QATAR | Page 28 SPORT | Page 1 Al Rayyan win Qatar INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 7, 28 COMMENT 26, 27 Stars REGION 8 BUSINESS 1 – 6, 17 – 20 16,967.00 10,136.57 35.92 ARAB WORLD 9, 10 CLASSIFIED 7 – 16 MEC launches new League title +48.00 +122.14 +1.32 INTERNATIONAL 11 – 25 SPORTS 1 – 12 +0.28% +1.22% +3.91% sign language service Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SUNDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10019 March 6, 2016 Jumada I 26, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals PM meets ILO delegation Emir to visit Turkmenistan, In brief Azerbaijan

QNA Doha

H the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will head to- ARAB WORLD | Obituary Hday to Turkmenistan for a two- Sudanese politician day state visit at the invitation of Pres- ident Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. Turabi dies at 84 The Emir will then pay an offi cial Hassan al-Turabi, a prominent HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, met in Doha yesterday with a high-level delegation from the International visit to Azerbaijan at the invitation of Sudanese politician considered Labour Organisation (ILO) led by ambassador Misako Kaji. Talks during the meeting dealt with a number of topics of mutual interest, especially Qatar’s tireless eff orts President Ilham Aliyev. by many to be the spiritual leader in promoting workers’ rights and the continuous development procedures taken by the state to improve foreign workers’ conditions in line with its development and During the visits, HH the Emir of the country’s Islamists, has growth. Page 6 will hold talks with leaders of the two died at the age of 84, medical countries and senior offi cials on ways sources said yesterday. A to enhance and promote bilateral rela- powerful establishment figure tions in all areas, as well as regional and in the 1990s, Turabi became an international issues of mutual concern. influential opposition leader The Emir will be accompanied by an later in life, breaking ranks with offi cial delegation. President Omar al-Bashir and his ruling National Congress Party in 1999 to form an opposition group Assad must go at start of that would challenge his rule. Turabi was rushed to hospital on Thundershowers Saturday after suffering a heart attack, the sources said. Page 8 Syria transition: Saudi forecast for today EUROPE | Migration hundershowers and strong Greek governor mulls AFP “Assad has to leave at the beginning several days, UN envoy Staff an de their president... they have already winds are expected in the coun- Paris of the process,” the Saudi minister, Mistura said earlier yesterday. decided with their feet, with their Ttry today, the Qatar Met depart- state of emergency whose country backs the Syrian oppo- A fi rst round of talks in early Feb- guns,” he said. ment has said. The governor of Greece’s Central sition, told reporters in Paris. Refer- ruary was cut short amid intensifying Discussing Syrian opposition re- Doha is among the places that are Macedonia province has said he yrian President Bashar al-Assad ring to the sequence of events, he said: Russian air strikes in Syria in support luctance to travel to Geneva to resume likely to receive rain today, according to would like to declare a state of must leave offi ce as soon as a “There is a transitional body, power of Assad’s forces. peace talks, he admitted that “they the weather report. emergency over the thousands Stransitional authority is set up, shifts from Assad to the transitional But a fragile ceasefi re drawn up by can’t go into talks empty-handed”. The forecast for inshore areas says of migrants stranded in the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir body, and then he goes.” Russia and the US and backed by the Syria’s main opposition leader Riad it will be misty in some places at fi rst, region by closed borders. “Here said yesterday, insisting there is no After that “the transitional body UN Security Council that entered into Hijab said on Friday that conditions followed by partly cloudy to cloudy [at the Idomeni border crossing] way he can retain power. drafts a constitution, prepares for force on February 27 is now in its second were not yet right for talks to resume, conditions with a chance of scattered we have 13,000 people and Talks between the regime and Syr- elections. Some are arguing that no, week, despite accusations of violations. stressing shortfalls in humanitarian rain, which may be accompanied by further south another 5,000 ian opposition, due to resume next Bashar leaves at the elections in 18 The Saudi minister said there was aid and breaches of the ceasefi re im- thunder at times. The wind speed may migrants in refugee camps,” week in Geneva, aim to set up a politi- months, that’s not how we think. no possibility that Assad could remain plemented a week ago. go up to 25 knots in some areas during Apostolos Tzitzikostas told Greek cal transition process to end the coun- “For us it is very clear, he leaves at in power. “Our position is to support them the thundershowers. broadcaster Skai from Idomeni try’s fi ve-year-old war. A UN-bro- the beginning of the process, not at the “The Syrian people have spo- 200%,” said al-Jubeir. “We don’t Off shore areas will remain hazy to on the border with the former kered international roadmap foresees end.” Syria peace talks set for March 9 ken when they took up arms against question. We may advise, express our misty and see partly cloudy to cloudy Yugoslav republic of Macedonia. a transitional authority by the middle will begin the following day with par- Bashar al-Assad and their message is views to them, but we support them,” conditions. There is also a chance of Page 18 of this year and elections by mid-2017. ticipants due to arrive in Geneva over very very clear: he is not going to be he added. Page 10 scattered rain. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, March 6, 2016 QATAR HIA launches app to help passengers amad International Air- customers with context relevant Duty Free, the airport’s award port (HIA) has launched information about promotional winning shopping emporium. Hits new iBeacon-enabled off ers to enhance their airport To ensure that customers ben- mobile app to provide passen- experience. efi t from the best deals, the app gers with an immersive experi- With a simple scan of the alerts the user when walking ence and stay connected while boarding pass and opt-in for past outlets with ongoing pro- they travel through Qatar’s icon- location detection, the app motions. A unique global search ic airport. provides real-time informa- feature matches and delivers rel- HIA is among a select few tion about fl ight status, bag- evant content and information HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, chairman of the Board of Trustees of ALF, and other dignitaries at the event held at the QNCC. airports in the world to have gage claim, time and direction to fast, eliminating the need for successfully used iBeacons for boarding gates, and food, bever- navigating through traditional wayfi nding and providing its age, and retail off ers from Qatar app menus. HIA chief operating offi cer Badr Mohamed al-Meer said: “We take pride in having con- 24 teams to take part in DI ceptualised, designed, and de- veloped our HIA Qatar mobile app in-house, which gave us the control and fl exibility to ensure a customer-centric and intuitive global fi nals in Tennessee design, much like our airport. “With the installation of over 700 Bluetooth iBeacons across total of 24 out of 315 the DI programme to address challenge category. sive performance,” he added. the expansive terminal, the app Qatar-based teams from a growing need for students HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qas- In the 24-hour Extreme helps put our passengers at ease A100 local schools were to exhibit curiosity and self- sim al-Thani, chairman of the Challenge which had participa- by helping them identify their declared winners of Destina- direction in their learning. It Board of Trustees of ALF, hon- tion of three teams from Saudi real-time location in the airport, tion Imagination (DI) Qatar also aspires to meet the needs oured the team and the school’s Arabia, two teams each from informing them how long it will 2016 tournament. of universities for students headmaster Ibrahim Mubarak Morocco, Poland, Turkey and take to reach their desired location The 24 winning teams will who are prepared to continue al-Edan with a special award. the US, and one team each from within HIA, guiding them along participate in the DI global fi - to grow with an attitude of in- “The ALF Foundation, the UAE and Jordan the teams the way and alerting them of any nals in Knoxville, Tennessee novation and problem solving. through our DI programme, from Poland and Minnesota updates to their fl ight status.” from May 25 to 29. A highlight of the competi- aims to develop the future lead- tied for the fi rst place. Another The app is currently available Hosted by AlFaisal Without tion among local independent ers of Qatar,” said Sheikh Fais- team from Poland grabbed the for iOS-based devices. The fu- Borders (ALF) Foundation, the schools was the participation of al. “We need new ideas from second place and a team from ture roadmap includes launch four-day competition was held Al Yarmouk Independent Pre- young, creative and innova- Saudi Arabia got the third. of the Android app in the sec- in partnership with the Min- paratory School, which entered tive minds of students, handi- The DI Qatar also featured ond quarter of 2016, further im- istry of Education at the Qatar the tournament with a team capped or not, who will form an exhibition that hosted cul- provements to the wayfi nding National Convention Centre composed of visually impaired part of a rich national pool of tural and educational activities. experience through integration (QNCC). The event was also students. In spite of their hand- thinkers and movers that will Featured at the expo was the with the airport’s complimen- supported by Social Media So- icap, the team insisted on being push the country forward in passport concept launched by The app provides real-time information about flight status, baggage tary passenger Wi-Fi system, lutions, Qatar Volunteers, Am- treated equally with the rest all fi elds. I, therefore, wish to the ALF Foundation, which en- claim, time and direction to boarding gates, and food, beverage, and and ongoing collaboration with lak and QNCC. of the fi eld and went on to bag congratulate all the winners for couraged visitors to learn more retail off ers from Qatar Duty Free. technology industry leaders. The ALF Foundation brought second place in the structural their outstanding and impres- by visiting all the booths.

The team that developed Metis describes it as a tool for students to tailor their education according to career goals and interests. New tool helps university students plan their courses

he AlFaisal-Carnegie Mel- university administration to input “AlFaisal Without Borders Foun- lon Innovation Entrepre- updated information on courses and dation is fi rm in its commitment of Tneurship Centre is incu- class schedules. being a leading global humanitar- bating its fi rst project: Metis, an Metis is the fi rst project for the ian organisation focused on achieving application that helps university stu- AlFaisal-Carnegie Mellon Innovation sustainable development,” said Sheikh dents plan their courses so they will be Entrepreneurship Centre, a collabora- Faisal. “To do so, we shall continue to in the best career position when they tive initiative with a mission to foster support innovative ideas that nurture graduate. an entrepreneurial environment in better opportunities for professional Metis is the creation of a team of Education City. success amongst the future leaders of Carnegie Mellon University in Qa- The centre was launched in the fall our society.” tar (CMU-Q) alumni Sabih bin Wasi, of 2015 by HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim The idea for Metis fi rst came to Sabih Rukhsar Neyaz Khan and Jiyda Mous- al-Thani, chairman of AlFaisal With- bin Wasi in his fi rst year at CMU-Q. “I sa. The team describes Metis as a tool out Borders Foundation, and Ilker have a passion to change things that for students to tailor their education Baybars, dean and CEO of Carnegie aff ect me, and I saw how course selec- according to career goals and interests. Mellon University in Qatar, to promote tion can have a huge impact on where One of the salient features of Metis innovation entrepreneurship through you end up when you graduate,” he is that a second interface allows ad- education, programmes, and an incu- said. During his time at CMU-Q, he visers to view the students’ plans and bation process that provides resources gathered a multi-disciplinary team to provide input, and a third allows the and mentorship. develop the project.

Paris talks Deputy PM in Indonesia

E the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of HState for Cabinet Aff airs Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zail al- Mahmoud arrived in Indonesia yesterday. He chairs Qatar’s delegation to the extraordinary session of the Islamic Summit Conference on the Cause of Palestine and Diplomatic Advisor to the French President and his personal representative for Al-Quds Al-Shareef. the Group of Seven Jacques Audibert has met with HE Qatar’s Attorney General The Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri, currently visiting Paris. Talks during the meeting was received by Qatar’s ambas- covered a number of issues of mutual concern. sador in Indonesia Mohamed bin Khater Ibrahim al-Khater. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 3 QATAR

RAF dispatches aid convoy to Central Africa

heikh Thani bin Abdullah QRCS explores Foundation for Humani- Starian Services (RAF) sent an aid convoy for 6,700 Muslim families of Central Africa, in- cluding people in the Kore refu- gee camp in the Chadian capital N’Djamena. ways to promote The campaign is funded by Qatari philanthropists with a total value of QR720,000 to help the families aff ected by confl icts in Central Africa. The campaign, carried out in collaboration with Arrashad humanitarian Development Association, part- ner of RAF in Chad and the co- ordinating body of Chadian civil society associations, off ers basic and essential relief food, includ- ing maize, sugar and oil in suf- fi cient quantities, to the families law in Africa for more than two months. The distribution work was n offi cial delegation from carries out by residents of the Qatar Red Crescent So- camp near the Chadian border Aciety (QRCS) has visited which receives fl eeing Muslims Kenya to discuss further oppor- from ethnic cleansing in Central tunities of co-operation, capac- Africa. Sacks of foodstuff s stored at the refugee camp. ity building and promotion of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Africa. The delegation, comprising Dr Aisha Yousef al-Mannai, QRCS vice-president, and Dr Fawzi Ous- sedik, head of QRCS international relations, was received by Dr Ab- Charities, UN discuss relief bas Gullet, secretary-general of Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS). The delegation had an extensive agenda for its stay in Kenya. The delegation had an ex- tensive agenda for its stay in by a large number of people. in relation to drug control. They the country. They visited Al- A seminar was held with the made informal conversations work in Sahel countries Mustaqbal University in Gar- university’s faculty on their in- with some newly recovered ad- issa, chaired by Dr Gullet, to terest in voluntary work and re- dicts to know what services they atari humanitar- tions and institutions, including importance to this region over co-operation between humani- explore the co-operation out- lated fi elds, highlighting some received that helped them over- ian organisations and the Qatar Red Crescent, Qatar Char- its humanitarian activities and tarian agencies. look between QRCS and KRCS, challenges that may hinder come addiction and fi ll their free QUnited Nations Offi ce ity, Sheikh Eid Charitable Asso- programmes and has offi ces in Lanzer stressed the UN keen- particularly in promotion of IHL. progress in this regard. time with useful activities. for Co-ordination of Humani- ciation, Sheikh Thani bin Abdul- Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso ness to work in a constructive It was agreed to hold a moot Also, the delegation visited the Lastly, the Qatari delegation tarian Aff airs (OCHA) during a lah Foundation for Humanitarian and Mauritania,” he said, add- and co-operative way with the court competition for law students KRCS fi rst-aid department to re- visited the Kenya-Somalia fron- roundtable in Doha discussed Services (RAF), Al Faisal Without ing that Qatar Charity also works countries and organisations of the university, like the held by view its services for the society at tiers to watch the diffi culties humanitarian work in the Sahel Borders, l Asmakh Charity Foun- through international and local involved in development pro- QRCS in Uganda. The moot court large and Somali refugees in par- faced by humanitarian eff orts countries, and means of boost- dation (ACF), Education Above partners in these countries. grammes to achieve stability in will be chaired by Dr Oussedik and ticular. They undertook a tour of there, which are to be considered ing co-operation and building All, and Silatech. Over the last three years, Qa- the Sahel countries. will be managed by a jury of legal King Faisal Hospital, the coun- when developing future relief partnerships to meet the esca- The Qatari organisations made tar Charity carried out more than Lanzer expressed his thanks professors and experts. try’s central hospital funded by and development programmes lating humanitarian needs of presentations of their charitable 6,000 projects worth QR148mn. and appreciation to the Qatari Dr al-Mannai delivered a Saudi Arabia, where they talked for Somali refugees in Kenya. those countries. work in many Sahel countries. The projects included sectors humanitarian organisations lecture for College of Islamic to some of the in-patients. The visit helped bolster rela- The roundtable was attended Yusuf bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, such as education, health, water for their goodwill for co-op- Studies students about the Later, the visitors moved to tions and deepen the co-opera- by UN Assistant Secretary-Gen- chief executive offi cer, Qatar and sanitation, food security, eration and co-ordination and importance of volunteerism Lamu County, about 600km tion between QRCS and KRCS, eral and Regional Humanitarian Charity, expressed his thanks livelihoods, economic empow- wished them success in achiev- and humanitarianism, stress- from Nairobi, to visit the KRCS under the umbrella of the In- Co-ordinator for the Sahel, Toby and appreciation to all those who erment and other various fi elds. ing the targeted outcomes for ing the need to enforce the branch there and have an idea ternational Red Cross and Red Lanzer, and representatives of participated in the meeting. Al-Kuwari stressed the im- their projects in Africa’s Sahel IHL. The lecture was attended about its activities, especially Crescent Movement. Qatari humanitarian associa- “Qatar Charity attaches great portance of co-ordination and region. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, March 6, 2016 QATAR QPMC’s sustainable CSR initiatives honoured

nder the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior USheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, QPMC’s sustainable CSR initiatives were honoured during the launch ceremony of the fourth National CSR Re- port (Leaders’ Visions) at Qatar University recently in the presence of CSR Person of the Year 2015 HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, president of Qatar Olympic Com- mittee. With its eff orts aimed at serving the com- munity in Qatar, QPMC attaches a lot of signifi cance to community programmes and events that contribute to the well-being of the Qatari community at large, according to a statement. On this occasion, QPMC chief executive offi cer Eisa al-Hammadi said: “Serving the community is a key part of QPMC’s vision in achieving corporate social responsibility and sustainability development. “Our aim is to help contribute to the nationwide CSR ini- Eisa al-Hammadi being congratulated at the ceremony. tiatives, across various key pillars, and be at the fore- front of achieving a sus- tainable CSR plan in align- ment with our company’s prime programmes.” These programmes in- clude areas such as health, safety and environment management, workers’ well-being, blood dona- tion campaigns, co-oper- ation with Qatar Univer- sity, traffi c and road safety campaigns and co-opera- tion with the National Hu- man Rights Committee. “QPMC aims, through its strategy and commitment to social responsibility pro- grammes, to create long- term value for shareholders through responsibility and transparency in its social and economic goals, and the enhancement of the surrounding environment for the benefi t of the com- munity in accordance with the four pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030,” the statement notes. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 5 QATAR Indian community forums pledge support to QFA

ffi cials from Qatar audience relations offi cer; and representatives from various organisations work- Football Association Mohamed Quthb, commu- other organisations. ing under the Indian Cul- O(QFA) and members nity leader - Asian Com- Al-Kuwari thanked the tural Centre (ICC) and other of the Indian community munities Football Tourna- Indian community and, major organisations affi li- met recently to discuss the ment (ACFT), QFA; M S in particular, Dr Thomas, ated to ICC under the aegis participation of the com- Bukhari, general manager, Bukhari and Quthb for their of the embassy of India,” munity in upcoming foot- Satco International; Dr consistent support to QFA. according to a statement. ball matches. Mohan Thomas, founder- He also recalled the support The Indian community Qatar is slated to play a chairman of Birla Public given by the Indian com- will sponsor tickets for qualifying match for the School; Abdul Rahman E munity during the Asian those who wish to attend 2018 FIFA World Cup against P, president of QIA; Mohd Football Cup and Pan-Arab the match on a fi rst-come Hong Kong on March 24 at Habibun Nabi, chief patron Games in 2011. fi rst-served basis. Al Sadd Stadium. of AMU Alumni Associa- “Record attendance is ex- Al-Kuwari also endorsed The meeting was at- tion; Safeer Rahman, COO pected for the event as the a proposal by Quthb that tended by Khalid al-Kuwari, of Qatar Indian Association Indian community mem- a committee, with a larger adviser to Sheikh Hamad for Sports and Games; and bers vowed to mobilise and representation of the com- bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al- manager of Team India for ensure maximum attend- munity, will work with QFA Thani, president of QFA; Asian Communities Foot- ance from schools, families, for future football games un- Mohamed Rashid al-Khater, ball Tournament by QFA; community leaders and til the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

QFA off icials and Indian community members after the meeting. Joyalukkas off ers travel vouchers

oyalukkas has an- collection, the jewellery our doors 29 years ago. They ation and continuing on our nounced that it is giv- retail chain is capping off have been our inspiration promise to only give them Jing customers across the fi rst quarter of the and motivation for choos- our best.” the GCC region a chance to year with an opportunity ing locations and develop- Customers who visit Joy- travel for free. for customers to “travel ing our product selections, alukkas’ 120-plus show- In this regard, the jeweller to destinations they have as well as in the kinds of rooms in 10 countries enjoy has partnered with Akbar been dreaming of”, accord- services we off er,” said John 0% deduction on 22k old Travels to give away airline ing to a statement from the Paul Alukkas, executive di- gold exchange and up to vouchers to customers. company. rector, Joyalukkas Group. 70% discount on all polki Opening 2016 with the “Our loyal customers “Our seasonal off ers and jewellery. Also, there are no Festival of Joy and the have been the backbone of promotions are our way of making charges on 8gm, 22k special Valentine’s Day our success since we opened showing them our appreci- gold coins until April 2. Gulf Times 6 Sunday, March 6, 2016 QATAR

QCHP to launch CME/CPD Programme

The Qatar Council for Healthcare The event will feature a panel discussion, titled NHRC chief meets ILO team Practitioners (QCHP) will host the ‘More Knowledge, Better Patient Care’, with off icial launch event of Qatar’s National the participation of a number of senior off icials Continuous Medical Education and from Qatar’s healthcare sector in addition QNA here with a high-level delegation from the Professional Development (CME/CPD) to experts from The Canadian International Doha International Labor Organization (ILO) led Programme tomorrow evening at the College. “The programme is a significant by ambassador Misako Kaji, currently on a Sheraton Hotel Doha. The event will mark milestone in building a world-class healthcare visit to Qatar. the implementation of the programme’s workforce for the people in Qatar in accordance ational Human Rights Commit- Talks during the meeting dealt with means mandatory participation policy linked with the human development goals of Qatar tee (NHRC) chairman, Dr Ali bin of co-operation on issues and topics of Dr Ali bin Smaikh Marri, Chairman of the National Human to renewal of licensure for all licensed National Vision 2030 and National Health NSamikh al-Marri, yesterday met common interest. Rights Commission with the head of the ILO delegation. healthcare practitioners in Qatar. Strategy,” according to a statement. QSRTC hosts Tech Talk

atar Shell Research & Technology Centre (QSRTC), at Qatar Science & Technology Park has held the Qlatest edition of its Tech Talk series. Mary Ryan, professor of materials science and nanote- chnology, Raeng chair and director of the Imperial / Shell Centre for Interfacial Materials Science at Imperial Col- lege London, led a presentation titled ‘Probing Nanoscale Interfaces in Materials Systems’. The presentation outlined how nanoscale electrochemi- cal interfaces are found in numerous areas of science and technology, and how the ability to probe these systems in dynamic situations is critical to furthering understand- ing and enabling the design of interfaces for controlled reactivity. Professor Ryan works extensively with industry in the area of surface behaviour and corrosion and widely consults on materials stability issues for the likes of Shell and Rolls-Royce globally. In 2015, Qatar University, Imperial College London and QSRTC signed a research and development agreement on corrosion prevention in wet sour gas pipelines such as those found off shore Qatar. The work will use state-of-the-art analytical techniques and focus on pitting corrosion and how best to prevent it from happening. Youssif Saleh, vice- president, QSRTC, said: “We are delighted to co-operate with academia, government, non-profi t organisations and private sector partners to provide research and innovative solutions that will help mitigate and resolve energy chal- lenges faced by Qatar, in turn delivering sustainable impact in support of the Qatar National Vision 2030.”

Prof Mary Ryan giving the presentation. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 7 QATAR Teach For Qatar signs new partnership with Ooredoo

each For Qatar has announced training. This partnership aims to with Teach For Qatar and assist in the that Ooredoo will be its new- bridge the education gap in Qatar by organisation’s vision. Ooredoo takes Test talent sponsor, after sign- contributing to the development of the pride in its talented pool of employees ing a Memorandum of Understanding local independent school system. and supports their professional and (MoU) at the company’s headquarters Fakhroo commented: “Teach For personal development.” in West Bay recently. Qatar continues to seek outstanding Teach For Qatar’s partners also in- The signing ceremony, headed by leaders, whether top graduates or tal- clude the Ministry of Education and Mohamed Abdullah Fakhroo, CEO, ented professionals, who can act as role Higher Education, Qatar Foundation, Teach For Qatar, and Yousuf al-Kubai- models in the classroom to positively Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil Qatar, si, COO, Ooredoo Qatar, saw the com- impact student learning. Our partner- Qatar National Bank, Maersk Oil Qatar panies agree to support each other as ship with Ooredoo enables Teach For and Dolphin Energy. they aim to off er Ooredoo employees Qatar to continue its eff orts in improv- By training young leaders to posi- and students across Qatar, world-class ing the local education sector by acting tively impact students inside the class- training. as a part of the solution to some of the room, Teach For Qatar, provides pas- According to the agreement, young challenges facing Qatar’s students.” sionate graduates and professionals professionals or managers across Al-Kubaisi added: “Ooredoo is com- with an opportunity to give back to the Ooredoo will take a placement at one mitted to developing the local com- country by placing them at independ- of the schools in Qatar to impart their munity and supporting the country’s ent schools for a two-year teaching and working knowledge and professional growth. We are delighted to partner leadership development programme.

The QC vice-chairman headed the delegation at the forum. QC delegation attends Jeddah forum

delegation of Qatar Chamber (QC), headed by QC tries of economy and planning, and commerce and industry vice-chairman Mohamed Ahmed bin Tuwar took part from March 1-3. The event discussed the partnership be- Ain the 15th Jeddah Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia, tween the government and private sector, in fi elds such as with the topic, “Private and Public sector fi rms, towards an health, energy, water and electricity, housing, municipal af- eff ective partnership for a better future.” fairs, transportation, airports and seaports, as well as spon- The QC delegation included honorary treasurer Ali Abdu- soring the youth. latif al-Misnad and other offi cials. Both government and private entities’ offi cials from dif- The forum was organised by Jeddah Chamber of Com- ferent countries shared their experiences in the fi eld and dis- merce and Industry in co-operation with the Saudi minis- cussed how to benefi t from them at diff erent levels. Gulf Times 8 Sunday, March 6, 2016 REGION/ARAB WORLD Sudanese politician Turabi dead at 84

Agencies petitive polls since 1986 for denouncing the Khartoum election as fraudulent. After breaking ranks with Bashir he formed his own party, the Popular Congress eteran Sudan Islamist opposition Party. Turabi was detained several times over leader Hassan al-Turabi, one of the a career spanning four decades. Vcritics of President Omar al-Bashir’s “Turabi’s sudden absence from the po- government, died of a heart attack yesterday, litical fi eld will have a disruptive eff ect on aged 84, state television said. the national dialogue that President Bashir “The Islamist intellectual Hassan al- has called for...With his death, the national Turabi has died,” the state broadcaster said. dialogue has lost its biggest supporter,” said It interrupted its regular programming and Mohamed Latif, a Sudanese political analyst. broadcast verses from the Holy Qur’an. Turabi published numerous books on A medical source earlier told AFP that Islamist thought and spearheaded the Na- Turabi was taken to the intensive care unit of tional Islamic Front, a group he formed in Khartoum’s Royal Care hospital “after suff er- the 1970s to push for the Islamisation of the ing a heart attack in the morning and died” state. there. In the evening, an ambulance carrying An ideologue with infl uence beyond Su- his body left the hospital for the Turabi family dan’s borders, Turabi was one of the driving home in the city, an AFP correspondent said. forces behind the introduction of Shariah in A key fi gure in Bashir’s regime for a decade Sudan in 1983. The Western-educated Tura- after his 1989 coup, Turabi later became one bi held a master’s degree in law from London of its critics and led the opposition in urging and a doctorate from Sorbonne University in a Tunisia-style uprising. He was detained in Paris. He spoke English, French and German May 2010, a month after Sudan’s fi rst com- fl uently as well as Arabic.

Yemenis demonstrate yesterday outside Aden’s security department to protest against Friday’s attack on an elderly care home. IS blamed for Aden care home attack

AFP workers with their arms tied behind Al Qaeda has previously criticised “He sends the assurance of his Aden their back. IS for attacks on Shia mosques in prayers for the dead and his spiritual No group has yet claimed the at- Yemen that left dozens dead. closeness to their families and to all tack in the war-torn country, where Al Qaeda and IS have stepped up aff ected from this act of senseless emeni authorities yester- the internationally recognised gov- attacks in Aden, targeting mainly and diabolical violence,” Cardinal day blamed the Islamic State ernment is grappling with both an loyalists and members of a Saudi- Parolin said in a statement. Ygroup for an attack on a care Iran-backed rebellion and a growing led coalition battling the Houthi Violence has mounted in Yemen home run by missionaries that killed militant presence. rebels since March last year. during the past year with more 16 people and was condemned by An unnamed Yemeni presidency The Houthis controlled Aden for than 6,000 people killed since the Pope Francis as “diabolical”. source in Riyadh said that those be- months before government loyalists Saudi-led coalition began its cam- Rival militant movement Al Qae- hind such “treacherous terrorist acts” pushed them out in July. paign of air strikes in late March da distanced itself from the mass are individuals who have “sold them- Gunmen yesterday opened fi re at 2015. shooting Friday in the main south- selves to the devil,” in a statement on a police patrol in Aden killing two Hadi yesterday discussed the ern city of Aden, saying it was not the offi cial sabanew.net website. policemen, a security offi cial said. stalled peace process with UN envoy responsible. “There was no trace of these The attack on Colonel Salem al- Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed in Riya- Gunmen stormed the refuge for groups, which go under the name of Milqat, police chief of Tawahi dis- dh, sabanew.net reported. the elderly operated by Mother Ter- the Islamic State or (its Arabic acro- trict, occurred in the restive district “Goodwill gestures and confi - esa’s Missionaries of Charity, killing nym) Daesh” when pro-government of Al Mansoura which has seen sever- dence-building measures by releas- a Yemeni guard before tying up and forces were battling the Houthi al assaults on local security offi cials. ing detainees, lifting the siege on shooting 15 other employees, offi - rebels and their allies to push them President Abedrabbo Mansour cities, and opening safe corridors to cials said. out of Aden last year, the source Hadi has declared the city to be Yem- deliver humanitarian assistance to Four foreign nuns working as said, accusing them of “switching en’s temporary capital as Sanaa has besieged provinces... are necessi- nurses were among those killed. roles” with the Iran-backed rebels. been in the hands of the Houthis and ties that must be met” by the rebels, The Vatican missionary news In a statement addressed to the their allies since September 2014. But Hadi told the UN envoy. agency Fides identifi ed the nuns residents of Aden, Al Qaeda in the Hadi and many senior offi cials spend Saudi Arabia’s UN ambassador as two Rwandans, a Kenyan and an Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also most of their time in Riyadh. said Friday that he hoped peace talks Indian, adding that the mother su- known as Ansar al-Shariah, denied The Vatican’s Secretary of State could resume by March 15. perior managed to hide and survive “any links to the attack on the eld- Pietro Parolin said that “his Holi- The UN says more than 80% of while an Indian priest was missing. erly care home”. ness Pope Francis was shocked and the population is in dire need of Screams of elderly residents “These are not our operations and profoundly saddened to learn of the food, medicine and other basic ne- echoed from the home during the this is not our way of fi ghting,” said killing of four Missionaries of Char- cessities and the crisis ranks as a shooting rampage, witnesses said, the group, which has seized parts of ity (nuns) and 12 others at a home for “Level 3 emergency”, the most seri- recounting seeing the bodies of slain southern and eastern Yemen. the elderly in Aden.” ous in the UN system.

Palestinian shot dead after ramming car into Israel trooper

AFP between Hebron and Jeru- Jerusalem salem. A wave of violence in Is- rael and the Palestinian ter- Palestinian woman ritories since October has injured an Israeli killed 181 Palestinians as Asoldier in a car-ram- well as 28 Israelis, an Amer- ming attack in the occupied ican, a Sudanese and an Eri- West Bank on Friday before trean, according to a tally of troops shot her dead, the the toll from AFP reports. army said yesterday. Most of the Palestinians “An assailant rammed who died in the violence her car into a soldier were killed by Israeli forces guarding the Gush Etzion while carrying out knife, junction,” it said in a state- gun or car-ramming at- ment. tacks, according to Israeli “Forces on site, respond- authorities. ing to the imminent threat, Others were shot dead by shot the attacker, resulting Israeli forces during clashes in her death. A knife was or demonstrations that are found in the assailant’s car.” banned by Israeli authori- Jerusalem’s Shaarei ties. Tzedek hospital, where Tensions were also high the soldier was taken, in annexed east Jerusalem, described his injury as another focal point in the “light”. latest round of unrest. The Palestinian health An young ultra-Ortho- ministry identifi ed the dox Jewish man was lightly woman as Amani Sabatin wounded in his head after of the nearby village Husan, an argument between a with media saying she was group of Jews and a group 34 years old, married and a of Palestinians in Jerusa- mother. lem’s Old City escalated Gush Etzion junction, a into a scuffl e, medics and major intersection near a police said. large block of Israeli set- Medics evacuated him tlements in the southern to hospital, and one of the West Bank, is a major hub Palestinians was detained for hitchhiking soldiers for questioning, police and settlers on the road said. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 9 ARAB WORLD

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon listens to a member of the Sahrawi women’s national union after his press conference at the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic presidential palace in Tindouf, southern Algeria. UN chief visits Sahel camps, pushes talks

Reuters allow the return of Sahrawi people from tary-General in order to achieve a solu- Tindouf, Algeria refugee camps in Algeria across the bor- tion this year,” Abdelaziz said. der. Algeria backed Polisario in the con- But Morocco wants Western Sahara, fl ict against regional rival Morocco. which is rich in phosphates and possi- N Secretary General Ban Ki- “I will spare no eff ort to help make bly off shore oil and gas, to be an auton- moon yesterday visited Sahrawi progress towards a just, lasting and omous part of Morocco and disagrees Urefugee camps in southern Al- mutually acceptable solution for West- with Polisario over who should take geria as part of eff orts to restart nego- ern Sahara,” Ban said, according to the part in the referendum. tiations to end a dispute between the social media account of his spokesper- Morocco’s king late last year insisted Polisario independence movement and son. only the autonomy plan was accepta- Morocco over the Western Sahara ter- The UN chief will visit refugee ble. Rabat invests heavily there, hoping ritory. camps and schools in the Tindouf area to calm social unrest and independence The Polisario Front, which says the and meet with the Polisario leadership claims, and in February announced a territory belongs to ethnic Sahrawis, there. $1.85bn investment plan for the region. waged a guerrilla war after Morocco Before Ban’s arrival, Polisario leader Ban said last year UN envoy Chris- took over the area from colonial Spain Mohamed Abdelaziz said the UN had topher Ross had intensifi ed eff orts to in 1975 until a UN-brokered ceasefi re “lost its way” over Western Sahara but facilitate the entry of the parties into in 1991. The two sides have been dead- called Ban’s visit the best opportunity negotiations without preconditions locked since. in a long time to reset negotiations over and in good faith. Many of the Sahrawi refugees, who a referendum for self-determination. “We expect a lot from the secretary fl ed the fi ghting in Western Sahara, Polisario, backed by Algeria and a general’s visit. We expect him to end have been living in mud brick houses number of other African states, wants the suff ering of the Sahrawi and to set- in the harsh Tindouf area for some 40 to hold a long-delayed referendum tle the confl ict,” Ahmed Lobate, a refu- years. promised in the UN ceasefi re deal on gee at one of the camps, told Reuters. Ban has said he wants to relaunch the region’s future. “All of us refuse to continue any more negotiations over the desert region and “We want to hear from the Secre- like this.” Gulf Times 10 Sunday, March 6, 2016 ARAB WORLD UN seeks to build Syria peace talks on ceasefi re Reuters Reuters could not independently group, which tracks the confl ict Beirut verify this. via sources on the ground. The fi ve-year Syrian civil war Russian Foreign Minister Ser- has killed more than a quarter gei Lavrov and US Secretary of total of 135 people were of a million people and created a State John Kerry, in a phone con- killed in the fi rst week of massive refugee crisis in Leba- versation late on Friday, called for Aa partial truce in Syria non, Turkey and the European a prompt start to the peace nego- in areas covered by the deal, a Union. tiations, Russia’s Foreign Minis- monitoring group said yesterday, The partial truce, drawn up try said in a statement. highlighting its fragile nature just by Washington and Moscow, “The two sides called to start days before the UN attempts to came into force a week ago and the negotiations as soon as pos- reconvene peace talks. has slowed the pace of the war, sible...between the Syrian gov- UN envoy Staff an de Mistura although it does not include Is- ernment and the whole spectrum said the talks, originally due to lamic State militants or the Al of the opposition, during which begin in Geneva tomorrow, would Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. the Syrians themselves should get off to a staggered start later in The opposition is dissatisfi ed determine the future of their the week, with delegates arriving with the implementation of the country,” the ministry said. from Wednesday onwards. deal and has yet to say whether it De Mistura attempted to con- The UN said the delay was due will attend the new talks. Fighting vene peace talks in January, but to “logistical and technical rea- continues in many parts of Syria, these failed before they had even sons and also for the ceasefi re to and the rebels say the government started in earnest. The new talks better settle down”. has kept up attacks on strategi- will be conducted indirectly, not “I see us beginning on (Thurs- cally important frontlines. face-to-face, he told Al Hayat. day) March 10 when we will The Syrian Observatory for The fall-off in violence has Children play on a sculpture at the Al Baitara roundabout in Damascus. launch the process,” de Mistura Human Rights said 135 peo- made aid deliveries easier in some said in an interview with pan- ple were killed in areas covered areas of the country, but de Mis- On Wednesday, the World town of Moadamiya two days plies were being blocked despite tee, said yesterday it had named a Arab newspaper Al Hayat. by the ‘cessation of hostilities’ tura said the Syrian government Health Organization said Syrian earlier. the truce. new president. A pro-Damascus Lebanese TV agreement since it came into should be processing aid faster. offi cials had rejected the delivery Syrian opposition coordinator The opposition Syrian Na- Anas Abda will replace Khaled channel, Al Mayadeen, reported force on Feb. 27. In areas not cov- “Lorries are waiting for 36 of medical supplies, including Riad Hijab said on Friday condi- tional Coalition, which is part of Khoja as head of the group, the from its own sources that talks ered by the truce, 552 people were hours,” he said. “And medical aid trauma and burn kits and antibi- tions for talks were “not favour- the main Saudi-backed opposi- SNC said in a statement on its had been moved to March 13. killed, said the Britain-based must be allowed.” otics, in a convoy to the besieged able” and medical and food sup- tion High Negotiations Commit- Twitter account.

Cairo memorial No breakthroughs expected on Biden trip to region

AFP sides to fi nd steps to de-escalate the ten- Washington sions and leave the door open for a two-state outcome, the vice president is not going to be bringing any major initiatives.” he White House on Friday played down suggestions President Barack Obama has stated that that Vice President Joe Biden would launch a new peace the two-state solution remains the only vi- Tinitiative during a visit to Israel and the West Bank next able outcome. week. “The vice president will not be carrying any major new Israel’s changing demographics would initiatives,” a senior administration offi cial told reporters. “It’s fundamentally alter the country’s character an uncertain context in the Israeli-Palestinian issue.” if it does not embrace a two-state solution, A fi ve-month wave of violence in Israel and the Pales- the offi cial indicated. tinian territories has killed more than 200 people, accord- US Vice President Joe Biden “It’s hard to see how in the coming decade ing to a AFP toll count. Israel remains both secure and democratic “Obviously we are all watching with great concern the “It’s not clear to us that the two sides at and a Jewish state in the absence of a two- Egypt’s Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou lights a candle in memory of Italian kind of defuse but persistent violence between Palestin- the moment have the political will to (hold) state outcome,” he said. student Guilio Regeni, who was tortured and killed in January, at the Saint Joseph’s ians and Israelis in recent months,” the offi cial said. genuine negotiations,” the White House of- Biden departs Washington on Tuesday and Roman Catholic Church in Cairo. Biden is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin fi cial said. will travel to the United Arab Emirates and Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem, and “So while we will continue to urge both Jordan in addition to Israel and the West Bank. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. He will also meet former Israeli president Shimon Peres. “Peres has had some health issues as of late, and this is basically a friend meeting with another long-standing friend,” the offi cial said. Biden and Netanyahu are expected to discuss the fi ght against the Islamic State group. The Israeli prime minister has angered the White House by publicly opposing a two-state solution to the Middle East confl ict, an idea that had been the bedrock for dec- ades of peace talks. Biden’s visit to Israel will be his second since a trip in 2010 was marred by the announcement of a major Israeli settlement project in annexed east Jerusalem. Six years on, after some fi ts and starts, the peace process remains moribund.

OIC meet to discuss Palestine deadlock

DPA Jakarta

oreign ministers and leaders of Islamic countries are to meet tomorrow in Indonesia to discuss deteriorat- Fing conditions in Palestinian territories. The extraordinary summit of the Organization of Is- lamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jakarta will address the con- tinuing expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, the status of Jerusalem, and recent violence, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. “The situation on the ground has only worsened and we want the Palestinian issue to remain on the international radar,” Retno said. The summit will end with a resolution calling on the in- ternational community to take action on the Israeli-Pales- tinian confl ict and a declaration of support for Palestine, she said. Ten heads of state have confi rmed their participation in the summit, which will be preceded by a senior offi cial meeting on Sunday, said Hasan Kleib, director general for multilateral aff airs at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry. Hasan declined to name the leaders. “The idea for the summit only came in December and in- vitations were only sent late January, so other leaders had already other schedules,” he said. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 11 AFRICA US pushes for Performing arts festival repatriation of peacekeepers for sex abuse

Reuters ual abuse against Congolese troops in Republic of Congo, but there were also United Nations CAR last year. cases in Ivory Coast, Mali and six other The United Nations currently has missions. 106,000 troops and police serving in The 69 allegations represent a he United States on Friday an- 16 peacekeeping missions. The United “marked increase” from 52 in 2014 and nounced it was pushing the States pays for more than 28 percent of 66 the previous year, said the report TUN Security Council to call the more than $8.2 billion UN peace- that described the increase as “deeply Giant puppets perform at the opening ceremony of the 9th edition of MASA (Market for African Performing Arts) at for repatriation of peacekeepers if keeping budget. concerning.” the culture palace of Abidjan yesterday. there is a pattern of sexual crimes by A senior US offi cial said on condi- At least 22 children were sexually troops of a certain nationality or if a tion of anonymity that sexual exploita- abused by peacekeepers, according country fails to investigate accusa- tion and abuse allegations against UN to the report, but that fi gure may be tions. troops “undermine not only peace- higher as the age of the victims was not The United Nations reported 99 keeping missions but really the cred- always determined. allegations of sexual exploitation or ibility of the UN” None of last year’s cases have yet re- sexual abuse against UN staff mem- “We’re the largest fi nancial contrib- sulted in criminal prosecution, accord- Congo court reduces activists’ sentences bers across the UN system last year, a utor to peacekeeping and have an enor- ing to the report. sharp increase from the 80 allegations mous vested interest in seeing peace- Under UN rules, it is up to the coun- in 2014. The majority - 69 in all - in- keeping be eff ective, being credible try that contributed the troops to in- Reuters did not provide a clear rationale for the But critics say he is working to de- volved personnel in 10 peacekeeping and actually doing what it is supposed vestigate and prosecute those accused Kinshasa reduction. He added that his clients lay a presidential poll scheduled for missions. to do, which is to protect civilians,” the of misconduct while serving under the would appeal again. November so he can stay in power. “The United States has tabled a offi cial said. UN fl ag. “They reduced the sentence to six Dozens died in violent anti-govern- draft resolution to add the Security Diplomats said the United States But human rights groups have com- n appeals court on Friday re- months but we reject that,” Kapiamba ment protests in January 2015 over Council’s weight to the United Na- has asked UN secretary-general plained about the lack of accountabil- duced the prison sentences for said. “This is shameful. The dossier is the issue. tions response to this horrific, re- Ban Ki-moon to brief the Secu- ity for UN peacekeepers: many have Asix Congolese activists jailed empty.” Four Lucha activists were sentenced current problem in peacekeeping rity Council on the issue next week. avoided investigation altogether in for preparing banners demanding that The United Nations’ human rights to 12 months in prison last September missions, including by supporting The United Nations on Friday reported their home countries or received light president Joseph Kabila step down offi ce in Congo confi rmed the verdict. for inciting civil disobedience after the secretary-general’s decision to a “deeply concerning” increase in alle- punishment. when his term ends this year, their Rights groups, the United Nations they encouraged public demonstra- repatriate units that demonstrate a gations of sex abuse by its peacekeep- The United Nations has been badly lawyer said. and several Western countries con- tions on behalf of an imprisoned fel- pattern” of sexual exploitation and ers, with 69 claims last year against shaken by the wave of allegations of sex The sentences for the activists from demned last week’s verdict as po- low activist. Two others are on trial in abuse, US ambassador Samantha troops from 21 countries. abuse by the troops it deploys in mis- Struggle for Change (Lucha), convict- litically motivated. The government Goma on similar charges. Power said in a statement. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sions with a clear mandate to protect ed of incitement to revolt after police denied the accusation and accused The United Nations said in a report “I look forward to working with my called for on-site court-martials. civilians. found them making the signs in a pri- critics of meddling in its judiciary. in December that the crackdown on colleagues in the Council toward swift For the fi rst time, Ban released the An independent panel concluded vate home, were cut from two years to Kabila succeeded his assassinated fa- political dissent, including summary adoption,” she said, adding that “the nationalities of troops facing allega- in December that the United Na- six months, Georges Kapiamba said. ther in 2001 and won disputed elections executions and arbitrary detentions, steps the United Nations and its mem- tions of sexual abuse and exploitation tions had grossly mishandled seri- Kapiamba said the appeals court›s in 2006 and 2011. The constitution bars was likely to undermine the credibility ber states have so far taken to address in his annual report as part of a new ous cases of child rape in the Central decision was political and the judges him from standing for a third term. of coming elections. this scourge are demonstrably, and push to pressure countries to take ac- African Republic despite the official woefully, inadequate.” tion. zero-tolerance policy on sexual vio- Power noted that most of the allega- Topping the “name and shame” lence. tions involved are of the most serious list was the Democratic Republic of The UN chief is recommending a nature: rape and sex with minors. She Congo, whose troops faced seven al- six-month limit for investigations, said more than 70% of investigations legations, followed by Morocco and establishing on-site courts martial for of sex crime allegations are listed as South Africa, each hit with four ac- soldiers and requiring peacekeeping “pending.” cusations. countries to provide DNA samples of Most recently there have been doz- Most of the allegations involved their soldiers on missions. ens of abuse accusations against in- troops and police from African coun- Defending UN eff orts to root out ternational troops in Central African tries: Cameroon, Congo, Tanzania, such crimes, UN peacekeeping under- Republic (CAR). The United Nations Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Gabon, secretary-general Atul Khare said that pledged to crack down on allegations Ghana, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, “anyone serving under the UN fl ag of abuse to avoid a repeat of past mis- Rwanda, Senegal and Togo. should prey on the vulnerable is truly takes. Peacekeeping police from Canada an abomination”. The previous head of the UN mis- and Germany, as well as soldiers from “We will never, never agree to pro- sion in Central African Republic, Moldova and Slovakia, also faced alle- tectors turning into predators,” said Babacar Gaye, resigned last August gations. Khare. and some 800 Congolese peacekeep- Two UN missions accounted for The Security Council will discuss ers were repatriated last month. The the majority of claims: the MINUSCA the report and the proposed US resolu- UN report released on Friday said force in the Central African Repub- tion during a meeting next week, dip- there were seven accusations of sex- lic and MONUSCO in the Democratic lomats said. W Africa’s Sahel nations to create anti-IS units

Reuters around 100 well-trained and very mo- pledged to the Sahel nations, the re- N’djamena bile men, will deploy in zones where gional body said. the terrorists operate,” the G5 Sahel’s The G5 Sahel heads of state already permanent secretary Najim Elhadj called for the creation of a multina- efence ministers from West Mohamed said following the meeting tional force last year. Africa’s arid Sahel region have late on Friday. French forces intervened in 2013 to Dagreed to work together to es- He said the units, tailored after drive back Islamist fi ghters after they tablish special rapid reaction forces Spanish forces used against the Basque seized Mali’s desert north a year ear- to counter the growing threat from Al separatist group ETA, would receive lier, citing concern that the area could Qaeda and Islamic State-linked mili- training and support from both Spain become a launching pad for attacks on tants. and France. targets in Europe. With its vast, loosely controlled French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, However, the militants have since desert expanses on the edge of the Sa- during a visit to the region last month, reorganised and launched a wave of hara and its porous borders, the Sahel promised to boost assistance to the Sa- attacks against local security forces, has proved to be fertile soil for the ex- hel countries in the wake of dramatic UN peacekeepers and civilian targets pansion of Islamist militancy in one of attacks on hotels in Burkina Faso and that has extended well beyond north- the world’s poorest regions. Mali claimed by al Qaeda in the Islamic ern Mali and into neighbouring coun- At a meeting in Chad’s capital Maghreb (AQIM). tries. N’Djamena, defence chiefs from Chad, Intelligence will be compiled at a Meanwhile Nigeria’s Boko Haram, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauri- threat analysis and early warning cen- which has pledged its allegiance to the tania — the so-called G5 Sahel coun- tre to be established in Mauritania, Islamic State, is stepping up raids and tries — pledged to form special units to where the Sahel group also plans to suicide bombings in the Lake Chad re- respond quickly to threats and attacks create a special war college. gion, which straddles the borders be- from Islamist militants. Financing was expected to come tween Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Cam- “These groups, each composed of from European Union funding already eroon.

Three people killed in Somalia

DPA Five landmines exploded in the terrorist group al-Shabaab’s strong- Mogadishu south-western town of Bardhere in hold until 2015. There are many So- the Gedo region. “Some of the blasts mali and Ethiopian troops stationed in seemed to be detonated by remote con- the town. t least three people - two ci- trol,” Somali police offi cer Abdi Hassan Al-Shebaab claimed responsibility vilians and one African Union told DPA. for the attacks on its radio station An- Asoldier - were killed and six Three further mines were defused by dalus. The Sunni fundamentalist group wounded yesterday in a series of explo- troops, Hassan said. is fi ghting to establish a theocracy in sions in Somalia, police and local wit- Bardhere lies 400km to the west the impoverished Horn of Africa na- nesses told DPA. of the capital Mogadishu and was the tion. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, March 6, 2016 AMERICAS

Criminals like Apple SpaceX launches iPhones, say police

Reuters satellite but fails Washington

ome criminals have switched to new iPhones A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Sas their “device of choice” Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in this December 21, 2015 file to commit wrongdoing due to photo. A SpaceX Falcon rocket thrust a communications satellite strong encryption Apple In- landing at sea into orbit on Friday, before the reusable main-stage booster turned corporated has placed on their around, soared back toward Earth and was destroyed when it failed products, three law enforcement Reuters Space Exploration Technologies, putting the Boeing-built satel- the founder and chief execu- to land its self on a platform in the ocean, according to the company. groups said in a court fi ling. Cape Canaveral, Florida though a Falcon main-stage lite, owned by Luxembourg- tive offi cer of SpaceX, said in a The groups told a judge over- rocket did achieve a successful based SES SA, into orbit more Twitter message more than an lite into an orbit more than 100 rocket settled itself on a plat- seeing Apple’s battle with the US ground-based touchdown after than 25,000 miles (40,600km) hour after blast-off . “Didn’t ex- times higher than where the In- form in the Pacifi c Ocean, but a Department of Justice on Thurs- SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soaring back to Earth from a less above Earth. pect this one to work ... but next ternational Space Station (ISS) stabilising landing leg failed to day that, among other things, blasted off from Florida demanding launch in December. On its way up, the rocket’s fl ight has a good chance.” fl ies. latch, causing the booster to keel they were aware of “numerous Aand thrust a communica- The latest try occurred af- fi rst-stage booster separated The ability to safely and reli- The speed required to achieve over and explode. instances” in which criminals tions satellite into orbit on Fri- ter four SpaceX launch delays as planned, turned around and ably return the rocket’s main that feat meant the rocket was SpaceX’s next mission, a who previously used so-called day, but the launch vehicle’s re- stretching back to February 24. headed toward a platform fl oat- stage to a landing pad at sea going too fast to even attempt a cargo-delivery run to the space throwaway burner phones had usable main-stage booster was On Friday, the 23-storey-tall ing about 400 miles (645km) off has been a key hurdle in Musk’s ground landing. station for Nasa, is targeted for switched to iPhones. destroyed when it failed to land Falcon 9 bolted off its seaside Florida’s east coast. quest to develop a relatively SpaceX came close to nailing launch in late March or early They did not list a specifi c in- itself on an ocean platform, the launch pad at Cape Canaveral The rocket found its target, cheap, reusable launch vehicle. an ocean touchdown in January April. stance. company said. Air Force Station as scheduled at but its velocity proved too great The rocket fl ying on Fri- after blasting off from California The launch fi rm has contracts The brief by the Federal Law It marked the fourth botched 6.35pm EST/2335 GMT. to allow for a safe landing on the day faced a particularly chal- to deliver a climate-monitoring worth more than $10bn from Enforcement Offi cers Associa- at-sea return landing attempt A half-hour later it complet- drone barge. lenging mission to deliver the satellite into orbit. commercial companies, Nasa tion and two others also cited a for Elon Musk’s privately-owned ed the chief goal of its mission, “Rocket landed hard,” Musk, 12,613-pound (5,721kg) satel- The returning main-stage and other agencies. jailhouse phone call intercepted by New York authorities in 2015, in which an inmate called Ap- ple’s encrypted operating system a “gift from God”. The government obtained a court order last month requiring Astronaut Scott Kelly adjusts to Earth Apple to write new software to disable passcode protection and allow access to an iPhone used AFP grown a full 2” (5.1cm) were ex- eff ects of radiation, which in But that soon changed. by one of the shooters in the De- Miami aggerated. high enough doses can lead to “My level of muscle soreness cember killings in San Bernardi- “I don’t know where that cancer. and fatigue is a lot higher than no, California. came from. I did measure myself Asked if the brothers noticed it was last time. Maybe there is a Apple asked that the order S astronaut Scott Kelly and it was an inch and a half, so anything else diff erent about linear function to it,” he said. “I be vacated, arguing that such said yesterday that he maybe somebody just decided each other upon being reunited, also have an issue with my skin, a move would set a dangerous Uis battling fatigue and to just round up and write it as a Scott answered: “He’s got a bet- that because it hadn’t touched precedent and threaten custom- super-sensitive skin, but is back fact,” he told reporters. ter tan.” anything for so long – like any er security. to his normal height after a year The specifi cs are important The veteran of four space signifi cant contact – it is very, Tech industry leaders includ- spent testing the eff ects of long- because a team of doctors is missions, 52-year-old Kelly re- very sensitive. It is almost like a ing Google, Facebook and Mi- term spacefl ight ahead of a fu- carefully researching the genet- turned to Earth with the record burning feeling wherever I sit or crosoft and more than two dozen ture mission to Mars. ic, physical and psychological for the longest amount of time lie or walk.” other companies fi led legal briefs Kelly’s 340-day journey in diff erences between Kelly and spent in space by an American. Kelly added that he was only on Thursday supporting Apple. space, undertaken along with his twin, who is also an astro- A Russian cosmonaut holds wearing dress shoes because of The Justice Department re- Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Ko- naut but who stayed on Earth to the all-time record. his televised appearance, and ceived support from law en- rnienko, wrapped up early on take part in the study. “It seemed like I’d lived there that a more comfortable pair was forcement groups and six rela- Wednesday when they landed in The details of those ongoing forever. It was longer than I waiting nearby. tives of San Bernardino victims. frigid Kazakhstan aboard a Soy- studies are secret for now, as thought it would be. But having Other changes he noticed The law enforcement groups uz spacecraft. scientists will do further analy- fl own before, I did pace myself were in his fi ne motor skills. said in their brief that Apple’s One of the eff ects of spending sis and submit their fi ndings for appropriately,” he told reporters He said he tried to shoot some stance poses a grave threat to in- such a long time in the absence Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly speaks to the media after returning from peer-review before publication. in his fi rst extended media ap- hoops but missed the basket vestigations across the country. of gravity was that Kelly’s spine a one year mission in space aboard the International Space Station, The idea is to learn more about pearance since his return. each time. The Federal Bureau of Investi- expanded temporarily, making at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. Kelly’s his the harmful eff ects of space- Kelly had previously spent six Kelly, who recently wore a gation (FBI) says Rizwan Farook him grow 1.5” (3.8cm), only to record-breaking year-long mission was intended to provide critical fl ight before Nasa greenlights months at the orbiting research gorilla suit in space to chase a and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, shrink as he returned to Earth. data to understand how to keep astronauts healthy during long any deep space mission to an lab, and was somewhat prepared fellow astronaut as a joke, also were inspired by Islamist mili- His twin brother, Mark Kelly, space voyages. asteroid or Mars, journeys that for the eff ects of returning from poked fun at himself for his fi rst tants when they shot and killed said they were the same height would last a year or more. microgravity. choice of food upon returning to 14 people on December 2 at a again by the time they hugged in sociate manager for internation- tion of fl uid accumulation in the The study includes frequent “Initially this time, coming Earth – a banana. holiday party. Houston early on Thursday. al science at Nasa, any height discs between the bones in the MRIs of the twins’ organs and out of the capsule, I felt better “It looked so good,” he said. The couple later died in a According to John Charles, gain “probably went away very spinal column”. major vessels, genetic analysis than I did last time,” when his “As soon as I ate half of it, I rec- shootout with police and the FBI human research programme as- quickly, because it is a func- Kelly also said reports he had and a close examination of the mission lasted 159 days, he said. ognised the irony.” said it wants to read the data on Farook’s work phone to investi- gate links with militant groups. In a fi ling on Thursday, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Offi ce said at least Latest Hillary Clinton bio for children two 911 calls from the time of the shooting reported three assail- ants, not two. Even though those reports highlights her successes and failures were “not corroborated”, if in fact there were three attackers it would be important to crack Reuters Levinson brought Clinton’s They include Hillary Rodham side. Hillary Clinton is less di- open the iPhone “to identify as Potomac, Maryland story this week to fourth grad- Clinton: Some Girls are Born to rect than Bernie Sanders,” said of yet unknown co-conspira- ers at Cold Spring Elementary Lead by Michelle Markel and Sudhish Swain, 10, referring to tors”, the District Attorney’s fi l- School in suburban Washington, Jonah Winter’s picture book Hil- Clinton’s rival for the Demo- ing stated. s Hillary Clinton sets her whom she found were paying lary. cratic nomination. Apple has said it respects sights on becoming the close attention to the presiden- While the books all include Many students said they got A guest records the meeting as Clinton meets with African American the FBI and has co-operated by Afi rst female president of tial race. the theme of female strength, their news about the election, ministers at the Westin Book Cadillac hotel yesterday in Detroit. turning over data in its posses- the United States, the Demo- “I hope kids enjoy the book, Levinson said she was keen to which will be held in November, sion. cratic front-runner has found and I hope that it’s thought-pro- highlight both Clinton’s suc- from the radio or school bus de- qualities aren’t good for a presi- be Ohio Governor John Kasich. The latest request is diff erent, herself in another role – the sub- voking for them,” said Levinson, cesses and failures, such as her bates. dent.” Kyle Baer said he liked Clinton Apple says, because it requires ject of children’s books. who went to Wellesley College vote for the US war in Iraq and “We mostly agree that Don- She showed off an op-ed piece but still would not vote for her if them to crack a phone with a In Hillary Rodham Clinton: with Clinton and interviewed bungled healthcare initiative ald Trump would not be a good she had submitted to the Wash- he were old enough. software tool that does not cur- Do All the Good You Can, author mutual acquaintances and the while fi rst lady. president,” said Tianlai Yang. ington Post urging Republicans “The only thing I have against rently exist. Cynthia Levinson charts her rise former fi rst lady for the book. The grade-schoolers were di- Katherine Pease pointed out: to rally around one candidate to her is that she’s already been a from her youth in Park Ridge, Il- The book is among several re- vided over whether Clinton, 68, “He lies, he’s a hypocrite, he’s a counter Trump. resident of the White House be- linois, to her work as a US sena- cent children’s biographies on was the woman for the job. megalomaniac, and he’s delu- The nine-year-old said that fore, and I don’t think she should No development tor and secretary of state. Clinton. “I’m more on Bernie Sanders’ sional, which, really, those four she hoped that candidate would be a resident again,” he said. near South Rim, Grand Canyon US land managers have rejected a plan that could have Trudeau, provinces set carbon pricing outlines opened the way for an urban development near the Grand Canyon’s celebrated South Reuters election last October on a pledge Philippe Couillard to break into a Rim, a surprise decision that Vancouver to do much more than the previ- broad smile. was decried by developers and ous Conservative government Asked whether a province could other supporters of the plan to curb emissions of greenhouse avoid a set price for carbon, Tru- but praised by foes including anadian Prime Minister gases, which are climbing as fi rms deau said the matter would be environmental groups. Justin Trudeau persuaded exploit Canada’s vast crude-rich among those discussed over the The plan submitted by Tusayan, Cthe country’s 10 provinces oil sands. next six months. a community of about 600 on Thursday to accept the concept “There will be diff erent ap- Saskatchewan Premier Brad residents on the outskirts of of putting a price on carbon but proaches but pricing carbon is Wall, speaking to reporters af- Arizona’s most famous national agreed the specifi c details could be part of the solution that this ter the talks, said he believed his Trudeau: There will be diff erent park, would have built shops, worked out later. country and all of its premiers will province’s existing carbon capture approaches but pricing carbon restaurants, hotels and thousands The compromise deal was un- put forward,” Trudeau told a news and storage initiative would count is part of the solution that this of homes on acreage near the veiled at the end of a tough day’s conference. as a pricing mechanisms. country and all of its premiers will South Rim that could only be talks with the provinces, many of The provinces, which enjoy sig- “It’s a price on carbon for sure,” put forward. developed if the surrounding which had signaled their opposi- nifi cant jurisdiction over the en- he said, adding: “If there is a no- national forest agreed to road tion to the idea of Ottawa impos- vironment, were wary of Ottawa’s tion that comes forward that this Canada could reach the goal “be- upgrades and utility installation. ing a single price across the coun- intentions and say they should be (agreement) is some sort of licence cause we are putting forward a In a letter submitted to Tusayan try. allowed to cut carbon emissions to pursue a national carbon tax, I comprehensive and ambitious on Friday, the Kaibab National Instead, the two sides agreed their own way. will be in disagreement with that.” plan”. Forest said that the application that mechanisms for pricing car- The federal government can The previous federal govern- He did not give details. for those improvements bon would take into account each unilaterally impose a tax, although ment had pledged to cut green- The political wrangling on a had failed to meet minimal province’s specifi c circumstances. Trudeau has been pushing for a house gas emissions to 30% below carbon tax eclipsed the other ma- requirements that mesh with The two sides will present more pan-Canadian solution. 2005 levels by 2030, a target that jor point of contention among the forest’s overall mandate to detailed proposals at a meeting in “There was a moment when offi cial fi gures show is out of reach Trudeau and provincial leaders – prevent activities that might October. the conversation was frank,” Tru- in the absence of radical measures. the construction of new crude oil substantially or adversely aff ect Trudeau’s Liberal Party won the deau said, leading Quebec Premier Trudeau expressed optimism pipelines. the park and tribal lands. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 13 AMERICA

Trump backtracks on torture, killings Five more states vote

AFP Reuters pendent voters who have helped from Arizona, said that Trump’s ing to have to stand up and punch On the Democratic side, vot- Washington Washington Trump’s surge adds an air of un- foreign policy views were unin- him back”. ers in Louisiana, Kansas and certainty to the latest round of formed and dangerous. The anti-Trump forces have a Nebraska were weighing in yes- state-by-state contests to pick At the Conservative Political short window to stop the caustic terday on the race between Clin- onald Trump has abruptly epublican Donald Trump nominees for the November 8 Action Conference yesterday, US businessman, who has accumu- ton, the former secretary of state, backtracked on vows to and Democrat Hillary election to succeed President Senator Marco Rubio of Florida lated 319 of the 1,237 delegates and Bernie Sanders, a US senator Dtorture terror suspects RClinton were each look- Barack Obama. criticised the media for fueling needed to win the nomination at from Vermont. and kill their families, saying that ing to strengthen their front- Since winning seven of 11 con- his rise. July’s Republican national con- Polls show Clinton with a big he would not order the US mili- runner status in fi ve presidential tests on Super Tuesday, Trump “I’ve been sitting here for fi ve vention, outpacing Cruz, who lead in Louisiana, which has a tary to break international laws if nominating contests yesterday, has come under withering fi re minutes and two of the three has 226 delegates. large bloc of African-American elected president. Trump: flexible as Trump tries to weather a bar- from a Republican establishment questions you’ve asked have been On March 15, the delegate-rich voters, who helped her roll up In a statement to the Wall rage of blistering attacks from his worried he will lead the party to about Donald Trump,” Rubio said states of Florida, Illinois, Ohio, victories across the South on Su- Street Journal, the Republican an unlawful order, that would be party’s establishment. a defeat in November’s election. during a question-and-answer Missouri and North Carolina will per Tuesday. White House frontrunner said in violation of all the interna- Trump, the brash New York Mainstream Republicans have session with CNN’s Dana Bash. vote. But the caucuses in less diverse that he would “use every legal tional laws of armed confl ict,” he billionaire who has opened a blanched at Trump’s calls to US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Both Florida and Ohio use a Kansas and Nebraska could be power that I have to stop these said in a televised interview. substantial lead in delegates over build a wall on the border with Trump’s second-place rival, winner-take-all method to allo- more suited to Sanders. terrorist enemies”. And earlier on Friday, Repub- presidential rivals, hopes to rack Mexico, round up and deport made a similar argument related cate Republican delegates, mak- The three states have a total of “I do, however, understand lican Senator Lindsey Graham up more wins in Republican con- 11mn undocumented immigrants to the media in Wichita, Kansas, ing the stakes in those two states 109 delegates at stake. that the United States is bound wrote to the Pentagon’s top gen- tests in Kansas, Kentucky, Loui- and temporarily bar all Muslims yesterday. particularly high. Clinton has a big delegate lead by laws and treaties and I will not eral asking for his legal opinion siana and Maine. from entering the United States. Rubio, a frequent target of If Trump takes Florida and and Sanders might have a tough order our military or other of- on Trump’s pledges. Polling has been scarce in all Mitt Romney, the 2012 Re- Trump’s attacks, also told Bash Ohio he would be nearly impos- time making up the diff erence. fi cials to violate those laws and “Would you view these orders four states, which together ac- publican presidential nominee, that he “didn’t get into this race sible to stop. All states in the Democratic will seek their advice on such as lawful? In addition, what ad- count for just 155 delegates, and called Trump a phony and a fraud to beat up on other candidates”. There are a total of 358 del- race award their delegates pro- matters. I will not order a mili- vice would you provide to service the contests are open only to reg- who was playing American vot- But, he added, “if someone egates at stake in the fi ve states portionally, meaning Clinton can tary offi cer to disobey the law.” members if such orders were is- istered Republicans. ers for suckers, and 2008 nomi- keeps punching people in the voting on March 15, including 99 keep piling up delegates even in Trump’s new position stands sued?” Graham wrote. The exclusion of the inde- nee John McCain, the US senator face, eventually someone’s go- in Florida and 66 in Ohio. states she loses. in contrast to remarks he made at Trump’s rivals challenged him a Republican debate less than 24 during Thursday’s debate over hours earlier, when he doubled his changing political positions down on previous pledges that, on several issues, and his latest if elected, he would do “a hell of U-turn will only fuel that criti- a lot worse” than waterboarding cism. and said he had “no problem” The candidate responded dur- with the targeting of terror sus- ing the debate by saying he was pects’ families. “fl exible”. “Can you imagine these peo- Several other establishment ple, these animals over in the fi gures have challenged Trump Middle East, that chop off heads, in recent weeks, including John sitting around talking and seeing Rizzo – a top CIA lawyer when that we’re having a hard problem the agency was waterboarding with waterboarding?” he said at detainees – who said offi cials the debate, echoing several simi- would rather quit than revisit the lar statements he had made in legal and political minefi eld as- recent months. sociated with the technique. His tough talk resonated with Congress has now banned the supporters, tapping into frustra- use of waterboarding and other Carson: had seen no ‘path forward’ in his campaign. tions over the pace and rules of harsh interrogation tactics. engagement of the US-led cam- “Many of those who were con- paign against the Islamic State nected to the (enhanced inter- (IS) group and other militant rogation) programme over its six groups. years’ span – and hundreds are Carson ‘leaving’ campaign But the rhetoric drew broad still there – would resign or retire condemnation from elsewhere, rather than have to go down that with observers saying that the perilous road again,” Rizzo told to lead Christian group Pentagon would probably refuse Newsweek. any illegal orders. Trump’s proposal to kill the “Those specifi c orders are il- families of terror suspects was DPA a Christian get-out-the-vote organi- legal and you will not fi nd law- even more contentious. Washington sation, My Faith Votes. yers to present a compelling case “It’s murder,” Eugene Fidell, a Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who that will go the other way,” Peter prominent expert in military jus- had a brief surge in opinion surveys last Feaver, a professor of political tice at Yale Law School, told AFP. epublican presidential hope- year but has failed to bring in votes, did science and public policy at Duke “The unlawful killing of a human ful Ben Carson has said that he not participate in the last two Republi- University, told AFP. being is murder unless it is justi- Ris “leaving the campaign trail” can debates. Feaver, who served in national fi ed, and there is no justifi cation after disappointing results in the con- His campaign had its high-water security positions under former for a murder in violation of the tests to date for the conservative par- mark in the fi rst contest in Iowa last presidents Bill Clinton and law of armed confl ict.” ty’s nomination. month, where he had sought to appeal George W Bush, joined dozens Nato’s top commander Gen- The announcement, made at the to the central state’s large bloc of con- of members of the Republican eral Philip Breedlove said this Conservative Political Action Confer- servative Christian voters. national security community week that his colleagues in Eu- ence outside Washington, follows a Carson fi nished a disappointing signing an open letter this week rope have started wondering statement in which he said that he saw fourth and had accused US Senator Ted slamming Trump’s vision of aloud how the US military might no “path forward” in his campaign. Cruz’s campaign of spreading false- American power. change under a Trump presi- Carson will instead take the helm of hoods to peel away his supporters. “His embrace of the expansive dency. use of torture is inexcusable,” the “I get a lot of questions from letter stated. our European counterparts on Former Central Intelligence our election process this time in Agency (CIA) head Michael Hay- general,” Breedlove said. “They Trump nomination odds den had also waded into the is- see a very diff erent sort of public sue. discussion than they have in the “You are required not to follow past.” wane in online betting

Reuters New York

onald Trump’s prospects of winning the Repub- lican nomination for the White House have slid Dsharply in online wagering venues, and bets that Republicans could have a fractured convention or that Trump may run as a third-party candidate were increas- ing. Chances of Trump claiming the Republican mantle have fallen hard to 69% after cresting at 86% this week following his winning seven of 11 states in Super Tuesday voting, according to PredictWise, which aggregates bet- ting on multiple venues into an implied probability. The billionaire businessman is still the prohibitive favourite, but it was the steepest slide in his imputed chances since his second-place showing in the Iowa cau- cuses on February 1. Trump faces withering attacks from rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and from 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, who labeled him a danger to the Republican par- ty and the United States. On PredictIt, a site aggregated into PredictWise prob- ability, Trump’s chances were 70% early on Friday, up slightly from late on Thursday when they fell to 68%, their lowest since February 23. PredictIt is operated by Victoria University in New Zea- land. Online wagering venues such as Ireland’s PaddyPow- er, which express candidates’ prospects as traditional sports-betting odds, show Trump losing lustre as Rubio and Cruz gain steam. PaddyPower’s odds show Trump as a 2-to-5 favourite compared with a 1-to-7 favourite right after Super Tues- day. Odds on Rubio, a US senator from Florida, narrowed to 4-to-1 from 5-to-1 on Tuesday, and odds for Cruz, a US senator from Texas, were 9-to-1 from 12-to-1 earlier this week. Intense squabbling among Republican candidates and eff orts by establishment Republicans to block a Trump nomination at this summer’s Republican National Con- vention boosted bets that former secretary of state Hil- lary Clinton, the favourite for the Democratic nomina- tion, would win the November 8 general election. The former fi rst lady served as the top US diplomat un- der President Barack Obama. Clinton’s prospects of winning a head-to-head contest against Trump shot to above 60% earlier this week and stood at 57% on Friday, according to PredictIt. Trump’s chances of trouncing Clinton sank to 27% on Friday from 39% in late February. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, March 6, 2016 ASEAN

New Zika 67 hurt as engine explodes case in Laos

Agencies on Bangkok commuter ferry Bangkok

DPA aos is the latest country to Bangkok report a local transmission Lof the Zika virus, accord- ing to the World Health Organi- t least 67 people were in- sation, as fears mount over the jured yesterday when the mosquito-borne illness that has Aengine of a Bangkok com- been linked to birth defects. muter ferry exploded, tossing Asia has seen only a sprinkling passengers into a canal and onto of cases of the virus so far, but a a pier, news reports said. surge in Latin America this year About 80 passengers were has pushed the UN health agen- aboard the boat as it docked cy to declare Zika a global health along the Saen Saep canal in emergency. eastern Bangkok, according to Laos joined a total of 41 coun- Khaosod news service. tries that have reported local CCTV footage of the explosion transmissions of the virus since showed passengers thrown into the beginning the year, a WHO the water and others scrambling report said. onto the pier after the blast. Health authorities in Laos Khaosod quoted Chawalit were not available to comment. Methayaprapas, the owner of Neighbouring Thailand reported Family Transport Company one case last month of a 22-year- which operates the commuter old who contracted the illness service, as saying the cause of domestically and has since re- the explosion was unclear, but covered. the boat’s engine used liquifi ed Thailand’s Public Health Min- natural gas. istry has urged the public not to He said his boats that operate panic. on natural gas will switch to die- The sickness is carried by the sel until it is clear what caused Aedes aegypti mosquito, which the explosion. also spreads dengue fever. Most of the injured were It breeds in tropical areas, in- treated at local hospitals and re- cluding Southeast Asia, which leased. Two remained in hospital has seen a spike in cases of with serious injuries, according dengue in recent months and to medical offi cials. most often causes mild, fl u-like Rescue workers stand next to a river taxi engine which exploded at a canal in Bangkok yesterday. symptoms. Got a problem? Try Cambodia PM’s ministry of Facebook

Reuters Phnom Penh

nable to pay his way out of jail, Kong Chamroeun Uwas remanded in a Cam- bodian prison pending trial for stealing $80 of company prop- erty, a crime his family said he did not commit. “We had nothing, just empty hands,” said his girlfriend, Lorn Chenda, who alleged police tried to extort Chamroeun for $2,000 in “compensation” in exchange for not pressing charges. With Chamroeun, 28, be- hind bars for 10 days and no one else to turn to, Chenda used her smartphone to appeal directly to Cambodia’s highest authority — Prime Minister Hun Sen. She recorded a fi ve-minute video detailing the alleged ex- tortion attempt and urging the Lorn Chenda, 26, (left) and her boyfriend Kong Chamroeun 28, look on during an interview in Phnom Penh. Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen looks at his smartphone at a ceremony in Phnom Penh. self-styled strongman to inter- vene, then posted it on his Face- Hun Sen’s new infatuation with The opposition’s social me- adding that without Facebook, issues with motorcycle licenses ban Planning Ministry. problems were being spun as book page. Facebook, which he adopted dia campaigns were a hit with he could not serve the public so and inheritance tax. “This is at the direct instruc- Hun Sen’s “personal gifts” to the The next morning, Cham- with gusto in September last young, urban voters in a dis- eff ectively. Seven ministries have set up tion of the prime minister so this public and ignored the need for roeun was freed and his case dis- year and now has two million puted 2013 election that stunned “I need to have work done working groups with 64 mem- work can’t be ignored.” structural reforms to tackle graft, missed. followers. Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian quickly,” he said. bers who trawl postings on Hun The government last year held injustice and bureaucratic inef- “We never expected the prime Experts say he is using Face- People’s Party (CPP) and sharply “The problems the people face Sen’s Facebook page looking for mandatory classes for 400 heads fi ciency. minister would help us,” Chen- book to quickly recoup some lost reduced its house majority. are not small, do not underesti- solvable public grievances, in- of Phnom Penh schools, where “This populist strategy mere- da, 26, told Reuters. popularity ahead of a 2018 elec- Chenda’s video appeal to Hun mate them.” cluding land disputes, arguably they were encouraged to use Fa- ly reproduces an old pattern in “This is the smallest problem tion tipped to be the biggest test Sen went viral and the premier It was not an isolated case. Cambodia’s most entrenched cebook and write messages sup- Cambodian politics, which is for the prime minister to have to to his three-decade rule. has since urged the public to The former Khmer Rouge soldier problem. portive of the CPP. that improvements in people’s solve himself, and it was solved Hun Sen’s strategy appears to send complaints about govern- has been credited with solving “We track the comments all Sebastian Strangio, author lives are treated as a blessing very quickly.” be out of the playbook of bit- ment corruption to his Facebook numerous problems raised on his the time, every day,” said Seng of the book, Hun Sen’s Cambo- from the powerful, rather than as Chamroeun’s release was for- ter rival the Cambodia National inbox. He referred to Cham- Facebook, like high university Loth, who monitors the page for dia, said successes from using part of a democratic social con- tuitously timed, coinciding with Rescue Party (CNRP). roeun’s case at a recent speech, test fees, informal road tolls and the Land Management and Ur- Facebook to troubleshoot voter tract,” Strangio said. New chief of Indonesia’s anti-graft agency vows to make a comeback

Reuters economy, but was brought to its bitious goals, which include mak- ruption Watch. Indonesia consist- Jakarta knees last year, when a long-run- ing at least 12 arrests this year, Ra- ently ranks among the most cor- ning rivalry with the police force hardjo said, adding that it would rupt states in the world, according burst into the open and three of its target the food, energy, and infra- to Transparency International, he new chief of Indonesia’s key personnel were arrested. structure sectors. though it climbed 19 places this Corruption Eradication Many had hoped that Widodo, “The new law will make it im- year to rank 88th out of 168 coun- TCommission plans to strike who promised during his 2014 possible to make arrests,” he said. tries. Graft still pervades almost back at forces trying to undermine presidential campaign to stamp Rahardjo threatened to resign if the every aspect of life and is seen as a the agency’s powers after a year of out corruption and make Indonesia legislation was enacted. costly deterrent to foreign invest- crippling attacks by police and pol- more investor-friendly, would back Complaints over the perceived ment. Headline-grabbing arrests iticians in one of Asia’s most graft- the popular agency. threat from parliament this week will not be enough to fi ght that, Ra- plagued nations. Instead, he was largely silent as prompted Widodo to ask lawmak- hardjo said. “Last year we were severely the agency’s work ground to a halt. ers to suspend deliberations. “One thing the KPK hasn’t weakened, but now we are back to It made only fi ve arrests in 2015, “It is a form of support,” Raha- pushed is trying to make a lasting full force,” Agus Rahardjo told Reu- around half its annual average. rdjo said of Widodo’s move. and wider impact on corrupt sys- ters recently in his fi rst interview While many hope new leadership However, critics say he has only tems,” he said. with foreign media since taking will turn around that track record, kicked the can down the road and “We will continue to go after the over the reins in January of the body the agency now faces a fresh battle point to his handling of the KPK- big fi sh, but it’s important that we best known as the KPK. against politicians. Along with the police rift last year as evidence push for the change to be sustain- Rahardjo said the agency was de- police, members of parliament are that he is not bold enough to fi ght able.” termined to pursue the so-called often targeted by the KPK. corruption and take on powerful Anti-graft activists believe, “oil and gas mafi a”, which wields Lawmakers have proposed revi- vested interests within his ruling however, that the agency will infl uence over energy sector of- sions to the law that governs the coalition. struggle to root corruption out of fi cials and is among the vested in- agency, looking to scrap its surveil- “Jokowi cannot make a quick the system. terests hampering President Joko lance powers and allow a parlia- decision to back up the KPK be- “I don’t think the KPK will con- Widodo’s eff orts to open the econ- mentary body to end graft investi- cause at the same time he also has tinue to work on fi ghting against omy to competition. The agency gations when it chooses. to consider political pressure from corruption optimally when there is was once a formidable force against If passed, the new measure will his own political party,” said Adnan no political support to this institu- The chairman of Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Agus Rahardjo speaks with graft in Southeast Asia’s largest probably hamper the agency’s am- Topan Husodo of Indonesia Cor- tion,” Husodo said. the media outside the KPK building in Jakarta. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 15 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

China premier rejects Taiwan Beijing says its defence ‘separatist’ sentiments

Reuters spending pace to slow Beijing Reuters Beijing hina will oppose Taiwan independ- ence “separatist” activities and safe- Cguard peace and stability in the Taiwan hina said yesterday it will raise Strait, Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday, fol- military spending by 7.6% this lowing the victory of an independence-lean- Cyear, its lowest increase in six ing party in the island’s elections in January. years, but vowed to protect its mari- China considers Taiwan a wayward prov- time rights amid disputes in the East ince, to be brought under its control by force and South China Seas and improve if necessary. Defeated Nationalist forces fl ed intelligence gathering. to Taiwan in 1949 after the Chinese civil war. The 954.35bn yuan ($146.67bn) Beijing has repeatedly warned against any fi gure is only around a quarter of the moves towards independence since January’s US Defence Department budget for landslide win by Tsai Ing-wen and her Demo- 2016 of $573bn, but comes at a time cratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan’s of rising concern over China’s inten- presidential and parliamentary elections. tions in territorial disputes. Tsai has said she would maintain peace The increase is the fi rst single-dig- with China, and Chinese state-run media it rise since 2010, following a nearly have also noted her pledges to maintain the unbroken two-decade run of double- “status quo” with China. digit jumps, and comes as China’s Speaking at the opening of the annual economy slows. meeting of China’s largely rubber-stamp par- It was announced yesterday at the liament, Li said China remained committed start of the annual meeting of par- to its “major policies” on Taiwan. liament, but had been fl agged by an “We will ... oppose separatist activities offi cial who gave a rough fi gure the for the independence of Taiwan, safeguard previous day. China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, President Xi Jinping is seeking to maintain the peaceful growth of cross-strait drag the People’s Liberation Army, relations and safeguard peace and stability in the world’s largest armed forces, into the Taiwan Strait,” he added. the modern age, cutting 300,000 Li made no direction mention of Tsai, who jobs and revamping its Cold War-era assumes offi ce in May. command structure. The past eight years have been marked by However, the reforms have run into calm between China and Taiwan, after the opposition from soldiers and offi cers election of the China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou worried about job security and few as president in 2008 and his subsequent re- details have been released as to what election. will happen to those laid off . Ma signed a series of key economic deals Premier Li Keqiang told the open- with Beijing and held a landmark meeting ing of China’s largely rubber-stamp with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Novem- parliament that the country will ber in neutral Singapore. “strengthen in a coordinated way But a controversial trade pact has lan- military preparedness on all fronts guished in the island’s parliament after pro- and for all scenarios”. tests in 2014 over trade dealings with Beijing. “We will work to make the mili- Li said Beijing would “strive to make tary more revolutionary, modern and progress on cross-strait economic integra- well-structured in every respect, and Women wearing ethnic minority costumes take selfies outside the Great Hall of the People during the opening session of the National People’s Congress in tion” and strengthen exchanges between or- remain committed to safeguarding Beijing yesterday. dinary people and the younger generation. national security,” he said. Turning to another troublesome area for “We will make steady progress in “It certainly doesn’t mean the said China would strengthen its ca- aimed at national defence has been dozen senior offi cers approached by Beijing, Li said he was also convinced the reforming military leadership and Chinese people’s dreams of a strong pabilities in maritime law enforce- taking shape.” Reuters on the sidelines of parlia- Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macao command structures and launch re- country and military will be impacted ment and “appropriately handle” The fi ve-year plan also said China ment declined to comment on the would maintain their long-term prosperity form of the military’s size and struc- upon,” it added. infringements of its maritime rights, would improve its national security matter. and stability. ture as well as its policies and institu- Beijing is feeling public pressure to though it gave no details. “technology and equipment con- In a government-arranged in- Pro-democracy protesters shut down cen- tions.” show it can protect its claims to the The Global Times, a widely read struction” and raise the country’s in- terview the previous evening, Chen tral parts of the former British colony for 79 The offi cial Xinhua news agency South China Sea after the US began tabloid published by the ruling Com- telligence gathering abilities. Zhou, a researcher at the Academy of days in late 2014 and anti-Beijing feeling attributed the slowdown in the pace conducting “freedom of navigation” munist Party’s People’s Daily, said China, the world’s second-largest Military Science, said a more modern continues in the Hong Kong. of defence spending to “rising eco- operations near islands where China that for many Chinese the smaller economy, is increasingly exposed army needed better training and this is Last month police arrested more than 60 nomic headwinds and last year’s has been carrying out controversial increase “was a bit of a disappoint- to international crises like the Mid- where defence funds should be spent. people during riots at the start of the Lunar massive drawdown of service people”. reclamation work and stationing ad- ment”, but called for understanding. dle East but has little experience at “Investment in troop training New Year blamed by Beijing on “radical sepa- China’s Defence Ministry, in a vanced weapons. “There is no need to spend hugely dealing with them, unlike established needs to increase, as only this way ratists”. commentary on its website, de- A draft of the fi ve-year plan, a to catch up with the US, which seeks powers like the US and Russia. can we allow our military to walk The riots erupted when authorities tried scribed the slower pace as “appropri- blueprint for the country’s aspira- to keep its global military presence. Underscoring the sensitivity of down a path of military professional- to remove illegal street stalls set up for Lunar ate”. tions from this year through to 2020, China’s regional military deterrence China’s defence spending, about a ism.” New Year celebrations.

Australian abuse victims Rising rents in Sydney matched by increase in homeless contest Vatican on denial Reuters of meeting with the Pope Sydney n informal “street count” by staff of City of Sydney council and volunteers has Reuters implications about the account- Aidentifi ed 486 homeless people sleeping Rome/Sydney ability of church leaders. rough in the inner city, the highest fi gure since After a two-hour meeting the initiative was launched in 2010. with victims, Pell dismissed “This is a tragic situation and I am deeply ustralian victims of sex- suggestions he resign his posi- saddened by the dramatic rise in numbers,” ual abuse by Catholic tion, saying to do so would be Lord Mayor Clover Moore said in a statement. Apriests said they were dis- “an admission of guilt”. “We all know Sydney is in the grip of a hous- appointed they were not granted Pell had told the inquiry that ing crisis, and now even middle-income earners a meeting with Pope Francis on the Church had made “enor- are fi nding it tough to pay their rents and mort- Friday and contested the Vati- mous mistakes” and “cata- gages,” she said. can’s assertion they failed to strophic” choices by refusing to Declining housing aff ordability was contrib- make their request through the believe abused children, shuf- uting to the high numbers of homeless people proper channels. fl ing abusive priests from par- identifi ed by the count, which was almost 25% The group of about 15 were in ish to parish and over-relying higher than last year. Rome for a week to watch Car- on counselling of priests to solve According to council fi gures, Sydney’s mean dinal George Pell give evidence the problem. rental prices have jumped almost 60% since via video link to an Australian He also said he was deceived 2006 while household incomes have grown by government commission about and lied to by superiors as a 48%. sexual abuse in Australia when young priest in the 1970s. It estimated that 84% of low-income house- he was a priest and bishop there Pell said he had been worried holds in the council’s jurisdiction are paying in the 1970s and 1980s. about meeting with victims, 30% of their gross income on housing. “We would have wanted to including Ridsdale, whom Pell A report on Friday showed mental illness and know how the Pope could have testifi ed had lied to the inquiry substance abuse are rife within the homeless assisted us by vocalising his about Pell trying to bribe him to A man, claiming to be homeless, begs for money as he lies in the emergency exit doorway of a building in central Sydney. community. support and acknowledging the remain silent about his abuse. mistakes of the past,” said Dav- “I didn’t want a punch up id Ridsdale, who as a boy was that made things worse for the abused by his uncle, a priest at church and for them,” Pell said the time. in a News Corp TV interview. A Vatican spokesman said on Pell conceded that while child Friday no request had been made abuse was a problem throughout N Korea urged to abandon nuclear ‘delusion’ though the proper channels. society, “there was a dispropor- The group had made their ap- tionate amount of it in the Cath- proach through Pell’s offi ce. olic church.” Agencies clear and long-range rocket tests tolerate the exploitation of the community to respond to the tions, North Korean leader Kim “Considering what’s been “We’ve got to plead guilty to Seoul earlier this year. North Korean people, and the North’s provocations and resist- Jong-un last Thursday ordered happening, I don’t believe there that,” he said. It rejected the sanctions as “the extreme and cruel reign of ter- ance, it added. the country’s nuclear arsenal on was a lack of awareness of our Pell also provided more de- most reckless provocation” and ror used to maintain the Kim The UN sanctions call for standby. eff orts,” Ridsdale told Reuters at tail on the health issues that outh Korea yesterday urged vowed to take “stern” actions. Jong-un regime,” the statement mandatory inspection of all car- “We hope North Korea will a Rome hotel before the group had prevented him from travel- North Korea to abandon its “Our government, in response added. go going into and out of North abandon its nuclear weapons left for the airport. ling to his home country to give S“delusion” that nuclear to such reckless behaviour by The ministry said North Ko- Korea and a ban on the country’s development, choose the path Pell, who is now the Vatican’s evidence directly to the inquiry, weapons will protect its regime North Korea, will make it wake rea’s threat amounts to a “fl a- exports of iron and other mineral of peace wished for by the UN treasurer, became the highest saying he has had a pace maker as Pyongyang bristled at new up from its delusion about nu- grant challenge” to the inter- resources, among other things. and the international commu- ranking Vatican offi cial to give fi tted and an angioplasty “both UN sanctions on the country. clear development through national community’s resolve The measures were punish- nity, and wake up from the delu- testimony on the issue of system provoked by travel to Australia.” On Friday, the North threat- strong and eff ective measures,” expressed in the unanimous ment for North Korea’s fourth sion that nuclear weapons will abuse within the Church. A crowd funding campaign in ened to take “strong and merci- Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said in adoption of the UNSC resolu- nuclear test on January 6 and protect its regime, and we once His four-day grilling over cas- Australia raised the money for less actions” in protest of the UN a statement, reported by Yonhap tion on Wednesday. long-range rocket launch on again strongly urge it to choose es involving hundreds of chil- the victims and support group to Security Council (UNSC) adopt- news agency. South Korea will strengthen February 7, both of which vio- the path of sincere change to- dren in Australia from the 1960s travel to Rome to be in the same ing unprecedentedly tough “Our government has already its defence posture and closely lated past UN resolutions. ward denuclearization,” the to the 1990s has taken on wider room with him. sanctions over the country’s nu- stated that we will no longer cooperate with the international Angered by the fresh sanc- ministry said. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, March 6, 2016 BRITAIN Two hurt after stab attack in London

Evening Standard Police have linked the two London men shown in the chicken shop footage to the incident. Both are black, believed to wo men are in hospital be in their teens, wearing black and police have made clothing and dark hooded jack- Tthree arrests follow- ets. ing an early hours stabbing in The person suspected of south London. stabbing the victim was wear- Scotland Yard said offi cers ing grey tracksuit bottoms and were called to reports of an was around 5ft 11ins tall, police assault on Morden Road, Mit- say. cham, at about 1am yesterday. Offi cers are also appeal- Paramedics attended with ing for the victims inside the A woman had her niqab pulled off in the attack . police and a man said to be in chicken shop to come forward. his 30s was rushed to hospi- Detective inspector Ian tal with facial injuries. He is Kenward of Lambeth CID said: thought to be in a stable con- “This was a frenzied attack in dition. which a knife was used to in- Two men have been arrested fl ict life threatening injuries on on suspicion of grievous bod- a teenage male. I have no doubt ily harm and remain in custody that the perpetrator intended following the incident. to cause serious harm to the Ninety minutes later po- victim. Muslim woman ‘has lice were alerted after a fourth “Police will do everything in man, in his 20s, turned up at their powers to bring the of- a west London hospital with fenders to justice. We are ap- non-life-threatening stab in- pealing for help from the pub- juries. lic to assist in identify those A Metropolitan Police involved. We are grateful for spokesman said: “At this early any assistance that you may be stage, we believe he sustained able to off er.” scarf ripped off ’ the injuries in the same inci- A handgun was found af- dent.” ter a motorbike, coach and Evening Standard Offi cers subsequently ar- car crashed on a major road in London rested the other man hospital- south London. ised with facial injuries. Police are appealing for He was also held on suspi- witnesses after discover- Muslim woman from a university’s cion of GBH, the spokesman ing the weapon at the scene Islamic society was racially abused added. in Old Kent Road on Friday Aand had her face scarf ripped off in a A 17-year-old was stabbed evening. “disgusting” attack outside the buildings, in the street during a “fren- The accident at about it is claimed. zied” attack after a fi ght broke 5.30pm brought gridlock to The group of students were running a out in a south London chicken the area during rush hour and stall outside the Strand campus of King’s shop caused lengthy delays to bus College London as part of its Discover CCTV footage, captured on routes. Islam week yesterday afternoon at 1pm Monday, shows a youth hurling Police said the motorbike when they were confronted by two men. punches inside the crowded rider left on foot and has not In an altercation lasting around 30 min- Tennessee Chicken Shop on been located. utes, one woman had her niqab pulled Brixton Road near Oval Tube The coach and car drivers away and suff ered a string of racist taunts, station. were both uninjured. it has been claimed. At one point, he leaves the A spokesman for the Met- One of the students running the stall venue before coming back sec- ropolitan Police said: “Offi c- wrote on Facebook afterwards that she was onds later and throwing more ers attended and found a car, “absolutely sickened” by the “disgusting punches. moped and coach had been in display of racism and Islamophobia”. The incident on Monday collision, but also at the scene She said: “A dear friend of mine was tar- came just before a teenager a suspected fi rearm (a hand- geted and attacked physically for choosing was stabbed near the junction gun) was found - enquiries to to wear a veil that represents her relation- of Camberwell New Road and confi rm its authenticity are ship with God. Brixton Road. He has since ongoing.” “She is free to do so. Before anyone been discharged from hospital. There have been no arrests. thinks of claiming her choice of clothing provoked such a reaction, take a step (or two) back and ask yourself would you have said the same thing if she was wearing a diff erent style of clothing that some other idiot felt off ended by? Will and Kate will “If you would then you are that idiot. If you wouldn’t then you are not so far from Hareem Ghani has been speaking on behalf of the victims. these bigots who attacked us.” back eff orts to In a statement the university said two Geography student Mahamed Abdullahi The university said the two men fi nally “We will continue to support the po- of its security managers intervened, but said he stepped in to help after hearing one left at around 1.35pm, shortly before police lice in their investigation, which will students say it took a long time for them to of the men tell the women: “I shouldn’t arrived. take precedence over our own proceed- prevent suicide take action and questioned why. have to see this on my streets.” A university spokesman said: “We are ings. Speaking on behalf of the women, Har- He said: “They were looming over the mindful of concerns raised around this in- “However, we will also be reviewing the eem Ghani, a member of the university’s women and moving towards them and be- cident and would like to reassure our staff incident, including the CCTV evidence, Evening Standard vate and public engagements Islamic Society, said the men kept asking: ing very aggressive, which is why security and students that the safety and security to establish precisely what happened and London to highlight the help available “Why are you wearing that on your face?” were called.” of our campuses is of the utmost impor- further improve student safety on cam- for those who threaten to take Ghani said: “It escalated from there and The 20-year-old said: “One of the stu- tance. pus.” their own lives. one of them reached out to the sisters and dents was trying to take a photo of the “The incident is now being investigated A spokesman for the Met Police said two he Duke and Duch- The royal couple will chat pulled off her niqab. man for the police and he sort of lunged by the police, following the arrests made men, aged 39 and 41, had been arrested ess of Cambridge are to to the two men at London’s “Security were called but they only re- towards her. I had to physically get in the yesterday, and our CCTV footage will be under the Public Order Act following the Tmeet a mental health St Thomas’ Hospital where sponded 15 minutes afterwards.” way and block him from attacking her.” provided as evidence as part of this process. incident and bailed until May. campaigner and the man who Benjamin was treated after he saved him from taking his own threatened to take his own life. life when they champion ef- A documentary has been forts to prevent suicide. made about his experiences Jonny Benjamin started the and the £FindMike cam- £FindMike search in 2014 to paign and he regularly at- fi nd the unknown passer-by tends screenings of the fi lm University denies student’s plea who stopped him leaping to his with young people as a way to death from Waterloo Bridge in encourage open discussions central London six years ear- about mental health issues. lier. Later at Kensington Pal- Benjamin, then 20, had ace, the Cambridges will join on exam after death of her father been diagnosed with schizo- 20 young people to watch the phrenia and said he felt his documentary, and the cam- life had hit “rock bottom” be- paigner and his saviour will Evening Standard asked to explain why the documents were not fore the kindly intervention of lead a discussion. London original copies. a stranger, later identifi ed as Following the session, Wil- She said: “In a country like Tanzania, it is not Neil Laybourn when the search liam and Kate will join a private a simple process to obtained typed up docu- went viral. meeting with a group bereaved university student was left devastated ments translated into English. William and Kate have been in various ways by suicide, to after being told she could not defer her “The medical report I gave was handwrit- promoting mental health is- discuss their experiences and Aexams after her father died abroad. ten, which the uni have said does not have a sues for some time and on the support they have received Saima Haq, 18, wrote to the University of clear medical opinion, even though it has been March 10 will carry out pri- since. Westminster asking to sit her March exams in stamped by the hospital.” July following the sudden death of her father To add insult to injury, Haq said the univer- Amir Ul Haq in Tanzania. sity sent her eight separate rejection e-mails for But the fi rst year biochemisty student said the eight exams she asked to defer. despite showing the university the burial per- A University of Westminster spokesman mit, they refused her claim for mitigating cir- said: “We are very sad for her loss, but cannot cumstances because the evidence was “not suf- comment on individual students due to data fi cient” to support her request. protection. Haq told the Standard: “I was in shock that “However, we have clear and robust proce- they rejected me so soon and with no sympa- dures for students submitting exam deferral thy. requests, which must be substantiated by orig- “I understand the policy is in place to treat inal, independent documentary evidence. all students equally, but not every student has “Students fully complying with this proce- a parent die abroad. dure will be granted deferral. “In a case like this, they should have taken “We are committed to proving support and the initiative to just accept that it’s not easy for guidance to our students, especially during dif- us to provide original documents right now.” fi cult times and bereavement, and off er a wide Haq, who lives in Hounslow, said she was range of academic and personal support services.” Saima Haq with her father in November. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 17 BRITAIN/ IRELAND Cyclist wins Brit Awards will try TfL payout to address ‘lack of after hitting manhole

Evening Standard cling lane and wasn’t run over London immediately afterwards. All black artistes in 2017’ the cyclists who were travel- ling behind formed a circle Evening Standard cyclist has told how she around me until the ambu- London was badly injured when lance arrived Ashe hit an open manhole “For two years, I couldn’t which was apparently awaiting touch my nose with that arm as he Brit Awards will address a “lack repairs on a cycle superhigh- I couldn’t bend it at the elbow. of recognition” for black and eth- way in London. I was basically disabled.” Tnic minority artists at next year’s Katrina Kersey needed four A TfL spokesman con- ceremony, the organisers’ chairman has rounds of surgery on her right firmed the incident took said. arm after breaking her elbow in place adding that the matter Ged Doherty admitted there was “an el- the cycling crash several years had been resolved through an ephant in the room” at last month’s event, ago. undisclosed settlement with which saw no black and minority ethnic She said she felt compelled Kersey but refused to com- (BAME) artists nominated, and the only to reveal her story after read- ment further. non-white nominees selected in the inter- ing in the Standard about the A binman who allegedly national artist categories. death of father-of-three Ralph knocked down and killed a A protest was staged outside the glitzy Brazier, who was killed in an British comedy actor’s mother ceremony, the hashtag #BritsSoWhite apparent pothole cycling ac- with her own car, after off er- gained momentum on social media, and cident while out on a ride with ing to help her reverse it, has artists including Critics’ Choice winner Twickenham Cycling Club on walked free from court. Jack Garratt spoke out. Tuesday. Olive Stevens, 88, the moth- Doherty, chairman of the British Pho- Kersey wants to raise aware- er of TV star Michael Fenton nographic Industry, said: “It was an ele- ness of the problem of poorly Stevens, was hit by her silver phant some might characterise as a lack of maintained roads and plans to Nissan Micra, after Veolia em- diversity among the nominees, but which, launch a petition. ployee Orlando Greenidge, 57, for me, was more about the lack of recog- The marketing manager was allegedly tried to help her move nition of the emerging music that is a huge on the cycle superhighway in the car despite not having a part of British youth culture. Clapham Road in March 2011, driving licence or insurance, a “It’s this imbalance that lies at the heart when the rider ahead of her court heard. of the criticism directed at the Brits’ nom- swerved to avoid a damaged Stevens, who grew up in inations process.” manhole. Bermondsey, was travelling In a letter to the Guardian, he added The Brit Awards will be more diverse from next year, the organisers’ chairman has announced. She did not have time to stop along a narrow lane in Orp- the voting academy for the awards, made and was thrown from her bike ington on November 6, 2014 up of 1,100 people, “needs to be updated” about the lack of diversity at this year’s was ‘broken’ in a cryptic tweet on Friday reality star pair announced that it was all when her front wheel struck when she found fl y-tipped and he suspected a survey of its make-up Oscars. morning. over this week. the hole. rubbish blocking her way, would fi nd it is “largely white and with a Stephanie Davis is currently ‘recover- Davis, who found out this week that Having previously denied the cheating The 32-year-old needed Croydon Crown Court was bias towards older men”. ing’ after being rushed to hospital follow- McConnell had cheated on her, is thought allegations, McConnell admitted his guilt four rounds of surgery on her told. He continued: “This does not mean ing an asthma attack. to have suff ered the attack as a result of in an interview on RTE1’s Today show. right arm after breaking her She began to reverse back that there is an underlying prejudice at The Celebrity Big Brother star was ad- “stress”. He said: “What happens when you get elbow and spent two years re- along the lane until she came play, but the unintended consequence is mitted on Thursday as news of her split A source told MailOnline: “Stephanie evicted is you get personal appearances, covering from her accident. across a rubbish truck, which that emerging genres of music may not be from Jeremy McConnell broke. was panicked after having a really bad and I went down to Newcastle, and I ended She said: “It’s dredged up so also obstructed her path. properly recognised.” A spokesperson for the star confi rmed: stress-induced asthma attack. up with a girl that night. many memories and made me Greenidge got out of the The voting academy will have at least 15 “Stephanie was admitted to hospital yes- “She always travels with her inhaler but “But this was before me and Steph fi - think of how lucky I was and truck and attempted to help per cent BAME representation, in line with terday after suff ering an asthma attack. didn’t have it with her yesterday whilst nally got into a relationship. In my head, how badly I feel for his family her reverse the automatic car national trends, and be more diverse in Stephanie is currently recovering.” working so had to be admitted to hospital she had a boyfriend. We were going to talk and what they must be going but the next thing his col- terms of age and region, he added. The 22-year-old is yet to comment on for stabilisation.” when she got out, and that’s just the hon- through. leagues saw was the vehicle The backlash followed a similar outcry her hospitalisation, but told fans that she After a tumultuous month, the on/off est truth.” “I just fi nd it amazing how lurching backwards and for- the roads are not being taken wards and Stevens lying on the care of at all.” fl oor, the court heard. Brazier’s death is the latest Paramedics rushed Stevens, cycling accident to be linked to a retired nurse, to King’s Col- potholes. lege Hospital in south London, Olympic gold medal-win- but she died from a serious ning cyclist Dani King was left head injury. Stolen fi re engine ploughs into A jury of seven men and fi ve in intensive care after hitting a pothole near Cardiff in 2014 women acquitted Greenidge, and in January this year, tria- of Erica Gardens, Croydon, of thlete and mother-of-three one count of causing death by Kate Vanloo, 52, died after her careless or inconsiderate driv- cars and houses in N Ireland ing, one count of causing death bike hit a pothole and she was thrown into the path of a car in by driving a vehicle without a Evening Standard going and pulsing, and realised outer London areas generally Napton, Warwickshire. licence and one count of caus- London it was tight up against another have the most people without a Kersey was later awarded ing death by driving without couple of buildings in the ter- clean licence. damages after it apparently insurance. race. Nearly 7% of Rainham’s driv- took several weeks for the Actor and comedian Fenton pensioner and teenager “We were thinking again there ers have at least three points on manhole to be repaired after Stevens is known for his ap- have been arrested after a is obviously a reason for it, but their licence, while Uxbridge the accident. pearances in My Family and Astolen fi re engine smashed then realised the fi re engine has and West Drayton in Hillingdon, “It just made me so angry Only Fools and Horses, and had at speed into a row of cars and got here far too quickly.” along with four parts of Bexley, and so scared for other people,” a number one single in the UK houses leaving a trail of destruc- Group commander Kevin have more than 6%. she added. with The Chicken Song from tion. O’Neill from the Northern Ire- The area around Crouch End, “Luckily I landed in the cy- the TV series Spitting Image The engine, which had its land Fire and Rescue and Service meanwhile, is home to the capi- fl ashing lights on when it (NIFRS) said: “At approximately tal’s worst driver, who has man- crashed, was stolen from a fi re 4.30 this morning Larne station aged to rack up a whopping 36 station in Larne, Northern Ire- was broken into and a fi re engine points on their licence for of- land, in the early hours of this was stolen. fences including driving without morning. “Subsequently this fi re engine insurance and failing to admit Former Dunblane It ploughed into at least eight was driven into a number of cars who was behind the wheel. cars before smashing into a and houses in the Larne area. Watters said: “With Croydon, number of terraced homes. The London postcodes which the problem is that it doesn’t teacher: I’m still Author Thomas Jobling, who are home to the highest number mean to say that’s where people lives on Glenarm Road where the of dangerous drivers in the capi- are doing their driving. incident happened, was asleep tal have been revealed. “It’s their home address, so it racked with guilt in bed when he heard a massive The engine ploughed into eight cars. Figures from the DVLA show doesn’t mean all these bad driv- crash. Croydon and the Selhurst area ers are actually driving in Croy- Jobling, whose own car was bed around 4.30am and then and immediately saw the car- have the highest number of driv- don. Evening Standard able to do more and that guilt badly damaged, said he thought there was this horrendous bang nage of a line of cars, think it was ers with 12 or more points on “Outer London boroughs like London lives with me.” it was an explosion, but when he and fl ashing lights - we just probably eight cars, one sitting their licence – the threshold for Croydon are more like Guilford His public account comes looked outside he could not fi g- didn’t know what was happen- on its roof, my own car was side a ban in the UK. and places like that. They’re ahead of a BBC documentary ure out how the fi re service had ing. swiped as well. The CR0 postcode, which cov- more likely to drive and have he former head teacher to mark the 20th anniversary arrived on the scene so quickly. “We thought it was possibly an “The next thing we saw was ers a massive swathe of that part more access to the motorway and of Dublane Primary of the tragedy, in which other He said: “I was fast asleep in explosion, we rushed downstairs the fi re engine with the lights of London, is home to 28 drivers national road network.” TSchool today broke a victims including pupil Amy who have hit the 12 point mark, A baby boy has been taken 20-year silence to describe Hutchison, now 25, speak with off ences ranging from us- to hospital with a head injury af- the “unimaginable” horror about the massacre for the fi rst ing their phones while driving to ter a moped “pulling wheelies” of the massacre and tell how time. rocketing down motorways. crashed into the nine-month- it still leaves him racked with He added: “It was unimagi- Despite having far fewer li- old’s buggy in east London and guilt. nably horrible to see children cence holders than Croydon, then sped off again. In a harrowing account, dying in front of you. I felt Walthamstow is the second Police say the vehicle was Ron Taylor said he felt “vio- enormous guilt - more than a worst area in London with 22 driving west along Lonsdale Av- lated” after bursting in his survivor’s guilt. people breaching the dozen point enue in East Ham when the ac- school’s gymnasium to find “It was my school, I felt vio- mark. cident happened yesterday at dying children and gunman lated,” he said. And in third position is Poplar 3.15pm. Thomas Hamilton, who also The head teacher then had in Tower Hamlets, with 20 driv- The child’s mother had been shot himself, twitching on to undertake the grim task of ers in the E14 postcode, includ- trying to cross the road when the floor. helping police to identify the ing three who have 15 points on the moped hit the buggy and Sixteen pupils and their dead where they had fallen, be- their licence. knocked it over, police say. teacher Gwen Mayor were fore writing down the events of Paul Watters, head of road Witnesses told detectives that killed in what to date remains March 13 1996, for detectives. policy for the AA, said: “The the motorcyclist, who failed to the deadliest fi rearms atrocity To this day Taylor has been vast majority of drivers in Lon- stop at the scene, was “pulling in British history. unable to face re-reading the don with points only have three wheelies and driving at speed” “People couldn’t under- account, or look at a collection normally which is encouraging just before the crash stand why I felt so guilty after of newspaper clippings from because it means that many of Paramedics took the child the event because there is no the time. them do get the message. to an east London hospital for way any of us could have antic- He told the newspaper he “But on the other side of the treatment and later transferred ipated what happened,” Taylor keeps clippings locked away in scale there are lots of drivers him to a central hospital. His in- told the Daily Mirror. a box. who are regular off enders, de- juries are not thought to be life- “There is no way we could “It’s quite easy to keep that spite getting points and thinking threatening. have adequately prepared for box locked. It’s much more they’ll get round that.” The baby’s mother suff ered what happened. diffi cult to keep the box in my The engine was taken from Larne station . The statistics also show that minor injuries. “But I felt I should have been head locked,” he said. Gulf Times 18 Sunday, March 6, 2016 EUROPE Greek governor considers state of emergency DPA/AFP/Reuters Athens

he governor of Greece’s Central Macedonia prov- Tince has said that he would like to declare a state of emer- gency over the thousands of mi- grants stranded in the region by closed borders. “Here [at the Idomeni border crossing] we have 13,000 people and further south another 5,000 migrants in refugee camps,” Ap- ostolos Tzitzikostas told Greek A boy sits on railway tracks at the overcrowded makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border near the broadcaster Skai from Idomeni Greek village of Idomeni yesterday, where thousands of refugees and migrants wait to cross the border on the border with the former into Macedonia. Meanwhile, more migrants arrive onboard an EU border agency Frontex boat (left) Yugoslav republic of Macedo- yesterday at the port city of Mytilene on Lesbos island, Greece. nia. “(That is) more than 60% of the country’s entire refugee and fl eeing war and poverty arrive in migrant fl ow. We can no longer Greece from neighbouring Tur- shoulder this strain by ourselves.” key in two days. Greece’s northern neighbour Some 200 people were allowed closed its borders to the wave of through between Friday and yes- migrants and is only allowing a terday, with Macedonian police few people to pass through its calling into question registration territory each day. documents handed to refugees by The Greek government esti- Greek police at the islands. mates that 32,000 migrants have In many cases, the documents been stranded in Greece after do not carry full dates of birth, Balkan countries closed their only the year, while disputes over borders, stopping them from modation and humanitarian aid. Greek Prime Minister Alexis at Idomeni to shelter more than the correct colour of a police proceeding along the so-called The UN’s refugee agency UN- Tsipras and the leaders of the 1,000 people who could not fi t in stamp can also hold up the proc- Balkan route to richer countries HCR said earlier in the week that largest Greek parties demanded the camp and have been sleeping ess for hours. in northern and western Europe. a humanitarian crisis was devel- on Friday evening that Tsipras be in muddy fi elds and ditches, an Athens is building additional Yesterday EU Migration Com- oping in Greece. invited to tomorrow’s EU-Turkey AFP reporter said. facilities to house the refugees missioner Dimitris Avramopou- Aid organisations are advising summit in Brussels which will In past days, the mainly Syr- and migrants, but many prefer los said that Greece could end up the migrants that there is bet- deal with the refugee crisis. ian and Iraqi refugees have reg- to go to the border in the hope hosting more than 100,000 mi- ter accommodation in reception Tsipras would like to see the ularly held protests in front of of eventually getting through, grants by the end of March. camps to the south of the border, formation of a European coast- the barbed-wire fence guarded and are stuck there for days and Heavy morning rains turned such as Nea Kavala, some 15km guard to be based in Greece. by Macedonian riot police, de- weeks. the makeshift camp at Idomeni from Idomeni. He would also like to see pre- manding to be allowed through. “I haven’t bathed in 15 days,” Merkel: Austria and Balkan countries were largely to blame for the into a mud bath, while tempera- However, most migrants are viously agreed measures imple- Hussam, a 25-year-old Syrian, said Almuthanna, a 35-year-old changed situation in Greece by deciding unilaterally to impose tures were just 4° Celsius. not taking this advice and are mented, such as speedier returns says that the refugees are hop- Iraqi stranded at the camp with border controls. Hundreds were suff ering from remaining by the border cross- of failed asylum-seekers and the ing that tomorrow’s EU-Turkey his family for eight days. “One the cold and were experiencing ing, hoping that the Macedonian redistribution of migrants among summit will provide a break- of my sons is ill and there’s no breathing problems. authorities will open the border all EU member states, with pen- through. medicine. This is war too, only The hygiene situation was fence if only briefl y to allow some alties for those that do not fulfi ll “We are calm now because we they don’t kill you with a gun, quite serious. to pass, reporters on the ground their obligations. are hoping for a positive outcome but slowly.” Merkel: Athens must Doctors and sanitation work- said. European leaders are expected on Monday, that they will help “We hope the politicians will ers will be deployed immediately A further 975 migrants arrived to use tomorrow’s summit to us pass,” Hussam said. “If there reach a solution on Monday. to the Idomeni camp, Greece’s in the Greek port of Piraeus from press Ankara to take back more isn’t one, I don’t know what will Hope is all we have left. It will do more on shelters crisis management committee the Aegean islands of Lesbos and economic migrants from Greece happen.” be disastrous if no solution is said yesterday. Chios yesterday morning, the and reduce the fl ow of people According to Greek offi cials, found,” he said. Athens announced the crea- Greek coastguard reported. across the Aegean Sea. Macedonia has allowed some Greece has asked the EU for DPA/Reuters largely to blame for the changed tion of committee on Thursday Another 54 migrants were ex- Meanwhile, the Doctors With- 2,000 people through its borders €480mn ($526mn) in emergency Berlin situation in Greece by deciding to co-ordinate eff orts surround- pected to arrive from the island out Borders charity began yes- in the last two weeks. funds to help shelter 100,000 unilaterally to impose border ing migrant and refugee accom- of Kos later in the afternoon. terday erecting additional tents The same number of people refugees. controls. erman Chancellor An- Tsipras has accused Austria gela Merkel said in an and Balkan countries of “ruin- Ginterview yesterday that ing Europe” by imposing border Athens must do more to accom- restrictions to slow the fl ow of Turkey detains people smugglers, modate the growing masses of migrants heading from Greece. migrants who have found them- By contrast, Merkel’s Bavarian selves stuck in Greece by border ally said the imposition of bor- stops 120 from sailing to Greece closures. der controls by Austria and other The Greek government esti- countries was benefi ting Ger- mates that 32,000 people have many by reducing the number of Reuters Union states and threatened the fi cers towed away the half-dozen been stranded in Greece after new arrivals. Dikili, Turkey bloc’s open-border policy. or so minibuses they had driven Macedonia and other countries “There is a turning point in Europe wants candidate coun- to the coast. on the Balkan route to Western the refugee policy due to the clo- try Turkey to step up security The refugees, who included a Europe decided to restrict the sure of large parts of the Balkan urkish authorities have along its coast and take back mi- pregnant women and newborns, number of people let through route,” Horst Seehofer told Der detained at least two hu- grants caught at sea to help re- were bussed back to the port city amid concerns that they may end Spiegel magazine. Tman traffi ckers after they duce the fl ow of refugees to the of Izmir. up with a backlog if Austria or German Interior Minister shuttled some 120 Syrian refu- EU. One Syrian who appeared to Germany stops admitting them. Thomas de Maiziere echoed gees to the Aegean coast in a sign In exchange it has pledged be in his 30s said he was forced In an interview with German Merkel’s sentiments, pointing Turkey may be stepping up ef- €3bn ($3.3bn) in funds to help to attempt the route because of a tabloid Bild am Sonntag, Merkel out that Greece is in a diffi cult forts to curb the fl ow of migrants. Turkey with the 2.7mn Syrian lack of opportunity in Turkey. pointed out that Greece told the but solvable situation and say- Gendarmes stopped the group, refugees it hosts. “It’s not bad here but there EU it would create 50,000 ac- ing that Germany would not take mostly made up of women President Recep Tayyip Erdog- is no work. I have relatives in commodation spots for migrants in the migrants currently in the and children, on a beach near an late on Friday accused the EU Germany and will go to be with by the end of 2015. country. a wooded area by the village of of dragging its feet on the funds them,” he said, declining to give “The diff erence needs to “The policy of waving [mi- Bademli, located across from the four months. his name. be made up for with lightning grants] through began, among Greek island of Lesbos, a Reuters “You can pay up or not, we Separately, news media re- speed, because the Greek gov- other places, in Greece,” de witness said. have not closed our door to refu- ported that Turkey had shut its ernment must provide humane Maiziere told the Passauer Neue The raid occurred ahead of a gees like Westerners have. We’ve last open border gate with Syria accommodations,” Merkel said. Presse. “Germany in particular summit in Brussels tomorrow kept it open,” Erdogan said, add- to all traffi c except for humani- The chancellor added that has borne the brunt of it. The at which Turkey and the EU will ing that he wants to build a city tarian aid convoys and Syrians her conversations with Greek policy of waving through is now tackle the migrant crisis after for refugees in northern Syria wishing to leave. Prime Minster Alexis Tsipras had over and must remain so.” more than a million people fl ee- near the Turkish border with in- The report on CNN Turk did showed his desire to better house According to de Maiziere, ing turmoil in the Middle East, ternational money but has not not give a reason for the decision the migrants and that the EU the number of migrants for the Africa and Asia sought safety and received concrete support for the to shut the Cilvegozu gate in Tur- A Turkish off icer detains a man believed to be a people smuggler. must show solidarity in its sup- country’s population of 11mn prosperity in Europe in 2015. plan from other countries. key’s southern Hatay province, In the background are Syrians who were prevented from sailing off port for Greece. was “not unreasonable”, given The infl ux has revealed po- On the coast, at least one traf- located across from Syria’s Bab for the Greek island of Lesbos, near a beach in the western Turkish Merkel also said that Aus- the aid that other countries have litical faultlines among European fi cker escaped on foot, while of- al-Hawa. coastal town of Dikili. tria and Balkan countries were off ered to Greece. Barcelona ready and waiting to welcome refugees ... who aren’t coming

AFP ment, told AFP. “The city is ready seaside city fl ooded the city hall It had initially agreed to accept It boosted the number of plac- “We are ready,” said Oscar Bar- are also dragging their feet. Barcelona at the technical level, all our with e-mails volunteering to just 2,749. es able to welcome refugees in bero, head of social services for In late September, European services are ready and residents help. “But since then, just 18 have Catalonia – the capital of which the local branch of the Red Cross. leaders agreed on a plan to relo- are waiting with open arms. But The plan was quickly followed arrived (in the whole of Spain), is Barcelona – to 41 from 10 and “But we are working blindly, cate 160,000 migrants from the alf a year after Barcelona they don’t arrive.” by other cities across the country a ridiculous fi gure,” said Pascale will shortly open 50 more. without knowing when they will countries they’re fl ooding into – launched a municipal While EU interior ministers including Madrid, the Mediter- Coissard, spokeswoman in the The agency has also reinforced arrive, how they will arrive or mainly Greece and Italy. Hplan to welcome refugees gathered in Brussels this week to ranean port of Valencia and Cadiz northeastern region of Catalonia its medical and psychological how many will arrive.” But it has so far relocated 600. fl eeing wars in places like Syria try to hammer out a unifi ed re- in the southwest. for the country’s Commission for services and it is training munic- The main problem is that “In the summer we will go to and Iraq, Spain’s second largest sponse to the biggest migration Faced with this outpouring of Refugee Aid. ipalities in the region how best to Spain’s central government “is the beach for a swim, in the same city is still waiting for them to crisis in the bloc’s history, the solidarity, Spain’s conservative The agency has for months deal with newly arrived refugees. not providing any informa- sea where each week people die arrive. city detailed its own “Barcelona government agreed to increase prepared to receive a chunk of The Catalan branch of the Red tion”, said Ignasi Calbo, co-or- because Europe is not provid- “This fi lls us with rage,” Barce- Refuge City” plan. to 17,680 the number of refugees the more than 1mn people who Cross, meanwhile, is recruiting dinator of the “Barcelona Refuge ing safe passage,” she said. “And lona Mayor Ada Colau, a former When Colau announced the which the country would accept have arrived in Europe fl eeing social workers, interpreters and City” plan, for which €10.5mn while it does not, it will be an activist born out of the anti-aus- initiative in August, hundreds of as part of a broader EU response from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan or employment consultants and has ($11.6mn) has been set aside. accomplice to these human traf- terity Indignados protest move- residents of the Mediterranean, to the migrant crisis. Eritrea. set up three reception centres. Brussels and European nations fi cking mafi as and boat sinkings.” Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 19 EUROPE Seized newspaper warns of ‘dark days’

An injured supporter of Zaman newspaper is assisted yesterday after Turkish riot police action to disperse protesters at the courtyard of after police action the newspaper’s off ice in Istanbul. AFP 500 people, an AFP photogra- Istanbul pher at the scene reported. Zaman, with an estimated circulation of 650,000, went to leading Turkish newspa- print earlier than usual on Fri- per opposed to President day evening before the police raid ARecep Tayyip Erdogan and and the number of its pages was seized by the authorities warned reduced to 16 from 24, one of its yesterday of the “darkest days” in journalists said. the history of the press in a defi - Sevgi Akarcesme, the editor- ant edition as police used rubber in-chief of the paper’s English bullets to disperse a new protest. language edition Today’s Zaman, The late-night swoop against said on Twitter yesterday that the Zaman newspaper raised the newspaper offi ce has had all fresh concerns over declining Internet connections cut. media freedoms in Turkey, a key “We are not able to work any- European Union ally, ahead of a more,” she wrote. visit by Prime Minister Ahmet During Friday’s raid, police Davutoglu to Brussels tomor- fi rst cleared protesters with tear row for a crucial summit meeting gas and water cannon, then used with EU leaders. bolt-cutters to open the gates Zaman, closely linked to Er- before dozens of offi cers marched dogan’s arch-foe, the US-based in to take over the building and A police off icer bends down near a woman crying in the street as preacher Fethullah Gulen, was on formally place it under adminis- Turkish anti-riot police off icers use tear gas to disperse supporters Friday placed under the control tration, media images showed. at the headquarters of Zaman in Istanbul yesterday after Turkish of a board of trustees after a court Once the building was cleared, authorities seized the headquarters in a midnight raid. Meanwhile, a order which critics said was an- court-appointed administrators plainclothes police off icer kicks a protester during the clashes. other attempt to silence opposi- were bussed inside the complex tion media. to begin their work, local media not shut our eyes to ... a parallel “It is essential that Ankara re- tiny of government policies”. media and fi nancial interests “The Constitution is sus- reported. structure within the state using spect European and international Ankara accuses Gulen of run- and a vast network of cramming pended,” the newspaper, which The new administrators fi red the press and other tools” to pro- requirements concerning free- ning what it calls the Fethullahci schools. managed to print its latest issue Zaman’s editor-in-chief Abdul- mote its agenda. dom of speech and freedom of Terror Organisation/Parallel There have been numerous despite the takeover, said on its hamit Bilici yesterday, press re- The raid prompted a worried press,” a ministry spokeswoman State Structure (FeTO/PDY) and legal crackdowns on structures front page in large font on a black ports said. response from the European Un- said. seeking to overthrow the legiti- linked to the group and on Friday background. “Yesterday (Friday) On an offi cial visit to Iran, ion, which urged Ankara to re- Washington also urged Turkey mate Turkish authorities. Turkish police arrested four ex- marked one of the darkest days in Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu spect media freedom. to protect freedom of speech, Local media said that the court ecutives of one of the country’s the history of Turkish press.” denied any government interfer- “The EU has repeatedly saying that the court order was order was issued on the grounds largest conglomerates, accusing Turkish riot police fi red rub- ence in the seizure of the news- stressed that Turkey, as (an EU) “the latest in a series of troubling that Zaman supported the activi- them of fi nancing Gulen. ber bullets and tear gas yesterday paper. candidate country, needs to re- judicial and law enforcement ac- ties of this “terrorist organisa- The Zaman seizure is the latest to disperse a new protest by the “They are certainly not politi- spect and promote high demo- tions taken by the Turkish gov- tion”. incident to raise concerns about newspaper’s supporters outside cal but legal processes,” he said cratic standards and practices, ernment targeting media outlets Gulen has been based in the freedom of expression in Turkey its Istanbul headquarters. in remarks carried by Turkish including freedom of the media,” and others critical of it”. United States since 1999 when under Erdogan’s rule. Davutoglu: Turkey is a state “Free press cannot be si- television. “Turkey is a state gov- the EU’s diplomatic service said Emma Sinclair-Webb, a sen- he fl ed charges against him laid The daily Cumhuriyet news- governed by rule of law. lenced,” a group of demonstra- erned by rule of law ... it is out of in a statement. ior Turkey researcher for Human by the former secular authorities. paper’s editor-in-chief Can tors shouted. the question for neither by me The Russian foreign ministry Rights Watch (HRW), has de- Despite living outside of Tur- Dundar and Ankara bureau chief jail on charges of publishing state Police used large amounts of nor any of my colleagues to in- called for a probe by the interna- scribed the court order “a veiled key, Gulen has built up huge in- Erdem Gul were released on an secrets. tear gas, water cannon and rub- terfere in this process.” tional community into the crack- move by the president to eradi- fl uence in the country through order from Turkey’s top court But they still face trial on ber bullets to disperse around But he cautioned: “We should down. cate opposition media and scru- allies in the police and judiciary, last week after three months in March 25.

El Pais Rajoy renews bid for coalition with Socialists hints of Reuters start Podemos and fi ve smaller Union, might be aff ected by the still there, and if you don’t like Madrid parties voted against Sanchez, political impasse. it, let the party which won gov- scuppering his pact with Ciu- Podemos has sworn to vote ern,” Rajoy said. an end to dadanos. against any coalition which The PP won the most votes panish acting Prime Min- A small party from the Canary includes Rajoy’s PP party and in December, followed by the ister Mariano Rajoy has Islands also voted for Sanchez. Sanchez has said he would not Socialists, Podemos then Ciu- its print The logo of El Pais, Spain’s best-selling newspaper, is seen on the top Srenewed his push for a Spain’s parties have been in support any pact which would dadanos. of its headquarters in Madrid. El Pais may end its print edition and coalition between his People’s negotiations to form a govern- allow Rajoy to return to power. Under Spanish law, the par- become primarily an online outlet, its editor-in-chief said on Friday – Party (PP) and the Socialists af- ment since a December vote Yesterday Rajoy, in a speech liament has to vote to approve edition a global trend among national newspapers under pressure from the ter their leader Pedro Sanchez when Spaniards weary of aus- before supporters, scolded the formation of a government, Internet. failed to win the backing of par- terity and corruption deserted Sanchez for wasting time on a but this becomes problematic if liament to form a government. the two traditional parties to coalition which lacked enough no single party, or group of par- Reuters newspapers stopping the presses “We can already assume that Sanchez lost his second in- vote for newcomers Podemos seats to win the necessary sup- ties, has enough support. Madrid comes after Britain’s Independent the habit of buying a newspaper vestiture vote for a government and Ciudadanos. port and called on the Socialist Parties have until May 2 to disappeared from news stands in at a news stand is now the thing including market-friendly Ciu- Businesses and investors have leader to join the PP for a new produce an alternative majority. March, when its owner took the of a minority,” Cano said. “The dadanos (Citizens) on Friday, so far remained calm about the government or stand aside. Failure will lead to the disso- pain’s best-selling news- newspaper online only. majority of people, in particular most likely setting the country deadlock, but new elections “This coalition would respect lution of parliament and Span- paper, El Pais, may end its “The step from paper to digital youngsters, look for their infor- on course for its second election would raise the risk that Spain’s the will of the people. The fi rst iards would have to return to the Sprint edition and become is just one part and is not even mation on a range of diff erent in six months. economic growth, one of the and the second (parties) plus, if ballot box, most likely on June primarily an online outlet, its the biggest of the many steps devices and they consume it in a The PP, anti-austerity up- highest rates in the European we like, the fourth. Our off er is 26. editor-in-chief said on Friday that newspapers will have to take diff erent way.” – a global trend among national until we fi nd our true space in Like many other Spanish newspapers under pressure from the future,” Antonio Cano, the El newspapers, El Pais, founded in ‘Stop working so hard!’ Italian unions tell new chief of Royal Palace museum the Internet. Pais editor-in-chief, told staff in 1976, ran into debt troubles when The daily, which gained a an open letter. advertising revenues plummeted Italian unions have lambasted the new treasures was suff ering from decades of In a post on his Facebook page, Renzi reputation as the newspaper of Cano assured the employees during the economic crisis. museum chief of the world-famous Royal neglect and mismanagement. called the accusation levelled at Felicori, an democratic Spain after the death that El Pais was committed to El Pais’s circulation has stead- Palace of Caserta for working too hard, Local unions however sent a letter to the expert in the management of cultural sites, of dictator Francisco Franco, has publishing a print edition “for as ily fallen, shrinking by 15% last prompting Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to culture minister, Felicori’s boss, complaining ridiculous. reported a steady decline in read- long as possible” but he also said year to around 220,000 copies. ride to his defence. that he works late into the evening without “The unions complaining about Felicori, ership since the country’s eco- it would be working to build a However, its online business The government appointed Mauro Felicori the rest of the personnel being informed. who was chosen by the government after an nomic crisis erupted in 2008. digital medium that could better has been growing, with unique five months ago to revive the fortunes of the “Such behaviour puts the whole structure international selection process, should realise The possibility of one of the respond to the demands of read- online users rising 15.3% last year 1,200-room Baroque palace of the Bourbon at risk,” said the letter, published in Corriere that the tide has turned. The fun’s over,” Renzi world’s most infl uential Hispanic ers. to a monthly average of 13.5mn. kings, which like many of the country’s della Sera daily yesterday. said. Anti-immigrant Slovakian PM set to win third term

Reuters pay, opinion polls show. the migration crisis will likely es- ing ends, but counting will run critics as ineffi cient and corrupt. Bratislava But a combination of popu- calate this summer – I can’t see into the night. However, most opposition lar welfare measures such as anyone else experienced enough Fico has had poor relations parties agree with Fico’s views free train rides for students and taking the country’s helm,” said with an often-critical Slovak that Muslims cannot integrate lovaks were expected yes- pensioners and his opposition Marta, a 70-year old pensioner press and opposes EU sanctions into predominantly Catholic Slo- terday likely to hand a third to immigration even by refugees from Bratislava. on Russia, but has not sought vakia and pose a security threat, Sterm at the polls to Prime should secure him well over 30% Fico, who dismisses multi- constitutional changes as in Po- although they use less aggressive Minister Robert Fico, a left-wing of the vote, pollsters say, enough culturalism as “a fi ction”, has land and Hungary. language. nationalist whose anti-immi- to form a government with a coa- pledged never to accept EU quo- Slovakia is one of the euro- A strong showing by centre- gration views chime with neigh- lition partner. tas on relocating refugees who zone’s most fi nancially-sound right parties such as Yale-ed- bours Poland and Hungary. “The anti-immigration rheto- have fl ooded into Greece and states, popular with foreign in- ucated lawyer Radoslav Proc- With Slovakia due to take over ric combined with a few hand- Italy from Syria and beyond, and vestors, particularly car makers. hazka’s Siet (Net) could still the European Union’s rotating outs is enough for Fico to win the has launched a legal challenge to But unemployment of more give them a chance to form an presidency from July, giving it election,” said Samuel Abraham the plan. than 10% and vast regional dif- anti-Fico coalition that might a bigger role in EU policy dis- from the Bratislava International He voted early, saying that ferences in wealth, as well as low tone down the anti-immigration cussions over the bloc’s migra- School of Liberal Arts. he would be “biting his nails at healthcare and education stand- rhetoric. tion crisis, the election is being One early voter said there was the party headquarters”, but he ards, have disappointed many But any deal may include the watched closely in Brussels. a limited choice. would respect the result. voters. libertarian SaS party, whose re- Fico’s Smer party is set to lose “I’d like someone else to re- Polls closed at 10pm (2100 Opponents portray Fico as a fusal to provide guarantees for a its parliamentary majority after place Fico after two stints as GMT). populist who ignores the need to bailout of Greece brought down A voter casts her ballot at a polling station during the country’s corruption scandals and protests prime minister but Slovakia is Exit polls were expected to be reform the education and health- the previous centre-right gov- parliamentary election in the village of Ruzindol, Slovakia. by teachers and nurses about low going to hold the EU presidency, published immediately after vot- care sectors, which is seen by ernment in 2012. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, March 6, 2016 INDIA

Haryana goes ahead with investors’ summit despite violence

IANS 7 and 8 ‘Happening Haryana mit and its eventual outcome in of the industries even during the Suzuki, was a runaway success China, the Czech Republic, bai too in the past two months. Chandigarh Global Investors’ exercise, how- terms of actual investment on violence. in the automobile sector. Japan, Malawi, Mauritius, New More than 800 entrepreneurs ever, had their fi ngers crossed as the ground. The violence will “When the law and order situ- The big names that have in- Zealand, South Korea, Peru, Po- from India and other countries the widespread violence hap- defi nitely put off a lot of inves- ation in the state was disturbed, vested in Haryana include land, Spain, Britain and Tunisia are expected to participate in the aryana is going ahead pened just over a fortnight ago. tors,” the bureaucrat said, re- people protected the industries Honda, Canon, Yakult, Denso, are taking part as partner coun- summit. Representatives of 140 with an investors’ sum- “With shops, businesses and questing anonymity. and drove away miscreants,” the Mitsubishi, Toyo, Daikin, Yoko- tries. foreign companies and diplo- Hmit putting behind the other institutions targeted by Despite the nine days of un- minister said, trying to build con- hama, Showa, Nippon, Kansai Khattar, who is hoping that mats will also attend. mindless violence unleashed mobs and the police and admin- rest and violence, Japan has fi dence among future investors. Paints, Asahi and Stanley. the summit will be a “historic “We are confi dent that the in- during protests by members of istration failing to control the proposed to become a partner A number of Japanese and Khattar has announced that event”, is keen that more invest- vestment target set in the sum- the Jat community for job and situation, Haryana’s image as an country in the summit. This was South Korean companies have 12 countries would participate in ment comes to the state. Besides mit would be achieved,” Abhi- education quotas. ideal investment destination has telephonically conveyed to chief invested in Haryana, especially the fi rst summit being organised Japan and China, which he vis- manyu said. Sources in the Bharatiya Jana- taken a big hit,” a senior Haryana minister, Finance and Industries in the Gurgaon-Manesar belt. in Gurgaon by the Haryana gov- ited in January, Khattar travelled Federal Finance Minister Arun ta Party government said Chief bureaucrat said here. Minister Abhimanyu said. The fi rst big name to establish ernment in association with the to the US and Canada last year. Jaitley will inaugurate the event. Minister Manohar Lal Khattar “Everyone is keeping their He claimed that people of the base in Haryana, Maruti-Suzu- Confederation of Indian Indus- He did investment road shows A number of central ministers and others involved in the March fi ngers crossed about the sum- state wanted to ensure the safety ki, piloted by Japanese car maker try (CII). in Kolkata, Chennai and Mum- are expected to attend.

PM speeches are good but hollow, BJP to begin says Rahul

IANS Kerala poll Nagaon, Assam

ongress vice president Rahul Gandhi yester- Cday said Prime Minis- ter Narendra Modi was good in campaign on marketing and delivering good speeches but his speeches were often hollow. “He went to Bihar and made promises and assurances but did not fulfi l them. He came to Assam also and made good upbeat note speeches and lofty promises but those proved hollow,” Gandhi The state BJP unit has The party’s vote share touched signifi cant presence in Kerala. said while addressing an election reportedly compiled a list 14%. Vellappally is the general sec- campaign public rally at Borghat of 100 candidates, which The BJP is now the main op- retary of Sree Narayana Dhar- in Assam’s Nagaon district. indicates that the party could position in the Thiruvanan- ma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, Ahead of the rally, he took part be contesting all or most of thapuram Corporation, beating which is guided by the teachings in a road show walking 5km with the 140 seats the traditional opposition Con- of social reformer Sree Narayana thousands of people in the dis- gress Party to a third place. Guru. trict. IANS The party also shocked the Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu He said the biggest achieve- Thiruvananthapuram Congress and CPM in the Pal- which too holds assembly elec- ment of the Congress govern- akkad municipality, winning 24 tions on May 16, the competi- ment in Assam was its success in seats to become the single larg- tive populism of announcing bringing back peace to the state he Bharatiya Janata Party est party there. The BJP earlier freebies like consumer durables in the last 15 years. “We are here is launching its election had 15 seats in that municipality. may continue in the manifestoes to serve people. However, the Tcampaign in Kerala on In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, of major political parties, say ac- present government at the Cen- an upbeat note encouraged by for the fi rst time, BJP’s vote tivists. tre has been trying to help only recent electoral successes and share touched double-digit - at “The major political parties a few businessmen in the coun- hoping to gain from partnering 10.83%, up from 6.03% in the will announce freebies this time try,” Gandhi said. with the recently-fl oated Bharat 2011 assembly vote. also. But the election manifesto “They (businessmen) get eve- Dharma Jana Sena. In the 2011 assembly polls, is now part of the model code of rything. Thousands of crores of “We will not just open our the BJP contested 139 of the 140 conduct drawn by the Election rupees have come to the coun- account in the assembly, we are seats, fi nishing runners up in Commission. So the parties have try’s exchequer after the recent going to win at least 71 seats,” three assembly constituencies to indicate how the fi nancial decline in petrol prices. But the Kummanem Rajashekeran, the with each of the three candidates commitments would be met,” S people of the country will not newly-appointed president of getting more than 40,000 votes. Subramaniam Balaji, a Chennai get even a single penny, all the the state unit of BJP, told report- In the rest of the constituencies, lawyer, said. money will go to his (the prime ers here. the party had fi nished third with “Even the Supreme Court has minister’s) industrialist fi ends.” The state goes to polls on May poor vote counts. said that distribution of freebies “Wherever I go, I raise the is- 16 to elect a new 140-member In the upcoming assembly of any kind undoubtedly infl u- sues of the poor and common legislative assembly. The BJP elections, the BJP has decided to ences all people. It shakes the people. But when we ask these hopes to make its assembly-en- fi eld all its top leaders, includ- roots of free and fair elections to questions, Modiji attacks us per- try in the state which gave India ing 86-year-old former central a large extent,” Balaji said. sonally,” Gandhi said, obliquely its fi rst Left government in 1957. minister O Rajagopal. According to Balaji, the gov- referring to his recent accusa- The state BJP unit has report- “I have decided to contest ernment can create a community tions against the Bharatiya Ja- edly compiled a list of 100 can- again as I do not want our op- asset and not a private asset like nata Party government and the didates, which indicates that the ponents to go around saying that consumer durables from its rev- prime minister’s rebuttal in the party could be contesting all or I have been replaced in the Ne- enues. Lok Sabha the following day. most of the 140 seats. mom constituency,” Rajagopal The Election Commission has “Modiji cannot answer my Power in Kerala has alternated said. also said that freebies at gov- questions as he does not have the between the United Democratic He had fi nished second in Ne- ernment cost disturbs the level answers.” Front (UDF) led by the Congress mom in the 2011 assembly polls. playing fi eld and vitiates the Gandhi also targeted the fi - and the Left Democratic Front Rajagopal had also contested the electoral process. nance minister over his budg- led by the Communist Party of 2014 Lok Sabha election from Balaji had fi led a case against et, saying: “Arun Jaitleyji has India (Marxist). the Thiruvananthapuram con- the Dravida Munnetra Kazhag- brought a ‘Fair and Lovely The BJP’s hopes have been stituency, fi nishing second. am’s 2006 election promise of scheme’ through which all the boosted by a number of electoral The BJP also hopes to gain free colour television and also thieves in the country can convert successes. The party doubled from its alliance with the Bharat against All India Anna Dravida their black money into white.” the total number of seats in last Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) -the Munnetra Kazhagam’s 2011 “However, the people who year’s local body polls compared political party launched in De- promise free mixer-grinder, lap- work for the whole life and take to its performance in 2010. cember 2015 by the powerful top, fan, cattle and others. salary and pension are made to It won about 1,100 of the Hindu Ezhava leader Vellapally Elections will also be held in pay tax on their PF (provident Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi are seen with party 21,871 seats across the three-tier Natesan. Assam, West Bengal in Puduch- fund).” supporters during an election campaign rally in Nagaon near Guwahati yesterday. local body structure in the state. The Ezhava community has a erry in April-May.

Minister’s son accused AI to operate longest fl ight with all-women crew of harassing woman IANS New Delhi

IANS been formed to track him down. Hyderabad The police swung into action ir India will commemo- after women’s groups threatened rate the International to launch an agitation if Sushil AWomen’s Day on March yderabad police yester- was not booked and arrested. 8 by operating the longest all- day accused an Andhra Another police offi cer said the women fl ight today. HPradesh minister’s son minister conveyed to the police The Delhi-San Francisco and his driver of misbehaving that his son was ready to give fl ight, which will cover the with a woman. himself up. Earlier, a case for 14,500km journey in 17 hours, Ravela Sushil, son of Minis- harassing a woman was regis- is the fi rst long-distance fl ight ter for Social and Tribal Welfare tered on Friday against Sushil’s wholly operated and supported Ravela Kishore Babu, and his driver M Appa Rao. by an all-women crew, an air- driver Ramesh have been ac- The incident occurred on line offi cial claimed. cused of stalking the woman. Thursday evening in the posh The fl ight will be managed by The police served a notice to Banjara Hills neighbourhood when a 14-member crew, apart from Sushil under section 41A of the Sushil, sitting in his car, allegedly the four pilots led by Captain Code of Criminal Procedure. intercepted a woman, held her Kshamta Bajpai. The fl ight dis- He has been asked to appear hand and tried to drag her inside. patchers and fl ight engineer before Banjara Hills police sta- The woman said the driver will be women, while the line tion. Deputy Commissioner of passed lewd comments and both safety and safety audit will be Police Venkateswar Rao said if he of them asked her to sit in the car. conducted by women and the fails to appear within 48 hours, After the woman called for load and trim staff will also be The all-women Air India crew that will operate the Delhi-San Francisco flight today pose during a programme in New Delhi yesterday. action will be taken according to help, locals manhandled the two. women. the law. Both were later brought to the The aircraft used is Boeing speed of 800km per hour. It will fl ights with all-women crew on International Women’s Day, “The national carrier sup- The police offi cer denied there police station. 777-LR which will take off at return here on the International that day. and last year it operated two ports the cause of women in was any attempt to shield the On her complaint, police reg- 2.35am today from Terminal 3 of Women’s Day on March 8. Air India was the fi rst airline all-women crew fl ights on the every area,” said Harpreet Singh minister’s son. istered a case only against the the Indira Gandhi International Additionally, the national to operate an all-women fl ight domestic and two on the inter- Dey, president of the Indian Two police teams have also driver and let off Sushil. Airport and travel at an average carrier will operate 20 domestic way back in 1985 to mark the national sectors. Women Pilots’ Association. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 21 INDIA

CONCERN POLITICS CRIME DROUGHT CONTROVERSY BSF finds another UP Congress to hold Woman raped by former UP working on YSR Congress wants abandoned Pak boat poll strategy meeting colleague, his friend revival of river defectors disqualified

The Border Security Force has found yet The Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress has called A 21-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped The Uttar Pradesh government has expedited Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra another abandoned Pakistani trawler in the Sir a high-level meeting of party leaders on March 10 on Wednesday by her former colleague and his work on a project for the revival of Chandrawal Pradesh yesterday sought disqualification of eight Creek area in Gujarat’s Kutch district yesterday and poll strategist Prashant Kishore will also attend friend after being lured by the promise of helping river in drought-hit Bundelkhand region. Chief of its legislators who defected to the ruling Telugu - the fifth such discovery in the last three it, an off icial said yesterday. The meeting, being her find a job, police said in Gurgaon. A case of Minister Akhilesh Yadav announced on Friday Desam Party (TDP). A delegation of YSRCP leaders, months, officials said. Prima facie, it seems to convened by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee gang-rape has been registered against Keshav that, the revival of the river was part of measures led by Jyothula Nehru, met Speaker K Sivaprasad be a fishing boat and there was no suspicious (UPCC) chief Nirmal Khatri, will be attended by and Karn Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police designed to tackle the drought situation in Rao and submitted a memorandum. They urged object found in it, BSF sources said. An official district unit presidents, general secretaries, senior Hawa Singh said yesterday. The suspects are about Bundelkhand. District off icials in Mahoba were the speaker to disqualify the legislators who were said the recovery of boats in the area, which functionaries, leader in charge of party aff airs in 24 years old. The victim from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh already on the job, an off icial said. “A meeting elected on YSRCP ticket but switched loyalties is rich in seafood, was not very unusual as the state Madhusudan Mistry, members of the has been living in a village near Manesar in Guragon of senior off icials to interact with and involve to the TDP. Nehru hoped Rao would take an Pakistani fishermen would at times stealthily All-India Congress Committee (AICC) and Kishore. district of Haryana, Singh said. The woman alleged village heads in the project has already taken impartial decision. The only opposition party in the enter the marshy area to catch prawns and Two days after poll strategist Kishore met Congress she had worked for a few months with Keshav in an place,” the off icial added. Under the plan, 1mn state submitted the memorandum hours before they would abandon the boat and escape if vice-president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, he has insurance company. “We have registered a case of ditches will be dug to slow down the water flow. the budget session of the legislature began. He they suspect or see any BSF patrol boat in the been off icially roped in for reviving the political gang-rape and are investigating it further,” Singh This work of dredging has already been initiated accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was vicinity. fortunes of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. said. No arrest has been made yet. in Chando and Nathupura villages. luring YSRCP legislators with ill-gotten money. India fi les Tibetan refugees hold vigil complaint against US over visas

Agencies would infl ate costs for Indian Zurich/New Delhi IT export fi rms by $400mn a year. India is upset that the rade tensions between visa fees were raised with- India and the US have out consultation. Its $150bn Tintensifi ed as New outsourcing sector provides Delhi fi led a complaint with about three-quarters of the the World Trade Organisation country’s annual revenue from over steep fee increases for US the US. The outsourcing com- non-immigrant temporary panies send thousands of staff work visas. every year to work at client lo- The WTO said in a state- cations. ment on Friday that India has Analysts say the measure disputed the doubling of the will cut 50 to 60 basis points fees for H-1B and L-1 work off the profi t margins of com- visas and limits on their num- panies like Tata Consultancy bers. The visas are typically Services (TCS) and Infosys used by thousands of Indian starting this fi scal year, which nationals hired by information begins in April. technology services fi rms op- A spokesman for the Indian erating in the US. trade ministry declined to The complaint comes comment on the fi ling. just days after the US won a In Washington, US Trade WTO ruling in favour of its Representative spokesman Tibetan refugees hold placards and candles during a vigil following the self-immolation of two Tibetans, in Bengaluru yesterday. A Tibetan schoolboy living in India has died challenge to India’s domes- Andrew Bates said that the four days after setting himself on fire to protest Chinese rule, the hospital treating him said on Friday. His death came after an 18-year-old Tibetan monk in China tic content rules for its solar US “looks forward to dis- self-immolated on February 29 to protest Beijing’s control of the Himalayan region. power subsidy programme cussing our H-1B visa pro- after months of negotiations gramme with our Indian failed to produce a settle- counterparts.” ment. “We are confi dent that the In its filing, India said US’ visa programme, which the new US visa measures was recently updated on a bi- seemed inconsistent with partisan basis by Congress, is the WTO commitments the fully consistent with our WTO US had made, because the obligations,” Bates added. moves treat Indian IT work- The US has 10 days to re- ers in the US less favourably spond to the request, which Bank mergers under than their American coun- will go to the WTO’s Dispute terparts. Settlement Body if the two In December, the US Con- countries cannot reach an gress doubled the cost of agreement. sponsoring H-1B visas to The Indian move is unu- $4,000 each and L-1 visas to sual at the WTO, where most $4,500 each as part of a major disputes involve goods, tar- consideration: Jaitley spending bill. Indian business iffs and restrictions, not lobby Nasscom estimated that services. Govt to set up panel to devise State-run lenders hold more sidiaries under a holding com- with dealing with stressed as- banks to a large extent in recov- strategy for consolidation than two-thirds of assets in In- pany, merging a weaker bank sets. ering their loans. dia’s banking industry. with a stronger bank, or allowing Jaitley said yesterday it was “We got a lot of ideas on how Two-wheeler taxis seized Agencies But they also hold about 85% banks that are stronger in a par- too early to say how many state- to improve the debt recovery Gurgaon of non-performing loans after ticular region to merge. run banks would emerge at the tribunals and SARFAESI Act,” The Karnataka government Transport Authority (RTA) and adding toxic assets at a faster end of a consolidation process he said referring to the Securi- yesterday seized five two- obtain permission. He said the pace than their private sector and declined to give any timeline tisation and Reconstruction of wheeler taxis belonging to RTA deputy commissioner of he government will con- rivals, hurting profitability. for the shake-up. Financial Assets and Enforce- Uber and Ola for violating a district or a particular area sider merging some of About 40% of Indians have Among other measures, Jait- ment of Security Interest Act the Motor Vehicles Act and and the Road Transport Off ice Tits more than two dozen little access to formal banking ley said, the government was that empowers banks to recover operating without permissions. (RTO) have to review such an state-run banks, Finance Minis- channels yet industry analysts considering an employee stock their loans without court inter- “They (UberMOTO and Ola application and permit a two- ter Arun Jaitley said yesterday, as question the need to have more option plan for state-run banks, ventions. Bike) did not make any wheeler taxi service. Leading the authorities seek to improve than two dozen government- where senior executives earn The fi nance minister also said application so it is a violation app-based cab rivals Uber and effi ciency at the ailing lend- owned lenders. far less than their private sector bills on both the bankruptcy of the Motor Vehicles Act. Ola on Thursday launched ers that dominate the nation’s “You need strong banks counterparts. code and insolvency law were That’s why we have taken the two-wheeler taxi services banking sector. rather than numerically a larger He also said the government proposed to be brought before action against them. We have UberMOTO and Ola Bike, Bankers have “strongly sup- number,” Jaitley said. “You need strong banks was considering amending some parliament in the second part of seized some vehicles - four respectively. UberMOTO’s fare ported” the idea of consolida- “What is the best course for rather than numerically a rules, including strengthen- the budget session. to five,” Karnataka transport starts at Rs15 per km followed tion, suggesting the government consolidation? Where do you larger number” ing the debt recovery tribunals, Minister of State for Finance commissioner Ramegowda by Rs3 per km and Re1 per form a panel of experts to devise start from? Which are the banks to help banks recover bad loans Jayant Sinha said the total said. He said companies minute of travel time while Ola a merger strategy, Jaitley said to be considered?,” the minister Reserve Bank of India Gov- more quickly. stressed assets of the bank- interested in launching Bike comes with a minimum after a two-day annual brain- said. ernor Raghuram Rajan said in The minister also said loan ing system were about Rs8tn, two-wheeler taxis or similar fare of Rs30, Rs2 per km and storming event of industry lead- He added that the planned January it was “premature” to defaulters will not be spared. which comprised restructured services must first make Re1 per minute of trip time for ers and offi cials from the central panel would consider options talk of bank mergers when bank He said steps such as the pro- loans and non-performing as- an application to the Road the two-wheeler taxi services. bank and fi nance ministry. such as making some banks sub- managements were preoccupied posed bankruptcy law will help sets.

Multiple motives emerge in massacre probe Jeweller launches Solitaire One

IANS they are now fi nding out details quiet Kasarvadavali area of the was sexually abusing her. Thane, Maharashtra of the doctor who may have pre- city adjacent to Mumbai. Bharmal, in turn, confi ded in scribed him the medication and A few hours earlier, survivor her mother Asgari a couple of the pharmacy from where he Bharmal, who did not eat din- days later at a family gathering week after a man killed bought them, Dumbare said. ner, suddenly woke up to see the when Warekar reportedly over- 14 members of his fam- On February 27, Warekar had gory killings and witnessed her heard them. Aily and later committed invited his family members, in- brother killing their mother who Though he maintained his suicide, the police yesterday cluding his parents, sisters, their was begging for mercy. outward cool, he was seething came up with multiple motives, children, his wife and his own Bharmal managed to lock with rage inside and his behav- including a huge debt, sexual two daughters, for a party to cel- herself in one of the bedrooms iour appeared to change, and he abuse of a sibling and his own ebrate his elder daughter’s sixth and screamed for help from the could have planned the brutal psychological distress. birthday. neighbours even as Warekar killing. Joint Police Commissioner Later that night, after din- hanged himself in the living “We will verify all the details, Ashutosh Dumbare said state- ner he served them a soft drink room. although all the family members ments by the sole survivor, killer spiked with sedatives and She has told investigators that are now dead. We will speak with Malabar Gold & Diamonds has launched Solitaire One, an exclusive collection of solitaires Hasnin Warekar’s younger sister around 3am on Sunday, Warekar Warekar had taken huge loans other relatives and acquaintanc- showcasing a wide collection of loose solitaires in various sizes, colours and quality. Every Sabia Bharmal, revealed a huge slashed their throats with a large from their parents Anwar and es,” Dumbare said. Solitaire One gemstone is certified by leading international certification agencies like GIA, IGI and fi nancial debt of Rs6.70mn and knife. Asgari, an aunt and their grand- Police have also learnt that HRD. Pictured is Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan unveiling the Solitaire One brand in the sexual abuse of a mentally-chal- The daybreak on Sunday left father, totally amounting to Warekar had rented a room in presence of Ahammed M P, chairman of Malabar Group; Shamlal Ahamed M P, managing director lenged sister. people shocked as 15 bodies, Rs6.70mn. Majiwada locality of Thane, (international operations), Malabar Gold & Diamonds; Abdul Salam K P, group executive director, Police also recovered certain including Warekar’s own, were On February 4, one of the vic- close to his home in Kasarvadav- Malabar Group; A K Faisal, corporate executive director, Malabar Group; and other dignitaries medicines Warekar used to take found in a pool of blood inside tims, a mentally-challenged sis- li, and had lost the money he had from the company. for psychological treatment and the bungalow, unnerving the ter told Bharmal how Warekar borrowed in the stock markets. Gulf Times 22 Sunday, March 6, 2016 LATIN AMERICA Cuba and EU Brazil’s ex-president say close to defi ant after detention reaching

AFP Lula was also accused of re- Sao Paulo ceiving about 30mn reais (ap- political accord proximately $8mn) in donations and speaking fees from Petro- razil’s powerful ex-pres- bras-tainted companies. Reuters exist so that we can conclude ident Luiz Inacio Lula da “The favours to Lula from Havana this agreement on political BSilva lashed out at prose- big construction companies in- dialogue and co-operation,” cutors Friday after he was briefl y volved in the fraud at Petrobras Abelardo Moreno, Cuba’s detained by police as part of a were many and hard to quantify,” uba and the European deputy foreign minister for probe into a massive corruption prosecutor Carlos Fernando dos Union on Friday ad- European aff airs, told a news scheme. Santos Lima told reporters. Cvanced ever closer to a conference. During a defi ant press confer- Prosecutors say they are also new bilateral agreement that His European counterpart, ence shortly after being freed, examining Lula’s allegedly wider would replace a unilateral pol- chief EU negotiator Christian Lula, 70, said the decision to role in a Petrobras-related web icy imposed by the Europeans Leffl er, was more cautious on take him forcibly into custody of corruption that enveloped 20 years ago. reaching a rapid conclusion. for questioning about links to a the Workers’ Party, the Lula In- Cuba’s lead negotiator said “If between today and next corruption network at state oil stitute and election campaign the two sides might be able to week we can advance still company Petrobras amounted to fi nances. conclude two years of negotia- more in the negotiations to “judicial authoritarianism.” Acknowledging the extraor- tions during a visit to Havana fi nalise an agreement, clearly “If they wanted to hear from dinary nature of a once hugely by EU foreign policy chief Fe- we would be happy, but this is me, they only had to call and popular president being de- derica Mogherini on March 11. an accord that has to serve us I would have gone, because I tained, prosecutors said in their A deal would hand Cuba an- for many years,” Leffl er told a owe nothing to anyone and fear statement: “It is not a value other achievement on the in- separate news conference. nothing,” he said. “They pre- judgment about who he is... but ternational stage following its Leffl er said it was a coinci- ferred to show power, arrogance, an investigative judgment based detente with the US 15 months dence that Mogherini would to make a show.” on facts and certain acts which ago and the renegotiation of its arrive shortly before US Presi- He got backing from President are under suspicion.” debt with creditors from the dent Barack Obama, who is Dilma Rousseff , a close ally in “In a republic, even famous Paris Club of wealthy nations due to visit Cuba on March the ruling Workers’ Party, who and powerful people must come in December. 21-22, the fi rst such visit since said she was “in complete disa- under judicial scrutiny when Representatives of the the 1959 revolution that over- greement” with the decision to there is a well-founded suspi- Communist-led island and threw a pro-American gov- detain Lula. cion of criminal activity.” the 28-nation European bloc ernment and brought Fidel As well as taking Lula to a po- Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva meets supporters gathering outside his house to show Lula’s detention came a day are seeking a far-reaching ac- Castro to power. lice station, agents raided his him their support, in Sao Bernardo do Campo, near Sao Paulo, Brazil yesterday. after a bombshell claim by a Bra- cord that would outline rela- Obama’s trip will coincide house in Sao Paulo, the offi ces zilian magazine that a former tions on politics, commerce with an exhibition baseball of the Lula Institute, and houses through Brazil’s already turbu- threat of impeachment and a to enact. The risk consultancy close ally of Lula and Rous- and aid. game between Cuba’s national of family members and associ- lent political landscape. court case that could potentially Eurasia Group said that “today’s seff — a senior Workers’ Party The latest talks took place team and Major League Base- ates. As offi cials, backed by cam- see her 2014 reelection declared detention of ex-President Lula senator who has already been Thursday and Friday in Cuba, ball’s Tampa Bay Rays, to be Prosecutors said Lula was tar- oufl aged offi cers with auto- illegitimate. suggests that Rousseff is now charged with Petrobras corrup- the seventh such meeting al- followed three days later by a geted as part of the Operation matic weapons, went through The open confrontation be- unlikely to fi nish her term in of- tion crimes — was preparing to ternating between Havana and free, open-air Rolling Stones Car Wash investigation into a Lula’s house, supporters and tween Lula and Operation Car fi ce.” testify against them. Brussels. concert in Havana, two more sprawling embezzlement and opponents demonstrated in the Wash prosecutors appeared like- The allegations against Lula Senator Delcidio do Amaral, “We hope that during the notable markers in the in- bribery conspiracy centred on street, shouting and scuffl ing. ly to put her in further danger focus on a luxury seaside apart- who was arrested last Novem- visit of Ms. Mogherini the ternational opening toward Petrobras. Later, as Lula gave his press and fuel instability. ment and country house that ber, was reportedly negotiat- right political conditions will Cuba. The corruption scandal, conference, supporters gathered Lula has been rallying the authorities say appear to have ing a plea bargain deal with which has already seen a Who’s outside with placards including Workers’ Party faithful to his been given to the ex-president prosecutors in which he would Who of Brazilian politicians and one that read: “No to the coup.” defense, but nationwide oppo- as bribes. testify that Rousseff obstruct- businessmen face charges, is be- Lula, who was president from sition demonstrations on March “There is evidence that ed the probe and that Lula lieved to be the biggest ever in 2003-2010, remains one of Bra- 13 are expected to draw large former President Lula received had also been involved in the Brazil. zil’s most infl uential fi gures and crowds. assets arising from the Petro- scheme. Colombia reports more Lula was not arrested, but his fate is closely linked to that of The Sao Paulo stock mar- bras scheme through the alloca- The report, although uncon- held for questioning over alleged his successor Rousseff , and the ket shot up after Lula’s deten- tion and renovation of a triplex fi rmed, sparked a furious reac- “favours” received from corrupt future of the Workers’ Party. tion, refl ecting business leaders’ apartment and a site in Atibaia,” tion from Rousseff ’s govern- than 47,700 Zika cases construction companies impli- Rousseff , deeply unpopular opinion that Rousseff ’s downfall prosecutors said in a statement. ment. cated in the Petrobras kickbacks over her handling of a brutal could lead Brazil out of the po- Lula denies ownership of the No allegations have been scheme, prosecutors said. recession, is already fi ghting litical paralysis that has made apartment and any involvement made offi cially against Rousseff AFP symptoms are generally mild The drama sent shockwaves for her political life against the economic reforms impossible in the scheme. in the Petrobras scandal. Bogota and include low fever, head- aches and joint pain, Zika’s rapid spread has raised alarm olombia has seen more in Latin America due to its as- than 47,700 cases of sociation with several more CZika, including thou- serious health conditions. Family, lawyers protest treatment of Mexican kingpin sands of pregnant women Apart from its links to mi- infected with the mosquito- crocephaly, an irreversible borne virus, the country’s condition in which babies are Reuters but anybody, even an irrational animal, given several media interviews, and conditions. “’They are turning me into a National Health Institute re- born with abnormally small Almoloya De Juarez, Mexico would seek their freedom. He didn’t hurt his eldest daughter said her father had zombie,’ Chapo said, ‘because they don’t ported yesterday. heads and brains, it is also anybody,” Bernarda, who is rarely seen at sneaked into the US to visit her while he let me sleep,’” Badillo reported. The law- A total of 8,890 pregnant suspected of causing Guillain- public events, told reporters. was on the lam, The Guardian newspaper yer said Guzman had also claimed prison women have come down with Barre syndrome, a neurologi- amily members, lawyers and sup- Prison authorities deny any inhumane reported on Friday. authorities tried to prescribe him Di- the disease, which has been cal disorder. porters of Mexico’s Joaquin ‘El treatment of Guzman, and said he was in Guzman was recaptured in January azepam, a drug commonly used to help tentatively linked to a serious The virus has infected peo- FChapo’ Guzman protested on Fri- good health. As head of the Sinaloa Car- and taken back to the El Altiplano prison. insomniacs. birth defect known as micro- ple across 282 Colombian day outside the maximum security pris- tel, Guzman is accused of leading a bloody Through his lawyers, he has complained This week, another Guzman lawyer cephaly aff ecting babies born municipalities, 67% of them on where the drug kingpin is being held, war against rival gangs. He fl ed the prison of being woken at night, being denied said his client hated the prison condi- to women who became infect- women. The 25 to 29 age group claiming authorities were depriving him through a tunnel in July 2014, his second family visits and not having enough warm tions so much he was now seeking fast ed while pregnant. was the most aff ected, com- of sleep as a form of torture. breakout from a maximum security facil- clothes for cold nights at the high-alti- extradition to the US, where he is wanted Of the 47,771 cases now re- prising about 14% of cases. The small group included Guzman’s ity. Nobody was hurt in the escape. tude facility. on drug traffi cking charges. A third Guz- ported, 5,065 were registered Clinical exams were used to sister Bernarda, who said her brother was Family members of the drug lord have Also outside the prison on Friday, one man lawyer, Juan Luis Gonzalez Meza, set in the last week alone. Among identify 39,924 of the cases in being punished for escaping from the raised their public profi le considerably of Guzman’s lawyers, Juan Pablo Badillo, up camp outside the prison on Friday and those, 1,237 cases were preg- Colombia. Lab tests confi rmed prison in 2014. since his re-arrest. said he had been given access on Feb. 15 announced a “hunger strike” to demand nant women. 2,090 more and another 5,757 “They are angry because he got out, Guzman’s wife, Emma Coronel, has to his client, who complained about the his client receive better treatment. Although the disease’s are suspected cases. Murder of activist sparks violent clashes in Honduras

Guardian News & Media investigators were working with Environmental activists are The US government added its ant activists,” the group said in a Tegucigalpa offi cials from the US and other more likely to be killed in Hon- voice to the calls for justice. “We statement. countries to fi nd the culprits and duras than any other country, strongly condemn this despi- It also called for action against he promised the full force of the according to a study by the NGO cable crime. The US calls for a foreign participants in the dam he murder of environ- law would come down on the Global Witness. More than 80% prompt and thorough investiga- project, including Siemens, mental and indigenous killers. of murders go unpunished. tion into this crime and for the Voith-Hydro, Dutch FMO and Trights activist Berta Cac- “Our commitment is to the Part of the problem, according full force of the law to be brought Finnfund, and said the US gov- eres has sparked violent clashes truth of the facts and to serve to the InterIACHR, is that the to bear against those respon- ernment, World Bank and other in Honduras despite promises by justice, no matter who it might military has taken on roles that sible,” US Ambassador James fi nancial institutions should President Juan Orlando Hernan- involve. No one is above the should be left to a civilian police. Nealon said in a condolence suspend loans to Honduras until dez to swiftly fi nd and punish the law. This death will not go un- They tend to work in conjunc- message. justice is done. killers. punished,” he said in a televised tion with powerful interests, But Washington’s role is also As the political fallout wid- Rock-throwing students speech. while human rights activists are controversial because the US ened, tributes to the dead ac- clashed with riot police fi r- Local media later reported that criminalised. backed the current government, tivist continued to fl ow in from ing tear gas in the University of a suspect is being questioned by “Honduras should protect which took power after a 2009 across the globe. Honduras on Thursday night police in connection with the defenders when they encounter coup that ousted the democrati- Oxfam lamented the loss of amid anger over the authorities’ murder, which occurred early on risks to their life and personal cally elected president Manuel an “inspiring woman, mother, failure to protect a high-profi le Thursday morning when at least integrity, by adopting an eff ec- Zelaya. The US is now provid- wife, activist and human rights campaigner who had repeatedly two gunmen broke into the home tive and comprehensive preven- ing fund for the Honduran police defender”. received threats on her life. of Caceres and fi red four shots at Relatives and friends carry the coff in of murdered indigenous activist tion strategy, with the goal of force. Jagoda Munic, chair of International NGOs called her sleeping body. Berta Caceres during her funeral in La Esperanza, 200km northwest preventing attacks, and should International Rivers, an NGO Friends of the Earth Interna- for foreign investors and engi- But supporters of Caceres of Tegucigalpa. take the necessary measures that worked with Caceres, sug- tional, said: “This is a sad day neering companies to withdraw fear a possible cover-up. Dozens so that they can carry out their gested the US government for Honduras and the world ... from the Agua Zarca hydro- gathered to demand justice out- tors Desa, the local mayor, police ber by the UN special rapporteur work without hindrance or risk,” should shoulder some of the international pressure is need- power project that Caceres had side the morgue where Caceres’ and soldiers. for indigenous rights, Victoria the commission said last blame for the climate of violence ed to bring the murderers to been opposing at the time of her body is being examined. Some Last week, members of the Tauli-Corpuz. month. against activists . justice and protect those brave death. held banners reading “no more group were detained and threat- But the authorities failed to The utter failure to ensure the “We must note that during enough to speak out on behalf The US government also came impunity”. ened, Copinh said in a state- protect the country’s most fa- security of Caceres has sparked the 2009 military coup in Hon- of their fellow citizens and the under fi re for supporting a gov- The police initially reported ment. mous campaigner, who was last international condemnation. duras, the US government, with environment.” ernment that came to power the case as an attempted rob- The dangers faced by Cac- year awarded the Goldman En- “The cowardly killing of Berta Hillary Clinton as secretary of The actor Leonardo Di Cap- in a coup and has since pushed bery, but the victim’s family be- eres were well known. Last year, vironment Prize. is a tragedy that was waiting to state, worked behind the scenes rio – who used his recent Oscar forward with the controversial lieve the killing was an assassi- the Inter-American Commis- In her acceptance speech, happen. For years, she had been to keep Honduras’ elected gov- acceptance speech to call for cascade of dams and failed to nation ordered by people behind sion for Human Rights (IACHR) Caceres appeared to foreshadow the victim of a sustained cam- ernment from being reinstated. stronger action against climate prevent Honduras from becom- the dam project. raised concerns about Caceres’ her own death, when she noted paign of harassment and threats Additionally, the US government change – also lamented the ing the most murderous country Caceres and other members safety with the Honduran presi- that “giving our lives in various to stop her from defending the continues to fund the Honduran death of the activist. in the world for environmental of the group she founded – the dent Hernández, and formally ways for the protection of rivers rights of indigenous communi- military, despite the sharp rise “Incredibly sad news out of campaigners. Council of Indigenous Peoples called on the government to ap- is giving our lives for the well- ties,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, in the homicide rate, political Honduras,” he tweeted. “We Amid growing criticism, of Honduras (Copinh) – have ply “precautionary measures”. being of humanity and of this Americas Director at Amnesty repression, and the murders of should all honour the brave President Hernandez said local been in confl ict with the opera- There were reiterated in Novem- planet”. International. political opposition and peas- contributions of Caceres. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN Two major Taliban reject peace hydropower talks with Afghan govt projects put AFP once again that until the occu- this meeting and neither has the fi ghting usually abates — un- based military analyst Atiqullah Kabul pation of foreign troops ends, Leadership Council of Islamic derscoring a worsening security Amarkhil said. until Taliban names are removed Emirate decided to partake in it,” situation. “That explains why their in- on fast track from international blacklists and the Taliban statement added. Afghan security forces have surgency is getting increasingly he Taliban yesterday re- until our detainees are released, suff ered record casualties since bloodier.” Internews to end loadshedding before fused to hold direct peace talks will yield no results,” the “We want to repeat our Nato ended its combat mission Kabul has repeatedly called Islamabad next general elections,” said an Ttalks with the Afghan group said in a statement. stance once again that until in December 2014, leaving them for all Taliban groups to sit at the insider. government, dealing a blow to The announcement marks a the occupation of foreign to battle the resurgent Taliban negotiating table though Presi- The sources said these deci- international eff orts to revive setback in eff orts by Afghanistan, troops ends, until Taliban largely on their own. dent Ashraf Ghani has said his akistan Prime Minister sions were taken at a meeting long-stalled negotiations aimed China, Pakistan and the United names are removed from In recent months the Taliban government will not make peace Nawaz Sharif has or- presided over by the prime at ending the deadly 14-year in- States to restart negotiations international blacklists briefl y captured the northern with those who kill civilians. Pdered that two major minister earlier this week and surgency. aimed at ending the insurgency. and until our detainees are city of Kunduz, the fi rst urban A recent UN report high- hydropower projects that will attended by Finance Minis- The announcement, which Delegates from the four coun- released, talks will yield no centre to fall to the insurgents, lighted more than 11,000 civil- add about 2,380 megawatts of ter Ishaq Dar and the prime comes as face-to-face talks were tries met in Kabul late February results” and have seized territory in the ian casualties in 2015 including electricity to the national grid minister’s principal secretary, expected to start in Islamabad for a fourth round of talks aimed at opium-growing southern prov- 3,545 deaths, a new record since be fast tracked for completion Fawad Hassan. this week, stressed longstanding reviving the nascent peace proc- The group also accused the ince of Helmand. 2009 when the agency began before June 2017. Secretary Water and Pow- preconditions for dialogue in- ess, which stalled last summer. United States of duplicity, saying Observers say the intensifying tabulating the statistics. Through two letters, the er Younas Dagha was also cluding the departure of foreign The quartet had called for it had boosted troop numbers, insurgency highlights a push by Pakistan—the Taliban’s his- federal government has asked called ahead of the meeting troops from Afghanistan. a direct meeting between the increased air strikes and night the militants to seize more ter- toric backers—hosted a mile- state energy giant Wapda and held in the absence of Wapda The Taliban’s seemingly in- Taliban and Kabul by this week, raids against the insurgents in ritory in an attempt to wrangle stone fi rst round of talks directly the Neelum-Jhelum Hydro- chairman and NJHP’s chief tractable position follows a a deadline that some analysts tandem with its eff orts to restart greater concessions if and when with the Taliban in July. power Project (NJHP) man- executive offi cer. string of military victories for called “completely unrealistic”. talks. the talks resume. But the negotiations stalled agement to ensure eff ective According to the sources, the insurgent group after Nato “We unequivocally state that The Taliban have also stepped “The Taliban may say ‘no’ to- when the insurgents belatedly monitoring of the Tarbela-IV Sharif desired he be regularly formally ended its combat op- the esteemed leader of Islamic up attacks on government and day but one day they will want to confi rmed the death of longtime Extension Project and the updated on the two projects erations more than a year ago. Emirate (Taliban) has not au- foreign targets in Afghanistan — take part in talks—from a posi- leader Mullah Omar, sparking NJHP for their completion be- and that he would like to per- “We want to repeat our stance thorised anyone to participate in even in the winter months when tion of great strength,” Kabul- infi ghting within the group. fore the deadline. sonally monitor the progress. Chief Executive Offi cer The prime minister was in- Muhammad Zubair of the formed that about 9,100MW 969MW NJHP has been di- of power generation capacity rected to shift the project’s would be added to the system Caught in a storm headquarters from Islamabad by the winter of 2017. Man gets to its site at Muzaff arabad for It was reported that the on-site monitoring of the Neelum-Jhelum project work. had faced delays in the past 13 years The project management because of shortage of funds. was asked not to leave Muzaf- With outstanding dues of farabad for Islamabad unless Rs20bn the contractor could in jail for called by the federal govern- not have been expected to en- ment or without prior approv- sure smooth implementation. al of the Ministry of Water However, now that fi nancing Facebook and Power in case of pressing has been lined up, the project requirement. is already reported to have The water and power secre- achieved about 80% progress. comment tary was told to submit fort- The project will produce nightly reports about the two 5.15bn units of electricity. projects to the Prime Minister The Tarbela extension (T4) AFP Secretariat. project has also been targeted Lahore Wapda Chairman Za- to be completed by June 2017. far Mahmood was asked to Originally, it was estimated to visit the sites of NJHP and cost $928mn, but the estimate Pakistani man has been the 1,410MW Tarbela-IV has been revised downwards sentenced to 13 years in on a weekly basis and report to $651mn. Aprison for allegedly post- updates to the prime minister. Pakistan will get 3,840GWh ing religiously off ensive material “The objective is to com- every year from T4 and it on his Facebook page, lawyers in plete before June 2017 the two would be available for power the case said. Vehicles move on a street during a dust storm in Lahore yesterday. A sudden dust storm hit Lahore yesterday in the morning. projects considered crucial to supply during peak demand Rizwan Haider, 25, was con- Prime Minister Sharif’s target months. victed in an anti-terrorism court of three charges including pro- moting sectarian hatred. “This case... was registered against Haider, who is a Shia Muslim by faith, in January for Musharraf may testify in Benazir posting objectionable mate- Sharif to attend Saudi-led rial against the belief of Sunni Muslims,” Adeel Chattah, public murder, high treason cases prosecutor in the case, said. military bloc summit He was also fi ned 250,000 rupees ($2,500), Chattah said, Internews 2008 and the trial is in its fi nal In August 2013, Musharraf adding that he denied the charg- Islamabad stages as the prosecution is sum- was indicted in the case but he Internews Sharif visited both Riyadh es and has the right to appeal. moning its last few witnesses. denied the charges. He is facing Islamabad and Tehran in January when His lawyer dismissed the ac- According to Khawaja Im- charges of threatening the late tension between the two states cusations. ormer military ruler retired tiaz, a special prosecutor in the PPP chief and denying proper was at its height. It was dubbed “He only liked it and did not General Pervez Musharraf Benazir murder case, the ac- security to her despite numer- akistani Prime Minister as a ‘mediation trip’. post it on the page,” Shameem Fis expected to testify in two cused who will be summoned ous threats to her life. Nawaz Sharif is sched- The Iranian leadership wel- Zaidi said. important cases - one relating to for recording of statements will The former military ruler was Puled to pay a three-day comed the initiative, while Pakistan tightened its hate Benazir Bhutto’s murder and the include Musharraf, two police nominated as the sole accused visit to Saudi Arabia from Saudi Foreign Minister Adel crime laws as part of a campaign other concerning high treason offi cers and four suspects of the in the high treason case in De- March 9 for underscoring the Jubeir apparently spurned it in to combat extremism after a Tal- charge - in coming weeks. Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. cember 2013. In March 2014, he importance of the kingdom for a later statement, saying: “A iban attack at a school in Pesha- He was implicated in the After the prosecution com- was indicted in the case by the Islamabad. lot of countries have off ered war in December 2014 killed 153 Benazir murder case in 2010 pletes the process of presenting special court comprising judges The visit has not been offi - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif mediation and delivered ideas people, mostly children. and high treason case in 2013. evidence against the accused, of three diff erent high courts. cially announced yet, but mul- between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Authorities have arrested An anti-terrorism court (ATC) the court provides an oppor- The prosecution in the case has tiple government sources con- ahead of a planned visit of Ira- but there is no need for this.” and sentenced several religious of Rawalpindi and the special tunity to him or her to appear presented all the evidence and fi rm that Sharif plans to visit nian President Hassan Rouhani The issues Sharif would pos- clerics for hate speech in recent court seized with the high trea- before it and defend himself or produced its witnesses before the Riyadh from March 9 to 11. to Islamabad that is likely after sibly discuss with Saudi lead- months. son case may summon Mushar- herself. In this process, the ac- court. The last prosecution wit- During the visit, the prime March 20. ers during his stay in Riyadh Haider’s case is one of the few raf to defend himself and counter cused may produce witnesses ness testifi ed on September 18, minister is likely to meet the The dates for Rouhani’s visit include Pakistan’s role in the in which a Shia Muslim has been the evidence produced by pros- in his/her defence. 2014. The trial virtually stopped Saudi king. have not been fi nalised yet as 34-nation military alliance; jailed for such a crime. ecutors in the two cases. Two police offi cers - DIG after the court, in Novem- Separately, there are re- the Iranians are keeping them Saudi Arabia’s fi nancial assist- A Pakistani anti-terrorism However, it remains to Saud Aziz and SSP Khurram ber 2014, ordered that former ports that he might also at- open for now because of what a ance and planned investment court jailed another Shia man for be seen whether the ‘ailing’ Shehzad - along with Mushar- prime minister Shaukat Aziz, tend the inaugural summit of diplomatic observer described in Pakistan; regional issues and 13 years in November 2015 after former president will appear raf were nominated as accused federal minister Zahid Hamid the 34-nation military alliance as a developing situation. other facets of bilateral ties. he also posted what it deemed personally before the courts to persons in 2010 in the Benazir and former chief justice Abdul which Saudi Arabia has an- Islamabad and Tehran have a “The prime minister will sectarian hate speech on Fa- get his statements recorded or murder case when the Federal Hameed Dogar be implicated in nounced for fi ghting terrorism. history of cancelling visits due touch on those issues and en- cebook. Rights activists con- testify through a video link. Investigation Agency completed the case. Aziz, Hamid and Dogar The meeting is reportedly tak- to regional issues and at least sure that we remain aligned demned the ruling as “extremely Proceedings in the Bena- its investigation and submitted challenged the verdict before the ing place on March 10. two trips were called off during with the Saudis,” an offi cial concerning”. zir murder case commenced in a challan to the Rawalpindi ATC. Islamabad High Court (IHC). Sharif is making the trip the past couple of months. said.

Praying at Blue Mosque Govt to clip powers of FIA in anti-graft policy revamp

Internews ing paper recommends that engaging in trade and unlawful or offi cer in charge of the accounts. achieved through notifi cation Islamabad the corruption related powers buying or bidding for property. The document says the by the Ministry of Interior be- of FIA should be withdrawn According to the working pa- Clause 5 of the Schedule to FIA cause the amendments in the through a simple notifi cation per, the other off ences which Act 1974 gives the jurisdiction Schedule to the Federal Inves- he Pakistan government to be issued by the Ministry of may be linked with corrup- to FIA of off ences punishable tigation Agency Act, 1974 can is preparing to remove Interior. tion and fall in the jurisdiction under the Prevention of Cor- be made by the Federal Gov- Tjurisdictional overlap The notifi cation, it is sug- of FIA deal with counterfeit- ruption Act, 1947. ernment and no amendment in among its various organisa- gested, will amend the Schedule ing and selling of government “Although the National Ac- the Act will be required by the tions fi ghting corruption to to the FIA Act to resolve the is- stamps and eff acing of gov- countability Bureau Ordinance, Parliament.” make its anti-graft policies and sue of overlapping jurisdiction ernment stamps to cause loss 1999 is later in time and also This exercise, however, in- priorities more effi cient. of FIA and NAB in the matter of to the government; criminal there is an express provision volves no amendment in the Sources say the government corruption. misappropriation of property; in the National Accountability National Accountability Bureau has developed a working paper The provisions relating to criminal breach of trust by a Bureau Ordinance, 1999 that it Ordinance, 1999. It is said that to clip the powers of the Fed- corruption in the Schedule public servant, clerk or servant would override other laws, still the NAB Ordinance is a full- eral Investigation Agency (FIA) to the FIA Act 1975 have been and also dishonestly receiv- the Schedule to the Federal In- fl edged law on anti-corruption to address the issue of overlap- identifi ed as Sections 161, 162, ing stolen property; cheating vestigation Agency Act, 1974 and applies to all citizens of ping between it and the Na- 163, 164, 165A, 168 and 169 of and dishonestly inducing de- needs to be amended so as to Pakistan. tional Accountability Bureau the Pakistan Penal Code. livery of property; and forg- resolve the issue of overlapping Sources said that the gov- An Afghan woman prays in a doorway of the courtyard of the (NAB) on the subject of fi ghting These provisions deal with ing of documents / securities jurisdiction of FIA and NAB in ernment intends to make these Hazrat-e-Ali shrine, or Blue Mosque, in Mazar-i-Sharif, some corruption. taking of illegal gratifi cation for purpose of cheating and the matter of corruption,” the changes in the FIA law after 300kms from Kabul, yesterday. Prepared by the Ministry by public servants, expressing personal gain and falsifi cation paper reads. consultation with all relevant of Law and Justice, the work- personal infl uence, unlawful of accounts by clerk, servant It adds, “The purpose can be government agencies. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, March 6, 2016 PHILIPPINES

Palace Binay camp claims ombudsman denies growing IS bid to derail presidential race infl uence in

By Neil A Alcober with COA regulations,” he add- and members of his family. Until now, COA has yet to re- Manila Times ed. Tiangco said the COA would “The ombudsman represents lease its complete PDAF audit Mindanao violate its own policy that no an administration that has a covering the Aquino adminis- special audits should be done track record of fl outing the law tration,” Tiangco said. he United Nationalist Al- against candidates running for and the Constitution in bring- “The ombudsman, on the By Catherine S Valente liance (UNA) has accused the May elections if it releases ing down its political enemies other hand, is sitting on it and Manila Times TOmbudsman Conchita the special report. while ignoring, aiding and has failed to even consider tak- Carpio-Morales of pressuring “It will also be in direct con- abetting unlawful acts of its ing action against those in- the Commission on Audit (COA) travention of COA resolution party mates and allies,” Tiang- volved in the DAP scandal which alacanang yesterday to release an incomplete special 2015-033 dated Sept 29, 2015 co said. has been declared unlawful and disputed reports that audit report on the Makati City prohibiting the conduct of spe- However, the UNA offi cial unconstitutional by the Su- Mthe infl uence of the Hall Building 2 in a bid to derail cial audit against candidates of said he is not surprised that preme Court,” he added. Islamic State of Iraq and Syria the presidential candidacy of the 2016 elections,” he added. the ombudsman seems bent on At least 38 members of the (ISIS) is growing in Mindanao, Vice President Jejomar Binay. Citing COA insiders, Tiang- releasing the incomplete COA Liberal Party were implicated in insisting that the extremist “We have been informed that co said Carpio-Morales per- report which will be used to the PDAF scam. group has not gotten the support the ombudsman has been per- sonally called up a ranking COA fi le plunder charges against the Binay fi led a P200mn dam- of local groups in the south. sonally calling up COA offi cials offi cial prior to her trip abroad vice president after his term and age suit against Morales and 12 Citing information from the telling them to transmit to her demanding that the audit re- former Makati Mayor Jejomar others for repeatedly spreading military, Presidential Com- offi ce its special audit report port should be released imme- “Junjun” Binay. allegations of plunder, graft and munications Undersecretary on Makati Building 2 even if the Vice President Jejomar Binay talks to a vendor at Mega Q mart in diately. “In stark contrast, the COA corruption, and other illegal Manuel Quezon said that there report does not include the re- Quezon City yesterday. These acts, he noted, bol- and ombudsman are pussyfoot- activities against him based on was no credible link between the plies or comments of city hall ster UNA’s claim that Morales ing on its reports on the Priority unverifi ed and even fabricated ISIS and their local sympathisers offi cials,” UNA president Toby wants COA to eff ectively discard specialists, which concluded has displayed blatant partial- Development Assistance Fund sources, and despite the fact in the country. Tiangco said. the fi ndings of 11 audits, includ- there was no overpricing and ity when handling complaints (PDAF) and Disbursement Ac- these have not been proven in “Of course we stand by the “In so doing, the ombudsman ing one conducted by technical that the said project complied involving the vice president celeration Programme (DAP). court. statement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, through its spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla. According to General Padilla, there are no verifi ed reports that local ter- North Korean ship rorist groups are getting sup- port from the IS,” Quezon said in an interview aired over dzRB seized to enforce radio. “This has not been established. There’s no direct relation between the UN sanctions group here and the bigger terror group Daesh out there in the Middle East” Reuters member of the UN, the Phil- Manila ippines has to do its part to Quezon said no terror threats enforce the sanctions,” said had been monitored so far de- Manolo Quezon, deputy presi- spite claims by analysts that he Philippines said yes- dential spokesman told re- ISIS-inspired militants were on terday it had seized a porters. the off ensive in Mindanao. TNorth Korean freighter The ship, fl ying a Sierra “This has not been estab- that was covered by harsh- Leone fl ag, arrived on Feb 27 lished. There’s no direct relation er UN sanctions against and was unloading palm ker- between the group here and the Pyongyang over its nuclear nels. “We have sent teams to bigger terror group Daesh out programme. guard the ship until we get the there in the Middle East,” he Manila will also deport the formal order from the gov- said. vessel’s 21 North Korean crew ernment,” said Commander “It is the job of the Armed and will await a UN inspec- Armand Balilo, coast guard Forces to determine these things. tion team from the UN, foreign spokesman. The Armed Forces has proven its ministry spokesman Charles On Friday, the coast guard capacity in the past and we be- Jose said in a text message. barred the ship from leaving lieve that theirs is an accurate “In compliance with the UN port, citing safety defi ciencies assessment,” he added. resolution, the North Korean found during an inspection. The Palace official issued ship in Subic will be impound- The inspection was conducted the statement three days after ed and not allowed to leave after the UN passed the reso- the assassination attempt on a port,” he said. lution against Pyongyang. visiting Saudi Arabian preacher The 6,830 deadweight tonne The UN resolution said the reported to be in the ISIS hit (dwt) cargo ship Jin Teng was 31 ships were “economic re- list. one of the fi rst sanctioned sources controlled or operated Rodolfo Mendoza, a senior North Korean ships to enter a by Ocean Maritime Manage- analyst at the Manila-based foreign port since the tight- ment and therefore subject to Philippine Institute for Peace, ened sanctions were passed the asset freeze”. Violence and Terrorism Re- unanimously by the UN Se- The Jin Teng has called at search, earlier said the infl uence curity Council on Wednes- Palembang, Indonesia, and of Islamic State is growing and day. Thirty-one North Korean Kaohsiung, Taiwan, since the its militants are escalating at- ships are on the list. beginning of this year, ship tacks in Mindanao. “The world is concerned tracking data available on “Their infl uence is growing over North Korea’s nuclear the Reuters Eikon Terminal stronger and it is expanding,” This general view shows the North Korean cargo ship Jin Teng, anchored at the former US naval base at Subic port, north of Manila. weapons programme and as a showed. Mendoza said. Duterte seeks details on Marcos Jr pledges greater typhoon aid spending women’s empowerment By Catherine S Valente Manila Times By Jaime R Pilapil Manila Times/Bambang avao City Mayor Rod- rigo Duterte wants Lib- enator Ferdinand “Bong- Deral Party (LP) standard- bong” Marcos Jr promised bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas to Sto be the voice of women explain how the billions of pe- if he wins the vice presidential sos given by foreign donors for race. the victims of Super Typhoon “I promise that you will be Yolanda were spent. given ample and clear voice in Roxas was the Interior secre- government. I assure you of tary when the typhoon (interna- a vice president that will be a tional name: Haiyan) devastated good, virtuous, responsible and the Visayan region in November unifying leader, with whom you 2013. can entrust not only your voice, Duterte, who campaigned but your lives and future, and in Pangasinan province on those of our younger and suc- Wednesday, said the adminis- ceeding generations. I will be tration has been silent on how careful with your heart,” he told the billions of pesos the coun- Duterte: seeking aid details members of the four women`s try received from foreign donors groups who met him on the oc- were used. counted for and have undergone about $26.9mn in cash and casion of the National Women’s “They are silent about it. Now, the requisite audit by the Com- $28.5mn in non-cash donations Month here at the Municipal I will ask Roxas, ‘Where did the mission on Audit,” Presiden- were received by the National Hall auditorium. Marcos Jr: voice for women Yolanda funds go?’” the tough- tial Communications Secretary Government,” he said. With the theme “Kapakanan talking mayor said. Herminio Coloma Jr said in a Typhoon Yolanda made six ni Juana, Isama sa Agenda,” the ticularly careful with the issue the 12-year-old Anti-Violence trust in all the great women in “Where are the billions of statement. landfalls across six or seven re- gathering was attended by Gov. on gender sensitivity because against Women and their Chil- my life—in their skills, their money? Where are the funds He urged critics to check offi - gions on November 8, 2013. Ruth Padilla, her husband, rep- the women in his life are help- dren (Republic Act 9262). talents and their abilities to for Yolanda victims? If he could cial records to see the rebuilding Meanwhile, Duterte vowed a resentative Carlos Padilla, Bam- ing sustain his dreams of a pro- His respect for women, Mar- make the right decisions. Be- answer that, may he become the and rehabilitation that the gov- corruption-free government if bang mayor Flaviano Balgos Jr gressive Philippines, referring cos said, prompted him to fa- hind every successful man is next president but until now, ernment has done. he will win in May. He said cor- and mayors of the province who to his mother, former First Lady vour a female presidential can- a woman. Whoever I am now there is no accounting (of the “According to the records of ruption, illegal drugs and crimi- threw their support behind the Imelda Marcos, his sisters and didate. and whatever I have become, it funds) yet,” Duterte added. the Foreign Aid Transparency nality are the biggest problems candidacy of Marcos. wife. “I fi rmly believe that Senator is because of the infl uence and But Malacanang also on Hub, the Philippines received a facing the country. The Davao The four groups are the Nue- Marcos is married to Liza Miriam Defensor-Santiago, my guidance of all the great women Thursday said the money has total of $386.2mn in foreign aid, City mayor vowed to stop all va Vizcaya Abot-Palad Associ- Araneta. running-mate, is not only most in my life,” he said. been properly accounted for. 86% of which or $330.8mn were these in the fi rst three to six ation Inc, District 8 of the Order The Ilocano senator said qualifi ed, but is also the right “For every success of a man, “All foreign aids received by received by non-government or- months of his administration. of the Amaranth, Kalipunan ng there are laws that protect the and the perfect person to take there is a greater woman be- the country for the benefi t of the ganisations, multilateral agen- “I will guarantee you it will be Liping Pilipina and Rural Im- rights of women like the sev- the job of the presidency of our hind,” he added, drawing thun- communities aff ected by Super cies and others,” Coloma noted. a clean government. No corrup- provement Club. en-year old Magna Carta for country,” Marcos said. derous applause from the wom- Typhoon Yolanda are fully ac- “Out of the total amount, tion,” Duterte said. The senator said he is par- Women (Republic Act 8710) and “I completely have faith and en’s crowd. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL 50 injured as Fun run on International Women’s Day cricket fans, police clash Agitated cricket fans even as the time struck 11am, As we didn’t receive tickets start vandalising vehicles the ticket-seekers wait- from the Bangladesh Cricket and hurling brickbats at ing in queue started throw- Board (BCB), we could not start buildings in the bank area ing brickbats at the bank selling in time.” following a rumour that all building. Responding to a question, tickets of the match have Police rushed in and charged the bank offi cial said normally Women attend a 5,000m fun run organised to celebrate International Women’s Day in Kathmandu yesterday. The theme of this year’s already been sold out baton to disperse the crowd. As 10-15% of tickets are sold from International Women’s Day is “Pledge for Parity”. the law enforcers tried to dis- the branch. By Mizan Rahman perse them, a chase and coun- Additional deputy com- Dhaka ter-chase took place between missioner (Mirpur zone) of them and the ticket seekers, Dhaka Metropolitan Police triggering a clash that left 50 (DMP) Masud said UCBL’s t least 50 people were people injured. Police had to statement over the number of injured as cricket fans lob teargas shells to disperse tickets diff er with the BCB’s Lanka expects heavy infl ux of Chinese tourists Aclashed with police in the crowd. statement. Dhaka’s Mirpur area after fail- Later, the agitating fans en- “We have requested the bank ing to collect tickets for the tered the alleys in the area and authorities to start ticket sell- ri Lanka expects a heavy in 2009 and last month China This is the fi rst time that with the large numbers,” said Bangladesh-India Asia Cup vandalised some vehicles. ing immediately,” Masud said. infl ux of Chinese tour- topped the most number of tour- China has taken the number one Amaratunga. fi nal cricket match scheduled Traffi c on the busy road Responding to a question Sists this year and is aim- ist arrivals, according to Xinhua. spot and outnumbered visitors A delegation led by Amara- for today. came to a halt for nearly an about the black marketing of ing to launch a mega promo- Statistics released from the from India who had been leading tunga will visit China in May to Witnesses said some hour following the incident. tickets, the police offi cer said tional campaign in China by country’s tourism promotion with the most number of tourist launch a mega promotional cam- 10,000 cricket fans had Police also detained 10 people they are monitoring to prevent it. May, Tourism Minister John bureau revealed that the number arrivals. paign to promote Sri Lanka tour- stood in queue at the Mirpur from the spot. Meanwhile, the UCBL Mir- Amaratunga said yesterday. of Chinese tourists, includ- “China is a very important ism. During the visit the minister branch of UCBL to collect While talking to reporters, pur branch started selling tick- Chinese tourist arrivals in ing those from Hong Kong and market for us and we are ex- is also expected to hold discus- tickets since early yester- UCBL branch manager Khan ets at around 5pm and closed the island nation has seen a ris- Macau, rose 17.4% to 32,186 pecting a huge number this sions with the Chinese Tourism day. As the bank authorities Mohiuddin said, “We always its counter after selling around ing trend since the end of the in February compared to the year. We are also making the Minister and extend an invitation could not start selling tickets start selling tickets from 10am. 500 tickets, said ADC Masud. country’s 30 years civil confl ict 26,083 who arrived in January. necessary preparations to deal to visit the island nation. Bangladesh speaker in India Bangladesh to receive $248mn credit from IDB

By Mizan Rahman An offi cial at the economic lines, and four substations. The projects under the programme. Dhaka relations division (ERD) said existing analog billing meters The main objective of this that the loan agreements for will be replaced by 700,000 programme is to enhance the these three projects between prepaid meters in Dhaka divi- capacity of power generations, he Jeddah-based Islamic Bangladesh and IDB are likely sion. transmission and distribution in Development Bank (IDB) to be signed by March next. The 400 MW Ashuganj (East) the power sector of Bangladesh. Twill provide $248.3mn With the signing, according power plant effi ciency im- On February 16, the Islamic credit assistance to Bangladesh to the offi cial, Bangladesh will provement project is a fi ve-year Development Bank (IDB) ap- against three projects in power be able to have this year’s target term project (January 2016-De- proved the funding for the sector, sustainable housing for of having $250mn fulfi lled from cember 2020) and the total cost Ashuganj project. low-income urban communi- the IDB as the lending agency of the project is estimated at Under the sustainable hous- ties and a technical teachers’ of the Organisation of Islamic $530mn. Out of the amount, ing for low-income urban com- training institute. Countries had earlier commit- the ADB will provide $205mn munities to be implemented Of the $248.3mn credit as- ted. from OCR, while $220mn will by the Bangladesh Municipal sistance, the IDB is providing According to sources at the come from the IDB and $105mn Development Fund under the $220mn loan for the 400-meg- power division, the IDB assist- from the national exchequer. ministry of local government awatt Ashuganj (East) power ance will help replace aging The power division is the and rural development, fl ats plant effi ciency improvement steam and gas turbine power executing agency and Ashu- would be constructed for the project in Bangladesh, $20mn plants with a more effi cient 400 ganj Power Station Company conservancy workers in Farid- for the sustainable housing for MW gas-fi red combined cycle (APSCL), Power Grid Com- pur and Mymensingh munici- the low-income urban commu- power plant at Ashuganj power pany of Bangladesh (PGCB) palities while low-cost fl ats to The speaker of Bangladesh Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury called on Indian President Pranab nities and $8.3mn for a techni- station complex. and Bangladesh Rural Electri- be constructed in Gazipur tar- Mukherjee in New Delhi yesterday. cal teachers’ training institute It will also help upgrade and fi cation Board (BREB) are the geting the garment workers of project in Bangladesh. construct 72km of transmission implementing agencies of the that area.

‘Amendments in charter fulfil 99% Bangladeshi lawyer takes aim Minister for hearing Madhesi demands’ Recent amendments to Nepal’s of war criminal’s new constitution fulfil 99% demands of the agitating Madhesi parties and would bring peace and at violence against women appeal without CJ stability in the country, former chief minister of India’s Uttarakhand state and senior BJP leader Bhagat By Lipika Pelham, GNS “Fundamentalists come to “Fatwa is an opinion, not a marriage, the recognition of By Mizan Rahman Singh Koshiyari said yesterday. London court and say that they have the decision – it cannot be used women’s rights to consent Dhaka “India wants to see that peace and right to use the religious decree, to criminalise acts that are not and choice, and an increased political stability is maintained thereby following one part of criminal under the existing female presence in the justice in Nepal and the country moves ena Akhter was 14 the constitution which is Islam, law,” said Hossain. system. n an unprecedented move, forward on the path of economic when she was whipped but not the other part, which is Through her work with Hossain’s work has also a senior minister and close prosperity,” Koshiyari said, who Hto death for allegedly secularism.” Bangladesh Legal Aid and brought some important Iaide of Prime Minister is visiting Kathmandu to attend having an aff air with a married Fatwa violence is largely used Services Trust (Blast), of breakthroughs in personal Sheikh Hasna yesterday urged the 13th general convention of the man. There was uproar in local against women. Punishments which she is the honorary ex- family law for Hindus, Mus- that a new bench, excluding Nepali Congress. and international media at the can include public lashing, ecutive director, Hossain has lims and Christians. Codifi ed Chief Justice Surendra Ku- Describing the recent time of her death in 2011, fol- forced veiling, shaving heads, also questioned the linger- during colonial rule, these mar Sinha, hear the appeal of constitutional amendments lowed by a fervent call to out- or forcing the accused to walk ing British colonial practice laws often leave women in dire condemned war criminal Mir as a “positive sign”, Koshiyari law so-called fatwa or decree through the village wearing a of subjecting rape victims to poverty in the event of divorce Quasem Ali. said, “Through the constitution violence in Bangladesh. garland of shoes around the degrading physical exami- or separation. About 80% of He made the appeal at a Food Minister Quamrul Islam amendments 99% of the The high court ruled that He- neck. nations, and discriminatory Blast’s cases deal with family discussion arranged by the demands of the Madhesi people na’s body should be exhumed personal family laws. law. Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Com- their lobbyists are doing. were fulfilled and the remaining to determine the extent of the “Fundamentalists Following Hossain’s inter- There’s a long way to go mittee, a platform that de- “He in reality brought al- 1% will also be fulfilled through violence to which the young girl come to court and vention, the high court asked before a unified family law is mands trials of war criminals, legations against the state dialogue and negotiations.” was subjected. A second post- say that they have the health ministry to review legislated, but Blast has been in Dhaka yesterday, two days and the government. Not only “Everything will be all right, I am mortem examination found the right to use the case studies presented to the running legal clinics where before the verdict in the ap- that, his statement has ques- confident that the remaining that she died of septicaemia due religious decree, court by Blast to evaluate legal women can seek advice. Some peal of Jamaat-e-Islami leader tioned the trials by the tribu- problems will also be resolved to severe internal injuries. The thereby following approaches that call into ques- of these are run alongside is scheduled to be announced. nal over the past fi ve years. soon,” he said. court ordered an investigation, one part of the tion the character or integrity of medical clinics offering free “Through a comment of the “I think there should be a He also said that Indo-Nepal which led to several arrests, in- constitution which women in rape cases. A ruling is contraceptives. Hossain said chief justice (CJ) in a court, we fresh hearing of the appeal relations are in excellent shape cluding that of the cleric who is Islam, but not the expected soon. the clinics are often more have realised what verdict will before a bench, excluding the and “no matter which political issued the fatwa. other part, which is “Because most people are not crowded than those providing be delivered in the case. We chief justice,” he added. party in India comes in power, all That outcome was only made secularism” going to know about these court legal services. have realised that there is no Also present at the pro- wanted to maintain good friendly possible by the pioneering work rulings, they must be incorpo- “Our main objectives are to scope for awarding the death gramme, Liberation War Af- relations with Nepal”. of Sara Hossain, a prominent The Bangladesh constitution rated into school textbooks,” work behind the scenes on is- penalty (to the convict),” Food fairs Minister Mozammel Answering a question regarding lawyer in the supreme court of is a peculiar one, with Islam said Hossain. sues of rights violation, which Minister Quamrul Islam said. Haque said there should be a the recent blockade on the Bangladesh. Her campaign to and secularism standing side Blast now aims to raise na- include public interest litiga- Ali, known as the fi nancial law with a provision for con- country’s southern border, he said, challenge punishments handed by side. Prime Minister Sheikh tionwide awareness that fatwas tion. We would like to establish backbone of the Jamaat-e- fi scating the property of war “India do not want to cause any out by village courts, has led to Hasina made a 15th amend- lack legal authority. a daily presence, not just lend Islami, was earlier sentenced criminals. inconvenience to Nepalese people groundbreaking rulings based ment to the constitution in “It is the duty of the legal our name to high-profi le cases,” to death by the International Chief Justice Surendra Ku- and it doesn’t want anything that on secular values. 2011, introducing a separate bodies to challenge even iso- said Hossain. Crimes Tribunal for his 1971 mar Sinha, during appeal would harm the people of Nepal.” “When a fatwa is issued, such provision under which Islam lated cases and reinstitute Hossain’s work may be laud- crimes. hearing, had reprimanded the He said India wants to collaborate as in Hena’s case, the victims’ was aff orded special status as a secularism, an integral part of ed as revolutionary by some, The food minister said, prosecution for weak argu- with Nepal in hydro- power sector families are not even aware that “state religion”. Paradoxically, Bangladesh’s constitution,” but she says she is essentially “What did the chief jus- ments in the case. and is also considering to connect such practices are illegal under this was done even as an older said Hossain. working within the constitu- tice say in court? The pros- Following his remark, Law Kathmandu to India through a Bangladeshi constitution,” said article prohibiting “granting Blast’s projects aim to estab- tion. Only through the rule of ecution is doing politics with Minister Anisul Huq said he railway line. “India should not only Hossain, who was in London by the state of political status lish a national legal framework law could exemplary women’s the case. The chief justice would like to see the holes in connect its railway to Badrinath recently to attend the Trust in favour of any religion” was on areas including disability rights precedents be created, is speaking along the same the prosecution so that those but it should also connect it to Women conference. reinstated. rights, the elimination of child she said. lines as the BNP, Jamaat and could be plugged. Pashupatinath as well.” Gulf Times 26 Sunday, March 6, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Production Editor: C P Ravindran Economic growth

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar [email protected] after the Arab Spring Telephone 44350478 (news), 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) Improving economic economies without liberalising their leading to anaemic export growth. their business coalitions, traditional Fax 44350474 inclusion without politics. Autocrats, supported by The result was a dearth of jobs in the rent-seeking cronies are constraining Western powers, remained fi rmly in formal sector, which rarely employed progress. By undermining investment threatening political place. more than 20% of the labour force. in tradable sectors, appeasing them leaders will be no easy feat, As a result, even as the reforms With the few good jobs reserved for means hampering export growth of the 1990s rolled back the state’s favoured groups, a growing pool of considerably. as it demands the creation of economic role – in Egypt, state educated young workers faced lower- Tunisia could take a page out of more inclusive governance spending fell from 60% of GDP in quality jobs in the informal sector. Morocco’s playbook, expanding its GULF TIMES 1980 to 30% of GDP in the 1990s – Add to that poor-quality services, and export sector by attracting foreign arrangements politics continued to shape markets. social mobility ground to a halt. direct investment, while opening With economic privileges doled out in Intensifying social dissatisfaction up its domestic services sector to By Ishac Diwan a way that blocked the emergence of was met with rising levels of local SMEs. But it would still have Cambridge independent entrepreneurs that might repression. As political risks rose, the to face the challenge of liberalising Rational water use eventually challenge the autocrats’ autocrats’ cronies demanded higher its economy, in the face of rising control, favoured fi rms were able to returns. Ultimately, the regimes’ pressure from labour unions to protect ive years after the Arab Spring acquire virtual monopolies over entire inability to control both the street ineffi cient incumbent fi rms from vital for sustainable uprisings began, Egypt, liberalised economic sectors. and the private sector culminated increased competition. Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia In Egypt, for example, the fi rms of in popular protests and political For its part, Egypt is relying on Fhave achieved reasonable 32 businessmen closely connected revolutions. public and private fi rms close to its levels of political stability. Yet with then-President Hosni Mubarak The governments that emerged army, together with fi nance from development of Qatar economic growth remains tepid, and received in 2010 more than 80% of the from the Arab Spring’s wreckage the Gulf Co-operation Council, to the International Monetary Fund does credit that went to the formal private inherited a broken system of closed support its economy. But, given the not expect the pace of expansion to sector and earned 60% of the sector’s deals. Inadequate property-rights fall in GCC oil revenues – not to Qatar’s initiative for rational water consumption is exceed 1.5% per capita this year. Given overall profi ts, while employing only protection is impeding investment, mention disappointment with the signifi cant in that conservation of water and other natural the region’s large catch-up potential 11% of the country’s labor force. In but moving to fair and well-enforced arrangement’s ineffi ciency – this route resources is important for the sustainable development of and young workforces, one must ask Tunisia, former President Zine El rules is not a realistic prospect in seems increasingly limited. the country. why this is so. Abidine Ben Ali’s cronies received 21% the current environment, given the In all four countries, employment One obvious explanation is that, of all private-sector profi ts in 2010, petty corruption of an underpaid growth will remain constrained This initiative is all the more relevant because in Qatar the despite signifi cant progress in building though their fi rms employed only 1% bureaucracy and the polarised political for some time to come. Improving government has been spending billions of riyals to provide stable governments, these countries of Tunisia’s labour force. environment. economic inclusion without clean drinking water and uninterrupted supply of electricity remain subject to political risks that Unsurprisingly, this system These countries could try to replicate threatening political leaders will to its people. scare private investors. But private generated only modest growth. Turkey’s economic success in 2000- be no easy feat, as it demands the During the recent ‘Arab Water Day’ celebrations, HE the investment was modest before the Political loyalty does not translate into 2010, when a political alliance between creation of more inclusive governance uprisings of 2011, when such risks economic effi ciency, and autocratic the ruling party and a broad group arrangements. For Morocco and Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh were already high. There must be more leaders’ loyalists consistently failed of dynamic small and medium-size Tunisia, the convergence of interests al-Sada emphasised the need for total co-operation from to the story. to build competitive world-class enterprises (SMEs) contributed to a between moderate Islamists and people of this country to rationalise water consumption. A look at these countries’ recent corporations. With talented potential tripling of exports. The challenge here liberals off ers a ray of hope. But such He said it was the common moral, national and religious economic history off ers insight into competitors at such a distinct would be to fi nd the right investors, who hope seems to be lacking for the responsibility of every citizen and resident to maintain the problem. Market economies are disadvantage, nobody was motivated can spur growth and create jobs, not just moment in Egypt and elsewhere in the relatively new to the Middle East and to innovate or invest adequately. provide political support. region. – Project Syndicate/Mohamed the source of life and to ensure a decent livelihood for the North Africa, having arisen only after And it was not only traditional rent- Here, Morocco and Jordan have had Bin Rashid Global Initiatives, 2016. present and future generations. the 1980s, when the model of state- fi lled sectors, such as real estate or some success, with their monarchies The minister noted that Qatar, under the wise leadership directed economic growth collapsed natural resources, that failed to reach proving capable of managing elites zIshac Diwan is an affi liate at the of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has under the weight of its ineffi ciencies their growth potential. In tradable who off er both political acquiescence Belfer Center’s Middle East Initiative encouraged and supported the means to reduce the water (and resulting debt). Unlike Latin sectors, such as manufacturing and and economic sustenance. But, while at Harvard University and Chaire America or Eastern Europe, however, utilities, rents were created through these countries’ governments are d’Excellence Monde Arabe at Paris consumption rates and the steps taken to provide, sustain Arab countries liberalised their non-tariff protection and subsidies, having some success in broadening Sciences et Lettres. and maintain water sources. Al-Sada highlighted the fact that the Arab per capita consumption of water is among the highest in the world. The slogan adopted by Qatar to mark the Arab Water Day was “We rationalise in water to achieve sustainable development as water is of utmost importance in our lives”. An initiative was launched by the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) to strengthen the culture of rationalisation of water consumption through the national programme of energy conservation and effi ciency in April 2012 under the patronage of HH the Emir. The fi ve-year initiative Every resident called Tarsheed aims to achieve an eff ective must try to reduction of electricity avoid wasteful and water consumption by the country’s residents, consumption of both citizens and expatriates. electricity and Through the Tarsheed water campaign, the country hopes to reduce the consumption of electricity by 20% and water by 35% over the fi ve year campaign period. Tarsheed presents a signifi cant opportunity for Flashback: Tunisians attend a rally marking the third anniversary of the uprising that ousted Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. organisations and individuals to join the national eff orts to protect the country’s resources and reduce water and electricity consumption. Every resident is duty-bound to help the government achieve its targeted goal. Time for helicopter money? Tarsheed’s message must reach every resident of this country as Qatar is at the doorstep of summer, a period By Kemal Derviş increasing infrastructure. By But there is another dimension terms of exchange rates and short-term which generally sees very high demand for water and Washington, DC placing purchasing power in the of the challenge that has so far not competitiveness, even as it moved real electricity. hands of those who need it most, been emphasised nearly enough, interest rates back into positive territory. Though Qatar is a desert country, its water usage is among direct monetary fi nancing of public despite the warnings of Carney, If successful, this eff ort could eventually ut of ammo?” The spending would also help to improve Roach, and others. Zero or negative be followed by further small increases, the highest in the world on a per capita basis. Similarly, Economist recently asked inclusiveness in economies where real interest rates, when they become creating space for more traditional per capita power consumption in Qatar is also very high by of monetary policymakers. inequality is rising fast. quasi-permanent, undermine the monetary-policy “ammunition” to be global standards. OStephen Roach has called Helicopter drops are currently effi cient allocation of capital and deployed in the future. Over the last one decade, Qatar’s population has grown the move by major central banks proposed by both leftist and centrist set the stage for bubbles, busts, and Success also hinges on the manifold with the result that there is huge increase in water – including the Bank of Japan, the economists. In a sense, even some crises. They also contribute to further simultaneous pursuit of fi scal European Central Bank, and the Bank “conservatives” – who support income concentration at the top by expansion worldwide, with each and power consumption in the country. of Sweden – to negative real (and, in more public infrastructure spending, hurting small savers, while creating country’s eff orts calibrated according While many neighbouring countries are witnessing some cases, even nominal) interest but also want tax cuts and oppose opportunities for large fi nancial to its fi scal space and current- sporadic shortages of electricity, we have not seen that in rates a “futile” eff ort that merely sets more borrowing – de facto support players to benefi t from access to account position. The expansion Qatar yet because of the government’s visionary approach “the stage for the next crisis.” And, at helicopter drops. savings at negative real cost. As should fi nance a global programme in investing in utilities. the February G20 fi nance ministers Recently, more radical proposals unorthodox as it may sound, it is likely of investment in physical and human meeting, Bank of England Governor have surfaced, refl ecting a sense that the world economy would benefi t infrastructure, focusing on the two But round-the-clock availability of electricity and water Mark Carney reportedly called these of urgency and widespread from somewhat higher interest rates. key challenges of our time: cleaner at subsidised rates is no excuse for misusing these precious policies “ultimately a zero-sum disappointment with the impact of Raising interest rates cannot, energy and skills for the digital age. resources. game.” Have the major advanced current monetary policy. Beyond however, be a stand-alone policy. A coordinated and well-timed We should realise that new infrastructure to produce economies’ central banks – which advocating higher minimum wages, Instead, small policy-rate increases policy package could boost global water and electricity requires massive investments. Also, have borne the burden of sustaining some are calling for “reverse income must be incorporated into a broader growth, improve capital allocation, anaemic post-2008 recoveries – really policies,” with governments imposing fi scal and distributional strategy, support a more equitable income maintaining the existing infrastructure to desirable global run out of options? across-the-board wage increases implemented alongside more public distribution, and reduce the danger standards is also expensive. It certainly seems so. Central-bank on private employers – a move that spending on infrastructure and skills of speculative bubbles. The various Every resident of Qatar must support initiatives such as balance sheets have swelled, and would drive up prices and defeat upgrading, as well as some gentle meetings in the run-up to the G-20 Tarsheed and try to avoid wasteful domestic consumption policy rates have reached their “near defl ationary expectations. The forms of income policies, employing, summit in China, including the of electricity and water. zero” lower bounds. There is plenty fact that economists whose views for example, “moral suasion.” spring meetings of the International of cheap water, it seems, but the typically fall nowhere near those of Even with such an approach, Monetary Fund and the World Bank, horse refuses to drink. With no signs the far left are even thinking about however, major central banks would be ideal forums for designing of infl ation, and growth still tepid such interventionism shows just how would have to coordinate their such a package, and advancing its To Advertise and fragile, many anticipate chronic extreme circumstances have become. policies. If a single major central implementation. slow growth, with some even fearing I favor all of these proposals, bank attempted to introduce higher Economic orthodoxy and [email protected] another global recession. in some form. The details of their interest rates, its economy would independent actions have clearly Display But policymakers have one more implementation would obviously have immediately be “punished” through failed. It is time for policymakers Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 option: a shift to “purer” fi scal to vary, depending on each economy’s currency appreciation, declining to recognise that innovative policy, in which they directly fi nance circumstances. Germany, for example, competitiveness, and falling exports, international policy co-operation is Classified government spending by printing is in a strong position to implement a all of which would undermine not a luxury; sometimes – like today – Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 money – a so-called “helicopter reverse income policy, given its huge aggregate demand and employment. it is a necessity. – Project Syndicate drop.” The new money would bypass current-account surplus, though If the major central banks Subscription the fi nancial and corporate sectors there would undoubtedly be major decided to increase their policy rates zKemal Dervi, former Minister of [email protected] and go straight to the thirstiest political barriers. More spending simultaneously, these spillover eff ects Economic Aff airs of Turkey and former horses: middle- and lower-income on education, skills upgrading, and would cancel one another out. A Administrator for the United Nations consumers. The money could go to infrastructure, however, is a no- coordinated move, perhaps raising Development Program (UNDP), is 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved them directly, and through investment brainer almost everywhere, and is rates in two modest 25 or 30 basis- a vice president of the Brookings in job-creating, productivity- politically more feasible. point increments, would be neutral in Institution. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 27 COMMENT Beyond the two-state solution

With statehood seemingly experienced marked growth. Israel’s opportunities for investors from out of reach, it will be only a government contributed $34mn the region and beyond to contribute in 2013. Jordan, which has largely to, and profi t from, peace. They matter of time before large directed the project since 2001, would receive local tax breaks, and numbers of Palestinians provides ongoing fi scal support. maybe also support from their own As with SEZs elsewhere around the governments. begin demanding the right to world, the industries in the park are The US could take the lead, as it has vote in Israeli elections exempt from taxes and tariff s and done with SEZs in Egypt and Jordan. enjoy other economic benefi ts. Governments and philanthropists By Ian Shapiro and Nicholas Strong This model should be expanded could provide seed grants. As with New Haven to include special political zones the JGIP, the goal should be to model (SPZs) that erode divisions between best practices that others will want to Israelis and Palestinians. SPZs could imitate. s the turmoil in the Middle be created along the borders between There are already serious players East worsens, the fate of Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. poised to become SPZ entrepreneurs. the Palestinians seems They should be more fully integrated Fogel belongs to Breaking the Impasse Ato have been put on the than the JGIP, which depends on (BTI), a group of prominent Palestinian diplomatic back burner. Indeed, the outside labour. and Israeli business leaders committed two-state solution has been on life- People in the SPZs would eff ectively to advancing peace. Established by support since Israel’s 2014 Operation constitute themselves as microcosms Palestinian magnate Munib al-Masri Protective Edge in Gaza, despite US of a new order. SPZ businesses could and Israeli tech billionaire Yossi Vardi in Secretary of State John Kerry’s heroic be owned by Israelis, Palestinians, or July 2012, BTI has some 300 members, eff orts to revive it. Many in the region, jointly, and workers would come from whose companies account for at least and elsewhere, now believe that it is both sides of the divide. But everyone 30% of Israeli and Palestinian GDP. In dead. would have to live in the SPZ, in which other words, they have the infl uence But that raises a new problem. they would receive ownership shares and resources to instigate a fi rst wave With statehood seemingly out of and governance roles that would grow of SPZs. reach, it will be only a matter of time in proportion to the length of their The fi rst SPZs must demonstrate before large numbers of Palestinians tenure. that a marriage of economics and begin demanding the right to vote in SPZs should enjoy high degrees of politics can induce collaboration that Israeli elections. That fi ght will be political autonomy from the Israeli would not be possible otherwise. intense. Israelis embraced the idea of government and the Palestinian Israel’s government and the two states for so long partly to keep Authority. Residential infrastructure, A Palestinian man uses a rope to climb over a section of Israel’s controversial separation barrier that separates the West Bank city Palestinian Authority must play Palestinian enfranchisement off the from schools to municipal services and of Al-Ram from east Jerusalem. Many Palestinians from the West Bank cross into Israel every day in search for work. facilitating roles. But they will mostly table. medical facilities, would be built in the be in the back seat of a venture driven How can the emerging order zones, making them substantially self- arrangements could foster new forms SPZs should be located near stagnation and the inexorable, by entrepreneurs, external friends of become more inclusive and suffi cient. Day-to-day governance of inter-ethnic co-operation. transportation on both sides of the demography-driven drift toward regional peace, and – most important legitimate? Elements of a constructive would be left to residents, who would Security would be a major concern. border, but away from religious Israeli apartheid. – the individual Palestinians and way forward are hiding in plain sight. have an economic interest in the SPZ’s Initially, SPZ perimeters would have shrines, settlements, and strategically Those who move into SPZs would Israelis who make the sweat-equity Shortly after Israel signed its 1994 vitality, as well as incentives to sustain checkpoints like those for crossing important military installations. be actively committed to making commitment to become a new kind of peace treaty with Jordan, then-Foreign integrated binational communities. into the West Bank and Gaza. But Possible sites include the once- them work. If the early SPZs succeed, pioneer for peace. If they succeed, the Minister Shimon Peres proposed a Co-Op City, the largest residential people would not need to come and planned Khaddourie industrial park there will be pressure to create others. death of the two-state solution might cross-border joint economic zone to complex in the US, is a suggestive go on a daily basis, an albatross that between Tulkarem in the West Bank Indeed, cross-border SPZs might prove to be a blessing in disguise. – solidify the agreement. This became model. Directed by a community- has bedevilled cross-border SEZs and Herzliya, and the Karni Industrial eventually be replicated within the Project Syndicate the Jordan Gateway Industrial Park based Corp, Co-Op City contains until now. Autonomous forces, similar Zone outside Gaza City. occupied territories and in Israel (JGIP), a 346-acre special economic schools, stores, and private law to those employed by CIDs and The idea need not be sold to proper, including cities like Ramallah zIan Shapiro is Professor of Political zone (SEZ) occupying the Israeli and enforcement. Such common-interest university campuses, would maintain electorates or extremists to go and Tel Aviv. Science at Yale University and the Jordanian banks of the Jordan River housing developments (CIDs) have internal order. This diff ers from the forward. Nor need it uproot people. Much will depend on the author of Containment: Rebuilding near Haifa. grown in the US in recent years. JGIP, where Israel and Jordan maintain SPZs will be attractive to those communities that the residents a Strategy Against Global Terror. Championed by Israeli industrialist Part of the attraction is enhanced control over their respective spheres who are hungry for constructive create. But outsiders can help. As Nicholas Strong is a student and Shlomi Fogel, the JGIP has recently participation. In the Middle East, such on either side of the Jordan River. alternatives to the prevailing political with the JGIP, SPZs would provide research assistant at Yale University. Weather report China’s volatile growth Three-day forecast TODAY High: 27 C By Michael Spence and Fred Hu sector remains subject to serious each of the last two months. These stable” against a basket of currencies vulnerabilities. The rapid expansion outfl ows, together with volatility and the dollar. Low : 20 C Milan Misty at places at first and party of credit in 2009 led to huge over- in the stock and currency markets, But the principal unaddressed cloudy to cloudy with chance of investment and excess capacity in have left investors and policymakers problem aff ecting China’s financial scattered rain,thundery at times ncertainty about China’s commodity sectors, basic industries increasingly worried. system is the pervasiveness of state economic prospects is like steel, and especially real estate. Unfortunately, a clear explanation control and ownership, and the implicit MONDAY roiling global markets – The now-struggling pillars of China’s for this behaviour has yet to emerge. guarantees that pervade asset markets. High: 28 C not least because so many old economic-growth model bear Some blame it on the combination of This leads to misallocation of capital Low: 20 C U P Cloudy questions are so diffi cult to answer. considerable responsibility for the progress toward opening the capital (with small and medium-size private In fact, China’s trajectory has become current growth slowdown. market and an overvalued exchange enterprises struggling the most) and the almost impossible to anticipate, owing Despite these challenges, the rate, anticipating that net infl ows will mispricing of risk, while contributing to the confusing – if not confl icting – reality is that China’s transition resume once the currency resets closer to a lax credit culture. The absence TUESDAY signals being sent by policymakers. to a more innovative, consumer- to market level. Others suspect the of credit discipline is particularly High: 27 C In the real economy, the export- driven economy is well underway. infl uence of inside information: The problematic when combined with Low: 20 C driven tradeable sector is contracting, This suggests that the economy is capital exodus is a signal that economic highly accommodative monetary policy, P Cloudy owing to weak foreign demand. Faced experiencing a bumpy deceleration, conditions and growth prospects are because it can artifi cially keep zombie with slow growth in Europe and not a meltdown, and that moderate much worse than offi cial fi gures imply. companies afl oat. Japan, moderate growth in the US, growth can reasonably be expected in Still others cite the impact of To resolve this problem, China’s Fishermen’s forecast and serious challenges in developing the medium term – that is, unless the President Xi Jinping’s intensive leaders must segregate the state OFFSHORE DOHA countries (with the exception of fi nancial system’s problems intensify. anti-corruption campaign and, more balance sheet from the credit allocation Wind: NW-NE 05-15 KT India), the Chinese trade engine has As it stands, non-performing loans generally, declining offi cial tolerance for system; but there is no clear roadmap Waves: 2-4 Feet lost much of its steam. are on the rise, owing largely to the heterodox views. Those who feel directly for doing so. Moreover, they should INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 05-15/25 KT At the same time, however, rising weaknesses in heavy industry and threatened by the anti-graft campaign build on eff orts taken to open up the Waves: 1-2 Feet domestic demand has kept China’s real estate. While offi cial sources might be inclined to take their money capital account, thereby improving the growth rate relatively high – a feat report that NPLs account for 1.67% out of China. But many others may be effi ciency of capital allocation over time, Around the region that has been achieved without a of loans held by commercial banks, doing so for fear that, far from giving though this process is undoubtedly Weather Weather substantial increase in household the Chinese investment bank CICC the markets a more “decisive role” in complicated by the capriciousness of today Max/min tomorrow Max/min indebtedness. As private consumption estimates the fi gure to be closer to the economy, the government may be cross-border capital fl ows. Abu Dhabi M Cloudy 32/21 P Cloudy 33/21 has expanded, services have 8%. If so, the banking sector – and moving to assert greater control. Capital China’s current bout of economic Baghdad Sunny 24/09 Sunny 23/09 Dubai P Cloudy the wider economy – could suff er tends to fl ow to places where rules are volatility is likely to persist, though M Cloudy 29/21 30/21 proliferated, generating employment Kuwait City S Showers 27/17 Sunny 27/16 for many. This is clear evidence of a considerably. clear and stable. increased transparency could do Manama P Cloudy 26/20 P Cloudy 24/20 healthy economic rebalancing. Whether it does depends on the Given China’s systemic importance much to blunt it. Add to that the Muscat P Cloudy 29/24 S T Storms 28/23 The situation in the corporate decisiveness of the policy response. in the global economy, uncertainty smart use of state resources, together Riyadh M Sunny 31/15 M Sunny 28/14 sector is mixed. On one hand, highly As in the late 1990s, after the Asian about its plans and prospects is bound with sure-footed reforms, and China Tehran M Sunny 23/11 Sunny 18/07 innovative and dynamic private fi nancial crisis, China may need to rely to send tremors through global capital should be able to achieve moderate fi rms are driving growth. Indeed, as on the large state balance sheet for markets. That is why it is so important yet sustainable long-term growth. – a forthcoming book by George S. Yip loan consolidation, debt write-off s, that the Chinese government increase Project Syndicate and Bruce McKern documents, these and bank recapitalisation. the transparency of its decision- innovations are occurring in a wide But the concerns do not end there. making, including by communicating zMichael Spence, a Nobel laureate in range of areas, from biotechnology to Net private capital outfl ows remain its policy decisions more eff ectively. economics, is Professor of Economics renewable energy. The most visible substantial, and show no signs of Consider the soothing impact of at New York University’s Stern School progress has come in the information slowing. As a result, the reserves held PBOC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan’s of Business and Senior Fellow at technology sector, thanks to fi rms by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) recent statement (following a long and the Hoover Institution. Fred Hu is like Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, Lenovo, have declined by roughly $500bn baffl ing offi cial silence on exchange- Chairman and Founder of Primavera Huawei, and Xiaomi. over the last year, with particularly rate policy) that the central bank Capital Group, a China-based global On the other hand, the corporate large declines of some $100bn in would keep the renminbi “basically investment fi rm. Live issues

Savour the fl avour of eating right Around the world Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min M Sunny Sunny 19/13 By Barbara Quinn We’re all Americans, right? And zMiddle East: Olive oil, lemon, eff ects in animals. Human studies are Athens 18/12 no matter our ethnic preference, parsley underway. Beirut P Cloudy 18/13 Sunny 23/16 Tribune News Service Bangkok Sunny 34/26 Sunny 34/27 we are free to choose foods that are zMorocco/North Africa: Note: If you still have the same Berlin Showers 06/0 P Cloudy 08/-2 tasty as well as healthful, say experts. Cinnamon, cumin, coriander, spices that you had four years ago, Cairo P Cloudy 24/12 M Sunny 26/14 t last ... something to Herbs and spices help us to use less ginger it’s time for a change. If stored Cape Town Sunny 27/17 Cloudy 23/16 take our minds off the US salt (sodium) and have been shown to zWest Africa: Tomato, peanut, properly in airtight containers in Colombo P Cloudy 32/24 S Showers 33/24 Sunny S T Storms 35/25 Presidential campaign. possess health benefi ts of their own. chilli. a cool dark cupboard, herbs and Dhaka 35/24 Hong Kong P Cloudy 21/16 P Cloudy 20/16 National Nutrition Month Here are some traditional fl avour For the less adventuresome, a basic ground spices can last up to three Istanbul M Sunny 14/09 P Cloudy 16/09 A T Storms S T Storms 32/25 happens in March. And this year we combinations, says Mills: assortment of dried herbs and spices years and seasoning blends will Jakarta 32/25 are called to “Savour the Flavour of zChina: Low-sodium soy sauce, for everyday cooking works just fi ne, deliver the best flavour if used Karachi P Cloudy 32/19 P Cloudy 33/19 Eating Right.” Who can argue with ginger says Mills. She recommends oregano, within 1 or 2 years, according to London M Cloudy 07/-1 S Showers 08/-1 Manila P Cloudy 34/24 M Sunny 34/22 that? zFrance: Thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, McCormick & Company. Moscow Fog 03/-2 P Cloudy 04/-1 Take time to enjoy food traditions marjoram, lavender, tomato cinnamon, nutmeg, chilli powder, When it comes time to eat, turn New Delhi I T Storms 28/16 Sunny 30/16 and appreciate the great fl avours zGreece: Olive oil, lemon, Italian herb seasoning and rosemary. off any distractions so you can fully New York P Cloudy 08/02 Sunny 14/06 and social experiences food can add oregano Other fl avours to be explored include appreciate the tastes and textures of Paris P Cloudy 08/01 P Cloudy 07/0 T Storms T Storms 28/20 to our lives, advises Libby Mills, zHungary: Onion, paprika curry powder, turmeric, cumin, your meal, experts advise. It’s true; Sao Paulo 29/19 Seoul M Cloudy 13/-1 Sunny 16/01 registered dietitian nutritionist and zIndia: Curry, cumin, ginger, garlic clove and bay leaf. Turmeric, for when we savour each bite, we enjoy Singapore T Storms 31/27 T Storms 33/26 Spokesperson for the Academy of zItaly: Tomato, olive oil, garlic, example, contains a chemical called it more. And when we eat slowly, we Sydney M Sunny 29/19 Sunny 29/20 Nutrition and Dietetics, sponsor of basil, marjoram curcumin that appears to have give our tummies time to feel satisfi ed, Tokyo Clear 17/09 Cloudy 19/13 National Nutrition Month. zMexico: Tomato, chilli, paprika anti-infl ammatory and antioxidant often on less food. Gulf Times 28 Sunday, March 6, 2016 QATAR

Residents of busy road in Najma seek MEC launches new speedbreakers

eople living along the “The speeding vehicles are a renovated Bin Sanad Al scary sight and something that PAbad Street in Najma has left many of us worried,” have requested the municipal said a resident, stressing the sign language service authorities to set up speed- need for speedbreakers to pre- breakers in at least two places vent accidents along the road. he Ministry of Economy on the nearly half-kilometre A visit to the neighbourhood and Commerce (MEC) has stretch. found even trailers and buses Tlaunched a new service, This is because traffi c has going to worksites in the area which involves a translation of increased along the road and speeding along the road. the consumer protection law in many vehicles are seen hurtling Over the last few years, a sign language for the benefi t of down at alarming speeds along number of new offi ce com- people with hearing disability. the stretch, say the residents. plexes have come up along the The launch comes as part of The road houses a number of road. While the front portions the MEC’s awareness activities residential units on its eastern of these buildings face C-Ring at Souq Waqif to mark the 11th side. Their inhabitants point Road, the basement parking Gulf Consumer Protection Week out that since the renovation of entry/exit points are on the Bin under the theme “One Gulf, One the road, which runs parallel to Sanad Al Abad Street side. Cars Consumer”, which is set to con- C-Ring Road between Naviga- emerging from the basement clude tomorrow. tion Plaza and the Gulf Cinema parking, which have limited complex, there has been a sig- space to manoeuvre, also run The new service involves a nifi cant rise in traffi c through the risk of ramming into vehi- translation of the consumer the stretch in both directions. cles speeding along the road, protection law in The road provides easy ac- say residents. sign language cess for vehicles coming from A medical centre has started Airport Street and Corniche to functioning along the route and The ministry has launched reach Najma and Mansoura. a number of pedestrians also the sign language service in co- Some of the residents living use the road to access offi ces operation with Qatar Society for in apartments along the road, and other buildings there. Rehabilitation of Special Needs. (From left) The MEC’s awareness initiative at Souq Waqif includes a number of informative sections. as well as those employed in of- Besides, vehicles coming to The MEC’s activities at Souq fi ces there, say many vehicles a fuel station in the neighbour- Waqif have seen a consider- passing through the stretch hood also use the stretch to able turnout of visitors, who are can be seen travelling at high reach the place from both sides, keen to benefi t from the various speeds. it is understood. awareness eff orts that instruct them on how to protect their consumer rights, select high- quality products and avoid fraud and counterfeited brands, ac- cording to a statement. School students are paid special attention in order to instruct them on proper shopping practices. The activities include a simu- lation of a shop where children get introduced to proper shop- ping practices and how to com- pare prices, check the validity of products and stay within their budget. The same activity also There is a special focus on educating children on proper shopping practices. teaches them how to organise and store purchases at home. include a quiz on its services and viding awareness lectures to the service and how to conduct vehi- tive, stressing that the areas cov- Other activities conducted how to use them. Besides, two public on issues such as how a cle maintenance in the right way. ered in the activities play a key The stretch runs parallel to C-Ring Road between Navigation by the ministry during the week automobile companies are pro- car works, spare parts, after-sale Visitors have lauded the initia- role in their daily lives. Plaza and the Gulf Cinema complex. Second edition of DFI’s Qumra gets under way

QNA introduction booklet about the festival tum given to projects that had been Doha that the establishment of the institute developed during the fi rst edition of in 2010 aimed at promoting a fi lm cul- Qumra last year, and underlined this ture in Qatar in order to pave the way was just the beginning of the estab- he second edition of Qumra, for the development of the local fi lm lishment of a new and innovative a Doha Film Institute (DFI) industry and support cinematic tal- network of co-operation to build pro- Tinitiative that seeks to provide ents in Qatar and the Arab world. ductive relationships in the future. mentorship, nurturing and hands-on The six-day event is intended to development for fi lmmakers from Qa- The six-day event is intended to support fi rst- and second-time fi lm- tar and around the world, kicked off support fi rst- and second-time makers from Qatar and around the on Friday with 33 new projects from fi lmmakers from Qatar and globe. More than 100 fi lm industry 19 countries. around the globe professionals, including directors, The festival kicked off at Al Jasra producers and script consultants, are Boutique Hotel in Souq Waqif amid a HE Sheikha Al Mayassa stressed attending. traditional atmosphere with national that the Qumra initiative created a The event will focus on 33 projects and folk songs and dances, as well as platform for filmmakers and pro- in various stages of fi lm development traditional tents with Qatari popular vided them with support and inspi- and off er fi lmmakers access to con- dishes. ration from professional industry sultations, master classes, one-on- Introducing the Qumra initiative, experts. one meetings, tutorials and screen- HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad al- She expressed pleasure at the over- ings at the Museum of Islamic Art Thani, chairperson of DFI, said in an whelming turnout and the momen- auditorium. Burj Al Hamam reopens with a ‘unique look’

ocated in the heart of The Pearl- Qatar, Burj Al Hamam has re- Lceived a “stunning refurbish- ment” while continuing to maintain its “uniquely traditional aesthetics and ambiance”. Known for its famed popular au- thentic dishes, the restaurant refl ects the diversity of the Levantine culi- nary disciplines. The grand reopen- ing, which took place on March 3, was attended by guests from the govern- ment and private sector, the media as well as loyal clienteles. The design team worked round the clock since the restaurant’s closure in Guests during Burj Al Hamam’s grand reopening held recently. December last year to transform the outlet with a “cutting-edge, premium and became a household name not oil and spices,” the statement notes. design that is full of drama” while re- only in Lebanon but also in the region. Main courses include grilled lamb, taining Burj Al Hamam’s reputation as It was only six years ago that the res- shish taouk and kofta, lobster, shrimp, being true to the authenticity of Leba- taurant opened its fi rst outlet here in red mullet and sea bream, as well as nese cuisine, according to a statement. Qatar at The Pearl-Qatar. pastries, such as halawat el jibn and Further, Hospitality Development “Burj Al Hamam truly captures the knafeh. Company, a wholly owned subsidiary spirit of homemade Lebanese cuisine Taking into consideration the social of United Development Company, is all that everybody has enjoyed and grown environment in Qatar, Burj Al Hamam set to reinforce Burj Al Hamam’s brand fond of over the years. These include a off ers private dining rooms, provid- positioning in Qatar with the open- selection of cold mezza and salads, such ing comfort and privacy to families, as ing of a second outlet at Mall of Qatar as hummus, tabouleh, fattoush and well as a terrace overlooking the Ma- slated in the third quarter of 2016. moutabal, as well as hot mezze, like de- rina along with an indoor and outdoor Burj Al Hamam fi rst opened in 1958 licious kebbeh and fava beans with olive shisha lounge.