BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 South Korean star Nam joins US House panel passes Sadd from bill on Opec supply cuts Duhail published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 11089 February 9, 2019 Jumada II 4, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Arabian Horse Show winner awarded FM discusses

ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Two Palestinian teens strategic ties killed by Israeli fi re Two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli fire yesterday during clashes along the Gaza border, the with US offi cials health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said. Hassan Shalabi, 14, was killed by “live fire to the chest QNA east of Khan Yunis” during protests Washington along the frontier with Israel in the southern Gaza Strip, the ministry said. It announced the death of E the Deputy Prime Minister 18-year-old Hamza Ishtawi shortly and Minister of Foreign Af- after, saying he was shot in the Hfairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Ab- neck during similar clashes east of dulrahman al-Thani met separately in Gaza City. Another 17 Palestinians Washington yesterday with US Treas- were shot and wounded at diff erent ury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Na- protest sites along the border. tional Security Adviser John Bolton. Page 3 The two meetings discussed strate- gic ties between Qatar and the US, in ASIA | Royals addition to key regional and interna- Al Shaqab Breeding and Show manager Sheikh Hamad bin Ali al-Thani (fourth from left) with the trophy after Al Shaqab’s tional issues. HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Thai king lambasts Ghasham Al Shaqab topped Class 11 for 7-10-year-old stallions in the Qatar International Arabian Horse Show at Souq Waqif HE Sheikh Mohamed also met sepa- al-Thani. sister’s bid for power yesterday. PICTURE: Juhaim Sport Page 8 rately with Senior Adviser to the US Thailand’s powerful King Maha President Jared Kushner, Personal Rep- counter violent extremism. Vajiralongkorn late yesterday resentative for International Negotia- His visit to Washington follows described an unprecedented move tions Jason Greenblatt, Co-ordinator the Second Qatar-US Strategic Dia- to make his older sister Princess for Counter-terrorism at the State De- logue that was held in Doha and saw Ubolratana prime minister as partment Nathan Sales, Special Presi- the signing of three memorandums “highly inappropriate” and against dential Envoy for Hostage Aff airs, and a of understanding and a statement of “royal traditions”. Ubolratana, 67, number of Congress members. intent to enhance co-operation on the older sister of Vajiralongkorn, The meetings discussed the strategic the politically, economic, and social was announced hours earlier as a bilateral relations and a number of re- levels. candidate in the upcoming elections Turkey set to gional and international issues, partic- His Excellency stressed, during his for the Thai Raksa Chart party, ularly peace in Afghanistan, Palestine, participation at the ministerial meet- which is steered by the divisive and joint eff orts to combat terrorism ing of the Global Coalition To Defeat Shinawatra political clan. Her shock and its fi nancing. ISIS that took place in Washington on entrance into frontline Thai politics HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Wednesday, that the State of Qatar is was a first by a member of the Minister of Foreign Aff airs said that he committed to contributing to the ef- powerful royal family and promised looks forward to hosting US offi cials in forts made to defeat ISIS in Iraq and to reshape the political landscape of deliver military Qatar throughout this year, and to be- Syria. the country. Page 6 ing back to the US as well. HE the Deputy Prime Minister and He added that they were commu- Minister of Foreign Aff airs also an- LATIN AMERICA | Tragedy nicating to fi nd resolutions to the re- nounced Doha’s intention to host a gion’s most urgent issues. high-level regional meeting this year to Fire kills 10 at Brazil HE Sheikh Mohamed stressed that address the horrible crimes committed football facility Qatar highly appreciates its ties with by ISIS. Brazilian football was in mourning drones to Qatar the US, and noted that the meetings It is worth noting that the strategic yesterday after 10 people died were part of an ongoing dialogue in ties between Qatar and the US began 45 when a fire ripped through a youth O Deal includes six unmanned aircraft and control stations all fields of joint interest and that years ago. training facility at the country’s they provide an opportunity to ex- The two countries share a joint goal most popular club, Flamengo, QNA Baykar engineers and experts. Branch, which were carried out by the change views on important inter- of building a Middle East that is more authorities said. The pre-dawn Ankara At the end of the four-month course, Turkish military in northern Syria. national issues, including efforts to peaceful and more prosperous. blaze in Rio de Janeiro hit a building all members of the Qatari team have Bayraktar stressed that the drones that housed players aged 14 to graduated, including an unmanned deal would contribute to cementing the 17, firefighters said. Rio’s deputy urkey is preparing to hand over drone commander, maintenance per- Qatari-Turkish relations. governor, Claudio Castro said six “Bayraktar TB2” military sonnel and other functions related to Turkey’s Deputy Industry and Tech- “preliminary information indicates Tdrones, as part of a deal signed the “TB2” aircraft. nology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir there were young players and staff ” by the two sides in 2018. The graduation ceremony was held said that Turkey’s defence production Qatar opens consulate in Milan amongst the dead. The SporTV According to Anadolu Agency, the at the Baykar training facility in north- has increased by 65% during the past channel said the victims included deal signed between Qatar Armed western Turkey’s Edirne Province. 15 years. QNA in Milan is aimed at achieving the main six players and four members of Forces and the Turkish aircraft manu- The function was attended by Tur- Under the deal, Baykar Machinery Milan objectives that serve the interests of staff . Page 11 facturer ‘Baykar Machinery’ on the key’s Deputy Industry and Technology will provide technical and logistical the two countries and the two friendly sidelines of the Doha International Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir, Baykar support to the Qatari side for the air- peoples, in particular the interests re- SPORT | Media Maritime Defence Exhibition and Con- Machinery Technical Manager Selcuk craft operating system for two years. atar’s consulate in Milan was lated to the growing economic, trade beIN not to renew ference (Dimdex 2018) included six un- Bayraktar and a number of Qatari and The deal is the fi rst sale of the opened yesterday by HE the and investment relations in addition to manned aircraft and control stations as Turkish offi cials. ‘Bayraktar TB2’ aircraft to the Turkish QSecretary-General of the Min- facilitate legal and administrative pro- F1 broadcast contract well as technical and logistical equip- Selcuk Bayraktar said in his speech system. istry of Foreign Aff airs Dr Ahmed bin cedures and transactions at the public Qatar’s beIN Sports said yesterday ment for these aircraft. during the ceremony that Turkey cur- ‘Bayraktar TB2’ is a medium altitude Hassan al-Hammadi in the presence of and private levels. it had decided not to renew a The six aircraft and control stations rently ranks sixth in the world among and long-range (MALE) tactical un- the Italian Ministry of Foreign Aff airs HE Dr al-Hammadi said that the contract for the rights to broadcast have passed the factory quality tests countries capable of producing un- manned aerial vehicle (UAV) system. second bureau director Paolo Sordini. economic and trade relations include Formula One in the Middle East and are ready to be handed over to the manned aerial vehicles and their smart The aircraft provides operational Speaking on the occasion, HE Dr al- large investments from the public and and North Africa. The previous Qatari Armed Forces, Anadolu said. weapons, depending on local capaci- information to the operations centres Hammadi pointed out that the open- private sectors in both countries, as five-year deal expired at the end of As part of the same deal, a 55-per- ties. of the Turkish armed forces during its ing of the consulate in Milan is a new the volume of trade exchange between last season. The 21-race 2019 world son Qatari team has completed its He added that the Turkish drones mission in the air, as well as being able indicator of the strength of the Qatari- the two countries reached 15bn euros in championship starts in Australia on training courses on the use of the are played an important role during the to target the identifi ed threats with on- Italian relations. 2018, an increase of 11% from the previ- March 17. TB2 drones in Turkey by a team of operations Euphrates Shield and Olive board munitions. He explained that Qatar’s consulate ous year. To Page 3 Saudi crown prince wanted to use a ‘bullet’ on Khashoggi: report O New pressure over retically had until yesterday to desig- A department spokesman pointed to has no compelling evidence of the direct him, according to the newspaper. Khashoggi’s Turkish fi ancee said journalist’s death, Trump nate those responsible for the murder of last year’s revocation of visas for nearly involvement of the young and power- Special UN rapporteur Agnes Cal- yesterday she hoped pressure from US Khashoggi, who was strangled and dis- two dozen Saudi offi cials and the freez- ful Saudi leader, although the senators lamard said on Thursday after a visit to lawmakers would encourage the Trump silent at deadline membered by Saudi agents in the king- ing of assets of 17 others after Khashog- — briefed by intelligence leaders behind Turkey that the killing of Khashoggi, administration to take a tougher stance dom’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2. gi’s murder. closed doors — stressed they remained who had written critical pieces on Saudi on the killing. AFP/Reuters The deadline was imposed by Demo- Some members of the US Congress convinced that the prince known as Arabia in The Washington Post, had been Speaking at a press conference in Is- Washington cratic and Republican senators, who have publicly stated that they suspect “MBS” was responsible. “planned and perpetrated” by Saudi of- tanbul, Hatice Cengiz left the door open wrote the president on October 10 call- Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman Meanwhile, the New York Times, cit- fi cials. to a meeting with Trump if certain con- ing for an investigation into the appar- was directly responsible for the killing, ing offi cials who had seen US intelli- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Ca- ditions were met, a softening of her po- resident Donald Trump appeared ent extra-judicial killing. based on the CIA’s conclusions. gence, said that Prince Mohamed had vusoglu said yesterday that a United sition in December when she rejected an prepared to ignore the US Con- Under an existing human rights ac- The murder was met with interna- warned in an intercepted conversation Nations investigation into the killing of invitation from the US president. Pgress’s Friday deadline to deter- countability law the letter gives the tional outrage and considerably hurt the to an aide in 2017 that he would go after Khashoggi has to be launched. “A visit to the United States could take mine who ordered the assassination of president 120 days to designate and image of the crown prince. Khashoggi “with a bullet” if he did not Speaking to reporters in the south- place in March,” Cengiz said, adding she Jamal Khashoggi amid new revelations punish those responsible. In December, the Senate, controlled return to Saudi Arabia from the United ern province of Antalya, Cavusoglu said hoped Trump would have a change of that Saudi Arabia’s crown prince spoke But no defi nitive action was expected by Trump’s Republican Party, unani- States. Turkey considered the fi ndings of the “attitude” about the murder. of threatening the journalist with a yesterday from the administration. mously adopted a resolution naming US intelligence understood that the UN-led inquiry into Khashoggi’s mur- “I have hope, not necessarily regard- “bullet.” The State Department said on Thurs- the crown prince “responsible” for the ambitious 33-year-old heir apparent der important, but added that an offi - ing Trump, but about the fact that the With pressure mounting in Washing- day that Washington had already taken slaying. was ready to kill the journalist, although cial UN investigation was needed at this new Congress will follow this case more ton and Riyadh, the US president theo- action over Khashoggi’s killing. The Trump administration claims it he may not have literally meant to shoot stage. closely,” she said. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, February 9, 2019 QATAR UN’s counter-terrorism panel report launched

QNA Representative to the UN, HE legal activities in order to stop sistance of victims of traffi ck- by Qatar with the African Un- New York Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif them,” she said while referring ing with full respect for their ion Commission, under which al-Thani, said, “Qatar has al- to Security Council resolution human rights. Qatar pledged to establish an ways called on the international 2331 in that regard, adopted and She stressed Qatar’s com- African Union-sponsored fund he permanent delegations community to pay attention to co-sponsored by Qatar, which mitment to the fi ght against and a $20mn grant to reinte- of Qatar and Holland to the dangers of human traffi cking recognised the link between the the heinous crimes, noting the grate and integrate irregular and HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani: “Qatar has always called Tthe United Nations (UN) and terrorism.” fi nancing of terrorism and traf- country’s role as facilitator of the vulnerable migrants into their on the international community to pay attention to the dangers of Counter-Terrorism Committee Sheikha Alya pointed out that fi cking of human beings. UN General Assembly resolution communities. human traff icking and terrorism.” Executive Directorate (CTED) the root causes of terrorism HE Sheikha Alya referred to to assess the UN Global Plan of The CTED provided a review organised a meeting at the head- and human traffi cking were the the membership of Qatar in the Action against Traffi cking in of the main fi ndings of its study, and human traffi cking to fi nance the perpetrators of the heinous quarters of Holland’s permanent same. Group of Friends to combat traf- Persons and the adoption of the emphasising that traffi cking in terrorism. crimes do not go unpunished. delegation in New York to launch “It was not strange to fi nd fi cking in human beings. Qatar Political Declaration of 2017 on persons constitutes a serious vi- It reviewed the study on sex- The study also called upon the committee’s report. a link between the two, given was one of the most important the implementation of the UN olation of human rights and that ual violence and enslavement, the real stakeholders of states, The report was fi nanced by that terrorists benefi t fi nan- donors to the Trust Fund for Global Plan of Action against it is the most profi table organ- especially for women and girls the private and public sector to Qatar and Holland to identify, cially from transnational or- Victims of Human Traffi cking Traffi cking in Persons. ised crime activity. The study victims of terrorism and hu- establish a system of fi nancial explore, and address the nexus ganised crime, including human in persons, which has become a HE Sheikha Alya referred in linked traffi cking, war and con- man traffi cking. It also called control and to strengthen co- between human traffi cking and traffi cking. It was necessary legally binding universal instru- that context to the memoran- fl ict, and highlighted the strong for strengthening national and operation at the regional and terrorism. Qatar’s Permanent to study these dangerous il- ment for the protection and as- dum of understanding signed link between terrorist groups international laws to ensure that international levels. SC chief meets Swiss envoy WCM-Q to organise lifestyle medicine symposium to tackle chronic diseases

eill Cornell Medi- evaluation of a patient’s health Medicine and current president “This is extremely important cine-Qatar (WCM- with reference to their lifestyle of the American Board of Life- in this era and in this region, WQ) will hold a two- habits, how to provide eff ective style Medicine, and Dr Darren where lifestyle-related diseases day symposium this month on guidance and prescriptions for Morton of Avondale College of such as diabetes, heart disease lifestyle medicine and how it nutrition and exercise, and how Higher Education in New South and certain cancers are highly can be used to successfully treat to utilise behavioural coaching Wales, Australia. prevalent.” and prevent chronic illnesses methods to help patients main- Dr Ravinder Mamtani, sen- The course incorporates lec- such as diabetes, heart disease tain healthy lifestyle habits in ior associate dean for Popula- tures and interactive workshops and cancer. the long term. tion Health, Capacity Build- that will show participants how The symposium, which is The symposium, titled ‘Life- ing and Student Aff airs, said: to tailor lifestyle medicine ap- open to healthcare profession- style Medicine: An Emerging “We all know the old adage proaches to meet the individual als, researchers and educators, Healthcare Trend that Inspires’, that prevention is better than a needs of patients, such as how will explain how measures such will take place on the WCM-Q cure but in conventional medi- to prescribe exercise regimes as regular exercise, healthy nu- campus in Education City on cine we often only see patients and dietary changes appropri- trition, stress management, February 19 and 20. It is being once they present at a clinic ate to the age, health, fi tness adequate sleep and avoidance co-ordinated by WCM-Q’s In- with symptoms, by which time and body type of patients, the of substance abuse can prevent, stitute for Population Health and they are already ill. In contrast, statement adds. treat and in some cases even re- will feature a number of interna- Lifestyle Medicine focuses on For more information and to Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) Secretary-General Hassan al-Thawadi recently met verse chronic diseases, WCM- tional Lifestyle Medicine experts promoting wellness by adopt- register for the course, one can with the ambassador of Switzerland, Edgar Dorig, the SC tweeted. During the meeting, they discussed Q has said in a statement. as speakers, including Dr Wayne ing healthy behaviours in all visit http://qatar-weill.cornell. mutual areas of collaboration and progress towards the delivery of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Participants will learn how S Dysinger, formerly president of aspects of our lives, helping us edu/event/lifestyle-medicine- to perform a comprehensive the American College of Lifestyle stay disease-free. symposium/overview

Qatar is taking part in Scholars explore Casablanca Book Fair ties between Gulf QNA administration in the Ministry Casablanca of Culture and Sports, Qatar Museums and a number of Qa- region, Southeast tari publishing houses such as atar is participating in Lusail Publishing and Distribu- the Casablanca Book tion House and Dar Roza Pub- QFair, which began yes- lishing House. They will show- Asia and Africa terday in the Moroccan capital. case Qatar’s intellectual works The book fair will off er 28,000 and highlight the contribution eorgetown University in these changed over time.” titles from 700 publishers of Qatari innovators to fi elds of Qatar (GU-Q) recently Through case studies from coming from 40 countries. knowledge and culture. Ghosted a public confer- Qatar, Goa, Zanzibar, and The conference in session. Moroccan Prime Minister The Ministry of Culture and ence titled, “Towards a Re- Madagascar, among others, the Saadeddine Othmani said that Sports had earlier confi rmed mapping of Diasporic Circular- presenters explored the issues “In comparison to other re- the Catholic University of the demic focus to the study of this the exhibition had gained inter- its keenness on participating ities in the Indian Ocean World”. of, oil, wages, Islamic revivalism gions of the globe, the Indian Sacred Heart, Ashoka Uni- region,” she added. national prestige and attracts in the exhibition annually as The event featured a multi- networks in the Malay-Indone- Ocean world has been rela- versity, and the University of Inspired by this ongoing more publishing houses each it witnessed big demand for disciplinary panel of local and sian world, and the role of Co- tively neglected by researchers Witwatersrand. project, symposium presenter year. Qatari publications in Mo- international scholars seeking morian sheikhs as community and scholars. That is why we “By approaching the study of and Associate Professor of Eng- He pointed out that the choice rocco. It also comes within to explore and redefi ne the di- builders. have made this region a focus the Indian Ocean World through lish at Georgetown’s Washing- of Spain as the guest of honour the framework of the Min- verse cultural, economic, and Relying on historical records, of research at GU-Q through diff erent lenses – literature, ton, DC campus, Cóilín Parsons, this year was for its most wide- istry of Culture and Sports historical ties between the Gulf maps, photographs, and other the creation of a working history, anthropology, and ar- will soon be off ering a literature spread cultural footprints in the commitment to strengthen- region, Southeast Asia, and documentation, the schol- group, academic partnerships chitecture – we are challeng- of the Indian Ocean course. world. ing its presence in exhibi- Africa. ars showed how mobility and in Education City and glo- ing misrepresentation of this This is the sixth faculty con- The Qatari pavilion includes tions and to promote the Doha In his opening remarks, race, slavery, interracial un- bally, and through our annual region as historically isolated, ference organised by the Indian the participation of the library International Book Fair. GU-Q dean Ahmad Dallal noted ions and colonial ethics, and symposium.” or underdeveloped, and sup- Ocean working group, which the signifi cance of the research, turn-of-the-century maritime Scholars from GU-Q and port the creation of an alterna- was created by GU-Q faculty saying: “This year’s symposium military history, connected the Qatar University took part in tive history that shows vibrant Rogaia Abusharaf, Phoebe Mu- is being held at a time when re- empires and histories of dif- the symposium, as well as ex- cultural change and exchange,” sandu and Amira Sonbol along gional geopolitical disruptions ferent communities and coun- perts from the US, Portugal, explained Professor of Anthro- with Northwestern University Municipality conducts and competitions remind us tries in complex ways that told Italy, India, South Africa, and pology Rogaia Abusharaf, a in Qatar’s Sandra Richards, and of the necessity to deepen our unique stories across the Indian The Netherlands. Institutions founding member of the work- includes participation from inspection at food outlets understanding of the region’s Ocean Rim. represented included Johns ing group and event organiser. Qatar University, the Doha In- peoples, cultures, and move- GU-Q assistant professor Hopkins University, Ohio State “We also continue to encourage stitute for Graduate Studies, Al ments, and social, political and of government and event co- University, University-Institute our colleagues and students in Jazeera Center for Studies, and economic exchanges, and how ordinator Uday Chandra, said: of Lisbon, Leiden University, all fi elds to connect their aca- other international members.

Kamal Kharazi to speak at AJCS lecture

The Al Jazeera Centre for Studies Sheep sold for QR250,000 at Halal Festival (AJCS) will open its public lecture series this year by hosting Dr Kamal Kharazi, pictured, chair of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Iran. Dr Kharazi will deliver a lecture titled ‘On the 40th anniversary of the Iranian Islamic revolution: Regional Co-operation, Horizons and Challenges’. The lecture is part of the Dr Kharazi has previously proposed co-operation served as the foreign minister between AJCS and Iran’s of Iran under former president Al Sheehaniyah Municipality’s Health Control Section conducted Strategic Council on Foreign Mohamed Khatami, from 1997 a number of inspection campaigns on the various food facilities Relations, and marks the to 2005. He later assumed the and outlets at Al Sheehaniyah, Al Jamailah, and the Camel Race 40th anniversary of the chairmanship of the Strategic areas during the last quarter of January. The campaign aimed at Islamic revolution in Iran. Council on Foreign Relations. exercising tighter control on the eateries, restaurants, supermarkets It will be presented at the The mission of the council is and popular kitchens. As many as 41 diff erent food facilities were Al Rayyan Conference Hall, to explore new horizons for Halal Qatar festival, which concludes tomorrow at Katara – the Culture Village, has been receiving inspected to ensure they follow the necessary health and safety Sheraton Grand Doha Resort Iranian foreign policy and more visitors. The young shepherd competition for 10-14 years old gave participants the opportunity regulations when preparing and handling food products. A circular & Convention Hotel, at 6pm on articulate long- and short- to relive their ancestors heritage of raising sheep and goats. The various traditional dishes, off ered was issued to withdraw a particular food product. Some local and February 9. term strategies for foreign at some stalls, have been very popular among the diff erent categories of visitors. A Syrian sheep was imported food products that were introduced to the local market “The lecture comes at a time relations in the fields of politics, sold for QR250,000 for its rare qualities after intense competition among buyers. Herd owners display for the first time were checked to ensure they are safe for of heightened regional and economics, defence, security, their most beautiful sheep or goats to compete for prizes. There is also a daily auction for special consumption. international complexity,” the and culture and science, the breeds in addition to many entertainment activities. AJCS said in a statement. statement adds. Gulf Times Saturday, February 9, 2019 3 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD

OPINION CAPTURE POLITICS RIGHTS TRAGEDY Contradicting Trump, Libya arrests suspected Iran supreme leader says Group condemns Egypt Man dies after setting Merkel says IS not defeated Al Qaeda leader: source Europe not to be trusted over hanging of detainees himself ablaze at school

Islamic State is far from defeated, and instead is Libyan authorities have arrested a suspected Al Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Human Rights Watch has condemned the hangings in A Lebanese man died from severe burns yesterday morphing into an asymmetrical warfare force Qaeda leader who fled from the eastern city of yesterday that Europe “cannot be trusted”, a week Egypt of three young “political detainees” convicted of after setting himself on fire at his daughter’s school after the militant group lost almost all of the terri- Derna, once a militant bastion, a source in the after the EU launched a trade mechanism to by- murdering the son of a judge, charging they had been over a fee dispute with the management, state tory it once controlled in Syria, German Chancel- attorney general’s off ice said yesterday. Abdel pass US sanctions on Tehran. “These days there’s tortured to confess. The three men were executed in media said. George Zreik doused himself with petrol lor Angela Merkel said yesterday. Merkel’s remarks Qader Azuz was arrested in the western city of talk of the Europeans and their proposals. My the northern city of Alexandria on Thursday, a security and set it ablaze Thursday at Our Lady of Kaftoun at the inauguration of the Berlin headquarters Misrata and then brought to the capital Tripoli the advice is that they shouldn’t be trusted, just like source said, following a trial in which they stood secondary school in the Koura district of north of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency BND source said. No other details were immediately the Americans,” he said at a meeting with air force accused of the 2014 murder and of having formed a Lebanon, the doctor who treated him said. Gabriel contradicted statements by US President Donald available. Azuz was one of the senior militants off icials, his website reported. “I’m not saying we “terrorist group”. The confessions of university students al-Sabaa, head of the surgery department at the Trump that the Islamist group has been defeated. in Derna, according to Libyan off icials. The city shouldn’t have relations with them. This is about Ahmed Maher Hindawi and Almotaz Ghanem, and Al-Salam hospital in Tripoli, said that “burns covered “The so-called Islamic State has been luckily has been long a hotspot for militants. Many had trust,” he added. Britain, France and Germany last Abdel Hamid Metwalli, a computer shop owner, all 90% of his body”. Zreik reportedly took the desper- driven out of its territory but this unfortunately fled Libya to escape persecution by Muammar week launched a special payment mechanism members of the Muslim Brotherhood, were “extracted ate step after the school refused to give him a doesn’t mean that Islamic State has disappeared,” Gaddafi and to fight in Afghanistan, then returned called INSTEX to help save the 2015 nuclear deal under torture, one of the defendants alleged in a certificate attesting that his daughter was a student, Merkel said. home after the dictator was toppled in 2011. between Iran and world powers. leaked letter” to human rights lawyers and activists. the state-run National News Agency said. Two Palestinian teens killed by troop fi re

AFP Gaza City

wo Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli fi re Tyesterday during clash- es along the Gaza border, the health ministry in the Hamas- run enclave said. Hassan Shalabi, 14, was killed by “live fi re to the chest east of Khan Yunis” during protests along the frontier with Israel HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr in the southern Gaza Strip, the Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi opens Qatar’s consulate in Milan ministry said. along with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs second bureau It announced the death of director Paolo Sordini. 18-year-old Hamza Ishtawi shortly after, saying he was shot in the neck during similar clashes east of Gaza City. Another 17 Palestinians were shot and wounded at diff erent Qatar’s consulate protest sites along the border, the ministry added. The Israeli army declined to comment on the deaths, but opens in Milan said 8,200 “rioters and dem- onstrators” had been protesting along the frontier. From Page 1 Italy’s Government and the “They are hurling rocks at Ministry of Foreign Aff airs in (Israeli) troops and towards The growth is expected to particular for their co-operation the security fence, as well as continue this year by around 3% and facilities for the opening of a number of explosive devices or more, the senior Qatari offi - Qatar’s consulate. that did not cross the fence,” a cial said while pointing out that Sordini said that Qatar’s de- spokesman said, adding that this extensive economic activ- cision to establish a consulate they had heard grenade explo- ity, which is of utmost impor- in Milan is a strong and tangi- sions. Israeli troops “responded The mother of 14-year-old Hassan Shalabi reacts after identifying his body at the morgue of a hospital in Khan Yunis, in the southern tance to both countries because ble signal of the country’s in- with riot dispersal means and Gaza Strip, yesterday. it contributes to increase their terest in Italy and the develop- fi red according to standard op- GDP, is an important reason for ment of bilateral relations. He erating procedures”, he added. Hamas of orchestrating the have been killed over the same attend next week’s US confer- was some contact from the the opening of Qatar’s consulate pointed out that these strong Palestinians in Gaza have for protests. period. Protests have dwindled ence hosted by Poland, chief Polish side,” Erekat said on in Milan. relations are based on mutual nearly a year gathered at least At least 249 Palestinians in recent months after an infor- Palestinian negotiator Saeb Twitter. HE Dr al-Hammadi noted the trust and convergence of di- weekly along the border for have been killed by Israeli fi re mal agreement. Erekat said yesterday after a “Our position remains clear: importance of extending the verse interests from regional often-violent protests, calling since then, the majority shot US offi cial said they had been We are not going to attend this role of the consulate to include stability to economic and trade on Israel to end its blockade of during clashes, though oth- EREKAT SET TO SKIP invited. “Regarding statements conference and reiterate that we cultural, educational, sports relations and cultural rela- the enclave. Israel says it is pro- ers have been hit by tank fi re or WARSAW CONFERENCE that we have been invited, we have not mandated anyone to and other relations. He thanked tions. tecting its borders and accuses air strikes. Two Israeli soldiers Palestinian offi cials will not can say that only today there talk on behalf of Palestine.” Tunisia awaits verdicts Sudan protesters rally against on massacre suspects death of teacher in custody AFP danger during the Sousse at- found guilty, although Tunisia Tunis tack. has had a freeze on capital pun- AFP tention after he was arrested last by telephone. Kheir was arrested security agents who interro- The judge adjourned the trial ishment since 1991. Khartoum week by security agents in the by agents of the country’s pow- gated the teacher. in the early afternoon, to allow Four French nationals, four eastern town of Khashm el-Gir- erful National Intelligence and Deadly protests have rocked Tunisian court was deliberations for verdicts in the Italians, three Japanese and two ba. Kheir, a member of Sudan’s Security Service (NISS), his un- Sudan since December 19, with holding fi nal hearings two cases. Spaniards were among those udanese protesters rallied Islamist Popular Congress Party, cle Ahmed Abdelwahad said as demonstrators holding nation- Ayesterday in trials over Victims’ family members in killed in the Bardo attack, be- after prayers yesterday in was detained for allegedly or- the family took his body from a wide rallies calling on President militant attacks at a museum France and Belgium watched fore the two gunmen them- San eastern town against ganising anti-government pro- mortuary. Omar al-Bashir to resign. and on a beach in 2015 that left the hearing via a live video feed, selves, armed with Kalashnikov the death in custody of a teacher tests, a relative said. Amer Ibrahim, the head Offi cials say 30 people have dozens dead, lawyers said. after the three previous hear- assault rifl es, were shot dead. arrested in connection with an- Yesterday, crowds of protest- of an investigative commit- died in the violence, while Hu- Several defence lawyers said ings had been transmitted only Investigations showed one of ti-government demonstrations ers in Khashm el-Griba staged a tee at the prosecutor’s office, man Rights Watch says at least 51 the court would likely give ver- to a French courtroom. the gunmen, Yassine Laabidi — sweeping the country, witnesses rally after the weekly prayers to said Thursday that Kheir “had people have been killed. dicts in the two trials overnight “It was important for us to who was born in 1990 and was said. protest his death. wounds on the back, legs and Demonstrators yesterday also to today, although court offi - see, and especially to hear — from a poor district near Tu- An investigator on Thursday “We will sacrifi ce our soul, our other parts of his body that led staged rallies in a district of cials said they may not be made to try to understand the role” nis — had amphetamines in his confi rmed that teacher Ahmed blood for you,” chanted the pro- to his death”. The investigator Khartoum and in Omdurman, public until after the weekend. of each defendant, said one body. al-Kheir, 36, had died from testers as they converged from said he had requested the re- the twin city of the capital, wit- Twenty-one defendants, in- French survivor. His fellow attacker Jaber wounds sustained while in de- several mosques, a witness said gional NISS boss bring in the nesses said. cluding two women, appeared “Arriving at the end of the Khachnaoui, born in 1994 and Police fi red tear gas as protest- in the Tunis courtroom for a process will help us to turn the from Tunisia’s deprived Kas- ers rallied chanting “freedom, hearing on the March 18, 2015 page, even if we can never for- serine region, had travelled freedom” after prayers outside attack at the Bardo museum in get”, the septuagenarian said. to Syria in December 2014 via a mosque in Omdurman run by Tunis, in which two gunmen One of the lawyers for the Libya. One suspect questioned the main opposition Umma par- killed 21 foreign tourists and a French victims said the live feed in court, Tunis labourer Mah- ty, witnesses said. Tunisian security guard. had brought some comfort. moud Kechouri, said he had Police dispersed the protest- A verdict was also expected “The trial allowed them — by helped plan the Bardo attack, ers but the Umma Party said that on 44 suspects in a separate tri- organising the video confer- including preparing mobile tear gas canisters hit the com- al over a June 26, 2015 shooting encing and giving the fl oor to phones for Sandi, a neighbour pound of the mosque. rampage in the Sousse tourist lawyers chosen by the victims and longtime friend. “The security forces of the resort which killed 38 people, — to fi nally be recognised as He also admitted prepar- regime fired tear gas inside the mostly British tourists. victims by the Tunisian state,” ing maps of the museum and El-Saed Abdelrahman mosque That attack was carried out Gerard Chemla said. detailing the various planned compound and at the cars of by student Seifeddine Rezgui, But he lamented that the targets. Sadiq al-Mahdi,” the party said who opened fi re on a beach families of those killed had not Kechouri, 33, said he was in a statement late yesterday, before rampaging into a high- been compensated. driven by a “duty to participate referring to the head of the end hotel, where he continued The court has heard that the in the emergence of the (IS) party. to fi re a kalashnikov and throw two attacks, both claimed by caliphate”. Other defendants “Several worshippers have grenades before being shot the Islamic State group, were accused of helping prepare the been wounded. We condemn dead by police. closely linked. attack said they had only dis- this incident.” Thirty-eight suspects in the Several defendants pointed cussed ideas with friends. The party said that secu- trial over the Sousse attack are to the fugitive Chamseddine Several alleged they were rity personnel came close to accused of “terrorist crimes”, Sandi as mastermind of both. tortured in detention. “worshippers and pointed their murder, and “plotting against According to Tunisian me- “We know that there was a weapons at their faces”. Police state security”, according to the dia, Sandi was killed in a US air central organiser and two gun- and security offi cials were not prosecutor. strike in neighbouring Libya in men, but the motives of the ac- available for comment. The six remaining suspects February 2016, although there cused did not seem to interest Umma’s head, former premier are security personnel who has been no confi rmation. the court, and the debates on Mahdi, has thrown his weight stand accused of failing to pro- Defendants in the two trials the facts remained very short,” behind the protests and called on vide assistance to people in could be sentenced to death if said lawyer Chemla. Sudanese protesters take part in an anti-government demonstration east of the capital Khartoum, yesterday. Bashir to step down. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, February 9, 2019 AFRICA Central Africa peace deal calls for truth commission

AFP tice, reparation and reconciliation militia leaders and President ter, was elected president. ternational humanitarian law Libreville commission” within 90 days. Faustin-Archange Touadera. A UN peacekeeping force of committed since 2003, includ- The panel will be tasked with The three other signatories may some 13,000 troops and police ing war crimes and genocide, al- “identifying and proposing any sign during the upcoming summit has been deployed in support of though it says its scope is likely to he Central African Republic action likely to be taken in the area of the African Union (AU), taking Touadera. be limited by funds. will shortly set up a truth of justice,” it says. place in Addis Ababa on Sunday But militia groups — typically The peace agreement makes no Tand reconciliation com- Parties to the deal also commit and Monday, according to govern- portraying themselves as defend- mention of any amnesty but notes mission to shed light on its violent to setting up joint security pa- ment spokesman Ange Maxime ers of a community or religious that the president has a “discre- past, under a peace deal signed by trols with soldiers and members of Kazagui. Confl ict in the CAR has group — still control some 80% of tionary right of pardon” which the country’s beleaguered govern- armed groups for two years. left thousands dead and forced an the country. may be invoked to “sustain the ment and militia groups. Militia patrolmen who join estimated quarter of the popula- Fighting often erupts between dynamic of reconciliation.” The accord, agreed in Khartoum these patrols will have had “suffi - tion of 4.5mn from their homes. these forces over control of min- The “reintegration” of militia by the CAR and 14 militia groups cient training of two months,” says The rural exodus, the UN eral resources, which range from leaders will be vetted on a “case- who control most of the country, the accord. warned last year, could drive the gold and diamonds to uranium. by case” basis by a mixed panel, has boosted hopes of an end to a The accord is the eighth at- country into famine. One of the biggest stumbling the text adds. long and bloody confl ict in one of tempt in nearly six years to forge The crisis erupted in 2012, when blocks on the road to peace has The document also says there the world’s most troubled states. peace in the war-ravaged country, a rebel movement called the Sele- been demands by rebel leaders to will be an “inclusive government” But the deal has been shadowed where human rights groups have ka rose in the north of the country. be granted amnesties — a condi- — another notorious stumbling by doubts about what it actually documented a long list of murders, The following year, the insur- tion that Touadera, under pressure block — but gives no details as to contains — details have been kept extra-judicial killings, torture and gents overthrew President Fran- from western partners, has tradi- its composition. under wraps until the last three rape. cois Bozize, a Christian, triggering tionally refused. The 14 armed groups similarly parties to the accord sign it. The goal is to set out down a a predominantly Christian militia Several leaders face UN sanc- undertake to “respect the legiti- A copy of the accord obtained by pathway to peace between militia called the anti-Balaka. tions or have been accused by macy of the (CAR’s) democratic AFP yesterday spells out impor- groups who control most of the France, the former colonial rights groups of abuses, and oth- institutions.” tant confi dence-building meas- country and the UN-backed gov- ruler, intervened militarily under ers face the notional risk of arrest And the accord says that a “law” ures but is muted on the thorny ernment. a UN mandate as fears grew of a in CAR itself. will be passed to determine the issue of whether warlords will be The accord was initialled in the Rwandan-style genocide. A Special Criminal Court status of former heads of state. amnestied. Sudanese capital on Tuesday be- The Seleka were forced from opened last year, tasked with de- This is a long-standing demand of One of its most important pro- fore being signed in the capital power and in February 2016, termining cases involving vio- Bozize and Michel Djotodia, who visions is to set up a “truth, jus- Bangui on Wednesday by some Touadera, a former prime minis- lations of human rights or in- ousted him in 2013.

LEGAL Uganda frees BBC journos detained over drugs probe Ugandan police released three journalists yesterday who were working for the British Broadcast- ing Corp, after detaining them overnight on suspicion of illegally possessing government prescrip- tion drugs. The three — two Ugan- dans and a Kenyan — were among a total of five people arrested in the incident, the others being the wife of a local journalist working with them, and a driver. Police freed the five after establish- ing that the three journalists were conducting a legitimate investiga- tion into the illegal sale of govern- ment drugs by off icials. “It is clear that their motive was to show how easy it was to buy government drugs,” a police state- ment said.“We do encourage them to continue with their documen- People waiting to receive their voting card gesture at an off icial at one of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection points in Lagos, yesterday. tary programme and achieve their intended objective of exposing their targets, to help prevent such occurrences in future.”

UNREST Chaos, mud and cards: Nigerians Suspected militants kill seven in are frustrated ahead of election north Mozambique Suspected militants have killed AFP pendent National Electoral Com- quell an angry crowd attempting aff ected as the country’s north- seven men and abducted four Lagos mission (INEC) had extended dis- to storm its gates before distribu- east, where a decade of violence women in northern Mozambique tribution over the weekend until tion began, an INEC offi cial said. caused by the Boko Haram insur- in the latest violence to hit the Monday. Yesterday was Francis Ojah’s gency has killed some 27,000 peo- Cabo Delgado region, local sourc- ngry voters queueing for “We will continue to take fourth attempt to collect his PVC ple and displaced around 1.8mn. es said yesterday. The bodies, hours and entire parts of every necessary step to ensure — but again he was frustrated. Observers, including the Unit- which were cut into pieces, were Athe country rendered war that no registered voter is disen- “They didn’t fi nd it. They told ed States in a January statement, left in Piqueue village, a local tradi- zones: pitfalls abound for Ni- franchised,” the INEC chairman, me that I should come after the have expressed fears that Boko tional leader yesterday, speaking geria’s fast-approaching general Mahmood Yakubu, said. elections. Can you imagine?” he Haram could target polling places. on condition of anonymity.“People election. President Muhamadu Buhari said. Borno state in the northeast were surprised while sleeping in With just over a week until the is vying with his main challeng- Meanwhile another woman left has been ravaged by the violence, the forest,” he said, indicating that February 16 opening of polls, lo- er, former vice-president Atiku with two cards, saying one was and there INEC said it will open the residents had fled the village gistical snafus have frustrated Abubakar, for a second four-year for her, and the other for her hus- polling stations to serve 400,000 for fear of being attacked. The potential voters. term. PVCs played a major role in band. people in eight of the dozens of attackers also kidnapped four Across the country yesterday, the historic 2015 election, where Nigerians have complained camps for Boko Haram displaced. women, he said. Nigerians made last-minute at- Buhari beat the incumbent Good- on social media of being unable Speaking on condition of ano- tempts to pick up biometric iden- luck Jonathan, in the fi rst victory to pick up their cards despite re- nymity, a humanitarian worker tifi cation cards needed to cast at the ballot box for a Nigerian peated attempts. based in the state capital Maid- TRAGEDY ballots on what was to be the last opposition candidate. “We have been inundated by uguri said this would mean “hun- SA mine rescue day for collection. The cards serve as proof of a calls, from Nigerians to review the dreds of thousands of people will But many were unable to col- voter’s identity and are intended current process of collection of” not be able to vote,” particularly halted with 20 lect their Permanent Voters Card to reduce fraud that has marred PVCs, Yakubu acknowledged yes- those living in areas Boko Haram trapped, six dead (PVC), in a sign of the challenges previous votes. terday in justifying the extended rules near Lake Chad. ahead for the 84mn people regis- Yet getting them into the hands distribution. Another area of concern is Ni- South African rescuers said that tered to vote in presidential and of voters has proven diffi cult. But bungled organisation isn’t geria’s bread basket Middle Belt they had been forced to halt an op- legislative polls that will decide At the centre in the sprawl- the only challenge the elections region, where clashes between eration to rescue about 20 people the balance of power in Africa’s ing Lagos suburb of Lekki, where may face. There is poor infra- nomadic herdsmen and farming trapped in a disused mine, blaming most populous country. Tobiloba and thousands of others structure and unreliable electric- communities have killed thou- disruption from workers who had “They are sabotaging our ef- waited yesterday, INEC workers ity. Potholed roads make access sands and displaced tens of thou- not been paid. Six people died after forts to vote and elect the can- announced names over a dilapi- diffi cult to many of the nearly sands since early 2018. trespassing into the Gloria coal mine didate of our choice. It’s unfair,” dated sound system. 120,000 polling stations across In the hard-hit states of Benue near the town of Middelburg in said 27-year-old Tobiloba, who “We are bringing more PVCs, a country one-and-a-half times and Plateau, many families lost the eastern province of Mpuma- had waited in an unseasonal remain here and stay calm,” a the size of France. everything when their houses langa, police said. The group went downpour since 5:30 am to pick staff er called out to the increasing- Organised crime, banditry, kid- were burnt in the clashes, includ- underground between Sunday and up his PVC at a distribution cen- ly impatient crowd. Soldiers were napping and insurgencies are also ing the documents they would Wednesday to allegedly steal cop- tre in Lagos. deployed in the muddy courtyard. major issues. need to collect their PVCs and per cables in the mine, which had By the end of the day the Inde- Earlier in the day they had to Nowhere has been as severely vote. been closed for several months. Five killed in fi re at camp for Boko Haram displaced

AFP in the garrison town of Monguno, not want to be identifi ed. Wit- reinforced/transitional shelters,” tens of thousands of displaced peo- Kano in Borno state. The displaced peo- ness Adam Sheriff said refifi ghters said NEMA director-general Sani ple in sprawling camps. ple were preparing a meal when tried in vain to put out the inferno Datti. More established camps for Most of them had fl ed their the fi re broke out, gutting make- which gutted the camp in 40 min- the displaced in northeast Nigeria homes in northern Borno and ive people were killed in a fi re shift tents. utes. have formal, canvas tents but new- moved to Monguno to protect at a camp for those displaced “Five people were killed in the The National Emergency Man- er ones see people build shelters themselves against Boko Haram Fby Boko Haram violence in fi re — three children and two agement Agency (NEMA) later using branches and dried grass. attacks. The town has seen an in- northeast Nigeria, an eyewitness women,” an aid worker with a confi rmed the fi re, although it said More than 7,800 people were fl ux of internally displaced peo- and a humanitarian source said humanitarian agency in the town three people were killed. aff ected at the camp, which was ple from the fi shing town of Baga yesterday. said. “The fi re started from the “The fi re occurred... from one located inside a local stadium, the on the shores of Lake Chad 60km The blaze broke out on Thurs- kitchen around 11:30am (1030 of the makeshift shelters where a agency said. Monguno is some 140 away, following attacks last De- day at the camp housing some GMT) and spread all over the woman was cooking and spread kilometres northeast of the Borno cember against a naval base and 7,500 internally displaced persons camp,” added the worker, who did across the camp, destroying 402 state capital, Maiduguri, and houses another for regional forces. Gulf Times Saturday, February 9, 2019 5 AMERICAS

Serial killer imprisoned for life

AFP When police raided the kill- ent’s home in midtown Toronto. Toronto er’s apartment in January 2018, The remains of an eighth vic- they found a young man bound tim were later discovered in a Acting A-G denies to a bed but unharmed who may ravine behind the property. Canadian landscaper well have become the ninth vic- Karen Fraser, the owner of was jailed for life yester- tim, the judge said. the home, who had casually met Aday for the murder and During the investigation two of the victims, has said she sexual mutilation of eight men dozens of properties where is “haunted” by the case. from Toronto’s gay community McArthur worked were exca- McArthur fi rst came under whose bodies he dismembered vated. suspicion in September 2017 in and hid in planters. Several members of the connection with the disappear- interfering with Bruce McArthur, who admit- gay community told report- ance of his lover Andrew Kins- ted to the killings last month, ers outside the courthouse man, but police at fi rst rejected will be in his 90s before he is that they were disappointed suggestions that a serial killer eligible for parole from eight that McArthur did not receive was prowling Toronto’s Gay concurrent 25-year sentences. a harsher penalty, while others Village neighbourhood. However, Ontario Superior accepted that he would likely Police moved to arrest him Court Justice John McMahon die behind bars. after seeing a young man enter said he would likely never be The prosecution had asked his home. Mueller inquiry released. for a minimum 50-year prison They would later fi nd an The case shocked all of Cana- term. empty digital folder on his Reuters da, especially its gay communi- This “horrifi c” case, one man computer with his fi rst name – Washington ty, and led Toronto Mayor John said, has left the close-knit To- “John” – akin to others created Tory to call McArthur “a mon- ronto gay community gripped for each of his victims to store ster who preyed on the city”. by “despair and fear”. images. cting US Attorney Gen- The 67-year-old killer sat McArthur’s victims were his Yesterday the judge described eral Matthew Whitaker quietly hunched over, hands former lover, two Afghan im- the indignities committed to Asnapped back yesterday at folded in his lap, as a row of po- migrants, two refugees from Sri the victims’ remains as acts of newly-emboldened Democrats lice detectives – who have de- Lanka and another from Iran, a “pure evil”. in Congress, who are pushing for scribed the investigation as To- Turkish national, and a home- Prosecutors said he snapped information on the special coun- ronto’s largest ever – watched less sex worker. photos of the men before and sel’s Russia probe, as they try to from a row of seats directly be- All went missing between after killing them, staging their put President Donald Trump’s hind him. 2010 and 2017. corpses in poses, for example, administration under greater The judge noted that The court heard that lying on a fur coat, with an unlit scrutiny. McArthur had shown no re- McArthur strangled them and cigar in their mouth, and their Whitaker, a Trump appointee, morse for having preyed on that the murders were “sexual eyes taped open. said he had not “interfered in vulnerable men on the margins in nature”. He also kept mementos such any way” with Special Counsel of society, some of whom were Body parts of seven victims as jewellery and a notebook, ac- Robert Mueller’s investigation struggling with drug addictions were found inside large planters cording to an agreed statement into whether Moscow tried to tip and their hidden sexuality. that McArthur stored at a cli- of fact. the 2016 presidential election in Trump’s favour or colluded with the Trump campaign. Whitaker testifies before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Justice Department on Man who sought In a combative hearing in the Capitol Hill in Washington. US House Democrats question IRS House of Representatives Judici- death-chamber audits of president’s tax returns ary Committee, Whitaker said he contents of deliberations or con- called Mueller’s investigation a tice, you are entitled to your imam support had not talked to Trump about versations with the president”. witch hunt. political opinions,” Nadler said. the probe. Democrats repeatedly accused Political drama erupted on “But when career offi cials at the is executed Democrats in Congress raised questions on Thursday about Democrats, who took over the Whitaker of running out the Thursday when Democrats department recommended that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s ability to eff ectively audit panel after winning the House at clock by giving them evasive or threatened to serve Whitaker a you take steps to mitigate your A Muslim man has been executed President Donald Trump’s tax returns, as they began hearings last year’s mid-term elections, repetitive answers in the hearing. subpoena if he failed to answer apparent confl icts of interest, after the Supreme Court denied a intended to result in obtaining the documents and making accused him of being evasive. In one case, he refused to an- certain questions at the hearing. Mr Whitaker – when they told request to halt the sentence over them public. The hearing room erupted in swer Democratic congresswom- Nadler later agreed to drop the you that your public criticism of his demand to be accompanied A tax oversight panel in the House of Representatives heard gasps when Whitaker pushed an Sheila Jackson Lee’s questions threat, after Whitaker said he the special counsel was bad for by an imam to the death testimony from expert witnesses as it considered a Democratic back strongly against a question with a yes or no, and made a fl ip- would back out from testifying if the department and bad for the chamber. measure that would require presidential candidates to release from chairman Jerrold Nadler, a pant remark about whether the the subpoena was served. administration of justice, you ig- Domineque Ray, 42, was put to their tax returns, codifying a voluntary practice that existed for Democrat, about whether he had time she had lost on the clock had During the hearing yester- nored them.” death in the southern state of decades until Trump ran for president in 2016. ever been asked to approve any been restored before he answered day, Nadler threatened to force Whitaker defended his deci- Alabama for the 1995 rape and The legislation is unlikely to become law. action requested by Mueller. her questions. Whitaker to go back in front of sion yesterday. murder of Tiff any Harville, 15. However, a separate Democratic plan to request Trump’s tax “Mr Chairman, I see that your “Mr Attorney General, we are the committee for a deposition. “I had no confl ict of interest,” The execution occurred on returns from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin under federal fi ve minutes is up,” Whitaker not joking here and your humour Congressman Doug Collins, he insisted. “Ultimately, the de- Thursday after the country’s law in coming months is fast becoming a political lightning rod said, in a bold challenge to the is not acceptable,” she said. the top Republican on the com- cision whether or not to recuse highest court denied a request for Democrats and Republicans. head of the committee. “I am However, Whitaker did say mittee, blasted Democrats for was my decision.” for a stay of execution. Trump has cited IRS audits of his personal tax returns as a here voluntarily. We have agreed that he had not discussed the their handling of the subpoena Whitaker told lawmakers he Alabama carries out the death reason not to release them to the public. to fi ve minute rounds.” Russia probe with Trump, either drama. has never tried to withhold fund- penalty by lethal injection. He has also retained ownership of extensive hotel interests “Answer the question please,” before he worked at the Justice He accused them of character ing from Mueller’s offi ce and The Supreme Court’s ruling lifted and other business ventures as president, raising questions Nadler replied. Department or after he became assassination and suggested that never spoke with members of a last-minute stay which Ray about potential ties with Russia and other possible conflicts of Trump’s decision to appoint acting attorney general. the hearing was political theatre. Trump’s inner circle about his had won on Wednesday from a interest. Whitaker sparked controversy “I have not talked to the presi- “Bring your popcorn,” Collins views on the probe as a private federal appeals court. Democrats need to decide how to justify seeking Trump’s given that the acting attorney dent of the United States about said. citizen, before he joined the Jus- Judges on that lower-level returns, and some lawmaker comments appeared to bolster an general directly oversees Muel- the special counsel’s investiga- Justice Department ethics of- tice Department in 2017. court had argued that Alabama option being considered that would place such an action within ler’s probe, which Whitaker has tion,” Whitaker said. fi cials have recommended that It was likely the fi rst and last regularly placed a Christian cleric established congressional authority to oversee the IRS. publicly criticised in the past be- Russia has denied any med- Whitaker recuse himself from time that Whitaker will testify as in the death chamber of Christian Republicans rejected the need to obtain Trump’s tax returns, fore joining the Justice Depart- dling in the 2016 presidential overseeing the Russia investiga- acting attorney general. inmates “but has refused to saying that a required annual IRS audit of presidential ment in 2017. election. tion, a step that he chose not to Trump’s nominee for attorney provide the same benefit to a tax records should provide adequate safeguards without Whitaker said yesterday that Trump has repeatedly said take. general, William Barr, is expect- devout Muslim and all other non- threatening the privacy normally aff orded to individual tax he would invoke executive privi- there was no collusion between “Mr Whitaker, like everyone ed to face a Senate confi rmation Christians”. data. lege in declining to discuss “the his campaign and Russia and has else at the Department of Jus- vote next week. Off icials in the conservative state appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority under President Donald Trump. The First Amendment to the US Constitution forbids authorities Bezos accuses National Enquirer of blackmail from favouring one religion over another, or from preventing the free practice of faith. AFP/Reuters Ray converted to Islam while Washington in prison and demanded the right to be escorted to the death chamber by an imam. mazon chief executive Jeff Bezos has accused Athe publisher of the tab- Supreme Court loid National Enquirer, who has been described as a close friend blocks Louisiana of President Donald Trump, of abortion law trying to blackmail him over lu- rid photos. The US Supreme Court has Bezos, the world’s richest per- blocked a Louisiana law that son, owns the Washington Post, critics say would limit access to a frequent target of Trump as he abortion in the southern state. assails the US media as “enemy The decision was made by a of the people” and a source of narrow majority – five votes to fake news. four – with Chief Justice John The Post was also one of the Roberts joining the court’s leading news outlets in coverage Bezos: Rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail, I’ve progressive justices to block the of the murder last year of Saudi decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal legislation, which would have journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a cost and embarrassment they threaten. taken eff ect yesterday. Post columnist. It was considered a test for the Trump has refused to criticise ington Post is a complexifi er for fer to stand up, roll this log over, apex court, swung to the right Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed me. It’s unavoidable that certain and see what crawls out,” Bezos under President Donald Trump. bin Salman, who has been widely powerful people who experience added. The law would require doctors accused of ordering the murder. Washington Post news coverage Yesterday the owner of the at Louisiana’s abortion clinics to Last month Trump took aim A newspaper vendor on Third Avenue in midtown New York City displays a copy of the National will wrongly conclude I am their National Enquirer pushed back have admitting privileges at a at Bezos – referring to him as Enquirer at his newstand. enemy,” Bezos wrote in the blog against Bezos’s accusations of hospital less than 50km away. “Bozo” – in what appeared to be post. “extortion and blackmail”, say- According to pro-choice an allusion to National Enquirer threatened to publish intimate “strong leads point to politi- of the disbursements on grounds “President Trump is one of ing its reporting on an extramar- advocates, that is too restrictive reporting of the billionaire’s re- photographs that he sent to his cal motives” – and that he was they were made to aff ect the those people, obvious by his ital aff air involving the world’s – leaving only one doctor able lationship with former news an- mistress. interested in Lauren Sanchez’s outcome of the vote and should many tweets. Also, the Post’s es- richest man was lawful and it to perform the procedure in the chor and entertainment reporter In a post on the online plat- brother Michael, a vocal sup- therefore have been reported to sential and unrelenting coverage would investigate his claims. whole state. Lauren Sanchez. form Medium, Bezos said En- porter of Trump with links to his government campaign monitors. of the murder of its columnist “American Media believes However, the state of Louisiana “So sorry to hear the news quirer publisher American Me- inner circle, as a possible perpe- In a deal announced with fed- Jamal Khashoggi is undoubtedly fervently that it acted lawfully argued that due to risks of about Jeff Bozo being taken dia Incorporated (AMI), led by trator. eral prosecutors late last year, unpopular in certain circles.” in the reporting of the story of complications, it was vital to down by a competitor whose David Pecker, a friend of Trump, In his Medium post, Bezos AMI said it would co-operate He added: “Rather than ca- Mr Bezos,” the company said in be able to transfer patients to reporting, I understand, is far had threatened to publish the pointed to AMI and Pecker’s with those prosecutors. pitulate to extortion and black- a statement. neighbouring hospitals. more accurate than the report- photos if he did not halt an in- previous co-operation with It admitted that before the mail, I’ve decided to publish ex- AMI said that at the time of That convinced an appeals court, ing in his lobbyist newspaper, vestigation into the motives be- Trump – including payments election it had paid $150,000 to actly what they sent me, despite Bezos’s allegations, it was “in which after years of hearings, the Amazon Washington Post,” hind the leak. made to suppress negative sto- the ex-model, Karen McDougal, the personal cost and embar- good faith negotiations to re- allowed the law to finally come he tweeted. “Hopefully the pa- The Enquirer had demanded ries, currently under investiga- to silence her allegations of an rassment they threaten,” Bezos solve all matters with him”. into force this week. per will soon be placed in better that he and security consultant tion by federal prosecutors. aff air with Trump. wrote. “In light of the nature of the But those challenging it filed an & more responsible hands!” Gavin de Becker, who is leading One involves a former Playboy Prosecutors said they would His post, entitled No thank allegations published by Mr emergency brief in the Supreme The National Enquirer ac- the probe, publicly state they model who said she had an aff air not charge AMI. you, Mr Pecker, included copies Bezos, the Board has convened Court asking for it to block the cessed private text messages and had “no knowledge or basis for with Trump. Bezos, his newspaper and of e-mails from AMI. and determined that it should law as they sought an appeal. last month reported that Bezos suggesting that AMI’s cover- The payment, and a simi- Amazon are all regular targets of “Of course I don’t want per- promptly and thoroughly inves- They argued that even if they had an extramarital aff air with age was politically motivated or lar one to another woman, was Trump on Twitter. sonal photos published, but I tigate the claims. Upon comple- were to win later, the impact of Sanchez – a leak that led to his infl uenced by political forces”, made on the eve of Trump’s 2016 Bezos, in his post, also raised also won’t participate in their tion of that investigation, the the law coming into eff ect would divorce. Bezos added. presidential election victory. what he called AMI’s links to well-known practise of black- Board will take whatever ap- be irreversible and closed clinics On Thursday, Bezos said the De Becker mentioned in a re- Trump is suspected of cam- Saudi Arabia. mail, political favours, political propriate action is necessary,” it would not be able to reopen. tabloid’s parent company had cent Daily Beast interview that paign fi nance violations because “My ownership of the Wash- attacks, and corruption. I pre- added. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, February 9, 2019 ASIA Thai king’s sister running for PM in March elections

Reuters Thai soap operas and lived in the constitution,” she said. shoot of the main pro-Thaksin all candidates by next Friday. Bangkok California for years. Rivalry between the Bang- Pheu Thai party whose gov- Junta leader Prayuth accepted The nomination of a mem- kok-centred, royalist elites and ernment, led by Thaksin’s sis- his nomination from the Palang ber of the royal family by the Thaksin and his rural-based ter Yingluck Shinawatra, was Pracharat Party, a new party set he sister of Thailand’s pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart supporters has brought street ousted in the 2014 coup. up by his loyalists, in an offi cial king entered the race to party could transform an elec- protests, military coups, and Pheu Thai is also fi elding statement. Tbecome prime minis- tion that had been viewed as a violent clashes over almost 15 candidates in the election, and “I am not aiming to extend my ter yesterday as the candidate straightforward battle between years. Thai Raksa Chart was formed power but I am doing this for the Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi of a populist party, an unprec- Thaksin’s populists and their Thaksin and his party have by Thaksin loyalists and the benefi t of the country and the edented foray into politics by allies, on the one hand, and the been accused by their enemies of core leadership of the United people,” he said. a royal that instantly upended royalist-military establishment being opposed to the monarchy, Front for Democracy Against There was no mention of the Ubolratana’s candidacy for PM ‘inappropriate’: king the fi rst election since a 2014 on the other. which they have always rejected. Dictatorship (UDD), or “red princess in Prayuth’s statement. Thailand’s King Maha therefore considered extremely military coup. “This is a profound develop- Pundits were left guessing shirts” group, as a strategy to Ubolratana, the eldest child of Vajiralongkorn yesterday inappropriate,” the king said in Princess Ubolratana Rajakan- ment that will shape the con- whether the princess’ nomi- help Pheu Thai win seats, or King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was called his elder sister’s bid a statement. ya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, 67, tours and dynamics of Thai nation was a bid to heal those to act as a back-up if the main born in Lausanne in 1951. She to run for prime minister in The statement was issued by the elder sister of King Maha Va- politics before and after the divisions, with the approval party was disqualifi ed. studied mathematics and bio- March “inappropriate” and the palace and later read on air jiralongkorn, was nominated by election... Thai Raksa Chart of the king who assumed the Ubolratana’s candidacy was chemistry at MIT and earned a unconstitutional, likely sinking by a television announcer. a party loyal to ousted premier is a leading contender now,” throne after the death of his fa- questioned by a small pro-mil- master’s degree in public health her candidacy for a populist King Vajiralongkorn also cited Thaksin Shinawatra, the fi gure Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a po- ther in 2016, or a bold gambit itary party, the People’s Reform from the University of California opposition party. a provision in the constitution at the centre of years of politi- litical analyst at Chulalongkorn by Thaksin loyalists to undercut Party, which asked the Elec- at Los Angeles. The opposition from that states the monarch stays cal turbulence and rival street University, said. the royalist appeal of the pro- tion Commission to consider She returned permanently to Ubolratana’s younger brother, above politics and maintains protests that have riven Thai Ubolratana relinquished her establishment parties. whether it violated laws forbid- Thailand in 2001, performing a constitutional monarch, is political neutrality. society. royal titles in 1972 when she “Previous assumptions and ding parties from invoking the royal duties but never regaining likely to lead to the Election “All royal family members One of her chief opponents married an American, a fellow scenarios have to be reconsid- monarchy in campaigns. her full royal titles. She is re- Commission disqualifying her. adhere to the same principles... in the March 24 election will be student at the Massachusetts ered,” Thitinan said. “If this But Thai Raksa Chart Party ferred to as “Tunkramom Ying”, “Involvement of a high-ranking and cannot take any political Prime Minister Prayuth Chan- Institute of Technology (MIT), turns out well, it will be a proc- leader Preechapol Pongpanich which means “Daughter to the member of the royal family off ice, because it contradicts the ocha, who was army chief when Peter Jensen. She lived in the ess of reconciliation and unity. told reporters at the Election Queen Regent”, and is treated by in politics, in whatever way, intention of the constitution.” he led the 2014 coup and now United States for more than If this does not turn out well, Commission he was not worried offi cials as a member of the royal is an act that conflicts with Friday was the last day for heads the ruling junta, who 26 years before they divorced it will pose alarming risk and about challenges. family. the country’s traditions, parties to declare candidates. also announced his candidacy in 1998. even greater risk for Thailand’s “She is knowledgeable and is Ubolratana is known for customs, and culture, and (Reuters) yesterday. She thanked her supporters in political future.” highly suitable. I believe there championing an anti-drugs pro- Thailand has been a con- an Instagram post. Ubolratana’s foray into poli- will be no legal problems in gramme and has also starred in stitutional monarchy since “I have accepted the Thai tics follows a long period of terms of her qualifi cation, but several soap operas and movies. complaining about Bangkok’s one on Twitter in Thailand. 1932 but the royal family has Raksa Chart Party nomina- mourning for King Bhumibol, we have to wait for the Elec- Her son was killed in the In- pollution. “I’ve been bored with politics wielded great infl uence and tion for prime minister to show who died in October 2016, and as tion Commission to endorse her dian Ocean tsunami in 2004. Soon after yesterday’s an- for so long, but the princess has commands the devotion of my rights and freedom with- her brother establishes himself candidacy,” Preechapol said. On her Instagram account, the nouncement, her catchphrase made me happy about the elec- millions. out any privileges above other on the throne. The Election Commission princess recently posted videos #SongPhraSlender (Long tion again,” one fan wrote on a Ubolratana has starred in fellow Thai citizens under Thai Raksa Chart is an off - is required to endorse or reject of her enjoying street food and Live Slender) was number web forum.

Maldives seeks Nepal foreign help to extends deadline fi nd cash linked for war to ousted leader crimes AFP Shakir said millions of Colombo dollars could be stashed probes abroad and talks were un- derway with foreign enti- AFP Rescued Rohingya refugees pose for photographs at the Border Guard Bangladesh camp in Teknaf yesterday. he Maldives govern- ties to repatriate any cash Kathmandu ment is seeking inter- found. He did not name the Tnational help to fi nd countries involved. millions of dollars allegedly “We are getting foreign epal has approved a third siphoned off by former pres- fi nancial forensic help. We extension for commis- ident Abdulla Yameen who are also getting the exper- Nsions tasked with prob- 30 refugees rescued from faces embezzlement and tise of others in connection ing crimes committed during its money laundering charges, with several cases of disap- decade-long civil war, promising offi cials said yesterday. pearances of people during changes to make the hamstrung Maldivian diplomats said Yameen’s regime,” Shakir bodies eff ective. authorities in the Indian said. The commissions had initially traffi ckers in Bangladesh Ocean archipelago were in An anti-establishment been given two years in 2015 to talks with foreign experts as journalist Mohamed Rilwan probe abuses by government forc- part of a police investigation vanished in August, 2014 es and Maoist rebels during the Thomson Reuters Foundation region, close to the Bangladesh- der about 40km (25 miles) south nities in Rakhine state, including against the leader who lost and is widely believed to confl ict that left 17,000 dead and Dhaka Myanmar border at 10:30pm. of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh’s top the Rohingya.” power last September. have been abducted by fi g- others missing without a trace. The 18 other refugees were tourist location. The Bangladesh government “Police have now com- ures linked to Yameen’s But even after four years and spotted at Shilikhali, an area lo- The camps, sprawled over has not released an offi cial fi gure pleted their investigations. government. two extensions, their mandates hirty Rohingya refugees cated near the refugee camps, at about 6,000 acres – just un- for the number of Rohingya who The prosecutor general can Yameen, who had been in are to expire today without re- were rescued from be- around 7am yesterday. der half the size of Manhattan have been traffi cked. now formally charge the power since 2013, jailing or solving a single case. Ting traffi cked to Malay- “Upon speaking to two mem- – have become more organised, The Young Power in Social former president,” Aslam forcing into exile many of A parliament meeting passed sia in two separate incidents on bers of the group we came to but recent police activity sug- Action, a non-profi t group that Shakir, spokesman for his opponents, has also been an amendment to the Transi- Thursday night and yesterday know that these people paid gested the risk of being traffi cked deals with traffi cking, following the Maldives embassy in accused of receiving close to tional Justice Act that allowed a morning in the city of Cox’s Ba- the traffi ckers two lakh takas had grown. an analysis of local papers said Colombo, said. $1.5mn in illicit payments year’s extension. zar, offi cials said yesterday. ($2,400) for each family,” said The latest traffi cking in- last week that at least 200 Ro- He said police investiga- during his failed bid for Law Minister Bhanu Bhakta Members of the Border Guard Chowdhury. cident took place a day after hingya had been rescued in the tions had found evidence re-election. Dhakal said in his parliament ad- Bangladesh (BGB), a paramili- “We warned them that these Hollywood actress Angelina camps in the last three months. linking Yameen and his jus- The country’s monetary dress that the terms of the com- tary force under Bangladesh’s kinds of adventurous moves Jolie fi nished her three-day The United Nations Interna- tice minister Azima Shakoor authority lodged a police missions had to be extended to Ministry of Home Aff airs, also could end up costing their lives visit to the camps just ahead tional Organization for Migra- to the theft of state funds complaint over alleged avoid a legal vacuum. detained two traffi ckers. as it is dangerous to cross the sea. of a $920mn funding appeal by tion (IOM) had identifi ed about and money laundering. donations made into a “The government understands Of the 30 rescued, 17 were After that we sent them back to the United Nations. 204 cases of traffi cking since the In December, courts in the private account held by that lawmakers are concerned women, six were men and seven their respective camps.” Upon visiting the camps Jolie start of the infl ux up to last week. tourist paradise froze some Yameen in the run-up to the issues may not be resolved children, a BGB spokesman said. It has been 18 months since urged the Myanmar authorities “But this is just a fraction of $6.5mn in accounts alleg- the polls. with the existing structure, According to BGB director more than 730,000 mainly Mus- to “show the genuine commit- what we believe is happening,” edly linked to Yameen who The former strongman working approach and speed of Asaduzzaman Chowdhury, the lim Rohingya fl ed persecution in ment needed to end the cycle of IOM spokeswoman Fiona Mac- suff ered a shock defeat to president, who has been the two commissions ... we are fi rst batch of 12 Rohingya were Buddhist-dominated Myanmar violence, displacement, and im- Gregor told the Thomson Reuters Mohamed Ibrahim Solih in questioned but not detained, committed to fi nding a perma- found in the Shah Parir Dwip and set up camps across the bor- prove conditions for all commu- Foundation last week. elections in September. has denied the allegations. nent solution,” he said. More than 65,000 complaints have been fi led to the two commis- sions – one investigating an esti- mated 3,000 forced disappearanc- es and the other focusing on crimes such as rape and murder. Dozens of Myanmar activists charged after Critics say the truth and rec- onciliation process has been poorly designed from the outset and stymied by a lack of funding and political will. protesting over independence hero’s statue The government has not granted the commissioners the legal powers necessary to pros- Reuters in the Kayah state capital of Police arrested 36 people monument to a leader from the profess to fi ght for minority Karenni autonomy in favour of ecute war crimes, while a provi- Yangon Loikaw, said Di Di, spokesman on Thursday outside country’s Burman majority. rights and autonomy. the role of Aung San, Di Di said. sion granting amnesty to perpe- for the Karenni Youth Force the headquarters of Suu Aung San, the founder of My- A total of 54 protesters have “We must have a right to trators is still on the books. Protest Camp Committee. Kyi’s National League for anmar’s armed forces, is cred- been charged under the Peaceful self-determination and a right “It is certain that the main ob- ozens of activists in Another 10 people were Democracy party in the ited with bringing the country’s Assembly and Peaceful Proces- to regional autonomy. The gov- jective of establishing these com- eastern Myanmar face arrested on Friday, he said. Kayah state capital of ethnic minorities together be- sion Law since protests against ernment must guarantee these missions will not be met unless the Dcharges of unlawful as- A video posted on Facebook Loikaw fore his assassination in 1947. the statue began in mid-2018, rights,” he said. laws, mechanism and process is im- sembly, an activist leader said by another group, the Union of However, minorities say the said Di Di. Fortify Rights, which is moni- proved according to international yesterday, after police broke Karenni State Youth, showed offi cials could not be contacted. goal of a fair federal system has If convicted, the protesters toring the demonstrations, urged standards,” rights organisations up the latest protest against a police pulling away young men The protests began last year not been achieved. face six months in jail. the government to end a crack- said in a joint statement. statue of Aung San, the nation’s and women who were sitting in after the Kayah government His daughter, Suu Kyi, won Nine of the activists are also down on peaceful protesters. Last month, the UN cautioned independence hero and father a circle singing a protest song. announced plans for a gold- elections in 2015 but shares accused of defamation and in- “No one should spend any Nepal that it risked failing war of leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The video could not be veri- coloured statue of General Aung power with the military. citement, charges that carry a time in court or behind bars crimes victims unless there was Police arrested 36 people on fi ed independently by Reuters. San riding a horse, which was She needs to retain support jail term of two years, he said. for exercising their human a broad public trust in the proc- Thursday outside the head- An offi cer who answered the inaugurated this month. in ethnic minority areas to win The protesters believe it is rights,” the group’s chief execu- ess, in a statement jointly signed quarters of Suu Kyi’s National phone at Loikaw police station Members of the Karenni mi- elections next year, and secure their duty to fi ght against a ver- tive, Matthew Smith, said in a by the US, Britain, France and League for Democracy party declined to comment, and state nority oppose the prominent peace with armed groups that sion of history that downplays statement. Germany, among other nations. Gulf Times Saturday, February 9, 2019 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Najib re-charged with three counts of money laundering

DPA half a dozen countries due to The court allowed a personal therefore seek to fi le the charges suspects more than $4.5bn have Singapore suspicions that billions of dollars bond for Najib on all three charg- before the Sessions Court in- gone missing from 1MDB, with were misappropriated by high- es. Najib had been slapped with stead. The latest counts pile nearly $681mn being siphoned to ranking Malaysian offi cials. the same charges at the High added pressure on the embattled Najib’s private bank accounts. ormer Malaysian prime The three charges against Na- Court on January 28. ex-premier, who faces a slew of In June 2018, raids by Malay- minister Najib Razak has jib stem from receiving illegal However, the High Court had 42 charges in total when he is due sian police on private residences Fbeen re-charged with three proceeds totalling 47mn Malay- granted him a discharge not to appear in court on Tuesday. linked to Najib turned up bun- counts of money laundering days sian ringgit ($11.4mn) from SRC amounting to an acquittal, fol- Najib, alongside his wife Ros- dles of cash, hundreds of luxury before he is set to face trial for International, a former 1MDB lowing an application by At- mah, has emerged as one of handbags and expensive watches his involvement in the scandal- subsidiary, paid into three of his torney General Tommy Thomas the central fi gures in the 1MDB and jewellery. plagued 1MDB state fund, ac- AmPrivate Banking accounts on during Najib’s appeal proceed- investigation, which was re- Najib has consistently denied cording to chargesheets seen by July 8, 2014, according to local ings on Thursday. opened by the Pakatan Harapan any wrongdoing, saying he “did DPA. media outlet Malaysiakini. Thomas had fi led the applica- government shortly after it top- not receive any benefi ts or (steal) The 1Malaysia Development Najib pleaded not guilty to the tion on grounds that the pros- pled him and his party in a sur- money from 1MDB or any party” Berhad (1MDB) fund is the sub- charges after they were read out ecution did not wish to proceed prise victory in the 2018 general in a Facebook post in June, and Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak arrives at the Parliament ject of a sweeping international to him at Sessions Court in Pu- with the charges against Najib elections. that the transaction was merely House in Kuala Lumpur in this file picture. investigation spanning at least trajaya yesterday. before the High Court, and would The US Department of Justice a political gift from a Saudi royal. Can the second Trump-Kim summit end the Korean War?

AFP the University of North Korean North Korea marks the 71st anniversary of the state’s founding of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) in Seoul US envoy back from N Korea after summit talks Studies says the deal would re- Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo released yesterday. quire “so many world-changing The special US envoy for have been on the table, with issues”, from amending the con- he second summit be- North Korea returned to Seoul Biegun last week saying Trump stitutions of the two Koreas and tween US President Don- yesterday after talks with North was “ready to end this war”. re-addressing the role of the US Tald Trump and North Korean off icials in Pyongyang The US envoy was also likely to troops. Korean leader Kim Jong-un to set up the agenda for the have discussed protocol and Kim Dong-yub, an analyst at North Korean defectors has raised hopes for the longest second summit between security matters for the upcom- the Seoul-based Institute for Far ceasefi re in history to be replaced President Donald Trump and ing Trump-Kim summit with his Eastern Studies, added that ne- by a peace treaty. Seoul and Kim Jong-un. Stephen Biegun’s North Korean counterpart Kim gotiations for such a treaty may Pyongyang remain technically at three-day trip was expected Hyok-chol. Ahead of his trip, the need more than three years. draw attention to their war after the 1950-53 Korean War to have explored a wide range State Department said Biegun’s The more likely scenario is ended with an armistice. of denuclearisation issues meetings with Chol would for the concerned parties — Stephen Biegun, the US spe- in preparation for the much- “advance further progress on North and South Korea, the US, cial envoy for North Korea, said anticipated summit in Vietnam the commitments the president and China — to declare a for- plight at New Year event last week that Trump was “ready on February 27 and 28. and Chairman Kim made in mal end to the war as a political to end this war”, fuelling specu- Biegun landed at Osan US Singapore: complete denucleari- statement. “This will pave the lation that the formal end of the Air Base yesterday evening, sation, transforming US-DPRK way for a peace treaty,” said Go Thomson Reuters most secretive state and came sold to a Chinese farmer when confl ict may be near, with Trump foreign ministry spokesman relations and building a lasting Myong-hyun, an analyst at the London to Britain over nine years ago. “I she crossed the border into Chi- and Kim meeting in Vietnam this Noh Kyu-duk told AFP. It is not peace on the Korean Peninsula”. Seoul-based Asan Institute of feel grateful because, in a way, na. Safe passage for defectors month. yet known whether Biegun met At their landmark summit Policy Studies. The South China it means that there’s interest in fl eeing the oppressive regime But analysts say a full peace with Kim, with North Korean in Singapore last year, the Morning Post reported that Chi- s Minji Kim sliced spring North Korean people and cul- often depends on their ability to treaty poses many complica- media silent on his visit. mercurial US and North Korean nese President Xi Jinping will be onions and stirred pots of ture,” the 42-year-old told the make the gruelling, and at times tions, and will need extensive He is expected to share details leaders produced a vaguely- in Danang — a potential venue Abroth with dumplings in Thomson Reuters Foundation dangerous, trip across rural Chi- negotiations. The 1950-53 Ko- of his Pyongyang meetings with worded document in which Kim of the Trump-Kim summit — a pop-up kitchen in east Lon- through a translator. na without being detected. rean War ended with an armi- his South Korean counterpart pledged to work towards “the for meetings with the American don, the North Korean defec- In the 1990s famine killed But China says North Korean stice rather than a peace treaty, Lee Do-hoon and Foreign Minis- denuclearisation of the Korean president. tor beamed with pride knowing millions there. Another refugee, defectors are illegal migrants leaving the two neighbours tech- ter Kang Kyung-wha today. peninsula.” But progress has Analysts off er diff ering out- that dozens of Britons had come Jihyun Park, who was granted fl eeing their country for eco- nically still in a state of confl ict. Attention will be on whether since stalled with the two sides looks but all agree on one aspect: to celebrate Lunar New Year and asylum in Britain in 2008, said nomic reasons, and does not The signatories to the armistice the US team have off ered to disagreeing over what that an end to the war will undoubt- taste North Korean cuisine. she hoped eff orts like the Lu- treat them as refugees. included the US-led United Na- lift some economic sanctions means. edly trigger debate about the US Kim, who declined to reveal nar New Year event could help North Korea calls them crimi- tions Command, which fought in return for Pyongyang tak- Experts say tangible progress troops in South Korea. Chinese her real name fearing repercus- raise awareness of their plight. nals and describes those who try alongside the South’s troops, as ing concrete steps towards on Pyongyang’s nuclear forces that fought alongside the sions since her family is still in “When we eat together and have to bring them to South Korea as well as China and North Korea. denuclearisation. Discussions weapons will be needed for the North Koreans in the Korean North Korea, said she was de- a meal and we talk ... we can learn kidnappers. Activists believe Declaring an end to the war on declaring an end to the second summit if it is to avoid War pulled out of the peninsula lighted to demonstrate how to about other people, they also thousands of North Koreans are was one of the agreements at 1950-53 Korean War could also being dismissed as “reality TV”. in 1956, and with an offi cial end make her country’s speciali- learn about us,” said Park, who in hiding in China. Those sent the fi rst summit between Kim to the confl ict, Washington may ties like corn noodle soup at the is also an outreach manager with back to the totalitarian state risk and South Korean President struggle to justify its military event. Connect North Korea, the group incarceration, forced labour and Moon Jae-in last year, but little mean “North Korea and the US stationed in South Korea. “The presence in the South. Kim is one of about 700 North that organised the event and also even execution. progress has been made, with the are no longer enemies”, said Koo US fears abrupt changes to the But a peace treaty would Korean refugees living in New provides English classes for refu- The vast majority of North US and the North at loggerheads Kab-woo, a professor at the Uni- regional order will impact its own also place increased pressure Malden, southwest of London, gees. Koreans who escape to China de- over Pyongyang’s nuclear arse- versity of North Korean Studies interests, which won’t be good as on North Korea to abandon its who have fl ed the regime accused Though she has lived in Britain fect to South Korea where more nal. In his New Year’s speech, in Seoul. China fl exes its muscles,” Koh nuclear weapons programme — of widespread human rights for a decade, Park said the exist- than 31,000 of them have reset- Kim called for “multi-party ne- South Korea’s dovish Moon Yu-hwan, a professor of North which the regime has repeatedly abuses including public execu- ence of the North Korean com- tled, according to South Korean gotiations for replacing the cur- — with a slogan of creating a pe- Korean studies at Dongguk Uni- claimed was developed to defend tions, torture and prison camps munity in the country remains government data. Park said she rent ceasefi re ... with a peace ninsula “free of war” — is also a versity. A peace treaty would be against the United States. “An where the United Nations esti- under the radar. hopes the international com- mechanism in close contact with supporter. But Washington has welcome news for Beijing as it end-of-war declaration is ver- mates up to 120,000 people are “Many people are surprised munity will do more to help de- the signatories to the armistice been wary as the treaty could seeks a “reduction of the US role” bally ending hostile relations,” held. that there are North Koreans fectors and speak up against the agreement”. bring into question the justifi ca- on the peninsula, Koh added. The Koh said. “And a peace treaty “I’m very proud to see people here. They say, ‘You are re- regime. “No one helps us. It’s up For Pyongyang, a peace treaty tion for its military alliance with possibility is very low, given the will fi nalise it in a legally binding eating North Korean food,” said ally North Korean?’ said Park, a to ourselves to fi nd freedom. This is vital to regime survival as it will Seoul and the 28,500 US troops complexity of the issue. Koo of manner.” Kim, who escaped the world’s former maths teacher who was world is always silent,” Park said.

15 die in violent Australia investigates ‘Hundreds of thousands’ of cattle crimes in China Fifteen people were killed in China on the night of the Lunar attempted hacking of New Year in two family tragedies, feared dead after Australia fl oods after one man started a fire and another went on a knife rampage. national parliament As people celebrated to welcome AFP their stock. Farmer Rachael An- in the New Year on Monday night, Townsville derson and her husband, who a man surnamed Lu set fire to the Reuters or to disrupt or infl uence electoral manage Eddington cattle sta- home of his brother in the north- Sydney or political processes,” they said tion near Julia Creek township, ern province of Shaanxi, killing in a joint statement. “Accurate at- undreds of thousands said 800 of their 1500 cattle seven, according to police in the tribution of a cyber incident takes of cattle weakened from were still unaccounted for. town of Baoji. ustralian authorities are time and investigations are being Ha severe drought are “The cattle didn’t have any- The brother, his wife, their fathers investigating an attempt to undertaken in conjunction with feared to have died in record- where else to go ... We’ve got a and their three children died in the Ahack into the national par- the relevant security agencies.” breaking fl oods in northeastern railway line close to us and the blaze, police said on the Twitter- liament’s computer network, two It was also too early to tell who Australia, authorities said yes- whole railway line is just tangled like Weibo platform. A few hours senior lawmakers said yesterday, might have been behind the hack- terday, as they stepped up ef- with dead cattle,” Anderson told after the incident police arrested but there was no evidence yet ing bid, they added. State-backed forts to feed surviving livestock. AFP. the suspect, who had just tried that any data had been accessed hackers were likely to be respon- Incessant rains over an al- Anderson — who had been to kill himself. During the same or stolen. sible, one academic said. most two-week period have Cattle in a flood-aff ected area in Queensland state. hand-feeding cattle over the night, a man surnamed Guo, who In one of Australia’s most high- “To undertake such an attack, fl ooded swathes of Queensland past few months amid the crip- suspected his wife of adultery, profi le cyber attacks, Tony Smith, you need some big resources, so state, with the full scale of the ing to these communities that toured one region on Thursday. pling drought — said there were stabbed eight people to death the speaker of the lower House of a state actor is most likely,” said devastation on drought-hit cat- have been experiencing years “To see the cattle spread across also many dead kangaroos as and injured seven in a village in Representatives, and Scott Ryan, James Der Derian, director of the tle stations becoming clearer as of drought, only to see that these yards, not moving, it made well as birds that were falling the northwest province of Gansu, president of the upper house Centre for International Security fl oodwaters recede. turn into a torrential inunda- you feel sick in the stomach,” she dead on the ground. About half according to police in the com- Senate, said all lawmakers had Studies at the University of Syd- “We are expecting hundreds tion which threatens now their told national broadcaster ABC. of Australia’s 25-mn strong cat- mune of Baiyin. The man, aged 49, been told to reset passwords as a ney. of thousands in terms of stock very livelihoods in the complete Bales of hay and fuel have tle herd is bred in Queensland has been arrested. The identities precaution. “You have to look and see who losses,” Prime Minister Scott other direction.” been transported into towns state, and graziers say the fl oods of the victims have not been re- “We have no evidence that this has a grievance against Australia, Morrison told reporters in Syd- Queensland Premier Annas- near the disaster zones and are — described as a once-a-centu- leased. Knife attacks are common is an attempt to infl uence the out- and the most obvious suspects ney. tacia Palaszczuk spoke of seeing being distributed to farmers so ry event — could devastate their in China, where the carrying of come of parliamentary processes would be China and Russia.” “This will be heartbreak- a “sea of dead cattle” when she they can carry out airdrops to industry. firearms is strictly regulated. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, February 9, 2019 BRITAIN/IRELAND

LAW AND ORDER LITERATURE TRAVEL INVESTIGATION TRANSPORT Police investigate death of Cameron memoir to be Computer glitch traps Police get more time to grill £1bn single HS2 station Sandhurst off icer cadet published in September motorists in car parks man over missing student plans cause concern

Police have launched an investigation after David Cameron has finally finished his Downing Thousands of drivers were trapped for hours Detectives investigating the disappearance Plans for a £1bn ‘super-hub’ for HS2 have trig- an officer cadet was found dead at Sandhurst Street memoirs – in time to ‘detonate’ them at in hundreds of NCP car parks when a techni- of the Hull University student Libby Squire gered fresh concerns over the spiralling cost of military academy. The unnamed 21-year-old this year’s Tory conference. The former prime cal glitch stopped automatic exit barriers from have been given additional time to question a Britain’s biggest-ever infrastructure project. The woman was discovered in her room at the minister’s ‘tell-all’ book will be published at the opening. There were chaotic scenes at many 24-year-old man. Magistrates granted police a company behind the £56bn high-speed rail link Royal Military Academy in Berkshire, according end of September after a series of delays as he of the 500 sites run by National Car Parks, one further 36 hours’ detention. The suspect was has published the first images of the giant new to reports. A spokesperson for the ministry of suff ered from writer’s block. He had been due to of Britain’s biggest parking operators, when its arrested on Wednesday night in relation to the station it hopes to build at Old Oak Common, defence said: “We can confirm that an incident release it last year but chose to wait until after prepaid Parkpasses suddenly stopped working alleged abduction of the 21-year-old student, next to Wormwood Scrubs prison in west Lon- has occurred at Royal Military Academy Sand- Brexit in March to avoid disrupting negotiations. and attendants refused to let drivers out. The about half a mile from Squire’s home. Squire, don. HS2 said the hub, linking to London Euston, hurst, resulting in the death of an officer cadet. His memoirs are now set to come out around car parks came to a standstill as lengthy queues from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, was will serve 250,000 passengers a day – more Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult the time of the Conservative Party Conference, formed behind the barriers, with furious motorists last seen in Beverley Road, Hull after a night than 90mn a year – when it opens in 2026. It will time.” Thames Valley police have launched an to be held in Manchester between September 29 complaining of being ‘held hostage’ and trapped out. She was reported missing in the early replace London Victoria as the second-busiest investigation and are understood to be treat- and October 2. Cameron signed an £800,000 in ‘parking hell’. One civil servant stuck in a car hours of February 1 and police and volunteers station in the UK, after Waterloo. There will be six ing the woman’s death as unexplained and book deal with William Collins in October 2016 park in Croydon said he managed to get out only have been carrying out an intensive search 1,500ft-long underground platforms to cater for non-suspicious. after a bidding war among publishers. after he phoned the Metropolitan Police. since then. trains capable of hitting speeds of up to 225mph. Meghan under Storm Erik blows in fi re after ‘secret media fi ghtback’

Daily Mail them. He said: “Assuming – and London as these sources are anonymous we don’t know for sure – that this was done with her agreement, it he Duchess of Sussex has opened a Pandora’s Box, in faced criticism over her my opinion. The issue with her Tapparent decision to al- father is an open wound and I’m low her closest friends to defend not entirely sure it is the best idea her in an extraordinary magazine to aggravate that. interview. The feature, in US ce- “It doesn’t entirely surprise me lebrity magazine People, saw fi ve that the press offi ce didn’t know. of “those who know Meghan best That said nothing changes.” set the record straight” over the Joe Little, managing director of troubled relationship with her fa- the pro-monarchy Majesty mag- ther and criticism of her style as a azine said he believed the royal royal. family’s age-old mantra of “never But experts and royal insiders complain, never explain” was as said the duchess had been wrong relevant as ever. to sanction the interview. Ken- “These chats were clearly done sington Palace refused to com- with the very best of intentions ment on whether the anonymous but I’m inclined to think they sources had co-operated with the have achieved nothing,” he said. magazine at the direct request of “It would have been more help- Large waves crash against the seawall during Storm Erik as a train passes through Dawlish in southwest Britain yesterday. Storm Erik appears to have claimed its first the duchess or, at the very least, ful for her friends to have stuck life after a tree fell on two cars in Devon, crushing one of the drivers to death. with her tacit permission. their head above the parapet and It was clear, however, that the allowed their names and identi- palace press offi ce had not been ties to be revealed as it would have involved. The Mail understands the given credence to the stories.” palace was informed by magazine Another senior former courtier staff only minutes before publica- told the Mail they understood tion about the article’s exceptional why the pregnant duchess would detail – including a verbatim ac- want to speak out about recent count of a letter written by Meg- claims that she was diffi cult and han, 37, to her estranged father. demanding. The duchess showed no sign “But that is why they have a EU urges May to accept of the furore as she and Harry press offi ce … if they feel there arrived, hand in hand, for the is a wrong that they want to be Endeavour Fund Awards, which righted, they have paid offi cials to celebrate the achievements of in- do that,” they said. “What it isn’t jured service personnel. their job to do is to stifl e or censor Meghan, who wore an evening criticism.” gown by her wedding dress de- The source said there was a Labour’s Brexit proposal signer Givenchy, and Harry chat- marked diff erence about the way ted with recipients and their in which Harry and Meghan had Reuters But for many in Brussels, the The EU says London agree- is one of the key advantages of ing, the only alternative appears families. At one point the prince approached their new royal roles Brussels possibility of Labour support for ing to closer ties with the bloc Brexit,” the person said under to Brussels to be a delay to the pointed to his wife’s bump and compared with the Duke and an orderly Brexit that avoids the after Brexit would largely obvi- condition of anonymity. exit and/or a “no-deal” Brexit, joked: “There’s a big baby in Duchess of Cambridge. likely chaos of “no-deal” is the ate the need for a contentious Staying in a customs union with no transition period to sof- there.” Meghan said: “He’ll be the “Harry and Meghan don’t gen- t’s a proposal that is not even only way out of the deadlock, “backstop” provision in the fu- with the EU would limit the UK’s ten the economic rupture. best dad.” erally seek advice and don’t really on the table, and reverses and justifi es an attempt to infl u- ture, an insurance policy meant ability to seal trade deals with “By that time, hopefully, May However the suggestion that like to be told.” ITheresa May’s determined ence Britain’s highly tribal inter- to keep the border between other countries on its own. will have worked with Labour the duchess sanctioned her inner The magazine quotes Meghan’s position — but EU offi cials are nal politics. Ireland and the British-run But the bloc believes that so- and get Labour votes. It’s the circle to speak to the media over fi ve close and long-standing still urging her to grasp an off er “We are still very much in the province of Northern Ireland lution might be acceptable to the only way out. There will be no the heads of her closest advisers friends, who spoke on condi- from the Labour opposition to party politics perspective. The open under any and all circum- Northern Irish unionists prop- illusions on what will happen in sparked concern both inside and tion of anonymity, hitting out at break an impasse over the terms only hope is that, at some point, stances. ping up May’s government, as the last week of March if they outside the royal households. claims that she has been uncaring of Britain’s EU exit. the threat of ‘no-deal’ disrup- “We are looking at those pro- well as to at least some Labour don’t vote for it,” another EU Former Buckingham Palace towards her father Thomas Mar- The Conservative prime min- tions would mobilise minds in posals with interest but there lawmakers, and thus secure a diplomat said. press secretary Dickie Arbiter, kle, and describing criticism of ister gave no sign during her the UK,” an EU diplomat briefed are obviously very considerable parliamentary majority for the One senior EU diplomat add- who worked as a media manager her as ‘global bullying’. “Meg has visit to Brussels on Thursday of on May’s talks in Brussels said points of diff erence that exist divorce deal before Britain leaves ed: “Our leaders cannot under- for both Prince Charles and the silently sat back and endured the softening her rejection of a per- yesterday. between us,” said a senior offi cial on March 29. stand why she still has not been late Diana, Princess of Wales, said lies and untruths,” one claimed. manent EU-UK customs union, “For now, May is still looking in May’s offi ce. Given the EU’s opposition to able to do what they do every he feared the decision would only “We worry about what this is do- as Labour proposes, European at her own party rather than a “The PM continues to believe the concessions on the backstop day — talk to the opposition, exacerbate issues, not contain ing to her and the baby.” Union sources said. nationwide consensus.” that an independent trade policy that May is currently demand- build coalitions.” Lung cancer scans to Veteran actor Finney dies aged 82 be off ered in trucks Guardian News and Media the late-50s surge of interest in London “northern” material, and found himself cast, fi rst, in a small role Guardian News and Media chance to attend a screening ap- two, to 75% over the next fi ve in the fi lm adaptation of John London pointment over the next four years. lbert Finney, who forged Osborne’s The Entertainer (set in years, either in a mobile truck or Seven mobile trucks will oper- his reputation as one of Morecambe) and then as the lead at a hospital. NHS bosses hope ate in Hull, Doncaster, Gateshead Athe leading actors of Brit- in Saturday Night and Sunday he NHS is spending that this will lead to the detection and other parts of the north of ain’s early 60s new wave cinema, Morning, as rambunctious fac- £70mn placing mobile of an estimated 3,400 cases of England, with two in the south has died aged 82 after a short ill- tory worker Arthur Seaton. Tscanning trucks in super- lung cancer, and save hundreds and one in the East Midlands. ness, his family have announced. Directed by Karel Reisz and market car parks in a bid to cut of lives. The initiative follows the NHS In 2011, he disclosed he had been released in 1960, Saturday Night deaths from lung cancer by en- Making lung screening easier in Manchester’s pioneering use suff ering from kidney cancer. and Sunday Morning proved to couraging patients to undergo a to access is intended to encour- of such units in supermarket A publicist told the Guardian be extremely popular as well as a check-up. age more “hard to reach” groups, car parks, funded by Macmillan that Finney died of a chest infec- key fi lm in the “angry” cinema of NHS England chiefs hope the especially poorer people, men Cancer Support. The 20-minute tion at the Royal Marsden hospi- the period. As described in The initiative will improve Britain’s and lifelong smokers, to be test- appointments were billed as tal, which specialises in cancer Guide to British Cinema, Finney poor record on the early diagno- ed. “lung health checks”, rather treatment, just outside London. exuded “a mixture of defi ance sis of lung cancer and survival It is a key element of NHS than cancer-screening appoint- His wife, Pene, and son, Simon, and selfi shness overlaid with a rates. Lung cancer is one of the England’s ambition, outlined in ments, and targeted deprived were by his side. raw sexuality”, and allied with deadliest forms of the disease. its recent long-term plan, to re- areas. Having shot to fame as the star his unarguable screen charisma, The trucks will off er people duce the number of people dying Overall 42 (3%) of the 1,384 of Saturday Night and Sunday he became a major star almost aged 55 to 74 who are at high prematurely from cancer, heart scans carried out in the trucks Morning, Finney received fi ve overnight. risk of developing lung cancer disease, stroke and other diseas- by specialist nurses led to a Oscar nominations, but never Finney then became the face an “MOT for their lungs” and a es by 55,000 a year. diagnosis of lung cancer. Of won, and refused a knighthood. of British cinema’s international computerised tomography scan “These new projects will save those, 80% were identified at Born in Salford in 1936, Finney explosion after being cast in the of their lungs and chest. lives,” said Cally Palmer, the or- stage one or two and 89% un- grew up the son of a bookmaker title role of Tom Jones, directed They will be positioned in are- ganisation’s national cancer di- derwent “treatment with cura- as part of what he called the by The Entertainer’s Tony Ri- as that have high death rates from rector. tive intent”. “lower middle class”. Encour- chardson. Tom Jones, with its lung cancer, which claims almost “Early diagnosis for cancer is “Taking testing to the places aged by his headmaster at Sal- bawdy humour and rollicking 36,000 lives a year across the UK. crucial as it is easier to treat, not people visit regularly like su- ford Grammar school, Finney got atmosphere, was a sizeable hit These are usually deprived re- only saving lives, but it will also permarkets is an excellent way a place at the Royal Academy of in the US, and won four Oscars gions that have or have had high mean thousands of patients will to catch lung cancer and other Dramatic Arts, where he found (including best picture); Finney rates of smoking, the main cause avoid life-changing treatments.” respiratory diseases sooner,” said himself in the same class as Peter received the fi rst of his four best of the disease. The NHS has pledged to increase Wendy Preston, head of nursing O’Toole and Alan Bates. Having actor nominations, but lost to Around 600,000 people the proportion of cancers diag- practice at the Royal College of established himself as a thea- Sidney Poitier for Lilies of the in England will be off ered the nosed early, at stages one and Nursing. Albert Finney: five-time Oscar nominee tre actor, Finney capitalised on Field. Gulf Times Saturday, February 9, 2019 9 EUROPE

Five killed in blaze in apartment in southern Germany Five people have been killed in a blaze in a top-floor flat in a residential building in southwestern Germany, police Madrid, Catalans trade said yesterday. All five people killed were found in the same room, a fire brigade spokesman said later at a press conference. The bodies were found in a bedroom about half an hour into the rescue operation, he added. blame after talks falter According to the police, the room was located behind the kitchen AFP The issue is sensitive in Spain to agree to holding an independ- logue table,” he added. well as it was seen as yielding to felon”, “illegitimate”, a “traitor”, of the apartment where the fire is Madrid where many reject any leniency ence referendum, something The latest war of words comes separatists who wanted an in- and a “compulsive liar”. believed to have started. towards Catalan separatist lead- which she said would “never be just days before the trial of 12 ternational mediator. Sanchez heads up a minority The five dead have not yet been ers who still want independence acceptable”. Catalan separatists who partici- The opposition and some So- government, with his socialist positively identified. pain’s socialist govern- like their predecessors who tried “When two parties have po- pated in the 2017 secession bid cialist offi cials accused Sanchez party having just 84 lawmakers The exact cause of death had ment and Catalonia’s sep- to secede in October 2017, while sitions that are so irreconcil- begins on Tuesday. of making concessions to the out of 350. not yet been determined, but Saratist executive have ac- Madrid stresses dialogue is cru- able, then you just have to stop. Madrid’s latest proposal was separatists merely to pass his The prime minister therefore the bodies were not burned, the cused each other of breaking off cial to ease tensions. There’s no other solution,” she to create a roundtable attended 2019 budget, for which he needs needs the votes of Catalan sepa- spokesman said. negotiations aimed at easing the “This proposal was an at- said. by all political parties in Catalo- the support of Catalan pro-in- ratist lawmakers – alongside The bodies would now be secession crisis. tempt to set the dialogue in an In a hastily-convened press nia to try and ease tensions. dependence lawmakers in the others – to approve his 2019 autopsied. The mutual accusations came ordered, rigorous way, and with conference, Catalonia’s separa- Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez national parliament. budget and remain in power The investigation into the cause after Madrid’s latest proposal for conviction,” Deputy Prime Min- tist government retorted that on had made negotiations with As such, the conservative until the next general elections of the fire will drag on because of talks caused an uproar among ister Carmen Calvo told report- the contrary, Madrid had “bro- Catalan separatists one of his Popular Party (PP), centre-right planned for 2020. the large amount of foam used to the right-wing opposition and ers. ken” the dialogue. priorities after coming to power Ciudadanos and far-right Vox all Elsa Artadi, spokeswoman for extinguish it, with the results only some socialist leaders who ac- She said “it was not accepted” “It is the state government in June. called on their supporters to take the Catalan government, said being known in a few days. cused the government of making by Catalan separatist parties. that has broken and abandoned Earlier this week, his govern- to the streets of Madrid tomor- that it was a shame the Socialists The investigators suspect that concessions to separatists who “For the moment the situation the space for dialogue. We didn’t ment proposed the roundtable row. had “decided to give in to those the fire was due to a technical run the Catalan government and is stalled.” do it,” said regional vice-presi- complete with a special, inde- PP head Pablo Casado was who don’t want dialogue” and defect or negligence. thus yielding to their “black- She added that separatist par- dent Pere Aragones. pendent “rapporteur”. scathing towards Sanchez after “lacked courage to move from There are no indications of mail”. ties were asking the government “We will continue at the dia- That proposal did not go down his concession, calling him “a rhetoric to reality”. outside influence. The fire broke out in the building in Lambrecht in the state of Rhineland Palatinate at 10.30pm (2130 GMT) on Thursday. A neighbour had alerted the fire Merkel opens spy agency’s brigade.

Building collapse massive new Berlin HQ death toll hits 15 AFP Munich since its founding after Linke party routinely demands The death toll from the collapse Berlin World War II, its bold new pres- the abolition of Germany’s three of an apartment building in ence is meant to signal a more intelligence agencies, also in- Istanbul has risen to 15, a Turkish self-confi dent global role. cluding the domestic BfV and government minister said hancellor Angela Merkel The massive limestone and military spy service MAD. yesterday. inaugurated yesterday aluminium-fronted structure Merkel stressed that while The eight-storey block in the Cthe new, fortress-like in central Berlin aff ords Federal the Stasi “was used against the Kartal district on the Asian side of Berlin headquarters of Germa- Intelligence Service chief Bruno populace”, the BND serves the the city collapsed on Wednesday ny’s scandal-plagued BND for- Kahl a view of the chancellery country and is subject to laws but the cause is not yet clear. eign intelligence service. building, which he reports to. and parliamentary oversight. “The number of those who lost Located where the Berlin Wall The BND, hit by a series of “A healthy distrust is helpful, their lives has climbed to 15,” once dissected the city, the huge scandals – most recently the but being overly suspicious is a Health Minister Fahrettin Koca €1.1bn ($1.25bn) complex now 2013 revelations of fugitive hindrance,” said Merkel. said, quoted by Hurriyet and DHA houses 4,000 of the spy agency’s US intelligence leaker Edward Many Germans were shocked news agency. “Among 13 injured, 6,500 staff . Snowden – has also signalled by Snowden’s revelations that seven are in intensive care while Built on the former site of an greater transparency to a scepti- the BND had closely co-operat- six are still being treated at our East German sports stadium, it cal public. ed with US and British services services.” is one of the world’s largest se- Mid-year it even plans to open in the near-blanket surveillance Merkel and BND chief Bruno Kahl pose during the off icial opening of the BND building in Berlin. Earlier yesterday a government cret service bases, covering 10 a visitor centre, having already of the world’s digital communi- minister said that 14 had been hectares (25 acres) – the equiva- built up its online presence and cations. gets including the French presi- build the new BND headquar- newly-fi tted water taps, causing injured, but Koca said that one lent to 36 football fi elds. stepped up open recruitment The chancellor, who grew up dency, the EU, and international ters, too, did not pass without massive fl ooding damage that individual had been discharged Pointing to a host of global activities for the next generation in the East German police state, media organisations. delays, budget blow-outs and media dubbed the “Watergate” from hospital. threats from terrorism to cyber- of German spies. herself expressed anger at news Last year the world’s largest glitches. scandal. Turkish media said three of the attacks, Merkel thanked the For many Germans, given that Washington had for years Internet hub, the De-Cix ex- In 2011, the agency had to Former BND chief Gerhard eight floors had been illegally BND staff for their work “so that their country’s fascist and total- tapped her mobile phone, in- change in Frankfurt, challenged admit that the blueprints for Schindler complained yester- built – not uncommon in the millions of Germans can live in itarian past, the idea of a secret sisting that spying on allies “is the BND over its mass capture of the sprawling new complex had day that the agency’s technical metropolis of some 15mn people. safety”. service evokes images not just not on”. international communications, been stolen, but played down the surveillance had stayed behind Turkish authorities said 43 people For the BND, which until now of James Bond but also of the However, Germany was soon but a German federal court in security risks posed by the loss. at the old Bavarian base, saying were registered as living in the has been cloistered away in a Gestapo and Stasi. forced to admit that the BND May approved the surveillance. And in 2015, thieves broke there was “no rational, logical building. former Nazi settlement outside The far-left opposition Die had itself eavesdropped on tar- The massive operation to into the building site and stole reason” for this.

Film on church abuse scandal moves Berlin festival Vatican to rule next

AFP week on defrocking Berlin of cardinal: sources ne of France’s most ac- claimed directors pre- Osented a wrenching new Reuters he was still rising to the top of drama yesterday, based on real- Vatican City the US church hierarchy. life victims of rampant sexual McCarrick, who rose to be abuse in the Catholic Church, as a power broker in the Ameri- an accused priest tried to block atican offi cials will meet can Church as Archbishop of the picture’s release later this next week to decide the Washington, DC, from 2001 to month. Vfate of disgraced former 2006, is living in seclusion in a Francois Ozon, 51, worked for US cardinal Theodore McCar- remote friary in Kansas. years in secret on By the Grace rick over allegations of sexual He has responded publicly of God, which was warmly ap- abuse, Vatican sources said to only one of the allegations, plauded at a press preview at the yesterday. saying that he has “absolutely Berlin fi lm festival ahead of its Vatican sources told Reuters no recollection” of an al- gala premiere. Actress Dulamjav Enkhtaivan acknowledges the media during a last month that McCarrick will leged case of sexual abuse of a It is the most-high profi le photocall for the film Ondog, presented in competition at the 69th almost certainly be dismissed 16-year-old boy more than 50 dramatisation of the systematic Berlinale film festival. from the priesthood, which years ago. cover-up of widespread sexual would make him the highest He has not responded pub- molestation by clergy since the alive and has access to children” debate,” Ozon said. “It’s great profi le Roman Catholic fi g- licly to separate allegations by Oscar-winning Spotlight, set in through the church. when people come up to thank ure to be defrocked in modern several priests and ex-priests Boston and released in 2015. Devaux told AFP that Ozon’s you and say it will shift things.” times. who have come forward alleg- However, even before the pre- approach to the victims’ painful “We are facing some pressure Cardinal Luis Francisco ing that he used his authority miere, a priest accused of mo- experiences had been “very hu- regarding the release of the fi lm Ladaria, head of the Con- to coerce them to sleep with lesting more than 80 boys, Ber- mane and very passionate” given but everything in it is already gregation for the Doctrine of him when they were adult nard Preynat, has gone to court the fact that for them and their well-known in France,” he told the Faith (CDF), the Vatican seminarians studying for the to demand that the fi lm not be families, they had been like “time reporters in Berlin. “Most of the department that will rule on priesthood. shown in France until after his bombs” waiting to go off . people attacking us haven’t seen the case, met Pope Francis on McCarrick has already re- trial, which is due to start later Ozon said he wanted to show the fi lm yet.” Thursday, according to a public ceived one of the most severe this year. Ozon with French actors Swann Arlaud and Denis Menochet pose the “negative repercussions (vic- The fi lmmaker hopes his in- Vatican schedule. punishments short of defrock- A lay voluntary worker for the during a photocall for the film Grace a Dieu (By the Grace of God) at tims can suff er) and the distress- timate portrait of the victims’ The Vatican did not say what ing. Lyon diocese, Regine Maire, has the 69th Berlinale. ing boomerang eff ects on their fi ght for justice will spark greater was discussed but one source When the Pope accepted also issued a legal challenge to partners, children, families and understanding of a diffi cult sub- said it was likely that Ladaria his resignation as cardinal last have her name removed from the The scandal fi rst broke in 2015 Ozon said that he had consult- friends”. ject that mainstream cinema has briefed the Pontiff on the fi nal July, he also ordered him to re- picture. when a former scout, Francois ed several members of the sur- Asked about Preynat’s bid for rarely confronted. stages of the McCarrick case. frain from public ministry and The movie’s premiere comes Devaux, went public with alle- vivors’ group, La Parole Liberee an injunction, Ozon insisted that Ozon said the reaction from The sources spoke on the to live in seclusion, prayer and as Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, gations that Preynat had abused (Freed Speech), that Devaux set there were no major factual reve- several French bishops and senior condition of anonymity be- penitence. the archbishop of Lyon, and fi ve him as a child 25 years earlier. up, which has gathered the tes- lations in the fi lm for anyone who clergy who have seen the fi lm had cause they are not authorised others including Maire, await a Preynat was suspended by timony of 85 people who claim has been following the case. been positive. to discuss the case. verdict on charges of covering up the church later that year and it to have been abused by Preynat “Ninety per cent of the fi lm And last month one of the most Francis, who will have to the abuse. eventually emerged that the car- in Lyon. concerns the victims. It is their senior clerics in Lyon thanked sign off on any dismissal deci- Ozon – best known for Swim- dinal had confronted him about But the director said he tried to story. The rest are established Devaux for “shaking the church”. sion, wants the McCarrick case ming Pool and 8 femmes – told “the rumours” in 2010 but the be “as even-handed and objec- facts from court documents, the “I think the church wants over before heads of national AFP that he had hoped the se- priest claimed he had changed. tive as possible. It is not a fi lm of press, documentaries and a book things to change,” said Ozon, Catholic churches meet at the ries of cases would have fi nished Four years later Barbarin went goodies and baddies, it is much on the aff air.” who argued that a “many ordi- Vatican from February 21-24 to by now, but the fi lm should be to the Vatican about him without more complex than that for the The fi lmmaker hopes his in- nary Catholics are sick of their discuss the global sexual abuse shown for “the public good”. contacting the police. aff ected families and the insti- timate portrait of the victims’ religion being associated with crisis, three Vatican sources “When you try to break the si- The fi lm traces those events tution itself, and I tried to show fi ght for justice will spark greater paedophilia and want the hierar- told Reuters last month. lence, there is always resistance,” but sticks close to their emo- that”. understanding of a diffi cult sub- chy to sort the problem out once In July, McCarrick, 88, be- he said. “I don’t think this is hap- tional impact on three victims- By the Grace of God centres on ject that mainstream cinema has and for all”. came the fi rst Catholic prelate pening by accident, because it is turned-activists, who begin to Devaux and Alexandre Dussot- rarely treated beyond the Oscar- “The church seems to be in nearly 100 years to lose the a fi lm which is trying to break confront their trauma publicly Hezez, “a fervent Catholic who winning Spotlight. changing its stance on the title of cardinal. an omerta (code of silence), and with the generally strong support discovers at the age of 40 that “I don’t know if cinema can scourge of paedophilia and the The allegations against him McCarrick: lost the the title of which deals with the silence.” of their families. a priest who abused him is still change the world, but it can open silence hanging over it,” he said. date back to decades ago when cardinal last year. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, February 9, 2019 INDIA

TRAGEDY VERDICT LEGAL PROTEST OPINION 30 people killed after Seven get life for killings Christian Michel moves Gujjars block Delhi-Mumbai Mayawati must pay for consuming moonshine that sparked 2013 riots bail plea in Delhi court rail route in quota stir jumbo statues: top court

At least 30 people died yesterday after consuming A court yesterday sentenced seven Muslim men British national Christian Michel, the middleman Blocking the tracks on the Delhi-Mumbai rail The Supreme Court yesterday said Bahujan spurious liquor in areas near the Uttarakhand- to life in prison for the murder of two Hindu accused in the Rs36bn AgustaWestland VVIP route, the Gujjar community yesterday began Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati should Uttar Pradesh border with 10 others being men in 2013 in Uttar Pradesh, an incident that chopper deal case, moved a bail plea in a Delhi its agitation for 5% reservation in state jobs reimburse the public exchequer the money hospitalised, police sources said, adding the death had sparked riots killing about 65 people and court yesterday. The court has asked the Central and educational institutions. Members of the spent on putting up elephant statues in Lucknow toll could go up. The villagers allegedly took liquor displacing thousands. The riots began in the Bureau of Investigation and the enforcement Gujjar Sangharsh Samiti (GSS) had called a and Noida. “This is our tentative view that containing dangerous methyl alcohol, sources district of Muzaff arnagar, 130km northeast of directorate to file a response on his plea. It listed mahapanchayat (grand village council) earlier Mayawati reimburse the public exchequer all the said. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into New Delhi, and spread to other areas in the the matter for hearing on February 12. Michel has in the day. Soon after, the GSS members went to money spent on these elephants,” chief justice the incident, Uttarakhand state Excise and Finance state months before the 2014 election won sought bail stating he has been in custody from the Malarna Dungar railway station near Sawai Ranjan Gogoi said while hearing a plea by Ravi Minister Prakash Pant said. Over a dozen off icials by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu December 4, 2018, and in terms of Section 167(2) Madhopur and started blocking the railway Kant seeking recovery of the amount spent on of the state excise department in Haridwar district nationalist party. Nearly all the victims of the of the Code of Criminal procedure, the probe was tracks. The Awadh Express and several goods statues in memorial parks dedicated to BSP have been suspended, Pant said. While 14 people riots were Muslims, including about 12,000 supposed to be completed by February 3. As the trains had been stopped at Sawai Madhopur. GSS founder Kanshi Ram in Uttar Pradesh. The final died in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, 16 others people who were made temporarily homeless charge sheet was not filed against him within the leader Col Kirori Singh Bainsla said, “We want 5% hearing will be on April 2. The petitioner has succumbed in bordering Saharanpur district of due to the unrest that polarised western Uttar stipulated 60-day period he should be released for our community, the way the centre has given alleged that crores of rupees was used from the Uttar Pradesh, police said. Pradesh on religious lines. on bail, the defence counsel told the court. 10% to the economically backward classes.” state budget for 2008-09. Yeddyurappa Modi meets Bangladesh minister vows to quit politics if tape claims verifi ed

IANS hide his failures and inability to Bengaluru keep the legislators of the ruling allies (JD-S and Congress) to- gether, Yeddurappa told report- eleasing a purported au- ers that it was a fake tape as he dio tape, Karnataka Chief did not meet anyone. RMinister H D Kumaras- “This is a drama, enacted by wamy yesterday accused BJP the ruling JD-S alliance, as Ku- leader B S Yeddyurappa of luring maraswamy lost the people’s a legislator of his ruling Janata trust and hence had no right Dal-Secular (JD-S). to continue in the offi ce,” Yed- Yeddyurappa, however, ve- durappa said after the unverifi ed hemently denied the charge and tape went public and was played termed the audio tape fake as its up by local news channels, hours Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen speaks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they meet at the Prime Minister’s official residence Lol Kalyan voice was not his. before Kumaraswamy presented Marg, in New Delhi. Quoting Sharanagouda, son the state budget for fi scal 2019- of JD-S Gurmitkal legislator 20 in the state legislative As- Naganagouda Kandakur, Ku- sembly amid ruckus by the BJP maraswamy told reporters here members. that Yeddyurappa had called the Refuting the charge, the former and asked him to go to former BJP chief minister also Devadurga from Yadgir, which is denied meeting anyone to woo in the state’s northwest region, Kandakur. about 500km from Bengaluru. “I did go to Devadurga recent- “Yeddyurappa asked me to ly to visit a temple and returned leave for Mumbai where his son to Bengaluru without meeting Congress, govt trade (B Y Vijayendra) was present anyone as it was a personal visit,” and would make payment to me. added Yeddyurappa. But I told him (Yeddyurappa) On the charge of pay- that I would consult my father ing Rs500mn to the assembly (Kandakur) and get back to him,” speaker, Yeddyurappa said he Sharanagouda, who was also would resign as an MLA and quit present with the chief minister, politics if the voice in the tape blows in new Rafale row told the media. and the charge was proved. Playing the audio tape, Sha- “I will retire from politics if IANS The Hindu newspaper has put it ministry and done a thorough going all right’. To that extent, ference then talk about it. At that ranagouda said in Kumaras- the charge is proved. If I had New Delhi in black and white. It is abso- check... Every question on Ra- a detailed reply was given by time, the NAC was running the wamy’s presence that Yed- spoken as heard in the tape about lutely clear that the prime min- fale has been answered thor- the then defence minister. In all PMO. Was that an interference? dyurappa told him that he had the Speaker and if it is proved... ister himself was carrying out oughly and transparently... not fairness, it should have been the Will that be reported,” she asked. ‘booked’ the state legislative I will resign as an MLA and quit he Congress and the Modi a parallel negotiation with the just here in the House, but also in duty of the newspaper which The minister said that every assembly speaker (K R Ramesh politics,” added Yeddyurappa. government were yester- French,” he said. court,” Sitharaman said during has published this to also put it question on Rafale is over and Kumar) by paying him Rs500mn. Earlier the Congress party de- Tday involved in a slug fest In the Lok Sabha, Defence Zero Hour accusing the newspa- on record the comment of the done with. Sharanagouda said JD-S Has- cided to take legal action against over the Rafale deal after a news Minister Nirmala Sitharaman per of “publishing a report with- defence secretary and that the “The newspaper and the op- san MLA Preetham Gowda and its four ‘rebel’ legislators for de- report claimed that the PMO rubbished the media report and out any facts” to back it. reply given was this,” she said. position parties are fl ogging a Devadurga MLA Shivanagouda fying the party whip to attend ran a parallel negotiation with hit out at the Congress over its The minister said the Con- About suspected interference dead horse. In other words, they Naik were also present with him the 10-day Budget Session of the the French government in 2015. attack on the government, say- gress was raising the issue on by the PMO, Sitharaman said are like the prime minister said when Yeddyurappa called on him. Assembly and skipping its legis- Taking a cue from the news ing the party is fl ogging a dead the basis of a news report. that PMO inquiries about the on Thursday ‘playing into the “Yeddyurappa also off ered lature party meeting here. report, Congress president Ra- horse to keep the issue alive. She said the then defence progress of any work cannot be hands of multinational corpo- me a plum ministerial portfo- “We have decided to take le- hul Gandhi, at a press conference Her remarks came in the Lok minister Manohar Parrikar had “construed as interference”. rations and with vested inter- lio if I could convince my father gal action against the four MLAs at the party headquarters, ac- Sabha after the Congress and replied to the ministry of de- Sitharaman then raised ques- ests keeping the issue alive’. (Kandakur) to switch over to the who defi ed the party whip to at- cused Prime Minister Narendra other opposition parties created fence note saying there was tions over the UPA government’s “They are not interested in BJP. ‘Do not worry, BJP national tend the Budget Session of the Modi of being directly involved pandemonium over the news nothing to worry as everything advisory body National Adviso- the Indian Air Force getting president Amit Shah has even Assembly and remained away in the deal with France by run- report and demanded a joint was going alright. “Parrikar, ry Council (NAC), saying “what powerful. They are not inter- ‘booked’ Supreme Court judg- from yesterday’s special legisla- ning a parallel negotiation. parliamentary probe (JPC) into then defence minister, had very do you call the NAC led by Sonia ested in the Indian Air Force es’,” added Sharangouda, quoting ture party meeting here,” Con- “We have been saying for the deal. clearly said in response to the Gandhi’s interference in the ear- becoming empowered. They are Yeddyurappa again. gress Legislature Party (CLP) more than a year that the prime “If the newspaper wanted to fi le noting of the then defence lier PMO? What was that? working to the tunes of multi- Accusing Kumaraswamy of leader Siddaramaiah told report- minister is directly involved in bring out the truth, they would secretary to ‘remain calm, there “Did she interfere? Was that national corporate warfare,” she concocting the audio tape to ers here. the Rafale scam,” he said. “Now have approached the defence is nothing to worry, things are interference? If that was inter- said. 12 dead after heavy Dead actor’s friends to take lie-detector test snowfall in Kashmir IANS police team probing the matter Kochi failed to crack the case. Mani was staying in a 30-acre IANS when an avalanche hit the police families from avalanche-prone farmhouse near Chalakkudy, Srinagar post near the Jawahar Tunnel on areas of Waltangoo Nar and even of late actor Kalabha- away from his home where his Thursday. Police yesterday re- Kund in Kulgam district to safer van Mani’s friends yester- wife and daughter lived, when he covered the body of Bashir Ah- places. Sday informed a court here was taken ill. Some of his friends welve people were killed mad Awan in Kokernag area of Seven families were shifted that they were ready to undergo who agreed to undergo lie-de- while one went missing Anantnag district. to the Khag police station after lie-detector tests, as demanded tector tests were believed to be Tin Jammu and Kashmir His family said he had gone to an avalanche hit their village in by the Central Bureau of Inves- present the day the actor was following the season’s heaviest collect fi rewood from the forest central Badgam district. tigation (CBI) which is probing hospitalised. snowfall. on Thursday, but did not return Another 20 families were the death of the popular actor in After his death, the hospital Relief and rescue teams have home. shifted to safer places from Gan- 2016. authorities reported the presence recovered seven bodies from Bodies of two persons killed derbal. According to the guidelines, a of a chemical in the body, leading a police post that was buried in the Ramsoo-Ramban sector Reports of seven to eight feet lie-detector test can be under- to speculation that he may not under an avalanche in Jawahar of the Jammu-Srinagar highway of fresh snowfall in the higher taken only with the concurrence have died a natural death. Tunnel area of the Jammu-Sri- were also recovered. They have reaches and one to two feet in the of those who are asked to un- Since then Mani’s fam- nagar highway. The dead include been identifi ed as Sanjit Lakra plains in the past 24 hours indi- dergo it. The close friends of the ily members have been running fi ve policemen and two prison- of West Bengal and Pramod cate that this has been the heavi- actor include fi lm actors Jaff er from pillar to post to ascertain ers who had taken shelter inside Mankotia of Himachal Pradesh, est snowfall of the season so far. Idukki, Sabumon and fi ve others. the real cause of his death. Last the ill-fated police post when police sources said. Hundreds of people were They presented themselves year the Kerala government too the avalanche struck. A couple was killed while stranded in Jammu as the Jam- before the Ernakulam Judicial sought a CBI probe into the mat- Two special police offi cers their two children were rescued mu-Srinagar highway was shut Magistrate Court yesterday and ter, but the case was not taken up (SPOs) identifi ed as Gulzar Ah- after an avalanche destroyed for the third consecutive day expressed their willingness to by the probe agency. mad Mir and Gulam Nabi were their home in Kokernag area of after multiple avalanches and undergo the lie-detector tests. Mani’s brother later met Un- rescued in an injured state and Anantnag district late on Thurs- landslides hit various stretches Mani, 45, who acted in 200 ion Home Minister Rajnath shifted to hospital for treatment. day. of the 300km-long road. fi lms in Malayalam and other Singh when he visited Kochi and One person is still missing in Multiple avalanches occurred Hundreds of Kashmiris were languages, was admitted to a repeated the family’s demand the Jawahar Tunnel avalanche at many other places in the reported to be stranded in Delhi hospital in Kochi on March 4, that the truth will only come out tragedy as rescue teams continue Kashmir valley, but due to lack as fl ight operations remained 2016, for an alleged liver ailment. through a CBI probe. their eff orts to locate the missing of communication and connec- disrupted since Wednesday and Local residents along with security personnel search for the He died two days later. Finally in 2017, the CBI de- person in the heavily snowbound tivity, the extent of casualties or were completely closed at the missing policemen after a snow avalanche hit a police post at the Forensic experts said an in- cided to take up the case after area. damage, if any, is not yet clear. Srinagar international airport on Jawahar Tunnel in Kulgam district, some 90km from Srinagar, secticide (chlorpyrifos) was the Kerala High Court too raised Ten people had gone missing Authorities have shifted 78 Thursday. yesterday. found in the actor’s body but the a similar demand. Gulf Times Saturday, February 9, 2019 11

LATIN AMERICA

ALERT DECISION REVIEW ANNOUNCEMENT ANGER No Colombia entrance card Salvadoran president-elect Bolsonaro to visit US next Haitians protest over for Maduro supporters to assess China ties: aide month: foreign minister graft, rising living costs

Colombia’s migration off ice yesterday said Salvadoran president-elect Nayib Bukele will Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will visit the At least two people died and 14 police off icers it had cancelled over 300 daily entrance assess whether the country should maintain United States in March, the country’s foreign were injured, police said, as thousands of passes for Venezuelan politicians and their diplomatic relations with China, a member minister announced — hailing the prospect of Haitians protested against rampant inflation families who support President Nicolas of his team said, less than a year after the “very diff erent, much deeper” ties between and demanding the resignation of President Maduro. Colombia has borne the brunt of the outgoing government broke ties with Taiwan. the two countries. “We’re almost settled on Jovenel Moise. “For two years, Jovenel has exodus of Venezuelans fleeing malnutrition During the campaign, Bukele, who emerged a date at the beginning of the second half of promised to fill our plates. But I can’t eat lies,” and political turmoil in their once-prosperous victorious at the polls as an outsider candidate March. It should be announced off icially very protester Josue Louis-Jeune said in the capital nation, with about 800,000 flooding over on Sunday, was critical of the benefits that El soon,” Ernesto Araujo told a press conference in Port-au-Prince, banging a metal plate with a Flames from a forest fire are seen around the border and settling in Colombia. “It Salvador received after establishing diplomatic Washington. He added from the Brazilians’ point spoon. “This president is nothing more than a Galvarino in the Araucania Region in central doesn’t make sense that while (they) migrate relations with China. Federico Anliker, a close of view, the visit “should entail a new vision liar,” he said. “He’s got to go.” As Haitians reel Chile, south of Santiago. Authorities have by hunger and necessity, supporters of the member of the Bukele team and secretary of Brazil-US partnership in a very diff erent, from 15% inflation over the past two years, a declared red alert in the Araucania region as dictatorship enjoy these benefits and enter general of his New Ideas party, said the much deeper level.” Far-right Bolsonaro and US sharp drop in the value of the gourde — the forest fires killed two people, injured another our country, using this card, to shop, among incoming administration would investigate President Donald Trump both favour regime national currency — against the US dollar has two and burnt more than a thousand hectares other things,” Christian Kruger, the head of why the outgoing government forged ties with change in Venezuela, and are harsh critics of the only intensified price increases on mostly so far. the migration agency, said. China. Cuban and Nicaraguan governments. imported everyday essentials. Harassment claims mount against Nobel laureate Arias

Guardian News and Media Daly described her decision San Jose to speak out about Arias’s be- haviour as diffi cult even for a journalist who has spent years scar Arias, the Nobel reporting human rights. peace laureate and two- “It’s strange and pretty un- Otime president of Costa comfortable seeing yourself Rica, is facing mounting accusa- quoted in a story like this, but I tions of sexual misconduct after know what it is like as a report- a criminal complaint alleging as- er asking other people to speak sault was fi led against him. out,” she said. Four women have now said “I was clear with myself very they were assaulted by Arias. quickly that I was going to speak, The complaint, fi led by an un- but what I had to think about named activist, was followed by was if I wanted to be named. I’m public allegations by Eleonora fortunate in having the support Antillon, a Costa Rican journal- of family, colleagues and friends ist, who said she too had been as- and not being in a position, like saulted by Arias in the mid-80s, other women, where speaking up when she was working for his is going to threaten my career or People wait for information in front of the Flamengo soccer club’s training centre, after a deadly fire, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, yesterday. campaign. my health or safety.” A similar allegation has now Echoing the comments of oth- been made by Emma Daly, direc- er women who have described tor of communications for Hu- their past experiences in the man Rights Watch in New York #MeToo era, she added: “At the and a former Observer journal- time I think I had a somewhat ist. Daly said Arias groped her internalised notion that I didn’t in a hotel lobby in Nicaragua in have the right to complain; that 1990 when she was working as a I had somehow done something Fire kills 10 at Brazil young journalist and had tried to wrong, or been somehow com- ask him a question. plicit.” Arias is a high-profi le pub- Antillon, a television per- lic fi gure after winning the No- sonality in Costa Rica, also bel peace prize in 1987 for his identified herself as a victim work bringing an end to Central after the publication of the America’s confl icts. criminal complaint, adding football training facility Describing her own experi- that she had never allowed ence, Daly told the Guardian she herself to be alone with Arias, AFP club wrote on its social media ac- Teenage Real Madrid star Vini- top-fl ight professional Flamengo Flamengo is the most popular had decided to speak out after whom she described as some- Rio de Janeiro counts. cius Junior, who came up through squad also trains, the news web- club in football-crazed Brazil. being contacted by a journal- one with “serious problems Brazil’s President Jair Bol- the youth ranks at Flamengo be- site G1 said. Youth league teams also train ist looking into the allegations with arrogance”. sonaro, who is in semi-intensive fore signing with the European The dead were six players at the facility, known as Ninho against Arias. “He sees himself as the master razilian football was in care in hospital following surgery Champions in 2017 for 45mn eu- and four team staff , the channel do Urubu. Distraught relatives “I was 25 years old. I’ve been of the world, that everyone has mourning yesterday after on his abdomen, said he felt “the ros ($52mn), posted a message on SporTV said. rushed to the facility seeking clear that I don’t remember the to submit to him,” Antillon said B10 people died when a fi re families’ pain.” Twitter asking people to pray for The main team had been due information about loved ones, exact date, but I am sure it was earlier this week. “He sees him- ripped through a youth train- In a statement shared by the the victims. to practice at the same facility TV footage showed. Most of the at a hotel in Managua. What self as a conqueror.” Since then, ing facility at the country’s most presidency, he added that he was “Just by thinking about the days later in the morning, for their last youth players at the club are not I’m absolutely certain about is she added, she felt physically ill popular club, Flamengo, authori- dismayed by “this tragedy...which and nights I spent in the training training session ahead of Satur- locals but come from all over the what happened. I remember we whenever she heard about Arias’ ties said. has taken the lives of young people centre gives me goose bumps,” day’s derby against fi erce local ri- country. were waiting in the lobby in this Nobel Prize. The pre-dawn blaze in Rio de who had started the journey to- said the 18-year-old. “I still can’t vals Fluminense. Brazilian football legend Zico, crowded place. I knew him and I A fourth accuser, Marta Araya Janeiro hit a building that housed wards realising their professional believe it. Let’s pray for everyone.” The Rio de Janeiro football a former Flamengo player, de- called out to ask a question. I’d Marroni, has alleged that Arias players aged 14 to 17, fi refi ghters dreams.” Globo TV broadcast aerial foot- federation said it had called a scribed the accident as a “trag- always had good professional re- made multiple unwanted sexual said. Brazil’s biggest football star age of the fi re, which it said had meeting between the two clubs’ edy.” “We must absolutely give lationship with him before. advances in 2012, when they met In addition to the deaths, three Neymar, who plays for Paris been brought under control after management to discuss post- all the support necessary to the “But instead of answering, this regarding a book she was writing. people were injured in the fi re. Saint-Germain in France, posted a it burned for two hours. poning the match. Fluminense victims’ loved ones because most time he touched me inappropri- “He was always respectful until The cause was not immediately picture on his Instagram account The blaze broke out at 5am in were one of a number of clubs to of them aren’t from Rio,” Felipe ately. My reaction was complete he wasn’t,” Araya told the local known. of the Flamengo club badge with the Vargem Grande district of Rio send messages of condolence on Bornier, the Rio state sports sec- shock.” Tico Times. “Flamengo is in mourning,” the the words: “My sympathies.” in a modern facility where the social media. retary, told journalists.

Guaido meets students Vale evacuates 500 ELN rebels release people from dam area

Reuters spections in the area and was Colombian soldier installing equipment to detect Sao Paulo vibrations and bringing in in- AFP stepped up its operations against peace... you have to take some ternational consultants to assess Bogota the ELN since the rebel group actions which show that you are razilian authorities or- the situation. admitted being behind a car serious about peace,” added Gil- dered Vale SA to evacuate As a security measure, 500 in- bomb attack in the capital Bo- more. Baround 500 people from a habitants of the city of Barao dos arxist guerrillas the gota on January 17 that left 21 Duque, who called his meet- dam area at its Gongo Soco mine Cocais, where the dam is situ- ELN have released a army recruits dead, as well as the ing with Gilmore productive, in the state of Minas Gerais yes- ated, were taken to a gymnasium MColombian soldier kid- bomber. said on Twitter they spoke about terday as a preventive measure, nearby, the municipality said on napped a month ago on the bor- That attack drove Colombian “progress made on implement- the mining company said. its Facebook page. der with Venezuela, the body President Ivan Duque to call off ing agreements, and productive On January 25, a mine operated Also yesterday, authorities tasked with protecting human peace talks with the ELN that projects.” by Vale collapsed in the town of closed a port terminal operated rights in the country said. were started in 2017 by his pred- Since Santos signed a peace Brumadinho in the same state, by Vale in Vitoria, in the south- Corporal Angel Mauricio ecessor Juan Manuel Santos. accord with Farc rebels in De- killing an estimated 300 people eastern state of Espirito Santo, Acevedo was handed over to a “The ELN has to understand cember 2016, turning that guer- in Brazil’s deadliest mining dis- due to pollution issues. The humanitarian mission run by very clearly that there is no inter- rilla group into a political party, aster ever. municipality of Vitoria said on the ombudsman and Catholic national support for what they the ELN remains the only recog- In a separate development Thursday that it had fi ned the church, having been held by the are doing,” said Eamon Gilmore, nised rebel group in Colombia. yesterday, inhabitants of a city miner 35mn reais ($9.5mn) for ELN “armed group since Janu- the European Union’s special It has around 1,800 fi ghters close to another dam in Minas throwing mining residues in the ary 7.” envoy for the Colombian peace and an extensive support net- Gerais state, operated by Arce- sea. Acevedo was captured by process. work. lor Mittal, were also evacuated, Vale said in a statement that it armed men wearing civilian He said the police academy at- Bogota has repeatedly accused fi refi ghters said but did not give would take appropriate measures clothes in the northeast, a region tack was “a shocking act of ter- neighbouring Venezuela’s leftist details or say why the dam was but added that recent inspec- known for coca plantations used rorism which is not acceptable in regime under Nicolas Maduro of at risk. tions by local authorities had not by narcotics traffi ckers to pro- any country.” harbouring guerrillas and toler- Vale said in a statement that detected problems. duce cocaine. The right wing Duque insists ating drug-traffi ckers operating the Brazilian mining agency or- In the wake of the Brumad- It was the second liberation that he will only reopen talks if around the border region. dered the evacuation at the dam inho mining disaster, the state by ELN rebels in the last week the ELN releases all its hostages Caracas denies the accusa- at Gongo Soco after engineering of Minas Gerais cancelled Vale’s having released on Sunday three and ceases “criminal activity.” tions. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who many consultancy Walm said a certifi - licence to operate another dam helicopter crew members also Those terms have been rejected Despite sharing a 2,200km nations have recognised as the country’s rightful interim cate guaranteeing stability con- and a mine in the state, as the snatched in January in the same as “unacceptable” by the rebels. long border, the two countries ruler, gestures as he arrives for a meeting with students in ditions had not been issued for company has come under intense region. “The ELN has to understand have had practically no diplo- Caracas, Venezuela, yesterday. the dam. public pressure following the ac- Colombia’s military has that you can’t just talk about matic relations since 2017. Vale said it has intensifi ed in- cident. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, February 9, 2019 PAKISTAN

23 lawmakers remain suspended Govt committed for failure to submit asset details Internews The amended law requires Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assem- Islamabad members of the national and bly, 52 members of the Sindh provincial assemblies to submit Assembly, 20 members of the to the ECP the statements of as- Senate, and 19 members of the s many as 23 lawmak- sets and liabilities of their own, Baluchistan Assembly. ers of Pakistan are still their spouses, and their chil- The 72 suspended members Asuspended for their fail- dren by December 31 every year. of the National Assembly in- to depoliticising ure to submit to the Election Section 137(1) of the Elections cluded Information Minister Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Act 2017, reads: “Every Member Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for statements of their assets and of an Assembly and Senate shall National Health Services Amir liabilities, even after the expiry submit to the Commission, on Mehmood Kiyani, Minister of of fi ve months following the or before 31st December each State for Interior Shehryar Khan deadline specifi ed by law. year, a copy of his statement Afridi, and Deputy Speaker Members from the Punjab of assets and liabilities includ- Qasim Khan Suri. Assembly top the list of law- ing assets and liabilities of his Other prominent members of bureaucracy: PM makers failing to meet the legal spouse and dependent children the National Assembly (MNAs) requirement, with their number as on the preceding thirtieth on the list included Dr Amir Imran orders those named in than 250 people named in the standing at 12. day of June on Form B.” Liaquat, Ahsan Iqbal, Khur- Panama Papers to be tracked Panama Papers have availed the Out of the total 371 mem- The law also provides for sheed Ahmad Junejo, Nauman down tax amnesty, and most of the bers of the Punjab Assembly, what can be called a grace pe- Islam Shaikh, Nawabzada Yusuf companies named in the leak 359 have submitted their state- riod of 15 days. Talpur, Mohamed Akhtar Men- Internews have relocated to China. ments of assets. Section 137 (3) of the Elec- gal, Khial Zaman, Munir Khan Islamabad They further said that 175 peo- Likewise, six members of the tions Act reads: “The Commis- Orakzai, and Sajid Hussain Turi. ple named in the leak could not Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly sion shall, on the sixteenth day Prominent among the 20 be located, while information have not yet fi led their state- of January, by an order suspend suspended senators included rime Minister Imran Khan regarding 78 was incomplete, ments of assets and liabilities the membership of a Member Musadik Masood Malik, Rahee- has said that the govern- for which help from agencies has with the ECP. of an assembly and Senate who la Magsi, Dr Shahzad Waseem, Pment is fi rmly commit- been sought. The total strength of the KP fails to submit the statement of Islamuddin Shaikh, Rukhsana ted to undertaking structural A trove of 11.5mn digital Assembly is 124, out of which assets and liabilities by the fi f- Zuberi, Quratulain Marri, Sar- reforms of bureaucracy to make records from the Panama-based one seat is vacant at present. teenth day of January and such faraz Ahmad Bugti, and Sitara it effi cient and responsive to the law fi rm Mossack Fonseca re- Out of the 123 sitting mem- Member shall cease to function Ayaz. need of the hour. vealed how many of the world’s bers, so far 117 have fi led their till he/she fi les the statement of The suspended members of Chairing a meeting of Task wealthy used off shore companies statements of assets and liabili- assets and liabilities.” the Sindh Assembly included Force on Civil Service Reforms in to stash assets. ties. On January 16 the ECP had former provincial information Islamabad, the premier said that The data were leaked to Ger- Two members each from the suspended the membership of minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, he regrets that bureaucracy has man newspaper Sueddeutsche Sindh and Baluchistan assem- 332 lawmakers, including fed- Mir Nadir Ali Magsi, Hasnain been heavily politicised in the Zeitung, which shared them with blies, and one member of the eral ministers and top political Ali Mirza, Ali Hassan, Mukesh past decade, which resulted in the International Consortium Senate have not yet submitted leaders, for failure to submit Kumar Chawla, and Hari Ram. its ineffi ciency and creating fear Prime Minister Khan: We need to restructure and reform our of Investigative Journalists and their statements of assets. their statements of assets. More than 300 lawmakers amongst bureaucrats. bureaucracy to make it progressive and innovative. reports appeared in major media All the 342 members of the Those suspended were 115 fi led their statements of assets “Bureaucracy will be depoliti- from April 3, 2016. National Assembly have sub- members of the Punjab Assem- after January 16 and were re- cised and insulated from all kinds nately, political interference has Furthermore, the prime min- In the immediate aftermath, mitted their statements of as- bly, 72 members of the National stored by the ECP through vari- of political pressures,” Khan said. destroyed the civil service.” ister said that the existing system Iceland’s prime minister was sets. Assembly, 54 members of the ous notifi cations. “During the 60s and 70s, Pa- Khan said that accountability of government cannot compete forced to resign after the leak kistan’s civil service was one of and merit are the only way the with the private sector, where showed that his family sheltered the best in the region, and coun- system can be made better, and merit determines positions and assets off shore. tries from the region would come that it is the government’s mis- seniority. Other people were exposed to us and learn from us,” the sion to depoliticise the bureauc- “No system can sustain or de- to scrutiny, including then- prime minister said. “Unfortu- racy. liver, if accountability and merit Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz PAC chairman stole are missing,” he said. “We need Sharif’s children, former British Imran to visit Dubai tomorrow to restructure and reform our prime minister David Cameron, bureaucracy to make it progres- Argentina’s football icon Lionel Rs1.5tn, says federal Prime Minister Imran Khan is set for a day-long visit to Dubai tomorrow sive and innovative.” Messi and President Mauri- (February 10), the Foreign Off ice has said. The prime minister stressed cio Macri, Spanish fi lm director Bilawal Bhutto Zardari He is visiting the Gulf state on the invitation of his counterpart Sheikh that there is dire need to promote Pedro Almodovar, and many cur- minister Chaudhry Mohamed bin Rashid al-Maktoum to attend the 7th World Government professionalism in every sphere. rent and former politicians and Summit. “We are committed to protect- associates. Heads of states, policy makers, business leaders and experts will attend ing the integrity and security of In Pakistan, the Supreme Railways minister sets meeting on Thursday. the event to discuss current and future opportunities to improve govern- tenure of bureaucrats, so that Court took up a case on the rev- deadline for Shehbaz The minister added that Bilawal ance through reform, innovation and technology. they can devote their energies to- elation that Sharif’s children Sharif to resign PML-N lawmaker Khawaja “The prime minister’s participation will underscore Pakistan’s strong wards translating political vision owned off shore companies deal- Saad Rafi que and others ac- interest in the knowledge economy, artificial intelligence, green develop- into reality. We have to attract the ing in millions of dollars in prop- Internews cused of corruption worth seeks ment, and the importance of innovation for growth,” the communique best minds to serve the country,” erty transactions. Islamabad billions would be made read. Khan added. The former premier was sub- members of the PAC. In his keynote address at the summit, the prime minister will highlight his Meanwhile, according to sequently disqualifi ed from The information minister removal vision for Pakistan, and encourage investment in diff erent sectors of the sources in the prime minis- holding public offi ce in a land- nformation Minister Fa- is not the only one in govern- country’s economy. ter secretariat, the premier has mark decision by the apex court wad Chaudhry has said ment to seek Sharif’s ouster. Accompanied by the ministers of foreign aff airs, finance, maritime aff airs ordered that those named in in July 2017, and an account- Ithat Public Accounts Yesterday Railways Min- from JIT and adviser to the prime minister on commerce, he will also meet the the 2016 Panama Papers to be ability court was ordered to open Committee (PAC) chairman ister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed leadership of the UAE. tracked down. references against him and his Shehbaz Sharif had stolen set an eight-day deadline for The sources said that more family. Rs1.5tn. Sharif to resign as PAC chair- report “A person who stole 15 man. hens is in jail for one year. But The minister said Sharif a person who stole Rs1,500 was not acceptable in the Internews billion become PAC chair- PAC: “I have informed Prime Karachi man. In these 10 years, the Minister Imran Khan that ‘Plant for Pakistan Day’ to be marked today foundation of the economy Shehbaz Sharif is not accept- was shaken by the Pakistan able to me as Public Accounts akistan Peoples Party Muslim League – Nawaz Committee chairman.” (PPP) chairman Bilawal Internews department in all the divisional sapling will be planted in the While chairing the meeting, (PML-N) and the Pakistan He added that Sharif was PBhutto Zardari has fi led a Lahore headquarters. government forests. the minister said the “Plant for Peoples Party (PPP),” the trying to bargain in his posi- review petition seeking removal As many 2,000 saplings will Some 48,000 saplings will be Pakistan Day” will be celebrated minister said. tion and a bargain would not of his name from a report by a be planted in each city, including distributed by various govern- zealously. The government has been be acceptable. joint investigation team (JIT) rovincial Minister for For- Lahore, ment institutions, for a total of “The programme of tree plan- calling for Sharif’s resigna- “They are here on a picnic. looking into the long-running estry, Wildlife and Fisher- Gujranwala, Faisalabad, 600,000 saplings planted on tation has turned into a drive to tion as PAC chairman, stat- Giving interviews and getting money laundering and fake bank Pies Mohamed Sibtain Khan Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Sahiwal, “Plant for Pakistan Day”. bring the green revolution,” he ing that he has been using their pictures taken. Speaker, accounts case. has said that “Plant for Pakistan Multan, Bahawalpur, and Dera In the second phase of “Plant said. the committee to safeguard you have done the wrong Bhutto Zardari, in his petition, Day” will be marked today. Ghazi Khan, while tree planta- for Pakistan Day”, 600,000 more Sibtain Khan maintained that those facing inquiries by the thing,” Rashid, said referring has asked the Supreme Court of He also directed the forest de- tion events will be held in 36 saplings will be planted following tree plantation is key to cope National Accountability Bu- to production orders being Pakistan to review its written or- partment to organise compre- divisions, with 72,000 saplings the earlier pattern. with climate change and envi- reau (NAB). issued by the National As- der which, in contrast to its ver- hensive plantation drives across planted. A comprehensive plan has ronmental pollution. “The committee is be- sembly speaker for Sharif. “I bal order earlier, does not men- the province. As many as 129,600 saplings been devised in the meeting held “The day is not far off when ing used as a shield against am only quiet in this country tion removal of his name from Tree plantation events will will be distributed by the divi- in the offi ce of the forest depart- Pakistan will become a green corruption,” Chaudhry said because of (Prime Minister) the JIT report. be organised today by the forest sional forest offi ces while 40,000 ment. country,” the minister said. following a federal cabinet Imran Khan.” The Supreme Court, on Janu- ary 17, had fi nally released its detailed order pertaining to the Karachi Literary Festival in March removal of the names of Bhutto Zardari as well as Sindh Chief The Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) is set to celebrate its milestone Naval exercise Minister Murad Ali Shah from 10th edition this year from March 1 to 3. the Exit Control List (ECL). With the theme, “The Focus is Tomorrow”, the city’s most-awaited The apex court, however, had festival of the literary calendar has much to off er this year. referred the report and mate- Arshad Saeed Husain, the managing director of Oxford University rial collected by the JIT in the Press Pakistan (OUP) – the main organiser of the event – shared Rs35bn fake accounts case to the details of the 10th KLF at a press conference held at the Arts Council National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan on Wednesday. (NAB). According to Husain, more than 235 speakers and authors from The court, in its verbal order, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, France, gave directions for removal of Italy, Germany, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, India, and his name from the JIT report as Canada will participate in the event. well, but its written order did Around 20 book launches are planned this year, which will be a not mention the matter, Bhutto highlight for book lovers. Zardari said in the petition. The festival will feature over 80 sessions, including interviews, The petition states that the JIT panel discussions, Urdu mushaira, poetry readings, satire, never summoned him and listed performing arts, and film screenings. its observations in the report The KLF-Infaq Foundation Urdu Literature Prize will be awarded without hearing what he had to to the best book of prose or poetry in Urdu published in 2017 and say about the case. 2018. The court’s written order can- The entries received will be evaluated by a panel of jury members, not be diff erent from its verbal comprising eminent critics and writers. order, the petition adds. The JIT acknowledged that it had insuffi cient material Top French awards for Pakistanis against the PPP leader, and that his name was mentioned in the The French government has awarded the prestigious Order of report by mistake, the petition Arts and Letters to two Pakistani academicians, Radio Pakistan has further states, and questions the reported. inclusion of members from in- The accolades have been conferred upon former Taxila Institute of telligence agencies in the JIT. Asian Civilisations director Professor Dr Mohamed Ashraf Khan and The federal cabinet, after re- former Department of Archaeology and Museums director general ceiving the written order from Dr Fazal Dad Kakar. the Supreme Court, had decided Both recipients had completed a PhD from Paris-Sorbonne to remove the names of Bhutto University located in Paris. Zardari and Shah from the ECL, A ceremony on account of this recognition was held in Islamabad, Navy servicemen march past the national flags of participating countries during the opening ceremony of the Pakistan Navy’s but refused to excise their names which was also attended by Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Multinational Exercise, AMAN-19, in Karachi. from the JIT report on the fake Mehmood. accounts. Gulf Times Saturday, February 9, 2019 13 PHILIPPINES Govt not keen on mandatory vaccination over legal tangles

By Catherine S Valente Manila Times

he government is not keen on implementing a Tmandatory immunisa- The comments come just over a year after IS was defeated in Marawi City, after a five-month battle with government forces. tion programme, a Malacanang offi cial said yesterday, even af- ter the declaration of a measles outbreak in several areas in the Philippines. In a news conference, Cabinet Military commander warns Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles yesterday said the government might face legal issues in court if it implemented mandatory im- munisation for children. of IS resurgence in nation “Mandatory immunisation may not be necessary. I think, perhaps it will be questioned in By Carmela Fonbuena court somehow,” Nograles told Community health nurse Mylene Pontanos injects a measles vaccine Guardian News & Media reporters. to a child in Barangay Payatas. The Palace offi cial said the government should instead the hospital tallied 1,550 report- ed fever, reddening of the eyes, military commander “step up” its immunisation ed cases of measles, in contrast cough and colds and red rashes, in the Philippines has drive, with the help of local gov- to 2,654 cases and 68 deaths in the agency said. Awarned that the coun- ernment units (LGUs). 2018. In Quezon City in Metro Ma- try’s fi ght against ISIS (IS) is far “You know, the local govern- Most of the victims were chil- nila, the Quezon City Health De- from over after a deadly church ment units should be involved dren between three months and partment (QCHD) has recorded bombing on the island of Mind- here, in terms of (their) contri- four years old. a total of 108 measles cases, with anao involving local militant bution to this programme, and No deaths were reported in eight reported deaths from Janu- groups that have pledged alle- in terms of their actions, and the 155 reported cases reported ary 1 to 26. giance to the militant group. even in terms of accountability. I among adults between the ages As of February 1, a total of 965 The warning from military Two bombs hit the church in Sulu in January. think the LGUs play a very criti- of 19 and 41. children have been inoculated commander Colonel Romeo cal and an important part in this In Western Visayas, a total throughout the city. Brawner comes just over a year training camp, even as Abu Dar perpetrated by Indonesian sui- said the Jolo church attack un- immunisation programme and of 166 measles cases with three Amid the outbreak, the House after ISIS was defeated in Ma- managed to fl ee. Two days later, cide bombers and was planned derscored the growing security other programmes of the gov- suspected deaths were recorded of Representatives also yester- rawi City, in the south of the twin bombings ripped through and executed with the assistance challenge for the country, at the ernment,” he said. in the region as of Jan 26, 2019, day approved on second reading country, after a fi ve-month the Cathedral of Our Lady of of the Abu Sayyaf group. hands of foreign fi ghters, citing Nograles added that President DoH records showed. an act expanding the coverage of battle between government Mount Carmel in Jolo, on Sulu The Abu Sayyaf group has the blast in Lamitan City by a Rodrigo Duterte had directed the Dr Mary Jane Juanico, medi- the mandatory basic immunisa- forces and Isis-affi liated mili- island in the south-western tip been responsible for decades suspected suicide bomber from Department of Health (DoH) to cal co-ordinator of the regional tion programme and providing tants. The Philippine govern- of Mindanao, killing 23 people of violence, including the 2004 Morocco in July 2018. boost communication eff orts on health offi ce’s Child Health a system in the determination ment is continuing to search for attending a Sunday mass and Superferry bombing that killed “Isis is a clear and present the importance of vaccination Programme, said they still have of other types of vaccine-pre- the last known surviving leader wounding 109 others. 116 people, making it south- danger to the Philippines being with the active involvement of to determine if the deaths were ventable diseases, amending of the main force behind the In the days between the skir- east Asia’s worst terror attack a new land of militancy by for- the Presidential Communica- caused by measles. Republic Act (RA) 10152 or the siege — Maute Group’s Owaid- mish and the bloody church at- at the time. eign fi ghters,” he said. tions Operations Offi ce. She attributed the outbreak to “Mandatory Infants and Chil- ah Benito Marohombsar, known tack, ISIS issued a bulletin, the It is a highly factionalised The challenge is underscored A total of 441 measles cases low coverage of the DoH’s mea- dren Health Immunisation Act as Abu Dar, following the dis- fi rst since the fall of Marawi in group and is divided over its by the presence of about 100 and fi ve deaths have been re- sles immunisation programme of 2011.” covery of his training camp. 2017, which claimed more than views on Isis, but sub-com- foreign fi ghters in Mindanao, ported in Metro Manila, while in Region 6 last year. Vaccination for rotavirus, “The fi ght against Isis is not 30 soldiers had died in the clash- manders like the late ISIS chief infl uencing local armed groups. Central Luzon had 192 cases and Public support to the pro- Japanese encephalitis, PCV and over. When I got assigned here, es with Abu Dar’s men — a claim Isnilon Hapilon reached out Lieutenant General Arnel four deaths. gramme might have dipped HPV were included under the I said my priority is to hunt Brawner says is false — and issu- to develop ties. The Sulu at- Dela Vega, overall commander Aside from the two areas, the because of the Dengvaxia anti- coverage of RA 10152. down Abu Dar and prevent him ing what was later interpreted as tack created a frenzy in the ISIS of areas where ISIS-linked Health department expanded dengue vaccine controversy, Sen. Risa Hontiveros sought from recruiting and training a warning for the church attack. propaganda machine, with the groups operate, said Duterte the measles-outbreak scope to Juanico said. the resignation of Public At- more fi ghters,” Brawner told the The attack came as people in group publishing a photograph had ordered the military to Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Ba- Measles, caused by a virus that torney’s Office chief Persida Guardian. In January, a spate the south Philippines voted in a edited to show President Rod- “wipe out” the groups. tangas, Rizal and Quezon) West- infects the respiratory tract, can Acosta, whom she blamed for of incidents led to fears of the historic referendum to create a rigo Duterte as an Isis captive in “We will further intensify in- ern Visayas and Central Visayas. be passed through direct contact the measles outbreak that led group’s resurgence. new autonomous region, which the wake of his threats against telligence eff orts, collaborate Meanwhile, San Lazaro Hos- and through the air. to the death of at least 55 chil- On January 25, violence the government hoped would the group. with all concerned stakeholders, pital in Manila, in an e-mail sent Its complications include dren. erupted between government bring peace to a war-torn part of Duterte has said: “The only and co-operate and co-ordinate to Manila Times on Thursday, severe diarrhoea, pneumonia, Hontiveros claimed that forces and a group led by Abu the country and address issues way to fi ght them is to become with counterpart Asian armies said it had recorded 56 deaths blindness and even death, ac- Acosta politicised the Dengvax- Dar. The military claimed “big that lure recruits to ISIS-inspired evil also.” Rommel Banlaoi of for common boundary security from the measles outbreak as of cording to the Health depart- ia vaccine controversy, which success” for killing three ter- groups. According to the mili- the Philippine Institute for and intel sharing,” Dela Vega told Wednesday. ment. forced parents not to have their rorists and dismantling the tary, the church bombing was Peace, Violence and Terrorism the Guardian. In just the fi rst month of 2019, Symptoms of measles includ- children inoculated.

Americans top list of sex offenders barred entry

Americans topped the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) list of registered foreign sex off enders (RSOs) who were denied entry into the country during the last two years, Manila Times reported. BI’s Port Operations Lorenzana asserts construction Division (POD) Chief Grifton Medina, in a report to Commissioner Jaime Morente, said that out of a total of 341 RSOs who were denied entry in 2017 and 2018, 256 of them were Americans. 2018 records showed that of the 156 RSOs who were barred entry, 128 of them were Americans. at Pagasa Island ‘legitimate’ Medina said that in 2017, of the 185 sex off enders who were excluded, 128 of them were also Americans. “We have been continuously By Dempsey Reyes shan) Island, Kota (Loaita) Is- receiving notices from foreign governments about RSOs who were Manila Times land, Patag (Flat) Reef, Panata monitored to be travelling to the Philippines and these information (Lankiam) Cay, Rizal (Com- are immediately encoded in our database to alert our immigration modore) Reef and Ayungin off icers at the ports of entry,” Medina said. mprovements and con- (Second Thomas) Shoal. These notices are part of Operation Angel Watch, a global initiative of struction of several facilities As to the reported presence the US Department of Homeland Security, which targets RSOs travel- Ion Pagasa (Thitu) Island was of Chinese vessels in the area, ling abroad who are likely to engage in child sex tourism. a “legitimate undertaking” by Lorenzana said he was not It was reported that since its inception more than a decade ago, the Philippine government, De- surprised with Beijing’s move. Operation Angel Watch has identified thousands of sex crime perpe- fence Secretary Delfi n Loren- Based on the AMTI’s report, trators and advance notices of their travels were transmitted to their zana said yesterday. several vessels from the Peo- countries of destination. The statement came after ple’s Liberation Army-Navy Washington-based think tank and the Chinese Coast Guard Asia Maritime Transparency were deployed from Subi Initiative (AMTI) released a (Zamora) Reef to Pagasa. report stating that Manila was AMTI said China might have undertaking reclamation activ- been prompted by the building ities at Pagasa Island, the larg- of the beaching ramp. 5.9 quake strikes off est among the nine occupied is- “The presence of militia on lands in the Spratly archipelago the Chinese man-made struc- (Kalayaan Island Group) within tures is no surprise as they southern Philippines the contested West Philippine have been there since 2012,” Sea (South China Sea). “Having Lorenzana argued. undergone careful planning and “We expect other countries AFP 41 kilometres east of the town consideration, with full respect to respect Philippine sover- Manila of General Luna on Mindanao to international law and rules- eignty and to conduct them- island. based governing civilised states, selves in a civilised manner It had a relatively shallow implanting these improve- Lorenzana: asserting sovereign rights of nation befitting members of the glo- 5.9 magnitude earth- depth, measured at 24 kilome- ments is a legitimate undertak- bal community,” he added. quake struck at sea off the tres by the US agency — and 19 ing and well within our rights as The Defence department had Rancudo Airfi eld, barracks for improvements are basic but In July 2016, the Permanent Asouthern Philippine coast kilometres by the local quake a sovereign nation,” Lorenzana always been “open and trans- soldiers, desalination facilities, nonetheless highly essential Court of Arbitration in The late Friday, though there were no monitors —but the latter said in said in a statement. parent” when it came to “con- a sewage disposal system, con- in delivering social services Hague favoured the Philippine early reports of damage and the an advisory that it was not ex- The Defence chief said re- veying and fulfi lling the gov- ventional and renewable power to raise the standard of living claim on the West Philippine local seismology offi ce said it ex- pected to have caused damage. pairs and construction at Pa- ernment’s desire to improve” generators, and lighthouses, and improve the quality of life Sea, invalidating the nine- pected none. The Philippines is part of the gasa were also meant to improve conditions of civilian and mili- shelters and storage facilities of Filipino citizens on the is- dash-line claim of China. The US Geological Survey Pacifi c “Ring of Fire”, an arc of the safety, livelihood, welfare tary citizens in Barangay Pa- for fi shers, Lorenzana said. land,” he stressed. President Rodrigo Du- and the Philippine Institute of intense seismic activity that and personal security of civil- gasa, the Defence chief said. The beaching ramp was ex- Apart from Pagasa, the terte, however, set aside the Volcanology and Seismology stretches from quake-prone Ja- ians and military men in Ka- Facilities being constructed pected to be fi nished within the Philippines is occupying Li- legal victory, in exchange said the quake struck at 7:55pm pan through Southeast Asia and layaan, a municipality that was and restored included a beach- fi rst quarter of this year, he said. kas (West York) Island, Parola for stronger economic ties (1155 GMT), its epicentre about across the Pacifi c basin. part of Palawan province. ing ramp, the air strip or the “These planned modest (Northeast) Cay, Lawak (Nan- with China. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, February 9, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko Production Editor Amjad Khan

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GULF TIMES Smoke billows on the horizon from Frimmersdorf, left, and Neurath coal-powered plants, operated by RWE AG, in Hambach, Germany. The German coal commission has set 2038 as the deadline for reaching zero coal. Double or quits: will Macron risk Breaking Germany’s a referendum? President Emmanuel Macron could be set to organise France’s fi rst referendum in 14 years to end months of “yellow vest” protests, but analysts say the move is a risky gamble. coal addiction Macron has clawed back some lost popularity in recent weeks by throwing himself into his “grand national debate”, a series of technologically feasible and economi- coal-dependent European Union coun- to a quantifi ed phase-out plan. This, townhall events aimed at tamping down the yellow vest revolt By Johan Rockstrom and Owen Gaff ney cally attractive. In this process, coal tries that there is no rush. Countries together with defi nitive shorter-term which began in November. Berlin – the most polluting energy source – like Hungary, Poland, and the Baltic targets, would signal to investors that But the real test for the 41-year-old will be what he does with must be the fi rst to go, exiting the global states may even pursue a coal renais- they can confi dently invest in the feedback from hundreds of conversations underway around energy mix entirely by 2030-2035. sance. This would further weaken the alternative energy sources. the country, as well as the 700,000-plus contributions made ermany is about to break its coal This will be particularly challenging EU’s climate leadership and its ability This dynamic could well accelerate online. addiction. Last year, the gov- for Germany, which, despite its reputa- to reform its carbon-trading system. the timeline for Germany’s exit from Macron has confi rmed that he is considering calling a ernment created a 28-member tion as a climate leader, has long had a Confi dent that coal will continue to coal. A clause in the agreement creates “coal commission” – compris- dirty secret: the most polluting type of be burned in the long term, investors the potential for an earlier exit from referendum on some of the demands emanating from the G ing scientists, politicians, environmental coal – lignite – remains the country’s would keep the money fl owing. coal. After all, the best-performing public consultation, reportedly on the same day as elections for campaigners, trade unions, and utilities single biggest source of electricity. Moreover, because Germany’s infl u- major commodities in 2018 were the European parliament on May 26. representatives – with the unenviable Although renewables have penetrated ence extends far beyond Europe, a weak European emissions allowances. “At some point, I might end up having to ask our citizens about mandate of deciding when the country 40% of the electricity market, coal still stance on coal could trigger a domino Designed to make coal less competitive, this or that,” he told a townhall meeting. would get clean. Balancing pragmatic accounts for 38%. eff ect – what we call the “road to hell” those allowances are expected to double Macron’s hero, post-war leader Charles de Gaulle, is the considerations with recognition of the A decision to phase out nuclear scenario. US President Donald Trump in price in the next year or two. Hedge architect of the current constitution and saw referendums as an reality of climate change, the commis- power, spurred by the 2011 Fukushima might cite Germany’s slow action as funds and other investors have already important part of governing France under a system that sion has now set 2038 as the deadline for disaster, left Germany with a signifi - proof of its double standards on climate taken notice. concentrates power in the hands of the president. reaching zero coal, with the withdrawal cant energy gap, fi lled partly by coal. change – and even attempt to use it to A deadline on German coal use would beginning immediately. Germany has built ten new coal-fi red justify, however weakly, his eff ort to reinforce confi dence that the value of De Gaulle cemented his The Wall Street Journal calls it the power plants since 2011, bringing its revive the US coal industry. Brazilian allowances will keep increasing, Macron has position by winning three “world’s dumbest energy policy.” In total to about 120. As a result, it is set President Jair Bolsonaro might do like- creating a positive feedback loop of referendums, but he fell at the fact, Germany’s shift is vital and long to miss its 2020 emissions goal (a 40% wise, as he distances his country from rising prices. Add to that a precipitous clawed back fourth, with the “Non” to his overdue. The real question is whether reduction, compared to 1990), and, the Paris climate agreement. drop in the costs of wind and solar regional and Senate reforms it will be enough to support meaningful barring decisive action, it could miss its Australia, where climate politics are power, and it is not unrealistic to some lost in 1969 prompting him to step progress in the global eff ort to mitigate 2030 target (a 55% reduction) as well. tense and an election is pending, could imagine that the markets will bring down as president. climate change. The coal commission’s plan – which also be tempted to increase coal use. about a much faster departure from coal popularity in “You go for double or quits to It is scientifi cally well established still needs to be turned into legislation China and India, too, could become than any policy would. try to get out of a crisis...at the that if the world is to keep the average by Chancellor Angela Merkel and the more inclined to expand coal-fi red Sometime in the 2020s, it will increase in global temperature “well be- Bundestag – would reduce Germany’s power plants. With that, meeting the become cheaper to build new renewable recent weeks risk of being plunged into an even low” 2C relative to pre-industrial levels coal emissions from 42 gigawatts today 2C threshold would become impossible, systems than to continue running deeper crisis,” Jean-Philippe – the “safe” limit enshrined in the 2015 to 30 GW by 2022, and to 17 GW by and the devastation of Hothouse Earth existing fossil-fuel plants in parts of Derosier, a law professor and constitutional expert at the University Paris climate agreement – no more than 2030. This is a cut of more than 50% would potentially become inevitable. Europe. At that point, there will be little of Lille said. another 500-800bn tonnes of carbon over one decade, making it even more But there is good reason to think chance of stopping the fastest energy Since De Gaulle, French presidents have been skittish about dioxide can be emitted. On current ambitious than the carbon law trajec- this will not happen. Even if the 2038 transition in history. – Project consulting the people, with only fi ve referendums held in that trends, this would take just 12-20 years. tory – but only if coal is not replaced by deadline is not ambitious enough, the Syndicate time. Instead, the world needs to follow natural gas. Indeed, if the coal phase- immediate pace of the coal phase-out The last one was in 2005 when voters — already itching to give a trajectory called the “carbon law,” out is going to work, it will need to hap- follows the carbon law. If Germany Johan Rockström is Director of the their leaders a drubbing — rejected a new European constitution which requires reducing CO2 emissions pen alongside a rising carbon price. implements what it has agreed on Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact In any case, 2038 is still a long paper, one should not underestimate Research. Owen Gaff ney is a global in a shock defeat for then president Jacques Chirac. by half each decade until, 30-40 years from now, we have achieved a carbon- way off . A sluggish exit from coal by the symbolic value of a coal-dependent sustainability analyst at the Potsdam A referendum would be the culminating point of Macron’s free global economy. Growing evidence Germany – the world’s fourth-largest industrialised economy setting a clear Institute for Climate Impact Research eff orts to turn the page on the worst crisis of his 20-month-old shows that adhering to the carbon law is economy – could send a signal to other end date for coal, and locking itself and the Stockholm Resilience Centre. presidency. Protesters in rural and small-town France began occupying roundabouts in mid-November. The movement ballooned into an anti-Macron revolt. The president’s first response was to announce a package of tax cuts and state top-ups for low-income workers and pen- sioners. The costs of a Brexit brain drain He then launched the “great national debate”, promising it will lead to real changes. Huguenots had been granted freedom of top professionals are on the march. It of Orange, acceded to the English Putting some ideas to a referendum could help boost his By Edoardo Campanella Milan worship and civil rights as a Protestant is widely understood that the countries throne, where he forged a coalition with legitimacy and address criticism that he is deaf to the worries of minority in Catholic France. Owing to with the highest-skilled workers and Hapsburg Austria and various German regular voters. their strict Calvinist ethics, they were the most brainpower will have a sig- Protestant states to engulf the French in “One of the main takeaways from the yellow vest movement is hould the United Kingdom go indefatigable and diligent workers, nifi cant advantage in the 21st century a series of religious wars. the impression that many in France believe that they are not given through with its withdrawal and they tended to occupy the most technology race. Back in June 2016, the Brexit enough consideration by discredited political elites,” Jean from the European Union, one skill-intensive professions of the time In the case of Brexit, northern Euro- referendum seemed to provide Britain Garrigues, history professor at Sciences Po and Orleans Sof the most severe unintended (including silk-weaving, gold- and gun- pean countries are once again hoping to with an opportunity to abandon a consequences will probably be the smithing, printing, and watchmaking). capitalise on a sudden fl ight of human crisis-prone EU for a more dynamic universities, said. exodus of a signifi cant share of top But in 1685, Louis revoked the Edict of capital in their neighbourhood. France, Anglosphere. The Brexiteers had But there are two potential problems. professionals from London. In fact, Nantes, and the Huguenots gradually left ironically enough, could fi nally make up promised to put an end to low-skilled Some ministers and MPs in Macron’s party worry that holding Paris, Frankfurt, Dublin, Amsterdam, France to join other Protestant commu- for the unnecessary loss of talent that it immigration from Eastern Europe, and the referendum on the same day as the European polls would lead and other cities on the Old Continent nities across northern Europe. suff ered three centuries ago. that was what mattered most. If top to a confusing election campaign. are already competing to attract UK- As with Brexit today, European states The similarities between Brexit and the professionals left London, they would And analysts say Macron would also need to fi nd a balance based bankers, doctors, architects, and rushed to attract the qualifi ed workers Revocation of the Edict of Nantes do not be viewed as acceptable casualties. between asking meaningful questions to the electorate and academics. that France had scared away. Within a stop there. Both episodes epitomise their From the start, Brexit has always been avoiding hot topics that could lead to a damaging personal defeat. Such “brain drains” are common in week of the Revocation, the Elector of eras’ defi ning political confl icts. Whereas about intolerance of the “other.” “People generally forget to answer the question asked and history. But never before has an estab- Brandenburg issued a decree formally the political fault line in Europe three But, unlike the Huguenots, those lished democracy experienced a cata- inviting the Huguenots into his terri- centuries ago was between Protestants now preparing to leave London are instead answer the person asking the question — making it a plebiscite strophic loss of human capital during a tory, while the Netherlands tempted and Catholics, today it is between those well-off members of the global elite. on whether they support the president or not,” Derosier said. period of peace and prosperity. Usually, them with the promise of immediate for and against the European project. The As such, their departure alone could Macron is reportedly considering putting several proposals it takes a sudden regime change, violent citizenship and tax breaks for three emigration of the Huguenots and the immediately and abruptly erode the to the nation which enjoy broad support, such as reducing the confl ict, or dire economic conditions to years. impending exodus from London should UK’s international status and infl uence. number of national lawmakers or imposing a limit on the number send a country’s professional elite fl ee- Eventually, around 150,000 Hugue- be understood as side eff ects of political French Protestants had to participate of terms politicians can serve. ing en masse. nots settled in the Netherlands, Swe- miscalculations made in the course of in a century of bloody religious wars to For example, in Greece during the den, Prussia, and Ireland, and another larger ideological battles. strike an equally powerful blow against sovereign debt crisis, high-skill workers 50,000 found their way to the UK. As is For Louis, the persecution of the their motherland. To Advertise were driven out by the lack of economic often the case in elite brain drains, their Huguenots was in keeping with his vi- It is never wise to stretch historical opportunity. And in Nazi Germany, small numbers belied the enormous sion of a Catholic Europe – a vision that comparisons too far. But Britons would [email protected] Jews and other gifted but oppressed socioeconomic impact they would have. had been reinforced by the ascension of nonetheless do well to heed the words Display minorities were forced to seek refuge While the French economy strug- his ardently Catholic cousin, James II, of the Duc de Saint-Simon: “The abroad. gled for decades, Britain capitalised on to the English throne. Thus, rather than Revocation of the edict of Nantes, 44466621 44418811 No two mass emigrations are ever the Huguenots’ talents to become the ordering the exile the Huguenots, Louis without the least pretext or any the same; but, to understand what is in world’s fi rst industrial powerhouse. One actually introduced strict emigration necessity, depopulated a quarter of the Classified store for London, the Brexiteers could member of the Huguenot exodus from bans to prevent their departure, with kingdom, ruined its commerce, and 44466609 44418811 still learn something from history. With France, Denis Papin, invented the pre- the goal of forcing their conversion to weakened it in all its parts.” Brexit will all due caveats, Brexit might well end cursor to the steam engine. And many Catholicism. drive out fewer people, but the impact Subscription up resembling Louis XIV’s decision others helped fi ne-tune the techniques But rather than convert, the Hugue- could be worse. – Project Syndicate to drive the Huguenots out of France, that would turn British weaving, print- nots fl ed. And, once abroad, they fo- [email protected] thereby condemning Paris to economic ing, and architecture into cutting-edge, mented the ire of European Protestants Edoardo Campanella is a Future of backwardness and political isolation for world-leading industries. against France. After James II fell to the the World Fellow at the Center for the decades. Today, the world is once again on the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Dutch Governance of Change at IE University © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Under the 1598 Edict of Nantes, the cusp of an industrial revolution, and stadtholder William III, the Prince in Madrid. Gulf Times Saturday, February 9, 2019 15 COMMENT The mirage of a global euro

By Daniel Gros Providing a handy vehicle for underground Brussels transactions abroad should not be regarded as an advantage of the euro. Another argument for having a global ne of the great claims made for the reserve currency is that foreign borrowing be- euro was that it would rival the US comes cheaper. This is the “exorbitant privi- dollar as a second global reserve lege” that Valery Giscard d’Estaing, when he Ocurrency. These hopes have failed to was France’s fi nance minister, famously said materialise. The euro’s importance in global the United States enjoyed owing to the dol- reserves and fi nancial markets today is about lar’s status as the world’s main reserve cur- the same as it was two decades ago, when the rency. But while issuing dollar-denominated euro replaced the Deutsche Mark and 10 other debt is an important advantage for the US (the national currencies. world’s largest debtor), the eurozone is a net But hope dies last, and in this spirit the creditor. And with real interest rates tend- European Commission recently published a ing to be higher in dollar terms, it would be Communication entitled “Towards a stronger better for the eurozone’s external assets to be international role of the euro” (sic). The Euro- denominated in dollars than in euro. pean Commission, like most European poli- Furthermore, the consequences of being a cymakers, takes it as given that the eurozone major anchor currency would be particularly would benefi t if the euro played a more global problematic for the euro. Fortunately, the role. But that is not necessarily true. countries that peg their currency to the euro One such benefi t supposedly derives have little economic weight. Imagine, for from the widespread use of euro banknotes example, that China pegged its currency to outside the single-currency area. On this the euro instead of to the dollar. The Chinese measure at least, the euro has been a big suc- authorities would then determine the euro’s cess. Currency in circulation has more than exchange rate against the dollar – the cur- doubled over the last 20 years, both in abso- rency of the EU’s biggest trading partner and lute terms and as a percentage of eurozone competitor. Being an anchor currency can GDP, and the total value of euro banknotes in actually entail a loss of control. circulation amounts now to €1.2tn ($1.3bn). True, there are other reasons why it might Furthermore, it is commonly estimated that be in Europe’s interest for the euro to play a large fraction of euro cash is used outside a larger global role. For example, the extra- the eurozone. territorial application of sanctions by the But the economics of banknote issuance US makes it extremely diffi cult for European have changed. Issuance was previously a companies to maintain trade ties with Iran, profi table business for central banks, because because most of Iran’s international trade is they could invest the proceeds in government invoiced and settled in dollars. But the abil- bonds with a decent yield. With interest rates ity of the US to apply sanctions so widely is at 5%, and €1.2tn of notes in circulation, the essentially due to its diplomatic and military European Central Bank could have generated power. Even if the euro played a much larger revenue of about €60bn a year. Though small role in global fi nance, the US would remain declined from about 25% when the euro was on the other hand, could increase its global Either way, it is a good thing that early compared to the eurozone’s overall GDP of dominant in terms of hard power. born to 15% today, and will soon fall below role only by slowing the relative decline of the hopes for the euro to become a true global €10tn, this sum is equivalent to almost one- Having a global reserve currency makes 10%. eurozone economy through rapid growth. currency have not been realised. The half of the EU’s budget. sense for a large economy that is not too The relative weight of the US economy will But, even assuming that the eurozone’s eurozone currently is facing enough economic At today’s negative interest rates, however, exposed to the rest of the world. The US fi ts of course also decrease as China and India relative decline continues, this would not challenges without the additional burden of currency issuance is no longer profi table. This the bill. It makes less sense for the somewhat continue to grow faster. But the dollar will re- necessarily mean a fall in living standards. issuing a global reserve currency. – Project might be another reason why the ECB decided smaller eurozone economy, where trade in tain its conventional role as the key currency The share of Japan’s economy in global GDP Syndicate to stop issuing the €500 note, which is also goods and services accounts for more than for international trade transactions as long has halved over the last 20 years, while living much more convenient than the $100 bill one-quarter of overall GDP. Moreover, the as China limits capital movements to keep standards there have continued to improve, Daniel Gros is Director of the Center for for handling large amounts of black money. eurozone’s share of the global economy has control over its domestic economy. The euro, albeit slowly. European Policy Studies.

LEGAL HELPLINE Three-day forecast

TODAY Maximum Temperature : 240c Procedure for execution of court judgment Minimum Temperature : 160c SUNDAY Maximum Temperature : 240c Minimum Temperature : 190c By Dr Nizar Kochery employee to sign a document if it is restricted as to place and to cover the rent due from the ten- Doha which is an addendum to the type of the work to the extent nec- ant? Please advise. MONDAY employment contract. In the essary to safeguard the employer’s Maximum Temperature : 240c contract, the employee is re- lawful interests. Though Law No. 21 SK, Doha Minimum Temperature : 180c Question: I have obtained a judg- stricted from being engaged in of 2015 has abolished the two-year Fisherman's forecast ment in a case and when I went to employment as per Section 43 ban on employees to obtain work A: The lessor can get the property start execution of the judgment, of Labour. What is mentioned in visa, the restrictive covenant pre- vacated for non-payment of rent. As WARNING Inshore : Nil the clerk at court said I must get the provision? Is it legal to have venting the employee from working per rent laws, the tenant is legally Offshore : Nil an execution stamp. What is this such a restriction when the new with competitor still exists. obliged to pay rent in seven days from and how can I get this? law has removed the provision of the due date. In the event of WEATHER Inshore : Misty at places at first, two-year ban? Please advise. non-payment within the period, the moderate temperature LO, Doha Recovering rent lessor can fi le a rental case before the daytime with scattered OC, Doha Rental Dispute Settlement Commit- clouds and chance of dues from tenant light rain by evening, Answer: According to Article 128 of tee. In order to claim before the com- relatively cold by night. the Civil and Commercial Procedure A: According to Article 43 of the mittee or court, the landlord should Law, the copy of the judgment under Labour Law, if the nature of the Q: We have re-rented a prop- register the lease contract at the offi ce Offshore : Partly cloudy with which the execution will be under- work allows the employee to become erty to a family with the for Registration of Lease Contracts chance of scattered rain at times taken shall be sealed by the court and acquainted with the clients of the landlord’s permission. We at Ministry of Municipal Aff airs and WIND signed by the Registry of the court, employer or the business secrets have entered into a sub-lease Agriculture. In case of sub-lease, the Inshore : Southeasterly 05-15/18 after affi xing the executive form, and of the establishment, the employer agreement with the tenant. The main lease agreement registration is KT Offshrore : Southeasterly-Easterly it shall only be delivered to the party may stipulate that the employee tenant was prompt in payment required for the registration of the 05-15/20 KT that is interested in executing the shall not compete with him or par- in the initial months and later sub-lease agreement. The Visibility : 4-8/3 KM judgment, and only when execution ticipate in any undertaking com- on there were payment delays. registration of both lease agreements is permissible. If the Registry refuses peting with him after expiry of the Now we have three months’ is mandatory for bringing the claim. Offshore : 2-4/6 FT to give the fi rst executive copy, the contract. The period of such under- rent due. We have already paid Around the region applicant may submit a complaint taking shall not exceed two years. the yearly rent in advance to Please send your questions to Weather Weather petition to the summary judge in the Such stipulation shall be valid only the landlord. How can we re- [email protected] today Max/min tomorrow Max/min court who issued the judgment to Baghdad P Cloudy 18/08 P Cloudy 18/08 issue his order in accordance with the Kuwait CityP Cloudy 20/13 S Showers 20/13 procedure prescribed in the part pro- LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR Manama P Cloudy 24/18 P Cloudy 23/18 viding for Orders on the Application. Muscat Sunny 26/18 Sunny 27/18 Tehran P Cloudy 12/05 Sunny 12/03 According to Article 190 of during the consideration of the case, Punishment for Criminal Procedure Code, the any facts emerge that need to be helping fugitive investigation at a hearing shall start clarifi ed by the suspect to reveal the with calling parties, witnesses and facts, the court shall inform him of Q: My friend was arrested for experts. The suspect shall be asked such facts and permit him to provide keeping some documents, which about his name, surname, profes- clarifi cations. If the suspect declines were handed over by his col- sion, nationality and place of resi- to answer, or his statements in the league for safekeeping. On dence and birth. The charge shall be hearing are contrary to the state- enquiry, we came to know that read out to the suspect and then the ments in the recorded evidences the friend was arrested for sup- Public Prosecution shall submit its or the investigation, the court may porting an offender and he does requests. The suspect shall then be order to read out his previous not have any direct involvement? asked if he has committed the act of statements. The colleague has informed the which he is charged. If he confesses, According to Article 195, after police that the documents con- the court may consider the confes- hearing the testimony of prosecution nected to the committed offence sion as suffi cient, and sentence him witnesses and defense witnesses, the are with our friend. Even if our without hearing the witnesses. Oth- Public Prosecution, the suspect and Around the world friend is not directly connected erwise it shall hear the statements other parties in the case may speak. In Weather Weather with the offence, will he be af- of prosecution witnesses, unless all cases, the suspect shall be the last today Max/min tomorrow Max/min fected in any way? What will be the crime is punishable by death, in one to speak. The court shall decide to Athens P Cloudy 13/04 Sunny 15/07 the punishment under Qatar law which case the court shall complete close the proceedings in the case, and Beirut Showers 15/13 Rain 15/12 for such an issue? Please advise. the investigation. issue its judgment after deliberation. Bangkok Sunny 35/27 M Sunny 33/27 The witnesses are questioned The trial hearing shall be written Berlin Showers 09/05 Rain 09/03 IS, Doha fi rstly by the prosecution, then by about which they have testifi ed, or in a record and the Presiding Judge Cairo P Cloudy 19/09 P Cloudy 19/09 the victim, then by the civil claimant to request the hearing of other wit- and clerk should sign on each page. Cape Town Cloudy 25/17 Cloudy 22/17 A: According to Article 200 of penal in respect of civil rights and then by nesses for this purpose. This record shall include the name Colombo S T Storms 29/23 S T Storms 31/23 laws, any person who knows about the suspect. The Public Prosecu- As per Article 193, the court may, of the court, place and date of the Dhaka P Cloudy 28/17 Sunny 26/14 a crime or a felony and helps the of- tion may re-examine the witnesses at any stage of the case, direct any hearing, whether it is public or in Hong Kong M Cloudy 22/18 P Cloudy 22/19 fender escape justice by lodging him to clarify the facts about which they questions to the witnesses which it camera, the names of judges, and Istanbul Cloudy 08/03 M Sunny 09/04 or concealing relevant evidence shall have testifi ed in their answers. deems necessary for revealing the Public Prosecution member present Jakarta S T Storms 31/25 S T Storms 30/25 be punished with imprisonment for After hearing the prosecution wit- facts, or permits the parties to do in the hearing, clerk, names of the Karachi Sunny 24/13 Sunny 25/14 a term not exceeding one year and/ nesses, the defence witnesses shall so. The court may refuse to hear the suspect and their advocates, names London Cloudy 11/06 Rain 07/03 or a fine not exceeding QR5,000. If be heard and the questions shall be testimony of witnesses on facts it and statements of witnesses, and the Manila M Sunny 33/23 P Cloudy 32/24 capital punishment is the crime’s directed to them by the suspect fi rst, considers as being quite clear. The statements of the parties. The record Moscow Snow -1/-7 Cloudy -4/-4 penalty, the fugitive’s helper shall be then the Public Prosecution, then the court shall prevent from direct- shall refer to the submitted papers New Delhi Sunny 19/07 M Cloudy 19/07 liable to imprisonment for a term not victim and then by the civil claimant. ing any irrelevant or inadmissible and other procedures conducted, New York Sunny 03/-4 P Cloudy 04/-1 exceeding five years. The suspect may direct questions to questions to a witness, and shall stop the applications made during the Paris Cloudy 12/09 Rain 12/04 the defence witnesses to clarify the any act or words or signal that may consideration of the case, the Sao Paulo P Cloudy 32/18 P Cloudy 32/22 facts on which they have testifi ed in confuse or intimidate the witness. adjudication in the primary and Seoul M Sunny -1/-11 Cloudy 01/-9 Restrictive covenant their answers. Each of the parties The court shall not question the secondary issues, the verdict and Singapore S T Storms 32/26 P Cloudy 31/25 for employees may request to re-hear the witnesses witness, unless he accepts this after other procedures conducted during Sydney S T Storms 31/17 Sunny 23/17 to clarify or investigate the facts consulting his attorney, if any. If, the hearing. Tokyo Snow 03/01 Clear 07/01 Q: My employer requires every Gulf Times 16 Saturday, February 9, 2019 QATAR

Indian musician Naveen Kumar performs in Doha

Renowned Indian flautist Naveen Kumar performed with Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra yesterday at the Al Mayassa Theatre of Qatar National Convention Centre as part of the Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019. At the concert sponsored by Indian embassy in Qatar, Kumar along with his team presented some of the most popular numbers of the great Indian music composers such as A R Rahman, Ilaiyaraaja as well as some of the compositions of the well-known Qatari musician Dana Alfardan. PICTURES: Jayan Orma Al Majd Road includes 21

interchanges A view of Al Majd Road. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed

By Peter Alagos the Al Majd Road and Truck Route Business Reporter project. It connects Al Majd Road to Al Rayyan Stadium and Mall of Qatar l Majd Road and Truck to the east and Qatar Rail Depot to Route project, inaugurated the west. Umm Al Juwashin In- Aby HE the Prime Minister terchange — Exit 55 from Al Majd and Minister of Interior Sheikh Road and Exit 21 from Dukhan Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Road has four main bridges and al-Thani on Thursday, includes four loops that connects Al Majd 21 grade-separated interchanges. Road to Dukhan Road in both di- The ceremony included the an- rections. The Umm Al Afaei In- nouncement of the completion of terchange — Exit 4 from Al Majd construction works of four new Road and Exit 22 from Dukhan roads totalling 195km in length: Road connects Al Majd Road to Mesaieed Road, Hamad Port Dukhan Road in both directions Road, Al Wukair Road and Al Majd and provides free fl owing traffi c Road. movement to and from Al Khor, Following are the details of the Salwa Road, Doha, and Dukhan. interchanges, as provided by the Junction 5 (tunnel) — Exit 52 Public Works Authority (Ashghal) towards the north and Exit 1 to- in a statement: wards the south is the point where The Bu Ghurban Interchange the truck lanes split from Al Majd — Exit 13 — includes four main Road main carriageway. Traffi c bridges, four loops, and one ramp travelling through the tunnel will bridge. It provides connectivity head to Umm Al Afaei Interchange between Wukair, Kharrara, and and from there northbound to- Hamad Port Road leading to Me- wards Al Khor. Traffi c travel- saieed Road, G-Ring Road, and ling above the tunnel will head to the Industrial area. The Al Rakb Umm Al Juwashin intersection Road, while providing full free It has four main bridges and Majd Road Q4 is a multi-level in- Interchange – Exit 8 — is a dumb- with Dukhan Road and further to fl ow connectivity to Doha, Bu four loops connecting Al Majd terchange with four main bridges, bell-shaped interchange with two the northeast towards Al Shamal Samra, Mesaieed, and Dukhan Road to southern areas, such as four loops, and one ramp bridge. main bridges and two rounda- Road and Lusail. Road. Bu Al Yawabi Interchange Mesaieed, Al Afj a area, Sealine, It connects Al Majd Road to Al bouts. It will be a future connector Al Mearad Interchange — Exit — Exit 27 includes two separated Salwa Road to the north, and Ha- Mazrooah Road and Al Khor Inter- to Hamad Port Road and Wukair 39 connects Al Majd Road to Al ramp bridges connecting two mad Port and Mesaieed Road to change. The interchange provides Road II, leading to ‘Al Majd Road’. Sailiya Road in all directions, major expressway highways — Al the east. Umm Shahrain Inter- direct and fully-upgraded access The Umm Al Houl Interchange providing free fl ow movement of Majd Road and G-Ring Road. change — Exit 10 from Al Majd to the farms in the northern areas, — Exit 13 from Mesaieed Road and Mesaieed Industrial City (QP- the west, it leads to Al Majd Road traffi c to and from Salwa Road, Bu Jood Interchange — Exit 20 Road Q4 has one main bridge and such as Bu Thaila and Rasheeda. Exit 3 from Hamad Port Road — MIC). heading towards Al Khor, and to the south and northern areas of has four main bridges, four loops two roundabouts. Umm Esmaira Interchange — Exit consists of four main bridges, four The Al Mazrooah Interchange the local road leading to the Doha the country, as well as to and from and two ramp bridges, and con- It connects Al Majd Road to 39 from Al Majd Road Q4 and Exit loops and one ramp bridge. It con- — Exit 72 from Al Majd Road and North Sewage Treatment Plant Dukhan Road. It provides an im- nects Al Majd Road with Wukair Umm Shahrain Road and pro- 82 from Al Shamal Road consists nects two main roads — Mesaieed Exit 61 from Shamal Road — has (DNSTP). portant tie-in to Al Sailiya and Road to the east leading to Al Wu- vides access to Umm Shahrain of four main bridges and one loop. Road and Hamad Port Road. This four main bridges and four loops, The interchange connects Al West Industrial Area. In addition, kair, Hamad Port Road, G-Ring and Umm Leghab areas. It also It connects Al Majd Road to Al interchange links directly to Umm and connects Al Majd Road to Al Majd Road users to Umm Slal it fi lters trucks travelling north Road, and the Industrial Area, connects to Al Majd Road sec- Shamal Road towards Al Ruwais, Al Houl Free Zone, Al Wakrah, the Shamal Road in both northbound Mohammed Area and Al Maz- and southbound to and from the and to the west with Al Kharrara. tion between Al Shamal Road and Al Khor, and Ras Laff an. This in- southern part of the Doha Express and southbound directions. The rooah Market. The Al Themaid Industrial Area to their designat- Birkat Al Awamer Interchange — Dukhan Road. Rawdat Al Ghar- terchange provides direct access Highway, G-Ring Road, and In- eastern limit of Al Majd Road Interchange — Exit 60 has two ed lanes. Construction works at Exit 15 has two main bridges and gat Interchange — Exit 20 from for traffi c coming from southern dustrial Area. leads to Al Khor Expressway, con- separated ramp bridges connect- Al Mearad Interchange are sched- connects Al Majd Road to Wukair Al Majd Road Q4 has one main areas via Al Majd Road towards The Hamad Port Interchange necting to Lusail and to Rawdat Al ing Al Majd Road and Al Rufaa uled to complete in April 30, 2019. Road II leading to Hamad Port bridge and two roundabouts, all northern cities. It also pro- — Exit 9 — has four main bridges, Hamama area. Street in both directions towards Mesaieed Interchange — Exit Road. and connects Al Majd Road to Al vides direct free fl owing access four loops and one ramp bridge. It The Jery Al Samur Interchange Al Rufaa and Al Shamal Road in 36 from Al Majd Road and Exit Khuwaiteem Interchange — Gharrafa Road and provides an to the south bypassing Al Shamal connects the upgraded Mesaieed — Exit 68 consists of one main the east, and towards Dukhan and 26 from Salwa Road is a major in- Exit 10 from Al Majd Road Q2 is east-west access between Umm Road. This interchange leads traf- Road to Al Majd Road and directly bridge and two roundabouts. On Salwa Road in the west. The Jery terchange with six main bridges, the southernmost interchange of Slal, Aletourriya, and Al Shee- fi c directly to Al Uqda Equestrian leads to the main entrance of Ha- the east, it leads to Bu Fusailia Al Dabi Interchange — Exit 57 is four loops and two ramp bridges. the Al Majd Road and Truck Route haniya areas. Megareen Bakheela Complex and Al Bayt Stadium in mad Port and Qatar Petroleum and Gharrafat Al Rayyan area. On only signalised interchange on It connects Al Majd Road to Salwa project. Interchange — Exit 35 from Al Al Khor.

Sport contests for people with special needs concluded

QNA holds special day activities for boys fi cation by the federation, which capacity developing, social net- used in the future. Lulwa al-Marri Doha and girls on an annual basis in or- closely monitors competitions. In working. Al-Khater thanked the hailed the idea of school Olympic der to give this community the op- a press statement, Assistant Un- organisers of the event and the programme and the allocation of portunity to practise sport, and to dersecretary for Educational af- Olympic Committee for holding a special day for people with spe- he sport day competi- emphasise their important role in fairs at the Ministry of Education these sports events because they cial needs within the programme, tions for people with spe- society. Qatar Foundation for Re- and Higher Education Fawzia al- have already achieved great inter- pointing to great interaction be- Tcial needs concluded on habilitation of Special Needs gives Khater praised the organisation action among the students and tween nearly 700 male students Thursday with girls’ competi- great attention to this programme of the day for people with special motivated them to participate, and nearly 300 female students tions, organised by school Ol- as it is seen as a source to discover needs within the school Olym- stressing that this is a part of the during the two-day event in the ympic programme on the fi eld of talents, who will join the national pic programme, adding that the Ministry of Education’s strategy Qatar Sports Club, which hosted Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium at team to participate in various Para- Ministry of Education and Higher that addresses their needs. the competitions. The Organising Committee of the school Olympic programme holds Qatar Sports Club. lympic competitions, in which Qa- Education pays special attention President of Qatar Women Sport Aisha Askar, an expert on scout- special day activities for boys and girls on an annual basis in order Girls’ competitions witnessed tar has achieved great results. to people with special needs at all Committee (QWSC) Lulwa al- ing and guidance activities at the to give this community the opportunity to practise sport, and to good participation, where more The Organising Committee levels, not only for the develop- Marri affi rmed the importance of Qatar Scout Association and the emphasise their important role in society. than 300 female students com- held the boys’ day competitions. ment of students in the academic holding this special day annually special needs division manager, peted in nine sports categories, As many as 76 boys and girls par- aspects, but also in other aspects. within the framework of the school described the participation as great unique sporting potential. Askar school programme is a great idea which included running and ticipated amid strong competi- This is because sport is an Olympic programme in order to and eff ective, and added that the said it is an opportunity to integrate that contributes to detecting tal- jumping. tion between the participants important dimension of the stu- give people with disabilities an op- annual competition is an opportu- students with special needs into ents and developing their abilities The Organising Committee of who showed high abilities after dent’s personality development, portunity to compete and highlight nity to discover talents among peo- society because sport is a passion at all levels, especially among peo- the school Olympic programme receiving full training and quali- which includes communication, their sporting potential that can be ple with special needs who have for participants. She noted that the ple with special needs.