BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Mercedes’ Bottas on pole for INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-6, 24 COMMENT 22, 23 Qatar set to emerge REGION 8 BUSINESS 1–5, 16-20 Austrian stronger from 21,370.00 8,922.72 44.23 ARAB WORLD 8, 9 CLASSIFIED 6-16 +90.00 -6.76 -1.29 INTERNATIONAL 10–21 SPORTS 1–8 blockade: economist Grand Prix +0.42% -0.08% -2.83% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SUNDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10509 July 9, 2017 Shawwal 15, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals End Qatar In brief blockade,

QATAR | Initiative MEC urges eateries to use local products UK FM tells The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has called on all restaurants and cafes in the country to use locally-made products in their food and beverage items. This is in line with eff orts being undertaken Arab states to support national products, which, in turn, will reflect positively on the country’s economy. The MEC Emir, Johnson hold talks on GCC crisis had earlier launched an initiative His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson at Al Bahr that aims to “support and market Palace yesterday. Qatar’s PM and FM discuss and the means to enhance them, be- national products in the local the latest developments with sides discussing the GCC crisis and the market, support and ease investors’ Johnson latest developments in the region. HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mo- access to consumers and open markets to merchants and investors No possibility of a military hamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also seeking to launch new products”. confrontation,” says Johnson met with his British counterpart. The initiative, it is hoped, will Tillerson to hold talks with According to QNA, the meeting dealt contribute to the State’s eff orts to Kuwaiti leaders tomorrow with bilateral relations and the means prioritise national products as part Hamad Port launches to enhance them. of its strategic plans and pillars of Agencies Sheikh Mohamed discussed with its economic diversification strategy Doha/Kuwait Johnson the latest developments of the aimed at achieving Qatar National siege laid on Qatar and all the illegal Vision 2030. measures taken against the country. fi ve new service lines is Highness the Emir Sheikh The foreign minister stressed that REGION | Trade Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani enforcing unilateral measures against Hand British Foreign Minister Qatar was against the UN Charter Iran fi rm plans direct Boris Johnson discussed yesterday the and a severe violation of international shipping route to Qatar latest developments in the GCC crisis laws, which have led to grave humani- Iran’s Valfajr Shipping Company is in less than 20 days and its implications in terms of region- tarian consequences and human rights planning to establish a direct marine al and international stability. violations. route from the port of Bushehr atar Ports Management Com- Johnson stressed his country’s sup- Sheikh Mohamed also stressed that to Qatar in the next two weeks, pany (Mwani Qatar) has said it port for Kuwait’s mediation eff orts, led the siege was set without resorting to Abolqasem Mohammadzadeh, Qhas inaugurated, in co-opera- by Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al- the mechanisms adopted by regional an off icial with Bushehr Ports and tion with its partners, fi ve new direct Jaber al-Sabah, to resolve the crisis. and international organisations. Maritime Organisation, was quoted service lines between Hamad Port and The offi cial Qatar News Agency said Johnson is on a trip of the Gulf as as saying by Irna. The move is aimed a number of ports in the region and be- the meeting held at Al Bahr Palace also part of Britain’s eff orts to fi nd a solu- at “expansion of non-oil trade” to yond in less than 20 days. dealt with issues of joint interest, par- tion to the GCC crisis. He met with Qatar, adding that this will help This comes as part of its eff orts to ticularly terrorism and extremism and his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah Iran use refrigerated containers for ensure the continuous fl ow of supplies the ways to enhance bilateral co-oper- Khaled al-Sabah yesterday in Kuwait shipments to Doha. and meet the needs of the local market ation as part of regional and interna- before coming to Qatar . in light of the recent measures taken tional counter-terrorism eff orts. AFP adds from Kuwait: The British QATAR | Utilities against the State, according to a press The Emir and the British minister Foreign Minister urged Arab states to statement by Mwani Qatar. reviewed bilateral strategic ties and end their Qatar boycott, downplaying Kahramaa can meet “The launch of the new lines comes the means to enhance them in diff er- the odds of a military escalation in the power, water needs within the framework of the directives ent fi elds, particularly co-operation in worst crisis to grip the Gulf in years. Qatar General Electricity and of the Ministry of Transport and Com- Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup. In a televised interview released to Water Corporation (Kahramaa) munications in order to ensure that HE the Prime Minister and Interior media after meeting senior govern- currently has the capacity to meet vessel movement, shipping operation Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser ment fi gures in Kuwait, he said: “What the country’s electricity and water and maritime navigation are not af- bin Khalifa al-Thani also met with the people need to see is de-escalation and needs over the next five years, the fected by these measures,” the state- Hansa Neuburg docked at Hamad Port. UK Foreign Minister and the delegation progress towards tackling the funding corporation’s president Issa bin ment notes. accompanying him. of terrorism in the region, and progress Hilal al-Kuwari has stressed. In a The fi rst direct service between Ha- On June 28, Mediterranean Ship- lines emphasise the high reliability of The meeting reviewed bilateral rela- toward an end to this blockade.” statement issued yesterday, Issa bin mad Port and Sohar Port in Oman was ping Company (MSC) inaugurated its the Qatari economy and its ability to tions between the two friendly nations To Page 24 (See also Pages 2, 24) Hilal al-Kuwari said that Kahramaa inaugurated on June 11. Hansa Neu- maiden voyage between Hamad Port adapt to regional and global changes has all the necessary reserves burg, which is operating under Milaha’s and Salalah Port and MSC Kerry was and will contribute to providing fast to operate all the projects in the DMJ service, was the fi rst ship to call the fi rst vessel to call the port under and secure solutions to importers and Erdogan: accusations against Qatar unfair country whenever required. Page 2 the port under this new service with the new service with more than 660 exporters, Captain Abdul Aziz al-Yafei, 1,696 TEUs, including 133 cold storage containers onboard. The international director of Hamad Port, said. “We are Turkish President Recep Tayyip diff erences GCC brothers are having. EUROPE | G20 summit reefers that contain food supplies. shipping company, Maersk, started assured that these new lines will con- Erdogan said yesterday that the Anadolu Agency reported Erdogan On June 23, another new line link- its fi rst direct service between Hamad solidate trade ties between the State of accusations aimed at Qatar by siege saying that the security and stability of Opt-outs for Trump ing Hamad Port directly to Salalah Port and Salalah Port on June 30. The Qatar and the world, as well as promot- countries were unfair, stressing that GCC brothers was just as important as on climate and trade Port was launched with the arrival of ship Jack London was the fi rst ship to ing trade exchange and support Qatar his country views the sanctions the stability and security of Turkey. World leaders made concessions the container ship Paul Abrao to the be welcomed under the new service. National Vision 2030.” against Doha as inappropriate. As a result, Erdogan added, any steps on trade and climate language to port with a range of various goods and Green Guatemala is the fi rst ves- Mwani Qatar is committed to playing Erdogan was speaking at a press that threaten stability and security Donald Trump yesterday at the end building materials onboard. On the sel to dock at Hamad Port under the a vital role in stabilising the domestic conference in Hamburg on the must be avoided. of the most fractious and riot-hit same day, the ship Hansa Magdeburg new service between Qatar and Turk- market by managing Qatar’s ports and sidelines of the G20 summit and He also expressed Turkey’s hope G20 summit ever, in exchange for arrived from India’s Nhava Sheva port ish ports. It sailed from Izmir Port and providing a stable platform for the sup- stressed the importance of respecting that the region’s big countries, led by preserving a fragile unity of the in a new shipping line that connects called at Hamad Port on July 2, carrying ply-chain for Qatar’s economy in co- Qatar’s sovereignty. Saudi Arabia, can reach a reasonable club of major industrialised and Hamad Port with both of India’s Mun- more than 3,000 tonnes of foodstuff . operation with its partners and stake- He added that no party wins from the resolution. emerging economies. Page 15 dra and Nhava Sheva ports. The launch of these new maritime holders, Capt al-Yafei stressed. Page 24 Doha Metro project on track as 62% work is completed Over 280mn man-hours have The workshop was attended by hours have been worked and the 10 been put in so far Qatar Rail’s executive management, Metro civil packages have now pro- Work progress signals the project delivery team and project gressed to the next stage of construc- management consultants. It was held tion, which will see all the 37 stations readiness for arrival of first as part of Qatar Rail’s commitment to undergo mechanical, electrical and consignment of trains before delivering the railway programme on architectural fi t-outs, a colossal un- year-end schedule, it said in a press statement dertaking and notable milestone for a yesterday. landmark project.” First trial run before December The workshop was also attended The completion of a 4km ‘trackwork’ by HE the Minister of Transport and railway test section along the Metro ore than 60% of the Doha Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed Red Line, together with the extensive Metro Phase 1 work has been al-Sulaiti, who followed the discus- progress made at the Main Depot at Ras Mcompleted and the project is sions as the workshop participants Bu Fentas, “signals readiness for the ar- on schedule, a senior offi cial of Qatar developed a set of prioritised actions, rival of the fi rst consignment of trains Railways Company (Qatar Rail) has which are being now implemented and before the year-end”, he said. said. will be crucial to the timely delivery of “The civil structures are 95% com- A view of the upcoming Economic Zone station. This was revealed during a Delivery the Qatar Rail project. plete, and scheduled for completion by Alignment Workshop conducted re- Opening the workshop, Qatar Rail the end of the year. The railway systems delivery, said: “The progress rate is re- project. This is the benefi t of a very rig- As part of the “forward outlook” for cently by Qatar Rail with the objective managing director and CEO Abdulla installation is on progress and the fi rst markable. With currently more than orous health and safety system and the the remainder of 2017, three of the 37 of evaluating the extent of progress till al-Subaie said: “We are very pleased trains will be tested on the test section 52,000 people working to deliver Metro unwavering eff ort of all project part- Metro stations, Al Doha Al Jadeda, Al date and exploring all opportunities with the progress of the Metro Phase of the Red Line before the end of this Phase 1, the Accident Frequency Rate ners to train, educate and supervise the Qassar and Economic Zone, are expect- to accelerate progress and ensure that 1 programme as it approaches 62% year.” is 0.036, which is most probably the workforces. From the onset, safety has ed to be ready for fi nal inspection by the timely delivery is secured. overall completion. Over 280mn man- Daniel Leckel, chief of programme lowest ever achieved in such a mega been at the helm of our operation.” Civil Defence by December. Page 6 Gulf Times 2 Sunday, July 9, 2017 QATAR

Customs Authority Prime Minister, FM meet Boris Johnson chief attends WCO meetings

The president of the General Authority of Customs, Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Jammal (in picture), headed the Qatari delegation that took part in the World Customs Organisation (WCO) council meetings at its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, from July 6 to 8. This included the regional meeting for North Africa and the Middle and Far East. The WCO meetings discussed a number of key topics regarding the development HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met UK’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and the delegation accompanying him in Doha yesterday. The meeting and modernisation of Customs reviewed bilateral relations between Qatar and the UK and the means to enhance them, in addition to discussing the GCC crisis and the latest developments in the region. Meanwhile, HE the Foreign Minister work and adopting the best Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also met Boris Johnson. The meeting dealt with bilateral relations and the means to enhance them. The Foreign Minister discussed with the UK foreign secretary standards in the related security the latest developments related to the siege imposed on Qatar and all the illegal measures taken against the country. The Foreign Minister stressed that enforcing unilateral measures against Qatar was field. In addition, the meetings against the Charter of the United Nations and a severe violation of international law, which led to grave humanitarian consequences and human rights violations. He also stressed that the siege of Qatar was discussed the provision of set without resorting to the mechanisms adopted by regional and international organisations. digital Customs services for international trade. Current Kahramaa Qatar charities sign pacts with UN bodies capacity can meet power and water needs for 5 years

QNA network with a production of Doha „Kahramaa has reserves 60 million gallons of water and to operate all projects 1,612 MW of electricity, and fi - whenever required nal operation of this phase of the atar General Electricity „Kahramaa has plans project will be completed this and Water Corporation to provide suff icient month. Q(Kahramaa) currently quantities of electricity Kahramaa president added has the capacity to meet all the and water to meet the that these quantities of produc- country’s electricity and water country’s future needs tion have increased the electric- needs over the next fi ve years, „ All electricity and water ity output reserve to more than the Corporation’s President Issa projects proceeding as 23% and the water production bin Hilal al-Kuwari has stressed. planned without delay reserve by about 15%, while the In a statement issued yester- „ Levels of electricity water storage capacity has in- day, Issa bin Hilal al-Kuwari said and water production are creased to 1,472 million gallons, that Kahramaa has all the neces- constantly increasing an increase of 10%. sary reserves to operate all the Issa bin Hilal al-Kuwari He said that these achieve- projects in the country when- ments come in accordance with ever required, and that it has energy will be announced soon. water was 375 million gallons. Qatar National Vision 2030 many plans to enhance its role During the second quarter of Issa bin Hilal al-Kuwari said and the ambitious goals of the to fulfi l its mission of providing this year, Kahramaa succeeded that the levels of electricity and second national development suffi cient quantities of electric- in meeting the growing demand water production in the country strategy set by the country’s ity and water to meet the coun- for electricity and water serv- are constantly increasing to keep leadership. The strategy aims try’s future needs, in accordance ices with great effi ciency thanks pace with the country’s steady to achieve sustainable devel- with internationally recognised to the eff orts and co-ordination growth in all fi elds. opment, progress, growth and standards. between all the authorities con- The second quarter of 2017 well-being of the citizens of the Qatar Charity, Sheikh Eid Charity, and Sheikh Thani bin Abdulla for Humanitarian Services (RAF) He explained that all elec- cerned in the country, the state- witnessed the operation the country and all the residents, in a signed yesterday five memorandums of understanding with the UN Off ice for the Co-ordination tricity and water projects in ment added. fi rst phase of the Umm Al-Hall way that encourages and creates of Humanitarian Aff airs (OCHA), UN High Commissioner for Refugee, UN Children’s Fund (Unicef), the country are proceeding as The maximum load reached Electricity and Water Produc- an attractive investment envi- the World Food Programme and World Health Organisation to implement a number of projects for planned without delay, and that by the electricity network dur- tion Project, which started in ronment for capital from all over the Syrian refugees through the executive committee of Aleppo aid campaign. Each agreement is additional projects in the fi elds ing this period was 7,600 MW, early June, noting that the cur- the world according to plans and set at a value of $8.5mn, except for the OCHA agreement which was set at $500,000. of electricity, water and solar while the maximum demand for rent phase of the plant feeds the programmes set by the State. LuLu Hypermarket importing fresh milk from UK

uLu Hypermarket Group instance, the a2 milk is cow’s 150C for fi ve seconds. At such a has said it has started im- milk that contains predomi- temperature, all harmful patho- Lporting all categories of nantly the A2 type of beta- gens, including spores, are killed, fresh milk from renowned sup- casein protein rather than the as well as the enzymes which pliers in the United Kingdom, more common A1 protein found could spoil the milk, which is twice a week on a regular basis, in regular milk. why you can keep at room tem- to ensure uninterrupted supply Besides, LuLu Group has or- perature for months,” the state- in all their outlets across the re- ganised the import of whole ment explained. The milk also gion. cow’s milk, semi-skimmed goes directly into the container The major categories of fresh cow’s milk, skimmed cow’s milk, after heating, which eliminates milk that are being made availa- whole goat’s milk and semi- possible contamination. ble on shelves from dairy brands skimmed goat’s milk pasteurised Besides, almond milk, cashew such as Graham’s, a2 and Coun- in ultra-high temperature (UHT milk and rice milk are also avail- trylife, etc, are sterilised whole long-life milk) from reputable able on the shelves. cow’s milk, skimmed cow’s milk, companies of the UK such as Soya milk is also made avail- semi-skimmed cow’s milk, or- Arla, Daioni and Delamere. able from major suppliers in the ganic whole cow milk, skimmed UK, namely Alpro, Provamel organic milk and semi-skimmed “Normal pasteurisation and Soysole, in fl avours such organic milk in 1L and 2L con- heats milk to around 70- as E/Calci soya milk, soya with tainers. 75C for 15 seconds, but the coconut milk, unsweetened All these categories of fresh newer technique heats at soya milk, milk light, milk va- milk have an average shelf life of up to 150C for fi ve seconds. nilla, chocolate milk, strawberry seven days, LuLu Group has said At such a temperature, milk, rice plus Calcium+Vit and in a press statement. all harmful pathogens, sweetened CI&Vitamin, etc. The management of LuLu including spores, are killed, Fresh fat-free fruit yoghurts Group has said fresh milk im- as well as the enzymes from reputable international ported from the UK tastes which could spoil the milk” brand such as Danone Activa are good and is rich in nutritional also available. contents such as calcium, car- “It is quite a healthy drink and The LuLu Group management bohydrates, fat, phosphorous, all of the nutritional benefi ts of has stressed that this bulk stock potassium, iodine, Vitamin B1, drinking milk are available from of fresh, UHT and Soya milk Vitamin B12, zinc and protein, pasteurised milk without the are available at all LuLu outlets. etc. “It is much better in qual- risk of disease that comes with They are also in the process of ity and health-oriented than drinking raw milk. Normal pas- importing Europe’s fi rst natural- any milk that were available teurisation heats milk to around ly enriched fresh milk – ‘NEMi’ earlier from other GCC coun- 70-75C for 15 seconds, but the – from the UK, which is expect- tries,” the statement noted. For newer technique heats at up to ed to arrive in the next week. Milk from the UK at LuLu. Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 3 QATAR

QIA chief holds meeting Qatar Airways celebrates launch of direct daily service to Dublin

atar Airways has cele- brated the offi cial launch Qof its new direct daily route to Dublin, Ireland. In this connection, Qatar Air- ways Group chief executive Ak- bar al-Baker landed in Dublin on Thursday to host a press confer- ence celebrating the new service. Al-Baker was welcomed at the airport by Dublin Airport chief Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) Chief Executive Off icer HE executive Kevin Toland, Dublin Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohamed bin Saud al-Thani has met the Airport managing director Vin- Prime Minister of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil in Hanover. HE cent Harrison and Sheikh Sal- Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohamed bin Saud al-Thani discussed man bin Jassim al-Thani from issues of mutual interest and co-ordination regarding the QIA the Qatari embassy in London. investment plan in Germany. The meeting was attended by In a press statement, Qatar Qatar’s ambassador to Germany Sheikh Saud bin Airways said al-Baker hosted Abdulrahman al-Thani. a crowded press conference on Thursday for Irish and interna- tional media from Australia and Qatar who were keen to hear about the latest plans of the air- line. During the conference, al- Humid conditions Baker confi rmed that Qatar Air- ways is committed to bringing Akbar al-Baker was welcomed at the airport by Kevin Toland, Vincent Harrison and Sheikh Salman bin Jassim al-Thani. more visitors to Dublin, boosting tourism to the already popular Toland, who joined the press and Mombasa, Kenya. to prevail tonight Irish capital and its neighbour- conference in Dublin, said: “We The new direct fl ights to Dub- ing cities. The new route will want to express our warm- lin will also provide Qatar Air- also give the people of Ireland est welcome to Qatar Airways ways Cargo customers with 80 umid conditions are ex- the opportunity to connect to and its new daily route between tonnes of belly-hold capacity pected to prevail in the more than 150 destinations on Dublin and Doha. We welcome each week. Temperature-con- Hcountry by tonight, the the airline’s global network via tourists from Doha and beyond trolled products are the major Qatar Met department has said. its hub in Doha, Hamad Interna- to enjoy Ireland’s traditions and exports out of Ireland and the The weather offi ce has also tional Airport. lively culture. cargo carrier is profi cient in sup- forecast strong winds and high Al-Baker said, “Dublin has “There are many great reasons porting the air logistics through seas in some off shore areas in the long been on our list of destina- to take a break in Dublin, which its specialist solutions, QR Phar- early hours of the day. tions to add to our route map, is a wonderful, vibrant and ex- ma for pharmaceuticals and QR The wind speed in these areas and I am proud that we are here citing city.” Fresh for perishables. may go up to 24 knots at fi rst be- today to celebrate this important Qatar Airways has said it will Qatar Airways said it has al- fore decreasing later in the day, milestone in the history of our continue to expand its global ready made an impact in Ire- with the sea level rising to 8ft in airline. We are here to serve the network in 2017 and 2018, giving land with its new service fly- some places. likely off shore at times, which people of Ireland with a world- Irish passengers and expatriates ing at almost full capacity in Akbar al-Baker and other off icials at the press conference. The detailed forecast also says will be followed by hazy and class service connecting them living in Dublin the opportunity the last few weeks since its hazy to misty conditions are ex- cloudy conditions later. to business and leisure destina- to “travel seamlessly” to more launch. The airline has also The Dublin-Doha flight arriving in Doha at 12.30am; pected in some inshore areas in A maximum temperature of tions on our global network. than 150 destinations. An addi- made its presence in the market schedule is as follows: Mon- Tuesday, Thursday and Satur- the early hours of the day, fol- 44C is expected in Dukhan and “It is also our pleasure to pro- tional 26 new destinations will felt with key sponsorships at day, Wednesday, Friday and day - QR 019 departing Doha at lowed by hot daytime conditions Abu Samra, followed by 42C in mote Ireland as a tourism des- be launched in 2017 and 2018, events around the city, includ- Sundays - QR 017 departing 1.50am and arriving in Dublin with some clouds. It will be hu- Doha. Yesterday, the maximum tination to our loyal passengers including Abidjan, Ivory Coast; ing the Dublin Horse Show and Doha at 7.45am and arriving in at 7.25am, and QR 020 depart- mid by night. was 45C in Dukhan, while in who have already shown their Accra, Ghana; Canberra, Aus- the Darley Irish Oaks Day at the Dublin at 1.20pm, and QR 018 ing Dublin at 8.50am and arriv- Slight dust, meanwhile, is Doha it was 39C. appetite for Dublin.” tralia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Curragh Racetrack. departing Dublin at 3.25pm and ing in Doha at 5.55pm. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, July 9, 2017 QATAR

Doha Bank to exchange riyals at Quality Group receives Best branches in India

Doha Bank is authorised to exchange Qatari (riyal) currency notes against Indian Regional Enterprise Award rupees at its branches in India for its customers and other uality Group Interna- delivered to Quality custom- Tassels and Q-Fine in the retail banks, Doha Bank CEO Dr R tional received the Best ers around the world,” Olakara and F&B division was another Seetharaman has said. QRegional Enterprise and said. “Being named as one of the benchmark for being honoured. “Doha Bank would like to Best CEO Award of the Year at fastest and multi-faceted grow- The evaluation criteria in- assure its existing customers the ‘International Conference: ing private companies is a true cluded a strong and positive im- that they can exchange Qatari Excellence in Quality’ event held honour and a testament to the age and position in the national riyals against Indian rupees in Lucerne, Switzerland. group’s portrayal and delivery market and GCC region, busi- at its branches in India. Doha Shamsudheen Olakara, chair- of a vibrant vision of leading ness reputation on a global level, Bank has also communicated man, Quality Group Interna- the future of the industry and global infl uence on social and to all the banks in India that tional, received the award at the empowering high-performance economic progress, high rates they can get in touch with the event attended by CEOs and teams.” of team development and reten- branch personnel to discuss business excellence leaders from The award was received for tion, integrity and transparency, the operational aspects of the around the world. outstanding contributions by application of modern manage- exchange,” Dr Seetharaman said “We are honoured that Qual- Quality Group International in ment technologies to maintain in a statement. ity Group’s innovation and suc- the diverse fi elds of retail, F&B, quality standards and certifi ca- With regard to foreign exchange cess in varied sectors have been healthcare, logistics and man- tions in diff erent spheres, com- in Qatar, he said: “Qatari banks recognised by such a well-re- agement services, technical, mitment to environmental pro- have supported and continues to spected panel of judges. It is a trade and transport services, tection, successful marketing support all customers, exchange true statement on the business engineering and hydraulics, ac- innovations and strategies, in- houses with foreign exchange benefi t, excellent service and cording to a statement. Launch vestment rating, attractiveness remittance as well as currency Shamsudheen Olakara receiving the award in Lucerne, Switzerland. undeniable value consistently of the group’s maiden brands and competitiveness. notes supply as per demand.”

Ahlibank announces QR1mn prize winner

ohamed Rabei M A Al Rabeh to win again.” Moustafa, a minor, Hassan AlEfrangi, Ahl- Mhas been named ibank’s deputy CEO - Retail Ahlibank’s Al Rabeh Savings and Private Banking, deliv- Scheme QR1mn prize draw ered the cheque to the win- A group picture of the participants. winner for Q2 2017. ner and said: “I want to con- The draw was conducted gratulate Mohamed Rabei M in the presence of a Minis- A Moustafa on winning the try of Economy and Com- Al Rabeh Q2 2017 QR1mn merce offi cial. prize draw. This prize will HEC Paris in Qatar launches Rabei Moustafa, father defi nitely secure Mohamed’s of the winner, said: “Ahl- future. At Ahlibank, we are ibank’s Al Rabeh Savings always striving to provide specialised master’s degree Account has been the best the right products and serv- investment that I have ever ices to our clients.” made. I couldn’t believe it The Al Rabeh Savings EC Paris has of- majority being women, knowledge and help oth- when I received a call from Scheme reward structure fi cially launched represents a wide range of ers,” Dr Plambeck said. Ahlibank informing me off ers 164 cash prizes to Hthe specialised professional backgrounds, The latest SBUM cohort that my son had won the be won in 2017, including master’s degree in Stra- skills and experiences, includes participants from quarterly QR1mn prize. four millionaires, 40 cash tegic Business Unit Man- which will enhance shared various nationalities, with This proves Ahlibank’s prizes of QR50,000 each, agement’s (SBUM) second learning, a key compo- the majority being Qatari, credibility and transparen- 80 cash prizes of QR10,000 cohort - class of 2018. nent of the programme, which further refl ects HEC cy. Our plan is to re-invest each and 40 cash prizes of A private orientation according to a statement. Paris’ “global reach and a portion of the winnings in QR5,000 each. programme was held in “This day marks an commitment in providing this regard on July 6 on its important day for all the world-class education to Doha premises at Tornado participants. It is the an international audience”, Tower. The programme beginning of a learning the statement notes. was inaugurated by Dr Nils journey during which the Professor Wolfgang C Plambeck, dean and CEO, participants will develop Amann,academic director HEC Paris in Qatar, and new insights, broaden of the SBUM programme attended by distinguished their skillsets and develop in Qatar, said: “The SBUM alumni, participants, new social ties. This will programme brings together faculty and staff . not only allow them to do the region’s most aspiring The new cohort com- their work diff erently, but and ambitious executives prises 36 participants, the newly gained knowl- from various backgrounds representing various in- edge will also allow them and varying degrees of expe- dustries such as engineer- to positively infl uence any rience and knowledge, cre- ing, fi nance and banking, one from their immedi- ating a unique learning and health and social services, ate others to the society in networking environment of education and telecom- general. Thus, the partici- global standards. It is a key munications, among oth- pants will have both the component for HEC Paris in Hassan AlEfrangi handing over the cheque to Mohamed ers. The diverse group pleasure to learn and also its goal to help shape future Rabei M A Moustafa. of participants, with the to be able to share their business leaders.”

‘Connected’ off ers global service Qatar Postal Services Company (Q-Post) has encouraged people to benefit from its services, including ‘Connected’. ‘Connected’ is the first integrated e-commerce and international cargo service off ered by Q-Post,” the company said in a statement. The service ‘connects’ users with the world around them through e-shopping and cargo services, with customers being able to gain maximum value from its various advantages, the statement notes. As part of the service, subscribers get private postal addresses in the US and the UK to be used during e-shopping. Then, they can access their purchase directly through a door-to- door service. Alternatively, the cargo can be stored at Q-Post storehouses for up to 21 days free of charge. To guarantee better services, Q-Post provides a service that allows one to track cargo until it is delivered safely to him/her. For more information on the new services, one can log on to www.connected.qa Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 5 QATAR Ooredoo sees big trend for My-Fi use in 2018

nterprises ena- Ooredoo Business custom- bling mobile work- ers can purchase selected Eforces will be the devices through their ac- biggest trend for 2018, count manager and pay driving strong take-up of with their Ooredoo bill. Mobile Wi-Fi (My-Fi) devices, “Qatar’s businesses cus- Ooredoo has said. tomers can leverage the Increasingly, Qatar’s or- Ooredoo Advantage, mak- ganisations – from small ing Ooredoo “Best for Busi- businesses to medium- ness”, thanks to its breadth sized enterprises – are and depth of talent, best adopting Ooredoo My-Fi fi xed and mobile networks, devices to enable their em- broadest portfolio of ICT ployees to work while on services and solutions, the go. and trusted partner for 60 With a mobile data SIM Yousuf al-Kubaisi: “Qatar’s organisations that want to become years,” Ooredoo said in a card, My-Fi devices act as mobile-first should begin their digital transformation now. statement. Wi-Fi hotspots for up to In Qatar, Ooredoo is 15 mobile devices such as As a result, enabling mobile “Qatar’s organisations “seeing strong demand” for smartphones and tablets. workforces will be the big- that want to become mo- My-Fi devices such as the Using mobile data, My-Fi gest business trend for Qa- bile-fi rst should begin their Huawei Prime, one of the devices can provide faster tar’s organisations in 2018,” digital transformation now. most powerful and small- download speeds compared said Yousuf al-Kubaisi, CIOs should work with an est at only 7.5mm thick and to Wi-Fi and allow easy fi le- COO, Ooreoo Qatar. experienced partner, like 58mm wide; the Huawei sharing between devices. Businesses purchasing Ooredoo, for enterprise- E5786, which supports su- “Qatar is a major hub in mobile devices are a major wide mobility, especially per-fast download speeds the global economy, with driver of the global mobile for supporting Millennials of up to 300Mbps; and the workers increasingly need- device spend, set to reach who prefer mobile devices,” Netgear AirCard 790S, with ing to work while off -site on $627bn by 2019, according added al-Kubaisi. up to 300Mbps download mega-projects, in transit, to a recent report by re- Helping organisations to speed and a long-lasting and while travelling abroad. search fi rm Gartner. easily adopt My-Fi devices, battery. QIB launches summer campaign

atar Islamic Bank for a minimum transaction Personal Banking Group. 108 winners while the grand (QIB) has an- of QR500 will get a chance “This campaign is our way prize draw will be held in Qnounced the launch to win QR5,000 daily. of supporting the needs of November. The draws for of its annual summer cam- Cardholders who spend our customers during the the prizes will take place at paign, ‘Win Everyday with QR10,000 and above dur- summer season, a season QIB’s headquarters under QIB VISA Cards’. ing the campaign will get a that is usually associated the auspices of the Minis- This year’s campaign runs chance to win a new Lexus with higher local purchas- try of Economy and Com- until October 24, giving QIB LX570. ing needs, travelling and merce in the presence of Visa credit and debit card- ATM cash withdraw- well-deserved vacations. representatives from Visa holders “the chance to win als transactions will be ex- We are committed to pro- and QIB. exciting prizes”, the bank cluded. viding the best value- “We are pleased to of- has said in a statement. “QIB’s summer cam- for-money off ers to our fer our customers a tailor- Customers who use paigns continue to be cardholders.” made campaign that will their Visa credit or debit well-received among our Over the course of the complement their life- cards for purchases, do- customers,” said D Anand, promotion, on a daily basis, style during the summer mestic or international, general manager, QIB’s QIB and Visa will reward months,” Anand added. Gulf Times 6 Sunday, July 9, 2017 QATAR

Pilot Station - an integral part of project

As part of the eff orts under- within the station and the systems taken to build confidence in the equipment rooms are being fitted timely completion and delivery out. The first batch of escalators of the project, and nurture a has been delivered to the site for transparent working protocol, installation with structural concrete Qatar Rail said it has initiated an works nearing completion. The early inspection protocol with pedestrian underpasses are struc- the competent authorities. An turally complete without the need integral part of this eff ort has for disrupting the flow of traff ic on been the development of the the existing Al Matar Road above. Pilot Station concept. Architectural interior fit-out is also Three of the 37 Metro stations for at an advanced stage. Phase 1 have been designated as The third Pilot Station, Economic ‘Pilot Stations’ and will serve as Zone, has also witnessed “pro- a benchmark for the integrated found progress”, currently 78% station model for civil, MEP and overall complete. As of the end Depot track works leading to light maintenance building. systems. These stations are Al Qas- of June, the civil and structural sar as part of the Red Line North works are complete while inter- Underground package, Al Doha nal architectural works are now Al Jadeda as part of the Red Line in progress with superstructure South Underground package, and for walls and vaults completed. Economic Zone as part of the Red Installation of the glass rein- Line South Elevated and At Grade forced panel roof cladding to package. The first Pilot Station, Al the main building is over 80% Qassar, has witnessed “remarkable complete with the glass facade progress” with civil and structural for nearly 70% of the station works almost 98% complete in in place. The ‘trackwork’ has the last month, according to Qatar been installed within the station Rail. The entrance shelter structure and the systems equipment has been erected with internal rooms are being fitted out. All 10 architectural works now ongoing, escalators are now fully installed. and the final wall finishes (tiling) The project has also engaged have commenced. with the Civil Defence and it is For Al Doha Al Jadeda, the proposed to have the first site ‘trackwork’ has been installed visit scheduled for July 15. The completed Red Line South elevated track works. Metro Red Line North underground tunnel. Three Doha Metro stations set for inspection by December

hree of the 37 Doha Metro stations are expected to Metro Red Line South is anticipated by the end of December. be ready for fi nal Civil Defence inspection by De- Qatar Rail recently organised a Delivery Alignment Work- Tcember, Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) has shop to evaluate the extent of progress to date and explore all said. opportunities to accelerate progress and ensure that timely These three stations - Al Doha Al Jadeda, Al Qassar and delivery is secured. The workshop was attended by Qatar Economic Zone - have been designated as ‘Pilot Stations’. Rail’s executive management, the project delivery team and This is part of the “forward outlook for the remainder project management consultants, as well as by HE the Min- of 2017,” which also envisages the following: the fi rst four ister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed rolling stock (trains) from Japan are anticipated to arrive in al-Sulaiti. Doha before the year-end, testing and commissioning is In a press statement yesterday, Qatar Rail outlined the projected to commence by the fourth quarter of 2017, and progress achieved so far, noting that key factors for the ac- substantial completion of all three elevated stations of the complishments in the fi rst half of this year could be ascribed to the fast-track approach in awarding the MEP and archi- tectural fi t-out packages and by implementing the systems contractor’s mitigation plans. The adopted strategy will en- sure earlier installation of railway equipment in the technical rooms of the stations and allow an earlier start of testing and HE Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti addressing the workshop. commissioning, Qatar Rail has said. Also key to the progress has been the establishment of a achievement of the Business Transformation Programme co-operative relationship with the Civil Defence, according goals,” Abdulla al-Subaie, Qatar Rail managing director and to Qatar Rail. Familiarisation with rail systems and under- CEO, said. ground facilities by conducting pre-inspection visits “have 2017 is a “crucial time to ensure the operational readiness been and will continue to be an essential factor” to obtain the preparations, strengthening engagement with the Civil De- required permits on time. As of today, all civil contracts have fence and other external stakeholders, implementation of achieved DC1 designs approval. revenue strategies particularly in relation to retail, advertis- The statement recalled that a Business Transformation ing and station-naming rights and construction award for Programme was launched towards the end of 2016. It con- transit-oriented developments”, the statement further noted. tained four pillars: delivery of the programme on time, within Meanwhile, al-Subaie said “Qatar Rail’s accomplishments budget and to the required quality, fi nancial and operational and its ambitious plans would not be possible without the ju- sustainability, organisational effi ciency and building Qatari dicious leadership and unremitting guidance of His Highness capabilities. the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani”. HE The Min- The Business Transformation Programme aligns with the ister of Transport and Communications thanked Qatar Rail’s directives set out in the speech delivered by His Highness the leadership and the team for the achievements so far and ex- Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the 45th Ordinary pressed confi dence that the team would deliver the Qatar Rail Session of the Advisory Council concerning timely comple- project on schedule and within budget. He reinforced the sig- tion of all infrastructure projects in the State of Qatar, striv- nifi cance of the Doha Metro project, which would represent ing for greater effi ciency in government spending, diversify- the backbone in the creation of an integrated public transport ing the economy and ensuring sustainable development and system in Doha. national human capability building, Qatar Rail said. Al-Sulaiti and al-Subaie emphasised that the close in- “Our key focus for the year 2017 is implementation and volvement of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, who is also the chairman of Qatar Rail, is a key inspiration for the imple- mentation of many of Qatar Rail’s ambitious initiatives for the continuous improvement in performance. “The workshop has developed a set of prioritised actions, which will now be implemented to ensure timely project de- livery. We would be conducting similar workshops with the priority contractors to engage them around the actions re- quired to achieve the programme targets,” al-Subaie noted. “The work is progressing as usual at all construction sites and we are determined to meet our timeline for delivery of what Economic Zone station interior vaulted ceiling work. will be a world-class transport system for Qatar.”

Gulf Times 8 Sunday, July 9, 2017 REGION/ARAB WORLD UN’s Syria envoy hopeful about ceasefi re

Reuters failed to hold for long and it Damascus was not clear how much the actual combatants in the area — Syrian government forces ceasefi re deal agreed and the main rebel groups in for southwestern Syria the southwest — are commit- Ais a positive develop- ted to this latest eff ort. ment that could help prop up “All of this leads to sup- the political process aimed at porting the political process,” ending the country’s six-year Ramzy said after meeting with war, the UN Deputy Special government offi cials about Envoy for Syria said yesterday. UN-based peace talks that “This is a step in the right open in Geneva next week. direction,” Ramzy Ezzeldin “This development helps Ramzy told reporters in Da- create the appropriate en- mascus. vironment for the talks,” he The United States, Russia added, expressing hope that and Jordan reached a cease- agreements would be reached fi re and “de-escalation agree- for other parts of Syria as Iraqi Federal police celebrate in the Old City of Mosul, yesterday. ment” for southwestern Syria well. set to take eff ect today. Among other issues, the The announcement came latest round of UN peace talks, after a meeting between US due to start tomorrow, will in- President Donald Trump and clude “continuing technical Russian President Vladimir negotiations about the consti- Putin at the G20 summit of tutional and legal matters re- major economies. lated to the political process,” Iraqi army offi cials say Previous ceasefi res have Ramzy said. Mosul victory imminent z Soldiers celebrate to the) death in Maydan,” Amaq in a statement.”Some members without waiting for victory said in another online post. of Daesh have surrendered,” it announcement Artillery explosions and gun- added, using an Arab acronym of z Nearly half Mosul’s fi re could still be heard during Islamic State. residents displaced from yesterday afternoon and a col- The road where the soldiers United Nations Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin ravaged city umn of smoke billowed over the celebrated was scarred with gap- Ramzy talks to press in Damascus, yesterday. Old City riverside, the Reuters ing holes from explosions and Reuters correspondent said. rubble from a fl attened multi- Mosul/Erbil, Iraq A US-led international coali- storey shopping mall. tion is providing air and ground Rubbish and ammunition support to the eight-month boxes were strewn around and slamic State militants vowed campaign to wrest back Mosul, the only civilians seen were a Erdogan warns Kurds to “fi ght to the death” in Mo- by far the largest city seized by group of about 15 women, chil- Isul yesterday as Iraqi military Islamic State (IS) in 2014. dren and elderly, some of them commanders said they would Almost exactly three years wounded, sheltering in a dam- on right to defence take full control of the city from ago, the ultra-hardline group’s aged petrol station. the insurgents at any moment. leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi de- Security forces medics were Dozens of Iraqi soldiers cel- clared from Mosul a “caliphate” giving them fi rst aid. AFP “We will not hesitate to use ebrated amid the rubble on the over adjoining parts of Iraq and Months of urban warfare Hamburg our legitimate right to de- banks of the Tigris river without Syria. has displaced 900,000 people, fence against formations that waiting for a formal victory dec- Iraqi women, who fled the fighting between government forces and Dozens of IS insurgents were about half the city’s pre-war threaten our country’s secu- laration, some dancing to music Islamic State (IS) group militants in the Old City of Mosul, arrive in killed yesterday and others tried population, and killed thou- resident Recep Tayyip rity.” blaring out from a truck and fi r- the city’s western industrial district to be relocated, yesterday. to escape by swimming across sands, according to aid organi- Erdogan yesterday said Ankara considers the Kurd- ing machineguns into the air, a Tigris, state TV said. sations. PTurkey would never al- ish People’s Protection Units Reuters correspondent said. of liberation?” Mohamed Haji curity forces fi ghting in Islamic Most of those making a last Prime Minister Haider al- low a Kurdish state in Syria (YPG) fi ghting in Syria to be The mood was less festive, Ahmed, 43, a clothing trader, State’s redoubt in the Old City stand were foreigners, it added. Abadi declared the end of Islam- near its border, and warned a terrorist group and the Syr- however, among some of the told Reuters in the Hassan Sham by the Tigris. Iraqi commanders say the ic State’s “state of falsehood” a that if threatened, Ankara ian branch of the outlawed nearly 1mn Mosul residents camp to the east of Mosul. “It’s a matter of hours,” she militants were fi ghting for every week ago, after security forces would not hesitate to use its Kurdistan Workers’ Party displaced by months of com- Earlier yesterday, a military added. metre with snipers, grenades took Mosul’s Grand al-Nuri right to self-defence. (PKK), which has waged an in- bat, many of whom are living in spokesman said the insurgents’ But Islamic State’s Amaq news and suicide bombers, forcing se- mosque — although only after “We will never remain si- surgency against the Turkish camps outside the city with little defence lines were collapsing, agency reported “fi erce fi ght- curity forces to fi ght house-to- retreating militants blew it up. lent or unresponsive to the state since 1984. respite from the blazing summer state television reported. ing” around the riverside district house in the densely populated Stripped of Mosul, Islamic backing and arming of ter- But the United States sees heat. “We are seeing now the last of Maydan and said its fi ghters maze of narrow alleyways. State’s dominion in Iraq will be rorist groups, and the for- the YPG as the most eff ective “If there is no rebuilding and metres (yards) and then fi nal “were holding onto their forti- “The battle has reached the reduced to mainly rural, desert mation of terror islets right group on the ground in the people don’t return to their victory will be announced,” a fi ed positions.” phase of chasing the insur- areas west and south of the next to our border,” Erdogan fi ght against Islamic State, homes and regain their be- presenter said, citing corre- “The fi ghters of Islamic State gents in remaining blocks,” the city where tens of thousands of said in a speech at the closing and is openly arming the mi- longings, what is the meaning spondents embedded with se- are collectively pledging (to fi ght Iraqi military media offi ce said people live. session of the G20 summit in litia force to the dismay of its Hamburg. Nato ally.

Forensic investigation ordered over deaths

Reuters lition — a Turkey-based Beirut opposition group — said 10 people had died in custody, some as the result of torture, Lebanese military and 19 others had died in the prosecutor ordered raid around Arsal town. Aforensics to examine A military source de- the bodies of four Syrians nied the allegations, which who died in army custody prompted Lebanon’s human last week following calls for rights minister to call for an an inquiry by rights groups, investigation into the deaths a judge said yesterday. this week. New York-based The four, who the army Human Rights Watch also said had died due to chronic demanded an independ- illness, were among several ent probe, saying anyone hundred people arrested responsible for wrongdoing in a raid at Syrian refugee should be held to account. camps in the Arsal area of Judge Dany Zeeny said northeastern Lebanon. yesterday three doctors ap- The Lebanese Centre for pointed by military pros- Human Rights said torture ecutor, Judge Sakr Sakr, had led to the deaths of at had taken samples from the least four detainees. bodies on Friday to a medi- The Syrian National Coa- cal laboratory in Beirut.

CRIME Attack on police patrol wounds two An attack on a Saudi police patrol yesterday wounded two off ic- ers in the eastern province of Qatif, authorities said, in the third attack in the area in one week. “The patrol was targeted by an explosive projectile when passing by a building under construc- tion in the Al-Naserah district in Qatif,” the interior ministry said in a statement published on the off icial SPA news agency. Two policeman were wounded and transferred to nearby hospitals. Authorities are treating the attack as a “terrorist crime,” the statement said. The attack occurred in the same area where a police corporal was killed in a bombing targeting a patrol on Thursday. Another policeman had been killed and three others wounded in a bombing in Qatif on Tuesday morning. Three people, including a police off icer, were also killed last month in bombings in Qatif. Authorities have blamed the unrest on “terrorists” and drug traff ickers. Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 9 ARAB WORLD QFD signs pact to back Palestinians

QNA the Palestinian people within Support also includes pro- Doha the mechanisms of international grammes for the empowerment and regional solidarity. of women and mothers of chil- The support of the Qatar dren enrolled in the Early Child- atar Fund for Develop- Fund for Development (QFD) hood Programme from the age of ment (QFD) has signed is targeted at several develop- four to eight years with a total of Qa partnership agreement mental projects, including ear- 480 mothers per year. with the American Tomorrow ly childhood education projects In addition to special eco- Youth Organisation (TYO), un- for children from two to eight nomic support programmes for der which the fund provides years, covering two phases of 288 needy families in the West important support to various 120 children per year, and for Bank. projects in the West Bank, which those with learning difficul- The programme also provides include health and education ties in order to create a positive fi nancial support to 150 families sectors. environment for children af- per year. This is in addition to training fected by developmental disor- On this occasion, Qatar Fund and rehabilitation of young peo- ders and children with special for Development director gen- ple for employment and entre- needs. eral al-Kuwari said that the preneurship, empowerment of Support for the rehabilita- agreement aims to strengthen women and motherhood, eco- tion of youth and employment the partnership between the Qa- nomic support for families and training programmes includes tar Fund for Development and academic intervention for young 390 young people between the Tomorrow Youth Organisation people. ages of 18 and 30, with the aim (TYO), in support of develop- The agreement was signed by of off ering the opportunity to ment programmes and youth Qatar Fund for Development Di- participate voluntarily, assist- projects. rector General Khalifa bin Jassim ing teachers in the Early Child- For his part, Director General Egyptian soldiers carry the coffin of a soldier, who was killed a day earlier in the restive Sinai Peninsula in an attack by the Islamic State al-Kuwari and Director Gen- hood Programme and providing of Tomorrow Youth Organisa- group, during a funeral ceremony in Ramadan city, about 60kms north of Cairo, yesterday. eral of the American Tomorrow academic support for 300 chil- tion (TYO), al-Masri, thanked Youth Organisation Hani Hik- dren each year in 9-14 years age the Qatar Fund for Development mat al-Masri. group. for its continuous eff orts to sup- It aims to support develop- The support provides for the port the Palestinian people and ment projects in the West Bank rehabilitation of young people meet their humanitarian and de- in light of the increasing need through entrepreneurship and velopment needs. He expressed his happiness Police kill 16 gunmen in to sponsor programmes for the the provision of courses and development and empowerment training programmes and mate- with the agreement which re- of youth in Palestine in light of rial support for 30 young gradu- fl ects the outstanding creden- the challenges faced by the peo- ates of universities and voca- tials of the State of Qatar in ple there, in addition to helping tional centres. backing the Palestinian people. raids targeting militants

Reuters Egypt holds funeral Cairo for at least 21 soldiers 35 migrants feared gypt’s Interior Ministry Egypt held funerals yesterday said yesterday police of- for at least 21 soldiers killed in an Efi cers had shot dead 16 attack by the Islamic State group gunmen in two shootouts, add- in the restive Sinai Peninsula, ing that most of those killed off icials said. drowned off Libya were fugitive militants linked to The attack on Friday was one recent attacks on security forc- the deadliest against the military es in Northern Sinai. in a militant insurgency that has AFP “The boat we entered was leaking,” said Eff oussa, Egypt faces an insurgency led killed hundreds of policemen Garabulli, Libya who attempted the crossing to Europe after strug- by the Islamic State group in the and soldiers in the past four gling to support two children back home. restive Sinai Peninsula, where years. Police and provincial of- “All of a sudden...the water was (coming) inside. hundreds of soldiers and police ficials said 21 bodies had arrived hirty-fi ve migrants, including seven chil- Everybody started shouting,” she said, speaking in have been killed since 2013. Egyptian women cry yesterday in Ramadan city, about 60kms north in the mainland for funerals in 11 dren, were feared drowned after their infl at- English. At least 23 soldiers were of Cairo, during the funeral of the soldiers. provinces. The militants attacked Table boat sank yesterday off the Libyan coast, “Gradually, gradually, we see ourselves inside the killed on Friday when suicide several checkpoints with car the coastguard said. sea. Everybody, we’re falling inside, dragging each car bombs tore through two whom have been identifi ed security forces as soon as the bombs and heavy gunfire in a Eighty-fi ve migrants, including 18 women, were other. military checkpoints in the re- so far. The camp was used to offi cers approached to arrest co-ordinated assault, for which rescued with the help of fi shermen who alerted the They even pulled my hair, dragging me.” gion in an attack claimed by Is- “subject (recruits) to military them, it said. IS later claimed responsibility in coastguard, said Issa al-Zarrouk, a coastguard of- “Really, I didn’t think the sea was big like this,” lamic State. training programmes on the use The statement said the a statement. The military said it fi cial in Garabulli, 60 kilometres east of Tripoli. Eff ousa said, adding that, had she known, she It was one of the bloodiest of various types of fi rearms and pair were members of a newly killed 40 of the assailants. Navy spokesman Ayoub Kacem said the boat would not have come. assaults on security forces in manufacture explosive devic- emerged militant group called sank six nautical miles northwest of Garabulli, and Human traffi ckers have exploited years of chaos years. es...,” the statement said. Hasm, which claimed responsi- 10 fi shing boats took part in the rescue. in Libya since the 2011 uprising that toppled and The Interior Ministry said in In a separate statement, the bility for the killing of a home- judges and policemen since last The rescued migrants were from countries in- killed dictator Muammar Gaddafi to boost their lu- a statement that gunmen had ministry said its forces killed land security offi cer outside his year. cluding Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, the Ivory crative but deadly trade. opened fi re on police as they two men described as fugitive home in Qalubiya, a province Other militant groups such Coast and Ghana, Kacem said. Tens of thousands of migrants have resorted to approached a desert training terrorists in an exchange of just north of Cairo, while on his as Hasm, are active in Cairo and Nigerian hairdresser Vivian Eff oussa described paying smugglers to cross the Mediterranean Sea camp for militants in Ismailia. gunfi re in the city of Giza. way to prayers on Friday. other cities where they have watching, horrifi ed as fellow passengers fell into from Libya to what they hope will be a better life in The offi cers returned fi re, The men, who were inside Hasm has claimed several targeted security forces, judges the sea. Europe. killing 14 militants, fi ve of an apartment, opened fi re on attacks around Cairo targeting and pro-government fi gures. Parched civilians risk lives for water in Raqqa

AFP Karim said Raqqa residents are near the city centre where there Beirut caught between their extreme was a well,” said RBSS co-found- thirst and the risky journey to er Abdalaziz al-Hamza. quench it. “The shortages are And those who manage to yria’s Raqqa once thrived killing us. Cold water is the stuff successfully draw water from the on the banks of the gushing of dreams.” Euphrates also face health risks. SEuphrates River, but dire Since IS overran Raqqa in The UN warned earlier this shortages in the Islamic State 2014, the city has become syn- month that Euphrates River group stronghold are forcing onymous with the group’s hor- water was potentially “unfi t for desperate civilians to risk their rifi c practices, including public consumption” and carried “the lives for water. beheadings.With help from the risk of water-borne diseases”. The northern city has been US-led coalition, an alliance of “Raqqa’s population is us- without steady running water Kurdish and other fi ghters called ing the water for everything — for several weeks after dam- the Syrian Democratic Forces is showers, drinking, everything,” age to pipelines by heavy bom- waging a fi erce assault to oust IS said RBSS activist Hussam Eesa. bardment, including suspected from the city. “But it isn’t clean, particularly strikes by the US-led coalition. Years ago, Raqqa benefi ted because of all the (mortar) shells Civilians dehydrated by the from its prime location in the and corpses that are in it,” Eesa blistering summer heat are fertile river valley, as well as said. venturing out to the Euphrates from nearby hydro-electric RBSS says it has document- and makeshift wells around the dams that generated power for ed symptoms of water-borne city. much of Syria. diseases among those who are But as fi ghting between IS and That makes the current water drinking the river water, includ- advancing US-backed forces shortages particularly painful, ing fever and loss of conscious- ramps up, that journey can be said activist collective Raqqa ness that the group fears could life-threatening. Is Being Slaughtered Silently point to cholera. “I went to pump water from a (RBSS). “The deepest irony lies The World Health Organisation well in the city’s south, close to in the fact that this city on the has also documented one child the river,” said Karim, an activist bank of the bountiful Euphra- who was paralysed in Raqqa by a with the Raqqa24 network who tes River is currently dying of strain of polio that originates from remains inside the city. thirst,” said the group, whose a vaccine carrying small amounts He spoke using a pseudonym members publish news from ac- of weakened but live virus. for fear of being targeted by tivists inside the city. Oral polio vaccine (OPV) rep- IS, which still controls most of According to RBSS, at least 27 licates in the gut and can be Raqqa. Lake Assad, the enormous reservoir created by the Tabqa dam, at the entrance of Raqqa province and adjacent to areas taken by Syrian people have been killed by coali- passed to others through faecal- The militants had sealed the Democratic Forces (SDF). tion air strikes in recent weeks as contaminated water — mean- street between the southern they tried to reach the Euphrates ing it won’t hurt the vaccinated district and the Euphrates, so he an hour, but then we had to run He described a hellish scene: incoming mortar fi re and air they tried to fi ll up buckets from or nearby wells for water. individual, but could infect their and other men gathered around away because of artillery fi re. families lugging jerry cans strikes. Civilians who managed the Euphrates. “My uncle and seven children neighbours in places where hy- a borehole drilled by a resident. A shell landed just 50 metres through Raqqa’s streets, sud- to escape Raqqa have also said With temperatures reaching were killed about two weeks ago giene and immunisation levels “We were able to get water for (yards) away from me,” he said. denly scrambling for cover from they came under IS sniper fi re as a scorching 46 degrees Celsius, as he was heading to a school are low. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, July 9, 2017 AFRICA

Party anniversary 9 killed in Kenya attack AFP tackers was not yet known. Kenyan Nairobi forces are pursuing the perpetrators who fl ed. “A security operation is still underway to try and get the attack- t least nine people were shot ers,” said James Ole Serian, who is in and hacked to death yester- charge of a military operation in the Supporters of Madagascar’s opposition party Tiako i Madagasikara face police as they take part in a gathering for the party’s 15th anniversary, despite a ban Aday in Kenya’s coastal Lamu nearby Boni Forest. on the meeting, in downtown of Antananarivo. The marchers were dispersed by teargas fire in the afternoon. County in the latest attack by mili- Earlier in the week, three police of- tants in the region. fi cers were killed in an attack on a po- Police sources said Shebaab mili- lice post in Lamu, also attributed to tants were believed to be behind the the Qaeda-aligned Shebaab. killings which took place in the vil- The Shebaab is fi ghting to over- lages of Jima and Pandaguo near the throw the internationally backed gov- Somali border, an area that has seen a ernment in Mogadishu but also carries Eritrea’s ‘city of dreams’ gets UN heritage listing wave of recent attacks, mostly target- out regular attacks in neighbouring ing the security forces. Kenya, which has troops in Somalia as “Nine people were killed, some part of an African Union force. AFP petrol station built to resemble a soar- mon, Eritrea’s permanent delegate to tion was Italian and the city was known were shot dead and others hacked (to In a televised address yesterday Warsaw ing aeroplane, recognised by the UN Unesco. as ‘Piccola Roma’, or “Little Rome”. death),” said a regional police offi cer morning — following the death in hos- cultural body, Unesco. The decision was taken at a meeting While the modernist architecture who was not authorised to speak to pital of Kenya’s Interior Minister Joseph It’s also a rare example of positive of the World Heritage Committee in the of other Eritrean cities was destroyed the press. All the victims were civil- Nkaissery — President Uhuru Kenyatta he people of Eritrea have long world recognition for the Horn of Af- Polish city of Krakow. during a decades-long war of liberation ians and some were beheaded, ac- spoke of “an unfortunate incident this said their capital Asmara is like rica nation that is a major source of mi- A former Italian colony, most of from Ethiopia, Asmara’s survived and cording to police. morning, which we are assessing”. Tno other city in Africa, and the grants fl eeing across the Mediterranean the futuristic designs of the Eritrean was declared a national monument by Another senior offi cer in Lamu said Appointing Education Minister UN agreed yesterday, designating it a to Europe due to the country’s repres- capital date back to the rule of fascist the government in 2001, which refers that a search was underway for any Fred Matiangi as acting security min- World Heritage site. sive policies. dictator Benito Mussolini from 1936 to to it as Africa’s “City of Dream”. other bodies but that progress was ister, Kenyatta said there would be The proclamation ends a long-run- “The city’s recognition as a herit- 1941. But eff orts to restore the marble fa- hampered by fears of improvised ex- “no vacuum in securing our country”. ning quest by Eritrean authorities to age site of outstanding universal value Architects whose designs were un- cades and Roman-style pillars of the plosive devices that might have been Kenya goes to the polls on August 8 have the city’s unique architecture, fi lls us with tremendous pride and joy, welcome in conservative European cit- city’s theatres and cinemas have been planted in the area. with Kenyatta hoping to win a second which includes an art-deco bowling al- but also with a profound sense of re- ies found a place in Asmara at a time hampered by a shortage of money and The offi cer said the number of at- and fi nal four-year term. ley with coloured glass windows and a sponsibility and duty,” said Hanna Si- when about half of the city’s popula- local expertise, city authorities say. Former fashion model digs into west Africa mining

By Christophe Koff i, AFP ness in the mining sector?” “I’m the owner of a mining Tiguidanke Camara may serve in Ivorian mining, where they ac- Guingouine, Cote d’Ivoire “I’m the answer to that ques- company that belongs to me 100 as a successful role model in a count for just 112 of some 6,000 tion,” declares the entrepreneur, %,” says Tigui’s founder, stress- region where more than 80% of jobs directly involved in the sec- who has been ranked by France’s ing that she is a continental rar- girls are illiterate. tor and about 400 of the 30,000 eaving behind chic gowns weekly Jeune Afrique among the ity, “apart from South Africa, In the meantime, the “mining connected secondary jobs. and catwalks to stomp in 50 most infl uential business- where there are other women lady” has encouraged the women Concerned women have Lthe mud in heavy work women of Francophone Africa. bosses, but mostly in partner- of the village to form a coopera- bonded to improve this state of boots, Guinean former fashion Inspired to join forces, she and ships.” tive, providing them with agri- aff airs. model Tiguidanke Camara has a number of other women last In Guingouine, inhabitants cultural equipment and two solar The newly launched Femici as- made herself west Africa’s fi rst year created an association of have started to dream of the big panels. sociation pools the resources of woman mine owner. Women in the Mining Network of changes that could benefi t the “We are very pleased with this women professionals as diverse In the small forest village of Ivory Coast (Femici by its French village if the site proves to be rich cooperation,” says Elise Kpan, as geologists, drivers of heavy Guingouine, in the west of Ivory acronym), while Camara is also in gold and a mine is opened. who runs the Women of Gu- industrial vehicles, lawyers and Coast, Camara runs a team of 10 seen as an example to village “Guingouine means happiness ingouine association. environmental specialists. geologists and labourers who are girls. (in the local Yacouba language), The cooperative has enabled “Mining activity is a future probing the soil for gold deposits. Camara had to dig deep into but we lack everything,” says vil- villagers “to place their farming growth sector that will attract She readily wades into a mucky savings — earned on runways lage chief Alphonse Doh, clad in produce on the market easily and many women,” says Christine pond to help take laboratory for big international fashion la- his traditional blue and white to make money”. Logbo-Kossi, director of the samples. bels and jewellery brands and in robe. The mining sector, dominated Professional Group of Mines in “When I was a model, I showed promoting the wares of luxury “The school of six classes is a by the production of manganese Ivory Coast, the only employ- off for the jewellers. They have Tiguidanke Camara and her employees search for gold and other design houses — to launch her shed without electricity. Wom- (two mines) and gold (fi ve mines) ers’ organisation in the industry, licences in Africa to provide minerals in a sandbank in the forest of Guingouine, western Ivory Tigui Mining Group in 2010 and en in labour have to be taken in has been growing for a decade in founded in 2008. their precious stones,” says Ca- Coast. acquire two licences to prospect wheelbarrows 10km to the near- Ivory Coast. “If I fl ourish in the mining sec- mara amid a swarm of gnats, still for gold in her homeland. est health centre,” Doh explains. Current activity accounts for tor, it’s because I have benefi ted youthful and trim in her 40s. been prompted on occasion to Camara says that modelling Then last year she followed up For the chief, opening a mine 5% of the gross domestic prod- from the welcome that men gave She does not recall any macho ask whose assistant she might be. for jewellery firms “roused my with a mining concession to look could transform the lives of uct of the country, which also has me,” Camara says. male resistance to her rise in an “When it got too much one curiosity. I started to ask myself for gold in Ivory Coast, which she thousands of people. diamonds, iron, nickel, bauxite Asked what quality most helps industry almost devoid of wom- day, I had to produce my CEO’s questions. What if African men has turned into “my base in west Apart from the potential eco- and copper. women succeed in business, she en, though bemused men have ID badge!” she protests mildly. or women took charge of busi- Africa”. nomic gains, he also hopes that Women are poorly represented is quick to say: “Passion.” Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 11 AMERICAS Hawaii bid to narrow travel ban rejected

Reuters signed a more expansive ver- San Francisco sion of the order. That sparked protests and chaos at airports around the country and the US appeals court on world. Friday rejected Ha- zPresident Trump’s com- Awaii’s request to issue mission to investigate possible an emergency order block- election fraud will convene ing parts of President Donald this month, a government Trump’s temporary travel ban notice said on Friday, as more while the state sought clari- US states have refused to hand fi cation over what groups of over at least some voter data. people would be barred from Trump created the Presi- travel. dential Advisory Commission The US Supreme Court last on Election Integrity in May, month let the ban on travel after claiming without evi- from six Muslim-majority dence that millions of people countries go forward with a voted illegally for his Demo- limited scope, saying it could cratic rival, Hillary Clinton, in not apply to anyone with a the 2016 election. credible “bona fi de relation- US civil rights groups and ship” with a US person or en- Democratic lawmakers have tity. called the panel a voter sup- President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump make their way from Marine One to board Airforce One after the G20 Summit in Hamburg. The Trump administration pression tactic by Trump, then decided that spouses, a Republican who won the parents, children, fi ancés and presidential election by secur- siblings would be exempt from ing a majority in the Electoral the ban, while grandparents College tally of delegates even and other family members as he lost the popular vote to travelling from Iran, Libya, Clinton by some 3mn votes. Somalia, Sudan, Syria and The Electronic Privacy In- Yemen would be barred. formation Center, a watchdog Trump said the measure was group, has fi led a lawsuit to Trump wins crucial necessary to prevent attacks. block the commission’s data However, opponents in- request until its privacy im- cluding states and refugee ad- pact can be weighed. A hear- vocacy groups sued to stop it, ing in the case was scheduled disputing its security rationale for Friday afternoon. There is and saying it discriminated a wide consensus among state against Muslims. offi cials from both parties and A Honolulu judge this week election experts that voter climate concessions rejected Hawaii’s request to fraud is rare. clarify the Supreme Court rul- States rejecting the com- President Trump stuck to his America night, when police commandoes with Chinese President Xi Jinping. bureau of democracy, confl ict and hu- ing and narrow the govern- mission’s attempts to gather First line at the G20 semi-automatic weapons detained mili- North Korea’s fi rst inter-continental manitarian assistance, said of the funding, ment’s implementation of the voter information have called tants who hurled rocks from rooftops. ballistic missile test is expected to top the over $191mn would go to Yemen, $199mn ban. it unnecessary and a violation AFP The clashes had blocked US First Lady discussions, with Trump warning Thurs- to South Sudan, $121mn to Nigeria and al- Hawaii appealed to the 9th of privacy. Most US states have Hamburg Melania Trump at her residence on Friday, day that Pyongyang’s military sabre-rat- most $126mn for Somalia. US Circuit Court of Appeals, rejected full compliance with forcing her to miss a tour of Hamburg har- tling would bear “consequences”. Confl ict in all four countries had made saying in a fi ling on Friday the commission’s requests. bour, and for G20 organisers to completely Trump had also said he is considering a it diffi cult to reach some communities in that the appeals court has the Republican Kansas Secre- S President Donald Trump won key alter a programme for spouses of visiting “severe” response to its “very, very bad be- need of food, he noted. power to narrow the travel ban tary of State Kris Kobach, the concessions on climate and trade leaders. haviour”. Ahead of the talks with Xi, Till- “We’re in a dire situation right now,” while it decides how to inter- commission’s vice chairman, Uyesterday from world leaders at Yesterday, thousands of anti-riot cops erson said the US would continue to press said Jenkins, adding that USaid was also pret the Supreme Court’s rul- said in a statement sent by the the most fractious G20 summit to date, in were on standby and helicopters hovered China to do more to rein in Pyongyang. concerned with the situation in southern ing. A three-judge 9th Circuit White House that 14 states and exchange for preserving the unity of the overhead, as some 70,000 people were on “Our engagement is unchanged with Ethiopia. panel on Friday rejected that Washington, D C, had rejected club of major industrialised and emerging the march again, according to organisers. China and our expectations are un- “The situation in southern Ethiopia argument and said it did not the request outright. economies. Within the summit walls, meetings changed. We have not given up hope,” he fortunately does not rise to the dire situ- have jurisdiction to hear Ha- The commission will meet In a fi nal statement agreed by all 20 have also been anything but harmonious. added. ation of the other four, but the situation waii’s appeal. on July 19 to swear in mem- economies, 19 members including Russia, All eyes were also on Trump’s diplomatic President Trump yesterday promised is deteriorating and might very well be The 9th Circuit said the bers, formulate objectives and China and the European Union acknowl- waltz during the billionaire’s fi rst outing to $639mn in aid to feed people left starving catastrophic without additional interven- Honolulu judge could issue an discuss next steps after asking edged Trump’s decision to go his own way the summit. because of drought and confl ict in Soma- tions,” he said, adding that Washington injunction against the gov- the 50 states to turn over po- on taking the US out of the 2015 Paris cli- His most eagerly awaited encounter was lia, South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen. had already provided some $252mn this ernment in the future, if he tentially sensitive voter infor- mate accord. a head-to-head with Russia’s strongman Trump’s pledge came during a working year to Ethiopia, “but the needs continue believed it misapplied the Su- mation, according to a General But they also accommodated Wash- President Vladimir Putin which lasted two session of the G20 summit of world lead- to grow.” preme Court’s ruling to a par- Services Administration (GSA) ington’s wish to “work closely with other and a quarter hours on Friday. ers in Hamburg, providing a “godsend” Beasley said the US funding was about a ticular person harmed by the notice published in the Federal countries to help them access and use fos- A day after Trump slammed Moscow’s to the United Nations’ World Food Pro- third of what the WFP estimated was re- travel ban. Register. sil fuels more cleanly and effi ciently”. actions in Ukraine and Syria, the two gramme, the group’s executive director, quired this year to deal with urgent food But the judge did not have A June 28 letter from the While renewing a key anti-protectionist men had a “robust and lengthy exchange” David Beasley, told Reuters on the side- needs in the four countries in crisis as well the authority to simply clarify election panel sought names, pledge, the communique for the fi rst time about allegations of Russian meddling in lines of the meeting. as in other areas. the Supreme Court’s instruc- the last four digits of Social underlined the right of countries to pro- the 2016 US election, Secretary of State “We’re facing the worst humanitarian The WFP estimates that 109mn people tions now, the appeals court Security numbers, addresses, tect their markets with “legitimate trade Rex Tillerson said. crisis since World War Two,” said Beasley, around the world will need food assistance said. The justice department birth dates, political affi lia- defence instruments”. But Tillerson, who was present at the a Republican and former South Carolina this year, up from 80mn last year, with 10 declined to comment. Ha- tions, felony convictions and Such wording gives room for Trump to marathon meeting, also said the two al- governor who was nominated by Trump of the 13 worst-aff ected zones stemming waii’s attorney general could voting histories. push on with his “America First” policy. pha-male leaders “connected very quick- to head the UN agency fi ghting hunger from wars and “man-made” crises, Beas- not immediately be reached Matthew Dunlap, Maine’s Carried on a wave of public fury over ly” with “very clear positive chemistry”. worldwide. ley said. for comment. Democratic secretary of state deindustrialisation in vast areas of the Trump said yesterday that the tete-a-tete The new funding brings to over $1.8bn “We estimated that if we didn’t receive Justice department lawyers and a commission member, United States, Trump had promised to was “tremendous”. aid promised by the United States for fi s- the funding we needed immediately that have argued that its defi nition on Friday dismissed Trump’s “Buy American” and “Hire American”. Further driving a wedge between the UK cal year 2017 for the crises in the four 400,000 to 600,000 children would be of close family “hews closely” claim that millions of voters But that stance had set him against and the European Union, Trump met yes- countries, where the United Nations has dying in the next four months,” he said. to language found in US im- illegally cast ballots. “We just many of America’s allies, who warned terday with British Prime Minister There- estimated more than 30mn people need Trump’s announcement came after migration law, while Hawaii’s don’t see that,” he told CNN. Trump against an isolationist path. sa May and said he was looking forward to urgent food assistance. his administration proposed sharp cuts attorney general’s offi ce said “People are incredibly law Nevertheless, the wording of the fi - a “very powerful” trade deal “very, very “With this new assistance, the United in funding for the US State Department other parts of immigration law abiding.” nal agreement marked the group of top quickly”. States is providing additional emergency and other humanitarian missions as part include grandparents in that Although Maine is one state economies’ decision to fi nally close ranks His comments came despite the EU food and nutrition assistance, life-saving of his “America First” policy. Beasley group. that has pushed back at the despite bitter diff erences. warning London against negotiating any medical care, improved sanitation, emer- said the agency had worked hard with The roll-out of the nar- commission’s request, Dunlap Just behind the tightly secured G20 separate agreement before Britain’s di- gency shelter and protection for those who the White House and the US government rowed version of the ban was said he hopes the panel can summit venue, charred road barricades, vorce from the bloc is complete. have been aff ected by confl ict,” Usaid said to secure the funding, but Trump would more subdued last week than tackle voting issues including trashed shops and stones, debris and shat- But Trump faced another thorny meet- in a statement. insist that other countries contributed in January when Trump fi rst ballot access and hacking. tered glass bore testimony to an anarchic ing later, when he is due to hold talks with Rob Jenkins, acting head of the Usaid’s more as well. Ivanka sits in for Trump at G20

AFP other delegations do”. But Trump’s already before Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Aus- sat in on cabinet meetings. Hamburg vociferous detractors were enraged. tralia’s Malcom Turnbull. The US ambassador to the United Na- Historian Anne Applebaum took to “She’s always been great,” he said. “A tions insisted yesterday that President Twitter to denounce what she described champion. She’s a champion.” Donald Trump had confronted Russian or a moment yesterday the United “an unelected, unqualifi ed, unprepared Trump then prompted some nervous counterpart Vladimir Putin head-on over States was represented by another New York socialite” being seen as “the laughter when he mused about whether he allegations of election interference, add- FTrump on the world stage, when the best person to represent American nation- had made her life more diffi cult. ing, “Everybody knows that Russia med- president’s daughter Ivanka took a seat al interests”. “If she weren’t my daughter, it would be dled in our elections.” among a table of G20 leaders in Germany. Ivanka’s participation came to light so much easier for her. Might be the only Ambassador Nikki Haley said Trump The 35-year-old former fashion model when a Russian offi cial, Svetlana Lukash bad thing she has going, if you want to had gone into the meeting “to basically sat down next to Xi Jinping, Angela Merkel tweeted a picture of Ivanka at the main ta- know the truth.” look him in the eye, let him know that, yes, and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Hamburg, ble of the summit in Hamburg, surround- Ivanka was given the offi cial title of we know you did it and cut it out”. diplomats and the White House con- ed by world leaders. “First Daughter and Advisor to the Presi- The US and Russian sides have issued Ivanka Trump at the third working session of the G20 in Hamburg. fi rmed. The incident fuelled allegations of “And replaces Pres Trump at the G20 dent” early in the administration, amid sharply confl icting accounts of the meet- nepotism against the US leader, who has table as he leaves for bilateral meetings” outcry that an unoffi cial role exempted her ing Friday in Hamburg. But Trump — breaking with paign and Russian officials. put family members in top White House she said. from ethics rules. Russia has denied meddling, and Putin normal practice by US presidents “Any country needs to know positions. “It’s nothing unusual for an adviser to Her husband — Trump’s son-in-law said yesterday that in the meeting, “I got and many other leaders at the end that there are consequences when A White House offi cial told AFP that sit up front,” said one diplomat on condi- — is assistant to the president and senior the impression that my answers satisfi ed of a G20 meeting — left Hamburg they get involved in our elec- Ivanka had been at the back of the room tion of anonymity, “we have had it before.” adviser, a top White House role. Neither of him” and that Trump “agreed”. without holding a news confer- tions,” Haley told CNN. “And I but “briefl y joined the main table when the Earlier in the day Trump had waxed the two take a salary. Just a few weeks ago But Haley said the Russian denials were ex- ence. think that’s why it’s good that the president had to step out”. lyrical about his daughter before a bevy of Ivanka professed to want to avoid getting pected. “This is Russia trying to save face,” she The first face-to-face meet- investigations are going on.” The offi cial emphasised that “when world leaders, gathered to boost a fund de- involved in politics. told CNN. “And they can’t. They can’t.” ing between Trump and Putin But asked what specifi c con- other leaders stepped out, their seats were signed to encourage female entrepreneurs. While unusual, it is not unheard of for Questioned at a news conference about had aroused exceptional inter- sequences Russia might face fol- also briefl y fi lled by others”. “I’m very proud of my daughter, Ivanka presidential kin to play a role in policy the diff ering view of the meeting described est, amid ongoing investigations lowing the meeting Friday, she re- Merkel also sought to play down the — always have been, from day one — I had making. Bill Clinton’s wife Hillary worked by Trump’s advisers, Putin told reporters into contacts between members plied, “I think you’re going to have case, saying that it is “in line with what to tell you that, from day one,” Trump said on health care reform and Rosalynn Carter that “you should ask him”. of Trump’s presidential cam- to ask the president.” Gulf Times 12 Sunday, July 9, 2017 AMERICAS Town girds Alien species for parade by Klansmen The removal of Confederate states, and even in Washington, The fl owing white robes that symbols is a controversial where a stained glass window in were also part of the costume issue the National Cathedral depicts associated with lynchings and AFP a Confederate soldier. In Char- cross burnings against the night Charlottesville lottesville, population 50,000, sky have faded away over time. no major battle in the 1861-1865 In this town of handsome red war was fought. But here, too, brick buildings, the decision in upporters of the white su- passions have been stirred. February to remove the Lee stat- premacist Ku Klux Klan A pro-Democratic town linked ue after years of debate has left Swill march in Charlottes- to the university founded in 1819 deep wounds. ville, Virginia yesterday to pro- by Thomas Jeff erson, people And it is actually on hold: test the planned removal of a here abhor the planned arrival a judge suspended the town statue of General Robert E Lee, of members of the Loyal White council’s narrow decision for six who oversaw Confederate forces Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, a months until a court reviews the in the US Civil War. small white supremacist group case. The rally in this quiet univer- based in North Carolina. Many “Robert E Lee has a lot of ad- sity town has been authorised by say they plan to stay away from mirers across the South, partly offi cials in Virginia and stirred the park where white suprema- because Southern education has heated debate in America, where cists plan to gather. taught that he was this noble A child views some of the thousands of pinwheels in the Rose Garden area of Prospect Park in New York City. critics say the far right has been Others plan prayer services or man who was a gentleman and energised by Donald Trump’s peaceful meetings designed to worked very hard after the war election to the presidency. show their rejection of racial in- for reconciliation,” said Kristin Be it the Ku Klux Klan, Alt tolerance. Szakos, the town councillor be- Right or generic white suprema- In the end, the KKK adherents hind the drive to bring down the cists, these conservatives have who turn out might only come statue. found a new cause in defending to a few dozen. But they have “For a lot of people he is also the confederate fl ag and monu- warned they will be armed and more problematic, especially in Man ‘fought to open hatch ments in the US south that recall ready to defend themselves if at- the statue where he is depicted the era of slavery. tacked. in full battle gear, riding against They are outdated, awful sym- The Charlottesville police de- the United States of America,” bols of racism for many Ameri- partment, run by a black man, she added. cans, who are mobilising to have has arranged a massive security “We have lots of ways to learn during fl ight from Seattle’ them taken down from public detail to keep the peace. The KKK history that aren’t giant statues places. members will not be allowed to overlooking our downtowns.” In The debate is taking place wear the pointy white hoods so its heyday in 1925, the KKK had Reuters due to an in-fl ight altercation head with two large bottles. Both Seattle, where he was present- in many former Confederate emblematic of the group. as many as 4mn members. Washington detailed by the Federal Bureau of fl ight attendants were women. ed the complaint charging one Investigation in an affi davit fi led Hudek was fi nally restrained count of interfering with a fl ight the next day as part of the crimi- with zip ties as several passen- crew, a felony off ence punish- Delta Air Lines passenger nal complaint against Hudek, gers joined the fray, but not be- able by up to 20 years in prison. was charged on Friday who was a fi rst-class passenger fore he managed to pull the door He was ordered to remain in Awith instigating a mid- on the fl ight. lever halfway to the open posi- federal custody without bail Sessions visits Guantanamo Bay air brawl with fl ight attend- According to the FBI, the inci- tion, the FBI said. The affi davit pending a July 13 detention ants and other passengers who dent began when Hudek lunged made no mention of what might hearing, according to Emily fought desperately to restrain for an exit door at the front of have precipitated the melee. Langlie, a spokeswoman for the DPA Deputy Attorney General Rod Ro- Prior said in a statement emailed to him as he tried opening the the plane, grabbed the handle According to the FBI, Hudek US Attorney’s Offi ce in Seattle. Washington senstein and national intelligence DPA. In light of the department’s exit door of a plane bound from and tried to open it, prompting had been served a beer but The incident came weeks af- director Dan Coats on his fi rst trip role in handling detainee-related Seattle to China. a desperate scuffl e with crew showed no sign of intoxication. ter a similar incident aboard to the prison, where the United litigation, it needs to have an up- Joseph Daniel Hudek IV, 23, members and passengers who At one point during the scuf- an American Airlines fl ight S Attorney General Jeff Ses- States still holds 41 terrorism sus- to-date understanding of current of Tampa, Florida, was arrested battled to subdue him. fl e, it said, he shouted, “Do you from Los Angeles to Honolulu, sions on Friday visited the pects. Recent attacks in Europe and operations, Prior said. on Thursday when the Delta In the course of the distur- know who I am?” in which a Turkish passenger Ucontroversial military pris- elsewhere confi rm that the threat “The purpose of the trip is to jetliner, a Boeing 767-300 with bance, the FBI said, Hudek re- The plane landed safely, and tried to force his way toward on at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to get to our nation is immediate and real, gain that understanding by meeting 221 people aboard, fl ew back to peatedly punched a fl ight attend- the two individuals punched the plane’s cockpit, triggering a an “up-to-date understanding” of and it remains essential that we use with the people on the ground who Seattle-Tacoma International ant and a fellow passenger, and during the struggle were treated bomb scare that prompted the the operation, the Justice Depart- every lawful tool available to pre- are leading our government-wide Airport for an unscheduled persisted in trying to pull open for facial injuries, according to US military to scramble fi ghter ment said. vent as many attacks as possible,” eff orts at [Guantanamo],” Prior landing two hours after takeoff . the door, even as a second fl ight the affi davit. Hudek appeared jets to escort the plane to its Sessions was accompanied by Justice Department spokesman Ian said. The plane was turned around attendant struck him over the on Friday in US district court in landing. Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 13 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Hospital says Xiaobo too sick to travel abroad

AFP said that he is having “diffi culty eating,” Beijing but continues to receive “nutritional support, pain reduction and general supportive treatment”. hinese doctors treating ailing No- A spokeswoman from the US Embassy bel Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo yes- declined a request for comment. Cterday warned US and German Patrick Poon, a China researcher from medical experts he is too sick to travel Amnesty International, said Beijing had abroad for care. never wanted to grant Liu’s wish to travel The foreign doctors visited Liu, Chi- overseas for treatment. na’s most prominent democracy advo- “It’s entirely the Chinese govern- cate, at the hospital in the northeastern ment’s responsibility if the Nobel laure- city of Shenyang following international ate eventually passes away without ful- pressure for China to let him go abroad or fi lling his wish to leave China,” he said. allow him to choose his own treatment. The doctors’ visit comes as Chinese Beijing has come under fi re from hu- President Xi Jinping is in Hamburg, Ger- man rights groups over its treatment of many, for a G20 summit that ended yes- the activist and for waiting until he be- terday. came terminally sick to release him from The United Nations human rights of- prison more than a month ago. fi ce demanded Friday that the UN be But the hospital said the experts con- given access to Liu, but as world leaders curred that Liu has been aff orded top met with their Chinese counterpart in medical care from renowned doctors. Germany, they remained largely silent President-elect Khaltmaa Battulga celebrates after winning Mongolia’s presidential run-off election in Ulaanbaatar. The First Hospital of China Medi- on laureate’s fate. cal University said Liu, 61, was visited “Beijing’s horrifi c intransigence in by American oncology expert Joseph this case requires all possible interna- Herman from the MD Anderson Can- tional pressure to create some peace and cer Center and German doctor Marcus freedom for Liu Xiaobo and (his wife) Liu Buchler from Heidelberg University. Xia,” said Human Rights Watch’s China The doctors, who were invited by the director, Sophie Richardson. hospital at Liu’s family’s request, found “Beijing won’t give that away for free.” that Liu had excess abdominal fl uid and Liu was arrested in 2008 after co- Martial arts expert wins was in serious condition, the hospital writing Charter 08, a bold petition that said on its website. called for the protection of basic human They suggested that Liu undergo an rights and reform of China’s one-party MRI to evaluate his liver condition and Communist system. decide if he should undergo radiotherapy He was later sentenced to 11 years in or another type of intervention. prison in December 2009 for “subver- Asked by the foreign experts about sion” after calling for democratic re- Mongolian presidency the possibility of sending Liu for treat- form. ment abroad, Chinese doctors replied At the Nobel ceremony in Oslo in 2010, AFP ity in the legislature, had lagged well- government in order to complete all resolve the economic diffi culties and “the process of transferring the patient he was represented by an empty chair. Ulaanbaatar behind the wrestler since yesterday their work.” make Mongolians debt free as I prom- is unsafe”. He is also known for his eff orts to help morning. The new president will inherit a ised,” he said. “We have no better method” of treat- negotiate the safe exit from Beijing’s Recognising he was down for the $5.5bn International Monetary Fund- The real estate tycoon whose ing Liu, it quoted the international ex- Tiananmen Square of thousands of stu- brash businessman with count, he thanked his supporters in a led bailout designed to stabilise its company funded a massive $4.1mn perts as saying in response to a question dent demonstrators on the night of June martial arts skills yesterday concession speech broadcast on Fa- economy and lessen its dependence statue of emperor Genghis Khan, has about whether the laureate would re- 3-4, 1989 when the military violently Aclinched Mongolia’s fi rst-ever cebook, saying that he would “respect on China, which purchases 80% of pledged to tap the country’s mining ceive more eff ective treatment overseas. suppressed the protests. presidential runoff election after his and accept the presidential results.” Mongolian exports. wealth to get Mongolians out of debt. “The American and German special- A group of his friends fear he is near opponent conceded defeat in the “Although the MPP couldn’t suc- The former Soviet satellite’s econ- Both Battulga and Enkhbold were ists have fully endorsed the treatment death and they issued an open letter ear- scandal-plagued race to take the helm ceed in this election, the cabinet will omy grew by a measly 1% last year, linked to scandals ahead of the fi rst- programme and measures by the group lier this week calling on the Chinese gov- of the resource-rich but debt-laden keep working to complete our agenda a stark contrast from an impressive round vote. A video showed Enkhbold of national experts,” it said. ernment to give them access to their ail- country. of overcoming the fi nancial crisis for 17% in 2011. and two MPP offi cials allegedly dis- If his liver function improves, doctors ing friend on “humanitarian” grounds. Khaltmaa Battulga of the op- the well being of our people,” he said, It has been hit hard by a more than cussing 60bn tugrik ($25mn) plan for could consider immunotherapy, but for A friend of Liu’s, who asked to remain position Democratic Party (DP), a adding that he had spoken to the sit- 50% fall in the price of copper, its main selling government positions. now Liu will continue supportive thera- anonymous due to the case’s sensitivity, 54-year-old former world champion ting president about “transferring export, over the past fi ve years, while Battulga was haunted by reports py to alleviate the pain and “elevate his told AFP that both his younger and older in the Soviet martial art Sambo, had power as well as presidential stamp in slowing growth in its biggest customer of off shore accounts attached to his quality of life,” the hospital added. brothers are set to visit him in hospital 50.6% of the vote with 986 ballots the parliament house which also ends China has hobbled the economy. name, as well as the arrests of several Pictures posted on the hospital’s web for the fi rst time. outstanding, according to the General the election.” Earlier in the day, Battulga, who ran of his associates by Mongolia’s anti- site showed the two experts examining But “Liu’s friends are still not able to Election Commission. “We did this thanks to power of on a populist, anti-China platform, corruption body last spring. But in Liu, who is in a hospital bed and appears meet him,” Poon said, which “speaks Parliament speaker Mieygombo people,” Battulga told supporters in told a press conference “Mongolia has the nearly two weeks between the fi rst emaciated and weak. a lot about the restrictions Liu and his Enkhbold of the Mongolian People’s Ulan Bator’s Independence Square, won.” round and the runoff , public opinion In a separate statement, the hospital family face”. Party (MPP), which holds the major- promising that he would “push the “I will start work straight away to appeared to turn in favour of Battulga.

Freak rain Active volcano ‘Guerrilla artists’ toll hits 16 beautify Aussie in Japan security bollards

Reuters Reuters Asakra, Japan Melbourne

apanese rescue crews yes- uerrilla art- terday took advantage of ists in Mel- Ja break in the weather to Gbourne are search for survivors of torrential splashing colour rain, fl oods and landslides, as over concrete blocks the death toll from several days set up around the of freak weather rose to 16, the city’s central busi- NHK state broadcaster reported. ness district last Authorities warned of more month to stop mili- downpours over the week- tant attacks with Locals walk past security end, compounding the misery vehicles. concrete blocks set up around that the summer storms have “It’s good to see the city’s central business brought to southwest Japan Melbourne style district to stop vehicle-based since Wednesday. hitting the bol- militant attacks that have Some neighbourhoods have lards,” said 26-year been decorated by so-called been devastated by fl ooding and old offi ce worker ‘Guerrilla artists’ located at landslides, and rescue workers Jamie Young. Southern Cross station in and residents have been pick- About 200 con- central Melbourne. ing their way through expanses An Indonesian villager gestures as Mount Sinabung volcano spews thick volcanic ash yesterday in Karo, North Sumatra. Sinabung roared back to crete bollards have of broken, water-logged trees, life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years. After another period of inactivity it erupted once more in 2013, and has remained highly active since. been put up in 11 pedestrian areas of the city, follow- branches and mud. ing two incidents in the city this year in which cars “All the mud and debris is mounted pavements. making the clean-up eff ort dif- Six people were killed and scores injured in one of fi cult,” said Susumu Higuchi, a the incidents. resident of Asakura. “For me, it’s about reframing the idea of the bol- The city was pounded by more lards,” said George Forgan-Smith, who works as a than 600mm of rain in the 24 Singapore’s oldest fl ea market shutters up general practitioner specialising in men’s health, hours to 5am yesterday, accord- and who covered several of the blocks in a harlequin- ing to Japan’s weather agency. patterned material. Heavy machinery was working By Kyle Malinda-White, DPA market drew its name from an old Sungei Road (Malay for “River to no avail, as they kept returning to “They are grey, they are hard, they are cold. By to clear almost knee-deep mud Singapore adage that if someone’s possessions Road”) was located. set up shop. at least putting these covers on the bollards, we are from streets while nearby, an up- were stolen, he or she could likely Rag-and-bone hawkers contin- Now, with the impending site saying that we understand that some horrible things rooted tree was tangled in cables fi nd them among the stack of wares ued to populate the area through closure, many older stall owners have happened, but from the darkest of times, the from an electricity power pole. lder than Singapore it- on off er at the market. the decades, picking up unwanted are worried for their livelihoods, most beautiful art can come,” he told Reuters in an A police dog was hunting for self, the city-state’s iconic The site is being cleared to make or unused goods from houses and with one of them telling DPA she interview. victims in fl ooded homes, many OSungei Road Thieves Mar- way for a new metro station and rubbish centres and displaying had plied her trade at the market for Concrete blocks have also been put up in Sydney now clogged with debris. ket, which has operated daily for residential development. them at the market on the follow- four decades. after a spate of vehicle attacks in cities around the The weather agency said more than 80 years, will pack up its “It’s a shame to see it go away,” ing days. The Chinese stall owner, who world. Australia has been on a “high” national threat 150mm of rain was forecast to fall wares for a fi nal time tomorrow. said French tourist Lynne de Cou- Vendors did not need to pay rent declined to be identifi ed, sat Friday level since 2015, citing the likelihood of attacks by in industrialised Northern Ky- The two-lane, open-air fl ea pigny, who recently visited the at the market, but turned up in the in a rattan chair looking at a peti- Australians radicalised in Iraq and Syria. ushu in the 24 hours to 6am today. market is a throwback to yesteryear fl ea market with her daughter on early morning and reserved their tion booth, which was set up earlier A spokeswoman for Melbourne City Council said Some places have seen more and is known for its kooky fi nds the advice of their Lonely Planet spots with a mat. this year seeking to keep the market the concrete blocks were a temporary solution and rain in a matter of hours than they and unique second hand bric-a- guidebook. Prices were cheap and no refunds alive. the council was considering longer-term options usually get in the whole month of brac including cassette tapes, used Exactly when the market fi rst were allowed. “People keep signing but nothing such as seating and planter beds. July. The rain has been caused by a clothes, Buddhist amulets and large opened is unclear, but historical Over the years, the Thieves Mar- is happening,” she said in broken In the meantime, more bollard art is coming. low pressure over the Pacifi c that gemstone rings purported to have records from the 1930s showed that ket experienced various setbacks, Malay. “I’m not stopping,” Forgan-Smith said. “I’m cro- has been feeding into moist air healing properties. a small hawking zone had sprung with offi cials trying to relocate stall “I don’t know where I’m going to cheting as we speak...So look out Melbourne, there into Japan’s seasonal rainy front. Home to some 200 stalls, the up near the Rochor River, where owners to more urbanized sites but go after this.” is more crochet yarn-bombing on its way.” Gulf Times 14 Sunday, July 9, 2017 BRITAIN Trump eyes ‘powerful’ trade deal with Britain

DPA ical of most trade agreements. Hamburg Former British diplomat Si- mon Fraser said a quick trade deal was unlikely because Brit- he United States expects ain “can’t negotiate with them a “very powerful” trade or anyone else until we’ve left Tdeal with Britain “very the European Union”. quickly,” US President Don- “And the Americans and ald Trump said after meeting others will not negotiate with British Prime Minister Theresa us until they know what our May on the sidelines of the relationship with the EU is go- Group of 20 summit yesterday. ing to be, because the access we “We’ve had tremendous have in Europe is hugely im- talks,” Trump said in the Ger- portant for the advantages that man city of Hamburg. “There they can get from their relations Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses a rally at the Durham Miners Gala. is no country that could pos- with us,” Fraser told the BBC. sibly be closer than our coun- Trump has clashed with tries.” other members of the G20 be- “We are working on a trade cause of his America First trade deal — a very, very big deal, a agenda. very powerful deal,” he said, He has previously expressed adding that it would be “great a preference for bilateral trade for both countries.” deals rather than large mul- “And I think we’ll have that tinational accords, which done very, very quickly,” he said. prompted, for example, the US Labour leader urges Trump vowed to visit Britain withdrawal from the Trans Pa- this year, despite strong op- cifi c Partnership shortly after position to a visit after his US he took offi ce this year. entry ban on citizens of several Trump has not directly ad- mainly Muslim nations and dressed a US-EU trade deal his recent criticism of London that was being negotiated un- Mayor Sadiq Khan’s response der former president Barack to terrorist attacks. Obama. May to call elections “I will be going to London, Leaders from several mem- yes,” he said when asked about bers of the Group of 20 eco- Corbyn has re-energised “The chant that year, about a possible visit, replying “we’ll nomic powers expressed a his base with attacks on 15 years ago, was: take back our work that out” when pressed “strong desire” to forge “ambi- austerity party. There was very bad feeling on a date. tious new bilateral trading re- about New Labour here and you The push for a new trade lationships” with Britain after Guardian News and Media did feel a lot of it at the gala.” deal has been necessitated by it leaves the European Union, London Her friend, Lynn Readman, Britain’s impending departure British Prime Minister Theresa 58, said she was not convinced from the European Union. May said yesterday. about Corbyn — “I didn’t know There is no separate trade Speaking at the end of a eremy Corbyn urged Theresa whether he had the charm” — but deal between the US and Brit- G20 summit in Hamburg, May May to end the Conservative said he had improved and that his ain, since trade matters are said: “Some of the countries J“nightmare” and call a snap anti-austerity message resonat- handled by the EU so long as I’ve been talking to here have general election as he addressed ed where she lives in Brandon, a Britain is a member. shown great interest in work- record crowds at a Durham Min- former mining village. Trump provided no details ing with us on trade arrange- ers’ Gala hailed as a “celebration “When the miners’ strike was about what a deal with Britain ments in the future — the Unit- of Corbynism”. on we didn’t have a food bank would entail, but has been crit- ed States, Japan, China, India.” To the now-familiar chants or a clothes bank and now we’ve of “Oh Je-re-my Cor-byn”, the got both in Brandon. We’ve got a Labour leader demanded an lot of families who are really de- end to the public sector pay cap prived.” and a public inquiry into the Watching the procession near “national catastrophe” of the the Swan & Three Cygnets pub on Property fi rm’s boss Grenfell fire. Members of security remove a woman who approached Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Elvet Bridge, Rosemary Coleran, His speech to the 133rd Dur- 34, pointed proudly to her Corbyn ham Miners’ gala was interrupt- to help these Tories out of their sun-dappled racecourse. the start it might have been a dif- T-shirt and beamed: “I’ve been jailed over deaths ed when a woman invaded the nightmare. The union leader marvelled at ferent story.” coming here for years but it was stage and briefl y refused to leave, “Feel free, at any time, to re- the size of crowd and said: “I’ve The chants of “Oh Jer-emy defi nitely the Corbyn factor that having fought her way through sign and we’ll have another gen- been to many miners’ galas over Cor-byn” had a musical ac- brought everyone out today. The Evening Standard a 130-year old Victorian cast the crowds. eral election.” the years but this has been the companiment as brass bands “I thought we must come this London iron ‘balustrade’ as they pulled Corbyn told the huge rally of More than 200,000 people biggest, loudest and proudest went played along to the White year because he’s inspirational. the sofa up to the balcony. The trade unionists and minework- were expected on the streets of one I’ve ever seen. Just like I’ve Stripes’ Seven Nation Army as When he gave that speech at the railing gave way and two of the ers that the general election Durham for the 133rd so-called never seen rallies like those for the procession snaked through Sage [weeks before the election] he boss of an upmarket men fell to their deaths, while campaign was “not just the ex- “Big Meeting”, a record turnout Jeremy during the election cam- Durham city centre. it was electric, it was like watch- property fi rm has been a third was only saved by other citement of youth, not just the for the biggest trade union gala in paign, it’s extraordinary this en- Watching the procession from ing a rock star, trying to get a Tjailed for 14 months and workmen as he started to fall. concerns of older people, it was a Europe. thusiasm for our movement that a grass bank across the River glimpse of him.” his company fi ned £1.2mn over The court heard that deliv- fundamental unease”. He added: The march appeared as much has built for Jeremy’s vision.” Wear from Durham Cathedral, Her twin sister, Hannah Mar- the deaths of two employees ering the “big and cumber- “Unease, that a society can go on a celebration of the north-east’s Corbyn left the stage to cheers Carol Stanley, 60, described the shall, said his popularity was when they plunged from mul- some” sofa safely required a lift in this direction with poverty and mining heritage as a mark of the and rapturous applause from the gala as a “celebration surrounded down to his straight-talking atti- ti-million pound central Lon- which would cost £848. inequality alongside very rapidly surge in “Corbynism” in Labour’s tens of thousands at the race- by like-minded people”. “It’s a tude. “He just speaks sense,” she don fl at. But Martin Gutaj, the di- rising huge individual wealth for heartlands, with scores of people course, and a standing ovation special year with Corbyn and the said. “For people in the north- Polish workers Tomasz rector of Martinsation (Lon- a small number of people.” wearing Corbyn-branded T- from the trade unionists and La- way things are going,” she said. east he’s the only politician who Procko, 22, and Karol Syman- don) Limited refused saying To boisterous cheers, Corbyn shirts and chanting the 68-year- bour colleagues on the stage. She added: “I think we’re re- we can relate to what they’re say- ski, 29, died in an “entirely they “do not have time for all went on: “I’ve got good news for old MP’s name. Watching from the crowd, Lin- turning to the proper Labour ing. It’s more than just turning foreseeable and preventable” that”. A jury found the com- the Tories: I know they’re living Len McCluskey, the Unite da Serrechia, 35, said of Corbyn: party. I remember coming to this up to do speeches, he comes and incident while hoisting a sofa pany guilty of health and safety through a nightmare at the mo- chief, described the Labour “His speech was excellent but if when Blair was in and the atmos- talks about issues that matter to up from the pavement through breaches and two charges of ment. I’m somebody, as you’re leader as “the prime minister in he’d done that at the start of the phere was quite angry because working people. a fi rst fl oor balcony of the lux- corporate manslaughter, while very well aware, that doesn’t get waiting” and attacked Corbyn’s election he could’ve been prime people didn’t feel they were rep- “He’s always sided with work- ury Belgravia apartment. Gutaj, 44, from Brentford, was involved in personal abuse and critics — singling out one-time minister now. “Don’t get me resented by him. He didn’t even ing people his whole career and Jurors at the Old Bailey heard convicted of breaching health would never exploit somebody leadership candidate Chukka wrong, I’d love to see him as PM bother to come here — that’s he’s been coming to the Big that the workers leaned against and safety. else’s misfortune — so I want Umunna — in a speech at the but if he came out with all this at what he thought of these people. Meeting for years.”

Thief who proposed with ring Music festival stolen from 91-yr-old woman jailed

The Evening Standard Reid’s DNA was found at the scene of the bur- London glary on a chisel he had used to prise out a glass door pane. He was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court on “despicable” thief proposed to a woman Wednesday for four years and nine months after with an engagement ring he stole from a being found guilty of burglary, while his accom- A91-year-old during a burglary. plice Jones was sentenced to four years and three Steven Reid, 38, has been jailed after he and months. Jerome Jones, 26, broke into the elderly woman’s Rowland, from Birmingham, was given a home in Sutton Coldfi eld, Birmingham. 12-month community order and a conditional In what police described as a “shocking ordeal”, discharge for handling stolen goods. they burst into her bedroom and demanded she West Midlands Police Detective Sergeant Tom stay in bed while they ransacked her home, steal- Lyons, said: “The victim was unhurt but this was ing her valuables and purse. clearly a shocking ordeal for her. West Midlands Police said Reid, of Sutton Cold- She was awoken by a security light being ac- fi eld, then used a gold engagement ring to propose tivated and footsteps on the stairs and moments to a woman on Christmas Eve. later they burst into her bedroom. The woman later recognised the jewellery in a “She was told to stay in bed while they ran- police appeal and tipped off detectives. sacked her home. Jones, of Rubery in Worcestershire, was The lady was clearly elderly and vulnerable and seen on CCTV in a jewellery shop in Birming- for Reid and Jones to prey on her vulnerability is ham Road the morning after the raid, which despicable. happened on December 19 last year. He tried “Members of the public were as disgusted as to sell items including a signet ring, watch we were at the nature of the off ence and we had a and bracelet that belonged to the victim’s late fantastic response to our public appeal for infor- husband. mation. The store turned him away but his friend Chris- “Several people called naming Reid and Jones as Grime artist Stormzy performs on the main stage of the second day of the TRNSMT music Festival on Glasgow Green, in topher Rowland, 40, returned later the same day suspects, while the jewellers and Reid’s would-be Glasgow yesterday. and swapped the goods for cash. bride also called.” Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 15 EUROPE

ACCIDENT FESTIVAL MEDIA INSURGENCY RALLY Ten hurt in Spanish bull Paper critical of president Chechen held in Italy over running fest has accounts frozen Grozny attacks

Ten people were hurt yesterday in Spain’s Serbian newspaper Kurir, a critic of the country’s Italian police said yesterday they had arrested annual San Fermin bull running fiesta in government, said yesterday that its bank a Chechen man suspected of being a militant of Pamplona, regional government sources said. accounts had been frozen at the request of tax Islamic State and involvement in attacks in the Five Americans, three Spaniards and two French authorities. The paper said the action was illegal Chechen capital Grozny in 2014. The 38-year- visitors, all males, required treatment after because the publisher has no tax liability. It old man is accused of crimes of international joining hundreds of intrepid participants in the alleged the move had been demanded by Serbian terrorism and is now in prison in the southern second running of the bulls through Pamplona’s President Aleksandar Vucic. “The dictator Vucic town of Foggia, a police statement said. The narrow streets this week. Two US visitors has ordered the destruction of Kurir,” the paper investigations started out of a collaboration with aged 22 and 35 were gored, the younger man said. The paper has attacked Vucic for almost a Belgium, where the man was part of a network of seriously. The eight others hurt suff ered bruising month, accusing him of unfulfilled promises to people who recruited foreign fighters. Some 450 and grazing after tumbling on cobbled stones the people and alleging involvement in criminal people have left Belgium to fight in Syria and People take pictures with a “yes” placard after left slippery by rain. Television pictures showed activities. Government media have reported that Iraq, the highest country contribution in Europe assembling a giant Estelada flag, a Catalan one man caught on the horns of a bull, being Revellers try to hold on to a wild horse during the publishing house has millions of tax liabilities. on a per capita basis. Returning Syria fighters separatist flag, during a pro-independence dragged several metres before being trampled the ‘Rapa das Bestas’ traditional event in the The paper itself has published documents that it have also been involved in militant attacks in rally in Sant Cugat del Valles, near Barcelona, on a bend along the 800m course. village of Sabucedo, Spain. says disproves the allegations. Belgium, France and elsewhere. Spain, yesterday. Putin eyes new era of co-operation with Trump

AFP brought Trump to power, Pu- Hamburg tin said the US president had at their meeting accepted his denials. resident Vladimir Putin “Trump asked a lot of ques- said yesterday that he tions (on the issue) and I an- Pexpects Russian-US co- swered him. It seems to me operation will improve under that he acknowledged and Donald Trump and that the accepted” the answers, Putin American president is “very said. diff erent” in real life compared Trump has not spoken to on TV. about the meeting other than The comments came a day to say earlier yesterday that it after the pair held their fi rst was “tremendous”. According face-to-face meeting, an en- to US Secretary of State Rex counter eagerly awaited in the Tillerson, who was present in wake of allegations that Russia the two-and-a-quarter-hour had a hand in Trump’s surprise meeting, Putin and Trump had election victory last year. a “very robust and lengthy ex- “The Trump that you see change” about the meddling on TV is very diff erent than claims. the real Trump,” Putin told re- Asked as he was leaving a porters in Hamburg, Germany news conference in Hamburg Police use pepper spray during a demonstration in Hamburg, northern Germany. where the talks took place on on Friday if Trump had accept- the sidelines of the G20 sum- ed Putin’s denials, Tillerson mit. did not answer. “He perfectly understands whom he is talking to and an- “It seems to me that the swers questions quickly. US position (on Syria) I think personal relations has become more were established.” pragmatic. There is a Putin said he was positive comprehension that if we about repairing US-Russian combine our eff orts, we Merkel’s free speech relations, which plunged to can achieve a lot” depths not seen since the Cold War under Trump’s predeces- The US ambassador to the sor Barack Obama. United Nations, Nikki Haley, “There is every reason to be- meanwhile told CNN that Pu- lieve that we will be able to at tin was not to be believed. least partially re-establish the “Everybody knows that Rus- level of co-operation that we sia meddled in our elections,” gamble trashed need,” Putin told a news con- she said. ference. Trump “wanted to basically An attempt to make a statement about through the city, there was a violent skir- bage containers and attack police vehicles. The violence began on Thursday at the “I very much hope (for an look him in the eye, let him free speech ended very badly mish between police and a group of dem- Overnight to Friday, 77 people ended up so-called “Welcome to Hell” rally, and in- improvement in relations) and know that, yes, we know you onstrators. in police detention. tensifi ed again late Friday. it seems to me that some basis meddled in our elections, yes, DPA Police said the perpetrators had refused Of those, 13 were detained when police Although the demonstration has target- for this has already been cre- we know you did it and cut it Hamburg to remove their masks and attacked offi c- stormed a building in the Schanzenviertel ed the G20, it has sometimes devolved into ated,” Putin said. out,” Haley said. ers with poles and glass bottles, resulting district of Hamburg, the epicentre of anti- fi ghting with police. The Russian strongman “And I think President Putin in several offi cers sustaining injuries and capitalist protests against the summit. At times, demonstrators did manage to said that in particular, the did exactly what we thought he erman Chancellor Angela Merkel several arrests. It is illegal to cover your Television footage showed offi cers forc- disrupt the programme. Trump administration ap- would do, which is deny it. This ended a Group of 20 summit in face during protests in Germany. ing their way into buildings and standing Trump was forced to take the long way peared to be less rigid on the is Russia trying to save face. GHamburg yesterday by condemn- Hamburg police — who on Friday were on rooftops while helicopters with search- to the summit on Friday and his fi rst lady, war on Syria, where Moscow And they can’t. They can’t.” ing violent protests that have marred the forced to request urgent backup from lights circled overhead. Armoured vehicles Melania, couldn’t leave her residence for and Washington back oppos- Tillerson said that the two meeting, but defended her decision to across Germany, boosting their numbers were used to plough through barricades. hours due to security concerns. ing sides. leaders had “connected very hold it in a densely populated urban area. from 19,000 to 21,000 — had predicted Hamburg police spokesman Timo Zill, In a speech yesterday, Trump referenced “It seems to me that the US quickly” and there was a “very During her fi nal press conference, Mer- that yesterday’s rally would turn violent, who was attacked by demonstrators on the protests, saying that the German gov- position (on Syria) has be- clear positive chemistry be- kel said that her government was “consid- warning members of the public to stay Thursday but managed to fl ee in an am- ernment had handled the situation pro- come more pragmatic. There tween the two”. The topic that ering how to assist victims in the fastest away. bulance, told German newspaper Bild that fessionally despite disruptions by “a few is a comprehension that if we took up the most time was Syr- and least bureaucratic way”, adding that New York Mayor Bill de Blasio — one the city’s police force had “never experi- people”. combine our eff orts, we can ia, he said. Hamburg had been chosen as a location of US President Donald Trump’s sharpest enced this level of hate and violence”. Russian President Vladimir Putin has achieve a lot,” Putin said. “There are so many issues for the summit because of its “hotel ca- critics — was due to address a crowd later Protest organisers including Rote Flora praised German Chancellor Angela Mer- Russia and the US have on the table...Just about eve- pacities”. in the day in an impromptu visit to Ger- — a Hamburg meeting point for left-wing kel’s eff orts to reach an agreement on cli- agreed to a memorandum of rything got touched upon... Meanwhile, a crowd of what protest- many to support the anti-G20 protest. groups — and anti-globalization activists mate change on the fi nal day of a Group of understanding on creating a Neither one of them wanted to ers said were 76,000 people gathered in At least 213 police offi cers had been in- Attac distanced themselves from the vio- 20 summit in Hamburg. de-escalation zone in south- stop,” he said. central Hamburg for a fi nal G20 protest jured and 265 protesters detained, said a lence. The agreement by 19 of the G20 lead- west Syria from midday Sun- “I believe they even sent in — dubbed “Solidarity without borders in- police spokesman, with the number of in- Andreas Blechschmidt of Rote Flora told ers to back and implement the Paris day, Russian Foreign Minister the (US) First Lady at one point stead of G20! — which remained peaceful jured offi cers likely to rise throughout the public broadcaster NDR that the protest climate accord while the United States Sergei Lavrov said Friday. to see if she could get us out through the afternoon. day. No reliable fi gures were available on had “taken on a life of its own...and we stated its commitment to develop of Lavrov said the ceasefi re of there, but that didn’t work Police put the number of attendees at the number of injured protesters. think that’s wrong, both politically and in clean fossil fuels is a “positive develop- would be supervised by Rus- either...We did another hour. 50,000. There was also a second demon- The fi gure for those detained stretches terms of its content”. ment that should be credited to Chan- sian military police “in coordi- Clearly she failed.” stration — “Hamburg Shows Attitude,” back to June 22, when the fi rst activities “The protest is about making clear that cellor Merkel,” Putin said as the summit nation with the Jordanians and Trump’s wife Melania sat which drew a crowd of 10,000 people, targeting the summit began. G20 leaders are responsible for war and ended. Americans”. next to Putin at Friday’s G20 according to organisers, and 6,000, ac- Clean-up operations were under way hunger in the world, and “not about set- A declaration released at the end of the Regarding allegations that gala dinner, and photos gave cording to police — but it ended without across the city after a night of violent pro- ting fi re to [supermarket] branches or resi- summit took note of US President Donald Russia meddled in the 2016 the impression that the two incident. tests that saw rioters loot supermarkets dents’ cars,” Blechschmidt told the broad- Trump’s decision to back out of the Paris presidential election that appeared to be hitting it off . As the bigger rally started moving and shops, build barricades, set fi re to gar- caster. agreement to curb climate change. Russian president’s plane ‘made 500km detour’

Reuters number RA-96022 fl ew over the Baltic Sea, why this time his jet took a longer route, which US-led war games were held there this year, Vilnius crossing on its way territory of neutral Finland also avoided crossing the Baltic states – former rehearsing a scenario in which Russia might try and Sweden before entering the airspace of Soviet republics which, like Poland, are mem- to sever the states from the rest of the Western Denmark and Germany, both Nato members. bers of Nato and the European Union. alliance. In a speech in Warsaw on Thursday, plane carrying Russian President Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined A Nato F-16 fi ghter jet buzzed a plane carry- Trump committed to Nato’s guarantee that alli- Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in to comment, saying only that the president’s ing Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as it ance members will defend each other. AGermany made a detour of about 500km security during trips was paramount. fl ew over the Baltic Sea on June 21, but was seen Planes carrying Putin over the past 12 months to avoid fl ying over Nato members Poland or the “The (safety) measures which are taken are off by a Russian Sukhoi-27 military jet, Moscow always took direct routes when fl ying over EU Baltic states, data from a fl ight tracker showed. expedient measures,” he told a conference call said in an account partly disputed by Nato. countries, according to data on FlightRadar24. According to the FlightRadar24 website, a with reporters. Poland and the Baltic states of Lithuania, They did not fl y over Ukraine, which has Russian government jet fl ying from Moscow to Russian television later showed Putin emerg- Latvia and Estonia have been particularly vocal closed off its airspace to fl ights by Russian air- Hamburg on Thursday deviated from the direct ing from a plane with same registration in Ham- in their criticism of Moscow since Russia an- lines. route over Belarus and Poland, which was once a burg as he arrived for the summit, where he Russian President Putin and Foreign Minister nexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Putin repeatedly fl ew over Poland during the Soviet bloc state but joined the Western military had his fi rst meeting with US President Donald Sergei Lavrov at the G20 summit. The region is a fl ashpoint for tensions be- period, including for his previous European visit alliance after the fall of communism. Trump on Friday. tween Russia and the Western allies, hosting US in May, and passed over the Lithuanian capital Instead the Ilyushin with the registration Putin has fl own over eastern Nato states on a number of recent occasions. It was not clear and Nato troops, to Moscow’s displeasure. of Vilnius last October. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, July 9, 2017 INDIA

Prime accused in Summer cooler Muslim’s lynching caught in Dhule

IANS Dhule

ne of the prime accused in the sensa- tional lynching of 16-year-old Junaid OKhan in a train last month has been ar- rested in Dhule, northern Maharashtra, Gov- ernment Railway Police said here yesterday. The fugitive was hiding in Dhule since the in- cident, which triggered nationwide outrage. On police interrogation, the accused con- fessed to stabbing Junaid and his brothers, an offi cial of GRP said. The accused, whose name the GRP police declined to reveal, hails from Palwal district of Haryana, close to Ballabgarh, the village of the victims. The accused is to be produced before a Dhule magistrate for a transit remand today and later handed over to the police in Delhi. Junaid and cousin brothers Hasim Moin and Shakir Moin had boarded the train going from Ghaziabad to Mathura after Eid shopping on June 22. The accused, along with around a dozen other persons, boarded the train at Okhla and ordered Junaid and his brothers to give them their seats. When they refused, they brutally beat the three and also stabbed them and dumped them at Asaoti railway station in Palwal district. The Haryana Police had announced a Rs50,000 reward for information on the prime accused who went missing after the incident. On July 4, the GRP had announced Rs200,000 reward to anyone providing information about the identity of the accused.

Armoured vehicles A street vendor sells coconut water to a customer at a roadside stall in Amritsar. set to get upgrades

IANS New Delhi

he Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), Kerala expats hit hard by chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley Tyesterday cleared proposals worth around Rs2.8bn, including one to upgrade armoured ve- hicles to make them night-fi ghting capable. According to Defence Ministry sources, the DAC cleared the upgradation and modernisa- tion of armoured fi ghting vehicles or BMPs hike in airport user fee under the “Buy Indian” or Indigenous Design Development and Manufacturing (IDDM) cat- By Ashraf Padanna velopment fee at the rate of Rs575 for in 2011 had invited severe criticism. Many are victims of job displace- which has also had to incur expendi- egory. Thiruvanathapuram several years is entirely unfair,” Dr After protests and representation by ments and suppressed wages in the ture to the tune of several hundred BMPs are infantry fi ghting vehicle also used Tharoor, who also heads the airport the state government and Tharoor, it aftermath of the global economic million for land acquisition and oth- to transport troops. advisory council, said. was brought down. meltdown,” he said. er support amounting to a signifi cant “The Ordnance Factory at Medak will provide he steep hike in the user fee “After all these years of fee col- But the present government headed “For them, the user development portion of the total estimated cost of these upgrades to render the armoured vehicles at the state-owned Trivan- lection, passengers were expecting by Marxist strongman Vijayan, who fee is an unfair liability without any the main project is not receiving any night-fi ghting capable and achieve better accu- Tdrum International Airport a decrease of the fee if not for it to also handles the diaspora ministry, is tangible benefi ts since there are two return on its investment.” racy,” the source said. has come in for widespread criticism be scrapped altogether. Instead, the yet to take up the matter with the fed- other international airports in Kerala He also alleged that the airport India has around 2,750 BMPs made in col- from the opposition Congress leaders decision has been to increase the fee eral authorities, much to their chagrin. (Cochin and Calicut) where no user had been operating at a profi t for laboration with Russia. demanding an immediate reversal. exponentially.” The airport is also under severe development fee is levied.” over 27 years and the revenue appro- It was however not clear how many BMPs are Opposition Leader Ramesh Chen- The user fee for international pas- strain due to a sharp increase in pas- He also warned the authorities priated by the Airports Authority of to be upgraded. nithala demanded the intervention sengers was increased from Rs575 sengers and delay in acquisition of that it would be detrimental to the India (AAI) for decades without any The DAC also cleared a carrier command post of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to Rs950 and for domestic fl iers, land for further expansion. state-run airport’s prospects as it tangible fresh investment till now. tracked vehicle for technical control of artillery who is also heading the state’s di- who were so far spared, are charged There was a 12.4% increase in pas- would drive families away to the cor- “The matter does not seem to have fi re at a cost of Rs 406 crore. aspora ministry, while Shashi Tha- Rs450, eff ective from July 1. senger traffi c in the last scal, fi from porate airport 230km away in Kochi decided upon after discussions be- Such a vehicle is equipped with radars and roor shot off a letter to the federal There will be a hike of around 3.447mn to 3.877mn. and “it risks rendering Trivandrum tween the various stakeholders and other electronic systems to guide precise fi re aviation authorities citing huge bur- Rs40 in the subsequent fi scals till Dr Tharoor said the revised user unviable as an international airport.” aff ected parties,” the letter, also cop- and act as centralised command facility. den it puts on the diaspora. 2020-21 for international passengers fee “actually boomerangs to much “It is also diffi cult to understand ied to junior civil aviation minister According to sources, these vehicles will also In a letter to S Machendranathan, and by Rs18 for domestic travellers. more, factoring in taxes, is an intol- why the entire burden of the so- Jayant Sinha, says. be equipped with unmanned aerial vehicles. chairperson of the Airports Eco- By 2020 March, the user fee for erable burden for the expats who use called recovery on investment is to “A few years ago, Nedumbassery These vehicles will also be procured from nomic Regulatory Authority, Tha- international passengers would be- the airport as their embarking point be shouldered by only one set of us- airport, which was purely a green- Ordnance factory in Medak, Telangana. roor said the ill-considered move come Rs1,069 and domestic passen- only because it is the nearest. ers: the passengers. fi eld venture built under a private- The DAC also reviewed the status and had generated widespread and le- gers Rs506. “Most of the passengers using the Airline operators are also users and public partnership, did away with progress of other procurement and accorded gitimate resentment. The decision to impose high user Thiruvananthapuram airport are they too, by logic, should be made to the user fee under public pressure, directions to ensure smooth progress for these “A further increase after collect- fee while the new international ter- low-wage workers eking out harsh share the burden,” he said. and has still managed to generate capital acquisition process, the source added. ing an already unpopular user de- minal building was commissioned livelihoods in the Gulf region. “Conversely, the state government handsome profi ts year after year.” Security lockdown in Kashmir Valley Perumon rail tragedy victims IANS searches and the injured soldiers were Srinagar shifted to hospital. There was complete shutdown await justice across the Valley as shops, other busi- lashes took place yesterday at nesses and public transport remained over a dozen places between shut. Even private transport remained IANS Cprotesters and security forces off the roads in Srinagar and other Kollam on the fi rst death anniversary of Hiz- district headquarters. bul Mujahedin militant Burhan Wani, Internet services on both mobile but no major incident of violence was and fi xed landline remained suspend- xactly 29 years after 10 coaches of the speed- reported from the Kashmir Valley that ed for the second day while broad- ing Bangalore-Thiruvananthapuram Central was under total security clampdown band speed was curbed. EIsland Express fell into Ashtamudi lake in with internet services blocked. All separatist leaders, including Kollam, leaving 105 dead and hundreds injured, a Authorities had imposed curfew in Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar judicial probe into the tragedy is still awaited. old city area of Srinagar and in Bur- Farooq, were placed under house ar- Despite numerous requests and demands from han Wani’s native town Tral, while rest. various quarters, the judicial probe has not taken restrictions were also imposed in JKLF chief Yasin Malik remained place. The reason forwarded was that a tornado almost all the district headquarters under preventive detention in Srina- had hit the Perumon bridge over the lake, but later in the Valley where the paramilitary gar Central Jail. He was arrested three other reasons were also given. CRPF and police in full riot gear pa- days ago. Sugathan, who works in a fi shing boat, was on trolled the areas. The Amarnath Yatra was also sus- his boat and recalls witnessing the train falling Clashes between stone pelters and pended. into the river. “That day will never be erased from security forces broke out in Mehjoor Train services between Baramulla my memory. It was a nerve breaking experience Nagar of Srinagar, Shopian town, Pal- and Bannihal town were suspended. when we broke open the AC coaches and tried to halan town in Baramulla district and All exams scheduled for Saturday save as many people as possible. Those moments in Tral in Pulwama. by the University of Kashmir were will never go away, and at times I still shiver when Over two dozen stone pelters were cancelled. I think of it,” said Sugathan. arrested by security forces. Given the massive unrest triggered Today the only thing that remains of the trag- No report of any serious injury to last year due to Wani’s killing, author- edy at the accident site is a memorial dedicated to any stone pelter or security personnel ities had beefed up security to ensure those who died with the names of the 105 etched was reported form anywhere in the that the situation remains under con- on it. Every year, friends and relatives of those Valley. trol. who died assemble at the memorial, say a silent Three soldiers were injured in Nearly 100 civilian protesters were prayer and disperse. Hajin area of Bandipora district in the killed and over 200 lost vision par- An 85-year-old man who did not wish to be morning when militants attacked a tially or completely due to pellets fi red identifi ed lost his mother, wife and a daughter in patrol vehicle of the army. by the security forces during the 2016 the tragedy. The man now lives alone, shuttling be- The area was surrounded for unrest. Security forces stand behind a wire barricade in Srinagar city yesterday. tween here and his home town in Kottayam district. Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 17 INDIA

Zeliang stakes his claim to be Nagaland CM

IANS Kohima

agaland yesterday appeared headed for a fresh bout of political crisis with Nmajority of the ruling Naga People’s Front legislators gunning for the ouster of Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu and re- turn of his predecessor TR Zeliang, who quit four months ago. Zeliang yesterday wrote to Governor P B Acharya saying that he has the support of 41 legislators and staked claim to form the new government. “The legislators also urged the present Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu, who is a non-legislator, to resign and pave way for me (Zeliang) to take over as the chief minister,” he said in his letter. Claiming support of 34 (including him- self) out of the 47 NPF legislators, he also told Acharya that seven Independent legislators have also affi rmed their support in his favour. In the letter, Zeliang said that the legisla- tors wanted him to continue as leader of NPF legislature party and also authorised him to stake claim top form a new NPF-led Demo- cratic Alliance of Nagaland government. Zeliang, who is camping with his party legislators and Independent legislators at a resort in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, meanwhile resigned as the fi nance adviser. The Nagaland government had issued a no- tifi cation terminating his appointment to the post. The rebellion within the legislature party erupted accusing Liezietsu of indulging in “nepotism” by appointing his son Khriehu Liezietsu as his adviser with cabinet status and pay. Khriehu had resigned from his Northern Angami-I assembly seat last month to enable his father to contest and become an elected assembly member in order to continue as Chief Minister. An injured man is taken away during clashes between Gorkhaland supporters and the police in Sonada near Darjeeling. Liezietsu however voiced confi dence that the crisis within the NPF would be resolved at the earliest. Liezietsu, who is also the NPF president, was sworn in as chief minister on February 22 after Zeliang resigned following violent pro- test by tribal groups who were opposed to his move to hold civic polls with 33% reservation for women. The fresh political instability has come at a Police fi re off teargas at time when Liezietsu is gearing up for the July 29 by-election from the Northern Angami-I assembly constituency. In an e-mailed statement, the chief min- ister said that he was deeply pained by the recent disturbing developments aff ecting the normal functioning of the government. “The current issue is within the NPF party Darjeeling protesters and will be resolved at the earliest to bring about normalcy in the state. The mandate of AFP ing schools and shops to shut down secretary Roshan Giri told AFP. Chief Minister Mamata Baner- nounced it was making Bengali man- the people will be respected and the present Darjeeling as thousands of mostly Indian tour- But authorities, including West jee deployed the army again to quell datory in state schools — angering crisis will be resolved in the larger interest of ists pack their bags and fl ee. Bengal tourism minister Gautam heightened tensions, which she has the state’s Gorkha population, who the people of the state,” he said. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Dev, have denied GJM’s latest alle- described as a “deep-rooted con- speak Nepali. In the truncated 59-member assembly, the resh violence erupted in Dar- (GJM) — a movement that has long gation, saying they were unaware of spiracy”. Gorkhas have been agitating for ruling coalition comprises 47 NPF legislators, jeeling yesterday after a sepa- called for a separate state for ethnic any death and that “police did not The hills are famous for Darjeeling decades for a new state of ‘Gorkha- four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members Fratist group accused police of Gorkhas in West Bengal — accused open fi re”. tea, the production of which is jeal- land’ within West Bengal, claiming and eight Independents. killing a supporter, prompting forces police of shooting dead 31-year-old The news of his death sparked an- ously guarded. Bengali-speaking outsiders have ex- Interestingly, Zeliang had even warmed up to fi re tear gas as the hill resort reels Tashi Bhutia late on Friday. ger among supporters who set ablaze It is also famed for its “toy train” ploited their resources and imposed with his once bitter rival Neiphiu Rio, a three- from weeks-long unrest. “(He) was shot dead by police at and destroyed parts of a police sta- — a 78km uphill ride from New Jal- their culture and language. time chief minister and currently the lone Bouts of clashes and arson attacks Sonada on the outskirts of Darjeeling tion and train terminal as baton- paiguri. A similar uprising in 2007 saw Lok Sabha member from Nagaland, but sus- have rattled the picturesque hill sta- town when he was returning home wielding forces responded with tear Tension has been mounting in the Gorkhas granted some administra- pended a couple of years back for “anti-party tion for more than three weeks, caus- from a medicine shop,” GJM’s general gas and rubber pellets. region since the government an- tive powers. activities”, particularly against Zeliang.

Northeast embraces GST despite challenges

By Sujit Chakraborty, IANS GST, the traders of the region Sanjoy Majumder, assistant function seamlessly. Agartala/Guwahati will get the input credit, which commissioner, Central Excise An interactive session was was not there earlier. The GST and Service Tax, Tripura com- also organised to solve the and other taxing offi cials must missionerate, told IANS. problems on the spot, he said. mid confusion and ini- co-operate with the traders of He said a large number of Assam Finance and Health tial reluctance, traders the region to cope with the new traders in Tripura, who had Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Ain the northeast seem to tax regime,” Saharia told IANS. their own facilities or out- said that under the new re- have fi nally accepted the new FINER president Pabitra sourcing system for paying gime, tax collection in Assam Goods and Services Tax (GST) Buragohain, while welcom- taxes and administering the would double in the next fi ve regime and offi cials are hopeful ing the GST, demanded 100% previous system, could migrate years. that teething troubles will be excise duty refund under the to the new GST system without “People will not have to resolved soon. GST. much diffi culty. pay more. Tax leakages will be The Federation of Indus- “Some crucial issues regard- “Every day, a large number stopped. Industrialisation will try and Commerce of North ing industries, besides special of traders are coming to our get a push as manufacturers Eastern Region (FINER), the reference to Assam and North- offi ce to learn about the new will not confi ne themselves northeast chapter of the Fed- east, must be resolved. Train- system. I believe the initial hic- to particular states due to the eration of Indian Chambers ing to small traders is required cups would be sorted out with- uniformity in tax and will try of Commerce and Industry for fi lling GST returns and in a few months,” he added. to set up units across the coun- (FICCI), the Indian Chamber completing other formalities,” TCCI President M L Debnath try to cut down transportation of Commerce, North East Ini- he said. said that unfortunately, a large costs,” he said in Guwahati. tiative, and the Tripura Cham- All businesses with annual number of Tripura business- “Tax collection in Assam, ber of Commerce and Industry turnover of more than Rs1mn men did not have necessary which is around Rs6bn per (TCCI) have all welcomed the in the northeast region will infrastructure like computer, year, will double to Rs 12bn in GST and urged the government be required to enrol under the internet facility, operator of fi ve years,” Sarma said. to familiarise traders with the GST, while it is Rs2mn in other their own, to submit GST re- Tripura Finance and Infor- new system. states of the country. turn online. mation Minister Bhanulal Saha “As the government has in- Eight GST commissioner- “There should be a system to also said that the GST had the troduced the new tax regime, ates have been opened in the submit the GST return manu- potential to increase the rev- we have to go by it. Earlier, we region, of which two are in ally to the local GST author- enue of Tripura. have done tax management Assam — Guwahati and Di- ity. This will not only help the “There may be some initial Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump chat in Hamburg yesterday. mostly manually, but now we brugarh — and one each in business community of Tripu- hesitations and problems, but have to migrate to a computer- Shillong (Meghalaya), Imphal ra but ensure eff ective GST op- after some time, everything Trump walks up to Modi for impromptu chat at G20 ised and online system despite (Manipur), Itanagar (Arunach- eration,” Debnath said. will become normal,” Saha told individual handicaps and lo- al Pradesh), Aizawl (Mizoram), He said that the GST would IANS. gistic defi ciencies,” said Bijan Agartala (Tripura) and Kohima help in a big way in checking Mizoram Finance and Taxa- US President Donald Trump the PM, walks to him, other leaders Trump is seen being welcomed Banik, a medium-scale trader (Nagaland). generation of black money and tion Minister Lalsawta also ex- yesterday waved to Prime Minister gather around. Gr8 moments,” he by German Chancellor Angela in Agartala. Three offi ces of Central Ex- spread of the parallel economy pressed the hope that the GST Narendra Modi, and then walked up posted, with a photograph of the Merkel as the leaders gather for the The chairman of the Indian cise and Service Tax in Guwa- in the country. regime would substantially in- to him for an “impromptu” chat at two leaders chatting, along with photo-opportunity, then Trump is Chamber of Commerce, North hati, Dibrugarh and Shillong GST Assistant Commis- crease tax revenue for the state the G20 summit. Indonesia’s Joko Widodo. seen walking past the first row to East Initiative, Mahesh Sa- would cover the northeastern sioner in Silchar (Southern government, since it would Arvind Panagariya, India’s Sherpa In another instance of the posi- stand alongside Modi in the second haria, said: “Industry-starved states before the GST rollout. Assam) Jitesh Jain said that in broaden the tax base. for the summit, tweeted the “Great tive vibes between the two leaders, row. northeastern states are mostly “Even if the annual turnover the beginning, the new tax sys- Assistant Commissioner of moments” from the gathering in a video of the G20 leaders’ photo- Modi and Trump had met in consumer states and not pro- of a trader is less than Rs1mn tem could not work smoothly Taxes and Nodal Offi cer of GST Hamburg. op is doing the rounds that shows Washington in June-end for a ducing states. The GST will be but he is doing inter-state and and challenges like registra- C Vanlalchhuana said: “We are “In an impromptu interaction the US President preferring to stand bilateral meeting, in their first face- benefi cial for the region.” inter-country trade, he will tion could be there, but in due hopeful to get more taxes under at G20 Summit, POTUS waves to beside Modi. to-face interaction. “After the introduction of have to enrol under the GST,” course of time, the GST would GST than we received before.” Gulf Times 18 Sunday, July 9, 2017 LATIN AMERICA Venezuela opposition leader Lopez released to house arrest

AFP of all the political prisoners and Caracas for the organisation of free and democratic elections.” Cremades underscored that enezuela’s most promi- “all of Leopoldo Lopez’s civil nent political prisoner, and political rights must still be VLeopoldo Lopez, pumped restored.” his fi st and waved a national fl ag “What’s more, there are still yesterday in a triumphant public 300 political prisoners in the appearance after he was released Bolivarian jails,” he added. from prison and placed under Foro Penal, an NGO, puts the house arrest. number of political prisoners in The 46-year-old politician Venezuela at 433. was all smiles as he emerged The government insists they in the garden of his house and are in jail for acts of violence. greeted dozens of supporters The Supreme Court on its with the words “Yes, we can!” Twitter account cited “health Lopez was released amid in- reasons” for the order moving tensifying pressure on the em- Lopez to house arrest, which was battled leftist government of signed on Friday by court presi- Nicolas Maduro. dent Maikel Moreno. “Leopoldo Lopez is at his It said the action was “a hu- home in Caracas with (wife) Lil- manitarian measure in keeping ian and his children,” Lopez’s with the law.” Spanish lawyer Javier Cremades On Friday night, Lopez’s wife said in Madrid. “He is not yet spent an hour visiting her hus- free but under house arrest. He band in his cell at Ramo Verde was released at dawn.” prison just outside Caracas. Lopez, leader of the Voluntad Tintori, who has made the Popular (Popular Will) party release of her husband and and a symbol of resistance to other political prisoners an the Maduro government, had international cause, did not been held for three and a half comment after the latest years at a military prison for move, and details on Lopez’s Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez displays a Venezuelan Cremades said the latest de- Henry Ramos Allup, an op- While in prison, Lopez was allegedly “inciting violence” health were not immediately national flag as he greets supporters gathering outside his house in velopment “indicates how des- position deputy and former head visited on several occasions by calling for anti-government forthcoming. Caracas, after he was released from prison and placed under house perate and divided they are, it’s of the National Assembly, said by former Spanish prime min- protests. The former mayor of a Caracas arrest for health reasons yesterday. a demonstration of the weakness house arrest “must be an ad- ister Jose Luis Rodriguez Za- His release has been a key de- municipality, Lopez, 46, was an of a cornered regime.” vance toward full liberty.” patero, most recently on June mand of Venezuela’s opposition early champion of street protests He was sentenced to nearly 14 constitution. Fellow opposition leaders Two other prominent opposi- 4 accompanied by then Vene- and the international communi- to force political change in Vene- years in prison on charges that On Wednesday, pro-govern- celebrated Lopez’s release from tion leaders jailed by the govern- zuelan foreign minister Delcy ty, amid an intensifying political zuela as the oil-rich country spi- his defence said were politically ment militants wielding sticks prison, but insisted more needed ment on similar charges have Rodriguez and her brother, confrontation aimed at forcing ralled into a severe economic and motivated and based on “ma- and pipes stormed the grounds to be done. since been moved to house arrest ruling party politician Jorge the unpopular Maduro to hold political crisis after the death nipulated” evidence. of the opposition-held National “It gives us great happiness - Caracas mayor Antonio Le- Rodriguez. early elections. of Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo At least 91 people have died Assembly and beat lawmakers, that Leopoldo Lopez is at home dezma and the former mayor of On that occasion, Lopez called Spanish Prime Minister Mari- Chavez. since April 1 in fresh clashes be- injuring at least fi ve at the only with his family. the western city of San Cristobal on Venezuelans to continue pro- ano Rajoy, speaking from the The government blamed Lopez tween protesters and security state institution that the oppo- He must be given his full lib- Daniel Ceballos. testing in the streets. G20 summit in Hamburg, Ger- for a months-long outbreak of forces over moves by the courts sition nominally controls. erty together with all political Late last year the government His wife denied that the meet- many, said he and the leaders anti-government protests in and the government to strip the Maduro condemned the vio- prisoners,” Henrique Capriles, a released some lesser-known de- ing was to negotiate his house of Argentina, Brazil and Mexico 2014 that left 43 people dead in National Assembly of power, lence and said he had ordered an former opposition presidential tained activists at the behest of arrest in return for a defusing of were calling for “the liberation clashes with security forces. delay elections and rewrite the investigation. candidate, said. the Vatican. the protests. Relations with the US cannot be defi ned by ‘murmurs’: Pena Nieto

Reuters on searching for ways to generate mu- immigrants, Trump said, “Absolutely.” Mexico City tual respect, build confi dence and Disputes over immigration, work with a positive attitude. I can say Trump’s border wall - which Mexico that I saw that willingness in Presi- has repeatedly said it would not pay exican President Enrique dent Trump.” for - and his claim that free trade with Pena Nieto yesterday said For the fi rst time since becoming Mexico costs jobs in the United States, Mthat the US-Mexico relation- president in January, Trump met Mex- have strained relations between the ship cannot be defi ned by “murmurs,” ican President Enrique Pena Nieto on two neighbours. the day after US President Donald Friday. Trump has threatened to impose Trump said Mexico would “abso- Trump has accused Mexico of steal- punitive tariff s on Mexican goods to ONE SMOKER. lutely” pay for his proposed southern ing US jobs, and complex talks over protect US border wall. renegotiating the North American industry, and to pull out of Nafta Speaking at the end of his trip Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) are due altogether if he cannot rework it in the to Hamburg for the G20 meeting, to begin on August 16. United States’ favor. Pena Nieto told reporters that the The meeting at the Hamburg Pena Nieto also met with Canadian TWO PATIENTS. relationship with the United States, leaders’ summit of the Group of 20 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sat- Mexico’s top trading partner, should economies was keenly anticipated urday, according to a readout of the instead focus on more positive ends in Mexico, and officials were quick meeting, in which Pena Nieto said he - a view that he believed Trump also to stress talks had been productive, was working closely with Canada to shared. despite Trump repeating that Mexi- come up with a better, mutually ben- “Given what happened after this co would pay for his planned border efi cial update to Nafta. meeting (with Trump), clearly our bi- wall. Pena Nieto also said he met with lateral relationship cannot be defi ned In response to a shouted question Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi by murmurs like those that took place from a reporter about whether he still and agreed to possibly making a trip to yesterday,” Pena Nieto said. wants Mexico to pay for the border the Asian nation next year, with a view TOBACCO KILLS “Our relationship needs to be based wall, which aims to keep out illegal to deepening trade links. Birth of wolf cubs raises hopes for endangered species

AFP western US and central and northern when they were vaccinated. Mexico City Mexico. Their father Yoltic was born in the But the wolves’ numbers started to same zoo. dwindle at the start of the 20th century His name is a Nahautl Indian word exican zoo offi cials are drool- as populations of their native prey, such that means “he who lives.” ing over the birth of seven as deer and elk, declined and the canines Next month wildlife experts from Mcubs of a species of endan- turned to cattle for food and ranchers the United States and Mexico will gered wolf. began to kill them off , according to the meet to compare notes on popula- They were born in April to a female US Fish and Wildlife Service. tions of these wolves in each country named Pearl, who was nice and plump Since roughly the mid-1900s, Mex- and decide if the seven new cubs can and ended up delighting vets with a ican wolves have been listed an endan- be released. surprisingly large litter. gered species in both countries. Pearl was moved to Zoologico los “We were expecting four or fi ve,” The hope is that these seven babies Coyotes in December and hit it off Arturo Gayosso, director of the Zoo- - fi ve males and two females - will right away with Yoltic, playing and logico los Coyotes in Mexico City, said be healthy enough to eventually be running with him. this week. released into the wild to help create “That told us they would be good These are known as Mexican wolves more wolves. mates,” said Gayosso. (Canis lupus baileyi), a small, rare and With coats that are a mix of yellow, The cubs were conceived in Feb- genetically distinct subspecies of the gray and black, the cubs now weigh six ruary, somewhere on the 800sq m Issued in Public Interest by GULF TIMES gray wolf. to seven kilos (13 to 15.5lb) and have (8600sq ft) man-made prairie where Their realm used to be the south- had contact with humans just once, the parents live. Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 19 PAKISTAN

Protest Sharif decides to seek support of other parties zJoint Investigation Team prime minister,” he said. probing Panama Papers When contacted, the PM’s case will submit its report Adviser Barrister Zafarullah said tomorrow any decision on legal options z PM chairs consultative could be taken once the JIT re- PML-N committee meeting port was made public or submit- ted to the court.“We will chal- Internews lenge the report if any lacuna is Islamabad found in it,” he said. In Jhang, speaking at an in- auguration ceremony of a pow- he Pakistan Muslim er project, PM Sharif said: “I’ll League-Nawaz (PML-N) lay the foundation stone of the Tleadership met yesterday 4,500MW Dasu hydel project to discuss diff erent options that on July 10 when the JIT sub- could be adopted after the Joint mits its report (to the Supreme Investigation Team (JIT) probing Nawaz Sharif: Court).” the Panama Papers case submits “Sometimes you take Apparently addressing PTI Children take part of Jamaat-ud-Dawa protest rally to mark the first anniversary of the death of young rebel leader Burhan Wani, who its report to the Supreme Court cover of polls rigging and chairman Imran Khan, Sharif was killed by Indian troops last year, in Karachi, yesterday. tomorrow, as Prime Minister Na- stage sit-ins, at others you said: “Sometimes you take waz Sharif, while speaking at a conspire in the name of cover of polls rigging and stage ceremony in Jhang, challenged his accountability and take sit-ins, at others you conspire rivals to defeat him in elections refuge behind the JIT in the name of accountability instead of resorting to “conspira- as you know that you and take refuge behind the JIT cies against his government”. cannot win elections. as you know that you cannot In Islamabad, the prime min- It’s cowardice. Come win elections. It’s cowardice. ister chaired a consultative and confront me in the Come and confront me in the Facebook assures Pakistan to meeting of senior leaders of the [political] fi eld whenever [political] field whenever you PML-N which was attended, you wish so” wish so.” among others, by Finance Min- The prime minister claimed ister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister The PM’s spokesman Musad- that there was a “fear of defeat” Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and diq Malik said the JIT’s proce- behind the PTI chief’s “intrigu- remove provocative material Law Minister Zahid Hamid. dure for collection of evidence ing mind”. It has been learnt that the had raised several questions. “You have been defeated by meeting at the PM House de- “The government conferred the PML-N not once, but re- Internews Kaplan’s visit is believed to of social media, according to mous content. “Nothing is cided that the PML-N would all powers on the JIT but it is peatedly. And you will be defeat- Islamabad be a signifi cant development the spokesman. more sacred to us than our contact other political parties to astonishing why it did not go to ed in future as well.” in connection with the eff orts The eff orts include conven- religion and our holy person- seek their support amid prevail- London and Panama to verify the Punjab Chief Minister Shah- being made for removing sac- ing of a special meeting of the alities.” ing high political temperature in evidence provided by the Paki- baz Sharif also spoke on the oc- he Facebook manage- rilegious content from social ambassadors of the Muslim He said that the government the country. stan Tehreek-i-Insaf against the casion. ment has assured Paki- media. countries in March on a single of Pakistan fi rmly believed in Tstan that it will remove The interior minister dis- point agenda to discuss blas- freedom of expression but, at fake accounts and explicit, cussed with Kaplan diff erent phemous content on social the same time, no one could be hateful and provocative mate- steps and actions being taken to media and how to eff ectively allowed to misuse social media rial that incites violence and remove blasphemous content raise voice of the Muslim world for hurting religious sentiments terrorism. from social media. against the madness unleashed or undertaking unlawful activi- Pakistan’s banking system The commitment was given The spokesman said it was against Islam and holy person- ties. by Vice-President of Facebook for the fi rst time that a senior alities in the name of freedom “We appreciate the under- Joel Kaplan who called on In- member of the Facebook man- of expression. standing shown by the Face- terior Minister Chaudhry Nisar agement dealing with its global It was followed by a meeting book administration and the able to withstand shocks: SBP Ali Khan here yesterday. public policy had visited Paki- of the interior minister with the cooperation it is extending to us “Facebook has reiterated its stan to discuss the way forward secretary general of the Organi- on these issues,” he said. commitment to keep the plat- towards addressing the issue sation of Islamic Conference on The minister appreciated Internews Banks’ profi tability has, how- Volatility in the money, for- form safe and promote values of misuse of social media plat- April 11on the issue. Facebook for bridging com- Karachi ever, moderated, after seeing eign exchange (FX) and equity that are in congruence with its forms, particularly Facebook The spokesperson quoted munication gaps and providing exceptionally high growth in the markets has remained relatively community standards. which has over 33mn users in Chaudhry Nisar as saying at Pakistani people a platform to last few years. muted,” said the report. It also vowed to remove sac- Pakistan. the meeting that the Muslim interact that also served as a he banking sector of Paki- The return on assets and equi- The review, however, draws rilegious material from Face- The interior ministry has Ummah was disturbed and vehicle for promotion of edu- stan, which accounts for ty (ROA and ROE) is at 2.1% and attention to some developments book,” the interior ministry’s been engaging Internet service had serious concern over the cation, businesses, socio-eco- Taround three-fourths of 23.8% level in CY16, respective- that need attention. spokesman said while giving providers and trying to fi nd a misuse of social media plat- nomic development and em- the fi nancial sector, performed ly, compared to 2.5% and 25.8% For instance, the fi scal con- details of the meeting. solution to the issue of misuse forms to propagate blasphe- powering women. well during the calendar year in CY15. sideration has continued to drive 2016 with the growth momen- The liquidity position remains the liquidity need in the money tum of advances picking up comfortable while the capital market; though, prudent man- further, while the private sector adequacy ratio (CAR) at 16.2% agement by SBP has kept the emerging as the main benefi ci- remains high, albeit with some market running smoothly. ary, said the Financial Stability downward adjustment, prima- “The activity in PSX with high NSG: Islamabad to accept non-discriminatory terms Review, issued by the State Bank rily due to advances growth. growth in KSE-100 index has of Pakistan, yesterday. The SBP report also notes the outperformed various global Internews This was stated by the former granting membership to either Inter-Services Intelligence said. But the report went on to increase in CAR requirements benchmarks, yet rising Price- Islamabad chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Islamabad or New Delhi. How- The former CJCSC also point out that the “fundamen- due to higher Capital Conserva- Earning (P/E) ratio in short span Staff Committee (CJCSC) Gen- ever, the NSG is expected to warned against the continued tals of the external sector are tion Buff er (CCB) over 2017-19. of time indicates some role of eral (retd) Ehsanul Haq while convene for an informal meeting stigmatisation of the country, weakening”, which poses one of In line with international best sentiments behind the market ith the most recent speaking at a conference organ- in Vienna in November this year especially over Dr Abdul Qa- the risks to the fi nancial system practices, the review also assess- movements,” it said. convention of the ised by the Centre for Interna- to further discuss criteria for deer Khan scam. identifi ed in the report. es the resilience of the banking An attempt has also been W48-member Nuclear tional Strategic Studies (CISS) non-NPT states to join the NSG. “Pakistan has a very good The report said the asset qual- sector to adverse scenarios by made in the review for assess- Supplier’s Group (NSG) end- while discussing the recent “Pakistan has been pursu- record on export controls and ity has improved with a decline means of macro-stress testing. ment of fi nancial soundness of ing without a decision on either NSG plenary session held in ing NSG membership to bring safety and security,” he said, in infection ratios specifi cally, The results exhibit that the the household (HH) sector, de- Pakistan or India’s bid for gain- Bern, Switzerland. itself into the mainstream as a adding, “We cannot be in per- gross advances have increased by banking system is, generally, able spite data limitations. ing membership of the exclu- Gen Haq said that while the country with nuclear capability petual punishment and banish- 12.81% in CY16 compared with to withstand adverse shocks. “A consistent rise in per capita sive club, experts in Islamabad issue was taken up during the and gain access to technological ment for the Dr AQ Khan aff air. 8.12% the preceding year, while “Financial markets, in general, income and high participation of yesterday said Pakistan was meeting and participating gov- advancements,” Gen Haq said. We are past that by more than non-performing loans ratio to have performed smoothly with- youth in the labour force are ob- ready to accept all non-dis- ernments agreed to continue “We can be fl exible as long as a decade and a half and we un- total loans has come down to a out any considerable disruption vious positives for the HH sec- criminatory requirements of deliberations on the matter, no it does not infringe on our red dertook some very stringent decade-low level of 10.01%. during CY16. tor,” said the report. the club. formal decision was taken on fl ags,” the former chief of the measures.” Abdul Sattar Edhi — ‘It is as if he never left us’

Internews of the greatest humanitarians to Saudi Arabia by road to per- donations back to their previous Karachi Pakistan has produced, every form Haj 40 years ago. levels, she says. day, but to her it’s almost like he After that, she says, she would “He used to say insaan bano, never left. address him as Haji sahib.“He insaan banao,” she remembers. bdul Sattar Edhi was in a “He was my life-partner, of would call me Hajiani at times, The mantra ‘Be human, serve helicopter on the way to course I miss him but he became when he was feeling a lot of love”. humanity’ lives on with the leg- AGhotki where hundreds immortal after death. I feel like A contagious smile lights up her acy of Edhi whose philanthropic had died in a horrifi c train crash he will come here any moment,” face as she reminisces, “He was work served millions of poor and in 2005, when he received a she muses. the closest to me. underprivileged. phone call about the death of his Bilquis and Edhi were mar- We used to talk before we did Such was the reverence and beloved grandson Bilal. ried for 50 years when he passed interviews and he would tell me respect accorded to him that “Do not wait for me in pro- away, leaving behind a history of helpful points.” when he was required to testify ceeding with Bilal’s funeral dedicated service to humanity. Over decades of hard work, in trials of murder cases, judges rites,” his wife Bilquis Edhi re- Sitting on a simple wooden Edhi had set up a system that would send court staff ers to Edhi calls him as saying, “A lot of desk in front of white pane win- would keep the charity’s services to record his statement, Bilquis my Bilals are waiting for me in dows that overlook a narrow running seamlessly. recalls. Ghotki.” street crowded with tiny shops The Edhi Foundation’s work Despite all kinds of pressure, Edhi was Pakistan’s ‘Angel selling a variety of things sweets, continues with the same pas- the late humanitarian kept away of Mercy’. When he breathed children’s clothes and prayer sion and zeal as it did before its from politics and politicians his last on this day last year, it mats she recalls, “I was working founder passed away. alike. “My husband used to say: seemed as if a lot of what he had as a nurse here when I met Edhi “His work will continue,” ‘If the moulvi, leader, doctor, spent a lifetime creating would sahib Two years later, he asked Bilquis says with absolute faith. lawyer and police of Pakistan have to change. for my hand in marriage and my “There has not been any pause in became righteous, Pakistan But at the Bilquis Edhi Home mother agreed.” the eff orts. would become a welfare state’,” in Karachi’s Mithadar, it is busi- Edhi was as kind at home as he It feels like he is directing us.” says Bilquis. ness as usual. was to the strangers of the world She adds: “But now we have to When asked whether it both- People pour in and out of the outside, she says.“I used to fi ght be more active because our guide ered her that Edhi was never modest building of the Edhi with him, he never fought with is gone.” Edhi’s death had initial- nominated for a Nobel Prize, she headquarters, and in a room in me. In our 50 years together, he ly had a minor impact on the do- says never cared for it and nei- the second storey, Bilquis Edhi is never uttered a word of disre- nations the foundation received, ther would Edhi. “We get Nobel her usual animated self. spect towards me.” but now generous contributions prizes from our fellow Pakistanis A file photo of Bilquis Edhi with her husband Abdul Sattar Edhi. She misses her husband, one Bilquis and Edhi had travelled from people have brought the every day,” she replies. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, July 9, 2017 PHILIPPINES Palace, Senate Manila skyline set to discuss situation in Mindanao

By Bernadette E Tamayo take place, the senator said, Manila Times “Sometime late next week.” “I was asked to inform the other leaders or other mem- alacanang has asked bers of the Senate that the the Senate for an au- Palace is requesting for a Mdience in the coming meeting,” he added. week to discuss “the situa- Asked whether the offi cial tion” in Mindanao, which has mentioned about the exten- been under martial law since sion of martial law during May 23 due to the crisis in Ma- the scheduled meeting, Sotto rawi City, a senator said. said, “The extension (of mar- Majority Leader Vicente tial law) was not mentioned.” Sotto disclosed yesterday The senator said the offi cial that a Palace offi cial contact- merely told him that the agen- ed him recently and told him da would be the “situation in that Malacanang wanted to Mindanao and probably leave schedule a meeting with the the decision to us on wheth- senators. er to extend (martial law) or He clarifi ed that the Palace whatever.” arranged the meeting with the “Or, the Palace might tell Senate prior to the suggestion us, ‘Oh, This is it.’ We can nev- of Minority Leader Franklin er tell. It’s diffi cult to guess,” Drilon for President Rodrigo Sotto said. Duterte to fi rst inform Con- The president issued Proc- A fishing boat sails past the skyline of Manila yesterday. gress if he would extend mar- lamation 216 on May 23 plac- tial law in Mindanao. ing the southern Philippines “Before that suggestion under martial law to quell came out, I was already in- the rebellion of the Islamic formed by the Palace that they State-linked Maute extrem- want to talk. So, that’s okay,” ist group. The validity of Sotto said in a radio interview. the declaration will end on Asked when the meeting will July 22 Forces target high-rise Police offi cer, two others arrested for extortion snipers with air strikes

Manila Times collection that was remitted The military has used jet Marawi, which was overrun by of Marawi City,” he explained. Manila weekly to the suspects, said fighters, attack planes and hundreds of militants on May Three Abu Sayyaf rebels, soldier killed in clash However the buildings also Malayo, chief of the PNP- helicopter gunships, armed 23. needed to be cleared of impro- CITF. Police recovered the with bombs and rockets, Despite more than a month of Three suspected members of a a one-hour battle, Sobejana vised bombs and other booby- police offi cer of the marked money used in the to attack areas where the fi ghting with hundreds of gov- local terrorist group allied with added. “This is part of our con- traps as the troops advance, he University Belt (U- entrapment operation and the gunmen are hiding ernment troops, militants fl y- the Islamic State and a govern- tinuing operations to rescue said. ABelt) police community Toyota vehicle used for collec- ing the black fl ag of the Islamic ment soldier were killed yester- kidnap victims and neutralise There are also about 300 ci- precinct (PCP) in Manila and tion by the suspects. AFP State group are still entrenched day in fighting in the southern the Abu Sayyaf,” he said. The vilians trapped in the area, Her- two others, have been arrested The CITF operation was Manila in parts of the city. Philippines, the military said. clash erupted just days after rera said, adding that some were for extortion, an offi cial said. done within the compound The military has used jet Fifteen soldiers were also troops recovered the decapi- being used as hostages, bear- Acting on a tip, the PNP’s of the U-Belt PCP, a precinct fi ghters, attack planes and heli- wounded in the clash in the tated bodies of two Vietnamese ers of supplies and even being counter intelligence task force under the Manila Police Dis- nipers in high-rise build- copter gunships, armed with town of Patikul on the island sailors abducted by the Abu forced to help in looting the city. (CITF) set up an entrapment trict’s (MPD) Police Station ings are the main problem bombs and rockets, to attack of Jolo, said Brigadier General Sayyaf eight months ago in the President Rodrigo Duterte last operation on Chief Inspec- (PS) Station 4 in Sampaloc. Sfacing Philippine forces areas where the gunmen are hid- Cirilito Sobejana, a military task nearby province of Basilan. month vowed to “crush” the tor Ramon Nazario, precinct Malayo said his offi ce has yet battling to crush pro-Islamic ing. force commander. The troops The victims were identified as militants, but several deadlines commander; Kagawad Gre- to determine the amount that State fi ghters who have occupied “We have identifi ed key de- were tracking members of the Hoang Thong and Hoang Va have already been missed to end gorio Bernardo and Raymund was being collected from the a southern city for more than a fensive positions. These are Abu Sayyaf group in a bid to Hai, two of six crew members a confl ict that has forced al- Baga of Barangay 409, Zone vendors but identifi ed Baga as month, a military spokesman being subjected to surgical air rescue hostages held by the ter- abducted from the Vietnamese most 400,000 people from their 42 who have been allegedly the “bagman”. said yesterday. strikes now. They are still occu- rorists when they encountered cargo vessel MV Royal 16 in homes. extorting money from the Meanwhile, Nazario was re- Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Her- pying high-rise buildings. about 100 of them, triggering November. The fi ghting has reduced Ma- vendors on U-Belt and using lieved from his post immedi- rera said this was the reason the We need to take them down so rawi to a ruined ghost town. civilians as collectors, Senior ately after the operations. government was using air strikes we can facilitate a swift off ensive It also prompted Duterte to Supt. Chiquito Malayo said. Supt. Aquino Olivar, com- against the militants despite the of our troops,” Herrera said. “They occupy high-rise Herrera said there were now declare martial law over the en- Nazario, Bernardo and Baga mander of the Sampaloc Po- massive damage it may cause in “One reason we are using air buildings so we have to be high- around 80 gunmen still active in tire southern Philippines. were arrested at 6.45pm on lice Station 4, said Nazario was the city of Marawi. assets...is this is the advantage er. So we use air strikes.” the “main battle area” compris- Herrera said 366 enemy fi ght- Friday after intelligence per- fi rst brought to the main head- “If we do not use air strikes, we need to neutralise the snip- While hundreds of fi ghters ing around 800 buildings. ers, 39 civilians and 87 govern- sonnel validated the vendors’ quarters of the Manila Police we will incur more casualties of ers’ positions,” the regional mili- rampaged through much of Ma- “These are the tall buildings. ment troops had been killed in statements by monitoring the District. our troops,” he told reporters in tary spokesman added. rawi in the early days of the siege, This was the centre of commerce the fi ghting so far. Power outages after deadly earthquake

AFP “In three to 10 days, we will see a tremendous Tacloban improvement in ensuring that there will be basic electrical service available,” he said on ABS-CBN television. Vegetable seller Cheryl Anne Acidera, arge parts of the central Philippines remained 25, in the Leyte city of Tacloban, recalled running without power days after a 6.5-magnitude out of her school in terror when the quake struck. Lquake shook the region and killed two people, “We all ran out to the plaza so nothing would fall authorities said yesterday. on us,” she said, adding that some of her compan- Power plant facilities in the central island of ions fainted. Leyte, which provide electricity for the island and The Philippines lies on the so-called Ring of neighbouring regions, sustained damage when the Fire, a vast Pacifi c Ocean region where many earth- quake struck on Thursday, an energy department quakes and volcanic eruptions occur. statement said. In February, a 6.5-magnitude quake killed eight The geothermal plants, near the quake’s epicen- people and left more than 250 injured outside the tre, were damaged by both the tremors and result- southern city of Surigao. ing landslides, the department said. The following month a 5.9-magnitude tremor Leyte, home to some 1.75mn people, bore the killed one person. brunt of the quake, recording two deaths and 72 in- Before the Surigao disasters, the last fatal earth- juries. Much of Leyte and the surrounding islands quake to hit the Southeast Asian nation was a of Samar and Bohol were without power yesterday 7.1-magnitude quake that left more than 220 peo- as repairs were still being conducted, energy un- ple dead and destroyed historic churches in the Residents look at a damaged building after a 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit the town of Kananga, Leyte province, central Philippines. dersecretary Wimpy Fuentabella said. central islands in October 2013. Group slams education secretary over ‘anti-teacher’ policies

By Neil Alcober ing with the Department of Budget and rights and welfare. She reiterated her has defended the imposition of the De- welfare, the Secretary of Education is the decent pay and benefi ts,” Valbuena said. Manila Times Management (DBM), and Department insensitive statement that teachers are pEd-DBM-DILG Joint Circular No 1 Se- fi rst to deny these to us eventually con- According to Valbuena, public of Interior and Local Government well compensated and shall not receive ries of 2017 that prohibits the use of Spe- tributing to the teachers’ poor economic school teachers are actually underpaid (DILG) in denying teachers local allow- local allowances and additional chalk/ cial Education Fund for teachers’ local situation and sacrifi ces under the rotting and receive meagre salary. Based on ilitant teachers’ group Alli- ances and additional school supplies. teaching supplies allowances,” Ben- allowance. Teachers are also asking for K-to-12 education system. Given the the computation presented by Depart- ance of Concerned Teachers “Secretary Briones’ response let- jamin Valbuena, the group’s national an increase in chalk/teaching supplies secretary’s inutility, the teachers and ed- ment of Education (DepEd), entry level M(ACT) yesterday hit Educa- ter dated June 20, 2017 to ACT proves chairperson, said. allowance from P2,500 to P5,000. ucation sector as a whole will eventually teachers enjoy an aggregated monthly tion Secretary Leonor Briones for sid- that she has no heart for the teacher’s The group claimed the DepEd chief “Instead of protecting our rights and continue the intensifying call for just and compensation of P24,399.40. Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 21 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Top militant wanted over Dengue emerges as Dhaka cafe attack held new threat in AFP fore the attack,” Abdul Mannan, of US-based monitoring group Dhaka counter-terrorism additional SITE publishing a statement of commissioner, said. an Islamic State operative who Acting on a tip-off , police ar- warned of many more attacks Bangladesh angladesh police have ar- rested the 33 year old from the in West Bengal, Bangladesh and rested an Islamist mili- northwestern Chapainawabganj Myanmar. Btant over last year’s deadly district along with three associ- The Islamic State claimed By Mizan Rahman “The treatment should be Dhaka cafe siege, offi cials said ates, Mannan said. the Holey Artisan Bakery attack Dhaka started before diagnosis with yesterday, as authorities con- Mahfuz is the chief of but the government has blamed paracetamol – be it is a case of tinue to crack down on militant the northern command of homegrown JMB. chikungunya or dengue – and outfi ts a year after the attack. Jamayetul Mujahideen Bang- Bangladesh has been reel- s hundreds in Dhaka if fever continues more than The counter-terrorism unit ladesh (JMB), a homegrown Is- ing from a spate of extremist and other cities are fi ve days, blood should be test- arrested Sohel Mahfuz, who al- lamist extremist outfi t blamed violence in recent years, with Anow affl icted with ed to determine if the platelet legedly supplied the weapons for the attack. dozens of foreigners, secular chikungunya, dengue fever count is dropping,” he added. used in the Holey Artisan Bak- He is also wanted in India for writers, atheist activists and has emerged as a new threat to Alamgir said that the plate- ery attack where armed gunmen his alleged role in a 2014 blast in members of religious minorities public health in Bangladesh. let count dropped in the case killed at least 22 people, mostly Burdwan, West Bengal, in which killed. At least 325 people were in- of dengue, but not in the case foreigners, after taking them two people were killed and po- Since the cafe attack, security fected with dengue since April of chikungunya. hostage. lice recovered a huge cache forces have gunned down nearly in Dhaka while chikungunya, Hasan Ali, a resident of “He was the supplier of the of improvised explosives, the 70 Islamist extremists across the which also broke out in April, Khilgaon in Dhaka, said that he weapons in the Holey incident. offi cial said. country and rounded up scores became endemic in the Bang- suff ered high fever with pain We were hunting him way be- The arrest came within days more. Shohel Mahfuz, supplied explosives to the Gulshan café attackers. ladesh capital, according to in the joints and thought that the Institute of Epidemiology, he was infected with chikun- Disease Control and Research. gunya but it was diagnosed as Dengue usually breaks out dengue by his doctor. in July. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib People panic as both the Medical University professor Airline to urban-centric viral diseases of virology Saif Ullah Mun- are transmitted to humans by shi said laboratory test for Girl dies from snake bite chikungunya has no practical the same Aedes mosquito and begin Doha there are many similarities impact on the treatment. in their symptoms and treat- Sanya Tahmina, director, ments, experts said. disease control wing of the fl ights The institute confi rmed Directorate General of Health in ‘menstruation hut’ Services, said a single bite by 2,028 cases of chikungunya between April and June. an infected Aedes mosquito By Mizan Rahman AFP decade ago but is still fol- Institute offi cials, however, might transmit dengue and Dhaka Kathmandu lowed in parts of Nepal, par- said that the actual fi gure was chikungunya to a human body. ticularly in remote western far more, as chikungunya pa- “The best way is to destroy districts. tients mostly remained unre- Aedes mosquito’s habitats like S-Bangla Airlines, one n 18-year-old girl has Proposed legislation that ported because they usually water-fi lled giveaway cans, of the country’s private died in Nepal after she would criminalise the practice did not need hospitalisation. pots, cups, fl ower tubs and Ucarriers, will start direct Awas bitten by a snake and make it an imprisonable of- Health offi cials expressed coconut shells in and around fl ight to the Qatari capital Doha, while banished to a shed be- fence to force women to follow fear that the monsoon span- households,” she said. from September 1 next as its sev- cause she was menstruating, the ritual is currently pending ning up to August would add Sanya said that regular fu- enth international destination. part of a long-banned ancient in parliament. horror to about 20 million migation and spraying larvi- Initially, the company will oper- Hindu practice, offi cials said Some communities believe residents of Dhaka as it was cide have continued with the ate four fl ights to Doha from Dhaka yesterday. they will suff er misfortune the incubation time of Aedes support of the city corpora- and Chittagong on every Monday, Many communities in Nepal such as a natural disaster if mosquito. tions, but public awareness is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday view menstruating women as women and girls are not sent Institute of Epidemiology, essential for removing givea- along with return fl ights, an an- impure and in some remote ar- into isolation when they men- Disease Control and Research way water-fi lled cans, pots, nouncement by the airline said. eas they are forced to sleep in a struate. They are also not per- senior scientifi c offi cer ASM cups and fl ower tubs in and The one-way fare 23,385 taka hut away from the home during mitted to drink milk and are Alamgir said dengue usually around households. and return fare 39,264 taka, in- their periods, a practice known given less food to eat during occurs from July at the begin- Meerjady Sabrina Flora, cluding all taxes, have been fi xed as chhaupadi. their period. ning of the rainy season but director, Institute of Epide- for travelling on the Dhaka-Doha Tulasi Shahi was bitten Activists say the govern- this year it made an early out- miology, Disease Control and and Chittagong-Doha routes. twice by a venomous snake ment’s response to stamp out break with early rainfall. Research, said that they are The airlines will operate the and died on Friday morning in practices such as the Chhaupa- A report of the institute, the concerned about coming days new routes with 164-seater Boe- western Dailekh district, local di system and child marriage in diseases monitoring arm of until the end of September as ing 737-800 aircraft. mayor Surya Bahadur Shahi the Himalayan nation has been the government, showed that most part of the monsoon is Currently the airline operates said. inadequate. But offi cials say 175 people were infected with yet to pass. international fl ights to Muscat, “She survived for seven This file photo shows a girl staying in a hut built to house they are battling age-old at- dengue in Dhaka in June. The She said that the situation Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bang- hours after the snake bite menstruating women. titudes that cannot be changed number was 96 in May and 54 of chikungunya and dengue kok, Kathmandu and Kolkata but died because medical overnight. in April. would improve after monsoon, with Boeing 737-800 aircraft. treatment was delayed,” said Chhaupadi is linked to Hin- Two women died in late 2016 “We have launched diff erent “Chikungunya coupled with as monsoon was the breeding The company plans to ex- Shahi. duism and considers women in separate incidents while fol- schemes but quickly removing dengue might make the situa- period of Aedes mosquito. pand its international operation to According to local media, her untouchable when they men- lowing the ritual - one of smoke practices that are deep-root- tion worse this year,” Alamgir The Aedes mosquito lives Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Jed- family took her to the village struate, as well as after child inhalation after she lit a fi re for ed in the society is diffi cult,” suspected. in urban habitats and breeds dah, Dammam, Abu Dhabi, Chennai, shaman, or witch doctor, for birth. warmth, while the other death said Binita Bhattarai, an offi - He said that both dengue mostly in man-made clean Delhi and many other destinations. treatment instead of taking her They are banished from the was unexplained. cial from the women and child and chikungunya had similar water-fi lled containers. US-Bangla Airlines owns six to a hospital. home - barred from touching Rights activists say welfare ministry. symptoms like high fever with Unlike other mosquitoes, aircraft in its fl eet out of which Local police confi rmed that a girl food, religious icons, cattle and many other deaths likely go “Changing mindsets and so- joint pain and treatments of Aedes’s peak biting periods three are Boeing 737-800 and had died but were unable to provide men - and forced to sleep in ba- unreported. cial attitudes is a time-taking both the diseases were also al- are early morning and evening three are Dash8-Q400. further details on the cause. sic huts known as chhau goth. Chhaupadi was banned a process.” most similar. before dusk. Lanka seeks WB Campus life help for elephant conservation

IANS in captivity — most of them Colombo older — young elephants are a common sight in Sri Lanka’s 400 or so Buddhist religious ri Lanka has sought as- processions and traditional sistance from the World ceremonies every year. SBank (WB) to conserve its Success of a religious pro- wild elephant population, an cession is measured by the offi cial has said. number of parading elephants. Sri Lanka boasts of 6,000 For Buddhists, who make wild elephants, a major tourist up 70% of the country’s 20mn attraction in the island nation. people, elephants are believed W S K Pathiratne, director to have been servants of the general, wildlife conservation Buddha. department, told Xinhua news In the last two years, the agency that another nation- government has confi scated wide census would be con- 39 elephants whose owners ducted at the end of the year produced either false per- Rohingya students are seen along with others at The Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Campus life is a to estimate the total number mits or none at all. Some had world removed for Rohingya students, who fled oppression in neighbouring Myanmar and grew up in a refugee camp over the border in of jumbos in the wild. The last paid as much as $200,000 per Bangladesh. Rohingya are denied citizenship in Myanmar, where the army has been accused of perpetrating a campaign of murder, rape was done in 2011. captured animal when a pre- and torture against the minority Muslim group in restive Rakhine State. “We found 5,789 elephants vious government was in of- in the wild. It is a high number. A ceremonially dressed fi ce, according to the wildlife It might have increased by elephant calf during a Victory ministry. It would suggest the now,” he said. Day parade in Matara, about authorities had either turned Wild elephants are scattered 165km south of Colombo. a blind eye to the racket or sold throughout the country. But fake licences. they are found mostly in the tats as well,” he added. The Sri Lankan elephant Process to draft new charter cannot stop: Lanka PM dry zone. In the island nation, an ele- is one of three subspecies of “With the increase of the phant in the backyard has long Asian elephant and is found ri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil ment has been given a mandate The prime minister said that a new constitution in Sri Lanka. number, the country also been a sign of wealth, privilege only in Sri Lanka. In the 19th Wickremesinghe yesterday as- to draft a new constitution and Buddhism will be given its rightful The decision was seen as a faces the increased incidence and power. Though captur- century, there were believed to Sserted that the process to draft that mandate must be respected. place in the new constitution while major barricade to government of human-elephant confl ict. ing wild elephants has been be up to 14,000. That number a new constitution cannot stop. He said that discussions have other religions are also respected. eff orts to draft a new constitu- We have worked out a plan for banned for decades and regis- fell to fewer than 3,000 be- Speaking at a public event in been held with the chief prelates The chief prelates of the three tion which will include electoral the conservation of elephants tration records indicate there fore hunting and capture were Mannar yesterday, the prime and leaders of other religions on main Buddhist chapters this reforms and a political solution while protecting human habi- should be only 127 elephants banned. minister said that the govern- the new constitution. week decided there is no need for to the Tamil issue. Gulf Times 22 Sunday, July 9, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief: Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Trump should take a

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] lesson from California Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) California, a progressive Ford, and has been expanded under earnings, higher crime rates, and Still, Trump and the Republican Fax 44350474 Republican and Democratic presidents increased healthcare costs for these congressional leadership oppose state that he loves to hate, alike: Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, children. any increase to the federal minimum is signifi cantly expanding George W Bush, and Barack Obama. The EITC has also been eff ective wage, which puts them at odds with a Helping low-income families is in encouraging single parents, majority of Americans. its earned income tax clearly not high on Trump’s agenda, particularly women, to seek The EITC and the minimum wage credit given that around 60% of the budget employment. are complementary policies that bring cuts he has proposed hit programs According to one recent study, about better outcomes when used in GULF TIMES that help low- and middle-income a $1,000 increase in the EITC led tandem. By Laura Tyson families. to an estimated 7.3-percentage- Because the EITC expands the and Lenny Mendonca But he might support Speaker of the point increase in employment and supply of low-income workers, it can Berkeley House Paul Ryan’s proposal to make a 9.4-percentage-point drop in the exert downward pressure on wages. the EITC more generous for childless share of families below the poverty But with a higher minimum wage, workers, and to enlarge the child tax line. that “leakage” eff ect is mitigated. G20 street chaos credit to help low-income families. EITC programs have been Accordingly, California plans S President Donald Trump and congressional In fact, expanding the EITC could introduced in the District of Columbia to increase its CalEITC income- Republicans have made be one area of bipartisan agreement in and 26 states, including even Kansas eligibility threshold as it phases in its Ularge tax cuts for top earners tax-reform negotiations. and several other states that Trump higher minimum wage. puts political heat a high priority, arguing that such Whereas supply-side tax cuts won in the 2016 election. Opponents of a higher minimum cuts will stimulate economic growth, have failed spectacularly, bipartisan Under the budget that California wage argue that such policies reduce create jobs, and pay for themselves support for the EITC refl ects its Governor Jerry Brown recently signed, employment for low-wage workers, through increased revenues. proven record of success in achieving the number of families eligible for or in lower-wage regions within a on Angela Merkel But these claims are baseless. its goals: encouraging work, raising CalEITC will nearly triple, from particular state. Countless international, national, poor and near-poor families’ incomes, 600,000 to 1.7mn, and the income Yet research consistently fi nds that and state comparisons have reducing poverty, stimulating growth, eligibility threshold will increase from minimum-wage increases have no Raging street battles that marred Germany’s G20 demonstrated overwhelmingly and improving maternal and infant $14,000 to $23,000. discernible impact on employment. summit have sparked a political fi ght over how Hamburg that trickle-down economics is a health. California’s poverty line for a family And, according to Michael Reich of could descend into “mob rule” and why Chancellor regressive fantasy. Moreover, the EITC increases of three currently is $20,000 per year. the University of California, Berkeley, Angela Merkel chose a hotbed of leftist militancy as the The latest evidence of this comes educational attainment for children So, with this increase, any family any employment loss from California’s from Kansas, where tax cuts signed raised in low-income households, with a full-time minimum-wage minimum-wage increase will likely be venue. by Governor Sam Brownback in 2012 which translates into higher earnings worker will qualify for the tax credit, off set by low-income workers’ greater Germany’s top-selling Bild daily was withering in have utterly failed to deliver growth. when they reach adulthood. keeping them above the poverty line. purchasing power, which will create its condemnation of the chaos that saw far-left and Before making the same costly Around 28mn low-income working Moreover, CalEITC will now apply demand for goods and services, and anarchist radicals torch rows of cars, loot shops and hurl mistake, Trump should take a lesson Americans currently receive an to freelancing and self-reported thus jobs. rocks and bottles from burning barricades at riot police. from California – a progressive state average annual credit of $2,500 from income, which account for almost all As Trump turns to tax reform, he that he loves to hate. the EITC. of California’s income growth today. should take a lesson from progressive “One should use with caution the words ‘failure of California raised taxes for top In 2013 alone, the EITC lifted an These forms of income are earned states like California, which have been the state’. Sadly, it applies in Hamburg,” the newspaper earners in 2012 and has since enjoyed estimated 6.5mn people – including disproportionately by people of successfully using the EITC and the thundered yesterday, slamming the summit as a one of the strongest growth rates in 3.3mn children – out of poverty, colour and women, with women now minimum wage to combat poverty, “debacle”. the country. and mitigated the circumstances of accounting for three fi fths of eligible reduce inequality, and stimulate “Of course the police did all it could. But the street And now, California is signifi cantly poverty for an additional 21mn people. tax fi lers, and seven out of ten eligible demand. expanding its earned income tax Without it, the number of children tax fi lers with children. These states, unlike the supply- belonged to the mob. The feeling of general security that credit, CalEITC, building on the living in poverty in 2013 would have California is also one of 21 states side embarrassment that Kansas has the state must guarantee has ceased to exist in Hamburg proven record of the federal earned been about 25% larger. that raised its minimum wage this become, are clearly doing something over the last 48 hours.” income tax credit (EITC). The federal There is a compelling case for year. right. - Project Syndicate The harsh criticism came as 20,000 police in the city EITC is a refundable tax credit expanding the EITC even further. By 2022, its statewide minimum where Merkel was born kept watch on tens of thousands available to low-income workers In 2015, approximately 21% of wage will be $15 per hour – the highest zLaura Tyson, a former chair of the based on hours worked and how many all American children lived in poor in the country. US President’s Council of Economic of demonstrators against the meeting where she hosted children they have. households, compared to less than Kansas, by contrast, is one of a Advisers, is a professor at the Haas US President Donald Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and The EITC was originally based on 10% in Germany and the United handful of states that still adheres to School of Business at the University other world leaders. the negative income tax proposed Kingdom. the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per of California, Berkeley, and a senior Just behind the tightly-secured G20 summit venue, by Nobel laureate economist Milton Beyond being a moral travesty, hour. adviser at the Rock Creek Group. charred road barricades, trashed shops and stones, debris Friedman. childhood poverty costs the US an In infl ation-adjusted terms, that zLenny Mendonca, Senior Fellow The EITC has bipartisan support; it estimated $500bn per year (nearly is 20% lower than it was during the at the Presidio Institute, is a former and shattered glass bore testimony to an anarchic night, was enacted under President Gerald 4% of GDP) in terms of forgone future Reagan presidency. director of McKinsey & Company. when police commandos with semi-automatic weapons detained militants who hurled rocks from rooftops. “The terrible message of Hamburg is: When the mob wants to rule, it will,” said Bild. One police union blamed Merkel and Hamburg mayor Olaf Scholz for allowing the chaos, which left over 200 police and as yet unknown numbers of protesters injured, and for choosing the city in the fi rst place. Criticism also came from Merkel’s conservative camp, with Bavarian CSU politician Hans-Peter Uhl charging that “the G20 summit should never have been held in a city of millions like Hamburg. “The terrible Security is way too diffi cult to control message is: When there.” the mob wants to Merkel’s government had long argued that rule, it will” it chose the northern port city, which dubs itself Germany’s cosmopolitan “Gateway to the world”, because it symbolised G20 core values from open trade to an internationalist outlook. Rather than choose a remote rural location, as has been the norm in recent years, G20 leaders would show they are not a power elite that hides away from the people. Some also saw the G20 summit, years in the planning, as a dress-rehearsal as Hamburg bid for the 2024 Olympics – an eff ort the people of Hamburg later torpedoed in a referendum. Finally, there was the question of logistics, offi cials Why 581mn Indians endure worst healthcare explained: no countryside retreat, island or cruise ship is big enough to host a mega-event with over 10,000 delegates. By Ojaswi Rao term that implies they need special Seven of the nine “high-focus” has 31.2mn people, has an MMR of After the G20 ended yesterday, Merkel pledged speedy New Delhi attention – spent an average of 4.7% states report such underspending. 300 deaths per 100,000 births – of their social-sector expenditure on “High focus states allocate large comparable to Rwanda and Sudan and unbureaucratic compensation to victims of the public healthcare and family welfare amounts to social sector to improve – while Kerala, which spends 5.3% “unrestrained brutality” of rioters. ine of India’s poorest states annually, marginally less than the their indicators but in reality they on 33.4mn, reported an MMR of 61, She defended the choice of venue, saying that London – home to 581mn or 48% of national average of 4.8%. Social- spend only a small amount, compared comparable to Sri Lanka and Poland. and Cannes had also managed to host G20s, which the population – account sector expenditure includes water to what is allotted,” Kapur said. Madhya Pradesh, which reported an needed to be held in large cities “because of the hotel Nfor 70% of the country’s supply and sanitation, housing and “Hence, it is necessary to consider infant mortality rate (IMR) – deaths infant deaths, 75% of under-fi ve urban development. actual accounts in order to know the per 1,000 live births – of 51 in 2015- capacity alone”. deaths and 62% of maternal deaths, India’s average spending on health, proper outcomes.” 16, spends 4.3% of total expenditure Signs of looming trouble appeared late last year as but do not spend even the money as a proportion of GDP, is already the So, while some “high-focus” states on healthcare (against the budgeted stickers and posters went up on walls that vowed to they have set aside for healthcare, lowest among Brics nations. spent less money than set aside by 5%) and is worse off than some of the “Smash G20” and promised a “Welcome to Hell” – according to an IndiaSpend analysis The “high-focus” states are their budgets, other states outspent world’s poorest countries, such as the the title of the fi rst protest last Thursday that quickly of 2017 Reserve Bank of India data on Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, – by proportion as ratio to aggregate Gambia and Ethiopia. state budgets. Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, expenditure – other larger states on In the nine “high-focus” states, deteriorated into street clashes. The data also reveal: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and healthcare and family welfare, but 72.6% of all births were in healthcare The politicians should carry the sole responsibility for zThe maternal mortality ratio – Assam. that had no relation to their healthcare institutions, a steady improvement the chaos and the destruction across Hamburg. deaths of mothers per 100,000 births “In 2005, it was observed by (the) indicators. but below the national average of – in these states is 32% higher (244) government of India that some states For instance, Rajasthan (68.6mn 78.9%, according to the 2015-16 than the national average (167). were performing poorly in various people) reported an MMR of 244 National Family Health Survey z 38% and 40% children in these indicators,” Avani Kapur, senior deaths per 100,000 births in 2011-13, (NFHS-4) data, the latest available. To Advertise states are underweight (low weight- researcher, Accountability Initiative, the second lowest in India and worse Promoting community-based for-age) and stunted (low height- an advocacy, told IndiaSpend. “So, off than Bangladesh and Nepal, both education on improved maternal [email protected] for-age), respectively, higher than these states were clubbed together poorer countries, by per capita income. and newborn care, and home-based Display the national average of 36% and 38%, as high-focus states and additional In contrast, Andhra Pradesh (84.6mn treatment for newborn infections Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 respectively, according to 2015- resources were given to improve those people), another big state, spent 4.1% of could enhance child survival in the 16 national health data, the latest indicators.” total expenditure on public healthcare “high- focus” states “signifi cantly”, Classified available. Of the nine poorest states, and family welfare but reported an MMR said a 2012 PLOS-ONE study. - IANS Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 zUttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Rajasthan spent the highest of 92, according to government data. Pradesh and Rajasthan – with 372mn (5.6%) and Bihar the lowest (3.8%) Since 2008, Rajasthan increased z(In arrangement with IndiaSpend. Subscription people, more than the combined proportion of aggregate expenditure its spending by 0.8% and its MMR org, a data-driven, non-profi t, [email protected] populations of US, Australia, Sweden on public healthcare and family decreased 23% while Andhra Pradesh’s public interest journalism platform, and Greece – together contribute to welfare, according to the RBI data on spending increased by 0.5% and MMR with whom Ojaswi Rao is an intern. about 58% of all child deaths in India. 2014-15 actual spending, lower than decreased 31%. The views expressed are those of 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved The nine poorest large states – in the budgeted 4.1% for Bihar and 6.6% Assam, which spends 4.2% of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@ offi cial jargon called “high-focus”, a for Rajasthan. its total expenditure on health and indiaspend.org) Gulf Times Sunday, July 9, 2017 23 COMMENT The art of the surplus

By Christoph M Schmidt millions of cars they are selling to the 1990s. Most of these infl uences – and Berlin US.” the contribution they make to the The reality is that, for there to be a current-account surplus – are bound macroeconomic imbalance, aggregate to vanish over time. ermany’s persistently high demand would have to deviate The fi nal economic truth that current-account surplus signifi cantly from aggregate supply Trump, in particular, must recognise may not be on the official at a given price level. Excess supply is that national economies cannot be Gagenda of this week’s would be refl ected either in heavily managed like large fi rms. The high G20 summit in Hamburg, but it is underutilised production capacity or level of abstraction in macroeconomic bound to provoke tensions among in dramatic declines in both prices analysis often obscures the fact that the assembled leaders. After all, that and price expectations. None of this is aggregate outcomes are the result of surplus, which has long been a bone currently evident in Germany. an enormous number of discretionary of contention for many of Germany’s On the contrary, German decisions by independent actors. trade partners, hit a new high of production capacity is over-utilised. Policymakers cannot manipulate 8.3% of nominal GDP last year, with Employment levels are high, and such outcomes at will. All they can the surplus vis-à-vis the United unemployment is decreasing. Prices do is shape the environment in States accounting for the largest are rising, somewhat, and core which individual decision-makers share. infl ation rates have been positive for operate, in an attempt to guide the To be sure, Germany’s economy years. Given this, any intervention macroeconomic aggregate, while could benefi t from policy changes aimed at stimulating demand – the limiting unintended side eff ects. that would also reduce the current- obvious remedy, according to the Ultimately, a current-account account surplus. But such adjustments Trump narrative – would hardly make surplus should be understood as a make sense only if guided by sober sense. symptom of underlying developments, reasoning – and by leaders who accept There are more problems with the not as a target for economic policy. In the mutually benefi cial nature of simplistic narrative being pushed Germany’s case, the goal shouldn’t international trade, allow economic by Germany’s Western partners. be to address the current-account adjustment to occur over time, and A current-account surplus is balance for the sake of it, but rather reject the illusion that an economy is often interpreted as a sign of an to increase the level of return on akin to a large company. intentionally undervalued currency, investment inside Germany. International trade is not a zero- trade barriers, or the dumping Such measures could include, sum game. A current-account defi cit of export goods. But the German for example, pursuing an energy is not a straightforward indication economy is characterised by relatively transition guided by economic of “a bad deal,” and a surplus is not low trade barriers; wage-setting is principles, corporate-tax reforms that necessarily a cause for celebration. largely independent of politics; and support funding neutrality, and the Instead, they are the outcomes of monetary policy is set by the European deregulation of the cosseted service myriad private deals, from which Central Bank, not the German sector. Higher public investment the parties involved expect to reap government. could play a positive role as well, benefi ts. Rather than such persistent though it should be primarily at the Yet US President Donald Trump’s factors, it seems that temporary expense of public consumption. administration and (less pugnaciously) forces may bear much of the blame Such a policy package could boost the European Commission continue for Germany’s high current-account Germany’s potential growth, while to push the narrative that Germany’s surplus. Most important, the ECB’s also reducing the current-account high surplus must indicate a expansionary monetary policy, while surplus. That’s a deal that even Trump macroeconomic imbalance caused arguably indispensable to fending 2014 and 2016 is associated with an The German corporate sector is been accompanied by stepped-up could get behind. - Project Syndicate by low aggregate demand, relative to off the euro crisis, has driven down increase of another two percentage recording increasing capital ratios, investment abroad. supply. Trump, displaying his lack the euro’s value; the corresponding points, with demographic shifts mainly owing to tax factors and the Germany’s public fi nances have zChristoph M Schmidt is Chairman of understanding of the economic improvement in price competitiveness contributing two more. creation of risk buff ers in response to also improved in recent years, of the German Council of Economic concepts involved in measuring since mid-2014 accounted for at least An examination of net borrowing both the 2008 global fi nancial crisis and households have undergone Experts and President of the RWI current-account balances – went one percentage point of Germany’s and lending by Germany’s economic and the eurozone crisis that erupted signifi cant consolidation to deal with – Leibniz Institute for Economic so far as to say that “the Germans current-account surplus in 2016. The sectors yields another explanation for two years later. Not surprisingly, the large amounts of debt that resulted Research, one of Germany’s leading are bad, very bad,” because of “the dramatic decline in oil prices between the country’s high external surplus. this rise in corporate savings has from the real-estate bubble of the late economic research institutes. Weather report The rich-poor gulf is vast and growing Three-day forecast TODAY High: 42 C the pyramid shouldn’t have too much, will, in some not-distant future, be reaction against such opulence Low : 33 C By Trevor Nunn Inshore: Misty to foggy at places Guardian News & Media and those at the base shouldn’t have concentrated in the hands of even ultimately culminated in the French at first becomes hot daytime with too little? Our species is bewilderingly fewer people than it is now? Revolution. some clouds and humid by night. fl awed, capable of things angelic, I have had my share of good luck. As When does excess become rom the very beginning, equally capable of behaving like a working-class boy, I was in a state of unbearable for the multitude to MONDAY human beings have behaved beasts. The shockingly unfair world disbelief when two shows I directed accept? When is too much, too High: 42 C hierarchically. We have always we live in is, regrettably, entirely of our – Les Misérables and Cats – enjoyed much? That question is at the heart of Low: 33 C Fcolluded in the principle that own making. international commercial success. Cotton’s play, Dessert – a title cunningly Sunny some people are much more important Every revolutionary attempt But my surprise didn’t become a containing two meanings. The event than the rest, that some deserve the across the world and down the determination to get richer. taking place as the play begins is a jewels, the gold, the wealth; and in a ages to unmake what we humans I have to presume that the motive dinner party, and the delicious sweet TUESDAY pyramid formation, society should have made has pretty much ended for acquisition is competition: that course is about to be served. But as the High: 44 C be upheld by the have-not masses in disaster: venality, corruption, driving force, that god in Margaret evening takes a very alarming turn, the Low: 34 C forming the base. dictatorship. Religions, the framers of Thatcher’s universe, the market. word dessert comes to evoke something Sunny These thoughts are very much on new constitutions, and revolutionary Competition to defeat all your rivals, about what we deserve. my mind as I direct a new play by movements all declare our equality. competition to be able to declare you Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens Oliver Cotton that asks searching And yet, even in our enlightened social have more wealth than anybody except bitterly says that if we believe only in Fishermen’s forecast money, there is indeed no such thing questions about inequality. I am, of democratic western world, we remain Bill Gates, competition to get more OFFSHORE DOHA course, wary of entering such a fray. utterly unequal – probably more so than Bill Gates. as society. Wind: NE-SE 08-18/24 KT “Oh, those know all-know-nothing now than at any previous time. Whenever I visit Paris, I To those who sat up most of the Waves: 03-05/8 Feet theatre people getting involved in I’m not being a Corbynista when contemplate the sheer scale of night watching the results of last INSHORE DOHA Wind: SE-NE 05-15 KT politics, when all they are about is red I register incomprehension at the the Louvre. It is vast, tentacular, month’s general election in Britain, Waves: 2-4/5 Feet carpets and self-publicity.” But I feel man who so commendably started comprising hundreds of rooms, it became progressively clearer that it’s safe to venture a few observations a company he called Amazon in his surrounding dumbfoundingly huge the national mood was changing. Around the region about the world we are living in. garage, and who now has a personal halls. This was once the home of In particular, the needs of the many Weather Weather Why, with our brain power, didn’t fortune of $83bn. Are there countless French royalty. It is overwhelmingly against the claims of the few were today Max/min tomorrow Max/min we humans collectively agree from the people out there who want one day unnecessary, grotesquely out of fi nding expression. Cotton’s play is Abu Dhabi Sunny 43/34 M Sunny 43/33 outset that we should all be equal? Or to be able to say, “I’m worth $83bn”? proportion. The excess is so palpable, very much of that mood and of the Baghdad Sunny 49/33 Cloudy 49/32 Dubai at least that those at the pinnacle of Is it possible that the world’s wealth it’s not really surprising that the moment. P Cloudy 43/34 M Sunny 43/33 Kuwait City Sunny 39/29 Sunny 43/34 Manama Sunny 43/31 M Sunny 42/32 Muscat Sunny 33/31 M Sunny 36/32 Riyadh Sunny 44/31 M Sunny 46/31 Live issues Tehran M Sunny 38/27 M Sunny 39/28 Obesity shouldn’t be the new normal

By Heather Moore all vegan foods had also boosted their Tribune News Service metabolism and reduced the amount of fat around their muscles, which is signifi cant for those with diabetes. opulation growth has taken on Another study, carried out by a whole new meaning: A study researchers at Spain’s University of published in the New England Navarra, found that people who eat PJournal of Medicine indicates plant-based foods can almost halve that nearly a third of the world’s popu- their risk of becoming obese compared lation is overweight and that about with those who eat animal-derived 10% is obese. foods. A global group of researchers The study participants - 16,000 crunched the numbers and found that healthy adults, who were tracked for Around the world obesity contributed to 4mn deaths, an average of 10 years - completed Weather Weather primarily from cardiovascular disease, food questionnaires and were scored today Max/min tomorrow Max/min diabetes, kidney disease and cancer, in on the types of food that they ate. Athens Sunny 36/24 Sunny 37/23 2015 alone. which spanned 195 countries, America overweight people are much more Points were awarded to those who ate Beirut Sunny 29/26 Sunny 31/28 S T Storms 33/26 To put it another way, a recent Vox has the most obese adults, at 79.4mn, likely to suff er from heart attacks or vegetables, fruits, grains and other Bangkok 33/26 S T Storms Berlin P Cloudy 24/16 T Storms 24/14 article estimates that obesity now kills and the highest percentage of obese strokes - even if they’re “metabolically plant-based foods and subtracted Cairo Sunny 38/25 Sunny 39/26 more people than do terror attacks, children and young adults. So much healthy,” meaning that their blood from those who ate meat, dairy, eggs Cape Town Rain 11/07 M Sunny 13/07 traffi c accidents and Alzheimer’s dis- for treading lightly on the planet. sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol and other animal-derived foods. Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/27 ease combined. Experts predict that it Hopefully, these fi ndings will prompt levels are in the “safe” range. Participants who ate the most Dhaka T Storms 31/26 T Storms 30/26 Hong Kong S T Storms 29/27 S T Storms 29/27 could also someday account for more more Americans to eat healthy vegan Double chin up, though! Two new plant-based foods were the least likely Istanbul Sunny 30/21 Sunny 30/21 cancer deaths than smoking. foods. Researchers have pointed out that studies show that people can lose to become obese. Jakarta S T Storm 32/24 P Cloudy 31/24 That is, unless more people go our eating habits are the primary prob- weight just by eating plant-based The results of these studies aren’t Karachi M Cloudy 32/28 S Showers 32/28 vegan. lem, not our inactivity. It certainly won’t foods. One study of diabetic patients, exactly surprising. Vegan foods tend London M Cloudy 26/16 S Showers 23/14 Manila S T Storms T Storms 33/26 Obesity and obesity-related kill us to move a little more, but we really conducted by researchers with the to be low in fat and calories and high 32/26 Moscow S Showers 16/11 Rain 19/12 diseases can largely be attributed to need to eat a lot less. Physicians Committee for Responsible in fi bre and complex carbohydrates, New Delhi P Cloudy 37/28 P Cloudy 37/27 the consumption of meat and other Obesity has become the new normal Medicine in Washington, DC, sug- which help boost metabolism, so New York Sunny 29/20 M Sunny 29/22 animal-based foods. in America, and it’s causing a health- gests that by eating almost exclu- you can burn more calories, making Paris S Showers 28/17 Showers 24/16 That’s partly why the population care crisis. Despite what many people sively vegan foods, people can lose it easier both to shed pounds and to Sao Paulo M Sunny 24/12 M Sunny 23/12 Seoul T Storms 31/24 T Storms 28/23 of the US, where oversized burgers, want to believe, there is no such thing twice as much weight as those who maintain a healthy weight. Singapore S T Storms 30/25 S T Storms 31/25 chicken nuggets and cheese-laden as “fat but fi t.” follow the typical low-calorie diets So if your heft is weighing heavily Sydney Sunny 17/07 M Sunny 17/07 pizzas reign supreme, has an ever- Researchers at the University of recommended for diabetics. After six on your mind, try this tasty, simple Tokyo Clear 34/23 Clear 32/22 growing girth. According to the study, Birmingham in the UK found that months, participants who ate almost solution: Go vegan. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, July 9, 2017 QATAR Envoy warns against militarisation of Gulf

QNA ed with one of the Gulf states man rights. He gave an example and accompanied by random On the Hamas movement, he Mohamed bin Jaham al-Kuwari: “What is happening to the State of Madrid in the future. of this when the Qataris living decisions. said that Qatar does not have Qatar can be repeated with one of the Gulf states in the future.” “We are facing an unprec- in these countries were forced to Regarding Qatar’s position to- special relations with it. “Qatar edented crisis because of the return to their homeland within wards the crisis, he said: “We say is concerned about the situation countries want revenge from Qa- they are endangering the GCC. atar’s ambassador to severing of diplomatic relations a maximum period of 14 days. with a loud voice that Qatar does of the Palestinian people and the tar because of its support for the He said European countries Spain, Mohamed bin with the State of Qatar and the This also happened to the citi- not support terrorism and the issue of peace in the Middle East.” Arab Spring and there is a plan and the United States could suf- QJaham al-Kuwari, has unilateral blockade imposed on zens of those countries who had issue of terrorism is justifi ed by Regarding Al Jazeera, the am- to prepare a direct confrontation fer economically and politically warned that the current crisis the international laws,” said the to return home. some as a weapon against some bassador said that it represents with Iran, referring to the failure because of the current situation. in the Gulf will lead to militari- ambassador in a lecture at the The ambassador described countries to stir diff erences.” a pride for Qatar because it de- of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in The ambassador stressed the sation of the region, noting that Royal Institute for International the behaviour of the countries On the presence of Muslim fends the freedom of expression Yemen’s crisis. possibility of a solution as Qa- if this happens, it will have dire and Strategic Studies in Madrid. that imposed the blockade as Brotherhood in Qatar, the am- and that this is an internal issue Al-Kuwari said: “We are fac- tar is betting on dialogue and consequences for the region and He added: “It is interesting to unacceptable and that they treat bassador said that they do not and does not accept any outside ing a dangerous turn as there is understanding to end the crisis the world. note that the countries that cre- Qatar as an easy prey and an oc- enjoy any privileges especially interference. a tendency by some countries to quickly and that it is necessary Al-Kuwari urged the interna- ated the crisis and the siege did cupying state to respond to their since Qatar does not support On the real causes of the crisis, militarise the region, which will to call loudly on all for prevent- tional community to take a fi rm not discuss the issue in the GCC demands. “These countries have this group, noting that many al-Kuwari affi rmed that the foreign have serious consequences for all ing prolongation of the crisis stand against militarisation and or in a prior dialogue between shown arrogance and an un- countries have relations with policy of the State of Qatar is an Gulf countries and the world.” and preventing the occurrence to prevent countries that have governments. civilized act by not resorting to this group, including Saudi independent policy and that Doha He added that these coun- of more serious consequences, caused the crisis to continue Al-Kuwari explained that the negotiations.” Arabia. has become a centre of dialogue tries have lost a lot of cred- stressing that he will remain op- their current policy, stressing harshness and ferocity of the He emphasised that their jus- Regarding Iran, al-Kuwari and played a role in international ibility on the international level timistic and Qatar has the desire that what is happening to the measures taken against Qatar do tifi cations were contradictory, said relations with Tehran are mediation in recent years. and failed to create an alliance to resolve the crisis as soon as State of Qatar can be repeat- not respect the minimum hu- not based on practical evidence not distinctive or strategic. He pointed out that some against the State of Qatar and possible. Shipping sector hopeful of ‘phenomenal growth’

By Ramesh Mathew nearly 40% in the volume han- nies, especially contractors ex- ing to such massive projects as Staff Reporter dled at the port in each of the ecuting infrastructural projects, construction of stadiums for the three weeks. are seeking their assistance for 2022 FIFA World Cup and also The fi gures have given the bringing goods directly from the ongoing Doha Metro project. he shipping circles in Qa- shipping circles a lot of hope, such destinations as Europe and Sources in the trading circles tar are hopeful of a “phe- said a senior offi cial of shipping Far East Asia. said 800 and 900 trailers used Tnomenal growth” in their company. Before the beginning of the to arrive daily through the coun- activities in the coming months He said each of the shipping blockade, it used to take at least try’s only land border in Abu as more local industries and offi ces in Doha has been receiv- one trans-shipment of contain- Samra. companies seek to bring in their ing requests from customers and ers at Jebel Ali Port for cargoes to The shipping industry is goods through Hamad Port. messages have been going across arrive in Qatar. For those goods hopeful that a sizeable percent- When contacted, sources in to their global offi ces to operate transported through the Adriatic age of goods that were transport- the shipping industry said since more direct services to Hamad waters, usually there were two ed through the land route, espe- the blockade on Qatar started on Port, considering the growing or sometimes even three trans- cially those from Europe, would UDC off icials in front of the mural at The Pearl-Qatar. June 5, there have been demands requirements of the country, shipments before the cargoes now be brought in through ships from the local fi rms to vessel especially in such sectors as in- fi nally arrived in Doha. in coming days. operators to consider bringing frastructure development, food- Now, with such liners as Med- It is learnt that cargoes from larger ships to the port located stuff and automobiles, among iterranean Shipping Company some of the European ports take on the southern side of Doha. others. (MSC) and Maersk demonstrat- 25 and 30 days to reach Qatar Though the activities at the The general impression ing keen interest to operate larg- through one or two (sometimes ‘Tamim Al Majd’ mural port were normal in the fi rst among the shipping operators is er vessels to Hamad Port, things even three) trans-shipments. week of the blockade, a large that even if the traffi c through are looking up for the local port, “For commodities other than growth in the volume of cargoes Abu Samra, the only land route which at present has a container perishable goods, there is no issue handled has been recorded from to Qatar is resumed, the ship- capacity of more than 1.5mn. even if it takes a few more days for the second week onwards. ping companies would continue The understanding in the them to arrive in Qatar by ships unveiled at The Pearl Inquiries found there was a to have a major role to play as shipping world is that Qatar’s from far-fl ung destinations,” steady increase amounting to more and more local compa- requirements are growing ow- said a shipping agent.

nited Development Company (UDC), a lead- Uing Qatari sharehold- ing company, has unveiled the ‘Tamim Al Majd’ mural at The Asian Town Pearl-Qatar. The artwork will feature sig- natures of the Island’s residents shows support and visitors in a message of sup- port for the State of Qatar and His Highness the Emir Sheikh bn Ajayan Projects has Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. inaugurated a ‘Tamim Al The mural, which reads IMajd’ mural at Asian Town, ‘Tamim the Glorious’ in Ara- featuring signatures and mes- bic, was inaugurated by UDC sages of members of the pub- chairman Turki bin Mohamed lic. People in the Industrial al-Khater and the company’s Area and visitors to Asian president & CEO Ibrahim Jassim Town are gathering at the spot al-Othman. An “unprecedented to sign their names on it and number” of residents and visi- pen down messages (picture tors fl ocked to sign the mural on right) to show their support the inauguration day and pledge for the nation and His High- loyalty to His Highness the Emir, ness the Emir Sheikh Tamim UDC said in a statement. bin Hamad al-Thani. Both The inauguration ceremony citizens and expatriates have coincided with the decoration come forward in large numbers of the main driveways of The over the past few weeks to ex- Pearl-Qatar and The Pearl Tow- press solidarity with the coun- er 1, which lies at the entrance of try’s wise leadership in view of the Island, with the same slogan the ongoing blockade. At Asian - ‘Tamim Al Majd’ - in a strong The ‘Tamim Al Majd’ portrait atop the Pearl Tower 1. Town, members of the working sign of solidarity. class who live in the vicinity, “The remarkable initia- Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- tion strategy in line with Qatar are coming to write messages tive underlines UDC’s national Thani, all while achieving the National Vision 2030 through on the mural, as well as Asian commitment to spearhead- best returns for the company’s a diversifi ed portfolio of lead- families who visit the cin- ing Qatar’s development under shareholders and supporting the ing investment projects,” the ema and shopping mall there, the leadership of His Highness country’s economic diversifi ca- statement noted. according to a statement.

Five new direct service lines inaugurated Blockade unwelcome: Johnson

From Page 1 funded Islamist extremists Co-operation Council member and had close ties to Iran. Oman, which has not joined the ohnson, who also held talks On June 22, they issued a Qatar boycott. in Saudi Arabia and Abu 13-point list of demands, includ- US Secretary of State Rex Till- JDhabi on Friday, said it was ing downgrading ties with Iran erson is scheduled to arrive in “highly unlikely” that the cur- and shutting down broadcaster Kuwait tomorrow for talks on rent standoff would descend into Al Jazeera, as a prerequisite to lift the Gulf crisis. military confl ict. the sanctions, which include the Johnson said progress could “Everybody I have talked to said closure of Qatar’s only land bor- be made to heal the rift between the opposite. No possibility of a der and suspension of all fl ights Qatar and other Arab states, al- military confrontation,” he said. to and from the country. though a solution was unlikely to “The blockade is unwelcome Doha has refused to comply be found immediately. and we hope there will be a with the demands and denies ac- “My impression is progress de-escalation,” he added. cusations of ties to Islamist groups. can be made and there is a way Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Kuwait has been leading me- forward,” Johnson said adding Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain diation eff orts to resolve the cri- “but I’m not going to pretend last month announced the sev- sis. Kuwaiti offi cials have held to you now that it is necessarily Jack London, from Salalah port, Oman, docked at Hamad Port recently. Hansa Magdeburg, from Nhava Sheva port, India. ering of all diplomatic ties with talks with the foreign ministers overnight or this is going to be Qatar over allegations Doha of Germany and fellow Gulf done in the next couple of days”.