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WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11330 October 9, 2019 Safar 10, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Sheikha Jawaher honours QU female graduates

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim al-Thani with the outstanding graduates at the Qatar University graduation ceremony. 411 outstanding students conferred degrees

QNA the global rankings achieved, in ad- graduation ceremony was a recog- Doha dition to QU’s role and its vision in nition of Qatari female intellectu- the service of society and the State als’ promising and pioneering role in accordance with Qatar National “for the good of our country and our er Highness Sheikha Jawa- Vision 2030. wise leadership”. her bint Hamad bin Suhaim Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Aisha Khalid al-Mulla from the Hal-Thani, wife of His High- honoured 411 outstanding gradu- College of Business and Economics ness the Amir, patronised the 2019 ates, out of the total 2,468 in various delivered a speech on behalf of the graduation ceremony of Qatar Uni- disciplines. graduating female students, saying versity’s 42nd batch of female stu- Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham, that education was and is still the dents at the QU Sports and Events President of Qatar University, de- basis on which communities and Complex yesterday. livered a speech expressing pride in countries are built, and is the best The ceremony was attended by a QU’s female graduates. He said the way to build a distinct society with number of Sheikhs and ministers, Qatari society aspires to achieve an distinct thought. “It is an eff ective along with members of the univer- advanced status among other na- tool to address all kinds of corrup- sity’s administration and faculty, tions, and the nation will never for- tion,” she said pointing to the wise students’ parents and guests. get the roles played by the mothers, leadership’s attention and focus On the occasion, a fi lm was sisters and daughters in achieving on education, as it is a cornerstone Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim al-Thani honours an outstanding student at the graduation ceremony. screened about the university’s this goal. of the Qatar National Vision 2030. achievements in 2019, as well as Dr al-Derham added that the Page 20 Turkey boosts troops on border with Syria Turkey yesterday sent more armoured vehicles to the border with Syria after Qatar to sequester over 5mn tonnes of CO2 a year by 2025 the defence ministry said Ankara was ready for a cross-border off ensive. atar will capture and sequester more than try’s hydrocarbons bellwether. which is building the fi rst IPP solar power plant Dozens of vehicles made up a large 5mn tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year With respect to Greenhouse gas emissions, in Qatar producing about 700-800 megawatts of convoy in the town of Akcakale in Qby 2025, HE the Minister of State for En- he said Qatar is investing hundreds of millions power by 2021. Sanliurfa province. Page 8 ergy Aff airs Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi said yes- of dollars in its North Field LNG expansion Other investments include the signifi cant steps terday. project to apply technologies that will result in already taken towards the implementation of a Addressing the 40th Oil and Money Confer- a 25% reduction in such emissions compared long-term climate and environmental sustain- Brexit talks with EU ence in London under the theme ‘Strategies for to similar facilities through substantial reduc- ability strategy for Qatar’s LNG industry. on verge of collapse the Energy Transition’, al-Kaabi said Qatar has tion of fuel gas consumption and capturing and “We believe that natural gas is the destination Brexit talks between Britain and the successfully commissioned the largest carbon re-injecting carbon dioxide extracted from the fuel in that energy transition...We are working with European Union teetered on the dioxide recovery and sequestration facility in the feed gas. more countries across the globe to ensure the secu- verge of collapse yesterday, with Middle East and North Africa region with a ca- “We need to reach the right balance of reliable rity of their energy supplies and the sustainability of tit-for-tat claims of intransigence and pacity of 2.1mn tonnes of carbon dioxide a year at and secure sources of energy, which maintains their economic growth,” he said, adding Doha is also sabotage before an end of October Ras Laff an. our growth needs while at the same time allevi- dedicating greater eff orts to produce the industry’s deadline. UK Prime Minister Boris “With such new carbon capture and storage ates our environmental concerns,” said HE al- most environmentally sustainable LNG. Johnson spoke to German Chancellor projects, Qatar’s LNG (liquefi ed natural gas) in- Kaabi. The 40th annual Oil and Money Conference Angela Merkel as he tried to salvage dustry will be capturing and sequestering more The minister highlighted some of Qatar’s most is co-hosted by The New York Times and Energy new divorce terms he has proposed than 5mn tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum by strategic projects and investments as part of its Intelligence, and is attended by senior executives, ahead of next week’s pivotal EU 2025,” said HE al-Kaabi, who is also the president eff orts to address climate change concerns, in- HE Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi addressing the 40th policymakers, fi nanciers, strategists and experts summit in Brussels. Page 11 and chief executive of Qatar Petroleum, the coun- cluding establishing Siraj Energy, a new company Oil and Money Conference in London. from the international oil and gas industry. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 QATAR

Philippine Senate Qatar-Ivory Coast legal ties reviewed PM meets prosecutor-general of Tajikistan president meets Qatari ambassador President of the Senate of the Philippines Vicente Sotto III met Qatar’s ambassador Ali bin Ibrahim Al Malki in Manila yesterday. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and ways of supporting and developing them, as well as matters of common concern. Afghan Senate House chief meets Qatari envoy

HE the Chairman of the Afghan Senate House, Meshrano Jirga, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met Fazal Hadi Muslimayar met the the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, and Keeper of the Seals of the Republic of Ivory Coast, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met Qatar’s ambassador Saeed bin Sansan Kambile, and the accompanying delegation, in Doha yesterday. During the meeting, they the Prosecutor-General of Tajikistan, Rahmon Yusuf Ahmadzod, and the accompanying delegation, Mubarak al-Khayarin in Kabul reviewed relations between Qatar and Ivory Coast and ways of developing them, especially in the in Doha yesterday. Bilateral relations between Qatar and Tajikistan and aspects of enhancing and yesterday. During the meeting, legal and judicial fields. They also discussed topics of common interest. developing them were discussed, especially in the legal and judicial fields. they reviewed bilateral relations and ways of boosting them, as well as matters of common concern. Training workshop Al-Marri signs MoU with Tajik counterpart on combating human traff icking Ministry unveils The Public Prosecution, represented by the Institute of Criminal Studies, is organising a training workshop on combating human traff icking, in co-operation with the National Committee for mental health Combating Human Traff icking and the British embassy in Doha. The workshop is part of the international eff orts to combat human traff icking. The workshop, which began awareness drive yesterday, aims to equip the participants with the necessary z ‘It’s OK not to be OK’ focuses on removal of stigma information and skills on the rules of international law and the provisions of international QNA conventions in the field of Doha combating human traff icking. The three-day training workshop will be attended he Ministry of Public HE the Attorney-General Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri yesterday signed a Memorandum of by representatives from Health (MoPH) along with Understanding (MoU) in the field of public prosecution with the Prosecutor-General of Tajikistan several official bodies in the TQatar’s leading healthcare Rahmon Yusuf Ahmadzod. The MoU aims to enhance co-operation between the two sides in the country, namely the National providers, has launched a public field of public prosecution and to exchange expertise and laws related to the work of prosecutors Committee for Combating awareness campaign to educate in both countries. The Attorney-General met with his Tajik counterpart, where they exchanged Human Trafficking, the Supreme the public about mental health views on a number of issues of common interest and on ways of closer co-operation in the field of Judiciary Council and the and to remove the stigma associ- exchange of expertise and training. Ministry of Interior, as well as ated with mental health condi- the Public Prosecution. tions. The MoPH is collaborating with Hamad Medical Corpora- tion (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine, and Naufar for the Dr Majid al-Abdulla Dr Samya Ahmad al-Abdulla HBKU attends Moscow Graduate Fair, campaign, which begins on 10 October, World Mental Health Day. Chair of the National Task- delegation visits Russian universities force for Mental Health and Wellbeing and Chief of the Con- tinuing Care Group at HMC, QNA of Student Aff airs at HBKU Mar- Mahmoud Saleh al-Raisi, ex- Doha yam Hamad al-Mannai said: plained that raising awareness “One of HBKU’s core missions about mental health and wellbe- is to discover innovative solu- ing is of enormous importance elegates from Hamad tions that are locally relevant but and is one of the seven priority Bin Khalifa University’s with global impact. We can only areas outlined in Qatar’s Nation- D(HBKU) six colleges are achieve the latter by being a truly al Health Strategy. currently in Russia meeting stu- global university.” He added in a press state- dents and fellow academics with She added, “To this end, we’re ment yesterday that “Across the Mahmoud Saleh al-Raisi Iain Tulley the objective being to heighten encouraged by the potential that world, increasingly, more is be- awareness of the University’s Russian students and graduates ing done to raise awareness of Mental health aff ects us all and the country. We will continue to dynamic programmes and en- could bring to our programmes. mental health issues. In Qatar the more comfortable we are work with healthcare partners courage high-calibre candidates Our delegates have been con- we want to go further as recent talking about it, the easier it will and other organisations across to continue their studies with sistently impressed with their research suggests that one in fi ve be for people to ask for help,” Qatar to raise the profi le of men- one of the Gulf region’s leading natural enthusiasm for academic people in Qatar will be aff ected said Dr al-Abdulla. tal health and wellbeing and to research-focused universities. studies as well as their inter- by a mental illness at any given “It is important that people promote an environment where HBKU had a booth at the lat- est in studying overseas. We’re point in time,”. understand the potential sever- mental health is talked about as est QS World Grad School Tour confi dent that HBKU can make Dr Samya Ahmad al-Abdulla, ity of mental illness. Just be- openly as physical health,”. The educational fair. a telling contribution to their Deputy National Lead for Mental cause the outward symptoms campaign will run throughout The event provided prospec- academic and professional jour- HBKU had a booth at the latest QS World Grad School Tour Health and Wellbeing and Ex- of conditions such as depres- October and November and in- tive students and graduates with neys.” educational fair. ecutive Director of Operations, sion and anxiety can go unseen, clude messaging via newspa- opportunities to meet faculty PHCC, explained that mental we must not underestimate the pers, TV, radio, and social media, members and consider study op- health is about “the way we think, impact they can have on the as well as several events for both tions based on the University’s feel, and behave and our ability to individual. Mental health and the community and healthcare multidisciplinary programmes. manage everyday situations”. physical health should not be workers. The delegation also visited the “We all experience feelings of thought of as separate. They are The campaign’s fi rst commu- Moscow State Institute of Inter- stress, anxiety, and sadness, and often directly linked; physical nity event takes place inside the national Relations, the European most of the time these feelings illness can increase a person’s Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) University in St Petersburg, and pass quickly, but for some peo- risk of developing mental illness this weekend, Friday, 11 October a number of other leading uni- ple, these feelings persist and and, similarly, mental illness can and Saturday, 12 October. versities across Russia, to intro- negatively impact their quality negatively impact on physical Staff from mental health duce Hamad bin Khalifa Univer- of life,” Dr al-Abdulla said. health,” stated Dr Majid al-Ab- teams across the healthcare sys- sity and to highlight what makes One of the main challenges for dulla, Chair of the Mental Health tem will be off ering advice and studying in Qatar a unique and people with mental illness is the Service at HMC. education on mental health is- distinctive choice. stigma associated with it. Qatar National Health Strat- sues to the public. The delegation reviewed the This stigma often makes it egy 2018-2022 Lead for Mental Visitors to the MIA will also be eff orts of its six faculties, their diffi cult for people experiencing Health and Wellbeing and CEO able to take part in the Wheel of potentials and the vital pro- mental health symptoms to talk of HMC’s Mental Health Serv- Wellbeing activities. grammes they off er, to encour- openly and to seek help. ice, Iain Tulley, underlined the These six activities provide age highly qualifi ed candidates “This is why the campaign is importance of focusing on men- a fun and interactive way to get from Russia and other countries being run under the theme ‘It’s tal health for Qatar and said: people thinking about some of to continue their studies at one OK not to be OK’, sending a clear “The launch of this campaign the things they can do to help of the leading research universi- message that mental health is- emphasises the priority that improve their mood, reduce the ties in the Gulf region. sues are very common and not is being given to mental health risk of depression, and strength- Speaking after the most recent something to be ashamed of. across the health system and en relationships. university visit, Vice-President The HBKU delegation visited several Russian universities. QFFD, QRCS team up to provide healthcare for Syrian refugees in Jordan

QNA lishing clinics for Syrian refu- The implementation of this meeting the standards of QRCS in the camp and revise the serv- pressure due to large inflow building and the strengthening Doha gees. project follows three phases – and QFFD. ices packages provided in the of refugee populations, it be- of healthcare system, besides The Qatari clinics under the 1st Phase will include renewing clinic. comes a priority to support the strengthening surveillance, de- supervision of the QRCS have and reviewing licensing and reg- A high-level delegation The main objective is to en- capacity of healthcare services tection, response and prevention atar Fund for Develop- been providing primary health- istering of the Qatari clinics in from QFFD visited Za’atari sure that all basic health needs in the host countries, one of of infectious diseases is a prior- ment (QFFD) has signed care services for over four years Za’atari camp. The 2nd Phase in- camp in the beginning are adequately met. which is Jordan, to help ensure ity, as well as increasing access Qan agreement with Qatar and are a major contributor to cludes assessing the status of the of this year to observe A high-level delegation from that primary healthcare serv- to chronic disease treatment Red Crescent Society (QRCS) to the healthcare system within the infrastructure and equipment of the situation in the camp QFFD visited Za’atari camp in ices to both Syrian refugees and services. support the provision of life- camp. The clinics provide life- the Qatari clinics. and QFFD-funded health the beginning of this year to ob- host communities are effec- By promoting healthcare sys- saving Primary Healthcare for saving health services (counsel- In order to ensure quality de- programmes serve the situation in the camp tively provided. tems, QFFD aims to facilitate the Syrian refugees in Al Za’tari ling and treatment) for all ages. livery of services and effi cient and QFFD-funded health pro- This support comes in various inclusion of Syrian refugees and camp in Jordan. They have also been providing use of resources ensuring all in- In the 3rd Phase QFFD and grammes. forms, including direct support reduce pressure on services to This agreement is a continu- dental services for the last three struments and equipment in the QRCS will co-ordinate with UN- As the health systems in the through the provision of equip- host communities and increase ation of Qatar’s policy of estab- years, as well as prenatal care. clinic are in good condition and HCR and Health Working Group Zaatari camp is facing a major ment and supplies, capacity- fl exibility. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 3 QATAR

Education minister attends meetings in Muscat Al-Mahmoud meets Serbia’s envoy

HE the Speaker of the Shura Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud met the ambassador of Serbia to Qatar, Jasminko Pozderac. They reviewed bilateral relations between Qatar and Serbia and ways of enhancing them, especially in the parliamentary field. The meeting was attended by off icials at the Shura Council.

Qatar participated in the 19th meeting of the Committee of Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the third meeting of the GCC Ministers of Education Committee in Muscat yesterday. The delegation was headed by HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi. A preparatory meeting for the higher education and scientific research undersecretaries in the GCC was held on Sunday and Monday, during which the Qatari delegation was headed by HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi. Indian Navy ship to arrive

FM sends message at Hamad Port today to Dominican Qatar Pavilion in Beijing expo counterpart ndian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Mysore’, a guided mis- speeds in excess of 30 knots (about 55kmph). sile destroyer of the Indian Navy, will arrive at Equipped with an array of weapon and sensors, The Minister of Foreign Aff airs of IHamad Port today. the ship is capable of addressing and neutralising the Dominican Republic Miguel This was announced by the Indian embassy in threats from the air, sea and undersea. The ship’s wins two prestigious awards Vargas has received a written Doha yesterday. combat power is supplemented by two helicopters. message from HE the Deputy A press statement issued by the embassy noted Named after the historic city of Mysuru in south- Prime Minister and Minister of that Indian naval ships have been frequently vis- ern India, ‘Mysore’ is the second ship in the Indian QNA Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed iting Qatar in the framework of the deep-rooted Navy to bear the same name. Her illustrious pred- Beijing bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, friendly ties and multi-faceted and growing co- ecessor served the Indian Navy with distinction pertaining to the bilateral operation between India and the State of Qatar”. from 1957 till 1985, remaining at the forefront of relations and ways of enhancing INS ‘Mysore’ (D60) is the second ship of the Del- every major campaign that the navy undertook he Qatar Pavilion has them. hi-class guided missile destroyers and was com- during this period. won the most prestigious The written message was handed missioned into the Indian Navy on June 2, 1999. The ship is currently deployed in the Arabian Tawards for foreign pavil- over by acting charge d’aff aires One of the largest warships designed and built in Gulf and Gulf of Oman for Operation ‘Sankalp’ to ions participating in the Inter- of the Qatari embassy to the India, she displaces 6,700 tonnes and is capable of support the safe transit of Indian-fl agged merchant national Horticultural Exhibi- Dominican Republic Yasser Awad ships through the Gulf region. The ship’s deploy- tion (Expo Beijing 2019). al-Abdullah, during his meeting ment in the region is in pursuance of the Indian The Qatar Pavilion won the with the Minister of Foreign Navy’s commitment towards ensuring the safety of grand award of the expo’s or- Relations of the Dominican Indian Flag Merchant vessels, the statement adds. ganising committee for the best Republic yesterday. ‘Mysore’ has a crew of 40 offi cers and 300 sail- foreign pavilion and the grand ors who abide by the ship’s motto, ‘Always Fearless’. award of the International Asso- Qatar attends GCC The ship is currently being commanded by Capt ciation of Horticultural Produc- Prakash Gopalan. ers (AIPH). Cultural Committee “While the ship’s visit to Qatar is a testimony to The awards were received by The awards were received by the deputy commissioner-general of meeting in Oman the friendly ties between India and Qatar, it also the deputy commissioner-gen- the Qatar Pavilion at the expo, Dr Fikra Ashkanani. highlights the Indian Navy’s commitment to build eral of the Qatar Pavilion at the The 49th meeting of the Cultural co-operative partnerships with friendly nations expo, Dr Fikra Ashkanani, at a Committee of the Gulf Co- of the Indian Ocean region to develop solutions to ceremony held on the occasion operation Council (GCC) was held INS ‘Mysore’ meet maritime challenges,” the statement adds. where winners were honoured in Muscat yesterday. and awards were distributed. Qatar was represented in the Dr Ashkanani expressed her meeting by Director of Culture happiness at winning the two and Arts Department at the awards, pointing out that the Ministry of Culture and Sports Qatar-US parliamentary ties discussed honour was the result of the col- Hamad Mohamed al-Zakiba. lective eff orts by the members The Director of Culture and Arts of the Qatar Pavilion Commit- Department at the Ministry of tee, as well as the “great support Culture and Sports said that the from the Ministry of Municipal- Cultural Committee discussed ity and Environment”. many topics related to the Dr Ashkanani added that they common Gulf cultural aff airs the were overwhelmed by the hon- The Sidra tree remains strong The International Association most important of which is the our. and green despite drought and of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) new cultural strategy of the GCC Member of the Qatar Pavilion lack of water, which symbolises promotes and supports horticul- countries, which will be put in at the expo Beijing, Faisal Ab- the rigidity and perseverance of tural producers, organises and su- place next year and lasts until dullah al-Dosari, expressed his Qatar to overcome all diffi culties pervises festivals and exhibitions 2030. happiness over the achievement and tribulations. related to horticulture. The committee also discussed and explained that the eff orts Over 2mn people belonging The association also works to co-operation with international exerted by the Qatar Pavilion to various nationalities and age stimulate the increasing demand organisations with which it Qatar Parliamentary Friendship Group with the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand Committee and the unlimited groups visited the Qatar Pavilion for ornamental trees, plants and has agreements related to the in the Shura Council, chaired by Nasser bin Khalil al-Jaida, met yesterday with a delegation of senior support of the Ministry of Mu- at the expo and were impressed fl owers worldwide, as well as to cultural, heritage and artistic members of the US Congress, who are currently visiting Qatar. During the meeting, they discussed nicipality and Environment re- by this masterpiece of urban and protect and promote the inter- fields, and reviewed the schedule parliamentary relations between the Shura Council and the US Congress and ways to support them. sulted in this win. diverse activities, which were ests of the industry and strive to of the cultural projects that the The meeting was attended by members of the Friendship Group. The win is an affi rmation of designed specifi cally to suit all secure best practices in the pro- ministries of culture in the GCC the eff orts exerted by Qatar rep- visitors. duction of ornamental plants. countries will seek to implement. resented by the Ministry of Mu- The organising committee of AIPH has set several criteria The meetings of the GCC nicipality and Environment, he expo Beijing had set many condi- for evaluating the participants, Culture Ministers will also be added. tions and criteria for the evaluation including designs, environmen- accompanied by a ceremony The Qatar Pavilion used eco- of entries, and the Qatar Pavilion tal protection and compliance to honour creative individuals Woqod opens new Al Wajba 2 petrol station friendly materials, designed by has met all the required criteria and with specifi c conditions, as well in the Gulf, during which two Qatari engineer Fatima Fawzi, deserved the grand prize. as ensuring the health and care individuals from each country will s part of its ongoing expansion plans to serve inspired by the Sidra tree, which The pavilion also won the of the plants grown in the pavil- be honoured in various cultural every area in Qatar, Qatar Fuel (Woqod) enjoys the love and appreciation grand prize of the International ion, including the types of plants fields. Aopened the Al Wajba 2 petrol station yester- of the Qatari community for its Association of Horticultural and their association with the Qatari writer Dr Mariam al-Naimi day, raising its network of petrol stations across the qualities of strength and rigidity Producers (AIPH), which is an local species grown in the natu- and artist Ghazi Hussein from country to 90. and ability to withstand all the organiser and licensor of the ral environment of the partici- Qatar will be honoured during Woqod managing director & CEO Saad Rashid diffi cult circumstances. expo Beijing. pating country. the ceremony. al-Muhannadi said: “We are pleased to open the new fixed petrol station in Al Wajba. Woqod as- pires to expand its petrol station network in the country to meet the rising demand for petroleum products and achieve the goal of providing cus- tomers with access to best-in-class products and QA, HIA, QAS and QDF join hands services at their convenience and comfort. “Woqod has recently accelerated the process for the construction of new petrol stations to meet the fuel and energy needs of the country. Woqod team for Breast Cancer Awareness Month would like to extend their gratitude to all concerned government and private entities that contributed to Al-Muhannadi added that Woqod is currently the completion of this project.” overseeing the implementation of 21 new petrol atar Airways has joined Vibiano Vecchio eco-range, for the cause.” Al Wajba 2 petrol station is spread over an area of stations, most of them will be operational this year. forces with Hamad In- passengers travelling on ultra- HIA has been dedicated to 11,300sq m and has four lanes with 12 dispensers. He added that as part of its strategic expansion Qternational Airport long-haul or long-haul fl ights in social and health initiatives and It off ers round-the-clock services to residents, in plan, “Woqod is targeting a total of 114 fuel stations (HIA), Qatar Aviation Serv- First Class and Business Class. has previously entered partner- addition to sale of gasoline and diesel products for by the end of 2020.” ices (QAS), and Qatar Duty Free Qatar Airways senior vice ships to provide additional serv- light vehicles. (QDF) to show their united sup- president – executive adviser to ices to passengers with special port for Breast Cancer Aware- the Group chief executive, Na- needs, with a focus on passen- ness Month with a series of beela Fakhri, said: “We are proud gers with autism. ‘Think Pink’ themed events and to unite with our partners HIA, educational booth off ering key Qatar Duty Free senior vice- Hashish found in shoes giveaways throughout October. QAS, and QDF to, once again, messages around the importance president, Bruce Bowman, said: Activities for staff will include show our commitment to rais- of early screening and detection “QDF will be displaying a ‘call to pink giveaways and a series of ing awareness of breast cancer, to passengers passing through action’ in all our outlets, both at lectures from the Qatar Can- as well as our support for those Qatar Airways home and hub. HIA and in Doha, to help under- The General Authority of Customs cer Society (QCS) at HIA, along aff ected by it. Hamad International Airport line the importance of regular (GAC) said it foiled an attempt with awareness workshops, free “Together we hope to reach as vice-president of Marketing breast screening and encourage to smuggle in 785gm of hashish, mammogram screening by qual- many people as possible, wheth- and Corporate Communica- donations to the Qatar Cancer which was found hidden inside the ifi ed medical staff for all eligible er employees or passengers, and tions, Abdulaziz al-Mass, said: Society.” shoes of a passenger arriving at employees, and the return of an- help save lives with vital infor- “As Qatar’s gateway to the Qatar Aviation Services senior Hamad International Airport from nual Charity Bazaar fundraising mation about the tell-tale signs world, part of our mission is to vice president, Mehmet Murat an Asian country. Pictured is a grab events at a variety of Qatar Air- to look out for and where to go support and inspire the com- Nursel, said: “The alarming rise from a video posted on the GAC’s ways locations. for help.” munity we serve. Our bespoke in the number of cancer patients Twitter page. The airline will also be re- As part of HIA’s month-long breast cancer educational is very distressing and we en- launching a refreshed version ‘Think Pink’ campaign, airport booth will engage passengers courage everyone, women and of its pink BRICs amenity kits, staff will be inviting breast can- travelling through HIA to raise men, to take all the necessary which contains exclusive prod- cer survivors to talk about their awareness and encourage peo- precautions in order to ensure ucts from Italy’s Castello Monte experience, and setting up an ple to get screened and support their well-being.” Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 QATAR

QNRF programme to build Qatar’s research profi le Qatar Charity-Unicef programme benefi ts thousands in Pakistan atar National Research develop local human capital, we Fund (QNRF), a mem- strive to encourage our research- Qber of Qatar Foundation, ers to tackle and overcome the atar Charity continues to im- Because of Qatar Charity’s awareness has announced the launch of a major research challenges that plement the Water, Sanitation campaign within the framework of the new programme – the Research- are present not only in the re- Qand Hygiene (WASH) project in project, 59,360 people have access to pri- ers Exchange and Mobility Pro- gion, but around the world. To Shorkot located in the Pakistani province mary and basic hygiene and hand-wash- gramme (REMP). that end, research institutions Punjab. The WASH project comes as part ing facilities in their homes, while 261,000 The call for applications globally are advancing innova- of Qatar Charity’s partnership with Unicef became able to change their behaviour opened yesterday and will con- tive technologies and building and is expected to benefi t more than and increase their knowledge of hygiene. clude on November 18. knowledge to address these chal- 44,000 households in 98 villages, includ- As part of its work in schools, Qatar Interested Qatari nationals lenges, and through the REMP, ing people with special needs. Charity has established 340 school clubs and eligible residents are en- we want our local talent to be at At a joint meeting of Qatar Charity and and 1,117 teachers have been trained to im- couraged to apply. the centre of these eff orts. Unicef, the latter expressed satisfaction prove school health and hygiene condition. REMP is designed to help “I am certain that this new with the progress of the project. Local Unicef held a workshop to review the students and employees build programme will be received with representatives also expressed their confi - progress made on the WASH project, and their employability skills and a lot of enthusiasm by Qatar’s dence in the quality of the project. discuss its challenges. A team from Qatar strengthen their research capa- academic and research commu- Of the 14,258 households, who did not Charity’s offi ces in Islamabad and Shorkot bilities through international re- nity as well as our students who have toilets in their homes at the launch and the government and society repre- search collaborations. will make the most out of this of the project, 8,564 households have so sentatives attended the workshop. The programme aims to raise novel opportunity.” far managed to build lavatories in their Prakash Raj Lamsal, Unicef Water, San- the interdisciplinary research Along with building the re- homes, taking the completion rate of the itation and Hygiene specialist, expressed profi le of Qatar by focusing on search culture in Qatar, the pro- project to 60%. his satisfaction with the progress made so the four pillars of the Qatar Na- gramme will also help cement Qatar Charity also installed a far on the project. tional Research Strategy: Energy relations of local researchers and 50,000-gallon water plant that contrib- Qatar Charity and Unicef are working and Environment; Computer institutions with the interna- uted to the clean drinking water supply as a single team to achieve the same goals, Science and ICT; Health; and tional research and development for 200 houses, benefi ting 1,400 people in Lamsal noted. Social Sciences, Arts and Hu- network. Jhang, in addition to building seven toilets The director of Qatar Charity’s offi ce in manities. Moreover, it will also produce for people with special needs, and install- Pakistan Ameen Abdul Rahman, thanked Dr Abdul Sattar al-Taie, ex- tangible research outcomes to ing basins in 18 public schools to promote Unicef for organising the workshop. “We ecutive director of QNRF, said: help bridge the gap between the culture of washing hands with water are working together for the betterment of “As part of our commitment to academia and industry. Some of the participants in the QNRF venture. and soap among students. human life,” the director added. WCM-Q trains next generation of Qatari researchers at their labs atari nationals Hissa al- highly qualifi ed biomedical research- achieve its goal of diversifying the Dr Khaled Machaca, senior associ- Thani and Noora Abushera- ers on real research projects in WCM- economy and establishing Doha as a ate dean, Research, Innovations, and Qida have completed a sum- Q’s state-of-the-art laboratories. regional and global hub for cutting- Commercialisation. mer of biomedical research training They also worked closely with edge biomedical research. Christy L Poppe, senior research courtesy of Weill Cornell Medicine- WCM-Q’s experienced professional Students who participate can training specialist, said: “The par- Qatar’s (WCM-Q) Research Intern- research administrators to learn how choose to spend between four and ticipants worked extremely hard and ship for National College Students research studies are developed and eight weeks at WCM-Q. learnt vital skills that will set them programme. co-ordinated. “Being part of the WCM-Q in- up well for successful and reward- The Qatar University students The programme aims not only ternship was a great experience and ing careers in research. We at WCM- with a fl air for science, completed to equip the participants with vital I learnt so many useful skills. I’m Q are delighted to be involved in the programme, designed to give skills but also to give them a clear thankful for all the lessons and the equipping the next generation of nationals a solid grounding in the understanding of what a career in practical instructions I was given, researchers with the attributes they practical and administrative skills research would be like. which made the experience tre- need to help Qatar continue to grow required for a successful career in In addition, the programme iden- mendously infl uential and positive in stature as a world-class regional research. tifi es and nurtures local research for me,” said Hissa al-Thani, who and international biomedical re- They spent time working with talent in Qatar to help the country trained for four weeks in the lab of search hub.”

Roadworks at Onaiza intersection

he Public Works Au- plemented in co-ordination thority yesterday an- with the General Direc- Tnounced a temporary torate of Traffi c, vehicles closure of the main lanes of heading to Onaiza Intersec- Onaiza signalised intersec- tion can turn only right and tion (Sports Club intersec- use the next intersection to tion) in all directions from reach their destinations. 11pm today to 4.30am to- Ashghal will install road morrow. signs advising motorists of The intersection will be the closure and requested also fully closed from 2am all road users to abide by the to 2pm on October 11. speed limit and follow the During the closures im- road signs to ensure safety. Kahrabaa Intersection becomes a temporary roundabout

he Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced the conversion of Al Kahrabaa (Electricity) Intersec- Ttion on A Ring Road into a temporary roundabout while keeping the lanes open in all directions from Octo- ber 11 for a period of four months. The conversion, imple- mented in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Traffi c, is aimed at completing the upgrading works on Al Kahrabaa Intersection and installation of new traffi c lights as part of the A-Ring Road Development Project. Ashghal will install road signs advising motorists of the closure and requested all road users to abide by the speed limit and fol- low the road signs to ensure safety. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 5 QATAR Qatar to host world choral music event Prestigious musical event expected to attract 2,000 to 4,000 delegates

ollowing a bid by the Qatar Na- tional Choral Association, sup- Fported by the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), Qatar won the rights to host the World Symposium of Choral Music in 2023 (WSCM 2023). Held once every three years, the event is considered the most prestig- ious non-competitive choral event and will attract 2,000 to 4,000 internation- al delegates to the country, reinforcing IFCM vice-president Gabor Moczar (left), IFCM president Emily Kuo Vong, Qatar its position as a hub for cultural events. National Choral Association director Jennifer Taynen, and Qatar 2023 WSCM The bidding process has spanned the Organising Committee member Giovanni Pasini (right). past 12 months, with extensive exami- nation by the International Federation events across a broad range of sectors, Philharmonic Orchestra, the Qatar for Choral Music (IFCM) of all details including culture, sports, education, Music Academy, and Qatar Airways for of the city, the venues, levels of support health, and science,” HE al-Baker said. supporting us.” and the commitment of the local cho- In a statement, the IFCM said: “Through the IFCM’s decision, Qatar ral, musical and cultural life to hosting “The international choral community will shine a spotlight on a geographic the Symposium. through the IFCM congratulates Qa- and cultural region that has thus far QNTC secretary-general and Qatar tar on their winning bid and wishes been hidden on the global choral map, Airways Group chief executive HE Ak- them every success and support in their off ering a unique opportunity to intro- bar al-Baker said: “We are delighted to preparations for this unique event in duce the diverse musical treasures of have the World Choral Symposium join 2023.” the Middle East to a huge international the growing list of events coming to “We are looking forward to an excit- audience,” he said. Qatar in the next few years.” ing exploration of the musical treas- Every three years since 1987, the “Attracting large scale events in the ures of the Middle East and Central World Symposium on Choral Music Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Asia. The Symposium in Qatar provides brought the fi nest choirs, conductors, Exhibitions (MICE) space is a priority the IFCM and the hosts with the op- presenters, composers, and choristers area for us as we continue to drive the portunity to create a new network and from around the globe together to share tourism industry’s growth,” he said. enhance exchange and co-operation in a celebration of fi ne choral singing. “It was a pleasure to support the within and beyond this area,” the IFCM The WSCM has been hosted in cities talented Qatar National Choir Asso- added. around the globe, including Barcelona, ciation and their passionate leadership Giovanni Pasini, member of the Puerto Madryn, Seoul, Copenhagen, throughout this bid, and we look for- Qatar 2023 WSCM Organising Com- Kyoto, Minneapolis, Rotterdam, Syd- ward to working with representatives of mittee, said: “I would like to thank the ney, Vancouver, Stockholm, Helsinki, Qatar’s various sectors to attract more QNTC, Qatar Foundation, the Qatar Tallinn, Vienna, and Auckland. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 QATAR World athletics champs visit Doha Festival City Ashton Eaton, This event has brought athlet- ics closer to the community and Stefan Holm and I am certain it has inspired many Mike Powell meet athletes-to-be.” Doha Festival City general CRA’s spectrum monitoring station near Khalifa International and greet sports manager Robert Hall said: “We Stadium. fans are very happy with the attend- ance the Mini World Athlet- oha Festival City, a na- ics achieved and the interaction tional supplier of the with our younger visitors, it was a DIAAF World Athletics true celebration of sport, sports- CRA secures access to Championships Doha 2019, wel- manship, and diversity. We are comed famous world athletes also very proud of our partner- over the weekend during the ship with the Local Organising additional spectrum wrap-up event of the popular Committee, which enabled us to Mini Athletics Championship bring the people of Qatar such a Competitions. memorable event. Our thanks to demand during IAAF Meeting and greeting fans at everyone who made this a suc- Doha Festival City, two-time Ol- cess and thanks to all the ambas- ympic Champion, Ashton Eaton, sadors who joined us here today he 2019 IAAF World Ath- as well as Gold and Silver Olym- to support and cheer the enthu- letics Championships re- pic Medal high jumper, Stefan siastic children, who clearly had Tcently hosted in Qatar has Holm, and two-time track and a wonderful time”. shaped guidance to the strat- fi eld World Champion, Mike The Mini Athletics World egy approach of the Commu- Powell, engaged with the com- Famous athletics champions engaged with competing children at Doha Festival City. Championship Competition took nications Regulatory Authority peting children, encouraging and place from September 5 to Octo- (CRA) in dealing with spectrum commending them for their per- ence for the little ones to im- The competitions took place at HE Sheikha Asma al-Thani, ber 3 at Doha Festival City in the management and monitoring formance. agine themselves being world- a replica of the Khalifa Interna- director of Marketing and Com- mini Khalifa Stadium set up at during the major events to be Eaton said: “Mini worlds is class athletes. That’s where the tional Stadium, which was built munications at the Local Or- the Centre Court, where children hosted in Qatar in the coming a step forward for the future of “dream” begins!” by Doha Festival City for this ganising Committee, said: “The participated in competitions and years, such as the 2022 FIFA athletics in Doha. The kids love For three weeks, the Mini special occasion. collaboration with Doha Festi- training with professional coach- World Cup. it, the adults love it, and the ath- Athletics saw more than 4,630 Stefan Holm observed the val City in the form of this Mini es on Mondays and Wednesdays. Hosting the event has con- letes love it.” children, aged 4 to 14, compete set-up saying: “It was a nice ex- World Athletics Competition The competitions were carried tributed to the development of Mike Powell saw it as a way to against each other across a vari- perience and a great set-up, so proved to be very successful in out on the side-line of the IAAF the key features that CRA will inspire children saying: “I had ety of activities such as jumping, hopefully it can help to raise the engaging the public in sport. It World Athletics Championships follow in developing its high- a blast playing with the kids at relay races, throwing, sprints, interest in sport and particularly is heart-warming to see all these Doha 2019 to engage the public in level spectrum plan for the Noof Ahmed al-Naama, Public the mini-world athletics at Doha and hurdles, winning over 490 for Athletics among the local children participating and work- sport and inspire upcoming gen- World Cup, which is expected Relations and Communications Festival City. It’s a great experi- medals and other valuable prizes. kids.” ing hard to enhance their skills. erations. to be initiated in co-ordination specialist at CRA. with the concerned entities and stakeholders in Qatar. cerned parties three months Earlier this year, the CRA has prior to the championship and started co-ordination with the was able to secure the access Organising Committee of the to the additional spectrum de- Ezdan Hotel to host 2,000 guests for Beach Games in Qatar World Athletics Championship, mand to meet the spectrum Qatar Olympic Committee, rep- needs of the organising com- resentatives of the International mittee with its associated enti- Association of Athletics Federa- ties, in addition to the spectrum tions (IAAF), and representa- needs of the international media tives of the IAAF Productions. and broadcasting agencies. The CRA has drawn their at- The CRA has assigned more tention to the followed regula- than 740 frequencies to be used tions and procedures with re- during the championship by spect to the use of spectrum, the different concerned par- variety of radio applications, ties that included more than and a substantial number of ra- 40 broadcasting agencies and dio equipment expected to be more than 60 media and press aggregated within a limited area, agencies. as well as the followed proce- The CRA also facilitated the dures for spectrum monitoring issuance of customs clearance in Qatar. approvals of 130 shipments that Noof Ahmed al-Naama, Pub- contain a large number of radio lic Relations and Communica- applications, radio equipment, Ezdan Hotel celebrates with Swedish champion Daniel Stahl. Ezdan Hotel management honours Kenyan champion Ruth Chepngetich. tions specialist at CRA, said: broadcasting equipment, mi- “The CRA has played a key crophones, wireless tracking zdan Hotel West Bay is In a press statement, the participating in two succes- cently carried out a number of tives marking the National Day supporting role in this champi- and controlling systems, wire- set to host about 2,000 hotel said it expects to re- sive international tournaments honouring parties to celebrate of China. Telbani expressed his onship that comes in line with less cameras, and radio local Eguests, including ath- ceive representatives from 99 in less than one month,” Ezdan some of the international delight that the hotel hosted in- CRA’s keenness to enable peo- area networks. letes, sports teams and offi cials, countries from the compet- Group Hotels general manager players who stayed at the ternational teams from around ple around the world to watch In addition, the CRA has participating in the ANOC ing teams, including organisers Wael Telbani said. hotel during the 17th World the world, and to share with the championship through the conducted a comprehensive World Beach Games Qatar 2019, and guests of the ANOC World “This refl ects the hotel’s Athletics Championships and them the happiness of winning, latest technologies in the fi eld test on all frequency bands that which will take place from Oc- Beach Games event, where up substantial readiness and ca- received medals in various pointing out that Ezdan Hotel of information and communi- were planned to be assigned to tober 12 to 16. to 1,300 hotel rooms were pro- pacities which qualifi ed it to be tournaments. received about 2,000 athletes cations technology and broad- the 2019 IAAF World Athletics The hotel successfully ac- vided and all arrangements the most favoured destination The hotel honoured Dan- during the World Athletics casting fi eld. Championships to ensure inter- commodated 2,000 athletes have been made. during the events and major iel Stahl as the powerhouse Championship 2019. The CRA seeks to contribute ference-free operation. and accompanying representa- “The hotel is proudly hosting conferences, as the hotel is one Swede delivered success in dis- Ezdan Hotels Management within its mandate to the suc- Moreover, the CRA has lo- tives who participated in the the athletes and sports teams of the largest hotels in Doha cus throw, and Kenya’s Ruth congratulated the Qatari Olym- cess of the world-class events cated one of its spectrum moni- IAAF 2019 World Athletics who are engaged in the ANOC with an accommodation capac- Chepngetich who earned her pic champion Mutaz Barshim hosted in Qatar and will contin- toring stations near to Khalifa Championships held in Doha World Beach Games 2019, ity of about 3,000 rooms and major gold medal in the wom- for striking a gold medal in high ue to support all future events, International Stadium and Cor- from September 27 to October noting that by the end of this suites coupled with services,” en’s marathon. jump, wishing more success like 2022 FIFA World Cup.” niche area to respond to any case 6. Its management also hon- tournament the hotel will be Telbani said. The hotel also shared with the and victory for sports champi- The CRA initiated the co- of interference that might occur oured some winning guests. hosting nearly 4,000 athletes Ezdan Hotel West Bay re- Chinese teams and representa- ons in Qatar. ordination process with con- during the event. Food inspection NU-Q, GU-Q jointly off er Doha Seminar course

eorgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) has joined Gwith Northwestern Uni- versity in Qatar (NU-Q) to off er the Doha Seminar – a signature course that NU-Q has off ered since 2013. This is the fi rst time that the two universities will teach the course jointly and thus serve as a model for future col- laboration by the partner uni- versities at Education City and contribute to the fulfi lment of Qatar Foundation’s multiversity vision. This year’s Doha Seminar, ‘Behind the Headlines: Con- text and Meaning of Qatar on Al Wakrah Municipality’s health control section conducted the World Stage, Qatar in the 375 field inspection tours at various food establishments in Contemporary Muslim World’, September, resulting in the issuance of 15 violation reports examines the process of nation- for not complying with Law No 8 of 1990 on the regulation of building and identity-making NU-Q professor Wright and GU-Q professor Siddiqui jointly teaching the Doha Seminar course. human food control. Thirteen of these cases were resolved within Qatar and the country’s through reconciliation with the violators, while the fines collected reception on the world stage. “The Doha Seminar is fast be- munity,” commented, GU-Q us to deal with specifi c issues Doha Seminar at NU-Q have in- amounted to QR97,500, the Ministry of Municipality and This is the fi rst time that a coming an institution in Educa- dean Dr Ahmad Dallal, who also around education, religion, and cluded experts from GU-Q, and Environment said in a statement. Besides, 448kg of foodstuff was GU-Q faculty member has co- tion City and we look forward served as a guest lecturer in the gender, in a way that really chal- NU-Q – including the deans destroyed for being unfit for human consumption. organised and co-taught the to future collaborations for this seminar. lenges our students, and pushes – HBKU’s College of Islamic course which has been taught and other courses with our part- Associate professor of theol- them to question assumptions Studies, UCL Qatar, and oth- for the past several years by ner universities.” ogy, Dr Sohaira Siddiqui, who and develop strong critical ers. As many as 22 students from NU-Q associate professor, Za- “We strongly encourage our is spearheading the initiative thinking skills.” NU-Q and cross-registered stu- Order to shut cafeteria for seven days chary Wright. students to take advantage of at GU-Q explained, “By work- Wright noted that the course dents from GU-Q are enrolled “NU-Q is delighted that the unique possibilities that ing together institutionally and format challenges students this semester. The director of Al Daayen Municipality has issued an administrative GU-Q is joining us in off ering Education City has to off er, and leveraging the tremendous ex- to “take on complex thematic “What we have been doing decision to shut down a cafeteria for seven days for failing to comply this course to students in Edu- this collaboration is another pertise that is available in Edu- questions concerning national- with this seminar is building our with stipulations pertaining to food products and employees working cation City. Our hope is that we way of concretely demonstrat- cation City, our students benefi t ism, gender, and religious or- students’ theoretical and prac- there. Accordingly, a report for violation of Law No 8 of 1990 on the will expand this seminar to in- ing to everyone that we are a from multidisciplinary perspec- thodoxy, among others, at a level tical toolkits to conduct their regulation of human food control was issued and the off ender was clude additional partner univer- joint community of scholars and tives on the development and normally explored in graduate- groundbreaking research on re- instructed to address the violation and comply with the law, the sities,” said Everette E Dennis, researchers working together for history of Qatar. The focus on level seminars.” gional developments as they af- Ministry of Municipality and Environment said in a statement yesterday. dean and CEO of NU-Q. the benefi t of the wider com- various methodologies allows Previous guest lecturers at the fect Qatar,” Wright added. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 7 QATAR Final call for entries to ‘Lexus Design Award 2020’

he submission period for entries to the Lexus Design Award 2019, Twhich is being held this year under the theme ‘Design for a Better Tomorrow,’ is drawing to a close, with aspiring creators having a few days re- maining to submit their ideas for con- sideration. Now in its eighth year, the interna- tional competition off ers a once-in- a-lifetime opportunity for talented creators from around the world, whose innovative works will be showcased as part of the Milan Design Week 2020. The Lexus LC 500. The Lexus LF1 Limitless (Concept Car). The next generation of designers who would like to participate this year will individuals, communities, and envi- forward and continue our passion for national awards; celebrated British de- need to consider how their creative ide- ronments. creating amazing experiences. signer Bethan Gray, whose distinctive as incorporate three fundamental prin- The richly-diverse panel also in- “Through the Lexus Design Award, furniture and furnishings are inspired ciples from the Lexus brand, namely Panel of judges and mentors of the Lexus Design Award 2019. cludes luminaries, such as Paola An- which is being held this year under the by world cultures and made in col- ‘Anticipate,’ ‘Innovate,’ and ‘Captivate’, tonelli, senior curator of Architecture & theme ‘Design for a Better Tomorrow,’ laboration with master craftspeople; as well as how their designs predict the The exclusive mentorship pro- This year, Jeanne Gang, named one Design at The Museum of Modern Art; Lexus is supporting the next generation British-Canadian Philippe Malouin, needs of tomorrow’s society. gramme off ers an individual produc- of 2019’s Most Infl uential People in the John Maeda, technologist and chief ex- of designers and creators by off ering an award-winning architectural, inte- They will have to develop innovative tion budget of up to 3mn Japanese yen world by Time magazine, joins other perience offi cer at Publicis Sapient; and them a platform to explore their creativ- rior, and product designer, also known designs that bring new, imaginative so- (over $25,000), allowing participants to esteemed design leaders to form the Yoshihiro Sawa, president of Lexus In- ity and develop their unique design ideas for his art objects and installations; lutions. At the same time, their ideas and turn their design concepts into func- panel of judges. ternational. while working under expert guidance to and renowned architect Shohei Shige- designs should be captivating and engag- tional prototypes that will be exhibited Gang, whose projects include an ex- Yugo Miyamoto, chief representa- showcase their designs to the world.” matsu, who heads OMA New York and ing to the audience, and more important- at the Lexus design installation as part pansion to the American Museum of tive, Middle East and Central Asia Rep- To mentor the six fi nalists, Lexus will again be bringing out the creative ly, to the esteemed judging panel. of Milan Design Week 2020. Natural History in New York and the resentative Offi ce, Toyota Motor Corp, welcomes a stellar ensemble of crea- potential of young designers – as he did The six fi nalists are due to be announced The grand prix winner will be cho- O’Hare Global Terminal in Chicago, said: “At Lexus, we believe in the power tive pioneers from around the globe, during last year’s Lexus Design Award. in early 2020, and each will benefi t from a sen following the presentation of pro- has been recognised internationally for of creativity and design to change the including Joe Doucet, a designer, art- The closing date for entries to the unique opportunity to put their ideas into totypes by each of the six fi nalists on a a design process that expands beyond world and build a better future for eve- ist, entrepreneur, inventor, and creative Lexus Design Award 2020 competition practice under the guidance of prominent global stage during a press day at Milan architecture’s conventional boundaries ryone, and the Lexus Design Award of- director who exhibits globally and has is October 14, 2019. Details are available fi gures from a range of design backgrounds. Design Week 2020. to foreground relationships between fers us an opportunity to take this belief been honoured with numerous inter- online at LexusDesignAward.com

Qatari song festival on Friday Malabar Gold & Diamonds off ers ntensive preparations are under way at Qatar National Theatre for an event customers ‘A Gift of Gold’ Ihighlighting Qatari songs, which will be held under the patronage of HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin alabar Gold & Dia- Further, customers can avail of Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali on Friday night. monds has unveiled its the zero deduction off er on 22K The event is being held under the super- Mfestive season off er, ‘A (GCC) gold jewellery exchange vision of the Centre of Music Aff airs at the Gift of Gold’, giving customers as well. Ministry of Culture and Sports, and will the chance to win assured gold This off er, as well as the special see the participation of renowned Qatari coins with gold and diamond prices off er, are valid at Malabar singers, musicians and songwriters. jewellery purchases. Gold & Diamonds outlets in Qa- The fi nal rehearsal will be held tomor- Fahad al-Kubaisi Ali Abdul Sattar with Nasser al-Kubaisi. In Qatar, the off er will start to- tar until October 27. row evening featuring all the participants morrow and continue until Oc- The latest jewellery collec- and a band led by Iraqi musician Ali Khas- from around the world. The Qatari singers nadi, Saad al-Fahd, Issa al-Kubaisi, Assil tober 27. tion launched in celebration of saf and accompanied by international pi- who will perform include Ali Abdul Sattar, Hamim, Mohamed al-Jabir and Nasser al- The company has also unveiled the festive season includes both anist Sonja Park and 50 skilled musicians Fahad al-Kubaisi, Mansour al-Mohan- Kubaisi. the latest Festive Jewellery col- traditional and contemporary lection at special off er prices in designs in 18K and 22K gold, dia- gold, diamond and precious gem via ‘Scratch & Win’ coupons. mond and precious gem jewel- jewellery “featuring the most Adding to the above, custom- lery. eye-catching and unique trends ers also get a 2gm gold coin on Malabar Gold & Diamonds has bound to captivate customers”, diamond jewellery purchase of incorporated these designs as according to a press statement. QR5,000 and a 1gm gold coin on part of various brands, namely Regency Travel & Tours opens new branch ‘A Gift of Gold’ by Malabar the purchase of diamond jewel- Mine — Diamonds Unlimited, Gold & Diamonds gives “un- lery worth QR3,000, the state- Era — Uncut Diamond Jewellery, matched chances” to customers ment notes. Precia — Gem Jewellery, Divine- egency Travel & Tours has guests interested in the travel to win gold coins with their gold Also, customers have the op- Indian Heritage Jewellery and inaugurated a new branch industry, the company’s local and diamond jewellery purchas- portunity to get protected from Ethnix — Handcrafted Designer Rat Al Asmakh Tower in agents and a number of compa- es. the increasing gold rate by pay- Jewellery. West Bay. ny managers and staff members. Customers can win a guaran- ing 10% of the entire amount on Malabar Gold & Diamonds is Equipped with latest travel “Inaugurating this new teed gold coin or up to 50 gold their favourite gold jewellery. the fl agship company of Malabar and tour technologies, advanced branch is part of Regency Travel coins instantly on the purchase This off er is valid until October Group, a leading and diversifi ed technical solutions and skilled & Tours’ endeavours to meet all of gold jewellery worth QR3,000 25, the leading jeweller has said. Indian business conglomerate. and experienced manpower, the guest needs regardless of where new branch “is poised to pro- they are in Qatar, and make their vide high-quality services such access to all our services and as air tickets, hotel reservations, advantages as easy and smooth car rentals, train tickets, cruises as it used to be at all other Marazeem Security showroom inaugurated and ship trips, tourist visa as- branches countrywide, which sistance and therapeutic trips”, now exceed 40 branches. People the company has said in a state- who frequent the West Bay area ment. The formal ribbon-cutting ceremony. PICTURE: Thajudheen will be able to enjoy the various The branch opens from Sat- services the new branch off ers,” urday through Thursday, 8am The inaugural event was at- Qatar Airways and global air- said Regency Travel & Tours to 5pm. tended by representatives from lines, in addition to a host of CEO Tareq Abdullatif Taha.

Doha Prize for Dramatic Writing attracts more than 800 entries

The organising committee of Ministry of Culture and Sports As writing is the starting communities with their goals Doha Prize for Dramatic Writing said today that 29 countries are point of any artistic drama and aspirations, improving yesterday announced that the participating in this year’s prize, project, the award comes as an their positive attitude towards number of texts participating which is an annual prize created endeavour to promote public their members, and increasing in the first edition of the prize by the Ministry of Culture and taste by creating texts that are community solidarity, emphasis- reached 819 entries competing in Sports for dramatic writing, in ac- technically and qualitatively ing dialogue among cultures the fields of (theatre script, televi- cordance with the decision No 58 consistent. and civilisations, and building sion script, cinema scenario). of 2019 by the Minister of Culture Dramatic writing is an bridges of understanding be- A statement issued by the and Sports. important source in providing tween all. — QNA A new showroom of Marazeem Security Services, a subsidiary of Al Shaghairi Trading & Contracting Company (Electra), was inaugurated in Barwa Village on October 6. The showroom was off icially inaugurated by Mohamed Rashid al-Mohannadi, chairman of Marazeem Security Services, and M N Harees, managing director. Mavericks365 hosts monthly Launchpad and fi rst Inspire Series avericks365, an inter- national innovation Mplatform, recently Asian Town names shopping hosted the monthly Launchpad and its fi rst Inspire Series. Launchpad is a fl agship festival promotion winners monthly meetup by Maver- icks365 designed to empower creators, innovators, entrepre- bn Ajayan Projects (IAP) has announced neurs, companies and change- the winners of the 2019 Asian Town Shop- makers. Iping Festival. The “most exciting part” of The prizes include three cars, whose win- the monthly meet up is The In- ners are Amzad Hossain Abdul Monnan, who novation Alley — A Demozone, has won a Skoda Fabia; Viswakumar Vavach- where members showcase their an, who has won a 2019 Suzuki Vitara; and innovations and creations, ac- Chakra Bahdur Thapa, who has won a Mahi- cording to a press statement. ndra XUV500. Megha Sharma, Maver- The rest of the 46 winners have received icks365 community manager, prizes such as TV, mobile phones, home thea- kicked off the proceedings by tres, digital cameras and microwave ovens. introducing all the featured All the winners are Asian expatriates, and Mavericks, including Abin Ar- and services. ericks365 moderated the panel. a 5am Club Initiative. The ini- many of them are workers in the Industrial junan (Cloud Atmosphere Qa- A panel discussion on the The Inspire Series features tiative has also inspired many of Area, IAP said in a statement. tar), who shared how he was ‘Future of Events and Innova- inspirational guests who have his friends and acquaintances to The Asian Town Shopping Festival was a redefi ning the shisha experience tion’ followed, featuring leading led bold initiatives that have had follow suit. three-month-long initiative held under the with some captivating inputs events personalities. an impact on people’s lives and Hameed elaborated, in an in- supervision of the Ministry of Commerce and and demonstrations. Panellists included Sam- society at large. teractive format, an “intriguing Industry, with IAP organising the festival at Abdulaziz al-Ajmi (In- dani Farooqui (Wanassa Time), Mavericks community mem- and exciting process, which re- Asian Town for the fourth time. tro Filming & Photos Events) Sakala Debrasse (The Events bers gathered to listen to Fazil sulted in signifi cantly improved This year, people who made purchases for wowed the Maverick commu- Company), Mohamed al-Moad- Hameed, GM at Al Muftah Rent mental and physical fi tness that a minimum of QR50 from the offi cial par- nity by demonstrating the next- hadi (MKM Elite Services) and a Car, as he shared his journey also led to higher productivity ticipating shops at Plaza Mall and the Cricket generation Drone Tech and its Sajid Ettol (Spirit Events). towards a healthier and sus- and effi ciency rates in his work- Stadium Complex were eligible to get a cou- application for various events Vineet C Nambiar from Mav- tainable lifestyle by pioneering place”, the statement added. pon for the raffl e draw. Some of the winners of the Asian Town Shopping Festival. Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA

UNREST PROBE PLEA STRIFE POLITICS Al Qaeda aff iliate claims Zuma’s son says not corrupt, Gbagbo lawyer asks ICC Mozambique says army Rwanda govt deports attack on Malian army but victim of SA ‘storm’ to free former leader killed nine militants controversial evangelist

Al Qaeda’s West Africa aff iliate yesterday claimed The son of South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma, The lawyer for former Ivory Coast president Laurent Mozambican soldiers killed nine “evildoers” in the Rwanda said yesterday that a controversial Ameri- responsibility for co-ordinated, deadly attacks last accused by witnesses of acting as a conduit in a Gbagbo has asked the International Criminal Court volatile north ahead of general elections next week, can missionary, who was arrested for calling an week on two army bases in central Mali, it said in a major web of state graft, said yesterday he was to “immediately and unconditionally” release him the government has said, in the first ever off icial con- illegal public meeting with journalists, has been de- statement. Thirty-eight soldiers were killed and doz- not corrupt, but was caught up in political crossfire. after his acquittal over post-electoral violence that firmation of an attack on militants. Suspected hard- ported. Gregg Schoof, a Baptist, has been operating ens others went missing during attacks on bases Duduzane Zuma, 35, was testifying before a judicial killed around 3,000 people. Gbagbo, the first head liners have conducted a slew of attacks on remote in Rwanda since 2003, mainly through his church in Boulkessi and Mondoro, in some of the worst inquiry probing allegations that his father organised of state to stand trial in The Hague, and his deputy villages in Mozambique’s gas-rich Cabo Delgado and a radio station, Amazing Grace FM, which violence seen against the army this year. The attack a systematic plunder of government coff ers in a Charles Ble Goude were both cleared of crimes province since October 2017. More than 300 people was shut last year over a sermon calling women underscored the reach and sophistication of militant scandal known as “state capture”. “I’m looked at as against humanity in January and released under have been killed and sometimes beheaded, prompt- “evil” among other expletives. He was arrested on groups operating in central Mali, which has slipped a criminal, I’m looked at as this face of corruption, conditions. The ICC’s chief prosecutor has appealed ing President Filipe Nyusi to promise a crackdown Monday, alongside his son, at the start of a press from government control. From their stronghold in this guy that’s plundered trillions out of this country,” the ruling alleging “legal and procedural errors”. on the assailants. “Security forces (engaged in)...a conference. Francois-Regis Gatarayiha, the Director Mali, groups with Al Qaeda and Islamic State links Zuma said as he wrapped his two-day testimony. Belgium agreed to host Gbagbo, 73, after he was fight against evildoers that resulted in the slaughter General of Immigration and Emigration, said the have been able to fan out across the Sahel, destabil- “So I just like to say to the public out there I’m not released in February under conditions including that of nine of them,” on Saturday, the defence ministry son – who was not named – was released, but that ising parts of Niger and Burkina Faso. corrupt, I have not taken money from anybody.” he would return to court for any prosecution appeal. said in a statement. Schoof was deported on Monday night.

League Ahead of off ensive, Turkey claims affi rms support for strikes on Syria-Iraq border elections in z Turkey plans to near Suruc, opposite the Syrian erable to reacting to obvious resettle 2mn border town of Kobani. Artillery hesitations from certain play- Palestine Syrians in ‘safe zone’ was also stationed in the area, ers, notably our American and soldiers wandered around a friends,” French Prime Min- Reuters nearby military camp. ister Edouard Philippe said in QNA Ankara/Istanbul US forces evacuated two ob- parliament, alluding to differ- Cairo servation posts at Tel Abyad and ences in the US administra- Ras Al Ain on Monday, a US of- tion. urkey’s military struck fi cial said. Mustafa Bali of the Kurd- ecretary-General of Arab the Syrian-Iraqi border Trump’s warning on Turkey’s ish-led Syrian Democratic League Ahmed Aboul Tto prevent Kurdish forc- economy on Monday appeared Forces (SDF) said the Turkish SGheit met yesterday with es using the route to reinforce aimed at placating critics who military buildup on the bor- Palestinian Foreign Minister Ri- northeast Syria, as Ankara pre- accused him of abandoning the der, together with information yad al-Maliki, who handed him pared to attack there following Syrian Kurds by pulling out US about further mobilisation of a complete fi le prepared by the a surprise US troop pullback, forces. The decision drew criti- Turkey-backed Syrian rebels, Palestinian Authority on the de- Turkish offi cials told Reuters cism from Democrats and a re- indicated that “an attack is marcation of the maritime bor- yesterday. buke from some of his fellow imminent”. ders of the State of Palestine. Turkey says it is ready to ad- Republicans in Congress, in- Syrian Kurdish official During the meeting, al-Maliki vance into northeast Syria now cluding Senate Majority Leader Badran Jia Kurd said Kurdish- explained the steps the Pal- that the United States has be- Mitch McConnell. led authorities in northern estinian Authority intends to gun withdrawing troops from His remarks, reiterated yes- Syria may open talks with Da- take to hold legislative elections the Turkey-Syria frontier in terday in slightly modifi ed mascus and Russia US forces throughout Palestine, includ- an abrupt policy shift by US form, met an angry response in fully withdrew from the Turk- ing the Gaza Strip and occupied President Donald Trump widely Turkey, including from opposi- ish border area. Jerusalem, followed by the presi- criticised in Washington as a tion party politicians such as Iyi “At that time we may hold dential election, a statement betrayal of the Kurds. Party leader Meral Aksener. talks with Damascus or the from the Arab League’s General The US move will leave “Threatening Turkey’s Russian side to fill the void or Secretariat said. Kurdish-led forces long allied economy is a diplomatic ca- block the Turkish attack,” he The statement pointed out to Washington vulnerable to tastrophe,” she told her party’s said. that Aboul Gheit expressed great attack by the Turkish Armed lawmakers in a speech in par- Syria insisted it would de- satisfaction over the move, af- Forces (TSK), which brands liament. “The best response to fend itself against any Turkish fi rming the support of the League them terrorists because of their this insolence is to go into the assault. Damascus, however, for the elections because they links to Kurdish militants who east of the Euphrates and break was unable to prevent Turkey represent a great importance for have waged a long insurgency in Turkish army soldiers drive towards the border with Syria near Akcakale in Sanliurfa province, yesterday. the terror corridor.” taking control of a swathe of intra-Palestinian reconciliation. Turkey. But yesterday, Trump tweet- northwestern Syria earlier in The meeting also dealt with Giving details of the over- able through various means”. troops had started to withdraw its determination to act. “The ed: “So many people conven- the war.Russia, Syrian Presi- the latest developments in the night strike, a security offi cial Trump meanwhile denied after a phone call he had with TSK will never tolerate the es- iently forget that Turkey is a big dent Bashar al-Assad’s strong- Palestinian situation at the dip- said one of the main goals was to he had abandoned the Kurd- Trump, adding that talks be- tablishment of a terror corridor trading partner of the United est foreign ally, said it was not lomatic level in light of the dis- cut off a transit route between ish forces, the most eff ective tween Turkish and US offi cials on our borders. All preparations States...They have been good told in advance by Washington cussions and consultations on Iraq and Syria often used by US partners in fi ghting Islamic on the matter would continue. for the operation have been to deal with.” As for the Kurds, or Turkey about any agree- the Palestinian cause at the 74th Kurdish armed groups “before State in Syria. Amid deepening humanitar- completed,” the Turkish De- Trump said their “wonderful ments to pull US troops from session of the UN General As- the operation in Syria”. ERDOGAN SET ian concerns, UN Secretary- fence Ministry said. fi ghters” continued to receive the northeast, adding it was sembly. “In this way, the group’s tran- FOR US VISIT General Antonio Guterres urged But a Reuters witness saw no US help with fi nance and weap- watching the situation very sit to Syria and support lines, But he praised Turkey as a all parties in northeast Syria to sign of military activity near ons.The Kurdish-led forces closely. including ammunition, are shut trade partner, in a softening of exercise maximum restraint and the Turkish border town of Ak- have denounced the major US Russian President Vladimir off ,” the offi cial said. tone hours after threatening protect civilians. cakale, across from Syria’s Tel policy shift as a “stab in the Putin met with Russia’s secu- It was unclear what damage to “totally destroy” Turkey’s Signalling a further potential Abyad. back”. Trump’s decision to rity council yesterday where was done or whether there were economy if it acted “off limits” shift in the region’s power bal- Howitzers were placed be- withdraw troops from north- Syria was discussed. Iran to casualties. Details of the strike, in Syria. ance, the Kurdish-led forces hind earth embankments on east Syria has rattled allies, in- “Participants of the meeting a joint operation by Turkey’s in- Turkish President Tayyip said they might start talks with Turkey’s side of the border, cluding France, one of Wash- have noted that, at this stage, telligence service and the mili- Erdogan will visit the United the Syrian government and pointed towards Syria. Some ington’s main partners in the it was important for everyone present tary, were hazy. States on Nov 13 at Trump’s in- Russia to fi ll a security vacuum 60km to the west, multiple US-led coalition fighting Is- to avoid any action that could One offi cial described them vitation, a White House spokes- in the event of a full US with- launch rocket systems mounted lamic State. create obstacles to a peace- as an air strike, while the other man said. drawal. on two trucks were deployed “Saying things with con- ful settlement in Syria,” the regional said the site was made “unus- On Monday, Erdogan said US Turkey sought to underscore behind earth embankments stancy and coherence is pref- Kremlin said on its website. peace plan

DPA Iraq’s parliament meets Lebanon skies a death trap for migratory birds Tehran after protests spark crisis AFP statement by the Associa- ran will be ready to present Aghbeh tion for Bird Conservation in the details of its peace plan Lebanon and the Committee Ifor the strategically impor- AFP meet quorum. MPs hosted several Against Bird Slaughter, based tant Strait of Hormuz “soon,” Baghdad ministers to discuss the demon- ird protection groups in Germany. The statement Foreign Ministry spokesman Ab- strations, which erupted one week called yesterday for ur- was released after a fi eld visit bas Mousavi said yesterday. ago in Baghdad before spreading Bgent action to save en- organised for Lebanese and The plan, announced by Presi- raq’s parliament held its to the country’s south. dangered migratory species foreign offi cials yesterday. dent Hassan Rouhani at the UN fi rst session yesterday after The session followed a failed at- that are being decimated by Itani said poachers in the General Assembly last month, is Ia week of anti-government tempt on Saturday, when parlia- illegal hunters over Lebanon. north “are shooting for fun, meant to bring together the Gulf protests that left dozens dead ment’s largest bloc, including the For the 41 species in Leba- big numbers. They shoot even states in a so-called “coalition of and sparked a political crisis 54 MPs led by populist cleric Mo- non listed as particularly en- at night, using spotlights... hope” to safeguard shipping in the country’s president said re- qtada al-Sadr, boycotted the ses- dangered, “the situation is They have WhatsApp groups the area, with involvement from quired a “national dialogue”. sion. Sadr threw his weight behind really critical,” said Fouad Ita- to track the birds together.” the UN, but excluding other for- Security restrictions were lifted the protests last week and called on ni, president of the Associa- Slaughtered birds of prey are displayed by activists from the Countries such as Poland eign powers. Mousavi told state around Baghdad’s Green Zone, Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi tion for Bird Conservation in Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) at their birds observation and others along migratory broadcaster IRIB that the details where government offi ces and to resign, but the embattled premier Lebanon.“If nothing is done, camp in the village of Eghbe in the Lebanese mountains, yesterday. routes have pressured Leba- would be presented to the par- embassies are based. Morning has held on and suggested his own their numbers will continue non to take action. ticipating countries as well as traffi c was at normal levels and an string of reforms. to drop and some species will Lebanon lies on one of the “Hundreds of thousands of Killing of birds has been re- the United Nations in due course. internet blackout in place for most Yesterday, Abdel Mahdi held simply disappear,” he said. world’s most important mi- white storks are killed in Leba- duced in some areas this year The United States and Iran of the past week appeared to ease. marathon meetings with Halbu- According to offi cial fi gures, gration routes and for many non every year,” Itani said. through the awareness cam- have engaged in a war of words More than 200 parliamentar- si, the cabinet, tribal chiefs, and 2.6mn birds from close to 200 species — such as storks, less- Bird protection groups have paigns and in co-operation with over the Strait of Hormuz, an ians arrived for an extraordinary the country’s top justice over the species were killed illegally in er spotted eagles and pelicans successfully raised awareness authorities, the statement said, important shipping route in the session called by speaker Mo- demonstrations, with his offi ce’s the country in 2014. — the most dangerous part of in some regions but the situa- but improved bird protection Gulf region, where Iran has in- hamed al-Halbusi, defying ex- statements insisting life had “re- Itani believes the numbers their journey is fl ying over the tion in the north remains “out laws have yet to be enforced by tercepted a number of foreign pectations that they would not turned to normal.” killed have risen since then. small Mediterranean country. of control”, according to a joint the security forces. vessels.

Presidential candidate wants elections postponed Tunisia’s jailed presidential candidate, Nabil Karoui, called for postponing Ethiopia says Egypt trying to maintain grip over Nile the run-off vote, to be held on October 13, until he is released from prison, according to a statement released yesterday by his campaign. Karoui was arrested on August 23 on charges of money laundering and tax eva- Reuters mise between the two coun- 1, including conditions over fi ll- copy of which was seen by Reu- year that the dam should be fully sion. He has not been convicted, and a Tunisian court rejected a request Cairo tries over the Grand Ethiopian ing the reservoir, that Ethiopia ters. The Egyptian Foreign Min- operational by 2022. Both sides to release him. The media magnate came second in the first round of Renaissance Dam (GERD). Two rejected. In an explanation for istry could not be immediately agreed on a fi ve stage process for Tunisia’s presidential elections last month with 15.58% of the vote against rounds of talks over the past its decision, Ethiopia said the reached for comment. fi lling the reservoir behind the 18.4% for his rival, independent law professor Kais Saied. “Rumours about thiopia has accused Egypt month in Egypt and Sudan Egyptian plan was “one-sided”, The $4bn dam is designed to dam. his withdrawal from the race are unfounded,” the statement said, describ- of trying to maintain its failed to produce progress. fl awed, and would ultimately be the centrepiece of Ethiopia’s Ethiopia says that while it ing his imprisonment as politically motivated. Egrip over the waters of Egypt relies on the Nile for hamper its economic develop- bid to become Africa’s biggest could fi ll the reservoir in 2-3 The campaign said it had asked the electoral commission on September the Nile with a proposal it says up to 90% of its fresh water, ment. “Egypt’s proposal is an power exporter, generating more years, it made a concession by 30 to allow Karoui to campaign by travelling around the country’s 24 would imperil a giant hydro- and fears the dam, which is be- eff ort to maintain a self-claimed than 6,000 megawatts, and is proposing a 4-7 year process. provinces and hold direct interviews with media outlets. As the demands power dam under construction ing built in Ethiopia close to the colonial era-based water allo- seen by Addis Ababa as a step Egypt did not mention a time- were not met, “we have demanded postponing the run-off ” until his on Ethiopia’s Blue Nile, in a border with Sudan, will restrict cation and veto power on any towards redressing a historic im- frame for fi lling the dam’s res- release, the statement said. Since the first round, Karoui has been absent growing diplomatic spat. already scarce supplies. project in the Nile system,” the balance in the exploitation of the ervoir in a diplomatic note last from campaigning and TV debates. The comments highlight the After talks had stalled, Egypt Foreign Ministry said in an Oct Nile’s waters. month that acknowledged Ethio- diffi culties fi nding a compro- had submitted a proposal on Aug 1 note circulated to embassies, a Ethiopia said at the start of the pia’s rejection. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 9 AMERICAS

POLITICS AVIATION JUSTICE TECH TALK CAMPAIGN TRAIL Michelle to release journal Southwest pilots sue Boeing Court tosses challenge to More state attorneys set to Biden promises help for as companion to memoir over grounded 737 MAX Ohio congressional maps join probe into Facebook schools serving minorities

Nearly a year after kicking off a rock star-style book Pilots from Texas-based Southwest Airlines The US Supreme Court on Monday threw out a An estimated 40 US state attorneys general will Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden tour that sold out stadiums across the country, said on Monday they had filed a lawsuit against challenge to Republican-drawn congressional participate in a probe of Facebook Inc, a source would make community college free and former first lady Michelle Obama has announced Boeing, accusing it of “deliberately misleading” districts in Ohio that Democrats said were drawn said on Monday, suggesting many more states invest $70bn in historically black colleges and the publication of her second book. But instead them over the 737 MAX, which has been to unlawfully diminish their political clout. The want allegations of anti-competitive practices universities as well as those serving other of focusing on her own unique journey, this time grounded after two deadly crashes. “We have court’s action in the case involving a practice at the social media company investigated. The under-represented groups, his campaign said Obama will ask her readers and supporters to to be able to trust Boeing to truthfully disclose known as partisan gerrymandering means that probe of Facebook is led by New York. Some yesterday. At historically black and minority- reflect on themselves. Titled Becoming: A Guided the information we need to safely operate our 16 US House of Representatives districts will states have raised concerns big tech companies serving institutions, Biden has promised to Journal for Discovering Your Voice, Obama’s book aircraft,” captain Jonathan Weaks, president no longer be reconfigured, as a three-judge engage in anti-competitive practices, expose invest in research incubators, new labs and will be released on November 19. It is published by of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association panel had ordered in May. The Supreme Court consumer data to potential data breaches facilities and other infrastructure. At the Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random (SWAPA), said. “In the case of the 737 MAX, that had put the panel’s ruling on hold ahead of its and push up advertising prices. Several state community-college level, Biden would not only House. The book will feature an introduction absolutely did not happen.” The grounding of rulings, issued the next month, in two major attorneys general met on Monday with off icials help defray the cost of tuition, but direct federal written by Obama along with more than 150 the 737 MAX since March eliminated more than gerrymandering cases from Maryland and North from the Justice Department and the Federal funds to pay for outside expenses that can make questions and quotes that aim to compel readers 30,000 scheduled Southwest flights and caused Carolina. The lines are typically redrawn once a Trade Commission, New York Attorney General attending college too expensive, including food, to fill in answers about themselves. over $100mn in lost wages for pilots, SWAPA said. decade after the US census. Letitia James said in a statement. lodging and childcare. White House blocks envoy’s impeachment testimony Conservative leader Andrew Scheer (right) and Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau gesture during By Richard Cowan and Representative Adam Schiff , the came to the attention of Congress in a the Federal Leaders Debate at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec on Monday night. David Morgan, Reuters Democratic chairman of the House report by a whistleblower. Washington intelligence committee spearheading On Sunday, lawyers said a second the impeachment probe, told report- whistleblower had come forward to ers the move to block Sondland from substantiate that complaint. he Trump administration yes- testifying or turning over his text Sondland’s appearance would terday blocked an ambassa- messages or emails was obstruction. have followed offi cials, including the Tdor from testifying to the US “We will consider this act today... former US special envoy for Ukraine, Scheer ups attacks on Kurt Volker, and Michael Atkinson, House of Representatives’ impeach- to be further acts of obstruction of a ment investigation of President Don- coequal branch of government,” Schiff the inspector general of the US intel- ald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, a told reporters. ligence community. move top House Democrats vowed to Sondland was a key witness for the Another career diplomat, Marie counter with a subpoena. House Foreign Aff airs, Intelligence Yovanovitch, is scheduled to meet Trudeau in vote debate with the committees behind closed The chairmen of three House com- and Oversight Committees, whose mittees leading the impeachment in- staff had been expected to ask him doors on Friday. Yovanovitch was By Michel Comte, AFP He also accused Scheer and his To- arguing which is worst for Canada.” vestigation said they would compel why he became involved in dealings the US ambassador to Ukraine un- Gatineau, Quebec ries of fostering “politics of fear and On climate, he said: “You don’t need testimony from US ambassador to the with Ukraine, which is not a member til Trump recalled her in May before division.” to choose between Mr Delay (Trudeau) European Union Gordon Sondland, a of the EU. her term was up, after the president’s Scheer, who is untested and rela- and Mr Deny (Scheer).” Trump donor who started his diplo- Trump has derided the impeach- supporters questioned her loyalty. rime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tively unknown after only two years as The New Democrats gained some matic job in July. ment inquiry and has denied he did Congressional staff and lawyers main rival Andrew Scheer of the leader of the Conservative Party, has distance between themselves and the The investigators are interested in anything wrong in a July 25 phone for the fi rst whistleblower, a US in- PConservatives came out swing- struggled to endear himself to voters in Green Party, led by Elizabeth May, in what the ambassador knew and what call with Ukrainian President Vo- telligence offi cer, are close to making ing against the Liberal incumbent in a this campaign. the race for third place in the latest his role was in Trump’s eff orts to get lodymyr Zelenskiy in which Trump fi nal arrangements for the witness to Canadian election debate on Monday After being a wallfl ower in the fi rst public opinion polls. Ukraine to probe former Vice Presi- pushed for an investigation of Biden speak to Congressional investigators night after a dismal week that saw him debate in French, which he is less com- With the latest numbers, if they dent Joe Biden, who leads the fi eld of and his son. away from Capitol Hill as early as this blow a previous matchup. fortable speaking than English, he persist, showing Canadians are likely potential challengers to the Republi- “I would love to send Ambassador week, a source close to the parties said The televised grudge match brought found himself on the back foot as ques- to elect a minority government, Singh can president. Sondland, a really good man and great yesterday. together on stage a record six party tions about his dual American-Cana- could become kingmaker. He has said, Sondland said, through his lawyer American, to testify, but unfortu- The fi rst whistleblower’s lawyers leaders. dian nationality — revealed only last however, that he would not prop up a yesterday, that he hoped “the issues nately he would be testifying before a are in discussions with the Demo- But the main focus stayed on the two Thursday — overshadowed his policy Tory government. raised by the State Department that totally compromised kangaroo court, cratic-led House and Republican-led frontrunners who are in a dead heat announcements. The debate also included Yves-Fran- preclude his testimony will be re- where Republicans’ rights have been Senate intelligence committees, a with only two weeks left before the Oc- In cosmopolitan Canada, it is no im- cois Blanchet, leader of the separatist solved promptly.” taken away, and true facts are not al- Congressional offi cial said. tober 21 ballot. Each is looking to sway a pediment to high offi ce to have roots in Bloc Quebecois which is on track to “He stands ready to testify on short lowed out for the public....to see,” All the talks include eff orts to keep big block of undecided voters. other countries — but Scheer sparked regain offi cial party status (needing notice, whenever he is permitted to Trump wrote on Twitter. the whistleblower’s identity con- From the get-go, Scheer went on the anger by leaving it so late in the cam- 12 seats in parliament), and Maxime appear,” Sondland’s lawyer, Robert According to text messages re- cealed from committee members and attack, calling Trudeau “a phoney and paign to front up with the public. Bernier, who split with the Tories after Luskin, said in a statement. leased by House committee leaders the public. a fraud.” Critics also highlighted what they a failed leadership run to start the Peo- State Department offi cials could last week, Sondland was heavily in- Trump has called for the whistle- He raised Trudeau’s wearing of saw as a double-standard. ple’s Party. not be immediately reached to com- volved in contacts with Zelenskiy as blower to be publicly identifi ed. blackface makeup, his meddling in the He and fellow Tories in past elections Singh — an observant Sikh and the fi rst ment on what issues had blocked his he sought a meeting with Trump, and Asked whether House Republicans criminal prosecution of engineering attacked leaders of the Liberals and visible minority leader of a federal political testimony. Ukrainian offi cials expressed concern could take legal action to unmask the giant SNC-Lavalin and his fi ring of the New Democrats as well as former gov- party — said Bernier did not deserve to be The impeachment probe is focusing at the administration’s decision to whistleblower’s identity, Republican nation’s fi rst indigenous attorney gen- ernor general Michaelle Jean because of in the debate because of what he described on a whistleblower’s allegations that block US military assistance for Kiev. Representative Jim Jordan said: “I eral “for not going along with his cor- dual citizenship. as repugnant views on immigration and Trump used nearly $400mn in US In one of the texts, for example, think the American people have the ruption.” Questions about his pro-life stance his Twitter attack on 16-year-old climate military aid to secure a promise from Sondland emphasised that Trump right to know who the whistleblower “You do not deserve to govern this and a 2005 speech in which he assailed activist Greta Thunberg, whom Bernier Ukraine’s president to investigate Bi- “really wants the deliverable.” is. But we’re not going to do that.” country,” he said. gay marriage have also dogged Scheer called “mentally unstable.” den, a leading candidate for the 2020 Following the allegations that The impeachment inquiry has Trudeau shot back, criticising Scheer on the campaign trail. “Your ideas are hurtful to Canada,” Democratic presidential nomination. Trump pressured Zelenskiy to inves- heightened bitter partisan divisions in for his underwhelming climate propos- During Monday night’s debate — the Singh said, accusing Bernier of “incit- The whistleblower’s legal team was tigate Biden while withholding the Congress. als at a time of global crisis, while de- only one in English for the three-quar- ing hatred.” in the fi nal stages of talks for the intel- military aid, House Speaker Nancy Trump’s fellow Republicans control fending his record over the past four ters of Canadians who speak it — New “After a couple of minutes of this de- ligence offi cer to speak to both Demo- Pelosi announced a formal impeach- the Senate where a trial on whether to years in offi ce — including a strong Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh bate tonight, I think people can clearly cratic and Republican-led congression- ment investigation last month. oust the president would be held if the economy, less poverty and low unem- jumped into the fray, opining: “What we see why you didn’t deserve a platform al intelligence committees as early as Concerns about the July 25 call, and House ultimately votes to impeach ployment. have here is Mr Scheer and Mr Trudeau (to air your views),” he said. this week, congressional offi cials said. possible Trump threats to Ukraine, him. Fat is fabulous for bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park

By Yereth Rosen, Reuters At Katmai, a park in south- “They work so hard to be so fat (32.2 Celsius), bears stopped Anchorage, Alaska western Alaska known for its to survive the winter,” Boak said. fishing and started trying to bountiful salmon runs and the The weeklong contest started beat the heat, not easy for fat huge grizzlies — Alaskans call in 2014 as a one-day event called animals with thick, shaggy laska grizzly bears packing them “brown bears” — that feed Fat Bear Tuesday. coats, Boak said. on kilos for the winter are on them, Fat Bear Week is an an- Park offi cials expanded it the “There was a lot of lying down Acompeting for more than nual highlight. following year. in the water,” she said. the season’s last salmon. “It’s something that appreci- More than just fat-worshiping Salmon were aff ected, too. They are also vying for the title ates fatness,” said Naomi Boak, fun, the celebration is a valuable For a while, Boak said, salmon of the state’s fattest bear. a conservancy media ranger at way to promote the park and ed- lingered downstream in a lake Fat Bear Week has become a Katmai. ucate the public, Boak said. cooled by glacial melt, avoiding national Internet sensation, pit- Katmai’s bears need to build She noted that schools from as the excessively warm waters of ting individual bears against each body mass before retreating to far away as the East Coast have Brooks River. other in an online voting contest. their hibernation dens in late Oc- incorporated Fat Bear Week into “When we had that heat wave This year’s event, organised by tober or early November. their curriculum. in July, we had zero salmon,” she Katmai National Park and Pre- In summer, the bears congre- “What a great way to get stu- said. serve, started with 12 bears. gate at the park’s Brooks River to dents excited about the natural When the heat moderated, Their photos have been dis- gorge on salmon. world,” she said. the fi sh resumed their upstream played on Facebook for online By the time they are ready to This year’s heavyweight con- swim, and Brooks River had voters to examine. waddle into the mountains for tenders, still plucking salmon out “wall-to-wall salmon,” she said. As of Monday morning, the re- their winter sleep, male griz- of Brooks River, have had plenti- Even bear fans who miss the maining contenders were Lefty, zlies can tip the scales at over ful food supply, Boak said. chance to vote for their fat fa- Grazer and Holly, a bear that 454kg, and females at more But Alaska’s warming trend, vourites will have other oppor- gained fame a few years ago for than 272kg. including its just-ended, record- tunities to keep tabs on the Kat- adopting an abandoned cub. They need that heft. During hot summer, might be interfering mai’s most charismatic critters. The process of elimination hibernation, rangers say, bears with the bears’ eating habits. The park operates a live- concludes with a fi nal round and typically lose about a third of When Katmai’s July tempera- stream “bear cam” that attracts A grizzly bear known to researchers as “Bear 775 Lefty” looks for migrating salmon to help fatten up for a champion selected. their body weight. tures approached 90 F degrees millions of viewers each year. the winter hibernation, in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Sri Lanka faces costliest US blacklists 28 poll, longest ballot paper

AFP “The ballot paper will be day after the polls. The authori- Colombo the longest-ever we have had,” ties allow each candidate to he said. “It will be 26 inches have two polling agents at each (65cm) long. of the 11,000 voting booths Chinese fi rms over record number of can- “With the increase in the size across the nation. didates for Sri Lanka’s of the ballot paper, we will have The minimum voting age is A presidential poll next to import plastic ballot boxes 18 and 16mn people are eligible month has led to the longest- because the wooden boxes we to vote. There are two Buddhist ever ballot paper and the most have with us will not be big monks and just one woman expensive vote in the country’s enough.” among the 35 people running for history, the Election Commis- The cost of the election was president of the nation of 21mn Uighur abuses sion said yesterday. Thirty fi ve originally estimated at some people. candidates are running in the $22mn, but it is now thought Former president Mahinda Agencies November 16 poll, the high- that will rise to $28mn, offi cials Rajapakse’s younger brother Washington Jailed Uighur among rights prize nominees est number in any single bal- said. Sri Lanka does not have Gotabhaya, 70, is the frontrun- lot, Elections Commission chief electronic voting machines and ner while his main challenger is A Uighur scholar imprisoned Mahinda Deshapriya told re- ballots are counted manually, 52-year-old Housing Minister he US has blacklisted 28 in China since 2014 and a trio porters in Colombo. with the results expected the Sajith Premadasa. Chinese governmental of Brazilian activists were Tand commercial organisa- nominated yesterday for a tions that it says are implicated top European rights prize, in rights violations and abuses along with Kenyan activists. targeting Uighurs and other The European Parliament Netherlands PM in Auckland mostly Muslim minorities in the named Ilham Tohti – serving Xinjiang region, the commerce a life sentence on separatism department announced. charges for advocating the “The US government and De- rights of Uighurs – on the partment of Commerce cannot shortlist for its Sakharov Prize, and will not tolerate the brutal weeks after he scooped another suppression of ethnic minorities award for his activism, much within China,” the US Commerce to Beijing’s anger. From Brazil, Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a murdered political activist University professor, blogger, and member of the Muslim Uighur statement. China faces growing Marielle Franco made the list minority, Ilham Tohti pauses for a few moments for a view from the condemnation from activists, jointly with tribal chief Raoni window before a classroom lecture in Beijing. academics and foreign govern- Metuktire, who campaigns ments for the mass arrests and against the destruction of the Prize to Tohti for “giving the after Soviet dissident Andrei strict censorship imposed on the Amazon rainforest, and rights entire Uighur people a voice”, Sakharov, is awarded every year minorities in Xinjiang. Up to 1mn defender Claudelice Silva drawing bitter criticism from to individuals or organisations Uighurs and other Muslim mi- dos Santos. Last month the the Chinese authorities. The which have made “an important norities are believed to be held in Council of Europe awarded its 50,000-euro Sakharov Prize, contribution to the fight for extra-legal detention in Xinjiang, Vaclav Havel Human Rights set up in 1988 and named human rights or democracy”. according to UN estimates. Xin- jiang, a Chinese name meaning ‘New Frontier’ has long been in- in the western Xinjiang region. praying and reading the Holy surveillance company Hikvision habited by Uighurs and control- The world’s two biggest econ- Qur’an, and it has destroyed said the US listing had “no fac- led by China since 1949. omies are in the midst of a trade or defaced a great number of tual basis.” “(We) call on the US Offi cial statistics indicate that war, having exchanged punitive mosques,” Sullivan said. government to re-examine based there are 30mn Muslims in Chi- tariff s on hundreds of billions of “This is a systematic campaign on the principle of fairness, jus- na, 23mn of whom are Uighurs, dollars in bilateral trade. by the Chinese Communist Party tice and non-discrimination, and while unoffi cial reports indicate On Monday, the White House to stop its own citizens from ex- remove Hikvision from the entity that the number of Muslims is announced that talks between ercising their unalienable right to list,” it said in its response to the about 100mn, about 9.5% of the the two countries were set to religious freedom.” listing. total population. Many govern- resume tomorrow, with Beijing’s China had until recently de- Artifi cial intelligence fi rm ments, international organisa- top trade envoy Liu He due to nied the existence of re-educa- Megvii, which is backed by e- tions and civic organisations meet US Trade Representative tion camps, but now claims they commerce giant Alibaba, said in have expressed dissatisfaction Robert Lighthizer and Treasury are “vocational training schools” a statement it “strongly” protests with China’s practices over Ui- Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The necessary to control terrorism, against the decision, which it ghurs. US has meanwhile stepped up while decrying interference in its said “refl ects a misunderstand- On February 12, the Amnesty its rhetoric against Beijing over “internal aff airs.” The 28 entities ing of our company.” The com- International, Human Rights its policies in Xinjiang. Rights blacklisted include 18 public se- pany said its technology had “a Watch and many civic organisa- groups say China has detained curity bureaus in Xinjiang, one positive impact on society.” tions have called on the UN Hu- around 1mn Uighurs and other police college and eight busi- Megvii said only 1% of its rev- man Rights Council (UNHRC) to Muslims in re-education camps nesses. enue in 2018 was from projects highlight the serious violations in the region – actions that “These entities have been im- in Xinjiang, while no revenue at against more than 1mn Uighurs. Washington has said are remi- plicated in human rights viola- all was generated from Xinjiang The blacklisted fi rms includ- niscent of Nazi Germany. tions and abuses in the imple- in the fi rst six months of 2019. ed video surveillance company During last month’s United mentation of China’s campaign AI company SenseTime said it Hikvision, as well as artifi cial Nations General Assembly, the of repression, mass arbitrary was “deeply disappointed” and intelligence companies Megvii State Department organised detention, and high-technology would “work closely with all rel- Technology and SenseTime, ac- an event to highlight the plight surveillance against Uighurs, evant authorities to fully under- cording to an update to the US of the Uighurs, with the US’s Kazakhs and other members of stand and resolve the situation.” Federal Register set to be pub- second-highest diplomat John Muslim minority groups,” the Hikvision was also included in lished today. The ban comes amid Sullivan decrying “China’s hor- Federal Register update said. that ban, which will preclude any heightened tensions between the rifi c campaign of repression.” Several of the fi rms blacklisted US federal agency from purchas- Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte meets with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda US and China, particularly over “In Xinjiang, the Chinese gov- issued strong statements yester- ing telecom or technology equip- Ardern as he visits Government House for bilateral talks in Auckland yesterday. trade policy and Beijing’s actions ernment prevents Muslims from day against the decision. Video ment from the fi rms.

UN rights chief urges Australia Thai zoo solves mystery of celebrity to overhaul detention policies panda’s death after outcry on Internet

AFP 10 years old, calling on Australia detention. Both measures have Reuters mate Lin Hui. Chuang Chuang’s The Chiang Mai Zoo said of oxygen of internal organs and Sydney to raise the age to the “interna- been condemned by the UN pre- Bangkok relatively early demise sparked any speculation in China that leading to his death.” The zoo tionally accepted level” of 14 viously. mourning among Thai fans and Chuang Chuang — who was confi rmed that Thailand would years. “I encourage Australia to an outcry on Chinese social me- known for being obese — may nonetheless pay unspecifi ed he UN’s top rights offi cial The policy disproportionately make greater use of human hen a celebrity giant dia, where a hashtag seeming to have died due to careless feeding, compensation to Beijing as out- urged Australia to reform aff ects indigenous children, rights-compliant alternatives to panda died suddenly blame Thailand for the death was neglect or even some kind of at- lined in the original loan agree- Tits criminal and refugee who make up 70% of those aged detention, which are non-cus- Wlast month while on viewed 250mn times. tack had proved unfounded. ment. Chuang Chuang’s mate, detention systems yesterday, under 14 held in Australian jails. todial and community-based,” loan to Thailand’s Chiang Mai “The autopsy and analysis by Lin Hui, would stay at the zoo for just days after the country’s She also said it was “time to roll Bachelet said. Her comments Zoo, millions of social media us- Chuang Chuang’s relatively Chinese-Thai experts showed the time being, it said. prime minister took a veiled back” the mandatory detention came after conservative Prime ers in China demanded to know early demise sparked that the nutrition health of Gi- Soon after Chuang Chuang’s swipe at the international body. of asylum seekers, a policy she Minister Scott Morrison last “What killed Chuang Chuang?” mourning among Thai fans ant Panda Chuang Chuang was death, footage of Lin Hui alone in Speaking in Sydney, United described as becoming “en- week used a major foreign policy Yesterday, they learned it and an outcry on Chinese good, no external wounds were her enclosure next to her mate’s Nations Human Rights Com- trenched” under successive speech in Sydney to decry in- was heart failure, according to social media found and no foreign objects empty pen was aired around the missioner Michelle Bachelet governments. Australia’s hard- ternational institutions that he a Chinese-assisted autopsy on were found in his trachea,” the world and a Chinese offi cial said said she had been “shocked” to line approach to asylum seekers said “demand conformity rather the death of 19-year-old Chuang Pandas generally live 14-20 zoo said in a statement yesterday. there was talk she may be re- learn that the country’s age of includes turning away refugees than independent co-operation Chuang, who had been on loan years in the wild but can live up “The cause of his death was turned to China amid concerns criminal responsibility was just arriving by boat and off shore on global issues”. from China since 2003 with his to 30 years in captivity. heart failure, resulting in the lack she would be lonely. Hong Kong ‘won’t rule out’ Chinese help over protests, says leader

AFP some of the most violent scenes she believes the city’s authorities mass march on Sunday. Two came into place over the week- dress some of the “deep-seated ple. I’ve never seen anything like Hong Kong since the crisis began, as hard- can cope with the unprecedented people — a male university stu- end, police said, adding that problems” in the city. According it,” Trump said. “The crowd size core protesters trashed dozens troubles, China could be called dent and a 38-year-old woman 2,363 people had been arrested to Hospital Authority fi gures, 10 is much smaller now, so maybe of subway stations, vandalised upon if the situation becomes — appeared in court on Monday overall since June. of the 13 people admitted to hos- that’s saying something.” ong Kong’s leader Car- shops with mainland China ties, “so bad”. “At this point in time, I charged with illegally wear- Lam told journalists it was pital over the weekend were in a While not referencing Trump, rie Lam yesterday said built fi res and blocked roads. still strongly feel that we should ing masks, and supporters wore “too early” to say whether the stable condition yesterday while Lam said: “I hope anyone, espe- HChina intervening to Hong Kong was virtually fi nd the solutions ourselves. It their own face coverings in the anti-mask law was eff ective or three had been discharged. cially foreign members, when- end months of pro-democracy locked down over the three-day is also the position of the cen- courtroom. not. “I’m sure you’ll agree that US President Donald Trump ever they have to comment on protests is an option following a holiday weekend, with the ma- tral government (in Beijing) that They were both charged with for any new policy or new legis- earlier urged a “humane solu- Hong Kong’s current situation, particularly violent week of un- jority of subway stops closed. Hong Kong should tackle the unlawful assembly, which car- lation, it will take time to be ef- tion” to the crisis, telling report- they have to look at the fact ob- rest that paralysed the city. Thirteen damaged stations re- problem on her own. ries up to three years’ jail time, fectively implemented,” she said. ers: “I think they have to do that jectively.” The fi nancial hub has been mained shut yesterday morn- “But if the situation becomes and with defying the mask ban, Lam also would not be drawn in a peaceful manner.” And when asked for her gripped by four months of rallies, ing as rush-hour commuters so bad, then no options can be which has a maximum one-year on a suggestion by one of her He remarked on the “great thoughts on comments made by and last weekend saw much of returned to work after the long ruled out if we want Hong Kong sentence. Both were released on cabinet members, the veteran people over there” and said Hong Kong’s last governor Chris the city grind to a halt as masked break, although two reopened to at least have another chance.” bail. pro-Beijing politician Ip Kwok- protesters had been “fl ying the Patten that the face mask ban demonstrators took to the streets later. Lam has faced widespread Another 26 people who were him, that Hong Kong may curb American fl ag”. was “madness”, Lam said: “You in defi ance of a controversial ban The Mass Transit Railway criticism over her decision to ban arrested on Sunday in Wan Chai access to the Internet in a bid to However, Trump avoided ex- cannot make a spiteful com- on face coverings. (MTR) operator said the entire face masks — ubiquitous in Hong district have been charged with contain the protests. pressing support for the dem- ment on Hong Kong, or support Lam’s decision last Friday to network — which carries 4mn Kong since a deadly SARS out- rioting and 14 of them addition- The leader insisted she was onstrators’ defi ance and ques- the violent protesters, claiming invoke colonial-era emergency people daily — would close at break in 2003 — and thousands ally in violation of the mask ban. “very committed” to using po- tioned whether they were losing that their way is peaceful and it’s powers — not used for half a cen- 8pm, fi ve hours earlier than usu- of Hong Kongers fl outed the pro- A total of 77 people have been ar- litical, legal and policy instru- steam. their freedom. “I think his com- tury — to impose the ban sparked al. Lam told reporters that while hibition during an unsanctioned rested for defying the ban since it ments, including dialogue, to ad- At the start, “I saw 2mn peo- ment is irresponsible.” Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 11

BRITAIN/IRELAND

Uncertainty over Brexit will make election hard to call: study

Guardian News and Media online panel, will make uneasy than in 2010, bringing a record higher aggregate volatility than hugely diffi cult to call. goes beyond longer-term factors The research suggests that London reading for party leaders plot- high share of the vote for parties 2015 and 2017, both of which “Given the UK’s recent his- such as a gradual weakening in the cumulative eff ect could be ting their strategy. other than the main three. took place in deeply unusual cir- tory of vote switching and the party loyalties, especially among more volatility, as new electoral It shows that following dec- Two years later, 33% of people cumstances. unpredictability of the current new cohorts of younger voters. shocks shift already unattached n unprecedented period ades of relative stability, voter switched for the 2017 poll, and The fi rst was in 1918, after climate, it would be unwise for The study found that the 2017 voters. With the likelihood of a of volatility in party loy- decisions have been rocked re- the Conservatives and Labour World War I and following the any political party or commen- election had the largest recorded new departure extension before Aalties, in which almost peatedly by a series of recent won more than 82% of the votes. expansion of the voting fran- tator to presume how voters will amount of voter movement be- the next election, Brexit seems half of voters have switched “electoral shocks” – immigra- In this election there was also chise. The other was in 1931, behave in a general election, tween the two big parties. One in set to be a key factor – and one sides since 2010, and the fl uidity tion and the rise of Ukip; the the biggest movement in voters when a post-depression nation- particularly in the middle of an eight Conservative voters from that is hard to predict. of Brexit will make the next gen- 2008 crash; the 2010-15 coali- between the two main parties al government won a landslide. electoral shock,” said Edward 2015 backed Labour, with one in “We don’t know what the eral election hugely diffi cult to tion; the Scottish referendum detected in BES data. The authors of the research, Fieldhouse, a politics professor 11 former Labour voters moving Brexit situation will be on elec- call, according to a major study. and Brexit. Across the three elections which is to be collated into a at Manchester University. “But the other way. tion day,” said Jane Green, pro- The fi ndings from the British Amid the repeated shake-ups, of 2010, 2015 and 2017, 49% of book published this year, say we do expect to see big shifts de- This totalled 11% of the elec- fessor of politics at Oxford Uni- Election Study (BES), an ongoing traditional party loyalties seem people changed votes at least this context, plus the fact that fi ned largely by Brexit.” The idea torate switching between the versity. “We don’t know who survey running since the 1964 to have eroded. The study found once. Brexit will still be a live issue in of electoral shocks seeks to ex- two parties. In contrast, during will get the blame for the current election, augmented by ongoing that in the 2015 election, 43% of The study concludes that only the coming months, makes the plain the extent of vote switch- Tony Blair’s landslide election political deadlock, or who will polling from a 30,000-person people voted for a diff erent party two recorded elections have had likely imminent next election ing, which the researchers say win in 1997, the fi gure was 9%. benefi t.” Ireland budget Brexit talks prepares for the worst on the brink

Reuters Dublin

reland yesterday presented of collapse: a no-deal Brexit budget for I2020, pledging a 1.2bn euro package to keep fi rms afl oat by allowing the state’s fi nances to return to defi cit if Britain leaves the European Union without a transition period. No 10 source With Britain’s latest scheduled exit from the EU just three weeks Guardian News and Media “Merkel said that if Germany terday morning. As usual, we do away, Finance Minister Paschal London wanted to leave the EU they could not report from such confi dential Donohoe made the call last month do it no problem, but the UK can- conversations.” to assume the worst, eschewing not leave without leaving North- In response to Tusk’s tweet, the tax cuts and spending hikes of alks over a Brexit deal are on ern Ireland behind in a customs Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister, recent years to set aside funds for the brink of collapse, as a No union and in full alignment for- Simon Coveney, tweeted: “Hard exposed businesses. T10 source said that Angela ever,” the source said. to disagree – refl ects the frustra- Donohoe nevertheless gave the Merkel was making a deal impos- “She said Ireland is the govern- tion across EU and the enormity booming economy a 2.9bn euro sible and Brussels accused Boris ment’s special problem and Ire- of what’s at stake for us all. We re- boost, mostly through pre-com- Johnson of trying to play a “stupid land must at least have a veto on NI main open to fi nalise a fair Brexit mitted extra spending in areas blame game”. leaving. Merkel said the PM should deal but need a UK government such as infrastructure and public The row erupted after Johnson tell Northern Ireland it must stay willing to work with EU to get it sector pay — a far cry from the and Merkel had a phone conversa- in full alignment forever but that done.” savage austerity budgets required tion in which they could not fi nd a even this would not eliminate cus- Arlene Foster, the leader of the a decade ago after Ireland’s fi nan- common position over Northern toms issues. Democratic Unionist Party, said cial crisis. Ireland. “It was a very useful clarifying the account of the meeting “re- “This is a Budget without In an extraordinary briefi ng moment in all sorts of ways. If this veals the real objective of Dublin precedent...A budget that has about the confi dential discussion represents a new established posi- and the European Union” to trap been developed in the shadow of between the leaders, a No 10 source tion then it means a deal is essen- Northern Ireland in a customs un- Brexit,” Donohoe told parliament later said the German chancellor’s tially impossible, not just now but ion. in what could be his last budget. demands for Northern Ireland to ever. It also made clear that they “For the United Kingdom to be His Fine Gael party favours a remain in a customs union made a are willing to torpedo the Good asked to leave a part of its sover- May 2020 election. deal look “essentially impossible, Friday agreement.” eign territory in a foreign organi- “This does not mean that no- not just now but ever”. Berlin declined to give its side sation of which the UK would no deal is inevitable. But equally we The briefi ng prompted a frus- of the conversation. A German longer be a part and over which we stand ready if it does happen. It is trated reaction from Donald Tusk, government spokesperson said: would have no say whatsoever is a challenge Ireland has the meas- the European council president, “I can confi rm that the German beyond crazy. No UK government ure of.” who tweeted directly at Johnson: chancellor and the British prime could ever concede such a surren- Ireland is considered the most “What’s at stake is not winning minister spoke on the phone yes- der,” she said. vulnerable among remaining EU some stupid blame game. At stake members to Brexit due to its close is the future of Europe and the UK trade links and shared land border as well as the security and interests UK ready for no-deal but some risks remain: Gove with the United Kingdom. of our people. You don’t want a The Irish government has deal, you don’t want an extension, Michael Gove, the minister Calais and the automotive warned economic growth could you don’t want to revoke. Quo tasked with no-deal Brexit sector. However, he said risks come to a near halt next year, vadis? (Where are you going?)” planning, has said the remained, some challenges putting up to 80,000 jobs at risk Downing Street offi cially insists government is ready to take for businesses could not be if Britain crashes out of the bloc. the government is still focused on the UK out of the EU without avoided, and sheep farmers While some British lawmakers getting a deal with the EU, with an agreement. Gove said in a and Northern Irish dairy think the threat of such a hit will preliminary talks continuing about statement to the Commons farmers were likely to be force Ireland into a last-minute Johnson’s new Brexit proposals. that he was impressed by adversely aff ected by tariff s. concession in negotiations, Brit- However, the anonymous No 10 the steps manufacturers “Of course risks remain ain’s smaller neighbour is ap- source spoke to broadcast journal- and supermarkets had taken and challenges for some proaching the October 31 Brexit ists, saying Merkel “made clear a to prepare for no deal, and businesses cannot be entirely deadline with an economy that deal is overwhelmingly unlikely by measures put in place mitigated, even with every has grown faster than any other Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomes European Parliament president David Sassoli to 10 Downing and she thinks the EU has a veto on by the ports of Dover and possible preparation in place.” in the EU each year since 2014. Street for a meeting in London yesterday. us leaving the customs union”.

Street turns to ‘river’ Johnson ‘did not disclose Multiple probes ordered into baby’s prison death

Guardian News and Media investigating the baby’s death as Arcuri meetings in diary’ it was not part of its remit. The London police are carrying out a major Guardian News and Media tween fi ve and 10 meetings in her School, where Arcuri studied for crimes investigation and a safe- London fl at. But none were publicly listed an MBA, when Johnson pledged leven separate investiga- guarding investigation. by the then mayor. to do everything in his power to tions have been launched Frazer said she had been in- More than 1,300 entries are re- help the new tech sector fl ourish Einto the death of a newborn formed by Bronzefi eld’s gov- oris Johnson failed to pub- dacted, citing an exemption for in London. baby at Britain’s largest female ernor that since the death the licly disclose the full extent personal information – suggesting His appointments for Octo- prison after the mother gave prison had introduced hourly Bof his links with his close Johnson’s liaisons with the busi- ber 30, 2014, records a “Pop in to birth alone in her cell. checks throughout the night for friend Jennifer Arcuri in his of- nesswoman may have been con- Google Hangout” but does not The Prisons Minister, Lucy all pregnant women and fort- fi cial diary of appointments and cealed from public view. mention that Arcuri and her In- Frazer, announced yesterday she nightly reviews for all pregnant activities as mayor of London, the It comes after Arcuri gave a notech company were hosting had instructed the prisons and women involving a multidisci- Guardian revealed. lengthy interview with ITV in the event. During his appearance, probation ombudsman (PPO) to plinary team. “That’s happening The mayoral diary, released un- which she failed to deny an aff air Johnson was videoed telling Arcu- carry out an overarching inde- throughout the female prisoner der freedom of information laws, with Johnson but sought to por- ri: “I’m always happy to hang out pendent review into the circum- estate,” she added. provides a detailed list of thou- tray his visits to her fl at, which she at Innotech.” On February 28, 2013, stances of the baby’s death. Bronzefi eld, run by Sodexo sands of Johnson’s meetings and operated as an offi ce, as business Arcuri told Johnson’s communica- A further 10 investigations are Justice Services, is Europe’s larg- engagements, from summits with meetings. “I think it was normal tions director, Will Walden, that under way, including internal re- est female prison, holding up to world leaders to mundane listings that he came to my offi ce like many she “spoke to the man last night” views at the privately run HMP 557 inmates. Concerns have been such as “tea with a tourist”. other tech professionals, govern- when she appeared to be trying to Bronzefi eld in Surrey, an NHS raised previously about care for But in the hundreds of pages of ment offi cials did ,” she said. book the mayor to speak at one of clinical review, an inquest and pregnant prisoners, and the pris- appointments, the diaries con- But the diary makes no men- her conferences. two police investigations. on has previously been criticised tain no public reference to Arcuri, tion of any visits to her fl at. It only Johnson’s diary for February 27, Questions have been raised about for transferring prisoners to hos- the businesswoman at the centre explicitly references Arcuri’s In- 2013, lists eight appointments but how the woman came to be without pital at a late stage in labour. of a confl ict of interest allegation notech company twice, despite the last two on that day are redact- medical support during the birth, Dr Kate Paradine, the chief after her fi rm received thousands him speaking at four of the fi rm’s ed because they relate to personal and the case has put the spotlight on executive of the charity Women of pounds of public money while events. The diary lists an Innotech information about the mayor. the broader provisions for pregnant in Prison, said: “This announce- Johnson was mayor. event in Canary Wharf in April 2013 They are two of more than 1,300 A person wades through a flooded street in Finsbury Park, women in prison. ment doesn’t go far enough. This Arcuri claims she shared a “very and another at the Bafta building in redactions under Section 40 of London, yesterday. Firefighters evacuated residents from the The PPO, an independent is not the fi rst time a tragedy like close bond” with Johnson and in Piccadilly in October 2014. the Freedom of Information Act, flooded street after a burst water pipe turned the road into a body that investigates deaths in this has happened and it cer- her fi rst broadcast interview on But it omits the Innotech launch which allows for an exemption of fast-flowing ‘river’. prisons and detention centres, tainly won’t be the last without Monday said that the two held be- event in 2012 at Hult Business the release of personal data. had previously said it was not urgent action.” Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 EUROPE Italian parliament votes to slim down by a third

Reuters house to be reduced to 400 from out of the lower chamber, giving tual savings will be around half M5S’s partner in the governing called for a return to pure PR. this parliament survives for at Rome the current 630, while the upper each other high fi ves and pats on that amount, representing a drop coalition, the centre-left Demo- This would make it harder for least another three years. house Senate will be sliced back the back. in the ocean in state spending. cratic Party (PD), says Italy’s any one bloc to secure outright Yesterday’s vote means a large to 200 seats from 315. However, the shake-up could “There is no doubt that our complex electoral law will need victory and ensure that consen- number of lawmakers will lose taly’s parliament has voted M5S said the decrease, which yet be challenged in a national system needs to be modernised to be adjusted to accommodate sus politics predominates. their seats at the next election. to cut the number of elected should come into force at the referendum, with opponents and reformed,” said Roberto Gia- the change. The PD wants the change to Worse still, from their per- Ilawmakers by more than a next election due in 2023, would warning that it will weaken de- chetti, a lawmaker with the new, At present, Italy has a voting the electoral system to be decid- spective, they will not be eligible third, approving a reform cham- save the country hundreds of mocracy by, among other things, centrist Italy Alive party. system that mixes proportional ed by December, allowing it to be for a pension from the current pioned by the anti-establish- millions of euros and make par- making it easier for lobby- “But is cutting the number of representation (PR) with fi rst- swiftly deployed should its coali- legislature unless it lasts until ment 5-Star Movement (M5S) liament more effi cient. ists to acquire leverage within a parliamentarians the way to go? past-the-post constituencies. tion with M5S collapse, opening September 2022. that could profoundly impact the “This is a historic day. We slimmed-down parliament. Quite obviously not,” he said, Opinion polls suggest the op- the way for early elections. This means it is in the fi nan- political landscape. have fi nally managed to cut the Critics have also challenged announcing that he would help position far-right League and However, political analysts cial interests of most parliamen- The law, which was backed number of parliamentarians, M5S’s assertion that the reform round up the 500,000 signatures its allies would win a clear ma- have suggested that one unex- tarians to keep the government by all the main parties, calls for forever,” said M5S leader Luigi will save Italy €1bn ($1.1bn) over needed to trigger a referendum. jority under the present system pected consequence of the re- afl oat and safeguard their pen- the number of seats in the lower Di Maio as his lawmakers poured the next decade, saying the ac- Assuming the reform will pass, and centre-left politicians have form is that it might guarantee sion rights. Man rams lorry into cars in German city AFP and stared at him wide-eyed be- Frankfurt am Main fore forcing him out of the vehi- Macron warned against lapsing into a climate of permanent cle. suspicion. “I asked him ‘What do you erman authorities held on want from me?’,” he told FNP. suspicion of attempted “He didn’t say a word.” Gmurder a Syrian man who Prosecutors said the suspect hijacked an articulated lorry and was not believed to have used a Macron pledges smashed it into cars stopped at weapon in the hijacking. a traffi c light in the city of Lim- The truck sped into the parked burg, injuring several people. cars a few metres away and came The 32-year-old will remain in to a stop on the central reserva- ‘unrelenting fi ght’ custody, suspected of attempted tion of a six-lane road. murder and bodily harm as well When the man behind the as a traffi c off ence, Frankfurt wheel of the truck emerged from prosecutors told AFP. the crash, several passers-by against terrorism Earlier yesterday, the inves- provided fi rst aid, FNP said. tigators had said in a statement Bettina Yeisley from Limburg, that their probe into the motive whose offi ce is next to the crash AFP tortion of it which leads to ter- for the unnamed suspect’s act scene, told FNP that she heard a Paris rorism.” was “ongoing” and they were loud bang and ran out onto the Thursday’s bloodshed – the “pursuing all leads”. street with colleagues. fi rst deadly attack in France Unconfi rmed media reports This picture taken late on Monday shows the site, cordoned off by police, where a stolen truck crashed They found the driver sit- rench President Em- in 10 months – brought to 255 said the Syrian national arrived into cars at a red light in Limburg, western Germany. ting by the roadside in the city manuel Macron has the number of people killed in with the massive migrant infl ux of 35,000 about an hour’s drive Fvowed an “unrelenting a string of assaults blamed on, to Germany in 2015 and that his A spokesman for the federal The white articulated lorry drug off ences and grievous bod- from the fi nancial capital Frank- fi ght” against religious ex- or claimed by Islamist radicals, residency permit had expired on prosecutor’s offi ce in Karlsruhe, slammed into seven cars and a ily harm. furt. tremists at a memorial cere- mainly the Islamic State (IS) October 1. which usually takes over terror van idling at a red light oppo- Police searched two apart- “He was bleeding from the mony for four Paris police staff group, since 2015. Germany has been on alert fol- probes, said it was for now leav- site the courthouse in Limburg, ments linked to the suspect over- nose, his hands were bloody, his stabbed to death last week by a The security forces have lowing several religious extremist ing the case to Frankfurt. western Germany late on Mon- night and collected possible evi- trousers torn. He said that every- radicalised colleague. regularly been targeted. attacks in recent years claimed by And Hesse state interior min- day, crushing them together. dence including mobile phones thing hurt. I asked him his name Mickael Harpon, a 45-year- In one of the grisliest at- the Islamic State (IS) group. ister Peter Beuth urged people Nine people were slightly in- and USB sticks. and he said, ‘My name is Mo- old computer expert in the tacks, a police couple were The most deadly was commit- not to jump to conclusions. jured, including the driver of the The original driver of the hamed’.” police intelligence-gathering stabbed to death in front of ted in 2016 by a 23-year-old Tu- “Although the events recall stolen vehicle, who was immedi- truck, who was not named, was The Offi ce for the Protection department, used a kitchen their three-year-old son at nisian, who killed 12 people when the horrible attacks in Nice and ately taken into custody by police quoted by daily Frankfurter Neue of the Constitution, Germany’s knife and an oyster shucker to their home near Paris by a man he stole a truck and ploughed it Berlin, the motive of the detained offi cers who happened to be on Presse (FNP) as saying a man had domestic security watchdog, kill one female and three male claiming allegiance to IS, who through a Berlin Christmas mar- man remains unclear,” he said. the scene. “dragged” him out of his lorry. warned in April of an estimated colleagues in a 30-minute also broadcast the attack live ket. He added that security author- News agency DPA, citing se- He said the hijacker, with short 2,240 Islamists with “terror- rampage that ended when an on Facebook. However, the authorities re- ities had, as yet, found “no links curity sources, said that the sus- dark hair and a full beard, had ist potential” presently living in offi cer shot him in the head. Harpon, a father of two, had mained cautious. to the violent Islamist scene”. pect was known to the police for yanked open the driver-side door Germany. “We will wage an unrelent- converted to Islam about 10 ing fi ght in the face of Islam- years ago and adopted increas- ist terrorism,” Macron said at ingly radical beliefs. the ceremony at police head- He had been in close contact quarters, where the attack took with a hardline Salafi st imam place. in the months before his ram- AfD would come third if Germans voted this month: poll The killings in the police’s page last week, according to inner sanctum have shocked investigators. France, where the government His wife was released from DPA vey conducted by the Insa insti- Christian Democrats (CDU) and They are followed by the 8.5%, both gaining ground. is being pressed to answer how custody on Sunday after three Berlin tute for the mass-circulation Bild their Bavarian sister party, the Greens with 21%. A total of 2,059 German citi- Harpon’s radicalisation failed days of questioning. newspaper has found. CSU. That is an increase of half a zens participated in the survey to raise red fl ags. Le Parisien newspaper re- With 16%, the AfD fared better Thirteen per cent of respond- percentage point for the con- between October 4 and October Macron said it was “incon- ported yesterday that a USB he far-right Alternative among voters than the centre- ents said they would vote for the servatives, and a drop of one per- 7. ceivable and unacceptable” key containing details on doz- for Germany (AfD) party left Social Democrats (SPD), who SPD, according to the results centage point for the Greens. They were asked who they that Harpon, who had worked ens of his police colleagues had Twould come in third place are currently in a coalition gov- published yesterday. The hard-left Die Linke (The would vote for if parliamentary for the police since 2003, had been found among his posses- if elections were held in the ernment with German Chancel- Coming in fi rst place was the Left) party achieved 9% and pro- elections were held on the fol- managed to carry out an at- sions. country this month, a new sur- lor Angela Merkel’s centre-right CDU/CSU bloc with 27%. business Free Democratic Party lowing Sunday. tack “in the very place where The paper, citing unnamed we pursue terrorists and crimi- sources close to the inquiry, nals”. said it was not clear if Harpon He blamed the attack on “a had gathered the data as part of distorted, deadly Islam” which his job or had surreptitiously he vowed to “eradicate” and extracted it, as well as whether Trio win Nobel Physics Prize for build in France a “society in a he had shared it with others. state of vigilance”. The key also contained sev- He called on all of France to eral IS propaganda videos, it work on evolution of the universe unify and act in order to over- added. come what he termed the “Is- The four victims of the at- lamist hydra”, referring to the tack – Damien Ernest, Antho- DPA challenge to modern physics.” the sugar in the cup.” multi-headed serpent of Greek ny Lancelot, Aurelia Trifi ro, Stockholm The other half of the prize was Mayor and Queloz announced mythology. and Brice Le Mescam – were awarded jointly to Swiss scien- the fi rst discovery of a planet But he also warned against posthumously awarded the tists Michel Mayor and Didier outside the solar system in Oc- lapsing into a climate of per- Legion of Honour, France’s he 2019 Nobel Prize in Queloz “for the discovery of an tober 1995, a success the acad- manent suspicion, emphasis- highest civilian award, at yes- Physics will be shared by a exoplanet orbiting a solar-type emy said kicked off “a revolution ing: “This is not a fi ght against terday’s remembrance cer- Ttrio of scientists “for con- star”. in astronomy”, with more than a religion but against the dis- emony. tributions to [the] understanding The 2019 physics laureates 4,000 exoplanets having since of the evolution of the universe “have painted a picture of the been found. and Earth’s place in the cosmos”, universe, far stranger and more The study of other planets, Portuguese president holds talks the Royal Swedish Academy of wonderful than we ever could their variation and the composi- Sciences announced yesterday. have imagined. Our view of our tion of their atmospheres might Members of the Nobel Committee for physics (from left) Nobel as Socialists eye new coalition Half of the prize – worth 9mn place in the universe will never be also help increase the under- Committee chairman Mats Larsson, Academy secretary-general kronor ($908,000) – went to the same again,” said Ulf Daniels- standing of how climates form Goran K Hansson, and Ulf Danielsson sit in front of a screen Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa began talks with James Peebles, a dual citizen of son, a member of the award com- in general, academy member and displaying the portraits of the winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize in party leaders yesterday as the country’s Socialist party weighed up Canada and the US, “for theo- mittee. Lund University professor Hein- physics: Canadian-American James Peebles, and Swiss scientists alliances to form a stable majority government. retical discoveries in physical At the award announcement, er Linke told DPA. Michel Mayor with Didier Queloz, at the Royal Swedish Academy of The party of incumbent Prime Minister Antonio Costa strengthened cosmology” over the past two he made an analogy, saying: “And [they might] teach us Sciences in Stockholm. its position in parliament in Sunday’s polls, winning 106 seats in the decades that have enriched mod- “One can compare our universe how to think about the climate in 230-seat assembly, up from 86 seats but still 10 shy of an outright ern astronomy’s timeline of the to a cup of coff ee”, and poured a our planet,” Linke said. learning of his Nobel win. peace will be announced later majority. universe, from the Big Bang on- cup. “Most of it is of course cof- “Love of science” should be Both Mayor and Queloz are at this week. Costa, who campaigned on a promise to boost disposable income wards. fee – this is the dark energy. the driving force for young re- the University of Geneva. The economics award is due while protecting public finances, is expected to be charged by Peebles’s breakthroughs cen- “Then a fair amount of cream searchers going into science, not Queloz is also associated with next week. Rebelo de Sousa with forming a new government. tred on the “ancient radiation” – this is the dark matter, and then the search for awards, said Pee- the University of Cambridge, in With the exception of eco- Rebelo de Sousa met the leaders of smaller parties earlier in the that originated during the Big just a tiny little bit of sugar, this is bles, of Princeton University. Britain. nomics, the prizes were endowed day. Bang 14bn years ago and contin- ordinary matter, this is what sci- “The awards and prizes, they The 2019 Nobel award week by Swedish industrialist Alfred ues to surround us. ence has been all about for thou- are charming, very much appre- opened on Monday with US- Nobel (1833-96), the inventor of “The results showed us a uni- sands of years.” ciated, but that’s not part of your born scientists William Kaelin dynamite. Military aircraft crashes in Germany verse in which just 5% of its con- “[Through Peebles’s work and] plans. You should enter science and Gregg Semenza and British The awards are traditionally tent is known, the matter which new ways to observe and measure because you are fascinated by it. scientist Peter Ratcliff e sharing presented on December 10, the A military aircraft has crashed near the southwest German city of constitutes stars, planets, trees our universe, cosmology evolved That’s what I did,” he said. the Nobel Prize in Medicine for anniversary of Nobel’s death. Trier, police said yesterday. – and us,” the academy said in a into a science of precision,” Dan- Peebles was speaking over the their work on cells’ use of oxy- In line with tradition, the ac- A spokesman said the aircraft was most likely a US fighter jet, but statement. “The rest – 95% – is ielsson said, adding: “[The Swiss telephone yesterday to journal- gen. tual awards are presented on did not give further details. unknown dark matter and dark duo, Mayor and Queloz,] focused ists at the Royal Swedish Acad- Recipients of prizes in the December 10, the anniversary of The mayor of the local municipality of Zemmer said the aircraft had energy. This is a mystery and a on what is most important to us, emy of Sciences, minutes after fi elds of chemistry, literature and Nobel’s death. crashed in a wooded area. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 13

INDIA AAP govt launches water saving campaign in Delhi

By Amrit Dhillon invited in, and they check for dual purpose. The team of volun- the brutal humidity. The rules cause that is a huge waste,” she give them to all residents at a low vast amounts of water,” says Ton- New Delhi leaks in bathrooms and kitchens. teers and a plumber fi x the leaks of Indian hospitality dictate that says. price,” he says. gad. “I appreciate Bharti’s eff orts Saifi and the plumber, Mo- but also make people aware of the visitors take off their shoes, sit In New Delhi, even in the rich- In a few months’ time, Bharti but the party should focus on fi x- hamed Nazim, are part of a wa- need to save water if the city is to down, partake of refreshments est homes, piped water from the will check the total amount of ing the lines.” renched in perspiration ter saving campaign launched be spared the dire predictions of and snacks, and indulge in pleas- municipal authorities fl ows into water supplied to Malviya Nagar Bharti says the AAP govern- on a muggy Sunday af- by AAP leader Somnath Bharti in experts,” says Bharti. antries before the job of checking homes for only a couple of hours to see if it has reduced as a result ment has plans in place. “We are Dternoon in New Delhi, his constituency of Malviya Na- A report last year by the NITI taps can begin. a day. Home owners store the of the campaign. replacing the old supply lines and Ashia Saifi climbs up and down gar. Bharti was inspired by Aabid Aayog predicted that 21 ma- At a third fl oor fl at, the owner water in huge tanks placed on the But for Vikrant Tongad, a wa- using new technology that gaug- the stairs of apartment buildings, Surti, a former cartoonist and jor cities in India are poised to Neelam Malik welcomes the roof. ter conservationist and activist es the water pressure in the lines ringing on doorbells and asking writer, who off ers the same serv- run out of groundwater in 2020. group and, after serving Pepsi Sitting inside their homes, in the city, the AAP has got its to alert engineers of any leaks,” if residents have any leaking taps ice to homes in Mumbai. Anxious to do his bit – and per- and crisps, shows Nazim around. residents have no way of know- priorities wrong. He welcomes he says. they want fi xed. Bharti says it was the sight of haps with an eye on elections to It takes him just a few minutes to ing when the rooftop tanks are Bharti’s campaign but says plug- In Mumbai, Surti is pleased Sometimes, the door is “people fi ghting over water, peo- the New Delhi assembly in Feb- fi x a tap in the bathroom and a full. There are devices that will ging leaking taps is minor com- with the initiative’s progress. slammed shut in her face. People ple crying over water” in slum ar- ruary 2020 – Bharti launched washer in the kitchen. sound an alarm when water starts pared with the need to repair “It’s not just Delhi. I am getting are scared of intruders and stran- eas of New Delhi, where residents his campaign last month. Delhi But Malik points through the to overfl ow, but most residents and modernise the underground groups of concerned citizens all gers, even though Saifi sports a rely on tankers to deliver water, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal window to a block of fl ats where don’t have one. water supply lines, which leak over India telling me that they little white cap that’s the emblem that galvanised him into action. has said that if the pilot project two water tanks on the roof are Bharti is aware of the prob- 40% of the city’s total water sup- are following my example in their of Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Par- “We use WhatsApp to organise produces results, it will be repli- overfl owing. “That is the real lem. “We are talking to the alarm ply before it gets anywhere near neighbourhood. Saving water is a ty (AAP). our volunteers who go whenever cated across the capital. problem. You need to go there manufacturers to see if they can homes. global project which all Indians But other times, she, and the they have time – during week- Knocking on doors is slow to tell them to make sure those provide them to us in bulk at “The pipes are so old and badly should join.” – Guardian News plumber accompanying her, are days or weekends. It’s serving a work, and not just because of overhead tanks don’t leak be- subsidised prices so that we can maintained that we (are losing) and Media Congress may promise farm loan waiver in Haryana

IANS 2014 to 2019. Chandigarh He joined the Congress in the presence of state Congress presi- dent Kumari Selja in Rori village he Congress party in Har- in Sirsa district. yana is likely to promise Meanwhile, within hours of Tfarm loan waiver within the announcement of the new six months if voted to power. Congress team in Uttar Pradesh, It was indicated by two-time rumblings of dissent have started chief minister Bhupinder Singh surfacing in the party ranks. Hooda. Party leaders are upset over According to party leaders, the the exclusion of senior lead- party’s manifesto for the October ers from the committee and the 21 assembly polls will likely be over representation of the Other released on Friday. Backward Classes (OBC) in the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh poses next to his French counterpart Florence Parly during the ceremony marking the delivery of the first of 36 Rafale fighter jets destined for Hooda also said the Con- new committee which was an- India, at Dassault Aviation plant in Merignac yesterday. gress would raise old-age pen- nounced on Monday night. sion to Rs5,100 and provide for a The Congress workers are monthly allowance to women of also objecting to the inclusion poor families. of those leaders who joined the On the pattern of Rajasthan, party on the eve of Lok Sabha party leaders say, the Congress elections. plans to give Rs3,500 monthly al- The 45% representation given lowance to unemployed youths. to the OBCs in the new commit- In his election campaigns, Hooda tee has also not gone down well India takes fi rst delivery has been targeting the ruling with party leaders. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on The new committee which unemployment and deteriorat- clearly bears the stamp of Pri- ing law and order issues. yanka Gandhi Vadra, has no “I had fulfi lled all prom- place for party veterans like ises made in our manifestos of Siraj Mehndi, Vinod Chaud- 2004 and 2009. Now take the hary, Hanuman Tripathi, Saty- of Rafale fi ghter aircraft BJP manifesto, not even a sin- adev Tripathi, R P Tripathi, gle promise has been fulfi lled,” Akhilesh Pratap Singh and AFP India is seeking to renew its The deal was estimated to be “Combat aviation for them is Hooda said. Ramesh Srivastava. Paris ageing fl eet of Jaguar, Mirage worth $9.4bn at the time. a strategic asset,” said Jean-Paul The Congress in the 2019 Lok “These leaders have been in 2000, Sukhoi 30, and Mig 21 and The new agreement, signed Palomeros, former chief of staff Sabha elections had promised the Congress for years and, at 27 jets. the following year, named Re- of the French Air Force and an a minimum income guarantee least, deserved a place in the new ndia received yesterday the It signed a deal in 2016 to buy liance group, a conglomerate expert at the CEIS strategic in- scheme, formally called Ny- committee. We agree that the first of 36 Rafale fighter 36 Rafales from France, but de- owned by Anil Ambani that has telligence fi rm. untam Aay Yojana (NYAY), to the focus is on youth, but you can- Ijets ordered from France in livery has been held up by cor- little experience in aviation, as “As such, its renovation is poorest families. not completely disregard experi- 2016 in a multi-billion dollar ruption allegations levelled by Dassault’s local partner. both political and a high military In the 2014 assembly polls, the ence,” said a leader. deal that Paris hopes will un- the opposition Congress party. Ambani is reported to be close priority.” BJP improved its 2009 tally from He said if age was a factor in lock more sales despite being Prime Minister Narendra to the ruling Bharatiya Janata As part of Modi’s “Make in four to 47, followed by the Indian excluding some of these lead- tainted by suspicion of cor- Modi has accused Congress of Party (BJP). India” programme to encourage National Lok Dal (INLD) with ers, then how one can explain ruption. undermining the country’s se- Modi and the government local manufacturing, the Rafale 19 legislators and the Congress the presence of Mohsina Kidwai, Defence Minister Rajnath curity. deny any misconduct, and in contract provides for domestic coming third with 15 seats. who is 87-years-old, in the advi- Singh joined his French counter- French plane-maker Das- December, the Supreme Court “off set” deals. Two seats went to the Haryana sory council. “Mohsina Kidwai is part Florence Parly for a ceremony sault in 2012 won a contract dismissed calls for an investiga- “Nearly 60 French companies Janhit Congress (HJC), and one settled in Delhi and has not been at the Dassault Aviation factory in negotiated under a Congress- tion into the deal, saying it saw are already established in India each to the Shiromani Akali Dal living in Uttar Pradesh for dec- Merignac, near the southwestern led government in 2012 to sup- no evidence of “commercial fa- and in the future more compa- (SAD) and the Bahujan Samaj ades,” he added. city of Bordeaux, on the Indian Air ply 126 jets to India, with some vouritism”. nies will come,” said Parly, the Party (BSP). Five independents In sharp contrast, leaders who Force’s birthday. built in France and the rest in Mandated to be able to deal French defence minister. were also elected. had joined the Congress on the Standing next to the plane, India by state-owned Hin- with two confl icts at once – with The Rafale has been used by In another setback to the frac- eve of Lok Sabha elections have decorated in the colours of the dustan Aeronautics Limited China and Pakistan – the Indian the French army since 2004 but tured INLD ahead of the elec- been given organisational re- Indian fl ag, Singh hailed an (HAL). Rajnath Singh speaks to Air Force is meant to have 42 struggled for several years to tions, its former MP Charanjit sponsibilities. These include Na- “historic and landmark day for But on a visit to France in 2015, journalists after undertaking a squadrons but struggles to put land foreign clients. Singh Rori joined the opposition seemuddin Siddiqui, Raj Kishore the Indian armed forces,” not- Modi scrapped the deal, replac- 30-minute sortie on a twin-seater together 33, according to the In- The 36 Indian Rafales will be Congress yesterday. Singh, Kaiser Jahan Ansari and ing the Rafale “will add to the ing it with an order for 36 jets – trainer version of the Rafale ternational Institute for Strate- based in Ambala in Punjab and at Rori was MP from Sirsa from Rakesh Sachan. strength of our air force.” all to be built in France. fighter aircraft. gic Studies. Hasimara in West Bengal. Fight against tuberculosis ‘epidemic’ paying off

AFP not want to go out, I do not want The government’s call to arms tation of a breadwinner piling drugs or treatments interrupted New Delhi to do anything,” she said. “is not just rhetoric,” said Dr additional misery on families. before their term are a major A major killer in the West un- Jamhoih Tonsing of the Interna- “TB continues to be predomi- worry for health workers, and til the mid-20th century, tu- tional Union Against Tuberculo- nantly a poor man’s disease,” said responsible for the spread of ll the symptoms were berculosis remains a menace in sis and Lung Disease, noting that Shibu Vijayan, Global TB Techni- multidrug-resistant strains of there but it still took developing countries and killed the budget for TB in India has cal Director at PATH, an NGO. the disease. Afour doctors and several 421,000 in India in 2017 accord- doubled between 2016 and 2018. “In that sense, an investment The WHO has noticed a form months of waiting before Bharti ing to the World Health Organi- But its timetable may be too there (in fi ghting it) will prob- of TB resistant to traditional Kapar’s cough and stomach pains sation – more than Aids and ma- ambitious. ably uplift the economy, uplift medicines that has a mortality were diagnosed as tuberculosis. laria combined. TB incidence in India is cur- the poverty part of it, uplift the rate of 50% – comparable to that Hailing from a poor town out- The Global Fund will meet in rently declining by about 2% overall health of the household.” of Ebola, highlighting the chal- side the smog-choked capital of France today and tomorrow hop- each year, Tonsing said. In a modest neighbourhood lenges that remain even after the New Delhi, Bharti, 24, was one of ing to raise $14bn for the world- “To reach the 2025 target, we criss-crossed by congested lanes progress made against TB in re- the 2.7mn new cases of tubercu- wide fi ght against TB, malaria need to make this decline at least south of New Delhi, TB patients cent decades. losis last year in India – home to and Aids. 10% per year. A big jump has to come to take their daily medi- With an estimated 600,000 more than a quarter of the world’s For its part, the government of happen.” cation in a tiny clinic run by the multidrug-resistant TB cases cases of the deadly disease. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Transmitted by droplets of sa- NGO Operation ASHA. worldwide – and 135,000 in India After fi ve months of rigorous which came to power promising liva when a contaminated person Some visitors wear masks or – “we created a monster,” says medical treatment and taking sev- development for India’s 1.3bn speaks or coughs, TB spreads wrap scarves over their mouths Sandeep Ahuja, co-founder of eral pills a day, she was declared people, has set an ambitious easily in India’s crowded cities, to avoid contaminating others. Operation ASHA. cured in April but still has to force target of overcoming India’s TB where immune systems are often A digital tablet displays the names But, the renewed campaign in herself to venture out of the small “epidemic” – the world’s largest already weakened by air pollu- and phone numbers of those sched- India is a cause for optimism. home she shares with her mother, – by 2025. tion or poor sanitary conditions. uled to come in that day to take their “We have created the demon, two brothers and a sister-in-law. It has created new patient The bacterium mainly attacks medication, in an eff ort to ensure let’s go out and cap it,” he says. “Sometimes I feel that my monitoring systems and recently the young and middle-aged men patients’ programmes are scrupu- “The numbers are still man- A tuberculosis patient takes his daily dose of medicine at a DOTS breathing is diffi cult, it’s not nor- enlisted artifi cial intelligence to who make up much of the work- lously followed. ageable. We have enough equip- (directly observed treatment, short-course) Centre in New Delhi. mal. I do not have any energy, I do help screen for the disease. force, with the death or incapaci- Poorly administered anti-TB ment in our arsenal.” Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 INDIA

CRIME INVESTIGATION TRAGEDY CONTROVERSY CONCERN Tension in Deoband after HDIL owner linked to ATS commando commits Quash sedition case for No trace of four missing BJP leader shot dead Ghaziabad fraud case suicide in Lucknow letter to PM: Kamal Haasan power plant off icials

A Bharatiya Janata Party leader was shot dead Housing Development Infrastructure Limited A commando of the anti-terror squad (ATS) com- Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan yesterday Four off icials missing for 24 hours after the yesterday near his home village in Deoband in owner Rakesh Wadhawan, who has been mitted suicide yesterday by shooting himself with urged courts to quash a sedition case filed against Kopili hydropower project in Assam got flooded Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district. Chaudhary arrested by the Mumbai police in the PMC his pistol in Lucknow. Brijesh Kumar Yadav, 40, 49 prominent personalities in Bihar. “I request as due to a leakage in the water supply pipeline Yashpal Singh was the former district vice presi- Bank fraud case, is also linked to an alleged shot himself in the barrack at the ATS headquarters a citizen that our higher courts move in to uphold are yet to be traced, off icials said yesterday. dent of BJP Kisan Morcha and his elder brother cheating case involving real estate firm Rudra where he was living. He died on the spot. According justice with democracy and quash the case,” he A rupture in the water supply pipeline led to Chaudhary Shiv Kumar is the headman of their Buildwell. The case relates to a complaint by to reports, Yadav was scheduled to leave for Gora- tweeted. “The prime minister seeks a harmoni- severe flooding of the hydropower plant on home village of Miragpur. As soon as news of 50 flat buyers who alleged that they booked khpur yesterday morning for Chief Minister Yogi ous India. His statements in parliament confirm it. Monday morning. “A rescue team has arrived the murder spread, huge crowds gathered in apartments in a real estate project in Ghazia- Adityanath’s programme. Yadav hailed from Gora- Should not the state and its law follow it in letter here but failed to carry out search and rescue the village and tension was palpable. Police said bad’s Indirapuram in 2011 but it did not take khpur. Police sources said that a family dispute was and spirit? 49 of my peers have been accused of se- operations as the water level in the project site they were looking for two suspects who came off. Wadhawan was named in the charge- the reason behind the suicide. His friends in the ATS dition contradicting the PM’s aspirations,” Haasan is very high. They are trying to reduce the water on a motorcycle. “We have sought the help of sheet by the Delhi police. However, his name said that Yadav had a spat with his wife hours before tweeted. He was referring to a case registered level,” Assam State Disaster Management Au- Muzaff arnagar and Uttarakhand police,” a police appears in column 12 which is for accused he shot himself. Police off icer Kalanidhi Naithani said against 49 people, including filmmaker Mani Rat- thority’s District Project Off icer Riki Phukan said. off icer said. “Additional forces have been called persons not charge-sheeted. The charge- that the matter was under investigation. In a similar nam, actress Revathi and historian Ramachandra Authorities also said they were trying to reduce in to keep the situation under control,” he said. sheet also named cricketer-turned-politician incident last May, Additional Superintendent of Guha, at a Bihar police station for writing to Prime the water level. Locals slammed the authorities Family members said that Singh had no enmity Gautam Gambhir, Mukesh Khurana, Babita Police in the ATS, Rajesh Sahni, shot himself with his Minister Narendra Modi on lynching incidents in and said the tragedy happened as maintenance with anyone in the area. Khurana and others. service revolver. the country. requirements of the power plant were ignored. No political participation in Kashmir for now: NC

IANS that bullets are the only indica- strategy after the detained po- Srinagar tors for a protest? Do you down- litical leadership is set free and play and ridicule the Kashmir the leaders get an opportunity protests which are taking place to sit together. We are confront- ammu and Kashmir’s Na- without any call from anybody? ing issues which are of a grave tional Conference has ruled They don’t understand this new nature,” Masoodi said. Jout political participation kind of protest in Kashmir, in- Meanwhile, facing fl ak from by the party in the region at a directly they are telling people opposition leaders for putting time when the entire leadership your protest will not be regis- several senior political lead- of the party is detained. tered unless it is accompanied ers under house arrest, the People participate in Dussehra procession after it was inaugurated by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa at Mysuru Palace yesterday. “It is preposterous to talk by violence.” Bharatiya Janata Party has said about any kind of political He said he and fellow NC that Home Minister and party process at this juncture when MP Akbar Lone were seeking president Amit Shah had “no the entire leadership of the Na- a meeting with detained party role” in slapping of the Public tional Conference and all other chief Farooq Abdullah for the Safety Act (PSA) against the NC political parties like the PDP last two weeks to seek instruc- leaders. Royal victory parade marks (People’s Democratic Party) tions from him on how to legally In an interview to IANS, and leaders like Sajjad Lone and respond to his detention order. Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Shah Faisal are detained,” NC “We are still examining how Ravinder Raina said: “When MP Hasnain Masoodi said. to counter the detention of Shah made a statement in the Mysuru Dussehra grand fi nale He was speaking to IANS Farooq Abdullah legally, we Rajya Sabha on the abroga- after meeting party presi- need further consultations and tion of Article 370 on August 5, dent Farooq Abdullah and vice meetings with Farooq Abdullah on that day there was no case IANS 36 tableaux passing through ebrate the religious event and pledge to do the same. president Omar Abdullah, both in this regard,” he said. against Farooq Abdullah. But Mysuru the city’s 5km main thorough- take part in its cultural fi esta. “On Vijaya Dashami, at a time former chief ministers of the Masoodi said the father-son after a few days the agencies fare and reaching Banniman- The three-hour long parade when we celebrate the 150th an- state. duo is in good spirits and pre- (security and intelligence agen- tap grounds after sunset for a culminated in the night with a niversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Masoodi said the govern- pared to fi ght for restoring the cies) submitted a report that he elebrating triumph of torchlight parade by the palace torchlight parade and fi reworks I have a request for my fellow ment is inciting people to rights of the people no matter may lead troubles in Kashmir good over evil, the royal guards, horsemen and state po- in the sprawling Bannimantap citizens. Let us take a pledge to resort to violence and stone how long it takes. Valley. And that was the reason Cvictory parade yesterday lice on horses. ground where Governor Vajub- conserve energy, save water and pelting by not appreciating the “Initially there was a sense of why the security agencies took marked the grand fi nale of the Amid traditional music, hai Vala, celebrities and special national resources of the coun- “dignified and non-violent” betrayal and letdown but now the necessary action,” the BJP world famous 10-day Mysuru Yediyurappa off ered fl owers to a invitees were present amid tight try and do not waste food,” Modi response shown by the people there is a fi rm resolve to secure leader said. Dussehra festival in Karnataka’s replica of the statue of Chamun- security. said while addressing a gathering of Kashmir after the abroga- the rights of the people un- Giving a clean chit to Shah’s cultural capital. deshwari Devi astride a 750kg Elaborate security arrange- in Dwarka. tion of Article 370. mindful of how long it takes,” role in the slapping of PSA “Chief Minister B S Yediy- golden throne atop a caparisoned ments were made across the city He was participating in Dusse- “How painful it is that the Masoodi said, adding, “I hope against Farooq Abdullah, who urappa fl agged off the 409th roy- elephant Arjuna in the presence to ensure peaceful celebrations hra event. responsible government lead- Farooq Abdullah rises to the is also an MP from Kashmir, al procession of the caparisoned of Mysuru’s titular Maharaja and prevent any untoward inci- He said India is a land of fes- ership is downplaying the kind occasion, he is alive as to what Raina said, “Shah has nothing elephants called ‘jamboo savari’ Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chama- dent. tivals and due to its vibrant cul- of protest that is taking place in kind of assault has been made. to do with the slapping of PSA at the gates of Amba Vilas Palace raja Wodiyar. The parade showcased the ture, there is always some festival Kashmir, they are inciting peo- He is alive to his duty and moral against any of the leaders, in- in the city centre to celebrate Vi- In line with tradition, cultural state’s cultural diversity, its fl ora in some part of India. “Every fes- ple to resort to stone pelting and obligation he owes to the peo- cluding Farooq Abdullah.” jayadashmi day with pomp and spirit and religious fervour of the and fauna, life of its rural folk, tival brings our society together,” violence, they don’t appreciate ple.” Warning the political lead- pageantry,” an offi cial said. region’s erstwhile princely rul- artisans and tribes and welfare Modi said. that across the valley people Masoodi said all the Kash- ers, Raina said, “One thing is Thousands of people from ers since the 17th century, Arjuna schemes of the state government “India is the land of festivals. are protesting in a very digni- mir-based parties and leaders clear, whosoever it is, whatever across the country and overseas was fl anked by two jumbos. and activities of its various de- Due to the vibrancy and diversity fi ed manner in a Gandhian way have to come together to chalk might be his/her past history, witnessed the spectacle of the With bountiful rains blessing partments. in our culture, there is always a of non-violence,” Masoodi said. out a common strategy after anybody who tries to break the mile-long procession, com- the state after a severe drought >> Prime Minister Narendra festival or celebration in some “They are saying that not a they are set free to deal with the country, divide the nation, in- prising 20 elephants, a dozen last year, thousands of rural Modi, on the occasion of Dusse- part of our country which brings single bullet has been fi red, I evolving situation. stigate the youth, he/she will horse-drawn carriages, cul- folks, including farmers and their hra, called for saving energy and us closer to one another,” the want to ask, what do you mean “The entire Kashmiri lead- never be spared and the law will tural troupes, folk artistes and families thronged the city to cel- water and asked people to take a prime minister said. by saying that? Do you think ership will chalk out the future take its own course.”

Alleged serial killer shows All set for fireworks Lynchings being used to suicidal tendencies: police defame India: RSS chief IANS in contact with the organisation. Nagpur The RSS chief said that diver- IANS husband of Shaju, who was ques- send abroad,” the statement said. sity is an intrinsic strength of the Kozhikode, Kerala tioned on Monday by police, told While primary forensic evi- nation. But the diversity of caste, journalists yesterday that he is pass- dence suggests that Thomas poi- ashtriya Swayamsevak creed, language and region are ing through diffi cult times as his soned the six family members by Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan being used by vested interests woman who is the key wife is trying to implicate him in the serving them food laced with cya- RBhagwat yesterday said to separate one from the other, suspect in the murder of crimes she allegedly committed. nide, her friends and close rela- some incidents of violence were turning them into diff erences and Asix members of her family “At the moment, she is alone tives feel she is ‘innocent’ and is being branded as lynchings to de- imposing fabricated identities on over a 14-year period was taken to and wants to trap me also, when being framed. fame India, the Hindu society and manufactured separations. hospital yesterday after she com- I have no role in this. I never used According to the police, the fi rst to create fear among some com- He said that for the last nine plained of uneasiness, as jail offi - to like the way she conducts her- poisoning was of her mother-in- munities. decades, the RSS has been work- cials said she has begun to display self, but in order to keep the family law, who died in 2002 after eating Speaking at the foundation day ing for creating “ekatmata” suicidal tendencies. moving forward, I never contested mutton soup. In 2008, her-father- celebrations in Nagpur, Bhagwat (unity), “sadbhavana” (goodwill), Jolly Thomas was taken back to her decisions,” Shaju said. in-law died, followed by her hus- said RSS members do not get in- “sadacharan” (good conduct) and jail after the medical examination “She used to say she was a lec- band in 2011, who the police said volved in such incidents. “sadvyavahar” (good behaviour) conducted at a state-run hospital turer at NIT Kozhikode and every died after eating rice and curry. He also said that the RSS is in the society, and a clear vision here. day she would go from here. I An autopsy conducted on his body trying to thwart such violent in- and devotion towards the nation. According to jail offi cials, Tho- never ever intervened in any of her at the time confi rmed poisonous cidents. Such incidents have had The RSS chief hailed the central mas, who has been in judicial cus- dealings and have no clue what she substances in his stomach, but po- no tradition in the country, but government for the abrogation of tody for the past three days and was doing,” he added. lice treated his death as suicide. by using terms like lynchings, the Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. has appeared calm, suddenly felt Police said in a statement yes- Her husband’s uncle was then perpetrators want to malign the He said the move has once again uneasy on Monday. terday that only one case has been allegedly given coff ee laced with country and the society. proved that the government has the She and her two accomplices, registered so far in connection cyanide as punishment for insist- Bhagwat added that certain courage to fulfi l the expectations who helped her by supplying cya- with the death of Roy Thomas. ing that a postmortem be carried elements of society are trying to and respect people’s sentiments and nide, have been arrested for plot- “After detailed discussions and out on his nephew. divide the country. They want to wishes in the interest of the society. ting the murder of Jolly’s husband legal consultations, cases will be In 2014, police said Thomas create a fi ght between communi- Speaking on the economic situ- Roy Thomas. The police are yet registered on the other deaths. With killed the two-year-old daugh- A worker gathers firecrackers at a workshop on the ties by dragging the RSS’ name in ation in the country, Bhagwat said undecided on registering cases in the permission of the court, a trace ter of her dead husband’s cousin, outskirts of Ahmedabad. Fireworks are being prepared the incidents. Attempts are being the international eff ect can be felt the remaining fi ve deaths that took analysis test will be done on the dead Scaria Shaju. The cousin’s wife in all India ahead of the forthcoming Diwali festival, or made by vested interests to create here also. The trade war between place between 2002 and 16. bodies at the best lab in the country; was then killed in 2016. A year later Festival of Lights, which falls on October 27 this year. distrust, fear and hostility among the US and China is going to aff ect Meanwhile, Thomas’s second if it is not possible here, it will be Jolly and Shaju married. sections which have not yet come all countries. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 15 LATIN AMERICA

CLARIFICATION ANNOUNCEMENT CORPORATE TRAVEL APPOINTMENT Brazil minister denies Vale to finish paying burst Antofagasta seeks state Taxi drivers protest Mexico City gets resignation rumours dam expenses by 2021 mediation in labour row against Uber in Mexico new police chief

Brazil’s Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said Brazilian miner Vale SA said it expects to finish Chile’s Antofagasta, one of the world’s largest Thousands of Mexican taxi drivers protested Intelligence expert Omar Garcia Harfuch has been there was absolutely no basis for reports paying for most of the expenses related to the copper producers, has requested government the presence of app-based taxi services in the appointed the new police chief of crime-ridden he plans to leave President Jair Bolsonaro’s disaster at one of its facilities that killed at least 250 mediation to resolve a contractual dispute with country, blocking traff ic in central parts of Mexico Mexico City, mayor Claudia Sheinbaum announced. Cabinet early next year, after a landmark people by 2021. In securities filings, Vale laid out its supervisors at its flagship Los Pelambres mine, City. The drivers accused the app-based services The 37-year-old will lead 83,000 police off icers in overhaul of the country’s pension system has expectations for expenses related to the rupture of a the supervisors’ union said. The workers voted of unfair competition and demanded tighter the fight against rising crime in one of the world’s cleared Congress. On Monday, newspaper mining dam at its facility in Brumadinho in January, by a majority to go on strike after rejecting a regulations for such companies. “We are required largest cities, which has 22mn residents in its Diario da Amazonia reported Guedes would which released a torrent of mud burying buildings salary adjustment offer from the company and to have a licence, to take courses, anti-doping metropolitan area. Garcia Harfuch formerly headed leave in February, once the fiscally crucial and people. Lawmakers and prosecutors have amid opposition to a flexible working hours tests, checks, but there are no demands on the investigative police units at the attorney general’s social security overhaul passes Congress and questioned how the company allowed that disaster plan. “This is not going to give us flexibility. If colleagues from Uber and other apps,” taxi driver off ice and at Mexico City prosecutors’ off ice. In 2017, his tax reform proposals gain momentum. to happen only four years after a similar dam con- you want to have people working 24/7, you Jorge Caballero, 45, said. “They should follow the he helped to capture Damaso Lopez Nunez, the “There is zero basis for that report,” Guedes taining mining waste collapsed in 2015. Vale faces a have to pay overtime accordingly,” Felipe same rules as the rest of us,” said another driver, successor of the Sinaloa drug cartel’s leader Joaquin told Reuters. Traders cited the report as a fac- variety of legal actions related to the disaster includ- Franco, head of the union of 271 members, said. who identified himself as Juan Manuel. Compa- “El Chapo” Guzman. Garcia Harfuch succeeded tor behind the retreat on the Sao Paulo stock ing lawsuits in Brazil, US class actions and Brazilian Franco added that they were also still holding nies such as Uber, Cabify and Didi are growing Jesus Orta, whose resignation Sheinbaum attributed market. exchange regulator probes. out for a bonus for their work. rapidly in Mexico. to personal reasons. Correa denies planning coup bid from exile

Reuters to Quito to govern while the pro- Brussels tests continue. “Why don’t they announce early elections,” he said, calling cuador’s former president on Ecuadoreans to exercise the Rafael Correa yesterday right to resist what he called gov- Edenied he was orchestrat- ernment oppression. ing a coup against the govern- Sitting in an empty offi ce with ment from his self-imposed exile an Ecuadorean fl ag and his of- in Belgium, after being accused fi cial photograph as president, of stoking the worst unrest in Correa said he would be ready to years in the Andean oil producer. return, possibly as a candidate Protests over an end to fuel for vice president, if new elec- subsidies have erupted across tions were called. the country, prompting Presi- “If it’s necessary, I will go dent Lenin Moreno to accuse back. I would have to be a can- Correa, his predecessor and didate for something, for exam- one-time mentor, of trying to ple, vice president,” said Cor- overthrow him with help from rea, who said he earns a living Venezuela’s President Nicolas in Brussels partly consulting Maduro. for the Venezuela government “They are such liars...They and interviews for Russia’s RT say I am so powerful that with an channel, which is backed by the iPhone from Brussels I could lead Russian state. the protests,” he told Reuters, “From there, we would need a holding up his mobile telephone. constituent assembly,” he said, “People couldn’t take it any- although he declined to give de- more, that’s the reality,” he said, tails about any future govern- referring to austerity measures ment policies. “This isn’t my Demonstrators participate in a protest against President Lenin Moreno’s austerity measures in Quito, Ecuador, yesterday. brought in by Moreno with sup- plan, I am obliged to do this.” port from the IMF. He denied any direct links Moreno has abandoned the to Venezuela’s Maduro, who leftist policies of Correa’s time France, the US and several Latin as president from 2007 to 2017, American nations have criticised a rare period of stability for a as a political and economic crisis country accustomed to political deepens in Venezuela. turmoil but which ended in cor- But he also accused the US and ruption allegations and a rise in the European Union of hypocrisy Moreno shifts govt out Ecuador’s external debt. for imposing economic sanctions Thousands of indigenous on the Maduro government, protesters have marched into which stands accused of rights the capital for a sixth day after abuses. Moreno announced a measure to “They have a criminal block- eliminate fuel subsidies to reduce ade (against Venezuela).They the fi scal defi cit. must lift it.” of Quito as protests rage A national strike is planned for Correa, who said he was work- today. ing on fi ve diff erent books, de- Guardian News and Media televised address, fl anked by the led protests brought down three last Tuesday as part of a $4.2bn attempted robbery and there- In a defi ant national televi- fended his decision to live in his Quito vice-president, defence minister presidents in the years before loan deal with the International after has used a wheelchair. He sion address on Monday evening, wife’s native Belgium after leav- and military top brass. Correa’s rule. Monetary Fund reached last year was elected in 2017 as the can- Moreno, who has left the capital ing offi ce in 2017. Moreno, 66, who has moved On Monday rioters in Quito that hinges on belt-tightening didate for Correa’s centre-left Quito, said he would not back He said that it was right that cuador’s President, Lenin away from the leftwing policies forced their way into the comp- reforms. party but has since moved to the down on the fuel price hike in the after 26 years living as a couple Moreno, has said he has of his predecessor and one-time troller general’s offi ce and van- The move sparked nationwide right. Though he enjoys the sup- face of what he called a “desta- in Ecuador, they spend time in Emoved his government mentor Rafael Correa, has said he dalised the assembly building. protests as prices rose overnight port of business and the military, bilisation plan” orchestrated by Belgium. from the capital in Quito to the will neither tolerate disorder nor It followed days of violence in by about a quarter for petrol Moreno’s popularity has sunk to Correa and Maduro. But he also acknowledged he coastal city of Guayaquil amid overturn the scrapping of fuel which protesters burned mili- and double for diesel. A state under 30%, compared with 70% Correa, who lives with his wife faced 29 diff erent charges against violent protests over the end of subsidies as part of a package of tary vehicles, destroyed dozens of emergency was imposed on in 2017. in a small town south of Brussels, him, from corruption to misuse fuel subsidies. austerity measures. of rose farms, a dairy and an oil Thursday. Lorry and taxi drivers As well as ending fuel subsi- has fi ercely criticised Moreno, of power, in Ecuador, and that he Quito protesters have been Moreno accused political op- production facility. The out- forced a partial shutdown of Qui- dies, the government is reducing including with a video circu- would not go back unless the po- ransacking and vandalising pub- ponents of orchestrating an at- numbered security forces have to’s airport and roadblocks have the state workforce and planning lating on social media where litical situation changed because lic buildings as well as clashing tempted coup and blamed asso- been unable to prevent much of paralysed trunks roads across the some privatisations. he sings “Ecuadoreans, to the he said he would not be given a with the police in running bat- ciates of Correa of infi ltrating the the destruction. country. In a tweet, Juan Guiado, Ven- streets... fair hearing. tles. protests as part of a plot to topple The vandalism was an “at- As of Monday, 477 people had ezuela’s self-proclaimed in- Goodbye, Lenin!” “I have to prepare my legal “(This) is not a protest of so- his government, without provid- tempt to take over the seat of been detained. Two dozen police terim leader, accused a “group He reiterated that view yes- case. They have asked Interpol cial dissatisfaction faced with ing evidence. parliament”, Ecuador’s congress offi cers have been injured and a fi nanced by (Nicolas) Maduro’s terday, saying that “the govern- to raise a red alert and capture a government decision but the The president faces a stiff said afterwards. man died when he was hit by a car accomplices” of fuelling unrest, ment has already fallen” and me, I had to hire a lawyer...it is looting, vandalism and violence challenge from indigenous The petrol and diesel subsi- but an ambulance was unable to echoing conspiracy accusations that he did not expect Moreno, an enormous task.In the last few show there is an organised po- groups and others who have dies had cost the country close reach him due to the demonstra- against Guiado’s socialist rival who is in the southern port city years, I’ve worked just to pay litical motive to destabilise the blocked some roads with stones, to $1.4bn annually, according to tions, said the government. for the Venezuelan presidency of Guayaquil, to be able to return lawyers.” government,” Moreno said in tyres and branches. Indigenous- offi cial sources. They were lifted Moreno was shot in 1998 in an made by Moreno. Ex-president Uribe Bolsonaro says oil spill testifi es in court probe may be criminal activity Reuters nhao down to Bahia, according Brasilia to Ibama. DPA/Reuters Thousands of people demon- Uribe oversaw a military off en- Its origins remains a mystery. Bogota strated in favour of the ex-pres- sive that weakened Farc, but that State-run oil company Petro- ident ahead of the court hearing. also contributed to soldiers kill- resident Jair Bolsonaro leo Brasileiro said on Monday But his opponents insist he ing thousands of civilians whom said that oil polluting the that molecular tests on the or- olombia’s former presi- must face justice for alleged hu- they disguised as guerrillas to Pcountry’s northeastern ganic material in samples of the dent Alvaro Uribe yester- man rights violations. obtain bonuses. beaches was not produced or crude oil showed that they are Cday appeared before the The 67-year-old faces dozens Uribe’s critics also say he sold in Brazil and could be the not compatible with the oils pro- Supreme Court in a landmark of judicial investigations, but wiretapped his opponents and result of criminal activity or a duced and sold by the company. court investigation that has di- none of them had gone as far as favoured the “parapolitica,” a shipwreck, though its origin is The news magazine Epoca re- vided the country. the one yesterday. word referring to ties between still being investigated. ported last week that Petrobras The court is investigating The case resulted from testi- paramilitaries and politicians. Bolsonaro told reporters that sent a report to environmental whether Uribe bribed and pres- monies by former paramilitaries Uribe campaigned against the the crude oil “does not seem to protection agency Ibama raising sured witnesses to silence al- who were interviewed by con- peace deal with Farc and spurred the come from an off -shore plat- the hypothesis that the oil was legations that he and his family gressman Ivan Cepeda in prison rise to power of current President form” and suggested it was from from Venezuela. had links to paramilitary groups and who accused Uribe of help- Ivan Duque, regarded as his protege, another country. “It could be In an e-mailed statement, that spread terror and played a ing to establish a paramilitary who has also been accused of trying something criminal, it could be Petrobras said the company’s en- prominent role in the country’s group in the mid-1990s. to undermine the peace process. an accidental spill, it could also vironmental crews have worked 52-year armed confl ict. Uribe sued Cepeda over the alle- Duque said last year he is cer- be a ship that sank. It is complex. on the clean-up of beaches in The confl ict ended when gations, but the case turned against tain Uribe’s “honour and inno- We have on our radar screen a eight states in recent days at the Uribe’s successor, Juan Manuel him when the Supreme Court de- cence” would prevail in the case, country that could be the origin request of Ibama. Santos, signed a peace deal with cided to investigate him instead. while Uribe’s Democratic Center of the oil,” Bolsonaro said. Environment Minister Ricardo the guerrilla group Farc in 2016. He is suspected of bribing or party has said it has proof the He declined to name the Salles fl ew over beaches in the Supporters and opponents of pressuring ex-paramilitaries case is a set-up. country because the investiga- coastal state of Sergipe on Monday Uribe, who held the presidency to make it look like Cepeda had Uribe could serve time in pris- tion is still underway. The oil has to oversee the investigation into oil from 2002 to 2010 and is cur- deliberately tried to tarnish his on if eventually convicted in the Colombia’s former president and lawmaker Alvaro Uribe, arrives to washed up in recent weeks on washing up on hundreds of kilo- rently a senator, gathered outside reputation. case. The hearings may last days, a private hearing at Supreme Court of Justice in Bogota, Colombia, more than 100 beaches in nine metres of beach and threatening the court building. A controversial president, one of Uribe’s lawyers said. yesterday. northeastern states from Mara- baby turtle hatchlings. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 PAKISTAN

Imran the sixth most Pakistan’s digital fi nance popular world potential is worth $36bn leader on Government working on fi ntech (fi nancial technology) Patchamuthu sees half of the While private sector busi- exist in Pakistan that facilitates digitisation of payments in the Twitter policy to bring PayPal to sector, and digitisation of all population of 213mn shifting to nesses, known as fi ntech, are in- the merchants for e-commerce country”. Pakistan government payments,” World digital payments within a year troducing mobile wallets and lo- transactions, both national as Meanwhile, a parliamentary Bank Sountry Director for Paki- and the country outperforming cal gateways, the local platforms well as international,” the min- panel has been informed that the Internews Internews stan Illango Patchamuthu said in regional economies, like India are not capable of remitting istry said in the e-commerce government will soon introduce Islamabad Karachi/Islamabad a tweet. and Indonesia if the government foreign currency from across policy framework. PayPal and other such online Widespread use of digital introduces a real-time payments the border, impeding the goal of International payment gate- payment platforms in Pakistan. payments in Pakistan off ers a gateway. cashless economy. ways for routing payments Briefi ng the Senate Stand- rime Minister Imran Khan he World Bank is bull- 7% boost of GDP, can create “A real-time retail payments E-commerce market size would “require bilateral agree- ing Committee on Science and has become the sixth ish on Pakistan’s cashless 4mn jobs, mobilise over $250bn gateway and a booming fi ntech grew around 94% year-on-year ments with countries individu- Technology, earlier this week, Pmost popular world lead- Teconomy potential, esti- in deposits, and formalise large sector can accelerate the use of to more than Rs40bn last year, ally to route remittances to Paki- the ministry of science and er on Twitter, boasting 10.5mn mating it at a signifi cant $36bn, parts of the cash economy, Pat- digital payments in Pakistan to but the 90% of payment trans- stan”, it added. technology secretary said: “The (10,471,650) followers on the and projecting a 7% boost to chamuthu added. at least 50% of the population by actions were through cash-on- Last week the government ap- policy related to PayPal is at the micro-blogging platform as of GDP with a real-time retail pay- Pakistan, despite having the 2020,” he said. delivery. proved the maiden framework to advanced stage and important yesterday. ments gateway, but all this, it fastest-growing Internet-savvy Only 18% of population uses The ministry of commerce unlock the e-commerce poten- development is expected in the The development comes fol- says, depends on a widespread populations, has an insignifi cant digital payments in Pakistan has emphasised on the need to tial through removing regulatory next two weeks.” lowing his speech at the Unit- use of online fi nancial transac- use of online payments. now. enable card-not-present trans- snags. Speaking on the occasion, ed Nations General Assembly tions. Lack of literacy and heavy “A Pakistani will make only actions and to explore the pos- The central bank plans to in- Senator Mushtaq Ahmad ques- (UNGA) last month, where he “To unlock Pakistan’s $36bn reliance on cash are hinder- one digital transaction per year sibility of “co-badging” with troduce faster payment gateway tioned why Pakistan had no raised the Kashmir issue, gar- digital fi nance potential, it will ing growth of digital payments compared to fi ve in India, seven international card payment next year, saying that “govern- access to PayPal, adding that nering praise not only from his take high-level commitment, although access to internet- in Indonesia. Pakistan can ac- schemes. ment payments and receipts, without such payment systems, supporters but critics as well. faster payments gateway, lower connected devices is increasing celerate digital payments and “International payment gate- and merchant payments (are) the country could not boost its Khan’s Twitter following has costs, fast track licensing for the signifi cantly. leapfrog its peers.” ways like Visa and Mastercard the key elements in accelerating trade. grown at a rapid pace in the past few months. In April this year, the former- cricketer-turned-politician was on ninth most-followed world Premier event leader on the social media plat- Court form, with 9.4mn followers. According to data compiled in 2018, Khan was ranked fi fth orders among the 50 most infl uential leaders of the world, and ninth among 50 world leaders with the daily trial most interactions on Twitter. He was the 10th most-fol- lowed world leader on Twitter in against 2018. As of right now, US President Donald Trump is in the fi rst po- Musharraf sition with 65.3mn followers, India’s Narendra Modi is second with 50.6mn, and Pope Francis, Internews at 18.1mn followers. Islamabad Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is fourth with 14.1mn followers, Indonesia special court in Islama- president Joko Widodo is fi fth bad has decided to hear a with 12.2mn, and Prime Minister Ahigh treason case against Khan is sixth with 10.5mn. former military ruler retired Then comes the Jordan;s general Pervez Musharraf on a Queen Rania al-Abdullah with daily basis eff ective on October 10.46mn followers, followed by 24. the UAE’s Sheikh Mohamed bin A three-member bench, led by Rashid al-Maktoum, with 9.9mn Peshawar High Court Chief Jus- followers. tice Waqar Seth, while hearing the case yesterday, directed all parties to submit their written Pakistani film arguments before next hearing of the case. wins ‘best feature’ At the start of the hearing, an award in US application was submitted on behalf of Musharraf’s counsel Karachi-based crime thriller Laal Raza Bashir for deferment of the Kabootar added another feather hearing due to his health. Prime Minister Imran Khan with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at a to its cap after picking up the According to the plea, Bashir welcoming ceremony yesterday for the former, outside the Great Best Feature Film Award as part is suff ering from dengue and is Hall of the People in Beijing. of the Tasveer South Asian Film under treatment at Mayo Hospi- Festival (TSAFF) Archana Soy tal in Lahore. Above, left: Honour guard members arrive before the welcoming Audience Choice Awards. The plea was granted. ceremony yesterday for Prime Minister Imran Khan, outside the The Tasveer South Asian Film During the last hearing in Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Festival is the largest South Asian September, the same court had film festival in the United States, ordered that the proceedings in Left: Pakistani and Chinese national flags flutter next to an where filmmakers and audiences the treason trial would resume installation featuring a giant flower basket at Beijing’s Tiananmen engage in lively discussions, on a daily basis from October 8. Square. forums and other collaborative Justice Seth was tasked with interactive formats. hearing the case by the federal Last month, Ahmed Ali Akbar government after the retirement bagged the award for Best of Justice Tahira Safdar – who Actor at the Washington DC was earlier heading the court. South Asian Film Festival for his The high treason trial of Chinese military leadership backs Pakistan on Kashmir performance in the movie. former military ruler for clamp- A collaboration of Geo Films and ing the state of emergency on Nehr Ghar Films in Pakistan, Laal November 3, 2007 has been Internews eral Qamar Javed Bajwa met that India needed to respect cations for peace and stability the press release said. Kabootar, directed by Kamal pending since December 2013. Islamabad General Han Weiguo and Gen- United Nations resolutions in in the region. They also agreed to enhance Khan, features Akbar as Adeel He was booked in the treason eral Xu Qiliang of the People’s this regard and ensure provision The media wing of the mili- existing defence co-operation, Nawaz, a taxi-driver bent on case in December 2013. Liberation Army (PLA) in Bei- of human rights to Kashmiris. tary also told the media that Ba- in line with their history of mu- moving from Karachi to Dubai, He was indicted on March 31, he Chinese military jing. “The Chinese military lead- jwa apprised the Chinese mili- tual, time-tested relationship. and Mansha Pasha as Aliya Malik, 2014, and the prosecution had leadership has voiced Issues of regional security ership supported Pakistan’s tary leadership about the peace Earlier, upon arrival at the a strong-willed woman whose tabled the entire evidence before Tsupport for Pakistan’s and defence co-operation were principled stance on Kashmir eff orts made by Pakistan, and PLA headquarters, Bajwa was world turns upside down in a the special court in September stance on the lingering Kashmir discussed in the meeting. issue, and appreciated sane Pa- said that the eff orts would not presented with a guard of hon- series of unexpected events. the same year. dispute with India, according According to the statement kistani approach in the interest be at the cost of any compro- our. The movie is also Pakistan’s However, due to litigation at to a press release issued by the yesterday, Bajwa apprised the of peace,” the ISPR stated. mise on principles or honour The army chief is also sched- off icial selection for the appellate forums, the trial of the Inter-Services Public Relations Chinese military leadership The ISPR also said that in the and dignity of the nation. uled to meet high-ranking Chi- upcoming US Academy Awards former military ruler lingered (ISPR). about consequences of the on- meeting, the two sides agreed Both sides also discussed the nese offi cials along with Prime 2020. on, and he left Pakistan in March The affi rmation was made going situation in Indian-ad- that continued Pak-India ten- situation in the Gulf region and Minister Imran Khan on his The Academy Awards is also 2016 for Dubai. when Chief of Army Staff Gen- ministered Kashmir, and said sion would have serious impli- eff orts for peace in Afghanistan, trip. popularly known as the Oscars. High net-worth Pakistanis served tax notices

Internews/Karachi Besides these zones, the FBR However, the FBR has not and served notices to 10,467 un- working to identify how many get FBR sources said that people Finance Act 2019, introduced Islamabad has also set up BTBs in the re- compiled data on the compliance registered individuals. registered in the wake of notices,” are fi ling their income tax returns the 10th schedule into the In- maining 13 RTOs to issue notices resulting from the issuance of Further data showed that RTO he said. for the tax year 2018 along with come Tax Ordinance 2001, under to unregistered individuals. these notices. Abbottabad has issued 8,160 no- Further data shows that RTO late surcharge to avoid the 100% which individuals not appearing he Federal Board of Rev- The BTB has been specifi cally The RTO Rawalpindi has is- tices to unregistered persons. Hyderabad issued 5,198 notices withholding tax rates on fi nancial in the ATL would be liable to pay enue (FBR) has issued directed to bring unregistered in- sued the second highest number This is the highest number, to unregistered persons, followed transactions, although due date 100% more withholding tax than T134,848 notices to high dividuals into the tax net. of notices during the period un- given the size of the RTO and its by 5,795 notices in Sukkur city. for the tax year 2019 has already one charged on those in the ATL. net-worth individuals across Pa- The incumbent government der review, with 21,248 notices jurisdiction. As part of the broadening of been prescribed. The FBR issues the ATL on kistan in order to persuade them has been successful in broaden- issued so far. tax base, the BTO offi ces issued The current active taxpayers March 1 every year on the basis of to fi le their income tax returns for ing the tax base during the its The BTB offi ce in RTO Islama- The Federal Board of 1,422 notices in Bahawalpur, 363 list (ATL) for tax year 2018 would returns fi led by taxpayers by due 2019. fi rst year in the offi ce, as data bad has issued 4,600 notices so Revenue has served 134,848 notices in Faisalabad, 476 notices remain applicable till February date for a relevant tax year. The notices were issued to un- showed that around 783,039 far, which is below the actual po- notices to high net-worth in Gujranwala, 2327 notices in 29, 2020, and the new ATL on the The tax authority issued the registered individuals by the re- new taxpayers fi led returns with tential. Pakistanis across the Multan, 2,820 notices in Quetta, basis of returns fi led for tax year ATL for tax year 2018 on March 1, spective dedicated zones of the the tax department as a result of The BTB offi ce in Peshawar has country 1,777 notices in Sialkot and 1,752 2019 would be issued in March 2019 on the basis of returns fi led Broadening of Tax Base (BTB) of- various schemes, including a tax issued 15,800 notices to unregis- notices in Sahiwal, respectively. 2020. till then. fi ces created at Regional Tax Of- amnesty. tered persons. A senior tax offi cial said that The total number of return The appearance of taxpayers Since the date for fi ling of re- fi ce (RTO) Islamabad, RTO Fais- The BTB has issued the highest In Sargodha, 15,560 notices the FBR is compiling data to as- fi lers in the last year reached on the ATL guarantees the lower turns was extended up to August alabad, RTO Rawalpindi, RTO-II number of notices in Lahore: the were issued to unregistered per- sess compliance of these notices 2.561mn, compared with 1.514mn rate of withholding tax on fi nan- 9, 2019, the names of new return and RTO-III Karachi, and RTO-II RTO Lahore issued 37,083 notic- sons. with respective RTOs. in 2017, refl ecting an increase of cial transactions. fi lers were added to the updated Lahore. es to unregistered persons. In Karachi, the RTO has issued “The respective RTOs are 69.1%. The government, through the ATL. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 17 PHILIPPINES Court rejects govt eff ort to recover Marcos wealth

Reuters their associates conspired to ob- thrown, Imelda faced hun- Manila tain ill-gotten wealth, the Sandi- dreds of cases to recover assets ganbayan court said in a Sept 25 believed to have been stashed ruling that was only made public abroad and in the Philippines. he Philippine anti-graft yesterday. The government won a vic- court has rejected an ef- The acting head of the govern- tory in 2018 when the anti-graft Tfort to claim millions of ment agency that lost the court court sentenced the former fi rst dollars in art, property and in- case declined to comment be- lady to 11 years in prison for vestments from the family and cause they had not seen the full making illegal bank transfers associates of late strongman decision, the ANC news channel worth $200mn to Swiss founda- Ferdinand Marcos, saying the reported. tions while Manila governor in government failed to prove its The seven defendants in the the 1970s. She is on bail pending Supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo carry placards as they hold a rally in front of the Supreme Court in Manila, yesterday, as the case. case included Imelda Marcos, her appeal. high court hears an electoral challenge from Bongbong Marcos, the son of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The government had alleged who is currently serving as a Imelda has served several that Marcos and his wife, Im- congresswoman, a former gov- terms in Congress, while her elda, acquired expensive art ernment offi cial and business daughter Imee is a senator. works, jewellery, properties and leaders with ties to the couple. Ferdinand Marcos’ son and stakes in businesses with help “There is likewise insuffi - namesake, popularly known as from a former government offi - cient evidence to prove that the Bongbong, is seeking a vote re- Voting deferred in election cial and business leaders. defendants acted as dummies, count after fi nishing runner-up During 20 years of rule, Mar- nominees and/or agents of de- in the 2016 vice presidential cos, his family and cronies fendants Marcoses in acquiring election. amassed an estimated $10bn in works of art, clothes, jewellery, The Marcos family enjoys wealth, according to the fi ndings or real estate worth billions of good relations with President protest case against Robredo of a commission created after his pesos,” the court said. Rodrigo Duterte, who just a few ouster in a military-backed ci- Imelda Marcos’ lawyer de- months after he was sworn into vilian uprising in 1986. clined to comment, saying he offi ce in June 2016, allowed the Agencies added. A court insider said the PET for a copy of the report. manual recount of ballots, and The government “failed to had to speak to his client fi rst. late strongman’s embalmed Manila tribunal reset deliberations to Marcos has been contest- the annulment of the election prove by preponderance of evi- After Marcos died in exile body to be buried at a special he- October 15. ing Robredo’s victory in the results for the vice president’s dence” that the Marcoses and three years after he was over- roes’ cemetery. Marcos’ spokesman, Vic Ro- last vice presidential elections post in Maguindanao, Lanao del he Supreme Court, sit- driguez, said he will not make for the last three years. The Sur, and Basilan. ting as the Presidential a statement until a decision former congresswoman de- But Marcos was left with two TElectoral Tribunal (PET), comes out “in deference to feated him in 2016 by a margin causes of action when the PET has once again deferred voting the PET and the honourable of 263,473 votes, a win that he upheld the integrity of the au- on former senator Ferdinand justices.” It has been almost a claims was a product of elec- tomated election system and “Bongbong” Marcos Jr’s elec- month since Associate Justice toral fraud. The results of the junked the fi rst cause of action tion protest against Vice Presi- Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, manual recount in Camarines in 2017. Chief Justice Lucas dent Leni Robredo. the magistrate in charge of the Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Ori- Bersamin earlier said the PET “The PET did not take any case, submitted a report to the ental will determine whether has to be “very careful” in de- action on the vice presidential tribunal regarding the recount or not Marcos’ protest will ciding the case “because the election protest case during the or revision of ballots from advance to the rest of his con- credibility of our processes as tribunal’s session today,” said Marcos’ chosen pilot prov- tested clustered voting pre- well as of the political system court spokesman Brian Keith inces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo, cincts. here is at stake.” Hosaka, GMA News reported. and Negros Oriental. The protest originally had Bersamin and Senior Associ- “The said case remains pend- Caguioa turned in the re- three causes of action — the ate Justice Antonio Carpio will ing and is still being deliberated port on September 9. Robre- annulment of Robredo’s proc- retire on October 18 and on Oc- by members of the tribunal,” he do’s lawyers have asked the lamation as vice president, the tober 26, respectively. Special grant for teaching

Marines secure a beach while conducting an amphibious raid during Kamandag 2 at the Philippine Marine Corps base Gregorio Lim, yesterday. supplies proposed

By Javier J Ismael school year. The grant of the cash allow- If enacted into law, this Act shall take Troops to participate in Manila Times ance authorised in this Act shall be limited effect 15 days after its publication in the to teachers who are engaged in actual class- Official Gazette or in two newspapers of room teaching in public basic education. general circulation. he passage of a proposed measure in- In the fi rst year of the eff ectivity of the Also the Alliance of Concerned Teach- defence drill with US, Japan stitutionalising the grant of teaching Act, the amount of P2,500 per teacher per ers (ACT) described the President Rodrigo Tsupplies allowance for public school school year, shall be charged against the Duterte’s pronouncement of a 35% salary teachers is being pushed in the Senate. current appropriations of the Department hike for teachers as “unsatisfactory” and By Dempsey Reyes for conducting amphibious op- aviation operations, and counter- Senate Bill (SB) 1092 (in substitution of of Education (DepEd) for the teaching would not appease the “growing restless- Manila Times erations, would represent Japan. terrorism response operations. SBs 42, 75 and 957), or an Act to be known supplies allowance, while the additional ness” in their ranks. “(The exercises) will be a The embassy added that the as the “Teaching Supplies Allowance Act of amount of P2,500 per teacher per school Duterte on Sunday reassured that there building of friendly alliances and Japanese forces would train 2019,” was prepared jointly by the Commit- year, shall be charged against any available would be a salary hike for teachers, but ore than 2,000 troops developing our co-operation as alongside American and Filipino tees on Civil Service, funds and/or savings of the DepEd. not doubled as has been granted to the from the Philippines, stakeholders to regional peace counterparts in humanitarian as- Government Reorganisation and Profes- Thereafter, the amount of P5,000 per military and police members. Mthe United States and and development in our region, sistance and disaster relief mis- sional Regulation; Basic Education, Arts teacher per school year, shall be included ACT has been calling for at least Japan will participate in the third especially in Southeast Asia, sions. and Culture; Ways and Means; and Finance in the DepEd budget for the allowance P30,000 per month for entry-level pay annual Kamandag exercises that and we will also be joined by our A new addition to this year’s with Senators Ralph Recto, Ramon Revilla under the General Appropriations Act. for public school teachers and P31,000 for will start today. allies from the Japan Ground Kamandag is the joint amphibi- Jr, Juan Edgardo Angara, Sherwin Gatchal- The Secretary of Education is man- tertiary level instructors. Cpt. Felix Serapio, Philippine Self-Defence Force, (which will ous vehicle training by the US, ian and Pilar Juliana Cayetano as authors. dated to conduct a periodic review of the Currently, a Teacher 1 receives only Marine spokesman, yesterday be more focused on) capability Philippines and Japan, as well as The approval of the bill is being pushed teaching supplies allowance, taking into P20,754, after the fourth tranche of salary said 1,400 servicemen from the enhancement and development low-altitude air defence training to promote and improve the economic sta- account the current prices of classroom increase for public school teachers was US, 600 from the Philippines with regards to humanitarian re- and threat reaction training by tus of teachers and assist them in providing supplies, and, if warranted, recommend implemented in January. and 100 from Japan would join sponse and disaster relief opera- the Philippines and the US. The quality education to their students. the necessary increase in the amount of In celebration of the World Teachers’ the exercises. tions,” he told reporters. Philippine Marines will use its The proposed legislation authorises the the allowance. Day on Friday, the group staged a protest Serapio added that Tokyo’s The US Embassy in Manila newly acquired amphibious as- grant of “teaching supplies allowance” for If any part, section or provision of this action in Mendiola, Manila, where they Ground Self-Defense Force Am- earlier said this year’s Kamandag sault vehicles from South Korea the purchase of chalks, erasers, forms and Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, made a human formation of the figure phibious Rapid Deployment Bri- exercises would focus on urban and its artillery assets during the other classroom supplies and materials other provisions not affected thereby “30K” to reiterate their demand for a sub- gade, a marine unit responsible operations, live-fi re training, exercises, Serapio said. in the amount of P5,000 per teacher per shall remain in full force and effect. stantial pay hike. Bill seeks to regulate use of drones by individuals

By Javier J Ismael With this ubiquity comes the whether used for hobby or shall be issued periodically The measure authorises situations, as determined by Manila Times need for regulation, he said. commercial purposes, and does only upon proof that the owner CAAP to collect reasonable fees the CAAP. Failure to register a The same drones that are not cover use of drones by the qualifies for a radio operator’s for the registration of drones drone and its owner shall result used for recreational and com- government. certificate of proficiency; has and processing of permits to in the confiscation of the drone enator Aquilino Pimen- mercial purposes might be ex- Under the bill, a drone re- been awarded a passing rating operate the drones. by the CAAP. Operating a drone tel 3rd is pushing for the ploited by terrorists, used to fers to an unmanned aerial ve- in an aviation license theory The CAAP is also authorised for commercial purposes with- Spassage of Senate Bill (SB) violate rights, or could pose a hicle or any component of an examination; has completed a to prohibit the use of drones, out a permit shall result in the 1098, which seeks to regulate hazard to aircraft, he added. unmanned aerial system that training course in the operation whether hobbyist or commer- confiscation of the drone and the ownership and operation of Recently, drone attacks has no pilot and is controlled of the type of drone that will be cial or both, in any part of the a fine between P50,000 and drones by private persons. claimed by Yemen’s Houthi by an operator on the ground. operated; has at least five hours Philippines, whether perma- P100,000. Pimentel said over the last two rebels struck two key oil in- The Civil Aviation Authority of of experience operating drones nently or for a designated pe- Any violation of the general decades, the use of unmanned stallations inside Saudi Ara- the Philippines (CAAP) is au- outside of controlled airspace; riod of time, subject to notice safety regulations and restric- aerial vehicles or “drones” had bia, damaging facilities that thorised to classify drones into has valid insurance over the that must be published in at tions on drone usage shall re- proliferated in various sectors of process the vast majority of types for the purpose of regula- drone; and has not incurred any least two newspapers of na- sult in a fine between P100,000 society. the country’s crude output and tion. All drone owners, wheth- violations for drone ownership tional circulation. and P500,000, without preju- According to the lawmaker, raising the risk of a disruption er the drones are for hobbyist or use in the five years imme- The notice must clearly de- dice to any separate civil or drones are used for amateur in world oil supplies, Pimentel or commercial use, are required Pimentel: call for regulation diately preceding an applica- lineate the no-drone zone and criminal charges that may photography, to increase crop said. to periodically register them- tion for permit.The operator’s must be published at least three be brought against the drone production and to conduct sur- SB 1098 regulates only selves and their drones with Only a registered commer- permit to operate shall cover all weeks prior to the effectivity owner and/or operator for any veillance for military and law drones purchased, owned and the CAAP’s Public Safety and cial drone owner may apply registered drones of the same of the prohibition. Notice can injury or damage resulting enforcement agencies. operated by private persons, Security Command Center. for a permit to operate, which type. only be foregone in emergency from the violation. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Big Tech comes under pressure to clear digital disinformation mess His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani addressing the UN Climate Action Summit last month. The Big Tech professes to have the loftier aim of building a more well-informed and equitable global society. They may be promoting, not by choice, just the Qatar stresses partnership in opposite in many cases. In fact, for centuries, disinformation, or fake news, shaped infl uenced public discourses and decision making. But its magnitude and impact have become far-reaching in the digital age. Fake news has become a weapon of fear- addressing global challenges mongers, mob-baiters and election-meddlers to widen social fi ssures, subvert democracy and boost authoritarian regimes. QNA and Jamaica, led the Carbon Pricing equal opportunities for all segments of Development Goals discussed, al- Fake news can often take the form of legitimate-looking New York Leadership Coalition, he said. society, especially women, children, Kuwari noted. He added that the Amir announced youth and persons with special Qatar is among the fi rst countries news stories, tweets, Facebook or Instagram posts, during the summit Qatar’s contribution needs along providing them with the that provided development and relief advertisements and edited recordings distributed on atar has reiterated its of US$100mn to support small necessary knowledge and skills in close assistance, for example, in 2018 Qatar social media. An emerging concern is deepfakes: Video or commitment to action based developing island states and the least alignment within Vision 2030 plan, he Fund for Development (QFFD) fi nanced audio clips in which computers can literally put words in on the principle of co- developed countries to deal with climate stated. projects in the sectors of education, someone’s mouth. Qoperation and partnership, change, especially as these countries Al-Kuwari also stressed the health, economic empowerment With the overarching global reach, platforms such as pointing out that the eff orts of the bear the brunt of the impact of climate importance of inclusive and equitable and job creation in more than 70 Facebook and Twitter could enable modern-day suppliers of international community will have change. quality education, which is one of countries around the world, at a cost of a positive eff ect in overcoming the He pointed out that this contribution the important and enabling tools for US$585mn, he added. disinformation to reach a potentially huge audience. challenges facing the international refl ects the importance and seriousness achieving progress in all SDGs. As part of the strategic partnership And the impact? community and moving forward in the attached by the government of Qatar to He said that comprehensive between Qatar and the United Nations, “Social media manipulation campaigns” by governments implementation of the 2030 Agenda for take the necessary measures to activate and sustainable development is an al-Kuwari pointed out that during the or political parties were found in 70 countries in 2019, up Sustainable Development. what has been agreed internationally important focus to which Qatar attaches Doha Forum 2018, Qatar announced from 28 countries in 2017, according to researchers at the This came in a statement delivered by in the fi eld of climate change, and that high priority, The Qatar National Vision a multi-year support for UN’s core University of Oxford. the Second Secretary at the Permanent Qatar will continue to work with the 2030 sets an objective framework for resources amounting to US$500mn, Before India’s 2019 Delegation of Qatar to the United international community to translate achieving sustainable development and that will benefi t the enhanced elections, shadowy Nations Ahmed bin Saif al-Kuwari in the obligation of its ratifi cation of the focuses on major issues including the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for “Social media front of the general discussion of the UN Paris Agreement. paramount importance of sustainable Sustainable Development. marketing groups Economic and Financial Committee of Al-Kuwari pointed out that development and its mainstreaming As part of this support, a multi-year manipulation connected to politicians the 74th session of the United Nations international trade plays an so that regularity is achieved between contribution of US$20 million has used the WhatsApp General Assembly. important role and constitutes an economic growth, social and human been allocated to support the Qatari campaigns” messaging service to Al-Kuwari said that a number enabling tool to stimulate economic development and environmental labs network to accelerate the UNDP spread doctored stories of reports under the work of the growth, create an enabling economic protection. Sustainable Development Goals. were found in 70 and videos to denigrate commission have shown that climate environment and establish an open, He stated that as part of Qatar’s Al-Kuwari stressed that Qatar ranked opponents. In countries change remains a critical threat of non-discriminatory and equitable eff orts to build an effi cient and eff ective fi rst in the Arab world and 11th globally, countries in 2019, our time, which calls for concerted multilateral trading system to be an system to monitor and follow up the as one of the largest contributors to such as Sri Lanka and multilateral action to address risks integral part of this environment, implementation of the goals of the 2030 the UN inter-agency pooled funds in up from 28 in 2017Malaysia, fake news on associated with the phenomenon. stressing the importance of the Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2017, stressing continued support and Facebook has become a He noted that the global nature conclusions mentioned in the the State has aligned the goals and fi nancing of development activities. battleground for religious communities. of climate change and the need of report of the Secretary-General objectives of this agenda with the The Second Secretary at the In Myanmar, a study commissioned by Facebook blamed eff ective international co-operation on international trade and objectives of the Second National Permanent Delegation of Qatar to the military offi cials for using fake news to whip up popular and response. Emanating from the development, which highlighted Development Strategy 2018-2022 and UN concluded by saying that Qatar Qatar’s belief that there is a role for all the importance of strategies to has developed a monitoring and follow- will host the fi fth UN Least Developed sentiment against the Rohingya minority. parties to address this phenomenon, promote trade, take into account up system. Countries Conference in Doha in 2021, The Silicon Valley executives are waking up to the which constitutes an obstacle to the social, economic and development As part of its eff orts to fulfi l its stressing that this hosting comes out of situation. advancement of social and economic concerns such as poverty reduction, commitments to implement the 2030 Qatar’s keenness to work with partners Under pressure from lawmakers and regulators, development and the achievement of job creation and environmental Agenda for Sustainable Development, in the international community to Facebook and Google have started requiring political the goals of sustainable development, sustainability. Qatar presented at the sessions of achieve common goals, and its belief ads in the US and Europe to disclose who is behind the country has played a leading role Successful implementation of the High-level Political Forum on in the need to pay greater attention them. Google’s YouTube division adjusted its “up next” in the UN Secretary-General’s Climate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Sustainable Development voluntary to respond to the needs and priorities Action Summit last month, as His Development requires special attention national reviews that gave a clear idea of the least developed countries, and algorithms to limit recommendations for suspected Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin to least developed and confl ict- of the progress made by the State achieve comprehensive and sustainable fake or inflammatory videos, a move it had resisted for Hamad al-Thani along with France aff ected countries, and to ensuring in implementing the Sustainable development. years. WhatsApp now limits, to fi ve, how many people or groups a message can be forwarded to. Its parent company, Facebook, said it spent 18 months preparing for India’s 2019 election. As for governments, a Singapore law that took eff ect on October 2 allows for criminal penalties of up to 10 years in prison and a fi ne of up to S$1mn ($720,000) for anyone convicted of spreading online inaccuracies. Malaysia enacted a similar law that the government, elected last year, is trying to repeal. Indonesia set up a 24- hour “war room” ahead of its 2019 elections to fi ght hoaxes and fake news. France has a new law that allows judges to determine what is fake news and order its removal during election campaigns. In the US, eff orts to crack down on disinformation can run up against the guarantee of free speech, although some platforms have begun to restrict postings by anti-vaccine activists, for example. Across the world, technology and social media have become an inseparable part of everyday life. The Big Tech’s common refrain is that it’s not supposed to police the Internet. But armed with the latest technology, it has a duty to see what news can go across the platforms and what cannot. In any case, the liberal democratic character of Internet shouldn’t end up destabilising societies.

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© 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Gulf Times Wednesday, October 9, 2019 19 COMMENT US meddling in Ukraine is a disaster

By Leonid Bershidsky envoy for Ukraine, that the president Biden, too, did his share of Bloomberg News wanted Zelenskiy to make the incompetent meddling when he was statement, which Sondland called “the vice president under Obama and in deliverable.” charge of the Ukraine portfolio. The hanks to a newly released Volker passed the request to Shokin fi ring is just one example. trove of US offi cial corre- Zelenskiy aide Andriy Yermak, and Biden’s stated goal was to remove a spondence, the world now asked other Americans for their input prosecutor equally hated by Ukrainian Tknows just how clumsily the so he could “advise Z correctly as to anti-corruption activists and Ukraine’s Trump administration tried to get what he should be saying.” European allies, but Poroshenko Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelen- His proposed words for the replaced Shokin with his close ally skiy to serve its political ends. Perhaps Ukrainian president: “We intend to Yury Lutsenko, who made political the embarrassment will fi nally teach initiate and complete a transparent meddling in investigations even easier the Americans a lesson: This kind of and unbiased investigation of all for the president and his allies. meddling in foreign governments’ af- available facts and episodes, including All this sordid history should tell fairs will do you no good. those involving Burisma and the 2016 American diplomats something: The messages, made public as part elections, which in turn will prevent It’s none of their business who gets of a congressional impeachment the recurrence of this problem in the appointed to what job in Kyiv and inquiry, illustrate the lengths to which future.” it’s not for them to decide what a top US diplomats went in pursuing Zelenskiy never made the statement Ukrainian president should say (even if their goal: extracting a public pledge – and he couldn’t have, for legal it would look great in a campaign ad). from Zelenskiy to investigate whether and political reasons. The Ukrainian The country can be a valuable ally for Ukraine had interfered in the 2016 US president doesn’t have the authority the US in a complex region, one that election with the aim of helping Hillary to initiate investigations, which are has proven its ability to stand up to Clinton, and whether former vice- the responsibility of the independent Russian pressure in tough situations. president Joe Biden had improperly prosecutor. Moreover, he promised But the relationship can benefi t both hindered a Ukrainian money- voters that he would cast aside his only if Americans practice what they laundering probe of a company where predecessors’ corrupt practices and preach – the rule of law, for example, his son, Hunter, held a lucrative board stop interfering with the workings of and the primacy of the public good seat. the justice system. He reiterated this over political gain. The two themes, popular among US stance at a September press conference The West has plenty of legitimate conservative conspiracy theorists, are with Trump in New York. (Ukraine’s ways to keep Ukraine on the right based on zero hard evidence. Biden current prosecutor general said this path. These include the specifi c and senior has boasted that he forced week that he plans to review the transparent policy requirements that former Ukrainian president Petro Burisma case, among others.) the US, Europe and the International Poroshenko to fi re then prosecutor Why, then, did Yermak – according Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy greets Trump during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 74th session of the Monetary Fund attach to aid packages. general Viktor Shokin by threatening to the correspondence – express a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The goal – as even Sondland noted to withhold a $1bn US loan guarantee. willingness to comply with the unusual in the released correspondence – But there’s nothing to support claims – US demand, in return for a fi rm date the Trump team along. A straight “no” In any case, the US diplomats are era State Department, was caught should be for Ukraine to become a less made by Shokin and President Donald for the Ukrainian president’s visit to would have undermined Zelenskiy’s big losers in the whole fi asco. They on tape plotting personnel changes corrupt, more rules-based country. Trump – that Biden did so to stop an the White House? This contrasts with plan to enlist US support in peace talks failed in their eff ort to please their in the Ukrainian government, still The kind of crude political bargaining investigation into the company, known Yermak’s assertion, in an interview with Russia, mediated by Germany impetuous president, and they’ve been under beleaguered President Viktor in which US offi cials have repeatedly as Burisma. with a Ukrainian news site, that he and France. Once the Americans set caught trying to get a foreign leader Yanukovych. The plan didn’t work engaged in recent years won’t help it Nonetheless, according to the had resisted, telling Trump lawyer up Zelenskiy’s meeting with Trump, to do something improper, showing out, but the recording – in which get there. released correspondence, US Rudy Guiliani that all investigations in the Ukrainian leader could make some no concern for the local political Nuland was heard making a deeply diplomats worked hard to get Zelenskiy’s administration would be non-committal statement on election consequences. embarrassing profane comment about z Leonid Bershidsky is Bloomberg Zelenskiy to lend credence to the transparent and would not be “opened interference and Burisma without It’s not the fi rst time that meddling the European Union – ended up on Opinion’s Europe columnist. He was the theories. Gordon Sondland, the US or closed with a phone call” from actually promising an investigation. in Ukraine has backfi red on US YouTube, almost certainly with the founding editor of the Russian business ambassador to the European Union, Zelenskiy’s staff . By then, it would be hard to cancel the offi cials. In early 2014, Victoria help of Russian interests. Nuland was daily Vedomosti and founded the wrote to Kurt Volker, the US special Most likely, Yermak was stringing White House visit. Nuland, a senior offi cial in the Obama- forced to apologise to the Europeans. opinion website Slon.ru.

Mali confl ict robs displaced children of school Three-day forecast TODAY had gone there, where they preached for Maximum Temperature : 350c AFP Minimum Temperature : 310c Segou, Mali 50 minutes. “In their preaching, they insisted that THURSDAY schools be closed,” he said. Maximum Temperature : 370c n a better world, nine-year-old “The army has to come back, so that Minimum Temperature : 290c Oumou Tomboura would have the zone can be secured, otherwise the FRIDAY already had several years of schools will not re-open.” Maximum Temperature : 360c Ischooling behind her and be able to French military intervention in 2013 Minimum Temperature : 290c drove militant forces out of key northern write, read and count. Fisherman's forecast But in Mali, education is another towns including Timbuktu, Gao and casualty of confl ict. Kidal, and Paris today lends military WARNING support to the Malian army and regional Inshore : Strong wind expected When the new academic year at places with thundery began last week, Oumou sat not on a troops of the G5 Sahel force set up to rain during afternoon classroom bench but on a mat outdoors counter insurgents. Offshore : Nil in the southern-central town of Segou, Militant forces have steadily moved WEATHER Inshore : Slight dust to blowing chopping onions and tomatoes for the into the centre, usually adopting dust at time and local next meal. Malian children attend the class on the first day of school in Segou on October 1. guerilla tactics. Violence by armed clouds formation with Her family is among tens of thousands groups has also led to school closures in chance of scattered rain maybe thundery at to have fl ed jihadist groups working A fresh blow came this week with the her sums, totting up the cost of new neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, southern areas at times their way southwards from the desert deadliest militant raids of the insurgency clothes, shoes and school supplies. according to the UN. north to central Mali in a seven-year-old on two military camps in central Mali, “It will cost 50,000 CFA francs and The Bamako government and Offshore : Misty at times with some clouds insurgency, battling the army and its where 38 soldiers were declared killed I don’t have that,” she said, lowering international organisations have WIND allies. and dozens missing. her eyes. responded with lessons by radio, a Inshore : Northwesterly-North- Six months ago, Oumou’s mother, In Segou, not a single school admitted The new school year will be just as framework of psychiatric support to easterly 05-15/28 KT Offshore : Northwesterly-North- Fatouma Dja, 29, left the dangerous displaced children alongside the hard for those who stayed behind. help children aff ected by trauma or easterly 03-12 KT village of Mamba, fi nding refuge for her town pupils on Tuesday, when classes One school in three has shut down in post-traumatic stress, and ad-hoc Visibility : 4-8/3 KM three children 200km away. resumed. the Mopti region, which is most aff ected learning centres in villages and camps. “Of course I would like her to go to The situation in Segou is by raids from jihadists loyal to ethnic For Modibo Galy, a Malian researcher Offshore : 1-3 FT at the University of Leiden in the school, but it isn’t possible,” Dja said. overwhelming – more than 20,000 Fulani – or Peul – preacher Amadou Around the region “When Oumou was old enough to go people have taken refuge there, and Mali Koufa. The raids prompt retaliatory Netherlands, “in the eyes of the Amadou Weather to school in Mamba, jihadists came and is a desperately poor nation. violence by self-proclaimed community Koufa group, schools are the incarnation Weather tomorrow Max/min threatened the teachers and the school But Abdoulaye Diallo, a member of defence militias. of Western culture, a symbol of the today Max/min Sunny 41/23 was closed. So she never went,” Dja said Segou’s Educational Action Committee, Across Mali, 920 schools are listed as Westerners they are fi ghting.” Baghdad M Sunny 41/24 Sunny 41/24 wearily, bearing her youngest child on which oversees primary schooling in the closed, more than two-thirds of them in “Teachers are civil servants who Kuwait City Sunny 41/27 Sunny 38/29 her back. town, said displaced families should not the three central regions – Mopti, Segou sometimes come from outside the Manama Sunny 36/29 Sunny 34/27 Renowned for venerable centres of despair. and Koulikoro. region,” Galy said. “They may become Muscat Sunny 33/27 M Sunny 28/17 learning and trade down the centuries “The displaced should come and At the local education authority in suspected of passing information to the Tehran M Sunny 31/17 such as Timbuktu on the southern register with us, so we can point them to Segou, regional director Itous Ag Ahmed army, of being spies.” edge of the Sahara and for a remarkable a school that will take them,” he said. Iknan, said he had just been informed of Under this intense pressure, teachers musical heritage, Mali is badly battered Dja said she was not informed of this. dramatic events in the village of Souba. often quit, one by one, and the school’s by the revolt. In any case, she was busy doing The previous week, eight militants lifeblood can drain away.

Live issues

Teen depression risk lower in close-knit families Around the world Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min By Lisa Rapaport protect teenagers from depression dur- ents about their behaviour. The study results do suggest that Athens Sunny 24/16 P Cloudy 27/19 Reuters Health ing the sensitive and vulnerable period However, they lacked data on family teens who live in a supportive home Beirut Sunny 28/23 P Cloudy 28/24 of adolescence but also promote mental dynamics or relationships prior to ado- environment with caregivers who Bangkok T Storm 32/25 S T Storms 33/26 health throughout young adulthood lescence that might also impact mental understand them and pay attention to Berlin M Cloudy 16/09 Showers 13/09 eens with positive family and into midlife,” said study co-author health, the research team notes in JAMA them can help build up positive feelings Cairo Sunny 35/22 M Sunny 33/21 relationships may be less likely Ping Chen of the University of North Paediatrics. that may help teens more easily weather Cape Town Cloudy 16/11 M Sunny 19/12 to develop depression during Carolina at Chapel Hill. “This study cannot determine life’s ups and downs, Chen said. Colombo T Storm 29/25 T Storm 29/24 Tadolescence or early adult- The benefi t appears diff erent for men whether parent-child relationships “Close relations may provide sources Dhaka S T Storms 32/25 T Storm 30/24 hood, a new study suggests. and women, however. cause depression or not and does not of social and emotional support that Hong Kong M Sunny 31/27 P Cloudy 31/26 Researchers followed 18,185 volun- “Women benefi t more from positive explain why the two might be linked,” encourages the development of skills for Istanbul M Sunny 22/13 M Sunny 22/16 teers starting when they were age 15 on adolescent family relationships than said Dr. Rebecca Dudovitz, a researcher coping with the changing and cumula- Jakarta M Sunny 34/25 T Storm 32/24 average and continuing until ages 32 to men, especially in adolescence and the at the David Geff en School of Medicine tive stressors of adolescence,” Chen Karachi Sunny 33/26 Sunny 34/25 43. In a series of surveys, researchers early 20s,” Chen said by e-mail. “But at UCLA who wasn’t involved in the added. “The coping skills developed London P Cloudy 15/10 M Cloudy 17/14 asked them about family dynamics and low parent-child confl ict seems to ben- study. in adolescence are carried over into Manila S T Storms 32/26 P Cloudy 32/25 depression symptoms. efi t men for a longer time throughout “However, one theory is that healthy subsequent life stages, helping young Moscow Showers 07/04 Rain 10/07 Youth who experienced more family young adulthood than women.” family relationships provide social adults deal with additional life stressors New Delhi Sunny 33/22 Sunny 34/21 cohesion and less confl ict with parents To assess family dynamics, research- support and lay the foundation in the as they age.” New York Rain 15/12 Showers 16/11 were less likely to experience depression ers asked teens how often they felt their brain and body for a healthy response to At the same time, teens without Paris Showers 16/11 P Cloudy 18/13 symptoms from adolescence through family members understood them, how stressful situations,” Dudovitz said by e- supportive family relationships may not Sao Paulo S Showers 22/16 P Cloudy 26/17 midlife than young people who didn’t often they had fun with family, and mail. “As adolescents and young adults develop these coping skills, Chen said. Seoul M Sunny 20/08 P Cloudy 21/12 have such positive family relationships, how often their family paid attention are faced with stress, they can then cope They may instead develop more negative Singapore S T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 31/26 the analysis found. to them. Researchers also asked about with it more easily and recover from feelings and low self-esteem and enter Sydney Cloudy 17/11 P Cloudy 17/12 “Family cohesion and low parent- parent-child confl ict and how often stress more quickly, which helps avoid adulthood ill-equipped to cope with Tokyo Clear 26/19 Clear 27/17 child confl ict in adolescence not only teens had serious arguments with par- depression.” stressors. Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, October 9, 2019 QATAR

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim al-Thani, wife of His Highness the Amir, patronised the 2019 graduation ceremony of Qatar University’s 42nd batch of female students, which was held at the QU Sports and Events Complex yesterday. The ceremony was Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim al-Thani, wife of His Highness the Amir, honours attended by a number of Their Excellencies Sheikhs and Ministers, along with members of the university’s administration and faculty, students, female students at QU graduation ceremony yesterday. parents and guests of the university. QU president praises higher education progress in Qatar QNA Doha

atar University President Dr Hassan bin Rashid al- QDerham has praised the progress achieved by the higher education sector in Qatar in re- cent years, pointing out that the university has made several achievements and found itself among the world’s most elite learning institutions. In his speech on the occasion of the graduation ceremony of its 42nd batch of distinguished female students at the universi- ty’s Sports and Events Complex, the QU president said: “We are Aisha al-Mulla, representing the Class of 2019, delivers the opening Noor al-Mashhadany speaking proud of what this university has speech at the event. at the event. off ered, and what it continues to off er. and brings us optimism, is the context of excellence, a great what makes a renaissance is the Since the university’s founding what we are witnessing today, number of university colleges mind that believes and has faith over four decades ago, and until the pioneering intellectual have received accreditation for in its ability. today, it has been a leading force Qatari woman as she emerg- their programmes from the most He adds, “Qatar University is in the contribution of knowledge es from the university steps, prestigious international bod- not merely a passing stage in your and expertise and in the push to armed with knowledge, gener- ies, which is further evidence of respective journeys, but rather, it advance and develop our nation osity, righteousness and loy- Qatar University’s academic ad- is a starting point and a reference Qatar.” alty to her country. You allow vancement.” for knowledge. The university’s “It is our right — as we cel- this nation to stand tall and This year saw the establish- professors and researchers in all ebrate the 42nd batch of gradu- give it hope.” ment of the College of Dental subjects are here to serve you, ates of female Qatar University Dr al-Derham said: “Qatar Medicine, which will join the whenever you seek to learn and students — to say, we are not only University has achieved a great health cluster in QU called QU educate yourselves.” celebrating our daughters the number of achievements and Health. On behalf of the Class of 2019, graduates. Rather, we celebrate found itself among the world’s Dr al-Derham expressed hope female distinguished graduates, and take pride in the recogni- most elite universities. In recent that this sector will be a great graduate Aisha Khalid al-Mulla tion, honour and pride extended years, by the Grace of Allah (sub- support to the healthcare serv- delivered a speech in which she to half of society by our blessed hanahu wa ta’ala), then by the ices that Qatar off ers its citizens said: “Education is, and will con- nation. continued support of our gov- and residents. He then addressed tinue to be, the foundation on “Our Qatari society has not ernment, and guidance from our the graduating students, Class of which societies and nations are forgotten the mother that raises, Board of Regents, we continu- 2019, by advising them, “Edu- built. Education is the frame- the sister that struggles and la- ously ranked in the top universi- cation is a path we walk on, not work in which to build a distinct bours, the daughter that aspires ties worldwide. a goal we reach. Every stage of society with a distinct mind and to see a prosperous future.” He The university ranked 276 in learning that we face is in fact a it is a weapon against corruption. added: “Our celebration today, is QS Quacquarelli Symonds Global station, from a number of sta- This is what led our leadership to in recognition that women have a Rankings and 408 in the Times tions in life that do not end. Nev- focus on education and position stake in our beloved country.” Higher Education Rankings ertheless, education alone does it as a central pillar in the Qatar Dr Hassan al-Derham addresses the gathering. “What warms our hearts, World University Rankings.” In not make a renaissance, rather National Vision 2030.”

Class of 2019 female graduates of QU throw their caps in celebration of receiving their diplomas.