BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Win over Duhail icing on Qatar ‘agrees’ to look into South Sudan’s cake: Sadd’s hydrocarbon sector Abdelkarim published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11134 March 26, 2019 Rajab 19, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir opens Umm Al Houl Power Plant

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani inaugurating the Umm Al Houl Power Plant at a ceremony held by Qatar Electricity and Water Company yesterday. The ceremony was attended by HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, and a number of ministers and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the state.

QNA al-Kaabi said the Umm Al Houl Power 69mn hours without accidents. nent of human life. “That is why most Doha Plant was one of the most important The minister welcomed the partners countries are keen to provide the elec- power projects in Qatar and an addi- O Plant can generate 2,520MW of in the Umm Al Houl project, name- tricity needed to advance the economy tion to the long list of projects that the ly Mitsubishi and JERA from Japan, in addition to securing their water is Highness the Amir Sheikh country has implemented to provide electricity and 136.5mn gallons which have strong co-operation with needs.” Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani the necessary infrastructure for devel- Qatar for more than 50 years in oil and He said the Umm Al Houl power Hpatronised yesterday the in- opment and to support comprehensive of drinking water per day, which gas, and in the construction of power project combines efficiency of per- auguration ceremony of Umm Al Houl development. plants and water desalination. He also formance through optimal utilisa- Power Plant that can generate 2,520 The minister pointed out that the meets 30% of the country’s praised all those who contributed to tion of natural gas through optimal megawatt of electricity and 136.5mn plant is capable of generating 2,520 the completion of the project, includ- use of thermal energy and reverse gallons of drinking water per day. megawatt of electricity and 136.5mn needs of power and 40% of its ing Qatar Electricity and Water Com- osmosis technology, which are con- The ceremony, held by Qatar gallons of drinking water per day, pany, Samsung and Hitachi, as well as sidered the best in terms of environ- Electricity and Water Company in which meets 30% of the country’s desalinated water local contractors, led by Al Jaber and ment, pointing to the strategic loca- Umm Al Houl area, was attended needs of power and 40% of its desali- Mott MacDonald that oversaw the tion of the project that feeds both by HE the Prime Minister and In- nated water. project in the design and implementa- Doha, Al Wakrah and the Industrial terior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin He explained that the importance cess of the electricity and water pro- standards and taking into account the tion stages. Area, as well as its connection to the Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, and a of this plant stems from the value it duction operations in the country, he least impact on the environment. Fahad bin Hamad al-Mohannadi, major reservoirs. number of ministers and members provides to the Qatari economy along said. He also praised the importance at- Chairman of Umm Al Houl Power President and Chief Executive Offi c- of the diplomatic corps accredited with its sophisticated reverse osmosis HE al-Kabi pointed out that the tached by the management of Umm Al Company and General Manager of Qa- er of Mitsubishi Takehiko Kakiuchi de- to the state. technology, which would support the project, despite all challenges, was Houl Company to the safety of work- tar Electricity and Water Company, scribed the Umm Al Houl Power Plant Delivering a speech at the opening eff orts to reduce gas emission and raise completed on time and within the es- ers at the site, where more than 14,000 said electricity plays an important role as a tremendous achievement, noting ceremony, HE the Minister of State the effi ciency of performance. These timated cost of about QR11bn, using workers were present at the same time, in the economy in any country, and that it is the fi rst investment project for for Energy Aff airs Saad bin Sherida are two important elements of the suc- the highest technical and international registering the big achievement of water is the most important compo- Mitsubishi in Qatar. To Page 8 Italian defence minister in Qatar Qatar rejects US move on Israeli warplanes hit Gaza in Golan Heights retaliation for rocket attack

QNA O Netanyahu cuts short Doha US visit O Hamas leader Ismail atar has expressed its rejection Haniyeh’s off ice targeted of the US recognition of Isra- Qel’s sovereignty over the Golan Reuters Heights. Gaza/Jerusalem In a statement yesterday, the Minis- try of Foreign aff airs reiterated Qatar’s fi rm position on the principle that the srael launched air strikes in the Golan Heights is occupied Arab land. Gaza Strip yesterday after a rocket The statement stressed that helping Iattack near Tel Aviv wounded sev- the Israeli occupation to disdain UN en people, prompting Prime Minister resolutions related to the occupied Go- Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a lan Heights, especially Security Coun- visit to the United States. cil resolution 497 (1981), will not alter Netanyahu had threatened strong the fact that Golan is occupied Arab retaliation for the rocket salvo amid land and that Israel’s imposition of its accusations from opponents in a laws, jurisdiction and administration closely contested election, two weeks on the Golan is without any legal ef- away, that he has been showing weak- fect. To Page 11 ness in the face of security challenges from Gaza militants. “The Israel Defence Forces have be- gun striking Hamas targets through- out the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement. Netanyahu, who arrived in Wash- ington on Sunday for a four-day visit, said he would fl y home right after Italian Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta has arrived in Qatar on an off icial visit meeting President Donald Trump at aimed at enhancing the friendly and strategic relations between the two countries, the White House. Italian ambassador Pasquale Salzano yesterday said. She is scheduled to meet According to Hamas radio, an Israeli HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid air strike targeted the offi ce of Ha- bin Mohamed al-Attiyah today. During an informal meeting, Gulf Times Editor- mas leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Gaza in-Chief Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka welcomed the minister to Qatar and Strip. conveyed his greetings. Faisal thanked Trenta for visiting Qatar at this critical time Haniyeh was unlikely to have been in and lauded Italy’s unstinting support for Qatar in the face of the unjust blockade the offi ce, as Hamas routinely evacu- imposed by its neighbours. Picture shows Trenta conversing with ambassador ates its buildings when expecting Is- Salzano and Gulf Times Editor-in-Chief Faisal. raeli attacks. To Page 11 Fire and smoke seen over buildings in Gaza City during Israeli strikes yesterday. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 QATAR Al-Hammadi highlights leadership’s support for education

QNA improving the services provided to ticipation in international com- more than 2,000 students. terms of global education qual- Doha the public, and deepening Qatari petitions, developing services The minister also said that the ity and the ministry seeks to cultural values in all stages of study, and raising the institutional per- ministry launched important in- develop outputs, by focusing on and promoting understanding of formance of the ministry. itiatives such as providing fi nan- the quality of the curriculum, E the Minister of Educa- other cultures. Regarding educational curric- cial incentives for Qataris and teacher effi ciency and student tion and Higher Educa- As for the outstanding educa- ula, HE Dr al-Hammadi said that residents, born in Qatar and Qa- motivation. Htion Dr Mohamed Ab- tional achievements over the last the ministry has set the general tari children to join the college of His Excellency touched on the dul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi has fi ve years, the minister noted the framework of reference for the education then join the teaching certifi cates equivalence and the attributed the achievements in quantitative achievements in the curriculum for the fi rst time in profession. procedure followed by the min- the fi eld of education to the sup- education sector, thanks to the Qatar, noting that this frame- He said there is an increase in istry for the matter. The State port extended by the country’s support given by the country’s work is based on the Qatar Na- the demand for the programme, has provided all opportunities leadership to this vital sector, leadership to this sector. tional Vision 2030, the identity which aims to attract Qataris, to Qatari students, and has pro- affi rming that education is given He added that the number of of Qatar and its religious values. Qatari children and those born vided them with educational the highest priority on the gov- public schools has increased by He pointed out that the previ- in Qatar to join educational and opportunities in the world’s top ernment’s agenda and enjoys the about 100 schools, the number ous curricula included these is- scientifi c disciplines, to meet the universities, there is no excuse largest share in the state budget. of Qatari students has increased sues, but did not have a reference needs of schools. He added that for any Qatari students to en- In an address to the Advisory by 9,000, and that of expatri- document to ensure integration so far there are 900 students in rol in low-level universities, he Council on the state of education ate students to 17,000, and the between them and the contents the programme. added. in Qatar, the minister said that number of private schools has of the Qatar Vision 2030, espe- HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed HE Dr al-Hammadi said that With regard to residents’ cer- education in Qatar has undergone increased by 80, and the number cially in terms of strengthening Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi addressing the Advisory Council the indicators confi rm the high tifi cates authentication, HE Dr important changes over the last of Qatari students enrolled in religious and national values. yesterday. level of confi dence of Qataris al-Hammadi said that the role two decades and many achieve- these schools has increased by Touching on the changes in in public schools and this was of the ministry is to authenticate ments have been registered in 6,000 and that of expatriate stu- the curriculum recently, he said knowledge because it exists and reducing the burden on teacher, shown in the signifi cant increase the validity of the certifi cate, but the sector despite the challenges dents by 32,000. it is normal to introduce amend- available and easy to obtain. stressing that Qatar is among the in the number of students who what is related to other technical faced during the period. The minister pointed out that ments time to time, to include He added that the ministry lowest countries in the work- moved to public schools. matters and the suitability of the HE Dr al-Hammadi reviewed the number of higher educa- political, social, cultural and sci- is focusing on enhancing stu- loads for teaching and off ers Other achievements the certifi cate holder to work is the re- the strategic objectives of the tion institutions rose to 26 civil entifi c developments worldwide, dents’ abilities for criticism, higher salaries than any other minister mentioned is achiev- sponsibility of the ministries and education ministry’s plan, in- and military and private uni- and absorb the observations of analysis and innovation, rather country. ing higher education law (in agencies wishing to employ them. cluding the provision of the in- versities from 16 in 2013, while experts and practitioners in the than memorisation, as well as Among the achievements pre- the process of being approved), In response to a question frastructure of public and pri- the number of students outside fi eld of education on the previ- adopting new methods to meas- sented by the minister was the the completion of the national about the length of the academic vate schools, raising the level of Qatar on the scholarship system ous curricula. ure learning gains to be more improvement in the learning qualifi cations framework, estab- year, the minister said that the their performance, improving reached 4,000 while those stud- HE Dr al-Hammadi stressed relevant to today’s world, to en- environment to be more moti- lishing the national commission ministry has reduced the daily the levels of students and their ying inside Qatar was 5,000. that the ministry worked with its able extensive technology and vating, unifying school holidays, for qualifi cations and academic school hours in exchange for an results in national and inter- In the last two years, he said, maximum capacity to complete the to achieve complementarity be- reducing school hours, promot- accreditation to monitor the increase in the number of days national tests and ensuring the the Ministry of Education and curriculum in one year, and that it tween school materials. ing purposeful activities, raising quality of institutions of higher to meet international standards. enrolment of students with spe- Higher Education focused on was forced to speed up the comple- As for professional licences, the level of behavioural disci- education, and the modernisa- In response to a question about cial needs in various educational raising the quality of early edu- tion of the amendments in view of he explained that they have be- pline, and developing exam pro- tion of the system of procedures private schools, he stressed the programmes. cation, developing educational the current challenges, adding this come more suitable for teachers cedures among others. for equivalence of certifi cates, ministry’s keenness on continu- The minister said the sector’s curricula, enhancing teacher was a great achievement. and the fi eld of education in gen- He noted the adoption of besides embracing all students ously evaluating quality control objectives include attracting tal- performance, improving the He said that one of the most eral, and are currently depend- clear standards for the recruit- aff ected by the blockade and es- in these schools and measuring ent, improving the performance learning environment, expand- important features of the new ent on the classroom observa- ment and evaluation of teach- tablishing educational attache their commitment to basic sub- of teachers, raising the quality of ing private schools, developing curriculum is the promotion of tion of the teacher and his or her ers, with expanding the opening offi ces in a number of countries. jects such as Arabic, Islamic and the performance of the Ministry of its system, upgrading the higher sense of belonging, identity and participation in training courses, of specialised programmes in The minister said that despite social sciences. HE Dr al-Ham- Education and Higher Education, education system and increas- religious values, and the focus while cancelling the professional the College of Education of Qa- these achievements, the minis- madi said that the ministry is ensuring the eff ective participation ing the number of universities, was on the competencies needed achievement fi le. tar University to meet the needs try has a lot to do to reach com- keen to strengthen the religious of the private sector in meeting the promoting scientifi c research by students in terms of skills, The Minister of Education and for more teachers. Currently the plete satisfaction. He added that and national identity and values needs of schools and universities, and innovation, increasing par- values and behaviour more than Higher Education also pointed to college holds 14 specialities with a great deal has been achieved in of students in these schools. Ministry allocates land for three private sector schools

he Ministry of Educa- The three land lots were can curriculum for boys and girls for the Encouragement and Par- tion and Higher Educa- awarded on a competitive ba- of all stages. The school is ex- ticipation of the Private Sector Ttion has allocated three sis after studying and evaluat- pected to provide 1,185 seats. in the Economic Development government-owned land lots ing bids submitted by investors The third school, by the devel- Projects of Qatar, said that the for the construction and opera- developing private schools and oper Hassanesco, will be based three schools, will provide over tion of private schools, in im- following a series of interviews, in Al Khor area and follow the 3,200 seats to meet the increas- plementation of the directives according to a statement from American curriculum, for boys ing needs on education in the of His Highness the Amir Sheikh the Ministry of Education and and girls of all stages, with 1,053 light of the population growth in Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, it Higher Education. seats. Qatar. was announced yesterday. The fi rst is Cardiff School, The private sector will be in- In the fi rst phase, six land lots HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud chairing yesterday’s The initiative is also within an Indian curriculum-based vited for submitting tenders were allocated to the private sec- session of the Council. the framework of the Ministe- school, to be located in Al Khor for two more land lots to build tor, with a capacity over 7,000 rial Group for the Encourage- area. It will off er schooling for two national curriculum-based seats. ment and Participation of the boys and girls in all levels. The schools. The technical committee has Private Sector in the Economic school is expected to provide Khalid Mohamed al-Hajri, also received many requests Development Projects of Qatar, 1,134 seats for students. director of Public Services De- from inside and outside Qatar chaired by HE the Prime Minis- The second school will be built partment at the Ministry of Ed- to invest in the attractive pri- Advisory Council discusses ter and Interior Minister Sheikh by the developer Millennium ucation and Higher Education vate education sector. The com- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Holding Company in Umm Al and member of the technical mittee is currently studying the al-Thani. Qarn and will teach the Ameri- group of the Ministerial Group launching of other projects. issues related to education

QNA He also thanked HE al-Ham- ued its meeting, where HE al- Foreign ministry official launches news apps Doha madi and the education ministry Mahmoud, Speaker of the Ad- for all their eff orts. visory Council and Chairman He noted that there are some is- of the Organising Committee he Advisory Council held sues that need to be visited to fur- of the 140th General Assem- its ordinary weekly ses- ther develop the education sector bly of the Inter-Parliamentary Tsion under the chairman- and they must be discussed. Union (IPU) and its related ship of HE the Speaker of the Following the Speaker’s meetings, briefed the Council Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin speech, HE al-Hammadi gave on arrangements in place for Zaid al-Mahmoud. a presentation on the develop- Doha’s hosting of the session, In response to HE al-Mah- ment witnessed by the educa- which will be held from 6 to 10 moud’s invitation, HE the Min- tional process and reviewed the April. ister of Education and Higher strategic objectives of education z A delegation from the Advi- Education Dr Mohamed Abdul sector. sory Council will take part in the Wahed Ali al-Hammadi attend- The Minister of Education 11th meeting of the Parliamen- ed the session to present the and Higher Education praised tary Co-ordinating Committee ministry’s view on the public the proposals and observations and the external relations of the discussion request submitted by of the members of the Advisory Advisory and National Councils a number of Advisory Council Council, stressing that the min- of the Gulf Co-operation Coun- members to discuss the educa- istry will take them into account. cil (GCC) countries, scheduled tion issues in the state. Assistant Undersecretary for for tomorrow in Jeddah, Saudi HE the Speaker thanked Educational Aff airs of the Min- Arabia. His Highness the Amir Sheikh istry of Education and Higher The meeting aims to pre- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for Education Fawzia bint Abdulaziz pare for the next meeting of the his interest and support to edu- al-Khater attended the session. speakers of the Gulf Legislative cation in Qatar. Later the Council contin- Councils.

HE the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi inaugurated yesterday a news follow-up application and an updated CRA attends meeting on version of ‘Akhbarna’ application on smart devices, in the presence of the Director of the Information Off ice Ahmed bin Saeed Internet governance issues al-Rumaihi and Acting Director of Information Technology Abdulaziz bin Mohamed al-Naemi. The new application QNA from around the world met and growth of the Internet and en- contains a number of features. The updated Doha discussed a range of important sures that consumers in Qatar version of the Akhbarna news application issues aff ecting the Internet have the best services in the fi eld for smart devices is specific to the news of community including potential of information and communica- the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs and its senior he Communications Reg- geographical top-level domains, tions technology,” said Technical off icials. It also includes various media ulatory Authority (CRA) data protection regulations and Aff airs Department Manager in reports and accounts of the ministry, as well Tparticipated in the 64th public safety. CRA, Engineer Abdulla Jassmi. as a news and reports bulletin and a local session of the Governmental Ad- “CRA ensures to attend and The GAC was established in newspaper bulletin. visory Committee (GAC) meet- participate in international 1999 and the committee meet- ing of the Internet Corporation meetings like the ICANN64, as ings are held three times a year. for Assigned Names and Num- it ensures to be up to date with It is an advisory committee to bers (ICANN64), which was held the latest developments in the ICANN, which distributes Inter- from 9-14 March 2019 in Kobe, fi eld of Internet security and net Protocol address fi elds, al- Japan to discuss a variety of is- top-level Internet domain, and locates protocol identifi ers, and sues related to Internet govern- to adopt the best practices in manages the records system of ance. this fi eld. top-level domain like.edu,.gov, During the meeting, experts That contributes to the and.qa Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 3 QATAR

Minister of culture meets El Salvador ambassador Doha Metro tunnelling soil tested for farm use

QNA Doha

atar Railways Company announced the comple- Qtion of research on the HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanim bin use of tunnelling soil for agricul- Nasser al-Ali met the ambassador of El Salvador to Qatar, tural purposes. Alfredo Arturo Samayoa Molina, in Doha yesterday. They The research was conducted discussed aspects of co-operation between Qatar and El in co-operation with Qatar Uni- Salvador in cultural and sports fields and means of developing versity (QU) represented by the them. Environmental Science Centre (ESC) and the Centre for Ad- vanced Materials (CAM). The company had previously announced the commencement of the research on the use of soil resulting from the tunnelling works carried out on the Doha Achievement of Metro project for agricultural purposes to fi nd solutions for developing agricultural resourc- es and achieving food self-suffi - self-suffi ciency ciency in Qatar in a sustainable manner. Over the past year, the ESC had analysed diff erent soil sam- projects ‘a miracle’ ples from the rubble resulting from the Doha Metro tunnelling Representatives get a firsthand look at the soil testing project. works and conducted labora- QNA Chamber revealed talks with tory experiments that include pasturages such as clovers and from its results in reality. Hence, pabilities of Qatar University with both Qatar Rail and Qatar Doha the Iraqi side to turn the port soil enhancement in search of millets. Qatar Rail’s projects have con- and its accredited technolo- University to establish a com- of Umm Qasr as a transit trade opportunities to produce vari- Commenting on the project, tributed to Qatar’s eff orts to gies, we were able to find use mittee dedicated to the project point, linking Qatar with the ous agricultural crops. Several Chief of Strategies and Business achieve sustainability, not only for the tunnelling soil, and we and discuss the means of im- E the Chairman of Qatar countries of the region via a joint meetings were organised Development at Qatar Rail, Ajlan by developing a sustainable hope to see the tangible results plementation, the allocation Chamber, Sheikh Kha- land-maritime line, including with QU to stay abreast with the Eid al-Enazi said: “As a result of means of transport, by providing of this research in reality.” of lands and mass production. Hlifa bin Jassim al-Thani, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and project’s latest developments. the tunnelling works conducted various other benefi ts from all For his part, Assistant Un- All of this is to contribute to praised the achievement of self- Syria, to be the second land- The soil testing results re- on the Doha Metro project, we aspects of this project.” dersecretary of Agricultural building the capabilities of the suffi ciency projects in Qatar. maritime line after signing a vealed a vast similarity in the now have a massive quantity of Commenting on the re- Affairs and Fisheries at the local production of agricultural In an interview with Qa- transit trade agreement with mineral and physical compo- soil. Consequently, we at Qatar search, Vice-President of Re- Ministry of Municipality and crops.” tari daily economic newspaper the Iraqi side, noting that the sition of the natural soil used Rail thought we should look into search and Graduate Studies Environment, Sheikh Dr Faleh Qatar Rail seeks to work close- (Lusail) published yesterday, line will facilitate the flow of in local farms in the country. the best means to benefi t from it at Qatar University, Dr Mariam bin Nasser al-Thani said: ly with the relevant authorities HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim goods from the countries of the The research team in charge of and in co-operation with Qatar Ali al-Maadeed stated: “We “Achieving self-sufficiency in to fi nd a way to translate this al-Thani described it as a real region and reduce the time pe- the project revealed that the University we decided to con- were very pleased to co-operate agricultural production in the goal to reality and explore the miracle achieved following the riod. soil can be successfully used duct a joint research project. The with Qatar Rail on this ambi- State of Qatar is one of the most possibilities to rehabilitate un- imposition of the unjust block- On plans to promote Qa- in agriculture after mixing it research eff orts conducted came tious project that will contrib- important future goals of the used land, which can be used to ade on Qatar, which led to a clear tari products in foreign mar- with natural soil condition- to fruition as the soil proved us- ute massively to finding long- Ministry of Municipality and produce agricultural crops that change in the State’s policy to kets, he explained that the ers in various ratios. To obtain able for agricultural purposes. term solutions for developing Environment. In light of the would cover local consumption expand the industrial sector. recent visit to Iraq was made those results, the team culti- We are currently working on agricultural resources. Thanks results of the soil testing, we and possibly allow for future ag- He underlined that achieving in this context, pointing out vated various plants used as expanding this study to benefi t to the distinctive research ca- look forward to working closely ricultural exports. self-suffi ciency is a joint project that the exhibition “Made in between the government, pub- Qatar” has been working to lic sector and the private sector achieve this purpose for years, represented in Qatar Chamber. and was organised recently in “The eff orts are shared by all. Oman. In 2020 the exhibition It is a project involving all gov- is expected to be staged in Af- Rawdat Al Khail health centre to Justice ministry, Audit ernmental and civil parties, he rica or Asia. said adding that more than 250 He highlighted the role of the industrial licences were issued Chamber in supporting the na- start emergency unit on April 7 Bureau hold workshop for the establishment of local tional products, noting that lo- factories during the period since cal Qatari products were able to the blockade, and the produc- achieve a wide reach, especially QNA Gharafa and Abu Bakr Al Sid- the service is provided by a se- on risk management tion process began in a record after the blockade and they were Doha diq, pointing out that Rawdat Al lection of the qualifi ed doctors period. well received by consumers be- Khail Health Centre was chosen specialised in handling emer- He noted that last year wit- cause of their diversity and high to provide this service due to the gency cases. QNA continuous methodology for nessed the establishment of quality that meet the interna- he emergency unit at large number of patients regis- Director of Rawdat Al Khail Doha identifying and classifying about 17,000 new companies in tional standards with suitable Rawdat Al Khail Health tered with the centre. Health Centre Dr Abdullah Al- risks, in order to enable their various sectors such as trade, prices. TCentre will start func- Al-Emadi added that a simi- naama said that the centre, the departments to identify the agriculture, services, transport The national product initia- tioning from April, the Pri- lar emergency unit is expected medical staff and all the depart- he Department of Plan- risks and their causes, in addi- and diversifi ed industries. tive was able to develop itself, mary Health Care Corporation to be opened at Muaither health ments are ready to receive urgent ning and Quality of the tion to help identify strategic More than 150 large projects relying on advanced technologi- (PHCC) has announced. centre later this year, while other cases and deal with them in a TMinistry of Justice or- risks at the level of the min- will be launched after 2022, in- cal methods, and to double its Director of the Northern Re- centres such as Al Thumama, professional manner to relieve ganised a workshop on the istry and work to neutralise cluding infrastructure projects production to keep pace with the gion of PHCC Health Centres, Leabaib and Umm Salal will the pressure on HMC emergency implementation of the risk and confront them and know and roads as well as the con- domestic demand. Dr Nada al-Emadi told a a press provide this service next year. Unit. management project in co-op- mechanisms to accelerate han- struction of buildings, hospitals HE the Chairman of Qatar conference yesterday that the She also noted the possibility of Rawdat Al Khail Health Centre eration with the Risk Manage- dling them. and schools. Chamber praised the recent de- Rawdat Al Khail Health Centre increasing the working hours at also off ers preventive and cura- ment and Quality Department Acting Director of Plan- He said that the government’s cision to open freehold owner- will open the urgent cases serv- Abu Bakr Al Siddiq Centre, as at tive services such as vaccina- at the State Audit Bureau, as ning and Quality Department vision of the private sector ship to non-Qataris, noting that ice on April 7. She said, the unit present this service ends at the tions and mental health services, part of eff orts to complete the at the Ministry of Justice, has changed radically after the this is an old demand of the local will provide services round-the- end of the offi cial working hours. cancer screening services, phys- implementation of the second Hessa Ali al-Sulaiti explained blockade and the private sector private sector, especially in spe- clock services on all days of the Al-Emadi said: “Children’s iotherapy, dermatology clinics, phase of the project launched that the workshop aims to has become an active partner in cifi c areas, namely the old city week and pointed out that the reception would be extended in family medicine clinics, vacci- by the Bureau as of October implement the risk manage- the overall development process. of Doha, so as not to compete in services will cover adults, and all centres with emergency units nation clinics, non-communi- 2018 that aims to ensure that ment project in the Ministry He pointed out that the Qa- other areas that may aff ect the urgent cases, especially fractures in the near future”. cable diseases clinic, antenatal all government and economic within the framework of the tari private sector has been able citizens. and minor burns. Director of the Central Region care clinic, healthy child clinic, entities in the country have an Qatar National Vision 2030 to benefi t from the blockade and He added that the decisions Al-Emadi stressed that the of PHCC Health Centres, Dr ear, nose and throat clinic, dental appropriate risk management and the national development develop itself more intensely and on freehold ownership and per- services provided by Rawdat Fathia al-Meer, said that the aim clinic and ophthalmology clinic. system. strategies of the State, which to participate strongly with the manent residence will have a Al Khail Health Centre are not of the service is to accommodate The centre serves the areas of The workshop is part of the gave special attention to risk government sector in facing the direct impact on foreign invest- new, but have been activated in the urgent cases and provide Fereij Abdul Aziz, Bin Mahmoud, Ministry of Justice’s eff orts to management to ensure the challenges. ment and are a key element in fi ve centres, namely Al Shamal, them with comprehensive and Al Najma, Al Mansoura and Al strengthen the culture of risk protection of development HE the Chairman of Qatar attracting investments. Al Kaaban, Al Shahaniyah, Al urgent service 24/7, stating that Muntazah areas. management and to provide a achievements.

Qatar attends Francophonie Day celebrations ‘Hope enlightens life’ art expo opens at Katara

QNA Doha

n exhibition entitled ‘Hope enlightens life’ by the disabled young artist Dania ATareq was staged yesterday at the Cul- tural Village Foundation (Katara) amphithea- tre. The exhibition was opened in the presence of a number of ambassadors accredited to Qa- tar and mediapersons. The exhibition, the second by this artist, aims to support her talent and empower others with disabilities to enter and compete in this fi eld in keeping with Katara’s vision to con- tribute in empowering all sectors to show their abilities. Katara General Manager, Dr Khalid bin Ibra- him al-Sulaiti, said that Katara opens doors for Qatar participated in the celebration of the International Francophonie Day, which falls on 20 March all talents, and this exhibition refl ects Katara’s each year. Qatar’s ambassador to France Sheikh Ali bin Jassem al-Thani represented the country in vision of supporting artists of all categories. the ceremony held at Francophonie organisation headquarters in Paris. French President Dania (25) who overcame her birth challeng- Emmanuel Macron, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie Louise es displayed around 43 artworks at the exhibi- Mushikiwabo, and a number of French ministers and senior off icials, as well as a number of tion that showcased the beauty of nature and ambassadors accredited to the International Organisation of the Francophonie, attended the many colourful fl owers that focus on the main ceremony. aspect “Hope” which she learned through Katara General Manager, Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, accompanied by other dignitaries, at practising and assistance by her trainers. the opening of the exhibition. Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 QATAR QFFD contributes $2mn to UN development operations

atar Fund for Develop- ment system, which will drive sustainable development,” said velopment system reform and ment (QFFD) and the coherence and integration of Khalifa bin Jassim al-Kuwari, the implementation of the Sus- QUnited Nations (UN) have UN development action on the director-general of QFFD. “The tainable Development Goals signed a grant agreement worth ground on a scale that responds contribution for the reinvigor- (SDGs) must be carried out by $2mn over a period of two years, to national needs and priorities, ated resident co-ordinator sys- everyone, United Nations and for the core budget of the reinvig- and work with UN specialised tem is a big step towards achiev- member states alike. Voluntary orated resident co-ordinator sys- agencies, funds and programmes ing this goal. We are proud to contributions by member states, tem in the context of the reform to enhance accountability, co-operate with this important such as by the Qatar Fund for of the UN development system to transparency and reporting on partner to contribute and en- Development, are fundamen- better support the 2030 Agenda results at the country level, ac- hance accountability, trans- tal to strengthening our struc- for Sustainable Development. cording to a press statement. parency, achieve results across tures and operations for more Permanent Representative of The contribution of QFFD will the United Nations system and impactful results for people. Qatar to the United Nations, HE complement resources in the UN provide greater incentives for “This contribution to the Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al- Special Purpose Trust Fund spe- integrated action.” set-up of the new, reinvigorated Thani, signed the agreement on cifi cally set up for this purpose, United Nations deputy secre- resident co-ordinator system behalf of QFFD. the statement notes. tary-general Amina J Mohamed, will ensure that the UN is more The resident co-ordinator “The main objective of Qa- Chair of the United Nations Sus- eff ective, cohesive and account- system serves as the cornerstone tar Fund for Development is tainable Development Group, able in supporting countries’ of a repositioned UN develop- to achieve comprehensive and said: “The United Nations de- eff orts to achieve the SDGs.” Dignitaries after signing the agreement. Amiri naval commander meets Tunisian admiral ‘Public art refl ects nation’s ideals’

By Joey Aguilar Extracted Personifi ed’ has just been ent things: it maybe an artistic in- Staff Reporter installed in the Museum of Islamic Art tent, a symbol of lifestyle or travel, (MIA) Park; French artist Jean-Michel among others. Othoniel, who built his biggest art “Public art is also considered one ublic art and various forms of installation at NMoQ; and Raqs Me- of the faces of a nation. It refl ects the arts aim to inspire local talents dia Collective member Shuddhabrata nation’s ideals. Pand establish organic growth of Sengupta at the talk. It was moderated We can preserve these ideals for the the local community’s art scene, a sen- by Tom Eccles, executive director for future generation and communicate ior offi cial of Qatar Museums said. the Centre for Curatorial Studies at it with the international audience,” “If we consider art as an invitation, a Bard College. he noted. medium, then public art maybe one of “Having prominent artists and cu- QM, al-Ishaq added, work towards the best and most eff ective languages,” rators such as our colleagues here is conserving Qatar’s heritage by “lo- Qatar Amiri Naval Forces Commander Major General Abdullah bin Hassan al-Sulaiti met yesterday with Tunisian Navy Qatar Museums’ (QM) head of public a way to bring home an international calising the global and globalising chief of staff Rear Admiral Abderraouf Atallah, during an off icial visit to the Amiri Naval Command headquarters. The art Abdulrahman al-Ishaq stressed. language, and I use language here met- the local.” “This serves as a dialogue meeting came at the invitation of the Qatar Amiri Naval Forces Commander, during which they discussed issues of He was speaking at a panel dis- aphorically, it is not about importing between nations.” mutual interest and enhance means of military co-operation between the two countries. The meeting was attended cussion yesterday on “Public Art only but also exporting,” he said. Meanwhile, Mathaf: Arab Museum by senior off icers of the Amiri Naval Forces. After the meeting, the Tunisian Navy chief visited the war and operational and Cultural Heritage” at the Doha “And having local artists, curators of Modern Art will host a panel dis- training centre and inspected the group of Tunisian off icers attached to the centre, and praised the readiness and the Fire Station, which forms part of and art specialists interact and work cussion on “Museums of Modern Art level of training provided to them. ‘#QatarCreates’. with international artists and curators – Current Trends, East and West” The event is an extensive pro- allow them and the public to learn that today (March 26) at 11am, which will gramme of workshops and panel talks language,” al-Ishaq added. focus on aspects of curatorial prac- organised until March 29 to mark the “Through cultural exchange pro- tice, programming, and socio-political inauguration of the National Museum grammes such as QM’ Year of Cul- engagement. of Qatar (NMoQ), which is scheduled ture, we export our cultural heritage On the same day, an interactive talk to be open to the public on March 28. to the world through the international at the MIA auditorium from 11am to ‘#QatarCreates’ provides residents language, which serves as a medium,” 12.30pm will discuss how celebri- and visitors in the country access to he pointed out. ties dress for the red carpet and reveal a roster of leading cultural luminaries Citing the Lamp Bear and other the considerations that inform their from Qatar, the region and around the monumental installations at the Ha- choices. It will be moderated by actress world. mad International Airport, al-Ishaq Nadine Njeim and will feature world- Al-Ishaq was joined by British artist said the public consider it as part of renowned fashion designer Monique Liam Gillick, whose new work ‘Folded its culture, and may signify diff er- Lhuillier.

French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel’s biggest art installation at NMoQ presented at a panel discussion yesterday.

QNL to host talk by infl uential architects atar Museums (QM) has architect at Ibrahim Jaidah Archi- culture, landscape and traditions, thus brought together a group of the tects & Engineers; and Ben van Berkel, connecting to the recognisable features Qmost signifi cant and infl uential founder and principal of UNStudio, for and material culture of the region. architects in the world for a discussion the hour-and-a-half-long event. Until March 29, more than 60 pio- tomorrow on the role of architecture in Taking place at the Qatar National neers and leaders in their respective the development of national identity. Library (QNL) at 1pm tomorrow, the fi elds will share insights, perspectives The discussion is a part of the Qatar panel is moderated by Philip Jodidio, and ideas with large groups of audi- Creates talks programme, organised who has authored of more than 100 ences in locations that range from to celebrate the inauguration of the books on art and architecture. NMoQ, QNL, the Museum of Islamic National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), The discussion will explore how Art, Katara and more. which opens to the public on March 28. buildings contribute to the sense of a Participants include photographers, Internationally renowned fi gures new national identity of a country and architects, artists, critics, commen- including Pritzker-winning architects its citizens and is set to be one of the tators, designers and fi lm-makers Jean Nouvel, designer of the NMoQ; highlights of Qatar Creates. amongst others. Rem Koolhaas, founder of Offi ce The panellists will explore how such Places are limited and available on for Metropolitan Architecture; and buildings assume iconic status and a fi rst come, fi rst served basis. Given Jacques Herzog, partner at Herzog & contribute to a city’s development. that the events are expected to be enor- de Meruon, will be joined by foremost They will share perspectives on how mously popular, interested visitors are Qatari architect Ibrahim Jaidah, chief such exquisite buildings reference local encouraged to arrive early at the venues. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 5 QATAR New HMC study to 500 kids benefi t from Vodafone’s ‘AmanTECH’ odafone took its award winning digital safety Vprogramme, ‘Aman- TECH’, to seven diff erent public examine attitudes, parks across the country during February and March as part of the ‘Fun Days with Qatar e-Na- ture’ series of family entertain- ment activities, in partnership practices related with the Ministry of Munici- pality and Environment, Sasol, and Oryx. Vodafone used its newly-de- signed augmented reality (AR) to tobacco use game at the parks to help more than 500 children learn how to amad Medical Corpora- protect their personal informa- tion’s (HMC) Tobacco tion on the Internet, identify HControl Center has be- fake messages, and prevent cy- gun the fi eldwork associated berbullying through a series of with a new study examining fun tasks. knowledge, attitudes, and prac- The initiative comes in a long tices related to tobacco use in line of online safety activities Children at the Vodafone AmanTECH Parks. Qatar, it was announced yester- that Vodafone has conducted day. since AmanTECH’s launch in This showed a number of gaps versation is required about Twenty AmanTECH school The study is thought to be the 2014, which, to date have en- that urgently need addressing screen use and some of the risks workshops are also planned in most comprehensive investiga- gaged more than 50,000 chil- such as children’s excessive time involved. 2019. tion of its type in the country dren, parents and teachers. spent online (up to eight hours) To continue the company’s The AmanTECH programme and will seek input from Qatari Recently, Vodafone revealed and the communication between eff orts to engage the commu- includes ongoing workshops, citizens and non-Qatari resi- the results of its latest research parents and children that is often nity, Vodafone will be taking an online source for informa- dents, smokers and non-smok- where they had conducted 20 limited to parents trying to get its AmanTECH AR game to a tion, and tips for parents ac- ers, males and females. online safety workshops at pri- children off screens. number of malls and public cessible at www.vodafone.qa/ Employees of ministries, gov- mary schools. A wider and more open con- events. AmanTECH. ernment organisations, media outlets, including Al Jazeera and Qatar TV, healthcare work- Temporary closure of underpass at Al Gassar Interchange on Lusail Expressway ers, and university students are among those being targeted by The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has researchers. announced the temporary closure of an Dr Ahmad al-Mulla, head underpass at Al Gassar Interchange for road of the HMC Tobacco Control users coming from Al Khafji Street and heading Center, said the study has been Dr Ahmad al-Mulla towards The Pearl-Qatar and Lusail via Lusail endorsed by HMC’s Medical Re- Expressway. search Center. The study will also address cies and tobacco control public Designed in co-ordination with the General He said the main goal of the the relationship between to- health initiatives. Directorate of Traff ic, the closure will be study is to gather data on the bacco use and tobacco product HMC’s Tobacco Control implemented from Friday, March 29, for a period prevalence of smoking and to- advertisements, and knowledge, Center provides education, sup- of one week to allow for maintenance works at bacco use among those aged 18 attitudes, and opinions about port, and treatment for those the underpass, Ashghal said in a statement. and above and information on smoking. wanting to stop smoking. During this period, road users coming from the consumption rates of various Dr al-Mulla said a number of In 2017, the centre was desig- Al Khafji Street and heading towards Lusail or tobacco products and parapher- related topics, including opin- nated as a WHO Collaborating The Pearl-Qatar will be required to continue nalia, including cigarettes, shi- ions on second-hand smoke and Centre, the fi rst in Qatar and the straight on the main flyover, make a U-turn at sha, sweika (chewing tobacco), the impact of the recent rise in region. the end of Al Khafji Street and then use the first pipes, cigars, e-cigarette, and prices of tobacco products will WHO Collaborating Centres, exit towards Lusail Expressway to reach their e-shisha. also be examined. which also include research in- destinations, as shown on the attached map. Researchers will seek input The results of the study, which stitutes and parts of universities The authority will install road signs advising from those who have tried to quit is expected to involve as many as and academies, are designated to motorists of the traff ic change and requests all smoking and will investigate 6,000 participants, will be re- carry out activities in support of road users to abide by the speed limit, which which treatments they found leased later this year and will be the WHO’s mandated interna- remains at 80kmph along the route, and follow most eff ective. used to inform government poli- tional health work. the road signs to ensure their safety. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 QATAR

WISE unveils cohort for new global fellowship programme

group of 17 young men and women from professionals from organisations that are part of 13 countries, representing diverse back- the global WISE community, and social innova- Agrounds and disciplines, have been se- tors actively engaged in delivering or designing lected to join the World Innovation Summit for education initiatives within their organisation or Education’s (WISE) new global fellowship pro- networks. “WEL is a new programme that aims gramme: the WISE Emerging Leaders (WEL). to enable innovation in education,” said Stavros The Qatar Foundation initiative’s WEL pro- N Yiannouka, CEO of WISE. gramme is a new global fellowship that aims to “Working directly with 17 young profession- equip the next generation of systems leaders in als nominated by their organisations, WISE will education with the tools, skills, networks, and provide training and mentoring to these leaders mindset they need to make a positive impact on as they develop and implement important edu- their communities and engage in global dialogue cation initiatives. “The fi rst cohort of WEL will on pressing issues in education. welcome amongst others, young professionals Selected fellows aged 24-32 will participate in from Camfed, Minerva Project, HundrED, and a series of collaborative and interactive modules Generation. Their organisations and WISE ex- HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari with other dignitaries at the opening session of the conference. on topics ranging from ethical leadership to so- pect great things from them.” cial innovation, delivered by WISE and Ashoka The cohort will convene for an in-person resi- – a global organisation that identifi es and invests dential session in Berlin, Germany, from April in social entrepreneurs – to increase the impact 21-30, where they will participate in an action- of the fellows’ work and enable them to collabo- based leadership and educational development rate on key challenges. module. In addition to completing residential Through the fellowship, WISE aims to sup- training and online modules, fellows will also Conclave looks at impact port and elevate the work of promising education contribute to their organisations by applying initiatives by developing young talent within their new skills to projects identifi ed by their or- these organisations. The fellows include young ganisations. of biobanking in Qatar Recall of Lexus models By Joseph Varghese Speaking at the opening session, and meaningful collaborations that progress being made and the mile- The Ministry of Commerce the sidewall reinforcement to report any violations to Staff Reporter Dr O’Kennedy said that a biobank is could support the development of stones reached by Qatar Biobank, and Industry, in collaboration layer (inside of the tyre). its Consumer Protection the foundation for precision medi- Qatar’s precision medicine initiative,” with the number of participants with Abdullah Abdulghani The Ministry said that it will Department, through the cine. “Biobank provides the neces- explained the offi cial. who have been screened to date, and & Bros Co, has announced co-ordinate with the dealer to following channels: Call centre: mpact of biobanking in healthcare sary samples for testing and clinical Delivering the keynote address, the institution’s overall approach to the recall of Lexus LS350, follow up on the maintenance 16001, e-mail: [email protected]. of Qatar, need for international trials for precision medicine. Preci- Dr Jim Vaught, chief of the Biore- studying the Qatari population,” he LS500 and LS500h models and repair works and will qa, Twitter: @MOCIQATAR, Icollaborations as well as quality sion medicine will reduce economic positories and Biospecimen Research added. of 2018 due to damage in communicate with customers Instagram: MOCIQATAR, assurance were some of the topics of cost and provide better healthcare for Branch at the US National Cancer Dr Asmaa al-Thani, board vice certain run-flat tyres during to ensure that the necessary Ministry of Commerce and discussion on the fi rst day of the In- all. Biomedical research is accelerat- Institute, and editor-in-chief of chairperson of Qatar Biobank and the assembly process, repairs are carried out. The Industry mobile app for ternational Biobanking Conference ing the transformation of healthcare Biopreservation and Biobanking, chairperson of Qatar Genome Pro- possibly causing a crack on Ministry urges all customers android and IOS: MOCIQATAR 2019 organised by Qatar Biobank, a from generalised treatments to pre- highlighted the importance of qual- gramme Committee, said, “We take member of Qatar Foundation (QF). ventive, pre-emptive, and person- ity management for international fi rm steps every day as we get closer The opening session of the three- alised medicine. In this domain, QF biobanking collaborations. “The to achieving personalised medicine day event being held at Sheraton Doha RDI has been active through impact- International Biobanking Confer- for the people of Qatar, which will was attended by HE the Minister of ful initiatives spearheaded by Qatar ence is a testament to how far Qatar prove vital in the treatment and pre- Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed Biobank and Qatar Genome Pro- has come in a relatively short space vention of diseases. The support we al-Kuwari; Dr Richard O’Kennedy, gramme,” stated O’Kennedy. of time – not only in setting up its are receiving for our research pro- vice president for Research, Develop- “As a crucial fi rst step in the ap- biobank, but in organising this im- grammes from our stakeholders, sci- ment and Innovation, Qatar Founda- proach to precision medicine, the portant global discussion to tackle entists, and the residents of Qatar is tion (QF RDI); Dr Jens Habermann, value of biobanking and genomics quality management in biobanking, one of the driving factors in our suc- president, European and Middle research, and their key role in im- bringing together participants from cess story. Eastern Society for Biopreservation proving the health and well-being of so many diff erent countries and in- The event, held under the theme and Biobanking (ESBB) among other Qatar’s population, cannot be over- fl uential speakers from the key in- ‘Quality Matters: A Global Discus- dignitaries. stated. It is through events as this ternational institutions to share their sion in Qatar,’ is being hosted in part- Scientists and health experts from conference, our scientists and re- experience and best practices,” noted nership with the European and ESBB, 15 countries are taking part in confer- searchers have the right platform to Dr Vaught. and supported by BBMRI-ERIC, a ence that aims to highlight the role of engage in the exchange of knowledge, “I am impressed with the automa- European research infrastructure for biobanking and medical research in conduct in-depth discussions with tion and quality control procedures biobanking, and the International advancing healthcare and improving global experts on new developments Qatar has put in place at its biobank Society for Biological and Environ- clinical outcomes. and innovations; and forge networks facilities. It is wonderful to see the mental Repositories.

Increased levels of vitamin D deficiency in Qatar population

Qatar Biobank’s annual report being conducted by Qatar Biobank, both men and women registering Study. It is the first mother-child for 2018 finds increased levels 38% reported no participation in in the age group 25-34. Dr Nahla cohort study of its kind in the of obesity as well as vitamin D any physical exercise at all, and 43% Afifi, director of Qatar Biobank, Middle East, and aims to assess the deficiency among the participants of were recorded as overweight or said, “The report not only helps us synergetic role of environmental its programme. obese. better understand the health of the exposure and genetic factors in the The annual report was released Only 12% of participants have participants, but also provides useful development of chronic disease. yesterday on the sidelines of the normal vitamin D levels, while 25% insights into the health of the entire It monitors the health of women International Biobanking Conference have mild deficiency levels. A further population. and children, and obstetric 2019. The report provides a wide- 50% have a moderate deficiency “The findings are empowering new characteristics with high prevalence. ranging health profile and analysis level of vitamin D, while 13% were research in Qatar, which will play an “By generating a comprehensive of more than 18,000 Qataris and found to have severe deficiency. important role in early identification picture of the environmental, adult expatriates who have lived Vitamin D deficiency is related to of health problems and taking genetic, and lifestyle factors that in Qatar for more than 15 years several chronic diseases such as eff ective preventative measures. contribute to health issues facing and participated in the institution’s diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, and This, in essence, is the primary goal the local population from the medical health research initiative. It inflammatory diseases. behind Qatar Biobank’s endeavour start of their lives, we can begin to paints a concerning picture of the The demographic data obtained to collect information and samples help researchers and healthcare local population’s health, including from the registration process shows from the population.” providers make better diagnoses that of Qataris over 18 years and that a similar number of men (49%) A second major study, which Qatar and provide better treatments for adult expatriates. Among the and women (51%) participated in the Biobank successfully developed in diseases aff ecting the health of participants in the ongoing study study, with the highest number of July 2018, is the Qatar Birth Cohort Qatar’s population,” added, Dr Afifi. HBKU students hone skills

Masters and doctoral students at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently participated in Three Minute Thesis (3MT), a contest launched by the University of Queensland, Australia, and brought to Qatar for the first time by HBKU Student Aff airs. The 3MT competition requires competitors to deliver a succinct overview of their thesis to a non-specialist audience, in three minutes or less, giving them an opportunity to hone their academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Competitors were required to present their research using a single static slide, which had to be displayed at the start of the discussion. Electronic media and other props were not permitted. A panel comprising three judges assessed competitors based on comprehension, content, engagement, and communication. The 3MT initiative nurtures a supportive environment in which schools, institutes, and universities can provide valuable presentation skills training. The event is also an opportunity for competitors to get to know other students on campus and learn about their respective research projects. 3MT competitors portrayed high levels of presentation skills and innovative ideas in their research topics. Owing to its inaugural success, HBKU will next year host the event on a larger scale, extending participation to masters and PhD students from universities across Qatar.

The 3MT competition requires competitors to deliver a succinct overview of their thesis to a non-specialist audience in three minutes or less.

Indian embassy open house

The Indian ambassador will hold an Open House on Thursday (March 28) in the embassy premises from 3pm to 4pm to listen / redress any urgent labour and consular issues of the Indian nationals in Qatar, it was announced yesterday. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 7 QATAR QCRI to host symposium on machine learning atar Computing Research ecutive director of QCRI, said: entations by speakers from both Institute (QCRI), part of “The annual MLDAS event has industry and academia, and QHamad Bin Khalifa Uni- become a key highlight on the the authors of papers submit- versity (HBKU), in collabora- global calendar for experts in ted to the symposium. Topics to tion with the Boeing Company, the fast-evolving fi eld of artifi - be discussed will include ‘Us- will host the Machine Learning cial intelligence, machine learn- ing Advertising Data to Model and Data Analytics Symposium ing and data mining. This event Migration’; ‘Poverty and Digital (MLDAS) 2019, on April 1 and 2 provides a platform for the ex- Gender Gaps’; ‘Towards Verify- in Doha. change of ideas, identifi cation of ing Neural Autonomous Sys- The Pearl-Qatar adorned with new light fixtures. The annual event sees re- important and challenging ap- tems’; ‘Effi cient Machine Learn- searchers, practitioners, stu- plications, and the discovery of ing Approach to Capture Genetic dents, and industry experts in mutual synergies. Correlation’; ‘Analysing GPS the fi elds of machine learning “Members of the wider com- Trajectory Data’; and ‘Detecting and data mining come together munity are invited to attend and Phishing Domains using Certifi - to present recent advances and benefi t from the research being cate Transparency’. Pearl-Qatar glitters as UDC discuss research questions, to conducted here in Qatar, which Speakers presenting papers bridge the gap between data is well on its way to becoming a on the fi rst day of the sympo- analytics research and industry regional hub for advanced data sium will be Ingmar Weber, needs on identifi ed problems. studies.” QCRI; Mashael al-Sabah, QCRI; Dr Ahmed Elmagarmid, ex- The event will consist of pres- Shrinivas Kulkarni, California completes decorative project Institute of Technology; Pascal Poupart, University of Waterloo; Jiangning Song, Monash Univer- nited Development palm trees and the landscape Qatar’s main entrance to Qa- The initiative is part of UDC’s sity; and Deniz Yuret, Koc Uni- Company (UDC) has stretching from the under- tar Cool’s junction have been eff orts “to enhance the cus- versity. Ucompleted its latest pass up to Qatar Cool’s junc- equipped with lights while 220 tomer experience across The Other notable participants in- decorative project across The tion in addition to the Porto palm trees along the Porto Ara- Pearl-Qatar, which is welcom- clude Alessio Lomuscio, Imperi- Pearl-Qatar with the installa- Arabia boardwalk. bia boardwalk have been illumi- ing an increasing number of al College London; Dimitris Gu- tion of 2,700 lamp lights and The new lighting project nated. residents and visitors through nopoulos, University of Athens; LED mesh lights covering over “will create an enchanting at- Another 2,780 LED light its attractive shopping, dining and Halima Bensmail, QCRI, 2,900m of the island’s facade mosphere across the island, sticks, including 2,100 spike and entertainment off erings”, who will deliver presentations walls. bringing The Pearl-Qatar to life light-ups, were added along the statement adds. on the fi nal day of the event. The project aims to en- with colourful lights from sun- The Pearl-Qatar’s boulevard UDC is a leading Qatari MLDAS is co-chaired by San- hance the decorative facade set to sunrise”, UDC has said in while LED mesh decorative public shareholding company jay Chawla, QCRI; Zoi Kaoudi, structures of The Pearl-Qa- a statement. lights were installed along and master developer of The QCRI will host the Machine Learning and Data Analytics Symposium QCRI; and Dragos Margineantu, tar and its boulevard walls A total of 134 palm trees 2,900m of The Pearl-Qatar’s Pearl-Qatar and Gewan is- on April 1 and 2 at The Researchery. Boeing Research and Technology. as well as the illumination of stretching from The Pearl- underpass facade walls. lands. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 QATAR

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the inauguration of Umm Al Houl Power plant yesterday.

Amir opens Umm Al Houl Umm Al Houl power project Power Plant From Page 1

He said the project was completed before the contractual date, adding that participation in such supports development process a project was a real proof of Mitsubishi’s strategy. mm Al Houl Power, the pany to the security and safety schedule. Japanese fi rms Mitsubi- A short film about new energy megaproject, of workers at the site, in which shi and JERA, which have strong the power plant, its Uhas been added to a long more than 14,000 workers were co-operation with Qatar for more production volume and list of projects that Qatar has present at the same time. These than 50 years in the fi eld of oil and its role in providing implemented to provide the nec- eff orts succeeded in co-opera- gas and in the construction of electricity and water essary infrastructure for devel- tion with those of the company power plants and water desalina- was shown during the opment and support the over- that implemented the project in tion, participated in the imple- ceremony. all development process in the the registration of 69mn hours mentation of the project. The His Highness the Amir country. without accidents. presence of Japanese partners is placed the magnetic The new project is one of the In a statement on the sidelines an important testament to the at- piece in the logo of the most important energy projects of the opening ceremony, Khalid tractiveness of the investment en- power plant to off icially in the country, not only for the Mohammed Jolo, CEO, Nebras vironment off ered by Qatar to in- inaugurate it. great value it off ers to the Qa- Power Company and a mem- ternational companies in various Following the ceremony, tari economy and its advanced ber of the board of directors of economic and industrial sectors. the Amir toured technology but also for using Umm Al Houl, said that Umm Al The project is one of the largest the plant, where he the world’s best environmental Houl Power is one of the largest desalination and power genera- was briefed on the technology in the fi eld of de- projects in the fi eld of electricity tion plants in the region. Its full functioning of the plant. salination, the reverse osmosis and water production in the re- production capacity will supply Umm Al Houl Power technology. This technology will gion and the largest in Qatar. Qatar’s 30% of electricity needs Plant is one of the largest contribute to supporting Qatar’s He pointed out that there is and 40% of water requirements. water desalination eff orts to reduce gas emissions a growth in power demand as a The project will generate a dai- and power generation as much as possible and raise An off icial making a presentation. result of the great boom in Qatar ly production capacity of 136m plants in the region. the level of performance, which and that this project will feed this gallons of water and 2,520MW of It represents a great are important factors in the suc- and the Industrial Area, as well as technology, a modern technology 8,500 megawatts compared to demand for the next three years, electricity. addition to water and cess of electricity and water its connection to the major res- that is used for the fi rst time in the production capacity of about adding there are other projects to Umm Al Houl Power project electric security in Qatar. production in the country. ervoirs. Qatar. This technology includes 11,000 megawatts, and there- be announced soon. The project is a Joint Venture company with QEWC owns 60% of the The Umm Al Houl Power, At a press conference on the fi lters to remove impurities from fore there is surplus energy can has a purchase agreement with Qatar Electricity and Water Umm Al Houl Power which has a production capacity sidelines of the opening of the seawater and is independent of be used in emergency circum- the Qatar General Electricity and Company holding 60%, K1 En- Plant, Qatar Petroleum of generating 2,520 megawatts Umm Al Houl Power plant yester- the power plant, unlike most de- stances. Water Corporation (Kahramaa) ergy (Mitsubishi Corporation and Qatar Foundation of power and 136.5mn gallons day, Umm Al Houl Power Com- salination plants in the State, he Mitsubishi offi cials also ex- for 25 years extendable, and the and JERA J/V) holding 30%, own 5% each, and drinking water per day, is par- pany chief executive offi cer Jamal explained. pressed pleasure to participate plant has been designed to last 35 and Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Mitsubishi-TIBCO owns ticularly important for its pro- Ali al-Khalaf said that the project He pointed out that the plant in the Umm Al Houl Power plant, years, he added. Foundation holding 5% each. the remaining 30%. duction methods. It combines has been built in several stages currently produces about 1,000 stressing readiness to contribute On the future projects of Ne- The plant is located in an im- The plant is located at the effi ciency of performance and the fi rst phase took just 15 megawatts, with the maximum to the development of Qatar. bras Power, he said that the portant strategic location to a strategic location to through the optimal utilisation months, which is a record period. production capacity of 2,520 Despite all challenges, the company has future projects in secure the requirements of the secure the requirements of natural gas and the diversity He added that following the com- megawatts, and is scheduled to project has been completed on Latin America, Australia and Af- economic and urban develop- of the economic and of water production mechanism pletion of every stage, it operated wait for the peak demand for time and within the estimated rica; and it has reached advanced ment witnessed by the State of urban development through the optimal use of ther- directly and joined the produc- electricity in the summer to see cost amounted to about QR11bn, stages, and these projects will be Qatar thanks to the wise leader- witnessed in Qatar, mal energy and reverses os- tion network. He stressed Umm the performance of the plant using the highest technical and announced soon. ship as well as its keenness on the thanks to the wise mosis fi lters, which is the most Al Houl Power commitment to during that period. international standards and tak- Umm Al Houl Power project development and progress of the leadership and its environmentally preferable. employ Qatari talent, noting that Al-Khalaf noted that there is ing into account the least impact was implemented with the best country. Its location in the eco- keenness on the The project is located in the Qatarisation reached 9%. a surplus for the production of on the environment, praising the international specifi cations and nomic zone serves many indus- development of the economic zone, a strategic loca- Al-Khalaf pointed out that the electricity in the country, where importance attached by the man- environment-friendly measures trial and commercial projects in country. tion that feeds Doha, Al Wakrah plant relies on reverse osmosis the maximum load capacity is agement of Umm Al Houl Com- within the expected cost and time the country. (QNA) Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 9 QATAR Woqod eyes 30 new fuel stations this year

By Peter Alagos men through the implementation the project will be fi nalised by Business Reporter of various projects and provision April,” al-Muhannadi said. of necessary infrastructures and On the company’s vehicle contractual frameworks,” al-Su- technical inspection services atar Fuel Company (Wo- laiti said in his speech. (Fahes), al-Muhannadi said Wo- qod) will complete the Woqod CEO Saad Rashid al- qod completed three new in- Qconstruction and opera- Muhannadi said Woqod opened spection centres in 2018, which tion of 30 new fuel stations in dif- 32 new stations in 2018, which is increased the total number of ferent areas across the country, it equivalent to 62% of the number operational centres to 12, includ- was announced yesterday during of stations Woqod has opened ing mobile stations. the company’s annual general as- since 2002. “This will facilitate our servic- sembly and extraordinary general “In addition to the consider- es to our respected customers. A assembly meetings. able expansion of fuel stations, centre currently under construc- The meeting, presided over Woqod enhanced the capability tion will be opened in this year by Woqod chairman Ahmad Saif and effi ciency of the stations by and another in the design phase,” al-Sulaiti, approved the board increasing the number of dis- al-Muhannadi said. of directors recommendation pensers in the stations by 61%. He added that Fahes revenue in- to distribute cash dividends of In 2019, Woqod will complete the creased 37% to reach QR107mn in QR795mn, representing 80% construction and operation of 30 2018 compared to QR78mn in 2017. of the nominal paid-up capi- new fuel stations…the construc- Woqod Marine Service rev- tal, which translates to QR8 per tion contracts for these stations enue amounted to QR75mn as share. have already been signed. Woqod compared to QR80mn for 2017. “In 2018, Woqod mobilised of will thus be doubling the number QJet revenue amounted to its eff orts in furtherance of the of fuel stations owned by the QR9.9bn against QR6.8bn in accomplishment of its plans and company,” al-Muhannadi said. 2017. consolidating its role as a sole lo- He said the expansion of fuel Woqod chairman Ahmad Saif al-Sulaiti and CEO Saad Rashid al-Muhannadi address the meeting. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed Woqod posted a net profi t of cal distributor, and endeavouring stations and dispensers led to a QR1.16bn in 2018, up 20% on to increase its stake in the market 70% increase in Woqod’s share of ous a development in Sidra stores expansion project, he said tanks “This expansion will allow competitive prices, and will also QR964mn in the year before. of transportation and distribu- the fuel retail market. sales and other related services in providing 15,000mt of storage Woqod to retain its market share contribute to the optimisation of Earnings per share amounted tion of petroleum products, nat- This has also been associated fuel stations, al-Muhannadi said. capacity have already been com- and deliver the products to cus- cost of storage services on board to QR11.7 in 2018 compared to ural gas, bunker fuel, and bitu- and supported by a simultane- On Woqod’s bitumen facilities pleted. tomers in a timely manner and at vessels. The remaining parts of QR9.7 for the preceding year.

First-ever Qatar International Spain woos more tourists from Qatar

Cosmetology Conference begins z Number of visitors from Qatar see week to Barcelona — and also added a sea- For example, cities like Toledo, Segovia 150% rise in last four years sonal route to Malaga that runs from June and Cuenca outside Madrid are an average z Average spend for Qatari tourist in to September since 2018. In 2019, the air- of 30 minutes away from the capital and are he fi rst Qatar Interna- Spain is the ‘highest in the world’ line will also be increasing its seat capacity steeped in charm and history. tional Cosmetology Con- on this route. In fact, the national airline is Similarly, Barcelona is a gateway to ex- Tference (QICC) opened in pain’s ambassador to Qatar Belen Al- responsible for bringing more than 750,000 plore the breathtaking Costa Brava, Por- Doha yesterday. The three-day faro will meet with key partners to- passengers annually to Spain,” the embassy tAventura-Ferrari Land theme park, Mon- event was inaugurated by Sheikh Smorrow to gain a better understand- statement added. sterrat or even to head out to the Pyrenees Mansour bin Jabor al-Thani at ing of the Qatar travel and tourism industry, Besides the growing number of tour- mountains. Marsa Malaz Kempinski. share with them insights on Spain’s tour- ists, Qatari nationals are among the biggest While a majority of tourists visit the Welcoming international ism performance from Qatar and upcoming spenders during their visits to Spain. coastal town of Malaga and Marbella, the speakers as well as Doha-based trends as well as reinforce the potential of The average spend for a Qatari tourist in Tourism Board of Spain also aims to encour- doctors to the conference, Sheikh new destinations in Spain. Spain is the highest in the world — $1,512 age tourists from Qatar to explore the region Mansour pointed out that ‘Qatar Spain continued to be one of the most- as against the standard spend of $1,413 per of Andalucia itself. National Vision 2030 focuses on visited countries in the world as it welcomed GCC visitor. Home for over 800 years to the Moorish developing and improving the more than 82mn tourists in 2018, account- Spain recently eliminated the minimum Empire, exploring the Arab legacy in Anda- expertise and knowledge of the ing for over 460mn room nights and bring- ceiling spend for claiming VAT refunds. lucia from the Cordoba Mosque to the Al- physicians in Qatar’. ing $89.5bn as tourism revenue into the This, combined with the fact that Spain of- hambra Palace in Granada and the Alcazar in The conference programme country, according to a press statement is- fers a great choice of designer labels, luxury Seville is an “absolute must-do for anyone covers all areas of aesthetic med- sued in Doha by the Spanish embassy. The shopping villages and street labels, “should from the Gulf region”, the statement points icine and particularly focusing fi gures include a steady increase of visitors hopefully encourage more tourists to in- out. on review of the state-of-the-art Off icials and dignitaries at the opening of the first Qatar International from the GCC region, the statement notes. dulge in a shopping spree during their next The Tourism Board of Spain is working advances in aesthetic and regen- Cosmetology Conference yesterday. Over the past years, GCC travellers have visit to Spain”. very closely with the travel trade in Qatar on erative medicine including use of doubled their arrivals into Spain – from Mediterranean cruises and the love of how to promote these destinations. offi ce tumescent and local an- biggest and most prominent con- tar International Cosmetology 119,000 in 2014 to 240,000 tourists in 2018. football have placed Barcelona as the city It is also one of the few tourism boards aesthesia techniques. ference of its kind in the region. Conference will be an outstand- Also, the number of visitors from Qatar most favoured by Qatari nationals in Spain. that have invested in creating a website with Lectures include use of fi ll- Scientifi c Planning Committee ing one.” has grown by 150% in the last four years. It is followed by Madrid and the city of information specifi cally tailored for the ers, lasers and PRP, facial ageing chair Dr Ayman El Attar, who has Dr Mohamed Ayyad, CEO of In 2017, Spain got more than 34,000 tour- Malaga on the Costa del Sol. GCC traveller – www.spain.info/gcc and facial aesthetics, trichology, many years’ experience of teach- Blue Health Consultancy Serv- ists from Qatar. The aim of the embassy of Spain and its The general trend so far from Qatar is to body enhancement, liposuction, ing on an international stage, ices, the event organisers, high- “A major contributing factor for the tourism offi ce is to educate and highlight visit Spain in the summer months of July cosmetic gynaecology and es- thanked Sheikh Mansour, saying: lighted the contribution of the growth in arrivals is the increased con- other beautiful locations in and around and August. tablishing and operating an aes- “Doha is a region that welcomes private medical sector in the nectivity with Spain. In the past two years, these cities that are highly accessible by The Tourism Board of Spain recently ran thetic clinic. innovation and advancement development of clinical practice Qatar Airways has increased its frequency high-speed train or are a short ride away, a successful online winter marketing cam- It is planned that the QICC will in healthcare. We hope the del- and support of doctors and prac- and capacity to Madrid and Barcelona — thereby increasing the average length of stay paign to showcase how Spain could be a fan- become an annual event and the egates experience at the fi rst Qa- titioners in all disciplines. 21 fl ights a week to Madrid and 18 fl ights a in these cities. tastic option for a winter vacation.

AAB Treasure Hunt pushes environmental awareness

bdullah Abdulghani & Bros carbon emissions through its hybrid Co (AAB), the exclusive dis- vehicles,” AAB pointed out. Atributor of Toyota and Lexus, The participating teams were de- has concluded its third AAB Treasure lighted to fi nd the well-equipped Hunt in collaboration with the Pub- parks with sports facilities, chil- lic Parks Department at the Ministry dren’s area and other amenities. of Municipality and Environment For many, it was the fi rst time to (MME) with the theme ‘Space Chal- go to these parks. lenge: Win Back Mother Earth!’ “The role of the Public Parks De- The AAB Treasure Hunt 2019 is partment and the MME’s unparalleled a corporate social responsibility eff orts to provide the residents of Qa- (CSR) initiative that it held to create tar with a variety of well-planned rec- awareness of environmental care, reation areas was appreciated by the promote public parks in Qatar and The winners with AAB off icials. teams,” the statement added. highlight road safety, AAB has said One of the highlights of the CSR in a statement. Qatar: Al Wakrah Public Garden, Al healthy lifestyle for residents of the event this year was that the fi rst AAB The winners were chosen based Nuaija, Al Mamoura Family Park, Al country, according to AAB. Treasure Hunt winner from 2017 re- on the least amount of time spent in Huwaila and Al Hitmi. “This CSR activity is thoughtful claimed the championship. completing challenges in the parks. Aside from the activities, the about reclaiming our planet by be- Yazan Mustafa, chief operating The event was met with “great ‘Space Challenge’ was an educa- ing more mindful of our surround- offi cer – Commercial & Industrial success with an increased number tional session as the teams solved ings and our contribution towards Division, fl agged off the fi rst batch of teams, with around 150 people brain teasers with quizzes and board its preservation. As one of the lead- of participants at the start of the participating in total”, the statement activities related to the planets, ge- ers in the automotive industry in Treasure Hunt. noted. ography and the environment. Qatar, AAB — as the distributor of The winners received cash prizes The AAB Treasure Hunt ‘Space The initiative not only raises Toyota — is committed to working for their eff orts, while special prizes Challenge’ gave everyone the op- awareness about Qatar’s public towards clean energy in transpor- from Moteri Auto Care Centre were portunity to have fun while explor- parks and the environment but also tation, which will lead to a cleaner given for the Best Selfi e and Best ing fi ve out of the 94 public parks in aims to encourage an active and environment and reduced harmful Video.

Accreditation awarded Rajagiri Public School – Doha has been accredited by the Qatar National Schools’ Accreditation Committee (QNSA). “This is an important milestone in the continuous growth and success of Rajagiri Public School in the field of education, during a very short span of five years,” according to a statement issued yesterday. The accreditation certificate was formally handed over by managing director George Jacob to principal Issac Tharayil during a function attended by the members of the management board and the school’s QNSA team. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 QATAR

Students attend a class at HOPE Qatar Centre for Diff erently Abled Children and Youth at Abu Hamour. Children engaged in activities at the playground. PICTURES: Nasar K Moidheen HOPE Qatar scripts success story in uplifting specially-abled children

By Shafeeq Alingal Staff Reporter

uhair bin Talha, Mohamed Yasir Salim and Faizan ZFareed Patel were busy go- ing through their textbooks in the academic support class room at HOPE (Help, Opportunity, Participation and Education) Qatar Centre for Diff erently Abled Children and Youth at Abu Hamour. The specially abled stu- dents were making prepara- tions to appear for the sec- ondary examination to be held by National Institute of Open Schooling. The trio is glad as they are set to complete sec- ondary schooling. In fact, HOPE Qatar helped them pursue their dreams by offering education and voca- tional training. “The centre taught us vari- ous languages and computer. It helped us learn new things and improve ourselves,” said Zuhair. The cases of Yasir and Students attending assembly at HOPE Qatar Centre. Faizan are not much different. A child attending a training session. The specially abled children are tations,” said HOPE Qatar co- cially abled students, including cially, HOPE organises annual and ICT-based activities that now able to do their exercises ordinator Geetha Shoji Isaac those with learning disabilities. day celebrations, sports days, help to hone their academic in order to keep the students supervision of eight teachers and projects and operate com- recalling that some of the stu- They are educated by teachers exhibitions and field trips. Be- and technology skills. Besides, mentally and physically active. and support staff who are dedi- puter. dents even failed to properly who are experts in special edu- sides, students are given regu- regular classes are conducted The daily activities of HOPE cated to work for the specially “Now, they have grown as communicate while they were cation. lar assignments, homework in karate, yoga and dancing Qatar are conducted under the abled children. students who can deal with first brought to the centre. The centre provides stu- software and prepare presen- HOPE Qatar has now 25 spe- dents with academic interven- tion, assistive intervention and therapies. It offers speech, Centre seeks help over expansion plans behaviour, and occupational therapies. Taking cue from the good response it evoked, HOPE Qatar is all set to Subjects including English, expand its functions. As per the plan, a new centre will be opened at Al Mathematics, Science, Social Wakrah with advanced facilities. Studies, Computer Science, “The centre will cater to needs of specially abled students and parents and Value Education are given belonging to various nearby localities like Al Wukair, Barwa Village and to students in junior, interme- Mesaieed,” HOPE Qatar founder and managing director Dr Rajeev Thomas diate and senior classes. said. Besides, HOPE has plans to improve present facilities and increase the “HOPE Qatar is committed strength of students. to ensure that students become “There are still several students who are denied access to special schools. social and acquire additional Some of them are unable to aff ord the cost and fee while others face lack skills apart from securing aca- of institutions in their localities. We are looking to help them by all means,” demic growth. We offer them said Thomas. Presently, HOPE is giving free education to a few students school environment and give whose parents are unable to meet expenses. them opportunities to show- He added HOPE will be able to give admission to more students and case their talents,” said HOPE improve facilities if kind-hearted persons extend them help. founder and managing director “If benevolents join hands with HOPE, we could reach out to more students Dr Rajeev Thomas. and ensure more facilities to existing students,” Thomas added. In a bid to help students A child gets assistance while others are engaged in activities at the develop emotionally and so- A child being helped by a teacher to complete exercises. playground. Dedicated to serving kids with disabilities

elp, Opportunity, Par- their friends, sisters and broth- brought up to 25 after we got a A batch of students complet- ticipation and Educa- ers went to schools, specially new building,” Dr Thomas said. ed their diploma in Computer Htion is the motto of abled children were destined to At Abu Hamour, HOPE Application after HOPE joined HOPE Qatar and the centre is remain inside their houses. spread its wings to more areas hands with a leading IT training doing justice to it if the initia- Parents found it diffi cult to and launched various schemes institution in Qatar. tives and achievements are tak- give them education and train- including after school pro- To add to this, Stevin was en into account. ing due to a host of reasons gramme and supplementary made Police Sub Inspector for Established in 2006, the cen- ranging from lack of adequate academic support programme one day by Chennai City Po- tre brought changes to the lives facilities to shortage of special for students who have learning lice in India in 2017. “My son’s of around 250 specially abled schools,” Dr Thomas reminisc- disabilities. “Some of the regu- passion is to become a police- students from various coun- es. The grim scenario, according lar school goers are in need of man. We approached Chennai tries. to him, wanted intervention and support. These programmes are City Police Commissioner AK The centre came into exist- the centre was set up at Indian aimed at helping them get rid of Viswanathan while we were ence after eff orts were taken up Club in Doha. disabilities and inadequacies,” back home. The police made all by Dr Rajeev Thomas and his And it was later shifted to Abu he said. arrangements and Stevin acted wife Dr Ciby Mathew. Hamour where HOPE authori- Dr Thomas as well as HOPE as Sub Inspector for one day. He In fact, the idea was concep- ties managed to set up a centre staff and functionaries are much was even given a police vehicle tualised in 2005 after the couple with adequate facilities. glad that the centre could bring and wireless sets while police wanted to educate their child, The centre was extended help remarkable changes in the lives constables worked under him,” Stevin Mathew who had Down from benevolent persons in Qa- of its students. Dr Thomas said. syndrome. tar and Indian Cultural Centre Five students completed He believes his son will be- “We found several others who and offi cials of Indian embassy. higher secondary education come a Sub Inspector as HOPE were struggling with their chil- “Number of students was while HOPE helped another fi ve has made him capable to suc- Dr Rajeev Thomas dren with special needs. While limited to ten and it was later successfully fi nish 10th class. cessfully pursue his dreams. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 11 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD Qatar rejects US move on Golan Heights

From Page 1 the making. Should have tak- from the Syrian government. an election gift to Netanyahu “do whatever is necessary un- dermines any eff ort to reach a aggravates the situation in all the en place many decades ago,” “In a blatant attack on the who is in diffi culty ahead of elec- til the end” and work with the just peace”. Middle East,” he said during a The statement stressed the Trump said as he signed the sovereignty and territorial in- tions,” Turkish Foreign Minister global community against “one- “The Golan Heights are Syr- telephone call with US Secretary need for Israel to comply with presidential proclamation. He tegrity of Syria, the president of Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a sided decisions” which disregard ian Arab land, no decision can of State Mike Pompeo, according the resolutions of interna- also declared that the relation- the US has recognised the an- speech in the southern province international law. change this, and no country to his ministry. tional legitimacy to withdraw ship between the two nations nexation of the Syrian Golan,” of Antalya. Arab League Secretary-Gen- can revisit history by transfer- UN Secretary-General An- from all occupied Arab ter- has “never been stronger.” Isra- a foreign ministry source said, eral Ahmed Aboul Gheit con- ring ownership of land from one tonio Guterres is “clear that the ritories, including the Golan el occupied the strategic Golan according to state news agency “The UN’s policy on Golan demned President Trump’s country to another,” it said. status of Golan has not changed,” Heights, adding that any uni- Heights from Syria in the 1967 SANA. is refl ected in the relevant move, saying the decision does Russia warned of a “new UN spokesman Stephane Dujar- lateral decisions to recognise Arab-Israeli war. “Trump does not have the resolutions of the Security not change the area’s status, ac- wave” of tensions in the Middle ric said. the sovereignty of Israel over Israel annexed the territory right and the legal authority to Council and that policy has cording to a statement published East after the US Golan move. “The UN’s policy on Golan is the Golan will be a major ob- in 1981, though this move is not legitimise the occupation,” he not changed” by Egypt’s state news agency Russia’s foreign ministry refl ected in the relevant resolu- stacle to the peace desired in recognised internationally. said. Mena. spokeswoman Maria Zakha- tions of the Security Council and the region. Agencies add: The Syr- Foreign Minister Walid “Whatever you do for (Netan- Lebanon said the US decision rova said the move “ignores all that policy has not changed,” US President Donald Trump ian government said that Wash- Muallem also denounced the yahu) — who even divides his violates international law and international procedures” and Dujarric said. signed a proclamation recognis- ington’s recognition of Israeli move, telling Syria TV that own people, who bombs in Gaza undermines the prospects for would “only aggravate the situ- The UN Security Council is ing Israel’s claim to sovereignty claims over the Golan Heights Trump’s Golan move will iso- today as you can see — for this peace. ation”. scheduled to discuss the Golan over the Golan Heights, in an was a blatant attack on its sov- late the US. tyrant, there will be no advan- In a statement carried by the Russian Foreign Secretary tomorrow during a meeting on event at the White House at- ereignty. Turkey denounced Trump’s tages. America’s eff orts are in NNA state news agency, the Sergei Lavrov said the US deci- renewing the mandate of the UN tended by Israeli Prime Minister The move, which breaks move as an “election gift” to vain,” Cavusoglu said in tel- Lebanese foreign ministry said sion leads to “a gross violation of peacekeeping force deployed be- Benjamin Netanyahu. with decades of international Netanyahu. evised remarks. the move “violates all the rules international law, blocks the res- tween Israel and Syria in the Go- “This was a long time in consensus, drew criticism “Trump’s signing is virtually Cavusoglu said Turkey would of international law” and “un- olution of the Syrian crisis and lan, known as UNDOF.

Israeli warplanes hit Floods kill at least Gaza in retaliation From Page 1 UN chief concerned, urges restraint An Israeli military spokes- man declined to comment on UN Secretary-General the report. The Israeli military Antonio Guterres is “gravely said Hamas, which rules Gaza, concerned” by the recent launched the rocket that de- developments in Israel and the 18 in southern Iran stroyed a house in Mishmeret, a Gaza Strip and urges all sides village north of Tel Aviv. to exercise maximum restraint, Reuters There was no claim of respon- UN spokesman Stephane Dubai sibility for the early morning Dujarric said. attack. The military said Ha- “Today’s firing of a rocket mas fi red the rocket from about from Gaza towards Israel is t least 18 people were 120km away, making it the long- a serious and unacceptable killed and around 100 est-range attack from Gaza caus- violation. We are aware of Aothers were injured in ing casualties since a 2014 war. the latest reports of firing on fl ash fl oods in Iran’s southern Palestinian security offi cials Gaza,” Dujarric said. “We con- Fars province, the semi-offi cial said Israeli warplanes attacked tinue to work with Egypt and Tasnim news agency reported targets across the coastal en- all concerned parties to try to yesterday, with more rain fore- clave. Palestinian radio stations de-escalate the situation.” cast following days of devastat- and Hamas TV played patriotic ing fl oods in the north. songs calling for “resistance” Some 26 provinces out of 31 against Israel. “We are prepared for a wide now have fl ood warnings due to There were no immediate re- range of scenarios,” chief torrential rain in a country more ports of casualties in the Gaza spokesman Ronen Manelis said. accustomed to drought. State Strip. Many targets were likely to Israeli towns near Gaza and TV said villages near rivers and have been evacuated in the hours Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial dams in several provinces had following Netanyahu’s initial capital, opened bomb shelters in been evacuated for fear of the warning of retaliation shortly anticipation of rocket strikes. rising water. after the rocket strike. The rocket attack coincided Authorities have warned Condemning the attack from with tension ahead of the March about possibility of fl oods in the Gaza, Trump told reporters with 30 anniversary of Gaza protests capital Tehran as well as in the Netanyahu at his side that Israel that have included Palestinian oil-rich southern province of has the “absolute right” to de- attempts to breach the frontier Khuzestan in the next 48 hours. fend itself. and often lethal Israeli fi re. Pragmatist President Hassan “Israel will not tolerate this. I Gaza authorities have said Rouhani’s hardline rivals have will not tolerate this,” Netanya- that some 200 people have been criticised his government for hu said about the rocket strike. killed by Israeli fi re in the pro- doing too little, too late to help. “And as we speak ... Israel is re- tests. An Israeli soldier was killed The hardline judiciary said sponding forcefully to this wan- by a sniper along the frontier. on Sunday the government’s ton aggression.” The protesters demand the handling of the disaster was be- Israel’s Magen David Adom right to return to land from which ing investigated, the judiciary’s An image made available by Iran’s Mehr News agency yesterday, shows cars piling up in a street in the southern city of Shiraz. ambulance service said it treated their ancestors fl ed or were ex- Mizan news agency reported. seven people in the Israeli vil- pelled in fi ghting that accompa- “Any shortcomings regard- hran from Iran’s Qeshm Island itself on our country. These Refl ecting a long-running small towns in the northern lage, including an infant, a three- nied Israel’s founding in 1948. ing the handling of the fl oods, in the Gulf, where he had been fl oods in Iran are the result of struggle between the president provinces of Golestan and Ma- year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl Israeli-Palestinian peace talks failure to provide relief and aid spending the Iranian new year climate change worldwide,” and his rivals, Iran’s media have zandaran, on the Caspian Sea, and a 60-year-old woman who have been frozen since 2014. to the survivors will be investi- holiday. Tasnim quoted him as saying. accused the government of re- TV reported. was suff ering from blast injuries, The Gaza war that year was gated,” it quoted judiciary chief He had been criticised by Ira- In a rare move, Iran’s top au- acting too slowly to the fl oods, In Shiraz, in the south, Tas- burns and shrapnel wounds. the third between Israel and Ebrahim Raisi as saying. nians on social media for being thority, Supreme Leader Aya- while highlighting aid work by nim quoted the head of Iran’s The Israeli military said it was Hamas in a decade. More than Raisi lost the 2017 presiden- in the south when fl ooding was tollah Ali Khamenei, called on the Revolutionary Guards. emergency medical services, assigning two brigades to the Gaza 2,100 Palestinians, most of them tial election, when Rouhani was hitting the north of the country. the armed forces to help the The spread of flooding Pirhossein Kolivand, as saying area and some reservists were being civilians according to the Gaza re-elected. His energy minister, Reza Ar- fl ood-hit northern provinces, to the south follows days of 18 people had been killed, in- called up. Reuters witnesses saw health ministry, were killed in The semi-offi cial Fars news dakanian, said climate change where Iran’s English-language floods since March 19 that af- cluding four children. troops moving towards the border, seven weeks of fi ghting. Sixty- agency reported yesterday that had caused the fl oods. Press TV said fi ve people had fected more than 56,000 peo- Some 94 were injured in the where the military also closed sev- six Israeli soldiers and seven ci- Rouhani has returned to Te- “Climate change is forcing been killed. ple living in 270 villages and city in Fars province. eral roads to civilian traffi c. vilians in Israel were killed.

Eight Lebanese face trial in UAE: rights group Eight Lebanese citizens, have been charged with periods and denied legal representation and Heavy weapons fi re rocks Hodeidah “terrorism” in the UAE and denied legal represen- visits by their relatives. “Time and again, the UAE tation in a trial “marred with violations”, Human has used the spectre of terrorism to justify its ut- Rights Watch said yesterday. ter lack of respect for the rule of law,” said Sarah Reuters and came as the United Na- ly-recognised government said. Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi While the charges have not been made public, Leah Whitson, Middle East director at HRW. Aden tions announced a deal setting The Houthis’ Al Masirah TV consulate in Istanbul. The king- families of the eight men say they were charged “By not respecting the rights of the defendants out details of a mutual military accused government forces of dom signed an agreement with with terrorism, according to New York-based to a fair trial, the Emirati authorities are indicating withdrawal envisaged by the shelling their positions without the United Nations yesterday to HRW. that they have already decided the outcome.” emen’s warring parties Stockholm truce accord. provocation. The fi ghting af- protect children from violence UAE media reported that they are linked to Leba- All of the men under trial have lived and worked exchanged heavy weap- Houthi forces traded artil- fected Hodeidah’s usual fl ash- in Yemen, more than a year after nese group Hezbollah. in UAE for more than 15 years, seven of them for Yons fi re overnight in lery, mortar and rocket salvoes points — the “July 7” district, the UN blacklisted the coalition Although the Hezbollah holds three cabinet Dubai-owned Emirates Airlines, HRW said. Hodeidah, residents and mili- with troops of a Western- 4km away from the port, and for killing and injuring hundreds posts and is 13 seats in the Lebanese parliament, The eight men had been detained between De- tary sources said, as the United backed, Saudi-led coalition late southern outskirts where thou- of children there and attacking it is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the cember 2017 and February last year and held for Nations scrambled to salvage on Sunday and early yesterday, sands of United Arab Emirates- dozens of schools and hospitals. United Arab Emirates. one year before their trial opened on February a ceasefi re deal in the Yem- with explosions heard across backed troops are massed. The Houthis and the Saudi- A representative of the UAE government could 13, it said. eni port city that is a lifeline for the Red Sea city, residents said. Saudi Arabia has come un- backed government of Abd- not be immediately reached for comment. Family members told HRW that none of the men millions at risk of starvation. “The Houthis tried a sur- der increased scrutiny over the Rabbu Mansour Hadi agreed at Family members told HRW the defendants had had any known political affiliations and their The clashes were the heavi- prise assault on our troops but Yemen war and its activities UN-sponsored talks in Decem- been held in solitary confinement for prolonged confessions were made under duress. est since the ceasefi re went into we stopped them,” a military in the region since the murder ber to a truce and troop with- eff ect on Dec 18, residents said, source from the international- in October of Saudi journalist drawal from Hodeidah. Saudi on course for record beheadings this year

By Anthony Harwood gling amphetamine pills. Iran, where between 249 and March 2018 was 133, compared aging 13 a month. In January ecuting a judgement of death.” employer, but claimed she had Gulf Times London Correspond- If this rate continues 172 will 285 people were executed in to just 67 in the preceding eight 2016, 47 were killed in one day Nearly 40% (58) of those ex- acted in self-defence after he ent have been put to death by the 2018. The figures were com- months before he was installed. across 12 different provinces ecuted last year were convicted tried to rape her. end of the year – more than piled by human rights groups after being convicted of ter- of drugs offences, with 77% Yesterday it emerged that ever before. such as Death Penalty World- “These are typically rorism offences. It was Saudi of them being foreign nation- a Saudi royal adviser sacked audi Arabia is on course So far, 21 people have been wide, Amnesty International poor migrant workers, Arabia’s largest mass execu- als. “These are typically poor for being behind the murder for a record number of beheaded for drugs offences. and Human Rights Watch. coerced into smuggling tion since 1980 when 63 rebels migrant workers, coerced into of dissident journalist Jamal Sbeheadings and crucifix- But other crimes which carry Figures released in Decem- drugs in their intestines” were put to death for seizing smuggling drugs in their intes- Khashoggi was not among ions in 2019 if the killings con- the death penalty include adul- ber by the watchdog, Reprieve, Makkah’s Grand Mosque. tines,” said Reprieve. those on trial for the killing. tinue at the present rate. tery, renouncing Islam, trea- showed that executions dou- Nearly half of those were In 2015, the authorities in In October, Saudi Arabia ex- Saud al-Qahtani was said to The desert kingdom has al- son, espionage, burglary as well bled in Saudi Arabia under the poor migrants, mostly from Riyadh advertised for eight ecuted an Indonesian maid, have ordered the killing over ready executed 43 people in as murder, terrorism or rape. new ruler, Crown Prince Mo- South Asia, who had been co- new executioners because it Tuti Tursilawati, without ei- Skype with the words: “Bring the first three months of this Despite an upward trend in hammed bin Salman. erced into smuggling drugs. couldn’t keep up with the ris- ther her family or the Indo- me the head of the dog.” But year – the most recent being the number of executions since The number of people put Reprieve said that there had ing number of death sentences. nesian authorities even being sources said he was not among a Syrian man who was put to 2000, Saudi Arabia is still in to death between June 2017 – been nearly 700 executions in It asked for no specific skills told. She had been found guilty 11 people now on trial, who face death on March 13th for smug- third place behind China and when MBS came to power – and Saudi Arabia since 2014, aver- but said the job included “ex- in June 2011 of killing her Saudi the death penalty if convicted. Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 AFRICA The tree helping Kenyan farmers beat drought and poverty

Reuters Farmers can also earn over 65-hectare farm in Kibwezi in “This tree makes money for me with helping bring life back to the Mung’ala, the farmer in Kibwezi. the Climate and Clean Air Coa- Kibwezi, Kenya 3mn Kenyan shillings ($29,806) southern Kenya. all year round.” land in his village. While growing Melia volkensii lition, a UN-led initiative to cut per hectare by selling its timber, Ten years on, he has more than For communities feeling the Just ten years ago, he said, is easy, only farmers who know short-lived climate pollutants. according to the Nairobi-based 7,000 trees. pressure of prolonged drought, most of the rangeland in the area how to properly care for it will see She recommended that Me- orried that a drought Kenya Forestry Research Insti- While their shade stops the sun the Melia volkensii is “a game had been cleared by villagers fell- the full benefi ts, he said. lia volkensii farmers eventually could wipe out tute (KEFRI). scorching his crops, the dew that changer,” said Josephine Musy- ing trees for charcoal. The tree needs a lot of pruning transition to using irrigation, es- Whis crops back in As climate change worsens and falls from the leaves at night also oki, a researcher at KEFRI. That led to soil erosion, as the to ensure it grows properly and to pecially in arid parts of Kenya 2000, farmer Jonathan Kituku farmers struggle to make a reliable keeps his soil from going thirsty Not only does it help keep direct heat from the sun killed off keep the trunk straight, so it can where crop yields often take a big Mung’ala remembered meeting income from food crops alone, and the branches act as a buff er crops growing through dry spells, many of the enriching organisms. be sold for timber. hit due to delayed or inadequate agricultural customers, in his some in arid Kenya are turning against wind storms, he said. the tree can also revive soil that “The Melia volkensii is chang- Farmers also need to learn how rains. previous job with Kenya’s power to agroforestry - the practice of And whenever he needs to, he has been damaged by extreme ing this because it takes (only) to extract the seeds from their Farmers may be able to sell the company, who were making good growing trees in their fi elds. can bring in extra money by sell- weather or deforestation, Musy- about three years of the tree kernels carefully, as they are eas- tree’s timber when they are short money growing a hardy, native They have discovered that ing the wood. oki said. dropping leaves on the farm fl oor ily damaged, Mung’ala added. of money, she noted, but they tree. mixing Melia volkensii in with “I never worry that my chil- When its leaves fall and rot, for degraded soil to become fer- Even when farmers know how still need to grow crops to feed Called mukau by locals, the their crops is one of the simplest, dren will miss an education for they add essential nutrients back tile again,” said Gitaari, who has to grow the tree successfully, their families and sell to their Melia volkensii tree is known for most eff ective ways of protecting lack of school fees. Nor am I into the ground. several of the trees on his farm. they should be wary of relying communities. thriving in drylands, and pro- their farms and livelihoods. bothered that when they fall ill, Lawrence Gitaari, a 43-year- But farmers cannot sim- too heavily on it to see their farms “If everyone has money and vides thick shade that protects Mung’ala, 63, decided to plant they will not get medical care,” old farmer from Marimanti in ply plant the tree around their through the dry seasons, said Al- there is no food, will people eat crops from the sun. 100 Melia volkensii trees on his he said. central Kenya, credits the tree farms and expect to get rich, said ice Akinyi Kaudia, co-chair of money?” she asked. Togo opposition crumbles amid internal squabbles

AFP on March 12 acknowledged the Lome grouping’s failings, conceding it had “not achieved any of the ob- jectives it set”. fi wa Yogue sells mate- “The development of the coa- rial for a living in Togo’s lition has been marked by a lack Acapital, Lome, and is dis- of cohesion and confi dence, with illusioned with the West African the result being unstructured ac- country’s opposition leaders. tion,” it assessed. “We walked for months under Togo’s opposition has been the hot sun and sometimes in the calling for constitutional reforms rain, hoping to bring about the to reintroduce a two-term limit end of the regime,” the 34-year- on presidents and the adoption old trader told AFP. of a two-round voting system at “But we were deceived, as the elections. leaders of the opposition only It also wants the release of all fi ght among themselves. We’re prisoners arrested during the tired of them.” wave of demonstrations. A coalition of 14 opposition About 60 people are still being parties came together more than held. 18 months ago to protest against The coalition has meanwhile the government of President been hit by a corruption scan- Faure Gnassingbe. dal relating to a 30mn CFA franc In September and October ($50,000) donation. 2017, there were huge marches on One of the grouping’s lead- the streets of Lome and several ers last week confi rmed it had other big cities in the north, call- received the donation from a re- ing for Gnassingbe to step down. gional leader but insisted it was He has been in power since the used for organising demonstra- death of his father in 2005. tions. Workers off load food aid from a South African National Defence Force helicopter in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai in Buzi, near Beira, Mozambique, yesterday. His father ruled Togo with an Attah Hinnou, 44, runs a serv- iron fi st for 38 years. ice-station in Lome. But the size of the protests He said Togo’s opposition lead- has dwindled and in the last two ers only looked after themselves. months there have been none. “The people got behind them The last demonstration was on again but they disappointed us January 26 and few people turned again. Every time it’s the same out. thing: petty squabbles, mistrust, Seven of the 14 parties have and so on,” he added. Rescuers hope to reach since left the coalition, includ- Since moves began towards ing the Panafrican National Party a more democratic political (PNP) of Tikpi Atchadam, the system in 1990, Togo’s opposi- driving force behind the initial tion has often lacked a coherent protests. strategy. The National Alliance for Attempts to fi eld a single uni- Change (ANC) of opposition stal- fi ed candidate have always failed more cyclone victims wart Jean-Pierre Fabre and the just before presidential elections, Action Committee for Renewal leaving the door wide open for the Agencies reia told reporters. eastern Zimbabwe - one of the Federation of Red Cross and Red zambique could create breeding (CAR) of ex-premier Yawovi Ag- Gnassingbe regime. Beira, Mozambique Correia said the number of areas where the cyclone wrought Crescent Societies (IFRC) Elh- grounds for such diseases. boyibo have followed. The opposition has also boy- people in makeshift camps had major destruction - while resi- adj As Sy said “we are sitting on The government has already They have complained about cotted parliamentary elections, risen by 18,000 to 128,000 since dents struggled without access a ticking bomb” as he called for identifi ed some suspected but the direction the group was tak- notably those in 2002, which al- escuers yesterday said Sunday, most of them in the to power or piped water. renewed eff orts to address the unconfi rmed cases of cholera, ing. lowed the government to amend they hoped to reach Beira area. “We lost all our perishables worsening health situation. Sy said. “Some think we need to re- the constitution in its favour. Rhundreds of people still Communities near after Cyclone Idai,” Chipinge Sy, who had just returned “That is the reason why I am structure the coalition and give “The boycott of the December stranded more than a week after Nhamatanda, around 100km resident Kudakwashe Mapung- from the region, warned of a raising the alarm. Many of these it a charter,” said PNP secretary- 20 parliamentary elections last a powerful cyclone struck Mo- northwest of Beira and where wana said. “high risk of water-borne dis- water-borne diseases are a great general Kossi Sama earlier this year caused consternation in the zambique and swathes of south- some people haven’t received “Since then we have no elec- eases” like cholera and typhus risk, but they are preventable,” month. coalition,” said Edouard Baglo, a east Africa, as roads started to aid for days, would receive as- tricity at all and women are busy - as well as malaria, which is en- he added. “We don’t agree because that’s political scientist. reopen. sistance today, he added. buying charcoal which is very demic in the region. “The worst thing is the chil- not what we need for the fi ght, it’s “The grouping’s leader are well Cyclone Idai lashed Mozam- The cyclone and the heavy expensive.” A procession of mourners car- dren crying and looking for their mass mobilisation.” aware they made a serious mis- bique’s port city of Beira with rains that followed hampered Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, ried the coffi n containing the body parents. It is heartbreaking,” he Fulbert Sassou Attisso, head of take, after months of struggle. winds of up to 170kph around aid eff orts and blocked deliver- from the United Nations Offi ce of Tomas Joaquim Chimukme, said, adding that it remained the Another Togo party, said there “The ruling party is totally midnight on March 14, then ies of food and other essentials for the Co-ordination of Hu- who was killed by the cyclone, unclear how many children may had been few positives about the comfortable in parliament with moved inland to Zimbabwe and from Beira, which is an im- manitarian Aff airs (OCHA), said through saturated marshland have been orphaned. campaign in the last 18 months. 59 deputies out of 91, not count- Malawi, fl attening buildings and portant gateway to landlocked cases of diarrhoea in Mozam- outside of Beira yesterday. Medical services in the aff ect- “We are all to blame for this ing those of allied political par- killing at least 700 people across countries in the region. bique were increasing and they Many of those attending wore ed region were stretched even new setback,” he told AFP after ties.” the three countries. The water covering vast tracts were keeping a close watch out open sandals in the water which before the cyclone hit and ac- his party left the coalition. Throughout the process, op- “We are more organised now, of land west of the port has been for any outbreak of cholera. was ankle-high. cording to aid group MSF, Beira “But it’s down to the political position leaders condemned after the chaos that we’ve had, receding, but the size of the dis- “It’s a killer,” Rhodes Stampa The United Nations has hospital’s operating theatre sus- culture of the Togolese opposition “irregularities” in the vote, so we’re delivering food and aster zone makes getting aid to said of cholera, naming the in- warned that stagnant water in tained serious damage. since the start of the fi ght (against even though African Union and shelter to more people today,” the most needy diffi cult. fection as one of his biggest con- many areas, decomposing bod- As many as 17 health centres the Gnassingbes) in 1990.” ECOWAS observers said it was Mozambique’s Land and Envi- Aid workers distributed maize cerns, alongside more fl ooding. ies and the lack of sanitation in have lost their roofs, it added in Those left in the coalition “free and fair”. ronment Minister Celso Cor- meal in the Chipinge district of The head of the International overcrowded shelters in Mo- a statement.

Bongo back in Gabon after Ex-spy chief sought over $43mn cash haul fi ve-month medical leave AFP couple were now “wanted after Abuja they failed to answer for fraud Reuters dio in a bid to end 50 years of rule A presidential spokesperson charges fi led against them”. Libreville by Bongo’s family, who critics say was not immediately available EFCC agents raided an apart- have enriched only a small elite in for comment on Bongo, whose igeria’s main anti-cor- ment on Osborne Road, in the the west African nation. last public appearance was in ruption body has de- Ikoyi area of Lagos in April 2017 resident Ali Bongo, who Bongo took over from his fa- January, when he briefl y returned Nclared a former spy chief and found $43,449,947. They also suff ered a stroke in Octo- ther Omar when he died in 2009, to Gabon one week after the coup wanted after a stash of more than found £27,800 (nearly $37,000) Pber, has returned to Gabon and despite widespread allega- attempt to swear in a new gov- $43mn in cash was found during and 23,218,000 naira ($64,300). following medical leave in Mo- tions of fraud was narrowly re- ernment. a raid in an upscale apartment The commission did not disclose rocco, a source at the presidency elected as president of the Opec In this and other closely-cho- linked to him. the whereabouts of the suspects but told Reuters yesterday. member in 2016, sparking deadly reographed television appear- A court in Lagos last month local media said they could have fl ed Secrecy surrounding the state clashes between protesters and ances, it was not clear whether issued an arrest warrant for Ayo- Nigeria to evade trial. of Bongo’s health during his fi ve- police. Bongo could walk, speak prop- dele Oke, the former head of the Nigeria in January fi led corrup- month absence fuelled instabil- “The president has returned erly or move his right arm. National Intelligence Agency tion charges against the duo and ity in Gabon, where declining oil defi nitively,” the source said, “He will continue to work, (NIA), and his wife after they senior civil servant Babachir La- revenues and widespread pov- adding that Bongo may still trav- given he was already managing failed to appear for trial. wal, who is accused of awarding erty have dented his popularity. el abroad for medical tests. some fi les from Rabat, (but) his The Economic and Financial contracts in areas hit by Boko Har- And in January, a small group He returned on Saturday, the agenda has not yet been defi ned,” Crimes Commission (EFCC) said am’s insurgency to companies in of soldiers briefl y seized state ra- source said. the source said. Bongo: back home in a statement late Sunday the which he had a personal interest. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 13 AMERICAS

HATE CRIME RANDOM HIT DISRUPTED JUSTICE INDICTED NZ shooting graff iti left at Shooter charged in ‘hateful Fuel production hit as Ex-Gitmo inmate’s war crimes Ex-coaches head to court in California mosque fire site murder’ of Hispanic cop Texas spill curbs shipping sentence has expired: judge college admission scandal

Police yesterday were investigating a fire at a Chicago police yesterday charged two African A petrochemical disaster outside Houston that has A Canadian judge ruled yesterday that the war Former coaches from the University of Southern Southern California mosque on Sunday as a Americans with the “hateful murder” of a disrupted ship traff ic for days at a major US oil port crimes sentence of a Canadian man formerly held California and Georgetown University were among possible arson and hate crime after fresh graff iti Hispanic off -duty off icer, shot to death over yesterday led two major refineries to reduce fuel at US military base Guantanamo Bay in Cuba has a dozen people due in court yesterday to face on the driveway mentioned the mass shootings the weekend in a city fighting to control gun production. A fire and fuel leak at Mitsui & Co Inc’s expired, making Omar Khadr a free man. Khadr charges that they participated in the largest college at two mosques in New Zealand. Police and violence. Authorities charged Menelik Jackson, Intercontinental Terminals Co storage facility in Deer was 15 when he was captured in Afghanistan in admissions fraud scheme uncovered in US history. firefighters were called to the Islamic Center of 24, and Jovan Battle, 32, with the shooting Park, Texas, last week sent gasoline, water and fire 2002 and sent to Guantanamo Bay, charged with The 12 were expected to plead not guilty in a Escondido, north of San Diego, on Sunday about a death Saturday of off icer John Rivera, 23, in suppressant foam into the Houston Ship Channel, throwing a grenade that killed US Army Sergeant Boston federal court to charges that they took part fire that blackened an outside wall, the San Diego the city’s tony downtown area. Police were a waterway that connects Houston to the Gulf of Christopher Speer. He was later transferred to in a $25mn conspiracy in which wealthy parents Tribune and other media reported. Congregants still searching for a third suspect. Rivera and a Mexico. Royal Dutch Shell Plc and LyondellBasell Canada, where he was handed an eight-year paid for help cheating on admissions exams and to put out the fire before it caused serious damage. friend, who was wounded, were gunned down Industries yesterday cut production at their sentence in 2010. Khadr’s sentence would have bribe coaches who secured spots for their children On the mosque’s driveway, police found fresh in their car — seemingly picked at random after refineries. Yesterday, 31 vessels were waiting to enter expired last year had he remained in custody. in elite universities as fake athletic prospects. The graff iti that referenced the March 15 shootings at Jackson and Battle failed to locate a group the busiest US oil port and another 31 were unable to Court of Queen’s Bench Chief Justice Mary Moreau defendants include Gordon Ernst, Georgetown’s two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that of Hispanic men with whom they had fought depart, said Coast Guard supervisor Ashley Dumont, ruled that the nearly four years Khadr spent on former head tennis coach, and Donna Heinel, USC’s left 50 people dead. earlier in the evening, police said. up from 26 each on Sunday morning. conditional release counted toward his sentence. former associate athletic director. More fl oods loom ‘Treasonous’ and for the Midwest

Reuters Heavy North Dakota snows Kansas City threaten wheat planting A blanket of heavy, wet snow covering most ‘evil’ acts: Trump ecord fl oods that submerged parts of North Dakota, the top US wheat state, of three Midwestern states bringing threatens to delay planting of spring wheat in Reuters Rdeath and destruction were retreating another blow to a US farm belt already facing Washington in Kansas City yesterday but icy tributar- billions of dollars in damage from flooding. ies in Montana and the Dakotas threatened Farmers from Missouri to South Dakota more fl oods for weeks to come, the National have seen their corn and soybean fields resident Donald Trump yes- Weather Service said. flooded by swollen rivers as winter snow terday lashed out at his ene- High fl ood waters have already returned melts, a sign of what may be in store for Pmies, accusing unnamed peo- in the western Dakotas, northwest Nebras- North Dakota when temperatures warm. ple of evil actions and treason, a day ka and central and eastern Montana, along “How quickly the flooding and devastation after his attorney general released a smaller rivers that feed into the Missouri, came to Nebraska and Iowa was an eye-open- summary of Special Counsel Rob- David Roth, a meteorologist with the NWS’s er, especially for our producers who are close ert Mueller’s fi ndings clearing the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, to rivers,” said Jim Peterson, marketing direc- president’s campaign of conspiring Maryland, said yesterday. tor for the North Dakota Wheat Commission. with Russia in the 2016 US election. Warmer weather makes the once solid riv- Farmers in the world’s No 2 wheat export- “We’re glad it’s over. It’s 100% er ice break-up into giant chunks, like mini- er planted the fewest acres to winter wheat the way it should have been,” Trump icebergs, Roth said. in 110 years, hampered by rainy conditions. told reporters at the White House. “The ice fl oats down river until it bunches Now heavy snows are threatening the “I wish it could have gone a lot up in what we call an ice-jam, like a dam, seeding of spring wheat, which represents sooner, a lot quicker. There are a lot causing fl ooding,” he said. up to a third of total US wheat production of people out there that have done “All that backed-up water is eventually each year. Planting of spring wheat, a high- some very, very evil things, very going downstream,” Roth said. “It’ll come protein class of wheat that is often blended bad things, I would say treasonous down the Missouri in a couple of weeks, and with lesser grades of grain to improve milling things against our country,” Trump maybe hit Kansas City in mid-April.” quality for breads and pizza dough, typically added without mentioning anyone Midwest fl oods were unleashed last week begins in April in North Dakota, the largest by name or citing specifi c actions. after a “bomb cyclone” storm dumped tor- producer. Attorney General William Barr, rential rains on hundreds of square kilome- the top US law enforcement offi - tres of the snow-covered Plains. cial, on Sunday released a four-page The record fl ows cascaded down the Mis- More than 600,000 customers in the summary of the fi ndings of Muel- souri, the country’s longest river, killing at Kansas City metropolitan area were asked ler’s 22-month investigation that least four people, drowning livestock and to conserve water as fl ood-levels in the Mis- detailed Russian interference in closing dozens of roads in Nebraska and souri River created “treatment challenges,” the 2016 US election, but said the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) holds a news conference yesterday at the US Iowa. the city’s water utility said on Sunday. special counsel had concluded that Capitol in Washington, DC. Property losses were estimated at more But far up the nation’s longest river, fl oods Trump’s campaign did not conspire than $3bn in those two states. loom again. with Moscow. Graham wants to look at the other side of the Russia report Those fl ood waters crested near Kansas The Billings Gazette reported late on Sun- Trump indicated that he wants City on Sunday, the weather service said. day that rapid snow melt drove ice jams on new investigations, although he did The Republican chairman of the compiled by Christopher Steele, a Barr to appoint a special counsel to No further precipitation is forecast for the Little Bighorn River, forced the shutdown not specify who would conduct the Senate Judiciary Committee said former British intelligence off icer who investigate the FISA matter, which is the Midwest until midweek, when moderate of a stretches of major highways in eastern probes or who should be the target. yesterday he will ask Attorney Gen- co-founded a private intelligence already being probed by the Justice rainfall is expected, NWS’s Andrew Orrison Montana all the way to the Wyoming border. “Those people will certainly be eral William Barr to appoint a special firm. Department’s internal watchdog. said on Sunday. But the bigger threat is warmer tempera- looked at. I’ve been looking at them counsel to look into the origins of Republicans lawmakers have “What I want to do is see if he’ll ap- “I think at the worst what it will do is just tures that will hit the upper 60s in Billings by for a long time,” he said. the probe of whether President contended the FBI made serious mis- point a special counsel,” Graham said prolong the gradual receding of the water lev- today and into midweek, driving more snow- “And I’m saying, why haven’t Donald Trump’s campaign conspired steps when it sought the warrant to at a news conference. els across the various river basins throughout melt that will eventually fl ow south, said they been looked at? They lied to with Russia to influence the 2016 monitor Page in October 2016 shortly “I’d like to find somebody like a the Midwest.” meteorologist Roth. Congress. Many of them. And you election. after he left the Trump campaign. Mr Mueller that could look into what The current fl ooding threatens Kansas “All that water is still headed down- know who they are. A day after the attorney general Republicans said the FBI failed happened with the FISA warrant, City’s drinking water. stream,” he said. “We can never let this happen to said the report by Special Counsel to disclose that Steele was hired by what happened with the counterintel- another president again.” Robert Mueller found that nobody a firm funded by Democrats to do ligence investigation.” Trump had repeatedly accused from Trump’s campaign conspired opposition research on Trump’s busi- Graham said he wants Barr to ap- Mueller, a former director of the with Russia, Senator Lindsey Graham ness dealings. pear before the Judiciary Committee FBI, of running a “witch hunt” with said “we will begin to unpack the However, Steele was initially con- to discuss Mueller’s report, which a team of “thugs” and having con- other side of the story.” tracted by FusionGPS, a Washington- concluded Russia did attempt to fl icts of interest but when asked He said it was time to look at the based political research firm, to intervene in the election on Trump’s yesterday if Mueller had acted hon- Clinton campaign and the origins of investigate Trump on behalf of behalf. orably, Trump said “yes.” a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance unidentified Republicans who wanted “What’s next, I hope, will be that Senator Lindsey Graham, the Act (FISA) warrant for former Trump to stop Trump’s bid for the party’s he will come to the committee (and) Republican chairman of the Senate adviser Carter Page, which was based nomination. release as much as possible of the Judiciary Committee and a Trump in part on information in a dossier Graham said he planned to ask Mueller report,” Graham said. ally, said he would ask Barr to ap- point a special counsel to look into the origins of the Mueller probe. fi cient to establish that the presi- The end of the Mueller inquiry would not reach a conclusion on the Mueller, who submitted his con- dent committed an obstruction-of- and Barr’s summary handed Trump obstruction question — an unexpect- fi dential report on his fi ndings to justice off ence.” a political victory ahead of his 2020 ed move, a department offi cial said. Barr on Friday, neither accused A fi erce fi ght was brewing yes- re-election eff ort, but did not end Democrats, who control the US Trump of obstruction of justice in terday over how much of Mueller’s the investigative pressure on the House of Representatives, have called trying to impede the investigation Russia investigation fi ndings should president. for Mueller’s complete fi ndings to be nor exonerated him of obstruction, be made public. Democrats gave no indication of released to Congress and the pub- according to the summary. Democrats are demanding a full easing up on their multiple congres- lic and vowed to call Barr — a Trump Barr said he and Deputy Attor- release but a lawyer for the presi- sional investigations into Trump’s appointee who before taking the job ney General Rod Rosenstein, who dent said key information — such business and personal dealings. had criticised Mueller’s obstruction appointed Mueller, concluded the as Trump’s written responses in the Mueller informed top Justice De- investigation — to appear before law- investigation’s evidence “is not suf- inquiry — must be withheld. partment offi cials three weeks ago he makers to answer questions. Water from the Missouri River floods downtown Parkville, Missouri. Slavery reparations debate resurfaces in White House race

By Chris Lefkow, AFP Civil rights activist Jesse Jack- national, full-blown conversa- The commission would “con- Marianne Williamson, a self- “And I think there are better cans polled opposed the idea. Washington son, during his failed 1988 White tion about reparations in this sider a national apology and help author considered a long ways to do that than just writing Author Ta-Nehisi Coates, in a House bid, raised the controver- country.” proposal for reparations for the shot for the nomination, is the out a check.” seminal 2014 article in The At- sial subject but it has never fi g- Castro, seeking to become the institution of slavery.” only Democratic candidate for Klobuchar said there was a lantic called ‘The Case For Repa- n January 1865, as the US Civil ured so prominently before in a fi rst US president of Hispanic HR 40 — so named for the the moment advocating direct need to “invest in those commu- rations’, said the idea is “fright- War was drawing to a close, presidential race. origin, said he backed reparations unkept “40 acres and a mule” payments to African-Americans. nities that have been so hurt by ening” to many Americans “not Isome freed slaves were prom- Barack Obama, America’s fi rst while acknowledging there is a pledge — was fi rst introduced in Williamson has proposed cre- racism.” simply because we might lack the ised “40 acres and a mule” to be- black president, and 2016 Demo- “tremendous amount of disagree- the House three decades ago and ating a $200bn $500bn fund to “That means looking at, for ability to pay.” gin new lives. cratic nominee Hillary Clinton ment” on what they should be. has been resubmitted every year do it — a number that scholars of our whole economy, commu- “The idea of reparations The audacious experiment did not support compensation “If, under the Constitution, we since, but has never reached the the subject have ridiculed as far nity college, one-year degrees, threatens something much deep- was fl eeting — repudiated within for the descendants of slaves. compensate people because we fl oor for a vote. too little. minimum wage, child care,” she er — America’s heritage, his- months by president Andrew Among the 2020 Democratic take their property, why wouldn’t Senators Kamala Harris and A more reasonable fi gure, they said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “It tory, and standing in the world,” Johnson, successor to the assas- presidential candidates, Sena- you compensate people who ac- Cory Booker, the two black can- argue, would run into the tril- doesn’t have to be a direct pay for Coates said. sinated Abraham Lincoln, and the tor Elizabeth Warren and Julian tually were property?” he said. didates in the race, have also sig- lions of dollars. each person.” “But I believe that wrestling land returned to its former owners. Castro, the former mayor of San Warren has thrown her sup- nalled support for reparations Two other Democratic hope- Blacks are a key voting bloc publicly with these questions More than 150 years later, the Antonio, have come out strongly port behind a bill in the US House while former Texas congressman fuls — Vermont Senator Bernie for Democrats and their support matters as much as — if not more question of whether the United in favour of reparations. of Representatives that would Beto O’Rourke has said there Sanders and Minnesota Sena- is seen as essential to the candi- than — the specifi c answers that States should provide compen- “America was founded on appoint a commission to examine should be a “conversation” about tor Amy Klobuchar — have sup- date running against Republican might be produced,” he said. sation to African-Americans for principles of liberty and freedom the subject. the subject. ported addressing racial inequal- President Donald Trump next “An America that asks what it past wrongs is still on the table. and on the backs of slave labour,” The bill, HR 40, calls for a “We need to study the eff ects ity as part of their wider plans to year. owes its most vulnerable citizens Reparations for centuries of slav- Warren, a senator from Massa- panel “to address the fundamen- of generations of discrimina- reduce income disparity. In all, 52% of the African- is improved and humane.” ery and racial discrimination has chusetts, said recently at a CNN tal injustice, cruelty, brutality, tion and institutional racism and “I think right now our job is Americans surveyed in a 2015 The United States has handed emerged as a spirited topic of de- event in Jackson, Mississippi. and inhumanity of slavery in the determine what can be done, in to address the crises facing the CNN-Kaiser poll supported cash out reparations in the past in- bate among the slew of candidates “This is a stain on America,” United States and the 13 Ameri- terms of intervention, to correct American people in our com- payments to the descendants of cluding to Japanese-Americans seeking to become the 2020 Demo- Warren said. can colonies between 1619 and course,” Harris said on National munities,” Sanders said on ABC’s slaves. put in internment camps during cratic nominee for president. “I believe it’s time to start the 1865.” Public Radio. The View. But 89% of the white Ameri- World War II. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 ASIA Bangladeshis traffi cked to Vanuatu stuck in limbo

Thomson Reuters Foundation in Vanuatu next month, said the grants, all men and two children, beatings, and denied the money According to offi cial data, at and went to Vanuatu as he was ment but it’s very basic, some Dhaka Vanuatu Human Rights Coali- are surviving on rations and they were promised, Rashid said. least 1mn Bangladeshis se- told he would be able to ex- of the medications required are tion, a charity that is supporting handouts – and fearful for the “Some in the group believe cured jobs abroad in 2017 port clothes to a market run by not available in Vanuatu,” Pakoa the alleged victims along with future. that it’s better to commit suicide – the highest number ever Bangladeshis. said by phone. “Depression is ozens of Bangladeshis the United Nations Internation- “If we stay here, there’s noth- here, because there seems to be recorded. When he arrived, the man re- mounting among the group.” who say they were traf- al Organisation for Migration ing; if we go home, we don’t no way out,” he added by phone But this depends largely upon alised he had been conned. Bangladesh’s High Commis- Dfi cked to Vanuatu with (IOM). know what’s going to happen,” from a house in the capital, Port unlicensed brokers working in “It was just a show. The mar- sion in Australia – it has no rep- the promise of jobs are stuck in Bangladesh offi cials say said Harun Or Rashid, who was Vila, where 30 of the migrants rural areas and opens the door to ket was just a bunch of tents... resentative in Vanuatu – said it limbo and struggling to survive they have asked Vanuatu and promised a job in Australia, add- were staying and receiving sup- traffi cking, campaigners say. constructed by the Bangladeshis was fi rst informed of the situa- while awaiting justice and the the IOM – which is facilitat- ing that the men were worried port from the government. The 101 migrants say they who were traffi cked here. I have tion by the IOM in November but option of returning home. ing dialogue between the two about how they will repay loans The migrants said they are were duped by a network of bro- lost everything because of the has received no details. About 101 migrants who ar- governments – to provide de- to relatives and banks at home. stuck in limbo as they are wit- kers in the central Bangladeshi traffi ckers,” he said, adding that “If IOM can provide details rived in the Pacifi c island nation tails about their citizens in Lured by the promise of jobs as nesses in the case against their cities of Tangail and Barisal, who his factory had closed down in that they must have, Bangladesh over the course of the last two order to start the repatriation salesmen in Vanuatu and nearby traffi ckers but lack the right to transported them to Vanuatu via his absence. can ascertain their citizenship years say they were promised process, but have received no Australia, the Bangladeshis said work. Several said they would India, Singapore and Fiji. Anne Pakoa, head of the and start the process of repatria- decent work, but ended up be- information to date. they had sold property and taken like the chance to earn money A broker in Bangladesh was Vanuatu Human Rights Coali- tion,” a spokesman said. ing exploited by their supposed Vanuatu’s Interior Minister out loans worth up to $20,000 to in Vanuatu instead of being arrested last year after Harun’s tion, said the migrants barely The IOM is providing hu- bosses – who were arrested Andrew Soloman Napuat said pay for the move. returned home in the future. family fi led a complaint in had enough to eat and that pre- manitarian support to the 101 in November on traffi cking that the government would wait Once the migrants landed One of the largest export- Tangail, police records show. existing medical conditions migrants at the request of Van- charges. for a court decision before taking in Vanuatu, they were forced ers of manpower in the world, One migrant who declined including diabetes were going uatu’s government, according to Four Bangladeshis charged any steps to repatriate the group. to work at a construction site Bangladesh depends heavily to give his name said he owned untreated. spokesman Chris Lom, who said with traffi cking are due in court In the meantime, the mi- building a market, subjected to on remittances from abroad. a garment factory back home “There is free medical treat- the situation was “complex”. Charges of cheating amid confusion over Thai election result

Reuters Bangkok

hailand’s fi rst general election since a military Uttama Savanayana, Palang Pracharat Party leader, holds a news conference during the general election Tcoup fi ve years ago was in Bangkok yesterday. thrown into disarray yesterday as two opposition parties al- far it has gone to manipulate the The, as yet, unoffi cial results Thai-language hashtags that leged cheating and the elec- general election on Sunday,” he showed Pheu Thai leading with translated as “Election Commis- tion commission said it could wrote. 137 seats to 96 seats for junta sion screw-up” and “cheating be weeks until the make-up of Earlier yesterday, election leader Prayuth’s party. the election” were trending on parliament becomes clear. commission offi cial Nat Laosi- However, offi cial results for Twitter in Thailand. Confusion over the outcome sawakul blamed delays and ir- the lower house’s remaining 150 Many tweets referred to in- of Sunday’s election raised the regularities in results on “human “party seats”, which will be al- consistencies between the num- spectre of a protracted struggle error” and said a full count of the located by a complex formula in- bers for voter turnout and ballots to form a government, spoiling vote would be released on Friday. volving voter turnout, will not be cast in some parliamentary con- hopes of a clear cut result that “We have nothing to hide,” he announced until May 9. stituencies. Some questioned the could have ended 15 years of said. It might, however, be possible overall turnout of less than 70%, political turmoil in South East The lower house and the upper to roughly calculate the shares of which was much lower than ex- Asia’s second largest economy. house Senate, whose 250 mem- the 150 “party seats” on Friday, pected. Both the pro-army party bers are appointed by the junta, when the election commission is Future Forward, a new par- seeking to keep coup lead- will together select the next due to give a breakdown of votes ty that appears to have made er Prayuth Chan-ocha on as prime minister based on the sup- cast. a spectacular election debut, prime minister and the opposi- port of a simple majority of 376 The strong popular vote show- winning 30 of the 350 constitu- tion party linked to self-exiled lawmakers. ing by the pro-junta Palang Pra- ency seats thanks to its appeal former premier Thaksin Shina- That means Prayuth’s par- charat Party stunned voters who to young voters, also questioned watra, claimed they would Pheu Thai party’s candidate for prime minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, centre, leaves after speaking at a ty and allies have to win only had hoped the poll would loosen the poll numbers. command enough parliamen- press conference in Bangkok yesterday after Thailand’s general election. 126 seats in the lower house to the grip that traditional elites “There are obviously some ir- tary seats to form a coalition vote him in as prime minister, and the military hold on power regularities with the numbers government. was army chief when he over- “We’ve voiced our concerns 2001, but the populist tel- while Pheu Thai and its poten- in a country that has one of the because they don’t add up. This The pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai threw a Pheu Thai government before for vote-buying, abuse of ecoms billionaire was thrown tial “democratic front” part- highest measures of inequality in is making people sceptical of party said it was considering a in 2014, would stay in power, power, and cheating. All three out by the army in 2006 and ners would need 376 all from the the world. the election results,” said Future legal challenge over what it said although that outcome was not have manifested. We will fi ght a government led by his sister lower house to choose the next Many Thais took to social Forward spokeswoman Pannika were poll irregularities after certain. back through legal means,” she was ousted in 2014. premier. media to voice their suspicions Wanich. partial results showed Prayuth’s “There are irregularities in this told a news conference. Thaksin wrote an opinion The House of Representatives, about the results of an election A change.org petition Palang Pracharat party with an election that we’re not comfort- Thailand has been racked piece headlined “The Election the lower house, has a total 500 that critics had said was system- launched a week ago to impeach unexpected lead in the popular able with. These aff ect the na- since 2004 by street protests in Thailand Was Rigged” in The seats, and yesterday the Election atically skewed in favour of the the election commission had vote. tion’s credibility and people’s of both opponents and sup- New York Times yesterday. Commission posted the winners military from the outset because garnered almost 600,000 sig- The strong early showing for trust,” said Sudarat Keyuraphan, porters of Thaksin. Parties “I knew that the junta run- of the 350 seats that were con- of the junta-appointed Senate’s natures by yesterday evening, up Palang Pracharat increased the candidate for prime minister of linked to Thaksin have won ning Thailand wanted to stay in tested on a fi rst-past-the post role in selecting the prime min- from around 200,000 at the start likelihood that Prayuth, who the Pheu Thai Party. every previous election since power, but I cannot believe how basis. ister. of the day. No hurry to relocate Rohingya: Dhaka Lanka imposes

Reuters Bhasan Char which it has been cluding the requirements, time which is hours from the main- Densely-populated Bang- power cuts Dhaka developing for the past two frames and costs involved,” it land by boat. Many Rohingya ladesh says it has been grap- years. said. have opposed the transfer plan. pling with the large refugee Reuters slowed to just 3.2% in 2018, The United Nations is making Bangladesh is in talks with A World Food Programme numbers. Colombo the lowest in 17 years. angladesh is not in a hur- plans to help Bangladesh with UN humanitarian bodies, and document shows the UN’s food The number of refugees in Sri Lanka’s peak demand is ry to relocate Rohingya the move, Reuters reported last working on their observa- agency supplied Bangladesh Cox’s Bazar has swelled since 2,400MW and the country is Brefugees to a Bay of Ben- week. tions, said Enamur Rahman, with detailed plans, includ- August 2017, when a Myan- Sri Lanka’s state-run power generating 1,950MW at the gal island, a minister told Reu- But in a statement yester- the junior minister for disaster ing a timeline and a budget, on mar military-led crackdown firm has imposed daily power moment, CEB off icials said. ters yesterday, after the United day, the world body called management and relief. providing for thousands of Ro- that UN investigators have cuts for the first time in more “We have to impose power Nations sought more details on for a thorough assessment “So we are going a little slow. hingya taken to the island within said was conducted with than two years as a drought cuts to bridge the shortage,” the government’s plan, criti- to ensure the viability of the There’s no exact date to relo- weeks. “genocidal intent” prompt- has slashed hydro-power Saumya Kumarawadu, cised by some human rights move, saying it was discuss- cate,” he added. The March 12 plans show how ed some 730,000 Rohingya output, highlighting the head of the CEB Engineers groups. ing “critical protection and “We are not in a hurry and it the agency and its partners “may to fl ee. government’s failure to build Union, said. “The main Bangladesh wants to move operational issues” ahead of will start only when all these UN facilitate the identifi cation, Buddhist-majority Myan- new power plants, off icials reason for the power cut is 100,000 of the nearly 1mn Ro- any relocation. bodies and Rohingya people feel staging, forward movement, mar has denied almost all ac- said yesterday. the government’s failure in hingya Muslims sheltered in “We’re also examining the the area is ready.” reception, and sustainment of cusations of atrocities made The drought has cut the implementing the planned cramped camps in its south- potential operational implica- Rahman said the government refugees” on the island, based on by refugees, saying its security hydro-power generation in power plants,” he added. eastern district of Cox’s Bazar tions of setting up a humanitar- was working to build more cy- an initial appeal for donor funds forces engaged in a legitimate half to 15% of the nation’s Off icials from the Power and to the remote island, known as ian response on Bhasan Char, in- clone shelters on the island, from $9mn to $19mn. counter-terrorism operation. total electricity production as Energy Ministry were not the Ceylon Electricity Board immediately available for (CEB) seeks to save water comment on the power cuts. Bangladesh to shut for household and irrigation Health Ministry off icials said requirements, the firm said. key hospitals in the country coaching centres That has resulted in a four- had emergency power Bangladesh Education Minister Nepal pupils confused by national exam questions hour rolling power cut on backup. Dipu Moni yesterday announced weekdays, between the In an indication of how severe that the government will hours of 8:30am and 10pm the situation has become, a temporarily shut coaching centres IANS ranged from spelling errors throughout the country, dis- takes, they just happened.” (0300-1630 GMT), that began Power and Energy Ministry from April ahead of the Higher Kathmandu to incomplete sentences, missed the mistakes as “human But teachers told The Kath- without notice on Friday and off icial said the government Secondary Education (HSC) exams deciphering some of which error”. mandu Post that they never re- was then announced on a had on Friday started trying to prevent question paper leaks. depended solely on the “When experts pointed out ceived any instructions to that scheduled basis yesterday. to produce artificial rain According to the minister, the housands of students examinees’ guesswork, the errors, we had informed all eff ect. The four-hour daily cuts hit with the help of Thailand’s closure will be applicable from appearing in Nepal’s reports The Kathmandu exam centres and told them to “We did not receive any mes- diff erent places at diff erent Department of Royal April 1 and continue for 36 days, TSecondary Education Post. correct the questions for stu- sage from the Board. Without times. Rainmaking and Agricultural reports the Daily Star newspaper. Examination (SEE) were con- But many students simply dents,” said Chandra Mani Pau- any instruction from the Board, If the power cuts are Aviation – so far only a pilot There are a total of 2,579 centres fused when they found the did not answer because they did del, the board chairman. we are not allowed to make any extended for any length project. in the country. question paper for English full not understand the question. “They are just typos and changes in the question pa- of time they could hurt The power cuts come The HSC exams will start across of errors, local media reported Offi cials of the National Ex- result of human error,” said pers. There was no question Sri Lanka’s already weak after delays in power plant Bangladesh on April 1 and end on yesterday. amination Board, the body re- Paudel, adding that “Despite about instructing students,” a economy. Its GDP growth projects. May 6. (IANS) The mistakes on Sunday sponsible for holding the exam our eff orts to prevent the mis- principal of a school here said. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 15 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA North Korea returns staff ers to inter-Korean liaison offi ce

AFP last week amid a deadlock in fer details on why they had re- measures — against Pyongyang and cross-border tourism for ton presented Kim with a wider mit with Trump in Singapore to Seoul talks between Washington and turned or pulled out in the first by the US Treasury. South Ko- Southerners. But the failure by definition of what it regards as work towards “denuclearisa- Pyongyang. place. rean President Moon Jae-in North Korean leader Kim Jong- denuclearisation. tion of the Korean peninsula”, The unification ministry Experts had suggest- was instrumental in brokering un and US President Donald A senior Pyongyang diplomat and shortly before Moon went orth Korea has returned said some of the North Korean ed that the withdrawal was the talks process between the Trump to reach agreement in recently told reporters that the to Pyongyang for his third sum- its staff to an inter- staff were back at work yesteray Pyongyang’s attempt of pres- nuclear-armed, sanctions-hit Hanoi last month on walking North was considering sus- mit with Kim last year. NKorean liaison office, saying they had come to cover suring Seoul to exert more in- North and the US, Seoul’s key back Pyongyang’s nuclear pro- pending nuclear talks with the When it opened, Seoul’s uni- Seoul said yesterday, just days their “shift as usual”. fluence on the US in the current security ally. gramme in exchange for relaxa- US while last week Washing- fication ministry said the office after unilaterally withdrawing “Thus, the South and the diplomacy. Moon has long backed en- tion of the measures against it ton unveiled a new set of sanc- would become a “round-the- from the joint facility. North held consultations at the Their return follows US gagement with the North to has raised questions over the tions targeting two Chinese clock consultation and com- The office in the Northern liaison office this morning and President Donald Trump’s bring it to the negotiating table, future of the process. companies accused of helping munication channel” for ad- city of Kaesong was opened will continue to operate the of- abrupt tweet at the weekend and has been dangling the car- Both sides expressed will- Pyongyang. vancing inter-Korean relations, in September as the two Ko- fice as usual,” the ministry said saying he had “ordered” the rot of inter-Korean develop- ingness to talk further after The liaison office opened improving ties between the US reas knitted closer ties, but in a statement. withdrawal of additional sanc- ment projects, among them an the Vietnam summit, but it has three months after Kim signed and the North, and easing mili- the North pulled its staff out It said the North did not of- tions — without identifying the industrial zone also in Kaesong since emerged that Washing- a vague pledge at his first sum- tary tensions. New Zealand orders top-level probe into mosque massacres

AFP mosques and has been charged Wellington with murder. She said details of the royal commission were being fi nalised, but it would be com- ew Zealand Prime Min- prehensive and would report in a ister Jacinda Ardern timely manner. Nyesterday ordered an in- It will cover the activities dependent judicial inquiry into of intelligence services, po- whether police and intelligence lice, customs, immigration and services could have prevented any other relevant government the Christchurch mosque at- agencies in the lead-up to the at- tacks on March 15. tack. The gunman livestreamed Ardern said a royal commis- the attack online, although New sion – the most powerful judi- Zealand has outlawed the foot- cial probe available under New age as “objectionable content”. Zealand law – was needed to fi nd Ardern reiterated her believe it out how a single gunman was should not be aired. able to kill 50 people in an attack “That video should not be that shocked the world. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media shared. That is harmful con- “It is important that no stone during her post cabinet press conference at Parliament in Wellington tent,” she said. New Zealand Flowers and tributes displayed in memory of the twin mosque massacre victims along the road outside is left unturned to get to how yesterday. Foreign Minister Winston Pe- the Linwood mosque (back centre) in Christchurch yesterday. this act of terrorism occurred ters travelled to Istanbul to meet and how we could have stopped Muslims and the massacre was Ardern said. “New Zealand is Turkish President Recep Tayyip tight-knit Muslim community isters that they’ve never seen dedicated to her studies. Ansi it,” she told reporters. allegedly carried out by a white not a surveillance state ... but Erdogan and address an emer- in the wake of the killings. “A anything of that type.” The body Alibava, 25, was the fi rst of at New Zealand’s spy agencies supremacist fi xated on the belief questions need to be answered.” gency meeting of the Organi- number of them were weeping of an Indian student killed in the least fi ve Indians shot dead on have faced criticism in the wake that there was an Islamist plot Ardern ruled out New Zealand sation of Islamic Cooperation and sobbing at the demonstra- Christchurch mosque attacks, March 15 to be repatriated. of the attack for concentrating to “invade” Western countries. re-introducing the death penal- (OIC). tion (of support) by New Zealand meanwhile, was returned yes- The family planned to hold a on the threat from Islamic ex- “One question we need to an- ty for accused gunman Brenton Peters said OIC members were towards the Muslim victims,” he terday to her grieving family in funeral ceremony for the mas- tremism. swer is whether or not we could Tarrant, 28, who was arrested full of praise for the support New told reporters. “It was dramatic Kochi, where relatives remem- ters student in their nearby Instead, the victims were all or should have known more,” minutes after the attack on the Zealand had off ered its small, and I was told by countless min- bered a bright young woman hometown of Kodungallur.

Death toll in China Saudi sisters free after Cherry blossoms in China blast rises to 78 The death toll from a chemical plant explosion in China rose to six months stranded 78 yesterday, with hundreds still receiving medical treatment four days after one of the country’s worst in Hong Kong industrial accidents. Thursday’s explosion in Yancheng city, eastern Jiangsu province razed an industrial AFP re-start our lives free of violence park and blew out the windows of Hong Kong and oppression. We wish for our surrounding homes. More than 500 story to off er hope to others who people are still in hospital, said local face similar situations,” Reem authorities on their off icial Twitter-like wo Saudi sisters marooned and Rawan said in a statement. Weibo account. Among them, 13 are in Hong Kong have arrived “We want to say loud and clear to critically injured and 66 are seriously Tin a safe third country af- the Saudi authorities and other injured, the statement said. Out of ter securing humanitarian visas, regimes which treat women un- the 28 people who were reported as their law fi rm said yesterday, equally: never underestimate the missing on Saturday, 25 have been ending a months-long ordeal as strength of brave women,” they found dead and three successfully they sought sanctuary from an added. rescued, said city off icials. The city abusive family. Their lawyer Michael Vidler government said some 89 houses The siblings —– the latest ex- did not disclose their new loca- were damaged beyond repair and ample of Saudi women escaping tion “to ensure their future se- families were resettled after those the ultra-conservative kingdom curity”, saying no further details structures had been demolished. only to fi nd themselves stranded would be provided, including on Classes at 10 schools damaged by the in foreign cities – said they were the application process and their blast resumed yesterday morning, “thrilled” their story had a “hap- new lives. Vidler said the sisters they added. Local authorities are py ending” after making a public would not give interviews again, investigating the cause of the appeal for their safety. but thanked local and interna- accident and said an unspecified The young women, aged 20 tional media for their support. A young Chinese woman dressed in Han Chinese clothing poses for photos as she comes to see cherry blossoms in the number of people were taken into and 18, said they made a break The two women last month Yuyuantan park in Beijing. Hanfu, meaning clothing of the Han people, is a name for pre-17th century traditional clothing of police custody on Friday. The facility from an abusive family during a told AFP that chronic physical the Han Chinese, which are the predominant ethnic group of China. involved in the explosion belonged holiday in Sri Lanka last Septem- abuse by male family members to Tianjiayi Chemical that mainly ber with the intention of heading prompted them to fl ee. Their produces materials including anisole, for Australia, but they only made testimony cannot be independ- a highly flammable compound. it as far as Hong Kong. ently verifi ed and Saudi authori- The pair — who use the aliases ties have yet to comment on their Reem and Rawan — said they allegations. Man mauled in were intercepted at the airport by Lynn Maalouf, Middle East No quiet rules at Indonesia’s fl yover library Saudi consular offi cials and their research director at Amnesty fourth shark attack air tickets cancelled. Fearful they International, said the sisters on Barrier Reef might be abducted, they entered “showed immense courage and AFP age of public libraries means boxes and a futsal pitch, and and even the street gangs – in six months Hong Kong as visitors but later took huge risks to escape the re- South Tangerang it’s one of the few places where a library with several dozen warmed to the idea. Today, had their passports revoked, peated abuse by their male rela- kids from this area can read books was built on site. it’s not uncommon to see up leaving them stranded in the tives”. books outside school. “We Still, it wasn’t met with uni- to 70 kids attending after- A man has been bitten on the leg by a semi-autonomous Chinese city. “The sisters must be allowed to inging and laughter wanted to bring books closer versal acclaim when it opened school sessions, where they shark in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, The sisters, who had previ- build their lives without living in briefl y drown out the to the community,” Devina Fe- for business in 2016. “In the read stories with teachers, get authorities said yesterday, the fourth ously said they lived in constant fear that their family or the Saudi Sroar of cars under a Ja- brianti, a library co-ordinator, beginning not everyone was help with homework, or sing such attack in six months at the fear of being found by Saudi au- authorities will force them back,” karta fl yover, where an unlikely told AFP as car horns blared supportive when we came with and dance on concrete covered popular tourist site. Paramedics were thorities and their family while in she added. Many Saudi women library for kids is thriving de- accompanied by choking ex- books because there were al- with green Astroturf. called to a diving pontoon at Hardy Hong Kong, were fi nally able to who fl ee overseas have spoken spite choking fumes – and op- haust fumes. ready other residents here,” Bookshelves are stuff ed Reef off the Queensland coast just leave the city late last week after to media and rights groups of position from menacing gang- Several years ago, the fl yo- Febrianti said. with hand-me-down kids after midday local time after the man, being granted “emergency hu- persuasive and coercive tactics sters. ver in suburb Ciputat, part of “We asked for forgiveness books and some other less aged in his 20s, was bitten on his manitarian visas” and start new used by Saudi offi cials and fam- There’s no quiet rule at this Jakarta’s greater metropolitan fi rst from the gangsters who likely titles such as “Account- thigh. His injuries did not appear to lives in another country, their ily members to pursue those who open-air reading park wedged area, was strewn with rubbish were here and then the ‘ang- ing” and “Glossary of Market- be life-threatening and he was taken law fi rm said. escape. between two lanes of traffi c and roamed by intimidating kot’ drivers,” she added, refer- ing Terms”. Emilia Clara, an by helicopter to a nearby hospital A video posted on the fi rm’s At the beginning of the year, just outside Indonesia’s capi- street thugs, Febrianti said. ring to cheap and ubiquitous 11-year-old student, said she in a stable condition, Queensland Facebook page showed the sisters 18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf tal, a city of some 30mn that But armed with books and minivans that provide public liked reading stories, especially ambulance and rescue authorities jumping around excitedly as they Mohamed al-Qunun drew glo- is notorious for having some of paint, local organisations set transport. Winning over par- fairytales, with friends. said. It is the fourth shark attack – departed Hong Kong airport. bal attention with her dramatic the world’s worst traffi c jams. about transforming its down- ents afraid that their children “It makes me happy and including one fatality – in six months “We are thrilled that our story escape from an allegedly abusive Despite its unlikely location, and-out reputation. would be kidnapped or hit by it’s exciting,” she told AFP in a in the Whitsunday Islands region. A has a happy ending and that we family, gaining refugee status in the Taman Baca Masyarakat Artists painted murals on a car was no mean feat, either. brief interview, before rushing 33-year-old man died in November have found our way to safety to Canada. Kolong has been a hit. A short- the walls, installed planter But eventually, parents – back to join the other kids. after his legs and arm were mauled. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 BRITAIN Flight to Dusseldorf lands in Edinburgh by mistake

Guardian News and Media while landing, when passengers the plane and crew are hired un- management consultant who She said the unplanned stopo- anyone onboard has signed up for apologised to customers for this London were welcomed to Edinburgh. der BA CityFlyer branding. travels from London to Dussel- ver grew increasingly frustrating, this mystery travel lottery.” interruption to their journey and According to one account, the BA said a paperwork error was dorf weekly, told the BBC she on a “really stuff y” plane. “The As well as the bonus trip to will be contacting them all in- pilot then took a show of hands to blame, with the pilot follow- asked the cabin crew if they were toilets were blocked and they ran Edinburgh, passengers should dividually.” WDL Aviation said: British Airways plane from passengers to see who had ing orders from Germany, where serious. out of snacks,” she said. be receiving at least €250 (£215) “We are working closely with the scheduled to travel from expected to land in Germany. WDL’s head offi ce had fi led the The passengers were asked to After two-and-a-half hours in compensation under EU authorities to investigate how the ALondon for Dusseldorf BA said the fault with the path incorrect fl ight plan. raise their hands if they wanted on the tarmac at Edinburgh air- flight delay regulation 261, after obviously unfortunate mix-up of mistakenly fl ew its passengers to of BA3271, which went 500 miles Startled passengers who left to go to Dusseldorf. All did. port, the refuelled passenger landing five hours and 20 min- fl ight schedules could occur. Edinburgh instead. in the wrong direction after take- London at 7.30am reported at Cooke said: “The pilot said he jet – a BAe 146 aircraft that can utes behind schedule on what “At no time has the safety of Rather than head east from off yesterday morning, lay with fi rst believing that the pilot was had no idea how it had happened. carry 80-100 passengers – took should have been an hour-long passengers been compromised. City airport across the Chan- its German operator. joking, when the “welcome to He said it had never happened off again for Düsseldorf. hop. We fl ew the passengers on the nel into Europe, the plane fl ew The fl ight was run by a German Edinburgh” announcement was before and that the crew was try- Another passenger, Son Tran, An investigation has been fl ight with number BA3271 to due north to the Scottish capital. company, WDL Aviation, under a made from the cockpit. ing to work out what we could tweeted to BA: “While an in- launched by BA and WDL. A Dusseldorf after the involuntary But the mistake was only spotted “wet-lease” arrangement where Sophie Cooke, a 24-year-old do.” teresting concept, I don’t think BA spokesman said: “We have stopover in Edinburgh.” Children as young as nine ‘being damaged by cannabis’

Daily Mail Cannabis is linked to severe London mental illnesses including psycho- sis, where patients have hallucina- tions and delusionary thoughts, hildren as young as nine schizophrenia, bipolar disorder are being admitted to hos- and anxiety attacks. Cpital with severe disorders Paul North, who worked for caused by cannabis, fi gures reveal. drug treatment services in York More than 3,400 patients un- and Leeds and is now a director der the age of 19 were admitted at independent think-tank Volt- last year because of mental and eface, said: “The ease by which behavioural illnesses triggered by young people can get drugs has the drug. increased massively.Social media Doctors are seeing a ‘whole new is without doubt one of the most generation’ with serious problems, common ways to procure drugs. who are increasingly buying can- Instagram, Snapchat and Face- nabis via social media websites. book – they are very easy to (use NHS fi gures show that admis- to) buy and sell drugs. sions for disorders caused by the “There are loads of diff erent ac- Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a statement in the Parliament in London yesterday. drug among under-19s have risen counts that you can start following by 38% since 2013-14, and by 10% which will constantly put drugs in the past year alone. up for sale. For the police, it’s an While boys account for the ma- absolute nightmare and they just jority of cases, girls are catching haven’t got the resources. If you up. And the fi gures underestimate think about historically how kids the scale of the problem because got drugs in the 60s, 70s and 80s, they count only those patients you’ve got to hang around and fi nd who were so unwell they were ad- a drug dealer. You’ve got to go in a PM admits still not enough mitted on to a ward or specialist house and get to know them. What unit. you can do now is just get them on The revelations came as evi- Instagram and get them to post dence mounts over the harm them to you or show up at your caused by super-strong ‘skunk’ house.’ forms of cannabis that are widely Dr Niall Campbell, a consultant support for Brexit deal available in Britain. psychiatrist at the Priory Hospi- Last week a major study in the tal in London, which treats NHS AFP strophic “no deal” divorce on Opposition Labour leader Jer- meeting earlier yesterday. its single market. Lancet Psychiatry journal revealed patients, added: “We are seeing a London March 29, when 46 years of ties emy Corbyn said the government It followed a weekend of media Both of those policies contra- that potent forms of the drug in- whole new generation of teenag- were formally scheduled to end. was a “national embarrassment”, reports that her own ministers dict May’s position. creased the risk of psychotic dis- ers, and those in their early 20s, But they warned that unless adding: “We will still face the were trying to oust her. A customs union would keep orders fi ve-fold. being admitted as emergencies rime Minister Theresa May May can persuade MPs this week prospect of a disastrous no-deal Most of the alleged plotters Britain from striking its own A shocking 30% of new cases of with paranoid psychoses linked yesterday admitted she had to support her twice-rejected Brexit.” are Brexit backers who fear the trade agreements with non-EU psychosis in London are linked to to cannabis use. They believe Pstill not secured the votes withdrawal deal, Britain must The EU had earlier ramped up terms of Britain’s departure be- countries. skunk cannabis, the King’s College they are being watched, followed needed to get her Brexit deal come up with a new plan by April the pressure by announcing its ing watered down or even re- A single market would require London researchers found. and listened to 24 hours a day by through parliament, raising again 12 — or leave its closest trading full readiness to deal with the versed. the government to go back on Experts – and teenagers them- unknown pursuers who mean to the prospect that Britain could partner with no deal at all. “increasingly likely” event of a “May is the chicken who bot- May’s promise to regain control selves – say cannabis has become harm or kill them. This can lead crash out of the European Union “It is with great regret that no-deal Brexit in three weeks. tled Brexit,” former foreign min- of Britain’s borders and migra- much more accessible in recent to violent, or sometimes suicidal, in two weeks’ time. I have had to conclude that as The parliament remains deeply ister Boris Johnson wrote in a tion policy. years through Instagram, Snap- behaviour as they fl ee imagined With the government’s strat- things stand, there is still not divided over Brexit, refl ecting weekly column for The Telegraph. Other alternatives include chat and Facebook. pursuers.There is this ongoing ur- egy in disarray, MPs are now ex- suffi cient support in the House sharp divisions in the country What happens to her premier- holding a second Brexit referen- Dealers are openly advertising ban myth that smoking cannabis is pected to begin the process of to bring back the deal for a third almost three years after the 2016 ship if parliament rallies around a dum and even revoking Article 50 on the websites. harmless, and may be benefi cial. charting their own way forward meaningful vote,” May told the EU referendum. more EU-friendly Brexit alterna- — the clause under which Lon- Many display photos of canna- “Many people see cannabis as — with all options back on the House of Commons. MPs have already voted against tive that contradicts her policies don notifi ed Brussels of its inten- bis bagged up and ready to post. something that helps you chill – a table. However, she voiced hope this a “no deal” Brexit but this re- is unclear. tion to leave. Many children believe cannabis drug that, unlike alcohol and ciga- Anxious at the deepening po- might change in the coming days, mains the default position unless Parliament is thought most A petition to annul the two- is safer than alcohol, as well as be- rettes, might even be good for your litical crisis in London, EU lead- warning the alternative could be a they agree an alternative. likely to rally around the idea of year-old request had gathered ing easier to get because they don’t mental health. Statistics tell the ers last week agreed to postpone “slow Brexit” where Britain’s de- May went over her Brexit sce- keeping Britain in a customs un- 5.5mn signatures by yesterday need ID to buy it. opposite.” Brexit to avoid a potentially cata- parture is delayed for a long time. narios at an emergency Cabinet ion with the European Union or afternoon. End DWP responsibility Charity visit Rock pioneer Walker dies at 76 for ill, disabled: thinktank AFP and The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine London Anymore in 1966. Other hits included (Baby) You Guardian News and Media ments, while job support could The Demos report includes a Don’t Have to Tell Me and Another London be run by councils, the NHS and poll of 2,000 people that found inger-songwriter Scott Tear Falls (1966), and No Regrets charities, it says. just 13% of the public believed Walker has died aged 76, his (1975). “After years of failings, ill and the DWP was doing a good job in Srecord label said yesterday, Radiohead frontman Thom he department for work disabled people have lost all faith helping sick and disabled people after a career that took him from Yorke called Walker “a kind gentle and pensions should be in the DWP. This demands a radi- fi nd work, falling to 10% among 1960s pop icon to 21st-century outsider” and “a huge infl uence on Tstripped of its responsibil- cal rethink of the department’s disabled people and among those avant-garde musician. Radiohead and myself, showing ity for providing social security responsibilities,” said the report’s who have experienced a mental US-born Walker, who acquired me how I could use my voice and benefi ts and job support to ill and author, the Demos researcher Ben illness. British citizenship, was the lead words”. disabled people, a thinktank has Glover. Almost two-thirds of disabled singer of the 1960s band The Walker also collaborated with urged. The call comes amid concern people and 63% of those who Walker Brothers. Pulp, producing the 2001 album A scathing report by Demos over what critics say is the DWP’s have experienced mental illness The baritone vocalist began his We Love Life. says public trust in the DWP punitive and insensitive benefi ts indicated they believed the DWP solo career in 1967 and was cred- A multi-instrumentalist, has been shattered by a series policy and contemptuous treat- did not understand the concerns ited as an infl uence on top British composer and record producer, of botched reforms to disability ment of some claimants. Last year of ill and disabled people. acts over several decades including Walker had solo hits with Jackie benefi ts, and the imposition of a the chair of the charity Scope, the There was strong poll support David Bowie and Pulp. (1967), Joanna (1968) and Lights of brutal sanctions regime that has former top civil servant Andrew for the view that the DWP should “It is with great sadness that we Cincinnati (1969). left many vulnerable claimants McDonald, who receives Pip be- prioritise the health and wellbe- announce the death of Scott Walk- At the height of his fame in the stressed and in poverty. cause he has Parkinson’s and ter- ing of ill and disabled claimants, er,” his label 4AD said on Twitter. late 1960s “he retreated from the The department is risk averse, minal cancer, called the disability and providing them with employ- “Scott was 76 years old and is limelight”, according to the biog- defensive and seen as hostile to benefi ts system a “hostile envi- ment skills rather than focusing survived by his daughter, Lee, his raphy on 4AD’s website. claimants, it says. “With its cur- ronment”. on getting them into work. granddaughter, Emmi-Lee, and British singer-songwriter Marc rent confi guration, culture and The DWP’s reputation has been The report welcomed the ap- his partner, Beverly,” it said. Almond said Walker was an “ab- reputation, it is impossible for battered in recent years over its parent willingness of the Work The label called Walker “a solute musical genius, existential the DWP to engage meaningfully handling of disability benefi ts, and Pensions Secretary, Amber unique and challenging titan at and intellectual and a star right with ill and disabled people,” it including its widely distrusted Rudd, to involve claimants in re- Scotland’s first minister, and leader of the Scottish National the forefront of British music” and from the days of the Walker Broth- concludes. fi t for work tests, its Pip assess- forming the system. Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon, visits Glasgow East Women’s “one of the most revered innova- ers”. Benefi ts such as the employ- ments, and its plans to migrate “However, we believe we need Aid in Glasgow, Scotland, yesterday a week before new tors at the sharp end of creative “So many songs will go round ment and support allowance hundreds of thousands of existing reforms at both a greater pace and legislation comes into force, creating a new off ence of music”. in my head forever. And that voice. (ESA) and personal independence ESA claimants on to the much- greater signifi cance … (and) we do domestic abuse, which will cover psychological as well as The Walker Brothers scored We lost Bowie, now we’ve lost him. payment (Pip) should be instead derided universal credit benefi t not have faith in the department physical harm. number one hits in Britain with There is surely a crack in the uni- handled by devolved govern- over the next three years. to deliver these.” Make It Easy On Yourself in 1965 verse,” Almond said on Instagram. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 17 EUROPE

REFORM POLITICS INCITEMENT RAISING FUNDS ALL SHIP-SHAPE Papers print blank front Kosovo PM sacks Serb Campaign video under fire ‘French Spiderman’ climbs Archaeologists find rare page in copyright appeal minister for Nato critique after minister threatened skyscraper sans a harness Viking ship burial

Major Polish newspapers yesterday printed blank Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj The head of the nationalist Finns Party said Dubbed the ‘French Spiderman’, Alain Robert Archaeologists believe they have found a front pages in an appeal to the European Parliament yesterday sacked a Serb member of his yesterday that a campaign video showing a yesterday scaled a skyscraper in Paris without rare Viking ship burial site in a region of to adopt controversial copyright reforms that have government after she called the 1999 Nato ‘monster’ threatening a politician was not an a harness to raise funds for the renovation of Norway known for its Viking-era treasures, pitted traditional media firms against Internet bombing of Serbia “a genocide against the incitement to violence, following an attempted attack Notre-Dame cathedral. Television images showed Norwegian off icials said yesterday. Using giants. “Today, we appeal to Polish members of the Serbian people”. “The statement of the deputy on the foreign minister at the weekend. The video the 56-year-old using horizontal struts running ground-penetrating radar (GPR), experts found European Parliament for solidarity in supporting a minister of justice, Vesna Mikic, that Nato’s was released by the anti-immigration party four up the Engie headquarters’ curved facade and a a ship-shaped anomaly near other Viking burial vote on the Copyright Directive in the digital single bombing was genocide against the Serbian days before Sunday’s attempted attack on foreign protruding structure going top-to-bottom of the mounds in the Borre Park in Vestfold county, market,” read a petition signed by editors-in-chief people is unacceptable and represent a language minister Timo Soini by a man wearing the logo of a 185m glass-fronted building in La Defense business southeast of Oslo. “The GPR data clearly show of 30 Polish national and regional dailies. “Creators of hatred,” Haradinaj wrote on his Facebook right-wing, anti-immigration group at a campaign district. He was arrested shortly after competing the shape of a ship, and we can see weak traces do not receive suff icient compensation for account. “People who denigrate common Euro- event near Helsinki. Finns Party leader Jussi Halla- the climb. “Because there’s no money left in the of a circular depression around the vessel. This disseminating their works on the Internet,” said the Atlantic values have no place in the government aho told Finnish news service Lannen Media his government coff ers, the cathedral is falling into could point to the existence of a mound that statement published by the centrist Rzeczpospolita and institutions.” Like Belgrade, the ethnic Serb party’s video did not incite political violence and disrepair,” he told Reuters ahead of the climb. His was later removed,” Terje Gansum, leader of the daily and other newspapers including the liberal minority in Kosovo does not recognise the would not be pulled. “As far as I know, it has not been sponsors were writing a cheque of 5,000 euros department for cultural heritage management in Gazeta Wyborcza and the Fakt tabloid. independence of the breakaway territory. and it will not be shelved,” Halla-aho said. ($5,650) to help finance the renovations, he added. Vestfold county, said in a statement. French Muslims Remembered... sue Internet giants over NZ massacre video

By Taimaz Szirniks, AFP entire community aff ected by this trag- thousands of examples of content in Paris edy”. order to train a system that can detect “We have taken many measures to certain types of text, imagery or video,” make this video disappear from our Guy Rose, vice-president of Facebook French Muslim group said yes- platform, we are co-operating with au- had said last week. terday it was suing Facebook thorities and our teams remain totally “This approach has worked very well Aand YouTube for allowing a live mobilised,” it added. for areas such as nudity, terrorist propa- broadcast of the grisly video of a mas- The livestream lasting 17 minutes was ganda and also graphic violence where sacre at a New Zealand mosque, reviving shared extensively on a variety of Inter- there is a large number of examples we People lay flowers at the 24 Oktoberplein in Utrecht yesterday, a week after the March 18 attack on a tram that the debate over how social media ampli- net platforms and uploaded again nearly can use to train our systems. left three people dead. fi es such attacks. as fast as it could be taken down. “However, this particular video did The French Council of the Muslim The CFCM, which represents several not trigger our automatic detection Faith (CFCM) was taking the legal action million Muslims in France, said it took systems. To achieve that we will need to against the French branches of the two Facebook 29 minutes from the start provide our systems with large volumes tech giants for “broadcasting a message of the live broadcast to take the video of data of this specifi c kind of content, with violent content abetting terrorism, down. something which is diffi cult as these or of a nature likely to seriously violate Facebook said it acted “quickly” to events are thankfully rare,” Rosen said. human dignity and liable to be seen by a clamp down on the off ensive images, “This was a tragedy that was almost Xi, Macron talk business minor,” according to the complaint fi led and that it removed 1.5mn videos of the designed for the purpose of going viral,” with prosecutors, a copy of which was shooting in the fi rst 24 hours after it Neal Mohan, YouTube’s chief product seen by AFP. happened, with much of this blocked by offi cer told the Washington Post. AFP It was unclear, however, if they would States, we can only survive if we are In France such acts can be punished software at the moment of upload. “We’ve made progress, but that Paris sign off on a huge order for 184 Airbus united as the EU,” he said. by three years’ imprisonment and a fi ne Major Internet platforms have doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot of work A320 planes for 13 Chinese airlines, a “And if some countries believe that of 75,000 euros ($85,000). pledged to crack down on the sharing ahead of us, and this incident has shown deal announced during Macron’s state they can do clever business with the A white supremacist who killed of violent images and other inappropri- that, especially in the case of more viral hinese President Xi Jinping ar- visit to China in January 2018. Chinese, then they will be surprised 50 people in attacks on two mosques ate content through automated systems videos like this one, there’s more work rived in Paris yesterday for talks Today’s meetings with Merkel and when they wake up and fi nd them- in Christchurch on March 15, live- and human monitoring, but critics say to be done,” he added. Cwith French counterpart Em- Juncker come ahead of an EU-China selves dependent.” streamed one of the attacks on Face- this was not working. In New Zealand, where Prime Minis- manuel Macron, who is aiming to forge summit in Brussels next month. Xi’s visit poses a particular chal- book, from where it was uploaded to Internet platforms have co-operated ter Jacinda Ardern has called for a global a united Europe at a time of growing In an interview with the Nice-Ma- lenge for Macron, who wants to other video sites, including YouTube. to develop technology that fi lters child response to the dangers of social media, nervousness over Beijing’s massive in- tin newspaper after hosting Xi at a deepen EU ties with China while Facebook France told AFP by e-mail pornography, but have found it much a 44-year-old man has been charged vestments on the continent. dinner on the French Riviera, Macron pushing back against Beijing’s grow- that it would study the suit, adding that more diffi cult to join forces to block vio- with sharing the livestream video shot Xi’s trip is expected to include the said the joint talks “would allow us to ing global clout. “acts of terror and hatred speech have lent content. by the accused gunman, 28-year-old signing of a series of deals on nuclear establish a common defi nition for a Europe’s distrust of Chinese tel- no place on Facebook, and our thoughts “AI systems are based on ‘train- Australian Brenton Tarrant, during his power, aerospace and clean energy. new international order”. ecom giant Huawei, which is poised go out to the victim’s families and the ing data’, which means you need many killing spree. It comes after the Chinese leader Xi arrived in France on Sunday to become the dominant player in concluded a visit to Italy, in which from Italy, whose government’s in- next-generation 5G mobile technol- the nation became the fi rst G7 state volvement in the New Silk Road ogy worldwide, is emblematic of the to sign up to Xi’s vast ‘New Silk project comes despite misgivings increasingly rocky relationship. Road’ infrastructure project that has over the huge venture by other Euro- The US is pressuring European al- sparked unease in the US and the Eu- pean nations wary of China’s grow- lies not to use the Huawei technol- Norway probes cruise ship engine failure ropean Union. ing infl uence. ogy, saying it creates a security risk Macron and Xi will today be joined Xi insisted the project — a massive by potentially letting Beijing snoop by German Chancellor Angela Mer- undertaking to join Asia to Europe on sensitive communications. By Lennart Simonsson, DPA The Norwegian Accident Investiga- the town of Molde after regaining some kel and EU Commission chief Jean- — will be a two-way street of invest- France has not ruled out using Stockholm tion Board and the Norwegian Maritime engine power. About 900 passengers Claude Juncker to explore “points of ment and trade. Huawei technology. Board were also investigating. and crew were still onboard when it convergence”. EU Budget Commissioner Gunther As well as addressing commer- “We will conduct interviews, collect docked in Molde on Sunday. Yesterday the two leaders met at Oettinger in a newspaper interview cial co-operation and strategic is- orwegian police said yester- electronic data and assemble a chain of Regional health authorities said yes- the Arc de Triomphe, where a regi- on Sunday expressed “concern that sues with Xi, Macron has also been day an investigation has been events,” Dag Liseth of the accident in- terday that nine of the 28 people taken to mental guard stood at attention while in Italy and other European coun- urged to deal with the case of Meng Nopened into the engine failure vestigation board told broadcaster NRK. local hospitals remained there. they placed a wreath before the tomb tries, infrastructure of strategic im- Hongwei, Chinese former head of the that triggered the mass evacuation of The cruise liner Viking Sky on Satur- One patient was in critical condition. of the Unknown Soldier, honouring portance like power networks, rapid France-based Interpol police agency. a cruise ship off western Norway at the day suff ered engine problems in rough Torstein Hagen, owner of cruise op- the 140,000 Chinese workers who rail lines or harbours are no longer in Meng’s wife has had no news of weekend. waters and strong winds. erator Viking Ocean Cruises, yesterday contributed to the World War I ef- European but in Chinese hands.” her husband since his arrest in China The probe was “routine,” police in the It had 1,317 passengers and crew. issued “an apology” to the passengers forts in France. Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko nearly six months ago. western county of More og Romsdal told A rescue operation was subsequently “for all they were put through.” They later held talks at the Elysee Maas also voiced concern in an in- It emerged on Sunday she has writ- news agency NTB. launched, and helicopters began to air- Meanwhile, four specialised engi- Palace on issues including climate terview with the Welt am Sonntag ten to Macron asking him to bring up “We have no suspicion that an off ence lift people to land. neers from engine-maker MAN were goals, co-operation agreements, and newspaper. his disappearance with Xi. has been committed,” police inspector The airlift was halted midday on Sun- heading from Germany to Norway to as- business deals, offi cials in the French “In a world with giants like China, Meng is believed to be facing cor- Yngve Skovly said. day, and the vessel was towed to port in sist in the probe. presidency said. Russia or our partners in the United ruption charges. Recaptured Italian ex-militant admits to 1970s murders

By Charles Onians, AFP Jailed in 1979 for belonging to reduced,” Campagna told Italy’s reinvented himself as an author, robberies and attacks, but always Rome an armed revolutionary group Sky TG24 television. writing a string of noir novels. rejected responsibility for any outlawed in Italy, Battisti es- Battisti is serving his sentence In 2004, he skipped bail in deaths, painting himself as a po- caped from prison two years later in a Sardinian prison housing France where, like many other litical refugee. ormer communist militant and spent nearly four decades on more than 250 convicts, many of far-left Italian militants, he had Italy’s Years of Lead was a Cesare Battisti has admit- the run. them living under the tough “41- taken refuge. decade of violence which began Fted four murders carried An international police opera- bis” prison regime usually ap- He then went to live clandes- in the late 1960s and saw doz- out in the 1970s, weeks after be- tion eventually tracked him down plied to Mafi a members. tinely in Brazil until he was ar- ens of deadly attacks by hard- ing jailed in Italy for the killings and arrested him in Bolivia in His lawyer Davide Steccanella rested in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro. line left-wing and right-wing that were part of a failed bid to January, before he was extradited said the statements weren’t made After years in custody, then- groups. spark a far-left revolution. to Italy. “for possible benefi ts, the hope president Luiz Inacio Lula da Sil- During his election campaign, Battisti, 64, admitted all the Battisti was sentenced in ab- was to give (my) client back a fair va issued a decree — later upheld Brazil’s far-right President Jair charges brought against him in sentia to life for having killed a image, not that of someone who by Brazil’s Supreme Court — in Bolsonaro vowed that if elected four murder cases during Italy’s policeman and a prison guard; could strike again, as he has been 2010 refusing Battisti’s extradi- he would “immediately” send so-called “Years of Lead”, Milan for taking part in the murder of a described”. tion to Italy, and he was freed, Battisti back to Italy. prosecutor Alberto Nobili was butcher who was also a far-right Battisti admitted the killings angering Rome. Battisti, who has a fi ve-year- quoted as saying yesterday by militant; and for helping plan the “little by little...not as a fl ood”, But earlier this year, Battisti old Brazilian son, in 2017 told Italian media. slaying of a jeweller, who died in a Nobili said. was seized without a struggle in AFP he would face “torture” and He also admitted that armed Cesare Battisti being escorted by Italian police at Ciampino airport shootout that left his teenage son “The armed struggle prevent- the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de death if he were ever to be sent revolution was wrong, Nobili said. in Rome in this January 14, 2019 file photo. in a wheelchair. ed the development of a cultural, la Sierra in an operation carried back to Italy. Nobili, who questioned Bat- The murdered policeman’s social and political revolution out by a joint team of Italian and Italian authorities are still tisti at a high-security prison tially embarrassed, troubled”. ister Matteo Salvini told journal- brother Maurizio Campagna which, from the events of ’68, Bolivian offi cers. hunting 30 “terrorists” on the in Sardinia for nine hours over Nobili quoted Battisti as saying: ists that he now expected “these said “apologies now seem out of would have been absolutely posi- Until now, he had admitted to run abroad, 27 from the left and the weekend, said it had “felt “I realise the wrong I have done pseudo-intellectuals on the left place”. tive,” Nobili quoted Battisti as being part of the Armed Prole- three from the right. like I was watching the libera- and apologise to the families.” who for years cuddled this mur- “I think his lawyer is advising saying. tarians for Communism, a radi- Fourteen of those being sought tion of someone who was ini- Italy’s far-right Interior Min- derer also to apologise”. him so he can have his sentence After his jailbreak, Battisti had cal group that staged a string of are believed to be in France. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 INDIA Rahul vows Rs72,000 basic income for millions of poorest

Agencies families as the largest of its kind things a safety net for Indians “Congress guarantees that come is Rs6,000 – we will top “It is doable and we are going inequality – involves people be- New Delhi on Earth. living beneath the poverty line in 20% of the most poor families it up. Those who earn less than to do it,” the Congress chief said. ing given a fl at lump sum by the The sop to voters comes less the world’s second-most popu- will be given Rs72,000 every Rs12,000, we will take their Gandhi has attacked Modi’s state instead of subsidies and so- than three weeks before Indi- lous nation. “People have suf- year. The amount will be trans- earnings to Rs12,000,” Gandhi economic record, accusing him cial security payments. ongress president Rahul ans start casting their ballots in fered in the last fi ve years. We ferred directly to the accounts said. of failing to create jobs for the It has been tried out in several Gandhi yesterday vowed mammoth elections that stretch will give justice to them,” Gandhi of 20% of the poorest families,” Gandhi said the scheme will nation’s youth or aid desperate countries including Finland and Ca “fi nal assault on pov- nearly six weeks until May 19. told reporters in Delhi. Gandhi said. be implemented in phases and farmers. Kenya, and has been promised erty” in India if his party wins Prime Minister Narendra Mo- “It is on this day that the Con- However, he subsequently there will be a pilot project. His proposed cash handouts by the ruling party of the small elections in May, promising a di’s Bharatiya Janata Party rout- gress Party launched its fi nal clarifi ed that the scheme will He said the scheme was “fi s- for the poor are seen as modelled northern Indian state of Sikkim minimum income for tens of ed Congress at the last general assault on poverty. It will be the supplement the income of the cally perfectly possible” and the loosely on universal basic in- as well as Italy’s new populist millions of the country’s poor- election in 2014 and his support- world’s largest minimum income poor if it is less than Rs12,000 entire calculations have been al- come, a concept attracting grow- government. est. ers hope he can deliver another scheme.” per month. ready done. ing interest around the world. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Gandhi described the scheme crushing victory. He said the scheme named “The minimum income line The Congress also held de- UBI – supported by Face- said that Gandhi was using the to pay a guaranteed basic income But Gandhi is trying to close ‘Nyay’ will be the Congress’ ma- is Rs12,000 per month. What- tailed analysis with leading book founder Mark Zuckerberg poor for political gains with his of Rs72,000 a year to 50mn poor the gap, promising among other jor poll promise. ever the diff erence – say the in- economists on the matter. among others as a way to reduce new scheme. Body of Kerala student killed in NZ attack is laid to rest

A staff member walks past Francis Newton Souza’s “Cityscape” (left) and “Portrait of Suruchi Chand” during a media preview at the AFP, IANS Saffron Art Gallery in Mumbai yesterday, ahead of the Spring Live Auction being conducted by the gallery on behalf of the Income Kochi Tax Department. The tax authorities organised the auction to sell artwork that belonged to fugitive billionaire and jeweller Nirav Modi, who fled to London last year, after being involved in a massive bank fraud that rocked India’s corporate community. he body of a student killed in the Christchurch Tmosque attacks was re- turned yesterday to her grieving family in Kerala, where relatives Government to auction fugitive remembered a bright young woman dedicated to her studies. Masters student Ansi Alibava, 25, was among at least fi ve In- businessman’s art collection dians shot dead by a white su- premacist in New Zealand on March 15 and her body was the Reuters Modi over the country’s largest believes they are politically mo- a modern artist known for his fi rst of two to be repatriated. Mumbai bank fraud, appointed profes- tivated. abstract and often monochro- Her body arrived at the Kochi The mother and brother of Ansi Alibava mourn over her body in sional auction house Saff ronart. The auction comes just matic paintings. airport early yesterday where Kodungallur in yesterday. The sale in Mumbai of some weeks before a national election “We believe that the collec- it was received by relatives and ax authorities are hop- 68 works is expected to fetch an- and as Prime Minister Narendra tion’s intrinsic value will garner government offi cials. Alibava started supporting her her, Nazer found his young wife ing for a windfall with the ywhere between Rs300mn and Modi faces pressure to bring a positive response from collec- It was then taken to her home- family after her father died fi ve motionless and face down, ac- Tauction today of rare oil Rs500mn ($4.4mn-$7.3mn). back Nirav Modi, who fl ed the tors,” said Saff ronart Chief Ex- town of Kodungallur and put on years ago in Saudi Arabia where cording to media reports. paintings that were once part “Until a few years ago, the tax country last year and has been ecutive Dinesh Vazirani. display – her mother Razia and he had been working. He was offi cially informed of fugitive billionaire jeweller authorities really didn’t know the residing in the United Kingdom. India Law Alliance, a law fi rm brother Asif Ali weeping over the She took out thousands of dol- of her death 24 hours after the Nirav Modi’s collection and have value of art,” said Farah Siddiqui, He was arrested last week by representing the company con- coffi n – before she was laid to rest. lars in loans to fund her studies in massacre. been seized by the government. an art adviser who is advising cli- British authorities and remand- trolled by Modi that owns the “She hails from a poor family business agriculture at Christch- Another Indian family who Auctioneers say the sale is ents eyeing Modi’s collection. ed in custody after he appeared artwork, said it was challenging and her whole family counted on urch’s Lincoln University. lost relatives in the attack opted the fi rst of its kind in a country The 48-year-old Modi, before a London court. the court order that allowed the her. She was a girl who took up Alibava’s cousin P H Niyas, for burial in Christchurch. where tax authorities have usu- whose diamonds have spar- India asked Britain last Au- auction. The case will be heard the challenge to succeed in life in said the dedicated student was Father and son Asif Vora and ally auctioned property, gold kled on Hollywood stars, is one gust to extradite Modi. by the Bombay High Court to- all adverse circumstances,” said soon to fi nish her studies. Rameez Vora hailed from Gu- and luxury items, but not art. of the prime accused in a $2bn The auction includes works morrow, a lawyer at the fi rm K I Noushad, Alibava’s uncle. “She had gone there last year, jarat, and were visiting family After a court order allowing loan fraud at state-run Punjab by Raja Ravi Varma, a 19th cen- told Reuters. She was praying at the Al Noor the course was due to fi nish by in New Zealand when they were the auction to take place, tax National Bank. tury painter considered among Vijay Aggarwal, a lawyer for Mosque in Christchurch with April. There was to be a six- killed. authorities, who are pursuing Modi denies the charges and India’s fi nest, and V S Gaitonde, Modi, declined to comment. her husband Abdul Nazer, when month training (course) after The body of another victim the Australian gunman opened which she was to return home by also from Gujarat, Maheboob fi re on worshippers, killing 43. December,” said Niyas. Khokhar, was expected to arrive BJP, Congress alliances will be short by huge numbers, says TRS leader Another seven were murdered Alibava also worked part-time early today at Ahmedabad air- at a separate mosque when the at a supermarket with Nazer, port. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) says that politics is the art formal shape after the elections. and non-BJP parties which are shooter later turned his weapon who she married two years ago. The body was due to be taken leader K T Rama Rao believes of possible and anything is Asked how he foresees the post- very strong. “I strongly believe on Muslims there in the worst On March 15, they went to the to a mosque for prayers and then that with 150-170 Lok Sabha possible after May 23, when the poll scenario in the country, the both UPA and NDA will be short by violence of its kind ever seen in Al Noor Mosque and sat sepa- to a burial ground. seats, non-Bharatiya Janata Party results of the general elections son of the chief minister said: huge numbers. This might sound New Zealand. rately in the men and women’s Meanwhile, Goa is on alert and non-Congress parties will will be announced. “We strongly believe neither UPA a bit far-fetched but I would not be Some families have opted for sections. following a tipoff from central emerge as the biggest block in KTR, as he is popularly (Congress-led United Progressive surprised if NDA ends up at about burials in Christchurch itself, When gunfi re broke out, Naz- intelligence agencies about a parliament and decide who the known, hopes that the Alliance) nor NDA (National 150-160 and UPA about 100-110. where a national remembrance er managed to fl ee through an possible attack on Israeli tour- next prime minister should be. Federal Front mooted by TRS Democratic Alliance led by the There is a lot of room for many service for the victims will be held emergency exit but his wife did ists in the state in what they Rama Rao, who is the number president and Chief Minister K BJP) will have a clear mandate. possibilities, many permutations on Friday, two weeks after the not make it. called “possible revenge” for the two in Telangana’s ruling party, Chandrashekhar Rao will take a There are many non-Congress and many combinations,” KTR said. tragedy that shocked the world. When he returned to look for Christchurch attack, police said. W Bengal teacher aspirants IAF inducts four Chinook choppers

IANS vow to continue hunger strike Chandigarh

IANS Nearly 80 protesters, many to erect any temporary shade ndian Air Force chief Air Kolkata of them women, have fallen ill over the premises. Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa while two would-be mothers State Education Minister Iyesterday formally inducted suff ered miscarriage and two Partha Chatterjee has already four US-made advanced multi- ver 400 successful more got infected by dengue held three rounds of meetings mission all-weather Chinook candidates in West during the hunger strike that is with the protesters and formed helicopters at Air Force Station OBengal’s School Serv- continuing for nearly a month, a five-member committee in Chandigarh. ice Commission (SSC) exami- they claimed. headed by Education Secretary Two hangars and logistics fa- nation, sitting on a hunger “Today is the 26th day of our Manish Jain to look into the cilities were created here for the strike over the last 26 days in agitation. I have qualifi ed in the grievances of the teaching as- Chinook helicopters. the heart of Kolkata to demand SSC exam in 2016 in both written pirants. Each helicopter, manufac- immediate filling of vacancies test and interview, but haven’t Chatterjee has said that a re- tured by US aerospace major in state schools, yesterday said received any recruitment call so ply will be processed within 15 Boeing, has a payload capacity they would continue their pro- far. We want that the recruit- days but the protesters sounded of about 10 tonnes which is a tests until their demands are ment should start immediately,” far from convinced by the verbal major boost to India’s strategic “adequately addressed” by the Anindita Jana, a Political Science assurance and vowed to continue airlift capability. Trinamool Congress govern- graduate from East Midnapore the hunger strike. The IAF received its fi rst CH- An Indian Air Force officer walks past CH-47F(I) Chinook helicopters during an induction ceremony ment. district, told IANS. “The minister came here on 47F (I) Chinook on February 10 at the Air Force Station in Chandigarh, yesterday. The candidates, who began She also called for transpar- the third day and sought one at the Mundra port in Gujarat. their indefi nite hunger strike on ency in the merit list. month time from us to look The Chinook will be used to transport cargo to precarious pable and state-of-the-art night artillery guns and heavy un- February 28 in front of the Kolk- “Also, the merit list pub- into the problems. Now we are move troops, artillery, ammu- high-altitude locations,” Dh- vision goggles will permit all op- der slung loads for the Border ata Press Club on Mayo Road, lished by the state government on the 26th day of agitation, so nition, supplies and equipment anoa told reporters after the in- erations even at night, he said. Roads Organisation, but also for also urged the state government should contain the academic one month is nearly over. He has on battlefi eld. Besides, they can duction ceremony. “Although we have been op- humanitarian assistance and to publish the full list of candi- score. We will continue this given us verbal assurance but we be used for medical evacuation. He said the Chinooks were erating the medium lift Mi-17 disaster relief to far-fl ung crisis dates who qualifi ed in the SSC strike until the government ac- are not satisfi ed with that. We “Our country faces a mul- procured with India specifi c and heavy lift Mi-26 helicop- hit areas,” Dhanoa said. examination along with details cepts our demands,” she said will continue our protests till titude of security challenges enhancements to increase their ters, the Chinook, with its op- He added that the IAF’s ex- of marks obtained by them and adding that many of the pro- we get a written assurance,” said and we require a vertical-airlift fl exibility for heli-lift opera- erating ceiling of 20,000ft, pertise would enable it to ex- notify the exact number of va- testers are suffering from de- Ashmita Das, another qualifi ed capability for a very diversi- tions like search, rescue opera- will redefi ne heli-lift not only ploit the machine’s potential in a cancies for teachers in the state- hydration due to excessive heat candidate from West Bardhaman fi ed terrain. The Chinook will tions and air ambulance. in operations like inter-valley manner that will make it a game run schools. as police are not allowing them district. give the IAF a quantum leap to The aircraft is all-weather ca- transport of troops, airlifting changer in heli-lift operations. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 19

LATIN AMERICA Argentina’s soy farmers stall deals waiting for trade war’s end

Reuters but he and his neighbours are deal with Beijing was coming Reuters among fi elds of green, soymeal livestock feed that is The uncertainty over prices — Bunge’s acting chief executive Pergamino, Argentina/Chicago holding off from sealing deals along nicely, with US negotiators knee-high soy plants in the fuelling Asia’s shift in diet from and the delays to deals — could Gregory Heckman called Argen- with buyers in the hope a trade poised to head to China for an- country’s fertile Pampas, where rice to poultry, hangs on the soy also rattle the global trade as tina “one of the larger wild cards” war breakthrough will bolster other round of talks. the ground was damp from heavy crop. major buyers look to lock in for the fi rm’s oilseeds business in rancisco Santillan, 55, a prices. Negotiations to resolve the rains. A severe drought last year supply, namely Archer Daniels 2019, and said the fi rm anticipat- grains farmer from the The US and China, the world’s dispute have been turbulent — “The season is coming along dragged the economy into reces- Midland Co, Bunge Ltd, Cargill ed farmers would hold more of Fheart of Argentina’s soy- top soybean producer and im- Trump also said tariff s would re- very well. The harvest will be sion, while bumper tax revenues Inc and Louis Dreyfus Co The their soybeans as a hedge against bean country, has two things on porter respectively, have slapped main in place for a long time and above 55mn tonnes and that will this year could help support gov- “ABCD” quartet, which domi- infl ation and currency fl uctua- his mind: the rains and twists and import duties on hundreds of added he was in no rush to reach have a huge impact on the econ- ernment spending and prop up nates global grain trade, rely on tions. turns in a bitter trade war be- billions of dollars worth of each a deal. omy,” Santillan said. “But with President Mauricio Macri’s bid a steady fl ow of grain to turn a “Soybean sales are happening tween the US and China that has other’s products in their dispute. Benchmark Chicago Board of news about the US-China trade for re-election. profi t in a typically thin-margin slower this season than at any hurt prices. Tariff s made US soybeans too Trade soybean futures are hov- war determining Chicago refer- Delayed sales could hamper business. point over the last 10 years,” said The weather-worn farmer, expensive so Beijing stopped ering near $9 per bushel, only ence prices, rather than supply that. Farmers’ reluctance to sell at a Buenos Aires-based grains bro- who rides a Harley-Davidson buying them, resulting in a glut about 90 cents above decade and demand, it’s like we are fl ying Just 16.2% of this season’s low prices has stung the grains ker. “Farmers are saying ‘I don’t around the 4,500 hectares of that has hit soybean contracts in lows posted in September. without instruments.” expected crop was sold by early merchants recently, particularly like the price and I don’t need the farmland he manages, is expect- Chicago, the reference price for “I am waiting for a better Much in Argentina, the world’s March versus 30.5% at the same Bunge, which blamed limited money now because I was able to ing a bumper soybean crop when the global trade. price,” said Santillan, one of a No 3 soybean producer and the point a year earlier, government farmer selling in Brazil for earn- make cash with wheat and corn. he begins harvesting this month, Trump has said that a trade group of farmers who spoke to top exporter of soyoil and the data show. ings misses last year. So I’ll wait’.” Opposition fears fresh crackdown

Guardian News and Media provoke a strong reaction from Caracas Washington. Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind eff orts to unseat enezuela’s opposition is Maduro and the White House has bracing for a severe po- warned of “signifi cant” pushback Vlitical crackdown after if Guaido is arrested or harmed. Nicolas Maduro lashed out at the Separately, two Russian air “diabolical pro-imperialist pup- force planes landed in Venezuela’s pets” he claimed were trying to main airport on Saturday carry- remove him from the presidency ing a Russian defence offi cial and and vowed to imprison them all. nearly 100 troops, according to a The struggle between Maduro local journalist. and his challenger, Juan Guaido, Phil Gunson, a Caracas-based escalated dramatically last week analyst for Crisis Group, said he with the detention of Guaido’s expected Maduro’s emboldened right-hand man, Roberto Mar- administration “to move in hard” rero. on members of the opposition in Marrero, a 49-year-old law- the coming days. yer, was accused of helping to “I think we will see more ar- People evacuate the Venezuelan National Assembly building during a partial power outage in Caracas yesterday. A new power outage hit large areas of Venezuela yesterday, run an anti-Maduro “terror cell” rests … It seems like the hardcore including Caracas, two weeks after the massive March 7 blackout that paralysed the country for a week. that was plotting a series of po- around Maduro has decided to litical assassinations and attacks hang on at all costs … Everything designed to force Hugo Chavez’s we have seen in the last few days successor from power. confi rms the view that they are Maduro’s Information Minis- not considering a negotiated way ter, Jorge Rodriguez, on Saturday out to this,” Gunson said. claimed the head of that sup- At Saturday’s rally, which came posed network was Guaido’s po- exactly two months after Guaido litical mentor, Leopoldo Lopez. declared himself Venezuela’s US plotting ‘coup’ in He accused the group of re- rightful leader, Maduro claimed cruiting Central American mer- the “buff oonish” challenge to his cenaries to carry out attacks on rule was collapsing. the political and military leaders “The Bolivarian revolution will of Maduro’s “Bolivarian revolu- continue to lead the government tion”. and the people will continue to Addressing a rally in Caracas lead the motherland. There will Venezuela, says Russia on Saturday, Maduro hinted that be no empire, no puppets, no Guaido and other key opposition clowns and no parasites who can AFP/Reuters “constitute violations of the UN industry co-operation, Russian North and South America. of the Russian passenger jet and fi gures were also in his sights. go against the will of the people of Moscow charter and undisguised inter- state media reported Pompeo said Russian military a military cargo plane, although “In the coming days, we will Venezuela,” said Maduro, who re- ference in the internal aff airs of a Russian weapons manufac- reinforcements were prolonging it condemned Russian military certainly see more terrorists cap- tains the support of China, Russia sovereign state”. turer Kalashnikov previously the political crisis in the South support for the “illegitimate re- tured – whatever their names and Turkey. ussian Foreign Minister Pompeo earlier warned Russia announced plans to begin assem- American country. gime of Nicolas Maduro.” might be,” Maduro said. “There In an interview with Reuters, Sergei Lavrov yesterday that the US will not “stand idly bling AK-103 assault rifl es at a Pompeo also called on Russia During the call with Lavrov, will be justice in Venezuela. We Guaido, who is recognised by most Raccused the US of plot- by” as Moscow inserts military factory in Venezuela by the end of to “cease its unconstructive be- Pompeo urged Moscow to join will not shy away from sending western governments but wields ting a “coup” against Venezuelan personnel into Venezuela to sup- this year, with an annual capacity haviour” by supporting Maduro the US and regional countries in these crooks to jail – one by one little concrete power within Ven- President Nicolas Maduro, in a port Maduro, a state department of 25,000. during the phone call, the state backing opposition leader Juan – sooner rather than later … We ezuela, claimed it was Maduro’s dispute over Russian military as- statement said. In a show of solidarity in De- department earlier said Guaido. have their names. We know their regime that was crumbling. sistance for the crisis-hit coun- Russian state news agency cember, Russian and Venezuelan Spokesman Robert Palladino The Trump administration has faces.” Speaking to the Guardian last try. Sputnik reported on Sunday that forces conducted a joint military said “the secretary told Russian imposed crippling sanctions on On Sunday, the front page of month, Guaido conceded he Lavrov said in a statement he two Russian military planes de- exercise in the South American Foreign Minister Lavrov that the the Opec nation’s oil industry. one pro-Maduro tabloid, Ultimas could be jailed or forced into ex- had complained of “attempts by livered troops and equipment to country. The exercise involved US and regional countries will On Friday it sanctioned its de- Noticias, fuelled opposition fears ile. “Doing politics in Venezuela Washington to organise a coup Venezuela over the weekend. two nuclear-capable Russian Tu- not stand idly by as Russia exac- velopment bank, Bandes, in ef- that Guaido could face arrest. is a risk and you can pay with d’etat in Venezuela” during a Lavrov did not comment on 160 bombers. It erbates tensions in Venezuela,” forts to choke off fi nancial fl ows “Guaido brought in assassins to your life … Obviously, there is a telephone conversation with US that report. evoked condemnation from the Palladino said in a statement. to Maduro’s government and commit acts of terror,” it said. latent risk.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Russian military offi cials are Organisation of American States, The state department state- called on Venezuelan military Any move against Guaido could The statement said such moves in Venezuela for talks on defence which comprises 35 countries in ment did not refer to the arrival leaders to abandon him.

Historic visit State main human rights Brazil open to Amazon hydro power projects violator: Lopez Obrador Salles recognised the Amazon Reuters Sao Paulo “is a sensitive” region because of Reuters deaths since late 2006. plete break with previous admin- its biodiversity, noting construc- Mexico City The violence has been punc- istrations, and said he would not tion of hydro power projects tuated by mass killings, some of back a policy of “an eye for an he Brazilian government there is not the same as in other which have drawn international eye” that tried to tackle “violence would be open to evalu- regions of the country. exican President An- condemnation of the Mexican with violence.” Tating new hydro power The minister’s stance marks dres Manuel Lopez Ob- authorities. Homicides have remained projects in the Amazon region a shift from previous left-wing Mrador said the state had close to record levels since the on their merits, as the admin- administrations, during which in the past been the main violator “I, as president, and at the veteran leftist took power. istration shrugs off “ideo- he said decisions based on “dog- of human rights in the country, same time as commander The event set out plans to in- logical” interference in the li- mas” compromised protection of as he blamed violence and disap- of the country’s armed crease co-ordination between censing process, Environment the environment. pearances on his predecessors’ forces, will never give authorities, relatives and emer- Minister Ricardo Salles said He cited the example of an un- “neo-liberal” economic policies. the order to massacre, gency services under a “national yesterday. built power line in northern Bra- “There was a time in which the to repress the people of search system” designed to track Speaking at a seminar organ- zil that would connect the state main violator of human rights Mexico” down the disappeared. ised by government relations of Roraima to the national grid. was the state. It was the violator Lopez Obrador said the gov- association Abrig, Salles said Roraima is supplied by Ven- par excellence of human rights. Most notorious was the 2014 ernment would spare no expense environmental agency Ibama ezuela, but as a result of a hy- That’s over,” Lopez Obrador said disappearance of 43 student in its eff orts to fi nd the miss- is in charge of assessing such perinfl ationary economic crisis at an event in which his govern- teachers in the southwestern city ing, and to put names on some projects and the risks associated in the neighbouring country, the ment set out plans to end disap- of Iguala. The government said 26,000 unidentifi ed bodies cur- with them, and it will do so on a state has been suff ering almost pearances in Mexico. the youths were massacred after rently in storage. strictly technical basis. daily blackouts. “I, as president, and at the corrupt police handed them to a During his address, which was “It’s important to remember: “Under an environmental same time as commander of the local drug gang, who incinerated attended by relatives of some of environmental licensing is not standpoint, the worst decision country’s armed forces, will nev- their bodies. the many disappeared, the presi- an instrument to say no. It is an was not approving construction er give the order to massacre, to But many questions remain dent again attacked the econom- instrument to determine under of that power line,” Salles said. repress the people of Mexico,” he about the teachers’ fate, and the ic policies of previous govern- what conditions to say yes.” He noted in the face of the said. incident did lasting damage to ments, saying they were corrupt, The minister said Ibama’s power outages, Roraima must Tens of thousands of people the reputation of Lopez Obra- had impoverished Mexico and work is to gauge the benefi ts and rely on alternative power sourc- are registered as disappeared in dor’s predecessor, Enrique Pena encouraged violence. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, yesterday risks of each project and at the es. Mexico, where fi ghting between Nieto. “This is what we’re suff ering toured Old Havana, Cuba. The trip is the first off icial visit end of the analysis decide if there “The electricity produced lo- drug cartels and their clashes Lopez Obrador, who took of- from,” he said, “the rotten fruit by a member of the British royal family to the Caribbean are any measures that can be im- cally (in Roraima) is more anti- with security forces have been fi ce in December, has sought to of neo-liberal economics pre- country. posed to mitigate the risk, allow- environment as it comes from blamed for more than 200,000 present his presidency as a com- scribed for 36 years.” ing a project to go ahead. fossil fuel sources,” he said. Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 PAKISTAN General rules PM hopeful of fi nding oil out possibility of use of N-arms reserves near Karachi Internews Russia in the region, especially Islamabad what role Russia has lately Internews Nawaz could not build a hospital (LNG). We buy 1,400 cubic feet played toward the Afghan Islamabad where he can be treated.” of gas and sell it for Rs650.” reconciliation Russia looks “Nawaz made 30 factories “The reason for the energy akistan is ruling out the toward balance of power and from one factory but could not crisis lies in faulty transmission possibility of using its multipolarity in the world. rime Minister Imran Khan make a hospital,” he added. lines. In previous eras, no work Pnuclear weapons and We value Russia’s voice yesterday said Pakistan “There is no such law to send was done on transmission lines,” sees them as more of deter- as the voice of reason, and Pwill not need to import Nawaz abroad for medical treat- the premier lamented. rence tool to prevent actual we would love if Russia, be- oil after reserves are found near ment,” he asserted. PM Imran stated that there wars, the spokesman for the ing a powerful country, plays Karachi’s seas. “Should we also send the oth- will be ups and downs before big Pakistan Army, Maj Gen Asif its role which enables bring- Speaking to journalists in Is- er 150,000 prisoners abroad for changes take place in the country. Ghafoor, said in an interview ing peace in South Asia and lamabad, the premier said, “We treatment?” he asked. “All expenses of Bani Gala published yesterday. beyond. And we expect that are hopeful of fi nding large re- PM Imran further said, “Our are paid for through my own “Since we have gone overtly Russia will do it, as the ef- serves of gas and oil in the sea foreign policy is better than in pocket,” he shared. “I paid Rs6 nuclear, as India also, in 1998, forts in fact being undertaken near Karachi. The nation should the last 30 years. America, which million myself to install security our stance is that this capabil- by Russia are generating good pray for this and I will soon share used to say ‘do more’, is now fences at Bani Gala,” he added. ity eliminates the possibility results,” Ghafoor said. good news regarding this.” praising us.” “I sold a gift to construct the of a conventional war between Maj Gen Ghafoor rejected “God willing the reserves will Prime Minister Imran Khan “We received a message from road that leads to my Bani Gala the two states. So that is to say, India’s claims that Pakistan be so large that we will not need US President Donald Trump, resident,” he further said. “I am this is a weapon of deterrence used US-made F-16 to down to import any oil,” he shared. cry,” he stated. “The opposition “NAB is neither under us nor however, there has been no also constructing the Zaman and a political choice. No sane Indian aircraft in late Febru- Taking a hit at the opposition, is not thinking about the nation did we recruit anyone in the progress on it,” he said. Park house through my own country having this capabil- ary, stating that PAC JF-17 the prime minister said, “If the at all. Other than talking about accountability watchdog.” “The results of our foreign personal money.” ity would talk about using it,” Thunder combat aircraft de- opposition wants to create a hue hiding corruption, opposition “Corruption will be curbed policy are now showing. The US The premier further said that Ghafoor said in the interview veloped jointly with China and cry, we are ready to provide leaders do not raise any other is- when big people are caught. understands that Pakistan has an the sports board system is be- published by The News daily were used instead. them with containers to protest sues on the fl oor of the House.” Cases against those ‘parties sav- important role to play in the Af- ing completely changed and a newspaper. “The aircraft which engaged at D-Chowk. The opposition is “In the past, Pakistan People’s ing democracy’ were not fi led ghan peace process,” he added. task force has been formed. “The The offi cial noted that even those targets and fought them joining hands to hide personal Party laundered billions of dol- during our government. There is The premier further an- sports board had become a re- though the country’s protec- were JF-17. As regard to how theft.” lars through fake bank accounts. a loss of Rs12bn in the Metro Bus nounced that a collective pro- cruitment centre,” he stated. tion was of utmost impor- to use F-16, in what context “No blackmailing will work PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto project,” he added. gramme is being launched from “We are also bringing chang- tance, it would be “insane” [they] were used or not – be- and nor will anyone be given Zardari is crying foul because he The premier further said that March 27 for the elimination of es in the system of the cricket to discuss the use of nuclear cause at that point of time our the National Reconciliation Or- fears the National Accountability if there are “diff erent laws for poverty. board. We will give prefer- weapons. entire Air Force was airborne dinance (NRO),” the premier Bureau (NAB),” he added. the strong and the weak then the Stating that the government ence to regional cricket,” PM He also pointed out Paki- now it remains between Pa- reiterated. The premier added, “Ayyan society will be weak”. wants to reduce the current ac- Imran shared. stan’s willingness to take steps kistan and the US to see how “I presented a 40-year-old Ali and Bilawal’s tickets were Speaking about former pre- count defi cit, the premier said, “I The premier stated, “I have towards non-proliferation of the MoUs regarding the use of money trail in court,” he said bought through the same fake mier Nawaz Sharif’s medical expect the nation to support me. full faith in the chief minis- nuclear arms – but only if In- F-16 have been adhered to or while adding that opposition bank accounts.” treatment, the premier stated, China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and ters of Punjab and Khyber Pa- dia does the same. otherwise,” Ghafoor said. leaders make faces when he “Pakistan Muslim League- “The government is provid- UAE are investing in Pakistan.” khtunkhwa, Usman Buzdar and “Pakistan will undertake He noted that Islamabad enters parliament. Nawaz’s experienced govern- ing him with all facilities and he On the increase in gas prices, Mehmood Khan, respectively. anything which is based on was discussing the use of its “A minute in Parliament costs ment left a debt of Rs30,000bn,” can seek treatment wherever he the premier said, “The hike in Give both the chief ministers equality. You cannot tie the JF-17 with the United States the country Rs80,000 and all the he stated. wishes within the country. De- tariff s is owing to a short fall of some time and you will see the hands of Pakistan and keep citing “friendly relations” opposition does on the fl oor is PM Imran further clarifi ed, spite being in power for 30 years, gas and liquefi ed natural gas results yourself.” India open. Anything that with Washington, stressing, happens should happen for however, that the country both countries,” Ghafoor said. would use whatever it deemed He said Pakistan was nego- necessary if it came to “legiti- tiating defence industry co- mate self-defence.” operation with Russia in the The offi cial also shared Pa- South Korea Govt reaches out to opposition areas of aviation, air defence kistan’s account of the events systems and anti-tank mis- that preceded the dogfi ght on siles. February 28. accepts over “We are having the aviation, According to Ghafoor, the over appointments in poll body we are having the air defence, Indian jets violated the Paki- we are having the anti-tank stani airspace on February 26, 15,000 job Internews of National Accountability him the nominations. of PML-N leader Murtaza domain, which we are negoti- dropping payloads without Islamabad Bureau, for their nomination as When contacted, PML-N Javed Abbasi and due to non- ating. And that will be positive infl icting any casualties or a member of the ECP from the spokesperson Marriyum availability of Syed Khursheed negotiations,” Ghafoor said. damage to infrastructure. Pa- applications province. Aurangzeb confirmed that the Shah of the Pakistan People’s The spokesman declined kistan then, according to his Setting a new precedent, the From Sindh, the government opposition leader had received Party (PPP). to clarify which items were words, decided to retaliate but Imran Khan government has has suggested the names of a letter from an off icial of the Only last week, Shahbaz had on the agenda of talks, but chose not to threaten civilian Internews involved the Ministry of Foreign Mohammad Nadeem Qureshi, Ministry of Foreign Aff airs and written a letter to National noted that Pakistan was open lives. Islamabad Aff airs in the appointment of ex-member judicial (judge of the that he had also replied to it. Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to various off ers. “Nothing “Next day, our Air Force, Election Commission of Pakistan customs appellate tribunal), retired She said it was surprising that alleging that the PM wanted is out. Anything and every- while staying within our own (ECP) members as the deadline justice Abdul Rasool Memon, the names were being suggested that ECP members be appointed thing, which is possible to be airspace, took four targets in outh Korea has accepted as for the purpose has already been former registrar of the Sindh High through the foreign ministry, without fulfilling the mandatory purchased by Pakistan, will be the India-Occupied Kashmir. many as 15,750 applications missed earlier this month. Court, and retired justice Noorul which had nothing to do with constitutional requirement of done,” Ghafoor said. Being a responsible country, Sof Pakistani candidates Sources say that a letter had been Haq Qureshi, a former Islamabad the ECP, and that too, without having consultation with him. The offi cial further noted we could have caused damage who are seeking employment sent to opposition leader Shahbaz High Court judge. fulfilling the constitutional The opposition leader in the that Pakistan would welcome even to the military installa- opportunities in its manufactur- Sharif by additional secretary The main opposition Pakistan requirements of consultations letter said he had received a Russia’s role in mediating the tions or human life. But we ing sector under employment Amna Baloch of the foreign Muslim League-N (PML-N) between the prime minister and notice on March 11, seeking three recently infl amed tensions be- had to show our will, capabil- permit system (EMS) agreement minister’s off ice suggesting three has expressed its surprise the opposition leader. names each for ECP members tween Pakistan and India. “We ity and resolve. So what we did signed by the two countries in nominations each for the vacant over the government’s act of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood from Sindh and Balochistan. would welcome any third- we fi rst chose the targets, and 2008. posts of ECP members from involving Foreign Off ice on Qureshi was quoted by Dawn “With reference to the party mediation, which can when the targets were locked “Around 109,317 citizens Balochistan and Sindh. the appointment of the ECP newspaper yesterday as saying notice, dated March 11, the bring peace in the region. And by the aircraft, we shifted the had submitted their appli- The letter shows that the members apparently due to that he had been tasked by referral of three names to the Russia is more than welcome,” point of impact to a safety cations online, out of which government has suggested the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s PM Khan to hold consultations parliamentary committee for Ghafoor said. distance where there was 15,750 candidates were select- names of Salahuddin Mengal, reluctance to hold consultations with opposition parties on the the appointment of the ECP According to the spokes- no infrastructure or human ed through balloting process,” a technocrat and ex-advocate with the opposition leader on appointment of ECP members. members from Balochistan and man, Pakistan valued Russia’s life, meaning thereby that we an offi cial source in the Over- general of Balochistan; Mahmud the issue as per the Constitution. Qureshi, however, explained that Sindh is a violation of Article 213, role in the Afghan settlement wanted to tell Indians that we seas Employment Corporation Raza Khan, former additional The sources said Shahbaz a meeting with the opposition clause (2A) of the Constitution as process and recognised its had the capability to hit that (OEC) said. advocate general of Balochistan; had sent a reply through one members on the issue of ECP the prime minister has failed to importance in regional proc- military target, but in the in- “This is the highest number and Raja Aamir Abbasi, ex- of the secretaries to Baloch, members’ appointment had consult Leader of the Opposition esses. terest of peace of the region of the shortlisted candidates deputy prosecutor general questioning her act of sending been cancelled on a request on the issue,” the letter stated. “We greatly value the rel- we are only showing you our since 2008 and credit goes evance and importance of capability,” Ghafoor said. to special assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Paki- stanis and South Korean am- bassador,” the source said, adding that the OEC has in- formed the selected aspirants Pakistan, EU agree on strategic to submit their particulars by March 29. The South Korean embassy partnership in diverse fi elds will conduct a written test for fi nal selection of the candidates. Before appearing for the fi nal Internews ating more jobs for Pakistanis livious to the steps that we took test, the candidates would be Islamabad through trade with Europe. including that of sending back taught Korean language during Shah Mahmood Qureshi said our high commissioner to India a training course to be organised he also apprised the EU delega- and restoring the hotline be- by the corporation, he added. akistan and the European tion about the steps taken by tween the military directorates. The sources also added that, if Union have agreed to a Pakistan to fulfi l FATF com- On Afghanistan, he said the 1,000 workers could manage Pnew Strategic Engage- mitments as well as the steps the European Union delega- to pass the Korean language test, ment Plan to build a strong taken to cleanse the tribal belt. tion shared Pakistan’s concern quota would increase automati- partnership in diverse fi elds. The Foreign Minister said for peace and stability in that cally by 20% as per the agreed The understanding came at both the sides also held discus- country. He said that there is EMS. the fourth round of Strategic sions on the INGOs. He pointed no military solution to the is- Relatives and neighbours attend the funeral for Syed Areeb Ahmed, who was killed in Christchurch Responding to a query, Dialogue between Pakistan and out that seventy fi ve INGOs sue of Afghanistan. He said the mosque attack in New Zealand, in Karachi yesterday. sources said the government the European Union in Islama- are registered and working in EU delegation appreciated Pa- had no role in the selection bad yesterday. Pakistan. kistan’s role in the Afghan rec- Hundreds pay final respects to NZ mosque attacks victim process, adding that the trans- Pakistani side at the dialogue Shah Mahmood Qureshi said onciliation process. parency in recruiting was being was led by Foreign Minister he also informed the EU del- About Iran, Shah Mahmood Hundreds gathered to pay that is a bit of relief for us,” Rashid – who tried to tackle ensured by the South Koreans. Shah Mahmood Qureshi while egation that Pakistan is open in Qureshi said that the Pakistani their final respects in Karachi said Ahmad’s uncle Aleemullah the gunman before being “The labour ministry of S Korea the EU by its Foreign Policy engaging with India to resolve side informed the EU side that yesterday as the remains of one Khan. shot dead – with the order of has determined the quota for 16 Chief Federica Mogherini. all out outstanding disputes being a nieghbouring coun- of the Pakistani victims of the “But his father is in so much bravery during Pakistan Day countries, partnered under the Later addressing a joint news through a sustained dialogue as try, Iran is very important for Christchurch mosque attacks agony as Areeb was his only son celebrations over the weekend. EMS, in light of workers’ per- conference along with Federica it is the only sensible way to go Pakistan. were laid to rest back home. and the provider for the family,” During a visit to Islamabad formance.” Mogherini, Foreign Minister forward. He also reiterated Pakistan’s Syed Areeb Ahmad was one he added. yesterday, the EU’s diplomatic Meanwhile, the OEC has Shah Mahmood Qureshi was He said both the sides are concern on growing Islamo- of nine Pakistani nationals The other eight Pakistani chief Federica Mogherini also sent some 31 Pakistani confi dent that the engagement also convinced on it that so- phobia in the West. For her murdered in the New Zealand victims were buried in New off ered her condolences to the workers to South Korea for plan, which will be formally lution lies only in dialogue part, Mogherini said the new city earlier the month, when Zealand, according to the victim’s families, while warning employment, which was the signed in Brussels, will lay the process. He question whether Strategic Partnership Plan an accused white supremacist Pakistan foreign ministry against the growing threat of fi rst batch of the candidates foundation for a bright fu- atomic neighbours can think- will lay a strong foundation gunman killed 50 Muslim spokesman. Islamophobia. shortlisted by the South Korea ture between Pakistan and the ing of going to war. This will for partnership between Paki- worshippers in two mosques. Islamic custom dictates that the “It’s a threat not only for in 2018. European Union. only be madness. stan and the European Union Ahmad’s body was flown into dead should be buried within 24 Muslims but also for our According to the Ministry of He said trade between Paki- The Foreign Minister said and further boost their future the southern port city of Karachi hours, but strained authorities societies because the strength Overseas Pakistanis and Hu- stan and the European Union Pakistan has demonstrated re- cooperation. and transported to a relative’s were forced to move carefully of our societies lies in their man Resource Development, the have doubled after grant of GSP straint and gave a measured re- She said there was a con- house where family and friends with their investigation, diversity and whoever attacks Ministry of Employment and La- Plus status to Pakistan in 2013. sponse. He said we took various vergence of beliefs between gathered before heading to the delaying funerals by several the diversity of our societies, bour South Korea has increased He said the present gov- steps to deescalate the tension the two sides on many issues, cemetery for the burial. days in some cases. attacks the entire society, Pakistan’s Labour quota for ernment is keen to enhance including the immediate release including Afghanistan. “It was very painful for the Ahmad’s burial comes days not just one segment of 2019 from 900 per year to 1,000 exports to Europe and fi x the of captured Indian pilot. She said both sides agreed to parents and all of us to wait. after Pakistani off icials it,” Mogherini told a press per year. trade defi cit issue, besides cre- He said the world is not ob- work together in many fi elds. His funeral is taking place now posthumously awarded Naeem conference. (AFP) Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 21 PHILIPPINES

March for peace talks Lawmakers again fail to Complaint break budget impasse with ICC

By Javier J Ismael ing at the Senate was a positive ‘may be Manila Times development. Apart from Lag- man, the House panel includ- ed appropriations committee political o signifi cant progress chairman Rep. Rolando An- was reached during yes- daya Jr of Camarines Sur and Nterday’s closed-door San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora. move’ meeting between senators and Other members of the Senate congressmen assigned to resolve contingent were Senate finance the budget impasse, but they committee head Sen. Loren Le- By Bernadette E Tamayo agreed to meet again today to garda and Sen. Gregorio Hona- & Ralph Villanueva attempt to end the stalemate on san. Manila Times the P3.757tn proposed national A representative from the budget for 2019. Department of Budget and Emerging from the meeting at Management also attended alacanang yesterday the Senate in Pasay City, Sen. the meeting. Andaya said both said the fi ling of a case Panfilo Lacson gave no details sides agreed to have the budget Magainst China before on what he and his Senate col- passed by March 29 and then the International Criminal Court leagues talked about with their submitted to President Rodrigo (ICC) might be a political move. counterparts from the House of Duterte. Former Foreign Aff airs sec- Representatives. Asked if the contentious is- retary Albert del Rosario and “Some progress. We’re still sues were addressed, Andaya former ombudsman Conchita working on it. We will meet replied “Yes. We just needed a Carpio Morales last week fi led again tomorrow. Hopefully we place to explain to each other.” a communication against Chi- can follow through and final- “They have their points, we nese President Xi Jinping be- ise tomorrow,” said Lacson, also have ours, and the bottom fore the ICC for implementing a one of the three senators des- line, we wanted a new budget,” “systematic plan to control” the ignated by Senate President Andaya added. contested South China Sea (West Vicente Sotto 3rd to meet with The House appropriations Philippine Sea). The two offi - the House contingent tasked committee chairman meant cials also accused Xi and other to “negotiate” with the Senate that while the Senate and the Chinese offi cials of committing leadership on the budget im- House differed on their presen- crimes within the jurisdiction of passe. tations of the budget measure, the ICC. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, both chambers do not want a Members of the communist movement hold a lightning protest in Manila, yesterday. The group called for the resumption of “I think the ICC case is more part of the three-man panel re-enacted 2018 budget for peace talks with the government. of a political move. They may from the House, said the meet- 2019. know that China is not a mem- ber state party. Philippines is not also a state party, so how can ICC assume jurisdiction?” Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a press briefi ng. According to the ICC, it could exercise its jurisdiction when a State becomes a party to the Rome Statute, if the alleged per- Govt to register protest if petrator was a national of a State Party or if the crime was com- mitted in the territory of a State Party; and if a State not party to the Statute may decide to accept the jurisdiction of the ICC. The communication was fi led China harasses fi shermen two days before the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Stat- By Catherine S Valente the area. Panelo said Filipinos now. They have forces there. has any arbitral ruling by this ute took eff ect. Panelo slammed Manila Times fi shing in Panatag shoal or any- We can only protest like other international court been en- anew the former administration where in the country’s waters claimant countries,” he said. forced previously? If there is, for “ignoring” and “letting” should “not be touched or har- Panelo, however, clarifi ed we still have hope. For now, China build structures in the he Philippine govern- assed.” that the government did not we can’t do anything so let’s West Philippine Sea. ment would fi le a protest “They have to show proof agree that China should have just talk about it,” Panelo said “My source said they (Aquino Tagainst China if reports that’s being done now again. If control over the territory that when asked if the country administration) only fi led (the that Filipino fi shermen were be- that is being done, certainly we belongs to the country. was powerless against China. case) when everything was al- ing driven away from the Pana- will protest. We will not allow “Certainly that is ours and “What is important is we are ready erected. Why is it that tag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) our countrymen to be subject- the arbitral ruling says it’s ours,” not agreeing to what they are when the structures were only by Chinese Coast Guards were ed to that kind of harassment,” he said. doing to us. We are not allow- beginning to be erected, you did confi rmed, Malacanang said Panelo said during a press brief- For now, Panelo said the ing it. We’re opposing it,” he not do anything? When it was all yesterday. ing. country would pursue dip- added. built, you make noise,” he said. Palace spokesman Salvador “If there was a negotiation, lomatic negotiations with Since assuming his post, Also yesterday, Sen. Leila de Panelo made the statement there was an agreement not to China to resolve the territorial Duterte has sought to down- Lima said with Manila’s with- after Senate candidate Neri touch them and then one inci- dispute, adding it could not play Manila’s maritime dispute drawal from the ICC, the country Colmenares released a short dent, two incidents violate this Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo. afford to wage war with the with Beijing in exchange for could no longer go to the ICC to documentary on the alleged agreement, then we have to tell Asian neighbour. improved ties with the world’s assail a nation’s acts of aggres- harassment of local fi shermen them and they will have to cor- Former Foreign Aff airs secre- against humanity. He said President Rodrigo second largest economy. sion against the Philippines. “This by Chinese coast guard person- rect it,” he added. tary Albert del Rosario, former Panelo acknowledged that Duterte preferred the country Duterte has also refused to is precisely what was achieved nel. The Philippines and China ombudsman Conchita Carpio- while the country continues to hold a dialogue with China, fl aunt the Philippines’ vic- by del Rosario and Morales when The six-minute clip showed previously agreed to let fi sher- Morales and Filipino fi sher- to attest that the territory is especially when no one could tory against China in a United they fi led the communication fi shermen from Masinloc, Zam- men to freely navigate the West men had fi led a communication “ours,” China has “control” over enforce the arbitral ruling that Nations-backed arbitration against China,” de Lima said in a bales detailing how the Chinese Philippine Sea (South China against Chinese President Xi the area since it built structures backed the country’s claims in court in 2016, which invalidated statement. De Lima said Associate Coast Guard would seize their Sea) except for marine protected Jinping before the Internation- there. “Can we do something the West Philippine Sea. Beijing’s expansive claims to the Justice Antonio Carpio raised this catch and drive them away from areas. al Criminal Court for crimes about it? They control it as of “What I’m saying is tell me waters. issue when the Supreme Court tackled the case fi led by senators questioning the constitutional- ity of the Philippine withdrawal without the Senate’s concurrence. “Justice Carpio asseverates Groups seek accountability from service provider over water shortage that, in the future, the Philippines might fi nd itself in a very diffi cult situation since it would be with- Manila Times age in parts of Metro Manila and Rizal of the basic charge, which is P86. “You Sora resident and University of the water service had yet to return. “That out recourse to the ICC from acts Manila province. The petition, which sought will be charged even without water Philippines Manila professor Reginald prompted me to co-ordinate and join of aggression of a foreign power if penalties on Manila Water, was fi led by fl owing in your faucets,” Reyes said. Vallejos, said that during the water in- the petition to get the accountability of it withdraws from the Rome Stat- Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Secre- “Now we are also asking the regula- terruptions, he bought a drum for stor- Manila Water for what has happened,” ute,” the senator said. ilitant groups, acting as con- tary General Renato Reyes Jr and Bayan tory offi ce to have Manila Water com- age at P1,300, water jugs at P800 and he said. “Unfortunately, any future sumers of Manila Water Co. Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, along pensate for the losses of the public… drinking water refi lls at P30 each. MWSS Chief Regulator Patrick Ty act of aggression by any foreign MInc, fi led a petition yester- with three other consumers. the equivalent of a one-month bill is so Vallejos said he was also forced to said his offi ce would review the content country committed after March day asking the Metropolitan Water- The petitioners asked the MWSS to small compared to the actual expenses skip work to collect water and fi nd of the petition fi rst. “I hope you under- 17, 2019 can no longer be raised by works and Sewerage System (MWSS) impose several penalties including re- incurred by the diff erent households,” a temporary shelter for bathing and stand that we are bound by the conces- the Philippines to the ICC because Regulatory Offi ce to hold the Ayala-led bates for consumers, non-collection he added. other water needs for his children who sion agreement. What we can do is lim- of its withdrawal from the Rome utility to account for the water short- of the water bill for March and waiving One of the petitioners, Tandang needed to go to school. He said regular ited,” Ty said. Statute,” de Lima said. Davao mayor in war of words with De Lima

By Catherine S Valente wrong and how things could be tiny by the courts — how about penitentiary when she was Jus- The narcolist refers to Presi- Manila Times worse for our government.” you make a law adding honesty tice secretary of the administra- dent Duterte’s list of elected In response, Duterte-Carpio as a requirement for all Filipinos tion of President Benigno Aqui- officials allegedly involved in said: “If I am an example of before they can run for public no 3rd.De Lima has maintained drugs. avao City Mayor Sara what is wrong and what could be offi ce,” Duterte-Carpio, who that the charges were trumped Duterte-Carpio has ac- Duterte-Carpio yes- worse for our government, you heads the pro-administration up to silence her opposition to cused Alejano of lying when he Dterday blasted detained just described yourself as well. regional party Hugpong ng Pag- the president’s bloody war on said that Hugpong candidate senator Leila de Lima in the lat- You are the worst because you babago, said. drugs. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” est episode of the outspoken fi rst are intelligent and dumb all in “Maybe then you can save the In her open letter, Duterte- Go, former special assistant daughter’s verbal tussle with the one head.” government from yourself, Inday Carpio insisted that honesty to the president, used govern- opposition over the issue of hon- “You are the only person from Sara, Leni, Digong, Panelo, Ale- was not a requirement to be an ment funds to pay for campaign esty among senate candidates. the Black Hole who said it right. jano, Hilbay, and all the de Limas election candidate, and that shirts placed inside the kits Duterte-Carpio, President It should be the voters who will of the universe,” she added, re- senatorial bets of the opposi- distributed during a national Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest daugh- decide on what qualities they ferring to Vice President Maria tion could not set the stand- convention of elected village ter, called de Lima “dumb” for are looking for in candidates. Leonor “Leni” Robredo, Presi- ards. officials in February. supposedly failing to compre- But you are dumb as well, for at- dent Duterte, Panelo, Magdalo “What I said was that, it will Hilbay, the Aquino govern- hend her argument that the tacking me without reading the Rep. Gary Alejano and former not be the opposition that will ment’s solicitor general, has Constitution did not list “hon- entire transcription of my state- solicitor general Florin Hilbay. say what a candidate should be, also been accused of misrep- esty” among the requirements ment and comprehending what I Robredo leads the opposition, and that honesty was really not resenting his role in the Philip- for candidates, and pointed out said,” she said in an open letter. while Alejano and Hilbay are a requirement for any candi- pines’ arbitration case against that the senator was in detention Black Hole is Duterte-Car- Otso Diretso candidates. date,” Duterte-Carpio said. China over the dispute over for drug-related charges. pio’s choice label for the eight- De Lima has been detained “Therefore, Black Hole can- South China Sea (West Philip- De Lima, earlier this month, man senatorial slate of the op- at the Philippine National Po- didates, who are themselves li- pine Sea). Earlier this month, said disregard for honesty was position dubbed “Otso Diretso” lice Custodial Center in Camp ars, should not attack a candi- Duterte-Carpio dared Otso Di- “damning” and told Duterte- (“Straight Eight”). Crame, Quezon City since Feb- date in that manner. I used the retso bets to debate with her, Carpio that she, along with “You are a senator — honesty ruary 2017, as she is on trial for same argument on the issue of but the opposition candidates Malacañang spokesman Salva- about your involvement in the il- her alleged involvement in the a college degree or inclusion in said they would only engage dor Panelo, “represent what is legal drugs business under scru- drug trade inside the national the narcolist,” she added. with senatorial candidates. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio Gulf Times 22 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor 26 - 03 -2019 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 Mueller’s report isn’t a ‘total exoneration’ for President Trump

President Donald Trump and his defenders are understandably exulting now that the Justice Department has released a summary of special counsel Robert S Mueller III’s principal conclusions about his investigation of Russian interference in the US presidential election. But, all too characteristically, the president is portraying Mueller’s fi ndings as a “total exoneration.” It’s no such thing. The summary of Mueller’s conclusions came in a letter Attorney General William Barr sent to Congress on Sunday. According to Barr, Mueller did not establish that the Trump campaign “conspired or co-ordinated with” the Russian government or a Russian “troll farm” in two notorious The blind spot in operations: the social-media disinformation campaign launched by the Internet Research Agency and the hacking of Democratic email accounts and the release of embarrassing emails via WikiLeaks. Of course that’s a victory for the president. For that matter, it’s also good news for the country. Even Trump’s critics the trade debate should welcome a fi nding that the president and his campaign offi cials didn’t break the law by conspiring with Russians to By Laura Tyson and Susan Lund goods.Yet, to patients using the Wikipedia’s 40mn articles in roughly To avoid technological displacement subvert the election. Berkeley drug, the real value is not in the 300 languages, or YouTube’s billions of the services trade based on labor- But Trump wasn’t content to welcome this fi nding. manufacturing process, but in the of hours of free video content. cost advantages, emerging-market On Twitter he suggested that Mueller’s message was years of R&D that led to the drug’s Free digital services have always economies will need to move into egotiations to resolve the discovery and development. posed a measurement problem for higher-value offerings like software “No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total Sino-American trade con- By standard measures, direct trade economists, but the challenge has and web development, graphic design, EXONERATION.” flict have so far centered on in services as a share of gross trade become particularly vexing in the and advanced data analysis. In fact, Mueller didn’t absolve the president of obstructing Nsoybeans, natural gas, and flows has held steady at around 23% context of trade. In the meantime, the next wave justice. Instead, according to Barr, Mueller “did not reach a an assortment of commodities and since 1990. But according to measures Altogether, the MGI study estimates of technological innovation will conclusion _ one way or the other” about whether actions manufactured goods. Yet, an increas- that account for the rising value of the annual value of these three greatly expand the range of cross- by Trump constituted obstruction. Barr quoted Mueller ingly important component of US and services in the production of goods, inadequately measured channels of border services on offer. Ultra-fast global trade is scarcely mentioned: trade in services accounts for about the services trade to be $8.3tn: $4tn 5G networks, virtual reality, and as saying: “While this report does not conclude that the services. 45% of value-added in global trade. of services trade that is not counted advanced robotics will allow for president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.” Though the US runs a persistently Second, unless they are captured at all in official trade statistics, virtual classrooms and remote Barr and Deputy Attorney large trade deficit in goods, it as intellectual-property charges, and $4.3tn of services trade that is services ranging from surgery to the Mueller didn’t General Rod Rosenstein maintains sizeable bilateral services intangible assets that multinational currently counted as goods trade. maintenance of industrial equipment. then made their own quick surpluses with many of its leading companies send to their worldwide By this estimate, trade in services is Many producers of physical goods determination that the trade partners, including China. In affiliates often go unpriced and actually slightly larger, in value-added are already offering related in- absolve the real (inflation-adjusted) terms, the untracked in global trade measures. terms, than trade in goods. house services, such as after-sales evidence that Mueller amassed overall US services surplus increased Yet intangible assets are an Viewed from this perspective, maintenance and pay-by-usage president of over the course of a two-year by 145% between 2000 and 2016, increasingly significant determinant the focus of negotiations about plans, to their global customers, while investigation wasn’t enough and services now account for around of corporate performance and value. bilateral trade balances should software companies are shifting from obstructing to establish that Trump 70% of US GDP and 71% of US Indeed, corporate investment in shift substantially, particularly in packaging their wares to offering justice committed an obstruction-of- employment, far exceeding the share intangible assets such as R&D and the United States, which generates them via the cloud. justice off ence. of employment in manufactured brands has increased dramatically, almost one-third of the annual value In today’s world, cross-border goods. with the stock of intangibles relative of intangibles crossing borders, fl ows of services are already too big to These contrasting perspectives, as well as a profusion of Similarly, at the global level, trade to revenues growing from 5% to 13% and is home to tech giants that ignore – and they are growing rapidly. other as-yet unanswered questions, are a reminder that it in services has grown 60% faster than between 2000 and 2017. have amassed huge global user It is time for trade measurements is absolutely vital that Congress _ and the public _ be given trade in goods over the last decade; The hundreds of millions of dollars bases. Besides, even by traditional and negotiations to catch up. As access to Mueller’s complete report, with only minimal and some types of trade in services that corporations spend on brands, measures, advanced economies governments assess their external redactions to protect legitimate national security secrets. (telecom and information technology software, design, and operational collectively run a trade surplus in balances and competitive positions, That Mueller cleared the Trump campaign of colluding services, business-to-business systems in their headquarters confer services of almost $480bn, which is hammer out trade deals, and set criminally with Russia doesn’t mean that his investigation was services, and intellectual property a competitive advantage on their twice as high as a decade ago. The national policy agendas, they need charges) have outpaced growth in operations around the world, and thus countries with the largest surpluses to look beyond manufacturing and a wasteful “witch hunt” or that people in Trump’s orbit didn’t goods trade by a factor of two or three. represent significant value. Today, the – including the US, the United agriculture. Services – which are likely engage in questionable contacts with Russians, as Trump and To be sure, official statistics put the main sectors generating cross-border Kingdom, France, and Sweden – are to become even more important sources his allies contend. The guilty pleas and convictions obtained total value of goods traded in 2017 flows of intangibles are technology in a strong competitive position to of employment and trade as automation by Mueller belie that. at $17.3tn, compared to just $5.1tn (about $230bn annually), healthcare capitalise on current trends. continues to substitute for human And, of course, the end of Mueller’s investigation doesn’t for services. But as a new McKinsey and pharmaceuticals (approximately Some developing countries may workers in the production of goods – mean that other investigations related to the Trump campaign Global Institute report shows, these $160bn), and consumer goods (about also stand to benefit from the growing also matter. - Project Syndicate data significantly underestimate the $110bn). But, again, in the absence trade in services. The Philippines, _ including those underway in the Southern District of New role of services in tying the global of royalty charges and franchise India, Morocco, and Costa Rica, Laura Tyson, a former chair of York and elsewhere _ won’t uncover information about economy together. agreements, the value of such cross- for example, have all become major the US President’s Council of Economic criminal activity by Trump or his aides. For starters, services such border flows is not captured in official global providers of back-office and IT Advisers, is a professor at the Haas The president is entitled to take satisfaction in some of what as research and development, measures of trade. services. But their future competitive School of Business at the University of Mueller concluded. But Congress must not take Barr’s summary design, personalised marketing, Finally, such indicators do not advantage in the provision of such California, Berkeley, a senior adviser of Mueller’s conclusions as “total exoneration” of the president and distribution account for track cross-border flows of free services will depend partly on at the Rock Creek Group, and a senior about one-third of the value of digital services such as e-mail, real- whether automation technologies external adviser to the McKinsey or a substitute for Congress’ own responsibility to investigate traded manufactured goods. For time mapping, video conferencing, erode the market for customer- Global Institute. important matters. They include the president’s fi ring of former example, when a cancer drug is sold music streaming, and social media. service calls, data entry, remote Susan Lund is a partner of FBI director James B Comey and Comey’s allegation that Trump internationally, that transaction is Yet every day, people around the administrative work, and similar McKinsey & Company and a leader at pressured him to drop an investigation of former National booked as trade in manufactured world can and do access any one of cross-border labor-intensive services. the McKinsey Global Institute. Security Adviser Michael Flynn. It isn’t second-guessing Mueller to insist that Congress and the public receive access to his complete report, not just the snippets that appeared in Barr’s letter. And one other point. There is a long list of reasons why we think Trump is unfi t for the presidency and dangerous for the country. The only thing we learned from Barr’s summary is that colluding with Russia is no longer on it. - Tribune News Service

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© 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Gulf Times Tuesday, March 26, 2019 23 COMMENT Stagnant capitalism

By Yanis Varoufakis real interest rate (say, 2%) that would savings increase further and prices Athens inspire investors to funnel all existing fail to refl ect relative scarcity or, to be savings into productive investments more precise, the only scarcity that and spur employers to hire everyone prices, wages, and interest rates end up who wishes to work at the prevailing refl ecting is the scarcity of aggregate hen the Great Depression wage? demand for goods, labour, and savings. followed the 1929 stock- Faith in capitalism’s capacity to What is remarkable is how market crash, almost generate this magic number stems unaff ected free marketeers are by the Weveryone acknowledged from a truism. Milton Friedman liked facts. When their dogmas crash on the that capitalism was unstable, to say that if a commodity is not scarce, shoals of reality, they weaponise the unreliable, and prone to stagnation. In then it has no value and its price must epithet “natural.” In the 1970s, they the decades that followed, however, be zero. Thus, if its price is not zero, predicted that unemployment would that perception changed. Capitalism’s it must be scarce and, therefore, there disappear if infl ation were subdued. postwar revival, and especially the must be a price at which no units of When, in the 1980s, unemployment post-Cold War rush to fi nancialised that commodity will be left unsold. remained stubbornly high despite globalisation, resurrected faith in Similarly, if the prevailing wage is not low infl ation, they proclaimed that markets’ self-regulating abilities. zero, all those who want to work for whatever unemployment rate prevailed Today, a long decade after the 2008 that wage will fi nd a job. must have been “natural.” global fi nancial crisis, this touching Applying the same logic to savings, Similarly, today’s free marketeers faith once again lies in tatters as to the extent that money can fund attribute the failure of infl ation to capitalism’s natural tendency toward the production of machines that will rise, despite wage growth and low stagnation reasserts itself. The rise produce valuable gadgets, there must unemployment, to a new normal – a of the racist right, the fragmentation be a low enough interest rate at which new “natural” infl ation rate. With of the political centre, and mounting someone will borrow all available their Panglossian blinders, whatever geopolitical tensions are mere savings profi tably to build these they observe is assumed to be the most symptoms of capitalism’s miasma. machines. By defi nition, concluded natural outcome in the most natural of A balanced capitalist economy Friedman, the real interest rate all possible economic systems. requires a magic number, in the form settles down, quite automatically, to But capitalism has only one of the prevailing real (infl ation- the magic level that eliminates both natural tendency: stagnation. Like all adjusted) interest rate. It is magic unemployment and excess savings. tendencies, it is possible to overcome because it must kill two very diff erent If that were true, capitalism would by means of stimuli. One is exuberant birds, fl ying in two very diff erent never stagnate – unless a meddling fi nancialisation, which produces skies, with a single stone. First, it government or self-seeking trade tremendous medium-term growth at must balance employers’ demand union damaged its dazzling machinery. the expense of long-term heartache. for waged labour with the available Of course, it is not true, for three The other is the more sustainable tonic labour supply. Second, it must reasons. First, the magic number does injected and managed by a surplus- equalise savings and investment. If not exist. Second, even if it did, there recycling political mechanism, such as the prevailing real interest rate fails to is no mechanism that would help the File photo: A euro sign sculpture stands illuminated in front of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt, Ger- during the WWII-era economy or its balance the labour market, we end up real interest rate converge toward it. many. Europe’s current situation demonstrates amply the non-existence of the magical real interest rate. postwar extension, the Bretton Woods with unemployment, precariousness, And, third, capitalism has a natural system. But at a time when politics is wasted human potential, and poverty. tendency to usurp markets via the interest rate is -0.4%. Meanwhile, Setting aside the magical interest they worry that the decision refl ects as broken as fi nancialisation, the world If it fails to bring investment up to the strengthening of what John Kenneth the European Union’s current- rate’s non-existence, capitalism’s a gloomy outlook regarding overall has never needed a post-capitalist level of savings, defl ation sets in and Galbraith called the cartel-like account surplus in 2018 amounted to natural tendency to stagnation also demand. So, rather than boosting vision more. Perhaps the greatest feeds back into even lower investment. managerial “technostructure.” a gargantuan $450bn. For the euro’s refl ects the failure of money markets investment, they reduce it. contribution of the automation that It takes a heroic disposition to Europe’s current situation exchange rate to weaken enough to to adjust. Free marketeers assume that Instead of investing, they embark currently adds to our stagnation woes assume that this magic number demonstrates amply the non-existence eliminate the current-account surplus, all prices magically adjust until they on more mergers and acquisitions, will be to inspire such a vision. - exists or that, even if it does, our of the magical real interest rate. The while also clearing the savings glut, the refl ect commodities’ relative scarcity. which strengthen the technostucture’s Project Syndicate collective endeavours will result in EU’s fi nancial system is holding up to ECB’s interest rate must fall to at least In reality, they do not. When investors capacity to fi x prices, lower wages, an actual real interest rate close to €3tn ($3.4tn) of savings that refuse to -5%, a number that would destroy learn that the Federal Reserve or the and spend their cash buying up their zYanis Varoufakis, a former fi nance it. How do free marketeers convince be invested productively, even though Europe’s banks and pension funds in ECB is thinking of reversing its earlier companies’ own shares to boost minister of Greece, is professor of themselves that there exists a single the European Central Bank’s deposit the blink of an eye. intention to increase interest rates, their bonuses. Consequently, excess economics at the University of Athens.

Big victory for Trump on Russia-collusion issue Three-day forecast TODAY Maximum Temperature : 280c Minimum Temperature : 210c By Ramesh Ponnuru his reputation destroyed. He wouldn’t prison. Perhaps the investigation should Trump a “Russian agent” or “traitor.” Tribune News Service claim that the report reached no have been carried out by congressional Breathless journalism made it sound WEDNESDAY conclusion about obstruction of justice committees instead of a special as though Mueller was going to deliver Maximum Temperature : 250c and left it to the Justice Department prosecutor, and perhaps Mueller made a death blow to the presidency. One Minimum Temperature : 190c here’s no way for President to decide the question unless it did. some mistakes. But the record suggests eff ect of this speculation was to work THURSDAY Donald Trump’s opponents Leave contrary speculation to the fever that the portrayal of Mueller as a corrupt up a lot of liberals into a state of feverish Maximum Temperature : 260c to spin it away: He just won swamps. agent of the deep state bent on bringing excitement. Another was to make Minimum Temperature : 190c a big victory and the Russia- Third: The evidence on obstruction down Trump was a fantasy, or worse, Trump look better by comparison to T Fisherman's forecast collusion story is over. Here are my of justice will turn out to be equivocal. spread by some of the president’s most their theories. Normally, it would be a takeaways. Note that Barr (with, he says, the committed supporters. serious political problem for the White WARNING Fifth: Trump behaved terribly House if the president’s campaign Inshore : Expected thunder- First: It is highly likely that Trump agreement of Deputy Attorney storms and strong wind and his campaign didn’t collude with General Rod Rosenstein) found that during the investigation. No president, manager had been sentenced to prison at some areas the Russian government or its agents the evidence does not justify the and no person, can be expected to for the rest of his life. It is largely his Offshore : Expected thunder rain to infl uence the outcome of the 2016 conclusion that Trump had obstructed welcome an investigation into his opponents, by talking up fantasies /strong wind and high sea campaign. Special counsel Robert justice, period. The letter specifi cally conduct. Trump had every right, too, about Donald Trump Jr. being arrested, WEATHER Mueller didn’t fi nd evidence to suggest ruled out the possibility that Trump to pronounce his innocence and bat who have kept it from being one. Inshore : P cloudy to cloudy with that he did, and it’s reasonable to obstructed justice but could not back misleading media coverage and Those last two points suggest to me a chance of scattered rain may be thundery have a strong presumption that if it be indicted because he is a sitting Democratic rhetoric. But his attacks on that the president’s fl aws and excesses, at times and slight dust had happened, Mueller would have president. The full report, we can infer, Mueller _ he has said of Mueller’s team, and those of his critics, exacerbate at places. cold by night. discovered it and reported it. We tells a story about Trump’s actions and “They are a disgrace to our Nation and each other rather than canceling each Offshore : Cloudy with scattered rain maybe thundery should therefore conclude that it didn’t motives that is susceptible to multiple don’t care how many lives the ruin” _ other out. They make for a political at times happen. Of course, this conclusion interpretations _ which is to say that were unjust, and unhinged. Trump’s culture that is less and less conducive to WIND depends on Barr’s having summarized while the report may add more detail opponents sometimes wrote that these sensible governance. That the president Inshore : Southeasterly-North- easterly 10-20/30 KT the report accurately and fairly. to the arguments Americans have been presidential eruptions proved Trump did not collude with the Russians is Offshrore : Northeasterly - south- Second: While some Trump critics on having for the last two years about the had something to hide. The Barr letter very good news. The bad news is the easterly 15-25/36 KT Twitter are wishfully pointing out that fi ring of James Comey as director of adds to our reasons for thinking that slide of our politics into a pit of folly Visibility : 4-8/3 KM Barr’s letter isn’t the same as Mueller’s the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it no, they just confi rmed the personality and strife, and it is going to outlast the Offshore : 6-8/13 FT Russia-collusion controversy. report, the letter almost certainly won’t settle them. traits that led even many of the people Around the region summarised the report accurately and Fourth: Mueller was not engaged in who voted for Trump in 2016 to have Weather fairly. The letter was short and to the a witch hunt. There were legitimate serious reservations about him. zRamesh Ponnuru is a Bloomberg Weather tomorrow Max/min point, and it didn’t create much wiggle reasons to investigate Trump. Russia Sixth: Liberals, and sometimes Opinion columnist. He is a senior editor today Max/min M Sunny 22/11 room. Barr wouldn’t claim the report did, after all, interfere in the election. conservative Trump opponents, at National Review, visiting fellow at Baghdad S Showers 18/11 M Sunny 24/14 found no evidence of collusion unless it His campaign was full of shady repeatedly ran ahead of the evidence, the American Enterprise Institute and Kuwait CitySunny 26/14 M Sunny 24/19 did, because he would be found out and characters, several of whom are now in sometimes going so far as to label contributor to CBS News. Manama S T Storms 25/19 Muscat P Cloudy 30/25 P Cloudy 28/23 Tehran Rain 13/07 P Cloudy 14/07 Live issues Long-term hormone use tied to Alzheimer’s risk

By Lisa Rapaport 85,000 similar women without this tion of estrogen and progestogen, as Vaginal forms of hormone therapy Reuters Health diagnosis. Roughly 30 percent of women well as transdermal treatments, such as didn’t appear connected to Alzheimer’s in both groups used hormones; most patches, gels and creams. disease risk. Around the world took “systemic” hormones in tablet or Alzheimer’s disease is the most com- The study wasn’t a controlled ex- Weather Weather omen who take hormone pill forms but some used vaginal treat- mon cause of dementia among older periment designed to prove whether today Max/min tomorrow Max/min replacement therapy ments. adults. The progressive brain disorder or how HRT might directly increase Athens P Cloudy 21/08 S Showers 18/11 (HRT) to ease menopause Compared to women who didn’t use slowly erodes memory and thinking risk for Alzheimer’s. It also wasn’t Beirut P Cloudy 17/13 Rain 17/14 Wsymptoms like hot fl ashes systemic hormones, those who did were skills and eventually leaves people un- designed to determine whether Bangkok Cloudy 33/27 P Cloudy 32/27 and night sweats may be slightly more 9% to 17% more likely to develop Alzhe- able to handle basic tasks in daily life. certain doses or forms of hormone Berlin Cloudy 08/02 Showers 09/07 likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, a imer’s disease. The biggest risk was for Nearly all of the women in the study therapy might directly contribute to Cairo Sunny 23/12 Sunny 26/13 large Finnish study suggests. older women who used HRT for more who had Alzheimer’s were diagnosed at that risk. Cape Town P Cloudy 24/16 P Cloudy 23/16 Many women have been reluctant to than a decade. age 60 or older, and 56% of them were Evidence from this and other Colombo M Sunny 32/24 P Cloudy 32/25 use hormones for menopause symptoms “These fi ndings should not be a over 80 at the time of their diagnosis, research isn’t compelling enough to Dhaka M Sunny 35/23 P Cloudy 31/22 since 2002, when the Women’s Health cause for alarm,” said senior study researchers report in The BMJ. warn younger women to avoid HRT Hong Kong P Cloudy 23/20 P Cloudy 23/21 Initiative (WHI) study in the US linked author Dr Tomi Mikkola of Helsinki Three in four women with Alzheim- just because they’re concerned about Istanbul M Sunny 17/07 Cloudy 13/07 treatments containing man-made ver- University by email. “For the short- er’s who were taking HRT had been on Alzheimer’s disease, Dr JoAnn Manson Jakarta T Storm 31/25 T Storm 31/25 sions of the female hormones estrogen term management of hot fl ashes, hormones for more than 10 years when of Harvard Medical School and Brigham Karachi M Sunny 33/23 P Cloudy 33/23 and progestin to an increased risk of night sweats and disruptive sleep, the they were diagnosed. and Women’s Hospital in Boston writes London P Cloudy 14/03 P Cloudy 15/04 breast cancer, heart attacks and strokes. benefi ts of hormone therapy clearly In absolute terms, the researchers in an editorial. Manila M Sunny 34/26 P Cloudy 34/26 While some previous research has outweigh the risk.” calculate, HRT is associated with 9 to 18 “The randomised trials to date sup- Moscow Showers 06/-4 M Cloudy 03/-3 also linked HRT to an increased risk of Women typically go through meno- additional cases of Alzheimer’s disease port the cognitive safety of estrogen New Delhi Sunny 31/16 P Cloudy 33/20 dementia, results have been mixed and pause between ages 45 and 55. As the per year detected in every 10,000 therapy when taken in early meno- New York Sunny 09/-1 M Sunny 08/02 off ered little clarity about whether this ovaries curb hormone production, women ages 70 to 80, especially in those pause,” Manson said by email. “For Paris P Cloudy 13/02 P Cloudy 15/05 risk should help inform women’s deci- women can experience symptoms rang- who used hormone therapy for over 10 recently menopausal women seeking Sao Paulo P Cloudy 29/18 M Cloudy 25/18 sions about hormone use. ing from irregular periods and vaginal years. treatment for bothersome hot fl ashes Seoul P Cloudy 17/04 S Showers 14/03 The current study involved almost dryness to mood swings and insomnia. The type of oral HRT - estrogen only or night sweats, these observational Singapore S T Storms 33/26 S T Storms 33/26 85,000 women diagnosed with Alzhe- Diff erent types of hormone therapy or in combination with progestogen fi ndings should not discourage use of Sydney Sunny 23/17 M Cloudy 22/17 imer’s disease in Finland between 1999 are available, for example, tablets - didn’t appear to impact the risk of hormone therapy or materially infl uence Tokyo Cloudy 18/07 Clear 20/08 and 2013 and a control group of about containing estrogen only or a combina- Alzheimer’s. decision making.” Gulf Times 24 Tuesday, March 26, 2019 QATAR

HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari opens QMED 2019 as other dignitaries and off icials look on.

The award winners are seen with HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali Health minister fl ags off al-Hammadi and other dignitaries yesterday. PICTURES: Jayan Orma second edition of QMED Winners of Arab Award he second edition of Qatar In- and the Qatar Chamber of Commerce. innovations, and sharing best prac- for Humanities felicitated ternational Medical Devices Exhibition sponsors also include Al- tices in the medical field.” Tand Health Exhibition (QMED) fardan Medical with Northwestern Omar Hussain Alfardan, president was opened yesterday by HE the Min- Medicine (AMNM) and Ooredoo, & CEO of Alfardan Group, said, “This By Ayman Adly ister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mo- as main Strategic Sponsors; Naufar is the first time we are participating Staff Reporter hamed al-Kuwari at a ceremony at- Hospital and Sharq Medical Supply as Alfardan Medical with Northwest- tended by diplomats and a number of as Diamond Sponsors; Germin MED ern Medicine’s (AMNM) at QMED. It other dignitaries from the local and and Aljazeera Medical Group as Gold is a great platform for us, and I look he Arab Center for Research international medical sectors. Sponsors, Qatar Free Zone Author- forward to discussions with our ex- and Policy Studies announced QMED brings more than 40 exhibi- ity and Qatar Red Crescent as Silver perts and I welcome everyone to our Tyesterday the winners of the tors from countries including Qatar, Sponsors and Boom Waste Treatment interactive booth at QMED’s exhibi- Arab Award for the Humanities and Turkey, the US, Switzerland, Thailand as Bronze Sponsor. tion.” Social Science to coincide with the and the UK to showcase the latest Khalifa al-Mohannadi of Sogha AMNM had a condensed line-up of conclusion of the 7th Humanities and technologies in the medical sector. Exhibitions & Conferences, said, symposia covering a range of pressing Social Sciences Conference. Organised by Sogha Exhibitions “QMED has succeeded in attracting a medical issues on the opening day. A large number of participants at and Conferences, the three-day event number of VIPs and leading names in Today, Reviva Medical Services will the three-day conference attended is being held at the Qatar National the international and local healthcare also cover a series of topics related the award ceremony alongside HE Convention Centre. sector, thus quickly establishing itself to various new therapy technologies, the Minister of Education and Higher This year’s Edition of QMED is sup- as an ideal platform for knowledge- and in parallel, Naufar Hospital will Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed ported by the Qatar National Tourism transfer and discussions around the talk all about addiction as a disease Ali al-Hammadi, The Arab Center for Council, Qatar Diabetes Association, healthcare industry, latest technical and proven methods of treatment. Research and Policy Studies general director Azmi Bishara, a number of researchers, and dignitaries. Morad Diani, a researcher at the Center who was the presenter at the A view of the audience at the event. ceremony, said this edition of the conference enjoyed the participation He also pointed that Qatar has world countries. He said that the The of more than 500 researchers in re- played a great role in supporting such Arab Center for Research and Policy lated fi elds. eff orts, enhancing the dedicated work Studies has played a signifi cant role in The previous editions of the con- through the generous funds allocated developing serious work in these ar- ference have produced 500 books, in to the process. eas and has managed to attract a good addition to a good number of related number from students and research- specialised periodicals, off ering Arab The previous editions of the ers from diff erent countries due to its researchers in the fi eld a wealth of in- conference have produced 500 prestigious position. formation and resources that would books, in addition to a good He pointed out that though the help them further improve the quality number of related specialised main topic of this year’s edition is and quantity of their work. periodicals rather theoretical, it could be utilised He stressed that the Arab Award of to lay the foundations for more prac- the Humanities and Social Science, Similarly Dr Fahmi Jadaan, chair- tical studies that address issues of given by the Center at the conclu- man of the Award Committee and vis- pressing signifi cance for the modern sion of each conference, has become iting professor at the Center, praised society, which, in turn, would help in one of the most important drivers and the eff orts of Qatar in supporting the off ering the parties concerned the due incentives for research in humani- eff orts of promoting studies and re- support. ties and social science, besides being search in humanities and social sci- He said that the Center is keen on a source for serious and quality work ence, which far exceeds the alloca- publishing its researches and studies in the fi eld. tions by many Arab and developing to spread its message far and wide. Omar Hussain Alfardan with other off icials at AMNM pavilion. PICTURES: Jayan Orma

What’s cooking? QFFD, QC sign agreement with WFP

atar Fund for Development assistant CEO for International Op- which is particularly necessary in cri- (QFFD) and Qatar Charity (QC) erations and Partnerships at QC; and ses countries such as Yemen.” Qhave signed an agreement with David Beasley, executive director of the Al-Alfhidh noted, “This agreement the World Food Programme (WFP) to World Food Programme. demonstrates the strength of this stra- support WFP’s humanitarian activities The agreement is part of the eff orts tegic partnership and the co-ordina- in Yemen, in line with their strategic of Qatar, through QFFD and QC, to tion between Qatar Charity and Qatar plan. respond to the humanitarian catas- Fund for Development, and also re- This will be done by supporting pop- trophe caused by the ongoing confl ict fl ects the scope of the growing partner- ulations suff ering from food insecurity in Yemen, by supporting the WFP in ship with the World Food Programme. and ensuring their minimum nutrition- delivering essential humanitarian and “It (the agreement) also reinforces the al requirements in Yemen’s urban and basic needs in line with the assessment three-party co-operation initiative to semi-urban areas, at an estimated total of the Yemen humanitarian response achieve common humanitarian goals cost of $2.945mn. plan for 2019. that help and protect people aff ected The projects are estimated to benefi t “We are proud of the strong and by crises around the world.” more than 256,000 people in various strategic partnerships of QFFD and QC Beasley praised the eff orts of Qa- governorates in Yemen, according to a with World Food Programme Qatar’s tar in the fi eld of humanitarian work press statement. continuous eff orts, which consistently across the world, especially in crisis The agreement was signed on behalf advocates for addressing humanitar- areas, noting the distinctive role played of QFFD by Abdulaziz bin Ahmed al- ian needs and answering to the needs by QFFD and QC in this fi eld. “We are Maliki, Qatar’s ambassador to Italy and of people around the world, including proud of our co-operation and part- Permanent Representative of the State refugees,” said al-Maliki. nership with the humanitarian actors of Qatar to United Nations agencies in “I also commend the active role of in Qatar, which has signifi cantly grown Rome; Faisal bin Rashid al-Alfhidh, the WFP in delivering food assistance, in recent years,’’ he said.

The Qatar International Food Festival continued at Oxygen Park yesterday as visitors of diff erent ages enjoyed mouthwatering dishes as well as a wide range of attractions and activities. The annual event, organised by the Qatar National Tourism Council, runs until March 30. PICTURE: Ram Chand

Thundery rain and strong winds in some areas today

Thunderstorms and strong winds are there is a chance of scattered rain, Yesterday, the minimum temperature expected in some areas today, the Qatar which may become thundery at times, was 22C in Wakrah, Al Khor, Dukhan and Met department has said. Off shore while slight dust is also expected in other places, while in Doha it was 23C. areas, too, are likely to see thundery some places. It will be cold by night. The maximum was 35C in Abu Samra rain today along with windy conditions Cloudy conditions will prevail off shore and 29C in Doha. The Met department and high seas, according to the weather and there could be scattered rain in had earlier said unsettled weather and off ice. The wind speed may go up to 36 those areas, which may turn at times. rain are expected in the country until knots at times off shore and 30 knots The minimum temperature today is tomorrow due to the extension of a inshore, while the sea level may rise to expected to be 21C in Doha, Al Khor and low-pressure system over the region. 13ft. other places, while the maximum will Parts of the country received some rain The detailed forecast for today says be 34C in Abu Samra, 32C in Dukhan yesterday and dusty conditions were Dignitaries at the agreement-signing ceremony. it will be cloudy in inshore areas and and 28C in Doha. also reported.