BUSINESSBUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Al Gharafa exit aft er home off ers gas to UAE defeat at competitive terms published in QATAR since 1978

WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10778 April 4, 2018 Rajab 18, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals PM meets ITU chief Planned Trump In brief summit with Gulf

QATAR | Offi cial Emir sends message leaders put off to Bulgarian PM His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani sent yesterday a written message to Bulgarian until September Prime Minister Boyko Borissov pertaining to bilateral relations and Reuters leader Kim Jong-un next month, and ways to advance and develop them. Washington that Pompeo has yet to be confi rmed to The message was handed over by replace Rex Tillerson. Qatar’s ambassador to A spokeswoman for the White House Rashid bin Ali al-Khater at a meeting he Trump administration is post- National Security Council said the delay with the Bulgarian prime minister in HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met yesterday with the visiting poning until September a summit was not tied to the tensions over Qatar, Sofia yesterday. secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Houlin Zhao. During the meeting, they reviewed Twith Gulf Arab leaders that had adding that, “President Trump is com- prospects for co-operation and means of advancing them. been planned for this spring amid an on- mitted to resolving the Gulf dispute this EUROPE | Politics going dispute between Qatar and other month.” US allies in the region, according to fi ve Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince Putin-Erdogan-Rouhani US offi cials. Mohamed bin Salman at the White summit in Ankara today The decision to delay the May summit House on March 21. He is due to meet Russian President Vladimir with the six-nation Gulf Co-operation with Qatar’s Emir His Highness Sheikh Putin yesterday launched the Council (GCC) refl ects a crowded diplo- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani next week, construction of ’s first matic calendar, and the fact that Presi- followed by a meeting with Abu Dhabi nuclear power station and vowed dent Donald Trump is without a secre- Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Za- to accelerate the delivery of air Trump thanks Emir tary of state until the Senate confi rms yed. defence systems to Ankara, in a new current CIA Director Mike Pompeo, two Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Bahrain tightening of an increasingly close of the offi cials said. and cut off travel and trade ties alliance that has alarmed Nato. Putin Other sources, however, told Reuters with Qatar last June, accusing it of back- held several hours of talks with the delay is also a nod to the fact that ing Iran, and supporting terrorism. Qatar Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip for his commitment Washington has made little progress so denies the charges and says the boycott is Erdogan on the first of a two-day far in ending the standoff between Qatar an attempt to impinge on its sovereignty visit to Ankara that will see the two and other Gulf nations, particularly Sau- and rein in its support for reform. strongmen leaders joined today by di Arabia and the . A senior US offi cial said the summit Iranian President Hassan Rouhani The dispute pits key US allies against was discussed during Salman’s Wash- for a summit devoted to Syria. each other. It has not aff ected the US air ington visit, and there was agreement to restore GCC unity base in Qatar that supports attacks on Is- that it would be better to delay the meet- AMERICA | Crime lamic extremists. ing until after the holy month of Ram- Shots fi red at YouTube Phone call reviews the strategic relations between the two president thanked the Emir for Qatar’s “This was entirely our decision,” one adan, which ends in mid-June. bilateral ties and means of friendly countries and means of en- continued commitment to counter ter- US offi cial, speaking on condition of an- “I think it makes sense (to delay the HQ, casualties reported hancing them to achieve the common rorist fi nancing and extremism. onymity, said of the delay. summit) as there seems to be movement A suspect opened fire at YouTube’s developing them interests of the two countries. “The president and the Emir dis- “We have too many irons in the fi re on the beginning of a dialogue and more headquarters near San Francisco A number of current issues were also cussed the obstacles to restoring uni- in May,” the offi cial added, noting that time to let it develop would be helpful,” yesterday, sending employees Agencies discussed, particularly the fi ght against ty in the Gulf Co-operation Council Trump may be meeting North Korean one said. scrambling into the street and at least Doha/Washington extremism and terrorism and the two (GCC). The president thanked the Emir four casualties to local hospitals. The countries’ joints eff orts in this fi eld, the for his commitment to help restore GCC shooter, a woman, was “down” at the offi cial Qatar News Agency (QNA) said. unity and emphasised that it is critical scene, NBC News reported. Lisa Kim, is Highness the Emir Sheikh The Emir and the US president also to end the Gulf dispute.” Qatar-US Economic Forum in Miami today a spokeswoman for Stanford Health Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani exchanged views on the latest events During the call, the US president and The Qatar-US Economic Forum will kick off today in Miami, Florida, as part of Care, said the hospital was receiving Hheld yesterday evening a tele- and developments on the regional and the Emir agreed on the importance of Qatar’s economic tour of the . The forum is organised by the Ministry between four to five patients from phone conversation with US President international arenas. regional unity to address security threats of Economy and Commerce in collaboration with the Qatar Chamber, the American the shooting incident at the off ices of Donald Trump. A statement issued by the White and to ensure the prosperity of the people Chamber of Commerce, the Qatari Businessmen Association, the Qatar American YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet During the phone call, they reviewed House following the talks said the in the region, the statement added. Business Council and a number of US off icial bodies. Business Page 16 Inc’s Google.

SPORT | Champions League Ronaldo scores 2 as Real beat Juve, Bayern win too Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, PHCC to run 25 health centres by next month including with a spectacular overhead kick, as holders Real Madrid swept to a 3-0 win at By Joseph Varghese tres to 27,” Dr Mariam Ali Abdulmalik, Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh around 19,800sq m. “We aim to reach such as family medicine clinics, preg- Juventus to put themselves in a Staff Reporter managing director, PHCC, told a press Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al- 10,000 registrations in the fi rst year and it nancy monitoring, healthy child services, strong position to advance to the conference. Thani,” explained Dr Mariam. has the capacity to provide care for up to routine immunisations, non-transition- last four of the Champions League. PHCC assistant managing direc- “Both the new facilities are wellness 50,000 people. With the opening of both al disease clinics and smoking cessation In another quarter-final, Bayern he Primary Health Care Cor- tor Musallam al-Nabit, Operation De- centres which provide all amenities centres, the number of health centres in services. They also deliver services such Munich came from behind to win poration (PHCC) will operate 25 partment executive director Dr Samya available at other health and wellness the western region will be nine, which as prenatal care, postnatal services, travel 2-1 at Sevilla in their first-leg match. Thealth centres across Qatar with al-Abdulla, Western Region head Dr centres under PHCC. Registration for will contribute to relieving the pressure immunisation, dental clinics, nutrition In Turin, Ronaldo became the two new facilities set for offi cial open- Hiyam al-Sada and other offi cials were the health centres is going on. Muaither on the other health centres in this region, and laryngologists, hearing and skin dis- first player to score in 10 straight ing next month at Muaither and Al Wa- present. Health Centre has already got close to especially since the number of people eases, ophthalmology and physiotherapy. Champions League games when he jbah, a top offi cial said yesterday. “The Muaither Health Centre will 5,000 registrations while registration registered at each centre is about 90,000 Both the centres also provide com- prodded home Isco’s cross in the “We will also open two more health start functioning from April 8 and the for Al Wajbah has just started,” the of- to 100,000,” she described. prehensive health services as well as third minute against Juventus. He centres at Al Waab and Qatar Uni- one at Al Wajbah from May 13. The of- fi cial said. The new centres represents a leap in pharmacy, radiology, dental clinic, and then scored a stunning goal to make versity in the second half of this year, fi cial opening of both the facilities will According to Dr Mariam, Muaither the quality of services by PHCC. They early screening services for breast and it two for Real. taking the total number of health cen- be conducted in May by HE the Prime Health Centre is located on an area of provide comprehensive health services bowel cancer. QR1.5bn infrastructure works for citizens’ plots in Wukair South

By Ramesh Mathew ment works to be taken up in Al Wukair The top Ashghal offi cial also said Staff Reporter South would serve about 3,508 land new projects to develop the infra- plots. structure of 15,000 plots in existing Al-Muhannadi said by the end of areas across Qatar this year had got our new contracts, totalling 2024, the number of citizens’ land plots underway. QR1.5bn, were signed yesterday to be served with newly developed in- Ashghal’s Roads Projects Depart- Fto develop infrastructure of land frastructure would be at least three ment engineer Mooza al-Suwaidi plots under the Citizens Residential times the number of plots served with presented the authority’s plan for the Projects in Al Wukair South in Al Wak- infrastructure in 2013. implementation of infrastructure de- rah Municipality. “The latest allotment is in excess of the QR10bn budget approved ear- 50 pedestrian bridges under planning, construction lier, and the additional QR1.5bn for Al Wukair South was made on the About 50 pedestrian bridges are of the ministry, such bridges are being directives of HE the Prime Minister in diff erent stages of planning and conceived, designed and erected in the and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdul- construction across Doha and some most appropriate locations,” said the Saad bin Ahmed al-Muhannadi and other Ashghal off icials with representatives of companies that were awarded contracts. lah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani,” of its immediate neighbourhoods and off icial. said Ashghal president and senior of many of them are expected to be The off icial also said works of some velopment projects. of 351km of drainage networks, 225km North of Al Nasseriya, the Industrial engineer Saad bin Ahmad al-Mu- completed by the end of next year, a of the pedestrian bridges across The projects due to be completed of road works and 239 cycle and pedes- Area, Muaither West, and Al Shamal hannadi. senior Ashghal off icial told Gulf Times. Airport Road, near Qatar Airways during 2018 include those serving trian paths,” he said. town, said al-Suweidi. The total allotment of QR11.5bn is “We are working in co-ordination headquarters and others on the 5,644 land plots in existing areas, 837 The infrastructure projects cur- Most of these projects are planned to the biggest ever dedicated for develop- with the Ministry of Transport and northern side are in full swing and land plots in citizens’ sub-divisions, rently being implemented in diff er- be completed between the last quarter ing infrastructure in Citizens Residen- Communications on this vital issue and they are expected to be delivered as besides grading works for nearly 1,800 ent areas are also reviewed, including of this year and third quarter of next tial Projects, he explained. on the basis of the recommendations soon as possible. Page 5 other plots. those in Bani Hajer, Rawdat Egdaim, year, and expected to serve a total of The new infrastructural develop- “These projects will provide a total , Al Froosh, Al Kharaitiyat, 10,656 land plots. To Page 3 Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 QATAR

Qatar-US military relations reviewed Chief of Staff meets Boeing official

HE the Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces Major General (Pilot) Ghanim bin Shaheen al-Ghanim, who is visiting the United States, held separate meetings with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Francis Danford, Vice-Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Stephen Wilson, and Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Aff airs Robert Karem in Washington yesterday. The meetings discussed relations between Qatar and the United States of America and means of strengthening and developing them in the defence and military fields, and a number of issues of mutual interest, especially strengthening eff orts in the fight against terrorism HE the Chief of Staff Major General (Pilot) Ghanim bin Shaheen al-Ghanim met the Vice-President of and extremism. The Chief of Staff also met a number of off icials in major US defence companies, thinkers and researchers from the Global Sales and Marketing of Boeing Jeff Shockey in Washington yesterday. They discussed topics Business Executives for National Security (BENS) and from US research centres. and projects of common interest.

Barzan Holdings OFFICIAL Meet discusses security launches cyber Transport Minister at major sporting events security training meets ITU secretary-general

he seventh annual IN- HE the Minister of Transport and TERPA conference con- programme Communications Jassim Seif Ttinued yesterday for the Ahmed al-Sulaiti met in Doha second day with discussions yesterday with the secretary- on various themes that cov- QNA ing its role in cyber security general of the International ered issues of political violence, Doha to develop unifi ed national Telecommunication Union, Houlin counter-terrorism and extrem- mechanisms and methods to Zhao. The two off icials discussed ism, how to manage crowds and identify, reduce and neutral- aspects of co-operation in secure major events such as in- arzan Holdings has an- ise potential cyber security the field of ICT and means of ternational sporting events, as nounced the launch of its threats, and opening up cyber further enhancing them. They well as discussions on the pro- Bfi rst cyber security train- security training in the future also discussed co-ordination on gramme of rehabilitation and re- ing programme in Qatar, in col- to a larger number of trainees Qatar’s requirements for satellite integration of people and other laboration with the National in both the military and civil- system aff airs (Es’hail 2) as well topics on the agenda. Service Authority. ian fi elds. as enhancing and intensifying The second day’s proceedings The announcement results Barzan Holdings CEO Mo- relations between Qatar and the started with a session on “crowd from a series of agreements be- hamed Mubarak al-Khater ITU, the Ministry of Transport and management during major tween the two parties, of which said; “Cyber security is one of Communications (MoTC) said in events and the fi ght against ter- some were revealed to the pub- Barzan Holdings’ most critical a statement. Communications rorism during international lic during the Doha Maritime projects to enhance the defen- Regulatory Authority (CRA) sporting events”. Defence Exhibition and Con- sive capabilities of various sec- president Mohamed Ali al-Mannai Addressing the session, In- ference (DIMDEX 2018), and tors in Qatar, and Barzan Hold- also attended the meeting. The terpol’s Project Stadia senior Dignitaries and off icials in the audience. Supplied picture a group of National Service ings will be able to benefi t from senior ITU off icial also visited manager Falah Dousari said the recruits have been selected to our strategic partnerships with CRA and its National Monitoring project aims to make the world logical and humanitarian aspect participate in the programme leading international compa- Centre, which monitors spectrum safer and has recorded many of the fi ght against terrorism. as a requirement of their mili- nies in this fi eld.” usage as well as the Qatar achievements that have bene- He also reviewed the main char- tary training, Barzan Holdings He added: “The training pro- Assistive Technology Centre, fi ted the 192 member-countries acteristics of terrorist attacks on said in a press release. gramme will greatly benefi t the Digital Incubation Centre, Qatar of the organisation. It has con- sporting events, pointing out that The cyber security training recruits by raising awareness Computer Emergency Response tributed to collecting knowledge it is a global phenomenon and programme began on Sunday 25 of the importance of cyber se- Team and Government Contact about the world’s largest sport- there is an open database of ter- March and will last 15 days, with curity and how to deal with it, Centre, where MoTC experts and ing events to support all mem- rorist attacks occurring all over a total of 120 training hours us- and they will be able to transfer specialists briefed him on these ber-countries in organising safe Falah Dousari, senior manager of Interpol’s Project Stadia, and (right) the world. ing specialised cyber security their knowledge to other people programmes and projects. and secure sporting events. Major Ali Mohamed al-Ali, deputy executive director of Security He said the records of sports hardware and software. in their workplace.” He noted that the project has Aff airs at the SC. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil events from 1983-2016 showed The training course was de- Head of the National Serv- Moroccan justice three programmes to fi ght crime there had been a total of 74 at- signed in collaboration with ice Authority, Commander that enhance the possibilities of tion, or Interpol, always stands order to manage and co-ordinate tacks. The number of such at- Barzan Holdings’ strategic Saeed Hamad al-Nuaimi said: minister meets states to combat crime through alongside countries that have safety and security eff orts for tacks may not be too big, but partner Raytheon, recognised “We are continuously devel- NHRC chief the implementation of best ambitions to host major events the 2022 World Cup, we have the resulting eff ects were huge, as a global leader in military oping a series of professional practices and police and security around the world to help them launched the security commit- and had devastating eff ects on technology and cyber security. National Service training pro- Moroccan Minister of Justice arrangements as well as the pro- overcome these challenges. tee in 2022 with the mission to everyone interested in sports. The project aims at enabling grammes by designing special- Mohamed Aujjar met the vision of intelligence to organise Major Ali Mohamed al-Ali, deliver the safest and most se- He added that the number of at- participants to understand the ised courses that take into ac- Chairman of the National Human major sporting events, leaving deputy executive director of cure FIFA World Cup ever. tacks from the 1970s until 2016 basics of cyber security and the count all military and security Rights Committee (NHRC) Dr a legacy for law-enforcement Security Aff airs at the Supreme Dr Hadi Khader from Sudan was small but at the same time latest technology in this fi eld, aspects. Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri in agencies worldwide. Committee for Delivery & Leg- presented a paper on “combating had devastating eff ects. These enhancing their ability to ad- Cyber security is one of the Marrakesh yesterday. Dousari added that the secu- acy (SC), presented a paper on extremism in global sports”. He attacks took place in Colom- dress potential risks and future most vital aspects of security During the meeting, the two sides rity challenges that accompany “security preparation and plan- pointed out that increasing inci- bia, , , the UK and a threats. and it is a top priority in order discussed means of enhancing major events such as the FIFA ning for World Cup 2022”. dents followed by riots and vio- number of other countries. The The recruits will then trans- to train a generation of Qataris co-operation on issues of human World Cup are many and var- Pointing out that Qatar is the lence in sports venues worldwide data indicated that Colombia had fer their knowledge and expe- that are able to defend our bor- rights as well as exchange of ied, including the cyber threat fi rst country in the Middle East underscored the importance of the highest number of attacks. rience gained to their work- ders and assets.” expertise. The National Human to organised and emerging crime to host the World Cup, he said preventive security strategies. In another session, Barbora places across diff erent sectors. Cyber security is one of the Rights Committee (NHRC), and terrorism. The international the SC is carrying out all the Liu Minghui, from the Peo- Vegrichtova from the Police As this is the fi rst time that latest and most critical tech- represented by its chairman, is community must address these infrastructure projects for this ple’s Public Security University Academy of , civilians have been trained in nologies to emerge in recent participating in an international challenges to ensure the safety major event, creating a lasting of China, presented a paper on presented a paper on “criminal this area of cyber security, the years for many stakeholders. conference organised by the and security of all participants in legacy for the region and the “risk assessment of terrorism in tattoo symbols in the context National Service Authority was Cyber security protects cor- Moroccan Ministry of Justice, the the events and their safety, it was world, and will hand over the relation to international events”. of radicalisation in prison fa- selected to conduct the initial porate and organisations’ da- Supreme Judicial Council and the observed. projects within the stipulated He presented an example of the cilities”. She explained the visual stage of the project. tabases, especially large ones, Moroccan Public Prosecution, Further, he said the Interna- period. assessment of terrorist risks to ci- language used by prisoners and Barzan Holdings is cur- from hacking and other dam- entitled “Independence of the tional Criminal Police Organisa- Major al-Ali stressed that in vilian systems and of the psycho- its various manifestations. rently working on expand- aging activities. judiciary between guaranteeing the rights of litigants and respect for the rules of justice”. Farewell reception for South Korean NAMA unveils ‘Aspiration and Achievement 2030’ campaign ambassador Secretary-General of the Ministry QNA based on their awareness and of Foreign Aff airs Dr Ahmed Doha knowledge of the importance bin Hassan al-Hammadi held a of this vision, which represents farewell ceremony in honour a prosperous future for a great of the outgoing South Korean he Social Development country and its ambitious peo- ambassador Park Heung Kyeong Centre ‘NAMA’ launched ple aspiring to turn Qatar, by in Doha yesterday. Tits “Aspiration and 2030, into a developed country A number of heads of diplomatic Achievement 2030” campaign capable of achieving sustain- missions accredited to Qatar and with the presence of intellectu- able development and ensuring a off icials at the foreign ministry als, media leaders and interested decent living for its people, over attended the ceremony that was audience. generations.” held at the Diplomatic Club. This campaign comes in the NAMA centre, which was es- context of the new strategic ori- tablished in 1996 with the de- Real estate entations of ‘NAMA’ that target sire to achieve the human and youth as they are considered the social development in Qatar, transactions key engine in the wheel of devel- aims to provide a stimulating Real estate transactions in Qatar opment in Qatar. environment which contributes between March 25 and 29 at the The campaign is a result of the to investing in the potential and Ministry of Justice’s real estate requirements of Qatar’s Second creativity of youth, as well as to registration department stood National Development Strategy meet their needs and aspirations at QR418,342,943. The weekly 2018-2022 which the country as partners in the civil work, bulletin released by the real has celebrated its launching in while exploring the best chances estate registration department at the fi rst half of March, 2018. and innovating to lead the ren- the Ministry of Justice said that The campaign, which is the Off icials of The Social Development Centre ‘NAMA’ at the launch of its “Aspiration and Achievement 2030” campaign. aissance of their communities. the list of properties that were fi rst of its kind, aims to raise Since 2013, the centre has traded by sale includes open youth awareness about the im- ambitious people. ‘NAMA’ works, has a substantial development strategies iterat- tations of ‘NAMA’ to support been working under the um- plots of land, houses, residential portance of Qatar National Vi- On this occasion, Acting Ex- role in preparing Qatar’s Second ing the goals of Qatar National the Second National Strategy, brella of Qatar Foundation for buildings, multi-purpose sion 2030, its pillars and goals. ecutive Director of the Social De- National Development Strategy Vision 2030 with its four pillars I would like to announce the Social Work (QFSW). NAMA is buildings and a multi-purpose It also seeks to motivate them velopment Centre ‘NAMA’, Mar- through its active and produc- represented in human, social, launch of the awareness cam- a member of the United Nations open plot of land which are to contribute consciously to yam bint Abdullatif al-Manna tive membership in the advisory economic, and environment de- paign “Aspiration and Achieve- Economic and Social Council located in the municipalities of achieving the goals of this vision commented, “It is worth men- group for this strategy. velopment into reality.” ment 2030 meant to activate (ECOSOC), the Arab Network of Doha, Al Rayyan, Al Daayen, Umm that represents a prosperous fu- tioning here that Qatar Founda- The strategy actually comes Al-Mannai added, “In the youth participation in achiev- NGOs, and the World Family Or- Salal, Al Khor, Al Thakhira, Al ture for a great country and its tion for Social Work, under which as part of a series of consecutive context of the strategic orien- ing Qatar National Vision 2030 ganisation (WFO). Wakrah and Al Shamal. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 3 QATAR Qatar Foundation, QFCA Infrastructure works in Wukair South From Page 1 was awarded works amounting The project will also provide to QR512mn. The Package 1 will a total of 172km of internal and The projects to be started serve approximately 820 land external roads, and 27 inter- this year include those serving plots. sections to connect Al Wukair in pact to empower youth about 15,021 land plots in exist- The other three contracts South with the surrounding ing areas and 3,508 land plot included Package 2, 3 and 4 for main roads. atar Foundation (QF) and in citizens’ sub-divisions in Al the same project were awarded This is in addition to pro- Qatar Financial Centre Wukair South. to another fi rm at QR947mn. viding safe access to all future QAuthority (QFCA), have All these projects together The three packages together residential and commercial signed a memorandum of un- will provide a total of 1,507km will serve 2,688 land plots. establishments in this area. derstanding (MoU) that will help of drainage networks, 695km of The fi rst project, scheduled Works also include providing provide unique learning oppor- road works and 1,830km of cy- for start later this month is ex- parking bays, lighting poles and tunities to empower young peo- cle and pedestrian paths. pected to be completed by the directional signage to enhance ple in Qatar. At the meeting, Ashghal second quarter of 2020. traffi c safety in the area. QF acting CEO and CEO’s Of- president also signed the new It will provide an integrated The meeting was also at- fi ce executive director Omran contracts with the representa- infrastructure for Al Wukair tended by Ashghal’s Infra- al-Kuwari and QFCA CEO You- tives of the companies that will South as it includes the con- structure Aff airs director sen- suf Mohamed al-Jaida were the execute the projects in Al Wu- struction of 166km of sewage ior engineer Mohamed Masoud signatories. kair South. networks, and 310km of storm al-Marri, Roads Projects De- The agreement aims to off er a One of them, a joint venture water and ground water net- partment manager and senior holistic framework in line with between two local companies, works. engineer Saoud Ali al-Tamimi. developing lifelong learning op- portunities for Qatar’s youth – QFCA’s Yousuf Mohamed al-Jaida and QF’s Omran al-Kuwari sign the MoU. part of QF’s overarching ethos – through the forging of ties be- CEO of QF, said, “At Qatar Foun- great sense of pride and hon- is to develop a world-class in- tween local entities. dation, we strive to equip young our that I announce a closer and ternational fi nancial services As part of the collaboration, people with the knowledge, con- stronger relationship between industry and business sector in Civil Defence holds annual meeting a series of competitions, work- fi dence, and skills they need to Qatar Foundation and the Qatar Qatar. shops, and events pertaining to excel, personally and academi- Financial Centre Authority. Qa- This is consistent with the business and entrepreneurship cally. We are therefore delighted tar Foundation’s belief and ef- Human Development Pillar of with security systems companies activities will be off ered to stu- to partner with Qatar Financial forts towards making productive Qatar National Vision 2030 and dents at universities in Educa- Centre Authority to provide ad- change in the region and estab- refl ects our continuing commit- tion City, alongside a number of ditional learning opportunities lishing Qatar as a role model for ment to contributing to the well- he General Directorate volunteer opportunities. In ad- to our students at Education City. the broader international com- being of the local community. of Civil Defence held the dition, QFCA will provide a range Such valuable cross-sectoral col- munity have been an inspiration This collaboration will inevita- TAnnual Forum of Secu- of internships, and students will laborations will help to create a to us all, and this MoU between bly lead to a number of concrete rity Systems companies as part be encouraged to launch busi- highly competent and diverse two prominent Qatari entities initiatives, additional research, of its eff orts to enhance co- nesses through the entity. workforce that can serve the refl ects our commitment in in- job opportunities, and improved operation with the establish- HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad needs of our country and beyond.” vesting in Qatar and its youth.” skills to the benefi t of all those ments concerned. al-Thani, vice chairperson and Al-Jaida said, “It is with a “A vital part of our strategy concerned,” he added. The exercise was also meant to introduce procedures that ensured the highest level of safety in buildings. Speaking at the event, the General Directorate of Civil Defence’s Prevention Depart- Three-day forum opens at QU ment director Captain Ahmad Khalid al-Ghanim expressed readiness to communicate and The General Directorate of Civil Defence’s Prevention Department QNA The three-day forum aims to strengthen the organising this event, Qatar University dem- co-operate with all entities director Captain Ahmad Khalid al-Ghanim, flanked by two other Doha partnership between the Ministry of Culture onstrates its commitment to building young concerned in order to overcome off icials, addresses the meeting. and Sports and Qatar University and to intro- talents, engage young students in volunteer- any obstacles to realise the goal duce students to the activities off ered by the ing activities and to encourage them to inno- of achieving safety and secu- The unifi ed form of systems The meeting also announced atar Youth Centres Forum (2018) was youth centres and to push them to co-ordinate. vate and to take new initiatives. rity. The meeting dealt with a inspection was also introduced the profession cards for certi- inaugurated yesterday at Qatar Uni- QU VP for Student Aff airs Dr Khalid al- Activities and Youth Events director at the number of topics on standardi- in the meet which companies fi ed engineers and technicians, Qversity (QU), with the participation Khanji said that the Youth Centres Forum Ministry of Culture and Sports Abdul Rahman sation of maintenance require- can obtain through the Minis- which will be implemented of 26 youth centres, in the presence of HE 2018 aims to raise the awareness of young bin Mohamed al-Hajri said the Youth Centres ments for fi re systems in build- try of Interior website. on July 3, 2018. The list of ac- the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin students about the importance of youth cen- Forum serves to strengthen links between the ings where there are specifi c The form has been standard- credited and updated laborato- Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali and QU President tres and their role in developing the society. Ministry of Culture and Sports and Qatar Uni- periods of validity for each fi re ised in terms of periodic inspec- ries was also publicised at the Dr Hassan al-Derham. Al-Khanji added that through hosting and versity and to brief students about the activities . extinguishing system. tion and screening method. forum.

Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 5 QATAR Ashghal in deal to protect environment

shghal yesterday signed of project areas where there are a memorandum of co- existing wild trees. Aoperation (MoC) with Al This is in addition to co-oper- Shabhana Environmental As- ation in raising awareness of the sociation represented by its co- community on the importance founder Abdullah bin Khalid al- of maintaining desert roads, and Khater. reducing the blocking of fl ood The aim of the pact is to con- streams. tribute to protecting plants and Ashghal president and senior environment in Qatar. engineer Saad bin Ahmad al- The areas of co-operation in- Muhannadi said the authority The new bridge connecting Al Itihad Street in area and Saqr Street in Madinat Khalifa North, built across Shamal Expressway. clude the conservation of wild seeks to activate the role of vol- trees. This will be achieved untary associations, especially through co-operation between those in the fi eld of environment the two sides to study the en- protection. vironmental impact of projects Al-Khater thanked Ashghal carried out by Ashghal and also for the continuous co-operation to benefi t from the experience of with the association, and said Al Shabhana Association in the the signing of the MoC is a result New bridge links Gharrafa fi eld of environment and envi- of this growing co-operation be- with Madinat Khalifa North ronmental impact assessment tween their forum and Ashghal. shghal has opened a new bridge over Al Shamal AExpressway directly con- necting Al Itihad Street in Al Gharrafa area and Saqr Street in Madinat Khalifa North. The new bridge will facilitate the smooth fl ow of traffi c dur- ing construction works taking place in the area. Ashghal said in a statement yesterday that it completed the bridge six months ahead of schedule. The quick completion has been attributed to the engineering tech- niques and solutions adopted. The engineering solutions re- Ashghal off icials and representatives of companies which completed the construction in a record time. duced signifi cantly the building costs and duration of the traf- The construction required the materials from national facto- projects executed by the Public lifa North eliminating the need to fi c diversions on account of the use of a giant crane to install the ries in Qatar as part of Ashghal’s Works Authority. pass through Al Shamal road. It construction. The construction 15 concrete beams. The crane eff orts to support and qualify The new bridge consists of will also ease the traffi c conges- required closing the street for was capable of carrying up to the Qatari products, factories one lane in each direction. It tion on Umm Lekhba Interchange Ashghal’s Saad bin Ahmed al-Muhannadi (right) and Al Shabhana’s several hours at night, thus re- 600 tonnes. and local suppliers to partici- will connect directly the two ar- (Landmark) and Al Gharrafa In- Abdulla bin Khalid al-Khater exchange documents after signing the ducing the impact on traffi c. The bridge was constructed of pate in the implementation of eas of Gharafa and Madinat Kha- terchange (Al Jawazat). MoC. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 QATAR

6 violations detected in Children diagnosed with Wakrah

l Wakrah Municipality Health Control Depart- Ament conducted 225 fi eld inspection tours and 1,305 in- autism on rise: offi cial spection visits of various food facilities within the municipality amad Medical Corpo- Early intervention programmes of eye contact, lack of interest and phobias, underscoring the during March. ration’s (HMC) Child that are designed to improve the in peer relationships, lack of need to provide families with These resulted in issuing six HDevelopment Center core behavioural symptoms of make-believe play, and rarely ongoing and multi-disciplinary violation reports on law No 8 treated a total of 3,580 children autism can provide a child with smiling when approached by support. for 1990 on human food control. with autism in 2017, a senior the tools to build on his or her caregivers,” said Hossam Meha- HMC’s Child Development In addition, 18 affi davits were offi cial said. strengths, improve behaviours, na, senior behavioural psychol- Center, is a comprehensive re- signed to abide by the related “The number of children di- and remediate areas of weak- ogist and autism programme habilitation unit for children health and hygiene regulations, agnosed with autism is on the ness. But it is important for co-ordinator at the Child with mild to moderate disabili- two violating shops were closed rise with between 30 to 40 new parents to be observant and to Development Center. ties from birth to 14 years of age for diff erent periods, and 230kg referrals coming every month know the signs of autism,” said While there is no known and provides a co-ordinated, of various foodstuff were de- from primary health centres, Dr al-Siddiqi. cause of autism, a number of multi-disciplinary care pro- stroyed for being unfi t for human either for diagnosis confi rma- “Children do not outgrow circumstances, including en- gramme for children, adoles- consumption. tion or because of parents seek- autism but it is treatable. Stud- vironmental, biologic, and cents, and families aff ected by ing a second opinion,” said Dr ies show that early diagnosis genetic factors, seem to con- autism. Nazim Abdel Aati, paediatric and intervention lead to sig- tribute to making a child more In recognition of the 11th consultant, Child Development nifi cantly improved outcomes. likely to have the disorder. The annual World Autism Aware- Center. It’s important for parents, es- condition is also more com- ness Day, held on April 2, HMC Dr Noof Mohamed al-Siddi- pecially new parents, to educate mon among males, with a ratio has organised a full month of Mercedes- qi, a consultant dermatologist themselves and to be aware of of about one female for every events, including public aware- at HMC, said early intervention the signs. These can include four males. Certain medical ness and education stands at and access to appropriate serv- child being unresponsive, lack and mental health issues fre- a number of its hospitals, a Benz C-Class ices and support can lead to sig- of or delay in spoken language, quently accompany autism, family fun day at Ainza Park, a Dr Noof Mohamed al-Siddiqi nifi cantly improved outcomes repetitive use of language and including gastrointestinal dis- symposium for clinical teams, for children with autism. motor mannerisms such as orders, seizures, sleep distur- and awareness sessions at local velopment Center’s pro- HMC, primary health centre 2017 model “Each child with autism has hand-fl apping, persistent fi xa- bances, attention defi cit and businesses. gramme, children should be or Sidra Medicine, or a private unique needs and abilities. tion on parts of objects, lack hyperactivity disorder, anxiety To access the Child De- referred from a physician in healthcare provider in Qatar. recalled he Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), in Tcollaboration with Nasser QF lights up blue for World Autism Day Thyroid cancer awareness Bin Khaled Automobiles, has an- nounced the recall of Mercedes- Benz C-Class model of 2017 atar Foundation (QF) has because the cover on starter/al- lit its headquarters build- campaign launched ternator wiring harness might be Qing bright blue to mark missing. World Autism Awareness Day, it The MEC said the recall cam- was announced yesterday. atar Cancer Society “Thyroid cancer can occur to radiation and environmen- paign comes within the frame- The building in Education (QCS) has launched three times more in women tal pollution, genetic test- work of its ongoing eff orts to City will remain bathed in blue Q“Your Health is Your than in men. Those with a ing for patients who have a protect consumers and ensure light, the offi cial colour of Au- Responsibility” campaign to family history of having a family history of the disease, that automobile dealers follow tism Awareness Month, for three raise awareness about thyroid fi rst-degree relative with preventive surgery for people up on vehicles’ defects and repair nights as part of the QF’s Pre- cancer which is the second thyroid cancer-even without with a family history of thy- them. University Education’s (PUE) most common cancer among a known inherited syndrome roid cancer, healthy diet high The MEC said that it will co- annual campaign. women in Qatar. in the family- increases the in iodine (milk, seafood, io- ordinate with the dealer to follow PUE will also hold a range of Dr Hadi Abu Rasheed, su- risk of thyroid cancer.” dised salt, tuna, egg, yogurt, up on the maintenance and re- inclusive and autism-friendly pervisor of health education Symptoms of the disease bananas, strawberries, corn, pair works and will communicate events across Education City at QCS, said “thyroid cancer include a lump in the neck, cranberries, green beans.) with customers to ensure that throughout April, including is the abnormal growth of the sometimes growing quickly, Dr Rasheed explained the the necessary repairs are carried the Autism Awareness Day thyroid cells located below swelling in the neck, pain in importance of early detection out. Celebration at Al Shaqab on the Adam’s Apple in the front the front of the neck, some- and recommended that peo- The MEC has urged all cus- April 21. of the neck.” times going up to the ears, ple examine their necks twice tomers to report any violations World Autism Awareness Day “There are non-modifi able hoarseness or other voice a year to look and feel for any to its Consumer Protection and was fi rst proposed by Her High- risk factors such as age as it changes that do not go away, growth or lumps through Anti-Commercial Fraud De- ness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, can occur at any age, but the trouble swallowing, trou- blood tests to detect any ab- partment through the following QF Chairperson, to the United risk peaks earlier for women ble breathing and a persist- normal levels (very high or channels: Call centre: 16001, Nations in 2007, and was adopted (who are most often in their ent cough that is not due to very low) of thyroid hormone e-mail: [email protected], Twit- without vote by the UN General 40s or 50s when diagnosed) cold.” through thyroid ultrasound ter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: Assembly. It was fi rst offi cially Qatar Foundation headquarters has been lit up in blue for World than for men (usually in their Thyroid cancer can be pre- and radiographic scanning of MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for celebrated on April 2, 2008. Autism Day 60s or 70s). vented by reducing exposure thyroid gland. Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar

Chocoglaze opens at Ezdan Mall Al Wakra First turtle

zdan Mall Al Wakra has experience for our guests.” nesting at announced the opening Being the fi rst mall in Al Eof the Chocoglaze choco- Wakrah, it is characterised by late café for the fi rst time in its “modern urban design and Fuwayrit Al Wakrah. located in a prime location op- Chocoglaze is a “new- posite Al Wakra Hospital”. The fashioned restaurant serving mall, which extends over a vast Beach off -beat dishes for breakfast, area, is a two-fl oor building with lunch and dinner, as well as many parking lots that can ac- top-rated desserts and refresh- commodate more than 1,500 recorded ments with an innovative menu”, cars. The mall regularly organ- Ezdan Holding has said in a ises an array of entertainment statement. events for families and children. ight on day one of the Chocoglaze is located at Gate The mall has the adopted the closure of Fuwayrit 5 of Ezdan Mall Al Wakra, with cause of green culture through RBeach for the public an outer space for clients looking Chocoglaze at Ezdan Mall Al Wakra. its Green Dream 2022 initia- due to the start of the tur- for open-area dinning. The shop tive. It advocates environment tles nesting season, the fi rst presents to the Qatari market a keen to off er an unmatched ex- succeeded in facilitating the es- preservation through planting case of nesting at the beach “combo of western and oriental perience for dining for its guests. tablishment of an outdoor food trees and educating people and was recorded, the Ministry The first turtle nest spotted on Fuwayrit Beach. tastes, fl avours and delights”, the As part of this vision, we are de- court and cafés with countless visitors about the benefi ts of of Municipality and Envi- statement notes. lighted that Chocoglaze Café is choices, coupled with cutting- arborisation and transplanting, ronment (MME) announced The new outlet is the second part of our retail mix portfolio as edge services and a spacious the statement adds. It also co- yesterday. Chocoglaze café in Qatar. it has a revolutionary concept in seating area. Chocoglaze Café’s operates with diff erent entities The basic measurements Malik Awan, Ezdan Malls dining. vision fulfi ls our aspirations in in Qatar to propagate the Green of the hawksbill turtle were Group GM, said: “Ezdan Mall is “Ezdan Mall Al Wakra has creating a perfect dining Dream initiative on a wide scale. taken and the eggs moved away from the area of tide and fl ow as soon as the nest- ing was noticed on Monday. The MME has closed Fu- Wastes removed from Rakan Island wayrit Beach until August 1 for the turtle nesting season. The project aims at protect- ing the endangered hawks- bill turtles and help them to breed safely. The MME pointed out that this closure is part of its ef- forts to protect the local wildlife in accordance with ministerial decision no 37 for 2010 regarding the pres- ervation of turtles, and sea birds against extinction. The project was launched in the country in 2014. Beach goers and those who frequent the northern islands have been urged to avoid getting near the places of turtles’ nesting and not to focus light on them, be- sides not making any noise near them. Any violations of such instruction could be re- The Ministry of Municipality and Environment’s Public Cleaning Department has conducted a cleaning campaign of Rakan Island. As many as ported on the Environmen- 70 tonnes of refuse wood were removed, in addition to 20 tonnes of other wastes, 50 abandoned fishing nets and a considerable amount of tal Operations telephone discarded tyres. number 998. Basic measurements of a turtle being taken after it laid eggs. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 7 QATAR

Offi cers inspect 6,060 Agrico projects 1mn sq m shipments

QNA Doha of land for indoor farms

By Joey Aguilar ing director of Agrico. that such an initiative can sig- 20% of the country’s total con- operates year-round. he Ministry of Munici- Staff Reporter A private Qatari agricultural nifi cantly help the country’s sumption. According to al-Khalaf, pality and Environment’s development company, Agrico eff orts for self-suffi ciency. “The fi nal fi gures will not these seasonal greenhouses Tagricultural quarantine was established in 2011 with Al-Khalaf said that Agrico be known until the season is will stop operating during the offi cers have inspected 6,060 he Qatar agriculture the aim of helping the country has been investing in research fi nished,” he said. “For some summer but actual greenhous- shipments, weighing 83797 sector’s self-suffi ciency achieve food security. and development, trying to farms, the season will fi nish by es (using 120,000 sq m of land) tonnes, from various types of Teff orts will get a further Agrico operates a 120,000 sq develop indoor farming, in end of April, for the remaining will continue to produce about imported agricultural consign- boost with a plan to develop m (12 hectare) organic farm in the past two and a half years farms, the season will fi nish fi ve tonnes of fresh vegetables ments, such as plants and pro- 1mn sq m of land for indoor Al Khor. to produce fresh vegetables all by end of June. But some other daily. duction input products, at all farming, prominent Qatari ag- Al-Khalaf said that the 1mn year long in Qatar. farms are producing all year He added that Agrico and customs ports in the country. riculturist Nasser Ahmed al- sq m project will involve more “We have modifi ed technol- long.” other local farms are producing The offi cers destroyed 69 Khalaf told Gulf Times. than four local farms, and could ogy developed in the West, and Agrico built an additional more herbs now – such as cori- shipments (82 tonnes), for vio- “Now we are developing be in operation by the end of adapted it even further to have 120,000 sq m of “seasonal ander and parsley – to meet the lating quarantine laws. other farms, and we have some 2019 or early 2020 if plans are a unique system,” he stressed. greenhouses” to grow more growing demand in the coun- The agricultural quarantine other projects under study, pushed through as scheduled. The agriculturist cited a sig- fresh vegetables during the try. Al-Khalaf: We have modified offi ce is the fi rst line of defence which can reach 1mn sq m in “Currently we are running nifi cant increase in the pro- winter season amid the block- Fruit production will take technology developed in the West, for protection from agricultural total,” said al-Khalaf, the feasibility study and the duction of fresh vegetables ade on Qatar, in addition to its more time since such requires and adapted it further to have a infections. He is the owner and manag- drawings,” he noted, adding this winter, covering more than 120,000 sq m facility, which more land, unlike vegetables. unique system.

Self-suffi ciency expo rakes in QR15mn deals

he inaugural edition of ganisations from across the He added: “The level of inter- with so many industry leaders the Qatar Self-Suffi - globe showcased how their action between exhibitors, and who are helping to shape the Tciency Exhibition (QSSE companies and organisations the number of visitors to the country’s future.” 2018), a three-day event held in can support the Qatar’s pro- exhibition, were very encourag- Exhibition manager Assem Doha, has resulted in the sign- gressive diversifi cation strategy ing, and exhibitors have report- Abou Fakher said: “The inau- ing of QR15mn worth of deals. and to improve production line ed some strong leads and signed gural Qatar Self-Suffi ciency Aside from the deals, the effi ciency and operations. deals that reached QR15mn.” Exhibition proved to be a must- event also witnessed a series of “Ever since the idea for the “This is a clear sign that so attend event for anyone con- high-level networking, knowl- QSSE 2018 emanated from the many industry representatives nected with the manufacturing edge sharing, and discussions vision of the country’s bold from within this country and and production lines and those between top-level decision leadership, we have been over- further afi eld see the growth eager to play a leading contri- makers and production and whelmed by the level of sup- and development potential of bution in shaping Qatar’s future manufacturing leaders. port and interest from exhibi- Qatar, as well as support the direction.” More than 120 booths repre- tors, partners, and sponsors. country’s vision and the ob- “It provided exhibitors a tai- senting companies from Qatar The high calibre of exhibitors jectives of our exhibition,” lored platform to showcase how and countries including France, who participated this week ex- al-Obaidly said. “The Qatar they are contributing to the Tunisia, the , Bra- ceeded our expectations,” said Self-Suffi ciency Exhibition will country’s development and it zil, , Iran, China, and Abdulrahman Saleh al-Obaidly, become an important event on presented visitors with a unique Turkey, participated in the chairman of HiSky for Tourism the annual Qatar calendar. It chance to get some direct, in- Qatar Businessmen Association chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, who inaugurated QSSE 2018, event. and Exhibitions, organisers of represents a rare opportunity valuable facetime with industry during a tour of the event. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Leading companies and or- the QSSE 2018. for visitors to interact directly leaders,” he added. Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 QATAR

Domasco launches 10th generation Honda Accord

oha Marketing Services Both new turbocharged engines Silatech seeks Company (Domasco), the ex- produce peak torque across a broad Dclusive distributor of Honda range of engine speed, delivering vehicles in Qatar, yesterday unveiled smooth and virtually lag-free power the all-new 2018 Honda Accord – for exceptional throttle response the 10th generation of Honda’s per- and power delivery in all driving ennially best-selling midsize sedan. conditions. to empower All-new from the ground up, the The 1.5-litre turbo is mated to a 2018 Accord is built on a new plat- Honda continuously variable au- form with a lower, wider stance, a tomatic transmission (CVT) with lighter and more rigid unibody struc- G-Shift Control. The new 2.0-li- ture; a lighter and more sophisticated tre turbo is mated to a smooth, re- chassis; two advanced new power sponsive Honda-designed 10-speed women, youth units, including Accord’s fi rst-ever automatic, the fi rst of its kind for a turbocharged engines, and a new front-wheel-drive car. 10-speed automatic transmission. The two new automatic trans- In recreating Accord for its 10th missions take greater advantage of generation, Honda designers and available torque while maximis- engineers sought to convey ‘abso- ing quietness and effi ciency during in 3 nations lute confi dence’ in every element of highway cruising. The redesigned design and performance. Domasco managing director Faisal Sharif joins other off icials during the CVT has an 11% lower ratio com- atar-based NGO Silatech signed yes- Al Amana chairman Ahmed al-Ghazali Building on the bedrock character ceremonial hand-over of the symbolic key to the first owners of the all-new pared to the previous generation terday three strategic agreements said his organisation seeks to be an active of Accord – its outstanding quality, 2018 Honda Accord. PICTURES: Ram Chand version for more powerful launch Qwith international and national part- player in economic and social development fuel effi ciency, packaging, and so- performance, while the new 10AT ners to economically empower youth in Su- through its fi nancial integration tools that phisticated driving dynamics – they packaging strategy. Consistent with direct-injected VTEC Turbo 4-cyl- is 9kg lighter, with a 43% lower fi rst dan, Morocco and Somalia, and create job help young people enter the microfi nance have imbued the 10th generation the “Man Maximum-Machine Mini- inder engines with dual VTC – a gear and a 17% taller top gear com- opportunities in their communities. market. Accord with a new level of emo- mum (MM)” design philosophy that 1.5-litre 16-valve inline-4 and a pared to the previous generation Ac- The fi rst is with United Nations Women Silatech’s partnership in Somalia aims to tional appeal and premium quality; underpins all Honda designs, the 2.0-litre 16-valve DOHC inline-4. cord’s six-speed automatic. (UN Women) to build the capacity of women train as many as 7,500 youth on sustainable an Accord that defi es its mainstream team shrunk the Accord’s footprint in the Red Sea State and Khartoum State of agricultural practices and technologies in midsize sedan status, providing even while expanding its interior space, at Sudan. order to reduce reliance on rain-fed agricul- more refi ned and engaging perform- the same time creating more premium The second agreement is with Al Amana ture. ance, a more spacious and upscale and athletic proportions and stance. Microfi nance in Morocco to expand its out- The initiative is expected to create 15,000 interior, and the latest generation of The move to 4-cylinder engines reach to young people and facilitate access to jobs for youth in the agriculture including advanced Honda safety and driver- across the line-up is a key compo- funding opportunities. returnees from refugee camps in the neigh- assistive technologies. nent of this approach, allowing a The third is with a group of aspiring youth bouring countries. Domasco managing director Fais- shorter engine bay while also reduc- — founders of Horn Progress Initiative — to Silatech CEO Sabah al-Haidoos said: “In al Sharif said: “We are extremely ing weight and improving dynamic train young men and women in Somalia on 2017, Silatech has sought to activate the pleased to launch the 2018 Honda performance. sustainable agricultural practices. youth agenda at a global level through inter- Accord in Qatar. The Accord has The new Accord has a longer The project in Sudan will economically national memberships, co-operation with consistently set the benchmark in wheelbase (+55 mm), a lower overall empower more than 1,000 benefi ciaries of governments and non-governmental organ- the midsize sedan segment and this height (-15 mm), a wider body (+10 urban, peri-urban and rural women and girls isations and the expansion of its regional and new model is no diff erent. mm), and a shortened overall length in the most vulnerable situations including international network of partners. Silatech “With its advanced new power- (-15 mm). with disabilities, survivors of gender-based has also designed its 2018 operational plan train, refi ned look, and enhanced A sweeping greenhouse, posi- violence, living in refugee and IDP camps towards the sustainability of the organisa- features, the new Accord is Honda’s tioned farther back on the body, in the Red Sea State and Khartoum State of tion and its youth-oriented programmes. most sophisticated vehicle yet. We completes the new stance and pro- Sudan. “The organisation will continue to launch invite all our customers to visit the portion of the next-generation Ac- Darren Peters, Operations Manager at UN innovative initiatives that empower youth to Honda showroom and take one for a cord. Women – Sudan Country Offi ce said: “The advance their communities in line with sus- test drive.” The 10th generation 2018 Ac- partnership between Silatech and UN Wom- tainable development goals, and the strate- In reimagining Accord, design- cord takes an entirely new approach Guests view the all-new 2018 Honda Accord during a launching ceremony en will create project interventions where gies of their respective governments. All this ers fi rst established the fundamental to performance with its two-new held in Doha yesterday. the capacity of women enhanced to create will play a vital role in achieving our found- co-operatives and unions along identifi ed er’s vision of “an Arab world in which young value chains. It will improve access to and people are able to work, and are engaged in the use of new technology and services by the economic development of their socie- women to gain acceptance by the commu- ties”. nities, and also improve women’s access to Established in 2008, Silatech works on markets and fi nancial services.” connecting Arab youth wherever they are to Philippine Airlines to acquire new aircraft “The project will contribute to sustainable jobs, and enable resources for them to estab- development, economic transformation, lish and sustain successful income-generat- By Joey Aguilar comfort and convenience of its pas- women’s economic empowerment and im- ing enterprises. Staff Reporter sengers between Doha and Manila. proved livelihoods in Sudan through wom- By 2017, Silatech has succeeded in creating On July 16, 2017, the airline started en’s eff ective contribution to employment, or sustaining more than 650,522 job oppor- off ering Business Class service by job creation and income generation.” tunities for Arab youth, and has signed com- hilippine Airlines (PAL), utilising its Airbus A330 aircraft Silatech’s agreement with Al Amana Mi- mitments to create 2mn jobs by 2020. which operates four-times with a capacity of 368 seats. crofi nance will create 684,000 jobs for Mo- Silatech currently has programmes in 17 Pweekly service between Doha It off ers onboard Wi-Fi connec- roccan youth. Arab and non-Arab countries. and Manila, is set to acquire more tion and free meals with authentic brand new aircraft and expand its Filipino infl ight dishes. route network globally as it aims to PAL also off ers “generous free become a fi ve-star airline by 2020, it baggage allowance” onto its pas- was announced. sengers’ fi nal destination within the “This year, 15 new aircraft will join , along with free shuttle our fl eet – from the luxurious Air- transfer to other airport terminals bus A350-900s to the A321neos and when arriving in Manila. next-generation Bombardier Q400 “From Manila, we have conven- turboprops,” PAL’s Qatar area man- ient connections to 32 domestic and ager Marvin B Aranzanso said. 43 international destinations, in- He was speaking during the air- cluding the only direct fl ights to the line’s fi rst anniversary celebration of US West Coast, Canada, Hawaii and non-stop service between Doha and PAL and Philippine embassy off icials at the airline’s anniversary celebration , and more fl ights from Manila and its second anniversary in Doha. the Philippines to , of operations in Qatar recently. The and China than any other airline,” event was attended by Philippine in-seat video monitors throughout ment with Qatar Airways. Aranzanso said. ambassador Alan Timbayan, other the cabin, according to Aranzanso. However, the airline opened the “We have much work to do to pur- Off icials during an agreement signing by Silatech yesterday. embassy and PAL offi cials. “Our Q400 turboprops will let Doha – Manila route two years ago to sue various initiatives so that we can The A350-900s will allow PAL to us open more inter-island routes, serve Qatar and hundreds of thou- consistently provide the desired cus- mount Manila – New York non-stop bringing passengers faster to their fa- sands of Filipino expatriates “who tomer experience worthy of that fi fth service and new routes to more cities vourite paradise islands in the Philip- have made Doha their home.” star,” Aranzanso said. “We will con- in the US and Europe, he noted. pines. We just opened a new Davao- PAL stopped its stop-over in Abu tinue to innovate and try to exceed The A321neos will be used for PAL’s Siargao route this week,” he added. Dhabi and switched to non-stop the expectations of our passengers.” Manila – Brisbane non-stop service Aranzanso noted that PAL previ- fl ights to Manila (Monday, Wednes- PAL also awarded return tickets and to New Delhi and , off er- ously served Qatar since the 1990s day, Friday and Sunday) on March to winners of raffl e draws during the ing full-fl at Business Class seats and through a joint code share arrange- 26, 2017, aimed at adding further anniversary celebration in Doha.

LuLu mega draw held

The mega draw for the LuLu-Qatar Quality Products Promotion on Dettol products has been held at LuLu Hypermarket — D-Ring Road under the supervision of Khaled Rashid, inspector from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, LuLu Hypermarket Group has announced. Forty-five 22-carat gold coins of 8gm each were given away as prizes to the 45 winners. Off icials from LuLu Hypermarket Group and Qatar Quality Products were present at the draw. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 9 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD Saudi oil tanker ‘hit in rebel attack off Yemen’

Merchant vessel underway, corted by a coalition warship,” Griffi ths has already held talks crew safe and uninjured: the statement said. with Houthi authorities as well EU force; UN chief says saw A European Union naval force as internationally-recognised ‘positive perspectives’ that operates in the region con- Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu of peace in Yemen fi rmed the ship was underway, Mansour Hadi and Saudi offi - adding that the crew were safe cials in Riyadh. Reuters and unharmed. The media de- Guterres said he saw “posi- Dubai/Geneva partment of the Houthi-run tive perspectives” for preparing Yemeni military said naval forc- a plan of action “to lead to an es had “targeted a battleship eff ective inter-Yemeni dialogue Relatives of a Palestinian, who was killed along border with Gaza, react at a hospital in the central Gaza Strip, yesterday. emen’s Houthi group hit belonging to the coalition in re- able to achieve a political solu- a Saudi oil tanker off the sponse to the bombardment of tion, with of course the involve- Ymain port city of Ho- displaced people in Hodeidah”. ment of all those that are rel- deidah yesterday, the Saudi-led It gave no further details. evant in this confl ict”. coalition said, in an attack that The department’s text mes- “I am optimistic about that could complicate a new United sage was referring to an air strike possibility,” the United Nations chief added. Another Palestinian killed Nations push to end a war that by the Saudi-led coalition on has killed more than 10,000 Monday in Houthi-controlled He announced that more than people. Hodeidah that destroyed a house $2bn has been pledged towards a The Houthis said they had and killed 12 civilians from the UN humanitarian appeal of $3bn targeted a coalition warship in same family, including seven for Yemen this year. near border as protests loom response to an air strike on Ho- children. It includes $930mn from deidah on Monday that killed at A coalition spokesman said Saudi Arabia and the UAE which least a dozen civilians, including the alliance takes the report very lead the coalition air strikes. Reuters seven children. seriously, promising a full inves- Yemeni Foreign Minister Ab- Gaza/Jerusalem Qatar calls on global community to halt Israeli crimes Tensions have been rising in tigation. del-Malek al-Mekhlafi called for recent days after the Houthis, Last week, Saudi air defences a return to the negotiating table The State of Qatar has called on the international inquiry to investigate these violations. who control most of northern intercepted a fl urry of missiles, to end the war in the country and Palestinian man was community and the Security Council to shoulder Al-Buainain, while saying that the State of Qatar Yemen, launched a series of and falling debris caused the fi rst said his government was work- killed by Israeli gunfi re their full responsibility to stop Israeli crimes salutes the steadfastness of the heroic Palestin- missile strikes on Saudi Arabia, death in the capital Riyadh. ing to open blockaded ports and Ain Gaza yesterday, Pales- against Palestinians as well as to put an end to ian people, who stand with pride and honour, including the capital Riyadh, in Earlier yesterday, UN Secre- airports to aid. tinian medics said, raising the the Israeli policy of collective punishment against noted that Qatar reiterates its consistent position recent days. tary-General Antonio Guterres Earlier, the UN secretary- death toll from clashes along the Palestinian people. in supporting the Palestinian cause and the In a statement carried by Sau- urged the warring sides in Yem- general hailed the donor confer- the border to 17, and Israel’s Delivering a speech at the emergency meeting of steadfastness of the Palestinian people in their di media, the coalition said the en to reach a political settlement ence in Geneva as a “remarkable defence minister warned fur- the Arab League held yesterday, HE the Qatar’s legitimate struggle for their freedom, independ- oil tanker was in international to end a confl ict now in its fourth success”. ther protests would be met with Permanent Representative to the Arab League ence, self-determination and the establishment of waters when it came under “at- year that has left 22mn people in The target for the 2018 Yemen similar force. Saif bin Muqaddam al-Buainain said Israel’s their independent state according to the borders tack” at around 13:30 local time urgent need of aid. humanitarian appeal was set at Tens of thousands of Pales- barbaric act against the unarmed Palestinians, of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. (1030 GMT). A coalition warship Speaking in Geneva on the $2.96bn (2.4bn euros). tinians began a six-week-long who took part in the Great March of Return in the He pointed out that Qatar also calls on the Pal- conducted a “swift interven- sidelines of a UN pledging con- Guterres told reporters that protest last Friday in tent en- Gaza Strip, shows its arrogance and blatant defi- estinian people to adhere to the option of unity tion” foiling the attack, it said, ference for Yemen, Guterres said in addition to the $2bn already campments set up along the ance of the international community. and to give preference to the supreme interest without identifying the type of his Special Envoy Martin Grif- committed, multiple countries fenced border of the Israeli- Al-Buainain said that the State of Qatar reiterates over personal calculations or narrow interests as weapon used in the assault. “As fi ths will head to the United Arab had promised more donations blockaded Gaza Strip. and renews its strong condemnation of this brutal well as to achieve national reconciliation in order a result of that attack, the tanker Emirates, Oman and the Yemeni in the coming months, leaving They are pressing for a right crime committed by the Israeli occupation against to reflect its cohesion and unity. The meeting was subjected to a slight but in- government-held city of Aden in him “optimistic that we will be of return for refugees to the the peaceful demonstration by unarmed people discussed ways to confront the crimes of Israel, eff ective hit and it resumed its the drive for peace, Guterres told able to reach the level that cor- villages and towns where their on the anniversary of the Land Day which led to a the occupying power, against peaceful protest- naval course northwards, es- reporters. responds to the needs”. families lived before 1948 in number of martyrs and injuries, in flagrant viola- ers who took part in the Great March of Return what is now Israel. tion of all international conventions and laws. on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of Land Sixteen Palestinians died af- He supported the steps taken to establish Day of the Palestinian People, which was on ter being shot by Israeli troops an independent international commission of March 30, to demand the right of return. on the fi rst day of the protest, Palestinian medical offi cials DICID criticises occupation forces said. igdor Lieberman defended Is- The military said its troops intend to use laser pointers to The 17th Palestinian killed, rael’s response. used live fire only against distract Israeli army sharp- 25-year-old Ahmed Omar “I warn (Gaza protesters) people trying to sabotage the shooters. QNA tion or deterrence by the Secu- hensive peace that meets all Arafa, was standing about 50 against continuing the provo- fence or rolling burning tyres “We were saddened by the Doha rity Council or the international the just Palestinian demands metres from the fence when he cation. We have set clear game and throwing rocks. martyrdom of 16 of us, some powers, is gradually leading the and the implementation of in- was shot, his father, Omar Ara- rules and we do not intend to Palestinian organisers said of them we knew as friends. region towards the brink of a cri- ternational conventions in this fa, told Reuters. change them. they had called for a peace- This Friday we shall rise to oha International Center sis, which is contrary to what the regard, away from suspicious “He was standing next to me; Every person who comes ful protest and Hamas de- challenge the occupation for Interfaith Dialogue international community calls transactions and the gradual he posed no danger to them but close to the fence is endanger- nied that its fighters had fired which killed them, and show D(DICID) has condemned for, such as peace, co-existence, destruction of any glimmer of they killed him,” he said. ing their lives,” he said on a on Israeli forces, using the them we are not afraid,” said the heinous crime committed and dialogue. hope for peace. An Israeli military spokes- visit to the border. crowds as cover, though it said Issa Abu Jamea’, 29, from Khan by the Israeli army against Pal- DICID urged the interna- Based on its principles that woman had no initial informa- Gaza, a small coastal en- five of the dead were members Younis in Gaza’s south. estinian demonstrators in the tional community to stop the call for dialogue and co-exist- tion on the latest reported fa- clave, has been ruled by Ha- of its armed wing. He said he had taken part peaceful protest of the Great Israeli killing machine and to ence between diff erent religions, tality. mas, a Palestinian movement In Gaza, protesters have be- in protests every Friday since March of Return in commemo- demand from the leaders of the cultures, and ethnicities, DICID The deaths occurred in the sworn to Israel’s destruction, gun gathering thousands of US President Donald Trump’s ration of Land Day. Israeli entity to recognise the explained that it cannot but re- course of one of the largest Pal- for much of the time since mirrors which they hope to Dec 6 decision to recognise DICID stressed in a statement rights of the Palestinian peo- ject the repeated Israeli violence estinian demonstrations along Israeli soldiers and settlers use to blind Israeli soldiers on Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, yesterday that continued Israeli ple. In addition, it called for and condemn it in the strongest the 65km border in years. withdrew in 2005 after a 38- the other side of the fence. and to move the US embassy violence, without condemna- imposing a just and compre- terms. Israeli Defence Minister Av- year occupation. The protesters say they also to the city.

OPINION Saudi prince says Israelis have right to their own land Trump seeks Syria pullout Saudi Arabia’s crown prince said in a published interview that Israelis are entitled to live peacefully on as advisers warn on IS their own land, another public sign of an apparent thawing in ties between the two countries. Asked if Reuters ful against anybody militarily. But of territory recaptured in Iraq and he believes the Jewish people have Washington sometimes it’s time to come back Syria at “almost 100%,” and, in a a right to a nation state in at least home, and we’re thinking about that sign of his complicated views on the part of their ancestral homeland, very seriously.” The United States campaign, also said: “We will not Mohamed bin Salman was quoted S President Donald Trump has about 2,000 forces in Syria who rest until ISIS is gone.” by US magazine The Atlantic as said yesterday he wanted to are battling the group. Brett McGurk, the special US en- saying: “I believe the Palestinians U“get out” of Syria and prom- voy for the global coalition against and the Israelis have the right to ised decisions soon, even as his “We were very successful Islamic State, speaking alongside have their own land. But we have to advisers warned of the hard work against (Islamic State). We’ll Votel across town yesterday, said the have a peace agreement to assure ahead to defeat Islamic State and be successful against anybody US fi ght against Islamic State was the stability for everyone and to stabilise areas recaptured from the militarily. But sometimes it’s not over. have normal relations.” Saudi Arabia militant group. time to come back home, “We are in Syria to fight ISIS. does not off icially recognise Israel. Trump’s remarks suggested and we’re thinking about That is our mission and our mis- It has maintained for years that ties he believed that the US military- that very seriously” sion isn’t over and we are going to hinged on an Israeli withdrawal backed campaign against Islamic complete that mission,” McGurk from Arab lands captured in the State in Syria was close to being US Army General Joseph Votel, said. McGurk acknowledged a re- 1967 Middle East war. complete. The Pentagon and State who oversees US troops in the Mid- view was underway to ensure US Department, however, have sug- dle East as the head of Central Com- taxpayer dollars were well spent, gested a much longer-term eff ort is mand, estimated yesterday that when asked about media reports LABOUR necessary. more than 90% of the group’s ter- that Trump had ordered the State Kuwait to hire “It’s time,” Trump told reporters. ritory in Syria had been taken back Department to freeze more than “We were very successful against from the militants. $200mn in funds for recovery ef- Ethiopians for (Islamic State). We’ll be success- Trump estimated the percentage forts in Syria. housemaid jobs Kuwait will recruit Ethiopian nationals to make up for a “deficit” in domestic workers, authorities said yesterday, following the grisly Iran president slams US, Israel roles murder of a Filipina maid in the country. The Philippines banned its citizens from working in Kuwait Reuters are even thinking of a breakup (of the country),” he said in after the body of 29-year-old Beirut a ceremony broadcast live from Tehran’s Mehrabad airport. Joanna Demafelis was found in a “There’s interference from Zionist forces in Syria freezer earlier this year. “We aim which has increased problems.They don’t respect Syrian to open the door to the recruit- ranian President Hassan Rouhani attacked the Unit- national sovereignty. They bomb areas in Syria.They sup- ment of Ethiopian workers to fill ed States and Israel for their roles in Syria before he port terrorists. These are all issues which have increased the deficit of domestic servants Iboarded a plane for Turkey where he was scheduled Syria’s problems,” he said. The leaders of the three coun- and reduce prices,” said General to meet President Tayyip Erdogan and visiting Russian tries are meeting in Ankara for a summit on Syria, bring- Talal al-Maarifi, head of Kuwait’s President Vladimir Putin. ing together two powers which have been Syrian Presi- General Department of Residency “The Americans are against the Syrian government es- dent Bashar al-Assad’s most forceful supporters, Iran and Aff airs. tablishing its authority throughout the whole country and , with one of his strongest opponents, Turkey. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 AFRICA

CAUSE NOT KNOWN CIVIL STRIFE EXTORTION AMNESTY REPORT AMBUSH 6 SA mineworkers killed in Peacekeeper killed, 11 hurt Kidnappers want $500,000 6 found dead in Mali grave 5 Cameroon soldiers die in likely petrol bomb attack in Central Africa attack as ransom for Congo priest were ‘in military custody’ Boko Haram attack

Six mineworkers burned to death when A peacekeeper was killed and 11 others were The kidnappers of a Catholic priest abducted Villagers in central Mali said six people found Five Cameroonian soldiers have been killed in unknown suspects threw what was likely a wounded when a UN base came under heavy in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo at the dead in a mass grave last month had been an attack on a military post in the far north of petrol bomb at the bus they were travelling attack yesterday in the Central African Republic, the weekend are demanding $500,000 for his release, arrested by the military three days earlier, an the country, sources told AFP yesterday. The to work in, South African police said UN spokesman said. Anti-balaka fighters launched the church said yesterday. Father Celestin Ngango Amnesty International report said yesterday. five, one of whom was an off icer, were killed yesterday. Police said six workers were killed the attack on the temporary UN base in Tagbara, was taken away by armed men on Sunday shortly The grave, uncovered in the Mopti region on on Monday night in the village of Sagme, close immediately. Others managed to climb out near the southern city of Bambari, triggering heavy after he had celebrated Easter mass in his parish, in March 25, is the latest in a spate of killings to the Nigerian border and the Lake Chad the vehicle’s windows after the attack in fighting, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. the diocesis of Goma in North Kivu province. “His and kidnappings ahead of a July presidential region, according to relatives and local sources. northern Limpopo province Monday night. “Peacekeepers fired back and after several hours kidnappers have contacted the St Paul of Karambi election, that rights groups say are being Three other soldiers were wounded. No one “We will not sleep until the people responsible of exchange of fire, one peacekeeper was killed parish to demand US$500,000 in ransom for his conducted by the army against suspected has claimed responsibility for the killings but for this gruesome incident are apprehended”, and 11 others were injured,” said Dujarric. UN release,” the National Episcopal Conference of sympathisers of extremist groups. The Malian the area has seen many incursions by the said Nneke Ledwaba, commissioner for police peacekeepers “later discovered the bodies of 21 Congo said, demanding he be set free immediately. government and military did not respond to Nigerian jihadist group Boko Haram in the past. in Limpopo. Police are offering 500,000 rand civilians, including 4 women and 4 children in North and South Kivu provinces are the theatre repeated requests for comment. “Civilians in Mali The Cameroonian army has not commented. ($42,000) for any information leading to an Tagbara,” he said. It was not immediately clear if of a wave of violence among militia groups, are living in fear,” said Amnesty International’s Cameroon, along with Chad and Niger, has joined arrest. the civilians were caught in the fighting. which often extort money from civilians. West Africa researcher Gaetan Mootoo. a military eff ort by Nigeria to crush Boko Haram.

Cape Town heaps praise on pushes back ‘Day Zero’ as fl awed hero Winnie Mandela dams fi ll up Reuters AFP Johannesburg Johannesburg outh Africa’s drought- outh Africa yesterday paid heart- stricken Cape Town has felt tributes to Winnie Mandela, Spushed back its estimate Swho died aged 81, as politicians for “Day Zero,” when taps in the hailed her as an inspirational anti- city run dry and people start apartheid campaigner and defended her queuing for water, to 2019 from often controversial record. August of this year, and data The former wife of Nelson Mandela show dam levels rising elsewhere died in a Johannesburg hospital on in the country. Monday, mourned by many who praised An El Nino-triggered drought her as one of the most charismatic and two years ago hit agricultur- energetic activists who fought white- al production and economic minority rule. growth throughout South Af- Her convictions for kidnapping and rica. fraud, and her reputation for overseeing Cape Town was particularly brutal gang violence in black townships, hard hit, and lack of sub- were largely brushed aside by eulogies sequent rains around the city has of her bravery, independence and in- made its water shortage worse. tegrity. The City of Cape Town said President , who de- on its web site that Day Zero had scribed her as “an abiding symbol of the been “pushed out to 2019.” desire of our people to be free”, con- Residents have been living fi rmed that a memorial service would with stringent consumption be held on April 11 and an offi cial funeral restrictions, which now stand on April 14. at 50litres per person per day. Zweli Mkhize, a senior minister in the Those restrictions remain in ef- African National Congress (ANC) party fect. government, said Winnie Mandela’s Dam levels for the Western death marked “the end of an era” as she Cape province, which includes was a leading stalwart from the darkest Cape Town, were at 18.3% last days of the anti-apartheid struggle. week compared with 19% the “We are losing the last few of those week before, according to South very committed freedom fi ghters and I Africa’s Department of Water think all we have to do is to always take Aff airs. lessons from her life,” Mkhize said out- Elsewhere, the water situation side Winnie Mandela’s house in Soweto has been improving. where she lived for decades. The Vaal Dam, a major supply “When she had to face the apartheid source for Gauteng, the prov- government, she was fearless — but also ince that includes Johannesburg, among ourselves she was never shy to Members of the African National Congress Women’s League chant slogans outside the home of the late Winnie Mandela in Soweto yesterday. Pretoria and much of South Af- criticise.” rica’s industry, was at 94.7%, up The outspoken leader of the radical person who has never looked down on The ANC’s Women’s League, which leaving her to raise their two daugh- Nobel laureate archbishop Desmond from 83.5% the week before. opposition Economic Freedom Fighters black people and the poor masses.” Winnie Mandela once led, is to stage a ters alone and to keep alive his political Tutu described her as “a defi ning sym- Levels in the Katse and Mo- (EFF) party , who became Malema attacked those who criticised mass march to her home today. dream. bol” of the battle against oppression. hale dams in neighbouring Le- a confi dant of Winnie Mandela in recent her chequered past, saying that “the The fi rebrand activist died peacefully Glamorous and tough, she played a “She refused to be bowed by the im- sotho, which are key water stor- years, was also among mourners yesterday least we can do is defend her in death and in Johannesburg’s Milpark hospital on high-profi le role in the battle to end re- prisonment of her husband, the per- age systems for Gauteng, have a at her modest two-storey red brick home. not allow the racists to insult her”. Monday, her family said, adding that pressive white-minority rule. petual harassment of her family by se- combined capacity now of al- “Because (she) was living among her “They fear her even in death — that she was “was one of the greatest icons During her old age, she re-emerged curity forces, detentions, bannings and most 54%. people, and never betrayed her people, is why they continue to call her names, of the struggle against Apartheid”. as a respected elder who was feted as a banishment,” Tutu said. In late January, they were at they gave her the title of the ‘Mother of that is why they continue to charac- Most of Winnie Mandela’s 38-year living reminder of the late Mandela — “Her courageous defi ance was deeply 32%, raising concerns that the the nation,’” he said. terise her in a manner that we do not marriage to Nelson was spent apart, and of the long and celebrated struggle inspirational to me, and to generations water crisis would spread be- “We are here to celebrate the life of a know.” with Nelson imprisoned for 27 years, against apartheid. of activists.” yond Cape Town.

Mali extremist in the dock at China, Zimbabwe seek ‘new chapter’ in ties

The Hague for war crimes Reuters Beijing

AFP the female inhabitants of Timbuktu and led The Hague to repeated rapes and the sexual enslave- hinese President Xi Jinping ment of women and girls,” the court added. yesterday told President His detention “sends a strong message CEmmerson Mnangagwa of Malian militant will today make a to all those, wherever they are, who com- Zimbabwe that they should work fi rst appearance before the Interna- mit crimes which shock the conscience of towards a new chapter in ties, dur- Ational Criminal Court on war crimes humanity that my offi ce remains steadfast ing the African leader’s fi rst state charges over the destruction of holy sites in the pursuit of its mandate,” chief pros- visit to China since he seized power and sex slavery, the tribunal said. ecutor Fatou Bensouda said shortly after his last year. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Moham- transfer to the ICC. Mnangagwa, who was sworn ed Ag Mahmoud “will be informed of the “The charges against him are representa- in as president in November af- charges against him” at the hearing, the tive of the criminality and resulting vic- ter a de facto military coup ended Hague-based ICC said in a statement yes- timisation of the population during this Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule, has terday. period,” Bensouda added. vowed to rebuild his country’s During the initial appearance at the Rights groups yesterday hailed his ar- ravaged economy and re-engage court’s fortress-like headquarters, judges rest, with the International Federation for with the international commu- are to verify Al-Hassan’s identity and the Human Rights calling it a “great relief” to nity. language in which he’ll be able to follow victims. China had considered Mugabe a procedures. “This is especially when the situation “good friend” in a relationship dat- Al-Hassan, 40, was arrested over the in the centre and north, including in Tim- ing back to its support for Zimba- weekend and handed over by Malian au- buktu, deteriorates with the resurgence of bwe’s independence war, but point- thorities. violence attributed to armed groups of ter- edly failed to support him when he He arrived at the ICC’s detention centre rorists,” the victims’ lawyer Moctar Mariko was ousted. late Saturday. said. “I’m willing to work with Mr He faces charges of war crimes and crimes Al-Hassan will be the second Islamic ex- President to jointly map out our against humanity over the destruction of tremist to face trial at the ICC, following an future cooperation and write a new Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the holy shrines of Timbuktu between 2012 earlier landmark ruling at the world’s only chapter in China-Zimbabwe rela- the People in Beijing yesterday. and 2013 as well as accusations of rape and permanent war crimes court. tions for the benefi t of our two peo- forced marriage. War crimes judges in 2016 jailed another ples,” Xi said, during a meeting in that Mnangagwa put in place after increasingly turned to Beijing for fi rst such deal under the new gov- Al-Hassan’s arrest came four days after Malian who had pleaded guilty to demolish- Beijing. the “peaceful, smooth” transfer of help. ernment. the court issued an international warrant ing Timbuktu’s fabled shrines in 2012. China has growing interest in in- power. With his visit, Zimbabwe would China’s foreign ministry said a for his capture. That was the court’s fi rst case to focus on vesting in Africa’s natural resources Mnangagwa said that Zimbabwe attempt to tap China’s huge fi nan- trip to Beijing by Zimbabwe’s mili- Prosecutors allege that he “committed cultural destruction as a war crime. and has poured more than $100bn appreciated China’s political sup- cial resources, technical expertise tary chief one week before the army crimes against humanity and war crimes The ICC’s judges found Ahmad al-Faqi into roads, railways, mines, power- port and goodwill and thanked Xi and modern technology in order to seized power in the South African in Timbuktu, Mali, between April 2012 and al-Mahdi guilty of directing attacks on the lines and factories on the continent for sending an envoy immediately help revive the economy, Mnan- nation was a “normal military ex- January 2013.” Unesco world heritage site during the mili- over the last decade. upon his inauguration. “That was a gagwa told the offi cial Xinhua news change” amid speculation at the A member of the Ansar Dine extremist tant takeover of northern Mali in 2012. Trade between China and African great honour,” he said. agency in an interview last week. time he had come to brief on plans group, Al-Hassan was the “de facto chief Mahdi was sentenced to nine years be- countries reached $85.3 bn in the China continued to invest in large In December, Zimbabwe signed a to seize power. of the Islamic police” in Timbuktu, the ICC hind bars in September 2016 for his role in fi rst half of 2017, according to Chi- infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe $153mn loan agreement with China Mnangagwa is likely to join other said. the razing of Timbuktu’s holy shrines, built nese state media. throughout Mugabe’s rule as his to expand and refurbish its interna- African leaders coming to Beijing in Hassan allegedly “participated in the in the 15th and 16th centuries when the city Xi said China has been happy to government, sanctioned by Western tional airport in Harare in a bid to September for a summit held once policy of forced marriages which victimised was revered as a centre of Islamic learning. see the economic reform policies nations for human rights abuses, attract investors and tourists, the every three years. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 11 AMERICA Lawyer jailed Civil protest in Mueller’s Russia probe

AFP both had communications with a Mueller’s probe, which is focused Washington person they knew as a former of- on whether there was collusion fi cial of Russia’s GRU intelligence between the Trump campaign agency, prosecutors said. and Russian interference in the Dutch lawyer with direct According to the FBI, court 2016 presidential election. knowledge of contacts documents say, that individual US intelligence agencies say Abetween Russian intelli- — identifi ed as “Person A” — President Vladimir Putin him- gence and a top offi cial in Donald “has ties to a Russian intelli- self was behind a hacking and Trump’s campaign yesterday be- gence service and had such ties disinformation eff ort to disrupt came the fi rst person sentenced in 2016.” the election and boost Trump’s in special prosecutor Robert Mu- Van der Zwaan lied to investi- chances of winning. eller’s sprawling investigation. gators on several occasions about In extracting a guilty plea and Alex van der Zwaan was sen- his contacts with both Gates and co-operation pledge, Mueller’s tenced to 30 days in jail and “Person A,” prosecutors said. team has kept most of the details a $20,000 fi ne after pleading After his lies were called out, of what van der Zwaan told them guilty to lying about his contacts van der Zwaan began co-operat- secret. Demonstrators protest along Michigan Avenue in Chicago in response to the police shooting of Stephon Clark in Sacramento, with former campaign deputy ing with investigators, including So it remains unclear whether California, and other victims of police shootings. Rick Gates and a former Russian sharing recordings of his conver- his information supports collu- intelligence offi cial. sations with Gates, “Person A” sion allegations. Van der Zwaan, a Dutch na- and with a senior Skadden part- But the case could add to the tional with Russian roots and ner. pressure the investigation is son-in-law of a prominent Rus- While the details of those con- putting on Trump, his family and sian tycoon, was a lawyer in Lon- versations remain secret, court top aides. don for Skadden, Arps, Slate, documents suggest they sup- Mueller’s team, formally called Meagher & Flom in 2012 when he port the idea of more extensive the Offi ce of the Special Coun- carried out work for the contacts between the Trump sel, said in a fi ling that “van der Search on for missing kids government through Gates and campaign and Russia during the Zwaan is in an unusual position Gates’ close associate Paul Man- election than the White House of having information related to afort. has admitted. the offi ce’s investigation that is In 2016, after Manafort became Van der Zwaan faced up to fi ve not widely known — including chairman of Trump’s election years in jail. information that he knows fi rst- after California SUV crash campaign and took Gates as his He earned a light sentence hand due to his role in the con- deputy, van der Zwaan and Gates based on his co-operation with duct the offi ce is investigating.” Reuters shooting of an unarmed black teenager in at the edge of California’s coastal Highway San Francisco Ferguson, Missouri. 1 in Mendocino County, about 290km north Driver Jennifer Hart, 38, and Sarah Hart, of San Francisco, according to the vehicle’s 38, a married couple from Washington state, on-board computer. olice on Monday searched the ocean were killed. It then accelerated over the edge, leaving off California and highways for three So were at least three of their six adopt- no skid marks or other indications of a colli- Pchildren missing since the sport- ed children, Markis, 19, Jeremiah, 14, and sion, the statement said. utility vehicle carrying their large family Abigail, 14, police said. The SUV fell into rocks and was found Trump rolls back plunged off a cliff , killing at least six people The bodies of their three other children, partially submerged about 30m below the in what may have been an intentional crash. Hannah, 16, Devonte, 15, and Sierra, 12, were highway. The family’s wrecked GMC Yukon was not recovered, but offi cials have said they Police searched the family’s home in discovered last Monday below the scenic believed all the children were in the vehicle Woodland, Washington, about 805km north California coastal cliff , only three days after and the other bodies may have been washed of the crash site, but found no suicide note. Obama-era fuel child welfare authorities in their home state into the ocean. The Washington State Department of So- of Washington opened an investigation into “The search for the additional three chil- cial and Health Services said it opened an allegations the children were being neglect- dren belonging to the family continues both investigation into the family for potential ed, police and social services said. at the scene, through water rescue and re- child neglect or abuse after a complaint on According to court records, the family had covery, and other locations including routes March 23. effi ciency rules troubles in the past when one of its two white of travel,” the California Highway Patrol Neighbours Dana and Bruce DeKalb told mothers was charged with domestic assault said in a statement. the Oregonian newspaper that Devonte had AFP and we support the administra- standards for the rest of the against one of their six adopted black children. “This situation may have been an inten- asked them for food for himself and his sib- Washington tion for pursuing a data-driven country,” Pruitt said. The Hart family gained attention in 2014 tional act and not the result of a traffi c col- lings after his parents withheld it as punish- eff ort and a single national pro- “EPA will set a national stand- after one of the children, Devonte, was pho- lision.” ment. gramme as it works to fi nalise fu- ard for greenhouse gas emissions tographed crying in the arms of a white po- The SUV appears to have stopped at a The DeKalbs did not respond to requests he Trump administration ture standards,” said the industry that allows auto manufacturers lice offi cer at a protest after the fatal police dirt pull-off area about 20m from the cliff for comment. rolled back Obama-era group representing Fiat Chrysler, to make cars that people both Tpollution and fuel effi - Ford, General Motors, Toyota, want and can aff ord — while still ciency rules for cars and light Volkswagen and others. expanding environmental and trucks on Monday, saying they The rules set in 2012, known safety benefi ts of newer cars.” were too stringent. as the Corporate Average Fuel This is likely to open a long The decision by President Economy or CAFE standards, legal battle between California, Bid to block 2020 census citizenship question Donald Trump’s Environmen- sought to reduce pollutants re- a traditionally Democratic state, tal Protection Agency means the leased into the air by gradually and Trump’s Republican admin- emission standards for vehicles increasing fuel effi ciency across istration. Reuters Democratic attorneys general. They were disproportionate impact on Democratic- in the 2022-2025 model years all models off ered by manufac- California Attorney General New York joined by New York City, Chicago, Philadel- leaning states. Supporters of the question, will be revised, as sought by au- turers to 54.5 miles per gallon Xavier Becerra said the EPA’s phia, San Francisco, Seattle and Providence, including Commerce Secretary Wilbur tomakers. (4.32litres per 100km), compared “assault” on CAFE standards Rhode Island, which all have Democratic Ross, say it will help the country enforce the “The Obama administration’s to 35.5 miles per gallon in 2016. “risks our ability to protect our group of US states and cities are su- mayors, and the US Conference of Mayors. landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. determination was wrong,” said Pruitt said the EPA in 2012 cut children’s health, tackle climate ing the Trump administration to stop Another state, California, fi led a similar A citizenship question has not appeared EPA chief Scott Pruitt. short its review of the standards change and save hardworking Ait from asking people fi lling out 2020 lawsuit last week. in the census since 1950. Former president Barack for “politically charged expedi- Americans money.” census forms whether they are citizens. The White House and the Commerce De- The lawsuit accused the Trump Admin- Obama’s EPA “made assump- ency,” but he will work with the “We’re ready to fi le suit if The lawsuit by 17 states, Washington DC partment did not immediately respond to istration of violating the Constitution’s tions about the standards that National Highway Traffi c Safety needed to protect these critical and six cities challenged what they called requests for comment. requirement that the government conduct didn’t comport with reality, Administration to develop new, standards and to fi ght the Ad- last week’s “unconstitutional and arbi- Required under the US Constitution, the an “actual enumeration” of the “whole and set the standards too high,” “more appropriate” rules. ministration’s war on our envi- trary” decision by the US Department of decennial census is used to determine the number of persons” every 10 years. Pruitt said in a statement. The agency is also examining ronment,” Becerra said. Commerce, which oversees the Census Bu- drawing of political boundaries, the alloca- At the press conference, Schneiderman The Alliance of Automobile the waiver that allows Califor- Trump has been scaling back reau, to add the citizenship question. tion of seats in Congress and at the state and called the citizenship question a “blatant Manufacturers applauded the nia, the most popular US state, many types of regulations, in- It was also a fresh challenge to what New York local level, and the annual distribution of eff ort” by the administration to prevent the move, saying it would “keep to impose tougher requirements cluding environmental stand- Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, at a press about $700bn of federal funds. Census Bureau from doing its job. new vehicles aff ordable to more than called for under the Clean ards, set by his Democratic pred- conference announcing the lawsuit, called the Critics of the citizenship question say it “This is an aff ront to our national ideals,” Americans.” Air Act. ecessor, including pulling out of administration’s “anti-immigrant animus.” might dissuade immigrants, and perhaps Schneiderman said. “This is an aff ront to “This was the right decision, One state cannot “dictate the Paris climate accord. All of the states bringing the case have many citizens, from being counted, with a the Constitution.” Oklahoma teachers walk out in wage dispute

Reuters The protest follows a success- than 30,000 educators in Okla- teachers union, said in a state- Oklahoma City ful two-week job action by West homa forced the cancellation of ment posted online. Virginia teachers that led law- classes for some 500,000 of the Oklahoma secondary school makers last month to vote to raise state’s 700,000 public school teachers had an annual mean klahoma teachers yester- their pay, and comes as teachers students, according to union of- wage of $42,460 as of May 2016, day walked out for a sec- in Kentucky and Arizona plan fi cials. according to the US Bureau of Oond day, closing schools other labour actions to demon- The Oklahoman newspaper Labor Statistics. in the state’s two biggest cities, strate against years of stagnant or listed about 70 schools or dis- The minimum salary for a as they demanded higher state reduced budgets by Republican- tricts that were shuttered yester- fi rst-year teacher was $31,600, spending on public education controlled legislatures. day as well. state data showed. in the latest US labour action by Frederick Smitherman, who Oklahoma’s fi rst major tax The Oklahoma strikes on educators. teaches eighth grade at Will Rog- hike in a quarter century was ap- Monday coincided with a second Thousands of educators ers Early Junior High School in proved by legislators last week, day of walkouts by several thou- crowded into the state capital, the city of Tulsa, joined a crowd and signed into law by Governor sand teachers in Kentucky after Oklahoma City, chanting “don’t of teacher, parent and student Mary Fallin — a $450mn revenue legislators there passed a bill im- back down” and “we’ll be back,” protesters who had gathered in a package intended to help fund posing new limits on the state’s video footage posted online by satellite protest yesterday. teacher raises and avert a strike. underfunded public employee local media showed, while other “We all pay taxes and expect Teachers said that package fell pension system. groups staged smaller satellite our legislators to do what we short and demanded that law- Kentucky educators largely protests around the state. voted them in to do,” Smither- makers go further by reversing returned to their classrooms or The walkout refl ected rising man said. spending cuts that have forced scheduled spring break holidays discontent amid years of slug- “What else are teachers sup- some districts to impose four- yesterday. gish or declining public school posed to do besides yell and day school weeks. Stephanie Winkler, president spending in Oklahoma, which scream? We can vote them out, “When our members believe of the Kentucky Education Asso- ranked 47th among the 50 US but voting one out just brings the legislature has committed ciation union, said lawmakers ap- states in per-student expendi- a bad one in instead. My hope to funding our children’s future, peared to be listening to teachers ture, and 48th in average teacher is that this doesn’t fall on deaf they will return to the class- as they negotiated budget bills, Jula Wood, a teacher in Durant, Oklahoma, and her daughter, Emma Sawyer, join a teachers rally in salaries in 2016, according to the ears.” room,” the Oklahoma Education according to an interview with the Oklahoma City on Monday. National Education Association. Monday’s walkout by more Association, the state’s biggest Lexington Herald Leader. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Singapore PM’s siblings attack panel’s fi ndings over home at centre of feud

Reuters criticised a report published by the their father’s wishes as stated in his on Facebook. “The Committee’s state- In a statement, the committee said it In a statement on Facebook on Mon- Singapore committee yesterday which said a fu- will. ment does not accurately represent noted the siblings’ response and would day, after the committee’s report was ture government should make the fi - But the prime minister last year Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes.” lodge them with the Cabinet Secre- issued, the prime minister said that nal decision about the home’s use. It questioned whether his father really In a separate Facebook post, Lee tary, alongside previous remarks, so the committee was correct to point he brother and sister of Singa- laid out three options: preserving the wanted the home at 38 Oxley Road, Wei Ling said: “Papa was as direct as that they “can be referred to by a fu- out that there was no need for a de- pore’s Prime Minister yesterday house as a national monument, pre- near Singapore’s bustling Orchard me. He made absolutely clear what he ture government”. cision now, as his sister was still liv- Tsaid that a ministerial panel’s serving part of it, or demolishing it. Road shopping district, to be knocked wanted done with the house. He and The feud over the home gripped ing in the house. I hope that when the declarations about the future of a Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s down. He has said he has recused him- Mama had long decided they wanted Singapore for at least a month last time comes to decide on what to do home lived in by their late father, the younger brother, Lee Hsien Yang, who self from government discussions on it demolished after they were gone. It year, and included accusations by the with the house, this report will help modern island state’s founding leader owns the property, and sister Lee Wei the matter. would require unbelievable lack of in- prime minister’s siblings that he was the Government of the day to make an Lee Kuan Yew, were inaccurate. Ling, who still lives there, want the “It is clear that our father was not telligence or determined denial to not prepared to use the organs of the state informed decision that both respects In a sign that a family feud over the house to be eventually demolished in endorsing alternatives to demolition,” understand what Pa & Ma so unam- against them. The accusations were my father’s wishes and is in the public property may be far from over, they accordance with what they say were the siblings said in a joint statement biguously wanted.” denied by the prime minister. interest,” he said.

Massive China lauds North Korea’s crystal meth seizure eff orts on denuclearisation on Thai Reuters to a Chinese Foreign Ministry Jong-il, both promised not to Beijing statement. The ministry cited pursue nuclear weapons but se- Ri as saying that North Korea cretly maintained programmes border would “maintain close strategic to develop them, culminating in hina appreciates North communications” with China the North’s fi rst nuclear test in Korea’s “important ef- on peninsula-related issues, and 2006 under Kim Jong-il. AFP Cforts” to ease tension on that the Kim-Xi meeting was an North Korea has said in pre- Bangkok the Korean peninsula, senior “important juncture” in the de- vious, failed talks aimed at dis- Chinese diplomat Wang Yi told velopment of bilateral relations. mantling its nuclear programme the North’s foreign minister North Korea’s offi cial news that it could consider giving up hai authorities have yesterday, hours after he called agency KCNA had said that a its arsenal if the United States seized two massive on all sides to stay focused on delegation headed by Ri left removed its troops from South Thauls of crystal meth- talks. yesterday to meet other foreign Korea and withdrew its so- amphetamine near border re- China has traditionally been ministers in Azerbaijan and to called nuclear umbrella of de- gions this week, offi cials said secretive North Korea’s clos- visit Russia, but made no men- terrence from and yesterday, highlighting the est ally, though ties had been tion of China. Japan. kingdom’s role as a pipeline for frayed by North Korean leader Earlier in the day, Wang said Some analysts have said drugs fl ooding through South- Kim Jong-un’s pursuit of nu- during a joint news briefi ng with Trump’s willingness to meet east Asia. clear weapons and missiles and visiting Swiss Foreign Minister Kim handed Pyongyang a diplo- Early yesterday authorities Beijing’s backing of tough UN Ignazio Cassis that he hoped matic win, as the United States found some 788kg of crystal sanctions in response. a planned meeting in May be- had insisted for years that any meth — a high-purity form of But in late March, Beijing tween Kim and US President such summit be preceded by the stimulant — in an aban- vowed to uphold its friendship Donald Trump would “increase North Korean steps to denu- doned pick-up truck in north- with its isolated neighbour and mutual understanding”. clearise. ern Chiang Rai province, the won a pledge from Kim to de- “But historical experience China had largely sat on the heart of the notorious ‘Golden nuclearise the peninsula dur- tells us that at the moment of sidelines as North Korea im- Triangle’ drug producing zone. ing a meeting with President Xi easing of the situation on the proved relations with South More than 9mn meth tab- Jinping. peninsula and as fi rst light Korea, raising worries in Beijing lets were also found in fertiliser China’s Foreign Ministry gave dawns on peace and dialogue, that it was no longer a central bags inside the vehicle, which only hours notice that Wang, frequently all manner of disrup- player in the North Korean issue. lay some 100m away from the a State Councillor and China’s tive factors emerge,” Wang said. The two Koreas have seen a banks of the Mekong river that Foreign Minister, would meet “So we call on all sides to signifi cant thaw in ties since divides and . North Korean Foreign Minister maintain focus, eliminate in- the North’s participation in the “Both type of drugs were Ri Yong Ho. terference, and fi rmly follow the South’s Winter Olympics in found in the abandoned pickup Wang told Ri that Xi and Kim correct path of dialogue and ne- February. truck... in Wiang Kaen district had reached an important con- gotiation.” Kim Jong-un and his wife on in Chiang Rai province,” a mili- sensus on achieving a peace- Cassis said that he would dis- Sunday made a surprise appear- tary offi cial told AFP, request- ful resolution to the peninsula cuss with Wang the role that ance at the fi rst of two concerts ing anonymity. nuclear issue during Kim’s visit could play in the performed by a South Korean art He said the drug smugglers to Beijing, his fi rst known trip strategic meetings between Kim troupe this week in Pyongyang, had already fl ed while authori- outside North Korea since he as- and “some important partners titled ‘Spring is Coming’. ties have detained three Thai sumed power in 2011. on the international level”, but Kim proposed another con- men suspected of preparing “China appreciates North he did not elaborate. cert in South Korea later this to move the cache to the next Korea’s position working to- A time and place have not year with performers from the destination. ward denuclearisation of the been set for the Trump-Kim North in response to this week’s The Golden Triangle — a peninsula and its important ef- meeting to discuss denucleari- shows in Pyongyang by K-pop remote region where northern forts to ease the situation on sation. North and South Korea artists, South Korea’s Culture Thailand, and Laos the peninsula, and supports will hold their fi rst summit in Minister Do Jong-whan told re- meet — is a base for cartels meetings between the leaders more than a decade on April 27, porters in Seoul. It was the fi rst who churn out huge quanti- of the North and South and be- South Korea has said. time a North Korean leader had ties of opium and meth that are tween the North and the United Kim’s predecessors, grandfa- attended a South Korean per- smuggled through porous bor- States,” Wang said, according ther Kim Il-sung and father Kim formance in the capital. Kim and Xi in Beijing last week. ders to countries across Asia.

Fiji PM links climate change to cyclone

China denies detaining underground bishop Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank change meant powerful Bainimarama yesterday blamed cyclones were battering Pacific climate change for a deadly island nations with increasing AFP ernment-run association, whose tion of whether China or the Administration for Religious Af- ated with the offi cials and they cyclone over the weekend, frequency. “We are now at an Beijing clergy are chosen by the atheist Holy See gets to designate bish- fairs, told reporters at a briefi ng. allowed him to return on Satur- saying his South Pacific nation almost constant level of threat Communist Party, and an unof- ops has been a major obstacle to Guo, a bishop in southeast- day in time to preside over Easter had entered a “frightening from these extreme weather fi cial underground church loyal progress. AFP previously report- ern province of Fujian, is rec- activities.” new era”. Cyclone Josie caused events that are becoming more Chinese religious aff airs to the Vatican. ed that Bishop Vincent Guo Xijin ognised by the Vatican but not Chen refuted that, saying the severe flooding when it passed frequent and more severe offi cial yesterday denied Beijing and the Vatican sev- was fi rst detained last Monday by the Chinese authorities. But bishop had accepted an invita- Fiji’s main island Viti Levu, because of climate change,” Athat authorities briefl y ered diplomatic relations in 1951 for about 24 hours and then on the Vatican is urging him to step tion to visit Xiamen by Cai Bin- with Bainimarama confirming he said. He added: “As a nation detained an underground bish- and although ties have improved Thursday he was forced to travel aside for a prelate recognised by grui, the government-recognised yesterday that the death toll we are starting to build our op last week, after the Vatican as China’s Catholic population to the city of Xiamen over 200km China’s Communist government bishop there. from the storm had risen to five. resilience in response to the poured water on Beijing’s sug- grows, they have remained at away from his diocese before be- as the two sides try to reach a deal Amnesty International China “Once again, Fijians are frightening new era that is gestion that a deal on the ap- odds over the appointment of ing released. on the appointment of bishops. researcher William Nee said the mourning the loss of some of upon us.” Fiji took a leading pointment of prelates was im- bishops. “Saying that his freedom is A source familiar with the de- international community should our loved ones to an extreme role in global climate talks last minent. The Vatican relaunched long- limited is not consistent with the tails of the detention told AFP be “very hesitant” in taking Chi- weather event,” he told a November when Bainimarama China’s roughly 12mn Catho- stalled negotiations with Beijing facts,” Chen Zongrong, former that Guo’s visit to Xiamen was na at its word about Guo’s free- function in the capital Suva. became president of the UN’s lics are divided between a gov- three years ago. But the ques- Vice Administrator of the State “not his choice, but he negoti- dom. Bainimarama said climate COP23 negotiation in Bonn.

Canines at work

Government employees watch police dogs belonging to Royal Thai police special K-9 unit demonstrate skills to detect bombs and illegal drugs at a government complex in Bangkok yesterday. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 13 BRITAIN

TRAGEDY LAW AND ORDER PEOPLE OPINION OFFBEAT Four Britons killed Death in custody Father who murdered Schools’ dismissive attitude Lonely rail worker is in Florida car crash being investigated family dies in prison to arts angers ‘best teacher’ a hit in online film

Four members of a British family have been The police watchdog is investigating after a man A notorious killer who stabbed six people to death The woman named as the world’s best teacher A six-minute film about a lonely railway station killed in a car crash as they returned from the died a day after being arrested by the Metropoli- with kitchen knives including his wife and two has said she is “ashamed” of the dismissive attitude attendant in south-east London has become an Kennedy Space Centre, police in Florida have tan Police. Scotland Yard said the 26-year-old was young children has been found dead in prison in to the arts in British schools. Andria Zafirakou said online hit with more than 12,000 views. Filmmak- said. The 30-year-old driver and three passen- detained on suspicion of being in possession of Yorkshire. Builder Damian Rzeszowski, 37, killed his world-renowned colleges such as Central Saint ers Solaris2 followed Sylvain Grigbale during his gers died in the crash on Monday, Titusville a knife after off icers stopped a car in Brandon wife Izabela, 30, when she admitted an aff air with Martins and the Slade School of Fine Art would soon working day at Brockley station. Producer Garfield police department said. Adam Stephenson, Street, Southwark, at about 11.30am on Friday. A another man. He also killed daughter Kinga, five, and be “filled with foreign students” if the arts were not Wesley Hall got the idea for the film, called Sweet, Maryanne Stephenson, 29, Brian Stephenson, lock knife was reportedly found in the car and two-year-old son Kacper at their home in St Helier, fully appreciated by ministers, universities, business during his commute to his day job at a law firm. 66, and Sheralyn Stephenson, 56, all from the man was arrested. He was taken to Walworth Jersey, in 2011, as well as his father-in-law, his wife’s and parents. Zafirakou, 39, who won the $1mn The film also reveals his problems staying in Bristol, were pronounced dead at the scene. police station but an ambulance was called friend and her daughter aged five. “Rzeszowski Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Prize in Dubai touch with his Ivory Coast family after his only Police believe they were driving back to their shortly afterwards as off icers believed he had died in custody at HMP Full Sutton on March 31, last month, has taught art and textiles for 12 years UK relation – a cousin – died two years ago. Grig- rental home. A spokesman said a preliminary swallowed something, the Independent Off ice for 2018,” said a Prison Service spokesperson. “As with at Alperton Community School in Brent. Zafirakou bale’s situation prompted sympathy from a local investigation found Adam Stephenson drove Police Conduct (IOPC) said. He arrived at hospital all deaths in custody, there will be an independent cited a study of 1,200 secondary schools which Facebook group with one member writing: “Can the rented vehicle into the path of a pick-up at around 12.15pm, but died on Saturday morning investigation by the prisons and probation ombuds- found that 90% had cut back on arts teachers, facili- we not club together and buy him some flowers? truck. after his condition deteriorated. man,” the off icial added. ties and equipment. Loneliness is the worst thing in this world.” Government to tighten laws on ‘abhorrent’ ivory trade

Guardian News and Media made to halt the shocking decline London in Africa’s elephant population in recent years.” Tanya Steele, the chief execu- UK ban on ivory sales, tive of WWF-UK, said the ban which the government would make Britain a global leader. Aclaims will be the toughest “Around 55 African elephants are in Europe and one of the strictest killed for their ivory a day, their in the world, is to be introduced tusks turned into carvings and after the proposals were over- trinkets,” she said. “But if we want whelmingly backed in a public to stop the poaching of this majes- consultation. tic animal, we need global action. The ban makes exemptions only We hope the UK will continue to for musical instruments contain- press countries where the biggest ing a small percentage of ivory, ivory markets are, most of which some antiques, and museum ob- are in Asia, to shut down their jects. trade too.” The Environment Secretary, There were more than 70,000 Michael Gove, described the trade responses to the consultation, Forensic investigators examine the pavement and carriageway on Chalgrove Road, where a teenage girl was murdered, in Tottenham yesterday. in ivory as “abhorrent” and said: 88% in favour of the proposals, “Ivory should never be seen as a making it the largest consultation commodity for fi nancial gain or exercise carried out by Defra. a status symbol, so we will intro- The present law, in common duce one of the world’s toughest with those of many other coun- bans on ivory sales to protect el- tries, bans the sale of raw elephant ephants for future generations.” ivory of any age but allows trade in No date has yet been set for the ivory objects worked before 1947 introduction of the legislation. without any certifi cate – causing Teenage girl killed A spokeswoman for the depart- inevitable problems over the date ment for environment, food and of manufacture – and post-1947 rural aff airs (Defra) said it would be objects with a certifi cate. done “when parliamentary time The new law will ban the trade allows”. in most ivory objects of any age. A study last summer of records The exemptions will be for musi- under the convention on interna- cal instruments made before 1975 in drive-by shooting tional trade in endangered species with an ivory content of less than (Cites ) suggested that between 20%, and objects made before London Evening Standard old boy was shot and another the middle is devastating. The who came banging on my door He remained in a critical 2010 and 2015 Britain was the 1947 with less than 10% ivory. London boy of 15 was stabbed. family were screaming when the screaming that Tanesha has condition. The 15-year-old largest exporter of legal ivory in There will be a further exemption The latest attacks come amid police broke the news.” been shot. I put her on her side was found at the scene with the world. for antiques at least 100 years old, mounting alarm at the rate of Another witness said he and rubbed her back. I told her stab injuries. He was said to be The number of elephants in the deemed “the rarest and most im- teenage girl was killed killings in London. So far this heard three bangs and then saw ‘everything is going to be okay, serious but stable in hospital wild is believed to have declined by portant objects of their type”, with in a suspected drive-by year, there have been 47 murders the girl slumped in the street your mum is on her way’. She yesterday. almost a third in the past decade, the judgment made by specialists Ashooting and a boy of 16 in the capital, with 15 in Febru- and people racing to try to save was sitting up but couldn’t re- Witnesses said they heard two and an estimated 20,000 a year are including museums. was left fi ghting for his life in ary and 22 last month — both her. He said: “There were three spond.” loud gunshots before police ar- killed to meet the global demand In addition, portrait miniatures two gangland attacks in London. totals exceeding the murder loud bangs, I ran out and there Another neighbour said: “I rived and sealed off the car park. for ivory. on thin slivers of ivory at least 100 The 17-year-old girl, named rate for the same period in New was a girl propped up with heard the bangs because I sleep Police said they were not Some campaigners have been years old will be exempt. There locally as Tanesha, was stand- York. Detectives appealed for blood coming from a wound in the front room. I thought it treating the two shootings as seeking a blanket ban, but Char- will also be an exemption for ac- ing with a group of friends in witnesses to the attack in Tot- which looked like it was in her was a bomb. It’s not nice — so linked. The girl’s murder came lie Mayhew, the chief executive of credited museums in the UK and Tottenham when witnesses de- tenham saying offi cers were chest. At first she was speak- many drugs, stabbings, no re- amid fears of an escalating the African wildlife charity Tusk internationally. scribed how a car “rolled by” called to the sound of gun shots ing but then she just slumped spect for people any more.” “postcode war” between gangs Trust, described the exemptions Campaigners say the illegal and a gunman opened fi re from at 9.35pm. down and to me it was obvious Friends and family gathered in Tottenham and nearby Wood as pragmatic. “The ban will ensure trade in banned wildlife is esti- a window. Fatima O’Dwyer, who knew she was dead or dying.” Tyesha on the street of terraced houses Green. there is no value for modern-day mated to be worth up to £17bn a The girl was hit in the chest the victim, heard the shots from Mingo, 21, who held the girl as today as forensics offi cers gath- Last month aspiring rapper ivory and the tusks of recently year, and the legal international and collapsed in Chalgrove Road her home and came running out. she died, said: “I tried to save ered evidence. One family mem- Kelvin Odunuyi, 19, was shot poached elephants cannot enter trade in ivory has exploited vary- shortly after 9.30pm on Monday She said: “Everyone was say- her. She was a good girl, no ber said: “We are all devastated. dead outside a cinema in Wood the UK market,” he said. ing regulations in diff erent juris- night. Paramedics fought to save ing she was talking to a couple trouble. She was a lovely girl.” Green by a gunman on a moped. “We welcome the fact that dictions. China permits trade in her in the street but she was pro- of guys and a car rolled by and “She was in her house before The 16-year-old boy was The Walthamstow victims ministers are sending such a clear “relics” without a specifi ed age, nounced dead at 10.43pm. started shooting up everyone. it happened and she had gone rushed to hospital after being were thought to have been message to the world that the il- and the US exempts objects over a In a separate attack outside a She wasn’t the target, she was out and was just literally chilling found with gunshot wounds treated at the Royal London legal wildlife trade will not be century old, as well as those with leisure centre in Walthamstow in the wrong place at the wrong with her friends. outside Walthamstow Leisure hospital major trauma centre in tolerated and every eff ort will be less than 50% ivory. half an hour later, the 16-year- time. For a girl to be caught in “She was with her best friend Centre in Markhouse Road. Whitechapel. Alarm as hundreds of Philip admitted to cancer procedures put off hospital for surgery Reuters on his hip which will take place London today,” the palace said in a state- Guardian News and Media should go ahead as planned. Theresa May made the NHS ment. London However, the HSJ survey England chief executive, Simon “Further updates will be is- found 43 trusts cancelled opera- Stevens, “personally responsi- rince Philip, the 96-year- sued when appropriate.” tions, including some diagnostic ble” in November for avoiding old husband of Queen Eliz- Outspoken, irascible and in- undreds of cancer opera- procedures such as biopsies. another winter crisis and a repeat Pabeth, was yesterday ad- tensely private, the former na- tions were cancelled by Macmillan’s executive direc- of the chaos in many hospital mitted to hospital for surgery on val officer has been one of the HEnglish NHS trusts dur- tor of policy and impact, Fran wards in previous years. his hip, Buckingham Palace said. most influential figures in the ing winter, prompting a warning Woodard, told the HSJ: “De- Last month, the prime minis- Greek-born Philip has re- British royal family for decades. that delays to procedures could pending on the type of opera- ter vowed to create a long-term mained at his wife’s side At times blunt to the point of aff ect a patient’s chance of sur- tion, a delay could mean that funding plan for the NHS to en- throughout her 66-year reign, rudeness, Philip is Elizabeth’s vival. the cancer not only progresses in sure rising demand did not over- the longest in British history, most important support. A poll of 81 acute NHS trusts that time, but that the chances of whelm the service. and has earned a reputation for Both the Queen, 91, and Philip by the Health Service Journal survival are also aff ected.” Responding to a question from brusque comments and occa- have suff ered some health issues (HSJ) found more than half were An NHS England spokes- the health and social care select sional gaff es at some of the thou- in recent years. forced to cancel at least one op- woman said: “Despite all the committee, May said: “This year sands of ceremonial events he The Queen missed a tradition- eration between December and pressures from fl u and norovirus, and in advance of next year’s has attended. al Christmas church service in February, with 530 scrapped in NHS hospitals treated 2,615 more spending review, I do want to Philip, or the Duke of Edin- late 2016 for the fi rst time in dec- total. cancer patients this January than come forward with a long-term burgh as he is known in Britain, ades due to a heavy cold and was Macmillan Cancer Support last January. plan. I want that to be done in retired from public life last Au- hospitalised in March 2013 with said the delays to some proce- “The proportion of cancer pa- conjunction with NHS leaders gust, quipping at the time that symptoms of gastroenteritis. dures could have aff ected the tients fast-tracked for treatment and provide a multi-year fund- he was no longer able to “stand Last June, Philip spent two survival chances of patients. within 62 days was the highest ing settlement consistent with up much”. days in hospital as a precaution- Hospitals across England this January that it has been for our fi scal rules and balanced ap- He was yesterday admitted to a ary measure for the treatment of were instructed to delay pre- the past three years.” proach. London private hospital regular- an infection and he pulled out of planned operations and rou- Last week, Cambridge Univer- “Ensuring the NHS can cope ly used by the royals in prepara- another event in March because tine outpatient appointments sity hospitals NHS foundation with demand ahead of the tion for a hip operation today, the of ill health, according to news- throughout January due to se- trust announced that it had been spending review, I would suggest palace said. paper reports. vere winter pressures. At the forced to cancel all planned pro- we can’t wait until next Easter. “The Duke of Edinburgh was He did not attend a church time, NHS England said cancer cedures, including those for can- I think in this 70th anniversary admitted to King Edward VII service last week attended by the operations and time-critical cer care, for one day due to a large year of the NHS’s foundation, we Hospital in London yesterday monarch because of a hip prob- procedures were exempt and infl ux of emergency cases. need an answer on this.” Prince Philip: health issues afternoon for planned surgery lem, a royal source said last week. Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 BRITAIN/ Corbyn criticised for attending anti-Israel group’s event

Reuters at an event hosted by Jewdas, a critic of Israel, said he attended the Some opinions polls put Cor- antisemitic comments in the party to tackle antisemitism within La- the event on Monday. London group which described Israel in event in his London constituency byn’s Labour Party ahead or level and among groups he supports. bour ranks. The issue fl ared up two John Woodcock, a member of December as a “steaming pile of in a personal capacity and not in with Prime Minister Theresa Corbyn yesterday said there weeks ago after it came to light that parliament who has criticised Cor- sewage which needs to be properly his role as Labour leader. May’s Conservatives, meaning he was no place for antisemitism in in 2012 Corbyn questioned a deci- byn in the past, said his attendance pposition leader Jeremy disposed of”. “He wrote to the board of depu- is a potential next British leader, his party and that Labour would sion by local London authorities was “irresponsible and dangerous” Corbyn risked further The group also called recent ties and Jewish Leadership Council although the next election is not investigate any cases of suspected to remove a street mural depicting and it was “deliberately baiting the Osouring his relationship protests against Corbyn for failing last week to ask for an urgent for- due until 2022. racism. “Antisemitism is a vile, evil men in suits with big noses playing mainstream Jewish community with the Jewish community by to tackle anti-Semitism “faux- mal meeting to discuss tackling Since unexpectedly becoming thing in our society.... and it has to Monopoly on the backs of naked days after they pleaded with him attending an event with a left- outrage greased with hypocrisy antisemitism in the Labour Party Labour leader in 2015 after decades be eradicated,” he told reporters. people — an image reminiscent of to tackle antisemitism”. But Char- wing Jewish group that has called and opportunism”. and in society,” the spokesman on the left-wing fringes of the par- Last week, Jewish groups pro- antisemitic propaganda. lotte Nichols, one of the attendees for the destruction of Israel. A spokesman for Corbyn, a sup- added. Jewdas did not respond to ty, Corbyn has repeatedly faced ac- tested against Corbyn outside Some Labour lawmakers criti- of the Jewdas event, said Corbyn Corbyn spent Monday evening porter of Palestinian rights and a a request for comment. cusations of turning a blind eye to parliament accusing him of failing cised Corbyn’s decision to attend was right to attend the gathering.

Ryanair’s Time machine! gender pay Study reveals gap worst in airline rampant sexual industry

Guardian News and Media London misconduct by

yanair has revealed a gen- der pay gap of 72% – the Rworst in the airline in- dustry – with women making university staff up only 3% of the top quarter of earners at the budget airline. The fi gure is among the most Guardian News and Media and groping” also constitutes postgraduate student at a lead- imbalanced yet reported in any London sexual assault, although the report ing London art school, told the sector, about four times the UK does not specify this. Guardian that she had attempted average and outstripping that of The survey also warns that to kill herself due to the trauma of easyJet, whose 45% gap had at- exual misconduct by uni- universities are failing to respond being bullied and groped by a fe- tracted widespread criticism. versity staff is rife on cam- appropriately to the scale of the male member of staff , and she now Median hourly pay among Spuses, with more than four problem. It found that less than worked in a diff erent fi eld to her Ryanair’s 1,182 UK staff is 71.8% in 10 students reporting that 10% of victims reported staff sex- area of study. lower for women (67% lower on they have suff ered unwelcome ual misconduct, while more than The report also found wide- mean hourly pay), while median advances and assault, includ- half of those who did said their spread unease about staff pursu- bonus pay for women was 3% ing sexualised comments, inap- university did not respond ad- ing sexual or romantic relation- lower (with a mean diff erence of propriate touching and rape, re- equately, either by blocking their ships with students, with 80% of 21%). search shows. complaint or making it diffi cult to respondents indicating that they With most of Ryanair’s man- In a survey of 1,839 current and report an incident. found this uncomfortable, and agement and administration former students by the National Only a quarter of those who some students describing such re- based in Ireland and excluded Union of Students (NUS) and reported staff sexual misconduct lationships as “predatory”. from the fi gures – including its campaigners the 1752 Group, 41% thought that their university had Hareem Ghani, an NUS wom- chief executive, Michael O’Leary, of respondents said they had faced taken proactive steps to prevent en’s offi cer, said the scale of staff and its all-male senior manage- unwelcome sexual advances and such incidents from happen- sexual misconduct should push ment board – more than 95% of innuendo from university staff . ing again. This refl ects a recent Universities UK to “introduce spe- the fi rm’s UK-based staff are pi- Of the 1,535 current students investigation by the Guardian cifi c guidance on student-staff lots or cabin crew. Only eight of surveyed, one in eight (12%) dis- that found many universities had relationships and highlight the Ryanair’s 554 UK-based pilots are closed being touched by a member not carried out recommended power imbalance that exists in female, while women make up of staff in a way that made them reforms to support and protect these relationships”. She added: more than two-thirds of the low- uncomfortable, with women twice victims. “For too long, these problems paid cabin crew. as likely as men to suff er this form Dr Anna Bull, co-founder of have been at best sidelined and at Ryanair said: “Like all airlines, of unwanted behaviour. the 1752 Group, which was set up worst silenced by institutions. We our gender pay in the UK is mate- The study, Power in the Acad- to address staff -student sexual need to talk about the open secrets rially aff ected by the relatively low emy: Staff Sexual Misconduct harassment in higher education, that plague academia, to challenge numbers of female pilots in the in UK Higher Education, warns said: “This report provides clear cultures of entitlement and stop aviation industry. that the sector is “not currently evidence that rather than the is- abuses of power wherever they “In recent years, the number of a safe environment”, with many sue of staff sexual misconduct in happen.” female pilots applying to Ryanair students facing “sexualised higher education being limited to A spokesman for Universities has increased and we are commit- touching, comments or even a few institutions this is an issue UK said: “Universities have made ted to developing this welcome threats from staff members”. It across the sector. It is unaccept- signifi cant progress in recent years trend. It is a feature of the aviation raises particular concern over the able that higher education in- to tackle harassment aff ecting industry that more males than fi nding that the vast majority of stitutions, rather than enabling students. But there is more work females choose to enter the pilot perpetrators are academic staff , students to report staff sexual to be done, particularly in relation profession.” who have “power over students’ misconduct, are failing the vast to tackling staff to student sexual Ryanair has yet to spell out what academic success, wellbeing and majority of students who dis- misconduct.” steps it will take to recruit more career” prospects. More than close, making it diffi cult or even Universities Minister Sam Gyi- women into higher paid positions. 60% of respondents said the impossible for some to continue mah said: “Violence and sexual The second worst fi gure among perpetrator was a man. with their studies.” harassment in any setting is com- airlines is Jet2.com, with a median Thirty-fi ve current and 30 Not only were women more pletely unacceptable and victims gap of 49.7% (mean 53.5%) while former students reported that they likely than men to suff er sexual should report cases to the police. the best is British Airways, with had experienced non-consensual misconduct by staff but they were The government expects univer- a median of 10% (mean 35%) – a sexual contact from staff , while also three times more likely to re- sities to take a zero-tolerance ap- fi gure likely to refl ect higher-paid, nine current and six former stu- port being negatively aff ected, the proach to this abhorrent behaviour long-standing crew as well as a dents disclosed that they had suf- survey found. so that students feel confi dent and relatively large non-fl ying UK- A traction steam engine is driven through Horsham, Britain. fered sexual assault or rape. Under One of the women who re- able to report what they have ex- based staff . UK law “inappropriate touching sponded to the survey, a former perienced”.

Dinosaur prints found May ‘must back EU plan Passport contract decision delayed on Ireland border issue’ demonstrated they were best AFP London able to meet the needs of London Evening Standard quick deal, pointing out that all The plan was dismissed by the our passport service, with London 27 remaining EU states would EU at the time as “magical think- a high-quality and secure have to agree. ing”, and the paper itself admits he government yester- product and best value for the “There is a short space of time it is an “innovative and untested day said it had extended taxpayer,” he said. reland’s Minister for Eu- — and we know that free trade approach that would take time to Tthe bidding process for The return of blue British rope yesterday warned that arrangements took years in other develop and implement”. making its new post-Brexit passports in place of stand- Ia Brexit deal between the EU parts,” she said. “The possibility of that hap- passports amid a furore over ard burgundy European Un- and the UK could be endangered May said in December that “no pening between now and Oc- a Franco-Dutch manufacturer ion ones is seen as a hugely unless Theresa May gives more prime minister” could agree to tober is probably quite slim, so being preferred to a UK one. symbolic reclamation of UK ground on the Irish border issue. the backstop plan, which would for us the backstop will have to British fi rm De La Rue is sovereignty for those backing Speaking to the Evening eff ectively shift the border to the apply,” McEntee said of any new preparing to issue a legal chal- Britain’s exit from the bloc. Standard, Helen McEntee said Irish sea and is fl atly opposed by plan for the border. lenge to the preliminary deci- Brexit supporters have said a new UK-EU trade deal, which the Democratic Unionist Party, And she said it was “very dif- sion to award the contract to it would be a “national hu- May hopes would avoid any whose 10 MPs prop up her gov- fi cult to see” how Britain could make the blue-coloured pass- miliation” if they were made need for a hard border, will take ernment. avoid checks at the border if it ports to Paris-based Gemalto. in the EU. “years” to sew up. The Financial Times reported insisted on leaving the single Meanwhile, a petition run De La Rue admitted it She urged May to accept the that the PM now favours a “cus- market and customs union. by the Daily Mail newspaper would be a more expensive EU-backed proposal for a con- toms partnership” with the EU “If they were to propose some- to have the non-EU passports option for taxpayers but in- troversial “backstop” plan, ef- that would avoid a hard border thing that ensured things stayed made in Britain has topped sisted theirs was the “highest fectively to keep Northern Ire- and prevent diff erent regimes as they are, then it’s not for us to 266,000 signatures. quality and technically most land in the customs union and applying in Northern Ireland and say no,” she said. “In the absence The government confirmed secure bid”. parts of the single market. Great Britain. of that, what we have agreed and that a two-week extension to “We confirm that we are “If it comes to October and we The idea was one of two op- proposed, we feel, would be ad- the bidding process began on taking the first steps towards don’t have an outcome, it will be tions put forward in a govern- equate.” Tuesday, after the Home Of- initiating appeal proceedings the EU saying ‘we’re not happy ment paper last August. It would EU and UK offi cials resume Dozens of rare footprints belonging to dinosaurs made some fice interior ministry agreed against the provisional deci- with this’,” McEntee said. see the UK mirroring EU tariff s talks on Northern Ireland on Fri- 170mn years ago have been discovered on Scotland’s Isle of to a request from De La Rue. sion,” a spokeswoman added. The government hopes to and customs rules for foreign day, with the aim of reaching a Skye, scientists said yesterday. The sauropod footprint was A spokesman said that such UK passports had dark blue avoid checks on lorries at the imports destined for the Euro- preliminary deal on the backstop discovered at Brothers’ Point on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. a “standstill” period was not covers from 1921. But Britain Northern Irish/Irish border by pean market, using a combina- by June so it can be put to a vote “The more we look on the Isle of Skye, the more dinosaur uncommon. He made clear switched to burgundy from signing a wide-ranging trade tion of tracking technology and in October. The EU has said it will footprints we find,” said Dr Steve Brusatte of the University of that Gemalto remained the fa- 1988, in common with other deal with the EU. But McEntee repayments for traders charged not approve the fi nal Brexit treaty Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences. vourites. passports of what was then was sceptical of the chances of a the wrong tariff . until that deal is in place. “The preferred bidder the European Community. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 15 EUROPE UK lab says cannot determine spy nerve agent was Russian-made

AFP veloped in Soviet times. part of the intelligence picture”. Western allies have blamed on had developed or keeps stocks end to the ongoing dispute. “Russia is interested in estab- London But he added: “We have not “This includes our knowledge Russia. of Novichok, but he dismissed “We hope that during those lishing the whole truth of the identifi ed the precise source.” that within the last decade, Rus- The fi rst use of chemical weap- claims that the agent used to poi- discussions a full stop will be matter,” he said. “It is our job to provide the sia has investigated ways of de- ons in Europe since World War II son the Skripals had come from placed on (the issue of) what However, Britain’s foreign he British military facil- scientifi c evidence of what this livering nerve agents probably has chilled Moscow’s relations the site. happened,” he said during a visit ministry accused Russia of re- ity analysing the nerve particular nerve agent is, we for assassination – and as part with the West, as both sides have “There is no way anything like to the Turkish capital Ankara. questing the meeting to under- Tagent used to poison a spy identifi ed that it is from this par- of this programme has produced expelled scores of diplomats. that could have come from us or The meeting request came mine the organisation’s investi- said yesterday that it could not ticular family and that it is a mili- and stockpiled small quantities Britain has also suspended left the four walls of our facility,” after Moscow received and ana- gation. prove the substance was made tary grade, but it is not our job to of Novichok; Russia’s record of high-level diplomatic contact he said. lysed samples of the Novichok “This Russian initiative is yet in Russia, as Russian President say where it was manufactured,” conducting state-sponsored as- with Moscow. The Organisation for the Pro- agent used in the attack. again another diversionary tac- Vladimir Putin put his hopes in a Aitkenhead said. sassinations; and our assessment Moscow has denied any in- hibition of Chemical Weapons The gathering will start at tic, intended to undermine the meeting with the world’s chemi- He added that “extremely that Russia views former intel- volvement in the incident, with (OPCW), the world’s chemical 10am (0800 GMT) at the OPCW’s work of the OPCW in reaching a cal weapons watchdog. sophisticated methods” were ligence offi cers as targets,” he Russian Foreign Minister Sergei watchdog, will meet today to headquarters in The Hague. conclusion,” the ministry said in Gary Aitkenhead, the chief needed to create the nerve agent, added. Lavrov on Monday suggesting discuss Britain’s allegations that “We hope to discuss the whole a statement. executive of the Porton Down and that was “something only in Former double agent Sergei that the British government may Russia was responsible for the matter and call on Britain to pro- “Of course, there is no require- defence laboratory, told Britain’s the capabilities of a state actor”. Skripal, who has lived in Britain be behind the poisoning to dis- poisoning, according to docu- vide every possible element of ment in the Chemical Weapons Sky News that analysts had iden- Following his remarks, a Brit- since a spy swap in 2010, and his tract attention from problems ments released yesterday. evidence they might have in their Convention for the victim of a tifi ed the substance as military- ish government spokesman said daughter Yulia have been in hos- around Brexit. The OPCW said that Russia hands,” Russia’s ambassador to chemical weapons attack to en- grade Novichok, the word used that Porton Down’s identifi ca- pital since March 4 after the poi- Aitkenhead would not com- had asked for the meeting, which Ireland, Yury Filatov, told report- gage in a joint investigation with for a category of nerve agents de- tion of Novichok was “only one soning that London and its major ment on whether Porton Down Putin said is aimed at putting an ers ahead of the OPCW meeting. the likely perpetrator,” it said.

Systems glitch threatens Rail unions strike against European fl ights Macron’s reform plans

DPA Reuters Brussels Paris

assengers and air crews rench rail workers planning to fl y today will launched a series of na- Phave to see how good their Ftionwide strikes yesterday, connections are after a computer threatening months of transport outage in a key European system disruption in the sternest chal- the day before threatened to de- lenge yet to President Emmanuel lay half of all fl ights. Macron’s eff orts to modernise The glitch in the Enhanced Europe’s second biggest econ- Tactical Flow Management Sys- omy. tem (ETFMS) reduced fl ight ca- State-run rail company SNCF, pacities in Europe by 10%, the which Macron wants to over- Eurocontrol agency announced haul, said that 48% of the work- yesterday. ers needed for the network to Workers said that they had the run smoothly were absent, as system back up and running by they joined the protests against 8pm yesterday (1800 GMT) after plans to trim benefi ts, includ- “extensive internal testing”, re- ing job guarantees and generous ported Eurocontrol. pensions. But it remains unclear how Just one in four trains ran in badly that outage will aff ect op- the Paris region, while only one erations planned for today. in eight high-speed TGV trains ETFMS is used to co-ordinate were operating. the continent’s air traffi c control At Gare du Nord, Paris’s busi- systems, managing up to 36,000 est station, platforms were so Commuters are seen yesterday fl ights a day. crowded that some commuters on a crowded platform at Paris’s Eurocontrol said earlier yes- fell onto the tracks. Gare de Lyon railway station, on terday that any fl ight plans fi led Other stations were plunged the first day of a two-day strike. before 1026 GMT had been lost into darkness, the lights and and must be resubmitted. ticket machines switched off . Left: Stationary trains are seen Approximately half of the French media dubbed it yesterday on rail tracks on the 29,500 European fl ights expect- “Black Tuesday”. outskirts of the eastern French ed yesterday could have “some “I do understand why they’re city of Strasbourg, at the start delay” due to the system outage, striking,” said Marie Charles, a of three months of rolling rail the statement said. Paris commuter. “But today is strikes. “Eurocontrol very much re- my fi rst day in a new job so I have grets the disruption,” it added to admit I could have done with- ter Alain Juppe to pull the meas- in the statement announcing the out the strike.” ures – a defeat from which he did repairs. Outside Gare de L’Est, crowds not recover. The agency noted that it had of SNCF workers denounced the The unions are broadly weaker only suff ered one such outage in government and set off fl ares now and divided over how best the past, in 2001. that fi lled the area with smoke. to handle Macron’s many social The technical failure occurred Many students, who have and economic reforms – a divi- during the busy Easter travel launched their own demonstra- sion Macron hopes to be able to period, during a time when rail tions against education reform, exploit to his advantage. passengers in France have also joined the protest, and some If the 40-year-old president had to contend with train can- workers in other sectors downed succeeds, it will set the tone for cellations due to a nationwide tools in sympathy with the rail other reform plans, including strike. workers. revamping the education system “There are no safety implica- Others plan to do so in the and overhauling pensions. tions arising from this incident,” coming days. Macron has already faced the air traffi c agency added. The four main rail unions plan down the unions to ease labour Brussels Airport announced to strike for two days out of eve- laws, making it simpler to hire on Twitter that departures had ry fi ve for the next three months and fi re. Protesters clash with police during a demonstration yesterday in Students demonstrate with striking SNCF employees in Lille been restricted to 10 per hour – a total of 36 days of disruption Speaking to parliament, Prime support of French railway workers. yesterday, near the Lille Flandres railway station. due to the problem. – to fi ght a shake-up of monop- Minister Edouard Philippe said German airports contacted oly SNCF before it is opened to that the way the SNCF operated SNCF president Guillaume dated privileges, a notion the the SNCF into a profi t-maker. to maintain a common stance. reported no signifi cant prob- competition in line with Euro- could not continue. Pepy said that the strike was unions reject. The unions say that its debt The Communist-rooted CGT lems, though industry insiders pean Union rules. “I respect the strikers because likely to cost the company “The salaries aren’t amazing, was caused by excessive invest- wants the industrial action to told DPA that it would be impos- The protests come as France going on strike is a constitution- €20mn a day in lost revenue at the work conditions are diffi cult, ment in France’s high-speed spread to other sectors but has sible to know until today if there prepares to mark the 50th anni- al right ... But we also need to re- a time when it is already adding and for some it means working network and accuse Macron of so far seen limited support. were any lingering eff ects from versary of the student-led riots spect the millions of French who €3bn to its overall debt pile of every other weekend,” Martinez paving the way for privatisation, Some energy sector workers the glitch. of May 1968, when the entire want to be able to get to work,” €47bn every year. said. which offi cials deny. walked out yesterday in pro- economy came to a virtual halt. he said. In a bid to boost effi ciency, Macron will need to keep the The government has sought test against the planned liber- The work stoppages so far Transport Minister Elisabeth the government wants to end public on his side if he is to defy to ease tensions with assurances alisation of the power sector, but Two trains collide pale in comparison with those Borne urged unions to negotiate, rail workers’ jobs-for-life, auto- the unions and push the reforms that the arrival of foreign com- there was little impact on power events. but union leaders hit back. matic annual pay rises and early through. petition on French rail tracks, output. in The last French leader to “The railway workers are not retirement rights – benefi ts that An Ifop poll on Sunday pencilled in for gradual rollout Air France workers also went square off against the rail unions doing this for the fun of it,” said date back to the nationalisation showed that just over half of from 2020, can be delayed. on strike over pay yesterday, al- Nearly two dozen people were came off worst. Philippe Martinez, head of the of the SNCF in the 1930s. French people view the strikes as As well as testing Macron’s though the company said it ex- injured, two of them seriously, The strikes of 1995 paralysed hardline CGT union, the biggest The government has painted unjustifi ed. mettle, the rolling strike will also pected 75% of fl ights to operate when two trains collided in the France and forced prime minis- among railway workers. the rail workers as enjoying out- Macron wants to transform challenge the resolve of unions as usual. western German city of Duisburg yesterday, local police said. A police off icial told Reuters Police defuse fourth parcel bomb the two trains had run into each other in a tunnel, but that blamed on DHL blackmailer the cause remained under German prosecutors seek former investigation. German police said yesterday that they had successfully defused a He said 20 people had sustained parcel bomb in Berlin that was “in all likelihood” sent by the same minor injuries. Catalan president’s extradition DHL blackmailer who caused the evacuation of a Christmas market A transit off icial said the accident last December. occurred around 1520 CET (1320 It is the fourth parcel bomb in recent months blamed on the GMT) under the Ruhr river. AFP supporters at the weekend in was travelling from back blackmailer, who has demanded €10mn ($12mn) worth of bitcoins Local newspapers and television Berlin Berlin and Catalonia calling for to , where he has been from the parcel delivery service DHL. stations said more than 30 Puigdemont’s release and a small living since Catalonia’s failed in- The latest parcel was sent to the Berlin Chamber of Crafts and people had been injured. rally yesterday outside his jail. dependence bid last October. “can in all likelihood be attributed to the DHL extortionist or Buses were dispatched to ferry erman prosecutors have “The prosecutor’s offi ce of His detention came days after extortionists”, a Potsdam police spokesman told AFP. passengers and to help keep asked a court to order Schleswig-Holstein state applied a Spanish judge issued European A female employee at the trade association contacted the police on rush-hour traff ic running, the Gthe extradition to Spain for an extradition arrest warrant arrest warrants for Puigdemont Thursday after she noticed wires protruding from the package. transit agency spokesman said. of Catalonia’s ousted president against former Catalonian re- and other separatist leaders. Specialists were able to defuse the parcel without having to carry Germany remains on high alert Carles Puigdemont on a rebel- gional president Carles Puigde- They have been ordered to out a controlled explosion. for possible militant attacks after Puigdemont: arrested on lion charge following his arrest in mont from the superior regional stand trial for rebellion, misuse German police have been hunting for one or more suspects ever 12 people were killed in a truck March 25 as he was Germany last month. court,” it said in a statement. of public funds and disobeying since a DHL parcel containing nails, screws and explosive powder attack on a Berlin Christmas travelling from Finland back The request comes after dem- Puigdemont was arrested by the state for organising last year’s from Polish fireworks, was received by a pharmacy in the city of market in December 2016. to Belgium. onstrations by independence German police on March 25 as he referendum. Potsdam, near Berlin, in December. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, April 4, 2018

HONOUR COOKERY TRAGEDY DIPLOMACY FUEL School dropout makes Ranveer Brar planning Pune boy trapped in US off icials arrive for Petrol at Rs73.95 in Delhi; it to Forbes U-30 list a book on Lucknow abandoned car dies trilateral meet with Japan highest since Sept 2013

A school dropout from Chandigarh who is now a cyber Ranveer Brar still gets inspired by Lucknow’s A five-year-old boy who got accidentally trapped in Top US diplomat for South Asia Alice Wells and Petrol prices continued to spiral yesterday, security expert has made it to the Forbes “30 under food culture. Now, the well-known chef says an abandoned car on Pune’s outskirts was found Susan Thornton, the State Department’s off icial touching a nearly five-year high of Rs73.95 30” Asia 2018 list. Trishneet Arora, 25, made his way he is planning to come out with a book on the dead of suff ocation and burns late Monday, police in-charge of the East Asia and Pacific aff airs, will per litre in Delhi. The previous high in the to the prestigious list which is packed with innovators city, which has been instrumental in his career said yesterday. According to police off icer Pratima jointly lead Washington’s delegation to the India- capital was Rs74.10 in September 2013. In and disruptors who are reshaping their industries “I am planning my next book. It is going to be Navale, the body of Karan Pandey was found in US-Japan Trilateral Dialogue in New Delhi this week. Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai too, prices and changing Asia for the better, a spokesman for the on Lucknow,” Brar said. “I am also working on Chakan after a hectic six-hour search by his family. They arrived in New Delhi last night. The Trilateral climbed to new multi-year highs at Rs81.80, young entrepreneur said yesterday. Arora is cyber a documentary on the anthropological study Around noon, Karan had gone out to play with Dialogue takes place from today until Friday. On Rs76.66 and Rs76.72 a litre, the Indian Oil security expert, an author and the founder and CEO of Indian food,” he said. Brar took his first step friends in the neighbourhood. Apparently unable Friday, Wells will also participate in the India-US Corporation said on its website. Diesel prices of TAC Security – a cyber security company based in towards the food world in Lucknow through to bear the scorching heat, he took refuge inside Forum hosted by the Ananta Centre and the also touched new record levels. Yesterday, Mohali, adjoining Chandigarh. TAC Security performs visits in a gurudwara with his grandfather. After the abandoned car. The boy had burns on his neck, External Aff airs Ministry. Under President Donald diesel prices in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and vulnerability assessment and penetration testing for working with the Taj group, Radisson and The face and head from the metal parts which heated Trump’s strategic policy for the Indo-Pacific region, Chennai were Rs64.82, Rs69.02, Rs67.51 and corporates, identifying weaknesses in their cyber Claridges, he came out with his own restaurants up in the high temperatures. “As per available Washington is interested in developing close ties Rs68.38 a litre respectively. Prices of petrol security. “In 2017, Arora was listed among the 50 in Boston, Delhi, Goa and Mumbai. On his relation details, the car accidentally got locked and the boy between India and Japan as well as Australia as a and diesel have been on the rise after global Most Influential Young Indians by GQ Magazine. He with Lucknow, he said: “My initial inspiration to could not get out. He remained trapped inside for counter-weight to China. Last week External Aff airs crude oil prices jumped due to trade tensions has received funding from investor Vijay Kedia and be a chef came from the city of Lucknow, just the nearly six hours before his body was found. We Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Japan to co-chair between the US and China. Yesterday, Brent support from former vice president of IBM, William way it takes it food, sense of pride that it has in have registered an accidental death case and are the ninth India-Japan Strategic Dialogue with crude oil was priced around $68.01 per barrel, May,” the spokesman said. its food...that for me is a big inspiration.” investigating,” Navale said. Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono. whereas in 2013 it was over $100 a barrel.

ICICI Bank chief’s name Court refuses dropped from Ficci conference to roll back

IANS New Delhi

CICI Bank chief Chanda Ko- its judgment chhar, who is in the centre of Ia controversy for granting a loan to the , has been dropped from the invitees’ list of an event by an industry chamber tomorrow which will be attended by President Ram on SC/ST Act Nath Kovind. According to the Federation IANS Asserting that the court has in sevak Sangh and the Bharatiya of Indian Chambers of Com- New Delhi no way diluted or tinkered with Janata Party was anti-SCs and merce and Industry sources, the law to protect the SC/STs, STs, the minister said: “The BJP Kochhar, managing director Justice Goel said: “We are only is the only party that worked to and CEO of ICICI Bank, was to he Supreme Court yes- giving eff ect to existing law. It is protect the interest of SCs and be the guest of honour at the terday declined to stay its not a law of arrest that the mo- STs. Whenever we got a chance, event. But the invitation was Truling, which activists say ment an FIR is lodged, the ac- we took the opportunity to make withdrawn following the loan has diluted a law aimed at pre- cused is arrested” and the “pro- historic decision for them.” controversy. venting atrocities on Dalits and cedure established by law should BJP president Amit Shah Kovind will be the chief guest tribes, asserting that it wanted to be fair, just and reasonable”. lashed out at the Congress and and deliver the key note address protect innocent people from be- In Lucknow, federal minister other opposition parties over at the 34th annual session of ing punished. Giriraj Singh defended the Su- their allegations of weakening Ficci Ladies Organisation (FLO), A bench of Justices Adarsh preme Court order, saying it is in the SC/ST Act and assured that the women business wing of the Kumar Goel and Uday Umesh the interest of society. the government will protect eve- chamber. Lalit, however, said compen- The Minister of State for Mi- ry right of the Dalit community. It is alleged that Kochhar sation can be paid to victims cro, Small and Medium Enter- In a series of tweets, the BJP wrongly granted the loan to Vid- alleged atrocities under the prises also suggested that the chief also said that the govern- eocon Group. But the bank stood Scheduled Castes and Scheduled opposition, especially the Con- ment would protect every right by Kochhar, saying the allega- Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) gress, should not fi sh in choppy of the Dalits and continue to ful- tion of nepotism by the lender’s Act, 1989, even without a case waters. fi ll their aspirations. were unfounded and malicious being registered. “The decision of the apex “Right from the day the Hon- in nature. The court was responding court is in the interest of the ourable Supreme Court gave a “...the Board has come to the to a petition fi led by the cen- society and it is the duty of the judgment on SC/ST Atrocities conclusion that there is no ques- tral government seeking recall Congress and opposition that Act, the central government act- tion of any quid pro quo/ nepo- of its March 20 order where the they do nothing to disturb har- ed in an immediate and informed tism/confl ict of interest as is be- top court had said that no arrest mony and peace in the society,” manner...,” Shah said. ing alleged in various rumours. could be made on a complaint he said. He said that at every juncture The Board has full confi dence under the Act without an inquiry. In New Delhi, Minister for So- and in all possible ways, the BJP and reposes full faith in the On Tuesday widespread pro- cial Justice and Empowerment would stand shoulder to shoulder Bank’s MD & CEO, Chanda Ko- tests against the court’s judg- Thaawarchand Gehlot accused with the community. chhar,” the bank said in a state- ment turned violent claiming the the opposition parties of provok- “Modi government’s commit- ment on March 28. lives of at least 10 people. ing Tuesday’s protesters that led ment to fulfi lling Dr Babasaheb According to the lender, in Refusing to budge on its fi ve di- to arson and deaths. Ambedkar’s vision is unwaver- 2012, a consortium of over 20 rections issued on March 20, the “We had appealed to the op- ing. All the eff orts of the govern- banks and financial institu- court said: “We are not against position parties to take the agi- ment are aimed at transforming tions sanctioned facilities to the law or its implementation” tation back. However, they pro- the lives of Dalits. the Videocon group for a debt and the directions in no way di- voked the Scheduled Castes and “We will continue our ef- consolidation programme and luted the law but were aimed at Tribes... seven people died, sev- forts to make our Dalit sisters for the group’s oil and gas cap- protecting innocent people from eral properties were damaged, and brothers the makers of New ital expenditure programme being punished. It describes its clashes happened. Opposition India. We will fulfi l their aspira- aggregating approximately direction for preliminary inquiry parties, which played a negative tions and dreams,” he said. Rs400bn. before an FIR is registered on a role, are responsible for this,” Also yesterday, Home Minister The private lender’s current complaint as “fi lter”. Gehlot said. Rajnath Singh said the govern- exposure to the Videocon group “People who are agitating have Reacting to Congress president ment had no plans to do away was a part of this syndicated not read the order. There is a lot Rahul Gandhi’s remark that the with quota policy for Dalits and consortium arrangement. People stage a protest against the dilution of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, in Ranchi yesterday. of hearsay,” Justice Goel said. DNA of the Rashtriya Swayam- tribes. Where political ball tampering is a regular feature

hat is common between ponent so that he loses focus and backing from her/his respec- wipe the Congress out of entire candidate who was sitting next Indian political parties surrenders. Like their cricket, the tive organisation. The ‘old boys’ South India. For the BJP, victory is to him, had a tough time trying Wand the Australian na- Aussies had turned ‘sledging’ into network’ is never as powerful very crucial in its bid to establish to save his blushes. The Congress tional cricket team? On the face a fi ne art, or fi ne weapon, if you Delhi Diary and pervasive as in Indian poli- its credentials as a truly pan-India enjoyed the moment and went to of it the question may sound a bit will. tics. A committed media, mostly party. Although relatively a minor town with it. weird but if you look a little closer, “Mental disintegration” – By A K B Krishnan owned/fi nanced by corporates player, the third party in the fray, The Congress under its new the commonality is not. Both dis- that’s the phrase popular with with their own agendas, has only the Janata Dal (Secular) of former president Rahul Gandhi is doing play an undying, eternal will to Australian cricket coaches as they Gulf Times Correspondent helped feed these base proclivi- prime minister Deve Gowda, everything it can to retain power. win, and win at all costs. their players on how to go ties. could well play the kingmaker’s In its attempt to divide the Hindu Being a cricket mad country, beyond mere cricketing abilities Election time is when such role if the election results throw vote, considered the traditional the Australian team’s humilia- and attack the opponent psycho- possible, the phrase ‘it’s just not is an everyday occurrence here. charges fl y thick and fast across up a hung assembly. plank of the BJP, the Siddara- tion, on and off the fi eld, in South logically. It served the national cricket’ was used to describe any- Even relatives are not spared. the board. The vastness of the na- Political analysts are of the maiah government has accorded Africa has been front page news team so well that for more than a thing that did not seem fair and So, if Bharatiya Janata Party’s tion makes it unavoidably neces- view that Karnataka could also be minority status to the Lingayats, in India for this past week. It is decade in the late 1990s and early just in everyday life. But this is not (BJP) prime ministerial candidate sary that an election happens eve- the bellwether for the other three one of the subsects in the religion. not unusual for the Australian 2000s they were the undisputed a column for the sports pages, so Narendra Modi, during his 2014 ry other month or so, sometimes major elections later this year – in The BJP lost no time in calling it cricketers to arouse very con- champions of the world. let’s get back to where it naturally campaign, attacked his chief ri- in several states together. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and appeasement politics. It has even fl icting emotions. You adore But every once in a while you belongs. val Sonia Gandhi of the Congress In a diff erent era elections in Chhattisgarh – and even the par- alleged that Congress was being them for their cricketing abili- come up with an opponent who India’s political parties, like Party by ridiculing her Italian ori- the northeastern states hardly liamentary elections of 2019. guided by Cambridge Analytica, ties but you despise them for the can take everything you can throw the cricketers from Down Under, gins and her son-in-law’s alleged held any national interest. But Naturally, with so much hang- the British political consulting ‘extra-constitutional’ methods and then some more. South Af- go to any length to discredit and corrupt business dealings, you with Modi putting extra emphasis ing in the balance, it will be a company that is in the eye of a they employ to gain advantage. rica is one such. So captain Ste- defeat their opponents. Not so had Chief Minister Arvind Kejri- on the region and with Congress no-holds-barred election. The worldwide storm for allegedly They are superb athletes who ve Smith and his deputy David long ago such eminent person- wal calling Prime Minister Modi and the Communists fi ghting for tension is telling even on such a misusing voter data. have honed their skills to the Warner had to think of something alities like Jawaharlal Nehru, Val- “a psychopath and a coward”. survival there, even tiny states seasoned hand like BJP chief Amit These are early days yet. More maximum. They don’t give up till that went even beyond sledging. labhbhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad, Trumped up charges and false like Nagaland and Tripura gave Shah who has been camping in the than a month remains before the the last ball is bowled. And that’s They hit upon the idea to alter the Jivatram (Acharya) Kripalani cases have been foisted on po- rise to unprecedented campaigns state for the past week. Speak- people of Karnataka walk to the what all sport should be about, nature of the ball. They knew if and Madan Mohan Malviya had litical opponents just so that they that only helped generate more ing to reporters in Davanagere, polling booths. Much mud will be never give up. their plan worked, South Africa, straddled Indian politics. They cease to become challengers. heat and hatred among the pro- Shah slipped up badly when he slung from all quarters. Violence But over the past decade or so which till then had the upper hand treated and spoke of their - While it is true that corruption tagonists. said: “Recently a retired Supreme also cannot be ruled out. Merci- the Aussies, unfortunately, had in the game, will cave in. But they nents with utmost respect, even and nepotism are the guiding But that will be nothing if the Court judge said if there was ever fully, the Election Commission of been going one step further in were caught red-handed before reverence. spirits of many politicians, not run-up to the Karnataka Assem- a competition of the most corrupt India (ECI) has devised near-fool their bid to beat-and browbeat- they could fully implement their Not anymore! Today’s politi- everyone can be painted with the bly elections, due next month, government then the Yeddyurap- proof processes in the matter of the opposition. ‘Sledging’ is it- plan. Australian cricket can never cian rarely has a good word for same brush. Problem is, whoever is any indication. The stakes are pa government is number one...” balloting itself. But that will not self a sport but that is something be the same again, or at least in his rival. All his waking hours genuinely tries to do a good job of high for both the Congress and the Though Shah corrected himself preclude the parties from resort- you do on snow. In cricket it is the the foreseeable future. are spent on how to defeat and political and social reformation BJP. This is the only major state, saying he meant incumbent Chief ing to cheating in other areas. It’s term for verbally insulting, bul- Because the sport is meant to destroy the opponent. Ball- either gets sucked into the mud- apart from Punjab, that is with Minister Siddaramaiah, Yeddy- just not cricket, you say? Go, tell it lying and intimidating your op- be played in the fairest manner tampering of the political kind dle or fails to fi nd the necessary the Congress. A defeat here will urappa, the BJP’s chief ministerial to the Aussies Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 17 INDIA SP-BSP pact will knock out the BJP, says Akhilesh

IANS tal to both the state and the leader added, would often ridi- tics and hence I cannot be drawn “Seat sharing are small things He said Mayawati was warm that were initiated by the SP Lucknow nation,” Yadav said in an inter- cule how the opposition had no into the slugfest.” and they will be sorted out at the and bore no signs of rivalry or government.” view to IANS. narrative to take on the saff ron Dropping enough hints that time it is needed. We will cross bitterness. “She was welcoming. Getting philosophical, he re- In a detailed interview after camp. He pointed out that with the BSP-SP bonhomie would the bridge when we come to it.” She took me on a pictorial tour of counted how having studied in amajwadi Party chief and the stunning defeat the Sama- the coming together of the BSP continue till the 2019 Lok Sab- Yadav said he was now doing her journey from a commoner to a military school at Dhaulpur former Uttar Pradesh chief jwadi Party dealt to the BJP by and SP, the narrative had fi nally ha polls when Prime Minister what the BJP had taught them. being chief minister four times in Rajasthan and later in Ben- Sminister Akhilesh Yadav trouncing the ruling party in arrived. Narendra Modi will seek a sec- “They talk of panna pra- of the country’s most populous galuru, he had forgotten he was a has said the 23-year-old acri- Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Asked about the bitterness ond term for his government, the mukhs, understanding and ad- state.” backward-caste person. mony with his one-time rival Sabha by-elections, seats held that enveloped the relations be- former chief minister said his justing the caste matrix and fo- Yadav accused the Yogi Adi- “I almost forgot it until the Mayawati and her Bahujab Sa- earlier by Chief Minister Yogi tween Mayawati and his father, party already had the develop- cusing on booth management. tyanath government of doing BJP reminded me of my back- maj Party “is a thing of past”. Adityanath and his deputy Ke- Mulayam Singh Yadav, particu- ment plank and now it was emu- Now when we do it, we are ac- nothing in Uttar Pradesh in the ward caste DNA. I am thankful to “All that is relevant now is shav Prasad Maurya, Yadav said larly after the attack on her, Ya- lating the BJP in micro-booth cused of being casteist... How past one year compared to the them for doing so. I would like to that both parties are walking that the BSP-SP combine was dav said: and caste management. can it be a win-win for the BJP?” “exemplary development” un- say that I may be born in a back- ahead, hand in hand, to achieve like a “glue which will knock the “The past is past. I look ahead. Asked about the mercurial After the Lok Sabha by- der his watch. ward family, but I am a forward a larger national objective of daylights off the arrogant and Mayawatiji has set the record nature of the Dalit leader Maya- election victories, Yadav drove “The only thing the BJP gov- looking person who is progres- defeating the Bharatiya Janata useless BJP government”. straight that when this incident wati, he said that time changes to Mayawati’s residence for a ernment has done in the past one sive, has a vision and is growth- Party (BJP), which is detrimen- The BJP, the 44-year-old happened I was nowhere in poli- people. 30-minute meeting. year is to cut ribbons of projects oriented.” Journalist murder case judgment on May 2

IANS against the remaining 10, in- Mumbai cluding Vora. After Chhota Rajan’s arrest, the Central Bureau of Inves- early seven years after tigation (CBI) took over the journalist Jyotirmoy Dey murder probe and added NDey was gunned down the gangster as an accused in in full public view, a special a supplementary charge-sheet court her will deliver the ver- fi led before the court. dict on May 2, the prosecution During the probe, it also said yesterday. emerged that Vora was alleg- The fi nal arguments which edly in regular contact with Ravish Kumar, journalist and senior executive editor at NDTV, addresses a group of journalists at the Press Club of India in New Delhi, yesterday. started in February in the court of Chhota Rajan. Control of Organ- Three motorcycles and a ised Crime Act (MCOCA) Ad- jeep were used to execute the ditional Sessions Judge Sameer Rs500,000 contract killing for Adkar were concluded recently. which Rs200,000 was paid as Among the accused are ma- advance and the balance to be fi a don Rajendra S Nikhalje paid later. alias Chhota Rajanm, current- Special Public Prosecutor ly lodged in the Tihar Central Pradip Gharat said three of the Govt drops ‘fake news’ Jail in New Delhi, and former accused have recorded their con- Mumbai journalist Jigna Vora. fessional statements on their roles According to investigators, Ra- and a total of 155 witnesses were jan ordered the hit on Dey, a vet- examined during the trial. eran crime reporter of Mumbai. “Chhota Rajan’s deposition The mafi a don was deported was recorded via video-con- from ’s Bali in No- ference from Tihar Central Jail. order after backlash vember 2015 and subsequently He is not likely to be brought made an accused in the case. here for the verdict,” he added. Agencies tion and Broadcasting Ministry ’s approval this week with suspect cases on television weed it out,” Barkha Dutt, a vet- The 56-year old Dey, who Dey had authored two books: New Delhi had said the government would of a law prescribing jail terms of going to the News Broadcasters eran journalist and editor of the was the Editor (Investigations) Khallas: An A to Z Guide to the cancel its accreditation of jour- up to six years for spreading fake Association. Mojo digital news platform said, of Midday newspaper, was shot Underworld, and Zero Dial: The nalists who peddled “fake news”. news. The Indian Express newspa- adding self-regulating indus- dead on June 11, 2011, near his Dangerous World of Informers, rime Minister Narendra After Modi’s intervention, the Other countries in Southeast per in a front-page headline yes- try bodies, not the government, Powai residence in Mumbai, and was penning his third book, Modi yesterday ordered ministry announced the with- Asia, including Singapore and terday said, “In the name of fake should decide penalties. sending shockwaves in media Chindi: Rags to Riches. Pthe withdrawal of rules drawal in a one-line statement. the Philippines, are considering news, govt frames rules to black- Shekhar Gupta, a former edi- circles all over the country. In the upcoming book, he had punishing journalists held to Media bodies welcomed the how to tackle “fake news” but list journalists.” tor of the Indian Express, said it The investigations into the reportedly portrayed the mafi a be responsible for distributing decision but cautioned the gov- human rights activists fear laws “Move comes in election year,” was a “breathtaking assault on case were initially conducted by don as ‘Chindi’ (petty), which “fake news”, giving no reason for ernment against trying to con- against it could be used to stifl e it added. mainstream media” and urged the local police but as the rami- apparently irked Chhota Rajan. the change, less than 24 hours trol the media. free speech. Several journalists and activ- Indian press to resist it. fi cations became deeper, it was The 11 accused are Ro- after the original announce- “The government has no India’s rules proposed to strip ists, while acknowledging the Shortly after Modi’s order, taken over by the Crime Branch. hit Thangappan Joseph alias ment. mandate to control the press,” journalists guilty of writing or problem of fake news, criticised Information and Broadcast- There was a sensational Satish Kalya, 28, Abhijeet The move followed an outcry said Gautam Lahiri, president of broadcasting “fake news” of the government intervention. ing Minister Smriti Irani said twist in the case when the Kasharam Shinde, 27, Arun by journalists and opposition the Press Club of India, adding their government accredita- Audrey Truschke, assistant in tweets that her ministry was police arrested Vora, the then Janardhan Dake, 27, Sachin politicians that the rules repre- that the media were also worried tions, either for a limited time or professor of South Asian his- happy to engage with journalist deputy bureau chief of The Suresh Gaikwad, 35, Anil sented an attack on the freedom about growing incidents of “fake permanently, depending on the tory at Rutgers University in the organisations to fi ght the men- Asian Age newspaper in Mum- Bhanudas Waghmode, 35, of the press and an eff ort by Mo- news”. frequency of infringements, the United States, called the sanc- ace of fake news. bai on November 25 that year, Nilesh Narayan Shendge alias di’s government to rein in free “The Press Council is the right ministry said. tions “a shocking and unaccept- India slipped three places besides 10 others. Bablu, 34, Mangesh Damo- speech ahead of a general elec- platform to deal with complaints Such accreditation is required able attack” on freedom of the last year to rank 136 among 180 Another suspect, Vinod As- dar Agawane, 25, Jigna Vora, tion due by next year. regarding any fake news.” by journalists seeking to visit press in India. countries rated in the world press rani, alias Vinod Chembur, who who made nearly three dozen “The prime minister has di- Co-opted by US President ministries and attend news con- “It’s not about #fakenews. freedom index of the watchdog was charged as the main co- calls to Chhota Rajan prior to rected that the press statement Donald Trump, the term “fake ferences or government semi- Rather, it’s about controlling a Reporters Without Borders. conspirator and fi nancer of the the murder, Deepak Sisodia, regarding fake news be with- news” has quickly become part nars. notably vibrant press that of- The non-profit body said operation, died in April 2015. He 28, of Dehradun, the weapon drawn and the matter be ad- of the standard repertoire of It also establishes their iden- ten sheds light where those in Hindu nationalists, on the rise had also “pointed out” Dey to supplier, Joseph Paulson, 43, dressed in the Press Council of leaders in authoritarian coun- tity at other news events. power would prefer darkness,” since Modi’s Bharatiya Janata the gunmen at the scene of the who provided the mobile SIM India and the News Broadcasters tries to describe media reports The ministry did not defi ne Truschke posted on Twitter. Party swept to power in 2014, crime that morning. cards, and Vinod Chembur Association,” a senior offi cial in and organisations critical of “fake news”, but said it would “I don’t deny that fake news were “trying to purge all mani- In June 2015, the Special who was the co-conspirator the Prime Minister’s Offi ce said. them. refer complaints about it in print is a hugely valid concern and festations of anti-national MCOCA court framed charges and fi nancer of the operation. Late on Monday, the Informa- The events in India followed to the Press Council of India, the media should take steps to thought”. CPI sacks Kerala leader after Cauvery crisis No re-exam for land grab exposé by TV Class 10 students IANS ment Ministry Secretary Anil New Delhi Swarup. By Ashraf Padanna ter Pinarayi Vijayan said he was the government had sacked an Swarup had earlier announced Thiruvananthapuram ready to order a probe by the offi cial found accepting bribe that the Central Board of Sec- Vigilance and Anti-Corruption raised eyebrows. he government yesterday ondary Examination may re- Bureau (VACB). He however attacked the me- said there would be no re- conduct the examination possi- he Communist Party of “There is a departmental in- dia that exposed the deal saying Texamination of the Class bly in July for Delhi, its suburbs India (CPI), the second quiry (by the revenue offi cials). it was deliberately made to tar- 10 mathematics paper anywhere in NCR and . Tlargest ruling coalition If needed we are ready to order nish the CPI’s image. in the country, bringing a major In support of the decision not partner in Kerala, has sacked a a Vigilance probe,” he said amid “It’s a cooked up story to paint relief to nearly 200,000 students to hold re-test anywhere, the leader following an alleged land protests. me, my party and the govern- in Delhi and Haryana. CBSE argued that after “internal grab attempt. “The government has no rela- ment ahead of the by-election in The decision was taken in the inquiries and analysis”, it found Vijayan Cherukara, the Waya- tions with the alleged deal at the Chengannur,” Chandrasekharan interest of Class 10 students who that the leak “may be confi ned to nad district secretary of the CPI, ministerial or bureaucratic lev- said. had already written their exams a few alleged benefi ciaries”. got his marching orders hours els,” he said. The expose shows an Asianet on March 28 but were told to sit “Similarly, the trend of ran- after Revenue Minister E Chan- Not satisfi ed with his clarifi - TV channel team posing as a Members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnertra again after it was learnt that the dom evaluation done so far for drasekharan defended his party cation, members of the Congress group of businessmen look- Kazhagam (AIADMK) party gather alongside a banner math question paper had been Class 10 maths paper is not indi- leaders in the assembly. Party-led United Democratic ing for a particular piece of land bearing the image of late Tamil Nadu chief minister leaked. cating sudden spikes or unusual Authorities on Monday sus- Front (UDF) staged a walkout in the district to build a resort. J Jayalalithaa during a hunger strike held to protest “Consequent to the prelimi- patterns, giving any impression pended the hilly district’s dep- saying corruption had crept into They fi rst approach Kunju Mo- against the central government over a delay in the nary evaluation of the impact of passing on widespread ben- uty collector T Somanadh who every level of the government. hamed, a real estate broker, who implementation of Cauvery water management board, in of reportedly leaked CBSE Class efi ts of alleged leaks to students,” was part of the deal. Six members of the Kerala takes them to Somnathan and Chennai yesterday. India suff ers severe water shortages 10 maths paper and keeping in the board said in a statement. The party, however, said it Congress (M) and a lone member some CPI district leaders, in- that cause frequent tensions between states. The mind the paramount interest of “Further, the board has come would sue Asianet News which of Prime Minister Narendra Mo- cluding Cherukara. Cauvery river, whose waters flow through Karnataka and students, the CBSE has decided across several fake question pa- carried out a sting operation that di’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mohamed connects them with neighbouring Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay not to conduct re-examination pers being up on social media, exposed the CPI links with the also joined them. Somnathan and Cherukara, and of Bengal, has been bitterly disputed for more than a even in Delhi, NCR (National obviously with a view to spread- land mafi a. The clarifi cation by Chan- the latter using his infl uence gets century. Capital Region) and Haryana,” ing panic among our students, In the assembly, Chief Minis- drasekharan, a CPI leader, that access to the state secretariat. said Human Resource Develop- parents, and school,” it said. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 LATIN AMERICA

CRIME INVESTIGATION POLITICS CORPORATE POLLUTION ELN kidnaps four in Colombia to investigate Opposition lauds China miner meets with 90 days sought to inspect border area: police Ecopetrol oil spill Vizcarra’s new Cabinet anti-trust prosecutor leak at iron ore operations

Suspected ELN rebels kidnapped four Colombia’s attorney general’s office has Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra has sworn Representatives of Chinese lithium giant Tianqi Anglo American Plc will need about 90 days to people near an area of the Venezuelan launched an investigation to determine in an entirely new Cabinet that was praised by met with Chile’s top anti-trust prosecutor less inspect a pipeline at its suspended Minas-Rio iron border marked by recent clashes between whether officials from state-run oil company the rightwing opposition as a way to reset the than a month after Chilean authorities moved ore operation in , it said yesterday, after the the guerrilla group and drug traffickers, Ecopetrol could be held criminally responsible once rocky relations between the executive and to block the miner from buying a coveted stake country’s environmental regulators ordered the Colombian police said yesterday. Four men for an oil spill of 550 barrels in Santander legislative branches that helped bring down his in Chile’s SQM, Chile’s lobbyist transparency miner to halt operations following a leak. Anglo who identified themselves as members of the province. The Lisama 158 well, which was in predecessor. The new Cabinet, a mix of high- website showed yesterday. Felipe Irarrazabal, halted operations after a leak was discovered National Liberation Army (ELN) abducted two the process of being shut down because of ranking civil servants, politicians and private head of the national economic prosecutor’s on March 29 on a pipeline which carries iron people from a vehicle near Teorama in the low production, leaked crude into a ravine sector specialists, is led by Prime Minister Cesar off ice, known by its Spanish initials FNE, met on ore in slurry form from the mine to an export department of Norte de Santander on Monday, over a three-week period, contaminating the Villanueva, an opposition lawmaker who had March 29 with three lobbyists for the Chinese terminal. It said the leak of non-hazardous iron a spokesman for Colombia’s elite Guala anti- water and affecting animal and plant life. “The led eff orts to impeach centre-right ex-president miner to discuss “Corfo’s complaint against ore slurry was stopped within eight minutes and kidnapping police said. Later, a former mayoral investigation will seek to establish if individual Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Kuczynski’s 20 months Tianqi,” according to the website. The meeting caused no disruption to local water supply. The candidate from Teorama and another man officials from Ecopetrol were responsible in off ice had been marked by clashes with at the prosecutor’s downtown Santiago off ice company said there were no injuries. A previous who tried to mediate their release, were also and could be penalided,” an official from the Congress and the rightwing party Popular came as the FNE reviewed a complaint filed by leak prompted Anglo to suspend operations from taken hostage. attorney general’s office said. Force that controls a majority of seats. Chile development agency Corfo. March 12 to 27 at Minas-Rio.

Costa Rica president-elect meets media Paris urged not to Migrant caravan recognise Venezuela’s heading to US May polls

AFP Paris puts

eading opponents of Ven- ezuela’s President Nicolas LMaduro yesterday called on France and other EU nations in a tough spot not to recognise elections set for May, saying the vote was simply a sham aimed at consolidating Reuters “For this reason, participants Pena, who presides over the sen- his grip on power. Ixtepec, Mexico/Edinburg, Texas, in this (caravan) are subject to an ate’s human rights commission, The country has been gripped administrative migratory pro- told Reuters that Mexico should by a political and economic cri- cedure, while 400 have already protect migrants’ rights despite sis for months as Maduro has n some of the Mexican towns been repatriated to their coun- the pressure from Trump. overhauled institutions while playing host to a “caravan” tries of origin, in strict accord- Former president Vicente Fox sidelining the main opposition Iof more than 1,200 Central ance with the law and respecting called for Mexican offi cials to take coalition, which has been barred American migrants heading to the their human rights,” it said. a stand against Trump’s attacks. from fi elding candidates. US border, the welcome mat has Those without permission to Trump keeps “blackmailing, “We’ve come to ask the French been rolled out despite President stay in Mexico or who had failed off ending and denigrating Mex- government to increase the pres- Donald Trump’s call for Mexican to request it through the proper ico and Mexicans,” he wrote on sure in order to free Venezuela authorities to stop them. channels could expect to be re- Twitter on Monday. Under Mexi- from the dictatorship,” Anto- Local offi cials have off ered turned to their homelands, a can law, Central Americans who nio Ledezma, the exiled mayor lodging in town squares and government offi cial said, speak- enter Mexico legally are generally of Caracas, said at the start of a empty warehouses or arranged ing on condition of anonymity. allowed to move freely through tour of European capitals. transport for the migrants, par- Trump railed on Twitter against the country, even if their goal is to “There is a crisis in Venezue- ticipants in a journey organ- the caravan on Monday, accus- cross illegally into the US. la, a humanitarian catastrophe, ised by the immigrant advocacy ing Mexico of “doing very little, if Migrants in the caravan cite a people starving, people dying due group Pueblo Sin Fronteras. not NOTHING” to stop the fl ow of variety of reasons for joining it. to a lack of medicine,” he said. The offi cials have conscripted immigrants crossing the US Its members are disproportion- Ledezma and other Venezue- buses, cars, ambulances and po- border illegally. “They must ately from , which has lan lawmakers are to meet with lice trucks. But the help may not stop the big drug and people high levels of violence and has advisers to President Emmanuel be entirely altruistic. fl ows, or I will stop their cash been rocked by political upheav- Macron, who said in January that “The authorities want us to cow, NAFTA,” he concluded. al in recent months following the he hoped several countries would leave their cities,” said Rodrigo Mexico’s Interior Minister Al- re-election of US-backed Presi- impose international sanctions Abeja, an organiser from Pue- fonso Navarrete did not directly dent, Juan Orlando Hernandez, against Maduro’s government. blo Sin Fronteras. “They’ve been address the caravan, but he in an intensely disputed election. But despite international iso- helping us, in part to speed the wrote on Twitter that he spoke Maria Elena Colindres Or- lation and broad unpopularity, massive group out of their juris- to the US Homeland Security tega, a member of the caravan Maduro has shown no sign of dictions.” Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and and, until January, a member of wanting to negotiate after mov- At some point this spring, the two had “agreed to analyse Congress in Honduras, said she ing forward elections to May in the caravan’s 3,200km journey the best ways to attend to the is fl eeing the political upheaval a bid for a second six-year term. that began at Tapachula near the fl ows of migrants in accordance at home. Opposition groups, some of Guatemalan border on March 25 with the laws of each country.” “We’ve had to live through a which are boycotting the vote, will end at the US Mexico must walk a delicate fraudulent electoral process,” she say it will not be a fair contest. border, where some of its line with the US because the said. “We’re suff ering a progres- “Fraud is so deeply rooted in members will apply for asylum, countries are in the midst of re- sive militarisation and lack of all of society that unfortunately while others will attempt to negotiating the North American institutions, and... they’re crimi- Maduro will win these elections sneak into the US. Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) nalising those who protested.” with fraud,” said Julio Borges, a Abeja said there was a lot of along with Canada. Colindres Ortega, who opposed delegate with the Democratic pressure from authorities to stop At the same time, Mexican the ruling party in Honduras, said Unity Roundtable umbrella coa- the caravan “because of Trump’s left-wing presidential candidate she spiralled into debt after serv- lition. reaction.” The Mexican govern- Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador ing without pay for the last 18 “That’s why the most impor- ment issued a statement late on has an 18-point lead ahead of months of her four-year term. tant clamour the world can make Monday saying it was committed the July 1 election, according to a She decided to head north af- is to not recognise the elections to “legal and orderly” migration. poll published on Monday. ter a fellow congressman from of May 20,” he said. The government said the A Obrador victory could usher her party put out word on Face- The European Union and the caravan had been taking place in a Mexican government less ac- book that a caravan of migrants US have imposed sanctions on since 2010 and was largely made commodating toward the US on was gathering in southern Mex- Maduro and his offi cials, with Costa Rica’s president-elect Carlos Alvarado Quesada greets the media outside his house up of Central Americans enter- both trade and immigration is- ico, leaving home with a small Washington calling him a “dic- in San Jose, Costa Rica. ing Mexico who had not met the sues. bag with necessities and photos tator”. necessary legal requirements. Mexican senator Angelica de la of her children.

Ecuador vows to help Brazil fi nance chief free abducted reporters

Agencies Moreno to reach an agreement joins ruling party for their release. Quito In the video, the unidenti- Reuters resign as minister by the end of strategist, who asked not to be fi ed captors seek an exchange Brasilia the week, which under Brazilian named because he was not au- cuador’s government will in which the hostages would go election law is the deadline for thorised to talk about the mat- do “everything possible” home safely, and Ecuador would leaving a government position ter. Eto gain the release of a stop helping Colombia fi ght the razilian Finance Minister before the campaign. Temer, 77, came to power in press team abducted a week ago insurgents. Henrique Meirelles joined “I should stay until Friday,” he 2016 when former president on the troubled border with Co- Moreno’s spokesman, Juan Bthe ruling Brazilian Demo- told reporters. Dilma Rousseff was impeached. lombia, the presidency said yes- Sebastian Roldan, said “it has cratic Movement party (MDB) Deputy Finance Minister Edu- He has signalled he wants to terday. been very diffi cult for those of us yesterday with an eye to running ardo Guardia is expected to re- run for the presidency and has to “The government will do eve- who have been close to this very for president or becoming Presi- place him and continue his poli- decide before the party conven- rything possible and impossible so painful news.” dent Michel Temer’s running cies of fi scal restraint. tion whether he is a viable con- that they return safe and sound,” a He described the kidnapping, mate in the October election. Meirelles said the purpose of tender to keep the top job. spokesman for President Lenin the fi rst to hit the Ecuadoran Meirelles, 72, has openly teaming up with Temer in the If Temer’s approval rating does Moreno told Telerama TV. press in three decades, is an “ex- weighed a presidential bid, but elections was to continue the not improve by then, Meirelles The comments were the fi rst tremely delicate issue.” might have to settle for running government’s work recovering would be the government’s pres- from the government since the He said Moreno, who has not for vice president if Temer ends Latin America’s largest econo- idential candidate, Temer aides three-man team appeared in a spoken publicly about the case, up trying for the presidency, de- my from its worst recession on told Reuters last week. video and asked Quito to help “has his attention all the time on spite his polling in the low single record. More than one-third of Te- secure their release. what happens with these three digits in recent surveys. “Our priorities with Temer mer’s Cabinet will have resigned The footage aired on Colom- compatriots.” Meirelles left the Social Dem- are to create more jobs, expand by the end of this week to cam- bia’s RCN television yesterday “This is a problem serious ocratic Party (PSD) when it be- income and create equal oppor- paign for their Congressional marked the fi rst proof that the enough to be treated with great came clear the party planned to tunities for Brazilians,” he told seats in the October 7 general team from the infl uential Ecua- care, not only for the three peo- back Sao Paulo governor Geraldo party leaders at a meeting that election, the aides said. doran newspaper El Comercio ple who are there but also for the Alckmin in his presidential run. felt like the launch of the Temer- Meirelles, a former chairman is alive after being kidnapped by relatives,” he said. Meirelles, a former bank- Meirelles ticket with a campaign of the now defunct BankBoston, rogue Colombian Farc guerrillas. The journalists were on as- ing executive and central bank jingle playing loudly. was Brazil’s central bank gover- The 23 second video shows re- signment in the border area governor, said the MDB, Brazil’s “Yes, it is almost the start of nor during the 2003-2010 presi- porter Javier Ortega, 32, photog- where Ecuadoran security forc- largest party, would decide the the campaign, we just do not dency of leftist Luiz Inacio Lula Cristian Segarra, relative of the driver of the kidnapped news rapher Paul Rivas, 45, and their es have come under a series of ticket at its convention in June know who will be the presiden- da Silva when a commodities team, speaks to the press upon arriving at a meeting of the driver Efrain Segarra, 60, wear- deadly attacks blamed on rogue or July. tial candidate and who will be boom boosted prosperity and crisis committee at the emergency headquarters ECU911 in ing chains with locks at the neck. Farc elements involved in drug Meirelles all but said he will the running mate,” said a party rapid growth. Quito yesterday. One of the hostages asks traffi cking. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 19 PAKISTAN

IS claims attack on family in US labels political party Quetta

Reuters Quetta a militant group’s ‘alias’ Reuters/AFP fi ll a seat vacated by deposed ther terrorist attacks,” the State sion, saying that Pakistan has banned organisations in 2002. ernment decision to court. he Islamic State group Islamabad prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Department said in a statement. failed to crack down on mili- In October last year, Paki- Saeed’s freedom in Pakistan, has yesterday claimed Saeed is the founder of “Make no mistake: whatever tants. stan’s electoral commission where he holds rallies, has been Tresponsibility for kill- Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army LeT chooses to call itself, it re- “Terrorist individuals and barred the MML from contesting a thorn in Pakistan’s relations ing four members of a family in he US has placed a Pa- of the Pure, which is also on the mains a violent terrorist group. entities are allowed to change elections, saying that it had links with old rival India and the US. southwestern Pakistan. kistani political group US terrorist list and blamed by The United States supports all names and continue to operate to militant groups and could not Yesterday the MML blasted A statement issued by the Tcalled the Milli Muslim the United States and India for a eff orts to ensure that LeT does freely from territory under Paki- be registered. Washington for violating the group claimed that militants be- League (MML) on its list of for- four-day militant attack on the not have a political voice until it stan’s control,” an Indian foreign Last month the Islamabad country’s “sovereignty and con- longing to IS fi red on the group eign terrorist organisations, Indian city of Mumbai in 2008 gives up violence as a tool of in- offi ce spokesman said in New High Court ordered the elec- stitution”. of Christians as they were trav- saying that it was merely an alias in which 166 people were killed. fl uence,” it added. Delhi. “The designation ... high- tion commission to register the “(The) US has no right to in- elling in the city of Quetta, kill- for a militant group blamed for a Saeed has repeatedly denied Pakistan’s foreign aff airs min- lights Pakistan’s failure to fulfi l party. tervene in Pakistan’s internal ing four on Monday. bloody 2008 attack in India. involvement in the attack. istry did not immediately re- its international obligation to Under pressure from the US, political matters and label ter- Islamic State has affi liates in The MML is controlled by Is- The US State Department said spond to request for comment. dismantle terrorist sanctuaries, the UN and international insti- ror allegations against people both Afghanistan and Pakistan, lamist leader Hafi z Saeed, who that the MML had been added to Saeed was placed under house and disrupt terror fi nancing.” tutions to crack down on terror- who themselves are against ex- many drawn from existing ex- has a $10mn US bounty on his the LeT’s designations as a ter- arrest in January 2017 after years Pakistan has previously de- ist fi nancing, Pakistan drew up tremism,” said MML informa- tremist groups, who support head. rorist group. of living freely in Pakistan but a nied any state involvement in secret plans last December for a tion secretary Tabish Qayyum. their views against Shias and The group shot to prominence “These designations seek to court ordered his release in No- the Mumbai attack or links with “takeover” of charities linked to “Such designations are aimed non-Muslims. after fi elding a candidate in a deny LeT the resources that it vember 2017. LeT and other militant groups. Saeed. to undermine Pakistan’s sover- The family was travelling in a September 2017 by-election to needs to plan and carry out fur- India welcomed the US deci- It placed the LeT on a list of Saeed has since taken the gov- eignty and constitution.” rickshaw when armed men on a motorcycle intercepted them and opened fi re in Quetta city, the capital of Baluchistan. The family had come to visit Life’s like that relatives in Quetta’s Shahzaman Chalay Thay Saath road area, where a large number of the city’s Christian commu- nity lives. opens to full house in “It appears to have been a tar- geted attack,” provincial police offi cial Moazzam Jah Ansari told Hong Kong theatre Reuters. “It was an act of terror- ism.” The attack came a day after Internews Chalay Thay Saath tells the Pakistan’s Christian community Dallas, Texas coming-of-age story of six celebrated Easter on Sunday. friends who embark on what Around 2% of Pakistan’s pop- ends up becoming a journey ulation of 208mn are Christians. t was easy for my team of self-discovery, liberation, Minority religious festivals are to select Chalay Thay growing up, intellectual aware- a security concern in the major- “ISaath to be the fi rst ness, and spiritual awakening. ity Sunni country where there Pakistani fi lm to be screened The fi lm features a romance have been a number of high- offi cially in Hong Kong,” said between a young, adventur- casualty attacks on Christians Pakistan’s Consul General in ous Pakistani doctor Resham and Shias. Hong Kong and Macau, Abdul (played by Syra Shahroze) and Baluchistan, a region border- Qadir Memon. Adam (played by Leung), an ing Iran as well as Afghanistan, is “One, the fi lm had a Chinese innocent, young visitor from plagued by violence by extremist actor, the famous Kent S Le- China. groups linked to the Taliban, Al A street barber gives a haircut to an elderly man outdoors ung, as the male lead. Two, the Set in the scenic northern Qaeda and the Islamic State. yesterday along a street in Peshawar. theme of the fi lm had universal areas of Pakistan, the fi lm tells It also has an indigenous eth- appeal. And, three, it was a re- its story in a simple, under- nic Baloch insurgency fi ghting Above, left: Brides attend a mass wedding ceremony last week in ally good fi lm.” stated and sensitive manner, against central government. Karachi. At least 100 couples participated in the mass wedding It appears that Memon made aided by a very capable cast In December, a week before ceremony organised by a local charity welfare trust Al Ghousia the right choice. that includes Zhalay Sarhadi, Christmas, two suicide bomb- Welfare Organisation. Director Umer Adil’s Chalay Mansha Pasha, Osama Tahir, ers stormed a packed church in Thay Saath (Walking together) Faris Khalid, Behroz Sabzwari, southwestern Pakistan, killing at Left: A man plays the flute during a performance yesterday at played to a full house at the and Shamim Hilaly. least 10 people and wounding up Rawal Lake in Islamabad. Hong Kong Arts Centre in the “I am very pleased with the to 56, in an attack claimed by IS. city’s tony Wan Chai district successful screening of Cha- on March 20. lay Thay Saath in Hong Kong,” “I was not surprised to see Adil stated beaming with pride. that all the 121 seats in the “We need to expand the market PPP urges reopening of former prime theatre sold out very quickly,” of Pakistani fi lms outside of the minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case commented Hong Kong resi- country.” Google honours Nazia Hassan dent Frida Khan. “People in “Films that are made well Ahead of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s 39th death Hong Kong regularly watch and have international appeal anniversary, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) reiterated the call Pakistani fi lms and television will help us conquer markets for reopening the case of the controversial death sentence passed Internews programmes online, and have heretofore unknown to us,” he against him in 1979. Islamabad a great interest in the new wave added. At a seminar in Larkana yesterday, PPP leaders urged the Supreme of Pakistani fi lms.” “I am encouraged by the en- Court, which received a reference from former president Asif Ali The interest is not limited thusiasm of Hong Kong audi- Zardari in April 2011, to fix a hearing of the case. oogle is celebrating the to expatriates of South Asian ence. They came to see my fi lm The seminar was held at the Nusrat Bhutto Library. 53rd birthday of legen- origin. on a weeknight and stayed af- Speakers at the event said that the court’s verdict of a death penalty Gdary pop singer Nazia The audience at the screen- terwards for the question and against Bhutto should be declared a judicial murder in the interest Hassan with a doodle. ing represented an equal mix answer session,” the fi lmmak- of rectifying a mistake in history. Nazia Hassan, who together of South Asians and Chinese er said. “I believe that Hong “The people should be informed who conspired in the murder of with her brother Zoheb Hassan fi lmgoers. Kong, along with many other Bhutto,” said PPP Sindh president and provincial minister Nisar “ruled” the 80s and 90s, is being A number of people had to be countries, represents a large Ahmed Khuhro. “This secret should be revealed.” remembered by fans across the April 3, 1965 and had her fi rst TV music director Biddu, coming up turned away from the screen- and untapped market for Paki- Former president Zardari filed a presidential reference under Article world on her birthday. appearance as a child artist on with their fi rst album Disco Dee- ing that attracted more viewers stani cinema.” 186 of the Constitution in the apex court, which was pleaded to The undisputed queen of pop Shoaib Mansoor’s show, singing wane. than the venue could accom- Impressed by the success of order revisiting Bhutto’s murder trial. in India and Pakistan is cred- Dosti Aisa Naata. At midnight, Google started modate. the screening, the consulate However, the reference has remained undecided since it was filed ited with bringing the disco and At 15, she made her singing displaying the new doodle pay- Actor Leung, who was un- plans to bring more fi lms to in 2011. indie-pop music to the sub-con- debut with Aap Jaisa Koi in Fer- ing tribute to Nazia Hassan. able to make it to the premiere, region. tinent. oz Khan’s hit fi lm Qurbani, and Google honours prominent shared his feelings about the “The Pakistani fi lm indus- The duo were regarded as went on to break all records. personalities and occasions with screening in a multi-lingual try is undergoing a renaissance Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf invites youth icons and were adored by The song was a massive hit, logos that it calls “doodles”. video message: “I am super and producing some very good masses for their brother-sister leading her to team up with her This doodle is not only being excited about the screening in fi lms,” contends Memon. “Pa- applications for poll candidates act comprising music composi- brother Zoheb, who was into showed to users in Pakistan but Hong Kong and very grateful kistani missions, all over the tion, singing and performing. songwriting and composition, also to those in Canada, , to the consulate for organising world, need to do their part to The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of Imran Khan has become Nazia Hassan was born on and celebrated London-based Australia, and New Zealand. the event.” support the fl edgling industry.” the country’s first political party to invite applications from those aspiring to get party tickets for the upcoming general elections scheduled for July. The party has invited online applications from aspiring candidates, with the process opening yesterday, two months before completion of the five-year term of the present national and provincial Number of Pakistani labourers in Saudi Arabia drops assemblies. The decision was taken yesterday at a meeting of members of the PTI’s parliamentary boards, presided over by chairman Imran Khan Internews which was lifted in mid-2016. Council (GCC) countries re- in South Asia and Western Asia, increased by about 15%, driven at his Banigala residence. Islamabad The fl ow of Pakistani work- ceived 528,000 fewer Asian accounting for 19% and 51% of by migration from India, which After the meeting, PTI information secretary Fawad Chaudhry ers to Asean (the Association of workers in 2016 than in 2015. the region’s total migrant stock, has been on the rise every year said that the candidates applying for the party tickets to contest Southeast Asian Nations) coun- Saudi Arabia, despite a 9% respectively. since 2005. on National Assembly seats would be required to deposit a non- he number of Pakistani tries, during 2015-2016 declined drop in 2016, remains the top The most striking change in Saudi Arabia has increased its refundable fee of Rs100,000 and those aiming for a provincial labourers recruited by by almost 50%. destination, with an infl ow of 2015 among the OECD destina- share in remittances in Pakistan, assembly seat would have to deposit Rs50,000 non-refundable fee TSaudi Arabian employ- In 2016, the fl ow of workers to more than 1mn Asian foreign tion countries for Asian migrants India, and Afghanistan. along with their applications. ers dropped by 11% to 460,000 Asean countries was only 10,743, workers. is Germany, which jumped from Remittances from Gulf coun- He said that application forms were being uploaded on the off icial in 2016 despite the fact that the which included 10,625 to Malay- The drop observed in 2016 can seventh to fourth place in one tries to the Philippines more website of the party. kingdom has remained the busi- sia, compared with 20,369 Paki- be related to the country’s eco- year, to receive more Asian mi- than doubled in the same period, est corridor for Pakistani mi- stani workers in 2015. nomic situation, as well as to the gration than traditional destina- with remittances from the United grants higher than in any year Only 33 Pakistani workers ongoing “Saudisation” policy, tion countries such as Canada, Arab Emirates in particular more Abbasi to open Islamabad airport since 2005. went to Singapore and 85 to Bru- fi rst introduced in 2011, which Australia, or the United King- than tripling in the last fi ve years. Nonetheless, in 2017, Bang- nei Darussalam. aims at reducing reliance on a dom. Despite their increasing im- The prime minister will open the country’s largest airport in ladesh appears to have replaced The ADB report points out that foreign workforce. Germany received 209,000 portance for Asian workers and Islamabad later this month, more than a decade after construction Pakistan as the main source of policy changes in Saudi Arabia International migrants, that new Asian migrants in 2015, al- their home countries, remittanc- work started. labour force to Saudi Arabia, the and Malaysia have reinforced the is, people residing in a country most 100,000 more than a year es to Asia still make up a relative- “Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will inaugurate Islamabad’s Asian Development Bank (ADB) downward trend. other than their own, have in- before. ly small share of those sent from new international airport on April 20,” Sher Ali, a spokesman for the says in a new report, Labour Mi- In total, about 5mn workers creased signifi cantly over the last This is mostly due to the dra- GCC countries. aviation division, told DPA yesterday. gration in Asia. were deployed from the 12 main two decades. matic rise in migration from Af- The ADB report says that the Until now, there has been no international airport in the Pakistani This downward trend is likely Asian countries of origin in 2016. Out of the 247mn migrants ghanistan, and to a lesser extent “Pakistan Remittance Initiative capital. to continue since partial fi gures This corresponds to an 8% de- in the world estimated in 2015, from Pakistan. (PRI)”, a joint initiative of the An air-force base with a single runway is currently used for up to October 2017 indicate only crease compared with the previ- around 30%, or 75mn, lived in Indeed, 85,000 Afghans and State Bank of Pakistan, ministry domestic and international air travel. 450,000 departures for overseas ous year. Asia. 24,000 Pakistanis arrived in Ger- of overseas Pakistanis, and the The airport was at first expected to cost $311mn (Rs36bn). employment from Pakistan. Looking at the main non- This represents a 39% increase many in 2015, most of them seek- ministry of fi nance, is seen as a This estimate has been revised several times since and currently The increase in Bangladeshi OECD (Organisation for Eco- from 48mn migrants based in ing asylum. success story. stands at around $700mn, Ali said. workers going to Saudi Arabia nomic Co-operation and Devel- Asia in 1990. However, even without these The volume of remittances The groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place in April can be attributed to the end of opment) destination countries The majority of international two nationalities, migration from coming through formal channels 2007. Several completion deadlines have been missed since then. a six-year ban on recruitment, in Asia, the Gulf Co-operation migrants in the region are found Asia to Germany would still have have increased substantially. Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 PHILIPPINES Court halts govt move to keep drug war kill records secret

Reuters domestic human rights lawyers Police deny allegations they Manila who were among the petitioners have murdered people involved who had asked for the incident in drugs and say those killed records to be disclosed. Solici- were all dealers who violently he Philippine Supreme tor-general Calida did not im- resisted arrest. Court yesterday ordered mediately respond to a request Supreme Court acting Chief Tpolice to hand over full for comment. Justice Antonio Carpio told Cal- Katy Perry on stage. records of thousands of deadly Police spokesman John Bula- ida to submit names, addresses encounters in the country’s war lacao said he would not respond and gender of those killed in po- on drugs, thwarting a govern- until he had received a copy of lice operations, and other drug- ment bid to keep operational the court order. related deaths. details of the bloody crackdown The move comes just a few Carpio demanded details of secret. months after the Interna- each deadly anti-drug opera- The high court gave the so- tional Criminal Court (ICC) tion, the police and witnesses Katy Perry enthrals fans licitor-general, Jose Calida, 15 announced it had started a involved and copies of war- days to comply with a Decem- preliminary examination of a rants against suspects who By MJ Marfori Arena. The show was whim- Twenty-year-old IT student to give him a round of applause, ber order that he had challenged complaint fi led by a Philippine were killed. The order covers Manila Times sical, playful, colourful and Joshua Rey Madridano was as she learned he was to gradu- on the grounds of national se- lawyer accusing Duterte and top drug-related deaths from July fl amboyant, while nevertheless the luckiest fan of all as he was ate from college the following curity. Human rights and legal offi cials of crimes against hu- 2016 until November 2017, showing the artist’s evolution picked by Perry to go on stage, day. The American singer no- groups lauded the decision as a manity. when two complainants, in- rom television puppets, over the years. where they sat on the fl oor as he ticed him because he was wear- triumph that would help bring Duterte has since withdrawn cluding a group of Manila slum to fl amingos, sharks, bas- Both a musical and visual tutored her on Filipino phrases. ing a graduation attire with to book state offi cials involved the Philippines’ membership of dwellers, petitioned the court Fketballs and indoor fi re- spectacle, Witness was truly She learned “Mahal kita” (I Katy Perry stickers all over. in what they say are systematic the court in protest, even though to make the details publicly works, Katy Perry wowed the worth every peso spent by her love you) as well as “Tumahimik The concert ended with abuses, cover-ups and execu- it has no impact on the ICC’s ju- available. Filipino crowd the third time on Filipino fans, many of whom ka” (Keep quiet), which she hap- Perry’s biggest hit Firework. tions during President Rodrigo risdiction, which applies for the Human rights lawyer Edre Monday night as the pop diva’s wore outfi ts fashioned after pily used on the excited crowd. She flies out to Taipei to pro- Duterte’s bloody 21-month period in which a country was a Olalia said the government must “Witness: The Tour” concert Perry’s previous concert ward- Before Madridano left the ceed with the Asian leg of her campaign. member. comply with the court order and played out at the Mall of Asia robes here. stage, Perry asked the audience concert tour. “The Supreme Court has About 4,100 people have been follow the law. demonstrated with this initial killed by police and several thou- “It’s about time the govern- order that it will perform its role sand more by unknown gunmen ment should take responsibil- as our people’s beacon and bas- whom the authorities have de- ity and, if so proven, liability for tion of justice,” said the Centre scribed as vigilantes, or rival playing God in the snuffi ng of for International Law, a group of gang members. lives,” he said. Hearing on petition to oust Garbage collector returns half a million pesos Concern as subsidised chief justice set for next week found in trash bag

Despite having a toddler on sick rice stocks run low By Jomar Canlas push through without the per- fi ce via quo warranto because a 10-year mandated period. bay, a garbage collector refused Manila Times sonal appearance of Sereno. “the text of the 1987 Constitu- “The invalidity of Respond- to get tempted by money and The court’s media advisory tion, the Constitutional Com- ent’s appointment as Chief Jus- returned a plastic bag contain- By James Konstantin Galvez the absence of NFA rice in the said the petition for quo war- mission’s deliberations, and tice was exposed in view of her ing almost P500,000 in Baliuag, Manila Times market. This is said to be the he Supreme Court en ranto would be heard April 10, established jurisprudence con- failure to submit her SALNs for Bulacan on Monday, Manila first time since 1972 that the banc yesterday decided to 2018 at 2pm in the afternoon sistently state that impeachable several years from 1986 to 2006 Times reported. On Black Satur- agency had run out of subsi- Thold oral arguments next at the Supreme Court Session offi cials like her can be ousted when she was a professor at the day, Emmanuel Romano, who is tate-run National Food dised rice. week on the quo warranto peti- Hall in Baguio City, “with an ‘only by impeachment.’” UP College of Law. It was discov- detailed at the Baliuag municipal Authority (NFA) is NFA spokesman Rex Est- tion seeking to oust Chief Justice instruction to respondent chief Sereno said the people must ered that aside from her SALNs sanitation unit, found the cash Sscraping the bottom of operez said the agency was on-leave Maria Lourdes Sereno. justice for her to attend person- give her a chance to explain her for the years 2006, 2009, 2010, inside a plastic bag along with the barrel as government- pushing its policymaking The request for oral argu- ally and answer questions from side and it could only be done and 2011 which she submitted trash papers while he and his subsidised rice stocks at gov- body, the NFA Council, to ments was made by Sereno, and the Court En Banc.” before the Senate sitting as an in her applications for Associ- companions were segregating ernment-controlled ware- schedule the arrival of im- was approved during delibera- At the same time, the court impeachment court. ate Justice and Chief Justice, the the collected garbage from the houses fell below 300,000 ported rice in April, instead tions in Baguio City, where the en banc “noted” the interven- She also stressed that the pe- respondent only fi led SALNs for households in Barangay Tangos. bags yesterday. of May or June, because of high court meets during the dry tion petition fi led by the Inte- tition for quo warranto was fi led the years 1998, 2002, and 2006 Romano immediately went to the An offi cial privy to the mat- the grains agency’s inability months. grated Bar of the Philippines out of time – more than four during her tenure as law profes- village hall of Barangay Poblacion ter told Manila Times that to procure paddy rice from In March, Solicitor General (IBP). The IBP, through its pres- years after the supposed expi- sor at the UP College of Law from and surrendered the money. It paddy rice procurement re- local farmers at a low buying Jose Calida fi led the quo war- ident Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo, ration of the one-year statute of 1986 up to 2006. The respondent was learned that Romano lives in mained low at only 19,000 as price. ranto petition, which essen- pointed out that the chief jus- proscription, citing Section 11, was nominated to the positions a shanty and his newly-born child of yesterday, barely enough to The interagency NFA Coun- tially seeks to disqualify Ser- tice could be sacked only from Rule 66 of the Rules of Court. of Associate Justice and Chief is sick. The owner of the money, meet national daily require- cil, however, sees no urgent eno for her supposed failure to offi ce through impeachment In its petition, the Offi ce of Justice despite her failure to fi le Consuelo de Guzman, a doctor, ments for the staple. need to hasten the importa- submit all of her statements of proceedings as stated in the the Solicitor General stressed her SALNs which were required reported to the municipal sanita- “It’s not totally depleted, tion of 250,000 metric tonnes assets, liabilities and net worth 1987 Constitution. that the framers of the 1987 to determine whether she passed tion off ice that the money was but local palay (rice) procure- (MT) of rice scheduled to ar- (SALNs) when she applied for The high court however Constitution wrote a “moral the constitutional requirement accidentally placed in a garbage ment remains below target,” rive late May or June, or before chief justice. junked the petition for inter- provision” that a member of the of integrity,” the solicitor general bag on Friday. The barangay the offi cial said. the lean months. Assistant This is also one of the charges vention fi led by the Makabayan judiciary must “be a person of argued. (village) chairman of Poblacion A report obtained by Manila Secretary Mercedita Sombilla raised against Sereno in the bloc consisting of party-list proven competence, integrity, The fi ling of SALNs is re- accompanied Romano to return Times stated that inspectors of the National Economic De- impeachment complaint fi led lawmakers led by Bayan Muna probity and independence.” quired among government em- the money to De Guzman, who were unable to fi nd NFA rice, velopment Authority said the against her by a lawyer, Lorenzo Rep. Carlos Zarate and a group Sereno, it argued, did not ployees by the Constitution, gave the garbage collector which is cheaper compared terms of reference of the rice Gadon. of private individuals led by Fr possess the qualifi cation of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the P20,000 cash reward for his hon- with commercial rice, in pub- importation needed to be ap- According to well-placed Robert Reyes, for lack of merit. proven integrity after she vio- Anti-Graft and Corrupt Prac- esty. De Guzman also assured to lic markets. proved fi rst. sources of Manila Times in the In her pleading, Sereno, who lated the rules of the Judicial tices Act and RA 6713 or the pay for the medical expenses of The Grain Retailers Con- “We wanted NFA to follow high court, the tribunal wanted was forced to go on indefi nite and Bar Council, which screens Code of Conduct and Ethical Romano’s child. federation of the Philippines the guidelines of 2017 importa- a colatilla or condition – that leave, said the court has no ju- court appointees, because of Standards for Public Offi cials had expressed concern over tion,” Sombilla said. the oral arguments would not risdiction to sack her from of- her failure to fi le her SALNs for and Employees. Residents retrieve belongings from rubble in Marawi

By Julmunir I Jannaral April 3 to 30, according to local be some unexploded bomb ma- Manila Times offi cials. terial embedded underneath Army offi cials in Marawi City the ground of some houses in said a comprehensive rehabilita- a number of sectors. IDPs who undreds of internally tion and reconstruction plan will found their homes were in tears displaced people (IDPs) be presented to IDPs within the when they entered the ruined Hfrom Marawi City were month, as a prelude to the start place with shattered window given at least nine hours to in- of the government’s rebuilding panes, ransacked , spect their houses and retrieve of Marawi City in May this year. wrecked doors and bedrooms, useful belongings left during the On Monday, the IDPs belong- and stolen personal belongings. Maute siege in May. ing to Sector 1 of the Most Af- A few were able to salvage The activity was called “Kam- fected Area (MAA) were allowed what is left inside their houses bisita,” meaning visitation in the to search and inspect their de- like plastic chairs, tables, and Maranao dialect. molished houses. kitchen utensils. “We still con- They were allowed to en- The day coincided with the sider this our home,” said one ter the war-torn areas through visit of nine ambassadors from elderly IDP. A Marawi-based designated entry and exit routes various countries including Sin- NGO, the Maranaw People’s De- closely watched by the Armed gapore, India and Russia who velopment Centre (Maradeca), Forces of the Philippines (AFP) brought food supplies for the assisted the IDPs in searching and the Philippine National Po- IDPs. for their houses and provided re- lice (PNP). “The MAA was divided into freshments at the war zone. Army Col. Romeo Brawner nine sectors. So far only the fi rst Meanwhile, Russian Federa- Jr, deputy commander of the sector has been allowed for iden- tion ambassador Igor Anatoly- Army’s First Infantry Division tifi ed IDPs to visit. The schedule evich Khovaev said the Russian (1ID) and Joint Task Force Ranao for Sector 2 is on April 5, 6, and government would be willing to (JTFR), said this was done to en- 7,” Brawner said. assist Marawi in its recovery ef- sure the IDPs safety adding that He added that the sectors forts. It recently shipped about they were not allowed to freely open to the IDPs for inspection 496 tonnes of food supplies to roam as there were still uncol- were safe and have been cleared A recent photo shows an aerial shot of bombed-out houses in Marawi City, in southern island of Mindanao, after five months of house-to-house Iligan for distribution to Marawi lected roadside bombs and boo- of potentially explosive material fighting between troops and militants loyal to the Islamic State group that killed nearly 1,200. IDPs. Brawner said JTFR is look- by traps left by the Maute group. debris. The other sectors are still ing at the possibility of intel- Diff erent groups of IDPs in in the process of being cleared. unexploded ordnance have been The recovered unexploded 500-pound bombs dropped (IEDs) that retreating IS ele- ligence information sharing be- batches will also be allowed to “From May 2017 to February found during the clearing opera- ordnance includes a wide range from the air during the war and ments left behind. tween the Philippines and Russia visit other areas in the city from 2018 more than 2,800 pieces of tions,” Brawner said. of explosive arsenal like the improvised explosive devices Brawner said there could still to fi ght terrorism in Mindanao. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 21 SRI LANKA//

Amputee gets Lanka PM faces tight trust another shot at scaling Mt Everest vote as ally plans to defect DPA Kathmandu Reuters of the no-confi dence motion,” gave it a comfortable majority. rector at consultancy Eurasia Colombo said Lakshman Yapa Abey- But if the SLFP votes against group, foresaw limited coop- wardena, a minister of Sirise- the government, Wickremes- eration between the UNP and 70-year-old Chinese na’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party inghe could lose his majority. the SLFP after the no-confi - climber whose frostbitten ri Lanka’s Prime Minis- (SLFP). He would then need the back- dence motion, even if the prime Alegs were amputated after ter Ranil Wickremesin- “Clearly the SLFP is of the ing of minority parties in the minister survived. an attempt to scale Mount Ever- Sghe faces a no-confi dence view that the prime minister opposition to stay in offi ce. “This means there will be est has been granted a permit to motion today that could go should step down.” Eran Wickramaratne, the limited appetite for economic climb the mountain again, Nepal’s down to the wire and lead to Wickremesinghe has faced junior fi nance minister, said the legislation and instead the two tourism offi cials said yesterday. political instability in the island criticism for failing to deliver UNP had asked for a quick vote will likely indulge in populism Xia Boyu is the fi rst double nation, even if the government on economic growth which “to end any uncertainty people to shore up their positions amputee to be granted an Ever- manages to scrape a win. slumped to 3.1% last year, its will have in their minds” and ahead of the 2020 elections,” he est climbing permit since Nepal’s Wickremesinghe leads a na- worst pace since a recession hoped for a stronger government said. Supreme Court stayed a new rule tional unity government in al- in 2001. The rupee currency is to emerge afterwards. Foreign direct investments last month that barred double am- liance with President Maithri- hovering at a record low. Political instability is weigh- (FDI) doubled to $1.6bn last putees and visually impaired per- pala Sirisena’s party, which has The government is also under ing on the economy, he said. year, but more than 40% of that sons from climbing mountains. said it would vote against the pressure as it tries to manage “You are not going to get was from China, for two key Xia was granted the permit prime minister, blaming him China’s expanding infrastruc- 6-percent-plus kind of growth projects that have dragged on on March 29, Tourism Depart- for failing to prevent an alleged ture push in Sri Lanka, located because of the political issues. for more than a year. ment Director General Dinesh scam in the bond market. near key shipping lanes in the We will move into 4-percent- A trade pact signed with Sin- Bhattarai said. The opposition, which swept Indian Ocean, but which has plus in 2018,” he said. gapore in January and expected Xia has already made four un- local elections last month, raised fears that it could push The yields on Sri Lanka’s free trade agreements with successful attempts to climb the aims to drive a deeper wedge the tiny country deep into debt. benchmark bonds have risen China and India later this year world’s highest peak: He lost his within the ruling coalition Wickremesinghe’s United 83 basis points since early this are seen boosting Sri Lanka’s legs to frostbite during his fi rst with the no-confi dence motion National Party-led coali- year, and the central bank chief export revenue through new bid in 1975. and bring forward a national tion has 107 members in the has also warned of risks to eco- FDIs. But offi cials of the Board “During his latest attempt election due in 2020. 225-member parliament and, nomic growth from political of Investment say investors in 2016, he had to return with “There is common consen- until now, the support of 42 instability. have been waiting for clarity on around 150m left in the climb due sus in the party to vote in favour members of the SLFP, which Shailesh Kumar, Asian di- the political front. Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe ... under pressure to his Sherpa’s ill health,” said Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, who will accompany Xia this time. “We hope that this time, he makes it to the top,” Sherpa said in Kathmandu. India visit Every year, hundreds of climb- College suspends ers attempt to climb Everest dur- ing the spring season, which runs focused on from April to May. More than 5,000 people have summited the building professor for 8,848m peak so far. Nepal army chief trust: Oli visits Congo and ‘defaming’ PM South Sudan IANS Kathmandu Nepal Army chief General Rajendra Chhetri embarked on an off icial one-week visit to the epali Prime Minister K Hasina’s father Democratic Republic of Congo P Sharma Oli yesterday and South Sudan yesterday. Nsaid that his upcoming He leads a four-member team. India visit will be solely focused AFP The professor of man – not Hasina’s father – General Chhetri will inspect Nepal on building trust but he will not Dhaka marketing was also who declared Bangladesh’s army troops deployed as part sign any agreement against his K P Sharma Oli: “The Nepali government wishes to have balanced accused of “distorting the independence, a hugely pro- of the UN Peacekeeping Forces, country’s national interest. relations based on trust, friendship, equity and mutual interests with history” of Bangladesh’s vocative assertion, at the start popularly known as Blue Helmets. He will embark on a state India as well as China.” angladesh’s most pres- war of independence in of the war in 1971. The General will first inspect the visit to India on Friday follow- tigious university has 1971, the legacy of which Khan also suggested most peace mission in Congo and meet ing an invitation from his Indian and Bay of Bengal Initiative for dite past agreements with India Bsuspended a professor remains contentious of the Awami League’s lead- with mission acting commander counterpart Narendra Modi. Multi-Sectoral Technical and and he will also address secu- for writing a column criti- today ership, including Hasina’s Major General Bernard Commins, “The Nepali government Economic Co-operation (Bim- rity concerns of India including cal of Prime Minister Sheikh father, fl ed Bangladesh when the Central Sector Commander wishes to have balanced relations stec) like regional organisations cross boarder crime, terrorists Hasina’s father, as the ruling Muslim-majority Bangla- the war broke out. Brig General Vivek Tyagi and based on trust, friendship, equity as well as Bangladesh, , threat and human traffi cking. party cracks down on dissent desh, which has been ruled Student supporters of the Brigade Commander of Inturi and mutual interests with India as India, Nepal (BBIN) Initiative He said that he hopes the Ne- in a tense election year. by Hasina’s Awami League for Awami League stormed Dha- Brigade Brig General Ihteshamus well as China. We intend to build like sub-regional co-operation. pal-India relations would reach Morshed Hasan Khan was more than nine years. ka University’s campus and Samad Choudhury. up a reliable atmosphere and “I will discuss matters like a new height. “suspended until further no- Hasina jailed her political declared Khan was no longer General Chhetri will address the make the neighbours our devel- railways and waterways with In- Other issues to be discussed tice” from Dhaka University, rival, Khaleda Zia, in Febru- welcome after the piece at- Blue Helmets after inspecting the opment partners... and the visit dia. Connectivity including rail- with India included agricultural its vice-chancellor said yes- ary for corruption in a move tracted a fi restorm of public- situation, operation management is taking place in the same back- ways, waterways, energy sector, modernisation of Nepal, in- terday, after the student wing seen by critics as an attempt ity. and resources in Nepal army drop,” said Oli while delivering minimising trade defi cit, imple- creasing production and trade, of the Awami League staged to remove opposition ahead The professor has since contingents, according to a a speech in parliament. mentation of past agreements connectivity, implementation of angry rallies on campus. of a general election slated for expressed regret, posting an statement issued by the Nepal Oli said he will discuss with and modernisation of agricul- the Pancheshwar Multipurpose University head Moham- December. apology on his Facebook page. army. Modi about expatiating the ture are prioritised in my visit,” Project, construction of inte- mad Akhtaruzzaman said The jail sentence handed Teachers have been pun- He will then leave for South South Asian Association for he said. grated checkposts and a postal Khan defamed Bangladesh’s to Zia, a two-time former ished in the past for stances Sudan. Civil war has ravaged Regional Co-operation (Saarc) Oli said his visit aims to expe- highway among others, said Oli. fi rst post-independence premier and erstwhile ally of critical of Hasina’s father. South Sudan and the deployed president and Hasina’s father, Hasina, sparked angry clash- In August last year, 13 high UN Peacekeeping Force has the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in es between police and sup- school teachers were detained task to control the situation. the controversial article pub- porters from her Bangladesh and remanded in custody In Sudan, General Chhetri lished in a Bengali daily. Nationalist Party. ahead of a trial after being ac- will meet with Special The professor of marketing Rights groups have ac- cused of sedition for remarks Representatives of the UN was also accused of “distort- cused Hasina’s government about Sheikh Mujibur Rah- Secretary General David ing the history” of Bangla- of exploiting a controversial man. Shearer and Force Commander Jailed BNP chief in Last week, a report by Ger- desh’s war of independence law to curb dissent and limit Lieutenant General Frank in 1971, the legacy of which freedom of expression in the many think tank Bertelsmann Mushyo Kamanzi. remains contentious today. country of 160mn. Foundation listed Bangladesh Lieutenant Gen Purna Chandra Dhaka University is re- In his column, Khan said it as a new autocracy. The ruling Thapa will take charge of Nepal garded as a stronghold of was military strongman and party has rejected the asser- army until General Chhetri poor health: doctors tion. liberalism and secularism in opposition hero Ziaur Rah- returns on April 9.

AFP tions from arthritis and is strug- health,” BNP spokesman Rizvi Dhaka gling to walk, doctors say. Ahmed said. A team of four government Mohammad Shamsuzzaman, doctors from a state-run hospi- an orthopaedic specialist at Working in the water angladesh’s opposition tal in Dhaka have been treating Dhaka Medical College Hospi- party accused the govern- Zia, a two-time former prime tal who visited Zia as part of the Bment yesterday of putting minister, in prison where she is government team, said her con- the health of their jailed leader serving her fi ve-year sentence in dition was not serious but her at risk by refusing to let her per- isolation. arthritis had worsened in prison. sonal doctors treat her inside But her supporters want Zia’s “She has pain in hands and prison. personal physicians given access legs. She couldn’t walk 50m Khaleda Zia, the 72-year-old to her cell. The government has without assistance,” he said, leader of the Bangladesh Na- yet to respond to the request. adding she had also developed tionalist Party (BNP) who was “The government is try- back pain. jailed in February for corruption, ing to break our leader’s mo- Zia, an erstwhile ally of Prime has been suff ering complica- rale and it is taking a toll on her Minister Sheikh Hasina turned fi erce political rival, already suf- fered from arthritis, diabetes and knee replacements when she was sentenced to prison for embezzlement. She has denied any wrongdo- ing. Her lawyers had sought her release on bail until an appeal is heard but a decision on this was postponed until next month. Zia’s supporters say the guilty sentence was politically motivat- ed and designed to remove Hasi- na’s chief opponent before a gen- eral election slated for December. Last week a report by Ger- man think tank the Bertelsmann Foundation listed Bangladesh as a new autocracy, raising doubts about the credibility of the country’s elections. The ruling Awami League has rejected the A man collects lotus leaves at a lake in Colombo yesterday. BNP leader Khaleda Zia assertion. Gulf Times 22 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES China eyes more say in oil pricing with futures debut

China has waited for more than a quarter of a century to have its own oil futures. With the launch of the yuan- denominated oil futures - China’s fi rst commodity derivative open to foreign investors – on March 26 at the Shanghai Futures Exchange, the world’s largest energy consumer is seeking more power in pricing crude sold to Asia. China’s demand is already a key determinant of global oil prices. Melania Trump isn’t doing Futures contracts fi x prices today for delivery at a later date. While consumers use them to protect against higher prices down the line; speculators use them to bet on where prices are headed. In 2017, oil futures contracts in New York and London her job. It’s time she starts outstripped physical trading by a factor of 23. China’s push for oil futures gained impetus in 2017 By Dahleen Glanton who will make America great again.” on, not one who runs for cover and acts So far, she hasn’t done much more Washington She insisted, “Donald is a wonderful like a victim when the spotlight gets than give a couple of speeches at when the world’s second largest economy surpassed husband, father and grandfather.” too hot. conferences. There is a lot more she the US as the world’s biggest crude importer. The Asian She spoke of him lovingly as a Americans want their fi rst ladies to could do. nation’s purchases reached a record high in January. t’s time for Melania Trump to man “compassionate, thoughtful and be determined, focused and committed The first lady has an opportunity Chinese oil futures were proposed in 2012 following up. giving” man, and accentuated her to a cause, whether they agree with that to force social media companies to spikes above $100 a barrel, but prices in 2017 have All this taking separate admiration for him with a kiss. cause or not. Sure, one likes talking become better watchdogs against motorcades and hiding out at Mar- On more than one occasion, she about the clothes she wears in public online harassment, encourage schools averaged little more than I a-Lago – at taxpayers’ expense – has pleaded with Americans to do all they but it’s her work promoting the values to adopt strong anti-bullying policies China surpassed $50. China introduced gotten old. could to send her family to Washington. she stands for that endears her to and take a more hands-on approach domestic crude futures in Each day President Donald Trump’s “We need you, the voter, to go out people’s hearts. in creating programmes that promote the US as the 1993, only to stop a year alleged cheating saga goes on, it and vote,” she said. “We also ask you to After more than a year watching self-esteem as a means of standing up her drift near the steps of one of the to bullies. later because of volatility. becomes increasingly diffi cult to feel bring your family, friends, neighbours world’s biggest sorry for his wife. There are bigger to vote for President Donald Trump.” greatest platforms in the world, one She has a chance to prove that a In recent years, the problems in America than Melania Perhaps she didn’t mean any of it. still don’t know exactly what Melania bully shouldn’t have the power to turn crude importer country repeatedly Trump’s humiliation. The fi rst lady Perhaps she never really wanted to live Trump stands for. She has been so his target into a victim, any more than delayed its new contract needs to step up and start doing her job. in the White House. Perhaps she bowed preoccupied shielding herself from her a philandering husband should be in 2017 That’s right. Her job. under pressure to join the campaign. husband’s misdeeds that she has been allowed to make a cowering victim of amid turmoil in equities Before anyone accuses me of beating Perhaps she never believed her husband unable to project her own identity. his wife. Only she can yield that power. and fi nancial markets. Such destabilising moves have up on the pitiful fi rst lady while she’s could win. There are indications that the fi rst No one has the right to judge whether often prompted China’s government to intervene in down, consider this: She campaigned It doesn’t matter now. Enough lady is a stronger woman than she she should stay with Donald Trump or markets in one way or another. for the job of fi rst lady. She campaigned Americans took her at her word and recently has appeared to be. It has been leave him. Western oil traders are seen attracted to Shanghai’s hard. gave her that unpaid, unoffi cial job she reported that her husband was initially Whether she remains in the White Every time she went to the public and practically begged for. It’s too late for attracted to her independence, her House or goes, it is not her job as fi rst oil contracts for the potential arbitrage between China’s asked us to vote for her husband, she her to change her mind and give it back. ability to think for herself and stand on lady to defend her husband’s scandals market specifi cs and global oil fundamentals as refl ected was also asking us to vote for her. The The fi rst lady would rather the people her own. or try to give the illusion in public that by US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and international president and the fi rst lady are like a close their eyes and give her a pass. Where is that Melania Trump now? It he has her loyalty and support. The Brent crude futures. relay team – neither could win without She’d rather they allow her to “focus sure would be nice to meet her. “stand by your man” mentality has the help of the other. on being a mom,” stepping out only The fi rst lady is not responsible for never worked out well for political WTI crude is the main benchmark for US crude grades Even when it was obvious that she for special occasions like Easter in a her husband’s behaviour. She should wives. and a crucial hedging tool for the US oil industry. Brent was uncomfortable in the spotlight, designer outfi t to deliver baskets to sick stop acting like it. Instead of cowering The fi rst lady isn’t obligated to is priced off North Sea oil and is a primary value marker Melania Trump found the courage to children. in shame, she should hold her head up respond to the public when it comes to for Europe, Africa and Middle East crudes. Both futures get up on a stage in front of hundreds of Don’t get me wrong. It’s great that and immerse herself in projects she her personal life. She can simply ignore cheering supporters and proclaim that she did that. One of the fi rst lady’s feels strongly about. that question and move on to the next. contracts are commonly used by fi nancial traders. her husband was the best person for duties is to serve as comforter-in-chief. When she told the people during But the people do have the right to In a wider sense, the launch of oil futures holds the job. But an occasional photo op of her doing the campaign that she would take on know whether she is still committed to signifi cance for China. She told the Americans that “love a charitable deed is not enough. Every cyberbullying as her main focus as her job. Futures trading would wrest some control over pricing for this country” was something the fi rst lady who held the title before her fi rst lady, some of them didn’t believe Melania Trump doesn’t need the from the main international benchmarks, which are two of them immediately shared when has understood that. it. They questioned whether such a people’s pity. What she needs from they fi rst met. She talked about “our The American people deserve a fi rst mission would clash with her husband’s them is a loud wake-up call. based on dollars. The country could also benefi t from partnership, our family and what I know lady who sets an example as a strong pervasive use of social media to criticise She’s been sleeping on the job way having a benchmark that refl ects the grades of oil that are for sure in my heart about this man, woman able to tackle adversity head- and bring down others. too long. - Tribune News Service mostly consumed by local refi neries and diff er from those underpinning Western contracts. Denominating oil contracts in yuan could also promote the use of China’s currency in global trade. It may take years for the yuan to undermine the dollar’s dominance in oil trading. But paying in yuan for oil could become part of President Xi Jinping’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative to develop ties across Eurasia, including the Middle East. For sure, China wants its fi rst-ever oil futures contract to be done just right, rather than too hot or too cold. While the country is eager to attract liquidity into the contract, the Shanghai exchange has safeguards in place to prevent a speculative blowout that could derail its credibility as a go-to reference price for the region. But here is the most intriguing question. Can China’s oil contract be a serious challenger to the traditional benchmarks of the Brent in London and the WTI in New York?

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© 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved First lady Melania Trump finishes reading a book called You! to a group of children at the White House in Washington, on April 2. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 4, 2018 23 COMMENT How to think about the threat to America

By Cass R Sunstein been a defi ning feature of its fi rst 14 whether Americans will be suffi ciently Washington months. resistant – at least if the challenges Even if Americans need not worry come from a president whose policies about authoritarianism as such, they like. or the fi rst time since the however, the current period does 4) President Trump has 1940s, Americans have been justify serious concern. successively attacked institutions, asking: Can it happen here? 1) History teaches that even in the both public and private, that do F The question, which has United States, serious abridgments not bend to his will. So far, the been debated in the US for months, of civil rights and civil liberties are attacks have generally taken the is meant to draw attention to the possible, at least when national form of words rather than deeds. potential fragility of democratic security is threatened. But delegitimation of independent self-government – and to emphasise During World War I, Congress institutions can weaken structural that in some periods, democracies made it a crime for anyone to “cause constraints on leaders – and are especially likely to turn in or attempt to cause insubordination, ultimately compromise democratic authoritarian directions. disloyalty, or refusal of duty in the values. It would be fair to pose that military forces of the United States.” 5) The Trump administration has question in any case in light of China’s Prosecutors seized on those words as a been intensifying partisan divisions, continued rise, Russia’s resurgent basis for bringing criminal proceedings with the president himself calling aggression, and the disturbing against dissenters. During World for criminal prosecution of political developments in Turkey, , War II, more than 100,000 Japanese- adversaries and demonising those who and the Philippines. To Americans were placed in internment disagree with him on matters of policy. his most severe critics, some of the camps on the West Coast. In the That’s bad enough. But in politics words and deeds of President Donald 1950s and 1960s, the executive branch as well as life, brutality breeds more Trump make it seem as if democratic directed a range of actions against of the same. There is a real risk that principles might not be entirely secure “subversive” people and organizations, Democrats will not only lurch to the in the US itself. including suppression of speech and left but also engage in Trump-like But there’s good news. If “it” means violations of privacy. rhetorical strategies – and thus fail genuine authoritarianism, Americans Such events may seem like ancient to treat Republicans and Trump probably don’t have much to worry history. But let’s not be complacent. supporters with grace, or the respect about. The American system of checks If there is a successful attack on the that they deserve. and balances, adopted after a war country or a novel threat, liberty will That would be a disaster, because it against monarchy, was specifi cally face serious challenges. would aggravate a situation in which designed to limit the power of any 2) Russia has reportedly obtained the people are fi nding it increasingly hard would-be authoritarian. capacity to interfere with our electoral to engage with one another across For well over 200 years, the system processes – not only through the use partisan lines – or to learn that on has held fi rm. It continues to do so. of social media to intensify social numerous questions, they do not much In most domains, the president divisions and to promote its favoured disagree, and thus can fi nd good paths cannot act on his own. He needs candidates, but also by targeting forward. explicit congressional permission. voting machinery. In addition, Russian Authoritarianism almost certainly Independent courts are available hackers are even attacking our sources can’t happen here. But a damaged to strike down presidential actions of power and water. and polarised society, incapable of that violate the law. The Bill of To date, the White House’s solving shared problems? That’s a clear Rights stands as a safeguard against response to these threats has been and present danger. – Tribune News abridgments of freedom of speech, unaccountably tepid – which is worse To his most severe critics, some of the words and deeds of President Donald Trump make it seem as if democratic principles Service freedom of religion, and unreasonable than alarming. Russia’s actions do not might not be entirely secure in the US itself. searches and seizures. mean that authoritarianism is a serious zCass R Sunstein is a Bloomberg View At multiple turns, the Trump danger in the United States. But they 3) One of the most striking lessons of They liked the fact that the economy warned, “the greatest menace to columnist. He is the editor of Can It administration, no less than its do mean that authoritarianism may be the rise of fascism in the 1930s is that was improving. They did not embrace freedom is an inert people.” The US Happen Here? Authoritarianism in predecessors, has been stymied by a serious danger to the United States. many citizens were simply living their authoritarianism as such. But they did has a robust culture of freedom. But America and a co-author of Nudge: these obstacles. Repeated losses in If we do not response to that danger, it lives – focusing on their families, their not do anything to stop it. in the face of challenges to democratic Improving Decisions About Health, court, on issues large and small, have will grow. friends, their jobs. In 1927, Justice Louis Brandeis norms, it is not illegitimate to ask Wealth and Happiness.

Biofuels are driving US growth Three-day forecast TODAY corn contribute to a growing is stronger than ever. We drove more American ethanol reduces carbon Maximum Temperature : 330c By Jim Talent Minimum Temperature : 240c Tribune News Service agricultural footprint, off setting the than 3.2tn miles last year, more than emissions by 43%, even when environmental benefi ts of homegrown any year on record, according to the accounting for the energy and land THURSDAY energy. But those arguments are not Federal Highway Administration. We used by farmers. It also saves the Maximum Temperature : 320c here’s an entire cottage only misleading, they are complete also consumed more fuel, over 140bn average US household about $142 Minimum Temperature : 240c industry of organisations that fabrications. gallons of gasoline, just shy of the in gasoline expenses annually, FRIDAY accept oil industry cash to US Department of Agriculture data record set in 2016. And despite new according to the American Journal of Maximum Temperature : 310c Tattack alternative fuels, from is very clear. American farmers use less drilling and increased fracking, we Agricultural Economics. It even boosts Minimum Temperature : 250c land than in previous decades, not more. still buy a full quarter of that oil from performance. NASCAR drivers all use windmills to nuclear power. Lately, Fisherman's forecast those attacks have been focused on In fact, America has signifi cantly less a global market manipulated by Russia a 15% blend of high-octane ethanol homegrown biofuels, like ethanol, cropland than in the 1930s. Yet we’re and the Organisation of the – a far less costly alternative to toxic WARNING which are produced from renewable producing more food and fuel than Exporting Countries. octane boosters like benzene. Inshore : Nil farm crops. Biofuels are a target ever before. Stable demand for biofuels By any measure available, we should Yet there are still special interests Offshore : Nil because they supply a full 10% of under the RFS has helped farmers be using more biofuels – not looking working overtime to push for a cap WEATHER America’s motor fuel, and every extra invest in productivity, and agricultural for excuses to roll back production of on homegrown energy. They insist Inshore : Scattered clouds gallon increases competition at the effi ciency has skyrocketed. homegrown energy. Yet that’s exactly that alternatives aren’t needed. But with weak chance of fuel pump, holding down prices for Critics also predicted that food what some petroleum refi ners are imagine a map of the world, where light rain at places by American drivers. prices would rise alongside biofuel demanding, and the consequences each nation’s size is determined by oil evening WIND In fact, US oil imports are down production, and they were wrong would be devastating. reserves. Saudi Arabia and Venezuela by more than half since passage of about that too. The productivity of Farm income is at a 12-year low. would dominate the globe. If, however, Inshore : Northwesterly-North- the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). American agriculture has outpaced Rural families are struggling, and each nation is sized by agricultural easterly 05-14 KT Offshrore : Northwesterly-North- The 13-year-old law guarantees that demand. The Wall Street Journal the crisis threatens to drag down productivity, America dwarfs the easterly 5-15/18 KT US biofuels can’t be locked out of reports that America is experiencing the economy across the Midwest competition. That’s why the RFS is a the market by petroleum companies, “ultra-low crop and livestock prices and beyond. But biofuel production clear winner for our environment, our Visibility : 4-8 KM stemming from a global oversupply.” centres – more than 200 across the energy security, and our economy. which control the distribution chain SEA STATE for many of the nation’s gas stations. That’s why Democrats and heartland – are pillars of economic It’s time to reject the slick lobbying Biofuels cost less than petroleum, and Republicans alike have been urging strength. They support hundreds of campaigns and unleash the full Offshore : 02-04 FT, Rises to 5 FT thanks to the RFS, more aff ordable the Environmental Protection Agency thousands of American jobs and serve potential of America’s vast renewable to the North at times. resources. biofuel blends are now standard at the to harness that surplus to meet the as manufacturing hubs in regions left Around the region pump. energy needs of a growing economy. behind when other industries moved Weather To undermine their competition, America needs to continue building overseas. Best of all, they produce zFormer Missouri Sen. Jim Talent Weather tomorrow Max/min biofuel critics now argue that its energy reserves. Despite what clean, aff ordable fuel. championed creation of the Renewable today Max/min M Sunny 31/14 renewable feedstocks like some claim, our thirst for motor fuel USDA research proves that Fuel Standard in 2005. Baghdad P Cloudy 30/14 Kuwait City M Cloudy 29/20 P Cloudy 28/21 Manama P Cloudy 32/23 P Cloudy 31/24 Muscat M Sunny 32/27 Sunny 35/28 Live issues Tehran M Sunny 26/14 S Showers 21/11 Herbicide use tied to shorter pregnancies

By Carolyn Crist with the heaviest use in the Midwest, births in this study group were full- and they came from nine counties that Reuters Health Parvez and his colleagues write. term, although researchers found represented a mix of rural, suburban In 2015 and 2016, the researchers that on average, women with more and urban locales, as well as public and recruited 71 pregnant women in glyphosate in their urine delivered well water lines, the authors note. ore than 90% of pregnant central Indiana and surveyed them earlier than women with less or none. “Unfortunately, in cases of prenatal women in a small Indiana about their food and beverage Glyphosate was not associated with exposures, results can take months Around the world study had glyphosate in consumption, lifestyle, stress and other fetal growth indicators such as to years after a child is born to be Weather Weather Mtheir urine, and higher where they lived. The women also birth weight or head circumference. observable,” said Charles Benbrook, a today Max/min tomorrow Max/min concentrations were associated with provided two urine samples and two “It was mind-boggling that visiting scholar at the Johns Hopkins Athens Sunny 22/13 M Sunny 23/13 earlier deliveries. drinking water samples from their glyphosate was so prevalent in urine University School of Public Health in Beirut Sunny 23/17 Sunny 24/17 Glyphosate is the active ingredient homes. samples . . . but it was a pleasant Baltimore who wasn’t involved in the Bangkok S T Storms 32/27 S T Storms 32/27 in Roundup, the most heavily used Researchers tested the water and surprise that none of the drinking study. Berlin S T Storms 20/08 P Cloudy 14/02 herbicide in the United States and urine for glyphosate and divided water came out positive,” Parvez said. Benbrook also works with the Cairo M Sunny 28/15 Sunny 30/14 worldwide, the study team writes in women into four groups based on their “Now we want to learn more about Children’s Environment Health Cape Town M Sunny 23/16 P Cloudy 21/15 the journal Environmental Health. urine concentration of the chemical. dietary intake and environmental Network in Washington, DC, which Colombo M Sunny 32/26 M Sunny 32/26 “Glyphosate is often used on major After women gave birth, researchers factors such as contaminated air.” off ers resources on its website for Dhaka Sunny 35/24 M Sunny 34/23 crops on a day-to-day basis . . . but used medical records to determine The research team was also protecting children from chemical Hong Kong P Cloudy 26/23 P Cloudy 26/22 we hardly know anything about how their pregnancy length. surprised by the link between caff eine exposures. Istanbul Sunny 17/08 M Sunny 19/10 humans are exposed,” said lead author Overall, 93% of the women had intake and high glyphosate levels in In general, Benbrook advised Jakarta S T Storm 33/24 S T Storm 33/24 Shahid Parvez, a researcher at the detectable glyphosate in their urine urine. pregnant women to avoid spraying Karachi M Sunny 34/22 M Sunny 33/22 Indiana University Fairbanks School of while pregnant. Those who lived in “It makes sense to us since there herbicides on the lawn or treating London Showers 12/04 Sunny 12/06 Public Health in Indianapolis. rural areas had higher levels than are many diff erent food products the house for insects when they Manila P Cloudy 32/25 P Cloudy 32/24 “We’ve received an overwhelming suburban residents. imported from Southeast Asia and could be exposed during their Moscow P Cloudy 07/-1 P Cloudy 08/02 response because there’s a lot of Women who drank more than South America but we don’t know first trimester. In addition, he New Delhi Sunny 38/23 M Sunny 38/24 concern about this chemical,” Parvez 24 ounces of caff einated beverages what they contain,” he said. “It recommended waiting to buy a new New York Rain 18/01 M Sunny 09/04 told Reuters Health in a telephone per day also had higher glyphosate indicates a need to think about these car, couch or other home item that Paris Rain 14/07 M Cloudy 11/04 interview. “We don’t want to cause concentrations than others. However, food products, such as coff ee beans could contain chemicals. Sao Paulo M Cloudy 25/18 P Cloudy 27/18 unnecessary panic, but we do want to none of the drinking water samples and other drinks that we import.” “More research needs to be done, Seoul Showers 17/07 Rain 09/07 understand how it aff ects pregnancy had detectable glyphosate. In addition to its small size, but the precautions are common Singapore P Cloudy 31/26 P Cloudy 32/26 and human health.” Pregnancy typically lasts 39-40 the study is limited by its lack of sense,” he said. “Be vigilant and Sydney S Showers 23/18 P Cloudy 27/18 Nearly 300mn pounds of Roundup weeks; births after 37 weeks are geographic and racial diversity. More careful, especially those living in areas Tokyo Clear 26/13 Clear 17/11 are applied across US farms each year, considered full-term. All but two than 94% of the women were white, where corn and soybeans are grown.” Gulf Times 24 Wednesday, April 4, 2018 QATAR Top experts converge for career summit

By Joey Aguilar the Minister of Education and vocational education and train- Staff Reporter Higher Education Dr Mohamed ing (TVET) standards,” al-Man- Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi soori added. and other senior QF offi cials. Representatives from educa- ore than 250 policy- Themed ‘Moving Operation- tional institutions such as QF, makers, decision- ally to Strategically Enhance Qatar University (QU), Com- Mmakers and senior Career Guidance in the State of munity College of Qatar, College executives from various gov- Qatar’, Career Guidance Stake- of the North Atlantic – Qatar, ernment institutions from Qa- holders Platform 2018 is in line and national talent development tar and international organisa- with QF’s eff orts to promote ca- committees in institutions like tions from the rest of the world reer guidance in Qatar. Hamad Medical Corporation, Schoolchildren harvest some of the crops took part in the second edition “Nation-building requires Qatar Petroleum, Sidra Medi- of Career Guidance Stakehold- a diverse set of competencies, cine, and Qatar Airways also ers Platform yesterday at the skills, and jobs to ensure self- participated in the event. Qatar National Convention suffi ciency when it comes to “After this event, we will Centre. the local labour force required fi rst seek to agree on a strat- The event, organised in part- to bolster the state’s economy egy and standardised policies Khayr Qatarna brings fresh nership with the Unesco Doha at present and in the future,” that will identify how diff erent Offi ce and the Ministry of Edu- QCDC director Abdulla al- government sectors and agen- cation and Higher Education, Mansoori told participants yes- cies could work together in har- comes within the framework terday, including representa- mony for a common goal. As we of Qatar Career Development tives from Unesco and various move forward, such strategies produce to supermarkets Centre’s (QCDC) commitment ministries in Qatar. would serve as catalysts that to delivering on the priorities He added that QCDC is col- would speed up the develop- stipulated by His Highness the laborating with the Ministry of ment process,” keynote speaker hayr Qatarna, an initia- Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- Education and Higher Educa- Dr Raimo Vuorinen, Associate tive of the Sahtak Awalan mad al-Thani in his address to tion, Unesco and public and Professor at the Finnish Insti- K- Your Health First cam- citizens and residents of Qa- private institutions to create a tute for Educational Research, paign, has harvested its fi rst crop tar in July 2017. He stressed the framework for the development at the University of Jyvaskyla, and begun supplying fresh fruit importance of investing in the of standards and policies for Finland and Vice-President of and vegetables to local super- development of national human career guidance at the national the International Association markets. The objective is to help capital. level. for Vocational and Educational improve food security, increase The event, under the patron- The Centre also wants to Guidance, said. sustainability, and encourage age of Her Highness Sheikha identify the roles and respon- In her speech, Dr Faryal healthy eating. Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson sibilities of stakeholders in the Khan, programme specialist for Khayr Qatarna is the new of Qatar Foundation (QF) and implementation of this strategy Education, Unesco Doha Offi ce, phase of the innovative Project: organised by QCDC, a member inspired by the Qatar Education stressed that: “Qatar, alongside Greenhouse initiative, which of QF, was attended by HE the and Training Strategy 2017- its partners on the national, has erected greenhouses at more Minister of Culture and Sports 2022. regional, and global levels, is a than 130 schools to teach chil- Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser “This event highlights the leading country in promoting dren about healthy eating and al-Ali, HE the Minister of Ad- importance of integrating tech- career guidance in accordance cultivating their own food. ministrative Development, La- nology-based career guidance with a well-planned agenda The new initiative has seen bour And Social Aff airs Dr Issa services and resources and ap- that falls in line with its national three large-scale, climate-con- Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi and HE plying Unesco’s technical and strategies and vision.” trolled greenhouses built at three schools in Qatar. These green- houses are being used to grow fruit and vegetables that are then distributed with Khayr Qatarna branding through local super- QCDC unveils new career markets. More greenhouses are in the pipeline, and all profi ts from the scheme will be rein- vested in the initiative. Khayr Qatarna products in a local supermarket. advising system in schools All the crops have been granted the status of ‘Premium Products’ lected branches of Al Meera, with in economics, agriculture and launched Sahtak Awalan, said, — an indication of their freshness the help of the Ministry. logistics. Project: Greenhouse “Sustainability and food security By Joey Aguilar keen to develop the capabilities including intensive career guid- and quality — by the Ministry of Tonnes of cucumbers, toma- helped educate children about are incredibly important issues Staff Reporter of human capital of Qataris and ance trainings targeting aca- Municipality and Environment, toes, bell peppers, melons and the benefi ts of eating fruit and and will have a huge impact on also to reinforce them in their demic and career counsellors that has given valuable support other fruits and vegetables will vegetables, and encouraged them future generations. In addition, it career in keeping with their across public schools in Qatar. and advice to the Khayr Qatarna be grown each year, and students to try new foods by eating what is vitally important that we con- tudents across public needs and also the needs of the “The agreement eventually project. The fi rst crop of cucum- at the schools where the green- they had grown, but Khayr Qa- tinue to promote healthy eating secondary schools in Qa- market in Qatar,” al-Mansoori laid the foundations for imple- bers and tomatoes has now been houses are based will help grow tarna takes this to a higher level. to our young people.” Star stand to benefi t from noted. menting a new Career Advising harvested by local schoolchildren them and see how they are cul- Nesreen al-Rifai, chief com- Khayr Qatarna was unveiled at a new Career Advising Sys- Describing the system as a System developed by QCDC to and delivered to local supermar- tivated, harvested and distrib- munications offi cer at Weill Qatar National Convention Cen- tem (CAS), set to be rolled out unique advising system, he said guide 10th grade students into kets Geant at Hyatt Plaza and se- uted, providing valuable lessons Cornell Medicine – Qatar, which tre in February. during the second semester of CAS provides a tailor-made planning their academic and 2017-2018 academic year, it was solution that factors in Qatar’s career paths,” al-Khater ex- announced. social and economic condi- plained. The new system is part of a tions. “The new system features She added that the nation- memorandum of understanding diverse and innovative compo- wide implementation of the (MoU) between Qatar Career nents, as well as psychomet- new advising system, designed Development Centre (QCDC), ric and personality assessment to meet the requirement of Qa- a member of Qatar Founda- tools to help students identify tar’s education environment, is tion (QF) and the Ministry of the most appropriate academic a fi rst of its kind initiative in the Education and Higher Educa- and career paths in line with the Middle East. tion aimed at helping students future needs of Qatar,” al-Man- Al-Khater also lauded the ac- choose the right career path in soori said. tive partnership between QCDC line with the country’s job mar- CAS’ implementation forms and the Ministry, represented ket needs. part of the MoU signed in 2017 by the Academic and Career “We are delighted to witness between QCDC and the Min- Guidance Division of the De- a new milestone in QCDC’s istry of Education and Higher partment of Educational Guid- journey, expanding our reach to Education aimed at establishing ance, praising the latter for its provide all students across pub- a strategic partnership to pro- eff orts in following up on the lic secondary schools in Qatar mote academic, career devel- implementation of the joint with career guidance services opment, and career guidance- programmes with QCDC. Such that will have a lasting impact related activities. partnership and co-operation on their academic and career “Career guidance plays an witnessed QCDC training more journeys,” QCDC director Ab- important role in the academic than 70 academic counsellors dulla al-Mansoori said. and career journeys of stu- on the use and integration of He was speaking on the dents, helping youth discover CAS across secondary schools sidelines of ‘Career Guidance their talents and develop their in Qatar to off er career guidance Stakeholders Platform 2018’ skills to meet the demand for services for students. yesterday at the Qatar National skilled professionals in vari- CAS was developed by QCDC Convention Centre, organised ous sectors,” Fawzia al-Khater, in co-operation with Kuder Inc, under the patronage of Her Assistant Under-Secretary for a world leader in career plan- QCDC director Abdulla al-Mansoori (right) and Awsaj Academy director Dr Donald Francis during the MoU signing yesterday. Highness Sheikha Moza bint Educational Aff airs, Ministry of ning services, and various gov- Nasser, Chairperson of QF, in Education and Higher Educa- ernment entities, aimed at inte- partnership with the Unesco tion, said. grating specialised Information Doha Offi ce and the Ministry She said the MoU between the and Technology solutions into of Education and Higher Edu- Ministry and QCDC culminated the career guidance framework QCDC, Awsaj Academy sign MoU cation. “QCDC is very much in several training programmes, in Qatar. to promote career guidance in Qatar

atar Career Develop- Qatar’s socioeconomic fabric. will target more students. QCDC proach to education and learn- ment Centre (QCDC) and QCDC has tailored the initia- will work with Awsaj Academy ing, and establish local career QAwsaj Academy, both tive to students who are eager to on enhancing its delivery of ca- ecosystems that work. members of Qatar Foundation, learn outside the classroom. reer guidance services through Awsaj Academy is a K-12 spe- signed a memorandum of under- The programme will unfold in a four-step process that falls in cialised school that addresses standing (MoU) yesterday aimed two stages: the pilot phase, de- line with the best international the needs of students with mild at enhancing the delivery of ca- signed for the remainder of the practices and adapts specially to moderate learning challeng- reer guidance services at Awsaj 2018 academic year, will bring selected models into the local es. Awsaj Academy is the only Academy. together 20 senior students from context in a bid to help guide school of its kind in Qatar and The MoU, which was signed the Awsaj Prime programme – youth into making informed one of only a handful of schools on the sidelines of QCDC’s Ca- launched in February 2015 as choices about their future. dedicated to working with stu- (From right) QCDC’s Career Programmes and Services senior officer Effrosyni Parampota, QCDC reer Guidance Stakeholders Qatar’s fi rst blended learning The initiative will also cre- dents who have demonstrated director Abdulla al-Mansoori, Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s public relations Platform 2018, will contribute programme; while the second ate more opportunities for stu- aptitude in certain areas while department director Hassan al-Muhammadi, and Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s to the eff orts aimed at instilling phase is planned for the next dents and graduates to grow facing academic challenges in Department of Educational Guidance academic guidance expert Ahmed al-Balam during the a career guidance culture within academic year 2018-2019, and their skills, reshape society’s ap- others. partnership agreement announcement yesterday at QNCC. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam