BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Al Sadd throw down the INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 3, 16, 17 COMMENT 18, 19 Qatar’s Sept trade ARAB WORLD 4 BUSINESS 1-8, 10-12 gauntlet to 23,418.13 8,128.25 52.63 INTERNATIONAL 5-14 CLASSIFIED 9 surplus jumps +88.67 +3.52 +0.45 ISLAM 15 SPORTS 1-8 +0.38% +0.04% +0.86% Al Rayyan Latest Figures 41.5% to QR12.48bn published in QATAR since 1978

FRIDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10619 October 27, 2017 Safar 7, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir and Lankan president In brief hold talks on bilateral ties QATAR | Offi cial zQatar, Sri Lanka sign agreements to step up co-operation Emir sends greetings to Austrian president QNA matic, private and offi cial passports was His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim Doha signed. bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness Other MoUs were on co-operation in the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin the energy fi eld; on waste management; Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime is Highness the Emir Sheikh in health and medical sciences; and an Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Tha- MoU on exchanging fi nancial investiga- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani Hni held offi cial talks with Sri tions between the Financial Informa- have sent cables of congratulations to Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena tion Unit of Qatar and the information Austrian President Alexander Van der at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. unit of Sri Lanka. Bellen on his country’s National Day. They reviewed bilateral relations and The talks were attended by a number ways to boost them in various fi elds in- of Qatari ministers and members of the cluding in investment, energy, educa- delegation accompanying Sri Lankan QATAR | Tragedy tion, health and medical sciences. president. Regional and international issues The Emir later hosted a luncheon Condolences sent to of common interest also fi gured in the banquet at the Emiri Diwan in honour Indonesian president talks. Later, the Emir and the Sri Lankan of the Sri Lankan President and his ac- His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim president witnessed the signing of a companying delegation. bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness number of agreements and memoran- The banquet was attended by a the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin dums of understanding (MoU) between number of ministers. Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime the two countries. The Sri Lankan president was ac- Minister and Minister of Interior An agreement on co-operation in corded an offi cial reception when he ar- Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa diplomatic and research training was rived at the Emiri Diwan. al-Thani yesterday sent cables of signed between the Foreign Ministries The president later left Qatar. He was condolences to President of Indonesia of the two countries. seen off at Hamad International Airport Joko Widodo after an explosion and Another agreement was on providing by HE the Minister of Economy and fire at a fireworks factory near Jakarta urgent aid to Sri Lanka to tackle drought Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim killed at least 47 people and injured and it was signed between the Qatar bin Mohamed al-Thani, Qatar’s ambas- dozens more. The Qatari leaders Fund for Development and the govern- sador to Sri Lanka Rashid bin Shafea wished the injured a speedy recovery. ment of Sri Lanka. al-Marri and Sri Lanka’s ambassador to His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena hold talks at the Emiri In addition, an MoU on mutual ex- Qatar Don Prince Solomon Anura Liya- Diwan yesterday. Page 2 emption of visas for holders of diplo- nage. QATAR | Ceremony Sheikh Thani conveys Emir’s condolences HE Sheikh Thani bin Hamad al-Thani conveyed yesterday the condolences of His Highness the Emir Sheikh NHRC chief urges EU to put No future for Assad in Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani to the Syria, says Tillerson King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn and the royal family on the death of pressure on siege countries King Bhumibol Adulyadej, during the AFP “We do not believe there is a future funeral ceremony which took place in QNA He also called on the European Par- He said no matter how acute political Geneva for the Assad regime, the Assad family,” Bangkok. Strasbourg liament and the EU to put more pressure diff erences are, there is no justifi cation Tillerson said. on the siege countries to respond to the for ignoring the suff erings of the victims “I think I’ve said it on a number of oc- appeals of civilian victims. whose fundamental rights had been S Secretary of State Rex Tillerson casions. The reign of the Assad family is QATAR | Diplomacy hairman of the National Human Al-Marri said the siege countries have suppressed for nearly fi ve months. declared yesterday that Bashar coming to an end, and the only issue is PM sends message Rights Committee (NHRC) Dr Ali failed to respond to the calls of the Offi ce “We respect the political positions of Ual-Assad has no future as leader how should that be brought about.” Cbin Smaikh al-Marri has called of the High Commissioner for Human the EU countries, but at the same time we of Syria and will have to leave offi ce as Assad’s regime has been saved by to Italian minister on the European Parliament to seriously Rights and human rights organisations fi nd no political, legal or moral explana- part of a UN-mediated peace process. Russian and Iranian military inter- HE the Prime Minister and Minister of consider the human rights violations and hence the European Parliament tion or justifi cation for the neutrality to- Tillerson’s comments to reporters vention and he insists that he will not Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser caused by the siege imposed on Qatar. must act urgently to end the injustice wards the current crisis,” especially when came during a visit to Geneva in which stand down in the face of what he re- bin Khalifa al-Thani sent yesterday Al-Marri called for a hearing for rep- suff ered by the victims. human rights are violated, he said. he met UN envoy Staff an de Mistura, gards as “terrorist” rebels. But Western a written message to Italy’s Interior resentatives of those aff ected by the The NHRC chairman called on the Al-Marri said he visited the European who is trying to convene a new round of capitals, the opposition and many of Minister Marco Minniti dealing with crisis and international human rights MPs to submit a recommendation to the Parliament in June, during the fi rst days peace talks next month. Syria’s Arab neighbours hold Assad’s bilateral relations. Qatar’s ambassador organisations. He urged the European EU countries on the urgent need to stop of the siege, and he returned to it again The secretary said US policy has not forces responsible for the bulk of the to Italy Abdulaziz bin Ahmed al-Malki Parliament MPs to send a fact-fi nding the tragedy of thousands of citizens and to raise the alarm because the human changed, but his remarks represented 330,000 people who have died in the handed the message during a meeting mission and submit a report to the Eu- residents of Gulf countries and to force suff ering has been severely exacerbated tougher language from an administra- confl ict. with Paula Amadi, the diplomatic ropean Union on the humanitarian crisis the siege countries to respond to inter- adding that statements and condemna- tion that had previously said Assad’s The previous US administration often adviser of the Italian interior minister. due to the blockade. national appeals. tions are no longer enough. fate is not a priority. said that Assad’s days were numbered. First cruise ship of the season arrives at Doha Port

he arrival of Seabourn Encore ship yesterday marked the start Tof the 2017/2018 cruise season in the country, Qatar Ports Manage- ment Company (Mwani Qatar) has an- nounced. In a statement, Mwani Qatar, opera- tor of the state’s commercial and tour- istic ports, said the season will see the arrival of 21 cruise ships at the Doha Port. Five ships (TUI Mein Schiff 5, MSC Splendida, EUROPA 2, Crystal Sym- phony, and Crystal Serenity), will make their maiden calls to Qatar. Seabourn Encore berthed at Doha Port yesterday. All the ships scheduled for this cruise season, which will run until achieved in the 2016-2017 season has season in receiving the giant cruise ship April 2018, will be in Qatar from early increased the attractiveness of Qatar as MSC Fantasia.” morning and departing at 6pm for an important tourist destination in the The 600-passenger Encore is due to their other destinations in the Gulf region, prompting more international return to Doha Port later on April 11 and region. shipping lines to include the country 24. Mwani Qatar has taken all the re- on their destinations. Seabourn Encore is one of the world’s quired measures to ensure the success “This season will witness the arrival newest and most luxurious cruise ships of the new season and provide the best of two of world’s largest cruise ships, with 300 suites, all with private ve- services for passengers and vessels vis- the TUI Mein Schiff 5 (3,820 passen- randas off ering complimentary butler iting the port, in co-ordination with gers) and MSC Splendida (4,000 pas- service. Qatar Tourism Authority, the Ministry sengers),” Mwani Qatar said. “This The ship also off ers other facilities of Interior, and the General Authority confi rms Doha Port’s status and its such as a panoramic fi tness centre, a of Customs. ability to receive all cruise ship types, spa, showrooms, duty-free shops and Mwani Qatar noted that the success following the success achieved last many more. Cruise passengers disembark from Seabourn Encore at the Doha Port. Gulf Times 2 Friday, October 27, 2017 QATAR Emir receives Sri Lankan president

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, accompanied by His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, reviews a guard of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena honour at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. during the off icial reception ceremony at the Emiri Diwan yesterday.

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena witness the signing of agreements at the Emiri Diwan yesterday.

PM meets Sri Lankan president Sale of local farm produce kicks off

QNA Doha

he sale of local farm pro- duce at the sixth season Tof the Qatari vegetable yards, organised by the Ministry of Municipality and Environ- ment, kicked off yesterday in Al Mazrouah, Al Khor-Dhakhira and Al Wakrah with the partici- pation of 80 Qatari farms. Head of agricultural aff airs department at the ministry, Adel al-Kaldi, said the current sea- son includes more produce and a larger number of participating farmers as well as nearly 12 dif- ferent fruit and vegetable types, some of which are organic. HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met Al-Kaldi said the ministry of- the visiting Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena at his residence yesterday. They discussed fered support to the Qatari farm- bilateral relations between Qatar and Sri Lanka, and the current regional and international ers to increase local produce by developments. providing seeds, equipment, ad- Local agricultural produce on sale at the sixth edition of Qatari vegetable yards which began yesterday. vice and agricultural guidance. He added that in line with the ducted to host a festival of local Khor, 22 from Al Wakrah. The markets are open every ministry’s keenness to support produce at Souq Waqif. Through these markets, the week on Thursday, Friday and Qatari produce, a temporary ag- General supervisor of the ministry aims to improve the Saturday from 4am to 5pm, ricultural yard is being planned market, Abdul Rahman al-Su- marketing of local Qatari prod- whereas the livestock market and Portuguese National Day celebrated to be opened by January in the laiti, said that in the current ucts, help farmers to promote animal feed stores in Al Mazrouah cultural district of Katara. Ad- season there are 34 participants their produce, and provide fresh continue to operate throughout ditionally, a study is being con- from Al Mazrouah, 24 from Al local produce at lower cost. the week during the same hours.

New book celebrates 46 years of Qatari diplomacy

QNA eign Ministry headquarters. The following chapters shed ies, ministers, ambassadors, Doha Comprising 730 pages, the light on foreign ministers, min- department and bureau di- book touches on the early days isters of state, undersecretaries, rectors, and ambassadors to of the Qatari diplomacy and ministers who worked abroad, international and Arab organi- he Foreign Ministry has people who worked in the diplo- assistants, ambassadors and de- sations. recently released a book matic corps from the beginning partment directors. Ambassador al-Mulla ex- Tauthored by ambas- until the present and discusses The author also highlighted pressed hope that the book will sador Ahmed Jassim al-Mulla their works and achievements Qatar’s ambassadors abroad and help in documenting and pre- celebrating 46 years since the through their work as depart- the fi rst diplomats who opened serving information about the establishment of the ministry ment directors, ambassadors embassies, consuls abroad, beginning of Qatari diplomacy, and documenting the start and and consuls so as to preserve ambassadors of countries and highlighting the political and A reception was held in Doha recently to celebrate Portugal’s National Day. Hosted by Portuguese development of Qatar’s Foreign them through time and from one international organisations ac- diplomatic aspects of Qatar’s ambassador Antonio Tanger Correa, the event was attended by a number of dignitaries and Ministry and its diplomatic and generation to another. credited to Qatar, and the cur- renaissance, being an incentive off icials, including HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed consular ties with other coun- In its second chapter, the book riculum vitae of ambassadors for future generations to com- Ali al-Hammadi, secretary-general at the Foreign Ministry Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi, chief tries. carries information on the es- and consuls. plement and maintain what it of protocol at the Foreign Ministry Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro and dean of the diplomatic corps The book features images tablishment of the Foreign Af- The last chapter of the book has started, and documenting Ali Ibrahim Ahmed, among others. PICTURE: Othman Iraqi and information and the cover fairs Department and the For- features a selected group of more about Qatari diplomacy in bears the facade of the old For- eign Ministry. pictures of state dignitar- the future. Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 3 QATAR

iPhone X pre-order at Ooredoo opens

oredoo has announced tiful 5.8- inch Super Retina that customers will be display, A11 Bionic chip with Oable to pre-order the neural engine for powerful ma- iPhone X from 10.01am today chine learning, augmented re- at preorder.ooredoo.qa ality and immersive 3D gaming The iPhone X is described as experiences, wireless charging the “future of the smartphone, and Face ID, delivering an in- The event saw wide participation, featuring school students and a number of former Qatari athletes, in addition to a large number of walking enthusiasts. PICTURES: Noushad featuring a revolutionary new novative and secure new way to Thekkayil design with a stunning all- unlock, authenticate and pay”. screen display”. The TrueDepth camera that Ooredoo now off ers Ap- enables Face ID brings Portrait ple’s latest products, including mode with Portrait Lighting to the new-generation iPhone 8 the front camera for beautiful and iPhone 8 Plus, and Apple selfi es with a depth-of-fi eld Watch Series 3 (GPS). eff ect and enables Animoji, The iPhone X will be com- which captures and analyses patible with Ooredoo’s Super- over 50 diff erent facial muscle net Category 9 LTE-Advanced movements to bring emoji to World Walking Day Standard, which enables life in a fun new way. customers to access down- A redesigned rear camera load speeds of up to 325Mbps, with dual optical image stabi- Ooredoo has said in a press lisation includes a new colour statement. fi lter, deeper pixels, an im- Customers who pre-order proved Apple-designed image an iPhone X from Ooredoo will signal processor and features get a free 20GB data card and Portrait mode with Portrait celebrated by QOC up to 35% discount voucher Lighting, allowing customers for Clear Coat (phone protec- to capture “stunning photo- QNA tion). “New Ooredoo custom- graphs and videos”. The all- Doha ers who pre-order the iPhone X glass front and back on iPhone and subscribe to a new Shahry X feature the “most durable pack can also take advantage glass ever in a smartphone” in atar Olympic Committee (QOC) of the company’s ‘Welcome two fi nishes, silver and space celebrated World Walking Day at to Shahry’ off er and save up to gray. Qthe Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) QR5,000 on their communica- For more details on pricing Park yesterday morning. tion services,” Ooredoo said. and data plans, one can visit The event saw wide participation, fea- The iPhone X features a Ooredoo.qa. For more details turing school students and a number of “gorgeous all-glass and stain- on iPhone, visit www.apple. former Qatari athletes such as ex-foot- less-steel design with a beau- com ballers Hussein al-Rumaihi, Abdulaziz Hassan, Jassim al-Tamimi, in addition to a large number of walking enthusiasts. The global initiative takes place every year under the umbrella of the Interna- tional Olympic Committee’s (IOC) As- Rota conducts sociation for International Sport for All (Tafi sa). The celebration aims at spread- ing the concept of sport and teaching the workshops importance of sport in general and walk- ing in particular. Nasser al-Mudahka, head of the outh participants at- ment of a new generation of sports development and community af- tended a number of local leaders that will ensure fairs division at QOC’s sports aff airs de- Yteam building and the continued advancement partment, said the committee’s celebra- project management work- of our nation,” participant tion of World Walking Day stems from shops on the second day Mohamed al-Naame said. its keenness to organise such events of Rota Leadership Train- “Perhaps one of the most in order to raise awareness about and ing Programme ‘Rota Youth important benefi ts I have spread the culture of sport among com- Challenge’ at Hamad Bin reaped through my involve- munity members. World Walking Day Khalifa University. ment in this programme is is executed by the IOC, represented by During Project Manage- gaining a better more round- Tafi sa, with most countries celebrating ment Part 3 workshop, par- ed understanding of the ba- it annually, he added. ticipants explored the role of sic qualities of a leader and Abdulaziz al-Ghanem, head of the a project manager and how how to adapt it to any envi- community sport division at QOC’s Children at the Museum of Islamic Art. to set project objectives. ronment I am placed in,” he sports aff airs department, expressed Following the workshop, added. delight at the wide participation of sends a strong message to youths, stu- for the idea of practising sport in gen- Day with other countries and called on the participants were re- Through its Leadership school students and a large number of dents and community members. He ex- eral and walking in particular, in view citizens and residents to walk every day, quired to complete three Training initiative, Rota, a amateurs, adding that QOC was keen tended thanks to QOC for encouraging of its importance in combating diseases especially as the winter approaches and diff erent team building ac- programme of Education to share the celebration with the world students to be involved in all kinds of and because it can be done any time. the weather gets better, which, he said, tivities for programme facil- Above All, equips youth aged every year so as to consolidate the im- sport and walking in particular, thanks He called on people from all segments encourages people to go out and walk. itators to measure the eff ec- 16 to 26 in Qatar with core portance of exercising in general and to its importance and also because it can of society to head to parks and clubs to At the end of the celebration, Tafi sa- tiveness of each team using leadership, project and com- walking in particular due to its major be done with ease by people of all ages, exercise, especially as the weather im- accredited certifi cates were handed out the training tools provided. munity service campaign health benefi ts for individuals. noting that sport helps students in fo- proves and the temperature drops. to participants from schools, former “Leadership workshops management skills so they On his part, former Qatar national cusing. Hassan, a former national team and athletes, MIA, Qatar Red Crescent So- and programmes are of vital are better able to play an ac- team and Qatar SC goalkeeper al-Ru- Former national team and Al Wakrah Qatar SC player, praised the idea of cel- ciety and the Ministry of Education and importance to the creation, tive role in developing their maihi said the celebration of walking player al-Tamimi expressed admiration ebrating and sharing World Walking Higher Education. preparation, and develop- communities. HBKU organises outreach for breast cancer awareness

amad Bin Khalifa Uni- measures women can take to On Wednesday and Thurs- fi ve years, the statement notes. versity (HBKU)’s Qatar reduce risk of the disease. day, QBRI held seminars and set QBRI’s Cancer Research Center HBiomedical Research In addition, QBRI will par- up booths at Qatar University focuses on cancer immunobiol- Youths take part in a number of team building activities. Institute (QBRI) is organising, ticipate in a walk for breast and Education City, respective- ogy and immunotherapy. in support of Breast Cancer cancer awareness at Aspire ly. Focusing on the history and The institute’s awareness Awareness Month, a number Park from 4pm to 6pm tomor- progress of breast cancer, the campaign will highlight the Qatari of community outreach ini- row, and join in a breast can- seminars highlighted the main impact of diet and environ- tiatives to shed light on the cer awareness campaign and advancements in treatment lead- ment on the development and importance of breast cancer fundraiser event, ‘A Night for ing to the recent breakthroughs progression of cancer, outlin- writer ‘Siege may hurt prevention, early detection and Humanity, which is sponsored of personalised medicine. ing preventive measures and treatment. by Weill Cornell Medicine – Breast cancer is the sec- emphasising the importance of QBRI will set up an informa- Qatar. ond highest cause of cancer- yearly screenings for early de- publishes the entire region’ tion booth at Gulf Mall from 5 These activities are part of related deaths among women tection to facilitate treatment. pm to 9pm today, where mem- a number of QBRI-organised worldwide and, among Qatari For more information on bers of the community can events throughout the month women, it is the most com- the breast cancer awareness new book he siege on Qatar may by nearly 2,000%, which tells learn more about the preva- of October to promote aware- mon cancer with projections events, or any other HBKU damage the entire re- you that a new business pat- lence of breast cancer in Qa- ness of breast cancer, accord- of a 60% increase in newly di- sponsored event, one can visit Tgion, senior business tern is emerging without Qa- tar and the region, as well as ing to a press statement. agnosed cases over the next www.hbku.edu.qa atari writer Munira bint analyst Mohamed Abrar Hus- tar bearing any serious fi nan- Fahd al-Thani has published sain told Qatar Urdu Radio’s cial losses.” Qa new book in Arabic, titled live show Haqeeqat yesterday. Haqeeqat, which aims to Yawmyat Watan (Diary of Home- “Whether they (blockading engage and interact with the land), expressing her feelings about countries) like to admit it or large South Asian expatri- this critical period in the history of not, truth is that the siege on ate community in Qatar, is a the country. The 139-page book is a Qatar has had serious fi nancial joint venture of the Gulf Times collection of articles, on the unjust repercussions on their econo- and Qatar Media Corporation economic blockade, from a personal mies, most of all for the UAE,” Urdu Radio. It is broadcast perspective away from political and he asserted. from Sunday to Thursday on economic implications. “Qatar has rerouted all FM107. In her introduction of the book shipments, which used to Log on to Qatar Urdu Radio she said: “I am not writing to pass through the UAE’s Jebel on Facebook and ‘@QatarUr- present historical and political Ali Port, via ports in Oman. duRadio’ on Twitter for feed- facts. I rather wrote my book to Consequently, Oman’s trade back and comments about the present my inner vision, inspired with Qatar has also increased show. by the events that unfolded. “Writing is my way of defending the country, where I live and enjoy every moment. It is a country that inspires my very soul and a place that gave me nothing other than beauty, good and prosperity. It is Qatar.” The writer further stressed that she tried to be fair in express- ing her feelings based on the high ethical values learned in this Arab country with its original identity The activities are part of a number of QBRI-organised events throughout the month of October to promote awareness of breast cancer. that promotes truth and honesty. Mohamed Abrar Hussain Gulf Times 4 Friday, October 27, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD

POOR CONDITIONS SAFE WATERS DISPLACED AUSTERITY SOVEREIGNTY ISSUES Detainees launch hunger US Navy aids Iran fishing Sudan demolitions leave Tunisia to lay off 16,500 US sanctions will stir unrest strike in Yemen jail: HRW boat after pirate attack S Sudan refugees homeless public sector workers in Lebanon, says Hezbollah

Dozens of detainees at a military camp An American destroyer has come to the aid of Thousands of South Sudanese refugees have Tunisia will ask the United States for a $500mn A Hezbollah member of the Lebanese controlled by pro-government forces in an Iranian fishing boat after a pirate attack off been left homeless in Khartoum after Sudanese loan guarantee as it seeks to lay off about parliament said yesterday that proposed new southern Yemen are on hunger strike in protest Yemen, the US Navy said yesterday. Iran’s coast police demolished their shelters over the 16,500 public sector workers in 2017 and 2018, US sanctions against the powerful Iran-backed against conditions at the facility, Human Rights guard called the US naval command in Bahrain past few months, the UN refugee agency said a senior government off icial told Reuters. The group aimed to provoke unrest in Lebanon. The Watch said yesterday. The prisoners began to report Tuesday’s incident and to ask for help yesterday. Over the past few months, Sudan’s layoff s, which the government aims to make US House of Representatives on Wednesday to refuse food on October 21 at the informal following the attack south of Yemen’s Socotra police have been demolishing the shelters of voluntary but which are demanded by its endorsed new sanctions on the Shia militia, detention facility at the Bir Ahmed camp, island, the Navy said in a statement. The US refugees living in Khartum or relocating them international lenders, come from a public sector part of an eff ort to increase pressure on Iran. which the rights group said was controlled by command co-ordinated with an international without “adequate planning”, the UNHCR said. workforce of around 700,000. Since the 2011 The new sanctions have not yet become law. UAE-backed forces in Aden where the war-torn naval task force which is in the region to battle “Latest reports indicate that some 220 shelters uprising that ended the rule of former president “The sanctions law...is a blatant interference country’s government is based. A statement pirates. Along with the Japanese destroyer JS in Dar es-Salam’s open area were removed by Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the United States has in Lebanese internal aff airs, a violation of its signed by the detainees’ family members Amagiri, the USS Howard reached the vessel police on 23 October, reportedly leaving some guaranteed about $1bn in loans to Tunisia to national sovereignty and an unacceptable said the men would forgo food until they are and its sailors “provided food and water, made 2,000 South Sudanese refugees without shelter” support its democratic transition. “We will ask US targeting of the Lebanese people,” Hezbollah granted their “legal and humanitarian rights,” repairs, and gave medical aid to three injured in Khartoum, the refugee agency said in a for a $500mn guarantee loan,” said the off icial, parliamentarian Hassan Fadlallah said in a according to HRW. civilian mariners,” the statement read. statement. who asked not to be named. televised statement.

Khartoum eyes quick Iraq, Syria converge on turnaround as sanctions last of IS strongholds are removed Reuters tribal forces and Iranian-backed para- Reuters Baghdad militaries known as Popular Mobili- Khartoum sation are taking part in the off ensive toward the Syrian border, the Joint raqi forces yesterday launched an Operations Command said. udan’s government and its busi- attack to drive Islamic State from In a statement welcoming the of- nesses have begun introducing fi - Ithe last territory it holds in Iraq and fensive, the US-led international Snancial reforms and lobbying for the Syrian army and its allies said they military coalition which has run an air new investment to revive the economy planned to march on the militants’ last campaign against Islamic State in both after Washington lifted 20-year-old Syrian stronghold. Syria and Iraq since 2014, said approx- trade sanctions earlier this month. The separate assaults across the imately 1,500 Islamic State fi ghters Sudan has suff ered both from the Iraqi-Syrian frontier aim to deal a fi nal were estimated to be still in the imme- sanctions and from the secession of the blow to the Islamic State “caliphate” diate vicinity of al-Qaim. south in 2011, when it lost three-quar- that has crumbled this year in Syria In Syria, Islamic State has been ters of its oil output, its main source of and Iraq, with the group losing the driven back into a strip of territory foreign currency. cities of Mosul, Raqqa and swathes of along the Euphrates River by separate Now, Khartoum businessmen say other territory. off ensives waged by the Syrian gov- they have begun closing deals with US Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al- ernment and its allies on the one hand, companies, and President Omar al- Abadi said Islamic State fi ghters would and by Syrian militias backed by the Bashir began a trip to Qatar, Kuwait and have “to choose between death and US-led coalition on the other. Saudi Arabia this week, seeking new surrender” as he announced the of- The Britain-based Syrian Observa- markets for Sudanese exports and Arab fensive on the region of Rawa and al- tory for Human Rights war monitor investment in Sudan. Qaim, which is located at the Syrian said the Syrian army had advanced “We expect the sanctions decision border. from T2 to reach 45km from the out- to increase Sudan’s agricultural and The Iraqi air force dropped thou- skirts of Albu Kamal. animal exports by 25% by the end of the sands of leafl ets on the border area Syrian government forces and their coming year,” said Wagdy Merghany, calling on militants to surrender and allies have made rapid gains against head of the Sudanese Exporters Union. urging the population to stay away Islamic State in Deir al-Zor in recent “The lifting of the sanctions opens up from their positions, according to a weeks. new markets for Sudanese exports.” statement from the Joint Operations They have advanced mostly in ar- The central bank has also started Command in Baghdad. eas to the west of the Euphrates River pushing Sudan’s banks to circulate US “Tell those among your children and where they have captured the town dollars, to alleviate a shortage of foreign relatives who took up a weapon against of al-Mayadin and besieged the last currency. the state to throw it aside immediately, Islamic State-held pockets of Deir al- Banks can now use US dollars as re- and to go to any house on top of which Zor city. quired reserves and to conduct trade a white fl ag has been raised when the The US-led coalition is waging a transactions, measures meant to rein liberation forces enter al-Qaim,” said separate campaign against the group in the informal currency exchange rate. the text. in Deir al-Zor, focused on areas to the Iraqi security forces launch rockets in Faysh Khabur on the Turkish and Syrian borders in the Iraqi Kurdish autonomous “What bothers us the most is the Regular Iraqi army units, Sunni east of the Euphrates River. region. exchange rate in the parallel mar- ket, which has a negative eff ect on the banks, and so we work to attract the deposits of Sudanese expatriates,” said Fady al-Faqeih, general manager of the Bank of Khartoum, one of Sudan’s larg- Iraq’s Abadi demands Kurds cancel secession bid as price for talks est commercial banks. The government puts annual trans- fers from Sudanese expats at $4bn to Agencies an immediate ceasefi re, a suspension month with a referendum on seces- border crossings with Turkey, includ- Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah $6bn, most of which moves outside the Baghdad of the referendum result and “start- sion. ing the oil export pipeline hub at Fish- Ali Khamenei told Abadi in Tehran banking system. ing an open dialogue with the federal Baghdad has always considered the Khabur, located just inside the Kurdish that he should not rely on the Unit- Sudanese authorities have also in- government based on the Iraqi Con- Kurdish secession referendum illegal. autonomous region. ed States in the fi ght against Islamic tensifi ed a crackdown on black-market raq’s prime minister yesterday de- stitution”. Abadi’s visit to Iran yesterday fol- The fi ghting between the central State. currency traders, including arrests, two manded that Kurds declare their The Kurds have been swiftly mak- lows a trip to Turkey on Wednesday, government and the Kurds is particu- “Unity was the most important fac- traders told Reuters. Iindependence referendum void, ing concessions to Baghdad since a diplomatic off ensive that has shored larly tricky for the United States which tor in your gains against terrorists and With unemployment estimated by rejecting the Kurdish autonomous re- last week, when Abadi sent his forces up support from Iraq’s neighbours for is a close ally of both sides, arming and their supporters,” Khamenei said, ac- the government at 19%, many hope gion’s off er to suspend its independ- to seize all Kurdish-held territory his hard line. training both the Kurds and the central cording to state TV. that businesses re-entering Sudan will ence push to resolve a crisis through outside of three autonomous prov- Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut government’s army to fi ght Islamic “Don’t trust America...It will harm create badly needed jobs. talks. inces. Cavusoglu said yesterday the Kurdish State. you in the future.” “The lifting of the sanctions is some “We won’t accept anything but its A startlingly rapid advance by gov- off er to suspend the push for inde- Iraq is one of the only countries in The Kurdish crisis has broken out of the best news we’ve heard in years,” cancellation and the respect of the ernment troops transformed the bal- pendence was a step in the right direc- the world that is closely allied to both even as Iraq is about to fi nally defeat said Abduallah Hussein, an unem- Constitution,” Haider al-Abadi said ance of power in northern Iraq within tion but did not go far enough. the United States and Iran, and Tehran Islamic State after a three-year war ployed management graduate. “We ex- in a statement during a visit to Tehran. a matter of days and has wrecked Abadi has ordered his army to re- has used the Kurdish separatism bid as in which it received strong backing pect it’s going to lead to a fall in prices The Kurdistan Regional Govern- decades-old dreams of Kurdish inde- capture all disputed territory and has a way to drive a wedge between Wash- from a US-led coalition, the Kurds and improved healthcare and job op- ment (KRG) proposed on Wednesday pendence that had come to a head last demanded central control of Iraq’s ington and Baghdad. and Iran. portunities.”

Cheering on... PLO says Israel ‘annexation’ plan means end of two-state solution

AFP wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. the enlarged city limits under the Jerusalem Ashrawi, a member of the Pales- draft legislation, according to an ex- tine Liberation Organisation’s exec- planatory note by its sponsors. utive committee, said in a statement The settlements mentioned how- enior Palestinian offi cial that “such eff orts represent the end ever would not be fully annexed to Hanan Ashrawi says Israeli of the two-state solution.” Israel. Splans to incorporate West Bank “Israel is in the business of pro- Also incorporated would be the settlement blocs around Jerusalem longing the military occupation and ultra-Orthodox Jewish settlement into the city could kill hopes for an not ending it, legalising the presence of Beitar Illit, southwest of Jeru- independent Palestinian state. of extremist Jewish settlers on Pal- salem, the Gush Etzion settlement A member of Prime Minister estinian soil, and completing the to- bloc to the south and Efrat and Givat Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing tal isolation and annexation of Pal- Zeev settlements. Likud party has said that draft legis- estinian Jerusalem,” she wrote. “The settlements joined to Je- lation to form a “Greater Jerusalem” Israel occupied the West Bank, rusalem will maintain certain mu- municipality would go to a ministe- including, east Jerusalem in the Six- nicipal autonomy, since they will be rial committee on Sunday for adop- Day War of 1967. considered sub-municipalities of tion as a government bill. It later annexed east Jerusalem in Jerusalem,” the draft bill says. Approval by the committee would a move never recognised by the in- Haaretz newspaper yesterday said fast-track its progress through par- ternational community. the wording meant the settlements liament. It sees the entire city as its indi- would be annexed to the city of Je- Those opposed to the plans argue visible capital, while the Palestin- rusalem rather than to the state of that it is a step towards full unilateral ians want the eastern sector as the Israel. annexation of the West Bank settle- capital of their future state. But settlement watchdog Peace ments aff ected — a move that would Prominent members of Netan- Now said any diff erence was purely be sure to spark international out- yahu’s coalition openly oppose the cosmetic. rage. idea of a Palestinian state and ad- “The meaning of the bill is a de- “The government will approve vocate annexing most of the West facto annexation of these territories the Greater Jerusalem law that will Bank. to Israel, even if it would be possible strengthen the eternal capital Jeru- The major settlement of Maaleh to argue that this will not consti- Female Palestinian students cheer as they watch a local volleyball competition in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, yesterday. salem — demographically and geo- Adumim, east of Jerusalem, would tute de-jure annexation,” it said in a graphically,” Likud MP Yoav Kisch be among the areas absorbed into statement. Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 5 AFRICA Three killed in Kenya as protests prompt partial delay in elections Ballot has been postponed in four protest-hit counties

AFP Nairobi

t least three people were shot dead yesterday in Aclashes over Kenya’s election re-run, prompting of- fi cials to delay the vote in four counties as the country’s worst political crisis in a decade deep- ened. The bloodshed stained Ken- ya’s second presidential elec- tion in three months, worsening a fractious ballot that has been boycotted by opposition leader Raila Odinga and polarised east Africa’s fl agship democracy. Two of the deaths occurred as protests raged in opposition strongholds in the west of the country, while the third person died in a Nairobi slum where clashes erupted between dem- A police officers walks by a burning barricade during an opposition protest in the slum area of Mathare in the capital Nairobi, Kenya. Right: People queue to cast their votes in Gatundu, Kenya. onstrators and police. The casualties raised to 43 August election, several polling Ouma who had been shot in the roads and polling stations to offi cer was also wounded with a wants to force us to vote, but we footsteps of his father and in- the tally of people killed in stations in key areas stood emp- knee and was howling in pain. block the vote, police and hos- knife. did not want to do it and we will herited a dynastic rivalry with election-related violence since ty or welcomed only a handful “What kind of country is this? pital sources said. Also in Mombasa, police said not do it,” said Austin Olang, a Kenyatta whose father was the the August election victory of voters in an election likely to The violence drew a sharp Police said another man was protesters in the city’s Bangla- 26-year-old maths teacher in country’s fi rst post-independ- of President Uhuru Kenyatta, face more legal battles after its response from rights watchdog shot dead in Homa Bay, also in desh slum had ruined the walls Kisumu. ence president. which was later overturned by conclusion. Amnesty International. the west, “where a large mob of a primary school that was to Analysts say the boycott in In areas loyal to Kenyatta, the Supreme Court, prompting As voting headed to a close, “With tensions running high attacked a small police facility” be used as a polling station. east Africa’s richest economy turnout was steady but still ap- yesterday’s re-run. police and hospital sources there is a very real threat of fur- prompting offi cers to open fire The election is the chaotic and one of its strongest democ- peared to be far lower than dur- As voting drew to a close, confi rmed three people had ther bloodshed as the election “to protect themselves” a state- climax of a political drama that racies is likely to tarnish the ing the fi rst round. election chief Wafula Chebukati been shot dead and at least 24 re-run takes place,” said Justus ment said. began when the Supreme Court credibility of Kenyatta’s victory But in Odinga’s main strong- made a televised address, saying wounded, 11 of them by live Nyangaya, director at Amnesty A third man died after be- overturned the victory of Presi- and deepen its worst politi- holds, polling offi cials were left the ballot would be postponed rounds. International Kenya. ing shot in the head in Nairobi’s dent Uhuru Kenyatta in the Au- cal crisis since a 2007 election twiddling their thumbs. until tomorrow in four pro- At Jaramogi hospital in Od- “We are calling on the police Mathare slum, another hotspot gust 8 elections. sparked politically-driven eth- The decision to cancel the test-hit counties in the coun- inga’s western stronghold of to only use force as a last resort in the capital where protest- Kenyatta, who turned 56 yes- nic violence that left 1,100 dead. August poll was initially hailed try’s west: Kisumu, Homa Bay, Kisumu, an AFP correspondent — unlawful police killings and ers tried to block the vote and terday, is almost assured victory In the fi rst election, turn- as a service to democracy in a Migori and Siaya. The move, saw several people arriving cov- other human rights violations where police fi red water cannon after veteran opposition leader out was nearly 80% among the country plagued by disputed he said, was due to “security- ered in blood. must not be allowed to recur.” and teargas to disperse demon- Odinga withdrew, citing fears 19mn registered voters. elections. related” challenges. “This is crazy, they are shoot- In Kisumu, 19-year-old strators. the poll would be marred by the Kenyatta secured victory But the re-run has been As Odinga’s supporters hit ing at us — we are demonstrat- George Odhiambo died from In the eastern port city of same fl aws which saw the Au- with 54% of the vote, while dogged by chaos and acrimony, the streets, others went to the ing and they shoot us!” said blood loss after being shot in the Mombasa, police said a man gust vote overturned. Odinga came second with 45%. prompting western diplomats polls to cast their ballots. Samuel Okot, 20, who was thigh in clashes which erupt- was stabbed as he was going out “Today, no fair election can Odinga, 72, is a veteran opposi- to blast Odinga and Kenyatta for But, in stark contrast to the sitting with his friend Joseph ed after protesters barricaded to vote, while in Kisumu a police take place. The government tion leader who followed in the fuelling division. Taking flight Boko Haram kills eight soldiers

AFP military counter-offensive was launched. Kano, Nigeria The government in Abuja maintains the fi ght- back has left the jihadists a spent force. Yet sporad- ic strikes — and suicide bombings against civilian t least eight soldiers were killed in heavy “soft” targets such as mosques and camps for the fi ghting when Boko Haram raided a mili- displaced — indicate the group remains a threat. Atary camp and looted food from villagers in A local chief in the Sasawa area said the jihadists northeast Nigeria, a military source disclosed yes- arrived in six pickup trucks and stormed the mili- terday. tary encampment, triggering a gunfi ght that lasted The attack in Sasawa village, some 45km from the for six hours. Yobe state capital, Damaturu, happened at about “When the gunmen realised they would be sub- 5pm (1600 GMT) on Tuesday. dued, they sent for reinforcements and more fi ght- It was the third Boko Haram attack on the mili- ers arrived in three trucks,” he said, asking to re- tary in the remote region in the last two weeks, after main anonymous for fear of reprisals. They overran a relative lull during the rainy season, which ended the base, forcing the soldiers to withdraw. last month. Rebel fi ghters then moved into the village, which The spokesman for 3 Division Nigerian Army had been deserted by residents to escape the fi ght- in Damaturu, Colonel Kayode Ogunsanya, on ing. Wednesday confi rmed the attack, saying only that Another local resident, Aisami Gremah, sup- there were “casualties on both sides”. But a military ported the chief’s account. He added: “They (Boko commander in the city said the death toll had risen. Haram) loaded grains from the recent harvest into “So far we lost eight men in the Boko Haram ter- the pick-up trucks and moved towards Kareto and rorist attack on the 233 Battalion in Sasawa village: Magumeri in neighbouring Borno state.” Tom Morgan, from Bristol-based company The Adventurists, flies in a chair with large party balloons tied to it near Johannesburg. seven soldiers and the fi eld offi cer,” he told AFP on Crops that had been left out to dry on farms out- condition of anonymity. side nearby Tungushe village were set on fi re, he “Their bodies have been recovered. But many said. others are still missing. It is not clear whether they At least 20,000 people have been killed and made are dead or alive.” more than 2.6mn homeless since the Islamist in- Boko Haram attacks on military bases were a surgency began in 2009. frequent tactic as the group gained in size and In February the jihadists attacked the same mili- African anti-terror force makes fi rst steps strength, using the weapons and ammunition tary base in Sasawa, killing two civilians. In August, seized to capture swathes of territory. two livestock traders were killed and three others But such attacks and hit-and-run raids on re- were seriously wounded after they triggered a land- AFP ties linked to incomplete troop The force has specifi cally ad- comprise seven battalions, two mote villages reduced drastically after 2014, as a mine as they fl ed a Boko Haram ambush. Sevare, Mali numbers and a funding gap. dressed this problem by allow- apiece for Mali and Niger, and “This joint force is newborn,” ing personnel to operate across one for each of the other na- said Dacko, a Malian general, the fi ve nations’ borders, as long tions, with a total capacity of ive nations in Africa’s Sa- speaking during a visit last week as prior notice of entry is given. 5,000 men. hel region are progressive- by a UN Security Council del- The region’s jihadist problem Command posts will be set Fly deploying a counter- egation to the yellow and pink is persistent and getting worse: up in Mauritania, Niger and Former Liberian warlord terror force to combat jihadist buildings of the HQ. one attack in Niger’s restive Chad, representing the force in groups but the project will be “It needs support to grow,” he southwest, which borders Mali, key western, central and eastern vulnerable during its fl edgling added. killed 13 paramilitary police on locations respectively, with Ni- endorses Weah for president stage, diplomats and military Its activities will be initially Saturday. ger’s already in service. sources say. confi ned to Burkina Faso, Mali That followed a deadly am- The vast Sahel region has The so-called “G5 Sahel” and Niger, where weak central bush on a joint US-Niger pa- turned into a hotbed of vio- Reuters Johnson’s endorsement of El- sought to gain support from a states are some of the world’s governments have little reach trol that has thrown the United lent extremism and lawlessness Monrovia len Johnson Sirleaf in 2011 helped fi eld of 18 other candidates. poorest and least developed na- in isolated areas, and tensions States’ growing involvement in since chaos engulfed Libya in the Nobel Peace Prize winner get Weah is popular and famous, tions, comprising Burkina Faso, between nomadic herding com- African counter-terror policy 2011, Islamists overran northern re-elected, though his infl uence mainly because of his star Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Ni- munities and farmers have led to into the spotlight. Mali in 2012 and as Boko Haram ormer Liberian warlord has waned since then: he won 8% performances for Italian and ger. recent bloody clashes. And earlier this month, Unit- has spread its tentacles across Prince Johnson has en- of votes this year, versus 11% in French football clubs during the Spread across largely tough, Persuading communities in ed Nations Secretary General the Lake Chad region. Fdorsed George Weah for 2011. 1990s. desert terrain, the G5’s counter- these areas to drop support for Antonio Guterres reported an The Security Council visit to president before a November 7 “I am humbled to announce... Johnson’s attempt at playing terror force will launch its fi rst jihadists, who in some cases increase of more than 100% in Sevare is therefore a measure run-off vote between the former my full and unfl inching support kingmaker makes many in Li- operation against jihadists at have taken on a quasi-state-like attacks against UN peacekeep- of how badly the international soccer star and Vice President in collaboration with the Con- beria uncomfortable, given his the end of October, codenamed role, would also be key, Dacko ers, Malian troops and French community wants the region to Joseph Boakai. gress for Democratic Change role in the civil war that ended in “Buff alo” in a local language ac- said. forces since June. progress on its own by estab- The endorsement should help party of Senator George Weah,” 2003. In 1990, his band of troops cording to offi cial documents In the early days of the force’s The estimated budget for the lishing a solution for counter- Weah, who won 38.4% of the vote Prince Johnson said at his Move- took control of parts of the capi- seen by AFP, with several more existence, strategy will be cen- force’s fi rst year of operations is terror with its own troops. in the fi rst round this month, more ment for Democracy and Recon- tal Monrovia to oust former planned. tred on “taking back control of tentatively estimated at 423mn Mali already has a UN peace- than anyone else but shy of the struction party headquarters. president Samuel Doe, and he At the new force’s military border areas,” where attacks oc- euros, but so far only 108mn eu- keeping mission, known by 50.1% needed to win outright. The announcement follows celebrated as the leader was ex- headquarters in Sevare, central cur regularly as domestic troops ros have been raised, almost half the acronym MINUSMA, and It also puts pressure on Boakai two weeks of political wrangling, ecuted. Still, his supporters are Mali, Commander Didier Dacko cannot enter another nation’s from the European Union. France has its own 4,000-strong to drum up support from other during which the two frontrun- loyal and are expected to listen to is highly aware of vulnerabili- territory, Dacko said. The force will eventually Barkhane force. candidates. ners from October’s fi rst round his call to vote for Weah. Gulf Times 6 Friday, October 27, 2017 AMERICAS US Congress passes budget, paving way for tax debate

Reuters Discord is also looming over a has asked Congress to pass the Trump and Kevin Brady, the While Republicans hold a Washington potential provision to scale back tax legislation by the end of the Republican chairman of the tax- comfortable majority in the a popular tax-deferred US retire- year. writing House Ways and Means House, they have just a 52-48 ment savings programme. Even though his fellow Repub- committee, reopened the door margin in the Senate. he US House of Repre- Both those provisions are licans control both the House to the possibility of such caps The White House and con- sentatives helped pave the aimed at off setting revenue and Senate, the president has on Wednesday as Republicans gressional Republicans excluded Tway yesterday for deep tax losses that would result from the been unable to secure passage of scramble to fi nd sources of rev- Democrats as they developed the cuts sought by President Donald planned sweeping tax cuts, par- major legislation, having failed enue to cover the tax cuts. plan, and it appeared unlikely a Trump and Republican lead- ticularly for companies. to secure a promised repeal of the Brady said he planned to intro- signifi cant number of Democrats ers, but barely overcame a revolt Democrats have called the tax Obamacare law. duce the tax bill next Wednesday would get behind the proposal. within party ranks that could plan a giveaway to the rich and Republicans are also looking and to begin committee delibera- “Right here before our eyes, foreshadow trouble ahead for the corporations that would swell the for a signature achievement to tions on it the following week, on in this House, the Republicans tax overhaul. federal defi cit. tout as the 2018 congressional November 6. are replacing the great American The Republican-controlled Republicans are tradition- election year approaches. A meeting after the budget ladders of opportunity with the House voted 216-212 to pass a ally opposed to letting the defi cit “Big News – budget just vote between Brady and Republi- silver spoon of plutocracy and budget blueprint for the 2018 fi s- grow. passed!” Trump wrote on Twit- cans opposing the elimination of aristocracy. Their agenda raises cal year. But in a stark reversal of that ter. the deduction for state and local taxes on the middle class. That The measure will enable the stance, the party’s budget reso- Republican House Speak- taxes ended without a compro- is the fact,” top House Democrat tax legislation, due to be intro- lution, previously passed by the er Paul Ryan, who has said he mise, though Brady said he would Nancy Pelosi said during the de- duced next week, to win con- Senate, called for adding up to wants the House to pass the tax work to fi nd a solution. bate on the budget measure. gressional approval without any $1.5tn to federal defi cits over the overhaul by the November 23 “They made it clear. They need Independent analysts forecast Democratic votes. next decade to pay for the tax Thanksgiving holiday, said pas- this problem solved before they Pelosi: Right here before our eyes, in this House, the Republicans are last month that corporations and However, House Republican cuts. sage of the budget resolution was vote ‘yes’ on tax reform,” Brady replacing the great American ladders of opportunity with the silver the wealthiest Americans would leaders came within two votes of The outline of the Republi- an “enormous step” toward that added. spoon of plutocracy and aristocracy. benefi t the most and many upper failure. can plan announced last month goal. Eliminating the deduction middle-income people would Democrats were unifi ed in would cut the corporate tax rate But he declined to take a posi- would hit middle-class voters in supporters of the deduction The budget plan passed yes- face higher taxes under the tax their opposition, and 20 Republi- to 20% from 35%, the small busi- tion on the possibility of capping high-tax states like California, “stood fi rm, saying no as a group terday will enable the 100-seat outline unveiled by the Republi- cans voted against the bill, many ness rate to 25% from up to 39.6% annual contributions into 401(k) New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania today to let them know we’re not Senate to pass tax legislation cans. to express disapproval of a provi- and the top individual rate to 35% plans, which for four decades and New Jersey. kidding, and we also are going to with a simple majority rather The proposal would cut taxes sion in Trump’s tax outline that from 39.6%. have helped millions of Ameri- Republican Representative let the Senate know if they try than a 60-vote super-majority for companies and individuals by would repeal an income tax de- Trump, who promised major cans save for retirement by off er- John Katko of New York, leav- and take it (the deduction) out, that would be tough to reach giv- up to $6tn over the next decade, duction for state and local taxes. tax cuts as a candidate last year, ing tax savings. ing the meeting with Brady, said they’re going to have a problem”. en solid Democratic opposition. the analysts said.

Canada settles Trump declares opioid lawsuit

AFP Ottawa public health emergency anada settled a lawsuit with three citizens who DPA/AFP declare a “national emergency” response to the H1N1 infl uenza Cwere wrongly accused Washington to fi ght the abuse of opioids such outbreak. of terror links and tortured in as Percocet, OxyContin, heroin, A commission set up by Syria and Egypt for C$31.5mn and fentanyl. Trump to look into drug addic- ($24.6mn), local media said yes- S President Donald But the offi cials said that in- tion and abuse made a “recom- terday. Trump has declared a stead of declaring a national mendation” that the president Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad El- Upublic health emergency emergency, the president would declare a national emergency maati, and Muayyed Nureddin in the United States caused by order the acting secretary of under the Public Health Service had been arrested and tortured rampant addiction and overdos- health and human services to Act or the Staff ord Act. just after the September 9, 2001 es due to opioid drugs. announce a “nationwide public The Staff ord Act allows the attacks in the US. “This epidemic is a national health emergency”. federal government to provide Released in 2004 without health emergency. Nobody has A national emergency gives assistance to states to help them charges, they returned to Cana- seen anything like what is go- states access to federal disaster deal with major disasters such da and sued the government for ing on now. As Americans we relief funds but the offi cials said as earthquakes, tornadoes and C$100mn over its role in their cannot allow this to continue,” a public health emergency dec- hurricanes. detention. Trump said, speaking at the laration was more appropriate in The Public Health Service Act A 2008 independent inquiry White House, surrounded by battling a long-term crisis such gives the Department of Health led by retired Supreme Court several people who have lost a as the opioid epidemic. and Human Services the author- judge Frank Iacobucci concluded loved-one to opioid addiction. The declaration does not pro- ity to respond to public health that Canada’s spy agency and Trump said that addressing vide any increased federal fund- emergencies. federal police force had been the problem will require a major ing to address the crisis but the According to the commission, “indirectly” responsible for the push on many fronts and called offi cials said the White House 142 Americans died every day three men’s mistreatment. on every American to get in- would seek more money from from a drug overdose in 2015 – Almost a decade after the in- volved in the fi ght. Congress to do so. more than the number killed in dependent inquiry, the govern- An advertising campaign to The offi cials said that the car crashes and gun homicides ment formally apologised to the prevent young people trying public health emergency decla- combined. trio in March. drugs and eff orts to find non- ration lasts for 90 days and can Two-thirds of the drug over- But offi cials did not divulge addictive pain medications are be renewed repeatedly. dose deaths in that year were the amount of a settlement among the initiatives. It will allow the Department linked to Percocet, OxyContin, reached at the time. Trump also said when he of Labour, for example, to pro- heroin, and fentanyl, the com- The amount of the settlement meets with Chinese President Xi vide dislocated worker grants With First Lady Melania Trump behind him, President Trump displays a signed presidential mission said. was fi rst reported by Montreal’s Jinping during his upcoming trip to opioid addicts to help them memorandum during an event highlighting eff orts to battle the opioid crisis in the US. Prescription painkillers and Le Devoir newspaper. to Asia, he will raise the subject break what an offi cial called the heroin contributed to some It was listed in a government of opioid producers in China “cycle of addiction and unem- such as Appalachia and the Rust ernment agencies and depart- astation caused by the opioid 60,000 overdose deaths in the public accounts document re- sending the drug to the US. ployment”. Belt, which have been particu- ments to “exercise all appropri- crisis”, an offi cial said. United States in 2016, a 19% leased earlier this month under The US president has re- It will also provide increased larly hard hit by the opioid crisis. ate emergency authorities that The last time a public health surge over the previous year, ac- “settlement of a claim for gen- peatedly said, as recently as access to telemedicine treat- In addition, the president they have to reduce the number emergency was declared in the cording to an estimate compiled eral damages” launched by three Wednesday, that he planned to ment for people in rural areas would direct the heads of gov- of deaths and minimise the dev- United States was in 2009 in by the New York Times. unnamed individuals.

Temer avoids corruption trial Venezuelan anti-Maduro governor sacked

AFP Reuters Venezuelan opposition wins prestigious European human rights prize Brasilia Maracaibo/Caracas The European Parliament has awarded the Sakha- “We want to make an appeal, we want a pacific transi- rov prize to the Venezuelan opposition, calling for a tion to democracy,” he added, condemning what he razil’s Congress has re- he newly-elected oppo- “peaceful transition to democracy” in the crisis-hit called Maduro’s “dictatorship”. jected corruption charges sition governor of Ven- country. Named after the dissident Soviet scientist Andrei Bagainst President Michel Tezuela’s western Zulia The prestigious human rights prize was awarded to the Sakharov, who died in 1989, the prize is awarded every Temer, meaning that he will state was dismissed yesterday by Venezuelan National Assembly, dominated by opposi- year to honour individuals who combat intolerance, not have to face trial and is free the pro-government local state tion parties, and to political prisoners. fanaticism and oppression, often falling foul of their to pursue austerity reforms in legislature, adding to disarray “There has been a genuine economic and social crisis governments as a result. Latin America’s biggest econ- among foes of the ruling social- in Venezuela, the situation has deteriorated, we are The prize worth €50,000 will be handed to the winner omy. ists. facing a genuine humanitarian crisis,” European Parlia- during an off icial ceremony in the European Parlia- The vote in the lower house The sacking of Juan Pablo ment President Antonio Tajani said. ment on December 13. threw out the charges just an Guanipa, one of fi ve opposi- hour after Temer, 77, was dis- tion governors in Venezuela’s 23 charged from the Brasilia hos- states, came after he refused to dirty tricks by the government, foreign nations including the and cheekily urging the contro- pital where he had been ad- swear loyalty to an all-powerful including the last-minute mov- United States, had refused to versial Ramos – a polarising fi g- mitted earlier with a blocked national legislative superbody ing of many vote centres in oppo- recognise the Constituent As- ure unpopular among young op- urinary tract. Temer: I am in one piece. aligned with President Nicolas sition areas, along with absten- sembly. position militants – to stand for Temer’s allies had been wide- Maduro’s ruling socialists. tion by supporters disillusioned Elected in July after four president in 2018. ly expected to bar a demand by while still in offi ce, Temer is ac- recovery from a deep recession. “They held a secret, express at the failure of protests earlier months of anti-Maduro protests, “Backstabbing has broken out prosecutors for the president to cused of obstruction of justice In August, allies in Congress session to remove him,” Gua- this year. the body has overridden the op- in the opposition, all against all,” face trial in the Supreme Court, and racketeering. had already thrown out a brib- nipa’s spokeswoman Erika Guti- Driving home its advantage, position-run national congress. crowed Maduro earlier this week. but a note of drama was injected He denies any wrongdoing. ery charge by a heavy margin. errez told Reuters of the morning the government said only gover- One major opposition leader, The Constituent Assembly by the surprise news that he had The lower house of Congress “Those who underestimated meeting of Zulia’s state legisla- nors who recognise the suprem- Henrique Capriles, said he would also announced yesterday local been taken to hospital. would have had to vote by a him made a mistake,” said loy- ture. acy of the pro-Maduro Constitu- no longer participate in the coa- mayoral elections would be held The president was admit- two-thirds majority to force alist legislator Carlos Marun, Venezuela’s opposition Dem- ent Assembly could take offi ce. lition while Henry Ramos, leader in December, giving the opposi- ted to the Army Hospital in the Temer to stand down for 180 from Temer’s PMDB party. ocratic Unity coalition, which Four opposition governors did of the Democratic Action party tion a short time-frame to de- capital complaining of discom- days and go on trial in the Su- Ironically, what made it eas- groups several dozen anti-Ma- that this week, sparking recrimi- whose four governors swore velop strategy. fort and underwent examina- preme Court. ier for Temer was that scores of duro parties, has been in crisis nations and bickering within the themselves in before the assem- Popular Will has already said it tion with a urinary catheter. However allies racked up a those judging him in the lower since a surprise defeat at this coalition, but Guanipa said he bly, was a member. plans to boycott that vote. He was then told to rest at total of 251 votes, well above house are themselves targets of month’s state elections. would never “kneel before the Capriles’ Justice First par- Young protesters, who saw home, the presidency said. what was needed to prevent anti-corruption probes. Despite polls showing it would dictatorship”. ty, and the Popular Will party hundreds of their fellow dem- Following the medical scare, opponents reaching a super- Many deputies want to slow win a comfortable majority due “This is an assault on the will of detained opposition leader onstrators jailed, injured or even Temer said that “I am in one majority. down Brazil’s energetic anti- to widespread public anger over of the people,” he tweeted after Leopoldo Lopez, have called for killed in anti-Maduro street piece”, although he could have A canny veteran of Brasilia’s corruption prosecutors who Venezuela’s brutal economic cri- his removal yesterday, denounc- a complete reformulation of the protests earlier this year, are dis- said the same thing about his notoriously corrupt political have unleashed the historic sis, the opposition only took fi ve ing a “coup” in the oil-rich state opposition grouping. gusted by what for them is now a escape from a potential trial. scene, Temer has painted him- “Car Wash” probe against the states compared to 18 for Ma- on the border with Colombia. Offi cials from Maduro down bleak political scenario. The fi rst president in the self as indispensable when the country’s elite over the last duro’s Socialist Party candidates. Prior to this week, the oppo- have been rubbing their hands in More than 125 people died in country to face criminal charges country is making a cautious three years. Opposition leaders blamed sition, along with various major glee at the opposition implosion, four months of unrest. Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

NARCOTICS EMBARGO LEGAL CRIME CONSERVATION Myanmar seizes $4.6mn North Korea slams Would-be divorcees told to Husband of S Korean Australia among the worst of crystal meth sanctions on sports ‘cool off ’ by Chinese court actress stabbed to death countries for extinct species

Myanmar said yesterday it had seized $4.6mn North Korea protested yesterday that its sports Clashing couples in one part of China will now A South Korean actress’ husband was murdered Australia is among the worst countries in the worth of crystal methamphetamine in the activities were being blocked as a result of US- have to “cool off” for three months before by a contract killer during a legal battle over his world for species threatened with extinction, heart of the drug-producing ‘Golden Triangle’ led sanctions, just days after Australia denied they can legally call time on their union. millionaire grandfather’s money, prosecutors according to reports yesterday about a new zone that showers narcotics across the region. visas to North Korean football players. The Court officials said husbands and wives said yesterday. The husband of Song Sun-mi, study. Research published in the journal The remote area — which covers Shan State, nuclear-armed North is subject to a host of UN are too readily seeking a final dissolution who appeared in award-winning director Hong Nature lists Australia among seven countries Laos and northern Thailand — churns out sanctions for its weapons programme, which when they should be working through their Sang-Soo’s On The Beach At Night Alone, was responsible for more than half the world’s huge quantities of opium and meth that are include restrictions on imports of sporting disagreements, and have ordered would-be stabbed in the throat with a sashimi knife during biodiversity loss – that is, the ongoing extinction smuggled across porous borders to countries equipments like skis, yachts, mountaineering divorcees to take time out. Anyone looking a meeting at a Seoul law firm in August. The of species – mainly due to land clearing, local around Asia. Myanmar soldiers and border boots and even billiard tables. But in a statement to annul their marriage in court in one part victim, a 44-year-old art director identified by broadcaster ABC News said. The research off icers arrested a man with 250kg of crystal carried by KCNA, the North’s National Sports of Shandong province will need to become his surname Koh, died on his way to hospital. found that 60% of the world’s biodiversity loss meth in the back of his car early Wednesday Guidance Committee claimed that the sanctions “calm” and “reasonable” before proceeding Prosecutors said the killer was hired by Koh’s is in Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia, Papua New at a toll gate in eastern Shan state. Highly were isolating North Korea from international with a split, the Xinhua state news agency own cousin, a Korean-Japanese surnamed Kwak, Guinea, China, India and the US state of Hawaii, pure crystal methamphetamine – known as sports competitions. “Due to the despicable reported. Only those with a “just cause” whom Koh and their millionaire grandfather according to a University of Georgia review “ice” – is extremely addictive and fetches and relentless pressure of the US, the regular may object to the new rule. Though Chinese had sued for forging inheritance documents. of the study. Australia has the second-worst hefty sums. The quarter-tonne cache is worth leg matches set to be played in Pyongyang couples are still far more likely to stay married “Investigations showed that it was a case conservation record after Indonesia, National $4.6mn, according to a statement posted on the according to agreements are being delayed for than their American counterparts, divorce of planned contract killing,” the Supreme University of Singapore’s Anthony Waldron, who commander-in-chief’s Facebook page. more than a year,” a spokesman said. rates have surged in China in recent years. Prosecutors’ Off ice said in a statement. led the international research team, told ABC. Indonesia fi reworks factory blasts kill 47 Reuters expected the death toll to climb. told Metro TV he was treating Kosambi, Indonesia “People were burned so badly seven people, some of them with you couldn’t see their faces... It burns to more than 80% of their was really bad,” he said. bodies. Three were in critical wo explosions and a fi re at Industrial safety standards condition. a fi reworks factory on the in Indonesia are often poor and A witness who lives around Twestern outskirts of In- rules weakly enforced. There the corner from the factory said donesia’s capital killed 47 people have been a series of major fi res she heard an explosion “like a and injured dozens yesterday, this year, including one that roar”. police said, and the death toll engulfed one of Jakarta’s main “I dressed and stepped out- was expected to rise at the time markets. Manpower minister side the house, and saw the of going to press. Thick plumes Hanif Dhakiri said he had asked fl ames, they were almost in my of dark smoke billowed from a his staff to investigate reports of face. The smoke, the heat was in factory warehouse in the Tan- underage workers at the factory. my face. I panicked, I was scared, gerang district, an industrial and “If there were underage workers I picked up my son and ran away manufacturing hub on the island that would be a violation,” Dhak- from the fi re,” said Kartini, 40, of Java, TV broadcasts showed. iri told reporters, adding he could who uses one name, like many Hours later the burnt-out revoke the company’s permit. Indonesians. factory was still smouldering One of the fi rst policemen on Hundreds of children at a and there was a strong smell of Indonesian people look at a firecracker factory that burned down in the scene, Raymond Masengi, school just 100m from the facto- burning plastic and chemicals. Tangerang Kota, Banten province yesterday. told Metro TV police had broken ry had to jump over school walls, Witnesses said there were two holes in the factory wall to help dropping books and bags in their explosions, one at about 10am tained, there were 103 workers. might not have been working at people escape. haste to get away. Indonesian policemen carry a dead body after a fire disaster at a and another about three hours Of those 103 workers ... there the time. At the scene of yesterday’s “Everyone was panicking and firecracker factory in Tangerang Kota, Banten province yesterday. later, both of which could be were 46 who were injured,” Ja- The online video and media disaster, the grass was scorched running,” said Kartini. heard miles away, media said. karta police spokesman Argo images of the PT Panca Bua- over an area about 10m from the The factory had been operat- “The fi reworks factory is lo- “We are still looking into the A grisly video of the scene Yuwono told Metro Television. na Cahaya Sukses warehouse site. Forensic police worked in ing for only two months, media cated near schools and settle- cause of the fi re,” police spokes- inside the warehouse, widely “We also found some who had showed smouldering ash and the fading light to examine the said. ments. That’s wrong,” Reinhart man Yuwono said, adding that shared on social media, showed died. There are 47 bodies.” debris, with parts of the roof debris and were trying to set up Fireworks are frequently Wetik, an explosives expert, told for now police were prioritising onlookers counting badly Yuwono said 10 people on the missing. A search and rescue fl oodlights as night fell. Fiza, a used in Indonesia for religious Metro TV, adding there should evacuating victims. charred bodies. manifest unaccounted for may offi cial, Deden Nurjaman, said doctor in the emergency unit and other celebrations, and are have been special safety meas- Police were also investigating “From the manifest we ob- have left with light injuries or bodies were still inside and he at Tangerang General Hospital, widely available. ures in place and trained staff . the factory’s permit, he said.

UN rejects Myanmar claim of providing China frees activist housing for refugees Thais bid fi nal goodbye A UN settlement programme, who led campaign UN-Habitat in Myanmar, yes- terday rejected a state media report that it had agreed to help build housing for people fleeing for HK democracy to late King Bhumibol violence in the northern Myan- mar state of Rakhine, where an AFP army operation has displaced AFP never have been denied her Bangkok hundreds of thousands. Beijing freedom in the fi rst place,” The development underscores said Roseann Rife, Amnesty tension between Myanmar International’s East Asia solemn but colour- and the United Nations, which Chinese activist who research director. “It is im- splashed procession in April criticised the govern- was imprisoned af- perative that the authorities Astreamed through Bang- ment’s previous plan to resettle Ater speaking out about ensure that Su Changlan can kok’s historic heart yesterday as Rohingya Muslims displaced by women’s rights and Hong receive the appropriate medi- Thailand bade farewell to King last year’s violence in “camp- Kong’s democracy movement cal care,” Rife said. Su could Bhumibol Adulyadej in an elab- like” villages. has been released after serving not be reached for comment orate, ritual-laden funeral that More than 600,000 have three years in jail, her lawyer yesterday. gripped a nation mourning the crossed to Bangladesh since said yesterday. Lawyer Liu said he didn’t loss of its chief unifying fi gure. August 25 following an army Su Changlan, a 47-year- have much information about Some 300,000 black-clad crackdown. The United Nations old primary school teacher her health problems. mourners packed the streets says killings, arson and rape was fi rst detained in southern “Her family members in- from early yesterday, many carried out by troops and ethnic Guangdong province on Oc- formed me and her friends weeping and prostrating them- Rakhine Buddhist mobs since tober 26, 2014 after making today that Su was released selves on the ground as a golden then amount to a campaign of comments on social media in and sent a photo of her. chariot carrying the royal urn ethnic cleansing against the support of democracy protests They didn’t talk about other slowly snaked through the Rohingya. in the semi-autonomous city things,” Liu told AFP. Rights blazing heat. Pipers, drummers The state-run Global New Light of Hong Kong. groups say a pattern has and soldiers in a dazzling array of Myanmar newspaper said “Su Changlan has returned emerged in recent years where of costumes joined Buddhist Mourners wait to off er flowers as a sign of respect for the late Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej at the yesterday that UN-Habitat had home after her release,” lawyer China releases dissidents monks, Brahmin priests and the King Rama V Monument in Bangkok. agreed to provide technical Liu Xiaoyuan said in a state- from prison in poor health, or new King Maha Vajiralongkorn assistance in housing displaced ment on Twitter. only weeks before they pass as the procession made its way But Bhumibol’s intimate one that stands at the apex of In eff ect it means the mon- people in Rakhine and the Liu has previously claimed away, with late Nobel laure- to the spectacular funeral pyre. connection with his subjects one of Southeast Asia’s most archy “has monopolised the agency would work closely with that his client was held il- ate Liu Xiaobo being a notable King Vajiralongkorn led roy- was on display yesterday. “He unequal societies. way the Thai public can think the authorities to “implement legally for years before she example. als, junta leaders and foreign was perfect. He helped the Deference towards the mon- about its own political story,” the projects to be favourable to was formally convicted and The veteran of the 1989 dignitaries up the central tower country and Thai people so archy — and the social elites it historian David Streckfuss told Myanmar’s social culture and sentenced in March 2017 for Tiananmen Square pro-de- to lay sandalwood fl owers at much. Seventy million Thai underpins — is a given in Thai- AFP. The ruling junta has jailed administrative system”. “inciting subversion of state mocracy protests died in July, the pyre ahead of the crema- people are united in their love land. record numbers of people un- But Stanislav Saling, spokesman power.” more than a month after he tion, scheduled for 10pm, to for him,” said 65-year-old Wa- Ahead of the processions, der the law since seizing power for the off ice of the UN resident Her case drew international was transferred from prison to a haunting accompaniment charadej Tangboonlabkun, who palace aides shuffl ed on their in a 2014 coup. co-ordinator in Myanmar, told attention at a time when Bei- a heavily-guarded hospital to chanted by traditional singers. like most Thais knew no other knees in the presence of the new Aged just 18 when he as- Reuters in an e-mail that “no jing was ramping up its crack- be treated for late-stage liver The $90mn funeral drew a monarch before Bhumibol’s king, as monks in orange robes cended the throne, the US- agreements were reached so down on civil society, target- cancer. “Who’s Who” of Thai power — death. chanted Buddhist prayers. The born Bhumibol became the ful- far” after the agency’s repre- ing everyone from human Meanwhile, concern is royals, generals and establish- The death of a fi gure of con- new king, who wore full mili- crum of the palace and was the sentatives attended a series rights lawyers to celebrity growing over the wherea- ment fi gures — as well as scores stancy in a politically combus- tary regalia, will be crowned af- world’s longest-reigning mon- of meetings with Myanmar gossip bloggers. bouts of book publisher Gui of foreign guests including tible country has dipped the ter his father is laid to rest. arch until his death. The crown off icials this week in its capital More than 200 Chinese Minhai, who failed to con- Great Britian’s Prince Andrew kingdom into uncertainty. He has yet to win the same fl ourished with heavy US back- Naypyitaw. lawyers and activists were de- tact his family after Chinese and Japan’s Prince Akishino “There’s no more a father aff ection among the Thai public ing as Washington sought a “The UN-Habitat mission tained or questioned in a po- authorities said they had re- and Princess Akishino. who only gave to his children,” as his father, whose image was bulwark against the spread of emphasised that resettle- lice sweep in 2015 that rights leased him from detention on For the public, the lavish af- 47-year-old mourner Kingkan carefully curated by palace PR, Communism across Southeast ment should be conducted in groups called “unprecedent- October 17. fair was a chance to say a fi nal Kuntavee told AFP. cementing a reputation as aus- Asia. accordance with the princi- ed”. The Swedish foreign minis- goodbye to a monarch cherished For much of Bhumibol’s long tere, benevolent and incorrupt- Thais have donned black for ples of housing and property In a statement yesterday, try said it had been informed as the “father of the nation”. reign, Thailand remained stuck ible despite the fast-changing much of the last year in a re- restitution for refugees and Amnesty International said by China of Gui’s release and Bhumibol, who was crowned on a carousel of violent pro- times. markable outpouring of grief, displaced persons to support that Su’s health had deterio- was trying to contact him. in 1950, towered over decades tests, short-lived civilian gov- Thailand’s royal defamation which offi cially ends on Oc- their safe and dignified return rated in “cramped” and “un- The 53-year-old Swedish of Thai history before his death ernments and coups. law shields the monarchy from tober 30. They are expected to to their places of origin,” he hygienic” prison conditions, citizen and Hong Kong-based last October aged 88 seeded Political turmoil threw up criticism and scrutiny, carrying return to colourful clothes at said, responding on behalf of and she now suff ers from de- publisher, whose company uncertainty in a country ruled a supply of junta leaders and 15-year jail sentences for each the conclusion of the mourn- UN-Habitat. bilitating heart, liver and gall- was known for salacious ti- by a divisive junta. A brew of prime ministers, but all lacked charge. ing period, which celebrates the UN-Habitat welcomed the inter- bladder conditions. tles about the lives of China’s palace propaganda and a harsh Bhumibol’s moral capital with That law makes independ- king’s ascent to Mount Meru, est of the Myanmar govern- “It’s a relief that Su Chang- political elite, disappeared lese majeste law burnished the the Thai people. ent analysis and frank public the centre of the universe in ment in international norms and lan will not spend another in 2015 while on vacation in king’s reputation throughout He left behind one of the debate about the monarchy im- Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cos- standards, he added. night in jail, but she should Thailand. his reign. world’s richest monarchies, possible inside Thailand. mology. Gulf Times 8 Friday, October 27, 2017 BRITAIN/IRELAND

CLAIM JUSTICE POLICY SETBACK LAW AND ORDER Markle ‘pregnant with Woman gets 22 years Pension firms to publish Blow for Khan as 10,000 Traff icking gang member Prince Harry’s child’ jail for sister’s murder hidden charges to savers home project falters jailed for four years

Actress Meghan Markle is reportedly pregnant A woman has been jailed for life with a minimum Pension companies will be forced to publish Sadiq Khan’s pledge to solve London’s housing A member of a gang that traff icked 19 Asian with Prince Harry’s child. The actress is three term of 22 years after admitting the frenzied the fees they charge to 10mn customers under crisis suff ered a setback yesterday with the women to Britain and forced them to sell months pregnant, reports okmagazine.com. “It’s murder of her sister, with whom she lived and new government plans announced yesterday. collapse of a deal worth 10,000 homes. Barratt sex in hotels has been jailed for four years, unexpected to say the least – to have a baby out with whose husband she was having an aff air. Customers spend thousands over the course of London pulled out of a partnership with prosecutors said yesterday. Malaysian Hong of wedlock would risk creating quite a scandal Sabah Khan, 27, stabbed 34-year-old Saima Khan, their pension plan on management costs but firms Enfield council to deliver the Meridian Water Chin, 45, was sentenced at London’s Old Bailey for the royal family --– but Harry and Meghan are a care worker, at least 68 times after luring her do not need to disclose what they take in charges. regeneration scheme in north London, which Court, having been convicted earlier this month eager to build a family together,” said a source. home from work on the evening of May 23, 2016, Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke would also have created over 6,000 jobs. The on several charges including traff icking for The 33-year-old prince “couldn’t be happier, even while their parents and Saima’s husband were yesterday said the changes would help inform decision could mean years of delay to one of the sexual exploitation, controlling prostitution if they may ruff le some feathers. Besides, the royal at a funeral. As Saima’s four children lay in their customers and trustees on what is best value for capital’s vitally needed housing schemes. The for gain, and owning criminal property. Chin family has weathered worse”, the source added. beds, Sabah repeatedly plunged a kitchen knife money. He said: “For too long savers have been two sides said there had been a major fall-out had two female accomplices, Li Wei Gao, The couple is said to have broken the news to the into their mother, with one blow severing her in the dark about where their pension is invested, about the terms, but refused to reveal what lay 44, and Ting Li Lu, 47, both from China, who Queen. “Supposedly, she didn’t mince words and carotid arteries and jugular vein. Her screams what they are paying for, and why they are paying behind the disagreement. The mayor voiced his were convicted for the same crimes, but their told them it was ‘a most unfortunate situation’. But could be heard by neighbours on Overstone it. I want people to have a strong sense of personal “disappointment” at the delay but insisted the site sentencing was adjourned until next week, she’ll always support them,” said the source. Road in Luton, Bedfordshire. ownership over their pension savings.” still off ered a “huge and unique opportunity”. court staff said. Govt faces legal Supersonic car carries out high-speed test challenge to alliance with N Ireland party

Reuters raising page that he was horrifi ed London by the Conservative-DUP deal, which he said violated Northern Ireland’s 1998 Good Friday peace legal challenge began in a agreement. London court yesterday Under the peace deal, which Aagainst the deal between ended decades of armed sectar- the ruling Conservatives and a ian confl ict in the province, the Northern Ireland party that al- UK government is required to be lowed the government to cobble impartial between unionists who together a parliamentary majority want the province to remain part in June. of the UK and republicans who as- After losing their majority in a pire to become part of Ireland. disastrous snap election on June “The government is threatening 8, Prime Minister Theresa May’s hard-won peace with their pact Conservatives secured support with the reactionary DUP,” Mc- from the Democratic Unionist Clean wrote. Party (DUP) in return for a pledge However, for technical legal to spend an extra £1bn in Northern reasons, the issue of whether the The Bloodhound SuperSonic Car, which is attempting to break the 1,000mph barrier in 2019, does its first public test run at Newquay airport, Newquay, Britain, yesterday. Ireland. In a crowdfunded legal Conservative-DUP agreement challenge brought by a Northern was a violation of the peace deal Irish citizen, lawyers argued that did not form part of the arguments the deal, known as a confi dence- heard by the High Court. and-supply agreement, was cor- Northern Ireland’s semi-au- rupt because it amounted to using tonomous institutions have been public money to buy votes. paralysed since January because “We say the Conservative Party of the collapse of a power-shar- purchased the political support of ing agreement between the DUP the DUP for the sum of £1bn,” law- and Sinn Fein. May, who replaced yer Dominic Chambers told the David Cameron as prime minister Parliament to restart High Court at the start of a one- after the Brexit referendum in June day hearing to seek permission for 2016, inherited a narrow parlia- judicial review of the agreement. mentary majority from him. His colleague John Cooper later In April 2017, with opinion polls said the deal was an off ence under suggesting she had a double-digit the Bribery Act 2010, arguing that lead over the opposition Labour the government had off ered ad- Party, she called a snap election, Brexit bill debate in Nov vantages to induce DUP members hoping to increase her majority. of parliament to exercise their vot- But after an uninspiring cam- AFP The crucial legislation, which process to avoid damaging de- ber. The announcement came as said its lawmakers will join forc- ing rights improperly. paign in which the Conserva- London puts existing EU regulations on feats on the draft law, while its politicians also argued for par- es with the Conservative rebels Government lawyers rejected tives’ main new policy pledge the domestic statute book in Brexit strategy was paralysed. liament to have a “meaningful” to force through the potential both lines of attack. was dropped within days because a bid to avoid legal chaos after A spokesperson for the de- fi nal say on Britain’s fi nal exit parliamentary veto. They argued that that the public it appeared unpopular, they lost awmakers will renew de- Brexit, returns after accusations partment for exiting the EU deal before leaving the bloc on Brexit secretary David Davis expenditure contemplated by the their majority. bate over landmark legis- the government was attempting said yesterday the government March 29, 2019. sparked renewed concerns on deal would be authorised by par- Support from the DUP’s 10 Llation on exiting the EU in to delay debate on the bill. was looking at the amendments Lawmakers, including Con- the issue on Wednesday when he liament, and that the criminal law members of parliament has ena- parliament next month, follow- It appeared stalled after at- “with the utmost seriousness.” servative former attorney gen- told a House of Commons com- of bribery did not apply to a con- bled May to cling to power as Brit- ing a brief delay in the conten- tracting nearly 400 tabled “We look forward to con- eral Dominic Grieve, have tabled mittee a vote might come after fi dence-and-supply agreement ain moves closer to the challenge tious draft law, the government amendments — including a tinuing the debate and working amendments to the repeal bill Brexit. between political parties. of leaving the European Union. confi rmed yesterday. number proposed by members with Parliament to ensure that requiring parliament to vote on A spokesperson for Davis later The challenge was launched by It is not the fi rst time May’s gov- Andrea Leadsom, leader of of Prime Minister Theresa May’s we deliver a functioning statute any withdrawal agreement. clarifi ed the government still Ciaran McClean, a mental health ernment has faced a citizen’s chal- the House of Commons, an- own ruling Conservative party book on exit day,” the statement Senior Conservative party intended “to meet our long- worker and Green Party member lenge over a major policy. nounced members of a parlia- — amid concerns over an ex- added. lawmaker Nicky Morgan said standing commitment” to a living in Northern Ireland, who Last year, it lost a legal battle mentary committee would begin cessive expansion of executive The repeal bill, which has a yesterday they are “deadly seri- vote in parliament. “We expect raised £92,000 on a crowdfunding initiated by businesswoman Gina two days of deliberations on the power. guaranteed eight days of debate ous” about backing the plans for and intend this to be before the website and was present in court Miller over whether it could trig- European Union (Withdrawal) The main opposition Labour at committee stage, is scheduled a fi nal say. vote in the European Parliament yesterday. ger the Brexit process without Bill — known as the repeal bill — Party earlier this month accused to return after a short parlia- Meanwhile Labour’s shadow and therefore before we leave,” a McClean wrote on his fund- parliamentary assent. on November 14. the government of slowing the mentary recess in early Novem- Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, statement read. Media inciting hatred in Anti-fracking protest Woman convicted over terror plot books row, says student Reuters Taheer return the fi rst dummy London she bought as it was not the mod- el he wanted. Guardian News and Media they chose to place a photograph inated by white, male authors. He sent her a video so she London of me, a student, a highly visible The letter said: “For too long, woman was convicted of a would know the right one to buy. young, black woman student on teaching English at Cambridge terrorism off ence yester- In messages from September the front of their newspaper, as if has encouraged a ‘traditional’ Aday after paying for a large 2015, pre-dating the off ence and Cambridge University to incite this kind of abuse, and in- and ‘canonical’ approach that el- combat knife for her husband to before they were married, Taheer student has accused the cite hatred, and make me into the evates white male authors at the use in an attack and urging him to wrote: “I want u to kill ppl for me. Amedia of “a very targeted fi gure that people could attack.” expense of all others.” It added “kill people for me”. I have a list.” form of harassment” after she Olufemi told the Guardian: that the department could not Madihah Taheer, 22, from Bir- Mirza replied: “Give me the was “fl ooded” with racist and “The (Telegraph) article is riddled “claim to provide students with mingham also allowed her debit list.” sexist abuse for criticising the with factual inaccuracies and at- the ‘foundational knowledge of card to be used to buy a lifelike A month later, Mirza said he lack of black and ethnic minor- tempts to misconstrue what the the canon’ whilst it refuses to training dummy so that her hus- wanted to stab someone they both ity authors on the university’s task of decolonising is and del- decolonise the curriculum”. band, Ummariyat Mirza, 21, could knew 27 times. Taheer responded English course. Lola Olufemi, the egitimise me as a co-author of the Olufemi said she hoped the let- practice an attack, prosecutors that “sounds so satisfying”. Mirza women’s offi cer at Cambridge open letter by using out-of-con- ter would precipitate a culture said. was arrested in March this year University Student Union, said text quotes in an attempt to turn shift. “It’s less about this prescrip- The dummy was found in the and pleaded guilty to preparing media coverage of an open let- me into a ‘controversial fi gure’.” tive idea of sticking black authors, couple’s Birmingham home with for terrorist acts at a hearing in ter to the English department, Olufemi said some students or even women authors, on the end slash marks on the forehead, September. Taheer was convicted signed by dozens of students, were “targeted by the press and of a reading list and about a more across the throat and abdomen. yesterday of the same charge. was designed to incite hatred. so have their jobs made monu- holistic approach in the way we Mirza had been researching Sue Hemming, head of the spe- Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s mentally harder by having to deal talk about literature,” she said. potential targets on his mobile cial crime and counter terrorism Woman’s Hour, Olufemi said that with – on top of all of their work “Decolonising is about criti- phone including a military base in division of the Crown Prosecu- after the Daily Telegraph’s decision – racist and sexist abuse”. quing the current curriculum in Birmingham. tion Service (CPS), said in a state- to put her photograph on its front The row followed the publica- order to make it better. It is about Prosecutors said text messages ment there was little doubt Mirza page, “all of my work Facebook, tion of an open letter to academ- expanding our notions of ‘good’ that the pair had sent each other, had the knife to carry out an at- my e-mail were fl ooded with racist ics at the university asking them literature so it doesn’t always el- in which they threatened vio- tack in Britain. and sexist abuse. And that’s not by to “decolonise” the English liter- evate one voice, one experience, British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, her lence and discussed the situation The couple, along with Mirza’s accident. That is a very purposeful ature syllabus by including more one way of being in the world. It son Joe Corre and nine-year-old Oliver Simpson who in Syria, demonstrated that they older sister Zainab who admitted thing that you’re doing.” black and minority ethnic writ- is a long and meaningful process has written to the prime minister to protest against were inspired by the Islamic State sending him terrorist material, Olufemi said she was disap- ers. English students signed the that requires thought and serious fracking near his home pose outside Downing Street militant group. will be sentenced later. A pro- pointed by the Telegraph’s cover- letter after concerns that the de- commitment in order to initiate a with his letter in London yesterday. Woolwich Crown Court in visional date for sentencing has age. “I think it is very telling that partment’s reading list was dom- culture shift.” London heard that Mirza made been set for December 1. Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 9 EUROPE

Merkel in ‘diffi cult’ coalition Catalonia crisis deepens DPA/Reuters/AFP His stand sets the stage for Madrid/Barcelona the Spanish Senate to approve talks on the take-over of Catalonia’s in- stitutions and police, and give he president of Catalonia, the government the power to re- refugees Carles Puigdemont, said move the Catalan president. Tat a press conference yes- But it could also lead to con- terday that he will not call new frontation in the streets as some DPA elections for the region, leaving independence supporters have Berlin the door open for an upcoming promised to mount a campaign declaration of Catalan inde- of civil disobedience. pendence. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya he third round of negotia- “My duty is to exhaust all av- Saenz de Santamaria, speaking tions between Chancellor enues to fi nd a negotiated and in a televised Senate committee, TAngela Merkel’s would-be agreed solution to avoid the ap- said: “The independence leaders coalition partners – focusing on plication of Article 155,” said Pu- have shown their true face, they immigration and asylum policies igdemont, referring to the article have promised a dream but are – was described as “extraor- of the Spanish Constitution that performing tricks.” dinarily diffi cult” by a leading can be used to suspend a region’s In the hours before Puigde- member of the Greens yesterday. autonomy if it does not fulfi l its mont’s highly-anticipated an- Merkel’s Christian Democrats obligations to the state. nouncement, there was feverish (CDU), their Bavarian ally the Speaking to reporters gath- speculation that he would dis- Christian Social Union (CSU), ered in Catalonia’s government solve parliament and announce the pro-business Free Demo- palace, Puigdemont said that he elections in a bid to keep Madrid crats (FDP) and the Greens were had sought assurances from the at arm’s length. engaging in “extraordinarily dif- Spanish central government that Two of his MPs said they were fi cult negotiations in one of the calling elections would avoid an resigning in protest. most contentious areas”, Claudia implementation of Article 155. Others had feared Puigde- Roth told DPA. “I was ready to call an elec- mont would unilaterally declare The archconservative CSU has tion if guarantees were given. Catalonia an independent re- conditioned its participation in There is no guarantee that justi- public. the coalition on a cap of 200,000 fi es calling an election today,” he He did neither. on the number of migrants en- said. Thousands of Catalans tering Germany each year. Puigdemont said that it was marched for independence in Bavaria has borne the brunt of now up to the Catalan parlia- Barcelona yesterday, chanting refugee arrivals via its southern ment to move forward with a “independence”. border with Austria. mandate to split from Spain One banner read “Puigde- Students wave Catalan pro-independence ‘Estelada’ flags during a protest yesterday in front of the Generalitat Palace (Catalan government Both smaller parties are op- following an independence ref- mont, traitor”. headquarters) in Barcelona. Thousands of students rallied in Barcelona yesterday in support of Catalan independence and against plans by posed to any such cap, arguing erendum that took place on Oc- Puigdemont had previously Spain’s central government to curb the region’s powers. The demonstrators carried red carnations and wore red and yellow Catalan that it runs counter to constitu- tober 1 – an event Madrid had addressed a plenary session of independence flags tied around their necks as they made their way through the centre of the Catalan capital, chanting ‘Occupation forces tional rules on the right to asy- declared illegal and tried to stop. the Catalan parliament on Oc- out!’ lum. “No one can deny the Catalan tober 10 and suspended a unilat- Merkel’s conservatives want side’s will for dialogue and po- eral declaration of independence day’s planned plenary session ernment – or calling for fresh The political crisis, the gravest The semi-autonomous re- to continue suspending the right litical negotiations. No one can pending dialogue with the Span- seemed to have narrowed to a regional elections. since Spain’s return to democra- gion accounts for 16% of Spain’s to family reunions for asylum- say that I have not been willing ish central government. choice between declaring in- The plenary session comes a cy four decades ago, has divided population and 20% of its eco- seekers who only have subsidi- to make sacrifi ces to ensure that However, a bitter war of words dependence - and thus provoke day ahead of a planned meeting Catalonia itself and caused deep nomic output. ary protection after March 2018. all avenues for dialogue are in has ensued instead, and Puigde- direct, immediate intervention of the Spanish Senate in Ma- resentment in other parts of the Spain’s Economy Minister FDP leader Christian Lind- place,” said Puigdemont. mont’s options ahead of yester- from the Spanish central gov- drid to vote on the suspension country. Luis de Guindos acknowledged ner told news magazine Der of Catalonia’s autonomy, along It has also prompted a fl ight yesterday that there could be Spiegel yesterday that the issue with various other sanctions of business from the wealthy re- “resistance” to offi cials who of family reunions would “ab- initially put forward by Prime gion and worried other Europe- might be sent from Madrid to solutely” lead to a confl ict with Minister Mariano Rajoy. an leaders who see it as fanning administer Catalonia in the the Greens, who are strongly op- In response to the region’s separatist sentiment elsewhere event of a takeover under Article posed to their suspension. ongoing push for independence on the continent. 155. Yesterday’s talks also focused in the wake of a disputed refer- It was not yet clear whether “I hope that (Catalan) civil on climate and energy policy. endum on October 1, Rajoy had Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy servants who are highly profes- As part of yesterday’s talks, proposed a number of potential would immediately enforce di- sional ... will be conscious that the would-be coalition partners sanctions on Catalonia, which rect rule or simply seek the Sen- any act against Catalan society agreed on climate goals for 2020, include the removal of the sepa- ate’s authorisation to do so today will be negative,” he warned on 2030 and 2015, sources told DPA ratist regional government and but without making it eff ective Spanish radio. without giving further details. the proclamation of new elec- on the ground. He added there had been “a Recent data has indicated tions within six months. Exactly how the central gov- drop in consumption and paral- that the country is set to miss its The proposed measures were ernment would enforce in prac- ysis of investments” as a result 2020 goal to cut carbon dioxide formulated based on Article 155, tical terms, and how Catalan of uncertainty sparked by the (CO2) emissions by 40% com- which has never been used in 40 civil servants and regional police crisis. pared to 1990. years of Spanish democracy. would react, is also uncertain. As of yesterday some 1,600 Merkel’s conservatives have Both the governing PP and Catalonia is one of 17 regions, companies had “moved” their come under fi re from the Greens the opposition Spanish Socialist with varying degrees of autono- legal headquarters out of Cata- for not moving Germany fast Workers’ Party (PSOE) have sig- my, that make up Spain. lonia. enough to cut its reliance on fos- nalled that they will support the Polls show the region of 7.5 Observers fear the stand-off sil fuels as it phases out nuclear use of Article 155 if Puigdemont million people, fi ercely protec- will spark unrest in the region, power. does not call for election’s before tive of their distinctive language, where industry bodies say tour- An earlier round of negotia- Puigdemont is surrounded by media as he leaves the regional government headquarters in Barcelona today’s vote in the Spanish Sen- culture and autonomy, is deeply ist bookings are already on the tions focusing on fi nancial and after delivering his statement. ate. divided on independence. decline. tax policy was deemed success- ful by the parties.

Twitter bans ads from Russia media Italy parliament approves new election law Vehicles

Twitter will bar advertising from DPA The reform introduces mini- nalises stand-alone parties like According to polls, former In a hung parliament sce- torched all accounts owned by Russian Rome mum thresholds to enter par- the M5S. premier Silvio Berlusconi’s nario, many expect Berlusconi media outlets Russia Today (RT) liament of 3% of the national Danilo Toninelli, a M5S law- centre-right alliance is poised and the PD to form a grand coa- and Sputnik, the microblogging vote for single parties and 10% maker, renamed the reform to win the biggest share of seats lition. in French website said yesterday. he Italian parliament for coalitions. “Merdellum”, a moniker that under the new voting system, While political stability re- Twitter said its decision was gave the fi nal approval The upper chamber, or Sen- evokes the Italian word for yet falling short of an overall mains elusive for Italy, the Ro- based on the US intelligence Tyesterday to a contro- ate, approved it in a fi nal 214- “faeces” while respecting the majority. satellum could at least end an police community’s conclusion that versial new election law that to-61 vote after Prime Minister odd Italian habit of giving Lat- In a simulation by the IXE electoral reform frenzy that has RT and Sputnik tried to interfere should be tested in general Paolo Gentiloni’s government in-sounding names to election polling institute for the lower seen the country shift between with the 2016 US presidential elections expected as early as survived fi ve votes of confi - laws. house of parliament, or Cham- fi ve diff erent voting systems complex election on behalf of the Russian March 2018. dence on Wednesday over spe- For Senator Andrea Marcucci ber of Deputies, the Berlusconi since 2013. government. Under the so-called Ros- cifi c aspects of the reform. of the ruling centre-left Demo- bloc would win 269 out of 630 This was the result of botched Twitter said late last month it had atellum law, about one-third Italy’s main opposition, the cratic Party (PD), the Rosatel- seats. previous reforms and repeated Reuters suspended some 200 Russian- of lawmakers are to be elected Five Star Movement (M5S), lum “is not the best election law The PD and its allies would Constitutional Court interven- Lyon linked accounts as it probes under a fi rst-past-the-post held street protests, calling the in absolute terms, but the best come in second, with 180 seats, tions to fi x them that triggered online eff orts to meddle with the system, and two-thirds on a law undemocratic because, by possible [that can be passed by] and the M5S would be third yet more corrective attempts 2016 election. proportional basis. encouraging coalitions, it pe- parliament”. with 153, IXE said. from parliament. ttackers set fi re to vehi- cles beneath a housing Acomplex for police and their families in a suburb of Gre- noble, eastern France, yesterday. Police said a fence around the New Dutch cabinet sworn in after record coalition talks building was closed off in an ap- parent attempt to prevent resi- dents escaping and rescuers get- AFP immigration policy, Rutte fi nally ers to Halbe Zijlstra, Rutte’s right- ting in, but all 24 people inside The Hague managed to seal a deal which de- hand man in the VVD, known for escaped unharmed. spite the presence of the progres- his straight-talking, but who has Nobody claimed responsibil- sive Democracy 66 (D66) party already been criticised for his lack ity for the assault, which was the he new four-party coali- will pull his third government of experience in international is- latest in a series of arson attacks tion of Dutch Liberal Prime more to the right. sues. against police and police vehi- TMinister Mark Rutte was Joining the coalition are also the And the new fi nance minister cles. sworn in yesterday, after it took a rightwing Christian Democrats is Wopke Hoekstra, an upcoming “Attacks like this can be tan- record 225 days to cobble together (CDA), and the smaller and more star within the ranks of the CDA, tamount to terrorism,” Grenoble the new government. conservative Christian Union. who takes over from Eurogroup prosecutor Jean-Yves Coquil- In a solemn ceremony in the Analysts have warned the new chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem. lat told reporters, adding that sumptuous 16th century Noor- coalition – dubbed Rutte III – All eyes may also be on Sigrid the method used was similar to deinde Palace in the heart of The could prove fragile. Kaag, a member of D66 who is other recent attacks by far-left Hague, the new cabinet of 16 min- It has just a one-seat majority returning to domestic Dutch poli- groups. isters and eight deputies pledged in the 150-seat lower house, and tics as minister for foreign trade Last month, such a group their oaths of offi ce to King Wil- is faced by the combative Freedom and development after two dec- claimed responsibility for an ar- lem-Alexander. Party of Geert Wilders as the larg- ades abroad working for the Unit- son attack on a police building in Rutte’s business-friendly VVD est party in opposition. ed Nations. Grenoble that destroyed a ware- party won the most seats in the The pragmatic Rutte, who Amid much pomp and strict house and several cars. March elections, but he fell far has now run the lowlands coun- protocol, it was also the fi rst time The group said the fi re was a short of a majority with the coun- try since October 2010, now has the king had sworn in a new cabi- protest against the trial of nine try’s political landscape fractured three deputy prime ministers – net. far-left activists accused of fi re- by the rise of the far-right, anti- one from each party – who will Willem-Alexander took over bombing police in an assault on Islam Freedom Party and the col- also serve as ministers taking the from his mother, Queen Beatrix, two offi cers in Paris in May 2016 lapse of the traditional Labour homeland, health and agriculture as head of state in 2013 after she that was caught on camera. party. portfolios. abdicated in his favour. Last month, fi ve police cars Rutte (left) and members of his new ‘Rutte III’ cabinet meet for the first time at the Treveszaal in The After a fi rst attempt to form a The important foreign aff airs Rutte held his fi rst cabinet were set on fi re in Limoges, cen- Hague. coalition failed over diff erences on post has passed from Bert Koend- meeting later in the day. tral France. Gulf Times 10 Friday, October 27, 2017 EUROPE

Russian helicopter Turkish court keeps local missing at sea off Amnesty chief in prison Arctic isle

Reuters/AFP cleric Turkey says was behind a activists, including Amnesty’s Two others had been released Erdogan said in July that the and businessman Osman Kav- AFP Ankara failed coup last year. Turkey director Idil Eser, who earlier. activists were detained after ala’s detention period has been Oslo Kilic also had a bank account were detained in July on con- They are accused of links a tip-off they were working extended for another seven days, with the Gulen-linked Bank tested terror charges after hold- to Gulen and other outlawed against the government, com- one of lawyers representing him Turkish court has re- Asya, but Amnesty previously ing a workshop on an island off groups including the Kurdistan paring them to those involved in told Reuters. Russian helicopter with manded Amnesty In- said it was “clearly impossible to Istanbul. Workers’ Party (PKK), which has the failed putsch. Kavala, who took part in sev- eight people on board Aternational’s local board infer membership of an organi- While Kilic is voluntary waged an insurgency inside Tur- “Over the last 24 hours we eral civil initiatives for the pro- Acrashed at sea in Nor- chairman in custody, Amnesty sation, let alone sympathy for its chairman of Amnesty’s board of key since 1984, and the far-left have seen the twin hands of tection of human rights and way’s Svalbard archipelago in Turkey said, hours after its local purported criminal aims, from directors handling administra- Revolutionary People’s Libera- Turkey’s fi ckle justice system resolutions of the Kurdish issues the Arctic yesterday, Norwegian director was released by a sepa- the opening of an account”. tive aff airs, Eser is in charge of tion Party-Front (DHKP-C). at play. While one grants lib- in Turkey, was initially detained rescue services said, with fears rate court. Amnesty said the Turkish day-to-day business including Amnesty said Kilic’s case in erty, the other, confronted with at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport last growing over the fate of those on The group’s chairman, Taner authorities have not presented Amnesty Turkey’s campaigns Izmir will be merged with the 10 no less baseless charges, takes week, as part of a secret investi- board. Kilic, has been in prison since “credible evidence to substanti- for human rights. activists’ case in Istanbul. it away,” said Salil Shetty, Am- gation which drew reaction from None of the eight had been June in the coastal province of ate” the claims that he had also Eser and seven others were The next hearing for all 11 de- nesty International’s secretary Ankara’s Western allies. found three hours after the ac- Izmir on terrorism charges. downloaded ByLock. freed for the duration of their fendants will be held on Novem- general. “The release ... late last Turkish President Recep cident was reported. Prosecutors say he down- The latest hearing in Izmir in trial after the fi rst hearing in Is- ber 22. night restored some faith in Tur- Tayyip Erdogan has said Kavala According to Russian media, loaded ByLock, a messaging ap- western Turkey comes a day af- tanbul on Wednesday on charg- Prosecutors claim Kilic was key’s justice system. Today, that was behind the Gezi uprising, a they are all Russian nationals. plication used by supporters of ter Kilic also went on trial in an- es of “aiding” an armed terror aware of preparations for the Is- faith has been washed away.” referral to the 2013 mass protests Chances of survival were fad- Fethullah Gulen, the US-based other case along with 10 rights group. tanbul workshop. Separately, prominent activist against Erdogan’s rule. ing rapidly, with air and water temperatures in the region cur- rently around zero degrees Cel- sius (32 Fahrenheit). Rescuers were in a “race against the clock”, rescue chief Four killed as train collides Tore Hongset told Norwegian television TV2. “Time is passing and the risk of hypothermia and death is increasing.” with army truck in Finland The aircraft went down in the afternoon two or three kilome- tres from Barentsburg, a Russian Reuters The train and one of the ve- but the speed did not necessar- mining community in the archi- Helsinki hicles collided, killing three ily slow down at all ahead of the pelago, the rescue services said. soldiers aboard the truck and a collision,” Kantola was quoted as No contact had been made passenger on the train, offi cials saying. with the chopper before it went our people were killed and said. The soldier who had driven down or immediately after it was several injured when a Road conditions were bad the truck will face charges for reported down. Ftrain crashed into an army in the morning due to rain and endangering traffi c safety and Two Norwegian helicopters truck during a military exercise snowfall. manslaughter, he added. and several rescue vessels were in southern Finland yesterday, Inspector Ilkka Kantola told Four people were taken to dispatched to the scene. police and the armed forces said. Helsingin Sanomat newspaper Helsinki with severe injuries and So far, only two oil patches The accident occurred at an that the train had hit the truck at seven others were treated at a lo- have been detected in the area, unguarded railway crossing near a speed of around 100kph. cal hospital for minor injuries. but it is not known if they come the city of Raasepori, 90km (56 According to Kantola, the All patients were said to be in The train is seen near the site of the crash with a military truck, near Raseborg, southern Finland. from the Russian helicopter, an- miles) west of the capital Hel- train driver had seen the truck stable condition. other rescue service offi cial told sinki, when two military vehi- but thought that it would stop as Finnish Prime Minister Juha lences to the victims and their there for their country. That a true tragedy,” said Niinisto. AFP. cles were crossing the tracks on it was driving very slowly. Sipila and President Sauli Ni- families. their journey ends in many Military service is obligatory “We’re continuing the search their way to a training site. “The train put on the break inisto both off ered their condo- “The young conscripts were deaths and in serious injuries is for men in Finland. until we’ve cleared this up,” he said. Visibility in the area was re- duced because of snow and darkness, which falls early this time of year at this latitude. European police bust Alliance accuses Russia of misleading The aircraft was a Russian Mil Mi-8 based permanently near Barentsburg. migrant smugglers It was reported missing by air- West over scale of Zapad war games port authorities around 3.35pm (1335 GMT) as it was returning AFP 20 raids in British cities, in- from Pyramiden, another former The Hague cluding London and Birming- Reuters was eff ectively suspended announced before the exercise, liance was wrong to lump all the mining community that is now a ham, on “suspicion of assisting Brussels months after Moscow annexed the scenario was a diff erent exercises going on in Russia last tourist site. illegal immigration”, the UK’s the Crimean peninsula in March one and the geographical scope month under the Zapad name. It was confi rmed to have come uropean police forces Home Offi ce said in a state- 2014, but now meets regularly was larger than previously an- “Nato countries are counting down about 10 minutes later, have smashed a major ment. he North Atlantic Treaty again. nounced,” Nato Secretary Gen- all the military activities that rescue services said. Eorganised crime gang “People smuggling is a cruel Organisation (Nato) has Russia’s defence ministry said eral Jens Stoltenberg told re- took place in the Russian Fed- Russia’s consul general in trying to smuggle illegal im- and dangerous trade in which Taccused Russia of mis- the war games included some porters after the meeting. eration and counting them as Svalbard, Viacheslav Nikolayev, migrants into Britain, arrest- often vulnerable individuals leading the alliance over the 12,700 troops and ran from Sep- Under a Cold War-era treaty part of Zapad,” he told a news told the Interfax news agency ing 26 people during a series of are treated as commodities,” scope of its war games last tember 14 to September 20, with known as the Vienna document, conference after the meeting. there were fi ve crew members co-ordinated raids in diff erent said Steve Dann, Home Offi ce month in violation of rules a fi ctional scenario focusing on which sets out rules for exer- “We don’t accept the propa- and three scientists on board. countries. director of criminal and fi nan- meant to reduce East-West ten- attacks by militants. cises, war games that number ganda about the Russian exer- “It’s a civilian helicopter that The gang “is believed to have cial investigation. “Many are sions, but Moscow said Nato Nato says that there were far more than 13,000 troops should cises,” Grushko said. “It was an belongs to the Arktikugol com- transported migrants in spe- passed into the hands of other was stirring up anti-Russian more troops than 12,700 and be open to observers who can unprecedented propaganda at- pany and it fl ies the miners be- cially-adapted vehicles, pass- crime gangs who would seek to propaganda. they simulated an attack on the also fl y over the drills and allow tack.” tween (Svalbard’s main town of) ing through various EU mem- exploit them for modern slav- At a meeting with Russia’s West during August and Sep- them to talk to soldiers. Some Western offi cials have Longyearbyen and Barentsburg. ber states, with the UK as fi nal ery purposes – including la- ambassador to the US-led alli- tember. Nato did send one expert to a expressed concern that parts It’s a regular fl ight,” he said. “We destination”, Europol said in a bour exploitation and the illicit ance, Alexander Grushko, Nato Saying that they are con- visitor day in Russia and two ex- of the Baltic states, which have know the helicopter failed to re- statement. sex trade.” envoys said that Moscow had cerned that large-scale, unan- perts to a visitor day in Belarus. large ethnic Russian minori- turn. But whether it crashed or The ring-leader of the In Belgium, eight people given confl icting accounts of nounced exercises could ac- Nato diplomats say Moscow ties, could be seized by Moscow, not, I can’t say.” group, which has been under were arrested during 13 raids the exercises known as Zapad, cidentally trigger a confl ict in massed some 100,000 troops much as Russia took control of Norway was aff orded sov- surveillance since January, was in an “investigation into a sus- or “West”, in Belarus, the Bal- eastern Europe between Nato from the Arctic to eastern Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014. ereignty of Svalbard, located said to be a wheelchair-using pected, very well-organised tic Sea, western Russia and its and Russia, Western allies have Ukraine, where Russia backs However, Stoltenberg said around 1,000km (620 miles) “disabled man from Afghani- criminal organisation which Kaliningrad outpost, diplomats pressed Moscow to be clear separatists, and used ballistic that Russia had withdrawn its from the North Pole, under the stan who was based in the UK”, was attempting to move peo- said. about its military exercises and missiles and electronic warfare troops from Belarus after the 1920 Treaty of Paris. it added. ple from Syria and Afghanistan Nato ambassadors pressed to invite more observers. to test its combat capability in Zapad exercises. Nationals of all signatory In one case a white mini-van into Britain, mainly via eastern their message home at a meet- “The number of troops par- Europe. Baltic countries had feared states enjoy “equal liberty of ac- was stopped, and crow-barred Europe”, prosecutors said. ing with Grushko at the Nato- ticipating in the exercises sig- Grushko said that Nato’s as- Moscow might leave them on cess and entry” to Svalbard and open to reveal a specially- Since the surveillance was Russia Council, a forum that nifi cantly exceeded the number sessment was wrong and the al- Nato’s borders. its waters. adapted back area equipped launched in January it is be- with rough narrow, wooden lieved about 50 attempts to il- benches for people to sit on. legally transport people across The group had also “modi- borders were intercepted, with fi ed the back door of the stor- about 400 people rescued, the age area of vehicles, mostly prosecutors added in a state- Pope gets philosophical with ISS crew in space chat minivans, thus creating a dou- ment. ble door in which the migrants There were also searches were hiding during travel”, Eu- yesterday in Bulgaria leading to By Ella Ide, AFP such as ‘where do we come from, ropol said. seven arrests. Vatican City where are we going?’” he mused. Five nations – Belgium, Bul- “The case highlights how A 30-second delay in the sat- garia, France, the Netherlands, easily one criminal can lead a ellite feed gave Nespoli, Vande and Britain – took part in the huge, pan-EU network from ope Francis chatted with Hei, Americans Randolph (Ran- operations, with police offi c- one EU member state,” said six astronauts at the In- dy) Bresnik and Joseph Acaba, ers carrying out a total of 42 Robert Crepinko, head of Eu- Pternational Space Station and Russians Sergej Nikolaevic searches. ropol’s migrant smuggling (ISS) yesterday, kicking off the Rjazanskij and Alexandr Misir- Eleven arrests were made in centre. rare interview with a philosophi- kin time to weigh up life’s biggest cal question on “man’s place in questions. the universe”. “Our aim here is to spread ‘Pakistani butcher’ wanted for 70 Italian Paolo Nespoli, 60, ad- knowledge, (but) the more we mitted that despite the bird’s eye learn, the more we realise we do murders arrested in Hungary view of Earth he too remained not know,” admitted Nespoli, “perplexed”, while American who is on his third trip into space. Pope Francis talks with crew members of the ISS during an audio-video connection at the Vatican. A Pakistani man wanted by Interpol for “70 contract murders” has Mark Vande Hei said that seeing “I would like people like you, been arrested in Hungary among a group of migrants caught trying the planet from space made them theologians, philosophers, po- space station, and how did a life Far from wars, famines, pollu- an astronaut, cheerfully said to reach Austria, police said on Wednesday. “realise how fragile we are”. ets, writers, to come to space to without gravity change their tion or human folly, he said “the hello to Pope Francis in Spanish The 35-year-old Pakistani man was discovered when the group was The Argentine Pontiff sat at explore what it means to be a hu- view of the world? future of humanity looks better before tackling the question on apprehended near Hungary’s southern borders on Tuesday, police a Vatican desk, facing a wide- man in space,” he said, as Francis The crew took it in turns to get from up here”. how the men deal with “up” and in Bacs-Kiskun county told AFP in a statement. screen television on which the nodded and smiled. their philosophical caps on, and Bresnik, 50, a former Marine “down” losing their meaning in “Pakistan has issued an international arrest warrant for murder astronauts from America, Russia US mission commander Bres- not even a technical hitch which Corps aviator who goes by the space. for (the man) who was then arrested,” said the statement, without and Italy could be seen fl oating nik told the Argentine that from temporarily interrupted the in- nickname “Komrade”, made his Francis is not the only Roman providing further details. together in their blue suits. the visible thinness of the plan- terview, or the lack of a Russian fi fth career excursion outside the Catholic leader to have put in a Detectives in nearby Austria said that the man, who is allegedly “Good afternoon ... or good et’s atmosphere shows how frag- translator, could throw the space space station this month to carry call to the star-covered heavens. known as the “Pakistani butcher”, is a professional gunman accused evening. I imagine time passes ile life is on earth. travellers off course. out crucial repairs to the ISS’s The fi rst pope to get on the of “around 70 contract murders” in Pakistan. diff erently at the space station, But the Pope had not fi nished: “I get the most joy by look- robotic arm with National Aero- line to space was Benedict XVI in The migrants were being smuggled to Austria before being caught right?” the Pope quipped. what, he wanted to know, was ing outside every day and seeing nautics and Space Administra- 2011, who rang the ISS – which at Boly, which is 175km (109 miles) south of Budapest and near “Astronomy makes us think their opinion of love as a force God’s creation, maybe a little bit tion (Nasa) colleague Acaba. has been continuously occupied Hungary’s borders with Croatia and Serbia, said the statement by about the universe’s boundless that moves the universe? What from his perspective,” Bresnick Acaba, 50, the fi rst person of since 2000 – when Nespoli was the Austrian Federal Criminal Bureau. horizons, and prompts questions was their source of joy up in the said. Puerto Rican heritage to become once again among the crew. Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 11 INDIA

PEOPLE CONTROVERSY PLAN PAY ROW COMMENT Fake stamp paper kingpin Mimicking PM no laughing Delhi eyes odd-even scheme AIIMS resident doctors Vijayan’s anti-BJP stance Telgi dies aged 56 matter, comedian warned as air pollution worsens on hunger strike a farce, claims Antony

Multi-crore fake stamp paper mastermind Comedian Shyam Rangeela, a contestant on With the air quality in Delhi and NCR getting worse, Over 2,000 resident doctors at the All India Congress leader A K Antony yesterday slammed Abdul Karim Telgi died in a Bengaluru a laughter show on Indian television, says he the city government has said it may bring back Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) went on an the anti-BJP stance of Kerala Chief Minister hospital yesterday due to multiple organ was asked to avoid mimicking Prime Minister the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme in the indefinite hunger strike yesterday demanding Pinarayi Vijayan as “nothing but a farce”. “The complications, police said. “He was admitted Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President capital. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay stand and position taken by Vijayan and a to the Victoria Hospital last week. He was in Rahul Gandhi – something he considers his forte. directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) Commission be implemented. However, the section of the CPI-M against the BJP in Kerala coma since Monday and died around 3.55pm,” “The Great Indian Laughter Challenge” is aired to gear up for implementation of the odd-even doctors will continue to perform their duties is nothing but a farce and more of drama. They a police off icer said. Telgi, 56, a convict in the on Star Plus. When I gave my first performance scheme – under which private vehicles with odd as they do not wish patient-care to suff er. They are working to make the BJP the principal Parapanna Agrahara Central Jail, was serving while mimicking Modi and Rahul (Gandhi), I registration numbers will be allowed to run on will demonstrate every day for one hour at the opposition in the state,” Antony said. The a 30-year sentence since 2007. A diabetic with was informed to do some other act. Then I was odd dates and those with even numbers will run premier institute’s gates Number 1 and 2, pressing Congress has been critical of Vijayan and his hypertension, jail authorities had admitted Telgi informed that I can’t do the Modi act and can on even dates. Weekends and public holidays are for the implementation and continue to go alleged soft stand towards the Bharatiya Janata to the state-run Victoria Hospital last week. mimic Rahul. But after a few days, I was again told exempted from the vehicle rationing scheme. The without food. The Resident Doctor’s Association Party. Congress attacks on the chief minister Telgi shot to notoriety after his counterfeit not to mimic Rahul too. In the end, I performed the minister also directed DTC to “chalk out an action (RDA) of AIIMS has appealed to Prime Minister intensified after he held a reception for K J racket, spanning several states and estimated to same script in my own voice – with just two days’ plan for procurement of buses/conductors and Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister J P Alphons in Delhi soon after he was sworn in as amount to crores of rupees, was busted. rehearsals and got eliminated,” Rangeela said. submit the same within seven days”. Nadda. However, there has been no response. the union minister of tourism, IT and electronics. Court snubs Two injured in Mumbai fire Swamy plea on Pushkar death probe

IANS In his petition, Swamy New Delhi claimed there had been constant attempts to block the investiga- tion and alleged that the regis- he Delhi High Court yes- tration of a charge-sheet took terday dismissed a public almost a year and nothing hap- Tinterest litigation (PIL) pened even after that. fi led by Bharatiya Janata Party The plea had alleged that leader Subramanian Swamy for a “very infl uential people were court-monitored special investi- involved in the case, leading to gation team probe into the death attempts to protect them and the of Congres MP Shashi Tharoor’s matter has already faced a lot of wife Sunanda Pushkar. unnecessary delay”. Two people were injured when a massive fire broke out after a gas cylinder exploded during demolition of unauthorised constructions in a slum in Mumbai yesterday Terming it a “political interest The bench asked Swamy to afternoon, off icials said. According to off icials, 16 fire tenders and 17 water tankers were rushed to the spot of the blaze in Behrampada slums in Bandra east. The thick litigation”, the court said it was explain the basis of the allega- black smoke was visible for several kilometres. “unfortunate that the court was tions made in his petition as being used in this manner”. these were against a person who A division bench of justice S belongs to a political party in op- Muralidhar and justice I S Mehta position. It also wanted to know said “courts should be careful in why Swamy had not provided not letting the judicial machin- proof in support of the allega- ery be used by political person- tions. alities for their own purposes”. “Which part of your petition “This is perhaps a textbook is based on your personal knowl- example of political interest edge and which part is based on litigation dressed up as public belief?” the court asked. Five held for attack on interest litigation,” the bench Swamy cannot make such remarked while dismissing “sweeping allegation”, said the Swamy’s petition. bench, as the BJP politician The court said it was not sat- sought time to fi le a separate af- isfi ed that this plea can be enter- fi davit giving details for the basis tained as a public interest litiga- of his petition. tion. The court added it was not The court said: “You (Swamy) Swiss couple near Agra convinced that the investigation said in your affi davit that you being carried out by SIT was have not concealed any informa- IANS and said it was providing them moting India as a tourism des- Apollo Hospital in New Delhi. writing to you to express my “botched or under the infl uence tion. However, when we ask you Agra/New Delhi consular services. tination,” Alphons told the chief But police lodged a complaint deep regret at the shocking and of anyone”. to explain the basis of your alle- The ugly attack took place minister in a letter. on their own, Prakash said. “We horrifying violence that two “The court expects the SIT gations, you say you will fi le an- when the young couple was He said a “fast and speedy are trying to arrest all the four young Swiss nationals ... had will take the investigation to its other affi davit. This means you ne of the two Swiss tour- walking alongside a train track response in identifying and en- persons involved in the incident.” to face on their trip to Agra and logical conclusion,” the court have concealed information.” ists attacked and badly in Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. suring speedy action including Adityanath said in Agra that Fatehpur Sikri.” observed. The court also questioned why Oinjured near Agra four Clerc was left with a fractured conviction of the guilty would arrests were being made and a Condemning the assault on During the hearing, the court Swamy had not stated in his pe- days ago was discharged from skull and several bruises. be reassuring” and would send thorough inquiry would be held. the Swiss tourists, the Congress asked additional solicitor gen- tition that he was a leader of the Delhi’s Apollo Hospital yester- Senior Superintendent of Po- a “good message of our eff orts He said touts and anti-social said the incident “unmasks eral Sanjay Jain, appearing for BJP and that the person against day even as fi ve people, includ- lice Agra, Amit Pathak, said late to prevent recurrence of such elements who bring a bad name the ugly face of Anti-Romeo the Delhi Police and the Cen- whom he was making the allega- ing three minors, were taken yesterday evening that fi ve per- incidents”. to Agra and the country would Squads” in the state. tre, whether he subscribes to tion was from the Congress. into custody for the crime. Uttar sons, including three minors, Earlier in the day, Uttar be fi rmly dealt with. Providing “This attack on the young the allegation that the husband The court, however, refrained Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adi- have been taken into custody for Pradesh’s additional director security to tourists would be a foreign couple unmasks the of Sunanda Pushkar attempted from imposing any cost on tyanath, who visited Agra, prom- the crime. general of police Chandra Pra- top priority, he added. ugly face of the Anti-Romeo to infl uence the government to Swamy for fi ling the PIL. ised better security for tourists. Sushma Swaraj sought a re- kash said one person was ar- Meanwhile, CPI-M leader squad in UP which is fully sup- hush up the case and continues Swamy said: “This is not my External Aff airs Minister Su- port from the Uttar Pradesh gov- rested from the Agra-Rajasthan Brinda Karat wrote to the Swiss ported and patronised by the UP to infl uence the probe. fi rst PIL. I know how the court shma Swaraj said while Marie ernment on the assault. Minister border. He declined to reveal the envoy in India expressing “strong government. Rather than pro- Jain replied in the negative, works. This is the fi rst time I Droz had been discharged from of State for Tourism K J Alphons identity of the arrested person. protest” over the “failure” of the tecting tourists and residents of saying he did not subscribe to have been questioned in this the hospital, her male friend expressed deep concern. Police took the Swiss couple to authorities to provide minimum UP, the chief minister is work- these allegations and there was manner. I have been a law min- Quentin Jeremy Clerc’s condi- “You would kindly appreciate a private hospital in Agra where security to tourists in a wider ing overtime to bring ‘acche din’ no question of the Delhi Police ister. What you are asking me tion was improving. The Swiss that such incidents negatively fi rst aid was given. The couple re- area that houses the Taj Mahal, (good days) for criminals and being infl uenced or evidence be- tantamount to accusing me of embassy in New Delhi con- impact our image and are det- fused to fi le charges and said they India’s biggest tourists draw. goons,” Congress spokesman ing hushed up. concealing evidence.” fi rmed the October 22 attack rimental to our eff orts in pro- would take further treatment at “As a citizen of India, I am Jaiveer Shergill said. Police diluted farmer Husband kills wife in Delhi Car ride lands CPI-M leader in hot water lynching case: probe IANS look into how the incident had Kozhikode (Kerala) happened. Leader of the opposition IANS The independent investiga- report was the invoking of IPC and Congress leader Ramesh New Delhi tion also revealed that the accused sections of crimes with lesser ommunist Party of Chennithala said it was “most named in Khan’s “dying declara- punishments among others. India (Marxist) state unfortunate” that the left tion” were not arrested and police “The charge-sheet does not Csecretary Kodiyeri leader had undertaken the rally n independent fact-fi nd- failed to defend the arrests they invoke Section 307 of the IPC Balakrishnan drew opposition in a car belonging to a smug- ing investigation into the made in court, as fi ve of the seven for the off ence of “attempt to criticism yesterday for riding gler. One fails to understand Alynching of Pehlu Khan, got out on bail. In July, Prime Min- murder” which provides for im- in a ‘smuggler’s car’ during his why the roadshow was under- a dairy farmer, earlier this year ister Narendra Modi asked state prisonment of 10 years to life. ‘Jana Jagratha Yatra’ here. taken at all Chennithala added. by cow vigilantes has exposed governments to act against cow Instead, it invokes Section 308, Balakrishnan, however, “How will Balakrishnan cre- how police tried to “weaken” the vigilantes indulging in violence. which only takes cognisance of looked to wriggle out of the ate public awareness by this investigation by delaying fi ling The investigation report states “attempt to culpable homicide controversy by claiming that roadshow? However, it’s now of the charge-sheet and invok- that it has found that “police not amounting to murder”, pre- it was not possible to know the clear who the Communist Party ing IPC sections of crimes with across the states are openly fl out- scribing imprisonment of three details of each and every vehi- of India-Marxist’s friends are. lesser punishment. ing the prime minister’s instruc- to seven years,” the report said. cle one travels in. They are best when it comes to The investigation termed the tions, especially in the states that Also several sections of IPC The CPI-M state secre- preaching morality and probity police action as “monumental are ruled by Bharatiya Janata Par- which amount to criminal con- tary had travelled in a BMW in politics, but falter very badly ineffi ciency” or a “deliberate at- ty (BJP), be it Haryana, Gujarat, spiracy, rioting with weapon, Mini Cooper as part of his when it comes to putting it into tempt to weaken the cases against Jharkhand or Rajasthan.” promoting religious enmity, roadshow near here this week practice,” Chennithala said. the accused cow vigilantes. The report said that the which would have made the case which, both the Congress- Muslim Youth League In April, Khan, a dairy farmer charge-sheet was fi led nine-and- stronger were ignored by police, led United Democratic Front (MYL) state senior vice-presi- from Jaisinghpur village in Harya- half-hours after the incident, according to the report. and the Bharatiya Janata Party dent Najeeb Kanthapuram said na, was lynched by cow vigilantes though the scene of the crime is “The pattern of behaviour ex- said, belonged to a “smuggler the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vi- in Behror, Alwar district, in Rajas- only 2km from the police station. hibited by the police refl ects ei- Pankaj Mehra (right) has been arrested by the Delhi police charged by the department of jayan should come forward and than. He was returning home af- “The charge-sheet claims ther monumental ineffi ciency or yesterday for shooting dead his wife, Priya Mehra, 34, revenue intelligence”. reveal who were the ‘sponsors’ ter purchasing two cows and two that the police were informed of a deliberate attempt to weaken on Wednesday. Earlier Pankaj claimed she was shot by With pictures of his travel of the rally. calves from a Jaipur cattle fair. the attack at 3.54am” on April 2, the cases against the accused cow unknown assailants. He told police he was unable to pay in the car going viral, a peeved Senior BJP leader K Suren- The murder caught national but “according to the report the vigilantes, nearly all of whom are back the money borrowed from a man and claimed the Balakrishnan said: “It’s not dran, who fi rst raised the mat- attention and Khan became the attack took place during 7pm- said to be connected with the BJP lender was behind the murder. Police said he killed his wife possible to know the details ter in public, said the ball was face of protests against the spate 10pm on April 1”, and does not ex- and its affi liates such as the Vish- as part of a conspiracy so that the finger of suspicion points and ownership of every car one now in Balakrishnan’s court of lynchings across the country plain the delay, the report states. wa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the to the lender. travels in.” However, he prom- and Vijayan should explain in the name of cow protection. Another major fi nding of the Bajrang Dal,” the report read. ised that the ruling party will how this had happened. Gulf Times 12 Friday, October 27, 2017 PAKISTAN

Govt needs Court issues arrest warrant to revisit its NFC for former premier Sharif award Internews z A Pakistan court hearing seats in the vote. the parliamentary seats it can Islamabad graft charges against The claims against the prime deliver are seen as vital to the former prime minister Nawaz minister stemmed from the Pan- PML-N’s grip on power. Sharif has ordered his arrest ama Papers leak last year, which Instead Sharif fielded his xpressing concerns over zJudge Mohamed Bashir sparked a media frenzy over the wife Kalsum in a by-election the shift of revenues from issued bailable arrest luxurious lifestyles and high- to fill his old seat in Lahore in Efederal level to the prov- warrants for Sharif at a end London property portfolio September. inces, Special Assistant to Pa- hearing owned by his family. She won the vote, seen as a key kistani Prime Minister, Miftah Sharif had been due to return test of the PML-N’s popularity Ismail, said yesterday that there AFP to Pakistan from London, where after Sharif’s ousting and ahead was a need to revisit the seventh Islamabad his wife Kalsum is undergoing of the election, but the party’s NFC (National Finance Com- cancer treatment, but instead soul-searching continues as the mission) award as it has created a fl ew to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia debate over its leadership spills fi scal imbalance. Pakistani court yesterday several days ago, according to into local media. Talking to a group of journal- issued arrest warrants local media. “There is a very visible split in ists in the Press Information De- Afor ousted prime minis- He has not returned to Paki- the party, which has clearly been partment, Ismail said, “Resources ter Nawaz Sharif, piling more stan since he was indicted in the divided into two groups” behind have shifted towards the provinces pressure on his ruling party as corruption allegations earlier each brother, political analyst while the budgetary pressure is it seeks a way forward ahead of this month, despite reports he Rasul Bukhsh Raees said. faced by the federal government next year’s general election. would do so. Nawaz Sharif has faced — and and this has furthered the budget Sharif’s defence lawyer Zafi r The next hearing is scheduled come back from — similar chal- defi cit as federal government has Khan said that Pakistan’s ac- for November 3, his lawyer Zafi r lenges in the past. higher expenditures.” countability court issued bail- Khan said. In 1993 he was sacked from his Talking about the budget able warrants for the former Sharif’s eponymous ruling fi rst term as premier for corrup- defi cit, he said that there was a leader in two cases of alleged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz tion, while in 1999 he was sen- structural problem in the budget corruption yesterday. (PML-N) has doggedly stuck tenced to life in prison after his that cannot be fi xed easily. In late July the Supreme Court behind their leader since he was This file photo taken on October 4, 2017 shows sacked Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif gesturing second term in offi ce ended with Ismail acknowledged that the made Sharif the 15th premier in ousted by the Supreme Court in during the PML-N Workers convention in Lahore. a military putsch. Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Pakistan’s 70-year history to be July. Following the coup he was al- lacked the trust of the business ousted before completing a full But as the legal pressure builds Pirzada became the most high In the days after his ouster to take over the premiership and lowed to go into exile in Saudi community. term, after a corruption investi- cracks are beginning to appear in profi le voice of dissent when he Sharif swiftly named a replace- secure the Sharif dynasty. Arabia, returning in 2007 before He agreed with media persons gation against him. their unity, with some members called last week for Shahbaz to ment, current prime minister Such a move would then open becoming prime minister for a that the incumbent government It also barred him from hold- calling for his younger brother take over. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and des- up elections for the leadership of third time in 2013. had failed to control corruption ing political offi ce, eff ectively Shahbaz, chief minister of the “We don’t object to Nawaz’s ignated Shahbaz his eventual Punjab, which some observers Analysts have said his chances and mismanagement in the FBR taking him out of the running Sharif family’s powerbase of leadership but we are concerned successor. have suggested the party cannot of a third comeback may depend during its four years in power. ahead of general elections due to Punjab province, to take control how the party will win the next However, there has been no aff ord to risk, despite its infl u- on his ability to convince voters “It was only due to this rea- be held by the end of 2018. of the party. elections,” Pirzada told Pakistan move towards securing a fed- ence there. he is a victim of an unjust cam- son that few thousand traders Some analysts have already Federal Minister for Inter- broadcaster Geo News earlier eral seat for the chief provincial Pakistan’s most populous and paign by the powerful military to entered the tax amnesty scheme warned the party could lose Provincial Co-ordination Riaz this week. minister, which would allow him wealthiest province, Punjab and undermine him. while we were expecting many more,” he said. He was confi dent that there will be no loadshedding of gas for domestic consumers and indus- Vintage car rally trial sector during the coming Karachi included in World winter as 1.2bn cubic feet (BCF) local gas will be available in Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) system and 1.2BCF will Monument Watch List be added to it through imported Liquefi ed Natural Gas (LNG). Electricity loadshedding would Internews said, adding that the listing ever framed and now the mat- be eradicated soon as power pro- Karachi would provide an opportu- ter is in court,” he said in reply duced through LNG is 30 to 50% nity to create public interest to a question. cheaper compared to generation in the historic part of Kara- The biggest challenge in by furnace oil, he added. he built heritage of Ka- chi and initiate activities for preservation, according to him, He dispelled the impression rachi – referred to as its preservation. is to keep the heritage features currently under discussion in the T‘Historic Karachi’ – has intact which requires special- media that there were problems recently been included in the “To my understanding ised architectural skills while in the LNG deal with Qatar. list of 25 sites constituting the the list [of protected making room for modern de- Ismail said that LNG deal with World Monument Watch List buildings] hasn’t been velopment. Qatar was completely transpar- for 2018. nullifi ed [by the court]. “There are a number of ent, as he himself had negotiated This important development But, yes, the historical strategies and lessons from it along with high powered com- would help highlight the case structures remain other countries one can learn mittee comprising senior offi - of Karachi’s historical sites im- vulnerable given the and replicate here. First of cials of diff erent ministries in- perilled by massive population fact that no rules were all, we need to have reassur- cluding ministries of petroleum, growth and infrastructural de- ever framed and now the ing examples around us to water and power and fi nance. velopment. matter is in court” create an understanding and Responding to a query he said A Pakistani man takes pictures of vintage cars at the end of Motor Rally in Islamabad recently. The This was stated by Professor awareness that heritage can the government was ready to rally which is organised by Pakistan’s army gathered diff erent vehicles from 23 diff erent motor Noman Ahmed, the chairper- More than 1,200 buildings be properly preserved. The share the details of LNG deal clubs across Pakistan. son of the department of ar- of Karachi alone, he said, best example in this case is with Qatar ‘at any forum and chitecture and planning at the were included in the govern- of Mohatta Palace. But, not with anyone’. Ismail simply NED University of Engineering ment list of protected herit- many people know about smiled when asked whether he and Technology. age before the August court it. Access to historical sites was going to be the upcoming fi - Power tariff increased by Rs1.52 per unit The list is announced every order directing the govern- should be easy so people nance minister. year by the World Monument ment to revise the list after could relate to and under- Ismail talked about the im- After resisting for more than two by the regulator last month. determining the government Fund (WMF), a New York- conducting a proper sur- stand their history better.” provements in the economy and years, the National Electric Power The regulator issued 10 separate request on the directions of the based non-profi t organisation vey and scrutiny of all such He was of the opinion that lauded the incumbent Finance Regulatory Authority (Nepra) yes- tariff determinations for respec- Islamabad High Court where the dedicated to saving world’s premises across the prov- the government should give in- Minister, Ishaq Dar for creating terday approved Rs1.52 per unit tive Discos and forwarded to the regulator’s determinations for treasured places and has so far ince and make proper and centives to owners of heritage fi scal space. average increase in the base tariff government yesterday for an 2015-16 to 2019-20 tariff had been orchestrated over 600 projects comprehensive rules under structures so that they would The Special Assistant to Prime for all consumers of ex-Wapda advice on increase in tariff for challenged. in 90 countries. the Heritage Act within six be inclined towards their pres- Minister defended the recent distribution companies (Discos), each category depending on the It said the tariff determination had “The credit for this months. ervation. regulatory duties imposed on involving annual additional rev- element of subsidy and uniform been made “to ensure financial achievement goes to the “To my understanding the “Right now, once a site wide ranging products. “The enue of Rs115.2bn. tariff methodology. viability of the power sector department’s heritage cell list [of protected buildings] comes on the heritage list, the move would help control the With this, the base tariff for Discos The combined impact of two deci- which otherwise would result in led by Dr Anila Naeem who hasn’t been nullifi ed [by the owner himself starts damaging growing current account defi cit, would go up by an average Rs2 sions has been worked at about huge prior year adjustments and earlier worked extensively court]. But, yes, the historical the structure so nobody could besides also encouraging local per unit including a 48-paisa per Rs140bn. would not be in the interest of the on the historical sites of structures remain vulnerable raise objection over the new industry and discouraging im- unit increase already determined The regulator said it was re- consumers”. Shikarpur,” professor Ahmed given the fact that no rules were construction,” he said. ports of luxury goods,” he said. Pakistan’s education system grapples with challenges

Reuters ble bodies, and religious semi- can lift children up from the graders (in government Islamabad naries are piecing together what bottom.” schools) who cannot read,” they call a broken government Responding to the com- Murtaza said. schooling system, whose budget ments, federal education Pakistan’s poorest often send hildren in Pakistan dis- the United Nations estimates at director Tariq Masood disa- their children to a network of enchanted with educa- 2.65% of GDP, or roughly $8bn. greed strongly, pointing to 25,000 traditional Islamic re- Ction after teachers forced That works out to about $150 population growth and fund- ligious schools known as ma- them to clean schools or beat per student. ing as the biggest challenges drassas, which also give them them became the inspiration for “Students are labelled ‘smart’ for government schools. accommodation and food, the founder of a charitable in- or ‘stupid’ right from the start,” “No one who is under-qual- though few are subject to gov- stitution that targets those dis- said Shaista Kazmi of Vision 21, ifi ed can enter the government ernment oversight. placed by war in the country’s a privately funded non-govern- system,” Masood said. “There Such schools have been north. ment body whose programmes are fewer checks in the private blamed for creating militants. Nearly 40% of Pakistan’s for underprivileged children aim system.” Still, some madrassas do pro- 50mn school-age children are to compress fi ve years of reading The urban elite turn to private vide a good education to those not getting regular instruction, profi ciency into one. schools to fi ll the education vac- whose families cannot make even though it has a network of “The government is very slow uum, using a British curriculum ends meet. 220,000 schools and has stepped to respond to calls for change,” rather than government text- “In certain cases people send up its education budget 15% each added Kazmi, whose NGO fo- books. their kids because they can’t year since 2010. cuses its speed literacy pro- “We are privileged to have ac- even aff ord to feed them,” said “It’s not the number of grammes in the northern prov- cess to curriculum that allows Irfan Sher of the Al-Nadwa schools, it’s the quality, the at- ince of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. us to teach reading without rote Madrassa, where students are titude,” said Zeba Hussain, who The standardised curriculum memorisation,” said Nadine taught to analyse what they founded the Mashal Schools for of state schools fails to account Murtaza, executive director of study. the war-displaced children after for socio-economic limitations, Head Start, which has 13 facili- “The overall policy should be meeting a group of them during setting children up for failure, ties in and around the capital. changed,” said Sher adding that a visit to the hills encircling the said Hussain. Such schools partner with Pakistan’s future hinges on capital, Islamabad. “Students end up with charitable outfi ts and the gov- what its youth learn. “If they “The teachers, and the ap- low self-esteem,” she said. ernment to reach children out- want to change the country, the proach, is absolutely off .” “There need to be different The Mashal Model School in the outskirts of Islamabad was founded by Zeba Husain (inset) to cater to side the private school setup. only way is to spread quality Now private schools, charita- models of curriculum which children of underprivileged families across Pakistan. “You have fifth and sixth education.” Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 13 PHILIPPINES

Duque gets back old DoH post

By Catherine S Valente Manila Times

ransisco Duque 3rd is set to return to the Department Fof Health (DoH), replacing Paulyn Ubial who was rejected by the Commission on Appoint- ments earlier this month. Duque’s appointment was signed by Pres- ident Rodrigo Duterte on October 26, according to documents sent to the reporters yesterday. “Secretary Duque is not new to the DoH. He used to be its Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte reviews military cadets during change of command ceremonies of Former Philippine president Fidel Ramos (centre) gives a salute during the change of command Secretary from June 2005 to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, metro Manila, yesterday. ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila. January 2010. We wish him well in his present stint in the gov- ernment,” Palace spokesman Er- nesto Abella said in a statement. Duque’s appointment came two weeks after the President designated Health Undersecre- tary Herminigildo Valle as the DoH offi cer in charge upon Ubi- al’s departure. Duterte orders army to Prior to his appointment, Du- que was chairman of the Govern- ment Service Insurance System (GSIS). He was appointed to the state pension fund in February. Duque was previously chair- man of the Civil Service Com- mission, where he played a pivotal recruit 10 new battalions role in developing the commis- sion’s Roadmap for Development Reuters 50 years against Maoist rebels and and Reforms for 2010-2015. Manila separatists that has killed more than From 2001 to 2005, he served as 160,000 people, displaced 2mn and president and chief executive of- stunted growth in resource-rich rural fi cer of the Philippine Health In- hilippine President Rodrigo areas. surance Corp, after which he was Duterte yesterday ordered the Guerrero, who was promoted tapped to join the Arroyo cabinet. Pnew army commander to re- from army commander in Duterte’s As Arroyo’s Health secretary, Du- cruit and organise 10 new infantry home region on the southern island que handled the AH1N1 fl u crisis battalions to crush remnants of pro- of Mindanao, said the army had also and oversaw the passage of the Islamic State (IS) militants, days after been ordered by the president to try to Cheaper Medicines Act of 2008. they were defeated in a southern city. defeat the 4,000-strong communist The Pangasinan native fi n- The military on Monday declared New People’s Army. ished his undergraduate and victory over the Maute group, which Duterte broke off negotiations medicine degrees at the Uni- seized control in Marawi City on May with the Maoist rebels early this year versity of Santo Tomas, and ob- 23, after killing the last 40 remain- due to continued attacks on mines, tained his master’s in science at ing militants, including a few foreign plantations, construction and other Georgetown University. fi ghters. companies to raise funds, as well as Undersecretary Valle yesterday More than 1,100 people, including attacks on isolated army and police welcomed the ad interim appoint- 165 soldiers, died in the fi ve-month outposts. ment of Duque as Health secre- confl ict. The government is engaged in tary, saying the department was “We were instructed to organise peace talks with separatists trying to ready to “move forward” under 10 additional battalions,” new mili- carve out an autonomous region in the leadership of its old boss. “He tary chief Lieutenant-General Rey the south, enlisting the main Moro is defi nitely capable and experi- Leonardo Guerrero told reporters af- Islamic Liberation Front to help fi ght enced. I’m happy to have served ter Duterte installed him to head the a small group of rebels who have as offi cer in charge in the interim. 130,000-strong armed forces. One pledged allegiance to IS. The DoH is ready to move forward battalion comprises about 500 sol- “We already have timetables and under his able leadership,” Valle diers. targets and I intend to meet that,” said in a text message. “We really intend to put pressure Guerrero, who only has two months “I just announced this (ap- and sustain eff ort to be able to nishfi to serve before he retires, said. pointment) at our national staff all of them and complete the resolu- “The military has a multi-year pro- meeting here in Iloilo where all tion of armed confl ict in the coun- gramme, it’s not dependent on per- the DoH hospital chiefs and re- try.” sonalities, but its tasks are lined up gional centres are in attendance. The Philippines has been waging regardless of who assumes the lead- Outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Eduardo Ano shakes hand with incoming AFP chief Rey Leonardo Excellent timing for the an- protracted guerrilla warfare for nearly ership.” Guerrero during the change of command ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila. nouncement,” he added. In Marawi, fi rst hints US crucial to beating IS of return to normalcy in Philippines: US envoy

Reuters coming days. Nearly 6,500 fami- cided that day to sneak back to AFP can criticism of his crackdown Marawi City lies will be headed back to the Marawi and reopen her shop, Manila on drugs, which has seen police homes that were left intact, out now stocked with cooking oil kill thousands of people and of the 353,000 people displaced and cigarettes and off ering pho- led rights groups to warn that fter fi ve months of crip- when hundreds of pro-Islamic tocopying services, printing, and he United States played a Duterte may be orchestrating a pling confl ict, there are State (IS) gunmen ran amok and haircuts. “very important role” in crime against humanity. Aslow signs of life return- seized control of central Marawi As a fi rst-mover in a liberated Tdefeating Islamic State However, relations have im- ing in the Philippines’ battered in May. Marawi, the 25-year-old is doing supporters who occupied parts proved under Obama’s succes- Marawi City. Utilities engineers Combat operations ended on brisk business among the few of a southern Philippine city sor, Donald Trump, who has were at work yesterday in the Monday, when the last fi ghters people around. “The other shops for fi ve months, the US ambas- praised Duterte for his drug near-deserted outskirts of Ma- were killed in a fi erce fi nal stand. are closed, so people are coming sador in Manila said yesterday. war. rawi which escaped the daily With vehicles crushed and over- here,” she said. “It’s safe again.” Ambassador Sung Kim high- Kim said yesterday that US- air strikes that fl attened vast turned and buildings reduced to But nearby streets look like lighted American intelligence, Philippine ties were “back to swathes of the city. skeletons of mangled steel and the set of a post-apocalyptic urban warfare training and normal,” and cited a resump- A few groceries, motorcycle rubble, the city appears to be in fi lm, silent, with shutters pulled drones as among the factors US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim answers questions tion of regular joint military repair shops and fuel sellers have the aftermath of a war that last- down and weeds growing be- that helped end the confl ict in during the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines exercises. opened, ready for the fi rst batch ed years, rather than months. tween concrete slabs. Rust and Marawi city on Monday, which (FOCAP) forum in Manila yesterday. He also said the United of returning residents in the Amelah Ampaso said she de- decay is setting in after months local authorities said claimed States was not concerned about of heavy rains and neglect. more than 1,100 lives. pines to train and advise local described socialist, has sought the Philippines’ deepening re- Spray painted on the walls of al- “We did play a very im- forces in battling extremists, to loosen his nation’s alliance lationship with China and Rus- most every building is the word portant role in supporting the but he would not elaborate with the United States in favour sia, which has seen them for the “clear”, marking where police (Philippines’) eff orts to retake on their role in Marawi. The of closer ties with China and fi rst time provide signifi cant and soldiers went house-to- Marawi,” Kim told reporters. United States and the Philip- Russia. Duterte last year called amounts of military hardware. house checking thousands of “We had P-3s (surveillance pines are longtime allies, with the then US president a “son of “I’m not in any way threat- abandoned properties for boo- planes), Grey Eagles (drones) the nations bound by a mutual a ##$$$” and said he planned ened by the fact that China and by-traps or signs of insurgents providing crucial intelligence defence pact. to cancel all military exercises Russia are also providing mili- hiding. information to the Armed However Philippine Presi- with the United States. His an- tary assistance to the Philip- The fi ghting has taken a heavy Forces of the Philippines so that dent Rodrigo Duterte, a self- ger was partly driven by Ameri- pines,” Kim said. toll, killing more than 1,100 peo- they would be able to carry out ple, mostly militants, and reduc- operations necessary to retake ing a large part of the interior of Marawi.” ‘Trump committed to region’ the city to piles of rubble, leaving He also said US forces pro- only shells of uninhabitable grey vided “very useful technical The US remains committed The US has announced that Russia, China, Japan, Australia, buildings. Shop owner Madid advice,” especially in the area of to the Asia-Pacific region, Trump is scheduled to be India and New Zealand. Noor, 64, returned two months urban warfare where they had despite President Donald in Manila from November Kim also noted that relations into the battle, reassured by de- more experience than Filipino Trump’s decision to miss a 12-13, when he will meet with between the Philippines and tachments of soldiers and po- troops. The United States also major meeting during his trip Philippine President Rodrigo the US were normalising after lice nearby, and unperturbed by provided guns, ammunition to Asia next month, said US Duterte, but that he will skip a rough period sparked by what were constant explosions and rubber boats to the Philip- Ambassador to the Philippines the summit on November 14. US criticism of Duterte’s war and the howling of fi ghter jets pine military, while committing Sung Kim. Trump will not be Kim said Trump will instead on drugs during the previous over the city. 750mn pesos ($14.7mn) in aid able to attend the East Asia be represented by a senior White House administration. After a few lean months, he to residents forced out of their Summit in Manila “purely for cabinet off icial at the annual Especially with a view to the hopes returnees will come to homes because of the war, Kim scheduling reasons,” said Kim, forum gathering Association United States’ support for the him to buy washing powder, pet- said. who rejected criticism that the of South-East Asian Nations Philippine military during the Residents waiting for their safe conduct papers, watch as soldiers rol and fake branded sportswear. He said the United States absence was due to Trump’s (Asean) members and their recently concluded conflict display home-made barrett sniper, and other weapons recovered “Some days we have custom- had about 100 to 200 troops lack of interest in the region. partners, including the US, with terrorists in Marawi City. from militants in Marawi. ers. But not every day,” he said. based in the southern Philip- Gulf Times 14 Friday, October 27, 2017 SRI LANKA/ BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Construction on canals in Dhaka banned by top court

By Mizan Rahman Hasina seeks power solely to Dhaka

The High Court (HC) yesterday imposed a ban on building infrastructure on 58 canals and water bodies in Dhaka metropolitan city. ‘ensure nation’s development’ A HC division bench comprising Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohamed Ullah passed the order responding to a newspaper report which was published By Mizan Rahman on October 24. Dhaka The court also issued a rule asking why steps will not be taken in recovering the canals which already have been occupied by influential people and diff erent organisations. entioning that her gov- The Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka was asked to ernment wants peace and submit a report to the court within the next two weeks on Msecurity of the people, what kind of initiatives have been taken so far to this end. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Environmentalists said only three decades ago, Dhaka yesterday the continuation of the had over 58 canals and lakes and was surrounded by four Awami League government is very rivers and wetlands. much needed for development of Over the years, however, the capital and largest city of the country. the country has lost almost all of it. “We’re accomplishing the de- The major part of Dhaka’s drainage system consists of velopment work as we remain canals, rivers and lakes that help reroute extra water out in state power for nine years at a of the city. stretch from 2009 to 2017. So the There is also a storm drainage network of around 261sq continuation of the government is km around the city. a must for uplift,” she said. The two main reasons behind the disappearing canals Bangladesh’s next general elec- are the creep of construction and the dumping of massive tion is due in late 2018 or early quantities of garbage from the surrounding neighbour- 2019. hoods. Sheikh Hasina also renewed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened two housing projects in Dhaka through videoconferencing yesterday as Housing and Public Works Minister The authorities concerned have long ignored the illegal her pledge to ensure housing for Engineer Mosharraf Hossain looks on. encroachment upon the canals and have failed to re- all, saying that none will remain excavate, demarcate and properly monitor their condition. homeless in the country. and Mohamedpur in the capital. erated as the people cast vote for ernment is constructing rental- delivered the welcome address at The major canal systems in and around the capital are “Our policy is clear that there The premier said the govern- Awami League in 2014 braving all based fl at for slum-dwellers all the function, moderated by PM’s the Degun–Ibrahimur–Kallyanpur canal that drains out to will not be a single person to re- ment has contained militancy and hurdles. over the country so they could live Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Ab- the Turag River, the Dhanmondi–Paribagh–Gulshan–Ba- main homeless in Bangladesh,” she terrorism with iron hands. “Bangladesh is now a role model beautifully with the rent. dul Naser Chowdhury. nani–Mohakhali–Begunbari canal that drains out to the said. “We want peace and security of development...we want to take “The huts are not seen to that Housing and Public Works Sec- Balu River, and the Segunbagicha–Gerani– The prime minister said this of the people and we got enough the country ahead further and we extent in villages now and tin-shed retary Shahidullah Khandakar gave Dholaikhal canal that drains out to the Balu and Burig- while laying the foundation stone time for development as we won want Bangladesh to be established houses take place instead of huts... an overview on the two projects anga rivers. of the fi rst-ever rental-based fl at in the 2014 general elections,” she as a poverty-free developed Bang- we have been able to do it,” she through a power point presenta- According to urban planners, historians and govern- construction project for slum- said. ladesh,” she said, thanking all the said. tion. ment data, Dhaka used to have 65 canals, and over 50 dwellers in the capital’s Mirpur Sheikh Hasina said the BNP- people of the country for giving While talking about the capital’s Chief Coordinator on the Sus- were still flowing until as recently as the early 1980s. neighbourhood. Jamaat government stopped all mandate to her party in the last water-logging problem, Sheikh tainable Development Goals at However, that number has fallen to 43 with around 20 She laid the foundation stone works that the previous Awami polls. Hasina said this problem has been the Prime Minister’s Offi ce Abul of these under threat due to encroachment. of the project through videocon- League government started in “We don’t want slums to exist in created due to fi lling up ponds, Kalam Azad, Senior PMO Secre- The Dhaka Water And Sewerage Authority (Wasa) main- ferencing from her offi cial Gana- 1996. the country as it’s not a matter of canals and other water bodies in tary Suraiya Begum and PM’s Press tains 26 canals for the drainage system, although they are bhaban residence in Dhaka yester- “The BNP-Jamaat after coming pride for any country,” she said. an unplanned way. Secretary Ihsanul Karim were owned by Dhaka Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Off ice. day. to power in 2001 didn’t take any But, she said, the slum-dwellers “Water bodies will have to be present, among others. Of the other 17 canals, nine have been covered Through the same function, the single work forward...they de- are also human beings and they kept everywhere to remove water- Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor by roads, box culverts and brick sewerage lines and prime minister laid the foundation stroyed everything by plundering,” have also rights to live with dignity logging as well as protect environ- Taposh, MP, and Iliyas Uddin Mol- another eight remain under the jurisdiction of the stone of the fi rst-ever residential she said. and “it’s our responsibility to pro- ment,” she said. lah, MP, among others, spoke at DC office, according to a report of Dhaka North City fl at construction project on the The prime minister said the tect their rights”. Housing and Public Works Min- the function joining the videocon- Corporation. abandoned houses at Dhanmondi country’s development was accel- The prime minister said the gov- ister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain ferencing. Seasonal ritual Sri Lankan FM heads to Chinese capital

IANS Beijing

ri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana will pay an Soffi cial visit to China from October 29 to November 4 at the in- vitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, a spokesperson said here yesterday. “It is Marapana’s fi rst offi cial visit to China, and China attaches great importance to the upcoming visit,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang. According to Geng, Chinese lead- ers will meet Marapana, and he will also attend celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties, reports Xinhua news agency. “This year, China and Sri Lan- ka have reached broad consensus Marapana ... bound for Beijing within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative,” Geng said. reached by the leaders of two coun- visit will plan co-operation in poli- “China hopes Marapana’s up- tries, as well as the joint construc- tics, economy and people-to-people A devotee holds a flower as she off ers prayers during the ‘Chhath’ festival on the banks of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu. coming visit will promote the im- tion of the Belt and Road. exchanges to push forward the stra- plementation of the consensus “China also hopes Marapana’s tegic partnership of co-operation.” Desperate for news, Rohingya refugees tune in to ‘WhatsApp radio’

By Simon Lewis, Zeba Siddiqui dio and video messages distributed on on people passing on the news. and Tommy Wilkes, Reuters apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Many of the listeners do not know Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh YouTube have become a community who is sending the message or the radio of sorts for the Muslim minority. trustworthiness of the broadcaster. Dozens of WhatsApp groups have Some said outdated or inaccurate re- itting in his hillside grocery shop sprung up to fi ll the information gap. ports were common. at a Bangladesh refugee camp, Their off erings range from grainy “In some cases, we got audio mes- SRohingya Muslim Momtaz-ul- footage of violence, to listings of the sages of villages burning in Myanmar, Hoque takes a break to listen to an names and numbers of people missing and when we contact people in those audio recording on his mobile phone, in the chaos of the exodus, or even an villages, there’s nothing,” said one ref- while children and passers-by gather explainer from educated Rohingya on ugee inside a tea shop in Bangladesh’s round to hear the latest news from My- how to adjust to life in the camps. Kutupalong camp. anmar. At a shop selling cold drinks in the Other refugees said videos of vio- “I listen because I get some informa- Leda refugee camp, two men played lence claimed to have been fi lmed in tion on my motherland,” said Hoque, ‘WhatsApp news’ through a loud- villages in Myanmar turned out to be 30, as he plays a message on WhatsApp speaker. footage from other countries. explaining the Myanmar government’s Out of breath, a man narrated a scene Many also worry that the unregu- proposals for repatriating refugees. purportedly from a village in Myan- lated nature of WhatsApp groups in- Hoque has been in Bangladesh since mar’s Buthidaung region, according to creases opportunities for voices keen an earlier bout of violence in Myan- Mohamed Zubair, a refugee who trans- to push an agenda rather than share mar’s Rakhine state in 1992, but the lated the broadcasts for Reuters. facts. number of refugees in the camps has “They are surrounding the village. At the tea shop in Kutupalong camp, swelled dramatically to more than We are under attack from the military refugees have stopped listening to the 800,000 in recent weeks, after a mas- and the mogs...some people are seri- broadcasts on loudspeakers during sive Myanmar military operation sent ously injured,” Zubair translates the daylight hours, preferring to gather around 600,000 people fl eeing across speaker as saying, using a derogatory clandestinely at night instead. the border. term common in Bangladesh to refer to Still, many Rohingyas say social Tens of thousands of exhausted ref- ethnic Rakhine Buddhists. media platforms play a crucial role in ugees have arrived with little more than “I trust it 100%,” Zubair said of the keeping spirits up among the commu- a sack of rice, a few pots and pans and information. nity. a mobile phone powered by a cheap so- Reuters was not able to verify the ac- “The Rohingya people are not or- lar battery, and many are desperate for count. ganised,” said Hoque, the grocer. news of what is going on back home. The WhatsApp groups tend to have “They cannot take out their frustra- With few news sources in their own hundreds of members, meaning that tion any other way, so this is a way of language and low levels of literacy, au- the spread of information depends protesting.” Amina, 70, a Rohingya refugee, is carried by her son through Kutupalong refugee camp near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 15 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH A healing for the heart

llah Almighty Says in the Qur’an (what means): “We send down of the Qur’an that Awhich is healing and mercy for the believers.” [Qur’an 17:82] And also (what means): “O mankind! There has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.” [Qur’an 10:57] It is narrated on the authority of An-Nu’maan Ibn Basheer may Allah be pleased with him who said : “I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, say: “That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. Thus, he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly, every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of fl esh which, if it be whole, all the body is whole and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Diseases of the heart are a mixture of suspicions and lusts which can lead our souls into turmoil and despair. However, Allah Almighty has provided us with a special prescription that will cleanse and heal our diseased hearts: The Qur’an. The Qur’an provides the healing for many types of ailments: Ways we can cope with our own illness 1. It contains proofs and clear evidences which separate right from wrong. lways keep in mind that trials the heart and its delusions are truly the “What comes to you of good is from be pleased with him, said: “When sharp, authentic sword.” 2. It adequately and clearly negates are inevitable and people incurable illness?” Allah, what comes to you of evil (O Allah guides His servants to ask for Guard the mandatory acts of worship our doubts. deal with trials in a variety The strength of the heart and its Man) is from yourself…” [Qur’an 4: 79] forgiveness, He helps them to achieve (Faraa’id): do not neglect them to the No book on this earth other than the Aof ways. Allah Says (what reliance upon Allah are the examples “And whatever strikes you of disaster, what they request.” Allah has said (what best of your ability. If you have any Qur’an provides such comprehensive means): “And We will surely test you of strong men. How many hospitals it is what your hands have earned.” means): “But Allah would not punish questions, ask people of knowledge. proofs and testimonies in relation with something of fear and hunger and are fi lled with patients suff ering [Qur’an 42: 30] them while you are amongst them. And Perform many good and righteous to exalted matters of monotheism, a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but from delusions and paranoia? These When you are grieving and don’t Allah would not punish them while they deeds as possible. If someone else can confi rmation of Allah’s attributes, the give good tidings to the patient, who, delusions and anxieties aff ect even know the reason behind it, then do seek forgiveness.” [Qur’an 8:33] do them for you on your behalf, this is Day of Judgment, Prophethood and when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed healthy people and will sometimes no let grief fi nd a way into your heart. Allah has told us that He would not also acceptable. Beware of any practice refutation of incongruous doctrines and we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him cause madness and mental problems. Learn that Allah decrees everything and punish someone who seeks forgiveness, that is not lawful, especially those degenerate opinions. we will return.’ Those are the ones upon Therefore, the health of the heart nothing that strikes you should have because sincere forgiveness removes against our faith, such as slaughtering Although the Qur’an off ers a genuine whom are blessings from their Lord is the basis for the health of the body, missed you; and nothing that has missed the sin that is the reason for the animals to anything other than Allah, cure for the evils of suspicions and and mercy. And it is those who are the and the disease of the heart is the you, should have struck you. Beware punishment. The Prophet, sallallaahu hanging charms, seeking refuge with doubts, its benefi t depends to a large [rightly] guided.” [Qur’an 2:155-157] true disease. Man may go through of saying anything that may indicate ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who is jinn or going to sorcerers. extent on comprehending its essence Commenting on this verse, Ash- psychological instability where he fi nds irritation and dissatisfaction with Allah’s constant in seeking forgiveness, Allah When you are physically able, try to and purpose. Those who are blessed Sharabaasi, may Allah have mercy upon the world a narrow place of distress. Decree, such as saying: “O Lord, why will make for him a way out of any occupy your time with benefi cial things with such faculties would have the him, said: “You all are going to be tried But, if the sick allow these thoughts to have you affl icted me with this?” distress, release from grief, and provide like reading. Find activities that you ability to distinguish between right and with some kind of these trials. But you control their mind, it will add to their Be confi dent that Allah knows what for him from where he does not expect enjoy and that will distract you from wrong, as clearly and easily as they can will be diff erent in your attitude and distress and their wish for death - is best for you: You should place your it.” [Abu Daawood and Ibn Maajah] your disease and worries. distinguish between day and night. responsibility towards these trials.” possibly to the extent of contemplating trust in Allah and must remember So whoever believes in Allah alone Always remember that your faith They would know for certain that Some people have patience and suicide. that you do not know the wisdom and seeks forgiveness from Him, He will can and does make miracles: Do not all other knowledge and concepts others have none. Some recover and One may wish to die because of behind this trial, perhaps it will make provide for him an appointed term, and underestimate the eff ect of reliance prevailing among people are either others do not. Trials teach all of us, pressure and pain, but we must realise you stronger and lead you on a path whoever does good after that, He will upon Allah. There are many incidents traditions or false presumptions; but only one group is deserving of the that an early end results in punishment to a better life. We should never limit increase him from His Grace. that have been witnessed where the however fanciful and appealing they reward. “And give good tidings to the within the grave. So, by living they are Allah’s wisdom to our comprehension Supplicate with a humble heart impossible becomes possible by the may appear, these would be unable patient.” This suggests that since man aff orded more time to repent and turn level, because we will never be able and a crying eye asking Allah to cure power of faith. to off er a substitute for the Truth or must be subjected to trials, and since he back towards Allah, and that is surely to comprehend it - it is above our you: Try to take advantage of the time Although the cure for illness is out genuine matters as encapsulated in the is going to be affl icted by one form of a better. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi capability to understand .We should, when supplications are more likely of our hands and is up to Allah alone, Qur’an and would provide no benefi t. trial or another, it is then better for him wa sallam, said: “No one among you however, know for a certainty that to be answered, praising Allah and we can still do something to make a The Hadith (narration) of Prophet not to become anxious. should wish to die because of distress. Allah does not intend harm because calling upon Him with His Beautiful diff erence to those who are suff ering. Muhammad, sallallaahu alaihi wa Man is going to be tried whether But if he must do so, then he should it is harmful. Harm with Allah is not Names. It is also recommended to give It is unfortunate that often times we sallam, compares the futility of such he accepts this fact or not. Since he is say, ‘OAllah give me life as long as life intended for itself but for other things something in charity from the best of belittle the impact we can have on eff orts to: “Inferior camel’s meat on going to receive a reward for the trial if is better for me, and cause me to die that may bring good. your possessions before making your others, especially to those who are ill. top of a rough mountain, neither the he is patient, it is then better for him as long as death is better for me’.” [Al- Ibn Uthaymeen, may Allah have supplications. Understand and realise Just a smile or a funny story to make hill is easy to climb nor the camel is to be considered from this good group Bukhari] mercy upon him, said: “Allah doesn’t that illness is not the end of your life. someone laugh and forget their worries healthy enough to get down the hill.” “And give good tidings to the patient.” Look within yourself for the cause particularly intend harm for a person If Allah has taken something from you, for a moment is something that can be [Al-Bukhari] Don’t become pessimistic: Don’t of your illness and treat it with lawful when He causes him to become ill. Allah think of all the things that He has given remembered for years - because it made In fact, the knowledge obtained shut your eyes only seeing the darkness medical treatments. Don’t ignore your intends for the disease to take place and you and all of the things that you still an impact and it made a diff erence. by theologians could be found in the of grief and worry. It will lead you illness - seek medical attention right the disease is what may harm man. But have. How many times have we experienced Qur’an with a much better elaboration into depression and isolation waiting away. Doctors have only been able to He did not intend harm for man. He A believer always strives for the the impact ourselves in our own lives and explanation, for the theologians are for death to arrive, and that is a bleak make as many strides in medicine thus intends for him only the good from it. pleasure of his Lord and does not stop when someone visited us or gave us a inclined to aff ectation, wordiness and existence for anyone, especially for far because Allah has allowed them to Sometimes, the Divine Wisdom may because of disease or a trial. The best call - just at the time when we were at perpetuating perplexity. They assume someone who is faced with illness. Try do so. Every disease has a cure except be apparent to the sick, and sometimes example is the example the scholar of our lowest moment? Most of us will that their attitudes help in refuting not to allow grief and sadness overcome death. Try to search out and fi nd a it may not. As Allah has said (what this nation; Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah never forget that person who took the suspicions and doubts, but contrary to your heart or over burden your mind. righteous Muslim physician if possible. means): “And fear a trial which will not be pleased with him, when he lost his time to think about us, and we always their presumption, these suspicions and Don’t give an opportunity for the devil You should question yourself and strike those who have wronged among vision and said: “If Allah has taken from remember them fondly because they doubts are better served by their eff orts. to whisper to you and try to cause you be fair, do not deceive yourself: If you you exclusively, and know that Allah is my eyes their light, it is in my tongue - without realising it - helped to shine If healing and guidance, knowledge and mental distress that will only add to are affl icted with a distress hardship, severe in penalty.” [Qur’an 8:25] and heart that I will fi nd the light. My some light on our dark days. certainty could not be obtained from your pain and suff ering. Al-Sa’adee look fi rst for the reasons and reprimand Remember Allah and ask Him for heart is bright and my mind has no Article source: http://www. the Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet said: “Don’t you know that weakness of yourself. Allah Says (what means): forgiveness much: Ali, may Allah defects. And in my mouth there is a islamweb.net/emainpage/ Muhammad, sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, it would be impossible to obtain them from the utterances of those perplexed sceptics. The Qur’an draws its ability of healing How to achieve humbleness the diseases of lusts by its wisdom and fair exhortation, through the renouncement of earthly pursuits and By Shaykh Salmaan Al-’Awdah man) did not turn around nor give him Islam. But when it reaches the small saved you from the tribulation that He deed, or attempt to get closer to Allah the pursuance of the Hereafter. It draws any consideration at all. students who misbehave with their put him through. Remember that there through an act of obedience, your deed upon parables and narrations containing When ‘Abdullaah Ibn Al-Mubaarak scholars and teachers, this really hurts might be some Riyaa’ (showing off ) or still may not be accepted. Allah Says lessons to be pondered. If the heart slam highly commends left, some of the people who were inside! There is no objection if you diff er vanity in your righteous deeds that may what means: “…Indeed, Allah only assimilated these qualities, it would humbleness and simplicity and inside with the man said to him, in opinion or judgment with a scholar cause them to be of no avail, and that accepts from the righteous [who fear certainly be inclined towards good deeds reckons that as one of the traits “Don’t you know who he was?!” He as long as you are qualifi ed to do so. The this sinful person may be regretful and Him].” [Qur’an 5:27] This is why some of and renounce the evil ones. Iof a true believer. The Prophet said, “No.” He was told, “This is the problem occurs when this diff erence of fearful concerning his bad deeds, and the Salaf (predecessors) said, “If I knew The Qur’an also eliminates spiritual sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Al- ‘Ameer of the believers...`Abdullaah opinion becomes a destructive element this may be the cause of forgiveness of that Allah accepted one Tasbeeh (saying diseases which corrupt our intentions Kibr (proud and arrogance) is rejecting Ibn Al-Mubaarak.” So the man to the scholar’s dignity, diminishes his his sins. “Subhaanallah”) from me, I would have and prompt us towards ill deeds; the truth and looking down upon was astonished and came out to value, disregards and disrespects him. According to Jundub, may Allah be wished to die right now!” hence the heart heals and returns to its people.”[Muslim, At-Tirmithi and Abu ‘Abdullaah Ibn Al-Mubaarak in a hurry One should humble himself with pleased with him, the Messenger of The arrogant person never gives normal nature, where its facultative Daawood] apologising and absolving himself his companions. Frequently when Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, credit to anybody or mentions good and self-acquired deeds excel. The Humility is for one who is important from what happened, saying, “O Abu the spirit of competition and envy is mentioned that a man said, “By Allah, about someone, and if he needed to do body also returns to its normal and signifi cant and he fears to gain ‘Abdur-Rahmaan! Forgive me and agitated between companions and Allah will not forgive so-and-so,” and so, he would also mention defects of functioning by rejecting whatever notoriety or to become too great advise me!” Ibn Al-Mubaarak said, rivals, a person may feel superior over that Allah said: “Who is swearing by that person. But if he hears somebody contradicts the right guidance, just among people. As it was said, “Humble “Yes... whenever you come out of his companion, he may be pleased by Me that I will not forgive so-and- reminding him about his own defects, like an infant who accepts nothing yourself, you will be as a glimmering your house and see someone, assume harming him, degrading his value and so? I surely have forgiven so-and-so he will not be fl exible nor comply due but milk. In this course of aff airs, the star to the viewer on the surface of the that he is better than you!” He knew importance, accusing him of defects or and nullifi ed your deeds.” [Muslim]. to his inferiority complex. This is why heart feeds on faith and the Qur’an water even if it is lofty.” We don’t say to that the man was conceited. When exaggerating his faults; faults that may Therefore, do not act in arrogantly it is among man’s moral integrity to which provides it with reprimands, an ordinary person, “Humble yourself.” ‘Abdullaah Ibn Al-Mubaarak inquired have come to light when seeking advice, towards anyone. Even when you see a accept criticism or comment without consolidation, support, gladness, But it is said to him, “Know the value as to what the man’s profession was, or correction. In reality this is called sinner, do not show superiority towards any sensitivity or discomfort or feelings joy and invigoration to establish its of yourself, and do not place it in the he found out that he was a weaver!! jealousy. him, nor treat him with arrogance and of shame and weakness. Here he is, the authority, as a body is nourished by wrong place!” Therefore, this educated Imaam Humility is to humble oneself to one domination. If you feel that the sinner ‘Ameer of the Believers ‘Umar, may what develops and strengthens it. It was narrated by Al-Khattaabi, noticed that this Mutazahhid (devoted who is below you. If you fi nd someone may perform some acts of obedience Allah be pleased with him, raising the The heart and the body would not may Allah have mercy upon him, in Al- pious person) possessed a kind of who is younger than you, or of less which you do not, and that you may also fl ag and lifting the motto, “May Allah fl ourish without adhering to the Qur’an. Uzlahthat Imaam `Abdullaah ibn Al- arrogance, conceitedness and feeling of importance than you, you should not posses some defects which the sinner have mercy on a person who informed Even if they attained some of the Mubaarak, may Allah have mercy upon superiority over others. despise him, because he might have a may not, then deal kindly with him, and us of our defects.” desired results from another source, the him, came to Khuraassaan [in Persia] This disease sometimes envelops better heart than you, or be less sinful, gently give Da’wah which will hopefully Article source: http://www. attainment would be very minor and and went to a person who was known pious people; this is why he was off ered or closer to Allah than you. Even if be the cause of his acceptance and islamweb.net/emainpage/ would not serve the purpose and desired for his Zuhd and Wara’ [asceticism advice that was easy for him. Many you see a sinful person and you are remembrance. end result. and cautiousness in piety], so when times we fi nd this characteristic in some righteous, do not act with arrogance Your deeds also should not become Article source: http://www. he entered where the man was, he (the pious people, as well as some callers to towards him, and thank Allah that He too great in your eyes. If you do a good islamweb.net/emainpage/ Gulf Times 16 Friday, October 27, 2017 QATAR ‘Siege countries’ intentions were unclear during Riyadh summit’ plained that he met with Sheikh QNA Zayed during the preparation of Doha a conference of the GCC and said to him very positive words and here was no inkling of the this indicates that he did not have siege countries’ intention any hatred of the State of Qatar. Tduring the participation On some voices in the GCC, of His Highness the Emir Sheikh which seek that Qatar not be- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in come politically independent in the summit in Riyadh in May, its decision and remains sub- in the presence of US President ordinate to some countries, the Donald Trump and a few days former prime minister and for- before the a fake statement at- eign minister Sheikh Hamad bin tributed to the Emir was broad- Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani said in cast and the siege on Qatar be- his interview with Qatar Televi- gan, former prime minister and sion that the dominance of states foreign minister Sheikh Hamad existed previously, but eased by bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani has the global polarisation of the So- said. viet Union and the United States. Speaking during an interview “After the creation of the United broadcast by Qatar TV on its ‘Al Nations, justice and law began to Haqiqa’ programme on Wednes- take hold, except for the Pales- day evening, Sheikh Hamad bin tinian question and some issues Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani said that have complexities diff erent that the fabricated statement from the complexities we are (attributed to the Emir) on May currently talking about”. 25 was to justify a certain thing, He said, “Fist there is a very noting that he does not want to important point. Has Qatar one enter into its details. day said it is a match for Saudi He added: “I have a question Arabia. They match each other that puzzled me: Did we need in terms of dignity, brotherhood all these media programmes for and rights. We know that Saudi several days especially as we Arabia is bigger and stronger. were telling them that this state- I criticised some writers who ment is fabricated.” talk about small and big issue Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim ex- which should no longer be an plained that he was of the belief issue. Now if a democratic state at the beginning and after the dominates in the Gulf, big or fabricated statement that there Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani speaking during an interview with Qatar TV on Wednesday. small, and if it wants to spread will be a media attack for certain justice and dominate, this can be purposes and reasons... and the small countries in the region. I the then Custodian of the Two prise “at this campaign” from sion in the GCC to stand with He said: “We always discussed logical. But international law is reason was the fake statement always say that Saudi Arabia is Holy Mosques King Abdullah Abu Dhabi because “if there is any Gulf nomination and this is these matters without interfer- known. The same fl ags are hoist- attributed to His Highness the the backbone of the GCC, but we bin Abdul Aziz and Prince Sultan an attempt against Qatar from not a custom but a written sys- ence in editorial policy. It was the ed at the United Nations and if Emir. They did not need to fab- should take our diff erences and and an offi cial letter requesting other parties or in other regions tem in the GCC.” commitment of His Highness we look at Hong Kong, which ricate because it is a legal off ence deal with other countries on a to pardon these prisoners and or as mentioned by WikiLeaks, In response to a question the Father Emir not interfere in was a British colony, and China, and not at the level of States and clear basis”. to end this problem. His High- we have to look for the reason about the renewed hostility to- editorial policy. We understood which has 1,300mn people and individuals belonging to coun- In response to a question ness the Father Emir accepted behind that. If the reason is the wards Al Jazeera channel and many of these demands or an- a great power, it did not attack tries doing such work to enter about the failed coup attempt that request and pardoned them, success that has taken place in whether the channel was estab- ger from some countries. Many Taiwan and did not attack Hong the next phase .. They could in 1996, in which the same par- although there were judicial ver- Qatar during the past period, lished to settle accounts with issues have been resolved face- Kong. Taiwan didn’t return to start with a statement or a clear ties that are currently imposing dicts against them”. I think this should have been a some Gulf and Arab countries, to-face that do not require a China, and Beijing has always speech about their justifi cation the siege on Qatar took part, the Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim catalyst for them as I had said the former prime minister and conspiracy, because Al Jazeera’s been talking about the political for the work they are doing .. I former prime minister and for- said: “Although there was ten- that Dubai was a model in cer- foreign minister said that when position even on the subject of solution, and when Hong Kong think this was a technical er- eign minister Sheikh Hamad bin sion between us and these coun- tain things for Qatar and the Gulf His Highness the Father Emir Yemen, Syria, Libya and the Arab separated through an agreement ror and consumption for several Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani said tries, there was a minimum of Co-operation Council (GCC) Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al- Spring has pros and cons. There- though China can annex it with- days before entering the second it was clear that failed coup at- mutual respect, so there is no countries. Why don’t brothers Thani, considered the estab- fore, if it was criticised. I have to out even taking military inter- phase.” tempt was meant to change the harm to the symbols, pointing help each other to progress in- lishment of Al Jazeera, the aim be fair and talk about the posi- vention. Of course it did not do Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim regime inaugurated by the peo- out that King Abdullah bin Ab- stead of trying to defeat them.” was to be heard by all Arabs and tive aspects of Al Jazeera, which that”. pointed out that the siege was ple of Qatar. At that time when dul Aziz told him this is villainy, non-Arabs, and to be as neutral opened a horizon for the Arab He said there are many exam- not based on the fabricated His Highness the Father Emir and we do not want to engage in as possible. citizen to know the truth”. ples in the world, such as Singa- statement. There was clear plan- Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al- any plot, and then handed over “I pray to Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin His Highness the Father Emir pore, a newly established state ning for this. Thani assumed power, this was the conspirators, who took ref- Jabor al-Thani pointed out that wanted Al Jazeera to be a voice and a small country. “It lives He expressed his surprise welcomed and approved by all. uge in Saudi Arabia, to Qatar. Allah that he was among those who par- for the Arab citizen to know what among powerful countries but that when His Highness the We do not need the approval of We, in recognition of his request ticipated in the establishment of is going on in the Arab world, so it is legally viable country as it Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad anyone to inaugurate the Emir in and his position, pardoned pris- this shameful Al Jazeera on the instructions of its news about Qatar was few or is an independent country with al-Thani was present in Riyadh Qatar, and we do not need recog- oners”. His Highness the Father Emir at nonexistent at that time because a membership in the Asean and and attended the summit held nition or support from anyone”, He added: “I cannot say that crisis ends with the time. it was talking about the whole the United Nations. It is work- there, in which the Custodian of he said, adding, however, the everyone in Saudi Arabia par- He said: “After two or three Arab world and was a real incon- ing together with its neighbours the Two Holy Mosques and the four countries recognised it. ticipated in this plot, as there reason and years of founding, I felt regret- venience to us and caused the though it is better and more US president also participated, “After getting permission were some who didn’t accept ful because of the many prob- withdrawal of a number of am- advanced, but its neighbours there was no sense that there from His Highness the Father it. We discovered that countries wisdom, and I lems that it caused to the State bassadors”, he noted. admiringly look at it and know was a problem, and the intention Emir to talk with the late King that must not interfere in inter- of Qatar because it adhered to On the role played by Qatar in where their borders are with it of the siege countries during the Fahd, who I respect so much and nal aff airs took weapons from count on King a certain line and this line was resolving the political dispute in because they all follow the law. summit was unclear. who wanted to speak with me via one country to another through harmful to us in the Ministry of the past between Saudi Arabia Another example is Monaco The former prime minister telephone, King Fahd told me planes and had stockpiled. All Salman to take Foreign Aff airs and in the State, and the UAE, the former prime or Luxembourg or Canada and noted that he did not fi nd any that he wanted me to go to Egypt of these were documented by because there are certain Arab minister and foreign minister there are many examples in the role of the Gulf Co-operation and Syria after the change in Qa- photographers and there was an the initiative, countries that were not used to Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin world”. Council (GCC) in this crisis. He tar. After that I spoke with His international party that was a freedom of expression.” Jabor al-Thani said: “There was The former prime minister said: “We did not see the GCC Highness the Father Emir, who witness to what happened and with the Saudi With regard to the UAE’s in- a border dispute on a tripartite and foreign minister expressed offi cials in this crisis. I wish I told me that he had no objec- then there were face-to-face citement to bomb Al Jazeera, point between the UAE, Saudi regret that he did not see any could see them in this crisis even tion. I went to Egypt and spoke meetings and we solved this cri- position, to Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Ja- Arabia and Oman. Saudi Arabia role for the Gulf Co-operation if they held Qatar responsible or to the offi cials there. Following sis. Some senior offi cial in Saudi bor al-Thani said when journal- had a point of view. This was Council in the current Gulf cri- even called for a meeting to dis- that, Egyptian president Hosni Arabia, who is still now there, resolve this ists wanted to go to Iraq in 2003, one of the issues. There were sis. “We did not see the GCC cuss the crisis. This has not hap- Mubarak called His Highness told me: ‘I cannot blame you in Al Jazeera was in one way or demands on the border between offi cials in this crisis. I wish I pened.” the Father Emir and congratu- some of the issues that you have situation” another in Iraq. The Americans them. I was appointed by His could see them in this crisis even “We cannot impose opinions lated him. Then I went to Syria taken, we also did things that we told us that it is better to have all Highness the Father Emir. We if they held Qatar responsible by force, especially as we look and met with president Hafez al- should not do’. This senior of- He added: “GCC countries the journalists in Kuwait to enter held a meeting for them and His or even called for a meeting to forward to attracting investors, Assad, who had a diff erent point fi cial is there now and I do not need several capitals for issues with the other journalists, when Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin discuss the crisis but this hasn’t changing our education or health of view.... that we do not need want to name him in order to such as economic, sports, politi- we asked them why, the Ameri- Zayed al-Nahyan, UAE minis- happened”. system, taking care of jobs, cre- the approval of anyone, this is preserve relations and preserve cal or social issues, and the Gulf cans said they would prefer that ter of foreign aff airs at the time, “We cannot impose opinions ating a better life for our people something that belongs to us just what can be preserved. Unfor- population is small. Why do we they be with other journalists. came with us, and this issue was by force, especially as we look and raising the per capita income as they are in Syria”. tunately, there’s nothing can be compete and waste a lot of mon- There was a trick that we did settled in the presence of His forward to attracting investors, of GCC states”, he stressed. “When the change took place, preserved after all what has hap- ey instead of using this money not know as all the journalists Highness the Father Emir”. changing our educational or “In this crisis we know our things were clear. We started pened” for the benefi t of our people and were brought into Iraq except Al On the previous dispute be- health system, caring for jobs, friend and our enemy. And the to feel at the Muscat summit On the real reasons that developing them Why do we use Jazeera journalists and this was tween Qatar and Abu Dhabi, creating a better life for our peo- manner in which His Highness when we wanted to nominate a pushed Riyadh and Abu Dhabi the money to defeat a parson in justifi ed by various arguments”. late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al- ple and raising the income of the the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- Qatari candidate for the posi- and their continuous attempt an election or defeat a case here Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Nahyan, said during a visit to individual in the GCC, he added. mad al-Thani has managed the tion of secretary general of the to isolate Qatar in the Gulf on or there.” pointed out that at this time there Egypt that the people of Qatar do In all of our countries there were crisis shows his wisdom. His GCC, Abdulrahman al-Attiyah. more than one occasion, Sheikh He noted that Qatar had given was a news channel that broad- not exceed the population of one mistakes in the use of wealth in Highness has managed the cri- They said no, there was a Saudi Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al- up more than once in favour of cast from the UAE, namely, Abu of the neighbourhoods of Egypt. the past, but there are countries sis with serenity and power. candidate. Then His Highness Thani expressed his surprise at Gulf and Arab states. This was Dhabi channel, in addition to Al Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin that changed this and created a His Highness is of a genera- the Father Emir gave no objec- this policy because Qatar has often the case. “There was a Gulf Arabiya channel. They were given Jabor al-Thani said: “When this new environment to better work tion we are proud of and proud tion to that, but said let us agree over many years had good rela- and Arab consensus at one point preference in agreement with the statement was issued, I was at a through the law and developed to handover the power to this that they should ask us to with- tions with Abu Dhabi. Regard- that HE Abdulrahman bin Ha- Americans. He added after a pe- meeting in Kuwait, and I was sur- incomes. Why do we talk about generation. And the staff that draw our candidate even when less of diff erences that occurred mad al-Attiyah become a secre- riod of time Al Jazeera journalists prised by this statement because a large and small (country), and work with him have worked with our candidate was the fi rst to in the past, there was a privacy in tary-general of the Organisation managed to enter Iraq from others there were no reasons for this. We that the small has to accept us or him diligently and honestly and submit his nomination and relations between Saudi Arabia of Islamic Co-operation. Saudi ways and began to work and write ended our meeting and returned act with you in a non-civilised showed us many talents and new there are agreements with some and Qatar and there was a back Arabia asked us to withdraw that their press reports from there. to Doha. His Highness the Father way or stir problems between ideas. And this crisis has brought GCC countries to nominate him. channel due to the strength of and the State of Qatar imme- “Then we were surprised and Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa tribes The issue is over, and we many good people in this coun- When the Saudis said we do this relationship. diately withdrew the nomina- asked why they accepted their al-Thani told me if you want to must act as states”, he said. try. Also, His Highness the Emir not want to send the request to He added: “This privacy in tion. We also gave up in the Arab entry. The Americans said that respond, it has to be a positive “We know that Saudi Arabia Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- withdraw the Qatari candidate, relations has always been play- League. In the past, we submit- they asked us to do so and there response and the response was is the great sister country, and Thani has brought people to- then we felt that there is a prob- ing a role in solving the prob- ted more than 18 written papers must be more channels than they positive and it was that Sheikh we respect and appreciate it. gether and taken care of their lem other than the issue of the lems, whether the mistake is by asking that the secretary-gener- compete together and there was a Zayed is the father of all.” It also has to take into account daily issues from the fi rst minute secretary-general. There is a will Qatar or Saudi Arabia because al of the Arab League be selected stand against Al Jazeera”. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said: the small states in the region. I and the fi rst hour”. to create a problem with the new the former kings of Saudi Arabia through election, and when we Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim “After that Sheikh Khalifa bin always say that Saudi Arabia is “I pray to Allah that this regime in Qatar”. intervened clearly and the issue were asked to give up this paper, bin Jabor al-Thani pointed out: Zayed al-Nahyan, the heir ap- the backbone of the GCC, but shameful crisis ends with rea- “After the Muscat summit, we get resolved because they con- Qatar gave up and did not nomi- “There may be things that Al parent at the time, visited Doha we should handle our diff erences son and wisdom, and I count on began to see conspiracies from sider themselves the big brother. nate for the post of secretary- Jazeera has dealt with, or which and he had a strong personal and deal with other countries on King Salman to take the initia- the four countries...and leaks Qatar also considers them the general, especially that Egypt it may have talked about, which relationship with His Highness a clear basis. tive, with the Saudi position, to by some conspirators began, and big brother and the backbone of has just emerged from the Janu- may be unusual in our Arab re- the Father Emir and there was “In response to a question resolve this situation in the way there were intelligence and spe- the Gulf Co-operation Council. ary 25 revolution and our goal gion and it was put forward with mutual trust, and Sheikh Khalifa about Qatari-Bahraini rela- we know between us and not in cialised bodies that began to re- That is why there was a kind of was why not be an Egyptian”. such openness.” said the statement was made in tions and their border disputes, the way that some want, because veal things clearly until the con- solution to any problem and on a He said: “When Qatar nomi- He expressed his belief that a way that was intended on this Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin this method will not succeed”. spiracy was uncovered. In these sound basis and not just words”. nated a person for a certain post the existence of errors in Al subject, adding with our respect Jabor al-Thani said this Qatari- Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim conspiracies, there were prison- Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin they always demanded that it Jazeera was because “The chan- for Sheikh Zayed as an old man Bahrain dispute over some is- added: “We know that Saudi ers, including military prisoners Jabor al-Thani said that he had withdraw and we met that de- nel moved from “No freedom and a leader of a state, we did not lands and marine waters was Arabia is the big sister and we from a brotherly country and close and good relations with mand or they work against it to to freedom” .....chaos occurs, have a response other than what handled for many years by sister respect and appreciate, and it were in Doha. After a period of many offi cials at the time in Abu thwart our request, despite the which happened in some pro- was said. Saudi Arabia. must also take into account the time, there were requests from Dhabi. He expressed his sur- fact that there is always a deci- grammes and with some guests”. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim ex- To page 17 Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 17 QATAR Kuwaiti Emir’s mediation efforts praised

From Page 16 oil. Where did they go. And what told me that the border would be did you do for the people. demarcated in an amicable man- “I remember that before go- On the emergency summit ner because there was a previous ing to the international court called by the State of Qatar to promise to modify this border, His Highness the Grandfather stop the Israeli aggression on Qatar has had some existing Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Gaza in 2008 and the reasons farms but expanded somewhat al-Thani, may God have mercy for the non-completion of the and in the meantime this attack on him, received a map with an quorum of this summit, Sheikh was escalated by both parties but idea from Saudi Arabia to divide Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al- this issue has been resolved, me- the disputed border area. The Thani said as His Highness the diated by former Egyptian Presi- response was given after consul- Father Emir said the quorum dent Hosni Mubarak and the tations and after some days His was incomplete because of some Medina agreement was sealed. Highness the Grandfather Emir Arab countries trying to fail it The agreement was signed and travelled to Dammam where he and there was no reason for that, when the dispute was present met with King Fahd and told him only because the summit will be and the bad psychological fac- about Qatar’s approval for the convened in Qatar. tors were present, the friendli- Saudi proposal and thanked him “We did nothing but support ness and communication were for his initiative to resolve the brothers who were attacked for present because we considered issue and asked him about the no reason, but this was a sensi- King Fahd bin Abdulaziz the date of resolving the issue, and tive issue, saying that a large part great of the family and even if he told him that after a week or of our problems that we created is something happened he would two there will be a solution to the because we put others in a posi- resolve it and satisfy his brothers problem, and after that I went tion to show that they did not in the GCC. This is always the several times for several weeks do anything. I believe that Qatar thought that made Saudi Arabia but nothing happened. The issue has played many roles, some of the leader in the region”. lasted several months and noth- them were good and some may be In response to the opening of ing happened”. negative, but at the same time we an offi ce of the Taliban move- Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim did not take into account the dis- ment in Qatar, Sheikh Hamad pointed out that it was agreed to tribution of roles though we are bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani formulate a paper to go to the In- Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani speaking during an interview with Qatar TV on Wednesday. not the one who distributes roles said the offi ce came after the ternational Court of Justice and because there are countries big- Americans wanted to exchange King Fahd agreed to this, but the how we have co-operated with has occurred and the subject has for Iran. But if that happens with able that Gaza is besieged from ger than us that distribute roles. a prisoner for them and want a invasion of Kuwait took place them on many issues”. stopped again”. an Arab country, what would have everywhere and Qatar can enter In response to a question line to negotiate and the nego- and everything stopped. Then On the joint land border be- On Qatar’s hosting of US forc- happened Iran deals smartly with an Israeli port. When we asked about the attack by the Bahraini tiations were held here in Qa- the Doha Conference was held tween the State of Qatar and the es and whether it was because issues and we see this in dealing them to implement the agree- foreign minister on Qatar, Sheikh tar between us, the Americans where the Qatari paper was pre- United Arab Emirates in the past, of fear of external aggression on with its nuclear fi le during the ment, they said that the instruc- Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al- and Taliban, until it was agreed sented in the presence of all, and and who benefi ted from the pre- Qatar, and whether there was past thirty years. tions came from a major Arab Thani said the foreign minister to open an offi ce and hand over King Fahd asked the agreement vention of projects such as the a Qatari-Saudi co-ordination “He expressed his belief that state and we do not want to get of Bahrain is my friend and I have fi ve prisoners and come to Qatar of our Bahraini brothers on the bridges between Qatar and the to transfer US troops from the handling Iran should be though into problems with them be- a relationship with him even af- under certain conditions with Qatari paper, but they refused to UAE or between Qatar and Bah- kingdom to Qatar and who is a friendship and discussion of cause we have mutual interests ter I left my post. I have a point the extradition of the American sign the paper before they signed rain, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim responsible for the slogan that things openly and face-to-face, and therefore the relations were of view on what comes out of it, prisoner. About the Gulf crisis it two days later. And we sought bin Jabor al-Thani said the issue they should be driven out of the not in hostility. Therefore, it is severed, but some kind of com- but I say God help him. and the annexation of the Gulf before going to the court to fi nd a of borders was an agreement be- Arabian Peninsula, he said when very important that there should munication continued. On the sound recordings that peoples and those who benefi t friendly solution but there were tween the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait was occupied by Saddam be a dialogue between the two He stressed that he knew the were said that it’s for His High- from it, Sheikh Hamad bin Jas- parties against the friendly solu- as the two countries divided their Hussain, US forces asked to sta- sides of the Gulf. “I wrote a Israelis well and had been at- ness the Father Emir Sheikh Ha- sim bin Jabor al-Thani addressed tion and against going to court, border, and on the basis of this tion in the region to help liber- memorandum on this subject tacked because of dealing with mad bin Khalifa al-Thani and His in this regard the speech of His and the issue remains as it is”. agreement the borders of Qa- ate Kuwait. At the time, Qatar earlier on the need for a Gulf sys- them. The goal was to establish Excellency with the late Libyan Highness the Emir of the State of He explained: “His Highness tar was separated from the UAE, was blacklisted in US because tem, that included Iran and Iraq peace and end the Palestinian president Muammar Gaddafi , he Kuwait, in which he stressed that the Father Emir said that this is- and we respect this agreement of ridiculous issues. When they post-Saddam, and this system issue peacefully, both in Gaza said the subject of the tapes was the GCC is the last Arab entity to sue is like bleeding for us and for between the countries. We in asked us to land, we demanded will be an economic force and and in the West Bank. We always killed and buried then returned, remain until now. “This word the brothers in Bahrain and we the State of Qatar when we fi n- that our name be removed from incentive for Iran to co-operate sought to resolve this issue. I in 2013-2014. His Highness the was sincere in order to preserve have to go to the court and we will ished our land border and Khor this blacklist. The Custodian of more with the West in the nu- had experience in dealing with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad this entity,” he said. accept its rule. We went to the In- Al-Aideed with Saudi Arabia the Two Holy Mosques King Sal- clear fi le. the Israelis, and there are many al-Thani discussed these mat- He added: “Everybody was ternational Court of Justice. The and with Prince Nayef bin Ab- man bin Abdul Aziz visited Qatar in the region now dealing with ters and concluded that things watching us and watching the court accepted the jurisdiction. dul Aziz, may Allah have mercy and asked that the troops be sent “You are saying Israel. I know that many meet- and there were mutual visits bad use of technology, the crea- The borders were divided and on him, and Prince Sultan bin to Qatar. And from that day rela- ings are taking place between between us and the brothers in tion of a rift between peoples we announced at the time our Abdul Aziz supervised the issue tions between Qatar and US im- that your some of the leaders in the region. Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. and this is more dangerous than acceptance of this solution. We when he was crown prince before proved. With regard to the slogan They are co-ordinating meet- He added: “We cannot keep the rift between governments started on our part to normalise his death, and also resolved the that they should be driven out of disagreement ings. I know that there is a per- the 1996 conspiracy forever, or and countries, the Gulf people relations with Bahrain, and we maritime border. We then medi- the Arabian Peninsula, Qatar did ception of the peace process, and the subject of Al Khofous, now are closely linked and now cre- were talking about joint projects ated between the UAE and Saudi not adopt this slogan, because it is with I know that it will not work now, Hamad bin Jassim and His High- ated a split, it became a shameful and a bridge and other projects. Arabia, and we exchanged maps was raised by Al Qaeda and be- and I know why did the border ness the Father Emir left power topic .. you are saying that your When a problem occurred with and all this in good faith from us. cause it was their goal to exploit governments between Rafah and Gaza open, and His Highness Sheikh Tamim disagreement is with govern- any country we fi nd that Bahrain When we resolved our maritime the fragile situation at the time which is something positive. started with you, although his- ments and not the people, but is a key part in that”. issue we sought to resolve the in the region to seize power and and not HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim torically Sheikh Hamad in the what is happening is that the In response to a question issue of the UAE-Saudi border, because they wanted power and bin Jabor al-Thani said that dur- beginning of his the rule, said people are now warned not to about the Qatari mediation to and because this time witnessed to implement their goals that we the people, ing the Doha conference it was that he wants privileged rela- co-operate and sympathise with resolve the Bahrain crisis in 2011, an escalation between the two do not agree with. agreed that Palestinian recon- tions with the kingdom, there the people of Qatar or else they he said at the time Hamad bin sides, this escalation led to border “The slogan started to surface but what is ciliation should be carried out are errors from us and errors would be imprisoned .. so now Khalifa al-Attiyah was in con- problems and led to the idea of after the liberation of Kuwait through Egypt, which is taking from them, but they are the larg- the rift has become very big, tact with the Bahraini govern- establishing sea bridge between until a contact came to me dur- happening over the reconciliation process, est and strongest party and we how is the situation now and the ment at the highest level to fi nd the State of Qatar and the UAE. ing a visit to Paris. They said that and therefore we were not com- resolved things through discus- families and trade and economy a peaceful solution and there “We in Qatar requested that there were American forces on is that the petitors and all the meetings for sion and they stand beside us among the Gulf. was approval from them on this we study the issue of the bridge the border who want to contact reconciliation held in Doha are and we stand beside them. On the politicisation of reli- subject. “Hamad al-Attiyah told in private, but the UAE request- you. They said they wanted to people are now preparation for the meeting of He continued: “I have done gion, tribe and sport, he said now me that the Bahraini govern- ed it to be public ... because that move the troops to Qatar. They Egypt. We went to Cairo and we many things for Saudi Arabia. they have created armies called ment accepted our mediation. would put pressure on Saudi were transferred to Doha airport warned not to met with the Palestinian factions I was the one who went to the electronic fl ies and reached this I also received a call from Jeff Arabia to end the border prob- and then to Al Sailiya as they to bring the views closer because former Iranian president Akbar level, tomorrow they will write Feltman, US assistant Secretary lem with the UAE. I was aware came in an unorganised way and co-operate and we did not have any sensitivity of Hashemi Rafsanjani and then against their countries and their of State for Near Eastern Aff airs. that this issue is only aimed at quickly due to several explosions those who deal with this fi le and the meeting that took place in countries will imprison them He asked me to help with media- putting pressure on Saudi Ara- in Saudi Arabia at that time. The sympathise because the purpose of this fi le is Pakistan with King Abdullah because they have an opinion. tion and told me he would be in bia. We tried to help in good faith US-Qatari relationship began to succeed in lifting the siege of then a breakthrough in relations This subject, rather than be- Bahrain when I go there. .. but unfortunately they do not to develop. We worked on the with the people the Gaza Strip, which is inhab- happened and I delivered a mes- ing used to bring people closer “Prince Saud al-Faisal, may remember now all these things. agreement to build a base for ited by 2mn Arab Muslims. sage from King Abdullah. There together, has been used to dif- God have mercy on him, also “The bridge between Qatar and them and Al Udaid base was built of Qatar or else “The main problem now is the were many situations between ferentiate between peoples and contacted me and told me that Bahrain is another story. After the by both sides. This base was used intimate Israeli relationship with them and us, positive situations therefore there is a great danger he wanted me with him in Bah- end of the border dispute and the in the Afghanistan war. It fully they would be some of the brothers. I am not from them and positive situa- in this matter. rain to resolve the issue. I asked verdict of the International Court served the US and there was an against it and I think it is posi- tions from us, but all of it has On Kuwaiti mediation to re- for the approval of His Highness of Justice, this bridge was a prior- American ambition for a huge imprisoned” tive, but I warn them and I want disappeared and now we focus solve the Gulf crisis, he praised the Father Emir, who agreed to ity. I remember that His High- base in the region to serve its them to be aware that it must on the bad issues and didn’t fo- the emir, government and people that. Prince Saud al-Faisal ar- ness the Father Emir asked me military policy. We had our am- He added that Qatar does not be based on sound foundations cus on the positive issues and of Kuwait and said His Highness rived there before me. We met to speed up the implementation bition to have our relations with agree with Iran on many issues without compromising Pales- built on them. Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber with HM King of Bahrain and we of the bridge. I told him that we the US as our country is small”. in Syria and Yemen and some tinian rights or Jerusalem or He added: “I have one analy- al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait, talked about the issue and I told need a year or a year-and-a-half On the Qatari-Iranian rela- interventions in the Gulf coun- Arab Muslims. We are with them sis. Is this what happened to played a mighty role and made him I will go to Ali Salman on the for fi nalising designs and imple- tions, the former prime minis- tries. This was a dispute with in any eff ort aimed to establish impose a certain policy in the the impossible to reach a result basis that he was going to with- menting the projects. ter and foreign minister noted Iran, but it must be discussed peace and we are with peace and region Should Qatar be preoccu- in this matter. We cannot forget draw from the Pearl roundabout. “We are talking about 6 or 7 that in 1989 he had made his face to face. calm and with people living in a pied with this dispute to impose the role of the emir of Kuwait And by the way I did not know years. His Highness asked that fi rst visit to Iran when he was On Qatari-Israeli relations, normal way in the region”. a specifi c policy in the region.. and the state of Kuwait because Ali Salman and did not meet the bridge be implemented in the minister of municipality and Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Ja- He pointed out that Qatar pre- We do not have a disagreement it is a clear role. Because if the him...not even once. Only I had two-and-a-half or three years. was the fi rst offi cial to visit Iran bor al-Thani said this relation- pared the lists of Palestinian pris- if they have a clear policy and GCC collapsed or if this rift that a phone conversation with him The project was launched and after the revolution at the time, ship began in the days of peace oners for their exchange with the plan we share, and brief us on it’. took place, which would take that came based on agreements the Qatari side was rushing and adding that “Iran then off ered and after the Madrid conference. Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and in He said: “We participated with years to heal, we would never reached and when I spoke with we agreed to pay the full cost of to deliver water to Qatar, and There was optimism for estab- co-operation with the German them in Yemen without knowing rise again”. him he told me that Jeff Feltman the bridge, although the broth- we know that it was economi- lishing peace, and frankly at the mediator and other parties, but the cause of the fi ghting, and in On the activity of the siege is with him and I talked to Felt- ers in Bahrain contributed half cally useless at the time, we had time there was a need for becom- one day before the completion Syria, and when the Saudi em- countries in the capitals of the man and he told me that he will of what they have to pay of the a shared gas fi eld and we wanted ing closer and closer to America. of the exchange process we were bassy was destroyed in Iran, they world, especially in Washing- wait for me with him to solve bridge’s annual amount to the to resolve all common issues and It was important to establish a asked to give a state .... we told told us to withdraw our ambas- ton and whether it succeeded in the matter. This is the truth, Qatar Committee. I think that then visits continued until I be- relationship with Israel to open them if you want to hand them to sador and we withdrew our am- demonising and distorting the and this is what happened. Then the bridge is very important and came the Minister of Foreign Af- for you many doors in US and Egypt we have no problem. What bassador, the same as they did image of Qatar, the former Prime there was a signal from the King vital for both countries and can fairs. Later. we reached a system the relations were established is important is to resolve the issue for us, everything we asked was Minister and Foreign Minister of Bahrain that I should not go drive the economy of the King- for the exploitation of the shared and developed until the opening and release prisoners. done.” Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Ja- to meet Ali Salman... The goal dom of Bahrain in the fi eld of fi eld between us and Iran”. of an offi ce in Doha and we had Regarding Qatar-Hamas re- He continued: “We boycotted bor al-Thani said that Washing- was basically to allow Al Jazeera employment, where Qatar has “Iran, as a major country, agreements and disagreements, lations and the call by the siege Iraq because the policy of Saudi ton is witnessing the establish- shield forces, in which we have many job opportunities that can should have normal and excellent and even after the closure of the countries to stop it, he said: “You Arabia at the time has no contact ment of new offi ces of pressure forces, to enter the island. Our accommodate a large number of and economic relations because offi ce the relations continued. are now rebuilding Gaza and you with Iraq, they are calling now groups in favour of the GCC, eff orts in any GCC country is Bahrainis. we are opposite them on the Gulf Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin want to deal with Hamas, but in Iraq. Have they come to tell and there is an economic renais- only in support of the stability of “The bridge would have been and we share a gas fi eld which the Jabor al-Thani said that the offi ce one of the 13 demands is that anyone in the GCC that they are sance behind the crisis and there the Gulf. an important economic pillar distance between the platform was closed after an agreement Qatar stops dealing with Ha- taking this step I am sure every- are halls rented for meetings or He pointed out that Al Jazeera especially for Bahrain, a social and the other is 25 meters. whereby medical and food aid mas. Our intentions are diff erent one welcomes that this step is a seminars. shield forces, including Qa- link between the brothers. There Talking about an issue that took was provided through the port of from those of the Hamas move- good step and should be done for He added: “The others are tari forces entered the island. was seriousness in this work, but place between Qatar and Iran in Ashdod to the besieged Gaza at ment, Qatar is a royal state with a long time and that Iraq is in the exploiting and disparaging us “We were present to prove to it was delayed because when we the past, he said at one point, the that time. The then Israeli For- diff erent objectives than theirs. embrace of the Arab and Gulf”. and collect all the informa- our brothers in Bahrain that we get to a stage a problem arises Iranian navy entered the Qatari eign Minister Tzipi Livni agreed But we are talking about the be- On the border dispute with tion we send, and one day this are with stability of Bahrain. Of that hinders this issue and the territorial waters and Doha asked with us even though we wanted sieged people of Gaza and how Saudi Arabia, he said this border information will be against us course the matter was resolved current crisis is an example. the Qatari navy to capture the to bring this aid to the Gaza port, they are being helped. This is the dispute with the Kingdom in Al all as countries, so we are play- by force and we did not mind, “The last of these stages was forces that had penetrated into its but they refused and asked that main objective and anyone tries Khafoos has been dealt with in ing a uncalculated game on the but our question was why the is- last year when the Bahraini prime territorial waters. The forces were it be brought to Ashdod fi rst and to solve this we will help him. a non-positive way by both par- basis of who is now advanced sue was not resolved calmly and minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Sal- captured, and we informed Iran then transferred to Gaza by cars. “Being closer to Israel and ties, but the party that is blamed in Washington on the second peacefully to avoid many things. man, who we highly respect, that our border is a red line and But we were surprised one day fi erce competition over who can is the aggressor who used force party, and the US is institutions “We are accused of interfering came to Qatar and was accorded has been attacked. Iran replied before the arrival of the ship that solve this or that issue is a waste because there was no need to use country, but if there is room for in Bahrain and I challenge this the reception he deserves. After that its forces did not enter our the Israelis told us that the ship of time for us in the region be- force. I was visiting Pakistan and arms deals, projects or billions as I challenged it in the record- his visit, the crown prince of Bah- territorial waters. We asked for a will be targeted on the pretext of cause we need to focus on other I received a call that King Fahd to be paid, as well as political ing that was circulated about the rain, who we highly respect, paid neutral party. Iran dealt with the receiving instructions from the issues”, he aid. “We are in need of wanted the foreign minister benefi ciaries, we have entered brother Hamad bin Khalifa al- a visit to Qatar and there were matter calmly because they know Israeli army, and then we knew focus on economic, educational, and I went to Saudi Arabia and a very low stage of thinking on Attiyah. This was in the interest other visits by the leaders aimed their strength. The neutral side that the instructions came from social, and health issues, and our he was annoyed by this subject, this subject and my last word of Bahrain and its stability and to bring things back to normal proved that this is Iranian territo- an Arab country and this is for people will ask us where are mil- and I told him to give me time to that this issue is not going to be we have many evidence to prove course, but the current problem rial water, and Qatar apologised sure, because it is not reason- lions and billions that came from know what had happened. He solved this way”. Gulf Times 18 Friday, October 27, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Production Editor: Amjad Khan

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Fax 44350474 GULF TIMES Abe’s poll win may bring change to pacifi st constitution Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s easy victory in Japan’s general election has raised hopes of achieving his long-awaited goal: changing the pacifi st constitution. Despite a string of scandals, Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and coalition Komeito Party on Sunday scored a decisive victory in the powerful lower house election, thanks to a fragmented opposition camp. The hawkish prime minister has long yearned for a constitutional amendment so that Japan could possess full- fl edged military forces amid China’s arms buildup and North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. “It’s important to deepen the public’s understanding” of a constitutional amendment,” Abe told broadcaster NHK after the win. Film shows harrowing Abe’s ruling coalition railroaded a controversial bill in 2015 that allows the Japanese military called – “Self-Defence Forces” – to fi ght wars overseas, though many scholars argued the move goes against the constitution. Article 9 of the charter prohibits the use of force to settle plight of Syrian refugees international disputes. In November, Japanese troops were dispatched to South Sudan for the fi rst time under the new security law to join UN About a million Syrian movies from around the world to her. The next day, back at the dock, he broke down at the news - thanking audiences around the country. In this pushes her in again, but this time, she’s God for saving his child - before she peacekeepers, but they were pulled out in May. refugees have been screening, it followed several horror clutching so hard to him that he’s pulled was whisked to the Ozel Bodrum In order to hold a national referendum for the amendment of allowed into Europe to fi lms, making one wonder if the father underwater, too. It’s clear he can’t swim Hospital,” it said. “She was treated the constitution, two-thirds or more of the lawmakers in each was a Jekyll and Hyde character, either; he grabs onto a post and fl ails and for hypothermia and kept in hospital house need to approve the move. seek asylum while the US capable of tenderness in one moment cries until she treads her way back to overnight, before being sent home Then, more than 50% of people’s votes are required for and homicide the next. him and they climb to safety. with her parents.” took in 18,007 between But Mare Nostrum, which won That night, she angrily spits into the It’s easy to see refugees as a ratifi cation in a referendum. October 1, 2011, and the festival’s bronze medal, tells dinner he serves. monolithic mass of misery and In addition to coalition partner Komeito Party, the LDP could of a diff erent kind of horror. It’s an The next day’s end fi nds the father needs who dress, worship and speak fi nd another ally in parliament this time: the Party of Hope, December 31, 2016 intimate look at a father’s anguished alone on the dock, crying. You assume diff erently from us, and who tax our led by right-wing Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, a former LDP calculations amid a backdrop of war. the worst. Later that night, a long line resources when here. What we don’t The fi lm haunted me for days of people is shown tromping in silence often get to see are the unique human lawmaker who once served as defence minister under Abe. By Rekha Basu Des Moines Register after that screening and remains on down a hill to the beach and then onto beings who love their children, rescue Koike, who became the fi rst female governor in the Japanese my mind. Islamic State plans for a boats. They are refugees fl eeing under strangers, have senses of humour, capital in August 2016, caliphate across the Middle East have cover of darkness. The man and his talent, courage, generosity and acknowledged that t the close of a day, a tall collapsed, just like so many boats daughter are among them. Then a clip empathy. And who sometimes have to Despite the her party’s foreign and man in an old suit jacket crammed with refugees have done in from an actual news broadcast tells make harrowing calculations for their and trousers walks down the six years since the start of Syria’s of a little Syrian girl who survived children’s safety. ruling coalition’s security policies were a Mediterranean beach civil war. the capsizing of a boat full of fl eeing About a million Syrian refugees “not much diff erent” from A towards a girl of 5 or 6, who sits The brief, un-dialogued feature fi lm refugees. have been allowed into Europe to victory, Abe’s those of the LDP’s. playing alone, by the water’s edge. didn’t get into that, or the estimated It’s not clear if any of the fi lm is true seek asylum while the US took in Main opposition With a father’s tender touch, he 11mn Syrians who have fl ed their homes or if the incident from the newscast 18,007 between October 1, 2011, and December 31, 2016. The previous cabinet has been Democratic Party (DP) crouches down and braids her brown, since 2011. Most relocated within was the same one reported in Britain’s wind-touslled hair. Dusting sand off the country and nearly 5mn went to Daily Mail in June 2015, involving a administration had planned an unpopular as leader Seiji Maehara her clothes, he takes her hand and Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt 4-year-old Syrian refugee Sydrah increase to 110,000 in fi scal year 2017, decided not to fi eld leads her homeward. But passing a and other North African countries. It Najib. She was rescued after fi ve hours but the current one started out with they railroaded candidates from his party dock, he picks the child up and turns didn’t get into the varying responses of alone in the Mediterranean, inside an indefi nite ban on anyone coming for Sunday’s general back, carrying her all the way down to nations where refuge was sought. It did the upturned hull of a boat. The story from Syria. That was later revised to a controversial its edge over the deep, murky sea. And what its director Rana Kazkaz, a Syrian lends a possible rationale to why a 120-day ban. election. then he hurls her in. who moved to Jordan with her writer father would subject his child to the It’s easy to conclude, given the bills Instead, he let DP In the auditorium, movie-watchers and director husband after the war harsh sea, with only a stick to grab for demands of screening people, that lawmakers run from gasped as the girl sputtered. The began, considers the beauty of what safety: He was preparing her to survive there’s not enough in it for us. But it’s Koike’s party to defeat Abe’s ruling bloc. camera followed her underwater, fi lm can do: “Get into the life and mind an actual event. less easy once you’ve met some of the Koike refused to accept liberal DP members such as former being sucked down. She bobbed up and emotions of human beings.” In real life, Sydrah and her family people up close, even onscreen, or again and cried for help but her father, The drowning girl is saved that were among 70 Syrian refugees seen some of the harrowing choices chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano, leading Edano and other with a stick in his hand, stayed put. day by a passerby who jumps in. No crammed on a boat intended for 25. they’re forced to make. DP lawmakers to found the Constitutional Democratic Party The 13-minute fi lm from Syria called explanation is off ered for her father’s They had left Turkey for Greece before (CDP) on October 2. Mare Nostrum (Our Sea, in Latin) actions. In bed that night, she lies dawn, the story said, to escape notice zRekha Basu is a columnist for the Des They drew strong support from those who back the current was a prize fi nalist in the Manhattan shivering and sobbing under blankets by Turkish authorities, fearing they’d Moines Register. Readers may send her Shorts fi lm festival, which brings while he lies awake with his back to be turned back. “Sydrah’s father e-mail at [email protected] war-renouncing constitution and fear Koike’s party could join the ruling coalition to go forward a constitutional change following the elections. Despite the ruling coalition’s victory, Abe’s cabinet has been unpopular as they railroaded controversial bills and as he failed to explain scandals involving schools related to him and his wife Akie. The approval rating for his cabinet has dropped to 37% in October from 50% in the previous month, while the disapproval rating rose to 48% from 42%t, a survey by the Nikkei business daily and TV Tokyo showed. A poll conducted in August by the Kyodo News agency showed 34.5% of those surveyed approved a constitutional amendment under Abe’s government, while 53.4% were against the move. The election outcome is unlikely to change a constitutional amendment issue. The constitutional amendment issue is not the number of seats in the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives. The issue is whether Abe can convince 50% of the voters plus 1 to vote in any referendum for his idea.

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2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved In this September 10, 2015 file photo, Syrian refugees arrive aboard a dinghy after crossing from Turkey to the island of Lesbos, Greece. Gulf Times Friday, October 27, 2017 19 COMMENT Mourning Poland’s burning man

The letter accuses the democracy.” The letter concludes related desire to end one’s own life.” by calling on all Poles to “wake up” Holland speaks from a position of government, controlled by and change their government before authority on this topic. the Law and Justice (PiS) it causes irreparable damage to the She is the daughter of Henryk country. Holland, an anti-Communist party, of restricting civil So far, all we know about the letter dissident who committed suicide in liberties and undermining writer is that his fi rst name is Piotr, 1961. and that he is currently in critical And in 2013, she made an HBO the judiciary condition, with burns covering 60% mini-series about the Czech student of his body. Jan Palach’s self-immolation in By Sławomir Sierakowski But, despite his anonymity, his ideas Wenceslas Square in 1969. Warsaw are resonating through Poland. For my part, I believe the Polish In a separate letter to the media, people should heed the message that Piotr warned that the PiS would Piotr conveyed in his letter. ate in the afternoon on attempt to minimise his act of protest. Even if his actions did stem from October 19, a 54-year-old man “Their fi rst point of attack,” he some personal crisis, they should not outside the Palace of Culture predicted, would be to point out that be written off as the behaviour of an Land Science in Warsaw he suff ers from depression. irrational person. distributed several dozen copies of a “I am what you could call a mentally After all, we can’t possibly know letter addressed to the Polish people. ill person,” he wrote. more than the man himself about his Then he set himself on fi re. “But there are millions like me in intentions. The text of the letter is eminently Poland, and somehow they manage to He deserves to have his stated rational. function more or less normally.” motives and opinions known, It carefully enumerates and decries Piotr’s plea is clear: please do not discussed, and taken seriously. actions taken by Poland’s government confuse depression with insanity. But Piotr’s act should not be made a that, according to Polish and In Poland, the reactions to Piotr’s spectacle in Poland’s political fi ght, or international courts alike, amount to self-immolation have been mixed. wielded haphazardly as a blunt object an attack on the rule of law and liberal At fi rst, the media were rather against the PiS or anyone else. democracy. silent, with the exception of a few As the World Health Organisation The letter accuses the government, opposition pundits who spoke out to states in its guidelines for journalists controlled by the Law and Justice (PiS) hold the PiS responsible. covering suicides, “Suicide should party, of restricting civil liberties and In response to this criticism, not be reported as unexplainable undermining the judiciary. Interior Minister Mariusz Błaszczak, or in a simplistic way.” Moreover, Specifi cally, it condemns the PiS for tried, as predicted, to attribute Piotr’s suicide victims should not be glorifi ed its discrimination against immigrants, action to his depression. as “martyrs and objects of public women, LGBT people, Muslims, Błaszczak then described Piotr as adulation,” lest other “susceptible and others, and for destroying the “a victim of the opposition’s all-out persons” come to think “that their environment, by supporting coal- propaganda, which proclaims that society honours suicidal behaviour.” based energy, hunting, and logging in they are fi ghting the government in After an act of despair such as what Białowie a Forest. the streets and abroad.” Poland witnessed this month, the More broadly, the letter also Poland has witnessed street protests across the country against a new bill changing the judiciary system. Meanwhile, the renowned Polish fi rst priority should be to mourn the denounces “the people holding fi lmmaker Agnieszka Holland issued victim. the country’s highest offi ces” for Poland an “object of ridicule” on the my blood on their hands.” The man But the letter also implores the a strong rebuke against liberal media The second should be to channel the abdicating government decision- world stage. hoped that his act of protest would party’s opponents – 16% of Poles outlets that would attribute Piotr’s despair that many are feeling in ways making to PiS Chairman Jarosław One of the man’s goals in infl uence PiS supporters – 47% of the support the largest opposition party protest to mental illness. that nurture hope. – Project Syndicate Kaczy ski, who holds no public immolating himself, according to the population, according to the latest – “to remember that PiS voters are It is an “act of extreme moral offi ce; and for converting public letter, was to force “the chairman of polls – who should not want their our mothers, brothers, neighbours, laziness,” she wrote on Oko.press, zSławomir Sierakowski, founder of television and radio stations into PiS PiS and the entire PiS nomenklatura to favoured policies to be enacted in ways friends, and colleagues.” As such, to explain “such extreme civic the Krytyka Polityczna movement, is “propaganda organs.” And it laments recognise that my death is their direct that undermine democracy and the they should not be vilified, but despair and self-sacrifi ce as a result Director of the Institute for Advanced that the PiS government has made responsibility, and that they have rule of law. rather reminded of “the rules of of depression, mental illness, and a Study in Warsaw. Weather report Pre-empting the next pandemic Three-day forecast TODAY High: 34 C By Stephen J Thomas building global capacity, but also paying required to prepare. But in many onerous spending rules and weak for it. places, budgets are stagnating, or fi nancial commitments are tying the Low : 26 C Syracuse Inshore: Hazy to misty / foggy at places That’s the idea, at least. The even declining. This is astonishingly hands of those working to prevent the by early morning becomes relatively reality of bio-preparedness is far shortsighted, given the relative costs next serious disease outbreak. hot daytime. ecent disease outbreaks, more complicated. For starters, the of prevention versus response. For The number of obstacles faced by like Ebola and Zika, have absence of dedicated funding is example, what would it have cost scientists and public health experts in SATURDAY demonstrated the need to impeding implementation of long- to build the clinical and laboratory the race to contain deadly infectious High: 34 C Ranticipate pandemics and term prevention strategies in many infrastructure and provide the training diseases is staggering. To overcome Low: 27 C contain them before they emerge. But countries; a new World Bank report needed to identify and prevent the them, we need to redefi ne how we Sunny the sheer diversity, resilience, and fi nds that only six countries, including recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa? think about preparedness, moving transmissibility of deadly diseases the United States, have taken the Precise fi gures are elusive, but I have from a reactive position to a more have also highlighted, in the starkest of threat seriously. Meanwhile, public no doubt it would have been less proactive approach. Money earmarked SUNDAY terms, just how diffi cult containment health offi cials in many parts of the than the billions of dollars spent on for preparedness must be allocated at High: 34 C and prevention can be. world struggle to respond to disease containment. Preparedness pays. levels suffi cient to have the required Low: 27 C One threat to our preparedness is outbreaks, owing to a dearth of It is not only the lack of funding that impact. Limitations on how it can be Sunny our connectedness. It was thanks to labs and clinics. And many funding is raising alarms; so are restrictions spent should be loosened. Funding easy international travel that in recent agencies, including governments and on how available funds can be used. sources must be opened to allow for years the dengue, chikungunya, and NGOs, typically off er only one-year It is not uncommon for a grant to be multi-year commitments. Healthcare Fishermen’s forecast restricted to specifi c activities, leaving providers and fi rst responders must Zika viruses were all able to hitch commitments, which rules out long- OFFSHORE DOHA a ride from east to west, causing term planning. major gaps in a programme’s capacity receive proper training. And long-term Wind: NE-SE 03-10 KT massive outbreaks in the Americas For years, scientists, physicians, to meet its objectives. A funder may, solutions such as establishing and Waves: 1-3 Feet and Caribbean. Another threat is and civil-society actors have voiced for example, allow the renovation of an connecting bio-surveillance systems INSHORE DOHA Wind: SE-SW 5-15 KT more mundane: failing to agree about concern over the lack of reliable, existing lab but not the construction should be expanded and strengthened, Waves: 1-2 Feet money. Whatever the reason, the fact is meaningful, and institutionalised of a new one; or funds may support to enable public-health professionals that as long as humans fail to organise investment in pandemic preparedness. the purchase of a diagnostic machine around the world to track and report Around the region a collective and comprehensive These pleas have come, frustratingly, but not the training of those required human and animal diseases and plan Weather Weather defence, infectious diseases will as military funding to thwart bio- to operate it. In many developing defences together. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min continue to wreak havoc – with attacks, consciously mounted by countries, communities do not even Public health is an essential Abu Dhabi Sunny 34/28 Sunny 34/27 disastrous consequences. human actors, has remained robust. have the physical buildings in which element of global security. Failing to Baghdad M Sunny 35/19 M Sunny 38/20 Dubai Building an eff ective prevention But while purposeful and nefarious to test, monitor, or store dangerous invest appropriately in prevention of Sunny 35/24 P Cloudy 35/24 Kuwait City Sunny 37/21 Sunny 36/21 and containment strategy – being infectious-disease outbreaks could do pathogens. Myopic funding that infectious-disease outbreaks puts all Manama Sunny 34/26 Sunny 35/26 bio-prepared – is the best way to massive damage, they remain relatively overlooks key elements of the big of us at risk, whenever or wherever the Muscat Sunny 34/24 Sunny 33/24 reduce the threat of a global contagion. unlikely. Naturally occurring outbreaks, picture is money poorly spent. next one occurs. – Project Syndicate Riyadh Sunny 33/18 Sunny 33/19 Preparedness requires co-ordination by contrast, occur regularly and are Add to these challenges the diffi culty Tehran M Sunny 29/16 M Sunny 28/16 among agencies and funders to build far more costly, even if they lack the of paying staff or ensuring reliable zStephen J Thomas, an infectious networks that enable quick deployment sensational “fear factor” of bioterrorism. electricity and other essential services, diseases physician, is professor of of and access to vaccines, drugs, Not that long ago, those of us and it becomes clear that preparing Medicine and Chief of the Division and protocols that limit a disease’s engaged in the prevention of infectious- for disease outbreaks requires broad of Infectious Diseases at the State transmission. Simply stated, preparing disease outbreaks felt more secure engagement with the international University of New York, Upstate Medical for the next pandemic means not only about the availability of the resources aid community. But at the moment, University. Live issues Treatment options for urinary incontinence

By Lisa Rapaport Only about one in four women with “Urinary incontinence can occur for Devices inserted into the vagina or Reuters Health urinary incontinence seek care, and many diff erent reasons, such as damage urethra also can help. then less than half of these patients from childbirth or surgery, genetics Botox injections may also be an receive treatment, doctors note in a or changes during ageing,” said Dr option for some women. oughly half of adult women review of available therapies published Blayne Welk, a researcher at Western “If a woman is bothered by Around the world may experience urinary in JAMA online on October 24. University in London, Ontario, who symptoms of leakage, then she Weather Weather incontinence, but few of them “There are several barriers – the wasn’t involved in the JAMA paper. should know that there are eff ective today Max/min tomorrow Max/min get diagnosed and treated most important thing being women are “Both types of incontinence can be treatment options and that it is Athens Sunny 23/14 P Cloudy 22/09 R Beirut Sunny 28/22 T Storms 24/21 despite a wide range of options to embarrassed so they cope and don’t treated with behaviour changes and worth talking to her doctor,” said Dr P Cloudy P Cloudy 32/24 address the problem, doctors say. say anything,” said senior author of pelvic fl oor muscle therapy,” Welk said. Anne Suskind, a urology researcher Bangkok 33/25 Berlin Showers 12/08 S Showers 11/07 Women are particularly prone to the review Dr Linda Brubaker of the Behavioural approaches can include at the University of California, San Cairo Sunny 31/18 Sunny 27/17 stress urinary incontinence, when the University of California San Diego. things like avoiding caff eine, drinking Francisco, who wasn’t involved in the Cape Town Cloudy 19/11 M Sunny 24/13 pelvic fl oor muscles are too weak to “They should be honest with small amounts of fl uid and using paper. Colombo P Cloudy 29/25 P Cloudy 29/26 support the bladder. themselves – once these symptoms the bathroom at scheduled times “There is almost always something Dhaka Sunny 31/21 M Sunny 31/21 Hong Kong M Sunny 27/22 P Cloudy 27/21 As a result, urine leaks during are interrupting their lives and they throughout the day. that can be done to help with the Istanbul Sunny 18/13 S Showers 17/09 coughing, sneezing or exercise. won’t go for a walk or run or they avoid Exercises can target the pelvic fl oor leakage, and it is certainly worth Jakarta S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 32/25 Childbirth is a common reason intimacy because of this, they should muscles and help improve bladder starting this conversation,” Suskind Karachi P Cloudy 32/23 P Cloudy 32/21 for weak pelvic muscles, and obesity seek care,” Brubaker said. control. said. London Sunny 14/06 M Cloudy 16/12 Manila P Cloudy M Cloudy 31/24 worsens the problem. “The earlier they connect (with a For urge incontinence, women may Because women may be embarrassed, 31/24 Moscow Snow 01/-1 Cloudy 03/01 Urge incontinence, in contrast, clinician) the easier the treatment is and also consider medication if the exercises doctors may need to start this New Delhi Sunny 33/18 Sunny 33/18 doesn’t have a clear cause, although the higher the chance of success.” and lifestyle changes don’t provide discussion, she added. New York Sunny 18/13 M Sunny 21/18 it can sometimes happen due to Urinary incontinence occurs twice as enough relief, the researchers note. “It is so important for physicians Paris P Cloudy 17/06 P Cloudy 16/12 neurological problems. often in women as in men and is more With stress incontinence, surgery to to ask patients about urinary Sao Paulo S T Storms 27/21 S T Storms 27/19 Seoul P Cloudy 22/09 Sunny 23/09 Some women may get both types common as women get older. support the bladder with mesh slings incontinence, when appropriate, Singapore T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 31/25 of incontinence at once or develop If left untreated, it can interfere with can help stop urine leakage, but these in order to open a dialogue and to Sydney Rain 22/15 P Cloudy 26/19 bladder problems due to a urinary tract daily activities and lead to decreased procedures carry some risks and aren’t help women who may benefi t from Tokyo Clear 22/11 Cloudy 17/13 infection. quality of life, researchers note. an option for all women. treatment,” Suskind said.