BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Tabata, al-Harazi score as INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-15, 32 COMMENT 29, 30 Qatargas delivers REGION 15 BUSINESS 1-7, 12-16 Rayyan 20,924.04 9,955.40 47.68 ARAB WORLD 15, 16 CLASSIFIED 8-11 LNG cargo to new -25.85 -37.44 +0.02 INTERNATIONAL 17-28 SPORTS 1-8 make semis -0.12% -0.37% +0.04% Chinese terminal Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

THURSDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10443 May 4, 2017 Sha ’baan 8, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Cabinet nod In brief for draft law

QATAR | Offi cial Emir condoles with Saudi King Salman to introduce HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, HH the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser VAT in Qatar bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday sent cables of condolences to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King aking another step towards the No 21 of 2009 and Law No 17 of 2014, Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi implementation of value-added “which exempt the share of non-Qatari Arabia; Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Ttax (VAT) in Qatar, the Cabinet investors in the profi ts of some com- Minister and Minister of Interior Prince yesterday gave its nod to a draft law on panies and investment funds from in- Mohamed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz al- US President Donald Trump and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas shake hands in the Roosevelt Room during a joint the proposed new levy and its draft ex- come tax”, QNA said. Saud and Deputy Crown Prince, Second statement at the White House in Washington, DC, yesterday. ecutive regulation. It also falls within the “development Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Though a fi rm date has not been set, framework of tax legislation to ensure Defence Prince Mohamed bin Salman policymakers in the six-nation Gulf the enhancements of revenues in the bin Abdulaziz al-Saud on the death of Co-operation Council (GCC) are aim- tax sector, simplifi cation of proce- Prince Mishaal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, ing to introduce a 5% VAT at the start dures and facilitation of examination, praying to Allah Almighty to grant his of next year. connection and collection procedures, souls rest in Paradise and grant the During its ordinary meeting held at which in turn will promote tax compli- ruling family patience and solace. Trump and Abbas vow the Emiri Diwan, the Cabinet also ap- ance”. proved a draft law on income tax and its The draft executive regulation of the QATAR | Diplomacy draft executive regulation, as well as a selective tax law includes provisions Emir’s visit to Poland: a draft decision of the Council of Minis- concerning tax entitlement, declaration new phase of ties ters to issue the executive regulation of of loss or damage of selective goods, ‘historic’ peace deal the selective tax law, the offi cial Qatar inspection of damaged goods, registra- Qatar and Poland are set to start a new News Agency (QNA) reported. tion, tax declaration, rules of payment phase of bilateral co-operation with The Ministry of Finance has pre- of tax in the case of local production, the off icial visit of HH the Emir Sheikh QNA We must be taught to value and respect that we are capable under your leadership pared the draft law on VAT in accord- maintenance of accounting systems, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to Poland Washington human life and condemn all of those and your stewardship and your wisdom ance with the unifi ed GCC agreement the language of accounting records, and today, during which he will hold talks who target the innocent,” he said. as well your great negotiating ability, I on it. control and inspection rules. with Polish President Poland Andrzej It was the fi rst time that Abbas had believe with the grace of God and with The agreement obligates each mem- HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Duda and a number of senior off icials. fter a meeting at the White House visited the White House in 24 years. all of your eff ort, we believe that we can ber state to take the necessary steps Minister of State for Cabinet Aff airs The visit will witness the signing in Washington, Palestinian Pres- In calling for an historic peace deal, be partners, true partners to you to bring domestically for issuance of the rel- Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mah- of a number of agreements and Aident Mahmoud Abbas and US Trump evoked previous White House about a historic peace treaty,” he said. evant local law and procedural policies moud said the Cabinet also approved a memorandums of understanding President Donald Trump yesterday meetings where Israel-Palestinian Trump and Abbas were to spend in order to implement the tax with a draft decision of the Council of Minis- in various fields between the two vowed to bring about an “historic” deal agreements had been formally reached. much of the day together at the White view to executing the agreement’s pro- ters to amend some provisions of De- countries. The bilateral co-operation to end the Palestinian-Israel confl ict. “It was on these grounds that Presi- House. visions. cision No 18 of 2011 to nominate the between Qatar and Poland in energy “We will get it done,” Trump told re- dent Abbas stood with a courageous The US president was expected to The draft law is expected to provide chairman and members of the Tax Ex- is a matter of priority. A year ago the porters with Abbas at his side. “We will peacemaker, then-Israeli Prime Minis- press Abbas to end payments to fami- details on how Qatar will interpret emption Committee, organise its work two countries signed an agreement be working so hard to get it done. ter Yitzhak Rabin,” Trump said. “Here lies of imprisoned Palestinians and to the GCC framework and deal with key and determine its rewards. to increase the supply of the Qatari It’s been a long time. But we will be at the White House, President Abbas renounce what the US and Israel see as matters where it has discretion. The committee is “competent to liquefied natural gas to Poland to reach working diligently.” signed a declaration of principles, very Palestinian “incitement” to violence, In principle, VAT will be levied on receive and examine requests for ex- 2mn tonnes per annum. The operation Abbas told Trump: “I look much for- important, which laid the foundation but which Palestinians see as resistance the supply of goods and services at a emption from taxation and study the of the Polish Swinoujscie LNG terminal ward to working with you in order to for peace between the Israelis and Pal- to Israel’s brutal occupation. standard rate of 5%. According to ex- cancellation of previous exemptions in 2015 helped in expanding the supply come to that historical agreement, his- estinians.” Abbas said, however, that Trump has also spoken out, as previ- perts, the new indirect tax will rep- granted due to breach of legal obliga- of liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments toric deal to bring about peace.” there could be no peace with the estab- ous American presidents have, against resent an important new source of tions or deviation from their purpos- to Europe, starting in Poland which Trump called on Palestinians to re- lishment of a secure Palestinian state. continued Israeli settlements that are revenue for Qatar and will be another es, and prepare recommendations on represented the gateway to Central nounce violence and to unite both Fa- “Our strategic choice is to bring about colonising the West Bank. action to move away from the economy them”. Europe particularly the landlocked tah and Hamas to negotiate with Israel. peace based on the vision of the two- Whether Trump follows up with being oil dependent. HE the Prime Minister and Interior countries that lacked sea ports in “There could be no lasting peace unless state [solution], a Palestinian state with pressure on Israel using the vast lever- Meanwhile, the draft legislation on Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser addition to the Baltic region. Page 30 the Palestinian leaders speak in a unifi ed its capital of East Jerusalem that lives in age America has over Israel remains to income tax is meant to replace the In- bin Khalifa al-Thani chaired the Cabi- voice against incitement to violence and peace and stability with the state of Is- be seen, however. come Tax Law promulgated by Law net’s weekly meeting. Page 2 SPORT | Football hate,” Trump said. rael based on the border of 1967,” he said. Trump has been an outspoken sup- Higuain double propels “There’s such hatred, but hopefully, Abbas praised Trump as a “deal mak- porter of the government of Israeli Prime there won’t be such hatred for very long. er” who could make it happen. “I believe Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, consid- Juve to win at Monaco ered by many analysts to be the most re- Gonzalo Higuain struck a clinical brace Solidarity with prisoners in Israeli jails pressive against Palestinians in decades. as Juventus claimed a 2-0 victory away Trump told Abbas: “I want to sup- to Monaco in yesterday’s Champions The Palestinian embassy in Doha organ- from positive hunger and defy the Israeli port you in being the Palestinian leader QM, DAI to present League semi-final first leg. The ised yesterday a stand of solidarity with occupation with their empty stomachs. who signs his name to the fi nal and most Argentine forward buried a first-time the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, Speaking to Qatar News Agency, El Agha important peace agreement that brings strike to fire the Italian giants ahead as the prisoners continue the battle of hailed the firm position of HH the Emir, safety, stability, and prosperity to both on 29 minutes at the Stade Louis II freedom and dignity (the battle of empty government and people of Qatar in peoples and to the region.” fi ndings of fi eldwork before grabbing his second on the stomachs) by continuing their hunger supporting the Palestinian people politi- But Trump added that any agree- hour from another Dani Alves assist. strike. cally, socially and economically and in all ment “cannot be imposed by the United atar Museums (QM) and the In the fi rst presentation, DAI’s Ori- Juve are heavy favourites to reach Dr Yehia Zakaria El Agha, first counsellor, international and regional forums, [the States, or by any other nation. The Pal- German Archaeological Insti- ent Department fi rst director professor the final for the second time in three charge d’aff aires of the embassy, said position] which has been and continued estinians and Israelis must work to- Qtute (DAI) will reveal today the Ricardo Eichmann will share insights years going into next Tuesday’s return this stand is an expression of the full to be in support of the Palestinian just gether to reach an agreement that allows fi ndings from a successful fi ve-year col- from the South Qatar Survey Project in Turin, having finished runners-up to support of these prisoners, who suff er cause. Page 15 both peoples to live, worship, and thrive laboration looking at Sudan and Qatar’s (SQSP), during which archaeologists Barcelona in 2015. and prosper in peace.” archaeological record. gathered extensive information on Qa- The presentations, under the pa- tar’s pre-modern settlements. tronage of QM chairperson, HE The project specifi cally focused on Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin investigating the southern part of Qatar, Khalifa al-Thani, will take place at the documenting prehistoric, historic and Doha Fire Station Auditorium at 10am natural heritage sites through surveys as part of the Qatar Germany 2017 Year and excavations. Initiative to unify GCC certifi cates of origin of Culture. The second presentation, which fo- “We work hard to support our herit- cuses on the work of the “Qatar Mission atar Chamber has spearheaded an The press statement also said al- allows holders to forgo normal customs age by co-operating with international for the Pyramids of Sudan (QMPS)” will initiative aimed at unifying Cer- Sharqi will deliver today (May 4) a procedures and fees and import items experts, hosting conferences and seek- be presented by project head Dipl-Ing Qtifi cates of Origin (COs) issued in presentation on the fi nal phases of the into a member country without paying ing out like-minded partners. Projects Alexandra Riedel. Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) mem- implementation of the ATA Carnet sys- any taxes for up to one year. It is admin- such as these bring us one step closer to Running since 2015, QMPS highlights ber states, and adopting an offi cial form tem, “which is expected to be enforced istered by the World Customs Organisa- protecting our heritage and promoting the stabilisation and conservation of the for COs approved by the International in Qatar by the year-end, once approved tion (WCO),” he pointed out. its value to future generations,” QM’s Sudanese World Heritage site of Meroe- Chamber of Commerce (ICC). by authorities concerned.” Al-Sharqi noted that Qatar Chamber acting chief archaeology offi cer Ali al- Bagrawiya, looking at its pyramids, fu- The initiative came during Qatar According to the International Cham- was chosen to be the “national guaran- Kubaisi said. nerary temples and underground tombs. Chamber’s meetings at the World Cham- ber of Commerce (ICC), ATA Carnets tor” to implement the ATA Carnet pro- bers Federation (WCF) in Athens yester- are international customs documents gramme in Qatar, “which refl ects the day, which discussed the application of permitting the duty-free and tax-free great responsibility toward the Qatari electronic COs and the ATA Carnet. Qatar Chamber director general Saleh temporary export and import of goods business community.” Qatar Chamber, in a press statement, bin Hamad al-Sharqi. for up to one year. Carnets are the easi- In addition to facilitating trade, al- said the initiative, once approved, will est way to speed through Customs and Sharqi said the programme is seen “as “facilitate trade between the state of Qa- Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi said a joint to save money. a good way of encouraging more inter- tar and the GCC member states, on one GCC Committee was set up to prepare a Al-Sharqi underlined the role played national participation in exhibitions, hand, and with the European countries, unifi ed CO for GCC member states, not- by the ATA Carnet in facilitating cus- trade shows, conferences, and other on the other hand.” ing that Qatar Chamber is a member of toms procedures, which, he said, “is gatherings where business representa- “All GCC member states, foremost of this committee. the cornerstone to support imports, ex- tives from other countries need to bring which is Qatar, will join the certifi cates Following the approval of the unifi ed ports, and trade.” goods with them.” The ATA Carnet cov- of origin approved by international in- COs, they will be circulated to all GCC “The ATA Carnet is a special type of ers commercial samples, professional stitutions,” the statement added. member states before acceding to Euro- passport for exporting and importing equipment and tools, and goods for fairs Insights from the South Qatar Survey Project, during which archaeologists gathered Director General of Qatar Chamber pean certifi cates of origin, he explained. goods and is accepted by 74 countries. It and other exhibitions. extensive information on Qatar’s pre-modern settlements, will be shared at the event. Gulf Times 2 Thursday, May 4, 2017 QATAR

Sudanese defence minister leaves

Sudanese Defence Minister Lt Gen Awad al-Karim Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf left Doha yesterday concluding his off icial visit to Qatar. The Sudanese defence minister and the accompanying delegation were seen off at Hamad Inter- national Airport by Qatari Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major Lieutenant General (Pilot) Ghanem bin Shaheen al-Ghanem and Sudanese ambassador to Qatar Fateh al-Rahman Ali Omar. Cabinet approves draft law concerning passports

QNA Aff airs Ahmed bin Abdul- Meanwhile, the Cabinet combating terrorism. Doha lah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud approved: 5. A draft memorandum said that the amendment 1. A draft agreement on of understanding for co-op- requires to be replaced by economic co-operation be- eration in the fi eld of sport he weekly Cabinet Article 12 of Decree Law No tween the governments of between the governments meeting, chaired by 14 of 1993 indicated in the Qatar and Poland. of Qatar and Moldova. THE the Prime Min- following text: 2. A draft agreement on 6. A draft memorandum ister Sheikh Abdullah bin “The amount of the fees cultural co-operation be- of understanding between Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, to be paid for the issuance of tween the governments of Qatar Central Bank and yesterday approved a draft regular passports and travel Qatar and Poland. Bangladesh Bank. law amending some provi- documents shall be deter- 3. A draft air services The Cabinet reviewed a sions of Decree Law No 14 of mined by a decision of the agreement between the memo by HE the Minister 1993 concerning passports Minister of Interior. The governments of Qatar and of Education and Higher and decided to refer it to the amount of the fees to be paid Uganda. Education on the proposed Advisory Council. for diplomatic, special and 4. A draft memoran- dates of study days and hol- Giving details of the important passports and their dum of understanding for idays in schools for the aca- meeting, HE the Deputy renewal and modifi cation co-operation between the demic years 2017/2018 and Prime Minister and Min- shall be determined by a deci- governments of Qatar and 2019/2020 and adopted the ister of State for Cabinet sion of the Foreign Minister”. Australia in the fi eld of appropriate decision.

Gulf Times 4 Thursday, May 4, 2017 QATAR

Transport ministry delegation visits UAE

A delegation from the Transport Authority (RTA), activities of land transport, Ministry of Transport and during a visit to the United inspection systems and Communications (MoTC) Arab Emirates. heavy transport used in met separately with Abu During the meetings, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The Dhabi Integrated Transport the delegation, headed delegation also learnt about CentRE General Manager by Rashid Taleb al-Nabit, the mechanisms used by the Mohamed Darwish al- Assistant Undersecretary two emirates to implement Qamzi and Ahmed Hashem for Land Transport at MoTC, their land transport licensing Bahrozyan, CEO - Licensing was briefed about laws and strategy for limousine Agency, Dubai Roads and regulations regulating the services. Participants in the forum. Right: A section of the audience. RAF forum highlights tie-up between media, humanitarian bodies

QNA importance of public opin- Doha ion’s formation, support, infl uence and mobilisation in order to serve the humani- heikh Thani bin Ab- tarian work and contribute dullah Foundation for to its success, Dr al-Qahtani SHumanitarian Serv- explained. ices (RAF) yesterday held the Humanitarian institu- Second Forum for Media and tions’ work require full sup- the Promotion of Humani- port from all institutions tarian Action, which brought of society in order for them together a number of experts to carry out their missions and practitioners in humani- during disasters or wars, he tarian and media sectors. added. The forum, held at the The forum attracts a Qatar National Convention number of humanitarian and Centre, shed light on the re- media professionals to enrich lationship between media discussions and enhance the and humanitarian bodies and forum’s eff orts to provide an the prospects for partnership open platform for discussion between the two parties. and exchange of experiences The closing session dis- in order to achieve solutions cussed means of developing for urgent challenges. a partnership document be- The forum aims at achiev- tween media and humanitar- ing a partnership document ian bodies. between media and humani- Director General and tarian action to serve as the Chairman of the Board of basis for a future working Trustees, Ayed bin Dabssan methodology between the al-Qahtani said the forum is two sectors in a more con- being convened during very sistent manner. complex regional humani- For his part, Ghanem al- tarian circumstances, point- Kubaisi, Director of the Of- ing to the positive or nega- fi ce of Director-General tive media infl uence in this of the Regulatory Author- regard. ity For Charitable Activities The idea of the forum (RACA), the forum’s sponsor, stems from RAF’s belief of stressed RACA’s support for the strong relationship be- all eff orts being exerted by tween the media and hu- Qatari charities to serve hu- manitarian work and the manity.

Gulf Times 6 Thursday, May 4, 2017 QATAR

Al Zaeem Air College celebrates graduation of 43 off icers

Al Zaeem (Leader) Mohamed bin General (Pilot) Ahmed bin Ibrahim al- the Directorate of Moral Guidance of Abdullah Al Attiyah Air College has Malki, Deputy Commander of the Qatari the Armed Forces, that 43 graduates held its annual ceremony to hand over Emiri Air Force, Commander of Al of Al Zaeem (Leader) Mohamed certificates to 43 graduates of the Zaeem (Leader) Mohamed bin Abdullah bin Abdullah Al Attiyah Air College college. Al Attiyah Air College Brigadier (Pilot) received their graduation certificates, The ceremony was held under the Salem Hamad al-Nabet and a number including 19 officers from the fixed patronage of HE Minister of State for of ranking off icers of the Qatari Armed wing, 24 officers from the helicopter Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Forces. wing and two from the aviation al-Attiyah, in the presence of Major According to a statement issued by instructors course.

Representatives of the Ministry of Awqaf, Swedish local authorities, and representatives of Islamic institutions in Sweden and Denmark attending the inauguration of the Umm Al-Mu’minin Khadijah Mosque in Malmo, Sweden. Awqaf ministry opens largest mosque in Scandinavia

QNA Malmo, Sweden

he Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Aff airs Topened the Umm Al- Mu’minin Khadijah Mosque in Malmo, Sweden. The mosque, built by Qatar at a cost of more than 3mn eu- ros, is the largest one in the Scandinavian region. The mosque, which is af- fi liated to the Wakf of Scan- dinavia in Sweden, is built on an area of 1,791 square meters and can accommo- date 2,000 worshippers. Director of the Islam- ic Aff airs Department at the Ministry of Awqaf Worshippers performing prayers at the Umm Al-Mu’minin Khadijah Mosque in Malmo. and Islamic Aff airs Khalid Shaheen al-Ghanim said equipped with facilities that the mosque was built for people with special and furnished by Qatar at a needs to perform prayers cost of over 3mn euros, un- and others for children der the supervision of the and women. Ministry of Awqaf and in The opening ceremony collaboration with the Wakf was attended by represent- of Scandinavia in Malmo, atives of Swedish local au- Sweden. thorities, representatives of He added that the Umm Islamic institutions in Swe- Al-Mu’minin Khadi- den and Denmark, as well as jah Mosque is the largest a number of businessmen. mosque in Scandinavia Malmo is the capital and and is located on the first largest city of the Swedish and second floors of the county of Scania. It is also four-story building of the the third largest city in Swe- Wakf of Scandinavia in den, where thousands of Sweden. The mosque is Muslims live. A view of the mosque.

MEC holds workshop on Doha Exhibition Centre development project

otential investors and tion process, technical and other interested par- operational requirements Pties were introduced for developing the project to the details of the Doha and the mechanism to be Exhibition Centre (DEC) adopted for evaluating the development project at a tenders, in addition to the workshop yesterday. standards set for assessing The workshop was con- them. ducted by the Ministry of Participants were given Economy and Commerce the opportunity to enquire (MEC)’s Technical Com- about various aspects of the mittee to Stimulate Pri- project and the queries were vate Sector Participation addressed accordingly. in Economic Development Projects in co-operation The participants with Qatar Tourism Au- expressed satisfaction thority. over the workshop In December last year, the MEC had announced plans In the end, a tour was to develop DEC into a mod- conducted to introduce the ern, integrated ‘entertain- participants to the existing ment city’ off ering diverse facilities at the DEC build- facilities and services. ing and their benefi ts. The deadline for submit- The participants ex- ting tender applications for pressed satisfaction over the project was recently ex- the workshop, noting that tended until June 18. they received valuable in- The participants at yes- formation about the project terday’s workshop viewed through yesterday’s pro- a detailed presentation on gramme. the project - which would In an earlier statement, attract diff erent categories the MEC had said the of visitors from both within project was aimed at en- and outside the country - couraging investment in and its objectives. tourism-related projects Besides, the workshop and give private sector provided details of the companies the opportunity steps and procedures to be to apply innovation in es- followed for taking part in tablishing comprehensive the initiative, the applica- tourist facilities.

Gulf Times 8 Thursday, May 4, 2017 QATAR

The entrance of the Baladna farm. PICTURE: Ram Chand

Nabil Mourad, left, and John Dore shaking hands after announcing the partnership (supplied picture). Baladna in deal with ABA Group to distribute dairy products

By Joseph Varghese have the ability to withstand Staff Reporter high temperature and pro- duce high quality milk. The farm also houses 5,000 goats aladna Company, “the and an animal feed factory world’s largest goat yielding 100 tonnes per day,” Band Awassi sheep explained Dore. dairy farm”, has launched According to the offi cial, several dairy products and Baladna is setting aggressive signed an exclusive agree- expansion initiatives with ment with Ali Bin Ali (ABA) immediate plans to include Group for distribution in the importing an additional local market. 10,000 goats with further The products will be development of a 5,000-cow available in about 50 outlets facility. “A factory expan- in 10 days time and cover sion will allow for production 100 outlets in the country in excess of 250 tonnes per soon. Baladna aims to cover day while also utilising the 40% of the fresh dairy mar- fresh milk sourced from local ket and meeting the meat farms,” he said. market needs within three Nabil Mourad, chief oper- years from now. ating offi cer, FMCG – ABA Baladna, a 100% Qatari Group, commented, “It is owned company, is “the only our pleasure to support the company that commercially local industries in every way produces sheep and goat we can. Keeping the Qa- dairy products in Qatar and tar National Vision 2030 in the GCC region”. mind, we seek to work with Speaking at a brand Qatari producers, encourage awareness event yester- them, and make their pres- day, John Dore, chief ex- ence prominent in the local ecutive offi cer of Baladna market.” Company, said: “Through “Baladna is a farm which this agreement, we hope places key emphasis on to achieve one of Baladna’s quality and we are confi - main objectives – to ac- dent that through our un- tively support national food derstanding of the Qatari security in Qatar as part of market and commitment to Qatar National Vision 2030 develop best-in-class tech- and to deliver high quality nologies, we will exceed products to the market that customers’ expectations and can compete with imported maximise the reach of the products.Our partnership products,” he added. with Ali Bin Ali & Partners Baladna is also a popular will allow us to provide our family destination in Qatar. customers the convenience At Baladna Farm, families of fi nding premium Baladna can enjoy a tour inside the dairy products in their local farm, which also includes grocery.” restaurant and cafe outlets “The Baladna farm, built where visitors can enjoy over 700,000sq m, includes fresh ingredients sourced 40,000 Awassi sheep which directly from the farm.

Temperature to rise over the weekend t will continue to be hot was also the hottest place during the day over the yesterday at 42C, along Icoming weekend, with with Jumayliya. In Doha, the maximum temperature the maximum was 39C yes- approaching the mid-40C terday. levels in the central parts The detailed forecast for of Qatar due to southerly today also says it will be hazy winds, the Qatar Met de- in some areas in the early partment said in a tweet hours of the day, followed by yesterday. hot daytime conditions with Today, the mercury level slight dust and some clouds. is expected to rise to 43C Slightly dusty conditions in Abu Samra, followed by and clouds are also likely 40C in Doha. Abu Samra off shore.

Al Jazeera summit to tackle business, technology issues

Al Jazeera Media Network for members of the industry will host a summit in Doha and an opportunity to on May 10-11 to discuss understand the drive in broadcast technology and technological advancement the future of media. in the next phase of media In a statement, Al Jazeera industry transformation. said the event, a first-of-its- “This summit provides kind within the Mena region, unique insight for media will gather global broadcast industry leaders to learn industry leaders, leading from peers and explore ideas CIOs, ICT professionals and about technologies shaping experts to tackle critical the future of the broadcast business and technology industry; portraying how issues impacting the media newsrooms are embracing industry. the future of media and Besides exploring migrating news operations,” technological innovation, Al Jazeera’s acting director the summit also aims to general Dr Mostefa Souag provide learning prospects added.

Gulf Times 10 Thursday, May 4, 2017 QATAR

Ooredoo off ers additional data

n account of the de- Customers who recharge data recharge allowance and mand for Ooredoo’s for three days from to- will not aff ect the validity of Barwa Bank launches O‘More Data’ promo- day with a QR100 (6GB) regular top-up allowance. tion for all Hala, Hala Go Data Card will enjoy 36GB, Customers can check the and Shahry customers, the QR150 (10GB) top-ups will remaining balance of their ex- company has announced an enjoy 60GB and QR200 tra data by sending “Balance additional fl ash data pro- (15GB) recharges will get DC” to 121. Ooredoo custom- motion. 90GB of extra data. ers can top up their data in a With the new off er, all Extra data will be valid host of ways, including via the ‘charity’ credit card Hala and Shahry custom- for seven full days from ac- Ooredoo App, Mobile Money ers who top up with a 6GB, tivation and top-ups must App, Ooredoo website, self- arwa Bank, in asso- 10GB or 15GB Data Re- be activated by 11.59pm on service machines, or purchas- ciation with Qatar charge Card will enjoy six Saturday to get the extra ing a data card or e-voucher BCharity, yesterday times the data’s allowance data. Bonus data will be used from Ooredoo Shops and au- launched a new credit as free bonus. before a customer’s standard thorised dealers. card as part of its corpo- rate social responsibility programme. The new co-branded credit card empowers its holders to make a differ- ence in the community through a charity con- tribution that is made by Barwa Bank every time a client uses the card, whose launch comes ahead of Ramadan. “The launch of the new credit card, in alliance with Qatar Charity, is our humble contribution to citizens and residents in Qatar who are keen on Barwa Bank and Qatar Charity off icials at the launch of co-branded card. sharing their blessings and care about improving purchase made by the the lives of fellow com- credit card holders, which munity members in need,” then goes through the Barwa Bank group chief charity to those who are executive Khalid al-Sub- in need, highlighting the aie said. bank’s commitment to the The MasterCard-pow- community and its hu- ered credit card is fully mane initiatives that we Shariah-compliant, and all witness on the ground,” also comes with all the according to Yousef bin features and benefits of Ahmed al-Kuwari, chief existing Platinum credit executive of Qatar Char- cards, including the is- ity. suance of two free sup- The introduction of plementary cards, as well this socially-responsible as purchase protection credit card will provide through its takaful part- Barwa Bank’s customers ners, making its clients’ with an easy and effec- purchases 100% safe and tive way to help those in secure, Talal Ahmed al- need, as well as echoes Khaja, Group chief com- MasterCard’s philosophy munications officer at “success lies in the service Barwa Bank said. of the community”, said “We would also like to Khalid Elgibali, Divisional thank Barwa Bank for its President (Middle East generous gesture of do- and North Africa) at Mas- nating money with every terCard.

Volvo XC90 2017 model recalled

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), in collaboration with Doha Marketing Services Com- pany (Domasco), has an- nounced the recall of Volvo XC90 2017 model over a potential malfunction in the inflatable curtain. The MEC said the recall campaign comes within the framework of its ongoing eff orts to protect consumers and ensure that car dealers follow up on vehicle defects and repairs. The MEC will co-ordinate with the dealer to follow up on the maintenance and repair works and commu- nicate with customers to ensure that the necessary repairs are carried out. The MEC has urged all customers to report any vio- lations to its Consumer Pro- tection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department through the following channels: Hot- line: 16001, e-mail: info@mec. gov.qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar Qatar attends League meet Arab League yesterday hosted the first meeting of a joint committee of experts and representatives of the ministries of justice and inte- rior of the Arab countries to study a draft guiding law to protect and support victims of terrorism in Cairo. Qatar is participating in the meeting with a delegation headed by Brigadier Nasser al-Mal, a member of the national committee for combating terrorism, along with Lt Col Saad Salem al-Dosari, Assistant Director of Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Interior. In a state- ment to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Brigadier al-Mal said all the Arab countries have submitted their comments, both on the drafting or the arrangement of articles or the draft law. He said the recommendations of the meeting will be submitted to the joint meeting of Arab ministers of interior and justice in their next meeting. Lt Col al-Dosari stressed the importance of the meeting. Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 11 QATAR

‘Stopover’ in Istanbul woos passengers CRA, MEC joint workshop discusses from Pakistan

urkish Airlines has announced that it is the ‘role of competition in innovation’ Toff ering its ‘Stopo- ver’ service for transfer passengers departing from s part of its Competition Pakistan and heading to Framework implementa- the US, Schengen coun- Ation plan, the Commu- tries, the UK and Ireland, nications Regulatory Author- and having more than 20 ity (CRA) conducted a high-level hours of connecting time. workshop in collaboration with The ‘Stopover’ initia- the Ministry of Economy and tive off ers such passengers Commerce (MEC) yesterday. complimentary accommo- The workshop on ‘The Role of dation and an opportunity Competition in Supporting De- to discover the beauties of velopment & Innovation’ brought Istanbul during their con- together government entities and necting time, the airline has relevant stakeholders to discuss said in a press statement. initiatives, challenges and ben- The new service, which efi ts of competition in ICT and has Pakistan as its pilot other sectors. region in the initial phase, Globally, competition has been will enable the above- identifi ed as a critical driver of mentioned passengers innovation and economic growth. to stop over in Istanbul The CRA workshop discussed with an ‘accommodation how relevant entities can collab- cheque’ prepared by Turk- orate to help nurture and encour- ish Airlines’ authorised age open and fair competition. staff after completing the “Such capacity building initia- fl ight booking process. tives are important in achieving This cheque will en- the critical objectives of Qatar able Economy Class pas- National Vision 2030. Competi- sengers to stay in a 4-star tion is a key driver in fostering hotel for one night while and initiating economic growth, Business Class passengers diversifi cation and innovation. can stay in a 5-star ho- The CRA consistently strives to tel for two nights – in the create an attractive and sustaina- Sultanahmet and Taksim ble market that attracts long term Mohamed Ali al-Mannai with distinguished speakers at the workshop organised by the CRA yesterday. areas, which are generally investments,” said CRA president described as the central Mohamed Ali al-Mannai. business sector, corporate of- shop focused on Qatar’s experi- Another key highlight was in the market effi ciency indices sued by CRA in 2015 to encourage points of Istanbul. “Consumers benefi t from com- fi cials, specialists and all con- ence in protecting competition in MEC’s presentation on the cur- and the eff ectiveness of antitrust competition and to combat anti- Moreover, within the petition as well as service provid- cerned in the area of competition. the market. rent legal and institutional policies regionally and interna- competitive practices in Qatar’s scope of this project, the ers because of enhanced effi ciency, This is a key part of MEC’s vi- Panellists discussed whether framework supporting competi- tionally (competitiveness index communications sector. Ministry of Foreign Af- availability of higher quality and sion and initiatives to enhance competition could be the tool tion law enforcement. of the Davos Economic Forum). MEC has also organised spe- fairs in Turkey has begun diverse services and more com- business climate, encourage needed to foster growth and in- The MEC also presented im- Earlier this year, CRA conduct- cialised technical workshops and off ering a complimentary petitive prices,” he added. investments and support the novation. portant achievements since the ed a series of intensive workshops international seminars such as the seven-day transit visa to Saud Sultan al-Assiri, head of private sector to achieve com- The panellists included high- issuance of Law No 19 of 2006 attended by relevant stakehold- seminar on competition in tenders Pakistani passengers who Competition Protection Depart- prehensive development, sus- level representatives from the on the protection of competition ers. as well as the seminar on cross- travel with Turkish Air- ment at the MEC, emphasised tainable prosperity and economic CRA, MEC, Qatar University, the and the prevention of monopo- The workshops formed a key border collaboration in consumer lines from Pakistan to the that such scientifi c seminars and growth in line with the Qatar Na- Emiri Diwan, Qatar Investment listic practices. part of the implementation and protection and competition in co- US, Schengen countries, events are crucial to spread the tional Vision 2030. Authority, and AAB (Toyota — The ministry shared initiatives enforcement measures of the ordination with the Federal Trade the UK and Ireland, the culture of competition among A panel discussion at the work- Qatar). that resulted Qatar’s high ranking Competition Framework, is- Commission of the US. statement adds.

HBKU, Al Qamra Holding sign MoU on strategic ties

Off icials from HBKU and Al Qamra Holding Group at the MoU amad Bin Khalifa University ration in areas of science and research, in signing ceremony. (HBKU) and Al Qamra Holding line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, HGroup have signed a Memorandum in turn building a dynamic ecosystem that of Understanding (MoU) for building stra- facilitates new ideas in technology, entre- tegic ties and growing collaborative capa- preneurship and education. bilities in the areas of education, technol- The MoU between HBKU and Al Qamra ogy, innovation, and research. Holding Group will expand the professional The MoU promotes co-operation be- prospects for students graduating from the tween the leading Qatari business con- University, off ering unique opportunities glomerate and the multidisciplinary for engagement between academics and re- research university, fostering close collabo- searchers at HBKU and professionals from ration between academia and industry that the myriad of Al Qamra’s business opera- is driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and tions and entrepreneurial ventures. innovating thinking. Dr Hasnah said: “At HBKU, we strive The agreement was signed by HBKU pres- towards building synergies with organi- ident Dr Ahmad M Hasnah and Al Qamra sations that are committed to achieving a Holding Group chairman Hamad Saleh al- sustainable future for Qatar and seek out Qamra. HBKU and Al Qamra Holding Group collaborations with organisations that em- will develop joint research projects, staying body the values of innovation and creativ- true to both organisations’ commitment to ity. Driven by these shared values, HBKU’s promoting a spirit of discovery and innova- new partnership with the Al Qamra Hold- tion in the Qatari community. ing Group furthers our commitment to Bridging the gaps between academics serving as a national resource to key sectors and industry practitioners, HBKU will pro- of industry and to the people of Qatar.” vide advisory services to the diverse port- Al-Qamra said: “The education sector folio of Al Qamra Holding Group’s ventures. is one of the main sectors we have in our With expertise across numerous indus- company. We are very interested in and care tries such as education, technology health- about education, and we are also commit- care and beyond, Al Qamra Holding Group ted to fulfi lling our role in the fi eld of Cor- will work closely with HBKU students to porate Social Responsibility. We are look- grow academic, professional, and research ing for a close co-operation with Hamad opportunities at the University. Bin Khalifa University to play an active role The relationship between the two part- towards the implementation of Qatar Na- ners establishes a framework for collabo- tional Vision 2030.” Gulf Times 12 Thursday, May 4, 2017 QATAR

Bridgestone launches ‘Youth overwhelmingly promotion on tyres ridgestone has “We at Bridgestone launched a promo- are encouraging motor- Btion that could see ists stay safe by adding the cost of four new tyres an incentive to buy our slashed by up to QR300 tyres which have qual- positive about future’ instantly. ity built-in and spe- On purchase of two car cially made to deal with atari youth are ‘over- Amwal, participated in the panel versus 52% on a region-wide basis. one issue facing the Middle East or SUV tyres, which are 17 the summer heat. At the whelmingly positive about discussion at the 9th Arab Youth Further, 86% of Gulf youth – is seen as diminishing, this year inch and above or run fl at very least we may save Qtheir futures and believe Survey launch event, focusing her believe their governments are tying with unemployment as a top tyres, from an authorised you from the discomfort their government is putting the remarks on education and unem- putting the right policies in place concern for 35% of the region’s Bridgestone retailer until of changing a worn out right policies in place to address ployment. that will benefi t young people – young people. Most young Arabs June 10, customers will re- tyre at the roadside in their needs,’ according to fi nd- In the GCC states, 85% of an opinion held by 57% of young (61%) also believe the terror group ceive a single scratch card sweltering heat.” added ings from the 9th annual ASDA’A young people are confi dent that Arabs across the whole Middle is getting weaker and, across the off ering cashback of up to Berna Akinci. Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth their country has been heading East. region, young people think edu- QR150. Bridgestone continu- Survey 2017, released yesterday. in the right direction over the The survey reveals that, in cation reform and well-paying Four new tyres come with ously invests in R&D to As many as 96% of Qatari past fi ve years compared with 2017, support for the US has fallen jobs are just as important as mili- two scratch cards, each of- provide customers with youth said that they believe the 52% for Arab youth across the markedly: 17% of young Arabs see tary action in defeating terror and fering a guaranteed instant high quality products that country has been heading in the region. US as their most important ally, extremism. discount of QR50, QR75 or incorporate the latest tech- right direction over the past fi ve A total of 78% of GCC youth down 8% points from 2016 and, The quality of education is a QR150. nology. The company has years, while 86% were confi dent also believe their “best days for the fi rst time, more young cause of concern for young Ar- “For car and SUV drivers in advised motorists to prop- the government is developing are ahead of them” compared people see Russia as their top in- abs, particularly in non-GCC na- Qatar it is a fantastic time to erly maintain their car’s the right policies focused on the with 58% for Arab youth as a ternational ally – an increase of tions. Nearly half the Arab youth change to a new set of Bridge- tyres, regularly checking to youth. whole; and 82% of young peo- 12% points from 2016. say they are not satisfi ed with the stone tyres,” said Berna Akin- ensure they are infl ated to Sheikha Hanadi al-Thani, ple in the GCC believe their The threat posed by Daesh – current level of preparation of Sheikha Hanadi al-Thani addressing ci, general manager, market- the correct pressure and are founder and chairperson of economy is on the right track viewed last year as the number students for jobs of the future. the panel discussion. ing at Bridgestone MEA. free from damage. Access to UN Street to be 36-hour closure at closed until month-end Al Hadara junction

he right turn access on to tie-in road linking to a new fl y- Bay Area, has been designed in l Hadara junction on Najma and for those coming from E-Ring the UN Street from Omar over that will form part of the co-ordination with the General Street will be partially closed Road and want to turn left at the TAl Mukhtar Street will be multi-level Al Khaleej Al Gharbi Directorate of Traffi c. Abetween Thursday mid- junction onto Al Hadara Street. closed from Saturday until the Interchange on Ashghal’s Lusail During the closure, road us- night and 5am on Saturday, Ashghal Commuters heading from Al end of this month. Expressway. ers travelling from The Pearl to- announced yesterday. Hadara Street towards Al Thu- The closure is being done to The proposed road closure, wards West Bay, will be required The closure becomes necessary mama Street and vice versa will enable fi nishing works on the which is located in the West to take the next available right to ensure infrastructural develop- have to use the diversion route. The turn after the United Nations ment works on E-Ring Road and other directions will remain open Street, and continue along Al In- Najma Street. to traffi c. tisar Street and turn right to join During the period, the junction Road users can use Al Thumama the UN Street. will be closed for those heading north Street and local roads in the area as Road users travelling from from F-Ring Road to E-Ring Road, alternatives, as shown on the map. Signal to be the West Bay towards The Pearl, who wish to access the UN Street, should continue on Omar Al Mukhtar Street and take a U-turn at the fi rst shifted on set of traffi c lights as they currently do. As above they will then be re- quired to take the fi rst available right turn after the UN Street, New Rayyan continue towards Al Intisar Street and take the fi rst right on to the UN Street. The exit from the UN Street on to Omar Al Mukhtar Street will Street remain unaff ected. Ashghal has advised members of the public wishing to access he existing Q-Tel left at Q-Tel Junction will local schools and embassies in traffi c signal will be be required to continue the area to allow additional time Tshifted about 100m to straight on Al Rayyan Al for their journeys. the west of its current posi- Jadeed Street before tak- tion on Al Rayyan Al Jadeed ing a U-turn at Al Shafi in- Street (New Rayyan Street) terchange and returning to enable the construction of to the free right turn into an underpass on the Dukhan Education City. Highway East project. For accessing Al Wajba The proposed change, Street from Al Rayyan Al which is at the intersection Jadeed Street (westbound), of Al Wajba Street and Al commuters travelling west Rayyan Al Jadeed Street, has on Al Rayyan Al Jadeed been designed in co-ordina- Street who need to reach Al tion with the General Direc- Wajba Street are now re- torate of Traffi c. quired to take an earlier left The traffi c change will turn at Al Shafi Street and commence tomorrow and is continue straight before expected to be in operation making a right turn onto Al until March 2018. Hamd Street. Road users The change will cre- should continue straight on ate free fl owing move- Al Hamd Street before turn- ment along Al Rayyan Al ing either left or right onto Jadeed Street between Al Al Wajba Street. Shafi Street and the newly Westbound travellers positioned traffi c signal from Dukhan Highway to and the existing free right Al Luqta Street will also turns will still be available experience a slight devia- for public use. However, tion from the existing road there will be slight chang- alignment for a brief period es to the access points before returning to their to Al Wajba Street and normal route. Education City. There will be no reduc- As shown on the map, tion in the number of lanes road users from Dukhan on the Dukhan Highway, Al towards Gate 15 of Educa- Luqta Street or Al Rayyan Al tion City who usually turn Jadeed Street.

Gulf Times 14 Thursday, May 4, 2017 QATAR QA sponsors Blue Salon launches bespoke shoes Formula E racing series atar Airways has an- this one with Formula E, as well of any sporting platform.” nounced its sponsor- as those with FC Barcelona and Qatar Airways is the offi - Qship of Formula E - the Al Ahli Saudi FC.” cial sponsor of many sporting electric street racing series - Alejandro Agag, founder and events, including the Qatar for the Paris and New York City CEO, Formula E, said: “It’s fan- ExxonMobil Open and Qatar ePrix. tastic news that Qatar Airways Total Open, as well as being the The national carrier of Qatar is joining the electric street offi cial sponsor of FC Barcelona will be named the offi cial air- racing series as race title part- and Al Ahli Saudi FC. line partner of the Paris ePrix, ner of Paris and offi cial airline The airline is widely regard- as well as the title sponsor of partner for two of the fl agship ed as having one of the most the 2017 Qatar Airways Paris events on the Formula E cal- modern and energy-effi cient Blue Salon, in collaboration with Diamond Walker, has launched exclusive bespoke shoes. Singapore’s ambassador Jai Sohan Singh, ePrix, which will take place endar in Paris and New York. fl eets in the sky, the statement South African ambassador Prof Shirish Soni, Blue Salon vice chairman Nabil AR Abu Issa, CEO Fawaz Idrisi and the brand owner Victor around the architectural com- This partnership continues to notes. Lee were present at the event. plex of Les Invalides in the show the growth of the series Qatar Airways recently un- French capital on May 20, the on a global scale; we are work- veiled its new business class airline has said in a statement. ing closely with distinguished seat, Qsuite, at ITB Berlin. The Qatar Airways will also companies in a variety of in- airline also announced the be named the offi cial airline dustries and fi elds all over the launch of its new redesigned partner of the fi rst-ever New world. website, besides introducing York City ePrix taking place “I’m delighted to add Qa- high-speed broadband that in Red Hook, Brooklyn, on tar Airways to the growing list would off er the same connec- Domasco opening July 15 and 16. of partners joining Formula E, tivity speed on board as on the Qatar Airways Group chief demonstrating arguably the ground, in partnership with executive Akbar al-Baker best partnership portfolio Inmarsat (GX Aviation). said: “We are delighted to be named the offi cial air- new contact centre line partner of the Formula E electric car races in Paris and New York. We are very s part of its eff orts to The contact centre is fi tted other step to ensure that we pleased to be able to support provide better cus- out with state-of-the-art tech- continue to deliver the high this environment-friendly Atomer service, Doha nology and infrastructure and standards of customer satis- sport that promotes the latest Marketing Services Company will handle both inbound and faction and engagement we technological innovations in (Domasco), an Al-Futtaim outbound calls. are known to provide.” producing alternative energy company, has put the fi nishing Faisal Sharif, managing di- The new contact centre which solutions for electric cars. touches to a brand-new con- rector, Domasco said: “Our is operational from 8am to 8pm, Faisal Shariff “Qatar Airways is commit- tact centre that will serve as investment in this contact Saturday through Thursday, will ted to promoting the impor- an additional channel for cus- centre underlines our com- ensure that all customer en- cation of special sales and af- tance of sports in bringing tomers to connect and receive mitment to grow and diver- quiries are attended in a timely ter sales off ers. Customers can people together through our information on its products sify our various touch points. manner and also provide regular reach the new contact centre on many partnerships, such as Qatar Airways Paris ePrix will take place in Paris on May 20. and services. The new contact centre is an- service reminders, communi- 800 8123. Smartphone LG G6 now available Ooredoo tv to off er ‘beIN Full Package’ ollowing the initial roll- various industry publications. tion of having met and passed out in its home country The G6 features an unprec- the MIL-STD 810G standard for Fof South Korea, LG Elec- edented 5.7-inch display in a durability, conducted by inde- oredoo tv and Mozaic months will get their fi rst two tronics (LG) has announced the compact 5.2-inch body with pendent testing and certifi cation TV service will intro- months subscription fee free. availability of the LG G6 in Qatar minimal bezels for convenient fi rm MET (Maryland Electrical Oduce a new premium Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi, this week. one-handed operation without Testing) Laboratories. The G6 content subscription bundle director, community and pub- The new smartphone is solely sacrifi cing screen real estate. passed the following 14 tests, the from beIN, off ering customers lic relations, Ooredoo Qatar, distributed by Video Home & With an immersive FullVision most categories among smart- access to leading international said: “This new content an- Electronic Centre and is widely display that supports both Dolby phones tested: low temperature, sporting content. nouncement has come at the available across Jumbo Elec- Vision and HDR 10, the LG G6 high temperature, humidity, The ‘beIN Full Package’, perfect time for sports fans tronics Showrooms, Spark Life- is compatible with more HDR vibration, solar radiation, low which will cost users QR110 across Qatar with some of the style Electronics, leading retail- content than any smartphone pressure, sand and dust, immer- per month, includes 58 chan- top sporting events taking ers and hypermarkets. currently available. sion, temperature shock, salt fog nels and cover live and exclu- place in April and May.” Customers can buy the LG G6 The unique 18:9 screen as- and rain. sive sports channels as well as Alongside coverage of fi x- for QR2,599 and benefi t from an pect ratio of the FullVision dis- “The initial reaction and feed- premium and exclusive con- tures such as La Liga, the introduction off er that includes play allows the screen to be di- back to the G6 has by far ex- tent including programmes for Premier League, Formula 1 a LG quick cover case, a Sandisk vided into two identical perfect ceeded our expectations. It is a kids, lifestyle, factual, the lat- Russian Grand Prix and more, 64GB micro SD card, and an ITL squares, ideal for multi-tasking marvellous device that is truly est movies, music and more. ‘beIN Full Package’ subscrib- Travel Voucher worth QR1,000 with the G6’s camera UX, which The LG G6. durable. The unique curved Some of the exclusive chan- ers will be able to enjoy fi ve that customers can use at ITL was developed with social media screen corners serves a dual ob- nels available in the beIN Full movie channels, children’s offi ces for holiday packages, users in mind. with less edge distortion than high quality metal and smooth jective that compliments the Package included; beIN Jun- content and factual channels. fl ight and hotel bookings. Total LG takes photography to the before and switching between glass, the LG G6 meets the IP68 curved edges of the phone and ior, Cbeebies, Dreamworks, Ooredoo tv is the best next- benefi t is worth QR1,298. next level once again with a the wide and standard lenses is standard for water and dust re- minimising screen damage in Fatafeat and beIN Movies HD generation television service for The LG G6 received many wide angle front-facing camera smooth and seamless. The 5MP sistance. And with Google As- case of a fall,” said Sajed Jas- 1-4, among others. Qatar and off ers features such positive reactions at Mobile to complement the wide angle 100-degree fi eld of view front sistant available right out of the sim Mohamed Sulaiman, vice To celebrate the new pack- as 4K resolution, time shift, World Congress 2017 earlier this dual camera setup on the rear. camera allows for large group box, useful information is never chairman and managing direc- age launch, Ooredoo tv cus- Android apps, parental control, year, winning an unprecedented The 125-degree lens on the back shots without a selfi e stick. far away. tor, Video Home & Electronic tomers who subscribe to the thousands of hours of on-de- 36 awards from delivers crisp, panoramic image Sculpted from a blend of The LG G6 has the distinc- Centre. ‘beIN Full Package’ for 12 mand content and much more. British Food Festival begins at LuLu Hypermarkets

uLu Group launched yester- are being exhibited, including day a ‘British Food Festival’ chilled and frozen food, fi sh, Lacross all its hypermarkets cheese, dairy products, hot food, in Qatar, to supplement the ongo- groceries, confectionery, fruit ing work of the British Embassy and vegetables, delicatessen, and British Council, Doha. canned foods, diabetic-friendly, The festival, running un- gluten-free, and organic prod- til May 10, was inaugurated by ucts, household and health and British ambassador Ajay Sharma beauty. at LuLu Group’s newly opened LuLu Group has been organ- hypermarket at Al Messila in ising British Food Festivals for the presence of other dignitaries several years to overwhelming from the British embassy, Brit- response. Last year LuLu Group ish Council, Department for In- launched two major British ternational Trade, Qatar-British product lines across all its re- Business Forum, offi cials from gions, namely Harrogate Water Lulu Group, schools, and retail/ and the Oxford range of biscuits, FMCG sectors. chocolates and speciality tea. The children of The Kings’ Recently, Y International (UK) College Doha performed a med- Ltd, part of LuLu Group and one ley of iconic UK music on the of the major food processing and occasion. The store was given export distribution centres in the the British touch with British UK, won the prestigious “Queen’s fl ags and pictorial representa- Award for Enterprise: Interna- tions of historical landmarks of tional Trade 2017” for its excep- Great Britain. tional contribution to the UK’s The festival showcases all trade, industry and economy. major food products of the UK to LuLu Group currently operates serve as a platform to highlight 133 hypermarkets and 15 shop- and promote the best of Brit- ping malls with an annual turno- ish culinary heritage, food and ver of$6.9bn globally and a staff brands among the local commu- strength of over 41,000 employ- nity and a large cross-section of ees from 37 diff erent nationali- expatriates. ties. It also has a comprehensive More than 10,000 British network of Export Distribution products imported from the UK Centres in 24 countries. British ambassador Ajay Sharma inaugurates the ‘British Food Festival’ at LuLu Hypermarket at Al Messila in the presence of other dignitaries yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 15 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD Rebels suspend participation in Astana peace talks

Reuters Astana Car bomb kills fi ve in Syria border town: monitor QBWA vice chairperson Aisha Alfardan and Sankon general president Nezaket Emine Atasoy shake hands after signing the MoU yesterday. A car bomb blast killed at least in black body bags, next to PICTURE: Jayan Orma he Syrian armed opposi- five people yesterday in the which grief-stricken mourners tion said yesterday it had rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz sat weeping or staring in shock. Tsuspended its participa- by the Turkish border, the Syrian The blast hit near a mosque and tion in peace talks being held in Observatory for Human Rights the headquarters of the opposi- Kazakhstan and demanded an said. The dead were four civil- tion’s provisional government, Wellness tourism ‘promising sector’ end to government bombing of ians and a police off icer, the Brit- formed in November 2013, areas under its control. ain-based monitor said, adding which administers some areas A senior offi cial from Kaza- that the toll could rise because a under rebel control. khstan’s Foreign Ministry, how- number of those wounded were Azaz has regularly been tar- for Qatari, Turkish businesswomen ever, told reporters he expected in serious condition. geted in bomb blasts, including Syrian opposition fi gures to re- The blast littered the ground on January 7, when at least 48 turn to the talks today. with debris and set an enor- people were killed in a tanker By Peter Alagos QBWA and Turkey-based In- For her side, Atasoy wel- new graduates, the initiative Another diplomat close to the mous fire that sent thick clouds truck blast. Business Reporter dustrialist Businesswomen and comed the agreement, which, also helps guarantee their em- talks also said the rebels were not of black smoke billowing into Most of those killed in that Businessmen’s Confederation she said, “would pave the way ployability after university life, walking out completely. the air. Civil defence workers attack, which rebels blamed on (Sankon) held yesterday at the for a joint co-operation aimed and at the same time, they will “The delegation has sus- and residents tried to put out the Islamic State group, were eaders of Qatar and Tur- QBWA headquarters. at serving interest of both also help us with their new and pended its participation after the blaze. The dead were placed civilians. key’s prominent busi- Alfardan and Sankon general sides.” innovative ideas.” presenting a memorandum for Lnesswomen organisa- president Nezaket Emine Ata- But Alfardan clarifi ed that On the MoU signing, com- a total commitment to stopping tions are exploring avenues of soy signed a memorandum of aside from health tourism, the mercial counsellor Burak (government) bombardments,” Kazakh capital Astana. The talks in Astana are spon- co-operation in various fi elds, understanding (MoU) aimed at MoU aims to target “all sec- Guresci of the Turkish em- Ahmad Ramadan, a spokesman The State Department said sored by Russia, Iran and Turkey, including the wellness tourism enhancing bilateral trade and tors” and would involve not bassy in Qatar said: “I hope this for the opposition Syrian Na- acting Assistant Secretary for which — like the United States — industry, which an offi cial de- economic co-operation be- only businesswomen but also agreement would create more tional Coalition (SNC), said. Near Eastern Aff airs Stuart Jones backs the rebel side. scribed as “a promising sector.” tween Qatar and Turkey. fresh university graduates from co-operation between Turk- In the memorandum, the would attend as an observer. Also yesterday, Putin met “The wellness tourism in- Alfardan said the two par- Qatar. ish and Qatari businesswomen rebels demanded “clear imple- Aidarbek Tumatov, head of Turkish President Tayyip Er- dustry is a ‘promising sector’ ties will co-operate in various “The MoU will target dif- and I hope it would be fruitful mentation procedures” for mat- the Asia and Africa department dogan in the Black Sea resort of for Qatari and Turkish busi- bilateral fi elds, including trade ferent levels and categories in for both sides. It is a good start ters such as enforcing a cease- at the Kazakh Foreign Minis- Sochi and they reaffi rmed their nesswomen and there could be and tourism “within the grow- business, and we also want to to enhance co-operation for the fi re, withdrawal of government try, told reporters the rebels had commitment to working togeth- a lot of exchanges in this fi eld,” ing economic relations between focus on the new generation. two sides.” forces from areas taken by them met the US and UN delegations er to end Syria’s war. Qatar Business Women Associ- Qatar and Turkey refl ected in They are our future and they He added: “They will have since Dec 30 last year, and re- yesterday.”Tomorrow, I hope, Turkish Foreign Minister ation (QBWA) vice chairperson several economic aspects,” and need our experience to help more opportunities to co-oper- lease of detainees. the (Syrian) opposition will also Mevlut Cavusoglu told report- Aisha Alfardan told Gulf Times. to the increase of volume of them start their respective ate as both sides have sent invi- They also again insisted on take part (in the talks).” ers on the sidelines of the Sochi She spoke on the sidelines of trade exchange between the two businesses,” Alfardan said. tations to attend events in their President Bashar Assad’s de- UN Special Envoy for Syria meeting that the sponsors of the an agreement signing between countries. She added: “By involving respective countries.” parture and objected once again Staff an de Mistura also voiced Astana talks had already agreed to Iran’s role in the process, hope that the rebels would re- three documents and were dis- describing it as an “aggressor turn to the negotiation table. cussing a fourth. state”. Iran, along with Rus- “I hope they will because what “On this de-confl icting is- sia, are Assad’s main supporters is important is also to look at the sue we are having discussions in against rebels trying to topple possibility of an outcome on de- Astana (which are) very positive Talks underway for ‘textile exhibition’ in Qatar him. escalation,” his offi ce quoted him and I’m hopeful we will reach an In a phone call on Tuesday, as saying. understanding on this as well,” US President Donald Trump “Every time — every time — he said.Russia’s lead negotiator By Peter Alagos He also noted leased by the Turkish consulate general and Russian President Vladimir we have been having a meeting in Astana, Alexander Lavren- Business Reporter that more Turkish cultural and information offi ce in Dubai. Putin sought to defuse ten- or a discussion about cessation tyev, said he hoped the sides meat products are Guresci said Qataris visit Turkey for busi- sion arising from US air strikes of hostilities or de-escalation in would sign a memorandum on expected to pen- ness, tourism, and medical tourism. on Syrian government forces this case, there have been some safe zones today. egotiations are ongoing for the etrate the Qatar “We didn’t see a decrease in the number in April, expressing a wish for a incidents produced by one side He dismissed the rebels’ ulti- staging of trade fairs and exhibi- market following of Qatari nationals visiting Turkey in 2016. ceasefi re and safe zones for the or the other. matum as a bid to put pressure Ntions in Qatar on Turkish textile and BRF SA and the There is a steady increase considering that civil war’s refugees. The secret is to try to make on Moscow, Ankara and Tehran. home textile goods as part of eff orts to en- Qatar Investment fi gures last year were higher compared to With a ceasefi re ever elusive sure that those incidents stop “The Syrian opposition must hance Qatar-Turkey economic relations, an Authority’s acqui- 2015. The situation in Turkey is better, and in Syria, the White House said but also do not kill the oppor- participate in the talks,” he said. embassy offi cial has said. sition of Turkey’s we anticipate further increase in Qatari Washington would send a rep- tunity for good news related to “We hope common sense pre- Speaking on the sidelines of an agree- biggest poultry tourists and other GCC nationals this year,” resentative to truce talks in the that.” vails.” ment signing between Qatar Business producer, Banvit. he said. Women Association (QBWA) and the Tur- Commercial counsellor “We are happy Guresci said the agreement signed by key-based Industrialist Businesswomen Burak Guresci. that Qatar Invest- QBWA vice chairperson Aisha Alfardan and POLL and Businessmen’s Confederation (Sankon) ment Authority is Sankon general president Nezaket Emine Majority of Arab yesterday, commercial counsellor Burak a partner in the Turkish poultry sector be- Atasoy aims to enhance business relation- Guresci said the exhibition aims to intro- cause we believe that with this move, you ships between the two organisations and to youth disapprove duce new Turkish industries to Qatar. will see more Turkish meat products in Qa- promote trade and investment opportuni- US president “We want to bring more Turkish indus- tar,” he said. ties between Qatari and Turkish business- tries to Qatar. Aside from textiles, Turkey is On tourism, Guresci told Gulf Times that women. A majority of young Arabs see also an active player in Qatar’s services and the embassy is expecting more Qatari tour- He also said trade volume between the Donald Trump’s election as the construction sector. Next week, 62 Turkish ists to visit Qatar this year “following deals two countries “slightly dropped” to less factor most influencing their region companies are participating in Project Qa- made between Turkish and Qatari compa- than $1bn in 2016 due to low oil prices. “But in the next five years, a survey tar 2017,” he said, adding that new Turkish nies in the fi eld of health tourism.” with stable prices in both petroleum and published yesterday showed, and restaurant chains and cafes are expected to Last year, 32,681 Qatari nationals trav- natural gas, we expect trade volume to be they expressed concern that the US open in Qatar. elled to Turkey, according to fi gures re- over $1bn this year,” he added. president was anti-Muslim. Trump signed an executive order in March banning citizens from six Muslim-majority nations from travelling to the United States, citing Rescue workers gather at the scene following an explosion in a security reasons, but the action was Palestinians rally for hunger-striking prisoners coal mine in Azadshahr, in northern Iran, leaving dozens of miners blocked by a court. trapped yesterday. The annual survey by Dubai-based public relations firm ASDA’A Burson- AFP Marsteller of people aged between Ramallah 18-24 across 16 Arab countries showed 64 % of respondents 21 bodies recovered viewed the Trump presidency with housands of Palestinians “concern, anger or fear”. Eighty-three rallied yesterday in the percent viewed Trump unfavour- TWest Bank city of Ram- after Iran mine blast ably, far up from the 52% recorded allah in a show of support for by his predecessor Barack Obama Palestinians on hunger strike in and even exceeding the 77% disap- Israeli prisons. AFP colleagues, including many proval rating for George W Bush. Gathering as Palestinian Tehran who were trapped. president Mahmoud Abbas was “Some 600 metres of the about to meet US President tunnel has been cleared” and LEGAL Donald Trump in the White escue workers recov- emergency crews were still at Saudi court orders House for the fi rst time, they ered 21 bodies from a work in the mile-long Zemes- crane deaths chanted “Freedom, freedom”. Rcoal mine in northern tan Yort mine, Bahrami added. About 1,000 Palestinians are Iran after an explosion caused “Thirty-two miners have trial to go ahead fasting in a protest launched on a tunnel to collapse yesterday, been trapped at the end of one April 17 by jailed leader Marwan news agencies reported. of the shafts 1,300 metres deep A Saudi appeals court has or- Barghouti. Reza Bahrami, a mining in- into the mine,” Golestan gov- dered about a dozen people ac- Those taking part are ingest- dustry offi cial in the province ernor Hassan Sadeghlou said, cused of negligence in a deadly ing only water and salt. of Golestan where the accident quoted by state media. 2015 crane collapse at the holiest It is unclear how many have occurred, said the 21 bodies Poisonous gas inside the site to stand trial again, newspa- been on strike for the full pe- were those of miners who went tunnel has hampered the res- pers reported yesterday. riod as some of the original par- into the tunnel to try to save cue work. By a vote of five to two, the ticipants have since pulled out Protesters wave their national flag during a demonstration in the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday, in appeals judges overturned the while others appeared to have support of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. Makkah criminal court’s decision joined. SUPPORT that it had no jurisdiction over Supporters of the prisoners Relatives have received no visits “for security reasons,” she their behalf, and among hun- Reformist ex-president backs Rouhani allegations of “safety breaches”, say 50 more will join the hunger news about their loved ones and says. dreds of prisoners who have the Okaz and Saudi Gazette strike from today, among them live in a state of “permanent Barghouti, a senior mem- decided to launch this hunger Iran’s reformist former president Mohamed Khatami has skirted a media ban newspapers reported. At least prominent Palestinian faction anxiety,” says Mahmud al-Zia- ber of Abbas’ Fatah party and strike for freedom and dignity to endorse moderate incumbent Hassan Rouhani for a second term over 109 people, including foreign leaders such as Ahmed Saadat, deh, whose son Majd has been a highly popular fi gure among that will continue till their le- conservative challengers in a tight May 19 election. Khatami, who during his pilgrims, were killed when the of the Popular Front for the Lib- in prison for 15 years. Palestinians, is serving fi ve life gitimate demands are met,” he 1997-2005 presidency oversaw a rapprochement with the West, has been crane crashed into a courtyard eration of Palestine (PFLP). Hind Afena has not seen her sentences over his role in the wrote in a statement released barred from speaking openly since mass protests against the disputed of Makkah’s Grand Mosque The prisoners are demanding sons Ahmed and Salah since second Palestinian uprising. yesterday by the Palestine Lib- re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009. The hardliner’s replacement during high winds in September improved conditions includ- they were jailed six months ago “I am addressing you from eration Organisation (PLO). by Rouhani in 2013 has seen a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers 2015. The mosque draws millions ing family visits, better medical and one year ago respectively. solitary confi nement, among “Israel cannot silence us, nor that led to the lifting of most international economic sanctions but is threat- of pilgrims from around the care and phone access. Prison authorities deny her thousands of prisoners and on isolate us, nor break us,” it said. ened by a tougher stance from the new US administration. world each year. Gulf Times 16 Thursday, May 4, 2017 ARAB WORLD Libya rivals call for eff orts to fi ght extremist groups

AFP the United Arab Emirates. In separate Gaddafi . Sarraj, whose unity govern- es clashed in early April around an air in February. The United Arab Emir- “reconciling the points of view” of Tripoli statements yesterday, they called for ment has struggled to impose its con- base on the edge of the southern city of ates voiced optimism a political set- Sarraj and Haftar, the GNA statement a resolution to Libya’s political and trol across Libya since it was formed Sebha. tlement could be reached in Libya said. economic crises and for joint eff orts to in 2015, said yesterday the two sides Haftar is backed by Libya’s parlia- after the meeting. There has been a flurry of diplo- he head of Libya’s UN-backed battle extremist groups, without out- had agreed to put in place “a strategy... ment based in the country’s east, as The Tuesday meeting “brings op- matic activity in recent days to try to unity government and a rival lining any concrete measures. to form a unifi ed Libyan army” under well as by the UAE and Egypt. timism towards guaranteeing a polit- reconcile the rival administrations in Tmilitary commander said yes- The issue of how to form a new Liby- civil control. That parliament has refused to ical solution”, the UAE foreign minis- Libya’s east and west. terday they have agreed to work to end an army loomed large in the talks. Haftar’s statement said the two recognise the GNA, formed under try said. On Sunday, UN envoy Martin the country’s crisis. Haftar, who commands a self-pro- sides had agreed to allow “the military a United Nations-backed deal that It is an “important step to push Kobler held talks in Sudan, a sup- Government of National Accord claimed Libyan National Army (LNA), establishment...to fully play its role in gave no role to Haftar and his forces. forward the political process in Lib- porter of Sarraj’s administration. On (GNA) leader Fayez al-Sarraj and Field is accused of aiming to install a new the fi ght against terrorism”. Diplomats and observers have de- ya,” it added, in a statement carried Monday, he met Mahmud Jibril, who Marshal Khalifa Haftar, whose forces military dictatorship in Libya, rocked Both men said they had agreed to scribed Tuesday’s meeting as a posi- by the official WAM news agency. headed Libya’s interim government control most of eastern Libya including by a complex multi-sided confl ict put an end to violence in southern tive step forward, after Sarraj said Apart from the UAE, Algeria, Tu- during the Nato-backed rebellion key oil ports, held rare talks Tuesday in since the 2011 fall of dictator Muammar Libya, where LNA and pro-GNA forc- Haftar refused to meet him in person nisia and Egypt also played a role in that toppled and killed Gaddafi. Artist hopes for record with 700m Qur’an

Reuters “This Qur’an is 700 metres Gharbia, Egypt long, and of course that’s a large amount of paper,” he told Reuters Television. “I n Egyptian artist who self-funded this project for educated himself after the past three years — and Adropping out of school I’m an average person. I don’t has spent three years creating have assets or anything.” what he hopes is the world’s Mohamed wants to submit biggest Holy Qur’an. his Holy Qur’an for inclusion Saad Mohamed, who has in Guinness World Records. hand-painted Islamic mo- Guinness says that while tifs on the walls and ceilings there is a record for the of his home in the town of world’s biggest printed Holy Gharbia, north of Cairo, has Qur’an, there is so far no reproduced the Muslim holy record holder for the largest book on a paper scroll 700 handwritten version. metres long. Mohamed says he is hoping He displays the intricately for help with the costs of ap- decorated manuscript in a plying to Guinness from the Iraqi children pose for a photo at a camp for internally displaced people in Hammam al-Alil after fleeing West Mosul due to the ongoing battles between government forces and Islamic large wooden box with rollers government or any other in- State (IS) group militants yesterday. at each end. terested party. Billions of dollars needed to rebuild Mosul: offi cials

Reuters to expel Islamic State from the province this size,” Qablan said. Mosul, Iraq rest of the city by May. “In 2013 we were allocated The 34 Nineveh councillors, 738bn dinars, yet after all this who have been meeting in other destruction we get just 52. It is Saad Mohamed rolls down what he says is the largest handwritten osul’s wrecked roads, cities during the occupation, very hard to reach our goals with version of Holy Qur’an in the world measuring around 700 metres, bridges and broader have already started drawing up this sum, so we are counting on in the town of Belqina, north of Cairo. Meconomy will take at plans to rebuild Mosul, though foreign grants.” least fi ve years to repair and need they are still were not sure where Council offi cials are in talks billions of dollars of develop- the money will come from, said with the United Nations, inter- ment that Iraq’s government Qablan. national aid groups and friendly 4,000 year old model garden found outside tomb will struggle to aff ord, offi cials For the fi rst six months, local states, he said. Italy was already returning to the battle-scarred authorities would focus on re- helping rebuild a hospital. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a nearly 4,000 year city said. storing security, water, electric- Outside on the eastern side old model garden outside a tomb in the ancient Egyptian capital of The airport, railway station ity and fuel, and on the return of of the river, foreign investment Thebes, the antiquities ministry said yesterday. The find was made and university were all destroyed those displaced by the war. was already fl owing back in, in by a Spanish team in the Draa Abul Nagaa necropolis across the in the long fi ght to dislodge Is- Under the plan, there would the form of market stalls heav- Nile from the modern-day city of Luxor, the ministry said. The three lamic State militants from their then be a two-year period of re- ing with Turkish and Iranian metre by two metre garden consists of equally divided square plots main Iraqi stronghold. A picture shows a damaged building on the front line in Mosul’s Old construction and the initiation fruit and vegetables, replacing each about 30 centimetres across. It was found in an open courtyard Iraqi government forces City yesterday. of a reconciliation process fol- the less plentiful Syrian produce outside a Middle Kingdom (2050 to 1800 BC) tomb. backed by a US-led coalition lowed by 30 months focused on that had dominated under Is- The garden “probably had a symbolic meaning and must have played have now retaken the eastern He sat back in his offi ce in the river, Islamic State fi ghters are attracting investment and de- lamic State. a role in the funerary rites,” the ministry cited the head of the Spanish half of the city — letting regional heart of Mosul, the province’s holed in, defending the densely- veloping the economy. Tobacco shops, banned by the team, Jose Galan, as saying. “The like has never been found in ancient councillors return for the fi rst regional capital, an unremark- populated Old City with snipers Some of the early repair work ultra-hardline group, have reo- Thebes.” The ministry’s head of ancient Egyptian antiquities, Mah- time in able building apart from its new and suicide bombers. could cost as little as $5,000 a pened. moud Afifi, said the tiny square plots seem to have each contained 2-1/2 years to survey the dam- concrete fortifi cations and the At the heart of their territory house, Qablan said. Dozens of men sipped coff ee diff erent species of plants and flowers. “In the middle there are two el- age. teams of armed guards sur- sits the medieval Grand al-Nuri But even that would strain or tea inside The Golden Cafe, evated spots for a small tree or bush,” the ministry cited him as saying. “After Mosul is fully liberated, rounding it. Mosque and its famous leaning budgets that he said were under- looking at their phones and surf- “At one of the corners, the root and the trunk of a 4,000 year old small we need a working plan to re- A gun lay on his desk, next to minaret, where Islamic State funded by the central govern- ing the web — activities that Is- tree have been preserved to a height of 30 centimetres (a foot). store things to the way they were his phone and piles of paper- leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi de- ment in Baghdad. lamic State had limited to moni- “Next to it, a bowl was found containing dates and other fruits, which before 2014 when Islamic State work. clared his caliphate in July 2014. “Honestly, we are not getting tored Internet centres. could have been presented as an off ering.” took over,” Noureldin Qablan, Outside, bustling markets Experts fear the fragile brick enough support. What has been “We are happy and comfort- The team also discovered a small mud-brick temple attached to the deputy chairman of the council have sprung back into life on the structure could still succumb to allocated to Nineveh in 2017 able. Life is good,” said one cus- tomb containing three stone slabs, one of which contained a dedica- covering the surrounding Nin- eastern banks of the Tigris river. the fi ghting raging around it. was 52bn Iraqi dinars ($44.5mn) tomer Emad, smoking hookah tion to the Egyptian gods Montu, Ptah, Sokar and Osiris. eveh province, told Reuters. Over on the other side of the Iraq’s army has said it expects which is a very small sum for a outside.”I feel out of this world.” Morocco in battle to save endangered monkey

AFP Gibraltar are the only free-rang- graphic, skeletal remains of 17,000 three decades ago. overexploitation of natural re- Chefchaouen ing monkeys in Europe. macaques have been discovered They believe Algeria had sources”, he added. Today, the only native primate “in the ashes of Pompeii, deep around 5,500 Barbary macaques In the forests of the Middle north of the Sahara, apart from within an ancient Egyptian cat- in the late 1980s. Atlas, authorities are organis- If nothing is done, this spe- humans, is in danger of extinc- acomb, and buried beneath an The number has since almost ing awareness-raising sessions cies will disappear within tion, according to the Interna- Irish hilltop where the Bronze halved, according to the IUCN. for tourists to discourage them “10 years,” warns a poster tional Union for Conservation of Age kings of Ulster once held Algiers has also responded from feeding or approaching the on Ahmed Harrad’s ageing 4x4 Nature (IUCN). Conservation- court”. with plans to protect the species. monkeys. showing Morocco’s famed Bar- ists blame illegal poaching, tour- Zouhair Ahmaouch, an offi cial While the macaques are hard Pupils at local schools are also bary macaque monkey. ists who feed the monkeys and at Morocco’s High Commission to spot in the wilds of Morocco’s being educated about the spe- Harrad spends his time criss- overexploitation of the cedar and for Water, Forests and Combat- Rif, some individuals in the for- cies. Last October, the Barbary crossing northern Morocco to oak forests that form the species’ ing Desertifi cation, said the new ests of the Middle Atlas are tame, macaque was listed as a species try to convince locals to protect natural habitat. conservation plan focused on attracting tourists who come to threatened with extinction on the endangered monkey. In response, Morocco has tackling poaching. feed them. the Convention on International The only species of macaque launched a campaign to save the But Morocco “can’t repatri- But Ifrane National Park head Trade in Endangered Species outside Asia, which lives species. A Barbary macaque reaches for a banana in a forest near the Moroccan town ate monkeys released in Europe, Lahcen Oukennou said feed- (CITES). That makes buying and on leaves and fruits and can “We are working on two areas of Azrou, in the Atlas mountain chain. because we don’t know whether ing can cause “health problems selling the monkeys illegal ex- weigh up to 20 kilogrammes — monitoring and making a cen- they came from Gibraltar, Alge- such as obesity, which aff ects cept under exceptional circum- (45 pounds), was once found sus of the species in the Rif and ers in Europe for between $110 with children and climbs the ria or Morocco”, he said. their health and especially their stances. throughout North Africa and raising awareness among locals and $330 (100 and 300 euros) curtains,” prompting many The North African kingdom reproductive capacity”. Anouar Ahmaouch welcomed the parts of Europe. so that they actively help rescue despite laws forbidding the owners to abandon their pets, he has never conducted a nation- Jaoui, director of Talassemtane move. “It will allow Morocco and But having disappeared from it,” Harrad said. trade. said. wide census of the macaque, but National Park in northern Mo- other countries to unify their ef- Libya and Tunisia, it is now re- As head of a local association, “A lot of foreigners buy mon- But that hasn’t stopped the scientists believe its numbers fall rocco, home to several dozen forts to fi ght against the illegal stricted to mountainous regions Barbary Macaque Awareness & keys as pets,” he said. tailless monkeys, with their every year. macaques, said the conserva- trade in Barbary macaques,” he of Algeria and Morocco’s north- Conservation (BMAC), Harrad Seen as quiet and cute when it thick grey-and-ginger fur, being Based on various studies, they tion strategy includes measures said. ern Rif region. has become a tireless advocate is young, the adult monkey can highly sought-after by passing estimate that Morocco is home to “rehabilitate and rebuild the Morocco has a “global re- Another semi-wild popula- for the animal. become a burden, Harrad said. travellers throughout the ages. to between 3,000 and 10,000 species’ habitat”. That requires sponsibility to conserve this tion of about 200 individuals in He says it is often sold to buy- “It breaks things, bites, fi ghts According to National Geo- macaques today, compared with “reducing the pressure from heritage”. Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 17 AFRICA Boko Haram Durban protest chief Shekau ‘injured in an air strike’

AFP ly claimed to have killed Shekau and the whole of Saturday bury- Kano on at least three occasions. ing the dead,” he said, without In an emailed statement on specifying numbers. Tuesday night, the air force said Shekau had been bed-ridden oko Haram’s leader Abu- it had bombed “a gathering of for days with malaria before the bakar Shekau has been Boko Haram terrorists” last Fri- attack, he added. Binjured and one of his day “in a village 3.42km north- Local people in the Konduga deputies killed in an air strike in east of Mangosum”. The “air in- area said Boko Haram fi ghters northeast Nigeria, civilian and terdiction mission” in the remote went on the rampage following People’s Economic Forum supporters and activists hold banners as they march through the streets of Durban yesterday against security sources told AFP yes- region involved three jets. the air strike. corruption and for more inclusive economic policies on the opening day of the World Economic Forum on Africa. The marchers terday. “Battle damage assess- “They came by the river hurl- started at the Durban City Hall and made their way through the city to Speakers Corner just outside the Durban International Two Nigerian Air Force jets ment conducted after the strike ing insults at us, accusing us of Convention Centre, the venue for the World Economic Forum. bombarded fi ghters who had showed that several leaders of providing information about gathered for prayers in Balla vil- the Boko Haram terrorist or- their locations and movements lage, some 40km from Damboa, ganisation and their followers to the military,” said fi sherman on the edge of the Sambisa For- were killed during the attacks,” Ibrahim Bawa. est, last Friday. it added. “They said we were responsi- “Shekau was wounded in the A senior military offi cer in ble for the attack on their mosque bombings and is believed to be Maiduguri confi rmed the air which killed many of their peo- Buhari absent yet again from cabinet meeting receiving treatment near the force bombed Boko Haram po- ple. They were very angry,” add- Nigerian border with Cameroon sitions “in the Damboa area on ed another fi sherman, Usman around Kolofata,” said one source Friday where they hit the targets Sallau. AFP after the meeting at the presidential villa in But he rejected reports in recent days that with contacts within Boko Har- with precision”. The militants rounded up six Nigeria the capital, Abuja, that Buhari was following the former army general was unable to eat or am. “We got intel that the terror- fi shermen and slit their throats. medical advice. drink and was being fed intravenously. “His deputy, Abba Mustapha, ists were gathering at the loca- Others escaped by swimming Buhari worked from his offi ce on Tuesday, “It’s absolutely untrue that he’s being alias Malam Abba, was killed in tion and we acted on the report,” across the river, he said. igerian offi cials yesterday played he told reporters, adding: “Mr President will fed,” the minister said of the report on the the attack along with another key he added, requesting anonymity Boko Haram has killed over down fears about the health of Pres- stick to his doctor’s advice so that he can re- online news site Sahara Reporters, calling lieutenant, Abubakar Gashua, as he was not authorised to speak 20,000 people since it took up Nident Muhammadu Buhari, despite cover much more quickly.” Buhari’s absence “not any strange develop- alias Abu Aisha,” he added. about the operation. arms against the Nigerian gov- his third consecutive absence from cabinet The head of state and his entourage have ment”. Babakura Kolo, a member of He said he was unable to com- ernment in 2009 to establish a and assurances from his wife there was no been under growing pressure to disclose his “It’s exactly what he said, that he has the civilian militia in the Borno ment on Shekau but the source hardline Islamist state. cause for concern. true health condition since he returned from been advised to take it easy by his doctor and state capital, Maiduguri, gave a with contacts in Boko Haram said The insurgency has decimated Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo chaired the British capital after nearly two months that he will soon also go back (to London) for similar account, saying “Shekau Mustapha was preaching when northeast Borno state with the the meeting instead of the 74-year-old Bu- away. further treatment.” was injured and a number of the fi rst jet bombed the mosque violence displacing 2.6mn from hari, who has made few public appearances Prominent Nigerians and civil society Buhari’s wife, Aisha said her husband’s commanders were killed. at about 1pm. their homes and causing a hun- since he returned from medical treatment in activists have advised him to take medical health was “not as bad as it’s being per- “Among them is his deputy Moments later a second jet ger crisis. London in early March. leave. ceived”, again without specifying the nature called Malam Abba. They suf- targeted worshippers as they After years of suff ering humil- The devout Muslim was also absent from Local media reported yesterday that of his illness. fered heavy casualties because fl ed. iating losses to Boko Haram, the Friday prayers last week and failed to attend former president Olusegun Obasanjo met “He continues to carry out his responsi- the bombings targeted a large “Shekau was just leaving a Nigerian military has reclaimed his grandson’s wedding on Saturday. other ex-military rulers Ibrahim Babangida bilities during this period,” she wrote on her gathering of his followers at- house nearby for the mosque swathes of territory back from His spokesman said he had undergone “a and Abdulsalami Abubakar to discuss the Twitter account on Tuesday evening. tending Friday prayers.” when the fi rst jet struck. the jihadists. long period of treatment” for an undisclosed situation. The health of Nigeria’s president has There was no immediate com- He was injured in the second Yet despite claims that Boko illness in London earlier this year and need- Mohamed said the suggestion “shows been a sensitive issue since the death in of- ment from the Nigerian military strike,” said the source, describ- Haram is a spent force, the Is- ed rest. He was said to be working from his how concerned Nigerians are about the fi ce in 2010 of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, which when contacted by AFP. ing the casualties as “huge”. lamists still launch deadly at- private residence. health of the president. All their suggestions sparked months of political turmoil and un- The authorities have previous- “They spent the rest of Friday tacks. Information Minister Lai Mohamed said are being taken on board”. certainty. 9 soldiers killed in Mali attack Kenya government ‘hostile’ to rights activists: report AFP Troops from Operation Barkhane, Bamako a French counterterrorism operation, announced at the weekend they had AFP Its 50-page report, titled “2017 Elec- killed or captured 20 militants in the Nairobi tions: Broken Promises Put Human ine Malian soldiers were forest of Foulsare near the border of Rights Defenders at Risk”, details the vio- killed and fi ve wounded late Mali and Burkina Faso. lence and pressures faced by Kenyan hu- Non Tuesday in an area regu- Barkhane’s commander Francois- he government of Kenya is hostile man rights activists and organisations. larly targeted by militant groups, as Xavier de Woillemont said in Oua- towards human rights activists Cases include the 2016 kidnap, torture the commander of France’s counter- gadougou the operation was not yet Tand organisations, according to a and murder of rights lawyer Willie Kim- terrorism force for the region said an over, and the fi nal goal of such mis- report issued yesterday that warned of ani, which caused uproar in the country. operation on the Burkina Faso border sions was “to get rid of the terrorists” safety concerns ahead of the country’s The lawyer was defending a motorbike was ongoing. who “harass local people and stop August 8 elections. taxi driver who accused a police offi cer of “A supply mission for the na- them living a normal life.” Since taking power in 2013, President shooting him for no reason. The bodies tional armed forces fell into an am- Last July, 17 soldiers were killed in Uhuru Kenyatta’s “administration has of the lawyer, his driver and the defend- bush between Dogofri and Nampala. an attack on a military base in Nam- been showing open hostility towards ant were found bound and tossed in a The initial toll is nine dead and fi ve pala claimed by the Islamist organisa- human rights defenders, considered as river outside Nairobi. Four police offi cers wounded,” commerce minister and tion Ansar Dine. enemies of the State serving foreign in- have been charged with their murders. government spokesman Abdel Karim A similar attack on the town in Jan- terests to destabilise the country,” said The Kimani case “is only the tip of the Konate said in a statement yesterday. uary 2015 claimed the lives of 11 Mal- The Observatory for the Protection of iceberg of a pattern of violence, aimed at He condemned the “cowardly and ian soldiers, who struggle to keep se- Human Rights Defenders. silencing dissenting voices and perpetu- barbaric act” and said “our commit- Ivorian Chief of Staff General Toure Sekou hands over an Ivory Coast flag to the curity in this sprawling west African The government “has constantly been ating police and State security forces’ ment, as well as that of our partners, unidentified commander of a combat unit heading to Mali during a ceremony nation despite the presence of French trying to undermine their legitimate brutality and impunity,” the report said. is to relentlessly pursue the fi ght in Abidjan ahead of their departure yesterday. Ivory Coast is sending for the and United Nations troops. work through judicial and administrative It also detailed the excessive use of against terrorism and drug traffi ck- first time a combat unit of 150 soldiers to Mali to join UN peacekeepers in the Residents of Niono, to the south harassment and restrictive legislation,” police force to prevent the holding of ing” in Mali. tense Timbuktu region. of Nampala, told AFP they had seen its report added. demonstrations and denounced “a litany A Malian military source earlier reinforcements heading towards the Allies of Kenyatta and his deputy Wil- of off ences” — including loosely defi ned said eight soldiers were killed and four AFP, recounting what is a familiar previous Al Qaeda links recently area of Tuesday’s attack. liam Ruto blamed rights groups for their crimes such as treason, unlawful assem- wounded in the attack in the central militant tactic. joined forces to create the “Group to The region where the soldiers were indictment at the International Criminal bly, disobedience of lawful orders and region of Segou. Nampala, a garrison town near the Support Islam and Muslims” (GSIM), killed on Tuesday, Segou, is also rife Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against subversive activities — used to penalise The troops’ vehicle hit a mine and Mauritanian border, has been targeted led by Iyad Ag Ghaly of Ansar Dine, with tensions between ethnic groups humanity during widespread politically- human rights activists in contravention they were then ambushed by the by several militant attacks. and have also killed soldiers further who dispute the use of land for farm- motivated tribal violence that followed of the spirit of the 2010 Constitution group, a Malian security source told Three Malian militant groups with east near the Burkina Faso border. ing and raising cattle. the 2007 polls. which enshrined basic freedoms. Frustration as Burkina Faso trial start sans Compaore

Reuters “This trial belongs to us and But Compaore remains in But many are sceptical. By the early 2000s, however, “The new rulers want to use grow by 6.1% this year, helped by Ouagadougou it is a huge disappointment that neighbouring Ivory Coast where “It’s the same gang who were he was seeking to give his image justice when it serves them but higher gold prices. he (Compaore) is not here,” said he fl ed as the protests gained in power before and they won’t a makeover and rehabilitate his they don’t want to sink their own Yet blackouts and water cuts Tankoana, head of civil society momentum and later acquired make our lives any better,” said relations with the United States. ship,” said International Cri- remain common. n the eve of the trial of group M21. “We want him back Ivorian citizenship. Tiemtore Issa, sitting at the He has denied meddling in the sis Group’s West Africa Analyst Security, meanwhile, has de- Burkina Faso’s ousted with his arms cuff ed.” Abidjan, a staunch Compaore stand where he sells clothing on aff airs of his neighbours. Cynthia Ohayon. teriorated with the spread of an Oleader Blaise Compaore, Like many Burkinabes, Tanko- ally, has declined to extradite the streets of the capital Ouaga- Though he has maintained a Little progress has yet been Islamist insurgency from neigh- many of the people that over- ana is proud of the role he played him. dougou. low profi le in exile, Compaore still made on asset recovery. bouring Mali. threw him in a popular revolt in the poor West African coun- Many key fi gures in Burkina Emblazoned across a nearby looms large over Burkina Faso. “The economy was basically A 2016 Al Qaeda attack on more two years ago are dismayed try’s uprising which cost the lives Faso’s new leadership, includ- wall as a fading reminder of the His spy chief attempted a coup privatised (by Compaore’s en- a hotel in Ouagadougou killed by his absence — just one exam- of 24 protesters and stands as a ing President Roch Marc Kabore, days of revolution a patch of graf- in 2015, a year after Compaore tourage),” said Luc Marius Ibriga, dozens and recent months have ple, they say, of how the new era rare triumph of ordinary Africans were once among Compaore’s fi ti reads: “Blaise get lost!” fl ed, and his political party came head of the anti-corruption body seen an increase in rural attacks has disappointed them. over a loathed and entrenched closest allies, breeding concern Compaore, a protégé of Libyan third in legislative elections later charged with investigating assets claimed by a new home-grown Bullets grazed Marcel Tanko- ruler. that those ties are dampening the leader Muammar Gaddafi , ran that year. of the former government. group called Ansar-ul Islam. ano as he and other activists More than 30 ministers face will to investigate past crimes. afoul of the international com- An investigation into the death “But the cell has not been “Things are ‘mouta mouta’ stormed parliament in October murder charges for allegedly au- National Assembly Vice-Pres- munity during the brutal civil of former president Thomas granted the means to probe,” he here,” said Tankoano, using an 2014, sending MPs dashing for thorising the use of deadly force ident Ouesseni Tamboura rejects wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, Sankara, a popular leader killed said, referring to the unit in his expression in the local Mossi lan- the exits as they prepared to vote against unarmed protesters in the such criticism and said the trial where he was accused of sup- in 1987 during the coup that organisation running the inves- guage meaning “at a standstill”. a measure to allow Compaore to case due to open in Ouagadougou would be a “an important step porting and arming rebels re- brought Compaore to power, has tigation. “This is not why we risked our extend his 27-year-rule. today. towards cohesion”. sponsible for mass atrocities. yet to go to trial. The economy is projected to lives in 2014.” Gulf Times 18 Thursday, May 4, 2017 AMERICAS US moves to Trump meets kids ban ‘lunch shaming’

AFP making the child go through Los Angeles their school day with that.” While two cafeteria workers — “Miss Ortiz and Miss Jack- n some schools, children son” — looked out for him as a are forced to mop cafeteria child and made sure he never Ifl oors. In others, their hot went hungry, he says others meal is taken away and thrown aren’t as fortunate and have to in the trash. suff er through the stigma asso- In extreme cases, students ciated with their social status. are sent home with a stamp “The legislation we passed on their arm that reads “I owe takes the responsibility of the lunch money”. school lunch debt and places Such scenes, worthy of a it squarely on the parents,” Pa- Charles Dickens novel, have dilla said. played out in schools across “It does not allow the school the United States as students to punish the child by shaming whose parents fall behind in them, putting a stamp on their meal payments endure what is arm, having them do menial called “lunch shaming”. work or giving them a lunch The practice gained national that isn’t the same as everyone attention at the start of the else.” school year when a cafeteria According to a 2016 survey worker in Pennsylvania quit by the School Nutrition As- in outrage after having to take sociation, a non-profi t group, away a child’s hot meal. about three quarters of school More recently, the issue re- districts in the United States US President Donald Trump speaks at a school choice event in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. surfaced after the state of New had unpaid student meal debt Mexico passed the fi rst-of-its- at the end of the last school kind legislation banning lunch year. shaming. The amount of money owed Several other states, includ- ranged from a few thousand ing California and Texas, are dollars in some districts to mil- considering similar legislation, lions in larger ones, according hoping to shield needy chil- to the association. dren from becoming pawns in a Schools diff er in their re- quarrel not of their making. sponse to the problem but typi- “The practice is everywhere,” cally they provide a child whose said Jennifer Ramo, executive parents fall behind in payments Trump pushes hard director of New Mexico Ap- a cheese sandwich instead of a pleseed, an anti-poverty group hot meal. that spearheaded the new law In many cases, teachers, caf- in the western state that has eteria workers and community some of the highest child hun- donors step up to pay the fees ger rates in the country. and spare a child from being “We have heard of kids in ostracised. some states standing in line Stacy Koltiska, a mother of in healthcare battle with their tray of hot food and three who worked in a cafete- then they reach the cashier and ria at an elementary school in The president is canvassing said Trump has endorsed their vote before a two-week recess in an earlier rollback eff ort. income-based tax credits for fl at fi nd out they don’t have enough Pennsylvania for three years, hard with legislators to get plan to add $8bn over fi ve years April. “There is not a problem,” Ryan age-based credits. money on their account,” Ramo quit her job in September after the bill passed to help cover the cost for people Republicans are now hoping said in an interview on the Hugh An amendment recently added. “So the food is liter- being forced to deny a hot meal with pre-existing illnesses who to get something passed before Hewitt radio show, adding that added to win over the Freedom ally thrown away and the child to a fi rst grader during the fi rst Reuters could otherwise be priced out of they leave for another recess on Mark Meadows, chairman of the Caucus lets states opt out of is given a cheese sandwich or week of school. Washington insurance markets. Thursday evening. conservative House Freedom Obamacare’s mandate that in- nothing.” “I made him cry because I Representative Fred Upton Health insurers such as An- Caucus, was aware of the eff ort. surers charge sick and healthy By “shaming” the kids, she literally took away the chicken said it now seemed likely the bill them Inc, UnitedHealth Group, Asked when the House would people the same rates. said, school offi cials believe I had just served him and threw n a possible breakthrough for would pass the House, although a Aetna Inc and Cigna Corp have vote on a fi nal version of a bill, But yesterday’s amendment parents will be spurred to pay it in the trash since he owed a US Republicans’ chaotic ef- moderate colleague, Representa- faced months of uncertainty Ryan said: “We’re getting ex- from Upton aimed to assuage the outstanding lunch bill. balance and I gave him a cheese Ifort to roll back Obamacare, tive Billy Long, said Republicans over the future of the country’s tremely close.” moderates’ concerns about that Michael Padilla, a New Mexi- sandwich,” she told AFP. “His three moderate lawmakers still seemed short of the votes healthcare system. Long said he had opposed the by providing a way for people co state senator who sponsored little eyes welled up with tears emerged from a White House needed. Millions more Americans legislation until the pre-existing with pre-existing conditions to the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill and I’m like, ‘I can’t do this. meeting with President Donald “There’s still work to be done got healthcare coverage under conditions were covered and get fi nancial help to aff ord in- of Rights adopted last month, This is ridiculous.’” Trump yesterday and said a re- on the votes,” he said. Obamacare, which was passed in he had resisted Trump’s arm- surance. said he was driven to act given In her resignation letter, vised bill might pass. But pitfalls Aides said Trump has been 2010, but Republicans have long twisting. Long said he now sup- Others said the $8bn over fi ve his own background growing which made headlines, Koltiska still lay ahead. working the phones furiously in sought to overturn it, seeing it as ported it. years was not enough. up in poverty. said she could no longer “work Keen to score his fi rst major an eff ort to drum up support and government overreach and com- “The president said, ‘Billy Drawing more public atten- “When I was a kid, I had to for an institution that would legislative win since taking of- score a victory on one of his key plaining it drives up costs. we really need you, man,’” he tion to the debate in Washington, mop the school cafeteria fl oors withhold food and humiliate a fi ce in January, Trump has been priorities, which is to overhaul House Democrats rejected the added. Even if the bill passes the late night talk show host Jimmy and put the tables and chairs child over $2.05”. personally engaged this week in Democratic former president latest proposed change to the House, it faces an uphill battle Kimmel tearfully revealed on down and up again and work in “I mean how do you ex- trying to cement support among Barack Obama’s signature do- Republican legislation yester- in the Senate. The nonpartisan Monday evening that his new- the kitchen,” he told AFP. pect kids to go all day, focus, fellow Republicans in the House mestic legislation. day, saying it appears to protect Congressional Budget Offi ce es- born son had a congenital heart “But then fast-forward concentrate, do well in school of Representatives for an eff ort The eff ort to push through a patients with pre-existing con- timated an earlier version of the condition, saying it brought 30 years later, I come to fi nd for eight hours without being that has twice before collapsed in healthcare bill is showing Trump ditions, but some could still be bill would leave 24mn more peo- home to him the importance of out that in Alabama they are fed?” she told AFP. “We feed confusion. the challenge of placating vari- pushed off their insurance in cer- ple without insurance in 2026. health coverage for people with stamping on a child’s arm ‘I prisoners three times a day and The bill has been changed sev- ous Republican factions. tain states and face higher costs. Called the American Health such pre-existing illnesses. don’t have lunch money’ and we can’t feed our children.” eral times as Republican leaders An initial attempt foundered “This is deadly,” House Demo- Care Act, the Republican bill re- Kimmel’s monologue had try to balance demands by con- in the House and was withdrawn cratic Leader Nancy Pelosi told a peals most Obamacare taxes, in- been viewed nearly 17mn times servatives seeking a maximum by Republican leaders in March, news conference.”No band-aid cluding a penalty for not buying on his show’s Facebook page rollback of the Aff ordable Care a defeat that cast a shadow over will fi x it.” health insurance. and was the No 1 trending story Act with the concerns of moder- Trump’s fi rst 100 days in offi ce. House Speaker Paul Ryan said It slashes funding for Medic- on YouTube, viewed more than ates worried about angering vot- Republicans renewed nego- Upton’s proposed changes were aid, the programme to provide 9.2mn times. Nominee for China ers who value parts of it. tiations last month at the White uncontroversial and were un- insurance for the poor, and rolls It was shared nearly 258,000 The moderates, speaking to re- House’s urging, but failed to likely to alienate more hard-line back much of its expansion, times on his personal page. envoy vows fi rm line porters outside the White House, round up enough support for a conservatives, who had blocked while swapping Obamacare’s

Reuters resolutions and, referring to Washington the possibility of secondary US sanctions, said China op- posed other countries using No federal charges for Louisiana resident Donald Trump’s their law to sanction others or nominee for ambassador to harm Chinese interests. Pto China promised on Chinese President Xi Jinping Tuesday to take a fi rm line with has called Branstad, 70, an “old Beijing on issues from North friend” after decades of deal- offi cers in shooting of black man Korea to trade disputes and hu- ings on agricultural trade. man rights, and seemed poised But the Republican gover- for an easy confi rmation by the nor insisted he would take on Reuters cially charged killings. State au- nouncement, has asked for calm. US Senate. diffi cult issues complicating Baton Rouge thorities could still bring their The Sterling case added fuel Iowa Governor Terry Brans- Washington’s relationship with own criminal case against the to criticism from activists, in- tad said he would use his dec- its largest trading partner and officers, Blane Salamoni and cluding the Black Lives Matter ades of experience with China major creditor. wo white offi cers will not Howie Lake. movement, that police routinely to press Beijing to do more to “The fact that the leader of face federal charges in the That decision falls to Louisi- use excessive force against mi- encourage North Korea to curb China calls us an old friend, Tfatal shooting of a Louisi- ana Attorney General Jeff Lan- norities. its nuclear ambitions. doesn’t mean that I’m going ana black man that sparked na- dry, a Republican, after the local Sterling was killed on July 5, “There’s other things they to be at all reluctant or bash- tionwide protests last year, US district attorney recused himself 2016, outside a convenience store can do diplomatically and eco- ful of bringing up issues...be offi cials said yesterday. because of personal ties to the of- where he sold CDs. nomically to send a clear signal it human rights or intellectual US Attorney Corey Amundson fi cers. The offi cers involved told fed- that they, as well as the United property rights,” Branstad told said at a news conference that Landry has said he was wait- eral investigators that Sterling States and other countries in the Senate Foreign Relations investigators concluded after an ing for the federal inquiry to resisted them and was attempt- the world, do not tolerate this Committee. exhaustive 10-month review that conclude so he could review the ing to pull a loaded gun out of his expansion of nuclear technolo- Committee members ex- there was “insuffi cient evidence” Justice Department’s investiga- pocket at the time he was shot, gy and missiles,” Branstad said pressed few concerns about to charge the offi cers in the death tive material before deciding how according to a detailed summary at his confi rmation hearing. Branstad, signalling he likely of Alton Sterling, 37. to proceed. of the investigation released by Pressed, Branstad said “there will be confi rmed easily. They Sterling’s shooting, which was Alton Sterling’s supporters during a vigil at the Triple S Food Mart The city, the state capital of the Justice Department yester- may well be” a role for meas- had tough words for China. captured on video by bystanders, after the Justice Department announced they will not charge police Louisiana, was preparing for day. ures such as imposing second- Senator Bob Corker, the prompted widespread demonstra- off icers in his shooting. possible protests. Various videos of the incident ary sanctions on Chinese banks panel’s Republican chairman, tions amid a fi erce debate over po- Three women were arrested at were inconclusive, making it or other entities that violated blasted China’s actions in the lice treatment of minorities. The news conferences took 2015 shooting of an unarmed a protest on a city highway late impossible to prove the offi cers’ UN South China Sea, and “cyber In a separate news confer- place simultaneously, minutes black man and a Texas offi cer was on Tuesday night, though a vigil account was untrue, the depart- Security Council resolutions theft of intellectual property.” ence, a lawyer for members of after Amundson and other offi - fi red for shooting an unarmed at the scene where Sterling was ment said. by doing business with North He warned against focusing on Sterling’s family said US offi - cials fi nished a lengthy meeting 15-year-old boy on Saturday. killed was peaceful. “The evidence simply cannot Korea. He off ered few specifi cs. short-term goals at the expense cials had told them they agreed with Sterling’s relatives to ex- The rapid developments were Governor John Bel Edwards, establish beyond a reasonable In Beijing, Chinese Foreign of long-term US interests. that the offi cers’ actions were plain their decision. likely to intensify scrutiny of who was expected to hold his doubt the position of Sterling’s Ministry spokesman Geng Sh- “There’s no country in the “outrageous” and “inappro- Yesterday’s events came a day how Republican President Don- own news conference with city right hand at the exact time of uang reiterated that China was world that we have so many is- priate” despite the determina- after a white former South Caro- ald Trump’s administration offi cials immediately following the shooting,” the department serious about enforcing UN sues with,” Corker said. tion not to prosecute. lina offi cer pleaded guilty in the holds police accountable for ra- the Justice Department’s an- said in its statement. Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 19 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

ACCIDENT ON TRACK TOUGH LAWS GEM BOOTY RARE STRIKE 12 dead in tunnel blast in $10,000 train ticket woos Thai may get 150-year jail Myanmar scavengers try to Komodo dragon attacks southwest China well-heeled Japanese sentence for lese majeste grab huge jade boulder tourist at nature park

Twelve workers died following an explosion in A Japanese railway company has launched a new A Thai human rights lawyer could be sentenced Police are hunting five gem scavengers A tourist from Singapore was injured after he was a high-speed rail tunnel in southwestern China, luxury sleeper train with sky views, bathtubs and to a maximum 150 years in prison after he who discovered a huge jade boulder at a attacked by a Komodo dragon at an Indonesian state media said yesterday, after rescuers dark wood interiors, joining the race for well- was charged with a record ten counts of royal mine in northern Myanmar after a national park yesterday. The 50-year-old was spent over 14 hours searching the rubble for heeled tourists. The top suite on the 10-car ‘Train defamation, a rights group said yesterday. senior regulatory off icial accused them filming a group of Komodos eating at the Komodo survivors. The blast occurred after gas filled the Suite Shiki-shima’ sells for $10,000 per person Prawet Prapanukul was detained by soldiers of leading an attempt to steal it. The National Park in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara tunnel, which was being bored in the province for a four-day trip from Tokyo to Hokkaido, East and police at his Bangkok home on Saturday. prospectors found the 8.7 ton block of the province when one of the animals attacked him, the of Guizhou, leaving 12 injured and 12 trapped, Japan Railway Co said. The train, which left with Activists called for the release of the 57-year- precious stone last week in a mine at Hpakant Viva.co news portal reported. He suff ered serious according to the off icial Xinhua news agency. 33 passengers on its maiden voyage from Tokyo old as authorities refused to disclose his in Kachin State, where they normally work injuries to his left leg and was flown by helicopter Over 2,000 rescue workers searched the tunnel last week, features traditional tatami rice straw whereabouts or the charges he faced. But at night picking through the scraps left by to hospital. Residents had reportedly warned for survivors before ending the operation at mats and bathtubs made from hiroki cypress yesterday, he appeared in court charged with the owners. They later returned with around him not to stray too close to the giant lizards. “He 4.45am yesterday, it said. The cause of the wood in its executive suites. Glass ceilings and ten counts of royal defamation and a separate 10,000 other people and tried to move the was too busy filming and didn’t pay attention to accident is under investigation, the report said, walls are built into two observatory coaches at charge of sedition. “He was charged with ten huge rock to a nearby school compound his surrounding,” the park’s director was quoted adding that the tunnel was designed to pass the front and rear of the train for the passengers counts of 112 and for 116,” Anon Numpa, from but were stopped by the company that owns as saying. Komodo dragons are known to be through a coal seam. to watch the scenery pass by. Thai Lawyers from Human Rights, told AFP. the site, Taut Pa Kyal. aggressive, but fatal attacks on humans are rare. China urges Bun fun! ‘cooling off ’ in N Korea standoff

Reuters Jinping urged all sides to exercise restraint and Beijing return to the correct path of talks as soon as possible, state radio reported. The US military’s THAAD anti-missile de- hina yesterday called on all parties in the fence system has reached initial operational ca- Korean standoff to stay calm and “stop pacity in South Korea, US offi cials told Reuters, Cirritating each other” a day after North although they cautioned that it would not be Korea said the United States was pushing the fully operational for some months. region to the brink of nuclear war. China has repeatedly expressed its opposi- The United States has urged China, reclusive tion to the system, whose powerful radar it North Korea’s lone major ally, to do more to fears could reach inside Chinese territory, just rein in its neighbour’s nuclear and missile pro- as Trump has praised Chinese President Xi Jin- grammes which have prompted an assertive re- ping for his eff orts to rein in North Korea. sponse from the Trump administration, warn- It was widely feared North Korea could con- ing that the “era of strategic patience” is over. duct a nuclear test on or around April 15 to cele- The United States has sent a nuclear-pow- brate the anniversary of the birth of the North’s ered aircraft carrier to Korean waters and a pair founding leader, Kim Il-sung, or on April 25, of strategic US bombers fl ew training drills the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its A girl stands above the crowd with the support of an elaborate rig of hidden metal rods, dressed in traditional Chinese costume during the with the South Korean and Japanese air forces Korean People’s Army. Bun Festival parade at Cheung Chau island in Hong Kong yesterday. in another show of strength this week. The North has conducted such tests or mis- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng sile launches to mark signifi cant events in the Shuang, asked about the bomber fl ights, the past. drills and North Korea’s response, stressed that Instead, North Korea held a big military pa- the situation was “highly complex” and sensi- rade featuring a display of missiles on April 15 tive. and then a large, live-fi re artillery drill 10 days “The urgent task is to lower temperatures later. and resume talks,” he told reporters. Trump warned in an interview with Reuters on Thursday that a “major, major confl ict” with Australia set to review rule “We again urge all relevant parties to remain calm and exercise restraint, stop irritating each North Korea was possible, while China said last other, work hard to create an atmosphere for week the situation on the Korean peninsula contact and dialogue between all sides, and could escalate or slip out of control. seek a return to the correct path of dialogue and Trump has stepped up outreach to allies in Asia to secure their cooperation to pressure on millionaire migrants negotiation as soon as possible.” The fl ight of the two bombers came as US North Korea, and over the weekend he spoke President Donald Trump raised eyebrows when with the leaders of Thailand, Singapore and the Reuters for attaining citizenship. he said. “I don’t think that is un- in small-cap and venture capital he said he would be “honoured” to meet North Philippines in separate phone calls. Sydney Nearly 90% of applicants for fair.” funds while barring them from Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the right cir- The US ambassador to Indonesia, Joseph R the Signifi cant Investor Visas are Australia has seen the rise of direct property investment — a cumstances, and as his CIA director landed in Donovan, told reporters Indonesia was among Chinese who need to bring in a nationalist, anti-immigration move that many immigration law- South Korea for talks. several countries that the United States was ustralia will this year re- minimum A$5mn ($3.75mn) to be- politics with far-right wing par- yers say has led to fading appeal North Korea said the bombers conducted “a urging take a “fresh look” at their North Korea view visa rules for wealthy come eligible for Australian resi- ties such as One Nation garner- for the visa. nuclear bomb dropping drill against major ob- ties. Awould-be migrants, mostly dency. ing strong public support, while Hawke emphasised the govern- jects” in its territory at a time when Trump and He declined to go into details of what action Chinese, a government offi cial “The programme has to be de- the popularity of Prime Minister ment was committed to the pro- “other US warmongers are crying out for mak- the United States wanted, but said: “We are said yesterday, as the country signed to meet the Australian Malcolm Turnbull’s ruling centre- gramme, responding to a question ing a preemptive nuclear strike” on the North. hoping that countries will look at what they tightens requirements for grant- economy’s needs. You will have right government has been lan- about rumours in China that Aus- “The reckless military provocation is push- can be doing to bring North Korea around to ing residency rights. the opportunity to directly have a guishing. tralia was looking to scrap the visa. ing the situation on the Korean peninsula closer meaningful steps to end its nuclear and missile He did not elaborate on the say in the review and your feed- Many Chinese millionaires seek Immigration is a sensitive is- to the brink of nuclear war,” the North’s offi cial programmes.” changes under review but hinted back will be considered by the to move to Australia for a better sue in Australia which maintains KCNA news agency said on Tuesday. Trump’s calls to the Asian leaders came after at the need to be profi cient in Eng- department,” Assistant Immigra- lifestyle, although some may also a strict policy of not allowing asy- Tension on the Korean peninsula has been North Korea test-launched a missile that ap- lish. tion Minister Alex Hawke said at seek to avoid a sweeping corrup- lum seekers who try to reach the high for weeks, driven by concern that the peared to have failed within minutes, its fourth The announcement comes only a Chinese in Australia seminar in tion crackdown in China that is country by boat to settle there, North might conduct its sixth nuclear test in successive failed launch since March. days after Australia axed a tempo- Sydney. prompting many wealthy Chinese instead detaining them in con- defi ance of UN Security Council resolutions. It has conducted two nuclear tests and a se- rary work visa popular with for- “The expectation from the to move their money. troversial camps on Nauru and in In a telephone call with his Philippine coun- ries of missile-related activities at an unprec- eigners, replacing it with a tough- Australian community is that mi- Australia tightened SIV rules in Papua New Guinea. terpart Rodrigo Duterte, Chinese President Xi edented pace since the beginning of last year. er programme, and raised the bar grants have competent English,” 2015 requiring applicants to invest

New Zealand watchdog rejects massive media merger Abe hopes for reform of

AFP ning New Zealand’s most popular news Fairfax Media staff strike for a week over job cuts pacifi st charter by 2020 Wellington website stuff .co.nz. NZME owns the New Zealand Herald, Staff at Australia’s Fairfax Media ing, while his colleague Judith Ireland which has the second largest news website, walked off the job for a week yester- said: “Quality journalism needs actual Reuters not make any mention of the force. merger of New Zealand’s two largest and a string of radio stations. day in protest at more hefty job cuts journalists to do the journalism.” Tokyo “By making explicit the status media companies was rejected yes- Fairfax Media’s Sydney-based chief ex- as the leading publisher struggles to Fairfax, which also publishes the of the SDF in the constitution, we Aterday as the country’s competition ecutive Greg Hywood said the NZCC had cope with slumping revenues. Australian Financial Review, has should leave no room for contend- watchdog warned it would create a domi- “failed New Zealand” by stopping two local The strike action by journalists, already shed hundreds of staff and apanese Prime Minister Shinzo ing that the SDF may be unconsti- nant news giant and threaten democracy. companies from aggressively competing including those from the Sydney restructured its operations in recent Abe said yesterday he hoped the tutional,” he said in the video, aired NZME and Fairfax Media NZ signed a on their home soil against the big internet Morning Herald and The Melbourne years to be more digital-focused as Jfi rst-ever change to the coun- by Japanese television broadcasters. merger agreement last September, hoping companies. Age, followed an announcement that the internet and new publishers such try’s 70-year-old pacifi st constitu- “I strongly hope to make 2020 it would boost their ability to compete with “This decision does nothing to address Fairfax will cut another 125 editorial as Google disrupt its business model. tion would be enacted by 2020, and the year in which a new constitu- global online giants such as Facebook and the challenge of the global search and social jobs — a quarter of its newsroom — as The group’s editorial director Sean that it would enshrine the status of tion takes eff ect,” Abe added. It was Google. giants, which produce no local journalism, part of a restructure to save money. Aylmer announced the fresh staff the military. his fi rst public mention of a date. The combined entity would control al- employ very few New Zealanders and pay “On strike for a week,” tweeted cuts yesterday morning, while also Under the constitution’s Article Voters are divided over his cam- most 90% of New Zealand’s print media minimal, if any, local taxes,” he said in a Herald chief political correspondent flagging plans to radically scale back Nine, Japan forever renounced its paign to revise the constitution, and reach an audience of 3.7mn — more than statement. James Massola after a stop-work meet- its use of freelancers. right to wage war and banned main- against a backdrop of growing ten- 80% of the population — New Zealand’s He also warned the company, which has tenance of a military, though suc- sion in the region, particularly over Commerce Commission (NZCC) said. already slashed jobs, would now have to cessive governments have interpret- North Korea, according to a poll re- It stood by a preliminary decision issued look at more “cost effi ciencies”. ed it to allow a military exclusively leased yesterday. in November to boycott the move, saying “Further publishing frequency changes for self-defence. Japanese troops A Nikkei Inc/TV Tokyo survey such concentrated media ownership was (of newspapers) and consolidation of titles have taken part in international showed support growing for Abe’s unprecedented in modern times. is an inevitability.” peace-keeping operations, as well as push to revise a charter written “This level of infl uence over the news The Commerce Commission said a a non-combat reconstruction mis- by the United States after Japan’s and political agenda by a single media or- merger “could expand the lifespan of some sion in Iraq from 2004 to 2006. defeat in World War II and never ganisation creates a risk of causing harm to newspapers” but the future for both com- Abe, in a video message to a gath- amended. About 46% of respond- New Zealand’s democracy and to the New panies was digital anyway. ering celebrating the anniversary of ents favoured keeping the constitu- Zealand public,” the anti-trust regulator “In our view, without the merger NZME the enactment of the charter, pro- tion as it is, four percentage points said. and Fairfax will be increasingly focused on posed making explicit reference to lower than a similar poll last year. Australian-owned Fairfax NZ publishes their online businesses as their print prod- Staff at the Fairfax group newspaper The Age walk out in protest yester- the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) in The number favouring a change titles such as Wellington’s Dominion Post ucts diminish in number and comprehen- day after the company announced staff cuts in Melbourne. the constitution. stood at 45%, up fi ve percentage and the Christchurch Press, as well as run- siveness over time,” it said. The document currently does points from a year ago. Gulf Times 20 Thursday, May 4, 2017 BRITAIN Abandon school funding shake-up, Tories tell premier

London Evening Standard servatives are lining up to urge the 1922 Committee, wants the gov- mula was published that it could Appealing to May, he said: there yet. The deprivation factor refl ect these representations.” London prime minister to abandon the ernment to signal changes “in the not work in that form. “When people say there are needs to be better targeted and Geoff rey Clifton-Brown (Cots- government’s school funding re- near future”. He told the Stand- “These were proposals for con- structural problems with the properly applied.” wolds) said: “The absolute mini- forms before voters go to the polls. ard: “Historically, school funding sultation — I look forward to see- fairer funding formula as it cur- Former culture minister Ed mum in the manifesto should be heresa May yesterday faced Some of the Tories want a clear across the country has been un- ing revised proposals in the near rently stands, then please do Vaizey (Wantage) said: “There are that no school loses out in cash the fi rst Tory uprising of promise of a rethink in the party’s equal. future.” what you are good at which is alternative proposals which the terms.” Tthe general election with election manifesto, which is ex- “It is quite right that the gov- Ex-deputy Commons speaker correcting it. If she can’t correct government needs to look at.” Bob Stewart (Beckenham) said: calls to tear up proposed school pected to be published within ernment is seeking to address this Nigel Evans voiced the concerns it, junk it.” Ex-transport minister Stephen “I hope there’s something in the funding changes, which have days. with a more consistent approach of many of his colleagues over the Laurence Robertson — Tewkes- Hammond (Wimbledon) said: manifesto that addresses the sparked fury. Graham Brady, who has rep- to school funding according to shake-up, which will see thou- bury MP before parliament was “Many London MPs including problem that is perceived by peo- An Evening Standard investi- resented backbench Tory MPs need. But it has been obvious sands of schools lose funding, as dissolved yesterday — said: “The myself have made representa- ple in regards to school funding gation revealed that senior Con- as the powerful chairman of the since very soon after the draft for- thousands of others gain. government has not quite got tions. I hope the manifesto will and I’m sure there will be.”

Fight on family rights of EU citizens looms A major clash over the unre- stricted right of EU citizens living in Britain to continue to bring spouses and other immediate family to live with them in the UK May claims after Brexit is expected after the publication of the off icial negotia- tion guidelines. The EU’s guidelines state that any reciprocal deal on the rights of EU citizens in the UK must also cover “their family members who EU seeking to accompany them or join them at any point in time before or after the withdrawal date”. But this is likely to be challenged by Theresa May, who as home secretary, sharply restricted the ability of UK citizens to bring non- aff ect result of European spouses into Britain in 2012 by requiring them to meet a minimum income threshold of £18,600 a year before their spouse could join them. Conservative ministers have repeatedly said they want to ex- British polls tend the income threshold and in- troduce an English language test Reuters sip and on Tuesday repeated her pre-election PR gift, does anyone for the non-European spouses of London promise to be a “bloody diffi cult really expect her not to play it for EU citizens living in Britain. woman” in talks with Juncker, as all she can?” he said on Twitter. The UK court of appeal upheld brinkmanship between the two “They’ll hope this story runs and the legality of May’s policy in rime Minister Theresa May sides increased ahead of the nego- runs.” February while acknowledging yesterday accused Europe- tiations. Earlier yesterday Brexit min- that its impact was “particularly Pan politicians and offi cials A senior politician from the ister David Davis and Finance harsh” and led to tens of thou- of seeking to aff ect the outcome of opposition Labour Party warned Minister Philip Hammond kicked sands of families being separated. the June 8 national election by is- May was increasing the chance of off the formal election campaign Saira Grant, chief executive of the suing threats over Brexit. not getting a deal by accusing EU with a poster predicting a tax Joint Council for the Welfare of May, whose Conservative Party politicians of trying to meddle in a “bombshell” if Labour won and Immigrants, said: “It is unsurpris- has a double-digit lead over the British election. a warning Britain could not risk ing that the European Union will main opposition Labour Party “By picking a needless fi ght “unleashing economic chaos” at not countenance having its own in the polls, has framed the early with our European partners in this such an important time for the citizens’ right to a family life being election as an opportunity to way, the prime minister is mak- economy. treated the same way as the UK strengthen her hand in upcoming ing a good deal with Brussels less A poll by research fi rm Kantar government currently treats negotiations on Britain’s exit from likely, and a chaotic Brexit with yesterday put the Conservatives British citizens. “Our family migra- the European Union. no agreement at all more likely,” on 48%, up two percentage points tion rules mean that UK citizens Speaking in front of her Down- Chuka Umunna said in a state- on a week earlier, while support and residents face huge, often ing Street offi ce after visiting ment. for Labour was unchanged at 24%. insurmountable obstacles, to Queen Elizabeth to mark the dis- But Rupert Harrison, an ad- May said reaching the best bringing their spouses and loved solution of parliament, the formal viser to former fi nance minister Brexit deal with Brussels would ones to live with them in the UK. start of the election campaign, George Osborne until last year’s be the overriding task for whoever Young children are frequently May said there were some in Brus- Brexit referendum, said the Ger- wins the June 8 election and urged separated from a parent, causing sels who did not want to see Brexit man report had played into May’s voters to give her their backing to lasting psychological trauma, and talks succeed. hands as her team wanted to make “fi ght for Britain”. She said that elderly relatives are forced to live Over the weekend a German the election all about giving her while Britain wanted to reach a alone abroad, with their children newspaper gave a damning ac- a strong mandate for the Brexit deal with the EU, that view was unable to care for them here. This count of a dinner last week be- talks. not shared by everyone in Brus- is a wake-up call to the govern- tween May and European Com- “When Juncker gives May a sels. ment to take urgent action to mission president Jean-Claude create a fairer system for all.” Juncker, reporting that he had Tory ministers have long told May that Brexit could not be Will not pay 100bn euros for Brexit: minister bridled at the fact that the EU’s a success. freedom of movement rules have “Britain’s negotiating position Britain will not pay the 100bn but he accused the European prevented them from extending in Europe has been misrepresent- euros that the European Union Union of playing “rough and the family migration rule to EU ed in the continental press, the is reportedly demanding as a tough.” “We have said we citizens living in Britain. European Commission’s negoti- final settlement for Brexit, a will meet our international The inclusion of family immigra- ating stance has hardened, threats senior minister said yesterday. obligations, but there will be tion rights in the Brexit negotiat- against Britain have been issued The government will meet its our international obligations ing guidelines by the European by European politicians and offi - legal obligations for payment, including assets and commission is no accident. It has cials,” May said. “not just what the EU wants,” liabilities and there will be the been pushed vigorously by the “All of these acts have been de- Brexit Secretary David Davis ones that are correct in law, not European parliament, which sees liberately timed to aff ect the result told broadcaster ITV after the just the ones the (European) it as its responsibility to preserve of the general election.” Financial Times and other media Commission want,” he told the all existing rights for EU citizens There was no immediate EU reported the new demand. Davis broadcaster. Previous reports had living in Britain even if those comment on her accusations. said Britain had “not seen any estimated the EU’s final bill for rights clash with UK law. Prime Minister Theresa May arrives outside 10 Downing Street in central London yesterday after May has dismissed the German number” for the final Brexit bill, Brexit at some 60 billion euros. returning from Buckingham Palace where she met Queen Elizabeth II. newspaper report as Brussels gos- Ex-Sun editor’s Corbyn Labour will raise comments spark disgust taxes, says Hammond London Evening Standard bott gave a stumbling perform- London ance on LBC radio on how Labour Guardian News and Media light of Jo Cox murder mine is in The dust has yet to settle on would fund 10,000 more police London tol (sic) poor taste.” the controversy over MacKen- offi cers, at one stage suggesting MacKenzie, 70, was referring to zie’s remarks about Barkley. In the hilip Hammond went on the the scheme would cost £300,000 the murder of Jo Cox, Labour MP column, MacKenzie claimed he attack yesterday over La- — which would mean them getting he Sun’s suspended col- Batley and Spen, at the hands of a was not surprised the midfi elder, Pbour’s economic credibility an annual salary of £30. umnist and former editor, far-right terrorist in June 2016. whose grandfather is Nigerian, after Diane Abbott’s disastrous in- Shadow chancellor John Mc- TKelvin MacKenzie, could be MacKenzie was suspended was punched in a nightclub be- terview on police funding. Donnell, yesterday sought to re- reported to the police for inciting from the Sun last month after he cause he was similar to an animal The chancellor claimed that store Labour’s economic standing hatred and violence towards Jer- compared the mixed-race Everton in a zoo. MacKenzie said he had giving Jeremy Corbyn the keys after her blunder. emy Corbyn, Labour sources have footballer Ross Barkley to a gorilla been unaware of Barkley’s herit- to No 10 would be “a chaotic and He stressed that he had a rep- said, after he joked about the party in his column. Labour sources ex- age and that to describe the article high risk gamble” that would lead utation as a “hard-nosed bu- leader being “knifed to death”. pressed outrage at the comments as racist was “beyond parody”. The to higher taxes, more borrowing reaucrat” and that he would be In a recent interview with the and suggested he might have com- Sun apologised. and more debt. The Tories pub- deciding spending in Labour’s New York Times, MacKenzie re- mitted a criminal off ence. Liverpool football club banned lished a new document which al- manifesto and how it will be fi - portedly said: “I think the fake “MacKenzie’s disgusting lan- Sun reporters from matches at leged that there was a £45bn black nanced. He also denounced as news headline that would give this guage incites violence and hatred Anfi eld and press conferences at hole in Labour’s economic plans “absolute lies” the Tory claim of a country the most joy would be: and makes him unfi t to work for Melwood in February owing to the which would detonate a tax and £45bn black hole. ‘Jeremy Corbyn knifed to death by any media outlet,” a source close to paper’s coverage of the Hillsbor- debt “bombshell” if the party took He stressed that the police pol- an asylum seeker’.” Corbyn said. “This sort of disgust- ough disaster. power. icy, costing up to £300mn a year, The New York Times corre- ing language should not be tolerat- MacKenzie oversaw the publi- Labour dismissed the allegation would be fully funded by reversing spondent behind the interview, ed by anyone in the media, politics cation of the notorious The Truth as “absolute lies”. planned cuts in capital gains tax. Katrin Bennhold, reveals in the ar- or any walk of life. front page, which claimed Liver- But Hammond said: “ Corbyn “Let me give this assurance to ticle that MacKenzie sent her a text “We saw last year how over- pool fans had picked the pockets of off ers a chaotic and high risk gam- everyone. I’m the person who will message urging her to tone down heated language in politics led to dead supporters and urinated on ble that would lead to higher taxes, determine, fi rst of all, the levels of the quote. the murder of Jo Cox. Kelvin Mac- police. Those claims were found more borrowing and more debt.” expenditure on each item that will She wrote: “The next morning, I kenzie could fi nd himself reported to be baseless at the Hillsborough The Tories are seeking to stress be committed to in the manifesto,” got a text message from MacKen- to the police for inciting hatred inquests, which recorded that the that the election is a choice be- he told BBC radio. zie: “Hi Katrin, Can you change and violence against the leader of 96 fans were unlawfully killed tween Theresa May and Corbyn, “I’m the person who will be that perfect headline from ‘Jeremy the opposition.” and that the Liverpool supporters while Labour has sought to shift identifying the funding source.” Corbyn knifed to death by asylum A Sun executive told the Guard- who attended the FA Cup semi- Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond and secretary the debate onto policy issues. McDonnell said middle and low seeker’ to ‘Jeremy Corbyn de- ian he found MacKenzie’s com- fi nal played no role in causing the of state for exiting the EU, David Davis, stand in front of a Tory But this backfi red on Tuesday earners would be protected from frauded by asylum seeker.’ In the ments “disgusting”. tragedy. campaign poster in London yesterday. when shadow home secretary Ab- tax rises under Labour. Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 21 BRITAIN

CURRENCY POLLUTION CRIME ART OFFICIAL Royal Mint admits faulty Ministers urged not to go New suspect hunted Over-50s shortlisted Prince Harry to visit £1 coins are in circulation soft on deterring fumes over woman’s murder for Turner Prize Sydney next month

Some new £1 coins – introduced into circula- Ministers were yesterday warned against backing Detectives are hunting a second man in connec- Two artists aged over 50 were yesterday Harry will visit Sydney next month to attend events tion last month as the “most secure coin in away from “deterrents” to stop cars belching out tion with the murder of an 80-year-old grand- nominated for this year’s Turner Prize, after to celebrate the hosting of the 2018 Invictus Games, the world” – may be defective, the Royal Mint filthy fumes being driven into toxic air blackspots. mother found strangled to death on an allotment the age limits were lifted for Britain’s most it was announced yesterday. “Looking forward to has admitted. It said that a “small number of The government is to publish its draft air quality in north London. Scotland Yard yesterday named prestigious yet controversial visual art award. giving Prince Harry an great Aussie welcome to coins” were affected when they were struck at plan within days. It is expected to tell town halls Ghanaian national Mubarick Duat as “wanted and Lubaina Himid, 62, and Hurvin Anderson, 52, Sydney next month...” Invictus Sydney, an organiser, a rapid rate during production. The Royal Mint to explore all other options on air pollution before violent” and urged people to call 999 if he is spot- were joined by 45-year-old Andrea Buettner said on Twitter. The Invictus Games were founded is striking 1.5bn new 12-sided £1 coins, intro- imposing new levies on motorists. But environ- ted. Lea Adri-Soejoko, who was strangled with the and Rosalind Nashashibi, 43, on the shortlist by Harry in 2015. It is an international sporting duced to help crack down on counterfeiting. mental law firm ClientEarth, which has already de- cord of her anorak and the cable of a lawnmower, announced at the Tate Britain gallery in Lon- competition for wounded, injured and sick service Out of shape versions of the coin, considered feated the Government three times in court over was discovered in a lock-up store at the Colindale don. First presented in 1984, the award set an members. It will be held at Sydney Olympic Park collectors’ items, are appearing on Internet auc- its failures to cut nitrogen dioxide levels, warned allotment on February 28. She was secretary of upper age limit of 50 in 1991 but the rule was and Sydney Harbour region in October 2018. Ac- tion sites. A spokeswoman for the Royal Mint ministers against publishing another flawed plan. the Colindale Allotment Garden Association and lifted this year to recognise that artists can cording to a statement from Kensington Palace, said: “We have tight quality controls in place, Lawyer Anna Heslop urged the government to had failed to appear for a meeting the previous peak at any age, the prize jury said. This year’s Harry will first travel to Singapore to play polo at however variances will always occur in a small introduce “ambitious measures” to deal with toxic evening. A 40-year-old man was charged in nominees mark a return to more traditional art his Sentebale charity that helps children living number of coins.” air “in the shortest time possible”. March with the murder of Adri-Soejoko. forms. with HIV in southern Africa.

Catherine joins schoolchildren at the farm Man who fought bereavement benefi t cuts dies

Guardian News and Media work, but she said that families London in this situation had “suffered a life trauma” and needed sup- port. Altman argued that state- terminally ill man who ments from Princes Harry and revealed that his fam- William had underlined the im- A ily would lose more than pact that losing a parent could £50,000 if he survived beyond have on children long beyond midnight on April 5 has died the 18 months that the benefit just weeks after the govern- will cover. ment changed the rules for be- Speaking to the Guardian reavement benefits. days before the change took Alan used an emotional in- place, Alan – who was using a terview in the Guardian to pseudonym to protect his fam- speak out about “callous and ily – said: “My death, on or brutal” cuts that dramati- before Thursday, changes my cally reduced the amount of family’s well-being to the tune financial support available for of tens of thousands. It is ut- his wife and children. Instead terly unbelievable.” of receiving tens of thou- The father and businessman, sands over a decade, the fam- who was forced to give up work ily are now entitled to less than due to his illness, realised that £10,000 over just 18 months. if he survived beyond midnight His wife, Kate, said her hus- on April 5, his family could band had “wanted to speak out miss out on tens of thousands for all those that will suffer of pounds of critical financial The Duchess of Cambridge joined schoolchildren at a farm in western England yesterday as they learned about rural life and how food is produced. Catherine, wife of from this outrageous policy – support over the next decade. second-in-line to the throne Prince William, watched pupils tend to sheep and chickens as part of a week-long education programme. The “Farms for City Children” charity not just us”. Changes to the widowed par- runs the courses in which kids from urban areas live and work on farms with their teachers for a week. She added: “His words were ent’s allowance meant a benefit intended to inspire actual ac- of around £112 a week until the tion over and above a political youngest child left full-time discussion. That’s the legacy he education was replaced by wanted to leave. To have over- £350 a month (£80 a week) for a turned the wrong that has been maximum period of just a year- done to people.” and-a-half. Ros Altman, a Conservative Alan calculated that his fam- peer who used to be a minister ily would have received a lump in the department for work and sum of £2,000 followed by pensions, has teamed up with £58,000 over 10 years. Under Student found guilty of colleagues across other po- the new system they will re- litical parties to urge Theresa ceive £3,500 followed by just May’s government to change its £6,300 for a year-and-a-half. mind over the issue. A government spokesperson She praised Alan for speak- said the financial gap would be ing out and said she would keep reduced somewhat by the new fighting on behalf of families system being tax-free. Min- planting bomb on Tube like his. isters had previously claimed “It is so sad,” she said. “His that the new system was to re- Guardian News and Media of an explosive substance with morning of October 20 last year. hidden in the attic. In his London did not agree with extremism … family is going to be devastated flect modern society in which London intent, contrary to the Explosive Passengers discovered the bomb home, police found weapons in- he didn’t want to be a terrorist, and I wish there was something women were more likely to Substances Act 1883. He decided and alerted the driver, triggering cluding a blank-fi ring pistol, a BB what he did was a prank”, Jonath- I could have done. I am certain- work and be less dependent on not to give evidence at the trial. a major security alert. The jury gun in the shape of a revolver and an Rees QC, prosecuting, told the ly still trying and I know there a partner’s income. Tory min- student from Devon has Smith has Asperger syndrome heard that had the bomb worked, a knuckleduster. Smith had up- court. is feeling across the House of ister Richard Harrington told been found guilty of and a keen interest in weapons, it would have detonated as people loaded videos of himself with the His barrister, Richard Carey- Lords.” MPs that the old system might Aplanting a homemade which may have been connected were being evacuated from North pistol and knife to YouTube. Hughes QC, said though Smith Lady Altman, who has writ- stop widowed parents “read- bomb fi lled with ball bearings on to his condition, a jury at the Old Greenwich station. They also discovered shredded had used Inspire’s blueprint to ten to the Welfare Secretary, justing” to life. the London underground, after Bailey heard during his fi ve-day Smith was Tasered and ar- pages of an article titled “Make make the bomb, he had also di- Damian Green, about the issue, But campaigners disagreed, a jury rejected his claim it was trial. He also took an interest in rested near Holloway Road in a bomb in the kitchen of your verged from it, changing the said that it was the role of peers with many claiming that their meant to be a prank. gambling and had collected pho- Islington, north London, the fol- mom”, from Inspire, a magazine method of ignition. “to try to persuade ministers to children were still suffering at Damon Smith, 20, pleaded tos of extremists, including the lowing day. On October 22, coun- published by an Al Qaeda affi li- “If you’re looking for a bang think again”. 18 months and that the finan- guilty to perpetrating a bomb ringleader of the 2015 Paris at- ter-terrorism offi cers searched ate, and found a shopping list for you don’t choose something The peer said she supported cial support allowed them the hoax but said he meant the de- tacks. his former home in Newton Ab- “pressure cooker bomb materi- that makes a fi zz,” he said, add- simplifying the benefits sys- opportunity to work part time vice to work as a smoke bomb to Smith was 19 when he left a bot, Devon, and evacuated nearby als” on an iPad he used. ing Smith’s modifi cations all tem and believed that the best in order to support their fami- stop the train “for a bit of fun”. He rucksack containing the bomb properties after they discovered a However, he told offi cers “he lessened the device’s potential to way out of poverty was through lies. pleaded not guilty to possession on a Jubilee line tube train on the further possible homemade bomb did not hold extremist views and cause harm.

Madeleine anniversary Yard launches task force to Three arrested in combat surge in stabbings Dorset murder probe Guardian News and Media have been planned, and jewel- London lery including designer watches London Evening Standard was fi rst described as critical but impact if it comes from a mum was stolen from the detached London yesterday morning was stable. or a role model for that group of house in Castlewood, St Ives, Last week, six men were killed in Londoners.” olice have arrested three near Ringwood on the edge of knife attacks in London. In all, 17 Among the role models is a people over the killing the New Forest national park. cotland Yard yesterday men aged under 25 have died in street pastor from north London Pof Guy Hedger, who was Officer were searching prop- launched an 80-strong task stabbings this year. and a mother with a strong links shot dead during a burglary at erties in Winterborne Stickland Sforce to tackle soaring knife Yesterday the Met launched to the local community. Gal- his Dorset home. near Blandford and in Verney crime as another young man was the eighth phase of its Operation lagher said: “Communities are The 61-year-old marketing Close in West Howe in Bourne- stabbed to death in London. Sceptre campaign against knife coming to us, saying, ‘What can executive was fatally injured in mouth in connection with the A squad of covert and uniform crime with details of a new squad we do? These are our kids’.” front of his partner in the early investigation. offi cers is to be deployed to trouble to tackle violence and measures More than 900 activities are hours of Sunday morning. Police were called to the spots across the capital at a mo- aimed at deterring crime, with a planned in London in a week of The Dorset police yester- house in Castlewood just af- ment’s notice to curb fl are-ups of focus on working with schools. action which will include intel- day said they were question- ter 3am on Sunday in response violence. Police say they are also rolling ligence-led stop and search to ing three people who were to reports of intruders. Hedger The move comes as police bat- out a more community-led ap- target known knife off enders, arrested on Tuesday in the was taken to hospital but died. tle a 24% rise in knife crime in proach to tackle stabbings with weapons sweeps of estates and Bournemouth area. They were a On Tuesday, Hedger’s family London. In the latest incident a elements taken from US anti- parks and initiatives in schools 41-year-old Bournemouth man paid tribute to him in a state- 23-year-old man died after stag- gang strategy the Boston Cease- to divert young people from knife arrested on suspicion of murder ment. They said: “Guy was gering into Barnet Hospital with fi re project. One new approach is crime. and aggravated burglary and a caring and compassionate stab injuries at 7.30pm on Tues- to recruit role models and lead- Gallagher, commander of a 44-year-old Bournemouth partner, son, brother and uncle day night. He received emergency ers from communities to deliver Brent police, said the Sceptre man and 40-year-old Bourne- who lived life to its full and en- treatment but died an hour later. anti-crime messages to young Task Force of 40 covert offi cers mouth woman both arrested riched the lives of all those who Detectives believe he was at- people at risk. and 40 uniform police was being on suspicion of conspiracy to knew him. tacked in Masefi eld Crescent, Detective chief superintend- sent to boroughs with the worst commit murder and conspiracy “We are devastated that Southgate before being driven to ent Michael Gallagher, the op- record of stabbings. to commit aggravated burglary. Guy’s life has been cut short hospital. There have been no ar- erational head of the Sceptre The squad, used in Croydon Simon-Pierre Hedger-Coop- in this way. Guy will be sorely rests. campaign, said: “We are pushing and Tower Hamlets on Tuesday, er, 48, reportedly Hedger’s hus- missed by family, friends and In another incident on Tuesday initiatives and messages deliv- will support local police, carry band of 12 years, was said to be colleagues, but he will live in night, a 17-year-old was repeat- ered by communities. The group out high visibility patrols and A candle burns to mark the 10th anniversary of the traumatised after the shooting our hearts forever.” edly stabbed in a suspected gang- we are trying to infl uence don’t deploy covert teams in hotspots disappearance of Madeleine McCann from a holiday flat and is being supported by fam- His work colleagues de- related attack outside the Arcola want to hear messages from peo- of knife crime. It is expected to in Portugal, near her home in Rothley yesterday. ily and police. scribed him as talented, kind Theatre in Dalston. His condition ple like me, it will have far more become a permanent fi xture. The burglary is believed to and generous. Gulf Times 22 Thursday, May 4, 2017 EUROPE

SOCIETY CONFLICT ENVIRONMENT CRIME ‘Love locks’ on the block in Five killed in Ukraine Spain says will not reopen Customs make slippery Paris charity auction fighting with rebels Castor gas storage site find in Russian’s baggage

Couples, here’s your chance to own a piece of the Four Ukrainian soldiers and a civilian were killed Spain will not reopen the Castor underwater Customs off icials arrested a Russian man at world’s most romantic city: Paris is selling off the in the deadliest 24-hour period in Ukraine’s gas storage facility which was shut in 2014 Amsterdam’s international airport after dozens “love locks” that lovebirds attached to the city’s eastern separatist war zone since the start of an following minor earthquakes in the area, after a of poisonous snakes and frogs were found bridges before off icials cracked down on the Easter truce, off icials said yesterday. The military study showed tremors could return if it resumed hidden in his luggage, the Dutch food and animal practice. For years tourists inscribed their initials campaign’s headquarters in Kiev said three operations, the government said yesterday. watchdog said yesterday. The man was detained on the locks and hooked them to the railings of Padlocks are displayed during an auction. soldiers had been near the town of Debaltseve, Meant to store almost a third of Spain’s daily on a stopover at Schiphol airport after a trip to bridges, most famously the Pont des Arts near the It said one of them died after being wounded by gas consumption, Castor stopped gas injections Brazil, the Food and Consumer Product Safety Louvre, throwing the key into the Seine to express glass panels to ward off the public displays of aff ection. a grenade he had thrown at advancing Lugansk after more than 200 minor earthquakes were Authority (NVWA) said in a statement. “There their undying devotion. But the tradition turned But on May 13, the Credit Municipal de Paris will sell 150 fighters as he tried to avoid being taken captive. detected in 2013. were dozens of live snakes, frogs, cockroaches into a menace — one section of the Pont des Arts bunches of the locks mounted on displays of wood or Kiev said two other soldiers were killed in a “The localisation of the tremors coincide with and lizards hidden in his luggage. A large part collapsed under the weight of thousands of locks recycled paving stones, or hanging from acrylic stands. nearby firefight. Ukrainian military spokesman the Amposta fault line and the studies conclude of these animals are extremely poisonous,” — as well as an eyesore for many residents. The The artworks are expected to go for 150 to 200 euros Andriy Lysenko said the fourth combat death that these faults were put under stress as a result the NVWA added. The find included 26 highly city began removing the locks in 2015 and replaced each. Fifteen sections of the original railings are also be occurred in Avdiivka, a flashpoint suburb of the of the gas injections,” the energy ministry said in poisonous lancehead vipers, 10 poisonous frogs, the metal railings on the Pont des Arts with acrylic auctioned, estimated to fetch 5,000 to 10,000 euros. rebels’ de facto capital of Donetsk. a statement. 33 cockroaches and rare lizards.

Navalny ‘can’t run Standing tall for presidency’

Reuters chairman of Russia’s Central Moscow Election Commission, told the RIA news agency on Wednes- day that Navalny was currently remlin critic Alexei Na- ineligible to run and could only valny is ineligible to run do so if he quashed his convic- Kfor the Russian presi- tion via the courts. dency next year unless he can “He (Navalny) is already try- overturn a conviction for em- ing to conduct a presidential bezzlement, a senior election campaign and, it seems to me, offi cial was quoted as saying by is manipulating people’s un- Russia’s RIA news agency yes- derstanding about how the law, terday. allegedly, does not apply,” said Navalny, who says he sees Bulayev. no legal impediment to his “It’s a delusion. presidential run, organised the If he’s doing this deliberately biggest anti-government pro- he’s deluding other people. tests in years in March, and has For now, as far as I under- become the most prominent stand, he does not have the opposition challenger to Presi- right to stand for election and dent Vladimir Putin, who is in order to get it he needs to expected to run for what would act via the courts. There is no be a fourth presidential term in other way.” March 2018. Navalny says he has lost Navalny’s political plans most of his sight in his right were complicated in February eye after an assailant threw when a court found him guilty green liquid in his face. If he is of embezzlement at a retrial of allowed to run and is up against a case which he said was polit- Putin, who has not yet con- A French soldier patrols near the Eiff el Tower as part of the “Sentinelle” security plan in Paris. ically-motivated and designed fi rmed he will stand, opinion to sabotage his political career. polls suggest Navalny will lose Yesterday, a court rejected by a big margin. his appeal and upheld the orig- Some analysts believe the inal conviction which came Kremlin may ultimately al- with a fi ve-year suspended low Navalny to run in order to prison sentence. boost turnout and create the Navalny’s legal team said it impression of some genuine would now appeal to the Euro- political competition. pean Court of Human Rights. However, having Navalny Allies say that Navalny, a on the ballot paper could be an 40-year-old lawyer turned irritant for the Kremlin by pro- Macron could ‘delay opposition leader, is entitled viding a focus for anti-Kremlin to run for the presidency next protests, especially in the big year under the Russian consti- urban centres where Navalny tution despite the embezzle- draws most of his support. ment conviction. Leonid Volkov, a Navalny The law is not explicit on ally, said on social media that whether he can run, leaving he and fellow activists would room for interpretation. fi ght for their leader’s right to nuclear cutbacks’ Nikolai Bulayev, deputy run. Nuclear power could become could become an issue in an elec- Industry specialists say cutting “We are thinking strongly Pro-EU centrist Emmanuel an election issue tion campaign where energy has the share of nuclear power to 50% about something that resembles Macron and far-right leader Ma- been overshadowed by globalisa- would be a diffi cult and costly what the British have done,” the rine Le Pen were to face off in a Reuters tion and immigration. process and virtually impossible source said. fi nal televised debate yesterday Paris The source, who declined to to achieve in just eight years. He said there were no plans to that will showcase their starkly Czech PM to tender be identifi ed as he is not an offi - But the promise to respect ask European Union approval for diff erent visions of France’s fu- cial spokesman for the campaign, outgoing President Francois Hol- a support mechanism to upgrade ture ahead of this weekend’s pres- rench presidential candi- said a Macron government would lande’s energy transition law is existing nuclear plants, but that idential election run-off . resignation today date Emmanuel Macron make sure that a reduction of the crucial for winning green and a CfD-like scheme could work for The stakes are high for the tel- Fmay delay plans to reduce share of nuclear in the mix would leftist support for Macron, who is new ones. evised duel between the Macron, the share of nuclear power in the not jeopardise security of power backed by several leading fi gures “The Contract for Diff erence a 39-year-old former investment AFP “I have understood it that French power mix and is consid- supply nor lead to increased car- in France’s anti-nuclear move- has already been accepted by the banker, and anti-EU nationalist Prague way,” said Babis, the most ering a UK-style subsidy mecha- bon emissions. ment. European Commission, so there- Le Pen, the 48-year-old scion of popular politician in the EU nism to build new nuclear reac- “The reduction to 50% is a fi rm In a TV debate tonight, Macron fore this mechanism does not the National Front party. member state of 10.6mn people tors, a source close to the Macron objective. What could change, will face his far-right opponent pose a problem from a legal point Their contrasting views on zech Prime Minister and most likely the winner of campaign team said. depending on the resources in- Marine Le Pen, who is strongly of view,” he said. Europe, immigration, the econ- Bohuslav Sobotka will the next election scheduled for An offi cial spokesman for Ma- vested, is the date,” the source in favour of nuclear power and It was too soon to go into detail omy and French identity will be Cformally tender his res- October 20-21. cron said the candidate would said in an interview yesterday. against wind energy. about how a CfD-like mechanism explored for the fi rst time face- ignation yesterday following “I also told the president I stick to the policy outlined in his He said the 2025 date was “not The source declined to say would be applied in France, the to-face, after a week of bruising a high-stakes row with his fi - could see no reason why this campaign platform, which speci- cast in stone” and Macron would whether Macron would back source said, but it could closely clashes. nance minister. government should step down,” fi es he would respect the outgo- be “pragmatic” about how and EDF’s request to extend the model the UK contract, under Opinion polls show Macron The leftist Sobotka said he added, calling Sobotka’s ing socialist government’s target when France would cut the share lifespan of its ageing nuclear re- which an energy supplier is as- holding a hefty but narrowing Tuesday he was standing down move fi ve months ahead of the to reduce the share of nuclear in of atomic energy. actors beyond 40 years, saying sured a fi xed price for its power. lead of 59% to 41%, but previous after the dispute with billion- election “nonsense.” French power production to 50% But the source said it was es- the centrist candidate would wait For its 21bn euros Hinkley Point debates during the rollercoaster aire minister Andrej Babis, a Sobotka’s resignation, which by 2025 from about 75% now. sential for the country to reduce for nuclear regulator ASN’s rec- project, EDF has signed a CfD campaign have quickly shifted popular centrist rival tipped to will bring down his entire cabi- Relaxing the deadline for re- its reliance on one single energy ommendation on the issue, which with Britain under which it can public opinion. win elections later this year. net, surprised both politicians ducing the country’s reliance on source for reasons of security of is expected by the end of 2018 or sell power at 109.5 euros per meg- “Our goal is to avoid being “Prime Minister Bohuslav and pundits who had expected nuclear power would be highly supply. 2019. awatt hour for 35 years. dragged into mud-slinging,” an Sobotka will present his resig- the prime minister to sack Ba- benefi cial for state-owned EDF, An offi cial spokesman for Ma- He said that if France needed to If the market price is above that aide to Macron told AFP on con- nation to the president on May bis. already struggling with high debt, cron said the candidate would not build reactors to replace existing level, EDF refunds the diff erence, dition of anonymity ahead of the 4, 2017 at 1515 (1315 GMT),” The head of the centrist ANO which otherwise could be forced deviate from his campaign plat- ones, it would have to consider if it is below that level it receives two hours and 20 minute debate. President Milos Zeman’s party and the second wealthi- to close more than a dozen of its form, as he had reiterated at a rally new support systems because at a top-up. The event marks a new step into spokesman Jiri Ovcacek said in est Czech national, Babis has 58 reactors. at La Villette, Paris, last weekend. current market prices no investor The source said Macron sup- the mainstream for Le Pen, whose a tweet. found himself under fi re over A new subsidy mechanism for “We will respect the trajectory would put money into nuclear. ported the UK project and that it party was once considered by After meeting Zeman yes- his purchase of tax-free bonds new nuclear plants would also al- laid out by the energy transition The new scheme could be simi- was crucial for maintaining the France’s political establishment terday, Babis said the president issued by his mammoth Agrof- low the utility to build reactors at law,” Macron spokesman Sylvain lar to the UK’s ‘Contract for Dif- French nuclear industry’s skill to be an extremist fringe of racists would accept the resignation. ert conglomerate. home in the coming decades, and Fort told Reuters. ference’ (CfD) scheme. base. to be boycotted. Merkel backs minister on far-right soldiers

Reuters there were “preliminary indications of prepara- Von der Leyen, a member of Merkel’s con- scenario, if there is any sort of a network that Von der Leyen has often been named as a pos- Berlin tions for a serious attack against the state”. servative Christian Democratic (CDU) party, possibly planned violent attacks,” said Greens sible successor to Merkel though she lacks a big “The German defence minister has the full welcomed her support, but warned that it would defence expert Agnieszka Brugger. party support base. support of the German chancellor and the whole likely take months to dig into the leadership is- A spokesman for the defence ministry said Highlighting the gravity of the scandal, von erman Chancellor Angela Merkel fully German government to shed light on all facets of sues revealed by the case. that between 2012 and 2016, 18 members of the der Leyen cancelled a trip to the United States backs her defence minister over her han- the case of Franco A, as far as the German armed She said it was unacceptable that the racism military had been suspended from duty because and summoned Germany’s 100 top generals and Gdling of a scandal about far-right sym- forces is concerned,” Merkel’s spokesman, Stef- evident in a master’s thesis written by the sus- they held rightist views. admirals to discuss the case and incidents of pathisers in the military, her spokesman said, fen Seibert, told a regular news conference. pect had not triggered disciplinary action by his He also said that over a longer period of time, bullying, harassment and sexual assault in the after the arrest of an offi cer suspected of plan- Germany is highly sensitive to any signs of superiors. there had been around 280 suspected cases of military. ning a racially motivated attack. far-right extremism in its armed services be- “We are at the beginning of a process that right-wing extremists. Preparing a meeting of the Group of 20 eco- Ursula von der Leyen angered the armed forc- cause of its Nazi past. will likely cost us much energy and also strong Some Social Democrats (SPD), who share nomic powers is like “herding cats”, German es and some politicians by lambasting “weak Franco A was arrested last week after falsely nerves because additional issues will come up,” power with Merkel’s conservatives, said Von Chancellor Angela Merkel said as her offi cials leadership” across the military at the weekend, registering as a Syrian refugee in January 2016. Von der Leyen told reporters in the French town Der Leyen’s criticism of military leadership try to reach consensus among the group ahead but she has vowed to dig further to get to the Tagesspiegel newspaper said he had a list of of Illkirch, near Strasbourg, where the suspect had undermined trust and that her visit to of a leaders’ summit she will host in July. root of far-right sentiment, even if it takes a fi ve possible targets for attacks, including the was based. the base with reporters in tow was a public- The G20 was a crucial forum for tackling the long time. justice minister and a former German president. Greens lawmakers have demanded informa- ity stunt. global fi nancial crisis that took hold in 2008, but The chief federal prosecutor is dealing with the Die Welt newspaper reported yesterday tion from von der Leyen on any right-wing ex- However, most lawmakers have stopped short forging consensus has proven harder this year as case of the 28-year old lieutenant, identifi ed only that the list included major groups repre- tremist network in the military. of calling for her resignation, which could dam- the group must deal with a shift towards more as Franco A, and a 24-year old student, saying senting Jews and Muslims. “That would of course be the absolute horror age Merkel fi ve months before an election. protectionism under President Donald Trump. Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 23 INDIA ‘Jewellers helped convert black money into gold after note ban’

IANS many jewellers” to convert their sales and thought “they could shown in the invoices,” the of- bled upon records which sug- lery houses under the IT depart- from the Central Board of Direct Kolkata unaudited cash into gold. get away” by showing these fi cial said. gested many shops - as many as ment scanner, said: “We keep Taxes (CBDT) or other agencies “They bought gold and jew- amounts as sales. Taxmen tried to fi nd an an- 90% across cities - were closed records of all buyers on the basis of about the movement of funds. ellery from jewellers across the “Jewellers off ered a platform swer to a common question: at the time of the demonetisa- the names and contacts provided Asked how taxmen identifi ed he massive hunt for un- cities on November 8 (the night to convert unreported cash into How did jewellers meet the huge tion announcement and sales at by the customers. We co-operated jewellers, an offi cial said: “The declared cash launched Prime Minister Narendra Modi gold,” the offi cial said, adding spurt in demand following the the day’s closing had been re- with offi cials and provided all the fi rst set of information showed Tacross the country after announced the demonetisa- that split bills were below the announcement of demonetisa- ported. documents, including the CCTV that jewellers deposited huge demonetisation has revealed tion of Rs500 and Rs1,000 cur- value of Rs200,000, the thresh- tion, particularly after the festi- “Still, we found sales were footage that we had.” amounts of money into banks. this was either converted into rency notes from midnight) and, old above which buyers have to val season? registered in the accounting sys- “It is diffi cult for jewellers to Then, we went after jewellers.” gold or routed through shell thereafter. Jewellers camou- provide the permanent account “We found many of these sales tem either on November 8 or a verify whether the customers The IT sleuths were able to companies to make it legal ten- fl aged the identities of the actual number (PAN) issued by the in- were booked as advance collec- date prior to that after the clos- have provided a legitimate iden- identify legitimate transactions der, according to income tax buyers and off ered split bills,” an come tax department. tion for future sales. Due to pre- ing sales were reported. These tity or not, particularly when the easily. “We also had given op- officials. income tax offi cial, who was part “The buyers’ lists provided ceding sales during Dhanteras sales were manipulated,” anoth- sale value is less than Rs2 lakh,” tions to the jewellers to disclose They said black money hold- of the investigations, said on by the jewellers were false. Af- and Diwali, jewellers had a stock er IT offi cial said, also requesting he said. the name of actual buyers or ers avoided the bank-deposit condition of anonymity. ter verifi cation, it emerged that crunch and they delivered gold anonymity. The hunt for black money by declare that the amount is your route because they wanted to According to him, jewel- many of the buyers were fi nan- later,” another IT offi cial said, Sankar Sen, chairman and the IT offi cials picked up after money,” the offi cial said, point- conceal their identities and lers saw in demonetisation an cially weak and not in a position asking not to be identifi ed. managing director of Senco Gold November 29 as they waited for ing out that such moves proved somehow had “managed to get opportunity to ramp up their to spend such huge amounts Taxmen said they have stum- Ltd, which was one of the jewel- some time to collect information successful. Chhattisgarh villagers see no shine in gold rush

Reuters in the national newspapers. Sonakhan, Chhattisgarh There were no visits by gov- ernment offi cials to brief them, nor village council meetings to he village of Sonakhan discuss the impact of the mine, in the eastern state of they said. TChhattisgarh hardly Vedanta Resources did not looks like the site of a gold rush. respond to a request for com- There are no gun-toting ment. ruffi ans, nor squalid camps of Activists say mining activity desperate fortune seekers. will aff ect at least 24 villages in The dusty village with its a range of 40-50km. Congress workers stage a protest against the alleged mutilation of two Indian soldiers, in Kolkata yesterday. distinct reddish soil, is a col- “These people have been lection of modest brick homes living here for generations, and small patches of cultivated earning a living from the land land amid scraggly forest. and the forests,” said Devendra But the village, a two-hour Baghel, an activist with Dalit drive from the capital Raipur, Adivasi Manch, which lobbies could soon be enveloped by In- for the rights of indigenous and dia’s fi rst private gold mine. lower-caste communities. Residents of Sonakhan - “Now they have to deal with Pakistan army involved ‘sona’ is gold in Hindi - sift for a mine in their backyard. Their fl ecks of gold on the banks of way of life will end,” he told the the river Jonk during the mon- Thomson Reuters Foundation. soon rains. Villagers have held rallies They voice fears the mine and made representations to will up-end their lives. state offi cials. “When they dig for the They plan to keep protesting in mutilation: Jaitley mine, they will cut down trees until they get more details on and damage the forest. They the mine’s environmental im- Delhi summons Islamabad’s ing two of our soldiers and then the blood samples of the slain from Pakistani posts in Battal written formulation on the in- will make the water dirty. pact, and assurances they will envoy, gives him ‘actionable mutilating their bodies has been men and a blood trail clearly sector in the vicinity of village volvement of Pakistani soldiers on Where will we go?” said Rajesh not be displaced. evidence’ carried out with active partici- showed that Pakistani soldiers Battal,” he added. their return to Pakistan. Singh, who cultivates a small Offi cials say their concern is pation of the (Pakistani) army,” returned beyond the LoC after Baglay said blood samples “Nobody is disputing this. plot of land. misplaced - and premature. IANS he said. committing the crime. of an Indian soldier and a BSF One, the incident and two, we “This land is sacred for us. “Vedanta is still surveying the New Delhi “The fact that cover fi rings are The “actionable evidence” trooper who were slain were have told the high commissioner We do not want to give it up land for gold. If they fi nd gold provided, those who carry out this was given to Pakistani High collected and the trail of blood that we have enough evidence. It to a big company that will de- worth digging for, then we will act are helped to escape on such Commissioner Abdul Basit by showed the killers returned was obvious that they returned stroy our homes and our liveli- proceed,” said Bhupendra Ku- ndia yesterday accused the heavily guarded border where Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, across the LoC, which divides to where they came from,” hoods.” mar Chandrakar, a deputy di- Pakistani army of “active posts are within a few metres who summoned him to the For- Jammu and Kashmir between Baglay said. Vedanta, a unit of London- rector in the mines department. Iparticipation” in the mutila- of each other, this can’t happen eign Offi ce and conveyed India’s the two countries. He said the high commission- listed Vedanta Resources, last “They have to fi rst see if it is tion of the bodies of two Indian without the protection, or partici- outrage. “The Indian side has suffi cient er denied the Pakistan army was year won India’s fi rst auction viable; then we will see about soldiers and said Islamabad’s pation, or active indulgence of the Jaishankar demanded that Pa- evidence that this act was com- involved in the mutilation inci- of a gold mine, as the country the land and other details,” denials carried no credibility. (Pakistan) army,” he added. kistan takes appropriate action mitted by personnel of the Paki- dent but gave an assurance that opened up the sector to private he told the Thomson Reuters Hours after New Delhi sum- Asked what New Delhi against the soldiers and com- stan army.” he would convey India’s outrage companies. Foundation. moned Pakistan’s envoy and planned to counter the Pakistani manders responsible for it. India says a Border Action to his government. The Baghmara mine has po- The Baghmara mine is the lat- gave him “actionable evidence” action, Jaitley replied: “Place “The blood samples of the Team (BAT) of Pakistan was to “It was conveyed that the tential reserves of about 2.7 est fl ashpoint in the resource- on the basis of blood samples your trust on our army.” Indian soldiers that have been blame for the killing of Naib government considers this as a tonnes of gold, and offi cials rich state, with past protests and trail leading to Pakistan, De- His statement came after New collected and the trail of blood Subedar Paramjeet Singh and strong act of provocation and have said mining will begin in over coal and iron ore mines, and fence Minister Arun Jaitley used Delhi said it had “actionable evi- on Roza Nala (attack site) clear- Border Security Force Head in contravention to all norms of two years. power plants that offi cials say strong words at a media briefi ng dence” of the Pakistan aarmy’s ly shows the killers returned Constable Prem Sagar. civilised conduct.” Vedanta said at the time that are key to development. to say that Pakistani troops were involvement in the killings on across the (LoC). They returned Asked repeatedly whether the The spokesman again ruled the mining block, measuring Among India’s least devel- complicit in Monday’s brutality. the Krishna Ghati sector on the to Pakistan-ruled Kashmir from blood samples and the trail in- out any third party involve- 6.08sq km, required extensive oped states, Chhattisgarh ac- “I think the denial itself car- Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu where they came,” Baglay told cluded blood of Pakistani soldiers ment in attempts to resolve the exploration. counts for about 16% of the to- ries no credibility because the and Kashmir. reporters. and how the government was sure Kashmir issue. He said the issue Residents of Sonakhan said tal value of minerals produced circumstances clearly indicate External Aff airs Ministry “It is signifi cant the attack these were of the Indian person- should be resolved between In- they fi rst heard of the auction in the country. that this barbaric act of fi rst kill- spokesman Gopal Baglay said was preceded by covering fi re nel, the spokesman repeated the dia and Pakistan bilaterally.

Court rejects plea to Embrace cleanliness for review death sentence disease-free India: Modi IANS the crime was committed and New Delhi the fact that the victim was a helpless girl of four years IANS traditional arts and forms of our traditional techniques and clearly outweigh the miti- Haridwar, Uttarakhand healthcare like Ayurveda, a large methods,” Modi added. he Supreme Court yes- gating circumstances now part of post-independence pe- The prime minister remarked terday rejected a review brought on record”. riod was spent in neglecting that he felt blessed to have Tpetition by Vasanta The court said that Dupare, tressing the importance them.” prayed at the Kedarnath temple Sampat Dupare seeking the after the judgment upholding of preventive healthcare, Modi lamented that the indif- earlier in the day. recall of its November 2014 his death sentence, has com- SPrime Minister Narendra ference led to foreign countries He lauded the eff orts of Ram- order upholding his convic- pleted Bachelors Preparatory Modi yesterday urged people not acquiring patents. dev in popularising yoga and Ay- tion and death sentence for Programme from the Indira to litter and make India clean. “The world now is not just urveda. raping a four-year-old girl and Gandhi National Open Uni- “I am sure the day the 125 content with curing diseases but “I am fortunate I have seen then battering her to death. versity enabling him to pre- crore people take a pledge to there is more emphasis on well- Baba Ramdev from close quar- Affi rming its November 26, pare for Bachelor level study make India clean, the day won’t ness and preventive healthcare. ters. I can say that his real wealth 2014 judgment upholding the and that he has also completed be far when the entire coun- The best way to ensure and pro- is his commitment to people’s 55-year-old Dupare’s convic- the Gandhi Vichar Pariksha. try will become clean,” he said mote preventive healthcare is health.” tion and death sentence, a The court also noted that here. cleanliness,” he said. While not much research was bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Dupare had participated in a The prime minister was “If we resolve to be clean, if we done in other fi elds, Modi said Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman drawing competition organised speaking at the inauguration resolve not to litter or spread dirt work done by the new genera- and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit in January 2016 and his jail record here of a state-of-art, multi- and fi lth, we can save more lives tion in IT had indeed drawn glo- said: “Having taken an overall was without any blemish. million rupee research facility than a doctor does. Cleanliness bal attention towards India. view of the matter, in our con- The top court by its Novem- run by Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali is the way ahead to make India Earlier, soon after his arrival sidered view, no case is made ber 26, 2014, verdict had said: group. disease free. in the Uttarakhand capital, Modi out to take a diff erent view in “We fi nd not only the rape was Modi also found fault over “Our ancestors spent their fl ew by a chopper to Kedarnath the matter.” committed in a brutal manner what he said was the neglect of lives making innovations and and then came to Haridwar. Dismissing the review pe- but murder was also commit- India’s traditional forms of med- turning these innovations useful Ramdev felicitated the prime tition, the bench in its judg- ted in a barbaric manner. The icine like Ayurveda. for humanity. minister by calling him ‘Rashtra ment said, “... the aggravat- rape of a minor girl child is “While pre-independence “We must never forget that Rishi’ and said the work done ing circumstances namely nothing but a monstrous bur- period witnessed attempts to innovative spirit and contin- by him was winning followers Prime Minister Narendra Modi rings a bell during a visit to the the extreme depravity and ial of her dignity in the dark- destroy India’s indigenous and ue making eff orts to develop across the globe. Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand yesterday. the barbaric manner in which ness.” Gulf Times 24 Thursday, May 4, 2017 INDIA

AVIATION CONTROVERSY POLITICS CRITICISM TRAGEDY Jet to start Chennai-Paris, Judge to undergo test Couple who hosted BJP Yechury slams govt Telugu TV actor Bengaluru-Amsterdam flights at Kolkata hospital chief joins Trinamool stand on Aadhar commits suicide

Jet Airways is set to start direct non-stop flights Calcutta High Court Justice C S Karnan, who has Days after hosting Bharatiya Janata Party president Communist Party of India (Marxist) general Telugu TV actor Pradeep to Paris from Chennai and to Amsterdam from been ordered by the Supreme Court to undergo Amit Shah for lunch, a tribal couple yesterday secretary Sitaram Yechury yesterday slammed Kumar committed suicide Bengaluru, a senior off icial said yesterday. a medical examination, will visit a state-run joined West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress. the government for making Aadhar cards after a quarrel with his “Each way, around 1,000 passengers travel hospital in Kolkata today, a source said yesterday. Trinamool’s Darjeeling district president and state mandatory for issuing PAN cards. “Goalposts actress-wife, police said between Chennai and Europe or the US per day. The Calcutta Pavlov Hospital will check whether Tourism Minister Gautam Deb said Raju and Geeta constantly shifted on making Aadhaar mandatory. yesterday. Popular for Similarly, around 1,500 passengers travel each he is mentally fit to defend himself, the hospital Mahali joined the party of their own “will”, but BJP From passing it as a money bill to violating acting in serials such as way between Bengaluru and Europe or the US,” source said. The top court passed the order to state president Dilip Ghosh alleged that the couple SC’s orders, this is a dangerous game,” Yechury Saptamatrika and Aruguru Praveen Iyer said. The new flights would begin on the Director of Health Services, from where it was were forced. Reading out a written note from the tweeted. “Arguments put forth by the government Prativatulu, Pradeep October 29. Iyer said the introductory all-inclusive passed on to the state secretariat. “We are not Mahali couple, Deb said: “On being convinced to mandatorily impose Aadhaar and subvert hanged himself. His body was discovered return fare is Rs33,999 for economy class and taking any decision internally for the check-up,” about the developmental work undertaken by the every Indian’s fundamental right to liberty yesterday morning by his wife Pavani Rs129,999 for Premier class on a first-come- the source said. “The responsibility of escorting state government led by (Chief Minister) Mamata are devious and irrelevant,” he said. Yechury’s Reddy. “Pradeep had come home late after first-served basis. He said the introductory fare the judge has been given to the Kolkata Police Banerjee, we have joined Trinamool Congress of our remarks came after the government defended a birthday party on Tuesday. He had an would be available for a month. Jet Airways has Commissioner’s off ice,” he added. Karnan has own choice and will.” Refuting Deb’s claim, Ghosh its decision to make Aadhaar mandatory, saying argument with his wife and went to his also introduced specially designed JetEscapes been engaged in a three-month-long standoff said: “The tribal couple was threatened. The local it was done to curb the use of fake PAN cards bedroom. Pavani slept in the living room. In Holidays at an all-inclusive rate of Rs71,310 per with the court. He has termed the medical Trinamool leaders pressurised them to invite the across the country. The Supreme Court is hearing the morning, she found him hanging from person. examination order as “ridiculous”. ruling party’s leaders at their house.” petitions against making Aadhaar compulsory. the ceiling,” the police said.

IT offi cer, Essar MD AAP averts arrested on graft major crisis charges

IANS Mumbai as Vishwas n a major swoop, the Central Bureau of Investigation yes- Iterday arrested a top income tax offi cial, a senior executive of Essar Group, and four others in a bribery case, and recovered Rs15mn, offi cials said here. agrees to stay The arrested IT offi cer is B B Rajendra Prasad, who is currently IT Commissioner (Appeals – 30) Party suspends legislator storming started in AAP,” Vish- Vishwas meanwhile told in Mumbai. The others nabbed who made allegation against was said. timesofi ndia.com that he will include Pradip Mittal, manag- poet-politician “I want to assure all the work- stay in AAP only if the party ing director of Essar Group of ers whenever there is a need to cracks the whip on corruption companies, and Vipin Bajpai, an Agencies brainstorm and discuss, we will and if decision-making within accounts offi cer in the company New Delhi sit together even if we have dif- becomes more democratic rather headquartered in Mumbai. ferences,” he added. “No one than top down. Three others, chartered account- should have an impression that it “There should be zero toler- ant Shreyas Parikh working with G elhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi was a power struggle.” ance against corruption,” Vish- K Choksi, and a realtor Suresh Ku- Party yesterday averted a Vishwas again insisted that he was said. mar Jain and his relative Manish Jain Dmajor crisis when its dis- has no desire to become the chief He has talked before about have also been arrested. gruntled founder leader Kumar minister or convener of the party. what he perceives as the party “The arrests have been made Vishwas agreed not to quit while Meanwhile, the AAP an- leadership being soft on corrup- on the basis of a complaint that a legislator who took him on was nounced a three-member com- tion. Last month, in a 13-minute the offi cial had demanded illegal suspended from the party. mittee of party leaders Pan- video titled ‘We the Nation’, he gratifi cation for favouring a pri- After indicating a day ear- kaj Gupta, Atishi Marlena and criticised the AAP government in vate fi rm,” CBI spokesperson R K lier that he may quit the AAP, Ashutosh to determine why Delhi for trying to protect its own Gaur said. “These persons were Vishwas yesterday attended a Khan made the allegation against allegedly corrupt party members. arrested in a graft case to give a meeting of the Political Aff airs Vishwas. Some people criticised him for favourable order in a case per- Committee (PAC) of the party at Sisodia said Vishwas had been that video he posted on Twitter. taining to Balaji Trust in Mumbai Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s given the task of strengthening Not taking it down from Twitter where Essar Investments Ltd is residence. the AAP in Rajasthan and the was another condition Vishwas a trustee,” said a CBI offi cial, on After his public outburst, Ke- party “will fi ght election in the put forward for not quitting the condition of anonymity. jriwal called Vishwas on Tues- state under his leadership”. party. Prasad allegedly demanded a day night and the two drove to Vishwas alleged Khan, who Meanwhile, the BJP dubbed bribe of around Rs20mn and said the chief minister’s residence to accused him of trying to split the AAP as a “team of losers”, and it should be delivered to Manish discuss the unprecedented rift AAP by off ering money to legis- said their leaders are now fi ght- Jain, who in turn would transfer between them. lators, was fronting for “conspir- ing and blaming each other it to Suresh Kumar Jain in Visa- Also yesterday, Vishwas was ators” who wanted to see him out rather than working for people’s khapatnam. named the AAP in-charge of of the party. welfare. The income tax commissioner Rajasthan, where assembly elec- And Vishwas made comments “AAP is facing infi ghting as took leave and went to Visakhap- tions will be held next year. critical of the party publicly, they have lost the (electoral) bat- atnam and demanded that a part “The PAC has decided to sus- triggering a spat between him tle. Their main agenda of fi ghting of the money should be delivered pend Amanatullah Khan from and Sisodia. corruption has been forfeited,” to his residence in Visakhapatnam. the party,” Deputy Chief Minister Kumar Vishwas, Sisodia and BJP leader Vijender Gupta said. Acting on a tip-off , the CBI laid and Vishwas’ childhood friend Kejriwal are among the founder “They are fi ghting like a lost a trap and caught Prasad receiv- Manish Sisodia told reporters af- members of the AAP. Kejriwal team, where every player puts the ing a part of the bribe – Rs1.9mn ter the PAC meeting. recently described Vishwas as “a blame on the other teammates – from Suresh Kumar Jain. The decision came three days younger brother” and said no one for the loss,” he said. Both were arrested. The CBI after Khan alleged that Vishwas will be able to separate them. Gupta’s remarks came after said it had recovered the remain- was conspiring to break the party Vishwas has hinted that Khan infi ghting broke out in the AAP ing amount of around Rs15mn and plotting a coup against Kejri- is a proxy for Sanjay Singh, following its not-so-impressive from Suresh Kumar Jain. wal at the behest of the Bharatiya Ashutosh and other top leaders show in the April 23 municipal The CBI offi cers conducted Janata Party. There has been speculation corporation elections in Delhi. raids in Mumbai and Visakhapat- Appearing before the media periodically that Vishwas was He said all AAP leaders are now nam at the offi ces and residences with Sisodia, Vishwas said he quitting AAP to join the BJP ever facing an identity crisis. of all the accused leading to re- was happy that a dialogue among since he had praised Prime Min- “All of them are now battling covery of several property invest- party members had resumed. ister Narendra Modi a few years identity crisis. They all are fi ght- ment documents, details of bank Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia and party leader Kumar Vishwas speak “I thank everyone for standing ago. He said yesterday that he ing for their identity,” Gupta said, accounts, three bank lockers and to reporters after the party’s PAC meeting outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in New by the party in the last four-fi ve feels no need to apologise for adding that fi ngers are being other incriminating papers. Delhi yesterday. days when the process of brain- praising the prime minister. pointed at the party leadership.

ED officer surrenders Mani’s move to get closer Kerala seeks clarifi cation to CPM angers Congress on DGP reinstatement IANS present DGP Loknath Behra, Thiruvananthapuram Jacob Thomas and Shankar By Ashraf Padanna they had not severed ties in civic Other leaders, including state Reddy – all of whom hold the Thiruvananthapuram bodies. Congress president M M Hassan rank of the DGP. Congress leaders say their and Ramesh Chennithala, were ore than a week after The Kerala government move nominee Joshy Philip, a close harsher on him. They blamed the Supreme Court follows a direction from state erala’s politics appeared confi dant of Chandy, resigned as Mani and his son Jose K Mani for Mordered the reinstate- Advocate General C P Sud- heading for a churning the district panchayat president the sudden left turn. ment of T P Senkumar as Ker- hakara Prasad. Kyesterday with the Kerala after taking over as party chief in “I don’t say what’s behind his ala’s director general of police, Senkumar’s petition, to Congress (M) moving closer to the the district. The two also decided decision at this moment. We had the state government yesterday come up for hearing tomorrow, ruling Communist Party of India on another Congress leader to re- to pay a hefty price for carrying moved the apex court to seek has questioned the delay in im- (Marxist). place him. him along all these years,” said clarifi cations in the case. plementing the apex court or- The move prompted senior However, in a dramatic twist, Hassan. On April 24, the Supreme der for his reinstatement. Congress Party leaders, including KC (M) fi elded its candidate “It violated all decency and po- Court had directed Kerala to Senkumar told reporters here former chief minister Oommen against him and ensured his vic- litical morality. This is the biggest reinstate the senior Indian Po- yesterday that he does not have Chandy, to slam KC (M) supremo tory with the support of the CPM. political opportunism the state has lice Service offi cer as the DGP. any confrontational attitude K M Mani. Congress workers soon took to witnessed. They engaged in horse Senkumar was removed from against the Left government The ties between the Congress the streets in protest and burnt trading.” added Chennithala. the post when Pinarayi Vijayan and he is awaiting orders from and Mani’s party reached a point Mani in effi gy. The 83-year-old longest serv- took over as chief minister on the Kerala government as per of no return after KC (M) nomi- “This is terrible cheating. He ing legislator, however, dismissed May 25, 2016. the apex court directions. nee was elected as the president has closed the door on us,” said it as a minor event but the Con- Reinstating Senkumar, a On Tuesday, the chief min- of the district self-government Chandy, reminding Mani of the gress leaders see a bigger con- bench of Justice Madan B Lokur ister informed the assembly in its heartland of Kottayam with 42 years of working together in spiracy. and Justice Deepak Gupta said that his government is duty- the support of the CPM, violating the coalition of centrist parties. “Chandy and other leaders the offi cer was dealt with “un- bound to abide by the Su- a “written pact.” “We have been going soft on have been trying to contact him fairly and arbitrarily”. preme Court order and it is Though the KC (M) left the him when he left the UDF. But it desperately. But he refused to re- Suspended assistant director of Enforcement Directorate The government’s petition just awaiting legal opinion on Congress-led United Demo- took only a few hours for him to turn their calls,” said K C Joseph, (ED) Manoj Kumar arrives at a court in Kolkata to surrender. has now sought clarification the matter. cratic Front (UDF) soon after violate an agreement signed by Mani’s colleague in the previous Kumar has been charged with extortion. on what needs to be done in Senkumar is set to retire on last year’s state election rout, district councillors.” ministry. case of top police officers – June 30. Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 25 LATIN AMERICA

COMMENT SCHEME OPINION ACCIDENT ANGER No plans to be president: 500 sign up to buy legal US has not found drug lord Military chopper located Brazil justice ministry Raul Castro’s daughter cannabis in Uruguay El Chapo’s assets: off icial four months after crash taken over in protest

With Cuban President Raul Castro set to step More than 500 people signed up to buy state- US authorities have not been able to find any Venezuela has found what is left of a Hundreds of prison system workers occupied down next year, his daughter Mariela Castro vetted cannabis in Uruguay on the first day trace of ill-gotten assets belonging to jailed military helicopter that crashed four Brazil’s justice ministry in a dramatic protest yesterday said she would never want to be of registration for the first such scheme in the drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Mexico’s months ago with 13 people on board against government retirement reforms. The a contender for the presidency. Raul, 85, has world, authorities said yesterday. The state attorney general said yesterday. Before he was who are feared dead, off icials said. The correctional workers started taking up positions said he will step down in February 2018. His launched the register on Tuesday to log users captured last year and extradited to the US chopper crashed in Amazonas state on in the Brasilia building in the afternoon, before heir apparent is Cuba’s First Vice President who will be able to buy 10 grammes of the in January to stand trial, Guzman was one of December 30. After a lengthy search in shutting it down, local and social media showed. Miguel Diaz-Canel, 57, and experts say the latter drug a week in pharmacies for recreational use the world’s most wanted drug traff ickers and remote areas, debris from the incident “We have just occupied the justice ministry. And would have to stumble badly for someone from early July. The state Cannabis Regulation believed to have accumulated a fortune from was spotted on April 19 near the southern we’re going to be here until lawmakers take us else to leapfrog him in Cuba’s arcane system and Control Institute said on its website that reigning over his Sinaloa Cartel over many town of La Esmeralda, an army statement out of their bill,” Fabio Cesar Ferreira, head of for choosing its leader. Mariela Castro, 54, a 568 people had signed up so far in the South years. “As of today, US authorities have not said. An operation to determine the the Sao Paulo corrections union branch, said. lawmaker, was evasive when asked about the American nation of 3.4mn inhabitants. That found not even one dollar of El Chapo’s assets,” fate of the passengers and crew will be “We are in a horrible daily routine inside and issue. “The men and women of the people of added to more than 6,600 registered growers Mexican attorney general Raul Cervantes said launched, though there is little chance of outside the jails and prisons, in a degrading, Cuba are candidates,” she said. “I don’t say: ‘We and 51 authorised smokers’ clubs which in an interview with top local broadcaster any survivors, the statement said. There unhealthy and unsafe workplace. How can we are,’ because I will never let myself be nominated already existed under earlier stages of a 2013 Televisa. Mexico has only found minor assets were nine military staff and four civilians on be included in the same rules as all of Brazil’s for such a big task.” law. belonging to Guzman, Cervantes said. board, authorities disclosed. workers?” he asked.

Stars cheer anti-govt protesters Covering his mouth with a rag, Opposition Latin pop star Nacho choked on teargas at an anti-government protest last month. Mexican actress Salma Hayek praised the protesters’ courage. Venezuelan soccer star Salomon Rondon called them “heroes.” holds protests A decade ago, the charismatic Hugo Chavez not only per- suaded millions to vote for him in Venezuela, he enticed a who’s who of Hollywood icons, pop stars and celebrity intellectuals over Maduro’s to publicly back his “21st Century Socialism.” But now, with hundreds of thousands of protesters taking to the streets for over a month to decry Venezuela’s ravaged economy and falling democratic ‘power grab’ credentials as leftist President Nicolas Maduro rebuff s calls for early elections, former backers Reuters fuse citizens into thinking he has agency tweeted late on Tuesday. have gone quiet while a new Caracas made concessions when in fact Angel Moreira, 28, who was on raft of celebrities cheer on anti- he is seeking to tweak the system a motorbike on a highway lead- government demonstrators. to avoid elections the Socialist ing out of Caracas, also died af- From Venezuela’s best known enezuelan opposition Party would likely lose. ter a vehicle ran him over while actor, Edgar Ramirez, to US supporters took over Ca- Maduro’s move has drawn trying to avoid a demonstration, heavyweight Robert De Niro, Vracas’ main thoroughfare condemnation from the US and the state prosecutor’s offi ce said messages are streaming in to yesterday to protest leftist Presi- some Latin American countries, yesterday. support the most sustained anti- dent Nicolas Maduro’s creation including regional powerhouse In addition, the offi ce said Yo- government unrest since 2014, of a powerful assembly, which Brazil that labelled it a “coup.” nathan Quintero, 21, had been as the country suff ers a major it views as a ruse to dodge free An infl uential group of US killed while a group was “dam- crisis leaving millions struggling elections so he can remain in of- senators fi led sweeping legisla- aging” a business after a protest with food shortages. fi ce. tion yesterday to address the cri- in the Carabobo state capital of “How can I stay quiet when it’s Building on a month of large sis in Venezuela, including sanc- Valencia. impossible to be indiff erent in and sustained protests, opposi- tioning individuals responsible The opposition says heavy- the face of so much pain and so tion leaders have vowed more for undermining democracy or handed security forces and many people paying with their street action after Maduro’s an- involved in corruption. armed government support- lives?” said soccer player Salo- nouncement on Monday that he But Maduro has received ers are trying to scare protesters mon Rondon, who grew up in was creating a “constituent as- backing from regional leftist al- from taking to the streets in vio- the low-income hillside Caracas sembly” empowered to rewrite lies including Cuba. lent Venezuela, awash with guns neighbourhood of Catia and the constitution. Bolivia’s President Evo Mo- and home to one of the world’s now plays in the English Premier The government says protest- rales said Venezuela had the right highest murder rates. League. related violence and the opposi- to “decide its future... without Maduro, a former bus driver Still, the growing turmoil has tion’s unwillingness to hold talks external intervention.” and union leader elected to re- yet to bring any high-profile left Maduro with no choice but During a meeting with election place the late Hugo Chavez in changes of heart from A-listers shake up Venezuela’s governing offi cials yesterday, Maduro said a 2013, retorts thuggish protesters ranging from Danny Glover and apparatus. vote for the new assembly would are fanning violence and vandal- Sean Penn to Naomi Campbell “With this constituent as- take place in coming weeks. ism. and Oliver Stone once known sembly, the situation is worse He has already said the 500 Typically at protests, thou- for their public pronouncements than ever,” said Miren Bilbao, 66, members of the constituent as- sands rally peacefully but are backing Chavez. Their media standing in middle of the Fran- sembly would be elected by so- then blocked from marching, of- representatives did not respond cisco Fajardo motorway with cial groups including workers, ten with teargas, to government to requests for comment. group of friends and relatives. indigenous people, and farmers, buildings. And some of the biggest names “It’s a tool to avoid free elections. as well as on a municipal level. At that point, masked youths were less than full-throated in We’ve been marching 18 years “The new constituent process appear throwing stones and their pro-opposition moves. but this is our last card. It’s all or will consolidate the republic and Molotov cocktails at lines of po- De Niro, for example, simply ap- nothing.” bring to the nation the peace that lice and National Guard soldiers. peared in an Instagram posting Thousands milled along the we all deserve,” Maduro said, Energy Minister Luis Motta by Ramirez saying that the pair roadway, which runs through clutching a pocket-size blue said late on Tuesday “a right- talked about “nearly nothing Caracas’ main valley. constitution. wing terrorist plan to paralyse else” but Venezuela. Still, with Women clad in white waved At least 33 people have been the country” had cut a subma- Venezuela ever more isolated, yellow, blue and red Venezuelan killed, more than 400 people rine cable that provided elec- the influx of high-profile support fl ags, while scores of youths in injured and over 1,000 arrested tricity to the palm tree-studded is encouraging protesters. masks gathered at the front of since the anti-Maduro unrest Caribbean island of Margarita, “We’re grateful for the refer- the march. began in early April. plunging it into darkness. ences and solidarity... of so many The opposition wants to bring There were four additional The president of state oil com- international artistes for our be- forward the 2018 presidential deaths on Tuesday, offi cials said. pany PDVSA, Eulogio Del Pino, loved Venezuela,” said two-time vote amid a devastating econom- Two people died when a vehi- said “terrorists” had captured presidential candidate Henrique ic crisis. cle tried to avoid a protester bar- a company tanker truck in the Capriles. Demonstrators march along Francisco Fajardo highway in Caracas during a protest against Venezuelan It says Maduro’s announce- ricade in the state of Carabobo, western state of Lara, tweeting President Nicolas Maduro yesterday. ment is a cynical ploy to con- Venezuela’s Civil Protection pictures of it in fl ames.

Rio police kill two Farc deal opposed Pinera pledges $20bn in battle with gangs infrastructure boost Reuters and pensions, all of which surveys AFP from the area, which is close to Santiago show are key issues for Chileans. Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport. Pinera’s programme suggests he Police colonel Andre Silva told will make tweaks rather than radi- Globo television that the vio- ebastian Pinera, the front- cal changes to the policies of top wo suspected drug gang lence started “with a possible in- runner to win Chile’s 2017 copper exporter Chile, regarded as members were killed in vasion (of the Cidade Alta slum) Spresidential election, yes- a Latin American economic suc- TRio de Janeiro when police by a rival faction.” terday promised to push for a cess story despite a recent slow- intervened to stop clashes be- The bus arson “was to dis- $20bn infrastructure spending down in economic growth. tween rival factions and a wave tract us and cause confusion so programme and emphasise eco- Most eye-catching is a pledge of bus burnings and lootings. that the criminals could fl ee,” he nomic growth as he outlined his to invest $20bn over eight years Police blamed rival drug gangs said, insisting that their plan had policy proposals. in public-private infrastructure for the surge of violence in and failed. The conservative candidate, projects, including new highways around a slum lying along Ave- Rio de Janeiro state has run out who previously led Chile between and airports and the continued ex- nida Brasil, one of the city’s main of money to fully pay even many 2006 and 2010, looks to be as- tension of Santiago’s metro system. arteries. basic services and police are paid sured of securing the backing of The tax system, which was Three police offi cers were late. the right-wing Chile Vamos coa- overhauled by Bachelet, would wounded and two gang suspects Security has been disintegrat- lition during its primary in July. be simplifi ed, without the overall were killed, Rio de Janeiro secu- ing since the end of the Olympic Pinera left offi ce with low burden changing but with pos- rity state Roberto Sa told a press Games held here last year. popularity ratings but is hoping sible changes to corporate taxes, conference. Sa praised police for perform- to make a comeback on the back according to Pinera’s programme. Police arrested 45 people and ing under such diffi cult circum- of disgruntlement with the cen- A controversial labour reform captured 32 military-style rifl es, stances, noting that they had not tre-left government of President to strengthen unions that re- Sa said. gone on strike as had occurred Michelle Bachelet and deep divi- cently became law would also be Tension was high as heavily in neighbouring Espirito Santo sions within her coalition. revised, it said. armed police tracked down gang state in February, triggering a to- “In the past three years we have Under Pinera’s programme, suspects and tried to stop a burst tal breakdown in law and order. lost our path and rhythm and pension contributions would rise of looting by local residents, who “They have avoided a chaotic stagnated,” Pinera said in a policy to 14% from the current 10%, were shown on national televi- situation,” Sa said, calling the re- document published yesterday. to address widespread discon- sion ransacking a truck. sponse “rapid, effi cient, avoiding People hold giant balloons representing 34 social leaders killed after the signing of the historic He pledged to focus on job tent that the nation’s privatised Television footage also showed a bloodbath and seizing 32 rifl es peace deals with Farc guerrillas, during a protest in Medellin yesterday creation, tackling delinquency, pension system has left retirees plumes of black smoke rising in one go.” and improving education, health struggling. Gulf Times 26 Thursday, May 4, 2017 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

DIPLOMACY AVIATION SCANDAL ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION Pak-origin flight attendant Call to discuss Dawn Leaks Pakistan to work with Kabul, Summer vacation in Sindh sues American Airlines probe report in parliament Delhi on water management schools, colleges from June 1

A Pakistani-origin Muslim flight attendant in the After the main opposition Pakistan People’s The government of Pakistan is seeking a joint The Sindh provincial government yesterday US has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines, Party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has also mechanism with India and Afghanistan for joint announced two-month summer vacation for alleging that his co-workers repeatedly called come out with the demand that the government watershed management and trans-boundary schools and colleges starting from June 1. him a terrorist and part of Hezbollah and the present the report of an inquiry committee on aquifer sharing to minimise the negative According to a notification issued by the Sindh Taliban. Farkhan Mahmood Shah, of Edison, New a Dawn news report before parliament. The PTI impact of development projects of neighbours. education department, all government schools Jersey, also claims in the lawsuit, filed recently submitted a resolution to the National Assembly Watershed management relates to the land and colleges will take a break for summer from in the Superior Court in Middlesex County Secretariat yesterday, asking the government and water management practices that can help June 1 to July 31. that the FBI agents came to his house after he to lay the report before parliament. It was protect and improve the water quality, while The announcement has received a mixed complained about the harassment to company submitted by Murad Saeed, a PTI MNA from aquifer refers to the underground layer of rock reaction from private schools. While some off icials. Shah alleges that he was targeted for Swat. On Monday, PPP’s Farhatullah Babar had or minerals that holds water. private school managements were glad to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif greets religious and ethnic harassment after the attacks submitted a motion to the Senate asking the This is part of the National Water Policy, learn exactly when the vacation will commence Iranian Minister of Foreign Aff airs Mohamed of September 11, NJ.com reported. Ministry of Interior to present “complete report which also seeks to ensure 100% metering well in advance, others were surprised at the Javad Zarif at The Prime Minister’s House in American Airlines failed to stop the harassment compiled and submitted by the investigation of urban water uses, including drinking and government’s announcing this with a month Islamabad. after he reported it, Shah claims in the lawsuit. commission on the famous news leak scandal. sanitation. remaining before the vacation.

Islamabad, Kabul Powerful blast targets to conduct joint anti-terrorism Nato convoy in Kabul operations AFP Kabul Internews and that there was a need that Karachi they developed a joint strategy powerful blast targeting to curb such incidents in the an armoured Nato con- future. Avoy in Kabul killed at least n a sign of thaw in their Sources said this agreement eight people and wounded 28 frosty relations, Pakistan was not part of the agenda but yesterday, including three coa- Iand Afghanistan have de- during the meetings the two lition members, offi cials said in cided to carry out joint op- sides agreed to sincerely take an attack claimed by the Islamic erations against terrorists on forward their consultations State group. both sides of the Durand Line, and co-operation to target The explosion, which came well-placed sources told daily terrorists through ground and during morning rush hour on a Express. air operations. busy road near the US embassy Islamabad and Kabul have The two sides also agreed to and Nato headquarters, killed agreed to form a joint strategy take stringent security meas- “mostly” civilians, an interior to stop terror incidents in both ures to stop cross-border ministry spokesman told AFP the countries and resolved movements of terrorists and without giving a breakdown. not only to stop cross-border to share intelligence with re- Nato said three coalition movement of terrorists but gard to such movements. service members had received also to take such elements to Sources said that in the “non-life threatening wounds” task, sources said. wake of these meetings, mili- in the attack. “(They) are in sta- This agreement was reached tary operations against terror- ble condition, and are currently during Chief of General Staff ists were likely to speed up on being treated at coalition medi- (CGS) Lt Gen Bilal Akbar’s re- both sides of the border. cal facilities,” a spokesman for US cent visit to Afghanistan. Meanwhile, ISI chief Lt Gen Forces-Afghanistan said, without He led a high-level Pakistan Naveed Mukhtar also visited confi rming their nationalities. Army delegation that went Kabul yesterday as part of ef- IS claimed responsibility for to Kabul to off er condolences forts by the two estranged the blast via its Amaq propagan- Afghan municipality workers clear the site of a suicide attack that targeted a foreign forces convoy near the US embassy in Kabul yesterday. on behalf of army chief Gen neighbours to reset their ties, da agency, saying the eight dead Qamar Javed Bajwa over the particularly in the fi eld of in- were all American soldiers. convoy and left a small crater in demned the move against a mili- He would not be drawn on largely overshadowed by the op- loss of lives in a recent Taliban telligence co-operation. The militants are known to ex- the road, witnesses and an AFP tant group that is not considered calls by Nicholson for a “few erations against the Taliban. attack on an Afghan military The news of the ISI chief’s aggerate their claims. photographer said. as big a threat to Afghanistan as thousand” more troops to break Captain Bill Salvin, spokes- base in Maur-i-Sharif prov- Kabul visit was fi rst given by The attack comes three weeks MRAP (Mine Resistant Am- the Taliban. the “stalemate” against the Tali- man for US Forces-Afghanistan, ince. National Assembly Speaker after the US dropped its largest bush Protected) vehicles, which Others suggested it would ban insurgents. said the local IS presence peaked During the visit which came Ayaz Sadiq, who led a high- non-nuclear bomb on the jihad- are designed to withstand large boost the Taliban, who have But Nato chief Jens Stolten- at between 2,500 to 3,000 but at a time when relations be- level parliamentary delegation ist group’s hideous in eastern explosions, are routinely used been in a turf war with IS in berg told a German newspaper that defections and recent bat- tween Islamabad and Kabul to Afghanistan over the week- Afghanistan. by international forces moving Nangarhar. Sunday that the 28-nation al- tlefi eld losses had reduced their are at their lowest Lt Gen Ak- end. Nato commander in Afghani- around Kabul. The weapon, dubbed the liance was considering boost- number to a maximum of 800. bar met Afghanistan’s defence There was no offi cial confi r- stan General John Nicholson said At least three civilian cars “Mother of All Bombs”, killed at ing its troop strength once more “We have a very good chance minister, army chief as well as mation from either side about the strike, which triggered global were also damaged, with one least 95 jihadists, according to given the “challenging” security of destroying them in 2017,” other key offi cials. the visit, as well as Mukhtar’s shockwaves, showed there was ablaze, while windows were the Afghan defence ministry, but situation. Salvin told AFP recently. Afghan authorities were engagements in Kabul. “no space” for IS in the war-torn shattered up to several hundred fi ghting in the area has continued. The US has around 8,400 Afghan forces have been conveyed that Pakistan Army Afghanistan’s Tolo News, country. metres away. Firefi ghters and Last week, two US troops were troops in the country with about straining to beat back the Tali- had taken full control on their however, reported that the ISI Monday’s attack comes as the ambulances rushed stunned killed in an operation against another 5,000 from Nato allies. ban insurgents since US-led side of the border and that it chief was in Kabul to improve US seeks to craft a new strategy survivors to hospital. IS near where the bomb was Most are taking part in Nato’s Nato troops ended their combat would not allow its soil to be bilateral military and intelli- in Afghanistan and Nato mulls Nicholson has said the US dropped. train, assist and advise mission, mission in December 2014. used against Afghanistan. gence co-operation. boosting troop levels as they face decision to drop the GBU-43/B The Pentagon has said it is in- though some are also carrying With more than one third of “Terrorists are a common The flurry of visits by a “stalemate” against the resur- Massive Ordnance Air Blast on vestigating if they were killed by out counter-terror missions tar- Afghanistan outside of govern- threat and shall be defeated,” senior military and intel- gent Taliban. IS hideouts in Nangarhar prov- friendly fi re. geting IS and Al Qaeda. ment control, civilians also con- an offi cial statement quoted Lt ligence officials are part The blast, which IS said was a ince last month was a “very clear Pentagon chief Jim Mattis First emerging in 2015, ISIS-K tinue to bear a heavy brunt, with Gen Akbar as saying. of efforts by the two sides suicide car bomb and Nato said message” to the group: “If they warned of “another tough year” overran large parts of Nangarhar thousands killed and wounded The neighbours agreed to defuse their months old was an improvised explosive de- come to Afghanistan they will be for both foreign troops and local and Kunar provinces, near the each year and children paying that they had sustained great tensions primarily due to vice (IED), damaged two of the destroyed”. forces in Afghanistan when he Pakistan border, but their part an increasingly disproportionate losses – including civil and serious differences in fight- heavily armoured vehicles in the Some observers have con- visited Kabul last month. in the Afghan confl ict had been price, according to UN fi gures. military – in terror incidents ing militant groups. Pakistan ramps up coal power with Chinese-backed plants

Reuters Combined, the projects will 405 metric tonnes of carbon di- change, from worsening fl oods Islamabad eventually generate 16,000 oxide equivalent (MTCO2 eq.). and scalding summer tempera- megawatts (MW) of electricity, However, emissions are increas- tures to erratic rainfall that can which the government says is ing at a rate of 3.9% (16 MTCO2 kill crops. ith much of the world urgently needed. eq.) annually. China’s ambassador to Pa- pouring investments About three-quarters of the Iqbal touts the green creden- kistan, Sun Weidong, stressed Winto renewable and newly generated power will tials of the planned coal power that coal power is only part of clean energy, Pakistan is drawing come from coal-powered plants, plants, which will use the latest the projects China is supporting criticism for welcoming Chinese and the government insists that “supercritical” emission-re- through its investment in CPEC. investment in coal-fi red power these will be fi tted with the lat- ducing technology that is used in “We are equally helping Paki- plants as part of a plan to boost est technology to reduce pol- China itself and elsewhere. stan to bring more and more re- urgently needed generating ca- lution and climate-changing “The latest coal power newable energy sources into its pacity. emissions. plants (will) be as clean as gas- energy mix by tapping its mas- Offi cials at the Water and But environmentalists and based power generation,” Iqbal sive wind and solar energy po- Power Ministry have said Chi- energy experts have lambasted insisted.”(They) require less coal tential,” Sun said. nese companies and their part- the plans for coal-fi red plants as per megawatt-hour, leading to Planned renewable energy ners are expected to spend a waste of money that will badly lower emissions, including car- projects under CPEC include around $15bn over the next 15 damage the environment and bon dioxide and mercury, higher a solar park, four wind farms years to build close to a dozen tarnish Pakistan’s image as one effi ciency and lower fuel costs and three hydro plants that to- coal power plants of varying siz- of the lowest-carbon emitters. per megawatt.” gether would generate around es around the country. “Such plants would only ac- Nevertheless, independ- 3,900MW, at a cost of about Mohamed Younus Dagha, celerate the rising trajectory of ent renewable energy experts $7.5bn According to the Pakistan the former federal secretary for the country’s carbon emissions, Thar coal power plant. say the government’s love aff air Alternative Energy Development water and power, who became (accelerating) environmental with coal power plants is a huge Board, Pakistan has the poten- commerce secretary at the end degradation that costs billions of mer months of May to July, when year in increasing electrical pro- of 175bn tonnes of coal, adequate worry. tial to generate annually 2.9mn of March, emphasised that the rupees to the national excheq- air conditioning systems place duction, the bank said in a report to meet the country’s energy “No sane person would want MW of clean energy from solar, coal plants are part of a larger uer annually,” said Syed Jawad an extra burden on the national on South Asian infrastructure needs for several decades, for electricity from dirty energy 340,000MW from wind and plan. Hussain Shahzad, an energy ex- power grid, often causing power published in 2013. powering the country’s economic sources, even though supercriti- 100,000MW from hydropower. That is the $54bn China Pa- pert at the Comsats Institute of cuts. Part of the motivation for wheel, creating new jobs, and cal technology is used,” said Ma- “We really fail to fathom the kistan Economic Corridor Information Technology in Is- The IEA forecasts that total building coal-powered plants fi ghting spiking unemployment lik Amin Aslam, a former state government’s inclination to- (CPEC), which includes spend- lamabad. electricity demand will rise to lies in the availability of the fuel and poverty,” Iqbal said. minister for the environment wards environmentally damag- ing of about $33bn on a total of Pakistan has long needed more than 49,000MW by 2025 within Pakistan. Pakistan currently ranks 135th who serves as global vice-pres- ing coal power plants while the 19 energy projects, including more power than it can produce, as the country’s population in- The federal minister for plan- in the list of global emitters of ident of the International Union country can generate millions coal-fi red and renewable power with the energy defi cit currently creases. ning, development and re- carbon on a per capita basis, ac- for Conservation of Nature. of megawatts of solar, wind and plants, transmission lines, and around 4,000MW. Only 67% of Pakistan’s ap- form, Ahsan Iqbal, said that the counting for less than 1% of to- “These plants, not being com- hydro electricity,” said Mir Ah- other infrastructure. According to the International proximately 190mn people have sprawling desert region of Thar- tal global carbon emissions, ac- pletely free of carbon emissions, mad Shah, executive secretary “Hefty investment under the Energy Agency (IEA), average access to electricity, according parkar in southern Pakistan, cording to World Bank data. will still harm the public health of the Pakistan Renewable and CPEC project has held out hopes energy demand in the country is to the World Bank. home to some of the world’s According to the report sub- and the country’s environment,” Alternative Energy Association. of signifi cantly spiking domestic around 19,000MW, against gen- To improve access and keep largest coal reserves, cannot be mitted by Pakistan to the UN he said. “Even countries like Saudi power generation (by) around eration of around 15,000MW. pace with economic growth, the left unexploited. Framework Convention on Cli- Pakistan is considered one Arabia – rich in oil resources – 6,000 megawatts by the end of Demand soars beyond country needs to invest between “Pakistan must tap these unu- mate Change last year, the coun- of the countries most vulner- are gradually switching over to 2018,” Dagha said. 20,000MW during peak sum- 3.7% and 5.5% of its GDP each tilised vast underground reserves try’s emissions in 2015 stood at able to the impacts of climate clean energy sources,” Shah said. Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 27 PHILIPPINES

Senate leader apologises for ‘off ensive’ remarks

By Jeff erson Antiporda & Llanesca T Panti Manila Times

enate Majority leader Vi- cente Sotto apologised to Speople who were off ended by his verbal slip about the status of Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, who faced the Com- mission on Appointments (CA) yesterday. Sotto was bashed in social media over his remarks. “Just on the lighter side, Sen- ator Drilon and I were looking at your personal info. You have two children – daughters or sons?” Sotto asked Taguiwalo. The DSWD secretary replied that she has two daughters. She explained that she did not have a normal life because from 1972 to 1986, she was either un- Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel announces the rejection of Regina Lopez as Environment Secretary, in Manila, yesterday. derground or in prison. Sotto then replied: “In the street language, when you have children and you are single, that is what you call ‘na-ano lang’. Thank you, you have my 100% support, Madam Secretary.” “Senator Sotto, I teach wom- Environment minister ousted en’s studies in UP so we respect all kinds of families, and that in- clude solo parents. Thank you,” Taguiwalo answered. The Gabriela party-list said Sotto should apologise for his over anti-mining campaign “off ensive” remarks. “The senator clearly went out Lopez is second Duterte miners who were threatening tinue to hold Philippine law- Duterte’s Cabinet to be dismissed of bounds, insinuating malice minister to be dismissed public health and damaging na- makers by their necks.” by Congress, said her replace- at Taguiwalo who raised her two by Congress; Mining group ture in a country better known The Chamber of Mines of the ment would “get clobbered” if children as a solo parent, dub- seeks reversal of her mine for mountains and beaches than Philippines said it would seek to they ran afoul of business inter- bing such as na-ano (knocked closure orders resources. undo Lopez’s moves when a new ests and said those who voted her up),” Gabriela said. The 63-year-old daughter minister was appointed. out had “lost the moral ascend- Sotto in an interview main- Reuters of a media mogul who left her “Those have no legal founda- ancy”. Presidential spokesman tained that he did not mean to Manila privileged Philippine life be- tion,” Chamber spokesman Ron- Ernesto Abella said no replace- disrespect the DSWD secretary. hind when she was a teenager, ald Recidoro said.”There were no ment had been lined up yet, but “If anyone is off ended then I had ordered the closure of more proper consultations held. did not rule out the possibility of apologise. I am the last person to hilippine lawmakers end- than half of the mines in the And more importantly it’s real- another role for Lopez in the ad- disrespect a woman because my ed a 10-month crusade by world’s top nickel ore supplier ly out to kill the mining industry.” ministration. mother was one of the founders PEnvironment Secretary and last week banned open-pit Lopez has become the bane of Confi rmation hearings in the of women’s rights movement Regina Lopez yesterday, forc- mining. big mining companies, accusing Philippines often take place long and kababaihang Rizalista,” he ing out the eco-warrior whose “It is the constitutional right them of earning “blood money”, after ministers start work on their said. mining crackdown was backed of every Filipino to a clean and while contributing little in tax. portfolios. Sotto added that he has two by the president but led to de- healthy environment. It was a She ordered the closure of 22 Manny Pacquiao, a champion daughters who are single par- mands for her removal by min- dream and a promise we had Regina Lopez sings “I believe I can fly” during a news conference of 41 operating mines in February boxer and head of the commit- ents. Taguiwalo, after the hear- ers. for the country and it is unfor- shortly after lawmakers rejected her appointment as Environment and cancelled dozens of contracts tee that held the widely-watched ing, expressed hope that her in- The rejection of Lopez by the tunate that business interests Secretary, 10 months into her term in off ice, at the Senate in Manila. for undeveloped mines in the hearings, announced the out- volvement with the left will not Commission on Appointments have in fact run the day,” Lopez, fi fth-most-mineralised country come “with sadness in my heart”, hinder her confi rmation. is fi nal and a mining lobby group who at 18 took a vow of celibacy reforestation, safeguarding that suspended nickel mines in the world. leading a succession of lawmak- The book titled “Subversive immediately said it would seek a and became a yoga teacher and areas of biodiversity and clean- could be reopened. Senate President Aquilino Pi- ers who took to the fl oor to praise Action: Extralegal Practices for reversal of her measures, while missionary in Africa, told re- ing up the Pasig river that fl ows Yeb Sano of Greenpeace mentel said Lopez’s removal was her campaign. Social Justice” authored by Ni- President Rodrigo Duterte’s of- porters. through Manila. Southeast Asia said the removal a lost opportunity and told Reu- “No matter how several big lan Yu and Deena Mandell dis- fi ce said he would respect the Duterte picked Lopez because News of her removal led to a of Lopez, which lawmakers on ters he hoped her replacement people may be against Gina, she cussed Taguiwalo’s life as an decision. of her record as an activist dedi- slump of more than 2% in nickel the appointments committee will “have some of her character- will always stand on what is mor- activist during the martial law Lopez characterised her cam- cated to the poor, whose pre- futures on the London Metal voted 16-8 in favour of, “shows istics and passion.” ally and environmentally right years. Taguiwalo gave birth to paign as a fi ght against greedy vious initiatives had included Exchange, with traders saying how destructive industries con- Lopez, the second member of and righteous,” said Pacquiao. her second daughter in prison. Airport fee exemption for Filipino expats goes online at Cebu Pacific Xi hails ties with Manila

ebu Pacifi c (CEB) is working hand-in- details, Cebu Pacifi c is very proud to be the fi rst hand with the Manila International Air- carrier to make available such a benefi t for our as Duterte cools on US Cport Authority (MIAA) to exempt Filipino Filipino expats. We are pleased to off er our kaba- expats from paying the International Passenger bayans working abroad the convenience of not Service Charge (IPSC), or the terminal fee, at the having to go through a process of reimbursement AFP Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia). for fees they are already exempted from under the Beijing Filipino expats fl ying with Cebu Pacifi c to their Migrant Workers Act,” said lawyer JR Mantaring, job site do not need to pay Naia terminal fee, CEB vice president for Corporate Aff airs. which is worth around AED40. Aside from Filipino expats, pilgrims with au- hina’s President Xi Jin- Passengers who booked through CEB’s ticket- thorisation from the Philippine Sports Commis- ping yesterday hailed ing offi ces or travel agencies have to present valid sion, and guests who have been issued a MIAA Cthe “dialogue” between documents at the time of purchase. For bookings exemption certifi cate (MEC) are also exempted Beijing and Manila over their made through the Cebu Pacifi c reservation hot- from paying the IPSC, provided valid documents border dispute in the South lines or via the website, valid documents must be are presented. China Sea during a phone call presented at the airport bag drop counter upon Recently, Cebu Pacifi c passengers have been with Philippine leader Rodrigo check-in. given the option to pay for the travel on inter- Duterte, state media reported. Valid documents include the Overseas Em- national fl ights by paying around AED119, plus Duterte is loosening the Phil- ployment Certifi cate (OEC) and those included a handling fee of AED6, when they book their ippines’ long alliance with the under the Philippine Overseas Employment Ad- fl ights online via www.cebupacifi cair.com, or United States while strength- ministration’s Balik Manggagawa programme through any Cebu Pacifi c ticket offi ce. Passengers ening ties with China and Rus- such as a valid employment contract, recent pay who are exempt from the tax, or are eligible for sia, saying this week he might slip, or company ID. Bookings made through the reduced Travel Tax, on the other hand, can still turn down an invitation from Cebu Pacifi c mobile app and GetGo (points) re- book, pay and confi rm their fl ights on Cebu Pa- President Donald Trump to demption will allow exemptions soon, CEB said. cifi c, after they present valid tax exemption docu- visit the US. “After months of working with the MIAA on the ments upon check-in. The call came two days after Duterte toured a visiting Chi- nese warship on the southern Philippine port of Davao in a display of warming ties with Beijing. “The mutual political trust (between China and the Policeman kills jeepney driver Philippines) continues to grow and our co-operation is fl our- President Rodrigo Duterte speaks with China’s President Xi Jinping over the phone alongside Christopher ishing in all areas,” Xi said, ac- ‘Bong’ Go, Special Assistant to the President, in Davao City, southern Philippines yesterday. Manila Times Bagong Nayon (Antipolo) route. ing place, but when the jeepney cording to Chinese state media. Manila Initial police investigation driver arrived, Pentacasi alleg- “Channels of dialogue and coasts of its neighbours, despite jing has ignored the ruling. Trump had taken over from showed that Fernando and the edly drew his fi rearm and shot negotiation on the South Chi- partial counter-claims from Duterte vowed after his elec- Barack Obama, who criticised suspect, Police Offi cer 2 Ronald Fernando three times, killing na Sea issue have also been set several regional states such as tion last year not to “taunt or the Philippine president for his jeepney driver became Pentacasi, were both traversing him on the spot.A stray bullet hit up, which will benefi t the fun- the Philippines. fl aunt” the ruling, saying he anti-drug war that has claimed another road rage victim Marcos Highway at about 5pm an unidentifi ed boy in the area. damental interests of our two Duterte has secured promises did not want to go to war with thousands of lives. Aafter a policeman shot when the jeepney hit the motor- He was brought to Antipolo Dis- countries,” he said. of billions of dollars’ worth of China. Rights groups have warned him dead over a traffi c alterca- cycle driven by the offi cer. trict Hospital. In contrast to his predecessor investments from China in re- On Monday the Philippine Duterte may be orchestrating tion on Monday afternoon in Fernando reportedly invited Pentacasi, reportedly assigned Benigno Aquino, Duterte has turn for the diplomatic realign- leader said he could not commit a crime against humanity, with Antipolo City. Pentacasi to proceed to Catalina to the Manila Police District, fl ed pursued close relations with ment. Aquino in 2013 took Chi- to visiting the US president be- police and vigilantes commit- A stray bullet slightly wound- Street to talk about the damage, after the shooting on his motor- China despite its extensive is- na to a United Nations-backed cause of a busy schedule, even ting mass murder, and Trump’s ed an unidentifi ed boy. after he noticed that traffi c was cycle. He was in civilian clothes. land-building in disputed parts arbitration tribunal over the though no fi rm date has yet invitation has stirred contro- Supt. Ruben Andiso, Antipolo building up and they were just On Tuesday afternoon, And- of the South China Sea. maritime row. been proposed. versy in Washington. police chief, identifi ed the victim arguing. iso received feelers that the sus- China claims nearly all of the The tribunal last year reject- Nevertheless, Duterte said Duterte denies his govern- as Petronilo Fernando, driver of The policeman agreed and pect may surrender and a man- strategically vital waterway, ed China’s claim over most of relations with the United ment is committing extra-judi- a jeepney plying the Marikina- was the fi rst to get to the meet- hunt was launched immediately. even waters approaching the the South China Sea, but Bei- States were improving now that cial killings. Gulf Times 28 Thursday, May 4, 2017 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Dhaka to Maldives arrests two host OIC over blogger’s killing ministers’ AFP/Reuters Rasheed have been identifi ed He said his son had lodged anyone from taking pictures. The United Nations has al- Colombo and brought into police custody,” complaints with the police about The main opposition Maldi- ready called on the Male govern- ment to order an independent meeting the force said in a statement. death threats he had received vian Democratic Party (MDP) Offi cers were working with in December, but they were not have demanded an international investigation into the killing of aldives police yesterday undisclosed international part- taken seriously. probe, citing lack of police ac- Rasheed, the third media fi gure IANS Among a number of reso- announced the arrest of ners and laboratories in Europe tion over the previous crimes, to be targeted in the troubled ar- Dhaka lutions, one on the topic of Mtwo potential suspects and South East Asia to analyse “The Maldives police which as well as the abduction chipelago nation in the last fi ve Rohingya minority was also in the killing of a liberal blogger physical and digital evidence, service would like to of the journalist also include the years. addressed. last month that sparked interna- the statement added. inform the public that murder of a legislator and an at- Blogger Ismail Rasheed nar- angladesh will be host- Through this resolution the tional outrage and demands for a The victim’s father, Hus- two potential suspects tack on another journalist. rowly escaped death when he ing the next Organisa- member states expressed their foreign-backed investigation. sain Rasheed, 54, told reporters involved in the murder MDP spokesman Hamid Ab- was stabbed by an unidentifi ed Btion of Islamic Co-oper- ‘serious concern’ over the Yameen Rasheed, 29, who in neighbouring Sri Lanka last of Yameen Rasheed dul Ghafoor expressed scepti- attacker in 2012. ation (OIC) foreign ministers’ situation of Rohingya Muslim poked fun at the nation’s poli- week that he had no confi dence have been identifi ed cism over the arrests. A journalist with the inde- meeting in the second half of population in the Northern ticians on his blog The Daily in the police investigation and and brought into police “Absolutely nothing has hap- pendent Minivan News, Ahmed 2018, the foreign ministry has Rakhine State of Myanmar. Panic, had his throat slit at the pleaded for an international custody” pened in the past fi ve years over Rilwan, was likely abducted confi rmed. OIC has asked for an early stairwell of his apartment in the probe. the other three crimes. But now in August 2014 and has been The senior offi cials meet- implementation of recom- capital island Male on April 23. “I heard about 18 people have Hussain Rasheed also accused suddenly within barely a week missing ever since. ing preparatory to the 44th mendations given by the “The Maldives police service been killed in the Maldives like the police of washing down the they say they have arrested two The Maldives has already session of Council of Foreign Advisory Commission on would like to inform the public this in the past three years, but scene of the crime and hav- people. This is to impress the faced censure from the UN over Ministers (CFM) of OIC took Northern Rakhine State led that two potential suspects in- no one has been prosecuted,” he ing the blood-splattered wall disgruntled public,” Ghafoor the jailing of a former president this decision on Tuesday at by Kofi Annan, and also res- volved in the murder of Yameen said on Friday. repainted, while preventing said. and a former defence minister. Jeddah, bdnews24 reported. toration of Citizenship Act of The foreign ministry also Myanmar to provide oppor- said that a draft resolution was tunity to Muslim minorities “unanimously” accepted wel- there and sustainable repa- coming the bid of Bangladesh triation of Rohingyas from for hosting the 45th session Bangladesh to the Northern Indian of the CFM of the 57-member Rakhine State. organisation. The Bangladesh foreign Bangladesh’s Foreign Sec- secretary also called on the held in retary Md Shahidul Haque OIC Secretary General Yousef led Bangladesh at the senior A al-Othaimeen on the Nepal with offi cials meeting. sidelines of the meeting. human skull parts Lankan MP

IANS Kathmandu with dual Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina talking to people of a cluster village in Lalmonirhat district through videoconferencing from her off icial n Indian national was residence in Dhaka yesterday. arrested in Nepal af- Ater he was found in possession of 15 human skull citizenship parts, a media report said yesterday. Police said Bhagirath, 66, of Bangladesh PM inaugurates Khoribari, West Bengal, was detained during a security loses seat check near Kakarbhitta cus- toms offi ce in Jhapa district on Monday night, Kathmandu AFP cluster housing for poor Post reported. Colombo Singh confessed during in- terrogation that he was paid By Mizan Rahman The cluster villages are Sani- the Bangabandhu government The cluster villages were Rs1,000 by an unknown man to Sri Lankan court yes- Dhaka ajan in Patgram and Hiramanik taken in 1972 to provide houses constructed as part of the smuggle the cranial bones across terday stripped an 1 & 2 in Sadar sub-district of to homeless people through Guchhagram-2nd Phase (Cli- the border. Aactress-turned-politi- Lalmonirhat, Kote Bhajani constructing cluster villages in mate Change Victims Reha- Police Superintendent cian of her seat in parliament he Bangladesh Prime Baladuti (enclave) in Debiganj Noakhali district, she said our bilitation project. Documents Sailesh Thapa said the hu- after it was revealed she had Minister yesterday in- of Panchagarh, Bairachuna government also continues the of the houses have already been man skull parts might have Swiss nationality in addition Taugurated 11 new cluster Sirail in Pirganj of Thakurgaon, programme and builds houses handed over to 390 families. been smuggled for tantric to being a local citizen. villages in seven districts, re- Baghpur-2 in Kaharole and for the homeless under the As- The land ministry is im- rituals, and added that Bhagi- Sri Lanka-born Geetha Ku- newing her commitment to en- Refugeepara-1 in Parbatipur rayan Project to ensure at least a plementing the project that rath would be booked under marasinghe, who built a fol- sure accommodation and jobs sub-district of Dinajpur, Juan- small shelter for the poor. began in 2015. the Public Off ence Act as the lowing on the silver screen for the poor and the homeless 1 in Pirgachha and Arji Joy- She mentioned that step has Under the scheme that will country’s law does not specify before winning a seat for in the country. dev in Gangachhara of Rang- been taken to build such houses end in June 2020, as many as possession of human body President Maithripala Sirise- Some 390 landless families pur, Salaipur in Sadullapur of on government land through 2,500 cluster villages will be parts as an off ence. na’s party in the 2015 general will be accommodated in the Gaibandha and Kabirpur-5 non-government organisations constructed across the coun- Indian and Nepali nation- election, violated a new law by new cluster villages. in Sadarpur sub-district of (NGOs). try and 50,000 landless and als have been found involved holding dual citizenship, the “Our aim is to ensure home Faridpur. Hasina said some 280,000 homeless families will be in smuggling of human bones Court of Appeal held. Geetha Kumarasinghe for all ... we must arrange shel- Hasina urged people to work families are estimated to have rehabilitated. through Kakarbhitta border. “The court held that she ter for everyone. I want no hard to change their fate, saying remained homeless in the In the current fi scal year, 135 A man was arrested with a had not provided any docu- judgement on the issue of a for- one to remain homeless after her government will extend all country and deputy commis- cluster villages will be built at human skull from the area ments to support her claim eign national holding elected the founding father Banga- necessary support if they face sioners of districts concerned a cost of 900mn taka. As many last year as well, the daily that she had renounced her offi ce in the island nation. bandhu Sheikh Muijibur Rah- any crisis. have been directed to look af- as 4,600 families will be reha- said. Swiss nationality,” a court The new government in man’s birth centenary and the Various multifaceted pro- ter them and build houses for bilitated through these cluster Kakarbhitta is becoming offi cial said. 2015 amended the constitu- golden jubilee of the country’s grammes have been taken to them. villages. a transit point for smug- The 61-year-old was also tion to bar Sri Lankans with independence,” she said. ensure accommodation and Talking about the land The cluster village pro- gling of human bones and asked to pay back her sal- dual citizenship from contest- Each family received a employment for the poor, she boundary agreement with India, gramme was originally human skulls are being ary as well as the cost of all ing elections, a move that di- 300sq ft two-room house said, adding that the govern- the prime minister said Bangla- launched by Sheikh Mujibur smuggled to Nepal from other privileges she enjoyed rectly aff ected two brothers of and tubewell facilities as well ment does not want to see desh set an example in the world Rahman in 1972 through places like Assam, Megha- as a lawmaker, including a former strongman president as fi nancial assistance and anyone without home. that land-related dispute could constructing 1,826 cluster laya and Mizoram, a police luxury car. Mahinda Rajapakse who held socio-economic training. Recalling the initiative of peacefully be settled. villages. source said. Yesterday’s ruling is the fi rst US citizenship. Harbinger of good harvest Digital security bill in the offi ng, says law minister

By Mizan Rahman Replying to a query about the the section, senior legal experts form that causes deterioration Dhaka chief justice’s remarks made in pointed out in Dhaka. of law and order, prejudices the Bogra that the judiciary is yet The debate has intensifi ed image of the state or a person, to be fully independent, Anisul after the arrest of Ahmed Raju, or hurts religious beliefs, the of- angladesh Law Minis- declined to make any comment executive editor of natunso- fender will be punished with a ter Anisul Huq yesterday about it, saying, “If I have any- moy.com. He was picked up on maximum of 14 years and a mini- Bsaid the confusion over thing to say, I’ll talk to him.” April 30 in connection with a mum of seven years of imprison- Section 57 of the ICT Act will be About the outcome of the case fi led under the ICT Act. ment. It will also be considered removed in the proposed Digital meeting with the US envoy, he Talking to newsmen, top le- as a non-bailable off ence. Security Act. said they discussed the friend- gal experts said Section 57 of Eminent rights activist Sultana He came up with the remarks ly relations between the two the ICT Act is a “tool of repres- Kamal said the section is so vague while talking to reporters after a countries as a routine work. sion” and has been enacted to that law enforcers can interpret meeting with US ambassador in Although human rights activ- “harass” people. it as they want to arrest anyone Dhaka Marcia Bernicat at his offi ce. ists, national and international They emphasised the need anytime. “The Act is contradic- “The concern over the mis- journalist organisations, and le- for removal of the section to re- tory to the constitution because use of Section 57 of the ICT gal experts have all along been duce “harassment of common Section 57 robs us of our right to Act will be removed. The draft demanding that the controver- people”. freedom of speech. So, we want it Digital Security Bill now awaits sial Section 57 of the Information The experts also said that per- repealed,” she added. vetting, and the concern over and Communication Technology sons with vested interests have Top constitutional expert the section will be removed (ICT) Act be repealed, the gov- been abusing the Act by taking Shahdeen Malik urged the gov- there,” the minister said. ernment is yet to do so. advantage of loopholes in it. ernment to remove Section 57. Nepalese people pull the chariot of Rato Machhindranath during the third day of the one-month-long He said the present govern- Instead, it has arrested many According to Section 57, if a “The clause is taking the festival, to pray for rain and good harvest in Lalipur, near Kathmandu. ment has no intention to curb people, including journalists, in person deliberately publishes country back to the medieval the freedom of expression. cases fi led against them under any material in the electronic ages,” he said. Gulf Times Thursday, May 4, 2017 29 COMMENT The many benefi ts of vitamin D

By Melvin Sanicas and sudden cardiac death, stroke, healthy people of similar age and other Singapore and overall cardiovascular disease. characteristics. Yet another study showed that daily More research is required before we vitamin D supplements may improve can be certain of any of these benefi ts, itamin D helps our bodies cardiac function in people with but recent results are promising. regulate levels of calcium chronic heart failure. In any case, there is no doubt that and phosphate – nutrients Dozens more studies point to a vitamin D is crucial for human health. Vthat keep bones, teeth, and potential link between low levels of So how much vitamin D do muscles healthy. Often, sunlight on vitamin D and increased cancer risk, we need to reap its disease- our skin can be enough to enable us particularly the risk of colorectal fi ghting rewards? The Institute of to produce all the vitamin D we need. cancer (though, based on current Medicine recommends tripling the But when sunshine is lacking, vitamin evidence, it remains unclear whether recommended daily intake of vitamin D must be ingested, and it can be vitamin D supplements actually lower D for children and adults in the US and diffi cult to meet the recommended cancer risk. Likewise, vitamin D levels Canada, to 600 IU (15 micrograms) levels from food alone. This matters may go some way toward predicting per day. Public Health England’s because the health benefi ts of cancer survival (though the evidence recommended dietary allowance for adequate vitamin D intake may be remains limited here, as well). adults and children over the age of one even greater than previously thought. Then there is multiple sclerosis, is 400 IU (10 mcg) per day. Given how Vitamin D defi ciencies are which occurs at much lower rates in few foods contain vitamin D naturally, widespread, with around 1bn people, sunnier climates, possibly owing in reaching these levels may require from all age groups and ethnicities, part to higher vitamin D levels. One conscious eff ort. suff ering from them, even in countries study found that, of patients who Some people may need more with year-round sunshine. Indeed, already have MS, those who took a than the recommended dietary they are particularly common in high dose of vitamin D supplements allowance – if they are obese or the Middle East, owing partly to the had lower relapse rates. Another study taking anti-convulsive medications, prevalence of skin-covering clothes showed that those with the highest immunosuppressants, antifungals and a cultural habit of staying out of vitamin D blood levels had a 62% such as ketoconazole, or medications the sun. That same habit, together lower risk of developing MS than those for HIV/Aids – though it is important with darker skin, contributes to lower with the lowest vitamin D levels. to consult a physician before initiating levels of vitamin D among Africans. Likewise, a 30-year study in Finland such a regime. Ingesting too much Even in industrialised countries, found that children who regularly vitamin D – above 10,000 IUs per day doctors are seeing the resurgence of received vitamin D supplements – may cause kidney and tissue damage rickets, a bone-weakening disease during infancy had a nearly 90% lower and promote hypercalcemia (the that had been largely eradicated risk of developing type 1 diabetes buildup of calcium in the blood). through vitamin-fortifi ed milk and than those who received none. Other We are still a few years away from other products. And rickets is far from European case-control studies clinical trials that explore the possible the only disease to which vitamin D reinforce the conclusion that vitamin link between vitamin D supplements, defi ciency may contribute. Research D may help protect against type 1 higher vitamin D levels, and reduced conducted over the last decade diabetes. As if that were not enough, hypothesise that infl uenza outbreaks respiratory tract infection overall. risk of disease. However, given the suggests that vitamin D plays a much Even obesity may have connections vitamin D also helps to fight are aff ected by sunlight-related Vitamin D’s role in fi ghting public-health implications of such broader disease-fi ghting role than to vitamin D. A clinical study found infection. Scientists have discovered “seasonal stimulus.” A randomised infection is not exactly news. Before a connection – low vitamin D levels once thought. that providing supplements to obese that vitamin D is necessary to controlled trial in Japanese children antibiotics were discovered, sunlight have been linked to a doubled risk For example, the Health and overweight people with vitamin activate the immune system’s found that type A infl uenza rates was part of the standard treatment of premature death – the research Professional Follow-Up Study found D defi ciency aids weight loss and T-cells, which identify and in children taking vitamin D for tuberculosis (TB). A study showed could not be more important. In that men with vitamin D defi ciencies enhances the benefi ts of a reduced- attack bad pathogens circulating supplements were about 40% lower that TB patients recovered at a faster public health, there aren’t many game were twice as likely to have a heart calorie diet. Another study revealed throughout the body. than in those taking a placebo; there rate when given vitamin D alongside changers. Vitamin D may yet prove to attack as men who had adequate that women dieters with insuffi cient That may explain, at least partly, was no signifi cant diff erence in type antibiotics. And several studies, be one. – Project Syndicate levels. Several other studies have calcium who took a calcium and why fl u virus peaks in the winter B infl uenza rates. A recent review when analysed together, suggest that found links between low vitamin D vitamin D supplement had more fat months (in temperate climates). This found that vitamin D supplementation people diagnosed with tuberculosis zMelvin Sanicas is a regional medical levels and higher risk of heart failure loss than those who did not. seasonality led a British physician to was safe and protective against acute have lower vitamin D levels than expert at Sanofi Pasteur. How much vitamin D do I need? Weather report Tribune News Service protection factor higher than eight Three-day forecast Washington – a wise move to protect your skin from cancer – or if you have a darker TODAY skin tone, you may not be absorbing High: 40 C UESTION: I have heard vitamin D, even when you are out in Low : 29 C Inshore: Hazy at places at first diff erent recommendations the sunshine. becomes hot daytime with slight from diff erent sources Recommendations for how much dust and some clouds. Qregarding vitamin D. One daily vitamin D adults need through doctor told my husband that everyone diet have changed over the years. FRIDAY living in the Northern Hemisphere Currently, diff erent recommendations High: 40 C should take a vitamin D supplement exist. The Institute of Medicine has Low: 31 C every day, even in the summer. What placed the recommended dietary Sunny do you recommend? allowance, or RDA, for vitamin D at Answer: Understanding how 600 international units (IU) per day much vitamin D you need can be for young adults and 800 IU per day SATURDAY confusing because there are diff erent for adults older than 70. Other experts High: 39 C recommendations about how much suggest that adults’ vitamin D needs Low: 30 C vitamin D adults should get. Using the are much higher. For example, the Sunny recommendations that fall on the low Endocrine Society recommends up to end, many adults don’t get the amount 1,500 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily of vitamin D they should. Because few for adults. Fishermen’s forecast Mayo Clinic recommends that foods contain vitamin D naturally, OFFSHORE DOHA eating foods fortifi ed with vitamin adults get at least the RDA of 600 Wind: NE-SE 5-15/21 KT D and taking a supplement may be IU. However, 1,000 to 2,000 IU per Waves: 2-4/6 Feet benefi cial. day of vitamin D from a supplement INSHORE DOHA Wind: SE-SW 3-15 KT Vitamin D is important because Vitamin D is important because it helps your body sustain normal levels of is generally safe, should help people Waves: 1-3/4 Feet it helps your body sustain normal calcium and phosphorus. achieve an adequate blood level of levels of calcium and phosphorus. vitamin D, and may have additional Around the region Because it works as a key that association does not mean low vitamin foods, diet usually doesn’t provide health benefi ts. While there are no Weather Weather allows your body to absorb D causes these conditions, or that enough vitamin D. And certain guidelines for checking your vitamin today Max/min tomorrow Max/min calcium, vitamin D plays a critical taking a vitamin D supplement will health conditions that aff ect the D blood level, it may be prudent in Abu Dhabi Sunny 39/31 Sunny 40/31 role in forming and maintaining adequately prevent or treat them. gastrointestinal tract may decrease people with osteoporosis or certain Baghdad M Sunny 36/23 P Cloudy 34/21 Dubai healthy bones. It also helps keep Vitamin D is found in some foods, the absorption of vitamin D and other health conditions. Discuss with Sunny 39/31 Sunny 39/31 Kuwait City M Sunny 39/27 P Cloudy 38/27 your muscles, nerves and immune such as egg yolks, cheese, cod liver predispose to low vitamin D blood your health care provider if it may be Manama Sunny 40/28 Sunny 41/29 system healthy. oil, beef liver and fatty fi sh like levels. You also can get vitamin D benefi cial to check your vitamin D Muscat Sunny 36/29 Sunny 36/30 Research suggests that consistently tuna, salmon, sardines, herring and through direct exposure to sunlight, level. Riyadh Sunny 41/28 M Sunny 41/26 getting enough vitamin D can mackerel. But the amount of vitamin although the amount of sun you need If you have ongoing health concerns Tehran P Cloudy 26/16 M Sunny 26/16 signifi cantly lower the risk for the D in these foods is quite small. In the to get enough vitamin D can vary or a chronic health condition, talk to bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. US, many people get the bulk of their greatly. your health care provider before you Low vitamin D also is associated with dietary vitamin D from foods that For people in northern climates begin taking any dietary supplement, falls, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid are fortifi ed with it, including milk, or those who spend most of their including vitamin D. He or she can arthritis, chronic pain, diabetes, cereals and some brands of yogurt and time indoors, adequate exposure to help you decide if supplements are high blood pressure, cardiovascular orange juice. sunlight can be hard to get. Also, if you appropriate for your situation. – Mayo disease and some cancers. However, an In general, even with fortifi ed regularly wear sunscreen with a sun Clinic News Network

Letters

Global massacres that Western democracies and other powers in promoting and exacerbating powers have committed gross crimes brutal confl icts. An international must be probed against more than 50 countries. It is community which is implicit in the about genocide committed by these global confl ict arena lacks the moral Please send us Dear Sir, powers. It is a history of aggression, authority to enforce international your letters indiscriminate bombing, war crimes criminal justice on this war-torn Around the world British writer Hazel Cameron’s and complicity in massacres. planet. Weather Weather 20-page expose – “The Matabeleland Secretary-General of Amnesty In 1648, French painter, Nicolas By e-mail today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Massacres” – warrants comment. International, Pierre Sane, pointed Poussin, fearing a civil war in France, [email protected] Athens Sunny 28/16 M Sunny 30/16 Her analysis provides the most out that in 1997 alone “Algerians in uttered these words, which eerily Beirut M Sunny 21/17 Sunny 22/17 Fax 44350474 S T Storms 33/27 comprehensive evidence of Western their thousands have been slain with epitomise the current global turmoil. Bangkok 36/28 S T Storms Or Post Berlin Rain 11/08 S Showers 13/08 duplicity while dealing with mass unspeakable brutality”. He pleaded at “I fear the malignancy of the century. Cairo Sunny 31/18 Sunny 31/18 atrocities over the past four decades. that time: “Why is the international Virtue, conscience, religion are Letters to the Editor Cape Town Sunny 26/14 S Showers 21/12 Western intervention and duplicity, community silent?” banished from all men. Only vice, Gulf Times Colombo S T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 32/26 lead us to ask many hurtful and In Rwanda, it seems fair to deceit and self-interest reign. All P O Box 2888 Dhaka I T Storms 34/25 S T Storms 34/26 Hong Kong T Storms 28/24 S T Storms 28/24 puzzling questions. How extensive estimate that at least 80% of the is lost, I despair of goodness, all Doha, Qatar Istanbul Sunny 22/11 M Sunny 22/12 has been the brutal involvement and Tutsi living in the country lost their is overcome by unhappiness. The Jakarta S T Storms 32/25 S T Storms 32/25 complicity by Western countries in lives; methodically murdered, fi rst current remedies are not strong Karachi P Cloudy 35/27 Sunny 34/27 global aff airs? French atrocities in with grenades and guns, then with enough to remove the evil. If we do not All letters, which are London Cloudy 15/09 Cloudy 14/10 Manila S T Storms S T Storms 34/26 Algeria, US crimes in Indo-China, machetes and traditional weapons. get rid of the cause, we are wasting our subject to editing, should 34/27 Moscow M Cloudy 11/02 P Cloudy 13/06 the former Belgian Congo, Chile, Death squads carefully hunted and time.” have the name of the New Delhi P Cloudy 39/25 Sunny 41/26 Bangladesh, Central America, killed survivors. One million people Today’s massacres and killings are writer, address and phone New York P Cloudy 16/11 Rain 17/14 Paris S Showers M Cloudy 19/11 Somalia, Liberia, former Yugoslavia, perished while the West and the transposed and displayed in a virtual number. The writer’s 18/08 Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, the Middle churches remained silent. gallery as the crimes of others while Sao Paulo S Showers 27/16 S T Storms 26/17 name and address may be Seoul M Cloudy 28/15 M Sunny 27/10 East and the role of the West and the An eff ective enforcement of the real perpetrators lurk behind. Singapore S T Storms 31/25 S T Storms 32/25 UN Security Council in the Rwandan international justice in global confl icts withheld by request. Sydney P Cloudy 18/10 Sunny 20/11 genocide in 1994. must include inquiries into the role Farouk Araie Tokyo Clear 21/14 Cloudy 24/13 Historical evidence will reveal of international actors and the major Benoni, S Africa Gulf Times 30 Thursday, May 4, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Qatar, Poland to start

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] new phase in relations Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) QNA about 14 free economic zones in the Fax 44350474 Doha country. Poland has a wide geographical diversity that includes sea, mountains, atar and Poland are set to lakes, rivers and large forests, which start a new phase of bilateral qualify the country to attract more co-operation with the investments and entrepreneurs in all Qoffi cial visit of HH the Emir sectors. GULF TIMES Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to It also has a portfolio of partnership Poland today, during which the Emir and investment projects with Qatar. will hold talks with Polish President Alongside the energy sector, Andrzej Sebastian Duda and a number Poland has many promising sectors of senior offi cials. for investments including food and The visit will witness the signing agriculture, medical services, research Bottas the new of a number of agreements and and development, joint humanitarian memorandums of understanding assistance, tourism, sports and in various fi elds between the two culture. countries. The Polish government seeks to The bilateral co-operation between attract capital and foreign investment ‘Iceman’ of A December 9, 2013 file photo shows HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Qatar and Poland in the fi eld of energy to serve the local economy, mainly is a matter of priority. al-Thani receiving Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski at the Emiri Diwan. Qatari investments. A year ago the two countries signed Qatar is not only an investment an agreement to increase the supply Poland was one of the fi rst countries of the UN General Assembly in New and economic destination, but is also Formula One of the Qatari liquefi ed natural gas to to recognise Qatar’s independence in York. a destination for enhancing political Poland to 2mn tonnes per annum. 1971 and also supported its application The political consultation sessions and diplomatic co-operation, which The operation of the Polish to join the United Nations the same have promoted and developed bilateral will contribute to promoting the Valtteri Bottas has emerged as the new “Iceman” Swinoujscie LNG terminal in 2015 year. relations in various fi elds, and co- economic growth of the two countries of Formula One after winning his maiden race at the helped in expanding the supply of Poland also lauds Qatar’s growing ordinated positions on many issues and upgrading the level of relations liquefi ed natural gas (LNG) shipments political and economic role in the of common interest as well as mutual between businessmen in both Poland Russian Grand Prix in Sochi on Sunday. to Europe, starting in Poland which region. visits between the Polish and Qatari and Qatar. represented the gateway to central It appreciates Qatar’s international sides at various levels. The business community in Poland In the process he has also given his Mercedes team Europe particularly the landlocked and regional role in establishing Qatar is the third largest trading is awaiting HH the Emir’s visit to some food for thought as they plan their strategy for countries that lacked sea ports, in security and stability in many places partner of Poland among the GCC present its expertise in many diff erent addition to the Baltic region. in the world, and its excellence in all countries with a total trade value of sectors, especially in the fi elds of the remaining races of the season. The inauguration of Polish fi elds, including politics, economy, 345.5mn euros. agriculture and agro-processing, Before the season began he was seen as the number Swinoujscie LNG terminal, which sports. Liquefi ed natural gas imports as Poland is the largest producer of receives the Qatari LNG, has opened a Relations between the leaderships account for a large part of trade food products in eastern and central two in the Mercedes team behind three-time world new chapter in the bilateral relations of Qatar and Poland are close between the two countries, in Europe, with production reaching champion Lewis Hamilton. But the Finn showed with as the Polish economy is one of the and distinguished by continuous exchange for Polish imports to Qatar more than 55bn euros in 2015. strongest in Eastern Europe that consultation. that include electrical equipment, The country also enjoys signifi cant victory in Sochi he could be as big a threat to Hamilton enjoys a rapid growth rate benefi ting In December 2013, Doha hosted food and machinery. capabilities in the ICT sector with a as the Briton’s erstwhile teammate Nico Rosberg. the Qatari investors. a Qatari-Polish summit witnessed HH the Emir of Qatar Sheikh market value of about 19bn euros with Poland signed a 20-year agreement the signing of a memorandum of Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s visit to 140,000 employees. Bottas is now just 10 points behind Hamilton and 23 with Qatar in 2009 under which Qatar understanding (MoU) in the fi eld of Warsaw represents an opportunity It is the most competitive sector points behind Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ provides Poland 1.5bn cubic meters sport between the Qatar Olympic to introduce investment prospects in in Europe and employs international of liquefi ed natural gas per year that Committee and its Polish counterpart, the country to Qatari investors, taking companies. standings as F1 now heads to the Spanish Grand Prix in ensures energy security in Poland. and a letter of intent between the into account the fact that Poland’ Poland ranks fi rst in terms of the Barcelona on May 14. Relations between Doha and ministers of interior of the two ranks 24th among world economics, pace of development among EU Warsaw have developed signifi cantly countries on co-operation in the fi eld the trade opportunities provided countries, and ranks fi fth in terms of “Nerveless at the death in the Russian Grand Prix, over the past few years, especially of law enforcement training. by the government, and the safe attracting foreign direct investments Valtteri Bottas fi nally proved that Formula One has a after the opening of the Polish In September 2014, HH the Emir infrastructure and legal environment, according to the United Nations embassy in Doha in 2006 and Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in addition to monetary and non- rankings. new iceman,” Britain’s Guardian newspaper wrote in embassy in Warsaw in 2008. and the Polish president met again monetary facilities that enable It is also the fi rst country to benefi t a reference to fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen, who came The relations are also historic as on the sidelines of the 69th session investors to enter into investments in from the European banking funds. third behind teammate Vettel. Bottas’ victory under pressure from Vettel maintains Mercedes’ unblemished winning record in Sochi and puts them ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ championship. However the team left the circuit with some worries after an indiff erent weekend for Hamilton, who suff ered from heating problems and was off the podium in The Finn fourth place. showed in Sochi “I just wasn’t quick enough. I’ve never had he could be a cooling issues like that big threat to before but it meant I was Hamilton out of the race from the get-go,” he said. “I think I had the pace to fi ght with Kimi, but the car just kept overheating.” Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff said it was clear that Bottas was not given the car to do the job at Sochi and that “it is a priority for us to sort this out A December 9, 2013 file photo shows HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Poland’s President Bronislaw Komorowski witnessing the signing of a before Barcelona.” memorandum of understanding between Qatar and Poland at the Emiri Diwan . Bottas, who arrived at Mercedes from Williams to replace retired world champion Rosberg, has waited 81 races to fi nally taste victory. That’s not the longest wait by any means, with 10 drivers having to wait longer to win, including Rosberg The moral imperative to support Macron and countryman Mika Hakkinen. He is now the fi fth By Guy Verhofstadt all of its neighbours, starting with in Europe, populist candidates such being honest about the reforms France Finn to have won a race, following Keke Rosberg, Brussels my own country, Belgium, where as Norbert Hofer in Austria and Geert needs. Forty years ago, France’s GDP nearly half of the population speaks Wilders in the Netherlands ultimately was about 9% larger than the United Hakkinen, Raikkonen and Heikki Kovalainen. French. Historically, France was lost because their rising popularity in Kingdom’s; today, it is smaller. Those “It’s going to take a while to sink in,” he said. Bottas s the two names on the one of the world’s great conquering polls prompted a last-minute surge in who have distanced themselves as French presidential powers, before it became a founding electoral activism to defeat them. much from Macron as from Le Pen in earned his victory following a blistering start, taking election’s second-round member of the EU. As diff erent as In the second round of the French the name of French workers clearly the lead from third on the grid, and then holding on Aballot make clear, a political these legacies of imperialism and election, however, Macron is the one have their priorities mixed up. paradigm shift is underway in Europe. multilateralism appear, both have currently enjoying a comfortable lead. If Macron wins on May 7, everyone under late pressure from Vettel. Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le embodied France’s commitment But his margin over Le Pen could falter. who voted for him will still be free to After the previous races in Bahrain and China had Pen represent alternative worldviews to globalisation. Ironically, that Between now and May 7, National Front criticise and oppose his every move. that depart from, and transcend, the commitment is now being betrayed by propaganda will belittle him constantly; And they can rest assured that he seen plenty of overtaking, Sochi did not see a single traditional left-right divide. those who would close off France from Russian cyber-trolls will step up their poses no threat to the rule of law pass after the initial moves at the start of the race. Recent elections elsewhere in Europe and the world in the name of attacks; and his political opponents or the fundamental institutions of Europe have also pitted progressive, “patriotism.” will deride him for his brief stint as an democracy. In fact, a key feature in his The duel between Bottas against Vettel rescued the free-market, pro-European parties Although current opinion polls investment banker and cast doubts legislative programme is a pronounced Russian GP which was otherwise short on thrills. against nationalistic populist suggest that Macron will win handily, on his stated commitment to fi ght for eff ort to clean up public life. movements. But in a country as he has not yet secured his place in the French workers. The same could not be said of a important to Europe’s future as Elysee Palace. Relativism and anti- Indeed, if you listen to the campaign President Le Pen. Even if those who France, the stakes could not be higher. establishment sentiment are trending messages from the National Front are unwilling to support Macron To Advertise Those who wish to tear apart the in French public opinion, and electoral and its allies (foreign and domestic), can look past Le Pen’s bigoted and European Union are well aware of forecasts predict a surge in abstention you would think that Macron is atavistic political programme, they [email protected] this. Russian hackers have launched rates among potential Macron voters. responsible for every rain cloud and cannot guarantee that the core Display numerous cyberattacks against the Le Pen’s supporters, on the other fl at tire in France and Europe. All of institutions of French democracy Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 website of Macron’s En marche ! hand, will almost certainly fl ock to the the more mainstream candidates who would survive her time in offi ce. In movement, and the Kremlin is publicly polls to vote for her, demonstrating lost in the fi rst round must actively other words, unless Macron’s fi rst- Classified supporting Le Pen. the disciplined fanaticism for which resist a Le Pen victory, which means round opponents back him, they Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 Many French voters still seem the National Front has long been actively working to secure Macron’s cannot guarantee their own future. – unaware of the geopolitical dynamics known. victory in the runoff – a victory for the Project Syndicate Subscription at work in their country’s election. The pollsters, despite being French Republic over those who hold it [email protected] And yet a grave responsibility rests maligned during the campaign, in contempt. zGuy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian upon their shoulders. Indeed, the fate have been right so far, so we need Free-market liberalism has a bad prime minister, is president of the of the EU – and the West – is in their to pay attention to how surveys of reputation in France. But, if anything, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved hands. voter intentions can aff ect electoral Macron should be commended for Europe Group (ALDE) in the European France has left its mark on almost outcomes. In other recent elections campaigning as its champion, and for Parliament.

Gulf Times 32 Thursday, May 4, 2017 QATAR VCUQatar holds commencement ceremony for ’17 CUQatar held its 2017 Commencement Ceremo- Vny on Monday at the HBKU Student Centre at an event that brought together families, friends, faculty and staff to celebrate the accomplishments of the gradu- ates. HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, vice chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation for Edu- cation, Science and Community Development was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. “VCUQatar has established a homegrown ecosystem right here Graduates hooray at the event. in Doha - an ecosystem that pro- motes, develops and rewards in- novation in art and design. The success of this mission is embod- ied in each member of the Class of 2017,” said Sheikha Hind. Dr Michael Rao, president of Virginia Commonwealth Univer- sity told the students, “You off er fervent hope that the world can be whatever we imagine. I encourage you to think about how you can make the world more beautiful in HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani addressing the gathering. ways big and small.” The university conferred 50 Each year at commencement, ‘for her ongoing commitment and wards the commencement of their Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in special recognition is given to in- support to VCUQatar, and for her professional careers, and the path fashion design, graphic design, dividuals whose careers and val- overall dedication to being an ad- to an endless array of possibilities. interior design, painting and ues have done much to enhance vocate for arts and humanities’. The Class of 2017 Valedictorian printmaking, and art history, and the quality of life of communi- VCUQatar dean Dr Akel I Ka- Alisha Rehan Saiyed, and Salu- four Master of Fine Arts degrees in ties around the world. This year, hera stated that ‘the hard work of tatorian Radheya A Visperas also design. The 16th commencement VCUQatar presented the honorary the Class of 2017 has driven them spoke, thanking their families, brings the number of VCUQatar doctor of humane letters to Dana to the fi nish line of their studies at fellow graduates, friends, faculty alumni to 620. Shell Smith, the US ambassador, VCUQatar, and will push them to- and staff . The US ambassador Dana Shell Smith being honoured at the ceremony. 45 graduates from WCM-Q receive degrees

total of 45 graduates from Weill Cornell Med- Aicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) received their US-accredited MD degrees at a ceremony at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Student Centre yesterday in front of family, friends, faculty and staff . The 45 new doctors join the ranks of 256 other alumni of WCM-Q and they will now go on to take up residencies at Ha- mad Medical Corporation and hospitals in the US. Dr Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCM-Q, congratulated the new physicians and told them that the vision of Qatar Founda- Dr Amal al-Malki delivering the keynote speech. The WCM-Q graduates taking the Hippocratic Oath during the ceremony. PICTURES: Thajudheen tion of creating a virtuous circle, in which students are trained in passion. So go forth, tighten worked so hard to achieve. At gion, but around the globe. You ic Distinction, with Honours (Academic Distinction), Rebal and Public Health Award of Qatar and then return to prac- your boot straps, do what you HBKU, we share the same pas- are bringing better healthcare to in Research Excellence in the Turjoman (Outstanding Com- Merit). tise medicine once their US res- love and don’t take no for an an- sion for educational excellence, Qatar and neighbouring coun- Brain and Mind Course; Ex- munity Service Award; Glo- Ameneh Hossein Amini (The idency training is complete, has swer. If life slams a door in your innovation and service to our tries. You are building a culture cellence in the Basis of Dis- bal and Public Health Award Good Physician Award), Jee Ah now come to fruition. face: remember it’s a door, you communities as the young men of biomedical research where ease Course; Excellence in the of Merit, Honours in Service), Rhee (Excellence in Obstetrics Dr Sheikh said, “A career in can just open it again. And if it’s and women who are graduat- one hadn’t existed before.” Pre-Clinical Curriculum; Ex- Hamza Munir Oglat (Academic and Gynaecology), Josia Markus medicine is one of the most re- locked, rooms have windows, ing today.We will remain united The following are the meritori- cellence in Internal Medicine; Distinction, Excellence in the Schlogl (Academic Distinc- warding jobs that anyone can fi nd one. And if you can’t fi nd a by these values and, therefore, ous students of the Class of 2017: Excellence in Paediatrics; Ex- Molecules, Genes and Cells tion), Tarek Barbar (Academic undertake. You now have the window, break down a wall. Re- I have no doubt that the Class Nawaf al-Taweel (Excellence in cellence in Psychiatry; Excel- Course). Distinction), Omar Abdulnaser knowledge to heal people, to of- member you’re carrying a tool- of 2017 will serve as wonderful the Medicine, Patients and Socie- lence in Public Health; Excel- Ali Khairat (Excellence in Aljaziri (Excellence in the Medi- fer succor in their darkest hours box. With this mentality, glory ambassadors for Qatar Founda- ty), Mohamed Zaahid Sheriff (Ex- lence in Surgery; Excellence Neurology), Khalid Walid al- cine, Patients and Society), Ali and to relieve suff ering. During will fi nd you, your task is not to tion and Qatar.” cellence in the Molecules, Genes in the Clinical Curriculum; Dasuqi (Academic Distinction, Abdullah Al Jabri (Academic your residencies your knowl- seek it. It will merely come as an Also watching the Class of and Cells Course; Excellence in Biomedical Research Award; Honours in Research, Biomedi- Distinction), Khalid Taha (Aca- edge will grow and you will be- added benefi t of doing what you 2017 receive their MD degrees the Host Defenses Course; Excel- Leadership in Medicine Award; cal Research Award), demic Distinction, Excellence gin to specialise, becoming ex- love.” and take the Hippocratic Oath lence in Internal Medicine), Ridin Outstanding Public Health Mohamed Abubakar Sha- in the Human Structure and perts in your respective fi elds. The guest speaker Dr Amal was Dr Augustine Choi, dean of Balakrishnan (Excellence in the and Community Medicine Re- kir (Excellence in the Medicine, Function Course; Excellence in At the same time, I hope your al-Malki, founding dean of the Weill Cornell Medicine in New Brain and Mind Course; Excel- search Award). Patients and Society I Course; Primary Care), Ahmed Khalid compassion and empathy grows College of Humanities & Social York. lence in Neurology), Aya El Jerbi Anchalia Chandrakuma- Excellence in the Medicine, Pa- Almeer (Leadership in Medicine with it.” Sciences at Hamad Bin Khalifa Dr Choi told the gradu- (Excellence in the Brain and Mind ran (Academic Distinction), tients and Society II Course; Award), Shruthi Suresh (Aca- Class valedictorian Dr Ali University said: “It is wonderful ates, “This medical school has Course; Excellence in Neurology), Afnan Albahri (Honours in Excellence in Public Health; demic Distinction, Excellence in Khairat told the Class of 2017 to be here to see the members of achieved so much in the sixteen Diala Adnan Steitieh (Excellence Service, Outstanding Com- Leadership in Medicine Award; the Basis of Disease Course) and : “If these six years at Cornell WCM-Q’s Class of 2017 realise years since it was established. in the Brain and Mind Course; munity Service Award; Class Outstanding Community Serv- Pierre Bahij Halteh (Honours in have taught me anything, it is their dreams of becoming doc- You are truly making a diff er- Excellence in Neurology). of 2008 Student Leadership ice Award; Class of 2008 Stu- Research, Biomedical Research that succeeding here takes true tors, which I know they have ence not just in the Mena re- Lina Wael Irshaid (Academ- Award), Sarah Elsoukkary dent Leadership Award; Global Award).

The graduates with dean Dr Javaid Sheikh and other off icials. A graduate receiving the degree certificate.