Qatar Residents Are Still Victims of Saudi Measures

BUSINESSBUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Barshim up for a ‘fi ght’ for Qatar debt ratio to supremacy stay ‘stable’ this year, says Fitch in Oslo published in QATAR since 1978

THURSDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10842 June 7, 2018 Ramadan 22, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir meets Omani foreign minister

In brief QSF lines up

QATAR | Communications CRA sounds alert on donation messages People should not share their special events financial information for donations if they “receive a call, message or voice note from someone claiming to represent a charity organisation on WhatsApp or any similar app”, the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) tweeted yesterday. for Eid al-Fitr QATAR | Crackdown atar Summer Festival (QSF) is Hyatt Plaza, Landmark Mall and Mall An individual entry ticket costs MEC shuts food outlet set to return for its fi fth edi- of Qatar. QR15 and a day pass is QR150. Indi- for selling rotten fi sh Qtion from June 14 to August Lagoona Mall is also participating vidual game prices range from QR10 to The Ministry of Economy and 31 with an array of family-friendly with special World Cup activities, al- QR35. Commerce (MEC) has closed a activities, entertainment shows and lowing shoppers to watch the tourna- Retailers at 11 participating malls food establishment in the Umm shopping off ers across the country, ment’s matches live. will be offering up to 50% discounts Ghuwailina area of Doha for a Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has The QSF family favourite returns to and special promotions. For every month for selling and displaying announced. open its doors to the public on the fi rst QR200 spent at any of the outlets rotten fish. The country’s longest festival, day of Eid. Spread out over the expan- in QSF’s participating malls, shop- themed “Colour Your Summer,” in- sive ground fl oor of the Doha Exhibi- pers can enter three raffle draws for BRITAIN | Emergency vites residents and visitors to kick off tion and Convention Centre, the City’s a chance to win one of 27 cash prizes the season’s festivities with special Eid key features include the world’s largest worth QR2mn or a Lamborghini Hur- No injuries reported His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met yesterday evening al-Fitr celebrations, to be held over the bouncy castle, an 18-hole mini-golf ricane (2018 model) super car. All in London hotel fi re with the visiting Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Aff airs Yousuf bin Alawi fi rst week of QSF. course, an ice skating rink, exciting throughout QSF, nearly 50 of Qatar’s A blaze at the 12-storey luxury bin Abdullah. At the beginning of the meeting at Al Bahr Palace, Alawi conveyed “The summer festivities form a key rides, skill games, video games, as well five- and four-star hotels are provid- Mandarin Oriental hotel in the greetings of Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman to the Amir, wishing him good health part of our eff orts to energise the tour- as live entertainment shows. ing a range of offers and discounts on London district of Knightsbridge and happiness and the Qatari people further progress and prosperity. For his part, ism sector through diversifying Qatar’s Visitors to the City will also be able brunches, beach and pool access, ac- prompted a major response from the Amir entrusted the Omani minister to convey his greetings to Sultan Qaboos, events calendar and tourist source to keep up with the World Cup excite- commodation and spa treatments. To emergency services yesterday, but wishing him good health and well-being and the brotherly Omani people more markets,” QTA’s festivals and tourism ment through while enjoying food, find out which hotel is offering what, no injuries were reported. Page 18 progress and prosperity. The meeting reviewed the brotherly relations between events director Mashal Shahbik said. beverage and shopping options. It will guests can visit qatarsummerfesti- the two countries and ways to boost them as well as a number of issues of mutual From the fi rst to the fi fth day of Eid be open daily from 2pm to 11pm. val.qa. interest. Page 5 al-Fitr, QSF’s participating malls will be putting on special free entertain- ment shows for shoppers and families Qatar to launch 2018 FIFA World Cup fan zone looking for some indoor fun. In addition, the following shows will The Supreme Committee for Delivery the FIFA World Cup in 2022. be performed three times a day on ro- & Legacy (SC), the Ministry of Culture Held in one of the country’s landmark Qatar overcame siege in tation at all participating malls: The and Sports (MCS) and Qatar Tourism multi-purpose indoor sports venues, Fluff y Bears (20 minutes); Aladdin & Authority (QTA) are joining forces the fan zone will screen live matches The Genie (25 minutes); Beauty & The to launch a 2018 FIFA World Cup from the 2018 FIFA World Cup while its early days, Cabinet told Beast Adventure Parade (30 minutes); fan zone at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah off ering visitors family-friendly Madagascar: A Musical Adventure (45 Arena this summer. entertainment, delicious food and atar was able to overcome the cy (QNA) reported. minutes); and Disney Princesses Pa- Set to open on June 14 and run until numerous football-related activities. siege in its early days and con- He highlighted the strength and ro- rade (45 minutes). July 15, the Qatar Fan Zone will be The fan zone will also showcase Qtinue with its development bustness of the Qatari economy and For a fl avour of local tradition, the one of the key highlights of the fifth Qatar’s passion for football and give projects, the Cabinet was told yester- how it was not aff ected by the siege. He Qatari Ardha dance (20 minutes) can Qatar Summer Festival (QSF). visitors an opportunity to experience day. also stressed the trust the international also be enjoyed across malls this Eid. The fan zone will give people a taste the excitement of a FIFA World Cup HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Ab- community has in the economy, as con- QSF’s participating malls include Al of the atmosphere they can expect four years before the biggest event dullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Tha- fi rmed by the reports of international Khor Mall, Al Mirqab Mall, B Square when Qatar hosts the next edition of in sport is held on these shores. ni, who chaired the Cabinet’s weekly fi scal institutions and organisations. Mall, Doha Festival City, Gulf Mall, meeting yesterday at the Amiri Diwan, HE Sheikh Abdullah reiterated his RAMADAN THOUGHT made the observation during a speech appreciation for the wise stance of His he delivered to mark the completion of Highness the Amir – both internal and The likeness of those who take (false one year since the unjust siege was im- external – in dealing with the Gulf cri- deities as) Auliya (protectors, helpers) posed on Qatar. sis by resorting to dialogue “within the other than Allah is the likeness of a Mauritanian senate leader denied Umrah visa After the meeting, HE the Minister framework of the principles of inter- spider who builds (for itself) a house; of Justice and Acting Minister of State national law governing international he Saudi Arabian embassy in the giving the reason the Senate his country cutting relations but verily, that frailest (weakest) of for Cabinet Aff airs Dr Hassan Lahdan relations between States”, the report Mauritanian capital Nouakchott for the denial. with Qatar and that he still believes the houses is the spider’s house – if they Saqr al-Mohannadi gave the details of states. “These principles are led by has denied a visa to Mohamed In an article, blockade against Qatar is unjust. but knew. (Qur’an 29:41) T the day’s proceedings. mutual equality and justice between Ould el-Hadj, vice-chairman of the el-Hadj accused He pointed out that he has told the Prayer times The prime minister stressed that countries, protecting their sovereignty Mauritanian Senate, for perform- the Saudi embassy Saudi Foreign Minister that he has “with the help of Allah, the sound and non-interference in internal af- ing the Umrah (minor pilgrimage to of distributing gone too far by describing the Hamas Fajr....3.14 Zuhr....11.33 Asr....2.56 guidance and wise directives of His fairs,” he added. Makkah). “complimentary Islamic Resistance Movement as a ter- Maghrib.....6.25 Isha.....7.55 Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Meanwhile, the Cabinet said facts Al Jazeera.net has reported that visas to private rorist organisation. The Mauritanian Hamad al-Thani, Qatar was able to proved the justice and fairness of Qa- Ould el-Hadj (pictured) followed the and public pil- senator further pointed out that he Fasting times overcome the siege in its early days, tar’s position and that the siege coun- formal procedures through the offi cial grims and holi- says more than that to French authori- Iftar today ...... 6.25pm overcome its negative eff ects and con- tries lacked any convincing argument channels at the Mauritanian Ministry daymakers” while refusing it to genu- ties but still gets a French visa and the Imsak tomorrow...... 3.04am tinue development programmes and or logic to impose their illegal siege. of Foreign Aff airs but the Saudi em- ine people. same applies to the rest of the coun- projects”, the offi cial Qatar News Agen- To Page 11 bassy refused him the visa, without He said recently he had opposed in tries of the civilised world. Qatar residents are still victims of Saudi measures O New Saudi statement zens and residents to perform Haj and a number of cases of people being pre- these statements have no basis in real- The committee reiterated its earlier stance in this regard, including the Umrah, stressing that the kingdom vented from performing Umrah in the ity or clear and specifi c mechanisms to demands - to allow Qatari citizens and urgent call issued by the UN Special a ploy to deflate continues to impose obstacles and ar- past period. The ministry has also re- be implemented.” residents to perform their religious rit- Rapporteur and the statement issued international pressure bitrary measures that single out those ceived complaints that some Qatari cit- The committee said this confi rms the uals, especially that there are only two by Amnesty International, criticising living in Qatar out of the rest of the izens who tried to communicate with ongoing politicisation of religious rites, months left for Haj. preventing of Qatari pilgrims from QNA Muslim world. the certifi ed Haj and Umrah companies which is a clear violation of Article No The committee asked the Saudi au- performing their religious rituals. Doha The ministry backed its statement in Saudi Arabia were ignored. 18 of the Universal Declaration of Hu- thorities to agree with Qatar’s Minis- NHRC said these are important steps with a number of issues that remain The ministry has renewed its call man Rights, Article No 18 of the Inter- try of Endowment and Islamic Aff airs on the matter with regards to interna- unresolved. Some of them were the on the designated authorities in Saudi national Covenant on Civil and Politi- on clear and specifi c mechanisms to tional mechanisms of human rights he Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic fact that reaching Jeddah by road from Arabia to separate religious rights from cal Rights (ICCPR), Article No 30 of the facilitate Haj and Umrah procedures. in the UN and called on international Aff airs yesterday expressed its Doha was not possible due to the clos- political disputes, especially during the Arab Charter on Human Rights (ACHR) In addition to opening the electronic organisations to intensify efforts to Tsurprise at a statement by the ing of the land border and the non- blessed days of the holy month. and Article No 6 of the GCC Human registration of pilgrims from Qatar and end the politicisation of religious Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah re- availability of direct air travel from Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Declaration. providing them with visas through the rituals. garding the rights of citizens and resi- Doha to Jeddah, which represents a Rights Committee (NHRC) said there NHRC stressed the Saudi state- embassy of Oman in Doha, the com- Despite the silence of institutions dents of Qatar in practising Islamic rit- burden on pilgrims in general and the is nothing new about the recent state- ment is only a new manoeuvre follow- mittee demanded opening of the bor- such as the Organisation of Islamic Co- uals in the holy land. The ministry said elderly in particular. The ministry also ment made by the Saudi ministry. ing the international condemnation of ders, allowing direct fl ights, allowing operation, the Arab League, the Gulf the statement did not contain anything noted that the entry of citizens and In a statement, NHRC said Saudi Saudi attitude towards Qatari pilgrims. fi nancial transfers between Haj opera- Co-operation Council and the Muslim new to resolve the obstacles that have residents of Qatar into Saudi Arabia Arabia is just trying to improve its im- “Those who tried to go to Makkah to tors in the two countries and allowing World League, the committee said it existed since June 5, 2017. was subject to the whims of the desig- age through this announcement and perform Umrah during the year were the use of Qatari currency in Saudi Ara- will continue its international eff orts In a statement, the ministry denied nated employees. other statements in this regard and to stopped, questioned, treated in humili- bia. to condemn and hold Saudi authorities claims that Qatar did not enable citi- The ministry said it has documented show that it is cooperating. “However ating ways and returned back.” The NHRC welcomed the global accountable for these violations.

Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 5

Qatar-Oman relations reviewed

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani held an off icial round of talks with Oman’s Minister Responsible for Foreign Aff airs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, in Doha on Tuesday. They discussed bilateral relations and ways of developing them, in addition to issues of joint interest.

Qatar’s achievements best proof of siege failure, says minister

atar’s achievements economic independence. sim bin Mohamed al-Thani fi eld control and market in- during the past peri- He added that Qatar is wit- pointed out that the Ministry spection campaigns to pro- Qod are the best proof nessing the beginning of a of Economy and Commerce tect consumer rights, pre- of the failure of the unjust bright future under the guid- was keen to activate the in- vent fraud and monopoly siege which only further ance of His Highness the Amir stitutional work and develop practices, and control the consolidated people rallying Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- mechanisms of co-ordination prices and quality of goods behind the country’s lead- Thani, for building the coun- with all concerned parties to in the market, he said. ership and deepened faith in try’s economic independence, achieve the goals of the proac- The phases also included the capabilities of Qatar and protecting its national security tive plan through several stag- strengthening the State’s its citizens, HE the Minister and enhancing its bilateral re- es, including: diversifi cation of strategic stock of com- of Economy and Commerce lations with all countries of the sources of imports of products modities and logistics by Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim world. and food commodities and ac- launching initiatives aimed bin Mohamed al-Thani. Since the early hours of tivating partnerships and stra- at enhancing Qatar’s drive Talking to Qatar News the siege, various state bod- tegic agreements concluded by towards self-suffi ciency in Agency (QNA) on the occa- ies have been implement- Qatar with various countries commodities and foodstuff s sion of the fi rst year of the ing a pre-emptive plan that of the world in order to meet all in partnership with the pri- unjust siege imposed on has been in place for many requirements and needs of the vate sector. Qatar, the Minister said the years in anticipation of any local market since the fi rst day He pointed to the Minis- entire world acknowledged regional or global economic of the blockade. try’s keenness to establish the strength, determina- crises, the Minister pointed It was keen as well to the executive frameworks tion and will of Qatar and out, adding that the plan provide logistical support for the “National Product” its steadfastness and pride aims at ensuring the con- services for the supply of initiative, which is one of since 5 June 2017 against all tinuous fl ow of goods, serv- foodstuff s and goods and the eff orts to support the attempts to intervene in its ices and food products to all support shipments and dis- marketing of products of aff airs and violate its sov- citizens and residents. tribution to all commercial national companies and ereignty and national and HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Jas- outlets of the state, tighten stimulate them to produce. Gulf Times 6 Thursday, June 7, 2018 QATAR

Russian honour for commander of Joint Special Forces

Commander of the Joint Special Forces Brigadier General Hamad bin Abdullah al-Futtais al-Marri met Russia’s Director of Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugaev in Doha yesterday. The meeting dealt with issues of mutual interest, in addition to discussing technical co-operation between Qatar and Russia and means of enhancing them. During the meeting, Russia’s Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Co-operation Dmitry Shugaev awarded a distinguished decoration to the Brigadier General Hamad bin Abdullah al-Futtais al-Marri, in recognition of his eff orts in the field of military co-operation between Qatar and Russia. Russian ambassador to Qatar Nurmakhamad Kholov and a number of senior Joint Special Forces off icers attended the meeting.

Siege brings out creative energies in Qatar

he unjust siege im- He said that Qatari writ- rum and its main objectives, Ministry in the printing of posed on Qatar has ers and authors enjoy free- HE al-Ali stated that the books and the decline in Thighlighted the crea- dom of speech, that their objectives of this resolution the number of publications tive energies in the country words are appreciated at all revolve around the message currently, HE al-Ali said and revealed to the world levels, and that the Minis- of the forum in support of that the Ministry of Cul- the potentials of Qatari so- try of Culture and Sports the vision of the Ministry of ture and Sports is currently ciety in various fi elds, HE provides all the support for Culture and Sports towards working to provide the op- the Minister of Culture and their prosperity and growth. a conscious society with “an portunity for the private Sports Salah bin Ghanem The Minister said that authentic conscience and a sector and the community bin Nasser al-Ali has said. the Qatari authors’ forum healthy body”. to launch their initiatives. Addressing the fi rst an- was established for the ad- He stressed that the fo- The Ministry provides an nual meeting of the Qatari vancement of writers and rum serves this vision, and incubator environment for authors’ forum, the Min- authors through meetings, the Ministry provides an creativity in various fi elds, ister said that the cur- seminars, workshops and incubator environment for he added. rent generation led by His partnerships with diff erent creativity through its vari- HE al-Ali said that the Highness the Amir Sheikh institutions. ous departments and cen- opening of Dar Al Kutub Al Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani In response to a question tres. Qatariya, after its restora- will leave a more powerful by Qatar News Agency (QNA) Regarding the role of the tion, will be a new platform Qatar for future genera- on the decision to adopt the Department of Research for authors’ meetings and tions. statutes of Qatari authors’ fo- and Cultural Studies in the activities. – QNA

Gulf Times 8 Thursday, June 7, 2018 QATAR Law on commercial registry to be amended

QNA the business community. tional Civil Aviation Organisa- It also approved a draft law of Administrative Development, nautical College in Qatar and ments for holders of diplomatic Doha In accordance with the tion (ICAO) and the provisions amending certain provisions of Labour and Social Aff airs; Min- the Mohammed VI International and private passports between amendment, the period of regis- of the Convention on Interna- Decree Law No 14 of 1993 con- istry of Culture and Sports; and Civil Aviation Academy in Mo- Qatar and Peru; tration in the Commercial Reg- tional Civil Aviation. cerning passports. Doha International Center for rocco; z A draft agreement between he weekly Cabinet meet- istry shall be determined by a It also approved a draft Amiri The Cabinet approved a draft Interfaith Dialogue. z A draft memorandum of un- the governments of Qatar and ing, chaired by HE the decision of the Cabinet, accord- decision on the reorganisation of decision of the Council of Min- It also approved a draft decla- derstanding in the fi eld of hous- El Salvador on regulating the TPrime Minister Sheikh ing to the nature or type of activ- the Civil Aviation Authority. isters to restructure the National ration prepared by the Standing ing between the governments of employment of workers from El Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa ity subject to the registration. The Council of Ministers also Committee for the Alliance of Committee of the Convention of Qatar and Morocco; Salvador in Qatar. al-Thani, yesterday ordered that This period may be renewed. approved a draft Amiri decision Civilizations. the Law of the Sea on the exclu- z A draft supplementary proto- The Cabinet reviewed the fol- necessary measures be taken to At the request of the party on setting up aircraft accidents Under the terms of the draft sive economic zone of Qatar. col in the fi eld of supervision and lowing two topics and adopted issue a draft law amending some concerned, the competent de- and incidents investigation unit. decision, the committee will be The Cabinet ordered that nec- control of fi nancial institutions the appropriate resolution: provisions of Decree Law No 25 partment shall renew the regis- As per the draft decision, an reconstituted under the chair- essary actions be taken to ratify: under the memorandum of under- z A proposal for the establish- of 2005 regarding the Commer- tration accordingly. independent unit called the air- manship of HE the Deputy Prime z A draft memorandum of standing between Qatar Central ment of an early warning com- cial Registry. The Cabinet also approved a craft accidents and accidents Minister and Minister of Foreign understanding on the establish- Bank and Bank of Morocco. mittee on food; The Cabinet’s move came af- draft law amending some pro- investigation unit shall be es- Aff airs, the representative of ment of a joint ministerial trade The Council of Ministers also z A message from the Min- ter it reviewed the recommenda- visions of Law No 15 of 2002 tablished under HE the Minister Qatar to the Alliance of Civiliza- committee between the govern- approved: istry of Transport and Com- tion of the Advisory Council on regarding civil aviation and re- of Transport and Communica- tions as Vice-Chairman and the ments of Qatar and Morocco; z A draft agreement between munications on the fi rst report the draft law. ferred it to the Advisory Council. tions. membership of a representative z A memorandum of under- the governments of Qatar and regarding the results of the work The Ministry of Economy and This amendment comes with- It shall have a legal personality of: Ministry of Foreign Aff airs; standing for the preparation, Tunisia on air services between of the coordinating committee Commerce had prepared the draft in the framework of modernising and a separate budget annexed Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic training and qualifi cation of their territories and beyond; between the bodies operating law within the context of facilitat- the law in accordance with the to the Ministry of Transport and Aff airs; Ministry of Education cadres to work in airlines, air- z A draft agreement on the in Hamad International Airport ing requirements for investors and requirements of the Interna- Communications. and Higher Education; Ministry ports between the Qatar Aero- cancellation of visa require- from 10/10/2017 to 31/03/2018. Minister meets Paraguay envoy Work of humanitarian assistance committee ‘not aff ected by siege’

QNA receiving humanitarian aid. and local traders and their professional training it has Doha In an interview with co-operation in providing achieved, enabling it to ob- QNA, al-Qahtani point- all the requirements within tain the international clas- ed out that the Standing a few hours depending on sifi cation “heavy” by the he Standing Com- Committee for Rescue, their stocks. International Search and mittee for Rescue, Relief and Humanitarian Rescue Advisory Group TRelief and Humani- Assistance, since its es- During the fi rst year of (INSARAG) of the United tarian Assistance has ex- tablishment in 2008, has the illegal blockade, Nations. It is the 45th team pressed its readiness to as- built dozens of air bridges the committee had in the world to receive this sist in any medical or relief and launched relief aid undertaken major recognition he said. emergencies with an open campaigns to more than relief operations The Standing Committee for budget despite the unjust 40 countries around the Rescue, Relief and Humanitar- blockade imposed on Qatar. world, adding that the av- He pointed out that ian Assistance is composed of The Chairman of the erage size of the shipment Qatar, despite the unjust the relevant bodies headed by HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi met yesterday with ambassador of Paraguay committee Brigadier Mahdi is 50 tonnes at a time, blockade, has not failed to Lekhwiya and its members are to Qatar Angel Ramon Barchini. The meetings discussed a number of regional issues, as well as issues of mutual Mutlaq al-Qahtani stressed transported by C-17 and perform its charitable and Ministry of Defence, Ministry of concern. that the work of the com- C-130 air cargo aircraft and humanitarian duties in the Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Inte- mittee was not aff ected distributed by the Interna- face of disasters world over, rior, Ministry of Economy and during the blockade as the tional Search and Rescue and the country has always Commerce, Ministry of Health, committee carried out four Advisory Group. been at the forefront of do- Civil Aviation Authority, Qatar rescue and relief operations Al-Qahtani added that nors that provide assistance Media Co-operation and Regu- in Iraq last November and in during the fi rst year of the and respond to the relief of latory Authority for Charitable Somalia, Kenya and Sierra illegal blockade, the com- aff ected countries that need Activities. Leone at the beginning of mittee had undertaken development, rescue or re- The committee is respon- this year, pointing out that major relief operations, in- lief around the world. sible for developing strate- the impact of the Gulf cri- cluding building bridges of Al-Qahtani praised the gies and plans for rescue sis aff ected only flight times air assistance and rescue International Search and and relief operations, deter- as the blockading countries operations in Sierra Leone, Rescue Group of Lekhwiya mining the extent of damage closed their airspace to Qa- Somalia, Iraq and Kenya. force, which supports the and needs, providing vari- tari aviation, which nega- In this context, he praised commission in all its tasks, ous humanitarian assist- tively aff ects the countries the role of Qatari factories for the level of high and ance to friendly countries. Total, partners’ seminar discusses HSE issues

otal Qatar’s recently held ‘HSE for Manag- Ters’ training seminar, for senior managers in the Health, Safety and Environ- ment (HSE) & Operational divisions, has tackled vari- ous issues. The three-day seminar gathered 55 managers from major energy companies in Qatar in the oil, gas, and petrochemicals fi eld and from Total worldwide. It served as a platform to focus on the HSE roles of managers. The main issues discussed ranged from HSE stakes and responsibilities, what is ex- pected from managers, HSE leadership and management towards an integrated safety culture, and a wide range of other HSE issues. Other topics included Technological Risk Man- agement, Impact of Or- ganisational Silence, Legal Stakes and Responsibilities, Recognition Policies, and Total’s Societal Manage- ment Policies, and CSR in Qatar. The seminar’s agenda consist of interactive work- shops, simulation exercises, case studies, and brain- Participants of the ‘HSE for Managers’ seminar. storming sessions. In addition to the core Safety, Environment, Se- play when it comes to safe- presentations, networking curity & Quality (HSES- ty – it is a collective effort. events were also organised Q) manager at Total Qatar, Safety is the cornerstone as part of the agenda. welcomed all participants of operational excellence, Local and international and emphasised on how and we must base all our guest experts conducted safety should not only be efforts accordingly. And engaging presentations, limited to those working this seminar enables us to while sharing their respec- in HSE, “but is important share our common core tive safety culture experi- in every division, and not value – safety. As manag- ences. only in our operations and ers, we must be pioneers in In his opening remarks, sites.” HSE and lead by example,” Christophe Dubau, Health, “Everyone has a role to he said. Christophe Dubau Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 9 QATAR

Off icials and dignitaries after the opening of the new Lexus showroom. New Lexus showroom opens

bdullah Abdulghani & Bros Co (AAB) has announced Athe offi cial inauguration of its new state-of-the-art Lexus showroom on C Ring Road. AAB chairman Dr Nasser Ab- dulghani al-Abdulghani, acting CEO RK Murugan, Lexus senior marketing manager Firas Mufti, Toyota Motor Corporation’s East Asia, Oceania & ME Region CEO Nobuhiko Murakami, Japanese ambassador Seiichi Otsuka and other dignitaries were present. In his welcome speech, Dr al- Abdulghani said, “In celebration of our 60th year anniversary we at Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros Co. will continue to set new standards in luxury and premium service with the launch of our newest and An interior view of the new Lexus showroom opened by AAB. Right: Off icials from AAB and Toyota Motor Corporation and other dignitaries at the most technologically advanced ribbon-cutting. Lexus showroom in the region.” “The new showroom will in- lounge located on the fi rst fl oor tomers has always been our top Co. will surpass the boundaries of can be displayed, including 22 new dulge our guests with its emotion- will be their home away from priority. The biggest gift we can of- limitation to simply make you expe- ones on the ground fl oor and 12 pre- al texture and Japanese ambience. home with complimentary fi nger fer our customers today is the total rience amazing!” owned on the basement fl oor. These designs use the highest of food, sweets and beverages from ownership experience of driving a The showroom is spread across The ground fl oor consists of quality furniture to merge with our Lexus Cafe in addition to Lex- Lexus. “Catering to owners from the ground fl oor measuring modern amenities ranging from a the luxurious image of the Lexus us reading material to captivate all segments and having the larg- 2,900sqm, the fi rst fl oor measuring reception area, waiting lounges, ex- brand. their minds. est hybrid range in the region we at 1,200sqm and the basement fl oor clusive sales consultant desks and “An exclusive Lexus owners “Our commitment to our cus- Lexus Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros of 1,400sqm. A total of 34 vehicles individual delivery areas. Qatar Airways gets ready for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia

Triple-daily services to Moscow and daily flights to St Petersburg

ith the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia just a week away, WQatar Airways is preparing to unite football fans from around the world as it begins the offi cial count- down to the World Cup. With the fi rst World Cup match set to kick off on June 14 in Moscow, FIFA’s offi cial partner and offi cial airline will bring fans from across the world to Russia to celebrate their love for foot- ball by taking part in one of the most highly-anticipated events on the global sports calendar. Qatar Airways will bring fans from across the world to Russia for the FIFA World “This year’s tournament is es- Cup 2018. pecially exciting, as it is the first to take place in Russia, an extremely gether, and there is no greater event more than 20mn views across the air- important market to us,” Qatar Air- than the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia line’s social media platforms, includ- ways Group Chief Executive Akbar to celebrate a love for football,” al- ing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and al-Baker said. Baker added. YouTube. “In the past year, we have extended Last week, Qatar Airways launched To celebrate the upcoming World our reach in Russia by launching new a new 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Cup with fans and passengers, the daily services to St Petersburg, Rus- campaign, featuring a re-recording of airline launched a social media cam- sia’s glittering cultural capital, com- the classic song, Dancing in the Street paign last month titled, ‘FIFA Fan plementing our triple-daily services sung by renowned singer and TV star Match’. Participants were asked to to Moscow,” he noted. Nicole Scherzinger. describe themselves using five emojis “As an airline, we believe in the The upbeat TV commercial has for a chance to win tickets to watch power of sports to bring people to- seen tremendous global success, with the semi-finals in St Petersburg.

Now, PuriCare air purifi ers at LG brand shops

G PuriCare range of air purifi ers, with the highest and toddlers. The LG Puri- certifi cation from the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Care range is equipped with LAssociation, are available at LG brand shops, Jumbo a smart PM 1.0 and gas sen- Electronics, Spark Lifestyle Electronics and leading hyper- sor that provide real-time markets, it was announced yesterday. readings of indoor odours The certifi cation recognises LG PuriCare air purifi er’s and particulate levels. The ability to remove nearly 100% of all airborne particles, in- colour-coded Distinct cluding ultra-fi ne dust, harmful gases like formaldehyde, Odour Level Indicator in- smog, and allergens that could cause asthma or aff ect those dependently displays and already suff ering from respiratory illnesses, it was explained controls the odour qual- in a statement. ity indoors, even when the LG PuriCare off ers 360 degree six step comprehensive fi l- air pollution level is at its tration while its clean boost technology further enhances the cleanest. range of coverage. Filtration is carried out in the order of large The LG PuriCare range dust removal, dust storm/ultra-fi ne dust removal, allergy re- can be managed using the moval, living environment odours, including ammonia, Vol- SmartThinQ app (avail- atile Organic Compounds, and smog compounds. able on Android and iOS). LG PuriCare air purifier. Conventionally, air purifi ers are designed to distribute air SmartThinQ has an intel- using convectional currents, sending air up and around for ligent algorithm that re- spatial coverage. However, this method does not distribute members usage habits and data to better anticipate the users’ air evenly at ground level, which is usually where toddlers needs. Using the app, one can check in on his/her PuriCare play or crawl. LG’s specially designed PuriCare air purifi ers air purifi er from anywhere, monitoring the dust level, fi lter have independently operational lower ducts to ensure that maintenance and even get alerts on the air quality inside the clean, fi ltered air is distributed at the ideal height for infants home as detected by PuriCare’s myriad sensors. Gulf Times 10 Thursday, June 7, 2018 QATAR QFC premieres QLC launches leadership Ice Cream

he Qatar Financial Centre’s (QFC) has Tpremiered its short fi lm Ice Cream, which tells a education programme powerful human story that captures the daily life of a atar Leadership Centre Qatari family. (QLC) and Georgetown The fi lm – which is directed QUniversity have an- by A J al-Thani, an award win- nounced an Executive Master’s ning young Qatari fi lmmaker, Programme in Leadership, Pol- and produced by Qatar Fi- icy and Innovation. The nine- nancial Center (QFC) – was month programme will begin in screened at the recent QFC’s September. annual Suhoor, attended by A poster of Ice Cream. HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint representatives of its regis- Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, tered fi rms, media and other ment. It is this belief that led chairperson of the QLC board dignitaries. The QFC’s Ra- us to develop this fi lm which of directors, said, “QLC was HE the Minister of Administration Development, Labour and Social Aff airs Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi and other dignitaries at the launch madan initiatives which fall shows our commitment to- established by His Highness event. under the theme “Road to wards supporting local fi lm- the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Humanity” span throughout makers and providing them Hamad al-Thani, to support Master’s Programme, described tion to the learning landscape in integral to our work of becoming line coursework and other de- Ramadan and include several with a platform to share hu- and empower Qataris in vari- it “as an important milestone in Qatar, and the only programme a global university, as we en- gree requirements before being initiatives that bring togeth- man stories that touch on ous fi elds. This partnership Qatar’s journey in developing a of its kind in the Middle East sure that all of our students are awarded the Executive Master’s er diff erent segments of the important aspects within our with Georgetown and support knowledge-based economy”. region”. fully prepared to be knowledge- in Leadership, a degree which community. community and that aim to from Qatar Foundation will “Our business and govern- This programme with Geor- able and compassionate global will be conferred by Georgetown The movie’s underlying spearhead socially conscience further accelerate progress ment leaders have made remark- getown, “a global leader in edu- citizens and leaders.” University. theme focuses on inclusion, change,” QFC Authority toward leadership excellence, able strides in excelling across cation, marks a signifi cant step The customised master’s pro- They will become members of and the idea behind the fi lm (QFCA) chief executive Yousuf enabling our country’s nation- all industries. I have confi dence forward for QLC graduates, one gramme will be off ered to quali- Georgetown’s global network of came from QFC’s passion to- Mohamed al-Jaida said. als to reach further heights in that the new QLC master’s pro- which is directly linked to their fi ed QLC graduates who meet more than 178,000 alumni. wards supporting local fi lm- “Human development, in- fulfi lling their potential. They gramme will have a measur- achievements in QLC”, according the admission criteria, and will QLC Alumni Association makers and talent, and pro- clusion, accessibility and em- represent the best of Qatar’s able impact in the region and to him. build on expertise they have Council president Khalifa al-Ku- viding them with a platform powerment are key elements bright future – and this part- beyond,” HE Dr al-Nuaimi, who “Through this agreement, we achieved through participation wari observed that the Executive to share human stories that in our CSR agenda. Through- nership goes a long way to cre- is also a member of QLC board of have sought to provide the best in QLC’s National Leadership Master’s Programme off ers QLC touch on important aspects out the year, we will continue ating the conditions for their directors, said. possible context for alumni of Programmes. alumni the opportunity “to take within the community. to look for opportunities to success.” Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali al- the Qatar Leadership Center to QLC graduates who success- the next step in developing their “Our commitment to youth generate positive change and HE the Minister of Admin- Thani, member of the board of develop the skills and talents fully complete the new pro- leadership capabilities and earn a development stems from our give back to our society,” ac- istration Development, La- directors and managing director that will enable them to lead and gramme will have completed all master’s degree from a renowned fi rm belief that the youth rep- cording to Sarah al-Dorani, bour and Social Aff airs Dr Issa of QLC, called the Georgetown manage eff ectively,” said presi- modules held in Doha as well as university recognised for grad- resent the building blocks of acting chief marketing and Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi, who University master’s degree pro- dent John J DeGioia. “Our ongo- the residency module in Wash- uating world leaders, policy our society and the hope for corporate communications launched the new Executive gramme “an important addi- ing engagement in Qatar remains ington, DC, and all required on- makers and innovators”. our country’s future develop- offi cer, QFCA. Key handover ceremony for Safari draw winners Al-Baker delivers talk at Capa event

atar Airways Group Chief Executive Ak- Qbar al-Baker yesterday delivered a keynote debate to leading aviation experts and executives from around the world at a Centre for Aviation (Capa) event in Sydney. He addressed the crowd on Qatar Airways’ resilience on the anniversary of the illegal blockade against Qatar. Following on from the close of this year’s IATA annual gen- eral meeting (AGM) in Sydney, al-Baker fi rst took part in the lively on-stage debate along- side Willie Walsh, CEO of International Airlines Group (IAG), of which Qatar Airways A key handover ceremony for winners of the third draw of Safari Group’s ‘Win 10 Nissan Patrol Car Promotion’ has been held at Safari Mall, Abu is a shareholder. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker at a Capa Hamour. Winners of the draw, Qatari citizens Rashid Nasser al-Hajri and Hussein Abdel Wahed Mashhadi, received the keys to a Nissan Patrol Al-Baker engaged the audi- event in Sydney. each from Safari Group chief co-ordinator Shaheen Backar and operations manager Shahid Khan, Safari Group said in a statement. ence at the Capa Airline CEOs in Sydney event, where he pro- aviation leaders from around and leisure destinations across vided the key note address to the world together in Sydney six continents. Chevrolet Corvette an international audience. for the IATA Annual General The airline plans a host of The Capa industry events Meeting, providing the perfect new destination launches this model of 2018 recalled concluded a busy week for al- platform for this Centre for year, including Tallinn, Esto- The Ministry of Economy and Baker, at which he rose to the Aviation event, of which I am nia; Valletta, Malta; Langkawi, Commerce (MEC), in collaboration elected position of chairman of delighted to have taken part. Malaysia; Da Nang, Vietnam; Doha Bank honours with Jaidah Automotive, has the IATA Board of Governors, “The aviation industry con- Bodrum and Antalya, Turkey announced the recall of Chevrolet an industry body representing tinues to grow, and events such and Málaga, Spain. Corvette model of 2018 because 280 airlines and comprising as the IATA AGM and these The award-winning airline the warning does not operate 83% of global air traffi c, a posi- Centre for Aviation events, are has received a number of recent when the vehicle’s speed exceeds tion he will hold until the close crucial to bring together lead- accolades, including ‘Airline of outstanding employees 120km/h. of the IATA 2019 AGM. ers from all over the world and the Year’ by the prestigious 2017 The MEC said that it will co- In this capacity, al-Baker enable face-to-face discussion Skytrax World Airline Awards, ordinate with the dealer to follow also hosted a press brief- and debate. In my capacity this held at the Paris Air Show. This up on the maintenance and repair ing yesterday, highlighting year as chairman of the IATA is the fourth time that Qatar works and will communicate with to international media the Board of Governors, I will con- Airways has been given this glo- at recognition awards customers to ensure that the importance of fair and trans- tinue to champion such open bal recognition as the world’s necessary repairs are carried out. parent regulation in the avia- debate in the name of fairness best airline. In addition to being The MEC has urged all customers to tion industry, on a date most and regulation in the aviation voted Best Airline by travellers oha Bank has recently Executive’), and Hassan Talaat tions to organisational goals, report any violations to its Consumer pertinent as it marked the sector.” from around the world, Qatar’s hosted its ‘Employee (‘Best Recovery Eff orts’). their roles and eff ectiveness Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud fi rst anniversary of the ille- From its home and hub at national carrier also won a raft DRecognition Awards’ The team awards were ac- in teams, their attitude, and Department through the following gal blockade against Qatar by Hamad International Airport of other major awards at the cer- ceremony for April 2018 to ac- corded to Treasury & Treasury commitment. channels: Call centre: 16001, e-mail: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain in Doha, Qatar Airways oper- emony, including ‘Best Airline in knowledge exceptional indi- Sales for the ‘Best Department’ “We congratulate all of this [email protected], Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, and the UAE. ates a modern fl eet of more the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best vidual and team performances category, while Abu Hamour month’s winners and thank Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app Al-Baker said: “This week than 200 aircraft to a network Business Class’ and ‘World’s of employees from various branch received the ‘Best them for their hard work and for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar has brought airline CEO and of more than 150 key business Best First Class Airline Lounge’. departments. Branch’ title and Doha Festi- their commitment to our or- The individual winners val City branch was awarded ganisation. They signifi cantly were Sultan Suliman, who was as the ‘Best Branch – Retail impact on the quality of serv- awarded as ‘Staff with Best Liabilities’. ice we provide to our custom- Idea’, Ahmed N Heji (‘Most “Doha Bank’s Employees ers, and I hope their achieve- Committed Staff ’), Sweeni So- Recognition Awards aim to ment inspires others to give Doha Bank supports Qatar Cancer Society maratne (‘Best Customer Serv- celebrate outstanding em- their best and contribute even ice Employee’), Chetan Joshi ployee contributions based on more to the Bank’s future suc- (‘Best Dealer’), Gineses Tray- a number of criteria, includ- cess,” said Doha Bank CEO Dr oha Bank has made a cash Doha Bank’s cash donation falgar (‘Best Personal Finance ing their personal contribu- R Seetharaman. donation to the Qatar aims to create a positive impact DCancer Society (QCS) on the lives of the less fortunate reinforcing its commitment to and it will support cancer patients supporting charitable endeav- registered with Qatar Cancer So- ours and revitalising the spirit ciety, who are unable to cover the of solidarity among the commu- cost of their treatments. nity, particularly during the holy “It is an honour and pleasure month of Ramadan. to be able to support members of Doha Bank was invited to a the local community in need. As Ghabga hosted by Qatar Cancer part of our extensive corporate Society at the Ritz-Carlton Doha social responsibility (CSR) pro- in the presence of Dr Khaled bin gramme, Doha Bank supports an Jabor al-Thani, the chairman of array of charities and social pro- Qatar Cancer Society. grammes in order to reach out Doha Bank was invited to a Ghabga hosted by Qatar Cancer Society. During the event, Ahmed al- to the most vulnerable and the Henzab, head of administration neediest people in our society,” order to help their patients in line less fortunate in the society. The and properties department at said al-Henzab. with the holy month’s spirit of bank’s CSR endeavours have a Doha Bank, received an apprecia- “We have always extended our giving,” he added. major focus on humanitarian re- tion certifi cate that recognised the help and support to Qatar Cancer Doha Bank proactively sup- lief and support initiatives that bank’s contribution and continu- Society, and during this Ram- ports key local non-profi t organ- contribute to the development ous support towards Qatar Cancer adan, we are particularly pleased isations in Qatar that positively and progress of people from The winners of Doha Bank’s ‘Employee Recognition Awards’ for April 2018. Society’s patients in need. to support this organisation in aff ect the lives of those who are diff erent walks of life. Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 11 QATAR/RAMADAN The Night of Decree

f one cannot draw spiritual ben- efi t during this month (Ramadan), Ithen in what other month can he fi nd benefi t? If one does not turn in repentance to his Lord during this month, then at what other time will he do so? If one slackens from doing good deeds now, then when will he do them? You should hasten to seize the opportunity in this month, before it is too late! You should preserve your souls from the ways of misery and de- struction. Commercial Bank staff members with a young patient. Right: Commercial Bank Group CEO Joseph Abraham and other The blessed month is waning; its staff during the annual Suhoor held recently. precious days and nights are moving towards their end. So try to utilise the remaining period by doing good deeds and repenting to Allah. All is well that ends well. So, you have to make your deeds at the end of this month as good Commercial Bank as you can. Two-thirds of the month of Ramadan is over and less than one- third, which is the best of all the three parts, still remains. Exert your eff orts during these 10 days by spending in announces host of charity, doing righteous deeds and of- fering optional night prayer, submit- ting yourselves to Allah, hoping for His good reward and seeking protec- tion from His punishment. Allah Says community activities (what means): “And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the ommercial Bank has announced adan, spreading their experiences in tives, and employees, the Suhoor cre- invocation of the supplicant when he a range of community activities the community. ated a family-friendly environment, calls upon Me. So let them respond limited themselves to devotion on that dah (prostrations) is a stance of sup- Cduring the holy month of Ram- On the 14th night of Ramadan, Com- refl ecting the bank’s one team one- to Me (by obedience) and believe in night only, neglecting other nights. plicating Allah for forgiveness, so ask adan. As part of the bank’s humanitar- mercial Bank also celebrated the tradi- bank culture. Me that they may be rightly guided.” There would also be no criteria for Allah’s forgiveness therein. ian and social initiatives, a key activ- tion of Garangao in its mall branches Moreover, a short fi lm was presented, [Qur’an 2: 186] evaluation between the hardworking You may start your Qiyaam (the op- ity is distributing water and dates to with fun activities for children and highlighting the moral values in Qatari Our Lord descends each night to the people and the lazy ones. tional night Prayers) with two short members the public before Iftar every gifts, including traditional sweets and society and the diff erent ways of giv- sky of the earth when the fi nal third of So, seek the reward of Laylat Al- Rak’ahs, because Shaytaan (Satan) ties Saturday in diff erent locations around nuts. To help spread the impact of this ing over the years. The video included a the night remains. He off ers His slaves Qadr by doing good deeds consist- three knots at the back of your head the city. initiative wider among the community, number of contributions aimed to pro- out of His generosity, saying: “Who is ently and sincerely. Ask Allah for a when you sleep, and he seals each of Commercial Bank staff are also Commercial Bank volunteers distrib- mote volunteerism and co-operation to saying a prayer to Me, that I may an- share of His reward and to protect you them saying, ‘You have a long night distributing food supplies for needy uted Garangao gifts on the children’s support those in need. Abraham said, swer it? Who is asking something of from coming out of Ramadan empty- ahead, so sleep.’ If you wake up and families direct to their homes, and in fl oor at Hamad and Al Wakra hospitals “Commercial Bank supports the Qatari Me, that I may give it to him? Who is handed. remember Allah, a knot is untied. If co-operation with the St Regis Hotel, to give Garangao joy to those who are community throughout the year and we asking forgiveness of Me, that I may If you hear or recite a Qur’anic verse you purify yourself then another knot the bank is giving Iftar boxes to taxi unfortunate enough to be in hospital are very active during Ramadan with a forgive him?” (Bukhari & Muslim) that mentions His mercy, ask Allah to is undone and if you pray, the third one drivers. during this special time of the year. range of initiatives that focus on com- In the last ten days of Ramadan, provide you from His bounties. When also gets unknotted. Through social media, Commercial Commercial Bank employees have munity engagement and social inclu- there is Laylat Al-Qadr (the Night of you hear or recite a Qur’anic verse that If any one of you goes to the mosque Bank has also launched an initiative also gathered for the annual staff siveness. Through these initiatives we Decree) in which every precise mat- contains a warning, ask Allah’s pro- and the prayer has commenced, he (#CastYourKindness) to encourage Suhoor held at The Westin Doha, Ho- aim to foster a sense of solidarity and ter of wisdom is made distinct and all tection from His punishment. Utter should join the congregation with philanthropy by having others share tel & Spa to embrace the spirit of the togetherness among all those within our events of the coming year are decreed. glorifi cations of Allah many times in the Imaam rather than praying two their favourite video of social situa- holy month of Ramadan. Attended by community that is especially appropri- It is on this night that angels descend your Rukoo’ (bowing) and make many Rak’ahs ahead of the congregation, as tions that have taken place in Ram- Group CEO Joseph Abraham, execu- ate during the holy month.” from the heavens and blessings be- supplications in your Sajdah (prostra- joining the congregation takes priority come abundant. Whoever prays its tion), as a Muslim is nearest to Allah in this case. nights, believing in it, and hoping for when he is in prostration. A person Allah Says (what means): “Indeed, its reward from Allah, Allah will for- may supplicate Allah for himself, his We sent it (i.e. the Qur’an) down in the give all his previous sins. Whoever parents, children, relatives and all Night of Decree. And what can make misses this night and deprives himself those who are dear to him from among you know what is the Night of Decree? of its good; he is to blame. Allah did the Muslims. Prolong the Qiyaam The Night of Decree is better than a not specify its order among the ten (standing) after rising from Rukoo’ thousand months. The angels and the nights so that people may exert their (bowing) and the Jalsah (sitting) after Spirit (i.e. Gabriel) descend therein utmost eff orts during all ten days in rising from Sajdah (prostration), so by permission of their Lord for every worship, performing optional night that you may maintain an equilibrium matter. Peace it is until the emergence prayer, reciting the Noble Qur’an and among all the positions of Salaah. The of dawn.” [Qur’an 97: 1-5] doing righteous deeds. This is also a standing after the rising from Rukoo’ Article source: http://www.is- means of distinction between those (bowing) is a stance of praising Allah, lamweb.net/emainpage/ who are active in devotion and those so utter many greetings, praises and who are not. If Laylat Al-Qadr were extolments of Allah in it. The sitting identifi ed, many people would have position that is between the two Saj-

Off icials and dignitaries at the event yesterday. PICTURE: Ram Chand NHRC focuses on rights violations of siege nations

By Ayman Adly She highlighted the eff orts of the have relations with Qataris. Staff Reporter NHRC to document and expose such She said that many GCC families human rights violations by the block- have been denied their right to see each ading countries and support the vic- other and move freely within these he National Human Rights tims. She further talked about the countries, in addition to the measures Committee (NHRC) marked measures and procedures taken by the taken by Saudi Arabia to deny Qataris Tyesterday the fi rst anniversary committee locally, regionally and in- and the residents of Qatar to have ac- on the unjust blockade imposed on Qa- ternationally in this respect. cess to perform the religious rites. tar since June 5 last year by Saudi Ara- “In spite of all the challenges precipi- In the meantime, she emphasised bia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. tated by this crisis, it has created beauti- that Qatar has conducted itself with The event at the Culture Village ful stories of national solidarity, popular great dignity in dealing with the crisis Foundation - Katara, focused on the support and successes on the social and and its repercussions and continued human rights violations caused by the economic levels. It has also created an to host and support the citizens of the practices of the blockading countries opportunity to enhance human rights in blockading countries and off ered them against Qatar residents, embroiling Qatar through joining a number of relat- all due services. them in a futile political dispute. ed international conventions and agree- Mohamed al-Kuwari, a Qatari entre- A number of the victims alongside ments and adopting related national leg- preneur, pointed out that the experi- senior NHRC offi cials, dignitaries a islations,” she concluded. ence of the blockade encouraged more number of diplomats were present. Dr Wafaa Yazeedi, a Qatari woman successes in increasing production, “At the NHRC, we have been stressing formerly married to a Bahraini man, especially of food items. He recalled that our cause in this crisis is the viola- talked about the adverse eff ects of the that the last year saw exceptional tion of human rights. It is a cause that crisis on her and her three children who achievements in enhancing production does not accept compromise and not have Bahraini citizenship. She said that to supply the needs of the local market. subject to settlements. It is a cause that her case is only one example of many “It was a year of great success for does not expire with the end of the politi- cases across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, such business in the country. The cal crisis, but rather goes on until all such Bahrain and Qatar due to the unjustifi - challenges of the blockade was highly denied rights are returned to the victims,” able measures taken by the blockading rewarding in creating great opportu- pointed out NHRC secretary-general countries against Qatar and its people nities for success and achievements in Mariam al-Attiyah, in her address. and any one of their citizens that may various fi elds,” he stressed.

Qatar overcame siege in its early days

From Page 1 thanks to all sisterly and friendly coun- of Israel, and praised the efforts of The Cabinet praised the unity of tries that support the Kuwaiti media- Kuwait at the United Nations Secu- the Qatari people in facing the siege, tion. rity Council “to protect the Palestin- standing by the wise leadership and In another development, the Cabi- ian people using its strong Arab and their absolute rejection of any preju- net followed up on the Israeli occupa- Islamic voice in the Security Council dice to the sovereignty, dignity and tion forces’ “continued repressive and to relay the Arab and Islamic stance independence of its decision. It also brutal practices against Palestinian towards the sufferings of the Pales- lauded residents for their solidarity citizens taking part in demonstrations tinian people”. with citizens in facing the siege. and peaceful marches and the con- The Cabinet deeply regretted the Further, the Cabinet reiterated its tinued Israeli authorities’ expansion veto used by the US against the draft appreciation and support for the me- of settlements in the occupied West resolution prepared by Kuwait, which diation eff orts of Kuwait’s Amir Sheikh Bank”, QNA said. impeded the issuance of an interna- Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah to The Cabinet reiterated its condem- tional resolution to protect the Pales- resolve the crisis. It also expressed its nation of the procedures and policies tinians. Page 8 Gulf Times 12 Thursday, June 7, 2018 REGION/ARAB WORLD

DEMONSTRATION UNREST POLITICS FALLOUT EDUCATION Protesters defiant in Jordan Four IS militants killed UNSC backs Libya polls, Tunisia minister, off icials Turkish university to open over planned income tax law in Bani Walid attack without specifying date sacked after shipwreck campus in northern Syria

Doctors, lawyers and teachers staged a strike The United States said yesterday it had conducted a The UN Security Council yesterday endorsed Tunisia’s interior minister and numerous A Turkish university said yesterday it would open across Jordan yesterday in protest over IMF- precision air strike near the Libyan town of Bani Walid, a French-backed plan for general elections in officials were sacked yesterday, days after a campus in one of the northern Syrian regions backed austerity measures including a proposed killing four Islamic State militants. The strike was carried Libya by the end of the year. It did not, however, a shipwreck that killed at least 66 migrants. under the control of Turkey’s military and its Syr- income tax law that have sparked a week of an- out in co-ordination with the internationally recognised mention the December 10 date agreed upon No reason was given for the dismissal of the ian rebel allies, deepening Ankara’s role in an area gry demonstrations. Lawyers in black robes were government in Tripoli, a statement from US Africa last month during a Paris meeting between minister, Lotfi Brahem, who the prime minis- it has held for nearly two years. Turkey launched among more than 1,000 protesters who gathered Command said. “At this time, we assess no civilians French President Emmanuel Macron and rival ter’s office said will be replaced temporarily operation Euphrates Shield in 2016 to push back outside the headquarters of the country’s trade were killed in this strike,” the statement said. It gave no Libyan leaders. “The Security Council welcomes by Justice Minister Ghazi Jribi. Sources close Islamic State and Syrian Kurdish fighters from a union federation in the capital Amman to demand information on the identity of those targeted. Photos the commitment of these parties, as set out in to the government said that Brahem’s sacking swathe of northern Syria west of the Euphrates the government drop the reforms. Some demon- shared by a local source in Bani Walid showed a white the Paris declaration, to work constructively was expected, as he had poor relations with River, including the towns of Al-Bab, Al-Rai and strators waved Jordanian flags or carried placards all-terrain vehicle that he said had been hit in the with the UN to organise credible and peaceful Prime Minister Youssef Chahed. The minister’s Jarablus. Turkey’s Harran University, in the south- reading “I’m afraid for my future” while others held strike. One of those killed in the strike was Abd al-Aati parliamentary and Presidential elections, and to departure came after a boat overcrowded with eastern province of Sanliurfa, said it is preparing up loaves of flatbread with “corruption = hunger” Ashtaiwy, a Libyan who had travelled to Syria and had respect the results of these elections,” said the migrants sank after leaving the Kerkennah to open a faculty in Al-Bab for students in towns written on them. previously been based in Sirte. text adopted by the UN body. Islands off the coast of Sfax province. under Turkish control.

Iraq to Israeli soldier shoots dead hold manual recount Palestinian in West Bank of votes AFP Jerusalem/Ramallah Reuters Baghdad Palestinian who threw a rock at Israeli troops in Athe occupied West Bank raq’s parliament passed a law was shot dead by a soldier yes- yesterday ordering a nation- terday, the Israeli army said. Iwide manual recount of votes It said the troops were on a in the May 12 parliamentary elec- search and arrest operation in tion, lawmakers said, a day after the village of Nabi Saleh, north- the prime minister said there had west of Ramallah, when they been serious violations. were confronted by at least 10 The move could hinder the stone-throwing Palestinians delicate process of forming a who hit one soldier in the head. new government, raising the The soldier struck by the rock prospect of further uncertainty then fi red at the Palestinian who in Iraq, and pits the govern- threw it, who was given medi- ment and parliament against the cal treatment but later died, the election commission, which is military said in a statement. meant to be independent. An activist group named him The election was won by a bloc as Ezzedine al-Tamimi, from led by nationalist cleric Moqtada Nabi Saleh, citing witnesses al-Sadr, a long-time adversary saying he was more than 40 of the United States who also metres from the soldiers when opposes Iran’s sway in Iraq. shot. Votes were counted using an There was no confi rmation of electronic system that was meant his identity from the Palestinian to prevent fraud but is now being health ministry. blamed for irregularities. Prime In a statement on Twitter, the Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose head of Human Rights Watch in bloc came in third, said on Tues- Israel warned troops could have day there were “dangerous” vio- used unnecessary force. lations and that most of the blame “International law only per- lay with Iraq’s Independent High mits use of lethal force when Elections Commission (IHEC), there’s an imminent threat to high ranking members of which life. Hard to see how throw- he banned from travel without his ing rocks meets that bar,” Omar permission. Shakir said. Last month a sol- Demonstrators wave Palestinian flags opposite Downing Street ahead of the visit by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in London, yesterday. Parliament yesterday voted for dier from the Duvdevan special amendments to the election law forces unit was fatally struck international attention when frontation with the soldiers which force the IHEC to conduct on the head by a granite slab footage emerged of her slap- went viral, with some Israelis a manual recount, after it had ini- thrown from an upstairs win- ping and kicking two Israeli saying it was an example of the tially declined to do so. dow during an arrest raid in the soldiers next to her house in army not responding to provo- It also suspended the commis- Amari Refugee Camp in Ramal- the West Bank in December, cations, but others saying the sion’s leadership, which is to be lah. with the soldiers not respond- soldiers were humiliated. replaced by nine judges. Israeli forces regularly carry ing to the provocation. Palestinians said she repeat- IHEC’s local chiefs in each of out raids in Palestinian-ad- Tamimi was later arrested and edly told the soldiers to leave her Iraq’s provinces are also to be re- ministered parts of the West eventually accepted a plea bar- land, which is considered occu- placed by judges, all picked by Bank to arrest suspects they gain in which she was sentenced pied under international law. Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, accuse of militant activities to an eight-month prison term A cousin of hers had been a text of the amendment showed. against Israel. due to end in mid-July. Yester- shot in the head earlier in the “The Independent High Elec- JAILED TEEN LOSES day an Israeli parole commit- day during clashes with Israeli tions Commission shall commit BID FOR RELEASE tee rejected the 17-year-old’s soldiers, her lawyers have said. to a manual recount in all voting A Palestinian teen jailed for appeal for early release, said a Critics of Israel have con- centres in Iraq under the super- slapping an Israeli soldier near spokeswoman for a group cam- trasted her eight-month sen- vision of the Supreme Judicial her home in the occupied West paigning on her behalf. There tence with the nine months Council and with the attend- Bank lost an appeal yesterday was no immediate confi rmation eventually served by an Israeli ance of representatives from po- for her early release, her sup- of the decision from the Israeli soldier who shot dead an injured litical groups and the United Na- porters said. side. Palestinian attacker as he lay on tions,” the text of the amendment Ahed Tamimi’s case gained The video of Tamimi’s con- the ground. Palestinians mourn during the funeral of Ezzedine al-Tamimi in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, yesterday. law read. Air strike devastation in Yemen Europe under pressure as Iran ‘nears nuclear red line’

AFP a month ago. Le Drian called when it had no restrictions.” Le US Treasury Secretary Steven Paris Iran’s announcement that plans Drian warned Tehran that Eu- Mnuchin and Secretary of State to boost its enrichment capac- rope would not be able to stand Mike Pompeo they warned that ity “inopportune”. idly by if Iran takes its nuclear “secondary sanctions” by the rench Foreign Minis- “It is always dangerous to programme “to the next level”. US on European companies ter Jean-Yves Le Drian fl irt with red lines,” he said, “The Iranians must realise could jeopardise Europe’s abil- Fwarned Iran yesterday while emphasising that these that if they violate the accord ity to uphold its end of the deal. that its plan to increase its ura- plans did not constitute a they will face new sanctions,” Several multinationals, in- nium enrichment capacity took breach of the accord. The deal, he told Europe 1 radio. cluding French oil giant Total Yemenis inspect the damage of a destroyed house in the aftermath of a reported air strike by the it close to a “red line”, as Europe which off ers sanctions relief in A spokesman for the German and Danish shipping group Saudi-led coalition in a neighbourhood in the capital Sanaa, yesterday. sought to protect its companies return for guarantees that Te- foreign ministry also described Maersk, have already an- from a nuclear standoff be- hran would not be able to build the plan as “not helpful at this nounced they will pull out of tween the US and Tehran. an atomic bomb, is hanging by a time” saying it did not “con- Iran once the sanctions are Iran confi rmed yesterday thread after the US announced tribute to the building of trust, fully reimposed, unless they re- that it was in “preparatory plans to restore sanctions, di- in which Iran should also have ceive explicit exemptions from works” to restart nuclear ac- minishing the incentive for Iran an interest.” Washington. tivities in the event that a 2015 to remain on board. Apart from the risk of a nu- French automaker PSA also US-led coalition to stay in Manbij accord with world powers on Tehran has put the ball in clear-armed Iran, Paris, Berlin said it would pull out of two limiting its atomic programme Europe’s camp, demanding and London also fear the fallout joint ventures to sell its cars in falls apart. it come up with an economic of the showdown for European Iran to avoid the risk of punish- AFP The announcement came a day after an agree- In such a scenario, Iran could package to off set the eff ects of companies which invested in ing US fi nes. Manbij ment between the US and Turkey over the future of “restart its activities without the US withdrawal. the country since 2015. The European Commission the Arab-majority town, which sits just 30 kilome- any limits,” Iran’s ambassador “The bottom line is that un- The US has threatened them said yesterday it had updated a tres from the Turkish border. to the International Atomic less Tehran sees some benefi ts, with reprisals if they remain in rarely-tested legal mechanism he strategic town of Manbij in northern Syria Manbij’s military council had not been privy to Energy Agency Reza Najafi told it is unsustainable to continue Iran after it re-imposes sanc- intended to provide legal cover won’t be abandoned by the US-led coalition, the details of the deal, but it has received reassur- reporters on the sidelines of a limiting its nuclear programme, tions on the country. to European companies in the Ta local military offi cial said yesterday after ances that the US-led coalition will not leave the meeting of the IAEA’s board in which is civilian in their eyes,” France, Britain, Germany face of US sanctions. the leading Kurdish militia announced its with- town, the council’s chief Mohamed Mustafa Abu Vienna. Ellie Geranmayeh, Iran analyst and the EU yesterday sent the Offi cials acknowledged drawal. Adel said. The announcement piled for the European Council on US a joint offi cial request “to however that the mechanism On Tuesday, the Kurdish People’s Protection “With this agreement, we have had meetings pressure on France, Britain Foreign Relations in London, exempt European businesses known as the blocking statute Units (YPG) said it was pulling its military advis- with high-level offi cials from the coalition who and Germany, who are scram- said. doing legitimate trade in Iran may prove ineff ective, espe- ers from Manbij, where they had been training local have assured us that in no case will they abandon bling to save the deal after the “In practice it will revert from all extraterritorial Ameri- cially for multinationals with a forces in the fi ght against the Islamic State group. the town of Manbij,” Abu Adel said. US sensationally pulled out back to the sanctions years can sanctions”. In the letter to signifi cant presence in the US. Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 13 AFRICA

ROADSIDE BOMB ACCIDENT CONSERVATION RESCUE WILDLIFE 5 Kenya cops killed in Father kills own son at 9 lions poisoned near Kenya searches for missing Rhino poaching ‘kingpins’ explosive device attack school in SA gun tragedy Serengeti park plane with 10 on board arrested in South Africa

Five police off icers were killed in eastern Kenya In a freak accident, a man shot dead his 14-year- Police in Tanzania have arrested a group of Kenyan rescuers were yesterday searching for a South African police have arrested two suspected yesterday when their vehicle hit an improvised old son outside his school in South Africa where people suspected of poisoning nine lions near small aircraft that went missing one day earlier rhino poaching “kingpins” known for targeting the explosive device suspected to have been planted by he had been waiting to collect him after classes, a village bordering the Serengeti National with 10 people on board. The plane belongs Kruger National Park, a major tourist destination, Somalia’s Shebaab group, an off icial said. Shebaab police said yesterday. Police have arrested the Park, one of the East African country’s prime to Kenyan safari airline Flysax, a subsidiary and supplying the Southeast Asian market with the militants frequently launch attacks in neighbouring father, 50, who is expected to appear in court tourist destinations. Nine of the big cats of Kenyan budget airline Fly 540, and went illegal horn. The two men, Mandla Mashele, 37, and Kenya to pressure it to withdraw its troops which today. The man had dropped off his son for were found dead recently after an apparent missing about 60km north of Nairobi over the Kelvin Malapane, 38, have already appeared in court form part of the peacekeeping force in Somalia. evening classes on Tuesday and decided to poisoning. Such poisonings are usually carried Aberdare mountains on Tuesday. Pius Masaai, charged with possession of four horns, police and Harun Kamau, Deputy County Commissioner in wait for him outside the high school south of out by villagers angry about wild animals the National Disaster Management spokesman, the South African National Parks (SANParks) said in a the region, told Reuters the police off icers were in a Johannesburg. “The father who was asleep in killing their cattle — a casualty of increasing said bad weather had hindered the search, and joint press conference. “We have disrupted the supply vehicle conducting patrols in Harar village, in Liboi the car with his firearm on him, got scared by human-animal conflict across Africa. “I have that eff orts suff ered a setback when a Red Cross chain from the Kruger National Park,” said Johan town near the Kenya-Somalia border, when the the knocking of his son, he pulled out his firearm seven people (in custody) who have been vehicle involved in the search collided with a Jooste, who leads the anti-poaching unit. They “were vehicle hit the device. “We suspect the improvised and shot towards the direction of the person arrested in connection with the lion poisoning lorry. Three Red Cross off icials are in critical the orchestrators...involved with the acquiring of explosive device had been planted by Shebaab to who was knocking,” police spokesman Mpande incident,” Mara Regional police commander, condition, Nyandarua county commissioner rhino horn from the park, then facilitating that for the target our security team,” Kamau said. Khoza said in a statement. Juma Ndaki, told DPA yesterday. Boaz Cherotich told Kenyan media. export markets for Southeast Asia,” Jooste added. Ethiopia mulls Political march improved ties with Eritrea By Aaron Maasho, Reuters Ethiopia’s move is a “drastic depar- On Tuesday, an Ethiopian foreign Addis Ababa ture” from its longstanding — and failed ministry offi cial told Reuters that there — policy, said Ahmed Soliman, Ethiopia were “at least 61 attempts” to mediate analyst at Chatham House, a London- between the two nations, but that As- thiopia’s prime minister said based thinktank. mara had rejected all requests. yesterday that ending war and “To see some movement is extremely Russia, the European Union, and Qa- Eexpanding economic ties with positive. This is the most important tar were among those that proposed to Activists from Zimbabwe’s ruling party Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front Youth League cheer in neighbouring Eritrea is critical for sta- latent confl ict within the Horn and its mediate in the last two decades, he said. Harare yesterday as they march for peace ahead of the July 30 general elections. bility and development in the impover- resolution is important for peace and Abiy said Ethiopia needed to resolve ished Horn of Africa region. security in the region.” what he seemed to view as a costly and Abiy Ahmed’s remarks followed the Eritrea used to be a part of Ethiopia pointless dispute. announcement on Tuesday by his ruling and waged a 30-year struggle for inde- “Putting an end to this situation and coalition that Ethiopia would fully im- pendence. fi nding peace is necessary beyond any- plement a peace deal signed in 2000 and The war on their shared border be- thing else not just for Ethiopia but for meant to end a two-year war that de- tween 1998 and 2000 killed tens of the wider Horn of Africa,” he said in a Ebola toll in DR Congo rises to 27 volved into a stalemate resulting in huge thousands of people, caused signifi cant speech in Addis Ababa. military build up by both countries. displacement and the splintering of “Every Ethiopian should realise that The pledge would entail ceding a dis- families. it is expected of us to be a responsible AFP can include internal and external — also unlicenced — that it has read- puted town to Eritrea. Eritrea’s government has not re- government that ensures stability in our Kinshasa bleeding. ied for using in treating, as opposed There was no sign yesterday that sponded publicly to Addis Ababa’s off er region, one that takes the initiative to The current outbreak is still on a to preventing Ebola. Ethiopia had begun withdrawing its of an olive branch late on Tuesday. connect the brotherly peoples of both low scale compared with a three-na- It says it is awaiting the green light troops from the town of Badme. The two nations cut ties during the countries and expands trains, buses and wo more people have died of tion epidemic that occurred between from the DRC to dispatch the treat- It is one of many policy shifts an- war. economic ties between Asmara and Ad- Ebola in northwestern Demo- 2013-15 but has stirred wide concern. ments. nounced since the 41-year-old took offi ce Asmara’s Information Minister told dis Ababa.” Tcratic Republic of Congo, bring- Cases have occurred in the city of But the Congolese health ministry in early April, moves that could reshape Reuters on Tuesday evening he had not Diplomats say punitive measures tak- ing the toll to 27 in nearly a month, the Mbandaka, a transport hub on the said yesterday that “no experimental Ethiopia’s relations with its neighbours seen the Ethiopian government’s state- en against Eritrea may prevent an im- health ministry said yesterday. Congo River — a scenario that typi- treatment has yet been given to hos- and have equally dramatic impacts inside ment so could not immediately com- mediate conclusion to the dispute. Of the two deaths, one occurred in cally makes an outbreak of the in- pitalised patients.” the country of 100mn people. ment. The UN Security Council imposed the remote area of Bikoro, where the fectious disease far more diffi cult to “Discussions on methods for ad- Whether the new measures, includ- He did not respond to phone calls an arms embargo on Eritrea in 2009 on fi rst cases were declared on May 8, contain. ministering treatments in the con- ing liberalisation of the state-controlled yesterday. charges that Asmara provided political, and was confi rmed by lab tests, it said. With the help of the World Health text of the current epidemic are still economy, end up addressing critical Eritrea has long said it wants Ethiopia fi nancial and logistical support to mili- The other was reported from the Organization (WHO) and NGOs, the underway among the various stake- challenges from high youth unemploy- to pull its troops out from the disputed tant groups in Somalia. area of Iboko, but the family were re- DRC is immunising frontline workers holders,” it said. ment to rising government debt remain territory before normalising ties, citing Eritrea has long dismissed the claims, fusing to allow doctors to take a blood with a vaccine that has shown to be The current outbreak — the ninth to be seen. a decision by a boundary commission at saying they are concocted by Addis sample to test for Ebola, it said. highly eff ective in trials, although it to hit the DRC since Ebola was iden- But they are shaking the country up. The Hague which awarded the village of Ababa in a bid to isolate the country and Fifty-eight Ebola cases have been is still awaiting regulatory approval. tifi ed in 1976 — involves the same “All that we have achieved from the Badme to Eritrea in 2002. divert attention from Ethiopia’s reluc- recorded as of June 4, it said. A total of 1,369 people have re- strain of the virus that struck the situation of the last 20 years is tension,” Asmara has long felt betrayed by tance to hand over the disputed areas. Ebola, a type of haemorrhagic fe- ceived the unlicenced vaccine since West African states of Guinea, Libe- Abiy said. “Neither Ethiopia nor Eritrea world powers, who they say failed to “The Eritrean government has always ver, is notorious for its high fatality May 21, the ministry said yesterday. ria and Sierra Leone in 2013-15, kill- benefi t from a stalemate. We need to ex- force Ethiopia to abide by the commis- proclaimed its innocence and will de- rate and extreme symptoms, which The WHO has said it has fi ve drugs ing more than 11,300 people. pend all our eff orts towards peace and sion ruling. mand that the sanctions are promptly reconciliation and extricate ourselves Ethiopia says the row over border de- lifted. This could be a sticking point for from petty confl icts and divisions and marcation can only be resolved through now,” said a Western diplomat in Ethio- focus on eliminating poverty.” a negotiated settlement. pia. Cameroon English speakers want terror law repeal

AFP dent Paul Biya, said in a statement it a debate on the make up of the State. Madagascar’s new PM vows to fi ght graft Yaounde had consulted traditional, religious, However, while some English administrative and political fi gures speakers want a federal system, the as well as a “sample representing the more radical seek a separate anglo- DPA tion in the island nation off the east coast nglish speakers in the North- population”. phone country. Antananarivo of Africa will be among his priorities. west of Cameroon want an Biya, who has been in power for 35 Almost all those arrested are held The political crisis kicked off after Eanti-terrorism law repealed years, has long rejected demands for under 2014 anti-terrorism legisla- Madagascar adopted a new electoral and a general amnesty to help end the greater autonomy. tion which includes capital punish- n being sworn in yesterday, law in April, which the opposition said armed separatist campaign, a gov- Resentment festered from per- ment. Madagascar’s new prime minister would favour the ruling party during ernment commission said yesterday. ceived marginalisation in education, The proposals call for “clarifi ca- Opromised to stamp out the alleged elections set for the end of the year. Among the demands are a debate the judiciary and the economy at the tion of the terms ‘terrorists’ and corruption that forced his predecessor to For over a month, 73 opposition on introducing a federal system to the hands of the French-speaking ma- ‘separatists’”, that are used against resign after violent street protests. members of parliament and their sup- West African country which is domi- jority But tasked with listening to the many anglophones. Christian Ntsay, a UN-agency techno- Madagascar’s newly appointed porters gathered in the centre of the nated by French-speakers. local population, the commission to The amnesty should cover those crat, was appointed to the role after Olivi- Prime Minister Christian Ntsay (left) capital Antananarivo, demanding the The proposals come from more promote bilingualism and a multi- who have been forced into exile as er Mahafaly Solonandrasana resigned on walks with outgoing prime minister resignation of the head of state. than 800 people representing a party structure said it had drawn up well as those arrested. Monday following threats that the mili- Olivier Mahafaly during his handover The establishment of a new govern- cross-section of society in Bamenda, a list of 18 proposals from English English speakers say they feel “un- tary could step in to end the crisis. ceremony in Antananarivo yesterday. ment of national unity was requested on capital of the Northwest anglophone speakers to end the crisis. loved by the French-speaking broth- “The fi rst priority is to prepare to hold May 25 by the constitutional court and region. Since trouble broke out in 2016, ers” who maintain “a superiority inclusive, transparent and credible elec- ed by all,” Ntsay said. Ntsay also said that the new prime minister now has until the The commission, set up by Presi- the government has refused to open complex”, the commission notes. tions, the results of which will be accept- restoring security and fi ghting corrup- end of the week to appoint its members. DR Congo crisis stirs concerns in central Africa

By Samir Tounsi, AFP and Rwanda in the east, memo- if President Joseph Kabila seeks a golan President Joao Lourenco transparent elections in line with the Congolese border as a bloody “No one has the right to en- Kinshasa ries of that traumatic period re- third term in elections in Decem- — current head of the 15-nation the New Year’s Eve agreement” crisis fl ared in the Kasai region. visage solutions to our problems main razor sharp today as their ber in defi ance of constitutional Southern African Development — a deal reached on December Relations between Rwanda without us,” government spokes- vast neighbour’s political future limits — or if the vote is post- Community (SADC) which in- 31, 2016, under which Kabila and the DRC have been similarly man Lambert Mende said after cross central Africa, a belt hangs in the balance. poned for a third time. cludes the DRC — and Rwandan was allowed an additional year fraught. Kagame met French President of countries is casting a “The DRC is the mother of all A diplomatic ballet is starting President Paul Kagame, who is in power before the long-awaited Kigali accuses Kinshasa of Emmanuel Macron. Awary eye at the political crises,” Angolan Foreign Minis- to unfold as clouds darken on the also the current chair of the Af- elections. providing a haven for rebels who He condemned “people who crisis brewing in the Democratic ter Manuel Domingo Augustos horizon. rican Union (AU). “If we can understand, as played a part in the 1994 Rwan- are nostalgic for the colonial or- Republic of Congo (DRC), fear- told the French daily Le Monde The leaders of six southern The leaders, whose countries neighbours, how to aid the tran- dan genocide, in which around der” and “closed-door meetings ing the impact on their security in January. “What happens there and central African countries — are observers in the DRC’s trou- sition in Congo without aff ecting 800,000 Tutsis and Hutu mod- and open plotting against our and economy if the situation ex- aff ects the entire Great Lakes re- Angola, Republic of Congo, the bled election process, have sepa- ourselves, this is what we should erates were slaughtered. country’s sovereignty.” plodes. gion.” DRC, Gabon, Rwanda and South rately been on tours of Europe, do,” Kagame has said. The DRC accuses Rwanda of Those words fi nd an echo in Nine countries share a border DRC’s neighbours are already Africa — will “in principle” meet where they talked to the region’s Angola has had up-and-down using its infl uence to pillage the Tanzania, with which the DRC with the DRC, one of the big- hosting around 600,000 people in Luanda on June 17, an informed former colonial powers France relations with Kabila. valuable mineral coltan in the has cordial relations — the Kabila gest and most troubled nations who have fled conflicts in the source in Brazzaville, the capital and Belgium. It supported the then 29-year- restive province of North Kivu. family lived there in exile. in Africa — and the theatre of two centre and east of the coun- of the Republic of Congo, told Both have also, and discreetly, old political neophyte after he The two countries clashed “No solution to the intra- wars in the late 1990s and early try, and struggle to cope with AFP. signalled that it is time to bring succeeded his assassinated fa- briefl y at the border in February. Congolese confl ict should be 2000s that sucked in countries rebels, traffickers and other “We are all awaiting the con- the curtain down on the Kabila ther, Laurent-Desire Kabila, in The DRC last week reacted envisaged behind the back of the around the region and led to the criminals who also seep across fi rmation from Kinshasa for this era. 2001. with concern to the talks in Eu- country concerned and without deaths of three million people. the border. decisive meeting,” the source In talks in Brussels on Monday, But in late 2016, it withdrew its rope, apparently suspecting that associating regional organisa- From the Republic of Congo The country’s problems, many said. Belgium and Angola stressed the military advisers from the DRC a deal was being cooked up be- tions,” a senior Tanzanian offi cial and Angola in the west to Uganda fear, could careen out of control Leading the dynamic are An- “importance of free, credible and and in May 2017, it sent troops to hind its back. said. Gulf Times 14 Thursday, June 7, 2018 AMERICAS

BUSINESS SEASONAL WOES OFF TRACK SACKED COMPENSATION Trudeau rejects US proposal Colorado homes evacuated Soldier steals armoured Trump fires aide who joked Court revives 9/11 workers’ for bilateral trade pact as firefighters battle blazes vehicle, goes on a joy ride about ‘dying’ McCain debris exposure claims

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Hundreds more people yesterday prepared to A soldier stole an armoured personnel carrier Donald Trump has sacked an aide who said A federal appeals court yesterday revived yesterday rejected a US proposal to scrap the evacuate their homes as a largely unchecked from a National Guard base in Virginia on cancer-stricken Senator John McCain’s claims against the Battery Park City Authority North American Free Trade Agreement in favour wildfire raged in southwest Colorado and Tuesday and took the vehicle on a two-hour opposition to a presidential nominee did by 18 workers who became ill after cleaning up of a bilateral trade pact. “We have, on various off icials warned that blazes could spread to drive that ended in a police chase through not matter because “he’s dying anyway,” the debris at the World Trade Center site following occasions, heard the president speak about his other states. Emergency crews said they had downtown Richmond, the state capital, state White House announced Tuesday. The White the September 11, 2001 attacks. The 2nd US interest or his musings about a bilateral deal only managed to contain 10% of the fire near police said. The unidentified man took the House was roiled by bipartisan fury over Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan rejected instead of the trilateral Nafta that we have,” the towns of Durango and Hermosa, where the vehicle at about 7.50pm from Fort Pickett, the remark attributed to Kelly Sadler in May. the agency’s challenge to “Jimmy Nolan’s Law,” Trudeau said before a caucus meeting. “Canada’s forecast was for another dry, hot day. Around a Army National Guard base in Blackstone, “Kelly Sadler is no longer employed within a 2009 state law giving injured 9/11 workers an position is, and always has been that the trilateral 600 firefighters tackled the flames which were Virginia, state police spokeswoman Corinne the Executive Office of the President,” read extra year to seek compensation from public approach is actually better for Canada, for first spotted on Friday and spread to cover 3,000 Geller said in an e-mail to Reuters. The suspect a brief statement by deputy White House entities even if the statute of limitations has run Mexico and for the United States,” he said. “We acres. The 416 Fire — named, local media said, then drove the military vehicle, which was not spokesman Raj Shah. McCain, 81, is an Arizona out. By a 3-0 vote, the appeals court said the think that demonstrating the strength of Nafta after its off icial incident number — burned over equipped with any weaponry, east on Route 460 senator, who was held prisoner and tortured BPCA was not exempt from the general rule that as a solid community as we take on the world is steep terrain sending smoke billowing into the and then north into Richmond on Interstate 95 at during the Vietnam War and is battling brain state entities lack authority to challenge the very much in all three of our advantages.” sky. People have already fled 825 homes. about 65kph, Geller said. cancer. constitutionality of state laws.

Ryan says Democratic hopes buoyed Trump shouldn’t pardon by early voting results himself Reuters Sacramento Reuters Washington S Democrats said yesterday the results of nominating contests Uin California and New Jersey S House Speaker Paul Ryan said put them in a stronger position to gain yesterday that President Donald control of Congress in November and UTrump should not pardon him- oppose Republican President Donald self, becoming the second Republican Trump. leader in Congress to balk at the presi- The morning after the busiest day dent’s assertion that he had “absolute” of the primary election season, when power to do so. voters in eight states picked candi- Ryan also dismissed another of dates for the November election, Cali- Trump’s contentions — that the FBI fornia Democrats ensured they would and Justice Department planted an in- have a chance of winning back some of formant in his 2016 presidential cam- the 10 Republican-held US House of paign. Representatives seats they are target- He said he agreed with the asser- ing. tion by US Representative Trey Gowdy, California is key to Democrats’ the Republican chairman of the House hopes of gaining a majority in the 435- Oversight Committee, that federal au- seat House, which would require fl ip- thorities had acted properly. ping 23 seats. “I think chairman Gowdy’s initial as- A Democrat-controlled House sessment is accurate, but we have more would likely stall much of Trump’s digging to do,” Ryan said. policy agenda and could lend strength Ryan, who is not seeking re-election, to any potential eff ort to impeach had a strained relationship with Trump Trump if Democrats decide grounds during the campaign but has avoided exist, either by virtue of the ongoing taking a confrontational approach with probe into Russian election interfer- him since he took offi ce. ence by special counsel Robert Muel- Asked whether Trump can legally ler or other reasons. pardon himself, Ryan told reporters at “As we await fi nal results in multi- the US Capitol: “I don’t know the tech- ple districts, it is clear that Democrats nical answer to that question but obvi- are in a stronger position than ever to ously he shouldn’t. No one is above the take back the House, and winning dis- law.” tricts in California will be central to Trump made the pardon assertion that path,” said Tyler Law, a spokes- in a series of Twitter posts on Mon- man for the Democratic Congressional day in which he criticised federal Spe- Campaign Committee, in an e-mail cial Counsel Robert Mueller’s criminal yesterday. probe of whether his 2016 presidential But solid turnout by Republican campaign colluded with Russia to sway voters on Tuesday underscored the the election. challenges Democrats will face in try- “As has been stated by numerous le- ing to win in the conservative areas gal scholars, I have the absolute right to like suburbs of Los Angeles and Sac- PARDON myself, but why would I do ramento, as well as in rural areas that that when I have done nothing wrong?” supported Trump in the presidential Trump said. election two years ago. In another tweet he called Mueller’s “Great night for Republicans!” appointment “totally UNCONSTITU- Trump tweeted yesterday. California GOP gubernatorial candidate John Cox speaks during an election eve party at the US Grant Hotel in San Diego late on Tuesday. TIONAL.” “So much for the big Blue Wave, The comments came as Mueller’s in- it may be a big Red Wave. Working The large fi eld could have undercut 1989 and was re-elected in 2016 in a Harder or Howze will challenge Iowa and New Mexico. vestigation, which includes possible il- hard!” the party’s chances for success since southern California district that also four-term incumbent Republican Jeff Results for the ninth candidate, legal obstruction of the Russia probe by Republicans control the Senate by a the state’s system for choosing candi- chose Democrat Hillary Clinton for Denham. Rouda, were not fi nal yesterday. the president, entered its second year. two-seat majority, but political ana- dates allows the two top vote-getters president. California Republican gubernatorial Those candidates included four Trump denies he colluded with the lysts see Democrats as having a weaker to advance to the general election re- Harley Rouda, a real estate ex- candidate John Cox won a chance to New Jersey moderates who had faced Russians or obstructed justice and chance of turning the balance of power gardless of party. ecutive and fi rst-time congressional face Democrat Gavin Newsom in No- more liberal challengers. calls Mueller’s investigation a “witch there since they must defend a bevy Splitting of the Democratic vote candidate with the support of the vember. Women Democrats won spots on hunt.” of seats in Republican-leaning rural could have led to two Republicans Democratic Congressional Campaign Analysts saw that as a positive for the November ballot in key House rac- On Tuesday, the Senate’s Republican states including Indiana, Montana, running in the general election. Committee, looked poised to chal- the Republican Party, reasoning that es in Iowa, New Jersey, Montana and leader, Mitch McConnell, also discour- North Dakota and West Virginia. Most other US states have rules al- lenge Rohrabacher based on state not having a candidate on the ballot New Mexico, continuing a trend that aged talk of a self-pardon by Trump. California saw an unusually large lowing one candidate from each party election data. for governor could have diminished began earlier this year. “Let me just tell you that from — number of Democrats vying for offi ce, into the general election. Democrat and venture capital exec- turnout among party supporters. Voters in fi ve more states, Nevada, from my perspective — I don’t think the many energised by anger over Trump Democrats had eight candidates on utive Josh Harder held a narrow edge Candidates backed by the national Maine, North Dakota, South Carolina president needs any advice on pardon- administration policies restricting im- the ballot in the race to unseat Repub- in a central California district over Re- Democratic Party succeeded in win- and Virginia, on June 12 will choose ing himself,” McConnell said. “He ob- migration and abortion access as well lican Representative Dana Rohrabach- publican Ted Howze, a long-time local ning spots on the November ballot in candidates for their states’ November viously knows that would not be some- as easing environmental regulations. er, who has served in Congress since government offi cial. eight races in New Jersey, California, congressional races. thing that he would or should do.”

Scores more homes destroyed by lava fl ow on Hawaii’s Big Island

By Terray Sylvester, Reuters fense agency was putting the Beach and the southernmost Authorities began evacuating Pahoa, Hawaii confi rmed number of buildings “sliver” of Vacationland — the the greater Kapoho area last week lost to the current eruption at 117 latter consisting of only about and ushered most of the last re- on Monday, mostly residential half a dozen homes — were left maining residents to safety early growing river of molten properties. unscathed. on Saturday, hours before the rock fl owing from a fi s- About 80 of those were de- Civil defence spokeswoman lava fl ow severed all road access Asure at the foot of Kilauea stroyed in the Leilani Estates Janet Snyder said later county tax to the region. Volcano is believed to have de- community, where lava-spout- records show the two subdivi- Several holdouts were airlifted molished scores of additional ing fi ssures in the ground fi rst sions consist of 279 homes com- by helicopter on Sunday, leaving homes and fi lled in a small bay opened on May 3 downhill from bined and that “many of those no more than a handful of peo- at the eastern tip of Hawaii’s Big the volcano’s eastern fl ank. 279 homes are feared destroyed.” ple who refused to leave, offi cials Island, civil defence offi cials said Another three-dozen homes She said it would be some time said. on Tuesday. were confi rmed destroyed at before precise losses were con- Barbara McDaniel, a retiree The latest estimates — up to the weekend when a large lava fi rmed. who moved with her husband to 80 more structures than previ- stream creeping 10km across the Video footage from a helicop- Vacationland from Washington ously counted as destroyed by landscape reached the far eastern ter showed two seaside homes state fi ve years ago, said they fl ed lava smothering two newly evac- edge of the Big Island, pouring engulfed in fl ames as clouds of as soon as evacuations began, uated subdivisions — could bring into the ocean at Kapoho Bay. white steam and hydrochloric taking little else but their dog and the total number of homes and A civil defence offi cial told acid fumes billowed from the cat with them. other buildings lost over the past Reuters on Tuesday at least 60 water, where red-hot lava was They worried their house month to nearly 200. to 80 more homes were believed pouring into the ocean. would be spared by the lava Such a tally would put prop- to have been devoured as the lava Civil defence offi cials said Ka- but rendered inaccessible, erty losses from the current up- fl ow, measuring about half a mile poho Bay itself had been fi lled in leaving them stuck heaval of Kilauea, which entered wide and 10ft to 15ft tall, inun- with lava that extended seven- with the mortgage for an aban- its 34th day on Tuesday, on par dated the adjacent subdivisions tenths of a mile from what had doned home and a fi re insurance with the 215 structures destroyed of Kapoho Beach Lots and Vaca- been the shoreline. policy that was of no value, she by lava during all 35 years of the tionland. “What used to be the bay is told Reuters. volcano’s last eruption cycle, The offi cial said aerial surveil- now all lava bed, new land, al- “Right now, I’m hoping that which began in 1983. lance of the area showed only most a mile out into the ocean,” it burns down,” she said. “If lava Lava erupts in Leilani Estates during ongoing eruptions of the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii. The Hawaii County Civil De- the northern portion of Kapoho the civil defence spokesman said. takes it, we’re covered.” Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 15 ASIA

Fugitive UN signs deal with Myanmar monk seeks asylum in to access Rohingya crisis area Germany DPA AFP after the military launched ry out assessments in Rakhine tial assessment phase would mar opens Rakhine state up lowed only chaperoned visits to Bangkok Yangon a crackdown on Rohingya state, which has been largely be completed in the coming to independent monitors Rakhine state. insurgents last August that closed off to outsiders since the months. and takes signifi cant steps The country has refused the UN has called “ethnic crisis began. But any large-scale refu- towards treating Rohingya access to a UN Human fugitive Thai monk want- he UN inked a deal cleansing”. “The work so far has been to gee repatriation is still a long as full citizens. Rights Council fact-fi nd- ed on embezzlement with Myanmar yester- The two countries signed a open the door,” UN Myanmar way off . “If this agreement can help ing mission and barred UN Acharges has fi led an ap- Tday that would grant repatriation deal in November resident co-ordinator Knut “Based on our reading, the the UN access areas the govern- rights expert Yanghee Lee, plication for asylum in Germany the organisation access to the but fears of safety and a lack of Ostby said, adding he could situation at the moment is not ment has blocked, that’s good, rejecting nearly all allega- after being detained at the week- epicentre of the Rohingya cri- rights in Myanmar mean only a not confi rm the extent of the conducive for repatriation,” De but this doesn’t represent any tions that its security forc- end upon landing at Frankfurt sis, but provided few details couple dozen of the long-per- access UN teams would be Vincentiis said, emphasising that fundamental change on the es committed atrocities in airport, Thai media reported on how the agreement would secuted minority have chosen given or which areas would be he hoped the deal would even- ground,” said Matthew Smith, Rakhine. yesterday. jumpstart stalled repatriation to return. prioritised. tually enable refugees to make a co-founder of NGO Fortify But Ostby confi rmed that Senior Buddhist monk Phra plans. The UN said few concrete de- Giuseppe De Vincentiis, the “well-informed” decision about Rights. new UN envoy for Myanmar Phrom Methee, whose lay name Some 700,000 people tails were decided in the newly- Myanmar representative for whether to return or not. Myanmar has traded ac- Christine Schraner Burgener is Chamnong Iamintra, is wanted from the stateless minor- signed “framework” agreement the UN refugee agency, said Human rights groups say cusations with Bangladesh would visit the country “very in Thailand for allegedly embez- ity fl ed over the border from that took months to draft. they hope to start “as soon as the new agreement will be over who is responsible for soon” for talks on the refugee zling temple funds, the Bangkok Myanmar to Bangladesh Its agencies will initially car- possible,” adding that the ini- worth little unless Myan- the repatriation delay, and al- crisis. Post reported. Thai police had tipped off Ger- man authorities to his arrival in Frankfurt, with his asylum ap- plication later sent to the Bremen offi ce of the Federal Offi ce for Migration and Refugees. World Cup megafan Thai police offi cials were in Germany and sought to re- turn him to Thailand on a fl ight Tuesday night, the Post said. But the investigators were unfurls miles-long denied permission to meet the monk, who was being held by German authorities. On May 24, Thai police con- ducted raids at fi ve Buddhist Germany fl ag temples in the Thai capital. Several senior monks were ar- rested for various alleged crimes AFP hosted the World Cup, he start- man supporter,” said Magura ranging from robbery to money Dhaka ed the black, red and yellow deputy police chief Tarikul Is- laundering and embezzlement. banner and has added to it every lam, who attended Tuesday’s The move was part of a crack- tournament since, selling an- ceremony. down on corruption in the re- football-mad farmer in other plot of farmland this year Bangladesh is gripped by ligious ranks of the country, Bangladesh has unfurled to buy enough fabric to extend World Cup fever every four where more than 90% of people Aa homemade German the fl ag by another 2km. years, when its love of cricket identify as Buddhist. fl ag stretching 5.5km (3.4 miles) The 69-year-old unveiled is set aside and fl ags deck the in a bizarre act of devotion to the lengthy tricolour with the streets, with Brazil and Argen- his favourite team ahead of the help of dozens of volunteers at tina particular favourites. World Cup. a school in Magura, southwest If Germany advance to the Amjad Hossain’s long love of the capital Dhaka, before second round of the World Cup, aff air with Germany began German embassy offi cials and Hossain plans to use the fl ag to Bangladeshi fans holding a large German flag displayed at a school in Magura, southwest of Dhaka. Five dead unusually – he credited ho- hundreds of curious onlookers. drape his local stadium in the meopathic medicine made in “The 5.5km-long German country’s colours. charge d’aff aires in Bangla- bassy offi cial, said seeing the It was an honour,” said Kabir. the European powerhouse with fl ag encircled the school ground “I love German football. They desh who made him a lifetime legendary fl ag in person “was “So far we have not heard tiger cubs treating a gallbladder stone, and several times. Amjad Hossain play beautiful football,” he said. member of the Mannschaft, the even more fascinating”. about any other fl ag being long- never looked back. sold his property to make such a In 2014, Hossain’s devotion national side. “We were walking along the fl ag er than this one. I believe right In 2006, when Germany huge fl ag. He is a genuine Ger- was recognised by Germany’s Tamara Kabir, a German em- for some time under a boiling sun. now it is possibly the longest.” confi scated Bangladesh in Vietnam prepares for 2nd satellite launch DPA Bangladesh urged to halt killings Hanoi The Bangladeshi government is preparing to launch the country’s second satellite following the olice have arrested three successful placement of the first men in central Vietnam one last month. of suspected drug off enders Pafter fi ve endangered ti- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ger corpses were found in their made the announcement during possession, state media reported a question-answer session in the Reuters forfeit their rights for using or Shamdasani said Bangla- pelled to fi re back when they Bangladesh’s Rapid Ac- yesterday. parliament yesterday, Xinhua Geneva selling drugs, and he urged the desh’s minister of law had as- are fi red at. We’ll continue this tion Battalion (RAB) arrested Bui Van Hieu, 26, and Hoang news agency reported. government to investigate the sured Zeid there would be an drive to stamp out drugs to prominent online activist Imran Van Thien, 27, were caught on She said preparations were deaths. investigation. save our young generation. Our H Sarker yesterday ahead of a Tuesday in Nghe An province on for the country’s second angladeshi security forc- “There is no doubt that the “We are calling on the gov- people are supporting this.” planned rally against the killings. with the dead tigers in their car’s communication satellite es have shot dead around traffi cking and sale of illegal ernment to follow through The drug is sourced from “He was arrested on charges trunk, the Vnexpress news site “Bangabandhu-2”. B130 people and arrested narcotics leads to tremendous with this commitment and northeast Myanmar and of organising a rally without reported. “We need to have a second 13,000 in the past three weeks suff ering for individuals and to ensure that this is not just smuggled into neighbour- permission. There are more Nguyen Van Chinh, 33, who satellite so that it can replace since the government intro- entire communities, but ex- any investigation, it has to be ing Bangladesh. Bangladesh charges against him,” said RAB was escorting the men in a sepa- the first one when it becomes duced a “zero tolerance” policy trajudicial killings, arbitrary an independent, transparent, has said an infl ux last year of spokesman Mizanur Rahman rate car, was also arrested. obsolete. And we’ve to prepare against illegal drugs, the Unit- arrests and the stigmatisation meaningful investigation with Rohingya fl eeing Myanmar Bhuiya, without elaborating. They confessed to attempting from now on as the process for a ed Nations human rights chief of people who use drugs can- the view to bring in to jus- is partly to blame for soar- In his statement, Zeid ex- to deliver the tigers to an illegal satellite takes at least five to six said yesterday. not be the answer,” Zeid said in tice the perpetrators of these ing methamphetamine use. pressed concern that commu- producer of tiger-infused wine. years to complete.” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasi- a statement. killings,” she said. But many Rohingya say their nities living in slums were be- Tigers are sometimes con- She said Bangladesh will go na approved the anti-narcotics “I am gravely concerned that The government has previ- young people are being pushed ing targeted and raided in the sumed in traditional Vietnamese for “Bangabandhu-3” after the campaign in early May to tack- such a large number of people ously dismissed any sugges- into crime because they cannot crackdown. medicine, although the practice second one. le the spread of yaba, as meth- have been killed, and that the tion of extrajudicial killings legally work or, in many cases, He said the arrests and kill- is illegal. On May 12, the country launched amphetamine is widely known government reaction has been and said the crackdown had get access to aid. ings had begun on May 15, a day The suspects reportedly ex- its first “Bangabandhu-1” satellite. in Asia, and worth an estimat- to assure the public that none popular support. Human rights activists are after Bangladesh underwent a pected to sell the fi ve dead cubs The launch made Bangladesh ed $3bn annually, government of these individuals were ‘in- Responding to Zeid’s criti- worried the Bangladesh cam- regular review at the UN Hu- for around $3,000. the 57th nation in the world and offi cials say. nocent’ but that mistakes can cism, Bangladeshi Home Min- paign is taking a page from the man Rights Council, where it Tigers are virtually extinct in fourth in South Asia after India, UN High Commissioner for occur in an anti-narcotics ister Asaduzzaman Khan told Philippine drugs war, in which pledged to investigate extraju- the Vietnamese wild, although Pakistan and Sri Lanka to own a Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al- drive.” Reuters: “We are not killing thousands of people have been dicial killings, arbitrary arrests conservationists believe hundreds satellite. Hussein said nobody should UN spokeswoman Ravina anyone. Our forces are com- killed in the past two years. and other serious violations are bred on illegal farms. As rains lash Lanka, warnings arrive on time

Thomson Reuters Foundation saying that after May 22 Marawila and of early warning alerts about potential heighten preparedness before the Government and Red Cross offi - Marawila surrounding areas were likely to be hit threats, experts say. monsoon season, including mobi- cials used a range of offi cial and pri- by fl oods. On May 22, the Disaster Manage- lising response teams well in ad- vate networks to get warnings out, The Sri Lanka Red Cross also sent ment Centre put out a landslide warn- vance and establishing mechanisms with the Disaster Management Centre n late May, fl oods were the last the same warnings – and then on May ing, relayed from the National Building to ensure the security and safety of also sending out police to warn remote thing on Chamindha Fernando’s 21 the heavens opened with three days Research Organisation, that reached evacuated people and their assets,” villages, Madugalle said. Imind. of non-stop rain. scores of landslide-prone villages in Barton said. The centre also used social media A drought that started in late 2016 By May 24, Marawila and surround- the districts of Rathnapura, Kalutara, “This year early warning informa- – particularly Facebook and Twitter was in its second year and the biggest ing areas had received over 350mm Kegalle and Nuwera Eliya. tion was more widely and regularly – to provide updates on risks and is- local worry was that drinking water in (13 inches) of rain in four days – but Many families temporarily moved disseminated,” she said. sue warnings, while the meteorologi- Marawila, a coastal town about 65km Fernando had reinforced his chicken out of their homes in response. Disaster experts said one sig- cal department updated its online rain north of Colombo, might run out. hatcheries and pens so that rainwater “There was no landslide in our vil- nifi cant change this year was that maps every three hours. So “when we began hearing that could not get in. lage, but we felt safe staying away agencies such as the Disaster Man- “Comparatively, this time we were there was going to be heavy rains in the “Because I heeded the warnings, from the area and also that some- agement Centre and the Red Cross able to be a bit more proactive,” said coming week from around May 20, at I probably avoided losses that could one was monitoring the situation,” begin issuing eff ective mobile Duminda Dissanayake, the govern- fi rst I did not pay that much attention,” have gone into hundreds of thousands said Mariamma Sivalingama, 40, phone warnings. ment minister in charge of disaster admitted Fernando, who runs a small of rupees,” he said. a plantation worker who lives in “Everyone was on SMS, the mes- management. chicken farm. Sri Lankan weather and disaster Nuwera Eliya. sages were really fast and really well Madugalle, of the Red Cross, said But soon the main government offi - offi ces have for years faced criticism Brenda Barton, the head of the linked,” said Sudath Madugalle, who that authorities still need to work on cial in his area sent messages to busi- for not providing adequate early World Food Programme in Sri Lanka, oversees early warning and fl ood relief building community awareness about ness owners such as Fernando, warn- warning about extreme weather said government departments and eff orts as deputy general director of the disaster threats, however. ing them to be prepared for fl ooding. – a problem that may have con- other agencies held meetings in the Sri Lanka Red Cross. “Past disasters have shown peo- Fernando said he didn’t usually trust tributed to widespread deaths and two weeks before the expected arrival May fl ooding did leave over 150,000 ple how dangerous these events can the forecasts of Sri Lanka’s department displacement from mudslides and of monsoon rains to try to prepare for marooned by fl oodwater and 23 deaths be,” he said. But “we need to con- of meteorology, which he felt were of- fl ooding, critics say. A man walks at the Galle Face potential threats. were reported. But the damages and tinue with awareness programmes so ten cryptic and vague. But this time But this year that is changing, with promenade during monsoon winds The government “took a number the fatalities were far lower than in that community level preparedness is the alerts were much more precise, government agencies issuing a series in Colombo yesterday. of concerted steps and initiatives to 2016 and 2017. strengthened even more.” Gulf Times 16 Thursday, June 7, 2018 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Malaysia draws China link to huge fi nancial scandal

AFP tling allegations billions of dol- fi cials to fi le a report about the of memoranda of understand- Malaysia’s new attorney general vows “no cover ups” in 1MDB case Kuala Lumpur lars were looted from sovereign “highly suspicious transactions” ing for the deal in Beijing in 2017. wealth fund 1MDB. with anti-corruption authorities The toppled leader, who has been Malaysia’s newly appointed in our courts against the alleged to do justice. Justice must not The pipeline deal was one of and noted that the company be- questioned twice by graft inves- attorney-general Tommy wrongdoers,” Thomas told only be done but it must also alaysia’s ousted leader a series of big-ticket, Beijing- hind the deal had links to a scan- tigators since losing power, said Thomas said yesterday there reporters on his first day in be seen to be done,” he said. has denied wrongdoing backed projects signed during dal-mired, former subsidiary of he was “confi dent” that all nec- would be “no cover ups” off ice. “All are equal before the Thomas is the country’s first M over a $2.4bn China- Najib’s leadership, fuelling sus- 1MDB. “We have documents to essary “procedures and laws have as he promised to institute law and no one is spared. There non-Muslim attorney-general in backed pipeline deal after the picions China was helping the prove... it’s all part of the 1MDB been complied with” in the deal. criminal and civil action over will be no cover up.” He also said decades, and his appointment new government said the project scandal-mired leader pay off scam,” the minister was cited as He said “great care” should be a graft scandal at state fund he would immediately contact had been opposed by some was “highly suspicious” and debts racked up by the stricken saying in The Star newspaper. taken “when making such serious 1Malaysia Development Berhad authorities in other countries sections of the majority ethnic linked it to a massive fi nancial fund. State-owned Export-Import politically-motivated public al- (1MDB). At least six countries, investigating 1MDB, with the Malay community. “Free scandal. Malaysia’s Finance Minis- Bank of China provided 85% of legations involving foreign state- including the United States, aim of returning billions of speech means everybody can A company owned by Malay- ter Lim Guan Eng said Tuesday the funding for the project with owned companies as it may have Singapore and Switzerland, dollars allegedly stolen from criticise you, so I am happy sia’s fi nance ministry signed the that 8.25bn ringgit had already the rest required to be raised by a negative eff ect on foreign rela- are investigating claims that the fund. Other tasks on his for everybody to criticise me,” 9.4bn ringgit deal in 2016 for a been drawn down by the Chinese issuing sukuk, or Islamic bonds, tions and international trade”. $4.5bn was siphoned out of immediate agenda included Thomas said in response. Chinese state-owned company company building the pipelines. Lim said. Public disgust over allegations 1MDB, founded by former repealing oppressive laws, and He was appointed on Tuesday to build a gas pipeline and an oil This amounted to almost 88% Najib insisted in a state- of corruption linked to Najib and premier Najib Razak. “I have reviewing Malaysia’s contracts to replace Mohamed Apandi Ali, pipeline. of the project value – yet only ment late Tuesday there was no his cronies was a major factor therefore to study all the papers with other countries. “On my who in 2016 had cleared Najib Najib Razak – toppled in elec- 13% of the work had been com- wrongdoing in the project, say- in his surprise election loss last in that scandal. We will institute part, I promise to do the right of any wrongdoing in the 1MDB tions last month – was prime pleted, he said in a statement. ing he and Chinese Premier Li month to an alliance headed by criminal and civil proceedings thing, that is to tell the truth and case. minister at the time, and bat- Lim said he had instructed of- Keqiang witnessed the signing Mahathir Mohamad. Singapore top envoy to visit Pyongyang before summit

AFP although Singapore does not Singapore have an embassy in Pyongyang. The Southeast Asia fi nancial hub The view of Resorts World Sentosa island in Singapore. A highly anticipated meeting between US of 5.6mn people also has good re- president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will take place at a resort island off ingapore’s foreign minister lations with the US. Southern Singapore, the White House confirmed. will make a two-day trip to Part of its appeal as summit SPyongyang starting today, host was its the fact it has one Abe to meet Trump today as preparations for a summit in foot in the East and one in the the city-state between Donald West, as well as being modern, Trump and Kim Jong-un accel- effi cient and secure. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo nationals referenced by Japan normalisation of diplomatic erate. The island resort of Sentosa, Abe departed for the United never entered the reclusive relations and the extension The announcement came a day which was selected by Ameri- States yesterday to hold talks nation. Last month, North Korea of economic co-operation after the White House revealed can diplomats, is connected to with US President Donald reiterated its position that the based on a 2002 bilateral that the historic June 12 meet- the Singapore main island by a Trump ahead of the US-North issue had been resolved. “The declaration if progress is made ing between the US and North single causeway that can be eas- Korea summit in Singapore next reactionaries of Japan are on the abduction issue, Kyodo Korean leaders will take place in ily closed off to traffi c, sources week. Abe and Trump are due to hyping the ‘issue of abduction’ reported. a luxury hotel on Singapore’s re- familiar with the arrangements meet today to co-ordinate their which had already been settled,” Japan has been on alert sort island of Sentosa. told AFP. policies towards North Korea the state-run Korean Central following North Korea’s ramped- The summit is due to be held Singapore authorities yes- and reaff irm close cooperation News Agency reported on up rhetoric and numerous following a rapid detente be- The facade of the Capella hotel in Sentosa island resorts. terday marked out a part of the between the two countries. May 12. “I will co-ordinate with ballistic missile launches over tween Pyongyang and Washing- island surrounding the Capella Abe is also likely to ask President Trump to move the the past two years. ton – as well as South Korea – in North Korean capital at the invi- the summit is extremely fragile hotel as a special security zone the president to dismiss issues of North Korea’s nuclear Pyongyang carried out its sixth a turn-around from a dramatic tation of the North’s foreign min- and can easily be tipped out of for the days around the summit. Pyongyang’s claim that the and missile programmes and and most powerful nuclear test escalation of tensions last year, ister Ri Yong-ho, Singapore’s for- balance,” Graham Ong-Webb, a Balakrishnan is the latest sen- issue of Japanese nationals of the abduction, which is in September and test-fired when the North ratcheted up its eign ministry said in a statement. research fellow at Singapore’s S ior foreign offi cial to visit the kidnapped by North Korean the most important, forward about 20 ballistic missiles last weapons programme. The minister, who will be ac- Rajaratnam School of Interna- North as summit preparations agents decades ago had been and make the US-North Korea year - two of which flew over Trump fi nally confi rmed the companied by foreign minis- tional Studies, told AFP. heat up — last month, top dip- resolved, Kyodo News agency summit a success,” Abe told Japan’s mainland. summit last week following a try offi cials, will also meet the The US is pushing for a lomats from China and Russia reported, citing unnamed reporters before his departure Abe’s meeting with Trump visit from a top Pyongyang offi - North’s ceremonial president “complete, verifiable and irre- made trips to Pyongyang. government sources. for Washington yesterday. takes place ahead of the G7 cial in Washington, after having Kim Yong Nam, the statement versible” end of North Korea’s Since the inter-Korean detente Japan said North Korea had Trump is to meet North summit meeting in Charlevoix, abruptly cancelled the meeting said. nuclear weapons and missile began at the Pyeongchang Win- abducted at least 17 Japanese Korean leader Kim Jong- Canada on June 8-9. The as US and North Korean offi cials It did not give reasons for programmes, but observers ter Olympics in February, there citizens in the 1970s and 1980s un at the Capella Hotel on premier is expected to ask traded verbal barbs. He has said the trip but analysts noted believe there is a large gap be- has also been a fl urry of diplo- to teach the language and its Sentosa Island in Singapore other G7 leaders to agree on the denuclearisation, and a formal Balakrishnan visited the US this tween what Washington and matic activity between the North living habits to its agents. Five on June 12, the White House need to mention the complete end to the decades-old Korean week and met with Secretary of Pyongyang define as “denu- and South. of the 17 were returned alive to announced on Tuesday. Abe denuclearisation of North war, will be on the table in Sin- State Mike Pompeo, and will be clearisation”. South Korean President Moon Japan in 2002. is expected to ask Trump to Korea in a joint communique gapore. keen to keep both sides happy Singapore has diplomatic ties Jae-in and Kim have held land- Pyongyang, however, said eight convey to Kim that Tokyo would to be issued after the summit, Singapore’s foreign minister before the summit. with Pyongyang and the North mark summits twice in recent others died and the other four consider negotiating on the according to Kyodo. Vivian Balakrishnan will visit the “We’ve reached a point where has an embassy in the city-state, weeks.

Airbnb culls Japan listings ahead of new rental law VIP orchids

Rental platform Airbnb has of turning off future listing onerous rental requirements, suspended a large majority of capabilities.” He declined to which they see as intended to its listings in Japan ahead of a confirm the exact number favour the hotel industry. new law that goes into eff ect of listings aff ected, but local The law limits stays to 180 next week regulating short-term media reports and sources put days a year, and allows local rentals in the country. the figure at about 80% of the governments to impose The law, which comes into rentals available on the site additional restrictions, with the force on June 15, requires across Japan. tourist magnet of Kyoto only owners to obtain a government Wilczynski said many Airbnb permitting rentals in residential registration number and meet hosts had already obtained their areas between mid-January various regulations that some registration, and others were and mid-March, the low season have decried as overly strict. “going through or finalising” for tourists. They also criticise “This weekend we reached out the process. “We are on course the registration process as to those hosts who have not to register tens of thousands excessively complicated and yet obtained their notification of new listings in Japan in the bureaucratic. “The registration number to let them know that months ahead,” he added. process is a headache,” said Ben, they will need this to accept Airbnb and other peer-to- a Tokyo Airbnb host who has any new bookings,” Airbnb peer rental sites have publicly rented to dozens of visitors. spokesman for Asia-Pacific Jake welcomed the new law, saying “I studied the requirements Wilczynski told AFP. it removes uncertainty that has and collected the required “We have informed those hosts long existed in the sector. documents when it started in that we are in the process But some hosts say it imposes mid-March.

New Zealand PM to hand over reins just before giving birth

New Zealand’s pregnant Prime the couple are happy to share back how many hours it had Minister Jacinda Ardern will with the public some moments been since she’d given birth, only hand over the reins of with their new baby, they ask and have made sure in any government to her deputy that media respect the family’s interviews since then I have Winston Peters on arriving privacy in the weeks set aside to lowered any expectations I at the hospital to give birth. be together after the birth, and would be doing the same or With the June 17 due date fast during private family moments,” that I would look quite as well approaching, the 37-year-old’s Tuesday’s statement read. composed as she did,” she off ice released a statement on There will be no exclusive recently told journalists. The Tuesday detailing Ardern’s post- media interviews before Ardern prime minister was asked last pregnancy plans. returned to work, but the couple week whether she intends to Once the baby has been born will allow photos and some slow down before the birth. at Auckland Hospital, Ardern questions as they leave the “Ah yeah, that’s a question that and her partner Clarke Gayford hospital. Ardern has already some of my family have been will confirm the birth. This will asked media to lower their asking me. I do have a few likely be made via Instagram, expectations for the hospital more things that I’d like to get A combination photo shows the VIP orchids named after politicians and dignitaries at Singapore Botanic Gardens’ National Orchid which is how Ardern announced shoot. through ... but I am taking a Garden. From top L-R: Dendrobium Duke Duchess of Cornwall, Dendrobium Barack and Michelle Obama, Dendrobium Margaret her pregnancy, followed by a “When I saw that photo (of the bit of breather in between, but Thatcher. Centre L-R: Dendrobium Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Dendrobium Memoria Princess Diana, Dendrobium Narendra Modi. Bottom L-R: formal announcement from the duke and duchess of Cambridge otherwise it’s all manageable,” Dendrobium Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull, Dendrobium Masako Kotaishi Hidenka and Dendrobium Joaquim Alberto Chissano. Prime Minister’s off ice. “While with their new baby) I counted Radio NZ quoted her as saying. Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 17 BRITAIN/IRELAND Gove ‘ready to make concessions’ on Brexit environment controls

Guardian News and Media bill on the statute book before the “I think it will be the case but has drafted an amendment that sistance, but there is signifi cant like the peers’ clause, it requires passage of the EU withdrawal bill London summit at the end of June, the en- I don’t want to anticipate things. would deliver most of the ambi- support for it in the Conserva- new, primary legislation to be that have strengthened Gove’s vironment secretary has indicated There may well be a response, an tions of the Lords rebels. tive party and I have no doubt the published before the end of the hand in negotiations with the he intends to make concessions on amendment in lieu, which seeks He said: “It’s absolutely right amendment will not only pass, it year setting out environmental Treasury. ichael Gove has won a environmental protection after a to address some of those concerns that the new environment body will be backed formally by gov- principles that would be set out An early defeat in the Lords signifi cant victory over crushing defeat in the Lords. but also a wider, more construc- should have the ability to properly ernment.” in a “statement of environmental forced him to publish a consul- Mthe Treasury after the At an event organised by the tive way forward,” he said. hold government to account, if The new clause added by policy”. tation document before the third Chancellor, Philip Hammond, had Policy Exchange thinktank, Gove “I think the Lords amendment, necessary through the courts, and peers demanded that all existing An independent body to moni- reading on the bill, setting out blocked his plans for replacing EU acknowledged the force of the while I know the honourable in- that we put the key environmen- “rights, powers and liabilities … tor compliance would be estab- plans for environmental pro- environmental protections after Lords defeat. He suggested he was tentions of those who put it for- tal principles that underpin our that contribute to the protection lished, with the power to sue the tection after Brexit. But when Brexit. prepared to accept a “construc- ward, wasn’t quite the answer to environmental laws into primary and improvement of the environ- government if it failed to apply any it was published, it was widely In a demonstration of the gov- tive” alternative to the Lords at- the challenge.” legislation. ment” would be preserved. of the environmental principles. criticised as inadequate. Most ernment’s readiness to make con- tempt to entrench EU standards Zac Goldsmith, the Tory back- “This is something Gove has The Goldsmith amendment Green campaigners have scored observers saw the hand of the cessions to get the EU withdrawal in UK law. bencher and environmentalist, been pushing, against some re- does not repeat that demand. But a series of victories during the Treasury at work. Labour in bid to force new single market deal

Reuters over immigration. London That combination could poten- tially break with one of the EU’s “four freedoms” — movement of he opposition Labour Par- workers, goods, capital and serv- ty has thrown down the ices — that underpin access to the Tgauntlet to Prime Minis- single market. ter Theresa May on Brexit, urging “Labour will only accept a Brex- lawmakers to defeat her in parlia- it deal that delivers the benefi ts of ment by backing a proposal for the single market and protects Britain to stay in the EU’s single jobs and living standards,” Keir market after leaving the bloc. Starmer, Labour’s Brexit policy Ten months before Britain is due chief, said. to leave the European Union, May The move ignites the latest is struggling to unite her party and battle in a long series of confl icts government over a Brexit strategy. waged in both parties, the two She also faces a parliament houses of parliament and across Secretary of State for Departing the EU, David Davis, delivers a speech on Britain’s security relationship with the EU after Brexit, in London, yesterday. where some lawmakers want to a deeply divided country since force her to go back on promises to it voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the bloc’s single market and leave the bloc. customs union. A struggle in May’s team of By tabling a new amendment ministers over future customs ar- to May’s Brexit blueprint, the EU rangements with the EU has all but withdrawal bill, Labour put the stalled Brexit negotiations, and single market back at the centre of there is little time left. a debate that could shape Britain’s The EU is expecting her to have May ‘faces Davis revolt trading relationships for years to made progress by a summit later come. this month and both sides want to It also challenges many of its reach a deal by October. own lawmakers who want Britain Yesterday, May again defended to have an even stronger relation- in parliament her government’s ship with the EU and stay in its Eu- deliberations, saying her ministers ropean Economic Area (EEA). would publish a policy document over Irish border plan’ The move further muddies the on Britain’s future relationship water over a vote next week on the with the EU. Guardian News and Media manent solution to the Irish bor- to be temporary. “It’s impor- could become the post-Brexit when asked by Jeremy Corbyn at EU withdrawal bill, which May But she did not say when. London der problem can be found. tant that it’s time-limited even norm. prime minister’s questions when needs to pass to sever ties with The Conservative Party at- Davis helped to clinch agree- outside of the fact that we don’t Jacob Rees-Mogg, who chairs it would be published. the bloc and “copy and paste” its tacked Labour’s amendment, say- ment on the backstop in the Cab- expect or want it to happen,” a the pro-Brexit European Re- Rumours were circulating laws into British legislation so the ing it “shattered their promise to heresa May is facing a inet Brexit subcommittee last source said. search Group of Tory back- in Westminster yesterday that country can function after March respect the referendum result”. It backlash from the Brexit month, in the face of objections Pressed on whether the last benchers, went so far as to ques- Davis had threatened to resign next year. also has caused ripples in Labour, TSecretary, David Davis, from other Leavers including meeting of the Brexit subcom- tion whether the government over the details of the backstop It fi rst hangs on whether the where some lawmakers had lob- over the government’s backstop Boris Johnson and Michael Gove. mittee had signed up to the de- remained committed to deliver- plan. amendment will even be accepted bied for the party to support an plan to avoid a hard border in Ire- Johnson subsequently warned tails of the backstop plan, the ing Brexit. Britain signed up to the idea and debated in parliament on June amendment to keep Britain in the land. that the prime minister should source said, “they agreed the The latest clash between the of a backstop in the deal reached 12. Then it comes down to whether EEA, retaining full access to the Cabinet sources confi rmed a ensure she delivered a Brexit deal policy of what it would look like prime minister and her Brexit with the EU27 in December but it can get the numbers to defeat the single market in return for making BBC report that a four-page draft that avoided the backstop having – and of course that there needs secretary comes after the pair May rejected a draft subsequent- government. payments and accepting the four of the backstop proposal circu- to be used. “Brexiters fearing be- to be one”. also disagreed about the timing ly presented by Brussels that The amendment calls on the freedoms. lated to ministers has prompted trayal over the customs backstop The subcommittee is due to of publication for a white pa- would in eff ect keep Northern government to negotiate full Labour lawmaker Chuka a fresh row, because it does not must understand that the PM meet again today, with a related per on the government’s Brexit Ireland in the single market. access to the EU’s single mar- Umunna accused the leadership of include a legally enforceable end has been very clear that it is not simmering dispute about Brit- stance. Any plan that involves a spe- ket, to keep common minimum trying to wreck that amendment date. an outcome we desire; we want a ain’s future customs arrange- Davis was keen to produce a cial status for Northern Ireland standards, rights and protec- and preventing what would be a Davis in particular was keen to deal with the EU and she will de- ments still unresolved. detailed document before the is anathema to May’s allies in the tions, to share joint institutions painful government defeat after see a fi rm end date be put in place liver it,” he said. When news of the backstop European council at the end of Democratic Unionist party, who and regulations, and ensure some Conservative lawmakers had for the plan, which would keep Downing Street played down plan emerged last month, it in- June but the prime minister is reject the idea of any diff erential there are no new impediments suggested they could vote for the the whole of the UK in key areas the row yesterday, saying the furiated hardline Conservative more cautious. in treatment between the region to trade, while retaining control EEA on June 12. of the customs union until a per- backstop was only ever intended backbenchers who fear that it May refused to give an answer and the rest of the UK. Corbyn compares Brexit Handbag auction set to break records strategy to rail chaos Guardian News and Media Christie’s Hong Kong last month London were two Hermes Birkin bags, which sold for £130,000 and Guardian News and Media ing whether it would be pub- Cabinet subcommittee delibera- £119,000, far in excess of their es- London lished before next week’s crucial tions on the two possible post- 20-year-old Hermes timates. votes on the EU withdrawal bill. Brexit customs arrangements, Himalaya Birkin with a The buzz around handbags as After May responded by dodg- and the reported plan for a 10- Adiamond-encrusted white investment pieces has attracted eremy Corbyn has compared ing the question, Corbyn asked mile “buff er zone” at the Irish gold lock is expected to become art collectors, who in turn are di- the government’s Brexit whether the white paper would border, saying this idea had been the most expensive handbag ever versifying the aesthetic of the sales Jstrategy to the chaos on appear before the crucial EU called “bonkers”. sold at auction in Europe when beyond the traditional crocodile- Northern trains as he again used summit later this month. He May responded: “We are look- it appears as Lot 75 of 220 hand- skin trophies desired by ladies who prime minister’s questions to added: “Next week we will be de- ing at the two options for the bags, which will go under the lunch. pressure Theresa May on what bating the most important piece customs model. Both of those hammer at Christie’s in London The London auction will in- the Labour leader said was min- of legislation for a very long time, will do what we have committed on June 12. clude a white Hermes bag painted isterial deadlock on the issue. and we still have not seen the to do.” “Only three of these particular with the red Nasa logo and signed In a tightly focused approach, government’s negotiating posi- After fi nally getting an answer bags have ever come up for auc- by the New York artist Tom Sachs, the Labour leader asked May a tion.” from May on whether a post- tion,” says Christie’s handbag spe- who explores the juxtaposition series of specifi c policy questions Again, May opted to not an- Brexit transition deal would defi - cialist, Rachel Koff sky. “We don’t between luxury and reality in about Brexit, which she pointedly swer the question, asking Corbyn nitely end in December 2020 – think there are many of them out works such as Tiff any Glock, a refused to answer, bringing jeers instead to rule out any Labour “Yes,” she replied – Corbyn used there. I have my fi ngers crossed boxed handgun made of cardboard from the opposition benches. support for a referendum on a fi - his fi nal question to castigate the that we will break records with painted to resemble Tiff any’s jew- In response, May repeatedly nal Brexit deal. government’s approach, refer- this bag.” ellery packaging, and Hermes Val- sought to bring the subject back Corbyn returned to the at- ring to the recent chaos to train The bag is tipped to exceed its ue Meal, a replica fast-food tray to Labour’s own divisions on tack, saying: “We were told three services in the north of England. estimate of £100,000-£150,000, fashioned in Hermes’s distinctive Brexit, prompting Corbyn to re- weeks ago to a great deal of fan- “When it comes to Brexit this putting it in line to top the highest H-stamped orange. mark at one point: “The last time fare that this document, this government has delivered more price paid for a handbag at auc- Koff sky describes the Nasa I looked at the order paper it said white paper, would set out the delays and more cancellations tion in Europe, which stands at handbag, which has an estimate prime minister’s question time.” government’s ambition for the than Northern rail,” he said, to £155,000. of £20,000-£30,000, as “a good- Corbyn began by noting that UK’s future relationship with the cheers from Labour MPs. “The The vibrant market in invest- natured interpretation of con- last month the Brexit secretary, EU and their vision for a future government’s white paper is de- ment bags is driven by demand sumerism … which shows how David Davis, had promised a “de- role in the world. It’s nowhere to layed, its customs proposals have for Hermes Birkin and Kelly bags, sophisticated our customers are. I tailed, ambitious and precise” be seen, no answer is there as to been cancelled, and it has ripped which account for about 90% of can see this being bought by a seri- white paper on the government’s when it will be published.” up its own timetable, just like our sales at auctions worldwide. The ous art collector who will display it Brexit negotiating position, ask- He then asked for details on shambolic privatised railways.” Jeremy Corbyn: attacks premier most desired pieces in a sale at in a museum case.” Gulf Times 18 Thursday, June 7, 2018 BRITAIN

LITERATURE ROYALTY TECHNOLOGY STUDY DECISION Meghan to accompany Microsoft sinks data Don’t admit being bad at Academy chain refuses Queen at bridge opening centre off Scottish island maths to kids, parents told to adopt ‘risky’ school

Meghan, the duchess of Sussex, will US tech giant Microsoft has submerged a data Parents were yesterday urged not to say “I An academy chain best known for turning accompany Queen Elizabeth II for the first centre off the Orkney archipelago in northern am rubbish at maths” in front of their children around sink schools has refused to adopt a time on off icial engagements next week, at the Scotland in a project to save on the energy for fear of putting them off the subject. The troubled London primary. The Harris Federation opening of a landmark bridge and a regional used to cool the servers on land, the firm said. Institution of Engineering and Technology said was asked to take over Durand Academy in theatre in north-western England. The opening The Northern Isles data centre consists of a parents’ lack of confidence in maths — as well as Lambeth, which has for years been at the on June 14 of the Mersey Gateway Bridge and 40-foot long white cylinder containing 864 science, technology and engineering subjects centre of disputes over the £400,000-a-year the Storyhouse Theatre in Chester will be servers — enough to store 5mn movies — and — can aff ect their children’s future career salary of its former head, land ownership and Meghan’s first public events with the Queen can lie on the seabed for up to five years. choices at a time when the UK faces a shortfall its complex governance arrangements. But since her marriage last month to Prince Harry, An undersea cable brings electricity, from of 60,000 engineers and technicians a year. An Harris, which runs 44 schools in London, said the Queen’s grandson. The royal family listed Orkney’s renewable energy network of wind IET study found 32% of parents have uttered it would not step in to run the school, citing Shortlisted authors for the Women’s Prize for the pair’s attendance at the two events in a turbines and tidal power, to the centre and phrases such as “I am rubbish at maths” in front “risky legal agreements”. It also said saving the Fiction, (left-right) India’s Meena Kandasamy, daily diary but gave no details. The six-lane carries data from the servers to the shore and of their children. The IET said parents need to controversial school would draw resources of its Britain’s Imogen Hermes Gowar, Britain’s Kamila Mersey Gateway toll bridge opened to traff ic the Internet. The sea off ers ready and free recognise their own confidence and enthusiasm other schools. Durand will now be taken over by Shamsie, USA’s Elif Batuman, pose with their in October. The Storyhouse Theatre includes a access to cooling — which is one of the biggest towards certain subjects “can influence and Dunraven Educational Trust, based at Dunraven novels in London yesterday. library and a cinema. costs for land-based data centres. shape their children’s development”. School, also in Lambeth.

Huge fi re breaks out McDonnell joins at luxury hotel in Tory rebels in London

Guardian News and Media fi ght against London

ne hundred and twenty fi refi ghters are battling Oa blaze at the fi ve-star Heathrow plans Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge, central London. Guardian News and Media considerable liability that could the government being defeated Twenty fi re engines were dis- London fall upon the taxpayers’ shoul- on Heathrow expansion in the patched to the fi re, on William ders and preempts the decision Commons. Street, after receiving more than of parliament on this matter.” McDonnell tweeted: “I remain 35 calls beginning at 3.55pm, ohn McDonnell has joined The senior Labour MP, whose implacably opposed to expan- London fi re brigade said. Conservative rebels against Hayes and Harlington constitu- sion at Heathrow and after lis- Crews from Chelsea, Ken- JHeathrow’s third runway to ency includes Heathrow, asked tening to the Transport Minister, sington, Hammersmith, Batter- attempt to persuade MPs who the department for transport to Chris Grayling, I am even more sea and surrounding fi re stations may still have reservations about reveal whether it had made any convinced that this would be a attended the fi re at the 12-storey the project to vote against it. assessment of the fi nancial li- costly, environmental and social luxury hotel. The London ambu- The shadow chancellor, a abilities that taxpayers could be disaster that will never be built.” lance service attended the scene, longstanding opponent of ex- exposed to. A Labour source said: “John but said there were no casualties pansion, is working with the The DfT signed a cost recovery doesn’t believe that the tests “as far as we are aware”. Tory former transport secretary clause with Heathrow in 2016 in have been met yet and is quite Large plumes of black smoke Justine Greening and the back- its statement of principles, which confi dent that is not going to could be seen from across the bench MP Zac Goldsmith, both said the airport would be able to change.” capital rising above the building, also fi rm critics, to try to halt the pursue “legal and equitable rem- However, many backbench La- which is close to Harrods depart- government’s expansion plan. edies (including cost recovery)” bour MPs and the unions support ment store and the One Hyde At an emergency meeting in if the government opted for an a third runway. Len McCluskey, Park luxury apartment complex. the Commons after the Trans- alternative scheme or withdrew the general secretary of Unite, Flames could be seen around port Secretary, Chris Grayling, its support. the party’s biggest union backer, the top of the hotel, and extend- confi rmed that the government The issue was raised by Green- was quoted in Heathrow’s offi cial ed ladders were erected to access would back a third runway, the ing in the Commons earlier this response to the announcement. that area of the building. cross-party group agreed their week, when she warned that tax- Jeremy Corbyn’s spokes- In a statement, the London strategy ahead of the key vote, payers could end up with a bill man confi rmed that the Labour fi re brigade said: “The brigade which is expected to take place in costing “billions and billions” leadership believes the govern- was called at 3.55pm. Fire crews about two weeks’ time. of pounds. Grayling did not re- ment’s plan for a third runway from Chelsea, Kensington, McDonnell has highlighted the spond. does not pass the party’s “four Hammersmith, Battersea and potential multimillion-pound Labour has said it would con- tests”, increasing the likelihood other surrounding fi re stations cost to the taxpayer in the event sider whether its four tests on that Labour will vote against it, are at the scene. The cause of the that the government, including airport expansion had been met and leaving Theresa May reliant fi re is not known at this stage.” any future Labour administra- before deciding whether to back on SNP and Labour votes to get “The fi re was in the middle of tion, should change its mind on the plans, raising the prospect of it through. the hotel,” said Samir Boureghda, expansion. of Masgouf restaurant in William In a letter to Grayling, he raised Street, who said it looked as if the concerns over how much, if any, Motorists likely to face charge to cut air pollution fl ames had been extinguished. of the £14bn project would be A tradesman working at the publicly subsidised if Heathrow’s Motorists face a “kiss-and-fl y” terminals. Other options include hotel said he hit the alarm button plans for a third runway did not charge to drop passengers at an emissions-based surcharge for when he saw a fi re. The 19-year- proceed. Heathrow airport if it is allowed to more polluting vehicles to access old lift engineer, who gave his McDonnell wrote: “There ap- expand. Bosses at the west London the airport, a general airport access name as Harry, said: “I was in pears to be no end date to this airport are proposing a series of charge for motorists, or moving the lift shaft and I looked to my agreement. This means that options to tackle local air pollution car parks further away from the left and saw the geezers work- taxpayers could be left picking as part of the £14bn plans for a third terminals to discourage people ing on the roof. To my left there up a bill of multiple millions of runway. They include a levy on driving to the airport. Heathrow was a big fi re. I said (to my col- pounds if the government does vehicles dropping off or picking chiefs insist these options league): ‘Lee, there’s a fi re over not proceed with developing the up passengers directly outside might only be introduced – aft er there, let’s get out of the build- Heathrow north-west runway terminals. Low-emission cars, and consultation – if other measures, ing. Get out the lift shaft, I’m scheme. “low traffi c generating” vehicles including better public transport, being serious.’ We ran down the “I am extremely concerned such as buses and taxis, could fail to bring air pollution within stairs and went and got the scaf- that through this agreement the also be given priority access to the legal limits. folder out of the loading bay.” Smoke billows from the blaze at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, London. government has tied itself into a Resident seeks to clear Royal guests 100-year-old woman dies after mugging name over Grenfell fi re “We have a number of leads Guardian News and Media London that we are pursuing and a post- Reuters and its fatal consequences,” law- It was refurbished between mortem will take place to deter- London yer Rajiv Menon said. 2012 and 2016, and fi re safety ex- mine a cause of death.” “If the inquiry does not ex- perts have told the inquiry that 100-year-old woman has The attack happened at the plicitly exonerate Kebede all the several aspects of those recent died after suff ering a bro- junction of St Chads Road and he man in whose apartment sleazy accusations and hurtful works had made the tower un- Aken neck when her hand- Empress Road and the bag, which a huge fi re broke out, killing innuendo, all the racist assump- safe. In particular, the building bag was stolen in a “horrifi c” is green, made of fake leather and T71 people in a London tower tions and ignorance about Ke- was enveloped in a combustible daylight robbery. has gold clasps, was later discov- block a year ago, was not to blame bede that currently prevail will cladding which ignited and the Zofi ja Kaczan died in the early ered nearby. for the disaster but has been sub- continue unabated.” fl ames raced to the top of the hours of yesterday morning, po- Offi cers are asking for anyone jected to “sleazy accusations” and Menon said that shortly before building in minutes. lice said. with information regarding the innuendo, his lawyer told a public 1am on June 14, Kebede, who had The blaze, which is also sub- She suff ered multiple injuries incident to come forward. inquiry yesterday. lived in the block for about 25 ject to a separate criminal inves- when thugs jumped her from be- A spokeswoman said: “We Behailu Kebede lived in apart- years, was woken by his smoke tigation, highlighted the area’s hind and hurled her to the ground are particularly keen to hear ment 16 on the fourth fl oor of alarm. He opened his kitchen extreme disparities in living con- at about 8.45am on May 28. from anyone who may have Grenfell Tower, a 24-storey block door to see smoke coming from ditions between rich and poor, A 39-year-old man, who was seen a beige Seat Leon which in west London where the fi re behind his Hotpoint fridge freez- with allegations that the clad- arrested in connection with the was seen close to where the in- started. er, which he had bought new fi ve ding had been added purely to attack in the town of Norman- cident took place. The car was Yesterday, the lawyer for Ke- years earlier. improve its visual impact. ton, Derby, has been released un- found abandoned two days later bede, who is originally from He called the emergency serv- “The question must be asked der investigation. on Wednesday, May 30, in a car Ethiopia, called for the inquiry to ices before alerting his neigh- whether the refurbishment was Detective chief inspector Dar- park in Jackson Street, Stock- clear him of any responsibility for bours by banging on their doors simply about beautifying the ren De’ath, who is leading the in- brook. the blaze, Britain’s deadliest on and shouting “fi re”. tower,” Leslie Thomas, lawyer vestigation, said: “This crime is “We want to hear from any- domestic premises since World Menon said Kebede had left for some of the bereaved fami- absolutely horrifi c. Kaczan was a one who may have information War II which raised questions without any clothes or posses- lies and survivors, told the in- well-loved member of the com- about the driver of the vehicle about social housing, building sions and that claims he had quiry. munity and that she was targeted – or if you have CCTV or dash regulations and fi re safety rules. packed a suitcase before raising “It is a legitimate question to in this way is disgusting. cam footage that shows the vehi- “Kebede hopes that having the alarm were a nasty lie. ask whether the money spent on “There are people in Derby who cle with registration plate SL02 heard all the evidence, the in- Completed in 1974, Grenfell the tower was not for the resi- Queen Elizabeth II and Camilla, duchess of Cornwall, watch a know the person responsible for KVZ.” quiry will make a clear and un- Tower was owned by the local dents but for some of the more demonstration by the charity Medical Detection Dogs during this crime and I would urge them Kaczan was a well-loved equivocal statement that Kebede authority of one of London’s wealthier people living in the bor- the 10th anniversary celebration of the charity at The Royal to come forward with any infor- member of the community and was absolutely blameless for the richest boroughs, Kensington ough, so that the tower was more Mews in London yesterday. mation that can help bring those that she was targeted in this way outbreak of the fi re, its spread and Chelsea. aesthetically pleasing to them.” responsible to justice. is disgusting” Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 19 EUROPE

ACCIDENT NEW FACE CEREAL BLAST HIPPOCRATIC OATH PEACE PROCESS Electric test plane crashes Spain’s first astronaut to be 4 injured in eastern France Doctors deny help to dying ‘No lifting of Russia sanctions in Hungary, killing two named as science minister grain silo explosion woman outside hospital without progress on Ukraine’

An electric plane powered by Siemens crashed Spain’s first astronaut Pedro Duque will be A grain silo exploded yesterday morning in the Russian prosecutors yesterday launched a probe France yesterday insisted that the lifting of during a test flight in Hungary, killing both pilots on named minister of science by the new Socialist eastern French city of Strasbourg, injuring four after doctors reportedly refused to help a woman damaging sanctions imposed by the European board, the German industrial conglomerate said government, a party source told AFP yesterday. people, according to local authorities. More dying on the pavement outside the hospital where Union on Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis yesterday. Siemens said it had grounded its fleet The 55-year-old aeronautical engineer became than 100 firefighters and 60 fire engines were they worked in Yekaterinburg, a World Cup host be conditioned on advances in the country’s of Magnus eFusion aircraft “as a precautionary the first Spaniard to travel to space in 1998 deployed to deal with the incident in the city’s city. Prosecutors said they were checking media peace process. The rise of nationalist and populist measure” following the May 31 incident at an airfield when he took part in a nine-day mission aboard river port district, the Lower Rhine prefecture reports that the woman was left lying on the parties in the EU has bolstered Russia’s campaign near Budapest. “We can confirm that an accident the space shuttle Discovery after training in said. Three of the injured were airlifted to hospital ground a few hundred metres from Hospital No to have the measures — which were imposed over happened to an experimental airplane Magnus Russia and the United States. He returned to in a very serious condition. Maintenance work 23 in the Urals city and died while waiting for an its annexation of Crimea and support for rebels eFusion featuring our electric propulsion unit,” space in 2003 as part of an International Space had been taking place on the silo at the time ambulance called by members of the public. “By in Ukraine’s east — repealed. “When we make the company said in a statement. “We are working Station (ISS) mission. As science minister, he of the blast, prefecture secretary-general Yves the time the ambulance arrived, the woman no progress (on ending the conflict in Ukraine) then closely together with the authorities to clarify the will also be in charge of promoting innovation Seguy told media persons. “Obviously cereal dust longer showed signs of life. Meanwhile the hospital we can start to raise the question of the sanctions cause,” it added. The Magnus eFusion is a fully and overseeing Spain’s universities. Duque is highly explosive, but the usual safety measures reception was a few hundred metres from the and that is what we will tell Italy,” he told France’s electric, two-seater that started flying two years ago graduated from Madrid’s Polytechnic University had been taken,” Seguy said. “So, for the moment, patient,” prosecutors quoted media reports as Europe 1 radio ahead of a meeting Monday in and has been tested in over 200 flight hours. in 1986. I cannot give you any more details.” saying of the incident on Tuesday evening. Berlin to try reinvigorate the peace process. Europe mulls asylum centre outside EU Reuters at offi cial level — it is my expectation Claude Juncker said he was not imme- Copenhagen that we will be able to take the fi rst step diately opposed to such an initiative. this year,” he said separately in a speech “I believe the defence against illegal marking Denmark’s Constitution Day immigration is a European as well as everal EU countries are discuss- on Tuesday. national matter. It is not up to me to be ing setting up a camp for rejected Speaking in Brussels, Austria’s against it,” he told a joint press confer- Sasylum seekers in a country on Chancellor Sebastian Kurz confi rmed ence with Kurz, ahead of Austria tak- the continent but outside the Euro- the plans, saying talks had already ing over the rotating EU presidency. pean Union, two national leaders have reached an advanced stage. Denmark’s intake of asylum seekers said. “We suggested a long time ago that has dropped to just over 1,000 in the Germany, the Netherlands and it would make sense to off er protection fi rst four months of this year, from a Austria were among those involved outside of the European Union, where peak of more than 21,000 in 2015. in the discussions, Danish Prime (migrants) get protection where it is Compared with its neighbours Swe- Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen necessary but do not have the oppor- den and Germany, Denmark has gen- told local media, adding he hoped tunity to pick the best system in Eu- erally granted fewer people asylum as a a pilot project could pave the way rope,” Kurz said. proportion of its population. A Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft carrying the crew of astronauts Serena Aunon-Chancellor of the US, Alexander Gerst of for an improved European asylum Both Rasmussen and Kurz said talks Rasmussen declined to comment on Germany and cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev of Russia blasts off to the International Space Station from the launchpad at system. were being held directly between Eu- which countries could be hosting such the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. “I’m optimistic. Based on my dis- ropean governments and not within a camp, though he said it would be in cussions with other European lead- the EU framework. a place that was “not particularly at- ers — and the dialogue that is going on EU Commission President Jean- tractive” for traffi ckers. EU Commission shoots for stars Czech premier Babis is re-appointed with increased space budget Reuters protests that have echoed some voters’ taxes and limit migration. Prague unease over signs of backsliding on de- The ANO and Social Democrats Reuters The largest chunk of the budget SpaceX and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s mocracy in other eastern EU states. would hold just 93 of the lower house’s Brussels would go towards the EU’s satel- Blue Origin. Zeman said yesterday a new govern- 200 seats, meaning they would need lite navigation system Galileo, which “The EU will ensure that the in- he Czech president yesterday ment could be appointed by the end of parliamentary backing from the far- would give consumers access to ex- crease in fi nancial investment is sup- re-appointed Andrej Babis as June, but the coalition that Babis hopes left Communists — their fi rst chance he European Commission said tremely precise positioning data that ported by effi cient decision-making Tprime minister, endorsing a co- to form with the Social Democrats re- to infl uence national policy since they yesterday it planned to increase could also be used for drones and au- so that all EU space activities are rolled alition-in-waiting that would give the mains subject to a vote by members of fell in the Velvet Revolution almost 30 Tits budget for space programmes tonomous cars. out on time and on budget,” the Com- anti-Nato Communists a say in poli- that party, whose results are expected years ago. to 16bn euros ($18.85bn) between 2021 Other beneficiaries of the funds mission said. cymaking for the fi rst time since the on June 15. On Tuesday, thousands demon- and 2027, aiming to consolidate the would be observation satellite pro- The Commission added it would country’s 1989 revolution. The ANO won national elections in strated in Prague and dozens of other bloc’s role as a “space power”. gramme Copernicus and govern- continue to rely on the expertise of Czech politics have been in deadlock October, but other parties have so far Czech cities against the prospect of By hiking spending from 11.1bn eu- ment communication system Gov- the European Space Agency (ESA) since January when the minority gov- been reluctant to support Babis due Babis governing again while under in- ros in the current budget and stream- satcom. but would also set up an “EU Agency ernment of Babis’ anti-establishment to the allegations he illegally gained vestigation as well as his courting of lining the EU’s space programmes, the Beyond increasing the spending, the for the Space Programme”, which it ANO party lost a parliamentary confi - European Union subsidies meant for the Communists. executive Commission said it hoped to Commission also plans to simplify the stressed would not compete with the dence vote. small businesses a decade ago — which After the appointment, Babis said boost a sector already contributing to structure of its space services and fi - former. The billionaire businessman, who is he has called a political ploy. he would sue Slovakia in the European some 10% of economic output. nance research programmes into reus- Although the EU partly funds ESA, under police investigation over corrup- “I ask you to present me your proposed Court of Human Rights over allega- “(The budget) sends a strong signal able launch vehicles. the organisation is not part of the EU. tion allegations that he denies, has gov- government in reasonable time,” Zeman tions he had been an informer for the that the European Union, Europe is a European launch vehicle group Ari- ESA Director General Jan Woerner erned in a caretaker capacity since then. told Babis after yesterday’s ceremony. Communist-era secret police (StB). A space power and intends to remain a anespace is facing increased compe- welcomed the Commission’s proposal. News last week that President Mi- Babis was fi rst appointed prime Slovak court had rejected a demand by space power for a long time,” said Elz- tition for the launch of commercial “We are on track for United Space los Zeman planned to reappoint him minister in late 2017 on campaign the Slovak-born Babis to be cleared of bieta Bienkowska, the EU’s Industry satellites with the emergence of rivals in Europe and for a United Europe in triggered the latest in a series of street pledges to clean up corruption, cut colluding with the StB. Commissioner. such as tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Space,” he said. Cooling off EU-US trade row looms over Nato defence meet

By Damon Wake, AFP tween European countries and their will meet in Brussels for the summit in Brussels longtime ally across the Atlantic. July when all eyes will be on Trump, who “There are now serious disagreements has repeatedly attacked European coun- with Nato allies on serious issues,” tries for not pulling their weight in the ato chief Jens Stoltenberg said Stoltenberg told reporters, saying he was alliance. yesterday he was battling to stop working hard to minimise the fallout for Germany, Europe’s largest economy, Nthe increasingly bitter row be- the alliance. has suff ered the worst of Trump’s wrath tween Europe and the US spilling over “As long as they’re not solved I have for its failure to live up to a pledge by all into the alliance, warning of “serious to be focused on how to reduce, limit the Nato countries to try to spend at least disagreements” among member coun- negative consequences for Nato.” two % of gross domestic product on de- tries. Stoltenberg, who held talks with fence. European countries are at loggerheads Trump in Washington last month, in- Nato is modernising its command with Washington over punishing new US sisted the “transatlantic bond” re- structure and beefi ng up its defences in tariff s on steel and aluminium as well as mained strong and pointed to the way response to growing fears about Russia, President Donald Trump’s decision to Nato survived major diff erences among following Moscow’s annexation of Cri- pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and the members over the Iraq war in 2003 and mea in 2014. Paris climate accord. the Suez crisis of 1956. Thousands of Nato troops are already Nato defence ministers will meet in “What we have seen again and again stationed on standby in the Baltic states Brussels today to approve plans to beef is that we have been able to unite around and Poland as deterrent and defence up the alliance’s ability to mobilise forc- Nato’s core task, to protect and defend ministers will give today the go-ahead es quickly in the event of a crisis, as con- each other despite those diff erences,” he to a new US initiative called “30-30-30- cern about the threat from Russia shows said. 30” or “four 30s”. no sign of abating. The US ambassador to Nato, Kay Bai- Under the plan, by 2020 Nato will They will also sign off on two new ley Hutchison, insisted “the strength of have 30 batallions, 30 air squadrons and command centres — one to protect At- our alliance is not in jeopardy”. 30 warships ready to be used within 30 lantic shipping lanes, based in Norfolk, “We are strong together, we will have days to back up existing rapid response Virginia, and another to co-ordinate disagreements on other issues but we forces. troop movements around Europe, locat- will not have disagreement about the “This is about establishing a culture ed in the southern German city of Ulm. strength of Nato and the importance of of readiness and we need that because But the meeting, just fi ve weeks out deterrence and defence for Nato and for we have a more unpredictable security Children play at a fountain in Frankfurt yesterday as temperatures climbed to 30 degrees Celsius. from a full summit of Nato leaders, looks North America,” she told reporters. environment, we have to be prepared for set to be overshadowed by the spat be- The leaders of all 29 Nato members the unforeseen,” Stoltenberg said. Gulf Times 20 Thursday, June 7, 2018 EUROPE

POLITICS RETIRING STRUGGLE NEUTRAL STANCE BLAME GAME Ukraine PM seeks to sack Spain’s Rajoy says he Bosnia slams neighbours US envoy makes amends in Greeks protest proposed anti-graft finance minister plans to quit politics on growing migrants’ influx Berlin after interview Macedonia name deal

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman Spain’s Mariano Rajoy, who is to stand A Bosnian minister yesterday accused The new US ambassador to Germany, Richard Thousands of Greeks yesterday protested yesterday submitted to parliament a motion down as head of the conservative Popular neighbouring countries of not doing enough to Grenell, tried to patch things up in Berlin after in main cities around the country against for the dismissal of his finance minister as the Party after being ousted as prime minister prevent migrants from entering his country as comments he made in a Breitbart interview attempts to solve a festering 27-year name ex-Soviet country seeks to receive more aid from last week, said yesterday he plans to quit it struggles to cope with growing numbers of praising conservative political movements row with Macedonia, reportedly now close to donors. Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk, a politics altogether. “My intention is to arrivals. More than 5,500 illegal migrants have in Europe, according to German government a deal. Around 2,000 people gathered in Pella, respected reformer backed by the International definitely abandon politics, there are other entered Bosnia since the start of the year, arriving sources yesterday. Grenell reportedly adopted the historic capital of the ancient Macedonian Monetary Fund, has ruff led many feathers as things to do in life than dedicate oneself to from Serbia or Montenegro after crossing Albania, a conciliatory tone during his meeting with kingdom, birthplace of Alexander the Great, he seeks to clean up the country’s fiscal and politics,” he said during an interview with Greece or Macedonia and hoping to enter the State Secretary Andreas Michaelis of the Federal an AFP reporter said. Organisers had hoped customs services. In the latest scandal to rock radio Cadena Cope. “I had an enormously European Union via neighbouring Croatia. “I’m not Foreign Off ice yesterday in Berlin. The US envoy for over twice that number. “We invite our Ukraine’s government, Groysman accused the intense political life and I think it makes certain that all the countries are behaving sincerely, stressed that he “does not want to be perceived neighbours, who are ignorant of history, to 42-year-old finance minister of distributing no sense to stay longer here,” the 63-year- correctly and professionally on this Balkans route,” as a partisan of right-wing forces in Germany” come to (our) museums and archaeological “distorted information among our international old said, adding he would not attend an Security Minister Dragan Mektic told reporters. and wants an atmosphere where “close and sites and discover that Macedonia is Greek,” partners.” “I ask lawmakers to support my emergency party congress in July to elect “There are countries that registered only 500 trusting co-operation with German partners” is Halkidona mayor Ioannis Tsouknidas told the motion,” Groysman wrote on Facebook. his successor. migrants” so far this year, he said. possible, the source told DPA. crowd. Italy populist Flooding in French city government formally takes reins By Terry Daley, AFP est citizens — has left many Italian the election promises of Matteo Sal- Rome and international observers per- vini’s nationalist League. plexed given the country’s huge New interior minister Matteo Sal- public debt. vini yesterday went a step further A resident opens part of stone fence surrounding his property to get rid of stagnant water in La Gueroulde near the taly’s new government yesterday Italy is groaning under a 2.3tn euro saying that he wanted to open more French northwestern city of Breteuil, after the Iton river burst its banks causing flooding yesterday. offi cially took the reins of the eu- debt which is 132% of its gross do- detention centres for the repatriation Irozone’s third largest economy mestic product, the second highest of migrants so they “aren’t strolling after a decisive victory in the coun- ratio in the eurozone after Greece. about our cities”. try’s chamber of deputies gave par- “We will get through the summer Conte’s promise to promote a re- liamentary approval to a populist co- without diffi culties, but there will be view of sanctions against Russia also alition that has alarmed EU offi cials. problems in the autumn if the new echo Salvini’s insistence on a soften- The alliance between the anti- government implements just 50% of ing of relations with the country and establishment Five Star Movement what it has planned,” head of the Eu- its President Vladimir Putin. Merkel grilled over Russia, and the far-right League gained the ropean Stability Mechanism (ESM) Salvini has wasted no time creat- chamber’s endorsement with 350 Klaus Regling said yesterday. ing controversy since being sworn votes in favour, 236 against and 35 Conte did not give details in his in on Friday, saying at the weekend abstentions, following senate ap- policy speeches to the senate and that Italy “cannot be Europe’s refu- proval for prime minister Giuseppe chamber on how pledges that could gee camp” on a visit to Sicily, one of refugees and leadership Conte’s government on Tuesday. cost billions of euros will be fi nanced. the country’s main refugee landing Victory in the two houses, con- Meanwhile he also reiterated his points. sidered a given ever since the gov- government’s desire to introduce in- He also caused a diplomatic inci- DPA “The annexation of Crimea was a Monetary Fund to stabilize the euro, ernment was sworn in by the presi- come tax bands of 15% and 20% but dent with Tunisia after accusing the Berlin fl agrant breach of international law,” which Merkel supports, but not to the dent on Friday, gives 53-year-old gave no date as to when they would be North African country of exporting she said, adding that it was correct to extent of Macron. Conte the mandate to carry out their implemented. “convicts”, leading to Tunisia ex- throw Moscow out of the G8 in 2014 for She rejected claims she wanted to di- programme for a “government of The programme was strongly pressing “deep surprise” in light of ussia and refugees featured yes- marching into the Ukrainian territory. lute the fund, saying she had been con- change.” criticised in the chamber’s pre-vote the two countries’ “co-operation in terday in the fi rst direct questions Intense dialogue with Moscow is nec- vinced by the head of the European Sta- Conte’s fi rst task after winning the debate by the League’s right-wing the fi ght against illegal immigration”. Rthat German Chancellor Angela essary, she said, but Russia could not bility Mechanism (ESM), confi dence of parliament is to travel campaign allies Forza Italia and Salvini capped off an eventful few Merkel had to fi eld from lawmakers in counter-balance the trade dispute with Klaus Regling, of the need for one. to the G7 summit in Canada, where Brothers of Italy, and in particular days by getting into a spat with Ital- parliament. the United States. However, she said it was a temporary he will make his debut in interna- by the centre-left Democratic Party ian international footballer Mario The new procedure was introduced AfD lawmaker Gottfried Curio ac- measure for euro countries that got into tional politics barely a fortnight after (PD). Balotelli. in the coalition agreement that enabled cused Merkel of unnecessarily unleash- trouble, and that she wanted loans to be arriving on the domestic scene. All three parties wondered where In an interview, Balotelli — whose Merkel to form her latest government, ing a “fl ood of migrants” on Germany paid back quickly. “In the G7, the fi rst thing for Italy the funding coverage was for the gov- parents are Ghanaian immigrants which states: “We want the chancellor in 2015 with her open-door policy, of Asked by the opposition Greens if it will be to make itself known, the sec- ernment’s ambitious ideas, scoffi ng — lamented that he was not granted to face questions three times a year in causing “the worst damage” to the was desirable to include climate change ond to make sure that it is respected,” at its plans to reduce the debt with Italian citizenship until the age of 18 the Bundestag, and to restructure the country, costing “hundreds of billions.” issues in trade talks with the US, Merkel Conte said to reporters yesterday. economic growth, while the PD’s despite being born and raised in Italy. government questioning session.” He said workers at the federal refugee said it was not sensible “to link every- A lawyer with little political ex- chief whip Graziano Delrio also lam- “I’m not a politician, but I think Hansjoerg Mueller of the largest op- agency BAMF had been “debased” and thing with everything else.” perience, Conte was nominated by basted Five Star for the programme’s the law should change,” he said Tues- position party, the right-wing populist turned into “puppets of a wave-through US President Donald Trump with- Salvini and Five Star head Luigi Di hardline on immigration. day. Alternative for Germany (AfD), had the culture.” drew unilaterally from the Paris Climate Maio — both of whom are now also In the Senate on Tuesday Conte Taking to Twitter the new interior fi rst question in which he berated Mer- “When will you resign?” Curio asked. Accord, drawing criticism from around his deputy prime ministers. called for “obligatory” redistribution minister wrote: “Dear Mario, ‘Ius kel for not attending last month’s an- Merkel defended her decision, saying the globe, including from Merkel. His government’s programme of asylum seekers around the EU, Soli’ (birthright citizenship) is not nual economic forum in St Petersburg. the “exceptional humanitarian situa- In other responses, Merkel said she — which combines radical tax cuts and the coalition’s promises to curb my priority, nor the priority of the He said Japanese Prime Minister tion” had been handled “very responsi- was against a plastic tax, that rules for with anti-austerity measures like a migrant arrivals and speed up expul- Italians. Regards, and have fun chas- Shinzo Abe and French President Em- bly” by Germany. skilled migrants would not be kicked basic monthly income for the poor- sions of illegal immigrants are mirror ing the ball.” manuel Macron were there and Macron In 2015-6 just under 900,000 refu- into the long grass and that it was a had even landed deals for French indus- gees fl eeing war zones primarily in Syria shame the number of female lawmakers try. and Africa arrived in Germany. had fallen in this parliament. Sweden marks national day with major military exercise Merkel was pursuing a “destructive, “The basic political decisions were While the new chancellor’s question German special path enslaved to the right,” Merkel said. time was welcomed by the opposition, US” in dealing with Russia. The head of the opposition free-mar- they said it does not go far enough. arking national day yes- The army hopes at least half of sation, something we have not done The chancellor responded saying she ket liberal FDP criticized the chancel- “It is good that there is such a chan- terday, Sweden called up Sweden’s reservists will respond to since 1975,” Byden said in a state- had a “long, extensive, bilateral talk” lor for not responding in the Bundestag cellor questioning session on a volun- M22,000 reservists for an ex- the fi rst mass call-up since 1975 for ment. with Russian President Vladimir Putin to suggestions by France’s Macron for tary basis,” Marco Buschmann of the ercise of a scale not seen in 40 years primarily land-based surveillance, He described the reservists as “on all pending issues” when she met wide-ranging reform of the EU and eu- FDP told DPA. as tensions simmer between the West defence and logistics tasks. “crucial to allow the remainder of the him in Sochi in May. rozone. “But it’s not enough. For an eff ec- and Russia. “Our mission is to strengthen armed forces to defend Sweden” and “I am for talks with Russia...however “You gave an answer to the French tive examination of the government we A total of 40 battalions are car- Sweden’s military defence and im- concentrate on frontline duties. with a view to the diff erences we have,” president, not here in the German Bun- demand an opposition right to also de- rying out nationwide snap drill ma- prove our operational capabilities,” The Swedish government last Merkel said. destag, but behind the paywall of a Sun- mand such a questioning session when noeuvres to ramp up military se- said Sweden’s Supreme Commander month issued an emergency pam- She stressed that she was against day newspaper,” Christian Lindner said, the chancellor doesn’t want to have it.” curity at a time when once cordial Micael Byden. phlet to prepare citizens in the event welcoming Russia back into the group referring to an interview Merkel gave “As sad as it is, it is simply over. I’ll be post-Cold War relations with Mos- “We are testing the chain of mo- of war, natural disaster or cyber at- of leading industrial nations, turning G7 Sunday’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. back,” Merkel said at the end of yester- cow have cooled. bilisation for around half our organi- tack. back into G8. One of those plans is for a European day’s fi rst session. German commission to oversee end of coal use

DPA make suggestions by the end of commission had a “historical Berlin October for the creation of new task” to fulfi l. jobs for thousands of coal in- Critics have said the govern- dustry workers in the German ment is too close to the coal lobby ermany’s ministers have coal-mining regions of Lausatia and needs to do more to meet the appointed a 31-member in the east and the Rhineland in climate goals of the Paris climate Gcommission to set a date the west. accord of December 2015. for ending the country’s use of “We’re bringing the jobs to the “We won’t allow the govern- coal, with Berlin hoping to meet people,” Minister of Economic ment to use the commission as its greenhouse gas targets ahead Aff airs and Energy Peter Alt- a climate policy fi g leaf,” Green of a global climate change con- maier said. parliamentary faction leader An- ference in December in Poland. “Opportunities and protec- ton Hofreiter told DPA last week. The commission is expected to tion, that is what we need,” La- All signatories to the Paris ac- set a date by the end of this year bour Minister Hubertus Heil cord have agreed to cut green- for Germany’s withdrawal from said. house gas emissions to 40 per the mining and burning of coal, Coal will certainly not “be cent of 1990 levels by 2030. which produces harmful green- switched off rapidly,” he said. Between 1990 and 2015, Ger- Politician of the Greens and member of the parliament Anton Hofreiter (centre) and environmental activists holding up their hands painted in house gases. Meanwhile, Environment many had achieved a 28-per- black to call for the phasing out of coal energy in front of the Chancellery in Berlin yesterday. The commission also aims to Minister Svenja Schulze said the cent cut. Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 21 INDIA App seeks to save lives by matching blood donors with patients

Reuters “In an emergency, most peo- India has nearly 3,000 blood “One unit costs anywhere be- Since it was launched in Jan- improve availability of blood Lalwani points to the fact that Chennai ple only rely on the hospital banks but they often don’t have tween Rs800 to Rs2,000 and the uary with just 150 members, for patients in India, including 60% of the blood requests on the blood banks, which are often out enough supply to fulfi l the de- entire business is very unregu- MBLOOD has built a fast grow- a government run web portal app were from small towns and of stock and ask you to arrange mand. lated.” ing network of users and lists called eRakt Kosh. villages. ust a few units of blood could for the blood,” Lalwani told the Government fi gures for 2016- The people behind MBLOOD over 2,000 registered blood “The apps are eff ective in “It surprised me as well that have saved the life of Sushil Thomson Reuters Foundation in 17 show they were running a have raised Rs5mn (about banks across India. smaller groups,” said Neelam we had penetrated these pock- JLalwani’s cousin, who died his offi ce in Chennai. shortage of up to 2mn units, and $75,000) in funding for the app, The app allows users to Nijhara of the Federation of ets,” Lalwani said. aged 32 as relatives mounted a “My cousin was only 32 and more than a million units are which will be non-profi t-mak- specify a timeline within which Mumbai Blood Banks, a char- “We are constantly innovat- frantic search for donors. we tried so hard to find donors discarded every year because the ing. the blood is required and con- ity connecting 47 blood banks in ing, taking on board sugges- Now Lalwani hopes to pre- for him, putting out messages blood does not meet quality pa- They aim to create the largest nects them to registered donors Mumbai. tions from users and ensuring vent more needless deaths like on social media and visiting rameters or deteriorates during online network of blood donors within a 20km radius, pro- “But we don’t how many peo- real time access to blood. We his cousin’s with a new phone blood banks. But we failed. storage. with the app, one of the fi rst ini- vides details of blood donation ple are actually responding to give constant updates to pa- app called MBLOOD that aims Now, our goal is to bridge the “Both the shortage and wast- tiatives in India aiming to con- camps and addresses of certi- these innovations and donating tients till the blood donation is to connect a million donors with gap between donors and accep- age has made blood expensive nect donors on a single platform, fied blood banks. blood, which is still a challenge, done. patients across the country in- tors and connect them in real and created a fl ourishing black making it easier for families to It is the latest in a series of despite camps being organised The mission is to save lives, stantly. time.” market for it,” said Lalwani. locate on near the hospital. online innovations designed to and awareness programmes.” even one is important.” Will a secular Pranab be too hot to handle for the RSS?

IANS sparked controversy with Nagpur some of his former Congress colleagues and Left leaders expressing their reservations s the country wonders over his participation in the what former presi- RSS meeting. Adent Pranab Mukher- However, what he is going jee might say at Rashtriya to speak about at the Nagpur Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) gathering remains a guess. He headquarters in Nagpur today, has said whatever he has to his last speech as president in speak would be only known 2017 refl ects the thoughts and when he addresses the meet- concerns that had engaged ing. him throughout his over fi ve- In his last speech as the decade-long political career. president, Mukherjee had ex- Unlike his 2012 speech when pressed his concern about he took over as president in increasing violence and how Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R Vala, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara pose with the newly sworn-in ministers at Raj Bhavan, in which he made a passing refer- darkness, fear and mistrust Bengaluru yesterday. ence, pluralism and tolerance was at the heart of this vio- dominated the 2017 address. lence. Power of non-violence “I want to share with you has to be resurrected to build some truths that I have inter- a caring society to ensure par- nalised in this period. The soul ticipation of all sections of the of India resides in pluralism people, he said. and tolerance. India is not just While pluralism along with a geographical entity. It carries environment and inclusion a history of ideas, philosophy, engaged Mukherjee last year as Our govt will last fi ve intellect, industrial genius, he readied to hang up his boots craft, innovation and experi- after a very successful career, ence. Plurality of our society his fi rst speech as president in has come about through as- 2012 was markedly diff erent similation of ideas over cen- and focused mainly on pov- turies. erty, terrorism and corruption. “The multiplicity in culture, He talked on education both years: Karnataka CM faith and language is what the times. makes India special. We derive The fi rst topic Mukherjee IANS the longevity of the government overtime from the day they as- Admitting that there some tory boards and corporations our strength from tolerance. It touched in his 2012 speech was Bengaluru due to delay in cabinet expan- sumed office on May 23 to ad- of the legislators felt disgrun- with cabinet rank. has been part of our collective poverty after making the same sion and allocation of portfolios, dress governance issues. tled after they were left out of Earlier, the ministry was ex- consciousness for centuries. overarching statement on ba- Kumaraswamy said as the May “I have already directed of- the cabinet expansion, Para- panded with the induction of 25 There are divergent strands in sic fundamentals for a modern arnataka Chief Minister 12 election threw up a hung as- fi cials to attend to the problems meshwara, who is also the Con- legislators as cabinet ministers public discourse. We may ar- nation - democracy, secular- H D Kumaraswamy yes- sembly, the alliance partners had related to potholes in Bengaluru gress’ state unit president, said including 23 from the alliance gue, we may agree or we may ism and equality. Real devel- Kterday allayed fears over to form the government after and relief works in rain-hit dis- their concerns would be ad- partners and one from the Ba- not agree. opment is when the poorest the survival of the Janata Dal the three-day Bharatiya Janata tricts across the state,” said Ku- dressed and given opportunity hujan Samaj Party and an Inde- “But we cannot deny the feel they are part of the narra- (Secular)-Congress coalition Party government fell for want maraswamy. to serve in other ways. pendent. essential prevalence of multi- tive of rising India, he said. ministry, and said the alliance of numbers on May 19. Endorsing Kumaraswamy’s “Though there are fi ve-six Of the 23 from the alliance, 14 plicity of opinion. Otherwise, partners would provide a sta- “Forming a coalition govern- views, Parameshwara said the cabinet berths vacant to be fi lled are from Congress and nine from a fundamental character of our ble government for the next fi ve ment and selecting legislators coalition government would be by our party, the Congress has JD-S. thought process will wither years. for the ministry take time as responsible and accountable just 22 posts for its legislators, Former Kannada actress away,” said the lifelong Con- “I would like to tell the scep- we have to do justice to all the to the people in delivering the including me, as the state cabi- and legislative council mem- gressman on the last day of his tics that we will provide a stable stakeholders and in sharing the services. net can have only 34 ministers, ber Jayamala of the Congress is career. and effi cient government, which cabinet posts as alliance part- “There is no confusion or with 12 from the JD-S, including the lone woman minister in the Mukherjee, who has been will last its full fi ve-year term. ners,” he said. uncertainty about the func- its chief minister,” clarifi ed Para- 27-member ministry. critical of the RSS, is set to Let there be no uncertainty Seeking breathing time to tion of the government. The meshwara. N Mahesh of the BSP was also address its activists in Nag- about it,” Kumaraswamy told settle down and get the of- chief minister will allot the The Congress and JD-S are sworn in. The BSP is a pre-poll pur today. This will be his fi rst reporters after chairing the fi rst ficial machinery cracking, portfolios for all the ministers, hoping to quell the brewing dis- ally of the JD-S. With him, BSP speech from the RSS platform. meeting of the expanded cabinet the chief minister said he and including mine, in a day or two sidence in both parties by assur- has a minister for the fi rst time in Accepting an invitation Mukherjee: keeps everyone here. Deputy Chief Minister G Para- and everybody will start work- ing their legislators of making south India and outside its home from the Hindutva group has guessing Miff ed over media reports on meshwara have been working ing hard,” he said. them chairmen of various statu- state Uttar Pradesh. Amit Shah woos glamour, Kohli’s statue unveiled at Madame Tussauds Delhi business – and Thackeray athletes, published by Forbes IANS New Delhi magazine yesterday. IANS expected to mollify Thackeray book on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maha- Kohli is No 83 on this year’s Mumbai and convince him to support the raj on auspicious Shivrajyabhishek list with estimated earnings of BJP and Prime Minister Naren- din,” Fadnavis later tweeted. ndian cricket captain Virat $24mn, of which $20mn is es- dra Modi in future elections. In another tweet, he said met Kohli’s wax fi gure was un- timated to come from endorse- haratiya Janata Party Hours before the meeting, the “Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Dr Nene Iveiled at Madame Tussauds ments and the remaining $4mn president Amit Shah yes- Sena - through its mouthpieces and family with Amit Shahji as a in New Delhi yesterday. from his salary. Bterday wooed Bollywood Saamana and Dopahar Ka Saa- part of ‘Sampark For Samarthan’, Kohli will join other sports Kohli was 89th on last year’s list glamour and India Inc, and sulk- mana - questioned what the BJP an initiative to meet dignitaries sensations in his signature bat- with estimated earnings of $22mn. ing ally Shiv Sena president Ud- hoped to achieve by the ‘Sam- to share the historic decisions ting pose in the interactive zone. The list is headed by May- dhav Thackeray, in the party’s park for Samarthan’ and reiter- and achievements” of Modi’s The Delhi batsman’s fi gure weather, whose estimated earn- new initiative “Sampark for Sa- ated it would go solo in future. four years. has been crafted from over 200 ings of $285mn are more than marthan” ahead of the 2019 Lok Soon after his arrival in Mum- Later, Patil-Danve laid to rest measurements and photographs double those of Argentine foot- Sabha elections. bai in the morning, Shah called speculation that Madhuri would taken during the sitting sessions. ball superstar Lionel Messi, who Accompanied by Chief Minister on Bollywood actress Madhuri be off ered a BJP Rajya Sabha nom- At the unveiling of his fi gure, is second on the list with $111mn. Devendra Fadnavis, Shah arrived Dixit-Nene and her doctor- ination, claiming no decision has Kohli said: “I sincerely appreci- The list is dominated by at ‘Matoshri’, the Thackeray resi- husband Sriram Nene and later been taken in the matter. ate the eff orts and incredible work athletes from America’s NFL, dence in Bandra east late evening. former Tata Group chairman and Shah also visited the landmark undergone in making my fi gure. NBA and MLB competitions, After the initial exchange of philanthropist Ratan Tata. Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Prab- “Thanks to Madame Tussauds although the top fi ve athletes - pleasantries, Shah and Thack- Shah was accompanied by Fad- hadevi and called on Mumbai BJP for choosing me for this lifetime Mayweather, Messi, Cristiano eray were closeted for over an navis and Patil-Danve and other president Ashish Shelar before pro- experience. I am grateful to my Ronaldo, Conor McGregor and hour amid intense political leaders during his visits, where ceeding to the Thackeray home. fans for their love and support,” Neymar - are from either foot- speculation outside. they explained the achievements As part of ‘Sampark for Sa- he added. ball or combat sports. Fadnavis was not present in of the Modi government and pre- marthan’, Shah has so far met Meanwhile, Kohli is the only There are no female athletes the meeting, while state BJP sented a booklet. former Indian Army chief Dalbir cricketer among the world’s on the list. president Raosaheb Patil-Danve However, a scheduled meet- Singh Suhag, scholar and former highest paid athletes, according Kohli’s earnings are impressive; kept away in deference to the ing with singer Lata Mangeshkar Lok Sabha secretary general Sub- to a Forbes’ compilation topped however, he has yet to reach the Shiv Sena’s wishes. was cancelled at the last minute hash Kashyap and former Indian by American boxing champion heights of the man he replaced as In their second meeting after since she was not well. cricket captain and legendary all- Floyd Mayweather. India’s skipper, Mahendra Singh a year - and the fi rst after the “As always, it was inspiring rounder Kapil Dev, retired chief BJP chief Amit Shah presents a booklet to actress Madhuri Dixit The 29-year-old Kohli is also Dhoni, who Forbes listed at 22 on acrimonious Palghar Lok Sabha to meet Ratan Tataji with Amit justice of India R C Lahoti, and detailing the achievements of the government as her husband the lone Indian on the annual list their top 100 in 2014 with an an- by-election last week - Shah was Shahji... We also presented him a yoga guru Baba Ramdev. Sriram Nene looks on, in Mumbai yesterday. of the world’s 100 highest paid nual pay packet of $30mn. Gulf Times 22 Thursday, June 7, 2018 INDIA

INVESTIGATION PETITION INFRASTRUCTURE EDUCATION TRAGEDY Appointments at NDA Goa panel summons Cabinet okays six-lane 4,000 Indian students Pregnant woman taken come under CBI lens Raj Bhavan off icial bridge in Allahabad apply for US visa to hospital in bedsheet

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a The Goa State Information Commission The Cabinet Committee on Economic Aff airs Around 4,000 Indian students appeared for A nine-month pregnant tribal woman case against the principal of the Pune-based National yesterday summoned the secretary to the (CCEA) yesterday approved the construction interviews yesterday to get American visas for in Kerala was carried to hospital in a Defence Academy (NDA) and four other employees state governor for non-compliance of the of a six-lane, 9.9km-long bridge across the river higher education in the US. The interviews were makeshift stretcher made of a bedsheet of the institute, including a professor, on charges Right to Information Act. Shanti Makwana Ganges on National Highway 96 at Phaphamau conducted at the US embassy in New Delhi and tied to logs as no ambulance was available, of irregularities in the appointment of teaching Harding, the undersecretary and registrar in Allahabad at a cost of Rs19.48bn. An off icial the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and reports said yesterday. She later delivered faculty, off icials said yesterday. Separate CBI teams of the Commission, issued the summons in release said the construction period for the Mumbai. The US Mission India organises Student a baby girl. The incident took place on conducted raids at multiple locations, including the connection with a petition filed by lawyer project would be three years and the project is Visa Day every year to celebrate educational ties Tuesday afternoon in Attapadi village – residences and off icial premises of the accused in Aires Rodrigues, directing the Raj Bhavan likely to be completed by December 2021. The with India. In 2017, more than 186,000 Indian the biggest tribal settlement in the state Pune. “We registered the FIR based on a complaint off icial to appear before the Commission on new bridge will solve traff ic congestion on the students were enrolled in US institutions of higher which does not have proper roads. The about irregularities in the selection/ appointment June 13. Rodrigues stated that as the Goa existing two-lane Phaphamau bridge. The new education, double the number from a decade visuals of a group of tribal men and women to diff erent posts of teaching faculty in NDA,” a CBI Raj Bhavan is covered under the definition bridge will also facilitate large congregation ago and a 12% increase from the year before, the carrying the woman across a stream off icial said. The appointment of civilian academic of public authority, the failure by the off ice of people in Allahabad during Kumbh, Ardh- embassy said. “India is the second leading place of were aired by a TV channel yesterday off icers, including principal, vice principal, professor to appoint a public information off icer was Kumbh and other yearly ritual baths at Sangam. origin for students coming to the US, with Indians afternoon. After crossing the stream, the and assistant professor at the NDA, is done through “illegal, very high-handed, malafide and “This will give a boost to pilgrimage tourism and comprising over 17% of the total international people waited for an ambulance at a point the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). without reasonable cause”. The petition has local economy of Prayag,” the release said. It students in the country,” Deputy Chief of Mission where the motorable road starts. When the The UPSC publishes an advertisement inviting also said that unlike other Raj Bhavans and said the present traff ic on the old bridge is about (DCM) MaryKay Carlson said. “Today marks US ambulance did not come, they continued to applications in which qualification criteria are listed. even the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Goa Raj 40,000 passenger cars, which is much greater Mission India’s fourth annual Student Visa Day, walk on till they managed to get a private Two important criteria are Academic Performance Bhavan had failed to come under the ambit of than its designed capacity of 15,000, resulting in an event that celebrates higher education ties vehicle which transported them to the Indicator (API) points and academic experience. the RTI Act. severe jams all around the day and night. between India and the US,” Carlson said. hospital.

China and India will never be Govt okays apart: envoy

IANS Beijing $1bn bailout

ndia and China will work out their diff erences to ensure Ithe two countries continue to progress and prosper togeth- er, India’s envoy Gautam Bam- package for bawale said ahead of Prime Min- ister Narendra Modi’s bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Co-operation Summit (SCO) this week. In an interview to the state- sugar farmers controlled China Central Televi- sion (CCTV), Bambawale said In- Agencies loan amounting to Rs4,440 crore capacity and the creation of buff - dia and China will not “be apart” New Delhi to be sanctioned to the sugar mills er stock, it objected to the stock from each other on the path of by the banks over a period of three holding limits and said the mini- development. years,” it said. mum support price of Rs29 per kg Modi will attend the SCO sum- he cabinet yesterday ap- Food Minister Ram Vilas Pas- was too low. mit in the Chinese coastal city of proved a Rs70bn (close to wan said the minimum selling “The proposed minimum price Qingdao on June 9 and 10 and will T$1bn) bailout package and price of white (refi ned) sugar of Rs29 per kilo is not enough have a one-on-one meeting with set the minimum selling price for will be initially fi xed at Rs29 per to cover the cost of sugarcane at Xi, over a month after his ice- sugar at Rs29 per kg to support the kg, which can be revised by the FRP of Rs290 per quintal at the breaking meeting with China’s struggling sector, a minister said. Department of Food and Public current all India average recov- president in Wuhan. The industry is, however, not Distribution (DFPD) based on re- ery of 10.8%. The ex-mill sugar Bambawale described the Wu- completely happy. vision of Fair Remunerative Price price which supports the current han meet as a “strategic commu- “In order to remove the prob- (FRP). FRP works out to around Rs35 per nication” between the leaders. lem of liquidity of sugar mills re- Besides, the government will kilo and therefore the Rs29 is in- “I think the informal Wuhan sulting in accumulation of huge put in place a mechanism to en- adequate,” ISMA director general summit between President Xi cane price arrears of farmers, the sure that retail prices of sugar are Abinash Verma said. Jinping and Prime Minister Modi union cabinet chaired by Prime kept fully under control. “It will, therefore, be a challenge was an eff ort by the leaders of two Minister Narendra Modi has ap- At present, this will be done to expect the sugar industry to large countries in the world, India proved measures involving total along with imposition of stock clear the huge cane price arrears on and China, to talk to each other, amount of about Rs7,000 crore,” holding limits on sugar mills, the this basis,” he said, and added even to promote co-operation be- Minister for Law, Justice and IT cabinet said. the decision to impose stock hold- tween the two countries,” Bam- Ravi Shankar Prasad said. In May, the government had ing limits on sugar mills tanta- bawale said. The decision of the Cabinet sanctioned Rs15.4bn to be paid mounts to controlling sugar sales. “Most importantly, it was a Committee on Economic Aff airs directly to the sugarcane farmers This, he said, was not the right strategic communication be- (CCEA) comes as excess produc- who were not paid full amount by way forward. tween the leaders of the two tion in the current sugar season the sugar mill owners as they could “What is concerning is that countries. As a result of their has depressed its market price, not recover the cost of production. there is no idea or proposal on discussion in Wuhan, the two adversely aff ecting the liquidity Farmers were compensated rationalisation of cane pricing leaders have arrived at a certain position of sugar mills leading to at Rs5.50 per quintal of cane policy, which is actually the main consensus: the fi rst and most accumulation of Rs220bn dues to crushed. reason for all the problems of the important consensus is India and the farmers. Paswan said the government industry today,” he said. China are partners in progress The package comprises has taken several steps in the past The move comes after the rul- and economic development: the Rs11.75bn for creating a 3mn four months to stabilise sugar ing Bharatiya Janata Party last second most important consen- tonnes buff er stock, Rs44.4bn as production and improve liquid- week suff ered a blow in a by- sus is that there are many more soft loan for mill owners to in- ity position of the mills to enable election in Uttar Pradesh, the top commonalities between India crease ethanol production capac- them clear the dues to farmers in- sugar producing state in India’s and China than diff erences,” he ity to divert surplus sugarcane cluding doubling custom duty on northern cane belt. added. and Rs13.32bn towards interest sugar import to 100% and with- Analysts viewed the result as a “We will work on these com- subvention for the loan, the cabi- drawal of custom duty on export bellwether for a general election monalities. Of course, there are net said in a note. of sugar. due by May 2019. certain diff erences between us, “The government will bear in- Though the Indian Sugar Mills Modi needs to placate India’s but we will also work at the dif- terest subvention of maximum Association (ISMA) has wel- 50mn cane growers, whose num- ferences to ensure the two coun- A trader eats a sugarcane as he waits for customers at a sugarcane wholesale market in Kolkata Rs1,332 crore over a period of fi ve comed the government’s deci- bers make them an infl uential po- tries continue to progress and yesterday. The Indian cabinet yesterday approved a Rs70bn bailout package for the struggling sugar years including moratorium peri- sion, particularly the provision litical lobby, to smooth his route prosper together. industry. od of one year on estimated bank of soft loans to improve ethanol back to power next year.

Condolence visit Chennai developer Home buyers to be wins Apple award

IANS zero experience selling software, San Jose, California no college degree on program- treated as creditors ming and UI/UX designing. “The only assets I had was - Chennai-based developer an understandable family and a IANS them an integral part of the deci- tract other disqualifi cations not has won a design award friend, a MacBook Pro, an iPhone New Delhi sion making process. related to default,” the Finance Afor his app “Calzy 3” at the and some passion to do apps,” he The cabinet last month ap- Ministry statement said. Apple’s Worldwide Developers added. proved the ordinance and Acting “It also empowers the central Conference (WWDC) 2018. “Calzy 3” helps people perform iving signifi cant relief to Finance Minister Piyush Goyal government to allow further ex- Developed by Raja Vijayaraman, day-to-day mathematical calcu- home buyers, President had said the decision will bring emptions or modifi cations with “Calzy 3” is a highly customisable lation in an elegant way. GRam Nath Kovind yester- relief to millions of home buyers respect to the MSME sector, if calculator that uses iOS technolo- One of its novel features is day gave assent to an ordinance in the country. required, in public interest,” it gies to off er features like Multi- “Memory Area”, where you can amending the Insolvency and “Good news for home buy- added. tasking, Face ID and Touch ID. store multiple numerical values Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to rec- ers: Now in situation of real es- Under the new ordinance, with “This helps privately viewed and reuse it across multiple cal- ognise their status as fi nancial tate companies going bankrupt, a view to encourage resolution as saved history and bookmarks, culating sessions with a simple creditors. home buyers will have a share opposed to liquidation, the vot- Drag & Drop to share results in drag and drop interaction. Being treated as fi nancial along with banks in the auction ing threshold has been brought other apps, iMessage integration, Along with calculation history, creditors would bring home of assets of such companies,” he down to 66% from 75% for all Spotlight search for bookmarked it has a unique bookmarking fea- buyers at par with banks and had tweeted. major decisions. results, iCloud Sync and Handoff , ture where you can save any of other institutional creditors as The Finance Ministry said the “Further, in order to facilitate to help you perform day-to-day your calculation with date and ti- they would now have a share in ordinance would also benefi t Mi- the corporate debtor to continue mathematical calculations in a tle for your future reference. the proceeds earned by the sale cro, Small and Medium Sector as a going concern during the more elegant way,” Apple said in a “Calzy 3” can spell out the cal- of assets of bankrupt real estate Enterprises (MSME) by empow- CIRP, the voting threshold for statement late Tuesday. culation result in English and 65 companies. ering the government to provide routine decisions has been re- “Today people across 150+ other languages. “The president today gave them with a special dispensation duced to 51%,” the ministry said. countries use my apps and I just “The Apple Design Awards have assent to promulgate the In- under the code. The ordinance also provides for received an Apple Design Award. been a launchpad for developers solvency and Bankruptcy Code “The immediate benefi t it pro- a mechanism to allow participa- Thanks to Apple’s @AppStore who have made beloved apps on (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018,” vides is that it does not disqualify tion of security holders, deposit and huge shout out to Apple com- the App Store, like Procreate, Zova, an offi cial statement said. the promoter to bid for his en- holders and all other classes of Congress Party president Rahul Gandhi consoles the munity for being passionate, in- djay Pro and Monument Valley, The government said the or- terprise undergoing Corporate fi nancial creditors that exceed a relative of a farmer killed in police firing last year in spiring and helpful,” Vijayaraman and we know these winners will dinance would give home buyers Insolvency Resolution Process certain number, in meetings of the Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur. Several protesting farmers tweeted yesterday. continue that tradition,” said Ron due representation in the Com- (CIRP) provided he is not a will- Committee of Creditors, through were killed in the police action. “When I started this journey Okamoto, Apple’s vice president of mittee of Creditors and make ful defaulter and does not at- the authorised representation. fi ve years back, I had no contacts, Worldwide Developer Relations. Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 23 LATIN AMERICA

SCHEME VIOLENCE LAW AND ORDER LEGAL CRIME Five members of family Pablo Escobar’s widow Powerful Venezuelan Armed men rob FIFA shot dead by armed men and son charged with graft politician wins libel suit stickers in Argentina

Five members of the same family were shot An Argentine judge has charged the widow and A Venezuelan court has awarded damages to Armed men have robbed tens of thousands of dead in northern Brazil early yesterday, the son of the late Colombian drug trafficker Pablo powerful ruling party figure Diosdado Cabello Panini album stickers for the 2018 FIFA World newspaper Globo reported. Two armed men Escobar with money laundering, according in a libel suit, a ruling condemned by newspa- Cup in Russia, judicial sources said yesterday. entered the house in Lagoa Nova in the state of to the judicial system’s news service. Federal pers as an attack on media freedom. The court Five men entered a printing house in Munro Rio Grande do Norte, according to the report. judge Nestor Barral accused Escobar’s ex-wife, awarded moral damages to Cabello, who is outside Buenos Aires on Saturday, pointing They pretended to be plain-clothes police off icers Maria Isabel Santos Caballero, and his son, Juan deputy leader of President Nicolas Maduro’s guns at the employees and forcing them to looking for drugs and weapons. They ordered Sebastian Marroquin Santos, who both live ruling Socialist party, against the El Nacional move dozens of boxes into their truck, the the three women and two small children to leave, in Argentina, of laundering money obtained newspaper, ordering it to pay $12,000 to the sources said. Each box contained 1,000 enve- then killed the family father, his son-in-law and through drug trafficking. They will remain free politician. “The newspaper has faced various at- lopes worth 60 cents each, giving the loot a Brazil’s President Michel Temer talks with the three sons, including 15-year-old twins. One of while the case proceeds, though some of their tacks and sanctions in recent years... which only considerable value. Each envelope contained Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi during the the women was hit by a stray bullet and was in assets were frozen. Escobar, the head of the violate freedom of expression,” the newspaper five stickers showing players of the different launch ceremony of the Plano Safra 2018-2019 serious condition. The victims had reportedly Medellin cartel and Colombia’s best-known said. Cabello filed the suit against El Nacional in national teams participating in the world’s top action plan for the agricultural sector, in Brasilia, been involved in criminal activities, but the motive drug lord, died during a police operation in 2015 for “defamation and insult” after a report association football tournament from June 14 Brazil, yesterday. behind the massacre was not clear. 1993. linked him to drug trafficking. to July 15. IMF talks ‘may give Argentina central bank more powers’

Reuters fork over foreign reserves to prop Buenos Aires up the peso currency. Since taking offi ce in Decem- ber 2015, President Mauricio rgentina’s fi nancing deal Macri has emphasised the im- with the International portance of an independent cen- AMonetary Fund (IMF) tral bank. will likely include measures But high interest rates meant strengthening the central bank’s to combat double-digit infl ation independence, which has been have at times prompted grum- questioned since the govern- bling from offi cials and busi- ment changed infl ation targets nesses concerned about the im- last year, economists said. pact on economic growth. While details of the condi- Last December, Treasury Min- tions of Argentina’s excep- ister Nicolas Dujovne announced tional access stand-by agree- the 2018 infl ation target would be ment with the Fund are not yet loosened to 15%, from 8%-12% known, Central Bank governor previously, at a news conference Federico Sturzenegger said they alongside Sturzenegger. would fall into “two tracks”: The bank followed with two one dealing with fiscal policy, interest rate cuts in January, de- Demonstrators stand at a barricade during a protest against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s government in Nindiri, Nicaragua. and another with institutional spite stubbornly high infl ation of issues such as central bank in- 25%. dependence. “The events of December 28 “They want to strengthen clearly showed a central bank the institutional framework for with little independence,” said monetary policy,” Sturzenegger Marcos Buscaglia, founding said in an interview with special- partner at Buenos Aires political ist publication Central Banking, and economic consultancy Al- when asked if central bank inde- berdi Partners. 121 killed in Nicaragua pendence would be included in He called the infl ation target the deal. change the “origin” of the run on “I would not be against more the peso currency that prompted assertive and positive actions in Argentina to turn to the IMF. favour of a more independent The peso has weakened more central bank moving forward.” than 25% this year. A central bank spokesman “It would not surprise me if violence: rights group confi rmed Sturzenegger was the negotiations with the Fund accurately quoted and said the end with the government pro- AFP ernment,” the group’s executive appliance stores were looted and nation of the violence and ap- is at hand, the barricades are meant bank could not go into details posing a law to give more inde- Managua secretary, Marlin Sierra, said. burned, a local businessman said pealed to the Nicaraguan gov- to keep out pro-Ortega gangs, about ongoing negotiations. pendence to the central bank,” “It amounts to state terror- on condition he not be named. ernment and other parties to whom residents accuse of pillaging The government and the said Buscaglia, who attended a ism.” He said the police did not show “demonstrate commitment and the city of 100,000 people. lender are a month into talks for meeting of private sector econo- t least 121 people have The latest toll includes a up at any of these places. engage constructively in peace- The government blames crimi- a deal that could include more mists with Dujovne last week. been killed in a wave of young boy killed by gunfi re dur- Ten people were also killed in ful negotiation.” nals for the pillaging, and says it than $20bn in funding and was Argentina’s central bank Aprotests since April 18 ing clashes on Tuesday in the running battles over the week- “Yesterday we buried one sent in riot police at the request of expected to take six weeks or less charter already says the entity against President Daniel Or- resort city of Granada between end in the fl ashpoint city of person, the day before we buried small-business owners. to negotiate. is “not subject to orders, in- tega’s government, Nicaragua’s anti-government protesters and Masaya, near Managua, said the another. One was a 15-year-old In Managua, there is a virtual With the government also dications or instructions from main human rights group said, riot police, the group said. CENIDH. boy. He begged for his life. He curfew in place after dark, with saying more belt-tightening is the national Executive Branch.” calling it a “human tragedy.” A priest, Wilmer Perez, ear- Masaya residents armed with told the policewoman, ‘Don’t motorcycle gangs terrorising needed to hit tougher fi scal tar- Treasury ministry officials say The Nicaraguan Centre for lier told the 100% news channel homemade mortars and sling- kill me, don’t kill me.’ But bam, those who venture out, accord- gets, the move has been contro- that while they decide inflation Human Rights (CENIDH) said that the boy was killed in a con- shots faced off in clashes with bam, she shot him,” said Ramona ing to the CENIDH. versial domestically. targets, the bank is free to use another 1,300 people have been frontation between demonstra- what they said were riot police Garcia, 83. “We’re sick and tired Barricades set up on key high- Many Argentines blame the whatever tools it wants to meet wounded in the protests, which tors and government supporters and vigilante groups loyal to of it. We want Ortega to go. The ways have meanwhile ground IMF for worsening its devastat- them. have met with a violent crack- trying to clear a barricade in the Ortega, who has dominated the people want him to go, all Nica- transportation to a halt. Some ing 2001-02 economic collapse. During the December 28 news down from the government. city, 45kms south of the capital central American country’s pol- ragua wants him to go,” she said, parts of the country are begin- Under former populist presi- conference, the government also “This is now a massacre, a hu- Managua. itics for four decades. speaking beside one of the myr- ning to run out of fuel and other dent Cristina Fernandez, the outlined a plan to drastically re- man tragedy where the goal is Town hall and the local offi ce Separately, the Organisation iad barricades residents have essentials. central bank largely obeyed the duce central bank transfers to to exterminate all those young of the ruling Sandinista party in of American States, which was erected in the streets. The country’s business elite, executive’s requests to print the treasury to fi nance the fi scal people who think diff erently Granada were burned down by holding its general assembly in Built with cobblestones, furni- long close to Ortega, have broken money to fi nance defi cits and defi cit. than or are critical of the gov- protesters, and several electrical Washington, issued a condem- ture, sheet metal and whatever else with him over the crackdown. Guatemala volcano toll Campaign trail OAS paves way for rises, 200 still missing Venezuela suspension DPA past two years, during which Washington time Venezuela has grappled AFP mountain villages destroyed by The 12,346-foot volcano with a deepening economic, po- Alotenango, Guatemala the eruption was progressing erupted early Sunday, spewing litical and humanitarian crisis. slowly, offi cials said earlier, given out towering plumes of ash and a he Organisation of Ameri- Venezuelan Foreign Minister the nature of the terrain and the hail of fi ery rock fragments with can States (OAS) has ap- Jorge Arreaza was on Tuesday early 200 people are way the volcano released large scalding mud. Tproved a resolution con- forced to watch as traditional Ca- missing and at least 75 amounts of boiling mud, rock Authorities said more than demning Venezuela and paving racas allies like the Dominican Re- Nhave been killed since and ash down the mountain. 1.7mn people had been aff ected by the way for its suspension from public and Nicaragua either voted Guatemala’s Fuego volcano be- “We will continue until we fi nd the disaster, including more than the regional body. for the resolution or abstained. gan erupting over the weekend, the last victim, though we do not 3,000 ordered evacuated, many Nineteen of the body’s 34 Only three countries — Bo- offi cials said. know how many there are. living in shelters in Escuintla, Sa- members voted to approve the livia, Dominica and St Vincent Seven communities in already We will probe the area as many catepequez and Chimaltenango resolution at the OAS general as- and the Grenadines — sided with devastated areas were evacu- times as necessary,” Cabanas said. since Sunday’s eruption. sembly in Washington, with four Venezuela in voting against the ated as the volcano’s activity in- However, the prospects of The speed of the eruption took against and 11 abstentions, the resolution. creased, with rescue operations fi nding any more survivors was locals by surprise, and could be body said on Twitter. Arreaza said the document, halted. poor, he said. explained by it producing pyro- The US and countries from which called on OAS members In the city of Escuintla, near “If you are trapped in a py- clastic fl ows, sudden emissions the so-called Lima Group had to implement “the measures the summit, panicked locals roclastic fl ow, it’s hard to come of gas and rock fragments, rath- pushed for the resolution, which deemed appropriate at the po- rushed to their cars to escape, out of it alive,” he said, adding er than lava, said volcanologist declared that last month’s elec- litical, economic, and fi nancial causing chaotic traffi c. that people who may have been David Rothery of Britain’s Open tions lacked legitimacy and levels to assist in the restoration An AFP photographer saw a caught in the fl ow may never be University. leaves Venezuela’s President of democratic order in Venezue- large plume of ash rise into the found. President Jimmy Morales, who Nicolas Maduro further isolated. la,” opened the door to military sky, prompting an evacuation of Among the latest of the 75 fa- has declared three days of na- US Vice President Mike Pence intervention. everyone authorities could fi nd talities reported by the National tional mourning, has visited the had on Monday described Ma- “The US has said that all options before the police, the military Institute of Forensic Sciences disaster zone. duro’s re-election, in a May 20 are on the table and all options also and rescuers were ordered to was a 42-year-old woman who UN secretary-general Anto- vote marred by allegations of include the military,” he said, refer- stand down. died in hospital having lost both nio Guterres said he was deeply fraud and other irregularities, ring to comments made by US Pres- And a total of 192 people remain legs and an arm in the eruption. saddened by the “tragic loss of as a “disgrace” and urged OAS ident Donald Trump last year. missing since the weekend erup- The previous toll was given as life and the signifi cant damage Colombian presidential candidate Ivan Duque attends a rally members to “expel the Maduro “Those who supported this tions, disaster relief agency chief 73. Some 46 people were injured, caused by the eruption,” and said with supporters on the Simon Bolivar international bridge in dictatorship.” resolution are also supporting an Sergio Cabanas told reporters. around half of whom are in seri- the UN was ready to assist na- Cucuta, Colombia. The resolution was the harsh- intervention in Venezuela,” Ar- The search for bodies in ous condition, offi cials said. tional rescue and relief eff orts. est approved by the OAS in the reaza added. Gulf Times 24 Thursday, June 7, 2018 PAKISTAN Curfew extended NAB orders inquiry of in border region after clashes ex-PMs over LNG project AFP A clash between PTM activ- Peshawar ists and insurgents on Sunday Reuters pees, the NAB said in order- killed two people, sparking Islamabad ing the inquiry against Abbasi, fears of wider unrest in an Sharif and others for granting a uthorities in Pakistan’s area fl ush with weapons and 15-year LNG terminal contract restive tribal region long-held traditions that de- akistan’s anti-corruption “to a company of their liking, in Aexpanded a 24-hour mand violent reprisals against agency has approved an violation of rules and by misuse curfew along the Afghan bor- perceived slights against an Pinquiry into former prime of their powers”. der to avert further clashes individual or tribe’s honour. minister Shahid Khaqan Ab- It did not say which of Paki- between tribesmen and mili- The violence was followed basi and his predecessor Nawaz stan’s two completed terminal tants after at least three people by a second clash during a rally Sharif over a liquefi ed natural projects was referred to. Several were killed and dozens injured on Monday, according to PTM. gas (LNG) terminal project, the more are in the pipeline. in recent days, offi cials said Authorities were negotiat- agency said yesterday. Abbasi, who ended PML-N’s yesterday. ing with local tribal elders to The news comes less than a term as premier, said he was The move comes as ten- restore calm and had relaxed week after the ruling Pakistan unaware of any NAB inquiry, and sions mount in the area with the curfew for two hours on Muslim League-Nawaz (PML- nobody had contacted him. burgeoning civil rights group Tuesday to allow people to buy N), founded by Sharif, fi nished As petroleum minister when the Pashtun Protection Move- food to break their fasts dur- its fi ve-year term, handing pow- Sharif was premier, Abbasi ment (PTM) heightening calls ing the Islamic holy month of er to a technocratic caretaker masterminded Pakistan’s push for the removal of alleged Ramadan. government until elections on to embrace LNG after PML- Taliban-linked militants from A government offi cial in July 25. N swept to power in a 2013 the region. South Waziristan’s Wana con- The National Accountability election. The US and others have fi rmed details of the curfew, Bureau’s (NAB) decision, involv- In a response to Reuters, Ab- long accused Pakistan of us- telling AFP that landlines had ing an unidentifi ed terminal is basi said he took full responsi- ing proxies in Afghanistan, in- been disconnected in the area one of the world’s fastest grow- bility for work at the petroleum Nawaz Sharif, left, and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ... under scanner cluding the Taliban and other and roads blocked. ing LNG markets, is part of a ministry as Sharif had “no direct militant groups. Islamabad A local tribal elder added sweeping new initiative target- responsibility for the workings and I am available to co-operate a witch hunt against his party, merly the chief minister of the denies the claims. that mosques had been shut- ing senior politicians across the of my ministry”. with any such inquiry.” received no response. vast eastern province of Punjab, PTM has had repeated tered to prevent people from South Asian nation. He added, “I welcome any in- Text messages and telephone The corruption agency also who is seen as the favourite to clashes with the militants rallying crowds with the The national exchequer had quiry by NAB or any other agen- calls to the spokesman of Sharif, approved an inquiry against fi ght the next election as PML- this week during two rallies facilities’ loudspeakers. suff ered a loss of billions of ru- cy into the aff airs of the ministry who has accused the judiciary of Sharif’s brother Shehbaz, for- N’s prime ministerial candidate. in the area, leading authori- PTM has been calling for ties Tuesday to expand an ear- investigations into disappear- lier curfew to encompass all ances and extrajudicial killings of the South Waziristan tribal by Pakistan’s security estab- district. lishment, while also echoing “Curfew has been tightened accusations that the military 26 depart for and extended to the entire allowed extremists a safe ha- South Waziristan. More than ven from which to launch Candidates fi le nomination attacks in Afghanistan. 80 people have so far been ar- US under rested,” a senior government During a press conference offi cial in Peshawar told AFP, earlier this week, chief military adding that at least three peo- spokesman Major General Asif teaching ple have been killed and 40 Ghafoor slammed accusations papers in Balochistan that the country was harbour- injured. The area is sealed off to ing militants, accusing the programme Internews Balochistan Awami Party Top bureaucrats, police chiefs to be reshuffl ed journalists, making claims PTM of being manipulated Islamabad founder Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, diffi cult to verify. by “enemies of Pakistan”. his wife Dr Ruqaiya Hashmi, Once the caretaker administration clear during the Internews Nawabzada Haji Lashkari Rai- governments are installed in upcoming general elections, Islamabad ndependent candidates and sani from Balochistan National all the provinces, the Election the ECP has already notified all Eminent scholar Memon passes away those belonging to diff er- Party, Ismail Gujjar, Nawab- Commission of Pakistan (ECP) concerned about its intentions Ient political parties of Pa- zada Humayun Jogezai, Awami will change all the provincial vis-a-vis transfer and postings Distinguished translator, short scholars of Arabic of his times wenty-six English lan- kistan’s Balochistan province National Party’s Arbab Umar chief secretaries and the of government servants. story writer, critic, researcher in the Indo-Pak subcontinent guage teachers departed have started fi ling their nomi- Farooq Kasi and Pakistan Te- inspectors general of police In a notification issued on and University of Wisconsin’s with a huge following in the Tfor the United States nation papers with returning hreek-e-Insaf’s Qasim Sori as (IGPs) in order to give neutral Monday, the ECP directed professor emeritus of Asian Arabic world. to participate in the Teaching offi cers for contesting the up- well as Pakistan Peoples Party’s administrations for elections in all federal and provincial languages and cultures He was born in Aligarh in Excellence and Achievement coming general elections. Rozi Khan Kakar are among all regions. authorities concerned to send department Mohammad Umar 1939, where his father was a (TEA) Programme. The Election Commission those who may contest election The ECP has cancelled all proposals for transfer/postings, Memon passed away on June 3 faculty member at the Arabic The TEA programme pro- of Pakistan (ECP) will be re- from NA-265. postings and transfers made if so required expedient in in Madison, the US. He was 79. department of Aligarh Muslim vides secondary school ceiving nomination papers of Former chief minister Na- at the federal or provincial public interest, of off icers/ Memon had translated a vast University. teachers with opportunities the candidates till June 8 for 16 wab Sanaullah Zehri, Nawab levels after the declaration of off icials for its consideration. body of works from Urdu into The teenage Memon along to develop expertise in their National Assembly seats from Raisani, Sarfaraz Bugti, Nawab election schedule on May 31. The notification added that English and vice versa, as well with his family migrated subject area, enhance their Balochistan and 51 provincial Changez Marri, Nawabzada However, the cancellation the commission may itself as from Arabic into English. to Pakistan in 1954 and teaching skills, and engage assembly seats. Gazain Marri and Nawab Aali order will not aff ect those issue directions to any such The translations included short later earned graduate and with American teachers and Provincial election commis- Bugti have also received their appointments which government or authority for stories, novels and articles on postgraduate degrees from the students. sioner Niaz Baloch said yester- nomination papers. were made by the federal posting/transfer of any off icial. Islamic Sufism and Muslim University of Karachi. The six-week programme day that the ECP had started Many political parties, how- or provincial executives Sources said the commission’s philosophy. A decade later, he went to includes intensive training in receiving nomination papers ever, are facing woes follow- in consultation with the order will undo all transfer He was a scholar of Arabic the US on a scholarship, teaching methodologies, les- from candidates on Monday, ing new delimitations and commission. and postings which have been and Islamic studies first and getting a degree from Harvard son planning, teacher lead- adding that two nomination urging ECP to address their In order to show its intentions made without consulting the foremost, but had developed University and later a doctoral ership, and exposure to new papers had been issued for NA- grievances. for neutrality of civil ECP after May 31. a penchant earlier in his degree in Islamic studies from technologies. 265 Quetta II so far. “Still we are facing con- career for various creative the University of California, Los The American embassy “The candidates are preclud- fusion over delimitation as expressions, including Urdu, Angeles. sponsors English language pro- ed to submit their nomination many of our constituencies eral secretary Mehrab Baloch. had nullifi ed delimitation of English and Persian literatures. He had been associated with grammes in Pakistan for both papers till June 8 in the election had been removed while oth- He demanded more represen- eight constituencies last week Most important influence on the University of Wisconsin- teachers and students. Each commission offi ce. The docu- ers have been added, creating tation for Balochistan in the and had ordered the ECP to re- him was that of his eminent Madison for the past 38 years year, the programmes educate ments would be scrutinised hurdles in the election proc- National Assembly. view the delimitation following father Prof Abdul Aziz Memon, and taught Arabic, Persian, over 3,000 students via direct from June 9 to June 13,” he said. ess,” said National Party gen- The Balochistan High Court public concerns. one of the most renowned Urdu and Islamic studies. teaching to help them develop employability and leadership skills. Additionally, English pro- grammes support more than 300 teachers annually via face- Activist released after abduction in Lahore to-face trainings, online cours- es, and exchanges like TEA. AFP cise Pakistan, amid a growing immediately provide further solidarity in concern for my Maryam Nawaz Sharif, “The TEA programme will Lahore crackdown on free speech in the details. well being last night,” read the daughter of ousted prime min- not only provide insight into a country. Sources at Waqt News said statement. ister Nawaz Sharif, said it was variety of eff ective educational Bukhari was on her way to a the kidnapping had taken place “I am well, and would request “extremely disturbing” and the practices in secondary school British-Pakistani activ- television news station in La- inside an army-controlled part privacy at this stage.” “worst kind of oppression”. and university that can use to ist was briefl y abducted hore where she was due to ap- of the city. The British high commission Newspaper editor and ana- transform your classroom,” Alate Tuesday by unknown pear as an analyst on a late night Bukhari released a state- in Islamabad said yesterday that lyst Raza Ahmad Rumi tweeted: said American embassy re- men in the eastern city of La- show when she was stopped, ment hours after being released, it was aware of the reported in- “Dissenters are not a threat. gional language offi cer Maria hore, her family said, prompt- her husband Ali Nadir said. thanking friends and colleagues cident and “reaching out with Healthy societies allow critical Gul Bukhari Snarski. ing fears she had been forcibly “She left around 10:40pm for for their support during the consular assistance”. voices to foster/retain a pluralist TEA alumni are eligible to disappeared. Waqt News but was apparently ordeal. “We are very concerned at culture.” the watchdog tweeted. compete for small grant awards Gul Bukhari, 52, was de- picked up on the way. It seems “I would like to express my reports of Gul Bukhari’s ab- And the Committee to Pro- Bukhari is known for advo- to share what they learned with tained for several hours by un- to be plainclothes people but deep gratitude and love to my duction last night,” the high tect Journalists said it was cating human rights online and other teachers via collaborative known men one day after the we don’t have any more info,” he friends, family, colleagues & commission said in a statement “alarmed” by the report of her is also a prominent columnist projects between participat- powerful military held a press said in a WhatsApp message. supporters in civil society, jour- posted on Twitter. abduction. whose articles are often highly ing American schools and their conference warning that it is He later confi rmed that she nalism and politics across the News of her abduction caused “Pakistani journalists critical of the military and its home schools. monitoring citizens who criti- had been freed, but could not board, for coming together in a furore on social media. have seen enough tragedy,” policies. Telemedicine initiative gaining popularity in KP Internews prescribe medicines for them. measure will change the face of which will provide services to cology; ear, nose and throat; million, of which 70 million has amination of diff erent diseases. Peshawar The main clinic of the project, healthcare as patients are getting the people from diff erent plac- ophthalmology; psychiatry, been released to improve basic “For children and adults, we use started under chief secretary’s effi cient, low cost and reliable es,” said Dr Jamal. He said that peads; dermatology; radiology; health services to people of far new skills and machinery,” he special initiative, is headquar- services for their ills,” he said. initially, the number of patients cardiology; and general surgery.” fl ung areas through modern tel- added. he telemedicine initiative tered at the Services Hospital, Dr Jamal said that currently was negligible but then they re- Under the programme, the ecommunication infrastructure. All the advanced level medical launched by the Khyber Peshawar with its fi ve spokes in fi ve spokes in Karak, Chitral, ceived 30 to 35 patients daily. patients visited the designated Dr Jamal said that informa- examination equipments sup- TPakhtunkhwa (KP) prov- designated districts, and is also Battagram, Swabi and Nowshera He said that the fi rst-ever health centres from where they tion technology experts were ported by web-based telemedi- ince government in February this source of education for local were established with provision project, the brainchild of Chief were examined by specialists deployed at all the telemedicine cine software has been installed year has been gaining currency doctors, who see the patients at of all basic equipment for tele- Secretary Mohammad Azam sitting in Peshawar via satellite, clinics to ensure proper utilisa- at all spokes. Training of con- due to specialised healthcare the rural health centres (RHC). medicine. Khan, was aimed at extending he said. tion of the equipment and soft- cerned staff at all the spokes has through information technology Dr Jamal Nasir, medical super- He said that except Chitral specialised services to the peo- “In this way, not only the pa- ware for complete profanation of been conducted. to the patients in far fl ung areas. intendent of Services Hospital, where patients were being ex- ple of remote areas free of cost. tients benefi t but the local doc- patients’ data. Dr Jamal said that it was part of Under the initiative, patients who looks after the programme, amined at the district headquar- He said that the main benefi - tors are also educated by the The new technology has the initiative that patients from are being examined in local fa- said that it was a concept but ters hospital, patients in other ciaries of the initiative were peo- consultant physician. The pro- enabled the doctors sitting RHCs were referred to telemedi- cilities connected with special- number of patients was rising as districts were checked in RHCs. ple living in remote areas, whose gramme allows the patients live in Peshawar to hear the chest cine clinic in Peshawar to be seen ist doctors sitting in Services time passed because the people The Services Hospital Peshawar access to specialised healthcare consultation and they are advised beats through stethoscopes by their respective doctor. Hospital, Peshawar. received standard investigation has enlisted about 50 specialists had seen improvement. the desired investigations, the and watch lives the ultrasound He added that the software The patients sit in front of and treatment without travelling to see patients. “We are presently extend- results of which are shared with examinations of the patients. could be extended to the whole laptops and are seen by spe- to Peshawar. “We are also establishing one ing services to people in general them accordingly,” said Dr Jamal. Dr Jamal said that there were province when the programme got cialists on big screens to “We are hopeful that this mobile telemedicine health unit, medicines; obstetrics; gynae- The cost of the project is Rs95 dedicated equipments for ex- acceptability among the people. Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 25 PHILIPPINES

Bataan village holds classes in container vans Schoolchildren in an Aeta village here continued to hold classes Court declares Sereno’s for the second year in seven con- tainer vans, pending completion of a new school building, Manila Times reported. Ruby Paule, 11, an Aeta girl in Grade 6 said she was happy that after six years they will have a school building and arbitration case fee ‘illegal’ classrooms of their own. Air-conditioned container vans By Jomar Canlas which was obtained by Manila proceedings, which rendered serve as classrooms of the Manila Times Times, was penned by Associate her impeachment case moot. Bayan-Bayanan Elementary Justice Ramon Bato. Justice Bato’s ruling stated School in the upland village in Justices Rodil Zalameda and that “the procurement of the Dinalupihan. But the children, in- he Court of Appeals has Samuel Gaerlan concurred. services of local and foreign cluding Paule, are not contented declared as illegal the It affi rmed the fi ndings of lawyers — whether as expert with the aircon container vans, Tpayment of $6mn in at- Judge Carlos Valenzuela of the witnesses or consultants, or saying “it is cramped.” torney’s fees to ousted Chief Mandaluyong Regional Trial counsel in the arbitration pro- “It is a big thing for us to have Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno Court (RTC) Branch 213, who ceedings — should comply with school building conducive to the and her co-counsels for han- ruled that the arbitration costs the provisions of RA 9184 (Gov- children’s learning. Even if the dling the international arbitra- and expenses were incurred in ernment Procurement Act) and container vans are air-condi- tion case between the govern- violation of government pol- its IRR (Internal Rules and Reg- tioned, it is very crowded and not ment and the builder of the icy mandating public bidding ulations).” conducive to teaching. Unlike a Ninoy Aquino International and the “long-standing policy Apart from Florentino and regular classroom where children Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. against the incurrence of ir- Sereno, the government ob- are happy,” Grade 1 teacher The court’s Special 11th Di- regular, unnecessary, excessive, tained the services of foreign Richelle Tria said. vision, in a June 4 decision, extravagant, or unconscionable law fi rms such as White & Case School principal Raff y Abilong reversed the ruling of the 17th expenditures or use of funds LLP, Allen & Gledhill LLP, Rajah said they have 187 students Division upon a motion for re- and property by the govern- & Tan LLP, and Drew & Napier enrolled from kindergarten to consideration fi led by the Phil- ment.” The NAIA Terminal 3 LLC. Grade 6 this school year and ippine International Air Termi- case went to arbitration after “As exhaustively discussed have seven teachers but are nals Co, Inc or Piatco. the Supreme Court voided Piat- by the RTC, petitioners violated not enough for the number of It found that the services of co’s contract in 2003 for various the fundamental public policy school children. “We have been the late Supreme Court Associ- irregularities. in the hiring of expert witnesses using seven container vans as ate Justice Florentino Feliciano The government expropri- or consultants, or local or for- classrooms since July last year. and his then aide, Sereno, and ated Terminal 3 in 2004 and was eign lawyers or law fi rm, when This was given by the adminis- other co-counsels in the Pi- ordered by the Supreme Court Maria Lourdes Sereno: facing criticism the OSG did not follow the pro- tration of Mayor Maria Angela atco case were obtained without to pay the contractors $510mn visions of RA 9184 and its IRR. Garcia,” he said. Abilong said their public bidding, and that there in compensation. The Petition for Review in Amended Decision reads. of the Solicitor General (OSG) No law, or jurisprudence, is woes will be finally over after the was no appropriation for the Piatco later assailed the pay- CA-GR SP No 140691 is denied The payment of attorney’s for the payment of the legal fees cited by the OSG expressly ex- construction of two new school expenditure. ment of attorney’s fees to the for lack of merit. fees to Sereno was raised at the of Sereno and all the legal coun- empting it from the provisions buildings started in October last Moreover, the Commission lawyers hired by the transpor- The RTC Decision dated Au- House justice committee, which sels hired by the Philippine gov- of RA 9184.” year. on Audit had disallowed the ex- tation department and the Ma- gust 29, 2014 denying the pe- conducted hearings on the im- ernment. “No one is above the law, not The two-storey buildings with penditure because of irregulari- nila International Airport Au- tition for recognition and en- peachment complaint against The case went to the Special even the OSG. four classrooms each, was built ties, the court noted. thority (MIAA) amounting to forcement of the Final Award, the magistrate. Special 11th Division after Pi- As the government counsel, with a P12.4mn fund from the Of the total payment of $6,009,351.66. in ICC Case No 12610/TE/MW/ Sereno was accused for failing atco asked Sison to inhibit from the OSG should lead by exam- provincial government. These $6,009,351.66, Sereno got “Accordingly, Piatco’s Mo- AVH/JEM/MLK/ARP, entitled to declare in her statements of the case because of “her close ple and should advocate for the are scheduled for completion in $324,674.37, or about P17mn, tion for Reconsideration dated Philipppine International Air assets liabilities and net worth association with a personal- full implementation of RA 9184 August. The principal said they court records showed. February 9, 2017 is partly grant- Terminals Co, Inc vs The Gov- her income from the Piatco case ity whose interest is adverse to in order to achieve its laudable lost their old school building to a The government deducted ed. ernment of the Republic of the as lawyer for the government. Piatco’s position,” referring to objective of promoting trans- landslide during the onslaught of 15%, leaving Sereno, a former The assailed Decision prom- Philippines (Acting through the The previous ruling by the Sereno. parency and accountability in Habagat (southwest monsoon) University of the Philippines ulgated on January 20, 2017 is Department of Transportation 17th Division, dated January 20, Six other justices of the ap- the procurement of goods and in 2012. The school location was law professor, with $275,973.21 partly reconsidered and Para- and Communications and the 2017 and penned by Associate peals court inhibited from the services in all branches and in- declared dangerous being a (P14.5mn). The 50-page graph 5 thereof is reversed and Manila International Airport Justice Marlene Gonzales-Sis- case before Sereno’s ouster last strumentalities of government,” landslide-prone area. amended decision, a copy of set aside. Authority), is reinstated,” the on, granted the plea of the Offi ce month in through quo warranto it added. US, Mexican drug Duterte will quit if enough syndicates ‘dumping women protest over gesture

Reuters verted way” of taunting female a book he was handing out. mestic support and many Fili- Manila critics who are angered by fre- The woman, who appeared pinos view his politically incor- supplies in nation’ quent derogatory comments, excited to see Duterte in person, rect, earthy language as part of some of a sexual nature. agreed. Duterte enjoys a rock his appeal. hilippine President Rod- “If there are enough women star status among Filipinos and Women’s rights advocates By Roy Narra with other airports in the public would be tantamount rigo Duterte has defended to... Well I think if all women has a cult-like following among in the Philippines recently Manila Times country. Maybe it is not only to declaring them guilty unless Phis kiss on the lips of a here would sign a petition for me those living overseas. launched an online #BabaeAko in NAIA where the drugs are proven innocent. Cases should married Filipino woman in South to resign, I will resign,” Duterte He said the gesture was his (I Am A Woman) campaign to entering. We are also going to be fi led fi rst against concerned Korea, and said he will resign if told a media briefi ng around “style” with women during his send a message that they were rug syndicates from the look out for airports in Davao (lawmakers) and others on the enough women are off ended and midnight yesterday upon his 22 years as a mayor in Davao City not taking Duterte’s “sexist” United States and Mex- and Cebu,” he added. list,” Villarin said in a state- sign a petition calling for him to return from an offi cial visit to prior to becoming president. statements sitting down. Dico are trying to dump “Maybe we can’t catch drug ment. step down. South Korea. “The problem is you don’t Presidential legal counsel their supplies in the country, suppliers because they are go- “Regardless of status in life, Duterte has described Sun- Social media was abuzz with know me,” he said. Salvador Panelo yesterday said according to the Philippine ing through the international people should be accorded due day’s kiss as “pure showbiz” in- photos and videos of Duterte Duterte’s controversial re- the kiss showed Duterte’s car- Drug Enforcement Agency airports of Cebu, Davao and process and the rule of law, tended to entertain a crowd of on stage asking an unidentifi ed marks about women include ing, fatherly character, and the (PDEA). others since there are no task which has been continuously Filipino expatriates. woman from an audience of Fili- several public jokes. recipient in Seoul enjoyed the “We have been co-ordinat- forces there,” Aquino said. violated in President (Rodrigo) Feminists called it his “per- pinos to kiss him in exchange for But none have dented his do- moment. ing with the US Drug Enforce- He added that the PDEA has Duterte’s deadly war on drugs ment Administration regard- seized 72.9 kilos of drugs worth that claimed thousands of ing the groups supplying drugs P496mn in Clark Internation- lives and families traumatised, here. There is an information al Airport and NAIA in 2018 (should be upheld),” he added. that there are Mexicans in- alone, apart from other dan- President Duterte is already Drug seizure in Manila volved here,” PDEA Director gerous drugs such as ecstasy, under preliminary examination General Aaron Aquino said in a kush, marijuana, hashish and by the International Criminal Director Ismael Fajardo Jr news conference yesterday. cannabis oil. Court (ICC) on charges of com- (left) and acting director He disclosed that they had The PDEA also yesterday was mitting crimes against human- Joseph Theodore Atila, seized P78.8mn worth of shabu urged to fi le charges against ity for drug war deaths that of the Philippine Drug in Cavite and Paranaque City. politicians allegedly involved already reached over 13,000, Enforcement Agency’s Aquino said the confi scated in the illegal drug trade rather according to human rights National Capital Region drugs came from California. than engaging in shame cam- groups. off ice, present drug “For the past months of paign with “striptease” revela- The ICC action stemmed from suspect Arden Kenneth 2018, we have seized 18 ship- tions. a petition fi led by lawyer Jude Ledesma, 26 (standing). ments from California. These Rep. Tomasito Villarin of Sabio, counsel of self-confessed Seized from him, along came through the Ninoy Akbayan party-list made the Davao Death Squad hitman with two minors, during Aquino International Airport call after the PDEA chief an- Edgar Matobato, in May 2017. a buy-bust operation (NAIA),” he added. nounced that at least six mem- “If charges are not fi led, peo- on Dimasalang Road in Aquino said they also con- bers of the House of Represent- ple speaking up to criticise the Sampaloc, Manila were fi scated one shipment from atives are on the narco list. government’s drug war will 120,000 pesos worth of The Netherlands and one from “The PDEA’s list should be (just) be lumped together with marijuana, which they Congo. well-vetted and subject to due drug lords and personalities,” allegedly sold online. “We will be co-ordinating process as dragging names in Villarin said. Outcry over agency’s salary estimate for family

By Bernadette E Tamayo month for three months. I bet away their mobile phones so portation amounts to only P5 household comforts,” he added. recreation and culture (P141), economic managers are living Manila Times they will change their calcula- they won’t ask me for (mobile) per person per day. That’s not The NEDA, however, clari- education (P328), restaurants in their own world and goes tions,” Recto said in a text mes- loads,” he said. even enough for a one-way fied that it did not say that a and miscellaneous goods and a long way toward explaining sage. “Quite frankly, I do not Gatchalian said, “P10,000 jeepney ride,” said Gatchalian, family of five can live decently services (P1,259), catering this administration’s anti-poor awmakers yesterday know which planet they are simply isn’t enough. The gov- chairman of the Senate Com- with P10,000 a month. services (P805), and personal economic policies, such as the laughed off the projection talking about because its cer- ernment’s economic manag- mittee on Economic Affairs. In a radio interview, NEDA care (P380). grossly regressive tax reform Lof the National Economic tainly not Metro Manila or the ers should use more realistic Undersecretary Rosemarie Ed- Members of the House of programme, inability to end Development Authority (NEDA) Philippines,” Escudero said. benchmarks.” “Quite frankly, I do illon said the P10,000 a month Representatives found NEDA’s contractualisation and indif- that a family of fi ve can survive Sought for reaction, Lacson “When you break down not know which planet budget was only a “hypotheti- stand “outrageous and shame- ference to the demand for a on P10,000 a month. said, “Actually, we can, if my the numbers, it is clear that a they are talking about cal figure” to show how a fam- less.” national minimum wage,” Rep. Senate President Pro Tem- family will eat only once a day, family of five can’t survive on because its certainly ily of five can budget the money “They are simply out of Antonio Tinio said. pore Ralph Recto and Senators we won’t brush our teeth nor P10,000 per month,” the sena- not Metro Manila for basic commodities. touch with reality. Why don’t “After they try on such a Panfilo Lacson, Francis Escu- take a bath, walk everyday to tor said. or the Philippines” According to NEDA, a five they try to raise their family meagre budget, then let’s hear dero, and Sherwin Gatchalian and from our place of work but For example, the monthly member-family can appor- on a P10,000 monthly budget what they have to say. The were incredulous with NEDA’s avoid perspiring so we won’t food budget of P3,834 amounts “Meanwhile, the P2,204 tion the P10,000 to the follow- ? They should step down from problem with them is they are assumption. wash our clothes.” to only P8 per meal for each monthly budget for lodging and ing expenses: health (P389), their pedestal and try living feeding us with countless pre- “That’s very hard to believe. “And yes, ask my wife to stop person. “That’s not even utilities force a family of five to transport (P806), operation on a P10,000 monthly budget dictions, that the Tax Reform I challenge them to reduce their watching her favourite telen- enough to buy a pack of instant share a cramped small apart- of personal transport equip- for at least six months,” Bayan law won’t make people poor or salary for three months and ovela because I will sell the TV noodles,” he said. ment or even a single room, ment (P247), transport services Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said. poorer, even calling the poor try to survive with P10,000 a set. Ask my children to throw “P806 per month for trans- without even the most basic (P483), communication (P293), “This proves that Duterte’s crybaby,” Zarate added. Gulf Times 26 Thursday, June 7, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Online shopping boom buoys air freight business

An explosion of e-commerce demand is buoying the air freight business, boosting profi t at some major airlines despite global trade tensions and underscoring robust consumer confi dence. Air freight demand is expected to rise 4% this year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said at its annual meeting this week in Sydney. Top benefi ciaries will be freight-heavy carriers like Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacifi c Airways, Germany’s Lufthansa and Korean Air Lines. Bloody end to Indian The growth in e-commerce is also a boon for parcel fi rms such as UPS and FedEx as well as second-hand jet traders and an army of pilots known as “freight dogs.” “The cargo environment is very strong,” Carsten Spohr, chief executive of Germany’s Lufthansa, the world’s seventh largest cargo airline, said. copper plant saga He added that planes were full on both the outbound and return legs of their trips thanks to the export-driven German mastectomy nine hours’ drive away do not aff ect the marine ecosystem in She maintained her opposition even economy on one end and goods sold online on the other. Michael Safi Tuticorin in Chennai. “It doesn’t feel like we’ve any manner.” as the protests died down, running what “Inbound and outbound, I’m looking at probably the best won,” she said. “I’ll be living with this Nor do monthly water samples, taken she calls a “single person struggle” environment I have seen in years,” he said. for the rest of my life.” from around the plant by environmental from her home, “hoping and trusting Although trade tensions are rising, most notably between he south Indian city of Jasmine, a friend, agreed: “We feel authorities, show any trace of copper, something good would come out of it”. the US and China and Europe, the industry is counting on Tuticorin, home to one of the this [the closure announcement] was a zinc or other pollutants, it says. “The lowest point was in 2013, when country’s oldest Christian publicity stunt from the government. Tuticorin is a hub for a number of there was a gas leak and the entire town e-commerce continuing to soar, with more people buying communities, has been It was just for TV. other polluting industries including was impacted,” she said. “I believed products online for quick T fi ghting a giant. In six months, they will let them fertiliser, thermal power and caustic we were fi nally at the end of the road, delivery. Days after 13 protesters were fatally re-open.” Vedanta says it has not soda. Sterlite was going to go, but somehow, it “The cargo “Air freight may be gunned down by police, including a decided whether to appeal against the The diffi culty, say environmental fi zzled out. impacted by the trade teenage girl, activists won a key victory government’s decision to close the scientists, is that a study has never People thought you can’t do anything environment is tensions, but it could over one of the world’s largest mining plant. been carried out looking into the health about this company, it was too powerful A few metres away, their neighbour, impact of these industries. for us. be supported by GDP companies. very strong” For more than two decades, Sterlite, Mary, lay on a charpoy bed in the shade, The Tamil Nadu government also “They got over the impact and went continuing to be relatively a subsidiary of the London-listed taking shallow breaths. lacks the expertise to seriously monitor on as if nothing happened.” strong, and also by e-commerce,” Mylene Scholnick, Vedanta Resources, has been operating She had been diagnosed with and mitigate most environmental Then, in September 2016, Vedanta principal at consultancy ICF, said. a copper smelter on the outskirts of the emphysema, which she blamed on damage. applied to double the capacity of the Cathay Pacifi c CEO Rupert Hogg said higher consumer city. decades of breathing air polluted by the “There is no capability in this state plant, making it the largest copper spending is driving demand for high-end goods such as Over the same period, activists chimneys of the nearby factory. to undertake a rigorous and scientifi c smelter in the country. have been arguing the site is fouling The plant has been temporarily shut environmental impact assessment,” It ignited latent anger in the city, electronics. Tuticorin’s air and water, and has several times after suspected leaks of says Jayshree Vencatasan, a scientist which Babu says was compounded by “Defi nitely the retail map is changing and e-commerce is caused unnaturally high cancer rates in noxious chemicals. and managing trustee at the Care Earth mounting health problems in many just growing and growing and with it the movement of small surrounding villages. In 2013 it was closed again and Trust, a conservation group. “We just families. parcels. I don’t see that changing at the moment. That is Last week, Fatima Babu, a leader Vedanta was fi ned £10mn after a don’t have organisations with the Social media, another new factor, beginning to form a baseload,” he said. in the movement, had been touring court ruled the plant was operating scientifi c and technical capability to helped spread information and Cathay’s home airport, in Hong Kong, is the world’s aff ected villages when she got the news without the consent of environmental do it.” coordinate protests. the Tamil Nadu chief minister was authorities. The fi rst in Tuticorin to turn against Early this year, activists launched biggest cargo hub. ordering the plant permanently closed. It re-opened after a team of experts the smelter were the fi shermen, who a 100-day campaign to stop the Business and consumer confi dence are rising and tax cuts “Until last week I never thought it judged it was not polluting beyond its feared its wastewater was being dumped government granting Vedanta approval in the US alongside loose monetary policy have spurred a could happen so easily,” she told the legal limits. in the ocean. to expand the plant. cyclical revival in world trade, IATA economists say. Guardian minutes after fi nding out, as A Tirunelveli medical college study In 1997, hundreds of fi shing boats Its fi nal day was 21 May, when tens Airline leaders said growing protectionism could put people around her wept and cheered. 10 years ago found villagers around formed a shield around the port, of thousands of people marched in the that at risk, but only if it escalates into an all-out economic “Only after the loss of lives did I think the plant had higher rates of asthma, preventing two Australian vessels from streets and were fi red on by police. things could take a turn. The martyrs bronchitis, and ear, nose and throat berthing with copper ore. Outrage over their killings turned battle. have done it.” infections, and that iron levels in their The same year, activists say gas from the smelter in Tuticorin into a national Although steel and aluminium are in the cross hairs of US Victory did not come cheap. groundwater were up to 20 times higher the plant leaked into a neighbouring issue. tariff s, those goods tend not to be shipped by air. On 20 May, tens of thousands of than acceptable limits. fl our mill, hospitalising about 20 people One week later, its gates were sealed. “The worry would be if this escalates and generally puts residents turned out for the largest Vedanta denies any link between and prompting the government to In the city’s government hospital up trade barriers and makes it more diffi cult to facilitate. But protests against Vedanta ever staged in its plant and health problems in briefl y shut the smelter. this week, dozens of people were at the moment, it’s not aff ecting air cargo,” said IATA chief the city. surrounding villages, maintaining the By that time, Babu, a literature still in beds recovering from injuries economist Brian Pearce. Police allege the protesters became facility “has been operating within all teacher at a local college, was they sustained during last week’s violent, hurling stones, torching applicable environmental regulations spearheading a campaign against the violence.“All because this one Lufthansa’s Spohr agreed. cars and threatening to burn public and standards”. It says cancer rates facility, organising protests and trying company has polluted our air, water “Looking at the current outlook in cargo, I am more buildings. in Tuticorin are lower than the state to fuse disparate concerns about and soil, we’ve had to suffer like this,” concerned about a trade war as a European than I am Offi cers opened fi re, killing 13 people average. “Any allegation linking the smelter into a larger movement. one woman, Nandini, says. concerned about a trade war as CEO of Lufthansa,” he said. over two days, including a teenage girl. the incidents of cancer and marine “Whenever we heard of some misdeed Her husband lies nearby, his face still Air cargo rose 9.7% in 2017, when companies turned to It was a bloody climax to a 23-year pollution with Sterlite Copper are by Sterlite we would come out in the bruised from being struck by police speedy air freight to refi ll inventories after unexpectedly struggle that began in fi shing boats unfounded,” it said in a statement. “We streets, make a lot of noise, go on fasts,” clubs. “I will fi ght more if I have to,” she on the Indian ocean, frequently faced are a zero liquid discharge company and she recalls. says. - Guardian News & Media good economic growth. defeat, and was at times kept alive by Although that trend isn’t expected to continue this year, Babu alone, a teacher who spent years e-commerce is softening the blow. pursuing the campaign in the evenings And even this year’s softer growth is better than the freight after work. downtown that hit early in the decade, caused partly by a Against them was one of India’s surplus of belly space in the increasing numbers of passenger most powerful corporations, run by the billionaire Anil Agarwal, which planes. was frequently accused of running “Consumers need to get products and this is happening roughshod over the small communities cross-border now. that surround its bauxite mines, E-commerce is really supporting growth to a much greater alumina refi neries and copper smelters. extent than before,” IATA chief economist Brian Pearce said. Though it does most of its business in India, Vedanta is listed on the London stock exchange, where its most recent half-yearly profi ts were $1.7bn. To Advertise In Pandarampatty, a village not far from the plant, residents claim 200 [email protected] people have been diagnosed with cancer Display since 1996. That was the year the Vedanta plant 44466621 44418811 opened in Tuticorin, after pressure from villagers in Maharashtra state forced a Classified shift from its original site there. 44466609 44418811 The morning after the announcement of the plant’s closure, few in the village Subscription were celebrating. Rosalin, who like others would only [email protected] give her fi rst name, was still recovering from her latest dose of chemotherapy. Last year she was diagnosed with © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved breast cancer, and underwent a Protesters hold placards during a demonstration against the killing of 13 protesters in Tuticorin. Gulf Times Thursday, June 7, 2018 27 COMMENT A plague of Twitter bots is roiling the Mideast

By Marc Jones and Alexei Abrahams trending in Qatar and that it refl ected Washington Post how Qataris wanted to oust their ruler His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. In reality, he crisis that fractured the the #LeaveTamim hashtag was no Gulf Co-operation Council indication of Qatari public opinion (GCC) last year prominently because it was mostly generated by Tfeatured numerous hacks and anti-Qatar bots and non-Qataris. social media bot attacks. Long-term eff ects of bots Late last month, an Arabic Twitter Much of the discourse attacking hashtag went viral in Qatar. The Qatar is presumably intended to hashtag — translated as “anniversary address domestic constituents in of the midnight fabrications” — refers the blockading countries. After to events of May 24, 2017, when all, the blockade has disrupted hackers acting on behalf of the United the lives of thousands of residents Arab Emirates compromised Qatari across the region who work or have news and social media accounts, family in Qatar. Thus the blockade posting controversial comments falsely must continually be legitimised by attributed to His Highness the Qatari demonising Qatar and demonstrating Amir. This was the fi rst recorded the effi cacy of the blockade as an example of a cyberattack provoking a appropriate sanction. protracted international crisis. There is also a more fundamental The hack was only the tip of an authoritarian logic at play. While information war iceberg. Beginning social media may ultimately act as weeks before the crisis, Qatar’s an incubator for political opinion enemies recruited Western companies formation, it is more crucially the to help wage a relentless propaganda place where citizens go to fi nd out campaign on social media that shows what other citizens think — a vital little sign of abating. Key to this ingredient to mobilising. strategy has been Twitter bots, which By infl ating the importance and can like, retweet and even post original salience of specifi c political fi gures, content en masse. millions of bots are drowning out What are these bots, exactly, and citizens’ opinions with the voice of how do they matter for regional a small authoritarian elite. The use politics? of bots to create artificial trends, Our research shows that Gulf and the use of such trends as an regimes create — or order the creation indicator of public opinion, all point — of thousands of bots to tweet in a to the ability of Gulf regimes to co-ordinated fashion. This time last co-opt social media as part of their year, one of the authors found that 17% control and censorship apparatus, of a random sample of Arabic tweets undermining its radical potential. mentioning Qatar were tweeted by Perhaps more than anywhere, the bots. By this May, the number had Gulf shows us how social media is climbed to 29%. being weaponised as a crucial delivery Propaganda bots operating in the system for fake news, hate speech and Gulf do not attempt to engage other propaganda. users directly, tending instead to focus in Gulf crisis hashtags are verbatim opinions, bots are useful even more pervasive phenomenon in the Gulf that Arab World — included a fake news on increasing the public salience of retweets of what others have said. fundamentally for deciding the topic only a month after the outbreak of the story about the Qatari government zMarc Owen Jones is a lecturer in statements tweeted by prominent Less than 30% of Twitter users post of conversation. Twitter hashtags crisis, the hashtag “don’t participate in reducing the salaries of Qatari soldiers. the history of the Gulf and Arabian human accounts. For example, bots original content, and among these, the can be started by anyone. To gain suspicious hashtags” began trending. A top Saudi offi cial, Saud al- Peninsula at the Centre for Gulf Studies often amplify tweets by critics of the top 2% (0.6% overall) are retweeted so public salience, however, many other Yet not everyone is so savvy or familiar Qahtani, who is both an adviser at Exeter University’s Institute of Arab Qatari government or royal family. much more than anyone else that they accounts must take up that same with the regional social media context. to the Saudi Royal Court and the and Islamic Studies. Thousands of bots have been mobilised drive roughly 75% of the conversation. hashtag in their own tweets. With Hashtags polluted by bots are often general supervisor of the Center for against Qatari news station Al Jazeera. These elite social media infl uencers thousands of bots at your command, mistaken for genuine Qatari comments Studies and Information Aff airs, has zAlexei Abrahams is a research fellow Bots even promoted the pro-Saudi are often given a leg up by bots, this becomes feasible. Once a hashtag and included in pieces by news- purposefully used trends generated at Princeton University’s Niehaus tweets of President Trump during his particularly if they express anti-Qatari trends, human users are often drawn aggregating services and other outlets. by bots as a measure of Qatari public Center for Globalization & Governance May 2017 visit to the region. sentiment. into the conversation. BBC trending, which documents opinion. In August 2017, Qahtani said at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Typically, almost 90% of tweets Beyond promoting particular Hashtag manipulation is such a popular social media topics across the that the hashtag #LeaveTamim was and International Aff airs. Gulf Times 28 Thursday, June 7, 2018 QATAR

SC off icials with representatives of diff erent community groups. SC’s Community Engagement drive announces new partners he Supreme Committee for zanian, Gambian and Ugandan mega-event as big as the World mendations to ensure we host a forts to connect and engage with attend workshops that provide cludes the SC Youth Panel: an Delivery & Legacy (SC)’s communities, the SC has said in a Cup relies fi rst and foremost on tournament that refl ects Qatar’s all communities in Qatar and learning experiences. It also ambassador programme that en- TCommunity Engagement statement. the support of the host country cultural diversity.” keep them up-to-date on the lat- includes a Community Grant gages young people aged 14-21 programme announced a number Nasser al-Khater, the SC’s as- community as we strive to de- Al-Khater continued, “We est progress being made with our Scheme designed to empower years who are passionate about of new community partners dur- sistant secretary-general for liver a unique experience for fans, would like to thank all the com- preparations for 2022. and build the skills, capacity the 2022 FIFA World Cup and its ing its annual Suhoor, while also Tournament Aff airs, attended players and offi cials. munities here for their contribu- “We are delighted not only to and confi dence of communities impact on their community. An- celebrating the successes and the Suhoor along with Khalid “This annual gathering, along tion to the success of this pro- celebrate the successes we have in Qatar. It regularly organises other key project is the Accessi- milestones of the last 12 months. al-Jumaily, the SC’s Community with the various initiatives we gramme and its objectives. We achieved working with our vari- large-scale community events bility Forum, which was launched Six new community associa- Engagement Manager, and rep- run throughout the year, helps look forward to continuing our ous community partners, but also aimed at providing an opportu- in 2016 and works with national tions have been announced, tak- resentatives from the diff erent ensure that all communities in journey together as we aim to to announce new ones that will nity for consultation and knowl- stakeholders to ensure that all ing the number of agreements to community groups engaged with Qatar are involved in the deliv- host a unique edition of the FIFA further support the realisation of edge-sharing between the SC and 2022 44. The partnerships confi rmed the Supreme Committee for De- ery of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. World Cup in 2022.” our vision for the tournament.” local communities. FIFA World Cup venues and during the event are with Qatar’s livery & Legacy. Al-Khater said It also provides an opportunity On his part, al-Jumaily said: The SC’s Community Part- In addition, the Community surrounding infrastructure are Lebanese, Korean, Austrian, Tan- at the event, “The success of a to gather feedback and recom- “This event forms part of our ef- nerships initiative sees members Engagement programme in- accessible to all. LuLu launches reusable bags Ashghal is now an accreditation on World Environment Day centre for ISO 17025 certifi cation uLu Hypermarket, in co- presence of senior offi cials from ment for it. Lulu outlets have operation with the Min- the Ministry and Lulu, inaugu- been actively performing eco- Listry of Municipality and rated the event at the Hyper- friendly practices in its world- shghal is now an inter- Environment – Public Parks market’s D-Ring road branch. wide operations. national accreditation Department, has launched an The Public Parks Depart- LuLu is well-known to be one Acentre for ISO 17025 cer- environmental campaign to ment and LuLu jointly dis- of the fi rst retail chains in the tifi cation, according to a new raise awareness on caring for tributed 200 plants and region to switch to Oxo biode- memorandum of understanding nature. eco-friendly reusable bags to gradable bag – a type of plastic (MoU). The fi ve-day campaign, customers at the venue. Ac- bag that degrades much faster It was also announced yes- themed ‘Refuse, Reduce and cording to Lulu, such initia- than the usual plastic bag. It terday that the public works au- Reuse,’ aims to promote the use tive will be featuring a “Green takes an average of 500 years to thority has been recognised by of reusable bags in commemo- Checkout” programme at cash biodegrade and cause immense the International Laboratory Ac- ration of World Environment counters aimed at promoting damage to the planet. creditation Co-operation (ILAC), Day, celebrated every June 5 the use of eco bags. LuLu also announced that it for providing technical support annually. Public Parks Depart- Shoppers who buy the fea- will be giving complimentary for international accreditation. ment’s assistant director Mo- tured reusable bag for the fi rst reusable bags to its shoppers ILAC is the international or- hamed Ibrahim al-Sada, in the time will get a lifetime replace- during the campaign. ganisation for accreditation bod- ies. Ashghal president Saad bin Ahmed al-Muhannadi signed the MoU with Paul Stennet, chief Ashghal president Saad bin Ahmed al-Muhannadi, the UKAS chief executive Paul Stennet and others at executive of the United Kingdom the signing ceremony. Accreditation Service (UKAS). In line with Qatar’s reliance on local authority to accredit interna- procedure called Gab Analysis is bodies and inspection entities resources and providing a na- tional laboratories in 13 diff erent carried out through a team of ex- worldwide). tional alternative to achieve self- countries including the UK, Italy, perts to prepare the overall plan In addition, the accredited en- suffi ciency, Ashghal’s quality and Malaysia, India, Kuwait, Oman, for accreditation. tity has to be already signing on safety department had sought Yemen, Turkey and other Arab The ISO 17025 certifi cate is the International Mutual Recog- recognition as an international countries. granted to a limited number of nition Agreement and the Mul- accreditation centre for the ISO The UKAS conducts a com- entities, which must be ISO 17011 ti-Lateral mutual recognition 17025 certifi cation, in addition to prehensive assessment for the certifi ed and fully recognised by Agreement. Ashghal’s Centre for getting the full recognition from department’s capabilities and the ILAC (An International or- Research and development has ILAC. The accreditation from compares it with the accredita- ganisation and Co-operation be- been accredited ISO 17025 from ILAC gives Ashghal’s centre the tion bodies’ requirements. The tween laboratories accreditation the UKAS fi ve years ago.

Baladna marks year of blockade

Off icials at launch of the ‘Refuse, Reduce and Reuse’ campaign. Baladna, Qatar’s largest local dairy producer, marked a year of blockade at Doha Corniche while celebrating the spirit of sharing and giving of DECC celebrates Global Exhibitions Day Ramadan. Baladna distributed fresh milk and laban products at Iftar time to the public. Trucks branded with “Qatar Stronger” slogan were present to give away fresh Baladna products, which are proudly made in Qatar. The bottles were also branded with the phrase “Qatar Stronger”. This initiative came as a small gesture to pay tribute to the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and to thank Qatar’s locals and residents for coming together and making “Qatar Stronger”.

Manateq supports Qatar Cancer Society activities

Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) has signed a sponsorship agreement with Economic Zones The Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) has lit up its roof sun-wells to mark the Company Manateq to support its programmes and activities to raise awareness of cancer Global Exhibitions Day 2018 (GED). “On this day, DECC celebrates the trade fairs and exhibitions prevention methods and emphasise the importance of early detection. Omar al-Twaissi, industry to highlight the power of the industry, and the diverse career opportunities it creates.” sponsorship and marketing at QCS, thanked Manateq for the gesture and hoped that all DECC CEO Jose Vicente said. An initiative of the International Trade Association (UFI), GED institutions would join hands to spread awareness of the disease. involves various campaigns worldwide which highlight the value of the exhibition and event He stressed on how important it is to address everyone to raise the awareness on cancer industry on a global level. The event, which attracts 260mn visitors and 4.4mn exhibitors and the relevance of community partnerships in this regard. Ibrahim al-Fadala, public worldwide and generates $114bn revenues every year, highlights the positive impact of relations and marketing at Manateq said, “This contribution is a tribute for the important exhibitions on jobs, business, innovation and local investment globally. Arranged over 47,700sq role of Qatar Cancer Society through its awareness campaigns and educational events m, DECC off ers a versatile pillar-free event space of 29,035sq m, in addition to 18 state-of-the- about the disease. This could be fought if we educate people about the illness symptoms art meeting rooms and complemented with a 9,000sq m foyer area. DECC off ers a range of and are able to discover it during its early stages.” “Our sponsorship is part of our initiatives amenities including retail, food-and-beverage outlets, rent-a-car, ATM machines and more. to raise health awareness and promote the improvement of health conditions of the Qatari community.” QCS thanked Manateq for the gesture.