QATAR | Page 16 SPORT | Page 1 Tabata nets fi ne hat-trick to end INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 REGION 3 BUSINESS 1 – 12 QSL season ‘World’s tallest bubble 20,414.00 10,451.47 53.18 ARAB WORLD 3 CLASSIFIED 7, 8 -102.00 -37.81 -0.07 INTERNATIONAL 4 – 13 SPORTS 1 – 8 man’ graces Doha fest -0.50% -0.36% -0.13% in style Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10424 April 15, 2017 Rajab 18, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Duterte arrives in Doha China warns of In brief N Korea confl ict

ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Hundreds evacuated from four Syria towns Hundreds of civilians and fighters ‘at any moment’ who have been under crippling siege for more than two years US President Donald Trump has left four Syrian towns in fleets of issued stark warnings that the buses yesterday under a delayed threat posed by Pyongyang’s evacuation deal. Men, women and nuclear weapons programme “will children packed onto buses leaving be taken care of” government-controlled Fuaa and Kafraya and rebel-held Madaya and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrived yesterday in Doha on an off icial visit to AFP Zabadani, with many expressing the country. He was received upon arrival at Hamad International Airport by HE the Beijing despair at not knowing when they Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, Qatar’s ambassador might return. The deal to evacuate to the Philippines Ali bin Ibrahim al-Malki and Philippine ambassador Alan Timbayan. the towns is the latest in a string of hina issued a stern warning such agreements through Syria’s yesterday that a confl ict over six-year civil war. Page 3 CNorth Korea could break out “at any moment”, as Pyongyang vowed a “merciless” response to any US mili- AMERICA | Automobiles tary action. Apple gets permit to Erdogan: Turkey Tensions in the region have surged to fresh heights in recent days with test self-driving cars speculation mounting that the North Apple Inc has secured a permit is preparing a sixth nuclear test. to test autonomous vehicles A US naval strike force has been de- to review Europe ployed near the Korean peninsula, and in California, which allows it to conduct test drives in three President Donald Trump has issued A North Korean soldier looks through a pair of binoculars at a watch tower in vehicles with six drivers, the state stark warnings that the threat posed Sinuiju, North Korea, just across from Dandong of China’s Liaoning province Department of Motor Vehicles by Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons pro- yesterday. said yesterday. Although it has ties after vote gramme “will be taken care of”. never openly acknowledged it is A clearly rattled China, under pres- Trump’s military muscle-fl exing commercial fl ights into North Korea - looking into building an electric DPA would pass in tomorrow’s vote, saying sure from Trump to prevent any North was on display again when the US would suspend services to Pyongyang car, Apple has recruited dozens Istanbul polling research indicating a victory Korean provocation, said the situation on dropped the biggest non-nuclear from next week. of auto experts. The vehicles are for the “yes” side. had reached breaking point. bomb it possesses on Afghanistan, The report gave no reason for the all 2015 Lexus RX540h, according “Some rates show below 55%, some “One has the feeling that a confl ict targeting a complex used by the Is- suspension, but noted that Air China to the DMV. The permit does not resident Recep Tayyip Erdogan show between 55 and 60%,” he said, could break out at any moment,” Chi- lamic State group. has taken similar action in the past be- necessarily mean Apple is building aims to convene government with just one day left before cam- nese foreign minister Wang Yi said. The American president has repeat- cause of low passenger volumes. a car. Poffi cials to review the future of paigning closes. “If a war occurs, the result is a situ- edly said he will prevent Pyongyang Despite the mounting tensions, Turkey’s relationship with Europe fol- Earlier in the day, Turkey’s EU Min- ation in which everybody loses and from its goal of developing a nucle- there has been little sign of strain on there can be no winner,” he added dur- ar-tipped ballistic missile capable of the streets of Pyongyang in recent EUROPE | Migrants lowing a key referendum on presiden- ister Omer Celik said he off ered to tial powers this weekend. hold a summit with the bloc to discuss ing a joint press conference in Beijing reaching the mainland United States. days, where the focus has been on Over 2,000 rescued Erdogan told state-broadcaster TRT the future of bilateral ties after the ref- with the visiting French foreign min- A White House foreign policy ad- preparations for today’s anniversary. from Mediterranean yesterday that Turkey, a candidate erendum. ister. viser said that the US was assessing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un country to join the European Union, “We have reached the lowest point Wang’s comments mirrored a warn- military options, and added that an- on Thursday unveiled the sprawl- ing from the North Korean foreign other provocative test was a question ing Ryomyong street development, a More than 2,000 migrants trying had been unduly left waiting outside in the crisis with the EU. To get out of ministry’s Institute for Disarmament of “when” rather than “if.” prestige housing project repeatedly to reach Europe were plucked the bloc. that, what I have proposed to them is from the Mediterranean yesterday and Peace that “thermo-nuclear war Satellite imagery analysis has noted promised in time to mark the occasion. “Turkey is not their scapegoat. Eve- that a summit is needed,” he told Hab- in a series of dramatic rescues may break out any moment”. activity at the North’s main nuclear Before the international press ryone will know their place,” he said. erTurk channel. and one person was found dead, North Korea has invoked similarly test site ahead of today’s 105th an- and tens of thousands of his adoring off icials and witnesses said. An Tensions have been high between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut dire scenarios on previous occasions niversary of the birth of the country’s citizens, he cut a wide red ribbon to Italian coast guard spokesman said Turkey and Europe, especially Ger- Cavusoglu the day before was quot- when tensions on the Korean peninsu- founder leader Kim Il-sung. rhythmic cheers, before waving and 19 rescue operations by the coast many and the Netherlands, during ed by state-run news agency Anado- la have spiked, but Beijing’s warnings The North’s sabre-rattling has en- returning to his Mercedes limousine. guard or ships operated by non- the campaign, with Erdogan dubbing lu as saying the country would push have fuelled international concerns couraged a rapprochement between governmental organisations had some leaders as “fascists” and accused ahead for a visa-free travel deal to that the current situation is reaching Trump and his Chinese counterpart saved a total of 2,074 migrants on them of behaving like “Nazis.” Europe, adding this was tied to a mi- tipping point. Xi Jinping, who met face-to-face for Show of strength 16 rubber dinghies and three small Erdogan also predicted that the gration agreement reached last year. The North’s Korean People’s Army the fi rst time late last week at Trump’s wooden boats. referendum on expanding his powers Page 8 (KPA) added its voice to the bellicose Mar-a-Lago resort. North Korea’s military forces were rhetoric with a statement threatening Though his election campaign was massed in Pyongyang early today strikes against US military bases and marked with acerbic denouncements for a show of strength by leader Kim AFGHANISTAN | Shock and awe Nasa fi ndings point to life on Saturn moon other targets in South Korea. of China’s “rape” of the US economy, Jong-un as tensions mount over Huge US bomb kills “The closer such big targets as nu- Trump dropped his anti-China bom- his nuclear ambitions. Hundreds of clear powered aircraft carriers come, bast in Florida, afterwards hailing an fl atbed trucks packed with soldiers dozens of IS militants An ice-encrusted moon orbiting likely occurring on Enceladus. the greater would be the eff ect of mer- “outstanding” relationship with Xi. lined the banks of the Taedong river The US military’s largest non- Saturn appears to have the conditions On Earth, those chemical reactions ciless strikes,” said the statement car- But he insists China - the North’s in the predawn darkness for a parade nuclear bomb killed dozens of necessary for life, Nasa announced on allow microbes to flourish in hot cracks ried by the North’s offi cial KCNA news sole major ally and economic life- through the North Korean capital. Islamic State militants as it smashed Thursday, unveiling new findings made in the planet’s ocean floors - depths agency. line - must exert more leverage on Ostensibly the event was to mark the their mountain hideouts, Afghan by its unmanned Cassini spacecraft. sunlight cannot reach - meaning the Citing the recent missile strike Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear am- 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim’s off icials said yesterday, ruling out Cassini has detected hydrogen moon could also nourish life. Trump ordered against Syria - which bitions or suff er the consequences. grandfather, the North’s founder Kim any civilian casualties despite the molecules in vapour plumes emanating “Now, Enceladus is high on the list in was widely interpreted as a warning to Beijing has long opposed dramatic Il-Sung - a date known as the ‘Day of weapon’s destructive power. The from cracks in the surface of Enceladus, the solar system for showing habitable Pyongyang - the KPA denounced the action against the North, fearing the the Sun’ in the Democratic People’s GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air a small ocean moon coated in a thick conditions,” said Hunter Waite, one of US president for embarking on a path regime’s collapse would send a fl ood Republic of Korea. But it is also intended Blast bomb - dubbed the “Mother layer of ice, the US space agency said. the study’s leading researchers. of “open threat and blackmail” against of refugees across its borders and leave to send an unmistakable message to Of All Bombs” - was unleashed in The plumes have led scientists to infer The new research, published on the North. the US military on its doorstep. Washington, Seoul, Tokyo and other combat for the first time, hitting that hydrothermal chemical reactions Thursday in the journal Science, It also urged Washington to “come China’s state broadcaster CCTV capitals about the isolated, nuclear- IS positions in eastern Nangarhar between the moon’s rocky core and its “indicates there is chemical potential to to its senses” and fi nd a “proper” so- announced yesterday that Air China armed North’s military might. province on Thursday. Pae 11 ocean - located under the ice crust - are support microbial systems,” he said. lution to the current stand-off . - the only foreign carrier operating Taxi drivers asking for dedicated parking spaces

By Ramesh Mathew are also operating taxis in Qatar at Though taxis are allowed to freely en- clusive parking spaces around hospitals Staff Reporter present. ter mall premises in Doha or its outskirts, and clinics would go a long way in mak- Speaking to Gulf Times, some taxi drop off and pick up passengers from ing travel easier for customers there. drivers said they were facing severe there, dedicated parking spaces exist at Similar facilities should be provided ome taxi drivers want dedicated competition from “other taxi opera- only a handful of places, it is learnt. around ministries and government parking spaces for their vehi- tors” - or the so-called limousines - “There are many customers who agencies that are visited by a large Scles on service roads along some and it was high time they were allotted don’t like waiting for long for a taxi to number of people and many of whom of Doha’s major roads, hospital com- dedicated parking spaces so that they arrive. If there is a dedicated parking rely on taxis. pounds and government offi ces that can get passengers more easily. area for taxis in such places, custom- “We would not have to waste our receive a large number of visitors regu- “For passengers, too, it will be easier ers could just walk down to catch a taxi time - and fuel - looking for a parking larly. to fi nd a taxi if such a dedicated facil- parked there,” said a cabbie. space around all these places. A dedi- Such dedicated parking zones, say ity is provided to us. They will not have Similarly, the demand for taxis is al- cated space will prove benefi cial to all,” some of the cabbies, are essential for to hunt or wait for a taxi,” said one of ways high in the immediate neighbour- said another driver. them to carry out their operations in an them, stressing that limousine opera- hood of both government and private Some of them said it would be good effi cient and viable manner. tors would not be able to “take away” clinics in Doha. Customers waiting for to have dedicated parking slots near Apart from the state-run Mow- passengers from the regular cabbies if taxis is a common sight in such places. embassies - particularly the busy ones asalat’s Karwa taxis, four franchisees such a facility existed. Taxis waiting outside a hypermarket in Doha yesterday afternoon. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Taxi drivers feel the allotment of ex- - as well. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, April 15, 2017 QATAR

Maid acquitted Unesco ‘programmes with of theft

Doha Criminal Court has acquitted a Sri Lankan Amaid accused of stealing Qatar working very well’ gold jewellery and cash from her employer. By Joey Aguilar indicators for measuring their recent achievements to for all, empowering learners ing Qatar, which will soon be train youth in Qatar about mo- Local Arabic daily Arrayah Staff Reporter performance. the strong networks of local to be creative and responsible published. bile apps development and cod- reported that the employer “Unesco’s joint programmes partners, including govern- global citizens and leading and In culture, Unesco Doha cul- ing for positive impact. accused the maid of steal- with Qatar are working very ment bodies, universities, co-ordinating SDG 4 Education ture programme assistant Bo- In natural sciences, Unesco ing QR4,500 from her hand- he United Nations Edu- well, we bring technical knowl- schools and the private sector 2030 agenda. jana Zivkovic focused on some Doha has been working with lo- bag. She complained that cational, Cultural and edge and most of the substance in Qatar. “We provide technical and of their initiatives that promote cal partners, including the Min- when she searched the room TScientifi c Organisation around it but they make the In education, Unesco Doha policy advice to the Ministry and preserve cultural heritage in istry of Municipality and En- of the maid, she found a bag (Unesco) offi ce in Doha is con- facilitation to reach out the programme specialist Faryal of Education to enable them to Qatar, including the launch of vironment, to preserve natural hidden in the room. Inside tinuously working with all the diff erent stakeholders on the Khan highlighted the co-oper- strengthen their capacity for the #Unite4Heritage campaign. heritage in the Al Reem Reserve, the bag, there was QR4,800 ministries in Qatar to imple- fi eld,” Unesco representative for ation with national partners in educational policy and planning Some 50 World Heritage vol- a protected area of 120,000 hec- and two bottles of expensive ment the sustainable develop- the Arab states of the Gulf and developing policies and stra- for Education 2030 agenda,” unteers took part in the pro- tares in northwest Qatar. perfumes. Her daughter told ment goals (SDGs), a senior of- Yemen and Doha director Anna tegic planning to monitor na- Khan said. gramme to protect and preserve “The fact that Unesco is host- her later that the perfumes fi cial has said. Paolini said. tional progress in implementing Unesco Doha education pro- the Al Zubarah World Heritage ed in Qatar is a clear refl ection belonged to her. Qatar is one of the two These programmes cover SDG 4, which focuses on quality gramme assistant Maricel Fern- site. of the successful co-operation However, the employer did Arab countries that vol- education, natural sciences, so- education for all. andez explained the importance In communication and in- between our organisation and not report the maid to the po- untarily report their com- cial, and human sciences, cul- She said their education pro- of Qatar National Research formation, Unesco Doha senior the multiple institutions here, lice, but when she went out- mitment and achievements ture; and communication and gramme focuses on three stra- Fund-funded research on ex- programme assistant Marion including the Qatar National side the house with her family, on the SDGs, which has 17 information; among others. tegic objectives: high quality ploring learning outcomes in Desmurger cited their Youth- Commission to Unesco,” Paolini the maid ran away after steal- goals, 169 targets and 229 Paolini attributed some of and inclusive lifelong learning the six GCC countries, includ- Mobile project, which aims to added. ing some other pieces of gold jewellery, a branded medal and cash. The lawyer of the maid argued that the case against the maid did not have any sold evidences oth- er than the claims of the employ- 350 complete disaster er, which were deemed doubtful as she waited six days before she submitted a complaint. management camp

ome 350 trainees from siveness of QRCS and other ing their suff ering,” he noted. Court several Arab countries involved organisations. “One day, when you are in Shave completed Qatar In his speech, QRCS presi- the fi eld, you will feel the value Red Crescent’s (QRCS) seventh dent Dr Mohamed bin Ghanem of what you have learnt. As in reviews Disaster Management Camp al-Ali al-Maadheed congratu- medicine, humanitarian ac- (DMC) at the Marine Scout lated the trainees saying they tion involves treatment, reha- Participants completed the 10-day practical training in Al Khor. Camp in Al Khor. were in touch with the underly- bilitation, and prevention,” Dr case against Organised under the pa- ing principles of our humani- al-Maadheed added. “It is not infrastructure and thousands by National Societies and non- mittee for Emergency, Qatar tronage of HE the Prime tarian work over the past few enough to respond, you need to of houses, and displaced nearly governmental organisations Armed Forces, Lekhwiya, Fazaa, Minister and Interior Min- days. be proactive and ready for chal- 120,000 people at an area al- helped make it such a distinctive Doha Bank, General Directorate ex-banker ister Sheikh Abdullah bin “Every one of you has a duty lenges and this is possible only ready hosting internally dis- success,” DMC manager Rashid of Endowments, Ooredoo, Ha- Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani of educating society about all with training and education.” placed people. Saad al-Mohannadi said. mad Medical Corporation, Civil and sponsored by the Social the knowledge that you have After 10 days of practical “The strong government sup- DMC-7 was supported by Defense, Qatar Scout and Guide he Court of Appeal has and Sport Contribution Fund, gained. Our message is centred training, the participants en- port added a regional and in- several organisations and au- Association, Doha Golf Club, reviewed the case of an the camp aims to evaluate the around improving the lives of acted a disaster scenario that ternational dimension to this thorities, including the Ministry Community Police, and Al Khor Texpatriate man con- preparedness and respon- vulnerable people and alleviat- killed 3,000 victims, destroyed event. The active participation of Interior, the Permanent Com- Sports Club. victed of misappropriating QR1.3mn while working as head of a department at a lo- cal bank, local Arabic daily Arrayah reported. The Court of First Instance sentenced him to fi ve years in jail Delegation visits Bangladesh and subsequent deportation, and ordered him to repay the amount. According to the case fi le, the defendant used a cheque belong- ing to a client of the bank and il- to inspect several QC projects legally transferred QR1.3mn in US dollars to his personal account. At the Court of Appeal his delegation of Qatari shirts, 150 hoods, 150 shawls lawyer argued that the man could women benefactors or- and 400 toys. not be considered as an employee Aganised a visit to Bang- The delegation visited im- of the bank when the money was ladesh, during which they portant projects, including a cashed as he had submitted his Students taking part in the second QU Math Championship. found out about the situation medical camp for eye patients resignation two days earlier and in general, distributed gifts and that conducted 500 surgeries the bank accepted it. income-generating projects that helped restore vision for a The lawyer also argued that among 2,000 people and in- large number of people. Moreo- the cheque was signed by the ac- spected a number of projects, ver, the camp’s doctors provid- count owner and approved by the QU-CAS engages multi-service centres, social ed treatment to 300 patients, bank. The case is still going on at care centres, schools and hos- especially those suff ering from the court. pitals implemented by Qatar cataract disease, and distrib- 300 students in Math Charity (QC) in the country. uted glasses and free medicines The delegation included for patients. Badriya al-Yaqout, QC’s direc- The delegation also visited Championship tor of the female department, Sheikha Noora bint Jassim al- Food bags among the items distributed by the women delegation. Sheikha al-Muftah, female re- Thani’s Training and Reha- Retrial of he Department of the Foundation Programme, lations offi cer, and a number bilitation Centre for Orphans, ferent places, which helping the erosity, which resulted in the Mathematics, Statis- CAS and CBE, while the sec- of women volunteers who had another training and rehabilita- poor and needy, especially the implementation of a number Ttics and Physics (MSP) ond was open to all QU stu- struggled to make it to the tion centre for orphans owned humanitarian work done in the of charitable and humanitar- GCC man at Qatar University College of dents. Each level included one Bangladeshi villages and re- by the family of Sheikh Ali bin medical camp that treated eye ian projects for those in need in Arts and Sciences (QU-CAS) session for male contestants gions far from the capital to put Abdulaziz al-Thani, Eman Al diseases. Bangladesh. recently held the second QU and two sessions for female a smile on the poor and needy Saad Centre and Noora Bint Besides, she expressed thanks Al-Muftah stressed that the ordered Math Championship. contestants. people’s faces, according to a Rashid Al Nuaimi Mall. and appreciation for mem- visit “hit the highest point of The initiative was aimed Commenting on the event, statement. “It is our great pleasure to bers of the Qatari embassy in success”, noting that the dele- at providing students with a Dr al-Sulaiti said: “The main Upon the delegation’s arrival pay a humanitarian visit in Bangladesh, headed by ambas- gation was briefed on many QC he Court of Appeal has platform to help them discover purpose of QU Math Champi- at Gouripur in Comilla district, which we fi nd out about the sador Ahmed bin Mohamed projects. “It is such a pleasure to ordered the retrial of a their talents and build their onships is to provide our stu- they distributed among the living conditions of other peo- al-Dehaimi, who off ered sup- visit a country where you spot TGCC man convicted by analytical and creative skills, dents with a challenging and poor vans, transport vehicles, ples,” al-Yaqout said, assuring port and co-operation to the the magnitude of the aid off ered the Court of First Instance for according to a statement. engaging mathematical expe- sheep, farmland for some fami- that the delegation was happy delegation for the visit. Further, by the people of your country counterfeiting a cheque worth Organised in collaboration rience that is both competi- lies, shops, 1,000 food baskets when they checked out QC’s she thanked the benefactors in to the poor and the needy,” she QR1mn. with the QU Foundation Pro- tive and educational. From the with several items, 200 men’s projects implemented in dif- Qatar for their eff orts and gen- said. Local Arabic daily Arrayah gramme, the event engaged interest and participation of reported that at the fi rst level more than 300 students from the students, I can say that the of litigation the defendant was across QU colleges. They had event turned out to be a great QDA to host diabetes convicted in absentia and sen- the opportunity to demon- success. tenced to two years in jail and a strate their analytical and logi- “The event aligns with Qa- symposium today bail of QR8,000 for temporary cal skills. tar University’s role to produce QNL organises workshop for suspending the execution of the Attendees included MSP graduates with increased ana- Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) sentence. Department head Dr Leena lytical and logical skills. With will hold a symposium today on the The Court of Appeal accepted al-Sulaiti and faculty and staff the introduction of Actuarial ‘Books-Made in Qatar’ initiative topic ‘Fasting safely with Diabetes’ the appeal fi led by the defendant from QU colleges of Arts and Mathematics through our BSc at Westin Hotel Doha at 6pm. due to errors in the application of Sciences, and Business and in Mathematics, we plan to The event is part of QDA’s annual the law at the fi rst level. The de- Economics (CBE). build on the QU Math Cham- atar National Library activities prior to Ramadan and fendant also asked the victim to The event featured two lev- pionship experience to off er (QNL), in collaboration healthcare practitioners dealing submit the original cheque that els according to the students’ a wider service to the Qatari Qwith Hamad Bin Kha- with diabetes patients across the he claimed to be counterfeited. background and competen- community by holding math lifa University Press (HBKU country are expected to take part The case is still going on at the cies. The fi rst level was re- activities open to high-school Press), and the Goethe-Insti- in the programme. court. stricted to contestants from students in the State of Qatar.” tut Gulf Region, has conducted Dr Mohamed Hassanein the second workshop of the consultant in endocrinology, ‘Books – Made in Qatar’ ini- Dubai Hospital, and senior MIT professor to speak at HBKU’s climate seminar tiative. The exercise, dedicated lecturer, Cardiff University, UK, to the development of Qatari as well as chair of Diabetes and Hamad Bin Khalifa University American university MIT. illustrators, was organised Ramadan International Alliance, (HBKU), in collaboration with MIT, By reviewing the documented as part of the offi cial Qatar- will lead the symposium. will be hosting a seminar tomorrow history of the regional climate over Germany 2017 Year of Culture Krause with illustrators during the workshop. According to the organisers, the on global climate change and its the Nile Basin, the lecture will delve programme. symposium targets healthcare impact on the hydrology of the Nile into the role of the variations in the The fi ve-day workshop, works were based on stories cre- she spent a wonderful week providers who are running and the ongoing water conflict. solar radiation in shaping regional which concluded on Thurs- ated and developed during the working with Qatari authors. diabetic clinics at Hamad Medical The lecture, titled “Hydrology and climate over North Africa, which day, gave participating illustra- fi rst workshop of the initiative, The completed illustrated Corporation, Primary Health Care Climate of the Nile Basin: Past, triggered the human migrations tors the opportunity to work on which involved Qatari writers. stories from the project will Corporation and private hospitals. Present, and the Future”, will be associated with the emergence of sketches and storyboards with Workshop instructor Ute be presented to the public at The symposium will give inputs for delivered by Dr Elfatih Eltahir, Breene old pharaonic civilisation. one of Germany’s best-known Krause shared her excitement in the Doha International Book the physicians and other healthcare M Kerr Professor of hydrology The seminar will be taking place children’s and young adults’ returning to Doha for the illustra- Fair in December 2017 and professionals on advising diabetes and climate and professor of civil at the Cinema Hall of the HBKU book authors and illustrators, tors’ workshop, especially after one or more of the stories will patients to manage their health and environmental engineering at Student Centre from 4pm to 6pm. Dr Elfatih Eltahir Ute Krause. The illustrators’ the fi rst workshop, during which be published by HBKU Press. while fasting during Ramadan. Gulf Times Saturday, April 15, 2017 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD British woman Buses evacuate hundreds stabbed to death from besieged Syria towns in Jerusalem

AFP AFP rushed to the scene of the at- Rashidin, Syria Jerusalem tack. We overpowered him.” The Hebrew University re- leased a statement identifying undreds of civilians and Palestinian man the victim as Hannah Bladon, fi ghters who have been stabbed a British wom- an exchange student from Hunder crippling siege for Aan to death yesterday Britain’s University of Bir- more than two years left four near Jerusalem’s Old City, mingham. Syrian towns in fl eets of buses where thousands of Jewish It said she had only started yesterday under a delayed evac- and Christian pilgrims were studying in Jerusalem in Janu- uation deal. gathered for religious holidays, ary and had been due to com- Men, women and children police said. plete a single semester. packed onto buses leaving gov- The 23-year-old student Attacks targeting tourists ernment-controlled Fuaa and was rushed to hospital with are rare in Jerusalem and top Kafraya and rebel-held Madaya serious wounds but later died, Israeli offi cials voiced their and Zabadani, with many ex- according to the emergency dismay. pressing despair at not knowing services. “I am fi lled with sadness, as when they might return. The attack took place on I received the terrible news of “When I fi rst went onto the a tram close to the Old City, the murder of a young girl in bus, I broke down from sadness, where thousands of Christians the terror attack in Jerusalem,” I fell on the ground and they had from around the world marked Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to help me,” said Fuaa resident Good Friday as Jews marked said. Abu Hussein. the week-long Passover holi- “This week thousands have “I just couldn’t bear it.” day. come through the ancient The deal to evacuate the towns Israel’s domestic secu- gates of Jerusalem, to celebrate is the latest in a string of such rity agency Shin Bet named the feasts of Passover and agreements through Syria’s six- the man as Jamil Tamimi, a Easter throughout the city — year civil war. 57-year-old Palestinian resi- while the security forces work They have been touted by the dent of east Jerusalem. to ensure the safety of the dear government as the best way to Israeli Prime Minister Ben- residents and visitors to the end the fi ghting but rebels say jamin Netanyahu blamed “ter- city. they are forced out by siege and rorism” for the killing of the And so we will continue to bombardment. woman, whom he described as do. “Terror can never over- Critics say deals are perma- a student, in “cold blood”. come us. Terror will never de- nently changing the ethnic and Buses carrying Syrian evacuees are seen in the rebel-held town of Madaya leaving under a evacuation deal, yesterday. He said security forces had stroy our lives here.” religious map, but in an exclusive thwarted “several attempted Police had been on high alert interview with AFP this week All 16,000 residents of Fuaa attacks in recent days”, with- for Passover, when tens of President Bashar al-Assad in- and Kafraya are expected to out giving details. thousands of Jews pray at the sisted the evacuations were only leave, heading to government- According to police, the as- Western Wall inside the Old temporary and people would held Aleppo, the coastal prov- sailant pulled a knife out of a City and some visit the Al-Aq- return once the “terrorists” had ince of Latakia, or Damascus. bag and stabbed the woman sa mosque compound above it. been defeated. Civilians from Madaya and several times in the chest. A wave of unrest which At least 80 buses left Fuaa and Zabadani will reportedly be al- An off -duty policeman trav- erupted in October 2015 has Kafraya in Idlib province in the lowed to remain if they choose. elling in the tram overpowered claimed the lives of 260 Pales- northwest, an AFP correspond- Those who opt to leave will the attacker with the help of tinians, 41 Israelis, two Ameri- ent in rebel-held territory said. head to rebel-held territory in another passenger, the au- cans, one Jordanian, an Eri- They arrived at a marshalling Idlib. thorities said. trean, a Sudanese and a Briton, point in Rashidin, west of sec- The four towns are party to a “I was travelling with my according to an AFP count. ond city Aleppo, followed by 20 longstanding agreement reached family when I heard the cries Most of the Palestinians ambulances. in 2015 that requires aid deliver- of ‘attack, attack’,” the offi cer killed were carrying out knife, The Syrian Observatory for ies and evacuations to be carried said. gun or car-ramming attacks, Human Rights said 5,000 people out simultaneously. “I sounded the alarm then the Israeli authorities say. had left the two towns, including But access has been limited, 1,300 pro-government fi ghters. with food and medical shortages The Observatory said 2,200 causing malnutrition, illness and people from Zabadani and Ma- even death among besieged resi- US sanctions against commander’s brother ‘illegal’ daya had left, among them 400 dents. rebels. The UN says 4.72mn Syrians Iran said yesterday that new act on the human rights situa- Madaya resident Amjad al- are in hard-to-reach areas, in- US sanctions imposed against tion in other countries,” foreign Maleh, speaking from a depart- cluding 600,000 people under the brother of the high-profile ministry spokesman Bahram ing bus, said that rebels among siege, mostly by the Syrian army, A Syrian boy looks on as he receives treatment at a make-shift hospital following government shelling on the commander of the Revolution- Ghasemi said. the evacuees had been allowed to but also by rebels or the Islamic rebel-held town of Douma, on the eastern outskirts of the capital Damascus, yesterday. ary Guards’ foreign operations Sohrab is the younger brother keep light weapons. State group. arm, Qassem Soleimani, were of Major General Qassem “It is a very bad feeling when There has been a series of from their homes. ternational pressure after accu- probing the incident, but Rus- “illegal”. Soleimani, who oversees Iranian you see those who besieged you evacuations in recent month, “We wish that everyone could sations his government carried sian Foreign Minister Sergei The US Treasury added So- operations in Iraq and Syria and and killed you with hunger and mostly around the capital Da- stay in his village and his city, out a suspected April 4 chemical Lavrov yesterday criticised the hrab Soleimani, along with the has been repeatedly pictured bombardment right in front of mascus but also from the last but those people like many other weapons attack on a northern watchdog for failing to go to the Tehran Prisons Organisation visiting Iranian-led forces in both you,” Maleh said. rebel-held district of Syria’s civilians in diff erent areas were rebel-held town. site. which he recently oversaw, to countries. The elder brother is “Madaya cried today -- the third city Homs. surrounded and besieged by He said that reports of the at- “We consider it unacceptable its list of individuals and enti- already subject to US sanctions. ones who stayed and the ones The rebels have charged that the terrorists, and they’ve been tack were a “fabrication.” to analyse events from a dis- ties facing sanctions on Thurs- Sohrab Soleimani was director who left.” Assad’s regime is deliberately killed on (a) daily basis, so they French Foreign Minister Jean- tance,” he said after meeting his day for alleged human rights general of the Tehran Prisons More than 30,000 people are forcing civilians to leave to alter had to leave,” he said. Marc Ayrault yesterday dis- Syrian and Iranian counterparts. violations. “The US govern- Organisation for 15 years, until expected to be evacuated un- the country’s sectarian map. “But of course they’re going missed Assad’s comments as “They say still that it is not ment with its failed domestic he became a supervisor in the der the deal, which began on But in Wednesday’s interview, to go back to their cities after the “100% lies and propaganda.” very safe, but they cannot put and international record is not national prisons bureau in Wednesday with an exchange of the president said that it was the liberation.” The Organisation for the Pro- forward convincing arguments,” in a position to comment or March 2016. prisoners. rebels who were driving people Assad is facing renewed in- hibition of Chemical Weapons is Lavrov said.

CRITICISM Rights group slams journo’s death sentence Rouhani, hardline rival register for election Reporters Without Borders said yesterday it was “appalled” at AFP a death sentence handed to a Tehran veteran journalist by a court in Yemen’s rebel-held capital. The court in Sanaa, which is controlled ranian President Hassan by Iran-backed Houthi insur- Rouhani and hardline chal- gents, on Thursday found Yahya Ilenger Ebrahim Raisi regis- al-Jubaihi guilty of spying for a tered yesterday as candidates in neighbouring country. Reporters next month’s election, setting Without Borders (RSF) said it was up a bruising contest that could the first death sentence issued decide the future of the nation. against a journalist in Yemen. Rouhani, a politically moder- “This Houthi-imposed death sen- ate cleric, has won praise since tence sets a dangerous precedent his landslide win in 2013 for for journalists in Yemen,” said taming infl ation and reaching Alexandra El Khazen, the head of a groundbreaking nuclear deal RSF’s Middle East desk. “Issued with world powers that ended at the end of an unfair trial, it many sanctions. constitutes a grave violation of But disappointment over international law. We urge Houthi Iran’s continued economic leaders to free this journalist at stagnation is palpable on the once,” she said. streets, creating an opening for conservative opponents, with judicial cleric Raisi emerging as COMMEMORATION their frontrunner. Egypt Copts mark Unemployment is stuck at 12%, the promised billions in Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani registers to run for a second four-year term in the May Ebrahim Raisi, gestures after registering his candidacy for the upcoming presidential solemn Good Friday foreign investment have not election, in Tehran, yesterday. elections at the Ministry of Interior in the capital Tehran. materialised, and Rouhani has Egyptian Copts observed a solemn failed to release political pris- who repeatedly tried to kill this have the most momentum. tion of the country is such that didates are allowed to run in expectation and nothing has Good Friday with prayers and oners, including reformist lead- baby cannot be good custodians The 56-year-old judge, who people ask why is there so much the May 19 election. changed for the guy on the fasting, as the community reeled ers under house arrest for their for it.” currently runs the powerful unemployment?” he said, add- Ardavan Amir-Aslani, a street.” from two church bombings that part in 2009 protests. He said an “unprecedented” charity-cum-business-empire ing that he would announce de- French-Iranian lawyer who Rouhani has also lost one killed dozens on Palm Sunday. The The aggressive stance of US $20bn worth of new projects Astan Qods Razavi, has em- tailed economic plans at a later advises European compa- of his main backers: heavy- government had declared a state of President Donald Trump, who would be announced next week, phasised his concern for the date. A potential spoiler ap- nies setting up in Iran, said he weight former president Ak- emergency and called in the army has slapped new sanctions on which would also see gas pro- poor and is seen as a close ally peared on Wednesday, when would be surprised if Rouhani bar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who to protect “vital” installations follow- Iran and threatened to tear up duction at the South Pars fi eld. of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali former hardline president does not win re-election de- passed away in January, played ing last week’s suicide bombings the nuclear deal, has bolstered That follows government Khamenei. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made spite the economic malaise. a key role in the surprising claimed by the Islamic State group. conservative claims that Rou- plans, outlined this week, to He sought to reach across po- the shock move of register- “He has at least stabilised landslide victory in 2013. But in a reminder of sectarianism hani was duped by the West. triple or even quadruple cash litical lines yesterday, saying: ing for the election against the economy... and created a But, crucially, Rouhani re- Copts often complain about, police Rouhani, 68, hit back yes- hand-outs to the poor — a move “I will be the candidate for the Khamenei’s advice. better business environment. tains the unified support of off icials said some people fought terday, saying: “The preserva- immediately criticised by oppo- whole of Iran. I don’t limit my- A clearer picture will emerge But Rouhani has not been suc- moderates and reformists, with Christians who tried praying in tion of the (nuclear deal) is one nents as a transparent attempt self to a certain group, party or next week when the conserv- cessful in opening up foreign who still see him as the best an abandoned home in a southern of the most important political to buy votes. faction. ative-controlled Guardian investment,” he said. hope for change within the village on Thursday then set fire to and economic issues in the Ira- The conservatives remain “Despite all the eff orts of pre- Council announces which of “He inherited a bad situa- strict parameters of Iran’s re- four nearby homes. nian nation. The stepmothers divided, but Raisi appears to vious governments, the situa- the near-1,000 registered can- tion, but he created so much ligious system. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, April 15, 2017 AFRICA Nigeria marks three years since Chibok kidnaps

AFP tional Muslim leader, the Emir Last October, 21 were freed were ongoing with “foreign enti- Lagos of Kano, was to make an address after negotiations between Boko ties” for the release of those still President Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo receiving the 21 Chibok schoolgirls released by Boko and lead prayers. Haram and the Nigerian gov- held by the fundamentalist group Haram, in Abuja on October 19 last year. Parents of the missing were ernment brokered by the Inter- active in Nigeria’s northeast and igerians held rallies in congregating at the school where national Committee of the Red which has pledged allegiance to “You can recall the 21 school- maining girls and other abducted after an army off ensive fl ushed major cities yester- their daughters aged 12 to 17 were Cross (ICRC) and the Swiss gov- Islamic State (IS). girls were freed with the help of persons unharmed,” President them out of their stronghold in Nday to mark three years kidnapped in the northeastern ernment. As the country prepares to the International Committee of Buhari said in a statement on the huge Sambisa forest. since the mass abduction of 276 village of Chibok on April 14, The Chibok schoolgirls have mark the third anniversary of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Swiss Thursday. “On this solemn occa- Boko Haram leader Abubakar schoolgirls by Boko Haram ex- 2014. become a symbol of the Boko the mass kidnapping yesterday, government offi cials who got in- sion, my appeal is that we must Shekau denied the claim and said tremists. Participants were set to plant Haram insurgency that began in Garba Shehu told the BBC in a volved in the negotiations. These not lose hope on the return of our that some of the abducted girls Spearheading the rallies was trees as a symbolic gesture in 2009 and has left at least 20,000 radio interview that there were two have not withdrawn their remaining schoolgirls.” were killed in Nigerian airstrikes the Bring Back Our Girls move- memory of the missing girls. people dead. ongoing negotiations to release support in the negotiations,” Having started as an extrem- against his group. ment, which has been urging the Another rally was due in the Despite a military fi ght-back, the 195 girls believed still be be- Shehu said. ist sect, Boko Haram has mush- Support from abroad came in government of President Mu- country’s commercial centre La- villages near Chibok, which is ing held by Boko Haram. “There are also other countries roomed in recent years into an the shape of a British government hammadu Buhari to ramp up ef- gos. 125km (80 miles) by road from “Talks are ongoing through that are lending support to the ultra-violent Islamist militant statement on Friday. forts to free the 195 girls still be- Fifty-seven girls escaped in the Borno state capital, Maidug- other means with the help of negotiations by being involved in movement which uses mass kid- “We are working side by side lieved held by the radical Islamic the immediate aftermath of the uri, have seen a wave of suspect- some foreign entities to free more the talks,” he added. napping as a recruitment tool. with Nigeria in the fi ght against group. kidnapping while three others ed Boko Haram attacks in recent schoolgirls,” Shehu said during “(The) government is in con- In December, Buhari trium- Boko Haram and call for the re- One rally was being held in the were later found or rescued by months. an interview with BBC Hausa. stant touch through negotia- phantly announced the “fi nal lease of all those who have been capital Abuja, where Nigeria’s the military. A presidential spokesman said “These talks are going on with tions, through local intelligence crushing” of the group, which he taken,” a foreign ministry state- second most infl uential tradi- Some had babies in captivity. on Wednesday that negotiations the help of some countries.” to secure the release of the re- described as being “on the run” ment read. Gbagbo ex-general jailed over Armyworms ravage crops in Ethiopia

Reuters that the caterpillars had at- Nationalities, and People. east Nigeria, Somalia, South 2011 murder of foreigners Addis Ababa tacked crops on farms in about “Thirty-fi ve thousand litres Sudan and Yemen – according 20 districts in the country, while of chemicals have been pur- to the UN refugee agency. neighbouring Kenya has dis- chased and distributed to spray The caterpillar is native to Reuters/AFP rop-eating caterpillars patched a team of scientists and aff ected areas with insecticide,” North and South America, Abidjan known as fall army- other experts to investigate re- said Zebdios Selato, the body’s though it has already spread to Cworms have damaged ports of their appearance. director for plant healthcare. other parts of Africa including crops across southern Ethiopia, In a statement, Ethiopia’s The attacks could further af- Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, n Ivory Coast court con- the latest country to be struck farming ministry said the pests fect agricultural output in a South Africa, Namibia, Mozam- victed six former soldiers by the pests in a region already have so far damaged crops in country where a drought has left bique and the Democratic Re- Afor the kidnapping, tor- struggling with widespread nearly 10,700 hectares of land in 5.6mn people needing food aid. public of the Congo. ture and murder of four foreign- drought and hunger, authorities the country’s Oromiya area and Drought and confl ict have put The United Nations fears it ers in 2011 during a civil war that said on Thursday. a region known as SNNP, which four countries in the region at could reach Asia and the Medi- following a disputed election, the In March, Uganda confi rmed is short for Southern Nations, risk of mass starvation – north- terranean in the next few years. prosecution said. Gunmen kidnapped the four victims – two Frenchmen, a Be- Tanzania orders ‘kingpin’ extradited Gunmen kill eight police off icers ninese and a Malaysian – from Gbagbo: triggered civil war by his refusal in 2010 to accept his the Novotel hotel in Abidjan in election defeat. Tanzania has ordered the extradition to the United States of an Gunmen have ambushed and killed eight police off icers in eastern April 2011 and took them to the alleged drug kingpin said to have overseen a global network Tanzania, the presidency said yesterday, the latest in a string of presidential palace where they were found in Abidjan’s lagoon, the elite Republican Guard, to 18 smuggling heroin and cocaine, a judicial source said yesterday. killings targeting politicians and security off icers in the country. were tortured and killed, accord- one of which was that of Lam- years. The ruling on Ali Khatib Haji Hassan, known as Shkuba, and two “President John Pombe Magufuli is surprised and very sorry to ing to a court statement from the belin, who appeared to have been Four other members of the other Tanzanian associates came on Wednesday at a court in Dar learn of the news of the death of eight police off icers killed last public prosecutor. executed with a bullet to the head military were handed sentences es Salaam after a request from the US, according to the source who night by armed people,” Tanzania’s presidency said in a statement. The former soldiers, sentenced with a medical report showing of 18 years or shorter for kidnap- spoke on condition of anonymity. The police off icers came under attack in their vehicle on Thursday on Thursday evening, were loyal multiple fractures to the limbs, ping, torture and complicity in A judge “authorised the extradition of the three men to the United in the eastern region of Kibiti as they returned from patrol, and their to former president Laurent the prosecution said. murder. States to answer the charges against them. assailants fled into a nearby forest, the statement said. Gbagbo, who triggered the con- “The verdict was exactly what A further four were acquitted. But they remain in Tanzania until the government organises their Head of police investigations Nsato Mssanzya said that one off icer fl ict by his refusal in 2010 to ac- we wanted: the chain of com- More than 3,000 people were transfer”, the source told AFP. was wounded in the assault, which he blamed on “banditry”. cept defeat in a run-off against mand was recognised as respon- killed in the four-month confl ict, Hassan was designated a “major international drug kingpin” by the Four people suspected of being involved in the attack were killed in current President Alassane sible,” Pierre-Olivier Sur, lawyer which ended when Ouattara’s United States in 2016. a shootout with security forces later that night, he said. Ouattara. for the families of the French vic- forces, backed by the French The US accuses him of smuggling “multi-tonne shipments of heroin “Enough is enough. We have just launched a special operation to The soldiers’ victims included tims, told AFP. army, arrested Gbagbo. and cocaine to Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America via his East get our hands on the culprits,” Mssanzya said. the Novotel’s French manager Despite the trial, the prosecu- The former president is on tri- Africa-based drug traff icking organisation”. The dead off icers were part of a unit deployed to pacify the region Stephane Frantz di Rippel and tion was unable to discover the al at the International Criminal Hassan was arrested in Tanzania in 2014 for smuggling 210kg (462 south of Tanzania’s largest city Dar Es Salaam. French citizen Yves Lambelin, location of the other victims’ Court for crimes against human- pounds) of heroin seized two years earlier. Local authorities say nine off icials belonging to Magufuli’s ruling then-president of agro-indus- bodies. ity allegedly committed during According to a statement by US Treasury, since at least 2006 Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) have been killed in the coastal trial company Sifca. Former police chief Osee the confl ict. Hassan has directed members of his network to send shipments of districts of Kibiti and Rufiji since last October. The other two were also busi- Loguey was sentenced to 20 years Dogbo Ble’s lawyer Rodrigue heroin to China, Europe, the US and other destinations. A separate attack killed three police off icers in the area last month. nessmen. in prison while General Bruno Dadje said yesterday that his cli- According to the statement Hassan had frequently attempted to The killings, and uncertainty over the motive, have spread fear A month later, two corpses Dogbo Ble, then-commander of ent would lodge an appeal. bribe African government off icials to avoid arrest and prosecution. throughout local government in the region.

Two suspects in Congo murder of UN workers arrested

Reuters armed groups in the Congo. He referred to the one suspect more than one million displaced pushing for an election by the end Kinshasa Their bodies were discovered in in custody, Daniel Mbayi Kabasele, since last August in central Con- of the year to replace Kabila after a shallow grave on March 27, two as an “insurgent”, without off ering go’s Kasai region due to fi ghting he refused to step down when his weeks after they disappeared in further detail or suggesting a mo- between a local militia and security constitutional mandate expired in ongolese authorities have the remote and sparsely populated tive. forces. December. arrested two people sus- Kasai-Central province. Four police offi cers responsible The United Nations has identi- Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Cpected of involvement in Their Congolese interpreter and for guarding the suspects had been fi ed at least 23 mass graves. Reynders said the nomination of the murder of two UN workers in three Congolese motorbike drivers arrested following the escape, he Meanwhile, the Congo has sus- Bruno Tshibala violated the spirit central Democratic Republic of the who accompanied them have not told journalists. pended its military co-operation of a December deal with the op- Congo, but one of the prisoners has yet been found, according to the The UN mission in the Congo with former colonial power Bel- position to form an interim power- escaped, a senior prosecutor said United Nations. had no immediate comment. gium in protest against criticism sharing government. yesterday. General Joseph Ponde, the ar- Millions died in regional con- last week by Belgium’s foreign Belgian defence ministry The announcement was the fi rst my’s top prosecutor, did not say fl icts in eastern Congo between minister of President Joseph Ka- spokeswoman Laurence Mortier reported sign of progress in an in- when the two suspects were ar- 1996-2003, most from hunger bila’s selection of a new prime confi rmed that the Congo had in- quiry into the deaths of American rested, but said the remaining one and disease, and dozens of armed minister, defence minister Crispin formed Belgium of its intention to Michael Sharp and Swede Zaida had been transferred between fa- groups continue to fi ght over re- Atama Tabe told Reuters yesterday. end the co-operation, which in- Catalan, investigators monitoring cilities on April 4 – meaning that sources and prey on the civilian The move underlines grow- cluded around 30 Belgian military United Nations Security Council the operation must have happened population. ing tensions between the Congo trainers in the Congo who may be sanctions against individuals and more than a week ago. Hundreds have been killed and and international powers, who are withdrawn as a result. WFP says contract workers killed in South Sudan fi ghting

AFP according to the UNMISS peace- of their fellow countrymen,” WFP Witnesses, including a local bring those responsible to justice.” Juba keeping mission. country director Joyce Luma said. priest, had also told AFP that they The International Organisation The WFP said in a statement The clash in Wau was the latest saw targeted killings by govern- of Migration (IOM) said on Thurs- that three South Sudanese who had spasm of violence to rock South ment troops of civilians suspected day that the clashes caused 8,000 he World Food Programme been contracted as porters were Sudan since a power struggle be- of backing the rebels. people to fl ee the city, joining more (WFP) has condemned the killed while trying to get through tween President Salva Kiir and his “The pattern of abuses by gov- than 3.5mn South Sudanese who Tdeaths of three contract the fi ghting to a warehouse used by former deputy Riek Machar led to a ernment forces against civilians in have become internally displaced workers in fi ghting that engulfed the food agency in the town. civil war in 2013. Wau has become predictable, with or who fl ed the country due to the South Sudan’s second-largest city Two were hacked to death with In a statement yesterday, Hu- soldiers taking revenge against crisis. Wau earlier this week. machetes and one was shot, the man Rights Watch (HRW) said that unarmed civilians based on their Aid workers have regularly come At least 16 civilians were killed statement said. government soldiers carried out ethnicity,” Daniel Bekele, HRW’s under attack or had their work im- in clashes that started with a rebel “We are outraged and heartbro- “collective punishment” in Wau senior director for Africa advocacy peded in the civil war, contributing ambush of government troops near ken by the deaths of our colleagues, against people of minority ethnic said in a statement. “The South to a man-made famine aff ecting Wau on Sunday before spread- who worked every day to help pro- groups that are seen to be support- Sudan authorities need to call a 100,000 people and threatening ing into the city the following day, vide life-saving food to millions ing Machar. halt to the killings, investigate, and another one million in the country. Gulf Times Saturday, April 15, 2017 5 AMERICAS US government asks public which departments to axe Temer says $40mn

AFP Washington

ot much about Donald bribe claim is a lie Trump’s administration Nhas followed presidential Reuters In his testimony, Faria alleged tradition, and here’s another ex- Brasilia/Rio de Janeiro that, while Temer did not speak ample: it is asking the American about any fi gures, Cunha made people what government depart- it clear that a payment was ex- ments and agencies they would razil’s President Michel pected. like to see reformed or even axed. Temer has denied that he “He explained that we were Options include the Central Bhosted a meeting in 2010 seeking a contract with Petro- Intelligence Agency (CIA), the where an executive of engi- bras. A commitment that it State Department, the Depart- neering fi rm Odebrecht SA was would be signed would require ment of Homeland Security, and asked to arrange an illegal pay- a very important contribution to even the Executive Offi ce of the ment of $40mn to his political the party,” Faria said, adding it President. party. was clear that a bribe was being A website created by the Direc- The graft accusation, which sought. tor of the Offi ce of Management that such and such an offi ce is not “President Trump calls it Temer dismissed as “a lie”, was Once the contract was won, and Budget (itself among the necessary, duplicates the work of draining the swamp,” he said, made in plea bargain testimo- the payment was made in cash choices) allows people to make another department, or should adding “and we can’t do that ny by Marcio Faria da Silva, a in Brazil and to foreign bank ac- suggestions as Trump moves to not be the work of the federal without your help”. former vice-president of the in- counts, Faria said. make good on a pledge to stream- government in the fi rst place. After taking power, Trump im- dustrial arm of scandal-plagued He said the PMDB took 4% of line a bureaucracy he derides as People can also write in their posed a temporary hiring freeze Odebrecht. the value of the contract, leaving bloated and ineffi cient. own reasons. on the federal government. Though potentially damaging Temer: It is a lie that in that (2010) meeting I heard any reference to 1% for the left-leaning Workers A questionnaire on the White Reorganising the government It was replaced this week by to his credibility, and eff orts to money or any shady dealings between the company and Party of then-president Luiz House website lists 20 depart- was one of Trump’s main cam- what Mulvaney calls a more stra- shore up Latin America’s big- politicians. Inacio Lula da Silva. ments or agencies of the US fed- paign pledges. tegic plan that does a staffi ng gest economy, Faria’s allegation Odebrecht’s former chief eral government and more than In a video that features on this analysis department by depart- does not threaten Temer’s hold Temer confi rmed in a video tice Luiz Edson Fachin. executive Marcelo Odebrecht, 100 offi ces within them. webpage, Mick Mulvaney, direc- ment. on power. statement posted on social me- Based on the testimony, currently jailed for his part in Above this menu is the ques- tor of the Offi ce of Management Over the next 11 months the As president, he has tempo- dia that he took part in a meet- Fachin ordered investigations the Car Wash scheme, said in a tion, “What agency would you and Budget, reaches out to peo- administration wants to carry rary immunity for anything that ing with a company executive in into nearly 100 politicians as separate plea bargain deal that like to reform?” ple with “any experience with out a complete overhaul of fed- occurred before he took offi ce 2010 but there was no talk of an part of the Operation Car War he had made available $40mn Further down is the question the federal government, if you’ve eral departments and agencies, last year. illegal donation. probe into billions of dollars in to Lula. “What agency would you like to had good stories, or bad stories for example by merging some. The accusation was made “It is a lie that in that meeting bribes and illegal kickbacks on He said the payment was ne- eliminate?” and then a menu for about how the federal govern- “This is really a blank sheet public on Wednesday as part of I heard any reference to money contracts with state companies, gotiated via a minister, not with people to give a reason. ment has served or failed to serve of paper,” Mulvaney told a news a rash of plea bargain deals by 77 or any shady dealings between particularly Petrobras. Lula himself. The options include the idea you”. conference on Tuesday. Odebrecht executives caught up the company and politicians,” The allegations come as Te- Lula also denied any wrong- in a massive corruption scheme. the president said. mer is trying to push an over- doing on Thursday while hint- Faria said he met with Temer Earlier on Thursday, Temer’s haul of Brazil’s pension system ing that he was gearing up for One killed, three wounded in Atlanta metro shooting in 2010 in his Sao Paulo legal of- offi ce confi rmed in a separate through Congress, part of a presidential elections next year, fi ce, together with former lower statement that he met Faria in business-friendly agenda that despite fi ve court cases pending A man opened fire aboard a moving Atlanta metro The three people who were wounded are expected house speaker Eduardo Cunha 2010 in the presence of Cunha has sparked a rise in Brazil’s against him related to Operation train on Thursday, killing one man and wounding to survive, Dorsey said. and Congressman Henrique Ed- for a “quick and superfi cial” stockmarket and currency. Car Wash. three other passengers before the suspected A fifth person suff ered an ankle injury as passengers uardo Alves, all members of the meeting, but denied that Alves Congress is due to start dis- Elected as Brazil’s fi rst work- gunman was arrested at the next station, a police scrambled away from the gunman. Brazilian Democratic Movement participated. cussions of the reform next ing class president in 2002 and spokesman said. All the victims, as well as the suspected gunman, Party (PMDB). Representatives for Alves and week. returned to offi ce four years lat- The gunfire erupted aboard a Blue Line train about were in their 30s, Dorsey said. At the meeting, the payment Cunha, who is in prison pending Some lawmakers said on er, Lula is ahead in opinion polls 4.30pm shortly after it left a station on the city’s The shooting was “targeted, but isolated”, MARTA’s was requested as a 5% levy on trial on other charges, could not Thursday that the government for the 2018 vote. west side, Joseph Dorsey, deputy chief of the MARTA police chief Wanda Dunham said, according to the a contract that Odebrecht was be reached for comment. would look to speed up the pass- “I will fi ght if they let me fi ght police, said at a news conference. MARTA is the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper. seeking from state oil company The testimony by Faria was ing of reforms now that so many and I will prove that this country Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Police detained the suspected gunman at the train’s Petroleo Brasileiro SA’s for the among the dozens of plea bar- politicians were under investi- can be happy again,” Lula said, “As the train was in motion, the suspect fired several next stop, West Lake Station, and recovered a maintenance of assets in nine gain testimonies that have been gation, but admitted that such a adding that “plea bargains have shots toward the victims,” Dorsey said. weapon, Dorsey said. countries, Faria said. released by Supreme Court Jus- move might prove diffi cult. to be proved”.

Partial vote recount ordered in Ecuador US doctor held, charged Ecuador’s electoral council approved late on Thursday night with carrying out FGM a partial recount of votes in the recent disputed presidential election, in a bid to highlight what AFP Justice is committed to stopping female it says was a fair process after the New York genital mutilation in this country, and losing conservative candidate will use the full power of the law to en- said there was fraud. sure that no girls suff er such physical The April 2 election was won US doctor in Detroit has been and emotional abuse.” by the government’s socialist arrested and charged with car- “The practice has no place in modern candidate Lenin Moreno in a Arying out female genital muti- society and those who perform FGM on close contest, rebutting a tide lation (FGM) on girls aged six to eight, minors will be held accountable under of market-friendly governments prosecutors said on Thursday. federal law,” said acting US Attorney that have recently come to power Emergency room doctor Jumana Na- Daniel Lemisch. in South America. garwala, 44, of Northville, Michigan, is In 2006, a court in Georgia found a The recount of the equivalent accused of carrying out the widely con- man guilty of sexually mutilating his of 1.2mn votes, which would demned practice – illegal in the United two-year-old daughter with a pair of account for 12% of the total votes States – for 12 years from a medical of- scissors, in what was then the fi rst re- cast, will take place on Tuesday in fi ce in Livonia, Michigan. corded case of female genital mutila- public in the capital Quito. She appeared in a US federal court in tion in the United States. The council has not disclosed Detroit on Thursday and was remanded The Ethiopian immigrant was sen- what sort of ballots would be into custody until at least Monday, said tenced to 10 years in prison for aggra- recounted. a spokeswoman for the US attorney’s vated battery and cruelty to children for “We are going to open the polls ... offi ce. the 2001 crime. to show the country the truth. We If convicted at trial she faces a maxi- The Centres for Disease Control have nothing to hide,” said Juan mum sentence of life behind bars. and Prevention (CDC) estimated that Pablo Pozo, head of the electoral Congress passed a law in 1996 mak- 513,000 women and girls in the United council. ing it illegal to perform genital mutila- States in 2012 were at risk of or had Despite winning, Moreno’s party tion or cutting in the United States on been subjected to female genital muti- has also disputed the results, anyone under than 18. lation or cutting. saying that he won by a larger Twenty-fi ve US states also have laws The estimate was three times higher margin than the tally showed. prohibiting the practice. than one based on 1990 data, due to Moreno won 51.16% of valid votes Prosecutors in Michigan say they increased immigration from countries versus 48.84% for his opponent believe it is the fi rst case of its kind where genital mutilation is practised. Guillermo Lasso, with 99.65% of brought under the federal law. Globally, at least 200mn girls and votes counted, according to the Some of Nagarwala’s victims trav- women alive today have suff ered some electoral council. elled from outside Michigan and were form of FGM across 30 countries, ac- Lasso, a 61-year-old former told not to talk about the procedure, cording to the United Nations. banker, declared himself the prosecutors said. While concentrated in Africa, it is winner of the vote before any “Dr Nagarwala is alleged to have common in some communities in South off icial announcement was made. performed horrifying acts of brutal- Asia, Arab states and Latin America. The Opec country’s new ity on the most vulnerable victims,” Half of those cut live in Egypt, Ethio- president is to be inaugurated on said acting Assistant Attorney General pia, and Indonesia, according to the May 24. Kenneth Blanco. “The Department of UN. Chicago airport security under fi re

AFP fused to give up his seat for crew that spond to AFP’s request for comment. Chicago needed to be repositioned for other Once the offi cers were on the plane, fl ights. they bungled the situation, according The resulting altercation left Dao to United’s pilots’ union. s United Airlines struggles to with a broken nose, concussion and The United Master Executive Coun- recover from the public rela- other injuries, according to his law- cil on Thursday accused the security Ations disaster sparked when a yers, who have said he is likely to sue. offi cers of actions that were “grossly passenger was violently removed from But Jeff Redding, who is in charge of inappropriate”. a fl ight in Chicago, the airport security safety and security at the Chicago De- “For reasons unknown to us, instead offi cers involved in the incident are partment of Aviation, which operates of trained Chicago Police Department facing tough scrutiny. O’Hare International Airport, says offi cers being dispatched to the scene, Offi cials in the midwestern US city that airport security offi cers are not Chicago Department of Aviation per- are looking at why the three offi cers – supposed to respond to such calls. sonnel responded,” the union said. all now placed on administrative leave “If it is a customer service-related The airport security offi cers, while – were on the plane in the fi rst place, incident, then you don’t need to board required to meet minimum police amid criticism from elected offi cials the plane at all,” Redding told a group standards and go through academy and the United pilots’ union. of Chicago city council members. training, are not in fact police, and The offi cers – who are unarmed and The offi cial however could not im- cannot carry guns or arrest people. meant to back up local law enforce- mediately say how his offi cers were in- “We are going to thoroughly review ment – were called by airline employ- structed about the use of force. every aspect of our operation,” said ees after the passenger, David Dao, re- The agency did not immediately re- Chicago’s aviation chief Ginger Evans. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, April 15, 2017 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Jong-nam murder suspects fear ‘trial by ambush’: lawyer

Reuters departure had “compromised” Kuala Lumpur the defence. Hisyam Teh, Huong’s lawyer, requested police to furnish evidence such as photos and com- he two women charged munications from the two phones with killing the estranged seized from her. Thalf-brother of North Ko- Malaysia’s inspector-general rea’s leader appeared in a Malay- of police, Khalid Abu Bakar, de- sian court in bullet-proof vests nied that police had “compro- as one of their lawyers warned mised” the case or refused to co- they feared “trial by ambush” operate with the defence, saying with police not sharing evidence. some evidence “can only be pro- Indonesian Siti Aishah, 25, and Kim Jong-nam. vided during the trial”. Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vi- “We can’t be producing all etnam, face the death penalty if ity television show, and not a evidence here now,” Khalid told a convicted of murdering Kim Jong- murder. US and South Korean news conference. Four other North nam at Kuala Lumpur Interna- offi cials say the murder was or- Indonesian Siti Aisyah, charged for the murder of Kim Jong-nam, is Koreans have also been identifi ed tional airport on February 13. chestrated by the North’s leader, escorted by police as she leaves a Sepang court in Malaysia. by Malaysian police as suspects. The two women have been Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-nam, They are believed to have left Kuala accused of smearing Kim’s face the eldest son of the late North recordings and statements from “We’ve lost an opportunity Lumpur for Pyongyang on the day with the toxic VX nerve agent, a Korean leader Kim Jong-il, had three North Korean suspects al- to cross-examine them ... There of the killing. chemical described by the United spoken out publicly against his lowed to leave Malaysia. The should be no trial by ambush,” The magistrate court was set to Nations as a weapon of mass de- family’s dynastic control of the three were allowed to go home Aishah’s lawyer, Gooi Soon-seng, hear a prosecutors’ request that struction. isolated, nuclear-armed nation. late last month, along with the told reporters outside the court. the two women be tried jointly Aishah and Huong have told Lawyers for Aishah and Huong body of Kim Jong-nam, as part Gooi also said one of the three in a higher court, but the hearing diplomats from their countries told the court that police had not of a swap deal with North Korea, suspects who was allowed to leave was deferred to May 30 after the that they had believed they were responded to requests to pro- which had banned nine Malay- Malaysia, Ri Ji-u, also known as prosecution asked for more time Vietnamese national Doan Thi Huong is escorted by Malaysian police carrying out a prank for a real- vide evidence including CCTV sians from leaving there. James, was a key witness and his to collect documents. after a court appearance. Royal tribute S Koreans not too concerned about possibility of war

Reuters central Seoul. “All I can do is Japan discusses evacuation of citizens Seoul just try my best and work hard,” said Choi, as she queued for Japan’s National Security assist in the evacuation if the noodles with colleagues. “So no Council discussed how to South Korean government any South Koreans matter what the outside world evacuate its nearly 60,000 agreed, the off icial, familiar marked “Black Day” thinks, I came here to enjoy citizens from South Korea with the discussion, said. Myesterday, but it had Black Day”. in the event of a crisis, a He declined to be identified nothing to do with concerns “Black Day” was trending government off icial said because of the sensitivity of that North Korea may conduct a on Twitter and was the lead- yesterday, amid rising concern the topic. weapons test, or that the United ing news item on the Naver web over North Korea’s nuclear The NSC, in a meeting on States, the South’s main ally, portal in South Korea, which weapons programme. Thursday, also discussed how may launch a pre-emptive strike has one of the world’s highest North Korea denounced to cope with a possible flood to stop it. percentage of Internet users as the United States yesterday of North Korean refugees into It had nothing to do with a percentage of population. for bringing “huge nuclear Japan, among whom might be Good Friday or Black Friday ei- The nonchalance about the strategic assets” to the Korean North Korean spies and agents, ther. “Black Day” in South Korea possibility of confl ict with the peninsula as a US aircraft Japanese media reported. is a day for singles, marked by North has grown in recent years carrier group headed for Tension has risen since the eating “jajangmyeon”, a noodle in the South, which remains the region amid concerns US Navy fired 59 Tomahawk dish topped with a thick sauce technically in a state of war with the North may conduct a missiles at a Syrian airfield last made of black beans. It’s cel- its neighbour. sixth nuclear test. Besides week in response to a deadly ebrated by singles as a response The 1950-53 war between commercial ships and planes, gas attack, raising concerns to “White Day”, an Asian Valen- the two ended in an armistice, Japan would want to send about US President Donald tine’s Day which falls a month and no peace treaty was signed. military aircraft and ships to Trump’s plans for North Korea. earlier, on March 14. In 1994, when North Korea’s As tensions grew to a fever founding president Kim Il-sung pitch elsewhere over the likeli- died, there was panic in South Koreans, especially young peo- nuclear test in 2013, the most hood of North Korea conducting Korea that confl ict could be just ple, have become used to the talked-about term on South a nuclear or long-range mis- around the corner. bellicose rhetoric and nuclear Korean web portals and social sile test, possibly this weekend, And when North Korea bluster in the region. media networks was “Innis- there was little sign of concern shelled the South Korean border Retailers in Seoul said there free”, a popular cosmetics brand in South Korea’s capital, Seoul, island of Yeonpyeong in 2010, was no indication that people which had just announced big which lies within range of the some South Koreans stocked up were hoarding food or goods discounts. “Usually, the farther North’s artillery. “Outside on dried food and canned goods, in preparation for a confl ict. one is from Korea, the more one South Korea, some people are fearing the skirmish could esca- “There is no panic buying. None expects there to be war,” said Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito off ers a floral tribute at the National Monument in Kuala Lumpur worried, but we don’t feel like late into a full-blown war. at all,” said a spokesman at the Andrei Lankov, a North Korea yesterday. Naruhito is on a five-day visit to Malaysia. that in our daily lives,” said Choi Over time, however, senti- Lotte Mart supermarket. expert at Seoul’s Kookmin Uni- Na-young, an offi ce worker in ment has changed and South After North Korea’s third versity.

NZ escapes worst of tropical storm Japan court upholds New Zealanders began cleaning up yesterday after a powerful storm ‘black widow’ ruling swept across the country, forcing families from their homes and leaving Refurbished and rental planes in a trail of destruction in its wake. The remnants of Cyclone Cook, which A Japanese “black widow” battered New Caledonia earlier in the week, struck overnight Thursday. convicted of murdering three It caused widespread power outages and landslides, uprooted trees boyfriends she had met online forcing road closures and disrupted air travel with the eastern coasts vogue as China’s jet-set seek value and dated for their money of the North and South Islands bearing the brunt of the extreme faces execution after Japan’s weather. “The worst is over,” meteorologist John Crouch at the off icial Supreme Court yesterday dis- Metservice said just before dawn as more than 100 people who had Reuters $50mn for a new one, you can missed her final appeal. Kanae sought shelter at an evacuation centre in Whakatane began to return to Shanghai get an extremely adequate aer- Kijima, 42, who has married their homes in the Bay of Plenty region. oplane for $30mn,” said David twice since she was detained The head of Civil Defence, Sarah Stuart-Black, said emergency crews Dixon, president of business in 2009, killed three men in the were assessing the damage and it could take two days for the full extent hina’s rich are forego- jet brokerage Jetcraft Asia. “So space of eight months through to be known. “There are still flood waters, there will be challenges in ing fancy new private $20mn is a lot of money to any- carbon monoxide poisoning, terms of access to those areas, and with power down it also means that Cjets in favour of second- body.” by burning charcoal briquettes water and waste water could be aff ected as well,” she said. hand planes or rentals, refl ect- In part the shift refl ects a after giving them sleeping tab- “So it’s still a risky time in that sense so we would still urge people to be ing how the country’s business broader trend that is making lets. A spokesman for Japan’s really cautious about their activities over the next day or two.” elite are increasingly shunning life tougher for fi rms selling top court confirmed it had ruled There were fears it could be the worst storm to hit New Zealand since fl ashy signs of wealth amid luxury goods in the world’s against an appeal lodged by 1968 when Cyclone Giselle swept a ferry onto rocks in Wellington slower economic growth. second biggest economy, as Kijima. Harbour, killing 53 people, however initial reports indicated damage Planemakers such as Em- Chinese buyers increasingly Her legal team has claimed was not as severe as expected. There were reports of roofs ripped braer and Bombardier are shift- push for bargains on every- her innocence, saying the off , windows smashed and garden furniture flung through the air ing focus to after-sales services thing from high-end handbags A VistaJet aircraft is seen at the Asian Business Aviation three men were likely to have and police said many roads were closed disrupting traff ic as people in response, while brokers are to holidays. In such a market, Conference and Exhibition (ABACE) at Hongqiao International committed suicide, according to headed away for the Easter holiday weekend. Many areas of the North refurbishing older jets or hir- where new planes quickly lose Airport in Shanghai, China, earlier this week. public broadcaster NHK. Island were already sodden after the remnants of Australia’s Cyclone ing out planes as the once high- their value, dealers said sec- The death penalty has over- Debbie hit last week, forcing the evacuation of all 1,600 residents in fl ying industry braces for its ond-hand jets were simply a discouraged conspicuous dis- jet fl eet across Greater China will whelming public support in Ja- Edgecumbe when the Bay of Plenty township’s main river burst its weakest growth in a decade. less risky bet. plays of wealth. grow just 1% this year — with a pan, despite repeated protests banks. Dealers at one of Asia’s top “When the economic climate Owners include China’s total of fi ve new plane deliver- from European governments industry shows in Shanghai is going down, there’s fewer richest man, Wang Jianlin, ies— its weakest on record. and human rights groups. this week said second-hand jets buyers in the market honestly, who fl ies a Gulfstream 550, and There are currently around Executions are by hanging, Eff orts on to reach stranded Polish sailor now made up more than half of so the depreciation rate is high- Tencent founder Pony Ma who 480 private jets in China, com- however it can take years sales to wealthy Chinese entre- er,” said Jackie Wu, president of has a Bombardier Global 6000, pared with 466 in 2015 and 67 before they are carried out. New Zealand authorities have launched an operation to rescue a preneurs and corporations, up Hong Kong-based plane broker according to data compiled by in 2007. “The entire market is The case has been closely stranded Polish sailor on a round-the-world voyage after he activated from under a third two years and charter fi rm JetSolution Hurun Report which tracks now experiencing a cold wind,” followed in Japan and major his emergency beacon on Thursday afternoon. The 64-year-old, ago. Chinese buyers, who began Aviation Group. China’s super-rich. said Guan Dongyuan, president media flashed news of the top who left Auckland nearly four weeks ago headed for Cape Horn in purchasing new business jets Greater China is the world’s But growth has been slowing of Embraer China. Guan said, court decision across television his 10.6m (35-ft) yacht Reginar, was located by a New Zealand Air 30 years ago, were also becom- second-largest business jet since 2012 and sales remain sub- however, that the Brazilian screens. Force Orion plane. “Polish solo round-the-world sailor is okay after ing more pragmatic about buy- market behind the United dued. At the Shanghai show there planemaker was holding out for Kijima writes a blog from the setting off a distress beacon,” the New Zealand Rescue Co-ordination ing cheaper, second-hand jets States and had seen annual was a distinct lack of new orders better days, given the potential detention centre where she has Centre tweeted Friday after the Orion located the yacht. “Yacht’s helm and giving them a makeover, growth of up to 49% before announced, while planemak- of a market that is still a long been held, detailing her life in- (steering) is broken. A cargo ship has been diverted to rescue man.” they said. 2012, when President Xi Jin- ers instead talked up their after- way behind the United States, side, the food and talking about He had set off his beacon 2,600km off the coast of New Zealand. The “Now ... while you can still ping launched a fi erce crack- sales service. Consultancy Asian where there are around 12,000 men she likes. cargo ship is expected to reach the stricken yacht on Saturday morning. get a Gulfstream 550 for around down on corruption that has Sky Group estimates the private private jets. Gulf Times Saturday, April 15, 2017 7

BRITAIN/IRELAND

LAW AND ORDER CRIME HEALTH PEOPLE OFFBEAT Interpol issues red notice Nottingham assault Children hospitalised after Woman, 89, delighted with Council defers cat for teacher over murder victim dies of injuries taking unknown substance new bicycle after theft eviction decision

Interpol has issued a red notice for a Scottish A murder investigation has been launched after Three children have been taken to hospital on An elderly woman whose bicycle was The fate of a town council moggy lies in the teacher wanted by police over the suspected the victim of a serious assault in Nottingham in the Isle of Man after swallowing an unknown stolen while she was shopping has been hands of its own members after a decision murder of a colleague in Myanmar. Harris the early hours of yesterday morning died of substance, police said. The children, thought overwhelmed by off ers of replacements. Mary to evict her was deferred. Missy the cat is Binotti, 26, fled the south-east Asian country in his injuries. Police found the man badly hurt at to be aged between 11 and 12, were being Hampton’s bicycle was taken while she did caught up in a row with Tewkesbury Town November last year, hours before Gary Ferguson an address in Woodborough Road, in the city’s treated in hospital after police were called her weekly shop in Waitrose. The 89-year-old Council over whether or not it’s appropriate was found dead. Binotti, from Dumfries, has Mapperley Top area, just before 1am. He was to the National Sports Centre in Douglas on from Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire admitted for a cat to be in a business environment. been at the centre of an international manhunt treated at the scene but died shortly afterwards, Thursday afternoon. They were taken to Noble’s she was “very silly” not to have locked it, but Town mayor Karen Brennan wants to since Ferguson was found with fatal head and they said. Detectives from the East Midlands hospital for treatment and are all now in a in 85 years of cycling she “never had”. After ban the feline, described as the council’s chest wounds five months ago. The Interpol serious operations unit cordoned off a wide stable condition. Tests were being conducted to news of the theft hit social media, dozens “morale off icer and town cat” on its website. notice, which gives the teacher’s full name as area around the scene of the killing, leading determine the substance involved, police said. off ered to buy Mary a new one. Hampton A complaints panel will meet next week Harris John Italo Binotti, says he is wanted on to a number of public transport diversions. Inspector Juan Kinley said: “There has been was in the habit of cycling the three miles to to discuss Missy’s future. At a meeting on a charge of murder. Ferguson and Binotti are Photos from the scene published on local much speculation as to the condition of the the supermarket once or twice a week on her Thursday night, councillors were told a believed to have gone out drinking two nights media showed police walking in lines along children on social media which is incorrect. The trusty Raleigh Shopper. But when she went complaint had been made which needs to be before neighbours reported hearing sounds of a Woodborough Road, apparently searching for children remain in Noble’s hospital in a stable shopping last Thursday, she returned to find investigated. It is not known who made the fight and the victim’s body was discovered. evidence. condition receiving medical treatment.” her bike gone. complaint Charity behind Former soldiers protest garden bridge hits back at MP’s criticism

Guardian News and Media Thus far, £40mn of public London money has been committed to the proposed 367-metre-long bridge, designed by Thomas Heather- he charity behind London’s wick, from Temple, on the north garden bridge has accused a bank of the Thames, to the south Tsenior Labour MP of “dis- bank, with just over £37mn of regard for the facts” and selec- that spent before any work has tive use of evidence after she said begun. the project should probably be In her report, Hodge said an ini- scrapped to avoid wasting more tial cost estimate of about £60mn public funds. was now expected to be more than A report by Margaret Hodge £200mn, and the Garden Bridge into whether the proposed foli- Trust still had at least £70mn in age-fi lled link across the Thames donations to raise, with no new was value for taxpayers’ money pledges since August 2016. said last week that the project had Scrapping the project would a woeful business case and was push public liabilities to £46.4mn, guided mainly by political motiva- Hodge’s report said, adding: “I Veterans of the Northern Ireland Troubles and of conflicts around the world held a protest over what they describe as a ‘witch-hunt’ against soldiers, at the City Hall in tions. believe it is better for the taxpayer Belfast yesterday. The protest was held in response to a number of recent prosecutions of former soldiers in relation to incidents during the region’s sectarian conflict. In its response, the Garden to accept the loss than to risk the Bridge Trust accused Hodge, who additional demands if the project formerly chaired the Commons proceeds.” public accounts committee, of In its response, the trust said the speaking primarily to opponents lack of new donors had primarily of the bridge and of going beyond been because of the uncertainty the remit given her by the mayor, caused by the report being com- Sadiq Khan. missioned, and that Hodge had Lord Davies, the Labour life peer not fully investigated the proposed and former government minister fundraising eff orts. Davies’s letter who chairs the trust, has written also rejects the charge by Hodge MPs blame Corbyn a long letter to Hodge pointing out that the trust did not consult or what he said were “a number of engage properly with local people, inaccuracies” in her report. and was viewed locally as increas- In a separate and strongly ingly controversial. worded statement, Davies said: He cited a 2015 survey show- “It is a shame that Dame Margaret ing that more than three-quarters has shown disregard for the facts of local people backed the bridge. for by-election defeat and been selective in her use of The usefulness of this poll has evidence to support her own opin- been queried in the past as it did Guardian News and Media are rarely scrutinised, but the Asked about the loss of the Tories and another from Ukip. McDonald said: “We know ions.” not mention the cost or the use of London loss of the seat came after many seat, he said, “I am loth to read The Middlesbrough by-election that the policies are playing The future of the bridge was in public money. MPs went out canvassing, and too much into that. We know was very close – only 33 votes well; but we have still got some Khan’s hands, Davies adding. “Our Davies argued that Hodge had amid fears that Labour is set for that the Tory party ploughed separated Labour and the Con- cut-through to make in terms of message to him is that this report, opted “to focus almost entirely on he Conservatives have a tough night in the council and an awful lot of eff ort into that. servatives – and the turnout reputation, and confi dence, and with its many errors and ill-in- speaking to known opponents of won a council seat in mayoral elections on May 4. They thought they were in with was extremely low, making it competence.” formed opinions, is no basis upon the project” and did not speak to TMiddlesbrough, usu- Tom Blenkinsop, the MP a chance to win it.” diffi cult to draw any meaningful Other MPs report that Cor- which to take decisions about a any existing funders. ally considered a Labour strong- for South Middlesbrough and He said the Conservatives conclusions. However, voters byn’s leadership is a factor raised project that has been through the It is up to Khan to decide the hold, sparking a row among MPs Cleveland, whose constituency would be unable to replicate don’t like divided parties, pub- by voters on the doorstep. Jess complex democratic processes by future of a project he inherited about whether Jeremy Corbyn’s contains Coulby Newhham, such an intense campaign when lic attacks and infi ghting. Unity Phillips, the MP for Birming- which decisions on development from his predecessor, Boris John- leadership is undermining sup- suggested Corbyn’s “far left” all the council’s seats are up is essential to delivering eff ec- ham Yardley, who has been cam- are made in this city.” son, identifi ed in Hodge’s report port in the party’s heartlands. leadership had been a factor. for grabs in two years’ time. “I tive opposition.” paigning for Labour’s candidate The response is something of as a prime mover for a project she Conservative candidate Jacob But neighbouring MP Andy would expect us to win it back,” Corbyn and his shadow cabi- in the West Midlands mayoralty, a rearguard action by the charity, called “driven by electoral cycles Young took the seat of Coulby McDonald, the shadow transport he said. net colleagues have announced said: “There isn’t a canvassing which has faced pressure about rather than value for money”. Newham, with 38% of the vote, secretary, dismissed Blenkinsop’s A Labour source said: “La- a blizzard of policies over the session where someone doesn’t the rising costs of the much-de- Khan has yet to respond to the up 8.3% since 2015, while La- claim. “Jeremy was on Teesside to bour has held or gained more past fortnight, with the latest say, ‘I’ve voted Labour all my layed structure, and worries over report, but has previously said he bour saw its share fall by 8.2%, campaign a couple of weeks ago, seats in council by-elections being a pledge to legislate to life, but I can’t vote for you at its ability to raise suffi cient private will not permit more public money to 35.5%. and he got an absolutely fabulous this year than it has lost, in- prevent banks from closing lo- the moment because of Jeremy funds to build and maintain it. to be used on the bridge. Single council by-elections reaction,” he said. cluding gaining a seat from the cal branches. Corbyn’.” Axed intern ‘sent abusive Swords for cadets New bin collection e-mails to Apprentice star’ scheme raises a stink London Evening Standard ough? That’s not fair, that’s not London Evening Standard Penny Fergusson, prosecut- like me to bring my friends?” London right. This is not a situation where London ing, told Highbury Corner mag- Fergusson told the court Col- you just wave a magic wand and istrates’ court: “The defendant lins was “alarmed and dis- suddenly everybody will be recy- worked very briefl y as an intern tressed” by the latest barrage of new fortnightly bin collec- cling in the right way.” former intern bombarded in 2013. She never met Collins but e-mails and “wants this harass- tion scheme in north Lon- Property developer Stacey Of- The Apprentice star Clau- she was her boss. It ended prema- ment to stop”. Adon has left wealthy neigh- fer, of Belsize Park, now has a dif- Adine Collins with e-mails turely and she sent a large number Rebecca Manning, defending, bourhoods looking like a “landfi ll ferent rota from her neighbour, in which she threatened to bring of e-mails to Collins which led to told the court Ashton-Rickardt site”, residents claim. who is technically on a diff erent “rapists” to the TV celebrity’s her calling the police. She received had been sectioned after being Camden council changed its street and has a weekly collection. London offi ce, a court heard. a harassment warning but the de- diagnosed with a “delusional refuse collections after signing She said: “It is crazy… Our rubbish Charlotte Ashton-Rickardt, fendant sent another number of disorder”. a contract said to be worth up to already piles high.” 32, pleaded guilty to harassment e-mails after it was issued.” The lawyer said: “Between £338mn over 16 years with French Newspaper columnist Julia after sending 50 e-mails to Col- The court heard Collins re- 2013 and up to March of this year, company Veolia. Hartley-Brewer tweeted: “Cam- lins. The businesswoman has ported this second batch, but things have happened which have But since the new system came den’s fortnightly collections are been part of the BBC show since did not proceed with the matter seen her sectioned and go through into force this month residents going well. Just took out big bag of 2013 and grills contestants in because she wanted the former a long process of being diagnosed have complained of over-fl ow- recycling ready for Tuesday. They the semi-fi nal interview round intern to get “help” for ongoing with a delusional disorder. That ing bins and rubbish left strewn collected a day early. Sigh.” Emily before reporting back on each mental health problems. “But on would explain her behaviour.” across streets. Affl uent areas Whit said: “What’s the point? No candidate to Lord Sugar in the February 22, 2017, Collins report- Ashton-Rickardt, from Ham- such as Hampstead and Highgate one’s collecting it — Camden is a boardroom. ed the harassment had started brook near Chichester, pleaded are among those aff ected but dump, an actual landfi ll site.” The court heard Ashton-Rick- again,” Fergusson said. guilty to one count of harassment other parts of the borough have And resident Claire-Louise ardt had been an intern at Medi- The court heard Ashton-Rick- without violence. Her lawyer told not had collection timetables Leyland tweeted: “Residents aCom, a £1bn media agency for ardt sent 50 e-mails between the court she has an advertising changed. struggling to contact #Camden’s which Collins is the UK manag- February 20 and 23 under a fake and marketing degree and is one Camden says recycling and Veolia callcentre. When they did, ing director. name and account. month into a treatment course food waste is still collected weekly staff told them they’re getting But after the internship ended Collins believed them to be which involves seeing a psychia- — and that it chose street-level 3,000 calls a day about rubbish.” “prematurely” Ashton-Rickardt from Ashton-Rickardt because trist and taking medication. Dep- homes with facilities that can cope Meric Apak, Camden cabinet launched harassment campaigns. the writing style was “very simi- uty district judge Adrian Turner for fortnightly collections of non- member for sustainability and en- The fi rst series of messages, af- lar” to previous e-mails. A large ordered her to continue with Prime Minister Theresa May, representing Queen Elizabeth II, recyclable waste. vironment, said: “We can assure ter her internship in 2013 ended, number were blank, the court treatment. He ordered her to pay awards a sword to the best cadets at the Sovereign’s Parade But resident Jessica Learmond- residents that we will resolve any led to a warning. She has pleaded heard. But one said: “I’m not out- £105 costs and issued a restrain- at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, southwest of Criqui — who launched a petition initial issues they are experiencing guilty over another series of mes- side, but I can bring drug dealers ing order that she should not con- London. against the changes — said: “Why in what is only the second week of sages, which she sent in February. and rapists outside... would you tact Collins. would you limit 40% of the bor- the changed service.” Gulf Times 8 Saturday, April 15, 2017 EUROPE Erdogan makes fi nal push for ‘Yes’ votes AFP always be the biggest supporter Istanbul and biggest defender of Turkey’s unitary structure,” said Erdogan, adding that concerning a federal Le Pen is seen in this February 15 file picture at the European urkish President Recep system “none of this is on our Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Tayyip Erdogan made a agenda”. Tfi nal push yesterday for The leader of the opposition votes in a referendum on expand- Republican People’s Party (CHP) ing his powers, as the authorities Kemal Kilicdaroglu has called for said they had foiled a possible a “No” vote, arguing that there Prosecutors target Islamist militant plot against the was too much uncertainty over poll. the consequences of the new Opinion polls – usually treated system. Le Pen immunity as with caution in Turkey – have “We will together write a leg- predicted a tight outcome to- end of democracy (on Sunday) morrow despite the considerable because our questions have been election race tightens advantages of the “Yes” cam- left unanswered,” he told report- paign in both airtime and cam- ers in Istanbul. paign resources. Erdogan has raised hackles in AFP The aff air, which culmi- The referendum will take place the West throughout the cam- Paris nated with the former “Mis- under a state of emergency that paign with his repeated denun- ter Clean” of the French right has been in place since last sum- ciations of the European Union, being formally charged last mer’s failed coup, which has seen which Turkey has sought to join rench prosecutors have month, plunged his campaign some 47,000 arrested in the big- for the last half century. asked the European par- into turmoil but in the past few gest crackdown in Turkey’s his- Ahead of the vote, United Na- Fliament to lift the immu- weeks he has climbed back into tory. tions experts accused Turkey of nity of Marine Le Pen over an contention. Analysts regard the referen- “massive violations” of the right expenses scandal, deepening “Of course Francois Fillon dum as a crossroads in the mod- Erdogan delivering a speech to a rally of supporters in Konya yesterday. to education and work, citing her legal woes on the eve of a can win,” his spokesman Luc ern history of the country that fi gures suggesting that since the presidential election that is Chatel said yesterday, adding: will aff ect not just the shape of its tained another 19 suspected IS view, Erdogan expressed confi - cal ally in implementing the plan, emergency was declared, some shaping up as a tight four-way “People are starting to believe political system but also its rela- supporters in the Aegean city dence that the new presidential the Nationalist Movement Party 134,000 public servants had been race. again.” tions with the West. of Izmir, accused of planning to system would be approved, say- (MHP). dismissed. The prosecutors’ move Edging him in some opinion “April 16 will be a historic sabotage the vote. ing there were no longer unde- An adviser to Erdogan, Sukru The dismissals “cannot be comes just nine days before surveys is hard-left euroscep- turning point,” Erdogan told a In the latest issue of its Al Naba cided voters. Karatepe, suggested this week justifi ed by reference to Tur- France heads to the polls in tic Melenchon, who is famous rally in Konya, the Anatolian city magazine, IS called for attacks on “’Yes’ has gone up consider- that Turkey could form a federal key’s longstanding international a highly unpredictable vote for his mass rallies and fi ery seen as the heartland of conserv- polling stations in Turkey. ably, while ‘No’ has gone down,” system if “Yes” won, in a move human rights obligations”, said marked by widespread disillu- speeches. ative supporters who have ben- If the new system is passed, it he said. that would be an anathema to the four UN special rapporteurs in a sionment with the traditional Surveys show Le Pen would efi ted from his rule. will abolish the offi ce of prime A poll by the Konda group nationalists as it may imply the statement. political class. be beaten by any of the other The referendum is taking place minister, enabling the president showed “Yes” ahead at 51.5% but creation of a Kurdish region in However, Turkey’s foreign Le Pen, who heads the far- three main contenders in a after a bloody year of terror at- to centralise all state bureaucracy the Sonar group has projected the east. ministry rejected the “politi- right National Front (FN), is run-off , but analysts have tacks in Turkey blamed on jihad- under his control and also to ap- a “No” vote of 51.2%, and with MHP leader Devlet Bahceli cal statement”, adding it would leading the race with inde- warned of a possible upset, af- ists and Kurdish militants. point cabinet ministers. other polling companies produc- quickly responded saying that he diminish the value of the UN pendent centrist Emmanuel ter Britain’s shock vote to quit Adding to security concerns, Supporters see the new sys- ing diff erent fi gures the outcome would dismiss any adviser of his mechanisms. Macron but polls show Com- the EU and Donald Trump’s police detained fi ve suspected tem as an essential modernisa- remains uncertain. if they made similar remarks. Campaigning is allowed un- munist-backed euroscep- election in the United States, Islamic State (IS) militants in tion step for Turkey to streamline But while Erdogan has ap- MHP votes are crucial to the til 6pm (1500 GMT) today and tic Jean-Luc Melenchon and both of which pollsters failed Istanbul accused of planning a government but opponents fear peared confi dent and relaxed at ruling Justice and Development voting in the country’s east gets scandal-hit conservative Fran- to predict. “sensational” attack targeting it risks granting Erdogan author- his last campaign rallies, he re- Party (AKP) in pushing through under way at 7am (0400 GMT) cois Fillon closing the gap. The European Parliament the weekend referendum. itarian powers. acted quickly to stamp out a last- the new system. tomorrow and an hour later else- An Ipsos poll for the daily Le accuses the FN of using funds Authorities on Tuesday de- in an earlier television inter- minute spat with his main politi- “I always have been and will where. Monde out yesterday showed allotted for parliamentary as- Macron and Le Pen on 22% for sistants to pay FN staff for the fi rst round, both down two party work in France. points in under a week. In February, the assembly Melenchon continued a began withholding part of Le spectacular surge, polling Pen’s pay to recover the mon- Kremlin raps Eurovision for 20%, just one point ahead of ey it says it lost to the alleged Fillon, who has been regaining fraud. ground lost to a fake jobs in- Prosecutors also petitioned vestigation. the parliament to lift the im- dropping Russia this year The poll echoed a raft of munity of Le Pen’s colleague, surveys this week showing the fellow National Front MEP four top contenders bunching Marie-Christine Boutonnet. AFP rules and were unable to call the competition from its sched- together, creating six possible Le Pen, who has pledged Moscow upon the country that expressed ule, slamming Ukraine’s entry line-ups in the May 7 run-off to put France’s EU member- willingness to hold the contest ban on Samoilova as “absolutely of the top two candidates. ship to a referendum if elected, to observe the rules on hosting,” groundless” and intended to The slight dip in Le Pen’s has vehemently denied any oscow has denounced Peskov said. “politicise” the glitzy annual poll numbers came as French wrongdoing. the decision by Eurovi- The Kiev event organisers, event. prosecutors said they had pe- In a TV debate last week, Msion Song Contest or- the National Public Broadcast- The broadcaster, which select- titioned the European Parlia- Ford worker Philippe Poutou, ganisers to drop Russia from this ing Company of Ukraine, in turn ed Samoilova as Russia’s con- ment to lift her immunity so candidate of the New Anticap- year’s contest, following a row slammed Russia’s actions, ac- testant, said it had rejected an that she can be prosecuted over italist Party tore into her. with hosts Ukraine. cusing it of being more interested off er from the EBU for the singer an expenses scandal. “For someone who is anti- Russia’s state-run Channel in undermining the event than in to compete via video link or for The logo of the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest is seen during a Le Pen last month invoked European, she doesn’t mind One said yesterday that it would taking part. Russia to choose another entrant. ceremony in Kiev on January 31 to hand over the Eurovision host city her parliamentary immunity in having her fi ngers in Europe’s not broadcast the event, after re- “Russia’s aim right from the However, the powerful direc- insignia to the Ukrainian capital. refusing to attend questioning till,” he said. jecting proposals for contestant start was not taking part in the tor general of Channel One, Kon- by investigating magistrates. Investigators raided the FN’s Yulia Samoilova to take part via contest but creating an atmos- stantin Ernst, vowed Samoilova competitions and insisted it Samoilova has been in a wheel- Yesterday she shrugged off headquarters outside Paris last video link or be replaced, after phere of negativity in coverage of would represent Russia at next “strongly” condemned Ukraine’s chair since a bad reaction to a the prosecutors’ move. month over the aff air. Ukraine slapped her with an en- the preparations and the holding year’s contest. ban on Samoilova since “it thor- vaccine in childhood, according “It’s a totally normal step, Le Pen’s chief of staff Cath- try ban over a concert she gave in of the contest,” the broadcaster “We discussed this with the oughly undermines the integrity to the biography on her website. I’m not surprised,” said the erine Griset and Charles Hour- annexed Crimea. said in a statement. EBU and they know that Yulia and non-political nature of the The fi rst contestant in a wheel- 48-year-old member of the cade, previously a graphic In response, the European It stressed that it was “con- Samoilova will represent Russia,” Eurovision Song Contest”. chair to appear on Eurovision European Parliament, who designer at FN headquarters, Broadcasting Union (EBU) then tinuing active preparations for he told TASS state news agency. “However, preparations con- was Poland’s Monika Kuszynska sees the investigation as a plot were charged with conceal- confi rmed Russia “will no longer Eurovision 2017”. Former Soviet neighbours tinue apace,” the organiser said. in 2015. to derail her presidential bid. ment. be able to take part in this year’s Kiev barred Russia’s 28-year- Russia and Ukraine have been at “Our top priority remains to pro- Kiev will host the fi nal of the The case against Le Pen has Le Pen has already had her competition”. old entrant Samoilova from en- loggerheads since Moscow seized duce a spectacular Eurovision Eurovision Song Contest on May been dwarfed by the bigger parliamentary immunity lifted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry tering the country for three years Crimea in 2014 and was then ac- Song Contest.” 13 after two semi-fi nals earlier scandal engulfi ng Fillon. over a separate aff air dating to Peskov lashed out at the organis- for performing a concert on the cused by Kiev and the West of Kiev will host the fi nal of the that week. Former prime minister Fil- 2015 when she shared graphic ers for failing to make Kiev accept Crimea peninsula in 2015 after fuelling a separatist confl ict in Eurovision Song Contest on May Even without the Russia par- lon was revealed in January to pictures of Islamic State atroc- the Russian performer. it was annexed from Ukraine by the east of the country that has 13. ticipant, 42 nations will be taking have given his wife suspected ities on Twitter. “We express regret that the Moscow. killed some 10,000 people. The contest, known for its part in this year’s contest includ- fake jobs as a parliamentary as- The pictures triggered an in- Eurovision organisers could not Russia’s Channel One said on The EBU had earlier threat- kitsch but catchy pop songs, is ing, despite the “Euro” tag, Israel sistant for which she was paid a vestigation for “dissemination fulfi l the conditions of their own Thursday that it was dropping ened to bar Ukraine from future avowedly politically neutral. and Australia. total €680,000 ($725,000). of violent images”.

Uzbekistan: Stockholm suspect had ties to IS Hooligans mar Good Friday events

AFP national terrorist organisation German police arrest three people suspected of AFP loud noise or made “wild ges- “These are isolated cases Bishkek the Islamic State,” Kamilov said helping plan violence against the state: report Madrid ticulations” to create panic in the without any apparent connec- in quotes from a press briefi ng thousands-strong crowds. tion that are similar to cases of published by the ministry. German police have arrested three people on suspicion of helping a An AFP photographer present vandalism and hooliganism,” it zbekistan said yesterday Kamilov said Akilov had “ac- suspected Islamist militant prepare a bomb attack on police or soldiers, n outbreak of panic said she heard what sounded like said. that the suspect in last tively encouraged compatri- magazine Focus said on its website. sparked by troublemak- a stampede of galloping animals, Cecop said three of those ar- Uweek’s deadly Stock- ots to go to Syria to participate It cited the chief public prosecutor in the northern town of Celle as say- Aers caused mayhem in and then a mass of people pushed rested were “common delin- holm truck attack had ties to in military operations” for the ing yesterday that arrest warrants had been issued for the two men and Seville’s nightime Good Friday towards her. quents”. Islamic State (IS) militants and group. one woman suspected of helping to prepare a serious act of violence processions, famed for their re- Standing on the Isabel II Some 17 people were taken to the West had been warned about “He repeatedly propagated against the state. ligious fl oats, hooded penitents bridge that goes over Seville’s hospital for injuries and panic him. propaganda videos of terrorist The prosecutor’s off ice was not immediately available for comment and hordes of spectators, seri- Guadalquivir River, she climbed attacks, it said. Rakhmat Akilov, a 39-year- content through internet mes- when contacted by Reuters. ously injuring one person, Span- onto a lamppost. One of them was in intensive old Uzbek national, is in custody sengers to his relatives and other Three identical letters printed in German found near the scene sug- ish authorities said yesterday. “There were children, women care in a serious condition, suf- on suspicion of mowing down connections in Uzbekistan, try- gested a possible Islamist motive. Emergency services said eight with prams,” she said, adding fering from brain trauma. a crowd on a busy street in the ing to persuade them to commit The magazine said the trio – a 27-year-old Afghan, a 27-year-old Turk, people were detained in con- some people rushed down steps Organised by religious broth- Swedish capital, killing four violent actions against Uzbek and a 25-year-old German – were arrested on Thursday evening in three nection with the incidents that towards the river, falling over erhoods and featuring huge people. authorities, government offi - diff erent German cities and were in custody. took place from 4am local time themselves in panic. “The fi rst fl oats of wooden sculptures of Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister cials and law enforcement agen- (0200GMT), sending people thing people think is that there is religious scenes accompanied by Abdulaziz Kamilov said Akilov cies,” Kamilov said. running in panic and leaving a terrorist attack.” hooded penitents, the proces- was radicalised after moving to “Information about the foreign ministry told AFP that for extremism in February. children in tears in diff erent parts An initial probe showed that sions known as “La Madruga” Sweden in 2014 and the Central wrongful acts of Rakhmat Ak- it “had not received such infor- Swedish police are currently of the processions. there were three initial move- are the high point of Easter Week Asian nation’s intelligence serv- ilov was transferred via the spe- mation”. holding Akilov, whose lawyer In a statement, the Cecop cen- ments of panic, which sparked a festivities in Seville. ice had passed on information cial services to one of our West- Russian agency Interfax on says he has already confessed to tre that oversees security during “domino eff ect” in other parts of This morning’s early incident about him. ern partners to further inform Wednesday quoted an anony- driving a stolen truck through the processions in the south- the city, Cecop said. mirrors a similar outbreak of “During his stay abroad, he the Swedish side,” he added, mous security source in Uz- the crowd and into the front of ern Spanish city said those de- It added that the diff erent in- panic in 2000 in Seville’s Good was recruited through the Inter- without giving more details. bekistan who said a warrant had a department store in central tained had variously “shouted”, cidents did not appear to be co- Friday processions, which left 52 net by emissaries of the inter- A spokeswoman for Sweden’s been issued for Akilov’s arrest Stockholm. used metallic objects to make ordinated. people injured. Gulf Times Saturday, April 15, 2017 9 INDIA

STANCE CLARIFICATION PEOPLE TRAGEDY LAW AND ORDER Govt rejects Pak claim Swamy call on beef-eating Wife of man who ended Selfie deaths prompt Banned notes worth on Jadhav information his personal stand: Goa BJP life in US attempts suicide railways advisory Rs300mn seized

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday Rejecting BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s call The wife of a software professional, who allegedly A day after the selfie craze inside a running Demonetised currency notes worth Rs300mn rejected as “untrue” Pakistan’s claim that India for a change in Goa’s beef-eating tradition, a state committed suicide in the US earlier this month, train led to the deaths of several youths, was eized from a former corporator’s house in had not responded to “specific information” party spokesperson yesterday said the statement attempted to kill herself in Hyderabad after her the Eastern Railway authorities yesterday Bengaluru city’s western suburb, police said sought on alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was Swamy’s “personal stand” and not the husband’s family blamed her for his death. Swati appealed to passengers to be careful and yesterday. “We found the illegal cash in the in January and said the military trial sentencing party’s position on the issue. Asked to react to a consumed a disinfectant at her house in Kuthapet issued guidelines. A railway spokesman said house of ex-corporator Nagaraj, 54, during him to death was not transparent. “I feel he did Congress party demand asking Goa’s BJP leaders area. Family members rushed her to a hospital, they have already launched campaigns in a search conducted on a court warrant in a not get a transparent trial,” Rajnath Singh said. to openly condemn Swamy’s comments, party where her condition was critical. Madhukar Reddy print, television and social media to make criminal case and seized the banned notes in Reacting to Pakistani foreign policy chief Sartaj spokesperson Dattaprasad Naik said: “I don’t think Gudur was found hanging from a fan in his house passengers aware of the risks of using phones Rs500 and Rs 1,000 denomination,” a Hennur Aziz’s statement that India has not responded this is an issue at all in Goa. All communities live in Seattle on April 4. The couple, who recently while travelling. In a horrific turn of events, a police station off icial said. Nagaraj was not to a “Letter of Assistance requesting specific in harmony in Goa. It is probably his personal moved to their new home, have a four-year-old youth fell from a running train between Bali present when the police arrived at his house information and access to certain key witnesses” stand. It is not the party’s stand.” Last week during daughter. The Gudur’s body was brought to his and Liluah railway stations while trying to around 5am, as he allegedly fled on learning regarding Jadhav, Rajnath Singh said: “No no, a national TV debate on the ongoing beef ban home town Bhongir in Telangana and cremated click a selfie on Thursday night. Four of his about the search team. Police also faced that’s not true.” The Home Minister said all eff orts controversy, Swamy said that Goa had a beef- on April 11. However, his relatives attacked Swati, friends were hit by another train while rushing resistance from Nagaraj’s family while entering were being made to ensure justice to Jadhav. eating tradition, which needed to be changed. when she came to attend the funeral. towards the accident spot. the house and had to break open the main door.

Iraqi baby with eight EVMs can be limbs gets new lease rigged in more of life

AFP New Delhi ways than one,

baby born with eight limbs, including two pro- Atruding from his stom- ach, has undergone surgery in India to successfully remove the insists Kejriwal extra arms and legs, in an opera- tion being hailed as a world fi rst. IANS blind King Dhritarashtra of the is a fact and can we remain blind Seven-month-old Karam was New Delhi epic “Mahabharata”, Kejriwal to that,” he said asserting the re- born in Iraq with an extremely dared the commission to make sults will have no impact on the rare condition where a conjoined public its fi ndings on the tam- party’s prospects in the April 23 twin did not fully form and was uestioning the election pering allegations. elections to the three munici- partially absorbed, resulting in commission’s credibility “Wherever in India the EVMs pal corporations in the national the additional limbs. Qover the issue of “rigged” have malfunctioned, there is capital. The boy’s father Sarwed Ahmed EVMs, Delhi Chief Minister only one issue – no matter which He attributed his party’s drub- Nadar fl ew the infant to India for Arvind Kejriwal yesterday ac- button you press, the vote goes bing in the by-poll to people’s surgery, where doctors performed cused it of being biased towards to the BJP. And every time the anger over party MLA Jarnail a three-stage operation to remove Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and commission says there is no Singh resigning in the middle of the unnecessary limbs. hinted at the possibility of com- problem with the EVMs. his term to contest the February There are just fi ve or six panies manufacturing EVMs be- “Why are they (EC) brushing 4 Punjab assembly elections. known cases worldwide of this ing involved in their tampering. everything under the carpet? He also fl ayed the Delhi elec- condition, making the task more The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Had the EC gone in for a techni- tion commission for bringing diffi cult for the doctors, said leader, who has been vociferous cal probe and put the fi ndings in “EVMs from the junkyard” for senior orthopaedic consultant about the vulnerability of the public domain, people’s faith in the Delhi civic polls. Gaurav Rathore, who was part of electronic voting machines, said it would have been restored,” he Kejriwal also questioned the the surgical team. unless the people fought against said. work done by the BJP in the three “He was brought to us when “BJP’s control over the EVMs”, Kejriwal alleged that the elec- municipal areas in the last 10 he was just two weeks old and democracy can’t be saved. tion commission was “enacting year. his condition was quite unique. “I am an IIT Kharagpur a drama in the name of elec- “I ask people – (tell) me one Most of the surgeries we per- graduate...I can tell you 10 ways tions” to ensure BJP victory in all good thing the BJP has done in formed had not been attempted how EVMs can be tampered,” the polls. the municipal bodies in the last before,” Rathore told reporters Kejriwal told news channel “The BJP has total control 10 years. in Noida, a satellite city outside NDTV. over the EVMs and unless we “For 10 years, the BJP has been New Delhi. “EVMs can be infl uenced if a include the media to fi ght it out, in charge of the MCDs; you can “Till now our journey has bug or a Trojan horse is inserted we will not be able to save de- see how much fi lth there is on been quite successful. Karam is a in its chip. Only two companies mocracy, save the country,” said the streets of Delhi. All the den- very courageous young baby. He – one in US and one in Japan – Kejriwal. gue, malaria... and this is despite is in fact a very happy child.” manufacture the chips. What He also rejected assertions all the money they have. They The team of doctors at Jaypee can you do when the bug is in- that the AAP was hiding behind are so short of cash that they Hospital conducted the surgery serted in the source. What can tampering allegations to cover can’t pay their employees. The in three stages, fi rst removing you do if the company is infl u- up its dismal performance in the MCDs under BJP rule did noth- the limbs sticking out from his enced,” he said. recent polls including the Rajou- ing. There is huge corruption in stomach before correcting a car- He also claimed that the Elec- ri Garden assembly seat bypoll in the MCDs,” Kejriwal alleged. diac complication. tion Commission, in its reply to a Delhi, where its candidate faced The Chief Minister pointed The fi nal procedure saw doc- Right to Information (RTI) query the ignominy of forfeiting the to the work done by the AAP tors remove all the extra limbs, has said that it “doesn’t have the deposit. government in Delhi and said though he will require more pro- capacity to read the code em- “We have made 100 mis- that the April 23 civic polls will cedures as he grows older to cor- Iraqi Gufran Ali holds her eight month old son Karam during a press conference at a hospital in bedded in the chip of a EVM”. takes... 200 mistakes... we will be a referendum on their “good rect other anomalies. Noida yesterday. Likening the poll panel to introspect. But EVM tampering work” in the national capital.

Mahija’s protest ‘a Govt mulling revival of sea plot by BJP, Congress’ CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan claimed there was a route option for Haj pilgrims conspiracy behind the protest by Jishnu Prannoy’s mother earlier this month in front of the Kerala police chief’s off ice. IANS “They can cover the 2,300- The ministry of minority af- Balakrishnan said in an article yesterday Mumbai odd nautical miles between fairs along with other agencies that the Congress and the Bharatiya Jana- Mumbai and Jeddah in just has started preparations for the ta Party were hand-in-glove and termed two-three days. Earlier, ships annual pilgrimage very early it a ‘grand master design’ to change the nion Minister Mukhtar used to take 12 to 15 days to in co-ordination with various course of the protest by Jishnu’s mother, Abbas Naqvi yesterday cover this distance,” the min- agencies, he added. The aim is to Mahija, against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Usaid the government is ister said. provide world class facilities to Left government in Kerala. “actively considering” a plan to He added the new Haj policy Haj pilgrims. “There was a calculated move to change resume – after 22 years – the use is aimed at making the entire With an increase of 34,005 the course of the protest by Mahija of the Arabian Sea route to ferry pilgrimage process easier and in India’s annual Haj quota an- against the government and Vijayan who Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and transparent. Facilities for pil- nounced last year by Saudi Ara- took lot of personal interest in resolv- consultations with the shipping grims will be the focus of the bia, all Indian states will benefi t ing the case. There was nothing wrong ministry are already on. new policy. for this year’s pilgrimage, Naqvi in the police action of arresting people He said the “revolutionary said. who had no role in Mahija’s protest,” and pilgrim-friendly decision” “The decision was taken dur- Balakrishnan stressed. of sea travel will cut down travel ing the signing of the bilateral On April 9, Mahija and her relatives expenses by nearly half com- annual Haj agreement between ended their five-day fast at the Medical pared with air fares. The use of the two countries at Jeddah on College hospital after the government the sea route between Mumbai January 11. It is the biggest in- assured them that their demands, which and Jeddah for Haj was discon- crease in the Haj quota for India included the arrest of the remaining ac- tinued in 1995. after many years,” the minister cused responsible for the Jishnu’s death “A high-level committee, revealed. and action against police off icials who formed by the government to More than 500 trainers from roughed them up, would be addressed. frame the Haj Policy 2018 as per Sea travel will cut down diff erent states are participating Since her son, an engineering student, the Supreme Court’s 2012 order, travel expenses by nearly in the three-day training pro- was found hanging in the college hostel is exploring the issue for sending half compared with air gramme that deals with various in January, Mahija has been demanding pilgrims via the sea route to Jed- fares, Naqvi said dos and don’ts to be adhered to justice. She claims her son was ‘killed’ by dah in Saudi Arabia,” the minis- during the pilgrimage. They are the college authorities. ter of state for minority aff airs In 2016, as many as 99,903 briefed on transport, accommo- Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chen- said at a training programme at pilgrims went to Jeddah for Haj dation and laws in Saudi Arabia, nithala dismissed Balakrishnan’s article the Haj House here. through the Haj Committee of among other things. stating it was the standard norm of the The committee will soon India, besides nearly 36,000 Offi cials from the Haj Com- Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI- submit its report to the govern- persons who went through pri- mittee of India, Saudi Arabia M) to blame all and sundry for the party’s ment. vate tour operators. consulate, Brihanmumbai Mu- failures. At present, Haj pilgrims travel This year a total of 170,025 nicipal Corporation, Saudi Air- “We had no role in the protest and the by air from 21 points across the persons will go for Haj from In- lines, Air India, customs and CPI-M always blames others for its own country. dia, including 125,025 through immigration departments and failures. The stock word that the CPI-M The minister said another ad- the Haj Committee and 45,000 doctors are involved in the en- uses to divert attention is by banking on vantage was that ships nowadays through private operators. The deavour. the theory that there was a conspiracy. are modern and well equipped to minister said 129,196 applica- The trainers will educate Everyone knows this and none takes ferry 4,000 to 5,000 persons at tions were received online this the pilgrims at diff erent camps them seriously,” Chennithala said. one go. year. across the country. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, April 15, 2017 INDIA

MILITANCY CLARIFICATION ACCUSATION CONTROVERSY CRIME Keralite man among No law on food portions in Mamata promoting Minister caught on tape Ghaziabad teacher set 36 IS militants killed hotels being issued: govt fundamentalism: Bharti threatening school head on fire over dowry

An Islamic State (IS) activist from Kerala is believed The government will not issue any order to hotels Debunking the state government’s charge that the A video of Punjab Cabinet minister Sadhu Singh The husband and in-laws of a Ghaziabad teacher to have been killed along with 36 IS militants when or restaurants to regulate food portions served BJP was trying to incite violence by conducting Dharamsot shouting at a school principal went viral allegedly tried to set her on fire over dowry the US unleashed a massive GBU-43 bomb, also to the customers, a union minister said yesterday. armed rallies in the state in the name of religious yesterday. The minister is seen and heard arguing demands, police said. On Thursday, the victim known as the “mother of all bombs”, on the terror “We do not want to make any law or issue any celebrations, Union Minister Uma Bharti angrily with a school principal in Nabha town Sangeeta was preparing dinner at her in-laws group’s position in a cave network in Afghanistan. order to hotels. We want the hotel industry to yesterday blamed West Bengal Chief Minister after his name figured in the third place on school house in Vasundhara residential locality under According to Indian intelligence off icials, Murshid make arrangements by their own,” Union Food and Mamata Banerjee for “intentionally” promoting building’s inaugural plaque. Dharamsot not only Indirapuram police station, when her husband Mohamed, in his 20s, who hailed from Kasaragode Consumer Aff airs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said. fundamentalism in the state. “These allegations used off ensive language but even threatened to Sanjeev Nagar, father-in-law Rich Pal Nagar and in Kerala, was among the IS militants killed after Paswan said, “the prime minister has in his radio are baseless. They don’t make any sense. Mamata get the principal suspended. Following the ruckus mother-in-law Ram Bhuli Nagar tried to burn the US military struck the IS’ position in Nangarhar address to the nation spoken on food wastage. Banerjee is intentionally doing fundamentalist the Punjab chief minister issued new guidelines on her by pouring diesel on her and trying to make province on Thursday. A top intelligence off icer in Since customers do not know about the quantity politics. She is propagating the politics of hatred,” the use of names of ministers, MLAs and off icers on it seem as a case of accidental fire. However, Kasargode said they had received information of of food being served, they cannot finish it and the minister said after a mass rally in West Bengal’s foundation/inauguration stones. The inauguration neighbours came to her rescue and soon her Mohammed being killed in the US military assault. remaining portion goes waste. So we have asked Howrah district. Bharti also asserted that the stone also carried the names of two donors who parents and brother took her to Safdarjung A relative of Mohamed received a message that he hotels to tell customers about the quantity of food BJP would form the government in West Bengal had collected money for the construction of a hospital in Delhi. Sangeeta told her mother that was killed, the Kerala Police intelligence wing said. in each menu so they can order accordingly”. “with a clear majority” in the next assembly polls. building block in memory of their mother. her husband had been demanding Rs2.5mn. Cultural fest Northern states sizzle on Yamuna river ‘caused huge damage’

Guardian News and Media The festival had led to a New Delhi “change in topography and hab- itat diversity, loss of waterbodies and wetlands, loss of fl oodplain cultural festival held vegetation and biodiversity … along Delhi’s Yamuna riv- and loss of ecosystem functions”, Aer last year, despite warn- the report said. ings by the country’s environ- Shankar is one of a number of mental watchdog, caused more gurus whose popularity – and than £5mn of damage that could political infl uence – have surged take 10 years to fi x, according to in recent years as a swelling In- a report. dian middle class tries to remain One of India’s most celebrat- connected to its cultural and re- ed gurus, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, ligious roots. Three women cover their faces to avoid the scorching sun on a hot day in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, yesterday. Heat wave conditions also intensified across Punjab headlined the World Culture He was personally thanked and Haryana yesterday with the maximum temperature crossing the 40-degree Celsius mark, officials said. Hisar town in Haryana was the hottest in the region festival, drawing more than 3mn by Colombia’s President, Juan yesterday with the maximum temperature hitting a high of 42.8 degrees Celcius. This was six degrees above normal, the Met Office said. Narnaul in Haryana visitors including Prime Minis- Manuel Santos, for helping to recorded a high of 42.5 degrees, six degrees above normal. ter Narendra Modi. negotiate the country’s recent The three-day festival, which peace deal with Farc guerrillas featured yoga sessions, per- after a 52-year civil war. formances and prayers for world Another ascetic, Baba Ram- peace, involved the construction dev, has turned his popularity of a seven-acre stage that or- into a £530mn retail empire sell- ganisers boasted was the largest ing local alternatives to imported ever. products. Pontoon bridges, portable Both the Modi-led nation- cabins and parking facilities al government and the Delhi were also constructed over doz- administration, normally at Video of youth tied to ens of hectares in the fragile eco- loggerheads, had supported system. Shankar’s event, and the Delhi The country’s top environ- Water Minister, Kapil Mishra, mental court had restricted continues to defend it. building activity along the Ya- Shankar said in a statement muna more than a year earlier, the report was “completely but found that preparations were fl awed, unscientifi c and biased”. army jeep sparks anger “in full swing” by the time its of- “There is no evidence at all to fi cers inspected the festival site justify their claims. We will fi ght IANS get the information, then I will “A warning can be heard (in the from point blank range and an- Rajnath Singh, asked about in February 2016. for truth to triumph,” he said. Srinagar answer this question.” video) saying stone pelters will other boy tied to the army jeep. purported videos of human Shankar was fi ned Rs50m The Yamuna river originates Minister of State for External meet this fate. This requires an What to do after seeing these rights violation by forces in as “environmental compensa- in the Himalayas and is virtually Aff airs V K Singh questioned urgent inquiry and follow up videos.” Kashmir, said: “I can say the tion” before the event, a sum he unpolluted until it reaches Delhi, video of a youth tied the veracity of the video, and NOW.” Another Twitter handle said security forces are providing initially refused to pay, insisting: where it is diverted for use by the to the front of a mov- said, “What is the video about? Defence Ministry spokesper- the army’s actions were “dehu- security putting their own life “We have done nothing wrong. city’s residents. Aing army jeep as a shield Who has posted the video?” son, Colonel Rajesh Kalia, in a manising a whole population to at stake in the crisis situation in I will go to jail but not pay the Delhi takes the freshwater and against stone pelters has evoked “Until the video’s veracity is statement said: “The contents cultivate total submission”. Kashmir.” fi ne.” replaces it with untreated sew- anger and shock in Kashmir. established, it is diffi cult to re- of the video are being verifi ed “The strategy, that has re- He said a charge-sheet has A committee appointed to age and chemical effl uents from Union Home Minister Rajnath act,” the former army chief said and investigated.” coiled back, spectacularly,” been fi led and action regard- assess the damage reported on more than 20 drains, leaving the Singh said the incident, if true, on the sidelines of a seminar in With internet services re- ProjectKashmir tweeted. ing the treatment meted out to Wednesday that the festival had river unable to support life and will be looked into, while the Mumbai. stored in Kashmir Valley on However, some twitter users the Central Reserve Police Force destroyed the riverbed and ad- barely fl owing. army said it is verifying the Former Jammu and Kashmir Thursday night after Sunday’s defended the army’s action and troopers who were carrying the versely aff ected more than 170 Tens of millions of rupees contents of the video. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, deadly violence that led to the said it helped to avoid the stone Electronic Voting Machines hectares of the fl oodplains. have been spent in the past two Asked about the video that tweeting his shock over the vid- death of eight civilians in fi ring pelting. during the election was being It estimated that rehabilitat- decades to clean the river, with surfaced on social media yester- eo, wrote: “This young man was by security forces, many such “Find a pelter, tie him up, contemplated. ing the river, which was this little improvement in water day, Rajnath Singh said in Kolka- TIED to the front of an army videos emerged on social media let his pelter brothers scratch Video clips, which went vi- month granted the legal status quality. Experts blame poor co- ta: “Whatever and wherever any jeep to make sure no stones sites yesterday. their heads. What’s not to love? ral, showed a group of youths of a “living entity”, would take ordination between agencies such thing happens, it will be were thrown at the jeep? This is Commenting on the video, Should’ve thought of this since heckling and even pushing the 10 years and potentially cost and say too much water is being looked into. I have not received just so shocking!” Wasim Dar, a Kashmiri youth, beginning,” said a tweet from troopers as they made their way Rs420mn. diverted for human use. any such information. When I Omar called for an inquiry. posted on Twitter: “A boy killed “FrustratedIndian. to the polling centres. BHIM-Aadhaar will Digital transaction wins student Rs10mn boost economy: Modi IANS Under the schemes, which Nagpur (Maharashtra) have now ended, 1.60mn indi- viduals won prizes for a total of IANS and black money,” Modi stated. period to ensure digital payments Rs2.58bn across the country. Nagpur (Maharashtra) The new app will enable pay- culture permeates down to the hraddha Mengshete, a The second prize of Rs5mn ments with just a ‘thumb’ im- grassroots. Under the Referral 20-year-old electri- under the Lucky Grahak Yo- pression, which can be used by Bonus Scheme, both the exist- Scal engineering student jana went to a 29-year-old rime Minister Narendra even an illiterate person to pay ing user who refers BHIM and the from Maharashtra’s Latur, won primary school teacher, Hardik Modi yesterday said the digitally with his/her biometric new user who adopts it would get the Rs10mn Mega Draw for Kumar from Cambay, Gujarat, PBHIM-Aadhaar digital data on a merchant’s biometric- a cash bonus of Rs 10 credited di- Lucky Grahak Yojana. who used his RuPay card for a payments platform has the po- enabled device. rectly to their accounts. Mengshete had made a trans- Rs1,100 transaction. tential to revolutionise the econ- “Any citizen without access to Similarly, under the Cashback action of Rs1,590 through her The third prize of Rs2.5mn omy while empowering com- SmartPhone, Internet, debit or scheme, merchants will get a RuPay card to pay the instal- was won by Bharat Singh of mon Indians in the same way credit cards will be able to trans- cash back of Rs25 on every trans- ment for her new mobile phone. Sherpur village in Uttarakhand as did the Constitution, framed act digitally through the BHIM- action using BHIM. Prime Minister Narendra who made a transaction of only by B R Ambedkar, whose 126th Aadhaar platform,” Modi said. “I appeal to my young Modi yesterday felicitated Rs100 on his RuPay card. birth anniversary was celebrated “It will make digital pay- friends... I want the support of winners of a mega-draw of two Under the Digi-Dhan Vyapar across the country yesterday. ments easy for people who can- India’s youth in the movement national incentive schemes for Yojana for merchants, Anand Launching the new combined not read or write, thus realising towards increased digital trans- digital transactions - Lucky Ananthapadmanabhan of GRT platform here, Modi said that by Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision of actions,” Modi said. Grahak Yojana and Digi Dhan Jewellers in Tambaran, Chennai, enabling each Indian to pay dig- social and fi nancial empower- Both schemes will be admin- Vyapar Yojana. won the Rs5mn prize for accept- itally using their biometric data ment for all. Nothing can stop its istered by the ministry of elec- Mengshete, who received ing a Rs 300 digital payment. on a merchant’s biometric-ena- progress,” he said. tronics and information tech- the Rs10mn prize from Modi, Ananthapadmanabhan im- bled device, the BHIM-Aadhaar Modi said India’s unprece- nology (Meity) and implemented said she had not yet decided mediately announced it as a will be like a SmartPhone with dented digital payments revolu- by the National Payments Cor- what to do with the money. donation to the Clean Ganga a biometric reader and boost tion has attracted the attention poration of India (NPCI). “I am the daughter of a gro- Campaign amidst a thunder- digital payments in a manner of the world with some countries Shortly after the prime minis- cery seller from Latur and study ous applause by the audience. unprecedented anywhere in the even seeking India’s help to im- ter’s announcement, NPCI CEO in Pune. First, I would like to The second prize of Rs2.5mn world. plement it for them. and managing director A P Hota concentrate and complete my in this category was bagged by It is a step towards a “less- The prime minister also announced in Mumbai the launch studies,” she told media persons Ragini Rajendra Uttekar, who cash” economy and combating launched two new incentive of the BHIM-Aadhaar app which who wanted to know whether owns a small beauty parlour the black money menace, he said. schemes for the BHIM-Cashback can be downloaded from Google Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a ‘public meeting’ at Nagpur’s she would donate a part of her in Thane, Maharashtra, who “’DigiDhan’ is a ‘Safai Abhiyaan’ and Referral Bonus with an out- Playstore and iOS as an updated Indoor Sports Complex yesterday. after launching various projects winnings to some worthy caus- had accepted a card payment to free the nation from corruption lay of Rs4.95bn for a six-month version 1.3, in 12 Indian languages. and schemes. es like another winner did. of Rs510. Gulf Times Saturday, April 15, 2017 11 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN ‘Right time’ to use huge bomb, says US general Reuters Achin/Kabul

he top US military com- mander in Afghanistan Tsaid yesterday that the decision to deploy one of the John Nicholson speaks at a press conference in Kabul yesterday. largest conventional bombs ever used in combat was purely tac- “The fact is that America used “some time” since the admin- tical, and made as part of the their big bomb here to test its ef- istration of former president campaign against Islamic State- fectiveness,” said Kabul resident Barack Obama. linked fi ghters. Asadullah Khaksar. “If America The United States has stead- As many as 36 suspected wants to eliminate Daesh, it is ily intensifi ed its air campaign Islamic State militants were very easy because they created against Islamic State and Tali- killed in the strike on Thursday this group.” ban militants in Afghanistan, evening in the eastern province Residents of Achin said they with the Air Force deploying of Nangarhar, Afghan defence had got used to seeing militants nearly 500 weapons in the fi rst offi cials said, adding there were climbing up and down the moun- three months of 2017, up from no civilian casualties. tain, making occasional visits to 300 in the corresponding 2016 Amaq, the news agency af- the village. period. fi liated with Islamic State in the “They were Arabs, Pakista- Thursday’s strike was not the Middle East, carried a statement nis, Chinese and local insurgents fi rst time Islamic State fi ght- denying that the group had suf- coming to buy from shops in the ers have been targeted by heavy fered casualties in the attack, bazaar,” said Raz Mohammad. American bombardment in Nan- citing an unidentifi ed source Yesterday, the village was garhar, where a US special forces who had been in contact. swarming with Afghan and in- soldier was killed battling mili- The statements could not ternational troops, as helicopters tants a week ago. be independently verifi ed, and and other aircraft fl ew overhead. Last year, B-52 bombers fl ew at yesterday Afghan and foreign Afghan President Ashraf least two missions in Afghanistan troops in the vicinity were not Ghani’s offi ce said in a statement for the fi rst time since 2006. allowing reporters or locals to the attack was a part of a joint Such aircraft can carry as much approach the scene of the blast. operation by Afghan and inter- as 70,000 pounds (32,000kg)of The strike came as US Presi- national troops. bombs, missiles, or other weap- dent Donald Trump prepares “Afghan and foreign troops ons on each mission. to dispatch his fi rst high-level closely co-ordinated this opera- In March, US forces conduct- delegation to Kabul, amid un- tion and were extra cautious to ed 79 “counterterror strikes” certainty about his plans for the Smoke rises after an air strike on IS militants positions during an ongoing operation against the group in the Achin district of Afghanistan’s avoid any civilian casualties,” it against Islamic State in Nan- nearly 9,000 American troops Nangarhar province yesterday, a day after the US military struck the district with its largest non-nuclear bomb. said. garhar, killing as many as 200 stationed in Afghanistan. But former president Hamid militants, according to the US Nicknamed “the mother of that has been targeting Islamic only the base, which Daesh used equivalent to 11 tonnes of TNT, residents of the war-torn area. Karzai condemned the use of the military command in Kabul. all bombs,” the weapon was State since March. to launch attacks in other parts pales in comparison with the “I thought there was a bomb- weapon on Afghan soil. US military offi cials estimate dropped from an MC-130 air- “It was the right time to use it of the province, was destroyed,” relatively small atomic bombs ing just outside my home,” he The Taliban, the main security there are about 600 to 800 Is- craft in the Achin district of tactically against the right target Waziri said in a statement. dropped on Japan at the end of said. In reality, the blast was threat to Afghan and Nato forces lamic State fi ghters in Afghani- Nangarhar, bordering Pakistan. on the battlefi eld.” He was using an Arabic term World War II, which had blasts around three miles away, its trying to quell their stubborn stan, mostly in Nangarhar, but Nicholson said he was in con- Afghan and US forces were that refers to Islamic State, which equivalent to between 15,000 and massive impact bigger than any insurgency, also denounced the also in the neighbouring province stant communication with offi - at the scene of the strike and has established a small strong- 20,000 tonnes of TNT. before seen in the region. bombing. of Kunar. cials in Washington, but the de- reported that the “weapon hold in eastern Afghanistan and In Achin village, about 3 miles Some locals welcomed the strike. “Using this massive bomb The United Nations has raised cision to use the 21,600-pound achieved its intended purpose,” launched deadly attacks on the (5km) from the remote, moun- “If you want to destroy and cannot be justifi ed and will leave concerns that the American air (9,797-kg) GBU-43 bomb was Nicholson said. capital, Kabul. tainous area where the bomb eliminate Daesh, then even if a material and psychological im- campaign is swelling civilian based on his assessment of mili- Afghan defence ministry The GBU-43 is a GPS-guided was dropped, witnesses said the you destroy my home we won’t pact on our people,” the Taliban, casualties in Afghanistan. tary needs and not broader po- spokesman Dawlat Waziri said munition that had never before ground shook, but homes and complain, because they are not who compete with Islamic State Last year, air strikes by inter- litical considerations. no civilians were harmed in the been used in combat since its fi rst shops appeared unaff ected. human beings, they are savages,” in Afghanistan, said in a state- national forces caused at least “This was the fi rst time that massive blast that targeted a net- test in 2003, when it produced a Qari Mehrajuddin fi rst saw said Mir Alam Shinwari, using an ment. 127 civilian deaths and 108 inju- we encountered an extensive work of caves and tunnels that mushroom cloud visible from 20 “lightning like a thunderstorm” Arabic term for Islamic State. American offi cials said the ries, up from 103 deaths and 67 obstacle to our progress,” he said had been heavily mined. miles (32km) away. followed by the roar of an explo- Away from Achin, reactions bomb had been positioned for injuries in 2015, the United Na- of a joint Afghan-US operation “No civilian has been hurt and The bomb’s destructive power, sion, an all-to-familiar sound for were mixed. possible use in Afghanistan for tions said. Next week is likely Debate led to ‘blasphemy KP mulls to be year’s hottest dividing killing’, say witnesses Hazara Internews Chitral and other northern ar- Islamabad eas. He said that the last time Reuters clined to be named for fear of Internews the temperature crossed 40 Mardan retribution. Islamabad he heat wave grip- degree centigrade in the capi- Aziz ur Rehman, a caretaker ping Pakistan’s Sindh tal was in 2006 when the tem- at the hostel who witnessed Tprovince is expected to perature was recorded at 40.6 he ransacked university Khan’s debate with his fellow spread to other parts of the degree centigrade on April 29 hostel room of slain Pa- students, said he brought up he Khyber Pakhtunkhwa country after mid-April. The of that year. Tkistani student Mashal arcane subjects. province government is Pakistan Meteorological De- “Therefore mostly temper- Khan has posters of Karl Marx Crimes related to blasphemy Tmulling dividing Hazara partment (PMD) has issued ature crosses 40 degree mark and Che Guevara still hanging on are a serious off ence in Mus- into two divisions to pave the alerts to all the departments either at the end of April or in the walls, along with scribbled lim-majority Pakistan, and way for creation of Hazara prov- concerned to adopt pre-emp- May, not in the mid of April,” quotes including one that reads: penalties range from small fi nes ince, a political adviser to the tive measures to avoid any un- he said. “Be curious, crazy and mad.” to the death sentence. chief minister said yesterday. toward situation. While talking about the hu- The day before, a heated At least 65 people have been “As soon as the Kolai-Palas PMD’s director general midity level, Rasul said that it debate over religion with fel- murdered over blasphemy al- is notifi ed as a new district, the Ghulam Rasul said that usu- is expected to remain below 30 low students broke out at the legations since 1990, accord- Police search the dorm room of Mashal Khan, who was killed by a government would then divide ally in mid-April temperature centigrade. He also clarifi ed dorm and led to people accus- ing to fi gures from a Center for mob at Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan, yesterday Hazara into two divisions, Haz- in most parts of the country, that in such a situation things ing Khan of blasphemy against Research and Security Stud- ara and Abaseen,” Zargul Khan, except in interior Sindh, rarely get worse only when the hu- Islam. That attracted a crowd ies report and local media, and approach the hostel until it was are adding salt to our wounds.” who is also an MPA-elect from crosses 40 degree centigrade. midity level reaches 50. that grew to several hundred dozens more convicted of the too late. Shaer, who runs a small busi- Kohistan, told reporters. “It is expected that the coming Rasul further said that the people, according to witnesses. crime are currently on death “They could have eas- ness selling biscuits and choco- He said that the proposed new week is likely to be the hottest week will remain dry and hot The mob kicked in the door, row in Pakistani jails. ily saved his life but they stood lates to local retailers, said he division would be named as Aba- week of the year throughout as there are no chances of rain. dragged Khan from his room The Pakistani government away from the mob... I heard had always been a lover of poetry seen and Shangla district which the country,” he added. “However, in coastal areas and beat him to death, witness- has yet to comment publicly on one offi cer say it’s good that and literature and encouraged is presently part of Malakand He said that next week and in Karachi the tempera- es and police said. Khan’s killing. they sent this non-believer to his children to express them- division would also be incorpo- temperature in central Paki- ture will likely fall four to fi ve The death in the northwest- In March, Prime Minister hell,” he said. selves and appreciate the arts. rated into it. stan will touch 45-46 degree degree centigrade as the sea ern city of Mardan is the latest Nawaz Sharif issued an order Mardan police chief Moham- He added: “My wife told me He said that after bifurcation, centigrade, in interior Sindh breeze will continue to blow,” violence linked to accusations for the removal of blasphemous mad Alam Shinwari denied the this morning that she spent Mansehra, Haripur and Abbot- it will reach 48-49 degree said Rasul. of blasphemy in Pakistan. content online, and said any- allegation that offi cers did not her life taking care of her son, tabad districts would remain in centigrade, in plain areas of He suggested people to take Those who knew Khan de- one who posted such content do enough to save Khan. but those who killed him have Hazara division while the re- Balochistan it will fl uctu- precautionary measures in the scribed him as an intellectually should face “strict punishment “When we entered the cam- wasted that long struggle.” maining districts including Batt- ate between 42 and 44 degree upcoming week to avoid fall- curious student who openly under the law”. pus, he had already been killed At Khan’s funeral, the imam agram, Kohistan, Torghar, Upper centigrade, in southern Pun- ing victim to the heatwave. professed devotion to Islam but Police say they have arrested and the mob was trying to burn at the local mosque refused to Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and jab it will fl uctuate between 45 “People should increase asked many questions. 20 suspects involved in Khan’s his body,” he said. read the last rights, accord- Kolai-Palas would be made part and 47 degree centigrade and their water intake, avoid ex- “Whatever he had to say, murder and have found no evi- In Khan’s home town of ing to Swabi resident Salman of Abaseen division. in Islamabad it is expected to posure to the sun, avoid going he would say it openly, but he dence to substantiate blasphe- Swabi, around 60km south of Ahmed. A technician who was “Those who talk of mak- cross 40 degree centigrade. out during peak hours, wear didn’t understand the envi- my allegations. Mardan, his father, Iqbal Shaer, asked to do so in the cleric’s ing Hazara another federating He added that the mercury light colour clothes, cover ronment he was living in,” said Rehman, the caretaker, said said the accusations of blas- place was confronted by several unit couldn’t even create a un- is also likely to touch 30 degree head with a wet cloth among one of Khan’s teachers at Abdul Khan was alive when the police phemy were unfounded. “First people afterwards. ion council despite remaining in centigrade in Gilgit-Baltistan, others,” advised Dr Rasul. Wali Khan University, who de- arrived, but that they did not they killed my son and now they Khan has since been buried. power for the last many decades. Only PTI would make Hazara a separate province,” he claimed. “Our party supports creation of more federating units on admin- istrative basis,” he added. Top court orders review of promotion of 300 offi cers Zargul Khan said his party created seven more tehsils and a Internews by the Central Selection Board by the CSB and all those denied those not promoted in 2015. observed the judgement. common will not remain the district in Hazara and it wanted Islamabad (CSB) in 2015. promotion in 2015 would be The matter of promotion, The detailed judgement was senior most batch as several of- to put backward areas of the In a 22-page judgement, a considered without any over- deferment or supersession issued in response to the apex fi cers of 13 and 14 common will province on path to prosperity three-judge bench headed by riding arbitrary fi ve marks. of a civil servant and that too court’s March 13 short order of also be promoted. and development. he Supreme Court of Pa- Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar The offi cers promoted in of grade 20 and 21 is of enor- upholding the Islamabad High They will get seniority as well The PTI chief Imran Khan kistan has ordered the told the establishment divi- 2015 will also be reconsid- mous signifi cance having a Court’s decision to promote as fi nancial benefi ts from back- supported creation of Hazara Testablishment division sion to complete the exercise ered but they will continue bearing on the state structure 300 civil servants whose pro- date. Thus the 15th common province, he pointed out. “A to reconsider the promotion of promotion within 10 weeks to hold their elevated offi ces, and therefore cannot be left to motions had been deferred by offi cers will become junior and resolution has also been passed of over 300 civil servants, who from March 13, adding that no yet they will be reconsidered be dealt with in an arbitrary, the CSB in 2015. lose chance for grade 22 in June- in the KP Assembly in support of were elevated to higher grades discretion would be exercised for promotion on a par with casual and capricious manner, Now after fresh board, 15th July 2017, the verdict said. Hazara province,” he said. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, April 15, 2017 PHILIPPINES

Suspected IS member deported

A Kuwaiti man suspected to be a member of the Islamic State group was yesterday deported by the Philippines to face charges Duterte gets ‘very good’ at home, a justice department of- ficial said. Hussein al-Dhafiri, one of the two suspected IS mem- bers arrested in the Philippines last month, was flown out of the country to Kuwait, undersecre- tary Erickson Balmes said. A statement from the Kuwaiti rating in fi rst quarter embassy said Dhafiri was due to be tried in his home country. By Catherine S Valente overall score was buoyed by ±6 percent each for Balance “Evidence obtained by Kuwait’s Manila Times the “excellent” +87 rating he Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visa- state security agencies also received from Mindanao, his yas and Mindanao. showed that he is planning to bailiwick. The president, how- In a statement, Presidential carry out terroristic attacks in the resident Rodrigo Du- ever, suff ered a signifi cant de- spokesman Ernesto Abella said State of Kuwait,” the statement terte has maintained a cline of nine points in Balance Duterte was inspired by the sur- said. Dhafiri was arrested along P“very good” net satisfac- Luzon to +51 in March from +60 vey results. with a Syrian woman Rahaf Zina, tion rating for the fi rst quarter in December. He logged a “very “Although surveys are not his also named as a member of the of 2017, according to the latest good” +62 in the Visayas and priority, it inspires the chief ex- militant group. Zina and Dhafiri survey of the Social Weather +64 in Metro Manila. ecutive and the national leader- married after her high-ranking IS Stations (SWS). Duterte also maintained ship to continue its top agenda commander husband was killed The poll, conducted from “very good” satisfaction rat- of ridding Philippine society of in Syria, said Justice Secretary March 25 to 28, showed that Du- ings across all socio-economic drugs, criminality, and corrup- Vitaliano Aguirre. He earlier said terte received a net satisfaction classes—a +56 from +52 among tion, or building a trustworthy the pair had entered the country score of +63, unchanged from Class ABC respondents, +64 government; prosperity for all; as part of plans for “a bombing December last year. among Class D, and +60 from and peace within our borders,” operation” in the Philippines or In the survey, 75% of re- +61 in Class E. Abella said. Kuwait. Philippine President Ro- spondents said they were sat- First published on the Busi- “We value this public trust, drigo Duterte has warned that IS isfi ed with the president’s per- nessWorld, the survey, con- and will continue to work hard members might make their way formance, 12% were undecided ducted through face-to-face to serve the best interests of the into the country by infiltrating its and another 12% were dissatis- interviews among 1,200 adults, people and to fulfi l the vision of communities. fi ed. had error margins of ±3 points a nation worthy of the Filipino The SWS noted that Duterte’s for national percentages, and people,” he added. Duterte: encouraging ratings in first quarter. Good Friday marked with prayer for drug victims

Reuters ous circumstances. Enaje said he Manila wished good health for the brash Philippine leader to “do what he thinks needs to be done in the atholics in the Philip- country”. pines re-enacted the The Philippines has Asia’s Ccrucifi xion in a display of largest Catholic population, devotion on Good Friday, with comprising 80% of a population actors costumed as Roman sol- of more than 100mn. diers hammering nails of stain- Penitents whipping them- less steel through their hands selves and the series of cruci- and feet into wooden crosses. fi xions are an annual feature of Nine Filipinos were nailed to Good Friday. crosses in three villages in the Poor people in the province province of Pampanga, 80km began the custom as a way of north of the capital, Manila, seeking forgiveness, cures for ill- drawing hundreds of tourists ness and the fulfi lment of other despite the Catholic church’s Devotees take part in a Good Friday procession in Mogpog, wishes, although the Catholic disapproval. Marinduque, central Philippines, yesterday. church decries it as a “misinter- Ruben Enaje, who was nailed pretation of faith.” to a cross for the 31st consecu- the victims of drug addicts,” said drug addicts and dealers have “It was a pretty wild thing to tive time, said praying for those Enaje. been killed since President Ro- kind of watch and experience,” killed by criminals and drug ad- “These drug addicts can waste drigo Duterte launched a bloody said Canadian tourist Matt Ken- dicts in the country was his key their life, but we should also still war on drugs in June. ic. “It’s very intense.” motivation to participate this pray for them because they’ve More than 2,600 of the deaths “I pity them and I felt like cry- Participants dressed as centurions are seen during the annual observance of Lent on Good Friday called year. done wrong.” were in police operations, but ing,” said Philippine tourist “Moriones Festival” in Boac town, Marinduque province, south of Manila, yesterday. “I am praying for the victims, More than 8,000 suspected many others were in mysteri- Teresa Cruz.

Groups slam Meralco’s new power rate hike Survey reveals pay boost is top

By Dempsey Reyes condition to any franchise, like Meralco. So why should the con- concern for Filipino workers Manila Times sumers pay for Meralco’s per- formance, whether it is orderly By Catherine S Valente consumer group has or not,” she said. Manila Times lashed out at the Depart- Science activist group Advo- Ament of Energy (DoE) and cates of Science and Technology the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) for the People, along with Bayan conomic issues, not crime that last Monday announced a Muna and People Opposed to and corruption, are the new round of power rate hike for Warrantless Electricity Rates Etop concerns of Filipinos, this month. picketed in front of the Mer- according to the latest survey of The power fi rm said it will alco offi ce at Kamuning-Edsa in major pollster Pulse Asia. collect an additional 23 centavos Quezon City to protest the hike A survey conducted from per kilowatt hour because of “oil in electricity rates. March 15 to 20, 2017 showed price hikes and the weakening of “The power rate hike already that pay hike was the “leading the peso exchange rate.” refl ected in the bill for March and urgent national concern” for Matuwid na Singil sa Kury- will continually increase until Filipinos at 43%. ente Consumer Alliance, Inc. May is another cross to bear by Second was controlling infl a- (MSK) Executive Director Aya Meralco’s consumers, especially tion at 41% and third was job Jallorina said the decrease of as it comes at a time when we creation, 39%. the value of the peso, oil price can expect higher electricity us- Fighting corruption and hike and the series of quakes in age during the summer months,” crime, the government’s priori- Batangas do not justify a power Agham Secretary General and ty, came fourth and fi fth, at 31% rate hike. Power Co-Convenor Finesa Co- and 28%t, respectively. “Distribution utilities like sico said. “Economic issues top the list Meralco are regulated for public Agham said that power con- of Filipinos’ urgent national interest and as such, insulated sumers should not be made to concerns; public opinion on from external business risks that pay for the scheduled shutdown the matter remain essentially normal businesses take, such as of the Malampaya plant. unchanged during the period foreign exchange, fuel increases “Contrary to Meralco’s claim December 2016 to March 2017,” or damages from weather condi- that the Malampaya shutdown is Pulse Asia said in its “Ulat ng The survey has shown that pay hike is the “leading national concern” for Filipinos at 43%. tions,” Jallorina explained. a force majeure, the shutdown is Bayan” survey report. “Remember, the ERC (Energy indeed scheduled, thus the com- “For the most part, Filipi- amount of taxes paid by citi- concerned for the poor, exclud- eight-percentage point drop in dispensation fails to obtain Regulatory Commission) has pany had ample time to manage nos’ sense of urgency as far as zens (11%), protecting the wel- ed and underserved. To ensure the level of approval for its ef- majority approval fi gures as it regulated the DUs (distribution the possible eff ects of the shut- these national issues are con- fare of overseas Filipino workers that regionally and locally the forts to defend national territo- scores approval ratings of 50% utilities). As part of the regula- down to prevent circumstances cerned remains steady between (OFWs, 8%), and defending na- economies serve the interests of rial integrity. and 45%, respectively. It may be tion, they are allowed to recover that could lead to a power hike,” December 2016 and March tional territorial integrity (6%). the many and not just the few, The administration got high noted that infl ation is one of the from normal business risks like Cosico said. 2017. The only exceptions are Filipinos are least concerned the Administration is increas- approval scores in its fi ght leading urgent national con- the decrease of peso value or She added that her group, the higher levels of concerns about terrorism and Charter ing spending on infrastructure against criminality (79%) re- cerns of Filipinos in March 2017 unexpected calamities. There along with two others, suspect expressed by Filipinos about change, the survey showed. and social welfare protection, sponding to calamities (77%), (41%),” Pulse Asia said. are fl aws in some DOE and ERC “a connivance between Meralco infl ation and job creation in Ernesto Abella, the presi- improving ease of doing busi- protecting OFWs (71%), fi ght- “Conversely, Filipinos are policies, that is why the DUs, like and power generation compa- March 2017 (41% and 39%, dent’s spokesman, said the ness and creating more jobs,” ing corruption (70%), promot- most critical of the adminis- the Meralco, should not imple- nies to manipulate market con- respectively) compared to the people’s concerns are among Abella said. ing peace (69%), protecting the tration’s initiatives to control ment this kind of system that ditions to justify a power rate previous quarter (34% and 31%, the priorities of the government “The survey coincides with environment (68%), enforcing inflation (22%) and least in- will make the Filipino people hike.” respectively),” it added. as highlighted in the 10-point Duterte’s priorities of serving the rule of law (68%), creating clined to disapprove of its dis- poor,” she added. “We should not let the private Other national concerns in- socio-economic agenda of the the nation’s interests which jobs (58%), defending the na- aster response efforts (3%),” it The MSK stressed the need corporations succeed in their cluded in the survey were pro- president, embodied in the have been long neglected,” the tional territory from foreigners added. for a national policy on whether attempt to manipulate electric- moting peace (18%), enforcing Philippine Development Plan Palace offi cial added. (57%), and increasing workers’ The quarterly survey is based electric DUs should be unregu- ity prices. We demand the ERC the rule of law (16%), protect- 2017-2022, “to equalise oppor- The same survey also showed pay (55%). on a sample of 1,200 repre- lated in their profi ts. to immediately order Meralco to ing the environment (15%), tunities for human develop- that the Duterte administration “It is only in the areas of re- sentative adults 18 years old and “Providing effi cient serv- stop charging the increased rate controlling rapid population ment.” got majority approval ratings on ducing poverty and control- above. It has a ± 3% error mar- ice to consumers is part of the to its consumers,” Cosico said. growth (11%), reducing the “The president is particularly most of the issues, except for an ling infl ation where the current gin at the 95% confi dence level. Gulf Times Saturday, April 15, 2017 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL 40 homes buried under Hasina to fl y with Druk garbage pile in Lanka as no Biman AFP tion after the 300ft (91m) high Military spokesman Roshan ter management offi cial told Yesterday’s fi re broke out as Colombo dump caught fi re and collapsed, Seneviratne said 100 soldiers reporters. the country marked its tradi- offi cials said. were already digging through Roughly 800 tonnes of solid tional Sinhala and Tamil New Police said the true scale of the mounds of trash at Kolon- waste is added daily to the open Year and most people were in pilot can mergency workers dug damage remained unclear. nawa on the northeastern dump, angering residents who their homes celebrating. through tonnes of gar- “A search for survivors is un- edge of the capital, with more live nearby. The local residents had been Ebage in Sri Lanka’s capital der way,” the police statement to join soon. Sri Lanka’s parliament was protesting about the environ- yesterday after a massive rub- said, adding six people had been Heavy earth moving equip- warned recently that the 23mn mental damage to the area as a bish dump buried an estimated taken to hospital. ment was also being deployed, tonnes of garbage rotting at result of the open dump where handle Paro 40 homes during the country’s Dozens of homes collapsed af- he added. Kolonnawa was a serious health some 800 tonnes of solid waste traditional New Year. ter heavy rain caused the garbage Local residents said many hazard. was added daily. President Maithripala Sirise- mountain to shift, offi cials said. people had left the area after the Eff orts are under way to build The parliament was told re- By Mizan Rahman na ordered hundreds of troops It became further destabilised night’s heavy rain. an electricity plant that could cently that the Kolonnawa dump Dhaka and police to join fi refi ghters after a fi re broke out, triggering “We think about 40 homes transform the solid waste into had over 23mn tonnes of garbage in the Colombo rescue opera- landslides that buried dwellings. have been destroyed,” a disas- fuel. dumped over the years. rime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to fl y to Nobel laureate PBhutan with small Druk Air plane instead of Biman summoned for New Year celebration Bangladesh Airlines as the failing to pay dues latter does not have a certifi ed pilot who can handle Paro, A Dhaka court has summoned one of the most challenging Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus airports in the world. in a case filed by a contractor The prime minister is from Savar, north of the capital scheduled to go to Bhutan on Dhaka, for his failure to pay his April 18 on a three-day visit. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina dues. Though Prime Minister ... flight precaution Yunus is chairman of Grameen Hasina stopped using Biman Telecom Trust. for a short period of time over peaks as high as 18,000ft, the Bahadur Islam filed the case on two incidents - one involv- airport is considered as one of March 30 with the second joint ing an emergency landing in the most challenging airports district judge’s court in Dhaka. Turkmenistan in January and in the world for landing and He alleged he had not been paid the other was in June last year takeoff . 70mn taka for land-filling work of when the landing of a Biman According to experienced Grameen Telecom Trust. fl ight carrying the premier pilots of Biman, fl ights to and The court issued the summons was delayed by 45 minutes from Paro are allowed only for Yunus and 11 other off icials of during her visit to Jakarta in under visual meteorologi- Grameen Telecom Trust. March. cal conditions meaning pilots The court asked the respondents She also fl ew with Biman have to make their judgements of the summons to submit their during her recently concluded by their eyes rather than in- response by May 23. India trip from April 7 to 10. struments. And, fl ights to and The contractor claimed that he But, for her trip to the from Paro are only allowed in had signed an agreement with Himalayan kingdom, Hasina daylight. Grameen Telecom Trust for the is not using Biman as there is Only two Bhutanese airlin- land-filling work in Zirabo area in no Bangladeshi certifi ed pilot ers – Druk Air and Bhutan Air- Savar. to fl y into Paro, Bhutan’s sole lines – operate to and from the He spent 50mn taka in land-filling international airport. airport with relatively smaller from June 2015 to November Only a handful of pilots are aircraft. 2016, but the company paid him certifi ed to land at the air- “Yes, the prime minister is only around 10.7mn taka. port situated in a deep valley fl ying to Bhutan on Druk Air, Grameen Telecom Trust was Mahouts ride elephants past spectators in Piliyandala near Colombo yesterday, as part of traditional festival games held to celebrate on the bank of the Paro River not Biman,” confi rmed a sen- founded by Yunus in 2010 to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The new year which is common to both majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils dawned on April 14, and about 7,920ft from the sea ior foreign ministry offi cial implement and facilitate social but celebrations can go on for weeks. level. while talking to newsmen in business ideas. Also surrounded by steep Dhaka. Dhaka-Kolkata train Artistes perform against service upgraded pollution in Nepal capital

By Mizan Rahman leadership of Bangladesh Prime started on this very day of IANS ties to the pollution crisis, the days. But we can do nothing. So tre while the standard set by the Dhaka Minister Shiekh Hasina and In- the Bengali New Year’s Day of Kathmandu Kathmandu Post daily reported we are huddled here wrapped in Nepal government is 40 μg/m3. dian Prime Minister Narendra 2008, has progressed from be- yesterday. plastic sheets and ropes wound PM2.5 includes pollutants that Modi. ing a once-a-week service to around our necks, in an indica- penetrate deep into the lungs angladesh and India yes- “We hope that this good re- four days a week now. ith air quality dete- “The ongoing road- tion how we are choked and our and into the cardiovascular sys- terday formally inaugu- lationship will continue for In the year of 2015-16, more riorating and levels widening drive and lungs are constricted by the air tem, posing the greatest risks to Brated upgraded Dhaka- times immemorial,” he said. than 98,320 passengers availed Wof fi ne particulate pipe-laying work we breathe,” said Tanka Chaula- human health. Kolkata Maitri Express train The newly-inaugurated train of the Maitri Express service matter (PM2.5) increasing, the for Melamchi water gain, who choreographed the “Pollution has emerged as one services in an eff ort to further consists of four coaches of air- while in the year 2016-17(April pollution crisis in Kathmandu supply project have act. of the most serious problems in ease communication between conditioned fi rst class and four to March), more than 115,060 is on the verge of becoming the only added to the The students are from Kan- the capital. The ongoing road- the two countries with smooth coaches of AC chair car. passengers availed of the serv- new capital punishment for the woes” tipur Film Academy. widening drive and pipe-laying journey. A total of 456 passengers ice, representing a growth of valley’s inhabitants, a media re- According to public group work for Melamchi water supply Railways Minister Mujibul will now be able to travel in 17%. port said. There has been widespread Drishti Kathmandu, which project have only added to the Haque and Indian high com- the comfort of air-conditioned Maitree Express is especially A group of 15 college students criticism from diff erent quar- has placed air quality moni- woes,” said Chaulagain. missioner in Dhaka Harsh Var- coaches. popular among the senior citi- wrapped themselves in plas- ters of the government’s apa- toring devices at 17 diff erent “Our aim is to raise awareness dhan Shringla inaugurated the The coaches have been zens and patients, who travel tic sheets, wound ropes around thy towards addressing the locations in the Valley, the and protest the government’s service which fully air-condi- manufactured in India, using between India and Bangladesh. their neck and stood at Tinkune, crisis, while many have come level of fi ne particulate matter lack of interest in working to tioned coaches to provide com- the latest technology and have On April 8, prime minis- one of the busiest thoroughfares out on the streets to raise (PM2.5) in the air on Wednes- mitigate pollution. We, as fi lm fort to the passengers travelling been procured by the govern- ters of Bangladesh and In- of the Nepali capital, on Thurs- awareness about the rising day stood at 125 microgram academy students, wanted to do by Maitree Express. ment of Bangladesh under the dia fl agged off the trial run of day off ering quite a bizarre sight pollution levels and demand per cubic metre. it diff erently.” The Indian high commis- fi rst Line of Credit, said the Khulna-Kolkata Express and to passers-by and commuters immediate measures to tackle The World Health Organisa- The students said they are sioner said Bangladesh-India Indian High Commission in also formally inaugurated the alike. the problem. tion’s upper safe limit of daily planning more pollution-related relations have scaled new Dhaka. fourth railway link between In- They had but one aim: draw- “All of us in the capital are fac- PM2.5 concentration in the air performance art in the future, if heights presently under the Maitree Express, which was dia and Bangladesh. ing the attention of the authori- ing a hard time breathing these is 25 microgram per cubic me- the issue remains unresolved. Bangladesh marks Pohela Boishakh

IANS ing its 50th anniversary. The tled drinking water to wom- Dhaka fi rst day of the lunar calendar en, children and the elderly Boisakh marks the begin- people. ning of the Bengali New Year, The police have ordered to angladesh yesterday and is celebrated with much wrap up open-air events in welcomed the Ben- enthusiasm. Dhaka before 5pm and said Bgali New Year, Pohela Prime Minister Sheikh such programmes on the Dha- Boishakh, with much enthu- Hasina greeted the people on ka University campus must siasm and colourful celebra- the occasion. She asked them end before 6pm. tions, a media report said. not to get confused and to cel- Ministries have this year Octogenarian artiste-cul- ebrate the occasion peaceful- taken initiatives to celebrate tural activist Sanjida Kha- ly. The festival has nothing to Pohela Boishakh with more tun’s organisation Chhaya- do with any religion, she add- importance after the Mon- naut held programmes at ed, bdnews24.com reported. gol Shobhajatra (auspicious the Ramna Batamul in Dhaka Security has been stepped procession of Pohela Boi- yesterday morning to wel- up around the Ramna Bata- sakh) was inscribed by the come Boishakh where its in- mul. Police are not allowing Unesco as Intangible Cultural house artistes have been per- anyone to enter the area with Heritage last year. forming since 6am, Dhaka any kind of bags, the Dhaka The government has or- Tribune reported. Tribune reported. dered all the educational Besides, the cultural or- Dhaka Metropolitan Po- institutions to bring out ganisation is also celebrat- lice are giving out free bot- Shobhajatra. Police escort a rally in celebration of the Bengali New Year or “Pohela Boishakh” in Dhaka yesterday. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, April 15, 2017 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Deputy Managing Editor: K T Chacko Saving Asia’s mothers

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] from maternal deaths Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) The United Nations confl ict, poverty, poor infrastructure, inclusive health systems with suffi cient reduce the number of unsafe abortions. Fax 44350474 weak health systems, and inadequate numbers of trained personnel, from The rights of all women and their development agenda aims resources causing many deaths to go midwives to community-health partners to choose the family-planning to reduce the maternal unreported. workers. And we are already working to method that is appropriate for them MMR data do, however, provide an advance that objective. must be respected, and a full range of mortality rate (MMR) to indication of general trends, which are In Afghanistan, the UNFPA and its quality contraceptives must be readily 70 deaths per 100,000 live not promising. Indeed, if they persist, partners have supported the expansion available to all. hundreds of thousands of mothers of community health services, When women have full control over GULF TIMES births by 2030 in those 12 high-MMR Asia-Pacifi c including the creation of 80 family their sexual and reproductive health, countries alone could lose their lives health houses and nine mobile support society as a whole reaps enormous By Anderson Stanciole and Federica by 2030. teams. Those initiatives had reached benefi ts. In fact, every $1 invested Maurizio To be sure, substantial progress has more than 420,000 people by 2015. in modern contraceptive services Bangkok been made in the last 15 years, and In Lao PDR, the UNFPA has helped can yield as much as $120 in social, South Africans want eff orts are being made to sustain it. The the Ministry of Health train midwives economic, and environmental returns. United Nations development agenda, and village health volunteers to provide Such investment should come partly ith all the talk about underpinned by the Sustainable basic sexual and reproductive care, from international development Zuma out, but would the impending “Asian Development Goals (SDGs), aims providing the information that women assistance, which must place a higher century,” one might to reduce the MMR to 70 deaths per need to avoid unwanted pregnancies. priority on sexual- and reproductive- Wimagine that the 100,000 live births by 2030. If that This contributed in a steep drop in the health services, and partly from region had moved beyond what are target is met, up to 100,000 lives could MMR, from 450 to 220 per 100,000 live national governments. that bring real change? often viewed as poor-country health be saved across the Asia-Pacifi c region. births, between 2005 and 2015. But money is not all governments challenges, like high rates of maternal Achieving the goal presupposed In Fiji, the UNFPA, with the support can off er. They can and must As thousands of South Africans keep taking to the streets mortality. The reality is very diff erent. faster progress, with annual rates of the Australian government, pre- develop inclusive policies that to pressure President Jacob Zuma to step down, it seems as In 2015, an estimated 85,000 women of MMR reduction particularly low positioned thousands of dignity and address the needs of vulnerable died of complications related to (2%) in Papua New Guinea and the reproductive-health kits. Following and marginalised groups, including if he were the only obstacle to the country moving forward. pregnancy and childbirth across the Philippines. On current trends, only the devastation caused by Cyclone in ways that go beyond the health “Zuma must fall” has become a popular slogan since Asia-Pacifi c region – 28% of the global four of the Asia-Pacifi c region’s 12 Winston in February 2016, these sector. This includes fi ghting harmful demonstrations against corruption and unemployment total. Up to 90% of those deaths, which high-MMR countries will be able to strategically placed supplies help to practices such as child marriage and were concentrated in just 12 countries, meet the SDG target for maternal address women and girls’ immediate gender-based violence; removing gathered pace in 2015. could have been prevented through mortality. The remaining eight will reproductive-health needs, saving the legal barriers to contraception; and Even many members of Zuma’s African National quality antenatal, obstetric, and require an average of 26 years. lives of mothers and children. working with communities to address Congress (ANC) party have turned against him. perinatal care. At a time when family-planning But, while such initiatives are misconceptions around sexual and Removing Zuma, however, may not be a panacea to solve In the absence of such care, the policies are becoming increasingly already having a powerful impact, reproductive health. average maternal mortality rate (MMR) restrictive, accelerating the pace of more investment must be channelled Safe pregnancy and childbirth should South Africa’s problems. in the Asia-Pacifi c region is extremely progress could prove diffi cult. Indeed, toward ensuring that comprehensive be a top priority for all societies, as The ANC is so dominated by people with ties or an high: 127 per 100,000 live births, for some countries, progress is at risk health services are available and it is for the UNFPA. If we are to meet outlook similar to Zuma’s, and the country’s economic compared to the developed-country of slowing. accessible to all, especially the most the SDG target for maternal mortality, average of 12 per 100,000. The 12 The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) vulnerable groups. In particular, we must work together to advance problems are so intermingled with inequalities inherited countries with the highest MMRs, is working hard to counter this trend. additional resources must be allocated targeted, tailored interventions that from the apartheid era, that his ouster might in fact not exceeding 100 deaths per 10,000 live We are committed to ensuring that to sexual- and reproductive-health respect the rights of women and girls to change much, analysts say. births, are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, all pregnancies are safe and wanted, services – and to ensuring access to make decisions about their sexual and Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, and that all women and girls are them. Strengthening the provision of reproductive health. – Project Syndicate Zuma’s reputation has been tarnished by a string of Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New empowered not just to make their own antenatal care, ensuring safe delivery corruption scandals, including one involving the use of Guinea, the Philippines, and Timor- choices about their own families and through skilled birth attendance, and zAnderson Stanciole is a Health taxpayers’ money to upgrade his country home, and his Leste. bodies, but also to contribute more expanding emergency obstetric care are Economics Advisor at the United These countries, together, accounted to poverty reduction and economic all key interventions that can reduce Nations Population Fund’s Asia-Pacifi c close ties to an infl uential business family. for about 78,000 known maternal development. MMRs across the region. Regional Offi ce. Federica Maurizio is Millions of South Africans meanwhile live in illegal deaths in 2015. The actual fi gure is In the 12 high-MMR Asia-Pacifi c Of course, women also need access Health Economics and SRHR Fellow at settlements with hardly any services, while economic probably higher. In fact, MMRs are countries, the UNFPA advocates to family-planning services, to help the United Nations Population Fund’s notoriously diffi cult to estimate, with the development of responsive and them avoid unwanted pregnancies and Asia-Pacifi c Regional Offi ce. growth slowed to 0.3% last year and more than a quarter of the workforce is unemployed. The country’s economic woes were worsened by Zuma’s decision to sack respected fi nance minister Pravin " ##
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South Africa has one of the highest inequality rates in the world, with the top decile accounting for 58% of the country’s income, while the bottom half accounts for less than 8%, according to the World Bank. The whitewashed villas surrounded by security walls in Johannesburg’s leafy suburbs stand in contrast to Capital keeps fl owing into Latin America townships with unpaved roads and shack dwellings. More than two decades after the end of apartheid, the By Jose Antonio Ocampo since then have had an even smaller April, Argentina pulled off the largest those markets less attractive to Bogota impact on fi nancial fl ows. In 2013, bond issue in Latin America’s history, investors, who have sought higher inequality still largely overlaps with the black-white the US Federal Reserve began to roll after a settlement with “holdout” yields in emerging economies. divide, despite the emergence of a black middle class. back its bond-buying programme, creditors from an earlier debt Whether Latin America can continue More than 70% of South Africa’s top managers are white, atin America – and South and commodity prices collapsed in rescheduling ended its pariah status to avoid sudden stops in the face of America, in particular – mid-2014. In late 2015 and early 2016, in markets. Ecuador has carried out new shocks depends on whether these despite blacks making up 80% and whites only 8% of the has been in crisis for years. developments in China roiled fi nancial several bond issues as well. During the conditions persist. 56-mn population, according to IRR. LYet foreign capital, both markets. More recently, Donald fi rst quarter of 2017, bond issuance in As it stands, the region’s debt ratios Nearly all white children graduate from secondary direct and fi nancial investment, has Trump was elected US president, and Latin America was up 53% year on year, are rising, but only moderately; on continued to fl ow into the region. This the Fed moved forward with its fi rst and it came at a lower cost. average, they remain well below the school, compared to 67% of black children, IRR has said. is unprecedented. two interest-rate hikes. Even Mexico, one of the main levels that prevailed at the beginning The liberation movement that gave the world the iconic In the past, the interruption of Yet the longest interruption in targets of Trump’s protectionist of this century. Adjustment policies Nelson Mandela and has ruled South Africa since the end fi nancial fl ows – or “sudden stops” bond fi nancing brought about by rhetoric, has suff ered no adverse have helped, no doubt at the cost of – has been an essential feature of these shocks – which took place impact on its external fi nancing. signifi cant growth slowdowns and of apartheid in 1994 saw its support dwindle in the August crises in Latin America and elsewhere during the second half of 2015 – lasted While Trump’s victory did trigger a even recessions. Similarly, though 2016 local elections. in the developing world. The Latin just six months. The commodity- depreciation of the Mexican peso, the developed-country interest rates It is, however, still expected to win the 2019 national American debt crisis of the 1980s price collapse in 2014 caused Latin exchange rate soon normalised and will continue to rise until they are brought an eight-year interruption. American risk spreads to grow, but has returned to pre-election levels. eventually normalised, the process is elections, which Zuma can no longer contest after serving The Asian fi nancial crisis that erupted only by 1.5 percentage points, which Does this mean the days of sudden occurring slowly, even in the US. two terms. in mid-1997 and subsequently spread was about one-third the impact of the stops in external fi nancing and abrupt Latin America’s recent ability across the emerging economies caused Lehman Brothers shock. capital-fl ow reversals are over? to avoid sudden stops in external an interruption lasting six years. The More remarkably, the Fed’s two Not exactly. Latin America’s fi nancing is good news, and it seems To Advertise interruption associated with the Great recent interest-rate hikes have had no recent success at avoiding fi nancing likely to endure. This gives the region’s Depression of the 1930s lasted several perceptible impact on risk margins interruptions can be attributed to two governments some macroeconomic [email protected] decades. and fi nancial fl ows, though higher main factors. The fi rst is regional: breathing room, allowing them to Display Yet these dynamics seem to be rates have been transmitted to Latin Latin American countries experienced avoid further contractionary policies Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 changing. After the collapse of the US America. Trump’s election increased a sharp reduction in their debt and enabling their economies to investment bank Lehman Brothers in Latin American risk margins by less ratios from 2003 to 2008. With the participate in the global recovery that Classified 2008, capital fl ows were interrupted than one percentage point, and that commodity boom during this period is now underway. – Project Syndicate Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 for only about a year. Indeed, despite premium had disappeared by the end sustaining massive accumulation the magnitude of the initial shock, of the year. of foreign-exchange reserves, the zJose Antonio Ocampo, a Professor Subscription capital fl ows and risk margins had At the same time, all Latin American region’s external debt, net of reserves, at Columbia University and Chair of [email protected] essentially normalised by 2009, when countries, with the exception of fell from more than 30% of GDP to less the UN Economic and Social Council’s bond fi nancing in Latin America began Venezuela, have retained access to than 6%. Committee for Development Policy, to surge, soon reaching triple the pre- private external fi nancing. Brazil had The second factor is global. Low was Minister of Finance of Colombia 2017 Gulf Times. All rights reserved 2008 average. access to capital markets even at the interest rates in developed countries and UN Under-Secretary-General for The shocks that have occurred peak of its political crisis last year. Last since the fi nancial crisis have made Economic and Social Aff airs. Gulf Times Saturday, April 15, 2017 15 COMMENT Trump steps into Putin’s Syrian backyard

By Nina L Khrushcheva Islamic State (ISIS) still tops America’s permission to expand its special Vienna agenda. industrial zone in Port Said, and Worse, Trump’s decision to take the government has signed billion- military action was reportedly dollar contracts for Russian military ast week’s chemical attack on infl uenced by his daughter, Ivanka, equipment, including missile systems. the rebel-held Syrian city of who claimed to be “heartbroken and Moreover, Egypt has given Russia Khan Sheikhoun compelled outraged” by the images of the victims access to air bases to deploy special forces LUS President Donald Trump of the chemical attacks. in Libya in support of Khalifa Haftar, the to strike for the fi rst time at Syrian Impulsive actions driven by warlord whom Putin is backing. President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. personal feelings are no substitute for Putin’s foreign policy is based not With the bombing of an air a long-term foreign policy. on wielding Russian strength, but on base in western Syria, the Trump In fact, it is the lack of a clear and capitalising on others’ weaknesses. administration stepped into a gaping comprehensive approach that allowed Winning the loyalty of failing power vacuum in the Middle East. Russia to embed itself in the Syrian regimes by pledging to prop them up But what, if anything, will Trump confl ict in the fi rst place. may seem to be a successful strategy, do next? From Putin’s perspective, Obama’s but the house Putin is building is made Coming after six years of civil war, reluctance to engage created a golden of cards. in which some 400,000 civilians have opportunity to get his foot in the Russia has neither the wealth nor been killed and millions displaced, Middle Eastern door. the military power to sustain failing Trump’s unexpected intervention was Putin’s goal in the region is not to regimes ad infi nitum. praised by most US politicians, though have long-term or positive infl uence. Putin must know that. it was carried out without the requisite Rather, he wants to wedge Russia Tillerson certainly does. congressional approval. between various actors that lack During his visit to Moscow this Syrian rebel groups and America’s coherent policies toward one another, week, Tillerson appeared to make it international allies (including those thereby boosting Russia’s own power clear that, if Putin continues to be part at the just-concluded meeting of G7 and prestige. of the problem in the Middle East, foreign ministers in Italy) welcomed Like any good KGB operative, Putin Russia’s relationship with the US will the United States’ attack on Syrian is playing all sides, in order to advance deteriorate further. government forces. his own agenda. Because Putin respects strength, and With 59 Tomahawk missiles, Trump And, already, a new kind of Warsaw wants to be treated by the US on equal sent a message to the Assad regime Pact is taking shape. terms, he could well be convinced to and its patrons, especially Russia and As part of this strategic game, become part of the solution. Iran, that he, unlike his predecessor Russia has worked to increase its With the bilateral relationship Barack Obama, is willing to enforce infl uence over America’s closest ally, US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) conducts strike operations while in the Mediterranean Sea which US at such a low point, it is somewhat “red lines.” Unsurprisingly, Vladimir Israel. Defence Department said was a part of cruise missile strike against Syria on April 7, 2017. promising that both sides agreed Putin’s Kremlin condemned the In the last year alone, Putin and during Tillerson’s visit to establish US attack, claiming that it violated Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Libya after the removal of Colonel relationship with the Taliban, a strong interest in rebuilding Egypt’s working groups for improving it. international law – a questionable Netanyahu have held fi ve meetings Gaddafi in 2011. replicating the US behaviour of the tourism industry – an eff ort to which But persuading Putin to get on the proposition, given that Syria is a and deepened bilateral ties. Putin is also making inroads in Iraq. 1980s. Russia can contribute. “right” side in Syria in the long term signatory to the international treaty Squeezed by sanctions imposed Last year, the Kremlin sent the By courting the Taliban, Putin is Before terrorists blew up a plane will require the Trump administration banning chemical weapons. over Russia’s annexation of Crimea, largest delegation in years – over 100 helping to destabilise the already weak carrying Russian tourists as it fl ew to present a real solution – which, so But whatever statement Trump’s Putin is looking to Israel’s technology offi cials – to Baghdad to strengthen government in Kabul – and making over Sinai in 2015, Russians accounted far, it has not shown itself to have. - decision made, it seems destined to be sector to provide what the West no commercial and security ties. himself indispensable to any US for 30% of visitors to Egypt. Project Syndicate drowned out by his administration’s longer will. The resulting exchanges have strategy to escape the longest war in While Russia recently restored subsequent babble of strategic Israel, for its part, hopes that Russia focused largely on military assistance, its history. commercial fl ight service to the country, zNina L Khrushcheva is Professor of incoherence. will help rein in Iran. though Putin has also wooed Iraq’s In Egypt, Russia is also attempting the suicide bombings at two Coptic International Aff airs and Associate While Nikki Haley, the US Contrary to some of Netanyahu’s new ambassador to Russia, Haidar to recapture its Soviet-era infl uence. churches on Palm Sunday have called Dean for Academic Aff airs at The New ambassador to the United Nations, public statements, Israel does not Mansour Hadi, with the prospect of And it has had some success with into question Sisi’s promise of security. School and a senior fellow at the World has suggested that Assad’s ouster is oppose Russia’s intervention in Syria; co-operation in the energy sector. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al- Egypt’s travails provide Putin with Policy Institute. now a priority, Secretary of State Rex it believes that Assad is a lesser evil Then there is Afghanistan, where Sisi, an eager devotee of Putin’s model further opportunities to lend a hand. — Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017. Tillerson insists that defeating the than a chaotic failed state, such as Russia has sought to forge a viable of strongman governance who also has Already, Russia has received Weather report LEGAL HELPLINE Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 40 C Low : 26 C Inshore: Hazy at places at first becomes hot daytime with slight Punishment for polluting water source dust at places and some clouds.

By Dr Nizar Kochery court where the lawsuit is fi led, in A: Every partner has the right to the cheque cancelled. According to SUNDAY High: 35 C Doha accordance with the normal procedure attend the assembly regardless of the Article 588 of the Commercial Law, for fi ling such lawsuits. The expiry number of shares he owns, and by if a cheque is lost or destroyed, the Low: 25 C of the litigation may be pleaded as virtue of a particular authorisation, owner shall be entitled to submit an Sunny uestion: Due to some a defence if the plaintiff applies to he may be represented in the assembly objection to payment of its value to the misunderstanding resume the proceedings after the by another partner other than drawer. Such objection should include with my neighbour, we expiry of one year. The application the directors. Every partner shall the cheque number, amount, name of MONDAY Qare not in good terms. or the defence shall be against all have a number of votes equivalent its drawer and every other particular High: 35 C Recently, I found that someone plaintiff s or appellants, otherwise it to the number of shares he owns which may assist in identifying Low: 25 C has put garbage in my water shall not be acceptable. or represents. (Article 252 of the the cheque and the circumstances Sunny tank. I strongly believe that my Companies Law – 11 of 2015) surrounding its loss or destruction. neighbour is involved in it. If I When the bank receives the objection, lodge a complaint with the nearby Right to attend it shall refrain from payment of the Fishermen’s forecast police station what will be the Cancellation value of the cheque to the possessor company meetings OFFSHORE DOHA punishment for such an act? I of lost cheque of the cheque and should set aside the Wind: NE-SE 03-12 KT don’t want to trouble him, at the Q: I hold a small percentage value of the cheque pending decision Waves: 1-3 Feet same time I need to take some of shares in an MEP Company Q: Our company lost a signed on the matter. The bank shall, if INSHORE DOHA Wind: NE-SE 05-15/18 KT action on this. Please advise. in Doha. Most of our partners cheque while shifting our offi ce requested by the objecting party and Waves: 1-2 Feet HHJ, Doha are employed in other fi rms last month. We came to know at his expense, publish the number and they are not active in about this last week. What is the of the lost or destroyed cheque, its Around the region Answer: You can fi le a complaint company management. Being procedure to be followed if anyone amount, name of drawer, name of the Weather Weather in police station stating all the facts the shareholder with small loses a bearer cheque? What does objecting party and his address in a today Max/min tomorrow Max/min related to the incident. According percentage, the management does the law stipulate? daily newspaper. Any disposal of the Abu Dhabi Sunny 34/24 Sunny 34/24 to Article 254 of the Penal law, any not inform me of any of the annual HY, Doha cheque subsequent to the date of such Baghdad Cloudy 28/17 Sunny 29/17 Dubai person who purposely pollutes or meetings. Do I have the right to publication shall be null and void. Sunny 37/24 Sunny 37/24 Kuwait City M Sunny 37/23 Cloudy 29/21 spoils a well, public water supply, or participate in the meetings and A: A complaint has to be lodged with Manama M Sunny 36/25 Cloudy 29/25 any other water resource, or makes decision makings? 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The the nature of the act, or that he is do- penalty is complementary if impos- Expiry of a ing what is either wrong, or contrary ing it is based on the verdict, whether litigation to law; provided that the thing which mandatory or permitted by law. The intoxicated him was administered to dependent and complementary pen- Q: There was a case against me him without his knowledge or against alties are deprivation of some rights in the civil court fi led almost two his will. and privileges, prevention from years back. The party who fi led the If the insanity, mental illness, practicing a profession, dismissal case passed away and the case was medicines, drugs, alcoholic and from public positions, exclusion from stopped for almost one year. But intoxicating materials or any other the place or the public establishment, still the system shows case against reason that causes only defi ciency placing under police surveillance, me. How could I clear the matter or weakness in consciousness or in confi scation and deportation of a legally? Please advise. capacity when the off ence is com- foreigner from the country. KH, Doha mitted, it shall be considered an Any judgment bearing a criminal extenuating excuse. service. Death sentence passed by penalty shall require automatically Around the world A: According to Article 88 of the Civil In cases where an act done is not Court shall not be executed unless and by force of the law the depriva- Weather Weather and Commercial code of procedure, an off ence unless done with a par- after ratifi cation by HH the Emir. tion of the convicted person from all today Max/min tomorrow Max/min any concerned party to the litigation, ticular knowledge or intent, a person Death sentence shall be executed by the following rights and privileges: Athens Sunny 24/12 Sunny 23/12 in the event of non-proceeding of who does the act in a state of intoxi- hanging or by gun fi re to death. (1) to be in charge of a public offi ce Beirut Showers 19/16 Showers 20/14 P Cloudy 35/27 lawsuit due to the plaintiff ’s act cation shall be liable to be dealt with Imprisonment is to detain a or work as a contractor for the State; Bangkok 34/27 P Cloudy Berlin Rain 11/04 Showers 11/03 or forbearance, may apply for a as if he had the same knowledge as convict in one of the penitentiaries (2) to be a member of the legislative, Cairo Sunny 27/14 Sunny 28/16 judgment declaring the litigation he would have had if he had not been legally designated for such a purpose, consultative and municipal coun- Cape Town Sunny 22/14 Sunny 27/16 as expired upon expiry of one year intoxicated, unless the thing which for life, if the sentence is life impris- cils, boards of directors committees, Colombo S T Storms 32/27 T Storms 32/27 from the last proper proceeding. The intoxicated him was administered to onment, or for a specifi ed term if it is public establishments, joint-stock Dhaka Sunny 34/24 S T Storms 32/23 Hong Kong M Cloudy 25/22 P Cloudy 26/23 period of expiry of the litigation in him without his knowledge or against temporary imprisonment. 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The person of ordinary sense and temper for in the Penitentiary establish- (5) to bear arms. Paris Showers 16/06 M Cloudy 16/07 period prescribed for the expiry of would complain of such harm. ments subject to any limitations due The period of deprivation shall Sao Paulo M Sunny 27/17 I T Storms 29/18 Seoul P Cloudy 21/09 P Cloudy 22/11 the litigation shall apply against all Principal penalties are death sen- to their state of health. Fine penalty not exceed three years from the date Singapore T Storms 31/25 T Storms 32/26 persons even if they have no capacity. tence, life imprisonment, temporary obliges the convicted person to pay of the execution of the penalty or its Sydney P Cloudy 20/13 P Cloudy 23/13 Application for the expiry of the imprisonment, fi nes and community the imposed amount to the State. earlier termination. Tokyo Clear 23/14 Cloudy 23/11 litigation shall be submitted to the Gulf Times 16 Saturday, April 15, 2017 QATAR ‘World’s tallest bubble man’ graces Doha fest

Children enjoy one of the performances of the ‘world’s tallest bubble man’, William Wiles. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam. Some of the performers of the African Circus.

By Peter Alagos reception to his shows, he said: “It’s that no one can know,” he pointed out. ers from Slovenia; the ‘Gaudy People’, Business Reporter been great! And everyone loves bub- He added: “Because it is held in the a duo from Vienna whose costume is bles! I have had some lovely audiences, outdoors, the biggest challenge during made up of a colourful mosaic design; many of whom love to see their children my performance is that the bubbles are and England-based ‘Titan the Robot’, he nine-day Souq Waqif April interact and enjoy the show.” so thin they could burst if there would who is in Qatar for the second time. Festival brought to Doha a col- Wiles, who hails from London, had be any wind. In a performance like this In another section of Souq Waqif, Tlection of spectacular perform- been making bubbles professionally for you have to be very careful and very stage performances by an African cir- ances from internationally-renowned the past eight and a half years. spontaneous.” cus and the ‘Diabolo Comedy Show’ artistes, including the ‘world’s tallest “Bubbleology is the term coined to Another challenge, he said, was the from Germany enthralled audiences bubbleologist’— William Wiles. describe what I do: I study and play humidity: “I’ve spent quite a lot of with breathtaking acrobatics, singing Towering at 6’10”, Wiles claims to with bubbles for my job. The most im- my life living in hot countries so the and dancing, as well as exciting cho- be the ‘world’s tallest bubble man’. portant part of my job is the ingredients weather didn’t come quite as a shock to reography and tricks. The festival also His performances during the festival, that I use and the chemistry involved in me until last Thursday, which was very showcased several amusement rides which concluded yesterday, are among making the bubbles. humid, especially at nighttime. I was and games, which were also crowd fa- several roving shows held along Souq “Most of the bubble is water and completely soaked in three minutes.” vourites. ‘Titan the Robot’ will give an Waqif Alley. The festival was Wiles’ then you have concentrated soap and Aside from Wiles, the Souq Waqif extra show (three, 30-minute perform- opportunity to perform in Qatar for the something that makes the evaporation Alley also saw performances from the ances) today (April 15) from 4:30pm fi rst time. Asked about the audience’s process slower – it’s a secret ingredient ‘Apple Men’, a group of fi ve perform- onwards along Souq Waqif Alley. ‘Titan the Robot’ interacts with the crowd. Larger new malls help promote active and healthy lifestyle

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

ff orts to promote an active and healthy lifestyle among EQatar residents have got a further boost with the recent opening of larger malls in the country, which also off er various entertainment and leisure op- More residents visit the malls to walk. tions to visitors. Speaking to Gulf Times, a cy- ing. “Summer is coming and we dren. This was echoed by anoth- Corniche and Aspire Park but or walk in malls located near to clist and long-time expatriate in expect many people to shift from er expatriate who has been doing come summer, I walk in the mall,” one’s residence, to save more Qatar said people who usually outdoor to indoor activities,” her regular walks in the malls in he said. “Good thing another time. walk and do physical workouts said the expatriate, who is also Doha saying that summer is not mall (DHFC) opened recently, Malls such as Hyatt Plaza, Al outdoor in the winter can now a longboard enthusiast. “Cy- a hindrance to continue her fi t- it is just a few kilometres away Khor, Villaggio, and Landmark continue their fi tness activities Enthusiasts try DHFC’s bike track. cling, mountain biking, running, ness workout. from our home.” partnered with Aspire Zone in a safe and secured facility, also and football, among others, will After his mother died of dia- On some days, he said he will Foundation to encourage peo- free of charge. ed, referring to the newly-opened ing temperature nowadays could slowdown.” betes last year, Jhun Canlas told do his walking at the Mall of Qa- ple to walk and exercise under “People will enjoy walking at Doha Festival City (DHFC). opt people to walk inside the He stressed that malls not Gulf Times that he realised the tar. He also lauds both malls for its ‘Step into Health, Walk in the their own pace inside a temper- While DHFC’s 3-km outdoor mall. DHFC, which hosts more only provide residents only importance of exercise in pre- having large parking areas free of Mall’ programme. For adults, the ature-controlled and larger area, leisure trail is expected to attract than 500 stores with over 100 with a suitable environment for venting such a disease. charge. recommended target is 30 min- coupled with wider and longer bikers, skateboarders, runners, dining outlets, off ers visitors walking but also various ameni- “I prefer outdoor exercise, However, he pointed out that utes of moderate activity fi ve walkways and corridors,” he not- and walkers, he said the increas- nearly 4km of corridors for walk- ties for their families and chil- walking and running on the Doha it is always advisable to exercise days a week.

Rufaqaa model village draws attention of Sudanese govt The Prime Minister of Sudan GCC Food Day and senior off icial figures visited the Rufaqaa model village for orphans, which has been built at Ad-Damir in River Nile (state) and implemented by Qatar Charity (QC). Rufaqaa model village consists of 200 housing units and will provide medical, educational, religious and administrative services to about 5,000 orphans and widows who are “eagerly awaiting” the completion of the village, QC has said in a press statement. After being received by QC representatives and the local community, the visiting delegation got acquainted with the project through a detailed explanation of the model village and its objectives. The visiting delegation got acquainted with the project through a detailed explanation of the model The Sudanese government village and its objectives. delegation was briefed on the progress of the implementation. that the project will contribute development plan for the The village includes 200 houses, They expressed their admiration, to providing stability to the targeted people and provide each consisting of two rooms, a The Ministry of Municipality and Environment’s (MME) Agriculture Aff airs Department has taken praising QC for providing an beneficiaries. them with health, education and lounge, kitchen and bathroom. It part in the GCC Food Day, conducting a number of awareness lectures. The GCC Food Day is being integrated environment and The Prime Minister also professional services. It is an also includes a kindergarten, two observed today (April 15). The lectures on honeybees were conducted at Qur’an Botanic Garden, infrastructure in education, expressed thanks to the idea that should be adopted by primary schools, two secondary which comes under the Qatar Foundation. The aim was to introduce visitors on the importance of health and vocational training government and people of all humanitarian institutions, he schools, a vocational training honeybees and their relation to the environment, in addition to its role in the pollination of flowers, for the targeted families. The Qatar for their eff orts in the stressed. centre, medical clinic, mosque, increasing the spread of wild plants. The lectures also mentioned the best ways to raise honeybees Sudanese Prime Minister development of Sudan. He QC is implementing the Rufaqaa market, children’s playgrounds and extract honey and wax. A number of schools around the country took part at the event. The stressed that the village is a pointed out that the project model village in a locality whose and green areas, in addition to MME is also taking part in the Family Day in Qatar celebrations, which falls on April 15 every year, “great example” of modern demonstrated QC’s ability area spans 200,000 sq m at two wells to provide potable adopting the topic “We stay in harmony even if we disagree”. integrated housing, pointing out to create a comprehensive Ad-Damir in River Nile (state). water to the whole village.