QATAR | Page 5 SPORT | Page 12 Johnson wins fi rst major golf title INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 4 – 10, 28 COMMENT 26, 27 Panel discusses REGION 11 BUSINESS 1 – 7, 12 – 16 amid rules 17,805.08 9,825.25 49.19 ARAB WORLD 12 CLASSIFIED 9 – 11 recruitment of +129.92 +19.64 +1.21 INTERNATIONAL 13 – 25 SPORTS 1 – 12 controversy +0.74% +0.20% +2.52% domestic workers Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10126 June 21, 2016 Ramadan 16, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir holds talks with Erdogan Qatar research In brief

REGION | Politics aims to reduce Bahrain strips top Shia cleric of citizenship Bahrain’s top Shia religious authority, Ayatollah Isa Qassim, has been stripped of his nationality, the country’s interior ministry said yesterday. Qassim, 79, is considered solar costs the spiritual leader of the country’s leading opposition grouping, Al- The aim is to demonstrate a as well as being at the forefront of next Wefaq, which the authorities closed new type of thin-film solar cell, generation thin-fi lm technologies,” he down last week. The ministry capable of environmentally- continued. charged that, since acquiring acceptable large-scale production According to Dr al-Subai, the new Bahraini nationality, Qassim HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with Turkish President Recep Tayyip at a manufacturing cost of below developments that are coming up at had “established organisations Erdogan in Istanbul. The Emir, who was on a short off icial visit to Turkey on Sunday, $0.50 per watt Qeeri are outdoor testing of bifacial following a foreign political discussed with President Erdogan strategic relations between the two countries modules, which produce energy from inspiration and had played a major and ways to develop them further in various fields. During their meeting, which was By Joseph Varghese light falling on both their front and role in creating an atmosphere of held at the Presidential Huber Palace in Istanbul on Sunday evening, the two sides Staff Reporter back which may be ideal for building- sectarian extremism”. Page 11 exchanged views on regional and international developments. They also discussed integrated PV systems. the two countries’ eff orts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations “Also, at the Solar Test facility, locat- in order to achieve security and peace in the region and the world. HH the Emir he Qatar Environment and En- ed at the Qatar Science and Technology INDIA | Economy returned to Doha yesterday morning. Page 4 ergy Research Institute (Qeeri) Dr Khalid al-Subai: Qeeri’s acting Park, we are testing novel materials that Delhi eases foreign Tis engaged in intensive eff orts executive director. will cool PV modules during the day to increase the effi ciency of Photo- and prevent condensation at night. Our investment rules voltaics (PV) and producing solar en- solar cell which includes a perovskite modelling team is predicting which lo- India yesterday announced a ergy at a signifi cantly low cost. structured compound, most com- cations in Qatar may have least soiling, sweeping relaxation of foreign Qeeri is one of the three research monly a hybrid organic-inorganic and our materials experts are testing direct investment (FDI) rules institutes of Hamad Bin Khalifa Uni- lead or tin halide-based material, as and developing ‘anti-soiling coatings’ in civil aviation, defence and a EC president issues versity under Qatar Foundation for the light-harvesting active layer. Per- which may lessen the need for clean- string of other sectors as part of Education, Science and Community ovskite materials are cheap to produce ing,” said Dr al-Subai. eff orts to open up the economy. Development. and simple to manufacture. The new laboratory building for The government freed up nine appeal to UK voters “A key initiative is our ATHLOC “The current global PV industry Qeeri will be ready soon. areas of the economy, including project, which stands for Advanced has billions of dollars invested in cur- “We will install state-of-the-art allowing foreign companies to Thin-fi lm Hybrid Low Cost Photo- rent manufacturing technologies, so instruments for studying PV ageing wholly own local airlines as it looks Reuters Tusk will chair the next summit of voltaics,” Dr Khalid al-Subai, acting we are trying to achieve incremental and reliability at the new lab,” Dr al- to spur investment in the country. Lisbon European Union leaders next Tues- executive director, Qeeri, told Gulf improvements in existing silicon cells Subai said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi day and Wednesday in Brussels, when Times. tweeted that the “radical” changes they will discuss how to respond to The aim is to demonstrate a new A place in the sun would make “India the most open uropean Council President Don- whether Britons have voted to stay or type of thin-fi lm solar cell of conver- economy in the world for FDI”. ald Tusk yesterday issued a direct go. sion-effi ciency in the region of 20%, Qatar is an excellent environment for crystalline silicon, thin film, and concentrat- Page 21 Eappeal to British voters, urging “In no way are we downplaying the and capable of environmentally ac- silicon and thin-film modules because ing PV,” Dr Khalid al-Subai, acting executive them to stay in the EU at a referendum economic costs that would accompany ceptable large-scale production at a of its abundant sunshine, it has been director, Qeeri, said. “The silicon and thin- on Thursday and saying Brexit would Brexit,” he said. “I have no doubt, how- manufacturing cost of below $0.50 found after three years of testing various film modules produced 45% more energy ASIA | Strategy weaken not just Europe but the West- ever, that we are already prepared for per watt. photovoltaics (PV) technologies at the in Qatar than in Germany. However, the Nations step up ern world. the day after the referendum.” “We also have a silicon growth lab Solar Test Facility at the Qatar Science and diff use sunlight was a disadvantage for “I would like to appeal to the Brit- If Prime Minister David Cameron and several experts are working on Technology Park. most kinds of concentrating PV. We also piracy battle ish citizens, on behalf, I know that for a delivers a formal notice of Britain’s in- perovskite solar cell which is a focus “This March, we completed three years found that cleaning PV modules every two Indonesia, Malaysia and the fact, of almost all Europeans and Euro- tent to leave the EU, the other 27 lead- of much research and development of testing and have covered all major months, plus rain, kept dust losses to just Philippines yesterday agreed to pean leaders: Stay with us,” the former ers will have to set up a negotiating sys- worldwide.” technologies in the market, including 8%,” he stated. designate a transit corridor for Polish premier who chairs EU summits tem to settle terms for divorce. A perovskite solar cell is a type of commercial vessels crossing a said on a visit to Portugal. If Britons vote to stay, then next maritime zone hit by a spate of “Without you, not only Europe, but week’s summit will discuss push- hijackings by I militants in the the whole Western community will be- ing through a special deal agreed with southern Philippines. Nearly 20 come weaker. Together, we will be able Cameron in February. Indonesian and Malaysian tugboat to cope with increasingly diffi cult chal- Tusk has urged leaders to consid- crew have been kidnapped by lenges of the future.” er why voters, not just in Britain but Google to off er better health search results the Abu Sayyaf militants this year, EU leaders have refrained from en- across the bloc, are disillusioned with with Jakarta airing fears that the gaging very directly in the campaign in the European Union and has cautioned problem could reach levels seen off Britain for fear that would be counter- against those who advocate pressing on AFP collaboration with Harvard Medical and what might warrant a doctor’s the coast of Somalia. Page 24 productive. with closer political integration with- Washington School and the Mayo Clinic. visit,” the post said. But they have long insisted they out public support. This will provide the most likely “By doing this, our goal is to help RAMADAN THOUGHT want Britain to remain in the bloc and, “Whatever (the referendum) result is diagnoses in a box at the top of search you to navigate and explore health O mankind, indeed We have cre- as opinion polls have remained tight, going to be, we must take a long, hard hether it’s a tummy ache or results in a move aimed at helping us- conditions related to your symptoms, ated you from male and female several have spoken out in recent days look on the future of the Union,” Tusk a pain in the knee, Google ers cut through the clutter, although and quickly get to the point where you and made you peoples and to warn of the dangers of leaving. said. Pages 17, 18 Wis working to come up with it’s not intended as a substitute for a can do more in-depth research on the tribes that you may know one better answers to questions on spe- doctor’s opinion. web or talk to a health professional.” another. Indeed, the most noble Oil jumps on easing Brexit fears cifi c health issues. “When you ask Google about Pinchin said symptom searches and of you in the sight of Allah is the Google says around 1% of all Inter- symptoms like ‘headache on one side’, other medical information on Google most righteous [Qur’an 49:13] Oil prices jumped again yesterday in vola- global benchmark for crude oil, finished net searches are “symptom-related” we’ll show you a list of related condi- are “intended for informational pur- tile markets thanks to rising expectations at $50.65 a barrel, up $1.48 from Friday’s but that health content online “can tions (‘headache’, ‘migraine’, ‘tension poses only, and you should always Prayer times that Britain would vote to remain in the settlement. Recent polls in Britain showed be diffi cult to navigate, and tends to headache’, ‘cluster headache,’ ‘sinusi- consult a doctor for medical advice.” Fajr....3.14 Zuhr....11.36 Asr....2.58 European Union this week, pushing the the “Remain” camp gaining ground lead people from mild symptoms to tis’, and ‘common cold’),” product Google said the new search would Maghrib.....6.30 Isha.....8.00 dollar lower. US benchmark West Texas against “Leave” supporters, putting the scary and unlikely conditions, which manager Veronica Pinchin said in a be rolling out on mobile in the United Intermediate for July delivery leaped $1.39 race neck-and-neck just three days before can cause unnecessary anxiety and blog post. States in the coming days and that Fasting times to $49.37 a barrel on the New York Mer- the referendum. In a strong Brexit relief stress”. “For individual symptoms like “over time, we hope to cover more Iftar today ...... 6.30pm cantile Exchange. In London, Brent North rally, global stock markets surged higher Yesterday, the search giant said it ‘headache’, we’ll also give you an symptoms, and we also want to extend Suhoor tomorrow ...... 3.15am Sea crude for delivery in August, the and the US dollar weakened yesterday. was upgrading its health results for overview description along with in- this to other languages and interna- its mobile application in English in formation on self-treatment options tionally”. Frustrated England progress after Slovakia draw

AFP in the last 16 of the 1998 World Cup. Vardy worked hard throughout, but out Nathaniel Clyne’s shot. self unmarked when he arrived in the Saint-Etienne, France Prince William, who turns 34 to- squandered two clear chances of Eng- There was a big cheer from travelling area at pace. day, was in Saint-Etienne, sat next to land’s nine fi rst-half attempts on goal to England supporters - the loudest of the Only England fans could be heard FA chairman Greg Dyke who has said Slovakia’s single eff ort. night - when Wayne Rooney came on for as the second half wore on, nosily urg- oy Hodgson’s England secured Hodgson will remain England manager He fi red over early on, then had his Jack Wilshere with 56 minutes gone. ing the Three Lions on in search of their place in the last 16 of Euro - provided they reach the semi-fi nals. shot blocked by Kozacik in a one-on- Dele Alli, on for Lallana, then saw his the crucial goal which never came. R2016, but lost their status as Hodgson’s contract expires after Euro one after winning a sprint against Slo- shot cleared by Skrtel after fi nding him- Sport Pages 1, 2, 3 Group B winners, after being held to a 2016. vakia captain Martin Skrtel. And only a goalless draw by Slovakia yesterday. The England boss boldly made six fi ne tackle from right-back Peter Peka- Wales thump Russia to top group Wales’ 3-0 win over Russia in Tou- changes to team, starting strikers Jamie rik denied Sturridge at the near post in louse meant the Three Lions fi nish sec- Wayne Rooney reacting after the Euro Vardy and Daniel Sturridge, who both the opening 10 minutes. Lallana was Wales outplayed Russia 3-0, scoring twice to the fast, incisive Welsh breaks and ond in Group B. 2016 group B football match between scored off the bench in the 2-1 win over then denied by Kozacik’s refl ex save with in the opening 20 minutes, as they moved survived several more chances before Slovakia must now wait to see if they Slovakia and England yesterday. Wales. half an hour gone. into the round of 16 at Euro 2016 by win- Gareth Bale scored his third goal of the qualify as one of four best third-place Hodgson left skipper Wayne Rooney England’s frustration continued after ning Group B yesterday. Aaron Ramsey tournament to become Euro 2016’s top best teams after their goalkeeper Ma- most likely against Hungary or Portugal. among the replacements with centre- the break. A mix-up between centre- dinked the ball over Igor Akinfeev to finish marksman, flicking the third past Akinfeev tus Kozacik pulled off a string of saves - This was another frustrating night for back Gary Cahill taking over the cap- back Chris Smalling and goalkeeper Joe off a counter-attack in the 11th minute and in the 67th minute. some more luck than judgement. England fans in Saint-Etienne. tain’s armband. Hart allowed Slovakia winger Robert Neil Taylor added a second, also from a Wales topped the group with six points, England will now play their last 16 It was at the Stade Geoff roy Guichard Slovakia coach Jan Kozak kept faith Mak a half-chance. counter-attack nine minutes later as Wales two ahead of England, who finished sec- game in Nice next Monday against the where David Beckham was sent off as with the starting side which beat Russia At the other end, only the slightest of took early control. Russia had no answer ond after a 0-0 draw with Slovakia. side who fi nishes second in Group F, England lost to Argentina on penalties 2-1 last Wednesday. defl ections off Kozacik’s shoulder kept

Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 QATAR

Emir holds phone talks Advisory Council holds with French president weekly meeting HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad The Advisory Council held its weekly Emir and Turkish president al-Thani held a telephone conversation meeting under the chairmanship of HE with French President Francois Hollande the Speaker Mohamed bin Mubarak al- on bilateral relations and means to Khulaifi. The council discussed a report by develop them in addition to regional and the legal and legislative aff airs committee international developments of mutual in relation to a draft law on civilian review bilateral relations interest. decorations.

QNA Istanbul

H the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Hal-Thani and Turk- ish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the ex- isting strategic relations be- tween Qatar and Turkey and ways of developing them in various fi elds. During the meeting, which was held at the Presidential Huber Palace in Istanbul, on Sunday evening, the two leaders exchanged views on regional an international issues, especially develop- ments in Palestine, Syria, HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani holding talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Yemen, Libya and Iraq. Sunday. They also discussed the eff orts made by Qatar and tations in order to achieve The meeting was at- companying HH the Emir, The Emir returned to Turkey to combat terrorism security and peace in the tended by the members of and Turkish ministers and Doha yesterday morning af- in all its forms and manifes- region and the world. the offi cial delegation ac- senior offi cials. ter a working visit to Turkey.

Elimination of violence against women key to achieving social peace, says Qatar

QNA Nations Offi ce at Geneva, during the active participation in all areas. rehabilitation centre, which han- Geneva interactive dialogue with the Spe- She noted that the women’s dles the empowerment, rehabili- cial Rapporteur on violence against rights in Qatar had witnessed late- tation and protection of women women, its causes and consequenc- ly a distinct boom, either through victims of violence and their re- atar has underlined that es, as part of the 32nd session of the enhancing rights which are out- integration into society. the elimination of violence Human Rights Council in Geneva. lined in the Constitution, or by Al-Sada discussed ways to ben- Qagainst women “is not only Al-Sada pointed out that Qa- reviewing some laws in favour of efi t from technical assistance pro- important for development, but also tar had developed a roadmap to women. grammes implemented by the High for achieving social peace and secu- achieve development which is Qa- Another contributing factor is Commissioner for Human Rights rity and promoting all human rights tar National Vision 2030 that the establishment of competent Offi ce of the States and regional on an equal footing”. highlights various sectoral mechanisms of empowerment and activities in the elimination of vio- This came in the speech delivered strategies that give more at- protection such as Qatar Founda- lence against women and promote by Noor Ibrahim al-Sada, Second tention to the empowerment of tion for Social Work (QFSW) which their participation in the implemen- Secretary of the Permanent Mission women and strengthen their ca- includes a number of centres, es- tation of agenda of the sustainable of the State of Qatar to the United pacity; in order to ensure their pecially the protection and social development 2030. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 5 QATAR Panel discusses recruitment of domestic workers

QNA Doha

atar Chamber host- ed the fi rst meeting Qof the organising committee of recruitment agencies. Chaired by the head of QC’s services committee and honorary treasurer Ali Abdu- latif al-Misnad, the meeting Head of Qatar Chamber’s services committee and honorary treasurer Ali Abdulatif al-Misnad was attended by the repre- chairing the first meeting of the organising committee of recruitment agencies. sentatives of the Ministry of Administrative Develop- ister of Administrative De- overcome the problem of Development, Labour and ment, Labour and Social Af- velopment, Labour and delay in delivery. Social Affairs and held last fairs, the Ministry of Inte- Social Aff airs Dr Issa Saad A press statement issued week at the QCCI head- rior, the Ministry of Foreign al-Jafali al-Nuaimi to fa- by Qatar Chamber yes- quarters. Aff airs, and the Ministry of cilitate recruitment of do- terday said that the com- The committee seeks to Economy and Commerce, as mestic workers and lower mittee was formed during develop a mechanism to well as representatives of re- recruitment fees to ease the a meeting with owners cope with all the problems cruitment agencies. burden on families employ- of domestic recruitment facing recruitment of la- The meeting discussed ing them. agencies called by HE the bour, particularly domestic directives by HE the Min- It also addressed how to Minister of Administrative workers.

Khalifa International Stadium gets 4-star sustainability rating

QNA administered by the Gulf it a more sustainable venue. Cup Qatar stadium be Doha Organisation for Research & “In addition to this, fans awarded a minimum four- Development (Gord). This is will have the possibility to star GSAS rating in order the fi rst certifi cate for a ren- opt for the more sustainable to meet FIFA sustainability he design of Khalifa ovation project to be issued means to reach the stadi- requirements for the 2022 International Sta- by Gord. um, through easy access to FIFA World Cup Qatar com- Tdium, which is cur- Talking about the transportation infrastruc- petition venues. rently under renovation and achievement, Mansoor al- ture including the nearby Al Wakrah Stadium re- due to be completed in the Muhannadi, Khalifa Inter- Doha Metro stations.” ceived a four-star rating for fourth quarter of 2016, has national Stadium, project The award from Gord – a its design in 2015. won recognition for achiev- manager of Aspire Zone Qatar-based organisation GSAS ratings for both ing sustainability standards. Foundation, said: “We are – means the SC is also sup- Khalifa and Al Wakrah sta- Khalifa International Sta- very proud of this recogni- porting a local company as diums projects mean they dium recently received the tion which highlights our it continues to make regular are two of the most sustain- provisional four-star rating undertaking during the ren- progress towards 2022. ably designed stadiums in in the Global Sustainability ovation of Khalifa Interna- The SC requires every the Middle East and North Assessment System (GSAS), tional Stadium to also make proposed 2022 FIFA World Africa region. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 QATAR Message from Ugandan president Traffi c to be diverted on section of Wakrah Road

he Public Works Au- thority, Ashghal, has Tannounced a traf- fi c diversion on a part of Al Wakrah Road, stretching from the Air Force Inter- change on the F-Ring Road to the Old Barwa Intersec- tion, as shown in the map. The diversion, which will HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has received a written message from President of Uganda Yoweri start on June 24 evening, Museveni, pertaining to bilateral relations between Qatar and Uganda and ways of enhancing them. The message will be operated in co-ordi- was handed over to HE the Assistant Foreign Minister for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad al-Meraikhi, during a nation with the Traffi c Po- meeting with Uganda’s ambassador to Qatar Dr Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu yesterday in Doha. lice Department. As part of this diversion, road users travelling from Al Wakrah to Doha will be able to use two routes to reach their destination. Motorists travel- ling to Hamad International Airport or the Corniche can turn right at the Barwa Village Domasco develops app Traffi c Signal onto Ras Abu Aboud Road, while road users travelling to central Doha can turn left at the same traffi c sig- nal onto the new extension of for Honda customers Najma Street. Road users travelling from on the existing Al Wakrah way Programme, and in- south area of Doha. Doha to Al Wakrah will be Road and facilitate the con- cludes the construction Ashghal will install road omasco, the au- users can select any location latest Honda news from able to use the same routes struction works of the main of a new dual carriageway signs advising motorists of thorised distribu- to be directly opened in any across the world as well as along Najma Street and Ras carriageway as part of Ash- with a length of approxi- the diversion. The author- Dtor for Honda cars of the navigation apps on Honda Qatar Facebook and Abu Aboud Road. ghal’s East Corridor project. mately 11km and consists ity requests all road users in Qatar, has developed a their phones. Twitter feeds enabling us- The traffi c diversion will The East Corridor Ex- of five lanes in each direc- to abide by the speed limits, smartphone application for Direct calling feature ers to easily like or share enable Ashghal to com- pressway project is part of tion. The road will create and follow the road signs to Honda customers. of the app connects cus- this content. mence excavation works Ashghal’s vital Express- a new strategic link in the ensure their safety. Honda Qatar app, avail- tomers to Honda’s toll Faisal Sharif, manag- able for free on both Apple free number with just one ing director at Domasco App Store and Google Play, click. Users also can book said, “The development of provides access to detailed a service appointment by Honda Qatar application is information about Honda filling in a form within the part of our mission to cre- vehicles and other services. app. ate channels that best suit Public security chief visits command centre The app has up-to-date in- Speaking about the new our customers’ lifestyles and formation with pictures of platform, Greig Roffey, preferences. Domasco takes the latest Honda car mod- head of sales and market- the customer feedback very E the Director-Gen- els. Users can fi ll in a con- ing for Honda, said: “We seriously. With that in mind, eral of Public Secu- tact form for any queries observed that many of our we have also integrated an Hrity (DGPS) Major and even book a test drive customers are accessing after sales feedback mecha- General Saad bin Jassim al- for any of the car models Honda information from A window from the Honda nism wherein the customers Khulaifi paid a visit to the from within the app itself. their smartphones and Qatar app can give their feedback re- National Command Centre The app also features a tablets. So we decided to lated to our after sales serv- (NCC) on Sunday to inspect Find Us option which shows make it simpler for our through an integrated ap- ice. This application will get the cyber security shield all sales and after sales loca- customers to access all the plication.” us even closer with our cus- and explore the means of HE al-Khulaifi and other off icials during the visit to the National Command Centre. tions on the Qatar map and sales related information The app also provides tomers.” protecting the transporta- tion system from potential assistant undersecretary man of the executive com- ber security shield is of electronic threats and at- at the Ministry of Trans- mittee, Qatar Rail. great importance to security tacks. port and Communications; HE al-Khulaifi and the work as “we live in the age of According to informa- Khalid Nasser al-Hail, guests listened to a detailed modern technology”. tion available on the Min- CEO of Mowasalat, Badr explanation on the work of “We must develop secu- istry of Interior’s online Mohamed al-Meer, COO of the cyber security shield, rity capabilities and pro- channels, HE al-Khulaifi Hamad International Air- workfl ow in the opera- fi ciencies so that we can was accompanied by Ab- port; Abdullah al-Khonji, tions room, electronic ar- deal with all kinds of cyber dullah Nasser Turki al- CEO of Qatar Ports Man- rangements and equipment threats,” he said, urging all Subaie, chairman of the agement; and Abdulla Ab- and how to deal with cyber stakeholders to make con- Civil Aviation Authority; dulaziz Turki al-Subaie, threats. certed eff orts to ensure the Hassan Jassim al-Sayyid, board member and chair- He stressed that the cy- success of this mission.

Strong winds, poor visibility due to dust

trong winds are ex- the sea level may rise day reached a high of 46C in Today, the maximum pected during the day to 8ft in the early hours Turayna, 45C in Sheehaniya temperature is expected Salong with poor vis- before falling by the af- and Batna, and 44C in the to be 43C in Messaied and ibility in some places due to ternoon. Qatar University area, Mes- Wakrah, 42C in Al Khor and blowing dust, the Qatar Met The mercury level yester- saied and Karana. 41C in Doha. department has said in its forecast for today. Offshore areas, too, are likely to see strong winds and high seas towards the early part of the day, ac- cording to the weather re- port. The wind speed may reach a high of 35 knots in some inshore areas at times before decreasing by night. In offshore areas, the wind speed is likely to go up to around 25 knots be- fore dropping by this after- noon. Visibility, meanwhile, may reduce to 2km or less in some places at times. As forecast earlier, the country was aff ected by windy and dusty conditions yesterday, too, along with a drop in visibility. Besides dusty condi- tions at times, the fore- cast for inshore areas to- day also says it will be hot during the day. Offshore areas are also expected to see slightly dusty conditions and

Emir condoles with Saudi king

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, condoling the death of Princess Hassah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz al-Saud. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 7 QATAR

Qatar Steel held the career open day with a view to attract and recruit national students. Qatar Steel holds career open day for students

atar Steel has held a career Qatarisation strategy, which is one of ed Saleh al-Mahdi, administration open day in Doha to attract the important policies adopted by the division manager. Q and recruit national stu- company’s management, in compli- He pointed out that job opportu- dents. ance with Qatar National Vision 2030 nities are available at Qatar Steel in In a statement, the company said it that focuses on national human re- diff erent technical and administra- aims to familiarise national students sources and the need to provide them tive areas and disciplines, and that the in general and graduates in particular with all support required. “We hope company, as a rule, qualifi es the newly with the job opportunities available that through this event, we can encour- appointed employees through provid- and the academic disciplines required, age Qatari students to join the steel in- ing proper training courses in order to as well as to brief them about the dustry, which is one of vital industrial boost their practical skills and develop training and development courses and sectors in Qatar.” their career potentials. internships programmes Qatar Steel “The career open day helps stu- The career open day has attracted a provides. dents interact face to face with the “great number of Qatari students who Ali bin Hassan al-Muraikhi, man- employers, enquire about the jobs are seeking suitable job opportunities aging director and general manager, required and check about the career that meet their ambition and aspira- stressed that the initiative supports the path suitable for them,” said Moham- tions”, according to the company.

Ministry in drive against piracy

he Ministry of Economy and caused by piracy. The campaign also Piracy of intellectual property in- Commerce (MEC) has launched aims at stressing the need to abide by cludes illegal viewing of pay TV chan- Ta campaign against the piracy of law no 7 for 2002 on the Protection of nels, use of unauthorised receivers and intellectual property in co-operation Copyright and Related Rights. transmitters, illegal download and use with beIN Channels Network. MEC campaign is part of its Ram- of computer software and games, and The campaign adopts the motto ‘To- adan initiative to promote consumer other related things. MEC stresses that gether against piracy’, aiming at pro- rights and enhance public awareness such practices have a harmful outcome moting public awareness on the harm about related issues. on the overall economy. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 QATAR

Children decked up in traditional costumes. Children and adults queue up to collect sweets and nuts. Children and adults fl ock to Katara to celebrate Garangao large number of children istic destination in Qatar, where were played through the loud- and adults from various visitors can share entertain- speakers, while children sang Anationalities fl ocked to ment, educational, scientifi c and along loudly as they ran from Katara to attend the traditional spiritual experiences. station to station, in a true re- festival of Garangao on Sunday “The Garangao night was re- vival of the old scenes where night in a joyous celebration of plete with unique traditional and children ran from one Ferij the 14th day of Ramadan. educational themes, and through (neighbourhood) to another. The participants stayed until the celebration we aimed at bol- Many were stopped by curious after midnight to enjoy a feast stering ties amongst families and spectators and tourists who were of Katara’s colourful Ramadan neighbourhoods so this cordial eager to photograph their vibrant activities. They also gathered to atmosphere can be enjoyed and costumes and capture their pick up their cloth bags before shared by next generations”. moments of joy. going around the interior of the Bowls of nuts, candy and Garangao is a traditional chil- amphitheatre, and other Katara chocolates were distributed to dren’s party celebrated after the zones to collect what appeared to the children. Accompanied by breaking of the fast on the 14th be in some cases almost a year’s their families, most children night of Ramadan, when half supply of sweets and nuts. were dressed in traditional Ga- of the fasting month is over. Commenting on the event, rangao attire: gold-coloured The festival is celebrated in Katara general manager Dr Kha- head and neck pieces, veils and the Gulf region and is known lid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti said: richly embroidered caftans and by diff erent names in each re- “Attracting such a wide audience skirts for the girls, and white gion: Garangao in Qatar and of all ages to our Ramadan Festi- ‘thobes’ with gold lining, mini- Bahrain, Karkee’aan in Saudi val is a sign of yet another suc- ature ‘bishts’, and crisp ‘ghutras’ Arabia, Gargee’aan in Kuwait, cess and recognition of Katara for the boys. Qarnakosh in Oman, and Hag as a premiere cultural and tour- Traditional Garangao songs Al Leylah in the UAE. Page 28 Katara buildings were adorned with decorative lights.

CELEBRATION AT QC: Qatar Chamber (QC) marked Garangao night on Sunday, where QC representatives distributed gifts and bags of sweets and nuts to children and families at Landmark Mall, in an effort to support the Qatari heritage. QC stressed its keenness to participate in all such events as part of its involvement in the social life of the country. Some of the participants at the Garangao celebrations. ‘Buy 2 Get 1 Free’ promotion back at LuLu outlets

he “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” pro- customers,” the statement not- Centre and Barwa City branches, motion has once again ed. respectively. Tbeen launched at LuLu The promotion entitles cus- Some vendors have also outlets, running until July 9. tomers to get the lowest-priced launched promotions at LuLu The promotion features a product free when they buy outlets in line with Ramadan and number of international brands three of any of the above items the upcoming summer vacation. of menswear, ladieswear, churi- irrespective of the brand. Lat- For instance, customers are dars, saris, childrenwear, foot- est summer and winter collec- entitled to get a LuLu gift vouch- wear and ladies’ bags, the com- tions of international brands and er worth QR75 on the purchase pany has said in a statement. trendy fashionwear and foot- of Delsey luggage items worth Stocks of leading interna- wear to suit all age groups are on QR300, until July 25; a LuLu tional brands such as Lee, Wran- off er, keeping in mind the grow- gift voucher worth QR50 on the gler, Nike, Crocs, Sketchers, ing demands of customers, the purchase of American Touris- Reebok, Louis Philippe, Arrow, company has said. ter luggage items worth QR200, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Peter LuLu Group is also conduct- until July 25; and a LuLu gift England, Oxemberg, Zero, Dash, ing a promotion in which it is voucher worth QR50 on the pur- Hush Puppies, Liberty, Dickies, off ering 10 Mercedes-Benz chase of Carlton luggage items Joseph Seibel etc are on display. E-200 cars, 2016 model. Under worth QR250, until June 30. The LuLu management has this promotion, customers get a Further, customers will be en- stressed that this initiative is coupon on every purchase worth titled to get a LuLu gift voucher one of the “mega promotions” QR50 to be eligible to win the worth QR30, until July 25, on the in the company’s promotion cal- cars. purchase of Targus laptop bags and endar and conducted regularly The promotion will continue accessories worth QR100. Also, every year. “It is a much-await- until August 6 and culminate in when they buy any Wagon R lug- ed promotion and has gained fi ve mega draws from August 7 to gage item, customers will get the popularity as it adds more value 11, to be conducted at the D-Ring next one at half price. This promo- to the hard-earned money of Road, Al Gharafa, Al Khor, LuLu tion will continue until July 16. The ‘Buy 2 Get 1 Free’ promotion will run until July 9. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 9 QATAR WISE hosts Blue Salon launches Montaha abaya collection conference on reforms in education he World Innovation public leadership needed to in- ating positive conditions for Summit for Education spire, drive and achieve change innovation in Spain. He dis- T(WISE) recently hosted at the systems level. cussed ways that some of them a panel discussion in Madrid Hallgarten, who is the direc- could be implemented, saying Blue Salon has launched the latest collection of Montaha Abaya Couture. Ashraf Abu Issa is seen with the designer and models on the to support global education tor of Creative Learning and “the key fi ndings of this WISE occasion. reform leaders in fi nding the Development at the London- research are very relevant for most eff ective ways to drive in- based ideas organisation Royal the current education situation novation in education systems. Society for the Arts, explained in Spain.” The engagement promoted how he and his co-authors ar- The engagement took place the recommendations of the rived at the nine fi rst steps re- at El Salón de Embajadores at WISE research report, ‘Crea- quired for re-orienting public the prestigious Casa de Améri- tive Public Leadership: How system innovation. ca in central Madrid, and was HBKU provost School System Leaders Can He said he is “quite optimis- chaired and moderated by Sta- Create the Conditions for Sys- tic” about education in Spain vros Yiannouka, CEO, WISE. tem-wide Innovation.’ as it represents a great oppor- An initiative of Qatar Foun- gets top award The report presents a road- tunity. dation for Education, Science map for facilitating system- José Antonio Marina, who is and Community Development, level change in education. among Spain’s leading voices the gathering took place along- he provost of Joe Hallgarten, a lead au- on education reform, shared side the WISE Learners’ Voice Hamad Bin thor of the report, described his views on fostering educa- residential session, also in Ma- TKhalifa Uni- key fi ndings about the creative tion leadership towards cre- drid. versity (HBKU), Dr Khaled B Letaief (pictured), has re- ceived the Marconi Prize Paper Award on Wireless Communi- cations from the US-based Institute of Elec- trical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The award, which recognises exceptional innovation in the fi eld of electronics and com- puter engineering, was presented to the HBKU provost at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur during the IEEE International Conference on Com- munications, IEEE’s fl agship conference on communications technologies. Dr Letaief said: “I am delighted and hon- oured to receive this prestigious international award, which recognises innovation at the cutting edge of communications technolo- gies and the best research output in the fi eld of wireless communications published over the past three years in IEEE Transactions on Wire- less Communications - the premier journal to focus on this scientifi c discipline.” José Antonio Marina, Stavros Yiannouka and Joe Hallgarten at the recent panel discussion in Madrid The winning research paper, titled “Group hosted by WISE. Sparse Beamforming for Green Cloud-RAN,” was evaluated on the basis of its originality, utility, timeliness and clarity of presentation Kia Cerato 2010 models recalled and was showcased at the 2016 prestigious conference. It had originally been published The Ministry of Economy and eff orts to protect consumers The MEC has urged all in the 2014 edition of the IEEE Transactions of Commerce, in collaboration and ensure that car dealers customers to report any Wireless Communications journal, in line with with Al-Attiya Motors and follow up on vehicles’ defects violations to its Consumer award requirements. Trading Company, has and repair them. Protection and Anti-Commercial IEEE has more than 420,000 members announced the recall of Kia The MEC will co-ordinate with Fraud Department through the across 160 countries and is the leading global Cerato models of 2010 due to a the dealer to follow up on following channels: Hotline: organisation to focus on technological ad- defective automatic transaxle the maintenance and repair 16001, e-mail: [email protected]. vancement in electrical engineering, compu- oil cooler hose. works and communicate with qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, ter science and electronics by holding confer- The MEC said the recall customers to ensure that the Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC ences, publishing highly cited research papers, campaign comes within the necessary repairs are carried mobile app for Android and IOS: and by developing professional and educa- framework of its ongoing out. MEC_Qatar tional standards.

Doha Bank and Western Union unveil promotion

oha Bank has un- Bank’s online and mobile veiled a new pro- banking channel.” Dmotion that off ers Doha Bank’s secured cash back rewards to cus- online and revamped mo- tomers when they trans- bile banking service brings fer money using Western the convenience of 24/7 Union on the bank’s online banking to the customers, and mobile banking serv- letting them enjoy a wide ice. range of features designed Under the joint promo- to manage their banking tion, Doha Bank custom- needs. ers will get 5% cash back As part of its eff orts on every Western Un- to off er customers con- ion money transfer sent venience and security through Doha Bank’s on- in the digital banking line and mobile banking space, Doha Bank recently service. launched an enhanced ver- The promotion runs sion of its mobile banking until July 31, during which app featuring a number of the accumulated 5% on the new functionalities, in- principal amount trans- cluding biometric login, ferred through Western which off ers users the op- Union will be credited into tion of using their fi nger- the customers’ account prints to authenticate their once every week. identities to sign into mo- “In teaming up with bile banking, making Doha Western Union for this ex- Bank the fi rst in Qatar to clusive promotion, Doha provide its customers with Bank off ers its custom- biometric access to bank- ers a rewarding way to ing services. send money to family and The DBank Mobile app friends this Ramadan,” also off ers several other in- said Doha Bank CEO Dr R novative features such as Seetharaman. Apple Watch Banking, lo- “The promotion further cal fund transfer, D-Card- off ers an opportunity for less Withdrawal, Western customers to discover the Union money transfer, hassle-free convenience of Click Card Reload, and re- performing their fi nancial mittances through credit transactions through Doha card. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 QATAR/RAMADAN Spending on dried foodstuff goes up

By Ramesh Mathew quantities during this period include QR52/kg mark, it is learnt. Staff Reporter dates as well as walnut, pista, almond, “Dried fruits are a good option and cashew and sunfl ower seeds. The trend we buy them in large quantities during continues beyond Ramadan, running this period, along with certain other pending on foodstuff , particu- into the Eid holidays, they point out. types of food,” said a resident. larly dried items, has increased Besides the above-mentioned vari- Some people, meanwhile, stressed Ssince the beginning of the holy eties, items such as dried fi gs - which the need for moderation while buying month of Ramadan. mainly come from Turkey - are also food and other products during Ra- Large crowds could be seen at hy- easily found in the market. madan, saying people should refrain permarkets and other retail outlets as As far as the prices of dried fruits are from purchasing more than they re- people stock on various types of food concerned, there has been a marginal rise quire. “We try to limit our purchases products, with the demand being par- compared to retail rates last year, accord- to what we actually require. This way, ticularly high for dried fruits, among ing to sources. While most of them are we can save money and also cut down others. available for prices ranging from QR35 to on food wastage,” said one of them. According to sources in the re- QR45/kg, cashew nuts are costlier with A few days ago, the Ministry of tail sector, items that are sold in large the wholesale price hovering around the Economy and Commerce off ered tips to citizens and residents to shop smarter and plan better for the holy Bahraini Muslim boys read the Holy Qur’an during the holy fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque in the village of Sanabis, month. The advisory came in the west of Manama. context of the increase in household spending on consumer goods and food that is generally witnessed during this period, the ministry had said. The tips highlighted the importance of saving money and planning pur- chases in advance, allocating a monthly Simple tips to help you budget for food commodities, prepar- ing a list of necessary family purchases and complying with it as well as avoid- ing shopping prior to Iftar as hunger is generally known to drive consumers to connect with the Qur’an Dried fruits and nuts on display at a hypermarket in Doha. PICTURE: Jayan Orma buy unnecessary products. t is recommended for every be- 3. Start with reading only fi ve min- In an age of “interactive” CD-ROMs lieving man and woman to re- utes everyday and computer programs, a number of Icite the Book of Allah, the Noble Too often, we think that we should people think books are passive and bor- Qur’an, often, with due contempla- read the Noble Qur’an for at least one ing. But the Qur’an is not like that. Re- tion and understanding. This may be whole hour. If you are not in the habit of member that when you read the Glori- done by using a copy of the Qur’an or reading regularly, this is too much. Start ous Qur’an, you are interacting with Commercial Bank holds from one’s memory. Allah – the Most off with just fi ve minutes daily. If you took Almighty Allah. He Almighty is talking to High – Says (what means): “[This is] care of step one, Insha Allah (Allah will- you, so pay attention. a blessed Book (the Qur’an) which We ing), you will notice that those fi ve min- have revealed to you, (O Muhammad, utes will become 10, then half an hour, 6. Do not just read, you have to lis- sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), that they then an hour, and maybe even more! ten too an Iftar for the elderly might refl ect upon its verses and that There are now many audio cassettes those of understanding would be re- 4. Make sure that you understand and CDs of the Qur’an, a number of them ommercial Bank has organised minded.” [Qur’an 38:29] what you have read with translations as well. This is great to an Iftar in honour of the elderly Are you one of those people who rarely Five minutes of reading the Qur’an in put on your Walkman or your car’s CD or Cresidents of Empowerment and touch the Qur’an? Or do you read it daily, Arabic is good, but you need to under- stereo as you drive to and from work. Use Elderly Care Centre (Ihsan). but don’t fi nd it is having the impact on stand what you are reading. If you are not this in addition to your daily Qur’an read- As part of the initiative, the bank’s you that it should? Whatever the case Arabic, or you don’t understand the Ara- ing, not as a replacement for it. team visited the elderly at Ihsan and may be, these are some simple tips that bic language, then make sure you have a shared Iftar with them in an “atmos- can help you connect with the Qur’an. good translation of the Qur’an in the lan- 7. Make Du’aa’ (supplication). phere of amity and geniality”. guage you understand best. Always try to Ask Allah, the Most Exalted, to guide Commercial Bank CEO Abdulla 1. Before you touch it, check your read the translation of what you have read you when you read the Qur’an. Your aim Saleh al-Raisi said: “In keeping with heart that day. is to sincerely, for the love of Allah, inter- our Qatari traditions to break fast with The key to really benefi ting from the Regarding those who neglect the Glo- act with Him by reading, understanding family, friends and neighbours, it is Qur’an is to check your heart fi rst, before rious Qur’an by not reading or not under- and applying His blessed words. Making our pleasure to share an Iftar with the you even touch Allah’s book. Ask your- standing it, Allah Almighty Says (what Du’aa’ to Allah for help and guidance will elderly who have made an enormous self, honestly, why you are reading it. Is means):”And the Messenger has said, “O be your best tool for doing this. contribution to our county. it to just get some information and to let my Lord, indeed my people have taken When you are making du’aa’, you have This Iftar is a gesture of appreciation it drift away from you later? Remember this Qur’an as [a thing] abandoned.” a direct connection with Allah Almighty. and respect for both the older gen- that the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu [Qur’an: 25: 30] So when you are saying your du’aa’, you erations and for Qatari customs during ‘alaihi wa sallam, was described by his Allah Almighty informs us about His shouldn’t be distracted, but instead Ramadan.” noble wife, ‘Aa’ishah, radhiallah ‘anha, Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad, you should be fully concentrated. The Khalid Abdulla Hussein, director of as a “walking Qur’an”: in other words, he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, that he said: Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, public relations and media at Ihsan, didn’t just read and recite the Qur’an, he “My Lord my people have abandoned - said: “Make Du’aa’ and be assured of it lauded the Commercial Bank visit and The Commercial Bank’s team visited the elderly at Ihsan and shared the Iftar lived it. acting or listening - to the Qur’an” and being answered, and know that Allah, the Iftar with the elderly community, not- with them in an “atmosphere of amity and geniality”. that is because the idol-worshippers did Exalted, does not answer a Du’aa’ from a ing that this gesture “brought joy and 2. Before you touch it, do your not pay attention nor listen to the Qur’an, careless heart which is not concentrat- happiness to Ihsan’s mothers and fa- ing the elderly, off ering guidance to the home, the hospital and the nurs- Wudhoo’ (ablution) as Allah Says (what means): “And those ing.” [At-Tirmithi] thers and deeply aff ected them”. adopt the best methods in this regard. ing home and endeavours to establish Doing your Wudhoo’ is good physi- who disbelieve say, “Do not listen to this Article source: http://www.islamweb. Ihsan provides home-based care and Ihsan says it “strives to develop an the necessary facilities and legisla- cal and mental preparation to remind Qur’an and speak noisily during [the rec- net/emainpage/ raises public awareness about embrac- integrated care system that includes tions”. you that you are not reading just another itation of] it that perhaps you will over- book. You are about to interact with Al- come.” [Qur’an 41:26] lah, the Most Exalted, so being clean should be a priority when communicat- 5. Remember that the Noble Qur’an Nojoom members can donate ing with Him. is far more interactive than a CD points to charity this Ramadan

oredoo has said it is encouraging its Nojoom mem- bers to donate their Nojoom points to charities in OQatar during the holy month of Ramadan. With Nojoom charity redemption, members can donate to some of Qatar’s “best loved” charitable organisations easily by using their points for vouchers starting at QR25 and going up to QR2,000, Ooredoo has said in a statement. Redemptions can be done to Nojoom’s charity partners such as Qatar Charity, Sheikh Eid Bin Mohamed Al Thani Charitable Association, also known as Eid Charity, and Afi f. Nojoom members can log into their Nojoom account via the Ooredoo website or the Ooredoo App to make a re- demption. Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, director of community and public relations at Ooredoo, said: “We aim to encourage the joy and importance of giving that comes with the holy month by making donations as easy as possible. Thanks to Nojoom, members can now donate to their choice of charities using points.” Ooredoo has launched a series of special off ers and sev- eral community and charity events that will take place across the country throughout the month of Ramadan. Customers can follow the Ooredoo Ramadan campaign via the company’s Facebook and Twitter page or the hash- tag #CloserConnection Ooredoo’s Alrabaa. QC distributes food parcels among Fallujah displaced

QNA It is also preparing to distribute for those affected in the city. Doha another 5,000 parcels in the next few Mohamed Rashed al-Kaabi, direc- days in order to take the distribution tor of the Relief Section at QC, said fi gures up to 8,000 food parcels dur- the delivery of food parcels was “part atar Charity (QC) has dis- ing the holy month of Ramadan . of the fraternal duty and humanitar- tributed, over the past few The food aid comes within ian relief to the displaced brethren” in Qdays, some 3,000 food parcels the framework of a campaign Fallujah and the Iraqi people in order among the displaced residents of Fal- launched by QC to provide 10,000 to help alleviate their suff ering as a re- lujah in the Iraqi Anbar province. food parcels and medical supplies sult of the developments there. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 11 REGION/ARAB WORLD Heirs of EgyptAir crash victims to get compensation

DPA surance companies to pay the heirs will receive the compensa- it crashed, according to Greek day that both had sustained unit at the Egyptian Civil Avia- Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt’s Sinai Cairo heirs of those who died in the tion including those of the fl ight and Egyptian offi cials. heavy damage. tion Ministry, which specialises peninsula, killing all 224 people accident $25,000 as a temporary crew members. No distress call was received. Once the repair work is done, in aviation accidents. on board. compensation until a settlement EgyptAir fl ight MS804 was en Earlier yesterday, sources at it will be determined if the data Last month, Egyptian Civil Russian authorities said that the he legal heirs of the vic- is reached to off er them the total route from Paris to Cairo on May the Egypt-led investigative com- from the cockpit voice recorder Aviation Minister Sherif Fathy incident was caused by a bomb. tims of the EgyptAir fl ight value,” head of EgyptAir Safwat 19 when it crashed into the Medi- mittee said they should know and the fl ight data recorder can said that a terrorist act appeared The Islamic State extremist Tthat plunged into the Mussalem said. terranean, some 290km north of within hours if they can salvage be easily downloaded, the sourc- a more likely cause than mechan- group, which operates in Sinai, Mediterranean Sea last month “Death certifi cates of the vic- the Egyptian coast, killing all 66 any information from the fl ight’s es said. ical failure. claimed responsibility and pub- will receive an initial compensa- tims of the accident will be is- people on board. two black boxes. According to the sources, ex- The crash came almost six lished a photo of a soft drink can tion of $25,000, an offi cial said sued by the [Egyptian] Cabinet The Airbus A320 veered to the The two data recorders were perts from France and the US months after a Russian passen- that it said had been fi lled with yesterday. within the coming 48 hours,” left and then spun around right- recovered last week. took part in repairing the damage ger jet broke up midair shortly explosives and smuggled onto “It has been agreed with in- he said, adding that all victims’ wards in the last minutes before But investigators said on Sun- in co-operation with a special after take-off from the resort of the fl ight. Bahrain strips top Shia cleric of citizenship

AFP gered fresh tensions and street But unlike in earlier cases, the Manama protests in the cleric’s home vil- decision against Qassim was is- lage of Diraz, west of the capital sued by the Gulf state’s council Manama, witnesses said. of ministers and rather than by a ahrain said yesterday it has They said police deployed in court. revoked the citizenship force and sealed off the village. UN Secretary General Ban Ki- Bof the kingdom’s top Shia Qassim allegedly worked on moon voiced concern last week cleric, accusing him of sowing “controlling elections” by issuing over Bahrain’s opposition crack- sectarian divisions. fatwas, or religious edicts, either down. Sheikh Isa Qassim, considered calling for or against voter partic- Police on June 13 re-arrested the community’s spiritual leader, ipation, the interior ministry said. activist Nabeel Rajab. abused his position to “serve for- It said his interventions On Thursday, a court sen- Syrian children play in a makeshift refugee camp on the outskirts of the town of Zahle (background) in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley yesterday. eign interests and promote sec- “stretched to aspects of public tenced eight Shias to 15-year jail The number of refugees and others fleeing their homes worldwide has hit a new record, spiking to 65.3mn people by the end of 2015, the tarianism and violence”, the inte- life”. terms and stripped them of their United Nations said. rior ministry said, quoted by the The ministry suggested Qassim citizenship for forming a “terror” BNA state news agency. was not of Bahraini origin, with- group. Qassim had been a strong pro- out specifying when he acquired In another trial, 13 people were ponent of “absolute allegiance citizenship, while online sources each jailed for 15 years for the at- to the clergy,” while maintaining say he was born in Diraz in the tempted murder of policemen. continuous contact with “organi- 1940s. Twenty-two others were im- sations and parties that are en- He delivers the sermon at prisoned for three years each in Record 65mn people are emies of the kingdom,” it charged. weekly Friday prayers in the the same case. There was no immediate in- mosque of Diraz, regularly criti- The verdicts are the latest in the dication of Qassim’s fate but, in cising the government’s crack- series of rulings meted out against theory, he would be left state- down on the opposition. Bahrain’s Shias. less and could face deportation Prime Minister Khalifah bin They followed a decision to displaced worldwide: UN through a legal process. Salman al-Khalifah, addressing close all of Wefaq’s offi ces and The decision against Qas- the council of ministers, warned freeze its funds for its alleged AFP of political will, there is politi- refugees, while the remainder lence led to a 17% rise in those sim follows the suspension of “there will be no place for those role as a haven of “terrorism, Geneva cal paralysis and humanitarian are asylum seekers. leaving their homes through Bahrain’s main Shia opposition who incite violations of the law radicalisation, and violence” organisations like mine are left Palestinians are the largest 2015. group, Al-Wefaq, whose political and who threaten the security of and for serving as a channel for to deal with the consequences group of refugees at more than Faced with an increasing need chief Sheikh Ali Salman is serving the country.” “foreign interference” in the he number of refugees and struggling to save lives on 5mn, including those who fl ed at to resettle those facing persecu- a nine-year jail term on charge of Authorities have revoked by kingdom. and others fl eeing their limited budgets,” Grandi told re- the creation of Israel in 1948 and tion, the answers are not always inciting violence. court order the citizenships of Bahrain has accused Tehran of Thomes worldwide has hit porters in Afghanistan’s capital their descendants. obvious. The latest move in an escalating scores of Shias convicted of vio- stoking unrest among the major- a new record, spiking to 65.3mn Kabul. Syria is next on the list, with “The rate at which solutions crackdown on opposition trig- lence. ity community. people by the end of 2015, the The number of people dis- 4.9mn refugees, followed by Af- are being found for refugees and United Nations said yesterday. placed globally rose by 5.8mn ghanistan (2.7mn) and Somalia internally displaced people has Europe’s high-profi le migrant through 2015, according to the (1.1mn). been on a falling trend since the crisis, its worst since World War UN fi gures. A mixture of worrying factors end of the Cold War,” the UN II, is just one part of a growing Counting Earth’s population has led to rising displacement agency said. tide of human misery led by Pal- at 7.349bn, the UN said that one and narrowing space for refugee “We simply do not have the Down’s syndrome man shot by Israelis buried estinians, Syrians and Afghans. out of every 113 people on the resettlement. option of turning our backs and AFP a stream of condolence visits terday when asked by AFP about Globally, close to 1% of hu- planet was now either internally “Situations that cause large walking away,” Grandi warned Hebron in the living room of the family the shooting. manity has been forced to fl ee. displaced or a refugee. refugee outfl ows are lasting in Kabul, echoing wider calls home. “He was the most loveable “This is the fi rst time that They now number more than longer,” the agency said, includ- among humanitarian chiefs for Jaradat’s father, Sharif, said Arif (person) in the village,” his father the threshold of 60mn has been the populations of Britain or ing more than 30 years of unrest world powers, especially in the alestinians yesterday bur- had heard villagers and troops said tearfully, as dozens of rela- crossed,” the UN refugee agency France, the agency said, add- in both Somalia and Afghani- West, to be more welcoming of ied a young man said to were engaged in clashes and had tives and neighbours walked in a said. ing that it is “a level of risk for stan. migrants and refugees. Pbe suff ering from Down’s rushed to the scene. long funeral procession with the The fi gures, released on World which UNHCR knows no prec- New and intense confl icts as Turkey - which struck a con- syndrome, who was fatally shot “He got about 10m from the body, which was wrapped in a Refugee Day, underscore twin edent.” well as dormant crises that have troversial deal with the Euro- by Israeli troops in the occupied soldiers and put his hands in the Palestinian fl ag. pressures fuelling an unprec- “Every 24 minutes a person is been “reignited” are further pean Union in March to stem West Bank. air,” said Sharif, 68, leaning on a Violence in Israel and the Pal- edented global displacement forced to choose exile from his fuelling displacement, UNHCR Europe’s migrant crisis - hosted Arif Jaradat, 22, was wounded walking stick. estinian territories since October crisis. home,” Grandi said in Kabul. said, pointing to South Sudan, the highest number of refugees during clashes with the Israeli “Four of his brothers were there has killed at least 208 Palestin- As confl ict and persecution Displacement fi gures have Yemen, Burundi and the Cen- through 2015 at 2.5mn, mostly armed forces on May 4 in his and they called out to the soldiers ians, 32 Israelis, two Americans, force growing numbers of peo- been rising since the mid- tral African Republic, aside from Syrians. home village of Sair. in English and Hebrew not to an Eritrean and a Sudanese. ple to fl ee, anti-migrant politi- 1990s, but the rate of increase Syria. Germany received the high- He died of his injuries at a shoot,” he said. Israeli authorities say most of cal sentiment has strained the has jumped since the outbreak Beyond the refugee hotspots est number of asylum requests Palestinian hospital in nearby “There were seven soldiers the Palestinians were carrying out willingness to resettle refugees, of Syria’s civil war in 2011. in the Middle East and Af- (441,900) over the 12-month Hebron on Sunday, staff said. there; they started to leave but knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. said UNHCR chief Filippo Gran- Of the planet’s 65.3mn dis- rica, UNHCR said there were span, demonstrating the coun- He was “a special case” with one came back and fi red.” Others were killed in clashes di. placed, 40.8mn remain within also troubling signs in Central try’s “readiness to receive peo- “special needs”, his mother Za- The Israeli army spokesper- with security forces or by Israeli “Instead of burden-sharing, their own country, 21.3mn have America, where growing num- ple who were fl eeing to Europe kia Jaradat said as she received son’s offi ce had no response yes- air strikes in the Gaza Strip. we see borders closing. Instead fl ed across borders and are now bers of people fl eeing gang vio- via the Mediterranean.”

Classic car replica turns Iran foils heads in Gaza City attacks in

Reuters the replica is built on a Mitsubishi Tehran Gaza City chassis and powered by a 1,600 cc Mitsubishi engine. Reuters It drew admiring glances and Dubai epairing cars in the Gulf, a cheers from motorists and pedes- Palestinian mechanic from trians as Shindi, accompanied by Rthe Gaza Strip once spot- two of his sons, took a rare drive ran has thwarted several ted a vehicle that took his breath down a main Gaza street on Sun- planned bombings in Tehran away. It was a classic: a Mercedes day. Iand other cities, state news Gazelle. “I am still waiting for the au- agency quoted the intelligence Munir Shindi knew that he had thorities to allow me to license it ministry as saying yesterday, in to have one. So, after returning so I can drive it properly,” he said. what it called a major plot by Is- home to Gaza, he set about build- Designed by Ferdinand Por- lamic State militants against the ing a replica of the 1927 model of sche, the lightweight Gazelle se- country. the two-door, open-top roadster ries helped Mercedes dominate Iranian authorities say Islamic from scratch. motorsport in the late 1920s and State militants have been hatch- Cannibalising parts from used early 1930s. ing “plots and conspiracies” vehicles and importing a few According to classic car web- against it from their de facto items such as locks, hub caps and sites, about 300 Gazelles were capital Raqqa in Syria. hinges from the United States, produced, and one unrestored “In a criminal plot of the anti- Shindi, 36, spent nearly two years model sold for $7.4mn in 2004. Islamic terrorist takfi ri groups, shaping his masterpiece. Palestinians in Gaza, territory a series of bombings had been It’s now on display in his me- controlled by Hamas, import cars planned in several places of the chanic’s shop. from around the world via Israel. country for the coming days... “I wanted to prove to myself There are about 70,000 reg- the terrorists were arrested and that I can make it and that noth- istered cars in the small, densely some bombs and a huge amount ing was impossible,” he said. populated enclave of 1.95mn peo- of explosives were seized,” the Off -white with burgundy seats, ple. Palestinian Munir Shindi, 36, drives a replica of a 1927 Mercedes Gazelle that he built from scratch, on a street in Gaza City on Sunday. ministry said. Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 ARAB WORLD EU boosts Libya naval mission to enforce arms ban

Reuters fi ve-frigate “Sophia” mission referring to Islamic State mili- up around 16,000 migrants at hopes Nato ships already patrol- with 20mn pieces of weaponry in low certain groups access to am- Luxembourg after winning a UN mandate to tants. sea in the past year, their limited ling in the central Mediterranean the North African state of 6mn munition,” said Britain’s Foreign reinforce an arms embargo on European military powers tasks of surveillance and infor- could link up with its “Sophia” people. Secretary Philip Hammond. Libya, where Islamic State is Britain, France and Germany say mation-sharing have meant they mission, providing intelligence By controlling new fl ows, the Britain is expected to send an- he European Union yes- strengthening its grip, and limit ending the chaos in Libya that were not able to destroy weap- about smuggling routes. West could grant exemptions other ship to the mission, as well terday gave its naval the near-impunity of the people has reigned since the fall of Mua- ons, catch traffi ckers or head off The United States has said it in the arms embargo to provide as helicopters and other assets T force in the Mediterra- smugglers. mmar Gaddafi in 2011 is a crucial migrants trying to reach Europe supports such a move. weapons to the UN-backed unity from 24 EU governments. nean the authority to search “We must act, both against part of the EU’s moves to end the by sea from Libya. Gangs, using profi ts from peo- government in Tripoli and help The EU and Nato say they suspicious vessels at sea in those who exploit the migrants, migrant crisis. At least one smuggler vessel ple smuggling into Europe, con- it assert control in the lawless could operate closer to Libyan a bid to stop arms getting to those traffickers who exploit Nato ships have also been sent loaded with arms was allowed trol arms networks stretching country. shores if requested by the Lib- Islamic State in Libya and to this misery, and against the to the Aegean to stem uncon- to pass an EU inspection in the across Europe into North Africa “Getting control of illegal yan government, but for now break up gangs smuggling mi- arms trafficking that benefits trolled fl ows to Greece from Tur- Mediterranean in the past few via the Mediterranean. arms traffi cking then gives the the EU will focus on training grants to Europe. Daesh,” French Foreign Minister key. months for lack of UN authority Libya UN envoy Martin Kobler international community a lever, the Libyan coast guard in inter- EU foreign ministers acted to Jean-Marc Ayrault told report- Although EU ships in the cen- to act, one diplomat said. has told the Security Council that because we can consider relaxa- national waters to help combat boost the eff ectiveness of the ers at a meeting in Luxembourg, tral Mediterranean have picked Now, the European Union also Libya is already awash with arms, tions in the arms embargo to al- smugglers. Dozens dead as IS expels Syria regime

Smoke from clashes between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State militants is seen through a glass window of a military vehicle in the centre of from Raqa Falluja, Iraq, yesterday.

AFP proved mechanism for diplomats On a separate front, IS also Beirut opposed to offi cial policy. launched a surprise assault from Battle for Fallujah will end in Syria’s civil war began with the another stronghold in Raqa brutal repression of anti-gov- province, killing residents of two ilitants of the Islamic ernment demonstrations in 2011 villages it recaptured from US- State group drove Syr- and has now killed more than backed fi ghters. western district: commander Mian regime troops out of 280,000 people and displaced IS had dispatched a small group Raqa province yesterday, killing millions. of militants - including one driv- dozens of fi ghters in a lightning Government troops, backed by ing an explosives-laden car - into Reuters bourhood, on the northwest- ing a few hundred foreign fi ght- lighter toll than previous cam- counter-attack, a monitoring Russian air strikes, in early June villages southeast of Manbij. Fallujahh, Iraq ern edge of the city, Lieutenant ers, were killed or captured try- paigns, including the battle to group said. pushed into Raqa for the fi rst The villages had been seized in General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi ing to escape with civilians, he retake Ramadi, the city 50km The attack was mounted late time since 2014, aiming for the recent weeks by the US-backed said at his temporary command said. Only six counter-terrorism (30 miles) further west recap- on Sunday in response to a re- country’s largest dam at Tabqa Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). S-backed Iraqi forces post in a southern district. commandos had been killed. tured six months ago. gime off ensive in the IS strong- on the Euphrates River. The US-led coalition backing fi ghting Islamic State “The biggest eff ort now is on Government troops launched Fallujah has incurred fewer air hold of Raqa launched on June “Daesh (IS) has managed to the SDF carried out a barrage of Umilitants in Fallujah are the western axis. If they collapse the operation on May 23 to re- strikes and Iraqi forces’ quick ad- 3 that advanced about 20km (12 drive out regime troops from the air strikes Monday to defend the advancing towards militant on the western axis and our take Fallujah. vance to the city centre last week miles) toward the town of Tabqa, administrative borders of Raqa villages, said Syrian Observatory strongholds in western districts forces reach Golan, you won’t Enemies of Islamic State suggested the roads were less said the Syrian Observatory for province after a fi erce counter- head Rami Abdel Rahman. where they expect the fi nal push hear any more shots inside Fal- have launched major off ensives plagued by Islamic State mines. Human Rights. off ensive,” said the Syrian Ob- At least four SDF fi ghters were to recapture the city will take lujah,” he said. against the militants on other Saidi estimated damage to the It came as US Secretary of servatory for Human Rights. killed in the clashes and many place, the Iraqi commander said Troops from Saidi’s counter- fronts, including a push by US- city’s infrastructure at less than State John Kerry said he had read It said the militants had sent more were wounded. yesterday. terrorism force were fi ghting backed forces against the city of 5%, which Reuters could not a memo from a group of frus- hundreds of reinforcements from The SDF - a Kurdish-Arab Prime Minister Haider al- Islamic State in al-Dhubat dis- Manbij in northern Syria. verify. trated diplomats urging strikes their de facto capital of Raqa city alliance with air support from Abadi declared victory on Friday trict, further east. They amount to the most sus- Most houses have not yet against the Syrian regime and to defend Tabqa, which also has an the coalition - encircled Manbij after troops reached the centre Fifty militants were killed there tained pressure on Islamic State been checked for explosives, a found it “very good”. air base, located 50km to the west. nearly 10 days ago. of the city, an hour’s drive west by coalition air strikes on Sun- since it proclaimed a religious process that will delay the re- The “dissent cable” became “More than 40 members of the But since then, they had been of Baghdad, but an offi cial in the day and at least 15 others died in caliphate in 2014. turn of residents. public last week after 51 serving pro-regime forces were killed,” said slowed by almost daily suicide US-led coalition said on Sunday clashes, the commander said. In battle-scarred Fallujah, Government forces said yes- US offi cials signed a call for di- the Britain-based Observatory, bombings as IS puts up a fi ght for Iraqi forces had so far taken only Army troops moving north which has witnessed more than terday the main hospital, a rect US military action to force which relies on a vast network of the town. half of Fallujah. from the neighbourhood of a decade of violence - between stronghold of militants which President Bashar al-Assad’s re- sources on the ground for its infor- Held by the militants since The operation to recapture Shurta had not yet entered Al Qaeda and US forces and later they surrounded a day earlier, gime to negotiate for peace. mation. IS losses were unavailable. 2014, Manbij was a key stop along the Iraqi city longest held by al-Jughaifi area on the city’s Iraq’s own security forces - it is had been partially burnt but was The memo was seen as a An initial IS off ensive on Sun- IS’s supply route from the Turk- Islamic State entered its fi fth northern edge, while units from hard to tell how much of the vis- not booby-trapped and was not criticism of President Barack day failed but a second attack ish border southeast through the week yesterday, and fi ghting Baghdad operations command ible damage has been caused by sheltering suicide bombers as Obama’s cautious approach, but seized many positions southwest town of Tabqa and on to the city has forced more than 85,000 were advancing in the eastern- the latest fi ghting. initially suspected. the “dissent channel” is an ap- of Tabqa. of Raqa. residents to fl ee to overwhelmed most district of Askari, accord- Along the route from Saidi’s Police checking the complex government-run camps. ing to Saidi. outpost into the city centre lie found little other than an uniden- Iraqi forces continue to face Sitting with other offi cers the remnants of vehicle-borne tifi ed body and the buried corpse shooting, suicide bombs and from the elite counter-terrorism suicide bombs dispatched re- of an Islamic State fi ghter. mortar attacks as they confront service at a plastic picnic ta- cently by Islamic State, Al Qae- Saidi issued a ban over his militants north of a road run- ble littered with walkie-talkies da’s successor. walkie-talkie against anyone re- ning through the city. inside an unfi nished building, Brown scraps of metal dot the entering the hospital, in an ap- Syrian journalists still at Heavily armoured Inte- Saidi said the battle would end barren roadside. parent attempt to prevent loot- rior Ministry police units were soon. The latest round of fi ghting, ing by undisciplined security pressing towards Golan neigh- Most of the militants, includ- though, seems to have taken a elements. risk in host countries: RSF Netanyahu: Israel not yet ready to ratify nuclear test ban pact

AFP Both local and foreign jour- well as other types of “predator,” Israel supports the global pact that bans Organization (CTBTO), yesterday in Israel that such an arsenal as a matter of policy. Beirut nalists are considered legitimate said Reporters Without Borders. nuclear weapons tests, but the country his country backs the idea of a global test ban, The test ban treaty was opened for signature targets in Syria, where regime “Hundreds of professional is not yet ready to formally join it, Prime Netanyahu’s off ice said. 20 years ago, but it has not yet entered into forces, rebels, militants and and non-professional journalists Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear “The prime minister added that the issue of force because a few key countries have not yrian journalists who have Kurds are fi ghting over a coun- have fl ed the country because yesterday. ratification depends on the regional context yet ratified it. sought refuge in Jordan, Leb- try ripped apart by fi ve years of they were exposed to both tar- Israel signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- and proper timing,” the off ice added in a state- Besides Israel, ratifications are missing from Sanon and Turkey remain in confl ict. geted persecution and the con- Ban Treaty in 1996, but has yet to turn it into ment. the United States, a key Israel ally, as well as danger despite having fl ed war and Those who have escaped Syria fl ict’s extreme violence,” said the law by ratifying it. Israel is widely believed to the only country Israel’s regional foe, Iran, as well as from other hostility in their homeland, a media face oppression from the author- watchdog known by its French Netanyahu told Lassina Zerbo, head of the in the region to have nuclear weapons, but its countries like Egypt, Pakistan, India, China and rights watchdog said yesterday. ities in their host countries as acronym RSF. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty government does not deny or acknowledge North Korea.

Tunisia extends state of emergency

DPA after gun attacks on the Tunis capital’s Bardo museum in March and the beach resort of Sousse in June. unisia has extend- Some 21 foreign tour- ed its nationwide ists and a policemen were Tstate of emergency killed in the Bardo muse- for one month, the offi ce um and 38 tourists were of President Beji Caid Es- killed in Sousse, devas- sibsi said yesterday. tating one of the coun- The state of emergency try’s main industries. was initially imposed af- Tourism revenue for the ter a November suicide fi rst fi ve months of 2016 attack in Tunis, claimed has come in 45% below the by the Islamic State ex- fi gure for the equivalent tremist group, which period last year. killed 12 presidential Tunisia also suff ered guards. a major attack in March The attack was the this year when gun- third major assault men tried to overrun the claimed by the extremist southern town of Ben group in Tunisia in 2015, Guerdane. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 13 AFRICA

Boko Haram kills two in village raid At least two people were killed in a Boko Haram raid on a village in northeast Nigeria on the border with Cameroon, residents said yesterday. The attack happened early New oil rebels spring from on Saturday in Wumbi in the Kalabalge district of northern Borno state and forced hundreds of residents to cross into Cameroon, they said. “Boko Haram gunmen attacked our village around 4am (0300 GMT) and killed two people while old in Nigeria’s delta south everybody crossed the river into Cameroon,” resident Konto AFP hammadu Buhari announced the amnesty money was their legions of men from the days The villages of Okerenkoko termination for the delta region Yamani said over telephone. Warri, he was planning to wind down only income. before the amnesty deal, Ifukor and Kuritie in the Gbaramatu and the withdrawal of foreign oil “They came on 10 motorcycles and the programme as well as lucra- “This brought boys to the said. Kingdom, the region of snak- majors. fired indiscriminately, which jolted tive pipeline security contracts roundtable to prepare for the The generals are eff ectively ing waterways stretching from One recent newspaper edi- people out of their sleep, before he Niger Delta Avengers, to save money for the cash- next phase.” the “godfathers” of the oil ma- Chevron’s Escravos terminal torial depicted the militants as they began to set our houses on fire a militant group that has strapped government. Leading the charge are the fi as that run the creeks. Ifukor on the Atlantic Ocean coast to unleashed hyenas who had been after looting our food stocks.” Tbeen attacking Nigeria’s “That infuriated everybody,” Niger Delta Avengers, a previ- called them “kegs of gunpow- Warri, have been abandoned. muzzled by the amnesty and se- His account was supported by a oil infrastructure since early this said Silva Ofugara, chairman of ously unheard of group, which der... just waiting for the wrong People fear a repeat of air raids curity contract cash doled out second resident Haruna Wumbi, year, is anything but new, ac- the Ekpan-Uvwie community has claimed a series of attacks on move”. in 2009 that levelled communi- by former president Goodluck who said it was the second attack cording to those familiar with in the oil town of Warri in Delta pipelines and facilities mostly in The attacks have cut oil pro- ties in the fi nal weeks before the Jonathan. on the village in a week. the region. state. Delta and Bayelsa states. duction to some 1.6mn barrels government and Tompolo ham- Yet without peace in the Niger Details of the attack were slow Despite their fresh name, it The militants had been get- They have targeted facilities per day, well down from a budg- mered out the amnesty deal. delta, which produces the bulk of to emerge because of poor to was only a matter of time be- ting something from the gov- operated by the Nigerian Na- eted 2.2mn bpd, as global prices “The average life in Gbaramatu Nigeria’s oil, Buhari will struggle non-existent telephone networks fore the militants returned to the ernment, a monetary acknowl- tional Petroleum Corp, as well remain low, sending Nigeria’s Kingdom is brutish, short. I just to source funds needed to kick- in the remote region and the swamps and creeks of the delta edgement that they too should as local subsidiaries of Shell, economy into a tailspin. buried my sister yesterday,” said start the economy during its diff iculties in contacting local region, the sources said. benefi t from Nigeria’s vast oil Chevron and Eni. In response, the army has Chief Godspower Gbenekama, worst slowdown in a decade. residents who fled to Cameroon. The “boys” behind years of wealth. In the impoverished region, started invading river land vil- of the Gbaramatu Kingdom. “The best case scenario is the The attackers were believed to violence a decade ago surren- People thought they could the Avengers are anything but lages, hunting for the Aveng- Floral Joel was selling wares in Avengers agree to hold talks with have come from Ndufu village in dered their guns in 2009 when leave their lives as guerilla fi ght- unknown. ers and the infl uential militant a houseboat on June 1. Soldiers the government, and some form nearby Ngala district from where the government introduced an ers behind and focus on a new “The only way they know how kingpin-turned-businessman chasing militants opened fi re on of compromise is made whereby the Islamists were pushed out in amnesty programme for mili- future. to survive is pulling a trigger,” Government “Tompolo” Ekpe- the boat, shooting the 42-year- the government gives payments February 2015. tants, once described as a “bribe “A year ago nobody wanted to said Uche Ifukor, project manag- mupolo, who has been on the old mother of fi ve in the heart, in order to stop further attacks,” Boko Haram has been largely routed for peace”. go back to the creeks,” Ofugara er at the Warri-based non-profi t run since he was charged last he added. said Rhidoy Rashid, an analyst at out of Nigerian territory it controlled Thousands stopped bombing said alongside local leader Ufuo- organisation AA PeaceWorks. year with corruption. “My sister paid a supreme London-based Energy Aspects. in 2014 by a military counter- oil pipelines to go overseas for ma “White Don” Ikaka, wearing The militants never found jobs The result: a return to anarchy price,” he said. “As it is, every “Worst case is the attacks insurgency since the turn of 2015. skills training as divers, welders a black leather jacket and shirt in Warri despite it being home to in the delta, shootouts between Ijaw man is an Avenger. We are continue, and even worse turn But the Islamist militants still and boat builders using monthly the colour of the US Stars and the biggest oil fi elds in Africa, he militants and soldiers - and Ijaw an endangered species.” violent. They are more than just maintain control of some remote stipends of 65,000 naira, which Stripes. added. civilians, the dominant ethnic Not everyone in Nigeria is aggrieved locals and have access villages from where they launch at the time was worth $400. But Buhari’s announcement Each militant kingpin - or “ci- group in the region, caught in sympathetic to the Avengers, to sophisticated weaponry and raids on liberated areas, mostly in Then last year President Mu- changed their minds. For many, vilian general” - still commands the crossfi re. whose demands include self-de- funding.” search of food. Somali Food for patients DR Congo declares militants kill fi ve yellow fever epidemic

policemen Reuters “I declare today a localised to immunise people in Angola, Kinshasa epidemic of yellow fever in the Uganda and Congo. It cur- provinces of Kinshasa, Kongo rently stands at 6mn doses but in Kenya Central and Kwango,” Kabange this may not be enough if there emocratic Republic of told a news conference. are simultaneous outbreaks Congo declared a yellow Kinshasa is the main con- in multiple highly populated Reuters Dfever epidemic in three cern for global healthcare of- areas. Nairobi provinces including the capital fi cials, because it has a densely Almost 18mn doses have Kinshasa yesterday after con- packed population of more been distributed for emergency fi rming 67 cases of the disease, than 12mn and poor health vaccination campaigns so far in omalia’s Al Shebaab mili- with another 1,000 suspected infrastructure. the three African countries. tants killed fi ve police of- cases being monitored. Yellow fever is transmitted The current method for Sfi cers in a border region in Health Minister Felix by the same mosquitoes that making vaccines, using chicken northeastern Kenya yesterday, Kabange said seven of the prov- spread the Zika and dengue eggs, takes a year. the latest deadly incursion aimed en cases were autochthonous, viruses, although it is a much World Health Organisation at punishing Kenya for sending while 58 were imported from more serious disease. The advisers have recommended troops to Somalia. Angola, where the outbreak be- “yellow” in the name refers to using a fi fth of the standard Al Shebaab said it was behind gan. A further two cases came the jaundice that aff ects some dose of yellow fever vaccine in the attack. The group’s military Volunteers of the Food For All Ghana charity preparing food to distribute for patients at a from remote forested areas not patients. the event of a global shortage operations spokesman Sheikh hospital in Accra. Excess and waste are usually considered symptomatic of the aff luent West but linked to the current outbreak. The global stockpile of yel- - enough to immunise tempo- Abdiasis Abu Musab said four trained chef Elijah Amoo Addo knows these are problems too in his home country, Ghana. Five people in total have died, low fever vaccines has already rarily but not to give lifelong offi cers were also wounded and Kabange added. been depleted twice this year immunity. a vehicle in their convoy was burned in the ambush by its fi ghters. The group has previously said it would continue attacks until Kenya withdraws troops from an Burundi school kids deface portraits to defy president SA ruling African Union force fi ghting the militants in Somalia. “We condemn the attack AFP Entire classes have been sus- monarch or devil, or chang- Emmanuel Niyungeko, the ful of schoolchildren into a party man by Al Shebaab at Dimu this Nairobi pended for the defi ant doodles, ing his name - which means Nkurunziza loyalist who gov- national protest movement”. morning, fi ve police offi c- 11 have been charged with in- “good news” in Kirundi - to erns Muramvya where the 11 Even some inside the regime ers killed,” Mandera County sulting the head of state and at Nkurumbi or “bad news”. students were charged on June believe the classroom scrib- killed Governor Ali Roba said on his quiet protest movement least four were this week arrest- The ridicule infuriates Nku- 3, justifi ed the harsh punish- blers are being badly handled. Twitter account. is spreading in Burundi’s ed and taken into police custody. runziza’s supporters, some of ment by saying the king is sec- “The way this crisis is being Diplomats say Kenya’s Aschools where hundreds And yet the movement is whom say the teasing amounts ond only to God. managed is the real national Reuters northeastern border with So- of students have been suspend- growing as the government to treason. But for parents of “The king of Burundi today disaster,” said one member of Johannesburg malia is a security weak spot, ed in recent weeks for defac- has struggled since early May the suspended school kids the is President Nkurunziza,” he the ruling party who did not given the challenge of polic- ing pictures of President Pierre to stem the acts of “incivility” arrests are an overreaction. said. want to be named. ing a long frontier, poor co- Nkurunziza in textbooks. that security ministry spokes- Schools in Burundi commonly Some argue the crackdown Burundi’s political crisis be- member of South Africa’s ordination between security Scribbling on the presiden- man Pierre Nkurikiye blames have fewer than 30 textbooks has encouraged the defi ance. gan when Nkurunziza decided ruling party was shot dead services and a culture of cor- tial portraits contained in gov- on “political manipulation”. shared by as many as 200 pupils, Alice Hakizimana, a well- to run for a third-term last Aon Sunday during a meet- ruption that allows those pre- ernment-issue study guides The phenomenon has spread making it diffi cult to identify the known television host who year, a move his opponents said ing in Pretoria to decide mayoral pared to pay a bribe to pass is seen as an act of silent re- from the classroom to social classroom political artists. now lives in exile, wrote on was unconstitutional. Street candidates for local elections due unchallenged. sistance against a regime that media where users compete to “Nobody has their own her Facebook page that “blind protests and a failed coup fol- to take place in August, a senior Al Shebaab has targeted the clings to power despite more lampoon Nkurunziza, mocking book,” said the parent of one repression” has turned some- lowed, but in July Nkurunziza offi cial said yesterday. Mandera region in the past. than a year of deadly protests. up images of him as a pirate, suspended student. thing “that began with a hand- was re-elected. The elections are expected to be closely contested and will pose a major test for the African National Congress Party (ANC) as it tries to fend off a strong challenge from opponents amid a struggling economy. Africa summit tackles ANC’s Deputy Secretary- General Jessie Duarte said the party member had died after being shot while attending the meeting called to announce the violence against albinos party’s candidate for mayor in Tshwane municipality where Pretoria is located. AFP Africa in general and in Tanza- shunned in several countries. “The ANC is deeply disturbed Dar es Salaam nia in particular, which is why Albino graves have been loot- by the violence which took place the East African nation was ed and people killed to supply a at the outskirts of the meet- chosen to host the summit. grisly black market trade in al- ing which was held yesterday. A “Miss and Mister Albino” “Of all the regions in the bino body parts thought by some member of the ANC passed away contest, heavy sentences world, Africa is the most hostile to bring good luck or wealth. Delegates attending a regional conference on albinism organised by the UN in Dar es Salaam. and several others were injured,” Afor ritual murder and for people with albinism,” said Under The Same Sun, a Ca- she told a media briefi ng. concrete graves to ward off tomb Ikponwosa Ero, an independent nadian charity, has documented nism are surrounded by trusted dren be encouraged to “interact crucially important, because we Police were not immediately raiders were all discussed at a expert on albinism. 457 attacks on albinos - includ- neighbours and have a lockable with people who do not have need to put pressure on govern- available for comment. UN summit on albinism con- Some 150 civil society and gov- ing 178 murders - in 26 African door to their homes. albinism” to foster integration. ments in Africa,” said Jon Beale, No details were available about cluding in Tanzania yesterday. ernment representatives from 29 countries mostly over the last It was also suggested that al- Possi Abdallah, Tanzania’s director of the non-government the incident but local media said During the four-day meeting African countries, many of them decade, although the precise bino graves should be protected deputy minister for disability organisation Standing Voice. there had been a dispute over the people with albinism and advo- albino themselves, gathered in extent of the phenomenon is from body-snatchers by using ce- and himself an albino, argued “Together we have more weight.” choice of candidate. cates for their rights discussed Dar Es Salaam to swap experi- hard to defi ne because of the ment to cover the graves so that for the importance of “exempla- Kenya is seen as setting a The ANC is under pressure ways to safeguard and improve ences and ideas on improving se- secrecy surrounding the illegal the bodies can’t be exhumed. ry and dissuasive” sentences for good example in the region, by with economic growth seen the lives of those who suff er dis- curity and integration. trade in albino body parts. Alex Michila, vice president of those convicted of killing people providing government-funded at less than 1% this year, rais- crimination, health problems In Africa, the scorching sun “The idea is to build a road- the Albino Association of Mala- with albinism. cancer treatment, sunscreen ing the possibility it could lose and even murder as a result of makes people with albinism map of simple, eff ective and wi, where Amnesty International Ero said the roadmap should be distribution programmes and control of either, or both, the the condition that leaves their particularly susceptible to skin cheap measures”, said Ero, in- recently described an “unprec- drafted by late 2017 and will then setting up an emergency hotline capital Pretoria or commercial skin without pigment. cancer while discrimination and cluding basic protections such edented” wave of attacks, said it be submitted to the African Union. for reporting attacks on people centre Johannesburg in this It is a particular problem in prejudice sees them attacked or as ensuring people with albi- was important that albino chil- “Having a pan-African voice is with albinism. year’s vote. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 AMERICAS Music video awards Calgary home is on ISIS hit list, says RCMP

Agencies keep your eyes open, anything Calgary suspicious, any unknown packages on your deck, call her as soon as possible.’” Calgary man is worried The uncertainty has been about the safety of his trying, but the man, a Calgary Afamily after police noti- native who works as a land- fi ed him his house is on an ISIS scaper, is trying to remain hit list, according to a yahoo calm. report quoting CBC. “I don’t believe they’re go- There are 151 Canadians on ing to go and attack a residen- the ISIS list, which contains tial house, but who knows? the names, e-mail and physical Whoever was living here might addresses of some 8,300 peo- have stirred some crap up with ple around the globe. them.” Police are contacting the But just in case, he’s install- people named out of a “duty to ing a security system and not inform”. taking any chances. The 32-year-old Calgary “My reaction is — I went man bought the house eight downstairs, I got my rifl es out, months ago and believes the I got it ready. I’m here, I’m address was attached to a pre- ready to protect my family, vious resident’s web account my daughter, my wife and my Leah Fay of July Talk performs during the iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards (MMVAs) in Toronto, Canada. that was hacked. neighbours.” “If there’s a kill list, and our The Canadian names on the house is on it, what do I do?” ISIS hit list are mostly of wom- said the father of a two-year- en from small cities in Canada, old girl. although there are some from He asked not to be named at large cities too. the advice of the RCMP. In analysing the Canadian His wife had called him in data, CBC has learned that tears with the news. most e-mail addresses appear She had returned from work to have been hacked at some and found a card from an point, either in an old LinkedIn RCMP offi cer on the door. hack or one from Myspace or Case against assault When she called, the female Adobe. offi cer told her their address The Middle East Media Re- was on a target list. search Institute fi rst uncovered “My wife’s like, ‘What target the list on pro-ISIS accounts list?’ She says it’s an ISIS target from social media platforms list.” like Telegram. The entity be- The offi cer explained that hind the list is called the United the name attached to the ad- Cyber Caliphate, an umbrella weapon ban denied dress was from a previous resi- group for pro-ISIS hackers. dent whose LinkedIn or Face- Most of their hit lists target The court has consistently stayed out ment guarantees the right to bear arms, The appeals court consolidated the two book account had been hacked. US drone operators, transit po- of the gun debate but there is a longstanding legal debate cases and upheld the law. “They basically said, ‘Just lice or government employees. over its scope. The Connecticut challengers appealed Reuters The supreme court issued important to the Supreme Court while the New York Washington rulings in gun cases in 2008 and 2010 but ones did not. has not taken up a major fi rearms case However, an individual gun owner, since. Douglas Kampfer, who had a parallel legal he US supreme court yesterday left In December, the court declined to hear challenge to the New York law that also ‘A ffl uenza’ mom in place gun control laws in New a challenge to a Illinois town’s assault lost at the appeals court level asked the TYork and Connecticut that ban as- weapons ban. supreme court to hear his case. sault weapons like the one used in last But the justices in March threw out a The US supreme court agreed yesterday has curfew eased week’s massacre at an Orlando nightclub, Massachusetts court ruling that stun guns to review a lower court decision that in- rejecting a challenge brought by gun rights are not covered by the Second Amend- validated part of a former US labor board advocates. ment and sent the case back to the state’s offi cial’s tenure, in a case that could curb Reuters He had apparently violated The court’s action underlined its reluc- top court for further proceedings. the next president’s power to staff top po- Fort Worth the probation deal that he stay tance to insert itself into the simmering In the 2008 District of Columbia v Hel- sitions in his or her administration. drug- and alcohol-free after national debate on gun control. ler case, the court held for the fi rst time The justices will hear an appeal of a 2015 the deadly wreck. The justices have not made a major gun that the second amendment guaranteed decision by the US court of appeals for he mother of the Texas At his trial in juvenile court rights ruling since 2010. an individual’s right to bear arms, but the the DC circuit saying that once president “affl uenza” teenager in 2013, a psychologist testi- The justices declined to hear an appeal ruling applied only to fi rearms kept in the Barack Obama nominated Lafe Solomon in Thad her curfew eased, fi ed in Ethan Couch’s defence of an October ruling by the New York- home for self-defence. 2011 to be general counsel of the National her attorney said yesterday, in that the then 16-year-old was based 2nd US circuit court of appeals that That ruling did not involve a state law Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Solomon her fi rst court appearance since a victim of “affl uenza” and un- upheld laws prohibiting semiautomatic Lina Chesley and her father, Jotham, carry and applied only to federal regulations. should not have continued to fi ll the po- being charged by a grand jury able to tell right from wrong as weapons and large capacity magazines in their weapons during a gun-rights rally at Two years later, in the case McDonald sition on a temporary or “acting” basis last month with helping her a result of being spoiled by his the two northeastern states. the Utah capital in Salt Lake City. v City of Chicago, the court held that the pending senate confi rmation. son fl ee to Mexico. family’s wealth. The laws in New York and Connecticut, Heller ruling covered individual gun rights The appeals court said a 1998 federal Tonya Couch, 49, was in- The probation deal sparked among the strictest in the nation, were Connecticut. In total, seven states and the in states. law bars anyone from serving in an act- dicted by a Tarrant County outrage from critics who ridi- enacted after a gunman with a semiauto- District of Columbia ban semi-auto rifl es. The court lost one of its strongest pro- ing role while they are the nominee unless grand jury on charges of hin- culed the affl uenza defence and matic rifl e killed 20 young children and six A national law barring assault weapons gun rights members in February when they were previously the “fi rst assistant” dering apprehension and mon- said his family’s wealth had educators in 2012 at Sandy Hook Elemen- expired in 2004, and congressional Re- conservative justice Antonin Scalia died. to that post. ey laundering for aiding her helped keep him out of jail. tary School in Newtown, Connecticut. publicans and some Democrats, backed The expired federal assault gun ban had The supreme sourt’s ruling in the case son Ethan Couch in violating Tonya Couch was initially The challengers had asserted that the by the infl uential National Rifl e Associa- barred the manufacture and sale of semi- could decide if the White House can tem- a probation deal that kept him charged with aiding her son’s laws violated the US Constitution’s pro- tion gun rights lobby, beat back eff orts to automatic guns with military-style fea- porarily fi ll high-level administration out for jail for killing four peo- fl ight, a felony that is punish- tection of the right to bear arms. The court restore it. tures as well as magazines holding more positions with nominees waiting for con- ple while driving drunk in 2013. able by up to 10 years in prison. denied the appeal with no comment or re- The United States has among the most than 10 rounds of ammunition. fi rmation, which could take on added im- The curfew easing came The grand jury last month corded vote. permissive gun policies in the world. The New York and Connecticut laws portance if the next president faces pro- at a hearing that lasted a few reaffi rmed the original charge The gunman in the June 12 attack at an Because the US Congress has been a were challenged by pro-gun groups in- tracted nomination battles in the senate. minutes before a district court and added a second charge of Orlando gay night club that killed 49 peo- graveyard for gun control legislation, some cluding the Coalition of Connecticut The case will give the supreme court a judge. Her lawyer said after the money laundering of $30,000 ple, the deadliest mass shooting in modern states and localities have enacted their Sportsmen and the New York State Rifl e second chance to weigh in on executive session that the change will to $150,000, a felony punish- US history, used a semiautomatic rifl e that own measures. and Pistol Association as well as individual branch authority related to fi lling posi- make it easier for her to fi nd a able by up to 10 years in prison. would have been banned in New York and The US constitution’s second amend- gun owners. tions at the NLRB. job. He did not provide other Tonya Couch and her son left details on the curfew. Texas after a video surfaced on Couch, and her son, Ethan, social media in early December 19, drew international atten- showing Ethan at an alcohol- tion last winter after fl eeing the fuelled party, in likely violation US reveals details of Orlando United States. of his probation deal. nightclub gunman’s 911 calls Biden to rebuke Trump ideas Reuters according to a redacted transcript tor to tell America to stop bombing Orlando published by the Federal Bureau of Syria and Iraq. Investigation. “When the crisis negotiator Reuters cording to excerpts released by Mateen told the emergency dis- asked the shooter what he had Washington the White House. he gunman who slaughtered patcher he was wearing an explo- done, the shooter stated, ‘No, you Biden, who has joined presi- 49 people at a gay nightclub sive vest like the kind they “used already know what I did,’” the FBI dent Barack Obama in endors- Tin Florida said he had a car in France”, apparently referring to transcript said. ice president Joe Biden ing presumptive Democratic rigged with bombs outside and the deadly assault in Paris last No- The transcripts did not include is to denounce Repub- nominee Hillary Clinton, threatened to strap hostages into vember by Islamic militants, ac- a pledge of loyalty that authorities Vlican Donald Trump’s plans to wade deeper into the explosive vests, according to par- cording to the transcript. say he made to the Islamic State call for a halt to Muslim im- campaign a week after Trump tial transcripts of 911 calls he made As victims were fl eeing the club, militant group. migration as an appeal to in- sparked criticism for his com- released yesterday. they told police outside that the Authorities have said prelimi- tolerance and defend the US ments on American Muslims Omar Mateen, 29, paused dur- shooter said he was going to put nary evidence indicates Mateen, fi ght against Islamic State at after a US-born Muslim man ing a three-hour siege to tel- four vests with bombs on victims who worked as a security guard, a time of dissent within the killed 49 people at a gay night- ephone emergency dispatchers within 15 minutes, the FBI said in was a mentally disturbed individ- Obama administration over club in Orlando, Florida. three times and to post internet its statement. ual who acted alone and without Syria policy. In a speech last Monday on messages from inside the Pulse No such vests or improvised direction from outside networks. Biden will deliver a wide- national security, Trump stood nightclub professing his support explosive devices were found in Mateen, a New York-born US ranging rebuke to Trump, the by his call for a temporary ban for Islamist militant groups. the nightclub or the suspect’s car, citizen and Florida resident of presumptive Republican presi- on Muslims entering the Unit- “You people are gonna get it, however, the FBI said. Afghan descent, who has been dential nominee for the No- ed States and proposed a sus- and I’m gonna ignite it if they try The gunman identifi ed himself described by US offi cials as “self- vember 8 election, in a speech pension of immigration from to do anything stupid,” Mateen as an “Islamic soldier”, according radicalised” in his extremist sym- Victims of the Orlando mass shooting are seen on the side of to the Center for New Ameri- countries with “a proven his- said during one of the 911 calls, to the said, and he told a negotia- pathies. the Human Rights Campaign building in Washington. can Security think tank, ac- tory of terrorism”. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 15 ASEAN Jakarta defends opening fi re on Chinese boat

AFP zone around the islands. in “traditional Chinese fi shing Jakarta Indonesian Fisheries Minister ground”. Susi Pudjiastuti, who is leading a “China and Indonesia have campaign to crack down on ille- overlapping claims for maritime ndonesia yesterday defend- gal fi shing, defended the navy’s rights and interests,” in the area, ed opening fi re on Chinese actions. she told a regular briefi ng yes- Isailors as an action aimed at “The Indonesian navy made terday. stopping illegal fi shing, as China the right move by maintaining She did not provide a direct said it had overlapping maritime the sovereignty of our seas,” she answer when asked whether claims with Jakarta. tweeted.”The shooting was defi - those fi shing grounds over- Beijing protested strongly nitely according to procedure.” lapped with Indonesia’s exclu- over Friday’s clash near Indone- She added that “stealing fi sh is sive economic zone. sia’s Natuna Islands in the South a crime. Indonesia’s navy said it inter- China Sea, saying one Chinese It is impossible that there is cepted 12 foreign vessels illegally fi sherman was injured. an agreement between countries fi shing which fl ed as their war- The Indonesian navy insisted that allows for stealing fi sh”. ships approached. no one was hurt when it detained President Joko Widodo met with Navy vessels pursued and seven sailors on a Chinese- Security Minister Luhut Pan- fi red several warning shots, un- fl agged vessel after fi ring warn- jaitan yesterday following the til eventually a Chinese-fl agged ing shots. clash and ordered him to defend ship was stopped and boarded, It was the third such skirmish Indonesia’s sovereignty, presi- it said. in recent months between Indo- dential spokesman Johan Budi In March, Chinese coast- nesia and China near the Natu- said. guards rammed a boat detained nas, which are west of Borneo, “The president ordered him near the Natunas and helped it as tensions rise between Bei- to defend Indonesia’s territorial escape as the Indonesians towed jing and several nations over its sovereignty that we have strug- the vessel to shore. growing assertiveness in the dis- gled to build up since our inde- Last month, the Indonesian puted South China Sea. pendence,” he said. navy opened fi re on a Chinese Unlike some of its Southeast But he added the president trawler near the islands and Asian neighbours, Indonesia wanted this to be done without seized the vessel. does not dispute ownership of “aff ecting good relations”. In- Beijing said it protested the reefs or islets in the sea with donesia’s aggressive crackdown move. China. on illegal fi shing, which began China asserts authority over But Beijing’s claims to fi sh- in 2014, has riled several of its almost all the South China Sea, ing rights near the Natunas and neighbours. basing its claim on histori- An Indonesian woman washes laundry while surrounded by silt and mud after flash floods hit Kamulyan village in Banyumas, Central Java. some 3,000 kilometres from its Chinese foreign ministry cal documents, despite partial mainland appear to overlap with spokeswoman Hua Chunying counter-claims from several Indonesia’s exclusive economic said the latest clash took place Southeast Asian nations. Death toll from Indonesia Cambodian PM denies role in Asean U-turn on South China Sea

Cambodian Premier Hun Sen lashed out yesterday Asean’s inability to present a united front to China at claims his government had bowed to Chinese as it ramps up its presence in the waterway. pressure to help scupper a joint statement by Several news outlets have quoted Asean diplomatic fl oods, landslides rises to 47 Southeast Asian nations on the South China Sea. sources as saying that Laos, Cambodia and Myan- In an angry speech Hun Sen also accused an mar — historically China’s strongest regional allies international court of political bias as it prepares — were instrumental in scuppering the consensus AFP pened across densely populated for fl ooding and landslides,” he thorities that heavy rains were to rule on a sea dispute between the Philippines statement. Hun Sen described those claims as “un- Banyumas, Indonesia Central Java province, with warned. coming but it was not clear if and China. The Hague-based Permanent Court of acceptable”. “It is very unjust for Cambodia,” he said, fast-moving walls of mud, rock He said that a La Nina weath- they had taken action. Arbitration is widely expected to rule against Beijing accusing unnamed countries of “using Cambodia and water engulfi ng buildings er phenomenon, that typically The area worst aff ected by when it delivers its verdict in the coming weeks. to counter China”. he death toll from land- as they raced down hillsides and causes unseasonably heavy fl oods and landslides was Pur- Last week, a meeting of foreign ministers from “They use us and curse us,” he added. slides and fl ooding in drivers were swept off roads. rains, could have contributed to worejo district, Nugroho said. China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Hun Sen also hit out at the Hague-based arbitra- TIndonesia rose to 47 Villagers were trapped on the weekend disasters. Deaths were also reported Asian Nations (Asean) in Kunming ended in chaos tion court. “This is not about laws, it is totally about yesterday, an offi cial said, after their rooftops and watched Java, which should be enter- in Banjarnegara and Kebumen and renewed allegations of regional bullying by politics. I will not support any judgement by the hundreds of homes were en- helplessly as the rising fl ood- ing the dry season, has been hit districts. Beijing. court,” he said, adding that the case was a “political gulfed by surging torrents of waters submerged their homes by torrential downpours in re- More than 400 rescuers were The diplomatic fracas erupted when Malaysia conspiracy between some countries and the court”. mud and rock. and cars. cent weeks. involved in search eff orts. released a joint statement from Asean members China claims nearly all of the South China Sea de- Rescuers used excavators Disaster agency spokesman Indonesia and other parts Evacuation centres, equipped voicing “serious concerns” at land reclamation and spite competing partial claims by Asean members and their bare hands to search Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said of Asia had been aff ected by a with temporary shelters and other activities. the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, as through wrecked houses and 47 people were confi rmed dead strong El Nino, which brings kitchens, had been set up near The strongly-worded statement did not name well as Taiwan. In 2012 Asean foreign ministers earth for 15 villagers still miss- and 15 were missing. drought and sizzling tempera- the disaster zones. China but clearly referred to its extensive island- failed to release a joint statement for the first time ing after days of rain triggered Hundreds of homes were tures and is often followed by a Landslides and fl ooding are building. But the statement was suddenly retracted at the end of their annual gathering, with the Philip- the landslips and fl ash fl oods on badly damaged, with some La Nina. common in Indonesia, a vast for reasons that have yet to be fully explained. pines blaming event host Cambodia for blocking mountainous Java island at the completely fl attened. He also blamed inadequate tropical archipelago prone to The incident was seen as another example of criticism of China. weekend. “People should be prepared preparations, saying that his natural disasters and torrential The natural disasters hap- as there is still a high potential agency had warned local au- downpours.

Vietnam drought leaves 1mn in urgent Suu Kyi reiterates Thai junta leader, opposition need of food aid: EU An El Nino-induced drought in stance on not using Vietnam has left 1mn people in urgent need of food assistance call on UN as tension rises and 2mn people lacking access term ‘Rohingya’ to drinking water, Europe’s hu- manitarian aid agency said. Reuters fl uence.The red shirts say the The country’s worst drought in Reuters try of Foreign Aff airs. Suu Kyi is Bangkok centres are needed to prevent 90 years coupled with seawater Yangon banned from presidency by the fraud. Red shirt leader Jatu- intrusion into the Mekong River military-drafted constitution porn Prompan said his group delta have destroyed fruit, rice because her children have Brit- hai junta chief Prayuth went to the regional UN head- and sugar crops in the world’s yanmar leader Aung ish citizenship. Chan-ocha and opposi- quarters in Bangkok yesterday. third-largest rice exporter after San Suu Kyi told the She holds offi ces of the State Ttion supporters of oust- “We would like the United Na- India and Thailand. MUN Special Rapporteur Counsellor and the Minister for ed populist premier Thaksin tions to come in and monitor,” “The disruption in precipitation on Human Rights yesterday that Foreign Aff airs, but is the de fac- Shinawatra both reached out Jatuporn told reporters. patterns has aff ected the liveli- the government will avoid using to leader of the administration. to the United Nations yester- Thailand came under fi re hoods, food security and access the term “Rohingya” to describe Feted in the West for her role day as tension rises ahead of an last month at a UN review of its to safe water of the people of a persecuted Muslim minority in as champion of Myanmar’s August referendum on a new rights record with some mem- Vietnam,” Christos Stylianides, EU the country’s northwest, an of- democratic opposition during constitution. ber states expressing concern commissioner for humanitarian fi cial said yesterday. long years of military rule and Prayuth said he telephoned over the deteriorating rights aid and crisis management, said Also yesterday, the top UN house arrest, Suu Kyi has been UN Secretary-General Ban situation since the military in a statement. human rights offi cial issued a criticised overseas, and by some Ki-moon to express concern took power. The EU’s humanitarian arm report saying the Rohingya have in Myanmar, for saying little about an upsurge in political Under the proposed char- ECHO said it would provide 2mn been deprived of nationality and about the abuses faced by the pressure, just a day after police Red shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan gestures as he arrives at the ter, a junta-appointed Senate euros ($2.3mn) in funding for undergone systematic discrimi- Rohingya. shut down an electoral moni- United Nations building in Bangkok yesterday. with seats reserved for military emergency relief. nation and severe restrictions on UN High Commissioner for toring centre at the Bangkok commanders would check the “This EU contribution will help movements. Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al headquarters of the “red shirt” (Ban) to let him know about a Twenty-nine other electoral powers of elected lawmakers provide life-saving assistance to They have also suff ered exe- Hussein said in the report the anti-government movement, movement of people who wish monitoring centres have been for a fi ve-year transitional pe- affected families at this critical cutions and torture that together Rohingya are excluded from formally known as the United ill on Thailand,” Prayuth told shut in recent weeks as Thai- riod. The referendum will be time, ensuring that their basic may amount to crimes against a number of professions and Front for Democracy Against reporters. land prepares to vote on the the fi rst real rest of the junta’s needs are met,” Stylianides said. humanity, the report said. need special paperwork to ac- Dictatorship. “The junta will deal with constitution that critics fear popularity since it took power Saltwater has encroached up Members of the 1.1mn group, cess hospitals, which has re- “This morning I telephoned people who are acting illegally.” will entrench the military’s in- in a May 2014 coup. the Mekong Delta up to 25km who identify themselves by the sulted in delays and deaths of (15 miles) further than average term Rohingya, are seen by many babies and their mothers dur- years, the ECHO statement said. Myanmar Buddhists as illegal ing childbirth. “Although the government had immigrants from Bangladesh. It was the first time Zeid said taken preparedness measures The term is a divisive issue. these and other long-stand- and launched some initiatives The UN human rights investi- ing violations could add up to Access to migrants sought after boat standoff in anticipation, the scale of the gator, Yanghee Lee, met Suu Kyi crimes against humanity, an current disaster has become in the capital Naypyidaw on her international crime. much worse than initially fi rst trip to Myanmar since the Crimes against humanity are Thomson Reuters Foundation The boat carrying the 44 migrants, in- criticism from refugee advocacy groups. foreseen, surpassing the local Nobel Peace Prize winner took serious, widespread and sys- Jakarta cluding women and children, was report- However, UNHCR in Indonesia said that capacity to respond,” the state- power in April. tematic violations. edly en route to Australia and had drifted since the incident, it had not been granted ment said. “At their meeting here this Some 120,000 Rohingya into Indonesian waters near northern Aceh access to the group to determine their sta- Weather forecasters have morning, our Foreign Minister remain displaced in squalid he United Nations refugee agency province on June 11 after encountering en- tus. warned of the possibility of a La Daw Aung San Suu Kyi explained camps since fighting erupted yesterday called for access to a gine trouble. “We haven’t been given access, and I am Nina weather event, the coun- our stance on this issue that the in Rakhine State between Bud- Tgroup of migrants believed to be Local officials had initially stopped hoping that we will. We have indicated to terpart of El Nino, which could controversial terms should be dhists and Muslims in 2012. from Sri Lanka, following a week-long the migrants from disembarking and the government that we are standing by bring intense rains to Vietnam avoided,” said Aung Lin, the Per- Thousands have fled perse- standoff that saw their boat stranded off said it must sail on, but then allowed and we are ready to assist,” said UNHCR’s in the second half of 2016. manent Secretary at the Minis- cution and poverty. the coast of Indonesia. them ashore over the weekend amid Indonesia representative Thomas Vargas. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

Sad wombat who warmed hearts dies in Australia

AFP Sydney

n Australian wombat who became depressed after a massive cyclone tore through his wild- Alife park home, depriving him of cuddles with tourists, has died, prompting an outpouring on social media. Tonka, a bare-nosed wombat, was raised by rang- ers at Queensland’s Billabong Sanctuary after his mother was hit and killed on the road and he was res- cued from her pouch. The furry marsupial watched television with rang- ers, slept with a toy teddy bear, and delighted in hav- ing his tummy rubbed, the Sanctuary near Towns- ville said in a Facebook post. But after the monster storm Cyclone Yasi tore through Queensland in 2011, prompting the closure of the park for 10 weeks, Tonka went into a mysteri- ous decline, refusing food and losing weight. It wasn’t until the park reopened that Tonka be- came his normal self, cleaning out his food bowl for the fi rst time in weeks. “The conclusion? Tonka had missed his pats and cuddles and become depressed! Since then he never looked back,” the sanctuary said. Tonka, who was seven, was put down on Saturday after extensive tests showed he had irreversible kid- ney damage. Bob Flemming, who owns the park, told the Aus- tralian Broadcasting Corp that the response to Ton- ka’s death had been overwhelming. “People have been sending in their photos of their experiences with Tonka, their children holding Tonka over the years,” he said. “He just loved people so much, he fretted if he wasn’t being handled.” In hundreds of comments online, several people wrote that Tonka had been the highlight of their Aus- tralian trip. “You will be missed so much. Will never forget your gorgeous waddle,” wrote one. “RIP Tonka from your friends in Canada who remember you fondly,” wrote another.

Spy agency bars North Korean waitresses from court

South Korean court has ordered the spy agency to make 12 North Korean waitresses Awho defected to the South available to answer whether they defected of their free will, but the agen- cy said they would not be presented in court. The National Intelligence Service is holding the Villagers carrying Chinese national flags protest at Wukan village in China’s Guangdong province. 12 women who fl ed a restaurant run by the North in China. An offi cial at the service said on Monday only the women’s “legal representatives” would attend the court hearing today. The court order came after a group of lawyers fi led a petition for a hearing to determine whether the 12 were being held against their will. North Korea has accused the South of abducting the 12 and another person who was a manager of the ‘Rebel’ China villagers restaurant and demanded their return. It has also off ered to send their families to the South to question the women for themselves. South Korea’s Unifi cation Ministry, which han- dles political ties with the North, said the defectors were being protected by the government as they go through a resettlement process. “We have said repeatedly that the defectors from poised for showdown the North have entered the South on their free will,” ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee told a briefi ng. By James Pomfret, Reuters listening to a speech from a pub- the evening, with another demon- Earlier, a deputy Communist said Zhen Zaolin, a stocky villager Wukan, China lic stage, waving red China fl ags stration planned for Tuesday. party leader of nearby Donghai with a jade necklace who’d gathered and calling for the return of seized Lin’s wife told reporters that she’s Town, Qian Hanpei, lashed out at with a group of angry men under a Japan to keep ageing reactors land and the release of Lin Zuluan, spoken to her husband by telephone several reporters with an umbrel- leafy tree to escape the sweltering ore than 1,000 residents of a former protest leader who was di- since his arrest and that he had la as they questioned him on the heat. “We must fi ght for Wukan’s apanese regulators said yesterday that two ageing a southern Chinese village rectly elected village chief in 2012 urged the villagers to keep fi ghting standoff . rights and free old Lin.” nuclear reactors can stay on line for up to 20 more Mthat was once hailed as a and who has since been accused for the seized land and justice. Several other villagers have been Half the stalls in the wet market Jyears — the fi rst such exception under tighter beacon of democracy in the Com- of abuse of power and accepting “It may be even bigger than be- taken into police custody, includ- were abandoned and crumbling, safety rules imposed after the 2011 Fukushima crisis. munist-ruled country marched in bribes. fore if things aren’t resolved,” said ing a relative of Lin’s, villagers told while swathes of surrounding fi elds Environmental group Greenpeace criticised the protest yesterday, demanding the More than 100 riot and paramili- 50-year-old Xie Songbo, referring Reuters. remained fenced up and undevel- decision, saying earthquake risks were being ignored. release of the village chief who was tary police in helmets and shields to the events of 2011 when Wu- The fresh unrest is rooted in con- oped, still knotted in land usage and Japan shut down dozens of reactors after a magni- detained in a weekend raid. watched as the villagers, young kan barricaded itself for months tinued frustration with the lack of ownership rows. tude 9.0 earthquake-generated tsunami on March 11, The fi shing village of Wukan and old, streamed around the vil- and ransacked the local police and progress on the illegal land seizures “Lin is just one person,” said 2011 triggered meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear made international headlines in lage perimeter in a long procession, Communist Party headquarters. over the past fi ve years and the a middle aged woman surnamed plant in the northeast, the world’s worst nuclear ac- 2011 when it launched an uprising some jeering at the offi cers as they Groups of young men on mopeds failure to revive the local economy Liu in a mahjong parlour with her cident since Chernobyl in 1986. against corrupt former village lead- went and pumping their fi sts in the and motor-bikes were tasked with through agriculture and tourism friends.”He can’t fi ght the en- Yesterday’s decision was quickly denounced by ers and land grabs that resulted in air. guarding the perimeter of the vil- projects. tire government. They have just Greenpeace, which said the move “goes far beyond provincial authorities sacking the “Do not assemble and protest lage and ensuring a group of several Many blame higher township and crushed him.” regulatory failure”. former village chief and allowing again,” notices posted by the re- dozen journalists holed up in the regional authorities for obstructing There were notices posted up in “The NRA is...doing everything it can to ignore the fresh elections that saw many pro- gional government in the village village chief’s three-storey family Lin and his team out of retribution the village saying that another vil- earthquake risks to nuclear plants in Japan,” Kendra test leaders elected on a landslide. read. “Do that at your own risk.” home wouldn’t be taken away by for the 2011 uprising. lage leader, Zhang Shuijin, would Ulrich, senior global energy campaigner at Green- Villagers gathered near dusk after The protesters dispersed later in authorities. “We don’t trust the government,” take over after Lin’s arrest. peace Japan, said in a statement. Hong Kong’s stateless children lost in translation

Reuters Hong Kong has approved just The government of the former The refugees have become “This provides a huge incen- Hong Kong 52 of more than 8,000 claims British colony pays 30% of the a sensitive topic for residents tive for these fake refugees to since 2009. costs for refugee children to at- and politicians, with media of- come to Hong Kong and take ad- There are more than 11,000 tend school, but few parents are ten blaming them for a spurt in vantage,” added Lee, who is de- he number of stateless asylum seekers in the Asian fi - able to pay the rest, as they can- crime. manding repatriation of refugees children born to refugees nancial hub, some still uncertain not legally work while waiting for Such portrayals feed prejudice, and camps to house them. Tis growing in Hong Kong, about their fate after waiting for their status to be approved. said Rizwan Ullah, an education- The government did not im- where claims from asylum seek- more than 15 years. “One of the very negative parts al adviser of the Pakistani Stu- mediately respond to a request ers have more than tripled in the “Our future is already gone, of the system here in Hong Kong dents’ Association in Hong Kong. for comment. last two years, alarming residents so we are thinking of our kids’ is children of asylum seekers and “These stereotypes bring prej- However, in a legislative and lawmakers. future,” said Adjouma Ibrahim, refugees,” said Mark Daly, a prin- udice, and that brings discrimi- document this year, it acknowl- While Europe grapples with chairman of the Refugee Union, cipal at law fi rm Daly and Asso- nation,” he said. “These guys are edged the need to streamline the an infl ux of people desperate to who has been in Hong Kong for ciates, which focuses on human not criminals. They just want a lengthy screening process. escape fi ghting in Syria, asylum 11 years. rights. better situation.” Over the past fi ve years, it has seekers from Asian nations such “Our kids are stateless. We Despite being born in Hong Politicians have pushed for more than doubled the number of as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan don’t have travel documents — Kong and fl uent in both English tighter curbs after the govern- staff handling claims. and Vietnam are fl ocking to Hong nothing,” he told Reuters. and the Cantonese regional dia- ment adopted a screening mech- For Mohamed Kazi, a former Kong, along with a sprinkling Ibrahim is from Togo in west lect, they are not allowed to work, anism in 2014 to select those member of the Bangladesh Na- from Africa. Africa, and his son and daughter, Daly said. meeting the refugee criteria set tional Party, Hong Kong was the Refugees and their supporters protest yesterday to mark World But human rights activists and despite both having been born in “They are trying to think about out in international law. best place to escape the danger he Refugee Day in Hong Kong. non-government bodies accuse Hong Kong, are among the more their futures and thinking about “Hong Kong is a very conven- said his family had faced at home. authorities in the Chinese-ruled than 580 refugee children denied decisions they shouldn’t have ient place and our government He hopes to settle in Hong send his daughters, Shahzia, 5, ladesh, we die,” added Kazi, 40, city of dragging their feet on the the right of abode, making it im- to make — ‘Where do I go, what has been very generous to people Kong permanently, despite and Samia, 6, to school. without giving details of the approval of claims, to avoid spur- possible for young people to get do I do, what can I work as?’” he who seek asylum,” said Dominic house prices that rank among the “I want my children to have threat. “Here we are together, we ring a further infl ux. jobs or leave. added. Lee, a Liberal Party offi cial. world’s highest, but is unable to a good future. If we go to Bang- are family.” Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 17

BRITAIN Cornish pasties: the tastiest victims of a Brexit?

AFP protected geographical indication compromising quality. Symonds, who has opened what travelled to work in countries like the EU. “Remain” campaigners no country has ever withdrawn Pool, UK (PGI) status by the European Un- “In Cornwall, you’d never get a claims to be the world’s fi rst drive- Australia and Mexico, where they like Cameron are not the only before. Not all Cornish pasty ion as a mark of quality. pasty with a carrot in it because it’s through Cornish pasty bakery, are still eaten to this day. ones seeking to appropriate the makers believe that the EU is good In Cornwall, southwest Eng- taboo,” Symonds said. “But if you fears such success could be hit if The Cornish Pasty Associa- humble pasty. for them, protected status or not. favourite of 19th century land, where the pasty is a symbol went out of county – and I’ve seen it lost its EU status. “We wouldn’t tion, a body which represents Brexit backer Boris Johnson, John Beard set up the Pasty Line, miners who took them of local identity as well as a tasty it myself, in London and all sorts of have a hope and it wouldn’t be the local industry, this month the former mayor of London, which makes Cornish pasties for Adown the pit and a popular delicacy, some manufacturers are places – where they try to do a rep- right,” she added. declared its support for EU brandished one in a bid to express bakeries and nursing homes, with lunch to this day, the Cornish pasty wary of what will happen. lica of our pasty, it’s just got mush Legend has it that Cornish past- membership, saying it would be solidarity for the southwest as he his now ex-wife in 1993. and other delicacies with EU pro- Marion Symonds, boss of Por- in the middle.” ies were popularised by tin miners, “wholly inappropriate” to risk began a campaign bus tour of the While Beard acknowledged tected status could be threatened if treath Bakery, said that if the The Cornish pasty industry is who ate them underground hold- the hard-earned status. country in Cornwall last month. that PGI status is “very useful”, Britain leaves the bloc. snacks lost the PGI status they worth an estimated £65mn a year ing the crust before discarding it to Prime MinIster David Cam- Intellectual property lawyers he said the amount of bureauc- The pasty - a D-shape of pastry gained in 2011, similar products and employs at least 2,000 people avoid arsenic poisoning. eron has also warned that the say it is hard to know whether racy which the EU imposes on fi lled with beef, potato, swede, on- made outside Cornwall could in an area where, due to the tourist Miners took pasty recipes with status of British regional foods British PGI foods would lose their businesses will make him vote to ion and seasoning - has been given also be called Cornish pasties, trade, work is often seasonal. them around the world as they could be jeopardised by leaving protected status if it left the EU as leave. Premier League Corbyn calls supports vote to stay in EU for ‘kinder

AFP London politics’ as ootballing powerhouse the Premier League weighed Finto the EU referendum de- bate yesterday, saying a departure from the European Union would go against the “openness” of the Cox honoured league and all of its clubs. “Nobody bears the scars more DPA that showed refugees trudging Some lawmakers clutched than me of having to go and ne- London through a fi eld with the headline: handkerchiefs and wiped away gotiate in Brussels and try and “Breaking Point”. tears. Friends and supporters of organise things a little bit in our “She would have responded Cox have organised a large “rest in interests in terms of the European pposition Labour leader with outrage and with robust re- power” event tomorrow in Lon- machine,” Premier League execu- Jeremy Corbyn called for jection of the calculated narrative don’s Trafalgar Square, along with tive chairman Richard Scudamore O“kinder politics” in Brit- of cynicism, division and despair smaller events in other cities to told BBC radio. ain yesterday, urging politicians to that it represents,” Kinnock said. mark what would have been her But he added: “Ultimately you drop the “hatred and division” seen “Jo understood that rhetoric has 42nd birthday. can’t break away, you can’t just in some of the campaigning ahead consequences. When insecurity, An online appeal to fund chari- pull out, you have to get in and of Thursday’s EU referendum. fear and anger are used to light a ties supported by Cox had raised negotiate and try and organise and “We must come together to fuse, then the explosion is inevita- nearly £900,000 in three days by try and infl uence. change our politics,” Corbyn told ble,” he warned. yesterday. “There is an openness about parliament in a special session to Despite withering criticism, Senior Conservative politician the Premier League which I think pay tribute to murdered Labour leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Sayeeda Warsi yesterday dropped it would be completely incongru- lawmaker Jo Cox. Farage, head of the UK Independ- her support for the Leave cam- ous if we were to take the oppo- “We need a kinder and gentler ence Party (Ukip), has defended paign ahead of Thursday’s refer- site position,” he added. politics,” he said. “We all have a re- his use of the poster, saying it is an endum, saying she wanted to re- Scudamore criticised the posi- sponsibility not to whip up hatred accurate depiction of the refugee ject “the politics of hate.” tion taken by Brexit campaigners, and division.” crisis in the EU. “Toxic, divisive and xenopho- who have argued that leaving the Corbyn said Cox had used her On Cox’s vacant seat in House of bic political campaigning should EU would allow Britain to “take fi rst speech in parliament in June Commons lay a white rose repre- have no place in a liberal democ- control of its destiny”. 2015 to support the positive im- senting her Yorkshire home and a racy. The politics of hate should “That doesn’t seem to sit very pact of immigration in Britain. red rose in memory of her political always fail,” Warsi, a member of well when you travel the world like “In her tragic death we can come affi liation, the opposition Labour the upper house of parliament, we do, being welcomed because together to change our politics, to Party. Cox’s husband Brendan and said on Twitter. of the fact that we are open for tolerate a little more and condemn her children, aged fi ve and three, Leave supporters have accused business, open for discussion, and a little less,” he said. listened in the parliament’s gal- Cameron of using Cox’s death to open for co-operation,” he said. Prime Minister David Cameron lery as politicians, sporting white bolster his campaign for Remain The Premier League generated praised Cox’s “passion and spirit” roses, paid tribute. votes in the referendum. £3.3bn of revenue last season, ac- and said she “epitomised the best cording to a report by Deloitte, of humanity” through her eff orts to and has worldwide television help refugees and people in some of Surge in lawyers registering in Ireland contracts worth £8.3bn. the world’s poorest communities. Outside of the EU “we would just Andrew Mitchell, a lawmaker The number of British lawyers are fl owing into this jurisdiction in be, I think, respected less around from Cameron’s Conservative who have registered to practice unprecedented numbers. They the world for not wanting to be part Party, said Cox would have wanted in Ireland rose almost four-fold don’t intend to come here and of something,” Scudamore said. British politicians to “redouble our in the fi rst six months of 2016, practice, they are acquiring the But Vote Leave spokesman Robert eff orts to resolve the greatest catas- primarily due to concerns that additional qualifi cation as an Irish Oxley saying: “EU rules hurt both trophe of age,” the confl ict in Syria. Britain may vote to leave the solicitor as they are entitled to,” our ability to develop homegrown Cox’s death last week has European Union, the Law Society Law Society of Ireland director talent and restrict access to the prompted many calls for the Leave of Ireland said yesterday. A record general Ken Murphy told national global talent pool. and Remain campaigns to drop 186 lawyers were admitted by broadcaster RTE. “What they are “That’s the worst of both their use of vitriol as they try to the end of June, the regulatory saying to us informally and quite worlds for football fans and the make their points in the debate on body said, up from less than 50 openly is that this is a contingency teams they support,” he said, a British EU exit, or Brexit. at the same time last year and plan, particularly for solicitors who adding that money saved from A close friend of Cox in parlia- already almost four-times the are specialists in European and paying into the EU budget could Prime Minister David Cameron walks alongside Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn as they leave the ment, Stephen Kinnock, hit out at amount that qualifi ed to practice competition law based in their be spent on encouraging more Houses of Parliament for a service of remembrance after a special session to honour murdered lawmaker a Brexit campaign poster, released in Ireland during 2014. “Solicitors London offi ces.” grassroots sports. Jo Cox in London yesterday. just hours before she was killed, Warsi switches from Nissan to take legal action over logo use

Leave to Remain Reuters tual property in all markets in London which we operate,” the fi rm said in a statement. Reuters The Times newspaper. risks a Brexit, or British exit, Vote Leave did not comment London “I don’t want the Leave camp would pose. issan said it would immediately when contacted. to be running this country and I The tone of the arguments had take legal action Nissan said earlier this don’t want the messages coming become increasingly vitriolic Nagainst the official month that it was considering senior politician yester- out of that camp to form the basis until the murder on Thursday campaign for Britain to leave legal action against the offi - day accused those cam- of the kind of Britain that I want last week of opposition Labour the European Union after the cial campaign, a day after rival Apaigning for Britain to to live in and to bring my kids up lawmaker Jo Cox, a passionate group used the Japanese car- Toyota said it could also make a leave the European Union of in,” she said. Remain campaigner, changed the maker’s logo in leaflets call- legal complaint. spreading lies, hate and xeno- atmosphere. ing for voters to back Brexit A spokesman at Toyota yes- phobia, saying she was switching “Are we prepared to tell The House of Commons, on June 23. terday said the fi rm’s position to the “Remain” camp. lies, to spread hate and which was not supposed to be On one “Vote Leave” fl yer, had not changed. Britons will cast their votes xenophobia just to win a sitting this week, was recalled the fi rm’s logo appeared next to Consumer goods maker on Thursday in a referendum on campaign? For me that’s a yesterday for lawmakers from those of four other major com- Unilever has also complained whether to quit the 28-member step too far” across the political spectrum to panies including Unilever and to the “Vote Leave” campaign bloc, a choice with far-reaching pay tribute to Cox, the fi rst of fellow carmaker Vauxhall with over the use of its name and economic and political conse- The offi cial Vote Leave or- their number to be murdered the message: “Major employ- logo. quences for Britain and the rest ganisation was dismissive, with since 1990. ers ... have all said they’ll stay In a letter to staff , Toyota’s of the continent. a spokesman saying they did not Campaigning for the EU ref- in the UK whatever the result UK managing director warned Sayeeda Warsi, a former remember Warsi joining their erendum resumed on Sunday of the referendum.” that leaving the bloc would minister and co-chair of the campaign and were puzzled by after a three-day pause following Nissan, which says it would impose duties on cars of up to ruling Conservative Party, ac- her announcement. Cox’s murder. prefer Britain to remain in the 10%, forcing the fi rm to either cused “Leave” campaigners of Warsi had not played a promi- Three opinion polls showed EU, said it would be issuing make cuts or raise prices, neg- wrongly suggesting that stay- nent role in the “Leave” cam- “Remain” recovering some mo- legal proceedings in the High atively impacting sales. ing in the EU would lead to vast paign but said she had long made mentum in the wake of her death, Court to stop ‘Vote Leave’ from “If the UK leaves the EU, we numbers of Turks and Syrian the case for quitting the EU. but the overall picture remained using its name and logo and think it unlikely that the UK refugees coming to Britain in The “Leave” camp’s key argu- one of an evenly split electorate. to “prevent them making any can keep the current trading the near future. ment has been that Britain would The pound gained nearly 2% further false statements and arrangements where there are “Are we prepared to tell lies, be unable to control immigration against the dollar yesterday, misrepresentations concern- ‘no tariff s or duties’,” Shigeru to spread hate and xenophobia levels as long as it was in the EU, boosted by the shift in the polls, Campaigners hold placards for ‘Britain Stronger in Europe’, the off icial ing Nissan. Teramoto wrote in a letter just to win a campaign? For me while the “Remain” campaign rising as high as $1.4625, its ‘Remain’ campaign group seeking to avoid a Brexit, ahead of the “We vigorously protect the jointly signed by a British trade that’s a step too far,” she told has focused on the economic highest level since June 7. forthcoming EU referendum, in London yesterday. Nissan brand and intellec- union offi cial. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 EUROPE Brexit feeds 5-Star breaks through European in Rome mayoral vote populists’ Reuters Rome ambitions

he anti-establishment 5-Star Movement trounced Italian By Nina Lamparski, AFP TPrime Minister Matteo Renzi Vienna in local elections this weekend, clouding his chances of completing his term of offi ce and winning a ref- vote in favour of Brexit could embolden surg- erendum he has called on constitu- ing populist parties across Europe hoping to tional reform. Afollow in Britain’s footsteps and either leave Five-Star, which feeds off popu- the EU or signifi cantly cut its powers, experts warn. lar anger over widespread graft, From the Netherlands and France to Denmark and won in 19 of the 20 towns or cities Austria, eurosceptic voices have been growing for where it had advanced to the run- some time, and would take succour from a ‘Leave’ off s, including Turin and Rome, vote by British voters on Thursday. where Virginia Raggi, a 37-year- The European Union’s nightmare scenario is that old lawyer, became the fi rst woman Brexit would trigger a domino eff ect and could ulti- mayor. mately lead to the dissolution of the 28-nation bloc. The party has so far controlled A recent study by the Pew Research Centre found just a handful of medium-sized that over 40% of Europeans say they want more towns. power returned to their countries. Success in Rome and Turin could Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders, whose anti- prove a springboard to victory in Muslim party is topping polls ahead of elections next national elections due in 2018. year, is a leading light in the EU’s small but vocal Protest parties have made in- “out” brigade. roads in a number of European The fi rebrand politician has promised to pull the countries and 5-Star’s advances in Netherlands immediately out of the “totalitarian” EU Italy this weekend mean a major in case of electoral victory. European Union capital will be gov- In France, Marine Le Pen of the far-right National erned by a party which wants Italy Front has been less direct in her rhetoric, but never- to drop the euro. theless vowed to hold a referendum on the country’s “A new era is beginning with us,” EU membership if she becomes president in 2017. said Raggi, who won 67% of the Calling herself “Madame Frexit”, she said Brexit vote. “We’ll work to bring back le- would prove that “it is possible to live outside the EU”. gality and transparency to the city’s “France has possibly a thousand more reasons to institutions.” want to leave the EU than the English,” Le Pen said at As a consolation for Renzi, his a gathering of far-right parties in Vienna last week. centre-left Democratic Party (PD) Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi addresses a press conference at the Palazzo Chigi in Rome. In Italy, another hotbed of populist resurgence, the held on to power in Italy’s fi nancial Northern League also wants to quit the EU. capital, Milan, and in the northern constitutional reform that, he says, organise” itself, particularly at the a veteran party heavyweight, was lic life remains its chief asset. “If this is Europe, it’s better to be alone than in bad city of Bologna, beating more tra- will bring stability to Italy and end base. swept aside by Chiara Appendino, However, analysts say it has out- company,” its leader Matteo Salvini said recently. ditional, centre-right candidates in its tradition of revolving-door gov- “We need a stronger, more 31, who overturned an 11-point gap grown its image as purely a party of While some simply want out, a majority of popu- both places. ernments. structured party, with a more vis- after the fi rst round to win 55% of protest. list groups remain less radical in their approach. A magnanimous Renzi acknowl- But the losses in Rome and Turin ible leadership that helps Renzi,” he the vote. Its policies include universal in- Instead of leaving, parties like the Alternative for edged 5-Star’s “clear and undisput- suggest he might struggle to rally said, alluding to the PD’s internal Comedian Beppe Grillo, 67, who come support for the poor, tougher Germany and Austria’s far-right Freedom Party ed” victories and said the PD would the nation behind him, with oppo- divisions, which political commen- founded 5-Star seven years ago, has penalties on white collar crime and (FPOe) want to regain more sovereignty. hold a “very real and very frank” sition parties lined up to reject his tators said would be exacerbated by mostly retreated from front-line tax evasion, closing down or priva- “We love Europe (but) it needs improvement,” in- discussion about the national and reform and even his own PD divided the results. politics over the last 18 months, tising many publicly owned com- sisted FPOe leader Heinz-Christian Strache who has political implications at an execu- over the issue. The PD’s defeat in Rome had been making way for younger politicians panies and cutting taxes for small his sights set on becoming chancellor in 2018. tive meeting on Friday. The prime minister took offi ce in expected after criticism of its man- who have given the protest party a businesses. Experts note that Nordic countries, where populist “I don’t believe it was a protest 2014 promising to revitalise Italy, agement of the city over the past more moderate image and broader Across the country, turnout fell parties are now either in government or represent a vote. It was a vote for change,” he but he has struggled to boost eco- three years, with its mayor forced to appeal. sharply, signalling growing disen- strong opposition force, are particularly prone to told reporters in Rome, promising nomic growth and create jobs after resign in 2015 in a scandal over his However, Grillo basked in his chantment with politics. calling a referendum to renegotiate their EU mem- his government would collaborate years of stagnation. expenses. creation’s success on Monday, say- Just 50.5% of those eligible to bership. with newly elected mayors from all He has also been hurt by repeated But the loss to 5-Star in Turin, a ing 5-Star would “fl y high towards vote, or about 8.6mn people — “Small countries that are economically at least as parties. scandals in the banking sector. centre-left stronghold and home of national government.” about a fi fth of the total electorate affl uent as the UK are the main ones at risk, especially Renzi has pinned his political fu- PD vice president Matteo Ricci carmaker Fiat, was a major shock. The movement’s protests against — went to the polls, against some Denmark and potentially also Sweden,” said Carsten ture on an October referendum on said the party would have to “re- The incumbent, Piero Fassino, rampant corruption in Italian pub- 60% two weeks ago. Nickels of the Teneo analyst group in Brussels. Many Scandinavians fear that the crises battering the bloc will aff ect the social fabric and standards of their respective welfare states. Among the bloc’s loudest critics are right-wing populist governments in Hungary and Poland, which Slip of the tongue: regularly launch blistering attacks on the EU. Turkey arrests RSF However, as newer member states, they are also among the biggest recipients of EU aid. Chameleon’s sticky Much of the tough talk is in fact aimed at voters at home, experts say. “Poland and Hungary without the European Union would not have any chance eco- secret revealed rep on ‘terror’ charge nomically or politically and they know it,” said Wern- er Fasslabend of the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy in Vienna. By Laurence Coustal, AFP “Contrary to what many AFP Neither country is in favour of Brexit, with Hun- Paris thought, the viscous adhe- Istanbul garian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urging Britons to sion is more than suffi cient vote to remain in the EU in an open letter published to allow the chameleon to yesterday in British media. stunningly effi cient haul in such big prey,” said he Turkey representative for in- “Hungary is proud to stand with you as a member hunter, the chame- Damman. ternational rights group Report- of the European Union,” the ad read. Aleon relies on an im- Sometimes, he added, Ters Without Borders (RSF) was pressive biological arsenal “the simplest explanation arrested yesterday on “terrorist propa- that includes colour-chang- (is) the best one.” ganda” charges, in the latest crack- ing camoufl age, panoramic The chameleon is known down on the media in the country. vision, and lots of patience. as a “sit-and-wait” predator Erol Onderoglu was charged, along And then there’s that — unlike other reptiles that with journalist Ahmet Nesin and rights Croatia elections lightning-fast tongue. scramble after their lunch, activist Sebnem Korur Financi, for The reptile’s tongue- it stays hidden, motionless, taking part in a campaign of solidarity lashing prowess has been until its prey comes within with the pro-Kurdish press in Turkey set for September extensively researched over striking distance. in May, media reports said. the years, but one ability has It changes colour to be- RSF swiftly condemned the deten- remained a mystery: how come one with the back- tion of the three in a post on Twitter. AFP does the chameleon’s fl eshy ground. “Unbelievable low for press freedom Zagreb projectile hold on to prey Independently-rotating in Turkey. Free Erol!” said the tweet while snapping it back to- eyes with a near-360-degree from the Paris-based organisation’s wards its mouth at such high fi eld of vision means the ani- eastern Europe and central Asia desk. roatian deputies yesterday voted to dissolve speed? mal doesn’t have to move its The arrests come despite the Euro- parliament, paving the way for an early elec- Several mechanisms have head while lying in ambush. pean Union pressuring Ankara to nar- Ction by mid-September, after Prime Minis- been proposed: suction, When a meal makes its row its defi nition of terror to stop pros- ter Tihomir Oreskovic lost a vote of confi dence last stickiness, or a velcro-like appearance, the lizard takes ecuting academics and journalists for week. The dissolution of parliament “will become bond between a rough sur- aim and shoots — extending publishing “terror propaganda”. eff ective on July 15,” speaker Zeljko Reiner said, after face on the chameleon’s its deadly tongue up to dou- The three had in May taken sym- which a new election must be held within 60 days. tongue and that of its meal, ble its body length. bolic control of pro-Kurd newspaper The dissolution was backed by 137 deputies in the which can weigh a third as But a question remains: Ozgur Gundem, which has been in the 151-seat assembly. The right-wing government led much as the predator itself. How does the creature loos- crosshairs of the Turkish authorities by Oreskovic, a former pharmaceutical executive Scientists in Belgium and en the catch from its sticky for years, sparking a judicial enquiry with no party affi liation, fell after only fi ve months in France said yesterday the tongue for swallowing? against them. power, infl icting a serious blow to the main party in answer was sticky mucus on “We can only hypoth- The paper, seen by the authorities as the coalition, HDZ. the tongue tip. esise,” said Damman. close to outlawed Kurdish rebel group Cobbled together after indecisive November polls, “We were surprised to It may use a “normal”, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Onderoglu ... in the dock the fragile coalition was beset by internal disputes fi nd that the liquid is very non-sticky saliva from else- has often been closed down, according between HDZ and its junior partner, Most, amid con- viscous, about 1,000 times where in the mouth to break to media reports. Last month, parliament adopted a Turkish armed forces have been cerns over Croatia’s shift to the right. more so than (human) sa- the bond. “The prosecutor who heard us de- highly controversial bill that would lift waging a bloody campaign against the The political crisis escalated last month with a liva,” said Pascal Damman Or it may simply wait for manded that we be charged for terror- immunity for dozens of pro-Kurdish militants in the mainly Kurdish south- confl ict of interest aff air involving Tomislav Kara- of the University of Mons in the adhesion to wear off ist propaganda,” Onderoglu told AFP and other MPs and could see them east of the country. marko, the powerful HDZ head and deputy premier. Belgium, who co-authored a naturally. just before the charges were laid. evicted from parliament. The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons A national ethnics watchdog ruled last week that study published in the jour- In viscous adhesion, the The international community has The EU has called for changes to the (TAK) — seen as a splinter group of the Karamarko had a confl ict of interest due to a business nal Nature Physics. stronger and faster the pull voiced increasing alarm about the ero- country’s terrorism law if it is to meet PKK — has waged several attacks in deal between his wife and a lobbyist for Hungary’s The viscosity, or thick- of the tongue on the insect, sion of press freedoms in Turkey un- the conditions of a migrant deal that Ankara and Istanbul in what it said was oil group MOL. MOL is currently in arbitration with ness, of chameleon spit had the stronger the bond will der Erdogan’s rule. RSF ranks Turkey promises visa-free access for Turks, revenge for the army off ensive. Croatia over its national oil group INA, in which it is never before been measured, be, explained the researcher. 149th out of 180 countries in its latest increased aid and speeded up acces- Over 40,000 people have been killed a major shareholder. he told AFP. As the tongue relaxes, the World Press Freedom Index. sion talks. since the PKK took up arms in 1984 As the coalition descended into chaos and its The team then used math- adhesion will similarly loos- Ankara has also taken a hard line But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanding an independent state for partners traded calls for resignations, HDZ fi led a ematics to calculate the ad- en and ultimately disappear, against Kurds after almost a year of has repeatedly made clear that Turk- Kurds. no-confi dence motion against Oreskovic. They ac- hesive properties, or sticki- allowing the chameleon to renewed violence against the Turkish ish authorities see “no diff erence” be- Since then the group has narrowed cused the premier of trying to boost his own political ness, that such viscosity chow down — without bit- state by outlawed rebels that shattered tween individuals carrying weapons or its demands to greater autonomy and power, instead of dealing with the economy as he had would convey. ing its tongue. a two-and-a-half year truce. indulging in “terrorist” propaganda. cultural rights. pledged — accusations he fi rmly rejected. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 19 EUROPE Cracks emerge Diplomacy at work in European consensus on Russia sanctions

Reuters “People are tired of confrontation with pressure from SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel Berlin Russia. They don’t like the tensions and over the past month to soften his rhetoric they see that Ukraine is not delivering on Russia, offi cials familiar with their dis- enough on the reform front,” said Ulrich cussions say. s the European Union squabbled Speck, a senior fellow at the Transatlantic Gabriel is the presumptive challenger over refugees, Greek bailouts and Academy in Washington. to Merkel in next year’s election and is Aausterity in past years, it showed “When you’re confronted with ISIS, scrambling for issues that can lift the striking unity in another area: its resolve Putin doesn’t look so bad. Because of this struggling SPD in the polls and diff erenti- to punish Russia for the annexation of fatigue, there is a growing risk that the an- ate them from the chancellor’s conserva- Crimea and support of separatists in east- ti-sanctions camp grows stronger,” Speck tives. Russia is a natural place for the SPD ern Ukraine. said, a view also expressed by offi cials in to start. That consensus was possible because the United States, which has imposed its For many in the party, attitudes towards German Chancellor Angela Merkel was own sanctions on Russia over Ukraine. Moscow were shaped by former chancel- able to keep Russia-friendly members of Over the past weeks the divide between lor Willy Brandt’s “Ostpolitik” engage- her own government on-side and con- the parties in Merkel’s “grand coalition” ment policy in the 1970s and the crum- Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa (right) welcomes the European Council President Donald Tusk at vince sceptical EU states like Slovakia, government has widened, with German bling Soviet Union’s support for German the Sao Bento Palace in Lisbon. Hungary and Italy to back extensions of Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier reunifi cation. the bloc’s economic and fi nancial sanc- leading the push for a more conciliatory “We can’t allow the successes of Willy tions against Moscow. approach towards Russia, and a step-by- Brandt’s Ostpolitik to be squandered,” Another six month extension seems step easing of sanctions. former SPD chancellor Gerhard Schroed- likely to be agreed today. At the weekend, he raised eyebrows by er, a friend of Putin and former mentor to But that cannot hide the fact that the suggesting that Nato risked provoking Steinmeier, cautioned in a weekend news- mood in Berlin is shifting. Russia with military manoeuvres in east- paper interview. French govt, unions clash over right And with that shift, the fi rst real cracks ern Europe. “What we shouldn’t do now Later this month, Gabriel is scheduled are emerging in the European consensus is to infl ame the situation by loud sabre- to travel to Russia to meet with Putin at his on how to deal with Russian President rattling and shrill war cries,” he told the private residence outside Moscow. to march against risk of violence Vladimir Putin. Bild newspaper. On the same day, June 27, Ukraine’s new In recent weeks, as Nato advanced plans There are two ways to read Steinmeier. Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman is to deploy battalions along Russia’s west- The fi rst is that he is playing good cop due to make his fi rst offi cial visit to Berlin Reuters Tension between the govern- similar comment earlier yester- ern border, Russian athletes were banned to Merkel’s bad cop, and that the hardline for talks with Merkel. Paris ment and unions that oppose the day, but two top union offi cials told from the Olympic Games over doping German stance on sanctions is unlikely to The symbolism of the two meetings will reform, including the hardline Reuters they would stick to their and Moscow was threatened with ejec- change substantially. not be lost on Germany’s partners, some CGT, rose sharply after an esca- plans. tion from the European soccer champion- “What has changed on Russia policy? of whom are already talking about a grad- rench authorities yesterday lation in violence during a street Unions say the violent acts are ships because of violent fans, offi cials in I think nothing has changed,” said one ual dismantling of sanctions. asked unions to scrap plans march in Paris last week. committed by people not connect- Berlin have begun to express concern that senior German diplomat. “Still, with the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Ffor a protest march in Paris Hundreds of rioters ransacked ed with their movement. ties with Moscow could suff er irreparable sanctions deadline looming, we have to and European Commission President and limit their demonstrations to a shop fronts, clashed with police, “I don’t see what could push us damage. show we are doing everything we can to Jean-Claude Juncker both attended a ma- single, static rally in hope that the tore up street paving and smashed to give up our constitutional right Coupled with these fears has been engage with Russia.” jor Russian investor conference that was violence which marred previous the windows of a children’s hos- to protest,” Pascal Joly, the head of growing frustration with the government The other interpretation is that Stein- held in St Petersburg last week — visits days of action can be avoided. pital during running battles last the CGT in the Paris region, told in Ukraine and its struggles to implement meier’s comments point to a deeper split that would have been unthinkable a year Unions have been organising pro- Tuesday. Reuters. its side of the Minsk peace deal by pushing between Merkel’s conservatives and his ago. test marches for months against a draft The police responded with tear- Rallying in one square instead of through a law that would allow elections Social Democrats (SPD) which will only Slovakia, one of biggest sceptics on law that will overhaul labour rules. gas and water cannon and dozens doing a protest march “is not ac- to take place in the disputed east. grow as the 2017 German election ap- Russia sanctions, takes over the EU presi- They said a ban on marching were hurt on both sides. ceptable,” said Gabriel Gaudy, a top More generally, some German and Eu- proaches. dency in July. would be unacceptable and that “In this context of tension and offi cial for smaller union FO. ropean offi cials have begun questioning Some offi cials fear this split could send The country’s Foreign Minister Miro- they would maintain plans to walk recent clashes... having another French police are already how many fronts Europe can aff ord to a signal of disunity to Berlin’s partners, slav Lajcak, speaking to Reuters in Lux- through the streets of the French march like that on June 23 is not stretched as France hosts the Euro fi ght at a time when the bloc faces major undermining the EU consensus. embourg yesterday, said: “I see a growing capital on Thursday. conceivable,” Interior Minister 2016 soccer tournament under a threats like Brexit, attacks from Islamic One thing is sure: domestic German pol- demand for a political discussion about The government has the right to Bernard Cazeneuve said in a letter state of emergency in place since State militants and the simmering refugee itics is playing a role in the Russia debate. sanctions after this rollover and I expect ban the protest rally if unions do to CGT chief Philippe Martinez. Islamist attackers killed 130 people crisis. Steinmeier has come under signifi cant that to happen.” not comply with its demands. A Paris police chief had made a last November.

Socialists rule out pacts with PP, Iglesias’ Podemos Mother who left baby to

Reuters ernment led by the PP or (act- contender for Rajoy’s PP. drown blames ‘witchcraft’ Madrid ing Prime Minister Mariano) Podemos fi nished third in Rajoy...and (Podemos leader the December ballot. Pablo) Iglesias will not be prime Sanchez has previously AFP said Kabou, who is charged with pre- he head of Spain’s So- minister.” baulked at joining with Po- Saint-Omer, France meditated murder and faces life in cialist party, which has Sunday’s ballot follows an demos, mostly due to the far- prison. Tslipped to third place in election in December that left left group’s support for an From the start she has made little ef- polls ahead of parliamentary no single party able to form a independence referendum in French woman who left her baby fort to hide or deny her crime, and vid- elections on Sunday, yesterday government and led to a suc- Catalonia. daughter to drown on a beach eo surveillance allowed police to track ruled out a coalition pact with cession of inter-party talks He did not say whether he Asaid yesterday she had no other her down 10 days afterwards to her either the centre-right People’s that failed to produce a viable would be ready to back a coali- explanation but “witchcraft”. home — a renovated art studio where Party (PP) or the current leader coalition. tion with Unidos Podemos not Fabienne Kabou, 39, went on trial for she lived with Adelaide’s father. of anti-austerity Podemos. As it did six months ago, the led by Iglesias, or if the Social- the murder of 15-month-old Adelaide Roy-Nansion describes Kabou as Some polls have indicated PP is expected to win, but again ists would permit the PP to which shocked the country in Novem- from a well-to-do Catholic back- that a coalition between the falling well short of an overall govern by abstaining in parlia- ber 2013. ground and of “remarkable intelli- Socialists and Podemos could majority. ment. The French woman of Senegalese or- gence”. win enough seats to take a ma- Polls have shown that a joint In a television interview yes- igin described her well-off childhood A court-appointed psychiatrist jority and end a six-month po- ticket between Podemos and terday, Rajoy reiterated that the in Dakar before she moved to Paris to found that her “psychological status litical deadlock. United Left (Unidos Podemos Socialists should either stand study philosophy and architecture and is largely infl uenced by cultural refer- But Pedro Sanchez said in a or ‘Together We Can’) would aside and allow the PP to gov- fell in love with a sculptor 30 years her ences and an individual history linked Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias leaves a press conference radio interview yesterday: “We likely overtake the Socialists ern or join forces in a two-party senior, Michel Lafon. to Senegalese witchcraft that radically in front of the Spanish Parliament in Madrid. won’t back or bet on any gov- this time around as the main “grand coalition”. “In 2011 I fell pregnant with Ad- altered her view of the world”. elaide, she was born in August and I However a lawyer for a children’s ended up killing her, 15 months after group that is a civil party to the case, her birth,” she told the court in the Jean-Christophe Boyer, accused Kabou northeastern town of Saint-Omer. of using witchcraft as a defence strat- Kabou travelled with her daughter egy. from their home in Paris to the north- “You are faced with a very intelli- ern resort town of Berck-sur-Mer gent woman who knows she must not Poland seeks fl ashpoint troops say she is mad, but give enough to the where she inquired about the local tides before heading to the beach. experts to appear mad, so you have Reuters measures to deter any Russian ag- defend its easternmost members. Soviet Russian invasion, mean that She said goodbye to her sleeping sorcery and it is part of her culture,” he Warsaw gressive thinking, but without turning Deployment of alliance troops di- Warsaw would rather not have to test daughter and placed her near the water said. Suwalki itself into a source of tension rectly in this potential fl ashpoint area Nato’s resolve, analysts say. on a wintry night. Another court psychiatrist, Paul near Russian borders. could mean Poland’s allies imme- “Poland has been let down by its The baby’s lifeless body was discov- Bensussan, said her act was possibly t the height of the Cold War, “Nato has already changed its mili- diately fi nd themselves facing hos- allies in the past,” said Tim Ripley, ered early the next morning by prawn triggered by a deep depression related Nato generals lost sleep over tary posture to be able to respond tile forces, even in a surprise attack, defence analyst at IHS Jane’s. “The fi shermen. to the birth of her child. Athe “Fulda Gap”, a fl at low- militarily in that area,” Nato Secretary Deputy Defence Minister Tomasz suspicion still lingers in the minds of “Witchcraft. That is my default ex- Her lawyer has said the child was land area they identifi ed as the easiest General Jens Stoltenberg said. “What Szatkowski told Reuters. Poles.” planation because I have no other,” she born in the couple’s home and was way for Warsaw Pact tanks to roll into we have done is increase the readiness Michal Baranowski, Director of the A former Soviet satellite, Poland told the court. never registered. Western Germany. of our forces...We are not doing this to German Marshall Fund of the United joined the US-led alliance in 1999. Kabou said she had spent some No one close to the couple, not even As Nato’s borders have shifted east, create a confl ict, but to avoid one.” States in Warsaw said: “In reality, this Two years prior, Nato, looking to 40,000 euros ($45,000) consulting Kabou’s mother, knew of her existence. they now worry about a new fl ash- Moscow denies territorial ambi- is Poland’s strategy aimed at automat- ease Moscow’s anxiety about alliance various “witchdoctors and healers” The pregnancy “was a happy sur- point of potential confl ict with Russia: tions in the north but has expressed ically involving key Nato countries in a expansion, declared it would not per- before carrying out the murder. prise for her, not necessarily for the fa- a 70km sliver of land dubbed the Su- concern at any Nato build-up near its potential confl ict.” manently station signifi cant forces “Nothing makes sense in this story. ther. I think she felt deeply alone,” Roy- walki Gap, whose seizure by Moscow’s borders. Warsaw has never openly ques- close to Russian borders. What interest could I have in torment- Nansion said before the trial. troops could leave the three Baltic Poland says a direct presence of tioned the cast-iron character of Ar- But after Russia’s annexation of ing myself, lying, killing my daughter? The father, Michel Lafon, a sculptor, states, former Soviet republics, iso- Nato troops in the gap area, the only ticle 5 of the Nato treaty, which states Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014, Poland I spoke of sorcery and I am not jok- did not take an interest in or recognise lated and helpless. overland route linking Lithuania, that an attack on one member is an at- pushed for a permanent Nato base, ing. Even a stupid person would not do the child, according to court docu- Weeks before a key summit in War- Latvia and Estonia with their allies, tack against all. with one offi cial telling Reuters at the what I did.” ments. saw, Poland is pushing its allies to use could change the political calculus and Nato, in turn, has repeatedly said time the limits on the alliance’s pres- Kabou’s lawyer Fabienne Roy-Nan- A DNA test was carried out after Ka- some of Nato’s planned new multina- deter a potential aggressor. that its security guarantees are sacro- ence in the region were “no longer sion pushed her to explain why she bou’s arrest to prove his paternity. tional forces to secure the gap, a move Analysts say Poland’s push to se- sanct. valid”. thought evil forces were at work. Kabou has told investigators she experts say is aimed at rebalancing cure the area with Nato units is part of But Poland’s bitter historical ex- Calls for a permanent Nato presence “For many years I struggled to wake chose the town because it sounded like what Warsaw sees as a ‘second class’ its wider strategy, driven partly by its periences, notably during World War intensifi ed after the right-wing Law up in the morning, my feet were para- a “sad” place. “Even the name is sad.” status within the alliance. suspicion of Western allies and aimed Two, when Western allies failed to and Justice (PiS) party came to power lysed. I had hallucinations, like the Berck means “yuck” in French, though Nato insists it is taking necessary at ensuring Nato does not hesitate to save it from a Nazi German, and later in October. walls which didn’t stop trembling,” it is the Flemish word for dune. Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 INDIA

JUDICIARY INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE INVESTIGATION CONTROVERSY Stamp paper scam 142 more villages get Majority want polythene Case filed against Ukrainian Jaya asks DMK to clarify kingpin Telgi ‘in jail’ electricity connection bags banned: survey nationals with Indian passport stand on Katchatheevu

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) A total of 142 villages in 11 states were electrified An overwhelming majority of Indians surveyed The Foreigner Regional Registration Off ice (FRRO) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa yesterday told the Supreme Court that the during the week ending June 19 under the feel that civic bodies across the country have been has filed a case against two Ukrainian nationals yesterday asked opposition Dravida Munnetra kingpin of the multi-billion rupee counterfeit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna, the ineff ective in reducing the use of polythene bags in for illegally possessing Indian passports, police Kazhagam leader M K Stalin to clarify his stamp paper scam Abdul Kareem Telgi government said in a statement yesterday. the first two years of the Swachh Bharat cleanliness said yesterday. According to police, the two men party’s stand on ceding of Katchatheevu island was alive and was in a jail. “Abdul Kareem “Of the electrified villages, 80 are in Assam, 16 initiative in spite of the central government and originally from Jharkhand, took up Ukrainian to Sri Lanka. Her response came after Stalin Telgi is very much alive and is in Bengaluru in Jharkhand, 15 in Meghalaya, three in Uttar the National Green Tribunal banning their use. As citizenship nearly a decade ago. However, records said the central government did not consult jail,” Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Pradesh, one in Chhattisgarh, six in Arunachal many as 79% of those surveyed by the Local Circles with the FRRO have recently revealed them to be the Tamil Nadu government in 1974 while Nadkarni told the court. He said earlier there Pradesh, eight in Odisha, two in Karnataka, one NGo expressed this view. Of these, 48% said their holding Indian passports as well. “The complaint transferring Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. “By were reports that Telgi was suff ering from in Himachal Pradesh, and five each in Bihar municipality has not been able to reduce polythene was filed earlier in the week after the FRRO found passing a resolution in the assembly, the then multiple ailments including Aids and few and Rajasthan,” the statement from the power usage, while 31% said their urban local body has taken that the two Ukrainians also had Indian passports. DMK government headed by (Stalin’s father) M years back there was a report that he had ministry said. A total of 8,384 villages have been no action on the subject. The citizen consultation and As they are not currently in India, we have not been Karunanidhi closed the discussion on the transfer,” died. “However, the off icers of CBI have told electrified so far, it added. At a meeting in Goa poll exercise was conducted among 345,000 people able to question them. We have approached the Jayalalithaa said. Jayalalithaa said a Tamil Eelam me that Telgi is very much alive and is lodged last week, the central government and states across India. Seventy-six percent felt there should be authorities to know their whereabouts and are also Supporters Organisation resolution moved in in Bengaluru jail,” he said. The stamp paper resolved to meet the target of taking electricity a total ban on the manufacture of polythene bags in investigating how they got the Indian passports 2013 said the DMK government had opposed the scam was estimated to be around Rs200bn. to all villages by the end of this year. the interest of the Swachh Bharat campaign. despite being foreign nationals,” said a police off icer. transfer of Katchatheevu at the very first instance.

Veterans clash at Kejriwal my CPM meet over poll alliance new target

IANS New Delhi

major clash between mem- after Rajan, bers of the Communist AParty of India (Marxist) and the “Bengal brigade” broke out at the three-day central com- mittee meeting of the party here where veterans also exchanged heated words over the party’s poll says Swamy debacle in West Bengal. At the meeting, Surjyakanta BJP, AAP step up war of words “Girri forwarded a letter writ- are thieves. Look how each one of Mishra, former leader of the oppo- over murder of NDMC off icial ten by Kakkar to the Lt Governor them is resigning.” sition in the West Bengal assembly, (Najeeb Jung) which asked for Khan who was shot dead in Ja- was charged with being the “archi- Agencies the removal of Khan. The LG for- mia Nagar on May 16. Girri yes- tect of the massive electoral defeat” New Delhi warded the letter to the NDMC terday also wrote to the police for the party and an “embarrass- chairman on Girri’s reference,” chief, asking him to investigate his ment” for his insistence on the al- Kejriwal told reporters here. role in the case. liance with the Congress. haratiya Janata Party MP “Murder cases are not solved in “Probe the matter impartially Leaders from Kerala, Assam Subramanian Swamy yes- an open debate. The police should and fearlessly. If you feel, please and Tripura favoured adopting Bterday vowed to expose arrest him fi rst and interrogate question me and if needed please resolutions under which the Ben- Delhi Chief Minister and Aam him about his relationship with arrest me,” Girri said. gal brigade “should own up their Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejri- Kakkar. Why did he write a letter Khan, an estate offi cer with responsibility” for the alliance. wal as the two parties stepped up to LG on Kakkar’s behalf?” NDMC, was shot dead a day be- The issue fi gured prominently a war of words. He added: “Is this how criminal fore he was expected to pass an during the two-day meeting on Swamy’s remarks came as he justice system works in the Modi order on the terms of the lease of Saturday and Sunday where the joined party colleague Maheish government that whoever is ac- The Connaught, a four-star hotel. hardliner camp asked why the Girri in a hunger strike outside cused of murder will sit on dharna The hotel’s owner, Ramesh party’s West Bengal unit insisted Kejriwal’s home in Delhi. (protest) outside my home?” Kakkar, was arrested along with on the alliance with the Congress “All his life he (Kejriwal) has The AAP leader has accused six others for Khan’s murder. in total contravention of the party done fraud. He says he was a mer- the central government of shield- Also yesterday Kejriwal termed resolutions adopted earlier not to itorious student in IIT (Indian In- ing Girri. “He should be arrested the central government’s Special have any ties with the party at the stitute of Technology) but I have and interrogated in Khan murder Investigation Team (SIT) on 1984 state level. records of how he got his admis- case. Modi police shielding him,” anti-Sikh riots an “eyewash”. In fact, a few top Kerala leaders, sion...which I will reveal in a press Kejriwal tweeted earlier, referring In a letter to the prime minister, including Chief Minister Pinarayi conference. Till now I was going to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Kejriwal said during the previous Vijayan, said for the CPM, both after Raghuram Rajan and he is whose government controls Delhi 49-day rule of the AAP, the Delhi the Bharatiya Janata Party and the now gone,” Swamy said. police. cabinet took the decision to form Congress were “equal enemies.” He was referring to the outgo- The BJP denied Kejriwal’s al- the SIT to bring culprits to justice. At this, Mishra is learnt to have ing Reserve Bank of India gover- legations. “Unfortunately, our govern- said that despite the humbling, the nor against whom the BJP MP had “We stand by our MP Ma- ment didn’t last long to implement CPM could poll as high as 20.15mn launched a campaign. hesh Girri who has never written that decision. We were keen to votes in West Bengal and this was Maheish Girri, a BJP MP from any letter to the Lt Governor in form SIT and included this in our “much higher than any other Delhi, has been on a protest since the context of M M Khan or the election manifesto,” the letter said. state.” The remarks predictably Sunday in protest against Kejriwal NDMC hotel case in question,” He alleged that the central gov- provoked the leaders from Kerala after the chief minister accused the BJP’s Delhi unit said in a state- ernment formed an SIT two days and other states, including Assam. him of a role in the recent mur- ment. “All that the AAP and the before he took oath as the chief At one point during Saturday’s der of M M Khan, an offi cial of chief minister have said is a fresh minister for the second time in deliberations, even party gen- the New Delhi Municipal Council bunch of lies.” February 2015 to prevent the Delhi eral secretary Sitaram Yechury (NDMC). Swamy demanded Kejriwal’s government from doing it. had to intervene and reprimand “Question me if needed, ar- apology and also slammed Jung, “Just two days before I took a few leaders who were insisting rest me if required,” said Girri, saying he must be dismissed. oath as a CM, the central govern- on “admission” of failure by the who has challenged Kejriwal to an “There is no surprise the way ment set up an SIT on February 12, West Bengal camp. open debate. in which Kejriwal is acting. He is a 2015, which was supposed to fi le Mishra was at times supported However, Kejriwal reiterated his Naxalite by nature. All allegations its report within six months. But by party leaders from West Ben- demand for the arrest of the MP. levelled against Girri by him are it is one-and-a-half years, yet the gal but others kept insisting that He also urged the Delhi police, completely wrong,” Swamy said. SIT has made no progress. Now, unlike the eastern state, nowhere which do not report to him, to “If there is a letter, then Ke- apprehension is growing in the else did the party oppose the probe the relationship between jriwal should present it, if not he minds of people that the SIT was well-established and traditional Girri and hotelier Ramesh Kakkar, should apologise,” he said. just an eyewash to prevent us from party line of having no ties with BJP MP Subramanian Swamy joins a protest outside the home of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal the main accused in Khan’s mur- Attacking the AAP ministers, forming an eff ective SIT,” he said the Congress. in New Delhi yesterday. der. Swamy said: “All AAP ministers in the letter. Cabinet reshuffl e sparks Woman vows action against CPM leaders rebellion in Congress IANS into the CPM offi cie in Thalassery Kannur, Kerala and beat up two partymen. A local court later sent them Agencies Supporters of Vijayanagara gress made Ambareesh a minis- and Akhila’s 18-month-old infant Bengaluru legislator M Krishnappa, who ter. Not the Film Chambers. Who Dalit woman who was ar- to Kannur jail. On Saturday, the missed out at the last minute, en- are they to protest? This kind of rested along with her elder sisters were granted conditional tered a Metro station in Bengaluru blackmailing won’t work.” Asister on charge of tres- bail by the court. arnataka Chief Minister and damaged the sign boards. Gulbarga district in is also wit- passing on a Communist Party The women, daughters of Con- Siddaramaiah is facing a The Karnataka Film Chambers nessing anger over the sacking of of India (Marxist) offi ce in Tha- gress leader N Rajan, refuted the Kmajor rebellion within his has called for a cinema strike in Quamarullah Islam and Baburao lassery yesterday said she would charges against them and said Congress Party a day after he car- protest against dropping Am- Chinchansur. take legal action against two party they went to the CPM offi ce to ried out a cabinet reshuffl e. bareesh who was the housing The chief minister has induct- leaders for “portraying her in a sort out issues with party offi - The chief minister dropped 14 minister. The actor’s fans went on ed Priyank Kharge, a fi rst-time poor light during a TV debate.” cials who often verbally abused ministers and inducted 13 new a rampage across Mandya district legilslator and son of Congress Anjana alleged she was as- them while sitting in the offi ce faces in the hope of restoring the protesting against his “uncer- MP Mallikarjuna Kharge, as a sailed by CPM’s Kannur district premises. party’s image, tainted by drought emonious” removal. minister of state. This has rankled vice-president T P Divya and Meanwhile, speaking in Delhi, crisis, farmers’ suicides and a Congress veteran V Srinivasa many Congress workers in Gul- Thalassery CPM legislator A M Kerala Minister for Scheduled spate of controversies. Prasad, who quit as revenue min- barga who senior Kharge of pro- Shamsheer during the debate. Castes/Tribes Development A Kannada fi lm star Ambareesh, ister, called Siddaramaiah a traitor. moting his son at the expense of Speaking to reporters at a hos- K Balan said no one belonging to who lost his cabinet post, yes- “The cabinet reshuffl e will cost other party leaders. pital where she was admitted af- these communities will suff er un- terday resigned as a legislator, Siddaramaiah dearly. What he has “Kharge has betrayed us. He ter an alleged suicide attempt, the der the Left Democratic Front rule. sources said. done is betrayal. He himself is an has made his son a minister. We woman said she would take legal “I have sought a report on the Angry followers of Ambareesh, outsider. He has ruined the Con- have been his supporters for over action against the two leaders for case from the district collector,” and other senior ministers like V gress,” Prasad told News18 TV 40 years. The Congress Party “insulting” her. he said and defended Chief Min- Srininivasa Prasad, Quamarulla channel. will see bad days in future,” leg- “The statements they made ister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remarks Islam and Baburao Chinchansur, Supporters of Ambareesh and islator and former minister A B against me, an unmarried young which were criticised by the op- who had to make way for the new Srinivasa Prasad said the two Malakareddy told News18. woman, have hurt me,” Anjana position. faces, staged protests in Gulbarga, leaders may defect to the Janata However, Priyank Kharge said: said. Meanwhile, the opposition Mandya, Mysore and Bengaluru Dal (Secular). “It is natural for people to be per- Anjana, 25, and her sister Akhi- Congress has decided to take up for the second day yesterday Commenting on the call for a turbed when things don’t go their Supporters of Congress legislators who were not given ministerial la, 30, were arrested by Thalassery the case in the Kerala assembly’s shouting slogans and damaging cinema protest, Power Minister way. But, such violent protests are posts stage a protest outside the Congress off ice in Bengaluru police on Friday following a com- maiden session beginning on June public property. D K Shivakumar said: “The Con- not a part of Congress culture.” yesterday. plaint that they had trespassed 24. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 21 INDIA

Congress terms it a panic Govt eases FDI norms for reaction

IANS New Delhi defence, aviation, retail Radical changes to make We may see its positive impact he Congress Party yester- India the most open economy over the next 6-12 months,” said day termed the govern- in the world, says Modi Amber Dubey, head of aerospace Tment’s decision to relax and defence at KPMG India. foreign investment norms in Agencies “Foreign airlines can now fo- some key sectors as a “panic re- New Delhi cus on the customers and com- action” to Reserve Bank of India petition rather than wasting time Governor Raghuram Rajan’s de- on legal and regulatory issues.” cision not to seek a second term. ndia yesterday announced This is a fi llip for start-up The party also said that Ra- sweeping moves to expand airlines such as Vistara, 49% jan’s exit was aimed to “protect” Iforeign investment in civil owned by Singapore Airlines loan defaulters and “those who aviation, defence and retail as and controlled by $100bn Tata have looted the banks.” part of attempts to open up the Group, and AirAsia India, an The Congress reaction came economy. AirAsia Bhd and Tata venture. after the government relaxed its The government eased re- However, there is still some foreign equity norms further, strictions on foreign direct in- ambiguity on the impact of the notably in defence, aviation, vestment (FDI) in nine areas as new foreign investment rules pharmaceuticals and retailing. it looks to spur investment in the and analyst opinions are divided. “Today’s announcement on world’s second most populous India has limited the equity FDI is a panic reaction. It is a re- country. holding of foreign airlines to action to show to the world that Prime Minister Narendra 49%, but these airlines can bring it’s business as normal or busi- Modi tweeted that the “radical” in investors such as private eq- ness as usual even as Raghuram changes would make “India the uity fi rms or sovereign wealth Rajan has announced his exit,” most open economy in the world funds to establish a 100% owned said senior Congress leader for FDI” and were aimed at gen- airline in India. Jairam Ramesh, newly-elected erating jobs for the country’s There is, however, still no to the Rajya Sabha from Karna- tens of millions of young people. clarity on whether such an air- taka. Commerce Minister Nirmala line would be allowed to fl y over- “This government and the Sitharaman said the aim was to An airplane lifts off above a suburban railway station in Mumbai yesterday. The government yesterday announced major reforms to open seas once it deploys 20 aircraft in BJP has always opposed FDI. It make it easier for overseas com- up its defence and civil aviation sectors to complete foreign ownership while easing regulations for overseas investment in key sectors in India, the world’s fastest-grow- is ironical that the BJP is today panies to manufacture in India, an eff ort to boost economic growth. ing aviation market. claiming FDI to be the answer notorious for its red tape and “I don’t think this would be to all of India’s economic prob- labyrinthine regulations. also need injections of new tech- way to illustrate its commitment Single-brand foreign retailers after Modi vowed to end India’s applicable or impact present lems. Domestic Investment is Under the changes, compa- nology which will lead to pro- to reforms and mitigate any in- can now operate stores for three status as the world’s number one carriers,” said Kapil Kaul, CEO at far more important than FDI, nies like Apple could move closer ductivity gains for the economy,” vestor fallout.” years before having to comply defence importer. the Centre for Aviation, a con- and only by FDI we are not going to opening stores in India after Devendra Kumar Pant, chief Modi stormed to power in with local sourcing rules - and He wants 70% of hardware to sultancy, adding that for a carri- to be able to solve India’s prob- the government eased regula- economist at India Ratings & 2014, promising an overhaul of for fi ve years if they can prove be manufactured domestically er to fl y overseas it needs to have lems,” he added. tions on local sourcing. Research in New Delhi, said. the faltering economy. their products are “cutting by the turn of the decade. substantial Indian ownership. “Fifty percent of the FDI Overseas companies will in Reserve Bank of India Gover- Shortly after taking the reins edge” or “state-of-the-art.” But defence companies have He said companies could have coming into India, is coming future be allowed to own local nor Raghuram Rajan, credited his government raised foreign Apple last month hit a road- been reluctant to transfer some two separate entities - one to only into the e-commerce area,” airlines outright, compared to a with helping to reform and re- investment caps in the defence block in its plans after the gov- technology to local fi rms under service the domestic market Ramesh said. “Fifty percent of previous 49% cap, with govern- vive the economy, announced at and insurance sectors and for ernment ruled it must buy at the current rules. The easing of and the other for international all the FDI that has come into ment approval. the weekend he would not seek some railway projects. least 30% of its parts locally if it rules in civil aviation come on operations but that may not be India so far in the last two years Investment in building and a second term in September - Growth is now chugging along wants to open stores in India. the heels of a long-awaited poli- practical. has been in the services sector, modernising airports around the raising concern among analysts at 7.9 %, the fastest of any major The government also per- cy announced last week aimed at “This is a good headline state- and of that bulk has been in e- country will also be eased. about the government’s com- economy. mitted 100% FDI in teleports, making air travel aff ordable for ment but when you get deeper commerce. This fact the govern- The cap on foreign investment mitment to reform. But the government has been direct-to-home and cable net- millions of people. into it, there are fault lines,” Kaul ment will not say. Where is the in defence was raised to 100% “These changes are fairly sig- criticised for failing to imple- works as well as mobile TV - India’s aviation sector has said. FDI going, where is it coming from 49%, subject to govern- nifi cant, particularly if you look ment major reforms to boost without the need for govern- undergone rapid transformation A Singapore Airlines spokes- from?” ment approval, in cases which at them in the context of what investment and help create jobs. ment approval. since a liberalisation drive began man said the company is happy “So, we do not believe that give India access to modern happened over the weekend The announcements came af- In the pharmaceuticals sector, in 2003, but most people still with the partnership it has with FDI is the answer; it is an impor- technology. with Governor Rajan’s decision ter Modi chaired a meeting of his it permitted foreign companies travel the vast country by rail Tata. tant instrument for economic “These are sectors in which to step down,” said Shilan Shah, top offi cials yesterday, looking to own up to 74% of brownfi eld and road. “At this point there are no growth, but it is not the main in- India needs huge amounts of in- India economist at Capital Eco- to increase foreign investment or existing projects without the “The opening of FDI will help plans for changes to our 49% strument of economic growth,” vestment and the government’s nomics in Singapore. from the $55.46bn reached last need for prior approval. bring in much-needed cash, ownership of Vistara,” the he added. assessment is that these sectors “It might be the government’s fi nancial year. The changes to defence come aircraft fl eet and best practices. spokesman said.

BJP suspends Campaigners say it’s ‘time’ leader over for change in the northeast rape charges IANS Ahmedabad AFP far northeast - a good 90 min- literally been kept in the dark, of time zones; mainland Australia Guwahati utes before dawn breaks on In- course they feel alienated.” has three and Russia has nine - dia’s west coast - and sets at just Bahrua grew up on a tea plan- although China uses just one. he Bharatiya Janata Party 6.15pm. tation in Assam where work But previous proposals to set yesterday suspended a y the time the working day Campaigners say that has held started at 6am to make the most up separate time zones in India Tparty leader in Gujarat’s begins in northeast India back the development of the re- of the daylight. have fallen on deaf ears. Vadodara, accused of raping a Bon the longest day of the gion, home to some of India’s Some of Assam’s plantations In 2006 India’s Planning student of a private university of year, the sun is already high in poorest states, hitting productiv- still operate on their own time Commission said having two which he is president. the sky and the heat is nearing its ity and adding billions to the cost - known locally as “tea garden time zones would lead to sub- The 22-year-old woman, who is peak - because clocks across the of lighting homes and offi ces. time” and a hangover from the stantial energy savings in a a nursing student in the Parul Uni- vast country are set to the same “Defi nitely there is a loss of days of British rule. country that frequently suff ers versity in Vadodara’s Waghodia hour. energy, a loss of workable hours,” But Bahrua says most have power outages, but the central area, has alleged that Jayesh Patel, India has just one time zone says Arup Kumar Datta, a writer switched to IST, meaning the government rejected the plan. 66, called her to a housing quarter for its 1.2bn people, spread from in the northeastern state of As- back-breaking work of picking When scientists from the on the university campus through points further east than Bangla- sam who has campaigned on the tea begins when the sun is near- National Institute of Advanced their hostel rector Bhavna Patel on desh to the western Arabian Sea. issue. ing its hottest. Studies in Bengaluru studied the Friday evening and raped her. The entire country’s time is “A person is fresher (in the Akhil Ranjan Dutta, a politics problem in 2007 they concluded Jayesh Patel promised the aligned to that of a town in Ut- morning), but by the time you professor at Guwahati Universi- separate time zones would cause girl that he would ensure good tar Pradesh, which sits near the go at offi ce at 10 o’clock you have ty in Assam, says he only became chaos, advocating instead a results in the examination and longitude line closest to centre lost that energy.” aware of the problem when he 30-minute advancement of IST. also 100% class attendance as of the country. Worse, campaigner Jahnu moved from the countryside to But one glimmer of hope is he tried to lure her towards him. The policy was introduced Barua believes a policy that was the state capital for his studies. off ered by the new state govern- When she tried to resist his ad- when the nation gained its in- intended to unite a newly-inde- “In the village we used to go to ment of Assam, which is led by vances, he allegedly raped her. dependence from Britain, but in pendent India has actually exac- bed at seven in the evening and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s The police are searching for the northeast government min- erbated the sense of alienation in rise at two or three in the morn- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Patel, who immediately escaped. isters now say Indian Standard the northeast, a tribal-dominat- ing,” he said. Himanta Biswa Sarma, a sen- The BJP’s Vadodara district Time (IST) makes little sense. ed region battling myriad sepa- “Then I came to college and I ior minister who is credited with president Dilbubha Chudasma Their region is closer to Dha- ratist insurgencies. couldn’t change my habits. My winning the state for the BJP, said Patel was suspended from ka, which is 30 minutes ahead, “People are not fools,” said friends would all laugh at me. said local lawmakers planned to the party for six years “since than Delhi. Bahrua, who has campaigned for You can’t have a same time zone take the matter up with the cen- such an incident should not tar- It shares borders with China, decades for a separate time zone for a country like India which is tral government in Delhi. nish the reputation of the party.” Myanmar and Bhutan as well as for the region. so vast. This has to change.” “They should allow the north- Patel had earlier contested the Bangladesh. “Slowly they are becoming The mainland United States, east a separate time zone, be- Two women watch as the sun rises over the Brahmaputra river in state assembly elections on a Around the summer solstice, aware of the rest of the world, excluding Pacifi c territories and cause it is becoming an econom- Guwahati. Campaigners say one time zone for the entire country Congress ticket but later joined the sun rises at 4.15am in the and when they realise they have Alaska, observes four diff erent ic waste,” he said in Guwahati. has held back the development of the northeastern region. the BJP. Former exam board chief, wife arrested over Bihar ‘toppers scam’

IANS Senior Superintendent of Police Meanwhile, Bihar police recov- BSEB, the merit list of Class 12 Congress said the guilty would Bihar state Congress president Singh, who until recently headed Patna Manu Maharaj, who heads the ered a country-made pistol and students in favour of those who not be spared. and Education Minister Ashok the BSEB which conducts the Special Investigation Team (SIT) fi ve live cartridges from the offi ce paid him bribes. “Whoever has committed Choudhary said the accused will Class 10 and 12 examinations in probing the scam, said. of Amit Kumar alias Bachcha Rai, “Police have lodged a case crime and corruption cannot face justice. Bihar. he former chief of Bi- The scam surfaced after a TV the alleged kingpin in the scam. against Bachcha Rai under the escape the long hands of rule of Opposition leader Jitan Ram Lalkeshwar Prasad was on har School Examination channel showed a sting in which He was arrested on June 11 af- Arms Act after the recovery of law. The guilty will be punished,” Manjhi, however, demanded the run after resigning from the TBoard (BSEB) and his wife two Class 12 toppers could not ter he surrendered. the pistol and fi ve live rounds. state JD-U president Vashisht that the scam should be probed board. were arrested yesterday in con- answer even elementary ques- Said to be a supporter of the We will now again seek his cus- Narain Singh said, reacting to by the Central Bureau of Investi- His wife Usha Sinha, who is a nection with the state’s Class 12 tions about the subjects they ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal tody,” Maharaj said. the arrest of the couple. gation (CBI). former JD-U legislator of Bihar, examination toppers scam, po- ‘topped’ in. (RJD), Bachha Rai is the princi- After facing fl ak from the op- RJD leader and Bihar’s Deputy Manjhi is a former Bihar chief was also missing since the time lice said. The police offi cer said Singh pal of the V R College in Bihar’s position over the toppers’ scam, Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav minister and belongs to the Hin- her name surfaced in the scam. Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and and his wife will be brought here Vaishali district. leaders of Bihar’s ruling Grand said he has full faith in the police dustani Awam Morcha party. So far, 10 people have been Usha Sinha were arrested from and interrogated by a separate He is alleged to have been ma- Alliance of Janata Dal-United who have already arrested Singh Last week, a Patna civil court arrested in the case, the police Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Patna team of the SIT. nipulating, in collusion with the (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal and and his wife. issued an arrest warrant against said. Gulf Times 22 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

Peace does not signal end of political struggle for Farc rebels

Tribune News Service and the government appear to for almost four years as part of the de-organising,” Calarca, 58, told The 52-year-old group is con- But Calarca said those charac- America, Colombia often seems Havana be closing in on a peace deal guerrilla delegation negotiating a the Miami Herald. “We’re talking sidered a terrorist organisation terisations miss reality. like multiple countries. There’s that might end the half-centu- peace deal. “But some people still about mobilising toward politics. by the US and Colombia and is “Why have the Farc existed for the Colombia that’s the darling ry struggle, Calarca insists his don’t realise that. ... There are We’re going to make the transition reviled by many, particularly 52 years?” he asked. “If the Farc of investors and full of exotic or almost 40 years, Marco group isn’t giving up its ambi- many sectors that still think that from a political-military organisa- those who have been victims of were simply an armed force that tourism hot spots, like the colo- Leon Calarca has been a tions of taking power. It’s simply we came here to surrender.” tion to a political organisation.” guerrilla extortion, kidnapping was hated by everyone, as they say nial port city of Cartagena. Then Fguerrilla in Colombia’s trading boots for ballots. Instead, the Farc plans to turn Although most Colombians and violence. Former president it is, then (we) would have been there are large swathes where outback, fi ghting in the hemi- “The reality is that the (gov- its estimated 7,000 fi ghters into favour a negotiated peace, polls Alvaro Uribe calls them the destroyed. ... The regions where the government’s presence is sphere’s longest-running and ernment) was never able to defeat a disciplined political force. also show they are uneasy about world’s largest drug cartel and we’ve had support historically are null and poverty is grinding - a bloodiest civil confl ict. us and that’s why this process “One of the things that makes government concessions at the says they belong behind bars, communities that are with us and country where more than 100 Now, as the Revolutionary isn’t about us capitulating,” said this process unique is that we’re table and, particularly, the Farc’s not in congress or the presiden- have allowed us to survive.” children have died this year of Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) Calarca, who has been in Havana not talking about demobilising and political aspirations. tial palace. Like many nations in Latin suspected malnutrition.

Brazil graft scandal ‘to Venezuelans implicate 30% of lawmakers’ fi ngerprinted

Agencies Brasilia in bid to drive wo top executives from Brazil’s Odebrecht and OAS Tconstruction multination- als, which stand at the centre of a multi-billion dollar corruption scandal, are in competition to secure a plea bargain from federal out president authorities which could implicate a staggering 29% of the nation’s AFP elected offi cials, Brazilian media Caracas TESTING TIMES FOR MADURO outlets reported yesterday. The legal defendants of Marce- PETITIONS: The opposition for a referendum. The opposition lo Odecrecht told the press that enezuelans yesterday has gathered more than a is hastening to complete the their client has already agreed to queued to give their fi n- million signatures to get recall process by January 10, participate in a deal that would Vgerprints in a crucial electoral authorities to consider the cutoff date to trigger new implicate over 175 deputies and phase of eff orts to force Presi- their referendum demand. elections. After that date, a senators from the 594 currently dent Nicolas Maduro from pow- Those names are meant to be successful recall vote would serving in the National Congress. er, after food shortages sparked authenticated this week by simply pass power to Maduro’s However, Odebrecht is also in deadly protests and looting. fingerprinting the signatories. hand-picked vice president. competition with his former busi- Crowds of Maduro’s oppo- After that, the opposition must OBSTACLES: Maduro has ness rival Leo Pinheiro, a former nents lined up to submit their gather 4mn signatures to challenged the referendum executive with OAS, since pros- fi ngerprints so electoral authori- demand a referendum be held. drive as unconstitutional in the ecutors have indicated they may ties can authenticate signatures In a referendum, more than Supreme Court. His opponents only issue one plea bargain deal. on a petition calling for a refer- 7.5mn votes against Maduro say he controls the court As part of the agreement, Bra- endum on his rule. would be needed to remove and the electoral authorities zilian authorities are requesting This week’s electoral proce- him from off ice. through his allies. Maduro that both Odebrecht and Pin- dures could make or break the bid DEADLINES: Electoral has warned he could take heiro provide new information to hold a recall vote on Maduro. authorities have set a July emergency measures if recent and concrete testimonies to help The opposition says he must 23 deadline to authenticate deadly looting and protests prove that Brazilian politicians be removed to rescue the South signatures. Then the opposition escalate. Such measures could accepted bribes and in exchange American country from eco- has three days to gather 4mn prevent the recall referendum granted government infrastruc- nomic disaster. more. After that the electoral from taking place. Time is also ture contracts to the companies Crowds of citizens holding council is supposed to fix a date on Maduro’s side. of Odebrecht and OAS. identity cards queued up to have In 2014, Odebrdecht built high- their prints taken at the National ways, shipyards, airports, subways Electoral Council in Caracas and plunge in prices for its crucial if confronted with more vio- and venues for the 2016 Olympics around the country. oil exports. Citizens are suf- lence. Such measures could pre- in Rio, netting a total revenue of A total of 128 collection points fering shortages of basic foods vent the recall referendum from $46bn. The Brazilian task force in were set up, equipped with bio- and goods as well as electricity taking place. charge of carrying out these inves- metric scanners. blackouts. The opposition is rushing to tigations believes that Odebrecht Opposition leaders arranged The opposition says Maduro’s complete the recall process by and Pinheiro can provide details for buses to take supporters to economic management is also to January 10, the cutoff date to trig- of around $13bn in dirty contracts. the processing points, and urged blame. They denounce the jail- ger new elections. After that date, According to Odebrecht’s le- neighbours to give each other car ing of his political opponents. a successful recall vote would gal team, the preliminary terms rides to the buses. Maduro is resisting eff orts for a simply pass power to Maduro’s of his plea bargain will include The authentication process is referendum. He has alleged irreg- hand-picked vice president. testimony and evidence linking scheduled to run until Friday. ularities in the signature process. Opposition lawmaker Delsa hundreds of Brazil’s most pow- Of 1.3mn signatures recorded His government said the signa- Solorzano said that the referen- erful politicians in the illegal by the electoral board in the tures collected included those of dum would have to take place by bribery scheme, including cur- initial petition, at least 200,000 prisoners ineligible to vote. early November to have a chance rent President Michel Temer. must be authenticated to pass The country’s food crisis of succeeding against Maduro. Temer, who earlier this week was to the next phase. The next step erupted into deadly looting last Maduro has challenged the offi cially implicated in separate will require the collection of week. Authorities said at least referendum drive in the Su- corruption allegations, has already 4mn more signatures to call a fi ve people were killed and more preme Court. His opponents seen three of his newly appointed People gather outside a validation centre during Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) second full referendum. than 400 arrested. say he controls the court and the ministers resign over their involve- phase of verifying signatures for a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela is suff ering an The president has warned he electoral authorities through his ment in corruption charges. Venezuela, yesterday. economic crisis sparked by the may decree emergency measures allies. Six dead, many hurt Flag Day Nestle to bring Cuban coff ee to US in Mexico protests AFP list of goods that could be im- New York ported into the US from Cuba to include coff ee. AFP tifi ed people “fi red weapons on nalist covering the violence plus Nestle said it planned to Oaxaca, Mexico police and the population.” one other person had been shot estle announced yes- work with the non-profi t “The teachers were not even dead. terday it will reintro- development organisation involved in these things,” Galin- Authorities did not specify Nduce Cuban coff ee TechnoServe to establish fi - t least six people were do said at a news conference. whether the death toll of six in- to the US for the fi rst time in nancing and technical assist- killed, including a jour- “There are reports of the pres- cluded these two individuals. more than 50 years following ance to improve sustainable Analist, and more than 100 ence of various violent groups Another 55 federal and state of- the easing of US sanctions on practices among Cuban coff ee injured in southern Mexico when that have headed the blockades fi cers were injured, including Cuba. farmers. unknown gunmen opened fi re of roads and strategic installa- eight by gunshots, Ruiz Martinez The Swiss food giant plans Nestle’s announcement during clashes between police tions for days,” the federal and said. to sell Cuban coff ee under its comes as more US businesses, and teachers, authorities said. state governments said in a joint At least 53 civilians were in- individual-capsule Nespresso including fi lm producers, hotel The violence erupted as police statement, urging the CNTE to jured. At least 21 people were ar- brand, initially as a limited chains and cruise companies, fi red tear gas at protesters to end distance itself from these uni- rested. The CNTE, considered a edition, starting in several take steps to reenter Cuba fol- a week-long barricade of a road dentifi ed groups. radical wing of a national union, months. lowing a series of moves by the in Asuncion Nochixtlan, a town The six fatalities were all ci- denounced in a statement the “Nespresso is thrilled to be Obama administration to ease in Oaxaca state, where some ve- vilians, said Oaxaca state public “repressive action of the federal the fi rst to bring this rare coff ee the US trade embargo. hicles were set on fi re. security secretary Jorge Alberto and state governments.” to the US, allowing consumers The US and Cuba restored The National Education Ruiz Martinez. Many of the injured were tak- to rediscover this distinct cof- diplomatic relations in July Workers Coordinator (CNTE) Paramedics said that three of en to the Asuncion Nochixtlan’s fee profi le,” said Guillaume Le 2015. union has been leading protests the dead had bullet wounds. One church before being transferred Cunff , president of Nespresso On June 10, the US depart- in Oaxaca for days against an was a minor and the other two to hospitals. USA, in a statement. ment of transportation grant- education reform and the arrest were 23 and 28. The paramedics Several are in “critical” condi- “Ultimately, we want con- ed licences to six US airlines to of two of its leaders. spoke on condition of anonymity tion, the government said. sumers in the US to experience fl y up to 90 round-trip fl ights The National Security Com- because they were not author- A municipal police offi cer, this incredible coff ee and to per day to cities in Cuba, ex- mission initially denied that of- ised to speak publicly. who requested anonymity, said enjoy it now and for years to cluding the capital Havana. fi cers were armed, charging that It was not immediately clear a fi rebomb was thrown on the Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri (second left) watches come.” news pictures showing them how the other three were killed. town’s municipal building. Gov- a balloon alongside Santa Fe’s province governor Miguel A spokesman for Nestle said “Ultimately, we want con- with guns were “false.” However the mayor of the ernor Gabino Cue said the police Lifschitz and Rosario’s mayor Monica Fein (left) at the the coff ee has “wood notes” sumers in the US to experience But federal police chief Enrique Oaxaca town of Juchitan de intervention was needed to re- Monument to the Flag during Flag Day celebrations in and a “light caramel fi nish.” this incredible coff ee and to Galindo later said that an armed Zaragoz, where similar clashes store food and fuel supplies on Rosario, Argentina, yesterday. In April, the US department enjoy it now and for years to unit was deployed after uniden- occurred, reported that a jour- state roads. of state in April updated its come” Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

POLITICS MPs confirm new Afghan defence minister, spy chief

Afghan lawmakers yesterday 14 Nepali guards among 23 approved President Ashraf Ghani’s nominees for defence minister and intelligence director, two crucial posts that sat vacant for months as the country struggles to rein in an ascendant insur- gency. MPs voted for Abdullah Habibi, killed in Afghan bombings formerly a senior off icial in the defence ministry who holds the AFP nounced an expansion of the US ern provinces. rank of army general, to become Kabul military’s authority to conduct The resurgent Taliban have its new minister. air strikes against the Taliban, been fi ghting against the West- Mohamed Masoom Stanekzai, a a signifi cant boost for Afghan ern-backed Kabul government former top off icial in the gov- busload of Nepali secu- forces who have limited close since they were ousted from ernment body overseeing the rity guards were among air-support capacities. power by a US-led invasion in country’s peace process who has A 23 people killed in a Last month the insurgents late 2001. worked to bring the Taliban to string of bombings across Af- named Haibatullah Akhund- They have been gaining the negotiating table, was named ghanistan yesterday, days after zada their new leader, in a swift ground all around the country head of Afghanistan’s National Washington expanded the US power transition after former but IS are also making inroads Directorate of Security (NDS) intel- military’s authority to strike head Mullah Akhtar Mansour into Afghanistan, particularly ligence agency. the Taliban. was killed in a US drone strike in in the east, where they are chal- A Taliban spokesman on Pakistan. lenging the Taliban on their own Twitter claimed the fi rst attack, Police said the attack on the turf. RELIGION which killed 14 Nepali security Nepali guards was carried out by The US State Department Pakistani man guards working for the Canadian a suicide bomber on foot early listed the local IS franchise, IS embassy in Kabul in a massive yesterday on a main road leading Khorasan, as a terror group in charged with blast that left their yellow mini- east out of the capital towards January this year. bus spattered with blood. the city of Jalalabad. However the Taliban remain blasphemy However Islamic State’s af- “As a result 14 foreigners were much stronger in Afghanistan filiate in Afghanistan and Pa- killed, all Nepali nationals,” the than IS. Pakistani police arrested a man kistan released a competing interior ministry said in a state- In April, the US said IS’s nas- under the country’s strict blas- claim in which they named and ment, adding that nine other cent presence in the country phemy laws yesterday for selling pictured the alleged bomber, people were wounded, includ- had dwindled after it stepped up shoes with a sacred religious according to the SITE moni- ing fi ve Nepali citizens and four strikes on the jihadists, though symbol, police said. toring group, in what would be Afghans. a Kabul-based general warned The shopkeeper, Jahanzaib their most significant attack in The Canadian embassy in Af- they could yet “catch fi re” again. Khaskhili, was arrested in the the country. ghanistan confi rmed the “cow- The US and Nato combat mis- southern town of Tando Adam An Afghan intelligence source ardly” attack in a tweet, and said Afghan men who were injured after a motorcycle bomb exploded in a crowded market receive treatment sion in Afghanistan ended in De- and the shoes, which carried the said offi cials were investigating that it had employed the guards. at a hospital in Takhar province yesterday. cember 2014. symbol, were confiscated, said Far- the IS claim, which was fl atly The explosion could be heard US forces have been in an ad- rukh Ali, the district police chief. denied by the Taliban. across Kabul and a plume of “strongly condemns” the kill- The Taliban spokesman cle bomb in a crowded market visory role since then, while car- “The state must play a proactive The Taliban also claimed a smoke seen above the site of ings. poured scorn on the IS claim. in the Keshim district of Bada- rying out counterterrorism mis- role in punishing the culprits un- second, smaller blast in south the blast on the Jalalabad road, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah “They neither have the ca- khshan. sions against the IS group and der the blasphemy laws,” Ramesh Kabul yesterday that the interior a main route housing many for- Mujahid claimed responsibility pability to carry out attacks in The provincial governor’s remnants of Al Qaeda. Kumar Vankwani, the patron of the ministry said killed one person. eign compounds and military for the attack on social media, Kabul, and nor are they sup- spokesman put the initial toll at US forces had only been au- Pakistani Hindu Council, said in a The bombings were followed facilities. saying it was “against the forces ported by people. Today’s at- eight dead with 18 wounded, all thorised to hit Taliban targets for statement. hours later by an attack on a More than two dozen ambu- of aggression” in Afghanistan. tack was carried out by one of civilians. defensive reasons, or to protect Tando Adam, about 200km market in the remote northeast- lances rushed to the scene, an The Islamic State claim, which our mujahideen, and Daesh No one has yet claimed re- Afghan soldiers. northeast of Karachi, is in Sindh ern province of Badakhshan that AFP journalist said, with police SITE said was released on Twit- claiming they did it, is baseless sponsibility for that attack. But the recent changes mean province. authorities said killed at least blocking off the road. ter and Telegram, named the and hollow,” Mujahid told AFP Mountainous Badakhshan had US troops can now work more The blasphemy laws make it a eight people, with the death toll The blast also shattered the bomber as Irfanullah Ahmed and by phone, using an alternate been relatively peaceful until the closely with local fi ghters in crime to insult any religion. set to rise. windows of nearby shops. pictured him armed and dressed name for IS. Taliban briefl y captured Kunduz striking the Taliban, who have If convicted, the shopkeeper faces The wave of violence comes Nepal’s Prime Minister KP in combat fatigues in front of an The Kabul blasts were fol- city last year, with insecurity demanded the departure of all a maximum of 10 years in prison, 10 days after Washington an- Sharma Oli said his country IS fl ag. lowed hours later by a motorcy- spreading into other northeast- foreign forces. in addition to a possible fine. Mehsud’s brother among Pakistan, Afghanistan border talks fail six Pakistani Taliban Reuters in Afghan territory. Islamabad “Moreover, he strongly pro- commanders interrogated tested against Pakistan’s ongo- ing unprovoked artillery shelling akistan and Afghanistan of Afghan villages,” it said. Reuters “These six militant com- failed to reach an agree- Thousands of vehicles nor- Peshawar, Pakistan manders of the Mehsud tribe Pment on border manage- mally pass through the cross- of South Waziristan have sur- ment in talks yesterday, offi cials ing every week, making it a vital rendered to the military in the said, after days of clashes at the trade link between the countries. akistani authorities yes- Kurram tribal region on Sat- border last week left four dead Yesterday, dozens of Paki- terday interrogated six urday night,” a senior security and thousands stranded. stani traders protested outside PPakistani militant com- official in Kurram, speaking Fighting broke out when Pa- the provincial parliament in Pe- manders, including the uncle on condition of anonymity be- kistan started building a barrier shawar, demanding that Afghan and brother of former Pakistani cause he was not authorised to at the crossing to stop Islamist refugees be deported. Taliban chief Hakimullah Meh- speak to the media, told Reu- militants crossing over from Af- Pakistan hosts some 2.5mn sud, after they surrendered to ters. ghanistan. Afghans who have fl ed fi ghting the military over the weekend, The men were taken to Dera That plan angered Afghani- in their home country. offi cials said. Ismail Khan, a garrison town stan, which rejects the colonial- A protest leader said the free The surrender of Hakimul- about 235km south of Kurram, era Durand Line border drawn up movement of Afghans into Paki- lah’s family may weaken the to be interrogated, a Peshawar- in 1893 and objects to Pakistan stan had destroyed peace in the Pakistani Taliban’s insurgency based military offi cial said, also building checkpoints along the country and needed to be checked. which has raged since 2007. speaking on condition of ano- disputed boundary. Relations between the neigh- The main force of the Pakista- nymity. The two countries agreed on bours have been strained in re- ni Taliban has been led by Mullah An administrative offi cial in a ceasefire on Thursday, and cent months. Fazlullah since 2013, when Hak- Kurram also confi rmed the sur- it was decided that an Afghan Kabul accuses Pakistan of imullah was killed in a US drone render took place in Kurram, delegation led by deputy for- harbouring militants seeking to strike. where hundreds of militants fl ed eign minister Hekmat Khalil topple the Afghan government Hakimullah’s brother Ijaz after a Pakistani military op- Karzai would visit Pakistan for Pakistani traders protest recent clashes on the border with Afghanistan during a demonstration in and not doing enough to bring and uncle Khair Mohamed had eration forced them out of their talks yesterday. Peshawar yesterday. Afghan Taliban leaders, over pledged allegiance to a splinter stronghold in North Waziristan Foreign Secretary Aizaz which Pakistan holds some sway, faction led by Khan Said, who in 2014. Ahmed Chaudhry yesterday in- but we have informed them (Af- Pakistan and Afghanistan.” A statement from the Afghan to the negotiating table. was also reportedly killed by a “These militants from South formed the Afghan delegation ghanistan) of our position,” the A second Pakistani offi cial said foreign ministry said the talks Pakistan denies supporting drone attack in November. Waziristan, North Waziristan that Pakistan planned to build offi cial said, requesting ano- the foreign policy chiefs would were held in an “amicable and militants and says it is con- The two men, and four other and Afghanistan had been living four gates at diff erent points on nymity as he was not authorised hold further discussions at the friendly atmosphere” but said structing the border gate to militants, were taken into cus- in Kurram Agency for the past the crossing, a Pakistani foreign to speak to the media. Shanghai Co-operation Organi- Karzai had raised what it called prevent anti-Pakistan mili- tody after pledging to renounce two years,” said Nazar Hussain, a offi ce offi cial said. “These gates are important for sation summit in Tashkent later “various violations” by Pakistan, tants crossing over from Af- violence, offi cials said. Kurram resident. “There was no fi nal agreement the safety and security of both this week. including setting up checkpoints ghanistan.

Pakistan on track to end power shortages within two years: ADB

Reuters nesses saying they deter foreign about progress being made” in Islamabad investment and hurt productiv- Pakistan with energy sector re- ity. forms. Electricity shortages were When asked at a news confer- akistan could end energy among the main election issues ence if load shedding could be rationing within two years, in the 2013 poll won by Sharif. eradicated in two years, Liepach Pthe Asia Development was categorical: “Yes”. He added Bank (ADB) country director for Pakistan’s economy has it was possible to be done even Pakistan said yesterday, adding been hobbled by energy sooner but it would depend on weight to government claims shortages over the past other factors, such as global oil that they will end frequent out- decade, with businesses prices. ages in time for the 2018 elec- saying they deter foreign Sharif’s government has made tions. investment and hurt reducing energy shortages a top Analysts say if Prime Minis- productivity priority, embarking on con- ter Nawaz Sharif’s government struction of new dams, coal-fi re manages to eradicate “load- ADB is lending Pakistan more power plants and renewable en- shedding”, the electricity ration- than $1bn over fi ve years as ergy projects. ing system which leads to several part of eff orts to end Pakistan’s Energy Minister Khawaja Asif hours of scheduled outages every chronic energy crisis and imple- said the South Asian nation day, it would signifi cantly boost ment reforms such as privatising week had last week hit record his chances of securing another parts of the sector and improv- production generation of 17,350 term in offi ce. ing transparency. megawatts (MW), though pro- Pakistan’s economy has been Werner Liepach, ADB’s coun- duction shortfalls varied be- hobbled by energy shortages try director for Pakistan, said tween 1,500MW and 4,700MW Asian Development Bank Vice-President, Wencai Zhang (centre) speaks during a press briefing in Islamabad yesterday. over the past decade, with busi- the bank was “broadly satisfi ed through the week. Gulf Times 24 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 PHILIPPINES SE Asian Taking a break nations plan piracy battle

AFP a ransom deadline passed. Then was kidnapped from a sea- Manila The ministers raised con- side restaurant in Sabah, about cern at recent seaborne kid- 300 kilometres from the Abu nappings and armed robber- Sayyaf’s Jolo stronghold. he Philippines, Malaysia ies and “reaffirmed the need, He was later killed by the and Indonesia agreed yes- commitment and collective group. Tterday to consider co-or- responsibility of the countries Earlier this year the Abu dinated steps including possible to address such threats that Sayyaf killed the two Canadians joint patrols to tackle a wave of undermine peace, security they seized from a Philippine seaborne crime, after a Filipino and prosperity of the region”, a yachting resort last September. gang kidnapped numerous for- joint statement said. They are still holding a Nor- eigners and murdered some of They agreed to consider es- wegian and a Filipina abducted them. tablishing joint military com- from the same resort, a Japanese Defence ministers from the mand posts and three-nation treasure hunter kidnapped in three nations met in Manila to sea and air patrols, it added, 2010 and a Dutch bird watcher discuss security following the without singling out the Abu abducted in 2012. abduction of Malaysians and Sayyaf. Founded in the 1990s with Indonesians by the Philippine- The ministers also agreed to the help of Al Qaeda, the Abu based Abu Sayyaf earlier this consider a transit corridor which Sayyaf has been blamed for year. The group kidnapped four would serve as a designated sea some of the Philippines’ worst Malaysian seamen and 14 Indo- lane. terror attacks including bomb- nesian sailors, holding them in The three countries have al- ings and kidnappings for ran- Filipino labourers take a break after working on a skyway along a busy road in Pasay city, Metro Manila yesterday. the strife-torn south. ready been conducting joint pa- som. They were freed several trols and set up a hotline to deal Its leaders have pledged al- months later but there was no with attacks by the Abu Sayyaf, legiance to the Islamic State information on whether a ran- who have previously launched group but analysts say they are som was paid. raids into Malaysia and at- more focused on kidnappings Two Canadians also held by tacked Indonesian ships at sea. for ransom than setting up a the group were beheaded after Last year Malaysian Bernard caliphate. Church leaders alarmed by Bodies pile up as cops show police killings after election

new boss they’re tough on drugs AFP Manila

Reuters interview. Philippines media reported yesterday Manila that drug dealers were killed when they resisted atholic Church leaders arrest during operations in Manila, Laguna, Bu- in the Philippines ex- lacan, Rizal, Bohol and Cebu at the weekend. Cpressed alarm yesterday hilippine police killed 11 suspected drug deal- Police said many of those killed in those raids at a sharp rise in police killings ers during operations at the weekend, police and undercover stings had chosen not to go qui- of suspected criminals since the Psaid yesterday, adding to a surge of drugs-re- etly. election of a fi rebrand president lated killings since Rodrigo Duterte swept an elec- “Our undercover agents killed two known drug who has vowed a bloody war on tion last month on promises to wipe out crime. peddlers in sting operations,” Adriano Enong, crime. Duterte’s single-issue campaign of tackling il- police chief in Rizal province just to the east of The infl uential Catholic legal drugs and other crime within six months, Manila, told reporters. Bishops Conference of the Phil- and his staunch advocacy of extrajudicial killings, “There was a shootout between undercover ippines also denounced signs struck a chord with Filipino voters. police officers and drug peddlers when the men of vigilantism and the off ering However, rights groups have rebuked him over sensed they had sold 500 pesos ($10.80) worth of of bounties for criminals, fol- concerns that, as president, he would live up to drugs to policemen,” he said. lowing the election on May 9 of his nickname of “the punisher”. Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Rodrigo Duterte who ran on an The more than 40 drug suspects killed since Tagle gave special prayers on Sunday urging in- anti-crime campaign. Duterte’s May 9 election victory compares with coming state officials to avoid a culture of death “We are disturbed by an in- A recent photo shows a man being detained after police off icers saw him possessing a plastic of solvent, the 39 deaths recorded in the four months be- and reprisal. Those prayers will be read each day creasing number of reports and later to do 40 push-ups, during the police’s operation called “Oplan Rody” in Las Pinas, south of Manila. fore it, said National Police spokesman Wilben before the new government takes office in the that suspected drug-peddlers, Mayor. Duterte takes office on June 30 and has deeply religious, predominantly Catholic Philip- pushers and others...have been shot dead by police over the “It is never morally permis- thousands of criminals after repeatedly reassured police they would have his pines. shot, supposedly because they past weekend in diff erent parts sible to receive reward money he takes offi ce on June 30. The full support if they killed criminals who resisted Catholic bishops have been disturbed by state- resist arrest,” said a statement of the country. to kill another,” the statement president-elect has often at- with violence. ments attributed to Duterte warning of killings, by Archbishop Socrates Ville- “It is equally disturbing that added. tacked the Catholic Church, He has also warned that police found to be in- and by his plan to seek the return of the death gas, the head of the conference. vigilantism seems to be on the Their condemnation fl ies which counts over 80% of Fili- volved in the drug trade would suffer the same penalty by hanging. Duterte has also said some He was responding to na- rise,” the statement said, citing in the face of Duterte’s call to pinos as followers and was in- fate. Speculation has been rife in Manila that journalists were killed because they were cor- tional police fi gures showing cases where bodies have been police and even civilians to kill strumental in the toppling of some police involved in the drugs business were rupt. that 29 drug suspects were shot found with signs labelling them drug criminals. Duterte has dictator Ferdinand Marcos in clearing the decks before Duterte takes office by In southern Davao City, where Duterte was dead between May 9 and June 15 as criminals. previously been linked to vigi- 1986. eliminating criminals who could implicate them. mayor for more than 20 years, rights groups doc- — compared to 39 killed in the The bishops also condemned lante death squads who killed Duterte has previously la- However, incoming national police chief Ro- umented a total of 1,400 unsolved murders from previous four months of this the practice of at least one city about 1,000 people when he belled Pope Francis in con- nald dela Rosa said drug peddlers were killed in 1998, most of them petty criminals and street- year. mayor of off ering large pay- was longtime mayor of the troversial terms and branded legitimate operations. “I would know if these level drug peddlers. The most recent fi gure does ments to policemen who kill southern city of Davao. the church as a hypocritical people were killed in rub-outs,” he said in a radio Duterte denies any involvement. not include eight drug suspects drug suspects. He has vowed to kill tens of institution. Seven ‘Austere’ inauguration Plunder charges fi led suspected against Comelec offi cials criminals ceremony for Duterte By Reina Tolentino tion by saying it resorted to direct negotiation By Catherine S Valente Manila Times because there was no more time to hold a public killed Manila Times bidding. But Paras rejected this excuse. “The acts of public respondents to award a ormer and incumbent offi cials of the Com- contract through anomalous and illegal means DPA ecause of “limited mission on Elections (Comelec) were showed clearly their manifest partiality, evident Manila space,” members of the Fcharged with plunder and graft at the Offi ce bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence, hence Bmedia will not be allowed of the Ombudsman yesterday in connection with they committed graft and corruption and since it to cover the inauguration of a multi-million peso deal awarded to Smartmatic involves a staggering amount of P240,000,000 even suspected robbers President-elect Rodrigo Du- for the repair and diagnostics of 82,000 Precinct as the principal, it is the normal belief of herein and kidnappers were killed terte in Malacanang on June 30. Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in 2015. complainant that the public respondents must Syesterday in a shootout Martin Andanar, the in- Named respondents in the complaint fi led by have acquired from Smartmatic-TIM as reward with police in the northern Phil- coming chief of the Presi- former Negros Oriental Rep. Jacinto Paras were for their very strong defence of the deal between ippines, police said. dential Communications Of- former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr, Comelec and Smartmatic, they must have re- The suspects were in two ve- fice, yesterday said only the former Commissioners Lucenito Tagle and Elias ceived ill-gotten wealth of at least P50,000,000. hicles and refused to stop at a government-run television Yusoph as well as Commissioners Christian Rob- And as to the veracity of this allegation, this must checkpoint in Angeles City in PTV4 and Radio-Television ert Lim and Al Parreno. be properly looked into by the Honourable Om- Pampanga province, 74 kilome- Malacañang (RTVM) will be Also charged were Smartmatic offi cials Cesar budsman in a formal investigation,” he said in his tres north of Manila, allowed inside the Rizal Hall. Flores, Elie Moreno and Marlon Garcia. complaint. said chief superintendent Andanar added that report- “The public respondents’ acts of illegally Paras maintained that direct contracting was Aaron Aquino, a regional po- ers can monitor the event at awarding to Smartmatic-TIM through their inappropriate because the Comelec should have lice director. “The two vehi- their working area at the New manifest partiality, gross inexcusable negligence conducted public bidding in order to address cles separated but police chased Executive building. and evident bad faith gave Smartmatic-TIM un- transparency issues and to widen the choice of them and eventually caught up “Rizal Hall is not that big. due advantage or unwarranted benefi ts and it suppliers who could provide the best price and with them, triggering the shoot- But then, our colleagues in deprives other bidders who would have off ered most advantageous quality of service. out,” he said. The suspects were RTVM are used to a broadcast better price and quality service if public bidding The contract was criticised for being a “mid- alleged members of a criminal pool. So I think you will not were held, thus, the mode of Direct Contracting night deal,” having been signed just days before syndicate involved in car jacking, have a difficult time,” he told Rodrigo Duterte: austerity measures which public respondents chose over competi- Brillantes, Tagle and Yusof retired in February kidnapping and highway rob- reporters. tive public bidding as mandated by law, worked to 2015. bery, Aquino said. Andanar said only 500 “President-elect Duterte meaningful” and “consistent the prejudice of the government and the Filipino Though the High Court nullifi ed the deal, Paras Police have stepped up opera- guests were invited, includ- has even asked us not to bring with (Duterte’s) principles on people,” Paras said. said the commissioners may have also received tions against suspected crimi- ing Duterte’s immediate fam- our wives,” he added. austerity.” The Supreme Court voided the deal in April monetary favours in exchange for the award of nals in the Philippines ahead of ily, those who helped in his Christopher Go, special as- Duterte will be sworn into 2015. But although the High Court nullifi ed the contract to Smartmatic. As to the incumbent the assumption of offi ce of in- campaign, incoming Cabinet sistant to Duterte, said the office by Supreme Court the deal, Paras said the award of the contract to Comelec offi cials, he added, the ombudsman coming president Rodrigo Du- members and members of inaugural celebration in Ma- Associate Justice Smartmatic was illegal because it did not undergo should hold an investigation to determine if Lim terte on June 30. Congress. lacanang will be “simple yet Bienvenido Reyes. public bidding. The Comelec had justifi ed its ac- and Parreno can be impeached. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Activists in Cluster ‘bombs used Lanka press in Lanka civil war’ court to sack By Emanuel Stoakes, GNS Colombo top banker

mages that appear to confi rm the use of cluster bombs in the AFP The petition is the lat- Iend stages of Sri Lanka’s 26- Colombo est move by the front against year civil war have been uncov- Mahendran after it earlier this ered as new testimony emerged month threatened to “take to suggesting the country’s armed n infl uential group of the streets” unless the presi- forces may have deployed the Sri Lankan academics dent sacked him. munition against civilians. Aand professionals took Mahendran, whose tenure The revelations are likely to legal action yesterday to seek is up for renewal at the end of prompt serious questions for the the sacking of the controver- June, was accused last year of current Sri Lankan government, sial central bank chief over leaking inside information to which includes several senior long-running insider trading his son-in-law’s fi rm, alleg- members of the cabinet who allegations. edly allowing it to make mil- oversaw army activity during The Anti-Corruption Front, lions of dollars in profi ts from the last days of the confl ict. credited with aiding President a central bank bond auction. The photographic evidence Maithripala Sirisena’s election An ad-hoc ruling party provided to the Guardian de- victory last year, said Arjuna committee cleared him of di- picts cluster bombs uncovered Mahendran’s appointment as rect involvement but pointed by de-mining teams in parts of governor of the Central Bank to unusual activity and called the country close to sites where of Sri Lanka was unconstitu- for a more thorough inves- fi ghting took place in late 2008 tional. tigation which has yet to be and early 2009. Activist Keerthi Tennakoon, held. Some of former de-miners who heads the front, said Ma- Mahendran has consistently claim they identifi ed munitions hendran, a Singapore national maintained his innocence. within government-declared of Sri Lankan origin, failed to Members of the front are “no fi re zones” in which about take a mandatory oath of al- credited with leading a cam- 300,000 people were told to legiance because of his foreign paign to topple former strong- gather for their safety during the nationality. man president Mahinda Ra- war’s denouement. “A constitutional provision japakse, who was accused of The Sri Lankan civil war, Remnants of what appears to be an RBK-500 AO-2.5RT cluster bomb uncovered in Chalai, near Mullaitivu. which applies to all other pub- nepotism and corruption. which lasted from 1983 to 2009, lic servants has not been ap- Sri Lanka’s economy is un- pitted the country’s military Independent corroboration of last redoubts in the vicinity of used cluster bombs and Sirisena laitivu. Both Chalai and parts of plied in the case of Governor der stress, and earlier this against the separatist rebel force the nature of the weapons has Puthukudiyiruppu and Mul- has maintained that the army Kilinochchi district were also Arjuna Mahendran,” Tennak- month began receiving the known as the Liberation Tigers been provided by a senior weap- laitivu, the government advised acted in “adherence to interna- sites of fi erce battles in the fi nal oon told reporters after fi ling fi rst tranche of a $1.5bn bailout of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which ons researcher at Human Rights civilians to gather in a series of tional law”. months of the confl ict. the petition in the Court of from the International Mon- had waged an armed campaign Watch who identifi ed the mate- “no fi re zones” – areas which He has committed himself to Ex-workers at Mines Advisory Appeal against him. etary Fund. to achieve an independent state rial pictured as the remnants of the Sri Lankan army promised it holding a war crimes tribunal in Group (MAG), the Halo Trust and for the ethnic Tamil community Russian-made cluster bombs would not attack. The location of Sri Lanka, but has so far resisted the Swiss Foundation for Mine in the north and east of the is- and unexploded cluster sub-mu- the safe zone shifted three times, calls to conduct such a hearing in Action (known by its French- land nation. nitions. moving from an initial 52sq km a “hybrid” court that would in- language acronym FSD) have said The confl ict is estimated to The revelations come as block around the area of Suth- volve both Sri Lankan and inter- they saw evidence of the use of have claimed upwards of more the 32nd session of the Hu- anthirapuram to a narrow strip national legal experts, as recom- cluster bombs in the fi nal days than 100,000 lives, many of man Rights Council opened last of coastland, which shrunk even mended by a UN report released of the war, with representatives them in the fi nal months of fi ght- week in Geneva, at which the further as the army made gains. in 2015. from the fi nal two saying clus- ing which occurred in and around Sri Lankan government is to be Reports by the UN and other A spokesperson for the Halo ter bombs were found in one of the northern Vanni region. questioned on its progress to agencies cite evidence and cred- Trust acknowledged it had found the government-declared no fi re The photographs of clus- provide accountability for al- ible allegations of atrocities a total of 42 cluster munitions in zones. ter bombs were leaked to the leged war crimes committed committed within these suppos- several sites around the Pachchi- Only the Sri Lankan air force Guardian New Service by a during the war’s close. edly protected areas: government lapalli area, near Elephant Pass, and army are believed to have former employee of the Halo Reports produced by the forces are accused of relentlessly slightly to the north of the Vanni had the capability to deploy clus- Trust, the world’s largest mine United Nations and several shelling the zones, leading to up region, in 2011 and 2012. ter bombs in the no fi re zone; the clearance organisation. The im- rights groups have found that to 70,000 deaths, while the LTTE The source for the photo- LTTE did not undertake aerial at- ages appear to show members war crimes and possible crimes are alleged to have used human graphs, who now lives outside tacks in the area. of the trust digging out a large against humanity may have been shields and shot at fl eeing civil- Sri Lanka, said the images de- Former offi cials in two de- delivery missile as well as cluster committed by Sri Lankan forces. ians. picted munitions discovered in mining organisations said that Keerthi Tennakoon addressing reporters in Colombo recently, sub-munitions, or “bomblets,” Towards the end of the war, The previous Sri Lankan gov- the Kilinochchi district and also cluster munitions were positively demanding the sacking of controversial Central Bank Governor in diff erent locations. while closing in on the LTTE’s ernment has denied allegations it near Chalai, to the north of Mul- identifi ed. Arjuna Mahendran. Nepal slams Kabul attack Jamaat leader on Dhaka signs $130mn IANS/AFP “I am shocked to hear that 14 Nepal has no embassy in Af- it was working to repatriate death row moved Kathmandu Nepalis were killed in a suicide ghanistan. Its mission in Islam- the bodies of the victims, who attack in Afghanistan. I express abad is concurrently respon- were employed by the private WB loan for my heartfelt condolences to their sible for the country’s Afghan security company Sabre Inter- epal has reacted with kin,” Oli said in a statement. aff airs. national. to Dhaka jail grief and shock to a The Nepal government The attack was carried out Authorities said around economic Nbomb attack in the Af- strongly deplores the heinous at around 5.40am by a suicide 3,300 Nepalis were currently ghan capital Kabul yesterday crime in Kabul, the Nepali pre- bomber who approached the working in Afghanistan as se- By Mizan Rahman ra Sangha, student wing of in which a suicide bomber blew mier said, adding: “I wish the bus which was carrying the vic- curity guards. Dhaka Jamaat, till November 6, 1971. zones up a mini bus killing 14 Nepali early recovery of those who tims. A number of them are former He was then made general citizens. were injured in the incident.” Sediq Sediqi of the Afghan soldiers with the Gurkha bri- secretary of the East Pakistan Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Ministry said primary gades of the Indian and British ar criminal and Chhatra Sangha. IANS Sharma Oli condemned the at- Minister for Foreign Aff airs reports revealed that the Nepali armies. death row convict Meanwhile, the Interna- Dhaka tack on Nepali people and ex- Kamal Thapa also condemned nationals worked for Canada’s Four Nepali guards were WJamaat-e-Islami tional Crimes Tribunal (ICT) pressed grief over the loss of the attack. embassy in Kabul. killed in a 2011 attack on a UN leader Mir Quasem Ali was yesterday framed three specif- lives. The ministry of foreign aff airs Taliban has claimed respon- compound in the northern Af- shifted to Dhaka Central ic charges against four people he Bangladeshi govern- Five others were also injured said it was seeking details about sibility for the attack. ghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif in Jail from Kashimpur Jail in for their alleged involvement ment has signed a $130mn in the attack. the victims and those injured. Nepal’s foreign ministry said 2011. Gazipur yesterday morning. in crimes against humanity Tadditional fi nancing Law enforcers along with during the 1971 Liberation War agreement with the World Bank Quasem left Gazipur north in Sudharampur sub-district to scale up support for the re- of Dhaka city for the capital of Noakhali district. cently licensed and new eco- from Kashimpur Jail at around The three-member panel nomic zones to attract foreign Nepal festival 7.15am, said jail superintend- of the tribunal, headed by and domestic investment as ent Prosanto Kumar Banik. Justice Anwarul Haque, took well as to create more jobs in the All the war criminals award- cognizance of the charges and manufacturing sector. ed death sentence were earlier framed the charges. The additional financing to transferred from Kashimpur The tribunal also fi xed Au- the Private Sector Develop- Jail to high-security Dhaka gust 7 for starting the pros- ment Support Project (PSDSP) prison just before execution. ecution’s introductory speech will help develop new eco- There are arrangements in in the cases. nomic zones through identify- the central jail for hanging the The four accused are Amir ing, licensing, and negotiating convicts. Ahmed alias Amir Ali Raza- public-private partnership for On June 6, the Supreme kar, Abul Kalam alias AKM economic zone development, Court released the full text of Mansur, Joynul Abedin and Xinhua news agency quoted the its verdict upholding the death Abdul Kuddus. Washington-based lender as penalty of war crimes convict Of them, Abul Kalam has saying in a statement on Sun- Ali for the crimes against hu- been on the run. day. manity he committed during The prosecution pressed In the last two years, it said the 1971 Liberation War. charges against fi ve people, PSDSP helped with the licens- Earlier on March 8, the Su- including the four in the war ing of 16 Economic Zones and preme Court upheld the death crimes case. Hi-Tech Parks, and with the as- penalty for Ali for his crimes As another accused of the sessment of 33 new sites for de- against humanity during the case, M Yusuf, died after the velopment as Economic Zones Liberation War. pressing of the charges, the over the next several years. The International Crimes deceased was not indicted. “Bangladesh needs to cre- Tribunal-2 in a verdict had The investigators started ate more and better jobs in the sentenced Ali in the port city the probe against the fi ve manufacturing sector to acceler- of Chittagong in 1971, to death suspected war criminals on ate growth and poverty reduc- on November 2, 2014. November 16, 2014 and sub- tion. The economic zones play a On November 30, 2014, Ali mitted a report before the critical role in attracting private fi led an appeal before the Su- prosecution on August 31, investment and creating jobs, as preme Court challenging the 2015. the benefi ts are many. For exam- death penalty. Three charges include kill- ple, the new zones have reduced Top Jamaat-e-Islami fi n- ing of over 100 people in the time to register a business by A man performing a dance during the Bhadrakali Khadga Siddhi Jatra in Kathmandu yesterday. The festival is celebrated once ancier Quasem, now 64, was Sudarampur sub-district of 82%,” said Rajashree Paralkar, in 12 years by taking out parades with dances. president of the Chittagong Noakhali district on June 15, acting World Bank country di- town unit of the Islami Chhat- 1971. rector for Bangladesh. Gulf Times 26 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran Donald Trump-style

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] politics comes to India Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) By Devesh Kapur for attacking Rajan was that he has inevitably have negative economic Fax 44350474 Philadelphia permanent residency in the United consequences. Here, too, it should States and, despite being a citizen, was be noted that all political parties in “mentally not Indian”. India share blame for politicising and he decision by the widely This was rank hypocrisy, given undermining India’s human-capital respected economist that Modi has been travelling the foundations. Raghuram Rajan not to seek world lauding the achievements But a government that defends its Ta second term as governor and contributions of the Indian record by claiming to be no worse than GULF TIMES of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI, the diaspora. India’s best and brightest its predecessors is not one that can central bank) is likely to roil India’s are apparently free to contribute their claim the mantle of change, as Modi’s fi nancial markets, which regarded him talents to other countries, but are so often does. as a critical anchor for the country’s suspect when it comes to helping their To be sure, the boundaries of economy. homeland. And if they do, it must be acceptable public discourse have King James rules Investors will now dissect the in the private sector and not in the been changing globally: Trump has implications of his departure for the talent-starved public sector. shown that in the world’s oldest ability of the monetary authorities to Earlier this month, in an address to democracy, and people like Swamy ensure price stability and encourage the US Congress, Modi emphasised exemplify it in the world’s largest. growth, or rebuild a banking system that “for my government, the But rhetoric has consequences, and a as the Cavaliers beset with non-performing loans. Constitution is its real holy book”. politician as gifted as Modi must be Ever since Alan Greenspan’s But BJP cadres have been stoking aware that those in his party who are chairmanship of the US Federal communal tensions, most recently in deploying public speech to undermine Reserve Board, both markets and India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party Uttar Pradesh, a critical state that is reputations can also weaken the very clinch NBA crown the media have tended to lionise and leader Subramanian Swamy: he was due to hold elections next year. institutions that are crucial to his personalise institutions like central the principal source of the attacks on Encouraging ethnic and religious own laudable economic ambitions for banks. But the “Greenspan eff ect” can Rajan. polarisation for electoral gain is India. Just as Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci has the Mona impede dispassionate analysis. of course not unique to the BJP or Public servants have few defences Lisa and German composer Ludwig van Beethoven his There were genuine policy The principal source of the attacks India. But Modi’s interventions to when attacked so openly by prominent differences between the RBI and on Rajan was Subramanian Swamy, a calm troubled waters have lacked politicians. An elected government Fifth Symphony, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bloviating Donald Trump-like fi gure, the leadership and passion he may have genuine policy diff erences James now has his immortal work – Sunday’s game government, and tensions flared who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha demonstrates elsewhere. with the person heading its central when officials perceived public (the upper house of parliament) by His government’s judgment in bank, and it is well within its rights seven of the NBA Finals. comments by Rajan as being outside Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in selecting heads of public institutions not to extend the incumbent’s tenure The prodigal son who left for Miami in 2010 to win his domain. But the ad hominem late April. is similarly questionable, especially when it expires. two NBA titles, then returned home in 2014 vowing attacks on Rajan in recent months Having selected Swamy for in the case of cultural and educational But if it abandons institutional raise large questions with serious Parliament despite his unsavoury institutions. roles and norms of civil behaviour, to end a major sport title drought that had haunted implications for India. reputation, the government’s failure Even if motivated by a conscious and embraces known provocateurs, Cleveland since 1964, delivered on his promise Sunday The most important question is to curb his indiscriminate attacks led strategy to undermine the domains it will drive away the people of this: Will Modi continue to maintain to speculation that it had chosen him of the left’s cultural power, it has talent and integrity that sound, when the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Golden State 93-89 his strategic ambiguity about precisely to attack those – like Rajan – needlessly courted controversy effective institutions need. Just in the decisive seventh game of the NBA Finals. addressing his own party’s extremist whom it wanted to undermine. by appointing people with weak ask Raghuram Rajan. - Project James completed a virtuoso performance by scoring elements, or will he demonstrate true A singular weakness of Modi’s credentials. Syndicate. leadership by curbing party members’ government has been its tendency, Given the importance of human 27 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and passing off 11 tirades about core state institutions when it comes to BJP extremists, to capital for India’s future, choosing zDevesh Kapur is professor of assists to power Cleveland over the Golden State and exercising greater care in selecting run with the foxes and hunt with people of questionable merit to lead political science at the University of Warriors 93-89 and capture the best-of-seven series the heads of public institutions? the hounds. One of the grounds institutions of higher education will Pennsylvania. 4-3. He dropped to his knees and cried on the court, wept as he kissed the trophy and again as he spoke about years of Cleveland sport frustration since Jim Brown led the Cleveland Browns to a 27-0 victory over the Baltimore Colts for the 1964 NFL crown. “I watched the Beethoven of right now, LeBron James, compose a game,” Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving said. “He had a freaking triple-double in game seven of an NBA Finals. We’re champions and our whole team is etched in James history.” completed The Cavaliers are the fi rst club to trail 3-1 and a virtuoso rally to win the fi nals, performance the epic comeback dethroning the reigning by scoring 27 champion Warriors and points, grabbing spoiling their record 73-win season. 11 rebounds and “He’s one of the great passing off 11 players of all time and assists obviously was the key to the turnaround and had a great series,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. The statistical triple double, double-digit eff orts in three categories, was only the third in NBA history in a fi nals seventh game, joining those of Los Angeles Lakers stars James Worthy in 1988 and Jerry West in Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan delivering a lecture at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai yesterday. There were genuine policy 1969, and his seventh career triple double in the fi nals, diff erences between the RBI and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, and tensions flared when off icials perceived public comments by Rajan as being outside one shy of the record. his domain. James was a unanimous choice as NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, having also won the award when leading Miami to the NBA crown in 2012 and 2013. GCC-Russia ties: lot of rhetoric but little substance The 31-year-old guard matched Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson and Tim Duncan as a three-time fi nals By Abdulaziz Sager The need to diversify international in the region points to the clear That Russia does not prioritise its MVP, with only six-time winner Michael Jordan Jeddah relationships as well as become more limitations in the further development ties to the GCC is clear from the fact having taken it more. self-reliant and independent in of bilateral ties. that Russian President Vladimir Putin foreign policy choices is recognised. While there are several areas with has so far visited the GCC states only There has been pain in the past 18,802 days for he meeting It is in this context that Russia-GCC a potential for deeper relations, such once, way back in 2007. Cleveland. James led the Cavs to the fi nals in 2007 and in Moscow relations must be understood. as greater economic investment in Since then, all meetings and 2015 only to lose. Major League Baseball’s Cleveland between The GCC is fully aware that Russia Russia, military sales, co-operation exchanges with Putin have taken place TRussia and cannot be ignored in the region. on oil matters and nuclear energy, in Russia. Indians have not won a World Series since 1948, losing the GCC foreign Russia’s long-standing ties to Iran progress is constrained by the fact that Visits to the Gulf states, in the in 1995 and 1997. Meanwhile the Browns, playoff s ministers on May 26, 2016 proved to along with its decision to intervene the political umbrella covering overall meantime, are conducted by Putin’s be another opportunity to exchange militarily in Syria are indicators that relations remains missing. ministerial colleagues. losers thanks to an Earnest Byner fumble and an epic views and bridge the gaps between Russian policy prerogatives when it As far as Russia is concerned, it In the absence of along-term John Elway touchdown drive, moved to Baltimore and Russian and GCC priorities when it comes to the Middle East must be is trying to balance its Middle East strategy, there are no clear indicators were replaced by an expansion team struggling to be a comes to regional developments, in acknowledged and understood. policy between four pillars – Iran, as to the direction in which GCC- particular with regard to Syria. Israel, Turkey and the Arab states. Russian relations will evolve in the winner. While the meeting produced what While relations This is an extremely tricky nearterm. The NBA win will surely help wash away that pain. some commentators referred to as balance to achieve due to the many There are clear limits to what the “candid discussion”, it failed to narrow with the US remain contradictions involved. GCC can off er Russia to persuade it the diff erences that currently aff ect From the GCC perspective, Russian to modify its approach to the region, the relationship. important, they are policy could ultimately fall short of its as economic incentives are clearly To Advertise It is unlikely that this will change stated objectives. insuffi cient to alter Russian policy. any time soon. no longer the only The view in the GCC capitals is that At the same time, there are also [email protected] The GCC states are aware that the Moscow’s short-term tactics are being limits to what the GCC should expect Display international environment is changing game in town applied at the expense of a long-term of Russia. Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 and that the Cold War era, when there coherent strategy. Without a doubt, there is a need was a clear choice between one side While US hesitancy has been What the GCC needs to understand to keep channels of communication Classified and the other, is over. noticed, it is also clear that Russian is that, for the moment, Russia is open and maintain a dialogue with Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 While relations with the United involvement in Middle Eastern aff airs not ready for a more comprehensive Russia. States remain important, they are no will remain. partnership with the Arab Gulf region. Yet, one should have no illusions Subscription longer the only game in town. This realisation was at the heart Moscow is hoping that the GCC that such talks will form the basis of [email protected] Instead, the new philosophy in a of the fourth round of strategic countries will be pushed in Russia’s a broader strategic relationship in the rapidly changing globalised world is co-operation talks that were held in direction due to their disappointment near future. one of promoting and securing one’s Moscow at the end of the May. with US policy and because issues 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved national interest disregarding past Yet, the fact that Russia is aligned such as Syria cannot be solved without zAbdulaziz Sager is chairman of the alliances and previous arrangements. with the GCC’s main adversaries Russia’s involvement. Gulf Research Centre, Jeddah. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 21, 2016 27 COMMENT My Alzheimer’s fi ght: Never, ever quit

Alzheimer’s is a sneak thief passion and sincerity. line up side by side and pretend to who comes in the night and Al is undefeated, you know. be bowling balls. So I retired from So far. following athletic mercenaries around steals away with something Al has no known cure. the world and we settled in to face precious, the links to your Yet. off with cancer together. And cancer That “so far” and that “yet” are didn’t have a chance. past important from a psychological My warrior woman is 5-1 and 41 standpoint. kilos, but she has the heart and soul of By Bill Lyon We don’t concede an inch to Al. a middle linebacker. What caregiving The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS Defy him at every turn. Fight dirty. and marriage teach you are that Loose the dogs. No mercy. generally you get out of it what you put Al is a sneak thief who comes in the into it. You learn to say “I’m wrong” n the winter of 2013, with the night and steals away with something and you learn to say “I’m sorry” and February cold bone deep, I sat in precious, the links to your past. you learn to say both of them together one of those cramped and sterile You wake up one morning and even when you’re not. Especially when Ilittle examining cubicles and something is missing and you’re not you’re not. listened to the man in the white lab sure how or what. Ruth Graham was married to the coat ask if I knew what Alzheimer’s So what do we do? evangelist Billy Graham for 64 years, was. Resist. and she pretty much raised their fi ve Death by inches, I said. And persist. children while he was off on his lecture And you have it, he said. And never, ever, ever give in. tours. I’m pretty sure the world stopped Behold the brain So there it sits, She was asked if she had ever at that moment, and then there was perched atop your neck, squatting considered divorce. a roaring sound, like a freight train between your shoulders, looking “Divorce, no,” she said. “Murder, barrelling through my brain pan. I sat rather like a small football, a maybe.” there, frozen, and I remember thinking squishy-looking 1.35-kilo marvel of About three years ago, it was my what a crummy job this poor guy’s got. engineering, tauntingly mysterious, turn. Al introduced himself. And then I call him Al, for short. hopelessly complex, breathtakingly my warrior woman came down with We’ve been joined to each other for alluring, a confounding maze of emphysema. Didn’t seem fair. going on three years now. intricate wiring that houses more than But, we decided, we’re surrounded We’re a popular couple - more of 100bn nerves -100bn - and trillions of by three generations of family, plus a us elders join the ranks every year, synapses and neurons and connectors legion of friends, and when you add it Alzheimer’s being the name that and they are all fi ring at warp speed all up, Al, we’ve got you right where we used to use to describe “natural and you can’t help thinking that inside Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Bill Lyon, after his daily walk around his Broomall, Pennsylvania, neighbourhood, we want you. causes”. Or, as my grandmother used are lights of blinding colours that swirl grabs onto a decorative support on his front stoop as he readies himself to climb the steps to the front door. My intent is to write columns about to say: “Parts just wear out.” (Maude and dance, like a giant pinball game my dementia, starting with this series. Murphy’s parts lasted 95 years, and busily sending out commands to you: amuses him to watch you flail about, Roughly akin to standing at a Believe it or not, he said, smiling, I’ll write more on an occasional basis I hope fervently that she has passed Stand up. trying to free yourself from his construction site while a chorus of 20 years. after that. along that DNA.) Sit down. clammy, reptilian embrace. heavy jackhammers bust up 10 miles I was 75 at the time, so I said 20 My hope is that the columns will Al is an insidious and relentless No, over here. Patience. Soon it will be our turn. of concrete. more would take me to 95... be cathartic and perhaps be of some little bastard, a gutless coward who Now let’s fi nd your glasses. Strap it on, Al. Strap it on. To help you ease through it, so then, put me down for 96 (at help to anyone else who’s going down won’t come out and fi ght. Instead, he Did you remember to take your meds? It’s called an MRI, short for picture Al inside the cylinder, with least). this same long and winding road. Let’s lies in ambush in my brain, and the What an altogether extraordinary magnetic resonance imaging. It your washing machine set on high I’m not in this alone. Far from it. It gang up on Al. only way I can put a face on him is to organ. You stand before it in goes inside uncharted territory. Like rinse, busting his mercy-pleading starts with a warrior woman named My intent is to write until... well, look in the mirror. dumbstruck awe. Yes sir, there it sits, Peeping Toms. butt. Ethel. She and I have been wed for until I can’t. So what do you want to do? the man so inviting, so tantalising, bidding you They shoehorn you inside this Feel better? more than half a century and have in the white lab coat asked. to come on in and browse. And just as cylinder and it’s like entering a cave or How long? seen both sides of that extraordinary zBill Lyon ([email protected]) is I should very much like to kick Al’s you enter you are rudely shoved aside a packed elevator and you’re probably So you ask the man in the white arrangement called caregivers. a retired Philadelphia Inquirer sports ass, I said. by some interloper. better off closing your eyes and lab coat what’s the longest you’ve She went fi rst. Cancer. I told her columnist. This is the fi rst of a four- Which was a sweeping response Al. thinking sandy beaches. There’s also had someone live after the initial that if the chemo took her hair I would part series. The other parts will run in woefully short on details but long on Of course. He loves your brain. It the noise. diagnosis? shave my head bald and we could the coming weeks. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Preserve I used to admire those trees every Ramadan, I sent a cargo to my family time is only verbally mentioned and High: 41 C day while going to my offi ce and in Kerala which mainly contained not included in the printed invoice, Low : 33 C our trees coming back home. dates, dry fruits and similar stuff I’m not sure whether my case will be Strong wind and high seas at first I know roadworks are necessary to commonly used during Ramadan. considered. I request the authorities Dear Sir, improve the quality of infrastructure They promised to deliver the cargo concerned to monitor such fi rms and in Doha. But at the same time, within 25 days. But it reached its blacklist or suspend their licence if WEDNESDAY It was disheartening to see lush authorities should take into destination after more than 50 days they fail to keep their promises on a High: 39 C green trees being cut down for consideration the city’s ecological when Ramadan was almost over. regular basis. Low: 32 C roadworks on the Mohamed bin Thani requirements too. Though I contacted them several Sunny Street which is my regular offi ce route. Trees are considered as lungs of times, the only response they gave MN The stretch from Civil Defence to the earth and unreplenishable resource. was that it was awaiting customs (Full name and address supplied) National Theatre signal had a row of Instead of cutting down those trees, clearance. This year even before THURSDAY trees on one side of the road until a replanting them somewhere else purchasing the items, I contacted High: 39 C few days ago but no more. would have been a better option. them and they said the customs Low: 32 C A big loss to a beautiful city. clearance had eased now and the Please send us Sunny Please do not cut down the roadside cargoes were being delivered within trees. 15 to 25 days of sending them. So your letters again this year I sent a cargo of items Fishermen’s forecast Shariq Badar useful for Ramadan through them By e-mail OFFSHORE DOHA Villa 11, Street 262 on May 10 but it still has not been [email protected] Wind: NW- 15-25 KT Ain Khalid, Doha delivered. I have been following them Fax 44350474 Waves: 5-8 Feet up with the cargo offi ce from May INSHORE DOHA Or Post Wind: NW-N 15-25/35 KT 30 and since then its representatives Waves: 1-3/4 Feet Poor service have been saying that my items are Letters to the Editor Gulf Times by cargo firm awaiting clearance from the customs Around the region department and they will be delivered P O Box 2888 Weather Weather in a week. Doha, Qatar today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Dear Sir, On Sunday, I went to the offi ce Abu Dhabi Cloudy 42/31 Sunny 39/32 personally and but the people’s All letters, which are subject Baghdad Sunny 44/29 Sunny 44/28 The report “Cargo firms’ service attitude there was very casual. We Dubai Sunny 38/31 Sunny 44/31 to editing, should have the Kuwait City Sunny poor, customers complain” (Gulf have already reached the middle of Cloudy 46/29 46/29 name of the writer, address Manama Cloudy 37/31 Sunny 37/29 Times, June 20) highlighted a Ramadan and after reading the report and phone number. The Muscat Sunny 38/31 Sunny 37/31 major problem which needs urgent in Gulf Times, I don’t have any hope writer’s name and address Riyadh Sunny 43/28 Sunny 43/28 Tehran Sunny attention from authorities. I that my family will receive the cargo may be withheld by request. Sunny 35/23 34/23 The road after the trees were cut myself had two bad experiences before Eid. I thought of approaching down. PICTURE: Shariq Badar with a cargo firm. Last year, before the consumer court but as the delivery Live issues Enemies at work? Control your temper

By Marie G McIntyre But given your admitted fi ts of because unrestrained venting just worker’s brief absence had been Tribune News Service temper, these “enemies” could easily transfers your stress to everyone clearly noted on the department have been created by your previous around you. calendar. How would you outbursts. To begin correcting the damage, list interpret Gina’s motivation for UESTION: A staff Adults who throw tantrums colleagues who have faced your wrath, sending this e-mail and copying member recently typically underestimate the residual then plan on making an apology tour. our manager? informed me that I eff ects of their anger. But fi rst, be absolutely sure that you’ve Around the world Qhave enemies at work. Once an emotional storm has mastered anger management, because A: Gina’s intentions seem quite Weather Weather This was both surprising and passed, the perpetrator immediately apologies mean nothing without a transparent. By forwarding this today Max/min tomorrow Max/min distressing, because I try to be moves on, but those subjected to change in behaviour. reproachful message to your boss, she Athens Sunny 36/26 Sunny 34/26 professional and friendly with yelling, cursing, or belittling tend to obviously hopes to get your co-worker Beirut Sunny 31/24 Sunny 31/24 everyone. However, on stressful have much longer memories. So even in trouble. Bangkok S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 32/26 A history Berlin Showers 24/14 P Cloudy 27/16 days, I will admit that I have been if your normal demeanour is “friendly And perhaps she just enjoys being a Cairo Sunny 40/23 Sunny 40/23 known to lose my temper. As a and professional”, intermittent bouts of meddling tattletale. The key question, however, Cape Town M Sunny 17/08 Sunny 18/10 supervisor in an elder-care facility, of rage can still wreak havoc on is not what Gina wants, but how your Colombo T Storms 29/26 S T Storms 29/26 I am responsible for a unit with 95 relationships. For a supervisor, these manager responds. Dhaka S T Storms 32/27 S T Storms 32/27 M Sunny M Sunny 33/28 residents. Sometimes everything explosive reactions are even more Q: A woman in our department If he chooses to ignore her petty Hong Kong 33/28 Istanbul Cloudy 32/21 Sunny 30/21 seems to go wrong at once, making reprehensible, because they constitute seems to enjoy creating problems. gossip, then Gina’s tattling is simply Jakarta I T Storms 33/24 S T Storms 32/24 it hard to remain calm. Despite this, an abuse of power. “Gina” has a history of meddling, a nuisance. But if he allows her to Karachi P Cloudy 34/27 P Cloudy 33/27 I have never sensed that anyone felt Despite the sad fact that many top but because our manager is become the department monitor, the London P Cloudy 22/14 Showers 23/15 angry or resentful towards me. My executives fail this test, managers should new, he may not be aware of her rest of you may need to help him see Manila S T Storms 33/25 T Storms 32/25 Moscow P Cloudy 31/20 P Cloudy 28/17 employee is reluctant to identify always be expected to act like mature reputation. Recently, Gina sent a her motives more clearly. New Delhi I T Storms 35/29 I T Storms 38/29 the people who are upset, so I don’t adults, even during diffi cult times. If co-worker the following e-mail New York M Sunny 31/19 M Sunny 30/19 know how to resolve the problem. remaining calm seems impossible, and copied our boss: “Needed to zMarie G McIntyre is a workplace Paris Showers 22/17 P Cloudy 29/20 What should I do about this? consider whether you ever direct these see you this morning, but couldn’t coach and the author of Secrets to Sao Paulo Showers 15/12 Rain 18/12 Seoul P Cloudy 32/22 Rain 28/19 tantrums at your boss. If not, this shows fi nd you anywhere. I don’t believe Winning at Offi ce Politics. Send in Singapore M Cloudy 31/26 S T Storms 31/27 ANSWER: Under diff erent you can control them if you try. you have meetings, so I wasn’t questions and get free coaching tips at Sydney P Cloudy 18/12 P Cloudy 17/11 circumstances, I might think your And for the sake of your sure where you had gone. Are you http://www.youroffi cecoach.com, or Tokyo Rain 25/23 Cloudy 30/21 staff member was being a bit snarky. department, you really must try, coming back today?” This co- follow her on Twitter @offi cecoach Gulf Times 28 Tuesday, June 21, 2016 QATAR

Children enjoying the Garangao celebration at Freej Aspire. Traditional shows highlighted the Garangao celebration at Freej Aspire. Freej Aspire’s Garangao celebration showcases traditions and culture reej Aspire’s celebration of Garangao attracted as Fmany as 8,000 people on Sunday evening, welcoming families and well-wishers to the event. Dressed in traditional wear, children lined up and made their way around the Freej to receive candies and other Garangao gifts while singing the traditional Ga- rangao song. According to Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), the activity “contributed to the wonderful display of culture and heritage.” The Freej Aspire stage hosted several shows and competitions, including a session by the Raqi group, magic shows, religious chants and a storytelling session that had both parents and chil- dren engaged. Zafer Hassan al-Shahrani, a young participant, who came with his brothers, said “the tra- ditional design of Freej Aspire, reminds us of our ancestors and how the celebrations of Ga- rangao looked like in the past.” Organisers distribute gifts and candies to children. AZF prepared gifts for young Garangao participants. “Freej Aspire is the ideal place for kids and adults since it is equipped with many facilities that the audience fi nds comfort- ing, including food outlets and traditional artworks,” he noted. “It is family-friendly and has a dedicated space to exhibit and promote a number of Qatari ini- tiatives.” Abdullah Afi fi , who came with his children, said: “Freej Aspire is a place where all members of the family can get together.” “The kids are very happy, get- ting sweets and enjoying their time in the sports and traditional games zones. We would like to visit Freej Aspire throughout the year,” he added. Essa Obaid, who also came with his family, said: “We have celebrated Garangao since we were little kids and Freej Aspire off ers our children an opportu- Children participate in some of the games. AZF organised a number of activities such as face painting and games for children. nity to enjoy and explore our tra- ditions, just as we did years ago.” ing a zone aimed at reviving air-conditioned open air setting, Qatar’s preparations for the 2022 community a programme of ac- To cater to all interests, AZF While the local community “What attracted us is the Qatari traditions and culture in and its support of Qatari small FIFA World Cup. tivity focused on Qatari heritage, added family activities to last is already heavily involved in family-friendly atmosphere, the front of attending VIPs, digni- and medium entrepreneurs. In 2014, the zone was used to local culture and sports in ob- year’s programme, including Freej every year, AZF is keen to safe, air-conditioned location taries, personalities and mem- The innovative idea for Freej organise AZF’s Garangao cel- servance of the holy month. children’s workshops on Arabic continue incorporating new el- and the many services on off er bers of the local community. came about last year and its lo- ebration and the success of that The success of this fi rst edi- calligraphy and graffiti, and of- ements into the programme to here.” Visitors to the Freej com- cation, a fan-zone used original- event led to the inception of a tion of Freej presented organis- fered spaces for 22 Qatari SMEs attract a wider number of local The Freej fi rst opened its doors mended the authenticity of its ly to pilot the cooling technology full-fl edged Freej Aspire in 2015, ers with the incentive to host it to exhibit products and serv- community members to join the on the sixth of Ramadan, reveal- recreation of Qatari heritage, its that is being developed as part of off ering members of the local again in 2016. ices. celebrations.

Visitors enjoying the shows at Freej Aspire. The organisers welcomed a large number of visitors to the event.