SPORT | Page 12 BUSINESS | Page 1 Al-Sada confi dent on

INDEX oil price DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 7, 26 – 28 COMMENT 24, 25 Defending REGION 8 BUSINESS 1 – 8, 14 – 16 recovery 16,010.51 8,848.86 30.65 ARAB WORLD 8 CLASSIFIED 9 – 13 champion Grace -83.00 -132.75 -1.54 INTERNATIONAL 9 – 23 SPORTS 1 – 12 -0.52% -1.48% -4.78% eyes elusive double Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXVI No. 9979 January 26, 2016 Rabia II 16, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets US Central Command head UN sees In brief

EUROPE | Response Syria talks Greece blasts ‘lies’ in EU migrant talks Greece yesterday lashed out at what it called “lies” by its EU partners following calls for Athens to be suspended from the Schengen passport-free starting zone if it fails to staunch the flow of migrants into Europe. At a tense meeting of EU interior ministers in Amsterdam, Austria and Germany urged Greece - the European gateway for thousands of migrants each day - to do more on Friday to tackle the continent’s worst migration crisis since World War The aim would be six months of support for de Mistura’s decision to II. Page 17 talks, first seeking a ceasefire, take time to draw up the list. later working towards a political “We don’t want to decide and have settlement it crumble on day one. It’s worth tak- ARAB WORLD | Concern HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meeting with Gen Lloyd Austin, head of US Central Command, yesterday. ing a day or two, or three, or whatever,” Canada sends ‘tough They reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments. HE the Reuters Kerry said during a visit to Laos. Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Major General Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah also met separately with Gen Austin. Page 6 Geneva The outcome was up to the Syrian message’ to Israel parties, he added: “They have to be se- Canada’s new Liberal government rious. If they are not serious, war will said yesterday it was delivering he UN said yesterday it would continue. Up to them. You can lead a a “tough message” to Israel as issue invitations for marathon horse to water; you can’t make it drink.” a good friend after expressing TSyrian peace talks to begin this Years of high-level diplomacy have concern about Israeli-Palestinian week, but opposition groups signalled so far yielded no progress towards end- violence, Israeli settlements and Incubator to help boost they would stay away unless the gov- ing or even curbing the fi ghting. Since unilateral Palestinian moves. ernment and its Russian allies halt air the last peace conference was held in The statement came a day strikes and lift sieges on towns. early 2014, Islamic State fi ghters have after Foreign Minister Stephane The fi rst talks in two years to end the declared a “caliphate” across much of Dion was criticised for saying Syrian civil war were meant to begin on Syria and Iraq, and the war has drawn Palestinian initiatives toward Qatar tourism start-ups Monday but have been held up in part in world powers. statehood in international forums by a dispute over who should represent The US has led air strikes against and continued Israeli settlements the opposition to President Bashar al- the militants since 2014, and Russia were unhelpful. atar’s fi rst specialised incuba- riod that witnessed the incubation of during the QBIC “Demo Day” last Assad. launched a separate air campaign near- tor for tourism start-ups was nine start-ups. month at the end of a 10-week long UN envoy Staff an de Mistura said he ly four months ago against enemies of Qoffi cially launched yesterday. During incubation, potential en- programme for developing and test- was still working on his list, and ex- its ally Assad. AMERICA | Weather Qatar Business Incubation Center trepreneurs can develop and expand ing start-up business ideas. pected to issue the invitations today for Russian fi repower has helped the East Coast struggles (QBIC) Tourism, guided by Qatar their business ideas within any of the “We know from experience that talks to start on Friday. Syrian military and its allies achieve Tourism Authority (QTA), will enable four main sectors of tourism activity all entrepreneurs benefi t enormously The aim would be six months of talks, military gains, including a major push to return to normal entrepreneurs to develop products that have been identifi ed as priori- from practical assistance and the op- fi rst seeking a ceasefi re, later working in the northwest of the country in re- Major US East Coast cities and services that enhance the Qatar ties for Qatar: business events; urban portunity to network and collaborate towards a political settlement to a war cent days, with rebels acknowledging a struggled yesterday to return tourism experience. and family entertainment; sports and with experts and business creatives,” that has killed more than 250,000 peo- turn in momentum. to normal following a massive Entrepreneurs will be provided recreation; and culture and heritage al-Mudahka said. ple, driven more than 10mn from their The rise of Islamic State and Rus- weekend blizzard that dropped business development tools and ac- products. “With QTA guidance, QBIC Tour- homes and drawn in global powers. sia’s entry into the war have given new about two feet of snow on cess to insight and guidance from QBIC CEO Aysha al-Mudahka said ism promises to be a fast track to busi- The ceasefi re would cover the whole impetus to diplomacy, leading to a De- cities including New York and QTA decision-makers. that small and medium enterprises ness viability for successful candi- country except parts held by Islam- cember 18 UN Security Council resolu- Washington. Commuters faced The launch event was attended by accounted for the majority of busi- dates in tourism. ic State (IS) militants and the Nusra tion, backed by Washington and Mos- delayed trains and buses and QBIC chairman and Qatar Develop- nesses worldwide and played signifi - “Whether in business events, urban Front, de Mistura told a news confer- cow, that called for peace talks. traffic was heavy heading into ment Bank CEO Abdulaziz al-Khalifa cant roles in any nation in generating and family entertainment, sports and ence in Geneva. But world powers remain at odds over major metropolitan areas as many and Hassan al-Ibrahim, chief tourism IP and building economic resilience. recreation, or culture and heritage, De Mistura, whose two predecessors who should be invited. Russia says op- roads remained clogged with development offi cer at QTA. “We are delighted that QBIC Tour- Qatar-based entrepreneurs with a quit in apparent frustration after hold- position fi gures it calls terrorists must drifts of snow. Page 10 “A central tenet for QBIC is to be ism will be helping to develop Qatar’s good business idea for Qatar’s grow- ing failed peace conferences of their be excluded, and wants to include groups continually strengthening our start- increasingly important tourism off er- ing tourism industry can get started own, acknowledged the going would like the Kurds who control wide areas of up culture in Qatar not only by provid- ing by providing practical assistance, now by getting in touch with us,” she be diffi cult. Delegations would meet northern Syria. Regional heavyweight ing the support and space that every hands-on experience and the sharing noted. in separate rooms in “proximity talks”, Turkey opposes inviting the Kurds. business needs but by partnering for of innovative opportunities and ideas.” QBIC has proved a successful busi- with diplomats shuttling between The main opposition groups, who specifi c excellence and cutting-edge One of QBIC’s fl agship initiatives ness incubator since its inception, of- them. Threats to pull out should be ex- are supported by Arab governments opportunity within prominent indus- is LeanStartup, a 10-week entrepre- fering training, mentoring, offi ce and pected. and the West, say they will not attend tries,” al-Khalifa said. neurial programme that provides real workshop space and fi nancial assist- “Don’t be surprised: there will be unless they can choose their own del- In Qatar, tourism is playing an in- world, hands-on learning experience ance for start-ups in any fi eld. a lot of posturing, a lot of walk-outs egation. Spokesman Salim al-Muslat creasingly pivotal role in diversifying on how to successfully start a com- Building on this success, more re- or walk-ins because a bomb has fallen said the opposition HNC would discuss the nation’s economy, providing a pany. cently QBIC has partnered with other or someone has done an attack.... You its position today. shield from oil price fl uctuations. With the tourism incubator offi - organisations, including QTA, to set should neither be depressed nor im- The HNC, formed in Saudi Arabia QTA identifi es types of products cially launched, al-Mudahka encour- up specialised incubators so that en- pressed, but it’s likely to happen,” he last month and grouping armed and and services that will contribute to aged potential entrepreneurs to apply. trepreneurs and SMEs in certain sec- said. “The important thing is to keep political opponents of Assad, has re- a more diverse tourism off ering and Five of the already incubated com- tors can benefi t from industry insider momentum.” peatedly said talks cannot begin un- works to attract investment for their panies at QBIC Tourism were selected expertise and connections. The spokesman for one of the rebel til air strikes are halted, government development. groups in the opposition High Negoti- sieges of rebel-held territory lifted and The involvement of homegrown ating Committee (HNC) said it was im- detainees freed, steps outlined in the talent in developing Qatar’s tourism possible for the opposition to attend as UN resolution. sector is crucial to ensuring that visi- long as rebel territory is being pounded The peace conference, if it takes tor experiences are embedded in, and by air strikes and besieged towns are place, will be the third since the war refl ective of, the country’s national being starved. began and the fi rst convened by de culture and heritage. “It is impossible to give up any of our Mistura, a veteran diplomat with dual Today’s start-ups in QBIC Tourism demands. If we attend, it’s as if we are Swedish and Italian nationality. have a unique opportunity to partici- selling our martyrs,” said Abu Ghiath A suicide bomber driving a fuel tank pate in laying the foundations for a al-Shami, spokesman for Alwiyat Seif truck blew himself up at a checkpoint strong tourism industry that will con- al-Sham, one of the groups fi ghting run by the Islamist rebel group Ahrar tinue to grow and contribute to the against Assad’s forces in the southwest. al-Sham in the northern city of Aleppo national economy up to and beyond QBIC chairman and QDB CEO Abdulaziz al-Khalifa and QTA chief tourism US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday, killing at least 23 people, the the FIFA World Cup 2022. development off icer Hassan al-Ibrahim led the off icial launching of QBIC Tourism he expected clarity within a day or two Syrian Observatory for Human Rights QBIC earlier had a soft-launch pe- yesterday. over who would attend, and expressed monitoring group said. Cardiac patients are relatively younger in the country

By Joseph Varghese themselves by adopting a healthy life rest cases in Qatar. “Along with the Dr Saifeldeen suggested that With the changes in lifestyle and Staff Reporter style,” urged Dr Khalid Abdulnoor ambulance service, we are doing CPR should be part of the curricu- the food habits, people fall victims to Saifeldeen, director, Hamad Inter- some research on the number of car- lum in the schools which will help cardiac problems that can lead even national Training Centre (HITC) and diac arrest cases in the country. We students face such eventualities to their death. It is therefore impera- ardiac arrest patients in Qatar senior consultant, Emergency Medi- know that majority of these causali- anywhere. tive for the people to look after them- and other GCC countries are cine. ties have the usual risk factors asso- “The majority of the incidents of selves and avoid the risk factors, felt Crelatively younger compared “Administering Cardiopulmonary ciated with heart disease either di- cardiac arrest happen outside the the physician. to many other countries, a senior of- Resuscitation (CPR) immediately to a agnosed or suspected. Sometimes it hospitals. Therefore, people must He also maintained that a national ficial of Hamad Medical Corporation person suffering from cardiac arrest, happens with no apparent symptoms have adequate information on CPR CPR network with all agencies that (HMC) has said. can save the life in most situations,” which can be undiagnosed reasons and how to administer it in case of provide CPR training will have a role “It is a problem that we have to he told Gulf Times yesterday. such as high level of blood pressure an emergency. This can save large in combating cardiac problems in the address. People have to look after HITC is analysing the cardiac ar- or other reasons,” he said. number of lives,” he said. Dr Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen country. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 QATAR

Emir honours envoys of Comoros, Indonesia In brief

Emir issues decrees

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday issued the following decrees: 1.Decree No 7 of 2016 ratifying a grant of rights agreement for the Facility D electricity and water production station project. 2.Decree No 8 of 2016 ratifying the government of Qatar’s guarantee agreement for the Facility D electricity and water production station project. 3.Decree No 9 of 2016 ratifying the priority right agreement on the Facility D electricity and water production station project. 4.Decree No 10 of 2016 approving a memorandum of understanding on co-operation in the health sector between the governments of Qatar and HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met the outgoing ambassadors of Comoros and Indonesia, Haji Abdullah Abdulhamid and Deddy Saiful Hadi, respectively, at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. The Emir Macedonia, signed in Skopje on presented the ambassadors with the Sash of Merit in recognition of their eff orts in enhancing relations with Qatar and wished them every success in their future assignments. The ambassadors expressed 16/04/2013. thanks and appreciation to the Emir and off icials in Qatar for the co-operation they received. 5.Decree No 11 of 2016 approving the abolition of visas for diplomatic and special passports holders between the governments of Qatar and Instruments Romania signed in Doha on of ratification 03/05/2015. Ooredoo launches ‘Happy Data’ fl ash promotion Cabinet decisions HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani issued ratified oredoo has announced a charges will get four times, 6GB www.ooredoo.qa Shop. The service also allows us- app in Ooredoo Shops to ensure the following instruments of new promotion that will top-ups will get fi ve times the Meanwhile, Ooredoo has an- ers to see the number of waiting quicker and more eff ective fu- ratification yesterday: HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Oprovide Hala and Shahry data, and 15GB top-ups will get nounced plans to continue the people in any shop. ture visits. 1.Approving a draft air transport Hamad al-Thani has ratified the customers with up to six times six times the data – 90GB data transformation of the customer Ooredoo will have a special Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, agreement between the following Cabinet decisions: their data allowance when they for QR200. experience in its shops, by intro- queuing process for Al Nokhba Community and Public Rela- governments of Qatar and 1.No 2 for 2016 regarding the activate a “data recharge.” All “extra data” will be valid ducing new smart solutions to customers, to off er extra rewards tions director, Ooredoo, said: Zimbabwe, signed in Antalya on validity of law No 24 of 2002 The “Happy Data” fl ash pro- for 30 days once the top-up has give more control over accounts for the company’s high-end cus- “Ooredoo is moving towards be- 19/10/2015. regarding the retirement motion, which will be available been activated during the pro- and greater access to a full range tomer base. ing one of the leading companies 2.Approving co-operation of Qatari workers at Qatar until tomorrow, will give cus- motional dates. of products and services. First introduced as a pilot in in delivering the best customer agreement in the cultural field Foundation for Social Protection tomers up to 90GB of data for The promotion was designed Ooredoo’s Airport Road and experience.” between the governments of and Rehabilitation. the price of a 15GB data recharge to give customers more chances All “extra data” will be valid Landmark Shops, the digital in- Ooredoo is also planning an Qatar and Ethiopia, signed in 2.No 3 for 2016 regarding the by simply topping-up their ac- to enjoy the incredible speeds of for 30 days once the top-up novation has been so successful overhaul of its current website, Addis Ababa on 10/04/2013. validity of law No 24 of 2002 count with a data recharge via the Ooredoo Supernet for less, has been activated during in reducing the customer wait- streamlining product pages and regarding the retirement of the Ooredoo App, Mobile Money as Ooredoo continues to enrich the promotional dates ing time – that it led Ooredoo services to enhance the experi- Qatari workers at Arab Network App, website, self-service ma- people’s lives with its 3G, 4G, and to roll-out the new solution in ence and ensure all customers Emir to attend Air for National Human Rights chine, or purchasing a data card 4G+ networks throughout Qatar. One of Ooredoo’s most suc- shops across the country. fully-understand the services Force College event Institutions. or e-Voucher from Ooredoo The Ooredoo App and Oore- cessful recent innovations has The app has been developed as available for them. 3.No 4 for 2016 regarding the shops and authorised dealers. doo Money App are available been the launch of the Smart part of the company’s vision to The mobile app is available validity of law No 24 of 2002 With the new off er, customers for free download on the iTunes Queue Management Solution, have a fully digital, paperless and for free download on the iTunes HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin regarding the retirement who buy and activate a 250MB Store (iOS) and Google Play (An- which enables customers to be Smart Queue Management So- Store (iOS) and Google Play (An- Hamad al-Thani will attend today of Qatari workers at three data recharge will get two times droid) now. served quickly by taking a queue lution in Ooredoo Shops. Oore- droid) now. Customers can also the commencement of the third companies. They are Total the data, 1GB data top-ups will For more information on mo- token via the Ooredoo App be- doo will educate customers to visit www.ooredoo.qa for more class of Mohamed bin Abdullah Petrochemicals, Emdad Holding get three times the data, 3GB re- bile data from Ooredoo, visit fore arriving at the Ooredoo utilise the queue feature via the details. Al Attiyah Air Force College. Company and Morgan Stanley. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 3 QATAR

PM meets China’s minister of culture

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani meeting China’s Minister of Culture Luo Shugang in Doha yesterday. The Chinese off icial is participating in the start of the Qatar-China 2016 year of culture events. They discussed bilateral relations and the means to enhance them, especially in cultural fields.

QRCS wraps up winter aid project for displaced Iraqis

QNA amid the cold weather and Doha lack of protection. QRCS is already conduct- ing other relief projects for atar Red Crescent So- Iraqi IDPs in Kurdistan, in- ciety (QRCS) has com- cluding a water and sanita- Qpleted a large-scale tion project to establish a winterisation project in Al- water storage and distribu- Anbar Governorate in Iraq. tion system in Ashti Iraqi This is part the society’s Refugee Camp, Sulaymani- QR11mn ongoing Warm yah, serving 1,312 families Winter 2015-2016 campaign (7,878 people) of the camp. in several countries. Under the Warm Win- The $494,000 (QR1.8mn) QRCS off icials distributing relief items in Al-Anbar ter 2014-2015 campaign in project is aimed at alleviat- governorate. Kurdistan, which target- ing the suff ering of internal- ed the Iraqi IDPs in Erbil, ly displaced Iraqis who fl ed items like blankets, winter partners, the benefi ciaries QRCS personnel distributed the fi ghting in the governo- clothes, and heating materi- were selected based on cer- $219,178 worth of winter aid rate, a QRCS press release al to 6,500 families (39,000 tain criteria, focusing on the to 5,088 most vulnerable said. people) in several cities and most vulnerable IDPs who families (30,528 people) in- Over a month, QRCS IDP camps. live in very tough conditions cluding widows, children, personnel distributed relief In co-operation with local outside of camps, especially elders and the disabled. Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 QATAR

HE Abdullah Saleh Mubarak al-Khulaifi, Minister of Labour and Social Aff airs, with visiting Nepalese Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi in Doha yesterday. Nepal foreign secretary calls on FM, Labour Minister

isiting Nepalese For- eign Secretary Shan- Vker Das Bairagi paid a courtesy call on Minister for Foreign Aff airs HE Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, at the latter’s offi ce yester- day. They exchanged views on enhancing bilateral rela- tions. Shanker Das Bairagi handed over a message for HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani from Nepal’s President Bidhya Devi Bhandari during his The Nepalese delegation with Group Executive Director of Qatar Foundation Jassim meeting with HE the For- Mohamed A Telefat. eign Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah. Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani. future co-operation in this eration in the areas of educa- He also handed over Biaragi also visited HE area. tion, research and commu- a written message from Abdullah Saleh Mubarak al- Also the Nepalese del- nity development. Bairagi Nepalese Prime Minister Khulaifi , Minister of Labour egation held a meeting with and Senior Foreign Ministry Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and Social Aff airs. They Group Executive Director of offi cial Hari Prasad Khanal, addressed to HE the Prime held detailed discussions on the Qatar Foundation, Jas- are in Qatar on a four-day Minister and Minister of In- matters pertaining to Nepa- sim Mohamed A Telefat and offi cial visit. - Usha Wagle terior Sheikh Abdullah bin lese workers in Qatar and discussed avenues of co-op- Gautam /QNA

Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 QATAR

Defence Minister meets US General Qatar, Australia sign education pact Ministry recalls Ford Mustang

he Ministry of Economy and Commerce, in collab- Toration with Almana Mo- tors Company, has announced a recall of Ford Mustang 2015 for the installation of the fuel tank heat shielding. The Ministry said the recall campaign comes within the framework of its ongoing eff orts to protect consumers and ensure that car dealers follow up on ve- hicles’ defects and repair them. The Ministry will co-ordinate with the dealer to follow up on the maintenance and repair works and communicate with customers to ensure that the necessary repairs are carried out. The Ministry has urged all customers to report any viola- tions to its Consumer Protection HE the Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Major General Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah meeting the Qatar and Australia signed yesterday a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of higher and Anti-Commercial Fraud commander of United States Central Command Lloyd Austin in Doha yesterday. They discussed education. Qatar’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Rabea Department through the follow- issues of joint interest and reviewed co-operation between the State of Qatar and the United Mohamed al-Kuwari and Australian Minister for Tourism and International Education Minister ing channels: Hotline: 16001, States. HE the Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces Major General Ghanem bin Shaheen assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment Senator Richard Colbeck signed the MoU. The e-mail: [email protected], Twit- al-Ghanem attended the meeting along with US ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith. memo dealt with exchanging expertise in the field of education. ter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar

Minister meets QU conducts training in off icials of NBK Automobiles to display new sports clubs humane care of lab animals HE the Minister of Youth and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin collection at Qatar Motor Show Nasser al-Ali yesterday met the he fi rst-ever train- off icials of sports clubs in Qatar ing programme on to discuss law No 1 for 2016 asser Bin Khaled Automo- AMG, and C 300 Coupe. Tthe humane care regulating the work of the clubs. biles, the exclusive dealers of Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles has and use of laboratory ani- The Minister thanked HH the NMercedes-Benz in Qatar, is built its success by establishing solid, mals held from January 5 Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- participating in the Qatar Interna- longstanding relationships with its to 18 by Qatar University Thani for issuing the new law. He tional Motor Show 2016, one of the customers, and through off ering a Laboratory Animal Re- said the new law accounted for most important auto shows in the wide range of products. As a brand search Centre (QU-LARC) the independence of sports clubs Gulf region. name, Nasser Bin Khaled Automo- drew 23 trainees from Bio- in their events and finances. The motor show will be inaugu- biles is deeply associated with a his- medical Research Centre, rated tomorrow and will run until tory of premium quality service and LARC and the Colleges of Strong wind February 1 at the Doha Exhibition and The Mercedes-Benz G 500 4x4. market leadership. Medicine, Arts & Sciences Convention Centre (DECC). The Qatar Motor Show is one of the and Pharmacy. forecast Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles SUVs, and sporty cars to the most most important motoring events in The aim of the pro- will be present in the luxurious and luxuries series. the Middle East, attracting car lov- gramme was to engage Strong wind has been forecast biggest stand that extends on over Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles ers and trade professionals. The show trainees in a general un- Dr al-Emadi presenting training certificate to a today also in Qatar. The 900sq m, displaying a range of 14 cars will display four of its wide range brings together some of the most no- derstanding of the regula- participant. maximum temperature of 22C from diff erent categories, including of cars, including the A-Class 250 table international carmakers show- tions and responsibilities is expected in Doha and at four new cars, the recently launched Sport, G 500 Square 2016, C 450 casing their latest models. in the use of laboratory imals at the Centre. It cov- because the quality of re- Mesaieed and Wakrah, followed animals for research. ered working with BS60 search and the welfare of by 21C at Al Khor, 20C at Ruwais, Attendees participated biosafety cabinets, proper laboratory animals have 19C at Dukhan and 18C at Abu in in-classroom theory handling of rodents in everything to do with the Samra. and hands-on learn- terms of blood collection, capacity and competence The minimum temperature of 14C ing led by LARC director euthanasia and necropsy of the people who play ac- is forecast at Abu Samra, followed Dr Hamda al-Naemi and techniques, and bio-waste tive roles in the care and by 17C at Al Khor and Dukhan, LARC operational services disposal. use of animals and related 18C at Ruwais and 19C in Doha manager Dr Vijay Kanth. “It is our obligation to research. and at Mesaieed and Wakrah. The theory course was help researchers and stu- obligatory for students dents to be trained and and researchers who in- certifi ed to use the labora- tend to use Centre facili- tory animals at the centre ties, regardless of previous in a humane and respon- training. sible manner,” Dr Hamda It covered a range of said. issues related to animal She added that the use research such as national of animals in research and and international laws and teaching is a privilege, policies, ethics, occupa- carrying with it unique tional health and safety, professional and moral zoonotic diseases, and obligations for all person- rodent housing and hus- nel and students involved bandry. in animal research to fol- Participants also low standardised and safe learned about personal laboratory practices to safety inside LARC fa- ensure that all animals cilities, the importance involved in research are of personal protective treated humanely and in equipment requirements, accordance with national and how researchers can as well as institutional access LARC facilities for policies. their research. Also high- Participants were lighted were details on the awarded course comple- Institutional Animal Care tion certifi cates by QU and Use Committee. acting vice-president for The hands-on course research Dr Darwish al- was for personnel who Emadi who said that the would be handling live an- training was necessary

Court of Appeal reviews case involving attempted burglary of donation box

he Court of Appeal outside to their vehicle. has reviewed a case of Though they fl ed, a few Tthree expatriate men minutes later a police patrol convicted by a lower court vehicle asked them to stop. for attempting to steal the But, the driver of the vehicle donation box of the Qatar sped away and drove his car Society for Rehabilitation of to the opposite side of the Special Needs. road hitting another police Local Arabic daily Ar- vehicle. rayah reported yesterday They were arrested by the that the Criminal Court had police patrol. During the in- sentenced the defendants to vestigations, the trio admit- fi ve years in jail followed by ted committing the crimes deportation. listed against them. The charges against the defendants included at- tempted burglary of the charity society, crashing into a traffi c patrol vehicle and damaging it, and pos- ing hazard to the life of other people. The case papers indi- cated that the three per- sons broke into the head- quarters of the Society and carried the donation box Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 7 QATAR Fire breaks out in Najma compound fi re broke out in a compound in the ANajma area of Doha yesterday morning, creat- ing panic among the resi- dents. No one was injured. The incident was reported around 10.50am. There was apparently a pile-up of discarded fur- niture, old cycles, cycle tyres and carpets on the site where the fi re broke out. Burning tyres pro- duced plumes of thick black smoke that enveloped the surroundings for a while. Inquiries made in the area found there was a sim- ilar fi re in the same com- pound less than a year ago. Some of the neighbours said the goods destroyed in yesterday’s fi re be- longed to the occupants of portacabin accommo- dations in the neighbour- hood who were evicted by the municipal authorities in the wake of the previous fi re. They had reportedly stocked the old goods in the compound. Soon after the fi re broke out yesterday, civil defence personnel arrived and put out the fl ames in less than 20 minutes. Children rescued: Two schoolchildren, trapped in an apartment located in an ad- joining building of the com- pound where the fi re broke out yesterday, were rescued Smoke spewing out of the place where fire broke out in the Najma area yesterday. by civil defence personnel who broke open the door one noticed the children personnel and together they and told to return home. with the help of a neighbour. watching helplessly through broke the door to rescue the It is learnt that the parents When thick black smoke one of the windows of their children. The parents of the had kept the key of the main enveloped the area and it fi rst fl oor fl at. children were away at work. door at a place in their draw- became diffi cult for people A neighbourhood gro- They were informed about ing room inaccessible to the to move in the area, some- cer alerted the civil defence the civil defence personnel children. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 REGION/ARAB WORLD

DECISION RIOTS JUDICIARY PEOPLE OFFBEAT Bouteflika dissolves Bahrain court sentences Kuwait court clears Peres ‘feels well’ but Shark leaps to death military spy agency 57 men to 15-year terms sports figure Ahmad to remain in hospital on UAE fishing boat lgerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has dissolved A Bahraini court sentenced 57 men to 15-year jail Kuwait’s appeals court yesterday cleared top sports Former Israeli president and Nobel Peace Prize A hungry shark leapt 3m onto a fishing boat the long-standing military spy directorate known as terms yesterday for rioting in a prison outside the executive Sheikh Ahmad Fahad al-Sabah of charges winner Shimon Peres “feels well” after the 92-year- off the United Arab Emirates looking for prey the DRS, creating a new agency under the control of capital Manama last March, the public prosecutor’s of insulting the judiciary. The court acquitted Sheikh old was rushed to hospital with chest pains and only to end up as catch of the day. The preda- the presidency in another step to ease the military off ice said. The public prosecutor said in a statement Ahmad, a member of the FIFA executive commit- an irregular heartbeat, his off ice said yesterday. tor, around 2m in length, took fishermen by out of politics, security sources said. Bouteflika, rarely that the convicts had “unleashed acts of chaos, riots tee and the International Olympic Committee, of all Peres is expected to remain at the Sheba Medical surprise when it crashed onto on their deck on been seen in public since he suff ered a stroke in and rebellion inside (prison) buildings”. Charges in charges pressed against him by the public prosecu- Centre near Tel Aviv for another day after being Sunday, 35 nautical miles off the coast of Fujai- 2013, began curbing the military’s influence before the prison riot included damaging public property, tion. Sheikh Ahmad, who is also president of the Ol- taken there on Sunday. Due to a “mild” case of rah, local newspapers said. “In seconds, it was his re-election in April 2014, in what analysts said attacking police, arson and resisting authorities. ympic Council of Asia, was sentenced to six months irregular heartbeat, “his doctors recommended in the middle of the boat after it hit one of the was preparation for his eventual departure after Mohamed al-Tajer, a lawyer, lamented the verdict in jail last month by a lower court for casting doubt that he remain in the hospital to allow him to boat barriers,” said sailor Hamza al-Sharaa, 37, more than 15 years in power. But the decree to shut and said that alleged violence against the inmates on the integrity of the judiciary. He was also convicted continue to be monitored and for his medication quoted in The National newspaper. Sharaa said the Department of Intelligence and Security, or DRS was ignored. “We raised a complaint that our clients of insulting the public prosecutor and inciting against to be adjusted accordingly,” his off ice said in a the shark jumped 3m out of the water to get by its French initials, and replace it with the Direction were beaten during the unrest in Jaw prison, but the public order in an interview with a local television. statement. “President Peres now feels well and the onto the boat. He said the shark died after fish- of Security Services is a significant move to restruc- court sentenced them at the end of the day, ignor- Sheikh Ahmad denied the charges and considered tests conducted have not revealed any irregulari- ermen sprayed it with fresh water and bashed it ture the intelligence apparatus. ing these complaints.” the sentence a personal attack against him. ties.” on the nose with a wooden bat.

Parliament rejects Egypt marks Libya’s unity govt anniversary of AFP Tripoli

ibya’s internationally rec- ognised parliament voted Lyesterday to reject a UN- uprising amid backed unity government, in a major blow to international ef- forts to end the country’s unrest. The UN and Western diplomats have urged Libyans to back the uni- ty government formed last week as a step towards ending the political crackdown chaos that has gripped the country since the 2011 ouster of longtime Security forces raid activist storing Mubarak’s autocratic rule persed fearing police retaliation. leader Muammar Gaddafi . hangouts including cafes, and betraying the hopes of those “The January revolution still Libya currently has two ri- cultural centres and a who took to the streets fi ve years exists in all squares of Egypt and val administrations and parlia- publishing house near Tahrir ago. will fade only after achieving ments, with the internationally Square “Egyptians have been made all of its goals and defeating the recognised authorities based in to watch as their country reverts military coup (against Mursi),” a the east and a militia-backed au- AFP back to a police state,” Said Bou- Brotherhood statement said on thority holding power in Tripoli. Cairo medouha, rights group Amnesty Sunday. A national unity government International’s deputy Middle In a speech last month, Sisi headed by businessman Fayez East and North Africa director, warned against any demonstra- al-Sarraj and comprising 32 min- gyptians yesterday marked said in a statement. tion marking the anniversary. isters was formed last week, but the fi fth anniversary of “Tens of thousands have been “I am hearing calls to stage a the recognised parliament needs Ethe uprising that toppled arrested and the country’s pris- new revolution. Why? ... I came to approve it for it to start working. Hosni Mubarak amid tight secu- ons are now overfl owing, with to power with your will and “We voted against endorsing the rity and a warning from the new widespread reports of torture choice, not against your will,” he government and ask... to be pre- regime that demonstrations will and hundreds held without said. sented with another government,” not be tolerated. charge or trial.” Sisi, who does not belong to parliamentarian Ali al-Gaydi said. Dozens of masked policemen January 25 was declared “Rev- any political party, won a presi- Of the 104 lawmakers in at- deployed in several Cairo squares olution Day” a year after the re- dential election in 2014 riding a tendance for the vote in eastern including near Tahrir Square - volt in 2012, but there were no wave of popularity after ousting city Tobruk, 89 rejected the new the epicentre of the 18-day anti- offi cial plans to mark the anni- Mursi. government, he said. Mubarak revolt - to prevent po- versary. A new parliament was inaugu- Parliament member Al-Sal- tential protests against President The uprising that overthrew rated earlier this month but it is iheen Abdelnabbi said the gov- Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s govern- Mubarak’s 30-year-old regime dominated by pro-Sisi lawmak- ernment had been rejected be- ment. is no longer celebrated after Sisi, ers and is unlikely to pose any cause its cabinet was too large. Egyptian special forces toting then the army chief, overthrew challenge to his rule. He called for “a smaller gov- machineguns patrolled several Mubarak’s successor Mohamed Many Egyptians tired of years ernment without this high Cairo districts, with police ar- Mursi in July 2013 and launched a of political unrest and instability number of ministries”. moured vehicles on the streets. crackdown on his supporters. support Sisi, saying there are no The unity government was They also boosted security Sisi ousted Mursi, Egypt’s fi rst alternatives and that some level formed under a UN-sponsored around police stations which freely elected leader, after wide- of stability has been achieved by peace deal signed last month by were targeted by protesters dur- spread protests against the Is- his regime. less than half of the members of ing the 2011 uprising and which lamist’s divisive fi rst year of rule. “The demands of protesters Libya’s competing legislatures. have also been attacked by mili- Since Sisi installed the new re- that led to the January 25 revolu- The accord must also be ap- tants in a growing militant insur- gime, authorities have banned all tion still exist. The only reason proved by the parliament but gency. but police-approved rallies and Egyptians have sacrifi ced them yesterday lawmakers voted for A long-running security overseen a crackdown that has since then is a hope that the coun- the removal of an article giving crackdown intensifi ed in the left hundreds of Mursi support- try will achieve stability,” said the unity government the power build-up to the anniversary, with ers dead and thousands impris- Hazem Hosni, professor of politi- to approve top security and mili- police rounding up dozens of ac- oned. cal science at Cairo University. tary positions. tivists and raiding hundreds of Mursi’s blacklisted Muslim Sisi still faces serious chal- The parliament would hold a homes. Brotherhood movement was the lenges, including reviving a slug- vote on ratifying the deal today if Activist hangouts including only group to have called for pro- gish economy as investments the UN mission to Libya - which cafes, cultural centres and a pub- tests yesterday, and a few of its and tourist revenues fall, and has been working on the deal for lishing house near Tahrir Square supporters tried to demonstrate a deadly insurgency led by the more than a year - scrapped the A pro-government man off ers flowers to police special forces patrolling on Cairo’s landmark Tahrir Square were raided or shut down. in Cairo’s Al-Haram district near Egyptian affi liate of the Islamic article, Gaydi said. yesterday. Critics have accused Sisi of re- the pyramids, but quickly dis- State militant group.

Rouhani in Rome as Tehran LuLu ‘25th fastest seeks to rebuild ties with West growing retailer’ uLu Group has been ranked as we embark on new markets AFP trip originally scheduled for No- to stay in the air as a result of the as the “25th fastest grow- of Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, Rome vember, and the war in Syria are impact of sanctions. Ling retailer” in the world while strengthening our pres- expected to feature highly in dip- The deal, to be signed in Paris and 165th in the “Top 250 Glo- ence in the GCC and India.” lomatic contacts during the visit. this week, underlines the huge bal Powers of Retailing”, said He added: “Online is another ran President Hassan Rou- Rouhani, 67 is seen as a prag- economic stakes involved in Deloitte in its 19th annual edi- area where we are going to fo- hani fl ew into Italy yesterday matist who was elected in 2013 Iran’s re-opening, particularly tion of ‘Global Powers of Retail- cus more. Our LuLu web store, Ilooking to reap the economic on a pledge to end sanctions and for Europe’s manufacturing and ing’. which was primarily into con- and political dividends from the improve relations with the West. engineering sectors. LuLu, which currently oper- sumer durables and electronics, lifting of international sanctions He met Italian Prime Minister Iran’s Transport Minister Ab- ates some 121 hypermarkets and is now selling grocery and food imposed over the Islamic Repub- Matteo Renzi yesterday evening bas Akhoundi said the fi rst Air- supermarkets across the Mena products giving multi-channel lic’s nuclear programme. and will be received by Pope Fran- buses were earmarked for deliv- and Indian region, recorded an shopping experience to our Rouhani will also visit the cis today and by French President ery by March and that Iran was in annual retail sales turnover of shoppers.” Vatican and France on his fi rst Francois Hollande tomorrow. the market for a total of up to 500 $5.8bn last year, according the Another Middle East retailer, overseas trip since the nuclear “We have had friendly rela- planes. report published by the National Al Futtaim Group (Carrefour) deal came into force earlier this tions with Italy and France in the Peugeot is tipped to forge a car as- Retail Federation. was ranked at 172nd position, month, clearing the way for Iran past and we want to continue our sembly joint venture with Iran Kho- Based on the robust results, Deloitte reported. to rebuild its relationship with good relations with them,” Rou- dro, reviving a partnership which LuLu has been on an “aggres- Deloitte said in its report that the West. hani told reporters before his de- generated Iranian sales of 473,000 sive” expansion drive announc- most emerging markets suff ered The Iranian leader touched parture yesterday from Mehra- units in its last year before the French ing large investments in Egypt, as capital outfl ows put down- down in Rome accompanied by bad Airport. company pulled out in 2012. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, India, In- ward pressure on currencies. more than 100 ministers, offi - He also revealed that “impor- Iranian media reported the donesia and Malaysia to the tune This led central banks to raise cials and businessmen who are tant contracts” were in the works deal will involve investment of of almost $1.7bn. interest rates, thereby dampen- expected to help him clinch deals with French car makers Peugeot €500mn. Reacting to the Deloitte re- ing growth. During this period worth billions in trade and in- and Renault, adding to a bur- Iran’s Central Bank governor port, Yususffali M A, LuLu Brazil and Russia fell into reces- vestment, topped by a major or- geoning list of deals being struck said last week the country was group chairman, said: “I am sion, but India’s economy accel- der for new Airbus planes. as European companies scram- counting on the nuclear deal un- very confident of the regional erated, helped by lower energy He smiled broadly for the cam- ble to get back into a $400bn blocking some $50bn worth of retail market and, like in the prices and an easing of monetary eras at Italy’s presidential palace economy with the fourth biggest foreign investment. past, will not slow down our policy. before being ushered away for a reserves of oil in the world and a Italian companies have been expansion plans. The current It also says that that despite working lunch with Italian Presi- consumer market of 80mn peo- amongst the quickest off the negative sentiments on the tough economic conditions, dent Sergio Mattarella, the fi rst ple. blocks with a major business del- market are temporary phenom- revenues for the world’s 250 appointment in a fi ve-day trip. National carrier Iran Air said egation having visited Tehran in ena and companies with strong largest retailers reached $4.5tn The fi ght against the Islamic on Sunday it would be buying November and some 500 entre- Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani walks next to his Italian fundamentals and long-term in fiscal year 2014, an average State group, whose attacks on 114 Airbus planes to modernise preneurs invited to a forum Rou- counterpart Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale presidential palace vision will march ahead. Next size of nearly $18bn per com- Paris forced Rouhani to delay a an ageing fl eet that has struggled hani will attend today. in Rome yesterday. two years are very crucial for us pany. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 9 AFRICA Boko Haram bombers hit Cameroon

AFP Militant raid village Doula Boko Haram Islamists killed a civilian and torched his house during a raid on a village t least 26 people were killed yester- in the northeastern Nigerian state of Yobe, a day when three suicide bombers blew police spokesman said yesterday. Athemselves up at a market in the far Travelling in all-terrain vans, they raided north of Cameroon, a region often targeted Babban Gida village on Sunday night and by Nigeria’s Boko Haram. fought a gunbattle with soldiers. Police said the assailants hit a local market The insurgents stole two police vehicles but in Bodo village near the frontier with Nigeria were eventually driven out, Toyin Gbadegesin, in one of the most deadly attacks in the Far Yobe state police spokesman told AFP. North since 2013. “The terrorists initially shot dead a man and “An initial toll shows 29 dead and around burnt his thatched hut on the outskirts of the 30 injured,” a police source told AFP, speak- village,” Gbadegesin said. ing on condition of anonymity and saying the “They attacked the police station where Election workers count votes after polls closed on December 30, 2015, in the presidential and legislative elections in Bangui’s city centre. toll included the three suicide bombers. troops engaged them in a fight which forced Nearly 1,200 people have been killed since them to retreat”. 2013 when Boko Haram began attacking Babban Gida, which lies 50km from the Cameroon’s Far North, an area which borders state capital Damaturu, has been repeatedly the Islamist group’s stronghold in northeast- targeted by Boko Haram extremists, whose ern Nigeria. six-year insurgency has claimed over 17,000 “In total, 1,098 civilians, 67 of our soldiers lives and displaced 2.6mn from their homes. Court cancels Central Africa and three police offi cials have been killed in The Nigerian government claims Boko these barbaric attacks by the Boko Haram Haram had been “technically” defeated but terrorist group,” Communications Minister despite a sustained military off ensive the Issa Chiroma Bakary said earlier this month. Islamist group still carries out sporadic raids In that time, offi cials say there have been on towns and villages in the northeast. elections over ‘irregularities’ more than 30 suicide attacks blamed on Boko Security analysts believe sporadic Boko Haram, which has pledged allegiance to the Haram raids were mainly for food and petrol AFP president of the Constitutional try with abysmal infrastructure. during his tenure as prime minister Islamic State (IS) group. following disruptions of their supply routes by Bangui Court said. However, the court confi rmed from 1998 to 2001. This year, there have been attacks on an the military campaign. He said a transitional adminis- that two former prime ministers, Touadera, also 58, is a former almost daily basis, some of which have been tration would remain in place until Anicet Georges Dologuele and maths professor who served as backed by incursions. he Central African Repub- the “installation of a new elected Faustin Archange Touadera, will prime minister under disgraced Last week, four worshippers were killed in campaign began. Boko Haram, facing the lic’s top court yesterday parliament,” adding that there had vie for the presidency in a second ousted president Francois Boz- a suicide bombing at a mosque in the north- heat of a military onslaught back home, has Tcancelled the fi rst round leg- been 414 complaints over electoral round vote on Sunday. ize. He was considered an outsider ern village of Nguetchewe, just days after a in the past year stepped up cross-border at- islative vote held in December over malpractices and shortcomings. Dologuele won 23.74% of the among the 30 candidates running similar attack on another mosque in the Far tacks in Niger, Chad and Cameroon while “irregularities” but confi rmed that A senior electoral commission vote in the fi rst round on December for the top job. North killed 12. continuing shooting and suicide assaults on two former premiers will vie for the offi cial had admitted that in some 30, trailed by Touadera, who picked CAR has been riven by coups, In recent years, Boko Haram fi ghters have markets, mosques and other mostly civilian presidency in a run-off this month. areas people were only able to vote up 19.05%. rebellions, army mutinies and pro- slipped back and forth across the frontier, often targets within Nigeria itself. The December 30 elections were in the presidential election as ballot The court said there were 1.3mn longed strikes since the country using Cameroon’s remote north as a rear base, The group has increasingly targeted imams expected to turn a page on the res- papers for the legislative poll had valid votes cast out of an electorate won its independence from France acquiring arms, vehicles and supplies there. and traditional chiefs for their opposition to tive country’s worst sectarian vio- not arrived. of nearly twomn. half a century ago. The latest sec- But since late November, the Cameroon the Islamists. lence but the legislative vote was The new elections should be Dologuele, a 58-year-old former tarian unrest has set mainly Mus- army has carried out operations in several Cameroon has meanwhile banned the Is- fl awed by “numerous irregularities held within 60 days of the last one central banker, came to be known lim rebels against vigilantes from border areas aimed at weakening Nigerian lamic veil in a bid to pre-empt suicide bomb- and the involvement of candidates according to law, but that is un- as “Mr Clean” after his attempts the Christian majority, with civil- militants active in the region, with sources ings staged by attackers wearing the full-face in them,” Zacharie Ndoumba, the likely to happen in this poor coun- to clean up murky public fi nances ians as the main victims. saying the raids have signifi cantly weakened veil. Boko Haram’s capabilities. Along with Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Be- As a result, the insurgents have turned nin, Cameroon is part of a regional military away from direct confrontation with the mil- force fi ghting the militants. itary in favour of suicide attacks, increasingly Despite the off ensives launched by the re- staged by women and girls. gional force, the group maintains strongholds Prosecutors oppose The Nigeria-based militants have killed in areas that are diffi cult to access, such as the Fulani herders kill 20 at least 17,000 people and made more than Sambisa forest, the Mandara mountains and Pistorius appeal 2.6mn others homeless since their six-year the numerous islands of Lake Chad. in grazing rights spat AFP Dry spell Pretoria AFP The raiders looted food supplies Yola and set fi re to homes before fl eeing, Abubakar said. One suspect was ar- outh African prosecutors said yesterday they would op- rested and an investigation has been pose Oscar Pistorius’s attempt to have his murder con- unmen believed to be ethnic launched, he added. Sviction overturned in the Constitutional Court, describ- Fulani herders have killed a po- Adamawa is one of three states in ing his appeal as having “no reasonable prospect of success”. Gliceman and 19 civilians and the northeast apart from Borno and The Paralympic champion has been on bail awaiting a new torched homes in Nigeria’s northeast- Yobe worst hit by attacks from Boko sentence since December, when the Supreme Court of Appeal ern Adamawa state in a spat over graz- Haram Islamists whose insurgency has (SCA) found him guilty of murder for shooting dead his girl- ing rights, the police said yesterday. claimed more than 17,000 lives and dis- friend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. They said it appeared to be revenge placed more than 2.6mn since 2009. The SCA overturned his earlier conviction on the lesser attacks following a row over destroyed The state which borders Borno, Boko charge of culpable homicide. crops. “We lost a DPO (Divisional Po- Haram’s spiritual home and strong- Two weeks ago his lawyers applied for leave to appeal to the lice Offi cer) and 19 civilians in his area hold, has seen a drastic drop in Boko Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa, argu- of jurisdiction when they came under Haram attacks in recent months after ing the SCA had “acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally”. attack by Fulani herdsmen in Girei dis- sustained military campaigns against But the National Prosecuting Authority yesterday lodged trict,” police spokesman Othman Abu- the group. papers with the court opposing the appeal. bakar told AFP. However, the raids on the four com- “It is our respectful submission that the SCA committed The senior police offi cer with his munities had nothing to do with Boko no errors of law and that the arguments by the applicant are team were “responding to a distress call Haram insurgency, the police spokes- without merit and contrived,” it said. from the communities under attack to man said. “This is purely a communal The double-amputee killed Steenkamp, a model and law restore calm following an invasion by unrest between farmers and herds- graduate, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day three years ago, the armed herdsmen”, he said. men,” he said. saying he mistook her for an intruder when he shot four times Local media reports gave a much Disputes between nomads and farm- through the door of his bedroom toilet. higher death toll of 30, including the ers over grazing and watering rights are Pistorius was released from jail in October to live under police offi cer following the raids on common in northern and central Ni- house arrest at his uncle’s property in Pretoria after serving Sunday morning. geria leading to frequent deadly fl are- one year of his fi ve-year prison sentence for culpable homi- The herders attacked the farming ups. cide - the equivalent of manslaughter. hamlets of Demsare, Wunamokoh, Dika- The problem has persisted despite The SCA judges last month described his testimony at his jam and Taboungo following a feud be- interventions by state governments and trial in 2014 as “untruthful” and delivered a damning indict- tween some herders and farmers over de- community leaders who tried to broker ment of the original verdict. struction of farm crops, Abubakar said. truce between the two sides and ending The Constitutional Court will now decide whether to hear Birds hover over a donkey that villagers say died in drought-hit rural region of Masvingo in The villages are in Girei municipality, the cycle of deadly attacks and repris- the case. Pistorius, 29, could face at least 15 years in jail for his Zimbabwe. less than 20km from state capital Yola. als. murder conviction. His next sentencing hearing is on April 18.

Tanzanians evicted from fl ood-prone Dar es Salaam areas left with nowhere to go

By Kizito Makoye, Reuters “It feels so bad sleeping out- she doesn’t have the money to running water and a toilet,” said of fl ood-prone areas, but they Saidi Meck Sadiki, Dar es Sa- making it a megacity. It shows that Dar es Salaam side, mosquitoes bite me, but we buy sugar,” he told the Thomson Mkwama’s mother, Stamily Sa- have always resisted. Few have laam Regional Commissioner, about 140,000 people live in areas don’t have the means to go any- Reuters Foundation. mata. money to buy plots elsewhere, said the eviction exercise was in vulnerable to fl ooding. where else,” he said. Mkwama, his older sister and The demolition exercise, and the Msimbazi plain is close to accordance with the country’s Human rights campaign- ree education but nowhere Despite the tough living condi- parents are among hundreds of which targets more than 8,000 the city centre. environmental law which prohib- ers, however, have criticised the to sleep!’ reads a poster tions, seven-year-old Mkwama, Dar es Salaam residents whose houses built contrary to the city’s The government estimates its human activity on wetlands. government’s move to evict low- Fscrawled in Swahili in Dar who enrolled for free primary ed- homes were reduced to rub- 1970s master plan, has been that more than 70% of Dar es “We have repeatedly warned income families without making es Salaam’s Jangwani slum, sum- ucation this year, does not want ble by the demolition of about temporarily halted after some Salaam’s fi vemn people live in them to vacate for their own plans for where they would go ming up the plight of hundreds miss lessons. 700 houses across the sprawling residents rushed to the court to informal, unplanned settlements safety but none of them heeded next. of residents forcibly evicted from Every day, he wakes up early to Msimbazi river fl ood plain. spare their houses from being that often lack basic sanitation. our call,” he told the Thomson Yefred Myenzi, a land rights fl ood-prone areas of the Tanza- fold and store his dusty mattress Broken bricks and pieces of torn down. “I don’t understand why the Reuters Foundation. expert working with Haki Ardhi, nian capital. so that no one steals it and starts wood are scattered everywhere. Last rainy season, a spate of un- government has decided to pun- While the government main- a land rights campaign group in Ever since his mother’s house getting ready for school. A damaged pit latrine gives off an usually heavy downpours pound- ish us now even though we have tains that the destroyed homes Dar es Salaam, said the evictions was pulled down some three The pupil at Hananasif Prima- unbearable stench. Children play ed Dar es Salaam, leaving dozens lived here for so long,” said Ami- were built illegally, some residents were conducted without a “hu- weeks ago, Abdallah Mkwama ry School carefully uses water his hide-and-seek on a pile of debris dead and wreaking havoc with the na Masound, whose house in claim to possess valid title deeds. man face”. and his family have been squat- mother has stored in discarded nearby, seemingly oblivious to fragile city’s infrastructure. the Mkwajuni area was knocked According to an “Economics of “There should at least be tem- ting in a makeshift shack made of plastic bottles to brush his teeth. what has happened. The Tanzanian government down. “I cannot imagine what Climate Change Study” in 2011, porary shelter for the victims to wooden planks and loosely fi xed “My mother usually prepares “I am very worried for my chil- has for many years tried to con- our lives will be like when the Dar es Salaam’s population will avoid humanitarian suff ering,” iron sheets. breakfast for us, but sometimes dren’s health since we don’t have vince poor families to move out rainy season comes.” surge to over 10mn people by 2040, he said. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 AMERICAS

Canada worries Zika virus set to spread about First across Americas: WHO Nation Reuters emerge as global threats. it was reviewing possibilities. quito bites, is limited. towns Geneva/London “We’ve got no drugs and The virus was fi rst found in a “Zika has been isolated in we’ve got no vaccines. It’s a case monkey in the Zika forest near human semen, and one case of deja vu because that’s exactly Lake Victoria, Uganda, in 1947, of possible person-to-person Reuters he mosquito-borne Zika what we were saying with Ebo- and has historically occurred in sexual transmission has been Ottawa virus, which has been la,” said Trudie Lang, a professor parts of Africa, Southeast Asia described. However, more Tlinked to brain damage in of global health at the University and the Pacifi c Islands. evidence is needed to confi rm thousands of babies in Brazil, is of Oxford. “It’s really important But there is little scientifi c whether sexual contact is a anada’s government, likely to spread to all countries in to develop a vaccine as quickly as data on it and it is unclear why it means of Zika transmission,” the grappling with a fatal the Americas except for Canada possible.” might be causing microcephaly WHO said. Cattack in a remote abo- and Chile, the World Health Or- Large drugmakers’ invest- in Brazil. While a causal link between riginal town, is very concerned ganisation (WHO) said yester- ment in tropical disease vaccines Laura Rodrigues of the Lon- Zika and microcephaly has not about the “tragic and alarming” day. with uncertain commercial don School of Hygiene and yet been defi nitively proven, conditions in other indigenous Zika transmission has not yet prospects has so far been patchy, Tropical Medicine said it was WHO Director General Margaret communities, a top offi cial said been reported in the continental prompting health experts to call possible the disease could be Chan said that the circumstan- on Sunday. United States, although a wom- for a new system of incentives evolving. tial evidence was “suggestive A 17-year-old boy was due to an who fell ill with the virus in following the Ebola experience. If the epidemic was still go- and extremely worrisome”. appear in court, charged with Brazil later gave birth to a brain- “We need to have some kind ing on in August, when Brazil is In addition to fi nding a vac- four counts of murder after damaged baby in Hawaii. of a plan that makes (companies) due to host the Olympic Games cine and potential drugs to fi ght Friday’s deadly incident in La Brazil’s health ministry said in feel there is a sustainable solu- in Rio de Janeiro, then pregnant Zika, some scientists are also Loche, an impoverished town November that Zika was linked tion and not just a one-shot deal women should either stay away planning to take the fi ght to the in the western province of Sas- to a foetal deformation known as over and over again,” Francis or be obsessive about covering A transmission electron micrograph (TEM) shows the Zika virus, in mosquitoes that carry the dis- katchewan. microcephaly, in which infants Collins, director of the US Na- up against mosquito bites, she an undated photo provided by the US Centres For Disease Control ease. Liberal Prime Minister Justin are born with smaller-than- tional Institutes of Health, said said. and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The CDC extended its Oxitec, the UK subsidiary of Trudeau took power last year usual brains. last week. The WHO advised pregnant travel warning to another eight countries or territories that pose US synthetic biology company promising to tackle high levels of Brazil has reported 3,893 sus- The Sao Paulo-based Butan- women planning to travel to ar- a risk of infection with Zika, a mosquito-borne virus spreading Intrexon, hopes to deploy a self- poverty, crime, bad housing and pected cases of microcephaly, tan Institute is currently leading eas where Zika is circulating to through the Caribbean and Latin America. limiting genetically modifi ed poor health among aboriginals, the WHO said last Friday, over the research charge on Zika and consult a healthcare provider strain of insects to compete with who make up 4% of the coun- 30 times more than in any year said last week it planned to de- before travelling and on return. world’s population lives in areas nity among the population, the normal Aedes aegypti. try’s population of 36mn. since 2010 and equivalent to velop a vaccine “in record time”, The clinical symptoms of Zika at risk of dengue infection, in a WHO said in a statement. Oxitec says its proprietary House leader Dominic LeB- 1-2% of all newborns in the although its director warned this are usually mild and often simi- band stretching through Africa, Like rubella, which also caus- OX513A mosquito succeeded lanc, a key Trudeau ally from the state of Pernambuco, one of the was still likely to take three to lar to dengue, a fever which is India, Southeast Asia and Latin es mild symptoms but can lead in reducing wild larvae of the Atlantic province of New Bruns- worst-hit areas. fi ve years. transmitted by the same Aedes America. to birth defects, health experts Aedes mosquito by 82% in an wick, told reporters that Ot- The Zika outbreak comes hard British drugmaker Glaxo- aegypti mosquito, leading to Zika’s rapid spread, to 21 believe a vaccine is needed to area of Brazil where 25mn of the tawa would work with aboriginal on the heels of the Ebola epi- SmithKline said yesterday that fears that Zika will spread into all countries and territories in the protect girls before they reach transgenic insects were released leaders “to deal with some of the demic in West Africa, demon- it was studying the feasibility of parts of the world where dengue Americas since May 2015, is child-bearing age. between April and November. tragic and alarming social indi- strating once again how little- using its vaccine technology on is commonplace. due to the prevalence of Aedes Evidence about other trans- Authorities reported a big cators in many of these commu- understood diseases can rapidly Zika, while France’s Sanofi said More than one-third of the aegypti and a lack of immu- mission routes, apart from mos- drop in dengue cases in the area. nities”. He added: “I have some of these communities ... in New Brunswick. I worry about them a great deal, and our whole gov- ernment does.” Clinton urges Hundreds of people in La Loche, a community of 2,600, attended a church service on Sunday in memory of the four Iowa voters to victims. Local Roman Catholic Arch- bishop Murray Chatlain said recent cuts to school and other fi nish ‘shopping’ services could have played a role in the tragedy, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reported. “I think those things need to and choose her be revisited. Our cuts sometimes end up costing more,” the paper Clinton speaking during a Get Out the Caucus event on Sunday at Sanders: Any objective assessment of our campaign versus quoted him as saying. AFP former secretary of state, and the Valley Southwoods Freshman High School in West Des Moines, Secretary Clinton’s campaign will tell you that the energy, the Trudeau last month promised North Liberty, Iowa Sanders, a 74-year-old sena- Iowa. excitement is with our campaign. a new “nation-to-nation rela- tor from Vermont, are running tionship with First Nations peo- neck-and-neck in some opinion has chastised her for giving paid has to be able to weigh intelli- charmed many Democratic vot- is low,” he said. “Any objective ples” – a term that aboriginals emocratic presiden- polls, though Clinton enjoys a speeches to Wall Street fi rms. gence and evidence to be able to ers. assessment of our campaign use to refer to themselves – and tial frontrunner Hillary wide advantage on a nationwide But Clinton fought back on really dig deep in these details, In a speech at the University versus Secretary Clinton’s cam- said he would increase funding DClinton has urged Iowa basis. Sunday. and I off er you my experience of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, paign will tell you that the en- for indigenous communities. voters to choose her experience “As secretary of state, she “I have taken on Wall Street and my judgment,” she said. Sanders hammered home his ergy, the excitement is with our The head of a group repre- over the idealism of rival Bernie stared down some of the tough- for years!” she said. “I have a “We need to chart a steady call for a “political revolution”, campaign.” senting 65,000 aboriginals in Sanders, who made the rounds est dictators in the world, and better plan to do it. No bank is course,” she concluded – sug- recalling how at fi rst, he was Sanders added: “The only way northern Manitoba, which bor- of university campuses at the so I have no doubt that she can too big to fail, and no executive gesting that a Sanders adminis- deemed a “fringe candidate” – we win is when the engine of en- ders Saskatchewan, said the weekend to earn student sup- take on the Tea Party, and the is too big to jail.” tration would lack such stability. not a serious challenger to Clin- thusiasm, when young people tragedy showed the need for ma- port. gun lobby,” said Cecile Richards, She also insisted on her for- Yesterday her candidacy got ton. come out and vote, when work- jor investments in mental health, “I know some of you are still president of Planned Parent- eign policy bona fi des and the the backing of the Boston Globe, “Well, my friends, a lot has ing people come out and vote.” education and the economy. shopping. I’d like to shop too. I hood, the infl uential US wom- “very specifi c steps” she would a newspaper with thousands of happened in nine months,” he The speech was his eighth of “I’m surprised it doesn’t hap- hope during the course of this en’s healthcare provider. “She take to defeat the Islamic State subscribers in New Hampshire, said. the weekend, three of them on pen more – not to this level, of afternoon to convince some of never blinks, she never wavers.” (IS) group. which follows Iowa next month In an eff ort to assuage any college campuses. course – given the despair we you,” Clinton told about 600 The message Clinton and her Clinton devoted a long section as balloting gets underway to doubts about voting for him in Caleb Cady, a 22-year-old see,” Sheila North Wilson said in people packed into an elemen- team sought to drive home was of her stump speech to her role choose the two major parties’ November, Sanders off ered up student at Hawkeye Community a phone interview. tary school gym in the town of that her proposals are more re- in the Osama bin Laden raid in presidential nominees. poll data suggesting he could College, said that Sanders was LeBlanc said improving the lot North Liberty. alistic than those of Sanders, a 2011, which several of President “This is Clinton’s time and the beat Republican frontrunner indeed popular with young vot- of the First Nations was “a huge On February 1, voters in Iowa, self-proclaimed democratic so- Barack Obama’s aides consid- Globe enthusiastically endorses Donald Trump in the general ers. challenge”. in the US heartland, will cast cialist who has put taking down ered to be too dangerous and her,” the daily wrote. election by a wider margin than “All my friends are really into Robert Nault, who served as the fi rst ballots in the US presi- the fi nancial elite and Wall Street risky. Over the weekend, she got the Clinton would. him. There was a punk rock aboriginal aff airs minister under dential nominations process – a at the heart of his campaign. She said she encouraged endorsement of the Des Moines “In a general election, Re- show at the Octopus on Hill the Liberals from 1999 to 2003, long road to Election Day on No- He has repeatedly attacked Obama to go ahead with it. Register, Iowa’s largest circula- publicans win when people are Street called ‘Shred for Bernie,’ said real change would take a vember 8. Clinton over what he says are her “The person who sits in that tion daily. demoralised, when people do and everybody I knew was there long time. Clinton, the 68-year-old close ties to some big banks, and (White House) situation room Still, Sanders’ idealism has not vote and the voter turnout – it was a big event,” Cady said. “So we’re going to have to be patient and start ... working on the lack of infrastructure, the lack of housing, to change our relationship as it relates to edu- cation and healthcare,” he said in Washington faces days of clean-up after epic blizzard an interview. “It is a slow proc- ess.”

Reuters dealing with snow all of this dren who typically receive free City history, with 26.8” (68cm) Washington/New York week.” meals at school, offi cials said. measured in Central Park by Offi cials reported at least 34 High snowbanks at street cor- midnight on Saturday, shy of Three inmates flee storm-related deaths, including ners made travel within Wash- the record 26.9” (68.3cm) set California prison ffi cials in Washington, traffi c accidents and heart at- ington diffi cult for pedestrians. in 2006, the National Weather DC, warned residents tacks while shovelling in Wash- “The hardest part was getting Service (NWS) said. Three prisoners escaped from Oyesterday that it would ington, DC, Delaware, Kentucky, the stroller through the unclean The NWS said that 22.4” a maximum-security jail in take several more days for the Maryland, New Jersey, New sidewalks,” said Isam Qahwash, (57cm) fell in Washington at the southern California by cutting city to return to normal af- York, North Carolina, Ohio, a 41-year-old scientist from National Zoo, and Baltimore- through steel bars, using service ter a massive weekend blizzard South Carolina, Tennessee and Princeton, New Jersey, as he Washington International Air- tunnels and using a makeshift dropped more than 2’ (60cm) of Virginia. carried his 14-month-old son port notched a record 29.2” rope to climb down from a roof. snow along the East Coast and Washington’s subway re- in a stroller across a downtown (74.2cm). “We’re in a position where we killed more than 30. sumed limited service yesterday, street. “It seems like they move The deepest regional total absolutely need the public’s The nation’s capital was at a off ering free travel in an eff ort to really slow cleaning the snow was 42” (106.7cm) at Glengarry, help,” Orange County Sheriff ’s standstill, with federal govern- encourage the use of mass tran- here.” West Virginia. Lieutenant Jeff Hallock told ment offi ces ordered shut yes- sit over driving. New York was quicker to re- In Times Square, a taxicab- reporters. “We’re following every terday, schools in the district “It’s beautiful to watch but turn to business, with the New yellow John Deere tractor and lead that we receive.” and surrounding suburbs shut- impossible to get through,” said York Stock Exchange and the crews wearing red jumpsuits A man charged with murder is tered and the US House of Rep- John Salmons, a 24-year-old de- city’s public schools opened as cleared snow from pedestrian among the three escapees, who resentatives cancelling all votes signer who works at an architec- usual. plazas, in hopes that tourists fled the prison on foot. until next week. ture fi rm, as he waited for a train The state’s governor, Andrew would return as the tempera- They were described as “very Washington’s mayor, Mu- in suburban Arlington, Virginia. Cuomo, said weekend road clo- tures rise above freezing. dangerous”. riel Bowser, urged residents to Even with federal govern- sures throughout New York A man walks over a pile of snow to cross a street yesterday in “It’s beautiful and terrible,” The search is taking place stay off the streets while crews ment offi ces offi cially closed, City and its eastern suburbs had Washington, DC. said Maria Murillo, visiting New throughout southern California, cleared snow from secondary the Supreme Court was open saved lives by keeping people off York from Fort Lauderdale, Flor- Hallock said. roadways, parking lanes and for business, scheduled to is- the streets, reduced traffi c acci- Airport and Washington Dulles fl ight to Montreal. “We’ve come ida, with her husband Jorge, and The three inmates were identified highway shoulders. sue rulings and act on pending dents and allowed work crews to International Airport the hard- to the airport twice, only to have seeing snow for the fi rst time. as Jonathan Tieu, 20; Hossein “It’s important to know that appeals from the snowbound plow more effi ciently. est hit, according to FlightA- to go back home. Calling the air- “This is the terrible part,” Nayeri, 37; and Bac Tien Duong, the roads are still dangerous,” courthouse across from the US Air travel remained seriously ware.com. line was useless unless you like said Jorge, his canvas sneakers 43. she told reporters. “We knew Capitol building. aff ected as some 1,516 US fl ights “This has been a nightmare,” being on hold ... the trip is prov- soaked as the couple struggled Tieu is accused of murder, that we would have ... several Ten public schools around the were cancelled yesterday, with said Mary Lavigne, 34, as she ing as brutal as the storm.” to cross street corners where Nayeri of torture and kidnapping days of clean-up ahead of us. city opened to provide breakfast Newark Liberty International waited at LaGuardia with her The blizzard was the second melting snow formed puddles while Duong faces charges of Know that we’re going to be and lunch to low-income chil- Airport, New York’s LaGuardia 18-month-old daughter for a biggest snowstorm in New York more like small ponds. attempted murder. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 11 ASEAN MH370 hunt loses hi-tech sonar probe to undersea volcano

AFP the sea fl oor resulting in the vehicle’s washed up on a beach on the Indian The ship was yesterday returning Sydney tow cable breaking,” the Joint Agency Ocean island of Reunion, giving the to the western Australian port of Fre- Japan fi rm says debris found in Thailand ‘likely’ rocket not jet Co-ordination Centre (JACC) an- fi rst fi rm evidence that the fl ight met a mantle so a replacement cable could nounced. tragic end. be fitted, a journey which is expected A metal panel that washed up on the Thai coast is “likely” to be from a rocket, n underwater sonar vehicle used “The towfi sh and 4,500 metres of Another barnacle-encrusted piece to take until Saturday. a Japanese manufacturer said yesterday, pouring cold water on speculation it in the search for missing Malay- cable became separated from the vessel of metal found in Thailand at the “During the journey, the spare comes from a missing Malaysian Airways jet. The claim came as Thai airforce Asia Airlines plane MH370 has and are now resting on the sea fl oor,” weekend has prompted speculation towfish on board Fugro Discovery experts transported the large three-by-four metre panel from southern Nakhon Si now been lost to the deep ocean fl oor the statement added. it too could be from MH370 with a will be readied for future search ac- Thammarat province in the Gulf of Thailand to Bangkok for examination. after hitting an undersea volcano, Aus- Australia is leading the search for the specialist team due to examine it, tivities,” the JACC statement said. Saturday’s find of the heavy, curved piece of debris stirred intense media specula- tralian offi cials said yesterday. Boeing-777 that vanished on March 8, however ocean current modelling The key instruments in the towfish tion that it may be part of MH370, the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight that van- The “towfi sh”, pulled behind a 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to suggests it is unlikely to be from the are side scan sonar and multi-beam ished on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board. It had left Kuala Lumpur and search ship and fi tted with survey in- Beijing with 239 people onboard. missing plane. echo sounders that look for man- was destined for Beijing. “The next step is to check, analyse and prove what (the struments, plunged to the bottom of The aircraft is thought to have Australian officials said there were made objects on the sea floor. debris) is,” Air Vice Marshal Pongsak Semachai, the Thai Air Force’s spokesman the remote southern Indian Ocean on crashed after diverting from its course no injuries to crew in Sunday’s in- Earlier this month searchers uncov- said yesterday. But that task appeared significantly easier yesterday afternoon Sunday. but the undersea hunt has so far found cident onboard the Fugro Discovery ered a 19th century shipwreck deep after Japanese firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said widely circulated images “The towfi sh collided with a mud no sign of it. Last July, a two-metre- and it was thought that the towfish underwater, their second wreck fi nd in featuring serial numbers indicated it may be from one of their rockets. volcano which rises 2,200 metres from long wing part known as a fl aperon could be recovered. the nearly two-year long mission.

Getting ready for Lunar New Year celebrations Malaysia says IS threat ‘very real’ as video warns of attacks

Reuters ganda videos. Ten days ago, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia arrested a suspected militant believed to have been planning a suicide attack in alaysian Prime Min- Kuala Lumpur. Three Malay- ister Najib Razak sians who were trying to enter Msaid Islamic State is a Syria to join IS were arrested “very real” threat to the coun- this month, Najib said. try, hours after a video from The video that surfaced on- the regional wing of IS warned line warned Malaysia against of attacks in the Muslim-ma- the crackdown on IS support- jority nation for arresting its ers and featured two Malay- supporters. sians based in Syria, said Ayob Police said the video, fea- Khan Mydin Pitchay, director turing operatives from the of the police counter-terror- A worker hangs lanterns at Boen San Bio temple ahead of next month’s Lunar New Year celebrations in Tangerang, Banten, west of Jakarta, Indonesia yesterday. militant group Katibah Nu- ism unit. santara speaking under the IS “They threatened to carry logo, was signifi cant because out an attack if police did not it was the fi rst from Islamic stop the arrests and release State in Malay. detainees immediately,” said “This threat is very real and Ayob, adding that the video my government takes it very showed militants in the coun- seriously,” Najib told a con- try were becoming more or- ference on extremism. “This ganised. is a challenge that faces us all “Perhaps they didn’t have a Laos keen to avoid military around the world. We are far direct link with IS before, but from immune to this danger in now they do, so they can use Malaysia.” the IS logo on their videos.” Police said on Sunday they Katibah Nusantara, the mil- had arrested seven members itant network that released the of an IS cell who were plan- video, is believed to be led by build-up over sea: Kerry ning attacks across the coun- Bahrun Naim, who was identi- try. The suspected militants fi ed as the mastermind behind Reuters on territorial disputes in the still too many.” The senior US were carrying bullets, books the Jakarta bombings earlier Vientiane South China Sea as Asean chair. offi cial said announcements on on jihad, IS fl ags and propa- this month. Laos has close political and additional funding could be ex- economic ties with giant neigh- pected when Barack Obama be- aos wants to see maritime bour China, prompting the comes the fi rst US president ever rights respected and avoid Obama administration to worry to visit the country when he at- La military build-up in the that Vientiane might behave like tends an Asean summit in Laos South China Sea, US Secretary of Cambodia did when it held the in September. Two Chinese killed State John Kerry said yesterday, Asean chair in 2012. After meeting the prime min- after a meeting with Laos’ Prime Cambodia was accused of ob- ister, Kerry visited That Luang Minister Thongsing Tham- structing consensus in the bloc Stupa, the most important Bud- in blast at province mavong to urge Asean unity in over standing up to China’s as- dhist monument in Laos, and of- the face of Chinese claims. sertive pursuit of its South Chi- fered a bouquet of closed white Laos is the 2016 chair of the na Sea claims, which have since US Secretary of State John Kerry says goodbye as he boards his plane lotus blossoms dedicated to its Reuters offi cial Xinhua news agency 10-nation Association of South- included the building of artifi cial in Vientiane, Laos yesterday, before leaving for Cambodia. people. Beijing said. east Asian Nations (Asean) and islands suitable for military use. In Cambodia, Kerry will meet “Laos military personnel hosts a summit later in the year “It is particularly important has called with leaders of the stroy communist supply lines Hun Sen, now Asia’s longest rushed to the scene and the in- that will include the leaders of that Laos fi nds itself playing a bloc for Feb 15-16 in Sunnylands, running through it. serving prime minister, and will wo Chinese nation- jured, surnamed Zhou, has been the US and China. critical role within Asean, and California.. Kerry, who fought in the Vi- draw attention to US concerns als were killed and one shifted to a hospital in the capi- “He was very clear he wants a Asean itself is critical to uphold- Kerry heads to Beijing for talks etnam War and then became a about human rights and the Twounded in a suspected tal, Vientiane, for treatment,” unifi ed Asean and he wants mar- ing the rules-based system in the tomorrow with the leadership champion of post-war reconcil- treatment of government critics bomb blast in Laos, Chinese Xinhua said. itime rights protected, and he Asia-Pacifi c and ensuring that there. iation, said the US had boosted by meeting opposition members state media said yesterday, the Chinese embassy offi cials wants to avoid militarisation and every country, big and small, has A senior US State Department funding for the disposal of unex- and civil activists, the State De- latest incident in which Chi- visited the injured person and to avoid confl ict,” Kerry told re- a say in addressing the matters of offi cial said Kerry would seek to ploded ordnance over the years partment offi cial said. nese citizens have been killed demanded a prompt investiga- porters after meeting Thongsing shared concern,” Kerry said. set an encouraging tone in Laos “and we are looking at whether Ties between the former Cold abroad as the country’s eco- tion into the “suspected bomb in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. “We want everybody to have a by discussing increased US aid, or not that could be plussed-up War foes have warmed over the nomic footprint grows. attack”, Xinhua reported. Kerry, only the third US sec- voice within the region without including more funds for work to even more.” last 15 years or so, following China’s embassy in Laos China’s Foreign Ministry retary of state to visit Cambodia regards to size, power and clout.” dispose of unexploded US ord- The number of people killed cooperation over eff orts to lo- confi rmed the blast, which oc- said yesterday that it had urged since John Foster Dulles in 1955 Kerry will travel on to Cam- nance left over from the Vietnam or badly hurt by such ordnance cate American soldiers missing curred on Sunday morning. The Laotian authorities to “appro- and Hillary Clinton in 2012, was bodia later as part of his eff ort War, when Laos became one of had fallen to about 50 a year, during the Vietnam war and to victims had been travelling in a priately deal with” the issue and responding to a question wheth- to urge Asean unity ahead of a history’s most heavily bombed from about 300 a few years ago, dispose of unexploded US ord- vehicle on the mountain roads strengthen security for Chinese er Laos would take a strong line summit President Barack Obama countries, as the US tried to de- he said, adding, “Fifty a year is nance. of Xaysomboun province, the based in the country.

HEALTH Thailand isolates 32 after second Mers Suu Kyi meets army case confirmed Vietnam’s progressive premier set Thailand has quarantined 32 chief ahead of transition people as it seeks to prevent the for political exit after party vote spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) after a second AFP formation of a new government, case of the virus was detected on Yangon the transition, post-election Reuters mittee, he eff ectively ruled out him entrenching his power and declining the nomination. Friday, a health ministry off icial peace and stability, the parlia- Hanoi a power bid because he would infl uence. A new central committee, said yesterday. The virus was ment and peace process”, ac- need to be a committee member He is believed to have cul- from within which the politburo found in a 71-year-old Omani man ung San Suu Kyi and My- cording to a statement posted to be elected to its ruling polit- tivated broad support among and leaders are chosen, is to be travelling to Bangkok. His son, taxi anmar’s powerful army on the NLD’s offi cial Facebook ietnam’s prime minis- buro and rise to the top post. businessmen and the wider decided today. drivers, hotel staff and passengers Achief held fresh talks page late yesterday. Observers ter looked set to make Dung, 66, who has served party. His exit will temper excite- The congress ends on Thurs- on the same plane are among yesterday on the country’s dra- see a rapprochement between Va political exit yester- two terms as premier, was over- ment building in Vietnam about day. those quarantined for two weeks, matic political transition, days Suu Kyi, 70, and the military day after the Communist Party looked by the elite politburo the prospect of a rare leadership To stand a chance of getting Amnuay Gajeena, director-general before a military-dominated chief as crucial to ensuring the congress accepted his with- when it agreed on its nomina- showdown in a secretive party on the new central committee, of Thailand’s Disease Control legislature hands over to the political handover stays on drawal from an internal elec- tions for key leadership posts offi cially ruled by consensus. the party’s rules stipulate Dung Department, told reporters. most democratic parliament in track. The two-hour closed- tion, sources said, ruling him prior to the congress. Dung had neither declared would have needed a majority of Another eight have been identi- generations. door meeting was their second out of a bid for the party lead- Several party sources con- publicly an intention to retire, the congress to vote against his fied and will also be quarantined, The discussions are the lat- since the elections. ership. fi rmed to Reuters the congress nor any ambition to lead the par- withdrawal, creating a path for he said. “We’re still doing an in- est eff ort to smooth the transfer Victorious National League Speculation has been rife in decision, each requesting ano- ty, which has long sought to keep him to contest the leadership. depth investigation, so we might of power following a landslide for Democracy MPs will take Vietnam that premier Nguyen nymity due to the sensitivity a lid on internal aff airs. Though Vietnam posted one be able to bring more people in,” victory for Suu Kyi’s National their seats in parliament on Tan Dung’s nomination for of the issue. The sources said Dung has not commented on of Asia’s fastest growth rates last Amnuay told Reuters. The Omani League for Democracy in No- February 1. Min Aung Hlaing the party’s central commit- President Truong Tan Sang was yesterday’s outcome. He is ex- year at 6.7% and attracted record man has a low fever, cough and vember elections, which is set to also released a statement on his tee on Sunday signalled he was also allowed to withdraw. pected to remain prime minister foreign investment, analysts say quickened breathing, Amnuay said. transform the once-cloistered Facebook page accompanied manoeuvring to challenge the Analysts say Dung, a political until the legislature approves a resentment has festered among Airline and hotel shares were little nation after decades under mili- by photographs of the meeting, politburo’s agreed candidate heavyweight widely credited new premier later this year. the party’s old guard about crises changed yesterday, in contrast to tary rule. including one of him in military for party chief, the incumbent with pursuing a pro-business It was not immediately clear in the banking sector and among the sharp falls in June when the first The meeting saw “friendly uniform shaking hands with a Nguyen Phu Trong. agenda, has long been at odds how many of the more than 1,500 state-owned fi rms during Dung’s case was discovered. and open discussions about the smiling Suu Kyi. By not running for the com- with party stalwarts wary of delegates voted to accept Dung’s premiership. Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Amari graft case ‘likely to hit Abe govt hard’

Reuters Tokyo

senior lawmaker of Ja- pan’s largest opposition Frozen plants beside the West Lake in Hangzhou, China. Aparty said recent accu- sations that economy minister Akira Amari had taken bribes DPJ chief Yukio Edano. could lead to far more seri- ous consequences than previ- pillars of the government. The ous setbacks encountered by impact on the government will Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s be heavy.” government. “Second of all, no matter Amari is under fi re over a how you look at it, this is not media report that he and his the kind of case where proce- Cold snap catches aides had accepted money dural errors are to be blamed,” from a construction company said Edano, who himself is a in exchange for helping the lawyer. fi rm receive compensation for Amari’s offi ce said no one disputes over land ownership was immediately available to and waste removal at a public comment. works site. The accusations have Amari, a core member of prompted the DPJ to put to- East Asia off guard Abe’s economic policy team gether a team of lawmakers to who played a central role in investigate the reported graft, Agencies took the brunt of a week-long cold snap negotiating the 12-nation Edano said. Beijing that sent the mercury plunging to record Trans-Pacifi c Partnership As Abe’s ruling bloc con- lows across the country. (TPP) free trade agreement, trols both chambers of par- The popular holiday destination re- said on Friday he had done liament, the opposition camp sudden cold snap through East Asia corded its heaviest snowfall in three dec- nothing illegal. cannot paralyse parliamentary has left dozens dead, multiple news ades over the weekend, as the temperature In October 2014, Abe saw debate. But by attacking Am- Areports said yesterday. dropped to -6.1 degrees Celsius. two of his ministers resign ari fi ercely, they can make the The worst-aff ected region was Taiwan, On Saturday, the transport ministry over political fund misre- scandal dominate headlines where at least 85 people died over the shut Jeju International Airport due to the porting and allegations of and potentially hurt voter weekend as temperatures sank to record heavy snow and strong winds. Almost a possible violation of the support for Abe ahead of an lows, news reports said. 1,100 fl ights were cancelled over the week- election law, although the upper house election in the Many of the deaths were caused by hy- end and Monday, leaving some 86,000 scandals left voter support summer. pothermia or cardiac problems triggered frustrated travellers stranded on the island. for Abe’s government largely On speculation in Japan’s by the sudden onset of cold weather, the But fi nally a plane did manage to take intact. political circle that Abe may state-run Central News Agency reported, off shortly before 3pm (0600 GMT) and “This is diff erent in nature call a snap lower house elec- quoting fi re safety authorities. a ministry offi cial said departures would on two points,” Yukio Edano, tion to have it on the same day Taipei City reached 4 degrees Celsius on quickly pick up pace. secretary general of the Dem- with an upper house poll in the Sunday, the lowest temperature recorded People walk along a snow-covered road in Nagasaki, Japan, yesterday. “Arrivals to the island will take a little ocratic Party of Japan (DPJ), summer, Edano said it would in 44 years, the country’s Central Weather longer as they have to clear more than 30 told Reuters in an interview. not be surprising if Abe called Bureau reported. mate, faced cold sleet and strong winds amounts of snow which disrupted trans- parked aircraft,” the offi cial said. “First of all, he is one of the a lower house vote even earlier. All but one of the weather bureau’s on Sunday as temperatures dropped to port and led to rare scenes in Japan such as Thousands had been forced to spend the monitoring stations showed record-low freezing. More than 111 people in Hong about 110 passengers sleeping on a bullet night at the airport, bundled up in blan- temperatures over the weekend, it said Kong have been injured in weather-related train overnight, Kyodo News Agency re- kets and sleeping on cardboard to avoid yesterday. accidents, the South China Morning Post ported. the freezing fl oors In northern China, the weather dropped reported yesterday. The fi rst fl ight in three days took off Although it was spared any snowfall, the by 10 degrees to 13 degrees Celsius over the They were mostly curious hikers who from the South Korean resort island of capital Seoul recorded its coldest day in 15 Taiwan ships drive weekend, while central and eastern China had ventured up mountain paths to Jeju yesterday after the biggest snowfall in years on Sunday when the temperature fell saw temperatures edge 6-8 degrees lower glimpse rare sights of ice and frost. At least three decades shut the airport and strand- to - 18 Celsius. than the average historical level. 45 people were hospitalised, suff ering ed nearly 90,000 people. On Saturday the state weather agency off Vietnamese boat Residents in Hong Kong, more accus- from hypothermia as well as sprains. Known as the Hawaii of South Korea for had issued a cold wave warning for Seoul tomed to the territory’s subtropical cli- Western Japan continued to see unusual its beaches and usually warm climate, Jeju for the fi rst time in fi ve years. AFP be rammed, the statement Taipei said. While denying accusa- tions in Vietnamese media that Taiwanese coastguards aiwan’s coastguard said had enforced the law outside yesterday that one of its their territorial waters, the Scientists create ‘autistic’ monkeys Tvessels used water can- coastguard tried to keep the non this month to drive off a event low-profi le. Vietnamese fi shing boat near “That was a regular law-en- AFP Until now, animal studies of autism dazzling gifts in fi elds such as maths or of the closely-related primate family — a disputed islands in the South forcement practise in a sensi- Beijing have relied mainly on lab mice -- a species music. fi rst step towards a possible human drug China Sea. tive area,” one coastguard of- very far removed from humans in terms of The brain structure of autism suff er- or therapy. Two Vietnamese fi shing fi cial told AFP. genes, behaviour and physiology. ers is diff erent to that of other people, but Qiu insisted the team’s methods met in- boats were sighted on January China is seen by other cientists in China have engineered So the team led by Zilong Qiu of the the exact cause or causes remain unclear, ternational ethical standards. 6 some 2.5 nautical miles off claimants as the biggest threat monkeys with a human autism gene Institute of Neuroscience in Shanghai, though genetics are strongly implicated. Other scientists hailed the study as an Taiping Island, an Taiwan-ad- in the South China Sea. Sand symptoms, in the hopes of un- created special test tube monkeys, giving There is no cure, and behaviour therapy “exciting development”. ministered islet in the Sprat- The Philippines and Viet- locking a treatment for the debilitating them multiple copies of the MECP2 gene is the main intervention. “Developing sophisticated animal lys, the coastguard said in a nam have complained that but little-understood disorder, a study thought to be linked to autism in humans. One of the monkeys transferred the models of autism has always represented statement. China is becoming increas- said yesterday. The monkeys were borne by surrogate transgene to its off spring, which also dis- a signifi cant challenge for scientists,” said The Spratly islands are also ingly aggressive in its actions The “transgenic” macaques behaved females, and their behaviour studied as played autistic behaviour — strengthening James Cusack, research director at the au- claimed in part or in whole by in the area — such as harassing similarly to humans affl icted with autism, they grew up. the hypothesis of a genetic root for autism, tism charity Autistica. Vietnam, China, the Philip- fi shermen — and also through the team wrote — making repetitive ges- The researchers observed “an increased the study authors said. “This excellent research has devel- pines, Malaysia and Brunei. bullying diplomatic tactics. tures, and displaying anxiety and poor so- frequency of repetitive circular locomo- Qiu said the team would now scan the oped a more sophisticated model of The two Taiwanese coast- As part of eff orts to strength- cial interaction. tion, increased anxiety, reduce social in- brains of their monkeys to try and identify autism which may further our under- guard boats, which have been en defence capabilities, Taiwan This meant they could serve as a reliable teraction”, among other behaviours. circuit defi ciencies. standing of autism and could eventually deployed there since Decem- late last year inaugurated a animal model for researching the causes Humans can suff er a range of behav- “Once we identify this brain circuit lead to the development of more tailored ber to replace smaller vessels, solar-powered lighthouse, an of, and possible cures for, autism in hu- ioural anomalies under the umbrella of (problem) associated with the autism-like treatments,” he said through the Science scrambled to drive off the Vi- expanded airstrip and a pier on mans — a feat welcomed by other special- autism spectrum disorder (ASD). behaviour, we will use therapeutics such Media Centre. etnamese boats. Taiping Island. ists not involved in the study. Often suff erers are unable or unwilling as gene editing tools... to manipulate this University of California psychiatry One left while the second It serves as the home port “Our fi ndings pave the way for the ef- to communicate or interact with others, MECP2 transgene in the transgenic mon- professor Melissa Bauman said the work refused and instead attempted of the 100-tonne coastguard fi cient use of genetically engineered sometimes cripplingly so. key,” he explained. “opens the possibility to explore genetic to zigzag. One coastguard ves- cutters and could accommo- macaque monkeys for studying brain dis- Some patients have delays in cognitive They could then begin to test potential risk factors in a species more closely re- sel opened fi re with water can- date 3,000-tonne naval frig- orders,” the authors asserted. development, whereas others can have treatments in the macaques — members lated to humans.” non because of fears it might ates. Australian leaders call for republic

Reuters Australia premier Jay Weatherill, who However, Turnbull has previously said The declaration came on the eve of Sydney signed the declaration. the issue was not a priority and that he Australia Day, which marks the anniver- “Any self-respecting, independent believed a national vote would be un- sary of the 1788 arrival of the fi rst fl eet of country would aspire to select one of its likely during the reign of the current British ships and the raising of the Great he leaders of seven of Austral- own citizens as its head of state,” he said 89-year-old monarch. Britain fl ag in Sydney. ia’s eight states and territories in a statement. Australia held a referendum on be- Western Australia Premier Colin Bar- Thave called for the country to coming a republic in 1999, which was nett, the only one of eight top offi cials become a republic, reigniting a thorny “We have a simple premise. That in defeated, with 55% of people voting who did not sign the document, said he debate ahead of a national holiday the 21st century Australia can do against. Republicans attributed that de- was supportive of a republic but that yesterday. better than to fi nd our heads of state feat to the fact the poll divided voters on now was not the right time. Australia is a constitutional monar- from one family of unelected English how best to select the head of state. Turnbull has said he is supportive of chy, with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as people living in a palace in London” Polls in recent years have shown vary- the republic movement but that it should head of state. The role is largely cer- ing support for a republic, with most re- happen only after the reign of Queen emonial, but the monarch does have the Hopes of a shift in sentiment rose vealing a small majority of the public in Elizabeth II ends. power to dissolve parliament, as in 1975, when prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, favour. “We have a simple premise. That in when Queen Elizabeth sacked the gov- a staunch republican, took the leadership Australia’s top regional officials the 21st century Australia can do bet- ernment. last year from his monarchist predeces- signed a “declaration of desired inde- ter than to find our heads of state from The question of Australia becoming a sor Tony Abbott. pendence”. one family of unelected English peo- republic is a perennial debate that often “My commitment to Australia hav- All but one of Australia’s state pre- ple living in a palace in London,” Peter crops up around Australia Day, the Janu- ing an Australian head of state is undi- miers and chief ministers signed the FitzSimons, the head of the Austral- ary 26 holiday that commemorates the minished,” Turnbull, who headed the document released by the Australian ian Republican Movement, told 9news start of British settlement. Australian Republican Movement in the Republican Movement yesterday, which channel. “It’s well past time for Australia to 1990s, said in a statement, in response to said the country “should have an Aus- His movement is pushing for a vote on become a sovereign nation,” said South yesterday’s declaration. tralian as our Head of State”. the issue by 2020. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 13 BRITAIN

OFFICIAL CRIME TRAVEL MEDIA APPEAL Housing fraud Goldsmith proposes Guardian to cut costs Tech firms urge ministers in London soars electric car hire scheme in bid to break even to relax visa rules

Desperate renters are being conned out of Thousands of Londoners could hire electric The publisher of the Guardian newspaper plans to Ministers were urged to ease visa rules for high- thousands of pounds in rent deposit scams, cars to travel across the city in a four-wheel cut running costs by 20% in a bid to break even tech employees yesterday amid warnings that the boss of the UK’s biggest flatshare website version of “Boris bikes” under ambitious plans within three years after its strategy of building nine out of 10 of London’s new digital businesses warned yesterday. It came as figures showed unveiled by Zac Goldsmith yesterday. The Tory one of the most popular websites in the world are being held back by skills shortages. A plea a 50% surge in rental fraud over the past mayoral candidate pledged a car-sharing sys- failed to make up for falling print sales. Guardian to open the gates to talented migrants such as two years in London as fraudsters exploit the tem that would allow people to hire an electric Media Group (GMG) said it needed to cut about software writers was at the heart of a Mayoral capital’s demand for housing. They trick un- car in one part of the capital and drop it off in £50mn from its £268mn annual cost base to Tech Manifesto issued to rival candidates in the suspecting renters into handing over deposits another. He would back it up by creating an in- protect the future of the paper which is known for battle for City Hall. “Ask a London technology and advance rent upfront before seeing a tegrated electric charging network after experts helping to break the Edward Snowden revelation entrepreneur what keeps them awake at night, property — then steal the cash and disappear. warned Londoners often found it too difficult of widespread surveillance by the US National and a shortage of available talent will often be Albin Servant, CEO of EasyRoommate, said to find somewhere to power their electric Security Agency. It declined to say whether the the answer,” said the document. A survey of more Prime Minister David Cameron greets Ireland’s his staff were in a constant battle to identify cars. This could include hundreds of “light and plan would include job cuts. Costs have risen 23% than 300 digital executives in the capital found Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Number 10 Downing and remove adverts for non-existent proper- charge” lamp-posts where drivers could plug in in five years at GMG, which employs 1,960 staff , “shortage of talent” was listed by 43% as their Street in London yesterday. ties. their vehicles. while revenues have gone up by 10%. biggest concern.

Former Banksy mural against France minister Wristbands Parkinson dies of cancer for refugees

Agencies London scrapped ormer Conservative cabi- net minister Lord Cecil FParkinson has died after a long battle with cancer, his fam- ily said. The Tory peer, who served in several roles in Margaret after uproar Thatcher’s government in the 1980s, was 84. A family spokes- Agencies icy officer of the Welsh Refugee see this brightly coloured band man said: “Cecil died on January London Council. know who we are and where we 22 after a long battle with cancer. “It’s absolutely appalling, it live,” he said. “We feel we are “We shall miss him enor- is treating people like lesser be- not equal with this community. mously. As a family, we should sylum seekers will no ings. It is treating them like ani- All the time I tried to hide the like to pay tribute to him as a be- longer have to wear mals lining up to feed.” band so people could not see it.” loved husband to Ann and brother Awristbands to claim food Jo Stevens, the justice Asylum seekers in the UK are to Norma, and a supportive and at a centre in Britain, its man- spokeswoman for the opposi- not allowed to work or claim loving father to Mary, Emma and agement announced yesterday, tion Labour party, said that she mainstream benefits. Some re- Joanna and grandfather to their after the practice sparked out- would raise the issue in parlia- ceive a small amount of money children. cry and comparisons with Nazi ment. or an Azure card to use in su- “We also salute his extraor- Germany. Eric Ngalle, 36, who spent permarkets. dinary commitment to British Clearsprings, a company a month in Lynx House before But newly arrived asylum public life as a member of parlia- contracted to house asylum being granted refugee status, seekers placed in what is known ment, cabinet minister and peer seekers on behalf of the gov- told The Guardian that asylum as initial accommodation by - together with a distinguished ernment, said the system had seekers were identifiable to the Home Office receive neither career in business.” been in place since May last locals due to the wristbands, money nor an Azure card. They The Conservative grandee, year as a way of distinguishing which made them targets for are placed in hotel-style ac- whose full title was Lord Parkin- what meals people were enti- abuse. commodation and given three son of Carnforth, was chairman tled to. basic meals a day. of the Tory Party twice. “As in numerous such es- “It’s absolutely Mogdad Abdeen, 24, a hu- But he is possibly best remem- tablishments where large appalling, it is treating man rights activist from Sudan, bered for the scandal that marred numbers of people are being people like lesser spent three months in Lynx his spectacular Cabinet-rank po- provided with services, wrist- beings. It is treating House at the end of last year. He litical career - his aff air with Sara bands are considered to be one them like animals lining has been moved to different ac- Keays, his one-time secretary. of the most reliable and effec- up to feed” commodation in Cardiff while Thatcher was reluctantly com- tive ways of guaranteeing de- he waits for a decision on his pelled to return him to the back livery,” the company said in a “Sometimes drivers would claim. benches in 1983, only months after statement. see our wristbands, start honk- “The wristband was discrim- he had masterminded the Conserv- The firm said it had been ing their horns and shout out ination, clear and simple. No atives’ victory in that year. providing such services to the of the window, ‘Go back to band, no food. We were made Keays, who bore Parkin- Home Office for 15 years and your country,’” Ngalle told the to feel that we are second-class son’s daughter Flora, repeatedly was “grateful for feedback to Guardian, describing the bands humans. People in Lynx House claimed that he had gone back on help improve the safety and ef- as “the garments of an outcast”. are scared of meeting new peo- a promise to leave his own wife fectiveness of their services”. “If you take off the wristband ple in case they see the wrist- and marry her. “We are always reviewing the you can’t reseal it back on to band and give them problems. After four years in the politi- way we supply our services and your wrist so if you want to eat ‘When we complain about cal wilderness, he was restored have decided to cease the use of you have to wear it all the time,” the wristbands nobody listens to the front bench by the prime A Banksy mural highlighting the use of tear gas by French police against migrants was quickly wristbands.” he added. to us,’ says Mogdad Abdeen minister in 1987 who made him covered over yesterday after it appeared on a building opposite the French embassy in London. It is believed Clearsprings Maher, 41, who recently The wristband row follows energy secretary. The mural features the character Cosette from French author Victor Hugo’s classic novel Les will switch to a temporary man- stayed at Lynx House but has a similar controversy in the He then went on to be transport Miserables, holding a French flag and crying as tear gas billows out of a canister below her. ual system for identifying resi- now been granted refugee sta- northeast of England, where secretary and, when the Conserv- Earlier yesterday, builders tried to remove the work using crowbars as onlookers gathered dents entitled to meals. Photo tus, said he was angry about asylum seekers said they were atives lost power to Tony Blair’s round. They later attached another large wooden board on top of it, using drills. The property ID cards would be introduced being forced to wear the wrist- targeted for abuse because the Labour administration, was ap- developer responsible for the building site said it was “protecting” the mural after the police said within the next few weeks. band. front doors of their homes were pointed Conservative party chair- there had been an attempt to steal it overnight. “It harks back to the Nazi re- “When you walked down the painted red by a private con- man for a second time. gime,” said Hannah Wharf, pol- street all the local people who tractor. Govt, Gates unveil £3bn Ex-trader’s basement malaria eradication plan extension attacked London Evening Standard forcement notice on Fairholme London — who once sued his bank em- AFP ing from The Gates Foundation impactful malaria is. You simply ployer for “only” paying him London and more donations to follow. can’t really build a prosperous a £230,000 bonus — putting a Britain’s contribution is economy when you have lots of wealthy City headhunter stop to the works. But they also around the same budget that had malaria.” was yesterday accused of suggested he lodge a retrospec- ritain’s Finance Minister previously been devoted to fi ght- Microsoft co-founder Gates has Atreating Kensington like tive application for a bigger ex- George Osborne and tech ing malaria, British newspaper turned his attention from software the Wild West by “trampling over” tension, slightly smaller than the Bbillionaire Bill Gates yes- reports said. to fi ghting disease and other ills planning rules to build a mega- banned scheme, to conform with terday unveiled a plan to spend The announcement of the Ross around the world with his wife, basement under his £5mn home. the new guidelines. billions to eradicate “the world’s Fund - named after Ronald Ross, under the auspices of the Bill and Ex-trader Stephen Fairholme, Council offi cers have now rec- deadliest killer” malaria. a British doctor who won the No- Melinda Gates Foundation. 47, was given permission for a ommended approval for the ap- Chancellor Osborne and Gates bel Prize for his work on malaria The charity has disbursed modest extension with a recep- plication. announced a £3bn fund for re- - ups a previous pledge in No- more than $28bn and provided tion, bathroom, cinema room In a written objection sent to search and to support eff orts to vember by Britain to spend £1bn funding for the world’s most and shower directly beneath the the local authority, neighbour eliminate the mosquito-borne on fi ghting malaria and other in- clinically advanced malaria vac- four-storey house in March 2013. Donald Cameron, 70, said: “If disease. fectious diseases. cine, Mosquirix developed by But the following year he ap- this application is approved it “Malaria is a huge killer out There were 438,000 malaria GlaxoSmithKline. plied for a much larger dig — will be a clear signal to develop- there but with eff ort and the kind deaths in 2015, most of them chil- Mosquirix, or RTS,S, is the fi rst adding a playroom, utility room, ers that the Wild West is oper- of research that happens here in dren aged under fi ve, and the ma- malaria vaccine to reach Phase III gym, study and two bathrooms ating in Kensington planning. the north of England we can ac- jority of them in Africa, according clinical testing - the fi nal stage to the basement — which would Anything goes.” tually, I think, eliminate this dis- to the World Health Organisation. before market approval - and the have involved excavating more He told the Standard: “It is a ease,” Osborne said at an event at Eff orts to control the disease fi rst to be assessed by regulators. than 50% of the back garden. dangerous precedent to set for the Liverpool School of Tropical have made signifi cant progress in It received a nod from European By then Kensington & Chelsea the new basement policy and a Medicine. the last 15 years, but are threat- regulators in July. council had introduced controls suggestion that the whole appa- “We are committing this mon- ened by the spread of resistance A WHO expert panel in Octo- on basement extensions, limiting ratus is a sham.” ey... to bring an end to this dis- to anti-malarial drugs and to ber recommended pilot roll-outs them to less than half the size of Kensington Society chairman ease that causes such heartbreak insecticide, the WHO said in its of the vaccine to young children in the garden, and the application Amanda Frame said: “It’s mak- to so many families in the world World Malaria Report 2015. several areas of sub-Saharan Af- was rejected. ing a mockery of planning rules but also a disease which damages “The biggest project that our rica, before considering wider use. When work began, however, when someone can just trample the economies of so many coun- foundation supports in Liverpool The WHO is expected to follow his neighbours became suspi- over it with a retrospective ap- tries.” is coming up with new chemi- the panel’s recommendations, cious at the scale of the project. plication. If the council do not The fund will include £500mn cals to go into those bed nets that which could result in Mosquirix Their fears were confi rmed when stand fi rm developers will just a year from Britain’s overseas aid mosquitoes are not resistant to,” becoming the fi rst licensed vac- Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates (left) stands with Chancellor George council planning offi cers visited push the boundaries with un- budget for the next fi ve years, Gates said. cine against a parasitic disease. Osborne during their visit to the Liverpool School of Tropical the site in October. lawful development, knowing with the rest of the money com- “It’s hard to overstate just how But a decision still lies a way off . Medicine in Liverpool yesterday. The offi cers served an en- they will get away with it.” Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 BRITAIN

Concerns raised over govt attempts to redefi ne overseas aid

Guardian News and Media government departments. NGOs are worried that changing tion of the British aid programme “minor adjustments” that would circumstances it could be used for spending review that the ODA London Offi cials from the Organisation the defi nition of ODA could move and that the overall purpose of aid have a limited impact on overall the training of soldiers about gen- budget would be preserved . of Economic Co-operation and the overall focus of the UK aid pro- spending should always be pov- spending. der based violence. “We can set Concerns were raised last year Development (OECD), which de- gramme away from reducing pov- erty reduction. Of moves to try to The committee is due to have this out in very specifi c terms, but about the focus of the UK aid pro- he government is lobbying cides what types of spending can erty around the world, allowing get types of defence spending in- further discussions about possible these are minor adjustments,” he gramme when the strategic de- to change the defi nition of count as aid, and the department it to be used to fi ll departmental cluded in the defi nition of ODA, he rule changes at a high level meet- told the Guardian. fence review and a review of the Toverseas development aid for international development budget gaps. said: “You open that Pandora’s box ing from February 18-19 in Paris. Last March, the government government’s new aid strategy, (ODA) to include more forms of (DfID), have confi rmed that the Ben Jackson, the chief execu- at your peril.” Solheim said the committee enshrined in law a requirement both published in November, sig- defence and security spending, UK is working with other coun- tive of Bond, the UK membership Erik Solheim, the chair of the would look at the extent to which of meeting the OECD’s target of nalled that a higher proportion prompting concerns that the UK tries to get the defi nition adjusted, body for organisations working in OECD development assistance aid could be used for “the soft end spending 0.7% of GDP on ODA. of the aid budget would be chan- aid programme could be used to but a full list of the changes being international development, said committee, said the changes the of counter-terrorism spending”, The Chancellor, George Osborne, nelled through departments other plug holes in the budgets of other sought has not been released. it was concerned about the direc- government was seeking were military equipment, and in what announced in his November than the DfID. My son is not Heavy rains forecast an IS militant, insists mother

London Evening Standard worried sick. He is in danger London every single moment of the day. He is very naive, very mis- guided. He wanted to do good in he mother of a Briton the world and wanted to see for feared to have joined Is- himself. The fact is he did not Tlamic State yesterday de- see the danger or think about nied he was a terrorist and insist- his own safety. We wake every ed he was only helping children single morning not knowing in refugee camps. whether he is alive or dead.” Jack Letts, 20, has been Letts attended Cherwell dubbed “Jihadi Jack” after leav- School in Oxford, where peers ing his home in Oxford to travel said he was a keen sportsman to war-torn Syria a year ago. and supporter of Liverpool. It is But yesterday his mother thought he began to take an in- Sally angrily defended her “na- terest in the Middle East during ive” son, saying he was doing the Arab Spring in 2011. “humanitarian work” and it Sally added they did not op- was “absolutely ridiculous” to pose him converting to Islam. Joggers at Primrose Hill take advantage of a fine morning - but it won’t last. The Met Off ice has warned Storm Jonas is crossing the Atlantic and will meet warmer air as suggest he had become the first Letts told his mother and fa- it arrives in Britain, bringing heavy rain. It put out a yellow alert for the North, the West and Scotland - which could get up to six inches of rain today, with winds of up to white British youth to join IS in ther John — a leading organic 70mph. Syria. farmer who has appeared on She said the family were in BBC’s Countryfile — he was regular contact with their son, planning to travel to Kuwait to who yesterday told them he was study Arabic. He only informed “bemused” by reports which them he had subsequently gone claimed he now went by the to Syria once he had arrived, name of Ibrahim or Abu Moham- they said. ed. He was also reported to be “We were in utter shock. We living with an Iraqi wife and son have been trying to convince Mohamed after moving to the him to come back,” said his Iraqi city of Fallujah from Raqqa, mother. “He has worked in a Explorer dies trying the self-styled IS capital. hospital, done some teaching, Sally, a former books editor, done some translating... He is told the Standard: “He is not a integrated with the popula- member of IS, he is very prob- tion.” She added: “There are ably not the first white convert civilians out there despite great that has gone out there. He risk to themselves and are just does not have a son and is not assumed to be terrorists. to cross Antarctic solo known as Abu Mohamed. We “They (the media) have lost spoke to him on Sunday and he Jihadi John so Jihadi Jack fits AFP Worsley died in the Clinica “We have lost a friend, but he dismay at having to pull out so arctica for a new expedition said he had never had a weapon perfectly. We want him ( Jack) London Magallanes in Punta Arenas, will remain a source of inspira- close to the end after covering in 1922. Shackleton’s grand- in his life. to go to a safe place. He is be- Chile, “despite all eff orts” of tion to us all, especially those almost 1,500kms on foot, drag- daughter Alexandra Shackleton “He went out there for hu- mused by all the inaccuracies... medical staff , she added. who will benefi t from his sup- ging his equipment in a sledge. sent her condolences for Wors- manitarian purposes to help the fact he has a son? He just ritish adventurer Henry She said Worsley had raised port to the Endeavour Fund. “It is with sadness that I re- ley’s death. kids in Syrian refugee camps. It laughed. Somehow he is sup- Worsley has died in an £100,000 for the Endeavour “We will now make sure that port it is journey’s end - so close “This is a day of great sad- is not as if he is hiding — he tells posed to be a global militant? It Battempt to make history Fund, a charity to help people his family receive the support to my goal,” he said. ness. Henry will be a huge loss us what he has for breakfast. All is absolutely ridiculous.” by crossing the Antarctic alone wounded in the military and they need at this terribly diffi - Another British explorer, to the adventuring world and this is absolutely ridiculous, it The family have been raided in a trip backed by members of backed by Prince William, his cult time.” Ranulph Fiennes, dropped out the fact that he very, very nearly is shocking.” by anti- terror police “repeat- the royal family, his wife said wife Kate and brother Prince A 55-year-old former army of a similar charity trek in 2013. made it - only 30 miles short of The family conceded they edly” since Letts left in 2014, yesterday. Harry. offi cer from London, Worsley Worsley was from Fulham in his goal - makes it in some way were hugely concerned for his Sally said, seizing computers Worsley was just 48kms from William paid tribute to Wors- had hoped to become the fi rst south-west London and had seem worse,” she told the BBC. wellbeing, particularly now he and mobile phones. the fi nish when he called for ley and his attempt to cross man to cross the Antarctica two children, Max aged 21 and Tributes poured in for Worsley, had been identified. They said Scotland Yard said it could help and was airlifted to a hos- Antarctica via the South Pole solo, unsupported and without Alicia aged 19. He spent 36 including from retired football they know exactly where he was not comment on an “active pital in Chile on Friday suff er- - a feat left unfi nished by ex- assistance. years in the army, and had a star David Beckham, who re- but requested it not be pub- case”, but added that virtually ing from exhaustion and severe plorer Ernest Shackleton a cen- He was 71 days into the at- keen interest in the lives of Ed- counted a story about the explor- lished for his own safety. in all counter-terrorism inves- dehydration. tury ago. tempt when he called for help. A wardian explorers. He authored er lending him his Union Jack fl ag She added that police, who tigations there will be a “strat- “It is with heartbroken sad- “Harry and I are very sad to statement on his website said he a book about Shackleton, who for a snapshot when the former have been investigating them egy to investigate the finances ness I let you know that my hear of the loss of Henry Worsley. was found to be suff ering with famously tried and failed to England captain made his own for more than a year, have told of those involved”, which may husband, Henry Worsley, has He was a man who showed great peritonitis, an infl ammation of make the same Antarctic cross- Antarctic trip. “No words can them there was “no evidence he also “extend to any person sus- died following complete organ courage and determination and the lining of the abdomen. ing in a 1914 expedition. describe the sadness of the loss of has done anything wrong”. pected of funding the activities failure,” his wife Joanna said in we are incredibly proud to be as- In his fi nal statement from Shackleton died of a heart Henry Worsley,” Beckham wrote His mother said: “We are of a suspected terrorist”. a statement. sociated with him,” William said. the expedition he expressed his attack on his way back to Ant- on his Facebook page. Leading UK women back Oscars diversity row campaign to stay in EU legitimate: McKellen AFP well, it’s what women thought London for a long time, it’s what gay London Evening Standard to join them, they add: “Too of- can negotiate free trade agree- people like myself still think. London ten, women’s voices aren’t front ments with countries like the US, “And it’s a legitimate com- and centre of political debate. China and Australia. eteran British actor Ian plaint and the Oscars has be- But this referendum is going to “British businesses get a real McKellen, whose career come the focus of those worries, ore than 50 of the coun- be diff erent.” boost from our membership.” Vhas ranged from King so I sympathise.” try’s most successful The letter was organised by Greene, owner of The Old Lear to Gandalf in The Lord of The all-white nominations Mwomen yesterday unit- businesswoman Jenny Halp- Vic, said: “British theatre is able the Rings trilogy, has described sparked debate in the fi lm in- ed in a plea to Britons to choose ern Prince, chair of Women to attract top talent from right criticism of the lack of diver- dustry and a social media cam- to stay in the European Union. IN, which is part of the cam- across Europe. Actors, directors sity in Oscar nominees as “le- paign under the hashtag #Os- Women from the pinnacles of paign for an in-vote in the and producers come to our thea- gitimate”. carsSoWhite. business, the arts and science historic referendum expected tres because they are among the No ethnic minority actors or In response the Academy signed a letter to the Evening to be staged this summer. She best in the world. actresses were nominated for board announced it would dou- Standard declaring that staying said: “This is the biggest choice “And many British people also the top Oscar awards for the ble the number of women and in the EU will strengthen families facing Britain for a generation spend time learning from others second year running, spark- people from minority back- and the nation’s prosperity. — and women’s views must be across the continent. It would be ing an outcry and prompting grounds among its members, They include lastminute.com central. Our membership of the disastrous if it was made more the Academy of Motion Picture who vote for Oscar nominees founder Martha Lane Fox; de- EU helps create jobs, helps our diffi cult to travel to great cities Arts and Sciences to announce and winners. signer Kelly Hoppen, chef Ruth economy to thrive and provides in Europe — and if Britain pulled reforms. McKellen made the com- Rogers, fertility expert Professor really important employment up the drawbridge to talent from McKellen, 76, who is gay and ments at the launch of a pro- Geeta Nargund, scientist Dame safeguards, like maternity and elsewhere.” a co-founder of the rights group gramme about William Shake- Anne Glover, actress Sharon paternity leave. We’d be putting Lady Rogers, of the Michelin- Stonewall, said he sympathised speare and fi lm at the British Maughan and theatre producer so much at risk by leaving — it starred River Cafe, said: “At River with people who have felt un- Film Institute in London, to Sally Greene. just isn’t worth it.” Cafe we rely on the quality of the der-represented in the industry. mark 400 years since the play- “We are drawn from all walks Baroness Lane-Fox said: wine, olive oils, cheeses, vegeta- “I think you have to live in wright’s death. of life,” they write. “We work in “Leaving the EU would be a dis- bles and fruits from all over Italy. Hollywood, where the Oscars The initiative will see 18 Brit- medicine, retail, health, fi nancial aster for the next generation of “Many of our staff are from mean so much more than they ish Shakespeare fi lms screened services, the creative industries, Britain’s entrepreneurs. Being in Europe — chefs, waiters, wine do elsewhere, to understand in 110 countries, the launch of a trade unions, interior design and Europe means we can trade with- experts, managers, who have the why people’s feelings are run- remastered “Richard II”, which fashion. And we have all ben- out tariff s and there are a com- freedom to work in this country, ning so high,” McKellen said. McKellen starred in in 1995. efi ted from our membership of mon set of regulations across 28 bringing their knowledge and Actor Ian McKellen poses for photographers during a photocall for the “And the fact that black peo- McKellen will also host pub- the EU.” countries. And as a mammoth creativity — making the River launch of ‘BFI Presents: Shakespeare on Film’ at the British Film Institute ple feel under-represented in lic bus tours to iconic locations Urging women across the UK market of 500mn consumers, we Cafe a better restaurant.” in London yesterday. studio movies and big movies, shown in the fi lm.

Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 EUROPE

Record hot years WHO: Child obesity an almost certainly ‘exploding nightmare’ ‘caused’ AFP tries, the authors underscored commission’s policy recom- The rate of increase in Asia even subtle malnutrition during to stop them from being overly by global Geneva that governments and global mendations – which range from was diffi cult to quantify, Gluck- pregnancy and early childhood, obese.” health organisations were cen- promoting healthy lifestyles to man said, but Asia currently ac- which can impact gene function Asked about multi-national tral to reversing the scourge. higher taxes on sugary drinks – counts for nearly half (48%) of and make a child far more likely food corporations that mass warming hildhood obesity has “What’s the big message? It’s may seem like common sense. young children categorised as to excessively gain weight. produce fattening products, he reached alarming rates not the kid’s fault,” commission But, the commission noted, overweight or obese. The second, the developmen- said that some had breached in- Cglobally and become an co-chair Peter Gluckman told common sense strategies have The report notes that in tal pathway, can occur when a ternational conventions on food Reuters “exploding nightmare” in the reporters. not been adequately imple- wealthier countries, poorer mother entering pregnancy is marketing. Oslo developing world, including Af- Biological factors, inadequate mented anywhere in the world, children are more likely to be obese or has pre-existing dia- Rather than shaming such rica where the number of obese access to healthy foods, a decline with the number of obese and obese, partly due to the relative betes. companies, Gluckman said it and overweight children under in physical activity in schools overweight children under fi ve aff ordability and abundance of This “predisposes the child was crucial to make the private record-breaking string fi ve has nearly doubled since and the unregulated marketing growing from 31mn to 41mn be- fatty fast foods and high-sugar to increased fat deposits associ- sector “part of the solution”, by of hot years since 2000 1990, a WHO commission said of fattening foods are among the tween 1990 and 2014. snacks. ated with metabolic disease and using carrot-and-stick strat- Ais almost certainly a sign yesterday. drivers of a worsening epidemic “To date, progress in tackling Conversely, in poorer coun- obesity”, the report said. egies to incentivise healthier of man-made global warming, The authors of the report that requires a coordinated glo- childhood obesity has been slow tries the children of wealthier The report’s recommendation products. with vanishingly small chances from the Commission on Ending bal response, the report said. and inconsistent,” the report families are more likely to be call for an integrated response And, in what seemed to be that it was caused by random, Childhood Obesity stressed that If not reversed, “the obes- said. obese, including in cultures among governments, global reference to food corporations, natural swings, a study showed the epidemic has historically not ity epidemic has the potential to Child obesity “is an explod- where “an overweight child is health institutions and indi- WHO chief Margaret Chan told yesterday. been treated as a grave public negate many of the health ben- ing nightmare in the developing often considered to be healthy”. viduals, with Gluckman stress- the agency’s executive commit- Last year was the hottest since health issue and was regarded efi ts that have contributed to the world”, Gluckman said. The report outlines biological ing that urging individuals to eat tee yesterday that “implement- records began in the 19th cen- by some as a product of lifestyle increased longevity observed The fi gures have surged in Af- pathways that can expose chil- well and keep fi t was not enough. ing the report’s recommenda- tury in a trend that almost all choices by individuals and fami- in the world”, added the report, rica, with the number of over- dren to an elevated risk of obes- “Dieting and exercise alone tions will take political will and scientists blame on greenhouse lies. commissioned by the UN’s weight or obese children under ity once they are born. is not the solution,” Gluckman courage, as some go against the gases from burning of fossil fu- But following two years of re- World Health Organisation. fi ve nearly doubling from 1990 The fi rst, called the “mis- said. “We have responsibilities interests of powerful economic els, stoking heatwaves, droughts, search in more than 100 coun- Gluckman conceded that the to 2014, from 5.4mn to 10.3mn. match” pathway, results from on behalf of the world’s children operators”. downpours and rising sea levels. “Recent observed runs of record temperatures are ex- tremely unlikely to have oc- curred in the absence of hu- man-caused global warming,” a Slovak Doctor on trial for raping US-led team of experts wrote in the journal Scientifi c Reports. Written before 2015 tempera- teachers ture data were released, it esti- woman kept in a bunker mated the chance of the record run – with up to 13 of the 15 strike for warmest years all from 2000 to AFP lawyer Jens Hogstrom told the 2014 – was between one in 770 Stockholm court. and one in 10,000 if the series more pay The defence argued that the were random with no human in- accused, whose name has not fl uence. Swedish doctor went on been published in Swedish me- Lead author Michael Mann, Reuters trial yesterday for alleg- dia, was a “broken soul” and a a professor of meteorology at Bratislava Aedly drugging, raping lonely man with few friends. Pennsylvania State University, and detaining a young woman “He desperately wanted a These undated police told Reuters that the group’s in a bunker he had built with girlfriend,” defence attorney handouts (above and right) computer simulations indicated undreds of schools in the idea of keeping her hidden Mari Schaub said, stressing show the doctor’s soundproof those odds including 2015 had Slovakia were shut yes- for years. that her client was remorseful. The Swedish doctor (on the bunker. widened to between one in 1,250 Hterday as more than Described in the media as He has admitted to keeping left) is seen with his lawyer and one in 13,000. 11,000 teachers went on strike “Sweden’s Fritzl” – a reference her against her will, but not to Mari Schaub in this courtroom bed, and had two thick doors, “Climate change is real, for higher salaries and larger to the Austrian father who held kidnapping or raping her. sketch received by Reuters opened in sequence with elec- human-caused and no longer school budgets, a rare hurdle for his daughter captive and raped “He was suff ering from a yesterday. tronic locks. subtle – we’re seeing it play out ruling leftists before a general her repeatedly over 24 years – psychological disorder,” Schaub The doctor took blood and before our eyes,” he wrote in an election in March. the 38-year-old physician risks said. Once she was unconscious vaginal samples from his victim e-mail. It was a rare show of discon- life in prison if found guilty The rest of the trial was he raped her, then rolled her in a to make sure she wasn’t car- Natural variations include tent in the country where Prime of kidnapping and aggravated heard behind closed doors at wheelchair to his car which had rying any sexually transmitted shifts in the sun’s output or vol- Minister Robert Fico keeps a rape. the prosecution’s request, and fake licence plates. diseases. canic eruptions, which dim sun- strong grip on political life and Wearing a blue fl eece jacket it proceeded to outline the de- He then drove 550km (340 But less than a week later, light. is tipped to win re-election on and looking unfazed, he sat as fendant’s planning and execu- miles) from Stockholm to his after the woman was declared “Natural climate variations March 5. He leads opinion polls a chilling account of the alleged tion of the alleged crimes. home near Kristianstad in missing, he took her to a Stock- just can’t explain the observed by over 20 percentage points crimes was presented to the According to the charge southern Sweden, where he had holm police station and ordered recent global heat records, but ahead of his closest rival. Stockholm court. sheet, the man passed himself a good reputation as a general her to tell offi cers she was fi ne man-made global warming can,” The government has taken His young victim was how- off as an American when he met practitioner. and nothing suspect was going Stefan Rahmstorf, a co-author advantage of the economic re- ever visibly shaken, and ap- the woman for the fi rst time on He then locked the woman on. from the Potsdam Institute of covery to cement its popularity peared with her hands covered September 10 at her Stockholm into what the prosecution de- Police found the couple’s Climate Impact, said in a state- by welfare spending while keep- by black gloves and her head apartment, after having made scribed as an above-ground behaviour odd, and, when they ment. ing the budget defi cit within EU hidden under a scarf. initial contact online. “bunker” he had built in his questioned the woman alone, The scientists tried to account rules. No details about her age or Two days later, he returned yard, which resembled a garden she broke down and told them for factors including that heat Fico’s pre-election handouts identity have been disclosed. to her place with champagne, shed from the outside. what had happened. from one warm year spills over range from halving the sales “She’s not well. It’s very dif- strawberries and fruit juice But it was soundproofed, The man was subsequently into the next. tax on some groceries and hik- fi cult for her to face him,” her laced with sedatives. outfi tted with a toilet and a arrested. And temperatures in many ing maternity benefi ts to giv- years are almost identical, mak- ing coupons to poor families for ing it hard to rank their heat with holidays at state-owned hotels. confi dence. The government has agreed Last month, almost 190 na- a 4% pay raise for teachers this tions agreed at a summit in Paris year following a 5% raise for the Serbian court leaves Tito’s family empty-handed to the strongest deal yet to shift past three years. from fossil fuels towards cleaner But the protesters, who made energies such as wind and solar up about 12% of all teachers in AFP began, and was not entitled to ing ruled socialist Yugoslavia vately and what he used as the sessions should be handed to power to limit warming. the country, say it is too little. Belgrade any personal belongings of the since the end of World War II, country’s top offi cial remained them, not to the state. Separately yesterday, the UN’s According to education min- extravagant late leader, lawyer his possessions were estimated unclear. Svetlana Broz, one of Tito’s World Meteorological Organisa- istry, average gross salary of el- Nikola Barovic told AFP. to be worth tens of millions of Inheritance proceedings granddaughters, said her father tion (WMO) confi rmed US and ementary and secondary schools Serbian court has ruled “The court implicitly ruled dollars. were slowed down by the 1990s had received about 5,000 Ger- British data showing 2015 was teachers was €997 per month that descendants of that all the belongings of the The huge and eclectic collec- Balkan wars and some property man marks (€2,600, $2,800) by far the hottest year on record ($1,080) in 2014, slightly above AJosip Broz Tito will in- late Josip Broz are the property tion ranged from hunting rifl es went to countries that emerged when they were granted copy- and noted that a powerful El the national average of €858. herit none of his possessions, of the state,” Barovic said. and paintings to jewellery and after the break-up of Yugosla- right for his books in 1983 Nino event, warming the surface But teachers say the fi gure in- more than 35 years after the The relatives hoping for in- marshal uniforms. via. “But we have not received of the Pacifi c Ocean, had stoked cludes maximum bonuses that communist Yugoslav leader heritance – Tito’s son Misha, In 1985 a law declared all of Tito’s relatives alleged wide- anything since,” she told AFP extra heat. not all are eligible to receive. died, the family’s lawyer said the four children of the strong- his belongings state property – spread theft in the intervening after learning of the ruling. “The power of El Nino will The Initiative of Slovak Teach- yesterday. man’s late son Zarko and two a ruling that was later annulled years. Some 70,000 of Tito’s be- fade in the coming months but ers is asking for a €140 raise this According to the court, the sisters of his late widow Jovan- after it was challenged by Tito’s The family pursued the case longings are now stored at Bel- the impacts of human-induced year followed by a €90 raise next family inherited the copyright ka – intend to lodge an appeal, widow Jovanka, who died in hoping for a reassessment of grade’s Museum of Yugoslav climate change will be with us year, €400mn for schools and for books authored by Tito back the lawyer added. 2013. his belongings, arguing that History, also home to Tito and for many decades,” WMO Secre- several other reforms. in 1983 when legal proceedings When Tito died in 1980, hav- But what Tito owned pri- those which were personal pos- Jovanka’s mausoleum. tary General Petteri Taalas said. Centre-right candidate wins Portugal presidency

Reuters ceremonial fi gure but he plays an traumatise, start an economic, tonio Sampaio da Novoa, con- only swore in the Socialist gov- Lisbon important role at times of politi- social and political pacifi ica- ceded defeat after picking up ernment as he was barred by the cal uncertainty – as have gripped tion,” Rebelo de Sousa said at the around 23% of the vote. Left Bloc constitution from calling a new the country since last October’s Lisbon University’s Law Faculty candidate Marisa Matias had parliamentary election in his last entre-right candidate inconclusive parliamentary elec- where he teaches. 10%. six months in offi ce. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa tion. “We have to align social jus- “I think Marcelo is what Por- That option will again become Chas won Portugal’s presi- He has the power to dissolve tice with economic growth and tugal needs now, both as media- possible from April 4, six months dential election, an outcome that parliament and fi re the prime fi nancial stability, without com- tor and a bit of a counterweight to after the parliamentary election. should help maintain political minister. promising the fi nancial solidity the left,” said Maria Joao de Con- The leftist parties have said balance after a dramatic swing to Portugal is likely to need all for which so many Portuguese ceicao, a 43-year-old teacher, Rebelo de Sousa may seek a re- the left in October’s parliamen- consensus possible as a shaky sacrifi ced so much for years,” he doing her weekly shopping after turn to unpopular right-wing tary ballot. government of moderate cen- said referring to Portugal’s budg- casting her ballot. economic policies, but he struck In his victory speech late on tre-left Socialists dependent on et consolidation drive of the past Many political analysts do not a conciliatory tone during his Sunday, Social Democrat Rebelo far-left parties for support in few years that helped it out of an expect the Socialist-led govern- election campaign, saying Por- de Sousa, 67, said he will work parliament tries to reconcile its acute debt crisis. ment to serve a full four-year tugal needs “more social justice to promote consensus and repair election pledges to end economic With nearly all votes counted, term and the new president could along with minimum fi nancial divisions created in the aftermath austerity with budget defi cit cuts preliminary results showed Re- play a key role, either as mediator equilibrium” – a stance similar to of the previous election when the promised to the European Union. belo de Sousa, a former journal- between the parties or using his that of the Socialists. left ousted a centre-right ad- “This election ends a very long ist and one-time leader of the power to dissolve parliament and Barely half of registered Por- Rebelo de Sousa gestures as he delivers a speech after winning the ministration that imposed tough election process ... that unnerved centre-right Social Democrats, call new elections. tuguese voters cast their bal- Portugal’s Presidential Election. The 67-year-old law professor and TV austerity under an international the country and divided a society winning 52% of the vote, enough Rebelo de Sousa will succeed lot in Sunday’s election, though pundit was the clear winner early yesterday in the presidential bailout in 2011-14. already hurt by years of crisis. It to avoid a run-off . President Anibal Cavaco Silva, a turnout was up slightly from the election, with over 52% of the vote. Portugal’s president is a largely is time to turn the page and de- His closest rival, Socialist An- fellow conservative who said he previous presidential poll in 2011. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 17 EUROPE

Security chiefs brace for Greece ‘threatened’ with more militant expulsion from Schengen attacks Reuters possible and accept help.” “It is very diffi cult to stop Amsterdam The EU has taken various steps small boats coming ... except to give cash-strapped Athens fi - sinking or shooting them, which Reuters nancial assistance to deal with is against our European values Amsterdam uropean Union inte- the crisis, but many member and Greek values and we will not rior ministers have urged states believe Athens is not using do that,” he said. EGreece to do more to con- that enough. The Schengen zone comprises slamic State (IS) and other trol the infl ux of migrants, some Of fi ve registration “hotspot” 26 states, most of which are also militants are very likely to threatening to have it excluded centres due to be set up for mi- EU members. Germany, France, Iattempt big new attacks in from the continent’s prized pass- grants arriving in Greece, only Austria and Sweden are among Europe following those in Paris, port-free travel zone as the crisis one is running so far. several countries that have intro- the EU’s police agency said yes- increasingly divides bloc mem- Overwhelmed by the infl ux, duced temporary border checks terday, echoing previous warn- bers. Greek law enforcement offi cials as they struggle to control the ings by senior security offi cials. Greece was the main gateway have often let migrants through fl ow of people. The assessment was based to Europe for more than a mil- deeper into Europe rather than “Speaking about timetables, on discussions concluded eight lion refugees and migrants who keep them on Greek soil for prop- it’s already too late. We have weeks ago by security agencies reached the EU last year. er registration – the fi rst neces- seven countries with border con- from EU states. It has been criticised for a fail- sary step agreed by the EU before trols,” Sweden’s Interior Minister The eight-page public report ure to control the fl ow of arrivals, people can move further. Anders Ygeman told Reuters. said further attacks could even which has shown little sign of Athens says that the numbers He said that migrant registra- take place quite soon. easing over the winter. are impossible to manage and tion centres need to start func- The events in Paris “appear to Some member states said Ath- accuses the other 27 EU states tioning in Greece and Italy as indicate a shift towards a broad- ens must deliver on obligations to of not off ering the right help and planned. “In the end, if a country er strategy of IS going global, alleviate the crisis, which has put not taking migrants from Greece doesn’t live up to its obligations, of them specifi cally attacking the passport-free Schengen zone they had committed to move. we will have to restrict its con- France, but also the possibility – hailed by many as the greatest Greek Migration Minister nections to the Schengen area.” of attacks against other member achievement of European inte- Yannis Mouzalas denounced the Excluding Greece would re- states of the EU in the near fu- gration – on the verge of collapse. threat of Schengen exclusion as quire applying Article 26 of the Amnesty International activists hold a protest yesterday against the ongoing migrant crisis with a boat ture”, it said. “If we cannot protect the ex- “blame game”. Schengen code that allows tem- filled with mannequins wearing life vests outside the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam, during an informal There was “every reason to ternal EU border, the Greek- Athens’ Public Order Minister porary border controls within meeting of EU justice and home aff airs ministers at the museum. expect” an attack, by Islamic Turkish border, then the Schen- Nikos Toskas said that some- Schengen for up to two years. State or “IS-inspired terrorists gen external border will move times only several miles sepa- Germany, main destination Greece. But it is yet to bear fruit. ambulances and beds. They also afraid and closing borders. And or another religiously inspired towards central Europe,” said rated the Greek and the Turk- for refugees and migrants fl eeing Greek offi cials said that oth- criticised the states that reintro- it’s another issue to accept that terrorist group”. Austria’s Interior Minister In- ish border meandering between war and poverty in the Middle er EU countries had been too duced border controls inside the the European crisis will be a hu- “This is in addition to the terior Minister Johanna Mikl- small islands in the Aegean sea East and Africa, hopes a Novem- slow in providing everything Schengen zone. manitarian crisis in Greece with threat of lone actor attacks, Leitner, adding: “Greece must where the refugees travel on ber deal agreed with Turkey will from funds and border guards, “It’s one thing to understand thousands of trapped refugees which has not diminished,” it increase its resources as soon as small boats. mean fewer migrants arrive in to fi nger-printing equipment, that a country is in panic, is and migrants,” Mouzalas said. said. At a news conference to mark the launch of a new European Counter Terrorism Centre with- in Europol, based in The Hague, Watchdogs warn of its director Rob Wainwright said Islamic State “has the willing- ness and capability to carry out European refugee further attacks in Europe”. Since immediately after the Paris attacks on November 13, ‘race to the bottom’ in which Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people, Wainwright, a senior Reuters Last year migrant fl ows to Eu- British police offi cer, has said Amsterdam rope reached their highest level further similar attacks are likely since World War II, with 1.2mn in Europe and that “lone wolf” applying for asylum. militants are no longer the prime “race to the bottom” on The proportion of children threat. asylum policy among Eu- rose from 26% in 2014 to 29% The Europol report said Is- Aropean Union countries last year, the report said. lamic State may have established is exposing more than 360,000 Many were minors without an “external action command child migrants to greater risk their parents. trained for special forces-style of harm as the bloc struggles to In Sweden alone, 35,000 un- attacks in the international en- cope with a surge of refugees, accompanied children requested vironment” and noted that, as rights watchdogs said yesterday. asylum in 2015. the Paris attacks showed, the European children’s agencies European leaders meeting in group was largely active in Eu- issued the warning in a report the Netherlands, which holds the rope through radicalised Euro- released in Amsterdam, where rotating European Union presi- pean citizens, not foreigners. the EU’s interior ministers were dency, are under pressure to bal- The report also warned of a meeting to discuss how to deal ance the need to off er humani- risk of cyber-attacks but said with the infl ux of people fl ee- tarian shelter with widespread there was no evidence of Islam- ing war in Africa and the Middle public opposition to admitting ist militants trying to use chemi- East. large numbers of newcomers. cal, biological or nuclear mate- One of the main concerns is The ministers will study an rial as a weapon in Europe. that EU countries, from Sweden idea for a bloc-wide border and Wainwright welcomed what to Britain, have implemented coast guard and discuss the he called a “considerable im- measures limiting family reunifi - looming expiry of temporary provement” in the level of in- cation rights that risked separat- border controls reintroduced telligence information that EU ing children from their parents by several countries within Eu- governments were now willing after they had survived perilous rope’s passport-free Schengen to share with each other through journeys. travel zone. Europol following the attacks on “It seems as if European coun- The report also urged coun- Paris, which have concentrated tries are in a contest to win the tries to improve transit and minds on a need for co-opera- title of ‘least willing to accept reception conditions, giving tion against Islamist threats. asylum seekers’,” said the report children priority in the distribu- Currently, some 30 Europol from the European Network of tion of asylum-seekers among experts are working to support A migrant child walks near a muddy field at a camp of makeshift shelters for migrants and asylum-seekers from Iraq, Kurdistan, Iran and Syria, Ombudspersons for Children, the EU’s 28 member states, and the Franco-Belgian investiga- called the Grande Synthe jungle, near Dunkirk, France. European Union interior ministers have urged Greece to do more to control the influx which represents 41 independent setting minimum standards of tion into the Paris attack, Wain- of migrants, some threatening to exclude it from the continent’s prized passport-free travel zone as the crisis increasingly divides the bloc’s children’s rights institutions in warmth and comfort at reception wright said. members. 34 European countries. and transit centres. Migrant killed in Greek border Mayor seeks to ban male asylum-seekers from swimming pool robbery: police A Pakistani migrant was fatally Reuters who said it would be ill-advised. ies had been taken with them. speaking liberal party Open would not aff ect children and The German town of Bornhe- stabbed and two others were Brussels The proposal underlined an It’s escalating. We never had any VLD, said that he would propose their mothers. im, 30km (19 miles) south of Co- hurt in a robbery allegedly increasingly highly-charged de- complaints before,” said Marc a one-month ban at a council Belgium’s state secretary for logne, temporarily banned male perpetrated by Afghans on the bate over immigration in Europe, Vanden Bussche, mayor of the meeting yesterday to allow tem- migration, Theo Francken, ad- asylum-seekers from its pool this Greek border, police said. Belgian mayor said yes- particularly since authorities in coastal town of Kokzijde. pers to cool. vised against the move. month after receiving complaints The incident occurred yesterday terday that he would pro- neighbouring Germany accused Bussche said that he had de- The town recently took in 300 “It’s never wise to punish a of sexual harassment. near no-man’s-land on the border Apose banning male refu- gangs of migrants of sexually as- cided to act after police were asylum-seekers. whole group for the transgres- More than 600 women in Co- between Greece and Macedonia, gees from a swimming pool for a saulting women in Cologne on called in to investigate an Iraqi “In the meantime we will teach sions of a few,” he said in a tweet. logne and other cities fi led com- where thousands of migrants month after complaints from fe- New Year’s Eve. man who had caught an 11-year- them about our way of life and “Asylum-seekers live in open plaints ranging from sexual mo- of diff erent nationalities gather male bathers, earning a swift re- “We had women complain be- old girl as she came off a slide. explain the rules of the pool to centres, they’re free to go swim- lestation to theft in attacks on the daily, hoping to secure passage to buke from the migration minister cause they felt stared at and self- The politician from the Dutch- them,” he said, adding the ban ming. But hands off !” New Year’s weekend. northern Europe. Both survivors were hospitalised but one is in critical condition, the authorities said. No arrests were made. Youth fatally stabs refugee centre worker Greek media reported that the assailants stole €400 ($435) and a cellphone. AFP Police would not comment on The attack came as National son told Swedish news agency TT Countries along the Balkan route Stockholm the identity or nationality of the Police Commissioner Dan Elias- yesterday. have restricted entry only to alleged attacker, except to say son requested 4,100 additional Sweden, like the rest of Eu- refugees from Syria, Afghanistan that he was a young man who was offi cers and support staff to help rope, has been struggling with and Iraq. young asylum-seeker a resident of the centre for 14- to fi ght terrorism, carry out migrant the continent’s biggest migration Macedonia last week began to has allegedly stabbed and 17-year-olds. deportations and police asylum crisis since World War II. intermittently close its border Akilled a female employee He was under arrest for mur- accommodations. A country of 9.8mn, Sweden with Greece, and only allows of the refugee centre for unac- der. “We are forced to respond to took in more than 160,000 asy- refugees wishing to go to companied minors where he was “These kinds of calls are be- many disturbances in asylum re- lum-seekers in 2015, which put Germany or Austria to pass. staying in southwestern Sweden, coming more and more common. ception centres. In some places, it among the EU states with the More than 1mn migrants police said. We’re dealing with more inci- this takes signifi cant police re- highest proportion of refugees and refugees crossed the A police off icer is seen outside a home for juvenile asylum-seekers The 22-year-old victim was dents like these since the arrival sources. This was not the case per capita. Mediterranean Sea to Europe in in Molndal, in southwestern Sweden. A 22-year-old female employee rushed to a nearby hospital but of so many more refugees from six months ago and it means that It has since tightened its asy- 2015, nearly half of them Syrians, was killed in a knife attack at the centre for migrant youths, police died of her wounds, a police abroad,” police spokesman Tho- we won’t be able to respond as lum rules to curb the migrant according to the UN refugee said. spokesman said. mas Fuxborg said. eff ectively in other areas,” Elias- fl ow. agency, UNHCR. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 INDIA Popular actress Kalpana dies in Hyderabad aged 51

By Ashraf Padanna went to sleep after having dinner daughter Sreemayi, today morning. Film Academy’s South Indian fi lm Kannada and Telugu besides be- summate artiste - Kalpana. Rest Veteran fi lm actress Kaviyoor Gulf Times Correspondent together. We were supposed to go She will be cremated at Tripu- awards night, which was her last ing regular on television shows. in peace Chechi,” national award- Ponnamma wailed when she was Thiruvananthapuram to the sets early in the morning,” nithura crematorium. public appearance. She won the national award for winning director Anjali Menon told of Kalpana’s death. Kalavati said. The industry received the news “Devastated to hear about the best actor in a supporting role wrote. “No way, I just can’t believe it. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen of her untimely death with shock Kalpana chechi. I’ve known her for the Njan Thanichalla in 2012. “Wonderful person and a great She was always concerned about ersatile south Indian ac- Chandy immediately contacted and despair, and many stars took since I was a toddler, and she Kalpana played a variety of artist..RIP Kalpana ma,” Si- my health and see what has hap- tress Kalpana died of the Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad to the Facebook and Twitter to ex- would always tell me stories about roles in Tamil cinema including vakarthikeyan wrote. pened,” said Ponnamma. Vheart failure in her hotel which informed him that she had press their grief. my childhood,” wrote youth icon Dum Dum Dum (Pattamma) and Santosh Sivan said: “Kalpana Actress KPAC Lalitha said Ka- room in Hyderabad, the location died on the way. “Deeply saddened and shocked Dulquar Salman, the hero of her Idhaya Thirudan. She was in- passing away is a very sad per- lpana would always be alive in her of her new fi lm in Telugu, early The body was handed over to to hear the sudden demise of one last fi lm Charlie. troduced to the Tamil audience sonal loss too. RIP.” heart. yesterday morning at the age of her relatives, including her sisters of my fav actress Kalpana Chechi “At a loss for words. When we by actor-director K Bhagyaraj as Association of Malayalam “She has been a very strong 51. Urvashi and Kalaranjini, both fa- (elder sister)! what an actress! shot the boat scene where Charlie his heroine in his 1985 hit movie Movie Artistes (AMMA) presi- supporter for me in all my trials Her close friend Kalavati, who mous actresses, after an autopsy huge loss indeed! RIP Chechi!” kisses Mary, I remember her being Chinna Veedu. dent and Lok Sabha member In- and tribulations. We used to be in was staying in an adjacent room in at the Osmania Hospital. tweeted Priyamani. so happy. She kept saying She also paired with Kamal nocent said: “We acted together regular touch, and this is heart- the hotel, said they were together Reports from Hyderabad said her “RIP Kalpana Chechi! A fi ne I would never give her Haasan in his hits Sathi Leel- in so many fi lms… (she played) breaking for me,” she said. till 2am the previous night and she colleagues, including top stars Kar- actor and a fi ner human being! We kisses as a child.” avathy and Pammal K Sam- my sister, wife and what not. Even Her latest fi lm Charlie is still showed no signs of sickness. tik and Nagarjuna, and hundreds of fl ew together into Hyderabad yes- Kalpana started her bandam. though she might be referred to as running to packed houses. Her Kalavati said she opened Ka- fans paid homage when her body terday afternoon... And she was career as the heroine “Shocked and dismayed a comedy artiste, I will rate her as most popular fi lms in Malayalam lpana’s room with the help of was kept at the Jubilee Hills Film in such high spirits as always! You of the much-acclaimed to hear of her demise. Al- a wonderful actor and a real spir- include Dr Pasupathy, Kouthuka hotel employees around 6.30am City from 3.20pm to 5pm. will be missed forever!!” Prithvi- Aravindan fi lm Pokku- ways the one to surprise ited one too.” Varthakal and Butterfl ies. after the actress failed to re- The body, now kept at Apollo raj wrote on his Facebook wall. veyil (1981) and went on us, with her perform- “I knew she had some health Her later father V P Nair was a spond to her calls and found her Hospital, will be fl own to Ko- She reached in Hyderabad on to act in more than ances, words and her problems, but never knew she had respected theatre personality. She lying unconscious in bed. chi, where she was living with her Sunday afternoon and later at- 300 fi lms in Ma- wit - onscreen and a heart problem. It’s a very sad day married director Anil in 2000 and “We watched a movie, and I mother Vijayalakshmi and teenage tended the International Indian layalam, Tamil, off screen. A con- for the Malayalam fi lm industry.” the couple separated in 2012.

Congress is the most communal, W Bengal is says Netaji relative a centre of

IANS Howrah

etaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s grand-nephew anti-national NChandra Kumar Bose yesterday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, calling it the only party which pursues politics of nationalism and believes in the freedom fi ghter’s ideals of activities: BJP inclusivity and communal har- mony, while dubbing the Con- gress the “most communal” Amit Shah slams Chief “Didi, 17 lakh families want anti-national activities,” Shah party. Minister Mamata Banerjee to ask where the money from said, describing the state as the The 55-year-old Bose, the Saradha and Rose Valley have gateway of entry of fake Indian grandson of Netaji’s elder broth- IANS gone,” said Shah, referring to the currency notes. er Sarat Chandra Bose, formally Howrah, West Bengal two scams which ruined thou- Referring to several attacks joined the BJP in the presence sands of families, mostly from on police, including the Janu- of its president Amit Shah at a rural areas of West Bengal and ary 3 violence in Malda’s Kalia- public rally here. haratiya Janata Party pres- neighbouring states. chak where a rampaging crowd Shah handed over the BJP fl ag ident Amit Shah yesterday Shah’s blistering attack comes attacked a police station and to Bose amid cries of “Bharat Baccused the Trinamool just days after federal Home torched several vehicles, Shah Mata ki Jai” and tumultuous ap- Congress of being involved in Minister and former BJP chief claimed the morale of the force plause from the crowd. the Saradha scam and terror ac- Rajnath Singh slammed Baner- has hit rock bottom. Bose, who studied Econom- tivities, and said West Bengal jee’s government, saying “none “Because of your vote-bank ics at Hendon College, London, has become a centre of anti-na- including police were safe in politics, the morale of the entire pitched his lot with the BJP tional acts under Chief Minister Bengal”. police force in the state has hit two days after Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee. While Rajnath Singh during rock bottom,” said Shah, rub- Narendra Modi declassifi ed 100 Addressing his fi rst rally here his January 21 public rally was bishing Banerjee’s claims that fi les related to Netaji on January a day after being re-elected as silent on the Saradha scam, Shah the violence was a struggle be- 23. the BJP president, Shah raked up focused more on the fi nancial is- tween the Border Security Force Later, he said the perception the multi-billion rupee Saradha sue that saw a huge war of words and the locals. of the BJP as communal was a scam as well as the 2014 blast in between the then BJP prime min- Stating that the Trinamool “misconception”. Burdwan’s Khagragarh and the isterial candidate Narendra Modi government has failed in all as- “The BJP is the only party recent violence in Malda to hit and Banerjee during the 2014 Lok pects, Shah urged people to bring in the country which pursues out at Banerjee and her Trina- Sabha poll campaign. the BJP to power in the state to politics of nationalism and mool Congress party. Referring to the October 2, eff ect a real change. believes in Netaji’s ideals of “While the world knows her as 2014, blast in Khagragarh, whose “Instead of bringing in change, inclusivity and communal har- the chief minister of Bengal, those probe led to the busting of a terror Mamata ji, you have taken Bengal mony. And joining hands with involved in the chit fund know module of Bangladeshi militant only to the path of decline.” the BJP, my job will be to bring her as a painter and they liked outfi t Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Charging the Trinamool gov- these ideals into mainstream,” her painting so much that they Bangladesh, and other bomb ex- ernment with “rolling out the red Bose said. bought it for crores of rupees. plosions in the state, Shah won- carpet for the Bangladeshi infi l- He called the Congress the “Mamata ji thinks people are dered why there was a Trinamool trators”, Shah said if the BJP came “most communal” party. gullible. But they know why your link to all such incidents. to power, “not a single infi ltrator “It’s a misconception that the painting was bought at such a “Is this a coincidence that would dare to enter India”. BJP is communal, the most com- high price. It’s your nexus with every time there is a blast here, Blaming the Congress, the munal party is the Congress. the chit fund operators,” Shah be it Khagragarh, Birbhum or any Communist Party of India Asked why he did not join the said. place, the house or those killed (Marxist)-led Left Front and the All India Forward Bloc founded “Bengal, from where industry have links to the Trinamool? Is now ruling Trinamool of taking by Netaji, Bose said: “It has began, was the hub of the coun- this a coincidence? No. It is ac- West Bengal to destruction, Shah moved away from the ideals of try’s economic activities, now all tually because your party is in- said only the BJP can usher in de- Netaji and ruined Bengal for 34 industries here have closed down volved,” said Shah. velopment as it pursued politics years by joining hands with the but for one. Mamata ji, you have “Mamata ji, for the sake of of development and nationality CPM. It did nothing for declas- kept alive only the chit fund in- vote-bank politics, you have instead of indulging in vote-bank sifying the fi les.” BJP chief Amit Shah addresses a public meeting in Howrah, some 10km west of Kolkata yesterday. dustry,” he said. turned Bengal into a centre of appeasement. Tension as students fl ock Dwarf undergoes complex surgery to university for protest “For someone like Nishi, any IANS Kolkata kind of surgery is very risky, IANS stitutional murder” of Vemula. the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi complex and tough. ‘Dwarf- Hyderabad There was tension at the main Parishad (ABVP), the student ism’ results in various compli- gate of the campus as police wing of the Rashtriya Swayam- dwarf woman has un- cations since these individuals stopped students coming from sewak Sangh. dergone a complex sur- are adults, needing treatment ension prevailed in the various states. Some students also held pic- Agery to correct fi broid for adult conditions, but on an University of Hyderabad After protests by JAC, students tures demonising Human Re- uterus at a private hospital anatomy that is in between the Tyesterday with students carrying identity cards were al- source Development Minister here. paediatric and adult group,” from other states reaching here lowed. A police offi cer said only Smriti Irani. The JAC distanced Nishi Punam, 40, from An- said consultant gynaecologist for a massive protest over the sui- students would be allowed after itself from such pictures. daman weighed 28kg and was Shilpita Banerjee of Medica cide of Dalit research scholar Ro- they show their identity cards. Though Appa Rao on Sunday only 93cm tall. Superspecialty Hospital. hith Vemula. The JAC alleged that police went on indefi nite leave, the stu- Having the condition of Banerjee said in such cases, As hundreds of students from stopped several students at vari- dents are not satisfi ed and they ‘dwarfi sm’ caused by Achon- the abdominal space required various universities in Telangana, ous places in the city to prevent want him to resign. droplasia - mutation in fi brob- for such a surgery is limited Andhra Pradesh and other states them from reaching the campus. The JAC has also condemned last growth factor receptor that and anaesthesia was also a high poured in, a large number of se- The university administration the appointment of Vipin Srivas- results in severely shortened risk procedure since the throat curity personnel were deployed to said there was no permission for tava as the interim vice chancellor bones - her stature was that of and the spine were very short. prevent violence. the rally. Protesting against this, as he headed a sub-committee a three-year-old child. Punam underwent total hys- The Joint Action Committee the students staged a sit-in at the of the executive council which Punam had visited the hos- terectomy with bilateral salp- (JAC) for Social Justice, an um- administrative building. suspended Vemula and the other pital’s gastroenterology de- ingo-oophorectomy-surgical brella of student groups, have Students reaching the cam- students. partment with acidity prob- removal of the entire uterus, the called a ‘Chalo Hyderabad Cen- pus were carrying black fl ags and Seven students continued their lem, where doctors advised right and left fallopian tubes tral University’ march to demand pictures of Vemula, who com- indefi nite hunger strike for a sec- her to undergo gynaecological and the right and left ovaries. the arrest of central ministers mitted suicide on January 17 fol- ond day yesterday. Other students treatment. A few days after the suc- Smriti Irani, Bandaru Dattatreya, lowing his suspension along with too continued their protest at a me- Activists of the National Students Union of India stage a demonstration A USG revealed she was suf- cessful surgery, she left for Vice Chancellor Appa Rao and four other Dalit students over morial they have constructed for against Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani over the fering from fi broid uterus and the Andamans with her family others, blaming them for the “in- an alleged clash with a leader of Vemula near a shopping complex. suicide of Rohith Vemula, at Delhi University yesterday. required surgery. members. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 19 INDIA India to build satellite tracking centre in Vietnam

Reuters meant the pictures could also be the Indian offi cials said. Indian with the space programme. satellites in orbit, off ering pic- earth observation satellite in to capture military sitail to less New Delhi/ Hong Kong used for military purposes. media put the cost at around “This is a sort of quid pro tures with diff ering resolutions 2013, but Koh said it was not than a metre, Koh and other ex- Hanoi especially has been $23mn. quo which will enable Vietnam and areas, the ISRO said. thought to produce particularly perts said. looking for advanced intelli- India, whose 54-year-old to receive IRS (Indian remote Indian offi cials had no time- high resolution images. The tracking station will ndia will set up a satellite gence, surveillance and recon- space programme is accelerat- sensing) pictures directly, that frame for when the centre would Security experts said Vietnam be the fi rst such foreign facil- tracking and imaging cen- naissance technologies as ten- ing, with one satellite launch is, without asking India,” said be operational. would likely seek real-time ac- ity in Vietnam and follows other Itre in southern Vietnam sions rise with China over the scheduled every month, has the offi cial, who declined to be “This is at the beginning stag- cess to images from the Indian agreements between Hanoi and that will give Hanoi access to disputed South China Sea, they ground stations in the Andaman identifi ed because he was not es, we are still in dialogue with satellites as well as training in New Delhi that have cemented pictures from Indian earth ob- said. and Nicobar islands, Brunei, authorised to speak to the media. Vietnamese authorities,” said imagery analysis, a specialised security ties. servation satellites that cover “In military terms, this move Biak in eastern Indonesia and “Obviously it will include Karnik. intelligence fi eld. India has extended a $100mn the region, including China and could be quite signifi cant,” said Mauritius that track its satellites parts of China of interest to Vi- Vietnam’s foreign ministry “The advance of technology credit line for Hanoi to buy pa- the South China Sea, Indian of- Collin Koh, a marine security ex- in the initial stages of fl ight. etnam.” confi rmed the project, but pro- means the lines are blurring be- trol boats and is training Viet- fi cials said. pert at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam The Vietnam facility will Chinese coastal naval bases, vided few other details. tween civilian and military satel- namese submariners in India The move, which could irritate School of International Studies. bolster those capabilities, said the operations of its coastguard Chinese foreign ministry lites,” said Trevor Hollingsbee, a while Hanoi has granted oil Beijing, deepens ties between “It looks like a win-win for both Deviprasad Karnik, an ISRO and navy and its new man-made spokeswoman Hua Chunying retired naval intelligence analyst exploration blocks to India in India and Vietnam, who both sides, fi lling signifi cant holes for spokesman. islands in the disputed Spratly told a regular briefi ng that Bei- with Britain’s defence minis- waters off Vietnam that are dis- have long-running territorial the Vietnamese and expanding But unlike the other overseas archipelago of the South China jing hoped the facility “will be try. “In some cases, the imagery puted with China. disputes with China. the range for the Indians.” stations, the facility will also Sea would be targets of Viet- able to make a positive contribu- from a modern civilian satellite Under Prime Minister Naren- While billed as a civilian fa- The state-run Indian Space be equipped to receive images namese interest, security ex- tion to pushing forward relevant is good enough for military use.” dra Modi, India has shown a cility - earth observation satel- Research Organisation (ISRO) from India’s earth observation perts said. co-operation in the region.” gnals and communications, as greater willingness to step up lites have agricultural, scientifi c will fund and set up the satellite satellites that Vietnam can use Another Indian offi cial said China’s defence ministry said well as detailed photographs of security ties with countries such and environmental applications tracking and data reception cen- in return for granting India the New Delhi would also have ac- the proposed tracking station objects on land, capturing de as Vietnam, overriding concerns - security experts said im- tre in Ho Chi Minh City to moni- tracking site, said an Indian cess to the imagery. wasn’t a military issue. Sophisticated military recon- this would upset China, military proved imaging technology tor Indian satellite launches, government official connected India has 11 earth observation Vietnam launched its fi rst naissance satellites can be used offi cials said. Govt relaxes norms for passport applicants

IANS to choose a date from the dis- New Delhi played calendar,” the statement said, adding that the calendar would highlight the latest fi ve he government yesterday days available for the selected announced that passport PSK. Tapplicants can “choose” The government also an- their appointment date. nounced the liberalisation of “The applicants for passport police verifi cation procedure for related services have to fi ll up passports and also launched a French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Modi travel by metro to Gurgaon to attend the launch of the International Solar Alliance yesterday. their personal particulars online, mobile app to cut delays in sub- pay requisite fee and schedule mission of these reports. appointment through Passport “In order to further improve Seva system before they physi- and liberalise police verifi ca- cally visit a Passport Seva Ken- tion procedure for passport is- dra (PSK) for further processing suance, the government has of their application,” the ex- decided that henceforth nor- ternal aff airs ministry said in a mal passport applications of all statement. fi rst-time applicants furnishing Rafale deal signed, but “Currently, the appointment Aadhaar, electoral photo iden- is assigned by the Passport Seva tity card (EPIC), permanent ac- system based on its availability count number (PAN) card and and on fi rst-in-fi rst-out (FIFO) an affi davit in the format of basis,” it stated. Annexure-I will be processed Now, to further facilitate the on post-police verifi cation applicants, the ministry has im- basis, enabling faster issue of no decision on price yet plemented a new solution which passport, without payment of allows applicants to book their any additional fees, subject to Further talks needed to Hollande described the deal on an Indian military base near Eighteen years ago, France was between our two countries,” appointment according to their successful online validation of finalise financial terms, say on Rafale as “a decisive step”, the Pakistan border. the fi rst country we signed a stra- Modi said. choice. Aadhaar number,” the external Modi and Hollande adding: “There remain fi nancial “President Hollande and tegic partnership with. We are French companies will invest “The new provision would aff airs ministry said. issues which will be sorted out I have agreed to scale up the now here to take it higher,” Modi $10bn in India over the next fi ve allow applicants to choose any “In addition, EPIC and PAN Agencies in a couple of days.” range of our counter-terrorism told a joint news conference after years, chiefl y in the industrial appointment date from the ear- card may also be validated, if re- New Delhi However, Dassault Aviation, co-operation in a manner that his talks with Hollande. sector, Finance Minister Michel liest fi ve available dates (work- quired, from the respective da- the aircraft-maker, said in a helps us to tangibly mitigate and In other business, France’s Sapin said earlier in New Delhi. ing days), while scheduling/re- tabases,” it said. statement it expected a com- reduce the threat of extremism Alstom signed a pact with In- Yesterday the two leaders scheduling an appointment for The ministry also launched ndia signed an inter-gov- plete agreement on the planes and terrorism to our societies,” dian Railways to make 800 lo- took the metro for their journey passport related services,” the a new mobile app, mPassport ernmental pact yesterday to in four weeks’ time. he said. comotives in India, a boost for to the satellite city of Gurgaon. statement said. Police App, for speedy submis- Ibuy 36 French-built Rafale Both leaders played up their Hollande and Modi stepped Modi’s drive to build a domestic There, they were laid the To use the facility, applicants sion of police verifi cation report fi ghter planes, but the leaders interest in co-operating in the into the Rafale deal last year, industrial base and provide jobs foundation stone at the new must fi ll up their personal par- (PVR). of both countries said there was fi ght against international mili- ordering government-to-gov- to a growing workforce. headquarters of the Interna- ticulars online and click on “Pay “The app would facilitate the still work to do to fi nalise fi nan- tant groups, with Hollande say- ernment talks after commercial Hollande said an agreement tional Solar Alliance, a 121-na- and Schedule Appointment” fi eld level verifi cation offi cers to cial terms after months of talks. ing France and its allies would negotiations with Dassault had for France’s Areva to build six tion group launched by Modi at link. directly capture the PV report The deal, worth an estimat- strike “again and again” against collapsed. nuclear reactors in India should the recent Paris climate confer- After the selection of payment into the system digitally,” the ed $9bn, was to have been the Islamic State. The leaders agreed to scale be concluded within a year. The ence to expand aff ordable solar mode either through debit/cred- statement said. centrepiece of a visit to India “ISIS is provoking us in the back the original plan for 126 two sides have been wrangling power. it card/netbanking or through “With the launch of this app, by French President Francois worst possible way,” Hollande Rafale planes to just 36 in fl ya- over the price of power from Hollande has expressed hope challan mode, an applicant will the need to download and print Hollande, invited as guest of said, using an acronym for Is- way condition, to meet the In- these units for more than a year. that some of the French busi- be redirected to the ‘appoint- the physical Personal Particulars honour for today’s Republic Day lamic State, which controls dian Air Force’s urgent needs, as Hollande and Modi have nesses travelling with him will ment’ screen. Form and questionnaire would parade. parts of Syria and Iraq, and was it faces an assertive China and agreed to hasten the nuclear be at the forefront of the solar “They may choose any of their no longer be required resulting But Hollande and his host, behind several attacks on Paris long-time foe Pakistan. talks and aim for construction energy push. preferred PSK under the juris- in paperless end-to-end digital Narendra Modi, both said fur- in November that killed 130 The fi ghter deal is part of a to begin in early 2017, they said The leaders are expected diction of the respective Region- fl ow of the PV process, further ther talks were needed to fi nal- people. $150bn military overhaul India in a joint statement. to announce a pact between al Passport Offi ce (RPO). At the reducing the time required for ise the terms of the deal, which Modi also spoke of the two has launched, drawing global “From nuclear co-operation France’s CNES and India’s ISRO next step, an applicant will be completion of PVR, within the the Indian prime minister had leaders’ joint resolve to increase arms makers into one of the to railway locomotives, we are space agencies for a joint satel- redirected to Pay and Book Ap- desired time limit of 21 days,” it announced when he visited security co-operation, recalling world’s biggest markets. sowing the seeds of an ever- lite dedicated to climate change pointment screen allowing them added. France last spring. a deadly raid earlier this month “France is a special friend. tightening web of co-operation research.

Chandy appears before probe team

50,000 security offi cers Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy yesterday appeared before a commission probing deployed for Republic Day the Rs70mn solar scam in the state. Chandy, a witness in the case, had already given IANS Police said that 50,000 secu- Sources said the central, north a written statement to the New Delhi rity personnel - around 15,000 and New Delhi districts will be commission and agreed to from the paramilitary forces, manned by over 20,000 security appear personally when asked 34,000 from Delhi police and personnel. to do so. The deposition that ll measures were put in 1,000 from NSG - will be de- Around 20,000 personnel have began around 11am continued place to provide ground- ployed on the streets of the capi- already been deployed at specifi c till late evening. An aide of Ato-air security cover to the tal starting at 5am today. locations to provide impenetra- Chandy said there was a national capital, where 50,000 The city will be under close ble security to the French presi- 45-minute break for lunch and armed offi cers of the Delhi po- watch of 15,000 CCTV cameras. dent, who arrived here on Sunday then for another 10 minutes lice, National Security Guard and NSG snipers will maintain on a three-day offi cial visit. at 5pm for tea. “What we were paramilitary forces will maintain vigil from high-rise buildings The parade will start at told is that it might go on for hawk-eye vigil to ensure a safe within a 2km radius of Rajpath, 9.50am and last till 12.30pm. another two hours,” said the visit of the chief guest, French the spacious central vista of the Rajpath, the 3km stretch which aide. The commission is headed President Francois Hollande. capital from where the French is the main venue of the parade, by Sivarajan who was appointed All entry points to in the city, president along with President has nearly 160 CCTV cameras. by the Kerala government in which has already been put on a Pranab Mukherjee and Prime One camera has been installed October 2013 to probe the scam high alert considering the recent Minister Narendra Modi will be every 18m. Offi cials said that as after reports surfaced that three attack on the Pathankot airbase watching the parade. part of heightened security ar- of the chief minister’s office and the arrest of over a dozen sus- Hollande will be the fi fth rangements, the city will be de- staff had contacts with a couple pected terrorists, were under the French president to be the chief clared a no-fl y zone, covering a who cheated many investors strict watch of Delhi police to pre- guest at the Republic Day cel- radius of nearly 300km, for civil- The Chattrapathi Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station is lit in the colours of India’s flag ahead of the by taking money for supplying empt any possible terror strike. ebrations over the decades. ian aircraft during the parade. Republic Day commemorations in Mumbai yesterday. solar panels to them. Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 LATIN AMERICA Panama Canal expansion to ‘benefi t Minnesota farmers’

Tribune News Service and other products to China and bottom look like small toys. nually down the Mississippi River state has increased from $2.3bn mist Su Ye, although no estimates near the Mississippi and Minne- Minneapolis other Asian markets for decades. “It’s a major, major project, to the Gulf of Mexico, according in 2000 to $7.3bn in 2014. More of the benefi ts have been made. sota river systems typically move The future is the Panama Canal and unless you see it for yourself, to industry estimates. Some of than half of that value in 2014 Ye said that some exports also on barges, and farmers in west- expansion, now nearing comple- it’s really hard to even look at that will head to Europe and Afri- came from soybeans, soybean leave Minnesota through the ern and northern areas fi nd rail innesota soybean farm- tion, which will allow larger, long- pictures and get a sense of how ca, but about 600mn bushels will meal, corn and feed, according port of Duluth, and the majority more economical. er Joel Schreurs was in er and deeper oceangoing vessels big it is,” he said. go west, and transit the Panama to state estimates. moves on rail cars destined for Schreurs, who farms in south- MPanama last month, to transit beginning in May. Schreurs was in Panama with Canal en route to Asia. “Bulk grains exports - espe- ports in the Pacifi c Northwest. western Minnesota, said he’ll taking separate tours of the past “It’s an amazing feat what soybean leaders from several Minnesota sits at the far end of cially corn and soybeans - from The state does not keep tabs continue to ship his grain by rail, and the future. they’re building,” said Schreurs. states because the canal is criti- the line when it comes to ship- Minnesota to Asian markets will on exactly how much grain is but soybean growers in general The past is the Panama Canal, The new locks are so massive, he cal for US soybean exports. About ping corn, soybeans and other benefi t from the Panama Canal shipped in each of the distinct could benefi t if the expanded vintage 1914, which has routed said, that the oversized excava- 1bn bushels of the typical 4bn- agricultural exports overseas. expansion,” said Minnesota de- transportation systems, she said, canal also opens up new export Minnesota-grown soybeans, corn tors and trucks parked at their bushel US harvest are shipped an- Yet the value of exports from the partment of agriculture econo- but corn and soybeans produced markets. Cuba’s plus-size Mexico volcano rumbles ballerinas feel like dancing

AFP class Marianao neighbourhood. Havana Mas has spent 20 years ex- ploring ways of making an over- weight body move “aesthetically ith wide waists in better” - developing elegant white tutus, their fi g- moves adapted to bigger fi gures. Wures are far from those “Our dances will not be the of typical ballerinas — but these same as thin people’s dances,” plus-size Cuban dancers are de- he says. termined to defy stereotypes. The group recently put on a In a land with a fi ercely de- series of shows for the public. manding dance tradition, the “The fi rst few times we per- women have turned their large formed, there was this deathly physique into an artistic virtue, silence. Some people got up and proudly taking to the stage to left. Some laughed,” Mas recalls. perform Swan Lake. “But when people saw how “You don’t come here to lose developed our work was and weight. You come here to feel how impressive, with so much like a ballerina,” says Juan Miguel work behind it and such aes- Mas, founder of the Danza Volu- thetic meaning, in the end they minosa troupe. applauded. We won over the au- “You are fat and you have the dience.” desire and the need to express Then one night in early Janu- yourself through movement.” ary, three dancers from the troupe Cuba is world renowned for its found themselves stepping out in People look at the Popocatepetl volcano from Paso de Cortes, Puebla, Mexico. The monitoring system of the Popocatepetl volcano has registered some explosions with slim, rigorously trained dancers. front of an audience at the elite large emissions of steam, gas and ash. The alert level is yellow, phase II. But 44% of its population is National Theater in Havana. overweight, according to 2012 In white tutus, leggings and fi gures from state nutrition body headdresses, they stepped along SISVAN. in tight formation to Tchaiko- Members of Danza Volumi- vsky’s score. nosa typically weigh between There are no jumps and few 100kg and 120kg, but there is no bends. In rehearsal, the balleri- limit. Mas, 50, a trained dancer nas groan when made to hold a with a rotund fi gure himself, move for several seconds. founded the group in 1996. But in the dressing room, ex- It once had 20 members, but citement reigns. Sensors ‘gave warnings only seven remain. Some left “I’ve always liked classical and two have died from obesity- dance,” said Daza. “But everyone related illnesses. knows fat women don’t dance “It has not been easy,” says ballet. And in my family no one one of the members of the helped me to lose weight.” troupe, Maylin Daza, a 36-year- The National Theatre show old housewife. “We have lost was part of a cultural exchange before Brazil dam burst’ companions to obesity. And here between the University of Mas- we are, still fi ghting.” sachusetts and the Cuban writ- Reuters tico said, citing Samarco-com- the dam, a sign of scant regard wiping out small towns, pol- within normal parameters. Mas set out to use his own pro- ers’ and artists’ union UNEAC. Rio de Janeiro missioned engineering studies for the sensor data, according to luting drinking water for tens In a response to questions fessional dance experience to train For the dancers, it is a measure provided to prosecutors inves- a prosecutor interviewed by the of thousands of people and from Reuters, Samarco said in people “with bodies like mine, of how far they have come. Pull- tigating the case. The dam burst television programme. destroying wildlife from the a statement that it “repudiated softer and wider.” ing on her long white gloves, razilian iron ore miner is considered by many to be the “It is an extremely grave Minas Gerais highlands to the any speculation about prior “I had the idea of creating Rubi Amaro recalls her Samarco Mineracao SA worst environmental disaster in omission that compromised Atlantic Ocean. knowledge of imminent rupture a space where those people fi rst performances with the Breceived serious danger Brazil’s history. the operational security of the A Samarco lawyer told Fan- risk at the dam.” could train and develop, and group. warnings from ground sen- Samarco, a 50-50 joint ven- dam,” said Carlos Eduardo Fer- tastico the fi rm followed all dam “Alerts contained in consult- of creating dances using “It wasn’t easy at sors in 2014 and 2015, before a ture between Brazil’s Vale SA reira Pinto, who is investigating safety and environmental laws ants reports never indicated these bodies,” he said. fi rst,” the 34-year- deadly dam burst last Novem- and Australia’s BHP Billiton, is the accident for Brazil’s Minas and the area of the dam where imminent risk of rupture,” Sa- “It helps obese old said. “At the start ber that caused widespread in talks with Brazilian federal Gerais state. sensor data was missing was the marco added people to develop people laughed. environmental destruction, and state prosecutors and en- The dam’s enlargement, he most secure part of the struc- Vale and BHP declined to not only artistically, They didn’t like it. Globo TV’s Fantastico news vironmental agencies to settle added, “compromised it in a ture. comment. but also socially.” But others did.” magazine said. a 20bn real ($5bn) public law- way that was decisive to its rup- In response to Fantastico’s BHP has said it would release The ballerinas, “Now they pay The alerts, from probes driv- suit. ture”. reporting on the missing data, the fi ndings of an investiga- all women, practice more attention to en deep into the dam’s struc- Fantastico said the stud- The accident sent a tsu- the company that provided the tion into the dam burst by New twice a week in Mas’s the choreography. ture to detect ground moisture ies did not include sensor data nami of mud through hun- sensor data to Samarco said it York-based law fi rm Cleary small apartment in No one laughs at us and stability, reached as high from areas critical to the integ- dreds of kilometres of valleys was not required to supply data Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Havana’s working now,” she added. as “emergency” levels, Fantas- rity of recent enlargements to and rivers, killing 17 people, to the government that was when it is complete. Ex-Haitian coup leader Bolivia lake lost threatens to split country to climate change Agencies dergone extraordinary stress over Bogota the past 30 years. The country has Reuters but the two-man race was post- protesters gathered in a downtown experienced a rise in tempera- Port-au-Prince poned indefi nitely after opposi- area of Port-au-Prince still largely tures by about one degree Celsius. tion candidate Jude Celestin re- ruined from an earthquake six ot even local residents One great eff ect of the lake’s fused to participate over alleged years ago. They sang and danced may recognise that the fate is the signifi cant letdown in former Haitian coup fraud that sparked anti-govern- around a bonfi re in the street to Nsecond largest lake in the livelihood of the local resi- leader wanted by the US ment protests and violence. the thump of a sound system be- Bolivia used to fl ow where it did. dents who have tucked away their Afor smuggling cocaine In a statement, the US state fore setting out for a march. In December 2015, Lake Poopo fi shing nets and other gear. Over called on his supporters to resist department called for account- “Martelly believes the country was offi cially declared as “dried 100 families have sold their lla- “anarchists” who forced a presi- ability for any violence related is for himself and his family, we up” because of global warming. mas, alpaca and sheep. In the past dential election to be cancelled, to the delayed election, saying want him to go,” said Dorval, an Unfortunately, scientists say three years, residents have evac- in a sign of deep polarisation electoral intimidation and de- unemployed man aged 40. that recovery may no longer be uated from the previous lakeside that could lead to more unrest. struction of property were “un- Haiti, the poorest country in possible. village, leaving only half of its The former rebel, Guy acceptable.” the Western hemisphere, has “This is a picture of the future population, mostly the elderly. Philippe, called for counter pro- Given the short timeline, some been unable to build a stable de- of climate change,” says Ger- The earliest recorded history tests and said he would not rec- form of interim government is mocracy since the overthrow of man glaciologist Dirk Hoff man. of the lake dates back to only ognise any transitional govern- likely to be formed to oversee the the 1957-1986 dictatorship of the Hoff man studies the role of ris- a century. Record keepers are ment put in place when outgoing election process. Martelly says Duvalier family and ensuing mili- ing temperatures from fossil fuel not able to acquire reliable data President Michel Martelly leaves the fraud claims are unfounded, tary coups and election fraud. burning in the advanced melting about the number of people rel- offi ce on February 7 unless it was but critics believe he unfairly A former police offi cer ac- of Bolivia’s glaciers. egated by its dissipation. The representative of the provinces. favoured his chosen successor, cused by Human Rights Watch Scientists believe drought offi ce of the governor says 3,250 “We are ready for war,” banana exporter Jovenel Moise, of overseeing extra-judicial kill- due to repetitive El Nino is the people at the minimum have re- Philippe said. “We will divide who came fi rst in the fi rst round ings, Philippe in 2004 led bands main cause of the natural disas- ceived humanitarian help. the country.” of voting in October. of former soldiers to the capital, ter. They also think deviations Governor Victor Hugo Vasquez It was not clear how much On Sunday, Moise supporters Port-au-Prince, and overthrew from the lake’s tributaries are estimates that the lake has de- support Philippe can muster, in favour of holding the election the chaotic government of then- contributing factors. Aside from clined to a mere 2% of its former but he remains popular in his protested for the fi rst time, using president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. some agricultural purposes, water level. The maximum depth southern stronghold of Grande- trucks to block a northern high- The US drug enforcement Poopo’s tributaries or freshwa- of water recorded in Lake Poopó Anse and the tone of his remarks way that is a major trade route agency has a long-standing ar- ter streams that feed from the was at 16 feet or 5 metres. points to the depth of polarisa- with the neighbouring Domini- rest warrant against Philippe for lake are mostly used for mining. Animal presence was also af- tion over the political crisis. can Republic, regional police alleged cocaine traffi cking and Women cross a street blocked by rocks and a burning barricade El Nino has plagued the nation fected as fi eld biologists say Haiti was due to choose Mar- chief Charles Nazaire Noel said. money laundering. The DEA has before a demonstration against the government in for a millenia. Bolivia’s delicate about 75 bird species have disap- telly’s replacement on Sunday, Meanwhile, anti-government tried to capture him twice. Port-au-Prince, Haiti. ecosystem is also said to have un- peared from the lake. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 21 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

Pakistani team to seek access to crime scene in Indian airbase

Internews team to probe the case. bad will formally request New tion took place,” said the offi cial. spokesman Vikas Swarup said the highest level by the two sides banned militant organisation Islamabad A senior offi cial, however, Delhi to allow its team to visit. On January 16, Indian Defence India, in principle, welcomed the through their respective nation- Jaish-e-Mohamed, was taken said it was yet to be decided if If the visit materialises, Paki- Minister Manohar Parrikar had decision of the Pakistani govern- al security advisers. Both Lt Gen into protective custody for his the team would travel to India. stan will not only seek access to said his country would not allow ment to consider sending an in- (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua and possible involvement. The nas- akistan will send its high- “There are so many issues that the Pathankot airbase but will Pakistani investigators to visit vestigation team. “The rest is a his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval cent peace process between powered investigation need to be sorted out before a also need to examine the bodies the airbase, which could poten- matter of detail. Where they can have been in regular contact to the two countries appears to be Pteam to India once its Pakistani team travels to India,” of the six attackers to ascertain tially become a stumbling block visit, what they can see, what discuss the concerns regarding hinging upon progress into the initial probe into the Pathankot explained the offi cial. “We have their nationalities. in the probe. will be the terms of reference, the investigations. Pathankot attack investigations. airbase assault is completed and to wait for preliminary investi- Indian media claim that the etc. As I said, those will need to Pakistan’s special investiga- The scheduled meeting between it is allowed to visit the crime gations to be completed, based assailants had come from Pa- “There are so many issues be worked out in detail between tion team comprises offi cials the two countries’ foreign secre- scene, it was learnt yesterday. on the information and leads kistan. “There are many unan- that need to be sorted out the agencies on both sides, pro- from the Federal Investigation taries that was to take place on After the January 2 attack on provided by India.” swered questions - the Indian before a Pakistani team vided the Pakistani government Agency and security agencies. January 15 was also postponed. the Indian Air Force base that Meanwhile, India has yet to media is claiming the attackers travels to India” fi rms up its decision to send that Several suspects allegedly The two sides said the decision left seven soldiers dead, Prime complete its own investigation. had come from Pakistan, but the special investigation team.” linked to the attack are be- on the crucial talks was mutual Minister Nawaz Sharif had con- Once the investigation is com- Indian Border Security Force’s At his weekly briefi ng last The issue of Pathankot at- ing questioned while Maulana and it will be rescheduled in stituted a special investigation plete, said the offi cial, Islama- statement said no such infi ltra- week, Indian Foreign Ministry tack probe is being handled at Masood Azhar, the head of the ‘very near future’. Pak army chief says he will retire on time Breaks precedent of military social media. leaders seeking extensions “Well-done Uncle Rahil Shar- ; General threw his support if, every #COAS should act like behind PM during anti-govt you, no greed but resolve to serve protests ; Presided over the nation,” wrote Ab Rasheed security crackdown in largest Qureshi, using the acronym for city of Karachi his offi cial title. Under Sharif the Pakistani AFP military launched an off ensive Islamabad in the tribal areas in June 2014, where militants had previously Students leave their campus at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda yesterday. operated with impunity. akistan’s hugely popular The operation was intensifi ed military chief General Ra- after a December 2014 attack on Pheel Sharif confi rmed yes- a school in the city of Peshawar terday he will retire at the end of “Pakistan Army is a great in which Taliban militants mas- his tenure this year, ending me- institution. I don’t believe sacred more than 150 people, the Pakistan varsity demands dia speculation surrounding his in extension and will majority of them children. role and opening up arguably the retire on the due date” The army claims to have killed most powerful position in the thousands of insurgents and country. Musharraf and Zia ul-Haq, who swept many others over the po- Sharif, widely credited with both led military coups, also ex- rous border into Afghanistan, weapons after deadly attack bringing a semblance of security tended their own rule while in contributing to a boost in secu- back to the insurgency-plagued power. rity in 2015. country, said in a meeting with Security analyst Talat Masood However critics are concerned AFP protect students, he said. spurred the debate on arming University employee Je- his top offi cials Monday that he said Sharif’s announcement that rights are being rolled back Islamabad Wednesday’s attack in Char- teachers in Pakistan once more. hangir Khan echoed the call planned to seek no extension. would strengthen democracy in the name of defeating terror, sadda saw heavily-armed University registrar Khan for the government to provide “Pakistan Army is a great in Pakistan and send a signal to citing the creation of military militants storm the campus, said the campus had been reo- tighter security, noting the institution,” army spokesman politicians, in particular Prime courts and the resumption of Pakistan university at- gunning down students and pened yesterday but only to ad- university was surrounded by Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa Minister Nawaz Sharif, that it is hangings after a six-year mora- tacked by the Taliban teachers in a bloody rampage ministrative staff , with classes open fi elds. quoted Sharif as saying on Twit- time to “take responsibility and torium, among other moves. Alast week has demanded before they were killed by the suspended indefi nitely as au- “Students are afraid,” he said. ter. “I don’t believe in extension strengthen Pakistan’s institu- Pakistan has been ruled by the the government arm its staff as military. thorities seek to improve secu- A memorial service was and will retire on the due date.” tions so you don’t have to rely on military for more than half its it seeks to boost security after Among the 21 victims was a rity. held at the university yes- “Eff orts to (root) out terrorism the military”. 69-year history and the armed the deadly assault in which 21 chemistry professor who stu- “Students wanted to resume terday to “pay tribute to the will continue with full vigour “He (Nawaz Sharif) has lost a forces are widely seen as con- people were killed, offi cials said dents said fi red his own pistol at the classes,” he said. “We ap- martyrs”, vice chancellor and resolve. Pakistan’s national lot of space to the military in the trolling defence and foreign Monday. the militants before he died in a preciate their courage, but we Fazal Rahim told AFP, while interest is supreme and will be last two or three years, it will give policy. “We have demanded weap- hail of bullets. now cannot take any risk on se- Khan said the victims’ be- safe guarded at all costs.” him an opportunity to regain Whoever takes over Sharif’s ons from the government and Teachers in Khyber Pa- curity.” longings were later handed Sharif was named army chief that space,” Masood said. role will face an array of daunt- weapons licenses for all teach- khtunkhwa province were given Students and teachers were over to their families. in 2013, when his predecessor The announcement, which ing challenges, including keep- ers and management offi cials,” permission to carry fi rearms af- being screened by police and On Friday, the Taliban fac- General Ashfaq Kayani’s term — came less than a week after ing homegrown militants in Bacha Khan university registrar ter the Pakistani Taliban mas- security guards at the entrance tion behind both the Pesha- which had been extended by three Taliban-linked militants killed check, vexed relations with India Hamidullah Khan told AFP. sacred more than 150 people, to the campus yesterday, an war massacre and the Bacha years — came to an end. Sharif is 21 people in an attack on a uni- and the role Pakistan wants to Authorities at the univer- the majority of them children, AFP journalist said. Khan attack posted a video due to step down this year. versity in the troubled north- play in promoting peace in Af- sity in Charsadda in Pakistan’s at a school in the provincial “They (militants) cannot stop message vowing to target Former military leaders Pervez west, was quickly praised on ghanistan. troubled northwest have also capital Peshawar in 2014. us, we will try to face them and schools throughout the coun- called for police checkpoints The Bacha Khan attack, continue our studies,” a student try, calling them “nurseries” SERVICE both inside and outside the which bore chilling similarities who gave his name as Abdullah for people who challenge Al- Pakistani envoys campus and watch towers to to the Peshawar massacre, has told AFP. lah’s law. advised to hear complaints weekly Afghan leader

All ambassadors of Pakistan serving in 92 missions around Afghan govt dismisses the world have been asked to vows to ‘bury’ allocate one day every week for personal hearing of complaints of overseas Pakistanis. The directive has been conveyed through a Taliban terms for talks letter addressed to the Foreign Of- IS franchise fice by Senior Adviser / Registrar and Grievance Commissioner for DPA Overseas Pakistanis Hafiz Ahsaan AFP the Arabic acronym for IS. Kabul Ahmed Khokher. The letter was Kabul “Afghans are now motivat- written after federal ombudsman ed by revenge. They (IS) have issued a similar communication. confronted the wrong people,” he Afghan government The Foreign Off ice has been resident Ashraf Ghani has Ghani said on the sidelines of yesterday dismissed asked to ensure that all focal vowed to “bury” the Is- World Economic Forum in the Tconditions for peace persons posted to 92 missions Plamic State group’s affi li- Swiss resort of Davos. talks set by the Afghan Taliban are working for the resolution of ate in Afghanistan, a report said, The US State Department ear- and declined to send offi cial issues being faced by overseas after Washington granted the US lier this month formally desig- delegates to a meeting attended Pakistanis. military legal authority to strike nated the group’s affi liate in Af- by the militant group in Qatar. the jihadists in the country. ghanistan and Pakistan — which The conditions included a CRIME The group, which controls calls itself “Khorasan Province” recognised offi ce for the group, Pakistani pair territory across Syria and Iraq, — as a terrorist organisation. its removal from a UN blacklist, has made alarming inroads in The name Khorasan refers to the release of Taliban prisoners ‘admit killing Afghanistan’s eastern Nan- a historic region which includes and the full withdrawal of for- The Taliban representatives attending the two-day conference in Qatar organised by the Pugwash MQM leader in UK’ garhar province, as the country parts of modern-day Afghani- eign troops from Afghanistan. Council. grapples with a resurgent Tali- stan, Pakistan and neighbouring An offi ce for the Taliban was Two alleged assassins have ban insurgency. countries. opened in the Qatari capital in the Taliban insurgency. Two advisers to the Afghan dullah Abdullah. reportedly confessed to stabbing IS jihadists claimed responsi- The White House this month 2013, but was soon closed after The Taliban representatives government did attend, includ- The four-nation group - a Pakistani politician to death in bility for a deadly gun and bomb also gave the US military legal complaints from Kabul that it were speaking at the two-day ing Qayum Kochai, an uncle of comprising Afghanistan, Paki- London, saying they carried out siege targeting the Pakistani con- authority to target the group’s had too many of the trappings conference in Qatar organised President Ashraf Ghani, ac- stan, United States and China the killing on the orders of British- sulate in eastern Jalalabad city on fi ghters in Afghanistan, the fi rst of a national diplomatic mis- by the Pugwash Council at the cording to a list of delegates - was formed in December. It based leaders of his party. The January 13, the group’s fi rst major such authorisation for military sion. weekend. seen by DPA in Islamabad. held two meetings to work on pair are said to have testified that attack in an Afghan city. action against the group outside A Kabul offi cial said the Tali- The non-governmental re- But a Ghani spokesman a roadmap for peace in January they travelled from Pakistan to In recent months Afghan forc- Iraq and Syria, the Wall Street ban demands would slow the search and dialogue group holds stressed that anyone attending but results have been vague. murder Imran Farooq, a leader of es backed by US drones launched Journal reported. peace process rather than ben- annual conferences to bring to- from Afghanistan was doing so Ghani said if peace talks did the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a scorched earth off ensive to The jihadists have managed efi t it. gether the diff erent sides in the “in their own personal capac- not start in earnest by April the who was stabbed outside his beat back IS in Nangarhar, where to attract disaff ected Taliban “Pre-conditions should Afghan confl ict. ity.” confl ict would intensify, with home in Edgware on September the group’s rein of terror has dis- fi ghters increasingly lured by the only be set when the two sides No one was attending this The “best platform to consequences across the re- 16, 2010. Farooq, who was granted placed thousands of people. group’s signature brutality. are actually sitting around the year’s event in the name of the reach peace” remained the gion. asylum in Britain and later gained “This could be a point of no In a sign of their growing reach peace table for negotiations, Kabul administration, dpa was “four-nation conference on “Time is not a friend,” he told British citizenship, was believed to return for Daesh — we will bury in Afghanistan, the group has taken not before,” said Aminuddin told by offi cials from the palace, roadmap to peace,” said Javid the BBC. “We all understand be planning to form a breakaway Daesh,” Ghani told BBC in an in- to the airwaves with a 90-minute Muzafari of the High Peace the Chief Executive’s offi ce and Faisal, a spokesman for the that February and March are faction of MQM. terview released yesterday, using Pashto-language radio show. Council established to deal with the High Peace Council. nation’s chief executive Ab- crucial.” Gulf Times 22 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 PHILIPPINES

Concern Aquino vows justice for police over rising radicalism

Reuters offi cers slain in anti-terror raid Manila

Agencies/Manila Times eration, and recommended ad- troops.The wife of Senior Insp. the SAF 44. Last year, the DOJ hilippine government and Manila ministrative or criminal charges Ryan Pabalinas, Ericka, was also fi led complaints of direct as- rebel peace negotiators against top police and military. a no-show. Instead, Pabalinas’ sault with murder against 90 Pboth expressed concern State prosecutors have yet to father and brother accepted the people supposedly involved in yesterday over the spread of radi- hilippine President Be- complete their investigation. medals from Aquino. the encounter. cal religious ideology in the south nigno Aquino yesterday Earlier, several family mem- The immediate family of It, however, is yet to rule on of the mainly Roman Catholic Pvowed to pursue justice bers of the 44 elite troops from Insp. John Garry Erania also did whether there is probable cause nation, warning it could reverse for 44 police offi cers who were the Special Action Force (SAF) not attend the ceremony. to fi le criminal charges against gains in the peace negotiations. killed in a botched anti-terror- did not show up for the award- Erania’s uncle went up the them in court. They urged lawmakers to im- ism operation one year ago. ing ceremony for the slain stage to receive the Medalya ng In his speech, Aquino laud- mediately pass a new Muslim “How can the wounds of the police commandos in Camp Kabayanihan. ed the heroic acts of the SAF autonomy law in a region of tragedy heal when justice has Crame in Quezon City, the fi rst In all, 47 SAF members were troops, especially Tabdi and southern Mindanao to counter eluded the victims one year af- anniversary of the Mamasapano given the Medalya ng Kabay- Cempron. radicalism, especially among ter,” he said in a ceremony to massacre. anihan (Distinguished Conduct He said Tabdi served as a youngsters. posthumously award medals of Aquino led the awarding of Medal), the second highest “source of strength and inspi- Rebels have been fi ghting for valour for those who died in the honours and medals for the po- honour given by the police and ration” while Cempron showed self-determination in the south operation. lice commandos who were killed military. courage in his attempt to save for more than four decades. The “I too am getting impatient in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, Two of the fallen commandos the lives of his fellow comman- confl ict has killed more than with the slow progress of the on January 25, 2015. were posthumously awarded dos. 120,000 people, displaced 2mn justice system in our country,” When the president was to the Medal of Valor, the highest “Until the very end he did not and stunted growth in one of the he added. award the Medalya ng Kabay- honor in the police and military give up. He used his own body poorest regions of the country. “As they say, justice delayed Aquino: assuring justice anihan for Police Offi cer 2 Ricky service — Senior Insp. Ged- to block the enemies’ bullets “The fl ags have been raised, is justice denied. But you can Nacino, Senior Police Offi cer nat Tabdi and Police Offi cer 2 in order to save his comrades,” the danger signals are already be assured that we will fi ght for in the attack, but Usman got The clash has derailed ef- Lover Inocencio and Insp. Ren- Romeo Cempron. Aquino added. there,” said Miriam Coronel Fer- justice.” away. Philippine forces killed forts to pass a law that would nie Tyrus, no one stood up to Tabdi’s wife Leah and brother He met privately with the rer, government chief negotiator The January 25, 2015 opera- Usman in a clash in March. implement the peace deal with receive the medals. received the medal while Cem- families of slain SAF troops af- with the Moro Islamic Liberation tion in Mamasapano town in The police offi cers were al- the MILF, which calls for the It was also noticeable that the pron’s medal was handed to his ter the awarding. But not all of Front (MILF), the country’s larg- Maguindanao province, 965 ready pulling out of the site creation of a new autonomous classmates of Senior Insp. Jim wife Christine. them were represented. est rebel group. kilometres south of Manila, tar- when they clashed with fi ghters Muslim entity in the southern Tria and Police Offi cer 2 Fran- Lawmakers earlier urged the The president reiterated that Chief rebel negotiator Mo- geted Malaysian terrorist sus- of the Moro Islamic Liberation region of Mindanao. klin Danao were the ones who Department of Justice (DOJ) to their families will be taken care hagher Iqbal said his group was pect Zulkifl i bin Hir and Filipino Front (MILF), which signed a A Senate inquiry showed received their medals from the speed up preliminary investiga- of and will benefi t from liveli- also worried the delays in the bomber Abdul Basit Usman. peace agreement with the gov- lapses in the police and gov- president, who is blamed by tion and fi le cases against those hood and employment assist- passage of the law could frustrate Zulkifl i was confi rmed killed ernment in March 2014. ernment’s handling of the op- many for the death of the SAF responsible for the massacre of ance. the “rank and fi le of the MILF.” Massive crowd expected at global Catholic festival

AFP about 80% of the population calls for a third world war... Manila are Roman Catholics. against poverty, a third world Organisers had originally war against a world that pro- hoped that Pope Francis, who duces more weapons while p to a million worship- attracted mammoth crowds more than half a billion don’t pers are expected to in a visit to the Philippines have enough food,” according Uattend an international last year, would attend the to excerpts released by the lo- Catholic festival being held in conference. The Philippines cal church. the central Philippines, organ- was a Spanish colony from He also called on the faith- isers said yesterday. the 1500s to 1898 and Span- ful to publicly oppose abor- Over 1,200 delegates from ish missionaries deeply im- tion, the death penalty and 75 countries have gathered planted the Catholic faith in euthanasia which are all on the island of Cebu, for the this country. prohibited by the Catholic 51st International Eucharis- Both divorce and abortion church. In an address yes- tic Congress, a major church remain outlawed and even terday, Peruvian archbishop gathering held every four birth control remains a con- Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte also years, said the event’s media troversial issue in the Phil- called on the church to re- relations officer Reverend ippines due to the influence spect local cultures even as it Jonathan Rubin. of the church which opposes evangelises them. The seven-day confer- such practices. “The (different) nations ence, which started on Sun- A Sunday opening mass of- should not change their so- day, will culminate in a mass ficiated by papal representa- cio-cultural identity, it was on January 31 officiated by a tive, Cardinal Charles Maung like that before and should representative of Pope Francis Bo of Myanmar, attracted remain the same now and in which is targeted to draw up to about 300,000 people, said the future,” he said in remarks a million people, Rubin said. Rubin, boosting confidence released by organisers. “Most of these people at- they could get an even bigger Topics such as dialogue tending will be Filipinos,” he crowd on the last day. with other religions, differ- said, reflecting the deep faith In his homily at the mass, ent cultures and with suffer- Fans look at Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach as her motorcade passes along a busy street in Manila yesterday. felt by many in this South- Bo addressed contemporary ing groups, are also to be dis- east Asian archipelago where issues, saying “the Eucharist cussed at the gathering. Thousands fl ock to homecoming Batangas mayor wanted parade for Miss Universe title winner

for alleged rape surrenders AFP a white shirt with Wurtzbach’s Manila picture printed on it. Like many other Filipinas who have been By Jaime R Pilapil were in Ormoc City to set up a hair salon. The successful in international pag- Manila Times victim was an employee of a hair salon based in onfetti rained down as eants, the Philippine-German Quezon City. tens of thousands of Wurtzbach is poised for a suc- Ilagan denied the accusation, saying he was of- Cshrieking fans paralysed cessful career in entertainment. he mayor of Mataasnakahoy town in Ba- fi ciating a wedding at their town hall the day the traffi c in the Philippine capital She said in an interview on tangas who is wanted for rape and human alleged rape took place.He added he is now ready yesterday to welcome home the Sunday she had her eyes set on a Ttraffi cking, voluntarily gave himself up to to face the charges against him. newly crowned Miss Universe, Hollywood career. the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yes- Ilagan said a drug syndicate and his enemies Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. “I want to be the Filipina Bond terday morning. have joined forces to destroy his name because he The 26-year-old model, look- girl,” said Wurtzbach, who was a Mayor Jay Manalo Ilagan arrived at the NBI was opposing the entry of illegal drugs into their ing regal in a fl owing blue-green small-time television actress in headquarters on Taft Avenue in Manila at 5am, small town, which has a population of less than gown, waved the Philippine fl ag the Philippines before her break- saying he feared for his life with a warrant for his 28,000. Ilagan became mayor in 2013 and is seek- while perched on a fl oat designed through moment. arrest issued by a judge in Ormoc City, Leyte. ing re-election in May 2016. in the fashion of the competition Wurtzbach was crowned Miss He has been in hiding for more than a year. NBI National Capital Region Director Atty. winner’s diamond and sapphire Universe in Las Vegas last month He is accused of raping a 19-year-old woman Max Salvador said Ilagan will be turned over to crown that she was wearing. following an epic blunder that sometime in 2013 at a pension house in Ormoc the Ormoc City court where charges have been The adoring crowd, many of played out to an estimated 1bn City. It was alleged that Ilagan and the victim fi led against him. whom stepped out of their offi c- people watching on television es and schools, jammed Manila’s around the world. streets and snapped photos of Pia walks with former Philippine president Joseph Estrada, a local The pageant host, American only the third Filipina to win the mayor, during her visit at the city hall of Manila. comedian Steve Harvey, mis- Miss Universe title. takenly announced Colombian Many others screamed and poverty, frequent natural disas- Herrera, 47, travelled four Ariadna Gutierrez as Miss Uni- Two get life terms over drug traffi cking waved at Wurtzbach from the ters and crippling corruption. hours by bus from Cabanatu- verse and then corrected himself windows of their high-rise offi c- Such frenzied homecom- an City, a commercial centre minutes later. es as busloads of policemen were ing parades have in recent years north of Manila, to join yester- The outgoing Miss Universe, Manila Times tion 5, Article II of Republic have been viewed with disfa- deployed to secure the home- been seen only for eight-time day’s parade. Paulina Vega, took the crown Baguio City Act No 9165 or the Compre- vour by our courts for being coming parade. world boxing champion Manny Herrera credited his love of from her humiliated and sob- hensive Dangerous Drugs Act easily concocted and are used “Pia’s victory in Miss Universe Pacquiao, who will retire after beauty pageants with helping bing compatriot and placed it on of 2002. They were sentenced as a common defence ploy in made us proud to be Filipino,” one last fi ght in April to pursue a him overcome bouts of depres- Wurtzbach’s head. drug court in this city, to life imprisonment and fined most prosecutions for viola- said 37-year-old housewife Ce- political career. sion after he was laid off from his Wurtzbach said on Sunday Regional Trial Court P1mn each. tion of the Dangerous Drugs lia Nobleza, who watched the The New York-based Miss job as a soda salesman in 2003, she would use her new high- Abranch 61, sent drug The duo was caught selling Act due perhaps to the rot- parade carrying her one-year- Universe pageant is particularly and after his mother died from profi le platform to raise aware- traffi cking duo Melchor Martin 47,525.5 grams of marijuana ten reputation of narcotics old daughter. popular in the Philippines, a heatstroke in 2013. ness about HIV, especially in her Lagadeo and Kenneth Sagasa to a Philippine Drug Enforce- agents. But for such defence “My dream is for her to be- former US colony. Being unemployed, Herrera home country where infections Lagadeo to the National Peni- ment Agency buyer on July 9, to prosper, the evidence must come Miss Universe someday. It “I hope I can be an inspiration said he was too broke to see a are rising. tentiary in Muntinlupa City 2013 at the Lourdes Grotto. be clear and convincing,” he will surely open many doors for to all of you, not to give up and psychologist. Her week-long homecoming (Metro Manila), after fi nding RTC Judge Antonio Reyes said. her.” to always keep studying and re- “When I see beauty queens, itinerary also includes courtesy them guilty of drug traffi cking. gave no weight to the duo’s “The positive identifi ca- Beauty pageants are incredibly spect your parents and treat each the feeling is so uplifting. It’s like calls on parliament and on Presi- Cousins Melchor and Ken- denial and claims of a frame- tion made by the PDEA agents popular in the nation of 100mn other fairly,” Wurtzbach said at a we can endure so much, so many dent Benigno Aquino, a 55-year- neth were found guilty on Jan- up by PDEA agents. far outweighs the denials of people, who seek heroes partly to ceremony before the parade. problems. They inspire a lot of old bachelor whom she was ru- uary 18, 2016 of violating Sec- “These defences, like alibi, accused.” uplift their spirits from crushing Wurtzbach fan Miguelito people,” Herrera said, wearing moured to have dated briefl y. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 23 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL/MALDIVES

Bangladesh minister Khaleda Zia to appear in fi les forgery case against court on sedition charges offi cial Reuters a supporter of the ruling Awami what chance the prosecution About three million people By Mizan Rahman Dhaka League. He said that remarks had of success in the case. Zia were killed, according to offi- Dhaka Zia made last month about the was ordered to appear in court cial accounts. 1971 war of independence were on March 3. Hasina opened an inquiry ormer Bangladesh prime seditious. She had said there Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alam- into crimes committed during angabandhu Sangskri- minister Khaleda Zia, were “controversies” over the gir, acting secretary general of the 1971 war in 2010, paving tik Jote president Tarana Fhead of the opposition numbers who were killed. the BNP, dismissed the case as the way for prosecutions by a BHalim, a state minister in Bangladesh Nationalist Party, He said the comment hurt politically motivated. war crimes tribunal that Islam- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s was ordered yesterday to appear him “as a patriot” and that as a “This is nothing but a mock- ists have denounced as part of a cabinet, has fi led a forgery case in court to answer the charge of citizen, he had a right to fi le the ery and its aim is to deter Zia campaign aimed at weakening against the general secretary of sedition, a move her supporters case. from politics,” he told reporters. the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, a the organisation for allegedly said was driven by politics. Politics in poverty-stricken “The intent of the govern- key ally of the BNP. forging her signature and ask- The case comes amid ris- Bangladesh has for decades ment is to continue its repres- Four opposition politi- ing fund from state-run Teletalk ing concerns over the growth been marred by violent protests, sion of the opposition by po- cians, including three lead- Bangladesh mobile operator. of Islamist militancy in the nationwide strikes and bicker- lice, making confrontational ers of Jamaat-e-Islami, have On behalf of Tarana Halim, Muslim-majority South Asian ing between supporters of Zia politics.” been convicted and executed State Minister for Posts and Tel- nation, which saw a string of and current Prime Minister He said 17,000 opposition ac- since late 2013. ecommunications, her assistant deadly attacks on secular writ- Sheikh Hasina, who have taken tivists had been arrested since The executions have come personal secretary Joydeb Nath ers, minorities and foreigners it in turns to lead the country. 2014 and 3,000 were still in jail. amidst a rise in Islamist militant fi led the case against Arun Sarkar last year. An affi liate BNP group called East Pakistan broke away to violence, with militant groups Rana. It was fi led by Momtaz Uddin for a countrywide protest for become independent Bang- claiming the murder of two for- Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote Ahmad Mehdi, a lawyer with the today. ladesh in 1971 after a war be- eigners and four secular writers is the cultural front of ruling Bangladesh Supreme Court and It was not immediately clear tween India and Pakistan. and a publisher last year. Khaleda Zia Awami League. In the complaint, Halim ac- cused Rana of forging her sig- nature and asking fund for the celebration of national day pro- grammes like Victory Day and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Nepal ex-PM forms Rahman’s Home Coming Day from the telecommunication company. Shahbagh police station in-charge Abu Bakar Siddiqui new political party confi rmed about the case. When reached for comment, Halim said, “Arun Sarkar Rana Agencies foundation of national indus- has forged my signature on the Kathmandu trial capitalism and seek to set organisation letterhead several up prosperous and justifi able times to seek sponsorship from society,” he said. diff erent institutions for organi- epal’s former prime Bhattarai, who spent his sation’s programmes. He also minister Baburam years as a student at New Del- forged my signature to ask Tel- NBhattarai, who in a hi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Universi- etalk for sponsorship. I’ve fi led major jolt to Dahal-led UCPN- ty and is said to have close links the case when I came to know Maoist had quit the party four with India, has been sympa- about this.” months ago, yesterday formed thetic to the Madhesi agitation A frustrated Halim added, “I his political outfi t comprising over more rights and represen- can’t stand corruption. I don’t former Maoists and claimed tation to the people residing in hesitate to take action against it will emerge as an alterna- Baburam Bhattarai the southern plains of Nepal. anyone from my organisation if tive force in the country hit by He termed the amendment in he/she is corrupt. I haven’t com- Madhesi protests, according to force that would rebuild Nepal the new constitution “a posi- promised with crime, and will Lawyer Amal Clooney sits with Mohamed Nasheed during a news conference in central London a media report. and bring economic prosperity tive step” but urged major po- never do.” yesterday. Bhattarai announced a to the country. Bhattarai, a vet- litical parties to address all the The minister said she was also 35-member interim central eran leader of the UCPN-Maoist demands raised by the Madhesi planning to recommend Rana’s council of the party named and the senior-most leader after leaders. “Our new force will be expulsion from the organisation. ‘New Force Nepal’ but said the party chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal, based on participative and in- However, Rana refuted the al- council will eventually have said New Force Nepal will em- clusive democracy,” he said. legations against him, claiming 265 members. The interim phasise on transparency, good The formation of the new he had no idea of the forgery. council mostly includes former conduct and good governance. party would undoubtedly give “The accusations levelled Nasheed unsure a big jolt to UCPN-Maoist, government offi cials and tech- He severed ties with UCPN- against me are not true. My sig- nocrats. Prominent members Maoist in September 2015 over which waged a decade-long nature was also forged along with include artiste Karishma Man- the new constitution, alleg- insurgency to topple monar- the State Minister’s signature on andhar, political analyst Mu- ing that the outfi t has become chy, as more Maoist leaders the organisation’s pad,” he said. maram Khanal, former bureau- obsolete and a new vision was are expected to join Bhattarai’s “A company has taken an ad- whether to return outfi t. The Maoist party had crat Rameshwor Khanal, senior needed to run Nepal in the 21st vertisement from Teletalk by Maoist leader Devendra Poud- century. The new party was not joined the peace process and forging Apa’s (sister’s) and my yal, Madhesi leaders Ramchan- based on the communist ideol- adopted multi-party democ- signatures. I also conveyed this dra Jha and Ramrijhan Yadav. ogy and would follow peaceful racy in 2006 after the success to Joydev when he called me over The 61-year-old former means to transform the coun- of the Peoples Movement that phone the other day.” to Maldives led to restoration of democratic vice-chairman of the UCPN- try hit by protests by Madhesis, Rana said, “I think this is a Maoist claimed that his party he told reporters. rights and subsequently aboli- ploy to remove me from my post AFP ter being granted 30 days of threat of sanctions”, said an- will emerge as an alternative “Our party will build the tion of monarchy. (in BSJ).” London leave from the Maldives for other one of his lawyers, Jared spinal cord surgery in a deal Genser. brokered by Sri Lanka, India Shortly before the packed Investment, ormer president Mo- and former colonial power press conference, the Maldives hamed Nasheed said Britain. government hit out at Nash- Sirisena attends Buddhist festival policy summit Fhe had not yet decided He and his lawyers visited 10 eed, accusing him of using kicks off whether to return to the Mal- Downing Street on Saturday, his prison leave for publicity dives at a press conference where Prime Minister David purposes. A “Bangladesh Investment and yesterday in London, where Cameron pledged support. “It is now clear the former Policy Summit-2016” began he has travelled for medical Nasheed became the fi rst president has been disingenu- in capital Dhaka on Sunday treatment. democratically-elected presi- ous at best, and misleading to showcase private sector Flanked by his legal team in- dent of the Maldives in 2008 at worst, in seeking medical investment opportunities in cluding Amal Clooney, Nash- and served for four years be- leave in the UK,” foreign min- Bangladesh for both local and eed said he would need to con- fore he was toppled in what ister Dunya Maumoon said in a foreign investors. sult on his next move, quoting he called a coup backed by the statement. The summit focuses more on British punk band The Clash to military and police. “The government acted investment opportunities and explain his position. Last year, he was sentenced in good faith in allowing Mr will have both plenary and “I know the question you to 13 years in jail on terrorism Nasheed to travel abroad for parallel business sessions, all want to ask is will I go back. charges. treatment. Yet it is now clear Xinhua quoted off icials as This has been more eloquent- Clooney, who is married to his primary goal was to court saying. ly answered by The Clash in Hollywood fi lm star George publicity in the United King- Bangladeshi Prime Minister 1982 when I was doing my Clooney, argued for “urgent” dom. This is not medical leave, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the A-Levels—‘Should I Stay Or targeted sanctions against but media leave.” summit, hosted by the Prime Should I Go?’” Nasheed, who fi gures in the Maldives gov- Nasheed also criticised law- Minister’s Off ice (PMO), Board was educated in Britain, told ernment allegedly responsi- yer Cherie Blair, wife of Brit- of Investment, BUILD (Business reporters. ble for human rights abuses, ain’s former prime minister Initiative Leading Development) But he added: “Let me be including asset freezes in the Tony Blair, for advising the and the Federation of clear. I will go to the Maldives. European Union and US and Maldives government, a deci- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, centre, attends the annual Perahera festival at the Bangladesh Chambers of I will defi nitely go to the Mal- travel bans. sion which has drawn contro- historic Kelaniya Buddhist Temple in Kelaniya recently. Hundreds of devotees and onlookers Commerce and Industry dives, there is no doubt about “Sanctions can work, espe- versy in Britain’s media. gathered for the annual elephant pageant, held on the night before the full moon day in (FBCCI). that. But only the question is cially those cases of targeted, “It’s very sad that she got the January, to commemorate the visit of Lord Buddha to the temple. Dozens of colourful At the inaugural ceremony, how and when.” smart sanctions,” she added. wrong end of the stick, read traditional dancers, drummers, whip crackers, fire eaters, musicians and devotees take part Hasina reassured all the local Nasheed, 48, arrived in Nasheed’s release had come the story wrong and dropped in the pageant that parades through the main streets of Kelaniya. and foreign investors of her London on Thursday af- about as a “direct result of the this catch,” he said. government’s highest level of commitment to quickly facilitate their pragmatic proposals and simplify investment procedures. She said her government will establish the Bangladesh Development Authority to further support mega UN urges Lanka to fulfi l call for justice investment projects. Hasina expressed the hope IANS ability mechanism for wartime and knowledgeable people ject to renegotiation, Human stakeholders in the country, for tribunal was not a vague prom- that the summit will create an New York abuses, Human Rights Watch in our country to solve our Rights Watch said. their benefi t”. ise to the UN but a fi rm com- opportunity for investors to said yesterday. internal issues”. After adoption of the resolu- Said Human Rights Watch: mitment to the thousands of Sri know more about investment On January 21, President Human Rights Council tion, Sri Lanka told the coun- “The Sri Lankan government Lankans who suff ered during opportunities in Bangladesh. he Sri Lankan govern- Maithripala Sirisena told member and observer coun- cil that it was pleased to join sought international involve- the country’s long civil war.” Tauhidur Rahman Khan, a ment should fulfi l its the BBC that, contrary to Sri tries that backed the consen- as a co-sponsor “as a further ment to ensure justice and ac- Sirisena’s statement comes director of Board of Investment Tcommitments to the UN Lanka’s council commit- sus October 2015 resolution manifestation of Sri Lanka’s countability so there’s no ex- just weeks before a sched- (BoI), earlier expected a total of Human Rights Council by en- ments, he will “never agree to should make clear that foreign commitment to implement the cuse for backtracking now. uled visit to the country by 147 international participants suring that foreign judges and international involvement,” participation in a war crimes provisions of the resolution, “President Sirisena needs to the UN High Commissioner from countries including India, prosecutors play a signifi cant saying “(we) have more than tribunal was already decided in a manner that its objectives understand that international for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad China, Japan, Indonesia, and Sri role in the mandated account- enough specialists, experts by the council and is not sub- are shared by the people and all participation in a war crimes Al Hussein. Lanka in the summit. Gulf Times 24 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Oil slump takes a toll on Production Editor: C P Ravindran

P.O.Box 2888 petroleum engineering grads Doha, Qatar [email protected] The boom-and-bust the University of Texas at Austin, had Companies were courting freshmen you just have to work at it a lot harder,” been getting as many as 15 applicants and sophomores for internships, Hill said. “You can’t just wait on Telephone 44350478 (news), cycles in the oil business for each available spot, said Jon Olson, and Farren worked them during the campus for jobs to come to you, like 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) can be brutal for those chair of UT’s petroleum engineering summers. Typically, companies off er you maybe could a few years ago.” Fax 44350474 department. interns who are entering their senior In 2014, about 80% of Texas A&M wanting to make it a career “Really, it was kind of out of hand,” year full-time positions at the end of graduates were placed in full-time Olson said. “There was so much the summer. positions or in graduate programmes, By Ginger Hervey demand.” The June before his senior year, the Hill said. That percentage, while lower The Dallas Morning News/TNS Those who research the industry price of oil peaked at $115 a barrel. By than petroleum placement in the realised several years ago that December, it had fallen to less than past, was still higher than the national increased demand could oversaturate $70. Now it’s below $30. employment rate for college graduates, GULF TIMES hane Farren has a timing the job market, especially if there was That precipitous drop forced oil which was 69.4% in 2014. problem. a steep drop in oil prices. and gas companies to cut more than But in a December poll in a Texas In 2011, when the Dallas 250,000 jobs worldwide, according to A&M senior seminar, only 50% of Snative enrolled at Texas A&M “You can’t just wait on industry consultant Graves & Co. those graduating have job off ers, and and picked what was then one of The fi rst jobs to go were those 10% plan to go to graduate school, Hill the most lucrative college majors, campus for jobs to closest to the rigs, the actual hands- said. An uphill battle on work in the fi eld. But it wasn’t At Texas Tech, Heinze estimated oil prices were soaring above $100 a barrel and energy companies were come to you, like you long before employees with the least the numbers are even lower. “I’d be recruiting petroleum engineers as seniority were cut. And there are surprised if more than 25% of them early as their freshman year. maybe could a few no employees with less seniority have a job,” he said. for athletics as Four years later, with a degree in than those who haven’t even started The consensus among petroleum hand and oil prices tanking to an 12- years ago” working yet. engineering professors, professionals year low, Farren had to turn to his Plan “One of my good buddies had a full- and students is that the industry B - graduate school, a part-time job at 2010 “was when we collectively time off er that got rescinded,” Farren will be back on the rise by the time another crisis hits a Dallas-area oil company and hopes in the US started talking about it,” said. “That was a real eye-opener this year’s freshmen graduate. Some of a rebound. said Lloyd Heinze, a professor at for me. That’s what got me thinking, experts cautiously predict prices to “I’m just taking it step by step,” Texas Tech who has collected data on ‘Whoa, we’re in some bad times.’” climb into the $60 range by 2020. By Athletics’ woes multiplied yesterday with the news Farren said. “But I really want to stay petroleum engineering programmes The last comparable slump was in then, Heinze predicts that class sizes that German sportswear giant Adidas is terminating in the industry.” since the 1970s. “But a university is a the mid-1980s, when crude oil prices will have shrunk to a reasonable level. its sponsorship deal with the International The boom-and-bust cycles in the large boat, and it’s hard to turn very fell more than 46% between January “Maybe instead of 15 applicants for oil business can be brutal for those fast.” and March 1986. Students then faced every chair, we’ll have six or seven,” Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) because wanting to make it a career. Recent In 2010, there were 4,721 petroleum similar job shortages. UT’s Olson said. of a slew of doping and corruption scandals that has graduates entered the fi eld when engineering students in the US, “There’s not many industries like The demographics of the industry rocked the sport over the past year or so. colleges boasted near 100% job according to Heinze’s data. Today, this,” said Mike Minarovic, a 1987 UT also ensure that companies will hire The BBC said Adidas, whose 11-year deal made it the placement rates and six-fi gure jobs there are 11,332. graduate who now manages an oil and in the future as engineers brought on awaited the top of the class. “That gives you an idea of what gas company in Houston. “The price before the 1980s price crash begin biggest sponsor of athletics’ governing body, decided Today, the biggest colleges in happens when universities think of an F-150 truck doesn’t go down reaching retirement age. against continuing with the contract after allegations Texas have enrolment caps in place there’s a job market there,” Heinze 50% in 12 months. The lows are low But for the three or four years of more corruption by offi cials emerged in December and advise petroleum engineering said. “We’ve collectively probably and the highs are high.” of students in between - the ones even as the IAAF was already trying to tackle the majors to consider other disciplines, produced way more students in the In the long term, enrolment like Farren in grad-school limbo - doping crisis that enveloped Russia and some other take entry-level jobs to stay in the last fi ve years than we should have.” caps and high grade-point average prospects may be more uncertain. industry, or go to graduate school until For Farren, the challenging classes requirements will help reduce class “I’ve heard from friends still in nations. conditions improve. were worth it, and not just for the sizes. Heinze’s data shows that school that it seems like a lot of the Corporate sponsorship is the very foundation But the next two graduating classes money the career would yield. enrolment tends to lag oil prices by companies that go to A&M now to on which high-profi le sports thrives. Money that - the petroleum engineers who “Taking classes revolving around about two years. recruit are mostly looking at freshmen comes in from such deals helps federations organise entered school before the 2014 crash - oil, I just fell in love with it,” he said. There are still jobs in the industry and sophomores for internships,” are still the largest in history. “I fi nd myself picking up books about - just fewer of them, said Daniel Farren said. “They’re not looking competitions, off er lucrative cash prizes and takes The few universities that put oil and gas and reading them. And I’m Hill, head of Texas A&M’s petroleum at the juniors or seniors as much. sports beyond their traditional bases into new enrolment caps in place before the a slow reader, so that should tell you engineering department. So those guys are just stuck in the frontiers. Superstars also benefi t from individual price collapse, such as Texas A&M and something.” “We tell students in times like this middle.” sponsorships, with many earning millions of dollars every year from endorsements alone. The past few years have been, however, damaging for sport in general. FIFA’s various scandals have seen major sponsors making threats about pulling the plug on football if urgent reforms were not initiated. Several instances of corruption have also tarnished cricket’s image with teams like South Africa, Pakistan and India most aff ected. Former Indian captain Corporate Mohamed Azharuddin sponsorship was banned for life and Pakistan, too, is the very took several initiatives to curb the practice, foundation especially after Salman on which Butt, Mohamed Asif and Mohamed Amir high-profi le were caught spot-fi xing sports thrives and convicted. Former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje was also banned for life in 2001 but died in an air crash a year later. In cycling, another high-profi le sport, there have been multiple instances of riders getting caught using banned substances. After the Lance Armstrong aff air unravelled, fans almost gave up on the sport because the American was considered infallible, especially Shane Farren graduated in May with a petroleum engineering degree in the US. Jobs have been few and far between for graduates in that field after the oil price crash. after his heroic fi ght against cancer. Farren, 24, was fortunate to find part-time work with a Dallas-based company while pursuing a graduate degree. But if sports buff s thought they had seen it all, they were left stunned when athletics became the latest victim of corrupt practices, with former IAAF president Lamine Diack and his associates accused of taking bribes from dopers in exchange for silence and secrecy. Media’s digital divide Late last year an independent commission for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) revealed widespread, state-sponsored doping in Russia. Last By Kevin James Shay ones, are turning to electronic forms to see a quicker demise of print information at your fi ngertips that The Baltimore Sun/TNS of media, although that trend is not publications, but newspapers are more the Internet and electronic wave week the commission released a second report on spiralling upward as fast as many environmentally aware these days. lend us about as much as anyone. its investigations that accused the IAAF of having expected. The percentage of newspapers being But I also understand that electronic “embedded corruption” at the very top of the ews about the newspaper Some, such as Paul Gillin, founder recycled has grown to 72% from 35% versions can disappear in the wink of organisation under former president Lamine Diack. industry in the US and of the blog, Newspaper Death Watch, in 1989, according to the NAA. Papers a computer glitch, unless you back elsewhere has largely believe newspapers will never recover. are using lighter newsprint with a up your work on fl ash drives. Paper Diack and his son, Papa Massata, are both under been grim for years now, Google is a “game-changer”, he writes higher amount of recyclable materials survives, sometimes even through fi re. investigation by French police over corruption N as papers fi nd it increasingly hard to on his blog. “Newspapers have relied and narrower widths. Inks emit less I have one of those online bank allegations. Both men have denied wrongdoing. compete against online classifi ed-ad upon loyal subscribers who renewed volatile chemicals. accounts, but I just don’t feel like my Adidas’ move will add to the pressure on Coe, who sites such as Craigslist and Internet every year for their business. Those Many such critics tend to ignore money is as accessible and secure news aggregators like Google News. subscriber numbers are dwindling, how electronic devices use electricity there as it is in the account I opened succeeded Diack in August, having been one of his Many papers have not recovered from and the audience is getting older.” and emit chemicals, not to mention at the bricks-and-mortar branch. It vice-presidents for seven years. the Great Recession. their impact during the manufacturing likely is, but I can’t help but wonder The IAAF yesterday acknowledged it has a battle on The industry’s revenue declined Newspapers process. It’s like replacing paper towels whether I will lose my money in an its hands to convince sponsors that it is confronting by more than a third between 2005 in public restrooms with electronic electronic failure. I regularly print out doping and corruption scandals. But if more sponsors and 2013, to $37.6bn, according to the are more hand dryers. You may save some trees, paper copies of my online account. Newspaper Association of America but you also use more electricity and The rise of e-mail has not stopped take Adidas’ lead, then it would be an uphill battle for (NAA). The number of newsroom environmentally materials in making the dryers. You can many offi ce workers from printing Coe and Co. employees dropped 40% from 2006 recycle electricity, but how many people memos and other correspondence. to 2014, to some 33,000, according aware these days really do that? It’s a more complicated Digital photographers are still making to surveys by the American Society process than recycling paper. print copies. Some of the most of News Editors. Fortune magazine He sees many newspaper companies Several years ago, I bought my valuable documents, such as the To Advertise ranked newspaper reporter among the surviving as smaller properties with daughter, now 13, an electronic book original copy of the Declaration of 10 most dead-end career paths in the less emphasis on print products, and reader. She reads a couple of books Independence, are still made of paper. [email protected] next decade, along with mail carriers a “new model of journalism” based a week, and I thought it might not People will long want to keep Display and meter readers. on aggregation and reader-generated only reduce our dead-tree guilt but newspaper articles about themselves, Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 As a veteran of daily and weekly content emerging. save a few bucks. She is now back to wedding announcements and stories newspapers since 1982 who has But according to a 2014 survey supporting Barnes & Noble and other they like in a scrapbook or fi ling Classified survived three layoff s working in by Nielsen Scarborough, 56% of print booksellers more than ever. cabinet because those feel more real. Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 numerous positions, it’s hard to read newspaper readers continue to only What happened to the save-the- Will electronic scrapbooks or videos such numbers and not wonder if read a newspaper in print form. trees electronic revolution? “I like replace those? Like Charles Barkley Subscription newspapers will soon go the way of A mere 18% of respondents read having a book in my hand,” she said. says, I may be wrong, but I doubt it. [email protected] the dinosaur. Layoff announcements, newspapers exclusively online, either “It just feels more real.” from the New York Daily News to the through a computer or mobile device. That notion may be, ultimately, zKevin James Shay is a longtime Los Angeles Times, continue to pour in That would suggest there is still time what saves newspapers from journalist for the Gazette of Politics 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved at an alarming rate. before the electronic wave takes over. complete extinction. I embrace the and Business, Dallas Morning News, More readers, especially younger Some environmentalists want conveniences and access to greater and other newspapers. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 25 COMMENT A payment plan for universal education

Some 60mn however, fi nancing education is primary-school-age only an afterthought. With refugees spending more than ten years away children have no access to from home, on average, this neglect formal education cannot be allowed to continue. Fortunately, progress is being made By Gordon Brown in this area. In an exciting experiment Davos in Lebanon, schools have been put on double shifts in order to accommodate the country’s Syrian refugee he Sustainable Development population. Local children attend in Goals, which the the morning, and in the afternoon, international community Syrian refugee children study in the Tadopted in September, same classrooms. include a commitment to provide The programme has been a stunning every child with access to free primary success, providing schooling for and secondary education by 2030. some 207,000 children who might Finding the additional $20bn per year, otherwise have been deprived of an or more, that will needed to deliver education. And plans are underway on this commitment is one of the to expand the program to cover 1mn central objectives of the International children in Lebanon, Turkey and Commission on Financing Global Jordan. The biggest obstacle to what Education Opportunity. would be a spectacular achievement The commission was established – as is so often the case – is a shortage last September by the Norwegian of money. prime minister, and co-convened It is to support eff orts like this one with the presidents of Malawi, Chile that the International Commission and Indonesia and the director- on Financing Global Education general of Unesco. Its members, Opportunity was formed. Unicef including fi ve former presidents leader Anthony Lake, Unesco head and prime ministers, three former Irina Bokova and Global Partnership fi nance ministers, six Nobel Prize for Education chair Julia Gillard have winners, and three of the world’s most lent their support to a platform for the successful business leaders – Jack Ma, provision of education in emergencies, Aliko Dangote and Strive Masiyiwa a proposal that I hope will be – will report their fi ndings to UN formalized at the World Humanitarian Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Summit in Turkey in May. the co-conveners in September. On will receive, on average, ten or more raise them have failed to materialize. governments are spending too little more than a hundred to one. And And it is my goal that by the end of January 24, we met in London to chart years of schooling – up from three International development aid for on it (sometimes as little as 2% of those teachers receive little support, the year we will also have a timetable the way forward. years in 1950. Some countries in education has fallen by nearly 10% national income). encouragement, or feedback. Good to provide primary and secondary The challenge is daunting. Some Africa, however, will lag far behind, in recent years – and government Nor is the money – when it is teachers are undoubtedly the key to education to every child in the world – 60mn primary-school-age children with just 3-4 years of schooling on spending in low-income countries has made available – spent equitably. In quality education; but they can do only and the funding with which to achieve have no access to formal education. Of average. failed to make up the diff erence. low-income countries, almost half of so much if they are not provided with this most important of objectives. - the roughly 590mn who are attending If we maintain a business-as-usual In 2002, education accounted for all education funds are spent on the skilled supervision, a well-organised Project Syndicate school, some 250mn – roughly two approach, it will take more than a 16% of total domestic spending in most educated 10% of children. Very curriculum, and access to technology. in fi ve – are failing to learn the basics hundred years – well into the twenty- poor countries. Today, the fi gure is little trickles down to street children The phrase “universal education” zGordon Brown, former prime minister of reading, writing, and arithmetic. second century – before every child just 14%. Meanwhile, outlays for or boys and girls in remote rural areas, will mean nothing if it does not apply and chancellor of the exchequer of And some 60% of school pupils in is provided with an opportunity to health increased from 9% to 11% of confl ict zones, or urban slums. to children living in huts, hovels, and the United Kingdom, is UN special developing countries do not meet complete his or her schooling. total spending. And, to make matters According to Unesco, the ratio of refugee tents. When war or disaster envoy for global education and chair basic mathematics standards. Even as education levels play worse, in many of the countries pupils to qualifi ed teachers in the strikes, the international community of the International Commission If current trends persist, by 2050, an increasingly important role in with the greatest need for education Central African Republic, Chad, rightly mobilises funding for food, on Financing Global Education children in most regions of the world economic growth, the funds needed to – including Pakistan and Nigeria – Guinea-Bissau and South Sudan is shelter and health care. All too often, Opportunity. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Indian schools the following points and act upon their posts for long and will leave the should realise, work very long hours. High: 22 C them: school when they fi nd a better-paid All parents should raise this issue Low : 19 C should raise fees zIndian school fees must be raised career opportunity. This will be a with the management of the schools Strong wind and high seas so as to bring them at par with those of blow to their students, especially if it where their children are studying. Dear Sir, other international schools; happens during the mid-term. zEnsure teachers get appropriate Teaching is a responsible job and SF WEDNESDAY I agree with the letter “Indian salaries; and people pursuing that vocation should (Full name and e-mail address High: 22 C teachers are poorly paid” (Gulf Times, zTuition centres to be allowed to be properly rewarded. Teachers, we supplied) Low : 16 C January 25). But then the fees charged help weak students. M Cloudy by the Indian schools are also very low, especially in comparison to other VT Please send us community schools in Qatar. I am (Full name and e-mail address THURSDAY surprised that how Indian schools supplied) your letters High: 20 C manage their aff airs with such a low Low : 12 C fee. Cloudy The fact is that the Indian schools Concern over By e-mail could carry on because of the high teachers’ pay [email protected] number of students they have on Fax 44350474 Fishermen’s forecast their roll. The facilities off ered by Or Post OFFSHORE DOHA these schools are also very poor. The Dear Sir, Letters to the Editor Wind: NW 20-29 KT time allotted to each subject is not Waves: 7-10 Feet suffi cient for students to grasp it. I understand and sympathise with Gulf Times INSHORE DOHA P O Box 2888 Wind: N-NW 10-20/25 KT Hence most students spend extra PG’s concern about the salary scale of Waves: 1-3/4 Feet hours and more money on private Indian teachers (“Indian teachers are Doha, Qatar tuition after the school and during poorly paid”, Gulf Times, January 25). Around the region weekends. Students of Indian I hope the Supreme Education All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the name Weather Weather schools are under stress to cover their Council (SEC) will listen to this today Max/min tomorrow Max/min curriculum within the given time. concern. of the writer, address and phone number. The writer’s name Abu Dhabi M Sunny 26/16 Sunny 27/17 Hence, I call on the Supreme It’s common sense that if teachers and address may be withheld by request. Baghdad Sunny 12/-1 Sunny 09/00 Dubai Education Council (SEC) to consider are underpaid, they won’t remain in Sunny 26/19 P Cloudy 25/19 Kuwait City Sunny 17/09 P Cloudy 15/07 Manama P Cloudy 20/17 Cloudy 19/15 Muscat Sunny 28/19 Sunny 28/19 Riyadh P Cloudy 18/08 M Sunny 18/05 Live issues Tehran M Sunny 06/00 P Cloudy 04/-3 When interviewing, word choice matters

By Marie G McIntyre procedures. I don’t believe he does this Tribune News Service with my co-workers. I have been with this company a long time, and I know what I’m doing. How can I get Doug to UESTION: I am very back off ? confused about some A: Based on your description, I can feedback I received while envision two possible scenarios. One Qlooking for a job. After possibility is that you and Doug simply staying home with my children for have diff erent opinions about how this eight years, I am planning to resume job should be performed. The other my teaching career. I applied for is that you are actually doing shoddy positions at two schools and had work. Either way, the bottom line is interviews with both principals. that he apparently feels the need to Around the world At the end of these meetings, the supervise you closely. Weather Weather two principals told me exactly the If you and Doug view the job today Max/min tomorrow Max/min same thing. They said my answers diff erently, then you should make Athens P Cloudy 14/06 P Cloudy 13/08 included too many fi rst-person a convincing case for your own Beirut Sunny 11/05 P Cloudy 12/06 Sunny 31/21 responses, using “I” instead of “we”. I approach. You may not prevail, but at Bangkok 27/17 Sunny Berlin M Cloudy 08/04 Showers 10/08 did not get an off er from either school. least you can try. But if you are taking Cairo P Cloudy 14/07 Showers 12/05 How should I interpret this feedback? unapproved shortcuts and making Cape Town P Cloudy 26/18 P Cloudy 24/19 ANSWER: Screening applicants frequent mistakes, you need to shape Colombo S T Storms 33/23 M Sunny 33/23 based on pronoun choice is ridiculous, schools are now using a team-oriented your two interviewers may have fi xated up and meet the standards. Dhaka Sunny 24/13 Sunny 24/15 Hong Kong Rain 15/12 Rain 19/17 so I understand your concern. Because teaching strategy, the principals may on the pronouns as an easy shortcut. The cold, hard reality is that Istanbul Rain& Snow 02/01 M Sunny 05/03 such semantics are a poor predictor of have been taught to look for applicants For your own benefi t, you might Doug is your boss, which makes him Jakarta T Storms 31/24 T Storms 32/25 actual job performance, giving them who are more collaborative. In these as well consider whether there is responsible for overseeing your work. Karachi P Cloudy 27/18 P Cloudy 28/18 that much weight is simply foolish. sessions, the trainers could have anything to be learned here. Before So if you want him to “back off ”, try London Showers 11/01 Rain 13/03 P Cloudy P Cloudy 31/23 If this only happened once, I mentioned the use of “we” versus “I” your next interview, examine your making a concerted eff ort to meet his Manila 29/22 Moscow Cloudy -8/-10 Snow 02/-2 would assume you encountered a bad as one sign of a team-oriented person. typical responses to be sure they don’t expectations. New Delhi P Cloudy 21/09 Sunny 22/09 interviewer. If it occurred in diff erent While there could be some truth sound self-centred. And if you apply New York M Cloudy 06/02 P Cloudy 06/-4 places, I might suspect something to this, it is certainly not suffi cient to any other schools in the same place, zMarie G McIntyre is a workplace Paris Fog 11/00 Showers 12/09 odd in your answers. But when two evidence on which to base a hiring choose your pronouns very carefully. coach and the author of Secrets to Sao Paulo S T Storms 32/22 T Storms 29/21 Seoul P Cloudy 03/-7 Sunny 03/-7 managers in the same organisation decision. Q: For some reason, my manager Winning at Offi ce Politics. Send in Singapore T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 32/26 take the same peculiar approach, one Instead, managers should formulate seems to have made me a target. questions and get free coaching tips at Sydney S Showers 24/19 M Cloudy 24/19 possible culprit is their training. questions about actual work situations “Doug” frequently checks my work for http://www.youroffi cecoach.com, or Tokyo ClearClear 09/-1 Clear 12/-1 So here’s my theory. Because many which require collaboration. However, errors and insists that I follow specifi c follow her on Twitter @offi cecoach Gulf Times 26 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 QATAR Security ties with Qatar, GCC partners to widen: UK envoy By Joey Aguilar Besides the growing number of Qataris Sharma for more educational, cultural exchanges with Qatar Staff Reporter studying in the UK, it is learnt that many of them are also employed in some UK The British Embassy in Doha fortunate enough to have British between cultures and people. companies while others are working in the wants to see more co-operation schools represented in Qatar Various cultural celebrations, he United Kingdom’s defence and UK military. in the areas of education and such as the University College sports and academic security co-operation with Qatar “But for us to get there, we need to culture with Qatar due to the London. competitions, and musical Tand the ongoing talks with other be focused on having not only the right increasing number of Qataris He believes that they have a events, among others, were GCC partners will go wider to address ter- framework for taking forward these studying in the United Kingdom lot to share with Qataris in the also organised last year to rorism and instability in the region, British discussions,” Sharma noted. and with the presence of British areas of education and culture, strengthen the two countries’ ambassador Ajay Sharma has said. He announced that they were able to educational institutions in the as well as learning from each relations. Citing that the UK has a strong and establish a regular ministerial dialogue country. other in various fields such as “Education and culture, just long history in terms of military training, between the Qatar and the UK and this bi- Speaking at a discussion with arts, science, music among like business, are areas where the envoy explained that the UKs want to lateral dialogue will meet at political level journalists on Sunday at the others. the more you invest in bringing help support the development of military every six months. chancery, British ambassador The two countries are also people together the greater the capabilities and capacities of Qatar and its The envoy hopes the meeting will serve Ajay Sharma said he is planning continuously broadening their dividend is,” Sharma said. neighbouring countries. as a means to involve other ministries and to further promote educational cultural ties with the staging Qatar Foundation (QF) and “There are lots of prominent Qataris government agencies in taking forward exchanges between the two of various events such as the leading organisations and who had been trained in the UK military what he described as “an ambitious agen- countries. Qatar-UK Year of Culture in 2013 government departments in academy and Qatar can benefi t from our da we are trying to outline.” “I want to help promote and month-long British Festival the UK signed two memoranda experience,” he said. About trade and investments between educational exchanges not last year during the time of of agreements (MoUs) in Sharma stressed that capability is not the two countries, he said the UK is a pri- just because it makes sense former British ambassador to September 2013. The first just about training but also sharing exper- mary destination for Qatari investments economically and academically Qatar Nicholas Hopton. MoU aims to establish a tise and having people working alongside with more than £30bn. but it also makes sense in Qatar Years of Culture is an bilateral forum focusing on the Qatari military. “We want to stay in that position, you terms of ensuring that the next initiative of Qatar Museums research and education while Given the signifi cant challenges in se- just have to look at the London skyline re- generation feels positive about chaired by HE Sheikha Al the second aims to support curity in the region, the UK wants to work ally to see that visibly,” Sharma said. “Pri- the UK in the way their parents Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa teaching and learning of Arabic closely with Qatar in the areas of defence vate investment is very high, particularly or grandparents do,” Sharma al-Thani aimed at building language and culture across and security. in the real estate sector.” said, adding that they are bridges and understanding UK schools. “In practice means the participation Qatar is a strategic energy partner for and partnership in the counter Daesh al- the UK and has the capacity to deliver up 34,000 Qataris travelled to United Kingdom last year liance, and I am pleased the Qataris have to 25% of the UK’s gas needs. Shell is the agreed to be part of the Saudi initiative in largest foreign investor in Qatar followed More than 34,000 Qataris general visitors and 99% of entry visa instead of the this area,” the envoy added. by Vodafone. travelled to the UK last year all visa applications were EVW. Stressing the two countries’ strong ties The British ambassador noted that UK using the electronic visa approved. The number of British in all fronts, Sharma said he would like businesses have a signifi cant presence in waiver (EVW) programme, According to the envoy, on residents in Qatar is Qatar and the UK to have a relationship the fi nancial, business and legal sectors in British ambassador Ajay average, non settlement visa more than 20,000. “We where UK is the fi rst choice “across the Qatar. Sharma has said. applications from Qataris represent around 10,000 board.” “We want Qatar to have a successful “More than 11,000 visas were were processed in less than Commonwealth nationals He believes this goal is achievable given World Cup in 2022 and I know that there issued to those not using five working days last year. whose countries do not have the number of Qataris who already have has been a lot of interest on how Qatar the EVW system last year,” Qataris who frequently embassy representation connections in the UK, citing that many will run the World Cup but actually how he added. Nearly half of travel to the UK have been in Doha,” the ambassador have considered London as a second to build the infrastructure,” the envoy these applications were from advised to apply for a multi- added. home. added. British ambassador Ajay Sharma Useful activities drawing visitors to Winter Festival

he third edition of Winter tive contribution in the business tions included the Childhood to raise visitors’ awareness on Festival, organised by the market,” said Mohamed al-Mo- Cultural Center which organised common diseases and the right TKatara-the Cultural Vil- hammadi of Beddayah Centre. several children’s activities such food to eat, and some healthy lage, continues to entertain visi- “We have chosen six projects to as competition and games, and habits to follow during winter. tors of all ages who like to fi ll their take part in at this festival, com- gift distribution. Other events and shows in- leisure time with useful activities prising perfumes, clothes and Qatar Heritage and Identity cluded birds and animals exhibi- during the school break. accessories.” Centre featured a unique educa- tion by Kanari World pet store, In a press statement, Katara Some institutions such as Al tional theatrical show highlight- performances by various cul- noted that the annual event has Qannas Association displayed ing the winter season besides nu- tural bands, diff erent activities attracted a large number of par- falcons and Daoo in a tent set up merous entertainment activities. by the Ministry of Municipality ticipants and institutions in the at the Katara esplanade. Visi- The show aims to raising and Urban Planning, games at country. tors from diff erent age catego- awareness among children on the beach front organised by Ka- “In participating at this event, ries have attended the aware- Qatari cultural and national tara, a photo exhibition, paint- we aim to support the youth in ness workshop at Al Qalayel identity, and Qatar’s fl ora. ing workshops, and a display of launching their own projects and competition. Bin Muftah Medical Cen- handicrafts by Qatar University’s pave the way for their construc- Other participating organisa- tre launched a health campaign alumni association. A Falcon draws the attention of visitors.

The event features a number of cultural and entertainment shows. Children taking part in a game. Mannai HEG inks deal with Haff arat Projects

annai Heavy Equip- and other major brands under El Gendi said Haff arat’s eff orts cilities with repayment periods over 10 companies, which are ment Group (HEG), the Mannai HED umbrella being to continue modernising its fl eet of up to three years. This helps skilled in complementary fi elds Ma leading supplier of used at major construction sites refl ect a sound understanding of support their immediate re- of the business and share exper- heavy equipment for construc- around the country. sustainability principles in this quirements while allowing con- tise in order to develop a sus- tion and infrastructure devel- Haff arat Projects has deliv- competitive sector. tractors to fi nance their equip- tainable competitive advantage. opment companies in Qatar, ered a range of services for major “The effi ciencies of continu- ment purchases in line with the Together the companies of- signed a major deal with Haf- projects including Lusail City, ously modernised fl eets are the milestone payments they receive fer water supply networks and farat Projects, a prominent con- Qatar Rail, Doha Port, The Pearl easiest way for contractors to from the project owners. wastewater treatment plants struction contractor, for new Qatar, Qatar Foundation projects, deliver greater value to their cli- Haff arat Projects specialises management, electrical and additions to the company’s fl eet. Katara, national expressways and ents in terms of cost savings as in underground utility instal- lighting networks, consulting These include the latest JCB road works projects. well as maximum uptime to de- lation with crew capabilities and project management, road excavators, Daweoo buses and The fl eet extension deal was liver on scheduled milestones in ranging from open fi eld pipe in- infrastructure, landscape and Eicher trucks to meet the needs signed between Mannai HEG sen- each project.” stallation to complex urban re- recreational infrastructure, civil of a growing pipeline of projects. ior sales manager Hashim El Gen- Mannai HEG has also estab- construction projects. Haff arat works, technical design and im- The long-term partnership di, and Haff arat Projects managing lished partnerships with banks also has strong relationship with plementation of geographical between the two companies has director Fadi Nasser al-Din and in the country to off er eligible SC ProMS Concept Group which information system, and many Mannai Heavy Equipment Group and Haff arat Projects off icials pose seen heavy equipment from JCB managing partner Mustafa Ali. clients competitive fi nancial fa- co-ordinates the activities of other allied services. for a photograph. Gulf Times Tuesday, January 26, 2016 27 QATAR Qatar Airways sets sights on eastern Europe

atar Airways has started 2016 Direct Yerevan flight soon with an expansion programme Qacross eastern Europe, enabling Qatar Airways has announced four-times passengers to benefi t from a wide range weekly non-stop flights between Doha of additional fl ight options via Doha’s and Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, Hamad International Airport. starting May 15. The further expansion by the award- The airline’s expanding global reach, winning airline into eastern Europe adds including its newest US destinations in a further level of choice for passengers 2016 of Los Angeles, Boston, and Atlanta, traveling from Croatia, Hungary, and and significant growth of its modern Azerbaijan on the airline’s extensive glo- fleet, has enabled the airline to off er the bal network. new service to Armenia. Flights to Zagreb and Budapest would Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yer- be increased to a 10-weekly service from evan is the administrative, cultural, and a current daily service from April 3 and industrial centre of Armenia and off ers July 3, respectively, while fl ights to Baku visiting business and leisure passengers will be increased to an 11-weekly serv- a rich and diverse history. ice, also from a current daily scheduled Qatar Airways Group chief executive fl ight, from March 27. Akbar al-Baker said: “With the new serv- Qatar Airways is also launching new ice to Yerevan, Qatar Airways is again Some of the participants at Empower 2015 . direct fl ights from Doha to Belgrade from enhancing its worldwide footprint and March 16, a destination currently served expanding travel opportunities for busi- by the airline via Sofi a, enhancing the ness and leisure passengers alike.” journey time to and from the Serbian capi- The airline will fly the A320 aircraft tal on the four-times-a-week schedule. direct to and from Yerevan on the four- Qatar Airways Group chief executive weekly schedule, featuring a two-class Entrepreneurship to be in the Akbar al-Baker said: “Qatar Airways is cabin configuration comprising of 12 expanding rapidly, not only in terms of seats in business class and 132 economy new places and our network off ering, but class seats. also with the service we off er. Comple- menting our service in the skies are our spotlight at Empower 2016 transfer facilities at the state-of-the-art upgraded to the Airbus A330 aircraft Hamad International Airport, coupled from July 1, increasing seat capacity on with the experience of fl ying on board the daily scheduled service from Doha. mpower 2016, a youth confer- Mohamed Saleh, Rota national pro- preneurship’s business methodology. one of the youngest fl eets in the industry.” The Airbus A320 currently serves War- ence organised by Reach Out To grammes director. “After screening Youth Social Entrepreneurship aims In response to increasing demand, saw and the second daily frequency EAsia (Rota), a member of Qatar the applications, we will interview to address skill development,education, one of the airline’s double-daily services service to Moscow. Foundation for Education, Science the candidates, and those who are ac- and investment in young people to mo- to Moscow Domodedovo International Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth and Community Development (QF) cepted will be provided with further tivate them to utilise their capabilities Airport is currently served with a Boeing in just 19 years of operation to the point for the eighth year, is expected to at- information and event participation to achieve success and independence. 787 Dreamliner, which off ers 122 more where today it is fl ying a modern fl eet of tract a large number of Qatar youth. guidelines as the second phase of the While conventional entrepreneurship seats per departure than the A320 air- 175 aircraft to more than 150 key busi- The conference, which will be held registration process concludes.” typically measures performance in craft previously used for this fl ight. ness and leisure destinations across Eu- from March 17 to 19, is on the theme to use their innovation, creativity, and The conference will also serve as a terms of profi t, social entrepreneurship The Qatar Airways Boeing 787 has 254 rope, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacif- ‘Innovation in Youth Social Entrepre- entrepreneurial talents. discussion forum, where participants takes into account positive returns for seats in total: 22 business class seats with ic, North America, and South America. neurship’, and seeks to raise aware- “As in previous years, the Empower will be asked to devise and review so- the community. a 1-2-1 confi guration, and 232 economy For all Qatar Airways route services ness about the opportunities and event is attracting a large number of lutions to increase the contribution In its 2015 edition, the Empower class seats with a 3-3-3 confi guration. and connecting fl ights from Hamad In- challenges of entrepreneurship in candidates from across the region, of youth in achieving the United Na- event welcomed 450 participants out All seats in business class recline at 180 ternational Airport, details are available Qatar’s young population. and the number of applicants is ex- tions Sustainable Development Goals of 1,100 applicants from 23 countries degrees, turning into a fully-fl at bed. on http://www.qatarairways.com/us/ The event aims to unlock human pected to dramatically increase as the as well as the Qatar National Vision across the Middle East, Asia, and Af- Meanwhile fl ights to Warsaw will be en/route-map.page. potential by motivating young people registration deadline draws near,” said 2030, using the Youth Social Entre- rica.

‘ATM Use & Win’ campaign

Winners of QNB’s “ATM Use & Win” campaign. Each winner received a new iPhone 6 in a draw that was performed under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.The winners participated in a special campaign for both QNB and non-QNB customers between October 1 and December 30, 2015. “The campaign attracted many participants who performed any transaction with a minimum of QR50 for cash withdrawals, bill payments and top-ups to get a chance of winning a new iPhone 6,” according to the bank.

Environment protection patrols registered 461 violations in 2015

atrols from the Environment Protection Department of the PMinistry of Environment (MoE) registered 461 violations last year. Omar Salim al-Nuaimi, director of Environment Protection Department, said that the environmental patrols, whether land or marine, have exerted great eff orts to curb violations, work- ing around the clock across the coun- try to protect the land and marine components of the environment. Most of the land and desert viola- tions last year included the breach of the ban on camel and livestock grazing in the open desert, discarding refuse material and discharge of sewage wa- ter at random open areas, transport of hazardous material such as diesel and Camel grazing in the open desert in violation of the regulations concerned. petroleum without the necessary pre- cautions, and the use of various illegal prehend a number of persons hunting were a total of 2,058 winter camps apparatuses to hunt and capture wild and trading in wild hare in addition to in various areas of the country. Five birds. a variety of singing birds. Some were camps noted for environmental viola- Marine violations included exces- booked for keeping endangered wild tions were referred to the department sive fi shing, use and possession of un- animals. All such persons were re- concerned to take necessary action. authorised and banned fi shing nets, ferred to the Environment Prosecution The inspectors of the department and tampering with coral reefs. to take the necessary legal procedures often conduct regular and surprise in- Al-Nuaimi said that the team that against them. spection tours on all camps and farms co-ordinates with the security entities Regarding the winter camping sea- in the country to ensure compliance concerned managed last year to ap- son, the offi cial pointed out that there with the environmental regulations. Gulf Times 28 Tuesday, January 26, 2016 QATAR

Sheikha Mayassa holds talks with Chinese delegation

atar Museums chairper- son HE Sheikha Al-bin Qkhalifa Mayassa bint Ha- mad al-Thani met Chinese Min- ister of Culture Luo Shugang and his delegation during their visit to Doha to attend the opening ceremony of Qatar-China 2016 Year of Culture. During the meeting, both par- ties discussed areas of mutual co-operation and ways to fur- ther develop the close relations between the two countries. Fol- lowing the meeting, the delega- tion toured the Museum of Is- lamic Art. The bilateral Years of Culture, held under the patronage of HE Children planting trees at this year’s ‘Ghars’ campaign. Al-Mayassa, is an annual initia- tive organised by Qatar Museums Qatar Museums chairperson HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin which aims to forge new part- khalifa al-Thani and Chinese Minister of Culture Luo Shugang. nerships and exchanges between Qatar and countries around the of Culture, offi cially launched in number of cultural partnerships world through culture, arts and Doha on Sunday, will celebrate between Qatari and Chinese creativity, sport and business. the close relations between organisations, institutions and Campaign focuses The Qatar-China 2016 Year the two countries through a individuals. Tamuq’s open house for Master’s courses on environment exas A&M University at Qatar (Tamuq) wel- also have a number of graduate research and teach- comed potential master’s degree students ing assistantship positions available for full-time he Qur’anic Botanic raise awareness of the impor- together members of the com- QBG, through the ‘Ghars’ cam- Tyesterday for the Graduate Studies Open students every year.” Garden (QBG), a mem- tance of environmental respon- munity in a bid to address chal- paign, planted a number of House. Potential graduate students were invited to the Tber of Qatar Founda- sibility. lenges through practical ac- trees with Hamad Bin Khalifa The event aimed to answer questions for pro- event to interact with current students and re- tion for Education, Science As part of the endeavour, tions, as well as getting children University students. Addition- spective students about Tamuq’s two master’s pro- cently graduated students. Faculty and adminis- and Community Development QBG also seized the opportu- to realise the importance of tree ally, QBG aims to cultivate 2022 grammes in chemical engineering. trators were present to provide information on the (QF), recently held its annual nity to provide all visitors with planting.” trees in Qatar by the year of “Potential graduate students learned about our programme. Attendees also toured Tamuq’s world- ‘Ghars’ campaign in Education useful information about the QBG also carried out work- 2022, through multiple planting programmes, resources and campus life,” said Dr class facilities and state-of-the-art laboratories to City. environmental value of trees, shops for young students and campaigns. Patrick Linke, executive director of Graduate Stud- get a better perspective on being an Aggie gradu- The one-day event brought and how they can help grow and children, engaging them with The ‘Ghars’ campaign; whose ies and chair of the Chemical Engineering Pro- ate student. Prospective graduate students learned together more than 200 stu- care for botanic life to help ad- topical colouring activities and name derives from the Arabic gramme at Tamuq. There were presentations by about Tamuq’s graduate programme off erings. dents and family members to dress global environmental is- seed planting exercises. translation of ‘Planting’ from current students to illustrate typical graduate stu- Dr Eyad Masad, vice dean, said Tamuq is dedi- plant 15 trees. sues. In 2011, QBG partnered with the Hadith narrated by Anas bin dent work. A panel discussion across academia and cated to achieving the goals sets forward in Qatar QBG prepared the trees and Fatima al-Khulaifi , project the United Nations Environ- Malik: ‘Allah’s Messenger’ is a industry debated the need to graduate education in National Vision 2030, and the graduate programme the specially-dedicated site in manager of QBG, said: “The ment Programme (UNEP) Bil- brainchild of QBG and aims to a knowledge-based society. is a signifi cant contributor to the development of collaboration with a number of Qur’anic Botanic Garden regu- lion Tree Campaign to plant promote an understanding of “Our graduate students will participate in cut- the human capital Qatar needs to support the coun- QF centres. larly tries to raise awareness trees in Education City. the plants, botanic terms and ting-edge research that aligns with Qatar National try’s vision and future. Applications for the Master Symbolising QF’s dedication of the environment through Furthermore, following the conservation principles men- Vision 2030 for sustainable development. Our class of Science and Master of Engineering programmes to promoting sustainable de- initiatives like the ‘Ghars’ cam- climate change conference, tioned in the Holy Qur’an, Ha- schedules allow part-time studies next to full-time are being accepted for the fall 2016 semester and velopment, the event aimed to paign. This year’s event brought COP18, held in Doha in 2012, dith and Sunnah. employment in industry or government, and we will remain open until June 1, 2016.