BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Dovizioso wins battle with Marquez INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-9, 24 COMMENT 22, 23 Milaha plans global REGION 10 BUSINESS 1-9, 17-20 expansion and in MotoGP 24,965.00 8,802.80 62.34 ARAB WORLD 10 CLASSIFIED 10-16 +4100 -44.99 +1.15 INTERNATIONAL 11-21 SPORTS 1-8 +0.16% -0.51% +1.88% cost optimisation thriller Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

MONDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10762 March 19, 2018 Rajab 2, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir attends MotoGP Grand Prix

In brief

QATAR | Visit Ukrainian president due in Doha today President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko will arrive in Doha this evening for an off icial visit to the State of Qatar. Tomorrow morning, His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will meet with the Ukrainian President at the Emiri Diwan, where the two sides will hold talks on bilateral relations and means of enhancing them and a number of regional and international His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin al-Thani attended yesterday the MotoGP Grand Prix of Qatar 2018 — the opening round of the 2018 FIM MotoGP — held at Losail International Circuit. The Emir attended the issues of common concern. main race of the MotoGP, which was won by Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati. The race was attended by a number of their excellencies Sheikhs, ministers, President of the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM) Vito Ippolito, a number of presidents of sports associations, members of diplomatic missions accredited by the state, and guests. Page 24 and Sport Page 1

ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Turkish-led forces oust Kurds from Syria’s Afrin Turkey’s flag was flying in Afrin yesterday after its troops and Ankara- Fund to be set up backed rebels chased out Kurdish Ashghal to spend militia forces to seize control of the Syrian city. In a major victory for Ankara’s two-month operation against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units to pay workers’ (YPG) in northern Syria, Turkish-led forces pushed into Afrin apparently QR22bn on roads, unopposed, taking up positions across the city. The advance came as Syria’s civil war entered its eighth year this dues instantly week with heavy fighting on two fronts — around Afrin and in the rebel enclave zPanels to solve labour disputes start functioning of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus. infrastructure in ’18 Page 10 he committees for resolving la- aim of the initiative is to speed up the By Ramesh Mathew published in Ashghal’s offi cial News serve 5,644 land plots, including 837 bour disputes at the Ministry of process of resolving labour complaints. Staff Reporter Magazine. for new citizens’ sub-divisions. TAdministrative Development, He said MADLSA is set to create a EUROPE | Politics It was also informed that Ashghal This year, Ashghal will start imple- Labour and Social Aff airs (MADLSA) “worker support fund” from which the completed more works in 2017 than menting 17 road projects, including Al started operations yesterday. fi nancial dues of workers will be paid, Putin wins election with oads and infrastructure projects what was achieved during the previous Furousiya Street, A-Ring road, B-Ring Created to resolve worker disputes based on the decision of the committee. 74% of vote: exit poll worth QR21.8bn will be imple- four years (2013-2016) and more than Road, Wholesale Market Street, Al that could not be solved in a friendly Any such amount would be reclaimed Vladimir Putin won Russia’s Rmented across the country this 60% of what was completed last year Maadeed Street, Al Khufoos Street, manner by the ministry’s Work Rela- from the employer through the ap- presidential election yesterday with year, according to fi gures released by was carried out after last June. Umm Al Doom Street, Muaither Street tions Department within seven days, proved legal procedures. The fund is ex- almost 74 % of the vote, according to the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) Quoting Ashghal President and and Al Shafi Street. The plan will also each of the three committees is headed pected to be launched soon as it would an off icial exit poll, with the opposition at a seminar yesterday to brief con- Senior Engineer Saad bin Ahmed al- include conversion of some of the by a judge delegated by the Supreme guarantee the rights of workers regard- reporting ballot stuff ing and other struction industry professionals and Muhannadi, the magazine has also re- roundabouts to signalised junctions. Judicial Council and comprises two less of the bankruptcy of the company cases of alleged fraud. Putin, who has contractors. ported that 90% of the projects related One of the major works to be started members from MADLSA. or the insolvency of the employer. ruled Russia for almost two decades, Ashghal assistant president Abdul- to the 2022 FIFA World Cup would be in 2018 is a major Expressway (Al Bus- Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA) He stressed that the department stood against seven other candidates, lah Hamad al-Attiyah and a number of completed this year. tan Street) to ease the traffi c on 22 Feb- yesterday, Fahd Zafi r al-Dusari, Director was able to resolve more than 80% but his most vocal critic Alexei Navalny senior offi cials attended the daylong It was also informed at the seminar ruary Road. of MADLSA Work Relations Department, of the cases submitted to it last year was barred from the ballot for legal event. yesterday that a total of 18 roads and While new Expressway projects to- said the work of the committees will be while 20% of them were referred to the reasons and the final outcome was This year’s projects include the infrastructure projects would be im- talling 13km, featuring 20 interchanges co-ordinated by a secretariat. The main courts. To Page 24 never in doubt. Page 15 works already being carried out and plemented in the new and existing sub would be be taken up, work on 210km of other upcoming projects in existing divisions next year. cycling and footpaths is also expected and new sub-divisions. While elaborating on the projects to start this year. Of this, the main spending is on to be implemented this year, Ashghal Besides Ashghal offi cials, represent- the Expressway works totalling authorities said works would be un- atives of several contracting companies QR11.08bn and infrastructure and lo- dertaken in 19 infrastructure projects, implementing Ashghal projects, sup- Qatar deserves to host cal road projects worth QR8.88bn. spread over 12 areas and they would pliers, manufacturers and consultants The remaining QR1.84bn is earmarked serve approximately 15,108 land plots. from governmental and non-govern- for sewage treatment plans and as- Ashghal will also complete 11 infra- mental institutions were present yes- sets projects, according to break-ups structure projects in as many areas to terday. To Page 24 World Cup: Arnie atar is a deserving host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and “will Qput on a show for the world to see”, famous American actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has said. During a visit to a sports festival in Melbourne, Australia, over the week- end, he also stressed that he would “love to attend” the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and it “would be an honour to be there”. He said: “As an athlete I love all types of sports, especially major ones, and it Ashghal Assistant President Abdulla Hamad al-Attiyah (second from left), Roads Project Development Manager Saoud al-Tamimi doesn’t get any bigger than the FIFA and Technical Off ice Manager Ahmad Ali al-Ansari at the seminar: PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam World Cup.” To Page 24 Schwarzenegger at the Qatar stand. Qatar asks US to probe UAE bank for ‘fi nancial warfare’

By Dmitry Zhdannikov Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison - said the letter to the US Treasury dated institutions, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) ber it had launched an investigation into but the attempts have failed so far. Reuters, London asked the US Commodity Futures Trad- Febraury 26, which has been seen by works closely with all of its regulators in possible manipulation of its markets by Last week, US President Donald ing Commission (CFTC) to investigate Reuters. the markets in which it operates, to sus- the countries that had imposed the eco- Trump, sacked US Secretary of State possible manipulation of Qatar’s cur- “These actions should be halted im- tain and uphold the high standards of nomic blockade. Rex Tillerson, who had publicly defend- atar has asked US regulators to rency, the riyal. mediately, and we ask that you inves- governance and regulatory compliance Qatar, a small Gulf state and major ed Qatar and pressured Trump to mod- investigate the American sub- The request for an investigation tigate whether NBAD has directly or across the group,” it said. gas exporter, denies the allegations that erate his stance. Qsidiary of the largest bank in deepens the diplomatic crisis that indirectly supported the manipulation The UAE government did not imme- it has fi nanced terrorism and says the Tillerson’s sacking came ahead of a the United Arab Emirates, accusing it erupted in June when Saudi Arabia, of Qatar’s markets, including through diately respond to a request for com- blockade is an attempt to punish Doha new diplomatic push to help mediate of “bogus” foreign exchange deals de- Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) NBAD America’s dollar-clearing or ment. for independent policies. the dispute among America’s Gulf allies. signed to harm its economy as part of a and Bahrain imposed an economic boy- correspondent banking services in the A Qatari government spokesman The UAE and Saudi Arabia have re- The United States is due to host a Gulf blockade by Gulf neighbours. cott and a blockade on Qatar, accusing United States,” the letter said. confi rmed the letters had been sent to fused to soften their demands - which Co-operation Council summit later The Central Bank of Qatar’s law fi rm it of supporting Islamist militants and FAB, which was created from the US regulators but declined to comment include Qatar cutting ties with Iran and this year and before that Saudi Crown has written a letter to the US Treasury Iran. merger of First Gulf Bank and National on their content. New York-based law shutting down state-funded broadcast- Prince Mohamed bin Salman, Abu asking it to investigate NBAD Americas, “We believe NBAD has participated in Bank of Abu Dhabi last year, did not re- fi rm Paul, Weiss declined to comment. er Al Jazeera. Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed the US subsidiary of First Abu Dhabi an extraordinary and unlawful scheme spond to questions about details of the The US Treasury and CFTC did not Qatar, which is also home to the bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Qatar’s Emir Bank (FAB), which is majority state- to wage fi nancial warfare against Qatar, allegations. immediately respond to requests for largest US military base in the re- His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad owned. including through the manipulation of “As the UAE’s largest bank and one of comment. gion, has repeatedly reached out to al-Thani are all due in Washington for In a second letter, the lawyers - Paul, Qatari currency and securities markets,” the world’s largest and safest fi nancial Qatar’s central bank said in Decem- Washington to mediate in the crisis separate state visits. To Page 24 Gulf Times 2 Monday, March 19, 2018 QATAR PM to open agricultural expo and conference tomorrow

QNA at Doha Exhibition & Convention ture panel discussions, pres- the public and private sectors, tional Agriculture Conference, types of animals and birds to pro- and potential buyers of agricul- Doha Centre (DECC) tomorrow. entations, reports and open as well as “the auction” which is which aims to bring together vide them and other visitors with tural services and products, in The exhibition will showcase forums, as well as present the intended to display cattle, poul- agricultural, environmental and an educational experiences. addition to exchanging experi- the latest innovations in agri- important opportunities and the try and other animals on a group veterinary experts and technolo- Furthermore, the Qatar In- ences and knowledge with local nder the patronage of cultural techniques and hold a latest technologies that can be of farmers, in addition to a series gy service providers from around ternational Agricultural Exhi- and international experts in this His Highness the Emir series of lectures and meetings used to support the growing ag- of workshops organised by ex- the world to discuss strategies to bition will highlight products, fi eld and to learn about the latest USheikh Tamim bin Hamad to discuss current and future ricultural sector in the country. perts and technicians working meet the demand for agriculture machines and technologies for developments in the agricultural al-Thani, HE the Prime Minister projects in the agricultural sec- Among these activities is “a in the agricultural sector to in- in Qatar. a wide range of agricultural pro- sector in Qatar. and Minister of Interior Sheikh tor with farm owners, agricul- B2B Matching Platform”, a spe- troduce the latest technologies The exhibition will also off er fessionals, and it will promote The number of participants in Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa tural experts, government agen- cialised platform for reconcil- adopted in this sector. an educational theatre for chil- opportunities with senior public the current edition has reached al-Thani will open the 6th Qatar cies, environmental specialists ing enterprises and businesses A number of events will be dren and young people to consol- and private decision makers, as more than 313 exhibitors and International Agricultural Exhi- and technology providers. to meet senior decision makers held on the sidelines of the expo, idate their concept of agriculture, well as to establish a network of 31 international pavilions from bition & Conference “AgriteQ” The exhibition will also fea- and agricultural leaders from notably the fi rst Qatar Interna- as well as a mini zoo with several relationships with distributors more than 36 countries. QMC chief holds meeting Traffi c Week celebration kicks off at Darb Al Saai E the Director-General of Public Security Staff HMajor General Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaifi inaugurated the 34th Traffi c Week celebra- tions at Darb Al Saai yesterday evening in the presence of a number of offi cers and depart- mental directors at the Ministry of Interior (MoI). The Traffi c Week will continue until March 24, featuring a wide range of awareness activities and involving the participation of HE the Chief Executive Off icer of Qatar Media Corporation ministries and institutions re- Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani met the lated to awareness and traffi c in Secretary-General of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Dr the country, the MoI has said in Javad Mottaghi in Doha yesterday. During the meeting, they a statement. discussed aspects of co-operation between the Qatar Media The events will be held Corporation and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, and throughout the week in two means of developing and strengthening them. shifts: morning from 8am until 12noon, except on Friday, and evening from 4pm until 9pm. The associated events include a large number of activities that are diff erent from those held in previous years, the statement NHRC, MoI’s human notes. These include traffi c services provided by the Licens- ing Department at the General rights dept sign pact Directorate of Traffi c for partici- pants of the events. Off icials and dignitaries at the opening of the Traff ic Week at Darb Al Saai yesterday. Vehicle registration, renewal QNA eration between the Depart- of driving licences, mobile tech- honoured. There will be a de- Department and the students’ Doha ment of Human Rights and the nical inspection of vehicles, bate titled “Driving without li- theatre. A seminar on “Traffi c NHRC, which include exchange training and driving test, as well cense - between acceptance and information - of publications and experiences, as an exhibition of insurance refusal”, with the participation between reality and hope” he National Human handling of complaints and pe- companies and traffi c compe- of school students. The evening will be held in the evening. Rights Committee titions received from the public titions sponsored by driving events include a seminar on the The events on Friday will T(NHRC) has signed an along with co-operation in the schools are among the activities. “Role of family in traffi c aware- start from 4pm. The week-long agreement with the Human fi eld of knowledge production The traffi c village and theatre ness”. events will conclude on Saturday Rights Department of the Min- and capacity-building, and leg- will be open this morning and A seminar will be held on “The evening. istry of Interior (MoI) aimed islative harmonisation with in- the Traffi c Licensing Depart- role of schools in spreading traf- The Traffi c Week this year is at enhancing the prospects of ternational human rights stand- ment will off er its services to fi c awareness” on Wednesday witnessing the participation of a co-operation and information ards. the public from the morning as evening along with activities number of ministries concerned, sharing for greater co-ordina- The general-secretary of well. In the evening, there will in the traffi c village, as well as such as the Ministry of Educa- tion in monitoring and address- NHRC termed the agreement be a seminar reviewing “The traffi c competitions sponsored tion and Higher Education, with ing public complaints. as very important not only in road safety strategy in Qatar un- by driving schools. The activi- a specially arranged school tent. General-Secretary of NHRC strengthening co-operation and til 2022”, along with activities of ties on Wednesday will conclude There will be activities to edu- Maryam bint Abdullah al-Attiyah co-ordination between the two the Licensing Department and with a poetry-reading event. cate students at all levels, along and Director of Human Rights sides, but also in terms of allow- traffi c-related competitions for An awareness lecture on the with a special children corner Various activities have been lined up during the Traff ic Week. Department Brigadier Abdullah ing the parties to co-ordinate the public. theme “Wrong traffi c behaviour and interactive games for kids. PICTURES: Thajudheen Saqr al-Mohannadi signed the their eff orts to deal eff ectively Tomorrow, the students’ the- from an Islamic perspective” There will be special areas for co-operation agreement. with public complaints to pro- atre will off er a range of activi- will be held on Thursday morn- Souq Waqif while more than 60 Lekhwiya will demonstrate its pertaining to youth initiatives The agreement focuses on tect their rights and respond to ties for visiting school students ing, in addition to activities of entities will take part in the main skills in the external area of the through some youth wings and areas and prospects of co-op- their concerns. and veteran drivers will also be the traffi c village, the Licensing exhibition held at Darb Al Saai. venue, and there will be shows Qatar University.

Doha sues ‘QatarExposed’ for spreading false information Health Ministry clarifi cation

Al Jazeera Media Network harm its interests. to post negatively about the adverts accusing Qatar of fund- two campaigns are funded by on children’s formula food Doha In its complaint before a country, the ramifications of ing “terrorism” and mistreating groups linked to Saudi Arabia court in the state of New York, which could cause “irreparable foreign workers were paid for and the United Arab Emirates the office said its defendants harm”. by “secretive campaign groups” – which, along with Bahrain he Ministry of Public have no relation to the ban as atar’s government com- used social media accounts In October last year, the Lon- - Qatar Exposed and Kick Qatar and Egypt, have severed dip- Health (MoPH) has clari- they are made in other factories munication offi ce has since October 2017 to spread don-based Times newspaper re- Out, neither of which own web- lomatic and trade ties with Tfi ed that its circular re- of the company. Qfi led a lawsuit in the fake information about Qatar ported that a series of anti-Qatar sites on the Internet. Qatar. garding a ban on the import of The ministry affi rmed that all United States against people and that it harbours “terror- propaganda adverts fl ooded the The two Twitter accounts The blockading quartet ac- children’s formula food pro- imported products are subject who launched a social media ism”. pages of thousands of social me- were created within minutes of cused Qatar on June 5 of sup- duced at the Craon factory of to comprehensive control at the campaign to spread false infor- The office said those in- dia users in the UK. each other last October. porting “terrorism”, the allega- Lactalis Group in France, which country’s entry points to ensure mation about the Gulf state to volved used alias accounts According to the Times, the According to analysts, the tions Qatar has strongly denied. was issued in December last their safety before fi nal clearance. year, does not include other Earlier, a salmonella scare at products of the company. the French dairy group aff ected In a notice on Twitter, the 83 countries, with 12mn boxes MoPH said other products of the of powdered baby milk being re- Emiri Naval Forces hold joint exercise with Pakistan Navy group found in the local market called.

15,000 pregnant women benefi ted from PHCC programme last year

rimary Health Care Cor- risk factors, continuous follow- poration’s (PHCC) mater- up and healthcare within 6 and Pnal health programme for 8 visits to the centre and then pregnant women is constantly transfer stable and low risk evolving based on the required cases in week 34 of pregnancy global standards, as handbooks to the hospital for follow-up have been incorporated into the and evaluation to ensure a min- programme with a view to pro- imum risk of childbirth based viding the highest level of serv- on a joint agreement between ice in all health centres along PHCC and Hamad Women’s with plans to expand pre-natal Hospital. services. Last year, the maternal health The maternal health pro- programme received more than gramme provides healthcare 15,000 pregnant women in vari- The Emiri Naval Forces have carried out a joint three-day maritime exercise (Sea Lion 1) with the Pakistan Navy in the territorial waters of Qatar, the Defence Communication for women, according to the ous PHCC health centres for fol- Directorate at the Ministry of Defence has announced. Artillery and rocket boats and high-speed pursuit boats belonging to the Emiri Naval Forces and Pakistan Navy’s war- programme’s handbooks, from low-up, counselling and assess- ship Himmat and Maritime Security ship Basol participated in the exercise. The exercise aimed at enhancing defence co-operation between Qatar and Pakistan. The exercise the beginning of the pregnancy, ment services and to evaluate the was carried out as part of the Doha International Maritime Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex 2018). including assessment of the health status of pregnant women situation, early examination of and the foetus. - QNA Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 3 QATAR Consumer awareness Finalists in QFI programme attend high, says CRA survey Empower 2018 new survey has revealed enhanced consumer Aawareness with regard to inalists in Qatar Founda- Commit to Action programme in schools all over the world. various communications services, tion International’s (QFI) presented their projects during The proceeds from the sale the Communications Regulatory FYallah Commit to Action multiple sessions. of reusable water bottles will Authority (CRA) has said. programme (C2A) participated These include the ‘Emotion- fund hydration stations in The survey revealed that 68% in the 10th annual Empower al Education Project’, a mental his school while reducing the of consumers read the service 2018 conference organised by health awareness campaign use of single-use plastic bot- terms or contract details before Reach Out to Asia at the Educa- organised by teens, for teens, tles, the current approach to they purchase a communica- tion City Student Centre. to destigmatise talking about the problem. Additional pro- tions service, while 50% of con- The Yallah C2A programme is emotional issues and reaching ceeds will go to NGOs pro- sumers lodged a complaint with designed to support youth who out for help. viding clean water to areas in their service provider last year are carrying out work in their drought. and 47% thought about switch- communities that is geared “We are so proud of these ‘No E-Waste’ aims to stop ing their service provider, CRA Consumer Aff airs Department towards the achievement C2A students – they the disposal of electronic waste said in a statement yesterday. The CRA public outreach event. manager Amel Salem al-Hanawi. of the 2030 UN Sustainable inspire us with their in Qatar. Starting with his The survey was held during Development Goals (SDGs). commitment to positively school, student Leo Angelo Ca- a public outreach event host- During the 12-week pro- impact their communities bibihan is off ering a challenge ed by CRA to commemorate gramme, students from the US and then bridge to students who recycle their World Consumer Rights Day and Qatar participated in a se- tremendous distances old cell phones or donate them from March 15 until yesterday at ries of six service learning and to fi nd ways of working to be reused by guest workers in Katara – the Cultural Village. leadership training webinars, together” Qatar. Through public speaking About 200 visitors and developed their own serv- and social media, he is raising participated in the survey. ice-learning projects with the Six students from three cit- awareness of the environmen- The results indicate that the support of a professional men- ies aim to lift the veil of silence tal costs of disposal, as well as fi rst point of contact when fac- tor via a virtual platform. and make resources more the production of electron- ing a communications service The programme culminat- readily available to their peers ics, encouraging his audiences issue for 61% of consumers is ed with a virtual showcase in through social media, pub- to reduce, reuse, and recycle, usually a friend or family mem- which students presented their lic speaking, and community more consciously. ber, while 21% of consumers projects to a panel of judges, outreach. “We are so proud of these contact their service provider competing for the opportunity ‘Food for All’ explores the is- C2A students – they inspire and 12% choose to ask others to be part of a one-week trip to sues of food ineffi ciency, poor us with their commitment to on social media for advice and Qatar to attend the 2018 Em- nutrition, and unequal access positively impact their com- solutions. power Conference. to quality food in a world where munities and then bridge tre- Amel Salem al-Hanawi, Con- Zana Murrie, a student at there is enough food for all, mendous distances to fi nd ways sumer Aff airs Department man- Chattahoochee High School and yet millions go hungry and of working together,” said Mag- ager, said: “We commemorate in Atlanta, Georgia, who at- malnourished. In six diff erent gie Mitchell Salem, executive consumer protection every day tended Empower 2018, said: cities, this group educates and director of QFI. at CRA. However, World Con- complaints with the operators.” the authority has said. They can lodge complaints with the au- “Attending this trip to Qatar organises their peers to take “To us, the SDGs become sumer Rights Day gives us a Besides the survey, the event lodge a complaint with CRA after thority for service disconnec- gave me an opportunity to action against hunger by lead- real for students when they can great opportunity to talk to our included fun activities for chil- 48 hours for mobile service dis- tions or any other unresolved spread awareness beyond ing food drives, reducing food be part of practical, hands-on consumers face-to-face and dren and adults alike. Visitors connections, after 72 hours for issues as long as a period of 48 my community and move waste, and creating community projects that deliver real ben- listen to their concerns. could also lodge complaints fi xed line disconnections, or after hours has passed. a step closer to achiev- gardens. efi t to those around them – and “The brief survey we con- against licensed service provid- 30 calendar days for complaints Complaints are assessed by ing the Sustainable Devel- ‘Hydration Nation’ takes those thousands of miles away.” ducted has given us valu- ers onsite and learn more about that are not related to a service CRA against a set of criteria to opment Goals within my a two-pronged approach to In addition to attending able data about consumers’ CRA’s complaints resolution disconnection. validate a complaint. It receives community.” the global water crisis. By and presenting at Empower, behaviour and this will help process. Consumers can also contact and investigates complaints by This year’s Empower con- raising funds for clean water the students spent a week to- enhance our outreach activi- Consumers are free to ap- CRA any time if they are dis- working with both the complain- ference included panel discus- stations in his school, stu- gether in Qatar learning about ties. I encourage all of you to proach the CRA if a complaint satisfi ed with the off ered reso- ant and service providers to fi nd sions, workshops, seminars and dent Sean Marcus Headley is the Arabic language and Arab contact us via our hotline 103 if lodged directly with their serv- lution of the closed complaint. a fair and mutually acceptable activities over a three-day peri- raising awareness about the heritage while visiting Qatar’s you are unable to resolve your ice provider remains unresolved, Special needs consumers can resolution. od. Students from QFI’s Yallah need for clean drinking water cultural landmarks. Ashghal completes phase one of Al Tarfa signal work

he Public Works Au- of streets in the area. The thority (Ashghal) number of lanes on a 500m- Thas announced the long section of University completion of phase one of Street will be increased to converting Al Tarfa round- four main lanes and two about, also known as the left-turn lanes in both Golf Course roundabout, directions. into a signal-controlled The number of lanes on intersection. a 400m-long section of Mohamed Arqoub al- Al Khor Coastal Road will Khalid, head of Doha City be increased to four main projects at Ashghal, said lanes and three left-turn the conversion of Al Tarfa lanes in both directions, roundabout into a signal- the statement notes. Also, controlled intersection is the number of lanes on a aimed at enhancing traffi c The Al Tarfa Intersection. 600m-long section of Golf fl ow and increasing the road Course Street will be in- capacity at the intersec- sion to Al Shamal Road) Street, in addition to a sepa- creased to three main lanes tion and roads within this or to make a U-turn onto rate lane to turn right onto and three left-turn lanes in project. University Street. University Street (as shown both directions. He explained that phase In addition, two lanes on the attached map). The project will also in- one included the partial of the intersection were Al-Khalid said Ashghal is clude sidewalks on all sides opening of Al Tarfa Inter- opened on Golf Course now implementing the sec- of the intersection, cycling section to traffi c movement Street to continue straight ond and last phase of con- lanes, street lighting as well on the morning of March to the road leading to Al verting Al Tarfa roundabout as road signs, in addition 16. This included opening Tarfa Street, or to turn into an intersection, which to upgrading the stormwa- two lanes of the intersection left onto University Street is expected to be completed ter drainage networks and on University Street, one to (towards Doha). in May. protecting existing utilities turn right onto Golf Course Another two lanes were In a statement Ashghal of Ooredoo and the Qa- Street (towards Lusail) and opened on the road leading said yesterday the conver- tar General Electricity and the other to turn left onto to Al Tarfa Street, which will sion of Al Tarfa roundabout Water Corporation (Kah- the road leading to Al Tarfa now allow traffi c to contin- into an intersection includes ramaa), located under the Street (towards the diver- ue straight to Golf Course works to improve a number roads.

Middle East Forum names ‘Knowledge Zone’ strategic partners The sixth Middle East will also be in attendance Center. Additionally, the Dr al-Ansari. Forum on Quality and and will feature special Ambulance Service will Hamad Healthcare Quality Safety in Healthcare, to mobile healthcare services. stage live demonstrations Institute will present its be held from March 23 to Additionally, Cerner, a in a specially designed revised mandate of being a 25 at the Qatar National global leader in healthcare presentation area, which catalyst for change through Convention Centre technology and the will also feature select targeted training and (QNCC) will feature an provider of the electronic poster presentations. development opportunities expanded ‘Knowledge health records platform HMC’s acting chief medical that promote capacity Zone’ exhibition section used across Qatar, will off icer and Middle East and capability in quality with strategic healthcare participate in the launch of Forum co-Chair, Dr Abdulla improvement partners showcasing their a joint project with PHCC al-Ansari, explained how HMC’s exhibition stand contribution to quality and HMC that demonstrates this year’s Forum theme will showcase one of improvement and patient patient-centred care. ‘Building a Culture of Safety’ this year’s key forum safety. Other stands confirmed fits perfectly within the topics, ‘Joy at Work’ and This year’s primary for this year’s Knowledge Knowledge Zone. will engage with stand partners for the Knowledge Zone will feature the “We are delighted to have visitors to demonstrate the Zone, the forum’s unique latest advancements so many strategic partners importance of the concept, exhibition space, include from some of HMC’s from diff erent sectors not only to the individual the Ministry of Public specialised centres, participating in the forum but also to the organisation Health, Primary Health Care including the ITQAN this year. Every one of and ultimately patients. Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Clinical Simulation and them makes an important The Institute for Healthcare Medicine, World Innovation Innovation Center, Qatar contribution to patient Improvement will Summit for Health (WISH), Organ Donation Center, safety, and they represent demonstrate its full set Qatar University, and the Tobacco Control how collectively each helps of Open School online Cerner. Qatar Armed Forces Center, and Hamad raise the standards of courses, which are free to and the Ministry of Interior International Training patient care in Qatar,” said all full-time students. Sponsorship and Social Welfare Programs of Qatar Charity

Pillars of Sponsorship Programs Include

1 Monthly Financial Aid 118,063 2 Currently Active Sponsorships (February 24, 2018) (90% of those sponsored by QC are orphans). Parallel Activities

Health Educational Entertainment Sports

3 Poor Orphan Seasonal Projects Family 105,671 5,194

Zakat Eid Udihyah Iftar meal for a Al Fitr Clothes fasting person Types & Numbers of 4 Sponsorships Urgent Livelihood Needs 118,063

Health Educational Living Income Generating Care Aid Aid Aid Projects Teacher People with & Quran Special Teacher Needs 2,925 1,910 QC Sponsorships cover 40 Students countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. 2,363

Top Countries Enjoying QC Sponsorships

1 2 Yemen Somalia 14,000 13,884 3 4 Palestine Iraq 15,000 New Sponsorship.. The Average Annual Increase in the 12,974 6,955 Number of Those Sponsored by Qatar Charity.

Social Welfare and “Al Sanabel Award for Community Sponsorship Programs of Responsibility in Orphan Care Qatar Charity received several Institutions of the Gulf Cooperation awards, including: Council (GCC) for the year 2015”

Donation Methods qcharity.org 44667711 QC Application Bank Deduction (80) QC Collectors Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 5 QATAR

Off icials at the agreement-signing ceremony. QFFD fi nances water and sanitation sector in Mosul

atar Fund for De- statement from QFFD. Nineveh Governorate, the services in health and educa- velopment (QFFD) The agreement was statement explains. tion facilities. In addition, it Qhas announced that signed by Misfer bin Ha- is designed to strengthen the it has provided a $3mn hu- mad al-Shahwani, QFFD’s “The generous role of the Water Directorate manitarian grant to support executive director of the contribution from in Nineveh Governorate and the water and sanitation Development Projects De- Qatar Development build its capacity to provide sector in Mosul city in Iraq partment, and Geert Cap- Fund is critical for integrated water resources, and its surroundings, fo- pelaere, Unicef regional Unicef’s eff orts to said al-Shahwani. cusing on the rehabilitation director for the Middle East assist children in Iraq, “The generous contribu- of water networks in the re- and North Africa, on behalf allowing us to increase tion from Qatar Develop- gion, distribution networks of Unicef. access to clean water ment Fund is critical for and water supply stations. The grant aims at en- and improve water and Unicef’s eff orts to assist The project will be im- hancing water quality sanitation facilities” children in Iraq, allowing us plemented in co-operation control in Mosul, improv- to increase access to clean with Unicef and Qatar Red ing water, sanitation and Further, the project also water and improve water Crescent to support water hygiene facilities in pri- aims at providing children and sanitation facilities, and sanitation sector for mary healthcare centres, and their families with access including in schools and displaced civilians return- improving them in primary to adequate and safe water communities aff ected by ing home to and around schools and developing a services in their areas of re- the violence in the country,” Mosul, according to a press water safety plan for the turn and access to sanitation said Cappelaere. Gulf Times 6 Monday, March 19, 2018 QATAR HMC project on diabetes focuses on prevention Participants listen to an expert at the conference. he Hamad Medical Cor- “In January 2016, the SMART is provided at the right time, in poration (HMC) and the team began comparing health the right setting,” added Dr al- TPrimary Health Care Cor- records of individual patients to Abdulla. poration (PHCC) joined forces track diabetes-related risk fac- Professor Abou-Samra, who QU event discusses role in 2016 to implement a pilot tors, such as smoking, family is also co-chair of the National project known as ‘The SMART history of diabetes, hyperten- Diabetes Strategy and led the Clinic’. Two years later, more sion and obesity. Those deemed pilot programme in Al Wakrah than 4,500 individuals who were to be at high risk of developing on behalf of HMC, said screen- identifi ed as being at high risk of diabetes, approximately 5,000 ing results were delivered dur- of women in data science developing Type 2 diabetes have individuals, were identifi ed and ing follow-up appointments been screened for the disease invited to be screened,” said with multi-disciplinary teams he Kindi Centre for Section, IEEE Women in En- field, a press statement noted. value to the future of women in and those who were diagnosed Prof Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra, of physicians, dietitians and Computing Research gineering, GDG Doha, Women It was also a great opportunity data science.” are receiving treatment. director of the Qatar Metabolic health educators who provided T(Kindi) at Qatar Uni- Techmakers and ArabWIC Qa- for women from academia, Dr Fitzpatrick said, “The “Of those screened as part of Institute (QMI) and chairman of guidance on how to manage the versity College of Engineering tar. industry and research to get British Council is very glad to the initial diabetes pilot project, Internal Medicine at HMC. disease. He said patients were (QU-CENG) recently hosted Attendees included CENG to know local female leaders be involved with this event cel- 13% were diagnosed with dia- Dr al-Abdulla who led the then directed to the right care the ‘Women in Data Science’ dean Dr Khalifa al-Khalifa, in the STEM area. It included ebrating International Wom- betes, 21% were diagnosed as programme on behalf of her or- pathway, as set out according (WiDS) Conference, in com- Kindi director Dr Noora Fetais, four workshops on ‘Intro- en’s Day. We focus strongly pre-diabetic, 80% were found ganisation said the initiative for- to the National Diabetes Strat- memoration of International CENG Department of Com- duction to machine and deep on initiatives promoting and to be overweight or obese, and malised an existing partnership egy. Women’s Day. puter Science and Engineering learning using Python’, ‘How celebrating women’s skills and 35% had borderline or high cho- while giving diabetes care pro- HMC and PHCC provide care The event, which is organ- head Dr Sumaya al-Maadeed, search engines work’, ‘British achievements, and to see and lesterol levels.” said Dr Samya viders a greater ability to deliver every month to over 30,000 ised in collaboration with QU College of Business and Council Qatar Springboard’ hear so many success stories is al-Abdulla, senior consultant safe, high-quality care. She said patients with diabetes, with Stanford University and spon- Economics Professor of In- and ‘WiDS Stanford Video – very encouraging.” family physician and executive the initiative demonstrates that approximately 3,000 of those sored by British Council Qa- formation Systems Dr Karma cast’. Dr Dena noted, “It is such an director of Operations at PHCC. primary and secondary care pro- patients receiving specialised, tar, is part of Cyber Women, a Sherif, British Council Qatar Dr Fetais said, “Kindi will honour to be among pioneer ‘The SMART Clinic’, also viders can eff ectively collaborate complex care at HMC’s National Kindi initiative to encourage country director Dr Frank Fit- continue its ongoing eff orts to women in computing in Qatar known as the ‘Al Wakra Diabetes to improve the overall health of Diabetes Centres in Al Wakrah and empower women towards zpatrick, Hamad Bin Khalifa lead and support events and ac- in the ‘Women in Data Science’ Pilot’, is thought to be the fi rst the population. and Hamad General hospitals science, technology, engineer- University assistant professor tivities that help and push for- Conference. This conference initiative of its kind in the world “A key purpose of this ini- and the Diabetes in Pregnancy ing and mathematics (STEM). Dr Dena al-Thani, and Sidra ward women in technology in represents the Kindi Centre’s and was established to help Qatar tiative was the early identifi ca- Clinic at the Women’s Wellness It aimed to discover new local Medical and Research Centre all sectors, since this will con- intention to support women in alleviate the diabetes epidemic, tion of preventable conditions, and Research Centre. STEM role models and share paediatric immunologist and tribute to guaranteeing a fruit- data science and computing.” HMC said in a statement yester- such as diabetes, as a strategy In 2015, the Ministry of Pub- inspiring success stories from allergist Dr Amel Hassan. ful future for females to be able Dr Sherif added, “Women are day. It aimed to restructure care to maintain the health of the lic Health launched the National Qatar, and inspire and empow- The event was an opportu- to share passion for technol- well positioned to design ma- pathways and improve the overall population and reverse the trend Diabetes Strategy, which aims er data scientists worldwide, nity to bring Arab women to- ogy. I would like to express our chines that can collaborate with quality of care patients received of high-cost long-term care to curb the rise in the incidence regardless of gender, as well as gether to network, communi- gratitude to the event’s spon- humans not replace them; that by shifting the focus from treat- required to treat these condi- of diabetes and prevent the dis- to support women in this fi eld. cate and share the latest news sors, partners and speakers who can take humans to the next ment to prevention. tions. It is about ensuring care ease’s complications. It was supported by IEEE Qatar and knowledge about their are committed to make a great level not make them obsolete.” Tobacco control centre chief attends Cape Town meeting

r Ahmad al-Mulla, head of the al organisations, including Jordan’s Tobacco Control Centre at Princess Dina Mired. DHamad Medical Corporation He also met Dr Flavia Senkubuge, (HMC), attended the 17th World Con- president of the 17th WCTOH and the ference on Tobacco or Health (WC- current vice-president of the African TOH) in Cape Town, South Africa. Federation of Public Health Associa- More than 2,500 researchers, aca- tion, to discuss tobacco control strat- demics, scientists, healthcare profes- egies in place within both countries sionals and offi cials working in all as- and potential collaborations between pects of tobacco control from both the Qatar and South Africa. public and private sectors attended the Dr al-Mulla also held meetings with event. representatives from the WHO to dis- The conference, held from March cuss the success of previous collabo- 7 to 9, was organised as part of a col- rations between HMC and the group lective resolution to recognise tobacco Dr Ahmad al-Mulla with Dr Flavia and potential future collaborations. control as a global issue. Senkubuge at the conference venue. In 2017, HMC’s Tobacco Control Held every three years, the WCTOH With them is Noor El Nakib of HMC. Centre was offi cially designated as a is the premier, international confer- WHO Collaborating Centre, the fi rst ence on tobacco control. ing HMC’s Tobacco Control Centre in Qatar and the region. Attendees came from more than 100 and the education, support and treat- As part of the meeting, both groups countries and organisations, including ment options available to patients, agreed to conduct a regional Train- from the World Health Organisation was shown during the event, both on the-Trainer workshop for healthcare (WHO), the US’s Centres for Disease screens within the venue and on vari- professionals later this year. Control and Prevention (CDC) and ous social media platforms associated The workshop will provide an op- Food and Drug Administration (FDA). with the event. portunity for physicians, nurses and Topics of discussion included em- He added that the conference was other allied healthcare professionals powering youth involvement towards an ideal platform to meet with like- to obtain information about smoking the goal of a tobacco-free world, call- minded groups for the purpose of es- cessation and tobacco control. ing on governments to decrease the tablishing potential collaborations The sessions will also serve to ex- aff ordability and accessibility of to- and partnerships with organisations pand knowledge sharing and educa- bacco products, and stopping public located around the world. tion on the importance of tobacco and private investment in the tobacco During the three-day event, Dr al- control. industry. Mulla met offi cials from a number of The next WCTOH is scheduled to Dr al-Mulla said a video showcas- high-profi le regional and internation- take place in Dublin, Ireland.

Siemens off ers scholarships to QF students

epresentatives from Siemens The scholarships, which are award- development in the countries we op- Qatar have met with students of ed to students on an individual basis, erate in, and the Siemens Scholarship RQatar Foundation (QF)’s partner go towards covering tuition fees, and, Programme is one example of this. universities to discuss course-funding in some cases, to help fund internships “Qatar Foundation is host to some opportunities at the fi rst QF Scholar- during study breaks, as well as organ- of the world’s leading educational in- ship Day. ising future employment opportuni- stitutions and the quality of graduates Students attending the event at QF ties with the company. they produce is very attractive to us as headquarters learned about the donor “At Qatar Foundation, we continu- an employer. We currently employ 10 awards made available through the ously strive to off er forward-thinking Qatar Foundation alumni at Siemens Siemens Scholarship Programme for education opportunities to all our Qatar and our aim is to continue this select programmes at QF partner uni- students, faculty, and researchers. By partnership with Qatar Foundation to versities in Education City. facilitating co-operative initiatives support the country’s social and eco- Sheikh Salman bin Hassan al-Thani, with leading private sector companies, nomic diversifi cation goals.” chief fi nancial offi cer, Qatar Founda- we are not only working to develop the Students from several programmes, tion, said: “We are delighted to host local workforce through producing including Texas A&M University at Siemens Qatar at our inaugural Schol- highly-skilled individuals, but we’re Qatar’s electrical engineering and me- arship Day. By working with Siemens also actively investing in the leaders of chanical engineering courses, and through their innovative scholarship tomorrow,” said Sheikh Salman. Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar’s programme, we are striving to advance Adrian Wood, chief executive of- business administration, computer the skills, tools, and experience of the fi cer of Siemens Qatar, said: “Globally, science, and information technology entire student body in Education City. Siemens is one of the largest and most courses, discussed potential scholarship These young people are our future, innovative providers of professional options with Siemens offi cials, senior and are instrumental in the continued education. We believe in creating op- management at QF fi nance, and the development of Qatar.” portunities for social and economic Student Financial Services team at QF. Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 7 QATAR Qatar Airways brings celebrated musician to Qatar

atar Airways has announced it as Youssou N’Dour and Sister Marie is bringing celebrated musician Keyrouz. QJasser Haj Youssef to Doha for a Recently, he directed the Chamber special concert held as part of Franco- Orchestra of Paris at the Philharmonie phonie Days, an annual celebration of de Paris. the culture of the Francophone world, Other musicians to perform at the in partnership with the French embas- concert include percussionist Arnaud sy and French Institute of Qatar. Dolmen, guitarist Marc Duronfosse Doha residents and visitors to Qa- and composer, pianist and percus- tar alike are all invited to take a jour- sionist Fred Soul. ney into poetry and sound at the Qatar Qatar Airways highlighted that it National Theatre on March 20, where has a history of working with artistes Youssef and his quartet will perform a to embed music into its brand. “The selection of jazz music from his latest award-winning airline proudly works album, ‘Resonance’, Qatar Airways has Jasser Haj Youssef with globally renowned composer said in a statement. and artist Dana Alfardan, who is the The concert will be preceded by a transported by its beauty. We invite offi cial composer for Qatar Airways reading of French poetry, accompanied everyone to join us tomorrow at the Group. by the enchanting sound of the ney Qatar National Theatre for a jour- “Dana Alfardan has composed a fl ute, a wind instrument used in classi- ney into the unique and mesmeris- number of highly successful pieces for cal Arabic, Persian and Turkish music. ing sound of this gifted artiste and his the airline, including the composition Qatar Airways senior vice-presi- quartet.” and 2016 performance of ‘The Begin- dent (marketing and corporate com- Youssef specialises in the classi- ning’ for Hamad International Airport munications) Salam al-Shawa said, cal violin and viola d’amore, with his (HIA), its offi cial theme song, and the “Doha is the cultural centre of the Ara- work heavily infl uenced by the Arabic Qatar Airways’ boarding music,” the bian Gulf, and as the national carrier maqâm. statement adds. of the State of Qatar, we are delighted He has performed with numerous Qatar Airways currently operates a to welcome great talents like Jasser Haj celebrated artistes around the globe, fl eet of more than 200 aircraft via its Youssef to Qatar. including opera stars Barbara Hen- hub, HIA, to more than 150 destina- “All who hear his music will be dricks and Simone Kermes, as well tions worldwide.

Ooredoo launches live chat feature on website, app

Ooredoo has announced the off icial During the trial period, Ooredoo Ooredoo App, Live Chat can be found launch of its ‘Live Chat’ feature on the served more than 20,000 customers under the ‘Help’ section. Ooredoo website and Ooredoo App via the service, the company said in a Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi, director of after a “successful trial period”. statement. PR and corporate communications The new feature, which is designed to To ensure that all queries are at Ooredoo Qatar, said: “Ooredoo is off er customers an easier way to contact responded to in a fast and appropriate always looking for new ways to serve Ooredoo, is available now and open manner, Ooredoo has a dedicated team the needs of our customers, and thanks seven days a week from 8am to 10pm. of Live Chat agents, trained to answer to the Live Chat service we believe Thanks to the update, Ooredoo questions about Ooredoo products more customers than ever will be customers can now interact with and services or resolve any issues that able to contact us and resolve their Ooredoo agents while at home or on customers may be facing. questions or issues quicker than ever the go. On both the Ooredoo website and before.” Gulf Times 8 Monday, March 19, 2018 QATAR

AAB receives safety award Safari winners handed over car keys bdullah Abdulghani & tutions and companies related to award. “Safety fi rst has always Bros Co (AAB), exclusive Civil Defence. been a priority in all its locations Adealer of Toyota and Lex- The Safety Compliance Award at all times. AAB ensures that its us in Qatar, received the Safety was given to AAB for exhibiting safety personnel are equipped Compliance Award during the strict adherence and compliance with the correct knowledge and General Directorate of Civil De- to Civil Defence rules and regu- updated safety issues by send- fence (GDCD)’s celebration of lations while ensuring maximum ing them for regular training the World Civil Defence Day re- safety and fi re prevention meas- and certifi cation processes,” the cently. ures in the workplace. statement adds. This year’s celebration came AAB is the only automotive R K Murugan, AAB’s acting under the theme ‘Civil Defence company to be granted such an CEO and COO-Automotive Di- and National Institutions against award, the company has said in a vision, Imad Hamzeh, Real Es- Disasters’ to emphasise the im- statement. tate director, and the Security portance of strengthening part- This is the fourth consecutive and Safety Management team nerships between various insti- year that AAB has received the attended the awarding ceremony.

A key handover ceremony has been held for the winners of the first draw of the ‘Safari Win 10 Nissan Patrol Car Promotion’. The draw was held at Safari Mall, Abu Hamour. Winners of the draw, Bangladeshi citizen A Mohamed Yashin and Iranian national Monera Mohamed, received the keys to two Nissan Patrol vehicles from Safari Group chief co-ordinator Shaheen Bakkar and Safari Group Operations manager Shahid Khan. Off icials at the awarding ceremony. Alfardan Motorcycles showcases ‘New Opera’

lfardan Motorcycles recently held an est range of motorbikes featuring the world’s exhibition in which it revealed the ‘New most exclusive and luxurious brands (Ducati, AOpera’ – Panigale V4 S – the latest in- KTM, Triumph, BMW Motorrad, Piaggio, novation from Ducati, one of the giants of the Vespa, Moto Guzzi and Aprilia) as well as the global motorbike industry. The unveiling hap- latest apparel collection available for sale in a pened in the presence of Ayad as-Siaidi, gen- special area at the venue, the statement noted. eral manager of Alfardan Motorcycles, and the As-Siaidi said, “Alfardan Motorcycles has Ducati Team’s sporting director, Paolo Ciab- once again capped a successful participation atti. at the much-anticipated Qatar MotoGP for In addition, it displayed a selection of more bringing closer to fans and enthusiasts top-of- than 20 luxurious motorbikes at the Losail In- the-line motorbikes while they watch the best ternational Circuit Grandstand for customers motorcyclists at one of the country’s premier and motorcycle enthusiasts during the Qatar events, the Qatar Grand Prix. MotoGP event, which took place from March “The best-in-class motorcycle brands have 16 until yesterday, the company said in a state- become an essential feature of this interna- ment. tionally-focused event and are much awaited The motorsports company displayed its lat- by motorsports and racing afi cionados.” A section of the display.

Ayad as-Siaidi and Paolo Ciabatti at the event. The ‘New Opera’ – Panigale V4 S – from Ducati. British Council presents Qumra Talks focusing on modern media

he British Coun- (AI), electronic music, fi rst-person interactive music and architecture, cil, as part of online and perform- spaces. Wilkinson was and now there are the TDoha Film In- ance mediums. He of- the lead facilitator on mediums of augment- Simon Wilkinson stitute (DFI)’s annual ten combines multiple the British Council’s ed and virtual reality, fi lmmaking industry approaches simulta- Transmedia Thinktank powered by natural and will continue support- promotes the crea- event Qumra, pre- neously to create an in Venezuela 2016 and artifi cial intelligence. ing Qatar’s fi lm indus- tive industries and the sented ‘Virtual Reality: immersive experience in 2017 was a resident at The interest in these try through the various emerging talents who Storytelling through that invites prolonged Cambridge University’s areas spans the arts and programmes organised shape it. We continue Emerging Media’, a talk audience engagement. Centre for the Future science fi elds, and we jointly with Doha Film to receive their invalu- by British transmedia His work has been fea- of Intelligence explor- hope there will be much Institute.” able encouragement artist Simon Wilkinson tured at Tate Modern ing the use of artifi cial more mutual discus- Fatma al-Remaihi, and guidance towards that took place at the and regularly tours in- intelligence in his prac- sion and collaboration chief executive offi cer hosting an internation- Museum of Islamic Art. ternationally. tice. in these growing areas of DFI, added: “The al event that adds to the More than 100 young His talk charted his Dr Frank Fitzpatrick, in the future.” strong support that pride of the nation. fi lmmakers and audi- journey from screen- country director – Dr Waseem Kotoub, Qumra receives every “Together, we can ence interested in the based interactive cin- British Council, said: head of Programmes year from organisa- support emerging fi lm- fi lm industry attended ema to games engine- “The cultural relation- and Partnerships, said: tions such as the British makers from around the talk. Wilkinson’s based virtual reality ship between Qatar and “Our cultural pro- Council is a testament the world, including work incorporates au- experiences, citing au- the UK is a strong one, gramme aims to create to the commitment of from Qatar and the re- diovisual, installation, dience trend statistics incorporating diff er- better opportunities the government and gion, and provide them virtual reality (VR), and lessons learnt from ent strands and areas. and build capacity for private sector in Qatar a sounding board for augmented reality (AR), years of observing au- In November and De- the new generation of to promote our nation furthering their career artifi cial intelligence dience behaviour in cember there was fi lm, young fi lmmakers. We as a destination that in cinema.”

Al Jazeera Creative Directorate awarded Silver Promax prize

Al Jazeera Media Network on Al Jazeera English in Al Jazeera English’s has announced that its Channel, it said in a Creative department for Creative Directorate has statement. the production of this been presented with the Ramzan Alnoimi, director outstanding promotion.” Silver Promax Europe of Al Jazeera Media The Promax award award, “one of the most Network’s Creative, said: is Europe’s top prestigious” awards in “We are excited to be celebration of excellence the field of TV artistic receiving this award. in entertainment, production. Although it is not the first marketing and design, The network won this time for Al Jazeera to be honouring outstanding award in the category of presented with a Promax campaigns, social media ‘News & Programmes’ for award, it reaff irms the and innovations within its promotional production distinguished work of the industry. Over of the occasion of the Al Jazeera. I would like 10,000 individuals and 100th day of Trump’s to take this opportunity organisations compete for presidency that was aired to thank my colleagues the award annually. Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 9 QATAR Top scientists QCDC event aims to attend thermal boost career guidance engineering atar Career Develop- ment Center (QCDC) Qhas announced that it conference will hold the 2018 Career Guid- ance Stakeholders Platform cientists and engineers at Qatar National Convention from around the world Centre on April 3, in partner- Sgathered in Doha to attend ship with the Unesco Doha of- the 2018 International Con- fi ce and the Ministry of Educa- ference on Thermal Engineer- tion and Higher Education. ing Theory and Applications The objective of the 2018 (ICTEA). platform is to engage stake- The conference was organised holders in the process of devel- by Texas A&M University at Qa- oping a “well-integrated career tar (Tamuq), Ryerson University guidance system in Qatar that (Canada) and Hamad Bin Khalifa A participant at the conference. will help Qatari youth discover, University (HBKU), and spon- develop and use their talents to sored by the Qatar National Re- the research that we conduct achieve their future needs and search Fund (QNRF). within the Division of Sustain- aspirations, as well as the future Dr Cesar O Malave, dean of able Development at CSE. The needs of the country”, QCDC Texas A&M at Qatar, said: “Since conference strongly benefi ts has said in a statement. 2004, this conference has been from the collective experiences The theme of this year’s plat- forging contacts between aca- of its speakers, all of whom are form is “Moving operationally demics and researchers in re- established experts in their areas to strategically enhance career gional institutions and their within industry and academia.” guidance in Qatar through counterparts around the world. This year’s conference fea- cross-sectoral collaboration”. The calibre of speakers this year tured seven invited speakers, as The event will address the need refl ects the signifi cance of this well as 40 technical papers and to strategically tackle a wide event to the region and we are a poster session. The second day range of perceived shortcom- honoured to have scholars of of the conference included IC- ings and obstacles related to the This year’s event will be organised on the basis of the 2016 platform’s recommendations and actions. File photo their renown here to share their TEA’s fi rst-ever student research process of transforming Qatar’s experience and expertise.” symposium organised by Tamuq, existing career guidance sys- velopment’ as a powerful means platform’s recommendations sponsibilities for, implement- and implementation of post- Dr Mounir Hamdi, dean of during which undergraduate uni- tem, which is at its early stages for building Qatar’s ‘economic and actions. The 2016 platform ing Qatar’s career guidance graduation career planning HBKU’s College of Science and versity students presented their of development, into “a well- independence’ and ‘protecting brought together more than 150 component of the 2017-2022 programmes, and maximising Engineering (CSE), added: “We research papers and posters. developed” system. its national security’. experts from various institu- Education and Training Sec- the impact of career guidance value our partnership with Texas First prize went to Tabarak QCDC is a member of Qatar “In light of the spirit of His tions related to education, the tor Strategy, and technology- programmes as an essential A&M University at Qatar and Abdulhussein for his paper ‘The Foundation. Highness’ speech, and for pur- labour market and youth em- driven career guidance services component of national talent Ryerson University. The ICTEA Eff ect of Wettability on Viscous Abdulla al-Mansoori, direc- poses of contributing to the powerment, career development and resources, in addition to development programmes. conference’s keynotes, presen- Fingering and Oil Recovery’, tor of QCDC, said: “The second process of human development centres, national level planning further development of entre- In addition, the programme tations and research papers have while second place went to the round of the Career Guidance in Qatar, career guidance stake- and development agencies and preneurship practices in Qatar, provides concurrent learning helped us achieve a critical un- team of Danilo Yu, Kevin K Ye, Stakeholders Platform comes holders must work collectively other organisations. the statement explained. and development workshops derstanding of some of the most Alan S Fung, Wey Leong and Za- as a commitment on the part of on facing the challenges posed The 2018 platform hosts a se- The programme also includes for school principals, counsel- pertinent topics within the fi eld iyi Liao for their paper ‘Optimal QCDC to deliver on the priori- by today’s economy through es- ries of breakout sessions focus- eight focus group meetings lors and students, as well as of thermal engineering theory, PV Design and Confi guration for ties stipulated by His Highness tablishing eff ective career guid- ing on the development of the centred on various topics, in- their parents. The overall pur- as well as its practical applica- Use in a BIPV/T System’. Third the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin ance and counselling practices basic tools needed to develop cluding how best to disseminate pose of such workshops is to tions to the oil and power indus- place went to Anthony Alex, Hamad al-Thani, related to the that would help Qatari youth the national-level career guid- best practices related to the enhance the knowledge and tries. Austin George, Bijo Thomas and current Arabian Gulf situation pursue their goals and serve ance framework, standards and organisation of a school career skills of their target audience “These are in line with our Bonny Mathew Antony for their and the future direction of the Qatar.” policies, education and labour day, design and implementa- in order help them eff ectively MS and PhD programmes in poster, ‘Design, Fabrication, and country. Key among such prior- This year’s event will be or- market information system, tion of eff ective student intern- perform their respective career sustainable energy and sustain- Experimental Investigations on ities is ‘investing in human de- ganised on the basis of the 2016 stakeholder’s roles in, and re- ship programme, development guidance roles. able environment, as well as PEM Fuel Cells’. QF Triathlon Series winners announced

he latest results of the Qatar Foundation (QF) Triathlon Se- Tries, powered by GMC, were an- nounced following the second event. Triathletes from Qatar competed and battled against themselves and clock in three disciplines – swimming, running and cycling – to be on the po- dium, a press statement noted. The Qatar Foundation Triathlon Series, formerly known as the GMC Triathlon Series Doha, is organised by TriClub Doha in association with QF, with the event’s primary sponsor and Qatar’s exclusive GMC dealer Mannai Auto Group, and supported by bene- factors such as InterContinental Doha, Rasen Adventure Sports and Trinity Talent Qatar. The QF Tri-Series winners. The event, the second race in the fi fth season, occurred on January 19 at the Qatar Foundation Education City LIST OF WINNERS Recreation Centre, using a 50m indoor pool for the swim, with the bike and Open (male): 1. Bernard Junior (14-15years old): Fe- run course on internal roads in Educa- Mccullagh; 2. David Walsh; 3. male: Ailsa Cameron; tion City. Ambroise Aufrere Junior (12-13 years old) Male: Ar- The event caters to all ages and lev- Open (female): 1. Eulogy Van ran Cameron; Junior (12-13 Years els of triathletes, from the complete Dyk; 2. Sinead O’Hara; 3. Franc- old): Female: Amelia Bennett beginner fi nding their legs to more esca Mollica. Junior (10-11 years old): Male: experienced ones wanting to stretch Masters (male): 1. Tim Drew; Daniel Hadley; Junior (10-11 themselves on the sprint course. 2. Petri Kutinlahti; 3. Andrew years old) Female: Charlene The course involved a swim in the Kilshaw. Masters (female): 1. An- Robertson. 50m pool, cycling across a 5km bike drea Stadler; 2. Shawna Garrett; Junior (7-9 years old) Male: course and a 1.25km run lap. 3. Rebecca Powney Max Robertson; Junior (7-9 Distances ranged from kids 7-10 Junior (14-15 years old): Male: years old): Female: Ava Thom- (100m swim, 3km bike and 1.25km run) Ethan Bennett. son. up to sprint (500m swim, 20km bike and 5km run) with diff erent distances catering to each age group and level, ally enables people to come together club founded to serve triathletes the statement added. for a common cause,” Mannai Auto of all abilities in Qatar, has about “Mannai has always aimed to be a Group’s senior general manager — Op- 400 members ranging from com- part of, and central to the community, erations Ivor D’Cunha said. plete beginners to world-class and our sponsorship of this event re- TriDoha LLC(G), a triathlon triathletes.

Former Irish president is keynote speaker for WISH 2018 The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) has announced Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson Mary Robinson (pictured), former Irish president, as the first of QF, as a member of its international advisory keynote speaker of its fourth global summit, to be held at Qatar board, Robinson has strong interest in the health National Convention Centre on November 13 and 14. impact of climate change. “I am honoured to be WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF). Robinson is cur- representing the Elders at WISH 2018 and look rently a member of the Elders, a group of independent global forward to discussing with global health leaders leaders that includes former United Nations (UN) secretaries- how we can accelerate progress towards universal general Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon, convened by Nelson Man- health coverage. The Elders believe that this dela in 2007 to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges. represents the best strategy to achieving the UN Sustainable De- Robinson was the first female president of Ireland, serving be- velopment Goal on good health and well-being,” Robinson said. tween 1990 and 1997. She has led a distinguished career, which WISH executive chair, Prof the Lord Darzi of Denham, noted: “We has included serving as the United Nations High Commissioner are delighted to welcome Mary Robinson to WISH 2018 to give a for Human Rights. She is also a recipient of the Amnesty Inter- keynote address. With a long and distinguished career of cham- national Ambassador of Conscience award, given in recognition pioning human rights, social justice and healthcare issues at the of her work promoting human rights. As founder of the Mary highest level, she perfectly embodies WISH’s vision of bringing Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice, which counts Her about a healthier world through global collaboration.” Gulf Times 10 Monday, March 19, 2018 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Turkish forces and allies assert Rebels in eastern Ghouta control over Afrin discuss ceasefi re with UN

Reuters already fl ed with tails between Reuters Istanbul/Beirut their legs. Our special forces Beirut and members of the Free Syr- ian Army are cleaning the re- urkish forces and their mains and the traps they left he main rebel group in the Syrian rebel allies swept behind,” Erdogan said. “In the southern pocket of Syria’s Tinto the northwestern centre of Afrin, symbols of Topposition-held eastern Syrian town of Afrin yesterday, trust and stability are waving Ghouta said yesterday it was ne- raising their fl ags in the town instead of rags of terrorists.” gotiating with a United Nations centre and declaring full con- An offi cial from the local delegation about a ceasefi re, aid trol after an eight-week cam- Kurdish authority said Kurdish and the evacuation of urgent paign to drive out Kurdish YPG forces were present across the medical cases. forces. Afrin region and would “strike “We are engaged in arranging A spokesman for the rebel the positions of the Turkish serious negotiations to guaran- fi ghters said they entered Af- enemy and its mercenaries at tee the safety and protection of rin before dawn, meeting no every opportunity.” civilians,” said Wael Alwan, the resistance. “Our forces all over Af- Istanbul-based spokesman for A war monitor, the Syr- rin will become a constant Failaq al-Rahman. ian Observatory for Human nightmare for them,” Othman “The most important points Rights, said pockets of YPG Sheikh Issa, co-chair of the under negotiation are a cease- fi ghters defi ed orders to with- Afrin executive council, said in fi re, ensuring aid for civilians draw, but Turkish forces were a televised statement. and the exit of medical cases and in control. A Whatsapp group run by injured people needing treat- The fi ght for Afrin, a once the Kurdish-dominated Syrian ment outside Ghouta.” stable pocket of northwest Democratic Forces said Turk- But a general evacuation of ci- Syria, has opened a new front ish and Syrian rebel troops vilians and rebels was not on the in Syria’s multi-sided civil war tore down a statue in Afrin. table, he said. and highlighted the ever great- Turkey’s armed forces said In a month-long assault, pro- er role of foreign powers such that troops were combing the Syrian government forces have as Turkey in the seven-year- streets for mines and impro- marched into much of eastern Syrian civilians evacuated from the eastern Ghouta enclave rest as they pass through the regime-controlled corridor opened by the old confl ict. vised explosive devices. Ghouta, the last major insurgent government forces in Hawsh al-Ashaari, east of the enclave town of Hammuriyeh (Hamouria) on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, yesterday. Ankara says Syrian Kurdish Free Syrian Army spokes- bastion around Damascus. YPG fi ghters are an extension man Mohamed al-Hamadeen Troops have splintered Ghouta state media reported. “In the line the Syrian army had given a of a militant group waging an said the fi ghters entered the into three besieged zones in one of fi re in eastern Ghouta...Presi- group of rebels in another pock- insurgency inside Turkey, and town from the north, east and of the bloodiest off ensives of the dent Assad with heroes of the et, the smaller Harasta area, an vowed to crush what it de- west. seven-year war, with rebels fac- Syrian Arab army,” a caption said ultimatum to withdraw. scribed as a “terror corridor” Kurdish forces had pulled ing their worst defeat since the next to photographs of Assad in An opposition offi cial from of YPG-controlled territory back to Syrian government- battle of Aleppo in 2016. a crowd of men in military gear, Ghouta privy to the negotiations along Turkey’s southern bor- controlled areas around the A number of patients requir- some perched on top of tanks. told Reuters a delegation had left der with Syria. city of Aleppo, or to the Kurd- ing urgent medical attention The Syrian army opened a Harasta and was working out the It launched its campaign ish-held region east of the have been evacuated from the corridor near Hammouriyeh this terms of a deal that would fol- eight weeks ago and has threat- Euphrates river, he said. northern pocket and some aid week and civilians have been low previous surrender accords ened to extend the off ensive to “Maybe (Afrin) will be has entered there. making their way out towards for rebel-held areas subjected to another Kurdish-controlled cleared by the end of the day This has not yet happened in army positions on foot, hauling bombardment and siege. region further east where US — it’s empty of fi ghters, they the southern pocket. their belongings with them. Yesterday afternoon he said forces are stationed alongside cleared out,” Hamadeen told Figures close to the two main OCHA said conditions for there was an agreement in prin- the YPG, Washington’s ally Reuters. rebel groups — Failaq al-Rahman those remaining in eastern ciple and it would be enacted against Islamic State in Syria. Turkey’s government in the south and Jaish al-Islam in Syrian children walk in a street of the eastern Ghouta rebel-held Ghouta are “dire”. within 24-48 hours. “Afrin city centre is under spokesman Bekir Bozdag said the north — have told Reuters enclave of Douma, on the eastern outskirts of the capital Damascus. “There is limited food, with Local rebels were off ered two control as of 8:30 this morn- the military campaign would discussions are underway for the reports of the usual ration of choices — either to leave to op- ing,” Turkish President Tayyip continue to secure areas transfer of Failaq al-Rahman and tory for Human Rights said. mouriyeh area. bread for one day being con- position areas in northern Syria Erdogan told a rally commem- around Afrin and make sure Jaish al-Islam fi ghters to opposi- The United Nations offi ce for The Observatory said about sumed over the period of a week or settle their situation and be- orating the World War One food and medicine were avail- tion held areas in northern and the co-ordination of humani- 50,000 had left the southern to 10 days; insuffi cient sanita- come part of local pro-govern- Gallipoli campaign, adding able. southern Syria respectively. tarian aff airs (OCHA) said on pocket in the past 72 hours and tion and hygiene support for ment militias that would main- that Turkish and Free Syrian “We have more to do. But the After a morning of calm, shell- Thursday at least 20,000 people thousands left yesterday. those living in basements, and tain security. Army fl ags had been raised in project of building a terrorism ing and ground battles resumed had left eastern Ghouta in the Yesterday, President Bashar increased risk of communicable Other terms of the deal would the town centre. corridor and building a terror- across eastern Ghouta yesterday past week, most from the south- al-Assad visited army positions disease,” it said. ensure that they handed over “Most of the terrorists have ist state is over,” he said. afternoon, the Syrian Observa- ern pocket through the Ham- in Syria’s eastern Ghouta, Syrian Also yesterday, state TV said their weapons, he added.

Iran president meets Oman FM Police offi cer shoots dead Palestinian

QNA AFP The United States is planning Tehran Jerusalem to open its new embassy in Je- rusalem in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s resident of the Islamic Palestinian stabbed and founding. Republic of Iran, Hassan seriously wounded an Palestinians commemorate PRouhani met yesterday AIsraeli security guard in May 15 as the Nakba, or “ca- with Oman Minister of Respon- Jerusalem’s Old City yesterday tastrophe,” marking when hun- sible for Foreign Aff airs Yousef before being shot dead by a po- dreds of thousands of Palestin- bin Alawi bin Abdullah, who is lice offi cer, Israeli authorities ians either fl ed or were expelled currently visiting Tehran. said. in the 1948 war surrounding According to the Oman news The stabbing came with con- Israel’s creation. agency, during the meeting, cerns over the potential for an There have also been ten- President Rouhani conveyed his upsurge in unrest in the com- sions along the border between greetings to HM Sultan Qaboos ing weeks as the United States Gaza and Israel in recent days. and stressed the strong relations prepares to move its embassy in Israel’s military said yes- between the Sultanate and Iran. Israel to Jerusalem. terday it had carried out an air He described the relations as The security guard was taken raid overnight against an un- model for co-operation among to hospital in serious condition derground Hamas facility in states of the region and that they suff ering a stab wound to his the Gaza Strip and destroyed have been and are still contrib- torso, medics said. a separate tunnel under con- uting to enhancing peace and Police spokesman Micky A Palestinian man checks the site of an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. struction that could be used for security. A handout picture provided by the off ice of Iranian President Hassan Rosenfeld confi rmed the fi ghter attacks. He noted that both countries Rouhani, yesterday, shows him greeting Omani Foreign Minister had been shot dead. wounded two others. status would be negotiated be- No casualties were reported are always calling for resolving Yousef bin Alawi bin Abdullah in Tehran. Israel’s Shin Bet domestic Tensions were high after tween the parties. in either operation, which came disputes and eliminating crisis security service identifi ed the Palestinian movement Hamas Palestinian leaders have boy- after an explosive device was through peaceful dialogue and steel, ports, shopping, transport at promoting regional peace fi ghter as Abdul Rahmani Fadd- called for a day of rage on Friday cotted Trump’s administration detonated near the Gaza border discarding terrorism and vio- and exchanging commodities and security and solving crises al, 28 and a father of two from to mark 100 days since US Pres- over the declaration, though with Israel, the latest in a string lence. and products. through peaceful dialogue. Aqraba near Nablus in the north ident Donald Trump’s contro- the White House says it still of such incidents. The Iranian president pointed On his part, Yousef bin Alawi The Minister Responsible of the occupied West Bank. versial recognition of Jerusalem plans to push ahead with its ef- Hamas, which runs the Gaza out that Iran stressed the expan- stressed the importance of dia- for Foreign Aff airs said that the The attack comes after a Fri- as Israel’s capital. forts to restart peace talks. Strip, called Israel’s actions an sion of its scope of co-operation logue and consultation with the Sultanate is ready to expand the day car ramming by a Palestin- Palestinians also see the city At least 32 Palestinians and attempt “to scare the people” with the Sultanate and imple- Islamic Republic of Iran. He scope of its co-operation with ian near Jenin in the northern as their capital and Trump’s four Israelis have been killed and head off planned protests menting joint ventures in the pointed out the importance of Iran in energy, investment, trade West Bank that the army said recognition broke with decades since Trump’s announcement, along the border beginning lat- fi eld of energy, petrochemicals, taking joint stances that aim and ports fi elds. killed two Israeli soldiers and of US policy that Jerusalem’s which set off major protests. er this month.

DIPLOMACY Kuwait emir holds talks with Iraq to rebuild ancient mosque Ukraine president Senator expects US president The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah destroyed in war against IS al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah met to withdraw from Iran deal yesterday with visiting President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and DPA “Work has started to re- provincial capital of Nineveh. his accompanying delegation. The Mosul move debris from the site to Reuters “I think the president likely curbs Tehran’s ability to devel- off icial news agency KUNA said that rebuild Al-Hadba minaret “Work has started Washington will move away from it unless op nuclear weapons, namely by the two sides held off icial talks after and the Great Mosque, which to remove debris my, our European counter- showing US President Donald the meeting on bilateral relations raq is set to rebuild Mo- (Islamic State) terrorist ele- from the site” parts really come together on a Trump there are other ways to between the two countries, ways of sul’s Al-Nuri mosque, an ments turned into a shelter epublican US Senator framework. And it doesn’t feel counter Iranian power abroad. strengthening and developing them Iancient site co-opted by and used to declare their self- It covered an area of 5,850 Bob Corker, chairman of to me that they are,” he said. Trump delivered an ultima- in various fields and expanding Islamic State in 2014 when its styled caliphate in June 2014,” square-metres. Islamic State Rthe Senate Foreign Rela- Britain, France and Germany tum to the European signato- co-operation frameworks between leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Nofel Hamadi, the governor seized Mosul, Iraq’s second- tions Committee, said he ex- have proposed fresh EU sanc- ries on Jan 12. It said they must Kuwait and Ukraine to serve their made a rare public appearance of Nineveh Province, said largest city, in a mid-2014 pects President Donald Trump tions on Iran over its ballistic agree to “fix the terrible flaws common interests, in addition to the there to proclaim a self-styled yesterday. blitzkrieg before making it the to pull out of the Iran nuclear missiles programme and its role of the Iran nuclear deal,” which most important issues of mutual caliphate. Al-Hadba minaret was extremist group’s key strong- agreement in May. in Syria’s war in a bid to per- was agreed under his predeces- interest. The emir of the State of The mosque and its Al- built by Nur al-Din Mahmoud hold in the country. “The Iran deal will be an- suade Washington to preserve sor Barack Obama, or he would Kuwait and the president of Ukraine Hadba minaret, one of the Zangi, a Turkic ruler of Mosul Iraq declared victory over other issue that’s coming up in the 2015 nuclear deal with Te- refuse to extend US sanctions also witnessed the signing of three most famous landmarks in and Aleppo, in 1170. It stood at Islamic State in December, May, and right now it doesn’t hran, according to a confiden- relief on Iran. joint agreements on military the Old City of Mosul, were 65 metres high and 17 metres having retaken all the territo- feel like it’s gonna be extend- tial document seen by Reuters. US sanctions will resume co-operation, youth, physical educa- blown up in June 2017 during wide. The Al-Nuri Mosque, ry captured by the extremists ed,” Corker told CBS’ “Face the The proposal is part of an unless Trump issues fresh tion and sport, and scientific the fi ght against the militant built in 1172, was the fi rst and in 2014 and 2015 with the help Nation” in an interview broad- EU strategy to save the accord “waivers” to suspend them co-operation. group. oldest mosque in Mosul, the of a US-led alliance. cast yesterday. signed by world powers that on May 12. Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 11 AFRICA UN schemes Kenya flood to save forests ‘can trample tribal rights’

By Marlowe Hood, AFP Losing a wooded area the size of “The tension between conserving Paris Greece each year not only reduces carbon stocks” — the CO2 locked in People watch floodwaters gush through Grogon, Nairobi, Kenya, in this still image taken from social media video. Earth’s capacity to absorb carbon standing forests — “and providing dioxide, it releases huge amounts of rights and livelihoods has not been he only UN-approved fi nan- the planet-warming gas into the at- solved.” cial mechanism to curb defor- mosphere, accounting for nearly a Corruption in countries with weak Testation, a key driver of global fi fth of global emissions. governance has been a major concern. warming, has bulldozed the rights Tropical forests provide liveli- In the DRC — home to 50% of Af- of forest-dwelling peoples on three hoods and anchor the cultural iden- rica’s tropical forests — abuses relat- continents and needs to be fi xed, ex- tities of at least 250mn indigenous ed to land tenure confl icts have also Burundi sets May 17 for perts say. people. turned violent, though not, so far, The latest sign that these schemes Research has shown that steward- within REDD+ projects, Gauthier — which pay to restore tropical for- ship by local communities signifi cant- said. ests rather than cut them down — are ly slows the pace of deforestation. As far back as the 1970s, some falling short comes from the Demo- “Unfortunately, REDD+ projects 6,000 Batwa Pygmies were forcibly vote on contested reforms cratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in the DRC — as currently structured expelled from the Kahuzi Biega Na- where 20 pilot projects in Mai- — are channelling money to private tional Park — collateral damage to a Ndombe province have upended in- sector actors who do not have the conservation project. AFP munity, particularly the African Union. exact date. The reforms will be adopted if digenous communities, according to same incentives to protect the for- In Mai-Ndombe, another group Nairobi The opposition says the changes could 50% plus one vote cast ballots in favour. a detailed report from the Rights and ests,” said Alain Frechette, RRI’s di- of pygmies were recently barred by sign the death warrant for the Arusha Yesterday’s decree said those wanting Resources Initiative (RRI), a Wash- rector of strategic analysis. foreign concession holders with a peace accord of 2000, which helped end to take part in the offi cial campaign must ington DC-based research group. Negotiated under the UN’s 1992 REDD+ contract from using tradi- urundi’s President Pierre Nkurun- a 1993-2006 civil war that claimed more register with the Independent National Backed by the DRC government climate change treaty, REDD+ tional slash-and-burn agriculture ziza has set May 17 as the date for than 300,000 lives. Election Commission (CENI) between and international fi nancing, private projects began a decade ago, but because their ancestral forests had Ba referendum on a controversial Critics also point out that consti- March 23 and April 6, but no-one is yet companies that manage huge tracts many are on hold until 2020, when already been severely degraded by constitutional reform that could keep tutional reform is already provided for allowed to publicly declare themselves of forest have ignored the land rights the mechanism’s “strategic frame- industrial logging operations. him in power until 2034, according to a under the existing text, which may be for or against the reforms. of local peoples, engineered dis- work” will be fi nalised. “The situation is highly confl ict- decree signed yesterday. approved by a four-fi fths majority in The opposition has denounced what placements, and avoided prior con- In the meantime, it is a work in ual,” said Gauthier. Critics accuse Nkurunziza of trying to parliament and two-thirds in the senate. it describes as double standards, say- sent requirements, the report says. progress. By design, REDD+ pays to reduce stay in power for life and say a personal- Nkurunziza ran for a third fi ve-year ing that ministers and offi cials with the They have also failed to share Indeed, pilot programmes in doz- CO2 emissions from deforestation, ity cult has developed around the former term and was re-elected in 2015 despite ruling CNDD-FDD have openly cam- the windfall such programmes ens of countries in Latin America, but not for keeping healthy forests rebel chief who has led the central Afri- a two-term limit under the constitu- paigned for a Yes vote, while several can bring, said lead author Marine Asia and Africa have, all too often, intact. can country since 2005. tion, triggering violence that left at least dozen opposition activists have been ar- Gauthier, who has monitored the shortchanged local communities This, critics say, can create per- The government in October drafted 1,200 people dead and sent more than rested for pushing for a No vote. projects in the western province of and underperformed as a bulkhead verse incentives. reforms that would enable Nkurunziza 400,000 Burundians fl eeing abroad. The election commission announced Mai-Ndombe since 2012. against climate change — their pri- A company in Mai-Ndombe, for to serve two seven-year mandates from The government had previously an- last month that more than 5mn people “Indigenous peoples simply do mary goal. example, recently cleared a wooded 2020, but they have come under fi re from nounced that the referendum would take had registered for the referendum and not benefi t from REDD+ because “REDD+ is evolving in a context of area under a logging concession, the opposition and the international com- place in May but had not announced the for the next election in 2020. there is no benefi t-sharing plan in rights abuses, displacement and dis- and then applied for a “conservation place,” she told AFP, using the UN possession, threats and harassment concession” on the same tract. acronym for Reducing Emissions over territories, and the repression “After getting money from har- from Deforestation and Forest Deg- and assassination of environmental vesting the trees, in other words, radation. activists by state and private forces,” they want to get REDD+ money to So far, more than $90mn have the non-profi t Center for Interna- plant some more,” Gauthier said. Nigeria skips summit in Zimbabwe to hold been disbursed or committed in the tional Forestry Research (CIFOR) The solution, many experts say, is province for forest-related climate found in a 2017 review of academic not to scrap REDD+. change projects. literature. “REDD+ has brought unparal- blow to free trade deal elections in July Funding from Norway, France, More than 200 environmental leled attention to the importance of Britain, the European Union and campaigners, nearly half from indig- forests in the global strategy to fi ght the United States, along with pri- enous tribes, were murdered around climate change,” said Frechette. AFP The organised labour union, Reuters vate sources and NGOs, is funnelled the world in 2016 alone, according to “But there are fundamental fl aws Abuja the Nigeria Labour Congress Harare through the World Bank’s Forest watchdog Global Witness. in its conception, especially the lack (NLC), urged Buhari not to sign Carbon Partnership Facility. “It is unclear how indigenous peo- of importance given to rights of in- the deal. Destroying forests intensifi es glo- ples will benefi t from REDD+,” the digenous peoples. It needs to be igerian President Mu- “We at the Nigeria Labour imbabwe’s fi rst presidential and parliamen- bal warming in two ways. CIFOR review concluded. fi xed.” hammadu Buhari will Congress are shocked by the tary elections since the end of former strong- Nnot attend the African sheer impunity or blatant lack of Zman Robert Mugabe’s long rule will take place Union summit in Rwanda this consultation in the process that in July, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said. week, an offi cial statement said has led to this,” said NLC presi- The polls will be the fi rst major test of the new lead- yesterday, in a blow to plans to dent Ayuba Wabba. er, who took power in November after a de facto mili- Isicathamiya festival launch a major free trade treaty “We have no doubt this policy tary coup forced the 94-year-old Mugabe to resign. Traditional Isicathamiya across 54 countries. initiative will spell the death They will also be the fi rst without Mugabe’s name on competitors gesture during The meeting in Kigali is in- knell of the Nigerian economy.” the ballot since independence from Britain in 1980. a competition held at the tended to formally launch the The AU decided to go ahead “As a nation, party and government, we are look- Natal Playhouse theatre African Continental Free Trade with the treaty in 2012 aiming ing forward to very peaceful, transparent and har- in Durban yesterday. The Area Treaty, which Nigeria’s to establish a single liberalised monised elections in July this year,” Mnangagwa Isicathamiya Festival held cabinet endorsed last week. market for trade in goods and told reporters after a meeting with South Africans annually includes over Buhari was scheduled to leave services. President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday night. 100 groups competing Abuja today ahead of Wednes- The agreement sets up a ne- Mnangagwa, 75, said the elections would be free in a genre made known day’s launch but pulled out to gotiated rules-based system in of the violence that gripped previous polls and worldwide by South African allow for more consultations. order to expand intra-African which was one of the reasons for strained relations Grammy award winners “Mr President will no longer trade from its very low base of between Zimbabwe and the West. musical group Ladysmith be travelling to Kigali for the 14%, the Nigerian presidency “I have already invited all political parties in Zim- Black Mambazo. event because certain key stake- said. babwe to a roundtable where we all commit our- holders in Nigeria indicated that Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil selves to non-violence,” he added. they had not been consulted, for producer and with a population Mnanaggwa will have to announce a date in an of- which reasons they had some of 190mn, is a massive market. fi cial notice. The state-owned weekly Sunday Mail concerns on the provisions of But the fall in the price of oil said a European Union pre-election team is expect- the treaty,” the statement said. sparked recession and Buhari ed in Harare today. “Consequently, Mr Presi- has resorted to a protectionist The EU head of mission in Zimbabwe, Phil- dent’s decision is to allow time economic policy with a long list lipe Van Damme, told the paper it would meet the for broader consultations on the of products banned from impor- president, political party leaders, and the Zimbabwe issue.” tation. Electoral Commission.

Lights, camera, action! Young Zimbabweans ditch drugs for performing arts

By Jeff rey Moyo, Reuters on the number of drug users in “(It) gives food parcels, gro- “We are trying to prevent drug theatre to tackle drug problems, And it has helped feed people stopped using drugs,” Masarira Harare Zimbabwe. ceries to the needy in my com- users from turning into addicts,” Ernest Nyatanga, founder and going hungry when drought hit said. The Ministry of Health and Child munity of which I am also a she said, explaining how the president of the Ngoma Yorira food supplies in rural and urban Community religious groups Care says about 3,000 people na- benefi ciary because I am very government puts them on with- Theatre Association, said his or- areas. like the Christian Youths Fellow- immy Gata, 19, recites an tionwide are suff ering mental ill- old,” said 73-year-old Tambud- drawal programmes in hospital ganisation pays former addicts It also recruits community ship Association (CYFA) based in anti-drugs poem at ‘Theatre ness directly related to drug abuse. zai Mlambo, a resident of Mbare and is also planning to open re- for their acting. members to sell recordings of Chegutu, a farming town 100km Jin the Park’ in Zimbabwe’s For 19-year-old Innocent township in Harare. habilitation centres. “Rewarding former drug users theatre productions on a com- west of Harare in Mashonaland capital Harare, jumping and ges- Ndaramashe, an emerging R&B As Zimbabwe battles drug In addition, anti-drugs activ- for their performances in theatre mission basis by the roadside. West Province, have also joined turing on the stage, as spectators and hip-hop music star who was abuse made worse by a shortage of ists say there is a need for occu- helps to motivate them and culti- “We are an association that the fi ght against drugs. clap and cheer on the former ad- addicted to substances like Bron- jobs for young people, the govern- pational therapy such as theatre, vate in them a desire to work for lives amongst ordinary people, Patrick Imbayago, founder dict. Cleer, the performing arts came ment acknowledges the contribu- which also helps young people themselves,” he told Thomson and we care for their needs,” Ny- and director of the CYFA, said Before fi nding his passion for to his rescue just in time. tion of the community arts scene. build their self-esteem. Reuters Foundation. atanga said. his group has shown anti-drugs the spoken word, Gata regularly “My music encourages my “Groups that have of late “Nurturing talent provides an Recently the association shot So far, the theatre association fi lms in urban and rural town- took BronCleer, a cough syrup peers not to consume drugs be- emerged have helped to keep avenue for accomplishment as fi lms highlighting social and eco- has helped more than 340 in- ships. often smuggled in from South cause they damage our health,” former drug addicts focused on opposed to helplessness which nomic issues facing the country, dividuals change their lives for “After seeing these kinds of Africa that contains codeine, a Ndaramashe told the Thomson theatre or art. This diverts their is associated with the onset of such as ‘The Delinquent’ which the better, 30% of whom were fi lms, few would return to drug painkiller similar to morphine. Reuters Foundation. attention from drugs to concen- drug use,” said Hilton Nyamu- depicts a misled young man who hooked on drugs, he said. abuse because...drug abusers are If enough is drunk, it also intoxi- “As a young man who has trate on something new and pos- kapa, programme coordinator for takes drugs while in school. Parents like Linda Masarira, shown as eventually losing their cates like alcohol. been taking drugs, I decided to itive for their well-being,” said the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and The fi lms are shown at Harare’s 36, whose 18-year-old son was marbles, going mad,” he told the “Since Ngoma Yorira Theatre preach against the abuse of drugs Dorcas Sithole, deputy director Drug Network. Theatre in The Park. an addict but has now resumed Thomson Reuters Foundation. Association took me in to learn through my music career.” of the Ministry of Health’s men- Established seven years ago, Nyatanga said the association his secondary-school studies, The CYFA also funds football about fi lm-making and acting In a country where many peo- tal health department. the national network advocates donates some of the proceeds are grateful for its work. training for young people. and poetry, I have had no time for ple struggle to earn a living in the The state is doing what it can for strategies to address prob- from its performances — which it “It is a miracle — my son is re- “The more we occupy them (BronCleer),” said Gata, a trained informal economy, the theatre to fi ght drug abuse in tough cir- lems linked to drug use in Zimba- stages in townships in remote ar- forming; he is now an upcoming with social activities like soccer, motor mechanic. association has also helped out cumstances, she told the Thom- bwe and across southern Africa. eas too — to local orphanages and hip-hop star while he is also into the less our youths turn to drug There are no accurate fi gures the poor and hungry. son Reuters Foundation. A pioneer of the idea of using poor widows. theatre and as a result he has... abuse,” said Imbayago. Gulf Times 12 Monday, March 19, 2018 AMERICA Republicans Up in smoke! urge Trump to let Mueller fi nish his job

Reuters He called the Russia probe a Graham, a co-author of legis- Washington politically motivated witch hunt. lation that would make it harder “The Mueller probe should for a president to fi re a special never have been started in that counsel, said it was very impor- epublican senators yes- there was no collusion and there tant that Mueller be allowed to terday warned President was no crime,” Trump said on proceed without interference RDonald Trump not to fi re Saturday. and that many Republicans share Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Yesterday, he attacked former this view. and said the president must let FBI director James Comey and “The only reason Mr Muel- federal investigators looking into McCabe, top offi cials who were ler could ever be dismissed is Russian meddling in the US elec- involved in the Russia probe and for cause. I see no cause when it tion do their jobs. subsequently fi red. comes to Mr Mueller,” Graham The Republican president has The US intelligence commu- said on CNN. renewed his Twitter attacks on nity has concluded that Moscow Another Republican, Senator Fire burns up the top floor of a building in the North Beach neighbourhood of San Francisco late on Saturday. No injuries were reported. both the Federal Bureau of In- conducted an infl uence cam- James Lankford, said he does not vestigation and Mueller’s probe paign aimed at swaying the 2016 believe Trump would fi re Muel- since the fi ring on Friday of the presidential election to Trump ler. bureau’s former deputy director, over Democratic candidate Hil- Trump also drew criticism Andrew McCabe, two days be- lary Clinton. from fellow Republicans yester- fore he was eligible to retire with Mueller is investigating the day over the fi ring of McCabe, a full pension. Russian meddling and any pos- who said he believed he was tar- Student held with arms cache in college town Republican Senator Jeff Flake, sible collusion with the Trump geted because he corroborated who has criticised Trump harsh- campaign. Comey’s claims that Trump tried ly, said the president’s latest On Saturday, Trump’s per- to pressure Comey into killing Reuters other “suspicious” items, according to a After authorities searched his apartment comments appeared to be aimed sonal lawyer John Dowd urged the Russia probe. New York criminal complaint fi led over the weekend. on Thursday, Reynolds voluntarily agreed at the fi ring of Mueller. the Justice Department offi cial “I don’t like the way it hap- Initially let into the apartment by Reynolds’ to be taken to Cayuga Medical Center for a Senator Lindsey Graham, an- overseeing Mueller, Rod Rosen- pened. He should’ve been al- girlfriend, authorities found a cache of high- psychiatric evaluation, the affi davit said. other Republican, said if Trump stein, to “bring an end to alleged lowed to fi nish through the uthorities alerted by a Walmart capacity ammunition magazines, a semi- Reynolds told investigators the rifl e was were to dismiss Mueller it would Russia Collusion investigation weekend,” Senator Marco Rubio worker arrested a former Cornell automatic MSR-15 Patrol rifl e, a homemade bought on his behalf by a man identifi ed mark “the beginning of the end manufactured by McCabe’s boss said on NBC’s Meet the Press. AUniversity student accused of stock- silencer, bullet-resistant vest, gas mask, fi re- only as “AR” who he paid $1,200, the affi da- of his presidency.” James Comey.” Rubio, who supports the spe- piling a semi-automatic rifl e, more than 300 works rigged with shrapnel and other explo- vit said. The comments underscored Republican US Representative cial counsel probe, said the de- rounds of ammunition, bomb-making ma- sive materials, according to the complaint. Reynolds said he was prohibited from the risks for Trump if moves too Trey Gowdy criticised Dowd in an cision to fire McCabe was made terials and other deadly devices at his apart- The home itself was fi lled with piles of buying it himself. far to thwart the federal probe. interview with Fox News Sunday. before the release of the Justice ment near the upstate New York elite school. clothing, food and laboratory glassware, in- Aside from the stash in his apartment, “I don’t know what the de- “I think the president’s attor- Department inspector general’s Maximilien Reynolds, 20, of New Jersey, vestigators recorded. Reynolds also used two rented self-storage signs are on Mueller, but it seems ney, frankly, does him a disserv- report that Attorney General a one-time student at the Ivy League school “What appeared to be mathematical units to accumulate “pre-cursor chemi- to be building toward that, and I ice when he says that and when Jeff Sessions cited in his dis- in Ithaca, New York, now enrolled at a local writings were written on the west facing cals frequently used in the manufacture of just hope it doesn’t go there, be- he frames the investigation that missal. community college, was federally charged windows of the apartment in red ink,” said homemade explosives” as well as “smoke- cause it can’t. We can’t in Con- way,” Gowdy said. Flake said the Senate Judici- with possession of an unregistered destruc- an affi davit fi led with the complaint. less powder, a consumer fi rework mortar gress accept that,” Flake told “If you have an innocent cli- ary Committee would look at tive device and a silencer as well as making Reynolds was previously known to au- round and pyrotechnic fuse,” the affi davit CNN’s State of the Union. ent, Mr Dowd, act like it.” the report, which Sessions said false statements to acquire a fi rearm. thorities who detained him in June 2016 said. “So I would expect to see con- White House legislative af- concluded McCabe leaked infor- A Walmart employee contacted authori- under a section of New York Mental Hygiene After Reynolds was taken into custody, Cor- siderable pushback in the next fairs director Marc Short said the mation to reporters and misled ties after Reynolds used a gift card at the Law that lets police take a person who ap- nell Police Chief Kathy Zoner said there was couple of days urging the presi- Trump team was fully co-oper- investigators about his actions. Ithaca store to buy ammunition, camping pears mentally ill to a hospital, according to no threat to the campus or to the surrounding dent not to go there.” ating in the Mueller investiga- “I’m just puzzled by why the gear, drill bits, hacksaw blades, knives and the affi davit. neighbourhood, known as Collegetown. In a series of tweets over the tion and that the president was White House is going so hard at weekend, Trump accused the FBI expressing his growing frustra- this, other than that they’re very leadership of lies, corruption and tion with how long the probe has afraid of what might come out,” Flake said on CNN. leaking information. lasted. Small organic milk producers face turmoil

By Juliette Michel, AFP half-gallon (1.9 litres) cost $2.79 and $5.29, production fl owing, our organic processors US Congress aims for a 6-month New York respectively. may not have a market. They already started As a result, demand dried up just as a wave to drop some producers,” he said, of new farmers fl ooded the market, and as Some of Goodman’s fears seem to be ac- shutdown...of budget squabbles ith supply exceeding demand, production resumed on existing farms after curate. large farms taking centre stage a pause of a year or more. In a report released last week, the USDA Wand plant-based alternatives lur- Faced with a surplus, big buyers like Or- confi rmed that “at least some of the Wis- By Richard Cowan, Reuters As of yesterday, negotiators hire more immigration enforce- ing consumers away, times are hard for small ganic Valley or Danone have imposed pro- consin produced and processed organic milk Washington were still trying to put the fi nish- ment agents. organic milk producers in the United States. duction quotas and told some dairy farmers will be replaced by milk trucked to Wiscon- ing touches on a longer-term bill. Republicans want to insert “At the current prices, we are in the red,” their contracts won’t be renewed. sin from among the largest US organic mega Its progress has been slowed gun-related measures, includ- said Spencer Aitel, who keeps 55 milking “Recovery will take time,” French group dairy farms.” he US Congress, facing yet by partisan fl ashpoints between ing one to provide new grants cows on his Two Loons Farm in Maine. Danone, which sells Horizon organic milk in “Even with estimated trucking costs from another government shut- Republicans and Democrats, in- for school safety programmes At the request of his co-operative, he had the United States, said in February. Texas to Wisconsin of up to $5 per hundred- Tdown deadline at mid- cluding immigration policy. and one to tighten background to reduce the size of his herd by 20%. As well as reducing purchases, Danone is weight, some Wisconsin processors have night on Friday, will try this week Failure to pass this major checks on gun purchases. But a little over 20 years after entering the trying to deal with the crisis by redirecting switched from sourcing local milk, to milk to approve a massive spending spending bill by the end of Friday Both fall far short of what gun organic business in 1996, Aitel has paid off surplus to other products such as yogurt, trucked from Texas,” the report said. bill that would end lawmakers’ would leave Congress with two control advocates want. most of his debts and is confi dent the crisis cheese and special milk products including Goodman says he would like the USDA to nettlesome budget infi ghting, at options: force federal agencies to Republicans regularly push in the industry will pass. a “grass-fed” line. tighten controls on bigger farms, but in de- least through September 30. suspend operations ranging from for anti-abortion initiatives in “I don’t think 2018 is going to work — Small producers say they are concerned ciding not to do so for conditions related to Republican leaders in the national park lands to medical spending bills, and this year’s is 2019 might,” he predicts. about the growth of huge companies with organic production, it seems unlikely. House of Representatives hope to research due to a lack of funds; or no diff erent. Negotiators were “Younger people that we work with are operations covering the whole production Aurora went on the defensive, saying: unveil soon the product of long pass another in a series of stop- also seeking to fund new infra- in panic because they are really not making chain, such as Aurora Organic Dairy. “We only produce enough farm milk for the negotiations over a $1tn spend- gap bills. structure projects. enough money — many are trying to fi nd a With 19,800 milking cows spread around planned needs of our customers.” ing bill. In January, Washington was There also was a fi ght under- way out.” several sites in Texas and Colorado along The company says it also plans to create It would fund all of the federal plunged into partial shutdown way over the costly New York- US co-operatives enticed by consum- with its processing plant, the group sup- new products and open a new plant in Mis- government’s activities, except mode for a weekend because of to-New Jersey “Gateway Pro- ers’ enthusiasm for organic products en- plies the biggest supermarket chains in the souri, to “stimulate new demand.” for the gigantic “mandatory en- disagreements on a stopgap bill. gram” railroad tunnel project, couraged farmers to expand or switch their country. For Albert Strauss, who heads up the titlement” programmes such as Some conservative Repub- which Trump opposes. traditional dairy operations over to organic According to the US Department of Ag- Strauss Family Creamery in California, this Social Security and Medicare, licans are likely to vote against If Congress does manage to production to meet the demand. riculture (USDA), the six certifi ed organic trajectory puts the whole industry at risk. which do not have to be renewed the major bill, which could push pass its “omnibus” spending bill But after several years of double-digit dairy farms in Texas had more cows in 2016 He backs a model of regional farming annually. budget defi cits for fi scal 2018 to by Friday, that would not end growth, sales have ground to a halt — stag- than the 486 farms in the state of New York. chains — which he says allowed him to cut The Republican-controlled more than $800bn. budget infi ghting for good. nating at around 5.5% of the milk market Jim Goodman, who owns 45 cows in Wis- volume by just 5% 18 months ago, and his Congress was supposed to have That would give Democrats Lawmakers would then have share in 2017. consin, says he is incensed that such huge prices by only around 5% over the last six completed this work by Septem- leverage to make demands to win until September 30 to pass a Broadly, Americans consume less milk corporations benefi t from the “organic” la- months, for the nine farms with which he ber 30, 2017, the start of fi scal their votes needed for passage. dozen separate spending bills for than in the past. bel. works. 2018, but it has not done that. Democrats are resisting Presi- fi scal 2019, which begins on Oc- Some now opt for soy or almond varie- The price of his milk has plummeted “There were 4.6mn dairy farms in the Instead, the government has dent Donald Trump’s call for tober 1, or resume their game of ties, while others have balked at the price around 30% in two years. 1940s,” he lamented. been running on a series of short- money to start building a wall blaming each other for possibly diff erence between standard and organic “At this point, it is manageable. But if big- “There are about 40,000 left, and they term, stopgap funding measures. on the US-Mexico border and to causing shutdowns. options — in one New York supermarket, a ger organic dairies in the western US keep think it will be 20,000 in the next decade.”

Big game and big guns: Trump’s ‘Wildlife Conservation Council’

AFP impact since the end of last year, a hunter himself, is chaired by The board also sports Paul cently named the Houston Safari Washington when the department moved to Steven Chancellor. Babaz, president of Safari Club Club’s “Huntress of the Year 2018”. allow the importation of lion and The coal mining tycoon and International, and John Jackson, But the International Wildlife elephant safari trophies from top Republican donor is known a former president of the pro- Conservation Council has no rep- new high-level council certain African countries, which for his Indiana home which hunting group. resentatives from the non-hunt- advising President Donald sparked outrage among conser- is jammed full of hundreds of Zimbabwe native Ivan Carter, ing conservation community. ATrump’s government on vationist groups. stuff ed animals — lions, bears, one of Africa’s leading hunting It does include, however, the wildlife conservation is made up The bans were set years ago to leopards, antelope and others, guides, is a board member, as well gun community. of big game hunters and profes- protect the species, and hunting attesting to his love for hunting. as two other American guides. It includes two former lobby- sional hunting guides. groups have been pushing hard for Online photographs at an Ar- Of four women on the board, ists of the powerful National Rifl e The Interior Department’s In- the government to lift them and gentina hunt show him dressed one, Olivia Opre, has her own ca- Association. Babaz was recently A Miami police off icer tags an AR-15 rifle during a City of Miami gun ternational Wildlife Conserva- allow hunters to bring back the like an old-west gunslinger, in a ble television reality show where nominated to the NRA board. buy-back event in Miami on Saturday. The city bought over 100 guns, tion Council had its fi rst meeting heads and pelts of game animals. black leather hat, black shirt, and she is known as the “Extreme Another board member is an the best ever from a buy-back event. Up to $250 in gift cards was in Washington last week. The panel, created and chosen black leather chaps, with a six- Huntress”. executive of gunmaker Beretta off ered in the first of a series of buy-backs planned by Miami. But it was already having an by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, gun and bullets around his waist. Another, Denise Welker, was re- USA. Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 13 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Asean summit ends with rebukes against trade protectionism

Reuters of a summit between Australia ed States from last year. “If we bloc, aiming to tighten political important trade waterway that Sydney and the Association of South- secure a good agreement, this and trade ties in the region amid is mostly claimed by China, east Asian Nations (Asean). would be, as one of our col- China’s rising infl uence. which has been building artifi - President Donald Trump an- leagues said this morning, an In a joint communique issued cial islands on reefs, some with he leaders of Australia nounced the tariff s on March antithesis of protectionism, it at the conclusion of the sum- ports and air strips. and Singapore closed a 7 to protect domestic steel and would ensure, on the back of the mit, Asean and Australia also “This is a security and stabil- Tregional summit yester- aluminium producers on na- TPP-11, that the Indo-Pacifi c called for “self-restraint” in the ity question in Southeast Asia day with a stand against pro- tional security grounds. continues to be the fulcrum of South China Sea, where aggres- which will aff ect all Asean coun- tectionism, arguing in favour of The United States is also look- open and free trade,” Prime sive Chinese expansion has irked tries if it goes wrong,” Lee said. multi-nation trade deals as fears ing at tariff s on up to $60bn Minister Malcolm Turnbull said. Asean members. Asean also called for the mount that US plans for new worth of Chinese imports, tar- Offi cially, the summit was fo- “We emphasise the impor- “complete, verifi able and irre- tariff s could stoke a global trade geting technology and telecom- cused on fostering closer eco- tance of non-militarisation and versible denuclearisation of the war. munications sectors. nomic ties among the members the need to enhance mutual Korean Peninsula” and urged “We strongly believe that a Lee and Turnbull urged Asean of Asean and Australia, and trust and confi dence, exercise all UN members to strictly ap- free, open and rules-based mul- to speedily agree to the Region- countering the threat of mili- self-restraint ... and avoid ac- ply Security-Council sanctions tilateral trading system is key to al Comprehensive Economic tants returning to the region tions that may complicate the on North Korea. Earlier in the the region’s growth and pros- Partnership, a China-backed from the Middle East. situation,” the communique summit, Asean and Australia Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (right) and Prime perity,” Singapore’s Prime Min- alternative to the Trans-Pacifi c Australia hosted the week- said.Asean members Brunei, announced new measures to co- Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong during their media ister Lee Hsien Loong said at a Partnership (TPP) trade pact end meetings despite not be- Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philip- operate on counter-terror intel- conference during the one-off summit of 10-member Association news conference to mark the end that Trump withdrew the Unit- ing a member of the 10-nation pines, also have claims in the ligence. of Southeast Asian Nations in Sydney yesterday. Most Japanese China’s parliament gives think Abe bears responsibility for Premier Li second term scandal: polls AFP and Europe say foreign fi rms still Beijing face hurdles to break into and thrive in China’s huge market, as Reuters they are forced to work in joint Tokyo hina’s parliament gave ventures with local fi rms and Premier Li Keqiang a share their technology. The EU Csecond fi ve-year term Chamber of Commerce in China ost Japanese think yesterday, but he faces a ten- summed up the exasperation Prime Minister Shinzo ure deeper in the shadow of the last year as “promise fatigue” — MAbe bears some respon- country’s powerful leader Xi a complaint that challenges Xi’s sibility for altered documents Jinping. image as a champion of globali- at the centre of suspicions of a Li was re-appointed with sation. cover-up linked to cronyism, ac- 2,964 votes in favour and two Li’s fi rst term has also been cording to opinion polls yester- against during the annual ses- marked by increasing concerns day, with one showing his sup- sion of the National People’s about China’s growing debt port falling to the lowest of his Congress at Beijing’s Great Hall load, which analysts warn could tenure. Japan PMShinzo Abe. of the People, one day after Xi erupt into a fi nancial crisis with In his worst crisis since tak- was unanimously given a second global repercussions. The gov- ing offi ce in 2012, Abe and Fi- Nippon TV poll. In the Mainichi term. ernment has rolled out a series nance Minister Taro Aso have poll, Abe’s support fell 12 points Appointed in 2013 to over- of measures to prevent a fi nan- been under fi re since the fi nance to 33%, while those not sup- see the day-to-day manage- cial calamity. ministry said on March 12 it had porting him climbed 15 points ment of the world’s second- On Saturday, the parliament altered records relating to a dis- to 47%. The Kyodo poll showed largest economy, Li, 62, has approved the biggest govern- counted sale of state-owned land Abe’s support slipping by 9.4% seen Xi consolidate power, ac- ment shakeup in at least a dec- to school operator Moritomo to 38.7% in the past two weeks, cumulate titles and surround ade, which includes the merger Gakuen, which had ties to Abe’s while 48.2% said they did not himself with powerful allies. of the banking and insurance wife, Akie. References to Abe, his support him. In another sign of Li’s dimin- regulators to control risks. wife, and Aso were removed from Opposition parties are call- ishing stature in government Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attend the sixth plenary session of “(Li) is acquiescing to Xi’s the fi nance ministry’s records ing for Aso to resign, while the affairs, Xi’s former anti-graft the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. personalist power,” said Sam of the sale, copies of documents aff air could dash Abe’s hopes of buster and trade negotiator, Crane, a Chinese history expert released by the ministry showed. winning a third three-year term the economist Wang Qishan, punitive measures against Chi- on in his tenure,” Jonathan Sulli- Li Keqiang to exert much infl u- at Williams College in the US. Both men have denied any as head of his Liberal Demo- was appointed vice president na. van, director of the China Policy ence, to the extent that his pro- While Li has not been com- wrongdoing in the aff air. But cratic Party in a September party on Saturday. For his part, Xi now has a Institute at Nottingham Univer- gressive marginalisation would pletely sidelined, “he has ac- 66.1% of respondents to a poll leadership election.The Nippon Xi has also turned to his top clear path to ruling the country sity, told AFP. not be a big surprise.” cepted a secondary, subordinate conducted by Kyodo news agency TV poll found 61% believe Aso economic aide, Liu He, to deal indefi nitely as the parliament “The most infl uential fi gures When he took offi ce fi ve years position,” he said. “Li might still on Saturday and yesterday said should resign, about double the with US trade frictions, dis- voted last week to abolish the around Xi are allies that he has ago, Li promised “fair treat- have some infl uence in terms of they felt the premier had some 29% who don’t think he should. patching him to Washington two fi ve-year terms limit for manoeuvred into central posi- ment” to foreign fi rms, a larger economic policy but that infl u- responsibility for the altered In the Mainichi poll, 54% fa- earlier this month, though it has the president. Li “was sidelined tions,” Sullivan said, referring to role for the market and structur- ence is premised on the prior documents. Only 25.8% said they voured resignation versus 32% not stopped President Donald from the premier’s traditional Wang and other offi cials. “That al reforms in favour of the pri- recognition that Xi is the su- thought he didn’t. who did not think he should step Trump from considering new economic policy bailiwick early does not leave a lot of room for vate sector. But the United States preme leader.” A Mainichi Shimbun poll simi- down. Aso has repeatedly refused larly found 68% believe Abe to resign and has said the respon- bears responsibility. The news- sibility for the land sale lay with paper didn’t say how many disa- Nobuhisa Sagawa, who stepped greed. Protesters have fl ocked to down as tax chief 10 days ago. the streets by the prime minis- Sagawa headed the division that N Korean envoy heads to Finland in diplomatic fl urry ter’s offi ce every night since the submitted the documents before ministry admitted altering the he became tax agency chief in July. documents, with some 2,000 on Almost two-thirds in the Nip- Reuters curity Council sanctions and South last month. Choe Kang- Korean offi cials and academ- in preparation of the meeting Friday calling for Abe and Aso to pon TV poll think Finance Min- Seoul/Beijing has made no secret of its plans il, a deputy director general for ics but did not provide further between US President Donald resign. istry offi cials doctored the docu- to develop a missile capable of North American aff airs at North details. Trump and Kim Jong-un. A Nippon TV poll found Abe’s ments either because of political hitting the US mainland. Korea’s foreign ministry, plans The talks in Finland will add South Korea said it was seek- support crumbling some 14 per- pressure or to anticipate what senior North Korean It defends the programmes to attend the “track 1.5 talks”, to a fl urry of diplomatic activity ing high-level talks this month centage points from last month the Abe administration wanted. diplomat left for Finland as a necessary deterrent against according to Yonhap, refl ect- in face of the proposed North with North Korea to prepare to 30%, the lowest for that poll in Just 14 percent of those polled A yesterday for talks with perceived plans by the United ing planned contact between Korean summits with South for a summit and that South Abe’s more than fi ve years in of- accepted the offi cial explanation former US and South Korean States, which stations 28,500 former US offi cials and current Korea and the United States, re- Korean President Moon Jae-in fi ce and less than half the peak of that the alterations were meant offi cials, Yonhap News Agency troops in South Korea, a legacy North Korean ones in a broader spectively, in April and May. may meet Trump before the US 66% in April 2013, when his easy- to match the parliamentary testi- reported, amid a series of dip- of the Korean war, for invasion. bid to end the standoff over Arriving at a Beijing airport president’s planned meeting money “Abenomics” policies were mony of a senior ministry offi cial lomatic encounters ahead of The United States denies such North Korea’s weapons pro- en route to Finland, Choe de- with the North Korean leader. dramatically starting to lift Japan on the matter. a possible US-North Korean plans. grammes. clined to comment. In a telephone call, Moon and out of decades of defl ation. Aso is skipping a meeting of summit. Tensions have eased in re- South Korea’s foreign min- North Korean and Swedish Trump both voiced “cautious Respondents not supporting G20 fi nance leaders this week. A North Korea is pursuing cent weeks, coinciding with istry said in a statement North foreign ministers ended three optimism” about eff orts to re- Abe jumped 16 points to 53% in ruling party source told Reuters its nuclear and missile pro- North Korea’s participation in Korea would participate in the days of talks on Saturday on se- solve the crisis over North Ko- the survey conducted over the this was so he can address parlia- grammes in defi ance of UN Se- the Winter Olympics held in the meeting joined by former South curity on the Korean peninsula rea’s nuclear weapons. weekend, also a record for the ment today about the scandal. Japan cult spinoff s persist two decades after sarin attack

AFP “It (Aleph) is a group that It says the groups attract I was afraid I would be killed if “As long as the death pen- Tokyo fi rmly instructs its followers to around 100 new followers an- I rebelled, so I felt tense, as if I alty is not implemented against see Asahara as the supreme be- nually via yoga classes, fortune- were on a battleground, for 16 him, Asahara is the ‘saviour ex- ing,” an agency investigator told telling and other activities that years,” she said in a statement empt from execution’ and helps ore than two decades AFP, speaking on condition of do not mention the cult’s name, last year. Aleph win more followers,” Joyu after Japan’s Aum anonymity. often targeting young people “I strongly hope no more chil- recently said in arguing for the MShinrikyo cult plunged “If someone says ‘guru Asa- who do not remember the 1995 dren will grow up in the Aum’s death of his former guru. Tokyo into terror by releasing a hara wants to bring down Japan’, subway attack. successor groups.” Aleph training halls are closed nerve agent on rush-hour sub- there would be followers who “Young female followers go In early March, on Asahara’s to media and the group did not way trains, its spinoff s continue would act. The group poses such to ‘training’ places with their 63rd birthday, investigators respond to enquiries by AFP. to attract new followers. a potential danger,” he said. children ... We are worried there were keeping their usual close Taro Takimoto, a lawyer who Cult head Shoko Asahara is on Raids on Aleph facilities have is an increasing number of chil- eye on the headquarters of an has helped relatives of cultists death row, along with 12 of his found recordings of his teach- dren who have been inculcated Aum splinter group in a quiet for decades, supports capital disciples, for crimes including ings as well as a device used by by the Aum since they were very Tokyo residential area. punishment for Asahara but not the subway attack, which killed the Aum cult known as a “Per- young,” the investigator said. “We are not marking the day the 12 other members on death 13 people and injured thousands. fect Salvation Initiation”, a type Asahara and his wife Tomoko in any way,” said Akitoshi Hiro- row, who he says only acted as He was arrested in 1995 in the of headgear that emits weak had four daughters and two sons, sue, deputy head of the Hika- “limbs” of the guru. wake of the sarin attack, but the electric currents which mem- and most of the family remains rinowa (The Circle of Rainbow He fears the 12 members will Aum cult survived the crack- bers believe connects them to within the cult. One daughter Light) group. “become martyrs” if executed, down, renaming itself Aleph and Asahara’s brainwaves. who left in 2006, aged 16, has “We actually think Asahara only boosting cult recruitment. drawing new recruits into its Aleph and other splinter described horrifying ordeals should be executed,” he told AFP Seven of those on death fold. Aleph offi cially renounced groups, which deny links to Asa- during her childhood, including at the group’s headquarters. row were moved to diff erent This combo of photos received via Jiji Press shows former Aum ties to Asahara in 2000, but the hara despite the claims of au- being forced to eat food with ce- Hikarinowa split from Aleph prison facilities in recent days, Supreme Truth doomsday cult off icer Tomomasa Nakagawa (top doomsday guru retains sig- thorities, have 1,650 members ramic shards in it and being left in 2007 under the leadership of prompting speculation that they L), former cult off icer Masato Yokoyama (top C), former cult off icer nifi cant infl uence, according to in Japan and hundreds more in in the cold in little clothing. fl amboyant former Aum spokes- could soon be executed. It was Satoru Hashimoto (top R), former cult off icer Kenichi Hirose (bottom Japan’s Public Security Intelli- Russia, according to the Public “It was an environment un- man Fumihiro Joyu, and now has not clear if Asahara was among L), former cult off icer Seiichi Endo (bottom C) and former cult off icer gence Agency. Security Intelligence Agency. thinkable in modern-day Japan. around 100-150 members. them. Toru Toyoda (bottom R) at unknown locations in Japan. Gulf Times 14 Monday, March 19, 2018 BRITAIN/IRELAND

CRIME LAW AN ORDER OFFBEAT ACHIEVEMENT TRAGEDY Man dies after being shot Man held after driving Driver caught with Homer Teacher wins global Body found in search and stabbed in London car into nightclub Simpson fake licence best teacher prize for missing man

A man in his 20s has died after being shot and A man has been arrested on suspicion of Choosing one of the world’s most famous cartoon A teacher from north London has been an- Police believe a body found in undergrowth stabbed in north London. The Metropolitan police attempted murder after he drove a car into characters for a fake driving licence might seem nounced as winner of a competition to find the is that of an 82-year-old man who has been were called to reports of shots fired in South Street, a nightclub in the south of England, injuring like something only Homer Simpson himself world’s best teacher. Andria Zafirakou, who teach- missing for more than a week. Rizkallah Enfield. Off icers attended along with the London several people, police said early yesterday. would do, but this week police pulled over a driver es art and textiles in a Brent secondary school, Moussah, who has Alzheimer’s disease, was ambulance service and found two seriously injured Police said they were not treating the incident who had done just that. A driver was stopped by has won a prize worth $1mn (£720,000). She has last seen in Sunningdale, Berkshire on March men, both aged in their early 20s. One man was in the town of Gravesend as terrorist. The police in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, this spoken of the hardship and overcrowded hous- 10. The body was found by search teams found with stab injuries and a suspected gunshot driver of the vehicle was “believed to have week and presented the off icer with the licence, ing conditions facing many of her pupils. But in off Armitage Court at about 17.30GMT on wound and was declared dead. His next of kin have been asked to leave the nightclub earlier featuring the character from The Simpsons. The accepting the prize, she called for more support Saturday. Moussah’s next of kin have been been informed, although formal identification is yet that evening following an altercation,” police spoof licence came complete with an image of for the “power of the arts” in school, particularly informed. A formal identification is yet to take to take place. A postmortem will be held and a mur- said in a statement, adding that “a number Simpson saying his “D’oh!” catchphrase, a signa- for the “poorest communities”. Zafirakou becomes place. The death is being treated as unex- der investigation has been launched. The second of people have sustained injuries.” Footage ture and address. Thames Valley police said in a the first UK winner of the Global Teacher Prize, plained but not suspicious. Detective inspec- victim was found with stab injuries. He was taken posted online showed a bashed-up vehicle tweet: “The driver’s car was seized and he was beating teachers nominated from more than tor Stefan McLaughlin said: “Our thoughts are to an east London hospital, where he remains in a in the middle of the floor of a marquee at reported for driving with no insurance and driving 170 countries. The prize, launched in 2015 by an with the family of Rizkallah Moussah at this serious but stable condition. Blake’s nightclub. without a proper licence. D’oh!” education charity, the Varkey Foundation. very sad time.” Russia has stockpiled nerve agent: govt People walk through the snow in Greenwich Park, London, yesterday. Agencies Weapons Convention, of which Snow and ice bring London Moscow is a signatory. Russia’s ambassador to the Eu- ropean Union, Vladimir Chizhov, oreign Secretary Boris told the same programme that Johnson yesterday said his country has destroyed its re- travel disruption FRussia has been stockpiling serves of such substances and a the deadly nerve agent used to British research laboratory could poison a Russian former double be the source of the nerve agent Guardian News and Media to the M62 after the weather ment said all relevant agencies agent in England and has been used in the attack. London brought traffi c to a standstill. had severe weather emergency investigating how such weapons Johnson dismissed those Greater Manchester police’s plans in place. can be used in assassinations. claims and said Russia’s reaction traffi c unit said conditions More than 100 fl ights to and Britain has said Russia used the “was not the response of a coun- ritain was braced for fur- were bleak on the trans-Pen- from Heathrow and Gatwick Soviet-era nerve agent called Novi- try that really believes itself to be ther travel disruption as nine route, with a video show- airports were cancelled on Fri- chok to attack Sergei Skripal and his innocent”. Bthe ‘mini beast from the ing blizzards. day night and Saturday. daughter Yulia in the fi rst known of- “Their response has been a east’ was expected to bring up Conditions on the M62 at Gatwick airport tweeted fensive use of such a weapon on Eu- mix of smug sarcasm and denial to 25cm of snow to parts of the Saddleworth Moor, on the bor- yesterday morning to say that A woman walks through the snow in the village of Marsden yesterday. ropean soil since World War II. and obfuscation,” he said. UK. der with West Yorkshire, were travellers should check the Russia has denied any in- Johnson said the National Se- The Met Offi ce issued warn- described as “a little bit wild” status of their fl ight with their volvement. “We actually have curity Council will meet later ings about more snow and ice by Greater Manchester police airline and allow extra time for evidence within the last 10 years this week to decide “what fur- to come, as well as bitterly cold on Twitter. their journey to the airport if that Russia has not only been in- ther measures, if any” may be temperatures that will feel as A photo posted online needed. vestigating the delivery of nerve taken, and that the government low as -10C. showed snow covered roads at Flight operations at Dublin agents for the purposes of assas- may decide to target Russian Flights have been cancelled junction 22 of the M62, which airport were suspended for 40 sination, but has also been creat- wealth in Britain. and several sporting events has the highest stretch of mo- minutes yesterday morning to ing and stockpiling Novichok,” The British capital has been were also called off , including torway in the UK. clear snow from the runway, Johnson told the BBC. dubbed “Londongrad” due to the Reading half-marathon. Snowfall has also been caus- but have since resumed. Britain and Russia have each the large quantities of Russian Some parts of the country ing disruption across parts of Residents of coastal homes expelled 23 diplomats over the money that have poured in since face diffi cult driving condi- Ireland, with a status orange in Hemsby, Norfolk, were attack as relations between the the collapse of the Soviet Union tions, with police warning snow-ice warning extended evacuated over fears the prop- two countries crash to a post- in 1991. against trans-Pennine routes. to seven counties, including erties were at risk of coastal Cold War low. Some lawmakers have urged Bristol airport was closed Dublin. erosion as the area braced for Skripal, a former colonel in Rus- Prime Minister Theresa May to yesterday morning but opened Some bus routes in the Irish snow and ice. sian military intelligence who be- freeze the private assets of senior by midday. capital have also been cur- The county is covered by a trayed dozens of Russian agents to members in Russian President The amber warning was up- tailed due to the weather and yellow weather warning is- Men push a car out of a snow drift in Coalville yesterday. Britain, and his daughter are fi ght- Vladimir Putin’s circle. dated after midday yesterday Bus Eireann said there has been sued by the Met Offi ce and it ing for their lives after they were “Where people have obtained to remove south-east Wales disruption to services in the is thought that fi ve buildings bungalows fell into the water Northern Ireland, whilst it has found collapsed on a bench in the wealth by corruption and where and parts of the west country, eastern region. were at risk. as the high tide eroded the cliff been extended to cover re- city of Salisbury two weeks ago. we can see a link with the Krem- where the snow eased during The snowfall has led to the One resident, Stephen below. maining parts of eastern Eng- Offi cials from the world’s lin, with Vladimir Putin, it may the day. cancellation of a number of Chadwick, described how a The Met Offi ce has issued a land and the extreme south- chemical weapons watchdog will be possible to have unexplained Mark Wilson, a Met Offi ce events to mark the St Patrick’s cliff gave way. Speaking to BBC less severe yellow warning for west,” a statement on the Met arrive in Britain today to inves- wealth orders and other sanc- meteorologist, said: “It’s go- bank holiday weekend, includ- News, he said: “I woke up this today, noting that ice was likely website read. tigate the samples used in the tions on those individuals,” ing to be a very, very cold start, ing the Big Day Out event in morning, had a cup of coff ee at on roads, pavements and cycle Richard Leonard, Highways attack and the results should be Johnson said. with a widespread frost and ice Merrion Square in Dublin. half past seven...it was like an paths. “This increases the risk England’s head of road safe- known in about two weeks, the He revealed the government around as well.” In Wicklow, there have been earthquake and the cliff just of accidents, as well as inju- ty, said: “Our gritter drivers foreign ministry said. was considering something sim- The warnings cover possible reports of snow drifts of up to went.” ries due to falls. This warning will be out treating our roads The ministry added that if ilar to the US “Magnitsky Act” disruption on the roads. 90cm, the local council said. Hemsby has been vulner- has been updated to remove around-the-clock but it is still Russia has been stockpiling which was adopted in 2012 to Three snowploughs were The department of housing, able to coastal erosion before; much of Scotland (apart from important to drive to the con- nerve agents this would amount punish Russian offi cials accused dispatched yesterday morning planning and local govern- during a tidal surge in 2013 fi ve the south-east) and parts of ditions when snow is forecast.” to a violation of the Chemical of human rights violations.

Towers with Grenfell-style London parade Brexit panel suggests cladding ‘face arson risk’ delay in leaving EU AFP in the EU during the 2016 ref- London erendum. Guardian News and Media scale of the problem with fl am- ried landlords might be attacked Chair of the committee Hilary London mable cladding nine months af- by angry residents. Wandsworth Benn said that negotiations were ter the Grenfell tragedy. council in south London said re- ritain’s offi cial departure now at “a critical stage...with One council-owned block in leasing information “may allow from the European Union just seven months left to reach ublic offi cials fear terror- Slough, Berkshire, with combus- an individual building owner to Bmay have to be delayed agreement on a whole host of ists and arsonists could tible insulation has already been be found by other individuals in- with many key negotiating is- highly complex issues.” Ptarget high-rise homes attacked by arsonists several tent on harming them”. sues still to be resolved, West- “The government must now that are still covered in com- times, the local authority con- The concerns come amid fresh minster’s Brexit committee sug- come forward with credible, de- bustible Grenfell-style cladding, fi rmed. fi re-safety fears, after detec- gested yesterday. tailed proposals as to how it can amid increasing delays to safety Another private block in the tives investigating the Grenfell In a new report on the progress operate a ‘frictionless border’ works, a Guardian investigation town, fi tted with aluminium disaster revealed that apartment of negotiations, the Exiting the between Northern Ireland and has found. composite material panels simi- front doors that were supposed European Union Committee said the Republic of Ireland,” added The estimated bill to reclad lar to those at Grenfell, has a fi re to withstand fi re for 30 minutes there had been “little progress the opposition Labour MP. at least 288 towers in England, crew and wardens on 24-hour failed in half the time. made” on key issues, including “We know of no international which failed combustibility tests watch. The Housing Minister, Do- how to maintain an open border border, other than the internal after 71 people died at Grenfell Slough borough council re- minic Raab, also admitted that between Northern Ireland and borders of the EU, that operates Tower in west London, is now on fused to release detailed infor- only around a quarter of the af- the Republic of Ireland. without checks and physical in- course to reach £1bn. There are mation about aff ected buildings, fected households had been per- Britain is set to leave the EU frastructure. This is deeply con- waits of up to seven months to citing the government’s “con- manently rehoused, with 84 of on March 29, 2019, almost three cerning.” test alternative systems to ensure cerns that vulnerable buildings 208 still in emergency accom- years after the referendum vote Committee member and Brex- they are safe, and legal disputes could become a target for ter- modation. The government had for Brexit, having triggered the it supporter Jacob Rees-Mogg are holding up works elsewhere. rorist activity”. It said there was pledged to rehome all families two-year Article 50 withdrawal dismissed the report, writing on Concern over terrorism and a “real and signifi cant risk” of within a year. The public inquiry process in 2017, and negotia- Twitter that it “merely seeks to arson has been voiced in cen- repeat attacks. into the fi re resumes this week. tions on the future partnership stop Brexit”. tral and local government, and In the London borough of Is- Ministers have admitted that are meant to be wrapped up by “Select committees reports councils are now trying to keep lington, 44 buildings remain un- only seven of the 158 social hous- October. are only infl uential if they are the locations of scores of aff ected der investigation and seven have ing blocks in England that have “If substantial aspects of unanimous, dividing on ‘leave blocks secret because of the per- been confi rmed as clad in fl am- failed cladding tests have been the future partnership remain remain’ lines simply refi ghts the ceived danger. mable panels. The council would reclad. Offi cials don’t know the to be agreed in October 2018, referendum,” he added. Freedom of information re- not say where the buildings were speed of progress in the private the government should seek a Foreign Secretary Boris John- quests were sent by the Guard- because “in the wrong hands the sector, where at least 130 tall limited extension to the Arti- son, another Brexit campaigner, ian to 36 councils across England information could be used by ar- buildings failed combustibility A spectator wears Irish themed glasses during the cle 50 time,” added the com- said “I don’t think that’s true at known to have failed towers in sonists/terrorists”. tests; the Guardian’s investiga- St Patrick’s Day parade in London yesterday. mittee, whose members pre- all” when asked about the report their areas, in order to chart the Some offi cials are also wor- tion suggests it is slower. dominately supported staying on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 15 EUROPE

Inauguration of memorial stone Putin eyes fourth term, at Nazi bunker called off

By Alvise Armellini, DPA opposition cries foul Rome AFP Putin’s previous Kremlin term was Moscow marked by a crackdown on the oppo- he inauguration of a memorial stone sition after huge protests, the Ukraine to a Nazi wartime hideout in central confl ict, military intervention in TItaly was called off yesterday after ussians voted yesterday in a Syria and the introduction of Western the initiative sparked angry protests. presidential election set to sanctions that contributed to a fall in A local hoteliers’ association planned to Rhand Vladimir Putin a record living standards. unveil a memorial in the Foltin cave at the fourth term, with offi cials reporting But he seems certain to extend his foot of Monte Cassino, a hill 130km south strong turnout but the opposition rule to 2024 despite a lacklustre cam- of Rome where an estimated 250,000 crying foul. paign and a litany of domestic prob- troops were killed in 1944. The Kremlin needs high voter lems such as widespread poverty and The cave served as a shelter for Nazi par- numbers to give greater legitimacy poor healthcare. atroopers during Allied air raids, and head- to a new mandate for Putin as Russia In Saint Petersburg, Antonina Kur- quarters for their commander, Captain Fer- faces increasing isolation over a spy chatova, 40, said she voted for Putin dinand Foltin. poisoning in Britain and a fresh round but was hoping things would not get The ANSA news agency said the ceremo- of US sanctions. worse. “As far as the economy is con- ny was called off after Cassino Mayor Carlo Putin is running against seven oth- cerned, everything is terrible.” Maria D’Alessandro advised against “any er candidates, but his main challenger In the town of Istra some 60km initiative that may off end the history and Alexei Navalny has been barred for le- northwest of Moscow, Valeriya sensitivities of our city.” gal reasons and the outcome is in little Ivanova, 23, and her husband also The stone would have said in Italian, doubt. voted for Putin. German and English: “In Memory and Rec- About 107mn Russians are eligible “How would we live without him? ognition of the Soldiers of all nations who to cast ballots, but some analysts say It’s scary! He is the guy we trust and fell in the bloody Battle of Cassino and all that after 18 years of Putin’s leader- he can defend us,” she said, echoing the Civilian Victims of the terrible war.” ship — both as president and prime a sentiment heard from big cities to The Italian wartime Partisans’ Associa- minister — fatigue may be setting in. small villages. tion (ANPI) billed the memorial as an “an- Turnout was nearly 52% by 1400 State-run pollsters predict Putin ti-historical, anti-Italian initiative,” of- GMT, electoral offi cials said. will take about 70% of the vote, with fending “the hard-won democracy attained But Navalny charged that the poll the independent Levada Centre — by the Allies and Italian fi ghters.” has been staged and voter numbers branded a “foreign agent” — barred Meanwhile, the president of Lazio, the rigged. from releasing any polls. region that encompasses Cassino, said Nazi Since fi rst being elected presi- President Vladimir Putin walks out of a voting booth at a polling station in Moscow yesterday. Putin’s Kremlin-approved chal- “oppressors” do not deserve the same hon- dent in 2000, Putin has stamped his lengers include millionaire commu- ours as Allied “liberators.” total authority on the world’s big- they voted for Putin, praising him for in jail for organising illegal protests, station in Saint Petersburg. “It’s clear nist Pavel Grudinin and former real- “A ceremony in Cassino for Nazi para- gest country, muzzling opposition, lifting the country out of the post- urged a boycott. “We do not recognise to everyone who will be elected.” ity TV host Ksenia Sobchak, but none troopers. We asked: DON’T DO IT!” Zin- putting television under state control Soviet quagmire. these elections,” he said, claiming “And the rest of the candidates are was expected to win more than 8%. garetti said in a statement. and reasserting Moscow’s standing “Of course I’m for Putin, he’s turnout was being rigged. clowns,” interjected his wife Anna, 35. Authorities have pulled out all the The memorial’s supporters had said Sat- abroad. a leader,” said Olga Matyunina, a Navalny has deployed more than “Another six years of slavery,” said stops to ensure a huge turnout, off er- urday that their initiative was “completely The 65-year-old former KGB of- 65-year-old retired economist. 33,000 observers, with his team a piece of paper made up to look like ing food discount vouchers and prizes devoid of any political meaning” and sim- fi cer has sought to use the campaign “After he brought Crimea back, he branding the vote “a staged procedure a ballot which was spotted on a Mos- for the best selfi es taken at polling ply aimed to inform visitors about a histori- to emphasise Russia’s role as a major became a hero to me.” to reappoint Putin”. cow street — in an apparent reference stations. cally relevant site. world power, boasting of its “invin- Yesterday marked four years since “Those who said there would be to Putin’s next term. Election offi cials fl ew to far-fl ung Retired German general Hans-Werner cible” new nuclear weapons in a pre- Putin signed a treaty declaring Cri- fewer falsifi cations during these elec- Ahead of the poll, a new crisis broke regions to collect votes from indige- Fritz, president of an association for vet- election speech. mea to be part of Russia in a move tions because Putin has already won out with the West as Britain impli- nous herders, while cosmonaut Anton eran German paratroopers, which paid for Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin that triggered a pro-Kremlin insur- over everyone have made a mistake.” cated Putin in the poisoning of former Shkaplerov — the only Russian cur- the memorial stone, was supposed to at- said he would be pleased with any re- gency in east Ukraine, a confl ict that Navalny’s team and non-govern- double agent Sergei Skripal with a rently aboard the International Space tend the cancelled inauguration. sult giving him the right to continue has claimed over 10,000 lives. ment election monitor Golos report- Soviet-designed nerve agent. Station — cast his ballot by proxy. as president. At many polling stations the at- ed ballot stuffi ng and multiple voting, In response, London expelled 23 With the vast country stretching “I am sure the programme I am of- mosphere was festive, with patriotic with voters also being bussed to poll- Russian diplomats, prompting a tit- across 11 time zones, polls close in Norway govt may fall on fering is the right one,” said the man songs blasting out of speakers, cheap ing booths against the law. for-tat move by Moscow. Kaliningrad, the exclave on the EU who is already Russia’s longest-serv- food available to voters and enter- “I will not go to vote. What for?” Also this week, Washington hit border, at 1800 GMT, with exit polls minister confidence vote ing leader since Stalin. tainers organising games for children. Boris Limarev, a 39-year-old manager, Russia with sanctions for trying to in- due shortly afterwards and offi cial re- Most people who spoke to AFP said But Navalny, who risks 30 days said as he walked his dog near a polling fl uence the 2016 US election. sults issued through the night. orway’s right-wing government could resign this week if the justice Nminister loses a no-confi dence vote after she triggered outrage among survi- vors of a 2011 gun massacre, media reported yesterday. French language eyes ‘le comeback’ as Britain leaves Europe In a Facebook post on March 9, Sylvi Listhaug, a member of the populist and anti-immigration Progress Party (FrP), By Alex Pigman, AFP beat-up version known as Globish — The sea-change for French-speak- roughly 30,000 employees claim it as lish” as a common language can lead had accused the opposition Labour Party Brussels is fi rmly rooted as the lingua franca of ing came in 2004, when a raft of a fi rst, second or third language, the to “disasters” when laws are being of considering “the rights of terrorists (to the Brussels elite. former Warsaw pact countries en- commission said. written in a language in which no one be) more important than the security of the “In the last 20 years, English has tered the union, changing the face of “The use of French is now like Ital- involved is a native speaker. nation”. nce upon a time speaking become completely dominant. French the EU forever. ian or Spanish and is mostly linked Amid the shock of Brexit, talk in The post, which contained a photo French was easy in Brussels, is not going to replace English in any “In came all these new faces and to nationality. It’s important for net- Brussels was that English would be on showing Shebaab militants, sparked uproar Obut things have changed. way,” said Nicolas Veyron, one of the no one spoke French,” said Karen working,” Massin said. the decline given that it was only an because Labour members had been target- Bruno Le Maire, France’s fi nance most respected economists in Brussels, Massin, a prominent Brussels lobby- Veyron said that while French is not offi cial language for small members ed in 2011 in the worst attack on Norwegian minister, felt that keenly during a re- who spends most of his day speaking ist from France who began her career fundamental in Brussels, using it “makes Ireland and Malta. soil since the end of WWII. cent panel event with European steel- English although he is French. in European aff airs at that time. the conversation richer, off ers extra “Slowly but surely, English is losing On July 22 that year, right-wing extrem- makers after several hours of speaking That reality stings for French- “That was the real shift and the EU meaning, nuance to the discussion”. importance,” quipped Jean-Claude ist Anders Behring Breivik, who once was a English with EU counterparts. speaking veterans of the Brussels professional world switched totally to “I know many people who are not Juncker, the president of the Euro- member of the FrP, killed 77 people in twin “Maybe one in French if possible, bubble who remember a time when English,” she said. native speakers who enjoy turning to pean Commission, before switching attacks: one targeting then Labour prime otherwise I will run the risk of being the top echelon of Europe was a co- This is not to say that French has French to add an extra dimension to a to French in a speech last year. minister Jens Stoltenberg’s offi ce in Oslo criticised,” Le Maire, who speaks per- terie of francophones. disappeared — not least because conversation,” said the economist. However, in terms of the most and another against a Labour youth camp fect English, said as he scanned the “The retreat of French has been Brussels, the Belgian capital, is fran- One former EU offi cial, now a na- common foreign languages spoken, on the island of Utoya. audience for questions. catastrophic,” said Jean Quatremer, cophone. tional diplomat, concurred. the linguistic map of Europe still has Parliament is likely to go ahead with the But raised hands quickly dropped the longtime EU correspondent for Tomorrow French President Em- There is “a lot of French around, no English in front as the most widely no-confi dence vote in Listhaug tomorrow. away, leaving just one from a journal- French daily Liberation who has manuel Macron is set to announce a question, but the real diff erence is that spoken foreign language at 38% fol- Much may rest on the Christian Demo- ist, who asked the question in English championed holding the line against plan to promote the French language legal texts are almost all now in English.” lowed by French at 12%. cratic Party — which is not part of the gov- anyway. the advance of English. on the “International Francophonie From that, it quickly follows that a Given the realities, no one believes ernment but largely supports its motions Such is the fate of the speaker of “There was a time when everyone Day” — the latest in a series of meas- meeting will also veer to English “and that a push by France could see French despite frequent disputes with Listhaug. French in today’s EU bubble, that in the bubble — commissioners, of- ures by the young French leader to that’s probably for the best,” she said. return to its prominence during the Public radio and the daily Verdens Gang small world of European decision- fi cials, spokespeople, even (Brexit- restore the primacy of his native lan- But Quatremer said it created dan- EU’s early days. yesterday reported that Conservative making where the language of Cath- backing British foreign minister) guage in Europe and further afi eld. gers: “You can have 29 people in a “The so-called francophonie is re- Prime Minister Erna Solberg would step erine Deneuve and Moliere was once Boris Johnson, who was a journal- Offi cially, along with English and room who speak French and all you living a sweet dream from the past. down were Listhaug to lose the confi dence essential. ist here — spoke French,” said AFP’s German, French remains a language need is one person who doesn’t and Much like the British commonwealth, vote. Even after the shock vote of Brexit, Christian Spillman, who fi rst came to of business in the EU. everyone switches to English.” it’s a nice idea but unattainable,” the “The prime minister will comment on English — or at least that simplifi ed, Brussels as a correspondent in 1991. About 80% of the commission’s But resorting to “bastardised Eng- lobbyist Massin said. the issue in parliament,” her offi ce told AFP.

Puigdemont believes he should have declared Catalonia independence sooner

By Ben Simon, AFP “There is one thing I would He repeated that yesterday, Rajoy called the snap polls but Geneva have done diff erently. while clarifying that he had not suff ered a blow when separatist On October 10, we had planned travelled to Geneva to ask Swiss parties again won an absolute to proclaim independence, but I authorities to help facilitate majority of seats in the 135-seat atalonia’s deposed leader decided to suspend the defi nitive talks with Madrid. But he added Catalan parliament. Carles Puigdemont said move to leave a door open for di- that “anything that can be done Puigdemont gave up his claim Cin an interview published alogue with the Spanish govern- abroad to support dialogue is in to serve as president of the new yesterday that he should have ment,” he said. the interests of the Catalans, the parliament and threw his support declared independence earlier, He explained that he was urged Spanish and all Europeans.” behind separatist leader Jordi as delaying the call in hopes of to do so by sources within the Puigdemont faces arrest if he Sanchez, in custody since Octo- starting dialogue with Madrid Spanish government. returns to Spain over his role in ber pending sedition charges. proved futile. “So I acted responsibly, even Catalonia’s separatist push. Madrid has said Sanchez can- Puigdemont moved to Belgium risky because everyone expected Spanish Prime Minister Mari- not serve from prison, intensify- after the Catalan parliament uni- a clear proclamation. I chose to ano Rajoy’s conservative govern- ing the stalemate in the region. laterally declared independence give a chance to dialogue. ment has dissolved Catalonia’s For Puigdemont, the priority on October 27 following a banned “Unfortunately, it was a trap parliament and imposed direct is for “the Spanish state to have referendum on the Spanish re- because there was no positive re- rule over the region. a little more respect for the deci- gion’s secession. action from the government. If I The government in Madrid and sions made by Catalans on De- He is in Geneva this weekend were to do it over again, I would Spain’s highest court insist it is cember 21 and stop interfering in to attend a human rights fi lm not have suspended the inde- illegal and against the constitu- parliament.” festival. pendence declaration,” he said. tion for autonomous regions to “I would be a good sign for Asked by the Tribune de Gen- In a separate interview with declare independence. everyone if the Spanish govern- eve newspaper if he would have Switzerland’s public broadcaster Puigdemont spoke later to a ment changed its attitude and done anything diff erently in the aired last week, Puigdemont said small group of reporters in Ge- respected the fact that they are tension-fi lled days that followed that a majority of Catalans might neva, where he underscored that not facing criminals but repre- the October 1 referendum, Puig- accept being part of a Swiss-style the only solution to the current sentatives of a popular move- demont said he would not have federal system in Spain, an ap- political deadlock in Catalonia is ment and that, in a democracy, waited until the 27th to make the parent departure from the sepa- for Madrid to respect the results you have to respect that,” he told People hold Spanish flags during a demonstration called by ‘Sociedat Civil Catalana’ (Catalan Civil Society) independence call. ratist bid for full independence. of last December’s elections. reporters. to support the unity of Spain in Barcelona yesterday. Gulf Times 16 Monday, March 19, 2018 INDIA

Tamil Nadu Roundup Arunachal move on land rights ‘disastrous’ By Umaima Shafiq Reuters ship rights to indigenous people people will be able to lease out ognise their customary law and There are nearly 600 confl icts on their land ownership rights. Mumbai who earlier held lands jointly as their land, and use it as collateral community ownership, and give over land across India, according Offi cials later agreed to con- Woman arrested a community. to get loans from banks, the gov- communities greater ownership to research fi rm Land Confl ict sult tribal groups on the laws. Nearly two-thirds of the ernment said in a statement. rights over their land,” he told Watch. Of these, three are relat- In Arunachal Pradesh, in ad- for murder of ndigenous people in the state’s population is indigenous, But conferring individual the Thomson Reuters Founda- ed to hydroelectric dam projects dition to increasing the vulner- husband for northeastern Arunachal with land use determined by ownership rights also makes it tion. in Arunachal Pradesh. ability of the state’s tribal people IPradesh will get land owner- tribal councils. The government easier for the state to acquire The government has said the Disputes over land are be- to land acquisitions, individual insurance money ship rights for the fi rst time, but contends that this traditional land for industrial purposes, new law will provide greater coming more common in India’s rights will also change their way an expert said an expected rush system has held back develop- said Walter Fernandes, a senior rights to individuals and help restive northeast, as authori- of living and farming, Fernandes A 34-year-old woman and four of investment could deprive ment. fellow at the think tank North them escape poverty. ties introduce legislation to free said. others were arrested over the them of their livelihoods and “With this legislation, huge Eastern Social Research Centre. Across India, states are clash- up protected land held by tribal “The tribes now practise alleged murder of her husband trigger confl icts. investments are expected, which “It’s a way for the state to take ing with farmers and villagers as communities. shifting cultivation. Without at Karimangalam village in The Arunachal Pradesh will augment the economy of land from them more easily for the demand for land increases In Manipur, violent clashes adequate preparation for settled Dharmapuri district last week. Land Settlement and Records the state,” the state government hydro projects and mining,” he for industry and development erupted three years ago when cultivation, their livelihoods will The victim Madesh, a textile Amendment Bill, 2018, passed said. said. projects including highways and the state introduced laws that be aff ected, and it will be disas- merchant, was married to earlier this month, gives owner- With ownership rights, tribal “The state should instead rec- dams. indigenous people said infringed trous for them,” he said. Revathy and had two sons. On February 27, Madesh was found dead at a road median on the Salem-Dharmapuri highway. Maharashtrians celebrate New Year Revathy claimed it was a road accident but police became suspicious of her contradictory replies and also because she wanted to get his death certificate fast. They found Five civilians out that she was a nominee to Madesh’s insurance policy of Rs5mn. Revathy was arrested and she confessed to the murder. She said Madesh had become an alcoholic and that she had an aff air with killed, seven Jayaprakash. The couple often fought over this and finally Revathy planned to murder Madesh. She allowed Jayaprakash, his brother and her elder son to strangulate a sleeping Madesh injured in inside her house at midnight. The group then took the body in a car to the national highway and left it there. Lawyer accused LoC shelling of swindling compensation Agencies forces to respond in a manner years, and Nourin, aged 10 years, Jammu they deem fi t,” federal Minister within the next two minutes.” of State in the Prime Minister’s Pakistan said on Saturday its Families of 49 schoolchildren Offi ce Jitendra Singh said. high commissioner to India So- who died in the 2004 ive civilians, all members Defence Ministry spokesman hail Mahmood, who was called Kumbakonam school tragedy of a family, were killed and Lt Col Devender Anand said: back to Islamabad for talks over have moved the Madras High Fseven others, including “Pakistan army initiated unpro- the alleged harassment of dip- Court against their lawyer for fi ve soldiers, injured yesterday voked and indiscriminate fi ring lomatic staff in New Delhi, was swindling their compensation in indiscriminate shelling by from 7.45am to 11.30am along unlikely to return to his posting money amounting to Rs10mn. the Pakistani army on the Line the LoC in Balakote sector using until the situation improved. The money was sanctioned by of Control (LoC) in Jammu and small arms, 81mm and 120mm Islamabad has also decided to the Tamil Nadu government. Kashmir’s Poonch district, offi - mortars. stay away from a World Trade The petitioners said that each cials said. Pakistan continues “in its de- Organisation meeting being family got Rs5-Rs800,000 after Police said a shell fi red by the sign of targeting innocent civil- hosted by New Delhi today and a decade’s legal trial. The money Pakistan army hit the home of a ians, their homes and livestock tomorrow. was deposited into lawyer U civilian identifi ed as Mohamed in villages close to the LoC,” he Skirmishes along the LoC and Marimuthu’s account. However Ramzan Chowdhary in Devta vil- said, adding “it was a matter of the international border have he withdrew about Rs200,000 lage of Balakote sector of Poonch serious concern as it was attack- seen a sharp rise in the last one from each petitioner amounting district in the morning, killing ing “localities much deep inside year, as ties have steadily gone to Rs10mn for his personal use. him, his wife Malka Bi and their Indian territory, almost 3 to 4km, downhill following terror strikes At least 99 children were charred three sons. from the LoC, where there is no and unrest in the Kashmir Val- to death in the school fire that “Two of his daughters were army deployment or any related ley. started from the thatched roof of critically injured. They have been installation and even no equip- Last week, Defence Minis- its kitchen in Kumbakonam. The airlifted to the super specialty ment”. ter Nirmala Sitharaman said the incident forced schools to adopt government medical college hos- “The deliberate provoca- armed forces were retaliating ap- new safety rules. pital in Jammu city,” a police of- tion has resulted in loss of fi ve propriately to ceasefi re violations fi cer said. precious and innocent civilian by the Pakistani army “wherever “Five soldiers were also injured lives,” he said, adding that Indian necessary”, adding that the de- T T V Dhinakaran in Pakistan fi ring and shelling in troops “retaliated strongly, ef- fences along the border were be- launches party the area,” he said adding that fectively and proportionately to ing periodically fortifi ed to with- civilians living in the area have the dastardly act”. stand any attack. T T V Dhinakaran, the nephew been shifted to safer places after Anand also said that the two In a reply in Rajya Sabha to of jailed All India Anna Dravida shelling and fi ring exchanges in- injured girls of the family were questions related to the security Munnetra Kazhagam party leader tensifi ed following retaliation by evacuated to Jammu by helicop- situation in Kashmir, Sitharaman V K Sasikala, has launched his the Indian army. ter. said that 209 incidents of cease- own political party titled Amma “This is highly condemna- “The crew of the helicopter fi re violations by the Pakistani Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam ble. Pakistan is doing this out belonging to 132 Forward area army were reported along the (AMMK). of frustration as it is suff ering control fl ight, Flight Lt Mittal LoC in January, while the number Dhinakaran was expelled from heavy losses in the hands of se- and Flying Offi cer Akash, quickly was 142 in the fi rst 12 days of Feb- the AIADMK soon after the death Women dressed in traditional costumes ride motorbikes as they attend celebrations to mark the curity forces. The government swung into action and landed at ruary. A total of 860 incidents of of party leader and chief minister Gudi Padwa festival, the beginning of the New Year for Maharashtrians, in Mumbai, yesterday. has allowed unprecedented pro- Rajouri at 12 noon. They were ceasefi re violations took place J Jayalalithaa in December 2016. fessional freedom to security airborne with Maureen, aged 7 last year, she added. However he managed to win her seat at R K Nagar in Chennai last December by beating the ruling AIADMK faction. However a day after the launch of the party, Chief Minister and AIADMK party head Edappadi Palaniswami moved the Madras ‘Venice of the East’ still stinks despite praise by UN High Court against Dhinakaran’s party flag. Palaniswami said IANS As Vijayan broke the layer of (UNEP) India Head, Atul Bagai, Dhinakaran should not use the Alappuzha, Kerala waste on top of the water to un- said the UN did not select Alap- AIADMK’s symbolic colours of clog the canal, swamps of mos- puzha as one of the fi ve best red, white and black. quitoes fl ew up before settling cities globally for waste man- tanding atop a wall, down again in Shadamani canal agement, but the list was “just Two children die 37-year-old Sabu Vijayan, - one of the 104 branch canals - a selection of fi ve cities follow- San Alappuzha municipal- in Alappuzha, also known as the ing good practices around the in freak accidents ity sanitation worker, was sing- Venice of the East. world”. ing as he used a long metal pipe Vijayan and others came to He said the UN does “not vali- A two-month-old baby and to break a thick layer of waste unclog the canal after frantic date information and only high- a seven-year-old girl died in fl oating on the 2m-wide canal phone calls by residents. lights best practices”, adding separate freak accidents in below him. “Snuggies (diapers) are a that the information was from Chennai last week. The greenish-black water of problem. They get soaked in wa- “reliable sources”. Maheshwari, a new mother the canal was hidden beneath ter and become heavy and dif- Asked whether UNEP vis- who was carrying her baby lost the layer of plastic bottles and fi cult to remove,” Vijayan said ited Alappuzha before mak- balance while hanging clothes on plastic bags fi lled with waste - about the canals. “Even sewer- ing the selection, Bagai said he the balcony of her second-storey a small green plant with three age from toilets falls into the was “not sure”, explaining “we flat at West Mambalam. The baby leaves had grown over it. canals.” generally do not work on the fell on the hard basement floor “It smells like human excreta,” Canals in six diff erent loca- ground”. The organisation, he and sustained head injuries. He said Saviamma, 65, pointing to tions in the city had a similar said, did advocacy work and died in hospital. the YMCA branch canal fl owing story to tell. They are fi lled with sensitises people. In the second incident, seven-year- in front of her house. garbage or weeds, becoming In a written response, the old Pavithra was crushed when Three months back the UN breeding grounds for mosqui- UNEP offi ce said: “In the case of Preeti, a new driver, was reversing selected Alappuzha, a coastal toes. In two canals there was no Alappuzha, it was recognised in Canals in Alappuzha are filled with garbage or weeds, becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes. her car in a crowded parking lot town in central Kerala, as one water, only waste and silt. 2016 by the Centre for Science at Choolaimedu. Pavithra was of fi ve cities in the world whose While residents accused the and Environment with an award can be done with this money,” still at the tendering stage. Meanwhile, people contin- playing hide and seek when Preeti waste management eff orts were authorities of not cleaning the for being among the country’s he said. R Rekha, Executive Engineer ue to suff er for offi cial apathy. lost control and hit her. commendable. canals, offi cials complained of cleanest cities. The information “All waste from beneath has of the state government’s Irriga- Satheeshan’s tea shop is next to The UN report which selected meagre funds and people’s habit in our article is a summary of the to be taken out for proper fl ow of tion Department, under whose the YMCA branch canal. “My the city read: “A few years ago, of dumping garbage into the ca- basis on which the CSE award the canals and this requires huge ambit maintenance of canals shop was fl ooded during the Govt workforce roadsides and canals (were) nals for their sorry state. was given.” sums of money. With meagre falls, said that the department last monsoon after the canal to be downsized fi lled with stinking garbage... Alappuzha was selected as one Chairman of the Alappuzha funds, it’s not possible,” Meh- had not cleaned branch canals in overfl owed as it was clogged,” exposing residents and visi- of the fi ve cities in a report titled Municipality Standing Commit- boob said. the past 10 years. Satheeshan said. It had not been The Tamil Nadu government that tors alike to clouds of fl ies and “Solid Approach to Waste: How tee for Health, B Mehboob, said The municipality, in its latest “In 2014 work was started on cleaned for the past one year. has 1.4mn employees - reportedly disease-spreading mosquitoes. 5 Cities are Beating Pollution” millions of rupees were needed budget, says a “mini excavator” cleaning the canals, but it got “Ten years back we could see the second highest in India - Since then, the city in Kerala has and it was put up on UN Envi- to clean the canals properly and to clean the branch canals - as stuck in a court case. Even that the sand at the bottom of the plans to downsize and outsource addressed the problem by in- ronment’s website, under the the funds available now were well as machines that can cut project did not include the 104 canal and children used to fi sh in its functions to private parties to troducing a decentralised waste “News and Stories” category. nowhere close to what is re- and remove wooden obstacles branch canals. It was only for the it,” the 56-year-old said, adding: reduce expenses. management system.” UN Environment Programme quired. “Only temporary works - would be purchased. This is bigger canals,” Rekha said. “Not any more.” Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 17 INDIA

AVIATION BIZZARE ACCIDENT POLITICS PEOPLE IndiGo A320 Neo aircraft Son found living with Three hurt as window KC-M to abstain from Former W Bengal minister grounded after snag mother’s corpse falls from old building voting in RS elections Pratim Chatterjee dead

Budget carrier IndiGo Airlines announced The decomposed body of a 70-year-old woman Three people were injured when a window fell Six legislators of the Kerala Congress-Mani, Former West Bengal minister Pratim Chatterjee, yesterday that its A320 Neo aircraft that operated was recovered from her central Kolkata residence from a century-old building in Kolkata yesterday, presently sitting as a separate block in the who held the Fire Services portfolio for 15 on the Delhi-Srinagar route earlier in the day yesterday after neighbours complained that the son police said. “Part of a large window in an old assembly, yesterday decided to keep away from years till 2011 during the Left Front regime, was temporarily grounded at Srinagar following was living with his mother’s body for days without three-storied building at 104 AP Road (central the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections to be held died yesterday following a cardiac arrest, detection of a hydraulic leak in an engine. The taking any steps to perform her last rites, police said. Kolkata’s Srimani Market area), cracked and on Friday. The KC-M, led by veteran legislator K family sources said. Chatterjee, 79, a widower, airline said however the defect was rectified and The police broke into the house and recovered the fell. Two shopkeepers sitting on the opposite M Mani, quit the Congress-led United Democratic is survived by daughter Kuheli Ghosh. The the aircraft was fit to fly. IndiGo earlier announced corpse after the neighbours complained of a foul pavement got injured as a chunk of concrete Front (UDF) in 2015 after more than three decades former minister, also State Secretary of that its A320 Neo aircraft that operated on the smell. “The body of Tapati Das was recovered from fell on them,” said an off icer from Amherst of association, and has since been keeping away Forward Bloc-Marxist, represented Tarakeswar Bengaluru-Delhi route on Sunday was withdrawn her house in a decomposed state. It has been sent for police station. “The two injured were rushed to from all the state’s three political fronts, even as assembly seat for a long time. He was, in Delhi for a maintenance check to attend to a autopsy to identify the time and reason of death,” an hospital. Another passerby, who received minor all of them are strongly wooing him. “Why we however, defeated in the 2011 assembly polls. reported defect. “During the maintenance check, off icer from Muchipara police station said. Police said injuries, was released after first aid,” he said. decided to keep away from the polls is because Besides his political activity, the culturally- metal chips were observed on 1 Engine, 3 Bearing the son was allegedly living with the dead body and Police said a number of tenants are living in the we have not come to a conclusion on which front oriented Chatterjee acted in a number of Chip detector, which is a known concern on the stopped the neighbours from getting in when they old residential building. The damaged part of the to align with. Hence we decided not to cast our plays and films. He was also an internationally Neo engine,” the airline said in a statement. wanted to check on his mother’s health. house is currently barricaded. votes in the Rajya Sabha poll,” he said. known diamond appraiser.

Assam’s wildlife sanctuary has 102 one-horned rhinos: census

IANS Although Kaziranga na- Guwahati tional park located in Golaghat district is much frequented by domestic and foreign tourists n what might bring cheer to for its rhino population, Pabi- conservators and wildlife tora, located within a 30km ra- Ilovers, Assam’s Pabitara dius of Guwahati also provides wildlife sanctuary, which just spectacular opportunity for spans 48sq km, has recorded tourists to witness the majes- 102 one-horned rhinos. tic animal. A census carried out in the Meanwhile, in a shocking sanctuary yesterday recorded incident, 36 Himalayan vul- the presence of 102 rhinos tures were found poisoned to compared to 93 recorded in the death in Assam’s Sivsagar dis- last census carried out in 2012. trict even as the condition of “The pace of growth is en- seven others of the rare species couraging. We have recorded which were rescued by wildlife the presence of 102 rhinos to- lovers are also deteriorating, day. Apart from this, six rhi- an offi cial said yesterday. nos have been killed in and The vultures found lying in Congress delegates from Andhra Pradesh greet party president Rahul Gandhi during the 84th plenary session of the party as former prime minister Manmohan Singh and around the park since 2012 and paddy fi elds, a forest offi cer chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance Sonia Gandhi look on. 20 of them died their natural said adding the condition of deaths,” said a senior offi cial of seven which were rescued was the sanctuary. deteriorating. The forest offi cial said that Locals termed the incident the rhino census is a regular as a result of some people’s exercise carried out every six greed for bird meat. years. While the last census “Some individual have of the one-horned rhinos was dumped the poisoned body of ere carried out in 2012, the a goat in the paddy fi eld to be Rahul slams PM; vows department had undertaken used as a bait to catch birds. another rhino census in 2014 The goat was killed after be- after devastating fl oods had ing bitten by a dog. So they aff ected the whole of the state, used the dead goat as bait to particularly the Kaziranga na- catch birds,” a local man said tional park. adding that the vultures ate The one-horned rhinos the goat and subsequently got to galvanise Congress are one of the most tourist poisoned. pull for the state. The north- “The forest offi cials in IANS foreign policy on the conclud- address with a lot of punches at Lalit Modi and diamond jewel- to demonetisation, from Gabbar eastern state is known for its Sivsagar district are not doing New Delhi ing day of three-day session and Modi, the BJP and RSS. ler Nirav Modi, who are accused Singh Tax to a fancy yoga parade one-horned rhino population anything to protect the vul- authorised Gandhi to nominate He sought to energise the in diff erent cases of fraud for the in front of parliament”. density, which is the highest tures and other wildlife. This members of the Congress Work- Congress rank and fi le with the purpose. Attacking BJP president Amit in the world. While a majority is not an isolated incident. ongress president Rahul ing Committee. party having tasted some elec- “Nirav Modi, who carried Shah without naming him, Gan- of the rhinos in the state are in Last month also some locals Gandhi yesterday made Former prime minister Man- toral success in recent past after out India’s biggest theft has the dhi said: “They (the people) will Kaziranga national park, rhi- have killed over 40 exotic birds Ca fi erce attack on Prime mohan Singh, in his remarks, a string of reverses over the past same name as our PM. It’s an in- accept a man accused of mur- nos are also found in Pabitora for its meat by using poisoned Minister Narendra Modi on the accused Modi of resorting to four years. teresting fact that there is more. der as the president of BJP. But wildlife sanctuary and Manas dead pets as bait,” said a resi- issue of corruption, and prom- further ‘jumlas’ by promis- Gandhi particularly focused The most corrupt man in cricket the people will never accept the national park. dent. ised to break walls in the party ing to double farmers’ income on the youth and farmers, sec- also shares the same name with same in the Congress Party as between workers and leaders and charged his government of tions that are perceived to be the PM. So what does Modi ac- they expect higher standards.” to revitalise it for the 2019 Lok messing up the Indian economy. getting disenchanted with the tually mean? The name Modi He accused the RSS of telling Sabha election battle. Former fi nance minister P government, and whose sup- symbolises the collusion be- Muslims that “you don’t belong In his concluding remarks Chidambaram, who moved the port is critical for the Congress tween the India’s biggest crony to here”, Tamils to “change your at the party’s 84th plenary, resolution on the economic to make an electoral comeback capitalists and the PM of India,” beautiful language”, people from Gandhi said “the name Modi” situation, accused the govern- in 2019. he said. the northeast that “we don’t symbolises collusion between ment of not generating jobs and He promised to create jobs for “Modi gives Modi Rs30,000 like what you eat” and women corrupt businessmen and the damaging existing employment the youth and, referring to the crore of your money and, in turn, to “dress properly or will thrash prime minister of India, termed through demonetisation and Rs700bn farm loan waiver by the Modi gives Modi money for mar- you”. Bharatiya Janata Party president fl awed implementation of the UPA government, said the party keting Modi and winning elec- Gandhi said people go to Amit Shah as “a man accused of Goods and Services Tax and said would be prepared to help farm- tions. That is what is going on,” courts for justice, but for the murder” and accused Rashtriya only the Congress can bring the ers in a similar way if needed. he said. fi rst time judges went to people Swayamsevak Sangh of trying country out of the present “cri- Gandhi also sought to take the Accusing the prime minister for justice. Forestry off icials on an elephant look at a one-horned rhino as to control institutions includ- sis”. sheen off Modi particularly on of hoodwinking people with his Seeking to inspire the party they conduct a census of the endangered species at the Pobitora ing judiciary, parliament and Gandhi, who got rapturous the issue of corruption with his promises he charged Modi with rank and fi le, he said: “Congress Wildlife Sanctuary, some 45km from Guwahati, yesterday. police. applause from the assembled fi ercest attack on the BJP leader, trying to divert the attention of workers will show in 2019 how Pobitora has the highest concentration of Indian one-horned The party adopted resolu- gathering at the Indira Gandhi and referred to former Indian people and “jumping from one party fi ghts an election and wins rhinos in the world. tions on economic situation and Indoor Stadium here, packed his Premier Leagure (IPL) chairman event to another, surgical strikes it.” Indian airports stretched as passengers reach new heights

AFP 265mn domestic passengers in airports to breaking point. Some 980 fl ights landed and Mumbai 2016 and will cross 300mn this Travellers can snap up tick- took off within a 24-hour period. year, according to CAPA. ets sometimes for as little as Domestic travellers fl ying into The country’s entire airport Rs1,000 - cheaper than many India’s fi nancial capital regularly ndia’s airports are struggling network is only capable of han- fares on the country’s rickety complain of fl ights having to cir- to cope with a massive surge dling 317mn passengers, it says. train network. cle for up to half-an-hour before Iin passenger numbers and According to data compiled by Ten Indian airports - includ- the plane is given a slot to land. billions of dollars must be spent the Directorate General of Civil ing Dehradun, Jaipur, Guwahati, The airport is surrounded by to boost their capacity, analysts Aviation (DGCA), there were just Mangalore, Srinagar and Pune slum settlements, making it im- have warned. 44mn Indians travelling by plane - are already operating beyond possible to increase the number The country is witnessing a in 2008. their capacity, CAPA said in a re- of runways and highlighting the huge boom in air travel as its Now CAPA predicts India will port released last month. problem of acquiring space for growing middle class increas- overtake Britain as the world’s Others are nearing their limit. infrastructure projects in India’s ingly takes to the skies but ex- third-largest market by 2025 and The aviation body predicts heavily congested cities. perts say infrastructure is failing will have 478mn fl iers by 2036. that New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi The government is building to keep up. Aviation experts say the gov- International Airport and Chen- a new airport at Navi Mumbai, “There’s an urgent need for ernment faces a race against nai’s International Airport will 30km away, to ease the burden. capacity building in major In- time to build the infrastructure reach their handling capacity It has been repeatedly delayed dian airports as they are bursting to handle the soaring conges- within four to six years. due to land disputes and is cur- at the seams and close to satura- tion. The situation is even more rently scheduled to open in 2023. In this file photo taken on March 18, 2016, visitors line up to enter an Air India Boeing 777 on display during tion,” Binit Somaia, South Asia “Some top airports have pressing at Mumbai’s Chhatrap- “The situation at CSIA will the India Aviation 2016 airshow at Begumpet airport in Hyderabad. India has witnessed a six-fold increase director at the Centre for Avia- reached saturation. In the next ati Shivaji International Airport worsen until the new airport in passenger numbers over the past decade as citizens take advantage of better connectivity and cheaper tion (CAPA), said. fi ve to seven years, the top 30 to (CSIA). is operational,” Amber Dubey, fares thanks to a host of low-cost airlines. India has witnessed a six-fold 40 airports in India will be per- CAPA says it is at 94% capac- India head of aerospace and increase in passenger numbers forming beyond their capacity,” ity and is “close to saturation”. defence at global consultancy since his election in 2014. located $613mn to the Airports “The government needs to over the past decade as citizens said Somaia of the Sydney-based Earlier this year, the airport said KPMG, said, describing the de- He recently launched a Authority of India to expand fa- ensure we have infrastructure to take advantage of better connec- CAPA. it had broken its own world record lays as “unacceptable”. scheme to connect remote re- cilities. manage (the) growth rate,” Man- tivity and cheaper fares thanks Flights have increased by for handling the most number of Prime Minister Narendra gions of the country by air. CAPA estimates that India ish Agarwal, an infrastructure to a host of low-cost airlines. around 20 % every year over the arrivals and departures on a single Modi has made making air travel In the budget last month, Fi- needs to invest $45bn by 2030 to expert at PricewaterhouseCoop- Indian airports handled last three years, stretching many runway in one day. accessible to all a key priority nance Minister Arun Jaitley al- keep up with demand. ers, said. Gulf Times 18 Monday, March 19, 2018 LATIN AMERICA

POLICY DECISION CLEAN UP LEGAL LAW AND ORDER Chile preparing new law Venezuela city issues own Tonnes of garbage cleaned Ageing ex-junta off icer Owner, executives of palm to lure foreign investment currency to fight cash crisis up from Galapagos coast ordered back to prison oil firm held in graft probe

The recently inaugurated government of Chile’s A Venezuelan city began to issue its own currency Off icials at Ecuador’s Galapagos National Park A court in Argentina has ordered an The owner and two executives of the largest conservative President Sebastian Pinera is this week to alleviate the hyper-inflationary say they have collected 22 tonnes of garbage octogenarian former police chief convicted of Guatemalan palm oil producer have been preparing a new law aimed at attracting foreign country’s cash crisis. The “Elorza” currency, with since January off the coasts of the pristine execution and torture to return to prison, after arrested on charges of bribery and tax fraud, investments, the mines minister was quoted bills featuring the face of local independence archipelago, some of it from as far away as his home detention sparked protests. Miguel authorities said. Police arrested Hugo Alberto telling a local newspaper yesterday. Baldo leader Jose Andres Elorza, will be valid in the city of Asia. The coastal garbage cleanup is aimed at Etchecolatz, 88, is serving a life sentence for Molina Botran, owner of Reforestadora Prokurica, who took off ice with Pinera last week, Elorza, near Venezuela’s border with Colombia. The studying “the possible arrival of invasive species crimes against humanity carried out during the de Palmas del Peten (Repsa), and the two said the government was preparing a decree bills are being sold in the municipality’s off ices to in the waste swept in by the ocean currents,” South American country’s military dictatorship executives at Guatemala City’s international that would be similar to one repealed by socialist ensure that thousands of tourists and residents can the Park said in a statement. The Galapagos are from 1976 to 1983. The judges ruled that his airport as they returned to the country, police President Michelle Bachelet in 2016, according trade, said mayor Solfreddy Solorzano, a member located about 1,000km off the coast of Ecuador. health is compatible with detention behind spokesman Pablo Castillo said. The company to an interview with La Tercera. Bachelet had of the ruling Socialist Party. Venezuela’s national The bulk of the garbage reaches the island bars. Since December 27 Etchecolatz, former said in a statement the three have co-operated argued that the law, which provided tax and currency, the bolivar, has plummeted in recent shores “from the coasts of central and south Buenos Aires police commissioner, had been with the authorities and “that the evidence that regulatory incentives for foreign investments, years amid a crippling economic crisis. Prices are America, and even from the Asian continent,” living in a house at the seaside resort of Mar will be presented in due time will prove their was no longer needed given years of stability in doubling nearly every month and basics such as the statement said. The national park, created in del Plata, where demonstrators protested his innocence.” Repsa has served as a supplier to Chile, the world’s top copper producer. food and medicine are nearly unavailable. 1959, protects 97% of the islands’ land surface. release from prison. multinationals Nestle SA and Cargill. Mistrust hinders Brazil’s yellow fever vaccine campaign

Agencies and the Aedes aegypti mosquito Sao Paulo starts to become infected and transmit yellow fever, it could become urban,” said Luiz An- lisangela Santos doesn’t tonio Teixeira Jr., Rio de Janeiro understand why everyone state’s health secretary. “Every- Ein her neighbourhood on thing we’re doing is to ensure we the outskirts of Sao Paulo is be- don’t have urban yellow fever.” ing told to get vaccinated for yel- Yellow fever has long been en- low fever this year. Yellow fever demic in large swathes of Brazil, has long been endemic in parts but it has been advancing in re- of Brazil, and she smells a rat. cent years and this is the second “Every year, it’s something outbreak in two years in places else,” the 44-year-old school where vaccinations for the dis- custodian said as she waiting ease were not routine. recently outside a health post During the 2016-2017 out- in the Jardim Miriam district. break, more than 770 people “They invent another thing to were infected after nearly a dec- make Brazilians spend money.” ade during which Brazil saw few- The vaccine is free at public er than 10 cases each year. In the health posts around the coun- current outbreak, there have al- Colombian authorities, including President Juan Manuel Santos (centre), and IPBES leaders stand for the anthem during the opening of the sixth plenary session of the try, but Santos’ suspicion that ready been 846 cases confi rmed, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), in Medellin, Antioquia Department, Colombia. someone must be profi ting of which 260 have died. somewhere is typical of the cur- The outbreak is stressing the rent high levels of mistrust Bra- health system just a few years zilians hold for offi cialdom. after a major outbreak of Zika, Flagging faith in Brazil’s insti- which was linked to severe birth tutions amid a series of corrup- defects in babies born to infected tion scandals, a chaotic commu- mothers. nications campaign promoting While rumours have sometimes Colombia hosts global the vaccine, and the country’s swirled around past vaccination decision to give partial doses to campaigns, the rise of the What- stretch supplies are contributing sApp messaging service is ampli- to rumours that the vaccine is a fying misinformation like never scam, weak or even dangerous. before, said Igor Sacramento, a That misinformation is scar- researcher at Fiocruz, Brazil’s pre- ing people away from the cam- mier public research institute. biodiversity crisis summit paign that is trying to vaccinate WhatsApp “is a fundamental more than 23mn people in areas characteristic of the way we cir- AFP details on fi ve monumental re- Pacifi c, and Europe and Central only to Brazil in terms of overall panel, she said, had compiled of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and culate information, news, etc.,” Medellin, Colombia ports designed to inform global Asia. species diversity. fi ve assessment reports, each Bahia states that until recently said Sacramento, who works in policymaking into the future. Then on March 26 a report Paradoxically, decades of Co- about 600-900 pages long and were not considered at risk for the institute’s health communi- “Today the world is at a will be released focusing on the lombia’s internal confl ict have condensed into a 20-30 page yellow fever. Nearly six weeks cations lab. comprehensive, global crossroads,” added IPBES presi- global condition of soil, which preserved fragile habitats in no- “summary for policymakers.” into the campaign, the health Since WhatsApp messages appraisal of mass spe- dent Sir Robert Watson. “The is fast being degraded through go zones of the country, whose These summaries must be ministry says 76% of the target come from people known by Acies extinction — and historic and current degrada- pollution, forest-destruction, mountainous topography sup- offi cially adopted in Medel- population has been vaccinated the recipients, they place a high what can be done to reverse tion and destruction of nature mining, and unsustainable ports 311 diff erent ecosystems. lin before being sent to IPBES — far off its goal of 95%. value on the information shared it — kicked off in Colombia’s undermine human well-being farming methods that deplete But 1,200 Colombian spe- member states to guide poli- The current atmosphere of there, and that means people of- second-largest city, with more for current and countless future its nutrients. cies are listed as threatened, due cymaking in areas that aff ect uncertainty and rumours around ten accept it without checking it, than 750 experts in attendance. generations.” The evaluations took 600 partly to pollution and forest- biodiversity — everything from the vaccine is likely to make the Sacramento said. President Juan Manuel Santos Compiled over the last three volunteer scientists three years destruction caused by illicit transport and infrastructure to last 20% very diffi cult to reach, One rumour making the opened the Intergovernmental years, the reports will provide to complete, and includes sum- drug production. farming, water management hampering the eff orts of Latin rounds on WhastApp, for in- Science-Policy Platform on Bi- the most up-to-date picture of maries of data taken from about More than just a portrayal and education. America’s biggest nation to con- stance, says a mutation in the odiversity and Ecosystem Serv- the health of the world’s plants, 10,000 scientifi c publications. of doom and gloom, the latest The reports however are not tain its largest yellow fever out- yellow fever virus has rendered ices (IPBES) meeting in Medel- animals and soil. The end product covers the assessments will include pro- prescriptive. “We hope that break in more than three decades. the vaccine ineff ective, even cit- lin by stating that protecting The diagnosis will be un- entire Earth apart from Ant- jections for future recovery or this will help inform policy de- The reticence could even lead ing a study published by Fiocruz. biodiversity is “as important as veiled in two parts. arctica and the open oceans — decline, and “suggestions for cisions to stem the loss of bio- to a sustained outbreak in Bra- That is not true, and the institute fi ghting climate change.” First, on March 23, the IPBES those waters beyond national action,” IPBES executive secre- diversity and the fundamental zil’s megacities. Brazil hasn’t had put out a statement saying that Hundreds of scientists and will release separate assess- jurisdiction. tary Anne Larigauderie told AFP. services it provides us with,” an urban outbreak since 1942. mutations in the disease have no government envoys have gath- ments for the four regions into Host Colombia claims it has “An immensely ambitious chief scientist Tom Brooks of “If we have a higher number of impact on the vaccine’s eff ec- ered at the event, which runs which it has divided the world the world’s largest variety of challenge lies ahead of us this the International Union for the infected people with yellow fever tiveness. through March 26, to fi nalise — the Americas, Africa, Asia- birds and orchids, and is second week,” she said. The expert Conservation of Nature said. Drought-hit Argentina’s Presidential candidate Drug cartels trying to soy crop seen collapsing infl uence polls: Mexico AFP rete said. “We’re not going to let Mexico City this happen.” Reuters “The impact of the drought soy harvest at 42mn tonnes and Two of the leading presiden- Buenos Aires on the Argentine economy will the corn crop at 34mn. tial candidates, conservative go to $4.6bn, or 0.7% of gross Soy harvesting began in parts exican Interior Minis- Ricardo Anaya of the National domestic product projected of the Pampas provinces of Cor- ter Alfonso Navarrete Action Party (PAN) and Jose rgentina’s Rosario for 2018,” the exchange’s head doba, Santa Fe, Entre Rios and Msaid there are “warn- Antonio Meade of the ruling In- Grains Exchange has of research Emilce Terre said Buenos Aires, totalling about ing signs” that drug cartels are stitutional Revolutionary Party Aslashed 14% off its in a message, adding that more 2% of nationwide planted area, trying to infl uence the country’s (PRI), have warned of possible forecast for the country’s soy crop forecast cuts were possi- the Buenos Aires exchange upcoming elections. attempts by drug cartels to infl u- crop, saying a drought now in ble, especially for corn. said in its weekly crop report. Mexico will elect a new pres- ence the elections. its fourth month would limit “The season continues to be “Yields in harvested areas have ident, Congress and a host of The front-runner, veteran the harvest to 40mn tonnes characterised by lack of water,” been very uneven,” it said. local and state officials on July leftist Andres Manuel Lopez versus its previous estimate of the exchange said in a state- The drought has meanwhile 1, a vulnerable moment for a Obrador, has however said he 46.5mn. ment on its website. “Some expanded north toward mar- country where multi-billion- sees no signs of interference by The South American grains privileged areas have gotten ginal soy-growing provinces dollar drug cartels wield huge organised crime. powerhouse has been blighted rain, but the amount of water in like Chaco and Santiago del power. Lopez Obrador has proposed by dry weather since Novem- those areas barely surpassed six Estero. “There are warning signs and an amnesty for drug crimes as a ber. centimeters, at best.” “If moisture is not restored alarm bells in some regions of way to stop the violence racking An unrelenting southern Most analysts have slashed in the soil of central Chaco the country,” Navarrete said in Mexico, widely blamed on drug hemisphere summer sun has their soy crop forecasts, which province, it will increase the response to a journalist’s ques- cartels — though he has waffl ed shriveled crops, dented Latin started the season in the range chance of another cut in our tion about reports of candidates on whether the controversial America’s No. 3 economy and of 55mn tonnes, to below 45mn. production projection, which coming under pressure from or- proposal referred only to minor put upward pressure on world A treasury ministry offi cial remains at 42mn tonnes,” the ganised crime. off enders or hitmen and king- food prices. said the drought would cut report said. He mentioned the town of pins as well. The exchange cut its corn between 0.5 and 1 percent- The estimates were broadly Chilapa, in the violent south- Mexico is a dangerous place to crop estimate to 32mn tonnes age point off 2018’s headline in line with those of independ- ern state of Guerrero, where two be a local politician. from 35mn. growth rate. ent analysts like Gustavo Lopez candidates for a seat in the state According to the National Argentina is the world’s Weather forecasters say they of the Agritrend farm consul- legislature were murdered last Mayors’ Association, more than third-biggest exporter of corn do not expect enough rain over tancy. “A soybean projection Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Jose month. 100 mayors, ex-mayors or may- and soybeans, as well at its top the days ahead to reverse the of 40mn to 42mn tonnes and Antonio Meade holds hands with his wife Juana Cuevas after “There have been reckless at- ors-elect have been murdered by supplier of soymeal feed, used damage in most areas. corn between 34mn and 36mn registering as presidential candidate at the National Electoral tempts to pressure candidates... criminal gangs since 2006, the to fatten cows from Europe to The Buenos Aires Grains Ex- tonnes would seem logical,” he Institute (INE) in Mexico City, Mexico, yesterday. to align themselves with a par- year the government declared Asia. change currently projects the said. ticular criminal group,” Navar- war on drug cartels. Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 19 PAKISTAN

Govt ‘reluctant to put Gunmen kill two polio Sharifs on no-fl y list’

Internews NAB during the second Islamabad week of last month had re- quested the ministry to place names of fi ve Sharif fam- he Pakistan government ily members on ECL, includ- monitors in tribal area is reluctant to place the ing Nawaz Sharif, daughter Tnames of members of Maryam Nawaz, sons Hassan AFP were hiding in the bushes (and) the ruling Sharif family on Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz Peshawar later escaped from the scene,” the exit control list (ECL) as and son-in-law Muhammad Aslam said. recommended by the Nation- Safdar. There was no immediate claim al Bureau of Accountability As per the prescribed cri- unmen ambushed and of responsibility, but Islamist (NAB), despite having discre- teria and policy, there is no shot dead two members militants like the Pakistani Tali- tionary powers to give relaxa- diff erent standard for every Gof a polio monitoring ban have attacked polio vacci- tion to any person whose name case and each of case re- team in a restive Pakistani tribal nation teams and their security has been placed on the no-fl y ferred to the ministry for region near the Afghan border, escorts across the country in the list. placement of name on ECL offi cials said yesterday. past, killing more than 100 peo- The anti-corruption watch- is examined and decided The incident happened on ple since December 2012. dog had recommended to the on merit and in accordance Saturday night in the Saafi area Opposition from Islamist hard- ministry of interior to place with law. of the Mohmand tribal district, liners and militant groups to all the name of former prime However, it seems not the where authorities imposed a forms of inoculation intensifi ed minister Nawaz Sharif and case when it comes to matters curfew and launched a search after it was revealed that the CIA others on ECL. However, the related to the ruling family re- operation led by the paramilitary organised a fake vaccination drive ministry has been defying its garding placing of their names Frontier Corps. to help track down Al Qaeda’s recommendations and the on ECL. “A monitoring team of the local former leader Osama bin Laden names of former premier and In 2015, when former in- health department was return- in the Pakistani garrison town of his family members as wanted terior minister Nisar Ali was ing to their headquarters when Abbottabad. He was killed there by NAB are yet to be placed on heading the ministry certain unidentifi ed gunmen hiding in the by US Special Forces in 2011. the no-fl y list. parameters were designed for bushes along the roadside opened Pakistan is one of only two The federal government has placement of names on ECL. fi re on their vehicle, killing two of countries in the world where polio discretionary powers to give These include recommenda- them on the spot,” local adminis- – a crippling childhood disease – relaxation to persons whose tions of the superior courts, trator Mahmood Aslam said. remains endemic. But authorities names are placed on ECL. Last tribunals having equivalent He said another monitor and hope that despite such attacks, year a top PIA offi cial, Bernard status, the defence headquar- the driver of the vehicle escaped the country will be removed from Hildenbrand, was allowed to ters, intelligence agencies, unhurt. the list of polio-endemic coun- leave the country by the min- NAB, the Federal Investiga- “According to initial investi- tries this year by achieving its goal A health worker administers polio vaccine drops to a child as a policeman stands guard during a polio istry of interior despite having tion Agency and the federal gation, up to fi ve attackers who of no fresh cases for a year. campaign in Karachi. his name on ECL. government. Minister to Key reforms to make poll this time cleaner, fairer skip WTO Internews prime objective of the electoral (RMS): This will be deployed Android based platform will al- in the ECP, only the Supreme voters is recorded to be less than Islamabad reforms was to revisit all the for result compilation by the low public access to real-time Court of Pakistan can take peti- 10 per cent of the total votes meeting election processes, procedures, returning offi cer (RO) based results of the general elections. tions. polled in any constituency. forms, laws and rules to address on international standards of SMS to 8300: This will help The ECP will deploy election The polling stations have n contrast to the contro- the loopholes in the system for results compilation and an- voters access their details with monitors at constituency level been increased from 70,000 to Internews versy of credibility of the an overall improvement in all nouncement. exact serial number in the list to monitor the code of conduct 85,000 to provide polling sta- Islamabad I2013 elections amid fears aspects. Result transmission system of the voting book to learn their and facilitate ROs to take reme- tions within a 2km walking dis- of a repeat in the forthcom- Keeping that in mind, the (RTS): This will help in instant polling station and booth for dial actions at the spot. tance from home. ing national polls, the Election commission sources hope that transmission of results through voting. Photographic electoral rolls ECP now has more fi nancial akistan has decided not to Commission of Pakistan (ECP) the general elections 2018 will verifi able features like time and The ECP has also hired its will be used for transparency so autonomy and is invested with attend a World Trade Or- has assured that the elections be positively diff erent from the location stamping plus photo own huge strong room buildings no proxy voting is done. powers equal to those of a high Pganisation (WTO) meet- scheduled in summer will be general elections 2013 for many compression, water mark time, in almost every division across Tendered vote will be counted court. ing hosted by India next week, better, free, fair and impartial. reasons. date on photograph among oth- the country to store election to give the right to vote to actual Improved accountability and highlighting growing tensions Senior ECP offi cials were The ECP is proactively intro- ers. material securely rather than voters. results transparency through caused by the ongoing diplomat- yesterday quoted by The News ducing the following state-of- Geographical information placing them in third sites. Persons with disabilities and ECP’s obligation to make its ic standoff . daily as listing a number of the-art technologies to do the system (GIS): This will help geo- The ECP will now punish any government offi cials will use rules available for public com- An offi cial of the ministry of measures and initiatives which best to conduct free, fair and tag electoral constituencies and irresponsible or erring polling postal ballot facility for casting ment and its responsibility to commerce confi rmed, when they insist will ensure free and impartial elections in the coun- allow universal access to polling staff on the spot. votes. prepare and periodic reports for contacted, that the decision to fair elections. try: stations through Google Maps. The provincial high courts or The polling result will be de- review by the federal and pro- boycott the informal meeting has The ECP sources said the Result management system Click ECP mobile app: This lower courts cannot interfere clared void if turnout of women vincial legislatures. been made at the highest level. India had invited Pakistani Commerce Minister Pervaiz 110,000 Punjab farmers to get smartphones with apps Malik to attend the mini-min- isterial gathering last month. An initiative has been taken by agriculture information assistant The Agriculture Department in Although Pakistan had not for- the government in Pakistan’s director Naveed Kahloon. collaboration with Telenor and Karachi ranked 6th cheapest city mally accepted the invitation, northeast Punjab province under He said these smartphones will Punjab Information Technology the minister was likely to attend the Khadim-e-Punjab Kisan be provided on provision of Board (PITB) has developed a Internews their index of major cities in the well as strong competition from the meeting and meet his Indian package to provide smartphones Rs500 for a tenant and Rs1,000 specialised mobile app service Karachi world arranged according to a range of retail sources, it adds counterpart Suresh Prabhu. to 110,000 farmers under the for land owners. This phase keeping its unique target cost of living. in the report. Pakistan’s decision to skip the connected agriculture platform of the scheme was designed audience in mind as to enable Syrian capital Damascus, Pricey perennials Tokyo and meeting comes against the back- Punjab (CAAP). due to lack of a systematic technology and rapidly assist The Economist Intelligence Venezuelan capital Caracas, New York did not even make drop of an ongoing diplomatic During the initial stage 110,000 and eff icient way to educate and cater the farmers. Unit has claimed that Karachi Nigerian capital Lagos and the top 10 in the annual list stand-off between the two coun- smartphones will be distributed farmers. With this new scheme farmers is one of the cheapest cities in Pakistani city of Karachi are by the Economist Intelligence tries. among registered farmers of Currently, a man-based, slow will be able to apply for farm the world, ranked sixth from among the world’s cheapest Unit (EIU), beaten out by Paris, Pakistan has accused India of Kisan Package while in the next flow of information was the loans through the app that the bottom out of a list of 133 cities, the survey showed. Zurich (joint second) Hong Kong harassing its diplomats and their stage all registered farmers norm, resulting in farmers will also eliminate red tape cities on the Worldwide Cost of Countries in the region have (fourth) and Oslo (fifth). families in New Delhi and has will receive a smartphone that making hasty and ill-informed while creating a technology- Living report released earlier been tipped for rapid economic Seoul and Geneva shared sixth also recalled its high commis- will be equipped with special decisions, which led to financial driven ecosystem that will this week. expansion, but in per-head place, while Copenhagen, Tel sioner for a briefi ng. apps to help them interact with losses and the farmers not give confidence to the farmers The survey by the British group, terms, wage and spending Aviv and Sydney rounded out Apart from Pakistan, India has agriculture experts. reaping maximum potential deciding what to sow and when which provides research and growth will remain low, the the rankings Despite some perks also invited ministers from Aus- The apps will provide advice profit, he said. and where to sell. analysis to businesses, has research report outlines. to domestic life in Singapore – tralia, China, European Union on how to improve crops, show CAPP is all about digitising the The department will also compared the prices of 150 Income inequality means that home help is cheap the former the US and several African coun- the weather conditions in real smaller farmer communities to establish facilitation centres in products and services in urban low wages are the norm, limiting British colony “remains the most tries to the conference starting time and give a chance to watch make them well connected, well collaboration with Telenor where centres of 93 countries that household spending and expensive place in the world to today. videos of the latest production aware, and in control of their farmers will be trained on how to subsequently form the basis of creating many tiers of pricing as buy and run a car,” EIU said. The meeting will discuss chal- technology as well, said farming workflow, he added. use the smartphones or apps. lenges being faced by the multi- lateral trade body.

CJ donates Women doctors bring remote care to villages By Sajjad Tarakzai, AFP its GDP has been spent on the practice even sitting at home,” tion to the doctor, who then con- Bhosa Mansehra health sector in the past decade. she says. “We are enjoying our sults with the patient via Skype his organs “It is very helpful, particular- family life and can also take care before making a diagnosis. ly for female patients because it of patients.” The local government is also Internews n a remote Pakistani village is close to all of us,” Fayyaz says. Raheel Tanvir, a Sehat Ka- tuning in to the trend, setting up Karachi surrounded by lush green “That’s why I am here,” hani representative at the clinic an e-ilaj, or e-treatment, centre Ihills, Mohammad Fayyaz agrees Bibi Mehrunisa, one of in Bhosa, says roughly 80% of in a village called Bilahi, with brings his two-year-old son to the many women clustered in women doctors quit the profes- plans to expand in other remote hief Justice (CJ) of Paki- a clinic so that a female doctor the clinic’s waiting room, some sion after they get married. areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. stan Saqib Nisar has an- sitting hundreds of kilometres with children in tow. “So the basic aim was to bring At Bilahi, where women clad Cnounced to donate his or- away can examine him. It’s also important for the back those female doctors... They in traditional shawls await their gans after he dies to benefi t any Healthcare in rural Pakistan women on the computer can continue their profession, can turn at the clinic surrounded needy. and the careers of women doctors screens. examine the patients while sitting by rolling hills, a four-year-old Offi cial sources confi rmed are being revolutionised as inter- At her Karachi home, doctor at home and can also take care of named Zehwish Azeem is ex- yesterday the off er by Nisar was net access grows across the coun- Benish Ehsan was multitasking, their family,” says Tanvir. amined remotely by physician made to the Sindh Institute of try, allowing people with limited caring for her child as he sat on The Bhosa clinic opened last Nadia Rasheed in Islamabad. Urology and Transplantation mobility because of geography or her lap, even as she began her September and since then has Rasheed said the government (SIUT), one of Pakistan’s best culture to interact online. online examination of a young seen hundreds of patients each initiative works with a local in- reputed medical institutions and Previously, Fayyaz would A paramedic checks a child’s throat at a telemedicine online treatment patient in Bhosa. month, demonstrating the need ternet provider to bring medical a multiple international award have had to travel for hours centre run by the government of Khyber Pakhtukhwa in the remote “Is he using the bathroom, for the female doctors’ skills. advice to some 15 villages with a winner. from his village of Bhosa, in Behali area in Mansehra district. has the vomiting stopped or “It’s a huge waste,” says Javed population of more than 27,000 Addressing a ceremony at northern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa not?” she asks through the Akram, vice chancellor of the people in a rural area where SIUT, the chief justice said the province, only to spend hours tech startup, Sehat Kahani, has Convenience is everything in computer screen, advising the Pakistan Institute of Medical doctors are few. institute will have a right to har- queuing at overcrowded clinics deployed Skype to solve both a place where women must walk worried mother to feed her child Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, Over the last fi ve years, more vest his organs after his death in cities like Abbottabad or Pe- problems at once by bringing for miles to fetch water from a more fruit and vegetables. lamenting how women end up than 50,000 patients have been to help anyone with them who shawar for medical help. work to the doctors and medical spring and power cuts can last “He has lost some weight, so I using their medical degree “to treated in such clinics in the Pun- could be helped. Women doctors more than advice to the villages. up to 12 hours a day, the low am prescribing some medicines get married”. jab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Lauding the services of SIUT 1,500km (930 miles) to the south “My son took just one dose of hum of generators a constant for that too,” she says. “Men prefer to have doctors as provinces, and in a remote village chief Dr Adeeb Rizvi, Nisar said in the port of Karachi, Pakistan’s medicine and he feels much bet- backdrop to village life. Later, speaking to AFP, Ehsan wives rather than receptionists or in the Margalla Hills bordering Is- he is an admirer of the institute largest city, face their own chal- ter now,” Fayyaz said after paying The remote doctors off er says the programme is empow- hair stylists,” he explains. “They lamabad, said Rasheed. and Rizvi’s services for the medi- lenges, with their careers often a nominal fee of Rs100 (90 cents) a fresh solution to Pakistan’s ering for stay-at-home mothers are not giving anything back to “This area is remote, people cal profession and humanity and put on ice once they marry and to visit the Sehat Kahani clinic struggling healthcare sector. who also happen to be doctors, the country... Let them work.” are poor and they had to travel the judiciary will always support become mothers in the conserv- in his village and speak face-to- The country has one of the like her. The clinic in Bhosa operates a long time for treatment,” Mian him for his cause of providing ative, patriarchal country. face via video conferencing to a world’s highest infant mortal- “It suits us, we don’t need to simply: a nurse examines the pa- Badar Jan, an offi cial in the health facilities to the citizens. Now, a Karachi-based health doctor in Karachi. ity rates and just 0.5-0.8% of go outside and can continue our tient and sends all the informa- Bilahi clinic said. Gulf Times 20 Monday, March 19, 2018 PHILIPPINES Justice dept summons Aquino over vaccine deaths

By Jomar Canlas were directed to submit their Manila Times counter-affi davits to refute the charges of multiple homicide and physical injuries and mal- he Department of Jus- versation of public funds. tice (DoJ) ordered former Also covered by the subpoena TPresident Benigno Aquino were offi cials of Zuellig Pharma and two of his Cabinet offi cials and Sanofi Pasteur. The latter to answer criminal charges fi led developed the anti-dengue vac- against them in connection with cine. the deaths of children inoculated Included in the charge sheet with Dengvaxia. were Health Undersecretaries Prosecutors have issued a Carol Tinio, Gerardo Bayugo, subpoena ordering Aquino to Lilibeth David, and Mario Vil- appear before a panel created to laverde; Health Assistant Secre- investigate the case at 10am on taries Lyndon Lee Suy and Nes- March 23. tor Santiago and other offi cials Also ordered to appear were – Laureano Cruz, Joyce Ducusin, former Health Secretary Janette Mar Wynn Bello, Leonila Gorgo- Garin and former Budget Secre- lon, Rio Magpantay, Ariel Valen- tary Florencio Abad. The com- cia, and Julius Lecciones; former Firefighters douse water after a fire engulfed the Manila Pavilion hotel in Metro Manila, yesterday. plaint was fi led by the Volunteers Health Undersecretaries Neme- Against Crime and Corruption sio Gako, Vicente Belizario, Jr, (VACC) and the Vanguard of and Kenneth Hartigan-Go. the Philippine Constitution Inc. In its complaint, the VACC al- (VPCI). leges that Aquino is liable for the Acting Prosecutor General mess because he met with Sanofi Jorge Catalan Jr assigned Senior offi cials abroad “and juggled Assistant State Prosecutor Ros- funds and authorised the release sane Balauag to head the panel, of a total of P3.55bn” in procur- Three killed, 23 hurt with Senior Assistant State ing the vaccine. Prosecutor Hazel Decena Valdez Criminal charges were fi led and Assistant State Prosecutors against Abad for issuance of the Consuelo Corazon Pazziua- procurement allotment order; gan and Gino Paolo Santiago as Garin was charged for allowing members. the procurement and the vacci- Aquino, Abad and Garin nation of innocent children. in Manila hotel blaze

AFP to evacuate others from lower Manila fl oors. Manila is one of 16 cities making up Metro Manila. Nearby cities were helping Australia to off er help hree people were killed put out the blaze, Manila’s fi re and 23 injured by a major department said. Thotel fi re in the Philip- “This is a major fi re. There to govt in terror fi ght pine capital Manila yesterday, were those who inhaled the with others plucked by heli- smoke and were brought to copter from the rooftop of the the hospital,” senior fi re offi cer By Jeff erson Antiporda appreciation for the counter- building engulfed in thick black Marlon Banaag said. Manila Times terrorism training Australia has smoke, authorities said. Yesterday afternoon, Presi- been providing to the Armed The blaze at the Waterfront dent Rodrigo Duterte con- Forces of the Philippines, noting Manila Pavilion, a high-rise ho- ducted an aerial survey of the he Australian government that as many as 3,000 Filipino tel and casino complex, was still fi re aboard a helicopter, photos has reiterated its commit- troops have been provided with raging nine hours after it began from his aide showed. Tment to help the Philip- much needed skills in urban yesterday morning, with two Deadly blazes break out regu- pines in its campaign against warfare. people missing as hundreds fl ed larly in the Philippines, particu- terrorism and in rebuilding Ma- He also mentioned Canberra’s the area. larly in slum areas where there rawi City. assistance during the crisis in Authorities initially said four are virtually no safety stand- Foreign Aff airs Secretary Alan Marawi where it provided a sur- people had died but later clari- ards. Peter Cayetano said he and Aus- veillance aircraft that allowed fi ed that one victim had been The deadliest in recent years tralia’s Prime Minister Malcolm government troops to fl ush out revived in hospital, according to was in suburban Manila where Turnbull reaffi rmed the two militants. Metro Manila Development Au- 72 people died in 2015 at a fac- countries’ desire to strengthen “The Philippines cannot fi ght thority acting chief Jojo Garcia. tory which makes rubber slip- their co-operation in the fi ght and win this war on its own. We The three who died had like- pers. against violent extremism. need to work with the rest of the ly suff ocated while another 23 Firemen on board a firetruck basket rescue people from the Waterfront Manila Pavilion building, after a In the southern city of Davao, Cayetano had a bilateral international community in the people had been taken to hos- fire broke out at the hotel and casino complex in Manila. 38 people were killed in De- meeting with Turnbull on Sat- fi ght against terrorism,” he said. pital, said Manila city’s disas- cember by a fi re that ravaged a urday. He represented President One the highlights of the ter risk reduction chief, Johnny fi refi ghters are having a hard breathing, according to an AFP area of the 21-fl oor hotel which shopping mall and a call centre. Rodrigo Duterte in the two-day Asean-Australia special summit Yu. time,” Yu told reporters. photographer on the scene. regularly hosted both locals and And in June last year, an Association of Southeast Asian was the signing of the Memo- “The smoke is very heavy and Clouds of smoke covered sev- Fire authorities were inves- foreigners, Yu added. armed attacker set the Resorts Nations-Australia special Sum- randum of Understanding on the wind is strong. That is our eral fl oors of the building and tigating the cause of the blaze, Responders sent a helicop- World Manila hotel-casino mit held in Sydney. Co-operation to Counter Inter- enemy now — the smoke and swathed ladders of fi refi ghters, which is believed to have be- ter to rescue people trapped complex on fi re, claiming the Cayetano conveyed Duterte’s national Terrorism. the wind — which is why our some of whom had diffi culty gun in the casino or mezzanine on the roof while crews battled lives of 37 people. Duterte urges other Security adviser says sea nations to quit ICC militarisation ‘dangerous’

AFP By Dempsey Reyes Code of Conduct in the disput- duct of Parties. Tensions in the sions on the Korean peninsula. Manila Manila Times ed area continue to undermine South China Sea remain a big Esperon said several other the blossoming co-operation of worry for regional leaders as security issues such as terror- frontline states in other issue- Beijing continues to build arti- ism, piracy, smuggling, drug hilippine President Rodrigo Duterte yester- he growing militarisation areas,” Esperon noted. fi cial islands capable of hosting traffi cking, human traffi cking, day urged other nations to follow his move to of the West Philippine Early this year, the Philip- military installations — much cyber crime and climate change Pquit the International Criminal Court, which TSea (South China Sea) pines said it will raise with Bei- to the chagrin of other claim- were “detrimental” to the busi- is examining his deadly drug war. is “dangerous” because it will jing the construction of mili- ants to the area. ness environment in the Philip- Duterte lashed out at the war crimes tribunal undermine the co-operation of tary facilities on the Fiery Cross Vietnam remains the most pines and abroad. days after his government notifi ed the United Na- frontline nations on other is- (Kagitingan) Reef located in the vocal in the dispute, with the “(These concerns) are push tions of his decision to withdraw the Philippines sues surrounding the region, Spratlys. Philippines backing off under and pull factors for greater re- from the Rome Statute which set up the court. National Security Adviser Her- Last year, China and members China-friendly President Rod- gional and global co-operation. “I said withdraw simply because to announce to mogenes Esperon Jr warned. of the Association of Southeast rigo Duterte. These security concerns are the world, and I will convince everybody now who Duterte: criticism for war crimes tribunal Esperon reiterated the state- Asian Nations (Asean) adopted At the just concluded sum- undeniably detrimental to the (is) under the treaty: get out, get out. It is rude,” ment of President Rodrigo Du- a negotiating framework on the mit hosted by Australia, Can- business environment both Duterte said in a speech to Philippine Military from a top tribunal offi cial that it would harm glo- terte that issues involving the code of conduct. berra and Asean reaffi rmed here and abroad,” he said. Academy graduates. bal eff orts to end impunity for the world’s worst West Philippine Sea may be- However, offi cials admitted “the importance of maintaining “They all have huge implica- “It is not a document that was prepared by any- crimes. come a “fl ashpoint” that could that the signing of an agree- and promoting peace, stabil- tions to the ease of doing busi- body. It’s an EU-sponsored (treaty),” he added, Offi cially quitting the court requires a year’s no- lead to a bigger confl ict. ment this year is unlikely. ity, maritime safety and secu- ness and confi dence to invest as he criticised the court for allegedly going after tice and does not stop the ICC from continuing its “The South China Sea or China, Malaysia, Brunei, Vi- rity, freedom of navigation and in the country. Nevertheless, “blacks”. examination of the killings. West Philippine Sea issue re- etnam, Taiwan and the Philip- overfl ight in the region” with- there will always be confl icts The Hague-based ICC announced last month However Duterte yesterday insisted the ICC mains to be a dangerous fl ash- pines all claim some or all of the out naming Beijing. and concerns but co-operation it was launching a “preliminary examination” of could not prosecute him since the treaty was not point in the region due to the South China Sea and its shoals, The leaders added they want- is a must on many issues,” Es- Duterte’s anti-drug crackdown that has prompted published locally, in violation of domestic laws. overlapping territorial claims reefs and islands. ed to see an “early conclusion of peron added. international concern. “That treaty, if you read it, it’s all bull,” Duterte and maritime domain concerns In April last year, Duterte an eff ective code of conduct in He gave assurances that the Duterte, 72, won elections in mid-2016 vowing said. among various claimants,” Es- said the situation in the West the South China Sea.” Philippine government is “ex- to launch an unprecedented drug war in which tens He added that the ICC was part of eff orts of peron said during a security Philippine Sea would remain a “We will uphold our commit- ploiting” and “harnessing” the of thousands of people would die. “white idiots in the EU” to “atone” for wrongdo- forum held last week in Makati “fl ashpoint” without a code of ment to the rules-based order potential of the Asean platform Police say they have killed 4,100 drug suspects ings in Africa and the Middle East. City. conduct adopted by Asean. and international law in the re- to enhance the country’s do- as part of the campaign, while rights groups claim “These people when they went to Africa, they He added that the Philippine In August last year, Foreign gion, including the South China mestic and regional agenda. the toll is around three times the numbers given by killed many....it is really an atonement for their government is “very sensitive” Aff airs Secretary Alan Peter Sea,” Australian Prime Minister “Indeed, there are many authorities. sins. And then they run after either the blacks, to a host of security subplots Cayetano tackled the forma- Malcolm Turnbull said. security and economic chal- The ICC, which opened in 2002, is the world’s when there are so many problems but they still concerning the “larger great tion of the COC with China With China fl exing its mus- lenges before us. But this must only permanent war crimes court and aims to pros- meddle,” he said. power narrative” in the Indo- and other Asean member states cle, they also committed to not blind us to the fact there are ecute the worst abuses when national courts are Should the Philippines fully withdraw from the Pacifi c region. during the 22nd meeting of the enhance “the scope and sophis- many issue areas for co-opera- unable or unwilling. court it would follow the African nation of Burun- “The growing militarisation Asean-China Joint Working tication of defence co-opera- tion and that the future is still The Philippines on Thursday told the UN it was di, which in October 2017 became the fi rst country of the South China Sea and the Group on the Implementation tion,” while expressing “grave brighter ahead of us,” Esperon withdrawing from the ICC, triggering warnings to leave. delay to forge a legally binding of the Declaration of the Con- concern” about escalating ten- said. Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 21 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL 7 militants to hang Lanka ends emergency for Sufi murder

AFP they considered him a heretic. Dhaka “They think shrine worship is anti-Islam,” the prosecutor said, adding the extremists admitted as tensions subside even militants were sen- saying they would kill anyone they tenced to death yester- believed had deviated from Islam. AFP violence was concentrated in ing day, Sinhalese mobs set fi re Sday in Bangladesh for the The JMB has been blamed Colombo the central district of Kandy, to Muslim-owned homes and murder of a Sufi shrine care- for a wave of extremist attacks 115km (72 miles) northeast of the businesses. taker in 2015, at the height of on religious minorities, athe- capital Colombo. The body of a 24-year-old a wave of attacks which swept ist bloggers and converts from ri Lanka’s president an- Police said the situation in Muslim man was pulled out of the South Asian country. Islam in the past fi ve years af- nounced yesterday he is the picturesque hill resort has a burnt home, raising tensions The defendants were con- ter they regrouped following Slifting a nationwide state returned to normal. Security further. The next day, a Sin- victed by a special court in the executions of its founder of emergency imposed 12 days forces have been deployed to halese man died when a hand the northern city of Rangpur and senior leaders in 2007. ago to quell anti-Muslim ri- help rebuild damaged homes and grenade he was carrying ex- where the killing took place, In July 2016, suspected JMB ots in which three people died businesses, offi cials said. ploded before he could attack according to prosecutor Ratish militants stormed a Dhaka and hundreds of shops were More than 300 people have a mosque. Chandra Bhowmik. cafe and massacred 22 hos- destroyed. been arrested in connection with This was the fi rst state of “All seven are members of JMB tages, including 18 foreigners, Maithripala Sirisena said the riots, and they have been re- emergency imposed in Sri Lanka (Jamayetul Mujahideeen Bangla- in an assault claimed by the improvements in the security manded in custody till the end of since the end of a decades-long desh),” Bhowmik said, referring Islamic State group. situation prompted him to end this month. Tamil separatist war in 2009. to a homegrown Islamist group. Bangladesh has been wag- the emergency, under which The state emergency also al- Sri Lanka’s parliament issued “Six of the convicts were ing a campaign against JMB and security forces and the police lowed Sirisena to call in the mili- an apology to its Muslim minor- in the court. Another convict other homegrown militant out- had sweeping powers to detain tary after police initially failed to ity, which constitutes 10% of the was sentenced in absentia,” fi ts in the wake of the attacks. suspects. control the riots that spread to country’s population of 21mn. he said, adding the defendant Security forces have shot “Upon assessing the public several suburbs of Kandy. There Sinhalese account for about remained at large. dead more than 70 alleged safety situation, I instructed to were a few isolated incidents three quarters of the population. Two other suspects had militants in a severe crack- revoke the state of emergen- elsewhere on the island too. Last November, riots between been killed in a shootout with down since the cafe carnage. cy from midnight yesterday,” The unrest started after a Sin- the Muslims and the Sinhalese - security forces since the mur- Hundreds of suspected Islam- Sirisena said on Twitter as he re- halese man beaten up by four who are largely Buddhist - in the der, Bhowmik added. ists were also arrested as part turned to the island after a tour Muslim men in a road rage inci- south of the island left one man He said the men confessed of the anti-terror drive. Scores of Japan. dent died at a hospital in Kandy dead and homes and vehicles Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena addresses a press conference to slaughtering the caretaker of them have already been sen- Much of the anti-Muslim earlier this month. The follow- damaged. in Colombo. in November 2015 because tenced to death for the attacks. Top court decides on Zia’s plea today

By Mizan Rahman “Tomorrow - for order,” said Court order, the ACC counsel The attorney general too re- Trust corruption case. Dhaka a four-member division bench said all the other accused in the ferred to diff erent cases while A four-member division headed by Chief Justice Syed case were sentenced to 10-year opposing Zia’s bail in the case. bench headed by Chief Justice Mahmud Hossain after a full imprisonment, while Zia was He also pleaded to reset the Syed Hossain passed the order he Supreme Court (SC) bench hearing on the petitions handed down fi ve-year impris- time given by the High Court to following two pleas fi led by the will pass its decision to- moved by attorney general Mah- onment considering her age and prepare the papers of the case. ACC and the state. Tday on two separate pleas bubey Alam and Anti-Corrup- social status. The Supreme Court on March “Adjourned till March 18 and fi led against a High Court order tion Commission (ACC) counsel “So there is no need to consid- 14 stayed the High Court or- stay,” the apex court said, asking granting bail to BNP chairperson Khurshid Alam Khan. er her age and social status again der that granted bail to BNP the ACC and state to fi le regular Khaleda Zia. While opposing the High for granting her bail,” he said. chairperson in Zia Orphanage appeal pleas by that day.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina: “We want to make the healthcare facilities available at the doorsteps of people.” Nepal to hold expo on adventure tourism Protest against quota system The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is organising an international exhibition on adventure Govt aims to tourism and mountaineering in Kathmandu on March 23-25 with the aim of promoting Nepal as the adventure hub of Asia. The three-day Global Adventure set up medical and Mountaineering Conference and Expo (GAMCE) - 2018 is first of its kind to be held in the Himalayan country, which is renowned for adventure tourism varsity in each due to its prominent peaks. Nepal is home to half of the world’s 14 tallest mountains. NTB chief executive off icer Deepak Joshi said yesterday that they district: PM aimed to promote Nepal as an adventure hub for Asia if not the world, where adventure buyers and By Mizan Rahman thorities concerned to im- sellers could transact adventure Dhaka pose restrictions on the entry products and services not only from of huge number of visitors to Nepal but from across the world. hospitals, particularly to ICU, “We also aim to showcase Nepal’s angladesh Prime Minis- saying a patient in the sensi- expertise in adventure tourism ter Sheikh Hasina yes- tive zone might face serious basically in mountaineering, to Bterday asked the private harm due to infections caused the world,” he said. medical colleges to pay spe- by the visitors. The NTB aims to develop GAMCE cial attention to standard of Hasina praised the doctors as a market platform for adventure education and curriculum to and nurses working at the ICU tourism. “For example, we can create quality doctors. with high risks and said they provide the services of good tourist Students of diff erent universities and colleges demonstrate against the existing quota system in BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service) and “Private sector is coming do the noble job like bringing guides to international companies other government jobs recruitment in Dhaka yesterday. forward to establish medical patients with critical condi- during the event,” said Joshi. colleges. But I think the au- tion back to normal life. thorities concerned should About the steps of the pay more attention to main- government for further im- taining standard of education proving healthcare services, and curriculum properly in Hasina said Bangabandhu these colleges,” Prime Minis- Sheikh Mujib Medical Univer- ter Hasina said, while inaugu- sity (BSMMU) was established Crab farming new hope for fl ood-prone areas rating a two-day international as the country’s fi rst medical conference on critical care university, while three more medicine in Dhaka yesterday. medical universities are be- Thomson Reuters Foundation - now Bangladesh’s second big- The loss of income has driven From there they are trans- for shrimp and with lower She said that the govern- ing set up - one at Chittagong, Joymoni, Bangladesh gest export after garments - in some farmers - particularly men ported to Dhaka and fl own live disease risk, he said. ment has given utmost im- one at Rajshahi and another at shallow ponds. But even the - to migrate and look for work in to major importers China, Ja- Crab farming’s growing mo- portance to the development Sylhet. shrimp are now dying in many cities, while many families rais- pan, Taiwan, Malaysia and mentum is refl ected in Bangla- of the healthcare facilities and “We will establish medi- ishore Mondol, a farmer areas, hit by viral infections, ing shrimp have fallen into debt Hong Kong, she said. desh’s export fi gures. Accord- will do everything whatever cal university in all divisional in the low-lying deltas local people say. after taking high-interest loans Fish traders grade the catch, ing to the government’s Export needed for this purpose. headquarters,” she said. Kof southern Bangladesh, Instead, as waters continue to from shrimp traders that they with crabs with claws broken Promotion Bureau, crab exports “We want to make the The prime minister said points at the 4ft-high platform rise, women in the region have are now unable to pay back, local worth less, but those with a have climbed from $7mn in 2011 healthcare facilities available many physicians are now get- of grey clay he and his wife have hit on a new, tough and fl ood- people say. clump of bright orange-yellow to more than $23m in 2016. at the doorsteps of people, ting opportunities to utilise just struggled to build. friendly harvest: mud crabs. The Bangladesh government pre- eggs on their bellies - a delicacy Twenty percent of the coun- even in the rural areas,” she their skills and effi ciency af- The mound is intended to In a village where most land dicts rising sea level could displace for which South East Asians are try’s current harvest is coming said. ter completing postgraduate keep their next home above ev- lies 10ft or less above sea level, about 20m people from Bangladesh’s willing to pay more - worth up to from backyard pond farmers in She mentioned that the degrees on critical care medi- er-rising fl oodwaters. But even and is fl anked by major rivers on coastal districts by 2050. $26 a kilogram. the country’s coastal Satkhira, government in its previous cine from BSMMU, DMC and it won’t last long, he fears. either side, fl ooding is an ever Crabs, however, may help Begum and her husband’s Bagerhat and Cox’s Bazar districts, 1996-2001 tenure introduced Birdem. “Within the next 10 years, mon- worsening worry for residents of solve a big share of the problems, earnings from crab sales now according to government data. the community clinics, aiming Pointing to Bangladesh’s soon high tides will be fl owing Joymoni. the village’s women say. add up to between $780 and To further boost the industry, to provide healthcare services graduation to a developing over this level,” he predicts. When this year’s monsoon ar- Khadija Begum, 43, now does $840 a year, she said. The money the government fi sheries de- in the rural areas. country from the LDC group, With tidal fl oods fast worsening rives, “we fear water may come a brisk business buying and re- has helped them send their eld- partment is now trying to estab- Hasina said healthcare the prime minister said Bang- as a result of more intense rain- as high as 3ft, especially during leasing batches of baby man- est son to college in Khulna - a lish crab hatcheries. Currently service is a great and noble ladesh got the recognition of fall and sea level rise, “this is the the full moon, as our side of the grove mud crabs into a shallow source of huge pride. most young crabs are caught in profession and the physicians the UN after long 46 years of third time within 20 years we are village has no protective em- pond she has rented for $48 a Bangladesh’s fi sheries depart- the wild, and catches have been will have to render services to independence. moving our home higher,” com- bankment since Cyclones Sidr year from a local land owner now ment, working with non-profi t falling with growing demand. their patients with sincerity It has been possible because plained Mondol, whose village washed it away” in 2007, Tripti living in Dhaka, the capital. organisations, has been encour- Some experts, however, warn and dedication. of the government’s success lies in Khulna district, at the head Mondol, Kishore’s wife, told the The tiny crabs, their shells still aging farmers with salt-tainted that crab farming may not be Putting emphasis on re- in implementation of MDGs, of southwestern Bangladesh’s Thomson Reuters Foundation. soft, are caught in local creeks by fi elds to take up crab farming enough to sustain families in in- ceiving training, she men- attaining capability in health- Sundarbans tidal forests. Already, “salt is seeping into the fi shermen. She feeds them small since 2011, with poor women a creasingly risk-prone southern tioned that the government care and education, achiev- Sea level rise and worsening very heart of our soil,” she said. amounts of waste fi sh once a day, she particular target for help. Bangladesh. wants Bangladesh’s doctors ing high GDP growth and per storm surges are making life in- Subrat Chandra Gayen, 50, an- said, and within two weeks they are Unlike shrimp farming, crabs “Although crabs farms can and nurses to be trained in for- capita income, she said. creasingly precarious in south- other resident of Joymoni, said six times their original weight and can be raised in small ponds and be a lifeline against climate im- eign countries. Hasina stressed maintain- ern Bangladesh’s low-lying del- nearly 80% of families have had have developed hard brown shells. demand less up-front invest- pacts they will only aggravate She assured that more steps ing continuation of the suc- tas, fl ooding homes and fi lling to give up on rice farming, which Begum catches them, and ment, said Muhammod Zulfi kar this unsustainable high-salinity would be taken to provide cess saying Bangladesh would fi elds with salty water that keeps once provided food and an in- packs them carefully into large Ali, mayor of Mongla Port situation,” said Pavel Partha, a improved foreign training to never be dependent on others rice from growing. come for most people in the area, bamboo baskets, which she sends municipality. researcher with the Bangladesh physicians and nurses. and would go ahead keeping Many former farmers have including women who sowed, her husband to sell at the Bud- Returns are also quick and, Resource Centre for Indigenous She also directed the au- pace with the world. switched to raising tiger shrimp harvested and threshed it. dhamari local market, 2km away. at the moment, higher than Knowledge (BARCIK). Gulf Times 22 Monday, March 19, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Maduro challenger shakes up Venezuela’s presidential vote

At each other’s throats for two decades, militants of Venezuela’s socialist state and opposition seldom agree on anything. Yet mention the name of presidential candidate Henri Falcon, and both are liable to spit. “Traitor!” cry socialist stalwarts, who cannot forgive the former state governor for breaking with their beloved late leader Hugo Chavez in 2010. “Chavista lite!” say opposition radicals, always suspicious that Falcon came into their ranks as a Trojan horse. Now that the 56-year-old former soldier is running for president in a May 20 vote, both groups are united in scoffi ng India’s tech hub faces at his chances. After all, Falcon is up against not just a powerful President Nicolas Maduro but also an election system widely considered unfair and an opposition boycott that will deprive him of votes. And yet, a clutch of opinion polls show Falcon ahead, man-made water crisis bolstering his campaign mantra that he is a natural transition candidate with appeal to a moderate majority fed up with political polarisation and economic chaos. AFP a poignant reminder that things weren’t Most of the city’s municipal water is “In Bengaluru, 1,000 bottles of the Widely-followed pollster Datanalisis, for example, put him Bengaluru always like this. supplied by the Cauvery river, whose cleanest treated water comes to our Once known as India’s garden city for waters fl ow through Karnataka and doorstep and we pay only six rupees more than 10 percentage points ahead in voter intentions. its lush green parks, Bengaluru was built neighbouring Tamil Nadu state before (about nine cents)... “This government is fi nished,” Falcon said, noting how few very day more than 1,000 around a series of lakes created to form emptying into the Bay of Bengal, and the incentive is not there,” says AR governments in history water tankers rumble past rainwater reservoirs and prevent the have been bitterly disputed for more Shivakumar, a senior scientist with the To win, Falcon had survived hyper- Nagraj’s small plywood store in precious resource from draining away. than a century. Karnataka State Council of Science and infl ation and economic EBengaluru, throwing up clouds Many have now been concreted over Two years ago, an order to release Technology. needs to chaos like Venezuela’s of dust as they rush their valuable cargo to build apartment blocks with names extra water from the river to ease a Despite this, Shivakumar and his current crisis. to homes and offi ces in India’s drought- like Dream Acres and Strawberry Fields shortage threatening crops in Tamil family have not used a single drop of convince voters Opinion surveys in stricken tech hub. to house the workers who have fl ocked Nadu sparked deadly protests in mains water in the 23 years they have Gleaming new apartment blocks are here during India’s outsourcing boom. Bengaluru that forced hundreds of lived at their home in Bengaluru. in places like La Venezuela are often still springing up all over the city known Many of those that remain are heavily companies to close. Instead they rely entirely on divergent, politicised and as India’s Silicon Valley — even though polluted. Last month, the Supreme Court rainwater collected through gutters and Vega, a ‘Chavista’ misleading in hindsight. there is nowhere near enough mains Bellandur has become so toxic stepped in, altering the river-sharing stored in large tanks under the house, But Falcon, his campaign water to supply those already living and it spontaneously catches fi re, and arrangement in Karnataka’s favour which Shivakumar designed with water stronghold team and some pundits working there. emits clouds of white froth so large citing Bengaluru’s dire need. effi ciency in mind. think he may be able to Many rely entirely on supplies authorities have had to build barriers to Ecologist Ramachandra says Even the cement used to build it was create an avalanche as the campaign gets underway. shipped in by tankers fi lled from giant keep it from spilling onto the road. Bengaluru has enough annual rainfall made with recycled water. “If we really unite, get organised, construct a single borewells that have caused groundwater “The city is dying,” says TV to provide water for its estimated 10mn His work setting up rainwater levels to plummet, sparking predictions Ramachandra, an ecologist with the people without resorting to borewells harvesting at bus stops, in slum narrative, and instead of discouraging people by asking Bengaluru could be the fi rst Indian city Indian Institute of Science who has or rivers — if only it could harvest the housing and even along the city’s them to abstain, we call them to vote, there’s no way this to run out of water. predicted the Karnataka state capital resource more eff ectively. metro system proved so effective that government can beat us,” said Falcon. “There is a severe scarcity of water could be the fi rst Indian city to follow “If there is a water crisis, we should city authorities now require all new Despite such optimism and Maduro’s unpopularity on the here,” said Nagraj, 30, who moved to the Cape Town in running out of water. not think about river diversion. housing developments to have inbuilt streets, there appear to be plenty of ways for the government suburban neighbourhood of Panathur a “If the current trend of growth and We should think about how to systems. to assure victory. decade ago and has seen it transformed urbanisation is allowed (to continue), retain the water,” he said, blaming “This crisis will force everyone It is ratcheting up welfare handouts and pressure on by rampant construction. by 2020, 94 % of the landscape will be “fragmented, unco-ordinated to take up measures like rainwater state workers, has skillfully fomented divisions within the “The future will be very diffi cult. It concretised.” governance” for the crisis. harvesting and water conservation is impossible to imagine how they will Already, more than half of As in the rest of India though, there is measures,” he said. opposition, barred Maduro’s two main rivals from standing, fi nd water, how they will live. Even if we Bengaluru’s estimated 10mn little incentive for citizens to save water. “The new generation have shown a brazenly uses state resources in its campaigns, and benefi ts dig 1,500 feet (450 metres) down, we are inhabitants have to rely on borewells Despite years of drought, the government lot of concern toward the environment from a compliant election board. not getting water.” and tankers for their water because still provides clean water to citizens at and conservation measures. That will The board’s head, Tibisay Lucena, is on US, EU and Panathur lies next to Bengaluru’s there isn’t enough mains supply to go heavily subsidised rates and access to defi nitely take it forward. Awareness is Canadian sanctions lists accused of violating democracy. biggest lake, Bellandur, which provides round. groundwater is largely unregulated. already on the increase.” Even its chosen vote machine operator, UK-based Smartmatic, accused her institution of fraud in a vote last year. “Though Falcon is twice as popular as Maduro and could beat him in a competitive race, the 20 May vote will not be competitive,” wrote Eurasia consultancy. In line with his promise of a government of “national unity”, Falcon is reaching out to opposition leaders like former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles to relax the boycott and join his campaign. He has picked a Wall Street bank analyst, Francisco Rodriguez, to head his economic team. And in a nod to his former allies in the ruling “Chavismo” movement and a signal to the armed forces that they need not fear him, Falcon may keep Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino should he win, a campaign aide said. But to win, Falcon needs to convince voters in places like La Vega, a poor hillside ‘barrio’ of Caracas that is a traditional ‘Chavista’ stronghold. At a bread shop there, chatter revolved around impossibly high food prices and the growing migration of Venezuelans to Colombia. There was next to no enthusiasm either for Falcon or Maduro.

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© 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved This photograph taken on February 27, 2018 shows tankers delivering water to apartments in Bengaluru. Gulf Times Monday, March 19, 2018 23 QATAR

‘So you think you can cook’ contest a big hit

By Joey Aguilar of people. The competition also who have culinary skills a chance Staff Reporter witnessed ordinary residents to participate,” Navnitlal stressed. producing ‘excellent dishes’ “The first three days are jam- despite given a limited time to packed and there has been a A cooking competition, prepare it, according to Navnitlal. good response since QIFF opened organised by BeIN and Food “Previously, we had an aspiring last week.” Network, has become one of the chef named Mohamed About the 11-day festival, he said main attractions at the Qatar participating over here, and he the ninth edition has created International Food Festival (QIFF) told us he is a layman and doesn’t “an amazing atmosphere” for 2018 as it showcases the skills and know how to cook,” he said. “Now, visitors who come over to the creativity of aspiring chefs in the he is looking forward to pursue it Hotel Park in a ‘very relaxed state’. country. as a career.” “You have five-star hotels and Dubbed ‘So you think you can The competition, which starts some of the best of restaurants cook’, the unique and interactive at 7pm at the beIN stand every here, and this particular activity culinary competition has been day, features eight contestants creates an atmosphere for them, attracting a large number of go head-to-head and a panel of where they can basically come spectators who get to see judges from beIN, Food Network, to relax and show their culinary participants cook and prepare LG and QIFF rates them. Prizes skills,” Navnitlal added. “QIFF is ‘the best meal’ live. include microwave ovens a fun-filled festival, people come “We got an excellent response provided by LG, which are given to eat and enjoy, and it is full of from the public in the first three to the top three winners. activities.” days of QIFF,” BeIN’s marketing Organisers also involve the sitting He also lauded the Qatar Tourism and communication specialist audience as judge to make the Authority for the well-organised Utkarsh Navnitlal told Gulf competition more interactive. festival, running until March 25, Times on the sidelines of the Festival-goers who want to and for supporting their culinary competition yesterday. participate should visit the BeIN event. QIFF is one of Qatar’s He said such a culinary activity at stand and register. It is on a first- most anticipated annual events QIFF provides a good exposure come-first-served basis. as it celebrates the country’s rich to aspiring chefs to show off their “The competition is something and diverse food, beverage and talent in front of a large number quite interesting, giving people hospitality off erings. The 11-day QIFF features a fireworks display in the evening at 8pm. PICTURE: Ram Chand Visitors savour unique off erings at food festival By Joey Aguilar ing contest by AbdulAziz al-Ajail Participants of the ‘So you think you can cook’ competition preparing their dishes. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter who involved young participants at the presentation. Apart from the cooking com- ew and unique off erings petition by BeIN and Food Net- at Qatar International work, QIFF’s coff ee zone and a NFood Festival (QIFF) 2018 mini zoo (both are fi rsts at the Comorosians urged to attend Paris have been attracting many visi- annual event) are also attracting tors since the event’s opening last a large number of festival-goers week. since day one. meeting to expose Azali’s misrule From a myriad of international The coff ee zone, which cel- and local dishes to fun-fi lled ac- ebrates “the aromatic coff ee bean tivities and attractions, organis- and off ers a truly unique experi- any political parties and regime. The Comoros has not in the diaspora. The meeting is ers said the annual event features ence to visitors”, features an array civil bodies based in the experienced a similar situation aimed to defend: Institutions a rich mix of culinary delights of coff ee shops, as well as games MComoros have issued a since the days of the mercenar- and democracy in the Comoros; and entertainment. for children. joint call to Comorosians to join ies. Freedom of the press; Freedom Special VIP igloos continue to According to QTA, the ‘Wa- a massive gathering in Paris on “Therefore, we, the civil so- of speech; Freedom of the Co- entice an increasing number of hab’ for food donation is urging April 2 to protest the misrule of ciety, the Comoros Association morosians’ movement between festival-goers, off ering six exclu- all festival participants to make Colonel Azali Assoumani, the for the Defense of Human Rights, islands. sive and one-of-its-kind seating sure no meal goes to waste. president of the the Comoros. the Association for the Defense The letter was issued by the areas for families and ‘groups of “At the end of each day, food The rally is scheduled for 2 pm of Comoros Democracy, political following organisations: SOS friends’. sellers can take untouched food at the Human Rights Arena, Place parties and Comorosian person- Democratie aux Comores; ACDH According to Qatar Tourism to the ‘Wahab’ booth located Trocadero, Metro Trocadero. alities, call on all Comorosians (Association Comorienne de De- Authority (QTA), the VIP igloos near the children’s play area, In a letter addressed to all citi- to join a large gathering in Paris fense de Droits Humains); Col- have been introduced at the fes- An illusionist entertains and engages the audience with his tricks at where volunteers will repack- zens of the Comoros, the parties on Monday, April 2 at 2 pm at the lectif pour la Defense de la De- tival for the fi rst time and aim to QIFF’s coff ee zone yesterday. PICTURE: Joey Aguilar age then distribute the meals to said: Human Rights Arena, Place Tro- mocratie aux Comores (CDDC); provide visitors with authentic the less fortunate in Doha,” QTA “Time is critical! After 42 cadero, Metro Trocadero.” Comite de Soutien du journaliste festival experience. modate between eight and 10 spot for festival-goers, featuring said. years of partial independence of The letter said the meeting is Abdallah AGWA; Mouvement The service includes compli- people, it is found. “Many fami- renowned chefs doing live dem- QIFF, which forms part of the Comoros, the political and organised to say no to: The dicta- Touche pas a Ma Tournante. mentary coff ee and dates and a lies, professionals and groups onstration of a number of dishes. Qatar’s strategy to grow and institutional situation in our torship of Colonel Azali, Restric- Among the political par- personal butler who can assist come here to relax usually from Chef Murat Bozok wowed the au- diversify its tourism offering, country has become increasingly tions on public and individual ties who signed the appeal are: with providing meals from any 5pm onwards,” said a staff . dience yesterday with his baked features 178 participants, in- disturbing. Our institutions and freedoms; The destabilisation of JUWA, UPDC, of the food stalls at QIFF. A VIP “We have been very busy since fi llet mignon fi lled with humus cluding hotels, restaurants and democracy are at risk; our public the Comoros’ union; The exploi- RDC, Nouvelle Generation des igloo costs QR250 for an hour, the opening of the festival.” and grape leaves and served with food trucks at an 80,000 sq m freedoms, freedom of expres- tation of religion; The closure Soilihistes, RIFAID Comores, QR450 for two hours and QR750 QIFF’s Live Cooking Thea- spicy bulgur. area at Hotel Park. It will run sion and opinion have been un- of radio stations; The discredit ULEZI, MDA, Comores Alterna- for three hours, and can accom- tre has also become a favourite It was preceded by plate dress- until March 25. dermined under Colonel Azali’s and exclusion the Comorosians tives and FD. HBKU students embark on learning trip to Jordan

amad Bin Khalifa Uni- throughout the trip. Addition- versity (HBKU) students ally, the delegation worked with Hset out on a learning HBKU Press, the university’s educational service trip earlier publishing arm, to distribute this month to conduct research children’s books with the aim and gain a better understanding of promoting literacy and a love of the circumstances displaced for reading among the children. refugees must endure in light of The students and their supervi- ongoing confl ict. sors also took part in site seeing The trip involved 18 master’s, and expeditions within the city PhD and undergraduate stu- of Jarash and the governorate of dents who were accompanied Al Batra. by two HBKU representatives. Other areas visited by the Over the course of six days, the students included cancer- delegation visited numerous treatment centres and Madraset sites, interviewed refugees and Insani for humanitarian relief. orphans, and provided humani- Clothing banks and school de- tarian relief to those in need. velopment projects were other The trip was facilitated by the integral aspects of the trip. Education Above All Foundation “We witnessed fi rst-hand as well as Qatar Charity. how important it is to help Students visited Nedaa Al fund these educational pro- Khair Society in Amman, Jor- grammes, which cater to the dan. With direct engagement needs of displaced refugees. We and exposure being an impor- left Jordan with unforgettable tant element of their experience, moments and life-long impres- the students learned about the sions, which we will continue to hardships of poverty and the cherish as we return home,” said challenges faced by less fortu- The HBKU delegation partook in children engagement activities at various sites in Jordan. Saleh al-Horr, a College of Sci- nate children. Gifts and basic ence and Engineering student food items were provided to the contributed to the betterment of dents to global confl icts through fi rst-hand. Much is to be learned who went on the trip. children and their families. the lives of dozens of impacted personal and humanitarian in this process, and our students On the fi nal day of the trip, Among other locations, the individuals. lenses.” will use this learning experience the delegation was hosted by delegation visited the Jordan Faisal al-Mohannadi, senior “Our students have heard to probe, analyse, and present the Qatar embassy in Amman, as Hashemite Charity Organisa- student engagement supervisor about these confl icts, however, recommendations through their they described their experiences tion, where they analysed the at HBKU who led the trip, said, we believe it is just as critical to theses and dissertations on ways and off ered tokens of apprecia- institute’s ongoing develop- “One of the primary goals we their educational process to pro- to alleviate overall suff ering.” tion to Abdulaziz Mohamed al- mental projects, partook in chil- wanted to achieve by organising vide them with the opportunity More than 1,000 food bas- Sadda, the embassy’s counsellor dren activities and proactively this trip was to expose our stu- to experience these situations kets were provided to the needy in Jordan. The HBKU delegation was hosted by the Qatar embassy in Amman. Gulf Times 24 Monday, March 19, 2018 QATAR Attendance of Emir a success for Qatar Grand Prix: minister

QNA Doha

E the Minister of Cul- ture and Sports Salah Hbin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali said yesterday that the attendance of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the fi nal day of Qatar Grand Prix, the opening round of MotoGP 2018, was a success for the event and a message of sup- port to all competitions organ- ised by Qatar. The minister said in a press statement that this year’s Grand Prix was a thriller and the perfect way to kick-off the season, pointing to the nail- biting competition between Andrea Dovizioso and Mark Marquez which went all the way. He also highlighted that the Moto2 and Moto3 competitions were just as exciting this year. HE the Minister of Culture and Sports also paid tribute to Losail International Circuit, saying it proved once again that it is one of the best cir- cuits in terms of safety world- wide. He stressed that the opening round of MotoGP affi rmed this year Qatar’s international repu- tation of hosting distinguished sporting events. He praised in particular the attendance levels from specta- tors, saying that the excitement of the event added to the enter- tainment of the fans.

Ashghal to spendQR22bn on roads, infrastructure in 2018

From Page 1 development projects are to be 750km, and storm water network implemented in the existing and of more than 1,300km. The briefi ng started with Ab- new subdivisions this year. That Technical Offi ce Manager dullah al-Attiyah introducing alone would be worth QR13.8bn. Engineer Ahmad Ali al-Ansari Ashghal’s upcoming projects. Also next year, Ashghal is plan- said the procurement and con- The senior offi cial also spoke ning to start more than 18 tracting strategies have been about the authority’s continu- projects to develop the infra- reshaped and developed con- ous development of methods structure in residential areas. sidering many aspects includ- adopted to manage and imple- Al-Tamimi said the projects to ing better planning of the con- ment its projects. be implemented this year will serve struction activities to minimise Speaking later Senior Engi- more than 27,000 residents in vari- disruption to residents and neer and Manager of the Roads ous subdivisions and they include consistent implementation of Projects Department Saoud al- road works of about 750km, as well site standards as well as the best Tamimi said 37 infrastructure as drainage networks of more than practices for the right of way. Labour Ministry to set up fund to pay workers’ dues instantly

From Page 1 was made possible due to the be referred to the committee’s He said the main disputes amendments of Law No 13 for secretariat, accompanied by that are generally brought be- Accordingly, the new com- 2017, and the Cabinet decision details of the matter and the fore the department include mittee would review the No 6 for 2018 that regulates the recommendations of the de- delayed payment, non-pay- cases that the department work of the committee. He said partment. ment of end of service benefi ts, would not be able to resolve the committee complements It is envisaged that the travel tickets, and leave com- within three weeks of re- the Work Relations Department committee would resolve the pensation. ceiving them. It is possible and mainly aims at speeding complaint within three weeks. Al-Dusari said Labour Law to appeal the decision of the up the process of ensuring the However, if any of the par- No 14 for 2004 specifi ed three committee within 15 days at rights of workers. ties was not satisfied with entities that are not subject to the Court of Appeal, which The offi cial pointed out that the committee’s decision, it the jurisdiction of the commit- should decide on the matter the department would try to would be referred to the court tee, which include the employ- within 30 days. fi nd a solution to a complaint of appeal, which would pro- ees and workers of government Al-Dusari said that the in- within seven days, but if it did nounce its verdict within 30 departments, ministries and troduction of the committees not work out, the case would days. public entities. Qatar asks US to probe UAE A view of officials present at Ashghal’s industry briefing yesterday. Qatar deserves to host World bank for ‘fi nancial warfare’ Cup, says Schwarzenegger From Page 1 ods, such as Eid al-Adha holidays cial rate of 3.64, its traders were sides, on a confi dential basis. It last year, “reinforcing the manu- unwilling to actually transact at said NBAD stopped quoting the The Qatari central bank has factured narrative that Qatar’s those prices,” the letter said. riyal in December after Qatar From Page 1 The former governor of global #We are all Qatar phe- previously accused unnamed currency was increasingly vola- It cited one example on No- vowed to investigate. California took selfies with nomenon. banks of trying to manipulate tile and its economy was too un- vember 22, 2017: when a coun- The central bank also pledged Schwarzenegger visited the fans and conversed with When asked if he would like the riyal by trading it between stable for investment”. terparty reached out to NBAD on November 23 to satisfy any the ‘We Love Qatar Stand’, an them before drawing two win- to visit Qatar, Schwarzenegger themselves off shore at artifi - “NBAD’s quotes - and those to execute a deal, it was told by market demand for dollars and initiative of Aqeeq Holdings, ning tickets to Qatar in a raffle said: “I have always respected cially weak levels - to create an of other banks involved in the a representative of NBAD that it the riyal has since rebounded in at the Arnold Sports Festival draw. the people of Qatar. If the oppor- illusion Qatar’s economy was manipulation - were likely all had no riyal to trade. off shore transactions to trade in Melbourne, drawing huge He then moved on to sign the tunity ever came for me to attend crumbling. bogus,” the letter said without FAB declined to comment close to its peg. crowds. ‘We Love Qatar’ wall, football Qatar, I wouldn’t say no”. The riyal has been pegged to naming the banks and refer- when asked about the specifi c Many bankers in the region The Hollywood legend re- and T-shirt emblazoned with a On Qatar hosting the World the US dollar at a rate of 3.64 for ring to foreign exchange quotes allegation. say that with more than $300bn ceived a raucous welcome at profi le portrait of His Highness Cup, he said: “I hear so much more than a decade. posted by NBAD. The letter did not name the in central bank reserves and the Qatar stand from politi- the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- about the new state-of-the-art In the letter to the US Treas- “There is evidence that at the counter-party but said the cen- sovereign wealth fund assets, cians, actors, athletes, me- mad al-Thani. stadiums Qatar is building and ury, Qatar’s lawyers said they same time NBAD was provid- tral bank’s lawyers were ready Qatar has more than enough dia and screaming fans, who “It was crazy” explained how fast it’s developing. I am suspected NBAD was driving the ing quotes with great frequency to provide regulators with a fi nancial fi repower to block any chanted “We love Arni - we Michael Ibrahim, Australian sure they will put on a show for riyal lower during illiquid peri- and at rates lower than the offi - recorded chat between the two attack on its currency. love Qatar”. businessman and creator of the the world to see.”