BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Sharapova admits to INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 10, 28 COMMENT 26, 27 failed drug REGION 11 BUSINESS 1 – 10, 16 – 20 QR3bn procurement 16,980.57 10,418.23 36.88 ARAB WORLD 11, 12 CLASSIFIED 11 – 15 test -93.38 +49.58 -1.02 INTERNATIONAL 13 – 25 SPORTS 1 – 12 -0.55% +0.48% -2.69% scopes for SMEs Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10022 March 9, 2016 Jumada I 29, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets Azeri president Boost for In brief

QATAR | Offi cial healthcare, Tunisia border town attack condemned Qatar has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the attack that targeted Tunisia’s medical border town of Ben Guerden that killed and injured several people, including security personnel. The Foreign Ministry aff irmed in a statement yesterday that the State of Qatar stands by the Tunisian government and people to confront education criminal acts aimed at destabilising the country’s security and stability. The Qatar Council for Healthcare try, is designed to ensure that their It reiterated Qatar’s rejection of Practitioners launches the practical and academic qualifica- violence and terrorism in all its National Continuing Medical tions remain relevant and valid,” HE forms and manifestations, whatever Education/Continuing Dr al-Kuwari said. its motives and causes. The Professional Development Dr Salih Ali al-Marri, from the statement also expressed Qatar’s programme Ministry of Public Health, observed condolences to the brotherly that the overarching outcome of the Tunisian government and people By Joseph Varghese framework is to achieve a world- and to the families of the victims Staff Reporter class workforce with up-to-date killed in this criminal attack. Page 12 skills to ensure they deliver the high- est standard of healthcare to the peo- n line with Qatar’s vision to en- ple of Qatar. REGION | Weaponry courage lifelong learning and Dr Samar Aboulsoud, acting CEO, Iran conducts new Isustain high standards of profes- QCHP and chair of Qatar CPD Ac- sional healthcare, the Qatar Council creditation Committee, pointed out ballistic missile tests for Healthcare Practitioners (QCHP) that the framework development Iran conducted multiple ballistic has launched the National Continu- process included widespread collab- missile tests yesterday in an ing Medical Education/Continuing oration with Qatar’s leading health exercise to demonstrate “deterrent Professional Development (CME/ and education providers, practition- power,” a move that comes in CPD) programme. ers and stakeholders, alongside the defiance of US sanctions imposed The launch ceremony on Monday physicians and surgeons of Royal over its missile programme in was attended by HE the Minister of College of Canada. January. State television a short Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed time after showed still images al-Kuwari and a number of other “This very comprehensive of the armaments used in what senior government officials. programme, which it described as a military drill in HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in Baku yesterday. The two The programme, set up by QCHP, encompasses all healthcare which “ballistic missiles were fired leaders discussed means of enhancing bilateral relations and advancing areas of co-operation in diff erent fields, especially in the government body to regulate the professionals in the country, from silos” in diff erent parts of the economy, trade, investment, energy and culture. Page 6 healthcare practice and medical edu- is designed to ensure that country. Page 11 cation in Qatar, gives a framework to their practical and academic guide all CPD providers and facili- qualifi cations remain tators as well as healthcare profes- relevant and valid” SPORT | World Cup sionals to continuously improve the Turkish president knowledge, skills and competencies “The outcome of this collaboration meets al-Thawadi of its workforce. is a framework that supports best Turkey and Greece All licensed healthcare practition- practice within the Qatar environ- Turkish President Recep Tayyip ers in the country are required to take ment. CPD/CME is supporting real Erdogan yesterday met in Ankara part in the CPD activities according and tangible benefits in service de- with the Secretary-General of to the policies and regulations of the livery and has been well received by the Supreme Committee for Accreditation Department of QCHP. the workforce. The framework is very Delivery and Legacy Hassan commit to EU plan The CPD requirements are necessary much a win win for all parties. Cer- Abdullah al-Thawadi. During the for renewing the licence of the prac- tainly the primary aim is to ensure meeting , al-Thawadi presented a titioners. the knowledge, competence, and detailed briefing on the 2022 FIFA AFP EU officials have hailed the deal from Greece “to identify highly at- The CPD cycle is for two years. performance of healthcare practi- World Cup in Qatar, stressing the Istanbul as a breakthrough, but the head of risk categories that may not be ap- The healthcare practitioners need to tioners is upgraded to provide better importance of this big tournament the UN refugee agency cast doubt propriate for return”. complete and document a minimum quality patient care but there is also a for the countries of the region and on the legality of sending people Rights group Amnesty Interna- of 40 credits each year or 80 credits direct benefit to the workforce.” its people. Praising his speech, urkey and Greece pledged back to Turkey, while Amnesty In- tional said the proposal was full of in two years. The National CME/CPD Pro- the Turkish President stressed the yesterday to work together to ternational said the plan “dealt a “moral and legal flaws” and along The CPD providers and CPD ac- gramme is unique since it brings all need to deepen the Turkish-Qatari Timplement a “game-chang- death blow to the right to seek asy- with Human Rights Watch, chal- tivities will have to fulfil a number healthcare practitioners under a sin- relations in all aspects. ing” proposal to ease Europe’s mi- lum”. lenged the idea that Turkey was a of criteria set up by QCHP to get ac- gle regulatory authority for CME/ grant crisis, even as the UN and “As a first reaction I’m deeply “safe country” to which migrants credited for the CPD provider status. CPD regulation and has similar credit rights groups sounded grave con- concerned about any arrangement could return. “This very comprehensive pro- requirements for all licensed health- cerns about the plan’s legality. that would involve the blanket re- “The idea of bartering refugees gramme, which encompasses all care practitioners for renewal of their European Union leaders, strug- turn of anyone from one country for refugees is not only dangerously healthcare professionals in the coun- licence. gling to cope with the continent’s to another without spelling out the dehumanising, but also offers no worst migrant crisis since World refugee protection safeguards under sustainable long-term solution to About 25,000 practitioners to be enrolled War II, in principle backed a Turkish international law,” UNHCR chief the ongoing humanitarian crisis,” proposal to take back all illegal mi- Filippo Grandi told the European Amnesty’s Iverna McGowan said. About 25,000 healthcare practitioners “This will include the practitioners grants landing on the overstretched Parliament in Strasbourg. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- working in Qatar have been brought of Complementary Medicine too,” Greek islands, at talks in Brussels on He said the plan, which EU leaders moon, speaking in Berlin alongside under the National Continuing Medical she explained on the sidelines of the Monday. hope to agree formally at a summit German Chancellor Angela Merkel Education/Continuing Professional launch of the CME/CPD programme on Ankara also proposed an arrange- next week, did not offer sufficient - a key player in the migrant drama Development (CME/CPD) programme. Monday. ment under which the EU would guarantees under international law, - said he was “concerned that many “All doctors, nurses and other paramed- QCHP launched the CME/CPD pro- resettle one Syrian refugee from adding that refugees should only be EU countries are adopting increas- ical staff will be enrolled,” said Dr Samar gramme on Monday at a ceremony camps in Turkey in exchange for returned to a country if it could be ingly restrictive asylum policies”. Aboulsoud, acting CEO, Qatar Council attended by HE the Minister of Public every Syrian that Turkey takes from proved that their asylum applica- European Commission chief Jean- for Healthcare Practitioners (QCHP) Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari Greece, in a bid to reduce the incen- tion would be properly processed. Claude Juncker, who called the plan and chair of Qatar CPD Accreditation and a number of other senior govern- tive for people to board boats for Grandi called for refugees to be a “real game changer”, insisted that it Committee. ment officials. Page 5 Europe. screened before being sent away was “legally feasible”. Page 19 Houthis in Saudi for talks on ending war

Reuters Yemen border and in Saudi-led Arab eri said: “The Islamic Republic ... feels its on Monday at the invitation of Saudi could not immediately be reached for Cairo/Dubai coalition air strikes on the Houthi-held duty to help the people of Yemen in any authorities, following a week of secret comment. A Saudi foreign ministry Yemeni capital Sanaa. way it can, and to any level necessary.” preparatory talks. spokesman could also not be reached. Underlining the regional rifts, a senior Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of The Houthi delegation in Saudi Although the Houthis’ al-Masirah ran-backed Shia rebels and Saudis Iranian military offi cial meanwhile sig- backing Yemen’s armed Houthi move- Arabia is headed by Mohamed Abdel- news channel has continued to report have begun talks to try to end Yem- nalled that Iran could yet send military ment, which drove the internationally- Salam, the Houthis’ main spokesman attacks on what it calls “the Saudi- Ien’s war, two offi cials said. advisers to Yemen to help the Houthis. recognised government into exile, trig- and a senior adviser to Houthi leader American forces of aggression” inside A delegation from Yemen’s Houthi Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, gering a Gulf intervention in March. Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, the offi - Yemen, including a rocket attack on movement is in Saudi Arabia, they said, deputy chief of staff of the armed forces, The UN says nearly 6,000 people have cials said. Abdel-Salam previously led Monday, it has not reported any opera- in the fi rst visit of its kind since the war suggested Iran could support the Houthis been killed in Yemen’s fi ghting. Hun- Houthi delegates in talks in Oman that tions on the border since March 1. began last year between Houthi fi ght- in a similar way it has backed President dreds of thousands have been displaced. paved the way for UN-sponsored talks “I also know that there were no new ers and an Arab military coalition led by Bashar al-Assad’s forces in Syria, in an The two senior offi cials from the in Switzerland last year. clashes or hostile movements on the Saudi Arabia. interview with the Tasnim news agency. administrative body that runs parts of A spokesman for the Saudi-led Arab Saudi-Yemeni border during the last The reported talks coincide with an Asked if Iran would send military ad- Yemen controlled by the Houthis said coalition fi ghting to restore President few days,” said a senior regional diplo- apparent lull in fi ghting on the Saudi- visers to Yemen, as it had in Syria, Jazay- the Houthi visit to Saudi Arabia began Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power mat who follows Yemen. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 QATAR

Justice Minister Labour Minister meets Saudi, German envoys meets Canadian, Kyrgyz envoys

HE the Minister of Justice Dr Hassan Lahdan Saqr al- Mohannadi yesterday held separate meetings with the ambassadors of Canada and Kyrgyzstan, Adrian Norfolk and Nuran Niyazaliev, respectively. The meetings reviewed co- operation in the legal field and the exchange of expertise. Qatari-British bilateral relations discussed

British state secretary for Middle East and North Africa Tobias Ellwood met Qatar’s ambassador to the United Kingdom Yusouf bin Ali al-Khater in London yesterday. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between Qatar and Britain and HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Aff airs Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi held separate meetings with the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia and Germany to Qatar - Abdulla bin the means to further develop Abdulaziz al-Aifan and Hans-Udo Muzel, respectively. Means of further developing bilateral relations were discussed . them in addition to topics of mutual interest.

Tiger on the loose in Doha traffi c jam Reduced Shakespeare Company to stage public shows at Katara tiger was spotted wan- interior ministry took to Twit- dering through a traffi c ter to say it was investigating the Ajam on the busy Febru- incident. atara – the Cultural versary of his death. the British Council to further ary 22 Street yesterday morn- “We assure all that the con- Village will be holding The group will perform one strengthen cultural relations ing, and government offi cials cerned authorities (are) fol- Ktwo public perform- of its most popular and acces- between the UK and Qatar, in- said they would investigate lowing up with what has been ances this weekend by the sible shows when it opens to cluding making the works of the incident after footage ap- trending over spotting a tiger internationally and critically the public, acting out abridged Shakespeare more accessible to peared online, AFP has re- in some areas of the country,” it acclaimed Reduced Shake- versions of all of Shakespeare’s a young audience. ported. tweeted. speare Company, which has in just 97 minutes. A number of other Shake- Pictures and video showing One picture released on social performed at The White House speare-related events will take the tiger roaming among cars on media claimed to show that the and London’s West End. The performances form place across Doha throughout the congested stretch of road, a big cat had been captured safe As part of the ‘Great British part of an international the festival. part of Doha Expressway, went and sound. Festival Qatar 2016,’ the per- initiative called A fi lm screening of Much viral on social media. It was not clear who owns formances will take place at “Shakespeare Lives” set up Ado About Nothing – for the Footage including a 20-sec- the tiger, but keeping wild ani- Katara’s Drama Theatre (Build- by the British government fi rst time with Arabic subtitles ond video on YouTube and mals, including tigers, as pets is ing 16) at 1pm and 7pm on in memory of the – will be shown at Katara Dra- Twitter showed the big cat run- not uncommon in wealthy Gulf March 11 to mark Shakespeare’s anniversary of his death ma Theatre on 15 March. ning through lanes of heavy traf- countries. 400th death anniversary. The Qatar Philharmonic Or- fi c, apparently trying to fi nd a Last year, the government had The performances also form The shows follow a week of chestra will also play a selec- way off the congested road. to make an appeal for the own- part of an international initia- successful performances to lo- tion of famous music inspired Footage also emerged showing ers of an escaped cheetah cub to tive called “Shakespeare Lives” cal schools in Qatar. by Shakespeare’s plays at the the tiger initially falling onto the come forward after it was found set up by the British govern- The schools activity con- Qatar National Convention road from a moving truck. The north of Doha. The tiger on a leash after it was ‘captured’ (picture as shared on twitter). ment in memory of the anni- tributes to the wider eff orts of Centre on March 19.

Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 QATAR

Indian envoy meets chief of police Skoda Octavia models recalled

he Ministry of Economy and Commerce, in col- Tlaboration with Ibin Ajay- an Automobiles, has announced the recall of Skoda Octavia 1.6 L models of 2015. The recall is to adjust the en- gine valve timing for intake and exhaust by checking the cam- shaft sprocket and do the neces- sary adjustment. The MEC said the recall campaign comes within the framework of its ongoing ef- forts to protect consumers and ensure that car dealers follow up on vehicles’ defects and re- Indian ambassador Sanjiv Arora had a meeting with the Director General of Public Security (chief of police), pair them. Ministry of Interior, Government of Qatar yesterday during which the envoy expressed his appreciation to the The MEC will co-ordinate MoI and its off icials for their co-operation and support to the matters concerning the wellbeing and welfare of the with the dealer to follow up on Indian community in the State of Qatar. They also discussed other issues of mutual interest. The meeting was also the maintenance and repair attended by the Head of International Co-operation Department HE Major General Abdulaziz al-Ansari and other works and communicate with senior off icials of Ministry of Interior. Dr Mohammed Aleem, Third Secretary (Community Welfare) at the Indian customers to ensure that the embassy, was also present. necessary repairs are carried out.

West Bay shuttles ‘to be fairly priced’ from April 1

he Ministry of Transport and ice at a fair price, eff ective from April Communications has extend- 1,” said a transport ministry offi cial. Ted the contract of Mowasalat The free West Bay shuttle bus cov- to operate the West Bay Shuttle bus- ers the Khalifa International Tennis es for one more year. & Squash Complex, the Doha Exhi- The service will now cover more bition and Convention Centre, The areas in the West Bay, providing easi- Dafna Towers, the Ministry of Justice, er mobility and lessening traffi c con- the Public Works Authority, Sheraton gestion, according to a communique Doha Hotel, the City Center Shopping from the ministry. There will now be Mall, the Qatar Postal Services Com- only one route in which the shuttle pany (Q-Post) and the ministerial buses will operate between 6 am and buildings opposite of the City Center. 9pm with a frequency of 12 minutes. According to the communique the Both the Blue Line and Red Line ministry is keen to establish the cul- routes have been combined into a Changes are eff ected after receiving feed backs from the users, says the ture of easy transportation in public single route. Accordingly, the bus ministry. places and densely populated areas stops changed and the locations through diversifi cation of services were distinguished. arrive as per schedule without traffi c low fl oor buses, which would con- provided to passengers and families, The Ministry has taken into account delays, reducing the waiting time. duct 76 trips per day. aiming for a good quality of life for the feedback received from the West The new changes will allow pas- “As per the decision to merge citizens and visitors. Bay shuttle service passengers and the sengers to access the bus from their the two routes, Mowasalat hopes to Mowasalat has requested the us- journey statistics to eff ect the chang- required location and increase in serve the passengers better by more ers to continue using their Karwa es. It is expected that as per this single frequency from 20 minutes to 12 accessibility and frequency and also smartcards while boarding in and route operation there will be less con- minutes, it said. reduce their travel time.The ministry out of the bus. They could seek in- gestion, which in turn helps the bus to The company will operate 8 new is considering making it a paid serv- quiries, if any, on 44588650. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 5 QATAR

HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari along with other senior officials at the launch event. 25,000 medical practitioners to be enrolled in national scheme

By Joseph Varghese plained. There are three cycles for ap- Prof Ibrahim Ahmed Janahi, chair- Staff Reporter plying for this programme and the next man, Permanent Licensing Commit- one starts in April and we expect sev- tee, Ministry of Public Health, and eral institutions to apply for the status. board member, QCHP said that the bout 25,000 healthcare practi- The process depends on the readiness practitioners have to comply with the tioners working in Qatar have of the provider. regulations of CME/CPD to practise in Abeen brought under the Na- the country. tional Continuing Medical Education/ “If any practitioner does not “If any practitioner does not com- Continuing Professional Development complete the criteria of 80 credit plete the criteria of 80 credit points (CME/CPD) programme. points within one cycle of two within one cycle of two years, their li- “All doctors, nurses and other para- years, their license will be put on cense will be put on hold. Initially we medical staff will be enrolled,” said Dr hold. Initially we will warn them will warn them but later they will have Samar Aboulsoud, acting CEO, Qatar but later they will have to fulfi l to fulfi l all the credit points to continue Council for Healthcare Practitioners all the credit points to continue practising in the country.” (QCHP) and chair of Qatar CPD Ac- practising in the country” According to Prof Janahi, preferably creditation Committee. the employer will have to bear the cost “This will include the practitioners The approval process is expected to of the programme or make arrange- of Complementary Medicine too,” she take four to six months. “After a site ments to provide it at the minimum explained on the sidelines of the launch visit of the institution concerned, the cost. of the CME/CPD programme on Mon- accreditation committee will review Prof Janahi pointed out that the pro- day. QCHP launched the CME/CPD the application and the facilities. If all gramme came into force from March 7. programme on Monday at a ceremony the requirements are met, the accredi- “Those who have to renew their li- attended by HE the Minister of Public tation will be granted for fi ve years. In cense over the next few months, will Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari the event of a partial fulfi lment of the not be able to fulfi l all the criteria. and a number of other senior govern- requirements, the accreditation term However, a proportion of the criteria ment offi cials. will be three years.” has to be met according to the time of “If any institution wants to be CPD At present there are 10 institutions the renewal. After two years, everyone provider, there are a number of crite- and three online providers in the coun- has to complete the process according ria to be fulfi lled,” Dr Aboulsoud ex- try with the CPD provider status. to the regulations,” he added. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 QATAR Qatar, Azerbaijan sign pacts to boost bilateral relations

QNA Baku

atar and Azerbaijan signed a raft of agreements and Qmemoranda of under- standing (MoUs) following a ses- sion of offi cial talks chaired by HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Alyiev at the presidential palace here yesterday. The two sides discussed means of enhancing bilateral relations and advancing areas of co-opera- HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and tion between the two countries in President of Azerbaijan Ilham Alyiev at the presidential diff erent fi elds, especially in econ- palace in Baku yesterday. omy, trade, investment, energy and culture. The two sides also exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual concern along with re- gional and international issues. Talks also touched on develop- ments in the Middle East, Central Asia and the world. The session was attended by the members of the offi cial delegation accompanying the Emir and Azeri ministers. HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, accompanied by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Alyiev, inspects a guard of honour at the presidential Following the talks, the Emir palace in Baku yesterday. and the Azeri president attended the signing of a number of agree- fi nancial policy and budget, trans- tar recognised globally for a lively, relations between the two coun- developing them in addition to ments and memoranda of under- portation, agriculture, vocational successful and stable economy. tries, particularly in the economic discussing a set of issues of mutual standing (MoUs) between the two training and development and ed- He called for raising commer- and commercial fi elds in order to interest. countries. ucation, higher education and sci- cial exchange as one of the main achieve more co-operation, espe- Later the Emir attended the Qatar and Azerbaijan signed a entifi c research were also signed. objectives of future co-operation cially as the visit will increase the luncheon banquet hosted by Azeri protocol amending the agreement At the outset of the meet- between the two countries, noting chances of enhancing them on all President Ilham Aliyev in his hon- on mutual exemption of entry vi- ing, President Aliyev welcomed that the number of Qatari tourists fronts, particularly in the fi elds of our at the presidential palace. sas for holders of diplomatic and the Emir and stressed his keen- is rapidly growing and that there energy, tourism and culture as well In the evening, the Emir left special passports, and holders of ness on promoting economic co- are direct fl ights between the two as through the signing of co-op- Baku concluding an offi cial visit to Azerbaijani service passports, as operation to the level of political countries, which will stimulate the eration agreements that will serve Azerbaijan. well as lifting the visa require- co-operation between Qatar and tourism sector. the mutual interests of the two The Emir was seen off at Hey- ment for Qatari citizens entering Azerbaijan, pointing to the sub- Meanwhile, the Emir in his ad- fraternal peoples. dar Aliyev International Airport by Azerbaijan. stantial opportunities available in dress underlined the strong po- Also yesterday, the Emir met at Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign The two sides also signed an the fi elds of energy, tourism, agri- litical ties between Qatar and his residence in Baku with Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mam- agreement to form a joint eco- culture, technology, transport and Azerbaijan and the spirit of un- Minister of Azerbaijan Artur Ra- madyarov, Qatar’s ambassador to nomic, trading and technical com- investment. He praised the crea- derstanding and co-operation be- sizade. Azerbaijan Sayar bin Abdulrahman mittee and another agreement in tion of the joint committee that tween the two countries. The meeting reviewed bilateral al-Mauda, and Azerbaijan’s am- the legal fi eld. will work to enhance co-operation The Emir highlighted the sig- relations between the two coun- bassador to Qatar Tofi g Abdullayev Further, MoUs in the areas of in this regard, especially with Qa- nifi cance of promoting bilateral tries and means of boosting and along with Qatar’s embassy staff .

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and President Ilham Alyiev chairing the off icial talks between Qatar and Azerbaijan at the presidential palace. Below: HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and President Alyiev witness the signing of an agreement between Qatar and Azerbaijan in Baku yesterday. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 7 QATAR

A Qumra working breakfast. Filmmakers advised not to lose sight of marketing

elegates at Qumra, the industry Adams said “charm off ensive is festivals, where Jean-Pierre Rehm, event by Doha Film Institute the best way” to engage with the me- general director of FIDMarseille; Emile D(DFI), have been given some dia, especially during festivals, while Bujes, programmer of Visions du Reel; hard lessons on the global fi lm indus- Quilty underlined how creating a per- and Adriek Van Nieuwenhuyzen, head try. sonal legend – how they came about of industry offi ce at the International Experts representing international to make the movie – helped create the Documentary Festival Amsterdam, fi lm festivals, distribution companies, right buzz. discussed the growing opportunities funding agencies and the media were “The more people you meet, the in the documentary segment. unequivocal in reminding the delegates more people know who you are,” said Matthieu Darras, artistic direc- that the process of fi lmmaking did not Quilty. He also called on delegates to tor of TorinoFilmLab and delegate for end with post-production work. engage social media as an important Central & Eastern Europe at the San “Live your artistic vision, no doubt,” tool in building the market buzz. Sebastian Film Festival; Mille Haynes advised Sydney Levine, Indiewire Calling upon the delegates to lever- of CPH: LAB; and Gülin Üstün, head journalist and writer of SydneysBuzz, age fi lm festivals as the fi rst entry point of meetings on the Bridge at Istanbul “but reach out to buyers, make sure to the industry, Adams said emerg- Film Festival, discussed the “develop- you have the right selling agent, and ing fi lmmakers must be astute about ment heaven” that festivals and labs keep an eye on festivals as a way to where the fi lm was screening. provide. make your money and fi nd your funds”. At a dedicated session on the legal Another session on ‘Festivalsphere: Sharing insights on “Buzz, market- aspects of co-production, Jovan Mar- a world of its own or an integral part of ing, reviews: How to make the most of janovic, head of industry at Sarajevo the fi lm value chain’ saw discussions PR on the festival circuit”, she joined Film Festival, said there were several led by Carlo Chatrian, artistic director Mark Adams, artistic director of Edin- reasons why fi lmmakers chose to co- at the Festival del Film Locarno; Bero burgh International Film Festival, and produce – be it fi nancial, technical, Beyer, festival director at the Inter- fi lm critic Jim Quilty in highlighting artistic or strategic. national Film Festival Rotterdam; and the modalities of making their fi lms Other key sessions included what Mirsad Purivatra, festival director of heard and seen. is new the world of documentary fi lm Sarajevo Film Festival. Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 QATAR

Dr Eiman Mustafawi, Prof Hala Sultan S al-Easa and Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham with the renewed accreditation. Canadian re-certifi cation for chemistry programme

he Department of Chemistry Dr Khalid Khonji (student aff airs), CAS UK-based Royal Statistical Society; and Earth Sciences at Qatar dean Dr Eiman Mustafawi, Department the undergraduate and graduate pro- TUniversity’s College of Arts and of Chemistry and Earth Sciences head grammes in Environmental Sciences Sciences (CAS) recently celebrated the Prof Hala Sultan S al- Easa, Cana- by the UK-based Committee of Heads renewal of its 2009 Chemistry pro- dian Society of Chemistry immediate of Environmental Sciences; and the gramme accreditation from The Cana- past president Prof Youla Tsantrizos, undergraduate Mass Communication dian Society for Chemistry for another CAS associate deans Dr Khalifa Hazaa Programme by the US-based Accredit- fi ve years. (Outreach and Engagement), Dr Ste- ing Council on Education in Journalism The opening of the Chemistry pro- ven Wright (Planning and Quality As- and Mass Communication. gramme re-accreditation ceremony surance), Dr Hassan A Aziz (Academic Prof al-Easa pointed out that the was attended by QU president Dr aff airs) and Prof Mohamed Ahmedna Chemistry programme, now a part Hassan Rashid al-Derham, Canadian (Research and Graduate studies). of the Department of Chemistry and Ambassador Adrian Norfolk, QU vice Dr Mustafawi recalled that the CAS Earth Sciences, was one of the found- president and chief academic offi cer Dr is home to a growing list of accredited ing programmes of Qatar University, Mazen Hasna, vice presidents Dr Ho- programmes that includes the under- and many of its graduates now occupy maid al-Madfa (administrative aff airs), graduate Statistics Programme by the important positions in Qatari society. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 9 QATAR

Sheikh Abdullah bin Thani bin Abdulla al-Thani cuts the ribbon to open the facility. PICTURES: Jayan Orma Sheikh Abdullah takes a tour of the facility. Al-Ahli Hospital

opens IVF and Al-Ahli Hospital off icials at the press conference. Fertility Lab By Joseph Varghese Fertility and Genetics Cen- The hospital had the soft comparatively less than what Staff Reporter tre, said that the whole pro- launch today and expects to have is charged in the neighbour- cedure of IVF treatment will about 30-40 operations per ing countries. “We have the take about two weeks to be month. cost as per the approval of the l-Ahli Hospital opened completed. Dr Tarazi said that the hospital Ministry of Health. We charge an In-Vitro Fertilisa- He said, “The preparatory will provide all the facilities un- about QR18,000 for the whole Ation (IVF) and Fertility process takes about a week to der one umbrella. “At Al-Ahli, we procedure,” he said. Lab at a special ceremony yes- 10 days to get the patient pre- will accommodate patients, off er According to Dr Tarazi, it is terday. pared for the treatment. Then consultations, perform opera- estimated that about 10-15% of The facility was opened by it will be another three-four tions, provide the results … they the people in general suff er from Sheikh Abdullah bin Thani bin days for the embryo transfer. will have a full package. We have such problems. “It is not that Abdulla al-Thani, chairman, Al- The whole procedure will be made all the arrangements and all of them need IVF treatment. Ahli Hospital. Khalid Mohamed completed in about two weeks’ everything has been set up. Soon IVF is just one of the options. al-Emadi, CEO, Medicare Group time. we will start the implementation There are several other options. and Al-Ahli Hospital, Dr Abdul “We expect to have about 40- of the programme. We plan this IVF generally provides 40-45% Azim Abdul Wahab Hussain, 50 patients daily for consulta- facility not just for Qatar. We success rate. With the new tech- medical director, Al-Ahli Hos- tion. Surgery can be done on are aiming at the wider region, niques that we have adopted, pital and several other offi cials eight to 10 people per day. We outside country.” it can be increased to 60-65%. were present. might expand the facility in the The director said that the Our hope is to have such a suc- Dr Nabil M Tarazi, director, course of time.” cost for the whole procedure is cess rate,” he added. The facility area at Al-Ahli Hospital.

Al-Ahli Hospital expects to have about 30-40 operations per month. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 QATAR HBKU holds event to Turkish Airlines planning to use mark Women’s Day wide-body plane amad Bin Khalifa University College of Humanities and Social (HBKU) welcomed more Sciences, said: “There is an evident Hthan 200 members of the increase in the number of women community to an event celebrating joining professions that were pre- International Women’s Day. viously male dominated: women on Doha fl ights Organised by HBKU’s College of entrepreneurs, women journalists, Humanities and Social Sciences, in women doctors, women engineers By Joey Aguilar collaboration with Doha Interna- and much more. But we are more Staff Reporter tional Family Institute (DIFI), “My than numbers; behind each number Voice, My Future” featured a panel is a unique story that speaks vol- The panel discussion in progress. discussion with fi ve prominent Qa- umes about the woman and her so- urkish Airlines is planning to use tari women from varied profession- cial and economic context.” wide-body aircraft for one of its Is- al backgrounds. Noor al-Malki, executive direc- Ttanbul-Doha fl ights this summer as The event was attended by for- tor, DIFI, said, “Sometimes women an initial step to increase its passenger ca- eign and Qatari dignitaries, includ- in our society are reluctant to ex- pacity to nearly 20% between the two cities. ing HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz press themselves for various reasons. “We want to provide better services to al-Kuwari, former Minister of Cul- This reluctance can prompt others to our customers, particularly business trav- ture, Arts and Heritage, Dutch am- presume our feelings, concerns and ellers from Qatar,” Turkish Airlines senior bassador Yvette Burghgraef-van priorities, and act on this misunder- vice president for region one sales division Eechoud, French ambassador Eric standing on our behalf. Women must Ziya Taskent said last week in Istanbul. Chevallier, Palestinian ambassa- play a role in correcting these pre- By replacing its 180-capacity narrow- dor Munir Ghannam, Spanish am- sumptions by expressing their views, body aircraft with a 250-capacity plane, Ziya Taskent bassador Ignacio Escobar, Belgian concerns and aspirations clearly, us- he believes they will further provide higher ambassador Christophe Payot and ing all available means to do so.” quality service. One of its Doha fl ights will terminals and 396 aircraft park positions. HBKU president Dr Ahmad Hasnah. The event invited fi ve prominent continue using a narrow-body aircraft. Turkish Airlines also expects delivery of The event aimed to highlight the Qatari women to share their sto- The airline mulls upgrading both fl ights at least 40 new aircraft this year. It has a success stories and challenges faced ries with those in attendance: Dr HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari and other dignitaries at the event. with wide-body aircraft after a year. standing order of 209 aircraft: three Air- by women in Qatar and around the Kholode al-Obaidli, former vice “We are always giving more impor- bus 330 and nine Boeing 777 (wide body); world, with panelists sharing their president, Qatar Airways; Aysha Visual Arts Centre at the Ministry of Panelists stressed the impor- tance to the feedback of passengers,” he 103 A320s and 91 B737s (narrow body) and personal experiences and off ering al-Mudahka, CEO, Qatar Busi- Culture and Sports; and Tahani al- tant role women played in helping said while observing that two-thirds of all three A330-200s (cargo). messages of empowerment with the ness Incubation Centre; Dr Asma Hajri, columnist. achieve the objectives of Qatar Na- Turkish Airlines passengers from Doha use About expansion, Taskent noted that assembled audience. al-Fadhala, director, World Inno- Reem al-Harmi, well-known Qa- tional Vision 2030 and the need for Istanbul as connection point. they are planning to launch new fl ights to In her welcome address, Dr Amal vation Summit for Education; Ha- tari columnist, moderated the dis- all segments of society to work to- About increasing the number of fl ights fi ve regions: fi ve in Africa, six in Europe, al-Malki, founding dean of HBKU’s nadi al-Darwish, artist and director, cussion. gether in the service of the country. to Doha, Taskent said there is enough ca- six in America, one in the idle East, and pacity to meet all demands for the two three in the Far East. countries and agreement between civil While the number of international pas- aviation authorities of Qatar and Turkey sengers from Asia Pacifi c and the Middle remains a factor to consider. East is expected to grow faster compared Citing that construction of Istanbul’s with other regions, he said their plans are QIC lauds contribution of women employees new airport is underway, he expressed hampered by some limitations because confi dence that the new hub will further other countries see such expansion as po- Qatar Insurance Company (QIC) has sector on a broader front. “We endeavour to empower women decade. She has been as an excellent boost their passenger capacity once fully litical rather than a “transportation issue.” celebrated International Women’s Ali al-Fadala, senior deputy group by appointing them in leadership role model and mentor to the younger operational. Turkish Airlines currently fl ies to 287 Day to mark the accomplishments of president and CEO of QIC Group, positions in various departments at generation of Qatari women who have Poised to be the largest airport in destinations in 113 countries, including 34 women employees. said: “At QIC, we acknowledge QIC. We support them in realising their later joined QIC, the statement notes. the world, Istanbul’s third interna- destinations in 13 countries in the Middle QIC has stressed in a press statement women’s important contribution and true potential and we acknowledge Speaking on her accomplishments, tional airport is designed to accom- East, making it the fourth largest network that being progressive in its outlook, participation in our business and them for their enterprise and sincere al-Jaida said: “I’m truly humbled by all modate more than 150mn passengers in the world. It aims to increase its fl eet the company recognises and lauds the role they play in the society and dedication.” the appreciation I have received and annually. It will have six runways, four from 304 to 450 in 2023. the contributions made by its women economy. We take pride in supporting Layla al-Jaida, vice-president, at hope that this serves as an inspiration employees towards the success of the and inspiring women to become future QIC’s retail arm QIC Insured, has for Qatari women to join the growing firm and the insurance leaders in their respective fields. been serving the company for over a industry.” Domasco delivers 10 Volvo FMX Transit Mixers

Doha Marketing Services Thundershowers Co (Domasco) has expected delivered 10 Volvo FMX Transit Mixers to Beton, a Thundershowers, along with Qatar-based company. strong winds, are expected Beton specialises in the in some parts of the country field of ready-mix concrete today, the Met department and caters to major has said. construction projects in The weather report Qatar from its four plants Domasco and Beton off icials at the handover ceremony also states that isolated located in Al Sadd, Lusail, Al of 10 Volvo FMX Transit Mixers. thunderstorms and gusty Rayyan and Mesaieed. winds are likely in off shore With 10 trucks purchased in terms of reliability, safety Trucks meet and indeed areas. 2012, Beton now has a fleet and a very competitive surpass client expectations Doha is among the places of 20 Volvo Transit Mixers. total cost of ownership” on the ground operations. where rain is likely today. Domasco managing he stated. “The FMX Transit Mixer The forecast for inshore director Faisal Sharif Domasco’s commercial has the highest ground areas says it will be partly claimed that Volvo Trucks vehicles sales and clearance in its category cloudy to cloudy and there continue to grow while marketing manager with a suspension that is a chance of scattered rain retaining a leading position Mohamed Majeed said can handle the extreme in some places, which may in the Qatari market. delivering 10 additional surfaces that the be accompanied by thunder “Volvo Trucks truly FMX Transit Mixers to construction sites can during the day. reflects its capabilities in Beton proves that Volvo off er,” he added. Off shore areas will also see partly cloudy to cloudy conditions, along with a chance of scattered rain and thunder at times. The wind speed in both inshore and off shore areas may go up to 25 knots during thundershowers. The minimum and maximum temperatures today are expected to be 18C and 24C, respectively, with the forecast for Doha being 20C and 24C.

Consumer protection workshop

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) is holding a two-day international workshop on competition and consumer protection in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the Gulf Co-operation Council and the US Federal Trade Commission. The workshop, titled “Achieving Eff ective Consumer Protection and Competition through Cross- Border Co-operation”, begins today. It will bring together experts and specialists in the field of competition and consumer protection from the GCC and US Federal Trade Commission. The participants will address several topics pertaining to competition and consumer protection laws, review matters related to competition and consumer protection in the automotive sector and exchange experiences in the areas of commercial fraud, ways of fraud verification and evidence collection methods. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 11 REGION/ARAB WORLD

International Women’s Day Palestinian women Iran conducts hold balloons, some reading in Arabic ‘women’s rights’, during an event organised by the UN new missile to mark International Women’s Day at a park tests defying in Gaza City yesterday. US sanctions

AFP Hardline cleric denies Tehran wanting to stay on The outgoing ultraconservative ran yesterday conducted multi- chairman of Iran’s powerful Assem- ple ballistic missile tests in what bly of Experts yesterday denied that Iit said was a display of “deter- eff orts were being made to keep rent power,” defying US sanctions him on the key body despite him imposed earlier this year aimed at losing out in elections. disrupting its missile programme. Ayatollah Mohamed Yazdi, State media announced that short-, 84, failed to retain his seat on medium- and long-range precision the assembly, Iran’s top clerical guided missiles were fi red from sever- committee, when the public voted al sites to show the country’s “all-out on February 26, the same day as readiness to confront threats” against parliamentary elections. its territorial integrity. The Assembly of Experts has au- Pictures of the launches were thority to monitor supreme leader broadcast and reports said the ar- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s work. maments used had ranges of 300km, Speaking on day one of the 500km, 800km and 2,000km. current assembly’s final two-day The US hit Iran with fresh sanc- gathering before its successor tions on its missile programme in group formally takes off ice, Yazdi January, 24 hours after separate confirmed he would not be among sanctions related to Tehran’s nucle- its 88 members. ar activities had been lifted under a “I shall not be in your service in landmark deal with world powers. the future and I am happy about The latest tests, during an exer- this,” the semi-off icial ISNA news ‘Israel is razing Palestinian cise named ‘The Power of Velayat’, agency quoted Yazdi as saying. a reference to the religious doctrine He denounced as “a sheer lie” of the Islamic republic’s leadership, reports published online that he were undertaken by the Revolution- was trying to keep his seat. ary Guards and its Aerospace wing. “I deny that measures have been Sepah News, the Guards’ offi cial taken by me or by the Society of media service, carried a statement Seminary Teachers of Qom for buildings at alarming rate’ confi rming the tests, which come someone to step aside and for me less than two weeks after elections to come up and enter the Assembly AFP Almost half of Israeli Jews want to expel Arabs : survey Moti Yogev, an MP from the far-right in Iran delivered gains to politicians of Experts. Geneva Jewish Home party who heads an Israeli aligned with Hassan Rouhani, the “An absolutely decent and calm Nearly half of Israeli Jews want Arabs against Muslims, the largest religious parliament sub-committee on the West country’s moderate president. election was successfully held in expelled or transferred out of Israel, ac- minority. According to the survey find- Bank, said the rise in demolitions was The Revolutionary Guards report a vast country and not a drop of srael is razing Palestinian homes and cording to a survey on religious divisions ings, about 40% of Israeli Jews say a likely in response to European Union to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah blood was shed from anyone’s nose. other buildings constructed with in- in the country. way can be found for Israel to co-exist measures on imports of goods from Is- Ali Khamenei, not Rouhani, and I congratulate all those who were Iternational aid at an “alarming” rate, The poll, conducted from October with a future Palestinian state, while a raeli settlements in the West Bank. their infl uence dwarfs that of the elected.” the UN has said, with more demolitions 2014 to May 2015 and released yesterday similar percentage believe this is not pos- “I have no doubt that the govern- army and other armed forces. Yazdi remains a member of the so far this year than in all of 2015. by the Washington-based Pew Research sible - figures that have been relatively ment’s fi rm stance is in part a result of Ballistic missile tests have been Guardian Council, an unelected con- In all, 121 structures funded partly or Centre, a non-partisan think tank, also unchanged in recent years. the unilateral measures taken by Eu- seen as a means for Iran’s military stitutional watchdog that has yet to fully by international donors were de- found that many Israelis - Jews and Arabs But the percentage of Israeli Arabs rope,” Yogev, whose party has ministers to demonstrate that the nuclear endorse the election results. molished in the occupied West Bank be- - appeared to have lost hope for a two- who say such co-existence is possible fell in the government, told AFP. deal will have no impact on its tween January 1 and March 2, overtaking state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian from 74% in 2013 to 50% in 2015. Israeli- In November, new EU guidelines were plans, which is says are for domes- the 108 from all of 2015, according to UN conflict. Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014, issued forcing member countries to la- tic defence only. Iran’s ballistic missile pro- fi gures seen by AFP. Roughly half, or 48%, of Israeli Jews ahead of a seven-week Israel-Gaza war bel imported produce from the settle- Major General Ali Jafari, the gramme has been contentious since The projects include homes for Pal- said they agree or strongly agree with the that ended in late August that year. ments, sparking condemnation from Guards’ top commander, and Brig- the nuclear deal with the US and estinians and at least one school, as well statement that Arabs should be expelled For the survey, researchers conducted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. adier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, fi ve other powers was struck in Vi- as temporary structures such as pens for or transferred from Israel, where they 5,601 face-to-face interviews with 3,789 Under the 1990s Oslo peace accords, spoke about the tests on television, enna on July 14 last year. animals and sheds. make up 19% of the population of 8.4mn. Jews, 871 Muslims, 468 Christians and the Palestinian West Bank is divided with the latter downplaying the ef- On October 11, Tehran conducted Robert Piper, UN humanitarian co- About 8 in 10 Arabs complained of 439 Druze in Israel from October 2014 to into three areas. Area C, which accounts fect of US eff orts to disrupt its ac- the fi rst of two ballistic missile tests ordinator for the Palestinian territories, heavy discrimination in Israeli society May 2015. for about 60% of the territory, is under tivities. which angered Washington. State wrote in response to an AFP query that full Israeli control and Palestinians say “Our main enemies, the Ameri- television weeks later aired unprec- the demolitions were “alarming”. it is nearly impossible for them to obtain cans, who mutter about plans, have edented footage of underground “We have already surpassed the total are at risk of demolition.” Israel says illegal construction” after issuing dem- building permits in the area. activated new missile sanctions missile storage bunkers. number of humanitarian aid items de- the projects are built illegally so can be olition orders. Just 1.5% of Palestinian building per- against the Islamic Republic of A UN panel said in December that stroyed or confi scated in all of 2015, in demolished, but aid groups argue that The spike comes as US Vice President mit applications have been approved in Iran and are seeking to weaken the the tests breached previous reso- just the fi rst 10 weeks of 2016,” Piper said. obtaining necessary permits is nearly Joe Biden arrived yesterday in Israel for recent years, according to the UN. country’s missile capability,” Haji- lutions aimed at stopping Tehran “We will be protesting to the Israeli impossible. talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. The Israeli army says the homes have zadeh said. from developing missiles capable of authorities of course, as are many in the COGAT, the Israeli defence minis- US State Department spokesman John been built without permission from “The Guards and other armed carrying a nuclear warhead. diplomatic community.” try body responsible for implementing Kirby last week warned of a “damaging their authorities. forces are defenders of the revolu- Iran has always denied seeking an Vance Culbert, country director at the government policies in the Palestinian trend of demolition, displacement, and Yogev said the EU was spending mil- tion and the country will not pay atomic weapon and argues that its Norwegian Refugee Council NGO, re- territories, declined to comment on the land confi scation” that calls “into ques- lions of euros per year on what he called a toll to anyone... and will stand missiles would never be designed cently said there were “tens of millions number of demolitions, saying only that tion the Israeli government’s commit- “illegal construction”. against their excessive demands.” to, nor ever carry, the bomb. of dollars of donor assistance which it takes “enforcement steps against any ment to (the) two-state solution.” “I call it construction terror,” he said.

Saudi women are succeeding: author

AFP Riyadh

Saudi Arabian sociologist aims to counter stere- otypes about her country with a coff ee table book Aprofi ling successful Saudi women, she said on the eve of International Women’s Day. Misperceptions about the kingdom’s women have dis- torted their image in Western countries, the author and photographer, Mona al-Munajjed, said on Monday night during a ceremony at the French ambassador’s residence. “We are facing challenges but we are succeeding,” she said at the book signing for her work Saudi Women: A Cel- ebration of Success. The large-format book features her interviews with 40 Saudi women from a variety of fi elds, alongside their photographs. Al-Munajjed said she chose her subjects, in Riyadh, Jed- dah and Dammam, because they are “pioneering women.” Saudi Arabia has some of the world’s tightest restric- tions on women. A slow expansion of their rights began under the late king Abdullah, who in 2013 appointed wom- en to the Shura Council which advises the cabinet. He also announced that women would be able to partici- pate in municipal elections. Their fi rst ballot as voters and candidates occurred last December, when about 20 were elected to local councils and several others were appointed. Al-Munajjed said Saudi women have assumed promi- nent positions in government, business, journalism and other areas. “They are outstanding, successful and very in- fl uential,” said the author, who has worked with UN agen- cies. Arabian Business named her among the top 10 most powerful Arab women in 2013. In a conservative country founded little more than 80 years ago, change will come, but slowly, she said, noting that women make up more than half of the kingdom’s uni- versity students. Social reform “can come only gradually and only from within their own society,” al-Munajjed said. That includes driving. Al-Munajjed said the message on that topic from the women she interviewed is: “They do not believe in forcing things... change will happen soon, and it is just a matter of time.” Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 ARAB WORLD

UN: ‘Serious’ Tunisia hunts militants Syria talks to after deadly border raid start Monday AFP AFP the International Crisis Group, Geneva Tunis agreed, saying the attacks were an “extension of the armed confl ict so far confi ned to Libya”. new round of talks aimed at ending the war in Syria unisian security forces yes- Some IS militants “consider that will begin in Geneva in earnest no later than March 14, terday pressed on with a Ben Guerdane could become a stra- Aa spokeswoman for the UN mediator said yesterday. Tsearch for militants near the tegic ‘liberated’ zone that would UN Special Envoy for Syria Staff an de Mistura has said Libyan border after a deadly raid include southeastern Tunisia and the new round of indirect talks between Syria’s warring the authorities described as an un- the Tripoli region,” he said. sides will offi cially start today, but that they would likely precedented assault by the Islamic Interior ministry spokesman not get seriously under way immediately. State group. Yasser Mesbah said the search for His spokeswoman Jessy Chahine confi rmed his plans to Analysts said Monday’s attacks any militants still at large was con- resume the talks “as of the afternoon of March 9”. show that militants are keen to tinuing in the border area. She said de Mistura and his team stand “ready to receive spread their infl uence from Libya to He said a night-time curfew im- all of the participants as of this day... (and) will be con- Tunisia and to set up a new strong- posed in the town after the attack ducting preparatory meetings prior to substantive discus- hold in the country. had been well respected and that sions”. Prime Minister Habib Essid said the situation was “stable”. However, she said that this week was “very logistically about 50 extremists were believed Essid also called for vigilance challenging”, since a major car show in Geneva had fi lled to have taken part in the co-or- and promised a full investigation. up all the city’s hotels, and participants would be arriving dinated dawn attacks on an army “There are lessons to be learned on various dates. barracks and police and National from this terrorist attack. There “But the envoy will start substantive meetings with Guard posts in the border town of will be a thorough assessment of those who are in Geneva by the latest on March 14,” Cha- Ben Guerdane. what happened, and we will draw hine said. He said that 36 attackers had all the conclusions,” Essid said. The UN is hoping to restart peace talks that collapsed been killed and seven captured in “It may be that there was a fail- last month, building on a ceasefi re that has led to the fi rst a fi erce fi refi ght that also saw the ure at a certain level, that of intel- signifi cant decline in violence in Syria’s nearly fi ve-year deaths of seven civilians and 12 se- ligence, other elements.” civil war. curity force personnel. Carnegie centre researcher The truce between President Bashar al-Assad’s regime Essid told a news conference that Hamza Meddeb said the attacks Tunisian special forces prepare to patrol in the southern town of Ben Guerdane, near the Libyan border. and non-militant rebels is part of the biggest diplomatic the militants “murdered one inter- could have been to avenge the kill- eff ort yet to resolve Syria’s confl ict, which has killed more nal security force member in his ing of dozens of people last month a senior IS operative behind attacks their ID cards apparently to seek Two deadly IS attacks on foreign than 270,000 people and displaced millions. own home”. in a US air strike on an IS train- in Tunisia. out members of the security forces, tourists last year that have dealt a The partial truce, which was negotiated by Washington He said three civilians and 14 se- ing camp near the Libyan city of On Monday, President Beji Caid and announced their brief takeover devastating blow to Tunisia’s tour- and Moscow and which does not apply to the Islamic State curity personnel were also wounded. Sabratha. Essebsi described the attack as of Ben Guerdane as “liberators”. ism industry are believed to have group or the Al Qaeda-affi liated Al Nusra Front, has largely “The (security forces’) reaction The city lies just 100km from “unprecedented” and was “maybe The authorities said yesterday been planned from Libya. held despite widespread scepticism before it took eff ect, was rapid and strong. We won a Tunisia’s border and several Tu- aimed at controlling” the border the situation in Ben Guerdane was Militants have taken advantage of observers say. battle and are prepared for any oth- nisian militants were said to have region, vowing to “exterminate “stable”, and that “large quanti- a power vacuum in Libya since the Like during the fi rst round of talks in February, the next ers,” Essid said. “Now they know been killed in the US raid. these rats”. ties” of arms and ammunition had Nato-backed overthrow of long- round will consist of so-called “proximity talks”, in which Tunisia is no easy pushover and “Some wounded militants had The US and the European Union been recovered. time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in de Mistura will meet with the diff erent sides separately. that it is not so simple to set up an said (after the raid) that IS would also condemned the attacks, with It was the second deadly clash in 2011 to set up bases in several areas, The Syrian regime said Monday it would attend the re- emirate in Ben Guerdane.” seek revenge by carrying out at- Washington off ering to help Tunis the border area in less than a week including near Sabratha. newed talks in Geneva starting on March 14. On Monday, Essid said that the tacks in Tunisia,” said Meddeb. confront militants. as Tunisia battles to prevent the Tunisia has built a 200km barrier The opposition, meanwhile, has said it was still consid- operation’s aim had been to create A US offi cial has said one of those Residents said the assailants ap- large number of its citizens who that stretches about half the length ering whether to go despite the major lull in fi ghting. a “Daesh (IS) emirate” in the town. “likely killed” in the February air peared to be natives of the region. have joined IS in Libya from return- of its border with Libya in an at- The head of the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Com- Michael Ayari, an analyst with strike was Noureddine Chouchane, They stopped people, checked ing to carry out attacks at home. tempt to stop militant incursions. mittee, Riad Hijab, however said a small HNC delegation would travel to Geneva to meet the international task force monitoring the truce. Both that task force, and another one monitoring eff orts to increase humanitarian aid deliveries to besieged and State visit hard-to-reach areas in Syria, are scheduled to meet today Quarantine authority to in Geneva, Chahine said. Since a 17-nation group backing the Syrian peace proc- ess agreed early last month to work to signifi cantly increase continue ergot ban until aid access in the war-ravaged country, some 150,000 of the nearly half-million people living in besieged areas have new Egypt laws passed been reached, the World Food Programme said yesterday.

Reuters on Monday it would allow wheat Cairo imports with trace levels of er- got of up to 0.05%, a common Netanyahu nixes international standard applied gypt’s agriculture quar- by the country’s grain import- antine authority will con- ing body GASC when issuing Obama meet over Etinue to apply a zero ergot tenders. policy on wheat shipments until Although the quarantine au- new legislation is issued, the thority falls under the ministry US poll campaign new head of the authority told of agriculture, regulations gov- Reuters yesterday. erning the agency still specify Former quarantine chief Saad zero ergot. Reuters Moussa’s zero-tolerance policy “We hope that there will be Jerusalem on common grains fungus er- some amendment that is con- got resulted in shipments to sistent with reality, but cur- the world’s biggest importer of rently we are still working off of sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cancella- wheat being rejected. the old legislation,” said Imbabi, tion of a proposed meeting with US President Barack Moussa was replaced on Sun- who declined to give a timeline IObama yesterday put more strain on their troubled ties day by Ibrahim Imbabi. for how long a change to the law just before a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden. Many traders, who say guar- could take. The White House said on Monday it was “surprised” to anteeing zero ergot is impos- He said the agriculture min- learn fi rst from Israeli media that Netanyahu had decided sible, have declined in recent istry was working with a team against coming to a conference of the pro-Israel lobby months to make off ers in state of experts, including those from AIPAC in Washington on March 20, and the suggestion in wheat tenders, saying it was too the UN Food and Agriculture some reports that among his reasons was Obama’s una- costly to risk having their ship- Organization, to study the issue vailability to see him. ments turned away by the quar- urgently and make changes to Zeev Elkin, an Israeli cabinet minister close to Netanyahu, antine authority. the law if necessary. countered that Israeli ambassador Ron Dermer had given the Imbabi said his agency was “Egypt is not against any White House advance warning the trip might not happen. still bound by legislation that change or amendment or devel- It was the latest episode in a fraught relationship be- prohibits all levels of ergot. opment, but it should be done tween the right-wing Israeli leader and Democratic US “We will continue to work on a scientifi c basis.” president that has yet to recover from deep diff erences with the agricultural quarantine Disrupted wheat tenders have over last year’s US-led international nuclear deal with Is- legislation unless something raised the possibility of a short- rael’s foe Iran. diff erent is issued,” said Imbabi, age of grain which could pose a Biden, whose 2010 visit to Israel was marred by acri- referring to a 2001 regulation political problem for President mony over a Jewish settlement plan announced during his Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir and Chadian President Idriss Deby inspect an honour guard yesterday at that bars all levels of ergot from Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as the im- trip, arrived yesterday evening for talks today with Netan- Khartoum airport ahead of an off icial one-day visit by Deby to Sudan. entering the country. poverished population relies on yahu in Jerusalem and Palestinian President Mahmoud The agriculture ministry said highly subsidised bread. Abbas in the occupied West Bank. With violence surging for the past fi ve months, US offi cials have said no peace breakthrough is expected during Biden’s visit. In Jerusalem yesterday, a 50-year-old Palestinian wom- an who tried to stab Israeli police offi cers was shot dead, a police spokeswoman said. Israeli police said the woman moved toward border police offi cers, pulled a knife from her bag and sought to stab them near Damascus Gate, the main entrance used by Palestinians to enter the walled Old City where several at- tacks have occurred. The woman was said to be around 50 years old and from Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, where Damascus Gate is also located. Since October, Palestinian stabbings, shootings and car rammings have killed 28 Israelis and an American. Israeli forces have killed at least 174 Palestinians, 116 of whom Is- rael says were assailants. Most others were shot dead dur- ing violent protests. Netanyahu has hailed Biden’s visit as a sign of Israel’s “strong relations” with the US. Within hours, however, a fl ap erupted with the White House, which said that con- trary to media reports, Netanyahu had been off ered a March 18 meeting with Obama, ahead of the president’s landmark Cuba visit on March 21 and 22. Netanyahu’s offi ce said yesterday he would not attend the AIPAC event and voiced appreciation for Obama’s will- ingness to host him. It said Netanyahu was reluctant to be drawn into the US presidential campaign, where candidates have been vying to assert their bona fi des as friends of Israel. In 2012, Netanyahu hosted then-Republican contender Mitt Romney in Israel in what many Democrats saw as a bid to undercut Obama’s second-term run. Israel denied meddling. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 13 AFRICA Two die in Glencore mine as wall falls

Reuters mon in Congo’s mostly unreg- Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of ulated artisanal mining sector, Congo where diggers use rudimentary tools, but far rarer at its large industrial mines. wo workers at Glen- The Katanga Mining joint core’s huge Katanga venture is controlled by Glen- TMining copper and co- core, the Swiss-based mining balt operation in southeastern and trading company, while Democratic Republic of Congo Congo’s state mining company died yesterday and fi ve remain Gecamines and Israeli billion- missing, the mine’s chairman aire Dan Gertler’s Fleurette said after a 250m pit wall col- Group both hold minority lapsed. stakes. “Of the seven who dis- Katanga Mining announced appeared, two bodies were an 18-month suspension of found,” Gustave Nzeng, chair- production last September, but man of Kamoto Copper Com- work on maintenance and an pany (KCC), the joint venture $880mn modernisation project that runs the mine, told report- to cut costs has continued. ers in the town of Kolwezi. Delphin Monga, provincial Rescue eff orts to find the secretary of the UCDT union, remaining workers were being which represents KCC work- hindered by heavy rain, Nzeng ers, said that many more work- President Jacob Zuma reviews a guard of honour at the presidential villa in Abuja, yesterday. said. ers would likely have been Mining companies in Con- killed had it not been for the go extracted just under 1mn suspension. tonnes of copper in 2015, mak- “This was the least bad sce- ing the country Africa’s top nario because there weren’t producer. nearly as many workers there Major companies such as as before,” Monga said. Freeport-McMoRan, Ivanhoe Richard Muyej, the top gov- and Eurasian Natural Resourc- ernment offi cial in Lualaba es Corporation have invested province, told Reuters that the MTN mobiles helped heavily in the sector since a wall that collapsed in the KOV 2003 peace deal drew a line open pit mine was more than under years of regional war in 250 metres high. Congo’s east that killed mil- The landslide was also be- lions, mostly from hunger and lieved to have damaged drain- disease. age equipment in the pit, Glen- militants: Nigeria Deadly accidents are com- core said in a statement. MTN is paying a huge fine for failing to business delegation in tow and announced disconnect mobiles after meeting Buhari that “over 30 bilat- eral agreements and memoranda of under- Shebaab confi rms AFP standing” had been signed. Lagos “These agreements cover a wide range of co-operation areas including trade and US air strike industry, transport, energy, defence and outh African mobile phone operator security and immigration among others,” MTN fuelled the Boko Haram insur- he said in a speech. Reuters about the raid.The strike, us- Sgency in northeast Nigeria by failing He made no mention of MTN, which Mogadishu ing both planes and unmanned to disconnect millions of unregistered us- challenged the fi ne in court but with- MQ-9 Reaper drones, targeted ers, President Muhammadu Buhari said drew its case to enable negotiations for an Al Shebaab’s “Raso” training yesterday. agreement. omali Islamist group Al camp, a facility about 120 miles All mobile phone operators in Nigeria Nigeria has asked South Africa for clos- Shebaab confi rmed yes- north of the capital Mogadishu, were ordered to disconnect unregistered er defence ties, including special forces Sterday that the United the Pentagon said. SIMs by mid-2015 on security grounds but training in operations against Boko Har- States had bombed an area it The US military had been MTN missed the deadline. am, military spokesman Rabe Abubakar controlled but said the US fi g- monitoring the camp for sev- The country’s communications regula- announced late on Monday. ure of more than 150 casualties eral weeks before the strike tor last October slapped a $3.9bn fi ne on the But the MTN aff air — and complaints was an exaggeration. and had gathered intelligence, Johannesburg-based fi rm, which has since from other South African fi rms in Nigeria The Pentagon had said it including about an imminent paid out $250mn towards the penalty. Motorists drive through a tunnel past an MTN advert in the Maryland district of Lagos. — have dominated discussions against a launched air strikes on a train- threat posed by those in the The aff air cast a shadow over the build- background of tensions. ing facility on Saturday that camp to US forces and African up to the visit of South African president “Unfortunately MTN was very slow and He was given a 21-gun salute when he Pretoria has previously criticised Ni- had killed 150 fi ghters with the Union peacekeepers, offi cials Jacob Zuma and was expected to have been contributed to the casualties. And that arrived at the presidential villa, Aso Rock, geria’s response to a deadly church build- Al Qaeda-linked group in the said. high on the agenda when he met Buhari for was why the NCC looked at its regulations and inspected a guard of honour before ing collapse in Lagos in 2014, in which 81 of Horn of Africa nation. US Air Force Secretary De- talks in the capital, Abuja. and imposed that fi ne on them.” heading inside for talks with Buhari. the 116 victims were South Africans. “The US bombed an area borah Lee James described the In his fi rst comments on the issue, Bu- Boko Haram violence has left at least Yesterday afternoon he was expected to On the Nigerian side there have been controlled by Al Shebaab. But strike as “defensive” in nature. hari told a joint news conference: “The 17,000 dead and forced more than 2.6mn address the National Assembly and meet complaints about South African visa re- they exaggerated the fi gure of The African Union AMISOM concern of the federal government was from their homes since 2009. Buhari an- the South Africa-Nigeria Business Forum, strictions while in April last year the pair casualties. We never gather 100 force, alongside the Somali basically on the security, not the fi ne im- nounced in December the group was Zuma’s offi ce has announced. got into a spat about the recall of Nigeria’s fi ghters in one spot for security army, launched a campaign last posed on the MTN. “technically” defeated but attacks con- Pretoria is putting a positive spin on two top diplomats. reasons. We know the sky is full year that drove Al Shebaab out “You know how the unregistered GSM tinue. the visit, talking up the pair’s “good bi- The return of the high commissioner to of planes,” the group’s military of its major strongholds. But are being used by terrorists... That was Zuma arrived in Abuja yesterday morn- lateral political, economic and social re- Pretoria and consul-general in Johannes- spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis the group, which wants to top- why (the) NCC (Nigerian Communica- ing in a visit which observers see as an at- lations” and potential new business op- burg came in the wake of anti-immigrant Abu Musab told Reuters. ple Somalia’s Western-backed tions Commission) asked the MTN, Glo tempt to mend fences between Africa’s portunities. attacks about which Nigeria said it was He did not give a casualty government, continues to and the rest of them to register GSM. largest economic powers. Zuma has a sizeable ministerial and “deeply concerned”. fi gure or off er further details launch raids.

Rapper Mos Def in South African Students evicted court over his ‘world passport’

AFP vember, and had a visitor’s visa valid Pretoria until February. But he tried to leave using a ‘World Government of World Citizens pass- merican rapper Mos Def ap- port’, which is not recognised, home peared briefl y in a South African aff airs director general Mkuseli Apleni Acourt yesterday on charges of told reporters. presenting a “world passport” when The World Government of World trying to fl y out of the country. Citizens was established in 1953 by The 42-year-old hip hop artist, actor the late peace activist Garry Davis, an and activist, whose real name is Dante American who renounced his citizen- Terrel Smith, was fi rst turned away Us hip hop artist and actor Mos Def, ship after World War II. from the court because he refused to walks out of court after refusing to Bey faces charges including using a remove a turban he was wearing. take off his turban. false identity, and “aiding and abet- As a small group of photographers ting his family to stay illegally in South and video journalists recorded the in- and wearing dark glasses, a striped Africa”. cident, he left and returned later with headscarf and loose black outfi t under His family’s visas expired in April a loose scarf draped over his head and a charcoal jacket, loped into the dock 2014, and they are still subject to court shoulders, which allowed a security and stood quietly, leaning forward on proceedings. Bey is believed to have been search. the wooden rails. living in Cape Town for several years. Mos Def, who was listed on the court Prosecutors requested a two-week In 2014, he cancelled a planned tour roll under one of his other names, postponement of the hearing and he of the US due to what his publicists Yassin Bey, was accompanied by a will remain free on bail of 5,000 rand called “legal and immigration issues”. small group of friends into the magis- (about $300) until his next hearing “I haven’t broken any law. And I’m trates’ court in the working class sub- on March 24. He was not required to being treated like a criminal,” he said in urb of Bellville in Cape Town. speak. a message released via superstar rapper He refused to speak to reporters, and Bey was arrested in Cape Town in Kanye West’s Twitter feed at the time waited expressionlessly among groups January while attempting to board a of his arrest. of glum witnesses and suspects wait- fl ight to Ethiopia. In his acclaimed hip-hop career he ing to be called for cases such as theft The department of home aff airs said has produced classic solo songs as well Students from Tshwane University of Technology in Shoshanguve Campus, wait with their belongings to go home and assault. the actor had entered South Africa as albums with Talib Kweli in the duo after they were ordered to leave the university premises following days of violent protest in Pretoria, South Africa. When he was called, Bey, bearded with a legitimate US passport in No- Black Star. Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 AMERICAS Trump, Clinton favoured in latest primary contests

AFP count over Bernie Sanders, the rich Texas and nearby states, who once fl irted with the Demo- launch of his own Florida ad cam- Trump is leading in Michigan troit symbolise the heart of the Washington Vermont senator who has ener- pulling ahead of the two other re- cratic party could become the paign against Rubio, portraying with 36% compared to 23% for US auto industry, and Clinton has gised young voters with denun- maining Republican candidates, GOP fl ag bearer in November’s him as corrupt by invoking an old Cruz, according to a recent Mon- accused Sanders of having voted ciations of what he sees as a cor- Senator Marco Rubio of Florida presidential elections. credit card controversy. mouth University poll. against a federal intervention to S voters cast ballots in rupt US political system. and Ohio Governor John Kasich. One such ad, to be shown in “Little Marco Rubio, you know However rival John Kasich, the save the sector in 2008/2009. White House primaries Republicans meanwhile were Rubio, 44, has the backing Florida, shows snippets of Trump he’s a no-show in the US senate,” governor of neighbouring Ohio, “I voted for the auto bailout Uin Michigan and Missis- in an intensifying race that will of the Republican anti-Trump using profane language while out Trump said on Monday during a is hoping for a surprise after ac- and he voted against it,” she re- sippi yesterday, with Republican soon tell whether Trump’s march camp – which sees Cruz as too on the campaign trail. campaign stop in Concord, North tively campaigning in Michigan. peated Monday while visiting frontrunner Donald Trump and toward the Republican nomina- uncompromising to unite the Re- Financed by the American Carolina. There are no recent polls in a small software fi rm in Grand Democrat Hillary Clinton fa- tion can be broken by rivals led by publican party – but he has un- Future Fund – which has not re- Meanwhile, Cruz insisted Mississippi, but last month Rapids, Michigan. voured to win their parties’ latest Texas Senator Ted Cruz. derperformed and trails in third vealed its donors – the ad cam- that he is the best alternative to Trump largely dominated his ri- Sanders did vote for it, but tests of strength. With every passing week, the place. paign has a budget of several Trump. vals there. separately voted against funds Republican voters also will billionaire real estate mogul has Next week’s primary in Rubio’s million dollars, according to its “We’re now the only campaign For Democrats, Clinton is the whose main purpose was to assist have their say later in a primary reinforced his lead, winning 12 home state of Florida, a winner- spokesman Stuart Roy. that has beaten Donald Trump favourite in both states. fi nancial institutions. in Idaho and a caucus in Hawaii. out of 20 contests so far, in re- take-all contest with 99 del- Other ads, created by the Club over and over and over again,” That is especially true in Mis- Those funds however also But the biggest prizes of the gions as varied as the industrial egates at stake, is seen as a must- for Growth, target Republicans in Cruz told reporters. sissippi where African American ended up fi nancing the auto in- day in terms of delegates and vis- northeast and the deep South win if he is to stay in the race. Illinois. A total of 150 Republican dele- voters represent an important dustry bailout. ibility were in Michigan and Mis- bible belt. In an attempt to counter the Florida, Illinois and other gates were up for grabs yesterday voting bloc. The Vermont senator stressed sissippi, where polls opened at But Cruz, the 45-year-old front-runner’s advance, cam- states will vote on March 15 in a out of 1,237 needed to win the African Americans have voted to voters that Clinton has sup- 1200 GMT. champion of the religious right, paign ads depicting Trump as a sequel to March 1’s “Super Tues- party’s nomination, compared by more than 80% for Clinton in ported free-trade agreements Clinton is seeking to further is nipping at his heels. charlatan have been fi nanced by day”. to 166 out of 4,763 on the Demo- other states of the South. that he said has cost millions of extend her lead in the delegate He has done well in delegate- Republicans dismayed that a man Trump has announced the cratic side. Michigan and the city of De- jobs.

Report says more US eyeing trade, climate ex-Gitmo prisoners deals in Trudeau visit rejoining Reuters/AFP Montreal-based International Trump refuted accusations about militants Washington Civil Aviation Organisation his “small hands” and genitals. (ICAO). “(Railing) against intolerance The United States also hopes and politics of fear and division Reuters resident Barack Obama to accelerate the timetable to and ideas such as the need for Washington and Canadian Prime Min- phase out HFCs, industrial gases the state to invest in infrastruc- Pister Justin Trudeau are set that have far more potential to ture and job creation, it’s all part to discuss new ideas for curbing trap the earth’s heat than carbon of a new progressive agenda that he number of former climate change and expand- dioxide, through an amendment Trudeau is leading, and there’s a Guantanamo Bay prison ing trade during an Oval Offi ce to the Montreal Protocol, Stern lot of interest in his vision,” said Tinmates who are suspect- meeting this week, White House said. Browne. ed of having returned to fi ghting offi cials said during a preview On trade, a hot-button issue But don’t expect the Canadian for militants doubled to 12 in the yesterday. for both Democrats and Re- prime minister to hog the spot- six months through January, the Trudeau, who pledged to re- publicans in the race to succeed light. Obama administration said on pair frayed ties with the Unit- Obama in the November 8 presi- “There’s a keen interest in So- Monday. ed States when he took offi ce dential election, the leaders are phie too,” he observed, referring The increase could fuel Re- in November, will meet with likely to discuss two longstand- to Trudeau’s wife, the television publican attacks on Democratic Obama tomorrow ahead of a ing irritants, softwood lumber host Sophie Gregoire. President Barack Obama’s plan star-studded state dinner. and meat labeling. Trudeau, 44, and Gregoire, to close the US military prison The White House, which sees A deal governing Canadian 40, were featured on the cover in Cuba, which has come to a natural partner in Trudeau, softwood lumber exports ex- of Vogue magazine’s December symbolise aggressive detention hopes the two countries can pired last year, and the two na- issue, while the New York Times practices following the Septem- commit to cut methane emis- tions are talking about a new ar- and the Washington Post re- ber 11, 2001 attacks and opened sions from the energy sector rangement, said Mark Feierstein, cently published fl attering por- the United States to accusations by 40-45% from 2012 levels by the White House National Secu- traits of the prime minister. of torture. 2025, and endorse an initiative rity Council’s senior director for “Clearly the Trudeaus are a Most detainees have been held to stop routine fl aring from oil the Western hemisphere. A cyclist passes US and Canadian flags placed side-by-side on the Eisenhower Executive Off ice Building glamour couple, perhaps like the without trial for more than a and gas fi elds, said Todd Stern, “We’re open to exploring all next to the White House in Washington. Preparations are under way for the off icial state visit of Prime Kennedys, and that adds to the decade. the US climate envoy. options with Canada at this Minister Trudeau tomorrow. mystique and the buzz around The closure plan, drawn up by “The commitment of both point,” Feierstein said, declining town,” Browne said. the Pentagon and which requires leaders to addressing this global to put timelines on when a deal The Canadian prime minis- nadian leader to be feted in ada-US relationship strained The Trudeaus will be offi - approval by Congress, proposes challenge is clear and I expect may be reached. ter’s visit is eagerly awaited. Washington in almost two dec- under previous administrations. cially welcomed by US President 13 potential sites on US soil to under their leadership North The White House also hopes “There’s a buzz in Washing- ades. “It will be refreshing to have Barack Obama and First Lady hold 30-60 detainees in maxi- America will make signifi cant Canada will formally end its ton,” said Matt Browne, a senior Over the coming days there some inspirational and issues- Michelle at a ceremony on the mum-security prisons. progress this year,” Stern told World Trade Organisation fellow at the Centre for Ameri- will be cocktail parties, toasts based politics rather than bick- White House South Lawn to- According to fi gures released reporters. (WTO) case against a US labe- can Progress think tank in the with champagne, music and ering,” said Browne, contrast- morrow morning, followed by a by the Offi ce of the Director of Stern said that the two coun- ling law that the WTO ruled hurt US capital. “People are really celebrities, a wreath-laying at ing Trudeau’s push for diversity, luncheon hosted by Secretary of National Intelligence (ODNI), as tries also are looking at ways to Canadian beef and pork exports, very excited to be around him, Arlington Cemetery, a Q&A with inclusiveness and a progressive State John Kerry and fi nally the of January 15 the United States make carbon emissions from he said. speaking with him and learning students, speeches, and more. economic agenda with recent big event – a state dinner that also had confi rmed that seven the aviation sector “neutral”, The United States repealed more about his vision.” As well, the trip presents an US presidential debates in which evening (followed by an after out of 144 Guantanamo prison- starting in 2020 through the the law in December. Trudeau will be the fi rst Ca- opportunity to reset the Can- Republican frontrunner Donald party at a swank hotel). ers who were freed since Obama took offi ce in January 2009 have returned to fi ghting. Storm knocks out power at LA airport That was up from six since the ODNI’s previous release last July. A thunderstorm knocked out power across Los Angeles The ODNI report is released International Airport on Monday, delaying more than 100 flights. every six months and does not Bloomberg says he’s not LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles said back-up generators were give details on where or for started as the storm hit shortly after 6am (1400 GMT) and power which groups the former detain- was restored in all terminals within an hour. ees are confi rmed or suspected “Arriving flights to LAX have been slowed down and during the to be fi ghting. storm cell two flights (were) diverted to Ontario International The ODNI fi gures showed that running for White House Airport,” she said, later updating the figure to four. 111 of 532 prisoners released by Among arrivals there were 64 delays and two cancellations by 1pm, the Republican administration while departures were hit with 64 delays and four cancellations. of president George W Bush are AFP against China and Japan as “all and North Carolina where the Castles said strong winds of 56kph (35mph) were buff eting the confi rmed to have returned to New York dangerously wrong”. process would have been begun airport but were not expected to further delay flights as they were the battlefi eld, with 74 others “The end result would be to to put his name on the ballot, it coming from the west. suspected of doing so. embolden our enemies, threaten added. S billionaire Michael the security of our allies, and Aides planned an elaborate Bloomberg has an- put our own men and women in branding campaign that would Unounced that he would uniform at greater risk,” he said. have stressing his credentials as not throw his hat into the vola- Cruz, the fi rst-time senator a self-made man and a problem tile race for the White House, from Texas who is second in the solver beholden to neither party Ads targeting Muslim stereotypes fearing that his candidacy could race to win the Republican nom- at a time of growing US voter lead to the election of Republi- ination, “is no less extreme”, dissatisfaction with the political can usurpers Donald Trump or Bloomberg wrote. establishment. debut on New York City subway Ted Cruz. The self-made billionaire and Had self-declared democratic The 74-year-old former New philanthropist, perhaps best socialist Bernie Sanders – and York mayor has long consid- known nationally for campaign- Bloomberg: when I look at the not Clinton – been on track to Reuters hibiting political speech in ads Freedom Defence Initiative af- ered an independent run for the ing to tighten gun controls, said data, it’s clear to me that if I win the Democratic primary and New York on public transportation. ter the agency adopted a policy White House, expressing public that he had been urged to run entered the race, I could not win. Trump the Republican ticket, The ad campaign strives to against political advertising. dismay about a 2016 race domi- out of “patriotic duty” by oppo- Bloomberg was determined to combat negative perceptions of “Here we are 15 months later nated by the insult-fl inging nents of the current candidates. alistic ideas for bridging divides, run, the Times reported. umorous ads for a docu- Muslims as the world grapples and a federal lawsuit later and fi - Trump, the current Republican “But when I look at the data, solving problems, and giving us A pragmatist rather than an mentary fi lm that aims to with accommodating millions of nally these funny posters are go- frontrunner. it’s clear to me that if I entered the honest and capable govern- ideologue, Bloomberg was a Hpromote understanding people fl eeing Middle East vio- ing up that were tied to our fi lm Bloomberg, whose $41.7bn the race, I could not win,” he said ment.” Democrat before turning Re- and tolerance of Muslims went lence and abject poverty in other in which it shows Muslims being fortune makes him the eighth in a statement published by his The New York Times lifted the publican in 2001 and then up in New York subways on Mon- parts of Africa. funny and in a diff erent light,” richest person in the world ac- eponymous news agency. “There lid on Monday on details that switched his affi liation to inde- day after the movie’s production “The point of the movie is said Obeidallah. “That’s all it was cording to Forbes, accused fel- is a good chance that my candi- showed the seriousness with pendent in 2007. company won a legal battle with just to show Muslims in a posi- about.” low New York tycoon Trump of dacy could lead to the election which Bloomberg had mulled an He is less known nationally the city’s transit authority. tive light, to build a bridge with The ads, which cost about waging “the most divisive and of Donald Trump or Senator Ted independent run. than on the East Coast. “The Ugly Truth About Mus- mainstream Americans,” Farsad $20,000, will be posted in about demagogic presidential cam- Cruz. That is not a risk I can take He had laid out his ambitions Close to Wall Street, a hawk lims: Muslims have great frittata said in an interview. “Muslim- 144 subway stations, according paign I can remember”. in good conscience.” in private conversations with US on security but favourable to recipes,” reads one of the ads cre- Americans can be super-hilar- to Farsad and Obeidallah. “Abraham Lincoln, the fa- Bloomberg stopped short of Vice-President Joe Biden and immigration reform and socially ated by comedians Negin Farsad ious and that’s kind of just what One advertisement at the City ther of the Republican Party, endorsing Democratic front- British Prime Minister David liberal, his unusual mix of posi- and Dean Obeidallah who are us- we want to show people.” Hall station in lower Manhattan appealed to our ‘better angels’. runner Hillary Clinton, who Cameron, and had held “exten- tions for an American seeking ing humor to break down stere- In June 2015, New York-based carried three statements with the Trump appeals to our worst im- was New York senator during sive talks” with Michael Mul- top offi ce could have cost him otypes promote their documen- Vaguely Qualifi ed Productions caveat that only one was true of pulses,” Bloomberg wrote in a his time as mayor, or any other len, the former chairman of the votes on both sides of the aisle. tary The Muslims Are Coming. LLC, the company behind the Muslims. column for his eponymous news candidate, but said he would not Joint Chiefs of Staff with a view The last independent to run The advertisements debuted documentary, fi led a lawsuit Edgar Sanchez, 45, of Queens, agency. stay silent in the face of partisan to making him possible running for the US presidency was bil- after a federal court in Manhat- against the transit authority after said he thought the ad was a pos- He savaged Trump’s call for extremism. mate, the paper reported. lionaire Ross Perrot. tan ruled in October that being it withdrew prior approval for the itive attempt to combat stere- a ban on Muslims entering the “I will continue urging all His aides conducted polling In 1992, he won 18.9% of the Muslim was a religious, not a po- ads. otypes. United States, threatened de- voters to reject divisive appeals in 22 states, drafted a website, vote and contributed to the de- litical, identity. A federal judge had already “In every country and every portation of millions of Mexi- and demanding that candidates produced television ads and set feat of Republican incumbent The Metropolitan Transporta- allowed the transit authority to religion there are good people cans and threatened trade wars off er intelligent, specifi c and re- up campaign offi ces in Texas George Bush to Bill Clinton. tion Authority has a policy pro- reject an ad from the American and bad people,” he said. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 15 ASEAN Twins with diff erent fathers identifi ed in Vietnam

AFP couple, whose names have not been “This is rare not only for Vietnam, newspaper, the Vietnamese husband was related to only one of the babies. two years old and one of them has Hanoi released, were recently taken for test- but for the world,” he said, explaining requested genetic testing at the Ha- Ruling out a hospital mix-up, his thick, wavy hair while the other has ing because of stark diff erences in the that the two children had diff erent fa- noi lab to determine whether he was wife was found to be the biological thin, straight hair. children’s appearances, according to thers but the same mother. the biological father of both his wife’s mother of both children, Tuoi Tre re- Another rare case of bi-paternal ietnam has identifi ed an ex- local reports. This can happen if two eggs from the twins. ported. twins was reported in the US last tremely rare case of bi-paternal “Our Centre for Genetic Analy- same mother are fertilised by sperm The man’s relatives pressured him to According to Dan Tri online news year, when a court ruled that a man Vtwins — twins with diff erent fa- sis and Technology lab has tested and from two diff erent men during sepa- take the test because one of the babies site, the twins were the same sex, was only required to pay child sup- thers — a professor at a DNA testing lab found a pair of bi-paternal twins,” Le rate acts of sexual intercourse within looked strikingly diff erent from him born on the same day just a few hours port for one girl in a set of twins after in Hanoi said yesterday. Dinh Luong, president of the Genetic the same ovulation period. and the other child, the report said. apart, but look completely different. DNA tests proved he was not the fa- A set of twins born to a Vietnamese Association of Vietnam, said. According to the state-run Tuoi Tre The results indicated that the man The report said the twins are now ther of both. Driver among cast of Suu Kyi aides tipped for president role

AFP is at least a transition is taking Naypyidaw place,” he said. Myanmar poli- tics are haunted by memories of the NLD’s 1990 election vic- doctor, a one-time tory, which was swatted away driver and a personal by the former junta who went Aassistant head a motley on to rule for two more decades. ensemble of possible picks for As the NLD closes ranks, Myanmar’s next president, as presidential speculation has democracy fi gurehead Aung recently zoomed in on Htin San Suu Kyi seeks a close con- Kyaw, a genial 69-year-old fi dante to rule in her place. who acted as Suu Kyi’s driver Suu Kyi, 70, is barred from during her brief spells of free- Myanmar’s presidency by a dom from house arrest. constitution that thwarts her The son-in-law of the ambition to lead the country NLD’s late spokesman and a away from decades of military school friend of Suu Kyi, Htin rule. Kyaw has long been a staunch Instead she has vowed to ally and currently helps run her rule “above” the next leader, charitable foundation. potentially adopting a system Others names doing the like India’s Sonia Gandhi, who rounds include Tin Myo Win, wielded huge infl uence over her personal doctor during the her Congress party’s adminis- long years of house arrest, Tin trations despite having no of- Oo, an octogenarian former fi cial government role. general turned NLD veteran, A school teacher lights a candle during prayers for passengers of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in Petaling Jaya yesterday. Suu Kyi’s National League and her personal assistant for Democracy party won a re- Tin Mar Aung, one of the few sounding victory at November women who have been touted. elections - a direct endorse- All are in their late sixties or ment for the Nobel laureate above in a country where more who is the shining star of the than half the population is un- country’s democracy move- der 30. ment. But for Suu Kyi’s supporters, The NLD is due to nominate few are able to match her star MH370 disappearance still a candidate to replace outgo- power. ing President Thein Sein at a “We want Daw Suu to be our meeting in parliament tomor- president, there is no other po- row. sition that is suitable for her,” In total three names will said Yangon tour company di- be put forward - one selected rector Tun Tun Naing, using a a mystery two years on from MPs in the lower and term of respect. upper houses - and one from In public Suu Kyi has re- AFP counterparts from several other be from MH370 was found on an don’t want to tell us the truth, at through a bungled response and the unelected soldiers who are peatedly struck a conciliatory Kuala Lumpur countries, had nothing to off er. island thousands of kilometres least let us catch a glimpse of our covering up information. Many gifted a quarter of all seats un- tone towards a military that Malaysia and Australia, how- from the search area last year, loved ones. Or if they’ve disap- refuse to believe their loved ones der a charter they wrote. kept her under house arrest for ever, said they remained op- the fi rst proof that the plane in- peared, if they’re dead, at least are dead. But with just days to go be- 15 years. nvestigators probing what timistic that the painstaking deed went down. let me see them, or some of their The second anniversary is also fore a selection, the public This focus on national rec- happened to fl ight MH370 search for an Indian Ocean crash The three nations have already things,” said Jiao, 55. “But now, the deadline for suing Malaysia remains entirely in the dark onciliation is expected to be Isaid yesterday the cause of site will fi nd something that indicated they will end the big- you have nothing.” Airlines, and scores of lawsuits about the candidates. refl ected in a cabinet, an- the plane’s disappearance re- could lead to the recovery of gest and most expensive search He is bracing for a long and seeking damages have been The uncertainty has stirred nounced by the NLD in the mained a mystery as the second fl ight data recorders and eventu- eff ort in history if its high-tech painful vigil. fi led in recent days in the US, up a storm of speculation, with coming days, that will include anniversary passed with devas- ally reveal what caused MH370’s scanning of a designated swathe “Maybe they can fi nd it in 10 Malaysia, China, Australia and a list of possible fi gures in- fi gures from across the politi- tated next-of-kin still grasping disappearance. of seafl oor — expected to be fi n- or 20 years - I’ll wait.” elsewhere, while others have ac- cluding Suu Kyi’s former driv- cal spectrum. for answers. “The current search operation ished in a few months — comes Jiao spoke at a Buddhist tem- cepted undisclosed settlements. er, her family doctor and her It is not clear if Suu Kyi will The Malaysia-led interna- is expected to be completed later up empty. ple in Beijing where more than Some suits also target Malay- erstwhile personal assistant. join the executive, which un- tional team of aviation experts this year, and we remain hope- Australian Transport Minis- 20 Chinese relatives gathered to sia’s government and Boeing. How the veteran activist, der Myanmar’s web of political set up to investigate issued an ful that MH370 will be found,” ter Darren Chester echoed Na- pray and to read out a statement But Jiao, noting that many Chi- who is excluded from top offi ce rules means she would have to annual progress report but the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib jib’s hope that the search will appealing for an open-ended nese next-of-kin lost their only because she married and had relinquish her position as head brief statement had no new in- Razak said in a statement. The eventually “give answers to the search, saying their suff ering heirs as a consequence of China’s children with a foreigner, will of the NLD. sights on what caused the Ma- jet vanished on March 8, 2014 world, in particular the families made each day feel “like a year.” “one-child policy”, said mon- manage the relationship with a Expectations are running laysia Airlines jet to vanish. en route from Kuala Lumpur to of missing loved ones”. There were 153 Chinese nation- etary settlements mean nothing. proxy president is also unclear. high from a public eager to “To date, the MH370 wreck- Beijing with 239 passengers and But the agony continues for als onboard. “What use is it to give that “It is going to create huge grasp the change promised by age has still not been found de- crew onboard, mostly Chinese the hundreds of next-of-kin Theories to explain the disap- kind of person any sum of mon- problems,” said political ana- Suu Kyi and her party in their spite the continuing search in and Malaysians. whose lives have been shattered. pearance include a possible me- ey?” he said. lyst Khin Zaw Win, adding election campaign. the south Indian Ocean,” it said. Authorities believe the Boe- Jiao Wenxi of China, who lost chanical or structural failure, a In a statement to AFP, Malay- that the new president would Thein Sein, who took offi ce It was the second straight year ing 777 detoured to the remote fi ve family members including hijacking or terror plot, or rogue sia Airlines yesterday denied be- always have to “look over his in 2011, ushered in reforms that the team of investigators, southern Indian Ocean and then his older brother and the two- pilot action. ing secretive with families, and shoulder” for instructions that saw most junta-era sanc- which includes representatives plunged into the treacherous year-old daughter of his niece, Many families accuse the air- promised to work “in good faith from Suu Kyi. tions lifted. Political and eco- from the US National Transporta- waters. said the lack of answers has left line and Malaysian government for payment of fair and equitable “It is a very murky picture. nomic freedoms have begun to tion Safety Board (NTSB) and its A wing fragment confi rmed to him feeling “helpless.” “If you of abetting the disappearance compensation.” (But) one of the bright things blossom.

CRIME Australian behind Singapore hate Tourists fl ock to see Aerial sports take fl ight in landlocked Laos site convicted An Australian woman who admit- rare total solar eclipse AFP only accessible to expats and ted fabricating anti-foreigner Vientiane the wealthiest Laos citizens, articles on a Singapore website to paragliding and other airborne boost advertising revenues was Reuters ager of the Aston Hotel, one of endeavours are starting to win a convicted yesterday of sedition. Ternate/Palembang several hotels that are booked ad roads, big mountains wider fan base. Laos now has an Ai Takagi, 23, pleaded guilty to four out in the city of Palembang on and dense jungle have avid crew of paramotor fl yers and of seven sedition charges lodged Indonesia’s western island of Bgifted Laos a diffi cult and even a national paragliding team. against her and her Singaporean housands of astronomy Sumatra. dazzling terrain — one that is “We’re very proud,” said husband, Yang Kaiheng, 27. enthusiasts are fl ock- Despite having tourist po- now being enjoyed from the Soutilack Intsaboung, one of The three other charges, as well as Ting to Indonesia this tential beyond the popular skies by a well-heeled new crop the team’s members. “It’s a an additional charge of withhold- week to catch a rare event — resort island of Bali, the vast of pilots pursuing a passion for good thing to show that we now ing information from the police, the country’s fi rst total solar archipelago struggles with aerial sports. know about this sport in Laos, will be taken into consideration eclipse in nearly 33 years. poor connectivity and infra- The pastime, new to the tiny, and that we are able to take on during her sentencing on March The eclipse will be visible in structure. Nearly 10mn tour- poor Southeast Asian nation, international athletes.” 23. Yang, however, is claiming trial. parts of Australia and South- ists visited Indonesia last year was made possible by Ravan- In December Laos joined ten Both were based in Australia but east Asia, but only some parts and the government hopes to sith Thammarangsy, a Franco- other nations from around the arrested in February last year of Indonesia will get to see double that number by 2019. Laotian fl ight instructor who File photo shows members of Laos’ paramotor flyers team at an air region to form the Airsport Fed- during a visit to Singapore. They the sun totally eclipsed by the But January arrivals of foreign returned to the country of his show in Xayabury, western Laos. eration of Asia. The organisa- are currently out on bail. Takagi, moon early today. tourists were up only about 2% birth to set up Laos’s fi rst aerial tion is seeking a space for sports described by prosecutors as the The phenomenon has over last year. club in 2010. Now there are some student at Lao Airsports Club. ultra light aircraft — including such as paragliding, paramo- owner and chief editor of the now brought tourists fl ooding into A solar eclipse happens twenty recreational pilots fl ying The club’s founder, known as small helicopters — and had to toring and parachuting in global defunct site “The Real Singapore”, Southeast Asia’s biggest econ- when the moon casts a shadow above the country’s green hills, “Sith”, said it took time to con- convince authorities that the competitions. was teary-eyed as a statement of omy, with events such as music on the earth as it passes be- with more learning and hoping vince the country’s communist sport was not a threat the na- They’ve set their sights on the facts in the case was being read in festivals and night markets or- tween the earth and the sun. to compete in global games. rulers to sign off on the venture, tional security. “We had to fi ght upcoming Asian Beach Games court. The site was forced to close ganised around it. A partial solar eclipse, more “It was a childhood dream of which uses an airfi eld 40km to get the necessary permission,” in Vietnam, and even the 2020 by the media regulator last year “We accommodated tourists frequent than total eclipses, is mine. I lived near the airport, north of the capital Vientiane. he said. “Now they’ve realised Summer Olympics in Japan. But for playing up articles seen as as far as our capacity allowed,” when the earth passes within and every day I saw the planes go He worked with the govern- that it’s a sport like any other.” for now, international recogni- fomenting racial hatred. said Muhaimin Ramza, man- the penumbra of the moon. by,” said Soutilack Intsaboung, a ment to draft regulations for While airplanes are largely tion is still a long way off for Laos. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA MH370 victims mourn Two more resettled refugees ‘have left’

AFP Cambodia, but they returned Sydney to Iran because they were homesick after a long time away”. wo more refugees reset- Despite the recent depar- tled in Cambodia from tures, Cambodian offi cials said Tan Australian detention there are no plans to suspend camp have returned home, the programme. the government said Tuesday, The International Organi- sparking renewed criticism zation for Migration (IOM), about the Aus$55mn ($40mn) which is assisting Cambodia scheme. with the resettlement, con- Under Canberra’s hardline fi rmed that Australia has con- policy to stop asylum-seeker tinued to fund the programme, boats reaching its shores, those though not all of the allocated arriving by sea are denied re- budget has been used. settlement in Australia even if “IOM continues to receive found to be genuine refugees. funding from the Government A crying woman falls on her knees as relatives of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which went missing in 2014, burn incense sticks and pray at Lama Instead they are turned back of Australia to implement set- Temple in Beijing, China, yesterday. to their country of departure or tlement services in Cambo- sent to the tiny Pacifi c state of dia but that funding has not Nauru or Manus Island in Pa- amounted to Aus$15mn given pua New Guinea. the limited number of refugees The government also struck arriving from Nauru to date,” a deal with Phnom Penh in IOM spokesman Joe Lowry told September 2014 to take in ref- AFP. ugees in exchange for millions Australia’s Labor opposi- of dollars in aid, a move con- tion party, which supports the demned by rights groups and detention of asylum-seekers questioned by the UN. at the remote Pacifi c facilities, Initially, only four people said with so few opting for re- China, Seoul step up held on Nauru — three Iranians settlement the Cambodian and one ethnic Rohingya man scheme was a “dud”. from Myanmar — volunteered “Not only has the coali- to move to the impoverished tion (government) wasted Southeast Asian nation, which Aus$55mn of taxpayers’ money has a weak record of upholding on this dud deal, they have also human rights. A fi fth, another left more than 2,000 people Rohingya, later joined them. on Manus and Nauru in limbo N Korea sanctions One of the Rohingya decided for nearly three years on their to return home last October, watch,” said shadow immi- Tightening sanctions will hit the rity and safety inspection of the vessel, are Trading and Taiwan company Royal Team contacted because it is a public holiday in citing homesickness. Now two gration spokesman Richard regime hard rectifi ed. Corporation. Russia. of the three Iranians have also Marles. The 6,593 deadweight tonne (dwt) South Korea will ban those on the list Eight vessels are sailing, while there is left. Dutton defended Sydney’s Reuters Grand Karo is now anchored about 35km from engaging in fi nancial transactions no record on Reuters and shipping data- “Refugees can elect to return policy and the arrangement Seoul/Shanghai from Rizhao, ship tracking data showed. with South Korean entities and freeze as- bases of one of the sanctioned ships. to their country of origin at any with Phnom Penh. “The vessel operator will have to decide sets that are held in the country, the gov- The Grand Karo, which was turned away time, which is what an Iranian “The government remains what they can do,” the Rizhao maritime ernment said. at the Chinese port, is owned by Yuanyao couple in Cambodia decided to committed to supporting the hina has barred a North Korean offi cial said. Offi cials of Mariner’s Shipping & Trad- Shipping Ltd and managed by Aoyang Ma- do recently,” said a spokesman government of Cambodia to freighter from one of its ports and “If non-sanctioned North Korean ships ing declined comment. One of them re- rine Company, two Hong Kong-registered for Australia’s immigration implement settlement ar- CSouth Korea announced a crack- enter the port, offi cials will ask senior au- ferred queries to the Thai foreign ministry fi rms, according to the Reuters’ Eikon and minister Peter Dutton. rangements in Cambodia and down on individuals and companies linked thorities for instructions on how to deal and said: “All this has been very bad for us. the Equasis shipping database, although A Cambodian immigration encourages refugees tempo- to Pyongyang’s weapons programme, with them,” the offi cial added. Very bad for trade.” is no telephone number listing for either spokesman said the couple rarily in Nauru to explore this stepping up sanctions against the isolated In Seoul, the government said yester- Mariner’s Shipping & Trading, with its company. were “quite happy living in settlement option,” he said. state. day it would impose new sanctions against head offi ce in Bangkok, has operated and Of the two ships sailing toward North North Korean general cargo ship Grand 40 individuals and 30 entities because of fi nanced vessels associated with Ocean Korea, the 14,379 dwt Dawnlight, now Karo arrived at Rizhao port in northeast- suspected links to North Korea’s weapons Maritime Management Co Ltd, a North renamed First Gleam, was heading to the ern China a few days ago, but the port did programme and would ban vessels that Korean company that has been blacklisted port of Wonsan, after being anchored not allow the ship to berth, said a person had stopped at North Korean ports in the along with the 31 ships it controls. in the outer Yangtze River estuary near at the Rizhao Maritime Authority, declin- past 180 days. Taiwan’s Royal Team Corporation, Shanghai until early yesterday. S Korea boardgamer ing to be identifi ed because he was not au- “We will expand fi nancial sanctions re- which is believed to have sold parts that The 6,901 dwt Ever Bright 88, owned thorised to speak to the media. lated to North Korea, including 38 North were used in North Korea’s long-range and managed by Hong Kong companies, The ship is among 31 vessels blacklist- Korean individuals and 24 entities re- rocket launched in 2012, according to a Pantech Shipping Ltd and Baili Shipping ready to face might ed by China’s ministry of transport after sponsible for developing weapons of mass UN panel, did not immediately have com- & Trading Ltd, was sailing towards North they were covered by harsher sanctions on destruction, and two individuals and six ment. Korea after being anchored off China. North Korea that were approved by the UN entities of third countries that have indi- Nineteen of the 31 ships have their au- A Shanghai Maritime Bureau offi cial of Google AI Security Council last week. rectly supported the North,” a statement tomatic identifi cation systems (AIS), a who was only willing to give his surname At least two other ships on the list of issued jointly by several ministries said. mandatory vessel tracking safety device, as Yu confi rmed the bureau had received barred freighters are now sailing away af- The individuals subject to fi nancial switched off , according to Reuters data. the transport ministry notice but had not DPA phaGo programme without a ter being anchored off Chinese ports, ship sanctions announced on Tuesday include Some have gone silent in the last few days dealt with any of the ships. Seoul defeat. tracking data on the Reuters Eikon termi- a Singaporean and a Taiwan national who while others have not been online since Shanghai Port was unavailable for com- Now, after learning more nal showed yesterday. are heads of a shipping fi rm and a trading 2014. ment. Maritime safety and port offi cials in about the software from its Another of the vessels has been banned company, the government said. One vessel, the 5,686 dwt Hui Chon, the Chinese ports of Longkou, Yantai and ith one day left be- programmers, the 12-year Go from leaving port in the Philippines until South Korea also blacklisted a Thai is moored at the Russian Far East port Shandong and Lianyunggang declined to fore a fi ve-round professional with 18 interna- safety defi ciencies, found during a secu- shipping fi rm called Mariner’s Shipping & of Vostochny. Port offi cials could not be comment. Wmatch of the clas- tional tournament victories sic Asian boardgame Go kicks was more cautious. off in Seoul, South Korea’s Lee “I think AlphaGo can imitate Sedol yesterday voiced his re- human intuition,” Lee said. spect for the rival he is about to The competition against Lee face: a Google artifi cial intelli- will be the ultimate challenge gence programme. for AlphaGo, developed by Tsunami scars visible and invisible “I’ll do my best to win 5-0, Google’s DeepMind AI branch but people make mistakes,” to forecast the most probable said Lee. The 33-year-old pro- moves of its human opponent AFP fessional Go player is due to and adjust itself accordingly. Tokyo square off against Google’s Al- The goal of the match against phaGo software on Wednesday Lee is to show just how fl exible for a prize of $1mn. and powerful algorithms can he eye in the sky tells the “If I make mistakes, I could be, DeepMind co-founder De- story: satellite imagery lose,” Lee admitted. mis Hassabis said in Seoul. Tfrom Japan’s tsunami- The rules of the boardgame “It will be a testimony to hu- ravaged Pacifi c coast shows the Go, which originates in China, man ingenuity,” Hassabis said. catastrophic aftermath of vibrant are easy in principle: Two play- In October, the programme communities destroyed fi ve years ers try to conquer spaces with won a fi ve-game match ago — and their struggle to re- white and black stones on the against Fan Hui, a top Europe- cover even now. board, which is divided by ver- an player who is nevertheless Walls of sea water inundated Workers build flumes for new rice field in tusnami-hit Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture. Right: This photo taken on March 12, 2011 shows tical and horizontal lines into a considered below the playing a wide swathe of the country’s a devastated village in Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture. grid. level of Lee. northeast on March 11, 2011 after Lee, who is considered one The fi ve games between Lee a magnitude 9.0 earthquake up- 2,600 people are missing, pre- red-hulled ship that the ocean in the community where citizens construction and decontamina- of the top three Go players in and AlphaGo will be played ended the ocean fl oor. sumed dead. dumped ashore — and which for gathered under cherry blossoms tion workers fi ll its hotels. the world, declared with con- from today to March 15 in They also triggered reactor Satellite pictures of the city of many became a symbol of the in spring and held a fi re festival Minamisoma plans to build an fi dence two weeks ago that he Seoul and will be streamed on meltdowns at the Fukushima Miyako taken on March 13, 2011 power of the tsunami — has gone, in summer to pray for a good har- industrial complex, set up solar would be able to beat the Al- YouTube. Daiichi power plant, in the worst and released by Google as part of revealing again the green hills of vest. panels and allow farmers to grow nuclear disaster since Cherno- a digital archive, reveal wide tracts the town. Trucks and construction ve- rice on cleared land where the byl in 1986, spreading radioactive of land covered in brown muck. But the visible remnants of the hicles roar along a road where government says radiation levels contamination over a wide area. Another taken late last month disaster tell only part of the story a digital panel shows radiation are safe, as it tries to lure back While cities and towns farther shows the landscape still stained of misery wrought by nature’s readings, while cranes haul big residents. north escaped the worst of the by the same colour, but other ar- fury. black plastic bags full of contam- Former evacuee Sayuri Tanaka nuclear fallout, their landscapes eas where eff orts to rebuild have In the seaside hamlet of Tomi- inated waste. works at a community café serv- were among the most devastated, borne fruit. oka, 6km from the shuttered The situation is better in Mi- ing young mothers and babies and, as Japan readies to mark the Two days after the tsunami the nuclear plant at Fukushima, un- namisoma, where lower radia- just metres away from the con- fi fth anniversary of the disaster Hachiman River fl owed through seeable — though measurable — tion levels have allowed evacu- struction site. on Friday, many are still barely Minamisanriku, a city smoth- radiation haunts the land. ated residents to return. She left the city for three years recovering. ered in a mess of mossy green and Tomioka is still dotted with Five years ago the powerful mainly due to fears over the im- The tsunami destroyed build- chalky white — colours dumped the carcasses of destroyed homes waves of the tsunami ripped off pact of radiation on her six-year- ings, swept entire homes out to when the ocean rolled ashore. and wrecked vehicles, the clean- roofs and tore homes from their old daughter, but ultimately de- sea and hurled seagoing vessels An image taken in Novem- up slowed by the tiny, but dan- foundations, leaving a landscape cided to return. of iron and steel onto land as if ber last year reveals a cityscape gerous atomic particles that in- reminiscent of Japan’s bombed out She is sanguine about her de- they were toys thrown about by mostly cleared, though still dusty fest the earth. ruins at the end of World War II. cision to return home. children. brown and awaiting redevelop- “Many from my town have Now parts of the city, 30km “It is more important for me to About 16,000 people are ment. lost hope of returning,” said Yuji north of the plant, buzz with the take a step forward than to keep Lee Sedol with his daughter during a news conference ahead of known to have died and some In Kesennuma, the huge Takahashi, 72, who used to live sound of bulldozers, while re- worrying.” matches against AlphaGo. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 17 BRITAIN

PEOPLE COMMENT POLITICS INQUIRY FALLOUT Former Stones bassist UK not to join any common Khan leads rival by five Police seek witness Sunderland chief quits Wyman treated for cancer EU asylum system: premier points in mayor race in band’s fatal crash over Johnson scandal

Bill Wyman, bassist with the Rolling Stones for over Britain will not join any common European Union Sadiq Khan is five points ahead in the battle for Swedish police are seeking a cab driver who saw Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne has 30 years, is undergoing treatment for prostate asylum system, Prime Minister David Cameron said mayor of London despite being hit by a string the car of British indie band Viola Beach plunge resigned in the wake of the Adam Johnson child cancer, a spokesman for the musician announced as leaders sought solutions to the continent’s worst of controversies, an exclusive poll revealed off a canal bridge last month, killing the musicians sex abuse case. Johnson was allowed to play until yesterday. “He is undergoing treatment and is refugee crisis since World War II. “The UK will not yesterday. Labour’s candidate is beating Tory rival and their manager, daily Expressen reported. In- his trial when he pleaded guilty to child sex abuse expected to make a full recovery as it was caught join a common asylum process in Europe - we have Zac Goldsmith by 31% to 26%, found pollsters vestigators have been at a loss to explain why the charges. Pressure was put on the club after John- in the early stages,” the spokesman said. Wyman, an absolutely rock solid opt out,” Cameron tweeted. Opinium. Khan is getting twice as many second band’s car on February 13 drove through a signal son’s legal team told Bradford Crown Court the 79, was a member of the iconic rock band when it He made the remarks following reports that Brus- preference votes from backers of smaller parties, light and two barriers towards a canal bridge near club was aware that he had told police he kissed formed in 1962, eventually leaving in 1993, and now sels could propose centralising claims for asylum putting him on course to win the run-off by a Stockholm which had not fully shut after letting a the girl. Byrne said: “Contrary to what has been records and tours with his own band, Bill Wyman’s as part of an overhaul of its refugee policy. EU 10-point margin of 55%-45%. But in the big outer vessel pass underneath. Police now want to ques- suggested, I did not understand that Johnson in- Rhythm Kings. He was born William Perks in Lewi- leaders met in Brussels on Monday to try to strike London “doughnut”, the two rivals are running tion a taxi driver who had stopped at the barrier tended to change his plea at trial or at all. I accept sham, south London, in 1936, legally changing his a deal with Turkey to cope with the crisis that saw neck-and-neck, which suggests a high turnout in and whose sideview mirror was smashed by the Johnson should not have been permitted to play name in 1964. The bassist hit the front pages in 1989 1.2mn asylum seekers land in the EU last year, but a the suburbs could slash Khan’s lead. With a quar- band’s car as it drove past. “For some reason the again, irrespective of what he was going to plead. when, aged 52, he married 18-year-old Mandy Smith, decision was delayed until a scheduled summit on ter of Londoners saying they have yet to make up (taxi) driver hasn’t come forward,” police investiga- “It was a serious error of judgement and I accept whom he had been dating since she was 13. March 17-18 next week. their minds, the May 5 contest is still wide open. tor Lars Berglund told Expressen. full responsibility for this.”

Five Prince’s Trust anniversary cyclists BoE warning shoved into canal by gang on Brexit

London Evening Standard London risks angers gang of yobs who pushed a cyclist into a canal leav- Aing him struggling to get out of the icy water has struck at least four more times, police re- vealed yesterday. Peter Bettell was cycling along eurosceptics the towpath of the Grand Union Canal when the thugs punched London Evening Standard of loss of business” for the City negotiated by David Cameron, him, slashed open his jacket and London if Britain lost influence over saying it addressed key issues pushed him in. His shoes were regulations, Carney replied: that it had identified as “being still clipped to the pedals of his “Without question.” important”. In a 19-page let- bike and he had to fi ght desper- ank of England Governor The bank boss said that in ter, Mr Carney highlighted that ately to reach the bank. He was Mark Carney yesterday the long term Britain could there was a “legally binding hauled out by a young girl who he Bwarned Brexit campaign- draw up a system of rules, commitment” to ensure Brit- said probably saved his life. ers that the UK’s financial sta- regulations and tools outside ain is not discriminated against Police fear more cases may bility could even be thrown into the EU to protect the economy in the single market because it have gone unreported and ap- jeopardy in the short term by from financial crashes and has kept the pound rather than pealed for witnesses. All the pulling out. other risks. However, he also adopting the euro. known incidents took place last He has previously signalled emphasised: “In the short- The bank also argued that month at diff erent points along that interest rates could rise if er term the transition could membership of the EU reinforc- the Grand Union Canal and in- Britain split from the EU. bring some challenges to fi- es the “dynamism” of the UK volved attacks on lone male cy- Appearing before the Com- nancial stability.” economy. Carney emphasised clists aged between 35 and 49. mons Treasury committee, the City chiefs had raised with him Inspector Anna Brennan, who bank chief said “some activity” the importance of the “pass- heads the Westminster Safer would be expected to disap- porting” arrangements that al- Neighbourhoods team investi- pear from the City if the coun- low their firms to trade in other gating the assaults, said: “The try voted to leave the European EU countries. victims were left frightened and Union on June 23. He came under fire from a traumatised.” “Certainly there is a logic to Brexit cheerleader, Tory MP Bettell, 53, was returning to that and there are views that Jacob Rees-Mogg, who said it his canal boat home in Kensal have been expressed publicly was “beneath the dignity of Rise on February 23 when he was and privately by a number of in- the Bank of England” to push attacked. He said: “I saw this stitutions that they would look “In the shorter term the speculative pro-EU argu- group who looked really menac- at it,” he told MPs. transition could bring ments. ing. I thought of turning back but “And I would say that a some challenges to Carney hit back strongly, I guessed that these people fi ght number of institutions are fi nancial stability” saying: “I’m not going to let other gangs and would not worry contingency-planning for that that stand.” He said the lan- me. The next thing I was in the possibility, major institutions, Sir Jon Cunliffe, the bank’s guage the bank was using on water struggling to breathe. foreign-headquartered institu- deputy governor for financial a highly political subject was “I was attached to the pedals tions who have their European stability, told the commit- “careful, not conclusive, argua- of my bike with clips so strug- headquarters here. So there tee that outside the EU the UK ble”. He denied pushing “stand- gled to release them. It was touch would be an impact.” would be entering “uncharted ard statements” favoured by the and go whether I could get out.” Referring to the possible water”. He added: “To me it’s Stay campaign. He said he was left so shaken relationship between Britain not likely that we would be able The governor also said that if by the assault that he has moved and the EU after a Brexit, he to remain in the single market the UK were to leave the EU, the his boat out of the capital and added: “I could not give you and have the same influence on cost of complying with regula- was commuting to his retail job a precise number in terms of setting the rules as a member tions could fall for domestical- in Piccadilly: “It is too worrying institutions or jobs or activ- of the EU if we were outside the ly-focused firms but were likely to go back to London. ity (that could be affected) be- EU.” to rise for those doing business “These guys are psychos, they cause we don’t know where we The bank chiefs’ warnings on the continent. do not care. I grew up on a council would be on that continuum will spark fresh questions over Carney angered Euroscep- estate but we did not do this sort between a form of mutual rec- why Mayor Boris Johnson is tic MPs before he appeared at of stuff . They are dead souls.” Po- ognition or purer third-coun- championing a Brexit given that the committee by announcing lice have stepped up patrols along Queen Elizabeth II looks on as Prince Charles cuts a cake to mark the 40th anniversary of the try access.” the City is so crucial to the cap- banks will be offered billions the towpath and put in place a Prince’s Trust in Kennington, London yesterday. The Prince’s Trust Centre runs programmes to Pressed by Conservative MP ital’s economy. of pounds of extra liquidity to dispersal order to allow offi cers to help disadvantaged young people to get into education and employment. Chris Philp to confirm that The bank also gave heavy- avoid a post-Brexit financial move on groups of youths. there would be “some degree weight backing to the EU deal crisis. Mums penalised, dads EU gag order was a rewarded at work: poll cock-up, says mayor London Evening Standard ed: “Nobody has been gagged, London I was only made aware of this According to the Fawcett to analysis by the Trades Union committed to work, compared to edict very late on Sunday night Society survey, 46% of people Congress (TUC), Britain’s larg- just 8% who believe new mothers and it ceased to be operative as in Britain believe women est union group - earn 15% less become more committed. oris Johnson yesterday soon as I was. It obviously hasn’t become less committed to than their female colleagues who The poll showed discrepancies overturned a memo in- been operative because my ad- their job after having a baby, haven’t had children. in how men and women see their Bstructing his senior City visory team take a very diff erent compared to 11% who think “The motherhood penalty and share of childcare, with men al- Hall team not to speak out view from me.” the same is true for men daddy bonus are still a strong most twice as likely as women to against Brexit, describing it as a Len Duvall, Labour leader on feature of our workplaces,” Sam believe that tasks such as making “cock-up”. the London Assembly, called Reuters Smethers, Fawcett Society’s sure children do their homework He withdrew offi cial advice the mayor’s move “possibly the London chief executive, said in a state- or washing children’s clothes that warned aides to “either ad- quickest U-turn in history”. ment. were shared equally. vocate the mayor’s position or Greenhalgh has taken issue “The lack of fl exibility and otherwise not openly contradict with Johnson’s claim that Brit- f you’re a new mother in Brit- “The lack of fl exibility pressure on dads at work means it”. The e-mail from his chief of ain would be safer outside the ain returning to work after and pressure on dads women are still doing the bulk of staff Sir Edward Lister, sent last EU, stressing the benefi ts of the Ihaving a baby here’s some at work means women the caring and the work around Friday, had prompted accusa- European Arrest Warrant and in- news for you: almost half your are still doing the bulk of childcare,” Smethers said. tions of hypocrisy as it came just telligence sharing with EU part- colleagues will think that you’ve the caring and the work “(...) until we start to see a 24 hours before he accused pro- ners. become less committed to your around childcare” more equal sharing of care we EU campaigners of trying to gag Yesterday he added: “I feel job, according to a survey pub- won’t achieve equality at work opponents. strongly that the right decision is lished yesterday. “This drives inequality and and we won’t close the pay gap.” Deputy mayor for policing for us to remain in. I’ll certainly However, if you’re a new father, forces women and men into tra- The survey also showed that Stephen Greenhalgh has already continue to do my job in City a baby comes with a bonus, as ditional male breadwinner, fe- both men and women lie to their spoken out in favour of staying in Hall and make my views known many of your peers will likely think male carer roles.” bosses in order to spend time the EU, and the Standard under- in a personal capacity when I your commitment to work has ac- According to the Fawcett Socie- caring for their children. stands that Sir Edward plans to think it’s important to do so.” tually increased, said the poll by ty survey, 46% of people in Britain Four in 10 fathers said they were vote to stay, although he has not Ministers have been told they the Fawcett Society, a campaign believe women become less com- not getting enough leave time to stated his position publicly. are free to campaign for either group promoting women’s rights mitted to their job after having a care for their children and 38% Yesterday Johnson said the side but supporters of the Leave in the labour market. baby, compared to 11% who think said they resorted to lying to their memo was “a cock-up and not campaign are banned from using The news gets even worse for the same is true for men. bosses in order to spend time with something I agree with”, and he Whitehall resources to help them women who become mothers be- Meanwhile, 29% of people be- their kids, compared to 28% of was in favour of allowing “a hun- as the government’s offi cial posi- fore the age of 33, who, according lieve new fathers become more women who said they lied. Boris Johnson: ‘Nobody has been gagged’ dred fl owers to bloom”. He add- tion is to back staying in the EU. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 BRITAIN Thatcher aide’s Ming porcelain hoard tears family apart

London Evening Standard century “late Ming” Chinese extensive collection of its kind”, Family Collection” to remain Sir Michael must have imag- wanted to “get her own back” together to honour their father London ceramics during five decades as the high court heard. intact at a private museum in ined his gift would “enrich his on her father for his aff airs and and preserve a “historic collec- a British diplomat. But it is now the focus of a Mapperton, Dorset, where he children’s lives”. He accused leaving the bulk of his wealth tion of irreplaceable value”. He advised Lady Thatcher in toxic legal battle that is pulling lived. Caroline and James of being to his younger children. He told Elspeth Talbot Rice QC, for he family of a trusted aide the Eighties and was a princi- his family apart. But their older siblings, “hell-bent on breaking up the the judge: “Caroline’s interest, Caroline and James, argued to Margaret Thatcher has pal architect of her victory in When Sir Michael died aged Caroline, 62, and James, 50, ar- collection”. particularly, was money from they should be able to “possess” Tbeen torn apart by a feud cutting the UK’s contribution 86 two years ago, he left 500 of gue they are entitled to 125 pots The court has also heard al- an early stage. She regarded her their inheritance. Caroline, who over the fate of his £8mn Ming to the European Community his most prized pots to his four each and have asked judge Brian legations about Sir Michael’s share of the collection as an as- spent years helping her father porcelain collection, a court budget. children. Barker QC to order them to be private life, including claims he set which she would be seeking to with his collection, said she heard. Experts believe his ceramic Charles, 49, and Katharine handed over. cheated on his wife and had fa- convert into cash in due course.” wanted “unfettered ownership Sir Michael Butler built up collection is “unique in the Butler, 48, believe their father John Brisby QC, representing vourites among his children. Charles and Katharine say of 125 beautiful pieces which I an 800-piece hoard of 17th- world” and “the finest and most would have wanted the “Butler Charles and Katharine, argued Brisby suggested Caroline the collection should be kept was brought up with”.

World War I centenary exhibition BBC under fi re for slashing sport services

Guardian News and Media The spotlight turned on 5 Live, London which has a total annual budget of £66mn, because of the growing cost of sports rights and with more he BBC has been criticised people looking online for coverage by one of its former sen- of news and sporting fi xtures. Tior executives for cutting One of the fl agship BBC services back on sport and services that to move to the new BBC North HQ appeal to younger people while in Salford nearly fi ve years ago, 5 ensuring “affl uent heartland Live has also seen a fall in listeners, audiences are protected and the down to 5.6mn at the end of last arts world indulged”. year from a peak of more than 7mn Roger Mosey, a former editorial in 2010. director at the BBC and head of its The BBC’s youth-oriented TV 2012 Olympics coverage, spoke channel, BBC3, was closed last out in defence of Radio 5 Live, af- month, going online-only despite ter it was suggested it may follow being the only BBC TV chan- BBC3 and become online-only in nel whose audience was getting the corporation’s latest £700mn younger, and a perception among cost-cutting drive. viewers that it refl ected diversity Mosey, a former controller in Britain better than any other TV of 5 Live, said the station, home service. to broadcasters such as Nicky The average age of BBC3 viewers Campbell and Adrian Chiles, had was 33 in 2013-14, compared to 59 An employee installs a model depicting a ‘Tommy’ soldier wearing uniform and kit of the British infantryman in 1916, as part of World War I exhibition at the Whitgift school an important role as the BBC’s for BBC1 and 60 for BBC2. BBC4, in Croydon in south London yesterday. Marking the centenary of World War I and the momentous battles at Verdun, Jutland and the Somme, ‘Remembering 1916 - Life on home of live sport at a time when which remains a linear TV chan- the Western Front’ presents a collection of more than 600 original objects, many from private collections, never before displayed in public. live TV rights had been lost for nel, had the oldest demographic, many sports, such as golf and For- with an average age of 61. mula One. It is two years since the BBC di- “It seems to be part of a pattern,” rector general, Tony Hall, prom- Mosey wrote in Radio Times. “The ised the corporation’s “strongest loss of Formula One on TV and the commitment to arts in a genera- slashing of BBC3’s budget are hit- tion”. ting the same younger audiences. With an extra £3mn for arts “The affl uent heartland audi- programming, Hall said the arts ences are protected, and the arts were “not for an elite or for a mi- Govt accepts 1% pay rise world indulged, while sport is nority - they’re for everybody”. raided; and it will compound the Mosey, now master of Selwyn problem if 5 Live is next in line to College, Cambridge, admitted 5 be cut.” Live was not perfect and said one Mosey said BBC sport had of the rationales for its foundation shown itself willing to save mon- 22 years ago had been eroded by ey “only for the bean counters to online news. for public sector workers come back with a raid on tens of The BBC has also looked at clos- millions pounds more of the sport ing its 24-hour TV news channel, Agencies will get 1.36% as an “exceptional estimates that 200,000 public disappointing for NHS work- to paying health workers the budget”. BBC News, following last year’s London award” for “highly ambitious” sector jobs have been protected ers that the pay review body living wage. NHS staff earn- The BBC is likely to have to scale funding deal with the govern- prison reforms. thanks to our average 1% pay has stuck to the artifi cial 1% pay ing below this in England and back its sports coverage further ment in which the BBC took on the Health union leaders said 1% policy so we can continue to de- freeze imposed by the chancel- Northern Ireland will quite this year with another £35mn of £700mn cost of free TV licences he government has ac- was “way below” what work- liver crucial public services. lor. rightly want to know why savings required, following the for over-75s. cepted a recommended ers needed. The announcement “The independent pay re- “Government pay poli- tackling poverty pay in the loss of F1, Open golf and the deal to But Mosey said the “success of T1% pay rise for public follows recommendations from view bodies have worked hard cies since 2010 have seen most NHS in their countries isn’t a share Six Nations rugby with ITV, BBC radio generally shows there sector workers, including doc- pay review bodies. to bring forward a balanced and health staff lose thousands in political priority. among others. is a market for intelligent topi- tors and nurses. Chief Secretary to the Treas- aff ordable set of recommenda- real terms - nurses are down “It’s no surprise that many Mosey said: “5 Live matters be- cal speech” and said 5 Live “can The awards cover more than ury Greg Hands said: “Our tions that delivers on our com- more than £4,700 since then. desperately hard-up health cause it remains the BBC’s home still deliver something that has a 1mn employees, including staff armed forces, NHS workers and mitments to increase pay by an This 1% pay rise falls way below workers are leaving the NHS to of live sport and as the television freshness lacking elsewhere on the in the armed forces. prison offi cers do a brilliant job average of 1% across the work- what health workers need and come back as agency staff where portfolio ebbs away, that becomes dial”. Ministers said the award was serving our country but with an forces. deserve after years of pay cuts, they can earn more money.” more rather than less important … He said: “They’re also doing it in line with its policy of an aver- increasingly turbulent global “The government is grateful especially as changes to national Jon Skewes of the Royal Col- You can buy a whole season of live from the north of England - and it age 1% pay increase in 2016-17. economy, pay restraint contin- for their work and I am pleased insurance and pension contri- lege of Midwives, said: “This audio Premier League commen- would be perverse to have moved a NHS staff , doctors and den- ues to be a key part of our plan to that we are able to accept their butions will absorb much of this award recognises the hard work taries for signifi cantly less than national network out of London, tists, and members of the armed fi nish fi xing the public fi nances. recommendations.” miserly increase. and dedication of midwives the price of a single match on Sky only to shred its resources when forces will receive an average of “The independent OBR (Of- Unison’s head of health “The governments in Scot- and other NHS staff. However, TV.” it’s become established there.” 1%, while Prison Service staff fi ce for Budget Responsibility) Christina McAnea said: “It’s land and Wales are committed it is not good enough”.

Plan to fi ght domestic Police widen hunt for abuse unveiled

‘Croydon cat ripper’ London Evening Standard “As the true scale of these London crimes is revealed, we need to strengthen our work to change London Evening S tandard recent attacks suggest that the were no defi nite leads as to the attitudes, improve prevention London killer may be travelling around identity of the killer but appealed ousing offi cers, health and where possible rehabilitate London. to the public for help. He said: “If workers and other pro- off enders to stop reoff ending,” Detective sergeant Andy Col- anyone sees anything suspicious Hfessionals will be given she said. he hunt for the “Croydon lin said the Richmond killing or doing something to a cat they new training to help them spot “To do this we need to make cat ripper” widened yes- appeared to be the work of the should call me or police urgently.” victims of domestic abuse as tackling violence against women Tterday after as many as cat ripper and police were also He added that offi cers were ex- part of a drive to tackle violence and girls everybody’s business. four mutilated pets were found looking at three other cases. amining CCTV from areas where against women and girls, which From health providers to law across London in recent days. “Many reports are historical so the latest killings took place. was announced by Theresa May enforcement to employers and Vets are to examine the body it will not be possible for vets to Tony Jenkins, of South Nor- yesterday. friends and family, we all need to of a cat found in a Richmond car look at them but we have seven wood Animal Rescue and Lib- The home secretary said that play our part. By allowing women park at the weekend with re- cases so far confirmed as muti- erty, said investigators were no new schemes to rehabilitate per- to disclose violence as part of their ports that there were three more lated by human hand. The area closer to unmasking the culprit. petrators - including potential everyday interactions we can sup- cases including in Streatham, is getting greater, it is definitely “We do not know if it’s the one-to-one advice sessions on port earlier identifi cation and in- Tottenham and Addiscombe, spreading around town. same person, or if it’s a group of how to change their behaviour — tervention to stop violence and south London. “At this stage I am looking people, or there may be copy- would also be funded in an attempt abuse from escalating to critical The detective leading the at it as one person but I cannot cats now,” he said. to reduce the number of female levels.” hunt for the cat slayer revealed rule out that other people have In the early hours of Sunday victims suff ering attacks. The emphasis on the role of that the number of confirmed picked up the mantle.” one pet was found in Conifer Other measures in the £80mn professionals follows evidence deaths was expected to rise to He added: “I expect the num- Gardens, Streatham, and a sec- strategy include support for a that victims of domestic violence more than 20. bers of confirmed cases will be ond was found dead in Totten- greater use of body-worn cameras are twice as likely to attend medi- RSPCA vets have confirmed the high teens or early twen- ham Hale several hours later. by police and modern technology cal services as other people, but that seven cats have been mu- ties.” Animal rights campaign such as GPS satellite tracking to that it takes an average of fi ve visits tilated by human hand, prob- Police say the cats are being group Peta has offered a £5,000 identify and monitor off enders. before abuse is reported. ably after being killed by blunt killed before being mutilated, reward for information leading Announcing the plans in Par- The Home Offi ce hopes that force. The carcasses of many possibly by being run down to the arrest and conviction of liament yesterday, May said that improved training for staff will re- more animals are waiting to be or by some other means. They the perpetrator. there had been “a step change” sult in earlier alerts being raised, examined and are expected to are also thought to have been Actor Martin Clunes, who in the number of off ences against allowing victims to receive help be confirmed as linked. lured to their deaths by offers of went to school in Croydon, has women and girls recorded by po- sooner and perpetrators to be Most of the killings have taken treats such as chicken. previously urged police to do lice and that action was needed in tackled before they commit fur- place in the Croydon area but Collin admitted that there more to investigate the killings. Theresa May: ‘we all need to play our part’ response. ther off ences. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 19 EUROPE

‘Butcher dentist’ appears in French court Study: Climate change wiped out

Reuters/AFP One former patient quoted questioning by French police But another found that the prehistoric ‘sea dragon’ dinosaur Paris by regional newspaper Le Jour- was part of a plan to commit Dutchman was “perfectly aware nal du Centre described how suicide, she said, adding that he of what he was doing”, accord- van Nierop took out eight of her was in poor health. ing to statements read to the AFP verse sub-species, which is gen- their physical evolution could dentist dubbed “the teeth in one sitting without per- Van Nierop was arrested in court. Paris erally a portender of future suc- not keep up with planetary butcher” by French me- mission. 2014 in New Brunswick, Canada Van Nierop himself told the cess. change. Adia appeared in court She said she bled for three and sent home. court: “I was not in the right Some scientists have thought “At that time, the Earth’s poles yesterday, accused of mutilating days afterwards. Although he is not required state to put myself in my pa- rehistoric global warming that ichthyosaurs may have been were essentially ice-free, and sea over a hundred patients. Another said her teeth were to off er a plea under French tients’ position.” wiped out the ichthyo- beaten in a competition for food levels were much higher than to- Jacobus Marinus (Mark) van fi led down when she was ex- law, Van Nierop has previously Van Nierop was hired by a Psaur, a toothy, dolphin-like and living space by rival reptiles day,” said a statement by Univer- Nierop, 51, arrived in a police pecting them to be cleaned. sought to defl ect responsibil- head-hunter and was initially reptile that disappeared from or fi sh, or that their prey itself sity of Oxford researchers who car, his head covered by a blan- An 80-year-old patient, Ber- ity, saying he suff ers from “psy- welcomed by locals in the area Earth’s oceans tens of millions of had gone extinct. took part in the study. ket, at a court in Nevers, central nard Hugon, said that the den- chological problems”, including which was sorely lacking in years before the last dinosaurs, Yesterday, a European team of Rising temperatures and sea France, near the town of Cha- tist left “pieces of fl esh hanging gender identity issues and sui- medical services. researchers said yesterday. researchers said they had solved levels likely aff ected food avail- teau-Chinon where he began everywhere” after tearing out a cidal tendencies. A neighbour recalled the ar- Palaeontologists have long the mystery by comparing the ability, migratory routes, com- practising in 2008. tooth. The court heard confl icting rival of a smiley, larger-than- scratched their heads over the fossil history of ichthyosaurs petitor numbers and birthing He is charged with aggravated His lawyer Delphine Morin- evidence about Van Nierop’s life character, with a “big 4x4, a abrupt disappearance of these with geological records of cli- places, said the team, “probably assault, as well as fraud over Meneghel was quoted in January psychological state. big dog, a big cigar”. apex predators, sometimes called mate change. occurring in conjunction to drive claims that he tried to rip off pa- as saying that he “recognised One psychiatrist found he But by 2011, the authorities sea dragons, after an impressive The creatures were wiped out ichthyosaurs to extinction”. tients and insurance companies, that he did not do good work” had “narcissistic tendencies” were starting to question some 157mn-year deep-sea reign. in two phases, they said, fi nally The last of the land dinosaurs and faces up to 10 years in prison but he was not the horrible per- and had therefore been unable of his accounting practices, and They were a successful family disappearing at the beginning disappeared about 65mn years and a €150,000 ($165,000) fi ne son some people had described. to make a moral judgment of his patients were starting to com- of marine reptiles – widespread of the Late Cretaceous period, ago, followed by the rise of the if found guilty. His fl ight to Canada after own actions. pare notes on his dentistry. and with many genetically di- about 100mn years ago, when mammals.

Turkey takes over news EU, Turkey reach deal, agency

Reuters Istanbul UN says may be illegal Reuters ple fl eeing war and poverty in ther improve the situation of the urkish authorities have Geneva/Brussels the Middle East and beyond, due Syrians in Turkey.” seized control of the to be fi nalised next week, was But many lawmakers criti- TCihan news agency, ac- fully legal. cised the strategy to regain con- cording to a statement from he United Nations and German Chancellor Angela trol of the infl ux, saying the EU Cihan, widening the crackdown human rights groups Merkel, who pushed for the ac- must ensure people needing in- against supporters of US-based Twarned yesterday that a cord to assuage anxious vot- ternational protection are able to Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, tentative European Union deal to ers before regional elections on claim asylum. an infl uential foe of President send back all irregular migrants Sunday, said that things were “In the name of ‘realpolitik’, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. to Turkey in exchange for politi- fi nally moving in the right direc- member states seemed ready Cihan said on its website late cal and fi nancial rewards could tion after nearly a million Syr- to trample on their principles on Monday that an Istanbul be illegal. ians, Iraqis, Afghans and others to conclude a shameful bargain court would appoint an admin- “I am deeply concerned about fl ooded into Germany alone last with Turkey,” the French Social- istrator to run the agency on a any arrangement that would in- year. ist group said. request from a state prosecu- volve the blanket return of any- She denied accusations that Critics denounced a cascade tor, days after authorities seized one from one country to another Turkey was using refugees to of border closures down the control of the leading Gulen- without spelling out the refugee blackmail Europe. main Western Balkan migration linked newspaper, Zaman. protection safeguards under in- The 28 EU leaders were taken route that has left 33,000 peo- That seizure prompted in- ternational law,” UN High Com- by surprise by the bold, last ple stranded in Greece, causing a ternational alarm about press missioner for Refugees Filippo minute Turkish initiative, which humanitarian catastrophe. freedom in Turkey and was dis- Grandi told the European Parlia- went beyond previous plans for Avramopolus responded on cussed at Monday’s European ment in Strasbourg. more limited co-operation. Twitter: “It is our responsibil- Union summit with Ankara over He was speaking hours after Unable to sign up to fi rm com- ity to create more legal pathways the migration crisis. the 28 EU leaders sketched an mitments immediately, they for people in need of protection France’s foreign minister said accord with Turkish Prime Min- agreed to wrap up a deal at their to come to Europe legally and the decision to seize control of ister Ahmet Davutoglu in Brus- next summit on March 17-18 but safely. Let me assure you that @ Zaman, Turkey’s largest news- sels that would grant Ankara several points remain sensitive. EU_Commission does not forget paper by circulation, was “un- more money to keep refugees in Migrants marooned in squalor A baby sleeps near the railway tracks at a makeshift camp near the Greek-Macedonian border by the and does not forsake its humani- acceptable” and went against Turkey, faster visa-free travel for on Greece’s frontier with Mac- village of Idomeni, where thousands of refugees and migrants are stranded. tarian duties.” European values. Turks and a speeding up of An- edonia by the closure of borders While Poland and others fret- Both Cihan and Zaman are kara’s membership talks. further north vowed to keep try- Under the tentative deal, the housing, schools and subsist- about Turkey’s “safe” status, ted about where the EU would part of the Feza Gazetecilik me- Rights group Amnesty In- ing to cross Europe to wealthy EU would admit one refugee di- ence. given its human rights record, fi nd the money to double the ex- dia company. ternational called the proposed Germany, while Syrian refugees rectly from Turkey for each Syr- EU offi cials questioned how and the compatibility of mass isting €3bn earmarked for Syr- Erdogan accuses Gulen of mass return of migrants a “death in Turkey said they too would ian it took back from the Greek the one-for-one scheme would returns with asylum seekers’ ian refugees in Turkey, Cyprus conspiring to overthrow the blow to the right to seek asylum”. not be deterred by the lockdown. Aegean islands, and those who work in practice, with several EU right to an individual assessment dug in its heels on advancing government by building a net- Relief charity Doctors without “We will stay here even if we attempted the perilous sea route countries objecting to any quota of their claim, an EU source said. Turkey’s EU accession process. work of supporters in the judici- Borders said it was cynical and all die,” said Kadriya Jasem, a would be returned and go to the system for resettling refugees. It was unclear whether an Nicosia has blocked the open- ary, police and media. inhumane. 25-year-old from Aleppo in Syr- back of the queue. It might also be overwhelmed eventual deal could be chal- ing of fi ve so-called negotiation Gulen denies the charges. But the executive European ia, one of 13,000 people living in The aim is to persuade Syrians if the volume of migrants cross- lenged in European or interna- chapters – vetting Turkish com- The two men were allies until Commission insisted that the a makeshift camp in Idomeni on and others that they have better ing the Aegean remains high de- tional courts. pliance with EU rules – to de- police and prosecutors seen as deal to put an end to a mass in- the Greek side of the border with prospects if they stay in Turkey, spite increased Nato-backed sea Any case might take years to mand recognition by Ankara and sympathetic to Gulen opened fl ux of more than a million peo- Macedonia. with increased EU funding for patrols by Greece and Turkey. reach a ruling, with EU doors trade access. a corruption investigation into Brussels sought to dismiss closed in the meantime. It says it will not lift objec- Erdogan’s inner circle in 2013. German police release photos of fi ve Cologne sex assault suspects concerns over the legality of the Migration experts said refu- tions until Turkey opens its At the start of March, Turk- proposed re-admission arrange- gees would likely try other routes ports and airports to Cypriot- ish authorities shut down media German police have released photos of five men sus- encircling, harassing and stealing from women. ments. if Turkey’s closure worked. registered traffi c. businesses seized last year from pected of sexually assaulting and trying to steal from About 40% of those were complaints of a sexual “You can be sure that the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Turkey has no diplomatic ties Koza Ipek Holding, a conglom- women in connection with a night of crime during nature ranging from harassment to rape. agreement that will come at the have begun tightening identity with Cyprus, an ethnically di- erate linked to Gulen. New Year’s Eve celebrations in Cologne linked mainly It is unclear how many men are currently being inves- end of it will comply with both controls and erecting fences on vided island which joined the EU to men of North African descent. tigated by police. European and international law,” their eastern borders, fearing the split in 2004 and which is rep- “Our investigations indicate that those pictured in one The New Year’s Eve attacks sparked a debate in Ger- Commission spokesman Alex- Baltic region will become a new resented by the Greek Cypriot case encircled their victims and sexually assaulted many about how to deal with asylum-seekers found ander Winterstein said. entry point for migrants. government. them, as well as trying to steal from them,” a police guilty of crimes and the country’s ability to integrate Commission chief Jean- EU Migration Commissioner Ankara maintains ties with a statement released yesterday said. the 1.1mn migrants who arrived in 2015. Claude Juncker cited EU asylum Dimitris Avramopoulos, speak- breakaway Turkish Cypriot state Swiss “Despite the frightening situation, several witnesses Last month, the first asylum-seekers tried in connec- procedure rules to argue that ing in the European Parliament, in northern Cyprus. and victims managed to take photos of the accused,” tion with the New Year’s Eve attacks were handed member states were entitled to welcomed the preliminary deal The two Cypriot communi- it said, adding that the attackers’ current locations are suspended sentences for theft, and a third was put on refuse to consider a claim from and said: “We need now to en- ties are negotiating a peace deal arrest 15 unknown. probation. a person who arrives from a safe sure a quick implementation to overcome 42 years of division, Some 1,100 complaints were filed with Cologne police Aged between 18 and 23, the men were of Moroccan third country. of the voluntary humanitarian but until there is movement, Ni- in the wake of the attacks, which saw groups of men and Tunisian descent. Some Commission offi cials scheme from Turkey and to im- cosia looks set to keep blocking Italians have private misgivings both plement projects that will fur- Ankara’s EU progress.

Reuters Zurich Denmark detains two Ukrainians picket Russian embassy wiss authorities arrested 15 Italian citizens yesterday Sand plan to extradite them planning school attack AFP drink since her hearing was ad- many Ukrainians as a symbol of “Her unlawful continuing to their home country, where Kiev journed last Thursday before resistance against what Kiev’s detention is a clear violation law enforcement offi cials ac- she was given a chance to make pro-Western leaders view as of Russia’s commitment un- cuse them of membership in the DPA baek, northwest of the capital. a fi nal statement. Russian aggression in the east- der the Minsk agreements, and ‘Ndrangheta mafi a organisation. Stockholm Both suspects denied the undreds of angry Around 300 protesters gath- ern industrial heartland of the she should be freed at once,” Switzerland’s Federal Offi ce of charges but were to remain in Ukrainians picketed ered outside Moscow’s fenced- former Soviet state. he added in reference to a deal Justice said in a statement that custody until March 30, the HMoscow’s embassy in off mission holding up banners The 23-month confl ict has signed in the Belarussian capital yesterday’s raid was carried out Danish court has or- court said. Kiev yesterday as global calls reading “(Russian President claimed the lives of more than aimed at ending Ukraine’s sepa- by agents in three cantons: urban dered a teenage girl and The two have been in cus- grew for the release of a hunger- Vladimir) Putin will not break 9,100 people and plunged Mos- ratist war. Zurich and rural Thurgau, in the Aa young man to remain tody since January. striking military helicopter pilot us” and “#FreeSavchenko” – cow’s relations with the West to The European Union de- country’s north, and mountain- in custody on suspicion of Details of the charges were on trial in Russia. the Twitter hashtag used by her a post-Cold War low. scribed her hunger strike as “ex- ous Valais, in southern Switzer- planning to attack two schools, sealed until yesterday, when Nadia Savchenko is on trial for supporters worldwide. Russia rejects Ukrainian and tremely worrisome”. land. one of them a Jewish school in the prosecutor read them out alleged involvement in the death “The Kremlin thought that Western charges of instigat- “Russia bears responsibility Two of the people taken into the capital of Copenhagen, lo- loud. of two Russian state television this woman will submit to it and ing and backing the unrest in for the health, well-being and custody have already been sen- cal media reported. Reporters were then ordered journalists in a mortar attack that it would thus be able to dic- reprisal for the February 2014 observance of the human rights tenced in Italy to prison terms of The girl, a 16-year-old who to leave the court. that occurred two months after tate its conditions to Ukraine,” ouster of Kiev’s Moscow- of all persons it detains,” a Euro- six and nine years, it added. converted to Islam more than According to Ritzau, pros- Ukraine’s pro-Moscow eastern pensioner Volodymyr Marush- backed leadership. pean Union spokeswoman said Two other people have been a year ago, was suspected of ecutor Kristian Kirk said the revolt broke out in April 2014. chak told AFP. “But Ukraine will US Vice-President Joe Biden on Monday. invited for questioning by Swiss buying chemicals and trying to girl had planned to attack The 34-year-old Iraq war vet- remain free as long as it has peo- added his voice to concern ex- Prosecutors argue that authorities but are not subject make explosive devices, Danish Carolineskolen, a private Jew- eran faces up to 23 years in pris- ple like Savchenko.” pressed by the European Union Savchenko helped Ukrainian to extradition unless they agree news agency Ritzau reported. ish school in Copenhagen, and on if convicted in a case that has The protest ended after about Savchenko’s fate. forces direct fi re at the two Rus- to it because they previously The 24-year-old male was a school near her home in Hol- drawn global attention and been Russian offi cials allowed two “Nadiya has been unjustly sian journalists in the separatist obtained Swiss citizenship, au- suspected of giving the girl baek. attended by Western monitors Ukrainian lawmakers to enter imprisoned in Russia since 2014 region of Luhansk. thorities said. a bomb-making manual and The foiled plans have not concerned about Russia’s record the embassy and hand over a pe- – detained and facing trial on She counters that she was in Italy had requested the extra- previously visited Syria, Ritzau been labelled as terrorism. on human rights. tition addressed to Putin calling trumped-up charges,” Biden the area of the attack inciden- dition of the 15 individuals start- and broadcaster TV2 reported That decision rests with Jus- Savchenko denies the charges for Savchenko’s release. said in a statement issued yes- tally and was kidnapped and ing a year ago. from the district court in Hol- tice Minister Soren Pind. and has refused all food and The pilot’s case is seen by terday. smuggled into Russia. Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 INDIA

HEALTHCARE MURDER JUDICIARY INVESTIGATION WILDLIFE App helps patients CBI gets custody of Rajiv killer Nalini CBI questions staff Jharkhand concern consult doctors Kerala CPM leader granted one-day parole of Kerjiwal’s aide over elephant menace

Here comes an app that will help you chat A court in Kannur, Kerala yesterday allowed the Nalini Sriharan, one of the convicts serving life The Central Bureau of Investigation yesterday Legislators in Jharkhand yesterday expressed with a specialised doctor from the comfort Central Bureau of Investigation three days of term for her role in the assassination of former called the staff of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind concern over the rising menace of wild elephants of your home or off ice. The seeDoc app has custodial interrogation of Marxist politician P prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was granted a Kejriwal’s principal secretary Rajendra Kumar for in the state and suggested an elephant-zone roped in leading doctors from top healthcare Jayarajan who is an accused in the murder of day’s parole yesterday by the Madras High questioning in connection with its probe into an be developed in the state. The issue was raised institutions covering general medicine, sexual Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Court. She applied for three days’ parole to alleged corruption case against him, an off icial during question hour by Yogendra Prasad of health, dermatology and diabetes, among Kathiroor Manoj. The Thalassery principal sessions attend her father’s memorial prayer. Last said. “Two-three members of Kumar’s staff were the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Prasad also other key areas. It off ers high quality paid video court asked the Kannur jail superintendent to month, Nalini was granted 12 hours’ parole to called for questioning,” a CBI off icial said. The CBI demanded a hike in the compensation for crops consultation seven days a week. You can also make all arrangements for the CBI to interrogate attend her father’s funeral held in Chennai. She had earlier said documents seized from the off ice damaged by the elephants. Joining the issue, ask leading specialised doctors a free question. Jayarajan for three days starting today. is lodged in Vellore prison, around 150km from of Kumar “prima facie reflect criminal conspiracy another JMM legislator, Stephen Marandi, said: “Our team of doctors has been handpicked Jayarajan, who suff ers from a heart ailment, has Chennai. Nalini was sentenced to death by a and criminal misconduct and abuse of off icial “There is a herd of 20-25 elephants roaming in from the best in the medical fraternity such as been convalescing at a hospital in Kozhikode. special court for her involvement in Gandhi’s position by the accused persons”. The CBI had diff erent parts of the state and damaging crops AIIMS, Fortis, Medanta, Max, AFMC, MAMC and Jayarajan is former Kannur district secretary of assassination at Sriperumbudur near Chennai conducted raid on Kumar’s off ice on December 15 and killing people. A high-power committee Manipal,” Anuj Agarwal, co-founder of seeDoc, the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He was on May 21, 1991. The sentence was commuted last year at the Delhi Secretariat. Kejriwal tweeted should be formed which will try to find out said in a statement. With over 300,000 users booked by the CBI for conspiracy under Section 18 to life imprisonment after Sonia Gandhi, the yesterday: “The CBI summons Delhi chief minister’s permanent solution of the issue and to rehabilitate already and growing rapidly, seeDoc is serving of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the former prime minister’s widow, petitioned for staff ‘informally’ on phone without notice. Staff of the herd.” Congress legislator Manoj Yadav also up to 500 video consultations daily. murder of Manoj. clemency. other ministers called earlier like this.” demanded a permanent solution to the issue.

Legislators stage protest Saudi seeks to elevate India ties during Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party legislators stage a demonstration outside the Bihar assembly in Patna yesterday. Modi’s visit The prime minister’s two-day Qatar NRIs to set up Rs13bn visit starts from April 2 IANS New Delhi healthcare project in Kochi audi Arabia seeks to elevate its ties with India from the Scurrent “strategic part- By Ashraf Padanna “We’ll off er tourism facili- nership” during Prime Minister Gulf Times Correspondent ties for the visiting patients and Narendra Modi’s visit to Riyadh Kochi their relatives with hotel apart- early next month, the kingdom’s ments and three and fi ve-star Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir hotels within. Accommodation said yesterday. group of Qatar-based services for the staff also will be “We look forward to Prime non-resident Indians provided here.” Minister Modi’s visit which will Ayesterday unveiled plans They said they had chosen a be another milestone in the rela- Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir shakes hands with to set up a “medical city” in the backward area to develop the tions between our two great na- Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi yesterday. port city of Kochi to attract med- facilities benefi ting the local tions,” Jubeir said after holding ical travellers. community of Kadamakudy and talks with Modi and External Af- Indo-Saudi Arabian ties got tant partner for us,” the minister The Rs13bn Cochi Medi City nearby islands in employment fairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a fresh boost during then King said. will be set up in 52 acres of land An artist’s impression of Cochi Medi City. besides supporting services like the run-up to the prime ministe- Abdullah’s visit to New Delhi in “We expressed our commit- out of 140 acres they possess and supply of vegetables, horticul- rial visit. 2006 which resulted in the sign- ment to further deepen our rela- has been designed as an eco- Vice-chairman Mathew Fran- Managing director Has- ture, fi sh-farming and laundry. “We hope to elevate our rela- ing of the “Delhi Declaration”. tions in all areas including energy friendly project. cis Kattukaran said the project san Kunhi said the medical city The group also plans free tionship from that of the current The reciprocal visit by Singh co-operation.” The promoters said the was designed by RSP Singapore, would have a 50-bed ayurvedic insurance to retired and aged ‘strategic partnership’,” he said. in 2010 raised the level of bilat- Al-Jubeir also referred to the “world-class healthcare centre one of the pioneers in establish- spa and a research centre to re- farmers in the village. Modi’s two-day visit from April eral engagement to “strategic role played by the nearly 3mn- will become fully operational in ing green projects in the world. search on the ayurvedic medica- The venture has kicked up a 2 on his way back from the US will partnership” and the “Riyadh strong expatriate Indian popula- three years, generating 7,500 di- “The design maintains the tions and to develop appropriate row in the state with a section be the fi rst by an Indian prime Declaration” signed during the tion in the development of Saudi rect and 25,000 indirect jobs.” ecology and preserves the water drugs with the help of interna- of politicians and green activ- minister to Saudi Arabia after visit captured the spirit of en- Arabia. “India needs 3.5 beds for 1,000 fl ow without interruption,” he tionally benchmarked labs. ists alleging reclamation of wet- then prime minister Manmohan hanced co-operation in political, “We have a large Indian popula- individuals as per the WHO said. The promoters have reached lands. Singh’s trip in 2010. economic, security and defence tion, including doctors, teachers, guideline. But the current ratio A training centre with modern a preliminary understanding But the promoters said they Modi’s visit assumes signifi - realms. engineers and managers who have is a paltry 0.9,” Cochi Medi City facilities like a simulation unit with Mayo Clinic and Cleveland had got local and district moni- cance in the context of the current Jubeir, who arrived in New made tremendous contributions & Tourism chairman Dr Mohan to train doctors and complete Clinic for providing technical toring agency permissions with a regional situation and strained Delhi on Monday night on a to our great nation,” Jubeir said. Thomas said. healthcare teams from India support. supporting report from the agri- relations between Saudi Arabia day’s trip as part of the prepara- He said during his meeting “There’s also a tremendous and the rest of Asia is part of the “Many of the Indian doc- cultural offi cers and the district and Iran, another strategically tions for Modi’s visit, said over- with Swaraj, he discussed Modi’s potential for health tourism. The project. It will also have a con- tors settled in the West have collector. The company went important country for India. all his visit was “extremely suc- upcoming visit and the issues that project will cater to bridging this vention centre for international expressed their willingness to ahead with the project only after Apart from being India’s larg- cessful”. were likely to come up for delib- huge gap with a modern super- medical conferences. spend a few months in this hos- getting adequate support from est crude oil supplier accounting He said during his meeting with erations. specialty hospital and healthcare “This will make Kochi a prime pital on training our doctors as people and their leaders. for one-fi fth of the imports, Saudi Modi he expressed “our desire to “We discussed a wide range of system off ering care of interna- destination for medical research a commitment to their moth- “This will put Kochi on the Arabia is also India’s fourth larg- broaden our relations in all areas.” issues including the fi ght against tional standards at an aff ordable conferences and tourism,” Tho- erland,” director of operations map of world-class medical est trading partner with bilateral “Our relations have a strong terror and the political dialogue cost.” mas said. Mibu Jose Nettikkadan said. tourism,” they said. trade reaching $40bn. foundation. India is a very impor- between our two countries.” Can the media please leave the judiciary alone? his week’s column will have dicial it is up to the learned judges bench that sentenced the Decem- cal campus politics against a nar- as journalism…I worry, in fact, to have a personal slant. to pronounce what they thought ber 16, 2012 gang-rapists of a Del- row notion of nationalism,” The most of all for the intolerance of TThe year was 1974. Af- was right and that was that. You hi girl to death, did not say Kumar Hindu commented. Hindustan my own fraternity, the media. I ter fi nishing college I had joined can report the cases and the judg- Delhi Diary had raised those slogans or that he Times was somewhat less stri- worry at how, somehow, we have The Statesman in New Delhi as ment but you are not supposed had aided and abetted those rais- dent when it said: “The judge’s converted news into theatre and a trainee journalist. The States- to comment on their merits or By A K B Krishnan ing the slogans. This was only a words are no doubt founded on our narratives have become re- man of those days was real sten- imperfections. That’s the job of a bail plea and she had ordered bail. good intentions. But she should ductionist.” torian. Not just in terms of the higher judge if there was one. You Gulf Times Correspondent She was only making a general re- have been aware that every word People like Dutt should start erudite editorials by N J Nanporia, report what the judges said. End mark as an advice or warning to all of hers will be scrutinised in a sur- thinking where to draw the line, Surinder Nihal Singh and others of story. After all, the buck has to Indians that if you let your guards charged atmosphere.” where freedom of speech ends but also in the way it presented stop somewhere and The States- the executive in favour of the lat- termed judicial overreach or ju- down you will have to pay a high There have been several in- and where culpable incitement news. “If The Statesmen said it man believed, and rightly too, that ter. This is when executive over- dicial activism. There simply is price later. stances of executive overreach begins. They should start ask- then it must be true”, that was the in a democracy it has to be at the reach happens. no ‘stylebook’ for the media in Much of Indian media was in- and judicial activism in the past. ing if, after all, the freedom of general belief among the elite and judiciary. While keeping the executive India today. censed beyond belief. The Indian The media has lost no time criti- speech has to be so unbridled, the hoi polloi alike. We in the Edi- A little over 40 years later The in check and pronouncing judg- While releasing Kanhaiya Ku- Express headlined its editorial cising every time such actions then shouldn’t that freedom be torial Department of The States- Statesman is a pale shadow of its ments in disputes between the mar, president of the Jawaharlal “With Due Respect” and went on were spotted. Curiously we are extended to judges as well, at least man lived by that, more or less. former self. Almost beyond rec- government and the citizen, the Nehru University (JNU) Students’ to be quite disrespectful of the still to hear anything about jour- to make a few asides not for TRPs For the fi rst two weeks or so I ognition. And, more to the point, court sometimes makes certain Union, on conditional bail last judge’s remark going as far as to nalistic overreach. It is perhaps a or personal gains but in the genu- was told to read and understand a so is Indian journalism! These general observations. There is week, Delhi High Court judge say it raises “concerns about the question of who will bell the cat. ine hope that the nation would be massive tome called ‘Stylebook’, days it’s beyond argument, even even a well-worn Latin term for Pratibha Rani observed that “the commitment of the judiciary to NDTV anchor Burkha Dutt the better for it. And if a judge, for The Statesman’s own “constitu- romantically appealing, to de- it, ‘obiter dicta’. They can some- thoughts refl ected in the slogans the protection of the individual came closest to answering the any reason, has gone way beyond tion” which was a compilation of clare there are no “holy cows” times sound like an admonition, raised by some of the students citizen’s rights and freedoms from question when she explained the call of duty, shouldn’t it be left rulings and guidelines by editors here anymore. Anything is grist to at other times simply as sage ad- of JNU who organised and par- encroachment by the state.” Dec- how the environment of today to the Chief Justice of India to de- and news editors down the years the journalistic mill. Even judicial vice. The court does so because, ticipated in that programme (on can Herald described the judge’s has been vitiated by cut-throat cide what should be done? It has on various aspects of journalism pronouncements. as the ultimate arbiter, it sees such February 9) cannot be claimed to comments as “pointless ped- competition among the various happened before and can happen -from simple things like spellings The Constitution of India guar- observations as part of its duty. be protected as fundamental right antry”. Activist lawyer Prashant news channels. Speaking at a again. of proper names and prefi xes (all antees several fundamental rights But in India of the 21st century to freedom of speech and expres- Bhushan termed the order “ab- seminar on “Tolerance is the new Both the legislature and the males, except those convicted by to citizens, freedom of speech be- the media has assumed, or even sion…I consider this as a kind of surd” and went on to say on na- intolerance” organised by The executive in India have been ma- the law courts, have to have the ing one of them. The legislature usurped, that role of the ultimate infection from which such stu- tional television the judge had “no Telegraph newspaper in Kolkata, ligned beyond recognition. Per- ‘Mr’, so with ‘Mrs’ or Miss) to frames these rights and the ex- arbiter. So, well before the judge dents are suff ering which needs business to go about saying what Dutt asked: “Have we as Indians haps for good reason too. That rules on still more serious mat- ecutive implements them. It is for could get to hear the two sides of to be controlled/cured before it was happening in JNU was anti- forgotten the art of conversa- leaves the judiciary as the sole ters. the judiciary to make sure there is a dispute, the media, especially becomes an epidemic.” She went national”. tion? As a television host who custodian of pristine democratic One of the fi rst principles of no executive overreach/discrimi- the electronic one, would have on to note how such infection can “In many respects, it (the court) hosts the 9pm news and goes up values. If the media does not journalism that was taught in The nation in their implementation. conducted its own instant trial degenerate into gangrene and, as accepts the prosecution’s case… in competition against somebody leave it alone India runs the risk Statesman was that criticism of These three pillars of democra- and pronounced its judgment. is the accepted medical practice, if In a democracy, the court should who believes that splitting the of dumping its judiciary too in the the higher judiciary was beyond cy are independent of each other. And if, for any reason, the judge that happened that body part may seek to have a restraining infl u- screen into eight boxes and then gutters. the pale. You could have an opin- However, overwhelming majority chooses to go beyond the judg- have to be cut off . ence on the executive, but should shouting the loudest (an obvi- If only the good old days of The ion on anything and express it in the legislature can often blur ment and makes an observation It must be noted that the judge, not be seen as contributing to any ous reference to Arnab Goswami Statesman would return for all fearlessly too, but in matters ju- the dividing line between it and or two, it shall immediately be who was part of the two-member partisan discourse that pits radi- of Times Now) is what qualifi es journalism! Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 21 INDIA

US ‘disappointed’ by India visa refusal for religious rights panel

Reuters of non-profi t groups appointed jurisprudence at Princeton who “We’re supportive of the The commission said in its Non-governmental organi- ticians linked to the BJP and Washington by the president and members of chairs the commission, said last commission and the important 2015 report on religious freedom sations and religious leaders, numerous violent attacks and Congress, had planned to travel week it was unfortunate that a role they play in reviewing facts that incidents of religiously mo- including from the Muslim, forced conversions by Hindu na- to India last week but New Delhi secular democracy like India had and circumstances of violations tivated and communal violence Christian, and Sikh communi- tionalist groups. he State Department was failed to issue them visas. refused a visit from the panel, of religious freedom around the had reportedly increased for ties, attributed the initial in- Despite a much-heralded “disappointed” India had The Indian Embassy said in a which has been permitted in world,” Kirby said. three consecutive years. crease in violence to religiously fresh start in US-India relations Trefused visas to members statement on its website that “a countries such as Saudi Arabia, He declined to say whether the It said that despite India’s divisive campaigning in the under Prime Minister Narendra of a US commission that exam- foreign entity” like the US com- Pakistan and China, which re- State Department had discussed status as a pluralistic, secular 2014 general election by the Modi, the US has run into prob- ines violations of religious free- mission had no standing to pass strict religious freedoms. the issue with counterparts in democracy, New Delhi had long Bharatiya Janata Party, which lems arranging visits by other dom around the world, a spokes- judgment on the state of In- State Department spokesman New Delhi. But he did say the US struggled to protect minority re- won the vote. American offi cials, including the man said. dia’s constitutionally protected John Kirby said on Monday the remained engaged “in a number ligious communities or provide Since the election, religious head of its offi ce to combat hu- The commission, made up rights. US was “disappointed by this of discussions” with the Indian justice when crimes occurred, minorities have been subject to man traffi cking and its special mainly of professors and leaders Robert George, a professor of news.” government on the issue. creating a climate of impunity. derogatory comments by poli- envoy for gay rights. Jaitley rolls back plan for PF tax after criticism

IANS ees of private companies to place New Delhi the remaining 60% on annuity to get regular pension. But if that was not done, then inance Minister Arun Jait- 60% of withdrawn corpus was to ley yesterday withdrew his be taxed. Fbudget proposal of provi- “A number of representations dent fund tax after widespread were received from various sec- resentment. tions of the society, including In his budget speech on Feb- members of parliament, sug- ruary 29, Jaitley had proposed to gesting this change will force tax 60% of provident fund with- people to invest in annuity prod- drawals made after April 1 this ucts even if they are not willing year if they are not re-invested in to do so,” he said. annuity funds that fetch steady “In view of the representa- streams of income. tions received, the government In a statement in the Lok Sab- would like to do a comprehen- ha, he also withdrew his budget sive review of this proposal, and, plan to limit monetary contribu- therefore, I withdraw the pro- tions made by an employer in a posal in paragraph 138 and 139 of recognised provident or a super- my budget speech,” the minister annuating fund to Rs150,000 per said. Workers carry out work for spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s World Culture Festival in New Delhi yesterday. annum to avail tax sops. “In case of superannuation However, the 40% tax ex- funds and recognised provident emption limit on the national funds, including EPF, the same pension scheme stays, Jaitley norm of 40% of corpus to be tax said. free will apply in respect of cor- pus created out of contributions “The purpose of the made after April 1, 2016.” proposed reform in tax In Para 138, Jaitley had said: regime was to encourage “In the case of superannuation Green court to hear plea more number of private funds and recognised provident employees to go for funds, including EPF, the same pension security aft er norm of 40% of corpus to be tax their retirement instead free will apply in respect of cor- of withdrawing their pus created out of contributions entire money from their made after April 1, 2016.” provident fund account” Para 139 said: “Further, the on Yamuna event today annuity fund which goes to the The move is likely to ben- legal heir after the death of pen- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s World rated by Prime Minister Naren- struction of at least six fl oating mega construction work - in- Nath told the green tribunal. efi t, among others, nearly 4.5mn sioner will not be taxable in all Culture Festival runs into dra Modi. bridges by the army as there is cluding tents, hutments, bar- “How could we carry out a members of the employees’ three cases. Also, we are propos- fresh trouble The mega event marking 35 yet no policy in place for it, the ricades, and pontoon bridges study when the environment provident fund (EPF) scheme ing a monetary limit for contri- years of Shankar’s Art of Liv- source added. - will pollute the river and alter ministry didn’t ask for it,” the earning over Rs15,000 per bution of employer in recognised IANS ing Foundation ran into fresh In an interview with pri- the fl ood plain. The construc- lawyer replied when the tribu- month. The 30.26mn remaining provident and superannuation New Delhi trouble after soldiers were seen vate TV channel Aaj Tak, Par- tion also included a massive nal sought the report. members of the scheme earning Fund of Rs1.5 lakh per annum for helping the non-governmental rikar said the army has been 40ft-high, multi-fl oor stage The organisers informed the less than Rs15,000 per month taking tax benefi t.” organisation in the construc- participating in activities like mounted on steel rods over sev- court that they were expecting had not been targeted by Jaitley’s The employees’ provident n environmental court tion process ahead of the pro- the Kumbh Mela which attract en acres of land. not more than 300,000 people original proposal. fund is a popular social secu- yesterday deferred its gramme. large numbers of people. “It was The green court asked the - as against 3.5mn reported ear- The decision was purport- rity for the salaried class that is Adecision on spiritual However, the defence min- done with the sole purpose of federal environment ministry if lier - for the event. edly taken on the advice of Prime maintained by a statutory au- guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s cul- istry defended its decision that avoiding accidents,” the minis- it had given clearance for alter- Ravi Shankar said not a single Minister Narendra Modi. thority. Any company with over tural extravaganza on the eco- was apparently taken after Delhi ter said. ing the river’s fl ood plain. It also tree had been cut and ecological “The purpose of the pro- 20 employees has to register for logically fragile Yamuna fl ood police expressed fears about the Earlier, the Delhi govern- asked Delhi Development Au- stability had been maintained posed reform in tax regime was this fund. plains, amid fresh controversy likelihood of a stampede at the ment, the central government thority (DDA) how it had given during the preparations for the to encourage more number of The national pension scheme over army soldiers being used to venue. and the event organisers sought the nod to the event without event. private employees to go for is a voluntary scheme for peo- construct pontoon bridges for “Public safety is a govern- more time to reply to the green conducting any environmental “We are asserting that we pension security after their re- ple aged between 18 and 60 the event. ment concern, and Delhi police court’s queries on the environ- impact study. will turn the place into a beau- tirement instead of withdraw- years. As the furore grew louder said there could be a stampede mental impact of the event tak- The organisers dismissed tiful bio-diversity park once we ing their entire money from While the provident fund is a with just two days to go for the with the huge crowd gathering ing place over some 1,000 acres the concerns in defending the are fi nished with it. Since 2010, their provident fund account,” fi xed return scheme with inter- March 11-13 “World Culture there,” a source close to De- of land upstream of the DND event for which permission had our volunteers have been work- Jaitley said. est rate set by the organisation, Festival”, the National Green fence Minister Manohar Par- elevated bridge and on the right already been given by the Delhi ing hard to clean the river and Accordingly, Jaitley added, the pension scheme has variable Tribunal said it will resume its rikar said. bank of the river. government. “We have got per- around 512 tonnes of dirt and 40% of the corpus withdrawn at returns as up to 50% of the mon- hearing today on appeals seek- The Art of Living Foundation, Green activists have raised missions from more than 30 garbage has been fi shed out,” the time of retirement was to be ey can also be invested in stock ing cancellation of the event which is organising the event, an alarm that the event violates departments and ministries,” Ravi Shankar told reporters tax exempt, expecting employ- markets. which is expected to be inaugu- may not be charged for the con- environmental laws and the defence lawyer Akashama here. IAF to get fi rst female Sonia seeks passage of women’s quota bill

fi ghter pilots in June IANS Taking a dig at the government New Delhi on the prime minister’s much talked about ‘maximum gov- IANS After getting commissioned, forces have a total of 59,400 of- ernance’, she said: “Maximum New Delhi the three trainees will become fi cers. ongress president So- governance is more than just ac- the fi rst women fi ghter pilots of The IAF announced in No- nia Gandhi yesterday celerating the economic growth. India. vember last year that it would Casked the government Surely, maximum governance he fi rst batch of women They will subsequently un- soon be inducting women as to pay attention to the passing involves expanding space for de- fi ghter pilots will be in- dergo advanced jet training and fi ghter pilots. That induction of Women’s Reservation Bill in bate, for disagreement and for Tducted in the Indian Air proceed to the regular squads. would be on an “experimental parliament that seeks to reserve the expression of diff erent points Force (IAF) on June 18 this year, According to IAF officials, basis” for fi ve years, Defence one-third legislative seats in the of view without inviting retalia- Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha the three women pilots are Minister Manohar Parrikar said country for women. tion and retribution.” said yesterday on the occasion of undergoing training at the Air in parliament on more than one She accused the government The Congress leader said that the International Women’s Day. Force Station at Hakimpet in occasion. of “double standards” and said maximum governance should Three women trainees have so Telangana. The Indian Navy also is plan- that maximum governance - the involve “giving freedom to civil far volunteered to join the fi ghter They have completed 55 out of ning to induct women as pilots catchphrase of Prime Minister society, non-governmental or- stream of the force, the IAF chief 86 hours of fl ying training need- for reconnaissance aircraft. Narendra Modi - should ensure ganisations and activist groups”, said at a seminar here. ed before being inducted. President Pranab Mukherjee, “freedom” for civil society and not and that it should be anchored in “They are under the second Women are a small minor- in his address to the joint sit- just accelerated economic growth. “deepening of country’s demo- phase of their training. Once ity in the armed forces. The IAF ting of parliament’s both houses “The long-awaited Women’s cratic and liberal values”. they complete their training and has about 1,350 women offi cers, at the start of the budget ses- Reservation Bill requires the Gandhi’s remarks come in the are at par with their male col- followed by the army with 1,300 sion, also said that “in future”, government’s attention,” she backdrop of controversies over leagues... the passing out parade and the navy with 450, accord- women would be inducted in all Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan arrives at the parliament building said in the Lok Sabha during a government action in the Jawa- is scheduled on June 18,” Raha ing to offi cial information. the fi ghter streams of the armed riding her Harley Davidson bike to mark the International debate to mark International harlal Nehru University and Hy- said. The 1.3mn-strong armed forces. Women’s Day yesterday. Women’s Day yesterday. derabad University cases. Gulf Times 22 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

ANNOUNCEMENT LEGAL CRIME PEOPLE CORRUPTION Haiti’s interim leader Chile top court backs Belgium seizes cocaine in Brazilian music legend Salvador ex-president’s unveils new govt workers’ right to strike Colombia banana container Gilberto Gil hospitalised bank accounts frozen

Weeks after taking power as Haiti’s interim Chile’s Supreme Court has upheld a ruling Belgian authorities have found three tonnes of Brazilian music legend Gilberto Gil has been El Salvador’s Supreme Court has announced leader, Jocelerme Privert yesterday announced that declared it illegal to dismiss workers cocaine in a container of bananas from Colombia hospitalised for nearly two weeks with high it was freezing bank accounts held by former the makeup of his 15-member government for striking outside of a formal collective at the port of Antwerp, customs off icials said blood pressure, doctors said, raising fears for president Elias Antonio Saca, who is under tasked with organising elections to pull the bargaining process, a decision that could yesterday. “The inquiry and search service the long-term health of the 73-year-old. Gil has investigation on corruption charges. The country out of crisis. Privert took office have ramifications for future labour disputes. of customs and excise has found 2,958kg of been at a hospital in Sao Paulo since February decision to block his five accounts was made last month after the departure of president The ruling is potentially significant for mining cocaine in a container containing bananas,” 25 but it was giving away few other details because Saca had been unable to prove the Michel Martelly, who left without a successor companies in the world’s top copper exporter, the customs service said in a statement. “The other than to say he was under observation provenance of the money in them, the court after a vote to choose his replacement was which in the past have dismissed and replaced container, which came from Colombia, was and having treatment. Gil and Caetano Veloso said in a ruling. The ex-leader and his wife were postponed over fears of violence. According workers after unauthorised strikes without chosen for a search following a risk analysis. shook the foundations of Brazilian music in the also prohibited from transferring shares they to a list made public early yesterday, Prime legal repercussions. The Supreme Court Enquiries are continuing,” the statement said. 1960s with Bossa Nova, a fusion of samba and own in five communications companies. Two Minister Fritz-Alphonse Jean - an economist affirmed the judgment of a lower appellate The seizure comes just months after police jazz. Gil, who once served as Brazil’s culture weeks ago, the tribunal ordered a civil trial be and former Central Bank governor from 1998 bench that had overturned the dismissal of in Spain seized three tonnes of cocaine and minister, is one of the most respected musicians opened against Saca on suspicion he illegally to 2001 — will also take on the role of interior two call centre workers after they led their arrested 12 suspected drug smugglers from in the country, while also making a name for amassed at least $5mn while ruling the Central and national defence minister. colleagues in a walk-off. Spain, Britain and the Netherlands. himself on the international stage. American nation between 2004 and 2009. Ex-Odebrecht boss jailed for 19 years in graft case

Reuters Lula da Silva for questioning. Rio de Janeiro The scandal, dating back to the Lula administration and a time when Rousseff chaired the Brazilian court yesterday board of state-run oil company sentenced Marcelo Ode- Petroleo Brasileiro SA, involved Abrecht, the former chief an intricate scheme of billions of executive of Latin America’s dollars in kickbacks and bribes largest construction company, to through which contractors paid 19 years in prison for his role in a politicians, political parties and far-reaching corruption scandal company executives in exchange that has implicated some of the for work. country’s biggest political and According to the verdict by Jesus Torrealba (centre), secretary of Venezuela’s coalition of opposition parties (MUD), talks to the media next to his fellow politicians during a news conference in Caracas. corporate chieftains. Sergio Moro, the federal judge The message on the backdrop reads: “With the people and the constitution, we are going with everything”. Odebrecht, who until his ar- in the southern city of Curitiba rest last June helmed the family- spearheading the investigation, run engineering and building Odebrecht formed a “cartel” conglomerate known as Odebre- with other companies through cht SA, was convicted on charges which they, since 2006, “sys- of bribery, money laundering tematically” rigged bidding on and organised crime. projects by Petrobras, as the company is known. “The contractors, united in something that they called a Opposition launches ‘club’, previously agreed among themselves who would be the winners of the Petrobras con- tracts, manipulating the prices presented during bidding,” Moro wrote. “They were able to, with no real competition, be contract- ed at the highest possible price.” drive to oust Maduro Offi cials at Odebrecht head- quarters in the city of Salvador Reuters Now it is counting on a multi- can count on friendly electoral ence of 2014 when anti-Maduro Capriles is backing a recall Odebrecht was convicted didn’t respond to calls for com- Caracas pronged attack against Chavez’s and judicial institutions to help protests turned violent, lead- referendum, as allowed under on charges of bribery, ment. A spokeswoman at the successor to bring him down it frustrate opposition plans ing to the death of 43 people on Venezuela’s constitution half- money laundering and company’s Sao Paulo offi ce de- half-way through his six-year with delaying or blocking tac- both sides, hundreds of injuries, way through a presidential organised crime clined to comment. enezuela’s opposition al- term in the South American tics. thousands of arrests, and wide- term, and has already begun The former executive is con- liance yesterday launched Opec member nation. Government fi gures have spread damage to the economy. campaigning for it across the The conviction for Odebrecht, sidered a pivotal probe fi gure be- Va campaign to oust Presi- Reading a communique from condemned the opposition’s That push, led by opposition country. the 47-year-old grandson of the cause of the company’s close ties dent Nicolas Maduro, vowing the coalition, Torrealba said plans as a US-backed attempt to hardliners, did not win signifi - Under the constitutional founder of a company that in to current and former political to hold protest rallies and push its more than two dozen par- bring about a coup d’etat in the cant support from Venezuela’s terms for the plebiscite, the op- recent decades became synony- leaders, like Lula, who prosecu- for both a recall referendum and ties had decided unanimously nation of 29mn people with the poor majority and arguably position would need to collect mous with large public works tors say may have received illicit constitutional amendment to to activate “all the mechanisms world’s largest oil reserves. strengthened Maduro by ena- 3.9mn signatures in three days, projects, is the most signifi cant payments or favours from Ode- end his presidency. for change” in Venezuela’s con- “They want to organise street bling him to show a strong hand. ratifi ed by the national electoral yet among dozens of corporate brecht and other builders. “Change is coming and no stitution in search of a “national rallies to generate violence and Two years on, however, pub- board, to trigger a referendum executives charged in the nearly Lula, who remains one of Bra- one can stop it,” the head of the unity government.” bring about a coup, supported lic fury is high and small pro- three months later. The number two-year-old “Operation Car zil’s most popular politicians, Democratic Unity coalition Je- Despite the show of unity, by US imperialism,” the Social- tests are breaking out daily who vote against Maduro would Wash.” has denied wrongdoing. sus Torrealba told a news con- however, the coalition is notori- ist Party’s powerful No 2 Dios- over food and medicine short- need to be more than the 7.5mn The investigation has desta- His brief detention last week ference. ously fractious, with a moderate dado Cabello and former Na- ages, power and water cuts, and who backed him in the 2013 bilised Brazil’s government and sparked clashes between sup- Hungry for power after 17 years wing led by twice-presidential tional Assembly head said this transport price rises. presidential election. led to the arrest of former aides porters, many of whom char- of socialist rule begun by the late candidate Henrique Capriles week. Masked youths faced off with If authorities delay such a and allies of President Dilma acterised the ongoing investi- Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s op- and a more radical side headed The opposition promised to police on Monday evening in vote into 2017, then Maduro’s Rousseff . Last week, it reached gations as a witch hunt against position capitalised on public ire by jailed protest leader Leopol- begin street rallies from Satur- the volatile western city of San vice-president would be al- a staggering political turning the ruling Workers’ Party, and over the crisis-hit economy to do Lopez. day in Caracas. Cristobal, which saw the fi rst lowed to complete his term, point when prosecutors detained demonstrators who support the win control of the National As- Removing Maduro will be dif- Activists will, however, be and most violent of the 2014 thus thwarting the opposition’s former president Luiz Inacio crackdown. sembly legislature in December. fi cult because the government wary of repeating the experi- clashes. desire to take power. Mexico denies claim Miners’ kin protest 20 lawmakers ‘to go Guzman made US visits with Obama to Cuba’ Reuters The White House said on Feb- Washington ruary 18 that Obama would visit AFP prevent the Sinaloa drug cartel daily that the capo visited rela- Havana on March 21 and 22 in Mexico City leader from escaping prison for tives in the US twice while he another step toward ending dec- a third time, saying that the law was on the lam and that he was S President Barack ades of animosity between the allows the authorities to imple- protected by corrupt Mexican Obama will be accom- former Cold War foes. exico’s government ment special security for or- offi cials. Upanied on his historic News of his plans prompted sought to counter a PR ganised crime suspects. “These are allegations that visit to Cuba this month by up sharp criticism from some mem- Moff ensive by Joaquin A guard wearing a camera on lack supporting evidence, to 20 members of the Senate and bers of the Republican-con- “El Chapo” Guzman, vowing to a helmet is permanently posted whose only goal is to discredit House of Representatives, US trolled Congress, where there is maintain his tough prison con- outside his cell, authorities the institutions,” Sales said in congressional sources said. strong opposition to normalis- ditions and denying claims that wake him up every four hours the fi rst offi cial response to the Details were still being worked ing relations with Havana, led the drug kingpin had sneaked to ensure he is still alive, and report. out, but the sources said the mostly by Cuban-American Re- into the US while on the run. they regularly move him to The Guardian said it had White House hoped the delega- publican lawmakers. Guzman’s relatives and law- new sleeping quarters without verifi ed her identity, but the tion would include Republicans Some congressional Republi- yers have given a series of inter- warning. Mexican attorney general’s of- as well as Obama’s fellow Demo- cans want more normal relations views in recent weeks, claiming “We can’t forget that Joaquin fi ce said it was working to con- crats, to underscore bipartisan with Cuba, as do most Demo- that the authorities were mis- Guzman Loera has deeply fi rm if she is really Guzman’s support for his moves toward crats. But the issue is compli- treating him and putting his harmed our society,” Sales said. daughter. normal relations with the Com- cated on Capitol Hill because health at risk by waking him up Guzman humiliated Presi- Prosecutors said they would munist-ruled country. two senators vying for the 2016 in the middle of the night. dent Enrique Pena Nieto’s ad- nevertheless investigate the Congressional aides and Republican presidential nomi- “The government warns that ministration when he escaped woman’s claims. sources outside the government nation, Ted Cruz and Marco there is an open media strategy in July through a hole in his Guzman’s lawyer said last who were consulted on the mat- Rubio, are among the Cuban- by this individual, his defence cell’s shower, which led to a week that his client’s prison ter said the administration was Americans strongly opposed to team and other people,” Na- 1.5km tunnel. He was recap- conditions have become so un- also considering more moves to Obama’s policy shift. tional Security commissioner tured on January 8 in his home bearable that he now wants to Relatives and friends of 28 miners, who went missing last ease travel and trade restrictions Obama said the trip would help Renato Sales told a news con- state of Sinaloa. be extradited to the US as soon week and are feared killed in an attack, block a key highway before the trip. accelerate changes in Cuba since ference. Sales also rejected claims as possible. connecting Venezuela and Brazil in the town of Tumeremo, “They will unveil a regula- he and Cuban President Raul Cas- “We will not cede to specu- made by a woman identifi ed as But Jose Manuel Merino, a in the state of Bolivar, yesterday. The protesters demanded tions package as it gets closer to tro announced moves to reopen lations whose only goal is to di- one of Guzman’s daughters, Rosa senior offi cial at the attorney to know what happened to the miners who failed to return the trip, further easing of travel, ties in late 2014. Administration vert attention and victimise to Isela Guzman Ortiz, a California general’s offi ce, told a news home from work after their shifts on March 3. Rumours have and further commerce and trade offi cials hope it will give Wash- soften his surveillance.” resident who was interviewed by conference that the govern- been circulating that a group of gunmen had attacked the (changes),” said one person fa- ington more leverage to make Sales defended the measures the Guardian newspaper. ment was not aware of any such goldmine in southeastern Venezuela where they worked. miliar with the administration’s progress on opening business op- taken by the government to She told the London-based bid by Guzman. discussions. portunities for US companies. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

DEFENCE Pakistan vows to eliminate terrorism

Pakistan’s top civil-military leader- Kidnapped son ship yesterday vowed to eliminate terrorism and reviewed the inter- nal security situation, a day after a suicide bombing claimed 17 lives in a court attack. In a meeting of the country’s top civil-military leaders, chaired by Prime Minister of assassinated Nawaz Sharif at the PM House here, the participants condemned the cowardly act of terrorism in Shabqadar in which civilians and law enforcement agency personnel lost their precious lives, a statement said. “The meeting governor found agreed that elimination of ter- rorism from our soil is a national resolve and paid tributes to the personnel of law enforcement and security agencies who embraced martyrdom while fighting this menace of terrorism,” it added. after fi ve years Issues pertaining to national and internal security were discussed AFP government’s resolve to uphold during the meeting. Islamabad the rule of law rather than allow extremism to fl ourish. EXPENDITURE The governor had called for he kidnapped son of a reforms to the country’s con- Islamabad mayor liberal Pakistani gover- troversial blasphemy law, which bans feasts Tnor assassinated by his carries the death penalty. Critics bodyguard was found, senior of- say the law is largely misused, at weddings fi cials said yesterday, just over a with hundreds languishing in week after his father’s killer was jails under false charges. The business community may not hanged. But Qadri was hailed as a hero be happy with the first directives Shahbaz Taseer is in “feeble” by many conservatives eager to issued by Pakistani federal capital health, said Aitzaz Goraya, head drown out calls to soften the leg- Islamabad’s first mayor who of the Counter-Terrorism De- islation. wants the strict implementation partment of southwestern Balo- His execution on February of the ‘one-dish law’ about food chistan province, where he was 29 saw protests across Pakistan at weddings. Ansar Aziz during found after a police raid. and his funeral the next day his maiden meeting with Chief Taseer had been abducted by brought up to 100,000 sup- Commissioner Zulfiqar Haider this Islamist gunmen from the city of Shahbaz Taseer porters onto the streets near his week directed strict implementa- Lahore in August 2011, months home in Rawalpindi, highlight- tion of a 2006 Supreme Court after his father Salmaan was a compound in the Kuchlak dis- ing the country’s deep religious judgment, under which only one killed for opposing the country’s trict some 25 kilometres north divide. food dish is allowed at weddings. controversial blasphemy laws. of Quetta” in the southwestern Shabaz Taseer’s brother She- There is also a complete ban on The governor’s assassin, province of Baluchistan, Goraya hryar said on Twitter the hang- excessive decoration and light- Mumtaz Qadri, was hanged on said. ing was a victory for Pakistan, ing arrangements at wedding February 29. “We surrounded the com- but not his family. Pakistan Prime Minister’s adviser on Foreign Aff airs Sartaj Aziz and British Foreign Secretary Philip venues. Though the capital was The Pakistani Taliban have pound and we raided it. We “The safe return of my broth- Hammond address a joint press conference in Islamabad yesterday. never exempted from the law, its never offi cially confi rmed their didn’t fi nd anyone. A single per- er is the only victory my family implementation was very weak. involvement, but a militant son was there and he told us my wants,” he wrote. By contrast, the law is strictly fol- source told AFP Tuesday that a name is Shahbaz and my father’s Shahbaz Taseer’s father-in- lowed in neighbouring Rawalpindi. military operation in the tribal name is Salmaan Taseer.” law Salman Ghani also con- “One-dish [law] and time restric- areas had made it “diffi cult” for Anwarul Haq Kakar, spokes- fi rmed his freedom to AFP, but tions [to end a wedding ceremo- the group to keep him. man for the Balochistan govern- did not give any details. Pakistan hints at progress ny] will be observed strictly with “That’s why they preferred to ment, told the private TV chan- A second militant source said immediate eff ect, as per directions set him free,” the source said. nel 92 news: “I can confi rm that the Taliban had been demand- of the Prime Minister,” Aziz said, Militant commanders have Shahbaz Taseer has been safely ing up to Rs2bn ($20mn) for his when contacted. privately said in the past Taseer recovered. He is in safe hands.” release. on Taliban talks within days was being kept somewhere in Last week Pakistan hanged Security analyst Imtiaz Gul SECURITY the tribal areas of North and Mumtaz Qadri, the police body- said it was possible a ransom Flying of drones South Waziristan. The source guard who shot the governor 28 had been paid and that Taseer Reuters a UN terrorist blacklist and its talk about a reconciliation ... yesterday said he was moved af- times in Islamabad in January had been abandoned by his ab- Islamabad/Washington prisoners freed from Afghan we would and the Afghan secu- by public banned ter Operation Zarb-e-Azb was 2011. ductors once they received the jails. rity forces would have to pre- launched in North Waziristan in Analysts described the execu- money. Pakistan’s Aziz said he felt pare themselves, for the poten- in Islamabad 2014. tion as a key moment in Paki- The Pakistani Taliban “are a the Taliban could be persuaded. tial for increased violence in the “Acting on a tip off , intelli- stan’s long fi ght against militan- group of mercenaries with clear akistan has played down “Many of the preconditions spring and summer months. The city administration in the gence forces and police went to cy, saying it demonstrated the links to organised crime”, he said. the Taliban’s rejection that they are looking for can “It’s the so-called fi ghting Pakistani federal capital Islamabad Pof proposed peace talks come as a result of negotiations season, and we’ve seen this be- has imposed a two-month ban with the Afghan government, and not in advance of them,” he fore, when the weather warms on the flying and operating of all saying yesterday that it hoped said, adding that the Afghan up. ... I want to stress that’s not unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), for progress “in coming days”. government had in the past what we want to see.” especially in Fatima Jinnah Park Sartaj Aziz, foreign policy expressed willingness to ex- The Taliban, ousted from (F-9) due to security reasons. The 21 militants killed in army off ensive adviser to Pakistan’s prime change prisoners. power in a US-led military Capital Development Authority minister, said his country, the Meanwhile, the United campaign in 2001, has been (CDA) issued the prohibition order United States and China would States on Monday renewed its waging a violent insurgency on the complaint of Pakistan Air AFP began Monday night and contin- the confl ict zone. use their infl uence to persuade appeal to the Taliban to join to try to topple Afghanistan’s Force (PAF). “These drones can Islamabad ued into yesterday. Pakistan began its operation the Taliban to come to the table peace talks and said Afghan and Western-backed government. be used by miscreants to conduct “Ops continue. Imp heights to clear Taliban and Al Qaeda to try to end a nearly 15-year- US forces would have to pre- Following a meeting of the terrorist acts in areas that have & passes along Pak-Afgn Bdr strongholds in North Waziristan old war. pare themselves for the pros- so-called Quadrilateral Co-or- been secured and safeguarded akistan said yesterday it secured. Valley’s sanitisation in in 2014, and claims to have killed “I hope in the coming days pect of increased violence in dination Group in February, of- against ground attacks,” the com- has killed 21 militants in progress,” he said on Twitter. more than 3,750 militants since some progress (can be made) the spring and summer if the fi cials said they expected direct plaint read. The ‘secured’ areas Pair strikes and ground op- He later posted photographs then with no civilian casualties. ... at some level, and once we insurgent group did not agree peace talks between the Afghan referred to in the complaint are erations that began overnight in of soldiers fanning out in a for- But critics and rights activ- start, we hope they will gather to negotiations. government and the Taliban to the Naval headquarters in Sector a northwest border region where ested area and a ruined building ists say there is no transparency momentum,” he told a press State Department spokes- begin in early March. E-8 and Air headquarters in E-9 it is carrying out an off ensive to engulfed in smoke. around the off ensive and no clear briefi ng in Islamabad alongside man John Kirby said the United A previous peace eff ort since they are located near the clear Taliban strongholds. It was not possible to confi rm end in sight. British Foreign Secretary Phil- States backed a call by Afghan broke down last year follow- park. The district magistrate in a Military spokesman Asim Ba- how many people were killed in In late February the army said lip Hammond. President Ashraf Ghani for the ing the announcement that the notification said, ‘drone operations jwa said the strikes, which took the off ensive, nor whether they it was entering the fi nal phase Offi cials had said they ex- radical Islamists to join talks Taliban’s founder and longtime are prohibited in the exercise of place in the Shawal Valley of were indeed combatants, as of the operation, but off ered no pected direct peace talks be- with the Kabul government. leader, Mullah Mohamed Omar, Section 144’. North Waziristan tribal district, journalists are denied access to further details. tween the Afghan government “They have a choice. Rather had died about two years earlier. and the Taliban to begin in early than continuing to fi ght their New leader Mullah Akhtar March following a meeting of fellow Afghans and destabilis- Mansour has laid down condi- the so-called Quadrilateral Co- ing their country, they should tions for taking part in any talks ordination Group, made up of engage in a peace process and as he struggles to overcome Women’s Day rally representatives of Afghanistan, ultimately become a legitimate factional infi ghting, with some Pakistan, China and the United part of the political system of a breakaway groups opposing States, in February. sovereign united Afghanistan,” any negotiations. But the Taliban, which calls Kirby said. Heavy fi ghting has continued itself the Islamic Emirate of “There is and should be a over the winter from Helmand Afghanistan, said last week it sense of urgency around getting in the south to Jowzjan prov- would not participate. these talks up and running,” he ince in the north, while suicide The group said it would only told a regular news briefi ng. attacks have been launched in join talks once all remaining “If there’s no peace process the capital, underlining the dif- foreign troops left Afghanistan, in place and the Taliban’s not fi culty of restarting the peace its leaders were removed from willing to come to the table and process.

Pakistani tax offi cial celebrates DiCaprio Oscar win

A Pakistani civil servant who at the Academy Awards on Wall Street, or for his roles in never let go of hope Leonardo February 28 when he was The Departed, Gangs of New DiCaprio might win an Oscar finally recognised for his York, Django Unchained”. became a social media star intense portrayal of 19th Ahmed also exhorted his staff after his memo ordering a tea century fur trapper Hugh to listen to DiCaprio’s Oscar break for staff celebrating the Glass in the survival epic The speech, in which he spoke actor’s long-awaited victory Revenant. passionately about climate went viral. “I wanted to convey this change, citing the actor’s final Rizwan Ahmed, Assistant message of hard work and words: “Let us not take this Commissioner of the Inland commitment in the face of planet for granted. I do not Revenue department in adversity to my staff ,” Ahmed take tonight for granted”. Pakistani-held Kashmir, told said. The memo sent a titanic wave AFP Tuesday he was “inspired” “In honour of Lenoardo of delight among Pakistani by the Titanic star “because DiCaprio getting his long- social media users. he’d been nominated four awaited Oscar, the off ice of the “Hahaha! A cinema-buff times and he never lost faith undersigned wants to arrange bureaucrat! Don’t knock it, despite losing”. a Tea Break for all the staff there are very few!” tweeted Though one of the world’s members,” the memo, sent to Hasan Zaidi. biggest and most bankable staff on March 3 and seen by “How do I send a cake to go stars, the 41-year-old DiCaprio AFP, said. with that tea? I would love to had never taken home the It pointedly noted that do that,” wrote Shabab Ahmad golden statuette, sparking DiCaprio should have won an Khan. Pakistani civil society activists hold placards as they march during a rally to mark International Women’s Day in Islamabad yesterday. a years-long meme-fuelled Oscar “for his role as Howard Ahmed told AFP that chai, Women in Pakistan have fought for their rights for decades, in a country where so-called honour killings and acid attacks remain Internet campaign. Hughes in The Aviator, or sweets and biscuits had been commonplace. He received a standing ovation Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of served during the break. Gulf Times 24 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 PHILIPPINES Court shakes up poll race by allowing Poe to run Voting 9-6, Supreme Court “This is a victory for the Fili- est growing economies. Edmund says Poe is eligible to run; pino people, for those oppressed Tayao, a political science profes- Decision will boost her ... a victory for women,” Poe told sor at Catholic-run University of candidacy, analysts said; a cheering crowd at an interna- Santo Tomas, said the court rul- Those opposed to tional women’s day celebration ing could boost Poe’s numbers appeal court ruling at a park in Manila. by at least 10 points, boosting “Women’s role goes beyond her chances of winning the May Reuters looking after homes, we can do vote. Manila a lot of things. Let’s make 2016 “This might not be not on the year when women triumph the same level of a black swan in government.” as it was in 2010 when democ- he Philippine Supreme Aquino, in power since 2010, racy icon Cory Aquino died, Court yesterday ruled is barred under the constitution but it could be a game chang- Philippine presidential candidate Grace Poe speaks before supporters and members of Gabriela women’s group, during a rally to celebrate Tthat a senator who spent from seeking a second term. er,” Tayao said, referring to the International Women’s Day in Manila yesterday, and hours after the Supreme Court voted to allow Poe to run in the national elections. much of her life in the US is The election is being closely landslide victory of Aquino af- eligible to run for president, re- watched by investors who fear ter the death of his mother, who versing a decision by the elec- the political succession could had also been president. tion commission and putting her derail average economic growth A spokesman for Binay said in line to reclaim her position as of more than 6% a year and de- the court ruling “has no bear- Unsullied by shady political connections frontrunner. rail eff orts to crack down on cor- ing on our campaign”. Voting 9-6, the judges al- ruption made under Aquino. Poe, a former teacher, spent lowed fi rst-term Senator Grace Aquino’s chosen successor, much of her adult life in Fair- DPA of three believed she had a race on the grounds that she is study, and later migrated there Poe to run in the May election, former interior minister Manuel fax, Virginia, marrying an Manila higher calling and cast her lot not a natural-born citizen and after marrying an American said court spokesman Theodore Roxas, is lagging behind in opin- American of Philippine origin. for the presidency as an in- failed to satisfy residency re- citizen of Filipino descent in Te, a decision that will shake up ion polls, coming third behind She returned to the Philip- dependent candidate; and her quirements. 1991. what is now a tight race to suc- Poe and Vice President Jejomar pines in late 2004 after her opular and unsullied by nightmare began. The Supreme Court yester- She obtained American citi- ceed President Benigno Aquino. Binay, who was in a statistical tie adoptive father, action movie shady political connec- Spurned political suitors did day overturned that ruling. zenship in 2001. Poe, 47, was abandoned as a with Poe in the latest independ- hero Fernando Poe, died and Ptions, first-time Sena- not waste time in questioning Left on the doorstep of a In 2004, she returned to the child in a church and adopted. ent poll. topped the Philippine senato- tor Grace Poe was a darling her citizenship even before Catholic church in the central Philippines to help campaign She moved to the US when she Poe has campaigned on a pro- rial race in 2013, running on his of Philippine politics, wooed she reached the Commission Philippines as a baby, Poe was for her father’s presidential was a student and settled there. poor campaign, promising to legacy. by both the administration on Elections (Comelec) build- adopted by a famous cinema bid, which was unsuccessful. She had been leading opinion build on Aquino’s programmes Election officials had dis- and the opposition to be their ing in central Manila to file her couple, the late Fernando Poe Over a decade later, surveys polls, but questions about her of creating jobs and build- qualified her on the grounds vice-presidential candidate in candidacy papers. Jr and Susan Roces. indicate she is herself one of citizenship allowed three of her ing infrastructure, which have that she had failed to meet a 10- May’s elections. The electoral commission She lived in Fairfax in the US the favourites to win the pres- four rivals to catch up. helped propel one of Asia’s fast- year residency requirement. But the 47-year-old mother then disqualified her from the state of Virginia from 1988 to idential race.

Women’s Day rally Marcos tops Stray bullet kills girl in survey in vice Ormoc City presidential race By Robert Dejon Manila Times/Albayog City

By Jaime R Pilapil A, B and C. For the presiden- Manila Times tial candidates, Sen. Grace Poe 14-year-old girl died on topped the survey at 26%, fol- Monday night, two days lowed by former Interior Secre- Aafter she was hit by a stray enator Ferdinand tary Manuel Roxas at 25%, Dav- bullet from a shooting incident “Bongbong” Marcos Jr ao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in Ormoc City which targeted Semerged No 1 among at 17%, Vice President Jejomar a man facing multiple murder Ilonggo voters, accord- Binay at 15% and Sen. Miriam cases. ing to a survey conducted by Defensor-Santiago at 13%. Police said Angel Baylon suc- Panay News, one of the lead- In a separate survey con- cumbed after fi ghting for life ing newspapers in Western ducted by the Manila Standard- from a bullet wound in the head. Visayas. Laylo Poll from February 24 to Baylon and her friend Missy Marcos, with 28%, was the March 1, Marcos was the choice Suela, 12, were at the entrance top choice in the survey con- for 24% of respondents, a fi g- of Bagacay Beach Resort along ducted from February 24-29, ure that statistically remained Maharlika Highway in Ormoc on 2016 in the four provinces of unchanged despite the negative Saturday when a gunman, rid- Panay Island, lone district of campaigning against him dur- ing pillion on a motorcycle, fi red Guimaras and seven congres- ing the survey period. shots at Jimboy Tomnob, who sional districts of Negros Oc- He got 25% in the January was coming out of the resort. cidental among 1,800 respond- 2016 survey of the Laylo Poll. Tomnob, also known as “Im- ents. In Metro Manila, Marcos boy Tomnob”, “Jemboy Doinog” Closely behind the Ilocano bagged the top spot at 31% and “Jimboy Dealagdon”, is a ha- lawmaker was fellow Sen. Fran- along with Escudero. bal-habal (improvised tricycle) cis Escudero with 26%, Cama- Marcos, however, was the driver, and reportedly a member rines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, undisputed choice for voters of a private armed group (PAG) 21%, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, in the ABC classes with a 32% facing a string of homicide and 10%, Sen. Gregorio Honasan, preference. murder cases. 9% and Sen. Antonio Trillanes The senator said that he will Members of Gabriela women’s group along with Migrant workers’ union hold placards during a rally to celebrate International The gunshots also hit Tomnob 4th, 3%. continue sending his message of Women’s Day near Malacanang Palace in Manila yesterday. Dozens of women joined the rally and assailed the government for its in the right arm and Suela in the Marcos is the favourite vice uniting the country rather than export labour policy citing the case of Filipina worker Mary Jane Veloso, a convicted drug mule but given reprieve by the chest. Both suff ered fractured presidential candidate among causing divisions by engaging in Indonesian government in April last year. bones and are recovering at an the youth and among classes negative campaigning. undisclosed hospital.

Court ruling on voting receipts ‘to aff ect polls’ Clark airport underused: Binay

By William B Depasupil diffi cult situation that the Su- because the machines have not ceipt will need extra 10 hours in By Reina Tolentino traffi c be transferred to the Clark Manila Times preme Court has created for the been confi gured to produce the the voting process which could Manila Times/Angeles City airport, which was renamed Di- country.” voting receipt. last up to 5am. osdado Macapagal International “This is a day of sadness, not “The printing of receipt is 13 Airport (DMIA) during former he Supreme Court (SC) for the Comelec, not even for the “This is a day of sadness, not seconds, reading the receipt is ice President Jejomar Bi- President Gloria Macapagal- decision ordering the Supreme Court, but for Philip- for the Comelec, not even for anywhere from 20 to 40 sec- nay described the Clark Arroyo’s time. TCommission on Elections pine democracy and the rule of the Supreme Court, but for onds. Then you include minor VInternational Airport as Its name was later reverted (Comelec) to issue voting re- law.” Philippine democracy interruptions like paper blocks underused, saying that build- to the original because foreign ceipts will derail the May 9 elec- Bautista said that because and the rule of law” and the need to reboot the ma- ing a new community is needed pilots found it diffi cult to pro- tions, Comelec chairman Juan of the SC ruling, the Comelec chine. It would take at least one to solve the traffi c problem in nounce the new name. “This Andres Bautista warned yester- immediately stopped the pre- The commission will also minute for every voter, which Metro Manila. Jejomar Binay Clark airport is underused. It day. logical and accuracy test on the need to bid out a contract for means an additional 10 hours for Binay, standard bearer of the is no wonder since this admin- “I think our presentation more than 95,000 vote counting additional thermal paper for 600 voters out of 800 per clus- opposition United Nationalist Why not grant your request? Be- istration is guilty of underuse speaks for itself. It will material- machines (VCMs) at its Sta. Rosa the voting receipts and the pro- tered precinct who would cast Alliance (UNA), recently took his cause the name of your airport and underspending,” Binay ly impact our timeline,” Bautista warehouse in Laguna. curement of more than 92,500 their votes,” he said. campaign to the province, where here is Diosdado Macapagal. said. said.Commissioner Arthur Lim “This decision will have ma- receipt receptacles, re-train Bautista said the High Court he revealed plans to develop the Enough. I want my administra- During his speech, he also said that the SC decision put the terial impact on our preparations the more than 277,000 teachers should have consulted the international air terminal to tion, as VP Honasan said, to be said that he thought of building Comelec in a bind since it will for the conduct of the automated who will serve as members of Comelec on the practical, op- maximise its use. a healing and unifying adminis- a new community in Clark. compromise the schedule of the elections, a mere 62 days away,” the board of election inspectors erational and technical matters “Here the airport is not uti- tration,” he said. “I studied urban planning. In elections. the poll chief said. (BEIs) and amend the general in- about elections. lised much,” he said at the Ange- Honasan is his running mate, the times that I am asked espe- “This will result in a derail- The Comelec also will have structions for the BEIs. But just the same, he added, les City Hall on Monday. Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Hona- cially on the traffi c problem, I ment. That’s my personal take to reconfi gure the more than Bautista also explained that the poll body will obey the tribu- “I said 10% only, when this san. Binay was referring to local said we need to build new com- on this,” Lim said. “This is a very 92,500 secure digital (SD) cards the issuance of the voting re- nal’s order. has huge potential. I asked why. offi cials’ request that 10% of air munities,” he added. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Dhaka ‘to sue US reserve bank’ over missing $100mn Bangladesh’s government said yesterday it was planning to sue the Bangladesh court upholds Federal Reserve Bank of New York after hackers allegedly stole nearly $100mn from a reserve account. Suspected Chinese hackers stole the money from Bangladesh’s foreign exchange account on February 5, according to a Dhaka Islamist’s death sentence central bank off icial and media reports. AFP The 63-year-old senior party Jamaat was banned after its But the US reserve bank, which Dhaka leader faces the gallows within leaders became key organisers manages the Bangladesh Bank months unless his case is re- of the notorious pro-Pakistani reserve account, denies its viewed by the same court or militia Al Badr during the nine- systems were breached. angladesh’s Supreme he is granted clemency by the month war of independence. “We’ve heard that Federal Court yesterday upheld Bangladeshi president. Before he was arrested in Reserve Bank of New York Bthe death sentence of Abdur Rob, professor of po- 2012 on 14 war crimes charges, has completely denied their Jamaat-e-Islami’s chief fi nan- litical science at the North Ali headed the Diganta Me- responsibility. They don’t have cier, imposed for war crimes, South University in Dhaka, said dia Corporation, which owns a any right,” Finance Minister A M A in a major blow to the country’s the ruling was a big setback for pro-Jamaat daily and a televi- Muhith told reporters in Dhaka. biggest Islamist party. Jamaat. sion station that was shut down “Of course, we’ll file a case against Mir Quasem Ali, a shipping “He was the main fi nancier of in 2013 for infl aming religious them. We have kept the money and real estate tycoon, was con- the party,” he said. tensions. with them. They are responsible,” victed in 2014 of abducting and “He also ran Jamaat’s so- Alam, the attorney general, he said, when asked what action murdering a young fi ghter dur- cial and business enterprises said Ali had paid $25mn to a US his government would take ing Bangladesh’s 1971 war of and had very good connections lobbying fi rm to try to put a stop against the bank. independence against Pakistan. across the world, especially in to the war crime trials of Jamaat An off icial said the stolen money Three senior Jamaat offi cials the Middle East.” leaders. was illegally transferred online to and a leader of the main oppo- The executions and convic- Defence lawyers have said the Philippines and Sri Lanka. sition Bangladesh Nationalist tions of Jamaat offi cials plunged the charges against him were Bangladesh Bank, the central bank, Party (BNP) have been executed the country into one of its worst “baseless and false” and that on Monday said it had recovered since December 2013 for war crises in 2013 when tens of he was not at the crime scenes part of the money and was in crimes, despite global criticism thousands of Islamist activists In this file photo, Mir Quasem Ali waving his hand as he enters a van at the ICT court in Dhaka. during the war. contact with the Philippines’ anti- of their trials by a controversial clashed with police in nation- Ali’s wife called the court’s money laundering authorities to tribunal. wide protests that left some 500 recent killings of secular blog- government in 2010, the tri- violent protests in reaction to decision “a travesty of justice”. track down the rest. The trials have divided the people dead. gers, religious minorities and bunal has sentenced more than war crimes verdicts. Rights groups have also criti- On its off icial Twitter account, country and sparked deadly In the same year it launched foreigners. a dozen opposition leaders for “The government conspired cised the trials, saying they fall the Federal Reserve Bank of New protests, with supporters of a nationwide crackdown of Opposition parties say the their roles in the war. and planned to kill one after an- short of international standards York wrote: “Regarding hacking Jamaat and the BNP brand- Jamaat activists in which tens trials are politically motivated, The government maintains other of Jamaat’s leaders. Mir and lack any foreign oversight. reports, there is no evidence of ing them a sham aimed at of thousands of Islamists were aimed at weakening rivals to the trials are needed to heal the Quasem Ali is a victim of a gov- Jamaat opposed the wartime attempts to penetrate Federal eliminating their leaders. either detained or sued over the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s wounds of the confl ict, which ernment conspiracy,” Jamaat struggle for independence, and Reserve systems & no evidence “The court upheld his death protests. secular government. The tri- it says left three million people said in a statement. sided with the military regime Fed systems were compromised.” sentence for the abduction and The latest verdict is expected als come as the government has dead. Ali had helped revive the in Islamabad. Some 250 central banks, murder of a young freedom to widen the divide between also been accused of a recent Jamaat called for a nation- party by setting up charities, Independent researchers es- governments, and other institutions fi ghter whose body was dumped secular groups and Islamic crackdown on dissent, includ- wide strike today to protest businesses and trusts linked to timate that between 300,000 have foreign accounts at the New in a river,” Attorney General hardliners in the Muslim-ma- ing in independent media. against the verdict. The party it after it was allowed to operate and 500,000 people died in the York Fed, which is near the centre of Mahbubey Alam said. jority nation, which has seen Since it was set up by the has in recent months eschewed in the late 1970s. 1971 confl ict. the global financial system. Lanka raises taxes Crackdown on criminal gangs Deuba elected as debt crisis bites Nepali

AFP The moves are aimed at re- should make a “stronger ef- Congress Colombo pairing a mounting debt crisis fort” to immediately reduce that led ratings agency Fitch to the defi cit. downgrade Sri Lanka’s credit The fund later confi rmed the president ri Lanka’s government rating last week. island nation had asked for fi - yesterday announced a In a special statement to nancial assistance, but did not Sslew of emergency tax parliament, Wickremesinghe give details on the value of a IANS increases to help combat a debt blamed the previous govern- potential bailout. Kathmandu crisis that has forced it to seek a ment for allowing debt to spi- President Maithripala bailout from the International ral, saying his ministers had Sirisena’s government went Monetary Fund. uncovered $7bn in loans un- on a spending spree after tak- hree-time prime min- Prime Minister Ranil Wick- accounted for in the national ing power in January 2015 to ister and Nepali Con- remesinghe said the govern- budget. deliver on election promises of Tgress senior leader ment would raise value added “We have to overcome the higher wages and lower prices. Sher Bahadur Deuba has been tax, currently between 8% debt trap of the previous re- But the move increased the elected the new president and 11%, to a fl at 15% with gime,” Wickremesinghe said. country’s defi cit and sparked of the Himalayan country’s immediate eff ect. “The global downturn has concern over balance of A Sri Lankan police off icer stands guard while colleagues inspect a vehicle at a checkpoint largest party. The premier also said he reduced room for restructuring payments. in Colombo yesterday. Sri Lanka’s president has announced plans to have the military join a He was elected at the 13th na- would suspend a planned low- this debt,” he said. The country last month re- crackdown targeting criminal gangs in the capital as police re-introduced war-time road blocks tional general convention of the ering of corporate taxes for one The IMF sent a mission to ceived pledges of over $2bn following a surge in gang-related shootings. President Maithripala Sirisena told a public Nepali Congress through runoff year and revive a capital gains review Sri Lanka’s economy in loans and equity from the meeting in Colombo that he ordered security forces to conduct joint operations with the police held on Monday, the Himalayan tax, abolished in 1987, to take in February, saying it had Asian Development Bank over to dismantle crime networks responsible for a spate of shootings in Colombo and its suburbs. Times reported. eff ect from this year. warned the authorities they three years. Deuba said that his elec- tion to the post has added to his responsibility. Delhi, Dhaka “I got a responsibility to make the party strong and take initia- to sign $2bn tives to resolve problems of the loan deal country,” he said. He also said he was “confi dent Dhaka and New Delhi will sign With will and strong backs, a that those who did not win would the final agreement on a $2bn also support me. I will move credit from India today. ahead taking all, including Ram Bangladesh’s Economic Chandra Paudel and Krishna Relations Division (ERD) Prasad Sitaula, together.” senior secretary Mohammad quake-hit Nepal village rebuilds Deuba defeated Paudel, the Mejbahuddin and the Indian acting president of the party, Exim Bank chairman and Thomson Reuters Foundation that the leaders might be right. ey into use takes time in any “We thought, ‘What we can Prachanda Pradhan, whose by 526 votes. He garnered 1,822 managing director will sign Dhap “I called a meeting of all the emergency, and not all pledges do there when our homes and Nepalese organisation, the votes, while Paudel got 1,296 the agreement on behalf of village elders and we decided are met. farms are entirely devastat- Farmer Managed Irrigation votes. their countries, bdnews24.com to create temporary shelters for But weak delivery has also ed?’” remembers Jeet Bahadur, Systems Promotion Trust Deuba bagged 58% of votes to quoted ERD additional secretary hen an earthquake each family out of the debris - been a problem for Nepal’s one of the villagers. (FMIST), provided technical emerge victorious at the conven- Asif-uz-Zaman as saying last year fl attened stones and timber - and later post-confl ict government, But Waiba and other com- support to the Dhap farmers on tion yesterday. yesterday. Wthis mountain vil- restore the irrigation system,” he said. The National Recon- munity leaders pointed out the irrigation rebuilding, said Deuba hails from Dadeldhura Senior off icials of the lage in central Nepal, killing said Waiba, president of local struction Authority (NRA) that their village had plenty of such small-scale irrigation district of Nepal, and is elected Bangladesh government and 114 people, destroying homes Water Users’ Association. took six months to form and its skilled labour and manpower systems are crucial to many to parliament from there. Indian diplomats, including and ripping apart a crucial irri- What was clear, he said, is head was appointed only late to rebuild. In about a month, as farmers in countries like Nepal The 12th general convention the high commissioner, will be gation system, many residents that for most people in their last December, he said. the aftershocks died away, they and Bangladesh, helping pro- had elected Sushil Koirala as the present there, according to Asif- thought their only option was community, migrating away decided to return and try. tect jobs and food supplies. party’s top leader. Koirala passed uz-Zaman. to leave, permanently. to look for work in Kathman- “I called a meeting of all “So all of us worked together “Small irrigation systems away on February 9, necessitat- A memorandum of “When everything got dam- du “would be worse” than the village elders and and created the temporary are not small at all in terms ing party president’s election. understanding (MoU) was aged, people thought this place working hard to stay. we decided to create shelters for all the families. of their total impact on the signed on the fresh soft loan was not where they could “Our village is like a home temporary shelters for The government later provided national economy, agrar- during Prime Minister Narendra live the rest of their lives,” and every household is like each family out of the 15,000 Nepali rupees ($138) ian relations, and ecological Modi’s visit to Dhaka in June remembers Seesir Waiba, a a family member,” explained debris - stones and timber to each family for buying tin adaptability and resilience,” 2015. community leader. Ganga Chapagain, a school - and later restore the sheets” for roofi ng, Waiba said. Pradhan said. A report on the final agreement But nearly a year later, as teacher and the only woman irrigation system” “Later, we shifted our focus He said Nepal’s hill and has been sent to the prime much of Nepal faces delays and among the village’s leadership. to irrigation canals which were mountain regions contain minister. All the terms and struggles in rebuilding after “Where else could we get this The agency still lacks man- snapped by huge landslides at thousands of the systems, conditions tagged with the fresh the devastating April quake, brotherhood?” power to function as eff ectively many places. It did not only and many suff ered damage, credit will be like those for $1bn the 200 families of Dhap are When the earthquake as needed, and even immediate demand hard labour for re- “though not the way the Dhap India lent Bangladesh in 2010, back in their fi elds and in shocked Nepal last April 25, relief funds have not yet been moving the landslides manu- area has suff ered.” the report stated. temporary homes. it killed more than 9,000 fully delivered, he said. ally, but also raising (embank- Pradhan praised the resil- As many as 15 development Using their own hard work, people, injured tens of thou- In Dhap, the earthquake ments) at various places for ience of Dhap farmers, say- projects were undertaken with a small government hand- sands more, destroyed about split open the land and land- providing support to the banks ing they did well not to simply the previous Line of Credit (LOC) out, and some basic technical 730,000 structures and wiped slides destroyed homes and of the canals,” he said. wait for the government to bail and seven of them have already support and donated materi- out everything from roads to irrigation canals feeding the According to Waiba, it took them out of the crisis. been completed. als, they have rebuilt homes water supply systems. community’s 130 hectares (320 the farmers about seven weeks “When we went to their The $2bn credit carries for every family and irrigation Since then, recovery has acres) of rice, wheat, potato to restore irrigation to about area, we admired their social 1% interest rate and 0.5% channels suffi cient to reach been a struggle. Reconstruc- and mustard fi elds. 60% of their farmland. capital and decided to facili- commitment fee. 60% of their land. tion is still in early stages, with Without anywhere to live, “We left the 40% as such tate their rebuilding process,” The repayment period will be 20 What kept them from giv- much of $4.4bn pledged by do- villagers were taken to make- because taking water to this he said. years with a grace period of five ing up on Dhap was, largely, a nors only slowly arriving and shift camps in Kathmandu area could trigger more land- Besides technical support, Sher Bahadur Deuba, right, years, according to the report. quick decision by community making its way to people. and in other district head- slides. But it doesn’t mean his organisation provided some the newly elected president of If Bangladesh fails to utilise the leaders that the village had the According to Dipak Gyawali, quarters. There, some decided this land is fallow. There we pipes to connect gaps in irriga- Nepali Congress, is credit within the stipulated time, capacity to recover, and grow- Nepal’s former water resources against moving back to the vil- grow crops such as millet, tion canals and plastic to help congratulated by supporters it will have to pay an additional ing belief by initially deeply minister and a leading political lage, saying there was nothing which don’t require (irrigation) plug cracks in the system, he at his residence in Kathmandu 2% penalty interest. sceptical community members economist, getting aid mon- to live for. water,” Waiba said. said. yesterday. Gulf Times 26 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Production Editor: C P Ravindran A ‘game-changing’ plan

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar for Turkey on migrants [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Draft deal with Turkey seeks The UN refugee agency warned that to Europe. That could be a rather It is also concerned not to disrupt 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) to bar transit route to all; EU Europe must not close its door to those small number if deterrence works, talks that have brought the prospect Fax 44350474 in need, as civil war in Syria has left so EU leaders agreed to consider also of ending the four-decade division of ready to deport even Syrian millions homeless and afraid. Human resettling larger numbers. the island. refugees back to Turkey rights groups have been scathing For Europeans, the deal could help France, sceptical of Turkey ever about a Europe preaching democracy end a crisis that has jeopardised their joining the EU, is resistant to a but cutting a deal with a Turkish cherished Schengen passport-free rapid easing of visa requirements By Alastair Macdonald/Reuters government accused of persecuting zone. for Turkey. President Francois Brussels opponents. There are clear gains for Greece, Hollande said it would still have GULF TIMES Many are concerned about a where Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to meet 72 criteria - among them quickfi re process of deporting has warned of becoming a “warehouse modernising Turkish identity European Union draft deal everyone back to Turkey with little of souls” as more than 30,000 documents. with Turkey to stop migrants regard for individuals. migrants have become stranded there Britain, too, where Prime Minister reaching Greece introduces But 1.2mn people reached the EU since its northern neighbours began David Cameron is campaigning to $50 oil is in sight Aa harder edge of coercion to last year to claim asylum amid chaotic closing their borders. The downside persuade voters to back continued what critics have derided as a hitherto scenes on beaches and on the long could be ugly scenes on the islands off EU membership on June 23, is wary of feeble EU response to a crisis tearing trek north from Greece through the Turkey. newspaper headlines suggesting 75mn it apart. Balkans. It has set EU states at odds, For German Chancellor Angela Turks may soon be travelling more amid early signs Just last week, some saw European shut long-uncontrolled borders and Merkel, who worked closely on easily around Europe, even if Britain Council President Donald Tusk fuelled nationalist sentiment among the deal with Davutoglu before is outside the Schengen visa area they running short on ideas when he voters across the bloc. Leaders’ the summit, a dramatic sign of an could access. urged would-be migrants: “Do patience is thin. imminent end to the crisis could be a And central and eastern European not come to Europe.” Ukip, a party “We need to break the link boost in regional elections on Sunday states, long opposed to EU eff orts of market recovery campaigning to take Britain out of between getting in a boat and getting that will, in part, pass judgment on to force them to take in a share the EU at a June referendum, said his settlement in Europe,” they said after her decision last summer to open of refugees, are concerned about “weak plea” was “too little too late Monday’s summit. Germany’s doors to Syrians. elements of the deal that could see Is it time to talk about setting a fl oor to global oil to stop the vast migrant flow into An earlier EU plan foresaw Turkey is seeking in return some more calls for asylum-seekers to be prices, which are languishing at abysmally lower levels Europe”. deportation back to Turkey reserved 6bn euros ($6.6bn) to help improve resettled around the bloc. Yet what Turkish Prime Minister for those, such as Pakistanis or North the lives of refugees over the next However, the lure of an end to the for quite a longer period? While it, surely, is too early Ahmet Davutoglu called a “game- Africans, with little likelihood of three years - twice as much as a crisis - at least inside Europe - may to talk about a sustained recovery, some budding changing” plan for Turkey to forcibly winning refugee status in the EU two-year deal with the EU struck in prove a compelling argument despite off shoots of optimism in the market can’t just help take back not only economic migrants - though in practice making such November, as well as the opening of the critics. being noticed. who make it to Greek islands off its distinctions has proven problematic. new “chapters” in its long-stalled John O’Brennan, Jean Monnet coast but even refugees from Syria, The new plan would see even negotiation to join the European Professor of European Integration Oil prices jumped on Monday with the Brent hitting who will then suff er disadvantages, is Syrians and others with stronger Union. at Maynooth University in Ireland, its highest level since December, up $2.12, or 5.5%, the strongest move yet to change the asylum claims being shipped with Also important for Turkish public tweeted: “EU norms of pluralism are to settle above $40.84 a barrel, while US crude rose calculus of migration. little ceremony back across straits, opinion is a request to bring forward being completely eviscerated. By the If the plan is agreed, and if it works, now being demonstratively patrolled by four months to June a plan to make European Union itself. Shame on this $1.98, or 5.5%, to $37.90. Prices have risen more than taking to a boat from a Turkish beach by Nato warships. it easier for Turks to travel without dirty deal with Turkey.” 40% since the 12-year lows hit two months ago. at the cost of life savings to a smuggler To force back crowds that last year visas to Europe’s Schengen zone. Summit chair Tusk, a former There is an increasing hope that members of the - and possibly of life itself - would numbered up to 20,000 a day seems Several European governments have Polish premier, insisted the EU was Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries no longer be a ticket to a better life impracticable. But EU offi cials said strong reservations about the Turkish not going soft on defending human in Germany but a rapid round trip to the key was to dissuade people from proposals. Cyprus is wary about lifting rights in Turkey. But he stressed the (Opec) along with non-Opec producers may be Turkey. There, those returned would travelling in the fi rst place. its veto on parts of the accession benefits of the plan to crack down moving toward a consensus to support prices in an be, in the words of EU offi cials, “at the For every Syrian sent back from a process as long as Ankara does not end on travellers, saying: “The days of oversupplied market. Latin American oil producers back of the line” for legal asylum and Greek island in future, another Syrian a refusal to recognise or trade with irregular migration to Europe are are meeting on Friday to co-ordinate a strategy to resettlement in Europe. would be entitled to a legal, safe trip Cyprus, diplomats said. over.” support prices, while the UAE’s energy minister said on Monday current prices are forcing all suppliers to freeze their production. In a sign of the slowly rising optimism of sustained demand, Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, last week lifted the offi cial selling price of its benchmark crude to Asian customers. Subsequently, Opec-member Iran raised prices for most of its oil grades for Europe and Asia. Interestingly, a lot has happened since Goldman Sachs made the Opec producers forecast of oil sinking to $20 (some doomsday are now views went as low as privately $10) a month ago. Some US shale drillers have starting to talk said they’ll pump less about a new in 2016, while Saudi Arabia, Russia and equilibrium of other large producers have frozen output $50 a barrel and plan to meet later this month to discuss further measures to support prices. Hedge funds have unwound bearish bets at the fastest pace in 10 months as fear of oil sinking to $20 a barrel faded. Major Opec producers are now privately starting to talk about a new equilibrium of $50 a barrel, adding to signs that the market’s long, deep rout is offi cially over, says Gary Ross, one of the Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (left), European Council President Donald Tusk (centre) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker speak industry’s leading prognosticators. during a press conference at the end of an EU leaders summit with Turkey centred on the migrants crisis, at the European Council, in Brussels yesterday. Make no mistake; it still is not a rosy path of steady recovery for the oil market. The bear camp with a “lower-for-longer-oil” view has a host of disheartening scenarios to cement their positions: Oversupplies estimated above 2mn barrels per day; Europe’s stillborn security strategy global stockpiles of more than 3bn barrels; lower demand growth forecasts for 2016; the dollar staying strong to make imported oil costlier; extra Iranian By Ana Palacio national security priorities informed is now set to undergo a fundamental for the European project. Madrid by the administration in offi ce and the transformation. To understand the need for such a barrels fl ooding the market; US shale producers country’s changing circumstances. Such change will occur regardless narrative, one need look no further pouncing back at $50 oil; hard landing in major In Europe, the approach is broader. of whether British voters choose to than the debate in the UK over its EU consumer China and the like. f a strategy is announced and When the fi rst – and only – strategy exit the EU. If the UK leaves – taking membership, which is focused almost Energy bulls apparently have made bad wagers on nobody is around to listen, was launched in 2003, it was meant as its diplomatic, military, economic, exclusively on practical considerations does it make a sound? The a long-term guide, to endure through and cultural prowess with it – the hit and cost/benefi t analyses. Principles, the $100-crude (oil hit an all-time peak of $147.27 on I European Union will find multiple European Commissions. to the EU, in terms of its capacity to solidarity, and vision are nowhere to July 11, 2008) staying there for long. Bears may now out the answer this June, when But it has lasted for too long, and is infl uence its external environment, be found. be repeating the mistake of betting on prices staying Federica Mogherini, its High now well out of date – a reality that is obvious. If the UK stays, it will Timing is everything in politics. Last Representative for Foreign Affairs is apparent from its opening line: require the formalisation of a looser June, Europe’s leaders made the right woefully low even longer. In either case, ruthless and Security Policy, presents a “Europe has never been so prosperous, conception of the EU – one that will call. If the strategy had been ready for betting to profi t, with no focus on fundamentals to long overdue foreign and security so secure, nor so free.” raise core questions about the future release at that time, it might have served invest, doesn’t augur well for oil market equilibrium. strategy for Europe – just when Last June, the European Council of European integration. as a pole around which a discussion The Big Oil still envisages a future to price in energy all eyes will be on the United recognised the need for an updated Seen in this light, the UK’s on Europe’s purpose in the world Kingdom’s referendum on EU strategy, and called on Mogherini to upcoming referendum is more could have coalesced. But events, both demand and population growth, making oil an membership. prepare a new foreign and security policy, momentous even than the failed internal and external, have overtaken important fuel for decades to come. The EU is adrift and desperately in to be submitted within a year. To maximise referendums on an EU constitution the process. It is time to adjust. need of a catalyst to renew its sense their chances of success, Mogherini and in 2005. Releasing a new foreign Releasing a new strategy that does of purpose and dynamism. The global the European External Action Service and security strategy at the same not refl ect Europe’s new reality would strategy could serve that purpose, have kept the expert-led development moment will not just doom the plan amount to an enormous missed To Advertise but not if it is issued at a time when process discreet, intentionally avoiding to irrelevance; it will reinforce the opportunity – a tragedy, in fact, attention is squarely focused on broad public debate. perception that the EU institutions given how desperately the EU needs [email protected] another challenge, especially one that Meanwhile, numerous diffi cult are out of touch with the real world, direction. The European Council and Display could bring about fundamental change challenges – most notably, the exacerbating the Union’s already- Commission should bear this in mind Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 for the EU. Given this, the strategy’s ongoing refugee crisis – have buff eted acute existential crisis. as the June 2016 deadline to submit launch should be put on hold until Europe. This has not only sustained Prolonging the plan’s development the strategy approaches. Sometimes Classified after the referendum. the lack of public awareness of process would have the opposite patience truly is the companion of Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 In the United States, the president the foreign and security strategy eff ect, by helping to spur a broad – wisdom. – Project Syndicate is legally required to issue a national development process, but has also and attentive – discussion on what the Subscription security strategy annually. Though altered the environment in which the new Europe, with or without the UK, zAna Palacio, a former Spanish [email protected] the requirement is adhered to only strategy is to be introduced. A process should look like. Beyond producing foreign minister and former Senior loosely – President Barack Obama that was intended to enable Europe a relevant and useful foreign and Vice President of the World Bank, is a has released just two strategies in to respond better to external changes security strategy, such a discussion member of the Spanish Council of State 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved the last seven years – the intent is now must be rethought to refl ect the can give the EU a new narrative, and a visiting lecturer at Georgetown clear: to establish a set of concrete recognition that it is the EU which thereby invigorating public support University. Gulf Times Wednesday, March 9, 2016 27 COMMENT Is globalisation losing steam?

Food, fuels, and raw to the collapse of global commodity and tourism, data exchange, and materials comprise about prices. other economic activities. In fact, In fact, commodity prices are the these other interconnections have a quarter of global trade. key to understanding trade trends over fed back into trade, as they have When their prices fl uctuate the last few decades. When they were enabled the emergence of global value high, they drove increased trade – to chains, whereby diff erent steps of the aggregate trade fi gures are the point that the share of trade to production process occur in diff erent obviously aff ected GDP rose – fuelling hype about the countries. inevitable progress of globalisation. But this phenomenon has been But in 2012, commodity prices began overestimated. According to the World By Daniel Gros to fall, soon bringing trade down with Trade Organisation, the foreign value- Brussels them. added contained in exports is only Assume that one tonne of steel and around 15% for most large economies, ten barrels of oil are needed to produce such as the US and the European hina has just announced one car. In 2002-2003, that bundle of Union. In other words, global value that last year, for the raw materials was worth around $800, chains have little impact on these first time since it began or about 5% of the value of a $16,000 larger trading economies. Copening up its economy car. This implies that, during the early China is the only exception. Its to the world at the end of the 1970s, 2000s, industrial countries had to position as an assembly platform exports declined on an annual basis. export fi ve cars for every one hundred for the world’s products meant And that is not all; in value terms, bundles of these raw materials they that it imported most of the global trade declined in 2015. The imported. highest value-added elements of obvious question is why. By 2012-2013, the value of the raw those goods. But as the country’s While global trade also fell in materials needed for a car increased industrial structure matures – 2009, the explanation was obvious: to about $2,000, about 10% of the Chinese-assembled iPhones now The world was experiencing a sharp cost of the same car (prices of cars had contain more Chinese-made parts contraction in GDP at the time. Last increased by much less). Industrial than they did just a few years ago year, however, the world economy countries thus had to export double, – it will move closer to the US and grew by a respectable 3%. Moreover, namely ten cars for the same amount the EU in value-added terms, not trade barriers have not risen of imports of raw materials. the other way around. This is yet signifi cantly anywhere, and transport Clearly, there is a direct link another reason why trade might costs are falling, owing to the sharp between the trends in trade and diminish in importance. decline in oil prices. commodity prices (see fi gure). When something is widely hyped, Tellingly, the so-called Baltic Dry Given that this connection aff ects there is nearly always a real reason Index, which measures the cost of all manufactured goods that require for it. Most economies are more open chartering the large ships that carry raw material inputs, it should be no today than they were a generation most long-distance trade, has fallen surprise that, as commodity prices ago. But it is now becoming to an all-time low. This indicates that have declined, so has global trade. clear that the perception that markets do not expect a recovery, One might argue that this example globalisation is some overwhelming meaning that the data from 2015 could concerns only the value of trade, and and inexorable force largely reflected herald a new age of slowing trade. The that in recent decades, the growth of the side effects of the last decade’s obvious conclusion is that the once- trade by volume also has exceeded that commodity boom. If prices remain irresistible forces of globalisation are of real GDP growth. But commodity low, as seems likely, the next decade losing steam. prices aff ect trade volumes as well, might well see global trade stagnate, The situation in China is telling. because higher commodity prices as the trade pattern “rebalances” In recent decades, as it became the force industrial countries to increase from emerging economies to the world’s leading trading economy, the volume of their exports (ten Because food, fuels, and raw aggregate trade fi gures are obviously This is not to say that globalisation established industrial powers. – China transformed the global trading cars instead of fi ve, in the example materials comprise about a quarter aff ected. Given the massive drop in and trade are one and the same. Project Syndicate system. Now the value of both imports provided), in order to cover the costs of global trade, when their prices commodity prices lately, there is little Globalisation entails many other and exports have fallen, though the of the same volume of raw material fl uctuate – especially as strongly need to seek any other explanation for features, including the surge in zDaniel Gros is Director of the Center former have declined more, owing imports. as they have in recent decades – the recent slowdown in trade. cross-border fi nancial transactions for European Policy Studies. Weather report Three-day forecast The drug war on women TODAY High: 24 C off ences than for any other crime. In children are placed in foster care, or if cultures a woman eats only when men Low : 20 C By Kasia Malinowska Partly cloudy to cloudy with chance New York Latin America alone, they account for she is pregnant when entering prison, and children have fi nished, she injects of scattered rain,thundery at times 70% of women in prison. The impact it is likely that she will never see them with syringes that her partner has daytime on the drug trade of incarcerating a again. already used, putting them at higher hen I was growing up drug mule for a decade is minuscule; Women can be victims of laws risk of contracting HIV or Hepatitis C. THURSDAY in communist Poland, but the eff ect on the women and designed to combat traffi cking The signifi cant overlap between sex High: 27 C International Women’s their families is devastating and organisations. Many have been work and drug use also places women Low: 19 C WDay was viewed as an irreversible. charged with conspiracy simply for at higher risk. P Cloudy opportunity to celebrate women’s I fi rst noticed the eff ects of drug living with a man involved in drug National drug regimes, moreover, contributions and accomplishments. policy on women when I travelled to sales. In some US states, applicants prey on the vulnerabilities of women But it was a hollow token. The Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan after the for public assistance, who are usually worldwide. FRIDAY following day, women went back to collapse of the Soviet Union. In the women, have to undergo drug testing. I sat once with an offi cial at a High: 27 C their lives of limited opportunity. Kyrgyz mountains, there were entire In many countries, drug-treatment London airport who picked up a Low: 21 C No one-day holiday can do much to villages with not a man in sight; protocols eff ectively ensure that Kenyan woman bringing cocaine into Sunny redress generations of discrimination. they had become migrant workers in women with children will be unable to the United Kingdom. The woman had The impact of the international Russia. receive services. been told by a person who recruited drug-policy regime refl ects this Within two years of Kyrgyzstan’s In much of Central Asia, a drug- her that if she was stopped, she Fishermen’s forecast would simply be sent home without reality. In the drug supply chain, independence, prisons fi lled with dependent person has to register with OFFSHORE DOHA women are most commonly found at women held on drug-traffi cking authorities to receive treatment, which repercussions because she was a Wind: NW-NE 06-16/25 KT the bottom, often acting as “mules.” charges. These were ordinary women, automatically puts women at risk of woman and a mother. Waves: 2-4/7 Feet When a woman is caught, although some of them “babushkas” wearing losing their children. In Eastern Europe, In reality, the half-kilo of cocaine INSHORE DOHA Wind: NW-NE 04-14/25 KT she is often a non-violent fi rst time headscarves. When speaking to senior most available drug treatment takes brought a ten-year mandatory Waves: 1-2/3 Feet off ender, she faces a harsh mandatory law enforcement offi cials, I was told place in long-term programmes located sentence. Once imprisoned abroad, minimum sentence. that the women were smuggling drugs at centres far from urban centres and such mothers, with no legal support Around the region To the traffi ckers, these women from Afghanistan to pay for shoes and without child-care services. Few women or economic resources, often have no Weather Weather are expendable. Bail is rarely put up schoolbooks. To the Tajik and Kyrgyz are able to take six months or more from contact with their children back home. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min for them, or a lawyer hired, because criminal justice system, they were caring for children or parents to enter Part of the eff ort to reform drug Abu Dhabi T Storms 27/20 M Sunny 27/18 they hold no value to the traffi cking the lowest-hanging fruit in the newly such a facility. policy must address the systemic Baghdad Sunny 26/10 Sunny 28/14 Dubai structures. And, left on their own, launched war on drugs. The criminalisation and faults in criminal justice, healthcare, T Storms 24/21 T Storms 24/20 Kuwait City S Showers 23/17 Sunny 27/18 these women lack the knowledge and Women in such circumstances stigmatisation of women who use and welfare that exacerbate the plight Manama S Showers 23/19 Sunny 24/19 resources to navigate the criminal face a double punishment: loss of illicit drugs means that they are of women caught in the crossfi re of the Muscat T Storms 28/22 S T Storms 28/22 justice system. Nor are they likely to liberty and family. To be convicted less likely than men to self-identify war of drugs. – Project Syndicate Riyadh Sunny 29/14 Sunny 30/17 have the right kind of information to of a drug-related crime often means as needing assistance for drug Tehran Sunny 20/09 Sunny 21/09 trade with authorities in exchange for losing custody of one’s children. If dependence. This helps explain the zKasia Malinowska is the director of a lighter sentence. the woman sent to jail is the head of low numbers of women who use the Global Drug Policy Program at the More women are sent to jail for drug a single-parent household and her services. In the same way that in some Open Society Foundations. Live issues E-mails prove to be a mixed blessing

By Andre Spicer decade ago found employees would a task not only determines whether be much happier. Some fi rms stop Guardian News & Media compulsively monitor the device, often we get things done at work, but also you logging into your e-mails after waking up in the middle of the night to helps to infl uence whether we feel hours. Others have started deleting check e-mails. When the researchers good about what we do. A recent study e-mails that are sent while someone f you ask anyone what the worst asked people why they did this, they by researchers at Harvard Business is on holiday. Although dreams of part of their job is, they are said they wanted to appear professional School asked hundreds of people what an e-mail-free workplace might likely to respond with one word: and didn’t want to miss anything. A they did at work, and whether they seem appealing, the reality would be Around the world Ie-mail. Over the weekend, the decade later, we check our smartphones felt they had a good day. They found unlikely to create miracles. Many of Weather Weather inventor of this contemporary curse, on average 221 times a day. that the days people felt good about the problems we blame on e-mail are today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Ray Tomlinson, died. Tomlinson came E-mail is a huge source of their work were those when they not really down to the inbox. They are Athens S T Storms 18/10 Sunny 18/11 up with the idea while developing distraction at work. One study found had an uninterrupted block of time actually the result of the increasingly Beirut M Sunny 26/18 Sunny 20/13 P Cloudy 37/27 the Arpanet - the predecessor of that when people check their e-mail, to make progress on a task that they fragmented, highly pressured and Bangkok 34/27 M Sunny Berlin M Sunny 10/0 Sunny 09/01 today’s Internet - in 1971. He and it takes them an average of 64 seconds saw as important. Unsurprisingly, the insecure patterns of work. Cairo Sunny 32/13 Sunny 27/14 his colleagues were scratching their to switch their attention back to their constant stream of e-mails is often the A recent study by researchers at Cape Town Sunny 26/17 Cloudy 25/18 heads about what to do with their new original task. Workers in the study biggest interruption to this goal. Stanford found that people who spend Colombo P Cloudy 33/25 P Cloudy 33/25 invention, wherein one application were distracted this way an average of Some people have suggested that more time working on e-mails were Dhaka M Sunny 35/25 P Cloudy 36/24 Hong Kong S Showers 21/12 Showers 14/07 eventually became e-mail. “Don’t 96 times a day. This means they spent you can avoid feeling overwhelmed in fact not always more overloaded Istanbul M Cloudy 16/07 S Showers 14/09 tell anyone!” he told a colleague. more than 100 minutes every day by e-mail with the help of a few small and stressed. Instead, people Jakarta T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/25 “This isn’t what we’re supposed to be being distracted by e-mails. Another changes. A typical piece of advice confused e-mails with other work Karachi M Sunny 31/20 P Cloudy 31/20 working on.” study recorded even more disturbing is to only check your e-mails a few issues. They saw e-mail as a source London Rain 08/03 M Cloudy 11/03 M Sunny P Cloudy 35/23 Today, e-mail is part of the fabric results. After observing employees times a day and turn off notifi cations. of stress, but they did not consider Manila 36/24 Moscow Fog 04/-2 P Cloudy 06/-4 of our lives. A recent survey of US closely over a two-week period, Unfortunately, some studies suggest other more important issues in their New Delhi Sunny 31/16 M Sunny 32/18 employees found that they spent 3.2 it found that after checking their e-mail management techniques working lives, such as long hours or New York P Cloudy 24/14 P Cloudy 24/16 hours a day dealing with work e-mails e-mails, people would do on average don’t decrease stress. If you get a lot a stressful company culture. This Paris Rain 08/02 P Cloudy 12/03 alone. Often the fi rst thing we do in the 2.3 other tasks before getting back of e-mails, then you are likely to be had a dangerous consequence. A few Sao Paulo S T Storms 29/21 P Cloudy 31/21 Seoul M Cloudy 06/-4 M Sunny 06/-4 morning is scan through our e-mails. to the activity they were originally stressed out by the sight of a bulging “productivity hacks” were seen as Singapore S T Storms 33/26 T Storms 33/26 Smartphones have made matters working on. inbox no matter how you manage it. magic keys to reducing overload, but Sydney Sunny 31/21 M Sunny 28/21 much worse. One study that tracked This distractive quality of e-mails It might be easy to think if we got the reality is that only changing wider Tokyo Clear 13/11 Cloudy 10/04 the introduction of BlackBerrys a is worrying. Our ability to focus on rid of e-mails, our workplaces would working practices would help. Gulf Times 28 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 QATAR QIIB, KidzMondo Doha ink agreement IIB signed a partner- ship agreement with QKidzMondo Doha, Qa- tar’s one-of-a-kind miniature edutainment city coming up at Mall of Qatar, yesterday. The partnership will lead to the addition of a fun and educa- tive activity to the entertaining learning experience that the in- door theme park aims to foster in young minds, according to a statement. Through its partnership with QIIB, KidzMondo Doha will off er children an opportunity to enact “dream roles” as employees and customers of a bank and get an understanding of the functioning of fi nancial environments. Children will be exposed to banking activities such as open- ing their own bank account, how Off icials at the partnership agreement-signing ceremony in Doha yesterday. PICTURE: Thajudheen to encash cheques and how to de- posit and withdraw money from and founder of the KidzMondo saifri, chief, HR and general serv- vironment suitable for their age. about our latest partnership with of Qatar is proud and pleased to to provide a holistic experience to their accounts or ATM machines. concept; Shem Krey, managing ices; and Masson Mohamed al- “In fact, KidzMondo’s innova- Qatar International Islamic Bank have KidzMondo Doha as an an- “unlock imagination and creativ- These activities are age-appropri- director for Mall of Qatar; Nabil Asfar, chief of corporate banking. tive approach to provide banking as KidzMondo Doha further ex- chored tenant. It will benefi t the ity in children, while empowering ate and held in a dynamic and safe R Barakat, general manager of On the occasion, al-Shaibei information to children encour- pands its array of fun and educa- mall as a major attraction where them with knowledge, essential surrounding, the statement notes. KidzMondo Doha; and Sari Sali- said: “This partnership is apart of aged us and gave us an impor- tive role-play activities for kids.” children and parents will spend a skills and life-lessons that help The signing ceremony was at- bi, group chief marketing offi cer our corporate social responsibil- tant opportunity to disseminate Barakat added, “Today is a very lot of their time.” them become well-versed indi- tended by Abdulbasit Ahmed A of Power Holding. ity initiatives at QIIB, and we are the principles of Islamic banking special day for KidzMondo Doha The indoor entertainment park, viduals and prepare them for the al-Shaibei, CEO of QIIB; Moutaz A number of other QIIB offi cials happy to be able to give our chil- principles and educate the new as we have joined forces with QIIB with its own economy, currency professional world of adults, in an al-Khayyat, CEO of UCC; Ali Ka- were also present - Jamal Abdullah dren something to learn from in generation about this subject.” to enhance our concept even more.” (Kidlar), public services and es- interactive and entertaining way”, zma, chairman of KidzHolding al-Jamal, deputy CEO; Ali al-Me- an exciting and entertaining en- Kazma noted, “We are excited Meanwhile, Krey said: “Mall tablishments, has been designed the statement adds. Katara honours 51 artists

atara – the Cultural Village noted that the project involved hibiting the beauty of Katara, recently recognised 51 art- a large number of artists - both whose facilities combined herit- Kists from 21 nationalities Qataris and expatriates - who age and modernity. who have participated in the fi rst belonged to around 20 nation- “It was a totally diff erent and phase of its “Katara Murals with alities. unique experience for most art- the Brushes of Artists” project. “Art is the common language ists to paint such huge murals,” A ceremony was held on the between people, irrespective of said Qatari artist Bashir al-An- occasion, which included a fi lm their diff erences. This comes as sari. screening that recorded the part of Katara’s mission of build- Dr al-Sulaiti thanked Qatar phases of fi nalising the paintings ing bridges between cultures,” he Fine Arts Association chairman aimed at enhancing interaction added. Yousef Khalifa al-Sada, Visual between artists and the audi- The offi cial said the project Arts Centre president Hanadi ence. affi rmed Katara’s cultural and al-Darwish and the project over- Katara general manager Dr artistic richness, which inspired seeing team led by Mohamed Ab- Participants of the ‘Katara Murals with the Brushes of Artists’ project. Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti artists. It would also help in ex- dulaziz al-Meer.