BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Al Jazi completes hat-trick of INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 Siemens Gamesa wins for Al REGION 3 BUSINESS 1–8 wins Turkey’s fi rst 22,092.81 9,313.49 49.51 ARAB WORLD 3 CLASSIFIED 5, 6 +66.71 -156.10 +0.48 INTERNATIONAL 4–13 SPORTS 1–8 wind power auction Shaqab +0.30% -1.65% +0.98% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10536 August 5, 2017 Dhul-Qa’da 13, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals NYC yellow cabs hail Qatar Two months In brief on, spirit of

QATAR | Imports Turkey discusses trade solidarity routes with Qatar Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci yesterday said Ankara, Doha and Tehran hoped to reach a tripartite agreement on transporting Turkish products prevails to Qatar in a practical and cost- effective way, the official Qatar News Agency reported. “We’re thinking about alternatives for land trade routes with Qatar,” Zeybekci told Anadolu Agency. He across Qatar said using cargo planes to carry New York’s yellow cabs carry a message of solidarity with Qatar. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt Turkish products to Doha was not imposed the unjust blockade on the country on June 5. People have grown taining stability in the country and en- sustainable. “Shipment by sea will more aware of the wisdom suring welfare of the people. gain importance. We foresee that At the same time, a number of Qa- at least four large tonnage ships of their leadership taris said their confi dence in the block- would go to Qatar monthly but Qataris say confidence ading countries has ebbed and it may the land route is an alternative in the blockading not return to pre-siege levels. for carrying flexible and smaller This despite the fact that people packages,” Zeybekci added, noting Blockade catalyses hostile countries has ebbed from the GCC states considered the that the easiest option is sending region as one family with mutual inter- these packages through Iran. eople in Qatar have reiterated ests and a shared destiny. their fi rm support for the country Nasser al-Swaidi, a citizen, said the AMERICA | Technology Pas the blockade imposed by the blockade has made all inhabitants of political climate: USQBC Saudi-led group completes two months. Qatar put up a united stand in support Apple to launch watch Citizens and expatriates from diff er- of the country, and everyone is right that can make calls Council says there report secondary boycott requests may US anti-boycott laws establish the ent walks of life have come together to behind the country’s wise leadership. Apple Inc plans to release a version are rumours that the result in signifi cant civil/criminal pen- principle that US businesses should not express solidarity with the leadership, “Our morale is high and we are ready of its smartwatch later this year alties,” it stressed. participate in foreign boycotts that are whose decisions and actions ensured to withstand the blockade forever, de- that can connect directly to cellular embargoing bloc will try The white paper serves to educate not sanctioned by the US. The laws pre- that the initial challenges posed by the fending our sovereignty and independ- networks, Bloomberg reported to pressure US businesses and inform US businesses on the vital vent US companies from engendering siege were quickly overcome. ence,” he said. yesterday, citing people familiar to diminish or cease US-Qatar trade relationship, current US themselves to foreign policy objectives The steps taken to retain normalcy He also pointed that people’s aware- with the matter. Some of the new anti-boycott laws and applications for that run counter to US interests abroad. across social, economic and other ness about local investments in many models for the Apple Watch will operations with Qatar the Gulf crisis, navigating potential sec- The economic boycott of Qatar has spheres of life included various meas- fi elds, whether small or big projects, be equipped with LTE chips and ondary boycott requests, reporting and highlighted the relevance of US anti- ures taken through co-ordination has gone up and youngsters too have be able to perform many tasks he blockade imposed on Qatar by disclosure regimes and penalties, and boycott laws in 2017, the USQBC said. among ministries, government agen- started to look for such opportunities. without needing an iPhone to be in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain applicable resources and assistance for “There have been rumours circulating cies, private entities and individuals. Meshaal al-Ahbabi said the blockade range, the Bloomberg report said. Tand Egypt has catalysed a hostile US businesses. that the embargoing bloc will attempt Speaking to local Arabic daily Ar- enhanced the importance of local prod- Currently, the Apple Watch needs political climate in the Gulf region and “As Qatar’s largest foreign investor to pressure US businesses to diminish or rayah, a number of citizens expressed ucts and the need to look for alternative to be connected to an iPhone to instigated rumours of an impending and its single largest source of imports, cease operations with Qatar or Qatari- pride in the spirit of solidarity that has sources to procure various items. Key send messages, get directions secondary boycott campaign, the US- the US has developed a robust trade re- owned businesses,” it explained. prevailed across the country since the measures have been implemented suc- from maps and stream music. Intel Qatar Business Council (USQBC) has lationship with Qatar, with over 120 US “Secondary boycott demands may blockade began on June 5. cessfully by the government in this re- Corp will supply the LTE modems said, off ering a guide to American busi- companies operating in-country,” the not be in the form of enacted laws, but This unity has, in fact, grown strong- gard. Besides, the people’s expression of for the new watch, according to nesses on how to deal with the situation white paper noted, highlighting US- rather in the form of private conversa- er with every passing day, they said. love and support for His Highness the Bloomberg. and navigate the GCC crisis. Qatar trade relations. tions between foreign businesspersons The blockade has opened people’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani Secondary boycotts in the context of US exports to Qatar include aircraft, and their corresponding US counterpart. minds to new opportunities for the through their comments on ‘Tamim Al PAKISTAN | Politics international commerce refer to an at- machinery, vehicles, optical and medical They may also be referred to directly or country, especially in terms of business Majd’ murals has drawn global attention. tempt by a foreign government to infl u- instruments, and agricultural products. indirectly via purchase orders and other and investment, according to them. Ahmed al-Muhannadi stressed that New prime minister ence the actions of a company operating US imports from Qatar include liquefi ed export/import forms or requirements.” The siege has opened up various av- the blockade has revealed the real place Abbasi forms cabinet in another country by exerting econom- natural gas, aluminium, fertilisers and US law requires American business enues in sectors such as food, building of Qatar in the world and the support it Pakistan’s new Prime Minister ic or political pressure for that company sulphur. The US and Qatar have signed a operators to report such requests to the materials, services, agriculture and has got around the world. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi yesterday to cease business operations with or trade and investment framework agree- Department of Commerce’s Bureau of others, they point out, noting that the The fabrications and false accusa- formed a cabinet filled with allies within a third country, according to a ment and host annual bilateral econom- Industry and Security’s Offi ce of Anti- government has provided support and tions against Qatar have fallen apart, of toppled leader Nawaz Sharif, in white paper issued by the USQBC. ic and investment dialogues. boycott Compliance (https://www. facilities for potential investors to start exposing the falsehood of the countries a reshuff le that appears aimed at In the ongoing Gulf crisis, this sce- Qatar plans to invest $45bn of its sov- bis.doc.gov/index.php/enforcement/ the production of diff erent types of that have imposed the blockade. bolstering support ahead of general nario refers to foreign governments at- ereign wealth fund in the US by 2021, the oac?id=300), the council informed, items as soon as possible. The blockade experience has further elections due in mid-2018. Ishaq Dar, tempting to exert pressure on American white paper states, adding that in 2016, adding that it would be in discussion Similarly, people in the country have proven that everyone living in Qatar a powerful finance minister, returns companies to cease business operations Qatar’s purchase of $12bn in F-15 fi ght- with relevant government agencies to grown more aware of the wisdom of has tremendous love for the country in the same role, despite a criminal with Qatar or Qatari-owned businesses, ers was approved by Congress. Also, Qa- ensure that companies had the right re- their leadership and government in and are ready to exert more eff orts to investigation ordered against him the council has said. “Secondary boy- tar announced an $18bn worth of Boeing sources for reporting secondary boycott handling tough and unanticipated sit- enhance its position, according to citi- by the Supreme Court. Another cotts are against US law, and failure to commercial jets. requirements. uations, such as the present one, main- zens. Page 16 staunch Sharif ally, Khawaja Asif, is to be Foreign Minister after having simultaneously run the ministries of defence and power. Page 11 UN | Draft resolution Siege countries misleading US on terror charges: envoy US unveils tougher new atar’s ambassador to the US In an interview with the Tampa Bay was the humanitarian one. “We have reaction to them, the envoy said: “Qatar sanctions on N Korea Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad al- Times before his meeting the US Cent- about 13,000 complaints and these has not been approached by the block- The United States yesterday QThani has said the siege nations com commander Gen Joseph Votel, are family separations, where mothers ading countries at any time to raise any presented to the UN Security Council are carrying out a plan to mislead the Sheikh Meshal said Qatar was fulfi lling were forced to leave their kids, people concerns. In my view, what happened a draft resolution toughening US on the roots of terrorism, suggest- an agreement with the US on a prisoner lost their jobs because of this ... and, if is that these blockading countries sanctions on North Korea, aiming to ing that they aim to divert attention swap that led to the release of Sgt Bowe you are sympathising with Qatar, you have misled the United States, have deprive Pyongyang of $1bn in export from themselves. Bergdahl, who faces court-martial on get 15 years in jail. So, our primary fo- misinformed (the) leadership here in revenue, a council diplomat said. The He also stressed that his main mes- a charge of desertion after walking cus is to make sure that we have a solu- the United States, but we can see very council is expected to vote today sage for US President Donald Trump away from his base in Afghanistan and tion to that humanitarian aspect. And quickly that the United States immedi- on the measures that include a ban and the American people was that Qa- spending fi ve years in militant captiv- we are hopeful some breakthrough will ately understood what’s going on.” The on exports of coal, iron and iron ore, tar remained a strong ally of the US and ity. come on that.” message to the countries involved, ac- lead and lead ore, as well as seafood a reliable partner in the fi ght against Qatar’s ambassador to the US Sheikh Asked how the blockade was aff ect- On President Trump’s tweets about cording to him, is that de-escalation is by the cash-starved state. terrorism. Meshal bin Hamad al-Thani ing Qatar, he said the biggest impact Qatar after the blockade began and his important. To Page 16 Neymar just the latest investment in Qatar’s sport diplomacy

By Benno Schwinghammer/DPA The record deal is a coup for PSG as a club of only modest means and equally expressing itself. And in a time when a soft power stance - there’s something Handball in 2015 and cycling in 2016 Cairo team but also for club president Nasser modest success. Qatar is under unjust blockade from of international diplomacy in all of this.” have hosted showpiece events in Qatar al-Khelaifi - a former Qatari tennis Since then, millions and millions of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emir- The glory Qatar is buying is, for the while gymnastics in 2018 and athletics player who was once ranked 995th in the dollars of sponsorship from the Qa- ates, Bahrain and Egypt which have cut moment at least, rarely gained on the in 2019 will follow. ringing Brazilian football star world. tari tourist body have been invested to diplomatic relations - cutting supplies, fi eld but in the supply. Two Olympic bids so far have failed Neymar from Barcelona to Paris After his active career, al-Khelaifi secure four French titles — double the Neymar is a big statement. The 2022 World Cup, to be held in Qa- but another for 2028 is considered cer- BSaint-Germain is simply the lat- rose to become a powerful player in the number previously won from the team’s “Qatar has not capitulated, it is fi ght- tar during the European winter to avoid tain. And then there are various spon- est sporting investment made by Qatar. sports industry and thus boosted Qa- foundation in 1970. ing back - and the Neymar signing is part the worst of the desert heat, is the most sorship deals of teams or competitions At 222mn euros ($263mn ) - before tar’s agenda. Now the Champions League, the pin- of that,” Simon Chadwick, professor of high-profi le event the State has won the in motorsport, horse racing, golf and wages, bonuses and commissions - the In 2011, al-Khelaifi ’s state-owned nacle of club football, is the goal. sports enterprise at the University of Sal- right to host. tennis. But the signing of Neymar seems transfer of the 25-year-old raised eye- investor group bought the majority of Neymar will be expected to deliver. ford in Britain told the Bloomberg fi nan- But it is following a steady line of oth- proof the show, for now, will go on. brows across the globe. shares in PSG who were, at that point, a In sport, Qatar has found a way of cial news agency. “It’s a charm off ensive, er top-class championships. Sport Page 1 Gulf Times 2 Saturday, August 5, 2017 QATAR

Minister al-Muraikhi holds talks with Serbian PM, Deputy PM OFFICIAL

Emir sends National Day greetings

His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani sent cables of congratulations to Governor- General of Jamaica, Patrick Allen, on the occasion of his country’s National Day. The Emir, the Deputy Emir and the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior have also sent cables The Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabic met HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi, in Belgrade yesterday. The meeting discussed bilateral relations and ways of supporting of congratulations to President them, in addition to issues of common concern. HE al-Muraikhi also met Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Aff airs Ivica Dacic and the Deputy speaker of the National Assembly Veroljub of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Arsic. The meetings discussed the bilateral relations between Qatar and Serbia and ways of supporting them, in addition to issues of common concern. Christian Kabore, on the occasion of his country’s National Day. WCMC-Q research Al-Attiyah meets Japanese ambassador

HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, Chairman of addresses female Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Atti- yah Foundation For Energy and Sustainable Development, has held a meeting with Japa- nese ambassador to Qatar fertility problems Seiichi Otsuka. They discussed bilateral relations between the two countries as well as latest ew research conducted Even if women with PCOS developments in the GCC at Weill Cornell Medi- don’t develop diabetes, there crisis. In addition, the meeting Ncine-Qatar (WCM-Q) are concerns the condition can focused on energy-related has highlighted how simple life- make suff erers more susceptible issues and the ties between style changes can help prevent or to developing heart disease ear- the foundation and a number alleviate polycystic ovary syn- lier and with more severe conse- of scientific and research drome (PCOS), a major cause of quences. foundations in Japan. female fertility problems. Although there is no cure for PCOS, which is thought to af- PCOS, the condition and its fect around 22% of pre-meno- symptoms can be managed, and pausal women in Qatar, is a con- Dr Atkin runs a clinic at Hamad dition that increases the levels of Medical Corporation specifi cally the male hormone testosterone for women with PCOS and will in a woman’s body, which in- shortly open a second at Sidra terferes with ovulation and can Medical and Research Center. prevent a woman from becom- Dr Atkin said, “There is a need ing pregnant. The condition is to alert women about the prob- lem and tell them what can be 80 tonnes of dates sold on also characterised by cysts in Dr Stephen Atkin the ovaries and increased hair done in terms of prevention so growth, particularly on the face Atkin was given access to Qatar they don’t develop the compli- or chest. Biobank and was able to view cations that occur when they The new research by Dr the biometric data of 750 anony- go on to marry or get pregnant, or later on with respect to their fi rst eight days of festival Stephen Atkin, professor of mous Qatari women between medicine at WCM-Q, found the ages of 18 and 40 years. He overall health. Lifestyle advice a strong correlation between said, “More than 10% of the 750 is very important. It’s one thing round 80 tonnes of dates PCOS and pre-diabetes, which women had pre-diabetes but telling young women to eat sen- have been sold on the is characterised by raised blood 19% of the women with poly- sibly and exercise for cosmetic Afi rst eight days of the on- sugar levels and makes the onset cystic ovary syndrome had pre- reasons but another if you are going Local Dates Festival, the of type-2 diabetes likely. diabetes. telling them it could aff ect their Ministry of Municipality and This close association “If you have polycystic ovary fertility in later life.” Environment (MME) has said. strengthens the belief that syndrome, you have more than Dr Atkin has recently been Of this, around 10.7 tonnes of healthy lifestyle habits such as double the chance of developing awarded a grant by Qatar Na- dates were sold on Thursday, eating a balanced diet and tak- pre-diabetes. Polycystic ovary tional Research Fund for a new the eighth day of the festival ing regular exercise reduce an syndrome is also associated with study to identify the genetic as- being held at Souq Waqif. individual’s risk of developing diabetes in pregnancy. In fact, pects of PCOS in Qatari families A statement from the MME PCOS, as such behaviours also 66% of women with gestational that would allow a more focused also informed that the festival minimise the risk of developing diabetes have polycystic ovary approach to the diagnosis and features a special corner where pre-diabetes. syndrome and this is a problem treatment of PCOS for Qatari visitors are introduced to the To conduct the research, Dr for both mother and baby.” women. modern methods of drying dates. The corner houses a small chamber, which has a number Inspection campaign targets unauthorised street vendors of shelves and a fan, and is a smaller version of a green- Doha Municipality’s The campaign resulted in and unregulated street house. General Control Section, the seizure and destruction vendors, especially those who Amer al-Qihays, a researcher in co-operation with other of foodstuff that had been left behind large amounts of at the MME’s Agriculture Re- departments concerned at the displayed on the streets for garbage on the streets. search Department, explains to municipality, the Ministry of sale. Besides, such vendors encroach visitors, especially farmers and Municipality and Environment In a statement yesterday, on State property – land – and farm owners, the benefi ts of us- (MME) and Ministry of Interior, the MME stressed that it use it to display their goods ing this method of drying dates yesterday conducted a sudden would continue carrying out without obtaining any licences. and the procedures that need to inspection campaign targeting such campaigns to prevent The violators will be dealt with be observed. street vendors in the Industrial such practices and the in accordance with relevant laws The festival has been extend- Area. proliferation of unauthorised and regulations. ed by a week, until August 12, due to the success of the event. Focus on date drying. Filipino theatre group music concert wows Doha audience

By Joey Aguilar such as Frozen (Love is an open ganisations in Qatar, and guests Staff Reporter door), Hercules, Mulan and Tan- watched the show. gled (I see the light); and original According to Ricafrente, the Filipino musicals, which saw the event is a promotional concert “one-of-its-kind” con- crowd and the young at heart en- for an upcoming musical play ti- cert featuring a collec- joying the show. tled ‘Scenes from Stage,’ sched- Ation of songs from various The audience also enjoyed ex- uled on September 2 at City genres enthralled a large number cerpts from many original Fili- Centre Rotana Doha. of Qatar inhabitants at the Grand pino musicals created by award- He said part of the proceeds of Ballroom of Gondolania, Villag- winning musicians and lyricists the show will be used to help dis- gio, yesterday. such as Alikabok, Katy! The Mu- tressed overseas Filipino work- The free concert, titled ‘Fu- sical and Noli Me Tangere. ers, in co-ordination with the sion – A Musical Celebration’ “It was full of fun and was an United Filipino Organisations in by Tanghalang Overseas Pinoy enchanting musical evening, Qatar and supported by the Al- (TOPi), a non-profi t Filipino fi lled with songs that captivated liance of Filipino Journalists in theatre group based in Doha, was our hearts,” said TOPi president Qatar. organised in partnership with Bryan Ricafrente, lauding mem- TOPi is open for auditions for the Philippine embassy in Qatar bers of TOPi who “all have great aspiring members and is com- to promote the performing arts passion for the performing arts posed of Filipino expatriates in and Philippine culture in Qatar. and with a high regard for com- Qatar who take great interest in TOPi performed Broadway munity service”. theatre. musical plays such as Jekyll & Members of various Filipino It was established and accred- Hide, Miss Saigon, Phantom of organisations in the country, ited by the Philippine embassy in the Opera; Disney musical songs led by the United Filipino Or- Doha on August 12, 2005. TOPi performers entertaining the audience at Villaggio yesterday. PICTURE: Rovic Cruz Gulf Times Saturday, August 5, 2017 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD Saudi-led coalition air strike kills nine of family

Reuters US-backed Yemeni Dubai troops push Al Qaeda militants from Shabwa hree women and six chil- Yemeni troops and armour have dren from the same family pushed Al Qaeda militants out Twere killed in an air strike of main cities in Shabwa, resi- by the Saudi-led coalition on dents said yesterday, regaining their home in northern Yemen government control over the yesterday, a local health offi cial southern province for the first said, the latest in a series of at- time in years. tacks since 2015. They said Al Qaeda militants Yemen has been torn by a civil withdrew to the mountains war in which the exiled govern- without a fight as armoured ment of President Abd-Rabbu vehicles from the government Mansour Hadi, backed by the army and a new force known as Saudi-led coalition, is trying the Elite Shabwa Forces rolled to roll back gains made by the into the provincial capital Ataq, Houthi group which controls and other towns and cities from most of northern Yemen, in- Thursday morning. cluding the capital Sanaa. The head of the local health de- partment, Dr Abdel-Ilah al-Azzi, if the house was hit by mistake, said the attack at dawn on the but the coalition says it does not family home of Taha al-Dharafi target civilians. in Mahda district on the south- A family relative, who de- western outskirts of Saada city, clined to be identifi ed, said the also injured three other people. attack happened before dawn “We are recording all the while the family slept. People stand at the site of a Saudi-led air strike on an outskirt of the northwestern city of Saada, Yemen, crimes of the enemy and we will He said the bodies were tak- yesterday. Flames shoot up the sides of The Torch tower residential building not forget them,” Azzi said. “All en to the morgue while rescue in the Marina district, Dubai, in this picture by Mitch Williams. the criminals will be put on trial workers continued to search for Residents who rushed to the edly hit by air strikes since the Saada province. soon, God willing,” he added. a missing woman in the rubble of scene were afraid to start res- coalition of Arab states joined And in March, another coali- A spokesman for the Saudi- the house. cue work while aircraft hovered the civil war in March 2015. tion air strike killed 22 people led coalition did not respond to a Pictures from the scene overhead. At least 25 Yemenis were killed and wounded dozens in a market request for a comment. showed the house completely Saada, a stronghold of the in June when Saudi-led coalition in western Yemen near the Red Blaze rips through It was not immediately clear destroyed by the strike. Houthi group, has been repeat- aircraft struck a market in the Sea fi shing town of Khoukha. Dubai skyscraper

AFP In the morning, an AFP cor- Israeli army arrests Hamas lawmaker Dubai respondent saw torched vehi- cles in the block’s car park and extensive fi re damage to the AFP lage of Khursa south, Hebron. anicked residents fl ed middle and upper storeys of Ramallah According to the Palestinian one of the tallest tow- the left side of the building. News Agency, the occupation Pers in the glitzy Gulf city “We thank God that there forces used rubber bullets, tear state of Dubai early yesterday were no casualties, that be- he Israeli army arrested gas and sound bombs to sup- after a fi re ripped through it, cause of the eff orts of all teams a Hamas member of the press the participants in this the second blaze to hit the sky- on the ground...the residents TPalestinian parliament at protest against Israel’s settle- scraper in as many years. were evacuated from this his home in the occupied West ment policy, which led to the Authorities said no casual- building to another one and Bank overnight, the Palestinian injury of a number of citizens, ties were reported from the there were no injuries,” Dubai Prisoners’ Club said yesterday. including the Minister of Colo- blaze which erupted in the police commander Major Gen- Mohamed Abu Tir, 65, was nisation and Wall Resistance middle to upper fl oors of The eral Abdullah Khalifa al-Marri arrested in a raid on his home Commission, Walid Assaf, who Torch, once the tallest residen- said. near Ramallah, the group said, was injured with a sound bomb tial development in the world. In January, Dubai announced only two months after he was re- and treated on the fi eld. The 337-metre tower was tougher rules to minimise fi re leased from a previous 17-month Minister Assaf said that this the scene of a 2015 inferno that risks after a series of tower sentence. protest was a rejection to the caused extensive damage to its blazes in the emirate mostly Abu Tir is from east Jerusalem building of the tower, which is luxury fl ats and triggered an due to fl ammable material which he represents on the Pal- located in a strategic area. Its evacuation of nearby blocks used in cladding, a covering or estinian Legislative Council. presence poses a real danger to in the seafront Marina neigh- coating used on the side of the Israel’s Shin Bet internal se- citizens because of its proxim- bourhood. buildings. curity agency described Abu ity to houses. Assaf stressed that Dubai authorities said fi re- In November 2015, fi re en- Tir as one of the most senior despite the attacks by the occu- fi ghters arrived at the scene gulfed three residential blocks Hamas operatives in the West pation forces, protests will con- within four minutes of the in central Dubai and led to Bank, noting that he spent more tinue until the tower is removed. blaze erupting at 12:45am. services on a metro line being than 33 years in Israeli prisons Meanwhile, two Palestinian They said residents were im- suspended, although no one for “military and administrative youth were injured during an Is- mediately evacuated and the was hurt. terror activity”. raeli occupation forces’ attack on fi re put out by 2:58am without On New Year’s Eve that year, His arrest brings to 13 the A Palestinian protester prays during a protest against building a new Israeli military tower in the West the peaceful weekly anti-settle- any casualties. 16 people were injured when a number of people from the Bank town of Dura, south of Hebron yesterday. ment march in the village of Kafr Dubai’s civil defence author- fi re broke out in a luxury hotel, 132-member Palestinian Legis- Qaddum, east of Qalqilya. The ity said it started on the 65th hours before a massive fi re- lative Council currently jailed by ian rights group Addameer. tion forces yesterday repressed against the building of a military marchers demanded the opening fl oor of the luxury tower block. works display nearby. Israel, according to the Palestin- Separately, the Israeli occupa- a peaceful march in protest tower at the junction of the vil- of the closed village road.

Israeli police Heaviest clashes for months Bethlehem graffi ti lampoons to ‘examine’ Jordan shooting hit Syria’s Hama province Trump embrace of Israeli wall Reuters tion of a rebel assault and gov- AFP Beirut ernment counter-off ensive this Jerusalem spring. The Observatory said the Reuters fi ghting arose from an attempt Jerusalem he heaviest fi ghting and by pro-government forces to sraeli police will conduct an shelling for months hit advance north from Maan into “examination” into the fatal THama province in north- rebel territory. S President Donald Ishooting of two Jordanians ern Syria yesterday, a war moni- A military media unit run by Trump’s promised wall by an embassy guard that led tor said, but there were diverg- the government’s ally Hezbol- Ualong the Mexican border to ties between the two states ing accounts of how the battle lah said it was rebels who tried to may be a tall order, but at least worsening, offi cials said yester- started. attack, but were thwarted by the he has left his mark on the Israeli day. The clashes were accompa- Syrian army. security barrier that he has pro- On July 23, a security guard for nied by heavy bombardment, The war front in northern moted as a model. the Israeli embassy in Amman with dozens of shells and rock- Hama province has mostly been On the concrete barricades shot dead a Jordanian worker ets being fi red, said the Britain- quiet since a de-escalation proc- erected by Israel around parts of who had come to an apartment based Syrian Observatory for ess, brokered by the government’s Bethlehem, in the occupied West to install furniture and who Human Rights, adding that it ally Russia and rebel backer Tur- Bank, giant spray-painted im- stabbed him in the back with a had confi rmed there had been key took eff ect in early May. ages of Trump have given con- screwdriver, according to the Is- casualties. The Syrian army’s main focus stricted Palestinians some comic raeli foreign ministry. The battle is around the village since May has been its campaign relief. A second Jordanian, the of Maan, 23km north of Hama in in the east of the country against “I’m going to build you a apartment landlord, was also western Syria, near the loca- Islamic State. brother,” the US leader tells the killed – apparently by accident. wall in one mural. “The State Attorney’s Offi ce, In another, he hugs an Israeli with the approval of the Attor- army watch-tower, with heart- ney General, has requested the Violence, arson at S Sudan refugee camp shaped emojis added alongside head of investigations and in- paint splashes and soot stains telligence division of the Israeli Violence and arson broke out on Thursday at the biggest South left by Palestinian demonstra- A Palestinian man walks past a graff iti depicting US President Donald Trump on the controversial Israeli police to conduct a police ex- Sudanese refugee camp in Sudan, which houses tens of thousands of tions. separation barrier in the West Bank town of Bethlehem yesterday. amination into the shooting in- people, a security off icial said. The scale and cause of the violence at The artist, who goes by the cident in Jordan,” a justice min- the Al Waral camp in Sudan’s southern White Nile was not immediately alias @LushSux and who Aus- oppose his plan to have it pay not get across and more,” Trump The Bethlehem wall has be- istry statement relayed by the clear, but local police off icers and government off icials rushed to the tralian media have said comes for a border wall that he says is told Mexican President Enrique come a showcase of protest art foreign ministry said yesterday. camp to investigate the incident. The UN refugee agency and the from Melbourne, did not imme- needed to stop illegal immigra- Pena Nieto, according to the voicing Palestinians’ fears that Jordanian authorities might also White Nile police chief confirmed there was unrest at the camp where diately respond to a request for tion to the United States. transcript of the phone call in Israel’s West Bank fence-and- be contacted “in order to request some 50,000 South Sudanese refugees live. “We have reports that comment. “You know, you look at Israel January. concrete barrier is a land grab the transfer to the police of ad- there is disturbance and fire in Khor Al Waral camp of South Sudanese On Thursday, the Washington — Israel has a wall and everyone “Bibi Netanyahu told me the that may deny them a state. ditional materials”, it said. refugees,” White Nile police chief General Eltieb Gourashi told AFP. He Post published a transcript of a said do not build a wall, walls do wall works,” he added, using Is- Israelis deem the project a The guard was briefl y ques- said senior state off icials were on their way to the camp to investigate conversation in which Trump not work — 99.9% of people try- raeli Prime Minister Benjamin bulwark against Palestinian at- tioned by investigators in Jordan the incident. The UNHCR in a statement said it was “aware of the pressured Mexico not to publicly ing to come across that wall can- Netanyahu’s nickname. tack. before returning to Israel. disturbance” in Al Waral camp and expressed concern. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, August 5, 2017 AFRICA ANC warns MPs against dumping Zuma

AFP whip Jackson Mthembu ahead of the party over allegations that he criticism from the ANC’s coali- a tranche of leaked e-mails that tors that he did not expect the Johannesburg Tuesday’s vote brought by oppo- is corrupt and incompetent. tion allies. point to a corrupt relationship vote to succeed, even if conduct- sition parties. South Africa’s economy It acknowledged the impact of between the two sides. ed with a secret ballot as opposi- “The removal of the President slumped into a recession in the an unpopular cabinet reshuffl e It described allegations that tion parties have campaigned for. outh Africa’s ruling ANC will have disastrous consequenc- fi rst quarter of the year while un- at the end of March that saw re- state organs had been corrupted “There is a higher probability party has warned its leg- es that can only have a negative employment nears 26%. spected fi nance minister Pravin as “serious and legitimate con- of the vote being passed under a Sislators that voting for a impact on the people of South Popular support for the ANC, Gordhan ousted and replaced cerns”. secret ballot (but) ultimately we motion of no confi dence against Africa,” he said. “It will result in which was swept to power in the with a Zuma loyalist. But the statement added: “We think most anti-Zuma MPs wor- President Jacob Zuma next week the entire cabinet having to re- fi rst non-racial elections in 1994, The move led to a string of are raising these issues now to ry a secret ballot will not be se- would be a disaster for the coun- sign which will lead to a collapse slipped to 55% in last year’s local downgrades to South Africa’s show the ANC has been respon- cret because of the involvement try. in government ... it will plunge polls – its worst-ever election credit rating as well as causing sive.” of the security services and num- “Voting in favour of this mo- our country into complete politi- result. the rand currency to tumble. Gupta family member Atul bered ballot papers,” he wrote. tion will be tantamount to cal instability.” “We are not blind to the griev- The statement also recognised recently told the BBC that the e- Zuma, 75, is due to step down throwing a nuclear bomb,” said Mthembu’s intervention ances raised by our people in- the controversy raging around mails had “no authenticity”. as head of the ANC party in De- a statement issued by African comes as Zuma has been mired cluding our partners,” said the Zuma and his relationship with Nomura analyst Peter Attard cember, and as president ahead Zuma: expected to survive National Congress (ANC) chief by growing criticism from within statement, referring to vocal the Gupta business family, and Montalto said in a note to inves- of the 2019 general election. Tuesday’s vote. Army of children Kagame set for win target of Congo massacres: UN

By Tom Miles mitting large-scale killings Reuters based on ethnic identity, the in Rwanda election report said. Typically its members would AFP militia group blamed for execute a government offi cial Kigali atrocities in the Congo and decapitate them, remov- Ais largely composed ing the head to put it in “sacred of children, while a militia fi re”. wandan election offi cials formed to defeat it is suspect- A second militia group, tallied votes yesterday ed of a campaign of ethnically the Bana Mura, was formed Rfrom a presidential poll based massacres and rapes, UN in March or April, allegedly expected to hand strongman Paul investigators said yesterday. armed and supported by lo- Kagame a massive victory and The report, detailing vio- cal leaders and offi cials from third term at the helm of the east lence that the United Nations the army and the police, to at- African nation. said may amount to crimes tack the Luba and Lulua eth- “Kagame, Paul. Kagame, Paul,” against humanity, shines a nic groups, to which Kamuina read out election offi cials from light onto the role of children Nsapu fi ghters belong. the vast majority of ballots at one and witchcraft in a confl ict “The Bana Mura allegedly polling station as counting be- that has killed thousands. undertook a campaign aimed gan after a peaceful day of voting It was based on testimonies at eliminating the entire Luba across “the Land of a Thousand from refugees who had fl ed and Lulua populations in the Hills”. from the violence in Demo- villages they attacked,” the re- The electoral commission’s cratic Republic of the Congo to port said. Charles Munyaneza said the Angola. Scott Campbell, head of process had seen “no major “Their accounts should Central and West Africa at the problems” and turnout had been Kagame and his wife Jeannette serve as a grave warning to the UN human rights offi ce, said good among the 6.9mn regis- arrive to cast their vote at a government of the DRC to act the violence had spiralled out tered voters taking part in the polling station in Kigali. now to prevent such violence of control with the complicity third election since the end of the from tipping into wider ethnic of the government of President 1994 genocide. Right: An electoral Commission cleansing,” UN High Com- Joseph Kabila, whose mandate Kagame, 59, is running against off icial hangs a counting board missioner for Human Rights expired last December, and the two little-known candidates at a polling station in Kigali at the Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said in a UN was concerned it could be seen as unlikely to pose any beginning of the vote counting statement. used to delay a fresh election. threat to his Rwandan Patriotic for the presidential elections. The investigation, which The Congo government says Front’s (RPF) control. was “triggered because the the convictions of seven sol- The lanky former guerilla Like many other voters AFP of his 500 observers had not been remarkable turnaround in the “There is no election in Rwan- response of government fell diers last month for murdering fi ghter cast his ballot at a school spoke to, Rutayisire didn’t know allowed to enter polling stations shattered nation, which boasts da, there is a coronation declar- short”, documented 251 kill- suspected militia members in in the capital just after midday, the names of the other candi- for the fi rst two hours of voting. annual economic growth of ing Kagame the king,” outspoken ings over a three-month pe- Kasai show the justice system accompanied by his wife and four dates, Frank Habineza of the Munyaneza said there had about 7%, is safe, clean and does local journalist Robert Mugabe riod in an area that covers only is acting. children as loudspeakers blared Democratic Green Party – the been an issue with their accredi- not tolerate corruption. told AFP before the vote. a fraction of the 59,000sq mile Government spokesman music urging citizens to vote. only permitted critical opposi- tation “but we allowed them in Rwanda also has the highest Even Kagame has said the re- (152,800sq km) diamond-rich Lambert Mende told Reuters Voters at the school praised tion party – and independent anyway”. number of female lawmakers in sult is a foregone conclusion. Kasai region. yesterday: “If it is the Bana Kagame for his leadership since candidate Philippe Mpayimana. Kagame was just 36 when he the world. “The election is over,” he de- Responding to the report, a Mura that have killed Congo- his rebel army routed extrem- Despite facing an unwinnable became Rwanda’s de-facto lead- However, critics increasingly clared on the fi rst day of the cam- spokesman for the Congo gov- lese people, we will arrest them ist Hutu forces who slaughtered battle against Kagame in which er after the genocide. bemoan what they see as des- paign. ernment said it would investi- and bring them to justice.” an estimated 800,000 people opponents had only three weeks He was appointed president by potic tendencies. His confi dence comes after gate and punish crimes. He did not confi rm or deny – mainly minority Tutsis – and to campaign, Habineza was up- lawmakers in 2000 before being Rights groups accuse Kagame 98% of Rwandans approved a The report said that one any elements of the UN report seized Kigali. beat after voting. elected in 2003 and again in 2010 of ruling through fear, relying constitutional amendment in a militia group, the Kamuina but said that it would help the “He freed the country, he “For the fi rst time since 23 with more than 90% of votes. on systematic repression of the 2015 referendum that granted Nsapu, has been fi ghting the Congo with an upcoming in- stabilised the country. Now we years an opposition party has His close friend former British opposition, free speech and the him the right to run for a third Congo’s government for a year, vestigation in Kasai, to be led can walk anywhere day or night been in the ballot,” he told AFP prime minister Tony Blair hails media. term in offi ce. and has summarily executed at by three human rights experts without problems,” said Jean by phone. him as a “visionary leader” while Kagame’s critics have ended Observers condemned the re- least 79 people. appointed by the United Na- Baptiste Rutayisire, a 54-year- Previously only independents others see him as a shining exam- up jailed, forced into exile or as- form, which could potentially see “A great majority of the Ka- tions. old entrepreneur. “He is an ex- and parties allied with Kagame ple of post-colonial leadership in sassinated. Kagame retain offi ce twice more muina Nsapu elements are The UN report said the Bana ceptional man. You don’t change fi elded candidates. Africa. Few Rwandans would dare to if re-elected this time and allow children (girls and boys), some Mura were often accompanied a winning team.” Habineza complained that 100 Kagame is credited with a openly speak against him. him to stay president until 2034. as young as seven,” it said. by Congolese soldiers, who The refugees were convinced were responsible for atroci- that the Kamuina Nsapu had ties including fi ring rockets Ethiopia arrests state minister for fi nance magical powers, and militia into a church in the village of members believed their magic Djiboko on 10 June, killing 60- Ethiopia has arrested its state minister for finance on suspicion of corrup- – including young girls drink- 90 people attending a religious tion, state-run television said yesterday, part of an anti-graft drive that the ing the blood of decapitated service. government says has led to dozens of arrests in the last two weeks. victims – would make them In one attack on a village, Ethiopian govt lifts the Bana Mura shot, chopped Alemayehu Gujo is the highest-ranking off icial to have been detained so far invincible, the report said. in the sweep that has also involved business owners. “This generalised belief up and disembowelled people. Zayed Woldegabriel, director general of the Ethiopian Roads Authority, was about the powers of Kamuina Many were beheaded or also detained yesterday, the state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation Nsapu and the fear it triggers burned alive, including the (EBC) said. among segments of the popu- patients in a health centre, the state of emergency report said. In an emergency session, Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives lation in the Kasais may partly lifted Gujo’s immunity from prosecution, the EBC said in a breaking news explain why a poorly-armed A woman still bleeding from Reuters announcement. militia, composed to a large ex- childbirth was raped with the Addis Ababa “A warrant was then issued and led to his arrest,” the broadcaster said, cit- tent of children, has been able barrel of a rifl e, it said. ing the Attorney General’s Off ice. to resist off ensives by a trained After a Bana Mura attack on Yesterday’s arrest followed the detention of more than 40 off icials from national army for over a year.” another village, one witness thiopia has lifted a state of the ministry of finance and economic co-operation, the capital’s housing There were no corroborated claimed to have buried 45 de- emergency imposed last development agency, the state-run Ethiopian Sugar Corporation, and the cases of Kamuina Nsapu com- capitated bodies. EOctober following months Ethiopian Roads Authority. of protests that killed hundreds. Charges brought so far include embezzlement and the siphoning off of More than 29,000 people were billions of birr. Niger warns of spiralling birth rate arrested during the period and The anti-corruption drive is partly a response to unrest that wracked nearly 8,000 of them are on trial the Horn of Africa country in 2015 and 2016 and which was sparked by a Niger’s president has sounded the alarm over his country’s world- for taking part in the violence, scheme to development and expand the capital, Addis Ababa. leading birth rate, labelling the average of over seven children per Defence Minister Siraj Fegessa The protests turned into broader anti-government demonstrations over household a “handicap” to development in the impoverished west said yesterday. politics and human rights abuses. African nation. The unrest was provoked by The violence included attacks on businesses, many of them foreign- Mahamadou Issoufou said that at the current rate, Niger’s a development scheme for the owned, including farms growing flowers for export. population would more than double by 2035 and hit 75mn by the capital Addis Ababa and turned The government subsequently acknowledged that maladministration and middle of the century. into broader anti-government abuse of power was rife and that it needed to broaden political participa- “Common sense compels us to reflect now on this future,” he said demonstrations over politics and tion. on Wednesday during a televised address on the 57th anniversary human rights abuses. Fegessa and speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, of Niger’s independence from France. It included attacks on busi- Abadula Gemeda, address legislators during the meeting to lift the Deeply poor Niger has the world’s highest birth rate of 7.6 children nesses, many of them foreign- state of emergency. groups, including two armed se- drive has created one of Africa’s per household, and its population of 18mn is growing at close to 4% owned, including farms growing cessionist groups, as terrorist or- fastest growing economies. a year. fl owers for export. “7,737 of them are currently on without permission. ganisations. The government also often “The country’s stability is in trial over charges of taking part in There was also a dusk-to- Another directive barring the faces international criticism and far better shape. In some areas violent and terrorist acts during dawn curfew on access to eco- “preparation, distribution and opposition to its authoritarian Pistorius returned to prison where security issues remain, the unrest,” he said. nomic installations, some in- exhibition of material that could approach to development. local security forces have the ca- Measures initially imposed frastructure and factories for incite chaos” was also retained in In April, a government-sanc- Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympic gold medallist pacity to restore order,” Fegessa under the declaration included unauthorised people. March. tioned investigation said 669 serving a six-year jail term for murdering his girlfriend, is back said in a report read in parlia- granting powers to security serv- Those restrictions were eased The violence in Oromiya, the people had been killed in the vio- in prison after spending a night in hospital, a prison service ment. ices to stop and search suspects in March but Addis Ababa main- largest and most populous region lence. spokesman said yesterday. Siraj said nearly 29,000 people and to search homes without tained a ban that stopped citizens which surrounds Addis Ababa, The United Nations High Pistorius was taken to hospital on Thursday after falling ill and was were arrested in the provinces of court authorisation. from having any contact with and to a lesser extent in the Am- Commissioner for Human Rights kept at the medical facility overnight for observation. Oromiya, Amhara and SNNP, as Another rule barred diplomats opposition groups branded as hara province north of Addis Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein has called “Oscar has been discharged and is back in prison,” correctional well as Addis Ababa during the from travelling beyond a 40km terrorist movements. Ababa, put a shadow over a na- on Ethiopia to allow his agency to services department spokesman Logan Maistry said. period. (25 miles) radius of the capital Ethiopia has designated fi ve tion where a state-led industrial investigate abuse claims. Prison off icials have not disclosed details about Pistorius’s illness. Gulf Times Saturday, August 5, 2017 5 AMERICA US warns against ‘staggering’ leaks,

Sessions speaks during the news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, DC. vows crackdown Also seen is Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats. AFP president and condemn in the that he would bolster a task force While the administration has A prominent civil rights group to the fullest extent of the law.” over the revelations which ap- Washington strongest terms the staggering created during Barack Obama’s respect for the press, “it is not warned that clamping down on The announcement follows parently came from inside the number of leaks undermining the administration aimed at appre- unlimited”, he said. leakers signalled a crackdown a torrent of damaging revela- White House. ability of our government to pro- hending leakers. “They cannot place lives at against democracy itself. tions to the media, following six Disclosure of the transcripts S Attorney General Jeff tect this country,” Sessions told a “We will not allow rogue risk with impunity,” he added. “Every American should be months of political intrigue and rocked Washington, with law- Sessions has vowed to press conference. anonymous sources with se- “We must balance the press’s concerned about the Trump ad- open feuding in the White House. makers across the political spec- Ucrack down on leakers Four people have already been curity clearances to sell out our role with protecting our national ministration’s threat to step up It comes after a leak that was trum strongly denouncing the who reveal classifi ed or sensitive charged with “unlawfully dis- country,” he said. security.” its eff orts against whistleblowers unusual even by the standards of leaks of presidential conversa- national security information, closing” classifi ed material or Moves to crack down on dam- His remarks came just hours and journalists,” said Ben Wizner this administration – the pub- tions with world leaders. branding such actions a betrayal concealing contacts with federal aging leaks did not originate with after yet another stunning rev- of the American Civil Liberties lication by the Washington Post “Somebody needs to go to jail,” of the country. offi cers, he said. Trump’s administration. elation leaked to the media: a Union (ACLU). of the contents of private phone Republican Senator Lindsey Gra- President Donald Trump has Active leak investigations this The Obama administration report by the Wall Street Journal Director of National Intel- calls between Trump and foreign ham stressed yesterday on Fox repeatedly fumed about “ille- year have tripled compared with prosecuted whistleblowers and that special counsel Robert Mu- ligence Dan Coats, joining Ses- leaders. News. gal leaks” and even lashed out the number before Trump took leakers who talked to journalists, eller has impanelled a grand jury sions, issued his own tough The newspaper published the “You don’t have the right if publicly at Sessions last week offi ce, Sessions added. and its Justice Department issued to investigate Russia’s interfer- warning to would-be leakers and full transcripts on Thursday of you work in the White House for taking what he called a “very “We are taking a stand. This subpoenas to reporters to compel ence with the 2016 presidential described such revelations as be- conversations the Republican or you’re a holdover from the weak” position on the issue. culture of leaking must stop,” he them to reveal their sources. election. traying the American people. billionaire leader held in January Obama administration ... to take Under pressure, and with some said. Sessions said that his Justice Grand jury proceedings are “If you improperly disclose with Mexican President Enrique the law in your own hands,” Gra- saying that his job could be on the With Trump desperate to con- Department was reviewing poli- typically secret, and the exposure classifi ed information, we will Pena Nieto and Australian Prime ham said, adding that the leaks line, Sessions responded. trol the message emanating from cies aff ecting “media subpoe- only highlighted the leaky sieve fi nd you,” he said. “We will inves- Minister Malcolm Turnbull. were “hurting the presidency it- “I strongly agree with the the Oval Offi ce, Sessions said nas”. that Washington has become. tigate you, we will prosecute you Sessions signaled his anger self”. Security for Trump’s summer visit US woman to serve 15 months over ruffl es tranquil New Jersey town boyfriend’s suicide

By Joseph Ax AFP The sentence was stayed Bedminster, New Jersey New York pending expected appeals. The prosecution had recom- mended a sentence of between hree military helicopters judge has sentenced a seven and 12 years, accusing hovered over Anne Choi’s 20-year-old Massachu- Carter of deliberately engi- Tbackyard, engaged in what Asetts woman to two and neering Roy’s death in a bid to appeared to be a drill ahead of a half years, with 15 months seek attention and sympathy. President Donald Trump’s visit to be served behind bars, for “Her actions killed Conrad three weeks ago to this tranquil encouraging her boyfriend to Roy. She ended his life to better town of farmland and horse barns carry out plans to kill himself. her own,” the prosecutor told in rural New Jersey. A tearful Michelle Carter the court. “My sheep were terrifi ed,” stood with hands clasped and Carter’s lawyer urged the Choi, 44, said on Thursday in- eyes cast down to hear her fate judge for leniency, saying that side her two-story barn a mile over the death of Conrad Roy, his client, dressed in red pants east of Trump National Golf who died from carbon monox- and a cream blouse, hoped to Club, as half a dozen Shetland ide poisoning in July 2014. build a career in real estate after sheep grazed outside. “It’s awful. Trump: taking a 17-day holiday. In an extraordinary case graduating from high school, We don’t have the infrastruc- seen as breaking new ground was still in counselling and was ture here. We can’t support the Right: This file picture taken on in a state with no law against not a danger to the public. weight of his presence.” May 7 shows Trump’s motorcade encouraging suicide, Carter “This is a terrible, terrible As Bedminster prepared this departing after a weekend at his swapped hundreds of text tragedy and she very much week for the president’s latest golf estate in Bedminster, New messages with Roy, repeatedly regrets this,” said Joseph Cat- trip to the 600-acre (240-hec- Jersey. urging him to follow through aldo, requesting fi ve years of tare) private club, a 17-day stay on his plan to kill himself and supervised probation attached that is his fi rst extended vaca- disturb the use of private prop- conceal it from his parents. to conditions such as mental tion in offi ce, some of the town’s erty outside the Trump National The defence argued that health counselling. 8,000 residents expressed frus- Golf Course”. Carter, who was 17 years old But the case has divided le- tration at the security protocols, Trump’s movements can also “It’s just fake news,” he said, 110 private planes and 60 fl ight the road past Trump National at the time, was racked with gal opinion on whether Cart- road closures and daily disrup- lead to the closure of local roads echoing one of the president’s fa- school students will be grounded and honking their horns. depressive disorders, on anti- er’s actions were even enough tion that will begin with his ar- and highways. vourite phrases. “They try to spin from August 4 to August 20. The town’s administrator, depressants and suff ered from to secure a conviction under rival today. Julie Henderson’s husband, it like it’s gridlock. So, there are “Our summertime is our busi- Judith Sullivan, said they were eating disorders, all of which involuntary manslaughter. On Wednesday, the US Secret Paul Henderson, said he has fi ve more cars at the stoplight?” est time,” said Somerset Air- more of a distraction for her swayed her judgment. In convicting Carter, Moniz Service said safety measures twice been stuck on an Interstate Bedminster’s Republican may- port president Chris Walker, as 16-member police department She had faced up to 20 years said it was her instruction to would also include a “tethered on his way to work while Trump’s or, Steven Parker, also brushed a Coast Guard helicopter landed than the president, though they in prison at her sentencing in Roy to get back into the vehicle drone”, equipped with optical and motorcade used the highway. off the criticism. on the runway in preparation for have largely been well behaved. a juvenile court in Taunton, – during a telephone call after infrared cameras and powered by Not everyone in this town “It’s really been a big non- the weekend. “We’re just rolling She hopes to recoup the south of Boston. he stepped out – and her fail- a wire attached to a ground con- about 40 miles (60km) west of event,” he said. with the punches.” $30,000 in overtime for offi c- But Judge Lawrence Moniz, ure to sound the alarm that was troller, that could impede on the New York City agrees Trump’s Some residents said Trump About half of the planes were ers working during Trump’s visit who convicted Carter of invol- crucial to the guilty verdict. privacy of nearby residences. visit will be a nuisance. has been a generous neighbour in being moved to other airports from the US government. untary manslaughter in June, Prosecutors said Carter “It’s super creepy,” said Julie Steve Desiderio, who owns a past years, allowing local events outside the 10-mile (16km) no- Choi, who moved to Bedmin- said that it was important to stayed on the telephone listen- Henderson, an artist who lives restaurant and catering business to be hosted at his club. fl y zone, Stewart said. ster from Maryland two years balance punishment and reha- ing to her boyfriend as he died. down the road from Trump Na- in Bedminster’s modest down- As in previous years, the town- Some workers will be sent ago, said that she likely would bilitation for her role in Roy’s “She called no one,” Moniz tional, as two military helicop- town, said the infl ux of federal ship committee held its annual home until Trump returns to not have chosen her house had death in his pickup truck in a said in June, despite Carter ters roared overhead before cir- agents and journalists would be reorganisation meeting in 2017 Washington. she known the “summer White parking lot. knowing where Roy was and cling and heading back toward a welcome boost to his business. at Trump National, where Parker Trump has also drawn local House” would be only a mile Moniz said that after 15 having his family’s telephone the golf club. Desiderio, a 48-year-old was selected to continue as may- protesters, both for and against away. months behind bars, the bal- numbers. “And fi nally, she did The Secret Service said the Trump supporter, added that or. him. “Even if you agree with his ance of her sentence would not issue a simple additional drone would focus primarily on complaints about the disrup- While Trump’s visit may help Anti-Trump activists have politics, I think we can all agree be suspended until August 1, instruction: ‘Get out of the the outer perimeter and would tion were overblown and media- the town’s eateries, it will shut been staging a weekly “People’s that this is not what we bargained 2022. truck’.” not “physically intrude upon or driven. down the local airport, where Motorcade”, driving slowly down for,” she said. Senators head home, and block recess appointments

AFP criticised Sessions for recus- three branches of government, One top accomplishment was political capital to get important Washington ing himself from the probe, and Congress has passed zero pieces the Russia sanctions bill that early priorities through Con- speculation swirled over wheth- of major legislation. passed with overwhelming sup- gress. er Trump would ram through a The Republicans’ over-prom- port, leading Trump to sign the In early 2009, Obama passed he US Senate adjourned on replacement during the break, ised eff ort to repeal and replace measure into law despite not an $800bn economic stimulus Thursday, leaving Donald without Senate confi rmation. Barack Obama’s healthcare re- backing it. package and bolstered equal-pay TTrump deprived of any But that avenue closed on forms collapsed in embarrassing And on Thursday Republicans protections. major legislative victory heading Thursday when Senator Lisa shambles. got unanimous consent from the George W Bush passed his fi rst into summer break, as lawmak- Murkowski, adjourning the Sen- Senate Majority Leader Mitch chamber to confi rm more than round of tax cuts eight years ear- ers also blocked the president ate for the day, locked in nine McConnell had hoped to triumph 60 nominees, including US am- lier. from making so-called recess “pro forma” sessions over the on a health bill last month, leav- bassadors to Britain and Canada McConnell and Republican appointments during the rest next month. ing time to accomplish other and a new representative to the leadership in the House have sig- period. Such sessions typically last a goals including raising the US North Atlantic Treaty Organisa- nalled that the next major legis- The move, by unanimous con- minute or two, with no business debt ceiling and working on tion (Nato). lative lift will be tax reform. sent of the 100 senators, serves conducted. budget bills for fi scal year 2018. But otherwise they now head But when Congress returns as a check on Trump as he mulls Holding them keeps the Senate But the healthcare fi asco home with few accomplish- to work on September 5, it faces fi ring his Attorney General Jeff open during the vacation period, sucked up weeks of debate time, ments, and likely to face con- other immediate hurdles. Sessions. denying the president recess ap- and its cascading eff ect stalled servatives angry at their failure to Lawmakers will have precious Trump has considered re- pointment opportunities. other legislation. repeal Obamacare. little time to forge agreement on placing his embattled top law The House of Representatives Republicans do claim some Number two Senate Repub- a budget and on extending fed- enforcement offi cial amid adjourned for its break last week. victories, including confi rming lican John Cornyn signalled the eral borrowing authority. broadening investigations into As summer-bound US law- conservative judge Neil Gor- health fi ght was not over. Failure on those counts by allegations that his aides co- makers exit Washington, the such onto the Supreme Court, “I can assure my colleagues October 1 could plunge the gov- TAKING A BREAK: The Senate side of the US Capitol is shown on the ordinated with Russia to tilt last numbers are telling: with Trump rescinding several Obama-era that issue is not going away,” he ernment into shutdown or a po- last day of the summer session, Thursday, in Washington, DC. The US year’s election in his favour. in offi ce seven months, and his regulations and improving con- said. tentially catastrophic default, Senate is scheduled to return from summer break on September 5. The president has strongly Republican Party controlling all ditions for veterans. New presidents often expend respectively. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, August 5, 2017 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

PROTEST INSURGENCY CALAMITY CONTROVERSY Hundreds go on strike at At least six Buddhists killed Death toll in Thai South Korea envoy faces Indonesia’s cargo terminal in rising Rakhine violence floods rises to 27 probe over sexual assaults

Hundreds of workers have gone on strike at Suspected insurgents killed at least six The number of flood victims hitting Thailand’s South Korea’s foreign ministry filed a complaint Indonesia’s largest container terminal, a union members of a Buddhist ethnic minority north-eastern areas for about a month has with prosecution authorities yesterday against its off icial said yesterday, paralysing operations in western Myanmar on Thursday, the risen to 27, and tens of thousands of people ambassador to Ethiopia for multiple sexual assaults, and forcing incoming shipments to be government and regional sources said, amid have been forced to leave their homes and it said, just weeks after another diplomat at the diverted. Nearly 700 employees at the Jakarta spiralling violence in troubled Rakhine state. to move to shelters. Thailand’s Department mission was sacked for raping a female colleague. International Container Terminal (JICT), the Security forces discovered the bodies of three of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said Yesterday’s move paved the way for a criminal bulk of the workforce, stopped work Thursday men and three women bearing machete and in a statement that five bodies had been investigation into allegations that ambassador Kim for a strike intended to last a week, the gunshot wounds in the Mayu mountain range recovered in flooded areas, bringing the Moon-hwan sexually assaulted several embassy company’s labour union said. “The strike has near the town of Maungdaw, the office of death toll to 27. More than a dozen people in employees in Addis Ababa. “Sexual misdeeds paralysed the loading and unloading process Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s northeastern provinces have by the head of the diplomatic mission against as well as the terminal’s activity,” Mokhammad said. In a statement, it said “extremists” were been displaced to safe places after floods the number of affected people reached 1mn. multiple victims have been confirmed through a Firmansyah, the union’s secretary general, told responsible for killing the six members of the destroyed houses, installations and roads, and Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention thorough investigation,” the ministry said in a press AFP. Workers are demanding to be paid last Mro minority from the village of Kaigyi who made them homeless. Authorities in Thailand and Mitigation confirmed two days ago that 22 statement. As well as a criminal inquiry, it said, year’s production bonus in full, after it was cut residents believe stumbled upon a camp for estimated the total losses of the floods, which people were killed in the floods, considering it was seeking a “heavy punishment” from the by more than 40 percent, Firmansyah said. Rohingya militants. flooded 10 provinces to about $300mn, while the floods the worst in the region in 10 years. central government disciplinary committee. Chinese rights blogger gets four years in jail

AFP since Chinese President Xi Jin- AFP was not able to confirm brands itself as socialist and years combined. Many of the Beijing ping took offi ce in 2012. whether Li is still being held in pro-worker, this harsh sentenc- protests erupted over unpaid Donald Trump Malcom Turnbull A former migrant worker, Lu custody. ing probably indicates that the wages. and his girlfriend, Li Tingyu, Xiao told AFP that Lu, who authorities are willing to crack “Lu’s sentence is deeply Chinese blogger who undertook the demanding task pleaded not guilty, has already down on labour rights activists troubling,” Keegan Elmer, a meticulously docu- of cataloguing labour strikes fi led to appeal his sentence. and their supporters.” CLB researcher, told AFP. “(Lu Amented public protests and other workers’ demonstra- “He maintains his inno- Working conditions have and Li) provided all of Chi- around the country was sen- tions across China. The couple cence,” Xiao said, noting that generally improved over Chi- na, officials included, with a Australian PM tenced to four years in prison published an exhaustive com- Lu’s current mental state was na’s more than three-decade glimpse into the reality on the yesterday as Beijing continues pilation of these incidents un- “not bad.” economic boom. But many la- ground.” a crackdown on civil rights de- der the alias “Not the News”, “The four-year sentence of bourers, who often leave their But “targeting Lu has had ab- brushes off leaked fenders. Lu Yuyu was found off ering a rare, comprehensive Lu Yuyu is very worrying since rural homes for menial factory solutely no eff ect on the ability guilty of “picking quarrels and record of how labour tensions he did nothing but compile jobs, are still victimised by em- of workers across the country to provoking trouble” by a court in were rising. information that was already ployers. do what they have been doing the southwest city of Dali, Yun- Lu and Li were arrested in publicly available,” William According to the Hong constantly in recent years – or- phone transcript nan province, his lawyer Xiao June 2016. Months later, they Nee, a China researcher at Kong-based nonprofit China ganising online.” Three promi- Yunyang told AFP. were awarded the Reporters Amnesty International, told Labor Bulletin (CLB), there nent labour rights lawyers were The same charge has been Without Borders-TV5Monde AFP. were nearly 2,800 strikes and handed suspended prison sen- AFP He also played down his re- used to prosecute dozens of ac- Press Freedom Prize in the “Although, ironically, the protests in China in 2015 – tences in September for “dis- Sydney marks that the Americans could tivists and political dissidents “citizen journalists” category. Chinese government still more than in the previous four turbing the social order.” take as few refugees as they wanted, even though the deal ustralia’s prime minis- was meant to help transfer hun- ter yesterday sought to dreds off Manus island in Papua Adownplay an unfl attering New Guinea before the closure A Victory moment account of a controversial refu- of the camp there in October. A gee swap deal which emerged PNG Supreme Court ruling de- in a leaked transcript of a bad- claring that holding people on tempered phone call with US Manus was unconstitutional President Donald Trump. The has meant Canberra is keen to Washington Post published the remove the refugees ahead of it full details Thursday of private shutting. calls between Trump and his Australia sends asylum-seek- Australian and Mexican coun- ers who try to enter the country terparts, sparking fury about the by boat to camps on Nauru and leak from the US administration. Manus, with even those found The acrimonious exchange to be refugees barred from reset- between Trump and Malcolm tling in Australia. Turnbull saw the American bil- The widely-criticised policy lionaire baulk at a “dumb deal” was adopted following a sharp made by the Obama government upsurge in the number of asy- to accept refugees sent by Aus- lum-seekers arriving by boat. tralia to remote Pacifi c island de- Canberra defends its position, tention camps. But the transcript which includes turning boats also exposed key inconsistencies back, saying it has prevented between the Australian govern- deaths at sea. “It does not oblige ment’s comments to the public you to take one person that you on the deal, and undermined of- do not want,” Turnbull told fi cial assertions it was not set up Trump during the call, in re- as a swap to take refugees from marks criticised by refugee ad- the US. vocates as the Australian leader “We will take anyone that going through the motions. you want us to take,” Turnbull Turnbull said the deal “has told Trump during the call, add- always been subject to American ing: “The only people that we do vetting procedures, that’s always not take are people who come been part of the arrangement”. by boat. We would rather take a The Human Rights Law Cen- not very attractive guy that helps tre said it showed Turnbull was you out than to take a Nobel “totally preoccupied with main- Peace Prize winner that comes taining (its) facade”. by boat.” “The conversation makes it Turnbull yesterday described clear that Prime Minister Turn- the call as “frank and courte- bull is rolling the dice with peo- ous” and defended what he told ple’s lives and mental health,” Trump, telling reporters “the Amnesty International added. nature of our relationship with Trump after the phone call the United States in this area is grudgingly agreed to honour one of mutual assistance. what he has called a “dumb deal”, “So we help the Americans, although it remains unclear how they help us,” he said. many Washington will accept.

Tour guide and Korean People’s Army (KPA) captain Choe Un-jong poses for a portrait at the War Museum, or ‘Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum’, in Pyongyang. Foiled Australia plane plot directed by IS: police

A man instructed by terror “There is a little bit of conjecture group Islamic State to bring as to why it didn’t go ahead. It down an Etihad Airways flight didn’t get past the check-in.” tried to use an unsuspecting Police are working on the passenger to carry a bomb theory that it was called off North Korea slams travel ban for on board, with a second because the device may have poisonous gas plot also in the been too heavy. works, Australian police alleged Authorities also foiled a yesterday. The improvised second alleged plot involving device, using “high military- a “chemical dispersion device”, US citizens, calls it unwarranted grade explosive”, was due to be designed to release hydrogen smuggled onto a July 15 service sulphide, but this was in from Sydney, but the attempt the early stages. Hydrogen Reuters “Our doors are always open North Korea the only country North Korea is currently Republican US Representa- was aborted before they sulphide is highly toxic, and Seoul for all Americans who visit our to which US citizens are banned holding two Korean-American tive Joe Wilson, who intro- reached security. often fatal for people exposed country out of goodwill and from travelling. academics and a missionary in duced the bill to ban Ameri- Two men – Khaled Khayat to it. wish to see our reality,” the It follows the death in June addition to a Canadian pastor cans from travelling to North and Mahmoud Khayat – have “Not only have we stopped orth Korea has criticised spokesman said. of US student Otto Warmbier, and three South Korean nation- Korea this year, has said hun- been charged with terrorism the IED that was believed to Washington’s deci- who was sentenced in North als who were doing missionary dreds of Americans are among off ences and were refused go on the plane but we have Nsion to ban US passport The ban will make Korea last year to 15 years’ hard work. “There is no country in the roughly 4,000 to 5,000 bail yesterday, with a third still also completely disrupted the holders from visiting the North, reclusive North Korea the labour for trying to steal an the world that would let for- Western tourists who visit the being questioned. intended chemical dispersion with state media describing it as only country to which US item bearing a propaganda item eigners who commit this sort of North each year. Aside from Police claim one of them device,” said Phelan. The a “sordid” attempt to limit hu- citizens are banned from from his hotel. Warmbier was crime be,” the spokesman said. the threat of incarceration, planted the bomb in the second plan was hatched man exchanges. travelling in a coma when he was released “Ruling criminals by the law is North Korea’s growing nuclear passenger’s luggage. Local after the first one failed, The North’s KCNA news by the North on humanitar- exercising our confi dent right and missile threat is perhaps reports said the luggage police alleged, and was not agency, citing an unidenti- The US State Department ian grounds and circumstances as a sovereign state.” Trump’s most serious security belonged to the man’s own, necessarily targeted at a fied spokesman for the for- said earlier this week the ban of his death remain unclear. The report said the ban re- challenge. innocent, brother. “We will be plane. “They were talking eign ministry, said there was would take eff ect on Septem- KCNA did not name Warmbier fl ects Washington’s view of The North test-launched an alleging the person who was about crowded closed spaces, no reason for foreigners to ber 1, although some, including in yesterday’s report but said Pyongyang as an enemy and re- intercontinental ballistic mis- to carry the IED had no idea you know, potentially public feel threatened while in North journalists and humanitarian the North had delivered “just iterated that President Donald sile last month that experts they were carrying an IED,” said transport, and so on,” Phelan Korea and that citizens from workers, may apply for excep- punishment” to some US citi- Trump’s administration should believe had the range to reach Australian Federal Police Deputy said, but added that they “got around the world were en- tions. zens who had carried out acts abandon its hostile policies to- Alaska and Hawaii, and perhaps Commissioner Michael Phelan. nowhere near making one”. couraged to visit. The ban will make reclusive against the regime. wards the North. the US Pacifi c Northwest. Gulf Times Saturday, August 5, 2017 7 BRITAIN/IRELAND

Govt fl ies rainbow fl ag over Ireland wants ‘bridges, Northern Ireland not borders’ post-Brexit offi ce AFP the EU, and failing that, for it to But he warned “the clock is since Varadkar triggered a storm Belfast stay in the European single mar- ticking” to reach an agreement, of DUP criticism last week by ket to maintain the current free as Britain began the two-year urging the party to clarify its po- Reuters trade arrangements between process of leaving the bloc in sition on the border issue. Belfast rish Prime Minister Leo Ireland and the UK. March. “We’re not going to be helping Varadkar said in Belfast yes- Another way to smooth Brit- The issue of the Irish border – them to design some sort of bor- Iterday that his government ain’s departure would be to es- the only land border Britain will der that we don’t believe should he British government wants to be “building bridges tablish an EU-UK customs un- have with the EU after Brexit – is exist in the fi rst place,” he said has ordered a rainbow not borders” with Northern Ire- ion, he said. a top priority in the negotiations then. Tgay rights fl ag to be fl own land as he reiterated his opposi- Noting that a deal of this kind between Brussels and London, His comments, which also above its main offi ce in Belfast – tion to an economic border after existed with Turkey, he said: which began in June. expressed the hope of a U-turn Stormont House – to coincide Brexit. “Surely we can have one with There are fears the return of over Brexit, provoked a furious with the largest gay pride festi- “Brexit seriously risks driv- the United Kingdom.” a “hard” border would disrupt reaction from the DUP, the only val in Northern Ireland, the only ing a wedge between Northern In a speech at Queen’s Uni- the fragile peace in Northern main party in Northern Ireland British region where gay mar- Ireland and Ireland, between versity Belfast, Varadkar said Ireland, which was plagued by to support leaving the EU in last riage is illegal. Britain and Ireland,” Varadkar that the alternative could mean decades of unrest until a 1998 year’s referendum. Gay marriage has been repeat- warned, in his fi rst visit to the a return of customs posts, “a peace deal. “He may be hopeful but that edly blocked in Northern Ireland British province since taking of- brutal physical manifestation of Varadkar described Brexit as is disrespecting the will of the by the powerful Democratic Un- fi ce in June. “And I cannot imag- historic divisions and political “the challenge of our genera- British people – Brexit is going ionist Party (DUP). ine who benefi ts from that.” failure”. tion”, saying: “Every single as- to happen, we are leaving the The DUP is currently backing Cross-border infrastruc- “Back then, south of the bor- pect of life in Northern Ireland European Union,” Foster said. British Prime Minister Theresa ture projects such as roads were der was a very diff erent place, a could be aff ected by the out- Varadkar also called yesterday May’s government after her made possible due to the current very diff erent country to what it come.” for the immediate restoration of Conservative Party lost its ma- free movement of goods and is today – confessional, inward- The Irish premier is meeting local government in Northern jority in the UK general election people, he said. looking and under-developed by the leaders of the main Northern Ireland, which has been sus- in June. “That’s our vision for the fu- Western European standards,” Irish parties during his two-day pended since power-sharing The Conservative Party was ture: building bridges, not bor- he said. “A place of bloodshed visit to Belfast, including Arlene collapsed earlier this year amid Varadkar speaks during a news conference at Queen’s University in heavily criticised by opposition ders,” he said. and violence, of checkpoints. A Foster of the Democratic Union- bitter divisions between the Belfast. Brexit is ‘the challenge of our generation’ with far-reaching parties and the British media for Varadkar reiterated a prefer- barrier to trade, prosperity and ist Party (DUP). pro-British DUP and Irish na- consequences for all, Varadkar warned Northern Ireland yesterday doing a deal with a party as so- ence for Britain to remain part of peace.” It will be their fi rst meeting tionalist Sinn Fein. on his first visit to the British province. cially conservative as the DUP. “Flying the fl ag during this week demonstrates our depart- ment’s recognition and support of the LGBT+ community in Northern Ireland and across the Ireland fl oats EU-UK customs union idea rest of the UK,” a British govern- ment spokeswoman said. The UK government’s Secre- Reuters He said, however, that all Varadkar made several proposals single market and the customs killed before the 1998 peace talks can begin on the free-trade tary of State for Northern Ire- Belfast these “practical solutions” to try to break the Brexit logjam. union during a transition phase, agreement. deal London wants. land, James Brokenshire, earlier would need to be asked for and He said a bilateral customs he said. Varadkar last week said his Varadkar also suggested that told the Irish News newspaper would not be off ered. union could be based on one the Asked about the proposals, government would oppose any the EU may be considering com- that he hoped Northern Ireland’s rish Prime Minister Leo Var- Varadkar was speaking in the EU currently has with Turkey. a spokeswoman for the Brit- customs posts or immigration promise on its insistence that devolved parliament would adkar called yesterday for the British province of Northern “If we have one with Turkey. ish government said Britain had checks on the land border be- the European Court of Justice change its position on gay mar- IEuropean Union and Britain Ireland as part of a drive to fi nd Surely we can have one with the “been clear that we want a deep tween the Republic of Ireland (ECJ) oversee key elements of riage. to fi nd “unique solutions” to a compromise that would avoid United Kingdom?” he said. and special future partnership and Northern Ireland, but he any future relationship, such “Whilst policy on equal mar- their Brexit logjam, including a a hugely damaging hard border British Prime Minister There- with the EU, including a bold did not say where they should be as citizens’ rights to live in the riage is entirely a devolved mat- bespoke customs union. being erected across the island sa May has said Britain will leave and ambitious free trade agree- placed instead. United Kingdom and the over- ter for politicians within the That would solve the problem of Ireland. the EU’s customs union when it ment and a customs agreement”. There have been no customs sight of regulation of sectors like Assembly, I voted in support of of a hard border in Ireland once Dublin is hoping compromise leaves the bloc in order to pursue Ireland, which after Brexit or immigration checks on the aviation and nuclear power. equal marriage in England and Britain has left the EU, some- can be reached ahead of a key its own trade agreements with will have the EU’s only land bor- 500km (310 mile) border since May’s opposition to any over- Wales and like the Prime Minis- thing that is of great concern to Brexit summit in October, which countries around the world. der with the United Kingdom, the European single market sight by the ECJ has been a key ter hope this can be extended to Dublin. Varadkar described as a “historic A bilateral customs union is widely seen as the EU coun- came into eff ect in 1993. stumbling block in talks. Northern Ireland in the future,” Varadkar, a new face at EU meeting for this island”. would appear to imply that both try most exposed to the fall-out About 30,000 people cross “At the moment the mecha- he was quoted as saying. summits since taking offi ce in “Time is running out and I sides would be free to strike from Britain’s leaving. every day without any border nism by which most Euro- Leo Varadkar, the Republic of June, also suggested that Brus- fear there will be no extra time deals with third parties, though The issue of how the Republic checks. pean agreements are upheld is Ireland’s fi rst openly gay prime sels may accede to Britain’s in- allowed,” he told students at the Varadkar did not provide detail and Northern Ireland will fare is The future of that border is through the European Court of minister, was visiting Northern sistence that a post-Brexit body Great Hall at Queen’s University of the proposal. particularly sensitive given the one of three issues – along with Justice and the United Kingdom Ireland yesterday and is due to other than the European Court in Belfast. British membership of the decades of violence in the prov- EU citizens’ rights and British has indicated it no longer wishes attend an event connected with of Justice oversee bilateral is- In a wide-ranging speech European Free Trade Agreement ince over whether it should be budget payments to the EU – on to be part of. So we would need the Belfast Pride festival this sues, such as citizens’ rights and during his fi rst visit to Northern was also an option, or failing part of Britain or Ireland. which Brussels says there must to develop some other mecha- morning. aviation regulation. Ireland as Irish prime minister, that, Britain could remain in the Around 3,600 people were be “signifi cant progress” before nism,” Varadkar said.

Shinty game Women in ambulance in the shadow services harassed

of Ben Nevis By Haroon Siddique ing sought in return for career Guardian News & Media progression whilst others were hounded by managers seek- Reuters ing sexual favours for personal Anoach Mor, Scotland emale National Health reasons. Service (NHS) ambu- “Several female staff felt Flance personnel say they that such behaviours were the game of shinty, a centuries-old sport have been hounded for sexual norm, with some stating ‘my similar to hockey, was played against favours in return for promo- arse was slapped regularly’ and Athe backdrop of Britain’s highest tion. others who felt they were de- mountain Ben Nevis on Thursday, to pro- The allegations, which in- meaned by highly sexualised mote Scotland as a tourist destination. clude “highly sexualised gazing in front of colleagues The match, played by local teams at over gazing” in front of patients and even patients. 1,200m above sea level, is being held to draw and “sexual predators” who “Some female respondents attention to Fort William and Lochaber as a “groomed students” for sex, talked about ‘sexual predators’ resort for families and adventure sports lov- emerged in a report which re- among male colleagues who ers, VisitScotland tourist board said. vealed widespread bullying at ‘groomed students’ for sexu- A sport like shinty, which is called “cama- Southeast Coast ambulance alised ends. Some managers nachd” in Gaelic, was played as early as the service NHS foundation trust felt there was a history of com- sixth century, shinty’s governing body says, (Secamb). ments being turned to lewd adding that shinty and the game of hurling Researchers were told that remarks but slowly these were as played in Ireland today have the same his- sexualised behaviour was em- being addressed.” Competitors take part in a game of shinty against the backdrop of Britain’s highest mountain Ben Nevis. torical roots. bedded in parts of the manage- Researchers were said to be ment structure. shocked at the number of staff The independent report was reporting poor behaviour. commissioned by Secamb af- “The researchers were ex- ter concerns were raised in the tremely distressed to hear of trust’s staff survey and a report the experiences of several fe- NHS to assess hospitals for suicidal girl’s care was published last year by the male Secamb employees,” it NHS regulator, the Care Qual- said: “The trust may not of ity Commission (CQC). course be aware that such a Off icials to evaluate whether country would have “blood on They declined to say how as not qualifying for a place in a former children’s minister Tim More than 40% of about culture exists as employees beds identified in three its hands” were she released with many individual places had been medium secure unit because she Loughton said. 2,000 staff who took part in are often extremely fearful hospitals could provide right no proper plan in place for her identifi ed. was judged as primarily being a He told the BBC’s Newsnight the research said they had ex- of speaking out against such care for girl believed to be at ongoing care, and expressed his On Thursday evening, Dr Mike danger to herself rather than to programme: “I’m afraid what he perienced bullying in the last practices. suicide risk frustration at not being able to Prentice, the medical director for others. said today is nothing new, I’m 12 months. “However, as has been safeguard her. the NHS north region, said: “The The judge had been told that afraid it’s just one aspect of the The 69-page report, pro- shown time after time, ig- By Kevin Rawlinson The girl, for legal reasons judge is quite right that the rel- a low secure unit place could be shortcomings of mental health duced by Prof Duncan Lewis norance is no defence and Guardian News & Media named only as X, has made a se- evant agencies need to ensure a found for X for six months. services in this country at the from Plymouth University, too many British institutions ries of “determined attempts” on safe, new care placement for this Her situation became more moment, and particularly for detailed “overt and covert have demonstrated failure to her own life while in custody, and young woman which is suitable complex during her time in youth children and young people. sexualised behaviour” extend- take matters seriously when it HS offi cials are to spend her carers had said they expected given the great complexities of custody, though offi cials de- “This is quite a severe wake-up ing from former senior leaders comes to sexual abuse.” the day assessing wheth- to hear she had made another her situation. clined to say whether or not she call and we’ve got to do a lot, lot through to frontline managers The report said the trust’s Ner three hospitals can immediately after her release. “That’s what’s now happen- had been reclassifi ed as needing a better for kids in our country who and the general workforce. executive must now commis- provide proper care for a girl who With no secure bed available, ing, and a number of options place in the more secure facility. are suff ering these sorts of men- Some of the senior staff in- sion further investigations and is believed to be at serious risk of she was due to be released to the have now been identifi ed, with Munby, the president of the tal illnesses. This is a high pro- terviewed believed those re- take action “as an urgent pri- taking her own life when she is community in 10 days. detailed clinical and social as- family division of the high court, fi le problem today but I’m afraid sponsible had left the trust, ority to protect employees who released from youth custody in 10 On Thursday night, NHS Eng- sessments taking place tomor- issued a stinging attack on the it’s something that happens all but the report said research- are living in fear daily”. days’ time, and for whom no bed land said it had identifi ed beds in row to ensure the right package “disgraceful and utterly shaming too often. There is a shortage of ers were told that the culture Secamb, which covers Kent, could be found. three hospitals and those were of care can be put in place before lack of proper provision in this beds generally, certainly at the was embedded at management Surrey, Sussex and northeast Her urgent case was highlight- scheduled to be assessed to de- her release date.” country of the clinical, residen- severe end. There is certainly a level in some areas of the or- Hampshire, was put into spe- ed by the UK’s most senior family termine whether any could pro- Munby said that X needed a tial and other support services”. shortage of beds for those people ganisation. cial measures last September judge on Thursday. vide her with the right care and place in a low secure bed; in his The case was a “severe wake- who need help because they are a “For example, female staff after the CQC ranked it inad- Sir James Munby said the support. judgment she had been assessed up call” and not isolated, the harm to themselves, potentially.” talked about sexual favours be- equate. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, August 5, 2017 EUROPE Germany’s SPD suff ers blow ahead of September poll

Reuters est in a succession of setbacks for leaders of the SPD, which has why elections should be sched- While the SPD-Greens could cision after the Greens declined muster enough combined sup- Berlin the SPD as it prepares to contest a already ceded power to the con- uled as soon as possible.” in theory continue as a minority to nominate her as a candidate in port on September 24 to form a federal election on September 24 servatives twice this year in state Weil’s party said it expected government, CDU leaders also her district. governing coalition nationwide. in which Chancellor Angela Mer- elections in Schleswig-Holstein the legislature to act on the rec- called for a new election, saying “I see my political future with Meanwhile, the SPD-Greens he head of the coalition of kel is seeking a fourth term. and North Rhine-Westphalia. ommendation in mid-August that it should coincide with the the CDU,” she said. “It wasn’t an combination, which formed the Social Democrats (SPD) After running neck-and-neck Stephan Weil, leader of the when it returns from summer federal ballot. easy step, but a necessary one.” federal government from 1998 to Tand Greens that runs the with her conservatives early this Lower Saxony SPD-Greens gov- break. Twesten’s move, which Weil Long fi erce adversaries at 2005, is losing ground. German state of Lower Saxony year in opinion polls, the centre- ernment, said parliament in the Weil had asked all parties in described as selfi sh, comes fi ve opposite ends of the political Following this year’s regional called for new elections yes- left party now trails by a double- state that hosts major companies the legislature to meet on Mon- months before scheduled elec- spectrum, the CDU and Greens elections and the Lower Saxony terday after a deputy quit the digit score. including Volkswagen should day for initial discussions about tions in the state and leaves the govern together in several states defection, it now heads viable Greens party, costing the alliance The departure of Elke Twesten vote to dissolve itself. the crisis, a member of the pro- SPD and Greens with 68 seats in including Baden-Wuerttemberg administrations in only two of its one-seat majority. to Merkel’s Christian Democrats “Voters have a chance to react business Free Democratic Party the 137-seat assembly. and Hesse. Germany’s 16 federal states: The defection marks the lat- (CDU) sparked anger among now,” he told reporters. “That is told broadcaster ff n. She said she had made the de- Some polls suggest they could Bremen and Hamburg.

Aldi stops selling Southern Europe sizzles eggs in Germany

Reuters in record-breaking heat Frankfurt DPA Belgrade iscount supermarket chain Aldi is withdraw- Ding all eggs from sale at uch of southern Europe its more than 4,000 stores in was sweltering un- Germany as a precaution, it said Mder a record-breaking yesterday, as a scare over the heatwave which has sent peo- possible contamination of eggs ple scrambling for shelter and with insecticide spreads. fi refi ghter into action to put out Traces of insecticide fi pronil hundreds of fi res erupting in were found in eggs in Belgium forests and the underbrush. and the Netherlands last month, In the Balkans, the tempera- which has led to the temporary ture topped 40° Celsius across shutdown of some poultry farms the region, spurring the authori- and to supermarkets halting the ties in Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia sale of eggs from the Nether- to issue a red meteorological lands. alert already in the middle of the Fipronil is considered by the week. World Health Organisation Forest and brush fi res were (WHO) to be moderately toxic, burning in Bosnia, Croatia, Ser- with high doses leading to feel- bia and Albania. ings of nausea and dizziness. In Bulgaria, nearly 200 mostly Very large quantities can cause minor fi res were put out over the damage to the kidneys, liver and previous 24 hours, novinite.com lymph glands. said. German Agriculture Minis- In Croatia, the power grid was ter Christian Schmidt said the straining amid record consump- Twiggy, a 50-year-old Asian likelihood of a health hazard was tion due to air-conditioners elephant, is sprayed with water very unlikely, but German state blasting across the country. yesterday to cool down on a hot authorities were working to ex- Montenegrin meteorologists summer day at Belgrade City amine all egg supplies and de- also reported temperatures of up Zoo. termine where they originated or to 42°C. were processed. Greece, which itself had to Left: A Canadair firefighting “The situation is under con- fi ght dozens of fi res, some of plane drops water on a forest trol, but we cannot give the all- them set deliberately, has sent fire at Palneca, on the French clear signal yet ... we are taking two fi refi ghting aircraft to Mediteranean island of Corsica, this very seriously,” Schmidt neighbouring Albania to help it on Thursday. told the Straubinger Tagblatt/ contain a blaze in tough terrain. Landshuter Zeitung newspaper In Bosnia, the weather warn- Right: A man sunbathes next group. ing was on for the fourth day to the fountain yesterday in He urged consumers to check as temperature rose to 42°C in Zagreb, Croatia. any already purchased eggs some places. against lists of aff ected supplies In Serbia’s capital Belgrade, Below: A worker operates a that were available online. where it was 39°C in the shade forklift next to a street Investigators suspect the at noon, the emergency medi- thermometer showing 47°C chemical may have gotten into cal services had intervened more yesterday in Podgorica, eggs through a contaminated than 30 times by that time. Montenegro. detergent against mites called The extremely hot weather in Dega 16 that is used to clean the region is expected to linger barns, and criminal investiga- at least through the weekend, tions have been launched in both before a brief respite at the start Belgium and the Netherlands. of the next week and another The Netherlands is the world’s heatwave shortly after that, me- second-largest agricultural ex- teorologists warned. porter after the United States, In nearby Austria, inner city and sells around 5bn eggs a year Vienna recorded a temperature to Germany. of 38.9°C on Thursday, 0.6° off The detergent was also sup- the record set four years ago. plied to farms in the northern It was similar to the west in German state of Lower Saxony, the Mediterranean basin, in It- from where eggs were distrib- aly, France and Spain, with the uted across the country, Lower heat and fi res recurring since Saxony’s agriculture ministry June. said. In Italy authorities urged peo- Dutch food safety watchdog ple to remain at home and avoid NVWA said this week only a lim- venturing outside. ited type of egg, recognisable by The health ministry issued specifi c serial numbers, posed a yesterday the highest alert for risk. cities, including Rome, Venice Nonetheless, around 180 and Florence. poultry companies in the Neth- It was hottest in the Naples erlands have been temporar- area, with 50°C-plus tempera- ily closed, and some fi rms have tures, meteorologists said. France recorded its hottest cury going no lower than 30.5°C. the month of August, according ed outbreaks of forest fi res in been beyond the usual in 16 of culled their fl ock. Due to the temperature and ever night-time temperature At least four locations in the to Meteo France. The combina- southern France and Corsica. the 50 Spanish provinces, a sec- A number of supermarket weeks of drought, forest fi res during Monday night at Marig- southeast and Corsica have al- tion of high temperatures and Though Spain has hot sum- ond-degree alert is in eff ect due chains including Germany’s steadily broke out. nana in Corsica, with the mer- ready registered record highs for strong winds has led to repeat- mers, the situation has recently to temperatures of up to 42°C. REWE and Penny have taken Dutch eggs off their shelves. Aldi is the fi rst major retailer to halt all egg sales, regardless of origin. “This is merely a precaution, Russia’s diamond giant says nine missing after mine fl ooded there is no reason to assume there are any health risks,” Aldi North and Aldi South, the two AFP The emergency situations den geological processes and the minor injuries, the region’s in emergency medicine. according to the company’s site. operators of Aldi stores, said in a Moscow ministry for the region said that washing away of rocks in the health ministry said. Emergency Situations Minis- Up to 2001, Alrosa used open- joint statement yesterday. rescuers were “carrying out a crater. The mining giant initially said ter Vladimir Puchkov also trav- cast mining at the Mir site, Aldi South’s 190 stores in search of the mine’s workings in The Sakha region’s branch of there were 151 miners inside, but elled to the scene. which has been used for dia- Switzerland have stopped the escuers at one of Russia’s order to fi nd and save people”. the Investigative Committee, it emerged that nine of those had Alrosa’s president Ivanov is mond production since 1955. sale of imported eggs, Aldi Su- largest diamond mines The water leaked into one of which looks into serious crimes, in fact not entered the shaft. the 36-year-old son of Putin’s The Mir opencast mine is a isse said in a separate statement. Rwere searching late into the mine’s pumping stations out said in a statement that it was Two of those rescued were former chief of staff , also called vast round crater with a diame- The Dutch organisation of the night yesterday for nine of a fl ooded disused crater that in the process of carrying out a hospitalised with minor injuries. Sergei Ivanov. ter of over a kilometre that is one food retailers CBL said yesterday miners still unaccounted for af- contained some 300,000cu m check into possible safety viola- Russian President Vladimir He has headed Alrosa since of the largest manmade holes on that all possibly contaminated ter water leaked into an under- of water, or the equivalent of 120 tions at the mine. Putin, who visited Siberia this March this year. Earth. eggs would be removed from the ground shaft with more than 100 Olympic-size swimming pools, Russian television said the morning, has been briefed about Alrosa, based in the Sakha re- The last major mining ac- shelves of supermarkets in the workers inside. the emergency situations min- rescue operation at the mine the accident, his spokesman gion, made a net profi t of 22.7bn cident in Russia saw 36 people Netherlands. Alrosa, Russia’s largest dia- istry said. named Mir, or peace in Russian, Dmitry Peskov told Tass state roubles ($376.37mn) in the fi rst killed by methane explosions Albert Heijn, the country’s mond producer, said in a state- The accident is believed to was hindered by a power cut that news agency. quarter of 2017. that ripped through Severnaya largest supermarket chain, said ment that “nine people are being have been caused by an “uncon- stopped the lift system from Alrosa’s president Sergei Its Mir underground mine was coal mine north of the Arctic it had removed two-thirds of the searched for” after water broke trolled increase in the fl ow of working. Ivanov fl ew to the scene as did launched in 2009 and produces Circle in February 2016. 38 diff erent kind of eggs it nor- through into the Mir mine in water” out of the mine’s aban- Alrosa said that 133 people the leader of the Sakha region, 1mn tonnes of diamond ore per In 2010, 91 people died after a mally sells. the Sakha region some 4,160km doned crater into the under- have been evacuated from the Yegor Borisov, who brought ad- year. methane explosion at the Ras- The company, part of Ahold (2,600 miles) east of Moscow ground shaft, Alrosa said. mine. ditional back-up including sur- Last year the diamonds it pro- padskaya coal mine in the Sibe- Delhaize, said it could not yet around 0730 GMT. It said this was caused by sud- Two were hospitalised with geons and doctors specialising duced totalled 3.19mn carats, rian region of Kemerovo. estimate the cost of the move. Gulf Times Saturday, August 5, 2017 9

INDIA

HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE PARLIAMENT CELEBRITY TECHNOLOGY Pakistani baby with rare Bengaluru airport to Cong moves notice over Actor Dilip Kumar’s health Govt keen on robust data disease treated in Noida off er Heli Taxi service Sushma’s statement not good, says doctor protection laws: Prasad

A team of doctors gave a new lease of life The Bangalore International Airport Ltd The Congress yesterday moved a privilege notice Legendary actor Dilip Kumar, 94, who Union Information Technology Minister to a three-year-old Pakistani child who was (BIAL) would soon off er a helicopter shuttle against External Aff airs Minister Sushma Swaraj is being treated for kidney problems, is Ravi Shankar Prasad said yesterday that the suff ering from a rare heart disease, found in service (HeliTaxi) between the city and for what the party said was “false and misleading” not doing good and may need dialysis, a government is keen on robust data protection one among 200,000 children. Mohammad airport at the cost of a luxury cab fare. The statement during a short-duration discussion in doctor said yesterday. “(His condition is) not laws. Talking to reporters, Prasad said the Bilal was suff ering from Uhl’s anomaly. The airport at Devanahalli is about 40km from the Rajya Sabha a day earlier. In the notice under good. His creatinine is rising, haemoglobin country should have a framework that muscles on the right chamber of his heart the city centre, and 60-70 km away from the Rule 188, the opposition Congress said that during is decreasing and potassium levels are safeguards data properly and also enables its were weak and enlarged, which increased Electronic City in south and the IT corridors in the discussion on India’s foreign policy in the increasing. He will need dialysis, but he is use for growth and development. “As India pressure on his heart’s left chamber. “As a southeast and southwest, home to hundreds upper house on Thursday, Sushma Swaraj twice not on ventilator,” Jalal D Parker, one of has written a lot of discourse on Internet result, the child’s heart was not functioning of technology firms, including Infosys, Wipro “completely denied that any speech or statement the attending team of doctors, said. Dilip governance the world over, I am very keen that properly and the pumped blood was unable and multinationals. A 5-7 seat luxury cab fare was made by any of the representatives of the Kumar was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital India must come up with robust data protection to reach the his lungs resulting in high is Rs 3,000-4,000 between the airport and Indian government at the 60th anniversary of the in Mumbai on Wednesday evening after he laws that can become a beacon for the rest risk for his life,” Rajesh Sharma, Director the city’s far end. “The aerial service will ferry Bangdung Conference”. On Thursday, Congress suff ered dehydration and a urinary tract of the world,” he said. Prasad referred to his (Paediatric Cardiac Surgery) at Jaypee air passengers to and from the airport to the leader Anand Sharma had said that leaders of infection. Earlier yesterday, a family friend ministry’s move this week to constitute an Hospital, Noida, said. Uhl’s anomaly is caused city faster than private cars, cabs or buses can other countries had remembered and recalled of Dilip Kumar and his wife Saira Banu, experts committee, headed by retired Supreme mainly due to two reasons -- if the parents through dense vehicular traff ic on both ways,” Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru at the conference but told IANS that the ailing thespian is being Court Justice B N Srikrishna, to suggest a are closely related or environmental factors, BIAL Managing Director Harsha Raghavan told India’s statement and the Minister’s statement did monitored carefully in the ICU due to his draft Data Protection Bill and identify key data the doctor said. reporters. not refer to Pandit Nehru at the event. age-related complications. protection issues. Aadhar not All set for VP election, mandatory for registering Naidu looks set to win IANS Strengthen PM Modi, Venkaiah urges MPs New Delhi deaths: govt NDA Vice Presidential candidate and the NDA.” he stage is set for the vice M Venkaiah Naidu yesterday Hailing the Prime Minister, Naidu presidential election to- IANS of Birth and Death Act, 1969, appealed to the BJP workers said that Modi is “unleashing the day, with numbers in fa- to strengthen hands of Prime forces of the growth” and his New Delhi directed that the Aadhaar T vour of ruling NDA candidate Minister Narendra Modi, who is hands need to be strengthened. number will be required for M Venkaiah Naidu who is most “unleashing the forces of growth” “We not only stand by him ... not he government said the purpose of establishing likely to become the second per- for the sake of the country. for his sake ... but for the sake of late yesterday that use the identity of the deceased son with RSS background to oc- Naidu, who said he was probably the nation ...for the sake of tasks Tof Aadhaar number for for the purpose of death reg- cupy the second most important making his last speech as a BJP he has taken in his hands. Take this registration of death of an in- istration,” it added. constitutional post. man, also used the occasion to message to the masses,” he said. dividual is not mandatory. In It also said that an appli- Naidu is pitted against oppo- attack the Congress-led opposi- “Everyone is positive. Be it Dalit a clarifi cation issued in the cant who is not aware of the sition candidate Gopalkrishna tion for running a “misinforma- or backward or anybody else. night, it said reports that Aad- deceased’s Aadhaar number Gandhi in the election that will tion campaign” against the Modi Everyone wants to listen about haar number was mandatory or Enrolment ID Number take place in Parliament House government and urged the the government and the Prime for registration of death of an will have to submit a certifi- with the electoral college com- party leaders to reach out to the Minister, who is trying to find a individual were “totally incor- cate that the deceased per- prising 790 members of both the masses to counter it. solution to the challenges like rect”. “It is not mandatory,” the son did not possess Aadhaar houses. The former BJP president was corruption, economic disparity, release said. number. The ruling combine made last addressing NDA MPs at an event terrorism, poverty, the country is Earlier, in a statement, If the applicant gives false minute arrangements to muster in Parliament Library Building facing. the government had said the declaration, it will be treated maximum support, with Prime Gopalkrishna Gandhi M Venkiah Naidu attended among others by Prime “Please take it seriously ... try to Aadhaar number will be re- as “an off ence as per the pro- Minister Narendra Modi giving a Minister Modi on the eve of spend as much time as you can quired for the purpose of es- visions of the Aadhaar Act, pep talk to MPs, including those With around support of 493 Saturday’s contest. August 5 election where he faces with the masses... reach out to tablishing the identity of the 2016, and also Registration of from parties outside the NDA, at members, Naidu is all set to cross NDA candidate Muppavarapu opposition candidate Gopalkrish- them because your opponents, a dinner hosted by him. the magic fi gure of 394. The BJP Venkaiah Naidu entered the RSS deceased for the purpose of Birth and Death Act, 1969,” it na Gandhi. the opponents of development In an eff ective electoral college leaders are hopeful of crossing and within some decades, he be- death registration from Oc- said. Noting that he “was very much and the people who were wor- of 787 members, Naidu seems to the mark of 500. came the BJP’s best known leader disappointed” when he was told ried about corruption ... they are tober 1. The government has al- be in a comfortable position as Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson from southern India. He is well- he was the NDA’s Vice Presidential now running misinformation It said relatives applying for ready made Aadhaar manda- the NDA has a clear majority in Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a former known for his witty one-liners. candidate but had “no problem”, campaign ...so from our side, tory for fi ling Income Tax re- a person’s death certifi cate will the Lok Sabha and has support West Bengal Governor and a Naidu was a key member of he said that under former Prime please pass on the information... turns and provided for linking be required to provide the dead of some political parties from the diplomat, has support of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, information with confirmation is person’s Aadhaar number to of PAN with Aadhaar to curb south. Congress, the Left parties, Na- cabinet before being pitted for “the party reached ahead to more than ammunition... it is my prevent identity fraud or ob- tax evasion through use of The Lok Sabha currently has tionalist Congress Party, DMK, the prestigious election. Gandhi, some extent but under Narendra understanding of the informa- viate the need for producing multiple PAN cards. Aadhaar 543 members and the Rajya Sab- Trinamool Congress, Bahujan grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, is Bhai the party has crossed the tion,” Naidu said. multiple documents to prove is also linked with bank ac- ha 244. The Lok Sabha has two Samaj Party and National Con- an acclaimed civil servant, diplo- boundary. The BJP has reached Thanking the political parties sup- his or her identity. counts for welfare schemes or vacancies, while the Rajya Sabha ference. mat and governor, who is a strong to every house. He has made a porting him, he maintained that The Registrar General of otherwise. has one vacancy. Janata Dal-United, which votary of secular ethos, and has great contribution to the political he will try his best to uphold the India, under the Home Min- The government is also According to BJP offi cials, is now a part of NDA, had an- clear and independent views. movement of the country, the BJP Constitution. istry, has issued directions to pushing for making Aad- apart from the NDA’s 81 Rajya nounced support for Gandhi and Gandhi, 72, had a distin- states to ensure compliance haar mandatory for securing Sabha members and 338 Lok is likely to vote in his favour. guished career in the civil serv- by registration authorities, a driving licence and vehicle Sabha members, members of Gandhi is unlikely to cross the ices before he became a diplomat man of the Rajya Sabha since the fi rst from RSS background the statement said. registration to check bogus both houses – of the AIADMK half-way mark. and governor. Later, he turned an August 11, 2007. He won a second to occupy the post of Vice Presi- “The RGI, in exercise of licences and create national (50), YSR Congress (10) and the The stage is set for the election academic, author and columnist. term on August 11, 2012. His cur- dent. He served as Vice President powers conferred under Sec- database, and marriage certi- Telangana Rashtra Samithi (14) as the Rajya Sabha Secretariat Hamid Ansari has been the Vice rent term ends on August 10. of India and ex-offi cio Chairman tion 3(3) of the Registration fi cations. will also vote in favour of Naidu. has done all the preparations for President and ex-offi cio Chair- Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was of Rajya Sabha from 2002-2007.

Kerala court allows tax fi ling Big push for Daddy without PAN-Aadhaar linking PM must

The Kerala High Court yesterday 1961, to quote Aadhaar number passed an interim order to allow or enrolment ID for filing Income apologise filing of Income Tax Returns (ITR) Tax Returns. for 2016-17 fiscal in a specific Earlier this year, the Supreme case without linking Permanent Court heard the challenge to for attacks Account Number (PAN) and the mandatory linking of Aadhaar Aadhaar card. to PAN in the cases of Binoy “The High Court has admit- Viswam vs Union of India, S G on Rahul: ted the matter and passed an Vombatkere and Anr vs Union interim order, directing the of India. A two-judge bench held Income Tax Off icer concerned that the PAN of those people who Congress to allow the petitioner to file are not Aadhaar card holders, IT Returns manually, without and who do not comply with the IANS quoting the Aadhaar number provision of Section 139(2) of the Mumbai or Aadhaar enrollment ID,” said said law, cannot be “treated as SFLC.in statement. Prasanth Sug- invalid for the time being”. athan, legal director at SFLC.in (a Sugathan submitted before the he Maharashtra and donor supported legal services High Court that the partial stay Mumbai Congress yester- organisation), had filed the writ granted by the Supreme Court Tday strongly condemned petition in the Kerala High Court in the Binoy Viswam case would the stone throwing at Congress to challenge the mandatory re- be futile if assesses are forced Vice President Rahul Gandhi quirement, as per Section 139AA to quote Aadhaar number while in Gujarat and demanded that of the amended Income Tax Act, filing the returns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must apologise for it. “I condemn this cowardly act. PM Narendra Modi must RSS seeks court-headed probe apologise to Rahul Gandhi for Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal and actress Aishwarya Rajesh look on during a promotional event for the political crime drama Hindi film this uncivilised, undemocratic into killing of Kerala workers Daddy in Mumbai yesterday. and cheap gimmick of his party goons,” said Mumbai Pradesh Accusing the CPI-M-led Kerala gov- “Fourteen RSS workers have been Congress Committee President ernment of sponsoring the murders killed in the last 13 months and the Sanjay Nirupam. of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Kerala government is doing nothing. In a strong statement, Ma- (RSS) workers in the state, the RSS The government should fulfil its con- harashtra Pradesh Congress yesterday demanded a court-head- stitutional responsibilities and check Committee President Ashok ed probe into the killings. this political violence,” he said. Flood-hit northeast at risk of malaria, encephalitis Chavan termed it as a display “We demand investigation into the He also said that those who talk of the “unscrupulousness prac- killings in Kerala under the supervi- about intolerance were silent on Thomson Reuters Foundation in northeastern parts of India and “Ongoing heavy rain and a he said in a statement late on tised all over the country” since sion of either a judge of High Court killings of RSS activists in Kerala. New Delhi tens of thousands have been dis- third wave of fl ooding contin- Thursday. the BJP came to power at the or Supreme Court,” RSS Joint Gen- “Whenever there is any killing placed by the fl oods which have ues to submerge villages in both Red Cross workers added that Centre. eral Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale across the country then there is submerged villages, washed away states and bring misery and they were already recording an “The brutal attack on Gandhi said at a press conference here. always an uproar, but when our ens of thousands of fl ood vast tracts of farmland and de- desperation,” said Vijay Kumar increase in diseases in Manipur is “a blot on Indian democracy” Alleging that the state govern- workers are murdered in Kerala, survivors in India’s re- stroyed roads and bridges. Ummidi from the International state which borders Myanmar. and asked the government to ment was patronising the killers there is no outrage,” he alleged. Tmote northeast are at risk But the Red Cross said the Federation of Red Cross and Red “We are already seeing a rise book the culprits immediately,” of Sangh workers, Hosabale said: “These are not just murders but of contracting diseases such as spread of water – and vector- Crescent Societies in India. in cases of malaria, Japanese Chavan said. “Ever since the CPI-M has come to are political killings,” he said, add- malaria and Japanese encepha- borne diseases was a concern as “But in some districts, fl ood- encephalitis and other vector- He pointed out that Gandhi power, its goons have unleashed a ing that RSS workers were targeted litis, as water levels begin to re- water levels begin to fall in some waters are starting to recede, borne diseases, as well as in- is a national leader and his se- reign of terror in the state.” as more common and poor people cede leaving behind conditions parts of Assam and Manipur exposing damaged toilets, con- fections from unsafe drinking, curity was the responsibility The RSS leader said that in the last are joining the organisation, which ripe for mosquito-breeding, the states, and people in govern- taminated water sources and cooking and bathing water,” said of the BJP-led Gujarat govern- 13 months, 14 RSS workers have was not liked by the ruling Left Red Cross has warned. ment relief camps return to their standing water that is certain Amul Kumar from the Indian ment which has deliberately been killed in the state. party. More than 100 people have died homes in low-lying areas. to attract more mosquitoes,” Red Cross in Manipur. neglected it. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, August 5, 2017 LATIN AMERICA

Peru appeals court says Humala must remain in jail

Reuters Lima

Peruvian appeals court ruled yesterday that the country’s former left-leaning APresident Ollanta Humala and his wife must remain in pre-trial detention for up to 18 months while prosecutors prepare money-laun- dering charges against them. Humala, who was president a little more than a year ago, and former fi rst lady Nadine Heredia are accused of taking illegally obtained campaign do- nations from Brazilian builder Odebrecht in 2011 and from late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2006 that prosecutors said were used for per- Supporters of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro demonstrate outside Legislative Palace during the National Constituent Assembly’s first session, in Caracas yesterday. sonal enrichment. The couple has denied the accusations and said a lower court’s July 13 ruling that ordered their pre-trial detention violated due process. Lawyers for Humala and Heredia did not im- mediately respond to requests for comment but they are expected to take the case to the Supreme Court. Venezuela’s disputed new The appeals court’s 3-0 vote against the cou- ple’s request to be freed from jail was the latest blow to the left in Latin America as a graft scandal that started in Brazil involving Odebrecht ripples across the region. Humala had campaigned as an ally of Chavez during his unsuccessful presidential bid in 2006 assembly holds 1st session before winning the 2011 election as a more mod- erate leftist in the style of neighbouring Brazil’s AFP in the 145-year-old Legislative Pal- never leave,” said one supporter, a new stage in Venezuela’s rule. happen - and the new assembly former president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who Caracas ace - in the same building where the 72-year-old Euclides Vivas. Maduro claims the revised charter could also fi re her as one of its fi rst has been found guilty of corruption in one of six opposition-dominated National As- The opposition staged protests in will yank Venezuela out of its politi- actions. trials in Brazil but remains free on appeal. sembly is located, albeit in a diff erent the capital yesterday, but there were cal and economic crisis, though he Maduro has lashed out at several Odebrecht’s now-jailed former chief executive controversial new Venezue- room. no signs of the street violence of the has not detailed how. of the 40 countries that admonished Marcelo Odebrecht testifi ed the company gave lan assembly packed with al- “Today is a magnifi cent day,” Ro- past four months that has left a death Nor has he given an end date for him for seeing through the creation $3mn to Humala on orders from Lula’s Workers Alies of unpopular President driguez, 48, said to applause. “I want toll of more than 125. the Constituent Assembly, which he of the new assembly. Party that backed his campaign for ideological Nicolas Maduro held its fi rst session to thank Maduro for having stirred The Vatican yesterday had urged said would operate for years. After being hit directly with US and geopolitical reasons, Prosecutor German Jua- yesterday, deepening a rift with the the wise powers of the Venezuelan the assembly’s session not be held, The body is being challenged on sanctions and called a dictator by US rez has said. opposition and in the teeth of inter- people.” saying it contributed to “a climate of several fronts. President Donald Trump, Maduro Critics of Humala and Heredia’s pre-trial de- national criticism from the US, the She rejected what she called “for- tension” in Venezuela. Backing opposition allegations of said defi antly that he was standing tention have cried foul because Odebrecht also EU and major Latin American na- eign interference” in the new assem- Just hours ahead of the assem- fraud, Smartmatic, a British-based up to “imperialism.” mentioned the company had funded the main tions calling it illegitimate. bly’s creation. bly’s inaugural session, Venezuela’s company involved in the vote tech- The Venezuelan leader slammed presidential candidates in the 2011 election. The Constituent Assembly has The Constituent Assembly has intelligence service unexpectedly nology behind the election last Sun- Mexico, Chile and Peru as American Keiko Fujimori, who Humala defeated in a run- supreme powers over all branches of discretion to dissolve the National transferred a high-profi le opposi- day, said the offi cial turnout fi gure vassals. off in 2011 and now heads a right-wing party that government as it takes on its princi- Assembly. tion fi gure, Caracas mayor Antonio had been tampered with and exag- But Maduro is fi ghting against a now dominates Congress, has denied that she or pal task of rewriting the 1999 consti- Such a move, however, would fuel Ledezma, from jail back to house ar- gerated by at least a million voters. broad international tide, even if he her party took funds from Odebrecht. tution. criticism of it as a rubber-stamp rest, his family said. Although brushed off by Maduro has support of Russia - which holds Current President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who It was elected last weekend in bal- body for Maduro, who critics say is Ledezma and another opposition as part of a plot by “the interna- billions in Venezuelan debt - as well beat expectations by placing third in a fi rst-round loting marred by violence and alle- building a “dictatorship.” fi gure, Leopoldo Lopez, had been tional enemy,” Venezuelan Attorney as the leftist governments of Cuba, vote in 2011, has also said he never took money gations of fraud. The assembly’s members were ac- taken from their homes to military General Luisa Ortega - a thorn in the Bolivia and Nicaragua. from Odebrecht. Its 500-plus-members, who in- companied to the palace by Maduro prison on Tuesday, reversing earlier president’s side - ordered an investi- Yesterday, Panama said it was Attorney General Pablo Sanchez has denied any clude Maduro’s wife and son, are and thousands of supporters carry- home detentions. gation. giving asylum to two opposition- political bias in his offi ce and said criminal inves- led by Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s ing portraits of late president Hugo Lopez remains incarcerated, one She said prosecutors had lodged appointed judges sheltering in its tigations are opened based on available evidence. former foreign minister. Chavez. of hundreds of people who the op- court cases seeking to have the Con- Caracas diplomatic mission who are The fi nances of the Peruvian Nationalist Party They took their seats in an ornate “The people today are going back position says are political prisoners. stituent Assembly annulled, though among 33 the legislature named last that Humala and Heredia co-founded in 2005 oval chamber under a golden dome to the assembly building and will The Constituent Assembly marks few in Venezuela believed that would month to a parallel supreme court. have been probed for nearly three years. Escalating violence tarnishes memories of the Rio Games

Reuters by Rio’s police, long criticised gramme, and critics say the gov- state-controlled oil company crisis left them hamstrung. Rio de Janeiro for their tactics, spiked more ernment did not make good on Petroleo Brasileiro SA out of bil- “There are legacy projects that than 45% to 581. promised social advances for the lions of dollars. we want to follow up on, but we “We see clearly that the Ol- slums. Prosecutors say the scheme don’t have the resources,” Rio he deployment of 8,500 ympic promise of a safe city has As a result, near-daily shoot- extended directly to the Ol- Deputy Sports Secretary Patricia soldiers to Rio de Janeiro not been fulfi lled,” Amnesty In- outs roil the areas as gangs battle ympics, whose price tag rose Amorim said. Tlast week and the funeral ternational research co-ordina- each other and openly attack the to 43.3bn reais ($13.88bn) from But for many, the Games’ on Monday for an unborn baby tor Renata Neder said at an event police outposts to try to regain 28.8bn budgeted. worst legacy is the deep slide killed in one of numerous shoot- on Thursday. “Public safety in full control. Police arrested former Rio head into violence. outs there were not part of Bra- Rio de Janeiro has deteriorated The Hospital da Posse on Rio’s of infrastructure Alexandre Pinto In late June, Claudineia dos zil’s plan for marking the one- dramatically.” violent northern outskirts has this week on suspicion that he and Santos, who was nine months year anniversary of the Olympic The situation is a stark revers- treated 410 patients for bullet other offi cials took 35.5mn reais in pregnant, was struck by a stray Games held in the city. al of gains made after police be- wounds so far this year, com- bribes from companies involved in bullet that also hit the spine Escalating violence, fuelled gan a “pacifi cation” programme pared with 480 for all of 2016, Olympic projects. of her unborn boy, Arthur, in a by a deep economic crisis and a in 2008 for some of the city’s surgeon Alessandry Bastos said. Former Rio governor Sergio northern Rio slum as police and shrinking state budget, shows more than 1,000 slums. “This thing is growing in such a Cabral was found guilty in June a drug gang battled nearby. how far Rio has fallen since in- Police pushed drug gangs out way that we can never say we’ve of corruption and money laun- Arthur died on Sunday, a month ternational athletes fl ocked to its of those favelas, where they held reached the peak,” Bastos said. dering involving infrastructure after an emergency cesarean, and stadiums, many now vacant, in sway with impunity for decades, “The peak will be tomorrow.” contracts for the Games. was buried the next day. August 2016. and then set up permanent posts The situation is unlikely to Rio has also been sharply crit- Deploying the army will not Growing allegations of graft in the communities for the fi rst improve anytime soon, with icised for the fate of its Olympic solve such problems, said se- involving Olympic projects are time. Rio state facing a 21-bn-real infrastructure. curity expert Ignacio Cano, a also tarnishing memories of the That programme was meant ($6.73bn) defi cit this year. Some of the venues were professor at the Rio de Janeiro Games. to increase security in Rio ahead The city has also become a abandoned soon after the clos- State University, which has been Offi cial data shows murders in of the 2014 World Cup and last symbol of the graft that helped ing ceremony, and the Arena of closed due to lack of funding. Rio de Janeiro state rose 14% to year’s Olympics, and it tempo- cause the country’s worst reces- the Future has yet to be trans- “Under the best-case scenar- 3,755 in the fi rst half of 2017 from rarily succeeded in doing that. sion in more than a century after formed as planned into a useful io, the armed forces will leave, An aerial view shows the buildings constructed as part of Rio’s Porto a year earlier. But the economic crisis dried revelations that builders infl at- building like a school. and everything will continue Maravilha (Marvelous Port) project. The number of people killed up funding to expand the pro- ed contracts to bilk Rio-based Officials say the economic normally,” he said. Bogota launches drive to combat invisible slavery

Thomson Reuters Foundation down on human traffi cking in are trapped in slavery in Colom- As illegal armed groups lay enterprise worth an estimated dren pushed into begging on city possible victims of traffi cking Bogota the city of 8mn, which has seen bia, according to rights group down their weapons they can $150bn a year, according to the streets, forced labour in low- across the city. just three convictions for the The Walk Free Foundation, the “reinvent” themselves and turn International Labour Organi- skilled jobs, domestic servitude “We want to increase the crime in the past decade. second highest number in Latin to other ways to make money like sation (ILO), with nearly 21mn and forced marriage, Uribe said. number of reported cases of traf- cross the streets and “We’re showing that human America after Mexico. human traffi cking, Uribe said. people victims of forced labour Yet few traffi cking cases come fi cking,” Uribe said. Yet just a squares of Colombia’s traffi cking translates into peo- But Uribe warned that human The deputy mayor also and traffi cking. to light. handful of prosecutors in Bogota Acapital, men and women ple being imprisoned in invisible traffi cking is likely to rise in Bogo- warned that traffi ckers were In Colombia, women and Authorities in Bogota reported are dealing with traffi cking cases. have started appearing in large boxes,” Deputy Mayor Miguel ta, and across Colombia, follow- likely to prey on the hundreds of children sold into sex work is 30 cases in 2016, up from six in According to the 2015 US State glass boxes; some look like sex Uribe Turbay told the Thomson ing a peace deal signed last year thousands of Venezuelans seek- the most common form of hu- 2015. Department report on human workers dressed in skimpy out- Reuters Foundation. with the Revolutionary Armed ing refuge in Colombia from an man traffi cking, with women So far this year in Bogota, 16 traffi cking, there was just one fi ts, others wear hard hats and “People historically have as- Forces of Colombia (FARC). escalating humanitarian and po- accounting for seven in 10 traf- traffi cking victims have been prosecutor in Bogota overseeing hold shovels. sociated human traffi cking “The post-confl ict, rural to litical crisis at home. fi cked victims, Uribe said. rescued and 33 suspected traf- all cases of domestic traffi cking The boxes featuring actors solely with sexual exploitation, urban displacement to the big “The massive arrival of Ven- He said “mafi as” in Bogota fi ckers arrested, Uribe said. in the city. representing diff erent forms of or think it’s a phenomenon that cities like Bogota increases the ezuelans to Bogota increases the target children for forced prosti- “Unfortunately we’re aware Uribe said more prosecutors modern-day slavery, including doesn’t happen near them, or risk of the crime of traffi cking,” risk of human traffi cking be- tution and recruiters lure women that there’s underreporting of are being trained to increase the forced prostitution and labour ex- that it happens in other parts he said. cause they are people who are with false promises of jobs as cases, and much of that is ex- conviction rate and ensure vic- ploitation, are part of a campaign of the world,” said Uribe, add- Research from countries like vulnerable, and as such are at- models and waitresses but then plained due to a lack of aware- tims get justice. to increase public awareness of the ing that traffi cking also includes Bosnia and Guatemala shows tractive for these traffi cking ma- sell them into the sex trade. ness about the issue of human “We’re sure that from this hidden crime in Bogota. forced marriage and forced child human traffi cking “skyrockets” fi as,” Uribe said. However, lesser-known forms traffi cking,” he added. campaign, we’ll have more re- The initiative comes amid begging. in countries that have recently Human traffi cking is the of human traffi cking also occur Uribe said the authorities ports of traffi cking.. and espe- government eff orts to crack An estimated 308,200 people experienced war, he added. world’s fastest growing criminal in the capital, including chil- were on an “active search” for cially more convictions,” he said. Gulf Times Saturday, August 5, 2017 11 PAKISTAN Pakistan’s new premier forms cabinet zNew cabinet balloons in size swept the 2013 polls. ahead of polls Abbasi will also head a new z Allies of ousted leader energy ministry that merges the Nawaz Sharif take key slots petroleum and power portfolios. z Unclear if Sharif’s brother Ahsan Iqbal, head of a com- will take over from Abbasi mission tasked with building the z First Hindu minister in Beijing-funded $57bn China- more than two decades Pakistan Economic corridor, has been appointed Interior Minister. Reuters The opposition has criticised Islamabad the PML-N’s focus on large in- frastructure projects as vote-fo- cused measures that saddle Pa- akistan’s new Prime Min- kistan with debt, at the expense Supporters of Awami National Party (ANP) attend a protest rally in support of lawmaker Ayesha Gulalai in Peshawar, yesterday. Gulalai ister Shahid Khaqan Ab- Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of schools and hospitals. had announced that she was leaving Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and claimed that women aff iliated with the party faced Pbasi yesterday formed a “If they carry on with Nawaz constant harassment from within the party ranks. cabinet fi lled with allies of top- But he retains control of PML- Sharif’s policies, the country pled leader Nawaz Sharif, in a N and put forward Abbasi as will go deeper into debt,” said reshuffl e that appears aimed at temporary prime minister until Naeem Ul Haq, of the opposition bolstering support ahead of gen- Shahbaz becomes eligible to take Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) eral elections due in mid-2018. over by winning a parliamentary party. Ishaq Dar, a powerful fi nance by-election. To shore up the voter base in Abbasi backs probe against Imran minister, returns in the same Since Abbasi’s election, how- Punjab, Abbasi has added fi ve role, despite a criminal inves- ever, the party leadership no politicians from prominent fam- tigation ordered against him by longer seems sure about that ilies that command huge vote AFP allegations and present its fi nd- if’s ruling Pakistan Muslim the Supreme Court. plan, as some fear Shahbaz’s de- banks in the south of the region, Islamabad ings in the house,” Abbasi told League-Nawaz (PML-N) of us- Another staunch Sharif ally, parture from his position as chief seen as pivotal to the next poll. parliament. ing money to defame political Khawaja Asif, is to be foreign minister of eastern Punjab state A feudal structure in much of In a televised press confer- rivals. minister after having simultane- could weaken the party’s grip on rural Pakistan allows powerful akistan’s new prime min- ence earlier this week Gulalai “I was astonished to hear ously run the ministries of de- a core base of voters. families to wield huge infl uence ister yesterday backed a accused Khan of harassing fe- that. I suspect that the (PML- fence and power. Pakistan’s mix of political and command voter allegiances, Pparliamentary investiga- male leaders in the PTI and re- N) has used her against me,” The cabinet has almost dou- parties means that whoever wins often easily switched in a nation tion into allegations of sexual signed from the party. Khan told broadcaster ARY. bled in size to 47 members, Punjab, which is home to more where political parties are driven harassment levelled by a female “Imran Khan’s list of sins is “Do your worst; stoop as low sworn in during a televised cer- than half the country’s popula- more by powerful fi gureheads lawmaker against fi rebrand op- very long but the way he sends as you can; me & my struggle- emony after a reading from the tion, is likely to form the next than ideology. position leader Imran Khan, in obscene text messages – and hardened party will become Qur’an holy book in the mainly government. The inclusion of fi ve politi- a scandal that has gripped the the way women and girls are ever stronger IA,” Khan wrote Muslim nation of 190mn people. Former petroleum minis- cians from south Punjab aimed conservative country. being treated in this party, I will on Twitter. “It’s a massive cabinet,” said ter Abbasi, the co-founder of a to nail down their loyalties ahead The scandal erupted after say that the honour of women The accusations evoked a social Pakistani writer and analyst Za- budget airline, has vowed to run of the 2018 contest, analyst Hus- Ayesha Gulalai, a National As- Imran Khan is not safe, because of Imran media storm and provoked a de- hid Hussain. “It shows that it’s an effi cient government but has sain said. sembly member from con- Khan and because of the people bate on sexual harassment in Pa- all about the next election.” indicated major decisions will “There was always been a fear servative Khyber Pakhtunkhwa eter-turned-politician and his around him,” Gulalai told re- kistan, with Khan’s opponents ac- But no decision appears to fl ow from Nawaz, cementing the or a concern they would jump province, accused Khan and supporters. porters in Islamabad. cusing him of promoting Western have yet been made by the ruling view of the toppled leader as the ship if the government seems other leaders of his Pakistan Newly-elected Prime Minis- “I cannot compromise my values while others called for acid Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz power behind the throne. weak,” he added. Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of ter Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, seen integrity and that’s why I de- attacks targeting Gulalai, accord- (PML-N) party over whether Abbasi is a staunch Nawaz Darshan Lal also became the sending obscene text messages as a Sharif loyalist, yesterday cided to take this step,” she ing to news reports. Abbasi will stay as premier or ally, having been by his side for fi rst Hindu minister in more than and promoting a culture of sex- backed moves to form a parlia- added. The backlash targeting Gu- step down after a brief period most of his political career. two decades when Abbasi ap- ism. mentary committee to inves- Gulalai has not released any lalai in particular provoked to make way for Sharif’s brother The cabinet was formed af- pointed him to lead co-ordination The accusations come days tigate the matter after a group of the alleged text messages, criticism from women’s rights Shahbaz, as outlined previously. ter several discussions between between four Pakistani provinces, after Pakistan’s top court dis- of legislators raised the allega- prompting many in Pakistan to activists, who said the claims Nawaz Sharif resigned last them, and Nawaz’s allies. a government offi cial said. qualifi ed Khan’s long-time tions in the house. believe the case may be politi- should be investigated rather week after the Supreme Court There are 28 federal ministers Under Sharif, the PML-N has political nemesis Nawaz Sharif “This is an issue concerning cally motivated. than met with threats of vio- disqualifi ed him for not declar- and 19 state ministers in the new also courted the minority vote, from the premiership on cor- the house’s integrity – I will Khan, along with the PTI’s lence, particularly in a country ing a source of income he denies cabinet, almost double Shar- using symbolic gestures at odds ruption charges, spurring pub- suggest forming a closed-door, top brass, batted down the where women have struggled receiving. if’s 25-strong cabinet when he with its conservative base. lic celebrations from the crick- special committee to probe the allegations, accusing Shar- for their rights for decades.

PM vows to ensure speedy Shahbaz Sharif likely to stay as Punjab chief minister completion of Internews doesn’t want instability and the of some 40,000 votes. liamentary polls. minister to look after Punjab as guiding Abbasi, the new prime Islamabad chief minister also believes that This is the traditional home The projects which can’t oth- well as the federal government minister will be able to keep up CPEC projects he can’t spend so much time constituency of Nawaz Sharif erwise be completed in years equally eff ectively and effi - the pace that his predecessor at this crucial juncture for re- that he has always won hands have been concluded in months ciently at the same time. adopted. hahbaz Sharif will most election and fi nding his succes- down. simply because of the focus of Additionally, it was also The premier has also declared Internews likely stay in Punjab as sor just for a couple of months,” In her own right, Begum the chief minister that none of feared that a new chief minis- that Nawaz Sharif’s policies and Islamabad Sthe chief minister till the the source said. Kalsoom is a very eff ective fi g- his counterparts can off er. ter might not have been able to projects would continue. forthcoming general elections He also stated that in this ure. She showed her political By pushing Shahbaz Sharif keep up the momentum that Allowing Abbasi to hold the and will not contest the by-poll process Nawaz Sharif has, how- mettle and wisdom when she in the by-election to NA-120, Shahbaz Sharif has maintained coveted offi ce also shows the akistan Prime Minister to a Lahore seat of the National ever, made it clear to all and was forced to be in the arena by which is going to be very noisy over the past nine years. confi dence of the PML-N lead- Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has Assembly to become prime sundry that Shahbaz Sharif is the arrest of Nawaz Sharif and and stormy, the PML-N did not It was because of this speedy ership in his loyalty and com- Passured that he will work minister, a credible source close his successor, a fact that will her several family members fol- want to detract his attention work that the PML-N had swept mitment to the party as well as to implement China Pakistan to Sharifs said. help the PML-N in the next lowing the imposition of mar- from Punjab, the source said, the 2013 general elections in Sharifs. Economic Corridor (CPEC) as The decision has been taken general elections. tial law in 1999. adding that not only he but his this province. This decision would be cer- it was being implemented, and by the top Pakistan Muslim It means that Shahid Khaqan For 14 months, she made party also cherishes to hurriedly No political party has ever tainly welcomed by the rank and he will personally supervise the League-Nawaz (PML-N) lead- Abbasi will continue to be the Musharraf pass sleepless night conclude many projects, which gained such an extraordinary fi le of the party. speedy completion of all the ership after weighing several prime minister for the remain- through her unyielding cam- are near completion. majority in the provincial as- It also demonstrates that a projects under it. distinct, plausible minuses and ing term of the government till paigning. They specifi cally include sembly as the PML-N had done non-Sharif could also get the The prime minister was talk- pluses of Shahbaz Sharif’s re- May next year. In normal times, she is always some power production units. in 2013. top offi ce in the government of ing Chinese ambassador for Pa- tention in Punjab or shifting to Begum Kalsoom will defi - much away from active politics There would have been a However, while the Punjab the PML-N. kistan Sun Waidong yesterday the Centre. nitely be a good pick to run in but the family is confronted big disadvantage for the PML- would have suff ered if Shahbaz Despite a massive blow to the who called on him at the PM Nawaz Sharif’s spouse Be- the by-poll. with crises, she is available. N had Shahbaz Sharif been Sharif had come to Islamabad, PML-N, the party and Sharifs have Offi ce. “Beyond CPEC, our eco- gum Kalsoom may be fi elded in So, a woman would be The PML-N has undoubtedly moved to the federal govern- the famous accelerated pace reacted extremely sensibly without nomic co-operation will further the by-election to NA-120 La- pitched against a woman in the made massive political gains in ment because in such a scenario at which he works would have creating a scene or chaos. enhance,” the prime minister hore seat that fell vacant due to fi erce clash. Punjab because of the unparal- he would have been unable to been introduced at the federal They quickly bowed before stated. his disqualifi cation imposed by The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leled, relentless fast-track work pay attention to this province, level where a lot of projects also the judgment and did not raise The Chinese ambassador con- the Supreme Court on July 28. (PTI) has already selected Dr Yas- exclusively done by Shahbaz which is bastion of its power, need a huge push so that the any exceptional hue and cry as gratulated Shahid Khaqan Ab- “I think there is a change of min Rashed as its candidate. Last Sharif in the majority province, being eyed by its detractors to PML-N gets their fruits in the per the well-considered policy basi on assuming the offi ce of the thinking; Shahbaz Sharif will time in 2013, she was defeated by which is going to the real battle whittle down its sway. upcoming polls. decision taken by them after a prime minister. remain in Punjab as the PML- N Nawaz Sharif with a huge margin ground in the forthcoming par- It is not possible for a prime With Nawaz Sharif actively lot of deliberations. The Chinese ambassador con- veyed the congratulatory mes- sage of the Chinese premiere to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on elec- tion as the prime minister. The ambassador said the Chi- Prosperity for herders as rains turn deltaic islands into meadows nese leadership is happy to see smooth transition in Pakistan and it will continue to support Internews Sajan Wari is one of the cross- bouring areas. tritional for the health of the for their safety. “There are no However, only for a few the government of Pakistan in Karachi ing points and fi sh landing site. Rice crops take two months animals and milk productivity, mosquitoes on the islands,” he months. the development and prosperity Besides fi shermen, shepherds for harvesting, which keeps the which encourages more and more added. Many people from the islands of the country. also use these routes to reach herds here during this period. herders to come to the islands. Since there is better fl ow of have migrated to safety due to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ecent monsoon rains and green islands for grazing their Once harvesting begins, the The shepherds have desig- water in the delta, the island- government negligence and fear thanked the ambassador and improved river fl ow have animals, specifi cally during the herds return to the coastal land. nated spots for staying on the ers can enjoy fresh water near of natural disasters. conveyed his good wishes for Renriched islands with monsoon season. This is the only large green islands where they milk their Kharo Chhan and Keti Bunder Now, due to dam-building the Chinese leadership. “The green pastures attracting hun- “It is a heaven-like place for island closer to the Indus River animals and cook. in Thatta district. upstream, the Indus delta, 7th ambassador said that China is dreds of cattle heads from the shepherds, where they always which feeds the Sanhri creek. Fishing boats supply rations There are 14 island villages largest in the world at 600,000 a close friend of Pakistan and nearby coastal areas. move with their herds after the It takes a two-hour boat ride to the herders on their way out supporting around 12,000 resi- hectares with 115,000 hectares both the countries have strategic The cattle are mostly buf- river water improves or follow- through the Sanhri channel to to the sea and buy milk on their dents. under mangroves, faces serious partnership. faloes from the neighbouring ing heavy rains,” Mallah said. enter the mangrove forest. way back. “Normally, in case of reced- threats. “During the last four years, paddy fi elds along the famous The islands depend on mon- According to local people, Gulab Shah, a grower and ing river fl ow, a large part of Sea erosion has submerged the bilateral relationship has Sanhri Creek, located near Kha- soon rains or river water for en- only buff aloes can survive in the livestock holder, said, “After the islanders’ daily earnings many fl ourishing villages and attained new heights; under ro Chhan, Thatta district. richment, where the local peo- mixed saline and sweet water. rains there is enough fodder are spent on buying water from swathes of fertile land. your leadership, it will further “I do not know the exact ple come and stay for two-three Local herdsmen said more along the entire coast to rear outside the jetties for domes- Water storage projects have strengthen,’’ the ambassador number, but hundreds of buff a- months, starting from July 15 to than 8,000 buff aloes have livestock, but poisonous mos- tic needs,” Shah explained, and reduced the fl ow of water down- stated. He said that under the loes come daily to cross our vil- September end. reached the islands so far, and quitoes create problems for ani- said this time the communities stream Kotri barrage, which has leadership of Prime Minister lage Sajan Wari for the islands,” Many of these herds belong others are on the way. mals in this season.” were blessed with more rains created an unfavourable envi- Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan Manzoor Mallah, a community to rice fields of Ghorabari, Marine grass, locally called Therefore, the herders take and availability of fresh water in ronment for mangroves and as- will further prosper. activist, said. Garho, Sakro and other neigh- ‘soen’ is considered highly nu- their animals to the islands the river. sociated biodiversity. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, August 5, 2017 PHILIPPINES

13,000 policemen Manila blames media deployed to protect Asean meetings

By Nelson Badilla a code that is “rules-based,” for US rights concerns Manila Times with “a set of norms to guide the parties and promote maritime AFP drug addicts, may be overseeing cooperation” in disputed waters. Manila a crime against humanity. total of 13,000 police- Asean and China also agreed Former US president Barack men have been deployed to “ensure maritime security Obama was among the many Ato areas in Metro Manila and safety and freedom of navi- he Philippines said yes- international critics of the drug where the Association of South- gation and overfl ight.” terday it would tell visit- war. east Asian Nation (Asean) meet- They also emphasised “re- Ting US Secretary of State Duterte, who frequently uses ings will be held this weekend, to spect for each other’s independ- Rex Tillerson his concerns over coarse language against his secure hundreds of foreign dip- ence, sovereignty and territorial its drug war that has claimed critics, responded by branding lomats. integrity in accordance with in- thousands of lives were due to Obama a “son of a %#&**” last Director Oscar Albayalde, ternational law, and the princi- “exaggerated media reports”. year. chief of the National Capital ple of non-interference in the Tillerson is due to meet Presi- Duterte also used the criti- Region Police Offi ce (NCRPO), internal aff airs of other states.” dent Rodrigo Duterte on the cism as justifi cation for loosen- however said there were no sidelines of a regional security ing the Philippines’ decades- credible security threats from The main venue is the forum that begins on the week- long alliance with the United any terrorist group. Philippine International end, and both sides have fl agged States in favour of warmer ties The Asean meetings, which Convention Center at the that the human rights debate with China. Duterte has boasted will gather 27 foreign ministers Cultural Center of the over the drug war would be on repeatedly that US President in marking the 10-nation bloc’s Philippines Complex in the agenda. Donald Trump praised the drug 50th anniversary and for a re- Manila “We welcome the opportu- war, although he still frequently gional security forum, will start nity to address their concerns rails against the US State De- today and end on August 8. The framework is expected to and correct the perceptions they partment and American politi- The main venue is the Philippine be endorsed by Southeast Asian may have gleaned from exagger- cians who criticise the killings. International Convention Center foreign ministers later this week. ated media reports,” a Philippine Philippine Foreign Secretary at the Cultural Center of the Phil- The document emphasised foreign department statement Alan Peter Cayetano confi rmed ippines Complex in Manila. “commitment to the full and eff ec- said yesterday. Residents flocking around the dead body of an alleged drug user killed by unidentified assailants in Duterte and Tillerson would Asean countries and China are tive implementation of the Dec- The statement was released Manila. The Philippines said it would tell visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson his concerns over hold talks in Manila, and that the set to agree on a “framework” laration on the Conduct of Parties after acting US assistant sec- its drug war that has claimed thousands of lives were due to “exaggerated media reports”. meeting would be a step towards of a code of conduct, which the in the South China Sea,” signed by retary of state Susan Thornton improving bilateral relations. “I parties said would not be “an Asean and China in 2002. said in Washington that Tiller- tens of thousands of people More than 2,000 other people those victims have been killed by expect the call to be frank, hon- instrument to settle territorial The Philippines is the chair- son would discuss human rights would be killed. have been killed in drug-related vigilante death squads linked to est but to discuss also the way disputes or maritime delimita- man of this year’s Asean meet- issues in Manila. Duterte easily Since he took offi ce in the mid- crimes and thousands more the government. forward in our relationship and tion issues.” ings, which have the theme won presidential elections last dle of last year, police have con- murdered in unexplained cir- Rights groups have said that also to repair some twists and The fi nal draft of the docu- “Partnering for Change, Engag- year after promising an unpre- fi rmed killing more than 3,400 cumstances, according to police Duterte, who has said he would turns or some valleys in our rela- ment, obtained by The Manila ing the World.” with Catherine cented war on drugs in which people in anti-drug operations. data. Rights groups say many of be “happy to slaughter” 3mn tionship,” Cayetano said. Times on Thursday, emphasises S Valente Asean consensus sought on N Korea response

Reuters dealings with the already iso- sides to it. So, it’s a very hard de- Some experts believe Asean ment, seen by Reuters, said the Manila lated state. cision.” could seek to play a role as a foreign ministers would express As the chairman of Asean, North Korea is determined to mediator, since it is an Asian “grave concerns” about the Ko- the Philippines in the next few develop a nuclear-tipped mis- bloc not party to the standoff . rean peninsula. he Philippines will seek days will host meetings of for- sile capable of hitting the United Cayetano said the Philippines A senior foreign ministry of- agreement in Southeast eign ministers from 27 coun- States and offi cials in Washing- was wondering how it could fi cial told Reuters North Korea’s TAsia on ways to engage tries that include Australia, ton say its latest test last week respond to the United States expected response at the meet- with North Korea, follow- China, India, Japan, Russia, showed it may be able to reach by downgrading relations with ing will be to maintain that its ing pressure from the United North and South Korea and most of the country. China has North Korea. North Korea has nuclear weapons programme is a States to isolate Pyongyang the United States, at which urged calm and restraint from all embassies and some businesses self-defence measure. Cayetano over its missile tests, Ma- Pyongyang’s missile tests are countries involved in the stand- in several Southeast Asian coun- will try to manage tensions at the nila’s foreign minister said expected to take centre stage. off . tries, some of which trade goods ARF and further dialogue on the yesterday. The United States “It’s a consensus-based or- It is unclear whether Asean with Pyongyang. It has no dip- North Korean standoff , but Phil- is expected to press the As- ganisation, so what I can do is will take a tougher line on North lomatic presence in the Philip- ippine President Rodrigo Du- sociation of South East Asian after the dinner tonight, in a Korea, as advocated by the Unit- pines. “Actually, we’ve never terte has taken a diff erent line. Nations (Asean) and other huddle, consult the other mem- ed States, or stick to its position upgraded,” Cayetano said. “We On Wednesday, Duterte called Asian countries to take tough- bers,” Foreign Minister Alan Pe- of calling for calm and adherence don’t have much engagement North Korean leader Kim Jong- Motorists drive past an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) parked er action against North Korea, ter Cayetano told reporters. to UN Security Council resolu- with them.” un a “maniac”, “fool” and “son near the venue of the 50th Asean Foreign Ministers meeting in such as “drastically” reducing “I predict there will be two tions. A draft ARF chairman’s state- of a ******”. Pasay city, metro Manila, Philippines. Duterte signs law for free Manila traffi c chief sacked By Jaime Pilapil pesos weekly from bus opera- Buan. Coronel said they will wait Manila Times tors of Viofel, EPL, and Yohan for the result of the investigation Bus Company. Margarejo clari- before deciding whether or not state college education fi ed that Faycho was relieved for to fi le charges against the two he head of the Manila “command responsibility.” She, police offi cers. Police District’s (MPD) however, will be investigated by “Depending on the results AFP Thursday, will spare all students Congressman Salvador Be- Ttraffi c unit and her sub- the Internal Aff airs Service (IAS). of our investigation, if we fi nd Manila at government-run colleges and laro, one of the authors of the ordinate were sacked from their “After 30 days, we expect IAS probable cause to charge them, universities from paying tuition bill for free state college tui- posts after one of them was to release a resolution detailing then that’s the time they and other fees, he added. tion, warned it could cost some caught collecting weekly payola the penalties or sanctions,” Mar- will have to be transferred resident Rodrigo Duterte Economic offi cials had 500bn pesos to fund the pro- from operators of buses, partic- garejo told The Manila Times. or reassigned permanently,” he has signed a law making warned Duterte not to approve gram through to 2022. The ularly those passing the Lawton Named temporary head of said. If Faycho is cleared of any Peducation at all state uni- the measure, which they argue Philippines has 114 state uni- area. TEU was Chief Insp Alejandro criminal or administrative li- versities free, a palace offi cial will cost 100bn pesos (some versities and colleges. Under Relieved from their posts were Pelias. Buan’s arrest outraged ability, she will be reinstated to said yesterday, despite warn- USD $2bn) a year and will Duterte’s proposed budget for Traffi c Enforcement Unit head Mayor Joseph Estrada. her post, Coronel said. ings from his economic advis- mainly benefi t wealthier stu- 2018, these institutions have a Chief Supt Lucile Faycho and “This unfortunate incident On July 7, CITF personnel ers that the Philippines cannot dents. Guevarra said that now total allocation of 64.6bn pe- Police Offi cer 2 Joseph Buan, undermines our eff orts to pro- also arrested Chief Insp Ramon aff ord it. the measure had been signed, sos. This is out of a total educa- who was captured on July 28 in fessionalise our city police force, Nazario, commander of the po- Duterte, who is known for Philippine President Rodrigo everyone needed to work to- tion budget of 691.1bn pesos, an entrapment operation set so I want to know how and why lice community precinct at the his populist leanings, believes Duterte. gether to solve the key prob- budget department documents up by operatives of the Counter this criminal activity had been University Belt, based on the the long-term benefi ts of the lem facing the new bill: fund- showed. Intelligence Task Force (CITF), tolerated, and who are the peo- extortion complaint fi led by a measure outweigh the short- state universities and colleges ing. “Everyone including the The Duterte government is according to MPD spokesman ple protecting it,” Estrada said in group of vendors. term budgetary challenges, said is a very strong pillar or corner- economic managers will have already scrambling to cover its Supt. Erwin Margarejo. a statement. Nazario was arrested along deputy presidential executive stone of the president’s social to focus their attention on this proposed 3.767tn peso budget The CITF received reports Estrada directed MPD head with Barangay 409, Zone 42 Ka- secretary Menardo Guevarra. development policy,” he told particular aspect: funding for for 2018, which includes heavy that Buan and his colleagues Chief Supt Joel Coronel to re- gawad Gregorio Bernardo and “Free tertiary education in reporters. The bill, signed late this programme,” he added. spending on infrastructure. were collecting 500 to 2,000 port to him those in cahoots with Raymund Baga.

Ex-VP Binay, son indicted over school contract Lawmakers question Faeldon’s hiring of athletes The Off ice of the Ombudsman Hilmarc’s Construction has found basis to file graft Corp bagged the deals at a and falsification charges at the 1.33-billion pesos total net By Llanesca T Panti Famer Marlou Aquino, former ifi ed, then I will salute the Cus- apologised to lawmakers. though their noses,” he added. Sandiganbayan against former cost. Manila Times PBA players Eduard Joseph toms. We are not undermining But Barbers was unimpressed. Abu and Cua agreed that an vice president Jejomar Binay The former vice president’s Feihl and Ronjay Enrile, former them here. It’s just that Com- “Faeldon tarnished the repu- apology is not enough. Sr, former Makati City mayor spokesman, Joey Salgado, Metropolitan Basketball Asso- missioner Faeldon was blaming tation of the entire House of Rep- “We accept his apology but Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr, said the charges approved by awmakers questioned ciation player Gherome Ejer- the corruption of (Bureau of) resentatives by insinuating that we have a job here,” Abu said. and several others for allegedly Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Customs Commissioner cito, former UST Tiger Michael Customs to lawmakers for rec- lawmakers are endorsing pro- “He is accusing the lawmak- rigging the 2007 bidding to Morales were “baseless”. “The LNicanor Faeldon decision Sumalinog, former Ateneo Lady ommending people for posts in motions or employment to the ers of corrupting the Customs construct the 1.3-bn pesos Ombudsman has time and to hire professional athletes and Eagles Assistant Coach Par- the Bureau, and yet it is not the bureau of certain personnel. Yet, and yet it wasn’t the lawmak- Makati Science High School again disregarded her agency’s coaches as intelligence offi cers ley Tupaz, Ateneo/Creamline lawmakers who recommended it turned out he has employed ers who made endorsements of Building. internal rules, due process and and personnel of the Bureau of Assistant Coach Sherwin Me- these athletes,” Abu added. sports people with dubious qual- these athletes. He wasn’t being In a statement, the constitutional rights to pursue Customs. neses, national team player/ The Bureau of Customs ifi cations for their position,” Bar- fair,” Cua said. Ombudsman said the Binays her witch hunt against former Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Creamline player Alyssa Val- fi elded a team in last year’s V- bers said in a statement. Deputy Speaker Romero favoured a firm named Infiniti vice president Binay and his Batangas, Representatives Rob- dez, former UP Lady Maroon League Reinforced Conference “Are these people qualifi ed Quimbo urged Faeldon to go Architectural Works for a family. Her recent move comes ert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Michiko Castañeda, former NU bannered by Valdez. for their positions? How much after Customs personnel who 17.37-mn pesos architectural as no surprise,” he said in a Norte and Dakila Cua of Quirino Lady Bulldog/Creamline player The Valdez-powered squad are they paid? What kind of pocket as much as 270mn pe- and engineering consultancy statement. said the Customs Bureau em- Rizza Mandapat and former fi nished runner up to champi- service are they performing for sos every day as alleged by Mark services contract, despite “The allegations have been ployed at least 28 athletes and Adamson player Fe Emnas. ons Pocari Sweat in its debut the BOC? Are they actually re- Taguba, a customs broker. anomalies such as non- answered, but apparently coaches under the Offi ce of the “We can’t say at this point V-League stint. Faeldon earlier porting for work? How many of “A whopping 270mn pesos posting of the invitation to disregarded by the Commissioner, Intelligence that they are not qualifi ed, claimed that some lawmakers these people are really qualifi ed per day goes to the pockets of bid. Ombudsman. It once again Group, Assessment and Opera- that’s why I asked the Customs had been pushing the bureau for intelligence work? We will BOC employees and offi cials The Binays also “rigged” the underscores the selective tions Coordinating Group and Bureau for these people’s fi les. to appoint people of their lik- fi nd out the real score in our next on container shipments alone. procurement processes for the prosecution of the Binays and Import and Assessment Service. We need to scrutinise why they ing and to facilitate the release hearing. No wonder, Customs This should test Commissioner building’s construction, which the Ombudsman’s tendency Among the 28 are 40 Phil- were designated in such a posi- of their shipments. The Cus- bungled the handling of evi- Faeldon’s leadership and resolve was divided into six phases to look the other way when ippine Basketball Association tion,” Abu told reporters. toms chief, who had taken the dence in the seizure of the 6.4bn to stand by his word to clean up spread over 2008 to 2013, the other political personalities are Greatest Players member Ken- “I want to know their qualifi - heat for the release of 6.4bn pe- pesos worth of shabu (meth- Customs,” Quimbo said in a Ombudsman claimed. involved,” Salgado added. neth Duremdes, PBA Hall of cations. If they are indeed qual- sos worth of illegal drugs, later amphetamine) smuggled right statement. Gulf Times Saturday, August 5, 2017 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Bangladesh seeks OIC help Lankan SC in resolving Rohingya issue shoots down By Mizan Rahman tax reforms Dhaka

AFP resident M Abdul Hamid Colombo has sought the assistance Pof the Organisation of Is- lamic Co-operation (OIC) in re- ri Lanka’s Supreme solving the Rohingya problem in Court has eff ectively Bangladesh. Sshot down a sweeping “Provide necessary assist- overhaul of the island’s tax ance for repatriation of the system, calling the proposed Rohingya refugees from Bang- legislation unconstitution- ladesh,” the President said al, the country’s parliament while OIC Secretary General speaker told lawmakers yes- Dr Yousef bin Ahmad al-Oth- terday. aimeen paid a courtesy call on Last month Sri Lanka ta- him at the President’s Secre- bled the Inland Revenue bill Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. tariat in Dhaka on Thursday to widen the tax net and give evening. wide-ranging powers to au- leaving the country if that Abdul Hamid also stressed the thorities to crack down on person was suspected of tax need for joint eff orts of the Mus- evaders. fraud. lim Ummah to resolve the prob- But speaker Karu Jayasuriya The court also deemed un- lems of Palestinians and Al-Aqsa told parliament yesterday the constitutional a clause that mosque issue. highest court had informed would let tax authorities share Noting that an excellent com- him that it would not approve information with the state at- munal harmony exists in the coun- the bill in its current form — a torney general to be used in try, Abdul Hamid said, “Bangladesh legal requirement for the leg- criminal prosecutions. is always ready to help the Muslim islation to become law. The International Monetary Ummah for its overall development The court has asked the Fund (IMF) has long pushed and progress.” government to either change for a reform of the country’s The president thanked the the bill or hold a nationwide tax system and Finance Minis- OIC secretary general for his referendum on the proposed ter Mangala Samaraweera was outstanding contribution to the legislation. hoping for the bill to be ap- welfare of Muslims across the If the government wins the proved this month. globe. referendum it can bring the There was no immediate Lauding the tremendous de- President Abdul Hamid exchanging views with visiting OIC secretary general Dr Yousef bin Ahmad al-Othaimeen at the President’s Secretariat bill before parliament, where comment from the fi nance velopment of Bangladesh in in Dhaka. lawmakers can vote to make ministry on the court deci- different sectors, especially in it law. sion. the women empowerment is- necessary steps so that the Mus- rived in Dhaka on Wednesday with Bangladesh’s government solution to Rohingya Muslim However, offi cial sources The IMF in 2016 agreed sue, the OIC secretary general lim world can lead the science night on a four-day offi cial trip. to solve the Rohingya refugee minority in Myanmar,” said Oth- said the government was un- to lend Sri Lanka $1.5bn said, “The progress in women and technology sector in future. It is his fi rst ever visit to Bang- crisis. aimeen, in Bangladesh on a four- likely to seek a referendum spread over three years empowerment in Bangladesh The OIC secretary general ladesh since his assumption of The OIC, which represents 57 day visit. and instead, would try to wa- following a balance of pay- is an instance for others to fol- hoped that Bangladesh would offi ce of the Jeddah-based or- states and acts as the collective Several Rohingya who were ter down the sections deemed ments crisis. low.” play a signifi cant role in estab- ganisation. voice of the Muslim world, urged victims of military persecution at odds with provisions of the Last month, the IMF re- On terrorism and militancy, he lishing world peace and har- During a visit to the Kutupal- the southeast Asian nations to in Myanmar described how constitution. leased the third instalment said Islam believes in peace and mony. ong makeshift camp in Cox’s Ba- join hands with Muslim-ma- they were tortured and abused, One of the sections the of the loan after holding up welfare and there is no room for Secretaries concerned were zar yesterday, Yousef bin Ahmad jority neighbours in tackling the and said they wanted to go back court objected to was a pro- the payment for months over terrorism and militancy. also present on the occasion. al-Othaimeen said the OIC and refugee crisis. and exercise their rights as citi- posal to empower the tax chief Colombo’s failure to meet its He said the OIC would take The OIC secretary general ar- the United Nations are working “We want to see a permanent zens. to prevent any individual from bailout conditions. OIC to highlight brutality Ershad laments state of infl icted on Rohingya politics in Bangladesh

By Mizan Rahman By Mizan Rahman “They will resign very soon. Dhaka Dhaka The JP does not believe in the politics of violence. We’ll pro- test against every misdeed of isiting Secretary General angladesh is passing the government through demo- of the Organisation of Is- through a critical phase cratic means,” he added. Vlamic Co-operation (OIC) Bfraught with rampant When newsmen asked the JP Dr Yousef bin Ahmad al-Oth- corruption, killings, rape, and chief about his resignation from aimeen yesterday listened to Ro- forced disappearance due to the post of the PM’s special en- hingya people’s shocking tales of greed for power, Jatiya Party voy, Ershad said: “I have already brutalities carried by Myanmar (JP) chairman HM Ershad has informed the Prime Minister army saying the world will be in- said. about my resignation. I cannot formed about the tortures. He also said that journalists resign without her consent. The OIC Secretary General are being muzzled by Section 57 If I resign without her con- made the remarks while talking of the ICT Act. sent, it would amount to dis- to journalists after visiting the “There is a high wind blowing honouring her.” Kutupalong Camp in Ukhia sub- across the country for power. Terming a sub-district ex- district of southeastern Cox’s Women are being raped. There HM Ershad ecutive offi cer’s (UNO’s) recent Bazar district. is no good governance. This arrest as an unprecedented in- Expressing OIC’s sympa- cannot go on,” Ershad, who is regarding rice stocks”, he asked. cident in the country, Ershad thy and solidarity with the also Prime Minister Sheikh Referring to a recent Su- said, “A UNO represents the Rakhine Muslims there, Dr Hasina’s special envoy, told re- preme Court (SC) verdict, Er- government. How can a gov- Othaimeen said pressure will porters at a press briefi ng held shad claimed that the apex ernment offi cial be arrested? be put on Myanmar to give the at the JP’s Banani party offi ce. court has presented the actual The Deputy Commissioner and Rakhine Muslims citizenship Criticising Section 57, the picture of the country. the Superintendent of Police of and returning their assets so JP chairman said: “Journalists “Here political landscape has that area have been transferred that they go back to their own Visiting Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation Dr Yousef bin Ahmad al-Othaimeen cannot present real facts for been marred with rampant cor- because of this incident, but the country. talking to newsmen in southeastern Cox’s Bazar yesterday after visiting Rohingya refugee camps. fear of Section 57. ruption, murders, and rape,” he masterminds have managed to He held a meeting with gov- If they cannot write the added. remain behind the scene.” ernment and non-government He also urged the Rohingya country. They must have their when Bangladesh is preparing to truth, how are we supposed to Regarding the Bogra rape He asked the authorities offi cials at the unregistered camp people to abide by Bangladeshi full citizenship,” he said. host the next session of the OIC get the actual situation? Such case, the veteran political leader concerned what was the fault of before entering inside the camp. laws. He also called upon Myanmar Council of Foreign Ministers to an anti-people law should be said: “Ruling party men are in- Siddiqur, a student of Titumir The OIC chief had a long Senior government offi cials, government to come up with a be held in the fi rst half of 2018. withdrawn.” volved in the incident. But a top College, who lost his eyes in po- conversation with a number of Border Guard Bangladesh sen- roadmap on how to go forward to The OIC repeatedly con- “The present government Awami League leader simply lice action during a demonstra- women who were brutally tor- ior offi cials and representatives settle the issue peacefully. demned the violence and abuse doesn’t want people’s welfare. said that Tufan (party leader) tion demanding proper holding tured in Myanmar by the Myan- of international bodies were Othaimeen arrived in Dha- against the Rohingya Muslim People are buying rice at 50 taka was not their man!” of examinations. mar Army. present. ka on Wednesday night on a minority in Myanmar in the past per kg,” he noted. “Why must The JP chairman said he is He lamented that the politics He also had separate conver- On Thursday, the OIC chief four-day tour, the first visit months. people buy rice at 50 taka per ashamed as three members of of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mu- sations with a group of another reminded Myanmar that Ro- to Bangladesh since assuming During the extraordinary kg? Why is there is no stock of his party have become minis- jibur Rahman, Hussein Shahid 30 males and females in an IOM- hingya people must be given full charge as the OIC Secretary session on January 19 in Kuala rice? How can the minister give ters under the present govern- Suhrawardy and Fazlul Haque run school. citizenship and basic rights. General. Lumpur, the OIC Council of For- false information to the nation ment. do not exist anymore. Talking to journalists, Dr Oth- “Rohingya people are denied He met President Abdul Ha- eign Ministers urged Myanmar aimeen thanked the Bangladesh their basic rights. They need mid, Prime Minister Sheikh to eliminate the root causes af- government and its people for to be recognised in giving their Hasina and Foreign Minister A H fecting the Rohingya Muslim hosting Rohingya people for identities. Mahmood Ali on Thursday. minority and restore their citi- decades. They must return to their The visit comes at a time zenship. Apex court denounces culture of monopolising achievements Nepal, China to develop power transmission lines By Mizan Rahman addiction to I’ness,” says the the related observations. Dhaka verdict in the observations. It said, “There is no doubt IANS electricity trade between the two tual co-operation in developing the offi cial said such infrastruc- The full verdict released last that the elected representa- Kathmandu neighbours in the future, Xinhua cross-border transmission line ture could be developed in other week said in the observations tives of Awami League led the news agency reported. was sent to China,” Dinesh Kumar border crossings at Tatopani- he Supreme Court’s that ‘no nation –no country is liberation struggle, but people Former Nepali prime minis- Ghimire, spokesperson of the En- Khasa (Zhangmu), Korala and full verdict on the 16th made of or by one person.’ from all walks of life, like la- epal has sent to China ter KP Sharma Oli had during ergy Ministry, told Xinhua. Kimathanka. TAmendment to the Con- “If we want to truly live up bourers, workers, fi shermen, draft of an agreement for his visit to China in March 2016 “It has been around four Ghimire said they worked out stitution has denounced the to the dream of Sonar Bangla housewives, prisoners, educa- Nthe joint development of asked Beijing to help develop months that we sent the draft on the MoU so that it could be political culture of laying mo- (Golden Bengal) as advocated tionalists, students, industrial- cross-border power transmis- 400KV Border Transmission and we are awaiting the response signed during high-level visits in nopoly ownership over achieve- by our Father of the Nation, we ists, intellectuals, police, army, sion lines between the two coun- Lines Project at Rashuwagadi- from the Chinese side.” the future. ments of Bangladesh using fi rst must keep ourselves free from Ansars, East Pakistan Rifl es and tries, a Nepal Energy Ministry Kerung (Geelong) border point. Although the joint statement Nepal is considered one of the person as the vehicle of expres- this suicidal ambition and ad- supporters of other political offi cial said yesterday. “In line with the understanding had mentioned the develop- richest countries in the world in sion. diction of ‘I’ness. That only one parties participated, except few The power-line connectivity reached with Chinese side during ment of transmission line only in terms of hydro-power genera- “We must keep ourselves free person or one man did all this religiously fanatic ideologues is expected to pave the way for Oli’s visit, the MoU draft on mu- Rasuwagadhi-Kerung segment, tion capacity. from the suicidal ambition and and etc,” said the apex court in and their evil companions.” Gulf Times 14 Saturday, August 5, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Extraordinary measures

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar for ordinary times [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Some of the extraordinary or revised. In the US, the Troubled of the land? John Adams, America’s the central feature of the political 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) measures implemented Asset Relief Programme (TARP), second president, noted the dangerous process. When leaders make political Fax 44350474 which former president George W ambiguity of this concept: “The public decisions, they are reasserting control in response to the 2007 Bush signed into law in October 2008, good, the salus populi,” he wrote, “is over the concept of sovereignty itself, started out as a programme whereby the professed end of all government, which has been gradually eroded and fi nancial crisis proved to the Department of the Treasury the most despotic, as well as the most transformed through various phases of be ill-conceived, and were purchased problematic, largely free.” globalisation. mortgage-based assets directly from The post-crisis view holds that According to Schmitt, how leaders abandoned or revised fi nancial institutions. But that turned a powerful leader can and should arrive at their decisions is secondary GULF TIMES out to be more complicated than fi x things by himself (strongmen to the fact that a decision has been By Harold James originally thought, and, within weeks, are rarely women). This approach made. A sovereign “needs” to act Munich the government simply recapitalised was readily apparent in the Russian forcefully to protect particular US banks instead. government’s response to collapsing threatened interests. Often, this Other bad decisions were not so aluminium prices in 2009, when job entails symbolic gestures. In 1930, for Shining light on the t has been 10 years since the easily reversed. Hoping to prevent losses and unpaid wages gave rise example, America’s Smoot-Hawley fi nancial crisis went international. a bank run, the Irish government to large-scale protests at a plant in Tariff Act singled out Swiss watches, Until July 2007, the subprime off ered a blanket guarantee for all Pikalevo, 150 miles (250km) southeast Japanese silk products, and other Imortgage crisis seemed like it was banking deposits. With that one of St Petersburg. nationally iconic imports. shadowy world of strictly a problem for the United States. unilateral decision, Ireland destabilised When then-prime minister Vladimir Protectionism today is no diff erent. But then Landesbank Sachsen and IKB the rest of Europe. Suddenly, other Putin toured Pikalevo, he made a show Consider US President Donald Trump’s Deutsche Industriebank, two publicly- governments had to fear that their own of humiliating the plant’s owner, the threat to impose tariff s against BMW owned regional German banks, had banks’ depositors would fl ee en masse oligarch Oleg Deripaska, by calling him and Mercedes-Benz: two high- good, bad hackers to be bailed out, and it suddenly to the backstopped Irish banks (never a “cockroach.” Putin didn’t announce visibility brands that one immediately became clear to policymakers just how mind that the cost of the guarantee was any new policies to help Russian associates with Germany. Two months ago, Marcus Hutchins was an “accidental interconnected the global fi nancial too much for the Irish government to workers; nonetheless, his performance In response to Trump’s threats, hero,” a young computer whiz living with his parents in system had become. bear). in Pikalevo was hailed as a bold Europe has also tapped into the Britain who found the “kill switch” to the devastating The legacy of 2007 is still with us. Still, overall, the response to assertion of state power in the face of politics of symbolism. If Trump Its most devastating and destructive the fi nancial crisis was strikingly capitalist excess. follows through, the European Union WannaCry ransomware. eff ect was to put a premium on successful, and those who led it were Strongmen tend to present may retaliate by targeting bourbon Today, the 23-year-old is in a US federal prison, charged unconventional monetary measures. right to pat themselves on the back themselves as being uniquely able whiskey, a distinctly American spirit with creating and distributing malicious software designed Unfortunately, when policymakers for having prevented a repeat of to tackle a specifi c problem. For that is heavily produced in Kentucky, scrambled in search of “big bazookas” the Great Depression. But, because Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, US Senate Majority Leader Mitch to attack the banking system. 10 years ago, they set the stage for the unconventional policies were so that means a “war on drugs” that McConnell’s home state. His arrest this week stunned the computer security return of an old character: a strongman eff ective, they are now considered has led to thousands of extrajudicial Unfortunately, this approach has community and shines a light on the shadowy world of those willing to pull the trigger. appropriate and necessary responses killings. Putin justifi es his policies created a political environment in To be sure, at the height of the to any problem, while constitutional in the context of fi ghting terrorism. which established norms have been who sometimes straddle the line between legal and illegal fi nancial crisis, politicians were safeguards are increasingly dismissed And Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor eroded, and no new norms have taken activities. right to conclude that they could not as petty bureaucratic concerns. Orban has framed his autocratic their place. The Soviet-born British Hutchins’ arrest following Def Con in Las Vegas, one of the rely on business as usual. Central Already in 2008, former Federal behaviour as a necessary response journalist Peter Pomerantsev said it banks needed to provide liquidity on Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker warned to a domestic fi nancial crisis. By best in the title of his brilliant book world’s largest gathering of hackers, delivered “an extreme a massive scale, and governments that the Fed was at “the very edge of its focusing on one narrow “crisis,” these about post-Soviet life: Nothing Is shock,” according to Gabriella Coleman, a McGill University needed to complement those lawful and implied powers.” Of course, leaders create a mindset in which all True and Everything Is Possible. Now professor who studies the hacker community. monetary-policy eff orts with fiscal some might ask why a policymaker other problems become crises that that crisis has been normalised as a expansion. Accordingly, China and the should not ignore that edge for the demand immediate, eff ective, and permanent condition, we are all post- “The community at Def Con would not admire a hacker US, in particular, launched large-scale sake of the country’s welfare. But unconstrained action. Soviet. – Project Syndicate who was doing hard core criminal activity for profi t or stimulus programmes in 2008 and invoking salus populi suprema lex – This post-crisis mentality is in damage – that is frowned upon,” Coleman said. 2009, respectively. the maxim that laws should refl ect keeping with the German political zHarold James is Professor of History Some of the extraordinary the public interest – is an old way of theorist Carl Schmitt’s doctrine and International Aff airs at Princeton “But there are people who do security research who measures implemented in response justifying autocracy. Indeed, who is to of “decisionism.” Schmitt, who University and a senior fellow at the understand that sometimes in order to improve security, you to the fi nancial crisis proved to be say what is in the public’s best interest, joined the Nazi Party in 1933, held Center for International Governance have to stick your nose in areas that may break the law. They ill-conceived, and were abandoned let alone determine the supreme law that sovereign decision-making is Innovation. don’t want to hurt anyone but they are doing it for research.” Hackers are generally classifi ed as “white hats” if they stay within the law and “black hats” if they cross the line. At gatherings like Def Con, “you have people who dabble on both sides of the fence,” said Rick Holland, vice president at the security fi rm Digital Shadows. An indictment unsealed by US authorities charges Hutchins and a second individual – whose name was redacted – of making and distributing in 2014 and 2015 the Kronos “banking Trojan,” a reference to malicious software designed to steal user names and passwords used at online banking sites. James Scott, a Hutchins’ arrest senior fellow who follows cybersecurity could erode at the Institute for trust between Critical Infrastructure Technology, said it is the hacker sometimes diffi cult to community and separate the white hats from the black hats. law enforcement The hacker mindset includes “an insatiable need to satisfy their intellectual curiosity,” Scott said. “Hackers have that thing, they can’t sleep. It’s persistent Lush green Darjeeling tea plantations during the June-August harvest season provide the bulk of tea sold yearly. and it’s constant and it can drive you nuts.” Scott said he did not know details of the Hutchins case but that it is possible he wrote code that someone else “weaponised.” Darjeeling unrest threatens tea shortage Some friends and collaborators of Hutchins said they found the allegations hard to believe. By Diptendu Dutta/AFP Gorkhas’ demands for a separate “He worked with me on a project in 2014 he refused Darjeeling, India homeland started in the 19th century and have regularly erupted. payment for,” said a tweet from Jake Williams of Rendition Unrest in 1980 left nearly 1,200 InfoSec. “This is incongruous with a black hat writing code he world faces a shortage of dead. for money at the same time.” prized Darjeeling tea because The latest fl are-up started after the of deadly unrest in the idyllic government ordered Bengali language Security researcher Andrew Mabbitt tweeted that Indian Himalayan foothills lessons in state schools — angering Hutchins “spent his career stopping malware, not writing T where it is grown. ethnic Gorkhas who speak Nepali. it.” In the dozens of lush green At least three protesters have been Regardless of the outcome of the case, some security plantations across the picturesque killed in clashes. hill station, the June-August harvest Government forces now patrol professionals said the arrest could erode trust between the season normally provides the bulk of the streets of Darjeeling while the hacker community and law enforcement. the nearly 8mn kilos of tea sold a year — separatist group has set an August 8 Coleman said many hackers and researchers already tread most of which goes to Europe. deadline for their demands to be met. But with a showdown between native Protesters have targeted Darjeeling’s carefully in light of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, a Gorkas, who provide the majority Supporters of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) take part in a Unesco-recognised “toy train” — a law that makes it illegal to access a computer system without of plantation workers, and the West protest amid an indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) 78-km (48-mile) ride up from New authorisation and has been roundly criticised by some Bengal government now 50 days old, organisation in Darjeeling early last month. Jalpaiguri. production fell by 90% in June. Two stations on the line were gutted security professionals. Tourism has also been badly hit by kilograms (154 US tons) of tea was rattled the hills since early June, in arson attacks. The statute is very broad and it can be wielded as a tool the dispute in which the main Gorka produced in June, a plunge from 1.33mn shutting down businesses, schools and Plantation owners and traders say against researchers. group has halted harvesting and called kilos in the same month last year. forcing thousands of tourists to fl ee. the deadlock is a catastrophe for the tea for a shutdown of the tea industry. The history and distinctive taste Three people have been killed. industry. There have been predictions that have made Darjeeling one of the world’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) They say agitators have threatened To Advertise prices could rise more than 20% and most recognised food names. has been at the forefront of decades of violence and barred outsiders from some Darjeeling tea gardens could take British offi cer Arthur Campbell agitation calling for a “Gorkhaland” working in tea gardens. [email protected] years to recover. started planting tea bushes in 1841 within West Bengal. A further logjam will spike the Display “This year’s harvest is lost,” Sanjay in Darjeeling before commercial They say Bengali-speaking outsiders commodity price and loss of business Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 Mittal, director of Ambiok Tea estate, plantation began in the 1850s. have exploited their resources and to rival brands that so far have failed to said, adding that “if the stalemate ends It is the only Indian brand with imposed their culture and language. dent Darjeeling’s global fame. Classified we hope to return next year”. international protection, meaning that Plantation owners say the blockade “If the situation continues like this we Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 But Ankit Lochan, president of the only tea grown in the region can be has severely aff ected the delicate tea might lose business to China, Sri Lanka Siliguri Tea Traders Association, said called Darjeeling. bushes that have been overrun by and Nepal tea brands,” Lochan said. Subscription that if the strike continues for another Specialty teas can sell for up to weeds. He said traders fear huge damages [email protected] few months, “almost 50% of the $1,800 per kilo ($820 per pound), while “Tea bushes need regular irrigation, demands if they fail to deliver estates will close down for at least two companies such as Indian conglomerate de-weeding and pruning. consignments. to three years”. Tata and Unilever sell more mass market It will take weeks if not months to get Lochan said only 20-30% of 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Tea Board India, the government varieties around the world. them back in shape and then more time production has been harvested this regulatory body, said only 140,000 Clashes and arson attacks have to start the production,” said Mittal. year. Gulf Times Saturday, August 5, 2017 15 COMMENT Financing universal education More than 250mn of the world’s 1.6bn children are not in school, and 400mn lack basic literacy

By Steven J. Klees College Park, Maryland

he 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals represent a remarkable Tcommitment by the international community to eliminate poverty and improve health, the environment, education, and much more in all countries by 2030. The SDG for education is straightforward: “Ensure inclusive and equitable wrongheaded, and should be replaced The principal problem with this priorities. Rather than handing be a revamped GPE. Whereas donors evasion, which are costing the global quality education and promote by two other solutions. Both will be approach is that the World Bank has institutions such as the World Bank will dominate IFFEd decision-making, economy more than $600bn every lifelong learning opportunities for all.” politically diffi cult to achieve, but are no business spearheading education and the International Monetary Fund the GPE operates more democratically, year. To achieve the needed reforms, Unfortunately, we are a long way necessary for fi nancing the SDGs. reform. In fact, as my own research more power, we need a new Bretton with equal representation of donor we need to increase the UN’s capacity from achieving this goal, particularly The Education Commission’s shows, the World Bank has already Woods conference to make them and recipient countries and strong instead of relying on the OECD, which in developing countries. More than fi rst proposal is to count on been misdirecting education reform in democratically accountable and less participation from civil-society has proposed only minor changes. 250mn of the world’s 1.6bn children “philanthropists, corporations, and developing countries for three decades, ideological. organisations. While the GPE is still We also need to institute a global are not in school, and 400mn lack charitable organisations” to increase by pushing for increased privatisation As things stand, the World Bank too dependent on the World Bank, wealth tax, as economist Thomas basic literacy. If current trends their annual aid contributions from and narrowly defi ned educational is the 500-pound gorilla of the which supervises 80% of its grants, Piketty has proposed. It is obscene continue, by 2030 half of all children $2bn today to $20bn by 2030. This is outcomes and accountability based on international-aid establishment, that can be changed. that the world’s eight richest people will not have the basic skills needed unlikely to happen. More to the point, excessive testing. and the proposed IFFEd would put Instead of the proposed IFFEd, we hold as much wealth as the poorest for employment. charity is not a responsible way to The World Bank’s market- the gorilla on steroids. It would also need two things. Wealthy countries 50%. Like corporate-tax reform and The main problem is a shortage of fi nance public policy. As one recent fundamentalist approach to education make co-ordinating aid to education need to honour the commitment, fulfi lling past promises to fund ODA, a resources. While developing countries study shows, charitable education- (and other sectors) resembles that an administrative nightmare. In made in 1970 and repeated ever since, 1% global wealth tax could fi nance all can fi nance more than 90% of what reform eff orts tend to be short- of right-wing think tanks such as addition to the Global Partnership to allocate 0.7% of GDP toward ODA. of the SDGs combined. they need to ensure universal access sighted, uncoordinated, and self- the Cato Institute or the Heritage for Education (GPE), which focuses While a few countries already do this, The SDGs, even more so than the to quality primary and secondary interested, ultimately contributing Foundation. But while these are on low-income countries, and the most fall far short. Just by keeping Millennium Development Goals education, there is still a large funding little to advancing education recognised as partisan organisations recently established Education Cannot past promises, wealthy countries that preceded them, represent an gap – approaching $40bn in 2020, and priorities. pursuing an ideological agenda, Wait (ECW) fund, which focuses could close the education-funding extraordinary global commitment. $90bn by 2030 – that must be fi lled by The Education Commission’s the World Bank makes a pretense on countries with humanitarian gap – and cover all of the other SDGs’ But if the international community international aid. second proposal is to form an of objectivity and inclusiveness. emergencies, we would have a third fi nancing needs, too. The Education is serious about meeting them, Solving this problem has been the International Finance Facility for Moreover, unlike Cato and Heritage, body focusing on lower- and middle- Commission, by contrast, lets wealthy it must do something even more goal of the International Commission Education, to be overseen by the the World Bank is a public, tax- income countries. countries off the hook, by asking them unprecedented: put its money where on Financing Global Education World Bank and various regional fi nanced entity that wields vast It makes no sense to have three to commit just 0.5% of GDP to ODA, its mouth is. – Project Syndicate Opportunity (the Education development banks. Under the infl uence around the world through multilateral institutions competing and not until 2030. Commission), chaired by Gordon proposed IFFEd, development banks its grants, loans, and policy with one another for funding. As Second, we need a global approach zSteven J. Klees, an economist, is Brown and comprising luminaries in would borrow from capital markets recommendations. Columbia University’s Jeff rey D. Sachs to taxation. As my colleague and I Professor of International Education business, government, and academia. to increase their annual investments Future generations will be aghast has long argued, we need just one point out in a report for the Education Policy at the University of Maryland But the Education Commission’s in education to $10bn by 2020, and to at how we have allowed banks to Global Fund for Education to work Commission, corporate-tax reforms and co-editor of The World Bank and two principal recommendations are $20bn by 2030. determine educational and other toward the education SDG, and it can could eliminate tax avoidance and Education: Critiques and Alternatives.

LEGAL HELPLINE Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 44 C Low : 34 C Inshore: Hazy at places at first with How to get court judgment corrected weak chance of local rainy at places during afternoon becomes humid to hazy by night. By Dr Nizar Kochery In case of cancellation of residency may request the imprisonment of the the same. If the tenant failed to make Doha permit, the person will be able to judgment debtor. The court may order the payment, the landlord can hold the SUNDAY return to Qatar to take up employment the imprisonment of the judgment cheque for the recovery of utility bills. High: 41 C immediately after being granted a debtor if it is established that the The tenant cannot raise the defence Low: 33 C uestion: Will an error new visa. The new law abolishes the judgment debtor is able to fulfi l his that the cheque was issued as rent or Sunny in a court judgment current two-year ban on expatriates obligation based on the issued order security deposit. The landlord can aff ect its validity? In our who want to come back to the and that he was ordered by the judge deposit the cheque for the utility bill Qcase, the court issued a country on a new visa. Now, there to fulfi l his obligation and failed to do payment and return the balance to the MONDAY decision in our favour but omitted is no requirement of a no-objection so. Such imprisonment period shall tenant. High: 42 C certain matters. How could we get certifi cate from the previous employer not exceed three months. Low: 33 C this corrected without any appeal for a former resident to take up a new Sunny procedures? There are some errors job in Qatar. Article 350 of in the company name too. The Outstanding the Penal law company’s name was translated utility dues Fishermen’s forecast and though all proceedings went Company cheque Q: A housemaid was arrested OFFSHORE DOHA correctly, the judgment was issued gets dishonoured Q: Our company executed a based on the complaint of her Wind: NE-SE 03-12/15 KT as per the translated name. Can we lease contract to accommodate neighbour. The police stated that Waves: 1-3/4 Feet get this also corrected? Are these Q: A company cheque signed company employees. As per the the off ence is theft. In the court INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 05-15 KT corrections appealable by the by the Qatari partner got terms of the lease contract, early paper, it is written that an off ence Waves: 1-2/3 Feet defendant? dishonoured and there is termination letter was issued is committed as per Article 350. DRT, Doha judgment against him and the and the property was handed Please explain Article 350 and its Around the region company from the civil court. The over to the landlord accordingly. eff ect? Weather Weather Answer: As per Article 140, if the Qatari partner was a guarantor in Company has been making six IK, Doha today Max/min tomorrow Max/min court judgment omits part of the the transaction. But we are not in months advance rental payments Abu Dhabi Sunny 42/33 Sunny 43/34 substantial applications, the party a position to make the payment. to the landlord. Now there is one A: Article 350 of the Penal law states Baghdad Sunny 48/31 Sunny 49/32 Dubai concerned may apply before the court Recently, we received notice for month rent to be returned to the that whoever fi nds lost property Sunny 42/33 Sunny 45/33 Kuwait City Sunny 47/34 Sunny 45/32 to hear these requests and decide upon execution case and Qatari partner company. The landlord is not but does not return it to the rightful Manama Sunny 43/33 Sunny 41/33 them. The parties may also apply to said that the opposite party has paying back this one month rent owner, or to a police station within Muscat Sunny 37/31 Sunny 36/28 the court which issued the judgment fi led application for jail order stating that, there is outstanding seven days of the date of fi nding Riyadh M Sunny 46/31 Sunny 45/29 for interpretation of any ambiguity against him. What will be the utility dues. Is it legally admissible the money, and retains it with the Tehran Sunny 37/25 Sunny 37/24 or confusion in its text. Article 138 of eff ect of such an application? to hold the advance payment made intention of keeping it, whether at the the Civil and commercial procedure Please advise. on the ground that the utility bills time of fi nding or afterwards, shall law stipulates that the errors shall not WO, Doha are not settled? Please advise. be punished with imprisonment for a aff ect the validity of judgment and the A: As per Article 514 of the Civil TP, Doha term not exceeding six months or with court shall undertake to rectify such & Commercial Procedure Code, if a fi ne not exceeding QR3,000 or both. errors in the judgment by a decision the judgment debtor abstains from A: If the utility bill remittance is the issued by the court in its own motion the execution of judgment issued duty of the tenant as per the contract, zPlease send your questions by or at the request of one of the litigants against him, the judgment creditor the tenant is legally obliged to settle e-mail to: [email protected] without pleadings. The registry of the court shall make the corrections in the original LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR judgment copy and sign the same together with the presiding judge. Any culprit, who informs the exceeding fi ve years. The penalty The rejected request for correction competent authorities, before shall be up to seven years if lives may not be challenged except with the using a counterfeit, forged or or property of people are exposed objection to the judgment itself. But, falsifi ed currency or instrument, to danger. decision issued for correction may be and prior to the detection of the According to Article 232, appealed separately by the applicable off ence, shall be exempted from any person who purposely procedure for appealing the correction penalties. If the off ender informs sets fi re to own property and of a judgment, if the court exceeds its the competent authorities after jeopardises other people’s lives authority. the off ence has been discovered, and properties shall be punished the court may grant him pardon with imprisonment for a term not Around the world Returning to Qatar from the punishment if such exceeding seven years. Weather Weather information leads to the arrest Whoever purposely sets fi re to today Max/min tomorrow Max/min to take up new job any of the other off enders. an occupied property or a place Athens Sunny 38/26 Sunny 38/26 As per Article 227, anyone prepared for housing, or for Beirut Sunny 29/25 Sunny 29/26 Q: I am working with a Dubai- who creates, sells or disposes of keeping money, a ship, oil well, or Bangkok S T Storms 32/27 S T Storms 31/27 Berlin M Cloudy 23/14 M Sunny 23/12 based company in Doha. Due to any forged or falsifi ed measures machines or equipment to produce, Cairo Sunny 37/26 Sunny 37/27 the recent issues, they terminated or weight units knowing of the QR5,000 or with both penalties. refi ne and transport oil, oil storage, Cape Town M Cloudy 17/10 M Sunny 16/09 me in July and instructed to possibility of their use as true and As per Article 229, any person or public resources shall be Colombo T Storms 29/27 T Storms 29/26 change sponsorship before August legal units and measures, shall be who knowingly possesses an punished with imprisonment for Dhaka S T Storms 32/27 S T Storms 32/27 Hong Kong P Cloudy 32/29 P Cloudy 33/29 10. If not, the company will cancel punished with imprisonment for untrue or falsifi ed balance or a term not less than fi ve years and Istanbul M Sunny 32/23 Sunny 33/23 the residency permit. If the permit a term not exceeding one year or weight and measure units for not exceeding 15 years. Jakarta M Sunny 33/24 M Sunny 33/24 is cancelled, can I return to Qatar? with a fi ne not exceeding QR5,000 the purpose of using them shall Without prejudice to any other Karachi P Cloudy 31/27 M Sunny 31/27 Please advise. or with both. be punished with imprisonment more severe penalty stipulated by London S Showers 20/11 P Cloudy 21/13 T Storms 31/26 NK, Doha Whoever for the purpose of either description for a law, any person who accidentally Manila 29/26 T Storms Moscow P Cloudy 24/14 M Sunny 25/15 of cheating, uses an untrue term which may extend to sets fi re to another person’s New Delhi M Cloudy 33/27 Showers 32/27 A: As per the new entry exit law, an balance, weight, or linear three months, or with fi ne not property shall be punished New York S T Storms 29/18 P Cloudy 28/21 employee can change the job with the measure that differs from the exceeding QR1,000, or with both. with imprisonment of either Paris P Cloudy 24/12 M Sunny 24/12 approval of the government, either correct unit or measure shall be Any person who purposely description for a term which may Sao Paulo S Showers 16/12 P Cloudy 19/11 Seoul I T Storms 35/27 T Storms 34/26 on termination or after the expiry of punished with imprisonment sets fi re to another person’s extend to one year, or with fi ne Singapore S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 31/26 the term of contract or after fi ve years for a term not exceeding one property shall be punished with not exceeding QR5,000, or with Sydney Sunny 18/10 Sunny 20/10 of service with the employer if the year or with a fine not exceeding imprisonment for a term not both. Tokyo Cloudy 32/25 Cloudy 32/25 contract is indefi nite duration. Gulf Times 16 Saturday, August 5, 2017 QATAR ‘Tamim Al Majd’ in Kenya Qatari investors seek damages for siege losses

he ongoing blockade has deprived many Qataris of Tfollowing up on the oper- ations of their companies in the siege nations, leading to losses worth millions of dollars and counting. Also, Qatari clients have not received due payments from some fi rms in the blockading countries due to the ban on fi - nancial transactions and the inability of Qatari nationals to travel there or authorise others to act on their behalf, accord- ing to local Arabic daily Arrayah. Some of these companies have A hoarding bearing the iconic ‘Tamim Al Majd’ portrait is seen in a Kenyan city as an expression of support for Qatar and its leadership. exploited the situation to defer Picture courtesy of Ali Mohamed payments, it is learnt. Complaints continue to pour in at the panel. A number of complaints on this issue have been fi led at the siege countries and are looking by Qataris there, including live- Compensation Claims Commit- for a way out to end all ties with stock, real estate, companies, tee offi ce in Doha, which contin- them besides recovering the due farms and others, are left unat- ues to receive applications for payments. It is found that due to tended. This, in turn, is adding redress from aggrieved parties as offi cial instructions, particularly to the losses incurred by Qataris well as enquiries about the doc- in the UAE, Qataris cannot sell on a daily basis. Siege nations misleading US uments required to fi le a com- their property there and nobody The daily stressed that Qatari plaint and related procedures. is allowed to buy from them as investors and owners did not The panels received 28 com- the registration of such transac- blame the workers for leaving as plaints on Thursday and nine tions has been suspended, the the latter faced a diffi cult situa- enquiry calls. Arrayah report states. tion there. The employers were on accusations of terrorism Many complaints, the daily Further, some of the foreign unable to send money or help the reports, also pertain to Haj and workers sponsored by Qataris in workers in any way due to the the restrictions imposed by the Saudi Arabia have quit their jobs blockade. From Page 1 “I think the track record of Qatar is families and I don’t think this is Saudi authorities. and left the country for fear of Meanwhile, the applicants going to be something really ac- A number of complainants being adversely aff ected by the lauded the eff orts of Qatar’s gov- Replying to a query on wheth- very clear. But I think it is also very cepted by the people to go to war stressed that they have begun blockade. As a consequence, ernment and the committee to er the siege nations felt embold- important that they talk about their against your cousins and your to lose faith in companies in the property and possessions owned help them get justice. ened by Trump’s initial stance, brothers, so this has never been Sheikh Meshal said he was con- track record. We know where most of in our minds. vinced “this was a plan in the the banks are located who undermine “So, at least that’s our per- Qatar fi les complaints against UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia making and they had misled spective in Qatar. I think I can the US”. “And I underscore this. US sanctions in Iran” say I am sure it is the others’ too.” They have misled by providing On the status of the fi ve Tali- The World Trade Organisation statement on its website. countries against Qatar, in false information about Qatar. from and who were they fi nanced voice. They don’t want any me- ban leaders whose release was (WTO) confirmed yesterday In its complaints against each contravention of various Specifi cally they talk about ter- by? And also, where they came dia, they don’t want any free engineered in return for Berg- that Qatar has filed complaints country, Qatar accused them conventions overseen by the rorism. from exactly — Saudi Arabia and speech. They want to impose dahl, Sheikh Meshal said there against three of its Gulf of adopting measures that are WTO. “I think the track record of the UAE. Egypt. And I think it is what they feel is good for the re- is an agreement between the US neighbours for “coercive attempts at economic A request for consultations Qatar is very clear. But I think it very important to remind your gion. Not what the people of the and Qatar on this issue. “I can’t their economic boycott. “Qatar isolation”. formally initiates a dispute in is also very important that they readers that Qatar in the past region want.” reveal the details of this agree- has requested WTO dispute The complaints were lodged the WTO. Consultations give talk about their track record. We stood by the United States when Asked if he was concerned ment, but I can tell you Qatar is consultations with the United by Qatar recently. The Off ice of the parties an opportunity know where most of the banks the Saudis asked the US to leave that the rift could further esca- making sure that whatever was Arab Emirates, Bahrain and the State of Qatar to the WTO to discuss the matter and are located who undermine US Saudi Arabia.” late, he said: “No, I don’t think agreed on with the US is en- Saudi Arabia concerning in Geneva, in accordance with find a satisfactory solution sanctions in Iran. The UAE was Further, he said those levelling so.” forced to the fullest.” measures adopted by the three Article IV of the Understanding without proceeding further a concern in State Department accusations against Al Jazeera “Because I think all the par- The envoy said he wished to countries which allegedly on Dispute Settlement in the with litigation. After 60 days, if reports that it is a country of did not want the people to un- ties involved understand the im- give an assurance, during his restrict trade in goods and Organisation, requested for consultations fail to resolve the concern when it comes to money derstand the truth. portance of resolving this. And meeting with Gen Votel, on Qa- services from Qatar, and trade- the formal consultations by dispute, the complainant may laundering.” “That’s what they are afraid don’t forget, it is very impor- tar’s commitments and also look related intellectual property detailing all the violations request adjudication by a panel, Referring to 9/11, he said: of. If they shut down Al Jazeera, tant, the whole GCC is a family. to the possibility of how the rela- rights,” the WTO said in a committed by the siege according to the WTO website. “Where did those hijackers come no one else could give another There is intermarriage, there are tionship could be enhanced. Indian community event expresses solidarity with Qatar

embers of the Indian community A drama, ‘Clock Boy’, depicting the story expressed solidarity with Qatar and of American teenager Ahmed Mohamed, Mits leadership through an ‘India- was also staged on the occasion. The ar- Qatar fusion show’ that was held in Doha re- tistes presented a variety of dance recitals cently. The event, ‘Qatar - Our Second Home portraying traditional Indian and Qatari - A Celebration of Solidarity’, took place at styles. Contemporary dance, Ardha dance, Qatar National Theatre and was opened by Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Bharatnatyam, Mo- HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah hiniyattam and dances from north India bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali. enthralled the audience. “This event and the support that the In- Malayalam folk songs presented by dian community has been providing to this Kanalkoottam were another attraction of country is a demonstration that the relation the event, which also featured songs of fa- between India and Qatar is not just that of mous Indian singer Mohamed Rafi , Sufi trade but of honour, dignity and love,” HE numbers and ghazals. al-Ali said in his opening speech. HE the The event concluded with the artistes Minister also expressed the government’s and organisers lining up behind a banner gratitude for the event and appreciated the that read ‘Qatar – Our Second Home’. Qatar participating artistes for their dedication National Theatre manager Salah al-Mulla and hard work. and secretary Yousuf al-Harami graced the The event, organised by The Bridge Qatar occasion. Bridge Qatar chairman Saleel Ib- in association with Qatar National Theatre, rahim chaired the event while public rela- lasted more than two and half hours and tions offi cer Muneer Jalaludheen welcomed featured cultural performances by more the audience. than 120 Indian artistes. The programme The event was attended by prominent started with a drawing of the ‘Tamim Al personalities from the Ministry of Culture Majd’ portrait by calligraphy artist Abdul and Sports, Qatar National Theatre and Kareem. It was followed by an Indo-Arab leaders of various Indian organisations in dance. Qatar. HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali with other dignitaries.

A cultural programme at the event. Participants of the show with a ‘Tamim Al Majd’ portrait.