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SUNDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11188 May 19, 2019 Ramadan 14, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir to visit Defence minister meets Turkish counterpart Kuwait today HBKU launches His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will pay a brotherly visit to Kuwait today during which he will meet the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad 8 new academic al-Jaber al-Sabah. programmes In brief By Joseph Varghese Staff reporter AMERICA | Politics Biden kicks off his xpanding the horizons of learning 2020 presidential bid and off ering students more op- Eportunities, Hamad Bin Khalifa Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden University (HBKU) yesterday launched kicks off his 2020 presidential bid eight new graduate programmes across yesterday with a call for fairness and six of its colleges. equality in America, urging voters to HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, who is currently on The new programmes,which will be- heal deep divisions and reject Donald a visit to Ankara, met on Friday with Turkish Minister of Defence Hulusi Akar. During the meeting, they discussed the latest gin from September this year and their Trump’s “hard heart.” developments and the situation in the Middle East and North Africa region. The meeting also dealt with the two countries’ details were announced at a special military and defence relations and means to develop them. event at Multaqa (Education City Stu- AUSTRALASIA | Vote dent Center). The launch event started with an ad- Conservatives in dress by Dr Emad El-Din Shahin, dean Australia polls win of the College of Islamic Studies (CIS). Australia’s ruling conservative Dr Amal Mohammed al-Malki, found- coalition defied expectations to ing dean of the College of Humanities Dr Amal Mohamed al-Malki retain power in national elections Top Iranian MP calls for Iran-US and Social Sciences (CHSS), Dr Mounir yesterday, prompting Prime Minister Hamdi, founding dean of the College of Following the presentations, pro- Scott Morrison to declare: “I have Science and Engineering (CSE), Dr Su- spective students and members of the always believed in miracles!” Page14 san L Karamanian, dean of the College community interacted with faculty talks in either Iraq or Qatar of Law (CL), Dr Edward L Stuenkel, from each of the colleges and the ad- EUROPE | Politics founding dean of the College of Health mission teams to learn more about the ‘Ibiza aff air’ topples Al Jazeera News USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike tougher curbs on its nuclear and mis- and Life Sciences (CHLS) also spoke. new graduate programmes as well as Doha group would be rushed from the Medi- sile programmes and on its support for Each member of the senior manage- HBKU’s academic and research oppor- Austrian government terranean to the Gulf ahead of sched- proxies in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. ment delivered a brief overview of their tunities. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz ule in response to “a number of trou- However, Washington’s hardline respective colleges and the newly- Maryam al-Mannai, vice president pulled the plug on his coalition senior Iranian legislator has bling and escalatory indications and approach has exacerbated bellicose introduced programmes, which are: of student aff airs at HBKU, said: “Each government and announced fresh called for the United States and warnings”. rhetoric and prompted fears of a con- Master of Arts in Applied Islamic Eth- of HBKU’s new programmes were elections yesterday after an explosive AIran to hold talks in Iraq or Qa- He did not give details on the nature fl ict. ics at CIS; PhD in Humanities and So- carefully selected with past, current camera sting claimed the scalp of his tar to defuse tensions amid a US mili- of the threat from Iran, but warned On Friday, an offi cial with the IRGC cial Sciences at CHSS; Master of Infor- and future challenges and trends in far-right deputy. Media reports alleged tary build-up in the Gulf. that the US would use “unrelenting warned that Iranian missiles can “eas- mation Systems in Health Management mind. The programmes benefi t from Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Hashmatullah Falahat Pishe, head force” should Iran stage an attack on ily reach warships” in the Gulf and and Master of Science in Sport and the expertise of top-tier faculty mem- Strache promised public contracts in of the Iranian parliament’s national its troops in the region. elsewhere in the Middle East. The Entertainment Management (a joint bers, a nurturing educational ecosys- return for campaign help from a fake security and foreign policy committee, Since then, four oil tankers, includ- semi-offi cial Fars news agency quoted degree with the University of South tem, and well-rounded curricula that Russian backer he met on the island urged negotiations on Friday, citing at- ing two belonging to Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Saleh Jokar, deputy for Carolina) at CSE; LLM in International integrate unconventional learning of Ibiza. Page 16 tempts by “third-parties” to provoke a were targeted in an apparent act of parliamentary aff airs of the IRGC, say- Law and Foreign Aff airs and LLM in methods.” confl ict despite senior offi cials in Te- sabotage off the coast of the United ing that Iran’s missiles have a range of International Economic and Business “With specialisations spanning glo- RAMADAN THOUGHT hran and Washington rejecting war. Arab Emirates, according to offi cials 2,000km. Law at CL; Master of Science in Exer- bal ethics, social studies, health and “There must be a table in Iraq or Qa- in the region, and Houthi rebels from The Mehr news agency quoted cise Science CHLS (a joint degree with exercise sciences, international law Whosoever disbelieves will suf- tar where the two sides can meet in or- Yemen attacked a Saudi pipeline. Iranian army chief warning the US the University of South Carolina); and a and aff airs, and public policy, the pro- fer from his disbelief, and who- der to end this tension,” the independ- The US also ordered non-essential against miscalculations. Master of Public Policy off ered by CPP grammes are a testament to HBKU’s soever does righteous good ent legislator said in a post on Twitter. staff out of Iraq and dispatched addi- “If the enemy miscalculates and – HBKU’s newly inaugurated college. robust growth. As the university nears deeds (by practising Islamic The appeal came as US Presi- tional military assets to the region. commits a strategic error, it will re- Taking to Gulf Times, Dr Amal Mo- its tenth anniversary, it cements im- Monotheism), then such will dent Donald Trump also softened his The US moves came a year after ceive a response which will make it hamed al-Malki, founding dean of portant milestones and achievements prepare a good place (in Para- rhetoric on Iran. Asked on Thursday Trump pulled Washington out of a regret [its action],” said Major General CHSS said the college is launching the that have materialised in a very short dise) for themselves (and will if Washington was going to war with 2015 international accord that put Abdolrahim Mousavi. biggest programme so far. time span,” she explained. be saved by Allah from His Tor- Tehran, the president replied, “I hope curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme And soon after Falahat Pishe’s call “We are launching a PhD programme The new degree programmes are ment) [Qur’an 30:44] not”. That comment came a day af- in exchange for sanctions relief. The for dialogue, Iran’s supreme national which is the biggest from the college so aimed to provide specialised capacity ter he expressed a desire for dialogue, Trump administration then reimposed council, headed by President Hassan far. It is the fi rst of its kind in Qatar and to address the most in-demand current Prayer times tweeting: “I’m sure that Iran will want crippling sanctions on Iran and also Rouhani, said “remarks by an individ- one of the very few programmes that ex- and future skills of local and interna- Fajr....3.22 Zuhr....11.30 Asr....2.56 to talk soon.” designated the country’s elite Revolu- ual should not be taken as a statement ists in the world. It is a student-centric tional employment markets. The ex- Maghrib.....6.16 Isha.....7.46 Trump’s tone contrasted with a se- tionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a “terror- of policy”, according to Al Jazeera’s programme and moreover it is an inter- pansion of its degree off erings refl ects a ries of moves by the US and Iran that ist” entity. Zein Basravi. disciplinary programme. We have also logical continuation of the university’s Fasting times have sharply escalated tensions in the Iran responded by declaring US Reporting from Tehran, Basravi said considered the local, regional and inter- consistent growth and leadership as an Iftar today ...... 6.16pm Middle East in recent days. Centcom a “terror” organisation. the council reiterated that only it had national demands while launching this academic institution and a world-class Imsak tomorrow...... 3.11am On May 5, John Bolton, US national Trump has said he wants to negoti- the power to set policy on behalf of the programme as the academia is changing purveyor of multidisciplinary educa- security adviser, announced that the ate a new deal with Iran that includes government. rapidly,” explained Dr al-Malki. tion and research in Qatar. Page 9 Registration opens for Al Mouj Muscat Marathon 2020

O Event aimed at fostering raise the appeal to international run- tennis player; Musab al-Hadi, sailor and an active lifestyle ners and get more Omani youth active. Olympic hopeful. They alongside Paula Registration, now open can be done Radcliff e, British long-distance runner, through the offi cial event website: ht- global ambassador and world record By Mudassir Raja tps://muscatmarathon.om/ holder, will act as role models to add to Muscat Under the slogan #RunWithUs, the the collaborative eff ort by the event or- national campaign comes in light of the ganisers, Oman Sail, and supporters to rising levels of diabetes, obesity and engage a bigger segment of the youth etails of the 2020 edition of hypertension in Oman. Seven top ath- population to follow an active lifestyle. Oman’s largest and most pop- letes from a variety of sport disciplines Speaking about the new campaign, Dular running event, ‘Al Mouj joined forces with the organisers as in- Ali al-Habsi said: “Al Mouj Muscat Muscat Marathon’, were unveiled at a spirational ambassadors for the event Marathon is the perfect opportunity press conference held recently at Kem- to highlight the mission. The sports to make the youth aware of the impor- pinski Hotel in Muscat. ambassadors also attended the press tance of being active. The annual event The press meet that was attended conference along with the organisers. provides a fun platform for people to by local and foreign media marked the They included Ali al-Habsi, Oman’s challenge themselves and work towards opening of registration for the 2020 top goalkeeper; Ahmad al-Harthi, a fi tness goal. My children took part in event. The next edition of the two-day sportscar racing driver; Sultan al-Tou- the kids run last year and really enjoyed festival of running will take place on qi, Olympic showjumper; Barakat al- the experience. I look forward to run- January 17 and 18, 2020 and it aims to Harthi, sprinter; Fatma al-Nabhani, ning in the event next year.” To Page 7 Oman’s sporting legends join forces with the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon 2020 organisers to make the event a complete success. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, May 19, 2019 QATAR President Aoun lauds Amir’s Qatar to take part in World support for Lebanon Health Assembly in Geneva QNA Beirut QNA organisations, Qatar hopes that riences of countries around the League premises in Geneva, Doha the symposium would succeed world and working together to which will be held on May 19- ebanese President Michel in highlighting this important advance current eff orts to ad- 20. Aoun has lauded the Leb- global issue, as the latest World dress this issue worldwide. Qatar will also participate in Lanese-Qatari relations atar will participate Health Organisation report on The initiative comes as af- the meeting of health ministers and the support extended by in the meetings of the universal health coverage has fi rmation of the commit- of the Non-Aligned Movement His Highness the Amir Sheikh Q72nd World Health As- revealed that at least half of the ment of Qatar to its responsi- on Tuesday, in addition to a Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to sembly, slated for May 20-28 in world’s population still lacks bilities towards humanity and number of events which will be Lebanon, especially his partici- Geneva, under the theme “Uni- access to basic health services. strengthening of its regional held on the sidelines of the 72nd pation in the Arab Economic and versal health coverage, Leaving The situation is worsening in and international partnerships, World Health Assembly. Social Development Summit, No-one Behind”. HE Minister countries experiencing confl ict, especially in the fi eld of health. The World Health Assembly held in Beirut last January. of Public Health Dr Hanan Mo- war and natural disasters where is the decision-making body of This came during the meet- hamed al-Kuwari will head Qa- healthcare systems are aff ected On the sidelines of the the WHO. ing of the Lebanese president at tar’s delegation to the meetings. by increasing demand and scar- World Health Assembly, It is attended by delegations the Baabda Palace with HE the On the sidelines of the World city of resources, which may Qatar will organise a from all WHO Member States Minister of State Dr Hamad bin Health Assembly, Qatar will or- adversely aff ect the quality and symposium on ‘Quality and focuses on a specifi c health Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, who con- ganise a symposium on ‘Quality safety of health services, if any. of healthcare and agenda prepared by the Execu- veyed the Amir’s greetings to the of healthcare and patient safety Through the symposium, patient safety in the tive Board. President Aoun and his condo- in the face of emergencies and Qatar seeks to unify eff orts to face of emergencies The main functions of the lences on the death of Patriarch tribulations as a prerequisite for provide safer care to vulner- and tribulations as a World Health Assembly are to Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros achieving universal health cov- able populations by providing prerequisite for achieving determine the policies of the Sfeir. erage’ on Tuesday May 21 at the a platform for member-states, universal health organisation, appoint the direc- The Lebanese president UN Palace in Geneva. non-governmental organisa- coverage’ tor-general, supervise fi nancial thanked the Amir, the Qatari HE the Minister of State Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari with Leba- With the support of 17 coun- tions, decision-makers, leading policies, and review and ap- government and the people for nese President Michel Aoun in Beirut. tries, the World Health Organi- experts and all relevant stake- Qatar will also participate in prove the proposed programme the care the Lebanese commu- sation (WHO) Secretariat, the holders to highlight the impor- the meetings of the 52nd Ordi- budget. nity receives in Qatar and the HE Dr al-Kuwari said that his the strength of Lebanese-Qatari WHO Regional Offi ce for the tance of this topic. nary Session of the Council of The Health Assembly is held facilities off ered to them in their participation in the funeral of relations, which Qatar is keen to Eastern Mediterranean and a The seminar provides an op- Arab Ministers of Health and annually in Geneva, Switzer- work and contribution. the late Patriarch is to indicate develop in all fi elds. number of non-governmental portunity for exchanging expe- its Executive Offi ce at the Arab land. Mowasalat electric buses Qatar renews commitment to combating terror fi nancing

QNA ternational law and UN Secu- regional confl icts have on ad- transport Amir Cup fans Dushanbe rity Council resolution number vancing joint eff orts in the field. 2467, which calls on all coun- Al-Qahtani noted that terror- tries to prevent terrorist acts ism thrives in unstable environ- zMore than 10,000 spectators and 6,000 students transported to Al Janoub Stadium ajikistan’s capital Dush- and bans the provision of all ments, adding that wars and anbe hosted yesterday support to people or organisa- confl icts feed terrorism and owasalat (Karwa) suc- to a statement by Mowasalat, was total 38,678 spectators, while 75 with Qatar Rail in the operation Tan international confer- tion involved in terrorist at- extremism. He gave an example cessfully deployed a aimed at enhancing sustainable buses ferried over 6,000 students. of Metro Link feeder buses. ence on regional and interna- tacks. with the armed confl icts in the Mnumber of eco-friendly environmental development and Wheelchair facilities were The statement said Mow- tional co-operation on coun- He stressed that combating Middle East and North Africa, electrical buses to transport helping Qatar achieve the goals of also put in place by Mowasalat asalat was able to make a sig- ter-terrorism and its fi nancing the fi nancing of terrorism re- which led to the undermin- spectators to Al Janoub (Wakrah) National Vision 2030. in order to ensure accessibility nifi cant positive impact on the through drug traffi cking and mains one of the most impor- ing of group eff orts in combat- Stadium for the Amir Cup fi nal. Mowasalat deployed 115 buses to of specially-abled persons. Be- spectators as its buses achieved organised crime. tant priorities for Qatar, high- ing terrorism and ultimately to The new measure, according carry more than 10,000 out of the sides, Mowasalat joined hands a record loading and off -loading The conference was held in lighting the legislation that the weakening the border security time of only one minute during co-operation with Qatar, the country adopted in that regard. of those countries. He stressed the transfer of passengers to and United Nations, the European He added that the country has that the region’s instability from Al Janoub Stadium. Union and the Organisation for also ratifi ed the majority of in- paved the way for criminal or- Fahad Saad al-Qahtani, Mow- Security and Co-operation in ternational and regional coun- ganisations and terrorist net- asalat Chief Executive Offi cer, Europe. ter-terrorism agreements, and works to prosper. He highlight- said several projects by the Minis- Qatar’s delegation was established national mecha- ed that criminal organisations try of Transport and Communica- chaired by the Special Envoy of nisms in the fi elds of counter- have changed their tactics, and tions and other stakeholders have the Minister of Foreign Aff airs terrorism in line with UN Se- now have ties with extremist greatly contributed to improving of Qatar for Counterterrorism curity Council resolutions. He groups in those regions. the performance and integration and Mediation of Confl ict Res- said Qatar is working closely Al-Qahtani highlighted the of the public transport system in olution, Dr Mutlaq bin Majid with the designated UN agen- potential of using the war zones the country. “The fruitful col- al-Qahtani. cies and that the country has not just for drug traffi cking, laboration with Qatar Football The envoy thanked the recently contributed $75mn but for illegal arms dealing that Association, Supreme Committee government of Tajikistan for to the UN Counter-Terrorism would include the components for Delivery & Legacy and Qatar hosting the conference in co- Offi ce in support of its mis- for weapons of mass destruc- Rail contributed signifi cantly to operation and partnership with sion and goals over the next fi ve tion. He said that Qatar has the success of Mowasalat’s tasks the government of Qatar, the years. expressed its concern over the during the event.” United Nations, the European He highlighted the relation- danger the lack of co-operation Union and the Organisation for ship between terrorism and regionally poses to resolving Security and Co-operation in transnational organised crime, these threats. Europe. He said that this was saying that nexus has become He added that the interna- further proof of the strong and tangible and dangerous. He tional community cannot just strategic partnerships Qatar highlighted that these groups stand helpless as some coun- has in the fi eld of countering also began carrying out very tries interfere in the internal terrorism and its fi nancing. complicated transactions us- aff airs of others, in clear viola- He said that terrorism and ing the Internet, stressing that tion to the sovereignty of these its fi nancing represent a grave governments will need to co- countries. threat to international peace operate as they can no longer Al-Qahtani renewed the and security. He added that face these threats alone with- commitment of Qatar to co- the international community out co-ordination. operate with all countries as has a collective responsibil- He added that an important well as regional and interna- Fahad Saad al-Qahtani, ity to counter terrorism and issue to focus on at the con- tional organisations in achiev- Electric buses by Mowasalat holding services during Amir Cup final at Al Janoub Stadium. Mowasalat CEO its fi nancing in line with in- ference is the adverse impact ing joint goals. 37 diverse projects chosen for DFI’s 2019 Spring Grants

total of 37 projects by z Feature Documentary – z Feature Experimental fi rst- and second-time Development: Do You Love Me or Essay – Post-Production: Afi lmmakers from around (Lebanon, Germany, Qatar) by Temporarily (Syria, Germany, the world and established names Lana Daher; Machtat (Tunisia, Qatar) by Reham Alkassar Re- from the Arab world have been France, Lebanon, Qatar) by So- ham. selected by the Doha Film In- nia Ben Slama; The Body of René z Shorts: Hope (Qatar) by stitute (DFI) for its Spring 2019 (Syria, Qatar) by Dani Abo Louh; Abdulla al-Jananhi; J’ai Le Ca- Grants cycle, which aims to nur- The Mother of All Lies (Moroc- fard (Kuwait, Qatar) by Maysaa ture a new generation of creative co, France, Qatar) by Asmae El Almumin; The Present (Pales- talents and support the develop- Moudir; and Yalla, Baba! (Leba- tine, Qatar) by Farah Nabulsi; ment of original and compelling non, Belgium, Qatar) by Angie Sameh Morsy’s Sixteen (Egypt, content. Obeid. France, Qatar); This Is Not a Underlining the important z TV Series – Develop- Drill (Qatar) by Nadia al-Khater; role of Arab women in fi lmmak- ment: Faraya (Lebanon, Qatar) and Yemini director Mariam al- ing, 18 of the chosen projects by Nadim Tabet and Mounia Akl; Dhubhani’s In the Middle (Yem- are by talented female directors To Live to Sing (China, France, Qatar) by Johnny Ma. and Heim (Syria, Lebanon, Ger- The Present (Palestine, Qatar) by Farah Nabulsi. en, Qatar). from the region, including a Qa- many, Qatar) by Liwaa Yazji. Development, production tari national. tablished voices, who bring our Serbia and the Philippines. z Feature Narrative – Pro- z Feature Experimental The Orphanage (Afghanistan, and post-production funding is The announcement of the hopes, dreams and values to life. Awarded fi lms The Orphan- duction: Dirty, Diffi cult, Dan- or Essay – Production: Fire- Denmark, Luxembourg, France, available for fi rst- and second- recipients of the 2019 Spring We hope their stories will fur- age (Afghanistan, Denmark, gerous (Lebanon, France, Ger- fl y in The Darkness of Time (Al- Germany, Qatar) by Shahrba- time directors from the Mena re- Grants cycle, which covers fea- ther understanding of the Arab Luxembourg, France, Germany, many, Qatar) by Wissam Charaf; geria, France, Qatar) by Djamel noo Sadat; and To Live to Sing gion for feature-length projects. ture, documentary, short fi lm world and contribute to a global Qatar) by Shahrbanoo Sadat and Motherhood (Tunisia, France, Kerkar; and Watch Before Dele- (China, France, Qatar) by John- Short fi lms from the Mena region and TV and web series projects, culture of storytelling.” To Live, To Sing (China, France, Canada, Qatar) by Meryam Joo- tion (Egypt, Germany, Qatar) by ny Ma. are eligible for production fund- was made on the sidelines of the Among the 37 projects se- Qatar) by Johnny Ma will make beur; and Passerby (Syria, Pales- Mohamed Shawky Hassan. z Feature Documentary ing only. Development funding is 2019 Cannes Film Festival by lected for the 2019 Spring Grants their global debut at Directors’ tine, Germany, Qatar) by Ameer z Web Series – Production: – Post-Production: After A available to screenwriters from Fatma Hassan al-Remaihi, chief cycle are the next recipients of Fortnight (Quinzaine des Reali- Fakher Eldin. Kawkabani (Qatar) by Hossein Revolution (Italy, Libya, UK, Qa- the region for TV series, while executive offi cer, DFI. the TV and web series grants sateurs) at the 2019 Cannes Film z Feature Documentary – Heydar and Amal Alshammari. tar) by Giovanni Buccomino; It production funding is available “The diversity of this cycle’s introduced last year. Highlight- Festival. They are both recipi- Production: Al Yarmouk Ghetto z Feature Narrative – Post- Comes by Night (the Philippines, to directors from the region for projects combined is incredible ing its role as a champion of Arab ents of this year’s post-produc- (Syria, Lebanon, Qatar) by Ab- Production: A Son (Tunisia, France, Norway, Qatar) by Alyx web series. and each project tells an impor- cinema, 31 projects are by Arab tion grants. dallah al-Khateeb; Fouledh (Tu- France, Lebanon, Qatar) by Me- Ayn Arumpac; Merry Christ- Established Mena directors tant story that is specifi c to its directors from the Mena region, The 2019 Spring Grants re- nisia, Qatar) by Mehdi Hmili and hdi Barsaoui; Headed South (Al- mas, Yiwu (Serbia, Sweden, Ger- can apply for post-production local context but also universal including three by Qatari tal- cipients are as follows - Abdallah Chamekh; Searching geria, France, Qatar) by Rabah many, France, Belgium, Qatar) funding for feature-length and presents new perspectives ents, and a project from Yemen z Feature Narrative – De- for Kikhia (Libya, UK, Lebanon, Ameur-Zaimeche; The Wood- by Mladen Kovacevic; The Cave projects. Post-production fund- on humanity,” al-Remaihi said. featured for the fi rst time. Six velopment: A Road to Damas- Qatar) by Jihan Kikhia; and The man (Iraq, Qatar) by Koutaiba (Syria, Denmark, US, Qatar) by ing is also available for fi rst- and “This is especially true of the se- projects are chosen from outside cus (Lebanon, France, Qatar) by Passion According to Andrew al-Janabi; The Names of The Feras Fayyad; and The Kingdom second-time fi lmmakers from lected Arab projects that repre- the Mena region, including Chi- Meedo Taha; and Plum Season (Lebanon, France, Qatar) by Flowers (Canada, US, Bolivia, of Malika (Algeria, France, Qa- around the world for feature- sent some powerful new and es- na, Afghanistan, Italy, Canada, (Morocco, Qatar) by Rim Mejdi. Corine Shawi. Qatar) by Bahman Tavoosi; and tar) by Hassen Ferhani. length projects. Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 3 QATAR HMC’s newest hospitals among its facilities accredited by JCI our of Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) new- Fest hospitals are among the 13 facilities and services accred- ited this month by Joint Com- mission International (JCI). Three of these new hospitals - the Ambulatory Care Centre (ACC), Qatar Rehabilitation In- stitute (QRI) and the Commu- nicable Disease Centre (CDC) - were accredited for the fi rst time while the Women’s Wellness and Research Centre (WWRC) - lo- cated on the same Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City campus - was re-accredited. Qatar Rehabilitation Institute is Qatar’s only specialist reha- bilitation hospital and provides rehabilitation services includ- Dr Khalid Mohamed al-Jalham Dr Hilal al-Rifai ing inpatient care, day care, out- patient and paediatric clinics, speech, occupational and physical therapy, as well as community- based rehabilitation to patients with stroke, traumatic brain in- jury, spinal cord injury as well as other neurological conditions. Treatment of musculoskeletal HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari and other off icials with the JCI accreditation plaque for the 13 facilities and disorders, pain management and services of HMC. outpatient paediatric rehabilita- tion are also provided. the fi rst time. ity of care was the Ambulatory Ambulatory Care Center achiev- of the former Women’s Hospital Dr Wafa al-Yazeedi, chair- Dr Muna al-Maslamani, med- Care Center. The facility, which ing JCI accreditation for the fi rst in 2016. person of Rehabilitation at QRI, ical director of the CDC, said: off ers clinical care, day surgery time. He said, “It is fantastic to Dr Hilal al-Rifai, medical di- said: “Our clinicians, therapists “Last year we not only delivered and some inpatient surgical care, see the great work we are doing rector at WWRC, said: “Our and all our staff are so proud to care through more than 120,000 allows patients to access all their at the ACC being formally rec- biggest success since the ac- have been successful in our fi rst outpatient visits but we also saw care needs in a single location. ognised by such as prestigious creditation of Women’s Hospital ever JCI survey and we are con- 1,271 admissions to our special- Its day surgery focus also means accreditation body as the JCI.” as an academic centre in 2016, fi dent that the great work taking ised tuberculosis wards – 70% that patients who have a surgical The last of HMC’s newest has been the transfer of all wom- place across our facility has been more than in 2017. This increase procedure can often return home hospitals to be accredited this en and newborn services to our instrumental to this accredita- highlights the great work our on the same day, enabling them month was the WWRC. The new new, state-of-the-art hospital tion success.” staff are doing to raise awareness to recover in the comfort of their facility which provides women in Medical City.” Dr Wafa al-Yazeedi Dr Muna al-Maslamani The CDC, the region’s fi rst of TB among a rapidly growing own home without the need for in Qatar with specialised clini- Dr al-Rifai also highlighted communicable disease hospi- population to ensure the condi- an often-unwanted overnight cal and surgical care manages all some of WWRC’s most recent nosed with or at risk of type 1, gramme for mothers who had a tal dedicated to the diagnosis, tion does not spread untreated.” hospital stay. women’s health and maternity achievements which include an type 2 and gestational diabetes high-risk pregnancy or caesar- treatment, prevention and con- Another of the new Medical Dr Khalid al-Jalham, director services as well as newborn care. expanded diabetes clinic which each month. It has also recently ian delivery and require extra trol of infectious diseases, also City hospitals accredited for the of the ACC, said all the hospital’s This month’s re-accreditation cares for between 1,500 and established Qatar’s fi rst pilot care in their homes shortly after achieved JCI accreditation for fi rst time by the JCI for its qual- staff members were proud of the success follows the accreditation 1,700 pregnant women diag- midwife-run home care pro- childbirth. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, May 19, 2019 QATAR UNHCR, QC sign pacts to support displaced people

NHCR, the UN Refu- Rohingya refugees in Bangla- gee Agency, and Qatar desh,” said Khalifa. UCharity (QC) have signed “Collaborating with UN- three agreements worth $4mn in HCR allows us to diversify and support of UNHCR operations strengthen our support of pro- in Iraq, Bangladesh and Yemen. grammes focused on improving These agreements were the situation of refugees and signed at the QC headquarters IDPs,” added al-Fehaida. in Doha by Khaled Khalifa, UN- UNHCR and Qatar Char- HCR’s regional representative to ity have a long track record of the Gulf Co-operation Council co-operation in support of dis- countries, and Faisal Rashid al- placed people over many years. Fehaida, COO of Qatar Charity. Since 2011, Qatar Charity has The agreements support UN- provided over $34mn to UN- HCR’s projects focused on pro- HCR’s programmes, and has viding much-needed assistance Khaled Khalifa and Faisal Rashid al-Fehaida after signing the agreements. delivered essential humani- to internally displaced Iraqis tarian assistance to more than Children taking part in an activity at QNL. and Yemenis, in addition to Ro- agreement worth $1mn to pro- ties in Yemen, in the form of cash 1.5mn refugees and internally hingya refugees in Bangladesh, a vide long-term shelter rehabili- grants. Around 12,600 individu- displaced persons in Iraq, Syria, statement notes. tation support for 300 families als in Yemen will benefi t from Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, So- The fi rst agreement focuses (approximately 1,800 individu- this project. malia and Bangladesh. on providing around 80,000 als) of internally displaced per- “UNHCR highly appreciated In December 2018, UNHCR vulnerable Rohingya refugees in sons (IDPs) in Iraq. its long partnership with QC, and QC launched the QC4HCR Children attend QNL’s Bangladesh with essential as- An additional agreement was which plays a vital role towards multi-year initiative for fi ve sistance for shelter, energy and signed based on which Qatar supporting our ability to respond years, which aims to mobilise an water and sanitation, with total Charity will contribute $1mn to to the most pressing humanitar- annual contribution of $30mn contribution of $2mn. provide rental assistance for re- ian needs of internally displaced to fund UNHCR’s programmes The ceremony also covered an turnee families and communi- persons in Iraq and Yemen, and globally. Garangao programme

he children’s festival, pects of faith, seeking to foster daughter, said: “I am very hap- Qatari students excel in science and engineering fair Garangao, was cele- mindfulness and understand- py to take part in the Garangao Tbrated at Qatar National ing so as to preserve our her- celebration at the library. It Library (QNL) yesterday. itage for future generations. is very well organised and my The Ministry of Education and The popular event is tradi- Garangao has always been a daughter is excited to attend Higher Education tweeted tionally held on the 14th night special tradition for the Qatari the event. We are frequent visi- yesterday that students from of Ramadan and is a time for community, and by hosting tors to the library so my daugh- Qatar achieved great results at celebration across Qatar. this festive event at the library, ter feels safe and motivated to the Intel International Science In keeping with Garangao we hope to keep this tradi- interact with other children and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which traditions, visitors arrived at tion alive within the commu- and learn from them.” was held in Arizona, the United the QNL’s event wearing col- nity, especially for our younger Safwa Rashid, another par- States, from May 12 to 17. ourful traditional Qatari dress- members.” ticipant, added: “It is very es and took part in an animated The ‘Garangao Box Activity’ nice to celebrate Garangao at programme of festivities that delighted children attending the library, which is diff erent included singing Garangao the event. Artist Samar Saeed from celebrating it at home or songs and cultural arts and showed the younger guests with close relatives. My two crafts. how to design and create a Ga- children and I get a diff er- Noor Jehan, librarian, in- rangao box to fi ll with sweets ent experience when we visit formation services, QNL, said: and nuts, which they were able the library, and attend events “During May and the holy to take away as memorable to- such as this one. I encourage month of Ramadan, the li- kens of the event. families to bring their children brary’s programme of events Eiman al-Sheikh, who at- to the library and take part in has focused on diff erent as- tended the event with her these events.”

Gulf Times 6 Sunday, May 19, 2019 QATAR ‘Ramadan Nights’ at Hyatt Plaza yatt Plaza Mall, in part- Mall – an initiative that aims to Media Centre for Youth, Tar- nership with Qatar Char- encourage visitors to donate to sheed, and Aman. Hity, has lined up an array poor and people in need of all Layali Al Khair will continue of charity campaigns, cultural types of goods. daily until the 20th day of Ram- activities, and entertainment Also, reinforcing the value of adan, from 8pm to 11pm. programmes to mark the holy charity during Ramadan, Hyatt The programme consists of month of Ramadan. Plaza Mall has joined hands with entertaining and educational A major attraction during Ra- Qatar Charity to organise a series activities, including storytelling, madan 2019 is the “Shop & Do- of charity initiatives and activi- Nasheed, a contest with prizes nate” campaign at Hyatt Plaza ties during the month under the and traditional Qatari games, Special Ramadan decoration at Hyatt Plaza. name “Ramadan Nights”. which will enable the youth to This initiative includes the learn more about the history of following programmes: Fast-a- Qatar, Hyatt Plaza has said in a thon, Garangao, and Layali Al statement. Khair in partnership with Ideal The mall features festive deco- Solutions and with the partici- rations to create an authentic Is- pation of diff erent youth centres lamic ambiance for visitors. and government institutions, Moreover, the mall has ex- such as the Doha Youth Centre, tended its trading hours to better the Girls Creativity Centre, the serve customers.

Visitors to the Hyatt Plaza Mall – young and old alike – enjoying an event being held as part of ‘Ramadan Nights’.

New Porsche Cayenne S Coupé available now

orsche has announced that it is launching an addi- tion to its SUV Coupé range: the Cayenne S Coupé. P The model is available for order now, with the fi rst units expected to reach the market in October, ac- cording to a press statement. The 2.9-litre V6 engine featuring twin-turbocharging and developing 440hp (324kW) is at the heart of the new four-door sports car. The maximum torque of 550Nm guarantees power- ful acceleration, resulting in a time of 5.0 seconds from standing start to 100kph in combination with the stand- ard Sport Chrono Package. This fi gure drops to 4.9 seconds with the three optional lightweight sports packages. The top speed is 263kph. In addition to the Sport Chrono Package, the stand- ard equipment includes speed-sensitive Power Steering The new Porsche Cayenne S Coupé. Plus, 20” alloy wheels, Park Assist at the front and rear, including reversing camera, and Porsche Active Suspen- sion Management. Porsche is extending the model range with the new Cayenne S Coupé. The previously announced models, the Cayenne Coupé with 340hp (250kW) and the Cayenne Turbo Coupé with 550hp (404kW), were shown at this year’s world premiere in March. The highlights of the brand’s SUV coupé include sharper proportions with a unique rear section, an adap- tive rear spoiler, two diff erent roof concepts and a rear bench with the characteristics of two individual seats. The vehicle features a 2.16sq m panoramic glass roof as standard, or can be customised through an optionally available contoured carbon roof with typical sports car look. The 2.9-litre twin-turbo engine of the Cayenne S Coupé delivers its maximum torque of 550Nm across a wide engine speed range between 1,800rpm and 5,500rpm. Both exhaust turbochargers have been arranged in a central turbo layout inside the cylinder V. This results in an engine with compact dimensions, allowing it to be installed in a lower position for a better centre of gravity and enhanced lateral dynamics. The shortened exhaust paths between the combustion chambers and the turbochargers produce a particularly spontaneous engine response and a faster build-up in power. The exhaust manifold has been integrated into the cylinder head, which reduces weight and means that the manifold is surrounded by coolant. This ensures highly effi cient combustion, particularly under full load. A roof line that drops signifi cantly towards the rear also lends the Cayenne S Coupé a particularly dynamic ap- pearance. This eff ect is supported by a fi xed roof spoiler, accentu- ating the distinctive Coupé silhouette. The front windscreen and A-pillar are lower than in the Cayenne, courtesy of a roof edge that has been lowered by around 20mm. Newly-designed rear doors and wings broaden the shoulders of the vehicle by 18mm, contributing to its overall muscular impression. In each Cayenne Coupé model, a fi xed roof spoiler is combined with the new adaptive rear spoiler as part of Porsche Active Aerodynamics. The spoiler is harmoniously integrated into the vehicle silhouette and extends by 135mm at speeds of 90kph and above, increasing the downforce on the rear axle and thus enhancing driving stability. Price details for the new Cayenne S Coupé can be ob- tained at the nearest Porsche Centre. Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 7 QATAR QF RDI debates Kahramaa celebrates Garangao IP systems with regional experts atar Foundation Re- well as overcoming challenges. search, Development “The meeting was an op- Qand Innovation (QF portunity for specialists from RDI) members joined peers around the region to connect A large number of children participated in a Garangao celebration organised by the Qatar General Electricity from across the Arab region to and exchange expertise on how & Water Corporation (Kahramaa), along with the General Authority for Minors Aff airs, yesterday evening. The discuss intellectual property to foster technology transfer, event was held at the Kahramaa Awareness Park in Doha. PICTURE: Thajudheen (IP) and knowledge transfer and build partnerships with systems being implemented in various entities,” said McEntire. the area during a recent expert During her presentation, al- group meeting organised by the Hammadi explained that while United Nations Economic and IP systems around the region Social Commission for Western share similar challenges, the Asia (ESCWA). structure of innovation ecosys- Met offi ce predicts thundery rain, The meeting, which took tems diff er from one country to place last month in Beirut, another – which further stress- Lebanon, touched on the role es the importance of knowledge strong winds in some places of IP systems in promoting in- The meeting in progress. exchange. novation, competitiveness, and As an outcome of the meet- hundery rain is expect- there is a possibility of scattered sustainable economic develop- ESCWA expert group meeting velopment of QF’s Intellec- ing, ESCWA is also planning to ed in some places to- rain, which may turn thundery ment, as well as challenges fac- on IP systems in the Arab re- tual Property and Technology release a report on IP systems, Tday along with sudden occasionally. ing the enforcement of IP laws gion. This provides an impact- Transfer Offi ce – the fi rst of its and the enforcement of IP laws strong winds and poor visibil- Visibility, meanwhile, may in Arab countries. ful platform to showcase our kind in Qatar. McEntire spoke at in the Arab world, including a ity, the Qatar Met department drop to 3km or less during the John McEntire, director of initiatives that aim to foster a length about QF’s eff orts in de- focus on progress being made in has said. thundershowers. Industry Development and vibrant innovation ecosystem veloping systems to protect and Qatar. The report will highlight The weather report states that The maximum temperature Knowledge Transfer at QF RDI, in Qatar. disseminate outcomes from the the strengths, weaknesses, op- thundershowers and windy con- today will be 39C in Abu Samra and Abeer al-Hammadi, direc- “The creation, protection national research engine based portunities, and threats that ditions are likely in off shore ar- and Dukhan, 37C in Doha, Wak- tor of Innovation and Economic and enforcement of IP rights is on core aspects of patentability, impact the effi ciency and eff ec- eas, too, along with high seas. rah and Mesaieed, 36C in Al Development at QF RDI, pre- crucial to sustaining this eco- marketability, ownership, and tiveness of these IP systems. Sporadic rain was reported Khor and 34C in Ruwais. The sented QF’s initiatives designed system. In collaboration with strategic fi t, while al-Hammadi The two-day meeting saw from some areas yesterday, ac- minimum, on the other hand, to contribute towards building our national stakeholders and elaborated on the technology participants learning from in- companied by the occasional will range from 27C in Dukhan to an innovation ecosystem in Qa- regional peers, QF RDI will created out of IP, and how QF is ternational, regional, and na- thunderstorm, especially in 30C in Doha and Al Khor. tar, and the systems that are in continue playing a key role in building bridges for the devel- tional case studies and success- the southern parts. The Met dery rain, with the sea level Yesterday, the maximum place as part of its knowledge shaping and enhancing IP sys- opment of a cohesive innova- ful IP initiatives, where QF RDI department had earlier said rising to 8ft. temperature was 41C in Abu transfer and commercialisation tems that uphold these rights tion ecosystem in Qatar. was positioned as a role model there are chances of scattered Cloudy conditions and scat- Hamour, Sheehaniyah and Ju- activities. through knowledge transfer These multi-layered eff orts, within the region. The sessions light rain in the country until tered rain is expected inshore, mayliyah, 40C in Batna and 39C Dr Richard O’Kennedy, vice- and expertise exchange, for na- both experts suggested, align stimulated knowledge-sharing Tuesday. which may become thundery in in Doha, Abu Samra and Ghu- president for Research, Devel- tional benefi t and regional im- with QF’s overarching mis- on lessons learned and best Today’s detailed forecast says some places. Blowing dust is also wairiyah. The minimum was 28 opment and Innovation at QF, pact.” sion of fostering innovation practices in the diff erent inno- the wind speed may go up to 25 likely at times. C in Mesaieed, Abu Samra and said: “QF RDI is pleased to par- Both McEntire and al-Ham- and promoting excellence in vation ecosystems among Arab knots in both inshore and off - Off shore areas will also see other places, while in Doha it ticipate in the United Nations madi were involved in the de- research and development, as countries. shore areas today during thun- cloudy conditions today and was 30C.

New Genesis G90 set for grand unveiling kyline Automotive, a ing a private event, off ering adjusts damping response still true to the traditional Jaidah Group compa- guests a fi rst-time view of in real time based on road Qatari heritage. The down- Sny and the offi cial dis- the model’s new features conditions or driver input, town has been designed tribution partner of luxury and elements. striking the ideal balance to combine the past with brand Genesis in Qatar, has The new G90 introduces between comfort and per- present-day technologies to announced that it is organ- multiple technological en- formance. achieve a new, distinctly Qa- ising a grand event to unveil hancements and fi rsts for The unveiling event will tari architectural language. its latest fl agship model of Genesis. The 12.3-inch cen- be held at Barahat Square in In addition, Skyline Au- the Genesis G90. tral display is re-engineered Msheireb Downtown, the tomotive will reveal a new The event will be held in with a new ultra-fast, full world’s smartest and most immersive project organ- the world’s fi rst sustain- touch-screen that can sustainable fully-built city ised in collaboration with able downtown, Msheireb show multiple functions district built with the aim of one of Qatar’s prominent Downtown Doha’s Barahat simultaneously, utilising reviving the old commercial media personalities, Mo- Square, on May 22. a convenient split-screen heart of the city with a new hamed Saadoun al-Kuwari. The all-new Genesis feature. The Genesis Adap- and advanced architectural The project is titled ‘The G90 will be revealed dur- tive Control Suspension design that is modern yet Path’. Registration opens for Al Mouj Muscat Marathon 2020

From Page 1

Tennis star Fatma al- Nabhani said: “It is an hon- our to be working with Al Mouj Muscat Marathon on a campaign that brings the whole nation together for a healthier future. The risk of not being physically active is too high. I would love to see more women partici- pating in the event, because nothing is beyond our reach. I have never done anything like this before, but I love to challenge myself and hope that many people will join Runners competing in the 2019 edition of the event. me at the event.” Younis al-Siyabi, Chair- – January 18 – will feature been delighted to see the certifi ed by world-running man of the Oman Athlet- the popular 5km Run and tremendous growth of the organisation AIMS to con- ics Association (OAA), the Kids’ Run. All events event over the past three form to International As- said: “We are proud to add will be hosted around Al years which has been a re- sociation of Athletic Fed- our support to the Al Mouj Mouj Muscat, which will sult of the dedicated work of eration (IAAF) standards Muscat Marathon and its again provide a striking many entities around Oman and off er a great variety for important goal of encour- background for the range of and the generous support of runners. “The mix of events aging people in Oman to athletic endeavours. our commercial partners, Al and distances has proved a become more active. It is Nasser al-Sheibani, CEO Mouj Muscat and Port Sohar. great success and very pop- completely in step with our of Al Mouj Muscat, said: “The benefi ts of having ular with runners of all ages goals and objectives and we “We are absolutely delight- an active lifestyle are very and abilities,” said Ahmed applaud its central role in ed to be the title sponsor of well proven and document- al- Malki, Chairman of the next year’s event. this remarkable event for ed. It is no coincidence that Muscat Road Runners, who “At the heart of the OAA another year. The Muscat 93% of the CEOs of For- organised the fi rst Muscat is the mission to promote Marathon is a great match tune 500 companies played Marathon in 2012. sport and athletics across for our ambitions at Al Mouj regular sport in their youth. “We have been delight- the sultanate, and the Al Muscat to promote a healthy Sports have far reaching ed to see the tremendous Mouj Muscat Marathon has lifestyle for our multi-na- benefi ts for individuals and growth of the event over a very important role to play tional residents and many society as a whole and we the past three years, in large in that endeavour.” visitors. It has become a are really grateful to the part due to the organisa- The opening day – Janu- great spectacle which has Omani sporting icons for tional expertise by Oman ary 17 – will feature the been embraced by the com- helping us with the mission Sail, the dedicated work by main marathon event along munity as a whole.” of getting the youth active.” more than 170 volunteers with the half-marathon and David Graham, CEO of The 42.195km marathon and the generous support of 10km races. The second day Oman Sail, said: “We have and subsidiary events are all Al Mouj Muscat,” he added. Gulf Times 8 Sunday, May 19, 2019 QATAR Qatargas receives Qatarisation Texas A&M agriculture certifi cate for support to education atargas was recently experts visit Baladna plant awarded the Qatarisa- Qtion certifi cate at the Annual Qatarisation Review exas A&M University at the country,” Gill said, adding, Meeting of the Energy and In- Qatar (Tamuq) hosted a “Their workforce is made up of dustry Sector in Qatar. Tdelegation of agriculture maybe 40 diff erent countries The prestigious certifi cate was experts from its main campus speaking many diff erent lan- awarded to Qatargas in recog- in Texas, US, to visit Baladna guages, and I think that is some- nition of the company’s valued Food Industries, Qatar’s largest thing that would be tremendous “Support and Liaison with the producer of fresh dairy, as well for our students to experience.” Education Sector” during 2018. as to explore opportunities for Lunt also said having the HE the Minister of State for collaboration. Qatar branch campus here Energy Aff airs Saad bin Sherida “Coming to a facility such as presents an opportunity for al-Kaabi, also the president and the farm at Baladna is a unique facilitating teaching, research CEO of Qatar Petroleum and opportunity for us to work in a Texas A&M agriculture experts at the Baladna farm. and service collaborations be- chairman of Qatargas, presented very diffi cult environment,” said tween Texas A&M and Baladna. the certifi cate to Qatargas chief Dr Dave Lunt, associate of Texas portant areas of possible col- challenge has been a fascinating “Having engineers here will be executive offi cer Sheikh Khalid A&M Agrilife Research, who laboration between Baladna piece to me because that supply a great benefi t to us if we do de- bin Khalifa al-Thani. was part of the visiting research and Texas A&M.” chain cannot fail,” Gill noted. velop a robust agricultural re- The certifi cate recognised team. “The heat and humid- The Texas team also included “A major challenge that we search programme here.” Qatargas’ contribution to the ity here make it very diffi cult to two faculty members from the don’t get to deal with anywhere The visit was organised by education sector through a run a productive dairy because Department of Animal Science else in the world is the fact that Dr Hassan S Bazzi, associ- wide range of activities and the cows would prefer to be in a in the College of Agriculture everything that they have to do ate dean for research at Texas programmes that included in- more temperate climate. What and Life Sciences at Texas A&M is imported. Baladna is truly A&M at Qatar, who said: “Texas ternship programmes, outreach we learn here can then be ap- - Dr G Cliff Lamb, professor a global business when you A&M University has expertise campaigns, partnerships with HE al-Kaabi with Sheikh Khalid (left). plied in Texas and also in other and department head and Dr look at it. The cattle are being and experience in a wide vari- the education community, and places where we work. To see Clare Gill, professor of animal fed products from all over the ety of areas, from engineering numerous other initiatives. acquire the necessary knowledge ate awareness of the many career something go from conception genomics. world, and that’s not some- and agriculture to veterinary On the achievement, Sheikh and skills to succeed in key roles opportunities available for na- to be a fully operating dairy at “I think it’s amazing that the thing we are generally exposed medicine and beyond. Our Khalid said, “Qatargas is com- within Qatargas.” tional graduates and trainees. the scale at which they operate owners of Baladna had the au- to when we have a large cattle branch campus here in Qatar is mitted to developing employees During 2018, the company Furthermore, Qatargas at- in just over 18 months is noth- dacity to build such a remark- operation in the US,” Lamb said. uniquely positioned to engage and fostering a culture of learn- hosted 14 interns from a vari- tended the Qatar Foundation ing short of amazing.” able dairy in a country that “One aspect that would be local industry, community and ing, innovation, and excellence. ety of disciplines in line with its Networking Event held late last Dr Kamel Abdallah, CEO, doesn’t produce feed for dairy a tremendous opportunity for government and leverage the In particular, we are proud to policy of strategic Qatarisation year to reiterate the company’s Baladna, said: “The visit by cattle. If you have cows, you our students is working with expertise available on our main develop talented national em- planning. Qatargas also visited commitment to the education Texas A&M team was produc- have to feed them every day, the very diverse cultures that campus for the benefi t of Qatar, ployees, and ensure that they 17 schools across Qatar to cre- sector in Qatar. tive as it identifi ed several im- all year round. So the logistical are present in Baladna and in its economy and its people.” Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 9 QATAR/RAMADAN Our Salaf and the preservation of time

bu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported Athat the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven affl ictions.” Then (to warn of them) he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Are you waiting for such poverty that would make you unmindful of devotion, or wealth that would make you corrupt, or sickness that would disable you, or such senility that Dignitaries at the event. would make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjaal (the Anti- Christ) who is the worst expected absent person, or the Hour? And the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter.” [At-Tirmithi] Abu Barzah, may Allah be pleased Qatar Post celebrates with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Man’s feet will not move on the Day of Resurrection before he is asked about his life, how he had spent it …” Ramadan and year of [At-Tirmithi] ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez, may Allah have mercy upon him, was told one day about something he wanted to do: “Delay this until tomorrow” He, success with annual replied: “Woe to you! One day’s task is enough to busy my entire day. What would I do if I had to fi nish the tasks of two days?” Daawood At-Taa’i, may Allah have Suhoor gathering mercy upon him, said: “The days and the nights are but stages that people only recite the Qur’an. One day his son fi nd more energy in myself - at the age atar Post has held its annual go through one at a time, until they said to him: ‘O father! Is this a time to of 80 - to seek knowledge and learn Suhoor gathering for em- eventually come to the end of their recite the Qur’an (while in this critical than I had when I was in my 20s.” Qployees in celebration of the journey. Therefore, set forth provision situation)?’ He replied: ‘I am in more Ibn ‘Asaakir, may Allah have mercy holy month of Ramadan, as well as in each of these stages because the need to perform righteous deeds now upon him, said: “Imaam Saleem ibn the “record 2018 performance for the journey will soon cease, and remember than ever,’ and he continued to recite Ayyoob, may Allah have mercy upon group”. that the matter is far too rapid to be until he died.” him, never let time pass without The celebration, which marked a delayed.” Ma’roof al-Karkhi, may Allah have benefi ting from it. He either taught year of milestone partnerships and A righteous man once said to mercy upon him, was at the barber or read, and whenever he wanted to developments for Qatar Post’s busi- his students: “When you leave the shop after having performed ‘Umrah. sharpen his pencil, he would start ness, took place on May 17. In at- mosque, sit individually and read the He was mentioning Allah all the mentioning Allah until he fi nished. I tendance were Qatar Post’s staff and Qur’an and glorify and praise Allah while, and after the barber had shaved myself try to preserve and better utilise senior leadership executives. Faleh because if you were to sit in groups, his head, he instructed him to trim my time, to the extent that I crush Mohamed al-Naemi, Qatar Post you would talk to each other and waste his moustache, while continuing to dry cakes and bread and drink it with chairman and managing director, your time.” mention Allah. The barber said to him: water as this is easier and faster to eat shared with attendees the group’s Moosa ibn Ismaa’eel, may Allah have “Stop mumbling or I may cut your and not much chewing is required this successes in 2018 as well as a glimpse mercy upon him, said: “Hammaad ibn lip.” Those who knew him said that he way compared to eating it whole. The of future plans and strategic areas of A view of the gathering. Salamah, may Allah have mercy upon had never been seen silent, as he was best thing a person can invest in is his focus. him, occupied all his time. You would always busy mentioning Allah - even time. Obligations are too numerous, “The overwhelming State support Qatar Post has also successfully that are positively challenging us, go- see him teaching others the science at the time of sleep, to the extent that while time is too short and snaps out Qatar Post has received in the past grown the scope and size of its busi- ing forward, to grow the market and of Hadith, or reading, or praying, or his family would not be able to go to of our hands suddenly.” year, incentivising both governmen- ness with private sector companies, revenue streams of e-government, praising Allah. His day was divided sleep. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have tal institutions and bodies to use our and has been holding several discus- money transfer and exchange, and between these acts.” Imaam Ibn ‘Aqeel, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Wasting time services at scale, was our springboard sions and exploratory studies for fu- e-commerce services and transac- The scholars of biography said mercy upon him, said: “I do not is more serious than death, because to grow our customer base in the mar- ture investment opportunities, inno- tions, and strengthen our logistical about Al-Junayd ibn Mohamed, may believe it is lawful for me to waste wasting time disconnects you from ket, and broaden the scope of our busi- vative solutions and avenues of growth infrastructure into Qatar’s sustainable Allah have mercy upon him: “During even an hour of my life purposelessly. the Hereafter, whereas death only ness and activities. Over the past year, in the fi eld of postal services, it said in development and economic diversi- his death sickness, when his situation If my tongue can no longer move to disconnects you from this worldly this support has culminated in the a statement. fi cation ambitions under its National worsened, he started reciting the teach others, then my eyes will read, life.” signing of over 20 MoUs with diff erent “In the backdrop, the worldwide Vision 2030; always, of course, under Qur’an, and he refrained from talking and when my eyes go blind, I will use State institutions,” al-Naemi said in postal services market is experienc- the direction of our wise leadership,” to people. His family and friends my mind to ponder and think about Article source: http://www. his opening speech. ing transformative dynamics; ones added al-Naemi. would be talking to him, but he would diff erent jurisprudential matters. I islamweb.net/emainpage/

HBKU announces new programmes

More than 450 attendees were introduced to the university’s new programmes. (Supplied picture)

Attendees at the HBKU event yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil Gulf Times 10 Sunday, May 19, 2019 QATAR Mercedes-Benz S-Class with ‘new level of comfort’ now available at NBK Auto asser Bin Khaled (NBK) Automobiles, the au- Nthorised distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Qatar, has presented the new Mercedes- Benz S-Class. The new S-Class, which is at the top of Mercedes-Benz’s range of cars, comes with new specifi cations, technology, com- fort and luxury. The new model “truly refl ects the essence of the Mercedes- Benz motto, ‘The Best or Noth- ing’, and is available now at the Mercedes-Benz showroom on Salwa Road”, NBK Automobiles has said in a statement. The new fl agship model has been comprehensively modern- ised and is confi rming its role as a technological trailblazer with new engines and enhanced driving assistance systems. The top-of-the-range model of Mercedes-Benz takes another big step towards autonomous driving and elevates Intelligent Drive to the next level. It is the undisputed leader in the premi- um segment regarding comfort A view of the interior. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. and wellness, setting new stand- ards in the interior. Its precise specifi c wellness set-ups to suit multaneously deactivated under Now, the new S-Class adds an radiator grille: the versions with as leather-trimmed doors and enables a specifi c wellness set-up attention to detail is seen within their mood and enhance physi- partial load with the help of the additional layer of excellence six and eight-cylinder engines dashboard. tailored to the mood and need of every corner of the car, from the cal comfort and performance on Camtronic valve-lift adjustment by incorporating and enhanc- sport three twin louvres as well ‘World-fi rst’ wellness while the customer. This enhances the wood-leather steering wheel to the road. system. This reduces gas-cycle ing a host of innovative driving as vertical strips with a high- driving: the ‘Energizing’ comfort physical comfort and perform- the crystal-look tail lamps. The new Mercedes-Benz S 560 losses and enhances the overall assistance systems initially in- gloss black fi nish. The V-12 control is a world-fi rst entering ance while driving and during a The new S-Class off ers a new boasts of a new V-8 engine that effi ciency of the four fi ring cyl- troduced in the previous model. model variants are fi tted with series production and can be ex- break. The interior of the new level of comfort for the driver comes to the starting line with inders by shifting the operating These include the Active Steer additional chrome-fi nish verti- perienced in all seats. This option- S-Class is characterised by two and passengers. Thanks to the 345kW (469hp) and 700Nm. point towards higher loads. The Assist, Active Braking Assist, cal strips in the radiator grille. al feature links various comfort new high-resolution displays, world-fi rst ‘Energizing’ com- The new bi-turbo engine is turbochargers positioned in the Evasive Steering Assist and Pre- Another Mercedes-Benz hall- systems in the vehicle together. It each with a screen diagonal of fort control feature, the driver among the most economical V of the cylinder banks represent Safe Sound. mark is the high-quality look systematically uses the functions 12.3 inches. Visually, the two dis- and passengers can now link V-8 petrol engines in the world, another special feature. Modern luxury in the new S- and feel created with the me- of the climate control system (in- plays under one shared glass cover various comfort systems such and consumes about ten percent With the previous S-Class, Class is affi rmed with the high- ticulous attention to detail and cluding fragrancing) and the seats blend into a widescreen cockpit, as climate control and massage less fuel than its predecessor. To comfort and safety blended into est quality materials and un- craftsmanship in the interior (heater, ventilation, massage), the and as a central element empha- functions. The new feature also lower fuel consumption, four one, which Mercedes-Benz re- compromising workmanship. of the new S-Class. These in- panel heating as well as lighting sise the horizontal orientation of allows customers to confi gure cylinders of the new V-8 are si- ferred to as ‘Intelligent Drive’. All models are fi tted with a new clude open-pore woods as well and musical atmospheres, and the interior design. Galeries Lafayette Doha unveils ‘Together for Good campaign’

li Bin Ali (ABA) Hold- holy month of Ramadan,” the ing’s Galeries Lafayette statement explained. Uphold- ADoha has launched the ing the noble idea of donations ‘Together for Good campaign’ and promotion of recycling, Ali as part of its eff orts to give back Bin Ali Holding vice-chairman to society and nature. and EVP Nabeel Ali Bin Ali said: Participants in the QIB event. The initiative has been or- “We are committed towards ganised to mark the holy month having a more responsible of Ramadan and is in keeping business. We believe in pro- with the spirit of the season – moting common good and the “a time to give, time to share ‘Together for Good campaign’ and time to reach out”, ABA is a manifestation of that ef- QIB hosts its annual Holding has said in a statement. fort. It is not just a campaign, The garment donation cam- but also a movement for the paign upholds the philosophy progress and wellbeing of the of “global initiative for more re- The garment donation campaign upholds the philosophy of ‘global society. The holy month of Ra- Ramadan get-together sponsible fashion”, the statement initiative for more responsible fashion’. madan was the ideal time to noted. The endeavour is an exten- take this small step towards the sion of Galeries Lafayette Group’s A 4m-tall mannequin has been for Good’ initiative promotes greater good.” atar Islamic Bank (QIB) Money Works?’ – which aims casion, Gamal said: “The an- sustainable development policy placed at the main entrance of the real meaning of sharing. True to its role as a ‘brand recently upheld the an- to help Qatari youth start nual QIB Ghabga is our way that is applied at Galeries Lafayette Galeries Lafayette Doha and Statistics show that an amazing house’ and a trendsetter, Galer- Qnual tradition of hosting making smart financial de- of celebrating the holy month all over the globe. all the donated clothes will be 30% of clothes an individual ies Lafayette Doha’s Ramadan a Ghabga event for its employ- cisions in their life – were of Ramadan with our employ- The 40-day campaign, put up on it. At the end of every buys are never worn. Encourag- 2019 ‘Together for Good cam- ees, marking the celebration of showcased at the event. QIB ees. It allows us to connect which intends to promote re- week, on Saturday, the clothes ing people to share their unused paign’ champions the idea of the holy month of Ramadan. volunteers who have deliv- with each other.” The evening cyclable fashion, will continue will be taken down and handed clothes with the less fortunate charity and the importance of The event, held in Doha last ered the programme in the was highlighted by a range of for the entire month of Ram- over to charity organisations is Galeries Lafayette Doha’s recyclable fashion for a better Thursday, was attended by QIB 2018/2019 academic year activities held in an interac- adan and until after Eid al-Fitr. for donation. “The ‘Together way of paying tribute to the world for all. Group CEO Bassel Gamal, the were honoured during the tive environment, including a executive management, staff event. raffle draw and prizes. “The members and their families. Ghabga, a regular feature on event was an excellent op- This year’s guest of honour QIB’s calendar, aims to cel- portunity for employees and was Injaz Qatar. ebrate Ramadan traditions, their families to network and The milestones of QIB and strengthen employee rela- socialise while enjoying the Injaz Qatar’s joint financial tions and endorse the spirit of Ramadan atmosphere,” QIB LG’s seminar focuses on literacy programme, ‘How the holy month. On this oc- said in a statement. new development in chillers Domasco’s ‘incredible off er’ on GAC cars G, along with its distribu- power consumption). tor in Qatar, Jumbo Elec- Ideal for users looking to re- oha Marketing Services Com- Ltromech, recently held a duce electric consumption via pany (Domasco), the exclusive technical seminar to highlight renewable energy sources, the Ddistributor of GAC Motor in the latest development in chill- Hybrid Absorption Chiller can Qatar, has announced an “incredible ers. even be powered by solar cells off er” on GAC cars in celebration of the The seminar was attended by on sunny days and direct gas fi r- holy month of Ramadan. consultants, contractors, MEP ing when weather turns cloudy. For every new car purchased during specialists, architects and Min- LG Absorption Chillers off er the the month of Ramadan, customers will istry of Interior and Supreme world’s highest level of effi cien- receive cash-back of up to QR10,000 Committee for Delivery & Leg- cy, with a coeffi cient of perform- with free comprehensive insurance acy staff , among others. ance (COP) of 0.81 based on hot and registration for one year, Domasco It broadly discussed the de- water temperature of 95C. has said in a statement. velopments in chillers, mainly Participants in the seminar. LG developed its unique Lev- Faisal Sharif, managing director the inverter scroll chiller, ab- iTech chiller technology by start- of Domasco, said: “GAC Motor has sorption chiller and oil-free expenses,” according to a press LG’s patented HiPOR technology ing with the smallest individual quickly gained attention for their high- chiller. Representatives from statement. signifi cantly improves the ef- components and treating each quality and impressive performance. LG’s commercial air-condi- The LG Inverter Scroll Chiller fi ciency of all LG Inverter Scroll constituent part as the centre- We are pleased to off er our customers tioning team were present to employs an advanced inverter Compressors. piece of the entire project. This a chance for a ‘complete peace of mind answer questions and concerns compressor that allows it to The advanced absorption attention to detail makes Lev- ownership experience’ with special re- the consultants had. function effi ciently at a range of chillers pioneered by LG Elec- iTech an oil-free chiller technol- wards throughout the holy month of Designed to save users mon- capacities. This stands in stark tronics are an “excellent example ogy like nothing that has come Ramadan, making this the perfect time ey, space and time all while pro- contrast to competing chillers of how recent innovations are before. of year to own a new GAC.” tecting the environment, the that are only capable of operating opening up new frontiers in re- LG, through Jumbo Electro- The GAC Motor showroom is locat- LG Air Cooled Inverter Scroll at a constant speed. The Inverter cycling”. By repurposing heat and mech, is able to bring these dif- ed on Salwa Road. During Ramadan, Chiller is an “excellent example Scroll Chiller functions at a range energy, these devices have the ferent types of chiller technolo- the showroom is open from 8am un- of a modern solution that man- of frequencies, allowing output potential to off er profound ben- gies to best suit any large or small til 2pm and from 7.30pm to midnight ages to improve eco-friendli- to remain closely aligned to the efi ts to both users (in the form requirement. This is supported from Saturday to Thursday. On Fri- ness and boost comfort while load. This increases effi ciency of lower electricity bills) and by Jumbo’s capable after-sales days, the showroom is open from 8pm also cutting down on energy and cuts energy costs. Moreover, the environment (by decreasing service team. to 11pm. Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 11 REGION/ARAB WORLD Iran rules out Protest against Eurovision contest possibility of war in region

Reuters In Tehran, Major General Hossein Salami, the Dubai commander of the Revolutionary Guards, said yes- terday that Iran had nothing to fear from the United States, which he said was in decline, the semi-offi - ran’s top diplomat dismissed the possibility of cial news agency ISNA reported. war erupting in the region at a time of escalat- “The US political system is full of cracks. Though Iing confrontation with the United States, say- impressive-looking, it has osteoporosis. In fact, ing Tehran did not want confl ict and no country America’s story is like the World Trade Center had the “illusion it can confront Iran”. Tensions towers that collapse with a sudden blow,” Salami, between Washington and Tehran have increased in known for his fi ery rhetoric, was quoted as saying. recent days, raising concerns about a potential US- He was referring to the Sept 11, 2001 attacks. Iran confl ict. Trump has said publicly he wants to pursue a Earlier this week the United States pulled some diplomatic route with Iran after ratcheting pressure diplomatic staff from its embassy in neighbouring on Tehran. Iraq following attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf. President Hassan Rouhani said yesterday Iran “There will be no war because neither do we would not be bullied into negotiating, IRNA re- want a war, nor has anyone the idea or illusion it ported. “The (US) claim that it is forcing us to the Demonstrators gather in a protest calling for a boycott of the ongoing 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, in Tel Aviv, yesterday. can confront Iran in the region,” Foreign Minister negotiating table is worthless...We are for logic, Mohamed Javad Zarif told Iran’s IRNA state news negotiation and dialogue...but we will never sur- agency before ending a visit to Beijing. render to anyone who intends to bully us,” Rouhani President Donald Trump has tightened econom- was quoted as saying. ic sanctions against Iran, and his administration A year ago Trump pulled the United States out of says it has built up the US military presence in the a 2015 pact that limited Iran’s nuclear programme region. in return for the lifting of international sanctions. It accuses Iran of threats to US troops and inter- Iran has continued to abide by the terms of the Two dead in Libya attack ests. Tehran has described US moves as “psycho- pact, although Rouhani said this month it would logical warfare” and a “political game”. scale back some curbs on nuclear activity. “The fact is that Trump has offi cially said and re- In a sign of the heightened tension across the re- iterated again that he does not want a war, but peo- gion, ExxonMobil evacuated foreign staff from an ple around him are pushing for war on the pretext oilfi eld in neighbouring Iraq after days of sabre rat- claimed by militants that they want to make America stronger against tling between Washington and Tehran. Iran,” Zarif said. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Bahrain warned its citi- He told Reuters last month that Trump could be zens against travelling to Iraq or Iran due to “unsta- Agencies At least nine people were try. The militants were pushed about the origin of the mili- lured into a confl ict by the likes of US national se- ble conditions”. Benghazi killed in a May 4 attack in the out of their stronghold Sirte tary equipment. Pictures and curity adviser John Bolton, an ardent Iran hawk. US WARNING southern city of Sebha, then by forces loyal to the GNA in videos posted by the coalition In Washington, offi cials urged US commercial fi ve days later gunmen killed December 2016. on its Facebook pages showed airliners fl ying over the waters of the Gulf and the wo guards loyal to Kha- two civilians in Ghodwa in But despite losing its main what appeared to be dozens Gulf of Oman to exercise caution. lifa Haftar’s self-styled southern Libya. territory, east of Tripoli, IS of Turkish-made BMC Kirpi A Norwegian insurers’ report seen by Reuters TLibyan National Army The LNA launched an op- has repeatedly shown itself armoured vehicles in Tripoli said Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards were “highly were killed in an attack yes- eration in January to purge capable of launching deadly port. likely” to have facilitated the attacks last Sunday on terday claimed by the Islamic southern Libya “of terrorist attacks. The GNA and the Turkish four tankers including two Saudi ships off Fujairah State group, an LNA source groups and criminals”. MILITARY HARDWARE Embassy could not immedi- in the United Arab Emirates. said. After securing support from Meanwhile, a coalition ately be reached for comment. Iranian offi cials have denied involvement in the Four guards were also kid- local tribes, it seized several of forces allied with Libya’s Earlier this month, a Tripoli tanker attacks, saying Tehran’s enemies carried napped in the attack on a towns. UN-backed government of government spokesman said them out to lay the groundwork for war against checkpoint in the central region Haftar then launched an national accord (GNA) said his administration was talk- Iran. of Zella, the same source said. offensive on April 4 against it had received a shipment of ing to its ally Turkey to obtain US offi cials are concerned that Tehran may have IS said in a brief statement Tripoli, the seat of the inter- armoured vehicles and arms “anything that is needed to passed naval combat expertise onto proxy forces in that it had targeted “Haftar’s nationally recognised Gov- yesterday as it tries to stop stop the assault,” including the region. militias”. The media arm of ernment of National Accord Haftar’s Libyan National military and civilian help. Following the re-imposition of US sanctions, Haftar’s LNA said in a state- (GNA). The LNA made initial Army (LNA) from taking the The LNA, which is allied to a senior Iranian maritime offi cial said Iran had ment a “terrorist attack” had gains but pro-GNA forces capital, Tripoli. a rival administration in east- adopted new tactics and new destinations in ship- been repelled, but did not give launched a counter-offensive, “The GNA is fostering its ern Libya, launched an offen- ping its oil exports. any details. resulting in a stalemate on the forces defending Tripoli with sive to control Tripoli in early Iranian crude oil exports have fallen in May to The raid in Zella, close to an southern outskirts of the city. armoured vehicles, ammuni- April. As the fighting drags 500,000 barrels per day or lower, according to oilfi eld some 800 kilometres The fighting around Tripoli tion and quality weapons,” on, 75,000 people have fled tanker data and industry sources, after the United southeast of the capital Tripoli, between Libya’s two main fac- the pro-GNA coalition said their homes and 126 civilians States tightened the screws on Iran’s main source is the third IS attack targeting tions has created fears that IS on one of its Facebook page, have been killed, according to Mohamed Javad Zarif: ruling out war of income. Haftar’s forces in recent weeks. could re-emerge in the coun- without giving further details the latest UN figures.

Sudan army rulers say civil talks to resume Amid lull in strikes, rebels reinforce Syria frontlines AFP Khartoum Reuters Beirut Media claims alks between Sudan’s projectiles fi red military council and pro- from Israeli territory Ttesters are set to resume, ir strikes stopped in army rulers said yesterday, as northwest Syria over Syrian air defences targeted hundreds of supporters of Is- Athe past 12 hours, res- projectiles fired from the direc- lamic movements rallied for the cuers said yesterday, as Tur- tion of Israel for the second night inclusion of Shariah in the coun- key-backed rebels arrived at in a row, Syrian state media said try’s political roadmap. the fronts to help fi ght the yesterday. The projectiles came The ruling military council army and its Russian ally. from “occupied territory” into announced that “negotiations A spokesman for rebels said the airspace in southern Syria, with the Alliance for Freedom they rejected a ceasefi re pro- state news agency SANA said, and Change” over the planned posal from Moscow as long referring to territory held by transfer of power to a new gov- as government forces remain Israel. Israel’s military declined to erning body would resume to- in villages they had advanced comment on the report. Israel day. into in recent weeks. has been more open in recent The announcement follows There was no immedi- months about targeting sites pressure from key world powers ate comment from Ankara or inside Syria. Residents said loud for the military and the protest- Moscow. blasts echoed across Damascus ers’ umbrella group to get back At least 180,000 people have late on Friday, as Syrian state to the table, after talks on the fl ed an upsurge in violence in media reported “enemy targets” composition of the new govern- northwest Syria, the last ma- coming from neighbouring ing body failed to take place as jor stronghold of rebels who Israel. planned on Wednesday. have fought against President Israeli off icials, alarmed by Talks have stalled repeatedly, Bashar al-Assad’s government Tehran’s expanding clout next as the protesters have pressed Supporters of Sudanese Islamist movements shout slogans as they rally in front of the Presidential Palace in downtown Khartoum, yesterday. since 2011. door, have acknowledged carry- the military council hard to hand Government bombing has ing out scores of strikes during over power to civilian rule since a rapid transition to democracy. spondent said. “The solution lies tion with shooting protesters larism”.Scores of worshippers killed dozens in the past three the eight-year conflict in Syria. president Omar al-Bashir was Before suspending talks this in the religion!” chanted some as this week near the ongoing sit- on Friday staged spontaneous weeks. deposed on April 11. week the two sides agreed on others shouted “No to Commu- in outside military headquar- demonstrations in Khartoum It marks the biggest esca- Representatives from the several key issues, including a nism, No to atheism!”. ters. Protesters have accused after weekly prayers and criti- lation since last summer be- it is responding to attacks by United States, the United Na- three-year transition period and The demonstrators off ered Dagalo’s paramilitary group the cised the protest movement. tween Assad and his rebel en- militants linked to Al-Qaeda. tions, African Union and Eu- the creation of a 300-member evening prayers at the venue and Rapid Support Forces — long “The Alliance for Freedom emies in Idlib province and a Mustafa al-Haj Yousef, the ropean powers called for “an parliament, with two thirds of later broke their dawn-to-dusk close to Bashir — for the shoot- and Change wants...to build belt of territory around it. head of the Idlib civil defence agreement ASAP on an interim lawmakers to come from the Ramadan fast, before resuming ings, which killed five protest- what they call a new Sudan, a The region, home to an es- — a rescue service that works government that is truly civil- protesters’ umbrella group. their chants. ers and an army major. Sudan without religion, a secu- timated 3mn people includ- in opposition territory — said ian-led and refl ects the will of But Sudanese Islamist move- The Alliance for Freedom and But Dagalo did not specify lar Sudan,” said hardline cleric ing many who fl ed other parts the warplanes had not struck the Sudanese people,” Tibor ments — fearing the incipient Change has so far remained si- whether RSF personnel had Abdelhai Yusef in his Friday of Syria as government forces yesterday. Nagy, the US assistant secretary transition plans exclude them lent on whether Shariah has a been arrested. sermon, according to a video advanced in recent years, has The commander of a Tur- of state for Africa, tweeted on — held their own demonstration place in Sudan’s future, argu- Some worry that the protest- posted on his Facebook page. been partly shielded by a truce key-backed rebel faction said Friday. Protesters have met a key yesterday outside the presiden- ing that its main concern now is ers’ umbrella group is pushing “That’s why we say no, a deal since last year, brokered it sent around 110 fi ghters to demand of military council head tial palace in downtown Khar- installing a civilian administra- for a secular Sudan. “Islam is thousand times no to this deal. by Russia and Turkey. help insurgents in Idlib with a General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan toum. tion. part and parcel of the identity We want a Sudan that is for Much of the recent fi ghting counter attack. in the last couple of days, dis- Hundreds took part in the The main protest movement of the majority of the people everyone.” has hit a buff er zone agreed The reinforcements came mantling roadblocks that had demonstration, the fi rst organ- brings together a wide range of Sudan,” Sadeq al-Mahdi — And at yesterday’s rally an- under that deal. from a nearby stretch of ter- paralysed parts of the capital. ised mobilisation by Islamist of political, social and rebel long Sudan’s main opposition other cleric, Mohamed Ali Ja- Air strikes have struck 18 ritory to the north under the The generals have allowed groups since Bashir’s ouster. groups. figurehead and an ex-premier zuli, had a warning for the mil- health facilities and violence control of rebels that Turkey protesters to maintain their sit- At the rally, men and women The military council’s dep- — said in a recent interview. itary council. “If you consider has destroyed at least 16 supports close to its border. in outside Khartoum’s army chanted slogans in support of uty head Mohamed Hamadan He said it was a “great mis- handing over power to a certain schools, the United Nations Another allied faction also headquarters, where thousands Shariah in front of the presiden- Dagalo said yesterday “people take” for some members of the faction, then we will consider it says. sent scores of insurgents to remain camped out to demand tial palace garden, an AFP corre- have been arrested” in connec- opposition to “talk about secu- a coup”, he vowed. The Syrian government says Idlib. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, May 19, 2019 AFRICA

In Angola’s oil region, separatists accuse president of crackdown and neglect

By Daniel Garelo Pensador, lic of Congo and the Democratic it offi cially became part of Angola where we have seen progress in “The government regularly for the Development of Human victory have become rarer. AFP Republic of Congo. at independence in 1975. the right to protest and in free- promises new infrastructure but Rights Culture (ADCDH), a Cab- “Our will to defend Cabinda Cabinda In January, the security forces The struggle has been led by dom of expression, the situation these are just lies,” said Carlos inda civil rights group. against Angolan colonisation targeted supporters of the Inde- FLEC (the Front for the Libera- in Cabinda remains tense,” Zena- Vemba, general secretary of MIC. Provincial governor Eugenio remains intact,” insists FLEC pendence Movement of Cabinda tion of the Enclave of Cabinda) ida Machado, Angola specialist “So our fi ght continues. We Laborinho disagrees. spokesman Jean-Claude Nitza. ince he came to power in (MIC), a small secessionist group. and fuelled by anger over the at HRW, told AFP. “Arbitrary ar- will do everything we can to raise “I speak with all opposition “We are open to dialogue, but 2017, Angolan President About 70 people were arrested government taking huge profi ts rests happen on a monthly basis.” awareness and fi ght for our inde- parties,” he said. “I do not talk the Luanda government does not SJoao Lourenco has pro- as they prepared for a demonstra- from the province’s oil reserves Driving from Cabinda city air- pendence.” to them every day but every time want to negotiate a solution.” moted himself as a transparent, tion to mark the 134th anniversary that make Angola one of Africa’s port, the pot-holed road reveals For Vemba and his fellow ac- they ask for an audience, I receive FLEC has recently asked for moderate leader keen to draw of the treaty that made Cabinda a top two producers. the province’s dire plight. tivists, the fi ght comes at a high them. a mediation process led by Felix a line under the 38-year rule of Portuguese territory in 1885. “The people of Cabinda have The city’s roads fl ood every cost — two weeks in jail for him, “The situation is calm and un- Tshisekedi, the new president Jose Eduardo dos Santos. “What the Angolan state is doing never benefi ted from its oil,” said time it rains, and many neigh- up to three months for others, der control. There was a bit of of the Democratic Republic of But in the northern oil-rich to us is persecution. The authori- lawyer Arao Bula Tempo, who bourhoods have no electricity, until they are released without social unrest around unemploy- Congo. province of Cabinda, Lourenco ties treat us as terrorists,” Jeovanny campaigns for independence. drinking water or sewage sys- charge. ment but no more. Everyone says That suggestion — like oth- is accused of turning the screws Ventura, a longtime Cabinda inde- “The unemployment rate is tems. The government’s tactics in- ‘FLEC, FLEC, FLEC,’ but I’ve ers in the past — has received on separatists who say they have pendence activist, told AFP. 88% and the infrastructure that Last November, Lourenco held clude harassment and manhunts, never seen it.” no response from Luanda, but been targeted by a new wave of “And it has not improved un- exists dates back to colonial a rare cabinet meeting in Cab- all carried out by the thousands FLEC regularly claims to have the separatists say they are still state repression. der Joao Lourenco — everything times — Angola is doing nothing inda. of police and soldiers deployed in killed Angolan soldiers in guerilla pushing for a breakthrough. Cabinda is a small, poor, we organise always ends up with here.” “I will personally follow up on Cabinda, say independence cam- ambushes, but military and civil- “I ask Lourenco to be fl exible,” coastal province that produces supporters being taken into de- Amnesty International and all the Cabinda projects in order paigners. ian authorities in Luanda never said Arao Bula Tempo, the law- 60% of Angola’s oil — despite tention.” Human Rights Watch have de- to improve the situation,” he told “It is catastrophic because the comment and independent veri- yer. being entirely cut off from the With a population of 400,000, nounced cases of torture and ar- the gathering then. Angolan government does not fi cation is often impossible. “If nothing is done, more Cab- rest of the country, sharing its Cabinda has experienced a low- bitrary detention in Cabinda. For residents, such promises want to talk to us,” said Alexandre As the confl ict grinds on, indans will die, and so will Ango- borders instead with the Repub- level separatist insurgency since “Unlike other parts of Angola mean little. Kwang N’sito of the Association FLEC’s bold statements claiming lan soldiers.”

DR Congo shifts 45 prisoners after daring jailbreaks

orty-fi ve prisoners, all Malawi president seeks votes, former militia fi ghters, Fhave been transferred from a prison in southern DR Congo after a series of spec- tacular jailbreaks, offi cials said yesterday. The transfers of 28 convicted pledges to transform country inmates and 17 awaiting trial came days after the escape of By Jack McBrams and Michelle for their body parts in the belief that suspects in the murder of two Gumede, AFP they contain magical powers. In a surge UN experts. Blantyre of attacks, 163 cases have been report- The prisoners are all members ed since November 2014, including 22 of the Kamwina Nsapu militia, murders, Amnesty International said which clashed with government alawian President Peter Muth- this month. forces between September 2016 arika yesterday made a fi nal Mutharika, 78, who has denied ru- and October 2017. Mplea to voters, promising to mours of ill health, was greeted by sup- The fi ghting cost 3,000 lives, develop the country “beyond recogni- porters chanting “We all knew our fa- according to UN estimates. tion” if he wins next week’s election. ther was alive!” The inmates were transferred Mutharika, who came to power in “He should win again so that we con- on Friday from Kananga in Ka- 2014, could face a tough battle to hold tinue living in peace and he should con- sai-Central province near the onto offi ce in Tuesday’s election, after tinue with his mission,” said business- border with the Angola, Edouard his presidency was damaged by corrup- woman Flora Malewa, 25, at the rally. Ntumba Buabua, the mayor of tion allegations. The main rivals to Mutharika and the Kananga. “We have set Malawi on the path of ruling Democratic Progressive Party The 17 prisoners still to be progress. The opposition have nothing (DPP) are opposition leader Lazarus tried were fl own to Ndolo, the to criticise me on,” he told several thou- Chakwera of the long-established Ma- main prison in the capital Kin- sand cheering supporters in Blantyre at lawi Congress Party (MCP), and Saulos shasa, said Vincent Kayembe, a his fi nal campaign rally. Chilima of the new United Transforma- local justice ministry offi cial. “My priorities for this country are tion Movement (UTM). Twenty-eight convicted pris- development and building skills. When “Our message has been so well re- oners were taken to the top-se- you give me a chance for another fi ve ceived, it is electric everywhere,” Chak- curity prison at Angenga, in the years, I will develop this country beyond wera told his fi nal rally near Lilongwe. northwest province of Equateur, recognition. “We can unite this country that has a local journalist told AFP. “I can assure you that we will get to been paralysed and we can all prosper The transfer came after a the level of Singapore and Malaysia.” together — but we must end corruption series of daring escapes from Mutharika, who said he was taking and we must follow the rule of law. Supporters of ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) dance during the final elections campaign rally at Mjamba Park in Kananga prison last week. only 40% of his salary to help the econ- “Nothing less than victory — we are Blantyre yesterday. On Thursday, military pros- omy, pledged to construct more schools winning, nobody is going to mess with ecutors said four suspects in the and factories in Malawi — a largely agri- this vote.” after serving as Mutharika’s vice presi- to the birth of the UTM. On Tuesday we system, Mutharika won in 2014 election March 2017 killing of two UN ex- cultural country that is one of the poor- Chakwera has made an alliance with dent despite falling out with him and are beginning a new journey to become with just 36% of the vote. perts were among those who had est in the world. former president Joyce Banda, who fl ed leaving the ruling party to set up the a free nation.” This year’s winner could secure the managed to fl ee. “We will continue to build the econo- the country for four years after losing UTM last year. Campaigning ended yesterday presidency with even less. Zaida Catalan, a 36-year-old my so that we eradicate poverty,” he said. the 2014 election amid graft allegations The party has targeted the massive evening ahead of the vote on Tuesday, The country gained independence from Swedish-Chilean national, and Mutharika also pledged to provide that have never led to charges. youth vote and Chilima, 46, told his fi - which is for president, parliament and Britain in 1964, and was then ruled by American Michael Sharp, 34 were secure accommodation for albino peo- Fellow opposition candidate Chilima nal rally: “Most of our economic sector local councillors. Hastings Banda as a one-party state until killed in Kasai in 2017 while inves- ple, who have been killed or mutilated is an unknown factor in the election is in the hands of a few — this is what led Under Malawi’s “winner takes all” the fi rst multi-party elections in 1994. tigating mass graves in the region. Drought relief Kidnappings-for-ransom spreading across Nigeria

By Emmanuel Akinwotu and Celia were kidnapped in Gusau, the capital of Targeted operations within the last week Lebur, AFP Zamfara state. have led to the arrest of 93 suspected kid- Lagos They were chained and held captive in nappers across northern Nigeria, with dark huts with dozens of others, in a dense dozens of automatic weapons confi scated, forest that spreads across northwest Ni- police told reporters last week. minu Magami, a taxi driver in north- geria and neighbouring Niger, a haven for But rural areas, often devoid of police, west Nigeria, froze in fear when criminal and militia groups. have become increasingly vulnerable to at- Amore than 20 gunmen stormed an Armed kidnappers called Magami’s tack, with helpless communities depend- expressway one night in February, shoot- family daily, demanding huge ransoms. ing on armed vigilantes for a semblance of ing into the air. His family — traders and farmers — security. “One of them ran towards my car” as struggled to get together the 440,000 The rise of various militia and vigilantes, Magami was stuck, the road blocked. naira ($1,222) to pay the captors. in turn, has led to growing concern about “I just sat there and raised my hands, Magami was freed after 25 days in the proliferation of automatic weapons in begging them,” he recounted. chains, with no support from the police north and central Nigeria. Magami was taken hostage in his native despite several calls from his family, he told Bandit gangs have become common in Zamfara State, where he was held captive AFP by telephone. the rural northwest, stealing cattle, de- and tortured for nearly a month. Debts from the ransom raised will hang stroying property — and kidnapping peo- His home state is reeling from a spate of over Magami’s family for months. ple for ransom. attacks, with 203 crime-related deaths and The typical kidnapper profi le has The northwest has become a focal point 281 kidnappings in the fi rst three months changed dramatically in recent years — where many security challenges overlap, of 2019, according to Nigeria’s top police as has that of their victims, said Nnamdi agreed Sambo Junaidu, a top minister of offi cer, Mohammed Adamu. Obasi from the International Crisis Group the Sultan of Sokoto, the most important This is nearly half the 685 kidnappings (ICG) think tank. Islamic monarch in Nigeria. countrywide in the fi rst quarter of the year “The gangs involved now appear more The northwest is becoming “a refuge for — an average of seven per day. organised, operating in larger groups, with insurgents and bandits” Junaidu said. “They Another 1,071 people were killed in more elaborate logistics, striking more au- are like chameleons, they mix up.” These in- crime-related violence, Adamu recently daciously.” clude Boko Haram fi ghters fl eeing military told reporters. And while they previously targeted “rel- campaigns in the northeast and heading In Nigeria, kidnappings for ransom have atively well-to-do and high net-worth in- northwest, where security is more lax. been a risk in the oil-rich south for dec- dividuals”, today “abductions are increas- A common belief in the region is that ades. But in recent years, the practice has ingly indiscriminate and everyone, rich or gangs have been able to act with relative spread to other areas, with northwest Ni- poor, is at risk,” said Obasi. ease due to covert support from security geria — the home region of President Mu- As the risk has shifted northwards, the offi cials and politicians who share in their hammadu Buhari — an increasingly con- oil-rich region around Port Harcourt in profi ts. cerning criminal front. the south, where kidnappings continue, is “High profi le people, politicians in the The number of reported abductions no longer the worst-aff ected. government, connived with the bandits,” across the country is rising, according to Obasi pointed out that the country’s Junaidu alleged. security experts. general security situation has deteriorat- Magami worries for the future. “Things The causes are multiple, including dif- ed as resources have been sucked into the have been getting worse, not better.” fi cult economic times and overstretched fi ght against a Boko Haram insurgency in He may be free, but the legacy of his Internally displaced people (IDP) gather in the Shingani district of the Somali capital Mogadishu to collect security forces facing threats on several northeast Nigeria. captivity endures. food rations being distributed to the families. Drought has left nearly 2mn Somalis in desperate need of fronts — Islamist insurgents and land bat- In addition, an historic confl ict over “The chains damaged my hands, I can- food, Norwegian Refugee Council agency warned earlier this month, as poor rainfall pushes communities tles between herders and farmers. land resources between herders and farm- not even put on my trousers anymore, let to the brink across East Africa. Somalia is enduring its third-driest long rains season since 1981. Magami and his passengers, two women ers across north and central Nigeria has alone talk of working again,” he said. “But and three children — including a baby — worsened in recent years. I am happy to be alive.” Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 13 AMERICAS

Migrant families being fl own to San Diego from Texas in vexing US border crisis

By Bill Tarrant, Reuters Asylum claims in Canada tripled over two years: data Los Angeles The number of people seeking try outside of off icial entry points. Canada’s previous peaks in asylum in Canada more than Claims jumped from 16,058 in asylum claims occurred in 2001, undreds of detainees from tripled over a two-year period and 2015 to 50,389 in 2017. with more than 44,000, and US Customs and Border reached a monthly peak in August They rose even higher, to 2008, when almost 37,000 people HProtection (CBP) facilities 2017 when thousands crossed 55,023, in 2018. requested protection. in Texas and elsewhere are being illegally from the US, Statistics A monthly peak of 8,801 asylum Under a Canada-US agreement, fl own to San Diego for processing, Canada said on Friday. requests was reached in August asylum seekers must file their the agency said on Friday. Since Donald Trump took off ice 2017, Statistics Canada said. claim in the country they arrive in. Border offi cials said they are as US president in January 2017 Haitians, with 7,787 claimants, But this rule does not apply developing plans to fl y poten- pledging a hard line on immigra- were the largest group that year, to those who reach Canada by tially thousands of migrant fami- tion, Canada has faced a spike followed by Nigerians and US avoiding off icial border crossings, lies to other places away from the in asylum seekers who walked citizens. who are then assured of having southern US border with Mexico. across the border, some braving Thousands of Haitians fled the their application examined by the The agency said the number of biting cold and dangerous treks. United States in the summer of authorities. people apprehended at the bor- “The recent increase in the 2017 before the Trump admin- Of the 50,389 asylum claims der since October 1 was nearly number of asylum claimants is istration’s formal revocation in received by Canada in 2017, 12,234 520,000, the highest in a decade. partly explained by the rise in November that year of Tempo- were accepted, 10,930 were In the past week, there was an irregular migrants,” Statistics rary Protected Status granted to rejected, and 27,225 are pending, average of 4,500 arrests a day. Canada said in a report, referring 59,000 nationals of the Caribbean according to Statistics Canada This is making it diffi cult to to people who cross into the coun- country after a 2010 earthquake. data. process and release family units Migrants stand after being detained by Border Patrol on the US side of the border barrier in El Paso, Texas. within 20 days of their arrival at a detention centre, as required by has been challenged in courts. sectors to more effi ciently proc- inside,” the offi cial said. was considering fl ights to De- help enforce federal immigration ily members into places in the US. law, the CBP said in a statement. Three fl ights a week will arrive ess these folks,” said the offi cial, The program has no end date troit, Miami and Buff alo, New laws that could lead to deporta- “Whenever possible, the re- US President Donald Trump in the San Diego area from the Rio who declined to be identifi ed. and no unaccompanied children York, where the agency has fa- tions. leases have been coordinated earlier this year declared the Grande Valley carrying approxi- Flights operated by the US Im- will be on the fl ight. cilities. In the past week, border au- with local non-governmental immigration infl ux a national mately 130 people per fl ight, a migration and Customs Enforce- The CBP statement said the Trump last month threatened thorities have averaged 4,500 organisations (NGOs). As NGOs emergency, which allowed him CBP offi cial at the San Diego of- ment agency (ICE) will land at border offi cials are also busing to send migrants to so-called apprehensions a day and facili- have reached their capacities, to circumvent Congress to redi- fi ce said. San Diego International Airport people to El Centrol from Yuma sanctuary cities such as New ties aren’t equipped to care for CBP has released family units at rect more than $6bn in funding “We’re in the middle of a hu- and the detainees will be moved and to Laredo from the Rio Grande York and San Francisco, which the infl ux of children, the CBP transportation hubs during day- to start building the border wall manitarian crisis and the num- to the eight Border Patrol sta- Valley. It did not say which other generally give undocumented statement said. light hours when the weather that he campaigned on in the 2016 bers in Texas are staggering so tions in the San Diego sector. cities might receive migrants. immigrants safe harbour by re- Since December 21, ICE has re- does not endanger those re- presidential election. His move the BP is helping out in those “They will be housed properly Media reports say the agency fusing to use their resources to leased approximately 180,000 fam- leased,” the statement said.

Ex-CIA agent gets Bernie Sanders proposes 20-yr jail term for spying for China

AFP education policy overhaul Washington

By Ginger Gibson, Reuters Clinton to garner support among quently complaining that he deserves n ex-CIA offi cer was sentenced to 20 Washington African-Americans. credit for everyone else’s agreement years in prison on Friday for spying His chief Democratic rival in the with him. Afor China in a case called part of an run-up to the 2020 election, former The senator from Vermont ti- “alarming trend” in the US intelligence com- emocratic presidential hope- Vice President Joe Biden, has polled tled his new education proposal the munity. ful Bernie Sanders yesterday well among black voters. ‘Thurgood Marshall Plan for Educa- Kevin Mallory, 62, was convicted under the Dannounced an education poli- “Every child has a right to a qual- tion’, a nod to the Supreme Court jus- Espionage Act for selling classifi ed US “de- cy proposal designed to pump billions ity K-12 education, regardless of your tice who before being on the bench fense information” to a Chinese intelligence of dollars into the public schools sys- race, regardless of your income, and successfully argued the landmark agent for $25,000 during trips to Shanghai in tem in a direct appeal to black voters regardless of your zip code,” Sanders Brown vs Board of Education case March and April 2017. who shunned the US senator in his said in a statement on the proposal. of 1954 that desegregated public “Your object is to gain information, and my previous presidential bid. Sanders built his 2016 campaign schools. object is to be paid,” he told the Chinese agent The 10-point plan that Sanders on a series of liberal policy ideas that On Friday, the Sanders campaign in a May 5, 2017 message. will detail in a speech in South Caro- at the time made him unique among previewed the portion of the proposal The fl uent Mandarin speaker had served lina is designed to end racial dispari- Democrats, but now are shared by that would overhaul charter schools, in the US army, then as a special agent for ties in the public education system. many of his rivals. the publicly-funded schools that op- the security service of the State Department, America’s education policy debate More than 20 Democrats are vy- erate independently of government before becoming a covert case offi cer for the has long been steeped in discussions ing to challenge President Donald oversight. Central Intelligence Agency. of race and racial discrimination. Trump, the likely Republican nomi- The remaining portion of his pro- Mallory is one of several US offi cials with Sanders struggled in the 2016 nee. posal covers everything from teacher high-level security clearances arrested and campaign for the Democratic presi- Sanders has struggled to distin- pay to school lunches. charged over unsanctioned dealings with dential nomination against Hillary guish himself in the current fi eld, fre- Sanders said he would push for Chinese intelligence. Former Defence Intelligence Agency offi - Trump’s Air Force One video trashing de Blasio may have violated law cial Ron Hansen faces 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in March to charges of at- President Donald Trump tried to give view of the US government...not a mittee funds their portion of the tempting to sell classifi ed information to the his latest attack on New York Mayor political (attack).” president’s political travel for that trip,” Chinese. Bill de Blasio an aura of authority — but Canter says the violation was Deere said. In April, a former diplomat, Candace Marie he may just have broken the law in the especially egregious because Trump Trump’s reelection campaign could Claiborne, pleaded guilty to lying to investi- process. sought to mimic his White House immediately be reached for comment. gators about money she received from Chi- While jetting on Air Force One to a environment in the video. De Blasio hit back at the video, Senator Bernie Sanders addressing a rally last week at Howard University in nese intelligence agents in exchange for US political fundraising event, Trump tried “It has the same import as him claiming that it showed the weakness Washington, DC. documents. to look presidential by sitting behind a sitting behind the Resolute desk in the of a “low energy” Trump. And in the most signifi cant case, on May desk as he blasted de Blasio as soft on Oval Off ice,” she said, calling the viola- “It’s music to my ears,” de Blasio funding to better integrate some ers said, and tied to regional cost of 1, former CIA offi cer Jerry Chun Shing Lee crime and quick on taxes. tion “off ensive.” said. schools. living. pleaded guilty to spying for China. But a closer look at the video reveals Misusing the seal is a misdemean- Ethics experts have previously He also called for a federal funding He wants to require schools to pro- Lee, 54, faces a possible life sentence. a potentially big problem for Trump, our that carries a potential penalty of slammed Trump for intentionally using minimum and getting away from us- vide free meals, breakfast, lunch and Arrested in January 2018, he was suspected according to one ethics watchdog. six months behind bars, Canter said. Air Force One as a backdrop during ing property taxes to pay for schools. snacks, to all students. of having provided Beijing the information it Over Trump’s left shoulder, aff ixed Trump’s re-election campaign will campaign speeches. Critics argue that using property He wants to provide another $5bn needed to bring down a CIA network of in- above a window, is the presidential also have to reimburse taxpayers While not illegal, they called that taxes results in wealthy areas having to increase community services at formants in China between 2010 and 2012. seal. for his use of the spiff y plane for his practice shady because it conveys better schools than more impover- schools, including health and dental “This case is one in an alarming trend of That’s a big no-no, according to political trip from Washington to a big- the backing of the government for a ished neighbourhoods. care, mental health and job training. former US intelligence offi cers being targeted Virginia Canter, an ethics lawyer with bucks Manhattan fundraiser. particular candidate. He wants to spend an additional For schools that continue to lack by China and betraying their country and Citizens Responsibility and Ethics in White House spokesman Judd P Trump Cabinet officials have also $5bn a year on summer school and the infrastructure necessary to teach colleagues,” Assistant Attorney General John Washington (CREW), a nonpartisan Deere had no comment on the video. been accused of skirting close to after school programs across the students, Sanders wants to provide Demers said of the Mallory case. watchdog group. He noted that political organisa- the Hatch Act, which bans officials United States. federal funds for more school con- “This sentence, together with the recent “It’s not appropriate to use the seal tions regularly pay for Trump’s travel from campaigning in their official Sanders also called for an increase struction. guilty pleas of Ron Hansen in Utah and Jerry in this way,” said Canter, a former as- on Air Force One when it’s for political capacity. in federal funding for programmes And fi nally, Sanders proposed Lee in Virginia, deliver the stern message that sistant White House counsel. “It sends purposes. The president and his aides are for students with disabilities. making schools safer and more in- our former intelligence offi cers have no busi- the message that this is the off icial “The appropriate political com- exempt from those rules. Teacher salary should be set at a clusive, including passing gun con- ness partnering with the Chinese, or any oth- minimum of $60,000 a year, Sand- trol legislation. er adversarial foreign intelligence service.” After the Moon, people on Mars by 2033...or 2060

By Ivan Couronne, AFP According to Robert Howard, spaceships required to learning be able to treat themselves in case tally isolated for two years? Washington who heads up the lab develop- the best way to grow lettuce: all of any accidents. It won’t be possible to com- ing future space habitats at the the groundwork remains to be “I actually think a big deal is municate in real time with Hou- legendary Johnson Space Center done. the suits,” added Jennifer Held- ston mission control: radio com- n December 11, 2017, US in Houston, the hurdles aren’t so Just getting there will take six man, a Nasa planetary scientist. munications will take between President Donald Trump much technical or scientifi c as months at least, as opposed to One of the major gripes of four and 24 minutes between the Osigned a directive order- much as a question of budget and three days to the Moon. the Apollo astronauts was their planets, one-way. ing Nasa to prepare to return as- political will. The whole mission could take gloves, which were too infl ated Nasa plans to test out de- tronauts to the Moon “followed “A lot of people want us to have two years, since Mars and the and prevented them from doing layed-communication exercises by human missions to Mars and an Apollo moment, and have a Earth are closet to each other dexterous work. on board the ISS in the coming other destinations.” president stand up like Kennedy every 26 months, a window that Nasa is developing a new suit, years. The dates fi xed by the space and say, we’ve got to do it and the must be taken. the fi rst in forty years, called Artifi cial intelligence must agency are 2024 for the Moon entire country comes together,” Key tasks include fi nding a xEMU, but it won’t be ready for also be developed to assist and and Mars in 2033, but according he said. way to shield astronauts from its fi rst outing in the Interna- guide the astronauts. to experts and industry insiders, “If that happened, I would ac- prolonged exposure to solar and tional Space Station for a few A researcher commissioned by reaching the Red Planet by then is tually say 2027. But I don’t think cosmic radiation, said Julie Rob- more years. Nasa to study the likelihood of highly improbable barring a Her- that’s going to happen. I think in inson, Nasa’s chief scientist for On Mars, dust will be even getting to Mars by 2033 conclud- culean eff ort on the scale of the our current approach, we are go- the International Space Station. more of a problem than on the ed the objective was “infeasible.” Apollo program in the 1960s. ing to be lucky to do it by the 2037 “A second is our food system,” Moon. A participant looks at a poster during the Humans to Mars Summit “It isn’t just budget,” said “The Moon is the proving ground date.” she added. The Apollo astronauts re- last month at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC. Bhavya Lal of the Science and for our eventual mission to Mars,” But Howard said if he were to The current plant system ideas turned with huge amounts of lu- Technology Policy Institute. “It’s Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine be pessimistic, and assume polit- “are not packageable, portable or nar dust in their modules. Techniques to exploit Martian Moon by the end of this decade. also organisation bandwidth, said at a conference last week. “The ical dithering lay ahead, “it could small enough to take to Mars.” Keeping it out of habitats will resources to extract water, oxy- Finally there’s the most fun- how many things can Nasa do at Moon is our path to get to Mars in be the 2060s.” And then there’s the question be critical for a mission that in- gen and fuel necessary for hu- damental question: how will a the same time?” the fastest, safest way possible. From the design, manufacture, of dealing with medical emer- volves spending months on the mans to live there don’t yet ex- group of people cope with the For Lal, the more realistic That’s why we go to the Moon.” and testing of the rockets and gencies: astronauts will need to Red Planet. ist — and must be tested on the psychological stress of being to- timeframe was 2039. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, May 19, 2019 ASIA/AUSTALASIA

84 Rohingya Conservatives keep power in stopped from perilous sea journey ‘miracle’ Australia poll win AFP comfortable victory for Labour geting older, wealthier voters Cox’s Bazar AFP after six years in the opposition. concerned over Labour plans Sydney Some bookies had paid out to cut various tax loopholes in early expecting a coalition de- order to fund spending on edu- angladesh authorities feat and all but the most ar- cation, healthcare and climate prevented 84 Rohingya ustralia’s ruling con- dent partisans had thrown in initiatives. Brefugees from Myanmar servative coalition de- the towel. “Labour campaigned hard from attempting a perilous boat Afi ed expectations to re- The results appeared to show on a big target strategy with a journey to Malaysia, offi cials said tain power in national elections a fractured electorate with mi- series of key tax concessions, yesterday. yesterday, prompting Prime nor populist and right-wing that ultimately seem not to have Police in Pekua said 67 Ro- Minister Scott Morrison to de- parties playing an outsized role resonated with voters,” said hingya Muslims from Kutupal- clare: “I have always believed in in tipping the balance in favour Rob Manwaring, a political lec- ong - the largest refugee settle- miracles!” of the conservatives in key dis- turer at Flinders University in ment in the world - were stopped “How good is Australia!”, tricts in the northeast of the Adelaide. as they waited to board a fi shing shouted a jubilant Morri- country. “Despite the wider fragmen- trawler. son, who came to offi ce just They include Pauline Han- tation of the right in Australia, They included 31 women and nine months ago in a party son, whose party shrugged off they have snatched a seeming 15 children. coup against his moderate revelations her party solicited win,” he said, calling the coali- On Saint Martin’s, a small predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull. money from the US gun lobby tion victory “extraordinary and Bangladesh island in the Bay of While it remained unclear if and Clive Palmer - dubbed Aus- surprising”. Bengal, the country’s coast guard Morrison’s Liberal Party and tralia’s Donald Trump - who Liberal supporters were stopped 17 other Rohingya and their rural-based National Par- splashed tens of millions on a ecstatic over the result. fi ve Bangladeshi traffi ckers be- ty partners would win enough populist campaign. “Unbelievable,” gushed An- fore they could board a rickety seats to form a majority govern- Australia has compulsory thony Ching at the Liberal party fi shing boat. ment, the leader of the main op- voting and a complex system headquarters. “Everybody was Fayezul Islam Mondol, the re- position Labour Party conceded of ballots ranked by voter pref- expecting that we were not go- gional coast guard commander, defeat shortly before midnight. erence, with big political, eco- ing to win.” said they were acting on a tip off . “It is obvious that Labour nomic and cultural diff erences Labour backers were About 740,000 Rohingya will not be able to form the from state to state on the vast disconsolate. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison gives his victory speech after winning the general election in Muslims have fl ed Myanmar next government”, Bill Short- island-continent. “I think Morrison cam- Sydney yesterday. for Bangladesh since a brutal en told stunned supporters in Many of the laurels for vic- paigned on fear, and people have military crackdown began in Melbourne. tory will go to Morrison, who fallen for it,” Julie Nelson, 67. centre of the campaign. - who once described climate als winning more of the work- August 2017. “In the national interest, a just weeks ago looked set for Climate change had featured In traditionally more con- change as “crap” - lost a seat he ing class vote, adding: “I’m not They joined another 300,000 short while ago I called Scott an electoral drubbing, fated to prominently throughout the servative rural areas, climate- has held for a quarter century going to let one bad day spoil 25 Rohingya already living in over- Morrison to congratulate him,” enter the history books as one campaign. hit farmers are increasingly to independent challenger Zali years”. crowded camps in the Cox’s Ba- Shorten said, adding that he of the most short-lived prime Australia is one of the most demanding action, while in sev- Steggall, a lawyer and Olympic The national campaign has zar area following previous bouts would also stand down as leader ministers in Australian history. vulnerable of all developed eral rich suburbs, a generational medallist in Alpine skiing. been an often ill-tempered of violence. of his party in the wake of its But he closed the gap with a nations to climate change shift has seen eco-minded can- While admitting his own de- pitched-battle. Candidates Thousands of refugees at- shock defeat. negative campaign and back- and a season of record fl oods, didates running Liberal Party feat, mainly over the climate have been egged and abused, tempt to fl ee the camps each year The result was a monumental ing from the country’s biggest wildfi res and droughts has luminaries close. issue, Abbott claimed there and a slew have resigned for in pursuit of better opportunities upset and a failure by pollsters, media organisation - owned by brought the issue from the In northern Sydney, former had been a “realignment” in racist, sexist and otherwise jaw- in countries such as Malaysia and who had for months predicted a Rupert Murdoch - mainly tar- political fringes to front and prime minister Tony Abbott Australian politics with Liber- dropping social media posts. Thailand. Lanka marks anniversary of civil war with thousands still missing

AFP Although the pain for many Mullaittivu families remains, and many in the 2.5mn-strong Tamil com- munity still feel disadvan- till reeling from the Easter taged, the end of the war did terror attacks, Sri Lanka open a peaceful new chapter in Scommemorates this week- which Sri Lanka’s economy and end 10 years since the end of tourism boomed. a bloody civil war that killed But this peace was shattered at least 100,000 people, from on April 21 when Islamist suicide which the scars are still not bombers targeted three church- healed. es and three luxury hotels, kill- Security was tight in the north ing 258 people - including 45 of the island, home to Sri Lan- foreigners. ka’s minority Tamils, ahead of The attackers were homeg- solemn ceremonies yesterday. rown extremists - the Islamic Sri Lanka’s government and State group also claimed credit top military brass were due to - and riots since saw dozens of hold their own commemoration homes, businesses and mosques in Colombo today. of Sri Lanka’s Muslim minority On May 18, 2009 government A woman holds a picture of a missing loved one at the Missing People Organisation off ice in the district of vandalised. One man was killed Anti-terror police off icers carry equipment to destroy explosives forces brought their no-holds- Mullaittivu yesterday on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Sri Lankan troops defeating Tamil Tiger by a mob wielding swords. they seized in Cibinong, West Java province, yesterday. barred military off ensive to an rebels. According to the ICG, the end at a lagoon in the north- Easter attacks “compounded the ern coastal district of Mullait- Anandarasan Nagakanni, him,” Sureshamma said. ered subversive and annual me- general anxiety, tearing again at tivu with the killing of Velupillai 61, is still searching for her son “If they are not alive, then morial services by Tamils were the social fabric, unleashing fur- Prabhakaran, leader of the rebel Arindavadas. they need to tell us that at least,” trashed by government forces. ther violence and complicating US issues Indonesia Tamil Tigers. “He was last seen with the Sri said Mariasuresh Easwari, an Government forces have set the road to sustainable peace”. Sri Lanka’s then-president Lankan army, and after that we activist trying to help fi nd the up memorials in the north for Evoking memories of past Mahinda Rajapakse declared haven’t seen him,” she said at a missing. fallen security forces and bull- dark times, a state of emergency security alert ahead an end to the 37-year separatist tiny makeshift offi ce in Mullait- “Did you murder them? Did dozed Tiger cemeteries, obliter- has been in place since April 21 confl ict - marked by massacres, tivu, where a notice board was you bury them? Tell us.” ating any sign of the rebels who with the return of some wartime suicide bombings and assassi- covered with dozens of photos of Sri Lankan forces have been at their zenith controlled a third restrictions on free movement. of election results nations - between Tamil mili- missing people. accused of killing about 40,000 of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s army chief Lieu- tants and the central govern- Nagaraja Sureshamma, 65, Tamil civilians in the fi nal months The International Crisis tenant General Mahesh Sena- Reuters fi ghters, Iqbal said. ment, which is dominated by the who lost one son and is still of the war, a charge successive Group (ICG) said in a recent nayake has said his troops Jakarta Indonesian police also re- majority Sinhalese. looking for the other, recalled governments have denied. report that the new govern- will ensure that this year’s vealed that some of the sus- But for thousands of war wid- the horrors of the fi nal months Several mass graves contain- ment’s promised political re- commemoration goes ahead pects have learned how to use ows and other victims on both and how civilians scrambled to ing skeletal remains have been forms and accountability for peacefully. he US embassy in Jakar- Wi-Fi to detonate explosive sides, this marked the start of a escape indiscriminate attacks found in the past two decades, wartime atrocities have failed to “As much as we mourn the ta has issued a security devices, but it was not im- new struggle: to fi nd out the fate and shelling. but only a handful of those materialise. soldiers who were killed in the Talert ahead of election mediately clear how advanced of their loved ones. “We were all going together, buried have ever been formally “For many Sri Lankans living war, (minority Tamil) civilians results due on Wednesday, as their plans were. About 20,000 people are still but my son happened to go on identifi ed. in the bitterly contested north also have a right to commemo- Indonesian authorities have Detonating bombs using a missing, including 5,000 gov- a diff erent route... Ever since, Until recently, even remem- and east, the war has never quite rate their war dead,” he said on arrested nearly 30 suspected Wi-Fi network is considered ernment troops. we have not been able to fi nd bering the war dead was consid- ended,” it said. Thursday. militants, including some who a new technique, Dedi Prase- police say are able to detonate tyo, another National Police bombs using Wi-Fi networks. spokesman, said, and gets N Korea seeks UN action over ship seizure The embassy advised US citi- around using phone signals, zens to avoid areas where large which can be jammed during North Korea has demanded the General Antonio Guterres, Kim demonstrations may occur in Ja- rallies involving large crowds. United Nations take “urgent Song, Pyongyang’s permanent Hero dog saves buried baby karta, and in other cities including “If there is (cell phone) measures” to help return a representative at the UN, said the Surabaya in East Java and Medan jammer, then phones are not cargo ship taken by the United incident was “an unlawful and in North Sumatra, in a statement operable but the Wi-Fi signal States, calling the seizure a outrageous act”, according to in northeastern Thailand that was dated on Friday. will not be disturb, especially “heinous” act, AFP reports from North Korea’s state news agency Indonesian authorities when using signal amplifi er,” Seoul. KCNA. have said they are heighten- Prasetyo said. Washington announced last “This act of dispossession has AFP named Ping Pong. Off icer Panuvat said the ing security ahead of May 22, The police spokesmen did week it had taken possession of clearly indicated that the United Bangkok The dog dug around the area suspect was 15 years old and when the offi cial result of last not answer or return phone the North Korean-registered bulk States is indeed a gangster and began barking, alerting had tried to dispose of the month’s presidential election calls to get more information. carrier M/V Wise Honest - a year country that does not care at all his owner a cattle herder, child because she was afraid will be announced. The police arrested EY, a after it was detained in Indonesia about international laws,” the An attentive dog in who went to the site. her parents would get angry. Indonesian National Police local leader of JAD in Bekasi, - citing sanctions-violating letter said. northeastern Thailand is “I don’t think it was long after “So after she delivered the spokesman, Muhammed Iqbal, near the capital Jakarta, on activities. The North Korean representative being hailed as a hero after his mother buried him before baby by herself she buried it,” told reporters in a briefi ng on May 8 for plotting attacks The seizure came amid asked Guterres to “take finding and saving an infant the dog found him,” case he said. Friday that police this month during next week’s announce- heightened tensions after urgent measures as a way of allegedly buried in a field by off icer Panuvat Udkam said. Local media coverage hailed have arrested 29 suspects linked ment of the presidential elec- Pyongyang conducted weapons contributing to the stability of the his teenage mother, police He added that the boy was the achievement and social to Jemaah Ansharut Daulah tion. The police identifi ed the drills involving short-range Korean peninsula and proving said yesterday. healthy, was recovering in media users praised Ping (JAD) - the largest Islamic State- suspect only by his initials. missiles in recent weeks, and with the impartiality of the UN”. The newborn was lying under hospital, and was so young Pong’s good deed. linked group in the country - and “For this group, democracy nuclear talks deadlocked since Earlier this week, Pyongyang a layer of dirt near a farm in he had not been named yet. A dog is the “best friend” of confi scated at least fi ve home- is an ideology that they do not the collapse of the Hanoi summit had slammed the seizure as an the Chumpuang district of The teenage mother was human beings, a Facebook made bombs in various locations agree with,” Iqbal said on Fri- between US President Donald “outright denial” of the spirit of Nakhon Ratchasima province charged with attempted user commented on the page across Java and North Sulawesi. day, adding that the National Trump and North Korean leader a statement signed by Kim and but was found the same day murder and abandonment of of media outlet Khaosod Some of the suspects have Police advise people not to Kim Jong-un earlier this year. Trump at their first summit in - May 15 - by a curious canine children. English. had paramilitary training make unnecessary trips on the In a letter sent to Secretary- Singapore last year. and went to Syria as foreign day the results are announced. Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 15 BRITAIN

Rail chiefs confi dent timetable ‘Wannabe Tory leaders’ change will work blamed for talks failure out fi ne Shadow Brexit secretary says “The real problem was this could seek to break the impasse impasse could be broken by question of how on earth do you by putting a confi rmatory vote allowing confirmatory vote future-proof any deal – if there on the face of a bill.” By Gwyn Topham was a deal – against an incoming “But what we can’t do is just Guardian News & Media Guardian/Reuters Tory leader?” he said. “Because keep on buying another week London … the prime minister said be- at a time, which is what the fore we started the talks that she prime minister’s been doing for ail passengers have been would be going. months,” he said. advised to check times he shadow Brexit secre- “It’s not for me to criticise May has publicly opposed Rbefore travelling from to- tary, Keir Starmer, has that, that’s her judgment about holding a second public vote. day as train operators prepare Tblamed “wannabe Tory when she wants to go. Starmer was asked if a no- for a fresh timetable change, fol- leaders” for the breakdown of “But it does mean that during deal departure from the EU was lowing months of scrutiny and cross-party talks as he renewed the talks – almost literally – sit- now looking more likely. preparation to avert the chaos his call for a second referendum ting in the room as we’re talking, “I don’t accept that – it’s fi ve that engulfed the railways last on leaving the EU. cabinet members and wannabe and a half months to go before May. The government and Labour Tory leaders were torpedoing the deadline. I don’t accept that The biggest changes will come sought to blame each other after the talks with remarks about not we can’t talk to the EU about on South Western Railway (SWR) talks to fi nd a compromise Brexit being willing to accept a cus- further changes to the Political from tomorrow, with hundreds plan collapsed on Friday, leaving toms union.” Declaration, I accept the With- of extra services a week from any remaining hopes of an im- He echoed the words of the drawal Agreement is a diff erent the home counties into Waterloo minent solution to the impasse shadow chancellor, John Mc- proposition.” station in London. in tatters. Donnell, last week that the ne- His comments came as Matt Nationwide, more than 1,000 While both sides insisted the gotiations were like “trying to Hancock, the health secretary, extra services a week will be in- discussions had taken place contract with a company about said that May’s successor should troduced into the timetable. in good faith, Prime Minister to go into administration”. not call a general election until The industry hopes it has Theresa May said that a key “There was a weakness, be- Britain had left the EU. May: seen as too weak to deliver. learned the lessons from a se- sticking point had been Labour cause circling around those in He said an early poll could ries of reviews into last year’s splits over a second referen- the room trying to negotiate hand the keys of No 10 to the La- In an interview with the Daily agreement bill (Wab) in the 1922 Committee of backbench debacle, when there were wide- dum, while the opposition said were others who didn’t want the bour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and Telegraph, Hancock, who voted Commons in the fi rst full week Tory MPs, Sir Graham Brady, af- spread cancellations and severe that May’s imminent departure negotiation to succeed because risk “killing Brexit altogether”. remain in the referendum, said: of June. ter the vote to agree a timetable delays – particularly on Govia from Downing Street meant they had their eye on what was Hancock said that it is essen- “I think a general election before However, after the cross-par- for the election of her successor. Thameslink Railway and North- that there was no guarantee any coming next,” McDonnell had tial that the Conservatives de- we’ve delivered Brexit would be ty talks collapsed, few in West- Nearly three years after the ern services, where the bulk of promises would be kept by her said. livered on the 2016 referendum a disaster. People don’t want it. minster give her much chance of United Kingdom voted 52% to the changes occurred. successor. He said the situation put May result in the current parliament. We need to take responsibility success. 48% in a referendum to leave Caution rather than ambition Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s “in a position where she was in A poll of Tory members made for delivering on the referendum The Labour Party and rebels the EU, it remains unclear how, is now the watchword, as the Today programme, Starmer reality too weak to deliver, in our Boris Johnson the frontrunner result.” within May’s Conservative Party when or even if the country will original introduction of serv- compared dealing with May and judgment”. to succeed May after she bowed May is to make one fi nal at- have said that they plan to op- leave the European club it joined ices has been phased into a more her team to trying to secure a Starmer said that the govern- to pressure and agreed to set a tempt to get her Brexit deal pose it. in 1973. gradual rollout, with a cross- contract with a company about ment had to fi nd a way to end the timetable at the start of next through parliament when she Whatever the result, May has The current deadline to leave industry project management to go into administration. stalemate, and suggested: “They month to elect a new leader. introduces the withdrawal agreed to meet the chair of the is October 31. offi ce monitoring each opera- tor’s plans and the infrastructure around the country. Some of the planned new SWR commuter services from the south coast have already been Woman postponed due to problems with automatic doors on refurbished rolling stock. held over Andy Mellors, the managing director of SWR, said: “Until this issue is rectifi ed we cannot moor fi re put the trains into service and risk passenger injury.” He said that they expected to By Jamie Grierson suspend no more than 10 of the Guardian News & Media 300 planned new services each week. The Rail Delivery Group olice have arrested a (RDG), which represents the op- 48-year-old woman in erators and Network Rail, said Pconnection with a fi re that changes were being made which started yesterday morn- only where there was high con- ing on Ilkley Moor, in West York- fi dence that the necessary infra- shire. structure, rolling stock and staff A West Yorkshire police state- were ready. ment said offi cers “were called It said that fi rms would closely to moorland at Ilkley near Hang- monitor the services and re- ingstone Road about 9.55am this spond quickly to any disruption, morning to a report of a fi re and with extra staff on hand and Net- suspicious behaviour by a female work Rail rapid response teams at the location. on standby at key locations. “Following enquiries [police] Paul Plummer, the chief exec- arrested a 48-year-old woman utive of the RDG, said the change present in connection with fi re was a signifi cant challenge, but underway on moorland. the industry was “focused on “Some road closures were put maintaining reliability”, adding: in place and West Yorkshire Fire “We know that running more and Rescue Service are attending services cannot come at the ex- at the scene to manage the fi re.” pense of running a punctual rail- Newlyweds Thomas Kingston and Lady Gabriella Windsor pose with their bridesmaids and guests after their wedding ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, Ten fi re engines were called to way.” Windsor, west of London. the aff ected area and people were Andrew Jones, the rail min- urged to keep away. ister, said he believed the rail- West Yorkshire fi re and res- ways were on track for a smooth cue service later said the fi re had change next week after a “dread- been extinguished. ful time” last year. Royals celebrate third wedding in 12 months In a tweet, it said: “Crews He said: “I am very confi dent have been working hard on Ilkley because we have seen a change Moor this morning. The fi re is in procedures and collaboration AFP Elizabeth led the royal family the chapel in October. The readings included a Known as Ella, Windsor out and the incident is now being in the industry. It’s a 40-week London at the wedding and was joined Windsor arrived at the chap- passage from William Shake- works as a freelance features scaled back to four fi re engines. process, and we’ve seen the by her 97-year-old husband el in a claret-coloured vintage speare’s early comedy Love’s writer and as the arts and travel “Road closures are still in importance of sticking to the Prince Philip, making a jovial car, accompanied by her father. Labour’s Lost, and the poem O director for London-based place in the area but we are countdown. That countdown he British royal fam- rare public appearance after his She wore a lace gown by Ital- Tell Me The Truth About Love by brand company Branding Latin working to get them open again slipped last time, and this time ily gathered for its third retirement in 2017. ian designer Luisa Beccaria. W H Auden. America. as soon as possible. Thank you it hasn’t.” TWindsor Castle wed- The sovereign’s grandson Harry’s brother Prince Wil- The couple, who got en- A great-granddaughter of for your patience.” Passenger groups have called ding in a year as Lady Gabriella Prince Harry, who married liam did not attend as he was gaged in August on the Chan- king George V, who died in The service received more for a robust contingency plan. Windsor tied the knot yester- Meghan in the chapel on May presenting the trophy at the FA nel Island of Sark, kissed on 1936, she is 52nd in line to the than 65 emergency calls about Anthony Smith, the chief day, with Queen Elizabeth II 19 last year, also attended. Cup fi nal between Manchester the chapel steps following the throne and, unlike her parents, the fi re and said there was “a lot executive of the independent watching. The couple’s fi rst child, Ar- City and Watford at Wembley ceremony. does not carry out any royal du- of smoke in the area”. watchdog Transport Focus, said Windsor, 38, the daughter chie Mountbatten-Windsor, in London later in the day. The reception was being held ties. Over Easter weekend in April, that there should be a single per- of the monarch’s fi rst cousin was born on May 6, and both However, Pippa Middleton, at nearby Frogmore House, It was king George who more than 70 fi refi ghters were son in charge of major timetable Prince Michael of Kent and his mother and son skipped yes- the sister of William’s wife Kate where Harry and Meghan changed the family name from called to Ilkley Moor, which is changes “to ensure robust over- wife Princess Michael, married terday’s ceremony. who stole the show at their 2011 staged their wedding dinner. Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to south of the town of Ilkley, and sight and with the power to hit fi nancier Thomas Kingston in Elizabeth’s granddaughter wedding, was in attendance. The new parents and Archie Windsor – after the castle – in a helicopter was deployed after the stop button when something Saint George’s Chapel at the Princess Eugenie married wine Kingston is a good friend of live close by at Frogmore Cot- 1917 due to anti-German senti- a large area of the moor caught is not going to work”. historic castle, west of London. merchant Jack Brooksbank at the Middleton family. tage. ment during World War I. fi re.

Elton John reveals pain at watching movie about him

AFP stuff is touching,” he told Vari- the 72-year-old megastar. eight-year feud with his formi- songwriting partnership with Cannes ety in an interview on the warts- “I really value the fact that (my dable mother Shelia Farebrother, lyricist Bernie Taupin, which and-all movie about his wild rock parents) stayed together for me who he accused of trying to in- produced seven consecutive US ‘n’ roll years. when they were unhappy with terfere in his life, but they buried number one albums between lton John said yesterday The fi lm won an extended each other ... I’ve come to un- the hatchet just before her death 1972 and 1975. that the hardest thing to standing ovation in Cannes, with derstand the circumstances that at the age of 92 in 2017. “The wonderful thing is the Ewatch in Rocketman, the critics hailing its honesty and the they went through and I’m not An only child, John was raised relationship I have with Bernie, biopic of his life that premiered way it deals frankly with the Brit- angry or bitter about that what- by his grandparents until he was which is the glue of the movie,” at the Cannes Film Festival, were ish singer’s struggles with drugs, soever,” he said. “But it did leave six before moving in with his par- the singer said. “We’ve been to- the parts about his family life. alcohol and his own sexuality. a scar and that scar took a long ents. gether for over 50 years and to “It’s hard to watch the family “Part of the reason I became time to heal, and maybe it will They divorced when he was 14. have this relationship being so John poses during a photocall on Thursday for the film Rocketman at stuff . The drugs stuff I can han- the addict that I was (was) be- never heal totally.” The movie also explores the strong ... means a lot in this kind the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival. dle because I did it, but the family cause of my background,” said John had a much-publicised singer’s long and successful of business that we work in.” Gulf Times 16 Sunday, May 19, 2019 EUROPE Merkel urges Europe to stand up to ‘sell out’ politicians

AFP the EU-wide centre-right EPP “irresponsible” to invite the Greens lead candidate for the ropean People’s Party (EPP), the Zagreb group, was speaking ahead of FPOe into his government, for- EP Sven Giegold told the Funke main centre-right bloc in the as- a gathering of Croatia’s ruling eign minister Heiko Maas of the newspaper group. sembly. conservative HDZ party as the centre-left Social Democratic Although in the past they have Weber is the apparent front- erman Chancellor An- European Parliament election Party (SPD) said, calling them presented themselves as bosom runner to replace Jean-Claude gela Merkel said yesterday campaign draws to a close. “enemies of freedom”. friends, there was no reaction to Juncker as president of the Euro- Gthat European politicians Speaking still more forcefully Others pre-emptively warned Strache’s resignation from lead- pean Commission. “must stand up to” far-right at the event, she argued that Merkel’s Christian Democratic ing AfD fi gures as of late yester- “I’ll fi ght against the na- politicians “for sale”, after a hid- “patriotism and the European Union (CDU) off potential al- day. tionalists, I’ll fi ght against the den-camera sting brought down project are not opposites”. liances with German far-right Joint AfD leader Joerg Meu- populists, they will not destroy nationalist Austrian vice-chan- “Nationalism is the enemy of outfi t Alternative for Germany then was in Milan for a gathering today’s EU,” Weber told several cellor Heinz-Christian Strache the European project, and we (AfD). of nationalist parties organised thousands of HDZ supporters at over allegations he was open to have to make that clear in the Votes later this year in Ger- by Italian deputy prime minister a Zagreb sports hall. corruption. last days before the election,” she many’s former communist East Matteo Salvini. He pledged not to work in “any While far-right parties re- added. look set to hand the party strong The FPOe’s lead candidate for moment and on any single issue jected values like protecting mi- Merkel’s intervention followed results that could make it hard to the European Parliament pulled with all the right populists in the norities and basic human rights, a string of appeals from leading build state-level coalitions with- out of the meeting after the scan- next European Parliament. Merkel told a press conference in Merkel: Nationalism is the enemy of the European project. German politicians for voters not out them. dal broke. “They will not be part of ma- Croatian capital Zagreb, “poli- to follow the neighbouring coun- Centre-right parties across Apart from Merkel and Prime jority of Manfred Weber. I’m ticians being for sale plays a Sueddeutsche Zeitung late on Fri- ing public contracts in return for try’s example by putting the far Europe “should end their alli- Minister Andrej Plenkovic, the clear on this,” he said. role, and we must act decisively day published video recordings, campaign help from a fake Rus- right in positions of power. ances with right-wingers and HDZ event in Zagreb was at- HDZ will win fi ve or six out of against all of that”. allegedly showing Freedom Party sian backer. Austria’s conservative Chan- distance themselves clearly from tended by German MEP Manfred 12 Croatian seats in the European Germany’s Der Spiegel and (FPOe) leader Strache promis- Merkel, a heavyweight in cellor Sebastian Kurz had been the enemies of democracy”, Weber, the candidate of the Eu- Parliament, surveys predict.

‘Yellow vests’ mark 6 months of protests Austria govt crashes AFP felt he had answered the ques- Reims, France tions raised by the movement and that there was no more to be done politically. ellow vest” pro- Those who had other ideas testers turned out about how the country should “Yacross France yes- be governed should run for of- terday to mark six months of fi ce themselves, he said. following video sting rallies against President Em- “But democracy is not manuel Macron’s policies, but played out on Saturday after- Reuters with their numbers dwindling, noons,” he added. Vienna according to a government A number of “yellow vest” tally. activists are on the lists for the A day after Macron appeared next week’s European elec- ustria raced yesterday to draw a line under the move- tions. towards a snap election ment, “yellow vest” activists The movement was initially Aas Chancellor Sebastian – named after the fl uorescent launched over fuel tax in- Kurz pulled the plug on his coa- vests they wear – marched in creases, but snowballed into a lition with the far-right after its Paris and several other cities widespread revolt against Ma- leader was caught on video of- for the 27th consecutive week. cron, accused of ignoring the fering to fi x state contracts with The count from the inte- day-to-day struggles of low- a woman posing as a Russian oli- rior ministry – routinely dis- income earners in small-town garch’s niece. This still image taken from a video shows Strache announcing his missed by “yellow vests” – put and rural France. The far-right Freedom Party resignation as vice-chancellor and Freedom Party (FPOe) leader, at a the numbers across France Outside the capital, pro- (FPOe)’s Heinz-Christian Stra- news conference in Vienna. at 15,500, of whom 1,600 testers marched in Reims and che resigned as vice-chancellor marched in Paris. Nancy in the east of France, and party leader after the video deputy mayor of Hitler’s home He said that he would be re- That was down again from and in Lyon, Dijon, Bordeaux was released by two German town wrote a poem likening im- placed as party leader by Trans- last week’s count of 18,600, and Toulouse across the south, news organisations. migrants to rats. port Minister Norbert Hofer, his suggesting a steady decline. with smaller rallies in other He acknowledged that the vid- “For all these successes in the deputy, who narrowly lost a 2016 The “yellow vests” activists’ towns and cities. eo was “catastrophic” but denied Kurz: After yesterday’s video, I must say quite honestly: Enough is past two years I had to be ready presidential election and is more own tally put the nationwide In Bordeaux, a few hundred breaking the law. enough. to withstand a lot and also put popular than Strache. total at 41,000. “yellow vests” joined envi- Kurz, a conservative who up with a lot, from the rat poem In the footage, Strache dis- The numbers were never- ronmental activists in a march formed a coalition with the Free- cuss next steps with Kurz today. The head of the opposition So- to the proximity to radical right- cussed rules on party fi nancing theless certainly down from against the agrochemical giant dom Party a year and a half ago, “These are shameful images cial Democrats told broadcaster wing groups and the ‘isolated in- and how to work around them, the massive turn-out at the Monsanto, days after revela- said that the apparent video and no one should be ashamed ORF that she would not oppose a cidents’ that kept coming back,” although he also insisted on hav- beginning of the movement, tions that the group kept fi les sting, in which Strache discusses for Austria,” he said of the video. snap election if a bill calling one Kurz said. “There were many ing to act legally. when nearly 300,000 people on French politicians, journal- contracts in return for fi nancial “We need in this sense to rebuild were put to parliament. situations in which I found it very “It was dumb, it was irre- protested across the country on ists and activists. or political favours, was the last confi dence anew. This rebuilding As Strache announced around diffi cult to swallow all that.” sponsible and it was a mistake,” November 17 in what became The group lost its third straw in the relationship. can in this case only happen with midday that he was stepping The video showed Strache Strache told a news conference, one of the biggest challenges to lawsuit in the United States “After yesterday’s video I a snap election.” down, a crowd of thousands with meeting the woman in 2017, fi ghting back tears as he asked his Macron’s government. over the harmful eff ects of its honestly have to say – enough is The downfall of the Austrian left-wing placards and banners shortly before the election that wife and others to forgive him. But many of those who glyphosate-based weedkiller. enough,” Kurz said in a statement coalition comes just a week be- gathered on the square outside brought him into government. “In the cold light of day, my re- turned out yesterday were de- In Reims, the windows of the to the media, listing various less- fore elections to the European Kurz’s offi ce, chanting “Snap Strache, whose party has a co- marks were catastrophic and ex- termined to keep going. France Bleu radio station were er scandals that had previously parliament and is a blow to one of elections now!”. operation agreement with Rus- ceedingly embarrassing,” he said. “When I hear Macron say smashed. strained their relations. the most successful of the anti- Police estimated their number sia’s ruling United Russia party, He also apologised for fl irting that he has done his bit, I can’t Local offi cials reported the He said that he is proposing to immigrant, nationalist parties at 5,000. described the sting as a “targeted with the woman. agree, and that motivates me presence of about a hundred President Alexander Van der Bel- that have surged across the con- Kurz had repeatedly distanced political assassination” and said “It was typical alcohol-fuelled even more,” said Virginie, an hard-core activists, including len that a snap election be held as tinent in recent years. himself from his far-right coali- it never led to any money chang- macho behaviour in which, yes, executive secretary march- members of the so-called Black soon as possible. The Freedom Party is a major tion partners over lesser scandals ing hands. I also wanted to impress the at- ing in the southern city of Bloc blamed for much of the Van der Bellen, who can dis- part of a new nationalist group- in the past, mostly involving par- He insisted that the only crime tractive female host and I be- Montpellier. violence that has accompanied solve parliament, said he backed ing that aims to score record ty offi cials and anti-Semitism or that took place was illegally vide- haved like a bragging teenager,” On Friday, Macron said he the demonstrations. a snap election and would dis- gains in the European vote. racism – such as one in which the otaping a private dinner party. he said.

Head turners Ode to fi lmmaking hits the right notes at Cannes Brazilian model Isabeli Fontana and Dame Helen Reuters with his mother and his explora- something inside me that made Mirren (left) pose on their Cannes tions of desire and love. me think ‘don’t ask’.” arrival yesterday for the “I project myself in this fi lm, Banderas said that he had tried screening of The Best but it’s not to be taken literally,” to wipe the slate clean in his Years of a Life out of edro Almodovar is used to Almodovar, wearing dark glasses, eighth collaboration with Almo- competition at the a good reception from what told a news conference following dovar. Cannes film festival. Phe called “faithful” audi- the movie’s Cannes premiere the “To create this character I had ences in France – so much so, the night before, where it received a to kill Antonio Banderas,” he said. director joked on Saturday that standing ovation. Almodovar, 69, headed the he was “Franco-Spanish”. From a scene about Salvador’s jury at Cannes in 2017, but has His latest movie, a loosely au- sexual awakening to a tense dis- never won the Palme D’Or. tobiographical portrait of a tor- cussion with his mother, many Pain And Glory, which already mented fi lmmaker, could up the episodes were invented, he said, premiered in Spain, was one of ante for the Oscar winner after an adding though his experiences the fi lmmaker’s “best and most enthusiastic response from crit- had informed the fi ction. personal movie in years”, In- ics at the Cannes Film Festival, “I did live through a love that dieWire critic Eric Kohn wrote where it is a contender for the top was broken off at a moment after its Cannes screening. Palme D’Or award. when the fl ame was very much “Driven by Banderas’s lovely, Pain and Glory reunites Almo- still alive, because of a set of cir- nuanced turn and the slow-burn dovar long-time collaborators cumstances,” Almodovar said. Spanish actors Banderas and Cruz with Spanish film director exposition, it’s impossible not Antonio Banderas and Penelope “That’s a very painful thing. It’s Almodovar pose during a photocall for the film Dolor Y Gloria (Pain to feel the emotional turmoil on Cruz in a wistful dive into the not natural to have to end it...it’s and Glory) at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival. both sides of the camera,” Kohn world of cinema and the highs like cutting off your own arm.” said. and lows of creativity. Delving into Almodovar’s life Cruz, who featured in All where she plays the protagonist’s Almodovar’s All About My As ageing director Salvador, was also a challenge for a cast About My Mother and Volver, mother. Mother won the best foreign lan- played by Banderas, looks back deeply connected to the direc- among other Almodovar classics, “It was curious,” Cruz said. “I guage fi lm Oscar in 2000 while on his life, other themes dear to tor – starring in his early mov- said she had felt unusually shy think there was a form of respect his drama Talk To Her clinched Almodovar take hold too, includ- ies propelled both Banderas and about grilling the fi lmmaker in towards someone who is lay- the best original screenplay ing the character’s relationship Cruz into international stardom. preparation for Pain And Glory, ing themselves bare ... there was Academy Award in 2003. Banderas says heart attack helped him reinvent himself

Reuters him to reinvent himself as an ac- modovar’s Pain And Glory is vy- known for fi lms like The Mask of had also helped him wipe the Cannes tor, including as he prepared to ing for the French fi lm festival’s Zorro and Evita, recently took on slate clean as he prepared to play take on the lead role in Pedro Al- top Palme D’Or prize. “I don’t the role of painter Pablo Picasso protagonist Salvador in Pain And modovar’s autobiographical new smoke anymore, I do more exer- in TV drama Genius. Glory, something Almodovar was ntonio Banderas said a movie. cise than ever. I feel more clear in “I am refl ecting very much very demanding about. heart attack he suff ered “It was fantastic advice for my my brain and I kind of reinvented about my acting career. And I feel “He wants you new, fresh, dif- Atwo years ago spurred him life,” Banderas told Reuters in an myself.” very fresh and very new,” he said. ferent, getting rid of all these into a health kick but also allowed interview in Cannes, where Al- The 58-year-old Spaniard, Banderas said his health scare mannerisms,” Banderas said. Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 17 INDIA

No change in stand on support to Congress: Karnataka CM

IANS mala temple with his father and tion results, the JD-S and the But their diff erences over shar- campaign for the May 19 twin rebels in the Congress resign party reining in its rebels, as Ku- Tirupati former prime minister H D Deve Congress are locked in a war of ing power are evident now, with assembly by-elections in Kund- from the party or forfeit their as- maraswamy would have just one Gowda on his birthday. words over the post of the chief their leaders sparring over who agola and Chincholi in the state’s sembly seats,” a political analyst more seat (77+37=114) than the “We are with the Congress. minister. should be the next chief minister northwest and northern regions told IANS. halfway mark (113) for a simple arnataka Chief Minister H The results will come on May 23 With the survival of their year- when their government’s survival over who should be the next chief In the 225-member state as- majority in the lower house,” said D Kumaraswamy yester- and there will be a clear picture old coalition government hinged itself is at stake,” state BJP leader minister indicates that the days sembly, including one nominated, the analyst. Kday said Janata Dal-S had before the entire country,” Gow- upon the verdict of the 28 Lok G Madhusudhan told IANS. of Kumaraswamy are numbered. the BJP has 104 seats, Congress There is no love lost between already committed its support da said. Sabha seats in the southern state, Though the two allies jointly “The Kumaraswamy govern- 77, JD-S 37, Bahujan Samaj Party the two allies, especially at the to the Congress for formation of Kumaraswamy said JD (S)- the opposition Bharatiya Janata fought the parliamentary elec- ment’s survival depends on how and the Karnataka Pragnyavantha cadre level, as evident from their a federal government and there Congress combine would win Party is waiting in the wings to tions fi elding common candi- the Congress performs at the Janatha Party (KPJP) one each. rivalry during the campaigning. was no change in its stand. more seats in this election in grab power in case the allies part dates in all the 28 seats – the state and national levels in the There is one independent and a And an adverse verdict in the Lok “We have already committed Karnataka. ways. Congress on 21 and the JD-S on 7 Lok Sabha polls. In the event of speaker as well as two vacant seats. Sabha polls will lead to a blame our support to Congress presi- “According to my analysis, we “The arch rivals came together seats – the results will determine the BJP winning more seats in the “If the Congress fails to retain game and result in parting of dent. Our stand is not going to may reach 18-19 seats,” said the in an unholy alliance after the their coalition government’s fate. state than the allies together or the two assembly seats in the ways if the Congress returns to change,” Kumaraswamy told re- chief minister. May 2018 assembly polls solely For now, the war of words separately, the coalition govern- by-poll, the coalition govern- power at the Centre or emerges porters after visiting the Tiru- Meanwhile, ahead of the elec- to keep our party out of power. on social media and during the ment will collapse if the dozen ment’s survival depends on the as the single largest party. Shah’s Kolkata roadshow was a conspiracy, says Mamata

IANS and federal structure of the coun- Kolkata try and extend due respect to the opposition parties”. She also alleged that the com- est Bengal Chief Min- mission had appointed two re- ister Mamata Banerjee tired government offi cers - Ajay V Wyesterday alleged that Nayak and Vivek Dube - as special the Bharatiya Janata Party presi- observers “which is not in accord- dent Amit Shah’s recentroad show ance with the law”. in Kolkata was a “criminal con- “These two special observers spiracy” to defame the state gov- had shown partisan attitude and ernment. always complied with the instruc- In a letter to Chief Election tions given by the central govern- Commissioner Sunil Arora, Ban- ment and the ruling party at the erjee also requested him to com- Centre time and again. All these plete the fi nal phase of polling to- issues were brought to the notice day peacefully. of the Election Commission of In- The Trinamool Congress chief dia but no justice has been done,” alleged that the permission for she said in the letter. Shah’s roadshow was given by Meanwhile, Banerjee’s nephew “withdrawing Section 144 (pro- and the Trinamool’s Diamond hibitory orders) in the area by the Harbour constituency candidate new commissioner of police ap- Abhishek Banerjee yesterday sent pointed by the Election Commis- a defamation notice to Prime Min- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu gifts a box of mangoes to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati in Lucknow yesterday. sion”. ister Narendra Modi. Violence broke out during Referring to Modi’s May 15 Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata on rally which took place in the con- Wednesday and the statue of Ben- stituency, the legal notice, served gali polymath Ishwar Chandra by his lawyer, said: “...the malice Vidyasagar was vandalised inside with which you chose to invoke a college, named after the social certain unverifi ed, sensationalist reformer. and patently inaccurate infor- “The roadshow was itself a de- mation, ostensibly at the behest Naidu meets opposition liberate, intentional and a criminal of your party members, even conspiracy to vandalise the culture while knowing such information and heritage of Kolkata and West to be incorrect, has compelled Bengal and also to defame the my client to address you vide this West Bengal government and its letter.” people,” the letter said. “Your speech, punctuated by Banerjee also alleged that West false, malicious, and defamatory leaders ahead of results Bengal has seen “a number of il- content, was an embodiment of legal, unconstitutional and biased political calculation and mischie- IANS discuss possible alliances in the chines (EVM) was possible and party came to power in 2014 for 12 seconds after one casts his decisions during the election proc- vous intent.” New Delhi post-election scenario. thus demanded that Voter-Ver- after bagging 117 out of 175 as- votes. So in the remaining fi ve ess because of undue infl uence of The Diamond Harbour incum- Later in the evening he met ifi ed Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) sembly seats, said he had come seconds, it can be done,” he said. the central government and ruling bent MP has sought an “uncon- Samajwadi Party (SP) president slips be used as ballot papers for across some people who said that Naidu said the possibility of party at the Centre”. ditional apology” within 36 hours elugu Desam Party (TDP) Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Sa- “transparency” in the electoral election results can be swung manipulation of EVMs was the “As a result, not only the state from the prime minister. chief N Chandrababu maj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati process. in someone’s favour by paying biggest challenge and hence he administration and its offi cers but In New Delhi, Chief Minister TNaidu yesterday contin- in Lucknow. Speaking at a seminar, Naidu money. wanted “transparency” in the also the common people of the Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the ued his outreach to the opposi- Holding talks with opposition said voters should be allowed to “God knows! People are com- election process. state have been harassed and at- BJP wanted to fi nish him and the tion parties in order to fi rm up a leaders, who are not comfort- collect VVPAT slips after voting ing to us. They said if Rs5-10 “Political parties should have tacked in various manner,” the let- positive politics he had started. non-Bharatiya Janata Party front able with each other, Naidu has and put it in a ballot box so it can crore are given, you will be confi dence... That is why I am ter said. “Why does the BJP want to kill ahead of the announcement of apparently turned into an inter- be used to tally votes. elected. I asked them what is the fi ghting for last 10 years. I will Banerjee urged the commission me? What is my fault? I am only Lok Sabha poll results on May 23. locutor. “Immediately, voters will put proof. They said do not bother continue doing it tomorrow as to ensure that the election is com- building schools, hospital for The Andhra Pradesh chief On Friday he said all parties, it in the ballot box. They will not about all this. It is fraudulent,” well,” he said. pleted “peacefully, impartially, the people. For fi rst time, there minister met Congress president including rival K Chandrashek- take it outside,” he said. Naidu said. Naidu on Friday accused the and without any undue interfer- is a positive politics in the coun- Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s resi- har Rao-led Telangana Rashtra At present, voters have seven Former chief election com- Election Commission of being ence of the central government try about schools and hospitals. dence in New Delhi in the morn- Samithi (TRS), were welcome seconds to see the VVPAT slips missioner S Y Quraishi said the “pro-government”. He said that and without any intervention by The BJP wants to end this. But I ing, and then visited National- to join the non-BJP mahagath- and verify details after casting suggestion of using VVPAT slips the decisions of the commis- the ruling party at the Centre”. will continue the fi ght till my last ist Congress Party (NCP) chief bandhan (grand alliance). votes. Subsequently, it goes into for additional ballot paper voting sion were “very controversial”, Banerjee also requested Arora to breath,” the Delhi chief minister Sharad Pawar and Loktantrik Meanwhile, Naidu said manip- the connected box. may be considered. “one-sided”, and “pro-estab- protect “democratic institutions tweeted. Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav to ulation of Electronic Voting Ma- The chief minister, whose “The EVM machine goes dead lishment”. Modi meditates as mega Lalu managed RJD poll elections enter fi nal phase plan from custody IANS chief seems to have taken ad- Ranchi vantage of Ranchi’s Birsa Mun- AFP sion for the trip as election rules a coalition to form a new govern- da Central Jail manual to evade New Delhi prohibit any campaigning 48 ment. scrutiny and guide his younger hours before voting. As in previous elections, the ashtriya Janata Dal chief son Tejashwi Yadav, who now Modi, who is seeking a second polling has been marked by vio- Lalu Prasad Yadav, serv- looks after the party aff airs. rime Minister Narendra term after leading his Bharatiya Ja- lence, most recently in West Ring a 14-year jail term in According to the jail manual, a Modi embarked on a spir- nata Party (BJP) to power in 2014, Bengal where tens of thousands the fodder scam cases, seems to prisoner can meet three persons Pitual break yesterday to a fa- has pitched himself as a Hindu na- of security forces have been de- have managed his party’s poll every Saturday. mous Himalayan site in an appar- tionalist to curry favour with the ployed following street clashes planning – by cementing its al- Over the past 32 weeks, Yadav ent last-ditch eff ort to woo Hindu country’s majority community. between BJP and the state’s rul- liances and selecting its candi- met 96 people, including Lok- voters as India’s acrimonious mar- His hectic campaign which ing Trinamool Congress party. dates – while staying imprisoned tantrik Janata Dal (LJD) founder athon election wound to a close. started in March has seen him The gargantuan election has in a Ranchi hospital. Sharad Yadav, former BJP leader On the eve of the seventh and address three rallies a day on av- also seen a fl ood of “fake news”, The former Bihar chief minister Shatrughan Sinha, Rashtriya Lok fi nal day of voting in the world’s erage, criss-crossing the length including photoshopped images has been in judicial custody at the Samata Party (RLSP) president biggest democratic exercise, and breadth of the country. and edited video clips, with both paying ward of the Rajendra In- Upendra Kushwaha, former Bi- Modi, 68, meditated at a cave “PM Modi addressed 142 public the BJP and the main opposition stitute of Medical Science (RIMS) har chief minister and Hindustani wrapped in an orange robe in the rallies, held four roadshows and ac- Congress Party using legions of in neighbouring Jharkhand since Awam Morcha (HAM) president northern state of Uttarakhand. cording to conservative estimates he people to manage social media. August 30. According to doctors, Jeetan Ram Manjhi, Chatra RJD Seated on a bed and propped directly addressed about 15mn peo- “Our base case remains that a he is being treated for blood pres- candidate Subhash Yadav and up by a pillow, Modi was pic- ple in these rallies,” BJP president coalition led by Prime Minister sure, kidney problems and other some Congress leaders. tured inside the cave after having Amit Shah said on Friday. Narendra Modi will secure a par- ailments. Tejashwi met him at least 10 walked on a red carpet to the Ke- On his trip yesterday, Modi also liamentary majority after voting Before the announcement of times, while his eldest son Tej darnath shrine. reviewed reconstruction projects ends on 19 May,” Eurasia Group, elections, he sought bail from Pratap met him twice. However, He also shared pictures that after fl oods in Uttarakhand in 2013 a political risk consultancy, said the Supreme Court on health Yadav’s wife Rabri Devi did not he took en route to the shrine on killed some 6,000 people. in a report on Friday. grounds, but his petition was re- meet him even once. Twitter where he boasts 47.3mn Opinion polls predict that the “The likelihood that the rul- jected. It was at these meetings that followers. BJP may lose seats this time de- ing Bharatiya Janata Party wins a However, even under the hos- the seat sharing formula of the He had to take special permis- spite its formidable campaigning majority by itself is falling (10%, tile Bharatiya Janata Party gov- alliance partners in Bihar was fi - sion from the Election Commis- machine, meaning it might need from 15% previously).” Prime Minister Narendra Modi meditates at a cave in Kedarnath yesterday. ernment of Jharkhand, the RJD nalised. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, May 19, 2019 INDIA As ‘C-day’ nears, suspense grips Maharashtra parties

IANS Though the elections in Ma- what will be the impact of the uno political family, other BJP there is huge ‘suspense’ as to kari and former Congress central homemakers have only added to Mumbai harashtra were completed on over a dozen “poll-eve migra- leaders joined the chorus and what impact Thackeray’s rallies minister Sushilkumar Shinde, the ‘suspense’. April 29, there is a lot of trepida- tions” on their respective parties publicly vowed to permanently will have on the election out- among others. “Contrary to speculation, the tion in the minds of all political and candidates and whether the “eliminate” the Pawars from come, and if this could be a har- For the fi rst time in independ- middle and lower middle class ith countdown for parties who hope for the best scions of political families would state politics, but the Pawars binger of things to come in the ent India, some top industrial- may not opt for status quo, but counting of votes for and prepare for the worst ahead continue their infl uence. laughed it off . upcoming assembly elections in ists came out in open support show silent vendetta through the Wthe Lok Sabha polls of the declaration of results on Among the many crosso- However, this seemed to have Maharashtra. of the Congress candidate from EVMs,” said Trade Unions Joint having begun, suspense punctu- May 23. vers, prominent were those of rebounded on the BJP from an al- In a fi rst, Maharashtra wit- Mumbai South and former min- Action Committee (TUJAC) con- ated by an unusual phobia over The state, along with the rest Congress leader Radhakrishna together unexpected direction in nessed a volatile Dalit-Muslim ister Milind M. Deora, sending vener Vishwas Utagi. the gaminess of the Electronic of the country, witnessed a bit- Vikhe-Patil’s son, Sujay Vikhe- the form of Maharashtra Navnir- force - the Vanchit Bahujan panic-waves among the BJP- Finally, there is suspicion - Voting Machines (EVMs) has ter campaign for its 48 Lok Sabha Patil, and senior NCP leader man Sena (MNS) president Raj Aghadi (VBA) a combination of Sena combine on ‘the hidden more than suspense - among gripped various opposition par- seats between the two main con- and ex-deputy chief minister Thackeray. Bharipa Bahujan Mahajan and All message’. many opposition parties and ties and their leaders in Mahar- tenders - the ruling Bharatiya Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil’s son The MNS did not contest a India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Mus- Though both parties have cho- politicians over the much-ma- ashtra. Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil, both of single seat, but Thackeray held limeen, which jointly contested sen not to publicly comment on ligned EVMs, for which they The EVMs, which were fi rst and the Congress-Nationalist whom jumped ship to the BJP. around 10 rallies and launched all the 48 seats in the state. the ramifi cations, social media made rounds of the Supreme used in 50 polling stations in an Congress Party combine. Then there is worry over the vitriolic attacks on the ruling The VBA led to tremors in both circles gleefully attribute it to Court, but were unsuccessful. assembly by-election in North “The suspense is killing. I can’t impact of Prime Minister Naren- BJP-Sena combine and the Na- the BJP-Sena and Congress-NCP ‘winds of change’ sensed by the There is a strong clamour Paravur in Kerala in 1981, are now wait too long for the authori- dra Modi’s rallies in the state in tional Democratic Alliance (NDA) alliances for its untried potential country’s business community. among the opposition parties to looked upon as an enigma. ties to open the EVMs which will which he primarily targeted NCP in key constituencies which at- to snatch away the crucial Dalit- The eff ects of infl ation, ris- scrap the EVMs, which they al- Given that most opposition be unlocked on the morning of president Sharad Pawar and his tracted enthusiastic crowds. Muslim votes, which could po- ing fuel prices and increasing lege are ‘unreliable’, and revert to parties believe that the EVMs May 23,” said a leader close to the family. With embarrassing audio-vis- tentially spell doom for several costs of living, which have made the time-tested ballot paper vot- could be manipulated, they are Congress candidate in Mumbai. Buoyed by Modi’s repeated at- ual presentations which pushed prominent contestants, includ- domestic budgets go haywire, ing, as many other countries have keeping their fi ngers crossed. Politicians are also wondering tacks on Maharashtra’s numero the ruling combine to the walls, ing federal minister Nitin Gad- and the seething rage among the already done. EC row over election code ‘avoidable’, says poll chief

IANS speculation, innuendos and in- Party president Amit Shah on New Delhi sinuations in this regard should their respective speeches, went be eschewed.” unrecorded. Arora said there had been dif- Lavasa, in his letter, insisted hief Election Commis- ferences between the EC mem- that he would attend the EC sioner (CEC) Sunil Arora bers in the past, but he believed meetings if his minority deci- Cyesterday termed as “un- that “eloquence of silence” was sions were also included in the savoury and avoidable” a con- far more desirable “than creating orders of the commission. troversy over the Model Code ill-timed controversies”. The three-member “full com- of Conduct (MCC) and Election “The three members of the mission” consists of the CEC Commissioner Ashok Lavasa’s ECI are not expected to be tem- and two election commission- Eelection off icials carry Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) from a distribution centre in Amritsar, letter to him on this. plates or clones of each other. ers, Lavasa and Sushil Chandra. Punjab, yesterday on the eve of the seventh and final phase of general elections. Arora said the commission There have been so many times Federal Law Minister Ravi will meet on Tuesday to “discuss in the past when there has been Shankar Prasad refused to com- this and related matters”. a vast diversion of views as it can ment on the controversy and In a statement, Arora said: and should be,” he said. said reports of rifts in the EC “There has been an unsavoury “But the same largely re- were its internal matter. and avoidable controversy re- mained within the confi nes of “It is an internal matter of the ported in sections of the me- ECI till demission of offi ce. Un- EC and it is not proper to say Security stepped up for fi nal dia today about the internal less appearing much later in a anything,” Prasad said. functioning of Election Com- book written by the concerned However, the Congress Par- mission of India with respect ECs (election commissioners) or ty attacked Prime Minister to the handling of the Model CECs.” Narendra Modi over the con- Code of Conduct. This has Arora said he had personally troversy. phase of polls in W Bengal come at a time when all the never shied away from a public Congress spokesman Randeep CEOs (chief electoral offic- debate whenever required “but Singh Surjewala called it “a day- IANS rangements have been completed. response time will not exceed 15 the AAP has been levelling since ers) and their teams across the there is time for everything”. light murder of constitutional Kolkata Measures are in place taking all minutes, Dubey said. the Congress government came country are geared towards the “There was a reason I told a norms, set conventions and pro- the factors under considerations,” A civic constable has been at- to power in Punjab. seventh and last phase of poll- leading daily a few days back, priety.” Ajay V Nayak, special observer for tached as a guide and liaison of- Mann, the AAP candidate ing tomorrow followed by the that eloquence of silence is He said the poll panel’s rules ecurity was tightened in West Bengal, said yesterday. fi cer to each QRT. In all the nine for the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat, gigantic task of counting on always difficult but far more express preference for the unan- West Bengal yesterday “Prohibitory orders under parliamentary constituencies quoted Sidhu as saying both were May 23.” desirable to see the election imous view, but provide for a Sahead of the fi nal phase of Section 144 of the CrPC has been they would be ready to strike or in league to protect each other’s He said that the last EC meet- process through, instead of majority ruling in the absence of Lok Sabha elections today. clamped up to a distance of 200m raid the targeted joints and take personal and political interests. ing on May 14 “unanimously de- creating ill-timed controver- unanimity. An uneasy calm prevails in the from the polling stations. Viola- troublemakers into custody, In a statement, Mann said even cided” that some groups would sies.” “Being a constitutional body, West Bengal capital Kolkata that tion of this order may result in Dubey said. though the people of Punjab were be formed to discuss the issues, Arora said all the chief elec- the minority view has to be re- witnessed large-scale violence three years of rigorous imprison- Route marches were being privy to the ‘friendly’ match be- which arose in the course of this toral offi cers and senior EC of- corded, but this is being tram- and vandalism because of which ment with a fi ne,” Central Police continued in vulnerable areas as tween the two families the views year’s elections, just as it was fi cials have given their utmost pled to protect Modi-Shah duo,” campaigning was stopped 20 Observer Vivek Dubey said. confi dence-building measures. expressed by a senior cabinet done after the 2014 Lok Sabha in the last six phases of the elec- the Congress leader said. hours before the scheduled time. He said the 710 companies of The Kolkata police were seen minister in the Amarinder Singh elections. tions, “which barring an odd in- Omitting the dissent of Lava- Over 700 companies of cen- central forces will provide 100% checking various hotels to see government was signifi cant and “The Model Code of Conduct cident here or there, have been sa, simply because he had asked tral forces, 460 Quick Response static postings at all the 17,058 ‘purpose of the visitors’ staying proved the AAP’s allegations. (MCC) was one of the 13 issues/ largely peaceful and conducted for a notice to be issued to Modi, Teams (QRT) and state police polling booths. there. Police is alert at all check Had there been no friendly areas which were identifi ed,” he in a fair, free and transparent had severely tarnished the EC’s were deployed today’s polling in In addition, 461 QRTs headed points in and out of the state. feelings between the two promi- added. manner.” institutional integrity, Surjewala West Bengal. by an assistant commandant of In other election-related news, nent political families, ump- The poll chief insisted that In his letter to Arora, Lavasa said. Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, central forces will also support, Bhagwant Mann, the Aam Aadmi teen cases of corruption against Lavasa’s letter was an internal recused himself from attending According to him, the Con- Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Dubey added. Party’s Punjab unit chief said the Badals would not have been matter of the poll panel. full commission meetings held gress had fi led 11 complaints Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Kolkata police will have 178 Punjab minister Navjot Singh shelved nor would Amarinder “It needs to be clarifi ed cat- to decide on MCC violations, af- to the EC about the brazen poll South, and Kolkata North will QRTs. The QRTs have been in- Sidhu has put his stamp on the Singh have received a clean chit egorically and unambiguously ter his dissent on the clean chit code violation by Modi and vote today. structed to reach a scene of trou- allegations of Sukhbir Badal- in multi-crore scams, the AAP that this is purely an internal given to Prime Minister Naren- Shah, but the complaints were “All the security-related ar- ble in fi ve to seven minutes. The Amarinder Singh bonhomie that leader said. matter of ECI and as such any dra Modi and BharatiyaJanata- thrown in the dustbin. Govt rejects offi cer’s Four militants killed in Kashmir shootouts supersession grudge IANS A second-generation soldier, Srinagar Aurangzeb of the 44 Rashtriya IANS ernment named Vice Admiral Rifl es was abducted from a pri- New Delhi Karambir Singh as successor to vate vehicle on June 14 last year Admiral Sunil Lanba, who will hree suspected Hizbul from Kalampora village of Pul- retire on May 30. Mujahideen militants, in- wama when he was on way to he government has dis- While rejecting the plea, the Tcluding one involved in join his family in Poonch dis- missed a complaint by ministry claimed that seniority the abduction and murder of a trict to celebrate Eid. His bul- TVice Admiral Bimal Verma was not the only criterion for top soldier last year, were killed in a let-riddled body was found in against a decision to ignore him appointments in the armed forc- gunfi ght in Jammu and Kashmir’s Gusoo village of Pulwama the for the navy chief’s post although es and such selections have been Pulwama district yesterday. next day. he is the most senior offi cer. done several times in the past. Another militant was killed in The three Hizbul men were Verma had fi led a statutory Verma was the most senior a shootout in Baramulla, police killed early yesterday after an complaint to the Defence Min- among the vice admirals but the said. overnight gunbattle in Punzgam. istry after the Armed Forces government decided to appoint Police sources said Showkat Apart from Dar, who hailed Tribunal (AFT) asked him to ap- Karambir Singh as the next navy Ahmad Dar, a Hizbul militant from Punzgam, the other two proach the government with his chief. killed in Punzgam village of Pul- were identifi ed as Muzaff ar grievance before taking the legal Verma had fi led the complaint wama, was involved in abduction Ahmed and Irfan Ahmad from recourse. addressed to Defence Minister and subsequent murder of soldier Sopore area of Baramulla. Verma, who heads the Anda- Nirmala Sitharaman on April 10. Aurangzeb, who had participated Another gunbattle broke out in Mita Santra (second left), wife of CRPF trooper Bablu Santra receives a cheque of Rs101,000 during an man and Nicobar tri-service He had sought an early response in an operation in which top mili- Hathlangoo village of Baramulla event by Siliguri Taxation Bar Association in Siliguri, West Bengal, yesterday. The association organised command, was overlooked for but the ministry took more than tant commander, Sameer Tiger, after a militant fi red at a cordon the event to donate Rs101,000 each the families of the CRPF personnel killed in a deadly attack on a the navy chief’s post as the gov- a month to dismiss his plea. was killed on April 30 last year. and search party. convoy in Kashmir on February 14. Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 19 LATIN AMERICA

WOOING THE PEOPLE CAUSE UNKNOWN SEPARATE CHARGE TRAGEDY MOURNED Priest found murdered Colombia frees, re-arrests Mexico slammed for death American shot dead in in El Salvador church former guerrilla leader of migrant girl in custody jail was Ortega critic

A priest was found murdered in his church A former left-wing guerrilla leader wanted by the The death of a migrant girl in Mexican custody is Eddy Montes, a protester shot dead in a in a small town west of San Salvador, a United States for drug traff icking was arrested an “atrocious tragedy” with parallels to what has Nicaragua prison last week, was a naturalised US police source said yesterday. The Catholic on his release from prison in Colombia on Friday. happened in the United States, rights watchdog citizen who served in the US Navy, but ultimately cleric, identified as Cecilio Perez, was found Jesus Santrich, a blind former leader of the FARC Amnesty International said on Friday. Amnesty said returned to the Central American country where by parishioners in the San Jose La Majada rebels, was freed following an order by the special the 10-year-old Guatemalan girl and her mother he fought for a change in government, his church in Juayua, an agent of El Salvador’s peace court tasked with judging crimes committed travelled on a bus for 20 hours as they were family has said. Montes died on Thursday after National Civil Police told AFP, on condition of during Colombia’s half century of armed conflict. transferred from the state of Chihuahua, bordering he and other prisoners tried to snatch a gun anonymity. The officer said an investigation The Special Jurisdiction for Peace ordered the the US, to a migrant centre in Mexico City. The girl from a guard while the International Red Cross was in its earliest stages and it was not yet 52-year-old’s release to comply with the “non- was admitted to the hospital with a sore throat. was visiting the prison, the Nicaraguan interior known who might have killed the priest. El extradition guarantee” that formed part of the Interior undersecretary for human rights Alejandro ministry said, adding that the guard acted in Salvador last year tallied 3,340 homicides, 2016 peace accord that brought an end to FARC’s Encinas later said that while the girl did complain self-defence. He had been jailed after protesting Bolivia’s President Evo Morales greets people amounting to a rate of 51 killings per 100,000 50-year insurrection. The public prosecutor’s off ice of a sore throat, she died from a head injury after against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega during a visit on Friday to San Francisco, inhabitants, making it one of the world’s most said it “acted on” an arrest warrant related to the falling in the dormitory where her mother was in October last year, during protests that have Chapare region. violent countries not at war. drug-traff icking investigation. staying, according to the Excelsior newspaper. killed at least 300 people. Cristina Fernandez takes surprise back seat in election race

By Adam Jourdan, Reuters Carlos Fara, a Buenos Aires- both of us, him as the presiden- Buenos Aires based political consultant. tial candidate and me as candi- “Nobody will imagine they date for the vice position,” she are voting for Alberto without added. rgentina’s Cristina Fern- thinking that it’s a vote for Cris- Cristina Fernandez, who has andez de Kirchner will run tina. In the eyes of the public it a strong core following, was Aas a vice presidential can- will be Alberto governing, but seen as the most likely threat to didate in elections later this year, Cristina in power.” Macri, although many remain a surprise move by the fi rebrand The move nonetheless propels wary of turning back to a presi- former leader who had been Alberto Fernandez, not previ- dent who also brought in cur- widely expected to be the main ously on the radar as a presiden- rency controls and raised taxes challenger to incumbent Mauri- tial hopeful, into an election race on farm exports. cio Macri. expected to be tightly fought be- Reuters reported in March the The left-leaning populist, tween Macri and rivals lining up former leader was trying to build a divisive character in South from among the broad Peronist support in talks with moderate America’s No 2 economy, said opposition. Peronists but was struggling to in a video posted yesterday on Argentines will head to the gain much traction, threatening social media she would run for polls in October, with Macri in- her ability to beat Macri head- the deputy position with former creasingly under fi re amid a bit- to-head. cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez ing recession and infl ation that Alberto Fernandez had been as the presidential candidate. has hurt the market friendly involved in those discussions on The unexpected move will leader in the polls. her behalf. shake up an election race many “The situation of the people The centrist former chief of thought would be a choice be- and the country is dramatic, and staff under President Nestor tween Macri’s tough market I’m convinced this arrangement Kirchner, Cristina Fernandez’s reforms and the more fi ery we’re proposing best refl ects late husband, could make more populism of Fernandez, who what is needed in Argentina at inroads with the moderate wing Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino (left) wave national flags during the march of loyalty with the supported high social subsidies this time,” Fernandez said in a of the party by wooing its mem- Superior Staff of the Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Armed Forces in the Zodi Aragua state on Friday. when she ran the country be- nearly 13-minute video on her bers on his own behalf. tween 2007 and 2015. offi cial Twitter account. The Fernandez running mates “It surprising because it’s not “I have asked Alberto Fernan- are not related despite sharing a a move anyone imagined,” said dez to lead a team that includes surname. Maduro hails Norway talks with opposition

AFP “There is no negotiation whatsoever,” Norway’s foreign ministry said in a state- Caracas Guaido made clear in comments to report- ment it had made “preliminary contacts US sanctions Mexico judge, ex-governor ers. with representatives of the main political Instead, Norwegian offi cials were “trying actors of Venezuela.” resident Nicolas Maduro on Friday to mediate” with both sides to bring them to These were “part of an exploratory phase, Reuters dominant drug gangs and the sec- Mexico’s fi nance ministry said welcomed the “beginning of talks” the table. with the aim of contributing to fi nding a Mexico City ond-biggest seller of drugs on US in a statement that the targeted Pwith the Venezuelan opposition in Friday’s ceremony in Aragua was attend- solution to the situation in the country,” it streets, according to the US Drug people were on the “blacklists” Norway, after months of bloody clashes be- ed by Communications Minister Jorge Rod- added. Enforcement Administration (DEA). of both countries. tween the two sides. riguez and Miranda state Governor Hector The opposition said it was being repre- he United States on Fri- “Our ultimate goal is to destroy “This is a new era of inter- “The talks have begun nicely to move to- Rodriguez, the government’s representa- sented by National Assembly vice president day slapped sanctions and degrade drug traffi cking or- agency collaboration and coor- ward agreements of peace, agreement and tives in the Oslo talks. Stalin Gonzalez and former lawmaker Ger- Ton a Mexican judge and a ganizations such as the CJNG and dination between our nations harmony, and I ask for the support of all Maduro hailed the “good news” hours ardo Blyde. former state governor, accusing Los Cuinis. Today’s action is an- in the fi ght against corruption, Venezuelan people to advance on the path after Norway reported on preliminary con- US-backed Guaido is recognised by doz- them of taking bribes from drug other step toward our goal,” said money laundering and the fi - of peace,” Maduro said in a declaration at tacts between the parties. ens of countries as interim president after traffi ckers, and saying that gov- DEA Los Angeles’ Special Agent nancing of terrorism,” said San- a ceremony in front of 6,500 troops in the Earlier, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza dismissing Maduro’s presidency as “illegiti- ernment corruption had allowed in Charge, David J Downing. tiago Nieto, head of the Mexican northern state of Aragua. gave the fi rst offi cial confi rmation from Ca- mate” following his re-election last year in Mexican drug gangs to grow and The magistrate judge, Isidro fi nance ministry’s fi nancial in- Confronted with the worst socio-eco- racas of its involvement in what Norway re- polls widely dismissed as rigged. operate with impunity. Avelar Gutierrez, accepted bribes telligence unit. nomic crisis in the oil-producing country’s ferred to as exploratory discussions in Oslo. Maduro has been shunned by much of the Nine other people and ten from drug traffi cking organisa- Mexican President Andres recent history, the socialist leader added The mediation bid comes after a months- international community for presiding over groups were also designated in tions in exchange for favorable Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took that “Venezuela has to process its confl icts” long power struggle between National As- the country’s economic collapse, which has the sanctions for what the US rulings for their senior members, offi ce in December, has pledged and seek solutions “by way of peace.” sembly leader Guaido and the socialist pres- led to shortages of basic goods — forcing Treasury Department said was Treasury said. to stamp out corruption. He declared the “beginning and explora- ident, with sometimes deadly street clashes. millions to fl ee — as well as brutally sup- their involvement with drug traf- The former governor of the A senior member of the CJNG, tion of conversations and dialogues” with Maduro on Thursday made no direct ref- pressing dissent. fi cking and links to the powerful Mexican state of Nayarit, Rober- Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytan, who the opposition. erence to the meetings, but said Rodriguez He retains the backing of major creditors Jalisco New Generation Cartel to Sandoval Castaneda, was des- is also known as “El Sapo,” was Maduro’s depiction of the talks was at was “on a very important mission for peace Russia, China and Cuba, as well as the pow- (CJNG) and the Los Cuinis Drug ignated for corruption activities among those hit with sanctions, odds with opposition leader Juan Guaido in the country...in Europe.” erful military. Traffi cking Organization. including accepting bribes and for what the US said was kidnap- who on Thursday denied they were under- So far, details of the exact process under- Shortages of basic goods have forced mil- The CJNG is one of Mexico’s misappropriating state funds. pings and numerous killings. way. way in Oslo have been scant. lions to fl ee Venezuela. Life goes on under cloud of smog in Mexico City

By Joshua Howat Berger, AFP But the wildfi res have un- avoid physical activity outdoors, you’re going up the stairs and Mexico City doubtedly made matters worse. and children, the elderly and suddenly you can’t walk or They have sent the levels of those with respiratory illnesses breathe,” said Diana Mariscal, 21, PM2.5 soaring — tiny particles to remain inside. a communications student from cientists say breathing the produced by any fi re that are the They have cancelled school the central city of Pachuca who heavily polluted air in Mex- deadliest air pollutant. and sporting events. was visiting for the weekend. Sico City these days is like Authorities declared a pollu- The football league moved a Authorities have shut down smoking somewhere between a tion alert from Tuesday to Friday, key semi-fi nal match to Quere- large construction sites, restrict- quarter- and a half-pack of ciga- after the micro-particle level hit taro, some 200km to the north- ed the use of older vehicles and rettes a day. 158 micrograms per cubic meter. west. ordered certain polluting indus- But that has not stopped Os- That is the equivalent of smok- Many residents who can aff ord tries to cut emissions by 30% to car Chong from going out for his ing more than seven cigarettes a it have decided to do the same, 40 %. daily workout, despite four days day, according to a widely cited skipping town until the pollution They have even shut down of warnings from the authorities study by US doctors Richard and dies down — though many tradi- some of the city’s beloved street- to avoid strenuous physical ac- Elizabeth Muller. tional getaway spots outside the food stands to reduce smoke. tivity outside. On Friday, the level fell slight- city are polluted, too. But Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum “I’m addicted to exercise. If I ly, leading the authorities to call That includes the picturesque and President Andres Manuel don’t work out on a daily basis, I off the alert. colonial city of Puebla, 135km to Lopez Obrador — close allies in don’t feel well. It actually helps But breathing the air was still the southeast, which is dealing the leftist ruling party Morena release my creativity, among many equivalent to smoking nearly with an extra dose of pollution — have faced criticism over the other things. If I just stayed home, fi ve cigarettes a day, according to thanks to the nearby Popocate- government’s slow reaction. I’d be staring at the walls, staring the 2015 study, which compared petl volcano, which has been And none of the authorities’ at my computer screen, and ideas deaths from air pollution and spewing ash into the sky. anti-pollution measures amount are never born that way,” Chong, a smoking. Other residents have little to anything if they are not en- graphic designer, told AFP. The “goal of this calculation is choice but to ride out the smog, forced, underlined Chong. The trim 51-year-old was tak- to help give people an apprecia- which stings many people’s eyes “Take the restrictions on older ing a break from his interval tion for the health eff ects of air and throats. cars, for example,” he said. workout in the capital’s largest A group of students wear face masks during a ceremony at Zocalo Square in Mexico City on Friday. pollution,” the Mullers wrote. “I’ve been trying not to go out. “The (emissions) verifi cation park, the Bosque de Chapultepec “Of course, unlike cigarette It smells like something burned,” centres are full of corruption, — which the authorities actually The sprawling city — a metropol- broken out across central Mexico are also at fault. smoking, the pollution reaches Nicte Munoz, 38, said from be- and always have been. There closed at one point this week, to itan area of more than 20mn peo- in recent weeks, and the lack of Mexico City is prone to air every age group.” hind a surgical mask on her way may be a system designed to at- hammer home the message that ple — has been blanketed in a thick wind or rain to disperse the re- pollution, both because of the The gray cloud of smog has to the environmental organisa- tack the pollution problem, but running or cycling in the middle cloud of smog since last weekend. sulting particles. mountains that surround it — scrambled people’s routines in tion where she works. the reality is, it’s not. Pollution of an air pollution alert was not a Authorities blame the problem However, experts agree the trapping smog overhead — and the sprawling mega-city. “It’s not at all good for our just continues, one way or an- good idea. on dozens of wildfi res that have city’s chronic pollution problems its more than 5mn cars. Offi cials are urging residents to health. It feels horrible when other.” Gulf Times 20 Sunday, May 19, 2019 PAKISTAN New tax amnesty scope ‘broadened to benefi t masses’

Internews gated through presidential ordi- While the previous tax amnes- assets”, said AF Ferguson, which Application of the automatic the federal government to pro- ous schemes, due to the above Karachi nance. ty scheme allowed only Pakistani is also the partner company of exchange of information under vide an opportunity for declara- changes of circumstances, the AF Ferguson and Company, a citizens to fi le the declarations, the Federal Board of Revenue the common reporting standard tion of such assets / expenditures chartered accountants company member fi rm of the PriceWater- the latest law does not make any (FBR). of the Organisation for Economic before any signifi cant prosecu- said. he government of Pakistan houseCoopers network, said that such restriction, the chartered The company said that the Co-operation and Development tion drive is undertaken. There are certain matters has expanded the scope of any individual could make a dec- accountants fi rm said. Benami Transactions (Prohibi- (OECD) has already resulted in Moreover, there are various tax where necessary clarifi cation will Tnew tax amnesty scheme laration of undisclosed assets, The government promulgated tion) Act 2017 became operation- availability of substantial infor- disputes where the amounts are be issued in due course. for the declaration of undisclosed expenditures, sales and benami the Assets Declaration Ordi- al this year owing to the issuance mation with the FBR about for- outstanding due to the pendency It is also expected that the issu- foreign and domestic assets, a assets under the latest money nance 2019 on May 14, “which is of relevant rules whereby holding eign assets of Pakistanis. of the cases in courts of law. ance of the ordinance by the fed- chartered accountants fi rm said. “whitening” scheme. a step in the right direction, ne- of benami assets is declared as il- “The information has the po- The ordinance also caters for eral government will be followed The federal cabinet, presided A benami is a transaction that cessitated by the prevailing cir- legal. tential of being used for the iden- the payment of such demands by announcement of amnesties over by Prime Minister Imran is considered a form of money cumstances of the economy and “It was, therefore, imperative tifi cation of assets/expenditures without any penal consequences, by the provincial governments Khan, earlier this week approved laundering: a transaction in tax culture of Pakistan where not to bring a transitional declara- currently out of the documented subject to certain restrictions. to encourage the declaration of a new tax amnesty scheme for which property is transferred to only a sizeable part of assets is tion mechanism for providing an system,” AF Ferguson said. The Assets Declaration Or- services revenue not yet declared undisclosed domestic and for- one person for consideration paid undeclared/under-declared, but opportunity to bring these assets Under these circumstances, it dinance 2019 is diff erent in and to allow payment of related eign assets, and it was promul- by another. is also held in the form of benami into the documented economy.” is a requisite gesture on part of certain aspects from the previ- services tax.

Freelancers upset over PayPal refusal PPP calls meeting of to service Pakistan

Internews Karachi Right now PayPal does not opposition parties akistan’s freelancer accept businesses in Pakistan. community, which is PPP asks PML-N to replace It is believed that the opposi- However, he added, that the and may not be able to give prop- Sharif is at present in London Psaid to be the fourth larg- 52.4% with 21mn cards issued Punjab opposition leader tion leaders at the meeting would decision on this would be taken er time for overseeing parlia- undergoing medical tests. est in the world, has expressed by commercial banks. discuss the formation of a grand at the Bilawal House meeting. mentary aff airs,” PPP parliamen- In a reference to the boycott of disappointment over reports By the end of 2017, the Internews opposition alliance against the During the Zardari House tary leader in Punjab Assembly elections of the standing com- of PayPal not extending its number of bank accounts had Islamabad/Lahore Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) meeting, Khokhar said, the PPP Hassan Murtaza said. mittees chairmen by the PML- services to the country. reached 49mn. government. considered all options to join the He argued in a statement that N, Murtaza complained that the PayPal operates a worldwide “[To be able to move for- Spokesman for the PPP chair- PML-N’s planned post-Eid pro- because of a lack of co-ordina- PPP and other opposition parties online payment system that ward, we need] an interna- he Pakistan Peoples Party man, Senator Mustafa Nawaz test. tion between Shehbaz and other were not being taken into confi - supports online money trans- tionally-recognised payment (PPP) has called a meet- Khokhar, said that Bhutto Zard- During the meeting, the PPP parties, the opposition is failing dence on the decision, and said fers refused to introduce its gateway like Alipay and a Ting of almost all opposi- ari telephoned Maryam to invite leaders discussed many issues, to devise a strategy and give a that they are not (morally) bound services in the country. home-grown payment mecha- tion parties at Bilawal House at her to the meeting. including the recent price hikes, tough time to the government. to follow the policy of the PML- The company operates in nism that benefi ts the econ- an Iftar to chalk out a joint anti- He said that Maryam had given the government’s deal with the “There should be an opposi- N, and would take part in the 190 markets across the world. omy domestically,” suggested government strategy, against the assurances that she would defi - International Monetary Fund for tion leader who could spare time elections for the standing com- There has been a repeated Hyderi. backdrop of the recent price hike nitely take part in the meeting. a bailout package, and actions by for parliamentary aff airs and do mittees’ chairmanship. demand from freelancers and Given PayPal’s demand due in the country. Khokhar said that the heads of the National Accountability Bu- eff ective opposition against the Meanwhile, PPP Punjab chap- e-commerce players to bring to the company’s easy-to-use The decision was taken at a other opposition parties had also reau against PPP leaders. government’s policies.” ter president Qamar Zaman Kaira PayPal to Pakistan. mechanism, trust across the meeting of the PPP’s core com- accepted the invitation. Khokhar said that the meet- He said that if the opposition said that because of incompe- Former fi nance minister board and fraud prevention, mittee held at Zardari House, It would not be a multi-party ing also discussed the recent- does not act in an eff ective way tence of the PTI government, the Asad Umar had also shown the freelancer community, with party chairman Bilawal meeting, but a huddle of all op- ly-passed 26th Constitution now to check what he said anti- value of rupee has registered a commitment to facilitating its which is currently using non- Bhutto Zardari in the chair. position parties in which their Amendment for increasing masses policies of the PTI-led record fall against the US dollar. arrival. banking (informal) channels to Pakistan Muslim League – Na- leaders would discuss the future seats for tribal areas in the Na- government, the people would In a statement, he said that The eff ort has, however, receive payments, is faced with waz (PPP) leader Maryam Nawaz line of action and formation of a tional Assembly and Khyber Pa- not forgive them. dollar had vanished from the been in vain. a host of issues. was also invited to the meeting. grand alliance against the gov- khtunkhwa Assembly. Murtaza said that the people of open market as its value against On Thursday, a Senate com- “The dollar rate for pay- Others opposition leaders who ernment. Meanwhile, the PPP has ad- Punjab are looking to the opposi- rupee had gone up to Rs147, and mittee was informed that the ments at banks is very diff erent were invited to the meeting in- Answering a question whether vised the PML-N to replace tion parties to take action. the government’s warning of US company would not come from the open market. If the cluded Awami National Party the PPP would join the PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz as the opposi- Hamza’s father, Shehbaz Shar- action against hoarders of the to Pakistan. exchange rate is Rs148 to the (ANP) president Asfandyar Wali, planned street after Eid, Khokhar tion leader in the Punjab Assem- if, is the Opposition Leader in the greenback had proved futile. “PayPal did not decline be- dollar, we get the payment at Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam – Fazlur said that there is a realisation in bly. National Assembly. Kaira accused Prime Minister cause it has issues operating in Rs141,” said Faiza Yousaf, co- (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur the PPP as well that the time had “The PML-N should replace He stepped down as parlia- Imran Khan of being unable to Pakistan, [but] their internal founder of start-up GeneTech Rehman, and Pashtunkhwa Milli come when the people should hit Hamza as opposition leader with mentary leader and as Public devise economic policy and not working is such that they are Solutions in Karachi. Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Me- the streets against the govern- someone else, as he is engaged in Accounts Committee chairman knowing anything about govern- not ready to introduce serv- Yousaf, who relies on inter- hmood Khan Achakzai. ment’s “faulty” policies. personal and family court cases, recently. ance. ices in Pakistan,” Information national payments for fi nan- Technology Secretary Ma- cial operations of her start- roof Afzal had told the Senate up, said that relying on bank Honorary appointment of new tax standing committee on IT. transfer and local channels If PayPal comes to Paki- meant waiting for days to re- chief challenged in Islamabad court All in a day’s work stan, it will facilitate around ceive payment. 200,000 freelancers and over “With PayPal, one can send The appointment of Syed Shabbar Zaidi as chairman of the Federal 7,000 registered small and me- the invoice directly to cus- Board of Revenue (FBR) of Pakistan has been challenged at the dium enterprises (SMEs). tomer or through easy integra- Islamabad High Court (IHC), with the petitioner arguing that under Besides, there are also thou- tion on the website within two the FBR law, the appointment is illegal. sands of e-commerce contrib- minutes,” she said. Petitioner Ali Mohamed, a grade 19 Inland Revenue off icer, has utors who are not registered. Besides reductions and de- requested that the court set aside the appointment. “PayPal is the de facto pay- lays in payments, the choice of Mohamed in his petition states that Zaidi was working as partner of ment mechanism abroad. clients available to work with private chartered accountant firm when government appointed him What has happened in the ab- local start-ups and freelancers as FBR chairman on May 9 on and “honorary basis/pro bono basis”. sence of PayPal or an interna- is also limited. The petition said that “according to the law laid down by the IHC, tionally-recognised payment “On Upwork (a global free- under the FBR Act, a person from private sector may be appointed gateway is that freelancers and lancing platform), most clients chairman of the FBR in the exceptional and extraordinary SMEs have hacked other ways refuse to work because they circumstances through a duly advertised process”. of doing services and get- only trust PayPal for transac- In reference to the court order, the petition states that previously ting money from abroad,” said tions,” she added. in 2012, a person from the private sector, Arshad Ali Hakim, was P@ASHA (Pakistan Software In August 2018, according to appointed on contact basis for two years in same way by the Houses Association for IT and the SBP, Pakistan’s IT export government, but the court set aside the appointment. ITES) secretary general Shehr- crossed $1bn mark for the fi rst The petitioner argues that there is no law under which the FBR yar Hydri said. time in history. chairman can be appoint on an honorary basis. ITES stands for IT Enabled The Pakistan Tehreek-e- He further states that Zaidi has “neither the requisite experience nor Service. Insaf (PTI) government has qualification in tax administration”. Explaining how these hacks chalked out plans to boost IT Meanwhile, the appointment of Umar Khan Lodhi as the managing work, Hydri said that the exports to over $6bn by 2020 director of Utility Stores Corporation (USC) was also challenged in SMEs had accounts opened and $10bn by 2025, and has the IHC. abroad through their relatives also emphasised on the digiti- The appointment has been challenged by USC senior general or someone they know and re- sation of the economy and the manager Wajid Ali Khan, who said that he should have been ceive payments there. IT sector. included in the process of appointing the managing director on the A labourer works on an under-construction railway bridge in Lahore. “From the government’s It has formed a special task basis of seniority. point of view, this is a major force on IT, comprising big leakage in the system when names of the industry, to cre- people are forced to keep their ate jobs and facilitate exports. money abroad,” he added. However, the e-commerce About PayPal’s reservations community believes that over extending its services to the government is not doing Clear change in apex court’s approach to public interest cases Pakistan, Hydri regretted that enough to facilitate the IT in- a major drawback was that the dustry. point-of-sale system (POS) “PayPal never agreed to Internews an eff ort shall be made – either ness, which is detrimental to the had not really taken off . come to Pakistan in the fi rst Islamabad through a full court meeting or court’s reputation.” “International companies place. Pakistan’s market size is through a judicial exercise – to Gilani said that the proper fo- such as PayPal look into trans- not good enough for the Amer- determine and lay down the rum for most writs is the high action numbers and bank ac- ican company, and even the ince the elevation of Asif scope and parameters of the ex- court and direct hearing before counts when considering join- credit card penetration is less Saeed Khosa as the chief ercise of the original jurisdiction the Supreme Court under 184(3) ing a market. In Pakistan, POS than 3mn,” said the National SJustice of Pakistan (CJP) in of the court under Article 184(3). reduces one layer of appeal, and credit cards penetration is Incubation Centre (Karachi) January this year, the Supreme He had even called the full which is important for ensuring not healthy,” he said. director Shahjahan Chaudhry. Court’s approach to entertaining court to consider amendment in due process of law. According to the State Bank “We need to work on our public interest matters for en- Chief Justice of Pakistan Khosa is order XXV Supreme Court Rules However, an insider revealed of Pakistan (SBP), the total value proposition to convince forcement of fundamental rights focusing on clearing the backlog relating to the exercise of pow- that after two months there will number of credit cards cur- such companies to come to Pa- under Article 184 (3) of Constitu- of cases. ers under Article 184 (3) of the Nisar: made extensive use of his be a visible change in the apex rently stands at 3.6mn, where- kistan. We are not answering tion has visibly changed. Constitution as proposed by the suo motu powers when he was court’s policy for entertaining as the share of debit cards is what they need,” he said. Neither the Chief Justice Kho- in which grievances could be re- Supreme Court Bar Association the chief justice. human rights cases. sa has taken any suo motu notice dressed by any other forum. (SCBA) last year. “You will see big change in the nor entertained any case for- Pending applications in the However, consensus among Lawyer Umer Gilani said that Supreme Court’s policy to en- Complaint cells for non-resident warded by the SC Human Rights cell have already been disposed Supreme Court judges had yet in case of any 184(3) petition fi led tertain public interest matters in Cell, a trend which was at its peak of. to evolve about determination of in the Supreme Court, perhaps the next couple of months,” said Pakistanis being set up in Islamabad during tenure of his predecessor Now the Supreme Court insti- suo motu parameters. the most important question is a senior offi cial in the apex court. Saqib Nisar. tution branch raises objections to Suo motu is Latin for “on its that of admissibility. Currently, the incumbent chief Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and The CJP Khosa also does not every constitutional petition. own motion”. In the case of the “In my view, this question justice is focusing on improving Human Resource Development, Zulfikar Bukhari, has said that seek reports from departments When the petitioners fi le ap- Supreme Court, it means the should be decided by a panel of criminal justice in the country dedicated police cells are being established in federal capital to concerned on matters of public peal against rejection of the pe- court can take action on a mat- judges in open court. At present and clear backlog of cases. address complaints by non-resident Pakistanis. interest. tition, a Supreme Court judge ter without having it fi rst being the question of admissibility is Chief Justice Khosa has been He said in an interview that the initiative has been taken by The Supreme Court Human hears their appeal in his chamber formally brought to its attention. decided either by the registrar or successful in his approach and the ministry of overseas and human resource development in Right Cell policy has also ap- and passes the appropriate order. The matter of the suo motu by the chief justice in his cham- all criminal appeals in the apex collaboration with the Islamabad Capital Territory Police to resolve parently changed and it is not Chief Justice Khosa, in his parameters may be taken up on bers. This creates an impression court will be decided in next cou- complaints of expatriates, particularly about land grabbing in entertaining those applications, fi rst speech on January 17, said judicial side soon, sources said. of opaqueness and arbitrari- ple of months. Islamabad. Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 21 PHILIPPINES

Three Manual counting ‘would have arrested over fake ensured integrity of elections’ currency By Javier J Ismael in Pasay Manila Times

Manila Times he head of the National Manila Citizens’ Movement for TFree Elections (Namfrel) said the integrity of the mid- olice have arrested three term elections would not have men, two of them identi- been doubted had the Commis- Pfi ed as Chinese, who al- sion on Elections (Comelec) not legedly tried to buy casino chips automated the counting of votes with fake $300,000 bills at the at the precincts. Resorts World Manila in Pasay Namfel National Chair- City. man Augusto “Gus” Lagman, a Fernando Silanga, 44; Tiange former Comelec commissioner Wu, 31; and Song Ho Sang, 53, and a political analyst, said were apprehended at the Grand many countries have discarded Wing of Resorts World Manila automated vote-counting be- after employees found that the cause the process is not trans- US dollar bills worth P15mn were parent and is not observable by fake. Employees sought the as- the voters. sistance of the Villamor Police “What would it have cost Community Precinct, resulting us had we counted the votes in the arrest of the three while manually? Maybe 12 to 24 Namfrel national chairman Augusto “Gus” Lagman speaks during a playing at the hotel’s casino hours more work at the pre- media conference in Mandaluyong City. wing. cincts. But it would have saved Police said the most of the bills us billions of pesos in less ex- dates could have made it to his vicious attacks on es- had the same serial numbers. pensive equipment that can be the winning circle had they tablished religion, particu- Investigation showed that one bought from out of the shelves been endorsed by the Catho- larly the Catholic Church, his James Park, identifi ed as a Kore- of local vendors,” Lagman said. lic Bishops’ Conference of the shady relations with women, an, gave the bills to the suspects. “And then, because these Philippines (CBCP). is a matter that social theo- Park is the subject of a man- are equipment that could be Unlike the Iglesia ni Cristo, rists and phenomenologists hunt. sold, even at a huge discount, the Catholic church did not must study with greater atten- The suspects are detained at to the likes of the Depart- endorse any candidate. tion,” he said. Aquino however the Pasay Police Station where ment of Education after each On the eve of the elections, said Otso Diretso bets Romulo they were awaiting the fi ling of election, some cost recovery Protesters shout slogans accusing the government of rigging the mid-term elections near the Philippine the INC endorsed 12 senato- “Romy” Macalintal and Jose estafa charges and for violating would be possible. Or, they International Convention Centre in Manila, where the Commission on Elections (Comelec) was tallying rial candidates, 11 of whom are Manuel “Chel” Diokno de- the Revised Penal Code’s provi- could simply be donated to votes in the mid-term polls. in the top 12. Aquino also ob- served to be in the Senate. sion on Illegal Possession and this government department served that President Rodrigo “Without a doubt, people use of False Treasury or Bank for use by the teachers and/or sion of the results from pre- would seriously consider this and the delay in the trans- Duterte’s endorsement made a like Romy Macalintal and Chel Notes and Other Instruments in students,” he added. cincts to canvassing points alternative system for future mission of votes from local difference as evidenced by the Diokno deserved to be in the Credit. Lagman said automation can be done electronically and elections. Various groups and precincts. Meanwhile, Fr Ra- results of the May 2019 mid- Senate. But I think that their They have been brought to the could be employed while the the three levels of canvassing some defeated candidates had nhilio Callangan Aquino, dean term polls. undoing was their labelling as Pasay Prosecutors’ Offi ce for in- votes are being counted manu- could be fully automated. questioned the results of the of the Graduate School of Law “The continuing appeal “the opposition” and worse, quest proceedings while the bills ally, or, at least, immediately The Namfrel head expressed midterm polls, citing the vote of San Beda College said some of Digong, despite his rude- their association with the de- were brought to the Bangko Sen- after. That way, the transmis- hoped that the commission counting machines’ glitches opposition senatorial candi- ness, his uncouth manners, tested ‘Yellow’ cabal,” he said. tral ng Pilipinas for examination. Sara may have a good chance at 2022 presidency: analyst

By Catherine S Valente maintained at present levels, all said. But analyst Ramon Casiple, winning it is another thing,” she Manila Times the way to 2022, Sara may have executive director of the Insti- said. a good chance at running for the tute for Political and Electoral Duterte-Carpio heads the presidency,” Valdes told Manila Reform, said it was “too early” administration-backed regional avao City Mayor Sara Du- Times in an interview. “But there to predict the winning chance of party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, terte-Carpio might have is the possibility that living condi- Duterte-Carpio, who is rumoured which toured the country to cam- Da good chance in the next tions may get worse if main issues to be gunning for the country’s top paign for its Senate slate in the elections for president if her fa- are not addressed which aff ect post. May 13 elections. ther, President Rodrigo Duterte, PRRD’s (Duterte’s) popularity,” he Analyst Perlita Frago-Marasi- Majority of its candidates are managed to maintain a high level said. gan, political science professor tipped to win the polls, in a boost of popularity until 2022, an ana- Valdes cited the high cost of at the University of the Philip- to the administration seeking to lyst said yesterday. electricity, water, hospitalisation pines Diliman in Quezon City, said fi rm up its hold on allies in the Antonio “Butch” Valdes, head and telecommunications, ris- “timing matters” as voters’ sup- Senate. The Davao City mayor, of the Save the Nation Movement, ing prices of food and medicine, port for the Duterte administra- however, remained coy about her said the president’s popularity which he said, were “controlled tion might still change. political plans in 2022. was expected to aff ect the people’s by oligarchic interests” and “pro- “It is true that those who have “I did not run for the Senate vote in the next elections. tected by legislation and legisla- reached the senatorial position because I am not interested in a The president’s approval rat- tors.” usually aspire for the presidency, national position. If PDP (Par- ings had inched up to hit his per- “If these issues are not ad- too. But the timing matters a lot,” tido Demokratiko Pilipino–La- sonal best of 79%, according to dressed, the next president will be Marasigan told this newspaper. kas ng Bayan) ran this campaign, latest fi ndings by pollster Social chosen by the oligarchy and not “If the president’s daughter de- opposition senators would Weather Stations. by the people as what had hap- cides to run for the presidency in have won,” Duterte-Carpio told Sara Duterte-Carpio: possible presidency run? “If the popularity of Duterte is pened in the recent elections,” he 2022, she can if she wants to, but Manila Times in a text message. As rains fall short, Manila trickles into a water crisis

Thomson Reuters Foundation fi rst part of the year, according soon rains are expected. the Metropolitan Waterworks that President Rodrigo Duterte Manila to the government. For now, however, life in plac- and Sewerage System. issue an executive order to fast- In Manila, that has exposed es like Addition Hills revolves Ronald Abrigo, a spokesman track the capital’s 20-year water shortfalls and delays in the re- around water rationing. for the MWSS, told the Thom- infrastructure plan. n Block 37, the city wa- gion’s water infrastructure. The water crisis in Metro Ma- son Reuters Foundation that the Under the original plan, ter supply starts fl owing At the peak of the short- nila — a sprawl of 16 adjoined agency has long sought addi- projects with the capacity to add Oaround 7am. age in March, supply was 30% cities populated by about 12.8mn tional sources of water to shore a total of 1,500 megalitres to the Two or three hours later, it lower than normal in the city’s people — is hardly an anomaly. up Manila’s supplies. city supply — currently 4,000 stops. East Zone, according to Manila From South Africa to India, Construction began on a se- megalitres — would go online Evelyn Angeles and her part- Water, the private company re- and across North Africa and ries of new dams and treatment between 2018 and 2023, when ner make what they can of the sponsible for providing water to the Middle East, water scarcity plants in 2017, he said, pointing the 600 megalitre Kaliwa dam is window of opportunity, us- almost 7mn people living in the is creating growing stresses as to a study the Manila govern- scheduled for completion. ing two taps to fi ll two 20-litre zone. rising wealth and population ment used in preparing its 20- The Cardona treatment plant, drums with water to use through While commercial centres growth, combined with climate year water security plan. which was scheduled to begin the day. and heavily touristed areas were change, place an unsustainable The study warned that “by adding 100 megalitres last year, “We can collect enough wa- largely unaff ected, some of the strain on water reserves. 2021, supply would be unable to hit construction delays but will ter to wash our hands, clean our city’s more neglected areas had In Asia, 3.4bn people could be meet demand” in the capital. be fully operational by August, dishes, fl ush the toilet — and one no running water for seven days living in “water stressed areas” Faced with a very dry start Manila Water said. of us gets to shower,” she said, or more, the company said. by 2050, according to a 2016 to the year, 10 provinces in the Meanwhile, in Addition Hills, outside her home in Addition As the crisis mounted, Manila Asia Development Bank (ADB) A man carts water to his home after filling up buckets at a neighbour’s Philippines had declared a state Aldrin Ricio — who lives a short Hills, one of Manila’s most dan- Water’s chief operating offi cer report. house on lower ground during water shortages in Addition Hills, a slum of calamity as of the start of walk uphill from Angeles — gerous and neglected slums. quit, in mid-April. “Water shortage should be in Metro Manila, in the first week of April this year. April, with the Department of wonders when his water-storing “It’s tough, sure, but it’s much Before the month was out, the treated as a permanent ongoing Agriculture saying more than days will end. worse for people living on other government hit the fi rm with a issue,” said Thuy Trang Dang, an pines’ capital — is already one of bos said. In 2016, demand began $25mn of crops had been lost to The part-time electrician said blocks on higher ground,” where $10mn fi ne for breach of con- urban development and water the world’s most densely popu- surpassing supply, he said. drought. that most nights he stays awake water pressure is lower, she said, tract and ordered it to spend specialist at the ADB’s Southeast lated urban areas. “Manila Water has strongly The crisis in Manila hit in early until 1am to make the most of sitting behind a curtain of rub- $12mn developing a new water Asia offi ce. The number of people living advocated for many years for March when the water level at a the area’s delivery schedule for ber sandals hanging for sale out- source. Global warming, popula- in the East Zone has ballooned the development of new water secondary city source, the La tap water. side her home. Water supply has since been tion growth, diets fi lled with from 3mn to almost 7mn since sources...both to ensure suffi - Mesa reserve, fell below the aq- Even so, sometimes the water Since early March, the Manila partially restored to 98% of cus- more water-demanding meat 1997, when Manila Water was ciency of water supply as well as ueducts that allow it to fl ow to makes it up the hill, and some- metropolitan region has been tomers, for at least eight hours and dairy products and general awarded a 25-year contract to resiliency in case of any calam- the city. times it doesn’t, he said. in the grips of a water shortage, a day — though at low pressure, growth in consumption mean supply the zone’s water. ity,” the spokesman said. When news of shortages “What can we do?” he asked. as the El Nino phenomenon has a spokesman told the Thomson “the issue will only become more During that time, the amount “However, the development spread, people began hoarding “We could complain, sure, but contributed to a 60% decline in Reuters Foundation. pressing unless dealt with not as of water the fi rm has been al- of the new water source is, un- water, placing further strain on we are the people at the end of rainfall, compared the country’s Normal service is expected to a one-time crisis but as a way of lowed to draw from the Angat der the concession agreement, supply, Orbos said. the line. We have become used long-term average, across half resume in June, spokesman Mark life”, she said. dam has remained steady, at ultimately the responsibility of In an April 24 statement, the to being the last ones to receive the country’s provinces in the Orbos said, when seasonal mon- Metro Manila — the Philip- 1,600 megaliters per day, Or- MWSS,” he added, referring to MWSS said it would recommend a solution.” Gulf Times 22 Sunday, May 19, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka 19 - 05 -2019 Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Prospects brighten for new North American trade deal

Prospects have brightened for a new North American trade deal with President Donald Trump lifting steel and aluminium tariff s on Canada and Mexico that were placed almost a year ago in the name of national security. The move will lift the 25% steel and 10% aluminium tariff s the United States placed on the two trading neighbours and sparked tit-for-tat duties from Canada and Mexico on US farming goods and other products. Getting rid of the tariff s is viewed as a key hurdle to approval for the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Qatar World Cup training sites trade deal, which was signed in 2018. It replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement. According to analysts, Trump’s tariff was the sticking point in the trading relationship among the three nations, to benefi t future generations who were fi nding it diffi cult to ratify USMCA. Canada and Mexico had vowed not to move ahead with Al-Obaidly said all the training or the masses, if allowed to attend part hosted last December the training of USMCA as long as they were in place. And several members QNA Doha sites will bring great legacy to the of the training. It also accommodates the Palestinian and Kyrgyz national of Congress had also raised objections. community as the Al Sailiya training rooms for players and members of the teams, part of their preparations for That situation has now changed with Canada saying it site will be used for sports clubs in technical staff and trainers. the Asian Cup which was held earlier ports training sites are the country and the Qatar University Al-Obaidly said the main features this year and the Qatari national team will lift retaliatory duties on US products as part of the common around the world courts will serve the students. In that make the training sites in Qatar won. deal, which will take eff ect within two days. Mexico is also and establishing them in addition, Onaiza and Doha Golf Club diff erent from the rest of the world Al-Obaidly said the department expected to follow suit. SQatar in aim to serve the 2022 locations will be used for national and is that they eff ectively benefi t from received requests from the football The Canadian and Mexican governments, along with top FIFA World Cup national teams is international teams that hold training short distances in the country and association to host training for female an unprecedented sport boom and camps in Doha and for community that some training sites merge with national teams as they prepare for US lawmakers, have pushed the Trump administration to sustainable legacy that will benefi t the services as there are many private complexes that include all the sports Asian Cup qualifi ers. He added that the remove the tariff s before the countries approve the United emerging generations in all sectors. academies that request courts to hold and service facilities needed by the department is continuously working States- Mexico-Canada Agreement. Training Sites Project Manager at their activities. The Onaiza facility teams participating in the tournament. with the association to co-ordinate the At a recent joint meeting of the North American countries, the Supreme Committee for Delivery will also have a public park to serve In addition, SC co-operates with events and training schedules to operate & Legacy (SC) Engineer Ahmed the residents in the area, al-Obaidly all State institutions, especially the diff erent training sites, in aim to use the they agreed on monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to al-Obaidly said establishing and said. football association, to make the most grass and try it properly. prevent steel dumping that might aff ect prices. developing new training sites in Qatar He explained the criteria for the of these stadiums before and after the In addition to operating the site as The and preparing them three years before locations chosen for the training sites World Cup. a whole and to experience all of the announcement hosting the World Cup is a clear and were based on the service and legacy Al-Obaidly said that all projects services it provides in order to know Getting rid of the strong proof of Qatar’s commitment to those locations will have for the have obstacles and challenges, which how to improve and develop before the came a day leave a true legacy for the region and the community. In addition to choosing is what the training sites project faced World Cup. tariff s is a key hurdle after the Trump country, especially since the training them to be close to the locations or at the beginning. However, all parties Al-Obaidly said the club facilities administration sites have been used since December hotels the national teams will be staying co-operated to overcome them and the that will be used as training sites during to approval for the announced it 2018 with the launch of Al Sailiya in during the tournament, SC plans project is progressing according to the the World Cup have not been offi cially training site, that was completed in involve preparing locations that do not schedules set by SC, which is evident in decided yet, but a number of courts are US-Mexico-Canada would delay November of the same year. require more than 20 minutes travel the completion of the Al Sailiya training being evaluated for their preparedness a decision on Speaking to Qatar News Agency, time from the teams’ accommodations. site ahead of schedule in nearly eight and meeting all the requirements Agreement trade imposing new al-Obaidly said building training sites, The criteria also include benefi ting months, and the rest of the sites will be needed to host participating national tariff s on foreign besides the main stadiums, is one of from these sites in the future to host completed on time. teams. He added that the inspection deal the FIFA requirements for any host clubs or teams training camps that are Completing the training sites nearly results revealed that many of the club automobiles, in country. He explained that it is part of seeking isolation from the public areas three years before the 2022 World Cup courts meet the standard of the FIFA part because it said it was working to negotiate new trade the infrastructure required. However, for a quiet preparation period. in Qatar is a double-edged sword, as and some minor maintenance work will agreements with Japan and the European Union. in Qatar it will have two sections, the Al-Obaidly said the grass used is preparing these facilities so quickly is take place on these courts before the Taken together, the two moves amount to attempt to fi rst is concerned with establishing new diff erent than those in the stadiums, a positive thing, but it may be diffi cult tournament kicks off to prepare it as training sites and the second as in the training sites the grass seeds for them to operate until the World options for SC to choose training sites ease global trade tensions at a moment when markets and with developing and processing are planted manually, then certain Cup. However, al-Obaidly said SC has from. investors are still reeling from Trump’s decision to apply existing facilities that meet the chemicals are added to germinate the set up a department dedicated to the Al-Obaidly said the training sites new tariff s on China after trade negotiations with Beijing conditions, including those of the fi rst grass needed for courts, which takes processing, operation and maintenance that will be used by the national teams collapsed last week, according to CNN. China has said it and second tier clubs in Qatar, which a period of three to four months. This of the courts and facilities that will be participating at the Qatar World Cup will be allocated as training sites for technique saves the time and eff ort it equipped to serve the World Cup, which will meet the highest standards. He would retaliate with its own escalated tariff s on US exports. some teams participating in the World takes to move the grass from outside will ensure maintaining the quality and added that with preparing these sides, The White House’s recent escalation of a trade war with Cup. nurseries to the training site, which is cleanliness of the training facilities until SC is meeting its obligations towards China rattled investors and raised concerns about damage Obaidly said SC plans to build 30 also less expensive. 2022. FIFA and provides the national teams to businesses and consumers. training courts distributed across Al He said that the training sites Al-Obaidly added that the Al training facilities they need to prepare Sailiya, Qatar University, Doha Golf should include at least two courts with Sailiya training site was officially for the tournament. He added that SC European Union steel and aluminium exports to the Club and Onaiza. Work has started at natural and high quality grass, and a ready in November 2018 and was is also building a long-term legacy for US are still subject to the tariff s, but there has been some all locations since May 2017 and it is press centre for at least 100 people. It submitted by the main contractor. The sports in Qatar. After the World Cup, good news for trade relations between the two - on Friday planned to conclude this month, when should also be equipped with rooms department responsible for managing Qatari clubs, sports schools and football President Donald Trump delayed a decision on whether to it will be ready to serve the Qatari and stands that accommodate at least and operating the site is trying it fans will continue to benefi t from these community - individuals, companies 500 people may be used by journalists before the World Cup, where the site high-quality venues. impose levies on cars and car part imports. and sports and non sports institutions “The White House has put back the decision by six who wish to use these facilities and hold months to allow more time for trade talks with the sport activities in them, al-Obaidly European Union and Japan,” a BBC dispatch showed. said. He said that training sites must Tariff s of up to 25% on imported cars and car parts were meet certain requirements to off er under consideration. an appropriate environment for the A report by the US Commerce Department claimed that national teams participating in the imports of foreign-made cars and auto parts into the US World Cup. Each participating team will have its own site containing two were a threat to national security. training courts of natural grass used Generally, American farmers and manufacturers are exclusively and privately once they seeing the tariff lifting positive to the US economy, as it will arrive in Doha and until the end of its help businesses grow and exports surge, which are crucial participation in the World Cup, he added. to the world’s largest economy. Al-Obaidly said the Qatari government invested in building 30 training sites to directly serve sports To Advertise in Qatar and the needs of all Qatari clubs in all its categories, especially [email protected] as some clubs complain about the Display lack of stadiums that accommodate their teams. In addition, SC decided 44466621 44418811 to use the stadiums of the fi rst and second tier clubs as training sites Classified for the participating national teams, 44466609 44418811 with the aim of benefi ting from the sports facilities available in Qatar and Subscription to ensure that the stadiums are not overfl owing the tournament and local [email protected] needs after it concludes, which is one aspect of the legacy that Qatar looks forward to achieving from hosting the © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved World Cup. A new training site to serve the 2022 FIFA World Cup national teams is coming up at Doha Golf Club. Gulf Times Sunday, May 19, 2019 23 COMMENT In India election, a $14 software tool beats WhatsApp controls

By Munsif Vengattil, Aditya Kalra “Whatever WhatsApp does, there’s fi eld and compose messages with and Sankalp Phartiyal a workaround,” Repswal said during an pictures. New Delhi/Mumbai interview at his small, two-bedroom Using a so-called “Group Contacts house. Grabber” feature, the user can also Reuters found WhatsApp was mis- extract a list of mobile numbers from hatsApp clones and soft- used in at least three ways in India for a particular WhatsApp group with a ware tools that cost as political campaigning: free clone apps click of a button. little as $14 are helping available online were used by some Repswal didn’t name the two BJP WIndian digital marketers BJP and Congress workers to manu- members he worked for, but in a dem- and political activists bypass anti- ally forward messages on a mass basis; onstration for Reuters, added dozens spam restrictions set up by the world’s software tools which allow users to of mobile numbers in the software, most popular messaging app, Reuters automate delivery of WhatsApp mes- typed a test message saying “your vote has found. sages; and some fi rms off ering political is your right” and hit “send”. Then, his The activities highlight the chal- workers the chance to go onto a web- WhatsApp web version started deliver- lenges WhatsApp, which is owned site and send bulk WhatsApp messages ing the messages almost robotically, by Facebook Inc, faces in preventing from anonymous numbers. one after the other. abuse in India, its biggest market with At least three software tools were Business Sender was “not supported more than 200mn users. available on Amazon.com’s India or endorsed” by WhatsApp and was With fervent campaigning in India’s website. developed by “Tiger Vikram Mysore staggered general election, which When purchased by a Reuters INDIA”, its system properties said. concludes today, the demand for such reporter, they arrived as compact discs A member of the software support tools has surged, according to digital tucked inside thin cardboard casings, team at Business Sender, Rajesh K, companies and sources in the ruling with no company branding. declined to identify the developer by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its WhatsApp declined a Reuters Rohitash Repswal, a digital marketer, shows a software tool that appears to automate the process of sending messages to his real name, but said the tool was de- main rival, the Congress party. request to allow testing such tools for WhatsApp users, on a screen inside his off ice in New Delhi, India, on May 8. signed in Lebanon about four months After false messages on WhatsApp reporting this story. ago and takes advantage of what he last year sparked mob lynchings in In- “We are continuing to step up For Indian politicians, WhatsApp, bans, which means the company can size than allowed on the offi cial What- called a “loophole” in WhatsApp’s dia, the company restricted forwarding our enforcement against imposter Facebook and Twitter are key cam- block the account associated with a sApp service. system. of a message to only fi ve users. WhatsApp services and take legal paigning tools to target the country’s particular mobile number if it detects Reuters was not able to ascertain “This is not rocket science or fabri- The software tools appear to over- action by sending cease and desist near 900mn voters. unusual activity. the overall scale of such activities and cated software,” said Rajesh. “There are come those restrictions, allowing users letters to hundreds of bulk messaging Two Congress sources and one BJP Some Congress workers said they found no evidence that BJP and Con- hundreds of such software available.” to reach thousands of people at once. service providers to help curb abuse,” source told Reuters their workers used did not care. gress leaders offi cially ordered workers In April, when a Reuters reporter Divya Spandana, the social media a spokeswoman said. “We do not want clone apps such as “GBWhatsApp” and “WhatsApp occasionally bans some to campaign this way. responded to a text message with an chief of the Congress, and the BJP’s IT them to operate on our platform and “JTWhatsApp”, which allowed them to of these numbers, but the volunteers In New Delhi, digital marketer “Election Special” off er of sending head, Amit Malviya, did not respond we work to ban them”. cut through WhatsApp’s restrictions. would use new (mobile) sim cards to Repswal said he would typically charge 100,000 “bulk WhatsApp” messages requests for comment. Modifi ed versions of popular apps Both apps have a green-colour inter- sign up,” said a Congress member with Rs 150,000 ($2,161) for a month’s serv- for Rs7,999 ($115), he was invited to Rohitash Repswal, who owns a dig- have become common as technically- face that closely resembles WhatsApp direct knowledge of the activities. ice for creating digital content, provid- an offi ce in a dusty industrial area of ital marketing business in a cramped, savvy hobbyists have long reverse- and can be downloaded for free from In Mumbai, a person in the social ing a database of mobile numbers and Noida in northern Uttar Pradesh state. residential neighbourhood of New engineered them. dozens of technology blogs. media team of a senior BJP candidate then sending 300,000 WhatsApp “How many messages you want Delhi, said he ran a 1,000-rupee ($14) Tools purporting to bypass What- They are not available on Google’s said no restrictions on JTWhatsApp messages. to send, tell us: 10,000, 1mn, 2mn,” a piece of software round-the-clock in sApp restrictions are advertised in vid- offi cial app store but work on Android meant his team could easily send for- He uses a piece of software named representative asked, while showing a recent months to send up to 100,000 eos and online forums aimed at users in phones. wards to up to 6,000 people a day, as “Business Sender” which he said he black-coloured, password-protected WhatsApp messages a day for two BJP Indonesia and Nigeria, both of which WhatsApp describes such apps as well as video fi les containing political also sells for Rs1,000 ($14). A person website they use for sending bulk members. held major elections this year. “unoffi cial” and says its users can face content which would be far bigger in can add many mobile numbers in a WhatsApp messages.

An intelligent approach to mental health Three-day forecast TODAY Beyond access, there is the stigma trial reported by clinical psychologists Involving more diverse actors in the Maximum Temperature : 370c By Junaid Nabi Minimum Temperature : 300c Boston issue, exemplifi ed by my father’s from Stanford University showed that development of algorithms would also experience. Clinical evidence indicates chatbots were signifi cantly better at help to address the issue of racial and MONDAY that stigma takes two forms. People who reducing the symptoms of depression gender discrimination that has cropped Maximum Temperature : 360c few years ago, towards the seek mental-health care may face public than an information-only approach. up in AI research. Researchers should Minimum Temperature : 290c end of his life, my father stigma in the form of discrimination The sort of provisional mental- use fully representative test groups, TUESDAY battled severe depression. As a and exclusion, owing to endemic healthcare provided by chatbots while taking care to adhere to stringent Maximum Temperature : 360c Aphysician and professor, he did misconceptions about mental illness. would be particularly useful in privacy and accountability protocols. Minimum Temperature : 290c When those beliefs are internalised, communities with an inadequate supply Of course, such initiatives cost not lack access to mental-healthcare. Fisherman's forecast But he had grown up in a society that suff erers may also struggle with self- of trained professionals. At a time of money. Venture capital companies now stigmatised mental illness, and he was stigma: low self-esteem, low self- unprecedented access to smartphones in spend $3.2bn annually on global health WARNING developing economies, Internet-based research and development. They should Inshore : Thunder rain expected unwilling to seek professional help. effi cacy, and unwillingness to pursue at some places as- As a son, it was devastating to watch productive opportunities. solutions would amount to a boon for expand the scope of their investments sociated with sudden my father suff er. As a public-health The consequences of failing to mental-health accessibility. to include AI-enabled technologies for strong wind & poor researcher, I gained a new awareness provide adequate care have been Chatbots could also help overcome mental-healthcare delivery. They could visibility Offshore : Expected thunder rain of the myriad systemic failures in the severely underestimated. According the stigma problem, because they also fund competitions among socially associated with strong provision of care. to one study, mental-health issues are can engage people who are otherwise conscious technology entrepreneurs, in wind and high sea Scientists from around the world are responsible for 32.4% of years lived with reluctant to seek mental-health care. order to spur further innovation in this WEATHER Inshore : Sctd rain maybe thun- now seeking to address the problems disability and 13% of disability-adjusted A recent study found that up to 70% of area. dery at some places with “Countdown Global Mental Health life years (DALYs) – years of “healthy” patients are interested in using mobile To be sure, AI-enabled mental-health with blowing dust 2030,” a “multi-stakeholder monitoring life lost due to disease, disability, or applications to self-monitor and interventions would not – and should Offshore : P cloudy to cloudy with c of sctd rain and accountability collaboration for untimely death. self-manage their mental health. Once not – replace human psychologists or maybe thundery at mental health” launched in February. The economic costs are enormous. people initiate contact with a chatbot, psychiatrists. A chatbot cannot, after times But, while this initiative is a positive According to a 2015 analysis, in the US another study indicates, they tend to all, project real empathy. What it can WIND Inshore : Northeasterly-South- step, it neglects a key element of an alone, the total economic burden from express themselves more freely than do is screen for high-risk individuals, easterly 06-16/25 KT eff ective solution: advanced technology, mental health exceeds $210bn annually. they would with a human therapist, such as those with suicidal ideation, and Offshrore : Northeasterly-South- especially artifi cial intelligence (AI). More than half of that is attributed to underscoring the priority people place potentially avert destructive behaviour easterly 05-15/25 KT Globally, the supply of psychiatrists workplace absenteeism and productivity on maintaining privacy and avoiding in the short term. Visibility : 4 -8/3 KM judgment when seeking to address a Demand and need often drive and clinical psychologists is nowhere losses; another 5% is attributed to Around the region near suffi cient. For example, in suicide-related costs. Companies’ mental-health issue. innovation. Unfortunately, that has Weather Zimbabwe, there are just 25 mental- eff orts to circumvent the need for It is now up to clinicians, such as not been true of mental-health care. It Weather tomorrow Max/min health professionals for a population mental-health care by reminding psychologists, to collaborate more is time to invest in long-term, cost- today Max/min Sunny 39/23 of over 16mn. While the country has workers to practice mindfulness are extensively with AI developers. Several eff ective, and scalable solutions that Baghdad P Cloudy 41/24 P Cloudy 35/26 produced some innovative and useful probably not as helpful as proponents US universities have already launched build mental-healthcare capacity. That Kuwait CityM Sunny 36/26 P Cloudy 36/28 community-led initiatives, such as the claim. programmes that connect experts eff ort must include expanded support Manama M Sunny 36/29 P Cloudy 34/30 “Friendship Bench,” their scalability is What could help are AI-based from clinical sciences with software for traditional services. But it should Muscat M Cloudy 33/29 M Cloudy 30/19 limited. solutions, such as chatbots. By engineers. These partnerships should also take advantage of cutting-edge Tehran M Sunny 32/21 Lack of access to mental-healthcare mimicking natural language to sustain be expanded to include universities, technologies like AI. – Project Syndicate is hardly a developing-country problem. a conversation with a human user, especially in countries with a large In the United States, almost half of these software systems could act as unmet need for mental-health care, in z Junaid Nabi is a public-health the population is unable to access virtual therapists, providing guidance order to support the development of researcher at Brigham and Women’s comprehensive mental-healthcare, and support to those who have no linguistically and culturally appropriate Hospital and Harvard Medical School, often owing to fi nancial constraints. alternatives. A randomised control virtual therapists. Boston.

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Around the world Weather Weather Smokers have higher risk for multiple strokes today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens Cloudy 25/16 Cloudy 28/18 Beirut Sunny 24/18 Sunny 24/19 By Lisa Rapaport months after their stroke. All of the patients in the study potential for smokers to go through Bangkok P Cloudy 36/28 P Cloudy 36/28 Reuters Health As expected, smokers had a higher risk survived for at least three months after other lifestyle changes when they quit Berlin M Sunny 23/12 P Cloudy 25/14 of a second stroke than people who never a stroke. – like improving eating and exercise Cairo Sunny 36/18 Sunny 34/18 smoked at all, even if they managed to quit Smokers’ risk of a repeat stroke rose habits - that contributed to a reduced Cape Town M Cloudy 17/12 Rain 17/14 mokers who have a stroke after their fi rst stroke. However, smokers with the number of daily cigarettes they stroke risk, Dr Gelin Xu of Nanjing Colombo S T Storms 30/27 I T Storms 30/27 are much more likely to have who did quit after that fi rst stroke were smoked. Medical University in Jiangsu, China, Dhaka P Cloudy 37/28 P Cloudy 36/27 another one if they don’t quit 29% less likely to have a second one than Compared to nonsmokers, current and colleagues note in the Journal of the Hong Kong S T Storms 28/25 S T Storms 28/25 Sor at least cut back, a Chinese people who kept smoking. smokers who had up 20 cigarettes a day American Heart Association. Xu didn’t Istanbul Rain 21/16 M Sunny 24/16 study suggests. “Smoking after a stroke has the same were 68% more likely to have a repeat respond to requests for comment. Jakarta P Cloudy 32/25 M Cloudy 33/25 Smoking has long been linked to an eff ects on the body as before the first stroke, while the risk was almost triple Even so, the results add to a large body Karachi P Cloudy 33/27 P Cloudy 33/27 increased risk of cardiovascular disease stroke,” said Allan Hackshaw, a researcher for smokers who had more than 40 of evidence linking smoking cessation to London Cloudy 18/09 M Cloudy 20/11 and serious cardiac events like heart at University College London in the UK cigarettes a day. a reduced risk of stroke, and continued Manila S T Storms 34/28 M Cloudy 35/28 attacks and strokes. But the new study who wasn’t involved in the study. Current smokers tended to be younger smoking to an elevated stroke risk, said Moscow M Sunny 22/09 P Cloudy 20/08 sheds light on how smoking infl uences “It can lead to problems with blood fl ow and less likely to have conditions like Dr Michael Hill of the Cumming School New Delhi M Cloudy 36/26 Sunny 39/27 the risk of a second stroke in patients in the brain, and contribute to clots being high blood pressure, heart rhythm of Medicine at the University of Calgary New York P Cloudy 23/14 P Cloudy 24/19 who already had one. formed in the blood vessels – and either disorders or coronary heart disease than in Canada. Paris S Showers 20/11 Rain 19/11 Among the 3,069 stroke survivors in of these increase the chance of having a nonsmokers. They were also more likely “Smoking is just about the worst Sao Paulo S T Storms 22/15 M Sunny 25/16 the study, 1,475, or 48%, were current stroke,” Hackshaw said by e-mail. to be heavy drinkers than nonsmokers. possible thing you can do for your Seoul Cloudy 25/17 Rain 27/15 smokers and another 9% were former “Cutting back would reduce the risk The study wasn’t a controlled health,” Hill, who wasn’t involved Singapore Cloudy 31/27 T Storm 31/27 smokers. a bit, but the study shows that quitting experiment designed to prove whether in the study, said by e-mail. “Yes, Sydney P Cloudy 21/13 Cloudy 22/13 Among the current smokers, 908, completely has a large reduction in the or how smoking causes repeat strokes. quitting helps a lot, but it is hard Tokyo Cloudy 22/17 Cloudy 23/18 or 62%, managed to quit within a few risk of a second stroke.” One limitation of the study is the because it is addictive.” Gulf Times 24 Sunday, May 19, 2019 QATAR Ooredoo 5G capability shines at Amir Cup fi nal

oredoo said yesterday its the most popular sporting events World Cup in Russia, to develop a technologies, including Elastic DVDs – with record high set-up doo not only succeeded in pro- tennas and installing extensive sponsorship of the 2019 of the year so far. world-class experience for the Al Cloud Radio Technology and An- success rates in excess of 99.5%. viding “groundbreaking per- equipment in the fi nal construc- OAmir Cup fi nal was a This year, Ooredoo’s sponsor- Janoub Stadium opening. tennae with High Order MIMO, Spectators in the stadium also formance” in the stadium, but tion phase of the stadium. “phenomenal success”, with ex- ship gave fans and spectators “a With more than 100 experts to “provide the best customer used the Ooredoo network to the telco leader also demonstrat- Both the Virtual Stadium and amples of “yet more elements of whole new experience and an ex- in the Ooredoo Operation Cen- experience”. make somewhere in the region of ed the future of 5G with a Virtual the 5G Connected Ambulance its life-changing 5G technology citing view into the future with 5G”, tre and some 20 in the stadium, These mobile technologies 500,000 voice calls and, during Stadium at Mall of Qatar and a were enabled by Ooredoo’s early making the experience unforget- the company said in a statement. the Amir Cup fi nal proved to be enabled Ooredoo to reach data the game, the Ooredoo team was 5G Connected Ambulance in the 5G network launch, “a worldwide table for fans”. Partnering global network and an “incredibly successful test for speeds of up to 1.2Gbps with a 5G able to achieve phone speeds of stadium itself. fi rst and an ongoing leading light Qatar’s telecommunications technology leader Ericsson, the Ooredoo on its journey towards handset, with Ericsson’s latest up to 1.2Gbps. All this was achieved in a lim- in the journey towards full com- leader supported the football Ooredoo team spent months pre- 2022”, the statement noted. 5G technology. More than 10,000 specta- ited time-frame, deploying an- mercial 5G availability”. event, held on May 16 at the paring for the event and utilised in- In order to test as many capa- The Ooredoo network deliv- tors used the free Wi-Fi in the newly inaugurated Al Janoub formation gained from other major bilities of the new developments ered more than 6TB of mobile stadium, using more than 2TB Stadium, where fans gathered in sporting events, such as Superbowl as possible, the stadium was traffi c – the equivalent of around throughout the game. their thousands to watch one of 2019 in the US and the football equipped with the latest mobile 1,300 streamed full HD movies or Together with Ericsson, Oore- Taste of ‘Immersive Sports Experience’ The Immersive Sports Experience Ooredoo chose the event to showcase its Virtual Stadium, a brand new Immersive Sports Experience making use of Virtual Reality technology at Mall Of Qatar and at Al Janoub Stadium. For fans unable to make it to the stadium for the match, there was an The 5G Connected Ambulance. Immersive Sports Experience booth at Mall of Qatar, and for fans actually at Access to a ‘Connected Ambulance’ the stadium and lucky enough to be in the hospitality lounge, another Virtual The 5G Connected Ambulance be sent to the doctor, wherever Stadium Immersive Sports Experience Ooredoo showcased the future of they are, so they can then off er booth off ered them the chance to try out healthcare in Qatar as a demon- diagnosis and treatment advice the new technology. stration unit of the 5G Connected without the patient ever coming The Immersive Sports Experience, Ambulance, fitted with brand-new into physical contact with the developed in partnership with Ericsson, is technology also developed in doctor. a combination of Virtual Reality and user partnership with Ericsson, was on In situations where time is of engagement and interaction. display at the match. the essence – such as the Amir A number of cameras had been Perfect for sports fixtures as Cup final, where an injured player installed around the stadium by Ooredoo, well as any other type of medical needs to be back on the pitch including 360-degree cameras, to capture emergency, the new state-of-the- as quickly as possible – this new every corner of the pitch and every sec- art Ericsson IMS technology ena- technology will revolutionise the ond of the footballing action. bles doctors anywhere across the way ambulances and medical During the match, fans – utilising the world to treat patients remotely staff can attend to medical emer- Immersive Sports Experience booths — here in Qatar via the ambulance gencies in Qatar. were eff ectively able to become directors attending the medical situation, Waleed al-Sayed, CEO at of their own match broadcast, controlling thanks to the use of Ooredoo’s Ooredoo, said: “First, I’d like to con- the angles and camera selections and groundbreaking 5G networks. gratulate our beloved country and switching between views at will to com- Paramedics will use the its wise leadership on the success- pletely personalise their match experi- ambulances to attend medical ful inauguration of the stadium. ence and ensure maximum enjoyment. emergencies as they do now, The Amir Cup was the ideal This entire “revolutionary immersive but – with the new technology – opportunity for us to showcase experience” – a clear picture of what the they will then be able to assess yet more ways our groundbreak- future of sports entertainment will be like the patient using a special haptic ing 5G network will transform — was made possible by Ooredoo’s super- glove that is controlled by the lives, whether in medical care fast, ultra-reliable 5G network, as it is the doctor remotely using a specially or in sports enjoyment, and the only such network capable of handling designed joystick. ideal opportunity for us to show the load of such a high number of simul- Ooredoo’s 5G networks will exactly what our 5G network is taneous video streams at one time. The Immersive Sports Experience. (Inset) The Ooredoo team partnered Ericsson for the event. enable information gathered to capable of.”