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TUESDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11225 June 25, 2019 Shawwal 22, 1440 AH

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Amir attends IOC General Assembly meetings In brief Amir’s directive to support Pakistani QATAR | Offi cial Amir condoles with Ethiopian PM over economy with $3bn victims of coup bid His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim QNA tar during the visit of His Highness bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone Doha the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad conversation with Ethiopian Prime al-Thani to Islamabad will help boost Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali to trade and economic relations between express condolences on the victims pon the directives of His High- the two countries, a senior Pakistani of the failed coup attempt in the ness the Amir Sheikh Tamim offi cial has said. northern Amhara region. During the Ubin Hamad al-Thani, HE the Pakistan’s Special Assistant to the phone call, the Amir also aff irmed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Prime Minister on Information and Qatar’s strong condemnation of of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan the coup attempt, and stressed Abdulrahman al-Thani has announced said the two countries agreed to take support for Ethiopia in the face new investments in the form of depos- steps to enhance bilateral co-operation of any attempt to destabilise its its and direct investments in Pakistan in various fi elds. security and stability and undermine worth a total of $3bn. The friendly ties between the two its unity. For his part, the Ethiopian In a statement to Qatar News Agency countries will strengthen their eco- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani participated in the meetings of the General Assembly of the 134th prime minister expressed thanks (QNA), HE the Deputy Prime Minister nomic partnership, she added. session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), held in Lausanne, Switzerland, yesterday. The meetings discussed a and appreciation to the Amir for his and Minister of Foreign Aff airs said His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim number of topics on the agenda related to the development of sports and Olympics at the global level. The participants also support to Ethiopia, and for Qatar’s that the Qatari support comes after bin Hamad al-Thani paid a two-day voted the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina as the host of the 2026 Winter Olympics. His Highness the Amir met with President support against the failed coup the Amir’s visit to Pakistan to under- state visit to Pakistan on June 22-23. of the International Olympic Committee Dr Thomas Bach (pictured), on the sidelines of the IOC General Assembly meetings. attempt. Page 2 score the deep relations between the During the visit, the Amir held wide- At the outset of the meeting, the Amir congratulated Dr Bach on the occasion of the inauguration of the new headquarters two brotherly countries and peoples. ranging talks with Prime Minister Im- of the International Olympic Committee “The Olympic House”, which coincides with the 125th anniversary of founding of the QATAR | Transport It also expresses Qatar’s confi dence in ran Khan and President Dr Arif Alvi in committee. The meeting reviewed areas of co-operation between Qatar and the IOC and ways to promote them. the strength of Pakistan’s economy and Islamabad. President of Qatar Olympic Committee HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani attended the meeting. Page 2 Dredging works at the vision and good management of the The two sides discussed aspects of en- Doha Port completed current government headed by Prime hancing relations in various fi elds, espe- The Ministry of Transport and Minister Imran Khan, he noted. cially in economy, trade, investment, en- Communications (MoTC) has The foreign minister added that by ergy, tourism, education and other fi elds. completed the dredging works announcing this new investment pack- They also exchanged views on regional at Doha Port as part of its age, the size of the Qatari-Pakistani and international developments. redevelopment project. Up to 3.5mn economic partnership will go up to The Amir and the Pakistan prime cu m of material in the approach $9bn, and on this occasion, Qatar af- minister witnessed the signing of an channel have been cleared and an fi rms its aspiration for further devel- MoU, between Qatar’s Ministry of extra berthing has been provided to opment in the relations between the Commerce and Industry and Pakistan’s accommodate more than one giant two countries and peoples at all po- Ministry of Commerce and Textile In- cruise ship. The ministry aims to litical, economic, sports, cultural and dustry, on the establishment of Qa- boost the port’s capacity to be able other levels. tari-Pakistani Joint Working Group on to receive the largest cruise ships A report from Islamabad adds: The Trade and Investment, in addition to in the future, helping position the memorandums of understanding an MoU for co-operation in the fi elds capital city among the world’s top (MoUs) signed by Pakistan and Qa- of tourism and business activities. cruise ship tourism destinations. Page 4

QATAR | New record Qatar achieves civil aviation milestone Trump imposes new Qatar, represented by the Civil Aviation Authority, has set a new Middle East’s largest record in the results of the safety sanctions on Iran oversight audit of civil aviation, according to the International O ‘B-Team’ wants war, not diplomacy: Tehran Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit ethane cracker to be QNA called “B-team” including Trump’s Programme. For the first time Washington national security adviser John Bolton, in the world, the aviation safety an ardent Iran hawk, and conserva- component of Qatar’s civil aviation tive Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin system has achieved a compliance S President Donald Trump yes- Netanyahu could goad Trump into a rate of 91.16. Page 6 terday announced new sanc- confl ict with Tehran. built at Ras Laff an Utions against Iran. The new sanctions targeted Iranian SPORT | Games Trump said the new sanctions were Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khame- Italy to host 2026 O The QP-Chevron in response to Iran shooting down a US nei and other senior Iranian offi cials. Phillips joint venture surveillance drone on Thursday. Mnuchin said the measures would Winter Olympics He ruled out the United States’ quest block billions of dollars more in Iranian Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo was petrochemical complex for a confl ict with Iran and expressed assets. named as hosts of the 2026 Winter will have an ethane his willingness to reach an agreement, Trump told reporters Khamenei was Olympics yesterday, beating off a cracker with a nameplate saying that they have exercised re- ultimately responsible for what Trump bid from Stockholm-Are in Sweden, straint towards Iran, but that does not called “the hostile conduct of the re- giving Italy the showpiece event for capacity of 1.9mn tonnes mean that they will remain so in the gime” in the Middle East. the third time. The 2026 Olympics of ethylene a year future. “Sanctions imposed through the ex- will run from February 6-22, said the Trump reiterated that he will not al- ecutive order ... will deny the supreme International Olympic Committee. By Pratap John low Iran to own a nuclear weapon. leader and the supreme leader’s offi ce, “It is Italy who has won,” said Italian Business Editor US Treasury Secretary Steve and those closely affi liated with him Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. IOC Mnuchin said at a press conference that and the offi ce, access to key fi nancial re- members gave the Italian bid the Trump’s executive order targets senior sources and support,” Trump said. nod by 47 votes to 34. Sport Page 4 atar Petroleum has selected Iranian offi cials and eight commanders Some policy analysts say that earlier US-based Chevron Phillips of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. sanctions issued under Trump’s “max- QATAR | Weather QChemical Company as its part- Reuters adds: Iran’s Foreign Minister imum pressure” campaign are why ner for the Middle East’s largest ethane Mohamed Javad Zarif, in a tweet after Iran has felt compelled to adopt more Hot conditions to cracker, which will be set up at the Ras US imposed new sanctions on Tehran, aggressive tactics as its economy feels continue today Laff an Industrial City for a planned said hawkish politicians close to Trump the crunch. The Trump administration The country has been witnessing start-up in 2025. were thirsty for war rather than diplo- wants to force Tehran to open talks on a noticeable rise in temperature The new multi-billion dollar joint macy. its nuclear and missile programmes since yesterday, increasing by about venture world scale petrochemical US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuch- and its activities in the region, saying 3-5C above average, the Qatar complex will have an ethane cracker in said Zarif will be placed under sanc- the 2015 deal did not go far enough. Met department has said. These with a nameplate capacity of 1.9mn HE the Minister of State for Energy Aff airs Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi with Chevron tions this week. Sanctions were also impose d on eight conditions are likely to continue tonnes of ethylene a year, making it Phillips Chemical president & CEO Mark E Lashier at the agreement signing at the “@realDonaldTrump is 100% right senior commanders of Navy, Aerospace, today with the weather charts one of the largest in the world. Ritz-Carlton yesterday. that the US military has no business in and Ground Forces of the Islamic Revo- forecasting a maximum temperature The joint venture will be the biggest the Gulf. Removal of its forces is fully in lutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the US of 47C in Al Wakrah and Mesaieed, facility in the entire Middle East for ethylene production capacity by 82% at the Ritz-Carlton Doha yesterday. line with interests of US and the world. Treasury Department said. followed closely by Doha at 46C processing ethane – or “cracking” it, by the fourth quarter of 2025, HE the Qatar’s polyethylene production But it’s now clear that the #B_Team is Iran said US cyber-attacks on its and 44C in Al Khor. The southern in industry parlance – into ethylene. Minister of State for Energy Aff airs, will rise to 4,300 tonnes a year when not concerned with US interests-they military had failed, as Washington and central parts of the country are It will also include two high-den- Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi, who is the plant is completed in 2025, from despise diplomacy, and thirst for war,” sought to rally support in the Middle expected to see particularly high sity polyethylene derivative units, also the president and CEO of Qatar 2,300 tonnes currently, al-Kaabi said. he tweeted. East and Europe for a hardline stance mercury levels. which will raise Qatar’s current poly- Petroleum, said at a press conference To Page 9 Zarif has in the past said that a so- against Tehran. Page 10 Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 QATAR

Amir condoles Al-Mahmoud arrives in Portugal Amir attends IOC session with Ethiopian prime minister

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali, condoling the death of his father. Amir sends condolences to Cyprus president

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables of condolences HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud arrived in to President of Cyprus Nicos Lisbon yesterday on several days’ off icial visit to Portugual. HE al-Mahmoud and the Anastasiades, on the death accompanying delegation were welcomed at Lisbon International Airport by Vice-President of of former president Demetris the Assembly of Portugal Jorge Lacao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Assembly of the Republic His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attending the 134th session of the Christofias. Jose Manuel Araujo, and Qatar’s ambassador to Portugal Saad bin Ali al-Banaali al-Muhannadi. International Olympic Committee (IOC) General Assembly, in Lausanne, Switzerland. Qatar condemns coup attempt in Ethiopia

Qatar, UNHCR sign pact to provide healthcare for Syrian refugees Qatar has condemned in the strongest terms the criminal assassination of the Chief of Staff QNA the Bekaa, as well as secondary needs in the harsh living circum- of Ethiopia and the failed coup Beirut healthcare services for an esti- stances in Lebanon and coun- attempt in Amhara region. mated 3,000 Syrian refugees. tries of refuge.” In a statement issued yesterday, These services include rehabili- Mireille Girard said, “The the Ministry of Foreign atar represented by Qatar tation of sub-standard shelters Qatar Fund for Development’s Aff airs expressed Qatar’s Fund for Development and distribution of shelter kits, latest contribution to UNHCR strong condemnation of the Q(QFFD) and UNHCR, as well as subsidisation of hos- is yet another testament to Qa- assassination of Amhara the UN Refugee Agency, yester- pital admissions for emergency. tar’s commitment to support provincial governor during the day signed an agreement worth The ambassador said, “We are refugees. With the support of coup attempt. The statement said $4mn, in support of the Syrian pleased and honoured to sign generous donors like Qatar, Qatar considered this criminal refugees in Lebanon. the agreement on behalf Qatar UNHCR will be able to provide act as an attempt to destabilise The agreement was signed by Fund for Development Fund and shelter assistance and life-sav- the security of Ethiopia. Qatar, the ambassador of Qatar to Leb- UNHCR in Lebanon, which is ing care for vulnerable Syrian while aff irming its support for anon Mohamed Hassan Jaber al- funding a project that provides refugees to help preserve their the friendly government and Jaber and UNHCR Representa- shelter for Syrian refugees and dignity in their country of ref- people of Ethiopia, expresses its tive to Lebanon, Mireille Girard. healthcare for pregnant women uge.” full confidence in the ability of This contribution aims to in Lebanon for a total of $4mn. “I wish to express my heart- the current government headed support UNHCR’s eff orts in pro- This contribution is a continu- felt gratitude for this continuous by Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed viding shelter assistance for an ation of Qatar’s commitment to support and look forward to a to overcome this ordeal and estimated 8,000 vulnerable Syr- alleviate the humanitarian crisis long and fruitful collaboration,” Ambassador of Qatar to Lebanon, Mohamed Hassan Jaber al-Jaber and UNHCR Representative to preserve the cohesion of the ian refugee households living in of Syrian refugees and their basic she added. Lebanon, Mireille Girard, shake hands after signing the agreement. country. - QNA

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Tin 2.5kg 1.8Ltr Asstd 400ml X 2pcs Asstd 6kg QAR 729 Nova 3i Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 3 QATAR Advisory Council approves report on health sector recommendations Reports on education and recommended to develop the land and marine environment Health insurance procedures and means used to also get Advisory Council nod requirement preserve the marine environ- ment and especially the fi sheries for visit visas and to emphasise the prevention QNA of overfi shing and to increase the Doha he Advisory Council interest in natural reserves and has recommended in- the protection of the land in aim Tstructing a competent to protect the wild environment he Services and the Pub- authority to verify the avail- in most regions of the country. lic Utilities Committee ability of health insurance in In addition the committee Tof the Advisory Council the application for a visit visa recommended to develop the has made wide-ranging recom- before approving it. solid waste disposal methods to mendations to streamline the This is to prevent visitors gradually abandon traditional healthcare delivery system in the from accessing public health methods of disposal of sub- country. services in Qatar free of merging them under the soil as The Advisory Council dis- charge or at a low cost. currently practised. cussed the report of the com- The move would ensure This is with the aim of fi nd- mittee and approved it at its the optimal use of govern- ing practical solutions for the regular weekly meeting yester- ment health facilities and disposal of the existing landfi lls day which was held under the prevent negative impact on because its environmental and chairmanship of HE the Speaker health services provided to health damage the leakage of Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al- citizens and residents. harmful gases and odours causes. Mahmoud. In addition to fi nding a database The committee’s report came to show the pollution percentage after the study on the request ments departments of Hamad in the marine and terrestrial en- for a general discussion and the Medical Corporation and its af- vironment and air and to provide hearing of the views of the coun- fi liated institutions and hospi- the competent authorities with cil’s members during the pres- tals, which it said will lead to a it periodically to include all areas, ence of HE the Minister of Public positive impact on those depart- industrial and residential. Health to the Council’s session ments. After extensive discussions, held on 17/6/2019. It suggested an increase in the the Council approved the three The committee recommended time allocated for patients with HE the Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud chairing yesterday’s session of the Advisory Council. reports on the request for a gen- that priority be given to provid- the doctors and consultants in eral discussion on education, the ing medical services to Qatari order to reduce the repetitive of the health insurance system private sector or to travel abroad. Under the students category, future plans aimed at building land and sea environment, and nationals, taking into account appointments, which will help for citizens. It called for the development the committee recommended to waste recycling plants to benefi t health services, adding what it the priority of emergency treat- relieve pressure in the appoint- It added that the state can get of the system and procedures take the needed procedures to from it to generate power or con- deemed appropriate and decided ment for all patients. ments section. the benefi t of the experience and for patients to enter the opera- enrol more students with special verting organic waste to compost. to send its recommendations to The committee made four Regarding the development fl exibility of the national private tions rooms to make sure that needs in education and to enable It also recommended working the esteemed government. recommendations including the of emergency departments, the insurance sector in the applica- the operation is ready in terms them to attain the required edu- on the safe disposal and treat- focus of the development of the committee recommended devel- tion of health insurance system of availability of the operations cation which commensurate with ment of wastewater for use in Regulating Zakat money performance of health centres by oping an appropriate system that for citizens, especially in opera- room and medical staff , to avoid their special needs. irrigating aff orestation projects increasing medical specialties in categorises patients to ensure tional and administrative terms, unjustifi ed bed occupancy and The committee also recom- in diff erent regions of the coun- Meanwhile, yesterday’s meet- health centres to relieve pressure that emergency cases are re- and to achieve the advancement to reduce the burden on patients. mended to re-evaluate educa- try with the participation of ing also discussed the report of on outpatient clinics and gov- ceived at Hamad General Hospi- of this important aspect of the tion vouchers and to study the the private sector to enter these the Legal and Legislative Aff airs ernment hospitals. tal and non-emergency cases are national private sector. Recommendations in feasibility of its continuity. projects and economically ben- Committee on the draft law on It also recommended the in- handled in health centres that In the development of the op- education sector It also recommended to review efi t from them as much as pos- regulating the receiving and crease of the list of medicines have emergency services. erating and family rooms, the the length of the academic year sible. spending Zakat money. based on geographical distribu- committee commended the ef- The council also discussed the and to standardise vacations be- The committee recommend- After the discussion, the tion, to meet the needs of patients Health insurance forts made by the Ministry of supplementary report of the In- tween public and private schools. ed to prepare a media plan to council approved the draft law in diff erent regions of Qatar. Public Health in providing home formation and Cultural Aff airs Under the teachers category, preserve the environment, as and decided to refer its recom- It called for the development It also suggested ensuring the care and recommended increas- Committee on the request for a the committee added a recom- it is one of the pillars of Qatar mendations to the government. of a medical appointment sys- provision of health insurance ing the provision of home-based public discussion on education. mendation to raise the salaries of National Vision 2030, in co- tem in the health centres for Qa- suitable for employment in pri- medical services. The committee confi rmed supervisors as they are of value ordination with governmental Draft law on regulating tari patients by giving them the vate sector companies to be able It also recommended work- its previous recommendations, due to their experience in educa- entities, private sector and civil audit profession priority to meet the doctor. to receive non-emergency cases, ing on increasing the beds and which were stated under four tion and their role in monitoring society institutions. In the development of the as it will help relieve the pressure the rooms allocated for surgical categories, and added a few more teachers’ performance and de- The media plans will involve The council discussed the re- medical appointment system, on the emergency departments. operations, and discussed the based on the comments of the veloping their skills. carrying out intense awareness ports of the Economic and the the committee recommended Furthermore, the commit- possibility of the participation council members. programmes on the importance Financial Aff airs Committee on the a schedule of outpatient tee urged re-implementation of of the private sector in terms of Under the curriculum devel- Recommendations in en- of preserving the environment the draft law on regulating the clinics to ensure priority diff er- citizens’ health insurance, while providing the appropriate medi- opment category, the committee vironment sector and highlighting the importance audit profession and the draft entiation to determine medical correcting the mistakes of the cal workforce, which is an ob- recommended to focus on the of laws and environment pre- law on regulating partnership appointments between urgent previous experience in order to stacle to the optimal use of the Arabic language and Islamic ed- The council discussed the sup- serving organisations. between the public and private medical cases, which cannot af- benefi t the citizens by meeting current and future surgical op- ucation to promote the students’ plementary report of the Services In addition to qualifying and sectors. ford delays, and ordinary medi- their needs of health services erations rooms. national identities. and the Public Utilities Commit- training inspectors that are in After the discussion the coun- cal conditions, which do not en- whether provided by the govern- It urged measures to reduce In addition to giving interest tee on the public discussion re- charge of protecting the envi- cil approved both draft laws after danger the patient’s life. ment sector or the private sector. the waiting period for citizens to the students’ social and life quest submitted by a number of ronment and increasing their a few amendments of some arti- The committee also recom- It also suggested allowing the to undergo operations so as to skills which helps them deal with council members on the terrestrial numbers in accordance with the cles and decided to refer its rec- mended promoting the Qatari- national private insurance sector ensure that they do not have to the community in accordance to and marine environment. required numbers. ommendations on the amended sation of jobs in the appoint- to participate in the application resort to operations in the local the Qatari social customs. The committee recommended In its report the committee draft laws to the government.

Council to attend Asian Parliamentary Assembly meeting Silatech signs partnership pacts with WHO, UNITAR The Advisory Council will participate in the meeting of QNA the Standing Committee of the Geneva Asian Parliamentary Assembly on Political Aff airs, to be held in Isfahan, Iran, from 25 to 28 ilatech signed a co-op- June. eration agreement with The delegation of the Shura Sthe World Health Organi- Council is headed by HE the sation (WHO) to work under Chairman of the Asian-Qatari the “Working for Health” pro- Friendship Group, Rashid bin gramme, which is carried out Hamad al-Madadi. in partnership between WHO, The meeting will discuss a Organisation for Economic Co- number of parliamentary, operation and Development political, judicial and (OECD) and International La- developmental bills and other bour Organisation (ILO). topics on the rule of law and Also, Silatech signed a memo- the promotion of co-operation randum of understanding (MoU) among members. with the United Nations Insti- tute for Training and Research Public security (UNITAR) in the fi eld of youth chief meets employment training. Silatech CEO, Sabah al- Korean off icial Haidoos said that Silatech seeks to expand its network of part- HE the Director of Public nerships with international or- Security Staff Major General ganisations, especially the UN Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaifi met organisations and bodies, to the Director of the Public Safety empower young people eco- Bureau at the Korean National nomically and socially, and to Police Agency Kim Pyong-gu, in address global challenges such Doha yesterday. They discussed as the unemployment crisis and Silatech CEO Sabah al-Haidoos signing a memorandum of topics related to exchanging its consequences. Silatech CEO Sabah al-Haidoos with WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Institute for Training expertise and co-operation Al-Haidoos added that the off icials at WHO headquarters in Geneva. and Research. between both countries in rehabilitation, training, and ca- security fields. pacity-building of young people Sabah al-Haidoos met with young people to contribute to fa- Furthermore, Silatech CEO, eff orts to empower young people learning solutions to individuals, are important factors in facili- WHO Director-General Dr Te- cilitating their access to employ- Sabah al-Haidoos met with economically and socially, in ad- organisations, and institutions to Kyrgyz FM meets tating their access to economic dros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at ment opportunities in this vital Executive Director of UNITAR dition, to contribute to achieving a enhance global decision-making opportunities and the labour WHO headquarters in Geneva. sector which is growing rapidly. Nikhil Seth in Geneva in the number of priorities for the 2030 and support country-level action Qatar’s envoy market, in order to succeed and The meeting discussed the “Working for Health” fi ve- presence of HE the Permanent United Nations Youth Strategy. for shaping a better future. Minister of Foreign Aff airs of contribute to the development of partnership between Silatech year action plan aim to galva- Representative of Qatar to the The partnership also aims to This collaboration comes the Kyrgyz Republic, Chingiz their societies. and WHO, stressing the im- nise international support and United Nations in Geneva Am- achieve a number of sustainable within the framework of devel- Aidarbekov, met the ambassador She praised Silatech’s col- portance of working to provide help countries develop their own bassador Ali al-Mansouri. development objectives through oping and supporting Silatech’s of Qatar to Kyrgyzstan, Abdullah laboration with WHO and UNI- skilled and trained labour to health workforce policies and The meeting discussed ways capacity-building and training partnerships with international bin Ahmed al-Sulaiti, in capital TAR in the Working for Health contribute to the renaissance of capacities. to strengthening co-operation of young people, which con- organisations that are active and Bishkek yesterday. programme, which aims to raise this sector, especially in fragile This work will help countries in the fi eld of training and ca- tributes to facilitate their access important in order to empower During the meeting, they the effi ciency of health workers states and confl ict areas (Silate- achieve many of the Sustainable pacity-building of young people to jobs and achieve their aspi- and provide employment for the discussed the bilateral relations and provide employment and ch’s focus areas). Development Goals, particularly with the necessary skills to enter rations, that will contribute to largest number of young people and ways of strengthening and training opportunities for young The meeting also dealt with good health and well-being, the labour market. achieving the economic devel- and to achieve the Foundation’s developing them, as well as people. investment in education and quality education, decent jobs, Silatech’s partnership with opment of their communities. goal of providing 5mn youth jobs issues of mutual interest. Meanwhile, Silatech CEO, skills to build the capacities of and gender equality. UNITAR is part of its continuing UNITAR provides innovative by 2022. Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 QATAR MoTC completes dredging works at Doha Port Up to 3.5mn cubic metres of material in the approach The ministry aims to boost giant cruise ship, the MoTC has locations, within the framework channel have been cleared. Doha Port’s capacity to said in a statement. of the larger Qatar National Vi- Right: The dredging works will receive largest cruise ships The ministry aims to boost sion 2030,” said Sheikh Moham- enable the port to accommodate in future Doha Port’s capacity to be able to ed bin Khalid al-Thani, director more than one giant cruise ship. receive the largest cruise ships in of Technical Aff airs, MoTC. he Ministry of Transport the future, helping position the “Transforming Doha Port into Sheikh Mohamed said Doha and Communications capital city among the world’s top a main hub for cruise ships in the Port will contribute to boost- T(MoTC) has completed the cruise ship tourism destinations, region will generate signifi cant ing Qatar’s ranking as a favour- dredging works at Doha Port as the statement notes. economic returns to several key ite tourism destination in the part of its redevelopment project. “The Doha Port redevel- industries in Qatar like hotels, region through receiving su- Up to 3.5mn cubic metres of opment works contribute to restaurants, retail and service persize cruise ships and provid- material in the approach chan- achieving the Qatar National sectors,” he added. “Additional- ing all that is required to help nel have been cleared and an ex- Tourism Sector Strategy 2018- ly, it’s going to be one of Qatar’s bolster such a crucial industry, tra berthing has been provided 2023 that aims to place Qatar key landmarks during the FIFA which, eventually, contributes to to accommodate more than one among the world’s best tourism 2022 World Cup,” he noted. economic diversifi cation.

QNL names Athan contest winners

atar National Li- brary (QNL) has an- Qnounced the winners of the second annual ‘Beau- tiful Athan Contest’, held in May to coincide with the holy month of Ramadan. The contest for the most beautiful Athan (Islamic call to prayer) was open to all community members and received an “over- whelming response” of over 134 entries, the library said in a statement. Recordings submitted by contestants were judged on the basis of correct Arabic pronuncia- tion and vocal harmony. The contest highlighted the importance of the Athan in Islam; the delivery of the call in a soothing, pleasing tone is regarded as impor- tant in drawing Muslims to mosques for prayer. The three winners, pictured, are Ahmad Ab- dul Rahman al-Emadi, programme producer at Al Jazeera, in fi rst place; Moaz contest accessible to eve- Mohamed al-Louh, an ad- ryone.” ministrative manager, in Abdul Sattar added: “My second place; and Ahmad experience in this competi- Abdul Sattar, a high school tion was wonderful. It was a student, in third place. reason to enhance my rela- “I entered the competi- tionship with my religious tion after a friend encour- mentor, who gave me the aged me to participate. It opportunity to call Athan was an enjoyable and easy in the local mosque for experience for me,” said morning and noon prayers. al-Emadi. “The compe- Through this competition, I tition criteria made the have acquired a new talent.”

Ooredoo off er for new Shahry users

oredoo has an- nounced a new off er Ofor its new Shahry customers to give them extra 72Gb free, and 450 more for their money this international minutes free summer. over six months, while Customers subscribing to Shahry 250 customers Shahry plans will get a host currently getting 15Gb data of benefi ts, including free and 100 international min- data, extra international utes will get an extra 120Gb minutes, and free access to data free, and 600 interna- awesome entertainment and tional minutes free over six discounts in the country. months. Customers with all New customers with any Shahry plans will also get Shahry plan will be able to free subscriptions to Starz benefi t from the summer Play and Urban Point. promotion: Shahry 100 Manar Khalifa al-Mu- customers currently get- raikhi, director of PR and ting 5Gb data and 25 inter- Corporate Communica- national minutes will get an tions at Ooredoo, said: extra 30Gb data free, plus “This new summer off er 150 international minutes will ensure our custom- free over six months, while ers can stay connected to Shahry 150 customers cur- the Supernet for longer for rently getting 8Gb data and less, and stay in touch with 50 international minutes family and friends over will get an extra 60G data the summer. They’ll also free, plus 300 interna- be able to access quality tional minutes free over six entertainment, as well as months. saving even more money Also, Shahry 200 cus- with the Urban Point app, tomers currently getting both of which we’re sure 12Gb data and 75 interna- they’ll enjoy and make the tional minutes will get an most of.”

Indian embassy ‘open house’ Indian ambassador P labour and consular issues Kumaran will hold an ‘open of Indian nationals in Qatar. house’ on Thursday, June 27, The open house will be held on the embassy premises to from 3pm to 4pm on listen to/redress any urgent that day. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 5 QATAR

Envoy hails election of Italian cities for Hiba targets to reach Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games e are very proud of world heritage sites in Italy, and excited about have successfully joined forces 400,000 donors Wthe election of Mi- to deliver a memorable experi- lano and Cortina d’Ampezzo ence, that I am confi dent will By Joseph Varghese ry year at the beginning of the in the waiting list and there are Medicine. We will bring the do- as Host Cities of the Olym- be conducive to greater co- Staff Reporter holy month of Ramadan and it seven paediatric cases, too. They nor here and will collect the kid- pic and Paralympic Winter operation in the entire Alpine continues until Eid al-Adha. are ready for kidney transfer de- ney. Thereafter, the surgeons at Games in 2026, said Italian macro-region,” he said. Although the campaign ends pending on the availability and Sidra Medicine will conduct the ambassador Pasquale Salzano “This election brings Italy atar Organ Donation by the end of Eid al-Adha holi- others cases are being investi- transplant surgery,” he added. yesterday. and Qatar even closer in our Center (Hiba) at Hamad days, we continue the activities gated into,” noted the offi cial. The offi cial also noted that the “I would like to congratu- mutual commitment in the QMedical Corporation and hold several programmes at According to the offi cial, two centre has 12 adults in the wait- late the Italian National Ol- fi eld of sport as both countries targets to take the total number places such as hospitals, colleges transplants will take place within ing list for liver transplant. ympic Committee and the are preparing to host major of organ donors to 400,000 and others. However, the Ram- a month with live donors. The Hiba has set up booths in Italian cities for this impor- international events. Indeed from the current 350,000 by the Dr Yousuf al-Maslamani, adan campaign is more active,” seven paediatric cases are also various parts of the country in tant achievement and their we share a common challenge end of this year’s campaign, a director, Qatar Center for Organ explained Dr al-Maslamani. ready and, if they have a donor, leading malls, shopping centres innovative proposal which ahead: to provide top-level fa- top offi cial has said. Transplantation at HMC. Regarding the number of waiting the surgery will be done soon. and other venues where people confi rms the commitment of cilities and excellent hospital- “We already have 350,000 patients for various transplants, the Dr al-Maslamani also noted converge in large numbers, for Italy to host highly sustain- ity services, while contributing donors on our registry and society for the campaign,” said offi cial said there are 1,400 cases of that all the paediatric organ spreading awareness about organ able Games. The innovative to strengthen sport values such hope to reach 400,000 by the Dr Yousuf al-Maslamani, di- kidney failure reported. transplants will be done at Sidra donation. Those who are willing and creative Milano and the as teamwork, cultural exchange end of this year’s campaign. rector, Qatar Center for Organ “We need to investigate these Medicine hereafter. to donate their organs can regis- breath-taking city of Cortina, and fair positive competition. We are getting good response Transplantation, HMC. cases and put them on the wait- “All the paediatric transplant ter at any of these booths during a gem of the Italian Dolomites Good luck to Italy and Qatar!” from various segments of the “We start the campaign eve- ing list. As it is, only 170 cases are surgery will be done at Sidra the campaign period. and one of the many Unesco he added. Sport Page 4 Al Wakra Hospital plans to add new facilities

s part of the ongoing ex- Treatment, and the expansion tients, benefi ted from inpatient South Doha Airport area. healthcare staff by 6% during country’s National Burns Unit. pansion across Hamad of a number of existing services, surgical services at Al Wakra “Al Wakra Hospital has 326 the same period. The modern, purpose-built AMedical Corporation including rehabilitation, derma- Hospital, including obstetric, inpatient beds, 204 of which are “The increase in our work- facility, which was relocated (HMC), a number of new serv- tology, arthritis and rheumatol- gynaecologic, and burns surger- for general and acute patients force has helped reduce wait- from Rumailah Hospital in ices and facilities will be imple- ogy. He said there are also plans ies. Nearly 17,500 patients uti- and 87 of which are reserved for ing times in outpatient clinics. 2014, uses the latest equipment mented at Al Wakra Hospital in to establish a Blood Donation lised day care services, including critical care, high dependency, Waiting times for outpatient and techniques to treat both the coming years, said an offi cial. Center in Al Wakra. over 6,200 patients undergoing and burns patients. We have an services were reduced by 27% severely burned patients and Dr Sabah Alkadhi, medical During the last two years, Al day surgery. In 2018, 1,257 pa- additional 77 beds for observa- during the fi rst quarter of 2019 those with minor burn-related director of Al Wakra Hospital, Wakra Hospital has seen over tients underwent dialysis and tion and day care patients. Ap- compared to the same period in injuries. Dr Alkadhi said other said planned service upgrades a 15% increase in patient vol- 9,945 received intravenous ther- proximately 30 percent of our 2017. These reduced wait time recent additions include a ro- and facility expansions are part ume with a total of 699,496 apy. During the same year, over beds are in single occupancy represent appointment bookings botic surgery service for gener- of a larger strategy designed to patient visits in 2018, com- 5,600 babies were born at the rooms,” said Dr Alkadhi. in 19 medical al surgery and urology, Qatar’s enhance patient experience and pared to 605,924 in 2016. With hospital. Dr Alkadhi noted that the specialities,” said Dr Alkadhi. only dedicated Hernia Surgery reduce waiting time and length over 280,000 outpatient and Opened in 2012, and serving number of staff working at the Dr Alkadhi noted that as Center, the country’s fi rst of its of stay. more than 355,000 Emergency a local population of approxi- hospital has increased by over part of HMC’s response to kind specialised dental clinic Dr Alkadhi said Al Wakra Hos- Department visits in 2018, Al mately 500,000 people, Al 9% during the last three years, managing the healthcare re- for individuals with special pital is continuing to expand Wakra Hospital is the country’s Wakra Hospital was established with a 40% increase in staff quirements of Qatar’s growing needs, and countrywide col- services and future plans include second busiest hospital, behind to meet the increasing demand hired to support clinical serv- population, a number of key laborative dermatology, den- the commissioning of a new only Hamad General Hospital. for health services in the rap- ices since 2016. He noted that clinical services have been re- tistry, diabetes, neurology, CT scan, the establishment of a Last year more than 8,970 pa- idly growing communities of nursing and midwifery staff located to Al Wakra Hospital mental health, and cardiology Dr Sabah Alkadhi, medical Center of Excellence for Stone tients, including paediatric pa- Al Wakrah, Mesaieed, and the increased by 15% and allied in recent years, including the services. director, Al Wakra Hospital. International Junior Science Olympiad delegates praise Qatar’s preparations

he Ministry of Education and Higher Education has held Ta meeting with a delegation from the International Junior Science Olympiad organisation that is cur- rently visiting the country to review the preparations of Qatar to host the 16th International Youth Science Ol- ympiad – Qatar 2019, to be held from December 3 to 12. The meeting was chaired by Fawzia Abdulaziz al-Khater, Assistant Under- secretary for Educational Aff airs at the ministry and vice-chairperson of the 16th Olympiad organising committee; and Professor Paresh Joshi, president of the International Junior Science Ol- The meeting in progress. ympiad organisation. The meeting was attended by Robin have their confi rmed participation so Powles, secretary-general of the or- far, a number expected to increase by ganisation; Dr Khalid Abdulla al-Ali, the registration deadline. Assistant Undersecretary for Higher She also summarised the distinctive Education Aff airs and chairman of aspects of the upcoming Olympiad in the scientifi c committee; Ali Abdullah Qatar. The number of participating al-Buainain, Assistant Undersecre- countries has surpassed the Olympiad tary for Shared Services Aff airs and a organised in the Netherlands and will committee chairman; Hassan Abdulla be the largest in terms of participa- al-Mohamedi, chairman of the media tion. The participating countries will committee; and Ghada Larm, co-ordi- further enjoy privileges for aviation, nator for hospitality aff airs. accommodation, healthcare and secu- The meeting was also attended by a rity services. number of senior offi cials in the edu- The meeting presented a documen- cation sector along with Ginting Mas- tary fi lm on the preparations and read- no, founder of the organisation, and iness of Qatar to host the Olympiad, Deepak Mathur, adviser to the Scien- and showcased the achievements of tifi c Committee. Taking stock of the preparations. the country and various aspects of its At the beginning of the meeting, economic, scientifi c and sports ren- al-Khater welcomed the visiting del- sas. The organising committee, in co- aissance. egation members and presented the operation with relevant embassies and Professor Joshi expressed happi- preparations of Qatar for hosting the cultural attachés in Qatar, also issued ness with the preparations of Qatar to 16th International Junior Science Ol- invitations to participate in the Olym- host the Olympiad, praising the eff orts ympiad. piad. The committee is also partnering of the organising committee to at- The organising committee devel- with the Ministry of Public Health to tract the largest number of countries oped a structure and executive plan as provide high-quality healthcare to all to participate in the sixteenth edition part of the preparations and launched the participants. in Qatar. He also praised the presen- the offi cial website that contains all The venues of the International tation that confi rmed the readiness to necessary information for the par- Junior Science Olympiad will be as fol- host the Olympiad. Qatar is practically ticipating countries. Other govern- lows: tests will be administered at Qa- ready to organise the International ment entities, namely the ministries tar National Convention Centre, while Junior Science Olympiad and it already of Foreign Aff airs, Interior, Transport Ezdan Palace Hotel is designated as a feels like December 3, he added. & Communications, Culture & Sports, residency for students, the Ministry of After the meeting, the delegation and Public Health, as well as the Na- Education and Higher Education has inaugurated the offi cial headquarters tional Tourism Council are contribut- said in a statement. Marriott Marquis of the local organising committee of ing to making the Olympiad a success- City Center Doha Hotel was chosen to the International Junior Science Ol- ful one, it was observed. accommodate the participating team ympiad at the Ministry of Education Qatar provides accommodation and leaders, observers, guests and com- and Higher Education. transportation for delegations be- mittee members. The delegation has also visited Qa- tween the venues of the International Al-Khater said the organising com- tar Foundation for Education, Science Junior Science Olympiad, as well as mittee aims to welcome 70 countries and Community Development and facilitating traffi c and issuing entry vi- for the Olympiad, and 62 countries Qatar National Convention Centre. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 QATAR QNB staff trained

in sign language The training course in session. he Qatar Society for Reha- ing all members of society and and specialists working with it trainees from QNB who received al-Thani, the chairman of the The QSRSN’s goals also aim to tions and enable them to serve bilitation of Special Needs employees of state institutions, within Qatar and abroad. intensive practical training in QSRSN, said that the course is guarantee justice and equality to persons with disabilities of all T(QSRSN) has conducted the private sector, and all services Lecturers at the session in- sign language, with a focus on part of the organisation’s objec- persons with disabilities in the kinds, including hearing disabili- a specialised training course in and public institutions in com- cluded Naji Zakarneh, hear- banking terminology. tives and plans to rehabilitate practice of their rights and ob- ties, effi ciently. sign language for the deaf for munication skills to properly deal ing disability counsellor at the At the end of the course, Amir persons with special needs and tainment of services provided by Sheikh Thani praised the co- a number of QNB Group staff with persons with all types of QSRSN and sign language anchor al-Mulla, executive director of integrate them into society, allow all state’s institutions, whether operation between the QSRSN members. disabilities, the QSRSN has said with Al Jazeera, and sign lan- the QSRSN, honoured the lectur- them greater convenience and private or public, the statement and QNB, and expressed the wish The course is part of a series of in a statement. guage expert Professor Abdul- ers and distributed certifi cates to facilitate their access to all types adds. that the fruitful co-operation training courses organised by the The courses are provided by salam al-Wardat. the trainees. of services, just like the rest of Besides, the QSRSN aims to continues in the interest of peo- QSRSN with the aim of qualify- the QSRSN through consultants The course was attended by 13 Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah society. train the staff of all state institu- ple with disabilities.

Aspire Academy celebrates Qatar achieves milestone in civil aviation safety graduation of 12th batch Qatar, represented by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), has set a new record in the results of the safety oversight audit of civil aviation, according to the Universal Safety The Aspire Academy is celebrating today the graduation of its Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP). 12th batch, including 41 students in athletics, fencing, football, The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has conducted an audit of the soccer, squash, table tennis, archery, golf, and gymnastics. CAA and its safety system, through which it verifies the compatibility of the country’s HE the Second Vice-President of the Qatar Olympic Committee air safety standards with the international standards and standards contained in the and Chairman of the Qatar Athletics Federation, Dr Thani bin Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and its annexes. Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, Aspire Academy deputy director- For the first time in the world, the safety record of the civil aviation system in Qatar general Ali Salem Afifa, and a number of heads of sports achieved a compliance rate of 91.16%, according to the new ICAO standards, which federations and ranking off icials of Aspire Academy will attend were implemented in 2018. the ceremony. Thus, Qatar becomes the first country to receive this percentage through the results The graduation of the 12th batch of students is another step of a comprehensive audit of all aspects of aviation safety of the civil aviation system. in the 15-year-old academy’s journey to becoming one of the This achievement is a clear indication of the eff ectiveness of the role of the civil world’s leading sports academies by 2020 and one of the main aviation safety system in Qatar, especially as it works in a challenging environment providers to national teams and clubs. and within exceptional circumstances under the blockade imposed on it for more The academy plays a key role in the development of the sports than two years. sector in Qatar, providing an integrated educational programme In recognition of this extraordinary achievement, Qatar will be honoured at the next for students by developing their sports and educational skills. Aspire Academy’s 12th batch of graduates. meeting of the ICAO in September in Montreal, Canada. – QNA Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 7 QATAR Qatar Airways adds Portugal to expanding European network

atar Airways announced to the Portuguese market and that its fi rst-ever pas- will provide passengers travel- Qsenger fl ight to Portugal ling from Lisbon with access to landed at Lisbon Airport yes- Qatar Airways’ extensive global terday, as the airline adds to its route network of more than 160 rapidly expanding European destinations around the world.” network. The new daily direct services Operated by a Boeing 787 to Lisbon will be operated by the Dreamliner aircraft, fl ight QR airline’s state-of-the-art Boeing Qatar Airways flight QR 343 was greeted with a water cannon salute 343 was greeted with a water 787 Dreamliner, with 22 seats in on arrival at Lisbon Airport. cannon salute on arrival. Business Class and 232 seats in Present on board the inaugural Economy. Qatar Airways pas- Maldives, Bangkok, Sydney and A330 freighters to Zaragoza, pro- fl ight to Lisbon was Portuguese sengers travelling in Business more, the statement noted. viding more than 950 tonnes of ambassador to Qatar Ricardo Class “can relax in one of the Lisbon has also joined Qatar cargo capacity to customers. Pracana and Qatar Airways most comfortable, fully lie-fl at Airways’ air freight network, Qatar Airways currently oper- chief commercial offi cer Simon beds in the sky as well as en- with the carrier’s cargo arm of- ates a fl eet of more than 250 air- Talling-Smith. They were met joy a fi ve-star food and bever- fering a total capacity of 70 craft via its hub, Hamad Interna- by VIPs, including Qatari am- age service served ‘dine on de- tonnes to and from Portugal each tional Airport, to more than 160 bassador to Portugal Saad Ali al- mand,’” the airline has said in a week, and a direct connection to destinations worldwide. Muhannadi and the chief execu- statement. Passengers can also destinations in Europe, the Mid- Lisbon is the fourth new des- tive of Aeroportos de Portugal take advantage of the airline’s dle East and the Americas via tination to be introduced by the Thierry Ligonniere. award-winning in-fl ight enter- Doha. airline this summer following Qatar Airways Group chief ex- tainment system, Oryx One, of- In addition to this, Qatar Air- the launch of fl ights to Izmir, ecutive HE Akbar al-Baker said, fering up to 4,000 options. ways Cargo has a huge presence Turkey; and Rabat, Morocco; in “We are delighted to launch di- The service opens up a world in neighbouring Spain with 47 May; with Malta at the begin- rect services to Lisbon, the lat- Off icials mark the occasion. of connectivity for Qatar Air- belly-hold cargo fl ights to Bar- ning of June and Davao, the Phil- est addition to Qatar Airways’ ways customers travelling from celona and Madrid, including ippines on June 18; followed by rapidly expanding European boasting of a rich artistic and ing business and leisure travel- tination, one of the oldest capi- Lisbon to destinations across seasonal fl ights to Malaga each Mogadishu, Somalia, on July 1; network. Lisbon is renowned for gastronomic heritage. lers alike on board so that they tals in Western Europe. The new Africa, Asia and Australia, such week. The carrier also operates and Langkawi, Malaysia, on Oc- its extensive history and culture, “We look forward to welcom- may experience this vibrant des- route confi rms our commitment as Maputo, Hong Kong, Bali, 10 weekly Boeing 777 and Airbus tober 15. Nakilat signs pact with ‘Al Jazeera Media Network’ for campaigns

akilat has signed a moting its global shipping and “This MoU is part of our on- He said the Al Jazeera network “This MoU is part of our memorandum of un- maritime operations to both lo- going eff orts to promote our is capable of providing this plat- ongoing eff orts to Nderstanding (MoU) with cal and international audiences. company as a global leader in form for it and allow delivering promote our company Al Jazeera Media Network to The MoU was signed by Rash- energy and services. It not only its message to the targeted audi- as a global leader in collaborate on strategic media id Hamad al-Marri, chief ad- reaffi rms Nakilat’s commitment ences around the world. energy and services” campaigns as documentaries, ministration offi cer of Nakilat towards operational excellence, “We are delighted to sign a television advertisements, and and Abdullah al-Najjar, execu- but also sustainable develop- memorandum of understanding expand and be further strength- training for the company. tive director of Global Brand and ment of the community as es- with a leading Qatari company ened in the future to achieve the This agreement is aligned International Communication at poused within Qatar National in its fi eld such as Nakilat. We common interest of our two in- Al-Marri and al-Najjar seal the deal. with Nakilat’s strategy in pro- Al Jazeera Media Network. Vision 2030,” al-Marri said. hope that our co-operation will stitutions,” al-Najjar said. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 QATAR Doha Festival City LuLu extends helping hand to QRCS welcomes Toy Story atar Red Crescent ‘Charity Products’ is an in- (QRCS) has received a novative donation initiative oha Festival City (DHFC) will have exclusive access on Qdonation cheque for whose idea is to allocate part of has announced that it June 27, the opening day, from QR125,000 from LuLu Hyper- the sales of some goods to those Dis “off ering yet another 6pm onwards, and priority ac- market towards the ‘Charity projects. reason” to celebrate this sum- cess on any other day. Products’ projects. It was agreed to market the mer, bringing a special interac- Those who have not registered The donation is for social charity products between Qatar tive game station where children their kids yet can still sign up for welfare projects carried out by Red Crescent and LuLu Hyper- will get to play with the char- the Kids Club membership free QRCS in Qatar, which benefi t market earlier. The project has acters of their favourite family of charge via the Doha Festival many poor and needy families, received a high turnout from the movie — Toy Story, whose fourth City website or by visiting the and is within the framework of customers of LuLu.” instalment is premiering global- DHFC Customer Service desk co-operation between Qatar This partnership is part of a ly this summer. located on the fi rst fl oor. Red Crescent and LuLu Hyper- memorandum of understand- Between June 27 and July 20, The event comes as part of market, according to a press ing between QRCS and LuLu children can enjoy a variety of a series of activities that the statement. Hypermarket as a legal basis for activities at the ‘Toy Story’ sta- mall management has planned The cheque handover cer- partnership between the two tion located at the Centre Court for families during the summer emony was attended by Jassim parties in mobilising commu- on the ground fl oor of Doha Fes- holidays. Mohamed al-Emadi, director of QRCS and LuLu Hypermarket off icials at the donation cheque handover ceremony. nity support for charitable and tival City, DHFC has said in a Robert Hall, general manager, Resource Mobilisation; Abdul- humanitarian activities car- statement. The event is open to said: “Doha Festival City is ex- lah Hamed al-Mulla, director develop channels of donation in line with Qatar National Vi- Shaijan M O said: “We at LuLu ried out by Qatar Red Crescent all, subject to a minimum spend cited to collaborate with Disney of Communication; and Manal commensurate with the spirit sion 2030.” Hypermarket are very grateful within and outside Qatar, with of QR100 within the mall. to host a unique event in time Issa al-Fuhaid, director of Gen- of the times and the wishes of He thanked LuLu Hypermar- for the excellent co-operation the authorisation of the charity “From interactive screens for the Toy Story 4 global pre- eral Resources; from QRCS; as donors. Qatar Red Crescent will ket for its support to humani- with Qatar Red Crescent, who organisation 90/2019. teaching animation techniques miere. Our partnership will con- well as by Shaijan M O, regional seek in the coming period to cre- tarian projects in general and participated in the ‘Charity Qatar Red Crescent seeks to to colour-in sheets, DIY gift tinue to bring our little shoppers director; Shanavas P M, regional ate more humanitarian products for the partnership with QRCS Products’ project. We also thank achieve its mission of preserving cards and photo opportunities closer to the characters they manager; and other offi cials that will expand the scope of in particular. He hoped that all LuLu customers for the trust lives and human dignity, which with their favourite characters, love throughout the year. We from LuLu Hypermarket. charitable work, which is com- businesses would follow LuLu’s they have placed in paying part is also an essential contributor kids aged 4-12 years will fi nd strive to make Festival City the Al-Emadi said: “Qatar Red mensurate with the vision of path to serve humanity and pro- of the sales for the benefi t of to the goals set for Qatar Na- something to get them excited place where families always fi nd Crescent is always seeking to development adopted by QRCS vide it with all that is necessary. poor families.” tional Vision 2030. and fi ll their summer holiday something fun and entertaining with pleasure at this fun and in- to do. We welcome everyone to teractive ‘Toy Story’ station,” the join us and enjoy more memo- statement notes. rable moments and experiences DHFC Kids Club members with us at Doha Festival City.” Aspire’s summer camp plans fi eld visits to local attractions

spire Zone Foundation ing their horizons and hopefully Dentist, Police Offi cer to Fire- (AZF) has announced inspiring them to study science fi ghter, Actor and Singer. Athat it has fi nalised the in the future. KidZania also off ers much fi eld visit schedule for the sec- The visit will also provide pano- more, with its own currency, ond edition of the summer camp ramic views of space, stars and economy, ideals and positivity for kids, which is scheduled to galaxies as well as comets and for a better world. kick off on July 7. other elements of the solar system. The camp’s programme in- The initiative aims to off er The dome is characterised cludes a variety of sporting interesting educational op- by its 2D and 3D displays, sup- activities, including athletics, portunities for children aged ported by a high-quality sound gymnastics, aerobics, long jump, 6-13 years old, AZF has said in a system, which off ers a unique tennis, badminton, swimming statement. and exciting experience of the lessons and training sessions in The fi eld visits scheduled for wonders of the universe. basketball, handball, taekwondo, the Summer Camp programme AZF’s summer programme football and volleyball. will include renowned land- will also entail a visit to KidZa- The Summer Camp is being Honda models recalled over safety concerns marks across the country, in- nia Doha, where children can in- organised in partnership with cluding the National Museum of Children will also learn about One of the most important dependently choose from more Katara, KidZania, the NMoQ, The Ministry of Commerce and In a statement yesterday, the Qatar (NMoQ). the origins of Qatar’s 700mn- stations planned on the weekly than 60 real-life fun activities in the Cage Sport, Planet Medical Industry (MoCI), in co-operation MoCI said the recall campaign The visit to the museum will year-old geological history, and visits is the Thuraya Planetari- a safe and secure kid-sized city. Centre and STEM Xplorers. with Domasco, dealer of Honda in comes within the framework of provide children with a rich ed- will get to know more about um at Katara — the Cultural Vil- Designed by educators for For those who wish to register Qatar, has announced a recall of its continuous eff orts to protect ucational and cultural opportu- their ancestors and the estab- lage Foundation. children aged 4-14 years, Kid- their kids for the summer camp, Honda Odyssey and Accord models consumers and ensure that car nity and acquaint them with the lishment of old cities, as well as It will teach them about as- Zania blends learning and reality all terms and conditions and the of 2003-2007 due to a possible dealers follow up on vehicle heritage of Qatar through inter- the rapid modernisation of the tronomical bodies in an interac- with entertainment. registration portal can be found defect in the driver’s side airbag. defects and repairs. active chronological displays. Qatari society and its people. tive and engaging way, expand- Activities range from Doctor, at www.aspirezone.qa

Jaidah’s Shell Lubricants promotion winners named Partial bridge closure

hell Lubricants, offi- From Woqod, Abdulla Mo- cially distributed in Qa- hamed A S Alsafar, media ana- S tar by Jaidah Group, has lyst, along with Sajid Mehmood, announced the winners of its area supervisor, Gowhar Nazir, promotional draw that ran category offi cer, and Jojin Jacob, over the last three months in auto care co-ordinator, attend- partnership with Woqod fuel ed the event. stations. Shahid said: “Shell Lubri- As part of the promotion, cants and Jaidah Group have customers who changed their always been committed to engine oils at any Woqod fuel building trust and improv- station in Qatar using Shell ing customer experience, in Lubricants entered a draw for line with our desire to help a chance to win a Samsung customers move forward. We Galaxy 9, an iPhone X and were pleased to have part- the grand prize of a Hyundai nered with Woqod stations. Veloster. Congratulations to all the The award ceremony took winners!” The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a temporary place at the Woqod Al Hilal Jaidah Group and Shell Lu- closure of one north-bound lane of Al Shamal Road at Al Gharrafa fuel station. bricants in Qatar have devel- Bridge (known as Immigration Bridge) from today for three weeks. Muheenudeen Salahudeen oped a strong partnership of Aimed at facilitating emergency repairs on the bridge, the closure was the lucky winner of the more than 40 years. will be implemented in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Hyundai Veloster, while Er- The two businesses have Traff ic, Ashghal has said in a statement. During the closure period, the win Mercado won the Sam- introduced market-leading, number of lanes on Al Gharrafa Bridge will be reduced from three to sung Galaxy 9 and Abdul- sought-after oil and lubricant two lanes for those heading from Doha towards the north using 22 rasheed Valappil the iPhone The award ceremony took place at the Woqod Al Hilal fuel station. products across the country, February Street, the statement notes. The authority has advised all X. off ering numerous benefi ts to road users to use alternative routes to avoid congestion that might be Jaidah Group was represented ager of Shell Lubricants; Ab- supervisor; Maud Daniel, Group Danielle Morrison, marketing both commercial and retail cus- witnessed at Al Gharrafa Interchange, as shown on the attached map. by Saeed Shahid, general man- delaaziz Boudelliou, Shell sales marketing director; as well as manager. tomers, the statement adds.

Xerox launches Iridesse Production Press for printing, packaging needs in Qatar

erox, in partnership with Darwish Trading Compa- Xny, its master distributor in Qatar, has launched the Xerox Iridesse Production Press for customers in Qatar. The launch event in Doha, titled ‘Iridesse Launch – Col- our Reignited’, was attended by printing and packaging enti- ties from across Qatar, including commercial printing companies A view of the gathering at the event. and graphics and arts clients from across public and private speciality dry inks in one print- Qatar’s printers to gain stronger of the current output and beauti- sectors. ing pass. market positioning and keep ful results produced by the press Ahmad al-Afi esh, division “This is the only digital press their customers from reaching are outstanding,” said al-Afi esh. manager of Darwish Trading that can print metallic gold or out to other regional printing Iridesse eliminates multiple Company-Xerox; Deepak Shetty, silver dry ink, CMYK and clear services suppliers,” said Chris presses and processes usually re- sales manager; Mohd Tawfi q, fi - dry ink in a single pass, giving Lynch, head of PSG for the Mid- quired for print embellishments, nance controller; Nick Conell, print providers an immediate dle East and Africa operations. increasing capacity and profi ts Iridesse product manager — Xer- competitive edge in the growing “Iridesse Production Press is a for customers. ox; Andrea Evangelou, marketing digital print enhancement mar- game-changing product that has Digital print enhancement can executive — Xerox; Anish Shah, ket,” a press statement noted. already sparked a lot of interest result in a rapid return on invest- business manager — PSG; Nico- “The Iridesse launch in Qatar from our customers. The press ment as print service providers’ la, business manager — Xerox; is one of the biggest of the year. produces special eff ects and dig- profi t margins on such embel- John Fennell, EFI specialist; and Qatar’s market demand is grow- ital enhancements cost-eff ec- lishments can be quite high. many others were present during ing with the oil price recovery tively and in a simplifi ed work- The Iridesse Production Press the launch. in the past few years and local fl ow environment like no other is now available for order-taking The Xerox Iridesse Production printers are challenged when it digital production press can. We in Qatar. Press is a high-speed, six-station comes to meeting the demand of can’t wait to see what Iridesse Those interested should check colour press that combines four- their existing and potential cus- can do for our customers on the with their local sales representa- The Xerox Iridesse Production Press is a high-speed, six-station colour press. colour printing with up to two tomers. Iridesse will now allow long run, and the demonstration tive for regional availability. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 9 QATAR

Safari announces draw winners HEC Paris honours Qatar graduates

Safari Hypermarket Group in Qatar has announced the first lucky draw winners of the ‘Win 15 Toyota Fortuner 2019 Cars’ promotion. The draw was held at Safari Mall, Abu Hamour, yesterday in the presence of an off icial from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and members of the Safari management and staff . The winners of the three Toyota Fortuner 2019 vehicles are Asan Lebbe Mohamed Rifas (coupon No 0605726), Vinod Kadayil (coupon No 0540783) and Toymath Adhikari (coupon No 0303899).

QP, Chevron Phillips to build ME’s largest ethane cracker at Ras Laff an

From Page 1 new joint venture company be- to His Highness the Amir Sheikh tween Qatar Petroleum (with Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, for The venture will cost billions a 70% participating interest), his guidance and unwavering of dollars “though a more pre- and Chevron Phillips Chemical support of the energy sector. cise estimate must await the Company (with a 30% partici- He also expressed thanks to HEC Paris, one of the world’s leading providers of executive education, honoured 129 graduates from its latest cohort of the International completion of engineering stud- pating interest). Qatar Petroleum’s executives Executive MBA and the Specialised Master in Strategic Business Unit Management from Qatar at its annual graduation ceremony ies,” al-Kaabi said. The Woodlands, Texas-based and staff for their dedication on the HEC Paris main campus in Jouy en Josas, Paris. Prof Peter Todd, dean, HEC Paris; Jean-Paul Vermes, chairman, HEC Paris; and He revealed Qatar Petroleum Chevron Phillips Chemical and commitment, and to all the Nathalie Lugagne, associate dean of Executive Education, attended the ceremony alongside VIP guests and dignitaries such as Ali had raised the production target Company, equally owned indi- companies that submitted off ers Zainal, ambassador and permanent representative of Qatar to Unesco; and Nadia al-Sheebi, deputy head of mission of the Qatari from an initial plan for 1.6mn rectly by Chevron Corporation for this project. embassy in France. HEC Paris in Qatar off ers the International Executive MBA, ranked #6 worldwide by the Financial Times, and the tonnes a year. and Phillips 66, is one of the On his part, Lashier said: Specialised Master in Strategic Business Unit Management. It also off ers Executive Short programmes and certificates, as well as custom “We saw better results than ex- world’s top producers of olefi ns “Developing the Ras Laf- programmes for companies. pected from the North Field, and and polyolefi ns and a leading fan Petrochemicals Project is we were able to have more ethane supplier of aromatics, alpha ole- a tremendous opportunity for available for extraction, which can fi ns, styrenics, speciality chemi- our company to expand on our be used as the feedstock. So, QP cals, plastic piping and polymer highly-successful joint ventures increased the venture’s ethylene resins. with Qatar to meet the growing target. We like them big in Qatar,” Al-Kaabi said: “The conclu- global demand for petrochemi- al-Kaabi said. sion of these agreements consti- cal products that enrich lives The project will be built to tutes an important milestone for around the world. We look for- the highest standards, deploy- Qatar Petroleum as petrochemi- ward to building on our strong ing state-of-the-art technolo- cals represent a major pillar of relationship with Qatar Petro- gies and placing utmost impor- our growth strategy to achieve leum and believe that these new Qatar Museums’ tance on safety, reliability and our vision of becoming one of world-scale assets will deliver the environment. the best national oil and gas exceptional value.” The ethane cracker complex companies in the world.” The engineering design of will provide excellent opportu- Al-Kaabi added: “This project the Ras Laff an petrochemi- nities for Qatar’s private sector will optimise the utilisation of cals project “should commence to contribute to the develop- ethane produced from the North shortly, leading to a planned ment of the country’s energy Field LNG expansion project as start-up in late 2025”, Qatar Pe- Culture Pass sector, and will generate signifi - well as from existing ethane pro- troleum said in a statement. cant revenues that will support ducing projects. It will also con- Petrochemicals are the build- the further development of na- solidate Qatar’s position among ing blocks of the society and are tional economy. the world’s leading petrochemi- used extensively from sports The agreements to set up cals producers, and complement shoes to computer keyboards. the petrochemical complex our eff orts to further expand our They are created when oil and were made during a ceremony footprint in the global petro- natural gas molecules are split, off ers discounts, at the Ritz-Carlton. The rel- chemicals markets. or cracked, to produce ethylene, evant project agreements were “This major project will pro- propylene and other chemicals. signed by al-Kaabi and by Mark vide excellent opportunities for Ethylene is used to make pol- E Lashier, president & CEO of Qatar’s private sector to con- yethylene, the most commonly Chevron Phillips Chemical. tribute to the development of used plastic. The ceremony was attended our oil and gas sector, and will Energy producers view these by senior Qatar Petroleum, generate signifi cant revenues compounds increasingly as cru- tours, shows Chevron Corporation, Phillips that will support the further cial to unlocking more profi t 66, and Chevron Phillips Chem- development of our economy from each barrel of crude they atar Museums (QM) is tivities and products for resi- ical Company executives. and the well-being of all people pump, and demand for these off ering up to 70% dis- dents and visitors to Qatar.” The signed agreements gov- living in Qatar.” chemicals is growing faster than Qcounts for Culture Pass “We are pleased to partner ern the project’s ownership The minister concluded his for oil and gas, a Bloomberg dis- members in designated enter- with QM with its varied off erings and development through a remarks by expressing gratitude patch said. Business Page 1 tainment and games providers in culture, entertainment and during the ‘Summer in Qatar learning. At QNTC, we aim to (SiQ)’ programme, it has been continue working with partners announced. to bring more entertainment and In partnership with the Qa- culture opportunities, showcas- tar National Tourism Council ing our traditions in ways that are Qatar stresses need to address (QNTC), QM noted that they will infi nitely modern,” he added. also off er discounts on organ- The Culture Pass initiative was ised tours, including archaeology designed to create opportunities challenges of climate change tours, public art tours, museums for those who live in and visit curator-led tours, as well as art Qatar to experience the best of talks and more than 40 educa- the country’s art, heritage and QNA This came in a speech by HE the sustainable development of ag- tional workshops tailored by QM culture. Rome Minister of Municipality and En- ricultural production, fi sheries department of education. According to QM, the benefi ts vironment Abdulla bin Abdulaziz and livestock. SiQ, organised by QNTC and Fahad al-Obaidly introducing the new tiers. are expertly curated to off er ex- bin Turki al-Subaie, delivered by HE al-Malki said that in the its partners, including QM, start- citing, sometimes exclusive, ac- atar has stressed the the ambassador of Qatar to Italy belief that its food security is ed on June 4 and runs until Au- Plus and Culture Pass Family will explore the Qatari culture and cess to some of the world’s best need to confront all and Permanent Representative part of the regional and global gust 16, featuring a wide range of enjoy benefi ts such as exclusive heritage, our tailored benefi ts cultural experiences, master- Qthe threats and severe to the United Nations agencies food security, Qatar has estab- exciting indoor and outdoor ex- discounts on tourism products, and off ers will give locals and piece collections and one-of-a- challenges resulting from cli- in Rome, Abdulaziz bin Ahmed lished companies specialised in periences, along with entertain- outdoor, mall and retail activi- residents the opportunity to have kind experiences. mate change and its impact on al-Malki al-Jehni, at the 41st agricultural, livestock and fi sh ment shows. SiQ also showcases ties, and family entertainment. joyful and knowledgeful summer Culture Pass membership of- the scarcity of water resources, Session of the FAO Conference in production and put launched local, regional, and international Qatar residents can also in- in Qatar this year,” QM’s mem- fers free unlimited access to mu- adding that the challenges fac- Rome yesterday. many agricultural investment artistes, edutainment, sum- vite their families, relatives and berships co-ordinator Fahad al- seums, as well as discounts at ing agriculture in ensuring glo- The ambassador addressed projects for private inves- mer and sports camps, as well as friends to Doha this summer Obaidly said in a press statement. many restaurants, cafes and on bal food security and the sus- the challenges and risks facing tors and a number of strategic special promotions on inbound with exclusive savings of up to Khalid al-Jumaily from QNTC community classes in Qatar. It tainable management of natural agriculture and global food se- projects to produce vegetables travel, hospitality and shopping. 25% on fl ights to Qatar. said, “The SiQ programme fea- can be purchased at the Museum resources were multifaceted. curity and Qatar’s promotion of using greenhouses. Members of QM’s Culture Pass “Culture Pass is your gate to tures a host of exciting new ac- of Islamic Art gift shop.

Richard Mille’s sporting partners having a dream run

ichard Mille’s sporting the driver brandishing his tro- longing to Toyota Gazoo Racing partners have been mak- phy before a crowd of 400,000 that the title-holder, Alonso, Ring headlines with their anticipate those of Rafa with took to the track for his last en- victories for close to a month, the Coupe des Mousquetaires. durance race on the Manceau and the Swiss luxury watchmak- Holder of 18 Grand Slam titles, circuit. ing brand has congratulated the the Majorcan demonstrated After winning fi ve out of six achievements of these sports- once again with this unprec- races over the season, Alonso men in their respective disci- edented duodecima victory that is retiring from endurance rac- plines. his determination is stronger ing with panache: “This won’t “What a ride it has been, with than anything, and bring him be my last race at Le Mans. I’ll Simon Pagenaud winning Indi- to the heights of international come back, but not next year, Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning against Austria’s anapolis, Rafael Nadal’s victory tennis. “Unquestionably, he is because my schedule is too tight Dominic Thiem during their men’s singles final match at the 2019 in Roland Garros for the 12th one of the greatest champions until 2020. I’ll see what oppor- French Open. PICTURE: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images) time and now, Fernando Alonso the sport has ever known,” the tunity brings (...) I have many and Sebastien Buemi’s triumph statement notes. extraordinary memories with ultimate challenge, but for now I an RM 67-02 in the colours of at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this Two other Richard Mille part- this team. haven’t decided anything.” their country. Richard Mille has past weekend,” according to a ners are on fi re this midsum- The snow at Spa, the legen- With Alonso and Buemi atop also extended congratulations press statement issued in Doha mer month: two-time Formula dary track at Sebring, Le Mans, the podium, third place at Le to the other partner teams that by Ali Bin Ali Holding. 1 world champion Alonso and of course, the atmosphere of Mans went to another Rich- participated in the race, such May 26 is a date Pagenaud will Buemi savoured their victory the championship and the great ard Mille partner, Stoff el Van- as Jackie Chan DC Racing and never forget. On that day, at 35 alongside Kazuki Nakajima at fanbase. I loved it all. But I also doorne, driver of the BR1 #11 TDS Racing, which respectively Simon Pagenaud of France celebrates after winning the 103rd running years old, he claimed his fi rst the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was like to move outside my comfort SMP Racing. earned second and third places of the Indianapolis 500. PICTURE: Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Indianapolis 500 title. Images of at the wheel of the #8 car be- zone. The Dakar is probably my The three drivers each wore in LMP2. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD

Interior ministry takes part in GCC meeting Syria says Iran says US cyber-attacks failed foreign Reuters ber-strikes, which had been everything we can to ratchet Jeddah planned previously, had disa- things down,” British Foreign bled Iranian rocket launch sys- Secretary Jeremy Hunt said. attack tems. US offi cials have declined US Secretary of State Mike ran said yesterday US to comment. Pompeo jetted to the Middle cyber-attacks on its mili- “They try hard, but have not East to discuss Iran with the damaged Itary had failed, while also carried out a successful attack,” leaders of Saudi Arabia and the hinting that it could be will- Mohamed Javad Azari Jahromi, United Arab Emirates, two Gulf ing to discuss new concessions Iran’s minister for information Arab allies that favour a hard oil pipelines with Washington if the United and communications technol- line. He told European report- States were to lift sanctions ogy, said on Twitter. ers on a phone call ahead of his and off er new incentives. “Media asked if the claimed arrival that Trump was willing AFP The longtime foes have come cyber-attacks against Iran are to sit down with Iran, but Iran Damascus the closest in years to a direct true,” he said. “Last year we must do a deal before sanctions military confrontation in the neutralised 33mn attacks with could be lifted. past week with the shooting the (national) fi rewall.” US-Iran relations began to n act of sabotage car- down of a US drone by Iran. Allies of the United States deteriorate last year when the ried out with the help of US President Donald Trump have been calling for steps to United States abandoned a 2015 Aa foreign state damaged The Ministry of Interior, represented by the Police College and Lekhwiya, is taking part in the aborted a retaliatory strike just defuse the crisis, saying they agreement between Iran and underwater pipelines connected 13th meeting of the Directors General of GCC Security Education and Training Institutions, minutes before impact. fear a small mistake on either world powers designed to curb to Syria’s Banyas oil refi nery, a which kicked off in Riyadh, yesterday. The Police College presented a paper on the US media have reported that side could trigger war. Iran’s nuclear programme in re- senior offi cial said yesterday. establishment of a database for security education and training systems in the GCC countries. the United States launched “We are very concerned. We turn for the lifting of sanctions. While he did not name the The paper highlighted the concept of training and security education, the most important cyber-attacks even as Trump don’t think either side wants a They got sharply worse last alleged perpetrator, the deputy pillars of modern security education and training systems in the State of Qatar, in addition to called off the air strike. war, but we are very concerned month when Trump tightened head of the Syria company for the importance of the database in the systems of security education and training. The Washington Post said that we could get into an ac- sanctions, ordering all countries oil transport, Qais Deeb, said the on Saturday that the cy- cidental war and we are doing to stop buying Iranian oil. attack was intended as a “mes- sage” to Damascus. The government of Presi- dent Bashar al-Assad has been slapped with a raft of Western economic sanctions, including an oil embargo the United States and its partners sometimes en- force militarily. Palestinians protest against The Syrian state news agency SANA on Sunday released pic- tures of what it said were the remains of mines used in an act of sabotage against underwater pipelines near Banyas. Kushner’s economic peace plan “An oil leak was discovered on Saturday, and divers carried Reuters The Bahrain conference will out inspections of the undersea Gaza/Ramallah be attended by Gulf states as pipelines, which revealed that well as Jordan and Egypt. fi ve pipelines have been dam- Israel is expected to send aged,” it said. alestinians burned por- a business delegation but no It quoted Petroleum and traits of President Donald government officials. Mineral Resources Minister Ali PTrump as they protested Mahmoud Barhoush, 25, Ghanem as telling state televi- in both the Gaza Strip and the said he didn’t know whether to sion that six underwater pipe- Israeli-occupied West Bank laugh or cry at what he called lines connecting oil tankers to yesterday against US-led plans many states’ “treasonous” the Banyas terminal had been for a conference on their econ- participation. damaged. omy in Bahrain. “Enough of your running Speaking to Sham FM radio Many Palestinian business into the arms of Trump and yesterday, Qais Deeb said the groups have said they will boy- (Israeli Prime Minister Ben- damage was signifi cant and cott the June 25-26 event, billed jamin) Netanyahu,” he said at temporarily made it impossible as part of Washington’s long- the Ramallah protest. for oil tankers to offl oad. awaited Israeli-Palestinian “Whoever attends is not a He described the act of sabo- peace plan and spearheaded by Palestinian and is not wel- tage as “professional work” that Trump’s adviser and son-in- comed in Palestine. There ruled out local players. law Jared Kushner. should be measures taken “The idea was to attack our “Down with Bahrain, down against them,” said Maisoon nation and send a message,” with Trump, down with the Alqadoomi, 32, a Fatah activist Deeb said, adding that the repair Manama conference,” chanted from Ramallah. work was already under way. crowds in Gaza, which is ruled Palestinian leaders yester- Syria is suff ering from a by the group Hamas. day renewed their calls for a months-old fuel crisis, exac- Some burned large paint- boycott of the conference. erbated by US-led sanctions, ings of Trump marked with the “This workshop is simply and has received Iranian oil words: “Deal of the devil”. Lead- a political laundry for settle- shipments this year to ease the ers in both territories have ac- ments and a legitimisation of shortages. cused Washington of pro-Israel occupation,” Palestinian Prime Prior to the start in 2011 of the bias and railed against the con- Palestinian demonstrators carry caricatures, during a protest against the US-led Peace to Prosperity conference that opens today in Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh ongoing civil confl ict, Syria was ference’s focus on economics, Bahrain, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, yesterday. told journalists ahead of a cab- an oil exporting country pro- rather than their aspirations for inet meeting. ducing around 400,000 barrels an independent state. ians’ GDP. In the West Bank, Palestinian Authority exercises The rallies marked a mo- without the bride (the Pales- In Gaza, Hamas spokesman per day. Kushner told Reuters on Sat- hundreds marched through limited self-rule in the territory. ment of political unity against tinians)... Hazem Qassem said: “They Now its output is at 24,000 urday the plan would create a Ramallah’s main squares, wav- Protesters there burned post- the Bahrain conference. it will not succeed,” said a (Palestinians) will not sell out bpd, way below the level needed mn jobs, halve Palestinian pov- ing posters in support of Presi- ers of both Trump and Bahrain’s “The Manama conference protester who gave her name their rights for all treasures on for self-suffi ciency. erty and double the Palestin- dent Mahmoud Abbas, whose King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah. is a comedy show, a wedding as Siham in Gaza City. earth”. Sudan agitators dispute generals’ UN call for ending repression

Reuters then pressed the ruling military to hand over power Geneva to civilians, and kept up their demonstrations, in- stance on political transition cluding the sit-in, to press their case. The military denied raiding the sit-in this month udanese authorities must let in human rights and said a crackdown on criminals nearby had AFP monitors, end repression of protesters and spilled over to the protest camp. Khartoum Srestore the Internet connection, UN human It said some offi cers has been detained for pre- rights boss Michelle Bachelet said yesterday. sumed responsibility and it still planned to hand Her offi ce had received reports that more than over power after elections. udanese protest lead- 100 protesters were killed and many more injured Human Rights Watch called for the council to ers said yesterday that when security forces raided a peaceful sit-in out- investigate violations committed since the protests San Ethiopia-drafted pro- side the defence ministry in Khartoum on June 3, against Bashir started in December, with a special posal for the country’s political she said. focus on the June 3 raid. transition was already “uni- Sudan’s uprising “has been met with a bru- “There has been horrifi c footage coming out, fi ed” with an African Union tal crackdown by the security forces this month,” with tents being set ablaze with people inside, tear plan, dismissing calls by ruling Bachelet said in a speech to the UN Human Rights gas, bullets and of course that resulted in over 100 generals for a joint blueprint. Council in Geneva. deaths and many hundreds injured, people being Ethiopia and the African Un- “We have received allegations of rape and sexual prevented from receiving treatment, medical staff ion have stepped up diplomatic abuse of both women and men during the crack- being attacked, and a full range of violations,” Laila eff orts to resolve the crisis in down, as well as information alleging that hun- Matar of Human Rights Watch said. Sudan, which has been wracked dreds of protesters may be missing,” she said. Bashir, who is in detention, has been charged by tensions between the pro- There was no immediate reaction from Sudan’s with incitement and involvement in the killings of test leaders and generals since a military rulers who overthrew president Omar protesters. deadly dispersal of a sit-in ear- al-Bashir in April after weeks of street protests He was also charged a week ago with corruption- lier this month. against his rule. Protest and opposition groups related off ences. On Sunday, the generals, who seized power after deposing Sudanese men share a meal in the shallows waters of the Tuti island, where the Blue and White longtime president Omar al- Nile merge in Khartoum, yesterday. Bashir in April, said mediators from the AU and Ethiopia had Bashir campaign and is now at The blueprint further says makers would be from the pro- off ered “diff erent” proposals loggerheads with the generals. that a transitional parliament of test movement. Iraq appoints three new ministers for the political transition, and The alliance has already ac- 300 lawmakers would take 67% But tensions between the two called for them to unify their cepted the proposal presented of its lawmakers from the Alli- sides surged as a result of the eff orts. to them by an Ethiopian en- ance for Freedom and Change. deadly break up of the protest AFP ciently independent to be able to assemble a gov- But the protest movement voy, which entails creating a The remaining 33% would camp. Baghdad ernment despite fractures in the ruling elites. contested that position yester- 15-member civilian-majority be from other political groups, The violent dispersal of the He also has the backing of both Washington and day. governing body during a three- excluding Bashir’s now defunct weeks-long rally came after the Tehran, two key Iraqi allies who are themselves “The initiatives (by the AU year transition period. National Congress Party. two sides failed during previous he Iraqi parliament approved three new min- bitter enemies. But he has faced a complex task and Ethiopia) were unifi ed a The Ethiopian blueprint, a The AU, which has consist- talks to agree on the composi- isters yesterday, but the post of education building a government which faces the enormous while ago and were presented copy of which was obtained by ently supported the protesters tion of the new ruling body and Tminister remains unfi lled eight months after challenges of rebuilding a country ravaged by three (as one) to all parties at the AFP, suggests the ruling body and urged the ruling military who should lead it — a civilian Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was appointed. years of fi ghting IS. Abdel Mahdi won parliament’s same time,” said protest leader be made up of eight civilians council to ensure a smooth or a soldier. The legislature gave its backing to Abdel Mahdi’s backing for Yassin al-Yasseri as interior minister Ismail al-Taj at a press confer- and seven members of the mili- transition, suspended Sudan Medics linked to the protest picks to head the defence, interior and justice min- and General Najah al-Shemmari to head up the de- ence yesterday. tary. soon after the violent dispersal movement say the crackdown istries. fence ministry. “The Ethiopian and African The proposal also suggests of a protest camp outside army on demonstrators since June 3 President Barham Saleh handed Abdel Mahdi the A woman had been put forward as education envoys met on Sunday with that the ruling military coun- headquarters in Khartoum on has killed at least 128 people, task of forming a new government last year, fol- minister but was not approved — parliamentary the Alliance for Freedom and cil chairs the fi rst 18 months June 3. the majority of them on the day lowing the country’s hard-fought victory over the sources say another vote is expected in the coming Change to discuss this unifi ed of the governing body, and the The protest leaders and gen- of the dispersal. Islamic State group, as several coalitions were jock- days. Shemmari, who like all Iraq’s defence minis- initiative,” said Taj, referring to remaining 18 months would be erals had previously agreed on The health ministry says the eying for pre-eminence. ters since 2003 comes from Mosul, was previously the umbrella protest movement headed by a representative from a transitional period of three death toll stands at 61 nation- A veteran of Iraqi politics and an economist by one of the commanders of the country’s elite coun- that spearheaded the anti- the protest movement. years and that 67% of the law- wide. training, Abdel Mahdi, 76, was regarded as suffi - ter-terrorism unit. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 11 AFRICA

OUTBREAK LOCKED UP EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING GLOBAL BAN SEASONAL WOES DR Congo Ebola death Inmate killed, 5 wounded 7 Cameroon soldiers in the Harare seeks to sell its Ivorian cocoa farmers toll crosses 1,500 mark in Chad prison breakout dock over ‘atrocity’ video $600mn ivory stockpile pray for July rains

More than 1,500 people have died in a nearly One inmate was killed and five others were Cameroon’s defence ministry said yesterday Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa Unseasonably dry weather across Ivory Coast’s 10-month-old outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic wounded in an attempted jail breakout in it would prosecute seven soldiers suspected yesterday opened a UN wildlife summit with a call cocoa regions last week could weaken the Republic of Congo, the health ministry said western Chad, a local security source said of summarily killing two women and their two to lift the global ivory trade ban so that the country next main crop if rainfall does not increase in yesterday. As of Sunday, 1,506 people have died yesterday. Security guards “fired warning shots” children, a video of which was distributed on can sell $600mn of stockpiled tusks. Mnangagwa July, farmers said yesterday. With the April-to- out of 2,239 recorded cases, it said. Earlier this after about 20 prisoners tried to escape from the Internet to widespread outrage. “Seven said selling the elephant tusks and rhino horns would September mid-crop tailing off in Ivory Coast, month, the virus claimed two lives in neighbouring the jail at Bol, in the Lake Chad region, as the soldiers arrested on suspicion of extrajudicial enable the impoverished nation to fund conservation the world’s top cocoa producer, farmers are now Uganda among a family who had travelled to the evening meal was being served on Sunday, the executions in the Far North region will be eff orts for 20 years. Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia eyeing the development of the next October-to- DRC. Nearly 141,000 people have been vaccinated off icial said. “Five prisoners” were wounded brought before a military court in Yaounde... and Zambia have all cited the growing number of March main crop. In the western region of Soubre, in the aff ected eastern DRC provinces of Ituri and “and another was killed,” the source said, adding where they will be tried in line with the law,” elephants in some areas in their bid to have the ban at the heart of the cocoa belt, farmers said some North Kivu, the epicentre of the oubreak. The that guards had rounded up all those who had communications off icial Cyrille Serge Atonfack relaxed, angering many conservationists. Opening trees had started blooming but that more rain current outbreak in the DRC is the worst on record tried to escape except for one. A source with a Guemo told AFP. The charges are for joint the UNEP wildlife economy summit in Victoria Falls, was needed for flowers to proliferate. “There are after an epidemic that struck mainly in Liberia, local NGO, speaking on condition of anonymity, participation in murder, breach of regulations Mnangagwa called “for the free trade in hunting a few flowers and pods. The main crop is starting Guinea and Sierra Leone between 2014-2016, said the attempted breakout was preceded by a and conspiracy to commit these crimes, he said. products as these can have an important impact to emerge,” said Salame Kone, who farms near killing more than 11,300 people. protest over jail conditions. The date of the trial has yet to be set. on national and local economies.” Soubre. “We need more rain and heat in July.” Zimbabwe ends foreign currency use

By Fanuel Jongwe, AFP dollars came in earlier this year. lars so they can pay for the goods Harare Both were in theory worth the that they need to import. same as US dollars, but trade far For ordinary Zimbabweans, below the greenback in value. shortages of bread, petrol and imbabwe yesterday an- Yesterday’s announcement medicine are common. nounced that it would created widespread confusion Violence erupted earlier Zabandon the use of foreign and criticism, though Finance this year when security forces currencies which replaced the Minister Mthuli Ncube described launched a deadly crackdown on local dollar that was wiped out ending the use of foreign curren- angry protests against a sudden by hyperinfl ation ten years ago. cies as “beginning to restore full rise in fuel prices. President Emmerson Mnan- monetary policy”. In 2009, hyperinfl ation peaked gagwa has promised to introduce He told Zimbabweans to ex- at 500bn% under Mugabe after a new national currency soon, in change their US dollars or rand seizures of white-owned farms the latest attempt to turn around into RTGS before buying any triggered a collapse in the key Leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s political party Movement for the Liberation of the Congo Jean-Pierre Bemba walks among a an economy wrecked under his goods. agricultural sector. crowd of several thousand supporters, who came to greet him in Kinshasa on Sunday. predecessor Robert Mugabe. But Zimbabweans have lit- Zimbabweans’ salaries, sav- Zimbabweans have recently tle faith in the economic record ings and pensions were rendered endured another bout of sharply of the ZANU-PF government, worthless, and the country’s rising prices, with offi cial infl a- which has struggled to attract economy has fl oundered ever tion now at nearly 100% — the investment and create jobs since since. highest since the hyperinfl ation Mnangagwa succeeded the oust- In the latest crisis, residents queue up for hours outside petrol Tensions fl are as Bemba era. ed Mugabe in 2017. The central bank said that le- “We will have exchange rates stations and banks. gal tender would be only be the going up and infl ation going up Unemployment is estimated new “Zimbabwe dollar”, which again,” independent economist at over 90% and much everyday would be made up of the two lo- Gift Mugano to AFP. “It could be business has ground to a halt. Bank customers are allowed fl ies back into DR Congo cal currencies — bond notes and a disastrous measure.” “RTGS” — that were introduced “There’s no way that some- to take out only limited sums, as US dollar banknotes dried up. thing like this will be main- which are dispersed in the little- AFP ‘Terminator’ faces war crimes judgment at The Hague tribunal The US dollar, South African tained,” Jee-A van der Linde, trusted “bond notes”. Kinshasa rand and other foreign currencies an economist at NKC African Mnangagwa — Mugabe’s Congolese ex-warlord Bosco More than 60,000 people dining, Ntaganda is also an ex- will “no longer be legal tender Economics in South Africa told former deputy — presented him- Ntaganda will face judgment have been killed since the general in the Congolese army. alongside the Zimbabwe dollar in Bloomberg News. “People will self as a fresh start when he took olice in the Democratic before the International Criminal violence erupted in the region in Rwandan-born Ntaganda then any transactions,” the bank said not trust the currency.” power, saying he would end the Republic of Congo fi red Court next month for allegedly 1999 according to rights groups, became a founding member of in a statement. The currency crisis has created country’s isolation and attract Ptear gas at protesters overseeing massacres and using as militias battled each other the M23 rebel group, which was “Bond notes and RTGS dol- three tiers of pricing — one price foreign investment. against a visit on Sunday by children in his rebel army, the for control of scarce mineral eventually defeated by Congo- lars are at par with the Zimbabwe in US dollar cash, and two far But the economy has lurched opposition leader Jean-Pierre tribunal said yesterday. resources. lese government forces in 2013. dollar.” higher prices for paying in bond into fresh trouble and he has Bemba who made a low-key re- Ntaganda, nicknamed “Termi- Prosecutors said Ntaganda The first-ever suspect to volun- Bond notes were introduced notes or electronic RTGS. been accused of maintaining turn home, fl ying in from Brus- nator”, is accused of mastermind- was central to the planning tarily surrender to the ICC, he in 2014, while electronic RTGS The black market has fl our- Mugabe’s brutal repression of sels on a private jet. ing the slaughter of civilians by and operations for the Union of walked into the US embassy in (Real Time Gross Settlement) ished as companies buy US dol- dissent. Bemba’s allies said he had his soldiers in the Democratic Congolese Patriots rebels and its Kigali and asked to be sent to the returned to the DR Congo to Republic of Congo’s volatile military wing, the Patriotic Forces court, based in the Netherlands. lend support to another opposi- northeastern Ituri region in 2002 for the Liberation of Congo The ICC was set up in 2002 tion fi gure, Martin Fayulu, who and 2003. (FPLC). During his three-year as an independent international maintains he was robbed of vic- The Hague-based ICC said in trial, prosecutors said the FPLC body to prosecute those accused Kennel time! tory in last December’s presi- a statement that it “will deliver killed at least 800 people as it of the world’s worst crimes. dential election. its judgment in the case of Bosco battled rival militias in Ituri. But it has suff ered several After that vote, another op- Ntaganda on July 8 at 10am”. “At Prosecutors also showed hor- setbacks over recent years with position fi gure Felix Tshisekedi the hearing the Trial Chamber will rific images of victims who were some of its most high-profile was declared the new president announce whether it finds the ac- disembowelled and had their suspects walking free, while it in the country’s fi rst peaceful cused innocent or guilty beyond throats slit. has also been criticised for so far transition of power since inde- reasonable doubt,” it added. The soft-spoken Ntaganda mainly trying African suspects. pendence from Belgium in 1960, Ntaganda, 45, is facing 13 however told judges he was a Ntaganda’s former FPLC com- but the vote was marred by alle- counts of war crimes and five “soldier, not a criminal”, adding mander Thomas Lubanga was gations of ballot-rigging. counts of crimes against human- that the “Terminator” moniker sentenced to 14 years in jail in Police on Sunday fi red tear ity for his role in the brutal did not apply to him. 2012 — the second conviction by gas to break up rock-throwing conflict that wracked the mineral- Known for his pencil mous- the court since being set up 17 protesters who targeted Bem- rich Ituri region. tache and a penchant for fine years ago. ba’s convoy as it arrived from the airport to Kinshasa’s Sainte- Terese square where Bemba turned out to greet Bemba the the presidency against former former governor of Katanga spoke, AFP correspondents at fi rst time he returned from exile, leader Joseph Kabila in 2006. province, Moise Katumbi, is the scene said. in August last year, after 11 years He was then jailed by the showing signs of strain. Some pelted Bemba’s proces- out of the country. International Criminal Court Fayulu insists he only lost the sion with rocks at the popular On that occasion, Bemba only based in The Hague for alleged presidency because a deal was district square where thou- stayed a few days to fi le his can- atrocities carried out by his agreed between outgoing presi- sands turned out to listen to the didacy for the presidential elec- troops in the Central African dent Kabila and the man who former warlord. tion. Republic. But he was fi nally ac- succeeded him, Tshisekedi. “Jean-Pierre Bemba returned After the electoral commis- quitted and freed on appeal in Leaders of the Lamuka coali- to lend a hand to Martin Fayulu,” sion rejected his candidacy, he June 2018, when he returned to tion are planning demonstra- Eve Bazaiba, a close Bemba ally threw his support behind Fay- Belgium. tions next Sunday to protest A handler takes the dogs out of the kennel during the East Africa German Shepherd championship said at the rally. ulu. The opposition Lamuka coa- against the Constitutional dog show at the East African Kennel club in Nairobi over the weekend. The crowd this time was far A former vice-president, lition he has formed with Fayulu Court’s ruling to invalidate the smaller than the thousands who Bemba ran unsuccessfully for and another senior fi gure, the election of 20 of their deputies. Ethiopia coup mastermind shot dead, many arrested

By Dawit Endeshaw, Reuters Asamnew was shot yesterday shot by Seare’s bodyguard at his in April last year, making peace The shooting in Bahir Dar at from prison last year after receiv- sions in Amhara and other ar- Addis Ababa near Amhara’s capital Bahir Dar, residence in the national capital with Eritrea, reining in the se- the weekend occurred when the ing an amnesty for a similar coup eas has surged since Abiy’s re- the prime minister’s press secre- Addis Ababa. curity services, releasing politi- state president — an ally of Abiy attempt. forms. tary, Negussu Tilahun, told Reu- Amhara state president Am- cal prisoners and lifting bans on — was holding a meeting to de- William Davison, an Ethio- At least 2.4mn people have fl ed he man accused of trying ters. bachew Mekonnen and an advis- some outlawed separatist groups. cide how to stop Asamnew’s open pia analyst at global think-tank fi ghting, according to the United to seize control of Ethio- He declined to give details. er were killed in the region’s main The reforms in Africa’s sec- recruitment of ethnic Amhara Crisis Group, said more informa- Nations. Tpia’s northern Amhara re- The reasons behind the at- city Bahir Dar. ond-most populous country militias, one Addis-based offi cial tion was needed on the attack on Ethiopia was yesterday ob- gion was shot dead yesterday, a tempted coup in the state remain Amhara’s attorney general was have won him widespread inter- told Reuters. Seare. serving a day of national mourn- senior government offi cial said, unclear, although it may have also shot, and died of his wounds national praise. Asamnew had told the Amhara “It doesn’t appear to have been ing, parliament speaker Tagesse and a number of other plotters been a reaction from Asamnew on Monday, state media reported. But the premier’s shake-up people to arm themselves and a concerted national coup at- Chafo said on state television late have been arrested. to a plan by state offi cials to rein Access to the Internet ap- of the military and intelligence prepare for fi ghting against other tempt. It’s not obvious what the on Sunday. The government accused Gen- him in after they were alarmed by peared to be blocked across Ethi- services has earned him power- groups, in a video spread on Fa- motivations were for anyone to Ethiopia is due to hold par- eral Asamnew Tsige of master- reports of his ethnic rhetoric and opia, users reported. ful enemies at home, while his cebook a week earlier. assassinate the chief of staff , or liamentary elections next year, minding gun attacks on Satur- recruitment of militias. The streets of Addis Ababa ap- government is struggling to con- Amhara is home to Ethiopia’s whether he had any connections although the electoral board day night that killed fi ve people Saturday’s violence unfolded peared calm yesterday. tain powerful fi gures in Ethiopia’s second largest ethnic group and to the violence in Bahir Dar,” he warned earlier this month that including the national army’s in two separate attacks. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed myriad ethnic groups fi ghting the gives its name to the state lan- said. “More detail is needed on they were behind schedule and chief of staff and Amhara’s state Army chief of staff Seare Me- has pushed through sweeping federal government and each other guage, Amharic. that aspect.” that instability could cause a president. konnen and a retired general were changes since coming to power for greater infl uence and resources. Asamnew himself was released Long-simmering ethnic ten- problem for polling. Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 AMERICAS

INVESTIGATION ARRESTED FLIGHT OF FANCY SCANDAL POLITICS Ex-White House aide to Militiaman impersonates Passenger falls asleep on a Leaked documents show Democratic candidate testify to House panel US Border Patrol agent plane, wakes up alone ‘red flags’ of Trump team outlines his green plan

Another senior ex-White House aide has agreed to A member of an armed group known for stopping A woman boarded an Air Canada flight earlier One nominee was flagged for his relationship The Democrat running as the “climate change provide testimony to congressional investigators migrants at the US-Mexico border has been this month, fell asleep after takeoff and woke with Russia, another for his alleged ties to white candidate” in the 2020 presidential election probing possible obstruction of justice by President arrested after authorities charged him with up alone in a dark, parked plane, apparently supremacist groups, and several others for yesterday laid out a strategy for weaning the Donald Trump, the US House Judiciary Committee impersonating a US Border Patrol agent, according forgotten about by ground staff . According to criticising Donald Trump before he became US United States off fossil fuels that includes said yesterday. Annie Donaldson, former chief of to court documents. Jim Benvie, spokesman for a post on Air Canada’s Facebook page, Tiff ani president. These are the revelations from a trove banning drilling on public lands and ending staff to ex-White House counsel Don McGahn, was the Guardian Patriots, who have been camped at Adams was flying from Quebec to Toronto when of vetting documents published by news site crude oil exports just as the country is poised present for several episodes described in the Mueller the border near Sunland Park, New Mexico, was she fell asleep. She woke up in “pitch black,” with Axios on Sunday that examine the backgrounds of to become the world’s biggest producer. report that House Democrats are pursuing as they arrested on Friday in Oklahoma after a warrant the plane having landed and apparently been people considered for, and whom in some cases Washington State Governor Jay Inslee released weigh possible impeachment proceedings against was issued last Wednesday in New Mexico. The towed away from the airport. She managed to received, appointments to Trump’s administration what he called his “Freedom from Fossil Trump. The report, released by Special Counsel Department of Justice filed two federal charges, open an aircraft door but faced a drop of up after his 2017 inauguration. The documents show Fuels” plan, the fourth part of a multi-pronged Robert Mueller in redacted form in mid-April, cites alleging that Benvie passed himself off as a Border to 15m to get out of the plane. She then used that the Trump administration was well aware policy platform that details how he would Donaldson as a source of information on Trump’s role Patrol agent in April. News photographs of Benvie a torch to draw the attention of a luggage cart of allegations of inappropriate relationships that tackle climate change through clean energy in the departures of former national security adviser showed him wearing a camouflage jacket with a driver, who arrived to find Adams with her legs dogged some of his initial cabinet members, many jobs, foreign diplomacy and re-calibrating the Michael Flynn and former FBI Director James Comey. badge reading ‘Fugitive Recovery Agent’. hanging out of the plane’s open doorway. of whom have since resigned or been forced out. economy. 33 new measles cases, mostly in New York State

By Gabriella Borter, Reuters All but three of the 33 new Measles was declared elimi- New York cases occurred in New York, with nated in the United States in 20 in Rockland County and 10 in 2000, meaning there was no New York City, a CDC spokes- continuous transmission of the hirty-three new mea- man said. disease for a year. sles cases were recorded According to New York City Still, cases of the virus occur Tin the United States last and State health offi cials, the and spread via travellers coming week, most of them in New York, state has recorded hundreds of from countries where measles is federal health offi cials said yes- cases of the virus since Septem- common. terday, bringing the number of ber. CDC officials have warned confi rmed cases this year to 1,077 Health experts say the virus that the country risks losing in the worst US outbreak of the has spread among school-age its measles elimination status virus since 1992. children whose parents de- if the ongoing outbreak, which The US Centers for Disease clined to give them the measles- began in October 2018 in New Control and Prevention said the mumps-rubella vaccine, which York, continues until October cases of the highly contagious confers immunity to the disease. 2019. and sometimes deadly disease A vocal fringe of US parents, The outbreak has escalated rose 3% in the week ended June some in New York’s ultra-Or- since 82 people in 2018 and more 20 from the prior week. thodox Jewish communities, cite than 40 people in 2019 brought Aerialist Nik Wallenda walks the highwire over Times Square in New York on Sunday. The 2019 outbreak, which has concerns that the vaccine may measles to the United States from spread to 28 states, is the worst cause autism, despite scientifi c other countries, most frequently since 1992, when 2,126 cases studies that have debunked such Ukraine, Israel and the Philip- Siblings complete daunting were recorded. claims. pines, federal offi cials said. Supreme Court takes up insurers’ Times Square tightrope stunt $12bn Obamacare dispute

AFP attempt since 2017, when she and four oth- endeavours executed from dizzying heights New York ers fell more than 9m while rehearsing an — without safety nets. Reuters ment was supposed to help them passed an appropriations bill for eight-person pyramid on a wire. The clan’s performances date back gen- Washington recover from early losses they the 2015 fi scal year that included The near-fatal incident left her seriously erations to the Austro-Hungarian empire suff ered after the passage of the a rider barring the US Depart- iblings from a famed circus family injured, including breaking most bones in and debuted in the United States in 1928, as 2010 Aff ordable Care Act, often ment of Health and Human Serv- — the Flying Wallendas — walked a her face. part of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & he US Supreme Court yes- called Obamacare, under Demo- ices from using general funds to Swire strung 25 stories over New York’s During the approximately 36 minutes Bailey Circus. terday agreed to decide cratic former president Barack pay the government’s risk corri- Times Square on Sunday, in a hair-raising the acrobats took to complete the nerve- In 1978 Karl Wallenda — Nik and Lijana’s Twhether the federal gov- Obama. dor obligations. balancing act performed across fi ve city wracking stunt Nik — who in 2012 traversed great grandfather, who brought the family ernment must pay insurers $12bn Payments would have come As a result, the government blocks. Niagara Falls on a wire, and the Little Colo- act stateside — tumbled to his death at age under an Obamacare programme through the law’s so-called risk could compensate insurers only “If you can make it in New York you can rado River Gorge close to the Grand Canyon 73 while attempting a wire walk in San Juan, aimed at encouraging them to corridor programme that aimed with the money it collected from make it anywhere — so let’s make it in New a year later — off ered words of encourage- Puerto Rico. cover previously uninsured peo- to mitigate insurers’ risks from insurance companies that paid York,” Nik Wallenda, 40, told his sister Li- ment to his sister via earpiece microphones, New York has long attracted daredevils ple after the healthcare law was 2014 to 2016 when they sold cov- less than they took in from pre- jana before they began the fearsome feat. as she audibly prayed and sang. seeking to make headlines: Harry Houdini enacted in 2010. erage to previously uninsured miums. The undertaking, which was broadcast New York allowed the siblings to attempt escaped a crate in which he was chained and The justices will hear an ap- people who bought insurance on Congress enacted identical live, saw the duo start the wire walk on op- Sunday’s walk on the condition that they thrown in the river over a century ago, and peal by a group of insurers of a exchanges established under the riders for fi scal years 2016 and posite sides, slowly moving towards each wear safety harnesses, a mandate Nik had Evel Knievel soared on his motorcycle over lower court ruling that Congress Obamacare law. 2017. other holding balancing poles as a throng of said added physical weight and stress to the ten vehicles in 1971. had suspended the government’s Republicans, who have op- Payments from insurers, onlookers gawked from below. challenge. In 1974, Frenchman Philippe Petit fa- obligation to make the payments. posed Obamacare from the out- though, could not fund all of the When the siblings met, Lijana sat on the In 2013 the city had declined him permis- mously walked a tightrope between the tops The insurers have argued that set and sought numerous times claimed risk corridor payments. 396m wire strung between skyscrapers sion to cross a wire anchored between the of the Twin Towers of the former World the ruling would allow the gov- to repeal it in Congress, have In November 2017, HHS pub- so her brother could step over her, before Empire State and Chrysler buildings. Trade Center, 400m above the pavement. ernment to pull a “bait-and- called the risk-corridor pro- lished statistics indicating that standing back up and fi nishing the walk. Sunday’s never-before-attempted stunt “Dream big people. Nothing’s impossi- switch” and withhold money gramme a “bailout” for the in- payments from insurers for the Tensions were running particularly high is yet another feather in the cap of the Wal- ble,” Nik said just before reaching the tight- they were promised. surance industry three-year period fell short of as it was the 42-year-old Lijana’s fi rst such lendas, a family famous for jaw-dropping rope’s end. Insurers have said the govern- In December 2014, Congress claimed payments by $12bn.

Trump re-election strategy relies on vilifying immigrants: Biden

By Amanda Becker Reuters Sanders calls for cancelling $1.6tn in student loan debt negotiate simple changes to Asy- Washington lum and Loopholes. This will fi x US presidential contender Bernie economically crippling young anyone with annual household the Southern Border, together Sanders yesterday proposed a plan Americans. income under $100,000 and give with the help that Mexico is now ormer vice president Joe to cancel $1.6tn in student loans “This proposal completely elimi- substantial cancellation to those giving us. Probably won’t happen, Biden, who is seeking the and pay for it with a tax on Wall nates student debt in this country between $100,000 and $250,000. but worth a try. Two weeks and FDemocratic presidential Street, elevating the issue in the and ends the absurdity of sentenc- She proposed paying for the big Deportation begins!” Trump nomination in 2020, yesterday 2020 debate and going beyond ing an entire generation, the millen- plan with a tax on wealthy families. wrote on Twitter on Sunday. called for granting citizenship to proposals from his Democratic nial generation, to a lifetime of The Sanders proposal comes Biden said Trump and his ad- ‘Dreamer’ immigrants brought to White House rivals. debt,” Sanders said at the unveiling two days before the first debates ministration’s policies had taken a the United States illegally as chil- Sanders, an independent US of his US Senate bill. involving candidates seeking the “wrecking ball to our hemispheric dren and to invest more in border senator from Vermont, said his “The American people bailed Democratic nomination for the ties,” weakening relationships technology. plan would wipe out college debt out Wall Street. Now, it is time for right to challenge Republican Presi- with neighbours in Latin America Biden’s comments were made for 45mn Americans and be funded Wall Street to come to the aid of dent Donald Trump in November and the Caribbean. in an op-ed for the Miami Her- with a tax on stock, bond and the middle class of this country,” 2020. While Biden did not release a ald newspaper ahead of the fi rst derivatives transactions that would he said. Ten candidates each will meet detailed immigration policy pro- Democratic presidential debate raise about $2.2tn over 10 years. Other liberal Democrats, includ- in back-to-back debates tomorrow posal, he wrote that the United in Florida this week. The proposal builds on Sanders’ ing presidential rivals Elizabeth and Thursday nights in Miami, States is “a nation of laws and a na- He said Republican President longstanding call to make public Warren and Julian Castro, have Florida. tion of immigrants,” signalling he Donald Trump’s proposed wall universities and colleges tuition- taken up the call and proposed Sanders appeared at a news con- may take a more moderate stance along the US-Mexico border free, an issue he has highlighted smaller student-debt cancellation ference with US Representatives on the issue than some of his more would neither stop drugs from since his first presidential run in plans. Ilhan Omar and Pramila Jayapal, than 20 competitors for the Dem- entering the country nor curb il- 2016. Warren has proposed cancelling who joined him in proposing the Graduating students in decorated academic caps attend Pasadena ocratic presidential nomination. legal immigration. He said student loan debt was $50,000 in student loan debt for legislation. City College’s graduation ceremony on June 14, 2019. White House contender Julian Trump’s “re-election strategy Castro, a former housing chief in relies on vilifying immigrants to the Obama administration, has score political points while imple- our borders, but ‘build the wall’ Obama, with whom Biden served not put them on a pathway to Pending bipartisan legislation date or have already been given called for an end to the criminali- menting policies that ensure asy- is a slogan divorced from reality,” as vice president for eight years, citizenship. in the US Congress would protect deportation orders while the US sation of illegal border crossings. lum seekers and refugees keep ar- Biden said. used his executive authority to A move by the Trump admin- an estimated 2mn Dreamers from Congress negotiates changes to Several other candidates, in- riving at our border,” Biden wrote. He did not off er specifi cs on create the Deferred Action for istration to phase out the DACA deportation as well as put them the asylum process. cluding US Senators Elizabeth He said most illegal immigra- citizenship for so-called Dream- Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program has been appealed to the on a path to attaining citizenship. He said on Sunday he would Warren and Kamala Harris, have tion cases were the result of indi- ers, immigrants who entered the programme, that temporarily US Supreme Court, which will Trump also announced a plan delay its implementation for two proposed dramatically curtailing viduals over-staying their visas. country illegally as minors. shielded roughly 800,000 young announce soon whether it will to deport thousands of indi- weeks. “I want to give the Demo- the work of the Immigration and “It’s imperative that we secure Former president Barack people from deportation, but did consider the issue. viduals who have missed a court crats every last chance to quickly Customs Enforcement agency. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 13 ASIA

Top Lanka defence Vietnam jails US citizen offi cial faces charges over Easter attacks

AFP “Hemasiri Fernando, who Colombo was defence secretary for ‘state overthrow’ bid before the April 21 bombing, should be AFP ri Lanka’s most senior investigated for his failure Hanoi defence offi cial yes- to prevent or minimise Sterday became the lat- the attacks” est government fi gure to face US citizen was sentenced possible criminal charges over attacks were carried out and yesterday to 12 years in “major lapses” linked to the have now been transferred AVietnamese prison for Easter Sunday bombings that from their posts pending dis- “attempting to overthrow the killed 258 people. ciplinary action and criminal state”, a lawyer and state media Hemasiri Fernando, who investigations. said, as the one-party country was defence secretary before Authorities have admitted squeezes dissent. the April 21 bombing of three that warnings sent by India of Vietnamese-American churches and three hotels, an impending attack by a local Michael Nguyen was detained in should be investigated for his group, the National Thow- July last year while travelling in failure to prevent or minimise heeth Jama’ath (NTJ), were the country with two activists, the attacks, Attorney-General ignored. who were also arrested. Dappula de Livera said. Some 45 foreign nation- The trio were accused of set- The attorney-general said als were among the dead and ting up a group to prepare armed in a letter to Sri Lanka’s acting 500 people were injured in the protest and the occupation of police chief that a presidential attacks. The tourist hotspot offi cial “headquarters” in Hanoi commission of inquiry had has been under a state of and Ho Chi Minh City, accord- found “major lapses” by Fern- emergency since. ing to state-run news site Vn- ando, who has since resigned Sri Lanka’s State Intelli- Express. from his top job. gence Service (SIS) has also Nguyen was convicted dur- While Fernando is the most been criticised for failing to ing a half-day trial in a Ho Chi senior defence offi cial to face act on the Indian warnings, Minh City court, given 12 years action, President Maithripala but no-one from the state spy and ordered to leave the country Sirisena also suspended police service has been put under after completing his sentence, a chief Pujith Jayasundara after investigation. lawyer for one of the group said. he refused to step down over Sirisena, who is also de- The two activists arrested the handling of the attacks. fence minister and law and with him, Tran Long Phi and Jayasundara and Fernando order minister, has also faced Huynh Duc Thanh Binh, were have testifi ed before a par- allegations that he could have jailed for eight years and ten liamentary inquiry and ac- prevented the attacks. years respectively for the same cused Sirisena of failing to The president has objected charge. follow established protocols to a parliamentary investiga- “The sentence for the de- in assessing threats to national tion into the attacks and or- fendants is too harsh,” lawyer security. dered police not to co-operate. Nguyen Van Mieng said. Last week, the attorney The hearings have gone ahead, State media also reported that US citizen Michael Nguyen is escorted by policemen before his trial at a court in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday. general ordered investigations however, and police have police are looking for another against nine police offi cers testifi ed before legislators. Vietnamese man who had con- a million people who fl ed when family have said he is not in- science presently behind bars in from the US, the EU and the UN. for failing to act on warnings Indian intelligence shared nections with Michael Nguyen the communist regime took over volved with any dissident groups. the country. The bill requires Internet com- ahead of the bombings, car- information about the targets and is currently on the run. after the Vietnam War. Vietnam has routinely jailed A cybersecurity law passed last panies like Facebook and Google ried out by Islamic State- - gleaned from a jihadist in In- After leaving Vietnam in Many war refugees mobilised its critics since a new adminis- year gives authorities unprec- to hand over user data and remove backed local jihadists. dian custody - as early as April 1975, Michael Nguyen settled against the communist govern- tration came to offi ce in 2016, edented powers to police online material from their sites when re- All nine were senior offi c- 4, more than two-and-a-half in the US alongside more than ment from afar, but Nguyen’s with nearly 130 prisoners of con- content and has come under fi re quested by the government. ers in the districts where the weeks before the attacks. Two survivors pulled from Bangladesh train derails over bridge; five killed collapsed Cambodia building

AFP/Reuters He added the probe to es- tragedy was imminent. Sihanoukville tablish if the building was “These buildings are com- constructed legally is ongoing. ing up in just a year,” said Sock The premier visited the Dara, 45. wo men were pulled scene of the collapse in Siha- “We have been concerned alive from the rubble of noukville before daybreak yes- for a long time about the qual- Ta collapsed Cambodian terday where he watched the ity of these Chinese buildings.” building yesterday, more than rescue of the two survivors - Authorities put the death two days after a construction climbing into their ambulances toll at 25 shortly before an AFP site accident that left at least to see them before they were reporter witnessed rescuers 28 dead. taken to hospital. pulling out three more bodies Hopes that more survivors He has ordered inspections from the debris, bringing the would be found under the of all building sites in the beach total to 28. debris had all but faded, but town, which is undergoing a Distraught relatives at a lo- against the odds two people Chinese-bankrolled develop- cal hospital said around a doz- were cut free from the tangled ment boom. Condos and hotels en people were believed to still wreckage and carried out alive. are springing up to cash in on be entombed in the concerti- “I heard the sound of rescuers, the surge in Chinese visitors to naed fl oors. I called for help but they didn’t its dozens of casinos. The once-quiet fi shing vil- hear me,” said Ros Sitha, one of The prime minister fi red lage of Sihanoukville has seen a the two found alive yesterday. Nhim Vanda, deputy director remarkable Chinese construc- “There was a dead body of the National Committee on tion boom driven by the need near me. I didn’t have water to Disaster Management, because for rooms for tourists fl ock- drink,” the forty-one year old of a “lack of responsibility, and ing from the mainland to its said from his hospital bed. for lying” over the disaster, dozens of casinos. “I am so lucky to survive.” Hun Sen said on his Facebook The Chinese embassy in Sitha’s wife earlier said she page. He did not elaborate. Cambodia, a strategically im- had “no hope” her husband Nhim Vanda was not portant ally to Beijing with and nephew would be found available for comment. ports and borders to other alive. The two men said they The governor of Preah Si- Mekong countries, expressed Onlookers gather around a derailed train after a bridge collapsed in Kulaura, near Sylhet city of Bangladesh, yesterday. The train, carrying are both bruised and weak but hanouk province, meanwhile, their condolences and backed at least 2,000 passengers, derailed as it was crossing the bridge killing five people and injuring more than 100, off icials said. have no serious injuries. resigned yesterday. a “thorough investigation” of The seven-storey Chinese- Yun Min accepted he had the role of the three Chinese owned building folded in on made a managerial “mistake”, nationals and the cause of the itself before dawn on Satur- according to a post on Hun accident. day as scores of workers slept Sen’s Facebook page. There are an estimated within the under-construction Three Chinese nationals and 200,000 construction workers building in Sihanoukville. a Cambodian landowner have in Cambodia, most unskilled, Cambodian Prime Minister been held for questioning over reliant on day wages and not protected by union rules, ac- ‘Tree Man’ wants his hands Hun Sen yesterday declared the the building collapse. rescue and recovery operation Residents near the disaster cording to the International over with 28 dead and 26 injured. scene said they had long feared Labour Organisation (ILO). amputated to relieve pain

AFP have the money to cover the expenses. Dhaka Samanta Lal Sen, the chief plastic surgeon at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said a board of seven doctors will discuss Bajandar’s Bangladeshi known as the “Tree condition today. Man” because of bark-like growths “He gave his personal opinion. But we will Aon his body said yesterday he want- do whatever is the best solution for him,” ed his hands amputated to relieve him of said Sen. unbearable pain. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina prom- Abul Bajandar has had 25 operations since ised free treatment for Bajandar after his 2016 to remove growths from his hands and plight made national and international feet caused by a rare syndrome. headlines. Doctors had believed they had beaten the Bajander lived in the hospital’s private disease but Bajandar fl ed a Dhaka clinic in wing for nearly two years during his fi rst May last year following a relapse. round of treatment. The 28-year-old father of one was read- Abul Bajandar, dubbed “Tree Man” for massive Fewer than half a dozen people around the mitted to hospital in January because the bark-like warts on his hands and feet, sits world are believed to have the syndrome. condition worsened, with some growths at Dhaka Medical College Hospital in Dhaka The hospital also treated a young Bang- several inches long. yesterday. ladeshi girl suff ering from the condition “I cannot bear the pain anymore. I can’t in 2017. sleep at night. I asked the doctors to cut off my Bajander suff ers from epidermodysplasia Doctors declared her surgery a success, hands so I can at least get some relief,” he said. verruciformis, a rare genetic condition also but her father later said the growths had His mother Amina Bibi supported the plea. known as “tree man syndrome”. returned in even greater numbers and the A survivor is placed in an ambulance after being pulled out of the rubble of a collapsed building in “At least he will be free of pain. It’s a hellish Bajandar said he wanted to go abroad family halted the treatment and returned to Sihanoukville yesterday. condition,” she said. for better treatment, but he does not their village. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA China ‘won’t allow’ discussion of Hong Kong at G20 meet in Osaka

AFP bill that would allow extraditions minister Zhang Jun said the G20 intervene,” he said, noting that against city leader Carrie Lam democratic system yet?” Jimmy – communicating through en- Beijing to the Chinese mainland. Trump is a forum to focus on global eco- the city is a special administra- and Beijing after years of sliding Sham, from the Civil Human crypted messaging apps – have has weighed in on Hong Kong’s nomic issues. tive region of China. The inter- political freedoms. Rights Front, which has organ- also begun embracing sponta- worst political unrest since its Xi and Trump have agreed to national fi nance hub has been Protest groups in Hong Kong ised the recent mass protests, neous, fast-moving acts of civil hina said yesterday it will handover from Britain to China hold bilateral talks focusing on the rocked by its worst political un- yesterday announced plans told reporters. disobedience. not allow discussion of in 1997, saying he understood the US-China trade war during the rest in nearly 50 years. to hold a new rally tomorrow On China’s refusal to address On Friday they blockaded the CHong Kong at the G20 reason for the protests and hoped summit. “I can tell you with cer- Millions have marched this evening, directly aimed at the the Hong Kong protests at the city’s police headquarters for summit this week even as US demonstrators can “work it out tainty that the G20 will not discuss month to oppose the hugely un- G20 leaders who will begin ar- G20, Sham responded: “If you 15 hours, and have also targeted President Donald Trump plans with China”. the Hong Kong issue and we will popular extradition law, which riving in Japan the following think that you do not need to ex- government ministries. to raise the city’s mass protests US Secretary of State Mike not allow the G20 to discuss the has since been postponed in the day. “In holding this rally, we plain what happens in your coun- Yesterday afternoon around during his meeting with Presi- Pompeo later said Trump would Hong Kong issue,” Zhang said at a face of the huge public backlash. are facing the world, posing sev- try to the world because they are one hundred mostly young pro- dent Xi Jinping. discuss Hong Kong with Xi at press briefi ng previewing Xi’s at- Police also fi red tear gas and rub- eral questions to the leaders of 20 internal aff airs, then China, you testers blocked the entrance of a The semi-autonomous city has the Group of 20 summit, which is tendance at the summit. ber bullets to disperse demon- countries: Do Hong Kongers de- should withdraw from the United tower block containing the city’s been shaken by huge demonstra- taking place in Osaka, Japan, on “Hong Kong aff airs are purely strators earlier in the month. serve democracy? Should Hong Nations.” Protest leaders also tax department, turning away tions this month with protesters Friday and Saturday. China’s internal aff airs and no The demonstrations have since Kongers have democracy? Can plan to hold another huge rally employees and members of the demanding the withdrawal of a But Chinese assistant foreign foreign country has the right to morphed into a wider movement Hong Kongers implement our on July 1 but student-led groups public. Hong Kong activists renew protest against extradition bill

Reuters Hong Kong

ore than 100 people Anti-extradition bill protesters occupy the Revenue Tower in Hong Kong, yesterday. blocked a Hong Kong Mgovernment building of the protest at the skyscraper ability of Lam to govern. The organiser of the mass protests, or any other legislation. The ex- yesterday in protest against pro- inland revenue building near the protesters plan another dem- is gearing up for an annual pro- tradition bill triggered the most posed legislation allowing extra- heart of the fi nancial centre. The onstration tomorrow to raise democracy march on July 1, the violent protests in decades when ditions to mainland China that former British colony of Hong awareness among world leaders 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong’s police fi red rubber bullets and they want scrapped. Kong returned to Chinese rule attending the Group of 20 na- handover to Beijing. tear gas to disperse the crowds Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, in 1997, since when it has been tions summit in the Japanese city The group has called on people earlier this month. Human rights saying she had heard the protest- governed under a “one country, of Osaka this week. to turn out in force. Beijing has groups have repeatedly cited the ers “loud and clear”, this month two systems” formula that al- Chinese Assistant Minister of said it supports Lam’s decision alleged use of torture, arbitrary postponed the bill that would al- lows it freedoms not enjoyed on Foreign Aff airs Zhang Jun said to suspend the extradition bill, detentions, forced confessions low criminal suspects to be sent the mainland, including freedom yesterday that China would not but has been angered by criticism and problems accessing lawyers to the mainland for trial in courts to protest and a much-cherished allow the G20 nations to discuss from Western capitals, including in China as reasons why the Hong controlled by the Communist The protesters plan another demonstration tomorrow to raise independent judiciary. Hong Kong at the summit. Washington, about the legisla- Kong bill should not proceed. Party. awareness among world leaders attending the Group of 20 The bill has seen millions of “What I can tell you for sure tion. China denies accusations that The activists, mostly students, nations summit in the Japanese city of Osaka this week. people, fearing a continual, drip- is that G20 will not discuss the UN High Commissioner for it tramples on human rights and are demanding the bill be with- drip erosion of those freedoms, Hong Kong issue. We will not Human Rights Michelle Bachelet offi cial media said last week “for- drawn, the government drop all to the demonstrations as a riot, “It’s inconvenient but I support clog the streets in protest and allow G20 to discuss the Hong urged Hong Kong authorities to eign forces” were trying to dam- charges against those arrested in which could potentially lead to it,” a South African businessman plunge the city into political cri- Kong issue,” Zhang said. “consult broadly before passing age China by creating chaos over recent protests and stop referring heavier jail terms. who declined to be identifi ed said sis, with many questioning the The Civil Human Rights Front, or amending” the extradition bill the extradition bill.

Solomon Islands plans due Trump to visit Seoul after Australia rescues children of dead diligence tour Islamic State fi ghters from Syria on Taiwan ties exchanging letters with Kim The Solomon Islands, one of Taiwan’s remaining allies in the Reuters held responsible for the crimes ents, and they’ll fi nd their home Pacific, will send a delegation AFP out an agreement — on sanc- clearisation of North Korea”. Sydney of their parents.” in Australia and I’m sure they’ll to study Chinese aid in Seoul tions relief and what the North A South Korean govern- Aged between two and 18, be embraced by Australians,” neighbouring countries as it might give up in return — and ment offi cial told reporters those rescued include the three Morrison said. considers a potential diplomatic since then the negotiation that Trump was “considering” ustralia has rescued the surviving children of notori- The children would stay in a switch to Beijing, the delegation S President Donald process has stalled, with mini- a visit to the DMZ – but that children and grandchil- ous Isis fi ghter Kahled Sharrouf, safe location in Iraq until Zaynab leader said yesterday. The Trump will visit South mal contact. there were no plans for a three- Adren of two dead Islamic photographed standing next to Sharrouf gives birth and offi cials Solomons has recognised Taiwan UKorea at the weekend Kim last week hosted Chi- way summit between the US State fi ghters from a Syrian ref- his young son holding a severed will run medical and psycho- since 1983 and would be a prized after the G20 summit to discuss nese President Xi Jinping president and the leaders of the ugee camp and will resettle them human head in a picture that logical checks on the children, chip should it swap diplomatic deadlocked nuclear talks with for two days of fanfare in two Koreas. in the country, Prime Minister made global headlines in 2014. the Australian newspaper said. ties as China seeks to expand the North with President Moon Pyongyang — the fi rst visit by a It will be the eighth meeting Scott Morrison said yesterday. The two daughters of his Once in Australia, the Sharrouf its influence and presence in Jae-in, Seoul’s presidential of- Chinese president in 14 years — between Moon and Trump, who In the fi rst such rescue by the pregnant daughter, Zaynab children will be released into the the Pacific. A taskforce set up fi ce said yesterday. showcasing a decades-old al- last visited his security ally in Western country, Morrison con- Sharrouf, and the three off spring custody of their grandmother by Prime Minister Manasseh Trump will fl y to the South liance they called “invincible” November 2017, when he tried fi rmed media reports that eight of slain fi ghter Yasin Rizvic were while the Rizvic children reset- Sogavare to review the Taiwan Korean capital on Saturday af- and “forged in blood”. to go to the DMZ but was forced children were taken from a camp also rescued, the Australian tle in Melbourne, it added. relationship will visit the island ter attending the G20 summit Analysts say Xi’s meet- to turn back by thick fog. in northern Syria on Sunday and Broadcasting Corporation said. Belgium, Germany and the nations of Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, in Japan, offi cials said, prompt- ing with Kim — ahead of talks “Trump will certainly visit the government was working on An Australian government United States have made simi- Tonga and Papua New Guinea ing speculation he could try to with Trump on the sidelines of the DMZ if the weather per- repatriating them. spokesman declined to com- lar moves to rescue small num- which all have formal ties with visit the Demilitarised Zone the G20 summit — is intended mits because it is the site where “The opportunity now is for ment further or confi rm the bers of orphaned children in China. The tour will begin this that divides the peninsula. to demonstrate and reinforce the easing of military tensions these young children who are children’s identities to Reuters. Syrian camps, though security week and also include Beijing The visit comes after Trump Beijing’s infl uence in the North, between the two Koreas can coming back to Australia,” Mor- “They have got off to a horrible concerns have deterred other and Taipei, taskforce chairman exchanged letters with North which is heavily reliant eco- be witnessed directly,” Koh rison told reporters in the west- start in life as a result of the ap- governments, including Britain, John Moff at Fugui told Reuters. Korean leader Kim Jong-un, nomically on its neighbour. Ko Yu-hwan, professor of North ern city of Perth. “They can’t be palling decisions of their par- from doing so. “We will use their countries as who said the US president’s let- Min-jung, spokeswoman for Korean studies at Dongguk case studies to see the kind of ter to him had “excellent con- the South’s presidential Blue University in Seoul, told AFP. development relations they have, tent”, according to the North’s House, said Moon and Trump “Visiting the DMZ could reaf- the kind of assistance they get, state-run media. Trump re- “will have an in-depth discus- fi rm the importance of (the) de- the conditionalities or lack of ceived a missive from Kim ear- sion exploring ways to estab- nuclearisation process.” Birdsinging contest conditionalities they might have, lier this month and called it a lish a permanent peace regime But he said it would be “as- the kind of governance,” Fugui, “beautiful letter”. through complete denucleari- tonishing” if the US and North a government legislator, said The letter exchange comes sation of the Korean peninsula”. Korean leaders were to meet in by phone from the Solomons’ after their second summit in US offi cials generally refer the DMZ, given the “standstill capital, Honiara. “We will do due Hanoi in February ended with- more specifi cally to the “denu- in nuclear talks”. diligence,” he said, adding the taskforce report was expected by the end of August and could Powerful Indonesian quake felt in Australia recommend a middle course. “It’s not either or, it’s also both,” A 7.3-magnitude earthquake agency, which urged people to Southeast Asian archipelago of he said, without elaborating on struck remote eastern Indonesia “stay calm”, said the tremor was Indonesia, which is one of the such a scenario. The Solomon yesterday, forcing people to felt weakly in faraway Bali. It most disaster-prone nations Islands is among 17 nations flee off ice buildings as far away hit at a depth of 208km south on Earth, lies to the north of to recognise self-ruled and as the northern Australian city of Ambon island in the Banda Australia. While the quake was democratic Taiwan, which China of Darwin, off icials and reports Sea at 11:53 local time, according too deep to spark a tsunami, regards as a renegade province said. The deep and powerful to the US Geological Survey its raw power jolted the region. with no right to state-to-state ties. earthquake sent shockwaves (USGS). There were no reports “The earthquake occurred at a Although the relationship with around the region, with people of casualties or any major depth of about 200km, and as Taiwan comes with generous aid on the tourist island of Bali as damage. “Wow, that was quite the energy spreads upwards payments, the Solomons sends well as in East Timor reporting an impact for #Darwin, hope and outwards from the point at two-thirds of its exports to China feeling the tremor. Indonesia everyone is safe,” the bureau which it occurs, it will be felt in and is weighing the merits of a was the epicentre of the Asian of meteorology in Australia’s places as far away as Darwin,” change. China’s footprint in the tsunami in 2004 that killed more Northern Territory said on said Chris Elders, a quake expert Pacific has been growing, with than 170,000 people but the Twitter. People in Darwin’s at Australia’s Curtin University. governments there owing about Pacific Tsunami Warning Center central business district fled Residents of Dili, the capital of $1.3bn to Beijing and raising fears said yesterday’s quake was too buildings after the quake struck, East Timor, which lies southwest A pigeon sit atop a cage during a merbok (zebra dove) singing competition at the Kebun Baru in the West that the region is deep to trigger a destructive the Australian Broadcasting of the epicentre, were terrified Birdsinging Club in Singapore yesterday. becoming more susceptible to wave. Indonesia’s disaster Corporation reported. The as buildings shook. Chinese influence. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 15

BRITAIN

Greater Manchester mulls taking back control of bus network

Guardian News and Media vate bus companies. Private operators including at times of day and in areas where city region seeking to make use Talking at the Home arts cen- the Traff ord Centre next year, London His vision, called Our Network Stagecoach and First are currently there is a social need. of the new powers under the Bus tre in Manchester yesterday, with 27 new trams entering op- – a nod to the Mancunian habit of able to cherry-pick the most prof- Passenger numbers have Services Act 2017 and the fi rst to Burnham called for an end to the eration. calling a sibling “our kid” – will itable routes and set their own plunged since the service was pri- test this legislation – so is leading region’s “confusing and frag- “We need to stop building for reater Manchester could include the largest public bike timetables, leaving large swathes vatised in 1986, with the number the way nationally in this regard.” mented” system. “At the moment the car,” said Burnham, who has become the fi rst city re- hire scheme per head in the UK, of the region, and often the poor- of annual journeys falling by 45% The ability to take buses back our transport system isn’t suffi - appointed the former racing cy- Ggion in the UK to take back including electric bikes, and will est, without regular services. It from 355mn then to 195mn in last into public control was given to ciently accountable to the public. clist Chris Boardman as the re- control of its buses after a report start rolling out next spring. Our frequently costs £4 to go 5 miles year. “Many of those people have mayoral authorities by the govern- We own part of it but not all of it … gion’s cycling and walking com- recommended refranchising its Pass will launch on July 1, off ering – a journey that would be £1.50 in migrated to the car, as we see from ment in 2017. Though an assess- we need to bring this system into missioner. vast and fragmented network. free bus travel for the region’s 16- London – and services do not con- the congestion,” said Burnham. In ment by TfGM has recommended one framework of accountability Boardman said he was looking The mayor of Greater Man- to 18-year-olds. nect with other modes of trans- London, bus use almost doubled in refranchising as Burnham’s best so that people can hold me to ac- for an operator to run a Greater chester, Andy Burnham, said he Burnham is preparing for a bat- port. the same period, rising from 1.2bn option, its report must be inde- count about what is happening in Manchester-wide bike hire pro- hoped to use the powers to build tle with some of the 42 bus com- Transport for Greater Man- in 1986 to 2.2bn in 2018, he said. pendently audited before going out their city region.” gramme, with the aim of it be- a London-style integrated trans- panies that compete for business chester (TfGM) spends £27.1mn a “We can’t carry on this way,” to a statutory public consultation, Greater Manchester controls ing “the largest public bike hire port system that puts passengers’ in Greater Manchester, which has a year subsidising about 20% of the Burnham said. “That’s why which is likely to be fought against its tram service, Metrolink, which scheme per resident of its kind in needs before the interests of pri- population of 2.8mn people. region’s bus services, which run Greater Manchester is the fi rst by the bus companies. will expand to Traff ord Park and the UK” within 10 years. Johnson, girlfriend forced to flee home

Guardian News and Media crowned Tory leader. London Meanwhile anarchists have perched themselves on the steps of Symonds’ fl at to protest oris Johnson and his girl- against her lover and his party’s friend have fl ed their policies. Six Class War support- Bhome following the bust- ers shouted abuse and held up up that has dented his hopes of posters. becoming prime minister. Camberwell residents have With anarchists now camped also shown their distaste at hav- outside the fl at, he and Carrie ing Johnson as their neighbour Symonds, 31, have decided to go and posters mocking him were into hiding. put up before Friday’s alterca- Friends of the former foreign tion. secretary say it may be impos- He stayed out of the spotlight Conservative Party leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt attends an interview outside his home in London yesterday. sible for him to return to the as his campaign team held talks £700,000 property in Camber- on how to deal with the crisis. well, south London. One said A friend of Johnson and Sy- the couple had spent the week- monds told the Mail: “They’ve end together and their “loving spent the weekend together and doting” relationship was after being driven out of their “stronger than ever”. home in Camberwell and actu- Johnson, 55, is refusing to ally the events of the past few break his silence on the domes- days have made them strong- tic incident in the early hours of er than ever but they really Hunt urges Johnson Friday that saw police offi cers shouldn’t have to put up with called. this nonsense. They’re in a Jeremy Hunt raised the pres- very loving and stable relation- sure on his Tory leadership rival ship. They totally dote on one by saying “someone who wants another.” to be prime minister should an- The domestic dispute was re- swer questions on everything”. corded by a neighbour and re- As MPs who are backing ported to police. not to be a ‘coward’ Johnson also called for him to Neighbours claimed Symonds reveal what happened: could be heard screaming and AFP and one-time London mayor has through the front door of No 10 in a loud altercation early Friday He used his regular column in O It emerged that Symonds telling Johnson to “get off me” London been accused of not having a de- with your head held high instead at the home of his 31-year-old the Daily Telegraph newspaper was accused by a Johnson aide and “get out of my fl at”. tailed plan to take Britain out of of slinking through the back door, girlfriend Carrie Symonds. yesterday to reiterate his commit- of helping his rival Sajid Javid; Sources claimed that in recent the European Union. which is what Boris appears to Neighbours called police af- ment to delivering Brexit at the O Supporters of Johnson pri- weeks there had been tensions eremy Hunt, the underdog in a He is also under growing pres- want.” ter hearing screams, shouts and end of October, insisting he would vately voiced concerns about his between Symonds and mem- bitter battle with Boris John- sure following a scandal over an Urging Johnson to attend a bangs at the south London prop- not “bottle” it. relationship with her; bers of Johnson’s leadership Json to become next prime argument with his girlfriend that TV debate proposed for today erty, shortly after Johnson had se- But an increasingly vocal band O Pictures emerged of John- campaign team. In a sign of the minister, yesterday called on his led to a police visit to their home evening, Hunt added: “Don’t be cured his place in the fi nal run-off of Conservative MPs have indi- son buying the wine that spilled acrimony, one aide who is work- rival not to be “a coward” trying last week. a coward Boris, man up and show to become prime minister. cated they could topple a Johnson on Symonds sofa, apparently ing for Johnson told friends they to “avoid scrutiny” — over both “I am not interested in debating the nation you can cope with the Photographs emerged yester- government to prevent the coun- sparking the row; believed she had been helping a domestic row and his Brexit Boris’s private life,” Hunt said in intense scrutiny the most dif- day of the couple smiling and try leaving the bloc without an O His allies claimed he would Javid, the home secretary, with policy. an article in The Times, arguing he fi cult job in the country will in- holding hands at an undisclosed agreement. call the bluff of rebel Conserva- his failed leadership bid. Johnson is the overwhelming instead wants to quiz Johnson on volve.” countryside location said to have In comments for a BBC docu- tive MPs threatening to bring A MP who is backing Johnson favourite to replace Theresa May his Brexit plans and other ideas. Sky News said Johnson had so been taken on Sunday. mentary aired yesterday, Defence down the government to stop a said it was “probably best” for as Conservative party leader but “A new prime minister needs far declined its invitation to take When asked about the incident Minister Tobias Ellwood said no-deal Brexit; the couple to decide whether has limited his public appear- the legitimacy of having made his part in today’s head-to-head de- at a Conservative grassroots event around a dozen Tory lawmakers, O Liz Truss, a Cabinet rank or not to get married. “A deci- ances, including skipping a can- arguments publicly and having bate, and that it would reissue an the previous day, Johnson said: “I including other ministers, would ally of Johnson, warned it was sion needs to be made,” the MP didates’ TV debate. them subjected to scrutiny. invitation for a debate on July 1 don’t think people want to hear support a vote of no confi dence to not inevitable that he would be added. The former foreign minister “Only then can you walk instead. Johnson, 55, was involved about that kind of thing.” stop a no-deal Brexit.

No proof Russia infl uenced Prescott admitted to Brexit via Facebook: Clegg hospital after stroke Guardian News and Media Prescott served as deputy for 10 Guardian News and Media interference in the 2016 US presi- What is not new is people com- London years, and the current Labour London dential election. We’ve shared all ing up with bonkers ideas, or fake leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said they this information with the select ideas, or indulging in extremist or were hoping Prescott would committee and Westminster and populist points of view. That was he former deputy prime make a quick recovery. ick Clegg, Facebook’s elsewhere. We have found no evi- not invented 15 years ago. Pop- minister John Prescott Corbyn tweeted: “My head of communications, dence of a signifi cant attempt by ulism, extremism, confl ict and Thas been admitted to thoughts are with my good friend Nhas dismissed allegations outside forces. division in society, particularly hospital after having a stroke, John Prescott and his family and that misuse of the social network “I’ve also heard it claimed that when you have, as we have had prompting messages of support friends at this diffi cult time. I infl uenced the Brexit referendum that (Cambridge Analytica) data since 2008, profound economic from current and former Labour hope he makes a full and speedy result. was used in the Brexit referendum and social shocks to society, I leaders. recovery. I’d like to thank the Speaking yesterday on the here. In fact, the watchdog, the think people some times confuse In a statement, Lord Pres- paramedics and hard-working BBC’s Today programme , the UK watchdog that has that data symptom with cause. cott’s family said he was being staff at Hull Royal infi rmary. We former deputy prime minister … fi rstly they said this last week, “You see a lot of the divisions cared for in hospital near his know John loves our NHS and to- said the company’s investigations that there was no raw data from in society played out on social home in Hull. day the NHS loves him.” had found no evidence of Russian Facebook on the servers of Cam- media … When you look at the “John was taken to hospi- In a statement, Blair said: “My involvement in the campaign, un- bridge Analytica, but more than claims and counterclaims about tal last Friday after suff ering a thoughts are with John, Pauline like when it ran a similar inquiry that, they have confi rmed that no the eff ect of social media on the stroke,” they said. “We would and all the family. Hoping very into the 2016 US election. UK voter’s Facebook data was in- US presidential elections in 2016, like to praise the swift actions much that he gets better soon.” As for Cambridge Analytica, volved.” (you) discover that the thing that of the ambulance staff and the MPs from all sides of the po- the election consultancy that shut Clegg did not address allega- created the bubble eff ect was the doctors and nurses at Hull Royal litical divide sent messages of down after it emerged it had used tions that Facebook’s viral me- feedback loop between the tweets infi rmary’s A&E and stroke unit. support to the 81-year-old peer. improperly acquired Facebook data chanics aid populist politics at the of the then candidate Donald They have been remarkable and They included the former to target voters with political adver- expense of more moderate cam- Trump and the media, cable TV.” we cannot thank them enough.” Brexit secretary David Davis, tising, Clegg cited an investigation paigns, a theory cited by academ- Clegg also argued the recent The family also appealed for and the Health Secretary, Matt by the UK’s information commis- ics and researchers to explain the backlash against technology privacy. “He is receiving excel- Hancock, who paid tribute to sioner to argue that “no UK voter’s rise of populism. But earlier this companies created “the risk that lent care from the NHS, but we the care provided by the Hull Facebook data was involved”. month, he dismissed those con- we throw the baby out with the would respectfully request at Royal infi rmary. He added: “We ran two full cerns as well, telling the Times’s bathwater and make it almost this time that John and our fam- The shadow chancellor, John analyses of all the data we have in Red Box podcast that populism impossible for tech to innovate ily are given the privacy we need McDonnell, said: “I think right the run-up to the Brexit referen- was “not new”. properly … Technology is not so that he can have the time and across the Labour and trade un- dum, following exactly the same He added: “Social media has good or bad. Technology down space to make a full recovery,” ion movement, even I think a lot methodology as we did after the something which is qualitatively the ages is used by good and bad the statement said. of his opponents, will be wish- FBI notifi ed Facebook of outside new, which is scale and speed. people for good and bad ends.” Clegg: ‘no evidence of Russian involvement’ Both Tony Blair, under whom ing him a speedy recovery”. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 EUROPE Right-to-die case Georgia reform vow lands in France’s top appeals court

AFP versity Hospital the green light Paris to remove Lambert’s feeding fails to quell protests and water tubes. The French government and AFP ble arrest of opposition leaders, rance’s highest appeals the Reims hospital promptly Tbilisi Ivanishvili said yesterday that court began examining appealed to the Cour de Cassa- both those who provoked the Fyesterday whether the tion, paving the way for yet an- violence and those who used ex- man at the centre of a wrench- other cliff hanger ruling which housands of anti-govern- cessive force “must be punished”. ing right-to-die case should could see Lambert taken off life ment protesters rallied He has accused opposition have been put back on life sup- support again. Tyesterday in the Georgian leaders of inciting protesters to port after doctors halted treat- The case has rekindled a capital for the fi fth consecu- storm parliament – a claim they ment. charged debate over France’s tive day as the increasingly un- have denied. Vincent Lambert, 42, has right-to-die laws, which allow popular ruling party’s promise Placards at rallies have taken been in a vegetative state since so-called “passive” euthana- of sweeping reforms failed to ap- aim not only at Ivanishvili but a 2008 traffi c accident which sia for severely ill or injured pease mass demonstrations. also Russian President Vladimir left him a quadriplegic with se- patients with no chance of re- Following four days of pro- Putin who, in response to the vere brain damage that doctors covery. tests, Georgia’s powerful oligarch protests suspended air links be- believe to be irreversible. President Emmanuel Ma- and ruling Georgian Dream party tween the two countries. The question of whether to cron had last month rejected chief Bidzina Ivanishvili an- Yesterday Russian consumer continue keeping him alive ar- calls by Lambert’s parents and nounced “large-scale political watchdog Rospotrebnadzor also tifi cially has divided his family others to intervene to keep him reform. said it had noticed a “deteriora- and the nation. alive, saying that the decision Parliamentary elections next tion” in the quality of Georgian His parents, who are devout to stop treatment “was taken year will now be held under a wine and had “tightened con- Catholics, have fought a six- after a constant dialogue be- proportional voting system, he trol” of all Georgian alcoholic year legal battle to maintain tween his doctors and his wife, told a news conference yesterday, beverages entering Russia. treatment against the wishes who is his legal representative”. meeting a key demand of pro- Russia is a crucial market for of his wife and doctors. The European Court of Hu- testers who denounce the exist- Georgian wine exports. Yesterday the Cour de man Rights also rejected an ap- ing set-up as favouring the ruling Protesters waive the EU, Georgian and American flags during their motorcade rally yesterday in Tbilisi. Relations between Georgia and Cassation began examin- peal by Lambert’s parents. party. The head of Georgia’s ruling party has announced sweeping electoral reforms in a bid to appease Soviet-era master Russia have ing whether a Paris court was However, the UN committee “We will have a parliament protesters after days of demonstrations gripped the capital Tbilisi. long been tense over Tbilisi’s ef- within its rights to order that on disabled rights asked France where all the existing political forts to join the European Union Lambert’s feeding tubes be to keep Lambert alive while it actors will be represented,” Ivan- initiative as a tentative success must resign and face justice.” The protests erupted after a and the North Atlantic Treaty reinserted last month, just conducted its own investiga- ishvili said. but vowed to keep pressure on Georgia’s main opposition Russian lawmaker addressed Organisation (Nato). hours after doctors had begun tion into his fate – a request the The protests, which erupted the government until their two force, former president Mikheil parliament from the speaker’s The confrontation culminated switching off life support. French government rejected as on Thursday, have seen thou- remaining demands – Gakharia’s Saakashvili’s United National seat last week, a hugely pro- in a war over Georgia’s breaka- The Cour de Cassation, non-binding. sands take to the streets of Tbilisi resignation and the liberation of Movement (UNM), said Ivanish- vocative move for two countries way regions of Abkhazia and which will issue its ruling on Lambert’s wife says her and clashes erupt with police fi r- detained protesters – are met. vili’s concessions were “only a whose ties remain strained after South Ossetia in August 2008. Friday, will not consider the ar- husband had previously told ing tear gas and rubber bullets. “We snatched from Ivanish- partial victory”. a brief war in 2008. After the confl ict, which guments for or against keeping her that he would not want to Ivanishvili’s announcement vili’s hands a fi rst concession but The party would insist on The rallies evolved into a claimed the lives of hundreds of Lambert alive. be kept artifi cially alive if in a visibly failed to mollify protest- this is only the beginning of his holding early parliamentary polls broader movement against Ivan- soldiers and civilians from both It will focus on whether the vegetative state – a position he ers, who also want a snap elec- end,” 45-year-old librarian, Sho- after the electoral reforms are fi - ishvili, a billionaire businessman sides, Moscow recognised South Paris court was competent to never put in writing. tion and the resignation of Inte- ta Nodia, said. “Our ultimate goal nalised, one of its leaders, Grigol widely believed to be calling the Ossetia and another separatist rule on the case, which has tak- Six of Lambert’s siblings and rior Minister Giorgi Gakharia. is Georgia’s de-oligarchisation.” Vashadze, told journalists. shots in Georgia. enclave, Abkhazia, as independ- en the warring Lambert family a nephew also believe the most Yesterday evening thousands Another protester, 59-year- Vashadze said mass rallies The fi rst day of the protests ent states where it then stationed to the top tribunals in France humane course is to let him die. of protesters gathered outside old engineer Anton Aladashvili, would continue until Gakharia saw a violent police crackdown permanent military bases. and Europe. But his mother Viviane has Georgia’s parliament building, said: “An interior minister who resigns and the more than 100 that left 160 demonstrators and Tbilisi and its Western allies Lambert’s wife Rachel and insisted he “just needs some- blocking traffi c in Tbilisi’s main ordered to fi re rubber bullets – protesters behind bars – whom 80 police offi cers injured. denounced the move as an “il- doctors are hoping that Fri- thing to drink and eat, and thoroughfare, Rustaveli Avenue. without a warning – at peace- he referred to as “political pris- More than 300 were arrested. legal military occupation” and day’s decision will end the legal love”. Many welcomed Ivanishvili’s ful demonstrators, at teenagers, oners” – are freed. Raising fears of the possi- insist it must end. battle once and for all. She, his father Pierre and Yesterday Rachel Lam- two of Lambert’s other siblings bert’s lawyer urged the court are adamant that he is not at to “defi nitively end the aff air the end of his life. by allowing the decision of The case has even drawn in the medical profession to halt Pope Francis, who tweeted last Most Spaniards want Pilot killed in Eurofi ghter mid-air treatment to be implemented”. month that it was necessary to The Paris court’s decision “always safeguard life, God’s had reversed an earlier ruling gift, from its beginning until its monarchy out: poll collision over eastern Germany giving doctors at Reims Uni- natural end”.

DPA Reuters Bosnian Serbs withdraw reserve Madrid Berlin police plan under Western pressure

pain’s King Felipe VI has ne pilot was killed and Bosnia’s Serb entity withdrew yesterday a bill to set up a reserve “suff ered” a defeat in a another managed to par- police force under pressure from Western peace envoys who said Sstraw poll held in Madrid Oachute to safety after two it would be divisive, with memories still fresh of reservists’ role in on the future of the country’s unarmed German Eurofi ghter ethnic cleansing during the 1992-95 war. monarchy, poll organisers said. jets collided over northeastern The legislation was pulled by the Serb Republic’s interior ministry Some 89% of the 18,000 Germany yesterday, offi cials a day before it was due for passage by its nationalist-dominated or so participants voted over said. parliament as Western diplomats warned it would raise tensions the weekend for abolishing The pilot of a third plane who with Muslim Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats. the monarchy and establish- witnessed the accident said par- Lawmakers had in April approved a draft of the law for a reserve ing a republic, the organisers, achutes had been ejected from police force, a move that Bosniaks and Croats living in the a group of anti-monarchists both aircraft. Federation, the other post-war entity in Bosnia, quickly denounced called Consulta Republicana 22 King Felipe One of the pilots was later res- as threatening. Junio said. cued from the top of a tree but Serb Republic police off icials said the reserve force was needed to The group had set up 80 ta- The opponents of the mon- the other was found dead on the One of the two Eurofighter jets that collided is seen in the sky before help tackle extra security threats including illegal migrants coming bles with voting cards in the archy always prevailed by a ground. it crashed. from outside Europe, or weather disasters. centre of Madrid on Saturday. large margin, one reason being “This is a sad day for our air According to the count, that monarchists are against force,” Defence Minister Ursula thing about the circumstances reported the crash, posted a more than 96% voted to hold such votes. von Der Leyen told reporters near of the crash, and recovery teams video sent in by a listener which Munitions depot blast in Kazakhstan an offi cial referendum. With the adoption of the the crash site in the eastern state were searching for the black box it said showed two plumes of Such polls on the monarchy constitution in 1978, Spain of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. fl ight recorders. smoke rising from separate crash The Kazakh government ordered the evacuation of a town of have been taking place increas- became a parliamentary mon- “We lost a soldier in a fl ight ac- The battalion based at Laage sites some distance apart. 44,000 yesterday, after a series of blasts at a nearby munitions ingly both in the capital and in archy. cident. air force base, near Rostock, It described a fi eld of debris depot killed one person and injured dozens, the Central Asian other regions. In recent representative “Our thoughts are with his where the aircraft took off , trains around the area of the crash, nation’s authorities said. In recent months, more than polls conducted by opinion family and his comrades.” all pilots fl ying Germany’s 140 which it said had ignited a small The blasts occurred at a military base near Arys in the former 100,000 people in Madrid research institutes, more than The jets collided about 20 Eurofi ghters. forest fi re. Soviet republic’s southern Turkestan province, which houses a large alone have taken part in such half of those questioned were minutes after they took off , she They were the fi rst two of the About 400 Eurofi ghters – Soviet-era storage facility for explosive munitions. events through surveys in vari- in favour of a referendum on said. jets that Germany has lost since made by a consortium of Airbus, The cause of the fire which led to the explosions was unclear. ous city districts and at univer- the form of government of the An armed forces spokesman it started fl ying them in 2004. BAE Systems and Leonardo – are Similar incidents in the area, in 2009, 2014 and 2015, were blamed sities. EU member state. said it was too early to say any- Ostseewelle radio, which fi rst in service around the world. on negligence and failure to observe safety regulations.

Belgium police arrest man suspected of Windmill protesters on terror list

AFP a number of threatening letters Groningen province following a planning an attack on US embassy The Hague sent by activists. series of earthquakes. In one case in April, an un- But the announcement of new named company dropped a con- wind farms has led to fi erce pro- AFP volvement in the alleged plot. The Islamic State group after police smashed a religious utch counter-terrorism tract after receiving a warning tests by local residents. Brussels A source close to the investi- claimed responsibility for the extremist cell in the eastern city offi cials have highlighted giving it 48 hours to “change This in turn has led to illegal gation told AFP the suspect is a twin attacks. of Verviers. D“extremist” wind turbine your mind about building the asbestos dumping at prospective Belgian man of around 40 years Since 2016, several other The Belgian police raid oc- protesters alongside radical Is- turbines”. turbine sites and posters depict- elgian counter-terror po- who had “raised suspicion be- attacks, some of them also curred a week after attacks lamists and the far-right in the “If you don’t take action, you ing local offi cials in Nazi hats. lice have arrested a man cause of his behaviour”. claimed by IS, have targeted against the Charlie Hebdo mag- country’s latest terrorism threat can take the money you are mak- Last week, police arrested Bsuspected of plotting an He had been seen “scouting” Belgian police or soldiers. azine and Jewish supermarket in report. ing there at our expense, and three men in connection with the attack against the US embassy the area before he was arrested, The last “terrorist attack” Paris. At least two companies build- spend it on security for you and threats and the asbestos dump- in Brussels, federal prosecutors the source added, speaking on occurred in the eastern city of The level four alert – which ing new wind turbines in the your company,” said the letter, ing, which carries a 12-year sen- said yesterday. condition of anonymity. Liege on May 29 last year when means a serious and imminent Netherlands have cancelled con- according to Dutch public broad- tence for “serious endangerment The police on Saturday ar- The source declined to say Benjamin Herman shot dead threat of attack – has been put struction projects “out of fear of caster NOS. of the public health”. rested the man following “con- whether the suspect fi t the pro- two women police offi cers and a in place twice but for limited attacks and have lost millions” Another company in neigh- There are currently more than verging signs raising fears of an fi le of a religious extremist. student. duration. of euros in damage, the NCTV bouring Drenthe received a simi- 2,500 wind turbines on land and attack against the US embassy”, Religious extremists have He shouted Allahu Akbar It was imposed for the fi rst counter-terrorism agency said. lar threatening letter. 289 turbines in the North Sea, the prosecutor’s offi ce said. staged a number of attacks in (God is Greatest) before being time for a week in the wake of “Extremist protest actions Famed for its traditional wind- according to Dutch government “The suspect has been de- Brussels, which hosts the head- shot dead by the police. the November 13, 2015 attacks in by a small group of anonymous mills, the Netherlands today is numbers. tained for an alleged attempted quarters of the European Union Since the end of January 2018, Paris which claimed the lives of activists against the erection of becoming ever more reliant on Dutch climate activists have attack within a terrorist context and the North Atlantic Treaty the terror alert level in Bel- 130 people and wounded hun- wind turbines in the Drenthe and modern wind farms as it tries to been pushing for the country to and preparation of a terrorist of- Organisation (Nato). gium has been set at two, which dreds of others. Groningen provinces have con- meet EU climate accords, with a be running off sustainable energy fence,” it said in a statement. The worst was on March 22, means an attack is considered It was then raised from three tinued and hardened in the last target of 14% sustainable energy as early as 2030. The suspect identifi ed only as 2016, when suicide bombers unlikely, the same as it was be- to four in the days after the few months,” read the NCTV’s set for 2020. That would mean some 4,250 MG appeared yesterday morn- killed 32 people and wounded fore January 2015. March 2016 attacks. latest report. The lowlands country is also land-based wind turbines and ing before an investigating judge hundreds of others at Brussels A level three alert – indicating Police say they believe the The problem has become so seeking alternative fuel sources 3,750 at sea, according to fi gures who ordered him held, it added. airport and a metro station near an attack is possible and likely same cell was behind both the bad that even the police have set as it scales down gas extraction by the Dutch society for sustain- The suspect denies any in- EU buildings. – was set later in January 2015 French and Belgium attacks. up a special team to investigate from Europe’s largest fi eld in able energy (NVDE). Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 17 EUROPE

Dutch emergency services Cyprus serial killer gets suff er telecoms seven life jail sentences outage AFP and to the souls of the victims.” ters, have accused authorities of body brought to the surface of a Nicosia “Cypriot society will be won- neglect over the cases. mine shaft on April 14 by unusu- dering how one of its members Cyprus is a prime destination ally heavy rains. Reuters reached this point. I have also for migrants from Eastern Eu- That sparked a manhunt that Amsterdam Greek Cypriot army cap- asked myself why; I have not yet rope and Southeast Asia, many led to the army captain’s arrest tain who murdered fi ve managed to fi nd an answer,” he of whom are employed as house- four days later. Awomen and two girls was added. “I have committed hate- keepers and menial workers. He then directed investiga- major telecommunica- handed seven life sentences yes- ful crimes.” The police’s failure to follow tors to the sites where he had tions outage hit the Neth- terday in an unprecedented se- In a ruling seen by AFP, a pan- up on reports of women going dumped the other bodies, in- Aerlands yesterday, crip- rial killing case that has shocked el of three judges at the Nicosia missing has sparked outrage and cluding in a toxic lake near the pling ambulance and emergency the Mediterranean island. Criminal Court said that Metax- led to the dismissal of the police capital Nicosia. services numbers and prompting Nikos Metaxas, 35, had plead- as had “embarked on a campaign chief and the resignation of the Authorities spent weeks the police to send all duty offi c- ed guilty to the premeditated to kill defenceless women.” justice minister. searching the lake with help ers onto the streets. murders, all targeting foreigners, They handed him seven life Protesters have accused the from Israeli and British experts The outage, which was ongo- which sparked anger over per- terms of 25 years each, fi ve of police of racism, saying that the before fi nding the body of a child ing after several hours, origi- ceived police racism. which will run consecutively. searches had been botched be- believed to be the killer’s seventh nated on the network of national Metaxas was led into a Nicosia He is not expected to appeal. cause the missing women were and fi nal victim. carrier Royal KPN NV, but was court under heavy security and He was not punished for the foreigners. The court heard divers had also aff ecting other telecommu- stared grimly at the ground as a other charges as they were con- President Nicos Anastasiades found the child’s body wrapped nications providers using KPN’s prosecutor read out a string of sidered part of the murders. criticised the police for “ap- in a carpet with a cement block backbone. charges, including kidnapping This picture taken on June 4 shows Cypriot investigators This is the fi rst time in Cypri- parent negligence and derelic- attached to it. Emergency contact num- and the killings of the women removing the body of one of the victims of serial killer Nicos ot legal history that a defendant tion of duty” and acknowledged Police had previously recov- bers “cannot be reached due to and two of their daughters. Metaxas, recovered at the bottom of the man-made Red Lake near has faced seven counts of pre- that better initial investigations ered six other bodies, including a technical malfunction. We are Holding back tears, he pleaded the village of Mitsero, southwest of Nicosia. Metaxas was handed meditated murder. could have prevented some of remains dumped inside three working hard to resolve the mal- guilty to the accusations one by seven life sentences yesterday in a serial killing case that has Metaxas carried out the kill- the killings. suitcases found at a diff erent site function”, a government state- one. shocked the Mediterranean island. ings between September 2016 The trial comes after a two- known as the Red Lake. ment said. “If you need immedi- After the prosecutor read a and the summer of 2018. month search for the bodies of The Cyprus government has ate medical assistance, go to the long document detailing his handwritten statement apolo- plain why he killed the victims. Relatives and friends of the the victims. agreed to cover the funeral costs hospital yourself.” crimes and how he had hidden gising to his victims. “I acknowledge my guilt,” he fi ve women – from the Philip- The killings went undetected of all seven victims and pay KPN said in a statement on its the bodies, Metaxas, who faces He said he was “tortured by said in a shaky voice. “I apolo- pines, Romania and Nepal – for nearly three years, coming €17,000 to each surviving child website its fi xed-line and mobile life in prison, read out a short memories” and could not ex- gise to the families of the victims along with two of their daugh- to light when tourists spotted a of the victims. networks were down. It did not give any indica- tion of the cause, or how long it might last. Offi cials from the company could not be reached by phone or e-mail for comment. Searing heat across Europe The outage, which started be- fore 4pm local time (1400 GMT), was the largest in memory in the Netherlands, a nation of 17mn which prides itself on the tech- sparks scramble for shade nical prowess of its telecommu- nications infrastructure. Anna Posthumus, a spokes- AFP woman at the National Co-ordi- Paris nator for Security and Counter- Terrorism, said it is “too early to say” whether there may have ans fl ew off store shelves been a cyber-attack. “Our fi rst and water fountains of- priority is making sure that eve- Ffered relief from the heat rything works again.” as temperatures soared in Eu- People with medical or other rope yesterday, with offi cials emergencies were instructed on urging vigilance ahead of even Twitter to go directly to hospi- hotter conditions forecast later tals, fi re departments or local in the week. police stations. Meteorologists blamed a blast The main police and emergen- of torrid air from the Sahara for cy numbers were not working. the unusually early summer Emergency service authorities heatwave, which could send published alternative numbers thermometers up to 40° Celsius on Twitter. (104° Fahrenheit) across large The military police, which swathes of the continent with guards international borders, France experiencing particularly said it had increased its presence hot temperatures. at vital military locations and Authorities have issued warn- airports. ings against dehydration and A police spokeswoman told heatstroke, in particular for the national broadcaster that all children and the elderly, and working police offi cers were be- hospitals have been placed on ing sent out on patrol. high alert. “I’m worried about peo- A seagull drinks water from the Trevi Fountain in Rome during an unusually early summer heatwave. A woman cools off near a fountain on a hot summer day in Brussels. ple who are downplaying this, Examiner killed who are continuing to exercise was blamed for the deaths of In Paris, offi cials pledged to after selecting the model there of the German weather service, frequent, even if countries suc- as usual or stay out in the sun,” 15,000 people and led to a surge open “cool rooms” inside public were none left,” said Paris resi- with the southwest due to be the ceed in their commitments to during driving test French Health Minister Agnes of criticism over how authori- buildings, set up temporary wa- dent Anne Sophie Viger, 30, who hottest. limit global temperature in- Buzyn said. “This aff ects all of ties cared for those most vulner- ter fountains, and leave the city’s works in insurance. “It is the Visitors in major tourist desti- creases as part of the 2015 Paris An examiner was run over and us, nobody is a superman when able at the height of the summer parks unlocked at night. night I am especially afraid of.” nations like Rome and Barcelona climate accord. killed by a woman taking her it comes to dealing with the ex- holidays. City workers also plan to dis- Spain’s AEMET weather used public fountains to cool “The hottest summers in driving test in the southern Polish treme heat we’re going to see on However, those extreme hot tribute water to the homeless agency warned of an “extreme their faces or dampen their hats Europe since the year 1500 AD city of Rybnik yesterday. Thursday and Friday.” temperatures lasted for two and install fans in schools and risk” of forest fi res in areas in- for some refreshment. all occurred since the last turn The 35-year-old examiner was In an unusual move, French weeks, whereas the worst of the nurseries. cluding Aragon, Navarre and Even Scandinavian countries of the century: 2018, 2010, run over by the candidate at Education Minister Jean-Michel heat is expected to be over by But electric fans were in short Extremadura, with tempera- are not being spared, with parts 2003, 2016, 2002,” said Stefan an examination centre during Blanquer announced a delay to early next week. supply after weather reports tures that could exceed 42°C in of southern Denmark and Swe- Rahmstorf, co-chair of Earth the part of the test focusing on national school exams to protect “It’s unprecedented because prompted a rush on stores over the Ebro valley in the northeast. den likely to reach 30°C starting System Analysis at the Potsdam manoeuvres, Rybnik police said pupils during the heatwave. it’s hitting so early in June, we the weekend, and France’s elec- In Germany, forecasters said today. Institute for Climate Impact Re- in a statement on their website. The Brevet national diploma haven’t seen this since 1947,” tric grid operator RTE is expect- the June record of 38.2°C for The temperatures will be most search (PIK). “A 68-year-old woman, in exam – a key test for children said Emmanuel Demael, a fore- ing a surge in demand as air- Frankfurt in 1947 was likely to intense from Thursday, fore- The Paris climate deal aims circumstances which are aged around 14 that was set for caster at the Meteo-France conditioning is turned up. come under threat, with little casters say, and high humid- to contain increases to 1.5°C unknown at the present time, hit Thursday and Friday – would be weather agency. French retailer Boulanger said prospect of storms to cool things ity is likely to make conditions (2.6°F), committing nations to the examiner, who unfortunately delayed until Monday and Tues- He expects records will be sales of “air treatment” equip- down. even more diffi cult, especially at reduce emissions to this end. as a result of his injuries died,” day next week, he said. set for the month, “and in some ment had jumped 400% from “It could get up to 39°C, some night. The European Union has deputy police commissioner France still remembers the places records for all months normal levels in recent days. places could even crack the Meteorologists have said such pledged to cut carbon emissions Ryszard Czepczor said. heatwave of August 2003 which combined”. “I wanted to buy a fan but 40°C mark,” said Sabine Krueger heatwaves are likely to be more 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. 16 on trial over 2013 ‘Gezi Park’ protests

AFP skirts of Istanbul. drew Gardner said the trial Muslim preacher Fethullah Gu- Silivri, Turkey He is accused of orchestrating “speaks volumes about the deep- len, with thousands arrested and and fi nancing the protests which ly fl awed judiciary that has al- tens of thousands sacked from began over government plans to lowed this political witch-hunt public sector, media and military ixteen leading Turkish civil build over Gezi Park, one of the to take place”. jobs. society leaders went on few green spaces left in Istanbul. “It is absurdly attempting to A respected fi gure in intellec- Strial yesterday, accused of The rallies snowballed into portray routine civil society ac- tual circles, Kavala is chairman seeking to overthrow the govern- a nationwide movement that tivities as crimes,” he said. of the Anatolian Culture Founda- ment during the “Gezi Park” pro- marked the fi rst serious chal- “The idea that Osman Kavala tion, which seeks to bridge ethnic tests of 2013 – charges dubbed an lenge to President Recep Tayyip led the conspiracy is utterly out- and regional divides through art, absurd sham by critics. Erdogan. landish and unsupported by any including with neighbouring Ar- Soldiers stand guard in front of people waiting outside the Silivri courthouse prior to the trial of sixteen The group includes renowned The 657-page indictment credible evidence,” Emma Sin- menia, with which Turkey has no leading Turkish civil society leaders, accused of seeking to overthrow the government during the ‘Gezi businessman and philanthropist seeks to paint the protests as a clair-Webb, the Turkey director diplomatic ties. Park’ protests of 2013. Osman Kavala, whose detention foreign-directed conspiracy with of Human Rights Watch (HRW), “I was involved in projects since November 2017 has made links to the Arab Spring, which, told AFP. contributing to peace and rec- ing tried in absentia after fl eeing been tried and acquitted for their whose eff orts to promote democ- him a symbol of what his sup- ironically, the Turkish govern- One of the allegations is the onciliation. There is not a single Turkey, including actor Memet role in the Gezi Park protests in racy around the world have made porters say is a crackdown on ment supported. claim that a map on Kavala’s piece of evidence or proof in the Ali Alabora and dissident jour- 2015. him a target for several authori- civil society. “None of these actions were phone showing bee species actu- indictment that I prepared the nalist Can Dundar. “I am on trial for the second tarian leaders. Kavala rejected the “irrational coincidental ... they were sup- ally depicted his plans to redraw ground for a military coup,” Kav- The case against Alabora fo- time on the same charges. Peace- Last year, Erdogan said Kavala claims which lack evidence” in ported from the outside as an Turkey’s borders. ala told the court. cuses on his appearance in a play ful protests cannot be banned. was the representative in Tur- his opening statement, shortly operation to bring the Turkish There has been a renewed Think tank researcher Yigit featuring a revolt against the rul- They are a right,” Yapici told the key of the “famous Hungarian after the trial began under high Republic to its knees,” the indict- crackdown on dissidents since Aksakoglu was also in pre-trial er of a fi ctional country. court yesterday. Jew Soros” whom he accused of security in the prison and court ment says. a coup attempt in 2016, blamed detention – since November Others, including architect Erdogan has linked Kavala trying to “divide and tear up na- complex of Silivri on the out- Amnesty International’s An- by the government on US-based – while six of the rest are be- Mucella Yapici, have already to US billionaire George Soros, tions”. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 INDIA

CRIME APPEAL DECISION POLITICS CONTROVERSY Five held over lynching Palaniswami urges PM Trinamool legislator to Sacked Congress MLA Kerala assembly adjourned of youth in Jharkhand to reject dam project defect to BJP in Bengal meets prime minister over businessman’s suicide

Five people involved in the lynching of a Muslim Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami urged The West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress Former Congress MLA from Kerala, A P Abdul- The Kerala assembly yesterday wound up the youth in Jharkhand have been arrested while two Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reject Karna- (TMC) continues to witness defections since the lakutty, yesterday met Prime Minister Narendra day’s session following loud opposition protests, policemen have been suspended. Pappu Mandal, taka’s proposal to build a dam across Cauvery 2019 Lok Sabha election results and the latest to Modi. Abdullakutty had been removed from the after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan defended the main accused in the lynching of the Muslim river at Mekedatu. In a letter to Modi, text of which join the list is Wilson Champramary, the Kalchini party for praising the premier. The meeting was his senior party colleague M V Govindan’s wife youth was arrested first. Later based on his inter- was released to the media, Palaniswami sought MLA. The TMC legislator said he would soon join arranged by Kerala businessman-turned-BJP in row over the suicide of a Nigeria-based NRI rogation others were arrested. Tabrez Ansari, 22, Modi’s personal intervention to deny permission the BJP along with Trinamool Congress council- Rajya Sabha member Rajiv Chandrasekhar. After businessman. The incident has become a major died in a hospital on Sunday, days after he was to the proposal of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama lors. On June 16, Bongaon MLA Biswajit Das along the meeting, Abdullakutty said, “He (Modi) was embarrassment for the ruling CPI-M as the suicide brutally thrashed by a mob at Dhatkidih village in Niyamita of Karnataka in grant of environmental with 12 party councillors joined the BJP. Earlier, happy when I told him about my participation in has reportedly been provoked by the failure of Seraikela district on suspicion of stealing a bike. clearance for Mekedatu balancing reservoir and Sunil Singh, TMC legislator from Noapara, had the yoga day.” The two-time MLA was removed the businessman to obtain the necessary sanc- According to the police, a stolen motorcycle and drinking water project. According to Palaniswami, joined the BJP with 15 party councillors. Senior from the Congress on June 3 after he said Modi tions for his venture from the local civic body some other items were also recovered from him. the Tamil Nadu government has been conveying BJP leader Mukul Roy’s son and Bijpur MLA Sub- was following the Gandhian model of governance. headed by the wife of a top CPI-M leader. Vijayan, The incident came to light after a video went viral its strong objections and urging the central gov- hrangshu Roy also switched to the saff ron party When he was served a show-cause notice by while expressing deep anguish in the suicide of in which Mandal was seen beating Ansari, who ernment to reject and return the detailed project after being suspended by the TMC for six years the party, Abdullakutty failed to give satisfactory the businessman, reminded the opposition that was tied to a tree. report of the Mekedatu reservoir project. for anti-party comments. explanation for his remark. multiple probes are ongoing in the matter. Govt spending more funds on publicity than schemes: Azad

IANS spent on publicity. Similarly, for New Delhi the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ too over 50% of the funds was spent on publicity. “This is the fi rst ongress leader Ghulam time that more funds was spent Nabi Azad yesterday on publicity than on the schemes Cslammed the BJP-led itself. About 20% of the funds government at the Centre for were not disbursed. How will not taking any action against the girl-child get educated?” he MP Pragya Thakur who had de- wondered. scribed the killer of Mahatma Azad added that since the BJP Gandhi as a “patriot”. came to power, several agencies Azad also criticised the gov- had stopped publishing reports ernment over the issue of mob on several parameters, including lynchings which he said has be- crimes against women. come the norm in the last fi ve “There has been no report years. on crimes against women since While speaking on the motion 2016,” he said. He urged the BJP of thanks on President Ram Nath to pass the Women’s Reservation Kovind’s address, Azad said, “The Bill as it had a clear majority in president said a lot of things in his the Lok Sabha. joint address. He said that this year “The real change will come we shall be celebrating the 150th when women will be included birth anniversary of Mahatma in the decision-making process. Gandhi and it is a matter of pride You have a clear majority in the for the citizens of the country.” Lok Sabha. The opposition par- The opposition leader in the ties are ready to extend the sup- Rajya Sabha said he felt “sorry” port in the Rajyya Sabha for the when a BJP candidate described Bill,” Azad said. the murderer of Mahatma Gan- He also attacked the govern- dhi as a “patriot”. ment over “suppressing” the “I feel sorry that even as we National Sample Survey Offi ce Police detain a demonstrator during a protest in Kolkata against the death of children this month in Bihar, from encephalitis, commonly known as brain fever. celebrate the 150th anniversary (NSSO) report which highlighted of Gandhi, a few MPs have been that jobs were at a 45-year low in elected from the ruling party the last fi ve years. who described his killer as a pa- He claimed the government’s triot,” Azad said, in a reference decision of implementing de- to BJP’s Bhopal MP Thakur who monetisation and a faulty goods had kicked up a controversy dur- and services tax (GST) led to the ing the campaign for the recent closure of lakhs of small scale in- Top court orders probe into Lok Sabha polls when she called dustries and resulted in the loss Mahatma’s assassin, Nathuram of crores of jobs. Godse, a “patriot”. Azad also targeted Modi over Azad said Modi should have his new slogan of inclusive dismissed or taken action against growth and said, “a number of ‘brain fever’ child deaths Thakur for her remarks. ministers had spoken against He also slammed the govern- diff erent communities.” ment for allegedly spending over However, the prime minis- Reuters children in Muzaff arpur in 2014, dren are being lost due to the in- cised after he asked about the said the premier is monitoring 50% of the total funds of cen- ter has not taken action against New Delhi leading to questions about why action of the state machinery... score in a cricket match between the situation. tral schemes like ‘Beti Bachao, them, he pointed out. the state and central govern- “Most of the deaths are oc- India and Pakistan during a tel- India, the world’s sixth larg- Beti Padhao (save the girl child, Azad also highlighted the is- ments had not done more to curring due to lack of medical evised meeting to discuss the est economy, has its own space educate the girl child) ‘ and the sue of mob lynchings and said, he Supreme Court yester- combat the disease. facilities in the area of outbreak,” outbreak. programme and major cities ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean “Jharkhand had become a mob day ordered an investiga- “We issue notice to the Bihar the petition said. On a visit to the district last like New Delhi and Mumbai are India campaign) ‘ on publicity. lynching factory.” Ttion into an outbreak of government seeking a detailed The health ministry yester- week, several doctors said the home to world-class hospitals. The Congress leader said it was Taking a jibe at the ruling party, “brain fever” that has killed at response,” said justice San- day reiterated a promise fi rst deaths were preventable with Those in Muzzafarpur, how- for the fi rst time ever that more the Congress leader said that the least 122 children, after hearing jiv Khanna, a Supreme Court made in 2014 that it would open basic treatment and education ever, are in a poor condition, funds were spent on publicity than president spoke of the laying of a petition in which the state and judge, in response to a petition a 100-bed children’s ward in the of those most at risk — a sym- with frequent power cuts. on the schemes themselves. the foundation of the country in central governments were ac- filed by activist lawyer Mano- district. bol of India’s growing inequal- At one hospital a Reuters re- “In the last fi ve years, the gov- 2014. “If nothing happened in last cused of negligence. har Pratap. Politicians have come under ity. porter visited there was the ernment spoke a lot about wom- 70 years, then today we would not The disease, Acute Encepha- The petitions, known as fi re for their lack of response. The outbreak sparked a na- stench of urine in the corri- en empowerment, security and have the current number of power litis Syndrome, believed to be public interest litigations, are Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish tionwide conversation about dors and stray goats roaming its education. They could not en- stations, vast railway network, caused by dehydration and mal- a common way for citizens to Kumar was accosted by angry how the country treats its poor- grounds. Varadhan said the cen- sure education or security even number of government compa- nutrition, has reached endemic pressure state and national gov- parents when he visited the hos- est. tral government was providing to young girls,” he said. nies, institutions, green revolu- proportions in Muzaff arpur, a ernments into action. pital for the fi rst time last Tues- Prime Minister Narendra “all possible support” to Bihar, Azad added that for the ‘Beti tion,” he said, adding the present dirt-poor district of the eastern A copy of the petition, seen by day, three weeks after the crisis Modi has made no public state- while the state government has Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme, government needs to give credit to Bihar. Reuters, said AES “is completely began. ment on the crisis, though his also defended its response to the “56% of the total funds was the previous governments as well. A similar outbreak killed 350 curable and lives of young chil- His health minister was criti- Health Minister Harsh Varadhan crisis.

Jagan orders demolition Advani in Shimla Kashmir separatists of building built by Naidu ready for talks: govt Reuters “Today Hurriyat, who once IANS of Naidu, who is now the leader Naidu had on June 4 written to Srinagar closed their doors...are ready for Amaravati of the opposition. the chief minister to allow him to the talks with the government of The collectors’ conference, use the structure to hold meet- India,” Malik added. the fi rst after the YSR Congress ings. he leader of Kashmir’s In response, Mirwaiz Umar Fa- ndhra Pradesh Chief Min- Party (YSRCP) stormed to power The Praja Vedika (people’s largest separatist group rooq, the chairman of Hurriyat, a ister Y S Jagan Mohan in May, was scheduled to be held grievance cell) was built by the Tyesterday said it was ready political movement that wants in- AReddy yesterday ordered in the state secretariat but the government through the Andhra for talks with the government, dependence from India, told Reuters the demolition of Praja Vedika, government announced on Fri- Pradesh Capital Region Develop- after the state governor said he yesterday he would welcome talks. an extension of his predecessor N day that it will be held at Praja ment Authority (APCRDA) as an was optimistic about dialogue. “Hurriyat Conference has al- Chandrababu Naidu’s residence Vedika. The next day the offi cials extension to then chief minister On Saturday, Jammu and Kash- ways been in favour of talks as at Undavalli here. took control of the premises. Naidu’s residence. Built at a cost mir governor, Satya Pal Malik, told the means of resolution,” he said. He announced the decision The dramatic developments of Rs50mn, it was being used by a news conference he had seen a “Kashmiris, being the most af- during the district collectors’ came at a time when Naidu, the Naidu for offi cial purposes as softening in approach from sepa- fected party for the past 72 years, conference at the same premises. president of the main opposition well as to hold party meetings. ratist leaders, including the infl u- naturally want its resolution.” Stating that Praja Vedika was a Telugu Desam Party (TDP), is holi- The YSRCP government’s ential Hurriyat Conference. Kashmir is a key focus for the structure built in violation of the daying abroad with his family. move to take control of Praja “I feel happy that the tem- BJP government led by Prime rules by the then chief minister, Ja- Reacting sharply to Jagan Red- Vedika and demolish it came perature in the valley has gone Minister Narendra Modi, that gan Reddy declared that his govern- dy’s decision, the TDP called it close on the heels of a statement down as compared to what it was won a second term in power with ment’s drive against illegal struc- vendetta politics. Claiming that by party legislator Alla Ram- during my arrival in Kashmir,” he an increased majority in May. tures will begin with the demolition the structure was constructed by akrishna Reddy that Naidu will told a news conference. The government has launched a of the structure tomorrow. the government as per the rules be made to vacate the house as it Malik has governed the state huge crackdown on separatists and “This is the last meeting be- and regulations, the opposition was built illegally on a river bed. since August 2018, shortly after militants operating in the region af- ing held here,” said Jagan Reddy, party alleged that the chief min- A petition fi led by Ram- Former deputy prime minister and veteran BJP leader L K the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ter a February attack on troops, with whose government on Saturday ister ordered its demolition so akrishna Reddy for demolition of Advani and his daughter Pratibha Advani visit Shimla’s Mall withdrew from a coalition with a gun battles between security forces took possession of Praja Vedika, that their leader is denied use of Naidu’s house and other struc- Road yesterday. local party, imposing direct rule and armed militants becoming an located adjacent to the residence the building. tures is pending in the high court. from New Delhi. almost daily occurrence. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 19 LATIN AMERICA Argentina’s Russian air force plane lands in Venezuela new poor sink deeper amid recession

AFP out little luxuries like cinema, Buenos Aires restaurants and holidays simply to make ends meet. They are the lucky ones. ike many Argentines, Dan- The poorest workers have been iel Roger and his family rocked by a wave of job losses as Lfound themselves slipping factories and small businesses down the social ladder over the shut down, and now many have past year to join the one-third of to resort to soup kitchens. their compatriots living below Over the last 12 months, infl a- the poverty line. tion has reached 57% year-on- Sideswiped by the country’s year. swirling 57% infl ation, their rent Argentina’s infl ation rate is became too expensive and they unheard of almost anywhere were forced to move into a budg- else outside of crisis-wracked et hotel to make ends meet. Venezuela — a monthly hike of The downward spiral familiar three to six percent — equal to to many Argentines — a stagger- more than the average European ing 32% of whom are offi cially country’s accumulated rate over classed as poor — had begun. two years. “Before, we were renting an A third of the resource-rich apartment, but we got to the South American country’s 44mn point where we could no longer people now live in poverty, which pay for it,” Roger’s wife Andrea aff ects the majority of children. Gomez, 26, said. Against this background of “Now we live in a hotel, in a economic chaos, Cintia Sosa is room that’s too small for the four bringing up her nine children, of us. We’re paying too much, ranging from a one-month-old A Russian air force plane yesterday landed at Venezuela’s main airport, according to a Reuters witness and a website that tracks plane movements, three months after and now they are going to raise baby to a 15-year-old, in a Bue- a similar arrival spurred a war of words between Washington and Moscow. Two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela in March carrying Russian defence off icials the rent.” nos Aires suburb. and 100 troops, leading the US to accuse Russia of “reckless escalation” of the situation in the struggling South American nation. An Ilyushin 62 jet with tail number Gomez fears they will soon Her brick house in a work- RA-86496 was yesterday parked at Maiquetia International Airport. That tail number is registered to a Russian Air Force jet, according to website Flightradar24, and have to pack their bags again and ing-class district of the capital matches the tail number of the plane that arrived in March. US President Donald Trump in March ordered Russia to remove all troops from Venezuela, while Russia’s fi nd themselves on the street. is covered by a corrugated tin foreign ministry said the planes were only carrying specialists who were servicing arms sales contracts. Venezuela’s information ministry and Russia’s defence ministry Roger is an electrician, but roof. Inside, an industrial oven did not immediately reply to requests for comment. since he lost his job a year ago as refl ects her vanished hopes of President Mauricio Macri’s aus- building a better life. terity drive took hold — aimed She wanted to create a busi- at driving down infl ation — he’s ness selling pizzas and empana- had to take a series of odd jobs. das — Argentine savoury pas- The peso fell by around 50% tries. against the dollar in a six-month But the rising price of gas, period last year, a collapse that fl our and other ingredients pushed infl ation even higher. have clipped her entrepreneur- The couple have had to swal- ial wings. “We can’t make ends low their pride to broach another meet. We can’t get our business Two more cities ‘added to step on the downward spiral, off the ground,” she said. availing themselves of one of Her husband’s temporary job the many free meal distribu- allows the family to tick over. “As tion points mushrooming across his job is temporary, his wages Buenos Aires, as ordinary people are not index-linked,” to keep fi nd themselves doing extraordi- pace with runaway infl ation, US-Mexico asylum plan’ nary things to survive. Sosa worries. “You feel bad, it’s shame- Their fridge and washing ma- ful,” says Gomez as she fed her chine have broken down and Reuters One of the Mexican offi cials Under the deal, Mexico has department “was not in a po- individuals from Guatemala, youngest child. they don’t have the money to pay Mexico City said the policy would also be also deployed a new militarised sition to confirm new loca- Honduras and El Salvador and is She fi lls in for a cleaning com- for repairs. expanded to San Luis Rio Colo- National Guard police force to tions.” also considered the most dan- pany when it has work to give “In the past, I was able to buy rado in the northern state of So- detain migrants near the coun- Rights groups have sued the gerous. her. sneakers for my children, but S-bound asylum seek- nora, which borders Arizona. try’s northern and southern Trump administration over the Nuevo Laredo, however, sees With their meagre income, money has lost its value,” said ers will be sent back to Mexican newspaper Reforma borders. policy, which they argue leaves relatively low traffi c of families they just manage to pay their ac- the young woman, who remains Uat least two additional reported immigration offi cial MPP started in January and is vulnerable people facing dan- seeking asylum, US Customs commodation. thankful that at least her chil- Mexican border cities later this Julio Cesar Navarro Contreras already functioning in Mexicali gers in Mexican border towns and Border Protection fi gures “We get meals and diapers dren attend school and are in week to wait for their claims to as saying San Luis Rio Colo- and Tijuana in Baja California, similar to those they fl ed in their show. from charities,” she says. good health. be processed, offi cials said, with rado was on the list. The latest which borders California, and home countries. Other offi cials with knowl- On street corners across Macri’s campaign promises to one of the cities in a region that expansion follows high-stakes Ciudad Juarez in Chihuahua, In April, a federal judge in edge of the talks between Mex- the Argentine capital, outside reduce poverty before his 2015 is among Mexico’s most chaotic negotiations to fend off trade which borders New Mexico and California ruled MPP likely vio- ico and the US say the towns a church, or on a city square, election seems a distant dream. and violent. tariff s. Texas. lated US immigration law. In of Nogales and Brownsville- NGOs and religious organisa- Seven million people receive The policy known as the US President Donald Trump Since the tariff deal, MPP has May, however, the 9th US Cir- Matamoros have been men- tions off er hot meals, clothes state aid and 14.3mn are poor, Migrant Protection Protocols had threatened the tariff s to been applied to more nation- cuit Court of Appeals allowed tioned in discussions. or blankets amid the fi rst chill including around 3mn classed (MPP), or Remain in Mexico, push Mexico to do more to stop alities, including Cubans, and the programme to continue Remain in Mexico is aimed at winds of the austral winter. as destitute. Even with two wage will be implemented later this migrants from Central America the number of people being re- while the legal challenge pro- dissuading asylum seekers from “For many people, dinner is packets, many are fi nding it dif- week in Nuevo Laredo in the and beyond from reaching US turned has been increased to ceeds. applying for refuge in the US. just a memory,” said Bishop Car- fi cult to cope. northern state of Tamaulipas, soil, after a sharp spike in num- 500 from 100 a day in Juarez. Tamaulipas suff ers from high The Trump administration los Tissera, the head of the Cath- Ariel Fernandez, a 41-year- which borders Texas, said two bers this year. A representative for Mexico’s levels of killings and kidnap- says many claims are false, and olic charity Caritas in Argentina. old carpenter, his teacher com- Mexican offi cials with knowl- As part of the deal struck national institute for migration ping, as powerful gangs battle that claimants will desist once “We won’t solve the problem panion, and their two daughters edge of the matter, who de- earlier this month to remove said it had received no offi cial over drug and people-smug- they realise they must stay in with handouts, but politically,” live in a small house in the Mata- clined to be identifi ed. the tariff threat, Mexico agreed confi rmation for when and how gling routes. Mexico for extended periods. said Tissera, who has been most deros neighbourhood, near Bue- Tamaulipas is home to the Gulf for MPP to apply to the whole the policy would be further ex- The eastern part of the state, Since it was implemented, alarmed by what he called “mid- nos Aires’ bustling ring-road. and Zeta cartels that include peo- length of the border, but capac- panded. bordering the Texas cities of nearly 14,000 asylum seekers dle class impoverishment.” The house is owned by his ple-smuggling and kidnapping ity issues on both sides have A US department of home- McAllen and Brownsville, is the have been sent to Mexico under The well-off have had to cut parents. among their criminal activities. slowed implementation. land security official said the busiest crossing for families and the programme. Italian mafi a boss More competition at Sao Paulo airport urged

fl ees Uruguay prison Reuters made public yesterday. Sao Paulo The Brazilian government recently enacted a law that AFP continue the hunt for Morabito, feared organised crime gang, was allows foreign-owned carri- Montevideo wherever he is.” originally arrested on charges of razil’s anti-trust regu- ers to operate domestic fl ights Long-time fugitive Morabito falsifying identity papers, but lator wants new rules in Latin America’s largest air — dubbed “the king of cocaine — has been awaiting extradition on Bfor allocating airplane market, which could unleash talian mafi a boss Rocco was one of Italy’s most-wanted the more serious charges since landing and departure rights, new competition for the Con- Morabito has fl ed prison in men when he was arrested in a September 2017. known as slots, in Sao Paulo’s gonhas slots. Ithe Uruguayan capital Mon- downtown Montevideo hotel. The three other men who crowded domestic airport, The timing is signifi cant be- tevideo, where he was awaiting His lawyer told reporters at the escaped with Morabito were saying they are too concen- cause Congonhas slots are not extradition to Italy, the interior time he was staying there while awaiting extradition to Brazil trated among two main air- normally up for grabs. ministry announced yesterday. looking for a new apartment after and Argentina, including one on lines. But Avianca Brasil’s fi nan- Morabito and three other in- splitting from his wife. charges of homicide. The recommendation comes cial crisis has changed that mates “escaped through a hole Registering for new accom- Morabito arrived in trendy Mi- as the country’s civil avia- landscape. Formerly Brazil’s in the roof of the building” late modation would have helped ex- lan from his hometown of Africo tion regulator ANAC has an- No. 4 airline, the carrier has Sunday and robbed the occu- pose Morabito, who had been on in Italy’s poor southern region nounced it will take back the been grounded since May fol- pants of a nearby farmhouse, the the run for 23 years. of Calabria at the age of 23, and slots held by grounded airline lowing a bankruptcy fi ling and ministry said in a statement. He had been living since 2004 quickly carved out a reputation as Avianca Brasil in the airport, the progressive reduction of its The statement said the 52-year- in Punta del Este, a playground the city’s “king of cocaine.” known as Congonhas, as part operations. old Morabito — a top ‘Ndrangheta for South America’s rich about Nicknamed ‘U Tamunga’ in of a plan to redistribute them Its fi nancial struggles set off fi gure arrested in Uruguay in 2017 90 minutes drive northeast of reference to a German mili- later. a fi erce battle over who would after decades on the run — was Montevideo. tary vehicle, the Dkw Munga, Under current rules, many inherit its slots, particularly in awaiting extradition for “interna- He eventually settled in a the young Morabito became a of the slots would go to the two Congonhas and the domestic tional drug traffi cking”. country estate with a Tuscan- charismatic fi gure in Milan who airlines that already control airport in Rio de Janeiro. Italy’s Interior Minister Mat- style farmhouse some 40kms frequented bars and parties, ac- most of Congonhas’ fl ights: Brazil’s top three airlines, teo Salvini reacted angrily to from Punta del Este. cording to Italian press reports. Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes Gol, LATAM and Azul SA, had the “disconcerting and serious” Offi cials said at the time that He quickly came to the at- and LATAM Airlines Group. all expressed interest in the news. he had acquired Uruguayan resi- tention of Italian anti-Mafi a The antitrust regulator, slots, and spent millions in ef- “I make two commitments, dence after entering the country investigators and they regularly known as CADE, wants the forts to secure them. fi rst to shed full light on how he with a false Brazilian passport in tracked him delivering suitcases rules changed to favour po- Avianca Brasil had planned escaped, asking for an immedi- the name of Francisco Capeletto. fi lled with millions of lira to Co- tential new entrants, increas- to auction the slots on July ate explanation from the Monte- Morabito, a capo with the Ca- lombian drug traffi ckers in a Mi- ing competition, according 10, in hopes of raising at least video government. Then we will labrian ‘Ndrangheta, Italy’s most lan piazza. Morabito: ‘escaped through a hole in the roof of the building’ to a legal recommendation $140mn for its creditors. Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 PAKISTAN

Pakistan, EU agree Opposition conference to sign strategic taking place tomorrow accord Internews verted into any formal grand op- his stance on the advice of some Internews Islamabad position alliance or constitute a PTI leaders, and the government Islamabad committee for the movement. and the opposition reached The APC has been called a few an understanding that no one hile political tempera- days before the debate on budget would create rumpus during the oreign Minister Shah Meh- tures in parliament concludes and the fi nance bill speech of any member, whether mood Qureshi has said that Whave somewhat low- put to vote in the assembly. from the government or the op- FPakistan and the European ered in the past week over debate The conference will also work position. Union (EU) have agreed on a on the national budget, after the out a strategy on whether to get However, the production or- strategic plan after a series of initial rumpus in the National the budget passed or to block it. der of two MNAs from the tribal talks, and that it would be signed Assembly and Senate, it is cer- At present, the government areas, who belong to the Pash- on June 25 (today). tainly on the rise outside the may not face much diffi culty in tun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) “I will sign the agreement legislature. getting it passed, particularly – Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir with EU’s [high representative Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam – Fa- after prime minister personally – were not issued. for foreign aff airs and security zlur (JUI-F) chief Maulana engaged all the coalition parties The opposition did not raise a policy] Federica Mogherini. It Fazlur Rehman has fi nally an- and accepted their respective JUI-F chief Rehman: announced fuss over this, except for Bhutto will pave the way for long-term nounced the date for much- demands, including giving one the date for much-awaited Zardari. co-operation between Pakistan awaited opposition’s All Parties Prime Minister Khan: personally engaged the coalition parties to ministry each to the Muttah- opposition’s All Parties It is unclear whether the JUI- and the EU,” the minister said Conference (APC) for tomorrow ensure the budget would be passed. ida Qaumi Movement – Paki- Conference (APC). F would invite the PTM to the before leaving for a three-day (Wednesday, June 26), to chalk stan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan APC, as the two sides have po- visit to Brussels. out a plan for an anti-govern- He has also constituted a ment, the establishment, and Muslim League – Quaid-e- conditions for his party’s sup- litical diff erences, and the Su- “Pakistan and the EU have a ment movement and the pro- high-powered commission to in clear dissent against her own Azam (PML-Q). port. preme Court has taken up a pe- longstanding and strong rela- posed Islamabad lockdown. investigate foreign loans taken party president Shehbaz Sharif. However, he is still fi nding Political temperatures rose af- tition of the JUI-F’s candidate tionship. We have helped each Now it depends on Prime during the past 10 years and how This also indicated that “all is some diffi culties in handling the ter the opposition staged a pro- who was defeated by Dawar in other in several and now we plan Minister Imran Khan and his they were used, but the things not well” in the PML-N. six-point demand of the Balu- test during the budget speech in the 2018 elections. to give a new direction to our team to handle the situation did not look good on the ground. These two developments have chistan National Party – Mengal the presence of Prime Minister The APC is also being held at a ties,” he added. “This [the stra- with “a carrot or a stick”. The announcement about the further increased the politi- (BNP-M). Khan, who displayed frustra- time when elections in the tribal tegic plan] is a really good devel- With some high-profi le re- APC date was made at a critical cal heat in an already uncertain The opposition’s only hope to tion and issued directive to his areas, which were earlier post- opment.” shuffl e in the establishment, time. situation, and it will be a real test block the budget depends on di- party’s members of the National poned, would be held on July 21, During his visit, the foreign many see this development as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for the prime minister and Inte- vision within the PTI-led ruling Assembly (MNAs) not to allow and former president Zardari has minister will tour the North politically signifi cant. chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zard- rior Minister Brigadier (retired) coalition. Leader of the Opposition Sheh- expressed his reservations over Atlantic Treaty Organisation Pakistan is facing some of the ari recently made a hard-hitting Ejaz Shah. Rehman called the APC after baz Sharif to speak. the presence of army personnel (Nato) headquarters and meet its most serious economic chal- speech in Nawabshah on the How things will shape up taking all the opposition lead- The situation further aggra- within the polling stations. general secretary. lenges currently and, in the last birth anniversary of slain prime in the next one or two months ers into confi dence, including vated after former president Asif Those who will attend the Qureshi will also meet and ad- 10 months, the government has minister Benazir Bhutto, and would be of political signifi - former prime minister Nawaz Ali Zardari was arrested by the APC include a high-powered dress the Pakistani community been unable to provide relief to vowed to overthrow the govern- cance. Sharif, who is currently serving National Accountability Bureau delegation from the PPP, led by in Brussels. the people. ment. Opposition sources said that seven-year imprisonment at Kot (NAB), and National Assembly Bhutto Zardari, from the PML- “Pakistan has been co-oper- There has been an increase in On the other hand, Pakistan the APC would not only release Lakhpat jail. Speaker Asad Qaiser came un- N led by Shehbaz Sharif and ating with Nato, and we extend- prices of goods and services, and Muslim League – Nawaz (PML- a “declaration”, but also short- The BNP-M is still undecided der pressure, reportedly from including Maryam Nawaz, the ed unprecedented assistance to gas and electricity tariff s have N) leader Maryam Nawaz looked term and long-term strategies about attending the APC, but the prime minister, not to issue Jamaat-e-Islami (JI)’s Ameer the US and Nato forces in mat- been raised, which the ruling in a defi ant mood with her fi rst before the fi nal “march on Is- the Rehman did hold a meeting a production order for Zardari Sirajul Haq, the Awami National ters related to Afghanistan,” the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) formal press conference in quite lamabad”. with its leader, Sardar Akhtar and PML-N leader Khwaja Saad Party (ANP)’s Asfandyar Wali, minister said. “We have played and Prime Minister Khan blame some time, and surprised many One has to wait and see Mengal, a few days ago and the Rafi q. the National Party’s Hasil Bi- a key role in the war against ter- on the previous governments. with her criticism of the govern- whether the APC would be con- latter is said to have put certain Later, the premier softened zenjo. rorism, and Nato has acknowl- edged that fact. “We believe that our relation- ship with Nato in defence and security matters should con- UK fi nally allows tinue.” Needy wait for mum and baby to ‘wall of kindness’ return from Pakistan to open up The needy of Pakistan’s garrison city of Rawalpindi are waiting for By Harriet Grant the first-ever government-built Guardian News & Media “Wall of Kindness” in Rawalpindi to be kind to them. The wall, built by the Rawalpindi woman who was refused Development Authority (RDA), a visa to return to Lon- remains concealed behind a Adon after travelling to grill gate even though it was Pakistan to adopt a baby has completed four months ago. been told she can come home. Saleh with Sofia. The underprivileged are still Nina Saleh has a Norwegian waiting for its locks to open. passport but full UK residency the UK as there is no intra- The concept is believed to have rights after living in London for country adoption agreement. originated in neighbouring Iran 20 years. However, couples or indi- and it works by the motto of She was refused a visa to viduals coming from the UK “leave what you do not need”. return home with baby So- use an established route of get- People can leave items on the fi a three times, despite go- ting legal guardianship of the wall, including clothes and food ing through a stringent and baby and then travelling back which they may not need, but can lengthy adoption process in to Britain, where the authori- still be of help to someone else the UK with British authori- ties formalise the adoption who may need it more. ties’ involvement. process. Those who wish to make Within 48 hours of the Saleh says she is still an- donations can simply place or Guardian and others publish- gry with her treatment by the hang the items there. ing her story, Saleh received Home Offi ce. Anyone who needs the placed news that the Home Offi ce was “I had a very stringent, items can take them off the wall overturning its decision and lengthy process in the UK, led and use them free of cost. allowing her back home. by UK social services. A social When asked, Rawalpindi Speaking from Karachi, worker visited me at home for Development Authority chairman where she has spent four two hours a week, for a year. Rabab on display Arif Ali Abbasi said that they are months waiting for her case They knew I was coming here making arrangements for the to be resolved, Saleh told the to Pakistan. A maker of rabab – a lute-like musical instrument originating from central practice to commence in earnest. Guardian she had almost lost “The Department of Educa- Afghanistan – shows rababs hung at his shop in Peshawar. When pressed about when the hope of ever getting home. tion, who have approved me for locks on the wall are supposed to “Just this morning I was cry- adoption, knew I was coming Right: The detail of the neck of a rabab being worked on is seen at a shop come off , he assured that it would ing my eyes out. My friend who to Pakistan. in Peshawar. become operational within two to was also adopting here got her “It’s actually disgusting three weeks. visa yesterday and was dread- reading the letter they sent ing telling me. We met through today. They have blamed me the adoption process, we were for using the word ‘adoptive’ Former foreign all in the same WhatsApp mother when the adoption group. hasn’t been fi nalised yet. minister Abdul “Obviously I was happy for “But I had provided reams Sattar dead Pakistan’s JF-17 the star attraction at airshow her but I felt so upset for me of evidence, detailing the legal and for Sofi a. process of guardianship in Pa- Former career diplomat Abdul “I was crying so much. I kistan.” Sattar, who has also served as Internews see the pride of Pakistan in their thought this would never end. She told the Guardian that the foreign minister, has passed Islamabad midst and had selfi es and photo- “Then my lawyer called and she believes she was refused a away, according to the Foreign graphs with the PAF contingent said it got overturned, and now visa because of her status as an Off ice. members. I am so happy. EEA national, despite having “We are deeply saddened to ordes of aviation enthu- Apart from the static display, “The media pressure was lived for so long in the UK. announce that former foreign siasts turned up to see the the Pakistan Aeronautical Com- instrumental in getting this “I believe I am being treated minister Abdul Sattar has passed Hstatic and aerial display of plex- manufactured aircraft also overturned. I think it’s alarm- like a second-class citizen be- away,” a statement issued by the the Pakistan Air Force (PAF)’s JF-17 presented a farewell aerobatics per- ing how unprofessional the cause I have Norwegian citi- Foreign Off ice said. Thunder fi ghter jet on the last day formance. Home Offi ce is. zenship. “He was an illustrious diplomat of 53rd Paris Airshow in Le Bourget. The excitement of the eagerly “Since February they have “The two other couples I and an accomplished author,” the Being a weekly holiday, the vast awaiting crowd was worth watching stopped me from getting on travelled with, one British, one statement added. venue was fi lled with excited spec- as the aircraft roared in the skies of with my life and I am left feel- a mixed British-European na- Sattar served as foreign minister tators of diff erent ages as the gates Paris. ing still traumatised and highly tional, both returned easily to under then-president Pervez opened to the general public, ac- The much-anticipated display vulnerable.” the UK with their babies. Musharraf from 1999 to 2002. cording to a message received from was thoroughly enjoyed by the spec- Saleh’s solicitor in the UK, “You know, I fought this for He was with Musharraf during the Paris. tators and they fervently clapped as Saimah Razzaq, at the Immi- months but somebody else historic Agra summit between The indigenously-manufactured the JF-7 returned to the airstrip. gration Advice Service, told might not feel that brave. Musharraf and then-Indian prime JF-17 Thunder, displayed alongside The participation of the PAF con- the Guardian earlier this week “I expected delays or prob- minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. other aircraft and defence equip- tingent in the world’s largest air- that the Home Offi ce had been lems in Pakistan, but they were Sattar also served as the foreign ment at the event, remained the star show has proved to be an excellent “negligent” by not applying so professional this side. secretary from 1986-88. attraction of the show. opportunity to showcase its cutting the correct regulations to let “The Home Offi ce was a “We off er our profound PAF personnel briefed the eager edge capabilities. her come home. complete shambles and totally condolences to the bereaved crowd about the combat aircraft’s It has also given an opportunity to Saleh was originally refused unaccountable.” family and pray for the departed operational capabilities and sophis- the buyers to assess the jet fi ghter’s on the basis that adoption is Saleh expects to be home soul,” the ministry communique ticated weaponry. immense potential in the interna- This picture taken at the start of the Paris Airshow shows not allowed from Pakistan to within two weeks. added. The spectators were ecstatic to tional market. the JF-17 in flight. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 21 PHILIPPINES

Duterte Audit panel says govt printing backs barter with jobs ‘illegally’ subcontracted Malaysia By Ma. RL Tolentino materials, costs of conversion Manila Times — i.e. materials, labour and overhead — and other costs in- By Ralph Villanueva curred in bringing the inven- Manila Times he National Printing Of- tories to their present loca- fi ce (NPO) violated pro- tion and condition) aside from Tcurement laws by sub- rental fee was expended…The resident Rodrigo Duterte contracting jobs to private fi rms alleged rental fee therefore pushed for a barter sys- in the guise of equipment rent- encompassed all costs of pro- Ptem between the Phil- als, the Commission on Audit duction,” it added. ippines and Malaysia anew, (CoA) said. The supposed rental fee was saying it would greatly benefit The deals, which did not also “computed at 85% of the both countries in terms of live- undergo public bidding and production cost estimate, as lihood and income. were thus “without any valid indicated in the work order. Duterte was in Bangkok, contract,” totalled a little over A rental fee/expense is just a Thailand from Friday to Sun- P121mn last year. component of the manufac- day for the 34th Association “Review and examination of turing overhead, thus, paying of Southeast Asian Nations the printing operations of the 85% for rental of printing ma- (Asean) Summit. NPO for CY (calendar year) 2018 chines is grossly onerous.” In his intervention during disclosed that the equipment The decision to set the 85% the 13th Brunei-Indonesia- lease agreements of the agency rate was said to have been Malaysia-Philippines East with private partners had ex- made in 2012 by the then- Asean Growth Area (BIMP- pired as of Sept 30, 2017,” the NPO chief, “but without any EAGA) summit, Duterte told CoA noted in a report. written guidelines” and was Malaysian Prime Minister Ma- “Despite the expiration, NPO subsequently adopted by the hathir Mohamed that the bar- continued its alleged lease of agency. “It is of note that NPO ter trade system would address equipment without the ben- was unable to present the endemic poverty in the newly- efi t of competitive bidding pre- breakdown of the costs of pro- established Bangsamoro Au- scribed under Rule 14, Section duction to assert that, indeed, tonomous Region in Muslim 46 of the IRR (implementing 85% of it pertain to rental fee,” Mindanao. rules and regulations) of RA the CoA also said. “I earnestly ask His Excel- (Republic Act) 9184 to the dis- State auditors urged the lency, the Prime Minister of advantage of the government,” NPO to follow procurement Malaysia, for our two coun- it added. The agency was said procedures by staging com- tries to fast-track negotiations to have “accepted from procur- petitive biddings for equip- on the barter trade system, as ing entities and accomplished ment leases, and also recom- this promises livelihood and 249 work orders for the print- File photo shows Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez during the start of the printing of ballots for the midterm elections mended that certifications or income to small communities ing of accountable forms un- at the National Printing Off ice in Quezon City. waivers be issued if the agency along border areas,” he said. der ‘Leasing’ amounting to finds itself unable to meet the “The institutionalisation of P121,691,215.37.” meet government regulations. committed mistakes that could tions were fl agged by the CoA A review of checks issued last government’s printing re- the barter trade is an invest- “However, based on records, Just recently, the Commission have disenfranchised voters. in a 2017 audit report, but de- year showed that the NPO paid quirements. ment for peace and for inclu- NPO did not have any valid on Elections(Comelec) said it Representatives of the NPO spite these and the issuance of 12 private printers a total of In particular, the NPO’s Fi- sive, equitable, sustainable lease or rental agreement for CY would withhold payment of and its parent, the Presidential notices of disallowance for al- P120,927,408 last year for al- nance and Production, Plan- development, especially in the 2018, nor did it conduct public P244mn to the NPO as it had Communications Operations legedly “irregular payments” leged equipment rental fees, ning and Control divisions newly-established Bangsam- bidding for the lease of print- subcontracted the printing of Offi ce, were not immediately to private printers for the leased but the amount, the CoA said, were told to compute and oro Autonomous Region in ing equipment; thus, the work voters’ information sheets (VIS) available for comment. By law, machines/equipment, the NPO was “tantamount to the pro- record all production costs, Muslim Mindanao. orders under ‘Leasing’ amount- for the May 13 midterm polls in the NPO is mandated to pro- “continued subcontracting its duction cost” and was, thus, an from raw materials to logistics It will help address endemic ing to P121,691,215.37 were il- violation of CoA rules. vide printing services to gov- printing services in the guise “irregular” subcontracting ar- expenses, to ensure that rev- poverty and avoid triggers of legal,” the CoA said. This is not The Comelec, which had ernment agencies, particularly of ‘Leasing’ and recording the rangement. “NPO’s accounting enues and cost of goods sold instability and insecurity in the fi rst time that the NPO has halted the distribution of the the Comelec and the Offi ce of transactions in its books as records for ‘Leasing’ showed were “correctly and fairly rep- these porous areas of the Bang- been charged with failing to VIS, also said the subcontractee the President. Similar viola- ‘Leasing.’” that no cost of production (raw resented.” samoro region,” he added. New election system plan Dengvaxia victims’ families to ensure transparency fi le charges against Duque By Lisbet K Esmael parency, Rio said, as election Manila Times observers and inspectors would actually see if the VTM accu- By Jomar Canlas claimed that he was no longer rately counts the votes through Manila Times involved in the day-to-day he Department of Infor- a projector, which would be used running of the family fi rm, “he mation and Communica- to fl ash the physical and the did not divest ownership of his Ttions Technology (DICT) electronic ballot images. lunder, graft and admin- substantial stock interests in presented new automated elec- The new options would be istrative complaints have the said corporation, thus, ben- tion concepts as it seeks to solve presented to poll technology Pbeen fi led by the parents efi t of the corporation and to the transparency and over-vot- providers on July 15. of alleged dengvaxia victims the other stockholders arising ing issues encountered in previ- The DICT came up with against Health Secretary Fran- from the said contract of lease ous polls. concepts following President cisco Duque 3rd over a suppos- will also inure to his benefi t be- Leading the demonstration, Rodrigo Duterte’s statement edly anomalous building lease ing a substantial stockholder of acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio asking the Commission of Elec- deal. the said corporation,” the com- Jr said while the automated elec- Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. tions (Comelec) to “dispose” of In a 90-page joint com- plaint stated. tion system provides fast results, Smartmatic and let the DICT plaint-affi davit, Ariel Hedia, “It bears to stress that the it had long been proven to com- “Our concept will make it im- search for a replacement. Ruby Hedia, Darwin Bataan, monthly rental rate… is exor- promise transparency. possible for voters to vote more Rio said since the automated Merlyn Bataan, Sonia Guerra, bitant and would case undue “The system works. It is fast, than what is needed,” Rio added. election system was introduced Liberty Garcia Ganzore, Raul injury to the government which but the cost of speed is we lost The DICT proposed the use in the Philippines in 2010, mil- Espallardo Galoso, Elloly His- Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd. is opposed to his faithful per- transparency. Transparency is of vote tallying machines (VTM) lions of votes had been nullifi ed, ugan Galoso, Raymond Anche- formance of his offi cial duty as one of the collateral damages,” in future polls, where machines with 1.2mn ballots invalidated ta, Ma. Cecilia Torres, Danilo The complainants — the surance Corp. (PhilHealth). a public offi cer to protect the he said. would be equipped with an opti- in the midterm elections in May Bautista, Sheryl Bautista, Nel- parents of pupils who were in- As Health secretary, Duque interest of the government and Rio said the system had to be cal character recognition. this year. son Santos and Edna Santos, oculated with the dengvaxia is also chairman of the Board of the public.” tweaked so that transparency It also presented three options He noted that while the charged Duque with violation vaccine at the time when Du- PhilHealth. Sen. Panfi lo Lacson PhilHealth reportedly paid and accuracy would be the top of casting votes — handwritten, Comelec was doing its part to of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or que was already the Health exposed the anomaly last week EMDC more than P529,000 per priority, followed by ease of use, multiple-choice ballot and bar- make Filipinos knowledgeable the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt chief — accused him of confl ict and the dengvaxia victims’ month last year. speed and cost. code sticker-based ballot with about voting, the same problems Practices Act,” RA 6713 or the of interest in allowing a family families, along with Public At- The complainants also “So, how do we make the vot- image processing engine. continued to occur. “Code of Conduct and Ethical fi rm, Educational and Medical torney’s Offi ce chief Persida claimed that Duque failed to ing transparent? We merge the The proposed schematic “This new model will build Standards for Offi cials and Em- Development Corp. (EMDC) in Acosta, asked for Duque’s res- provide medical assistance to new with the traditional,” he diagram is believed to simplify confi dence in the grassroots lev- ployees,” and RA 7080 or the Dagupan City, to lease a build- ignation. their children, who allegedly said. workfl ow and promote trans- el,” Rio said. “Plunder Law.” ing to the Philippine Health In- While the Health chief had died because of the vaccine. Supreme Court relief for Enrile in PNB loan case

By Jomar Canlas Amy Lazaro Javier concurred. the respondents. Instead, the olution 711, was purportedly junked the complaint for lack Manila Times The Ombudsman had cited instant petition is bereft of any secured by 51.2496 hectares of legal basis. It said the PNB lack of probable cause in reject- statement or allegation pur- of agricultural land; machin- Board “exercised proper cau- ing the cases fi led by the PCGG portedly showing that the Om- ery and equipment; building tion to ensure the chances of he Supreme Court yes- against PNB directors Enrile, budsman exercised its power in and other improvements to be payment and that the loan was terday absolved former Roberto Benedicto, Antonio an arbitrary or despotic man- erected and/or installed in the not under-collateralised.” Tsenator Juan Ponce Enrile Diaz, Ismael Reinoso, Simeon ner by reason of passion or company’s milling site; 3,000 The anti-graft body argued and several others of criminal li- Miranda, Renato Tayag, Juan hostility.” hectares of the central-owned that the PNB Board even re- abilities covering alleged behest Trivinio, Cesar Virata, Jose The PCGG claimed that and -operated sugar planta- quired TSMCI to increase its loans granted to a sugar miller in Macario Laurel 4th and Jose Lei- TSMCI was one of the many tion; and joint and solidary paid-up capital as one of the 1968 by the Philippine National do. Also absolved were Rafael companies being investi- surety executed by TSMCI’s conditions for the grant of the Bank (PNB). Perez and Felicisimo Gonzalo, gated in connection with officers. loan. It also pointed out that In a 15-page decision written both former PNB-Dumaguete the grant of behest loans. In The PCGG said at the time in October 1967, the PNB-Du- by Associate Justice Jose Reyes branch managers, and Tolong 1968, PNB granted the sugar of its incorporation on May 10, maguete branch had appraised Jr, the high court’s Second Divi- Sugar Milling Company Inc miller a standby irrevocable 1967, TSMCI only had P2mn the real properties offered by sion junked a petition for cer- (TSMCI) officers Ramon Es- unconfirmed letter of credit in subscribed capital stock, of TSMCI as security as worth tiorari fi led by the Presidential cafio, Herminio Teves, Evelina in the amount of $27.8mn or which just P500,000 was paid P111.2mn, more than sufficient Commission on Good Govern- Teves, Lorenzo Teves, Catalino P108.91mn to cover the im- up and only P10mn in capitali- to cover the amount of the loan. ment (PCGG), which had sought Noel and Lamberto Macias. portation of sugar machinery sation. “As pointed out by the Om- a reversal of the Offi ce of the In dismissing the appeal, and equipment for a proposed The lands covered by loans budsman, the complaint-af- Ombudsman’s ruling dismissing the Supreme Court said “the sugar central in Sta. Catalina had been appraised by PNB’s fidavit is bereft of sufficient the case. PCGG failed to show that the and Bayawan, both in Negros Dumaguete branch to be worth allegation and relevant docu- Associate Justices Mariano del Ombudsman gravely abused its Oriental. just P22,350 and were not in the ments to support the charges Castillo, Estela Perlas Bernabe, discretion when it dismissed The loan, approved on March name of the sugar fi rm. therein,” the Supreme Court Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa and the criminal complaint against 20, 1968 under PNB Board Res- The Ombudsman, however, ruled. Former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile. Gulf Times 22 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka 25 - 06 -2019 Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Not a knockout but enduring pain for Hamilton’s rivals If the 2019 Formula One world championship was a boxing match, the referee would be considering calling a halt early. Mercedes have won all eight races this season and on only two occasions have they not claimed the runners- up spot as well. Sunday’s French Grand Prix was the latest in which their world champion Lewis Hamilton simply drove off into the distance to claim an easy victory with his teammate Valtteri Bottas following him home. Hunt is entitled to question It’s thus safe to say that another F1 world title is looking increasingly likely for Hamilton leaving Ferrari to wonder just how they can close the gap on the — so far — unbeatable Mercedes. It is a long time from the heady days of the Barcelona Boris Johnson’s character pre-season test when Ferrari seemed to fi nally have the tools to give Sebastian Vettel and newcomer Charles By Andrew Rawnsley the cowardly option is to bow to what 10 to someone quite this roguish? And One duty that falls on Hunt is to Leclerc the chance to compete for the crown. London may seem like the inevitable and not is he actually all that lovable? The use the next month to direct fi erce Vettel improved to fi fth from seventh on the grid endeavour to make it a proper contest. spotlight has been swivelled on to scrutiny at his rival’s often shifting and We will know he is taking this course his torrid personal life by the episode contradictory propositions about Brexit. while Leclerc held on to third, unchallenged from he announcement that Jeremy if he goes easy on his rival, pulling his in the early hours of Friday morning Boris Johnson promises that he can behind and incapable of having a serious crack at Hunt would be the other punches in the hope that not jabbing at at his girlfriend’s home. Neighbours negotiate a better deal and, if he can’t, Bottas in front. fi nalist in the Tory leadership the other man’s many vulnerable fl anks who called the police heard banging, Britain will be out “come what may” slamming, shouting, screaming, on 31 October. How exactly is he going Hamilton leads the standings Tcontest was greeted with a will be rewarded with a plum post in cheer from Boris Johnson’s campaign the Johnson cabinet. We must hope swearing, stuff getting smashed and to do a deal by Halloween with an EU Mercedes on a magnifi cent 187 points, 36 team and sighs of disappointment that Hunt possesses more self-respect Carrie Symonds complaining that a sofa that says it won’t reopen the withdrawal ahead of Bottas and a massive among political journalists. than this; that he wants to do more than had been ruined with red wine: “You agreement? If he is in possession of have won all Many of my colleagues were spend the next four weeks tramping just don’t care for anything because a magical solution to the Irish border 76 in front of Vettel. salivating over the prospect of a fi nal around the country being the train- you’re spoilt. You have no care for conundrum, why didn’t he reveal this eight races If Vettel does not fi nd battle involving Michael Gove. A Gove- bearer to King Bozza as he swaggers money or anything.” masterplan to his colleagues during the immediate improvement Johnson face-off had rich potential to towards a coronation. Sir Max Hastings, who employed him two years when he sat in the cabinet this season at the Austrian Grand Prix turn into a spectacularly vicious bout This contest is an opportunity to at the Daily Telegraph, describes him as as foreign secretary? How is he going of all-in mud wrestling between the kick the tyres, inspect the engine and “a gold medal egomaniac.” to take Britain out of the EU without this coming weekend, he faces the prospect of the two Brexiters. A Hunt-Johnson contest check the brakes of the men who want Politicians can change their a deal when there is no mandate from championship being out of his own hands well before appears, at least at fi rst sight, to off er a to be Britain’s next prime minister. It is hairstyles, waistlines, tax policies, views the people for a crash-out Brexit the halfway point of the campaign. much less compelling spectacle, leading a deeply unsatisfactory process, from on transport projects, but they can’t and no majority for that outcome in to a much more predictable ending. which the vast majority of the country change their essential character. parliament? He now echoes Nigel Farage Ferrari have the passion but they need to work on “God knows how we got that many,” are disenfranchised, but it is the only Hunt will be wary of getting very in suggesting that Britain has a pain- their pace to pull off a miracle of sorts. remarked a member of the Hunt process there is. To make it a meaningful personal, but he doesn’t have to get into free option called “leaving on WTO Bottas must make similar refl ections having tailed campaign team when their candidate test, Hunt must prove that he is tougher his rival’s rackety private life to make (World Trade Organisation) terms”. If just squeaked into second place in the than he looks and make good on his the case that a Johnson premiership that is a credible plan of action, why off a little from winning two of the fi rst four races this ultimate ballot of MPs. We don’t have to promise to give the other man “the fi ght would be a hair-raising gamble with was it not aired by him or his fellow season. go to God for the answer to that one. As of his life”. both the future of the Tory party and Brexiters during the 2016 referendum? But it could be that he — himself a very good driver — I predicted they would in this space last He won’t prosper by trying to imitate the future of Britain. Of course, Tory Could it be because it is just another week, the Johnson team moved around his rival. members probably know this already fantasy that doesn’t withstand a is simply being made to look ordinary by having one of some of their votes to get Hunt into The former mayor of London will and perhaps they do not care. moment of examination by anyone who the all-time greats as a team-mate. the fi nal because he is their preferred sell himself as the man who can make An eye-popping poll suggests understands how trade agreements Hamilton was excused Thursday media duties by opponent. Tories feel good about themselves. that a majority of them will sacrifi ce work? Mercedes to attend the memorial service for fashion On the face of it, his chances of Hunt can’t contest at that level so he almost anything in order to get Brexit, These are questions that need winning look as slight as Afghanistan’s should campaign as the candidate who including the United Kingdom itself. asking and pressing, asking again and designer Karl Lagerfeld in Paris. hopes of lifting the Cricket World invites Tories to think soberly about They’d see Scotland and Northern pressing again, until Johnson runs out of He returned to work at the weekend and simply blew Cup. His rival has the support of more themselves, their country and the Ireland ripped out of the UK rather unicorns to ride and places to hide. away the opposition. than twice as many MPs. Johnson is qualities that ought to be required of a than give up on Brexit. A large majority Hunt should take a leaf out of Rory overwhelmingly more popular with the prime minister. would quit the EU even if it infl icted Stewart’s campaign book and make “In general, in the UK, Lewis is not recognized how Tory membership, an audience that is He is entitled to make character “signifi cant damage” on the economy himself the honest candidate who asks he should be recognised,” Mercedes motorsport chief predominantly hite, male, southerly, an issue. Not as in personality, but and “destroyed” their party. This is the hard questions. He will have to be Toto Wolff was quoted by the BBC as saying. affl uent, very Brexity and much keener as in moral character. The Tories the view of people who call themselves the one prepared to tell his party some on the former foreign secretary who have a history as a party of falling for members of the Conservative and truths about Brexit and get it to face “One day he will stop his career with multiple records campaigned to leave the EU than the scoundrels who present as “lovable Unionist party. the realities of its position. - Guardian and people will say he was the greatest driver on the current holder of the offi ce who did the rogues”. This has always been an So one of Hunt’s tasks is to sit the News Service planet and we were witnesses on that journey and opposite. integral element of Boris Johnson’s Tory party down, tell it to breathe What can Hunt do about this? If popularity with the Tory grassroots. deeply and invite it to have a proper z Andrew Rawnsley is Chief Political wasn’t he an interesting personality with all the things his main interest is self-preservation, But do they really want to hand Number think. Commentator of the Observer he did apart [from F1]? Hamilton’s win on Sunday was his 79th race win — just 12 short of Michael Schumacher’s all-time record. And, aged 34, he is now being drawn into the big picture amid accusations the sport is becoming boring. The debate whether a combination of technological innovations and stringent rules that prevent risk-taking is taking precedence over driving skills is not a new one. Hamilton’s runaway success is bound to fuel it further. “Don’t point the fi ngers at the drivers because we don’t write the rules,” he said. Maybe, the drivers should write them, or at least some of them to make the sport more interesting.

To Advertise [email protected] Display 44466621 44418811 Classified 44466609 44418811 Subscription [email protected] Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt answers questions from journalist Iain Dale Conservative MP Boris Johnson speaks to the audience as he takes part in a and the audience as he takes part in a Conservative Party leadership hustings event Conservative Party leadership hustings event in Birmingham, central England, on © 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved in Birmingham, central England, on June 22. June 22. Gulf Times Tuesday, June 25, 2019 23 COMMENT Water woes intensify as taps run dry in India

By Roli Srivastava Beed, India

esidents of the drought-hit Indian village of Salegaon are so desperate for water they Rhave started lining up their pots two days before the tanker is due to arrive. When it does, the neatly lined up pots go fl ying as the villagers rush forward. Usually only about half get water, leaving the rest to make the two-mile journey to the nearest well. Salegaon is in Beed district in western Maharashtra state, home to India’s bustling commercial capital Mumbai, but also to vast tracts of farmland battling years of drought – a double whammy for the villagers, who depend on agriculture for work. “There is no rain, so there is no work on farmlands, and no money,” said 19-year-old Ashwini Galphade, who moved to Salegaon village after marrying last year, covering her head with a scarf to protect herself from the noon sun. “How can we afford Women stand next to a row of pots placed for the water tanker that comes every water?” two days at Salegaon village in Beed. Beed is among eight districts in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, to tackle, said campaigner Himanshu balanced a 20-litre water can. where poor rainfall has ravaged crops, Thakkar. “I don’t like doing this, but my dried up reservoirs and forced people “We use more groundwater than mother says we have no choice.” to migrate from their villages. what China and the United States With the men away, the back- Many have gone to work farming collectively use. Countries like the US breaking work of fetching water is sugar cane – a thirsty crop that identify and protect their groundwater mostly left to women and children. accounts for 4% of agriculture in Indian women with empty plastic pots protest as they demand drinking water in Chennai on June 22. Angry residents fight recharge zones. What have we done?” But help is a hand after a charity Maharashtra, but devours two-thirds in queues at water taps, lakes have been turned into barren moonscapes and restaurants are cutting back on meals as the Thakkar said. in Salegaon came up with the idea of of its irrigation water, exacerbating the worst drought in living memory grips India’s Chennai. The crisis has hit rural and urban handing out “water wheels” – wheel problem. Indians alike. shaped containers that can be rolled The struggle for water has last 10 years,” said Kishore Chandra think-tank Niti Aayog warned last year. while hospitals have put off non- On the outskirts of Marathwada’s rather than carried, with bright yellow intensifi ed in many parts of India, Naik, chairman of India’s Central Chennai was one of 21 cities the essential surgeries. Aurangabad city, children as young handles for steering. where villages and cities have run out Ground Water Board. think-tank said could run out of The Madras High Court last week as 10 were being sent to fetch water “We fetch water in the morning and of water – a problem campaigners have “The decline is because of ground water by 2020 and this week, demanded to know why the state a train ride away, hauling back evening and carry three pots of water on said is due as much to years of poor extraction, whatever may be the taps ran dry as water levels in its government had not worked through containers of water almost as big as our heads. Our husbands have no time as groundwater management as to a lack purpose for it,” Naik said, warning four major reservoirs fell to one- the year to avoid it. “Don’t blame the they were. they look for work on the farmland,” said of rain. some wells would eventually dry up. hundredth of what they were this hand of God, what did the hand of the “I feel scared travelling on the train. Geeta Kailash Dalpade, 26. “Over 60% of nearly 17,000 India faces the worst long-term time last year. man do?” the court said. People also stop us from fi lling water at “But this (water wheel) can carry 45 groundwater wells monitored to check water crisis in its history as demand The crisis in the southern coastal India uses more ground water the train station,” Siddharth Rahul Dhage, litres of water. Our backs hurt all the ground water level showed a decline outstrips supply, with millions of lives city has pushed schools, hotels and than any other country, a problem 10 and small for his age, told the Thomson time and this could help.” - Thomson compared to the average level of the and livelihoods at risk, the government commercial establishments to close, successive governments have failed Reuters Foundation at the station as he Reuters Foundation

Achieving universal health coverage Three-day forecast TODAY Maximum Temperature : 460c Minimum Temperature : 330c By Jorg Reinhardt capacity of district and community Primary Healthcare Transformation, led Khòe has been delivering a range Zurich facilities. A key objective of this by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health of services to underserved rural WEDNESDAY scheme is to shift more of the burden of and including diverse actors from the communities in Vietnam since 2012. Maximum Temperature : 410c delivering medical services from higher- public, non-profi t, and private sectors. That initiative has expanded both Minimum Temperature : 310c irtually every country level hospitals onto lower-level primary The group’s founding partners are care for common medical issues THURSDAY worldwide has committed healthcare facilities. the World Economic Forum, Harvard like diabetes, hypertension, and Maximum Temperature : 410c to achieving universal health Given a long history of deep Medical School, and Novartis (of which I respiratory conditions, and patient Minimum Temperature : 320c coverage (UHC) by 2030, as disparities in health outcomes between am chairman of the board). health education and continuing V Fisherman's forecast part of the United Nations Sustainable urban and rural areas, Vietnamese still The working group aims to strengthen medical education for health Development Goals. But some countries often try to bypass their local healthcare existing primary-care demonstration professionals. Since 2012, CSK has WARNING projects in 30 Vietnamese provinces and reached more than 570,000 people, Inshore : Strong wind at places are progressing much faster than others centres in favour of major hospitals in by afternoon in delivering equitable access not only urban centres. This creates ineffi ciencies apply the lessons learned to developing mainly adults, across 16 provinces. to health services, but also to aff ordable in the health system and increases out- holistic solutions that can be replicated Vietnam has signifi cant challenges Offshore : Expected strong wind medicines and vaccines. Among those of-pocket costs for patients and their and scaled up. It will also place a high ahead. It will need to grapple with and high sea at some places leading the pack is Vietnam. families, without guaranteeing the best priority on rigorous measurement and behavioural and environmental factors WEATHER Today, 87.7% of Vietnam’s population care. evaluation of outputs, from the quality underlying poor health and disease, Inshore : Hot daytime with slight – or 83.6mn people – are covered by So, beyond ensuring that community of community-level health services especially high rates of smoking dust at some places and some clouds health insurance. According to the latest health facilities can off er aff ordable, to the cost-eff ectiveness of primary among males, high rates of alcohol Global Monitoring Report on UHC, quality care, there is a need to change healthcare. consumption, and air pollution. The Offshore : Fine to some clouds published jointly by the World Health public perceptions. Families need to Each partner is invited to contribute country also has one of the world’s most at times WIND Organisation and the World Bank, 97% trust that they can get a dependable capabilities, resources, and knowhow rapidly ageing populations. Inshore : Northwesterly-North- of Vietnamese children now receive diagnosis of malaria, chronic obstructive to this endeavour. For example, Moreover, important healthcare easterly 10-20/25 KT standard immunisations, compared to pulmonary disease, or diabetes locally, Harvard Medical School brings world- reforms must still be undertaken to Offshrore : Northwesterly-Norther- 95% of children in the United States. as well as necessary medications and class expertise in the organisational improve outcomes. For example, the ly 08-18/23 KT Since 1990, the country’s maternal other treatments. management of primary health-care government should create incentives for Visibility : 4-8 KM mortality rate has fallen by 75%. To this end, health facilities must teams. National partners bring, among doctors to be more selective in referring Vietnam has managed to reach such strengthen their relationships with local other things, a deep understanding of patients to higher-level hospitals and Offshore : 3-5/7 FT the local context, which is essential to send more patients to local primary- impressive milestones ahead of schedule, communities, above all by routinely Around the region despite having an average per capita providing a level of service that satisfi es to developing and implementing health-care centres. Weather income of just $2,342 as of 2017. The key patients. Such relationships will help sustainable solutions. Nonetheless, Vietnam’s progress Weather tomorrow Max/min to its success is not the scale of investment to advance another health-improving, For its part, Novartis off ers an toward UHC has been remarkable, today Max/min Sunny 48/28 in healthcare, which amounts to a modest cost-saving imperative: local health understanding of how to deploy digital thanks partly to the government’s Baghdad Sunny 47/28 Cloudy 47/33 $142 per person annually (including workers must be able to educate their technology at large scale, engage rural embrace of strategic public-private Kuwait CitySunny 46/34 Sunny 39/32 both public funding and out-of-pocket communities to maintain health and communities in health education, partnerships. For countries that have Manama Sunny 40/33 Sunny 37/30 expenses), but rather how the government avoid illness. Success will require good and expand education programs struggled to move forward, this model Muscat Sunny 37/29 Sunny 39/26 uses its resources, including the country’s working conditions and access to the for healthcare practitioners in rural – and approaches from other high Tehran Sunny 40/27 intellectual capital. ongoing training and management communities. In fact, Novartis has performers in the race for UHC, such Vietnam’s strategic approach can be support that are critical to job already made similar contributions as Indonesia, Rwanda, and Thailand seen in its Ministry of Health’s Direction satisfaction. through another successful public- – may be worth embracing. – Project of Healthcare Activities scheme, which Vietnam’s government recognises private partnership in Vietnam, entitled Syndicate requires health facilities at the central that, to implement its health-care Cùng Sông Khòe. and provincial levels of government strategy eff ectively, it needs help. It has Carried out in partnership with z Jorg Reinhardt is Chairman of the administration to help build up the established a new Working Group for Vietnam’s government, Cùng Sông Board of Directors for Novartis.

Live issues Around the world Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Youth with chronic ailments more prone to mental illness Athens Cloudy 33/24 Cloudy 32/24 Beirut Sunny 31/26 Sunny 30/25 Bangkok S T Storms 33/27 S T Storms 33/27 By Lisa Rapaport developed a mental health problem “This matters because it shows what diagnoses in the study were anxiety, Berlin P Cloudy 33/22 M Sunny 37/17 Reuters Health over the course of the study. Children a powerful impact growing up with mood disorders and behaviour Cairo Sunny 41/24 Sunny 41/25 and young adults with a chronic physical illness can have on mental disorders. Cape Town Sunny 18/11 M Sunny 17/09 physical health problem were 51% more health and also highlights a potential Youth with chronic physical health Colombo T Storm 30/26 S T Storms 31/27 hildren and young adults likely to be diagnosed with a mental mechanism which could help future problems were 51% more likely to Dhaka T Storm 34/28 S T Storms 34/28 with chronic conditions illness than youth without issues like eff orts to prevent mental illness in this develop anxiety, 70% more likely to Hong Kong T Storm 29/25 S T Storms 29/26 like asthma, diabetes, and asthma, diabetes, and attention defi cit/ population,” Adams said by e-mail. develop mood disorders, and 54% Istanbul Sunny 29/23 Sunny 30/23 CADHD may be more likely to hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. In the study, mental health more likely to develop behaviour Jakarta Sunny 34/23 M Sunny 34/23 develop mental illness than youth who “A surprising amount of this conditions were more common disorders, the study found. Karachi P Cloudy 34/29 P Cloudy 34/29 don’t have physical health problems, a diff erence is explained by limitations among older youth, suggesting that The study wasn’t a controlled London Showers 28/16 P Cloudy 25/14 US study suggests. in the ability to participate in school, living with conditions like asthma or experiment designed to prove Manila T Storm 33/27 T Storm 32/27 Researchers followed more than work, and social activities,” said diabetes might take a psychological whether or how chronic physical Moscow P Cloudy 23/13 Showers 20/11 48,000 youth without any diagnosed study leader Dr John Adams of toll that gets worse over time, health problems might directly cause New Delhi M Sunny 38/31 M Sunny 41/31 mental health disorders for two years, the Cambridge Health Alliance in researchers note in Paediatrics. psychological problems in young New York S T Storms 31/21 Sunny 31/22 starting when they were between 6 Massachusetts. The cumulative two-year rates of people. Paris P Cloudy 34/21 Sunny 37/22 and 25 years old. Overall, 14.7% had Among all the study participants, mental health diagnoses were 5.6% One limitation of the study is the Sao Paulo Sunny 27/19 M Sunny 28/18 a chronic physical health problem 1.8% reported activity limitations. among kids 6 to 11 years old, but relatively brief follow-up period, the Seoul Sunny 32/18 Cloudy 32/21 that either limited their ability to Youth with chronic physical health climbed to 7.4% among participants 12 authors note. It might take more than Singapore S T Storms 31/27 S T Storms 31/27 navigate daily life or required ongoing problems were more than 3 times more to 18 years old and 10.1% among young 2 years for mental health disorders to Sydney Rain 16/11 S Showers 17/11 treatment. likely to have limitations than other adults 19 to 25 years old. become apparent, particularly with Tokyo Cloudy 27/18 Clear 29/20 Overall, 7.8% of the study participants participants. The most common mental health the youngest study participants. Gulf Times 24 Tuesday, June 25, 2019 QATAR

Katara announces Top international artistes launch of fourth Fath Al Khair cruise „ Voyage will cover diff erent phases set to hit the stage in Doha and route for Phase 1 will include Greece, Albania and Croatia, and end „ Tickets on sale in Italy for Trevor Noah, Marshmello and ome 16 Qatari sailors will the prestigious and historic take part in the fourth event. The sailors will also dis- Kadim al-Saher Scruise of Fath Al Khair, tribute brochures and gifts to scheduled to start on July 10, the public, explaining all about ickets are now on sale for Katara – the Cultural Village Qatar in order to reach out to performances by world- general manager Dr Khalid people of the countries the Trenowned artistes who are bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti has an- cruise will pass through. coming to Doha as part of ‘Sum- nounced. Fath Al Khair cruise captain mer in Qatar’, the organisers have In a press statement, Dr al- Yousef Mohamed al-Sada said announced. Sulaiti said the launch is set to the voyage will be undertaken Courtesy of Qatar National take place in Istanbul, Turkey, in diff erent phases and the Tourism Council (QNTC) in where the dhow will set off and route for Phase 1 will include partnership with The Social sail from the Bosphorus across Greece, Albania and Croatia, Studio, residents and visitors 11 other harbours in Europe before ending in Italy. “can enjoy the comedic stylings and North Africa. He added that the cruise of ‘Daily Show’ host and come- Dr al-Sulaiti said the aim of will include visit several is- dian Trevor Noah, be entranced the cruise is to raise awareness lands such as the Greek island by EDM artiste and DJ-producer of Qatar’s heritage, especially of Mykonos and Sicily in the Marshmello, and be swept away Kadim al-Saher its maritime culture, noting Mediterranean. According to by Arabic music icon Kadim that it is a signifi cant part of al-Sada, the second phase will al-Saher”, according to a press al-Saher will have performances “This achievement is the result the Qatari identity. begin in June 2020, which will statement. on August 16 and 17. of the tourism vision for Qatar, The cruise also aims to pro- include docking at harbours Mashal Shabik from QNTC Tickets for all performances and the leading role played by the mote Qatar’s hosting of the in France and Spain, while the said, “We are pleased to host re- are now on sale through https:// Qatar National Tourism Council, 2022 FIFA World Cup and third phase will pass through nowned international entertain- tickets.virginmegastore.me/qa which we will continue to part- presents its preparations for Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. ers in Doha this ‘Summer in Qa- Hamzeh Zahr, managing direc- ner with to curate a vibrant, rich tar’. Our biggest programme yet, tor of The Social Stu- and diverse cultural experience we are thrilled to off er an array dio, said: “‘Summer for visitors, locals and residents.” of live entertainment and build in Qatar’ cultivates Live music concerts and sustainable off erings through the Qatar’s accomplish- shows are all part of the enter- year. Urban and family entertain- ments, especially in tainment schedule of the ‘Sum- ment is a core tenet of our tour- live entertainment, as it mer in Qatar’ programme, ism off ering, and we continue hosts a collection of offering an array of to develop options for everyone international and cultural performances to enjoy the season-long pro- regional mu- and family-friendly gramme to the fullest.” sic and com- entertainment. For All shows will take place at Qa- edy mega stars. a complete summer tar National Convention Centre. This reinforces experience, resi- The festivities begin with the Qatar’s posi- dents and visi- annual Doha Comedy Festival tion as an au- tors can also tap on July 12, headlined by Noah. thentic and into discounted DJ and EDM artiste Marshmello contemporary airfares as well will bring his unique fashion and destination, as hospitality and musical stylings to Doha for the off ering one of retail offers that con- fi rst time, with a live concert on the largest concert tinue until August 16. July 25. Having sold over 100mn and show line-ups in Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti (right) and Yousef Mohamed albums, the king of Arabic music, the region. Trevor Noah Marshmello al-Sada at the press conference.