government’s biggest ex- shave some $660mn from debt should be no pressure on private Leading Lebanese politicians groups that are part of the government. target, were not released. Har- penses are debt fi nancing, public servicing costs through issuing banks to buy the debt instead. have said the coalition govern- umbrella protest movement, Once such a peace deal is fi - iri said details would be issued sector pay and subsidies to the low interest treasury bills. Khalil said on Thursday that ment must soon start talks on its the Alliance for Freedom and nalised, sources said the rebel today or Monday. country’s electricity provider. It The IMF has said that buying Lebanon needed a plan to man- 2020 budget plan, which the IMF Change, had reservations over groups want their representa- The budget plan the govern- passed a plan this year to resolve such low-interest debt would age its public debt to “liberate the said should also include further Wednesday’s deal called the tives to be part of the transi- ment originally proposed to par- its expensive electricity crisis. worsen the central bank’s bal- public budget from the burden of cuts to the defi cit. “Political Declaration”. tional government.

20 militants killed in Egypt air strikes UN reaches deal Israeli forces injure 22 Palestinians Egyptian security forces launched t least 22 Palestin- of the popular resistance in the hospital for treatment. air strikes on militants’ hideouts ians, including jour- village, told Palestinian news Villagers from Kafr Qaddum in restive Sinai region yesterday, Analists, were injured agency WAFA that Israeli sol- and neighbouring villages or- killing 20 insurgents, a security with rubber-coated rounds diers attacked the protesters by ganise a non-violent protest off icial said. with Yemen rebels to yesterday by Israeli occupa- rubber-coated rounds, injuring on almost every Friday against Intensive air strikes were carried tion forces, during the weekly 22 protesters and causing many illegal Israeli settlements, and out on mountainous areas where anti-settlements protest in cases of suff ocation from gas to call on Israeli authorities to insurgents are believed to be the village of Kafr Qaddum in inhalation. reopen the villages main road, hiding, the source said. the northern West Bank, local Many of the injured which has been sealed by the The security source confirmed resume food supply sources said. were treated at the scene occupation authorities since that air strikes and shelling Morad Shtewi, co-ordinator while others were moved to 2002. (QNA) resulted in the killing of 20 AFP during a meeting to discuss intervened in Yemen in support “terrorist elements” who were United Nations Yemen, in which he joined UN of its government. trying to escape from the strikes humanitarian offi cials in un- “Those who made the largest south of the city of Bir al-Abed. derlining the dire situation in pledges - Yemen’s neighbours He added that the air strikes are he World Food Programme the country. in the coalition - have so far still continuing. has reached an agreement “Around 30mn people live paid only a modest propor- The strikes came a day after Tin principle with Yemen’s in Yemen, and more than two- tion of what they promised,” Islamist militants killed five Houthi rebels to resume food aid thirds of them are food inse- he said. people in two separate attacks in to areas they control, the agen- cure. That’s 20mn women, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador Egypt’s volatile Sinai region. cy’s chief has said. men, boys and girls,” he said. to the UN roundly rejected the Three of the five were killed in an Malnutrition is widespread While warning of a “dire criticism. ambush by gunmen on a road in in Yemen after four years of and worsening humanitar- “We have paid this year more central Sinai, the witnesses said. civil war, but the UN sus- ian situation,” UN envoy to money than anybody else,” The other two deaths occurred pended deliveries of food aid to Yemen Martin Griffi ths said a Abdallah Yahya al-Mouallimi after a suspected extremist rebel-held areas of the country fragile ceasefi re in the key port said at a news conference, not- blew himself up near a military last month following accusa- of Hodeidah “may fi nally al- ing the amount totalled “more armoured vehicle stationed tions of “diversion of food.” low us to focus on the political than $400 million.” at a taxi stand in the city of The new agreement with the process before the end of this Fighting between the Iran- Sheikh Zweid in the North Sinai Houthis will allow food to be summer.” backed Houthis and gov- province, injuring a police quickly delivered to the rebel- Mark Lowcock, the UN’s ernment forces aided by the conscript and a civilian, who held capital Sanaa, though humanitarian chief, said that Saudi-led coalition has killed later died in hospital. the two sides haven’t formally international commitments tens of thousands of people, Both attacks were claimed by the inked the deal yet, WFP chief of aid to Yemen weren’t being many of whom are civilians, aid Islamic State terrorist group. David Beasley told the UN Se- honoured. agencies say. curity Council. He singled out Saudi Arabia The confl ict has also forced Palestinian paramedics carry away on a stretcher an injured protester during clashes with Israeli “I can say that we have made and the United Arab Emirates, some 3.3mn people from their forces across the barbed-wire fence following a border demonstration near Rafah in the southern Qaeda attack substantial progress,” he said members of the coalition that homes. Gaza Strip yesterday. in Yemen kills five soldiers Al Qaeda fighter yesterday attacked an army checkpoint Descendent of musical legend brings Iraqi militias bombed in southern Yemen, killing five pro-government soldiers and wounding several others, security by aircraft, one killed off icials said. nostalgia to Lebanese summer fest The attack took place in the Reuters Saudi-based news channel re- Mudiya region of Abyan province, Baghdad ported US strikes on the base. they added. Reuters ranean, and behind the audience, The incident took place amid “Five soldiers were killed and Beirut a stone village crept between par- heightened tension between several others wounded on Friday asol pines up the hillside. n unmanned aircraft the United States and Iran. morning in an attack carried Asmahan was at one time dropped explosives on a Iraq is seen as a potential out by Al Qaeda gunmen... on a ebanon’s traditional seen as a rival even to the Abase belonging to Iran- arena for any violent regional checkpoint,” one security off icial summer festivals harked brightest of the region’s sing- linked paramilitary groups in confrontation between the said. Lback to the Arab world’s ers, the Egyptian diva Um northern Iraq yesterday, killing two foes because of the pres- A second security off icial said musical past this year, high- Kulthoum, but she was killed in at least one person, the army ence of Iran-backed Shia the “Al Qaeda fighters used lighted by a performance by a car crash in 1944. and paramilitary sources said. Muslim paramilitary groups machine guns and rocket- the great-granddaughter of the Joumblatt’s appearance provides The Iraqi military said operating in close proximity to propelled grenades” in the legendary 1930s diva Asmahan a direct link to that earlier era when, in a statement a drone had bases hosting US forces. attack, confirming that five in a mountain palace. the festival head Nora Jumblatt, a dropped a grenade onto the Islamic State militants, also pro-government forces had been Asmahan captivated audi- distant relation of Yasmina, said, base in northern Salahud- enemies of the Shia para- killed. ences at a moment when Euro- “everything was possible”. din province, wounding at militaries, operate in the area The United States considers pean colonialism had replaced Asmahan was a scion of the least two people, but gave no where the base is located Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the the Ottoman Empire, and cul- Druze sect’s powerful al-Atrush further details. and in many remote areas of Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) the tural icons reached the masses dynasty, which led a rebellion Paramilitary sources in the northern Iraq, despite the global jihadist network’s most via the new media of cinema French-Lebanese composer Garbriel Yared, left, and singer against France in the 1920s. area and a Baghdad-based group having lost its sway over dangerous branch. and radio, tapping into a surg- Yasmina Joumblatt perform during the opening of the Beiteddine Lebanon’s summer mu- paramilitary leader said one territory. AQAP, Islamic State group and ing spirit of Arab nationalism. International Art Festival at the historic Beiteddine Palace in Leba- sic festivals, set against the person had been killed in the It has claimed attacks other jihadist factions have Nearly a century later, her great- non’s Chouf moutains, southeast of the capital Beirut. backdrop of its most impres- attack, which took place early against Iraqi forces in recent flourished in the chaos of Yemen’s granddaughter Yasmina Joumblatt sive monuments like the Ro- yesterday. months. civil war, which has pitted the took to the stage on Thursday to living abroad,” said Joumblatt. Bats fl itted across the starry man temples at Baalbak and There was no immediate Several Iraqi bases hosting government - backed by a Saudi- sing at the Beiteddine festival in an She sang two Asmahan songs sky and coloured lights illumi- the Crusader castle of Byblos, claim of responsibility. US forces were hit by a number led military coalition since 2015 Ottoman-era palace in Lebanon’s arranged by Yared, as well as nated the ornate stonework of are an important feature in the A security source said two of rockets a few weeks ago in - against Shia Houthi rebels. Chouf mountains, accompany- other pieces. “It’s (a process of) the triple-arched palace gate country, Nora Jumblatt said. explosions hit the base, one unclaimed attacks in which no Mudiya region, where the attack ing the music of French-Lebanese rebuilding the songs. I treated and the long arcade running to “It is across society, not just targeting an ammunition one was hurt. took place, used to be a bastion of composer Gabriel Yared. this as if I was treating great one side of the stage. for the elite. When great art- depot belonging to an Iran- Washington is pressing Al Qaeda at the onset of the civil “I was a great admirer of her as music,” said Yared, who won To the left, a constellation of ists play, if you look up there are backed group. Iraq’s government to rein in war before loyalist forces drove a woman. I discovered her art later an Oscar for writing the music distant lights showed where roads people sitting on the roadsides The Pentagon denied that Iran-backed paramilitary jihadists from it, the security in life. What we tried to do is hon- to The English Patient and has and villages tumbled down the or on the roofs of their houses US forces were involved in groups which it says pose a sources said. our her and revisit her work while also scored many other fi lms. long valley towards the Mediter- listening,” she said. the attack, after at least one threat to US interests in Iraq. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, July 20, 2019 AFRICA

African Union warns travel curbs would hurt Congo Ebola response

AFP member states in Africa do not of more than 2,500 cases. turning to the Congo, where she Goma is adjacent to the Rwan- ity of the disease spreading. tated parts of West Africa from Addis Ababa impose any restrictions on trav- The World Health Organisa- died July 15. dan town Kisenyi. “The threat is high. As we 2014 to 2016. els to anyone going into or com- tion (WHO) said on Thursday The WHO this week declared It has a port that links to the speak there is no Ebola disease Pervasive insecurity in eastern ing outside of the Democratic that there were currently no cas- the outbreak a “public health Congolese city of Bukavu in outbreak in Uganda, but the mass Congo has undermined eff orts to top health offi cial at the Republic of the Congo,” said Dr es outside the Congo, but several emergency of international con- South Kivu province as well as an movement of people suggests bring the outbreak under control. African Union has warned John N Nkengasong, director of cases were recorded in Uganda cern”, a rare designation only airport with fl ights to the capi- that it can happen,” he said. Nkengasong said he planned Aagainst curbing travel to the Africa Centres for Disease last month, including two deaths. used for the gravest epidemics. tal Kinshasa, Uganda’s Entebbe In response to the WHO’s dec- to brief the African Union Peace the Democratic Republic of the Control and Prevention. The Congo’s health ministry Offi cials are especially con- and Addis Ababa, the capital of laration this week, the African and Security Council on the situ- Congo despite the “high” threat He said this would “impede said on Thursday that Ugandan cerned about the fi rst case that Ethiopia. Union plans to deploy members ation next week. of the spread of the second- our ability to eff ectively control offi cials were tracing the contacts was recorded this week in the At yesterday’s press confer- of its African Voluntary Health “We have to do something ex- deadliest Ebola outbreak on the virus”. of a fi shmonger who crossed North Kivu provincial capital ence, Nkengasong noted that Corps to the Congo. traordinary to guarantee the se- record. The Ebola outbreak in eastern from eastern Congo into Ugan- Goma, a city of about 1mn peo- tens of thousands of people cross Nkengasong said the corps had curity of the response area so that “We want to be sure that the Congo began a year ago and has da’s Kasese district and vomited ple situated on the shore of Lake from the Congo into Uganda on been a “game-changer” during we can actually bring this rapidly international community and killed more than 1,700 people out four times in a market before re- Kivu. market days, raising the possibil- the Ebola outbreak that devas- to an end,” he said. Zuma threatens Ramaphosa ‘misled’ enemies after graft inquiry adjourns

Reuters parliament: report Johannesburg AFP Ramaphosa reacted strongly to ularly referred to as “state cap- ormer South African Johannesburg the report, saying in a statement ture”, he is alleged to have over- president Jacob Zuma that it was “unfortunate” that seen mass looting of public assets Fhas threatened enemies Mkhwebane had not “given due during his nine-year tenure. in his ruling African National outh Africa’s ethics watch- consideration” to his explanation Mkhwebane added that the Congress (ANC) party, after dog said yesterday that that he did not know about the funds for Ramaphosa’s campaign securing a concession on how SPresident Cyril Ramapho- donation. were moved from one account he is questioned at a corrup- sa misled parliament last year Ramaphosa “reaffi rms his de- to another, raising suspicion of tion inquiry. over a 500,000-rand ($36,000, termination and commitment to “money-laundering”. The inquiry is looking into Zuma: Some say this old €32,000) donation to his cam- fi ght all forms of corruption” and She asked the country’s pros- allegations that Zuma, ousted man is angry. All I’m saying is paign fund from a company fac- that “no person regardless of the ecution authority to investigate by the African National Con- people must be very careful. ing extensive corruption allega- position they hold is above law”, and also gave the speaker of par- gress (ANC) party in February When I say I will say things tions. the statement said. liament 30 days to demand that last year, had allowed cronies about them, I mean it. Analysts said the damning re- He has promised to return the Ramaphosa divulge publicly all to plunder state resources and port by the country’s ombuds- funds. the donations he received to- infl uence senior appointments Sikhakhane added. woman, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, In the report released yes- wards his campaign. during his nine years in power. Zuma threatened yesterday could boost Ramaphosa’s oppo- terday, Mkhwebane said that Ramaphosa’s offi ce said he Zuma, 77, has long de- to pull out of the inquiry but nents within the ruling African despite Ramaphosa correcting would study the report in detail nied any wrongdoing and has withdrew that threat when National Congress (ANC) party, himself, “he indeed misled par- and decide on any further action. ducked and dived in his testi- his demand for a more leni- which is riven by in-fi ghting. liament”. The main opposition Demo- mony to the inquiry this week, ent form of questioning was Mkhwebane determined that “He should have allowed him- cratic Alliance (DA) party, which complaining that he is being granted. the president had given parlia- self suffi cient time to research on Ramaphosa: said in a statement that it was ‘unfortunate’ that fi rst raised questions about the questioned unfairly. The ANC is divided into two ment “erroneous” information a well-informed response,” she Mkhwebane had not ‘given due consideration’ to his explanation. donation to Ramaphosa, called “Some say this old man is broad factions, one loyal to when responding to an opposi- said. for lawmakers to take decisive angry,” Zuma told hundreds Zuma and another to his suc- tion question over the October After taking over when graft- those backing Ramaphosa, who Mkhwebane is the Public Pro- action. of supporters from a stage in a cessor, President Cyril Ram- 2017 donation. tainted Zuma was ousted in 2018, took the helm after Zuma became tector, a powerful watchdog in “It is time that parliament re- park in downtown Johannes- aphosa. Ramaphosa initially told law- Ramaphosa led the ANC to vic- entangled in graft scandals. South Africa who should be po- gain its teeth so that no individu- burg yesterday after the in- Ramaphosa is on a drive to makers that the payment was to tory in May elections, staking his “This report will add to the litically independent, although al who rises to the offi ce of presi- quiry was adjourned. “All I’m clean up politics, and analysts his son Andile for consultancy reputation on fi ghting corrup- (pro-Zuma) faction’s plans to critics accuse her of being a dent will ever be able to abuse saying is people must be very say that if the inquiry fails to work for Bosasa, now known as tion. neutralise and remove Ram- Zuma loyalist. that power,” DA leader Mmusi careful. When I say I will say link Zuma to serious wrong- African Global Operations. The fi ndings against the presi- aphosa, as they are threatened by Yesterday Zuma withdrew Maimane told reporters. things about them, I mean it.” doing, it could dent the presi- However, he later said it was a dent were “more damaging than his anti-corruption campaign,” from testifying to an inquiry into He demanded that Ramapho- Earlier this week Zuma ac- dent’s credibility. donation towards his campaign expected”, said Darias Jonker of Jonker said. corruption during his rule, com- sa appear before a special par- cused a close comrade in the State prosecutors are fol- to become ANC party leader – a the London-based Eurasia risk However, he ruled out Ram- plaining of bias, though he may liamentary committee, saying liberation struggle of being a lowing the Zuma inquiry and hard-fought battle in which he consultancy. aphosa facing criminal charges return at a later date (see report “what is clear is that this matter spy for the apartheid govern- could open cases if suffi cient beat ex-president Jacob Zuma’s The ANC is bitterly split be- or removal by parliament “in the on the right). runs much deeper than initially ment and foreign intelligence evidence emerges. chosen candidate. tween Zuma supporters and short-term”. In the corruption scandal pop- thought”. services. However Zuma, who was He said that the ANC had head of intelligence for the been infi ltrated by other spies. outlawed ANC under apart- Zuma will now be allowed to heid, is a shrewd operator who submit written statements to survived several no-confi - the inquiry on incidents where dence votes before his ousting. other witnesses have implicat- On Monday he told the in- Kenya president formally launches ed him in wrongdoing, as op- quiry that he had been the vic- posed to being questioned by a tim of a decades-old plot. legal team in public. The former president de- He will return to give evi- nied that he had done anything dence in public at a later stage, unlawful with his friends, the Africa’s biggest wind power farm but it is not yet clear when. Guptas, three Indian-born Zuma’s lawyer Muzi Sikha- businessmen who won lucra- khane told the senior judge tive state contracts during his By Nick Perry, AFP overseeing the inquiry that time in power, repeating: “I Lake Turkana, Kenya Zuma had been subject to a know nothing.” “relentless cross-examina- The Guptas, who have not tion”. appeared at the inquiry, have enya has formally “This animal called ‘corrup- denied that they used their re- launched Africa’s biggest tion’ is amorphous ... we don’t lationship with Zuma to plun- Kwind power plant, a mam- know who is actually corrupt,” der state resources. moth project in a gusty stretch of wilderness that already provides nearly one-fi fth of the country’s energy needs. The $680mn (€600mn) scheme, a sprawling 365-turbine Six missing after wind farm on the eastern shores of Lake Turkana, is delivering 310 megawatts of renewable power to Nigeria ambush, the national grid of East Africa’s most dynamic economy. The largest private investment including aid worker in Kenya’s history, the Lake Tur- kana Wind Power project was be- set with delays and took nearly a AFP “I call on all who may have decade to rise from the arid land- Kano infl uence to do everything they scape 600km (372 miles) north of This file photo taken last year shows wind turbines of the Lake Turkana can to keep them unharmed Nairobi. Wind Power project (LTWP), which have been standing idle for nearly a and work towards their safe re- The turbines, scattered across year, in Loiyangalani district, Marsabit County, northern Kenya. ix people are missing turn,” he said. Turkana’s stark lunar landscape following an ambush by An Islamic State-affi liated and rocky hills, began to deliver Right: Kenyatta at the inauguration of the 310MW renewable energy Ssuspected religious ex- group, the Islamic State West their fi rst electricity last Sep- project in Loiyangalani, Marsabit County. tremists on a humanitarian Africa Province (ISWAP), has tember. convoy in northeast Nigeria’s been active in the area, repeat- Today, their giant blades de- The winds howling near con- More than 2,000 trips were Kenyatta has previously com- “The farm was built on time. Borno state, an aid group said edly attacking military bases. liver 15% of Kenya’s entire in- stantly through the barren valley needed to bring all the materials mitted to 100% renewable en- But the project can only operate yesterday. The three-vehicle convoy stalled capacity, connected to the deliver double the load capac- from port to plant. ergy for Kenya by 2020 – a pledge if you can bring power to the cli- Action Against Hunger was returning to Damasak from national grid through a 428km ity enjoyed by similar projects in Some 200km of road leading to the government has been ac- ent,” said Catherine Collin, East (ACF) said in a statement that a Layi village where ACF runs a power line. America and Europe. the site had to be tarred to allow cused of betraying with plans to Africa head of the European In- member of staff was among the clinic for locals when the gun- “Today, we again raise the bar “It is unprecedented. This trucks through. build a coal-fi red power plant off vestment Bank. missing after the convoy was men opened fi re, according for the continent as we unveil the is one of the most consistently Another 100km of internal the coast in Lamu. The EU’s lending facility ambushed in Kennari, a village to a humanitarian source who single largest wind farm,” said windiest places in the world,” roads linking the turbines dot- That project – deemed un- loaned $200mn for the project, outside Damasak Town near spoke on condition of ano- President Uhuru Kenyatta, after said Rizwan Fazal, the execu- ting the hot, desert horizons necessary by experts – has been which received other fi nance the border with Niger. nymity. touring the project. “Kenya is tive director of the Lake Turkana were also constructed. stalled by legal challenges. from a consortium of European “One of the drivers was One of the vehicles veered without a doubt on course to be- Wind Power Project. The project, far more ambi- The Turkana wind farm in- and African companies killed, while one Action off the road and crashed into a come a world leader in renewable A Herculean eff ort was needed tious in scale than rivals else- volved years of planning and “There was a delay, there were Against Hunger staff member, tree, killing the driver. energy.” to construct the behemoth wind where on the continent, has been construction but the turbines a few diffi cult moments, I have to two of the drivers and three “The four were stuck in the The project lies in a natural farm in Kenya’s farthest ex- closely watched as a case study went up quicker than one a day, say, for everybody, but in the end health workers are missing,” vehicle and seized by the at- corridor dubbed “the windiest tremes. of investing in renewables in Af- with the last raised in March we all made it,” Collin said. ACF said. tackers,” the humanitarian place on earth” and promises to The windmills, manufactured rica, where demand for energy is 2017, ahead of schedule. Fazal said that it had been “an “We are deeply saddened by source said. “The occupants in harness this endless power at low by Danish company Vestas, had soaring as economies grow and But diffi culties in fi nancing incredible journey” but more this tragic incident as these are the other vehicles abandoned cost. to be brought one-by-one over- populations swell. the transmission line, being laid than anything it let the world colleagues dedicated to pro- their vehicles and fl ed on foot The nearly-50m turbines were land from the Kenyan port of In Kenya – which relies heavily by state-owned power company know Kenya’s untapped clean viding life-saving assistance,” to Damasak, 8km (fi ve miles) engineered to handle the fi erce Mombasa, some 1,200km away. on hydropower and geothermal Ketraco, and problems acquir- energy markets were open for they added. away.” gusts that tear through the “Tur- Each one was customised so – power is unreliable and costly, ing land, meant this landmark business. A statement by UN humani- The religious extremist in- kana Corridor”, a wind tunnel its diff erent segments could be hindering business as energy- project didn’t connect to the grid “It sends a very strong sig- tarian co-ordinator Edward surgency in northeast Nigeria that generates optimal condi- packed “like Russian dolls”, the intensive sectors such as manu- for another 18 months – in Sep- nal about Kenya being ripe for Kallon said he was “deeply dis- has been raging for over a dec- tions, year round. company said. facturing look to take off . tember 2018. projects,” he said. turbed” by the attack. ade. Gulf Times Saturday, July 20, 2019 5

AMERICAS

CRIME POLL OFFBEAT TRIAL DECISION Mother, three children Michelle Obama ‘most No more ‘manholes’ and Scion of wealthy Canada Canada to pay victims of stabbed to death in Georgia admired’ woman globally ‘policewomen’ in Berkeley family acquitted of murder sexual assault in military

A suspect is in custody in connection To some, she’s the “Forever First Lady” but The city of Berkeley has off icially gotten rid The scion of a wealthy Canadian family was Canada announced it has agreed to with the stabbing deaths of a Columbus, across the world, Michelle Obama is the “most of all of its “manholes,” “policewomen” and acquitted yesterday of murdering his father, in financially compensate victims of sexual Ga., mother and her three children, police admired.” According to a recent YouGov. “firemen” — well, so to speak. According to a retrial more than three years after a court had assault who had served in the military or said. Travane Brandon Jackson, who had a com poll, which surveyed 42,000 people an ordinance adopted by authorities, all such sentenced him to life in prison for the 2011 death. for the defence ministry. A yearlong official long-term relationship with the children’s in 41 countries, the former first lady topped commonly used words in city documents are Dennis Oland, 51, had been accused of murdering survey launched in November 2016 revealed mother, was charged with four counts the list as the “Most Admired Woman in the now banned and must be replaced by more his father Richard, then 69, who was part of the that at least three acts of sexual violence of family violence-murder, according to World.” Michelle even beat out her pal, media gender-neutral alternatives. “In recent years, family that owns Moosehead Breweries, Canada’s or aggression occurred each day in the WTVM-TV in Columbus. Jackson’s arrest mogul Oprah Winfrey, who came in second. broadening societal awareness of transgender oldest independent brewery. In a sensational trial Canadian military, often committed by a came after authorities found Jerrica Academy Award-winning actress and human and gender-nonconforming identities has that followed in New Brunswick, the younger superior officer. Nearly 1,000 members of Spellman, 29, and her children dead at the rights activist Angelina Jolie landed in third brought to light the importance of non-binary Oland was convicted of second-degree murder the army said they were victims of undesired Elizabeth Canty Homes near 20th Avenue place. Meanwhile, on the Most Admired Men’s gender inclusivity,” said council member Rigel in 2015 and sentenced to life behind bars in early sexual contact, rape, harassment or other and Cusseta Road. The three children were list Michelle’s husband, former president Robinson. “Therefore, it is both timely and 2016. “I sincerely hope everybody understands acts of sexual aggression. The agreement identified as three-year-old King Jackson, Barack Obama, came in at No.2. Billionaire and necessary to make the environment of City Hall that Dennis Oland is innocent. He did not kill his would provide record compensation of up to one-year-old Kensley Jackson and one- philanthropist Bill Gates topped the list, while and the language of city legislation consistent father,” his lawyer Alan Gold said after the new C$1bn ($770mn), according to the CBC. The month-old Kristen Jackson. action star Jackie Chan kicked in at No.3. with the principles of inclusion.” verdict. ministry declined to specify the amount. Four Chicago cops fi red for cover-up of fatal police shooting

Tribune News Service fi cers did nothing wrong. Chicago “It is obvious that this Police Board has out-served its useful- ness,” he said. he Chicago Police Board The video of McDonald’s has fi red a sergeant and shooting roiled the city after a Tthree offi cers over the al- Daley Centre judge ordered its leged cover-up of the murder of release in November 2015, more Laquan McDonald by a police of- than a year after the teen’s death. fi cer. The department of justice later The decision appeared to turn issued a scathing report about on the infamous police dash- police department inadequacies, board camera video of the fatal paving the way for a federal con- shooting that contradicted the sent decree mandating a series of offi cers’ police reports. reforms that will be overseen by a The nine-member board federal judge. found that the offi cers exag- Largely on the strength of the gerated the threat posed by the video, Van Dyke was criminally 17-year-old McDonald in order charged with McDonald’s kill- to justify the actions of offi cer ing, while a separate special Jason Van Dyke in shooting the prosecutor indicted Van Dyke’s teen 16 times. McDonald was partner, Joseph Walsh; lead de- high on PCP when he refused tective David March; and Offi cer police commands to drop a knife Thomas Gaff ney on charges they while walking away from offi cers conspired to cover up for Van Children play in a waterfall at Yards Park in Washington, DC, yesterday as an extreme heat wave hits the region. on a Southwest Side street in Oc- Dyke. tober 2014. Meanwhile, a disciplinary in- The board voted unanimously vestigation by city inspector to fi re offi cers Ricardo Viramon- general Joseph Ferguson’s offi ce tes and Janet Mondragon as well recommended that 11 offi cers in as sergeant Stephen Franko for all – including Van Dyke, now several rules violations, most serving a six-year sentence in importantly making false state- federal prison – be fi red. ments. All but one board mem- But six of them – including Massive heatwave broils ber voted to fi re Offi cer Daphne the two highest-ranking, deputy Sebastian as well for bringing chief David McNaughton and discredit to the department and chief of detectives Eugene Roy preventing the department from -– left the department before achieving its goals, though the superintendent Eddie Johnson board held that she did not make could move to discipline them. eastern and central US a false statement. In 2016, Johnson sought to The decision likely marks the fi re Franko, Mondragon, Sebas- Reuters orologist David Roth of the Na- putting stress on the system, faulty piece of equipment. row’s New York City Triathlon. fi nal punishment to be meted out tian and Viramontes but opted New York tional Weather Service’s Weath- which could cause outages. There were no major outages To keep cool during past heat following two historic criminal not to bring department charges er Prediction Centre. “I’m very confi dent,” Con- yesterday morning anywhere in waves, suburban children typi- trials that saw Van Dyke become against the 11th offi cer. “There are 124mn people un- solidated Edison president Tim the US, according to the Power- cally run under lawn sprinklers the fi rst Chicago police offi cer in The board’s 55-page deci- massive heatwave that der a heat advisory or excessive Cawley said when asked at a Outage.US website. and city kids frolic in the spray half a century to be convicted of sion comes three months after has enveloped the US heat warning — that’s a third of press conference in New York, Temperatures were forecast of fi re hydrants but the New York an on-duty murder and a judge Franko and the three officers AMidwest pushed into the the population,” Roth said. if the utility, which serves New to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit City Fire Department warned clear three other offi cers – in- fought the disciplinary charges Northeast yesterday, ushering As of yesterday, the heat wave York City, could quickly respond in Washington, 97 degrees F in special spray caps that fi rehous- cluding Van Dyke’s partner – of at a three-day hearing in which in temperatures that could top sprawled from Kansas to the to any outages in the country’s Philadelphia and 91 degrees F es hand out should be used to criminal conspiracy charges in a testimony and evidence were 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38°C) in Atlantic Coast, and from South largest city. in New York, where it would feel avoid creating a hazard. controversial ruling in January. presented. Washington, D.C., and leading Carolina north to Maine. It was He said 4,000 employees were more like 110 degrees F with high “If you open a fire hydrant The offi cers can challenge their Unlike the more stringent rea- utilities to take steps to prevent expected to intensify today and poised to work 12-hour shifts humidity, Roth said. without these caps, you en- dismissals by fi ling lawsuits in sonable doubt standard to prove power outages. tomorrow. over the weekend. The dangers posed by extreme danger your neighbours be- Cook County Circuit Court. guilt in a criminal trial, the police The huge blob of warm air Utilities in the eastern half of On Saturday, parts of Manhat- heat and humidity prompted of- cause the water pressure drops Patrick Murray, fi rst vice board found the offi cers violated is likely to blanket the region, the US expect to have enough re- tan lost power for hours, dark- fi cials to scrap outdoor compe- and our firefighters are not able president of the Chicago Frater- department rules based on a pre- home to a third of the US popu- sources to meet power demand ening Broadway theatres and titions, including today’s horse to fight fires,” FDNY commis- nal Order of Police, slammed the ponderance of evidence, mean- lation, through tomorrow with but asked consumers to turn closing restaurants and shops in races at Saratoga Race Course sioner Daniel Nigro said on so- board’s decision, saying the of- ing it was more likely than not. little overnight relief, said mete- down air conditioners to avoid a partial blackout blamed on a in upstate New York and tomor- cial media.

Moon landing anniversary Man jailed for life over Nine mafi a suspects Chinese student’s killing arrested

Reuters His mother was hugged by a edged in the trial and closing ar- Reuters Peoria, Ill. member of his legal team in the guments that their client killed Ottawa/Rome courtroom. Zhang, but asked the jury to con- Shadid admonished Chris- sider that he had struggled with n Illinois man described tensen for not addressing Zhang’s substance abuse and mental ill- anadian police said they by prosecutors as ob- family when he gave him the op- ness. had arrested nine sus- Asessed with serial killers portunity during a brief hearing “It’s the lesser of two evils,” Cpected members of a was sentenced to life in prison for later when he formally sentenced Christensen’s father Michael said powerful mafi a clan with roots in the kidnapping and decapitation him. “The mercy extended to you of the sentence. southern Italy involved in money of a Chinese graduate student by this jury is a testament to their Zhang’s parents and fi ance sat laundering and illegal gambling two years ago. humanity, not your character,” through the fi ve-week trial in Peo- in the Toronto area, seizing A US district court jury in Peo- Shadid said. ria, about 266km southwest of C$35mn ($26.8mn) in assets, in- ria, Illinois found Brendt Chris- While Illinois has outlawed Chicago. In a statement her family cluding fi ve Ferraris. tensen, 29, guilty last month capital punishment, it is an option said it disagreed with the sentence. Over three days, police raided of all charges in the murder of in federal cases tried under US kid- “We accept that he will spend the 48 cafes, businesses and residenc- Yingying Zhang, a 26-year-old napping laws. rest of his life in prison, which still es connected to the group, nab- student at the University of Illi- In the sentencing phase of the refl ects our loss in a meaningful bing the alleged boss, Angelo Fig- nois at Urbana-Champaign. trial on Wednesday, prosecu- way,” the family said. liomeni, and eight other suspects The jury of fi ve women and tors described how Christensen, Zhang was reported missing on on a raft of accusations, including seven men told the judge they a one-time masters student at June 9, 2017, two months after ar- money laundering, defrauding the were unable to unanimously de- the university, took Zhang to his riving from southeastern China government and participating in cide between life in prison or the apartment, where she fought for to study photosynthesis and crop an organised crime group. death penalty. her life as he bludgeoned her with a production. Canadian police are still trying Christensen was then sen- baseball bat, raped her and stabbed Her remains have never been to track down one other man on tenced to life imprisonment by her in the neck before cutting off found but prosecutors said her related illegal gambling and drugs default. Christensen, who looked her head. DNA matched blood found in three charges. In Italy, home of the Ca- down with his eyes closed, “He will die in prison as he spots in Christensen’s bedroom. labrian ‘Ndrangheta Mafi a, po- smiled and sighed when US dis- should for these unthinkable acts,” “If you have any humanity left lice arrested 12 people and sought trict judge James Shadid read the John Milhiser, the US attorney for in your soul, please help us end President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump host Apollo 11 crew members Michael two others in a parallel investiga- decision. the central district of Illinois, told our torment,” the Zhang family Collins (left), Buzz Aldrin (right) and their families at the White House in Washington, DC, tion for mafi a association, illegal He hugged and thanked his a news conference. said, pleading for Christensen to yesterday during a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. weapons possession, fraudulent lawyers. Christensen’s lawyers acknowl- disclose where he left her body. asset transfers and other crimes. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, July 20, 2019 ASIA 400,000 at risk as rivers burst 12 arrested their banks in Bangladesh as Rohingya Reuters traffi cking Dhaka

ain-swollen rivers in Bangladesh broke through fears rise Rat least four embank- ments, submerging dozens Thomson Reuters Foundation In a statement, the RAB of villages and doubling the Dhaka said the suspects were part number of people fl eeing their of a “human traffi cking ring” homes overnight to 400,000 in that had long been “taking one of the worst fl oods in recent angladesh has arrested advantage of the desperate years, offi cials said yesterday. 12 men suspected of tar- Rohingya”. Heavy rains and overfl owing Bgeting Rohingya refu- Scores of Rohingya have rivers have swamped 23 districts gees for traffi cking, police said boarded boats in recent in northern and northwestern yesterday, amid concerns over months to try to reach Malay- Bangladesh, offi cials said. the growing desperation of the sia and Thailand, prompting At least 30 people have been refugees. fears of a fresh wave of people killed since the fl oods began last Two Rohingya women and smuggling by sea. week. a Bangladeshi child were also An earlier upsurge of sec- “The government has opened held in the operation by the tarian violence in Myanmar more than 1,000 temporary Rapid Action Battalion, an prompted tens of thousands shelters but due to deep waters elite force of the Bangladesh of Rohingya to fl ee, an exo- and lack of communications, police, in the capital Dhaka dus that peaked in 2015, when many people aren’t able to reach late on Thursday. Police said an estimated 25,000 left for them,” Raihana Islam, an offi cial they were being questioned. Thailand, Malaysia and Indo- in the fl ood-affl icted district of The arrests came as UN nesia. Many drowned in un- Bogra, said. investigator Yanghee Lee safe and overloaded boats. Islam said scores of people warned traffi ckers were in- There are now about had instead camped on embank- creasingly targeting Ro- 900,000 Rohingya refugees ments, railway lines and high- hingya both in Myanmar and living in camps on Bangla- ways, where traffi c has come to in neighbouring Bangladesh, desh’s southeast coast, in an a standstill. where hundreds of thousands area that covers about 6,000 Aside from concern over fl ed following a brutal military acres – just under half the size crops, authorities are also wor- crackdown in 2017. of Manhattan. ried that rising fl ood waters Mainly Buddhist Myanmar Heavy rains have pounded could take a toll on livestock. regards the Muslim minority the camps in the past two South Asia receives monsoon People walk in floodwaters as they transport belongings on a makeshift raft following heavy monsoon rains at a flood aff ected area of Rohingya as illegal migrants. weeks, destroying hundreds of rains between June and October Gaibandha District, in northern Bangladesh, yesterday. “These traffi ckers are in- temporary structures. that often lead to fl oods later in volved in sending people Bangladesh has pledged to the season, but the intensity of Brahmaputra river, which fl ows In the neighbouring Indian sam Water Resources Minister district of Sitamarhi, said. to Malaysia and the Middle boost its anti-traffi cking ef- the deluge in Bangladesh is un- down from the Himalayas, state of Assam, fl oods on the Keshab Mahanta said. Two people died in Sri Lanka East,” Major Mohamed Ashra- forts in the camps following common. through northeastern India and Brahmaputra and its tributaries Water levels were also com- and fi ve were missing due to ful Haque told the Thomson criticism from Washington. “The severity of the fl ood of into Bangladesh, gave way late since last week displaced some ing down in the northern Indian heavy rain which had forced Reuters Foundation by phone. Government fi gures show this year is worse compared to on Thursday, said Mohammad 5.8 million people, but the situ- state of Bihar, where fl oods have hundreds to fl ee their homes He said they had taken authorities in Bangladesh recent years,” Ariful Islam, an Moniruzzaman, an offi cial in the ation has improved with waters killed at least 78 people. across the island nation, the 250,000 taka ($3,000) from rescued at least 250 Rohingya executive engineer of Bangla- federal agriculture ministry. receding, a state minister said. “We are now taking meas- state-run Disaster Management each of the three and had given from human traffi ckers in the desh Water Development Board, “The onrush of water sub- “While some people have ures to prevent outbreak of Centre said. them fake identity documents. fi rst half of this year. said. merged a vast area along with started going back to their homes, any disease,” Manish Ku- The central districts of Nuwara “We suspect that they were But Haque said the ar- The fl oods worsened af- several dozen villages,” he told about 70% continue to remain mar, the emergency offi cer Eliya and Ratnapura were the bringing in more Rohingya,” rests were “just the tip of the ter three embankments on the Reuters. in makeshift relief camps,” As- at Bihar’s worst fl ood-hit worst aff ected. he added. iceberg”.

Jumbo ride Vietnam accuses China vessel Cambodian of violating its sovereignty women Reuters fi rmed or denied the reports. maintaining order, peace and held over Hanoi “Over the last several days, security in the South China the Chinese survey ship, Hai- Sea, which was in the common yang Dizhi 8, and its escorts interest of all countries in the surrogacy ietnam yesterday accused conducted activities in the region and beyond. a Chinese oil survey vessel southern area of the East Sea Chinese Foreign Minis- Vand its escorts of violat- that violated Vietnam’s exclu- try spokesman Geng Shuang, charges ing its sovereignty and demanded sive economic zone and con- in response to questions for that China remove all of its ships tinental shelf,” Vietnam’s For- comments about the standoff , DPA from Vietnamese waters. eign Ministry spokeswoman Le said on Wednesday that “We Phnom Penh Vietnam and China have for Thi Thu Hang said in a state- hope the Vietnamese side can years long been embroiled in ment, referring to the South earnestly respect China’s sov- a dispute over the potentially China Sea. ereign rights and jurisdiction hree Cambodian women energy-rich stretch of waters “This area lies entirely with- over the relevant waters, and are facing more than 20 in the South China Sea. in the Vietnamese waters,” do not take any move that may Tyears in prison on human On Wednesday, two US- Hang said. complicate matters.” traffi cking and other charges based think tanks reported that Vietnam has demanded According to further analy- after being detained in Vietnam Chinese and Vietnamese ves- China stop the “unlawful ac- sis provided yesterday by one and turned over to Cambodian sels had engaged in a standoff tivities” and that its ships leave of the think tanks, the Center authorities for allegedly carry- lasting several weeks near an Vietnamese waters, she said. for Advanced Defense Studies ing babies for foreign nationals, oil block in Vietnam’s exclusive Hang also said Vietnam (C4ADS), the Haiyang Dizhi 8 local media reported. An elephant is transported on a truck in Dambulla in Sri Lanka. economic zone. Neither Beijing called on the international was still active in Vietnamese Two of the women are preg- nor Hanoi have directly con- community to join its eff orts in waters. nant and one has delivered a baby, a spokesman for the Phnom Penh Municipal Court told the Khmer Times. The court charged the women with selling, buying or exchang- ing a person for cross-border Thai youth embrace ancient martial art transfer under Cambodia’s anti-human traffi cking law, spokesman Kuch Kimlong said. By Sippachai Kunnuwong, AFP The lack of experienced trainers and The charge carries a maximum Thon Buri the complexity of managing an array sentence of 20 years in prison. of weaponry while engaging in hand- Kimlong said the women were to-hand sparring makes it “a diffi cult being detained in Phnom Penh’s rmed with a wooden knife and art form”, school coach Phatcharaphon Prey Sar prison. shield, a teenage girl fends off Banditketmala said. Cambodia outlawed surrogacy Afour sword-wielding boys with “But it off ers the fi ghters... a more ‘ul- in 2016. high-fl ying kicks in an action-packed timate’ fi ghting (experience) than Muay Since then, dozens of women homage to Thailand’s neglected sword- Thai,” he said. acting as surrogates and those fi ghting tradition. In order to spice things up for a running illegal surrogacy busi- The fi ghters are part of a grow- younger audience, teachers and stu- nesses have been arrested on ing group of students at a school on dents at the Thonburi school have added traffi cking charges. Bangkok’s outskirts mastering “Kra- more moves and gymnast spins, giv- A draft law, which could legal- bi Krabong,” a martial art used in ing fi ghters in action the appearance of ise altruistic surrogacy, is under centuries-old warfare between rival blockbuster stunt doubles. discussion, an offi cial told the kingdoms. “It’s a very cool sport that teaches Times. “It is a fi ghting technique used in a you about focus and partnership,” team The three women, all of whom bygone era,” 16-year-old Nantakarn Du- captain Nattapong Pulluk said. are in their early 30s, were also angthongyu said after her “4 vs 1” drill While small the club has gone on to charged for allegedly acting as at Thonburee Woratapeepalarak School. win prizes in martial arts contests in an “intermediary between an “We add new tricks and routines to Thailand and abroad. adoptive parent and a pregnant make it more exciting.” It has also cultivated a troop of female woman,” which carries penalties Soldiers used to deploy the elegant fi ghters who account for nearly half of of up to six months in prison and Krabi Krabong, meaning “sword staff ”, the 22-strong team. a maximum fi ne of $250. in hand-to-hand frontline combat or “Some girls may love cosmetics but I Last year, one of the three from the back of war elephants. like challenging activities. And I get to women persuaded another But as guns replaced swords, Krabi exercise,” Nantakarn, who has trained to carry a baby for a Chinese Krabong was reduced to a remnant of for fi ve years in the sport, told AFP. national. Thailand’s medieval past. Others say it has armed them with She was promised 8,000 dol- Experts preserved the deadly skill by self-defence skills in a country that lars in compensation upon de- turning it into an art form and practi- has yet to have a #MeToo-style pub- livery of the child, the Times tioners now duel with mock weapons in lic reckoning with sexual assault and reported. contests or for entertainment. harassment. One of the surrogates gave birth But it has failed to catch fi re unlike “If some psychopath tries to attack last week in Vietnam, after the Thailand’s better known martial art of me or abuse me, I can grab a stick and women and a group of Chinese na- Muay Thai kickboxing despite cam- fi ght them,” said 14-year-old Aiyakarn Students from the Thonburee Woratapeepalarak school practising for a competition featuring Krabi Krabong, a Thai martial tionals allegedly involved were ar- paigns to teach it in public schools. Lueakha. art, in Bangkok. rested by Vietnamese authorities. Gulf Times Saturday, July 20, 2019 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Singapore returning S Korean man kills self as millions linked to row with Japan escalates Malaysia AFP take unspecifi ed “necessary victims be set up voluntarily scandal Seoul measures” over the issue. by Japanese and South Korean To Kono’s remarks, Seoul’s fi rms. AFP foreign ministry insisted Tokyo Early this month, Japan an- Singapore n elderly South Korean should “make eff orts to heal the nounced restrictions on the man died yesterday after pain and wounds” of the Korean export of several chemicals to Asetting himself on fi re victims for the dispute to be South Korea that are key to the ingapore is returning al- outside the Japanese embassy in “truly resolved”. chip and smartphone indus- most $40mn to Malaysia Seoul as a bitter diplomatic dis- The Blue House said Ja- tries. Sseized in connection with pute over wartime forced labour pan’s claims that South Korea The move triggered anger in a massive fi nancial scandal that compensation took a fatal turn. is violating international law Seoul, but also raised interna- played a major role in the top- The row has seen Tokyo re- are “simply wrong” and urged tional concern about the eff ect pling of the corruption-plagued strict exports of chemicals vital Tokyo to “withdraw unjusti- on the global tech supply chain government of Najib Razak, po- to Seoul’s world-leading chip fi ed export restriction measures and the possibility of price hikes lice said. and smartphone industry in an and refrain from comments and for consumers. The city-state is one of several escalation of a decades-long measures that could further ex- Tokyo says the move was countries that launched probes dispute over Japanese forced la- acerbate the situation”. made necessary by a “loss of into allegations that billions of bour during World War II. Tokyo had asked South Korea trust” in relations with Seoul, dollars were misappropriated The man in his 70s started a to hold an arbitration meeting but also accuses South Korea of from Malaysian sovereign wealth fi re inside his vehicle parked in by Thursday on the issue. improperly handling exports of fund 1MDB in an elaborate ruse front of the embassy building Yesterday, Kono summoned sensitive materials from Japan. that stretched from Asia to the and later died after being treat- the South Korean ambassador Seoul has threatened to take United States. ed in hospital, authorities said, to Japan saying it was “deeply the issue to the World Trade The scandal - allegedly in- adding around 20 disposable Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono meets with South Korea’s ambassador to Japan Nam Gwan-pyo at regrettable” that the deadline Organisation and also urged volving Malaysia’s ex-leader Na- gas canisters were also found in the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo yesterday. had passed. Washington to intervene. jib, his family members and inner the car. “We strongly demand the Relations between the circle - played a key role in the He had spoken to an ac- Jongno Police Station said. Tokyo over the dispute which compensate victims. South Korean government to American allies have long been defeat of his long-ruling coali- quaintance on the phone while “His family members have analysts say could batter the Japan says the issue was re- immediately take corrective strained over issues related to tion at the polls last year. driving to the Japanese embassy also told us that his father-in- global tech market. solved under an agreement measures,” Kono said in a visibly Tokyo’s brutal 1910-45 colonial Singapore police said their from his home yesterday morn- law was one of the victims of Taro Kono urged Seoul to signed after relations with tense meeting with the envoy. rule of the Korean peninsula. commercial aff airs department ing and told the person that he Japan’s wartime slavery.” “immediately take corrective South Korea were normalised, Kono also slammed Seoul as But the recent court rulings had fi led applications to return was “setting fi re” to himself The suicide came as Japan’s measures” after South Korea’s which included a package of “extremely rude” for continu- and Japan’s export restrictions around S$50.3mn ($37mn) of because of “his hostility against foreign minister summoned the high court ordered Japanese loans. ing to suggest a joint compen- have seen relations sink to their seized money linked to 1MDB to Japan”, a police offi cer at Seoul’s South Korean ambassador in fi rms that used forced labour to Tokyo also warned it would sation fund for forced labour lowest point in years. Malaysia, and the courts have given their approval. “Part of the monies has al- ready been transferred to Malay- sia, while the rest are still being processed by the banks,” they 2 killed, 12 Ardern fl ies commercial said late Thursday. Police did not say where the money was seized from. missing in The US Department of Justice, after snag hits air force jet which has been seizing assets in the United States allegedly China blast bought with stolen 1MDB money, Reuters pre-fl ight checks, aff ecting the Australia. believes that some $4.5bn was Sydney fl ight management system. On her visit, Ardern raised plundered from the fund. AFP “A replacement part is being the issue of Australia deport- Singapore’s investigations into Beijing fl own to Australia and it is ex- ing criminals with a New Zea- 1MDB centred on allegations that ew Zealand Prime pected the repair will be made land background, particularly its fi nancial system was used to Minister Jacinda Ar- tomorrow,” the defence force those brought up in Australia launder some of the stolen funds. huge explosion rocked a Ndern was forced to fl y added in yesterday’s statement with no connection to New The fi nancial hub has jailed a gas plant in central China home on a commercial fl ight to the Australian Associated Zealand. Swiss banker and three Singa- Ayesterday, killing at least yesterday after a technical snag Press. “He knows that I consider porean private bankers for their two people and injuring another hit her air force plane, follow- New Zealand does not have it to be corrosive to the rela- Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, right, and Australia’s roles in the aff air. 18, state media said. ing a two-day trip to Australia, a dedicated aircraft such as the tionship,” she said, referring Prime Minister Scott Morrison enter a meeting in Melbourne yesterday. It has closed the local branches Another twelve people were where she spoke of the need to US presidential Air Force One to Australian Prime Minister of two Swiss banks, which were missing after the blast, said state boost regional co-operation. for its leaders, and the experi- Scott Morrison. told the agency, although Mor- without elaborating. allegedly used to transfer illicit broadcaster CCTV, which shat- New Zealand media said Ar- ence was not the fi rst for one of “I just think we can’t take rison did not directly address Australia, in particular, has funds, for what regulators called tered windows and doors of build- dern was returning on a com- its prime ministers. our friendship for granted,” the topic. been vying for infl uence with massive lapses in fi nancial con- ings in a 3km (1.9-mile) radius. mercial fl ight, and the coun- In 2016, Prime Minister John she added. Ardern also spoke about the China in sparsely populated trols. Offi cial news agency Xinhua try’s defence force said her Key had to delay a visit to India There were no plans to need for both countries to to- Pacifi c island countries that Since his election defeat, Najib had earlier said “many people” aircraft had suff ered a failure after his plane broke down on a change the policy, an Austral- gether pay more attention to control vast swathes of re- has been arrested over the scan- were injured by the explosion, of its air data computer during refuelling stop in the north of ian government spokesman “issues” in the Pacifi c region, source-rich oceans. dal and went on trial in April. which happened at 5:50pm local time (0950 GMT). Xinhua said the blast occurred in the air separation unit of the Henan Coal Gas Group factory and not in the gas tank areas, cit- China and Australia trade barbs over detained writer ing a source in the Yima city gov- ernment. All production at the plant has been stopped. AFP Beijing hit back and said it berra voicing its concern over Payne also said she had still (RSDL), a form of detention that gust over security fears. “Many windows and doors Beijing “deplores” the remarks made the lack of transparency around not received clarifi cation as allows authorities to hold people Earlier this week Australia within a three-kilometre radius by Australian Foreign Minister Yang’s case. to why Yang was being held, for serious crimes. challenged China’s treatment of were shattered, and some inte- Marise Payne, who had also de- Yesterday, Payne said in a though Australia received con- The foreign ministry in Beijing its Muslim Uighur minority by rior doors were also blown out hina and Australia manded Yang’s release if he was strongly-worded statement fi rmation on Friday that the had said when Yang was detained calling on Beijing to allow a Ui- by the blast,” CCTV said on its clashed yesterday over held for his political views. that the government had raised writer had been transferred to in January that he was suspected ghur woman and her Australian Twitter-like Weibo social media Cthe detention of an Aus- “China... urges the Austral- Yang’s case repeatedly with Bei- criminal detention, apparently of endangering “China’s national child to leave the country. account. tralian-Chinese writer who is ian side not to interfere in Chi- jing and written twice to Foreign on national security grounds. security” - which often implies Payne’s statement marked a Local media showed amateur held in Beijing on national secu- na’s lawful handling of the case Minister Wang Yi requesting a Yang’s lawyer, Mo Shaoping, espionage allegations. sharp increase in rhetoric over videos of a massive column of black rity grounds - the latest source in any way and stop issuing ir- “fair and transparent” resolu- said on Thursday that his cli- Australia has traditionally Yang’s detention after months smoke billowing from the factory of tension between the two responsible remarks,” said Chi- tion, as well as access for Yang ent’s family picked up a formal been keen to avoid friction with of more quiet diplomacy. and debris littering the roads. countries. nese foreign ministry spokes- to his lawyer. notice in Beijing that said Yang its biggest trading partner, but “We have worked tirelessly Other images showed the Canberra said it was “deeply man Geng Shuang at a press “This has not occurred,” she is suspected of endangering tensions have escalated over and in good faith with the Chi- doors and windows of homes disappointed” with the criminal briefi ng in Beijing. said. state security and was being security concerns and China’s nese government to advocate blown out and shuttered shops detention of Australian author The detention of the Aus- “The government has ex- moved to a detention centre in growing presence in the Pacifi c. for Dr Yang’s interests since he with dented metal fronts. and democracy advocate Yang tralian writer, who goes by the pressed concern about Dr the capital. Australia notably angered was detained,” she said. A bloodied man was seen be- Jun, who was detained in Janu- pen name Yang Hengjun, has Yang’s welfare and the condi- Until this week, Yang had been Beijing when it banned Chinese “We expect basic standards ing helped out of a van in a video ary after making a rare return to strained relations between the tions under which he is held,” held under “residential surveil- tech giant Huawei from partici- of justice and procedural fair- posted on social media. China from the United States. two governments, with Can- she added. lance at a designated location” pating in its 5G network last Au- ness to be met.” Suspected Japanese arsonist is ex-convict Reuters country with one of the world’s lowest studio on his daily commute. been disclosed as yesterday. There Kyoto crime rates since a suspected arson at- “I’m just very, very sad that these peo- were 74 people inside the building tack in Tokyo killed 44 people in 2001. ple who are so much younger than me when the fi re started, Kyodo said. Aoba wheeled a trolley carrying at passed away so prematurely,” he said. Last month, Aoba had a confronta- man suspected of torching an least one bucket of petrol to the en- The studio had about 160 employees tion when he complained to a neighbour animation studio and killing 33 trance of the building before dousing with an average age of 33, according to its about noise in the apartment building, Apeople in Japan’s worst mass kill- the area, shouting “die” and setting it website. That makes it a relatively young the Mainichi newspaper reported. ing in two decades had been convicted ablaze on Thursday, broadcaster Nip- company in rapidly greying Japan. When the neighbour said the noise of robbery and carried out the attack pon TV said, citing police. Tributes to the victims lit up social me- was coming from another apartment, because he believed his novel had been “I did it,” Aoba told police when he dia, with world leaders and Apple Inc’s Aoba grabbed the neighbour’s shirt plagiarised, media said yesterday. was detained, Kyodo news said, adding chief executive off ering condolences. and said: “Shut up, I’ll kill you,” the Public broadcaster NHK, which that he had started the fi re because he Aoba, a resident of the Tokyo suburb newspaper said. identifi ed the 41-year-old man as Shinji believed the studio had stolen his novel. of Saitama, some 480km (300 miles) The fi re that tore through the build- Aoba, citing police, said he served time Police declined to comment. Aoba east of Kyoto, was believed to have ing spread so fast not only because it in prison for robbing a convenience was under anaesthesia because of bought two 20-litre cans at a hardware was fuelled by petrol, but because it store east of Tokyo in 2012 and, after burns he suff ered and police were un- store and prepared the petrol in a park was funnelled up a spiral staircase and Women pray outside the Kyoto Animation building which was torched by arson his release, lived in facilities for former able to question him, Nippon TV said. near the studio, Nippon TV said. there were no sprinklers to douse it, attack, in Kyoto yesterday. convicts. He had also received care for He “seemed to be discontented, he He travelled to the area by train, the experts said. mental illness, NHK said. seemed to get angry, shouting some- broadcaster said. Nineteen of the 33 who died were The victims may have rushed up the said covered suspected arson, murder The attack on Thursday in the an- thing about how he had been plagia- NHK showed footage of him lying on found on a staircase leading up to the stairs to escape the blaze and found and attempted murder. cient capital of Kyoto, targeting the rised”, a woman who saw him being his back as he spoke to a police offi cer roof from the third fl oor, bodies piled themselves unable to open the door, it Two petrol cans, a rucksack and well-known animation studio, Kyoto detained told reporters. at the time of his detention, shoeless on top of each other, Kyodo said, citing added. a trolley were found near the site, Animation, killed 33 people and 10 “I imagine many of the people and with apparent burns on his right authorities. The fi re wasn’t put out until early and television images showed were in critical condition, authorities who died were in their twenties,” said leg below the knee. Firefi ghters arriving soon after the yesterday. what appeared to be fi ve long said. Most of the dead were killed by 71-year-old Kozo Tsujii, fi ghting back He had no connection with Kyoto fi re began found the door to the roof Police investigators searched the knives laid out by police as pos- carbon dioxide inhalation, NHK said. tears after laying fl owers near the stu- Animation, NHK said. was shut but could be opened from the smouldering shell of the building for sible evidence outside the three- It was the worst mass killing in a dio in the rain. He said he drives by the None of the victims’ identities had outside, Kyodo said. evidence in an investigation that Kyodo storey building. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, July 20, 2019 BRITAIN

Harry, Meghan face battle over Frogmore Cottage renovations

By Daily Mail applied for retrospective plan- the Royal Borough of Windsor exceptions including some gov- reasons of national security, we the drawing board and apply for public for reasons of security.” London ning consent for ‘external land- and Maidenhead Council can ernment buildings. would appreciate if this appli- planning permission again. The source added: “Some scaping works’ in their garden issue an enforcement notice But Ian Ratcliff e, project man- cation could be treated as con- The source said: “The build- changes have been made to the at Frogmore Cottage which is which could require the couple ager at the Royal Household, said fi dential, and not be allowed to ing services department had to plans to create the duke and hey have faced strong diff erent from the design al- to reverse any changes made at in a letter to the council that de- enter the public domain.” make a minor amendment to duchess’s garden after the origi- criticism over the multi- ready approved by the council. the Grade-II listed cottage. tails of the couple’s plans should Similar requests for secrecy the landscaping of the property nal planning consent was grant- Tmillion-pound – publicly The work is also said to include The exact details of the chang- also be kept secret. accompanied previous applica- – which was out of everyone’s ed. Frogmore Cottage will be the funded – revamp of their luxury a kitchen garden and £20,000 of es are not clear, however, because He said “national security tions for work at Frogmore Cot- control – but as it was a change perfect place for a royal prince to home at Windsor. shrubs, hedges or trees. large swathes of the application could be compromised if public tage, which has had a £2.65mn to the agreed plans, it was unfor- grow up with the duke and duch- But now the Duke and Duch- Retrospective planning ap- have been redacted – which will access is given to the plans” ei- renovation, with £2.4mn of that tunately necessary to re-submit ess and these changes are very ess of Sussex face fresh embar- plications can be submitted for add further to the growing secre- ther on the council’s website or from public funds. them. important to create a perfect rassment after work in their work already carried out but it cy row faced by the couple. in its offi ces. The revised plans, according “As the proposals include lay- home for themselves and Archie. garden left them in a potential does not mean permission will Planning applications, by law, Copies should not be sent to a source, do not amount to outs of the house and garden, These specifi c changes are be- breach of planning rules. automatically be granted. should be published by local to statutory consultees, as is a huge change but it is enough building services ask as a matter of ing dealt with the local council Agents for the royal couple If the application is refused, councils in full. There are certain typical, he argued, adding: “For for them to have to go back to necessity that they are not made to avoid the need for any action.” Khan seeks new powers to impose rent controls

Guardian News and Media In the German capital, which London has recently announced a fi ve- year rent freeze, rents are con- trolled both within and between adiq Khan has demanded tenancies. In New York City an overhaul of tenancy some apartments have their Slaws in a campaign for rents capped by a board. London rent controls that is set Khan said Scotland had re- to be the cornerstone of his 2020 cently introduced laws allowing re-election campaign. councils to apply “rent pressure The London mayor has said he zones” where rents could rise by intends to introduce a London no more than infl ation, but the private rent commission, with rest of England and Wales had a board that would include cur- very weak protections. Boris Johnson, a leadership candidate for the Conservative Party, arrives at off ices in central in London yesterday. rent renters, to enforce measures “It is high time for private rent- to reduce rents and keep them ing in London to be transformed. at lower levels, but he currently Londoners need fundamental lacks the legal power to do so. change that is long overdue,” Khan’s demand is unlikely to Khan said. “Unlike other mayors be viewed sympathetically by around the world, I have no pow- the Conservative government, ers over the private rented sector. but the mayor launched a report That’s why this landmark report Could back no-trust vote at City Hall yesterday setting out sets out a detailed blueprint of the new powers he would require what the government must do to and a blueprint for the overhaul overhaul tenancy laws, and what of the rental sector. powers City Hall needs from The report says the mayor is them to bring rents down.” seeking devolved powers in or- The report, authored by the La- against Johnson: Hammond der to: bour MP Karen Buck and the dep- z Establish a universal register uty mayor, James Murray, draws on of landlords to access valuable proposals from a study by the New Guardian News and Media from an explicit parliamentary He also reportedly encour- £30bn in government bor- tween Johnson, a former for- data as well as enforce standards. Economics Foundation (NEF). London approval. aged others to vote to ensure rowing. eign secretary, and the chan- z Establish a London private Miatta Fahnbulleh, NEF’s chief “There should be a new and that parliament continues to sit Hammond said: “In prac- cellor, who has despaired at the rent commission to design and executive, said urgent and radi- sincere attempt to reach a con- through September and Octo- tice, extending the deadline is spending promises made by the implement an eff ective system cal action was needed. She said: hilip Hammond has sug- sensus. If we do not fi nd a solu- ber. absolutely necessary. Between leadership hopefuls and has re- of rent control. “Since 2010 average rents have ris- gested he is prepared to tion with the members, we may In his interview with the two the summer break, the arrival fused to endorse either of the z Implement simple rent sta- en three times as fast as average in- Pvote to bring down a Boris have to ask the British to give media outlets, Hammond said of the new commission and the candidates. bilisation measures such as caps comes. The scale of this aff ordabil- Johnson government should the their opinion again, in one form he could not see any prospect change of the government, it is “He is actually a more com- on rent increases while the com- ity crisis means that action must be likely new prime minister push or another.” of a successful negotiation with simply impossible to negotiate plex personality than it some- mission is being created. taken. We support the mayor’s call for a no-deal Brexit. Asked again to rule out sup- the EU before October 31, when anything before October 31. times seems,” Hammond said The report says the average – drawn from NEF’s proposals – In an outspoken intervention porting a motion of no confi - Johnson says the UK will leave, “If the next government is of Johnson in his interview. private rent for a one-bedroom for additional powers to design and days before Johnson is expect- dence, Hammond responded: “I “do or die”. sincere in its desire to reach “He is a mainstream conserva- home in London is now more roll out rent controls. With a ma- ed to win the keys to Downing do not exclude anything for the He added that he did not an agreement with Europe, it tive on all topics except Brexit. than the average for a three-bed jority of Londoners now in favour Street, the chancellor said it moment.” think it a good idea to continue must try to get more time. If it I very much regret his attitude home in every other region of of rent control, we urge the govern- was “absolutely necessary” for The chancellor was one of endlessly extending the UK’s does not, the parliament will to Brexit. His own story, which England. The proportion of Lon- ment to grant the powers needed the UK to extend its EU mem- four Cabinet ministers who membership of the EU to avoid insist on getting a new post- is multicultural, multinational doners renting privately has risen to the mayor to bring rents down bership beyond October 31. broke ranks with the govern- no-deal, but could not ac- ponement. and liberal, speaks for itself.” from 11% in 1990 to 26% last year. to aff ordable levels for London’s Asked whether he would ment to abstain on a vote on cept the economic damage that “I will remain a member of But Hammond admitted he Polling by YouGov and City 2.4mn private renters.” Dan Wilson rule out voting in favour of a Thursday, the result of which would be infl icted on leaving the House of Commons. I will could understand the frustra- Hall suggests more than two- Craw, the director of the housing no-confi dence motion against prevents Johnson from pro- this autumn. do everything in my power tion in EU capitals at the state thirds of Londoners favour caps campaign group Generation Rent, Johnson, Hammond told Le roguing, or suspending, parlia- The Office of Budget Re- from my position to make sure of the Brexit process “because on the amount landlords can said the current state of the rental Monde and Suddeutsche Zei- ment in order to push through sponsibility warned this that parliament blocks a Brexit some of my compatriots are charge, similar to systems in market meant a rented property tung: “I will take steps to avoid an exit from the EU without a week that a no-deal Brexit without agreement.” deliberately noisy, rude and in- Berlin and New York. could rarely be a true home. an exit without agreement apart deal. would require an additional There is little love lost be- considerate”.

Greens protest New road safety plan eyes 17 injured as vehicles fi tting cars with ‘alcolocks’ plough into crowd Guardian News and Media 12 people to three hospitals: London Lister hospital in Stevenage, Guardian News and Media with 21% three years earlier. The Road Safety Minister, Watford hospital and the Prin- London A total of 74 actions have been Michael Ellis, said: “Far too cess Alexandra in Harlow. An published for consultation by many people are not wearing a eventeen people have air ambulance also attended the DfT in an attempt to restore seatbelt while travelling in a car, been injured, some seri- the incident. onvicted drink-drivers the trend for safer roads, which needlessly putting their lives Sously, after a crash in- Footage on social media could have “alcolocks” reversed and fl atlined under at risk. Increasing penalties for volving two cars at a street showed a car passing another Cfi tted to their cars, pre- the coalition government. Road people who disregard the sim- meeting in Stevenage. vehicle before the two collided venting the vehicle from start- deaths fell sharply during the plest of way of protecting them- Hertfordshire constabulary and one ploughed into spec- ing without the driver passing previous decade but numbers selves is just one of a long list of said the cars were involved in tators. One witness said on a breath test, under new road have remained roughly static actions this government is tak- a collision on Monkswood Twitter: “I’ve just witnessed safety plans. since 2010. ing to help keep people safe on Way at about 9.45pm on that horrendous crash in Ste- The government is funding Guidance on alcolocks, our roads.” An advisory panel Thursday. Reports on social venage, no more than 50ft a study to investigate how ef- breathalyser-type devices that will also be set up to explore media suggested the incident away from me. I’m still trying fective the devices would be in stop the vehicle operating if its how to boost road safety on rural happened during a car meet to process it all.” stopping reoff ending, as part of a driver has consumed more than roads, while campaigns will be and that a group of people A group called Cruise-Herts package of measures to improve the alcohol limit, will be part of set up to further educate chil- standing at the side of the had said on Facebook that it road safety in the face of wors- a review of drink-driving trends dren about road safety. road were hit. was holding a car meet event ening drink-driving. and interventions by the Parlia- The measures come in addi- Hertfordshire constabulary on Thursday to raise money for Other proposals include more mentary Advisory Council for tion to a trailed possible ban on confi rmed the number of peo- a charity supporting bereaved severe penalties for failing to Transport Safety (Pacts). The new drivers taking the wheel at ple injured had increased to 17 parents. wear a seatbelt, with penalty devices are commonplace in Eu- night under a “graduated driver from the 14 initially reported. Rix Sidu, of the club, told points that could result in repeat rope, particularly for operators licensing” plan. Insurers wel- A spokesman added: “I am not the MailOnline: “We organise off enders losing their licences. of commercial and passenger comed the announcement and aware of any fatalities or ar- static meet-ups. We park up People without seatbelts are vehicles, and National Express urged immediate action. The rests at this stage, however in- and walk about and admire the currently given a £100 on-the- fi tted them to their coach fl eet Association of British Insurers vestigations are ongoing. cars, we’ve even had families spot fi ne, but the department some years ago. said its “potential to dramati- Demonstrators from the Extinction Rebellion climate “We are working with the come in the past. for transport is proposing the The Transport Secretary, cally improve road safety in the environmental activist group take part in a protest outside road policing unit and local “We’ve been doing this for tougher laws on the back of fi g- Chris Grayling, said: “The UK UK is indisputable”, adding that the offices of UK newspapers including the Daily Mail at policing teams for further up- 10 years. But we can’t con- ures showing a rising number of has some of the safest roads in there was overwhelming evi- Northcliffe House in west London yesterday calling for dates and will be in touch in trol everyone and we don’t fatalities. In 2017, 27% of people the world but we are not com- dence for its eff ectiveness from action on what they describe as a climate and ecological due course.” promote this. We are not boy who died in crashes were not placent and continue to look at places such as Canada, New emergency. The East of England ambu- racers, we are car enthusi- wearing seatbelts, compared how we can make them safer.” Zealand and California. lance service said it had taken asts.” Gulf Times Saturday, July 20, 2019 9 EUROPE Dutch state accepts 10% liability for Srebrenica deaths

Reuters and set its liability at 10% of the boys in all were taken away and they contribute troops to peace- base and that, by handing them “No matter if it’s 1%, 10% or base had been unlawful. The Hague overall loss suff ered. murdered in what was the worst keeping operations. over, they had knowingly and 100%, they are responsible,” she “Their accountability can “The government accepts the mass slaughter on European soil During the Bosnian confl ict unlawfully sent them to possible said. never be erased. We won’t leave it verdict of the Supreme Court,” since World War II. in 1995, several hundred out- abuse or death at the hands of the A lawyer for the victims said here, we will go to the European he Dutch government has the defence ministry said in a It was recognised as genocide gunned Dutch peacekeeping Bosnian Serb troops. he would study the verdict to see court to see if we have the right to accepted that the state statement. “The state thereby by the International Court of troops had been assigned to pro- “They took away the men’s if there are possibilities to fi ght justice as Muslims,” said Munira Twas partially liable for the accepts liability for the damages Justice. tect a UN-designated “safe area” chance to stay out of the hands of the case further at the European Subasic, another plaintiff in the deaths in 1995 of 350 Muslim as determined by the Supreme The adjudication of 10% li- where thousands of Muslims had the Bosnian Serbs,” it said. Court of Human Rights. case. males who were expelled from Court.” ability means claimants are only sought refuge from Bosnian Serb Kada Hotic, one of the Mothers While the Supreme Court up- The amount of the damages a UN base and killed by Bosnian The Dutch ruling paves the likely to receive around a few forces – among them 350 men of Srebrenica group of survivors held the partial liability of the was not specifi ed by the Supreme Serb forces at Srebrenica. way for payments to the fami- thousand euros in compensation. who made it into the Dutch base. present in court, told Reuters state, the judges rejected a sec- Court yesterday, but in an earlier The Supreme Court of the lies of victims and survivors of However, the case could still The Supreme Court found that that the Dutch government was ond charge – that the assistance case the Dutch state paid tens of Netherlands upheld a previous the killings at Srebrenica, when set an international legal prec- the Dutch forces could have al- responsible for the start of the given by Dutch forces in remov- thousands of euros to several ruling against the Dutch state around 8,000 Muslim men and edent for states’ liability when lowed those men to stay in the genocide in Srebrenica. ing those gathered outside the survivors.

European Commission green-lights €1.4bn in aid for refugees in Turkey

The European Commission has approved €1.41bn ($1.58bn) in funding for refugees living in Turkey, as part of an aid pledge to Ankara that has withstood rising tensions between the two sides. The money will go towards health, protection, socioeconomic support and municipal infrastructure projects benefiting refugees, Strong quake rattles the commission announced. It is part of an overall €6bn pledge to help Turkey host an influx of refugees from war-torn Syria, under a deal struck in 2015 at the height of a migration crisis in the European Union. In return, Ankara agreed to prevent people from attempting to reach the bloc. “With this new allocation of funds, the EU continues to deliver on its commitment to support Turkey in hosting the largest group of Athens, sparks panic refugees in the world,” EU Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a statement. Reuters/AFP The EU has now allocated €5.6bn out of the total pledge, the Athens commission said. Overall, €2.35bn have so far been disbursed to designated projects. Turkey has repeatedly accused the EU of not living up to its aid magnitude 5.1 earthquake pledges. rattled the Greek capital AAthens yesterday, briefl y knocking out power and tel- Migrant rescue captain Rackete has ecommunications in parts of the city and sending people running left Italy for Germany: Sea-Watch from buildings in panic. The European Earthquake The German captain of rescue vessel Sea-Watch 3, Carola Rackete, Monitoring Centre (EMC) re- who was temporarily arrested in Italy for docking without corded the quake’s epicentre at a permission to land rescued migrants, has left for her home country, point 22km (14 miles) northwest her charity group said. of the city. “We can confirm the departure for Germany” from Italy, a Sea-Watch Its website quoted a witness spokesman told AFP. as saying that the quake was Rackete, 31, was arrested on June 29 and held for several days after “strong but fortunately not very the Sea-Watch 3 hit an Italian police speedboat while entering the long”, while another compared port of Lampedusa island despite a ban from entering Italian waters. it to a “strong bounce” lasting She argued she was compelled to avert a human tragedy and about 15 seconds. bring ashore 40 migrants whom she had rescued on June 12 in the The Acropolis, a complex of Mediterranean. ancient Greek buildings includ- Italy’s far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini reacted furiously and ing the Parthenon located on a labelled her a criminal and a threat to national security. rocky hilltop overlooking the Rackete faces an Italian investigation on allegations of aiding and capital, was intact, according to abetting illegal immigration and entering Italian waters in violation the authorities. of the ban. It is one of the world’s most Salvini said yesterday that he could not wait to expel the “spoiled visited historical landmarks. German communist”, who had earlier filed a lawsuit against him for Reuters correspondents saw his online verbal attacks against her. people evacuating buildings in the sprawling capital, and hun- dreds crammed into central Syn- Dozens of migrants force entry into tagma Square. “It was a very intense quake, Spain’s Melilla enclave, seven injured we were terrifi ed, everyone start- ed coming out (of the building),” Firefighters search for trapped Around 50 migrants forced their way into Spain’s North African a young woman named Katerina people at a partly-demolished enclave of Melilla from Morocco yesterday by climbing over a told AFP outside the six-storey structure at the port of Piraeus, towering border fence, Spanish authorities said. cosmetics store where she works. near Athens, following an About 200 migrants tried to storm the barbed wire fence at dawn “It was more like an explo- earthquake. but Spanish and Moroccan security forces prevented all but around sion,” another woman told ERT 50 from entering the coastal city, a spokesman for the Spanish on the city’s central Syntagma which the Athens Geodynamic government’s representative in Melilla said. Square. “We were all very afraid, Institute considered to be a posi- One migrant suff ered a fractured leg and was hospitalised and six so we’ll stay here for a couple of tive sign. Spanish police off icers were “lightly” injured with bruises and cuts, hours.” Noting that many people were he added. Three people including a Bel- likely afraid to sleep indoors, the The only other mass attempt by migrants to enter Melilla this year gian tourist were lightly-injured minister said that additional po- happened in May when roughly 50 migrants managed to scale the by falling debris, health ministry lice would be deployed and re- border fence and get across. offi cials said. main on standby for the entire “There is not as much pressure on the border,” the spokesman said. In the port city of Piraeus, an weekend. Spain’s two North African enclaves, Melilla and Ceuta, have the abandoned structure on a port “We are here next to you, we European Union’s only land borders with Africa. quay collapsed. will not leave, we will not sleep They are often used as entry points into Europe for African The quake occurred at a depth until all danger has receded ... migrants, who either climb over their border fences or try to swim of 15km (9.3 miles) in an area af- we will overcome this together,” along the coast. fected by earthquakes in the past. Chrysochoidis said in a televised Greece, along with Turkey, is statement. among the most tremor-prone Prime Minister Kyriakos Mit- High support for Zelenskiy party regions of Europe. sotakis said the response of state “The earthquake was close services to the earthquake was ahead of Ukraine vote this weekend to the surface, which is why it satisfactory. was felt so much,” seismologist “We have learned to live with The party of Ukraine’s new president, former comedian Volodymyr Manolis Skordilis told Greece’s earthquakes, this was one more Zelenskiy, was leading in opinion polls as campaigning wrapped up Star TV. quake,” he told reporters after yesterday ahead of Kyiv’s parliamentary vote this weekend. Citizens’ Protection Minister visiting the civil protection co- Named Servant of the People party after a sitcom in which Zelenskiy Michalis Chrysochoidis said that ordinating centre in Athens, a Rocks block part of a road in Aspropirgos, near Athens, following an earthquake. starred as president, it was polling between 44% and 52% of the there had been 30 calls asking metropolis of almost 4mn peo- vote, according to various opinion polls taken this week. the fi re brigade for help in rescu- ple. the civil protection department. the foot of Mount Parnitha. ple died and at least 23 were in- The number of seats Servant of the People is likely to win remains ing people trapped in elevators, “The situation is gradually Around 40 minutes after the In 1999, an earthquake of jured – most of them tourists – unclear and it may need to form a coalition in order to govern. while some abandoned buildings subsiding. The city withstood fi rst tremor, residents felt an- magnitude 5.9 in the same area as a fi erce storm ripped through The 41-year-old president’s party barely existed before his were damaged. this and can handle it. There is other strong quake, which the killed 143 people. beachfronts in Halkidiki, one of presidential campaign and promises to crack down on “corruption, He said the sequence of post- no cause for concern,” said Nikos EMC rated magnitude 4.4, with In another natural disaster Greece’s top tourist areas on July looting, bribery and hypocrites”. quake tremors was normal, Hardalias, general secretary for an epicentre in the same region at earlier this month, seven peo- 10. Kosovo PM resigns after being called to war crimes court

Reuters/AFP citizen of Kosovo. I chose the They have been frozen since high-ranking former KLA offi c- One of his own advisers was vested from prisoners of war. Pristina latter,” he added. November 2018 when Kosovo ers have seen witness intimida- also called for questioning in Thaci denied any wrongdo- “Now the responsibility is to introduced a 100% trade tariff s tion. The Hague, he added. ing. the president to start consulta- on all products made in Serbia. This is the second time Har- Kosovo war veterans organi- The KLA rose up against Ser- osovo’s prime minister tions and to announce an early Asked about Haradinaj’s dinaj has resigned as prime min- sations say more than 50 ex- bian strongman Slobodan Milo- said yesterday that he election date,” he said, adding he case, Christopher Bennet, the ister. KLA guerrillas had been ques- sevic, eventually winning cru- Kwas resigning because he would travel to The Hague next spokesman for the prosecutor, In 2005 he was indicted by the tioned as witnesses or suspects cial Nato air support that halted had been called to a war crimes week. told Reuters: “Rule 30 states that United Nations War Crimes Tri- in atrocities against Serbs dur- the killing and expulsion of Ko- court in The Hague to answer Haradinaj, a former guerrilla I have an obligation to protect bunal for former Yugoslavia. ing the 1998-99 confl ict, but sovo Albanian civilians during a prosecutors’ questions related to commander, has always denied the privacy of every individual. I He was tried and acquitted that none had been indicted to brutal counter-insurgency cam- Kosovo’s violent independence any wrongdoing and said he is cannot confi rm anything.” twice by that court. date. paign. struggle two decades ago. ready to face any accusations. The chamber in The Hague Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and parliament speaker Kosovo, with a 90% ethnic “The reason for this deci- The Specialist Chamber was is governed by Kosovo law, but Thaci said he respected Haradi- Kadri Veseli are also ex-KLA Albanian majority, declared in- sion is because of a call I have set up in 2015 to try ex-Kosovo staff ed by international judges naj’s decision and would consult commanders and local media say dependence from Serbia in 2008 received to be interviewed by a Liberation Army (KLA) guerril- and prosecutors. with political parties on forming they could also be summoned to and has been recognised by over specialist chamber as a suspect,” las for alleged atrocities in the It is funded by the European another government or holding The Hague for questioning. 110 states, but not by fi ve EU Ramush Haradinaj said, his eyes war of 1998-99 that led to inde- Union, which both Kosovo and snap elections. A 2011 report by the Council member states, Serbia or Russia. Haradinaj: I received a summons welling in tears as he spoke to re- pendence from Serbia. Serbia hope to join. “I believe in the purity of the of Europe linked Thaci and some Relations between Kosovo and from the special court as a suspect porters after a government ses- Haradinaj’s resignation will The court sits in the Dutch war of the Kosovo Liberation other leading Kosovo fi gures Serbia remain tense, but the EU and was off ered to go as the prime sion. cause further delays in troubled city partly to help ensure pro- Army and I believe in the high to gruesome wartime crimes has told both countries they will minister or as an ordinary citizen of “I was off ered to go as the normalisation talks between tection of witnesses. moral values of the soldiers who against Serbs, including trade in not be allowed to join the bloc Kosovo. I chose the latter. prime minister or as an ordinary Kosovo and Serbia. Previous cases involving fought for freedom,” Thaci said . organs that were allegedly har- unless they normalise relations. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, July 20, 2019 INDIA

JUSTICE COMMENT CRIME CONTROVERSY SCANDAL Bartender jailed over Illegals from Bangladesh Bengaluru ponzi scam BJP leader threatens to Files go missing from British teen’s death becoming citizens: govt prime accused arrested ‘spill Kamal Nath’s blood’ Sidhu’s ex-department

The Goa High Court sent a bartender to jail for The government yesterday said thousands Multi-crore ponzi scam prime accused and IMA Madhya Pradesh BJP leader Surendra Nath In a major goof-up, crucial government files, 10 years over the sexual assault and killing of of illegal immigrants from neighbouring Jewellers founder Mansoor Khan was arrested Singh has sparked a controversy as he including one pertaining to Punjab Chief Minister British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling in 2008. The Bangladesh had produced false documents early yesterday from the New Delhi airport on threatened to “spill the blood” of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in the case of the Rs11.44bn court ordered the maximum sentence against to become citizens in Assam. The Supreme arrival from Dubai by the Delhi Police, an off icial Kamal Nath. Former party MLA Singh who Ludhiana City Centre scam, have gone missing Samson D’Souza after finding him guilty on Court had ordered the citizenship tally for said. “Khan was taken into custody on landing at has been leading a drive against eviction of from the previous department of Cabinet Minister Wednesday of culpable homicide, sexual assault Assam following years of campaigns against the New Delhi international airport on arrival from hawkers, hogged the limelight on Thursday Navjot Singh Sidhu. The other missing files of on a minor, provision of drugs and destruction immigrants from Bangladesh who ethnic Dubai around 2am on Air India flight 916. He will through his street show and yesterday the local government department included of evidence. The 15-year-old’s bruised body was Assamese say are eating into their resources and soon be brought to Bengaluru,” off icer Mohamed his actions led to disruption of Assembly unauthorised construction on an agricultural land found in shallow water on a beach in Goa. Special taking their land. A final register is due on July 31 said. Khan, who is accused of perpetrating proceedings. The Assembly was adjourned in Ludhiana. The vigilance bureau had already prosecutor Eijaz Khan sought the maximum but yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s financial fraud worth crores in Bengaluru, had twice during the Question Hour amid an given a clean chit to Amarinder Singh, his son term and opposed any leniency, arguing that government told the court that authorities been absconding for a month and was traced in uproar by the ruling Congress members over Raninder Singh and others in the Ludhiana City D’Souza should have protected the girl. “Instead needed to review the draft list of citizens Dubai and told to return to India. “He had shared the alleged statement made by Singh against Centre scam. “Eff orts are on to trace the files. We they gave her drugs and liquor and left her to die because they believed many on it had given a video in which he claimed that he shall return to the chief minister as Speaker N P Prajapati are trying to establish contact with Sidhu, who on the beach,” said the prosecutor. false information. India in next 24 hours,” the SIT off icer said. adjourned the House twice. might be aware about them,” a senior off icial said. Karnataka CM misses second deadline to prove majority

IANS Speaker to conduct the fl oor test Bengaluru forthwith, Kumar said that he would do it after the discussions on the confi dence motion were arnataka Chief Minister completed by the treasury and H D Kumaraswamy yes- the opposition members. Kterday missed the second “Voice vote on the confi dence deadline of 6pm set by Governor motion only after discussions on Vajubhai Vala to prove the Con- it by the treasury and opposi- gress-JD(S) coalition govern- tion members. Division of votes ment’s majority in the Assembly. will be looked into if anyone de- “As the debate on the con- mands for it after the voice vote,” fi dence motion moved by the said Kumar. chief minister on Thursday did In a letter issued on Thurs- not conclude in the Assembly, day night, Vala had directed the Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar chief minister to prove majority could not conduct the fl oor test by 1.30pm yesterday, a time set by the 6pm deadline set by the in response to BJP’s complaint to governor for the second time,” him on the dilatory tactics of the an offi cial said. ruling allies on the confi dence The governor directed the motion Kumaraswamy moved Congress Party supporters burn an effigy during a protest in New Delhi yesterday against the stopping of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from visiting a village where tribal chief minister to prove the ma- on Thursday. people were gunned down this week over a land dispute. jority by 6pm after the 1.30pm “I require you to prove your deadline he set on Thursday majority on or before 1.30pm on night lapsed, as the discussions Friday,” said Vala in the letter af- on the motion did not conclude ter his Thursday’s order to com- by then even as the Speaker ad- plete the fl oor test by the end of journed the House till 3pm. the day also lapsed. In response to the demand of Resuming the inconclusive the ruling Congress and Janata debate on the motion, stalled six Dal – Secular (JD-S) lawmak- times due to ruckus between the Priyanka refuses to leave as ers to allow them to participate lawmakers of the ruling allies in the discussions, the Speaker and the BJP, Kumaraswamy said said that he would extend the that it was for the Speaker to de- session’s time for a couple of cide on the governor’s order as to hours, but pleaded with them to when he should prove the major- end the debate by yesterday and ity on the fl oor of the House. ‘massacre’ site visit blocked conclude the fl oor test. “It is not for me to decide by The opposition BJP insisted on when I should prove the major- IANS tor Lalitesh Pati Tripathi said arrangements have been made She told reporters: “I don’t as a “massacre” and demanded conducting the fl oor test yester- ity. It is the Speaker who is the Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) that Priyanka was fi rm on go- for food either. know where are they taking me. Rs2.5mn as compensation to each day itself. custodian of the House and has ing to the site where the killings Priyanka was detained at the We are ready to go anywhere.” of the deceased family. Kumaraswamy and Law and the supreme authority to decide took place in the clash between Chunar Guest House here after She asked the offi cials for writ- Speaking to party support- Parliamentary Aff airs Minister how the session should be con- ongress general secre- Gonds and Gujjars. she was stopped from going to ten orders as to why she was ers at the guest house, Priya- Krishna Byre Gowda appealed ducted,” said Kumaraswamy. tary Priyanka Gandhi “Priyanka Gandhi was asked Murtiya village in Sonebhadra being prevented from going nka said that atrocities were to the Speaker to extend the de- Intervening in the debate, Cremained in detention to fi ll a bail bond of Rs50,000, district. The police denied that to Sonebhadra. “I just want to being carried out on tribals in bate to Monday, assuring him to Byre Gowda said the governor here yesterday, eight hours after which she rejected, saying that she had been arrested. meet the families of the victims. the state. “They were killed complete the fl oor test. cannot give such an order on the she was driven to a guest house even if she had to stay here for The Congress leader arrived I am willing to take only four because they were demanding Congress Legislature Party motion which was being debated after she insisted on proceeding 10 days, she shall stay but she in Varanasi yesterday morn- people with me because I do not their rights, they were fi ghting (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah also by the ruling parties and the op- to Sonebhadra district in Uttar would not leave till the time she ing and met the injured persons want to defy the prohibitory or- for their land,” she said. sought time till Monday. position members. Pradesh where 10 people were meets the family members of admitted to the trauma centre ders and yet the district admin- Priyanka added that three “The chief minister failed to “We fail to understand how killed in clashes over a land dis- the victims. There is no ques- of the Banaras Hindu Univer- istration is not allowing us,” she days before Wednesday’s inci- prove majority in the Assembly the governor could direct the pute on Wednesday. tion of any bail,” Tripathi said in sity. When she proceeded to- complained. dent, the villagers had informed by 1.30pm., the deadline set by chief minister to prove majority She also described the kill- a tweet. wards Sonebhadra, her convoy At least 10 people, including the police about the brewing the governor on Thursday,” op- in a limited timeframe without ings of members of the Gond According to the party lead- was stopped on the Mirzapur three women, died and over 24 tension in the area. “But the position BJP leader B S Yeddy- completing the debate by both tribe as “massacre”. ers, the district administration border. A defi ant Priyanka then were injured in a clash between police did not pay heed to their urappa told the Speaker after the sides and hearing the reply on According to party leaders, has cut off the electricity and squatted on the ground with the Gond and Gujjar communities complaints. They even did not fi rst deadline lapsed. it by the chief minister as men- the Congress general secretary water supply to the guest house Congress workers and was later over a land dispute in Soneb- take any action when such in- When the former three-time tioned in the rule book,” said is fi rm on meeting the victims’ where Priyanka has been de- taken away in a government ve- hadra on Wednesday. cidents were happening there,” BJP chief minister urged the Gowda. families. Congress legisla- tained since the afternoon. No hicle to Chunar. Priyanka described the killings she said.

World Bank follows Delhi ‘Cow vigilantes’ kill lead to end Amaravati deal three men in Bihar AFP “were badly beaten on suspi- Patna cion of stealing cattle and died Reuters Prime Minister Narendra velopment Authority, the state on the way to the hospital.” New Delhi Modi laid the foundation stone body overseeing construction of As news of the deaths for the project in 2015, but he and the city, declined to comment on village mob yesterday spread, residents from the Naidu fell out after Naidu’s party the implications of the funding beat to death three men men’s home village went to the he World Bank yesterday broke from Modi’s ruling coali- withdrawal. Asuspected of stealing hospital to stage an angry pro- said it had withdrawn tion last year. The Amaravati project, built cattle in a new “cow vigilante” test, police said. T$300mn of funding for a “The Indian government has on greenfi eld land on the banks attack reported by police. Relatives of the dead beat up new capital in Andhra Pradesh withdrawn its request to the of the Krishna River, has been A fourth man is in critical a man from Pinthori Nandlal. after the central government World Bank for fi nancing the beset by accusations from activ- condition in hospital after the Many of the “cow vigilante” dropped support for the project. proposed Amaravati Sustainable ist groups of corruption and en- attack in a village in Bihar. attacks in recent years have The Beijing-backed Asian In- Infrastructure and Institutional vironmental damage. Police said three people had been on Muslims and the op- frastructure Investment Bank Development Project,” Sudip The state government has de- been detained for the killings position Congress party ac- (AIIB), that was due to fi nance Mozumder, a New Delhi-based nied the accusations. and others in the village were cused Bihar’s government of $200mn of the project, then said spokesman for the bank, said. Andhra Pradesh was split in suspected. failing to protect minorities. it was reviewing its involvement. “The World Bank’s board of two in 2014, with the new state At least one of the dead was “Three people were beaten The construction of the city, executive directors has been in- of Telangana containing the his- a Muslim. to death and are victims of known as Amaravati, is the formed that the proposed project toric capital, Hyderabad, though The group had been driv- mob lynching. But the gov- brainchild of the state’s former is no longer under preparation both states agreed to share it for ing a truck and were stopped ernment will give a diff erent chief minister, N Chandrababu following the government’s de- 10 years. at Pithori Nandlal village by version of the incident to save Naidu, who lost power in elec- cision.” “For a change, good sense has a crowd who accused them of its skin,” Congress lawmaker tions in May. AIIB spokeswoman Laurel Os- prevailed upon the bank to with- stealing cows. Premchand Mishra said in the The two banks were due to tfi eld told Reuters in Beijing that draw from the disastrous pro- Many states ban the eating state assembly. provide the lion’s share of the it was aware the World Bank has gramme,” Sreedhar R, the direc- and slaughter of beef. At least 44 people were $715mn cost of critical fund- dropped the project from its in- tor of the Environics Trust, one Attacks on individuals sus- killed in cow-related violence ing for transport, sanitation and vestment pipeline. of the activist groups that has pected of trading in cows have from 2015-2018, according to water supply. “Our investment committee been critical of the project, said increased since Hindu nation- Human Rights Watch. At least The World Bank’s withdrawal will be discussing our involve- in a statement. alist Prime Minister Narendra three other cases have been re- was reported by media on Thurs- ment in the project early next “This also vindicates our Modi came to power in 2014, ported this year before the lat- day but the federal government’s week,” he said. stance that (AIIB) which is a co- according to rights groups. est three men were killed. involvement in that decision has Dr P Lakshmi Narasimham, fi nancier in the project, can no A Bihar police offi cial said In May, a Muslim man was not been previously disclosed, nor the commissioner of the And- longer hide behind the World A relative of the victims of a mob lynching incident speaks to a police the latest victims, who came shot in the head in Kashmir by had the AIIB’s plans for a review. hra Pradesh Capital Region De- Bank which it has been doing.” off icer outside a hospital in Chapra, Bihar, yesterday. from a neighbouring village, cow vigilantes. Gulf Times Saturday, July 20, 2019 11 LATIN AMERICA

TRAGEDY LAW AND ORDER FALLOUT LEGAL DECISION 15 killed, 20 injured Ex-Pemex security head Chile cuts copper price More charges against Bolsonaro reiterates plan in Mexico bus crash held over fuel theft claims projection as demand falls off icers over massacre to name son as envoy to US

Fifteen people were killed and about 20 The Mexican attorney general’s off ice said it had Chile, the world’s largest producer of copper, A Salvadoran judge brought additional charges Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has reiterated injured when a bus carrying Mexican arrested a retired general who was responsible reduced its price projection for the precious against 17 military off icers in connection with the that he intends to nominate his son Eduardo holidaymakers turned over in the west of for security at the state oil company Pemex metal for 2019 from $3.05 to $2.89 per killing of nearly 1,000 people during the country’s to be ambassador to the US, even if it damages the country, authorities said. The accident during the previous administration for pound due to a drop in demand from China. civil war, human rights organisations said. The his popularity. “I do intend to nominate him, occurred on a road linking the city of Tepic allegations of fuel theft. The off ice said in a In its second-quarterly report the Chilean 17 were previously accused of crimes including yes. And whoever said they would no longer with the holiday resort of Puerto Vallarta in statement that it had apprehended “Socrates Copper Commission also reduced its 2020 assassination, rape and terrorism. They now also vote for me, I’m sorry,” Bolsonaro said on a Nayarit state. The cause of the accident was H,” whom a government source said is Brigadier projection from $3.08 to $2.90 a pound, it said face the charges of torture, forced disappearance live social media broadcast. He emphasised not clear, but it was thought possible that the General Socrates Herrera. Herrera could not in a statement. The drop is because China “is and forced displacement. The accused include that his son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, a 35-year-old bus driver fell asleep, said a spokeswoman immediately be reached for comment. Herrera experiencing a cycle of economic slowdown former defence minister Guillermo Garcia and federal congressman representing Sao Paulo, is for Aguascalientes state, where many of the was under the command of General Eduardo that has undermined expectations for short- former air force commander Juan Rafael Bustillo. prepared to be Brazil’s representative and has passengers were from. The spokeswoman said Leon, who led a strategic security unit for term demand,” said the statement. That was The court session in the town of San Francisco de good relationships in the US. If nominated, his the death toll could still change. The road was Pemex and has also been accused of fuel theft. exacerbated by “macroeconomic and global Gotera also charged an 18th off icer, former army appointment would need to be approved by closed, while some of the injured victims were Leon could not immediately be reached for geopolitical tensions that have reduced the operations chief Jesus Gabriel Contreras, with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before flown by helicopter to receive medical care. comment. projections of worldwide growth.” involvement in the case. passing to the full upper house for confirmation. ‘El Chapo’ jail Pompeo in Argentina conditions inhumane, says Lopez Obrador

Reuters money or luxury,” Lopez Obra- Mexico City dor said. In an opinion poll conducted by Mexico’s Reforma newspaper, exican President An- with support from the Washing- dres Manuel Lopez ton Post, 52% of people surveyed MObrador called the jail said Lopez Obrador’s eff orts to conditions of drug lord Joaquin tackle crime were lacking while “El Chapo” Guzman inhumane, 55% said he was failing to bring while vowing to bring down down violence. violence stemming from drug In a juxtaposition to Lopez violence by create a society less Obrador’s call for austerity, ear- obsessed with material wealth. lier in the conference an offi cial Guzman will spend the rest of showcased luxury jewellery and his days behind bars in the US diamond encrusted watches after a judge sentenced him on confi scated by the government US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (second left) and Argentina’s Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie (centre) pose during a photo of the Western Hemisphere Wednesday to life in prison plus that will be auctioned this week- Counterterrorism Ministerial in Buenos Aires, Argentina, yesterday. 30 years. end. A jury found him guilty in Proceeds from the auction will February after an 11-week trial. go to impoverished Mexican vil- Lopez Obrador said at his lages. regular morning conference In recent months, Mexico has that sentences like the one for El also put up for auction 77 vehi- Chapo — “a sentence for life in a cles, including a Lamborghini hostile jail, hard, inhumane” — and a Mustang convertible, as made a life no longer worth liv- well as safe houses with tunnels ing. and the apartment of a cartel Colombia court keeps ban on As well as his concern for the leader who was killed there and infamous kingpin’s well-being, disposed of by his brothers. Lopez Obrador criticised the vi- Forbes magazine once listed olence he wrought over his long Guzman as one of the world’s career, and said society needed richest men. moral reforms. The former leader of the Si- aerial spraying of glyphosate “I also have many victims in naloa Cartel, Guzman, was ex- mind,” he added. “It’s something tradited to the US in 2018 fol- DPA replace manual uprooting done the council “to use aerial spray- has come under growing pres- crops, after their land is sprayed, very painful.” lowing two breakouts from Bogota by soldiers who would risk step- ing as one more tool in the fi ght sure from the US, with Presi- move to another territory in or- Lopez Obrador has created a Mexican jails: one purportedly in ping on mines planted by drug against illegal crops.” dent Donald Trump threaten- der to sow (coca) again,” Romero new militarised police force to a laundry cart, the other through traffi ckers. Decades of eff orts and billions ing to decertify the country as a said. The governor also disputed bring down violence that has a mile-long tunnel. olombia’s constitutional But the court maintained the of dollars in US aid have failed partner in the war on drugs. claims by the government that spiralled as cartels splinter and Lopez Obrador said Mexico court has maintained a strict conditions it had set ear- to curb the drug trade in the The previous government glyphosate is cheap. smaller groups fi ght for territory. would explore whether there Cjudicial ban on the aer- lier, including having to provide world’s top cocaine-producing suspended spraying with Eradication with glyphosate Last year, violence cost a would be legal ways for Mexico ial spraying of illicit coca crops scientifi c proof that glyphosate country, where the area under glyphosate in 2015 after the costs 72mn pesos ($23,000) per record 33,000 lives. to claim Guzman’s assets, add- with glyphosate, saying the is safe and having to consult coca cultivation increased to a constitutional court said it hectare, twice as much as sub- Those numbers continued ing that Foreign Minister Marce- government would fi rst have to communities in areas where fu- record 171,000 hectares in 2017, could carry health risks. sidising voluntary crop substi- surging in the fi rst six months of lo Ebrard would be in charge of prove that the weedkiller is not migation would take place. according to UN data. Offi cials in the south-western tution, he said. Lopez Obrador’s term in offi ce, the matter. harmful to human health and However, the court said, the The cocaine that can be man- department of Narino, which Given the disadvantages of which began in December. “These resources, these assets the environment. government did not need to ufactured in that area is worth produces the most coca among the weedkiller, “my question When asked whether he ex- legally belong to Mexico and the President Ivan Duque’s gov- prove the total absence of any $2.7bn on the local market. Colombia’s 32 departments, is... what are the logic and the pected violence to rise further matter will be considered on a ernment had asked the court possible harm, because that Colombia’s 2016 peace deal said glyphosate is not an eff ec- business interests behind...the over coming weeks following the legal basis,” Lopez Obrador said. to lift the ban, arguing that was practically impossible. The with the guerrilla movement tive means of dissuading farmers insistence on using glyphosate sentencing of El Chapo, Lopez “I believe that the US will agree.” glyphosate — suspected of be- government has not provided Farc, which was heavily in- from growing the lucrative plant. in Colombia,” Romero said. Obrador said: “No, on the con- Santiago Nieto, head of the ing carcinogenic — is a neces- proof of having met the condi- volved in the cocaine trade, About 3.8mn litres of glypho- Farmers near the port city of trary. We think that bit by bit the Mexican fi nance ministry’s fi - sary tool in the fi ght against co- tions so far. established a strategy against sate was sprayed in Narino be- Tumaco said previous glyphosate number of criminal incidents nancial intelligence unit, said on caine traffi cking. It will be up to the Nation- drug traffi cking that was mainly tween 2005 and 2014, but the sprayings had killed their food will decline.” Wednesday that his unit had also The government says glypho- al Drug Council to determine based on voluntary crop sub- surface under coca cultivation in- crops while coca plants survived. “We will continue to create fi led complaints and frozen 27 sate is the most effi cient way to whether it does so, the court said. stitution by coca farmers who creased by 4,000 hectares during “Bees died, parakeets died. Coca a better society, supported by bank accounts in relation to the eradicate coca — the plant co- Justice Minister Margarita would receive fi nancial aid. that time, Narino governor Cami- was the only one of our crops that values, that is not based on ac- rival Cartel Jalisco Nueva Gen- caine is made from — and that Cabello said the government But the aid has not reached lo Romero said in an interview. resisted (the glyphosate),” farmer cumulating material wealth, eracion. it saves lives, because it can would seek permission from many farmers, and Colombia “Families that live off illegal Javier Ortega said.

Venezuela govt Anniversary celebrations and opposition Cubans seek to revive continuing talks Talks between the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and little-known tango legacy the opposition are continuing in Barbados, the foreign ministry from mediator Reuters fl at into a tango academy. and clubs as in Buenos Aires.” Norway said in a rare Havana “Sometimes when I’m teach- “All Argentine tango artistes statement about the progress ing, it’s incredible how quickly came to sing in Havana,” said of the discussions. students grasp the steps.” Contreras, who met several in- “The representatives of the uba may be known now The word tango, of African cluding Osvaldo Pugliese and central political actors in for upbeat salsa, but long origin, was used throughout Astor Piazzolla.”In fact when Venezuela are continuing the Cbefore that genre even Latin America around the turn (singer Carlos) Gardel died in a negotiations initiated in Oslo emerged its Afro beats fed into of the 19th century to describe plane crash, he was en route to with the purpose of working the melancholic Argentine tango the social gatherings where peo- Havana.” continuously and as eff iciently which was widely popular on the ple would dance to the sound of Tango even found its way up as possible,” the ministry said Caribbean’s largest island. drums, historians say. into the Sierra Maestra, with Ar- in a statement. Now a small yet dedicated fol- What is now known as Ar- gentine-born rebel leader “Che” Talks resumed this week to lowing of several dozen Cuban gentine Tango — as a music Guevara singing his favourite try to find ways to resolve dance enthusiasts are seeking with lyrics and partnered dance tunes to his fellow revolutionar- the political crisis in the Latin to expand its appeal once more, — emerged later that century in ies, Contreras said. American nation. claiming it as their cultural leg- the working class port areas be- “Sometimes we would take Opposition leader Juan Guaido acy. tween Argentina and Uruguay as a break to forget the war with a invoked the constitution in Two years ago, they launched a fusion of genres carried there bit of culture,” said former gue- January to assume a rival an annual Havana tango mara- by sailors and immigrants. rilla Julio Lopez, 79. “The Che interim presidency after thon and festival, in addition to That included the Habanera liked to sing a few tangos, and we declaring Maduro’s 2018 re- staging regular classes and mi- — the dance of Havana — a mix loved it. He sang well.” election a fraud. longas, or tango dance events. of African rhythms and Euro- Tango suff ered a decline Maduro calls him a puppet Last month, they hosted the pean musical elements, which worldwide in the 1960s, staging of the US and blames the fi rst ever Caribbean qualify- explains perhaps why the tango a comeback as more of a niche country’s economic problems ing round for the Tango World ended up being so beloved in interest in the 1980s. on US sanctions meant to Championship in Buenos Aires. Havana. The bastion of Cuban tango is force him from off ice. “Tango runs through Cubans’ “Havana was the second top now centred in Havana around Venezuela is suff ering a veins because of its rhythm,” spot for tango in the world in Garcia’s academy and the art Japanese Princess Mako, the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Akishino, greets children at hyperinflationary economic said Agustin Garcia, 34, who the 1950s,” said Felix Contreras, studio, Ojo del Ciclon (Eye of the Okinawa’s Japanese Community, 80km northeast Santa Cruz, Bolivia, yesterday, during meltdown that has resulted in runs a weekly Sunday milonga 79, a Cuban academic writing a Hurricane), which hosts milon- celebrations for the 120th anniversary of the Japanese immigration to Bolivia. Mako is on a malnutrition and disease and on a central, tree-lined Havana book about the phenomenon. gas several times a week amid its five-day official visit to Bolivia. spurred a migration exodus of promenade, and is turning his “There were as many orchestras eclectic artworks. four million citizens. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, July 20, 2019 PAKISTAN

Ban on various PM Khan to meet Trump activities in capital seeking to mend fences Islamabad Reuters/Internews of payments crisis and forced to Financial Action Task Force outstanding dues in terms of extended Islamabad seek a bailout from the Interna- (FATF), global money launder- Coalition Support Fund (CSF), tional Monetary Fund (IMF), Pa- ing and terror fi nance watchdog, Malik said the issue of CSF kistan is badly in need of foreign to put Pakistan on a blacklist of might not be discussed during Internews rime Minister Imran Khan investment but security is likely countries that fail to meet inter- this meeting as it is not a prior- Islamabad travels to the United States to be the main focus of the visit. national standards in stopping ity. Ptomorrow hoping the ar- Khan will be accompanied by fi nancial crime. Former Pakistan foreign af- rest of a militant leader with a the powerful army chief, General But it has had its own prob- fairs secretary and Pakistan’s he capital administration $10mn US bounty on his head Qamar Javed Bajwa. lems with the Trump admin- ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas of Islamabad has extend- and progress in Afghan peace Analysts believe he will play istration over trade and is con- Jilani believes that the Afghan Ted bans on several activi- talks will help secure a favour- a key role in behind-the-scenes cerned about being shut out of peace process will be the top ties by two months. able reception. discussions, where much of the the peace process in Afghani- priority during Prime Minister The ban on launching housing Khan is expected to try to serious business of the visit will stan. Khan’s visit. societies and related activities mend fences and attract much- take place, with the military Former Pakistan defence He also said that the economy has been extended, administra- needed investment during his looking to persuade Washington secretary Lieutenant-General will be the major area of focus tion offi cials said. meeting with US President to restore aid and co-operation. (retired) Asif Yasin Malik said during this visit. According to a notifi cation, Donald Trump in exchange for “It’s a visit which is closely Prime Minister Khan: his visit would be closely watched. that priority-wise, the econ- “I have been to US. I have no- the ban was imposed after it assurances of full co-operation being monitored by the military omy would be number one on ticed that the Americans have was brought to the notice of the in ending the war in Afghanistan which is in desperate need for More than 160 people were Trump has made no secret of Prime Minister Khan’s agenda, appreciated recent steps taken district magistrate that some and fi ghting militant threats. money,” said author and analyst killed in the four-day militant his desire to end US military in- Afghanistan would be the sec- by Pakistan to bring reforms in housing societies, trusts, limited Trump, a property developer Ayesha Siddiqa. attacks. volvement in Afghanistan, and ond, and India would be number economic sector. They appreci- companies and groups were op- turned reality TV star, and Khan, Last year, Trump cut off hun- Saeed is designated a terrorist Pakistan’s co-operation will be three. ate Pakistan for these measures,” erating in Islamabad in a manner World Cup-winning captain of dreds of millions of dollars in by the US and the UN. essential to any deal to end the “Pakistan will also try to con- Jilani said. not provided for by law. the Pakistan cricket team, both security assistance to Pakistan, Trump said Saeed’s arrest war and ensure the country does vince the US Administration for “The Americans have also re- It said they advertised the came to offi ce after achieving accusing Islamabad of off ering “after a 10-year search”, was the not become a base for militant taking part in China-Pakistan alised Pakistan’s importance in launch of housing schemes and fame away from politics, and the “nothing but lies and deceit” result of pressure from his ad- groups like Islamic State (IS). Economic Corridor (CPEC). At the region, and they know US invited membership either in ex- personal chemistry between the while giving safe haven to ter- ministration on Pakistan to get “The United States, Russia least Pakistan will ask the US interests are directly related to cess of land available to them or two may be decisive. rorists, a charge angrily rejected tougher on militants. and China know that without administration to convince its Pakistan if it wants to stay in this without holding any land at all, “A lot will depend on the kind by Islamabad. But Saeed has been in and out Pakistan’s co-operation, there private sector to invest in the region,” he added. “Pakistan has resulting in exposition, fraud, of mood that President Trump However, Prime Minister of Pakistan prisons for the last can be no settlement in Afghani- CPEC,” he said. “Prime Min- taken number of positive steps forgery, disputes, off ences, law and indeed Prime Minister Khan Khan will believe the arrest on decade and even addressed pub- stan,” Sheikh said. ister Khan will also inform the during last two years, and the and order problems and litiga- fi nd themselves in,” said Farzana Wednesday of Hafi z Saeed, the lic rallies. India, which in February came US administration, particularly present US administration has tion. Sheikh, associate fellow at the alleged mastermind of a four- As well as assurances that it close to war with Pakistan over President Trump, about the In- recognised this publicly.” The administration has Royal Institute of International day militant attack on the Indian is cracking down on militants, the region of Kashmir and which dia’s hostile attitude towards “Trump’s invitation to Prime banned any publications re- Aff airs in London. “Neither of city of Mumbai in 2008, will Prime Minister Khan is likely to accuses Islamabad of support- Pakistan.” Minister Khan itself is recogni- garding the launch of housing them is known to be particularly send the right signals to Trump, stress Pakistan’s role in bringing ing militants, will be watching When asked whether Pakistan tion of Pakistan’s services for schemes or the sale of plots, in- predictable.” who exuberantly welcomed the the Taliban to the negotiating the talks closely. will request the US administra- ensuring peace in the region,” viting applications to deposit Battling to stave off a balance news on Twitter. table with the United States. New Delhi has pushed the tion for the reimbursement of Jilani said. membership fees or the cost of plots without prior permission from the offi ce of the district magistrate. The distribution of handbills and pamphlets, putting up post- ers and wall-chalking has also ‘My entire world been banned for another two months to maintain law and or- der, offi cials said. Loudspeakers, amplifi ers and sound systems are also banned was gone’: fl oods except when used for the Azan or Friday sermons. Cassette players, sound sys- tems, CD or DVD players and other mediums used to make ob- devastate village jectionable or sectarian speech- es anywhere in the capital are also banned. By Sajjad Qayyum, AFP Assemblies and processions Laswa Valley are also banned, offi cials said, as the administration has learned of plans to organise unlawful as- small cluster of houses semblies, including processions once stood along a gentle that could disrupt the peace. Astream in Pakistan-ad- They said such activities were ministered Kashmir. likely to threaten public peace, Now only jagged rocks and a cause public annoyance or in- few damaged homes remain af- jury, endanger human life and ter torrential rains wreaked hav- safety, pose a threat to public oc on the picturesque mountain property, and could lead to a riot. village in the Laswa Valley. The sale, purchase, stocking More than 270 people have and use of fi recrackers and fi re- been killed in recent days across works remains banned for two South Asia as monsoon rains months, as will displaying and deluged large swathes of the exhibiting fi rearms as a show of subcontinent, fl ooding water- force. ways and destroying communi- The ban on blasting stones in ties. the Margalla Hill has also been On one evening, the normally extended for two months. quiet stream running through In this picture taken on July 17, flood-aff ected the valley morphed into a raging victims along a damaged road in Laswa Valley, er than being fl own in. current – uprooting everything near the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered White tents provided by the in its path. Kashmir. Pakistani army now stand in Twenty-three people are place of the homes that resided missing, presumed dead by of- Left: A flood-aff ected victim holds her there just days ago, where sur- Airspace fi cials. belongings near her damaged house in Laswa vivors receive condolences from Seven others were injured, Valley. their neighbours. while 150 houses and businesses Raging from June to Septem- curbs cost were destroyed and about 50 gone, my mother was gone, and Located just a few kilome- despite increasing tensions. not found,” he sighs. “I would ber, the monsoon is essential for buildings damaged in the seven my home.” tres north of the Line of Control Last Sunday, the tragedy like to appeal to whoever hears irrigating crops and replenishing hamlets spread across Laswa. “We have nothing left here (LoC) – the heavily militarised brought by the fl oods reminded my voice, to provide us with the vital water sources across the $50mn “I was holding the hand of my now except for the stones,” Butt de-facto border dividing the residents of the horrors of war basic necessities of life like elec- subcontinent that approximate- mother trying to save her, but I added. disputed Himalayan territory from the past. tricity and water.” ly one-fi fth of the global popu- lost her hand, and she was swept Kashmir has been divided – Laswa has been frequently Shahnawaz Butt lost his wife Residents interviewed by AFP lation depends on. Reuters away by the fl oodwater,” says since the end of British colonial shelled during bouts of fi ghting and three of his six children in criticised the slow response by But the yearly rains often turn Karachi Amin Butt, who was visiting rule in 1947, and both New Delhi between Pakistan and India. the disaster. the authorities, saying that sup- deadly, as fl oods wash away his family in Kashmir. “Within and Islamabad claim the former However, in recent years the “I was unable to see their faces plies arrived slowly by the single communities and destroy farm- a minute, my entire world was Himalayan kingdom in full. valley had been largely spared again because their bodies were road that enters the valley, rath- land. he aviation minister has said that Pakistan suf- Tfered loses of over Rs8bn Pakistan allows consular access to ($50mn) from airspace restric- tions imposed since February, convicted Indian spy after ICJ ruling which aff ected hundreds of commercial and cargo fl ights. Pakistan has ordered consular access for Kulbhushan Jadhav, a Tribal areas set to turn the Pakistan closed its airspace former Indian naval commander condemned to death for spying, after an attack by a Pakistan- following a decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). based militant group in Indian- The UN court ruled on Wednesday in The Hague that Pakistan administered Kashmir led to should undertake an “eff ective review” of the case, adding that a clashes between the nuclear- “continued stay of execution” was needed for that to happen. page with fi rst elections armed powers, adding fl ight “As a responsible state, Pakistan will grant consular access to time for passengers and fuel Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav according to Pakistani laws for costs for airlines. which modalities are being worked out,” the government said in a Internews e-Insaf (PTI) has fi elded can- grab more seats than other par- The division between the two “Over Rs8bn worth of losses statement late on Thursday. Peshawar didates on all the general seats, ties, while in a few constituen- allies may split their votes. have been suff ered by the Paki- whereas the Jamiat Ulema-e- cies independent candidates An encouraging aspect is stan Civil Aviation Authority,” Islam (JUI-F), the Awami Na- appear to have an edge. that two women are also con- Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan No murder cases pending: top judge he stage is set for the tional Party (ANP), and the Pa- The JI and JUI-F had contest- testing the elections on general told a press conference in Ka- historic provincial as- kistan Peoples Party (PPP) have ed the July 25, 2018 general elec- seats: political and social activ- rachi. “We don’t have exact fi g- Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa has observed that there Tsembly elections today fi elded 15, 14 and 13 candidates, tions from the platform of Mut- ist Naheed Afridi from PK-106 ures of losses of their (Indian) is no murder case pending in 10 districts due to model courts, and in the erstwhile Federally Ad- respectively. tahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), (Khyber) on an ANP ticket, and civil aviation authorities, but it’s the same would be the case in 50 districts next month. ministered Tribal Areas (Fata) The Pakistan Muslim League but the two major partners of Malasa from PK-108 (Kurram) more than ours.” He also said that parties involved in a case would be given no more in northwest Pakistan, with in- – Nawaz (PML-N) has fi elded the religious alliance are con- on a JI ticket. Pakistan reopened its airspace respite, which led to unnecessary adjournment of hearings. teresting contests expected be- fi ve candidates, Jamaat-e-Is- testing as rivals in today’s elec- A total of 2.80mn voters – to international civil aviation on The top judge made these remarks while hearing a murder case tween candidates of major po- lami (JI) 13, and Qaumi Watan tions. 1.67mn men and 1.13m women – Tuesday. in the Quetta Registry via video link from the principal seat in litical parties and independents, Party three, while 202 inde- The JI is contesting the polls would be exercising their right. “Airspace restrictions were Islamabad. including some former lawmak- pendents are also in the contest. under the symbol of the “scale”, Of the 1,896 polling stations, from both sides and it has been The apex court dismissed the appeal filed against acquittal of ers, on 16 general seats. Some observers believe that while the JUI-F has been allot- 482 are for men, 376 for women, lifted by both countries,” the murder accused Abdul Nasir by the Baluchistan High Court. The ruling Pakistan Tehreek- the PTI and JUI-F are likely to ted the “book”. and 1,038 mixed. minister said. Gulf Times Saturday, July 20, 2019 13

PHILIPPINES President might be forced to declare martial law: aide

By Manila Times tial security threats in the region ble spillover of terror attacks into pino identifi ed as Norman Lasuca. “That’s why the president said Congress extended martial law tions had been intensifi ed to foil Manila arising from the suicide bomb- other parts of the country. Lasuca and another suspected ‘don’t force me to the wall. If you until December 31, 2019. any possible terror plans and de- ings in Mindanao. “He can do all of these. The Abu Sayyaf member blew them- will not stop, I’ll be compelled to The National Capital Region tect terrorists. “The president can declare military or all the armed forces of selves up at the Philippine army’s use powers granted to me by the (Metro Manila) Police Offi ce Last week, Duterte said he resident Rodrigo Duterte martial law, he can declare a revo- the Philippines, under the Con- 1st Brigade Combat Team camp constitution especially if terror- (NCRPO) enforced full alert sta- was strengthening the military might be forced to declare lutionary government, he can use stitution, are obligated to protect in Indanan. ism reaches Metro Manila,’” Pan- tus days after the Sulu suicide and police as he sees “dangerous Pmartial law if extremists other emergency powers under the people. The president can use “That’s what he’s afraid of be- elo quoted Duterte as saying. attacks, but it was lifted two days times” ahead. carry out terror attacks in Metro the Constitution to quell what- the armed forces of the Philip- cause there’s already a Filipino The president placed Mind- later. “I see very dangerous times Manila, Malacanang said. ever violence or any attempt at pines,” he added. suicide bomber. He’s very con- anao under martial rule after the NCRPO chief Guillermo Elea- ahead. My palms sweat just Palace spokesman Salvador destroying this republic,” Panelo The police and military had cerned about that. The president Islamic State-linked Maute ter- zar, however, said the mobilisa- thinking about it, if it would go Panelo said the president was said when asked what the presi- confi rmed that one of the suicide will not allow the disintegration ror group laid siege to Marawi tion of police personnel would awry outside of Sulu and the “very concerned” over poten- dent could do to prevent a possi- bombers in Jolo, Sulu was a Fili- of this country,” Panelo added. City in 2017. continue, as intelligence opera- Basilan Islands,” he added.

Runaway Slum blaze truck kills Duterte foes cry 8 children

AFP Manila foul as police

ight schoolchildren were among nine people killed Eyesterday aboard a runa- way truck that crashed in central Philippines while transporting recommend them to a sports activity, the au- thorities said. The dump truck’s brakes failed while it descended a mountain road outside Boljoon town centre with about 30 children and a few sedition charges parents and teachers crammed on the truck bed, town mayor AFP a witness, later surrendered and as “political persecution and Merlou Derama said. Manila appeared with police on televi- harassment” intended to stifl e “The driver tried to slow the sion to say his claims were false democratic dissent. vehicle by brushing its side and that he was cajoled into A spokesman for Vice Presi- against the mountain,” Derama hilippine police have making the videos by opposition dent Leni Robredo, who was not said, adding it fell on its side in- recommended sedition members. Duterte’s running mate and was stead. Pcharges against the vice The others targeted by the elected separately, called the Three girls and fi ve boys aged president and other opposition police include opposition poli- complaint “completely baseless”. between 11 and 12 and a woman fi gures, a move slammed yester- ticians and four church leaders, Her party ally senator Francis died immediately, while fi ve oth- day as an attempt to stifl e dissent most of them known critics of Pangilinan said it was part of a er children were taken to hospi- under President Rodrigo Duterte. how the drug war has been con- series of moves towards remov- tal, he added. Police allege Vice President Leni ducted. ing her from offi ce. Boljoon police said they Robredo, Catholic Church lead- Critics say the conduct of Leila de Lima, an anti-Duterte planned to ask state prosecutors ers and opposition politicians had the campaign could amount to senator detained on drugs charg- to fi le charges of multiple homi- plotted to destabilise the Duterte crimes against humanity. es, said it was “hogwash, pure cide against the driver, who was government by implicating him in Duterte insists he is open to hogwash”, and Samira Gutoc, a unhurt. The local government lent the narcotics trade. challenges but has shown no candidate in recent Senate elec- the vehicle to the remote school to Duterte launched a war against qualms about threatening high- tions, urged the police not to be- transport its athletes to a compe- the drug trade when he came into profi le critics, several of whom come partisan. tition in Boljoon because trans- power three years ago. he said last month he would jail if “I really am baffl ed,” Gutoc port options are limited in the The crackdown has claimed they tried to impeach him. said of being accused of involve- area, Mayor Derama said. thousands of lives. Presidential spokesman Sal- ment. Apart from the anti-nar- Last month, another dump Prosecutors have opened a vador Panelo said Duterte had no cotics campaign, Duterte has truck rolled over on a mountain- probe into the more than two doz- involvement in the police sedi- also pursued friendly ties with ous road in eastern Camarines en fi gures targeted, and they could tion complaint. China in pursuit of trade and Sur province, killing 13 people face trial on charges that could lead “We have nothing to do with this investment despite rival claims according to local police. to lengthy prison sentences. case, not at all, absolutely nothing,” over the South China Sea. The maximum penalty for se- he told news channel ANC. “Let the His setting aside of the stand- dition is six years in prison. judicial process do its work.” off with China over the resource- Businessman Robredo’s Liberal Party said Antonio Trillanes, a former rich waterway has been criticised the police recommendation senator and Duterte’s strongest as weakness by some in the Phil- shot dead was clear political harassment critic, described the complaint ippines. against the second-highest Businessman Hanson Maranan, elected offi cial of the country, 45, was shot dead by still and who is also among the most President must focus on infl ation, jobs: poll unidentified gunmen along Old prominent opponents of Du- Samson Road corner Cloverleaf terte’s drug crackdown. Filipinos want President Rodrigo government’s plan in reducing the Drive, Barangay Apolonio “The enemies of democracy Duterte to address salary rates, prices of basic goods. Samson, Quezon City on Sunday. are behind this because the VP rising prices of basic commodities, Other topics Filipinos want to According to a police report, is the sole remaining obstacle to job creation and the country’s hear on July 22 are the creation Maranan was talking with his their plan to pursue the killings relations with China during his of jobs or livelihood opportunities helper and witness Raiza Mae in the fake war on drugs, sell the fourth State of the Nation Address (15.2%), Manila’s relations with Berina in front of his store when Philippines to China and rule the (SONA) on Monday, according Beijing (9.2%), and the assertion of two men aboard a motorcycle country forever,” a party state- to the latest Pulse Asia survey Philippine sovereignty in the West released yesterday. Conducted Philippine sea (6.1%) fired shots at him. Maranan ment said. through 1,200 face-to-face Meanwhile, 7.8% of Filipinos still sustained multiple wounds in Under Philippine law, the vice interviews with registered voters want to hear about Duterte’s diff erent parts of his body. The president is elected separately. aged 18 and above from June war on illegal drugs; 5.9% suspects, wearing helmets, fled The case stems from a series of 24 to 30, the survey showed hope the president would say from the crime scene towards videos circulated online in which that 17.1% of Filipinos were something about the improving Kaingin Road. Police recovered a masked man claims the Duterte concerned with the increase the the agricultural sector, while 2.6% six 9-millimetre empty shells and family is linked to the illegal drug pay of workers, while another want pension increases to be two .45 calibre empty shells from Firefighters try to put out a fire at a slum in Quezon City, Philippines, yesterday. trade. 17.1% wanted to know about the discussed. the crime scene. The man, who had said he was

Innocent victim Robredo plea to dismiss Philippines growth Marcos poll case junked forecast cut

By Manila Times (Marcos) and protestee after three pilot provinces — Cama- By Manila Times Manila ‘revision, recount and reappre- rines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Ori- Manila ciation,’ claiming that her victory ental — involving 5,418 clus- as vice president has been con- tered precincts. he Supreme Court has fi rmed. In eff ect, what protestee Following the recount on the he Asian Development junked an urgent motion seeks is the immediate resolution three provinces, the tribunal Bank (ADB) has revised Tfiled by Vice President of the instant protest,” part of the shall now rule whether or not Tdownward its 2019 Phil- Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo eight-page ruling said. to proceed with the recount of ippine economic growth forecast seeking the dismissal of an The tribunal pointed out that votes in 132,446 precincts in the to 6.2% from 6.4%, even as it electoral protest filed by former it has yet to complete the pro- 27 provinces and cities identifi ed sees infl ation easing this year. senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” ceedings following Rule 65 of the by Marcos. In its Asian Development Marcos Jr. The high tribunal 2010 PET rules that entails judi- Marcos had assailed the elec- Outlook Supplement report, the said Robredo’s appeal was pre- cial recount, revision and appre- tion results in 39,221 clustered Manila-based multilateral bank mature. ciation of the votes cast. It added precincts. said it lowered the projection on The court, sitting as Presi- that the fi gures presented by Ro- The former senator lost to Ro- account of the delayed approval dential Electoral Tribunal (PET), bredo were “speculative.” bredo by only 263,473 votes. of this year’s national budget. issued the resolution on July 2, “In arriving at the figures, Despite the court’s ruling, the Economic growth forecast for which has only now been re- protestee presumes that all her Robredo camp remains optimis- 2020, however, was retained at leased. claims will be admitted by the tic that her victory in the 2016 6.4%. Robredo asked the tribunal to tribunal. This premise is funda- polls would be confi rmed. “Growth moderated in the “immediately resolve” all pend- mentally flawed, as the tribunal Bernadette Sarillo, Robredo’s Philippines from 6.3% year- ing cases fi led by Marcos, claim- is still in the process of appreci- legal counsel, said Marcos can- on-year in Q4 (fourth quarter) ing that her lead widened by ation of the revised ballots and not claim victory yet because the of 2018 to 5.6% in the Q1 (fi rst more than 15,000 votes after the ruling on the respective objec- PET had only put its decision on quarter) of this year, as the de- revision of ballots. tions and claims made by the hold. layed passage of the national However, the PET ruled that it parties thereon,” the court said. “We are extremely disap- budget held back government could not decide yet on the case It also deferred ruling on Mar- pointed, but we fully respect The daughter of 23-year-old Jaybee Castor touches the image of her father printed on a T-shirt spending,” the ADB said. and accept Robredo’s version of cos’ plea for a technical examina- the Presidential Electoral Tri- with words “Justice for Jaybee”, during his funeral in Manila north cemetery, Quezon City, Metro “Public construction con- events. tion of election results in Lanao bunal’s decision to deny our Manila, Philippines. Castor was abducted by unidentified masked men in June, and found dead tracted by 8.6%, while growth in “Protestee (Robredo) pre- del Sur, Maguindanao and Basi- motion for immediate resolu- several days later, with seven sachets of methamphetamine and a placard beside his body government consumption eased sented her own computation of lan. tion, in connection with the accusing him of being a drug addict. from 12.6% year-on-year in Q4 the national votes for protestant The first recount covered election protest of 2018 to 7.4% in Q1 of 2019. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, July 20, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Richard Holbrooke: Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko Production Editor Amjad Khan our kind of diplomat

P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar By Carl Bildt [email protected] Stockholm 44350478 (News), ur Man, the American 44466404 (Sport), journalist George Packer’s 44466636 (Home delivery) new 600-page biography 44350474 Oof Richard Holbrooke, is a masterful book, not just for what facebook.com/gulftimes it says about the late US diplomat himself, but also for how it portrays twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar the evolution of US diplomacy more broadly. Of Holbrooke, Packer tells us that he “devoted three years of his life to a GULF TIMES small war in an obscure place with no consequences in the long run beyond itself.” Here, I must confess some bias. While working to bring an end to that dreadful war in Bosnia (Packer’s Climate fears lift “obscure place”) in the 1990s, I came to know Holbrooke fairly well. And, after that, we bumped into each other periodically, particularly in the context Greens’ chances of of the war in Afghanistan, which has lingered on nearly a decade after Hol- brooke’s passing. Holbrooke’s life in public service running Germany began in the rice fields of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta in the early 1960s, when the United States got itself into A former trampolinist and a children’s author have led the a war it obviously didn’t understand. Greens to a spectacular comeback in Germany, raising the As a young, extremely ambitious once-unthinkable prospect of a Green chancellor succeeding foreign-service officer working in Angela Merkel. rural development, Holbrooke could Tapping mounting concern in Europe about climate change, see that the realities on the ground especially among young people, ‘Die Gruenen’ won 20.5% of were far messier than decision-mak- the German vote in May’s European Parliament elections, their ers in Washington, DC, were willing best-ever result. to acknowledge. Their success has caused convulsions in Merkel’s fragile Needless to say, Holbrooke’s coalition of conservatives and centre-left Social Democrats instincts were correct. The sea- (SPD), who have dominated German politics since World War soned hands in Washington pursued Two. further escalation, believing that “This is in no way just a protest vote or a hoovering-up of indiscriminate bombing and a rising Social Democrat (SPD) votes, it’s a longer-term trend,” said enemy death toll would do the trick. Heinrich Oberreuter, a politics professor at Passau University. Little effort was made to establish a credible state that could sustain “The advantage for the Greens is they own the issue of climate itself after the war had ended. And, change which is a long-term problem.” soon enough, younger generations of Merkel has lost the status she enjoyed as “Climate Americans had taken to the streets to Chancellor” for pushing global leaders to address climate protest what looked like a pointless change, and the SPD’s green credentials have been tarnished by war. US President Richard Nixon and close ties to the coal industry. his national security adviser, Henry Polls suggest the Hitting 27-29% in opinion Kissinger, would go on to abandon Richard Holbrooke (right) and Lionel Rosenblatt (left) on the road to Sarajevo. polls in June, the Greens the disastrous affair after a “decent Credit: Courtesy of Sylvana Foa Greens would became Germany’s strongest interval,” allowing them to focus on party, spawning headlines the great game of managing China resolved with bombs, but by diplomats such as counterinsurgency wars. America just stumbles on. The war in be big winners about popular co-leader and the Soviet Union. who had ascended from the muck of Packer, for his part, concludes that Afghanistan continues, though the Robert Habeck becoming the The lesson of the Vietnam War the Mekong Delta to “the treetops” in it is not, “because we don’t have the Trump administration seems to be in an election chancellor. stuck, at least for a time. Though US Washington, DC. Holbrooke, along knowledge and patience.” Too few waiting for a “decent interval” before A pro-European party that President Ronald Reagan ordered the with US President Bill Clinton’s na- Americans, he argues, are willing to abandoning the confl ict. welcomed refugees in the 2015 migrant crisis, it wants a total invasion of Grenada in 1983, there tional security adviser, Anthony Lake, “spend the years out there neces- And Bosnia is still a troubled place. switch to renewable energy, an end to the combustion engine was no need for an extended occupa- saw that diffi cult and painful compro- sary to understand the nature of the The politicians representing its three and higher taxes on SUVs. tion of that country. And following mises would be necessary. Diplomacy conflict.” The US prefers that its wars nationalities are constantly quarrelling The chances of a snap election before 2021 have increased the bombing of US Marine barracks eventually led to peace; and Clin- be “quick and decisive,” because “we and trying to undercut one another. since the European vote when the Greens pushed the SPD into in Beirut, Reagan was quick to retreat ton, who was sometimes otherwise like firepower more than we want to Many of its young people want to from Lebanon. The consensus was that third place. engaged, presumably welcomed the admit.” leave, to seek a better future in Ger- there should be no more quagmires. positive contribution to his presiden- Until he collapsed at his post many or elsewhere. Still, while Bosnia In turmoil, with ratings near all-time lows, the SPD may quit America should keep its feet dry and tial legacy. in 2010, Holbrooke tried to apply has not become another Switzerland, its loveless coalition with Merkel by the end of the year. focus on great-power issues. To Packer, Holbrooke’s story is also everything he had learned during it has peace. Over the past quarter- Polls suggest the Greens would be big winners in an election. But after the end of the Cold War a story about “the end of the American his career to the confl ict in Afghani- century, fewer people have been killed One option for national government would be a conservative- and the collapse of the Soviet Union, century.” As a historical matter, this stan. But, again, he ran into the same by inter-ethnic violence there than in greens coalition, albeit without Merkel who, after 14 years the world seemed to become more feature of the book’s narrative is vastly Washington roadblocks that had been the suburbs of Paris. leading Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, says this is her last complicated. The international com- exaggerated. But Holbrooke’s life and there since Vietnam. “We Americans,” For that, we owe a great deal to term. munity could not ignore the chaos in career undoubtedly did coincide with Packer writes, “have never been good American diplomacy, and particularly But radically diff erent positions on energy, tax cuts and Somalia and the genocide in Rwanda. a period in which America’s ambitions at managing the internal business of to Richard Holbrooke. The world is a migration would pose challenges for such an alliance. And then there was Bosnia, with its occasionally exceeded its abilities. other countries. We’re lousy imperial- better place as a result of his service, “(It) would need to direct its focus and available fi nancial “ancient quarrels.” Everyone hoped Still, even in areas where the US fell ists. We are too chaotic and distracted and Packer has now given us a worthy resources to climate protection and the energy transition,” said that the problem would just go away; short of its goals, matters might have – too democratic. We don’t have the monument to his career and the his- Deutsche Bank in a research note. “Citizens and corporates but, of course, it didn’t. been much worse had it made no eff ort knowledge, the staying power, the torical epoch in which he pursued it. cannot hope for major tax relief.” In the event, the US had to abandon at all. public support, the class of elites – Project Syndicate However, the Greens may prefer a left alliance. its policy of detached neglect and wil- One can debate endlessly whether with the desire and ability to run an In a May state election in Bremen, they emerged as ful ignorance. The confl ict in Bosnia the US is any good at the things empire.” O Carl Bildt is a former prime minis- kingmaker, but joined hands with the SPD and radical left demanded real diplomacy. It wasn’t Holbrooke wanted it to be good at, And so, as Our Man illustrates, ter and foreign minister of Sweden. instead of the conservatives, who had won most votes. The Greens have won over urban professionals by embracing social issues such as soaring rents in cities, and the leadership duo of scruff y-looking but media-friendly Habeck and less charismatic Annalena Baerbock, is also popular. “They have a pragmatic, rational political style and so far What’s next for Europe’s capital markets? are acting wisely and keeping internal diff erences quiet,” said Manfred Guellner, head of the Forsa pollster. mean it should abandon its ambition to visions. The UK will not be considered a To that end, the EU27’s relation- Habeck last month overtook Merkel to become Germany’s By Jonathan Faull and Simon Gleeson London build a CMU. After all, the fundamental special case. ship with the UK is crucial. Whatever most popular politician. issues that such a union is supposed to This approach refl ects the (under- legal form that relationship takes, the A novelist and children’s writer, he is the likelier candidate for address endure. standable) tendency in Brussels to look EU needs to make sure that it includes the top job, said Guellner. hen the United Kingdom For starters, the eurozone is still at at EU-UK arrangements holistically and regular exchanges of information, deep He and Baerbock, an ex-trampoline competitor who studied eventually leaves the risk of being destabilised by asymmetric attempt to exploit negotiating levers supervisory co-operation, and joint international law, brush off questions about their ambitions but European Union – assum- shocks. A larger, cross-border capital wherever possible. EU27 leaders know policymaking on new issues that arise. acknowledge the pressure is on. Wing it does – it will take market would mitigate this risk, by that access to their consumers is a high The UK, for its part, could off er the EU “We have awakened hopes that must be fulfi lled. Everyone Europe’s biggest capital market with enabling the costs of economic shocks priority for UK fi rms, so they will not a role in formulating and implementing it. The loss of the City of London could in one country or region to be shared grant it easily. Instead, they are likely capital-market regulations for the City knows we must deliver,” Habeck said after the European drive the EU’s 27 remaining members among investors across the EU. to emulate their strategy for pressuring of London, carried out through a joint election. to pursue an inward-looking strategy Moreover, European companies Switzerland to sign off on a stalled part- policymaking forum that includes formal On the plus side, they have something of a track record. for managing their capital markets. But, remain excessively reliant on banks, nership treaty, which included threats structures governing the supervision of In government, the Greens helped usher in a nuclear phase- as we argue in a new policy brief for which, under pressure from regulators, not to extend the country’s stock-mar- institutions active in both markets. out and bottle deposits to promote recycling, and they share the Centre for European Reform, the have been lending less and raising more ket equivalence. The ideal post-Brexit fi nancial rela- power in nine of Germany’s 16 states. EU27 would be far better off keeping capital. A CMU would open up a wider The problem for the EU is that its own tionship between the EU27 and the UK Yet the road to the chancellery is long. those markets open to – and, indeed, range of funding sources, while reduc- equivalence rules would make it ex- would be a mutual recognition arrange- integrated with – London and the rest ing vulnerability to banking shocks. tremely diffi cult actively to discriminate ment. This is not it. But the EU will of the world. But even integrated EU27 capital against UK businesses without applying never accept legally binding mutual rec- To Advertise Greater capital market openness has markets would be too small to meet the corresponding measures to other for- ognition in fi nancial services, especially been on the EU’s agenda for some time. funding needs of European businesses, eign fi rms. Because the EU is, above all, for a country that has chosen to leave [email protected] Since 2014 – well before the Brexit meaning that they will need to source a rules-based system, ignoring its own its ranks. In lieu of such legally binding Display vote – the EU has been aiming to build fi nancing from outside Europe. That is requirements is not really an option. As measures, supervisors and regulators on more integrated markets for cross- why global engagement is critical. such, any politically motivated “rais- both sides must pursue formal, institu- 44466621 44418811 border investment within the bloc. Such engagement will not come ing of the drawbridge” would aff ect all tionalised co-operation. But the creation of a capital markets without challenges, beginning with international fi nance, not just the UK. When it comes to capital markets, Classified union (CMU) requires politically tricky a loss of regulatory control, because While concerns about loss of regula- Europe cannot go it alone. And it would 44466609 44418811 policy changes in a wide range of areas, leading global capital markets would tory control are legitimate, they must regret trying. – Project Syndicate including taxation, insolvency regimes, be outside the EU’s jurisdiction. This not be allowed to curtail companies’ Subscription and fi nancial regulation. As a result, is a major reason for EU policymakers’ access to fi nance unnecessarily. The O Jonathan Faull, a former senior progress has been slow. fi rm line on the UK’s post-Brexit access days of fi nancial autarky are gone, and British offi cial at the European Commis- [email protected] Without the City of London, the EU to EU markets: unless the UK remains Europe cannot bring them back. What sion, is Chair of European Public Aff airs can probably forget about creating a in the single market, British fi rms that Europe can do is deepen its engage- at the Brunswick Group. Simon Gleeson capital market that could compete with want to continue selling to the EU will ment in global fi nancial markets – and is a fi nancial regulation expert at Cliff ord © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved New York or Tokyo. But that does not have to rely on narrow equivalence pro- strengthen its voice in their regulation. Chance. Gulf Times Saturday, July 20, 2019 15 COMMENT A reform opportunity for the IMF

By José Antonio Ocampo This should be matched by the New York creation of new lending instruments – a process that ought to build on the reforms that were adopted in the wake his month marks the 75th of the global fi nancial crisis. As IMF anniversary of the signing of staff have proposed – and as the G20 the Bretton Woods agree- Eminent Persons Group on Global Tment, which established the Financial Governance recommended International Monetary Fund and the last year – the Fund should establish a World Bank. For the IMF, it also marks currency-swap arrangement for short- the start of the process of selecting term lending during crises. Central a new managing director to succeed banks from developed countries often Christine Lagarde, who has resigned enter into bilateral swap arrangements, following her nomination to be Euro- but these arrangements generally pean Central Bank president. There is marginalise emerging and developing no better moment to reconsider the economies. IMF’s global role. To be sure, the IMF has made im- The most positive role that the IMF portant contributions with regard to has played throughout its history has sovereign debt crises, off ering regular been to provide crucial fi nancial sup- analysis of the capacity of countries port to countries during balance-of- in crisis to repay, and advising them to payments crises. But the conditionality restructure debt that is unsustainable. attached to that support has often been But a debt-workout mechanism is still controversial. In particular, the poli- needed, and should be put back on the cies that the IMF demanded of Latin agenda. American countries in the 1980s and Finally, the IMF needs ambitious in Eastern Europe and East Asia in the governance reforms. Most impor- 1990s saddled the Fund’s programs tant, building on reforms that were with a stigma that triggers adverse approved in 2010, but went into eff ect reactions to this day. only in 2016, the Fund should ensure It can be argued that the recession- that quotas and voting power better ary eff ects of IMF programmes are refl ect the growing infl uence of emerg- less harmful than adjustments under ing and developing economies. To this the pre-Bretton Woods gold standard. end, the IMF must end its practice of Nonetheless, the IMF’s next managing appointing only European managing director should oversee the continued directors, just as the World Bank must review and streamlining of condition- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) needs ambitious governance reforms. start considering non-US citizens to be ality, as occurred in 2002 and 2009. its president. The IMF has made another valuable tended to be led by ad hoc groupings future should be the hub of a network capital accounts was defeated in 1997. offi cial reserves during major crises, Lagarde’s departure represents a contribution by helping to strengthen of major economies – the G10, the G7, of such funds. Such a network would And, since the global fi nancial crisis, including in 2009, the instrument has golden opportunity to put the IMF on global macroeconomic co-operation. and, more recently, the G20 – even as underpin the “global fi nancial safety the IMF has recommended the use of remained underused. the path toward a more eff ective and This has proved particularly important the Fund has provided indispensable net” that has increasingly featured in some capital-account regulations as The IMF should rely on SDRs more inclusive future. Seizing it means more during periods of turmoil, including in support, including analyses of global discussions of international monetary a “macroprudential” tool to manage actively, especially in terms of its own than welcoming a new face at the top. the 1970s, following the abandonment macro conditions. The IMF, not just issues. external-fi nancing booms and busts. lending programmes, treating unused – Project Syndicate of the Bretton Woods fi xed-exchange- the “Gs,” should serve as a leading The IMF should also be credited for Yet some IMF initiatives, though SDRs as “deposits” that can be used to rate system, and in 2007-2009, during forum for international co-ordination its prudent handling of international important, have not had the impact fi nance loans to countries. This would O José Antonio Ocampo, the author the global fi nancial crisis. (The IMF of macroeconomic policies. capital fl ows. The Bretton Woods they should have had. Consider Special be particularly important when there is of Resetting the International Mon- also led the gold-demonetisation At the same time, the IMF should agreement committed countries Drawing Rights, the only truly global a signifi cant increase in demand for its etary (Non)System, is a board member process in the 1970s and 1980s.) promote the creation of new mecha- gradually to reduce controls on trade currency, which was created in 1969. resources during crises, because it would of Banco de la República, Colombia’s But, increasingly, the IMF has been nisms for monetary co-operation, and other current-account payments, Although SDR allocations have played eff ectively enable the IMF to “print central bank, a professor at Columbia relegated to a secondary role in mac- including regional and inter-regional but not on capital fl ows. An attempt an important role in creating liquidity money,” much like central banks do dur- University, and Chair of the UN’s Com- roeconomic co-operation, which has reserve funds. In fact, the IMF of the to force countries to liberalise their and supplementing member countries’ ing crises, but at the international level. mittee for Development Policy.

Three-day forecast The case for a fi scal Fed TODAY Maximum Temperature : 390c Minimum Temperature : 310c By Benjamin J Cohen at historically low levels – and in the depoliticised as monetary policy? the annual budget process, leaving Santa Barbara case of Switzerland, the eurozone, An autonomous public agency with a the fi scal Fed with sole authority to SUNDAY and Japan, they are below zero. This defi ned range of fi scal-policymaking determine the magnitude and timing Maximum Temperature : 380c means that the major central banks powers would be free to respond of specifi c changes. Alternatively, Minimum Temperature : 320c ike storm clouds on the will have little to no room for new proactively to fl uctuations in the the agency could be granted greater MONDAY horizon, signs of a global cuts when they would normally rely economy. Like an independent central latitude to make such decisions on Maximum Temperature : 390c economic slowdown are on them. bank, a “fi scal Fed” could be staff ed its own, provided the legislature does Minimum Temperature : 320c Lgathering ominously. In the Central bankers have thus begun with politically disinterested profes- not issue a veto within a specifi ed Fisherman's forecast United States, the sugar high gener- to call on fiscal policymakers to do sionals operating within limits estab- time period. At any rate, there are WARNING ated by President Donald Trump’s more. As US Federal Reserve Chair lished by statute. Ultimately, it would many ways to reconcile democratic Inshore : Nil massive 2017 tax cut has peaked Jerome Powell recently put it, “It’s still be fully accountable to elected accountability with depoliticised and is now rapidly waning, without not good to have monetary policy offi cials, but it would be able to make policymaking. Offshore : Nil triggering the promised investment be the main game in town, let alone crucial budget decisions much faster Needless to say, the same kind WEATHER boom. In Europe, the ongoing Brexit the only game in town.” In practice, than what is possible today. of objections that apply to central- Inshore : Relatively hot daytime a greater role for fiscal policy would To be sure, there would be little bank independence would be made with slight dust at plac- farce threatens severe economic es at times and some disruption, even chaos, if the United mean that tax cuts and spend- room for a new delegated author- against a fi scal Fed. But there is clouds, relatiely humid Kingdom cannot conclude a deal ing increases would accompany ity to appropriate additional funds. nothing unusual about representative at places by night. with the European Union before interest-rate reductions in the event After all, most of the expenditure side governments delegating key areas of Offshore : Partly clouds at times withdrawing from the bloc at the end of another downturn. of the budget is nondiscretionary or policymaking to professionals. There of October. And in China, growth is But there is a problem with this relatively “sticky,” and thus diffi cult are always tradeoff s between demo- WIND Inshore : Northerly-Northeaster- unmistakably slowing. approach: politics. Whereas most to start or stop on short notice. On cratic prerogative and technocratic ly 05-15 KT Lurking behind all these prob- central banks are formally independ- the revenue side, however, a fi scal Fed necessity, and diff erent countries Offshrore : Northwesterly-North- lems is the “Tariff Man’s” trade war, ent, and thus are not obliged to take could accomplish quite a lot through draw diff erent lines between the two easterly 03-12 KT which has led economists to worry direct orders from elected offi cials, the levers of taxes and transfers. Its domains. Visibility : 4-8 KM about a recession as early as next those in charge of fi scal policy enjoy overarching objective would be to In the US, no one questions the year. Ordinarily, governments facing no such luxury. Budgets are made by vary tax-withholding rates and trans- legitimacy of independent agen- Offshore : 1-3 FT an economic downturn would look politicians, who have no choice but fer payments at the margin as needed, cies like the Securities and Exchange Around the region to worry about their prospects for re- much as what central banks do with Commission or the Food and Drug fi rst to monetary policy, relying on Weather Weather Administration. There is no reason central banks to force down interest election. How can they justify defi cit- interest rates. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min rates in the hope of encouraging more fi nanced spending that would add to In creating such an agency, the why an autonomous fi scal agency Baghdad Sunny 43/29 Sunny 46/29 borrowing and spending. Yet the tools the public debt? Won’t they be tarred political authorities would set basic could not operate in a similar fashion. Kuwait City Sunny 45/33 Sunny 47/33 that monetary policymakers have as irresponsible, or worse? goals and parameters, and elected As long as its mandate is carefully Manama Sunny 37/31 Sunny 39/31 long deployed to stabilise markets no Most experts now agree that former offi cials would exercise active over- circumscribed and its operations Muscat Sunny 33/28 Sunny 33/29 longer seem up to the task. The time US President Barack Obama’s 2009 sight on a continuing basis, to ensure closely monitored, a fi scal Fed is an Tehran Sunny 41/27 M Sunny 39/28 has come to consider a new approach stimulus programme played a vital responsible behaviour. But within its idea worth considering. – Project to macroeconomic management. role in the post-2008 recovery. Still, statutory limits, the agency would Syndicate A decade ago, global interest rates it cost the Democrats dearly in the be authorised to implement timely were lowered dramatically to stave 2010 midterm congressional election. adjustments to the government’s O Benjamin J Cohen, Professor of off the threat of Great Depression II. Should expansive fi scal policy be revenues in response to changing International Political Economy at the But, 11 years after the fi nancial crisis, needed again, elected offi cials will be economic conditions. University of California, Santa Bar- rates still have not bounced back. In wary of the potential backlash. The scope of potential adjustments bara, is the author of Currency Power: all advanced economies, they remain But what if fi scal policy was as could be agreed in advance as part of Understanding Monetary Rivalry.

Live issues Around the world Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens Sunny 33/22 Sunny 33/23 Beirut M Sunny 29/25 Sunny 29/26 Bangkok I T Storms 34/28 S T Storms 33/27 Benefi ts of a bland diet Berlin P Cloudy 30/18 P Cloudy 26/14 Cairo Sunny 37/24 Sunny 37/25 Cape Town P Cloudy 12/06 Sunny 17/10 By Barbara Quinn People with active ulcers, heartburn, Eggs (not fried), low fat milk, mild are not.) Whole grain breads, crackers Colombo T Storm 29/27 T Storm 29/26 The Monterey County Herald nausea, or vomiting may also fare cheese, yogurt and tofu. Cooked, or cereals. Nuts and seeds. Dhaka P Cloudy 34/27 P Cloudy 34/27 better with a bland diet. In other canned or frozen vegetables such Hopefully you will not have to be on Hong Kong T Storm 30/27 S T Storms 31/27 words, a bland diet is a way to help as cooked carrots, green beans or a bland diet forever since it is low in Istanbul Sunny 28/21 Sunny 28/21 reader asks, “Can you tell the tummy rest and feel better until spinach. Creamy peanut butter. Lean dietary fi bre and eliminates some very Jakarta P Cloudy 33/25 S T Storms 33/24 me what is a bland diet for a it heals. tender meats, poultry and fi sh. Bread, good-for-you foods. Come the think Karachi P Cloudy 33/28 Sunny 34/29 senior citizen? Thank you.” Perhaps it got the name “bland” pasta, rice, crackers and cereal made of it, maybe this diet is a bit “bland.” London Rain 24/14 P Cloudy 25/16 Senior citizen or not, because it discourages spicy foods with refi ned (white) fl our. Soups. Tea. Experts give us these other tips to Manila S T Storms 32/26 T Storm 31/26 A Moscow 20/14 Showers 22/14 some people think a bland diet is such as pepper and chillies which can Apple juice. Decaf coff ee. help a sore tummy in addition to a Showers one that is tasteless and boring. Not stir up stomach juices. And as good as What is generally off the menu bland diet: Eat small meals. Avoid eat- New Delhi S T Storms 34/28 S T Storms 34/28 necessarily so. In the field of clinical they are for our health otherwise, high when you follow a bland diet? Caf- ing a heavy meal right before bedtime. New York P Cloudy 37/28 M Sunny 37/26 nutrition, a bland diet - also referred fi bre foods are eliminated on the bland feine. Citrus fruits like oranges and Chew your food slowly and well. Don’t Paris M Cloudy 28/17 P Cloudy 29/17 to as soft or low residue - is actu- diet, again, to lessen irritation in the grapefruit. Pickles, onions and garlic. smoke. (Smoking irritates the digestive Sao Paulo M Sunny 23/11 P Cloudy 24/14 ally a special diet for certain medical intestinal tract. Raw vegetables are Tomato juice. High fat ice cream and system.) Sip fl uids slowly; don’t gulp. Seoul Rain 28/23 Showers 27/22 conditions. It is meant to protect the discouraged (cooked is fi ne) to protect other rich desserts. Gassy vegetables And follow your health provider’s Singapore P Cloudy 32/26 P Cloudy 31/27 digestive tract from irritation after the intestinal tract from too much like broccoli, cabbage, caulifl ower and advice on how to advance to a regular Sydney Sunny 19/08 Sunny 22/09 surgery, for example, as a patient tough roughage. cucumbers. Fried foods (For example: diet if and when the time is right. - Tokyo Cloudy 30/23 Cloudy 28/23 transitions back to a regular diet. What can you eat on a bland diet? cooked potatoes are OK; potato chips Tribune News Service Gulf Times 16 Saturday, July 20, 2019 QATAR

(From above) Snapshots from the exhibition’s opening at Katara and some of the works on display. PICTURES: Jayaram Focus on Arabic calligraphy, as preserved and practised in India

By Joey Aguilar the Dawoodi Bohra Association Staff Reporter and Radiant Arts “in making this event possible” and bring- ing talented Indian artists to n Islamic calligraphy ex- Doha. hibition titled Multaqa The artists are Samina Sachak, AAl-Qulub Wal-Funun: Mohamed Moiny, Moiz Nagpur- A Gathering of Hearts & Crafts wala, Aliasger Vaziri, Mazhar opened at Katara – the Cultural Nizar, Juzer Burhani, and Bur- Village on Thursday, featuring hanuddin Nagarwala. dozens of artworks by seven In- The exhibition displays exam- dian artists. ples of how Arabic calligraphy is The exhibition, running until preserved and practised in India July 30 from 10am-10pm, is or- and how iconic symbols of Qatar ganised by the Indian embassy such as the traditional dhow, fal- and Radiant Arts (Anwaar al- con, oryx and horse are celebrat- Funun) – a platform for Dawoodi ed by artists. Bohra artists. Apart from the calligraphy It is aimed at showcasing the works, visitors have the oppor- art of calligraphy as another as- tunity to witness the artists’ pect of cultural exchange be- live demonstrations at the ex- tween Qatar and India. hibition, described not only as “This is the 24th event that a celebration of art of calligra- we have been organising as a phy, colour and vitality, but also part of the Qatar-India Year of of friendship, camaraderie and Culture. The talent we have in brotherhood. calligraphy represents a facet of “I want to thank Katara – the India’s composite culture and Cultural Village again for stand- also it is another manifestation ing with us shoulder to shoulder of the links that India has with in making so many Qatar-India National Museum of Qatar, but the Arab world,” Indian am- Year of Culture events possible will wait for the confi rmation bassador P Kumaran said in his during the course of the year. We before we can formally announce speech. look forward to such support in that,” the envoy said. The envoy, along with Da- the coming months,” Kumaran Since its inception in 2016, woodi Bohra artists, led the in- noted. Radiant Arts has been providing auguration of the event that was He added that another event budding and established art- also attended by Katara’s human on calligraphy is lined up in ists a platform to showcase their resources department manager the coming months, which will work. Saif Saeed al-Dosari, other am- feature old manuscript copies The organisation has hosted bassadors and dignitaries, as well from two major museums in several exhibitions, featuring as art enthusiasts and guests at India. international artists in Nairobi, Building 18 (Gallery 2). “We should be doing that Kenya, and Mumbai and Indore Kumaran cited the efforts of event either at Katara or at the in India.

Bounedjah goal helps Algeria win Africa Cup Celebrations in Qatar HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, congratulated From Page 1 eree Alioum Alioum pointed to the spot as Senegal brought on fresh legs in Kre- Algeria on its Africa Cup of Nations win through for a suspected handball by Adlene Gue- pin Diatta and Mbaye Diagne, but Youcef a tweet last night even as celebrations in Doha Henri Saivet, who missed a penalty dioura, but the offi cial reversed his deci- Belaili nearly made it 2-0 when his cross followed the North African team’s victory over in the 1-0 victory over Tunisia, tried to sion after a VAR review. brushed the head of a defender and Senegal in Cairo. Congratulations also poured catch Rais Mbohli out with a free-kick Niang rounded an advancing Mboh- skimmed the roof of the net. in from Al Sadd, where Baghdad Bounedjah, the while Mbaye Niang fi zzed a power- li after a searching ball through from Sarr blazed over on the volley as Al- goalscorer for Algeria in the final, plays his club ful drive just over as Senegal gradually Cheikhou Kouyate but the forward sliced geria clung on to their advantage in the football, as well as from the Ministry of Culture showed signs of life before the half ended wide of the target from a tough angle, closing minutes, the fi nal whistle greet- and Sports. Led by members of the Algerian com- with both sets of players embroiled in a with the Algeria goalkeeper then ac- ed by an outpouring of raw emotion as munity in Qatar, a large number of people turned scuffl e as they headed for the tunnel. robatically tipping over a rasping drive the North Africans emerged worthy up at Ali Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah Arena to watch the Algerians celebrate Baghdad Bounedjah’s goal at Ali Bin Hamad Senegal thought they had won a pen- from Youssouf Sabaly. winners of the expanded 24-team event. live telecast of the final on giant screens. Al-Attiyah Arena, Doha, yesterday. alty on the hour when Cameroonian ref- The Desert Foxes started to look jaded Agencies

Showcasing Qatar’s football culture in pictures

arlier this year, the Su- The brief for each participant countries and aims to help peo- preme Committee for was simple: “Take photos of what ple around the world understand EDelivery & Legacy (SC) football means to you.” each other through football. handed out disposable cameras The project was organised in “Our objective was to show- to more than 50 people across collaboration with Goal Click, case Qatar’s football culture and This picture was taken at Al Wakrah Academy ‘during a Generation Qatar. which is active in more than 40 its deep-rooted passion for the Amazing event in Al Wakrah – where we had just delivered a session beautiful game, while shining a about inclusivity’, says photographer Hamad Mohamed. ‘Two of the light on the country’s diversity,” students were challenging for the ball. You may not notice, but one the SC said in a report on its of the boys has a disability. The message here is that football off ers a website, sc.qa, adding: “We also level playing field. It can help everyone feel confident.’ wanted to give people around the world the chance to fi nd out more about the next FIFA World Cup’s host nation.” Hamad Mohamed, who works as a master coach with Genera- tion Amazing, one of the SC’s fl agship legacy projects, was de- This picture taken at the Pearl-Qatar shows people coming together lighted to take part in the project. to play football. ‘The message here,’ says photographer Hamad “It’s an excellent project but Mohamed, ‘is that football brings people together. After the game, the was a very big challenge be- players talk, swap numbers and arrange to play again. The cause you have a limit – only 27 players are from diff erent countries and speak diff erent languages chances to take a photo,” he said. but they understand one another through football.’ “It means you need to think care- fully and anticipate what’s going to, with each one showing how “It was a big honour for me to to happen.” much people in Qatar love foot- see my picture in one of the big ‘This is at the end of the match (at Al Wakrah Academy). I like this Mohamed continued: “What ball.” activations. Being from Qatar ‘They are celebrating a goal as a team – everyone is sharing the photo because they are all holding hands,’ photographer Hamad I love about this is that there’s Much to his delight, one of his and seeing my work in Brazil, success. After being under pressure and scoring a goal, it’s time to Mohamed said. ‘They are one team. At the end of game, you don’t say no editing – the photos are pro- photographs was featured in the while Qatar was playing in the be happy. It was great he celebrated in front of the camera,’ says an individual has won – you say the team won. Whatever happens on duced from just one click. Also, Qatar @roadto2022 Exhibition in Copa America for the fi rst time, Mohamed. the pitch, you win as a team.’ there’s a story behind every pho- Sao Paulo, Brazil. made me very proud.”