QATAR | Page 20 SPORT | Page 8 Federer cruises to victory, Serena battles New Qatar University Health Centre ready through published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10868 July 3, 2018 Shawwal 19, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Deputy Amir meets Portuguese envoy Deal to beef In brief up security

QATAR | Offi cial Amir congratulates of visitors to Mexico’s president-elect His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime sport events Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin By Joey Aguilar ing and education programme”. Khalifa al-Thani sent yesterday cables Staff Reporter The two parties want to support ho- of congratulations to Andres Manuel tels and other stakeholders in deliver- Lopez Obrador on the occasion of His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani met at the Amiri Diwan off ice yesterday with the outgoing ing best practice in safety and security, his winning the Mexican presidential Portuguese ambassador to Qatar, Antonio Manuel Moreira Tanger Correa. The Deputy Amir wished the ambassador success in he International Centre for which aim to meet the high standards elections. his future tasks and bilateral relations between the two countries further progress and prosperity. For his part, the ambassador Sport Security (ICSS) signed an and requirements of QTA and major thanked the Deputy Amir and the State off icials for the co-operation he received which contributed to the success of his Tagreement with Ferrand Train- international sporting events. QATAR | Religious rites mission in Qatar. Page 2 ing Centre in Qatar yesterday to boost “As a leading provider of training and safety and security operations in the competency services for the hospital- NHRC asks UN bodies tourism and hospitality sectors. ity and services industry in Qatar, we to lift Saudi obstacles As part of supporting Qatar National know how vital it is to equip staff and The National Human Rights Vision 2030, the partnership aims to executives at all levels with the skills Committee (NHRC) has expressed safeguard all visitors attending various and knowledge needed to that they can concern about the continued sporting events in the country by de- respond calmly and confi dently to nay obstructions and obstacles imposed Brazil, Belgium post wins veloping advanced and eff ective train- security situations that many arise,” by the Saudi authorities who are ing frameworks and guidelines. Ferrand said. not taking any positive step to “In light of the ongoing global threat, “The ICSS team of highly experi- enable Qatari citizens and residents a holistic approach to major event se- enced safety and security profession- to exercise their right to perform curity that extends beyond the stadium als and the expertise they provide will to set up last 8 clash and covers all facets of event hosting - make a huge impact on the services we religious rituals. HE Chairman of the NHRC Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri sent from transport to accommodation and off er,” he added. three letters to UN bodies, asking Agencies As Brazil pressed their advantage, other hospitality services - has never ICSS is known for providing safety them to take immediate action Moscow Neymar set up Firmino for another been more vital,” said ICSS founder and and security expertise to safeguard against the Saudi authorities so that close-range fi nish that sealed the victory. chairman Mohamed Hanzab, who was major sporting events globally. Qatar pilgrims could perform Haj In between, he writhed in agony on joined by Philippe Ferrand, founder and With an expert understanding of the like all other Muslims. The letters razil and Belgium will clash in the turf after a Mexican opponent ap- CEO of Servtec International Group, at critical components of security opera- were sent to President of the Human the quarter-fi nals of the World peared to stand on his ankle, but the the agreement signing. tional planning, delivery, readiness and Rights Council Vojislav Suc, the UN BCup after winning their last 16 referee ruled there had been no foul and Ferrand Training Centre is a subsidi- training, ICSS will support hotels in High Commissioner for Human Rights encounters against Mexico and Japan Neymar was soon on his feet. ary of Servtec International Group. Qatar in planning their security opera- Prince Zeid bin Raad and Special respectively yesterday. Neymar said Mexico had made Brazil The partnership with Ferrand Train- tions and delivering bespoke training Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion While PSG star Neymar scored one work hard: “We have to learn to suff er ing Centre, he explained, has the back- courses in the preparation for all major or Belief Ahmed Shaheed. goal and helped Roberto Firmino net and we did suff er, it was a tough match. ing of Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) sporting events to be held in Qatar. the second in Samara, Belgium came We knew they were a high-quality op- and is designed to put in place the nec- “Security of people is not an option, QATAR | Reaction back from two goals down to beat Ja- ponent.” essary measures safeguarding the two it is a must. Ferrand Qatar is proud to be pan 3-2 in Rostov-on-Don. Later, Belgium became the fi rst side sectors. It also aims to support “the a partner of ICSS towards enlarging the Bombing of Iraq ballot Neymar was criticised for his early to recover from a two-goal defi cit to country’s vision for a safe and secure tent to cover the people of Qatar under an warehouse condemned performances in Russia as he eased win a World Cup knockout match since sporting environment”. invincible umbrella of protection against Qatar has strongly condemned his way back to fi tness after a broken Germany beat England 3-2 after extra As the next host of the FIFA World unwarranted forces,” Hassan M A al- the bombing which targeted a foot bone, but he carved open a tough time in Mexico in 1970. Cup, Hanzab stressed that the spot- Hammadi, partner, Ferrand Qatar, said. warehouse in Kirkuk where ballot As Belgium, 58 places above Japan at light will be on Qatar, which will wel- ICSS security operations director boxes from Iraq’s May elections third in the FIFA world rankings, came come hundreds of thousands of people Andrew Cooke echoed al-Hammadi’s were stored, killing one person. The WORLD CUP out for the second half and soon found – players, teams and visitors from dif- statement, stressing the importance Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in Brazil forward Neymar celebrates at the themselves trailing to strikes from ferent countries around the world. of safety and security in the planning, a statement yesterday that Qatar end of his team’s match against Mexico. Genki Haraguchi and Takashi Inui. Qatar has hosted more than 440 delivery and training for the eff ective rejects attempts to harm the Iraqi Yesterday’s results But defender Jan Vertonghen made international sporting competitions management of major sports events. electoral process, and affirmed Mexican defence without quite reach- up for the error that cost the fi rst Japa- since 1993, receiving a continuous in- “By working together and devel- its full solidarity with the Iraqi Brazil 2 Mexico 0 ing his dazzling best. nese goal, tucking away a looping head- fl ux of athletes and spectators with oping advanced safety, security, and government in all measures taken to Belgium 3 Japan 2 After a goalless fi rst half on a hot af- er in the 69th minute and the towering each event. training best practices, standards and maintain security and stability. Qatar ternoon in Samara, the world’s most Marouane Fellaini pulled Belgium level According to Ferrand Training Cen- guidelines; we can build the trust and has also condemned the explosion in Today’s matches expensive player tapped in from the in the 74th, less than 10 minutes after tre, the partnership will also focus on resilience needed to reduce risks and Jalalabad, east of Afghanistan, which Switzerland vs Sweden, 5pm impressive Willian’s cross for his sec- coach Roberto Martinez threw him on developing what it described as “stra- ensure teams and fans enjoy an incred- left a number of people killed and England vs Colombia, 9pm ond goal of the tournament on 51 min- in place of the frustrated Dries Mertens. tegic tactical and operational docu- ible experience in this country,” he said. wounded. utes. Sport Pages 1-4 mentation, along with practical train- Page 6 Book on blockade launched Bahrain stands exposed as ploy to tarnish Qatar boomerangs

By Ahmed al-Qudah corded phone conversation between tions, coerced televised confessions, Yemen. Qatar also played a vital role Doha him and former Qatari prime minister and other inhumane techniques also in resolving the confl ict that raged HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani took place in what can at the least in Lebanon between the years 2006- in 2011, when the US, Saudi Arabia and be described as a mass punishment 2008, bringing rival Lebanese parties Bahraini court recently ac- Bahrain asked for Doha’s help to end with impunity. to Doha for negotiations in May 2008 quitted a prominent opposi- the widespread protests of Bahrainis In other words, the Bahraini events and ending Lebanon’s political crisis of A tion leader who was accused in 2011. made headlines and became front- the time. of spying for Qatar. Sheikh Ali Sal- Bahrain witnessed sporadic violent page news, while the world was watch- The confl ict that reached its peak man, head of Bahrain’s largest, yet protests over the policies of the gov- ing the Arab Spring sweeping other in Sudan’s Darfur in 2008 was also banned, opposition group Al-Wefaq, ernment in 2011. The demonstrations Arab countries in awe. Fearing an im- resolved by Qatar in February 2010, was accused in November 2017 of were part of a widespread public con- minent Bahraini version of the Spring, when the government of Sudan and conspiring and colluding against his demnation over calls for reforms that the US, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain asked the Justice and Equality Movement country. included a new constitution, release of Qatar to mediate and help in contain- signed a ceasefi re framework agree- The charges were brought a few hundreds of activists, and end to civil ing the protests. ment. The internal political division months after Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi rights abuses. Why the mediation of Qatar in par- between Palestinians also saw nu- Arabia and Egypt fabricated some ac- The government, however, re- ticular? The answer is obvious. Doha merous Qatari attempts to resolve and cusations against Qatar and, eventual- sponded with harsh tactics that has a long, outstanding and positive unify the rival Hamas and Fatah fac- HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, CEO of Qatar Media Corporation, and ly, laid a blatant air, sea, and land siege exceeded the level of killing and record in international mediation. tions. The 2008 territorial dispute be- Saleh bin Afsan al-Kuwari, Editor-in- Chief of local Arabic daily Arrayah, at the launch on the country in a shocking move that detaining activists to “sexually Starting with Yemen in May 1990, tween Eritrea and Djibouti saw a Qa- of the book Qatar Stronger Than the Blockade yesterday. The book is a compilation appalled the whole region. harass[ing] and humiliat[ing]” them, Qatar was among the fi rst countries tari-brokered resolution, culminating of the articles and editorials al-Kuwari has written since June 5 last year when a The ‘Qatar-colluding’ charges as reported by The Guardian on Sep- to mediate, resolve, and fi nally unify in the signing of a peace agreement in blockade was unjustly imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. against Sheikh Ali pertained to a re- tember 29, 2011. Arbitrary deten- the Northern and Southern parts of Doha in 2010. To Page 6 Page 20 Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 QATAR

Deputy Amir honours ambassadors

His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani met the outgoing ambassadors of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Brunei Darussalam to Qatar – Tarik Sadovic and Haji Nordin Bin Haji Ahmad, respectively – at the Amiri Diwan Off ice yesterday. The Deputy Amir granted the ambassadors the Decoration of Al Wajbah in recognition of their eff orts in enhancing relations between Qatar and their respective countries, wishing them success in their future assignments and relations with their countries further progress and prosperity. The ambassadors expressed their thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Deputy Amir and the off icials in Qatar for the co-operation they received which contributed to the success of their duties in the country.

PM meets ambassadors ICAO rejection of siege countries’ objections ‘new victory for Qatar’

QNA Doha

E the Minister of Trans- port and Communica- Htions, Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, affi rmed that Qatar has achieved a new victory over the siege countries after the de- cision of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council to reject the objections fi led by these countries and ac- cept the consideration of two complaints fi led by Qatar re- Dignitaries with the graduating batch. garding the closure of airspace to Qatar Airways. The minister explained that and prolong the crisis. closed the airspace without jus- has made great success in this The minister said in remarks, the ICAO Council had asked the The minister questioned the tifi cation, and embroiled civil fi le so far and will continue to during his participation in the siege countries to respond to feasibility of these countries’ aviation in the crisis, in a clear follow the case until the end. graduation ceremony of a new Qatar’s complaint within 11 days representation in international violation of the Chicago Con- He also expressed confi dence batch from Qatar Aeronautical of the issuance of the decision, organisations, if they do not rec- vention, which prohibits the ar- that the International Civil Avia- College, that the ICAO Council’s pointing out that one of the two ognise their competence and vi- bitrary use of civil aviation”. He tion Organisation will handle this decision is a new victory for Qa- complaints, is related to the Chi- olate all agreements and treaties. stressed Qatar’s continued pur- fi le professionally to achieve justice. tar and an affi rmation of the jus- cago Convention and the other He added that one of the siege suit of justice. In its June 26 meeting, the tice of its cause. to the Transit Agreement. countries wishes to run for the For his part, Chairman of the Council of the International He pointed out that for the fi rst He added that the fact that presidency of ICAO, wondering Civil Aviation Authority Abdul- Civil Aviation Organisation HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah time, the ICAO Council voted by a the siege countries had referred about the usefulness of this step lah bin Nasser Turki al-Subaey (ICAO) rejected the objections bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday met the outgoing majority against the objections of the case to the International as long as this country does not said that the siege countries fi led by the siege countries on ambassadors of Brunei Darussalam, Bosnia and Herzegovina the siege countries. “This is a real Court of Justice, on the grounds recognise the mandate of the or- had suff ered a major defeat af- the organisation’s non-compe- and Portugal - Haji Nordin Bin Haji Ahmad, Tarik Sadovic and victory for Qatar in this interna- that the ICAO Council was not ganisation and its role in the sta- ter the ICAO Council confi rmed tence to consider the complaints Antonio Manuel Moreira Tanger Correa, respectively - in Doha tional forum and we are confi dent competent to consider the com- bility of civil aviation. its competence to consider the made by Qatar against the siege yesterday. The Prime Minister and Minister of Interior wished of winning the two complaints plaints fi led by Qatar, was an at- He added: “Our cause is just complaints fi led by Qatar. countries, and decided to pro- the ambassadors success in their future assignments and the we have fi led,” he said. tempt to escape confrontation against these countries, which He told reporters that Qatar ceed with them. relations between Qatar and their countries further progress and prosperity.

Qatar Aeronautical College Amir gets message from Ukraine leader His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has received graduates new batch a written message from Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, pertaining to developing relations between Qatar and Ukraine. The message was received by HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of QNA The minister said Qatar has Foreign Aff airs Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi during his meeting Doha made eff orts in developing the yesterday with the ambassador of Ukraine to Qatar Yevhen Mykytenko. aviation and naval air charter service and maintenance educa- Advisory Council discusses draft law atar Aeronautical Col- tion, in the belief that educating lege (QAC) yesterday nationals and citizens of friendly The Advisory Council yesterday held its regular weekly session under Qgraduated the batch of countries is an essential ele- the chairmanship of HE the Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al- 2008, 80% of whom are Qataris. ment in supporting the world of Mahmoud. At the outset of the session, the Advisory Council discussed The new batch includes citi- aviation with competent and re- a draft law amending some provisions of law No 21 of 2015 regulating Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker with the graduates. zens of a number of countries, sponsible personnel. the entry and exit of expatriates and their residence, and decided to graduating from different ma- HE al-Sulaiti stressed that approve it and submit its recommendations to the government. jors such as the pilot training the certifi cates the graduates re- During the session, the Council discussed the report of the Cultural division, aircraft maintenance ceived yesterday qualify them to Aff airs and Information Committee on a draft law amending some engineering, security and im- work and contribute to advanc- provisions of law No 1 for 2016 regulating sports clubs. The draft law Qatar Airways celebrates graduation migration management, air- ing the progress and develop- is in line with the ongoing developments and updates in international port operations management, ment of national institutions. regulations and standards related to the independence of sports. meteorology and air traffic QAC director-general Sheikh The amendment aims to enhance the independence of the general of 17 nationals at QAC ceremony control. Jabor bin Hamad al-Thani con- assemblies of sports clubs in terms of their competencies, tasks and HE the Minister of Transport gratulated the graduate students powers, and to find a clear and eff ective legal mechanism to attract and Communications Jassim and expressed pride in the new Qatari cadres qualified to work in sports clubs, as well as to attract atar Airways yesterday the future of Qatar Airways, and playing a pivotal role towards the Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti praised batch that enters the labour market athletes from universities, institutes and schools to participate in celebrated the accom- represent our continuous eff orts growth of Qatar Airways, while the full support of His High- to contribute to the future of Qatar. international competitions. It also aims at enhancing the participation Qplishments of the gradu- to support and nurture the next the aircraft maintenance engi- ness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin The QAC director-general of the private sector to invest in the sports sector and provide sports ating class of Qatar Aeronautical generation of talent in Qatar. neers will begin their careers in Hamad al-Thani to the college, said the college has renewed its activities and services in the country. College (QAC). “This is a very proud mo- maintaining the safety and effi - which is a reason for its success. aircraft fl eet and obtained work The Council also discussed the report of the Financial and Economic Among the college’s new ment, as we watch our nationals ciency of Qatar Airways. He also highlighted the con- permits for the new single-en- Aff airs Committee on a draft law supporting the competitiveness of graduates are 12 pilots and fi ve take the next step toward begin- Qatar Airways also sponsors tinuous supervision of HE the gine D40 and twin-engine D42 national products and combating injurious practices in international aircraft maintenance engineers, ning their careers in service not young nationals from 35 diff er- Prime Minister and Minister of aircraft, which, he added, will trade.The draft law deals with injurious practices in international who are set to shortly begin their only to our national airline, but ent majors across the national Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin enter the service soon. trade such as dumping. It defines dumping as exporting to the state a professional careers at the na- to our beloved country, Qatar. carrier’s numerous departments Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani of He said QAC will host the product at an export price below the normal value of a similar product tional carrier of Qatar. With this ceremony, and with through its Al Darb Qatarisation the students’ educational pro- ICAO 2018 symposium in Doha. in the exporting country in the normal course of trade. - QNA The graduation ceremony was our continuous investment in Programme. The tailor-made gramme. held at Qatar National Conven- our young Qatari students, we programme supports, develops tion Centre under the patronage are one step closer to achieving and nurtures young talent, and of HE the Minister of Transport Qatar National Vision 2030.” equips nationals with the skills and Communications Jassim Fakhri noted, “Qatar Airways is and knowledge they need to suc- Labour ministry, Unicef organise workshop on rights of the child Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, and at- dedicated to providing our Qatari ceed in their fi eld of choice in tended by Qatar Airways Group nationals with the necessary train- the airline. The airline currently chief executive Akbar al-Baker, ing and development to see them sponsors 250 students at diff er- QNA On this occasion, HE the Min- The minister stated that Qa- a generation of planners and ex- QAC director-general, Sheikh grow info future leaders of the na- ent universities in diff erent fi elds Doha ister of Administrative Develop- tar’s relationship with Unicef has perts in the fi eld of Rights of the Jabor bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar tional airline of Qatar. Our nation- across Qatar, UK, US, Canada, ment, Labour and Social Aff airs been long and ongoing, pointing Child, especially that the coun- Airways senior vice-president als play a vital role in the future of New Zealand and Australia. Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi out that the Ministry of Admin- try is about to begin implement- (Human Resources) Nabeela Qatar Airway, and are encouraged Qatar Aeronautical College he Department of Fam- said that the workshop comes istrative Development, Labour ing the (2019- 2022) strategy Fakhri and a number of college to meet their career aspirations. was founded in 1977 and is now ily Aff airs of the Ministry in the context of drawing on the and social Aff airs is establishing in September, adding that the offi cials, as well as parents and We look forward to watching our the region’s leading provider of Tof Administrative De- experiences of the Unicef and greater co-operation in this area, presence of Unicef at the begin- families of the graduates. new employees become ambas- training for the aviation indus- velopment, Labour and Social the ongoing co-operation in especially since the development ning of the implementation of On the occasion, al-Baker said: sadors for Qatar’s national carrier, try. QAC off ers full-time courses Aff airs organised a workshop the area of the protection and of the human capital is a basis of this strategy is a major supporter “Qatar Airways is delighted to and to excel in their diff erent roles for pilots, aircraft maintenance entitled “Rights of the Child rights of the child, noting that Qatar National Vision 2030. of the promotion of the rights congratulate the Qatar Aeronau- within the company.” engineers, air traffi c control- Programmes through the ap- the ministry is keen to continue Director of the Department of of the child as it contributes to tical College graduates on this This year’s graduates will lers, meteorologists and fl ight plication of results-based plan- to organise and integrate such Family Aff airs in the Ministry, the achievement of integrated accomplishment, and is thrilled commence their aviation careers dispatchers, as well as shorter ning,” in collaboration with the events and programmes to pre- Najat al-Abdullah explained that work and proper investment in to welcome them to the com- with the pilots starting as second courses in a wide variety of avi- United Nations Children’s Fund pare a generation of experts in all the department expects at this the service of social protection pany. These young graduates are offi cers in the national airline, ation-related disciplines. (Unicef). sectors concerned with children. interactive workshop to prepare workers. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 3 QATAR Nearly 45,000 Stamps on Amir’s assumption of power issued Chinese visited Doha in 2017, says envoy he China’s ambassa- ing that these relations devel- dor to Qatar, Li Chen, oped with the establishment Tsaid yesterday that of the diplomatic relations in On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s assumption of power, HE the Minister the number of Chinese tour- 1988 to enter a new stage of of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti launched yesterday a new special collection of Amiri stamps issued by Qatar ists who visited Doha in 2017 development on all levels. Post. The minister said that commemorating the occasion is of special significance, pointing that Qatar has made many achievements in all reached nearly 45,000, an in- He praised the security co- fields – economic, political, scientific and social, during this period, noting the importance of documenting this event for future generations. crease of 26% compared to the operation between the two The new collection consists of three stamps bearing images of His Highness the Amir. previous year, while the volume countries and their associa- of trade between the two coun- tion with a joint agreement to tries reached about QR10bn strengthen security and fi ght last year, rising by 35% com- terrorism, and the mutual un- pared to the year before. derstanding, trust and politi- The ambassador was speak- cal support in the international ing at a press conference, held forums. 82 shipments QCHP reduces time period as part of the preparations of “The levels and areas of co- the Chinese embassy in Doha operation between the two to celebrate the 30 anniver- Ambassador Li Chen. countries are increasing and destroyed for for issuing medical licences sary of the establishment of the PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed becoming stronger by years, Qatari-Chinese relations next noting the co-operation be- Qatar Council for Healthcare positively on healthcare quality of services provided Wednesday. market, to join more than 20 tween Qatar and China in violation Practitioners (QCHP) has practitioners, stakeholders in addition to enhance the Chen attributed the rise in major Chinese companies al- construction of a power plant announced a reduction in and encourage investment in level of performance and tourists to eff orts made by the ready operating in Qatar. in Pakistan with investments the time required to issue the health sector in addition quality in accordance with Qatar Tourism Authority to at- Ambassador Chen said that estimated at $2bn.” he Ministry of Munici- medical licences. to providing high-quality, internationally approved tract tourists, opening of rep- the Chinese embassy will or- The Chinese ambassador pality and Environment’s Licences will now be granted safe healthcare services, standards.” resentative offi ces in China and ganise events for two days to hailed Qatar’s support to Chi- Tagricultural quarantine following all stages within a according to a statement. People can follow up on and exemption in pre-entry visa for celebrate the 30th anniversary na’s Belt and Road Initiative, as offi ce has inspected 5,586 im- period that doesn’t exceed Also, within the next few learn more about these new Chinese. of the establishment of the Qa- an important contributor to the ported shipments, weighing one month from the date of months, QCHP will announce initiatives and procedures The ambassador praised the tari-Chinese relations, which initiative and a founding mem- more than 83,071 tonnes from submission, as the approved a new licensing process and how to apply for them economic reforms and invest- falls on July 9. The activities in- ber of its main fi nancier, the diff erent types of imported ag- timeframe to complete called ‘Fast Track’, which through Circular No. 14 2018 ment laws adopted by Qatar clude a ceremony on Wednes- Asian Investment Bank, stress- ricultural consignments, plant evaluation requests has will take seven working on the QCHP website, www. recently, including allowing day, followed by a cultural ing that the initiative will play products and production in- been reduced to 15 working days in case of a complete qchp.org.qa full foreign ownership in many activity for a Chinese band in a major role in strengthening puts in June across the diff erent days instead of 25, licensing application. QCHP was established sectors, and other measures Katara on Thursday. the relations further. customs points. requests to 10 working days Dr Samar Aboulsoud, acting to regulate healthcare that contribute to enhancing He underlined that the Qa- On his country’s position on The quarantine offi ce de- instead of 20, and renewal chief executive off icer of practitioners who wish the fl ow of investments and tari-Chinese relations, which the siege imposed on Qatar, the stroyed 82 shipments weighing requests to seven working QCHP, said, “QCHP performs to work in Qatar with the increasing the volume of trade were established in 1988, have ambassador said that China had more than 95 tonnes for violat- days instead of 15. periodic reviews and audits objective of upgrading between the two countries. become more mature and announced its support for the ing the agricultural quarantine The initiative is expected to ensure that all regulations levels of targeted healthcare He noted that China is stronger, and achieved many Kuwaiti mediation and dialogue law and for certain damages. to help achieve a number and policies are being services to maintain the Qatar’s fourth largest trad- interests for both sides, not- between all brotherly countries, The agricultural quaran- of strategic objectives implemented accurately health quality of residents in ing partner and is the world’s ing that the co-operation be- stressing that Beijing, which tine is a fi rst line of defence for QCHP and will reflect and eff iciently to ensure the the country. second-largest importer of tween the two countries has has good relations with all par- for protection from agricul- the Qatari LNG, affi rming that enabled the two sides to enter ties, is keen on ending the crisis tural infections. The preventive co-operation between the two a new stage of integration and between the Gulf brothers. procedure aims to protect the countries in the fi eld of energy promote common benefi ts in “Qatar has dealt with the country’s agricultural wealth Ministry briefs school principals on curriculum upgrade is proceeding normally and Qa- the fi elds of economy, cul- crisis with self-restraint and from foreign-originated pests. tar is a reliable supplier of en- ture, tourism and other fi elds balanced way, and avoided es- It also requires that all plants, The Ministry of Education by assistant undersecretary ordinators, Qatarising academic ergy worldwide. that will lead the relationship calation and tension and ex- agricultural products and any and Higher Education briefed for educational aff airs Fawzia representatives, some of the He ruled out any impact of towards a promising future. pressed willingness to resolve other materials shall be sub- government school principals al-Khater, discussed the most changes in kindergarten policies the Gulf crisis on trade rela- The ambassador highlighted the crisis through dialogue, ject to phytosanitary regula- and academic representatives prominent features of the and other topics that concern tions between the two coun- the historic relations between praising in this context the de- tions for its procedures and to on the phases of developing the curricula, new school schedule the educational field. The tries, explaining that there is a the two friendly peoples, which cisions adopted by Doha to ad- ensure that other agricultural national curricula and amending and the objective of the staff meeting also reviewed the roles growing interest from Chinese date back to 1,300 years, since dress the shortage of food com- production inputs are in con- it to comply with the modernised movement. and responsibilities of school companies and banks to cre- the Chinese voyages came to modities, especially in the early formity with the conditions and national framework. The meeting also discussed the principals in the next phase. ate opportunities in the Qatari the Arabian Peninsula, not- days of the crisis. (QNA) specifi cations. (QNA) A meeting which was attended objective of promoting co- (QNA) QU-CENG honours winners of design contest WISH invites

atar University College the region for its outstanding of Engineering (QU- education, research and com- artists to create QCENG) has honoured 94 munity engagement, and for the students who won the Student quality of its socially responsible Design Contest 2018. graduates.” The event, sponsored by Dolphin Energy’s general centrepiece for Qatar Petrochemical Com- manager-Qatar Hassan al-Ema- pany (Qapco) and Dolphin En- di said, “We are always proud ergy, was attended by CENG to support youth development, dean Dr Khalifa al-Khalifa, academic institutions and the 2018 summit CENG associate dean for aca- wider, local community and it demic aff airs Prof Abdelmagid is very satisfying to witness the he World Innovation ric. It should be a maximum of Hammuda, CENG associate great sense of happiness and cel- Summit for Health four metres high, have a diam- dean for Research and Gradu- ebrations displayed by everyone T(WISH), an initiative of eter of three metres, and can ate Studies Prof Abbes Amira involved in the contest. Qatar Foundation, is inviting be self-standing or suspended and CENG assistant dean for “Dolphin Energy is committed local artists to devise a large- from the ceiling. There is also students aff airs al-Jazzi Fe- to programmes that drive quality scale centrepiece for the main the opportunity for other ele- tais, as well as students and Off icials with some of the winners of the Student Design Contest 2018. education and foster commu- exhibition hall – the ‘Innova- ments, such as TV screens or their parents and representa- nity engagement so that young tion Hub’ – at its next global LED lights, to be included. tives of industrial partners and recognise students who have and academic progress. guished students and to stress talents can pursue their dreams summit, taking place at Qatar Artists wishing to enter the stakeholders. had remarkable achievements in He said, “It is my honour to be the academic eff orts of CENG, in a world where the demand National Convention Centre competition can either pro- Dr al-Khalifa highlighted their departments to motivate at this event to share the happi- which is committed to fulfi ll- for technology and innovation is on November 13 and 14. vide a drawing of their concept the importance of the event to them towards more excellence ness of celebrating the distin- ing its vision to be recognised in increasing.” The closing date for entries or create a small model. There is September 2. More details – are three suggested themes for including artist’s impressions the centrepiece – a globe of of the ‘Innovation Hub’ – can the world; the concept of ‘One be found at www.wish.org.qa/ Community’; and the struc- wish-competition ture of DNA – but WISH 2018 This year’s summit, WISH organisers are open to consid- QCS begins skin cancer 2018, will feature a wide ering submissions based on range of healthcare-related other health-related ideas. talks and panel discussions, Aljawhra al-Mana, com- as well as off ering health- munications offi cer at WISH, care innovators from Qatar said, “We very much want to awareness campaign and around the world the op- engage the local community portunity to showcase their with WISH, which is why we ideas and products within the are keen to hear from people atar Cancer Society posure to chemicals, especially clude a sore that does not heal, ‘Innovation Hub’. who are interested in provid- (QCS) has launched the at the workplace, including ar- change in sensation – itchiness, Artists based in Qatar are ing a concept for the centre- Q‘Your skin ... Your health’ senic, industrial tar, coal and tenderness, or pain, fl at, fi rm, now being invited to submit piece of our ‘Innovation Hub’ campaign to raise awareness paraffi n as well as certain types pale or yellow areas, similar to a concepts that both demon- and showcase their artistry. about skin cancer. of oil. The risk of skin cancer scar, small, pink or red, translu- strate creativity and high- “The inspirational piece of Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) is much higher for those with cent, shiny, pearly bumps, which light WISH’s healthcare fo- art or installation should pro- radiation is a major risk factor fair (light-coloured) skin than might have blue, brown, or black cus. WISH 2018 organisers vide a fi tting focus for a room for this type of cancer. dark-skinned people, QCS has areas, new moles and any chang- will develop the winning idea that is at the heart of our global Heba Nassar, head of the said in a statement. Also, get- es in existing moles in size, shape into a large-scale installation summit of healthcare leaders.” Health Education Department ting infected with certain types or colour. Heba Nassar, head of the Health Education Department at QCS, that will be prominently po- The November summit at QCS, said: “The most com- of HPV (Human Papilloma Vi- Nassar advised people to speaks to a visitor. sitioned within the ‘Innova- will be the fourth edition of mon source of UV is sunlight. rus), particularly those that af- check for the following: one tion Hub’, to make it visible WISH, and is expected to at- Tanning lamps, which are part fect the anal or genital area, may half of a mole or birthmark does same all over and may include larger than 6mm across (about throughout. tract around 2,000 delegates of tanning beds, are an artifi cial increase skin cancer risks, Nas- not match the other, the edges shades of brown or black, or the size of a pencil eraser) and The fi nal structure can be from more than 100 countries, source of UV radiation.” sar adds. are irregular, ragged, notched sometimes with patches of pink, whether the mole is evolving or made of wood or metal, and ei- including more than 30 health Other risk factors include ex- Early signs and symptoms in- or blurred, the colour is not the red, white, or blue, the spot is changing in size, shape or colour. ther painted or covered in fab- ministers. Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 QATAR

MEC recalls Jaguar XF, XE, F-PACE 2018 models he Ministry of Economy and Com- dealer to follow up on the maintenance and re- merce (MEC), in collaboration with pair works and communicate with customers TAlfardan Premier Motors, dealer of to ensure that the necessary repairs are carried Jaguar vehicles in Qatar, has announced the out. The ministry has urged all customers to recall of Jaguar XF, XE and F-PACE models report any violations to its Consumer Pro- of 2018 over a possible fuel rail leak. tection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Depart- The ministry said the recall campaign came ment, which processes complaints, inquir- within the framework of its ongoing eff orts to ies and suggestions through the call centre: protect consumers and ensure that car deal- 16001, e-mail: [email protected], Twitter: @ ers followed up on vehicle defects and repairs. MEC_Qatar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar and the The MEC said it would co-ordinate with the mobile app for Android and iOS: MEC_Qatar

Shoppers throng Safari Mall. 10-20-30 promo starts at Safari

afari Group has announced the bles, fi sh, meat, bakery, hot food, In the frozen division, diff erent garments and electronics. start of its latest ‘10-20-30’ cosmetics, household, readymade types of juice are available for cus- To mark the ongoing football Spromotion with special dis- garments, footwear, electronics and tomers. World Cup, gifts worth QR50,000 counts. In a press statement yester- computer accessories, are show- These include 350ml tender coco- will be given on the purchase of LED day, the retail group said “the pro- cased in the promotion. nut water (three packets) for QR10 TVs above 40 inches through a lucky motion is a much-awaited initiative The highlights of the promotion or two packets of 1litre for QR10, draw on July 18. for the loyal customers of Safari include a 6kg sugar packet for QR10, Kappa 700gm three packets, dif- Safari is also off ering promotions with endless food items, daily-use 1kg of chicken griller (three pieces) ferent types of fi sh, camel meat and for those travelling for the summer products and various other products for QR20 and Fast Track iron box chicken burger, etc, are available for vacation. available for QR10, QR20 and QR30”. with two-year warranty for QR30. QR10. Luggage from well-known brands Safari Group director and general In the Safari bakery and hot food In the grocery section, the off ers such as American Tourister is being manager Zainul Abideen stressed division, combo off ers are available include Sona Ponni rice (5kg) for showcased as part of this promo- that Safari has “always ensured a that feature western, south Indian, QR10, two bottles of Coroli corn oil tion. customer-friendly approach” and north Indian, Arabic and Chinese of 1.8litre for QR20, and 5kg Noorja- Also, as part the 10-20-30 pro- the 10-20-30 promotional off ers food products. han premium basmati rice for QR30. motion, there will be musical shows follow the same pattern. These include a combo of three- Apart from these, various kinds of today, tomorrow and on July 5. The specialty of the 10-20-30 piece chicken fry, four chapatis, sal- nuts are available as part of the pro- The programmes will be led by fa- promotion is that products of a “su- ad and 350ml cola for QR10, 250gm motion. mous artistes from Doha. Entry to perior quality” are available at “low- squid roast and three Idiyappam for The promotion also covers other the shows, which begin at 6.30pm, er prices”, the statement notes. QR10, and Safari fried half chicken, divisions such as household (daily- will be free for all and the venue is He noted that a wide variety of two buns and 350ml cola for QR10, use products), cosmetics (body lo- the food court of Safari Mall in Abu products, including fruits, vegeta- among others. tion, face wash, soap), toys, sports, Hamour.

Antenatal lupus clinic Aspetar guidelines to treats pregnant patients spot concussion injuries

ore than 60 spetar – the orthopaedic sports medicine hospital in pregnant Qatar – has urged healthcare professionals to adopt Mwomen di- Astronger guideline implementations to eff ectively di- agnosed with lupus, agnose concussion injuries during play, particularly for in- a chronic and incur- cidents involving footballers at the world’s biggest sporting able autoimmune tournament currently taking place in Russia. disease that can af- A number of widely reported clashes between players in fect any part of the recent games have sharpened a focus on the issue, prompting body, including the debate and discussion between pundits and commentators skin, joints, and or- around the world. The implementation of stronger guide- gans, receive treat- lines would also help minimise the risk of long-term damage ment each year at a to players following head injuries. specialised clinic at Dr Samar al-Emadi Dr Louis Holtzhausen, a sports medicine physician at As- Hamad Medical Corp petar, said: “It can be very diffi cult sometimes to spot a sus- (HMC)’s Rheumatology Department. pected concussion, particularly in the heat of the moment. The specialist antenatal clinic for pregnant women with Sometimes there can be obvious symptoms such as headache, lupus is the fi rst of its kind in the Middle East, HMC has vomiting or loss of consciousness or loss of memory, it can be said in a statement. “Lupus is very challenging to diagnose much easier to spot and the player himself might sometimes and treat, especially in pregnant women, and it can lead ask for medical assistance. On the other hand, there are sub- to pregnancy loss, pre-eclampsia, premature birth and a tle symptoms that can be diffi cult to diagnose such as loss of failure of the baby to grow. Since its establishment, our balance or disorientation.” clinic has recorded excellent outcomes among patients “The solution for this diffi cult problem starts with education and their babies,” said Dr Samar al-Emadi, head of the at diff erent levels, fi rst of all at the executive level with the deci- Rheumatology Section at Hamad General Hospital. sion makers in sport. They must understand what the medical According to Dr al-Emadi, about 5mn people world- and sports consequences of concussion can be,” he said. wide live with lupus. While the cause of the autoimmune Aspetar’s advanced protocol helps identify and treat concus- disease is unknown, scientists believe three factors may sion injuries in sports, on and off the fi eld, and equips health- play a role: heredity, hormones and the environment. care providers and team doctors to play an essential role in pro- Ultraviolet rays from the sun, infections and stress are tecting athletes, since concussion signs are not always easily thought to be possible triggers for the disease. identifi able. It is specifi cally designed to only allow safe return “Normally, the body’s immune system produces pro- to play under universally accepted guidelines. The protocol has teins called antibodies that protect the body from viruses, been developed over a number of years by some of the world’s bacteria and germs. For a person with lupus, the immune foremost experts in sports medicine and concussion-related system sees the body’s own healthy tissues and cells as issues. It has the potential to signifi cantly improve decision- foreign and creates autoantibodies that attack and damage making and concussion management in games at all levels. healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause infl ammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body leading to diff erent manifestations of lupus,” explained Dr al-Emadi. She said lupus has many symptoms and aff ects each person diff erently, with symptoms ranging from a mild skin rash to serious complications impacting major organs such as the heart and brain. “The symptoms of lupus can come and go. They can also change over time, making lupus diffi cult to diagnose and treat. Lupus develops mostly in women between the ages of 15 and 45 years, but men, older people and children can also be diagnosed with lupus. The disease is not con- tagious. No one can ‘catch’ lupus or ‘give it’ to someone else,” noted Dr al-Emadi. She added that the signs and symptoms of lupus might include extreme tiredness, headaches, painful or swol- len joints, fever, anaemia, swelling in the feet, legs, hands and/or around the eyes, chest pain, a butterfl y-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose, sun or light-sensitivity, hair loss, abnormal blood clotting, fi ngers turning white and/or blue when cold, and mouth or nose ulcers. Dr al-Emadi said lupus treatment often includes corti- costeroids and other medications to help reduce infl am- mation and minimise damage to the organs. “Although there is no cure for lupus, early diagnosis and proper medical treatment can signifi cantly help control the disease. Because no two people with lupus are alike, the best treatment is one that is tailored to each patient’s specifi c condition. Patients who tend to have the best-controlled lupus are those who have learned to adapt to living with a chronic illness and who make living a healthy lifestyle a pri- ority. This generally includes healthy eating, avoiding stress, using sun protection and quitting smoking,” she added. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 5 QATAR Vodafone Qatar’s #FootballFever campaign proves Aamal Trading and Distribution and Total Lubricants off icials along with customers at the event. Total Lubricants’ loyal customers honoured

Aamal Trading and Distribution Through this partnership, both ATD general manager Syed continue to provide our loyal a huge success (ATD), a subsidiary of Aamal companies have successfully Rashid Hassan said, “it is customers with the highest Company and an off icial built a broad customer base, our pleasure to meet and quality products and to make distributor of Total Lubricants, which has remained loyal to honour our valuable clients our products and services odafone Qatar has an- gal and Spain’s intense football ficial telecoms partner for the held an event to honour the brand’s quality products who, over the years, have even more accessible, thus nounced the success of battle. Qatar Fan Zone, being organ- its customers in the oil and and which has appreciated the demonstrated their loyalty and maintaining the loyalty and trust Vits #FootballFever cam- As testament to the power of ised at the Ali Bin Hamad Al lubricants sector. excellent customer service professionalism. which our customers place in us. paign with more than 27,000 digital media and its impact on Attiyah Arena. ATD has a “strong and fruitful provided, according to a press It is through events such as “We look forward to continuing customers engaging with the the changing needs of today’s Leveraging the power of its partnership” with Total statement. these that we maintain and our successful partnership with interactive platform. football fans, #FootballFever world-class mobile and fixed Lubricants, having been a ATD and Total Lubricants have build our partnerships. Through Total Lubricants and to holding Earlier this summer, the con- saw over 219,000 sessions be- network, Vodafone Qatar is distributor of its lubricants since introduced several products and our committed team members more events that bring us and verged digital services provider ing played on its platform, currently providing more than 1990. services in the Qatari market. and esteemed partners, we will our customers together.” launched a series of activities while Vodafone Qatar’s online 37,000 football enthusiasts and offers targeting football campaign saw 1.3mn customer with high-speed connectivity, enthusiasts, encouraging them engagements. allowing them to share their to use the My Vodafone App, passion with friends and family social media platforms, and the “From smart stadium at the click of a button. Malabar Gold draw winners named company’s website to take an technology to world-class “With only four years sepa- Malabar Gold & Diamonds active part in one of the most connectivity, Vodafone rating us from the upcoming has announced the first popular football competitions Qatar is ready to deliver a 2022 competition, it was im- raff le draw winners of in the world. unique end-to-end digital portant for us to play an ac- its ‘Win up to 2 Kilos of Vodafone Qatar’s ‘Predict experience to football fans tive role in giving football fans gold & up to 100% cash & Win’ platform allows play- in the country” in the country a sneak-peak of back’ campaign. The ers to predict match results for what is set to become an iconic announcement was made a chance to win exciting prizes “At Vodafone Qatar, digital moment in Qatar’s sports his- in the presence of Fahad from Vodafone Qatar, including services sit at the forefront of tory. al-Kuwari, an off icial from 5GB of free local data for a week our offerings allowing us to “From smart stadium tech- Ministry of Economy and for fi rst position winners and lead the digital conversation nology to world-class connec- Commerce; Santhosh T V, 4GB of free local data for second during this summer’s biggest tivity, Vodafone Qatar is ready regional head; Raju T Johny, position winners. sports event. The competi- to deliver a unique end-to-end deputy branch head; and The prediction platform re- tion has only just started and digital experience to football other management team ceived the highest number of we are pleased to see incred- fans in the country,” Camberos members of Malabar Gold entries during the Nigeria ver- ible customer engagement added. & Diamonds. The winners sus Argentina game, totalling with our offerings,” said Twenty ‘Predict and Win’ are Salman Khan and Tohida over 1,300 predictions. Vodafone Qatar COO Diego winners and ‘Qatar’s Greatest Akter, both of whom won ‘Qatar’s Greatest Fan’, a se- Camberos. Fan’ will be chosen at the end 250gm of gold each. ries of daily quizzes and trivia Aside from its #FootballFe- of the summer tournament. to celebrate user knowledge ver campaign, Vodafone Qatar For more information about about football for a chance to has partnered with the Su- Vodafone Qatar’s #FootballFe- win Samsung Galaxy S8+ and preme Committee for Deliv- ver offerings and how to win, Samsung Gear S3, received the ery & Legacy, the Ministry of download the MyVodafone highest number of answers, Culture and Sports, and Qatar App or visit www.vodafone.qa/ totalling 3,600 during Portu- Tourism Authority as the of- footballfever Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 QATAR QM’s art mentorship programme returns Budding artists to work with local artists under QM’s Youth Summer Residency programme

udding artists will have the opportunity to work with lo- Bcal artists at Qatar Museums (QM)’s Youth Summer Residency programme, which returns this summer. Participants, specifi cally those chosen based on their participa- tion at the annual Ministry of Edu- cation art exhibition which was hosted at the Fire Station, will also get the chance to experience the burgeoning art scene in Qatar and hone their skills. The mentorship is based on the Fire Station’s “Artist in Residency” concept, which has proven suc- cessful for the growing number of emerging artists – Qatari and non- Qatari – who have gone through the programme. The Youth Summer Residency aims to similarly encourage young artists to explore art and develop their skills. The student mentorship takes place until August 30. The budding young student art- The Youth Summer Residency programme aims to encourage young artists to explore art. ists will receive mentorship and guidance daily, discuss art with es- Station, which will last until the spiration for future generations of peers in an enriching and creative various steps QM undertakes to tablished artists in the community, end of the year. creative talent. The Youth Summer space. We are looking forward to nurture and develop the country’s and visit museums and galleries to To support the initiative, the Fire Residency is an abridged version of seeing the resulting exhibition of young creatives. refl ect upon and take inspiration Station has called on artists from our prestigious Artist in Residence this year’s edition,” he added. By identifying and developing from other artists’ work. Qatar to become mentors for this programme,” Fire Station director The Fire Station is committed artistic talent early in an artist’s Following the completion of the year’s talented group of students. Khalifa al-Obaidly said. to supporting the next genera- career, QM aims to broaden the programme, participants will have “As a hub for the country’s young “Through it, Qatar’s aspiring tion of passionate artists through base of talent in Qatar, contribut- a chance to exhibit their works at artists, the Fire Station aims to al- young artists will fi nd inspiration, initiatives like the Youth Summer ing towards the cultural goals set an exhibition hosted at the Fire ways be a source of support and in- hone their skills and interact with Residency, which is just one of the out in Qatar National Vision 2030.

‘Plot against Qatar falls fl at’ In safe hands

From Page 1 room for the ingrates, the ungrateful back- stabbers. Those pre-2011 mediations contributed Ironically, in a report published in No- a lot in building the high profi le of Qatar as vember 2011, Bahraini offi cial daily news- a country that can resolve crises peacefully, paper Alayam quoted Bahraini Foreign building a growing infl uence for Doha as a Minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifah as prominent mediator on the international praising the role of Qatar in the 2011 crisis. arena and a reputation that garnered signif- Al-Khalifah was speaking during an in- icant attention among regional countries. terview on Al Arabia channel on November Hence, it was not surprising that the US, 27, 2011, when he said that “the role of Qatar Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain sought the urgent was positive”. help of Qatar in calming the 2011 situation Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel has also and saving the regime’s rule in Manama. been blamed for backing the Bahrain 2011 In a 2017 interview on Qatar TV’s pro- protests, although the reputable Washing- gramme Al Haqiqa, HE Sheikh Hamad bin ton Post newspaper reported on May 14, Jassim spoke about the Bahraini crisis of 2011, quoting the associate professor of International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) founder and chairman Mohamed Hanzab 2011, saying that then-US assistant secre- modern Arab politics at Columbia Univer- with Servtec International Group founder and chief executive Philippe Ferrand at an tary of state for Near Eastern aff airs Jeff rey sity, Joseph Massad, that Al Jazeera in Bah- agreement signing ceremony yesterday. The ICSS has signed an agreement with the D Feltman, had called him asking for help in rain, “pretended to be impartial while push- Ferrand Training Centre to help boost safety and security operations in Qatar’s the mediation. ing the line of the Bahraini regime”. tourism and hospitality sectors. The Ferrand Training Centre is a subsidiary of the “Late Prince Saud bin Faisal bin Ab- On June 29, 2011 the king of Bahrain Servtec Group. dulaziz al-Saud [former Saudi foreign min- tasked Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni to lead ister] called me too, asking for help,” he said. an investigation into what occurred during HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim added: the country’s unrest between February and “I went to Bahrain where Prince Saud bin March 2011. Faisal and I met the King of Bahrain Hamad The report, dubbed Report of the Bah- bin Isa al-Khalifah. We spoke about what rain Independent Commission of Inquiry, was taking place and I told him [King Ha- said that King Hamad “sat mostly motion- mad] I was going to meet with Ali Salman … less on a podium as Bassiouni recounted the by the way, I did not know Ali Salman and abuses their citizens had suff ered to extract had never met him. We only spoke over the confessions and as punishment for protest- phone and he [Ali Salman] told me that Jef- ing against the family,” reported Reuters on frey Feltman was with him. Feltman spoke November 25, 2011. to me and said he was waiting for me”. The Bassiouni report, too, said that Qatar Months later, the protests were brought tried several times to mediate and end the down after Bahrain called for foreign inter- unrest. vention. “According to opposition sources,” the Manama approved the deployment of report reads, “it was suggested that the the Peninsula Shield Force, Qatari troops Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Af- included, to restore stability to the coun- fairs of the State of Qatar, HE Sheikh Hamad try and, consequently, ending the alarm- bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani, could act as ing threat the demonstrations posed to the the sponsor of the proposed United States monarchy and the kingdom. initiative”. However, in August 2017, the same re- The report adds that “opposition sources corded 2011 phone call between HE Sheikh also indicated that the Emir of the State Hamad bin Jassim and Ali Salman was of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin broadcasted by Bahrain’s offi cial TV. Khalifa al-Thani, attempted to mediate The series of fake news and fabrications between the GoB [Government of Bahrain] against Doha also dramatically increased. and opposition parties in the following The timing was signifi cant as it came two days, and that this initiative was accepted months after the Qatar blockade was an- by the opposition but rejected by the GoB”. nounced. Bahrain was vainly trying to kill two birds Yet, what was surprising was that the re- with one stone, achieving some poor inter- cording was cut and forged to give the im- nal gains by taking advantage of external pression that Qatar was colluding against crises. the regime to intervene in the internal af- Yet, that futile seizure of opportunity has fairs of Bahrain, backing the uprising of 2011 ended in yet another crisis of a moral per- and staging the popular unrest to overthrow spective. the regime. Manama’s poorly-led diplomacy has The new forged recording was met with been causing itself some unprecedented disdain and condemnation, since Bahrain humiliations in front of the international was trying to fi sh in troubled waters by community. The world is still watching trying to link a six-year-old regime-help closely the double-standard policies which phone conversation with its fresh, disgrace- Bahraini offi cials have consistently adopted ful participation in the Qatar blockade. in shaping their country’s political rela- Still, history never forgives and leaves no tions, especially the regional ones.

Exhibition on Qatar-Kuwait relations at Katara

Katara – the Cultural Village Foundation ancestral heritage and encouraging the will launch tomorrow the Qatari-Kuwaiti younger generation to practise traditional Relations Exhibition, to be held at Katara crafts and various other arts. Building 18, in co-operation with Expo 965 The Expo 965 team is a voluntary team Team for Heritage and Crafts Exhibitions. established by a group of young Kuwaitis The exhibition, which is being held for the to introduce the Kuwaiti heritage and its first time in Qatar, is aimed at maintaining masterpieces. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 7 QATAR AAB opens Sheehaniya Ahlibank picks winner express service centre of QR1mn prize draw hlibank has announced bdullah Abdulghani & the name of the winner Bros Co (AAB), the exclu- Aof its Al Rabeh Savings Asive distributor of Toyota Scheme QR1mn prize draw for and Lexus in Qatar, inaugurated June 2018. the Sheehaniya Express Service In a statement, Ahlibank iden- Centre yesterday. tifi ed the winner as Khalifa A The new service centre is lo- Rahman A Buhamaid, an Old cated at Woqod petrol station, Airport branch customer, during Sheehaniya, Dukhan Road. a draw conducted in the presence Present on the occasion were of the Ministry of Economy and Abdulrahman Abduljaleel al- Commerce. Abdulghani, AAB vice-chair- Buhamaid said: “I still can’t man, and guests from Toyota believe what happened. I was Motor Corporation (TMC) led by thrilled when I received a call Yoshiyuki Koike, general man- from Ahlibank telling me that I ager, TMC - Bahrain Regional won QR1mn. Ahlibank’s prod- Offi ce, and Masayuki Fukumori, ucts are truly innovative and I am fi eld operations manager, TMC satisfi ed with my relationship - Bahrain Regional Offi ce. and the services provided by the Also present during the cer- bank.” emony were Toyota and Lexus Ahlibank’s Al Rabeh Savings Hassan AlEfrangi and Old Airport Branch customer Khalifa A Rahman A customers as well as senior Scheme reward structure of- Buhamaid with the ceremonial cheque. management from AAB led by R Off icials and dignitaries at the inauguration of AAB’s Sheehaniya Express Service Centre. fers 164 cash prizes to be won in K Murugan, acting CEO. 2018 with a total prize amount Ahlibank deputy CEO - Re- customers and non-customers Al-Abdulghani stressed of QR5.8mn, including two mil- tail and Private Banking Has- to save for their future and with AAB’s commitment to off er the lionaires guaranteed (June and san AlEfrangi said: “Ahlibank is Al Rabeh Savings Scheme. You highest level of quality customer December), two cash prizes of delighted to announce Mr Kha- can save, earn interest and also service, which inspired them to QR500,000 each (March and Sep- lifa A Rahman A Buhamaid as the be eligible to win cash prizes open the new location. This will tember), 10 monthly cash prizes QR1mn Al Rabeh prize draw win- every month - QR500,000 in help AAB meet the service re- of QR25,000 each and 10 monthly ner for June 2018. September and QR1mn in De- quirements of its customers liv- cash prizes of QR10,000 each. “We always encourage our cember.” ing in Sheehaniya, Dukhan and nearby areas. The new service centre has 12 working bays with two car wash and vacuum bays. Neces- sary tools and equipment are Ooredoo’s Live Chat used by more available to perform all types of periodic maintenance, general repair and lube plus services. than 40,000 customers since launch Highlighted among the serv- ices is the Express Lube Plus Service, which is a new con- oredoo has announced the company, and in response part of Ooredoo’s ongoing dig- cept from AAB. This is a drive- A view of the new service centre. PICTURES: Thajudheen that its Live Chat feature Ooredoo has appointed a dedi- ital transformation to ensure the through concept where cus- Ohas been used by more cated Live Chat team to answer company’s customers can inter- tomers pay fi rst and then go an express maintenance service, minutes for SUVs for the com- AAB’s other service centres than 40,000 customers since the customer questions and que- act with Ooredoo at home or on directly to the Express Lube which gives the customers the pletion of the job. are located in the Industrial Area service’s launch in March. ries. the go. Bays for service. The Express chance to wait for their vehicles The new service centre will (Street No 5), Abu Hamour pet- The Live Chat feature, which Ooredoo’s Live Chat service On both the Ooredoo website Lube service takes less than an while being worked on by well be open from 8am to 7pm from rol station, Al Wakrah, Madinat is available on the Ooredoo was designed to off er customers and Ooredoo App, Live Chat can hour and it off ers a 20-point trained and certifi ed techni- Saturday to Thursday. Bookings Khalifa petrol station, Al Nayef website and Ooredoo App, an easier, faster way to contact be found under the ‘Help’ sec- checkup, including oil and fi lter cians. At the Express Mainte- and appointments can be made petrol station, Al Aziz petrol has quickly become one of the Ooredoo and is available seven tion. One can visit the Ooredoo change. nance Bays, it will take only one for Toyota at 800 1800 and Lex- station, Al Khor and Airport most popular ways in which days a week from 8am to 10pm. website or download the Oore- Also, the service centre off ers hour for passenger cars and 90 us at 800 2929. Road. customers are connecting with The investment in the service is doo App to chat with an agent. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD

Qatar stresses crucial role of Over 270,000 displaced by Palestinian cause south Syria violence: UN

AFP like in previous deals, residents to Islamic world Daraa feared the regime would abduct or arrest its opponents in “acts of revenge,” he said. Ahmad Ar- QNA item on the agenda of the Hu- ore than a quarter of a sheedat, 48, a displaced man Geneva man Rights Council, stress- million people have fl ed from Daraa city, feared worse. ing that such attempts have Ma Russian-backed gov- “I absolutely do not support encouraged Israel to continue ernment onslaught on southern reconciliation because the Ira- he State of Qatar has committing crimes against the Syria, the United Nations said nian and Russian militias will stressed the importance Palestinians. yesterday, in the latest civilian come in, wanting to slaughter us Tfor the Israeli entity to He strongly deplored con- exodus in the seven-year war. all,” he said of the regime allies. understand that the Palestin- tinued activities of Israeli set- For nearly two weeks, regime “They won’t leave a single ian cause is central not only for tlers, the blockade of the Gaza forces and their Russian allies person alive, especially here in the Arab and Islamic worlds, Strip, the collective punish- have battered rebel-held parts of Daraa, the cradle of the revolu- but for all free people in the ment of Palestinians, and at- southern Syria with air strikes, tion.” world, adding that the cause tacks on Muslim worshippers rocket fi re, and barrel bombs. Daraa activist Hariri said and the rights of the Palestin- that has led to a catastrophic The strategic area was osten- rebels and opposition enti- ian people shall not be waived humanitarian situation in the sibly protected by a ceasefi re ties were facing a very diffi cult for any biased deals which occupied Palestinian territo- agreed by the US, Jordan, and choice. serve Israel solely, instead ries. Russia just under a year ago, but “The noose is getting tighter of promoting the eff orts for The ambassador also voiced President Bashar al-Assad is and tighter,” he said. reaching a just, comprehen- Qatar’s condemnation of the dead-set on retaking it. Eight towns fell to regime sive and lasting solution. violations of the human rights The violence has pushed control on Saturday and another This message came yester- of the Palestinian people, waves of terrifi ed civilians out of fi ve on Sunday, including the key day in the statement of the which included the indiscrim- their homes at a shocking rate, town of Bosra al-Sham. State of Qatar delivered by inate use of force, arbitrary the UN’s refugee agency (UN- It was held by Shabab al- HE the Qatar’s Permanent detention, torture, degrading HCR) said yesterday. Sunna, one of the south’s most Representative of the State treatment and the construc- “We were expecting the powerful factions, and its will- to the United Nations in Ge- tion of the separation. number of displaced in south- ingness to agree to a deal stirred neva Ambassador Ali Khalfan In conclusion, al-Mansouri ern Syria to reach 200,000, but fi erce criticism of its leader Ah- al-Mansouri, in the general welcomed the UN General As- it has already exceeded 270,000 mad al-Awdeh. Rebel supporters debate on the human rights sembly adoption of the Arab- people in record time,” said UN- Humanitarian aid is prepared to be delivered to Syria, in the town of Ramtha, Jordan, yesterday. repeatedly referred to him as a situation in Palestine and in Islamic draft resolution on the HCR spokesman in Amman Mo- “traitor” in posts on Twitter. other occupied Arab territo- protection of the Palestinian hamed Hawari. heavily and making signifi cant terms proposed by Russia. six months. And regime forces An opposition source from the ries within the 38th session of civilians, calling for its full im- “We’re facing a real humani- ground gains. The government Under the deal off ered, rebels would take over the Nasib bor- south with close knowledge of the UN Human Rights Coun- plementation. tarian crisis in southern Syria,” simultaneously also opened ne- would hand over medium and der crossing with Jordan as well the talks said Russia’s piecemeal cil, being held in Geneva from He reiterated Qatar’s full he said. gotiations with rebel factions heavy weapons and Syrian state as deploy along the frontier approach to the deals had ham- June 18 to July 6. solidarity with the Palestin- According to the UN’s hu- through its ally Russia, off ering institutions would resume work. with the Israeli-occupied Golan strung the negotiating commit- HE al-Mansouri expressed ian people and its support for manitarian co-ordination offi ce, a halt to bombardment if rebels Displaced families could re- Heights. tee. Qatar’s dissatisfaction with international eff orts aimed at 70,000 of those displaced have hand over territory. turn with guarantees by Russian But many residents were wor- “Its position was weakened the attempts at marginalis- achieving a lasting and com- sought shelter along the border More than a dozen towns and military police. ried a deal struck with Russia by localised, individual deals, ing or abolishing item 7 on the prehensive peace in the Mid- with Jordan. villages have agreed to a regime Men who defected from Syr- would only be violated later on, Ahmad al-Awdeh’s individual Council’s agenda as a major dle East. They arrived in dilapidated takeover in recent days, dou- ia’s armed forces or who did said Daraa activist Omar Hariri. agreement with the Russians cars piled high with mattresses bling the area under government not complete their compulsory Since the terms did not in- over Bosra al-Sham, and Rus- and suitcases to join thousands control in the main province of service could regularise their clude mass population transfers sia’s successful military advance Israeli forces kill Palestinian already camped out in arid plains Daraa to 60% since operations status with the regime within to other opposition-held zones on the ground,” the source said. near the frontier. began on June 19. Israeli soldiers opened fire on four Palestinians who infiltrated Jordan has kept its border But other opposition bodies from the Gaza Strip yesterday and sought to set an unmanned fi rmly sealed, insisting it can- have rejected the deals. sniper post ablaze, killing one of them, the military said. not handle any more than the TALKS WITHDRAWAL US senators visit fl ashpoint town of Manbij “Troops spotted the infiltration, monitored the incident and pur- 650,000 registered Syrian refu- In a statement yesterday, the Two US senators visited the northern Syrian town of clash with Turkey. Ankara had pledged to march on sued them while firing towards them,” a military statement said. gees it already houses, and has civilian half of the opposition’s Manbij yesterday, where talks between Washington Manbij after seizing the nearby area of Afrin from The fourth was believed to have returned to the Gaza Strip with instead sent aid into its war-torn delegation said they had with- and Ankara narrowly avoided a stand-off between Kurdish fighters it sees as “terrorists”. But the US injuries after the incident east of the city of Rafah in the south of neighbour. drawn from talks. the Nato allies earlier this year. Lindsey Graham and Turkey agreed on a “roadmap” last month that the enclave. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza announced Thousands of other displaced “We did not attend negotia- from South Carolina and Jeanne Shaheen from avoided a confrontation, and Turkish troops began a 16-year-old shot in the shoulder by Israeli fire was in hospital, have headed west towards the tions today. We were not party New Hampshire toured the town with members of patrolling areas to the town’s north under the deal. without giving further details. A Palestinian medic who saw Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, to any agreement and we never the Manbij Military Council. “The aim of the visit In footage published by a local SDF-linked outlet the incident said Israeli forces fired on a group of young men although Israel, too, has pledged will be,” said the statement, ac- was to see the security situation in Manbij,” said its yesterday, Graham could be seen telling MMC com- approaching the border. “We tried to move forward to help (the to keep its border closed. cusing those who agreed to such spokesman Sherfan Darwish. The MMC is linked manders the US would not withdraw from the area. injured) but the soldiers prevented us and forced us to retreat,” Those key frontiers are what handovers of trying to selfi shly to the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of “I will tell President (Donald) Trump it’s important the medic said on condition of anonymity. make Syria’s south a prized area secure personal interests. Kurdish and Arab fighters that ousted the Islamic that we stay here to help you. You’re friends of the Israel’s army said soldiers heard gunshots fired toward them for Assad, in addition to its ac- The Britain-based Syrian State group from Manbij in 2016 with help from a US and if we leave, it will be terrible,” Graham said. during the incident, but none were wounded. Since protests and cessibility to Damascus. Observatory for Human Rights US-led coalition. American and French coalition Trump has said he intends to pull US troops out of clashes broke out along the Gaza border on March 30, at least After securing the capital said yesterday there were “di- troops are still stationed in Manbij, but there were Syria but his defence establishment has stressed it 138 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. earlier this year, he turned to visions among rebel groups” fears earlier this year they could be caught up in a wants to retain a presence to fully defeat IS. the south, bombing rebel towns over whether to agree to the UN envoy Rouhani in Europe to rally Arrests over plot to in Yemen attack opposition rally

for talks support for nuclear deal AFP Iran’s foreign minister dis- Brussels missed the attack plot as a “false fl ag ploy” designed to overshad- with rebels AFP ow Rouhani’s tour. Geneva elgium, France and Ger- “How convenient: Just as we many have detained six embark on a presidential visit to AFP Bpeople, including an Irani- Europe, an alleged Iranian oper- Sanaa ranian President Hassan an diplomat, over an alleged plot ation and its ‘plotters’ arrested,” Rouhani arrived in Swit- to bomb a weekend rally by an Mohamed Javad Zarif tweeted. Izerland yesterday at the exiled Iranian opposition group “Iran unequivocally condemns he UN envoy for Yemen start of European trip billed as in Paris, authorities and sources all violence and terror anywhere, was in Sanaa yesterday for of “prime importance” after said yesterday. and is ready to work with all con- Ttalks with rebels aimed at the US pulled out of the 2015 The apparent foiled attack cerned to uncover what is a sinis- fi nding a solution to fi ghting in nuclear deal between Tehran was to have targeted a meeting ter false fl ag ploy,” he said. the port city of Hodeidah, which and world powers. of thousands of Iranian oppo- Federal authorities in Brussels the insurgents hold. The tour, which also in- sition supporters in a northern fi rst revealed the arrests, charg- Martin Griffi ths is set to meet cludes a stop in Austria, is part suburb of the French capital that ing a husband and wife described with the Houthi rebels, who of Tehran’s eff orts to secure was also attended by leading US by prosecutors as Belgian na- control the capital along with Europe’s continued support fi gures, including close allies of tionals “of Iranian origin”. the Red Sea city of Hodeida, for the landmark agreement President Donald Trump. Amir S, 38, and Nasimeh N, home to the country’s most val- aimed at preventing Iran from The developments came on 33, “are suspected of having at- uable port. building the atomic bomb. the day Iranian President Hassan tempted to carry out a bomb at- The British diplomat did not Substantial parts of the his- Rouhani arrived in Switzerland tack” on Saturday in the Paris make a statement upon his ar- toric nuclear pact were nego- on a visit that Tehran said was suburb of Villepinte, during the rival at the Yemeni capital’s in- tiated in Switzerland before it of “crucial importance” for co- conference organised by the ternational airport. was signed in July 2015 in Vi- operation between the Islamic People’s Mujahedin of Iran, a Griffi ths had already been enna, where the Rouhani will Swiss Federal President Alain Berset and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani shake hands as they Republic and Europe after the statement from the Belgian fed- leading UN diplomatic eff orts on head tomorrow. pose for a picture at the beginning of a meeting during Rouhani’s official visit in Bern, yesterday. US withdrawal from the Iranian eral prosecutor said. ending Yemen’s three-year con- The trip will be an “oppor- nuclear agreement. The couple were carrying fl ict when a UAE-backed gov- tunity to talk about the future Iran has warned it is ready to watchdog, the IAEA, which Rouhani is scheduled to at- Rouhani is also due to visit 500 grams of the volatile explo- ernment off ensive was launched of the (nuclear) agreement,” he resume uranium enrichment to monitors Iran’s compliance tend a meeting today with the Austria, which currently holds sive TATP along with a detona- to retake Hodeida port on June told reporters at Tehran’s Me- 20% — above the level permit- with the accord. Swiss chamber of commerce the six-month presidency of the tor when a group of elite police 13. hrabad Airport before board- ted in the deal — “within days” The nuclear deal has been on innovation in the health European Union, and hosts the squad stopped them in a resi- The UAE, which is part of ing his fl ight, state television if the deal falls apart. the cornerstone of Rouhani’s sector. detained Iranian diplomat. dential district of Brussels. a Saudi-led coalition that has showed. Rouhani’s trip will be of policy of greater openness with The two governments are been fi ghting on the govern- Rouhani and his large del- “prime importance” as it could the West, and the US move has also due to sign agreements ment’s side since March 2015, egation were greeted by Swiss “provide a more precise pic- seen him severely criticised by on economic co-operation. UNREST has been demanding the rebels President Alain Berset, along ture of co-operation between ultra-conservatives at home. There will be a similar fo- Peace deal violation as 18 dead in South Sudan withdraw from both the port and with an honour guard, after Iran and Europe,” Iranian Even before Trump’s deci- cus on finances in Vienna, city to avoid a military assault on they landed in Zurich. foreign ministry spokesman sion, Iranians had long com- where the Iranian president The warring sides in South Sudan accused each other of launching densely-populated Hodeidah. Foreign Minister Mohamed Bahram Ghassemi said in com- plained that the hoped-for up- is expected to sign memoran- attacks that killed 18 civilians and violated the latest peace deal aimed at “The UN special envoy (is) Javad Zarif is also scheduled to ments carried by the semi- tick in foreign investment after dums on economic co-oper- ending the nearly five-year-old conflict. Lul Ruai Koang, spokesman for expected... to sit down with the hold talks with Swiss offi cials offi cial ISNA news agency on the deal had not materialised. ation according to Austrian the government military SPLA said rebels attacked Maban in Upper Nile militia group (Houthis) to try in the capital Bern. Saturday. Washington’s decision paves media. Chancellor Sebastian state in the far northeast near the border with Sudan on Sunday. and fi nd a political solution and The visit comes nearly two Austria on Sunday took over the way for new US sanctions Kurz said he will speak plain- Government forces responded and in the battle rebels killed 18 civil- to achieve a general framework months after US President the European Union’s six- against Tehran, which will en- ly with Rouhani about Iran’s ians and wounded 44, he said. The dead included three Ethiopians and for negotiations ,” said Turki al- Donald Trump unilaterally month rotating presidency, compass businesses from third role in the Middle East, as Te- two Sudanese. “The area is tense and the bodies have been buried,” he Maliki, a spokesman for a Saudi- pulled out of the agreement, to while Switzerland represents countries that continue to op- hran continues to deny accu- said.”People have not yet gone back to their homes. The area is desert- led coalition fi ghting in Yemen. the ire of the other signatories US interests in Iran owing to erate in Iran. sations it is destabilising the ed.” Lam Paul Gabriel, deputy spokesman for the opposition SPLA-IO said “The Houthis are yet to — China, France, Germany, the absence of diplomatic re- A number of foreign firms region. their forces had been “heavily bombarded” by the military in the Maban change their position,” he Britain and Russia — which lations between Washington have already announced they Kurz told the Austrian news area on Sunday and denied attacking civilians, saying: “It is not the policy said yesterday, referring to along with the European Un- and Tehran. would cease their Iranian ac- agency APA he will also fi nd of SPLM-IO to attack civilians.” South Sudan was plunged into war in 2013 the coalition demand for their ion have continued to back the Vienna is also the home of tivities in light of the looming “clear words” to discuss the after a political disagreement between President Salva Kiir and his former withdrawal. accord. the United Nations’ nuclear imposition of sanctions. human rights situation in Iran. vice President Riek Machar exploded into a military confrontation. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 9 AMERICAS

REVENGE ATTACK UN ROLE NOMINATION RIOTING ABUSE Man hurts 9 in stabbing Ben Stiller calls for action McGahn to lead Trump’s Police eye more arrests Chile director apologises spree at children’s party in Central America Supreme Court search after Portland clashes over harassment claims

A man went on a stabbing spree at a toddler’s US actor Ben Stiller has been named a goodwill Top White House attorney Don McGahn will Clashes between anti-fascist and right-wing A Chilean film director accused of sexual birthday party at a low-income apartment ambassador of the UN Refugee Agency oversee President Donald Trump’s selection militants in Portland, Oregon late on Saturday harassment by eight actresses apologiSed complex for refugees in the US state of (UNHCR), the organisation announced yesterday, and confirmation process for a Supreme Court sent four people to the hospital including a police yesterday for his actions but denied being a sex Idaho, wounding nine people including six as the famous comedian was visiting Guatemala nominee to replace retiring Justice Anthony off icer and led to at least four arrests, authorities pest. Nicolas Lopez, a famed director known for children, police said Sunday. The attack was to bring attention to the refugee crisis in Central Kennedy, the White House said yesterday. said over the weekend. Police seized knives, clubs his comedies, said he was “in shock” over the apparently motivated by revenge after the man, America. His appointment comes amid growing McGahn held the same role for the process that and pepper spray after running battles between allegations that appeared in local magazine Sabado identified by police as Timmy Kinner, 30, of criticism of the tough immigration policies in led to Trump’s selection of Neil Gorsuch, who has members of the right-wing Patriot Prayer group on Saturday. “It hurts to see that they feel bad about Los Angeles, was asked to leave the residence the United States, which received some 143,600 become one of the most conservative justices and counterprotesters who had initially faced off at what I did,” said Lopez in a video shared by local in the state capital Boise on Friday. He was asylum claims from people from northern on the court. “Teams of attorneys from the a downtown park. “We seized numerous weapons media yesterday. “For this I would like to say sorry not a refugee himself, said police chief Bill Central America last year. “Here in Guatemala, White House Counsel’s Off ice and Department early on, and interceded and separated people and I hope that all of this will soon be cleared up,” Bones. He then returned on Saturday night to the families, including children, that I met of Justice are working to ensure the president when necessary,” Portland Deputy Police Chief Bob he added, looking visibly shaken. In April, Chilean “exact vengeance,” first targeting the children experienced fear and violence back home that is has all the information he needs to choose his Day said in a statement. “However, once projectiles, prosecutors opened an investigation into sexual attending a three-year-old’s birthday party, then beyond imagination,” the UNHCR quoted Stiller nominee,” White House spokeswoman Sarah such as fireworks, eggs and rocks were thrown and abuse allegations against director Herval Abreu, the adults who tried to protect them. as saying in a statement. Sanders said in a statement. people were injured, we ordered people to disperse.” known as the “czar” of Chilean soap operas. FBI foils I-Day attack by Al Qaeda sympathiser

By Paul Handley, AFP Washington Expect a hot July 4th

he FBI yesterday announced the arrest of a as heatwave sizzles professed supporter of Al Qaeda who was Tplanning to target members of the US mili- Midwest, East Coast tary and their families with a bomb attack on a Firefighters scramble to control flames surrounding a truck as the Pawnee fire jumps across highway 20 near Clearlake Oaks, California on Sunday. July 4 parade in Cleveland, Ohio. Sweltering temperatures flirting with 100F (37C) The Federal Bureau of Investigation said will blister parts of the US Midwest and East Coast Demetrius Nathaniel Pitts, who also used the and sizzle at least through the Independence Day name Abdur Raheem Rafeeq, told an undercover holiday tomorrow, the National Weather Service agent that he wanted to load up a vehicle with ex- said yesterday. California wildfi re grows overnight plosives and blow it up during the US national day More than 113mn Americans are under heat celebrations tomorrow. warnings or advisories stretching from the Mis- “His desire: to kill military personnel and their sissippi Valley, up to Philadelphia, Chicago and Reuters 60km northwest of Sacramento, nearly 2.5mn acres in the United It is 37% contained, according to families,” said FBI special agent Steve Anthony. bending over to New York, Boston, Baltimore and Sacramento and has spread to Napa and Lake States as of June 29, well above state data. FBI and Justice Department offi cials said Pitts, Washington D.C., said Patrick Burke, a meteorolo- counties, its smoke drifting some the average of about 2mn acres In 2017, a near record 10mn a US native with “an extensive criminal history” gist with the NWS Weather Prediction Center in 120km south toward San Fran- for the same calendar period over acres were burned in wildfi res, was arrested Sunday after discussing how to carry College Park, Maryland. barely contained wildfi re cisco, leaving fi lms of ash on the the last 10 years, according to the the National Interagency Co- out the attack with the undercover agent. “Hot is the only word for it,” Burke said. in northern California cars and windows of Bay area National Interagency Fire Center, ordination Center said. They had been watching him for months after The first heatwave in the eastern US might Agrew by about one-third residents. a monitoring group. The agency issued a forecast in he made statements in support of Al Qaeda and bring record hot temperatures to Syracuse, New overnight to 44,500 acres, the Only about 3% of the fi re’s area California and Colorado have June for “above-normal signifi cant expressed “violent intentions” against groups in- York, which might top 100F, Burke said. state’s Department of Forestry has been contained, fi re offi cials been hard hit. large fi re potential” this month in cluding the US armed forces, Anthony said. Cities from St Louis to New York, Chicago and and Fire Protection said yester- said. The largest wildfi re in Colo- southern California and the Four The posts called for Muslims to train in hand- Boston will be in the mid-90s, but the humidity day, during a busier-than-usual Residents in some parts of rado, the 416 Fire, has consumed Corners region of Colorado, New to-hand combat and in the use of arms and explo- will push the heat index up, making it feel like year for US wildfi res. rural Yolo County have been or- more than 51,000 acres, about Mexico, Arizona and Utah, because sives, Anthony said. 100-to-105F, he said. The County Fire broke out on dered to evacuate. 21km north of Durango in the of a deepening drought and ample “His Facebook posts, quite frankly, were dis- Baltimore, MD and Albany, NY, might hit 99 Saturday in Yolo County, about Wildfi res have burned through southwestern part of the state. fuel for wildfi res. turbing,” he said. degrees, he said. Pitts was charged with attempting to provide “It’s going to be a hot week everywhere east support to a designated foreign terrorist organi- of the Rockies,” Burke said. “At risk populations zation, which can bring up to 20 years in prison. should definitely seek cool shelter.” It was the fourth arrest in the United States The hot weather is dangerous for young this year of someone accused of plotting for or children, the elderly and people with health Cohen says family, US have his ‘fi rst loyalty’ in support of a militant group, according to Sea- problems. mus Hughes of the George Washington University Don’t expect much relief overnight for the next Program on Extremism, which tracks such cases. few days as nighttime lows might not dip below Reuters “I am not a villain of this story loyalty and always will,” he said. “I Cohen did a small fraction of his Last December a Bangladeshi immigrant who 80F, the weather service said. Washington and I will not allow others to try put family and country fi rst.” overall legal work. pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group (IS) A bubble of high pressure air floating over to depict me that way.” Prosecutors are investigat- Trump has denied collusion was arrested after he set off a pipe bomb in New northern Tennessee is to blame, he said, locking The comments to ABC were ing Cohen for possible bank and with Russia, calling the investiga- York, mainly injuring himself. the hot air in a large swath of the eastern US, S President Donald Cohen’s his fi rst signifi cant re- tax fraud, possible campaign law tion a witch hunt, while Moscow On October 31, an immigrant from Uzbekistan Burke said. Trump’s longtime per- marks to a major media outlet violations linked to a $130,000 has denied election meddling. also expressing support for IS, ploughed a truck Cities across the region from the Mississippi Usonal lawyer Michael since federal prosecutors in New payment to adult fi lm actress Cohen, in the interview, dis- through a crowd on a busy pedestrian and cyclist river to the East Coast have set up cooling cen- Cohen, in a television interview York raided his home, offi ce and Stormy Daniels, and other mat- missed Trump’s characteriza- path, killing eight. tres to keep people out of the dangerous heat. aired yesterday, declared his loy- hotel room in April. Cohen and ters related to Trump’s cam- tion of the investigation and said The FBI said Pitts was focused on the possible alty to his family and the United his lawyer, Guy Petrillo, did not paign, a person familiar with the it was “unsustainable” to accept locations of an attack and that it was not clear States and said he would fi ght immediately respond to Reuters’ investigation has told Reuters. Russian President Vladimir Pu- whether he had the ability himself to carry it aggravated robbery and domestic violence, ac- back if the president or his legal request for comment. Trump has alternately defend- tin’s denial of interference. out, including whether he could acquire or build cording to the FBI. team tried to discredit him. Documents and fi les were seized ed Cohen, expressed outrage over He also told ABC he would fully bombs. In several meetings with FBI agents since last Cohen’s comments to ABC from Cohen as part of an inves- the raid and distanced himself cooperate with US Special Counsel Offi cials also said it was uncertain if Pitts had a year, he expressed a desire to arrange attacks in News signalled that he may tigation stemming in part from a from the man who has described Robert Mueller and that he had pro- network inside or outside the United States. Cleveland, and also in Philadelphia where he used abandon Trump and co-operate referral by the US special counsel himself as a “fi xer” for Trump vided documents but not yet been But he spoke of bomb-laden, remote-control- to live. with prosecutors investigating offi ce probing possible collusion long before he became president. interviewed by Mueller’s team. led cars piloted into the crowd at the annual pa- In recent weeks he undertook surveillance of his business dealings. between Russia and Trump’s 2016 In April Trump blamed news In the separate federal case in rade, as well as a possible “large scale” attack on possible attack sites in Cleveland. “I will not be a punching bag presidential campaign. outlets for trying to destroy his New York, Trump and Cohen have the prominent Roman Catholic St John’s Cathe- In a meeting with the undercover agent Sunday as part of anyone’s defence strat- Cohen has not been charged relationship with Cohen, tweet- sought to block thousands of fi les, dral in the city. morning, Anthony said: “Pitts again, on his own, egy,” Cohen said in the inter- but made clear his allegiances ing that he did not think he would citing attorney-client privilege. A Pitts carried a concealed weapon and had a expressed his allegiance to Al Qaeda, his desire to view, which was taped during the in the interview. “My wife, my “fl ip” allegiances. court-appointed special master is criminal history that included felonious assault, participate in a terror attack on July 4.” weekend. daughter and my son have my fi rst Trump later told reporters reviewing their claims. Obrador commits to Nafta after landslide win

Reuters ing to support the signing of the lated Lopez Obrador in a Twit- op Mexico and Central America dent economic policies and the Mexico City agreement,” he told Milenio TV ter message on Sunday night, a in order to contain illegal migra- independence of the central bank. in an telephone interview, saying White House aide then reiterated tion. His economic advisers repeat- the aim was a deal on the North one of the US leader’s most con- Lopez Obrador, a 64-year-old ed this message in a call yester- exico’s next president, Atlantic Free Trade Agreement troversial campaign promises. former mayor of Mexico City, day with investors. Andres Manuel Lopez that was good for Mexico. “In the case of Mexico, ob- won more than 53% of votes in Even so, the peso weakened 1% MObrador, said yesterday He also said he would pursue a viously we share a border with Sunday’s election, preliminary against the dollar and Mexico’s he will seek to remain in Nafta frank dialogue and friendly rela- them (and) this president has results showed. S&P/BMV IPC benchmark stock along with the United States and tions with the United States. made very clear about building Mexicans also voted for con- index was also down almost 1% Canada and that he respects the Lopez Obrador, who will take that wall and having Mexico pay gressional candidates and thou- as exit polls showed Lopez Ob- existing Mexican team renegoti- offi ce in December, said he would for it,” Kellyanne Conway said on sands of state and local govern- rador’s MORENA party could ating the trade pact. discuss Nafta with President Fox News. ment posts. win the fi rst outright majority in Lopez Obrador won a landslide Enrique Pena Nieto in their fi rst Mexican politicians across Lopez Obrador won the big- Congress in over 20 years. election victory on Sunday, get- meeting after the election, set for the political spectrum have long gest share of the vote in a Mexi- Pollsters’ early estimates sug- ting more than double the votes today. said that Mexico will not pay for can presidential election since gested the party was close to of his nearest rival, dealing a re- US President Donald Trump Trump’s proposed wall along the the early 1980s, giving him a winning the lower house but far- sounding blow to establishment has been openly antagonistic to southern US border, which he has strong mandate both to address ther away in the Senate. parties and becoming the fi rst Mexico over trade and migration said is needed to keep out both il- the country’s domestic problems Rating agency Moody’s said leftist to win the Mexican presi- since his own presidential cam- legal immigrants and narcotics. and to face external challenges Lopez Obrador’s election win dency since one-party rule end- paign. Lopez Obrador has said he like the threat of a trade war with brought short-term market vol- ed in 2000. The current Nafta talks began wants to make Mexico more eco- the United States. atility and raised risks for the oil “We are going to accompany last year after Trump called for nomically independent of the In his victory speech and in sector, after he reiterated com- Mexico’s President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador addresses the current government in this the agreement to be renegotiated United States. comments to local TV networks, ments that he would review oil supporters as his wife Beatriz Gutierrez Muller looks on in Mexico negotiation, we are going to be to better serve US interests. At the same time, he also hopes Lopez Obrador sought to assure contracts issued under Pena Ni- City late on Sunday. very respectful, and we are go- Although Trump congratu- to persuade Trump to help devel- investors he would pursue pru- eto for signs of corruption. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 AFRICA

Nigeria cops demand AU summit overshadowed delayed salary arrears

AFP ducted with no explanation giv- Maiduguri en, he added. Offi cers were unable to give money to their families for food by Sahel ‘security failings’ ome 2,000 police offi cers and school fees, he said. stationed in Boko Haram- “How do they expect us to By Hademine Ould Sadi, AFP Shit northeast Nigeria yes- maintain security when we are Nouakchott terday demanded months of back hungry and frustrated, when pay in a angry protest marked by we haven’t seen our families for teargas and gunshots fi red into months and can’t discharge our rench President Emmanuel Macron the air. basic responsibilities as hus- yesterday joined African leaders Members of the mobile police bands and fathers?” he asked. Fgathered in the Mauritanian capital (MOPOL) units, who perform es- “Our patience has been ex- for the fi nal day of a summit overshad- cort duties as well as man check- hausted. All we are saying is they owed by security issues after militants points and patrol with the military, should give us our money.” hammered two fragile Sahel states in suc- demanded up to six months’ ar- Another said they had not been cessive attacks. rears and better accommodation. paid for six months while provi- Macron landed yesterday afternoon for They blocked the main road sion of food had been stopped an exceptional appearance at an African outside the police headquarters and offi cers have been forced to Union (AU) summit. in the Borno state capital, Mai- sleep in the open as there was no He is expected to discuss hurdles facing duguri, chanting slogans includ- accommodation. a fi ve-nation French-backed anti-terror ing “Pay us our allowances or There was no immediate com- unit, the “G5 Sahel” force. there will be no peace.” ment from the police authorities. “Our thoughts are with our Malian An AFP reporter at the scene Non-payment of salaries is friends after tragic and cowardly attacks,” said the protesters let off teargas not unusual in Nigeria, particu- Macron said. and fi red volleys of gunshots into larly in recent years, as the coun- “Several French soldiers were injured the air. Other offi cers were sent try slid towards recession after and are being evacuated. The fi rst victims out to prevent reporters cover- the collapse of global oil prices are Malian civilians.” ing the protest but the demon- from mid-2014. As the summit opened on Sunday, a strators stepped in to stop them, In 2015, public sector workers bomb aimed at French soldiers in Mali’s leading to scuffl es, he added. in 30 out of Nigeria’s 36 states troubled north killed four civilians and One protester told AFP the last were owed wages. injured over 20 people. Four soldiers were time he was paid he received only In recent months, university among the wounded. 23,000 naira ($64) — just 5,000 staff , oil and gas workers and In Niger, Boko Haram insurgents tar- Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Republic of the Congo’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso, French Foreign Aff airs Minister naira more than the national hospital doctors have gone on geted a military position in the southeast, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou and Senegalese President Macky Sall meet informally on the sidelines minimum wage. strike over salary arrears dating killing 10 soldiers — a reminder of the of the African Union summit in Nouakchott yesterday. A “large part” had been de- back as far as 2009. peril that Nigeria’s notorious extremists pose to neighbouring countries. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita told Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould “tri-border” area where Mali, Niger and On Friday, a suicide bombing hit the France 24 yesterday. Abdel Aziz, hosting the gathering of more Burkina Faso meet, and alongside the Declared dead, woman found alive in morgue fridge headquarters of the G5 Sahel in central Apparently linking insecurity in the than 40 heads of state and government, UN’s 12,000-strong MINUSMA peace- Mali, fuelling concerns about its ability to Sahel to the migrant crisis shaking Eu- said Friday’s bombing “hit (at) the heart” keeping operation in Mali. A South African woman declared where — several hours later — she tackle militant groups roaming the region. ropean politics, he warned: “If the Sahel of security in the Sahel and lashed out at Aziz said the G5 was a “sovereign ini- dead after a car crash was later was found to be alive. It was the fi rst attack on the headquar- falls to terrorist threats, the shores of the a lack of international help. tiative” of Sahel states that face not only found alive in a morgue fridge, in Bradnick said, given the sever- ters of the fi ve-nation force, set up with Mediterranean will be overwhelmed.” The Al Qaeda-linked Support Group security problems but drought, poverty, a case that is baff ling paramedics. ity of her injuries, it is not possible French backing in 2017 to fi ght militants Separately, the summit also decided to for Islam and Muslims, the main extrem- unemployment and traffi cking. “When our ambulance arrived the woman moved or made a and criminal groups in the vast and un- create a body, based in the Moroccan cap- ist alliance in the Sahel, have claimed The string of attacks in the vast Sahel on the scene, we followed all the sound, but must have been found stable Sahel region. ital of Rabat, to help co-ordinate national both Friday’s attack on the G5 Sahel base region hijacked a summit agenda meant procedures,” Gerrit Bradnick, op- to be breathing. The G5 Sahel leaders — from Burkina policies on migration. and Sunday’s on French troops. to focus on free trade, funding and cor- erations manager at ambulance He said she could not have Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger “These attacks should strengthen our The G5 aims to have a total of 5,000 ruption. Currently, African countries only service Distress Alert, told DPA. been aware of where she was. — met Sunday to prepare for talks with determination to fi ght terrorism to en- troops from the fi ve nations but has faced conduct about 16% of their business with “There were no signs of life,” he The woman was then taken to Macron. sure our populations’ security,” Niger’s funding problems and lack of equipment. each other, the smallest amount of intra- added, explaining that the woman hospital, he said, adding that his team “We won’t let Mali fall apart, we will president, Mahamadou Issoufou, told It is intended to operate alongside regional trade compared to Latin America, was then taken to the morgue is “devastated” about the mishap. assume our responsibilities,” Malian AFP on the sidelines of the summit. France’s 4,000 troops in the troubled Asia, North America and Europe. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11 ASIA Thai boys trapped in cave found alive

AFP Mae Sai

welve boys and their football coach trapped in Ta fl ooded Thai cave for nine days were found alive late yesterday, sparking elation after The missing boys, with their coach, are seen here in a photo taken from the coach’s Facebook page. days of painstaking searching by specialist divers through muddy piem, whose 12-year-old son far from over with a complex Shamans and Buddhist waters and winding tunnels. Mongkol is among the 13. operation predicted to try to monks have held prayers and There had been no contact “I found out from the televi- bring the group several kilome- given off erings at the cave im- with the boys, aged between 11 sion... I’m so happy I can’t put it tres through the cave – which is ploring mountain “spirits” to and 16, since they went missing into words,” another relative of still partially submerged and is return the boys safely. with their 25-year-old coach one of one of the group told tel- linked by tight passages. The football team went into last Saturday. evision reporters with tears of Loved ones, friends and the cave on June 23 after a train- The massive rescue eff ort joy streaming down his cheeks. teachers of the “Wild Boar” ing session and became strand- had for days been hampered Earlier yesterday divers took football team refused to give ed when heavy rains cut them by heavy rains that fl ooded the advantage of a brief window of up hope of seeing the young off from the entrance. Tham Luang cave in northern good weather to edge further players again. Rescuers found their bicy- Thailand, blocking access to into the cave, with the wa- Scores of divers – including cles, football boots and back- chambers where it was hoped ter levels dropping slowly but foreign experts – have been sent packs near the cave’s entrance the group would be found alive. steadily every hour thanks to into the cave with hundreds of and discovered handprints and But late yesterday Chiang Family members celebrate while camping out near Than Luang cave following news all members of chil- round-the-clock pumping. oxygen tanks, establishing a footprints further in. Rai provincial governor broke dren’s football team and their coach were alive in the cave at Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park in the Mae They had hoped to fi nd the base camp inside the chambers At 10km long, Tham Luang the news of their rescue by na- Sai district of Chiang Rai province late yesterday. “Wild Boar” team on an el- over the weekend. cave is one of Thailand’s longest val divers, delighting a nation evated ledge dubbed “Pattaya Thailand has been a nation and one of the toughest to navi- which has anxiously followed Osottanakorn told reporters, have not eaten for a while.” an increasingly desperate vigil beach”. transfi xed by the plight of the gate, with its snaking chambers every twist and turn of the who broke into spontaneous The condition of the group hugged and smiled as news of But the boys had retreated “Wild Boar” team, with social and narrow passageways. dramatic eff ort to save them. applause and cheering. was not immediately clear after the miracle rescue fi ltered back. 300-400m further as the ledge media lighting up in support A sign outside the site “We found all 13 safe... we “We will bring food to them days underground. “I’m so glad... I want to him was submerged, Governor of the group and the country’s warns visitors not to enter the will take care of them until and a doctor who can dive. I am But overjoyed relatives who to be physically and mentally Narongsak added. deeply spiritual refl exes stirred cave during the rainy season they can move,” Narongsak not sure they can eat as they had clustered near the cave in fi t,” said Tinnakorn Boon- The team’s travails appear into action. between July and November. UN chief hears of ‘unimaginable’ atrocities Seven die in Nepal as he visits Rohingya camps in Bangladesh fl oods IANS AFP “Sometimes people tend to Kim said the hardship in the Kathmandu Kutupalong, forget who is responsible for camps was “one of the most what happened. So let’s be clear disturbing situations we’ve where the responsibility is – it is ever seen”. t least seven persons were N Secretary-General in Myanmar. “I was appalled, but the en- killed and several others Antonio Guterres said “But it’s true the whole in- tire world should be appalled by Ainjured across Nepal due Uhe heard “unimagi- ternational community was not what we’re seeing,” he said. to fl oods and landslides in the nable” accounts of atrocities able to stop (it). The responsi- A UN Security Council del- wake of incessant rains in the last during a visit yesterday to bilities of the crime committed egation visited Myanmar’s Ra- 24 hours, offi cials said yesterday. Bangladesh’s refugee camps in Myanmar needs to be attrib- khine state in early May, meet- The MeT warned of rain for and called for Myanmar to be uted to those who committed ing refugees who gave detailed another two days. held responsible for “crimes” those crimes.” accounts of killings, rape and At least four persons were killed against Rohingyas. The level of “unparalleled” villages torched at the hands of in Banke district, Superintend- Guterres described the situa- suff ering created “an obligation the military. ent of Police Tek Bahadur Tamang tion for the persecuted Muslim to put pressure on Myanmar for Myanmar has vehemently said. Three persons were killed in minority as “a humanitarian the situation to change there”, denied allegations by the United landslide in Rolpa district. and human rights nightmare” Guterres added. States, the UN and others of After the rains, landslides were before touring makeshift shel- The bulk of the Rohingyas in ethnic cleansing. triggered in the hilly areas while ters crammed with people who Bangladesh, or some 700,000 Bangladesh and Myanmar most of the Terai region or plains escaped a huge Myanmar army people, fl ooded across the bor- agreed in November to begin were waterlogged and hundreds operation last year that the UN der last August to escape the repatriating the Rohingyas but of homes and paddy fi elds sub- has likened to ethnic cleansing. violence. the process has stalled, with merged in water, they added. The UN chief heard harrow- Guterres, accompanied by both sides accusing the other of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, centre, arrives at the Kutupalong refugee camp during his visit The meteorology department ing testimony of rape and vio- World Bank head Jim Yong frustrating the eff ort. to the Rohingya community in Bangladesh’s southeastern border district of Cox’s Bazar yesterday. had advised people living across lence from refugees living in the Kim, said he heard “unimagi- Fewer than 200 have been the three big rivers originating in crowded camps, where nearly a nable accounts of killing and resettled, and the vast majority Mohibullah, a community Guterres said the preliminary Guterres thanked Bangla- the Himalayas to stay away as the million Rohingyas have sought rape” during his fi rst visit to the refuse to contemplate returning leader for the displaced mi- deal was a “fi rst step” towards desh, an impoverished nation of water had crossed the danger level. refuge from successive waves of Rohingya camps as UN chief. until their rights, citizenship nority, said he raised concerns securing “progressive recog- 160mn prone to natural disas- Reports from various districts violence in Myanmar. “Nothing could’ve prepared and safety are assured. with Guterres about the UN nition of the rights of these ters, for opening its doors to the said that several highways across the “It is probably one of the me for the scale of crisis and Around 100 Rohingyas staged agreement not referring to the people”. Rohingya. country were blocked by landslides, most tragic, historic, system- extent of suff ering I saw today,” a protest just before Guterres’s Rohingyas by name. The United Nations has said “That is a lesson for many leaving commuters stranded. atic violations of human rights,” Guterres said on Twitter. visit, unhappy about a prelimi- Myanmar refers to the Ro- that conditions in Rakhine are countries that are much more According to the ministry of home Guterres told reporters in Ku- “I heard heartbreaking ac- nary UN deal with Myanmar to hingyas as “Bengalis” as it does not conducive for the refugees’ developed, see a few thousand aff airs, at least 1,672 persons were tupalong camp, the world’s counts from Rohingya refugees assess conditions on the ground not recognise the Muslim group safe, voluntary and dignifi ed re- people coming, and close the killed due to fl oods and landslide in largest refugee settlement. that will stay with me forever.” for their possible return home. as native to the country. patriation. borders,” he said. Nepal in the past seven years. Vietnam jails Myanmarese court urged to drop case former central against Reuters pair

AFP rights groups and foreign ob- Yangon servers as an assault on media bank offi cial freedom and an eff ort to sti- fl e reporting on the Rohingya lawyer for two Reuters crisis. AFP senior state bank offi cial to be journalists accused of Yesterday a judge said the Hanoi convicted. Abreaching Myanmar’s court will decide on July 9 The court said Binh over- draconian secrecy law yester- whether the pair will face trial. saw the restructuring of pri- day said the pair were simply After delivering closing ar- former deputy governor vate Vietnam Construction doing their job by reporting guments yesterday, lawyer of Vietnam’s central bank Bank (VNCB) in a dodgy deal on a massacre of Rohingya Khin Maung Zaw said he urged Awas jailed for three years that caused losses of more than Muslims and urged a judge to the court not to take the case yesterday for negligence after $600mn. dismiss the case. any further. he oversaw a dodgy restructur- He was sentenced to three Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe His clients “were carrying ing scheme that lost the state years in jail yesterday for “neg- Dang Thanh Binh (front) and other defendants listen during verdict session of their trial at a court in Ho Oo, 28, are accused of breach- out their responsibilities as $600mn. ligence causing serious conse- Chi Minh city yesterday. ing the Offi cial Secrets Act journalists,” he said. Dang Thanh Binh is the most quences” over the huge scheme, – which carries up to 14 years “It is not government’s re- senior State Bank of Vietnam of- a court clerk confi rmed to AFP. chairman Pham Cong Danh ... Though the communist coun- doled out – including the death in jail – during their reporting sponsibility to cover up or fi cial ever jailed and joins scores Binh colluded with VNCB to cause losses of $635mn,” it try has enjoyed strong economic penalty given to the former head of a military crackdown on the hide if its security forces do of bankers already behind bars boss Pham Cong Danh, who has added. growth in recent years – GDP ex- of Ocean Bank Nguyen Xuan Son. Rohingya minority. wrong,” the attorney added. for the multi-million dollar already been jailed for 30 years The State Bank of Vietnam lat- panded by 7.08% in the fi rst half His misdeeds have been The pair have been held In his summary, prosecu- scam. for his role. er acquired VNCB for $0 to save of 2018 – progress is dragged by linked to the country’s largest oil in custody for more than six tion counsel Kyaw Min Aung Vietnam’s conservative lead- State media said Binh knew it from folding. endemic corruption. fi rm, PetroVietnam (PVN), an- months during protracted said the reporters tried to ership has targeted the corrup- the restructuring was causing Binh denied any wrongdo- The country’s public debt is other high-profi le target of the pre-trial hearings. access “secret papers” and tion-plagued banking sector major losses but failed to report ing in the week-long trial in Ho soaring and long-promised re- administration’s crackdown. The Myanmar nationals therefore deserved punish- with impunity as its sweeping it – or stop it. Chi Minh City, which follows forms of bloated state-run en- Several former PVN execu- were arrested in December ment under the secrecy law. anti-graft campaign picks up “Dang Thanh Binh knew of the convictions of more than terprises have stalled, leaving the tives have been jailed for corrup- and accused of possession The reporters say they were steam. the report on mistakes at VNBC 60 others connected to the case government cash-strapped. tion, including former politburo of leaked sensitive material entrapped by police – a ver- Both state-run and private but did not provide measures to since last year. The banking sector has come member Dinh La Thang who linked to security operations sion of events endorsed in banks have found themselves in fi x the problem,” state-run VN- Vietnam’s notorious banking under fi re since a hardline admin- lost his appeal bid last week and in crisis-hit Rakhine state. court by a whistleblowing cop the crosshairs of the campaign Express said. sector is plagued by bad debts, istration took over two years ago. will now serve 30 years on two The allegations against who testifi ed that offi cers were but Binh is the fi rst and most “Binh’s actions aided bank corruption and nepotism. Harsh sentences have been separate convictions. them have been pilloried by ordered to set up the reporters. Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 AUSTRALSIA/EAST ASIA

Video of shark in Malaysia restaurant aquarium sparks outrage

AFP capital Kuala Lumpur showed the Facebook post. “How can Targeted by commercial fi sh- There are 68 species of sharks rant, which had murals of sea circles non-stop,” he added. “I Kuala Lumpur the animal swimming back and anyone enter that place and eat eries, the blacktip is classifi ed in Malaysian waters, though creatures, including sharks, on wanted to think of how to save forth in the fi sh tank described in or drink there?” “Free Charlie as near threatened by protection only one, the whale shark, is the walls. this creature, it did not do any- the post to be “barely 6 ft long, the Shark!!” Luis ON wrote, re- group the International Union for protected. The animals are gen- “As a diver this got me all ex- thing to deserve being treated video of a blacktip shark 3ft deep and 3ft high”. ferring to the animal’s name. Conservation of Nature (IUCN). erally hunted by fi shing vessels, cited. As I walked into the cafe like this. THIS IS ANIMAL CRU- being kept in an aquarium It had 17,000 views and 283 Blacktip sharks can be found in Malaysian Nature Society presi- with shark fi n viewed as a deli- admiring the place and the un- ELTY!!!!!!!!” Aat a Malaysian restaurant shares as of yesterday, with warm temperate and tropical wa- dent Henry Goh said sharks be- cacy by many Asians and often derwater themed decor... 5 steps Attempts by AFP to reach the has sparked online anger, with many commenters expressing ters along coastal areas across the long in the wild and cannot be served as a soup at expensive into the shop... to my horror I restaurant’s owners were unsuc- many calling for the animal’s outrage at the animal’s cramped world, ranging from the Atlan- treated like domestic animals for Chinese banquets. The person saw a Blacktip shark in an aquar- cessful. release from its confi ning home. living conditions. tic to Indian and Pacifi c Oceans. commercial use. “Sharks are free who posted the video under the ium inside the cafe,” he wrote. However, posts on local food The eight-second video posted “Release the poor animal, They can grow up to 8ft-long and ranging and should be left free in Facebook account Renaza Resort “Sitting in the cafe made me blogs suggest the animal may on Facebook by a diver who went this is absurd and so primitive,” weigh up to 100kg, according to its natural habitat, the open sea,” Indonesia on June 29 said he had feel really sick and disgusted have been kept there since April to the restaurant outside the Nicky Cooper commented on the National Geographic website. he told AFP. gone for dinner at the restau- as I watched the shark swim in 2015.

Australia supermarket staff ers Indonesia calls off struggle with plastic bags ban

AFP union that represents shop as- solutely no excuse for abusive or Sydney sistants — showed that of the violent behaviour towards retail operation to retrieve 141 members employed by the staff ,” Gerard Dwyer, the union’s two chains to respond so far, 61 national secretary said in a state- ozens of supermarket staff said they had been subjected to ment. He said the ban could also have suff ered abuse as two abusive behaviour. It included a pose a health risk, with people Dmajor Australian grocery worker being assaulted by a cus- bringing fi lthy used bags to pack chains struggled to impose a ban tomer after being told there were their shopping without consider- sunken ferry remains on single-use plastic bags, with no free plastic bags at a store in ing hygiene issues. “In some cas- one irate customer putting his Western Australia state. es, customers have attempted to hands around a shop assistant’s “A male customer in the self- use bags which contained vomit, Reuters “We’ve already had face- throat. serve area swore loudly at a fe- dirty nappies or rat faeces. This Jakarta to-face discussions with the Woolworths and Coles last male worker,” the union’s assist- is obviously unacceptable and families of the victims (on) the year announced plans to volun- ant secretary Ben Harris told AFP presents a serious health risk to diffi culties faced in the fi eld tarily remove free lightweight yesterday. “She provided him retail staff ,” he said. ndonesia said yesterday it (and) reasons why we won’t plastic bags from their stores na- with some complimentary bags According to US journal Sci- was calling off a two-week continue; why we want to end tionally and instead off er more and apologised.” The customer ence, 8mn tonnes of plastic are Ioperation to retrieve the it,” Latif said by telephone. environmentally friendly reus- then made a mistake by scanning dumped into the Earth’s oceans bodies of nearly 200 passen- “They understand why we’re able bags for 15 Aus cents (11 US an item twice, but when the same and seas each year, with toxic gers thought to have drowned stopping.” cents) each. worker came to help him, “he particles ingested by fi sh and, in one of the world’s deepest According to Mohamed Il- The Coles ban came into force walked up behind her and put his through the food chain, by hu- volcanic lakes. The overcrowd- yas, head of the Agency for the on Sunday. Woolworths’ took ef- hands around her throat”, Harris mans. In response to mounting ed wooden ferry capsized dur- Assessment and Application fect on June 20, but the company said. community calls for change, all ing a storm on June 18 in Lake of Technology, the wreckage was forced to delay the move by Other customers have thrown states and territories in Australia Toba, which is around 450m was found on Saturday, but the 10 days after customers com- grocery items on the fl oor and now either have a plastic bag ban deep, as travellers were head- remotely operated underwater plained, with staff bearing the stormed off after swearing at or are planning one, except New ing home after the Eid holiday vehicle used to fi nd it had also brunt of their anger. A survey by staff . “While we understand that South Wales. Retailers face fi nes marking the end of the fasting become stuck in ropes con- the Shop, Distributive and Allied some customers may be frus- of up to A$6,000 if they do not season. nected to the ferry. “We have Employees’ Association — the trated by this change, there is ab- comply. Eighteen passengers sur- proven 100 percent” that the A relative of missing passengers of a ferry that sank holds a flower vived, three were confi rmed ferry is there, Ilyas said, add- before throwing it into Lake Toba in Simalungun, North Sumatra, dead and nearly 200 are miss- ing that the submersible was Indonesia. Aboriginal Australians bearing ing. The operation to fi nd the later retrieved but needed to ferry and retrieve the victims be repaired as its cable had burden of chronic disease: study has faced numerous techni- broken. cal and logistical hurdles — Rescuers earlier said they dangerous currents and cold, were considering borrowing Indigenous Australians are researchers from the University for Aboriginal and Torres Strait murky water far deeper than a heavier vehicle from Singa- more likely than non-Indigenous of New South Wales, who Islander Australians... is more than any scuba diver can go — in a pore to retrieve the victims Australians to have two or more analysed data from almost 5.5mn twice that of other Australians, lake that has never been com- and the vessel, but that plan chronic health conditions, new people. and non-communicable diseases pletely surveyed. was cancelled as it would take medical research has shown. The Australia is home to over 24mn are responsible for 70% of the Video footage taken last more than three weeks and prevalence of multi-morbidities people, and around 3.3% identify diff erence.” week using a remotely op- was “high cost”, Latif said. — the presence of two or more as Aboriginal and Torres Strait The researchers examined multi- erated underwater vehicle Craig Chesner, a geologist from chronic health conditions — in Islander and are near the bottom morbidity among Aboriginal and showed human remains, mo- Eastern Illinois University who Aboriginal and Torres Strait of all modern economic and non-Aboriginal people in New torcycles and ropes from the conducted a survey of Toba in Islander Australians is 2.6 times social indicators. “Life expectancy South Wales, the most populated ferry at a depth of 450m. Res- 2012, said the ferry had sunk higher than in non-Indigenous at birth of Aboriginal and state in Australia, by analysing cue spokesman Mohamed Yu- “in the deepest part of the en- Australians, according to a study Torres Strait Islander peoples hospital and mortality data. suf Latif confi rmed that the tire lake”. published yesterday by the is estimated to be 11.5 years Aboriginal Australians are 2.4 search operation would end, According to media reports, Medical Journal of Australia. lower for men and 9.7 years times more likely to die in any adding that an offi cial state- a monument will be erected by The gap “accounted for much lower for women than for other given year than non-Aboriginal ment would likely be made the government in memory of Relatives of missing passengers react during a visit to the location of of the diff erence in mortality Australians,” the researchers Australians of the same age today. victims. the ferry that sank at Lake Toba in Simalungun, North Sumatra. between the two groups,” said said. “The burden of disease group and socio-economic status. Japan to buy advanced US radar for missile defence system

Reuters Japanese offi cials could make The Japanese budget pro- have estimated the cost of the kyo with tariff s on steel, threats Aegis Ashore’s SM-3 Block IIA pledge in Singapore to work to- Tokyo their radar choice for two Ae- posal comes amid an easing of two Aegis Ashore batteries at of levies on car imports and calls missiles; Lockheed Martin is the ward denuclearisation of the Ko- gis Ashore batteries it wants to tensions following the June 12 about $2bn. The fi nal tally, in- for a bilateral trade deal between prime contractor. rean peninsula. Trump in return deploy in 2023. That means the meeting in Singapore between cluding the SPY-6 or LRDR, the two countries. The SPY-6 radar is designed ordered a halt to large-scale mili- apan will next week pick a purchase can be added to a de- President Donald Trump and which can detect targets several At a joint news conference for the US Navy’s fl eet of Aegis- tary drills with South Korea. US-made advanced radar for fence budget proposal slated for North Korean leader Kim Jong- times farther away than existing with Japanese Prime Minister equipped warships. The LRDR Japan, which hosts about Jits multibillion-dollar mis- release in August, three sources un. Although Japanese military Aegis systems operated by Japan Shinzo Abe in June, Trump said will be integrated into the US 50,000 US military personnel, sile defence system, an upgrade with knowledge of the plan told planners still see North Korea as or the US, could be at least twice Abe had pledged to buy “billions Ground-Based Midcourse De- including the biggest overseas that could help ease trade fric- Reuters, declining to be identifi ed an immediate danger, they view that, the sources said. Although and billions of dollars of addi- fence anti-ballistic missile sys- concentration of US Marines and tion with Washington and pro- because they are not authorised China’s growing military power the upgrade adds expense, it fi ts tional products of all kinds.” Abe tem in Alaska by 2020. Both a US Navy carrier strike group, vide cutting-edge protection to speak to the media. as a bigger long-term threat. The with Trump’s stated desire to may meet Trump again around cutting-edge radars will allow has said it would not change against the arsenals of North The candidates are Raytheon People’s Liberation Army Rocket export more American military the time of the United Nations Japan to make full use of new its military posture until it see Korea and China, sources said. Co’s SPY-6 and a version of Lock- Force controls an arsenal of hun- hardware. General Assembly meeting in longer-range interceptors and concrete signs that Pyongyang “Aegis will be a big-ticket heed Martin Corp’s Long Range dreds of ballistic missiles that In a visit to Tokyo in Novem- New York in September, a Japa- could be used to defend against is prepared to permanently dis- purchase; it will be a nice gift for Discrimination Radar (LRDR), the could reach Japan. Upgrades to ber, he welcomed Japan’s pro- nese government offi cial told any future threat posed by Chi- mantle its nuclear weapons and President Trump,” said a Japa- sources said. Japan had sought the Japan’s missile defences system curement of F-35 stealth fi ghters Reuters. He declined to say what nese missiles. ballistic missile programs. nese government offi cial, refer- SPY-6 when it agreed to buy Aegis would make it one of the world’s and urged Japan to buy more US the two leaders would discuss. Japan’s military procurement “Aegis Ashore will go ahead ring to the ground-based Aegis Ashore last year, but Washington most advanced. weapons and goods. Trump has Raytheon and Mitsubishi proposals for the year starting because Japan needs it,” one of Ashore system. was reluctant to supply it. Japanese defence offi cials since cranked up pressure on To- Heavy Industries developed April 1 come on the heels of Kim’s the sources said.

Japan emperor being treated for brain Royal couple condition: palace

Japan’s 84-year-old Emperor Akihito cancelled his off icial duties yesterday after being taken ill as a result of insuff icient blood flow to his brain, the country’s top government spokesman said. Akihito shocked the country in 2016 when he signalled his desire to step down after nearly three decades in the job, citing his age and health problems. Early yesterday the emperor “had a sudden feeling of sickness and heavy sweating” and Empress Michiko “immediately brought in the palace doctor,” Yoshihide Suga told reporters. The doctor diagnosed the emperor with “symptoms of vertigo and nausea due to cerebral anaemia, which require a complete rest and follow-up checks”, said Suga, the chief cabinet secretary, speaking at a regular press conference. Cerebral anaemia is a condition resulting from insuff icient blood flow to the brain. Akihito had been due to meet yesterday Japanese Princess Ayako, the third daughter of the late Prince with Princess Ayako, a daughter of Takamado, and her fiance Kei Moriya attend a news conference one of his cousins, to hear about her yesterday to announce their engagement at the Imperial Household engagement, a spokesman for the Agency in Tokyo, Japan. Imperial Household Agency told AFP. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 13 BRITAIN

OBITUARY CHAOS DEMAND CRIME LAW AND ORDER ‘Cats’ choreographer Hundreds of trains axed NHS England chief seeks 23,000 Fortnum Mason Warning over moped Gillian Lynne dies at 92 in new travel disruption stiff sentences for assaults customers hit by data hack gangs posing as police

Choreographer Gillian Lynne, who was best known Up to 350 trains were cancelled across The chief executive of NHS England yesterday The Queen’s grocer Fortnum & Mason has become Moped gangs are impersonating traff ic police to for her work on the long-running musicals Cats Thameslink and Great Northern routes yesterday called for tougher sentences for people who the latest household name business to suff er a pull over vehicles and threaten the occupants, and Phantom of the Opera, has died aged 92, on the first day of the parent company’s alleged assault frontline emergency workers. Simon major data breach after being targeted by hackers. in an escalation of the two-wheeled crimewave her husband said. Lynne died on Sunday at the “notice period”. Govia Thameslink Railway Stevens gave his backing to attempts by MPs The 311-year-old store warned about 23,000 sweeping London. Police warned motorists to Princess Grace Hospital in London. “She leaves could be stripped of its franchise if delays, to make it an “aggravating” factor to attack customers that details including e-mail and home be aware of the latest ploy after they were called behind a huge legacy and is adored by many,” her cancellations and overcrowding that followed frontline 999 staff . His comments came after he addresses and social media handles had been when a cab was boxed in on Chelsea Embankment husband, actor Peter Land, said on Twitter, paying timetable changes in May are not fixed soon. visited the London Ambulance Service, whose accessed. Most of those aff ected had entered their by two riders pretending to be undercover off icers. tribute to his “dearest wife and friend and love for As well as yesterday’s cancellations, GTR has staff suff er almost 500 assaults a year. Stevens details online when voting in the TV personality Both had fitted their helmets with blue flashing 40 years”. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote: “declassified” first-class compartments, so they said: “Too many paramedics, nurses, A&E of the year category at the store’s food and drink lights, which they switched on as they pulled “Farewell dearest Gillie, three generations of the can be used by standard ticket holders to ease doctors, say they are on the receiving end of awards. The poll had been organised by specialist alongside a car carrying American tourists last British musical owe so much to you.” Lynne trained overcrowding. The emergency measure will last assaults and violence from the people they are survey and voting company Typeform. Smaller Friday. The bikers told the occupants that the cab as a ballerina, working at the Sadler’s Wells Ballet for two weeks, and applies during the morning trying to look after. I think it is time to say that numbers had their details hacked after they had run a red light, but the passengers became and the Royal Ballet, before starting her career in peak (6.30am to 9.30pm) and evening peak if you beat up an ambulance crew you should entered a Fortnum-run competition for tickets for suspicious when the riders refused to identify musicals. (4pm to 7.15pm). expect to be prosecuted.” an exhibition of Charles I’s art collection. themselves. They called 999, and the bikers fled. Police probe Sunny spell trampoline ‘burst’ after toddler dies

Guardian News and Media “It is really infuriating when you London see MPs make sweeping state- ments like that. It is absolutely tragic what’s happened to the three-year-old girl who little girl, but it wasn’t a bouncy was killed when an in- castle – it was a sealed-air tram- A flatable trampoline col- poline. A bouncy castle uses lapsed on a beach had been continuous airfl ow and the air visiting the area with her fam- escapes out of the seams, so it ily, police said. Norfolk police couldn’t explode. He’s absolute- said the child, who has not ly got it wrong.” been named, was fatally injured Biggs added: “You always get when the licensed inflatable a kneejerk reaction, but it’s im- burst. portant to get the facts straight The girl, from Suffolk, was first. It’s like calling for a ban with her mother on the beach on motorbikes when some- at the time, they said. body’s had a crash on a push- Superintendent Roger Wilt- bike.” shire said: “The witnesses re- Halfon told Sky News: “I’m City workers take a break near City Hall in central London yesterday as the country basks in a hot summer spell. ported a loud bang before the not a killjoy, but bouncy cas- incident but we don’t know at tles, and things that are simi- this stage what caused the tram- lar to bouncy castles, clearly poline to apparently burst, and need to be banned in public ar- that’s the purpose of the investi- eas temporarily until there has gation that we will be undertak- been an urgent review by the ing over the next day or so.” government and the relevant Tributes including teddy authorities.” bears and bunches of flowers Biggs said the bouncy castle have been piling up against a industry was still trying to re- metal perimeter fence around cover from the fatal incident in PM gets new customs idea a cordoned-off area where the Halfon’s constituency in 2016, burst inflatable lay on the sand. which took place after a bouncy A joint investigation between castle had not been properly police, the Health and Safety secured in high winds. Executive and the local council Married fairground work- is under way. ers William Thurston, 29, and as party fi ghts over Brexit A Home Office postmor- Shelby Thurston, 26, were jailed tem examination is due to take for three years in June after they Reuters ernment dependent on the sup- bling ministers at her Chequers lect tariff s on imports from out- that their businesses will be hurt place to determine the cause of were found guilty of manslaugh- London port of a small Northern Irish country residence on Friday for side the bloc on the EU’s behalf. by a disorderly Brexit. her death. ter by gross negligence and of a party, has ruled out staying in the an “away-day” aimed at agreeing The other would implement a A record 75% of major British Robert Halfon, the Conserva- health and safety off ence. EU customs union, which groups the contents of a “white paper” technology-based plan. companies are now pessimistic tive MP for Harlow, Essex – Biggs said: “I’m all for regu- rime Minister Theresa EU members in a duty-free area policy document. Asked whether the white paper about Brexit, a survey showed where seven-year-old Summer lations for bouncy castles in May’s advisers have come where there is a common import “There is going to be a lot of would contain a range of policy yesterday, highlighting weak in- Grant was killed when a bouncy public places, but calling for a Pup with a new proposal tariff for non-EU goods. speculation between now and options or a settled government vestment and waning expecta- castle blew free from its moor- ban after this incident, which for handling customs with the So far, May’s advisers have Chequers, some of it might even position, May’s spokesman said: tions for sales. ings in 2016 – wants the gov- wasn’t even a bouncy castle, EU after Brexit as lawmakers in come up with two options, nei- be true, but I’m not going to en- “I would expect it to set out what May has so far shown some ernment to consider a tempo- is ignorant and endangering her party bicker before a crunch ther of which have the full sup- gage in it in advance of the away we want to achieve.” skill at keeping her dual negotia- rary ban on infl atables in public many people’s livelihoods. The meeting of senior ministers on port of her party. day taking place,” May’s spokes- Under the current timetable, tion with the EU and her lawmak- spaces. industry is already regulated, Friday. As EU negotiators await the man said when asked about the both London and Brussels are ers on track, though the 30-year He said he would be tabling with overview from the Health With less than nine months left long-delayed proposal from Lon- third option. Ahead of the away- working towards a fi nal Brexit schism inside her party over Eu- a parliamentary motion on the and Safety Executive.” before the country leaves the Eu- don, the BBC reported that of- day, May will meet German deal in October to give enough rope helped to sink the premier- issue after his request for an He added: “I’ve already had ropean Union, little is clear about fi cials have come up with a third Chancellor Angela Merkel in Ber- time to ratify it by Brexit day in ships of Margaret Thatcher, John urgent question was refused. two customers ring me con- how trade will fl ow as May is still model, though no details were lin on Thursday. March 2019. Major and David Cameron. Matt Biggs, who runs the Not- cerned that the same thing could trying to produce a customs plan immediately available and May’s Brussels has poured scorn on In a sign of just how worried big More than 30 Conservative tingham-based bouncy castle happen to them. I’ve had to ex- that her divided Conservative offi ce declined to comment on the both concepts raised so far by the business is getting, Siemens, Air- lawmakers have signed a letter hire fi rm Big Bounce, said Halfon plain that bouncy castles cannot Party can agree on. report. government. bus and BMW have publicly cau- demanding May “get tough” in was adding to public confusion. explode like the one on Sunday.” May, who leads a minority gov- May will gather the squab- Under one, Britain would col- tioned Britain in the past month negotiations.

Music fest Son who rushed to help Mattis intervenes in military budget row dad from yobs stabbed The UK meets the Nato target Guardian News and Media London of spending 2% of GDP on de- London Evening Standard spooked the man while he was Neighbour Maureen Ryan de- fence, but Theresa May and the London walking along minding his own scribed the father and son as Chancellor, Philip Hammond, business. They just started shout- “lovely people from a lovely fam- he US Defence Secretary, are ruling out any signifi cant in- ing at him in the street. ily”. She added: “The dad helps James Mattis, has made creases in spite of pressure from boy aged 14 was left fi ght- “He saw them on Sunday and everyone around here, he is a pil- Ta surprise intervention Williamson. ing for life after being confronted them saying, ‘Can I lar of the community, a real rock. in the row over UK defence France spends 1.7% of GDP on Astabbed when he rushed have a word.’ Then an argument We all look up to him. If anyone spending by warning France defence, below the Nato target, to help his father, who had con- started and one started shouting, needs any help he is the fi rst could replace the UK as Wash- but the country’s President, Em- fronted two yobs in the street ‘You are not my dad... I don’t know there. ington’s closest military ally in manuel Macron, who is aiming to over their anti-social behaviour. you.’ “He is a community-minded Europe. meet the goal, announced in Feb- The teenager was knifed re- “It got heated and nasty. The person who sticks up for us in In a leaked letter to the De- ruary that billions more would be peatedly in front of horrifi ed on- son heard the argument, saw his all situations. The son is a love- fence Secretary, Gavin William- spent through to 2025. lookers in north London on Sun- dad was in trouble and ran down. ly lad, he is well liked and no son, Mattis expressed concern the Since Trump became presi- day night. He said to the boys, ‘You need to trouble. He always has a smile UK’s military power was at risk dent in January 2017, French Witnesses told how he was at- respect him, he’s an adult.’ But that on his face and is friendly.” of erosion and compared the UK diplomats and the military have tacked with a “kitchen knife” out- made one of them go crazy and he Another neighbour said: “The unfavourably with France, which been watching with interest a side the block of fl ats in Fairbridge threatened the dad, saying, ‘I know boy heard his dad was in trouble Mattis pointed out had committed divergence between London and Road, Upper Holloway, where he your son’ — meaning he would get after he had clashed with some to signifi cant increases in defence Washington on a host of issues, lives with his market trader father revenge. The dad cornered one of boys who were not being respect- spending. raising hopes that it might yet and his sisters. them, there was a tussle and the ful on the street. He raced there to “As global actors, France and supplant the UK. Scotland Yard said two boys boy was stabbed.” help. There was a tussle. I heard the US have concluded that now The period is in contrast with aged 14 and 15 were arrested at the The witness added: “He was the scream when he was stabbed. is the time to signifi cantly increase 2003, when relations between scene on suspicion of attempted conscious all the time and his dad It was horrifi c — I feared the our investment in defence. Other Paris and Washington were murder. A boy aged 11 was also ar- was dealing with it in a calm way, worst.” allies are following suit,” he said. strained because France declined rested but later released with no he was amazing. He is very re- Neighbour Adrianne Palmer- “It is in the best interest of both to join the US in invading Iraq. further action. spected in the community and will Scott, 41, said: “We heard scream- our nations for the UK to remain The letter was sent to William- The victim, who was stabbed in not let things go by if someone is ing and shouting. I went outside the US partner of choice.” son on June 12, three days after a the stomach and side, was yester- doing something wrong. He was when he was on the fl oor. He was Trump is pressing all members visit by Mattis to London. Wil- day said to be in a serious but sta- trying to make the street safer for conscious, he was talking, he just The Artic Monkeys play their headline set on the main of Nato to spend more on defence liamson would be unlikely to have ble condition in hospital. us all. He is a real hero and we just seemed like he was in pain. I was stage during the 2018 TRNSMT festival at Glasgow Green, and will make the plea in person leaked it without fi rst seeking ap- One witness told the Stand- hope the son makes a full recov- talking to him, I was saying, ‘You Glasgow. at a Nato summit in Brussels next proval from his American coun- ard: “A few days ago two youths ery.” are going to be alright.” week. terpart. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 EUROPE France searches for gangster, and answers, after helicopter jailbreak

AFP ing some 2,900 police offi cers Justice Minister Nicole Bellou- off en route to pick up a third ac- The helicopter was found Journalist Jerome Pierrat, who cape “raised many questions”. Paris has been launched to track the bet told Europe 1 radio that she complice. shortly afterwards in a suburb co-wrote a book with Faid about An offi cial report in 2013 had 46-year-old movie buff , who has had sent inspectors to the pris- On arrival at the high-security northeast of Paris, along with the his life, told the Parisien that the fl agged security concerns at the said he drew on movie baddies on “to see whether the security facility the pilot made for the pilot, who had been beaten and gangster was a “charmer” who facility housing 650 prisoners, etails emerged yesterday such as Tony Montana in Scar- measures were defective so that courtyard – the only part of the was taken to hospital in a state of was popular with his guards. particularly in the section for of the daring prison es- face for inspiration. we can rectify them”. prison not fi tted with anti-heli- shock. A warden who knew him from dangerous criminals. Dcape of notorious French Faid was sprung from his She suggested that Faid had copter nets. Faid and his accomplices con- a prison in northern France told Born into a family of 11 broth- robber Redoine Faid, who used a prison in Réau, 50km (30 miles) been left in the same prison for Two black-clad men armed tinued their getaway by car, AFP he was “always very polite ers in the gritty northern Paris helicopter in a breakout worthy southeast of Paris, on Sunday by too long, giving the career crimi- with assault rifl es then alighted changing vehicles along the way but never showed his hand”. suburb of Creil, Faid began thiev- of the Hollywood heist movies he two heavily-armed accomplices nal, who has said he found his and set off smoke bombs before from a hatchback found burnt Minister Belloubet said the ing at an early age. is known to admire. who used smoke bombs and an- “calling” at the age of 12, time to breaking into the visiting room, out in a shopping mall carpark to gang probably used drones to He also dabbled in drug traf- The escape by the convict gle grinders to break through plot his escape. where Faid was meeting with his a white van seen leaving the area stake out the prison, which was fi cking before deciding to spe- dubbed the “Jailbreak King” by doors and whisk him to a waiting Sunday’s drama began at an brother. with France’s most wanted man built on a site surrounded by cialise in cash-in-transit heists. French media, having already helicopter. airfi eld northeast of Paris where The wardens, who were un- aboard. fi elds to give a clear view in every Faid picked up some tricks broken out of prison in 2013, has The escape brings to at least two men posing as fl ight school armed, fl ed and raised the alarm. The van was found yesterday, direction – specifi cally to pre- from former soldiers in Israel, raised questions about security fi ve the number of jailbreaks in students hijacked a helicopter But within 10 minutes Faid was having been torched, in the Oise vent breakouts. where he hid out from the law at French jails. France in the past three decades and ordered the instructor to fl y gone, cheered on by his fellow in- department north of Paris, a Prime Minister Edouard for a while, according to police An extensive manhunt involv- involving helicopters. them to Réau prison, stopping mates. source close to the inquiry said. Philippe admitted that the es- sources.

EU starts legal Merkel, Seehofer settle action against row over migrant policy Poland Reuters/DPA the CSU to fl y the conservative German leaders runs deep. AFP Berlin fl ag in Bavaria. Seehofer, 68, has been a head- Brussels However, the CSU now faces ache for Merkel, especially over a strong challenge from the her open-door migrant policy, erman Chancellor An- far-right Alternative for Ger- and the last three years have he EU has launched legal gela Merkel and Interior many (AfD) in October when the been punctuated by a series of action against Poland over GMinister Horst Seehofer southern state votes in regional showdowns between the two. Tits controversial Supreme have struck a last-minute deal elections. He told colleagues on Sun- Court reforms, fi ring the latest in a feud about migration policy, In his interview with the Mu- day that he saw no alternative salvo in a bitter battle between potentially keeping their gov- nich-based daily Sueddeutsche to turning migrants back at the Brussels and the right-wing ernment intact and Seehofer in Zeitung, Seehofer had suggested border despite Merkel’s eff orts government in Warsaw. his post, DPA has learned from that Merkel managed to remain in Brussels last week and that The European Commission, sources within their conserva- in offi ce after federal elections discussions with the chancellor the bloc’s powerful executive tive bloc. in September only thanks to his had been fruitless, according to arm, said that a move to lower “We have reached an agree- support. a party source. the age at which Supreme Court ment,” Seehofer said in Berlin While he was the one who If the row had not been re- judges must retire from 70 to 65 after hours of negotiations, con- Merkel and Seehofer: not seeing eye to eye. threatened to resign, the interior solved, the CDU-CSU alliance would undermine judicial inde- fi rming that he wants to stay in minister accused Merkel of try- may break up, robbing Merkel of pendence, breaching Poland’s offi ce. tough negotiations and diffi cult Lawmakers from both the The CSU had threatened to ing to force him out. her parliamentary majority. obligations under EU law. “It’s really a good compro- days,” she added. CDU and CSU had earlier urged impose new controls at the Ger- “I will not let myself be dis- This could see her trying to The commission has been mise,” Merkel told reporters af- The deal between Merkel’s Merkel and Seehofer to resolve man border this week if they missed by a chancellor who is lead a minority government. in talks with Warsaw about a ter the talks, which could have Christian Democrats (CDU) and an internecine dispute over mi- deemed that agreements Merkel only chancellor because of me,” Merkel would be only two number of judicial reforms that meant the end of the govern- Seehofer’s Christian Social Un- grant policy that has thrown her brought back from a European he told the newspaper. “The seats short of a majority in the the European Union says threat- ment coalition if an agreement ion (CSU) hinges on the crea- three-month-old government Union summit were insuffi cient person I put into the saddle is Bundestag lower house and may en the rule of law in Poland, but had not been reached. tion of so-called transit centres into disarray. to ease the migrant burden. throwing me out ... I’m being choose to rely on the Greens or they said swift action was need- “We want on the one hand to on the German-Austrian border However, in an interview pub- Merkel is dead-set against asked to change course, but I pro-business Free Democrats to ed on the Supreme Court issue. set up transit centres in Ger- that would allow asylum-seek- lished yesterday, Seehofer re- unilateral action by the authori- cannot.” back her on individual policies. “While the Polish Supreme many and from there carry out ers who have already applied in fused to change course, making a ties in Bavaria, the main entry A Forsa poll showed that 67% She could also call a vote of Court law has already been dis- returns in agreement with coun- another EU country to be de- personal attack on the chancel- point for migrants into Ger- of Germans thought the behav- no confi dence, which she may cussed in the context of the rule tries from which asylum-seekers ported. lor with whom he has long had a many, saying that it goes against iour of Seehofer and the CSU win or which may trigger a new of law dialogue between the come and where they are already Whether the third party in fractious relationship. European law. was irresponsible. election. commission and the Polish au- registered,” the chancellor said. Germany’s coalition, the Social At a meeting of the CDU and Merkel’s CDU relies on the By letting the CSU tear itself Opinion polls suggest that the thorities, it has not been satis- “As such the spirit of partner- Democrats (SPD), would accept CSU parliamentary groups ear- CSU to maintain power through apart over its future in the coali- AfD would be among the biggest factorily addressed through this ship in the European Union is the deal involving transit centres lier, a chorus of lawmakers urged a coalition, also including the tion, Merkel may yet rid herself winners in any fresh vote. process,” European Commission preserved and at the same time remains unclear. Merkel and Seehofer to make up centre-left SPD, formed just of a formidable foe in Seehofer – Even if Merkel, once Europe’s spokesman Margaritis Schinas an important step to order and The Bild newspaper reported after the interior minister of- three months ago. as she has with a string of other most powerful leader, limps on told reporters. control secondary migration and earlier yesterday that the SPD fered to quit his cabinet post and The two centre-right parties top conservatives in her 12-1/2 as chancellor, the bitter dispute The new retirement age, in- that’s why I think that we have indicated they would not rule the chairmanship of the CSU at a have been in an alliance for 70 years in offi ce. is a sign that her authority is troduced by Poland’s Law and found a good compromise after out the proposal. meeting on Sunday. years under which the CDU left Bad blood between the two waning, say experts. Justice (PiS) government, comes into force today and would re- quire more than one-third of current Supreme Court judges to step down. “Given the lack of progress and the imminent implemen- Deaths in Mediterranean tation of the new retirement regime for SC judges, the com- mission decided to launch the infringement procedure today as a matter of urgency,” Schinas surpass 1,000 this year said. In a separate statement, the commission said it took the view Reuters “that these measures undermine Geneva the principle of judicial inde- pendence, including the irre- movability of judges. ore than 1,000 peo- The PiS government insists ple have drowned in that the changes are needed to Crew members of the Sea-Watch protest outside the court house in Mthe Mediterranean tackle corruption and overhaul Valletta during the arraignment of Claus-Peter Reisch, the captain of this year sailing from Libya to a judicial system still haunted by the charity ship MV Lifeline. Europe, with a rush in the past the communist era, but critics few days to beat an anticipated including the EU argue they un- crackdown by the European Un- dermine the division of powers ion, the International Organisa- and therefore threaten democ- tion for Migration (IOM) said racy and the rule of law. Malta detains second late on Sunday. In December Brussels trig- Around 204 people have died gered Article 7 proceedings in the past few days after be- against Poland over “systemic migrant rescue ship ing packed into unsafe vessels threats” to the rule of law, which by smugglers, with 103 lost in a could eventually see Warsaw’s shipwreck on Friday and more EU voting rights suspended. AFP Malta was waging a “political lost on Sunday when a rubber Migrants on board the NGO Proactiva Open Arms boat look out to sea yesterday. Poland has a month to respond Valletta campaign” to stop rescues at sea. boat capsized east of Tripoli, to the commission’s formal an- “While rescue assets are with 41 survivors. European Union is starting to to resign over immigration pro- concerned that the detention nouncement, the fi rst stage of a blocked in port, recent days have “There is an alarming in- manage the process better so posals brought back from Brus- centres will yet again be over- procedure that could end up in alta has stopped a sec- become the deadliest this year,” crease in deaths at sea off Lib- maybe they equally are trying to sels by Chancellor Angela Mer- crowded and that living condi- the European Court of Justice, ond migrant rescue ship the charity warned. ya’s coast,” IOM’s Libya Chief of profi t while they can. Smugglers kel, casting doubt over whether tions will deteriorate with the the bloc’s top tribunal. Mfrom leaving its port, as Sea-Watch said that its ship Mission Othman Belbeisi said in will always put profi t before her fragile government can sur- recent infl ux of migrants,” Bel- The deadline is shorter than the International Organisation was correctly registered with the a statement. “Smugglers are ex- safety.” vive (see lead report). beisi said. would usually be expected in for Migration (IOM) reported Dutch authorities. ploiting the desperation of mi- Despite the increase in deaths The eff ort to reduce people- IOM chief William Lacy such a case, but the commission over 200 migrant deaths at sea in The vessel is “listed in the grants to leave before there are in recent days, the number lost smuggling has hinged in part Swing said that he would go to said this was “not unreasonable” three days. royal shipping register as a Dutch further crackdowns on Medi- at sea so far this year is less than on developing a coast guard Tripoli this week to see the con- given that the issue has been un- German charity Sea-Watch seagoing vessel” and is “fully en- terranean crossings by Europe.” half that recorded by this time for Libya that returns migrants ditions fi rsthand. der discussion for some time. said in a statement published on titled to fl y the Dutch fl ag”, the The fl ow of migrants has last year. caught off shore. “The IOM is determined to Schinas said swift action was its website that the Sea-Watch charity said. abated since a peak in 2015, with However, the journey by land However, there has been con- ensure that the human rights needed to “avoid irreparable 3 vessel had been “detained in EU leaders are cracking down the number attempting the sea through the Sahara and then troversy over the conditions of of all migrants are respected damage to the independence of Malta, without any legal grounds on charity rescue boats as the crossing from North Africa fall- across the Mediterranean re- their treatment in Libya. as together we all make eff orts the Supreme Court”. provided by authorities”. bloc grapples with how to han- ing to tens of thousands from mains world’s deadliest migra- Between Friday and Sunday, to stop the people smuggling Poland’s Deputy Foreign Min- The decision by Malta to de- dle the infl ux of people trying to hundreds of thousands. tion route, and as polarising as close to 1,000 migrants were trade, which is so exploitative of ister Konrad Szymanski said that tain the ship comes just days af- reach the continent. The other main route, from ever in European politics. returned to the Libyan shore by migrants,” the statement quoted his government would respond ter Lifeline, another charity boat, Several EU leaders have ac- Turkey to Greece, used by more Anti-immigrant right-wing the Libyan Coast Guard. Swing as saying. “in detail” within 30 days and was impounded after it docked in cused NGO ships of aiding hu- than a million people in 2015, parties took power in Italy last So far this year, the coast Swing will be replaced later warned the European Court of Malta carrying more than 200 man traffi ckers, saying they was largely shut two years ago. month, are now fi rmly en- guard has returned about this year by former European Justice would face a “very diffi - migrants on Wednesday. should let the Libyan coastguard IOM spokesman Leonard trenched in the ex-Communist 10,000 to shore, where Libyan commissioner Antonio Vitori- cult task”. EU leaders accuse the Lifeline co-ordinate rescue missions and Doyle said the surge in recent states of central Europe, and authorities transfer them to de- no, who won election to the job Several dozen Polish Supreme of breaking international law by take the migrants back to Libya. days may be due to factors in- won seats in the German parlia- tention centres. on Friday, beating US President Court judges last week vowed to picking up migrants off the Lib- But charities argue the mi- cluding weather and the end of ment for the fi rst time since the “Migrants returned by the Donald Trump’s nominee to defy the reforms and stay in of- yan coast and illegally fl ying the grants would not be safe in Libya, Ramadan. 1940s last year. coast guard should not au- become only the second non- fi ce after today, arguing that the Dutch fl ag. where they have faced abuse and “But also there is a recogni- On Sunday, German Interior tomatically be transferred to American leader of the body in government reforms were un- Yesterday Sea-Watch said that rape in holding centres. tion I think worldwide that the Minister Horst Seehofer off ered detention and we are deeply its history. constitutional. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 15 INDIA

PEOPLE INVESTIGATION PROTEST NUTRITION AGITATION Ailing Malayalam actor CBI books MLA, two others Green activist held Rajasthan to give milk CITU to hold ‘fill jails’ moved from Oman to Kochi in journalist’s killing for symbolic protest to 6.2mn schoolchildren campaign on August 9

Veteran ailing Malayalam actor The Central Bureau of Investigation has booked Green activist Claude Alvares, whose petition The Rajasthan government will provide milk The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) will Captain Raju was yesterday three tribal leaders, including a legislator, for the in the Supreme Court led to the shutdown of thrice a week to 6.2mn children studying in hold a nationwide “jail bharo andolan” (fill jails) on brought to Kochi from Oman murder of television journalist Santanu Bhowmik the mining industry in Goa earlier this year, was government schools and madrassas under August 9 to protest against the “misgovernance” and taken to hospital. Last in 2017, an off icial said. The off icial said the three yesterday arrested along with an associate, for its Annapurna Milk Scheme, Chief Minister of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government week, on his way to the US to were Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) symbolically locking the off ices of the state Mines Vasundhara Raje said yesterday. “Parents and to highlight the distress of the working attend his son’s wedding, Raju legislator Dhirendra Debbarma and party leaders and Geology Department in Panaji. Alvares and work very hard to ensure that their children class, a senior party leader said. The CITU is a fell unconscious. The flight was Balram Debbarma and Amit Debbarma, besides Rahul Basu, both of NGO Goa Foundation, were get proper nutrition. Now, parents of 62 lakh trade union body of the Communist Party of diverted and landed in Muscat. from 300 to 500 IPFT members. The IPFT is a technically arrested and released on a personal children studying in government schools India-Marxist (CPM). Through this countrywide Soon, he was taken to a hospital there and tribal party and an ally of the ruling Bharatiya bond of Rs10,000 each. “We symbolically locked and madrassas need not worry. The state has agitation, the CITU would highlight the suff erings was under medical supervision. Yesterday the Janata Party (BJP). It has eight MLAs in the the off ice of Mines and Geology Department and started its Annapurna Milk Scheme for the and deprivations of the working class people, family decided to bring him to Kerala for further 60-member Tripura Assembly and two cabinet police symbolically arrested me,” Alvares told young population. Our future will be bright CITU national general secretary Tapan Sen treatment. His condition is stable, according to ministers in the ministry led by Chief Minister reporters after he was released. Alvares also said once these children start getting milk as part of said. “Under the NDA government led by Prime sources. The 68-year-old veteran, who quit the Biplab Kumar Deb. Suspects allegedly owing that the “technical” arrest was in sync with the their midday meal,” Raje said in Jaipur. Students Minister Narendra Modi, the working class and Indian Army, started his acting career in 1981. He allegiance to the IPFT had on September 20, 2017 order of the Panaji District and Sessions Court, till Class 5 will get 150ml of hot milk thrice a labourers are not only economically dejected but has acted in several films and has directed two murdered Bhowmik at Mandwai, 25km from which had granted the two anticipatory bail week while those in Class 6 to 8 will get 200ml. also deprived of their legitimate rights. A large movies. He has often been cast as a villain due to Agartala. Bhowmik, 27, was attacked with sharp last week. Following a petition by Alvares, ore Education Minister Vasudev Devnani said the number of workers were attacked in many parts his towering personality. He has also featured in weapons while covering a road blockade by the extraction in all 88 operational mines in Goa was milk scheme will prove to be a milestone in of the country and the government did nothing character roles and in TV serials. IPFT, which is demanding a separate tribal state. stopped by the Supreme Court. ensuring better nutrition for schoolchildren. for their protection and justice,” he said.

Interpol seeks arrest 23 arrested in of Nirav

Agencies New Delhi Maharashtra nterpol has issued a red notice request to fi nd and arrest fugi- Itive billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi, who is at the heart of a $2bn- plus bank fraud case, the interna- tional agency said on its website. after fi ve more The Central Bureau of Inves- tigation police last month asked Interpol to issue a red notice to locate Modi, who has been charged in relation to India’s big- gest banking fraud. beaten to death The Financial Times, citing Indian and British offi cials, said Agencies instead of taking the law in their try, and said “absolute anarchy, last month that Modi had fl ed to Mumbai hands. mob-frenzy and jungle raj” have Britain claiming political asylum. Earlier in the day, the families become the new symbols of Prime Government-backed Punjab refused to accept the bodies but Minister Narandra’s Modi “New National Bank earlier this year olice said yesterday they were later convinced by the Dhule India”. said that two jewellery groups have arrested 23 people Collector Rahul Rekhavar and The party said a new spate of headed by Modi and his uncle Pafter fi ve men were bludg- Ramkumar. lynchings has taken place where- Mehul Choksi had defrauded it eoned to death by a crazed mob “What can we say. We are poor by child kidnappers have become of about $2.2bn by raising credit in yet another horrifi c lynching to people, and we have lost every- a new medium of rumour-mon- from other Indian banks using il- rock the country. thing, even our sole breadwin- gering and mob justice and ac- legal guarantees. More than 25 people have been ners. All we want is justice for our cused the government of “abet- An internal probe by PNB killed in recent months in similar people,” said a grieving Santosh ting” in many such cases and found that the fraud might have cases sparked by false rumours Bhosale, son of Dadarao, one of giving “political patronage”. been orchestrated by a few rogue spread on smartphones of child the victims. “Absolute anarchy, mob frenzy employees, and it escaped detec- kidnapping or allegations of The families have demanded and jungle raaj have become the tion because of widespread risk- thievery or sexual harassment. a case of murder be fi les against new symbols of Modi’s ‘New India’. control and monitoring lapses in The latest gruesome incident the Rainpada village chief as the There is an unprecedented atmos- many areas of the bank. saw eight men set upon in Dhule attack took place in the village of- phere of hate and violence. Rumour A red notice is a “request to district, 330km from Mumbai on fi ce and the cases be tried in a fast mongering, state-aided licence to locate and provisionally arrest an Sunday. track court. kill, decimation of rule of law lead- individual pending extradition,” Police said the attack began af- The opposition Congress and ing to a ‘lynching movement’ have according to Interpol. ter locals spotted one of the eight Nationalist Congress Party have shaken our national conscience,” “Interpol cannot compel any talking to a child after they dis- condemned the incident. said Congress spokesman Ab- member country to arrest an in- embarked from a bus near the vil- Maharashtra Congress presi- hishek Manu Singhvi. dividual who is the subject of a lage of Rainpada. dent Ashok Chavan asked “When the state gives the ‘li- red notice,” it says on its website. “They were confronted by the “whether there is rule of law or cence to kill’ with impunity and “Each member country decides locals who had gathered at the jungle-raj in Maharashtra” and abdicates its solemn responsibility for itself what legal value to give Sunday market after suspect- termed the incident an outcome to uphold the rule of law, resulting a red notice within their borders.” ing them to be child kidnappers,” of the government’s negligence. in vigilantism, death and merciless The red notice against Modi Dhule police chief M Ramkumar He said that in recent weeks killings of innocent lives, then each contains his photograph, person- said. there have been several such in- one of us should castigate it, decry al details such as the date of birth Three of them escaped but fi ve cidents across Maharashtra in- it and question it,” he said. and the charges against him. were dragged to the village coun- cluding in Aurangabad and Jalna “In the past four years, we have However, the pictures and per- cil offi ce and battered to death where the local Bharatiya Janata added a new word in our socio- sonal details of Modi’s brother with sticks and blunt objects. Party legislator was involved in a political vocabulary and that Nishal and his company’s execu- Police said they identifi ed the similar attack on some people. phrase is ‘lynchings’. Under the tive Parab were not visible on the alleged attackers from a video “Rumour-mongering aided Modi government, this new phe- Interpol’s website. shot during the assault. by social media is creating panic nomena is getting a defi nite po- A CBI source said that the per- Another 17 suspects were still among the people. They attack litical patronage. sonal details and the pictures of on the run, they added. Those any unknown persons. The gov- “What is absolutely reprehen- the two would soon be updated killed were from Solapur dis- ernment must take strong ac- sible is that the state has com- on their website. trict. tion,” Chavan said. pletely abdicated its responsibil- Earlier, the CBI tried to track With the incident threatening Minister of State for Home ity in the quest to add fuel to this Modi’s movements through a to snowball into a controversy, Deepak Kesarkar, who visited the madness. In many cases it has also diff usion notice issued to six the Maharashtra government village yesterday, however said: assisted, aided and abetted such countries – the US, Singapore, announced a compensation of “This is indeed a very serious is- acts of violence and even justifi ed Belgium, the UAE, the UK and Rs500,000 to the families of each sue. We shall go to the root of the and condoned them,” he added. France – through the Interpol victim. issue.” The current spate of lynchings on February 15, but only the UK Chief Minister Devendra Fad- In New Delhi, the Congress started in May last year in eastern replied with details about his navis appealed to the people not blamed the government for Jharkhand state after rumours on movements to and from London’s Women whose relatives were murdered in a lynching incident are led away from the crime scene by to get misled by rumours on social launching a “rumour-driven WhatsApp about child kidnappers Heathrow Airport till March 31. villagers in Dhule district, some 330km from Mumbai. media and to go to police for help lynching movement” in the coun- led to the lynching of six men. Autopsies hint at suicide Keeping Delhi cool, one ice block at a time by Delhi family: police AFP dinary water and is chilled with New Delhi ammonia. The containers are then taken IANS worship, havans and kirtans. not want to be named, said the out and workers extract the ice New Delhi Thus, my family also did it. What report fi rms up the police sus- eeping people cool in blocks, each weighing around is unusual in it? It doesn’t mean picion that the deaths were part Delhi’s baking summer is 50kg. that some godman or occultists of a suicide pact carried out as a Khot work – just ask Shree- “The whole capacity of the utopsies conducted on 11 killed them. I had visited them religious practice. ram Yadav, supervisor at a factory tanks is 1,100 slabs of ice. It takes members of a family found 10 days ago. The entire family The police are matching fi n- supplying the Indian capital with 55 litres of water to fi ll one tank Adead in their north Delhi was happy as my sister Pratibha’s gerprints of the victims and sus- tonnes of ice per day. and get one slab of ice,” says Bab- home suggest that they commit- daughter Priyanka had got en- pect that someone from among Yadav toils away alongside 50 loo, the factory’s manager. ted suicide, police said yesterday gaged,” he said. the dead may have strangulated other workers inside a dark and “There are coils in the tanks, even as an occultist and his aide The dead were meanwhile cre- Narayani Devi before his or her humid hangar in Noida just out- and the motor keeps rotating the were detained for questioning. mated by relatives amid heavy hanging. side the city, rushing to meet salt water inside. The tempera- However, the son of one of the police deployment. The autopsies also suggested booming demand from the mar- ture has to be minus 12 degrees dead women has urged police Joint Commissioner of Police that of the 11, six family members kets and small shops serving Del- Celsius to freeze the water,” Yadav demanding registration of a case Alok Kumar said initial post- had dinner before their deaths. hi’s 20mn inhabitants. explains. against unidentifi ed persons for mortem reports revealed that the Earlier, police said they had “Some will buy 50 blocks, some Once extracted the blocks are what he called “killing his family”. bodies bore no marks of either seized handwritten notes in the will buy 10, some fi ve, some 25,” moved and slid about with large “I was informed by a neigh- strangulation or scuffl e, indicat- prayer area of the two-storey he said, taking a break from the metal tongs along the fl oor into bour of my brother’s family that ing that it may either be a case of house in Sant Nagar in Burari, re- back-breaking work. the back of clients’ waiting re- my brothers, mother and other mass suicide or murder-suicide. vealing a possible mystical con- The process is anything but frigerated lorries, each chunk family members were found dead “A medical board of six doc- nection to the deaths. state-of-the-art. costing Rs130. Otherwise the in their house in Delhi. I reached tors conducted the autopsies. It All but one of the bodies were Workers fi rst fi ll up large rec- blocks go into large machines Delhi on Sunday night and sus- revealed that 10 family members found hanging from the ceiling and tangular containers, a bit rusty on that break them up and churn out pect that someone killed them. died of hanging. Only Narayani pipes. Most of them were blind- the outside, with fi ltered water. thousands upon thousands of ice They have not died in a ritual Devi died due of strangulation. folded, gagged and their hands Once sealed the vessels are cubes that are gathered into bags, which went wrong,” Dinesh, the Further investigation is under- tied behind their back. As many as placed for 24 hours in large tanks sent out for delivery and scooped eldest son of Narayani Devi said. way,” Kumar said. 11 pipes with diff erent angles were Labourers load ice blocks into a transportation van at an ice fi lled with salt water, which has into the drinks of thirsty Delhi- “Every Hindu family performs Another police offi cer, who did found installed in a house wall. factory in Noida, some 20km east of New Delhi. a lower freezing point than or- ites. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 PAKISTAN Commission to act over alleged intimidation of election candidates

Internews ing offi cers) and DROs (district paign will also be discussed with it was a mistake on the part of the regarding the general elections. lowed by the law and the Consti- Sources said that the Elec- Islamabad returning offi cers) to attend a the NAB. major. The LHC told the ECP that the tution. tion Commission will formally conference meeting on elections Informed sources said that the The Election Commission Constitution stipulates inde- Following the LHC letter, the take up the matter with the NAB in Kasur and the reported harass- ECP has already taken up with raised the issue with the GHQ af- pendence of the judiciary in an ECP took up the matter with the chairman to ensure that bureau’s he Election Commission ment and thrashing of Pakistan the army General Headquar- ter receiving a formal complaint explicit and discernible manner, GHQ, which admitted that the actions do not constitute pre- of Pakistan (ECP) will ap- Muslim League – Nawaz (PML- ters (GHQ) the issue of a serv- from the Lahore High Court therefore, “the derogatory direc- move by the offi cer was a mis- polls rigging. Tproach the National Ac- N) candidates in Multan and ing major’s direction to ROs and (LHC) narrating how an acting tion issued to DROs and ROs by take. The sources said that the Elec- countability Bureau (NAB) over Narowal. DROs to attend a conference on commanding offi cer of a mili- above-mentioned acting com- Meanwhile, the ECP has also tion Commission may pass an recent incidents aff ecting the According to a report pub- the election in a military camp in tary camp in Kasur had issued manding offi cer to attend the taken notice of the NAB’s recent order in relation to the recent fairness of the upcoming elec- lished yesterday in the News daily Kasur. “derogatory direction” to DROs conference at Abdul Majeed Axe actions, particularly the arrest arrest of the PML-N candidate tions, including a military of- newspaper, the arrest of candi- In return, it is said, the GHQ and ROs to attend a conference at Camp Kasur regarding General of the PML-N candidate from from Rawalpindi, Raja Qamarul fi cer’s ordering of ROs (return- dates during the election cam- conveyed to the commission that Abdul Majeed Axe Camp, Kasur, Elections 2018” cannot be al- Rawalpindi. Islam. System for accessing Imran Khan’s campaign voter info

Internews Islamabad trail covers 25 cities: PTI akistan’s top database au- thority is set to sign an Internews trated Tribal Areas (Fata). contesting next general elections Pagreement with the Elec- Islamabad Senior PTI leader Asad Umar from Islamabad’s NA-53, while tion Commission of Pakistan explained that this the Khan’s Umar – who in the recent past (ECP) to design and develop a preliminary campaign schedule, have been declared by Khan him- system for election candidates he Pakistan Tehrik-e-In- with dates and venues for ral- self as the PTI’s shadow fi nance to access soft copies of the fi nal saf (PTI) has released the lies in the tribal areas and Balu- minister – would be contesting electoral rolls with photographs Telection campaign travel chistan to be announced later. from NA-54 (Islamabad). of voters in their respective con- log of party supremo Imran Khan He added that due to secu- Umar made the prediction stituencies. that shows he would be mak- rity reasons, previously-decided while addressing a news confer- Section 79 of the Elections Act ing campaign stops at 25 cities venues of rallies in these areas ence the at National Press Club 2017, on the supply of fi nal elec- in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been changed, with new in Islamabad, where Pakistan toral rolls, binds the ECP to pro- (KP), and Sindh in next 21 days. dates to be announced soon. Muslim League – Quaid district vide voter details to contesting In the last three weeks of the “Certainly, Imran Khan would president Rizwan Sadiq had an- candidates upon request. campaign for general elections visit Baluchistan and the tribal nounced support for PTI candi- Section 79(3) reads: “On the scheduled to be held on July 25, areas in KP. More cities in Sindh dates from all three national as- application of a candidate or the PTI chairman will be focus- would also be included in the sembly constituencies of the city. their election agent, the district ing on real battlefi eld, Punjab, schedule after fi nal decision,” Senior trade community leader election commissioner or any where he would spend 11 days ad- Umar said. from the capital, Ajmal Baloch, offi cer authorised in this behalf dressing public rallies at 14 cities. In Punjab, the PTI chairman also announced joining the PTI (sic) by the commission shall It is followed by KP where attended a public gathering in on the occasion, ending his 30- provide to a candidate or an elec- Khan will be spending fi ve days Sargodha yesterday. year association with the former tion agent a hard and searchable addressing public gatherings in He is due to be in Jhelum Imran Khan: busy in the days ahead. ruling Pakistan Muslim League – soft copy on universal serial bus eight cities. and Gujarat on July 7, in Rahim Nawaz (PML-N). (USB) [drive] in portable docu- Out of fi ve days of campaign- Yar Khan on July 11, in Gujran- again be in Lahore to address Karachi on July 3 and 4, and be in ty’s central media department Umar made the statement ment format (PDF) or any other ing scheduled for Sindh, Khan wala and Kasur on July 12, in people at nine diff erent regions. Umerkot, Tharparkar and other says that the party leadership when asked about the ongoing tamper-proof format of the fi nal would spend three days in Kara- Rawalpindi on July 13, in Sialkot In KP, he would address rallies cities of interior Sindh on July 9 of the cities where Khan would water crisis and other issues fac- electoral roll with photographs chi and two in interior Sindh. and Faisalabad on July 15, and in in Swabi and Charsadda on July 5, and 10. be visiting has been directed to ing Islamabad. of the voters and shall ensure The election campaign would Mianwali on July 16. in Swat on July 6, in Haripur and In addition to that, Khan make necessary preparations for “The next PM and fi nance that the copy is the same as pro- conclude with a “massive rally” He would spend July 18 and 19 Abbottabad on July 8, two sepa- would be among Karachiities his election campaign. minister will be elected from Is- vided to the returning offi cer and in Islamabad on July 23. in Lahore and address a number rate rallies in Mardan and Pesha- again on July 22. On Sunday Umar predicted lamabad … and we would be in a presiding offi cers.” However, no trip has so far of gatherings there, while a pub- war on July 14, and in Bannu on On July 23, the PTI will con- that the next prime minister and much better position to resolve The ECP recently requested, been scheduled for Baluchistan lic rally in Bahawalpur and Mul- July 16. clude its extensive election cam- federal fi nance minister would be all the challenges the country’s and the National Database and and tribal areas in K P – formerly tan would be held on July 20. In Sindh, the PTI chairman paign with rallies at Islamabad. elected from Islamabad. federal capital has been facing for Registration Authority (NADRA) known as the Federal Adminis- On July 21, Imran Khan would would be on a two-day visit of A statement issued by the par- PTI chief Imran Khan will be decades,” he had said on Sunday. consequently agreed, to pro- vide services to design, develop, Pakistan starts and provide a system for candi- dates to view voters records in printing 220mn Poll preparation soft format, according to a draft ballot papers Right: Supporters gather around a vehicle carrying Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal agreement. Bhutto Zardari during an election campaign rally in Makli, southern Sindh, yesterday. The proposed system will al- Election Commission of Pakistan low users to search through the (ECP) secretary Babar Fateh has Below: A vendor arranges toy lions and cricket bats – the lion is poll symbol for the Pakistan Muslim records of constituents by name, said that the process of printing League – Nawaz (PML-N) while the cricket bat is the poll symbol for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf family number, or serial number. 220mn ballot papers for the (PTI) – at a stall in Rawalpindi. The facility will come at a cost. general elections has begun at According to the draft agree- three places in the country. ment, the NADRA wanted to Speaking with reporters after charge a service fee of approxi- visiting the Printing Corporation mately Rs10 per voter record. of Pakistan (PCP) here, he said However, a senior ECP offi cial the printing process would be said the commission has negoti- completed by July 20, following ated the fi nancial aspect of the which the ballot papers would project with the NADRA and be sent to polling stations under agreed to lower the cost to Rs1 strict security and with the per voter record. assistance of Pakistan Army. It is now up to ECP how much Fateh said that the ECP had it would charge the contesting prepared a comprehensive plan candidate requesting the fi nal for dispatching the ballot papers electoral rolls of a constituency. to around 85,000 polling stations A confi dentiality clause in the across the country. proposed agreement says that He said that the ballot papers the ECP and the NADRA will not would be sent to some far-flung share, distribute, sell, or disclose areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa any confi dential information and Baluchistan by air, while for about voters to anyone. most other areas they would be After the NADRA provides the transported by road. ECP with the software, the com- Fateh said that half of the ballot mission will distribute it among papers would be printed in candidates on password-pro- Karachi, some 32.5mn would tected fl ash drives. be printed in Islamabad, and the remaining at the printing press of the Postal Foundation in Islamabad. He said the army is providing security where the ballot papers are being printed. Activist decries ‘climate of fear’ in the media

Islamabad roads Reuters “We have nothing to do with clothes dragged her from the car. Bukhari was not on the list. ruption to Dawn’s distribution. Islamabad it,” said army spokesman Major Bukhari, a dual Pakistani- Other activists and media Goraya and Bukhari, both ac- to be named after General Asif Ghafoor days after- British national, credits her outlets say that they feel tar- tive Twitter users, say they are literary stars wards. release to swift coverage by in- geted for criticising the military. also the targets of a co-ordinated writer and activist says He added that the incident ternational media outlets and Dawn, the leading English- trolling campaign on social me- The Capital Development she fears for her life after should be investigated. a ferocious social media back- language newspaper which dia. Authority (CDA) of Islamabad A being briefl y abducted Ghafoor’s offi ce did not re- lash inside Pakistan, which saw angered the army in May by “The fi rst thing I do in the has decided to rename a number from a military cantonment in spond to Reuters’ requests for politicians and rights activists publishing an interview with morning, and sometimes last of roads after famous literary the city of Lahore on June 5, an comment about accusations across the political spectrum ousted prime minister Nawaz thing at night, is block and mute figures. incident that triggered national that the army is stifl ing the me- voice their outrage about her Sharif, says its deliveries have (on Twitter),” Bukhari said. “The matter will be taken up at outrage and saw fi ngers pointed dia. disappearance on Twitter. since been blocked in what it “There is sexual abuse, threats the upcoming board meeting at the powerful armed forces. Since Bukhari’s abduction She said that her abduction calls a “wide-ranging and seem- of murder.” of the civic body for approval,” Gul Bukhari, a critic of the there have been mounting com- Social activist Gul Bukhari had nonetheless sent a message ingly co-ordinated” assault on Bukhari, who writes a col- CDA off icial Asad Kayani said military and its alleged meddling plaints from media houses and speaks during an interview that “nobody is untouchable, no the publication and its fi nances. umn in the Nation newspaper, yesterday. in politics, said that there is an journalists about being muzzled with Reuters at her residence in one is immune” ahead of polls. Waqass Goraya, who alleges has frequently defended Sharif’s According to a document, atmosphere of “fear and intimi- by threats of physical and fi nan- Lahore. “It was very audacious, it was that he was tortured when he government, and on social me- Adviser to Prime Minister on dation” in the media and politics cial retribution against those very visible,” she said. “If there and four other bloggers were dia championed a Pashtun-led Literary Heritage, Irfan Siddiqui, in the run-up to Pakistan’s July who cross “red lines” in report- She said that she has asked the was a sense of fear, now it is abducted for several weeks last rights movement that has staged had suggested last year that 25 general election. ing about the military. police to off er her security but complete. Now there is not just year, accused military intel- nationwide rallies in protest at some roads and places be “I feel very insecure. I have Bukhari declined to go into none has been provided. sense of fear, it’s panic.” ligence agents of going to his heavy-handed tactics in the ar- renamed after Josh Malihabadi, restricted my son’s movement. details of her ordeal, in which When contacted by Reuters, A day before Bukhari’s ab- family home and threatening his my’s campaign against religious Jameeluddin Aali, and Hafeez I worry every time my husband she was dragged from her car police had no immediate com- duction, Ghafoor told a news parents. militants. Jalandhri. or I go out,” Bukhari said, add- and hooded before assailants ment. conference that the military “They are targeting my par- Since her abduction, Bukhari Poet Malihabadi migrated to ing that she now often sends live dropped her back at her house After Bukhari’s disappear- was aware of those making or ents to deliver a message to me has continued to tweet to her Pakistan in 1958 and died on updates on her whereabouts via four hours later. ance, many blamed the military. re-tweeting “anti-state” com- that I may be safe abroad but my 80,500 followers about wide- February 22, 1982. WhatsApp to a friends and fam- However, she told Reuters that A driver who was transporting ments on social media. family in Pakistan is not,” said spread allegations of military Aali was a critic, playwright, ily group. her abduction could be “viewed her to a Waqt TV studio at the He then displayed a web- Goraya, who fl ed Pakistan last interference in politics. columnist and scholar. The military has denied play- within that context” of intimi- time told colleagues afterwards chart with names and pictures of year. “My voice has become a little Jalandhri wrote the national ing any role in Bukhari’s disap- dation ahead of this month’s that men in army uniforms stood many prominent journalists and The military did not comment diff erent, but the content is the anthem of Pakistan. pearance. election. guard while others in plain- TV personalities. on Goraya’s claims or the dis- same,” she said. Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 17 PHILIPPINES

Funeral Mayor who held drugs war held for student ‘walk of shame’ shot dead found dead By Leander C Domingo Reuters gust 2016 – the second month Manila Times Manila of the crackdown – he said he backed Duterte’s campaign but believed drug kingpins should astine Valdez, the 21-year- Philippine mayor who be the main targets, otherwise old Filipino student whose paraded suspected drug thousands of people would be Jbody was found in a suburb Adealers through the killed. of County Dublin in Ireland, was streets was shot dead yesterday He expressed concern over laid to rest yesterday in Aritao, while attending a weekly fl ag- the way police conducted the Nueva Vizcaya. raising ceremony, police said. war on drugs and the reliability From Ireland, Valdez’s re- Mayor Antonio Cando Halili of their intelligence, and that he mains were brought home to the was hit by a single bullet to might be accused of colluding Philippines on May 29 and ar- the chest as he and civil serv- with narcotics gangs. rived in Banganan village in Ari- ants sang the national anthem “No one is safe – mayors, tao the following day. A 33-day in Tanauan, a city in Batangas governors, congressmen – just vigil followed in her home there. province southwest of the capi- a false intelligence report by Yesterday, her remains were tal, Manila. the police can end up with any brought to the Saint Joseph “We are shocked, we are sad- of them being destroyed,” he Catholic Church in Aritao for a dened,” Vice Mayor Jhoanna said in the interview. “I have a 7am funeral mass before she was Villamor, who was standing feeling they (police) are going laid to rest. beside Halili, told radio station after the small fry to frighten Hundreds of people attend- DZBB. the people,” he said. Police ed the funeral procession for What appeared to be a smart- are investigating yesterday’s Valdez, who was pulled inside phone video of the shooting shooting. a black SUV at about 6:15pm went viral on social media, One investigator told a radio on May 19 in an area near her showing a single shot ringing station that a high-powered ri- home in Enniskerry, Ireland a out as the anthem played, then fl e was used in the attack. 12-minute drive from where her screaming and pandemonium. Duterte’s spokesman, Harry body was found. The video could not be im- Roque, vowed justice for the Valdez left the Philippines mediately verifi ed. mayor, describing him as a three years ago to join her par- Halili gained prominence for “staunch advocate against ille- ents, Danilo and Teresita Valdez, introducing a “walk of shame” gal drugs”. who moved to Ireland in 1985 parade of alleged drug dealers Duterte, speaking at an air- and have become Irish citizens. through Tanauan. port inauguration in the central She enrolled as a part-time Police say they have killed File photo shows Tanauan mayor Antonio Halili (centre) leaving a stadium after speaking to people who turned themselves in during a mass Philippines, said merely that he accounting and fi nance student more than 4,200 suspected surrender of some 1,000 alleged drug users and pushers in the town of Tanauan, some 60 kilometres south of Manila. suspected drugs were behind at the Institute of Technology drug dealers during shoot- the killing. He described Halili in Tallaght while working in the outs in a bloody war on drugs paign condemned by domestic Halili was stripped of his a proliferation of illegal drugs may have been involved. Halili as “the one who pretended to nearby coastal town of Bray, launched by President Rodrigo and international human rights supervisory powers over local in his city, amid allegations denied the allegations. In an parade the addicts”. He did not County Wicklow, a region south Duterte two years ago, a cam- groups. police in October 2017 due to by the national police that he interview with Reuters in Au- elaborate. of Dublin. Public Works department wants Go seeks new rules to Manila’s old bridges replaced stop bullying in schools

By William Depasupil Navarro said maintaining said able to determine the structural President Duterte’s visit to Chi- By Ralph Villanueva Manila Times bridges was a “challenge” be- state of our bridges. We are not na last year. Manila Times cause of various factors that af- hiding it, it’s open to the public The collapsed Otis Bridge, fect their structural stability. to see,” he further said. Navarro said, was scheduled to he Department of Pub- For one, “concrete after 50 Further causing damage to the be repaired in 2016 but was not pecial Assistant to the President Christo- lic Works and Highways years starts to pulverise,” and bridges, he pointed out, is the given a permit because it was pher “Bong” Go has called on the Depart- T(DPWH) wants all bridges cracks start to appear, expos- traffi c situation in Manila, citing designated as an alternate route Sment of Education to lay out rules and reg- in the city of Manila that are ing the irons inside the support as an example the busy Del Pan amid the construction of the ulations to lessen bullying in schools. more than 50 years old replaced beams to the elements. They be- Bridge in Tondo, Manila where Skyway extension. In a statement, Go said he would discuss the ‘Bong’ Go: call for tougher rules with new ones for safety reasons. gin to rust when salt water seeps bulk of containerised trucks go- Several other bridges, includ- matter with Education Secretary Leonor Briones. DPWH National Capital Re- in. ing to the piers passes. ing an overpass, need repair, in He said the number of bullied students is be friendly and fair to others. “They are pitiful gion (NCR) director Melvin Na- “Once the trucks stop on top particular the Sto. Nino Bridge alarming. “Schools should protect these stu- if they drop out of school because of bullying. If varro said most of these bridges “We have a visual of the bridge because of the at Imelda Avenue in Paranaque dents,” Go said. you are in their shoes, would you be happy if you were built before World War II inspection of all bridges heavy traffi c, it is an added stress City as well as the Concordia or He called on students to inform their teach- are in the receiving end of it?” he said. Go said and were already declared na- every year and then to the bridge because it is a ‘dead Quirino Bridge 2 and Old Sta. ers or school offi cials if they are being bullied. parents should teach their children to be respect- tional treasures for being part of we load the data to our weight,’ considering that bridge Mesa Bridge in Manila and the Go also called on students who bully others to ful to others. the history of old Manila. computer soft ware so has also their maximum capac- Benigno Aquino Bridge in San “These (bridges) are part of that we would be able to ity. It is much better if it runs fast Juan. old Manila. There is one that is determine the structural on the bridge,” he explained. Repair of the Sevilla and Do- already 78 years old. You can’t state of our bridges” At least 13 new “iconic” bridg- mingo bridges in San Juan is also Environment department’s call to reduce plastic use touch them even for repair un- es have been proposed by Public being hindered by the Skyway less you have complied with the Navarro pointed out that the Works Secretary Mark Villar for extension project. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) urged more than 25mn residents in requirements of the National DPWH uses modern retrofi tting construction across the 25-kilo- Also in the repair pipeline are Mindanao to stop using plastic to help save Saranggani Bay from further environmental degradation, Manila Historical Institute. They are technology. The bridges are con- metre stretch of Pasig River to the Tripa de Gallina in Pasay Times reported. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu rallied Mindanao folk, particularly the youth, to help the considered historical bridges,” stantly monitored to ensure their help decongest traffi c on EDSA. City and Katkat Bridge in Ma- DENR during the Mindanao launch of “Tayo ang Kalikasan,” the DENR-led citizens’ movement for environ- Navarro told Manila Times. stability and safety. The projects will be fi nanced by nila, the northbound and south- mental stewardship and sustainable development. He said ordinary citizens can help protect the environ- He identifi ed these structures “We have a visual inspection the Chinese government. bound portions of Culiat Bridge, ment through “humble means,” like proper solid waste management. “We can prevent more plastic from as Ayala Bridge, Jones Bridge, of all bridges every year and then Two of the bridges would be and the southbound portion of reaching the seas and mountains by segregating our waste properly, reducing usage of plastic by relying on McArthur Bridge, Nagtahan we load the data to our compu- built for free as promised by Chi- the fl yover on EDSA corner Rox- reusable containers for recycling,” Cimatu told residents in General Santos City near the Saranggani Bay. Bridge and Quezon Bridge. ter software so that we would be nese President Xi Jinping during as Boulevard. Lorenzana wants peace talks terminated with rebels

By Demsey Reyes also accused four leftist ap- panel is not truthful, sincere moter” and a “consummate man Harry Roque Jr expressed Manila Times pointees of the president of be- and honest except to get con- militarist.” doubt on whether Sison could trayal, for using “their positions cessions such as the release of “To Lorenzana and his ilk muster support for his latest to advance the CPP’s revolution- high-ranking party members of fascists, including Duterte threat, saying the CPP leader efence Secretary Delfi n ary movement.” He did not name and giving their armed compo- himself, the only solution to the would never see his dream of Lorenzana is poised to the Cabinet members. nents (opportunity) to recover civil war in the country is the ousting the government turn Drecommend the termina- Upon Duterte’s assumption lost grounds and mass base,” he military solution. This is the old into reality. tion of peace negotiations with to offi ce in 2016, he named Judy stressed. 1930s dogma promoted by the “Joma Sison is really arrogant. the National Democratic Front Taguiwalo to the Department Based on “foregoing deliber- US military, who sees profi t in He thinks he is the country’s of the Philippines (NDFP). of Social Welfare and Develop- ate actions,” he added, the com- every war it instigates and fo- saviour. Imagine, they said they The rebels were bent on oust- ment, Rafael Mariano to the De- munists were “not sincere” in ments,” the CPP said in a state- would oust the president, they ing President Rodrigo Duterte, partment of Agrarian Reform, talking peace, he said. ment. said he would not fi nish his term. he said, noting that the Com- James Mark Terry Ridon to the “They are employing the rev- It also noted that the defence Joma Sison, wake up, dream on,” munist Party of the Philippines Presidential Commission on the olutionary dual tactics to show chief, a former Philippine mili- Roque said. (CPP) and the NDFP held their Urban Poor, Liza Maza to the semblance of peace but con- tary attache in Washington, “You cannot oust a govern- “largest People’s Congress” in National Anti-Poverty Com- tinually conducting violence was a “big US military sales ment while you’re in Europe. October to November 2016 and mission and Joel Maglunsod as and terror acts on the ground,” agent” in the Philippine gov- You’ve been there for a long Central Committee Plenum in undersecretary of the Depart- Lorenzana said. ernment. time. Come home so you’ll see December 2016. ment of Labour and Employ- Another reason why Loren- “To him, the only solution is to that the situation is now diff er- There was a unilateral cease- ment. zana wants the peace talks can- recruit more and more soldiers ent,” he added. fi re during these meetings, the Taguiwalo and Mariano were celled is that the CPP-NPA- to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Sison’s threat came immedi- Cabinet offi cial noted. rejected by the Commission on NDFP “can’t comply” with the Philippines) in order to lay siege ately after Duterte postponed “During these two occa- Appointments last year while preconditions of Duterte. on thousands of barrios nation- the resumption of formal peace sions, (the communists) crafted Ridon was sacked by the presi- The conditions set by the wide and sow terror among peo- negotiations between the gov- a three-year plan to advance dent due to excessive foreign president were no coalition ple,” the CPP said. ernment and the NDFP sched- the revolutionary movement trips. government; no arson, attacks “He is the zealous US sentry uled for June 28. that included the planning for Lorenzana recalled the and collection of “revolutionary that ensures that the AFP will The CPP leader has accused the Oust Duterte Movement if Aquino administration’s rec- taxes;” and a stop to recruitment always remain as the key pillar Duterte of sabotaging the peace PRRD will not agree to a coali- ommendation to end peace and mass mobilisation, among of US (hegemony) in the Philip- talks to lay the ground for the tion government,” the Defence talks in 2013, wherein the gov- others. pines,” it added. imposition of martial law na- chief said, using the initials of ernment panel concluded that Lorenzana also claimed that Lorenzana: keen to end peace talks Malacanang yesterday tionwide by postponing the the president. they were “taken for a ride” by majority of the indigenous cul- brushed aside a threat by CPP peace talks. In January 2017, the commu- the NDFP. tural communities (ICCs) and “The IPs also wanted the CPP- thousand IPs were murdered by founding chairman Jose Maria “It’s relatively easier and nists’ national military commis- “The GRP (Government of indigenous peoples (IPs) were NDF-NPA to publicly apologise the NPA,” he said. Sison to oust Duterte, calling the more productive for the NDFP sion used the lull in fi ghting to the Republic of the Philippines) opposed to a ceasefi re, fearing for their act of crimes and ter- The CPP yesterday respond- exiled leader “arrogant.” to participate in the Oust-Du- consolidate forces and recover panel then made serious stud- that armed rebels would go back rorism against the ICCs/IPs for ed to the statement of Loren- In a news briefi ng in Maasin, terte movement,” Sison said last their lost mass base. Lorenzana ies and they believed the (NDFP) to their areas. almost 50 years where almost a zana, calling him a “war pro- Southern Leyte, Palace spokes- week. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka What the West can Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar learn from Africa [email protected] 44350478 (News), Most of them said they were happy, nations above the wealthier ones. One life continues, then this is a phase – this 44466404 (Sport), By Chigozie Obioma Abuja even if not completely. A fraction said thing is clear: it is not quality of life that lack, this sickness, this deprivation. 44466636 (Home delivery) they were not happy because of their determines the way these people live and Soon, I will live well again. But if life condition. Only one of these nearly 40 how they perceive the world. It is rather ends here, if all the loved ones who had 44350474 igeria, like most African people said they were depressed. Had their optimism. There is an unshakeable died are in fact forever gone, if there is facebook.com/gulftimes nations, has been taught any of them at any time contemplated belief that, no matter how long it takes, going to be no justice for all the wrongs and dictated to since its suicide? This question was often met things will be well again. Ask the man ever done to me in this world, then how twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar Nindependence, largely seen with surprise, and to some, shock. A who earns $60 a month how will things can happiness be possible? by the rest of the world as a receptacle few asked me why I would ask them turn around. He can’t tell, but he knows Can any similar antidote to soul- for ideas rather than a generator of such a terrible question. In fact, one – a they will. And if indeed things will be crushing depression be found in them. But is there something the mechanic who lived on less than £150 a well, how can he be depressed? In other Western cultures? Indeed, suicide was world could learn from us? During month when “things were best” – was words, suff ering is a temporary carceral outlawed in the UK until 1961. But GULF TIMES the past few weeks in Nigeria, I’ve off ended. He felt I was cursing him and state from which freedom is expected. there doesn’t seem to be an internal interviewed some 40 strangers whose sent me away. Undoubtedly, the source of this mitigating force comparable to that of lives, like those of most people in At no point had any of them optimism is not rationality. One source, the typical Nigerian. One reason could the country, were mired in want and contemplated the idea of not living. I think, could be traditional beliefs be the fact that people in the West (and suff ering. Everywhere, people ambled They could not understand how anyone passed down through generations. in advanced countries) are so used to about sweating, their skins wearing could come to that idea. It was foreign, In the precolonial cultures of many things being stable, functioning, and Spain’s fl aws something they heard of, but which was Nigerian tribes there was a strong form of even successful that some can break gradations of deprivation. Everywhere you turned there was a conspicuous alien to the Nigerian. individualism that essentialised a person down at relatively minor disruptions. lack of opportunities. Beggars walked Why? I wondered. Why would this in such a way that it is simply diffi cult to This might explain the preponderant about naked or in rags, bearing their hardship, this hopelessness, this great, fi nd a Nigerian with low self-esteem. use of “fi xers” such as antidepressants brutally exposed ailments as banners to request help. crushing poverty and suff ering not This was mostly why suicide is largely and illegal drugs as health professor Even those who were fully clothed – drive them to this point? The answers considered the most egregious action Monica Swahn observed in her recent many looking fl amboyant – seemed were mostly uniform: there was no a person can take. One who died that essay. It might also explain why to be in urgent need of help, aching to hopelessness. Nigerians generally way was – and even to this day in some religion, especially Christianity, seems at World Cup achieve a certain dream. believe, no matter the condition, that places – not accorded a traditional not to have such a life-softening eff ect A few days before the trip, I had things will turn around some day. A burial. One wisdom often cited among that faith has amongst Nigerians in the spoken to a group of young students driver who had been off work for days the Igbo, for instance, to explain this west’s most religious country, the US. Spain dominated the ball against Russia, making a enrolled in a mentorship programme at because he did not have 7,000 naira phenomenon is that there is nothing While Nigeria has failed in many ways World Cup record 1,137 passes over 120 minutes, in an an American university. My friend who (£15) to fi x his windscreen wiper told the eyes can see that can make it cry where Western nations have not, its exhibition of possession football that was reminiscent directs the scheme had told me that me: “Suff ering is even sometimes good. blood in place of tears. The other reason people’s mindset has helped foster a sense many students came in with suicidal Jesus said in this world there would for the optimism seems to be sourced of life-saving optimism increasingly absent of how they strangled teams during their victorious thoughts, and about the diffi culties of be suff ering.” He argued that it was in strong religiosity among Nigerians. in the West. Is this resilience something the 2010 World Cup campaign. trying to help to prevent them from the necessary state of the world. “If Although religion is a contributing world can learn from Nigerians? Perhaps Except eight years on, football has changed, and sliding into this pit. you lived in a world where there was factor in the state of the nation, as it it is time we considered this. – Guardian Spain have not. This phenomenon – of reaching no suff ering, it will be an abnormality. is sometimes used to manipulate poor News & Media the edge of life, of losing any sense That would make anyone miserable.” people and it provides food for docility, Hosts Russia triumphed 4-3 on penalties to reach the of meaning because of adversity Research into happiness has been it is the major reason why the people zChigozie Obioma is the author of The World Cup quarter-fi nals on Sunday after a surprising – was something I would not have inconsistent. A 2011 poll found Nigerians are able to endure hardship. There is a Fishermen, and is a professor of English 1-1 draw in Moscow, which could spell the end of an era contemplated witnessing a few years to be the happiest people on Earth, belief in the afterlife – an extension of and creative writing at the University of for La Roja. ago while still living in Nigeria. But, and recent surveys have put poorer living that gives life meaning. If indeed Nebraska-Lincoln Former coach Julen Lopetegui, sacked on the eve of having lived in the US for the last fi ve years, having known friends in the tournament, appeared to have found a way to make depressive states, and having seen Spain’s possession game more threatening and direct, how, in my three years teaching at a but his interim replacement Fernando Hierro was university, young students have taken unable to coax that from his players as they crashed out their own lives almost every year, I have begun to slowly understand it. in Russia. There is a lot that can happen that Legendary playmaker Andres Iniesta retired in can be too much for a young person, or the immediate aftermath of the defeat, the former even anyone, to handle. On the fi rst day Barcelona midfi elder calling time on his international of class, I often ask my creative-writing students to write about their childhood. career at 34. Often, these students are forced to It was Iniesta who scored the most important goal confront their pasts: the father who in Spain’s history in South Africa, in extra-time to ran away and delivered them to foster help them beat Netherlands in the 2010 fi nal, but he care; the mother who worked two jobs could not intervene after to raise them; the grandparent who took them to the farm every day. And Spain managed coming on as a substitute when they write fi ction, much of it is against Russia. often fi lled with stories around loved just one win Meanwhile, Barcelona ones who have died, or some other dire defender Gerard Pique, circumstances. Their lives, despite in the entire living in the most prosperous nation who conceded the in world history, are mired, tarred, competition, a penalty Russia equalised blistered, even shattered. with, previously stated In Nigeria, most of the people I spoke slim 1-0 victory he would retire from to were living shattered lives but in a national team duty after poverty-stricken nation. There was over Iran a young man who worked a 24-hour the tournament. Spain’s shift as a security offi cer at a mid-sized entire campaign was a disaster. hotel; a tailor who survived by carrying It was not as brutally obvious as the debacle in Brazil about a 19th-century sewing machine, four years ago, when Netherlands gained revenge by stitching clothes; a man with three kids who lived on the £45-£50 per month he crushing them 5-1 in their opening fi xture, but the made selling used, weather-worn books; details do not make for happy reading. a man with a face badly disfi gured from a Beyond Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales’s egotistic power-generator explosion; a taxi driver decision to sack Lopetegui for agreeing a deal to whose car was so old and ramshackle he and I had to push it twice to start, and become Real Madrid’s next manager after the from whose fl oor I watched the road tournament, huge fl aws were laid bare. sweep past through a hole. I asked all of Without Lopetegui’s guidance, Spain resorted to them one question: are you happy? ‘Nigerians believe, no matter the condition, that things will turn around some day.’ A shop in Balogun market, Lagos. passing football which did not penetrate, in particular fi nding it hard to break down Iran’s defence in the group stage as well as Russia in the last 16. “We played at a level and with a style that nobody US immigration debate’s ugliness is nothing new had done before. We won three major tournaments back to back,” Hierro said, referring to Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. By Stephen Mihm intolerable prospect. The sociologist European immigrants from “every foul written by Lothrop Stoddard and Bloomberg News Edward Alsworth Ross gave voice and stagnant pool of population” as published in 1920. A journalist and “Now we are in 2018, and many things have changed. to those anxieties in an essay in criminals, idiots and paupers. polemicist, Stoddard argued for We see people are playing with a defence of fi ve, which 1901. He famously used the phrase Walker proposed that all immigrants limiting immigration as a way to we thought had been forgotten. There are also a lot he Census Bureau reported “race suicide” to describe the likely be forced to post a $100 bond upon preserve the purity of the “Nordic” this month that the white fate of the people he called “Anglo- entering the country. This would race in America. Like Grant, he believed of direct balls, and quick transitions, everything is population in much of the US Saxons” – by which he meant the eff ectively keep out the poor from that unrestricted immigration of changing. Trends change.” Tis dying off more quickly than would-be descendants of the group Eastern and Southern Europe, Walker “inferior” races would “sterilise” Spain managed just one win in the entire it is being replaced. By contrast, among that dominated England from the believed, but would not be a deterrent the white population, suppressing competition, a slim 1-0 victory over Iran, drawing 3-3 Hispanics, births continue to exceed fifth century until the Norman to the arrival of tens of thousands of the native birthrate. The two men with Portugal and 2-2 with Morocco, before the Russia deaths. Conquest, though he also included “thrifty” Swedes, Norwegians and would successfully lobby for anti- The fi gures for 2017 are further Scandinavians and Germans. Germans who usually had some savings. miscegenation laws in the US. defeat. Captain Sergio Ramos admitted there would be evidence of a profound demographic Ross believed that those peoples But it was Madison Grant, a wealthy Like many scientifi c racists, Grant changes in the squad but also insisted there was reason shift that is predicted to make whites constituted a separate “race” far New Yorker, dilettante, and “scientifi c” and Stoddard were enthusiastic to be optimistic, as well as proud of Spain’s previous a minority by 2040 or earlier. The superior to other Europeans, to say racist and author of the bestselling eugenicists. Grant proposed a success. data dovetails with President Donald nothing of the peoples of other lands. book, The Passing of the Great Race, programme of mass sterilisation that Trump’s increasingly infl amed rhetoric Ross took aim at the immigrants from who did more than anyone to guide would target criminals, “the diseased, There are few obvious replacements for Hierro, who on immigration. As more than one those lesser places in a book published public opinion along these lines. and the insane,” as well as “weaklings” will hope he is given the chance to show he can be the pundit has observed, he has been able in 1914: “The blood now being injected His book was a peculiar combination and “perhaps ultimately to worthless man to lead Spain into the future. to channel a resurgence of xenophobia into the veins of our people is sub- of faux erudition and historical fi ction, race types.” The book was translated and a growing anxiety over the future of common.” warning readers that the nation’s into multiple languages, including white America. He conjured a dire scenario. “altruistic ideals” and “maudlin German. Adolf Hitler read it, and Americans went down a similar The working classes gradually delay sentimentalism that has made America reportedly wrote Grant an admiring To Advertise road well over a century ago, when a marriage and restrict the size of the ‘an asylum for the oppressed,’ are letter, describing the book as his prominent group of thinkers dominated family as the opportunities hitherto sweeping the nation toward a racial personal “bible.” [email protected] public discourse over immigration in reserved for their children are eagerly abyss.” Grant infl uenced the course of history Display the US. They articulated white anxiety snapped up by the numerous progeny Grant’s titular “race” was the closer to home as well. He served in ways that would ultimately have of the foreigner. The prudent, self- Anglo-Saxons, though he was fond of as an adviser to the sponsors of the 44466621 44418811 profound and enduring eff ects on public respecting natives fi rst cease to expand, Norwegians and other Scandinavians, Immigration Restriction Act of 1924, policy: quotas that targeted immigrant and then, as the struggle for existence Germans, and, of course, the British. which shut down immigration from Classified groups deemed undesirable, even laws grows sterner and the outlook for their But everyone else – Jews, Italians, the countries he despised but set aside 44466609 44418811 against miscegenation. children darker, they fail even to recruit and other “inferior races among our 6,400 slots a year for immigrants from Then, as now, decades of heavy their own numbers. immigrants” – he despised. Grant the tiny country of Norway. Subscription immigration had started to transform For Ross and others, the solution was counselled sharp restrictions on All these thinkers eventually fell out US demography. To native-born whites, simple: Restrict immigration. He was immigration from anywhere except a of favour in the 1930s. But judging from [email protected] the growing infl ux of Jews, Slavs, not alone in off ering this prescription. A small circle of “Nordic” countries. the tone of the immigration debate Italians and other groups was going to few years earlier, the economist Francis He also provided the preface for today, 21st-century versions of these remake the America they knew. Amasa Walker had portrayed the threat The Rising Tide of Color: The Threat ideas may be on the horizon. – Tribune © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved For some whites, this was an in existential terms. He described the Against White World Supremacy, News Service Gulf Times Tuesday, July 3, 2018 19 COMMENT Competing visions threaten Europe

By Hans Kundnani essentially a neoliberal vision. opposed by other northern European London The second vision is the French countries that are even more hostile to president Emmanuel Macron’s idea of Macron’s vision than Germany. a “Europe qui protège”, a Europe that The danger is that the contradictions n Thursday the German protects. Macron envisages an EU in between the three visions will make chancellor, Angela Merkel, which there would be greater solidarity the EU increasingly dysfunctional – warned that the future of the between citizens and between member exacerbating the backlash against it. OEU depended on whether states. In practice, this means more Last week, the new Italian government it could fi nd answers to the question redistribution and risk-sharing in – a coalition of the anti-establishment of migration. But as diffi cult as the the eurozone – the “transfer union” Five Star Movement and the far-right issue of migration is, it is actually just that Germany and other creditor Lega – was so frustrated by the failure one element of the hugely complex countries fear. This is a centre-left to make progress on migration that it challenge facing the EU, which is vision of Europe – although in France, refused to sign the conclusions of the divided along multiple, overlapping because Macron has implemented European council. “Nothing is agreed faultlines that have developed over the structural reforms in an attempt to until everything is agreed,” an Italian last decade and seem to be deepening. gain credibility in Berlin, he is himself offi cial said. The future of the European project increasingly perceived as neoliberal. Italy – which is now at the centre depends not just on whether the EU The third vision is the Hungarian of both the euro and refugee crises as can deal eff ectively with refugees in the Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s idea of a much as Greece once was – could be Mediterranean, but also on whether it “Christian” Europe of sovereign states. the key swing state in the three-way can fi nd a way to reconcile diverging His vision fi rst emerged in response to clash of visions. There are sections of conceptions of what Europe should be. the attempt, led by Germany, to force Italian society that support each. Much It is above all the euro and refugee EU member states to accept mandatory of the Italian centre-right – which crises – which have become acute quotas of refugees in 2015, but it has always supported European integration again almost simultaneously in the developed into a broader critique of and in particular the euro as a way last couple of months – that have the European project. Orbán defi nes to impose external discipline on the divided Europe along geographic and himself as an “illiberal democrat” country – supports Merkel’s vision political lines. On each of the two in opposition to what he sees as the of a competitive Europe. The Italian issues, EU member-states have formed undemocratic liberalism of the EU. His centre-left supports Macron’s vision diff erent coalitions. For example, vision is shared not just by the Law and of a “Europe that protects”. Meanwhile, whereas Greece and Italy opposed Justice party government in Poland but the Lega shares much of Orbán’s anti- Germany in the euro crisis, they now also by far-right parties in other EU immigrant vision. fi nd themselves on the same side of the member-states. Each vision is a response to the argument about migration – even as Both centrists and populists see an rise of Euroscepticism in a diff erent “populist” parties have come to power elemental struggle between liberalism part of the continent and an attempt in Greece and Italy. and illiberalism taking place. But the to reconnect the EU to citizens. Amid this turmoil, three competing reality is messier – as illustrated by The problem is that the visions are visions have emerged. The fi rst is the fact that, despite their apparent incompatible. What it would take to Merkel’s idea of a “competitive” diff erences on the issue of migration, A Hungarian police off icer stands guard at the border with Serbia. reduce Euroscepticism in the south of Europe. Under her “leadership” since Merkel’s “liberal” Christian Democrats Europe would increase it in the north – the euro crisis began in 2010, the EU and Orbán’s “illiberal” Fidesz party Nevertheless, the diff erences he said. After listening to him speak, is, a budget – as part of a much- and vice versa. Similarly, what it would has increasingly become a vehicle remain in the same grouping in the between the three visions are Merkel said they would fi nd common anticipated attempt to relaunch the take to reduce Euroscepticism in the for imposing market discipline on European parliament, the centre-right real. When Macron received the ground despite their diff erences. “That Franco-German relationship as a east of Europe would increase it in the member-states. It is in the name of European People’s Party. Somewhere Charlemagne prize in Aachen in May, is the magic of Europe,” she said. “motor” for the EU. But the Meseberg west – and vice versa. The question is this idea of a competitive Europe that, in between is the Bavarian Christian he increased the pressure on Merkel, But Orbán promptly dismissed their declaration was widely seen as a whether there is a way out of this zero- led by Germany, austerity has been Democrats, led by the German Interior who had failed to respond to his call for idea of a more integrated Europe as a disappointment – the concessions sum game. imposed on debtor countries in the Minister, Horst Seehofer, who has eurozone reform. “In Germany, there “nightmare”. that Merkel made will not do much to eurozone. In other words, although it threatened to bring down the Merkel cannot be a perpetual fetish for budget Two weeks ago, Merkel fi nally make the single currency sustainable. zHans Kundnani is a senior research is expressed in pro-European terms government unless she moves further and trade surpluses, because they are responded to Macron and agreed to a Yet even these concessions were fellow at Chatham House and the author and involves further integration, it is towards Orbán’s vision. achieved at the expense of others,” small eurozone “fi scal capacity” – that immediately – and unsurprisingly – of The Paradox of German Power Plastic manufacturers clutching at straws Three-day forecast Rica getting one removed from its Others are using raw pasta and alternatives,” the company’s director TODAY AFP Maximum Temperature : 420c Paris nostril. bamboo sticks. Pierre Soyez said. The British government in April said The United States is resisting “We’ve been working on this for Minimum Temperature : 300c it planned to ban the sale of single-use change while Europe takes the lead several months,” he said, adding that WEDNESDAY or decades, plastic straws plastics including straws. with biodegradable plastics made it was “really complicated” to try to Maximum Temperature : 410c have been essential props for The European Union followed suit either from fossil fuels or crops such as make the shift overnight. Minimum Temperature : 310c cocktail makers, smoothie in late May. potatoes and corn. Experts, meanwhile, warn that THURSDAY lovers and fast food addicts. In India’s commercial capital Some 100,000 tonnes of bioplastics biodegradable plastics may not be a Maximum Temperature : 410c F Minimum Temperature : 320c But that may be starting to Mumbai, Burger King, McDonald’s were produced in 2016 in the world, miracle solution anyway. and Starbucks were fi ned for violating according to Germany’s specialist “People think that biodegradable change, thanks largely to vigorous Fisherman's forecast environmental campaigning. a ban on single use plastics, an offi cial Nova-Institute. means nothing is dumped in nature. Under pressure from activists, the said earlier in June. In 2017, biodegradable plastic But that’s not the case at all,” engineer production capacity rose to Virginie Le Ravalec of the French WARNING European Union, Britain, India and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Inshore : Nil even fast food giants like McDonald’s Modi has pledged to make his country 800,000 tonnes globally, the Environment and Energy Management have all made some headway towards free of single use plastic by 2022. European Bioplastics industrial Agency. Offshore : Nil bringing the use of plastic straws to Some corporations are also taking group said. A separate collection system for WEATHER an end. steps. And while this may appear to bioplastic waste would need to be set Inshore : Hot daytime with slight And with public pressure growing In the UK and Ireland, McDonald’s be a step in the right direction, up in order for the shift to really work, dust and humid by on governments, particularly in has pledged to complete a transition to manufacturers are concerned about and that would involve millions in night Europe, to ban single use plastics, paper straws by 2019. the impact outright bans would have investment from states. Offshore : Slight dust at times with manufacturers are feeling the heat. In France, the burger giant is testing on their sales. Activists fear, however, that some clouds According to peer-reviewed US alternatives. “It’s not a very good sign,” said biowaste may end up in the WIND journal Science magazine, 8mn tonnes The Hilton hotel giant in May Herve Millet, technical and regulatory oceans — much like plastic has for Inshore : Northwesterly-North- of plastic are dumped into the Earth’s vowed to remove the offenders aff airs manager at PlasticsEurope, decades. easterly 05-15/18 KT oceans and seas each year — 250kilos from its 650 properties by the end the region’s leading plastics “Over periods of days, weeks or Offshrore : Southwesterly-North- every second. of 2018. manufacturers’ association. even months, a bioplastic item could westerly 03-13/18 KT For years, the focus of “Laid end to end, the straws saved “But...big corporations also have present just as much threat to marine Visibility : 4-8 KM/ 3 KM environmentalists has been on plastic each year in (Europe, the Middle East concerns over their image and they life as a conventional plastic item,” bags. and Africa) would exceed the length of must at least try to fi nd a way to Fiona Nicholls of Greenpeace warned. Offshore : 1-3/5 FT As such, Nicholls says humanity’s But plastic straws have now come the River Seine,” the hotel chain said in respond to society’s expectations.” Around the region into the spotlight, thanks in part to a statement. Europe’s top plastic straws only hope is to reduce our use of Weather images that have gone viral on the There are alternatives to plastic manufacturer Soyez, which is based in plastics. Weather tomorrow Max/min Internet. straws, but they are much pricier. France, is also uncertain about how to “Swapping one plastic for another... today Max/min Sunny 48/31 One online video about the danger The fi ve-star Monte Carlo Palace make the transition. is not a fi x to the plastic pollution Baghdad Sunny 46/30 Sunny 46/33 posed by seemingly innocuous straws hotel in Monaco has introduced “The problem isn’t new and it’s problem that our oceans and Kuwait City Sunny 47/33 Sunny 41/31 shows a sea turtle rescued off Costa biodegradable straws. serious, so we obviously need to fi nd waterways face.” Manama Cloudy 38/31 Muscat M Sunny 38/32 Sunny 38/32 Tehran Sunny 40/26 Sunny 39/24 Live issues Cataract surgery tied to lower risk of car crashes

By Lisa Rapaport vision, more glare, and less sense every 1,000 were drivers involved in Smith said by e-mail. Reuters Health of brightness, contrast and depth collisions. “The investigators were able to perception in what people see. Cataract surgery was not associated associate cataract surgery with Surgery for cataracts typically with a lower risk of being involved in a decreased risk of a serious traffi c Around the world rivers with cataracts who involves two small incisions to remove crash as a passenger or pedestrian. accident,” Smith added. “This tells Weather Weather get surgery to have them the damaged lens and the insertion of The study wasn’t a controlled you that if you or an elderly relative today Max/min tomorrow Max/min removed may lower their a clear artifi cial lens. experiment designed to prove whether develop a cataract that aff ects the Athens Sunny 33/22 Sunny 34/23 Drisk of getting into traffi c “Removing the opacifi ed natural or how cataract surgery might make vision, one good reason to have the Beirut Sunny 28/24 Sunny 28/26 crashes, a recent study suggests. lens allows better light entry, reduces crashes less likely, the authors note. cataract operated, is for road use (car, Bangkok I T Storms 34/26 T Storms 33/27 Compared to their chances of a or eliminates refractive error, and Another limitation is that it only motorbike or bicycle) safety.” Berlin P Cloudy 23/11 M Sunny 28/13 crash before surgery, drivers with reduces light scatter,” Schlenker included people with cataracts severe Not everybody with a cataract Cairo Sunny 37/23 Sunny 37/24 cataracts were 9 percent less likely to said by email. “While overall the enough to justify operations, and needs surgery, and not everyone with Cape Town Rain 11/09 P Cloudy 13/08 be involved in collisions afterwards, procedure is well tolerated, there many people with cataracts don’t get a cataract will have diffi culty driving Colombo T Storms 29/26 T Storms 29/26 the study found. are rare complications including surgery. safely, noted Dr Kevin Miller of the Dhaka T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/26 Doctors would need to treat infection, bleeding, swelling, or retinal Even so, the focus on people who Stein Eye Institute and the David Hong Kong S T Storms 29/26 S T Storms 29/26 4,564 patients to avoid one crash detachment.” got in traffi c crashes serious enough to Geff en School of Medicine at the Istanbul Sunny 29/20 Sunny 30/21 a year, researchers report in JAMA The study included 559,456 patients require emergency medical treatment University of California, Los Angeles. Jakarta P Cloudy 33/24 M Sunny 33/24 Opthalmology. who had cataract surgery between off ers high-quality evidence that Other people with cataracts clearly Karachi Cloudy 32/29 Cloudy 32/29 “Given the mortality and societal 2006 and 2016. They were 76 years old cataract surgery may be one eff ective shouldn’t be driving at all because London M Sunny 28/15 M Sunny 28/13 costs from traffi c crashes, any on average. approach to reducing the risk of these their vision is too impaired to safely Manila S T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 31/26 reduction in these risks would be Patients were behind the wheel in collisions, said Dr Justine Smith, operate a vehicle, Miller, who wasn’t Moscow M Sunny 23/13 P Cloudy 20/12 welcome,” said lead study author Dr a total of 6,482 serious crashes that a researcher at Flinders University involved in the study, said by e-mail. New Delhi S Showers 35/28 S T Storms 36/28 Matthew Schlenker of the Kensington landed them in the emergency room in Adelaide, Australia, who wasn’t “The diffi culty comes with New York M Sunny 34/24 Sunny 31/24 Eye Institute in Toronto, Ontario. during the fi ve years before their involved in the study. everybody in between where they have Paris P Cloudy 31/19 P Cloudy 28/19 Cataracts often develop with age, cataract surgery. “We know that reduced vision is some cataract and it’s creating some Sao Paulo Sunny 27/14 M Sunny 23/15 making the lens inside the eye cloudy During the 3.5 years before surgery, a risk for driving – that is why the eff ect on their vision but it’s not to the Seoul T Storms 27/23 S Showers 31/22 and more opaque and reducing the 2.36 patients out of every 1,000 were Department of Motor Vehicles or point where they can’t pass a driver’s Singapore S T Storms 29/26 S T Storms 29/26 amount of light that enters the eye. drivers in traffi c crashes. equivalent takes your driving license vision test,” Miller said. “There are Sydney S Showers 16/09 M Sunny 18/08 Symptoms can include decreased Over the course of the fi rst year when your vision drops below a set many, many people that fall into that Tokyo Clear 33/25 Clear 33/25 visual acuity, impaired colour after surgery, 2.14 patients out of level, which varies with country,” gray zone.” Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, July 3, 2018 QATAR Book reveals sinister blockade plot and indomitable spirit of Qatar

atar Stronger Than It also gave detailed com- book will be a reference on the and endurance of Qatari people the Blockade, a book mentaries on the real causes period of the blockade and the and its united stand behind the Qby Saleh bin Afsan al- behind the unjust blockade and endurance of the Qatari peo- leadership. Kuwari, Editor-in-Chief of lo- gave reasonable and logical re- ple and the residents of Qatar The launch ceremony was cal Arabic daily Arrayah, was sponses to the attempts of the in standing fi rmly behind the attended by HE Sheikh Abdul- launched at a ceremony in the media of the blockading coun- leadership of the country. He rahman bin Hamad al-Thani, newspaper’s offi ce yesterday. tries to spread rumours, which also hoped the book would be CEO of QMC, Gulf Times Ed- The book is a compilation of eventually failed in its mission used by future generations to itor-in-Chief Faisal Abdul- the articles and editorials al- as they were found to be fabri- inspire them about the positive hameed al-Mudahka, and the Kuwari has written since June 5 cated and false. role of the Qatari people in the director of Qatar News Agency last year when a blockade was Speaking at the launch cer- crisis. Yousef al-Malki, in addition unjustly imposed on Qatar by emony, the author pointed out In his introduction, HE to a number of prominent Qa- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain that the book refutes all the Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al- tari mediapersons, editor-in- and Egypt. claims posted against Qatar Thani, chairman of Qatar Media chiefs of local dailies, Qatar In addition to the articles of such as the country supports Corporation (QMC), described University professors and Qa- al-Kuwari, the book contains terrorism. It also deals with at- the book as a very important tari writers. cartoons and caricatures by tempts of the siege countries to contribution from the author The book has been well- Mohamed Abdullatif. undermine the Qatari economy, to the national library “as it received by prominent Qatari The articles in the book ex- the role of the blockading coun- comes from a man who has lived writers and journalists as an pose and analyse the sinister plot tries in separating joint GCC through the major events men- important document detailing against Qatar throughout the families and their attempts to tioned in it”. a critical phase of the history of past year and the eff orts to tar- create divisions and dissent He also expected the book to the nation, besides being a well- HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani and Saleh bin Afsan al-Kuwari with the guests at the launch nish the reputation of the country among Qatari tribes. become a reference for the next researched analysis of the stand ceremony of the book. and undermine its high standing. He expressed hope that the generations on the resistance adopted by Qatar. Newly built QU Health Centre ready to be handed over to MoPH

By Ramesh Mathew Staff Reporter

he Public Works Authority (Ashghal) yesterday an- Tnounced that it has com- pleted the construction of the Qatar University (QU) Health Centre and started the process of its handover to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). This is in line with the government’s plans regarding the development of the country’s health sector, Ashghal has said. The new health centre is the fourth one to be delivered since the economic blockade was im- posed on Qatar on June 5, 2017. Accomplishment of the Qa- tar University Health Centre, located to the south of QU in Project engineer Ahmed Salah Duhail, marks the conclusion of a package of four healthcare mented three accredited designs, Al Waab, is the fourth clinic projects. These are Muaither, Al based on the demography of Qa- delivered since the start of the Wajbah, Al Waab and QU health tar: unfair blockade on Qatar. The centres. Type A has a few clinics for health projects have not been af- Project engineer Ahmed Salah The newly built Qatar University Health Centre. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam less populated areas such as the fected by the siege and Ashghal yesterday told a group of jour- Al Karana and Leghwiriya health has been able to accomplish the nalists during a visit to the new The parking facility is the to a meeting hall, a library, a lab, such facilities as signage mes- toilets, wide walkways for easy centres, while Type B is bigger works in harmony with the crite- centre that the facility is one of largest of its kind among the a radiology facility and a phar- saging with illustrations and movement, auto-doors and re- and and designed for community ria submitted by the Ministry of the best of its kind in Qatar. Con- country’s health centres, capa- macy. Braille writing styles, comfort- ception desks with a convenient health, including the Al Waab Public Health”, he added. structed at a cost of QR150mn, ble of accommodating 511 cars The centre has been designed able toilets, wide walkways for height besides car parking spaces and Qatar University health cen- The new centre in Qatar Uni- the QU Health Centre is spread at a time. The centre consists to provide comfort to visitors as easy movement, auto-doors, and close to the main entrances and tres. Type C is the biggest cat- versity also features criteria set over a built-up area of more than of 36 clinics, of which 22 are for the state-of-the-art complex reception desks with convenient ramps in place of steps. egory and intended for health by the Global Sustainability As- 23,300sq m and comprises four- general check-up, eight for den- has four main entrances, one of height are in place at the com- Speaking to journalists, Saleh and wellness as well as featuring sessment System. Operational level main building with a two- tistry, two for maternity and two them meant exclusively for am- plex. said the project was built by ad- rehabilitation and sport serv- and architectural factors were level basement designed as a car for pre-marriage tests along with bulances and emergencies, as Ashghal has also taken into hering to local and international ices like those in Al Wajbah and taken into consideration to parking facility as well as ground other medical specialised serv- well as two mosques for men and consideration the requirements specifi cations and standards, Muaither,” said Salah. accomplish a 3-star environ- and upper levels dedicated to ices, including emergency and women. Considering the grow- of special needs people, having and its completion was achieved “The Qatar University Health mental level in terms of energy clinics, laboratories, administra- physiotherapy that comprises a ing requirements of special needs provided signage with illustra- in 3mn man-hours without lost Centre, besides the health cen- saving and environment pres- tive offi ces and other annexes. lounge, sports hall, in addition people, it has been ensured that tions and in Braille, comfortable time injury. “Ashghal has imple- tres of Muaither, Al Wajbah and ervation. Qatar resident takes on world’s toughest triathlon

atar-resident and law- yer Perrine Fages has Qjust returned to Doha from Europe after tackling one of the world’s toughest endur- ance challenges, the Enduroman Arch 2 Arc. The challenge sees competitors run 140km from London’s Marble Arch to Dover on the English coast, swim the English channel and then bike 288km from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. “It was incredibly tough but in the end hugely rewarding. I really pushed myself to achieve something a few years ago, I would not have felt or dreamed possible,” Fages, a French na- tional, said in a statement. “To balance work, personal life and training that was at its peak 40 hours a week on top of full-time work is a huge commitment,” she stressed. Fages looking fresh at the end of the 140km record run. Fages in the Channel, with large ships all around. As one of the world’s tough- est endurance events, the En- preventing her to reach land Fages set off swimming the reach land. As such, it was nec- get some sponsors and support, the 288km to Paris in a mere 17 taken the respect and admira- duroman Arch 2 Arc has been safely. channel at 6.25am on June 23, essary to remove Fages from the I might go back to break the hours and 6 minutes. tion of its founder, her family, attempted by around 50 solo She started this immense and crossed through the half way water for safety reasons. women’s record,” Fages added. Fages fi nished the challenge her team and the thousands of athletes, with only 27 (at the challenge on June 22 at 5.30am at point in 7 hours and 30 minutes. “I obviously have unfi nished Though disappointed, as this undesignated in the records of people who followed online, time of Fages’ attempt) having Marble Arch, running the route However, as she reached close business with the channel, but meant Fages would not receive a the Enduroman Arch to Arc but shared content and took inspira- fully completed the challenge. to Dover in 16 hours and 21 min- to the French coast, tidal condi- overall I am thrilled to have gone full fi nishers designation in the was presented with a fi nisher’s tion. Coached by Ryan Bowd of RnR utes, a record time, setting the tions changed and behaved ab- from London to Paris under my Enduroman Arch 2 Arc records, medal by its founder, Edgar Ette Her next big challenge is Sport, Fages was able to com- fastest women’s solo run time normally and it became appar- own power,” she noted, thanking she showed great mental at the Arc de Triomphe. competing in this year’s Iron- plete most of the monumental and second fastest solo athlete ent to her support team, coaches her friends, family and coaches strength and determination to She did not earn the # with man World Championships in challenge, with only her swim run time (men’s or women’s) and organisers that it would be for their support. “Without continue on to Paris on the bike. number that designates a full Hawaii, with more events to be being cut short by 3 nautical ever in Enduroman Arch 2 Arc unsafe to keep her in the wa- which it would not have been With the backing of the organis- fi nisher (as she had to end her added to her 2018 and 2019 plans miles due to tidal conditions, history. ter until it would be possible to possible. Who knows, if I can ers and support team, she biked channel swim early), but she has with announcements to come.