QATAR | Page 28 SPORT | Page 12 Qatar federation to host INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 10, 28 COMMENT 26, 27 More than 60 REGION 11 BUSINESS 1 – 6, 17 – 20 Asia Rugby 17,706.00 10,376.20 36.79 ARAB WORLD 11, 12 CLASSIFIED 7 – 17 exhibitors to attend +111.00 +63.32 -1.55 INTERNATIONAL 13 – 25 SPORTS 1 – 12 Championship +0.63% +0.61% -4.04% Cityscape Qatar Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SUNDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10047 April 3, 2016 Jumada II 25, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Fire at under-construction shopping centre Ceiling set In brief

QATAR | Health for parking PHCC set to open three new centres The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) will open three new health centres at Rawdat Al charges Khail, Al Thumama and Umm Salal this year. All of them are expected The Ministry of Economy and tion after observing several cases where to start operations in June or July. Commerce has stressed that members of the public were charged Page 2 shopping malls should not impose or mandatory fees. The new rule was issued amend fees without its approval after the committee that sets a ceiling for fees and profi t margins carried out a PALESTINE | Reaction A fire broke out at the construction site of the Mall of Qatar yesterday. The Mall of Qatar is a 500,000-square-metre retail and he Ministry of Economy and comprehensive study. US is ‘concerned’ entertainment complex near the Al Rayyan stadium. It is expected to be Qatar’s largest shopping centre when it opens later Commerce (MEC) has issued a The new rule exempts motorists who this year. The fire was put out a few hours later and there were no injuries. The Ministry of Interior said in a tweet around 7.45pm Tfee structure to regulate parking leave the parking area within 30 minutes about Israeli action yesterday that Civil Defence personnel had “completely contained” the fire at the site. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil Page 2 and valet service charges at commercial after failing to fi nd a parking spot from The US is “concerned” about Israel’s complexes and souqs. any fees. demolition of Arab buildings in East As part of the move, MEC has fi xed a Commercial organisations and shop- Jerusalem and the West Bank, a ceiling for parking fees as well as regular ping malls that off er valet parking serv- State Department spokeswoman and VIP valet parking fees that commer- ices shall be responsible for the safety of has said. Page 12 cial complexes and souqs could collect the cars as well as any damage done to the from their customers. vehicles while in their possession. Qatar condemns Syrian In a release issued yesterday, the min- Malls and markets shall clearly display BELGIUM | Attacks istry stressed that shopping malls should a list of parking and valet parking fees Bomb-hit airport not impose or amend fees without its approved by the ministry at entrances. to reopen today approval in accordance with the nature The release issued by MEC, however, regime’s air raid on village of their activity and its requirements did not either specify the fee structure Brussels Airport said yesterday it as well as obtaining the approval of the or the ceiling it has set as part of the new would partially reopen today, 12 committee that sets the maximum rate initiative to protect consumers and im- days after it was hit by Islamic State Reuters ties agreement and related UN Secu- mine chances of reaching a political and profi t margin. prove the quality of services off ered to suicide blasts. Page 18 Doha rity Council resolutions,” the Foreign settlement to the Syrian crisis”. Malls and commercial complexes have the public. Ministry said in a statement. The Syrian Observatory for Human been given 60 days to comply with the Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy “This criminal shelling... refl ects Rights, a monitoring group, reported decree and avoid being subject to legal and Commerce has urged members of INDIA | Diplomacy atar yesterday warned that the regime’s policy in killing civil- that 33 people, including 12 children, accountability and penalties. the community to report any violation or Modi begins visit Syrian regime air strikes that ians... and threatens to torpedo” the died in air strikes on Thursday on Deir Shopping malls and commercial com- irregularity through the following com- Qkilled more than 30 people, ceasefi re and “international eff orts al-Assafi r, a town in the opposition plexes that already charge customers for munication channels: Call centre: 16001, to Saudi Arabia including children, in a town near to reach a political solution” to end stronghold of Eastern Ghouta. parking shall refrain from collecting any e-mail: [email protected], account of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Damascus could “torpedo” a fragile the country’s fi ve-year war, said the The United States said on Thurs- additional fees without approval from the the ministry on social networking sites: Modi arrived in Saudi Arabia ceasefi re in the country. statement, carried by the offi cial Qa- day it was “appalled” by the Syrian ministry once the decree comes into ef- Twitter @MEC_QATAR yesterday where he will discuss “Qatar expresses its strong con- tar News Agency (QNA). government air strikes and France ac- fect, the release said. “All other malls and - Instagram MEC_QATAR. The ap- energy, security, and trade co- demnation and concern over the mas- Qatar urged the Security Council cused the Syrian regime of violating commercial complexes shall also refrain plication of the Ministry of Economy and operation with leaders of the sacre by Syrian regime forces target- to “assume its responsibilities to end the ceasefi re and trying to undermine from imposing any fees on their visitors Commerce on smart phones available on world’s largest crude exporter. ing civilians in Deir al-Assafi r... in a these crimes, protect the Syrian peo- eff orts by the international commu- before obtaining the ministry’s approval.” iPhone and Android devices MEC_QA- Page 21 violation of the cessation of hostili- ple, and prevent (attempts to) under- nity to resolve the confl ict. The ministry said it issued the regula- TAR Gulf Times 2 Sunday, April 3, 2016 QATAR FM meets Canada’s Governor-General Civil Defence contains fi re at under-construction mall

n the second fi re inci- dent in the country in Iless than 24 hours, a blaze broke out in a section of the upcoming Mall of Qa- tar near Rayyan Sports Club yesterday afternoon. The fi re was put out a few hours later and there were no injuries. Confi rming this, the Ministry of Interior said in a tweet around 7.45pm that Civil Defence personnel had “completely contained” the fi re at the site. On Friday evening, a huge fi re had broken out in a por- tion of the Caravan restau- rant complex near the Jabr bin Ahmed intersection along C-Ring Road. The blaze was brought under Plumes of smoke emanating from the aff ected portion of the under-construction Mall of HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani meeting the Governor General of Canada David control after nearly two- Qatar yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil Johnston on Friday. They discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations between Qatar and Canada to a and-a-half hours. strategic level. They also discussed regional and international issues, particularly Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Though the reason for was apparently going on in the smoke, which seem- number of fi re engines and the fi re at the Mall of Qatar full swing. One end of the ingly hindered their vis- water tankers were engaged construction site was not Doha Metro’s Green Line is ibility. Personnel from the in the fi re-fi ghting opera- known, it is learnt that it in the immediate vicinity of Civil Defence and Lekhwiya tions and the fi re was put Ministry marks occurred in the afternoon the mall. managed to take each of the out some three hours after it when hundreds of labour- Sources said there were workers to safety. began, they added. World Autism ers were deployed there. reports of some workers un- Some ambulances were Mall of Qatar has set an Marginal drop in population Awareness Day The fi re seemed to erupt at able to move out for a while also spotted at the site, ac- opening date of August 23, the ground level where work owing to the intensity of cording to eyewitnesses. A according to earlier reports.

By Ramesh Mathew was 2,545,603 at the end of population fi gures revealed The Ministry of Economy Staff Reporter February this year, it fell by that it was back in 2010 that and Commerce marked the around .73% to 2,527,000 the country had last experi- World Autism Awareness on March 31, the MDPS enced a similar fall in popu- day by illuminating the atar’s population data show. In 2015, the lation between February ministry’s building with remained above the corresponding fi gures for and March. blue light in solidarity with PHCC to open three new Q2.5mn level in March February and March were Since 2000, the popula- the international campaign but saw a marginal fall from 2,346,800 and 2,342,725, tion growth was the high- carried out by ‘Autism Speaks the previous month, ac- respectively, a marginal est in 2005 (21.79%), 2008 Organisation’. Dedicating cording to fi gures released drop of .17%. (18.90%), 2007 (16.81%), April 2 each year for Autism by the Ministry of Develop- Year-on-year, though, 2006 (15.10%) and 2009 awareness was based on health centres this year ment Planning and Statis- Qatar’s population for (13.13%), according to in- a proposal by the State of tics (MDPS). March saw a jump of around formation available online. Qatar which was adopted by This is for the second 7.8% in 2016 as compared to Records also show that the United Nations General he Primary Health successive year that Qatar’s 2015. the country’s population Assembly in its resolution Care Corporation population at the end of In 2015, it was after a gap usually sees the maximum issued on December 18, 2007. T(PHCC) will open March has been lower than of fi ve years that the coun- growth between November World Autism Awareness Day three new health centres at that registered at the end of try had recorded a lower and May, except in Decem- aims to increase awareness Rawdat Al Khail, Al Thu- February. population in March than in ber, when many people go especially about children with mama and Umm Salal, this While the population February. A close look at the on vacation. autism. year. All of them are expect- ed to start operations in June or July. The Rawdat Al Khail and Umm Salal facilities will be health and wellness centres while Al Thumama will be an ordinary health centre with certain additional fa- cilities. The PHCC stated that the new health centres have large area and modern medical equipment accord- ing to international regula- tions. The health centres have high-quality modular buildings according to the latest architectural styles. The PHCC also pointed One of the new health centres to be opened this year . out that the new centres will provide an integrated dermatology, healthy child otherapy and other services. Leabaib and Umm Salal and comprehensive health clinic, healthy woman Umm Salal Health Cen- health centres. and preventive services in- clinic, and mental health tre, scheduled to be opened The Al Thumama Health cluding several new clinics clinic. by this July, will be a sub- Centre, set for June opening and services such as family The centres also provide stitute for the current Um and located in Al Thumama medicine clinic, Ear, Nose laboratory services along Slalal Health Centre. The area, will have physiother- and Throat Clinic, den- with pharmacy, radiol- new Rawdat Al Khail Health apy service, tobacco cessa- tal clinic, ophthalmology, ogy, Medical Commission, Centre, aimed for June tion clinic and nutritional vaccination, non-com- pre-marriage examination, opening will be off ering clinic in addition to the usu- municational diseases, home care services, physi- wellness services just like al services. Fish prices skyrocket in local market

By Ramesh Mathew Staff Reporter

ish has become very expensive over the last Ffew days in the local market, it is learnt. While blaming the price hike mainly on the ongo- ing strong off shore winds, some of the retailers said the permission granted earlier this week for ex- porting fi sh to the neigh- bouring GCC countries, mainly Saudi Arabia, too has contributed to the huge rise in rates. King fi sh, which is a sought after variety, was priced yesterday between QR67-80 per kg at retail outlets. The wholesale price of Hamour was QR70/kg yes- terday. Some of the regular fi sh buyers said they were forced to return empty handed from the Doha Most varieties of fish have become very expensive in the local market. A view from the Doha Central Market owing to Central Market. PICTURE: Najeer Feroke such extremely high prices. There was heavy sup- export to Saudi Arabia earli- Arabia a week ago and hence saler, prices are expected to ply of fi sh for export from er this week when there was the suppliers chose to send remain at the current lev- the main market between good demand locally. Such their stocks there, a trader els for the next few days as Monday and Wednesday a situation has made such said. At that time, the vari- there is an apparent short- and it created an apparent varieties as king fi sh highly ety was being sold for about age due to poor catch. shortage in the local market, expensive in Doha, it is un- QR12/kg in Qatar. Yesterday, Fishermen said bad traders said. derstood. Sheri cost QR23/kg even in weather has prevented most A retailer said there Even Sheri prices had the wholesale market. vessels from venturing out should not have been any touched QR40 or so in Saudi According to a whole- into the sea. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 3 QATAR WISE takes part in Al Asmakh signs fi ve-year Texas conference agreement with Qatar Post

he World Innovation l Asmakh Real Estate De- Summit for Education velopment Company has T(WISE), an initiative of Asigned a fi ve-year agree- Qatar Foundation for Educa- ment with Qatar Post to pro- tion, Science and Community vide mail box services to over Development (QF), recently 5,000 residents in Ain Khalid, participated in the SXSWedu Mushaireb, West Bay, Al Waab, Conference & Festival held in Rayyan and the Pearl. Texas,USA. Commenting on the agree- As well as organising several ment, Fadi Baraka, General sessions, members of the WISE Manager of Al Asmakh Real team and representatives of Estate Development Company, WISE Accelerator projects took said: “We are proud to conclude part in a number of panels and A session during the conference . this agreement with Qatar workshops exploring employ- Post, a key national institution. ment and the skills gap, the role the US-focused mega-confer- sharing and investor sup- It will provide a unique postal of social entrepreneurs, and the ence on education. port. Three WISE Accelerator service fi nanced through funds impact of social enterprise in The WISE Accelerator is project leaders presented their created by our multiple Qatar teaching and learning. a competitive programme in work at the conference. projects. The SXSWedu Conference & which selected innovative edu- Moreover, Dr Sakena Ya- There is no doubt this pro- Al Asmakh and Qatar Post off icials sign the agreement. Festival fosters innovation in cation projects receive a year coobi, the WISE Prize for Edu- gressive initiative will enhance learning by hosting a diverse of dedicated mentoring with cation Laureate, was honoured the experience of our clients by our strategic partners, for their targets as well as a detailed im- accommodations, as well as oth- and energetic community of members of the WISE commu- as a keynote speaker. In her maximising their convenience contribution to increase Qatar plementation plan for expansion er facilities. stakeholders across a variety nity, providing them with ef- address, ‘Education, Develop- and providing this vital service Post penetration in the country. across State of Qatar.” Al Asmakh is also known for of backgrounds in education. fective strategies and concrete ment and Peace in Afghani- within walking distance”. “We are working closely with Al Asmakh Real Estate Devel- its services in facilities man- The four-day event served as support to ensure their devel- stan’, Dr Yacoobi presented her Hamad al-Fahida, Deputy our partners to enhance our opment Company has a portfolio agement, real estate broker- an opportunity for the WISE opment.The programme links work in bringing education to Chief Operations Offi cer at Qa- service level and customer ex- of integrated towers and apart- age and logistics services for community to present its work the projects with an interna- Afghans under the extremes tar Post, said: “I would like to ex- perience in both postal and non- ment complexes, villas, luxury medium and large real estate to a wider audience, bringing tional network which creates of war, displacement, and op- press my gratitude to Al Asmakh postal services, and we already residential accommodations, projects as well as for individual a unique global perspective to opportunities for knowledge pression during Taliban rule. Real Estate Company, as one of set a strategy to achieve these commercial, offi ce and labour customers. HBKU Press to celebrate World Book Day Strong winds, high seas expected today amad Bin Khalifa Uni- courage reading, 4,000 bilingual her own physical disabilities, tar. Furthermore, in partnership story will encourage children to versity Press (HBKU Arabic and English copies of the Manal’s generosity, kindness, with Maktaba Qatar, the author embrace reading and storytell- HPress) will hold a se- book will be gifted to schools and and creativity are an inspiration will conduct bilingual reading ing.” trong winds and high scattered cloud, with the sea ries of events with Qatari chil- children across Qatar. to both the friend and the reader. sessions and writing activities HBKU Press will also be dis- seas are expected in off - level rising to 7ft at fi rst. dren’s author, Muneera Saad In partnership with Qa- with young students and their tributing copies of Manal’s Sshore areas until midday The forecast for inshore ar- al-Romaihi, in Doha to celebrate tar Foundation International “Good reading starts early parents on April 16 at Maktaba World to children in refugee today, the Qatar Met depart- eas today says moderate tem- Unesco World Book Day 2016 (QFI), copies of the book will and children who share Qatar from 1pm to 3pm. camps across the Middle East. ment has said. perature is expected during marked on April 23. A celebra- also be distributed to students books with others are more “Good reading starts early and Furthermore, al-Romaihi will Northwesterly winds are the day along with slight dust tion with the book’s illustrator, at QFI-funded Arabic language likely to develop language children who share books with be joining the book’s illustrator likely to blow at speeds rang- and some scattered clouds. Gulnar Hajo, will be held in Is- programmes across the United skills” others are more likely to develop on Gulnar Hajo, in Istanbul for a ing from 10-18 knots, reach- The minimum and maxi- tanbul too. States. language skills and advanced celebration at her bookstore on ing 22 knots in the early hours, mum temperatures in the HBKU Press has chosen al-Ro- Manal’s World is a touching As part of World Book Day, reading levels,” commented al- April 23 and 24. The events will according to the weather re- country today are expected to maihi’s heartwarming children’s story about a young girl, Manal, al-Romaihi will participate in Romaihi. “I am very excited that include two days of illustration port. be 14C and 28C, respectively, book, Manal’s World, as its 2016 who helps a lonely friend come reading circles with grade three Manal’s World was chosen as workshops and reading circles Off shore areas will also see with the forecast for Doha be- title for World Book Day. To en- out of her shell. Unhindered by students at schools across Qa- this year’s book. I hope that the with young Syrian children. hazy conditions along with ing 17C and 28C.

Gulf Times 6 Sunday, April 3, 2016 QATAR

Sudanese president praises Qatar’s role in Darfur

President of Sudan Basheer, who was speaking also established Darfur Omar Hassan al-Basheer to Sudanese people in West Development Bank to help Terms for Qatar attends praised the role of Qatar Darfur State, expressed finance massive projects in implementing the Doha his appreciation of the role in Darfur. He added that Peace agreement in Darfur. Qatar played to help regain the projects financed by issuing inauguration of He said that Qatar peace in the region. Qatar helped transform understood the problem He added that it was Darfur from aid-based to a and worked patiently on Qatar’s eff orts regionally productive economy. NOC to Niger’s president off ering solutions that and internationally that Al-Basheer said the Doha helped regain peace and made peace in Darfur agreement helped the stability to the region. Al- possible. Additionally, Qatar people of Darfur avoid war. sell gold QNA Qatar was represented by Niamey HE the Minister of Trans- port and Communications ermits to sell gold will Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Su- not be issued to those atar participated laiti. Pbelow 18 years of age, in the inaugura- HE the Minister of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) Qtion ceremony of Transport and Commu- has said. President Mahamadou Is- nications conveyed the In a post on its Facebook soufou of Niger, which was greetings of HH the Emir page, the MoI has listed a series held yesterday at the Palais Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- of conditions to get the man- des 29 July, in the capital, mad al-Thani to Presi- datory no-objection certifi cate Niamey, in the presence of dent Mahamadou Issou- (NOC) to sell gold in Qatar. a number of heads of state fou, and his best wishes The NOCs issued by the and governments, senior for further progress in the ministry can be obtained offi cials and dignitaries relations between the two from diff erent security de- from around the world. countries. HE al-Sulaiti greeting Niger’s new president. partments - Capital, Rayyan, North, South and Dukhan - as well as from the Gold Permits offi ce at Souq Waqif on fulfi ll- ing certain criteria. The MoI has stressed that its measures are aimed at en- suring the safety of the per- sonal belongings of people. For women, the conditions include producing the gold to be sold at the permit counter, the purchase bill(s), if avail- able, and the original ID card for citizen and resident own- ers and passport for visitors, according to the MoI post. Men can only sell the gold that belongs to a fi rst-degree relative (mother, wife, sister, grandmother) and second- degree relative (sister of fa- ther or mother). They have to produce the gold to be sold, the original ID card of the owner and purchase bill(s), if available. In case of gold coins or men’s gold watches, too, purchase bills have to be presented. If a gold coin or watch is produced through a representative, that person should produce the original ID card of the owner and the purchase bill(s). A fee of QR10 will be charged for issuing an NOC, to be paid through a debit/ credit card. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 7 QATAR Celebration of art and fashion at Salam Stores

n innovative art exhi- Salam Stores has a long bition entitled “Fash- history of bringing unique Aion Dream House” experiences to its guests, opened at Salam Stores in starting with its fi rst store Doha over the weekend, in the 1950s, originally set featuring colourful instal- up as a photo studio for lations by celebrated Qatari Qatar’s Emir by its founder artist Noor Abuissa. Abdul Salam Mohammed The exhibit was designed Abu Issa. Since then, Salam to mark the arrival of the Stores has built its reputa- Spring Summer 2016 (SS16) tion on delivering an unpar- collection, inspired by the alleled shopping experience season’s pastel colours and to its customers. Noor’s own unique designs. “Salam Stores has a long The installations will be Some of the installations by Noor Abuissa at “Fashion Dream history that is intertwined on display at the Gate Mall House” at Salam Stores. with artistic endeavours through May 31. since our beginnings as a To mark the launch of the ments of various rooms from which are inspired by pastel photo studio. we are proud exhibition, Salam Stores held a house setting. Each room colours. To us, these evoked to continue in that tradi- a public event to celebrate was co-designed by Salam fun, soft and playful feel- tion and inspire young art- art and fashion, featuring and Noor, using some of her ings, conjuring memories ists, giving them avenues attendance by Salam Inter- own art and SS16 collection of childhood. What bet- for growth. I look forward national deputy chief op- pieces to create colourful, ter way to present these to welcoming residents and erating offi cer AbdulSalam inspiring settings. than through installations visitors to Qatar through- Abu-Issa. Guests had the “Salam Stores and I want- inspired by a dollhouse? out the exhibition to enjoy chance to step into “Fash- ed the exhibition to be a That is where the idea be- the “Fashion Dream House” ion Dream House”, which true extension of the Spring hind the “Fashion Dream and our exclusive off erings,” features life-size arrange- Summer 2016 collections, House” emerged,” Noor said. said AbdulSalam Abu-Issa.

Monoprix plans outlet at Doha Festival City

onoprix in Qatar the fi rst time in the world. The new outlet will off er wide to Doha Festival City.” has announced Sebastien Farhat, regional a range of products that are The new Monoprix out- Mthat plans are un- general manager, Monoprix, new to the Qatari market. let will provide a broader der way to open a new outlet said: “We are delighted to Additionally, it will carry a selection of both local and at Doha Festival City. announce this new outlet, total of over 35,000 com- international organic food The 7,000sqm outlet which is widening our foot- modities, including both and an exclusive selection of will be bigger than all other print in Qatar. We also want food and non-food items, gluten-free and cholester- Monoprix stores around the to tell prospective custom- along with a full range of ol-free food. world, the French retailer ers that our new store will both organic and fresh food Giving local farmers a has said in a statement. off er them an exceptional products. There will also be boost, Monorpix will also It will be Qatar’s second customer experience.” an exclusive variety of im- carry organic produce from Monoprix store and set to “Monoprix’s popularity ported items from around Qatar. One of the many new open its doors by the end in Qatar has been boosted by the world. concepts to be implemented of 2016, according to the its ability to provide a wide Trevor Hill, general is a “Cave a Fromage” - a company, which has also and versatile range of high- manager of Doha Festi- cave fi lled with a selection stressed that the new store quality consumer goods and val City Mall, added: “We of the fi nest cheese from design is set to follow an ex- exceptionally well-focused are extremely pleased that around the world, com- clusive market concept that customer care,” the retailer Monoprix have entrusted plemented by an authentic will be implemented for said. their largest store world- French bakery. Gulf Times 8 Sunday, April 3, 2016 QATAR

Top GCC off icials for Arab Future Cities Summit 2016

Senior off icials and representatives of The summit will also tackle the government entities, organisations and implementation of the Arab smart cities institutions across the GCC will take part in development, the required infrastructure, the fifth Arab Future Cities Summit 2016, some of the issues and challenges, and the which will start in Doha on April 11. solutions to overcome these challenges. Under the patronage of Minister of Transport The summit will also shed light on measures Met in bid to boost and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed and strategies capable of achieving al-Sulaiti, the two-day event aims to facilitate sustainability and the development of Doha an international platform to discuss into a smart city, in addition to latest trends technological and social innovations. related to smart cities development. weather forecast

By Ramesh Mathew Staff Reporter

lans are being drawn up to establish more than 50 weather stations across Pthe country in the next couple of years. Speaking to Gulf Times at the recently- concluded Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition (Dimdex 2016), offi cials from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority’s Meteorology Department (Met) described how state-of-the-art technology was being used to improve weather forecast and other operations. The offi cials were present at the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) pavilion at Dimdex, which was being held at the Qatar Abdulla al-Mannai (right) with colleagues National Convention Centre, to explain the in front of the QCAA mobile van at the initiatives by the department to boost its recently-concluded Dimdex 2016. operations, such as weather observation, weather forecast, issuance of early warnings “Usually, it is operated from places where and functioning of weather stations across there are no facilities to forecast weather,” he the country. said, adding that the Met Department was Abdulla al-Mannai, who took over as the working out plans to set up over 50 weather new director of the Met recently, was also stations in the country over the next two present to brief the visitors on the achieve- years. ments of the authority. Currently, the country has around 10 ac- Al-Mannai previously headed the forecast tive weather stations. and analysis section at the Met Department. With the eff ective use of C-band technol- The Met Department’s mobile van, ogy, the department hopes to cover weather equipped with advanced facilities to make conditions in the entire Gulf region shortly, hourly weather forecasts, detect sudden explained al-Jaber. changes in wind directions, unstable sea This is also expected to help in making conditions and chances of dust forma- long-range weather forecasts. tion across the country and the region, was To help familiarise the country’s young parked at the pavilion. generation with the functioning of the Two offi cials, Abdulazeez Ahmed al-Jaber Met Department, the mobile van travels to and Mohamed Ali al-Qubaisi - young Qa- schools at regular intervals. taris who graduated from Qatar Aeronauti- “With facilities such as the ones found cal College - were on hand to explain how in the mobile van, we are able to educate the portable weather station exhibited at the schoolchildren about the activities of the pavilion helped forecasters carry out their department,” said al-Qubaisi. duties. The department has already set up a The portable weather station, imported number of seismic sensors in locations from South Korea, can provide weather across the country. forecasts for up to 72 hours and can be es- These will assist the department in its ef- pecially helpful during emergencies, said forts to alert people about the possibility of al-Jaber. earthquakes. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 9 QATAR 89 research proposals get QNRF grants

he Qatar National ra) and Doha Institute for Research Fund Graduate Studies. T(QNRF) has an- Nadine Younes, NPRP nounced the awardees programme offi cer at of the ninth cycle of its QNRF, indicated that the fl agship National Priori- majority of awarded pro- ties Research Programme posals are aligned with the (NPRP), and the inaugural four pillars of the Qatar Path towards Personalised National Research Strat- Medicine (PPM) grant. egy. “The NPRP awarded The announcements proposals cover a wide came during the Qatar spectrum of research areas Foundation Annual Re- such as engineering, water search Conference 2016 security, cyber security, recently. road safety, diabetes, can- QNRF, a member of Qa- cer, cardiovascular diseas- tar Foundation Research es, infectious diseases and Public Health Minister HE Dr Hanan Mohamad al-Kuwari opens the Laboratory Automation System. and Development (QF other research areas,” she R&D), presented grants explained. to 89 research proposals QNRF also announced across 18 institutions in the proposals awarded un- Qatar for the ninth cycle of der one of its most recent the NPRP. The fi ve awar- initiatives, the fi rst cycle of dees of the fi rst cycle of its new PPM grant, which PPM were also disclosed. falls under the Thematic Qatar University was and Grand Challenges Re- HMC launches new the recipient of nearly search Programme. Three 40% of the NPRP awards, proposals were awarded with 37 proposals receiv- to Sidra, while one went to ing grants. Texas A&M HMC and one to WCM-Q. University at Qatar was The PPM focuses on awarded 16 proposals, supporting and advancing while Qatar Environment research that seeks to pro- lab automation system and Energy Research In- vide tailored healthcare for stitute received awards for patients based on their ge- new Laboratory Automa- the fi rst healthcare system across 11 proposals. The remain- netic profi le, to guide de- tion System was offi cially the globe to have all of its hospi- ing research proposals cisions made in regard to Aopened yesterday at Ha- tals accredited by the Joint Com- were divided across other the prevention, diagnosis, mad General Hospital (HGH) by mission International (JCI) under institutions, including and treatment of disease. Public Health Minister HE Dr the Academic Medical Centre Weill Cornell Medicine- It aims to achieve this goal Hanan Mohamad al-Kuwari. programme,” she added. Qatar (WCM-Q), Ha- through supporting, and The new system handles and The new system, which has now mad Medical Corporation benefi ting from, the pilot analyses large volumes of speci- been in place since September (HMC), Hamad Bin Khalifa phase of the Qatar Ge- mens and can accommodate up 2015 also allows add-on orders University, Sidra Medical nome Programme. to 96,000 tests a day. The com- to be completed electronically and Research Center (Sid- QNRF’s executive di- puterised control system allows without human intervention and rector, Dr Abdul Sattar more functionality such as qual- includes a wide storage compart- al-Taie, said the awards ity control monitoring, the auto ment with a capacity of 15,000 represent the continued verifi cation of results and the tubes for storing varied speci- endeavour of QNRF to ability to collect data for further mens. This extra capacity is prov- support original research improvements. ing very useful when coping with that serves the develop- “The new automated system the high number of blood test re- ment and building of Qa- will improve effi ciencies, reduce quests received from all over the tar’s human capacity, and the turnaround times for tests to country. raising its research profi le be returned and more importantly “As the population grows we Dr Abdul Sattar al-Taie internationally. ensure that high quality patient are receiving more and more re- safety is maintained thanks to the quests for tests and this type of automation process,” said Dr al- analyser allows us to perform up Kuwari. to 110 diff erent tests. The new “This is another example that system ensures we provide a very shows HMC’s commitment to effi cient service for our patients improving the care patients re- and our external partners such The newly launched Laboratory Automation System. ceive by developing excellence in as the Army clinic, Police clinic, healthcare in Qatar through high Medical Commission, Qatar Pe- we can reduce the time it takes al-Nabet, chairperson, Depart- “We are very proud to be the quality and an effi ciency of serv- troleum, Aspetar Hospital, Pri- for tests to be competed from 24 ment of Laboratory, Medicine fi rst laboratory in Qatar to use ice, something that was recently mary Health Care Centre and hours to an average of three hours and Pathology at Hamad general such a highly effi cient automated recognised when HMC became private hospitals. This also means for routine orders,” said Dr Ajayab Hospital. system,” she added. HBKU to launch three graduate programmes

he Hamad Bin Khalifa University ethics related to information technology. (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foun- Students enrolled in the MS in Data Sci- Tdation (QF) for Education, Science, ence and Engineering will be trained to and Community Development, will be in- think analytically and provided with the troducing three graduate programmes this skills necessary to extract key information fall through its College of Science and En- from the massive amounts of digital infor- gineering. mation generated every day by companies, The university’s academic off erings will users, and devices. The programme will be extended with a Master of Science (MS) focus on in-depth explorations of how to in Cybersecurity, an MS in Data Science effi ciently and eff ectively collect data, and and Engineering, and a Doctor of Philoso- how to subsequently manage and analyse phy (PhD) in Computer Science and Engi- it. neering. Information sessions on the pro- The master’s programmes will also off er grammes will be held on April 11 and 27 at students with the option of either com- 4.30pm at the HBKU Student Centre. pleting a research thesis or working on an Dr Khaled B Letaief, provost, HBKU industrial project, aff ording students a said: “As Qatar continues its transition to- way to further develop real-world prob- ward a knowledge-based economy, it will lem-solving experience. The programme require capable professionals, versed in participants will be enrolled in a special the latest knowledge, and equipped with core course in leadership and innova- an extensive skillset. The new programmes tion, highlighting an emphasis of the pro- respond to global developments, while grammes to produce graduates for senior targeting the needs of Qatar, in alignment roles within academic, governmental, and with Qatar National Vision 2030.” non-governmental organisations. The MS in Cybersecurity will equip Those enrolled in HBKU’s PhD in Com- students with the knowledge and skills puter Science and Engineering, will be needed to safeguard the information equipped with advanced, up-to-date held by organisations and individuals at knowledge of the fi eld as whole and will be a time when cyber threats are becom- given the opportunity to specialise in areas ing ever more complex and aggressive. such as systems and computer security, Students will learn about advanced tech- software engineering, computer architec- nologies in the fi eld of cybersecurity and ture, robotics machine perception, artifi - how to apply them eff ectively, while gain- cial intelligence, and wireless and mobile ing an understanding about policies and computing.

The Liberal Arts and Sciences Building within Education City where the classes for the new programmes will be held. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, April 3, 2016 QATAR Doha Bank launches Ooredoo tv signs deal for eight new biometric access app Rotana channels oha Bank has DBank Mobile service. tradition of innovation that an ATM card; Western Un- oredoo has an- nels in Qatar, providing customers have access to launched an en- The new enhanced ver- has seen us consistently ion money transfer allows nounced a multi- its customers with access the latest Arabic content,” Dhanced version of sion of the app off ers users bring advanced, technology- customers can remit mon- Ochannel deal with to a huge library of Arabic the statement notes. its mobile banking applica- the option of using their based banking solutions that ey to any country through Rotana Media Group, a movies in high defi nition. Mozaic TV and Ooredoo tion, off ering a host of new fi ngerprints to authenticate make life simpler and more Western Union; remittances leading producer of Arabic New channels include Broadband customers can features. their identities to sign in to secure for our customers. through credit card, a fi rst- music and fi lms. Rotana Cinema HD, Ro- access the channels for free The enhanced app has mobile banking instead of “We continue to dem- of-its-kind service in Qa- The agreement will see tana Khalijiyah HD, Rotana by using Ooredoo tv’s “Col- been launched as part of user ID and password mak- onstrate that pioneering tar that allows customers to Ooredoo tv include eight Afl am HD, Rotana Classic lect & Go” service, meaning Doha Bank’s eff orts “to el- ing Doha Bank the fi rst bank spirit today by becoming remit money to their home new Rotana HD channels HD, Rotana Masriya HD, they can visit any Oore- evate the user experience” in Qatar to provide custom- the fi rst bank in Qatar to country via electronic trans- as part of its basic pack- Rotana Music HD, LBC Sat doo shop and collect the of its DBank Mobile service, ers with biometric access to introduce biometric bank- fer using their Doha Bank age, giving viewers a boost HD, M+ HD, Rotana Afl am new Ooredoo tv box to take which brings 24/7 banking banking services. ing, which ushers in a new credit cards; and Click card of Arabic content such + HD, Rotana+ HD and Al home. Installation is simple to customers right at their The biometric access era of convenience for cus- reload – a unique feature as television series, life- Resalah HD. and can be done instantly by fi ngertips. control feature is available tomers by allowing them to from Doha Bank that allows style programming, movie “The agreement, which customers in their homes. Doha Bank customers on select Apple and (iOS 8 or access their mobile bank- customers to top up or load channels, music videos will further strengthen Ooredoo tv is available can download the revamped above, iPhone 5S or above) ing app within seconds,” funds into their virtual credit and more, the company Ooredoo’s partnership now via Ooredoo shops, mobile app from “Play and Android (OS 6 or above, said Doha Bank CEO Dr R card (click card) to use it for has said in a statement. with Rotana Media Group, Starlink, TechnoBlue and Store” or “App Store” and smartphones and tablets Seetharaman. Internet shopping. As well as the eight new one of the biggest produc- Jumbo outlets. The service use their DBank Online user with biometric reader) de- Other features newly-in- In addition, the up- channels, Ooredoo will ers of Arabic blockbusters has no upfront charges, no Screen shot of Doha Bank’s ID and password to log into vices and software versions. troduced in the mobile app dated app also includes an have exclusive rights for in the Middle East, aims equipment costs and no latest mobile banking app. the app and gain access to “Doha Bank has a proud include: local fund transfer, “announcement of new three new Rotana chan- to ensure that Ooredoo tv ongoing contracts. which allows customers to features” section that transfer funds to benefi ci- highlights the features aries having an account in newly-added in the latest any other bank in Qatar; release. These new features D-cardless withdrawal, this complement the pre-exist- feature allows customers ing capabilities and features to send money instantly to of the Doha Bank mobile anyone in Qatar via a Doha app, which range from user Bank ATM. registration, utility pay- The receiver can with- ment, and e-Statement to draw the ascertained amount fund transfers and Apple without the requirement of Watch banking.

Off icials standing in front of some Renault Trucks models. 12 Renault trucks delivered to Beton Ready-mix

l Attiya Motors and Renault Trucks is based on Trading Company our experience with the A(AMTC), the ex- current fl eet and, most im- clusive agent for Renault portantly, our confi dence Trucks in Qatar, has de- in AI Attiya Motors and livered 12 units to Beton Trading Company in pro- Ready-mix in addition to viding excellent after-sales the 15 units in their existing service.” fl eet. Mohamed Maali, CEO of The new units were AMTC, expressed pleasure handed over to Robert Ter- at the deal, saying: “Beton zis, managing director of Ready-mix’s choice to go Beton Ready-mix, by Samer with Renault Trucks reaf- Makkawi, sales manager of fi rms the success of Renault Renault Trucks Qatar. Trucks and its ability to of- “The new additions, with fer the right truck for the their advanced technical right application.” features and attributes, are The French-made Re- expected to enhance the nault Trucks models are performance and produc- “distinguished by their ca- tivity of the Beton Ready- pacity for endurance and mix fl eet of trucks thanks to highly effi cient perform- the reliability and robust- ance”, the statement notes. ness of the all-new K range The line-up includes a range that is designed for harsh of sizes and models, includ- conditions and unforgiv- ing dump trucks, fuel tank- ing climate,” according to a ers, garbage trucks, trailer statement. traction units and others. Through AMTC, Renault “The success achieved by Trucks has “achieved great Renault Trucks in the Qatari success in the Qatari mar- market can be attributed to ket”, and a large number of its brand, which is renowned companies and establish- in this fi eld, and to the excel- ments have chosen them for lent reputation enjoyed by their fl eets over the years, AMTC in terms of the serv- the statement adds. ice and transport solutions On the occasion, Terzis off ered to our customers,” said: “Our decision to buy Makkawi added.

Qatari-Saudi Business Council meets

The joint Qatari-Saudi opportunities and financing. Business Council yesterday The two sides also reviewed urged business people preparations for the fifth from the two countries Made in Qatar exhibition, to establish business slated to take place in Saudi partnerships. Arabia at the year-end. The council held a meeting Mohamed bin Ahmed in Saudi Arabia yesterday. bin Tawar al-Kuwari, vice The Qatari side made chairman, Qatar Chamber, a presentation on the called on business investment opportunities people from both sides to in the industrial sector that seize on the investment are currently available in opportunities and the trust Qatar. Later, the two sides in private sector off ered by discussed ways to make the leadership in Qatar and those investments. Saudi Arabia. The two sides also agreed on He added that the holding a meeting between strategic ties between Qatari business people the two countries make and the Saudi Industrial the foundation for strong Property Authority (Modon), economic and investment to explore investment co-operation. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 11

REGION/ARAB WORLD Obama: world should carry out its end of Iran N-deal

AFP munity to carry out our end of Meanwhile, international ury Secretary Jacob Lew and his ment involves Iran also sending situation following decades of came into eff ect in January. Washington the bargain,” he said after a nu- businesses have been cautious counterparts within the P5+1 signals to the world community sanctions. While a majority of those clear security summit with other about returning to do business in nations that negotiated the deal of businesses that it is not going A host of non-nuclear sanc- polled back deeper economic world leaders. Iran, fearing that they could fall with Iran would be “providing to be engaging in a range of pro- tions related to terrorism spon- engagement with the West, al- S President Barack Obama This year, the international afoul of continuing US sanctions clarity to businesses about what vocative action that might scare sorship, ballistic missile pro- most 70% do not believe the US said on Friday that world community lifted a raft of sanc- aimed at Tehran’s other non-nu- transactions are in fact allowed.” business off ,” he said. grammes and a crackdown on will meet its promises under the Upowers should carry out tions on Iran in exchange for the clear policies. “And it is going to take time “When they launch ballistic demonstrators remain in place. agreement. their end of the Iran nuclear deal country curbing its controversial “What I would say is also im- over the next several months missiles with slogans calling for According to a CISSM and Offi cials say that even with and allow companies to do busi- nuclear programme. portant is Iran’s own behaviour for companies and their legal the destruction of Israel, that IranPoll.com survey released on sanctions lifted, US and other ness in the Islamic republic. But last month, Iran’s supreme in generating confi dence that department to feel confi dent... makes businesses nervous.” Thursday, Iranians have a less non-Iranian companies have “So long as Iran is carrying out leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ac- Iran is a safe place to do busi- there may not be risks of liability The limited polls that are con- favourable impression of the been reluctant to do business with its end of the bargain, we think it cused Washington of failing to re- ness,” Obama said. if they do business with Iran. ducted in Iran show scepticism country’s economic situation Iran for fear of getting tangled in a is important for the world com- spect the terms of the agreement. The US president said Treas- “But the spirit of the agree- about the country’s economic now than they did before the deal thicket of US regulations. Iraqi PM calls Camp for the displaced for legal action over oil scandal

AFP The report “revealed the in- day, Shahristani, who is currently Baghdad volvement of senior Iraqi offi - minister of higher education, cials... in corrupt deals and bribes denied having had contact with related to oil contracts during the Unaoil. raqi Prime Minister Haider period of previous governments”, He also said in a statement that al-Abadi called yesterday for the premier’s statement said. if the evidence on which the inves- Ilegal action over allegations The investigation found that tigation was based is not turned that senior offi cials took millions Unaoil agreed to pay millions of over to the Iraqi government, it of dollars in bribes to help major dollars to infl uence Iraqi offi cials should fi le a defamation suit. fi rms secure lucrative oil sector including oil ministers Hussein The report on oil sector corrup- contracts. al-Shahristani and Abdul Karim tion has already sparked action in Abadi instructed the country’s Luaibi, the former of whom also Europe. anti-corruption commission to served as deputy premier for ener- Authorities in Monaco searched take “legal measures” and called gy aff airs, to help secure contracts Unaoil’s headquarters and the for the judiciary to pursue pros- for its clients. homes of company offi cials and ecutions connected to the scandal, Unaoil clients in the Middle East also questioned leaders of the a statement from his offi ce said. included Rolls-Royce, Weath- fi rm, the principality said in a The allegations of corruption erford, Petrofac, Clyde Pumps, statement. came to light in an investigation Cameron/Natco, FMC Technolo- This was done at the request of Emirati singer Hussein al-Jasmi (second right) looks on as the Secretary General of Emirates Red Crescent, Mohamed Atiq al-Falahi by The Huffi ngton Post and Fair- gies, Saipem, SBM Off shore, MAN Britain’s Serious Fraud Offi ce as (left), hands over to the Interior Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government Karim Sinjari, the key to a new emergency camp for Iraqi fax Media, which reviewed thou- Turbo and Leighton Off shore, ac- part of “a major corruption case displaced people during its inauguration next to Bahrka camp, 10km west of Arbil, the capital of the Kurdish autonomous region in sands of internal documents from cording to the report. with international ramifi cations,” northern Iraq, yesterday. Monaco-based fi rm Unaoil. At a news conference yester- the statement said.

Saudi newspaper’s Beirut offi ce attacked

DPA The paper, whose editorial line is escalated in January after Riyadh ex- Beirut typically close to Saudi policies, said it ecuted a dissident Shia cleric and Ira- had been subjected to a “barbaric at- nian protesters stormed the country’s tack.” embassy in Tehran in response. small group of protesters Extra security was visible around Riyadh has accused the powerful stormed the Beirut offi ce of a the Saudi embassy in Beirut yesterday Shia Islamist movement Hezbollah, ASaudi-owned newspaper early morning. which takes its lead from Tehran, of yesterday after it published a cartoon The incident came two days after eff ectively dictating Lebanon’s foreign mocking the Lebanese state. Saudi-owned news broadcaster Al policy. A video published on social me- Arabiya said it was closing its Beirut Hezbollah is a key backer of Syrian dia showed the young men urging offi ce out of concern for the safety of President Bashar al-Assad. Lebanese employees in the offi ces of its employees. In February, Riyadh halted a $3bn Asharq al-Awsat to go on strike in re- Saudi Arabia has in recent months military aid programme to Lebanon. sponse to the cartoon, which showed been increasingly angry over what it Later in that month, a Saudi-led al- the Lebanese fl ag with a caption read- sees as a lack of support from Lebanon liance designated the Lebanese pro- ing: “The Lebanese State: an April in its dispute with Iran. Iranian Hezbollah movement a terror- Fool’s joke.” Tensions between the regional rivals ist organisation.

Female Iranian parliamentarian stripped of seat

Iran’s electoral supervision council has stripped a young female reform candidate of the parliamentary seat she won in February, Shargh daily reported yesterday. Minoo Khaleghi was one of the five candidates directly elected to represent the city of Isfahan in central Iran, but the Council of Guardians disallowed the vote without giving her or the Interior Ministry a reason, apart from “moral concerns.” Khaleghi said there was no legal foundation for the decision by the council, which is responsible for the ideological qualification of candidates for election, according to the Iranian constitution. “There are dishonourable rumours circulating about my person with the aim of damaging the reputation of a Muslim woman,” Khaleghi said, without giving further details. Unconfirmed reports have said the council was given private photos of the 30-year-old, who is currently studying for her doctorate in law, without her knowledge. She is suspected of having an “illegitimate” relationship with a man. Khaleghi was a surprise success story in February’s elections where President Hassan Rouhani’s reformists won a decisive victory over the hardliners. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, April 3, 2016 ARAB WORLD Mass grave of victims of IS found in Palmyra

AFP al-Assad, the Syrian army last were fl attened by Russian air Damascus Sunday recaptured Palmyra and strikes before Palmyra was re- its Unesco World Heritage Site, claimed,” he added. which IS had overrun in May 2015. About 70km to the west, Syr- yrian troops have found a During their nearly 10-month ian troops yesterday pounded the mass grave containing the occupation of Palmyra, the IS-held city of Sukhna, which Sbodies of 42 people execut- militants executed at least 280 the army wants to take back in ed by Islamic State militants in people, according to the Syrian order to consolidate its grip over A view shows the damage at the Monumental Arch in the historical city of Palmyra, in Homs Governorate, Syria. Palmyra, as Washington warned Observatory for Human Rights, Palmyra. the group’s leader will eventually a Britain-based monitor which “If the regime takes Sukhna, it “taste justice”. confi rmed the discovery of the will use it as a launching pad for IS has in recent months mass grave. an operation against Deir Ezzor claimed responsibility for deadly Soon after IS stormed Palmyra, province,” in eastern Syria, along attacks in Brussels and Paris, but it shot dead 25 soldiers in the an- the Iraqi border, which is mostly has lost ground in Syria and Iraq. cient Roman theatre. controlled by IS, Abdel Rahman US ‘concerned’ about Israel Days after Syrian troops It later released a video of the said. backed by Russian forces recap- mass killing in which the execu- The Syrian army has previous- tured Palmyra and its ancient ru- tioners appeared to be children or ly said the takeover of Palmyra ins, the army “uncovered a mass teenagers. would allow it to extend opera- grave of offi cers, soldiers, mem- Syria’s fi ve-year war has left at tions against IS in the east and destroying Palestinian homes bers of the popular committees least 270,000 people dead. Few around Raqa, the militants’ de (pro-regime militia) and their mass graves have been found, facto capital in the north. relatives,” a military source said however. At least 40 mostly foreign Reuters Khirbet Tana in the West Bank governmental organisation. mitment to that two-state solu- yesterday. Nearly a week on, few of IS members, including 18 child Washington early in March, leaving 23 chil- “These actions are indicative tion,” Trudeau said. Twenty-four of the victims Palmyra’s up to 70,000 residents soldiers, were killed in raids on dren with nowhere to study in of a damaging trend of demoli- The State Department previ- were civilians, including three have returned. Thursday on a village in Deir Ez- the community overlooking tions, displacement and land ously made similar comments. children, he said, asking not to be “People fear reprisal by the re- zor province, the Observatory he US is “concerned” the Jordan valley. The school confi scation,” spokeswoman So far this year, Israeli forces named. gime, and also the mines planted said. about Israel’s demolition had been built by the European Elizabeth Trudeau told a State have destroyed or dismantled “They were executed either by all over the city by IS,” Observa- It was one of the single high- Tof Arab buildings in East Union in an effort to help the Department briefi ng. around 400 homes and other beheading or by shooting.” tory director Rami Abdel Rah- est tolls that IS has suff ered in a Jerusalem and the West Bank, a community of about 40 fami- She said Washington was structures across the West In a major symbolic and stra- man said. single strike since it emerged in State Department spokeswom- lies. “concerned” and the demoli- Bank, more than in the whole tegic coup for President Bashar “In addition, many houses Syria in 2013, the monitor said. an said on Friday, adding that it After destroying the school, tions, coupled with continuing of 2015. A US offi cial yesterday said raised questions about Israel’s the Israeli forces returned Israeli construction and settle- Israeli forces also confi scated IS planted thousands of mines in Palmyra the Pentagon was mulling over commitment to a two-state po- two weeks later and demol- ment activity “undermine the 579 acres (234 hectares) of Pal- the possibility of sending more litical solution to the Palestinian ished 17 homes, 21 pens for possibility of a two-state solu- estinian land near the city of Islamic State militants retreating the city on Sunday, he said. special forces to join the anti-IS confl ict. sheep, goats and chickens, tion.” Jericho in the West Bank, a step from Palmyra laid thousands of He did not say why the Islamic fi ght in Syria, where the contin- Israeli forces bulldozed a and five outhouses, according “They also call into question the State Department also criti- mines that they planned to set State fighters failed to set off gent of American fi ghters current school in the Bedouin village of to B’tselem, an Israeli non- the Israeli government’s com- cised. off simultaneously as the army the explosives before pulling numbers around 50. moved in, a Syrian off icer said in out, but his assertion echoed “Presumably they would do the ancient city after its recap- comments from Syria’s antiqui- more of what they’re already Israeli navy sinks fishing boat ture from the militant fighters. ties chief, who said the militants doing,” said the offi cial, who de- The off icer said main streets and intended to dynamite a greater clined to be named. Israeli navy boats fired several shells and live rounds on a side roads in Palmyra had been area of the city’s 2,000-year-old Syrian rebels and the Al Qae- number of Palestinian fishing boats near the Rafah shore at rigged with explosives weighing ruins than they already had. da-affi liated Nusra Front have dawn yesterday, causing one boat to sink. Egyptian cop up to 50kg. More than 3,000 The off icer, who did not give his mounted an off ensive against Eyewitnesses said the navy ships fired several shells at the fish- had already been safely deto- name, said the bombs left be- Syrian government forces and ing boats, close to the shore in Rafah in the southern part of the nated since government forces, hind were linked so they could yesterday took a strategic hill Gaza Strip, directly hitting one boat, causing it to catch on fire backed by Russian jets, retook go off together. south of Aleppo from government and sink. There have been no reports of casualties in the attack jailed for life for control, a monitoring group said. as of this report.

Searching for landmines killing driver Reuters tors held a rare protest against Cairo police offi cers they say beat two doctors at a Cairo hospital for re- fusing to falsify medical records. n Egyptian court sen- Accusations of police brutality tenced a policeman to life came under sharp focus after the Aimprisonment yesterday body of a missing Italian gradu- for killing a rickshaw driver dur- ate student was found in Feb- ing an argument over a fare, a ruary, on the outskirts of Cairo case that has fuelled public anger showing signs of torture, includ- about perceived police brutality. ing electrocution. Police Sergeant Mostafa Ab- Activists said Regeni’s inju- del Haseeb shot tuk-tuk driver ries bore the hallmarks of the Mohamed Ismail, 25, fatally in Egyptian security services. The the head following the dispute in Interior Ministry has denied any February. involvement. Furious local residents tried to In March, Egyptian police said catch Abdel Haseeb and kill him they had discovered the belong- as he fl ed the scene, and hun- ings of Giulio Regeni, who was tor- dreds of people gathered soon tured and killed in Cairo, following afterwards outside the Cairo’s a shootout with a criminal gang. police headquarters in protest. Italian offi cials dismissed the Yesterday’s verdict, which can story and Regeni’s family said be appealed, highlights mount- it was clear Giulio had not been ing public concern about alleged killed for criminal gain. De-mining teams search for landmines in Rumaila oilfield in Basra province, Iraq, yesterday. excesses by Egypt’s police force. Egyptian offi cials say the in- In February, thousands of doc- vestigations are still ongoing. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 13 AFRICA

Burundi ‘fi ne’ with request Kenya marks Garissa for UN police deployment

Reuters massacre anniversary Bujumbura AFP Garissa, Kenya urundi accepts the UN security council’s resolution to send in police, the foreign af- Bfairs minister told Reuters yesterday, after enyans yesterday commemo- months of political tension. rated the fi rst anniversary of a The 15-member council unanimously adopted Kterrorist attack that killed 148 on Friday a French-drafted resolution asking UN people, mostly students, at a univer- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to off er options sity in Garissa in the country’s worst for a police deployment to Burundi, where vio- massacre since 1998. lence threatens to spiral into ethnic confl ict. Four gunmen from the Shebaab, President Pierre Nkurunziza said last April he Al Qaeda’s East Africa branch, raid- would seek a third term, which his opponents ed Garissa University College on said was illegal. Since then, at least 439 people April 2 last year, shooting students have been killed and more than 250,000 have dead in their dormitories and then fl ed. rounding up and executing scores “This UN resolution is fi ne for us since it takes more in a hall of residence. into account everything we have been saying,” It was the worst terrorist attack Alain Nyamitwe, Burundi’s foreign minister, told to hit Kenya since Al Qaeda bombed Reuters. the US embassy in Nairobi in 1998, “We have always been open to experts but nev- killing 213 people. er to sending of peacekeeping troops in Burundi,” A group of some 100 people he said, adding “a few” UN police could help sta- wearing T-shirts with peace slo- bilise the country. gans gathered yesterday in Garissa, But Leonce Ngendakumana, chairman of the 365km northeast of the capital Nai- opposition FRODEBU party, criticised the reso- robi, to participate in a run in honour lution for failing to call for the deployment of of the victims. peacekeepers. “We stand with the parents, we “That UN resolution brings nothings to us,” he want to tell them that together as a told Reuters. “We don’t want UN police but UN country, from the north to the south, peacekeepers who would prevent Burundi from west to east, Muslims and Chris- sliding into another civil war.” tians... together we must fi ght ter- The opposition wants the peacekeepers to be ror,” said Garissa MP Aden Duale, deployed to disarm the diff erent armed groups who took part in the run. including the militia allied to the ruling CNDD Wheelchair-bound Farah Ali, FDD party, known as “Imbonerakure”, Ngenda- a Garissa resident, pushed him- kumana said. self along the 5km course to show “We need forces capable of restoring our “strength in solidarity” with the A candle is placed in front of names of students killed in the Garissa University during prayers in Nairobi to mark the first anniversary of the deadly attack. army,” he said, citing last month’s assassination victims. of a senior army offi cer and rising cases of deser- Other remembrance ceremonies were held later in the day in Garissa was - as during an assault on Nairo- public enquiry into what went wrong. charcoal and sugar smuggling. tion by troops. were held in dozens of schools and and Nairobi, led by government of- bi’s Westgate mall in 2013 - strongly Kenya has suff ered at the hands of In January, Kenya suff ered what is Tom Malinowski, the US assistant secretary of universities across Kenya, including fi cials. criticised by many Kenyans. Shebaab since sending troops into thought to be its worst-ever military state for democracy, human rights and labour, ac- in the central town of Eldoret where Government involvement in the It took 16 hours for a special anti- neighbouring Somalia to fi ght the loss when an army outpost in south- cused the government of going back on its com- hundreds of attack survivors relo- anniversary commemorations con- terror unit to bring the attack to an jihadists in 2011. ern Somalia was overrun by Shebaab mitment to resolve the crisis through dialogue. cated to continue their studies. trast starkly with the days following end, with their deployment slowed Terrorist attacks have been fre- fi ghters. “Denouncing everybody from the Catholic Garissa university reopened in the attack itself when it was left to by a senior police offi cer who had quent and deadly while in Somalia, Some estimate that as many as 180 church, to the media... to foreign countries as January but few of the former stu- ordinary folk to organise memorial commandeered the force aeroplane Kenyan soldiers have been killed and soldiers died in the El-Adde raid but enemies of the people of Burundi is not going to dents were willing to return. vigils. for a family excursion. their commanders accused of war the government has so far refused to get us to a successful dialogue,” Malinowski told Prayers and candlelight vigils The security response to Garissa As with Westgate there has been no profi teering through involvement in give any numbers or name the dead. a news conference in Bujumbura.

Zimbabwe banks have ‘credible plans’ to sell Mandela peer joins chorus stakes to locals urging Zuma to resign oreign banks operating in Zimbabwe have sub- Fmitted credible plans Agencies on how they intend to trans- Johannesburg fer majority shares to locals, the country’s fi nance minis- ter said yesterday, reducing n anti-apartheid activist jailed the chances the government alongside Nelson Mandela yester- could cancel their licences. Aday called on Jacob Zuma to step Under an Indigenisation and down, adding pressure on South Africa’s Economic Empowerment Act president to quit after a court ruled he all foreign companies operat- acted dishonestly over improper state ing in Zimbabwe were given a spending at his private home. March 31 deadline to sell at least Echoing similar calls from opposition 51% of their holdings or have parties, Ahmed Kathrada said in a letter their licences cancelled, part published yesterday that Zuma’s resig- of President Robert Mugabe’s nation would give the country’s govern- black empowerment drive. ment the chance to recover from “a crisis Finance Minister Patrick of confi dence”. Chinamasa said empowerment “In the face of such persistently wide- plans from Barclays Plc, Stand- spread criticism, condemnation and de- ard Chartered Plc, Old Mutual mand, is it asking too much to express Plc and its two banking sub- the hope that you will choose the correct sidiaries as well as South Afri- way that is gaining momentum, to con- ca’s Standard Bank and African sider stepping down?” Kathrada asked in banking group Ecobank were the letter, dated March 31. consistent with the law. Mandela and Kathrada were among “I am pleased to advise that eight African National Congress (ANC) Kathrada … moral compass . all the aff ected foreign-owned activists sentenced to life imprisonment fi nancial institutions operat- after being convicted of trying to over- The scandal is arguably the biggest yet ing in Zimbabwe have sub- throw the apartheid government during to hit Zuma, who has fended off accusa- mitted credible indeginisa- the 1963-1964 Rivonia Trial. tions of corruption, infl uence peddling tion plans before the deadline South Africa’s top court on Thurs- and rape since before he took offi ce in of the March 31, 2016,” China- day held that Zuma had failed to uphold 2009. masa said in a statement. the constitution by ignoring instruc- Speaking on Talk Radio 702, Kath- Chinamasa is leading ef- tions to pay back some of the $16mn in rada Foundation Director Neeshan Bal- forts to end Zimbabwe’s iso- state funds spent on renovations at his ton confi rmed publication of the letter, lation from the West and try- sprawling residence at Nkandla. which was ran on media websites. ing to woo the International In a televised address to the nation on In his letter dated March 31 Kathrada Monetary Fund, which has Friday evening, 73-year-old Zuma apol- asked if Zuma did not think that his con- previously said the govern- ogised and said he would pay back some tinued stay would deepen the crisis of ment should ease up its eco- of the money, as ordered, and that he confi dence in the government. nomic empowerment law to never knowingly or deliberately set out “Today I appeal to our president to attract investment. to violate the constitution. submit to the will of the people and re- His comments come two He made no reference to calls for him sign,” read the letter published in local days after another cabinet min- to resign, led domestically by Democrat- media. ister said most foreign banks ic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane and “I know that if I were in the president’s and mining companies in Zim- the Economic Freedom Fighters party led shoes, I would step down with immedi- babwe had not complied with by Julius Malema. ate eff ect,” Kathrada wrote. Thursday’s deadline to transfer The opposition also launched im- Kathrada, held, like Mandela, as a po- majority shares to locals. peachment proceedings against Zuma litical prisoner on Robben Island, asked Under the empowerment but these are unlikely to be successful if Zuma was aware that his “outstand- rules, foreign-owned fi nancial because of the ANC’s strong majority in ing contribution to the liberation strug- services companies will have to parliament. gle stands to be severely tarnished if the sell at least 20% of shares di- The ANC’s top leadership said it was remainder of your term as president rectly to locals, while empow- united behind its leader, though the continues to be dogged by crises, and a erment credits, such as fund- 86-year-old Kathrada’s intervention growing public loss of confi dence in the ing for agriculture and youth may carry weight within the party, which ANC and government as a whole.” and women programmes, has governed the country since apartheid Zuma, 73, whose second presidential make up the balance. ended in 1994. term ends in 2019, has also faced scath- Mugabe’s black eco- The calls for Zuma to quit dominated ing criticism over his friendship with nomic empowerment drive local newspaper headlines and got high- the wealthy Gupta family who are said has unsettled foreign inves- profi le play abroad. to have undue infl uence over his govern- tors, some of whom fear that “It is a shame that the ANC is allow- ment. Harare could grab their assets ing its moral and political authority to be But the Nkandla scandal became a in the same way that the gov- so grievously eroded by Zuma, instead symbol of alleged widespread corruption ernment has seized more than of bringing his corrupt presidency to an and greed within the ANC party, which 6,000 farms from white com- end,” The New York Times wrote in an has ruled since Mandela won the fi rst mercial farmers since 2000. editorial on Friday. post-apartheid elections in 1994. Gulf Times 14 Sunday, April 3, 2016 AMERICAS Nuclear summit ‘Viking’ settlement discovered in Canada

AFP iron work, as well as traces of Toronto charcoal, slag and roasted bog iron. Vikings used bog iron to rchaeologists using make nails that held their satellite imagery said wooden ships together. AFriday they have dis- A lack of any artifacts at the covered what is believed to be site is also telling because Vi- a second Viking settlement in king tools were mostly made of North America on the south- wood and iron. Over the centu- west tip of Canada’s New- ries wood would have decayed foundland province. and iron likely would have been Experts tracked down the melted down to make some- site on the island’s Point Rosee thing else. peninsula and began excavat- “Typically in archaeology, ing it last June. you only ever get to write a A documentary about their footnote in the history books, fi ndings is to be aired next but what we seem to have at week on Britain’s BBC and Point Rosee may be the begin- the United States’ PBS public ning of an entirely new chap- broadcasters. ter,” Parcak says in the docu- In a statement archaeolo- mentary. gists involved in the project To date, the only confi rmed said the search was inspired Viking site in the Americas is by Norse oral histories that a thousand-year-old tempo- Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with US President Barack Obama after the start of the second and final plenary session of the Nuclear Security Summit in described lost Viking settle- rary settlement at L’Anse aux Washington on Friday. ments. Meadows, about 700km away The researchers, including on the northern tip of New- space archaeologist Sarah Par- foundland. cak of the University of Ala- The settlement, which had bama at Birmingham, archae- been abandoned after just a ologist Douglas Bolender of the few years, was discovered in University of Massachusetts in 1960. Boston and a team of Canadian Since then, archaeologists experts, began by identifying have been searching for evi- hundreds of possible sites on dence of other Viking expedi- the Canadian and US eastern tions. Chicago teachers seaboard using satellite im- Current thinking suggests agery. a brief but failed colonisation That was eventually nar- attempt by the Vikings. rowed down to one promis- If confirmed, the new site ing location in Newfoundland could point to an earlier, where imagery showed an out- longer and deeper foray into line of remnants of turf walls the New World by Europeans and other structures buried in — at least 500 years before strike over funding the soil, based on vegetation the arrival of Christopher Co- growth. lumbus. Funding for teachers has become a ple that deserve and are entitled to a strike in 2012, accused Rauner of attempt- are tired of not having a contract for 10 or The subsequent dig un- The excavation is scheduled party battleground real future,” Chicago Teachers Union ing to destroy Chicago’s schools. 12 months.” earthed a stone hearth used for to resume this summer. president Karen Lewis shouted to thou- Schools chief executive Forrest Clay- Fast food, airport and university work- Reuters sands of union members at the rally and pool fi led a complaint with a state la- ers joined in the demonstrations on Fri- Chicago march. bour panel in an attempt to block future day, and the afternoon rally closed streets The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are union walk-outs of this type and to seek around the state’s James R Thompson at the centre of a power struggle between reimbursement to CPS for strike-related Center in downtown Chicago. housands of Chicago teachers Illinois’ Republican governor Bruce Raun- costs. The protests focused on a nine-month White House and other union workers marched er, who wants to weaken unions and take Also on Friday, Illinois’ Democratic at- state budget standoff between Rauner and Tthrough downtown Chicago on Fri- control of the district, and union-backed torney general Lisa Madigan said the state Democrat lawmakers that also has aff ected day afternoon after a day-long strike to Democrats who control the state legisla- does not have the authority to take over funding for social service programs and intruder caught demand a contract and more money for ture. CPS and to block its ability to borrow, an public universities. education while school offi cials moved to Both the union and CPS management opinion Claypool said should put Rauner’s Because of the budget impasse, the dis- block future walk-outs. want the state to rescue under-funded CPS takeover pursuits “to rest”. trict’s call for $480mn in state assistance after scaling fence The teachers picketed schools in the Chicago teachers’ pension plans and to Chicago teachers have worked without a to make a required June pension payment country’s third-largest district, which overhaul the state school-funding formula contract since July. for teachers has gone unanswered. has a $1.1bn defi cit and because of its low so the system gets more money. Erik Young, a social studies teacher at Chicago’s Democratic mayor Rahm Reuters yesterday. It was not imme- credit rating must pay crippling interest A target of Friday’s protests, Rauner King College Preparatory High School, Emanuel, who controls the school system, Washington diately clear if he was at the rates to borrow money. The strike aff ected called the strike illegal. “It’s shameful that raised his fi sts in the air as motorists opposed the strike. White House when the person close to 400,000 students. Chicago’s children are the victims in this honked horns to show support for the “I don’t want to see our kids punished scaled the fence. “We are here for not only the children raw display of political power,” he said in picket line outside the school. on their education. They get one shot at n intruder late on Fri- There were no indications of Chicago. We’re here for the young a statement. “We have so many issues,” Young said. it. I believe they belong in the classroom, day threw a backpack from the Secret Service that adults of Chicago. We’re here for peo- Lewis, who led a seven-day teachers’ “Hopefully it sends the message that we learning,” Emanuel said. Aover the White House the intruder’s backpack con- fence and then climbed over tained any weapon. the barrier before being de- The last time a person tained by Secret Service jumped the fence at the White agents, a spokesman for the House was on Thanksgiv- agency said. ing Day in November, when The intruder was detained a Connecticut man wearing Court revives challenge to police immediately after scaling the an American flag scaled the north fence at the president’s north fence and was quickly residence, Secret Service caught. spokesman Robert Hoback In 2014, an Army vet- said in an e-mail. eran carrying a folded knife ‘bite & hold’ policy for dogs The individual was charged climbed the White House with unlawful entry and trans- fence and pushed his way into ported to Washington’s Met- the executive mansion before Reuters In a 2-1 decision, the appeals panel ruled alarm she inadvertently tripped, arrived The handler, sergeant Bill Nulton, later ropolitan Police Department, his arrest. Los Angeles that a reasonable jury could fi nd that po- with a police dog and found the door to told Lowry she was “very lucky” because Hoback said. It marked one of the most licemen called to investigate a burglar Lowry’s darkened second-fl oor offi ce his dog “could have ripped your face off ”, Hoback did not immediately signifi cant breaches of White alarm the woman had set off used exces- propped open. according to the account. provide the name of the person House security during the woman who was sleeping off a sive force when they “unleashed a police According to an account detailed in Nulton said in a deposition that police detained. Obama administration, and night of drinking on her offi ce dog that the offi cers believed was likely to court documents, the dog’s handler dogs are trained to enter a building when President Barack Obama was led to criticism of the Secret Acouch when attacked by a police rip a person’s face off ”. shouted: “This is the San Diego Police De- they are unleashed and to bite the fi rst per- in Washington for a nuclear se- Service by lawmakers in the US dog has won reinstatement of her lawsuit The ruling, which has implications for partment! Come out now or I’m sending in son they fi nd and hold that bite until called curity summit on Friday and congress. challenging the San Diego police depart- law enforcement across the US West, al- a police dog! You may be bitten!” off . ment’s policy of unleashing its canines to lows the complaint brought by Sara Lowry After repeating the warning without a The dissenting appellate judge wrote “bite and hold” suspects during a search. to proceed to trial. reply, he unleashed the dog, which ran into that reinstating the suit means any offi cer A three-judge panel of the 9th US cir- Her suit stems from an ordeal that began the offi ce, pounced onto the couch and at- in the nine-state Western region encom- cuit court of appeals on Friday reversed February 11, 2010, when Lowry returned to tacked Lowry, tearing open her upper lip. passed by the 9th Circuit who releases a a lower court’s dismissal of the lawsuit, her workplace after consuming fi ve vodka Spotting the woman with his fl ashlight, police dog and follows with a fl ashlight LA man charged which claims bite-and-hold tactics em- drinks in an evening with friends and fell the offi cer called the dog back to his side. in search of a suspect could “wind up in ployed by police violated her constitu- asleep beneath a blanket on the offi ce But by then, Lowry was bleeding pro- trial”. tional protection against unreasonable couch. fusely from a wound that would take three San Diego police declined comment on with killing gay son search and seizures. Three policemen, responding to the stitches to close. the case.

Reuters out bail, faces life in prison Los Angeles without parole if he is con- victed. According to prosecutors, Killer’s home available on rent during GoP convention Los Angeles area man police found Shehada’s son has been charged with Amir Issa shot dead outside Amurdering his son, who of the family’s house in North Reuters 1978 committed his fi rst murder is in Bath, of the murders took place after he moved highway”. By Friday afternoon, the Dah- he had previously threatened Hills, California, on March 29. Cleveland Ohio, 26 miles south of Cleveland, where the there. The listing by Howard Hanna, the mer sentence had been removed. to kill because he was gay, Shehada Issa had threatened convention is scheduled to be held in July. offi cial real estate broker for the conven- Julia Domenick, the listing agent at prosecutors said. to kill his son on prior occa- The listing on a real-estate company website tion, had been up since February and ini- Hanna, could not be reached for comment. Shehada Issa, 69, was sions because he was gay, they he Ohio childhood home of se- initially included a reference to Dahmer but tially included the fact that the three-bed- In 1978, at age 18, Dahmer killed a teen- charged in Los Angeles County said. rial killer Jeff rey Dahmer, available on Friday that was removed and the price room, two-bathroom, 2,170-square-foot aged hitchhiker, then dismembered and Superior Court on Friday with The body of Amir’s mother Tfor rent in time for the Republican had been increased to $10,000 a month. home was once occupied by Dahmer. buried the body in a shallow grave behind willful, deliberate and pre- was found inside the house, National Convention this summer, could Dahmer was convicted in 1992 in the It had described the house as a “mid- the Bath house. meditated murder in the death but the investigation into her have been had for $8,000 a month until murder and dismemberment of 17 boys century modern home with a true park- Homeowner Chris Butler, a mem- of his 29-year-old gay son, death is ongoing, according to Friday afternoon, when the price went up and men, some of whom he ate, over a pe- like setting. Smoking and animals okay. ber of the Akron-based punk band The the Los Angeles County Dis- the district attorney. and references to the infamous criminal riod of 14 years. He was beaten to death in This is Jeff rey Dahmer’s childhood home. Waitresses, bought the house in 2005 for trict Attorney’s Offi ce said in a North Hills is a community came down. 1994 by another prison inmate while serv- Close to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, $295,000 after its history was disclosed. statement. of 57,000 people about 40km The home where Dahmer grew up and in ing 15 life terms in Wisconsin, where most Montrose shopping. Easy access to I-77 He could not be reached for comment. Issa, who is being held with- northwest of Los Angeles. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 15 ASEAN Gunmen on speedboat kidnap Malaysian ship crew

AFP was returning to Malaysia Kuala Lumpur from the Philippines. Many Western and other embas- sies routinely issue warnings unmen on a speedboat against travelling to most of have kidnapped four the Philippines’ southern re- GMalaysians from a ship gions, which lie just northeast off the east coast of Sabah of Sabah, because of the risk state in waters where Abu of being abducted by the Abu Sayyaf militants are known to Sayyaf. operate, the Malaysian gov- On Tuesday, offi cials said ernment said yesterday. that 10 Indonesian sailors had If the Philippine group is been kidnapped in waters off confi rmed to be behind the the southern Philippines. kidnapping, it would be their The incident was believed to second such hostage-taking have happened last Saturday. in as many weeks and comes The Philippine military said amid an uptick in such attacks. initial information indicated “Malaysia strongly con- the sailors may have been tak- demns the senseless and bar- en by an Abu Sayyaf faction to baric act,” a foreign ministry Sulu, a remote southern island statement said. that is a hideout of the militant Vietnam’s newly elected President Tran Dai Quang (right) is greeted by his predecessor Truong Tan Sang after he was elected the country’s new president by the National Assembly The ministry added it would outfi t. during a ceremony at Parliament House in Hanoi yesterday. work closely with Philippine Someone claiming to be authorities on investigations from Abu Sayyaf called the and towards securing the Ma- vessel’s owners to demand a laysians’ release. ransom for the sailors’ release. Philippine regional army Other recent kidnappings, spokesman Felimon Tan said including of two Canadian the military was verifying tourists and a Norwegian re- the reported kidnapping af- sort owner in areas previously ter Malaysian authorities in- considered beyond the group’s Vietnam swears in top formed them of the incident reach, have further raised on Friday. fears. “Whether or not they were Last year, Malaysian Ber- seized by the Abu Sayyaf or nard Then was kidnapped brought to the Philippines, we from a seaside restaurant in have yet to confi rm,” Tan said. Sabah, about 300 kilometres Sabah police commissioner from the Abu Sayyaf’s Jolo policeman as president Abdul Rashid Harun told Ma- stronghold. He was later killed laysia’s offi cial news agency by the group. Presidency part of country’s mality since he was the only consensus, with big decisions arms embargo. A resolution ap- low at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Bernama that authorities were The Abu Sayyaf has staged joint leadership; Quang’s candidate put forward by the reached in secret by its 19-mem- proving Quang’s presidency was Ishak Institute, said Quang may still investigating if the kid- cross-border raids into Malay- security clout could insulate party’s fi ve-yearly congress in ber politburo. backed by 460 of the 465 law- aspire to rise further up the pow- napping occurred in Malaysian sia before, including in April party: expert January. Quang, 59, is a police general makers who cast votes yesterday. er chain and his clout among the or international waters. 2000 when gunmen seized The outgoing National As- who hails from the Ministry of He swore his loyalty to the party security apparatus could come “The area is vast and we 21 European and Asian tour- Reuters sembly is overseeing the transi- Public Security, an organisation and people. in handy. have our assets there. So we ists from a dive resort. They Hanoi tion to a new government three with broad powers and a remit Among his fi rst duties will be “Party leaders may see the se- are investigating whether it were released in batches after months earlier than scheduled. that includes intelligence gath- meeting US counterpart Barack lection of Mr Quang as a safe bet happened in or off our waters,” a ransom was paid the follow- Vietnam has no paramount ering and thwarting domestic Obama in May, the fi rst visit to due to his public security back- he was quoted as saying by ing year. ietnam’s parliament ruler and is offi cially led by a and foreign threats to the party. Vietnam by a US president in a ground, and that he will be able Bernama. Founded in the 1990s with swore in Tran Dai Quang triumvirate of president, prime It has been a focus of Western decade. Obama’s trip will cap to protect the regime at a time “The fi ve other individuals the help of late Al Qaeda mas- Vas president yesterday, minister and Communist Party pressure on Vietnam to improve off a two-year charm off ensive when the party is coming under in the ship comprising Myan- termind Osama Bin Laden, the elevating the head of a contro- chief, although experts say the its human rights record and stop by Washington that has coin- increasing pressure for political mar and Indonesian nationals Abu Sayyaf has been blamed versial internal security agency presidency is more ceremonial arrests, harassment and impris- cided with Hanoi’s deteriorating changes,” Hiep said. were released.” for some of the Philippines’ to one of the communist nation’s than the other posts. onment of activists in return for ties with communist neighbour On Quang’s presidency, he Malaysia’s foreign ministry worst terror attacks, including most powerful political posts. The party runs Vietnam’s closer trade and defence ties, China. said: “It’s highly possible that it said the kidnapping occurred bombings and kidnappings for Quang’s approval was a for- complex political system by including the full lifting of a US Le Hong Hiep, a visiting fel- is just a stepping stone for him.” while the MV Masfi ve 6 barge ransom. Anti-govt Scandal-hit 1MDB fi nanced Actor in protesters court over march Wolf of Wall Street, says report drugs

DPA AFP Agencies Kuala Lumpur New York Singapore

rotesters yestrday gath- ome of the money to make alaysian actor Tony Eu- ered in central Kuala the hit movie The Wolf of soff was brought before PLumpur to call for a halt in SWall Street was allegedly Ma court in Singapore on the implementation of the goods laundered from a scandal-hit Thursday (March 31) after he was and services tax (GST) and to de- Malaysian fi rm founded by allegedly found to be in posses- mand the resignation of Prime the country’s leader, the Wall sion of drugs, Straits Times re- Minister Najib Razak over cor- Street Journal reported. ported. ruption allegations. Embattled Malaysian Prime Berita Harian reported on Chanting “No to GST” Minister Najib Razak has been Friday that the actor, whose and “Najib Out,” the rallyists under fi re over allegations that real name is Anthony Joseph marched in an open park in Kuala hundreds of millions of dollars Anak Hermas Rajiman, 38, was Lumpur under the watchful eyes were stolen from state fund charged with the possession of of hundreds of security forces. 1Malaysia Development Berhad Class A drugs under the Drug Organisers estimated the (1MDB), and his acceptance of Abuse Act. number of protesters at between a $681mn overseas payment. It said that Tony is believed to 3,500 and 5,000, but police esti- Both Najib and the now have owned a packet containing mated the crowd at between 700 debt-stricken company no less than 4.56g of vegetable and 1,000. strongly deny any wrongdoing. substance that was analysed and Speakers took turns to de- According to the WSJ, it took found to contain traces of can- nounce the goods and services six years to produce the movie, nabis. tax, which was implemented last which stars Leonardo DiCap- He was charged with posses- year to boost government rev- rio and is directed by Martin sion of the drugs at the Immigra- enues, as a heavy burden on the Scorsese, because Hollywood tion and Checkpoints Author- ordinary people. studios were reluctant to invest ity bus arrival hall at the Tuas “Instead of the GST, the gov- in an R-rated movie about fi - checkpoint on March 12. ernment should stop wasteful nancial corruption. The Sarawakian-born actor spending and curb corruption,” A small production company was said to be in Singapore to said Aaliyah Madi, one of the called Red Granite Pictures, fi lm an upcoming drama. protesters. which had made only one mov- Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been under fire over allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars were stolen from Previously, Tony had played Augustine Loorthusamy, ie, came up with the more than state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). the lead character, Tan Sri P another protester, said Najib $100mn needed to turn the fi lm Ramlee, in P Ramlee The Mu- should step down immediately into reality, the newspaper said which the Journal identifi es unnamed people familiar with a life fi lled with sex and drugs ments, but his government sical, staged at the Istana Bu- because he is no longer a credible in its report Friday. as Najib’s stepson — as the the probes. FBI agents have is- by swindling investors in a se- later acknowledged Najib was daya. leader, having been accused of Global investigators believe company co-founder and co- sued subpoenas to several cur- curities scam. Belfort went to the recipient of $681mn, say- He had also gone on to play pocketing millions of dollars in much of that money was di- chairman. rent and former Red Granite prison after pleading guilty to ing it was a gift from the Saudi the artist in the two-part biopic government funds. “He is a dis- verted from 1MDB, an invest- Investigators in two coun- employees and to a bank and an fraud and stock market ma- royal family - most of which Saloma: Mencari Guruh and credited leader,” Loorthusamy ment vehicle founded in 2009 tries believe that some $155mn accounting fi rm the company nipulation. was given back - to “promote Saloma: Pandang Kaseh. said. “He no longer has the moral by Najib with the stated goal that originated with 1MDB used, the Journal added. On the 1MDB allegations, moderate religion”. If found guilty, Tony could be ascendancy to lead this nation.” of stimulating local economic moved into Red Granite in 2012 The Wolf of Wall Street is Najib claims he is a victim of That explanation is yet to be jailed up to 10 years, fi ned up to Najib has been facing calls growth, according to the story. through an intricate route in- based on the life of Jordan Bel- political conspiracy. confi rmed by Saudi Arabia and $20,000 or both. for his resignation since July The Red Granite Pictures volving off shore shell compa- fort, who in the 1990s became He initially denied reports is widely dismissed in Malaysia The case will be mentioned last year. website names Riza Aziz -- nies, the newspaper said, citing a wealthy stock broker living he received the overseas pay- as a cover story. again on April 12. Gulf Times 16 Sunday, April 3, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA US ‘planning’ Pillow fight a third patrol in S China Sea

Reuters freedom of navigation exercise is tinely shadowed by Chinese Washington unlikely to be conducted by a car- ships and regular communica- rier like the Stennis, but rather by tions with Chinese vessels have a smaller ship, the source said. often been tense. he US Navy plans to con- Experts predict the next US News of the planned exercise duct another passage near challenge to the various claims comes a day after US President Tdisputed islands in the in the South China Sea could oc- Barack Obama met with Chinese South China Sea in early April, cur near Mischief Reef, a feature President Xi Jinping at a nuclear a source familiar with the plan claimed by the Philippines and summit in Washington. said in Washington on Friday, the which was submerged at high During the meetings, Xi told third in series of challenges that tide before China began a dredg- Obama that China would not have drawn sharps rebukes from ing project to turn it into an is- accept any behaviour in the dis- China. land in 2014. guise of freedom of navigation The exact timing of the exer- Mischief Reef is now the site that violates its sovereignty, in a cise and which ship would travel of one of three military-length clear warning to the US. inside a 12-nautical mile limit airfi elds China has built on man- Chinese Foreign Ministry around a disputed island was not made islands in the Spratly Is- spokesman Hong Lei told Reuters immediately clear. lands archipelago. yesterday that China opposed The US has conducted what US Navy ships regularly patrol any such exercise. it calls “freedom of navigation” the South China Sea, through “China consistently respects exercises in recent months, sail- which more than $5tn of world and supports the freedom of ing near disputed islands to un- trade travels every year. China navigation and fl y over that all derscore its right to navigate the claims most of the area, and Vi- countries’ enjoy in the South seas. US Navy offi cials have said etnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the China Sea under international they plan to conduct more and Philippines and Taiwan have ri- law, but resolutely opposes any increasingly complex exercises in val claims. country using so-called ‘free- Hong Kongers participate in the sixth annual Hong Kong pillow fight on a streets in the Kowloon suburb yesterday. the future. In recent months, with ten- dom of navigation’ as an excuse The USS. Stennis carrier strike sions rising around China’s rec- to damage China’s sovereignty, group is currently operating in lamation activities, US ships security and maritime rights,” the South China Sea. The next have been frequently and rou- Hong said. Aussie far-right slammed Kim inspects new anti-aircraft weapon

AFP two-day nuclear security sum- faction over the successful test”, mit was being hosted by Barack calling it another striking dem- for anti-mosque banner Seoul Obama in Washington, at which onstration of the rapidly growing North Korea was the focus of defence capability of the country, Reuters mond was “divisive, ignorant and deeply of- Collingwood Football Club and the AFL to orth Korean leader Kim the US president’s talks with the KCNA said. Melbourne fensive”. (promote) absolute vile hatred,” he told re- Jong-Un has overseen leaders of China, South Korea Obama spoke Thursday of the “Our game has a history of egalitarianism porters yesterday. Nthe test of a new anti- and Japan. need to “vigilantly enforce the and inclusion, and we must make sure that it “We’re all sick of it and we’ve had enough aircraft weapon system, state Pyongyang’s offi cial KCNA strong UN security measures” he Australian Football League (AFL) continues to be a place where all Australians and we’re appalled by it.” media said yesterday, the lat- news agency said yesterday Kim imposed on the North after its and the Collingwood club have con- feel welcome,” he added. The AFL, Australia’s most fi nancially est in a series of missile trials as “guided the test of a new-type fourth nuclear test in January Tdemned fans who hung up a banner “The sentiment on that banner, and the successful professional football league, was tensions run high on the divided anti-air guided weapon system” and a subsequent long-range reading “Go Pies! Stop the Mosques” dur- use of our game to push divisive and igno- embroiled in a racism debate which con- Korean peninsula. to check its capability. rocket launch. ing a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground rant commentary will be rejected by our vulsed the nation over the booing of Goodes, Over the past month the young “Under his observation, AA Pyongyang’s state media la- (MCG) on Friday night. supporters and our clubs.” a former Australian of the Year. leader has supervised several rockets were fi red to accurately belled the summit a “nonsensi- The banner, which also featured the in- Islam is the third largest religious group- The barracking of Goodes started after military drills, including the hit mock enemy aerial targets”, cal” eff ort to fi nd fault with the signia of far right group United Patriots ing in Australia with around 500,000 adher- he called security on a 13-year-old female test-fi rings of medium ballistic it said. North’s “legitimate access to nu- Front, was eventually taken down and the ents in a population of more than 23mn. Collingwood fan who called him an “ape” missiles, a multiple rocket sys- The South’s defence ministry clear weapons”. fans responsible removed from the ground Collingwood president and TV host Eddie during a game in 2013. tem and long-range artillery, in said the North fi red an anti-air Existing UN sanctions ban by stewards. McGuire, who was involved in racism row in McGuire condemned the remark and response to Seoul-Washington missile around 12.45pm (0345 North Korea from conducting AFL chief Gillon McLachlan said in a 2013 over a joke he made about indigenous apologised to Goodes on Collingwood’s joint army drills south of the GMT) on Friday from the eastern any ballistic missile test, al- statement yesterday that the banner dis- player Adam Goodes, said the fans respon- behalf but later the same week admitted to border. city of Sondok. though short-range launches played at the game between Collingwood, sible should be banned for life. “inadvertently” racially vilifying the player The latest launch came as a Kim “expressed great satis- tend to go unpunished. who are nicknamed the Magpies, and Rich- “We’re sick to death of people using the with a joke on a radio show.

Spring in the air China party journal lashes out at critics of anti-graft drive

Reuters Beijing

top magazine of China’s ruling Communist Party has lashed out at critics of its ongoing anti-cor- Aruption campaign, saying foreign media and indi- viduals from home and abroad are intentionally trying to discredit the eff ort as a political “power struggle”. Chinese President Xi Jinping has pursued a sweeping campaign to root out corruption since assuming power about three years ago, and has promised to strike hard at both senior and low-level offi cials, the “tigers” and “fl ies”. Nonetheless, there has been persistent speculation that the graft crackdown is also about Xi taking down his rivals. “Some foreign media and individuals take their own countries’ anti-corruption eff orts as a just display of rule of law, but see our anti-corruption work as a ‘power struggle’ that entails shadowy business,” the infl uential bimonthly journal Qiushi said. Domestically, there are also some people who “parrot” People stroll on an esplanade covered with cherry blossoms in full bloom in Tokyo. Viewing cherry blossoms is a national pastime and cultural event in Japan and millions turn out to these words, an article in the magazine’s latest issue re- admire them every year. leased this week said. “This kind of viewpoint is perhaps due to a misunder- standing of our anti-corruption eff orts, but even more it’s a kind of deliberate discrediting and distortion,” it said. Xi has warned the problem of corruption could threat- en the party’s ability to retain power. El Nino eff ect may cause ‘severe’ fl ooding on Yangtze River He has publicly rebuked criticism of the crackdown on graft, including during a state visit to the US last year, where he told business leaders in Seattle that it was not Reuters citing vice minister of water resources, Liu China has frequently been devastated by tion, the dam was designed for controlling a “House of Cards”-style power struggle, a reference to Beijing Ning. natural disasters, particularly by fl oods and the Yangtze’s water levels. the US remake of the British political drama that is popu- “Precipitation in the upper, middle and earthquakes that have claimed millions of The ongoing El Nino, a warming of sea- lar in China. lower reaches of the river is forecast to be as lives over the centuries. surface temperatures in the Pacifi c, has Several top offi cials have been felled in the campaign, evere fl oods are expected on China’s much as 80% more than normal from May to Flooding, an annual problem, has been ex- been linked to serious crop damage, forest including disgraced retired domestic security chief Zhou Yangtze River this year due to a strong August,” Xinhua said. acerbated by urban sprawl and poor drainage fi res and fl ash fl ood and drought around the Yongkang, the most senior leader to be ensnared in a graft SEl Nino weather pattern, state media Some Yangtze tributaries had already infrastructure in many cities. world. scandal since the party swept to power in 1949. said, raising the risk of deaths and damage to begun fl ooding and the fl ood control and Xinhua said 1,320 people died in the 1998 Experts have warned that changing glo- The article said some unnamed people would suggest property and crops along the country’s long- drought relief situation was “extremely se- fl oods, though estimates vary and some put bal climate leading to extreme weather will that the crackdown was “selective” because no “tigers” est waterway. vere”, Liu said, according to the offi cial news the death toll at more than 4,000. likely have an impact on the world’s most have been brought down in Beijing or Shanghai or certain The El Nino conditions are the strongest agency. Floods could be a test of the water man- important commodity crops - maize, soy- provinces. since records collection began in 1951, and Provinces and cities along the river need- agement capabilities of the controversial bean, wheat and rice. “From Communist Party institutions to the highest resemble a 1998 weather pattern that fl ood- ed to make contingency plans, Xinhua cited $59bn Three Gorges Dam, which was fi n- Most of the global production of these levels of the military, from central ministries to the prov- ed the river and killed thousands, the offi cial Wang Guosheng, the governor of central ished in 2012. four crops comes from a small number of inces and cities, there are no gaps in the anti-corruption,” Xinhua news agency said over the weekend, Hubei province, as saying. Along with power generation and naviga- countries such as China, the US and India. it said. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 17 BRITAIN/IRELAND Right wing march Transport Police to retain sex crime unit

Evening Standard of these crimes being reported. London According to fi gures re- leased by Transport for Lon- don, between last April and he British Transport December, there were 1,603 Police has halted plans reports of sex off ences on the Tto axe their sexual of- Tube, trains and buses in Lon- fences unit following an don, compared with 1,117 for Evening Standard investiga- the same period the previous tion into the closure. year. That is a rise of 43.5%. The specialist team, which On Wednesday, Labour was created to tackle unwant- mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan ed sexual behaviour on public spoke out against the BTP’s transport, was due to be dis- decision. banded as part of a structural “I was appalled about the review of the BTP. recent decision by British However, after the Stand- Transport Police to scrap the ard revealed the unit was be- sexual violence unit,” he said ing scrapped last week, the in a speech made in Brixton. BTP has announced an urgent “Reports of sexual off ences review of the decision, which on the London Underground could result in the unit being almost tripled over the past saved. fi ve years. Mark Newton, the BTP’s as- “As mayor I will take these sistant chief constable, said in problems seriously.” a statement: “Over the past A man has been arrested af- week, we have listened care- ter a motorist was killed by a Police surround anti-racism demonstrators as they block the route of a planned far right march through Dover, southern England, yesterday. fully to the views being ex- lorry as he got out of his car on pressed about the decision to the hard shoulder of the M25 absorb offi cers from the sexual after crashing into the central off ences unit in London into reservation. our wider crime investigation Detectives believe the male plans and acknowledge that victim hit the reservation be- this may unintentionally have tween junctions 29 and 28, caused concern. near Brentwood, and pulled “This concern undermines over to inspect the damage everything we are trying to when he was hit. achieve. The victim, who has not Mechanic jailed after “That is why we have decid- been named, was pronounced ed to halt any proposed chang- dead at the scene at about 9pm es to the sexual off ences unit on Thursday night. whilst we carry out an urgent The HGV driver is thought review of the implications of to have stopped briefl y but this decision, to see whether drove away before emergency it remains valid in light of the services arrived. Police were he made wife his slave feedback we have received.” appealing for the driver to Newton had previously de- come forward. This is the first domestic servitude “She described your behaviour as phys- for freedom in February 2014 after a vi- fended the decision to disband Yesterday, police arrested a prosecution ical and mental torture and in my judge- cious beating from Ahmed left her with a the unit. man, aged in his 20s, on sus- ment she was right.” broken nose. In an interview with the picion of causing death by Evening Standard Iram was just 18 when the couple wed in She ran into the street looking for help, Standard, he said: “We [at the careless driving. He has been London 2006 in an arranged marriage at her home and neighbours saw her being dragged BTP] are constantly reviewing bailed until early July. in Gurjat, in the Punjab region of Pakistan. back into the house. our capabilities across whole Police said the victim’s next She stay in her homeland until 2012 Police were called but because of Iram’s areas. [Sexual off ences] aren’t of kin have been informed but mechanic who drove his Pakistani to complete a Masters degree in Islamic poor English she struggle to lodge a formal going down the league table... formal identifi cation is yet to bride to the brink of suicide by Studies before moving to the UK on a complaint and her husband was released We have to change our investi- take place. Abeating her repeatedly and treating spouse visa. from custody. gative approach.” A post-mortem examina- her like a slave has been jailed for two years However, after moving into Ahmed’s She endured another six months under The move by the BTP came tion is underway at Queen’s yesterday. home which he shared with his mother, Ahmed’s reign before swallowing a hand- despite a jump in the number Hospital in Romford. Safraz Ahmed, 34, subjected Sumara she was soon put to work cooking and ful of painkillers in an apparent suicide Iram to regular bouts of violence as he cleaning under the threat of violence. bid. The court heard previous that she now forced her into domestic servitude in pun- She was forced to work on some days suff ers from post-traumatic stress disor- ishing 19-hour working days. from 5am to midnight, her mobile phone der and the ordeal has “ruined her life”. He made her wash in the garden and was confi scated and she was often locked Cathy Ryan, defending, said the mar- convinced her she would be raped, beaten inside the house when Ahmed went out. riage had been agreed in “good faith”, but The Queen’s Bentley and even murdered if she left the house, in He refused to have sex with his wife to Ahmed became frustrated by the situation Charlton - only allowing her out to do his consummate the marriage, saying she was he found himself in. shopping and take his nephew to school. Safraz Ahmed was sentenced to two years only there to make his parents happy, the “Her expectations were that she would on sale for £200,000 Iram’s ordeal was only ended when she at Woolwich Crown. court heard. have a happy and contented life with her took an overdose of painkillers, and while Prosecutor Caroline Haughey said husband and that she would be loved”, she recovering at her brother-in-law’s home treatment had turned his wife from a this led to the fi rst attack, when Ahmed said. Evening Standard she plucked up the courage to phone the “confi dent, well-educated and well-ad- “slapped her across the face and called her “To many it may seem her expectations London police. justed” into a woman who now feels “de- a shameless woman”. were unrealistic.” Ahmed was jailed at Woolwich crown humanised”. “The marriage was not consummated”, Ahmed initially denied conspiracy to court for two years, in the fi rst domestic “She was bullied and controlled by you, she added. “In his words, he told her he hold a person in domestic servitude, but royal Bentley which servitude prosecution in Britain involving given little money and expected to cook, had married her so she could look after his changed plea to guilty at the start of last ferried the Queen to a husband and wife. clean and look after your family as if she mother and his house.” month. He also admitted two counts of as- Aher Diamond Jubilee Judge Christopher Hehir said Ahmed’s was a skivvy”, he said. After two years, Iram fi nally made a bid sault occasioning ABH. celebrations has gone on sale. The second-hand Bentley The Queen’s former car is on Mulsanne was used to chauf- sale for £200,000 . feur the monarch between Windsor Castle and Bucking- the Queen rarely come to the ham Palace for two years. market, and also I am a huge Cocaine But it is now being sold in fan of her. Fundraising drive for little a rare opportunity for any- “This car was used to trans- one wishing to travel like port her on numerous occa- seized by the Queen – though the car sions throughout her Jubilee will set them back nearly year, including to the Cabinet £200,000. meeting at Downing Street girl hits target early Garda It was listed on the Auto and on the day of her Jubilee Trader website by its now celebrations in London.” owner Simon Gregg, a keen The Bentley, from 2012, has Evening Standard for a procedure to lengthen Bailey’s tendons, Agencies royalist and car collector, with just 6,000 miles on the clock London Walters-Lawrence is hopeful that the fund- Dublin a £199,850 price tag. and is described as being in raising will continue. Gregg, 40, told the Daily “immaculate condition”. It “I’m confi dent we’ll raise it,” she told the Mail: “I try to fi nd cars that boasts a tasteful green paint- four-year-old girl from north-west Standard. 35-year-old woman has have an interesting history. job, beige leather interior and London is set to undergo life-changing “We only found out that the aftercare been arrested following “This was a real fi nd for two an in-car entertainment sys- Asurgery after a £30,000 fundraising wouldn’t be funded three weeks ago. Athe seizure of an esti- reasons – fi rstly, cars used by tem. eff ort launched by her mother reached its tar- “We’ve done fun days, my mum shaved her mated €210,000 worth of drugs get with days to spare. head - went bald for Bailey, we’ve had baking on Friday night in Clondalkin, Teen has heart attack during PE Bailey Walters-Lawrence, who suff ers for Bailey, bowling for Bailey, we’re planning a according to the irishtimes.com. from cerebral palsy, will be operated on at the bike ride, a sponsored walk, a half marathon.” The Garda search of the home A teenager was rushed to hospital after he suff ered a heart attack end of next month as part of treatment to ease The family had just a month to fi nd the was conducted as part of an opera- during a PE lesson at school. The year nine pupil collapsed while painful muscle stiff ness caused by her illness. initial funding because the date for Bailey’s tion tackling the sale and supply of in the lesson at a community secondary school in Barnet, and Her mother Shermel had hoped she would operation was already set for this Spring, and controlled drugs in west Dublin. was reportedly given CPR by a teacher before paramedics and receive the care under an NHS clinical trial she had already undergone treatment in order The seizure was made follow- the air ambulance arrived on scene. The boy was taken to Royal but last month was told her daughter would to prepare her for the surgery. ing a planned search of a house Brompton Hospital, where he is said to be in a stable condition. not qualify because it ended in March. The family have hit their fundraising target An NHS England spokeswoman said Bailey at HarelawnPark, Clondalkin on JCoss head teacher Patrick Moriarty said: “A student was taken ill It left the family facing either a £30,000 bill was not selected for funding under the clini- Friday at about 9.30pm. Gardaí during a PE lesson shortly before lunch and passed out. for the surgery or a two-year wait until they aftercare, which includes intensive physi- cal trial due to limits on time and participant from the Ronanstowndrug unit “Paramedics were called and attended rapidly, and he has been could reapply for NHS funding. otherapy and hydrotherapy. numbers. were involved in the search. moved to hospital. His condition is now stable. “We have asked The dilemma prompted Walters-Lawrence But Walters-Lawrence told the Standard: “I She added: “Current evidence is limited, Gardaí seized cocaine with an students to remain in school so that the paramedics could work to start a community fundraising eff ort, feel amazing, I know it’s only half of the task but together with NICE we are exploring SDR estimated street value of up to without distraction, and as a result coaches have been delayed which thanks to friends and family has raised because we’ve got to raise money for the after- further through our innovative evaluation €170,000 and diamorphine es- in leaving at the end of the day.” A London Ambulance Service a staggering £31,650. care, but it feels amazing to have come this far. programme which off ers treatment to a lim- timated at €40,000 street value. spokesman said: “We were called at 12.13pm today to reports of It means Bailey, who lives in Kilburn with “I want to thank everybody who’s donated, ited number of patients who meet the clinical The woman is currently be- person collapsed at a school on Castlewood Road. siblings Kacey, one, and Shea, seven, and no matter how small or large. criteria. ing detained under Section 2 of “We sent a number of resources to the scene including a clinical dreams of one day playing for Arsenal ladies, “Bailey’s really excited that fi nally her wish “Not only does this enable these children to the Criminal Justice (Drug Traf- team leader, an advanced paramedic, an incident off icer and can be operated on to relieve her agony. can come true - she’ll be able to play football have potentially life-changing surgery, but it fi cking) Act 1996 at Ronanstown London’s Air Ambulance. The news comes as the family was dealt a and dance.” also provides a real opportunity to gather the Garda station. She is due to ap- “We treated a teenage boy in cardiac arrest. second blow after being told they would have Although the family still needs to fi nd vital evidence we need on the eff ectiveness of pear before a sitting of the Dub- “He was taken as a priority to a paediatric unit escorted by the to raise a further £15,000 to pay for Bailey’s £15,000 for aftercare and a further £10,000 the procedure, for the benefi t of our patients.” lin district court. doctor from London’s Air Ambulance.” Gulf Times 18 Sunday, April 3, 2016 EUROPE

Seven killed in Fighting breaks out in car crash in Spain

AFP disputed Azeri region Madrid AFP/DPA/Reuters immediate end to the fi ghting edly threatened to take back the Moscow along the frontline, the Kremlin breakaway region by force if ne- even people were killed said. gotiations fail to yield results. yesterday when two cars “President Putin calls on the Moscow-backed Armenia Scollided on a highway near new wave of fi ghting parties in the confl ict to observe says it could crush any off ensive. Figueras in the northeastern broke out in the disputed an immediate ceasefi re and ex- The last big fl are-up occurred Spanish region of Catalonia, of- ANagorno-Karabakh re- ercise restraint in order to pre- in November 2014 when Az- fi cials said. gion yesterday, killing at least a vent further casualties,” Kremlin erbaijan shot down an Armenian Five of the victims were trav- dozen servicemen and drawing spokesman Dmitry Peskov told military helicopter. elling at high speed in rainy international calls for an imme- Russian news agencies. US Vice-President Joe Biden conditions in a Volkswagen Golf diate ceasefi re to stop violence Foreign Minister Sergei Lav- met this week separately with when they crashed into a car tak- spreading in the South Cauca- rov and Defence Minister Sergei both Azerbaijan’s President Il- ing workers to a restaurant, Jordi sus. Shoigu held phone talks with ham Aliyev and the leader of Ar- Jane, director of the Catalan The major escalation of vio- their counterparts in Armenia menia, Serzh Sarkisian, as they interior department, told a tel- lence over the Nagorny Karaba- and Azerbaijan to urge a de-es- attended a nuclear summit in evised news conference. kh region prompted Russia and calation in the fi ghting. Washington. Jane said that none of the vic- the West to urge an immediate Meanwhile, mediators from He urged a peaceful settle- tims was wearing a seatbelt. ceasefi re. a group made up of representa- ment to the dispute. He added that €5,000 had The surge in fi ghting over the tives from Russia, the United Biden “expressed concern been discovered in the vehicle, disputed territory – which sepa- States, France and the Organisa- about continued violence, which crashed on a road leading ratist Armenian-backed forces tion for Security and Co-oper- called for dialogue, and empha- to the French border and dubbed captured from Azerbaijan in the ation in Europe (OSCE), which sised the importance of a com- the “bend of death” in local me- early 1990s – reportedly also This file photo taken on November 14, 2014 shows Armenian and Karabakh armed forces holding joint has been trying to negotiation prehensive settlement for the dia after a string of accidents claimed the lives of one Arme- military exercises at a training ground near the town of Tigranakert in the unrecognised Republic of a settlement, expressed “grave long-term stability, security, there. nian and one Azeri civilian after Karabakh. Arch-foes Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other yesterday of unleashing heavy concern”. and prosperity of the region”, the Regional road safety offi cials the arch foes accused each other weaponry across the front line of Nagorny Karabakh, in an apparent surge of violence in the festering James Warlick, the US co- White House said. said two of the fi ve in the Golf, of unleashing heavy weaponry dispute over the breakaway region. chair of the OSCE (Organisation German Foreign Minister aged between 19 and 22, were across the volatile front line. for Security and Co-operation in Frank-Walter Steinmeier, mean- French, two others Moroccan The two former Soviet repub- it had counter-attacked after Initial claims from the Arme- of Talysh as well as Seysulan vil- Europe) Minsk Group, which is while, called on them “to imme- and one Tunisian. lics have been fi ghting for dec- coming under fi re from “large- nian capital Yerevan were that lage” inside the Armenian-con- dedicated to fi nding a negotiated diately stop fi ghting”. The two restaurant work- ades over the Nagorno-Kara- calibre artillery and grenade- the fi ghting involved Azerbaijani trolled territory. solution to the regional confl ict, Azerbaijan frequently threat- ers killed were a Moroccan and bakh region, which is populated launchers”. forces and Armenian-backed Armenia, however, denied said the group is planning to ens to take Nagorno-Karabakh a Colombian, both in their 30s, primarily by Christian Armeni- Ethnic Armenian separatists separatist forces, but Azerbaijan that Azeri forces had gained meet on Tuesday to discuss the region back by force. who were on their way to a res- ans, but recognised by the UN as backed by Yerevan seized con- said it was battling “Armenian ground and rubbished claims confl ict. War erupted over Nagorno- taurant in Perthus in the French part of Azerbaijan. trol of the mountainous Nagorny forces”. from Baku that 100 of its troops The European Union’s foreign Karabakh in dying years of the Pyrenees. Nagorno-Karabakh has run Karabakh region in an early “Twelve Azeri servicemen had been killed in the clashes. policy chief Federica Mogherini Soviet Union, and killed about The 34-year-old Spanish its own aff airs with heavy mili- 1990s war that claimed some were killed in action and a heli- The Armenian-backed de- said that the reports of heavy 30,000 people. driver of their car was hospi- tary and fi nancial backing from 30,000 lives and the two sides copter was shot down by Ar- fence ministry in Karabakh said fi ghting were “deeply worrying” A ceasefi re was called in 1994 talised, his condition said to be Armenia since a separatist war have never signed a peace deal menian forces,” Azerbaijan’s a 12-year-old boy was killed and called on all sides to “avoid but violence has sporadically serious. ended in 1994. despite a 1994 ceasefi re. defence ministry said in a state- and two other children injured any further actions or state- broken out since. On March 20, 13 foreign- Armenia accused Azerbaijan They frequently exchange ment, adding that a tank had also on their side, while Azerbaijan’s ments that could result in esca- On Wednesday, US Secretary exchange students were killed of launching a “massive attack fi re across the front but the lat- been blown up on a landmine. foreign ministry said one Azeri lation”. of State John Kerry called for “an when the driver of their bus along the Karabakh frontline us- est episode marked a surge in The defence ministry claimed civilian died. Energy-rich Azerbaijan, ultimate resolution” of the con- crashed into an oncoming car ing tanks, artillery, and helicop- violence and sparked frantic Azeri forces “took control of the In a sign that the situation was whose military spending has fl ict between during talks with in southern Catalonia as they ters” on Friday night. appeals for peace from interna- strategic Lala-Tepe height” as spiralling, Russian President in the past exceeded Armenia’s Azeri President Ilham Aliyev at returned from a festival in the Azerbaijan, however, insisted tional powers. well as “heights near the village Vladimir Putin has called for an entire state budget, has repeat- the State Department. province of Valencia. The accidents are among the deadliest in Spain in recent years. Brussels airport to reopen today with security boost EU push for road AFP “participation in the activities of handling 800 to 1,000 passen- Brussels a terrorist group” over the plot. gers an hour. They man was named only as Feist has said it could take safety 35-year-old Y A, who according months to return to normal. russels Airport said it will to Belgian media was arrested in The airport shutdown has partially reopen today, 12 the centre of Brussels on Friday. wreaked havoc on the travel in- AFP Bdays after it was hit by Is- The main plot suspect is Reda dustry, triggering a drop in tour- Brussels lamic State (IS) suicide blasts, Kriket, who was arrested near ist arrivals and forcing thousands as Belgian prosecutors charged a Paris last week after police found of passengers to be rerouted to third suspect with terrorism over an arsenal of weapons and explo- other airports. here has been an “alarm- a foiled plot to attack France. sives at his home. In the tense Belgian capital ing” slowdown in EU road The fi rst three “symbolic Paris prosecutor Francois Mo- meanwhile, police were out in Tsafety improvements, fl ights” will begin departing lins said an imminent act of “ex- force on Friday, with water can- with 26,000 people killed last from this afternoon, Brussels treme violence” had likely been nons on the streets and a heli- year, little changed from 2014, Airport chief executive Arnaud prevented. copter hovering above after local and 135,000 seriously hurt, the Feist told reporters, adding that Brussels Airport had on Thurs- authorities banned an anti-Islam Belgian police try to stop a car European Commission said on travellers will be subject to ad- day already announced it was demonstration and any counter- driving towards a police road Thursday. ditional security checks as police “technically ready” to resume protests. block before the driver tried to The Commission, the EU’s had demanded. partial services after testing the Belgium has been on edge speed off and crashed into a executive arm, said these ac- “These fl ights are the fi rst tent-like new departure hall. since it emerged that several of woman on the street in the cidents cost the 28-nation bloc hopeful sign from an airport that But police unions held up the the attackers in the November Brussels district of Molenbeek. “at least” €100bn ($114bn) in is standing up straight after a restart, threatening to go on 13 gun and suicide bombings in healthcare and material repair cowardly attack,” Feist said. strike unless stricter checks were Paris came from Brussels. Right: Medical personnel help a but insisted its roads “remain Passengers will have to make introduced. The sole surviving Paris sus- woman who was struck by the the safest in the world”. use of a temporary check-in fa- A deal with the government pect, Salah Abdeslam, was ar- car that ran through a road “Every death or serious in- cility as the airport’s departure was reached late on Friday, clear- rested on March 18, just metres block. jury is one too many. We have hall was wrecked in the March ing the way for fl ights to resume. from his family home in Molen- achieved impressive results in 22 blasts that also struck a metro One of the biggest changes will beek. reducing road fatalities over station in Brussels and killed 32 be that from now only passengers His brother Mohamed visited the last decades but the cur- people. with tickets and ID documents him in prison in northern Bel- rent stagnation is alarming,” EU The attacks came just four days are allowed into the new depar- gium on Friday. Belgian Transport Commissioner Vio- after Belgium arrested the prime ture hall, and their bags will be He told France’s BFMTV that leta Bulc said. suspect in last November’s Paris checked before entering. Abdeslam told him he “voluntar- “I invite member states to step terror assaults and links have Cars headed for the airport ily chose not to blow himself up” police in up eff orts in terms of enforce- emerged between the attackers, will be screened and police will with the other IS bombers in the ment and campaigning. This exposing a web of cross-border carry out spot checks. attacks that killed 130 people. may have a cost but it is nothing Islamic militant networks. The fi rst scheduled fl ights He has denied having prior clashes compared to the €100bn social European authorities, under today will fl y to Athens, Turin knowledge about the Brussels at- cost of road fatalities and inju- pressure to crack down on home- and Faro and will be operated by tacks, even though he has links to ries,” Bulc said. grown extremists, have carried Brussels Airlines, Brussels Air- two of the bombers. with local out a number of raids and arrests port chief Feist said. Belgium is still desperately since then, several of them linked The number of fl ights will be searching for a mystery third Let it go, say police to a foiled plot to attack France. increased in coming days, al- man, known as “the man in the youths In the latest development in though the airport will be only hat”, who was seen on CCTV on fart case the case, Belgian prosecutors be able to work at 20% capacity footage next to the two airport have charged a third suspect with using the temporary structures, bombers. Reuters A Swedish woman filed a police Brussels when police fi red water cannon There were water cannons in complaint after a rejected to break up around 450 rowdy place but not used. and vindictive suitor broke protesters, many of whom lo- At one point, Reuters report- wind as he stormed out of her elgian police made a se- cal media said were right-wing ers said a car approached the apartment, but police found no ries of arrests of right- nationalists. police line, was hit by police ba- proof of intent – not a whiff – and Bwing and anti-racist pro- Police said a number of ex- tons and in speeding away, hit a dismissed the case. testers in Brussels yesterday, treme-right protesters never- woman. The woman, a resident of the and riot squads engaged in a theless did arrive in Molenbeek. Two local youths were de- Laholm municipality in southern tense confrontation with local At least seven were detained. tained for public order off ences. Sweden, told the online edition youths in the district of Molen- “There was a protest expect- In the centre of the city, po- of daily Hallandsposten on beek. ed by the extreme right, so there lice held around 10 anti-racist Thursday that the man had been The stand-off grew out of a large group of (local) youths activists who had assembled invited into her home for sex. plans by a far-right group to gathered and then at a point we near the bourse, where fl owers, Once inside she had a change of hold a demonstration in Molen- had 300 to 400 surrounding the candles and fl ags have been laid heart and turned him down. But beek, a largely Muslim neigh- police station,” a police spokes- in memory of the 32 victims of before leaving, the disgruntled bourhood where a number of man said. the March 22 suicide bombings man left her with a malodorous the militants who staged at- Around 200 riot police stood at the city’s airport and metro. memento. tacks in Paris had been based. guard in Molenbeek and there Belgian television later “It smelled awful,” she wrote in An anti-racist group had called was a tense stand-off with the showed some 30 far-right her police complaint, asking for a for a counter-demonstration. local youths, mostly of North marchers in an outer suburb harassment charge to be pressed Both were banned by local African origin, one of whom of the Belgian capital, holding against the man, which would Belgian police off icers and soldiers control the access to Brussels’ main airport in Zaventem, Belgium, in authorities, fearful of a repeat hurled a rubbish bin towards a banner reading: “This is our carry a fine or prison sentence of this picture taken on Friday. of last Sunday’s disturbance, the police. country.” up to one year. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 19 EUROPE

Belgium wants migrants to sign integration pledge Non-EU migrants wishing to live in Belgium will have to sign a statement declaring their Greece and Turkey brace acceptance of local values or see their residency claim rejected, a government off icial said, in a move campaigners fear will fuel anti-immigrant sentiment. Parliament is expected to pass the proposal to introduce a “newcomers statement” in the for deported migrants next few months, according to a spokesman for Belgium’s AFP secretary of state for asylum and Athens/Istanbul migration, Theo Francken, who drafted the plan. People moving to Belgium for reek authorities were more than three months would gearing up yesterday to have to sign the statement which Gsend hundreds of failed includes a pledge to prevent and asylum-seekers back to Turkey, report any attempts to commit which is racing to set up recep- “acts of terrorism”. tion centres under a controver- The statement would not apply to sial EU migrant deal. asylum-seekers and students, the “Planning is in progress,” spokesman said. Yiorgos Kyritsis, spokesman for “(Many people) are coming Greece’s refugee co-ordination (to Belgium) from countries unit, told AFP as Greek state with other values,” Francken’s news agency ANA said some 750 spokesman Laurent Mutambayi migrants would be sent back be- told the Thomson Reuters tween tomorrow and Wednesday, Foundation by telephone from the fi rst wave of deportations Brussels. “If they want to build under the much-criticised deal. their life here in Europe (we have) ANA said that the migrants no problem with that but they would be sent back from the is- have to sign this statement that land of Lesbos to the Turkish port they accept our values.” of Dikili, adding that EU border Mutambayi said that those who agency Frontex had chartered are not deemed to be integrating two Turkish leisure vessels for suff iciently will not be allowed to the operation. stay in the country. There will be one Frontex agent Above: Migrants and refugees The question of integration has onboard for every single migrant, block the highway near the dominated news headlines in ANA said. Kyritsis declined to town of Polykastro yesterday Europe which received more comment on the report. to demand the opening of the than 1mn people last year fleeing On the other side of the Aegean Greek-Macedonian border. conflict and poverty in the Middle – a sea crossed this year alone East and beyond. by more than 150,000 people Right: This February 28 picture Mutambayi said last month’s searching for a new life in Europe shows a Turkish coastguard fast suicide bombings at Brussels – work is underway on a centre rigid-hulled inflatable boat Airport and on a metro train in the Turkish tourist resort of towing a dinghy filled with which killed 35 people reinforced Cesme to host those sent back, refugees and migrants in the with families from staying there. m area by the Ulusoy harbour in the argument for the integration the town’s mayor Muhittin Dal- Turkish territorial waters of the On Friday, hundreds of mi- Cesme, mayor Dalgic was quoted statement. gic said. North Aegean Sea, following a grants walked out of a registra- as saying by the Anatolia news Islamic State claimed Another readmission centre is failed attempt at crossing to the tion centre on Chios following agency. responsibility for the attacks. being created in Dikili opposite Greek island of Chios, off the fresh violence, prompting a lead- The centre will have tents for One of the Belgian organisations Lesbos, which like neighbouring shores of Izmir, Turkey. ing medical charity to pull out its fi nger-printing migrants, regis- working with migrants criticised islands has seen a massive infl ux staff . tering them as well as sanitation the proposal, saying it was of refugees and migrants fl eeing Left: Greek farmers block the Many of them headed to the facilities, he said. discriminatory and would fuel confl ict and poverty in the Mid- road during a protest yesterday port hoping to reach ships head- But Turkish offi cials said such prejudice towards migrants. dle East and elsewhere. against migrants and refugees ing to the Greek mainland, but centres were not refugee camps “It’s an extra tool for the Turkish media reports say the living on their farmland, near the authorities rerouted the island but processing points from immigration off ice to keep some Turkish Red Crescent is also pre- Greek village of Idomeni, where ferry to another local harbour to which the migrants will be sent people out of Belgium,” said paring to open a refugee camp thousands of refugees and prevent unauthorised boardings. elsewhere as soon as possible. Didier Vanderslycke from ORBIT, with capacity for 5,000 people migrants are stranded by the More than 52,000 refugees and “Once the health checks and an organisation working on further inland in Manisa to ac- Balkan border blockade. migrants seeking to reach north- registration is done for the mi- diversity and migration. commodate the new infl ux. ern Europe are already stuck in grants, they will be sent on to “The integration process can start Under the deal, all irregular Peter Sutherland said yesterday any Syrian is forced to go home. deal, Turkey – which is host- Greece after Balkan states sealed camps,” Dalgic was quoted as when you have the residence and migrants face being sent back that the deal was “absolutely” il- “If they make me go back to ing some 2.7mn refugees from their borders to stop the infl ux. saying. “We intend to complete not when you sign a document from the Greek islands to Turkey legal. Turkey I’ll throw myself and my neighbouring Syria – will begin Hundreds more continue to this work with them staying for that you will integrate. It’s really – although the deal calls for each “Collective deportations family into the sea,” said Mustafa, sending a fi rst batch of refugees land on the Greek islands on a as short a time as possible.” a bad thing as a welcome (for) case to be examined individually. without having regard to the a Syrian waiting with his wife and directly to Germany from tomor- daily basis despite the EU deal, There have been fears in Tur- people,” he told the Thomson For every Syrian refugee sent individual rights of those who children at the port of Chios is- row. which was approved by the Greek key’s fashionable Aegean resorts Reuters Foundation. back, another Syrian refugee will claim to be refugees are illegal,” land. “We went from hell to hell.” German interior ministry parliament in a vote on Friday. that a sudden infl ux of migrants He said making would-be be resettled from Turkey to the he told BBC radio. “Secondly, A Greek government source spokesman Tobias Plate this Work has begun in earnest in could prompt a backlash from lo- residents sign a declaration EU, with the numbers capped at their rights have to be absolutely told AFP this week that some week said that most of the arriv- Cesme, a major Aegean tourist cals and put off tourists. accepting gay rights or equality 72,000. protected where they are deport- 400 Frontex police offi cers were als expected tomorrow would be resort in Turkey’s Izmir province, It remains to be seen how the between men and women Turkey and the EU agreed the ed to – in other words, Turkey.” expected to arrive over the week- families with children, putting which faces the Greek island of initial transfers will proceed. suggested these values were not deal last month as the continent Amnesty International said end to participate in the opera- the number in the “double-digit Chios. Pictures broadcast by NTV held by immigrants, and would struggles with its worst migra- this week that Turkey was not tion. range”. Local offi cials in Dikili, also in television on Friday showed only deepen prejudice against them. tion crisis since World War II. a “safe country” for refugees, Fifty French riot police were Debt-hit Greece has struggled Izmir province on the Aegean and a barren space at the site of the Greek government offi cials reporting that Ankara was forc- arriving on Lesbos this weekend to manage the infl ux, while hun- facing the Greek island of Lesbos proposed Dikili centre. have been tight-lipped on the ing around a hundred Syrians to help with the operation, Inte- dreds of migrants have drowned – have said a readmission centre The Milliyet daily carried a re- 900 ‘no-go areas’ deal, which has attracted strong including children to return to rior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve trying to reach its islands from is being established in the re- port yesterday saying that as the in Europe: website criticism on ethical grounds from their war-torn country on a daily said, with asylum experts to fol- Turkey. gion for migrants being sent back Dikili centre was not fi nished, the the United Nations refugee agen- basis. low later in this week. Clashes among migrants and from Greece. fi rst registrations from tomorrow Europe has more than 900 “no- cy and aid groups. The Turkish authorities have Parallel to this operation, and refugees have broken out at Water pipes and electricity ca- would take part in indoor sports go areas” with large immigrant Senior UN migration offi cial always vehemently denied that as part of the same EU-Ankara Greek facilities, dissuading those bles are being laid for the 500sq arenas in the town. populations, Hungary’s government claims on a hard- hitting new website aimed at drumming up opposition to an EU scheme to share out migrants Austria wants to deploy soldiers on Italy border around the bloc. In these areas “with a high number of immigrants”, for Reuters ders are not yet eff ectively pro- tion, migrant registrations, the But Vienna believes new routes Merkel, under pressure to stem example in Paris, London, Berlin tected, Austria will soon ramp humanitarian eff ort and depor- will develop through Bulgaria or the infl ux of migrants to Germa- Stockholm or Berlin, the up strict border controls. That tations, he said. Albania as Mediterranean cross- ny after 1.1mn arrived last year, is authorities have “little or no means massive border controls Doskozil also reiterated his call ings to Italy from Libya resume. critical of tighter border controls control” and “norms of the host ustria plans to deploy sol- at the Brenner (Pass), and with for a civil-military EU mission to Tomorrow a deal takes eff ect and is banking on the EU-Turkey society barely prevail”, the site diers at the Brenner bor- soldiers,” Doskozil told daily Die support the bloc’s border agency between the EU and Turkey that deal being a success. says. Ader with Italy to stem an Welt. Frontex where needed at external is aimed at stopping the fl ow of Under that agreement, Ger- Asked for the source of the expected increase in migrants Separately, he told the Aus- borders, possibly in Greece, Bul- migrants to Europe in return for many is to take in 1,600 migrants information, government trying to get to northern Europe, trian newspaper Oesterreich that garia or Italy. political and fi nancial rewards initially. spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told Defence Minister Hans Peter he was leaving open-ended the With the main migrant route for Ankara, sealing off the main About 40 people could arrive AFP on Friday that it came from Doskozil told news outlets yes- number of soldiers who might be through the Balkans and Austria route by which a million migrants tomorrow, said an interior min- Doskozil: the EU’s external “data publicly available on the terday. deployed for border duty at the largely closed, the number of mi- crossed the Aegean into Greece istry offi cial. borders are not yet eff ectively Internet”. Austria, whose introduction Alpine pass, saying it would be grants entering Germany from last year. Although Merkel’s popular- protected. The website, launched this week of border restrictions in Febru- based on need. Austria fell more than sevenfold “We expect strong use to be ity has bounced back in the last ahead of referendum in Hungary ary has caused a sharp fall in the “From the state of Tyrol alone, in March to below 5,000, the in- made of the central Mediterra- month or so, her conservative local authorities for migrants, for in the second half of the year number of migrants to Germany, there are three companies with terior ministry in Berlin said yes- nean route in the coming weeks,” party is still suff ering in opinion example in the eastern state of on the EU quota plan, features previously said it was preparing 100 men each ready to deploy,” terday. said Doskozil, adding last week polls while the anti-immigrant Thuringia, are empty. a ticking clock representing a to introduce tighter controls if Doskozil told Oesterreich. “If we In February, 38,570 migrants alone 5,000 migrants and refu- Alternative for Germany (AfD) In light of the housing sur- migrant entering Europe every 12 needed. need more forces for border pro- arrived, already down sharply gees came that way. made big gains in state elections plus, Thuringia premier Bodo seconds. But the minister’s choice of tection, we’ll get them.” from 64,700 in January. “When the weather gets bet- last month. Ramelow has off ered to take up “The mandatory European words appeared to toughen the Soldiers, already helping po- Austria is the main entry point ter, these numbers will increase The number of people entering to 2,000 migrants stranded near quotas increase the terrorist discourse. lice handle migrants at borders, for migrants crossing into Ger- strongly,” he said. Germany has fallen so sharply the northern Greek border town risk in Europe and imperils our “As the EU’s external bor- could help with border protec- many. German Chancellor Angela that some of the homes built by of Idomeni. culture,” the website says. Bereaved relatives fear Italian nurse ‘may have killed others’: reports

AFP the town of Piombino – and have what happened. Now we want to cence supposed to feel?” he re- Marketed as Heparin in the US is nothing but simple deduction with others saying she appeared Rome not ruled out uncovering other know if that nurse was working peated in interviews with several and other markets, the drug is based on medical records, noth- stressed and withdrawn. suspicious deaths. the day my father died,” a man newspapers. used to prevent blood clotting. ing more.” Bonino has been imprisoned “Prosecutors and health po- known only as Massimo told La Bonino was arrested on The result, police said, was to “The investigation fi les show pending formal charges. talian investigators have wid- lice are extending their inves- Stampa daily about the death of Wednesday after a review of all rapidly trigger multiple and ir- the case is far too weak to accuse Prosecutors want her to be ened a probe into a nurse sus- tigation” into Fausta Bonino, his 77-year-old parent in 2014. the recent abnormal deaths at the reversible internal bleeds which a nurse, who has always been charged with multiple homicide Ipected of being a serial killer 56, as well as speaking to family While police have said the ar- hospital identifi ed her as being killed 12 of the alleged victims. above suspicion, of carrying out with a number of aggravating following pressure from relatives members of other possible vic- rest potentially averted further the only staff member involved in The other one died from cardiac multiple murders,” he said, add- factors, including cruelty and of people died at a Tuscan hospi- tims, public broadcaster Rai said, deaths, Bonino’s husband Renato every case. arrest. ing that Bonino believed she was neglect of her duties as a nurse. tal, media reports said yesterday. after the nurse was accused of Di Biagio insisted she was inno- She is accused of having given But her lawyer, Cesarina being used as “a scapegoat”. Police said the mother of two Investigators believe 13 pa- administering fatal doses of the cent and denied reports she had her victims up to 10 times the Barghini, told La Stampa “only The nurse’s boss reportedly grown-up children had been tients, all seriously but not ter- blood-thinning drug to patients been suff ering from depression. usual dose of the drug, including two cases of death by Eparina told investigators the workload treated for depression and Il Tir- minally ill, died as a result of in intensive care between January “They’ve slung all sorts of mud in certain cases where it had not have been analysed and that’s at the hospital had increased and reno reported she had problems being given strong doses of the 2014 and September 2015. at us, how is a man who categori- been prescribed by the physi- really far too little to link it to Bonino did much longer hours with alcohol and prescription anticoagulant drug Eparina in “We never really understood cally believes in his wife’s inno- cians treating the patients. Bonino. “In all the other cases, it than many of her colleagues, drugs. Gulf Times 20 Sunday, April 3, 2016 INDIA

INVESTIGATION CRIME POLITICS TRANSPORT JUDICIARY One more arrested in Two killed as drunk Kamaraj’s granddaughter India’s fastest train Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal Ghaziabad rape case driver hits vehicles joins DMK ahead of polls to debut on Tuesday acquitted in assault case

A second man accused in the alleged rape Two people were killed and five injured when Ahead of assembly elections, T S K Mayuri India’s fastest train, the Gatiman Express, is all set A court in Faridkot, Punjab of minor Dalit girl in Ghaziabad has been a drunk driver rammed his car into three Kannan, the granddaughter of late Congress to be launched this week, opening a new chapter yesterday acquitted Deputy Chief arrested, police said yesterday. Amit Yadav vehicles in Ghaziabad on Friday night, police leader and Tamil Nadu chief minister K in the history of the Indian Railways. The inaugural Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in alias Rencho Yadav, stood guard outside a said yesterday. The driver, who has been Kamaraj, along with some of her relatives run of Gatiman Express from Hazrat Nizammuddin, a 17-year-old assault case. Sukhbir house where Pushpendra Yadav alias Babloo arrested, first rammed his car into an auto- joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Delhi, to Agra Cantonment is scheduled for April Badal, who is also president of the Yadav allegedly raped the girl last Wednesday. rickshaw coming from the opposite direction, yesterday, the party said. In a statement issued 5, the Divisional Railway Manager’s off ice said in ruling Akali Dal, was present in the “We have arrested both culprits involved in the Superintendent of Police Rakesh Pandey said. in Chennai, the DMK said Kannan joined the a statement. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu will court when Judicial Magistrate crime. The victim is improving in hospital,” said A woman and man travelling in the auto- party in the presence of party leader M K inaugurate the train at 10am by remote from his Satish Kumar pronounced the police officer Salman Taj Patil. The girl, who rickshaw were declared dead in hospital. The Stalin. Along with her, Chandra, daughter of off ice. But its scheduled will be changed, making order. The case filed by journalist Naresh Sehgal set herself on fire after the incident, suffered driver of the auto-rickshaw was hospitalised Kamaraj’s younger brother, also joined the it leave Nizammuddin railway station at 8.10am on September 5, 1999, in Kotkapura town near 50% burns and was taken to Delhi’s Safdarjung in a critical condition, Pandey said. The driver DMK, the statement said. Leaders of various reaching Agra Cantonment at 9.50am, a run of Faridkot. Sehgal had alleged that he was threatened hospital. She is improving, the police officer next hit another car whose driver Monu political parties, including those from the actor 100 minutes instead of 90 as initially planned. The by Sukhbir Badal, then contesting elections from said. Babloo Yadav, doing his MBA, is accused sustained injuries all over his body. The Vijayakanth-led DMDK and MDMK have joined train has 12 air-conditioned coaches, hostesses in Faridkot, and his supporters. The Punjab and of barging into the victim’s house when she drunken man then knocked down motorcycle the DMK over the last few days. Tamil Nadu each compartment, free Wi-Fi facility, automatic Haryana High Court on June 30, 2006, ordered was alone and sexually assaulted her. whose two riders sustained critical injuries. holds assembly elections on May 16. doors, and several other facilities. the police to book eight accused, for assault.

App on Kerala Campaigning election launched ends for fi rst By Ashraf Padanna Thiruvananthapuram

or those who want to keep a tab on Kerala elections, here phase of polls Fis an app that gives all details about the state polls since 1957. Kerala goes to polls on May 16 along with Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The fi rst-of-its-kind bilin- gual and interactive mobile ap- in West Bengal plication provides users with poll-related information - rang- The fate of 133 candidates seemed to be the main talking What Modi is doing across In- ing from details of candidates from all major parties will points. dia, Banerjee was emulating in in a constituency to live news be decided by the more than In Niyamatpur the Congress West Bengal, Gandhi said, add- streaming from Malayalam tel- 4mn voters vice president attacked Banerjee ing: “She also wants the monop- evision channels. and Modi, saying they wish to oly of one person.” My Election, designed by the IANS crush the entire opposition. Gandhi said whenever he met Kochi-based Lamda Media So- Kolkata Stating that both leaders wish MPs of the Trinamool and BJP lutions Private Limited for An- to run their governments single- in parliament, they complained droid smartphones, allows vot- handedly, Gandhi called on peo- that they were not given any im- ers to fi nd out details about their ampaigning came to an ple to vote for a Left-Congress portance. polling stations. It also has an end yesterday for the fi rst coalition. “I meet her (Banerjee’s) MPs option to view online news feeds Cphase of assembly elec- Gandhi, who addressed his in parliament, and they say only related to the polls. tions in West Bengal, involving maiden election meeting for the one person matters in Trina- Users can register on the app 18 seats across three districts in polls in the eastern state, said mool. They tell me ‘What we with details, including their dis- the state’s western part. his party has teamed up with the think, what we want, that is not trict, when they fi rst log in. It gives Polling in the 18 constituen- Left Front to take on Banerjee. paid any attention to.’ The BJP them access to all information, cies - nine in Purulia, three in “In Delhi, Narendra Modi is MPs say the same thing.” including details of candidates in Bankura and six in West Med- the prime minister. And across Attacking Banerjee on the is- the constituencies and the past inipur – will be held tomorrow. India, Congress is fi ghting sue of corruption, Gandhi raised achievements of the nominees. In 13 of them, regarded as Mao- against him,” he said. the Saradha scam and Narada “The app, which is simple and ist-aff ected, the polling will end Accusing Modi of trying to News portal’s purported sting user-friendly, acts as a knowl- two hours early at 4pm. “fi nish off democracy” in the operation. edge sharing platform for the The fate of 133 candidates country, Gandhi said the Con- Gandhi said when the Con- voters,” the company’s managing from all major parties - the gress governments in Arunachal gress had formed the govern- director Bobby Elanjickal said. Trinamool Congress, the Left Pradesh and Uttarakhand were ment along with the Trinamool, “The elections in the state al- Front-Congress combination brought down through money both had promised to fi ght cor- ways generate nostalgic feelings and the Bharatiya Janata Party - power. ruption. for expatriates. The Kerala di- will be decided by the more than “In Arunachal Pradesh, he “But when the country’s aspora can now get live updates 4mn voters. A total of 4,945 poll- caused the fall of our govern- biggest scam, the Sarad- of the elections simply through ing stations including fi ve auxil- ment by giving money. He did ha ponzi scheme scandal, their handsets.” iary stations have been set up. the same in Uttarakhand be- came into the public domain, For those in the fray, it can Among major candidates are cause he wants there should be Mamataji did not say any- serve as a campaign vehicle. The state minister Sukumar Hansda only one leader in India - Naren- thing against it. Her partymen candidates will be provided with of the Trinamool and former dra Modi,” the Congress vice straightaway took money. The specifi c IDs through which they MP Pulin Bihari Baske (Com- president said. sting operation showed her can access the server and add munist Party of India – Marxist) He said Modi only wanted partymen taking money, but details to their profi les. As many as 21 candidates have the ideology of Nagpur (the Mamataji is quiet.” “This will allow them to up- declared criminal cases against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Stating that the Congress load videos and photos. Sub- them. headquarters) to prevail in the did not want West Bengal to be scribers of the app can like can- Prime Minister Narendra country, and tries to crush any steeped in corruption, Gandhi didate pages and feeds to receive Modi, Congress vice president contrary viewpoint. said strict action must be taken priority notifi cations on any up- Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Con- “He wants there should be against all those involved in dates made by them,” Elanjickal gress chief and West Bengal only one ideology in India, one graft. said yesterday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee view point, that of Nagpur, He said the Congress-LF “The application is a fi rst-of- and CPM state secretary Surjya which he wants to impose on would not run a government of its-kind because of its compre- Kanta Mishra hit the campaign the country. And wherever one “one person”. hensiveness. Every update relat- trail. stands up against him, be it in “It will be a government by ed to the election can be accessed The Narada sting operation a university, or any Congress all. It will be a government of the through a single touch. The lan- which shows Trinamool lead- leader in any state, or any bu- poor and the common people, a guage of the app can be switched CPM candidate Ashok Bhattacharya is accompanied by party supporters as he campaigns for elections ers allegedly accepting bribes reaucrat, Narendra Modi wants government of tribals and dalits, to either English or Malayalam.” in Siliguri, West Bengal. and the Kolkata fl yover tragedy to crush it.” weaker sections.” Villagers block women from Mehbooba to take temple despite court order oath as CM tomorrow IANS Mehbooba has never lost an Agencies lice must provide us protection necessary orders as submitted to Jammu election in her 20-year politi- Mumbai and allow us to enter the shrine,” the court; why was it not done? cal career. Trupti Desai, the activists’ lead- Should we lodge a police com- She was instrumental in er, told TV channels. plaint even against Fadnavis?” ehbooba Mufti, 56, resurrecting her late father ngry villagers blocked a “We will not leave without she asked. will take oath as the Mufti Mohamed Sayeed’s po- group of women activists entering the platform (where Earlier in the day, Maharashtra M13th chief minister of litical career when he formed Afrom entering the inner the Shani idol is kept),” she said Women’s Commission president Jammu and Kashmir tomor- the PDP and decided to chal- sanctum of a temple in Mahar- amid chaotic scenes on the tem- Chitra Wagh cancelled her pro- row in the state’s winter capi- lenge the well-entrenched ashtra yesterday, despite a court ple grounds. posed symbolic trip to the tem- tal Jammu. regional National Conference order mandating Hindu wom- The chaos degenerated into ple after a request by the temple She would be the fi rst (NC) on its own turf. en’s right to worship. a free for all with the resolute administration, and as “I did not woman chief minister of the Those close to her say de- The Bombay High Court said activists being pushed around, want to create a law and order country’s only Muslim ma- spite her no-nonsense prag- on Friday women had a funda- roughed up and assaulted by the situation.” jority state, heading an alli- matic approach to politics, mental right to enter temples villagers, and police virtually A few Hindu temples in India ance of the regional Peoples Mehbooba has always main- and directed authorities not to barricading the temple com- ban women from entering the Democratic Party (PDP) and tained a strong link with the bar them from any Hindu place plex. inner sanctum, with Kerala’s fa- the Bharatiya Janata Party party’s ground-level work- of worship across Maharashtra. In the ensuing melee, in which mous Sabarimala temple barring (BJP). ers. Buoyed by the court order, a some village and temple admin- all female worshippers aged be- Mehbooba fought her fi rst “It was because of her group of about 30 women ac- istrators reportedly joined, Desai tween 10 and 50 years. election from the ancestral knowledge about the ground tivists tried to enter the shrine sustained minor injuries while The court also said on Friday Bijbehara (Anantnag) as- situation that Mufti sahib of Shani Shingnapur temple in a former legislator Bhanudas that state authorities must im- sembly constituency in 1996. would always say his daugh- Ahmednagar district yesterday. Murkute was beaten up. plement a 1956 law on Hindu She fought another assem- ter is more connected to the But hundreds of villagers - A determined Desai warned worship, which stipulates that bly election in 2002 from the ground than him,” said a sen- both male and female - who if the women were stopped, she a person who prevents women Wachi (Shopian) constitu- ior PDP leader. believe in the centuries-old tra- would lodge a complaint against from entering a temple can be ency and her fi rst Lok Sabha The oath-taking ceremony dition of barring women from the offi cials. imprisoned for six months. election from south Kash- is likely to be a low-key aff air entering the shrine formed a “Why is police remaining si- The court’s directive came af- mir’s Anantnag constituency according to sources in both human wall, forcing the female lent? Was Chief Minister Dev- ter Desai challenged the ban and in 2004. the PDP and the BJP. protesters to retreat. endra Fadnavis lying when the called it “a symbol of gender in- Activists including Trupti Desai gather as they attempt to enter She again stood for the Lok Federal Home Minister Ra- “The honourable court has assurance was made before the equality” that should not be tol- the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar, some 200km east of Sabha and won from the same jnath Singh is likely to attend recognised our right to pray. Po- court? He should have issued the erated in the 21st century. Mumbai yesterday. constituency in 2014. the ceremony. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 21 INDIA Police question boyfriend over Pratyusha’s suicide

IANS for over three hours and the en- Singh. She was taken to hospital found on her upper back. Singh and other aspects that “I don’t know what went any work pressure. It’s hard to Mumbai tire procedure has been vide- but died later. Pratyusha’s last rites were may have prompted her to resort wrong with Pratyusha and why think that she was in a state of ographed and photographed, Police have registered a case of carried out at the Oshiwara Cre- to the extreme step. she took such a step because depression.” Deputy Commissioner of Police accidental death and were in the matorium in the presence of her Several television industry even during the (Power Couple) Singh is Pratyusha’s second igature marks were found Vikram Deshmane told report- process of recording the state- parents, other family members, personalities have claimed on fi nale we met and she was talking boyfriend. She was previously on the neck of popular TV ers. ment of Singh, Deshmane said. friends, actors and co-stars from social media networks that Pra- about her marriage. She was so in a relationship with Makarand Lactress Pratyusha Ban- The autopsy was performed The statements of her parents the television industry. tyusha had a strong personal- happy and said that they (Singh Malhotra, which ended in dis- erjee, indicating death due to by a team of doctors of Siddharth Shankar and Soma Banerjee, Singh was questioned by po- ity and they could not digest she and Pratyusha) are going to in- aster with Pratyusha alleging asphyxiation and hanging, ac- Hospital, and the preliminary who arrived yesterday morning lice yesterday in an attempt to could end her life in this manner. vite everybody and we all have abuse. cording to a preliminary autopsy cause of death is due to asphyxia, from Jamshedpur, have also been unravel the probable reasons Actress Delnaaz Irani, who to come. It will be a destination Several high-profi le suicides yesterday evening. with the fi nal report still await- recorded and further investiga- behind her shocking suicide that shared screen space with Pra- wedding,” she added. of models-actresses such as Police meanwhile questioned ed, he added. tions are underway, the police left the entertainment industry tyusha in Power Couple, said: “It Sidharth Shukla, who acted Nafi sa Joseph, Kuljeet Rand- her boyfriend and television The Balika Vadhu actress was offi cer added. stunned. is very shocking and saddening. with the late actress in Balika hawa, Viveka Babajee, Jiah Khan, actor Rahul Raj Singh over her found hanging from a fan in sub- Though offi cials declined to The glamour industry is rife It is devastating news for us... I Vadhu, said: “I can’t believe Shikha Joshi and Ruby Singh, death. urban Goregaon residence on comment, a tattoo bearing the with speculation about her dis- always thought she was a chirpy that Pratyusha can do this. It’s in the past decade or so, have A team of doctors conducted Friday evening by her boyfriend name ‘Rahul’ - purportedly re- turbed personal life, her sus- and very bubbly, vibrant and full really sad to hear about her rocked the entertainment capi- the postmortem on her body and television actor Rahul Raj ferring to her boyfriend - was pected uneasy relationship with of life kind of a girl. death. She never used to take tal. India furious as China blocks UN blacklisting of militant chief

Agencies arise when a Security Coun- United Nations cil member wants more in- formation. But sometimes they lead to a permanent hina has put a hold on blocking of a proposed India’s request to add blacklisting. Cthe head of the Paki- Asked about China’s deci- stani militant group Jaish-e- sion to place a technical hold Mohamed to the UN’s Al Qae- on the proposed blacklisting da-Islamic State blacklist, UN of Masood Azhar, Chinese UN diplomats said, eliciting an Ambassador Liu Jieyi reiterat- angry reaction from the Indian ed Beijing’s claim that Masood government. Azhar does not qualify as a Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Governer of Riyadh province Prince Faisal bin Bandar in Riyadh yesterday. India accused JeM of mas- terrorist. terminding a fatal attack on “Individuals and organi- the Pathankot air base in sations on the sanctions list Punjab in January. India had of the United Nations would requested that its leader be have to meet the require- added to a UN Security Coun- ments. It is the responsibil- cil blacklist of groups linked ity of all the members of the to Al Qaeda or Islamic State, Council to make sure that the diplomats said, but China each requirement is fol- PM praises hard work objected. lowed,” he said. The Kashmir-based group Pakistani security offi- JeM has already been black- cials have said that a spe- listed by the 15-nation Secu- cial investigation team set rity Council, but not its leader, up in Pakistan to probe the Maulana Masood Azhar, a Pathankot attack found hardliner and long-time foe of no evidence implicating of Indians in Saudi India. Masood Azhar. “We find it incomprehen- If Masood Azhar was black- Modi to discuss energy, dressed members of the Indian L&T is doing around $2bn Ibn Abdullah Ibn Mohamed this supply continues. And this sible that while the Pakistan- listed by the UN Security security and trade co- community in a conference hall worth of work on one line of the street in Ad-Dira in Riyadh, the is one of the key agenda points based Jaish-e-Mohamed Council, he would face a global operation with Saudi leaders during which he spoke of India’s $600bn metro project. Masmak Fortress is an impor- that Prime Minister will be dis- was listed ... as far back as travel ban and asset freeze. economic growth and rise on the There are nearly 3mn expa- tant monument in Saudi Ara- cussing with King Salman,” he 2001 for its well-known ter- The January 2 attack at Agencies world stage. triate Indians in Saudi Arabia, bia’s history. added. ror activities and links to Al Pathankot was followed by a Riyadh Modi told the workers’ gath- many of whom are blue collar Modi will be accorded a cer- Security co-operation is ex- Qaeda, the designation of the raid on an Indian consulate in ering at the residential complex workers involved in the coun- emonial welcome today after- pected to be on the agenda of the group’s main leader, finan- Afghanistan that has also been that India has the kind of man- try’s infrastructure projects. noon at the Royal Court by King talks, Kumar said, describing the cier and motivator, has been linked to JeM. rime Minister Narendra power that the world needed They send around $10bn in Salman bin Abdulaziz. visit as “very important”. put on a technical hold,” In- JeM militants are blamed Modi, who arrived here today. remittances every year making King Salman will also host a Saudi Arabia and the US dian government spokesman for a 2001 attack on India’s Pyesterday on a two-day “When in the times to come, an important contribution to the lunch in honour of the visiting Treasury this week announced Vikas Swarup said in Wash- parliament that nearly led to visit to Saudi Arabia, voiced his people see the work you have economy of their homeland. prime minister. joint sanctions on four individu- ington. a war between India and Pa- appreciation for the hard work done, you will realise the impor- Earlier yesterday, Modi was The two sides will discuss als and two organisations with “This does not refl ect well kistan. put in by the large number of In- tance of your eff orts,” he said. received at the King Khalid In- energy, security, and trade co- alleged links to Al Qaeda, Tali- on the determination that This is the second time that dians for the development of the The prime minister assured ternational Airport by Gover- operation. ban, and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) the international community China has come to the aid of kingdom. Indian expats that External Af- nor of Riyadh Prince Faisal bin India, which imports around - which India blames for the needs to display to decisively terror accused in the sanc- “It is your sweat and toil that fairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Bandar. 80% of its oil needs, is keen to 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed defeat the menace of terror- tions committee. Last June, has brought me here,” Modi said and the entire team of officials This is the fi rst prime ministe- take advantage of low crude 166 people. ism,” he told reporters on the China blocked India’s de- while addressing workers of at the ministry were ready to rial visit from India to the king- prices by signing overseas deals Among those sanctioned was sidelines of a nuclear summit mand for taking action under Larsen & Toubro at their resi- help if any of them faced any dom since the visit of then prime that will help secure supplies to Saudi-based Mohamed Ijaz Sa- in the US capital. the Council’s anti-terrorism dential complex here. trouble. minister Manmohan Singh in meet its growing demand. farash, who allegedly provided It was not immediately resolutions against Pakistan “Your happiness is my happi- After his arrival at the com- 2010. “Almost 20% of our crude fi nancial, material, or techno- clear why China requested for freeing Zaki-ur-Rehman ness and when you are not hap- plex, the prime minister was Apart from the community supplies come from Saudi Ara- logical support for the Pakistan- that a hold be placed on the Lakhvi, the Lashkar-e-Taiba py, I also feel the same,” he said. given a presentation on the work interactions yesterday, Modi also bia,” external aff airs ministry of- based militant group LeT. Indian request to blacklist mastermind of the 2008 This was Modi’s second com- on the Riyadh Metro Project for visited the historic Masmak For- fi cial Mridul Kumar said ahead of Modi will meet Saudi business Masood Azhar. Technical Mumbai attack in which 166 munity interaction yesterday. which the workers have been tress in the Saudi capital. the visit. leaders today to discuss bilateral holds can be lifted and often people were killed. Earlier, the prime minister ad- employed. Located on Al Imam Turky “We have to make sure that investment. Three appear in court Islam has nothing to do with terror: Imam over fl yover collapse IANS bombers to kill people is wrong Patna and it has nothing to do with the teaching and preaching of Agencies The three, who include one Police have registered a case Islam.” Kolkata senior employee and an engi- of culpable homicide against the he Imam of Islam’s holiest Sheikh Saleh said that the neer, have been remanded in fi rm while Derek O’Brien, an MP shrine Ka’aba in Makkah killing of innocent people and police custody for nine days, the of the state’s ruling Trinamool Tyesterday denounced ter- the use of suicide bombers to hree employees of the prosecutor added. Congress party, has said the rorism. kill people are haram in Islam. construction fi rm build- Five other staff were detained company had been blacklisted Sheikh Saleh bin Mohamed “What happened in Brussels and Ting a fl yover that collapsed for questioning on Friday over in other states and had a “bad bin Ibrahim Aal Talib made it other places, where innocent appeared in court yesterday fac- the tragedy, as police sealed off reputation”. clear that Islam has nothing to people were killed, Islam has ing four initial charges including the Kolkata offi ce of IVRCL, the Construction of the 2km- do with terrorism. nothing to do with it.” murder, a public prosecutor said, contractor behind the ill-fated long fl yover began in 2009 and “The holy Qur’an and Hadiths Stressing on the need for as the death toll rose to 26. construction project in the West was supposed to be completed – the sayings of Prophet Mu- peace and harmony across the The three appeared at the Bengal capital city. within 18 months, but suff ered a hammad- are against violence world, he said: “Muslims are the Metropolitan Magistrate Court Although offi cials have ruled series of hold-ups. and terror. Islam has nothing to main victim of terrorism. Large in Kolkata after being arrest- out the chance of fi nding any IVRCL has denied responsi- do with terrorism or terror acts,” numbers of Muslims in Muslim ed on Friday over the disaster, more survivors under the rub- bility for the disaster. A com- he said at a crowded press con- countries have been killed.” which saw a 100m section of the ble, a rescue operation contin- pany representative infuriated ference in Patna. Sheikh Saleh said Islam is a re- fl yover crash down onto a street ued yesterday at the site where victims on Thursday when he He said violence has no place ligion that guarantees the secu- below, crushing pedestrians and blocks of concrete and twisted described the disaster as an “act in Islam. “Islam is what Qur’an rity of life of the people. “Islam vehicles. girders lay strewn. of God”. and Prophet Muhammad stand stands to protect fi ve things in- “All the accused were pro- The death toll rose to 26 after Authorities initially struggled to for, it is not what terrorists or cluding human life, irrespective duced in court today. The rescuers found the body of a truck get cranes and other large machin- terror outfi ts claim.” of regions and religions across charges against the accused are driver’s assistant lying crushed ery through the narrow streets of Without naming terror activi- the World.” conspiracy, attempt to murder, under the rubble, Joint Commis- Burrabazar, one of the oldest and ties by the Islamic State (IS), Al He said that the name of God murder and mischief,” Pijush sioner Police Debasish Boral said. most congested parts of the city, to Qaeda and other terror organi- means peace, safety and secu- Kanti Mondal, chief public pros- The West Bengal government reach the accident site. sations, Sheikh Saleh said Islam rity. But some people are trying ecutor, said. has ordered an investigation into Yesterday, Congress Party was against the killing of inno- to defame Islam. “Even there is “In the case of murder, (if the state agency responsible for vice-president Rahul Gandhi cent people and creating terror. no force permissible in Islam in convicted) they can face life im- infrastructure and construction visited the site and met with in- “These days some terror the matter of religion. There are prisonment or a death sentence,” over how the project came to be jured victims recuperating at a Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi visits the site of the outfits have been killing inno- no words to use force to convert Mondal said. approved. city hospital. collapsed flyover in Kolkata yesterday. cent people, and using suicide people to Islam.” Gulf Times 22 Sunday, April 3, 2016 LATIN AMERICA Peru election not fully Lula hopes to enter govt democratic: OAS chief by Thursday Reuters Lima AFP government accounting prac- Brasilia tices, will wrap up her defence at a congressional impeachment he head of the Organization of American States commission tomorrow. The criticised Peru’s elections on Friday, suggesting razil’s ex-president Luiz commission will deliberate be- Tthey would not be fully democratic if steps were Inacio Lula da Silva, a fore issuing its recommendation not taken to ensure all candidates can participate. Bkey player in the political on about April 11. The comments follow the electoral board’s barring storm engulfi ng Latin America’s The full lower house of Con- of two leading presidential hopefuls last month in an biggest country, said yesterday gress will then vote within days unprecedented move that many consider unfair. that he hopes the Supreme Court whether or not to send the im- “We call for measures to reestablish the right to po- will approve his entry into the peachment case for a trial in the litical participation for everyone and avoid semi-dem- government by Thursday. Senate. ocratic elections,” OAS Secretary General Luis Alma- Current President Dilma Rousseff is frantically trying to gro said on Twitter. Rousseff named Lula her chief of fi nd enough votes to prevent the Almagro did not make any specifi c recommenda- staff in a bid to stiff en her des- two-thirds majority required in tions and declined requests for an interview. perate campaign to avoid im- the lower house to trigger a trial. It was unclear what could be done ahead of elections peachment in Congress. That became harder last week in just 10 days. The prime minister has ruled out post- However, the appointment when the main coalition partner poning the vote. was temporarily blocked in the to her Workers’ Party switched to Almagro posted a picture of himself talking with Ju- Supreme Court after an opposi- the opposition. lio Guzman, an outsider who was tossed out of the race tion outcry that Lula was schem- Lula, who is accused of money because his party did not comply with minor electoral ing to gain ministerial immunity laundering in a case linked to a procedures. so that he could avoid arrest in a huge corruption probe centred Another candidate, wealthy former governor Cesar federal corruption probe. on state oil company Petrobras, Acuna, was barred for handing out cash while cam- The court is due to make a fi nal is a hero to Brazil’s left and seen paigning in violation of a new ban on vote-buying. ruling shortly. by some as the only politician ca- The controversy has shaken this year’s race, threat- “On Thursday I will take up pable of turning Rousseff ’s fl ail- ening to tarnish the legitimacy of the next president my post as chief of staff , if the ing presidency around. and stoking opposition to front-runner Keiko Fuji- Supreme Court approves, so that However, he is also detested mori. I can help President Dilma,” Lula by many in the centre and on the Many Peruvians think centre-right Fujimori has told a rally in the north-eastern right, and his attempt to enter been unfairly favoured by the electoral board, which city of Fortaleza. government has energized the issued a fi nal ruling on Friday that cleared her of alle- “We have to guarantee Dilma’s pro-impeachment camp. gations she also broke the ban on vote-buying. ability to govern,” he said in a Addressing loyalists in For- The electoral board has repeatedly denied any polit- speech, quoted by the website of taleza, the region where the ical bias and no evidence of wrongdoing has surfaced. his Workers’ Party. Workers’ Party and Rousseff “In Peru, equality for everyone before the law is in- Lula’s struggle to enter the retain strongest support, Lula dispensable,” Almagro said after meeting with Guz- government is one of the many said he had “never seen such a man in his offi ce in Washington. subplots of a political upheaval climate of hate in the country as He said the electoral board was applying a system for paralyzing Brazil as it sinks into there is now.” disqualifying candidates that “does not off er needed its worst recession in a genera- “Those who love democracy, guarantees.” tion. those who like politics, wish re- The fi ve-member electoral board responded to Al- The court’s ruling will come spect for the most basic thing magro on Twitter, saying that elections were demo- just as the impeachment fi ght - that is respect for the popular cratic. “Equality before the law is a constitutional approaches a new peak. vote which elected Dilma,” he guarantee that Peru respects,” it said. Rousseff , accused of illegal said. The head of OAS’s mission to Peru, Sergio Abreu, did not express any concern about the legitimacy of this year’s vote during an offi cial visit last month and said the electoral board had “clear jurisdiction” to bar Guzman and Acuna. About 57% of Peruvians polled in a March 28 Ipsos Honduras police nab survey said they thought the electoral board was acting on behalf of political interests. Only one leading presidential candidate has ques- Argentine linked to tioned the fairness of the disqualifi cations - leftist lawmaker Veronika Mendoza, who surged in an opin- Presidential candidate of the Frente Amplio leftist party, Veronika Mendoza, arrives for a press conference to present ion poll to tie Pedro Pablo Kuczynski at second place. her team in Lima. Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel

AFP pol “red notice” requesting his Tegucigalpa arrest for suspected involvement in drug traffi cking and money laundering, the police spokes- onduran police backed man said. El Salvador cracks down on jailed by US agents on Friday He was brought by helicop- Harrested an Argentine ter from the island to the capital man linked to the Sinaloa car- Tegucigalpa where he was put in tel, which was headed by jailed the custody of immigration offi - Mexican drug lord Joaquin cials who were verifying his sta- gang bosses as violence mounts “El Chapo” Guzman, a police tus in the country. spokesman said. “Later he may be deported AFP President Salvador Sanchez Ceren is to said the deputy speaker of the chamber, dered in El Salvador last year, with the The suspect, Franco Daniel from Honduran territory and be San Salvador sign into action the government-spon- Guillermo Gallegos. government reporting that most were Lombardi, 45, was considered to subject to legal proceedings in sored law, which aims to prevent locked- The law’s passage has unnerved El Sal- victims of gang violence. Police say the be “the main link to the fi nancial another country,” Sauceda said. up gang leaders from continuing to give vador’s main gangs. Nearly 20% of the killings have ticked up even further this arm of the criminal organization The spokesman did not elabo- awmakers in El Salvador on Friday orders to their followers on the outside country’s estimated 70,000 gang mem- year, with an average of 22 people slain in our country,” spokesman Leo- rate but Honduran media noted passed a law imposing heavy prison via smuggled phones. bers are behind bars. each day. nel Sauceda said. the involvement of US Drug En- Lrestrictions on convicted bosses of El Salvador’s vice president, its minis- A week ago, three of the gangs called a The nation’s per-capita homicide rate Lombardi was nabbed on forcement Administration (DEA) the violent gangs that have made the coun- ter of justice and security, and its minis- temporary halt to murders by their members of 104 per 100,000 inhabitants is the Roatan, a 60km sliver of an island agents in Lombardi’s capture and try one of the most dangerous in the world. ter of defence sat in as the text was passed while urging the government to drop the highest in the world for a country not at located in the Caribbean off Hon- suggested he could be extradited The new measures, valid for a year, in- by 83 of the 84 lawmakers present in the “unconstitutional” crackdown measures. war. duras, where tourist resorts, pris- to the US. clude boosting security and monitoring unicameral congress. But the head of the police force, El Salvador along with neighbouring tine beaches and dive operations One newspaper, La Prensa, in seven penitentiaries where the criminal The justice and security ministry has Howard Cotto, rejected any negotiations Honduras and Guatemala make up what attract international travellers. said the DEA agents were dressed leaders are held, limiting their movements the power to apply the law to other pris- with the gangs. And the defence minis- is known as Central America’s “Northern Lombardi owns a luxury res- like tourists in sandals, shorts and family visits, and forcing telephone ons in the country if it deems it useful. try has ordered the deployment of 1,000 Triangle” - a trio of countries scarred by taurant on the island and other and backpacks as they worked to companies to block cellphone signals in “We want to make it clear that we don’t army reservists to prisons to back up po- past civil wars in the region and which investments in Honduras and identify Lombardi before his ar- the facilities. The imprisoned crime bosses see this law stopping the violence. But it lice and prevent the gangs from trying to are prey to ultra-violent gangs imported went by the nickname “El Mago” rest. They then returned in uni- would also be required to take re-educa- is a new weapon in the battle that we are get around the crackdown. from Los Angeles’ mean streets and US (“The Magician”). form with Honduran offi cers to tion and rehabilitation courses. going to wage and win against the gangs,” More than 6,600 people were mur- prisons. He was the target of an Inter- help apprehend him.

Venezuela to cut energy output if Taxi travails key dam falls to critical low

By Corina Pons, Reuters in due time,” Miguel Angel Venezuelans to see rationing as Caracas Romero, the head of generation crucial to avoiding “more com- at state-run energy fi rm Corpoe- plex” situations. lec, told Reuters in an interview. Current generation levels enezuela will reduce power Romero did not provide spe- still cover Venezuela’s energy generation if the key Guri cifi cs but said potential measures requirements, which hover be- Vdam, which supplies around would include rotating electric- tween 15,000-16,000 megawatts half of the blackout-hit country’s ity rationing to minimize the at peak demand, he said. electricity, falls below a minimum impact on the population, hospi- But despite multibillion-dol- level that is fast approaching, an of- tals and food makers while the El lar investment in thermoelec- fi cial said on Friday. Niño-induced drought lasts. tric plants under the late Hugo A severe drought, coupled Frequent blackouts, especially Chavez as of 2010, the units are with what critics say is a lack of outside the capital Caracas, are operating at only 50 to 60% of investment and maintenance in already driving voter ire against their capacity to produce roughly energy infrastructure, has hit the President Nicolas Maduro and 6,500 megawatts, according to South American nation which further complicating business in Romero. depends on hydropower for 60% the crisis-hit Opec country. Romero said the government is of its electricity generation. Venezuela’s opposition says working on increasing thermo- The massive Guri dam in Vene- the leftist government is using electric generation to more than zuela’s central jungle is now at just the drought as an excuse for dec- 7,000 megawatts in the coming 244m - its lowest level ever and ades of corruption and misman- weeks as lack of rain persists. just 4m from a critical point where agement in the energy sector. The El Niño weather phenom- water cannot feed its turbines. Romero, an engineer who said enon has led to drought in several “Without a doubt if the level he spent the night in a monitor- Andean countries. Neighbour- reaches 240m we will have to ap- ing room analysing Guri’s levels, ing Colombia is mulling energy ply certain operative measures, said a nationwide blackout was rationing amid the drought, its Taxi drivers block an avenue to protest against American taxi-booking mobile application-based Uber, in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. which authorities will announce not in the cards and called on president said this week. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 23 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

TRAGEDY Coal mine collapse kills three workers ‘India has no right to question Pakistan’s N-programme’ in Pakistan

IANS is one of the largest importers of nuclear weapons programme uses this platform to address the “It is also a fact that Paki- programme is highly ambitious At least three workers were killed Islamabad arms. and Kerry also praised India’s tensions between the two coun- stan’s nuclear programme is and continues to increase its when a coal mine collapsed in The editorial said that Pa- “responsible stewardship” of its fully secure and there has not stockpile. It is understand- northwest Pakistan yesterday, kistan’s security of its nuclear nuclear weapons. “It is also a fact that been a single breach, whereas able that the US will support with several others still trapped, ndia has “no right” to ques- stockpile came into question Asserting that Pakistan is Pakistan’s nuclear India has fi ve reported cases of its ally and one of the largest off icials said. A gas explosion may tion Pakistan’s decision to “once again” during talks be- “following a policy of minimum programme is fully secure nuclear breaches,” The Nation importers of arms in the world have caused the mine collapse in Idevelop its nuclear material tween US Secretary of State John nuclear deterrence to preserve and there has not been a said. in comparison to distrustful the remote mountainous Orakzai as its own nuclear programme Kerry and Indian National Secu- strategic stability in South Asia”, single breach, whereas “While the US will never be Pakistan. But rest assured that tribal district, which follows a is highly ambitious, a Pakistani rity Adviser Ajit Doval in Wash- it said the deployment of “bat- India has fi ve reported quite satisfi ed with the seri- Pakistan is a country that takes similar accident in the same area daily has said. ington in the backdrop of the tlefi eld tactical nuclear weapons cases of nuclear breaches” ousness with which Pakistan pride in its nuclear programme last month that left seven people The Nation, in an edito- Nuclear Security Summit. that Mr Kerry refers to are Pa- protects it nuclear programme, and will continue to enjoy full dead. Several people were injured rial titled ‘Safe And Secure’, also It said Kerry, during his con- kistan’s decision in light of the terparts before it wants to strike India has no right to question ownership of its assets regard- in the latest mine collapse, and slammed the US over its support versation with Doval, indicated level of threat that it faces cur- up a conversation about limiting Islamabad’s decision to de- less of any reservations that others remain buried. “At least for India’s nuclear programme, that India and the US have begun rently”. the development of nukes,” the velop its nuclear materials con- other parties might or might three people have died, five which it said was because India conversations about Pakistan’s “It would be wise that the US editorial said. sidering the fact that its nuclear not have,” it wrote. injured and five to six others still trapped inside the mine,” a state- ment issued by the paramilitary Frontier Corps said. It added that rescue off icials were digging at the China-Pakistan FMs meet site to recover the buried miners. Pakistani mines are notorious for poor safety standards and bad ventilation. At least 43 workers were killed in March 2011 when ‘India failed to explosions triggered a collapse in a coal mine in southwestern Baluchistan province, which is rich in gas, oil and mineral deposits.

CRIME provide proof Pakistan arrests Russian seeking bride in Chitral

A Russian national who went to Pakistan in search of a wife has to Pak team’ been arrested and is being ques- tioned by intelligence agencies, IANS Tanvir Ahmad of Inter-Services Meanwhile, India’s National off icials said yesterday. Apelgans Islamabad Intelligence and Inspector Sha- Investigation Agency said on Viacheslov, a 28-year-old from hid Tanveer, a Punjab police of- Friday that a team of Indian in- Moscow, had put up posters in fi cer based in Gujranwalas. vestigators will travel to Pakistan the northern district of Chitral ad- ew Delhi failed to pro- The rare targeting of an Indian to further probe the terror attack vertising his dream of marrying a vide evidence to Islama- military installation outside the at the air base. “We told them local woman and off ering a Rs1mn Nbad’s Joint Investigation disputed region of Kashmir came (Pakistani investigators) that we ($9,550) reward to anybody who Team, visiting India to probe the days after Indian Prime Minister want to send a team to Pakistan. could help him achieve it, district Pathankot attack, to prove their Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to They welcomed the idea,” NIA police chief Asif Iqbal said. “The allegation that Pakistan based Pakistan in December as a ges- director general Sharad Kumar Russian national had embraced militants stormed the Air Force ture of friendship. said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shakes hands with his Pakistani counterpart Syed Tariq Fatemi Islam for his dream and his new base, sources close to the team The assault led to the post- Meanwhile in Washington, in Washington DC. Wang Yi reiterated that Beijing steadfastly supports Islamabad’s fight against name is Turud Ali,” he said, saying said. ponement of planned peace India’s move to get Pathankot terrorism. the poster featured a picture of The JIT members visited talks. Modi urged his Pakistani terror attacks mastermind, the Russian and the address of Pathankot airbase on March 29 counterpart Nawaz Sharif to take Jaish-e-Mohamed chief Masood the hotel he was staying at. The where Indian National Inves- “fi rm and immediate action” Azhar, banned by the UN was Russian was arrested for failing to tigation Agency (NIA) offi cials over the raid. rebuff ed for the second time by register with Chitral police station, briefed and showed them the China. New Delhi has voiced as foreigners are required to do route from where the attackers Pakistani investigators disappointment over the move. for security reasons when visiting stormed the airbase. were allowed to enter India had approached the UN ‘Pakistan needs to get to bottom of the area, Iqbal said. A local secu- Pakistani investigators were the military airbase from in February to include Masood rity off icial confirmed the arrest. allowed to enter the military air- the narrow adjacent Azhar in the UN Security Coun- base from the narrow adjacent route instead of the main cil’s 1267 sanctions list, in the India’s interference in Balochistan’ EDUCATION route instead of the main en- entrance and the duration aftermath of the January 2 terror Pakistan kicks off trance and the duration of their of their visit was just 55 attack on the Pathankot air base. visit was just 55 minutes, enough minutes However, China requested the IANS based in Chabahar. We have Teheran has been unhappy nationwide school to take a mere walk through the UN sanctions committee to keep Islamabad asked for Iranian help in dis- with Islamabad’s refusal to pay airbase, Geo News quoted sourc- One civilian was also killed on hold the move to ban Masood mantling it. Interior Minister for its portion of the Iran gas enrolment drive es as saying, adding that the JIT in the attack on the sprawling Azhar. Nisar Ali Khan met the Iranian pipeline “under US pressure, could not collect evidence in this 2,000-acre complex that houses Chinese foreign ministry akistan needs to “get to the ambassador in Islamabad to dis- though the Rouhani visit did help With Pakistan having the second- limited time. high-value Indian defence as- spokesperson Hong Lei, answer- bottom of India’s interfer- cuss these issues on Friday.” make progress on the pipeline”. highest population of children out However, the team was in- sets, including fi ghter jets. Six ing a question on blocking the Pence in Balochistan”, but “..Tensions between Islama- “With most of these issues of school, the federal government formed about the negligence terrorists who had crossed over ban on Azhar, indicated that it in doing so Islamabad needs to bad and Teheran have deepened. still unresolved our request to has launched a month-long enrol- of the Indian Border Security into Punjab from Pakistan were did not have all the facts to sup- “tread carefully” and diplomati- These tensions, based on both look into RAW activities in Iran ment campaign to address the Force, sources added. also killed. port the ban. cally engage with Iran, a friend sectarian and ethnic factors, may not be welcomed, especially emergency-like situation. Federal It was said that at the time This is for the fi rst time New Hong said that “China oppos- of India, in the eff ort to “ex- have existed for a long time and since Iran and India have their Minister for Planning, Develop- of the attack the BSF personnel Delhi has allowed Pakistani in- es all forms of terrorism, sup- pose” the “RAW network based are centered primarily around own close ties. That said, on this ment and Reform Ahsan Iqbal were sleeping even though the vestigators to probe a terror at- ports the UN in playing a central in Chabahar”, a Pakistani daily Balochistan, a territory that is particular issue, the ball is now formally kicked off yesterday organisation had been alerted tack in India blamed on that and coordinating role in global has said. also claimed by some groups in Iran’s court and it cannot be the National Primary Enrollment about a possible attack 48 hours country. The access was granted counter-terrorism cooperation, In an editorial, titled “Shaky based in the adjacent Iranian volleyed back,” the daily says. Campaign (NPEC) in the Narowal earlier, sources said. as India hoped that Pakistan and plays an active part in this Ground”, The News International province”. For Pakistan good ties with district of Punjab - his political The Pakistani team included will bring to justice the alleged area. said that the “capture of the In- The daily says that Pakistan’s Iran are important as a gas pipe- constituency - with the slogan of Punjab Counter-Terrorism De- perpetrators, including Jaish-e- “China deals with the listing dian spy Kulbhushan Yadav may “closeness to Saudi Arabia has line that would bring in much- ‘Chalo School’ (let’s go to school). partment Additional Inspector- Mohamed chief Masood Azhar. matter of the 1267 Committee aff ect not only our relationship always been viewed with suspi- needed energy resources to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will General Mohamed Tahir Rai, Indian investigators believe on the basis of facts and in ac- with India but with Iran too”. cion by Iran and that suspicion fuel-starved Pakistan is nearing also go to a school next week to Intelligence Bureau’s Deputy Di- that Azhar, who was released af- cordance with the UN Security The arrest of Yadav coin- has only multiplied with Iran completion. enrol children to take ownership rector-General Lahore Moham- ter the Indian Airlines’ IC 814 hi- Council resolutions and relevant cided with the visit of Iranian and Saudi Arabia locked in proxy “Given this it will now need of the nationwide drive. Currently, ed Azim Arshad, Military Intel- jacking in 1999 in Afghanistan’s rules of procedure. China re- President Hassan Rouhani to wars for regional supremacy”, to tread carefully to achieve the over 24mn children are out of ligence’s Lieutenant-Colonel Kandhahar, masterminded the mains in contact with all rel- Pakistan, and army chief Raheel and cited the killings of Pakistani right balance. On the one hand school in Pakistan. The govern- Irfan Mirza, Lieutenant-Colonel Pathankot attack. evant parties on this matter.” Sharif brought up the “RAW is- Shias by Sunni militant groups. it must maintain a relationship ment has claimed it brought sue” (Research and Analysis “We also know for a fact there with Iran while also negotiating down the figure by one million Wing - India’s external intel- has been Iranian involvement in its traditionally shaky relations over the last year. The target of ligence agency) with Rouhani, Balochistan for many years. The with India. We need to get to the NPEC is to enrol 25-40 % more “only for the Iranian President matter has come up again and bottom of India’s interference children than enrolled last year Rain havoc to deny it”, writes the daily. again and involved Baloch sepa- in Balochistan, but in doing so but the position will be clear after It went on to say: “Now we ratists on both sides of the bor- we have to be careful not to ruin one month, Iqbal said. He said have found that the spy had a der. The latest spying issue has important relationships with our children aged between five to valid Iranian visa and we believe brought it out into the open on neighbours,” it says. nine years will be enrolled under there is an entire RAW network the diplomatic platform,” it says. this campaign. Suicide attacks, sectarian killings dropped in Pakistan last year

Internews Action Plan (NAP) being put against 56 in 2014, targeting po- military crackdown on militant Islamabad into operation for eradicating litical leaders and workers in 25 hideouts in northwestern tribal religious extremism and terror- districts, leaving 57 people dead areas brought down terrorist at- ism from the country. NAP was and 75 others injured. Fifty- tacks almost by half. However, uicide attacks and sectar- adopted by the government after eight incidents of sectarian vio- over two million people were in- ian killings dropped sig- a gruesome attack on APS Pe- lence were reported across the ternally displaced in the process. Snifi cantly in Pakistan year shawar in 2014 claimed nearly country. While statistics suggested compared to the previous year 150 lives. “Though the number has de- that things improved in Karachi but mob assaults on religious The HRCP noted that 2,108 clined, the killing of profession- after the paramilitary forces’ minorities showed up promi- men and seven women were als continued as fi ve doctors and operation, it showed little at- nently, said the Human Rights killed in police encounters and three lawyers were killed be- tention was paid to complaints Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) 65 prisoners died in jails. Attacks cause of their faith,” the HRCP about rights violations allegedly in its annual report yesterday. on buses and killing and abduc- offi cial said. Four journalists lost by security forces. Among the key attacks on mi- tion of passengers restricted the their lives, but many more faced Under the head of ‘Freedom norities are suicide attacks on freedom of movement of certain threats and assaults in 2015. of Movement’, the report said, churches in Lahore and torching ethnic and sectarian groups. The HRCP documented 15 at- 65,000 names were removed of a place of worship and a chip- “There were 18 suicide at- tacks on journalists and human from the Exit Control List (ECL) board factory belonging to the tacks in Pakistan - 31 per cent rights defenders, including its amid reforms. Ahmadi community in Jhelum. less in comparison to last year’s. monitor for South Waziristan, “Yet, in March, some Baloch In all, 706 militant attacks took At the same time, 4,612 people Mohamed Zaman Meshud, who activists were restricted from place in which 1,325 people - 619 died in violence, a 40pc decrease was murdered. Twenty-two travelling to the United States to civilians, 348 security personnel, as compared to 7,622 violence- individuals - 15 Muslims, four attend a seminar. Subsequently, Afghan volunteers push a stranded vehicle from floodwaters as heavy rain falls on a street in 33 pro-government razakars and related deaths in 2014,” said Christians and three Ahmadis names of Farzana Majeed and Kabul yesterday. Due to a poor or non-existent water management system, roads and lanes in the 325 militants - were killed. Kamran Arif, co-chairperson of - were booked on the charge of Mama Qadeer were removed Afghan capital are often inundated with floodwater when periods of heavy rain occur. The report is signifi cant be- the HRCP. He said that 41 ter- blasphemy. Waqar Mustafa, from the ECL on orders of the cause 2015 saw the National rorist attacks occurred in 2015 editor of the report, said that Sindh High Court,” Mustafa said. Gulf Times 24 Sunday, April 3, 2016 PHILIPPINES Roxas courts support from religious group

Manila Times the appointment of its mem- Manila bers in juicy posts in the government.“Seeking INC’s support is a matter of tradition iberal Party (LP) stand- and necessity, whether you are ard-bearer Manuel trailing in surveys or in a close L“Mar” Roxas II is still race,” Barzaga said. “And, right likely to court the endorse- now, the race is too close to ment of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) call.” despite the apparent fallout In the Pulse Asia survey between the two parties last commissioned by ABS-CBN year, his allies said yesterday. and released Friday, Poe topped This according to Dasma- the presidential race with 28%, rinas Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, of a four percentage-point ahead the National Union Party, and of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr, Duterte, who got 24%. of LP, is in light of pre-election Vice President Jejomar Bi- survey frontrunner Senator. nay is a close third with 23%, Grace Poe meeting top INC while Roxas settled for fourth minister Erano Cordera this place with 19%. week. “All the candidates would “I would think Mar would do that (seeking INC’s bloc also seek the INC’s support, vote),” Belmonte, Roxas’ cam- just not out in the open,” Bar- paign manager, said in a text zaga told Manila Times in a message. “It’s a close fi ght, so phone interview. “All candi- every vote counts.” dates would court the support Given INC’s infl uence, its of all sectors of society, espe- members mounted a human cially the INC” blockade in the busy Edsa cor- Roxas spoke against the ner Shaw Blvd. for four days in INC, a known infl uential reli- Aug 2015 with an aim to stop gious group, last year after its the Justice Department, then members clogged Metro Ma- headed by Leila de Lima, from nila’s major thoroughfare of probing the INC leaders over Edsa as they staged a rally in an illegal-detention complaint support of their leaders against fi led by Isaias Samson Jr, a a complaint fi led by a former former INC minister. INC minister. The INC’s mass action INC is known to practice choked off the metropolis’ bloc voting – a scheme where- major thoroughfare, leaving in the INC leaders dictate their stranded passengers and ex- followers on who to vote for in hausted commuters stuck on both local and national posts the road way past midnight for An activist lights candles and off ers prayers to protesters who were killed and injured during Friday’s protest in Kidapawan city, North Cotabato, during a memorial ceremony in Manila yesterday. during elections. It is estimat- days. ed to guarantee at least 2mn Roxas was the lone presi- votes for a national candidate. dential candidate who spoke In return, INC lobbies for against such INC’s action.

Troops, copters to help quell mountain fire Two killed as police, The military’s Eastern Mindan- the additional helicopter as ao Command (Eastmincom) the supposed movement yesterday put on standby sev- was cancelled due to aircraft eral troops and choppers to discrepancy,” Balagtey said. help in the eff ort to suppress One Huey chopper is also be- the forest fire on Mount Apo ing utilised to ferry volunteer, in Davao del Sur, Manila Times aerial assessment and resup- farmers clash in south reported. ply mission in the country’s Eastmincom off icials said that highest peak. AFP of rice from the government. spell since December which has to a nearby church. Capuyan in a statement. North Cotabato a company size of soldiers Meanwhile, police in Negros Manila Gunshots were fi red and hit food production, particularly claimed 116 protesters were governor Emmylou Mendoza from the 10th Infantry Division Oriental are also gearing for rocks hurled into the air dur- in the confl ict-wracked south wounded while 89 others were told reporters she was taking arrived in Kapatagan and will possible rescue operation ing a scuffl e between police and which is home to the country’s missing. “full responsibility” for the in- be reporting to the com- once alert level 2 status is wo people were killed in demonstrators on Friday, an poorest and where more than The two gunshot fatalities cident. mand post for briefing and raised over Mt. Kanlaon that the southern Philippines AFP photographer on the scene half of the population is reliant were male farmers in their 40s, Presidential spokesman subsequent deployment and has shown signs of restive- Tafter clashes between po- saw, as the authorities tried to on agriculture. she said. Police could not im- Manolo Quezon said an investi- utilisation. ness in the past few days. lice and thousands of drought- disperse the crowds. “We asked Panicked protesters picked mediately confi rm the fatalities, gation was underway. “There is Major Ezra Balagtey, Eastmin- Senior Supt. Harris Fama, Ne- hit farmers protesting over a lack for rice. Instead, they gave us their bloodied comrades from but said 40 of its men were also no reason why people must die com chief information off icer gros Oriental Police Provincial of food, a demonstration leader bullets,” protest leader Norma the highway and treated their hurt in the ruckus, two of them for asking for assistance from said that one helicopter from Police Off ice (NOPPO) director, said yesterday. Capuyan, who witnessed the wounds by the roadside as they in critical condition. their own government,” he told Tactical Operations Group said at least 150 more police- Patches of blood stained melee, said. were sprayed with water from Authorities “exhausted all reporters yesterday. (TOG) arrived in the area and men in Canlaon City are ready a parched highway in im- “The farmers are starving be- fi retrucks, Capuyan said. possible remedies” to end the The state weather bureau had was conducting Helicopter to be deployed in villages poverished Kidapawan city, cause they have nothing to eat. “Everyone was angry. The protest peacefully, but farmers warned last year that rainfall Bucket operation to quell the that will be aff ected once Mt. capital of Cotabato province, We went there looking for a so- police were hitting us. It was a started the scuffle by throw- could decrease by as much as fire on Mt. Apo. Kanlaon erupts or alert level 2 which had been barricaded by lution.” real commotion,” Capuyan said, ing rocks and twigs, national 80% during the drought, which “We are awaiting advice on is declared. 6,000 farmers since Wednes- The Philippines has been adding that the rallyists had police spokesman Chief Super- is expected to last until the mid- day to demand 15,000 sacks gripped by a strong El Nino dry left the highway and retreated intendent Wilben Mayor said dle of this year. US, Philippines to hold war games as China fl exes muscles

AFP kilometres from the disputed ar- ter China’s overwhelming mili- Manila eas in the South China Sea. tary advantage by improving ties Rene de Castro, an interna- with the US and Japan. While tional studies professor at the it has acquired new fi ghter jets housands of US and Fili- De La Salle University in Manila, and surplus US naval ships, the pino soldiers will tomor- said the drills appeared to have Southeast Asian nation still has Trow launch annual war China’s expansion in the South far to go, De Castro warned. games that this year are being China Sea in mind. China’s defence budget dwarfs seen as a show of strength in the “Looking at the features of that of the Philippines and Bei- face of China’s increasing as- Balikatan - the mobile missile- jing is this year set to outspend sertiveness in the region. launchers, the fi ghter planes its smaller neighbour by a factor The 11-day Balikatan (shoul- - that is an indication that the of around 60. der-to-shoulder) exercises are alliance is being geared for ter- The Philippines is also in- expected to show how the Phil- ritorial defence,” he said. creasing its military engage- ippines, though severely out- Richard Javad Heydarian, a ments with the US with the En- gunned, can counter China with political science professor at the hanced Defence Co-operation the help of the US, its longest- De La Salle University in Manila, Agreement, which took eff ect in standing ally. added that the exercises “aim to January. China has in recent months enhance interoperability among Under the deal, US troops built massive structures in- allies nations and signal their will rotate through fi ve military cluding radar systems and an preparedness to confront China camps including two air bases airstrip over reefs and outcrops if necessary”. that are strategically positioned in the contested South China The Philippine military said near the South China Sea. Sea, sparking international the US High Mobility Artillery “It is very apparent that the concern. Rocket System (HIMARS), de- thrust of (the agreement) is air Beijing lays claim to almost signed to shoot down aircraft, power,” said former national se- all of the waters, which are will be sent to Palawan, the Phil- curity adviser Roilo Golez. important for international ippines’ westernmost island on Australia, which recently shipping and believed to hold the South China Sea, during the criticised China’s assertiveness valuable mineral and energy war games. in the disputed waters, is send- deposits, and neighbouring The Philippines operates one ing 80 troops to join parachute countries fear China could im- airstrip in the South China Sea, drills as part of the manoeuvres, pose military controls over the File photo taken in April last year shows Philippine soldiers and a US army soldier (centre) from 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat of the 5th Infantry on Thitu island, where there are Sayson said. entire sea. Division based in Hawaii taking their positions after disembarking from a C-47 Chinook helicopter during an air assault exercise inside the around 350 civilian residents. Obama this week confronted The joint manoeuvres come military training camp of Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija province, north of Manila, at the start of the joint annual military exercise. It also keeps small military Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a decision this year by contingents in smaller outcrops, over Beijing’s actions in the dis- a UN-backed tribunal on a legal defence pact borne out of US against extremists like the Phil- fi cials insist the exercises are not deploy fi ghter jets it has recently including Second Thomas Shoal, puted seas. challenge by Manila to China’s President Barack Obama’s plan ippines’ Abu Sayyaf, to simula- explicitly aimed at China. acquired. where Marines are stationed on a Tensions have fl ared between territorial claims. to reassert American infl uence tions of retaking and protecting Balikatan spokesman Captain While no specifi c staging ar- decaying World War II ship. the superpowers since the US Adding to the tensions, the in the Pacifi c. territory as disputes with Beijing Celeste Frank Sayson said 55 US eas have been disclosed, the two The Philippines, which has sent warships close to disput- Philippines is preparing to host Balikatan has evolved from have escalated. aircraft would take part in the allies have in recent years held one of the weakest militaries in ed islands twice in the past six US troops in fi ve bases under a counter-terrorism manoeuvres However, Filipino and US of- drills, while the Philippines will war games at air bases just 230 the region, has sought to coun- months. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 25 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

New, equal Bangladesh mulls trust fund education system for children with disabilities by May ri Lanka’s Prime Minis- By Mizan Rahman or autism so that they won’t re- ter Ranil Wickremesinghe Dhaka main neglected ... they a part of Shas said that the govern- the society,” she said. ment is committed to providing Hasina asked the authori- equal education opportunities angladesh Prime Minister ties concerned to develop soft- to all students in the country and Sheikh Hasina yester- ware, hardware and websites will introduce a new education Bday said her government suiting for the persons with system by May this year. would make ‘permanent ar- disabilities. Ranil made these remarks while rangements’ like formation of “I have seen that like other participating in the opening cer- a trust fund for the country’s people, the persons with disa- emony of the Royal MAS Arena at disabled children, so that they bilities have been working with the Royal College in Colombo. do not remain neglected. equal effi ciency in computer by Speaking at the event, the “It’s a responsibility of the using specifi c software. They premier said a new ‘Post School state to take care of the children could contribute to the ICT sec- Education’ programme would be with disabilities in absence of tor if they are off ered proper introduced under this new sys- their parents ... we are going to training,” she said. tem to cater the needs of the 21 take such an initiative so that The prime minister also put century, reports Lanka page. they can grow up in a beautiful emphasis on providing special He pointed out that the coun- environment.” she said. care to the children with au- try’s development depends on the “A mother struggles and tism disorder by keeping their education system and the govern- suff ers mostly throughout special demands in mind. ment plans to develop the school her life for her disabled kids. “The tender-hearted chil- network providing all required The mother mainly looks after dren with autism (disorder) facilities to achieve this objective. (such) children ... but what will could be turned into a “valuable The premier said present gov- happen and where these chil- asset” if they are given special ernment will ensure all students dren would go when their par- care by keeping their special receive a compulsory 13 year ents are not there to take care demands in mind,” she said. school education and he had dis- of them. Keeping this in mind, Hasina said the persons with cussed the new system of edu- we are making permanent ar- disabilities have brought suc- cation with the subject minister rangements for the children cess for the country in various and other stakeholders. with disabilities so that they fi elds. “The disabled players The prime minister recalled that never remain neglected,” she have brightened the country’s a promise was made to allocate 6% said while addressing the inau- image by winning golds in Para of GDP for education when the gural function of World Autism Olympic and Special Olympics,” Maithripala Sirisena was elected Awareness Day at Bangabandhu she said. as the new president and there- International Conference Cen- “So I am calling upon all to fore, the economy should be fur- tre in Dhaka. integrate them in the main- ther developed in order to keep the “It happens in Bangladesh stream of development ... we government’s promise. that if any government takes would transform Bangladesh any move, it is closed or de- into a middle-income country stroyed with the change of gov- by 2021 and a developed coun- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina talking to a girl after she addressed a function to mark World Autism Awareness Day yesterday in Dhaka. Politician jailed for ernment,” she said referring to try by 2041 with united eff orts the shutdown of community of all,” she said. and active role in this regard. formed to protect interests and Referring to the realistic edu- neurodevelopmental disorders visa rule violation clinics by the BNP-Jamaat gov- The prime minister lauded Hasina said, two laws - the rights of the autistic people cation policy of her government, aimed at bringing the autistic A Sri Lankan-origin politician who ernment during its 1996-2001 contribution of her daughter Persons with Disability Rights and persons with disabilities,” the prime minister said it en- children to the mainstream. is an Australian citizen has been tenure. and eminent child psycholo- and Protection Act, 2013 and the she said. sured the rights to education Such initiative would create sentenced to one year in jail for The prime minister called gist Saima Wazed Hossain and Neuro-developmental Disabil- Hasina said various services of the autistic children incor- opportunities of expanding in- overstaying in Sri Lanka illegally. upon the private sector to come said it is Saima who created ity Protection Act, 2013 - were are being provided free of cost porating a clause “No children clusive educational activities for Kumar Gunaratnam is a member forward to supplement the gov- global awareness about autism passed in parliament to protect to autistic children and per- could be kept away from the the disabled including autistic of Frontline Socialist Party (FSP). ernment eff orts for the welfare and other physical and mental interests of the persons with sons with disabilities from the educational activities due to children, she hoped. He has been sentenced to one of the people with disabilities. disability. disability. Autism Resource Centre and a disabilities.” Hasina said about 2.4mn peo- year in jail and slapped with a fine “I would like to tell the private Referring to a resolution “Besides, 31bn taka has al- school set up on the campus of Hasina said the government ple with disability receive serv- of 50,000 rupees by the Kegalle sector as well as the well-off adopted in the United Nation ready been allocated for the the National Disability Devel- has started work under the ices from the autism corners of magistrate court. people for the welfare of those General Assembly unanimously, trustee board of Neurodevel- opment Foundation located at Ministry of Education to set the One Stop Service Centres in Gunaratnam, 49, was arrested by who are born with disabilities she said, Saima has a very strong opmental Disability Protection Mirpur in the capital. up an academy for autism and in 64 districts. the police in November last year for overstaying his entry visa. The FSP leader returned to the island in January 2015 in time for the presidential election and had remained in the country illegally. He extended his 30-day tourist Lanka delays capital gains tax visa since January 31. He had been deported from the country in 2013 for entering Reuters (VAT) to 15% from 11 and col- nue proposals announced in its return to international capital the country on a false passport Colombo lect capital gains tax for the fi rst 2016 budget in November, after markets to issue international carrying another name. time since 1987, ahead of talks meeting opposition. sovereign bonds and raise up to The FSP is a radical socialist on a $1.5bn IMF loan. The budget defi cit is expect- $3bn this year. party is being accused of ri Lanka has postponed The measures were to have ed to have hit 7.2% of GDP in Foreign investors have sold controlling the students unions a plan to reintroduce come into force from the start the last year, missing the tar- 1.3bn rupees ($8.81mn) worth in universities and carrying out Scapital gains tax by of April. get of 4.4%. Finance Minister of shares since Wickremesin- recurrent political agitations on Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha speaking at a discussion in six months, a senior offi - “The implementation of Ravi Karunanayaka last week ghe’s announcement. the streets. Dhaka yesterday. cial said yesterday, after the capital gains tax is postponed blamed the increase on the high The IMF has long called on His party plea to accord him dual move dented foreign investor by six months,” deputy treas- cost of refi nancing loans raised Sri Lanka to reduce its budget citizenship status was rejected, sentiment. ury secretary S R Attygalle said. by the former government of defi cit, raise revenues and bol- party source said. Prime Minister Ranil Wick- He said the increase in VAT had Mahinda Rajapakse without ster its foreign exchange re- It was not immediately clear if he remesinghe last month told also been postponed. parliamentary approval. serves. These are likely to be the would be deported to Australia parliament his government Wickremesinghe’s govern- On Tuesday, the central bank main conditions for the grant of after he had served the jail Laws being would increase value added tax ment has changed several reve- said Sri Lanka was planning to the loan, economists say. sentence. BB men leave for Manila passed without to help in heist probe Wheelchair race in Kathmandu Two top off icials of the Bangladesh Bank (BB) left Dhaka for Manila yesterday to help the Philippines in recovering the $81mn stolen from its New York Federal Bank proper debate, account through a cyber heist. A three-member Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team is scheduled to leave for Manila tomorrow to join the investigation in the Philippines. says top judge Two teams are set to attend the fourth hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on Tuesday, according to By Mizan Rahman the chief justice said that none off icials. Dhaka is getting justice in the exist- The central bank off icials will stay in ing judicial system. “I know Manila for one week to provide support that second or third genera- to the Bangladesh ambassador there for angladesh Chief Justice, tion gets the judgment. Is it expediting the overall recovery process Surendra Kumar Sinha, trial?” of the stolen money from the Philippines, Byesterday criticised He also admitted that there according to a BB off icial. members of parliament for is a certain level of corruption Currently, the central bank is maintaining not having extensive debates in the judiciary as massive ir- close contact with Bangladesh ambassador on laws before they passed, regularities rule every nook to the Philippines, John Gomes, for getting causing defects in almost all and corner of the country head-ups about the money recovery the laws. these days. process taken by the Philippines authorities. “As laws with defects are “Whereas corruption has “We’re now exchanging information relating passed in parliament, nowa- pervaded every part and sector to the cyber heist with its counterparts days these create people’s suf- of the country, the judiciary in the Philippines for recovering the fering and place pressure on cannot be an isolated island,” stolen fund,” the BB off icial said without the judiciary,” the chief justice he said. elaborating. said. Chief Justice Sinha said “Our team will try to identify perpetrators of Speaking at the launch- initiatives will be taken to in- the digital crime,” a senior CID off icial told ing ceremony of two books troduce evening courts to deal newsmen. written by Law Commission with the escalating backlog of The CID team is likely to stay in the member Shah Alam at Dhaka cases in 64 districts. Philippines for more than a week for University, Sinha said there Speaking at a workshop on investigation, the off icial added. is no discussion or debate on Friday, he said: “Only 1,600 The cyber fraud took place on the night of laws nowadays. judges in a country of 157mn February 4, sending a total of 35 transfer He also criticised frequent people are “very inadequate”. orders into the US Federal Reserve Bank in issuance of statutory regula- The top judge said around New York where the BB maintains a foreign tory orders instead of making 3mn cases are pending in exchange account. laws through proper proce- courts. Nearly $20mn of the $101mn siphoned off dure as he thought they also “Evening courts will be was recovered from Sri Lanka. The lion’s create confusion and pressure launched if (positive) respons- share of the booty landed in the Philippines Disabled people and earthquake survivors get ready to participate in a 5km wheelchair race in Kathmandu yesterday. The on judges. es come from lawyers and the and that is reported to have been splurged race was organised to support and encourage earthquake survivors and motivate them in the society. About the logjam of cases, government,” he said. on gaming stakes in casinos. Gulf Times 26 Sunday, April 3, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Editor-in-Chief : Darwish S Ahmed Germany facing challenges Production Editor: C P Ravindran

P.O.Box 2888 in the widening wealth gap Doha, Qatar [email protected] Across the industrialised in particular are discovering that their problem with the top 10%,” Fratzscher who feel their opinions are ignored by Telephone 44350478 (news), world, the middle class is society is not as equitable as they once told “Die Zeit.” “I have a problem traditional media. 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) believed, nor immune to the blather of that the bottom 40% are being left The similarities between supporters Fax 44350474 fi nding it increasingly populists. behind.” of the AfD and the insurrection led by diffi cult to make ends meet In the decades following World Robust economic indicators and Donald Trump inside the Republican War Two, West Germany built up its government transfers to the working Party are hard to ignore. Both fabled social welfare system in part poor mask the dire state of aff airs, movements are a visceral reaction By Lucian Kim to compete with communist East according to Fratzscher. Germany’s to voters’ fears about immigration, Reuters Germany and in part to form a bulwark political class prefers to spend an terrorism and the arrogance of the against the type of extremism that had extra 10bn euros on social benefi ts to powers-that-be. Both gain strength in GULF TIMES given rise to Adolf Hitler. Consensus paper over disparities than to invest the electronic echo chambers aff orded f a Der Spiegel cover is any became a byword for the German way in education and infrastructure, he by social media. indication of the mood in of doing politics. said. “We’ve long become a society of Railing against “political Germany, then Europe’s After the collapse of communism classes, if not castes.” correctness” is a substitute for Ilargest country is on the verge in Eastern Europe and German Germany’s socioeconomic policy-making. In Germany, as in the Doha summit success of an explosion. Two weeks ago, reunifi cation in 1990, the assumption polarisation is fi nding political US, bashing migrants - particularly the newsmagazine highlighted the was that the successful West German expression. In the autumn of 2014, Muslims - is most popular where there country’s growing income inequality model would simply be transferred to a full year before the refugee crisis are relatively few of them. is key to rebalancing in a cover story on “the divided the eastern half of the country. But as swept Germany, a group calling itself The reaction of German and US nation”. The cover photo showed Germany struggled in an increasingly PEGIDA, or Patriotic Europeans elites is also similar: disregard, a couple in a gilded room with a global economy, Merkel’s predecessor, Against the Islamisation of the disavowal, disbelief. When New dozen other people stooped in a Gerhard Schroeder, slashed social Occident, began holding rallies in the York Times columnist David Brooks the global oil market claustrophobic cellar below them. benefi ts as part of a sweeping eastern city of Dresden. The protests, confessed last month that he was Last week, the magazine featured reform to make the country more which kept growing in size, were “not socially intermingled” with the “uprising of the ‘Wutbuerger’ ” competitive. directed at Merkel’s government, “the Trump supporters and “did not listen The success of the April 17 meeting of major oil - a new German term combining the lying press” and foreigners seeking carefully enough”, he could have producers in Doha will be a major step forward in words for “rage” and “citizen” - to “The conventions shelter and opportunity in Europe. been speaking about the attitude stabilising the global oil market, which has been describe people mad as hell about The Alternative for Germany, or toward the AfD taken by the editorial the political status quo. The headline governing Germany’s AfD, a eurosceptic party founded in boards of Germany’s leading news challenged by declining prices since mid-2014. screamed “You guys up there are just the middle of the Greek debt crisis, organisations. Faster rebalancing in the oil market is possible if a lying to us all” over a paint-spattered political interactions seized on PEGIDA’s message of Liberal societies are at risk in times level of trust can be established between Opec and image of German Chancellor Angela discontent and repurposed itself to of economic uncertainty. The political Merkel. are changing with fi ght the establishment on the back of centre is stable when the middle non-Opec producers in Doha. A yawning wealth gap and a voter anti-immigrant sentiment. In 2014, class is strong. But if enough people Doha’s decision to host the high-level ministerial rebellion nobody wanted to admit incredible speed” the upstart party was voted into three feel they’re losing out, social confl ict meeting on April 17 follows ongoing discussions existed aren’t unique to the US. state assemblies in eastern Germany. becomes inevitable. Populists feed on among Saudi Arabia, Opec president Qatar, Venezuela Across the industrialised world, the Unemployment dropped and the Since regional elections last month, and drive polarisation. middle class is fi nding it increasingly working poor emerged. Large parts the AfD is represented in half the The kind of illiberal paradise that and Russia on proposals to freeze production. diffi cult to make ends meet, while the of the former East Germany failed to country’s state legislatures and aims the likes of the AfD or Trump espouse Qatar has said around 15 members, both from the losers of globalisation are channelling catch up with the West, and an angry to enter parliament in next year’s already exists. Russia today off ers a Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries their aggression into fringe politicians underclass that felt cheated by the national vote. dystopian vision of a country run by and non-Opec producers, accounting for about 73% of who know who’s to blame. promises of democracy was created. “The conventions governing an omnipotent leader where urban Modern Germany, a paragon of Research shows that Germany Germany’s political interactions are liberals have been shut up; the middle global oil output, are supporting the initiative social peace and political moderation, is far more similar to the US in changing with incredible speed,” Der class is a demographic sliver between Obviously, the Doha meeting’s success remains is no exception. economic terms than most people Spiegel deputy editor Dirk Kurbjuweit the super-rich and a vast underclass, contingent on a workable agreement that can be “We have reached a tipping point,” might imagine. Germany’s so-called wrote in a recent essay. The two- and “patriotic” media spew fear and reached between the major oil producers, both within the Organisation for Economic Co- Gini coeffi cient, a measure of income party dominance by the centere-right hate around the clock. operation and Development (OECD) disparity, is 76 - closer to the 80 in Christian Democrats and centre-left Incidentally, when Russian and outside the Opec. In this context, Iran’s stand is warned last year. Income inequality the US than the 69 across the euro Social Democrats is under threat. President Vladimir Putin ran for his very crucial. in the 34 member countries is at its zone. In a Morgan Stanley ranking of A poll by the magazine found that third term, one of his slogans was A Bloomberg dispatch said Iranian Oil Minister Bijan highest level in the past half century, 20 industrialised countries, Germany 57% of Germans agreed with the “Together to a great Russia”. Namdar Zanganeh would attend the Doha discussions the OECD said in a report. The average came in as the sixth most unequal, statement, “Those guys up there will income of the richest 10% of the right after the US, preceded by Spain, do whatever they want anyway, and zLucian Kim has been reporting but won’t join a production freeze, citing a source. population is nine times that of the Greece, Italy and Portugal. my opinion doesn’t count.” Among from Germany, eastern Europe and The International Energy Agency (IEA) said that poorest 10% across the OECD, up Marcel Fratzscher, head of the AfD supporters, 88% agreed. With the former Soviet Union since 1996. Iran, in its fi rst full month freed of nuclear sanctions in from seven times 25 years earlier. German Institute for Economic more than 255,000 “likes”, the AfD He covered conflicts in Kosovo, February, lifted its oil production to a four-year high of There is a time-tested European Research, isn’t only concerned about has more Facebook followers than Afghanistan, Georgia and Ukraine. tradition of sneering at the crassness income inequality in Germany; he the Christian Democrats and Social The opinions expressed here are his 3.22mn barrels a day. of American capitalism and the also worries about systemic barriers Democrats combined. Facebook has own. Top producer Saudi Arabia said it would only freeze blowhards it produces. But Germans to social mobility. “I don’t have a become a popular forum for people its oil output if Iran and other major producers do so. “If all countries The Doha including Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Opec meeting’s countries and all main success remains producers decide to freeze production, contingent on we will be among them,” said Saudi’s a workable Deputy Crown Prince agreement Mohamed bin Salman. Analysts say even a commitment in Doha to freeze supply output at January levels can go a long way in stabilising the global oil market. According to Samba Financial Group, Futures prices have ticked up a bit in recent weeks, but are still below the “full cycle cost curve” for many, if not most, producers. This suggests that current low prices are unsustainable, and it continues to project prices higher than the futures market. That said, the slump in prices this year, weaker global growth prospects, still high stocks, and the only slowly developing supply response, have caused it to revise down its 2016 average Brent price projection to $40 for a barrel. However, Samba still expects the market will start to “rebalance” this year as the massive cuts in oil investment over the last couple of years begin to be refl ected in lower supply. Prices may well be “volatile” as fi nancial investors adjust positions but Samba projects Brent will average $60/b in 2017. Estimates for 2015 confi rmed that oil demand grew Studies back wider use of statins strongly at around 1.5mn bpd as lower oil prices helped stimulate demand in advanced economies, By Kerry Sheridan “I think we certainly should because they had at least one risk Drugs to lower blood pressure did particularly the US, pushing OECD (Organisation for AFP/Miami consider using statins much more factor, such as smoking, a large waist not reduce major cardiovascular Economic Co-operation and Development) demand widely than we have used them thus to hip ratio, or a family history of heart events like heart attack or stroke in up around 0.4mn bpd. far.” disease. the overall population, including major international study The trials, called Heart Outcomes However, none had been diagnosed those who did not have elevated blood This added to steady growth in non-OECD yesterday suggested that Prevention Evaluation-3 (HOPE-3), with heart disease at the start of the pressure. countries, particularly China and India. healthy people may reduce were the fi rst of their kind to examine trial. “There was no benefit in those Atheir risk of developing heart the impact of using statins, sometimes For the study, people were randomly with lower blood pressure and even problems before they start by taking in combination with blood-pressure assigned to either a cholesterol- a tendency towards harm in those cholesterol-lowering drugs, known as lowering drugs and other times with lowering drug (rosuvastatin, which is in the lowest third of the blood statins. a placebo, in a large, globally diverse also known as Crestor) or a placebo pressure distribution,” said Eva To Advertise The fi ndings came from three trials, population. pill daily. Lonn, professor of cardiology at [email protected] which included more than 12,000 Some were also given a blood McMaster University. people in 21 countries, and were Until now, statins pressure lowering drug - a “These data suggest blood Display released at the American College of combination pill with candesartan pressure lowering medications Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 Cardiology conference in Chicago. have mainly been (Atacand) and hydrocholothiazide are appropriate for people with Until now, statins have mainly been (Microzide) - or a placebo. hypertension but that people with Classified recommended for people at high-risk recommended for They were followed for a median lower blood pressure who have no Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 of heart disease, which kills 18mn of 5.6 years as researchers noted how other reasons to use blood pressure people around the world each year and people at high-risk of many people died or suff ered heart reducing drugs should avoid taking Subscription causes some 50mn heart attacks and attack or stroke. these drugs.” [email protected] strokes. heart disease Statin therapy was able to Anti-hypertensives did help “The implications for practice are “signifi cantly and safely reduce people with high blood pressure, and huge,” said senior researcher Salim Those enrolled in the trial were cardiovascular events by 25%,” said those who took statins in addition 2014 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Yusuf, professor of medicine at considered at “intermediate risk for the fi ndings published in the New to anti-hypertensive drugs reduced McMaster University. developing cardiovascular disease” England Journal of Medicine. cardiovascular events by 40%. Gulf Times Sunday, April 3, 2016 27 COMMENT Qatar: the corporate veil

LLCs have traditionally initial years of trading but these initial accounts will allow the capital of losses will not necessarily prevent the the LLC to be carefully monitored been seen as a safe option business becoming profi table once it is by managers and shareholders who by investors on the basis more established. So what can be done should then be able to predict if and to prevent the principle of limited when losses of half or more of the of the general principle of liability being lost in the early stages of LLC’s share capital are likely to occur. the “corporate veil” a business? In such incidences preventative (1) When the Companies Law action can be taken, such as further By Emma Higham took effect on 6 August 2015, the capitalisation, if necessary. and Yousef Fakhoury previous QR200,000 minimum Doha capital requirement for an LLC was What does this mean in repealed with the result that in practice? theory an LLC can be registered with he majority of the a share capital of QR1. In practice the The application of Article 298 commercial businesses Ministry of Economy and Commerce remains largely untested before the currently operating in Qatar, (MEC) will require the share capital Qatari courts. Indeed, as discussed Twhether wholly owned by of an LLC to be appropriate. With above, it is not unusual for an LLC to Qatari nationals and/or by Qatari a lower share capital the risk of have losses exceeding half or more nationals in joint venture with losses which are more than 50% is of the LLC’s share capital and to still foreign investors, are registered with obviously increased and so investors continue trading. In practice, the limited liability and referred to as should carefully assess the amount Article 298 issue will usually only limited liability companies (LLC) in of capital which will be required to crystallise in situations where: accordance with the provisions of Law operate a business in Qatar in its (a) the LLC’s third party creditors No (11) of 2015 (Companies Law). pre-profit stages rather than merely issue a debt recovery or bankruptcy LLCs have traditionally been seen seeking to incorporate an LLC with claim against the LLC for failure to as a safe option by investors on the the lowest possible share capital the make payments; or basis of the general principle of the MEC will approve. Stress testing, (b) where a shareholder wishes to “corporate veil”, a legal concept which eg. what working capital will be sell its shares and the third party buyer separates the personality of the LLC required to operate the business if questions the valuation of the LLC. from the personalities of its investors. the business receives no income In order to avoid a breach of Article Investors rely on this concept to for an extended period of time, 298 the preventative measures limit their liability to the amount each will be an important consideration suggested in this article should be has invested in the LLC. In exceptional and perhaps assist in avoiding the considered as a matter of minimum circumstances however, generally adverse consequences of Article 298. standard practice by LLC investors. involving fraud, the corporate veil may (2) Ensuring the LLC appoints an be “lifted” or “pierced” in order to are aware of the eff ect of Article 298 Commercial Register as an authorised the required 30 day period in order auditor and/or fi nancial manager at Note: Qatari Laws (save for those directly access the investors. when doing business in Qatar through signatory, of the LLC must call a to avoid the shareholders and/or an early stage could also be key in issued by, eg the QFC to regulate its own In Qatar, the circumstances where the an LLC. Where the LLC has more Shareholders’ General Assembly the manager(s) as the case may be, preventing a breach of Article 298. business), are issued in Arabic and there corporate veil can be lifted or pierced than one manager and/or a board (Assembly) to be held no later than becoming jointly and severally liable The Companies Law does not specify are no offi cial translations, therefore may not be so exceptional. Under of directors, these individuals may 30 days from the date the losses for the LLC’s liabilities. Failure to when and how to determine the LLC’s for the purposes of drafting this article Article 298 of the Companies Law likewise be culpable. amounted to half or more of the LLC’s comply with these steps therefore losses, although the generally accepted Clyde & Co LLP has used its own (Article 298) in circumstances where share capital. eff ectively results in a shareholder position is that when the net position translations and interpreted the same the LLC loses half or more of its capital Article 298 (2) In that Assembly, the guarantee. of the LLC is negative, ie. when the in the context of Qatari laws, regulation regardless of the reason for such losses it shareholders must resolve by a 75% losses appear in the audited accounts, and current market practice. may be possible for the creditors of the According to Article 298 where an majority of shareholders holding 75% Is it possible to avoid a breach of and the losses amount to half or more LLC to look beyond its limited liability LLC has losses amounting to half or of the share capital, to either: Article 298? of the LLC’s share capital then Article zShould you have any questions in and claim against the personal assets of more of its share capital, as a result of (a) reinstate/refi nance the LLC’s 298 could apply. Notwithstanding connection with this article or the legal the shareholders and in some instances losses from its business, the following capital; or Anyone who has started a new the practice in Qatar for an LLC to not issues it covers, please contact Emma the general manager. steps should be taken: (b) resolve to dissolve the LLC. business will know that it is not fi le audited accounts, having accurate Higham ([email protected]) It is critical, therefore, that (1) The manager(s),or any Both of these steps must be unusual for an LLC to incur losses audited accounts and preparing or Yousef Fakhoury (Yousef.fakhoury@ investors, and general managers, person whose name appears on the complied with and completed within which exceed half of its capital in the regular interim or management clydeco.com). Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY The ‘valuable we left the hall, telling him that we Qatar is very strict with the inspection is a model for other High: 28 C would visit them the next day. By then standard of food available in countries. Low : 17 C Strong wind and high seas till prize’ attraction I had understood the real purpose of outlets and eateries. Shops and midday their tactics: Being sweet-talked into restaurants violating various rules Keep up the great work! Dear Sir, buying one of their tour packages. are dealt with strictly. Qatar’s food Sachin S N When someone from the company MONDAY Let me start from the point where called me the next day, I asked him not High: 28 C the other writers had left off in their to call me again. Low: 20 C letters on “questionable off ers” Later I came to know from one of Please send us M Sunny published in this column over the last my friends who visited the “club” few days. I also had visited the so- that he had won “valuable prizes” your letters called “club” premises referred to in consisting of a water jug and four TUESDAY the letters to receive my “prizes” after glasses, worth about QR10 or QR15. He By e-mail High: 29 C a telephone call made to me. My family had to sit through a four-hour-long [email protected] Low: 23 C was with me during the visit and I presentation to get these “prizes”. Sunny was warmly welcomed by the “club” Fax 44350474 offi cials on arrival at their ce.offi Muhammed Ashraf Madiyari Or Post We were then escorted to a table in (e-mail address supplied) Fishermen’s forecast a well-lit hall. Calming music played Letters to the Editor OFFSHORE DOHA in the background. A gentleman Gulf Times Wind: NW 10-18/22 KT then started introducing us to their A commendable job Waves: 2-5/7 Feet various projects, mostly holiday P O Box 2888 INSHORE DOHA by food inspectors Wind: NW-NE 05-15 KT packages. Later I realised that while Doha, Qatar Waves: 1-2 Feet the presentation was going on, I was encouraged to provide a lot of details Dear Sir, Around the region about our personal lives. All letters, which are subject to editing, should have the Weather Weather During the discussions, the offi cial I would like to congratulate Qatar’s name of the writer, address and phone number. The today Max/min tomorrow Max/min mentioned that the prize distribution food inspectors for the commendable Abu Dhabi Sunny 26/17 P Cloudy 28/17 ceremony would be held after some job they are doing to safeguard the writer’s name and address may be withheld by request. Baghdad M Sunny 26/12 Sunny 29/13 time. After about half an hour more, public health. Dubai Sunny 26/19 P Cloudy 26/20 Kuwait City Sunny 28/17 Sunny 27/19 Manama Sunny 25/19 P Cloudy 26/20 Muscat Sunny 29/22 M Cloudy 29/22 Riyadh M Sunny 27/16 P Cloudy 29/17 Live issues Tehran M Sunny 18/09 Sunny 18/09 When guilt meets grief...

By Barton Goldsmith It’s a miracle that we have these be, but I am sure that I will feel it. time. I never know what’s going to Tribune News Service amazing diagnostic methods available One thing came up during a recent interest her. I’ve given up on her usual to our pets (as well as ourselves), but daily visit. The vet-tech told me that breakfast that just a few weeks ago she sometimes you really don’t want to in seven years, she has seen only three could hardly wait for. Now she has a y dog Mercy had been blind hear the results. After they took the people do this for their animals. The light brunch of whatever she will accept longer than I thought, blood, they had me wait, and then the rest just put them to sleep, and I just and then we try dinner. She gets more and deciding to get her vet called us into another room - and can’t do that to this creature who is not excited to eat when there is cooking Mcataract surgery was we all know what that means. in pain and wants to be here. When that going on, so I’m learning a new skill set - diffi cult, because she is older (15), and I changes, we will take the next step. doggie gourmet chef. was concerned about the possible side All we can do is Part of me wonders if Mercy would There is overwhelming sadness eff ects. But she was so depressed being have been okay if she hadn’t had the around the house, yet I know that life blind, I felt like I had to do something, enjoy the precious eye surgery or if I did something else has to go on for the rest of us. I really and so I went forward. wrong. Even though she is actually just want to have the world stop, so I After the successful surgery, moments we have much happier being able to see, I just can help her gently transition to the Around the world she took some time to heal, due to can’t help but feel that I screwed up next level. Weather Weather complications, but she was so much with something or somewhere. And deep down, I also By facing death, we often become today Max/min tomorrow Max/min happier to be able to see. It’s really know that Mercy has gotten the best of more spiritual, and that can only lead Athens P Cloudy 21/12 Sunny 23/12 only been a few months that she’s someone while they care since the day I rescued her. to more peace when the time comes, Beirut Sunny 23/16 Sunny 24/16 been a dog again. Sniffi ng the kitchen When we make the choice to but no matter what, you can’t run Bangkok P Cloudy 35/27 M Sunny 35/27 are getting ready Berlin P Cloudy 20/07 P Cloudy 22/09 fl oor for scraps is her favouite hobby, improve the quality of our lives, from the feelings that go with it. Cairo M Sunny 31/14 Sunny 32/16 and she had given that up when she to make their last we take a risk. This has taught me All we can do is enjoy the precious Cape Town Sunny 24/16 P Cloudy 23/16 went blind, but she turned back into a that, after a few years of misery, a moments we have with something or Colombo P Cloudy 33/26 P Cloudy 33/26 little Dyson after she could see again. couple of months of happiness does someone while they are getting ready Dhaka T Storms 29/23 T Storms 29/25 journey Cloudy Cloudy 23/19 Last week, she stopped eating make a diff erence. This is what I will to make their last journey. Hong Kong 23/18 Istanbul Sunny 14/07 Sunny 15/07 breakfast and wasn’t sniffi ng around With tears in her eyes, the vet remember and feel in the future. She is still around and not in pain so Jakarta T Storms 32/25 T Storms 32/25 the kitchen as much, so we went to told me that Mercy was in renal If a client came to me with this issue, we must be doing something right. Karachi P Cloudy 31/22 Sunny 32/22 the vet, did some tests, and just to be failure from cancer and this was the I would say that after loving an animal London P Cloudy 19/08 P Cloudy 15/07 safe, the vet gave her some antibiotics. beginning of the end. The vet was that much for over a decade, there is zDr Barton Goldsmith, a Manila M Sunny 35/23 P Cloudy 35/24 Moscow Cloudy 09/01 Cloudy 08/-1 I knew that Mercy was sensitive to aware of how much we had been no way you did anything but give her a psychotherapist in Westlake Village, New Delhi P Cloudy 41/24 P Cloudy 38/22 them, and the vet assured me that through this year and how very much great life that she never would have had California, is the author of The Happy New York Cloudy 07/02 Rain 10/-1 these pills had fewer GI complications. I love my dog, and she gave me a hug. without you. So I tell myself this too. Couple: How to Make Happiness a Paris P Cloudy 21/11 Showers 17/09 Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for We’ve now started Mercy on fl uid Now my main focus seems to be Habit One Little Loving Thing at a Sao Paulo M Sunny 32/18 P Cloudy 31/18 Cloudy M Sunny 21/04 Time. Follow his daily insights on Seoul 17/04 Mercy, and after only one day, we had injections; I’ve done this before and trying to get her to eat something, and Singapore T Storms 32/27 T Storms 32/27 to stop the medication. By then, Mercy it’s no fun, but it will keep Mercy when she does, I get a moment of relief. Twitter at @BartonGoldsmith, or Sydney Showers 22/18 Rain 23/17 had declined a little more, so now it comfortable for as long as she wants You should see the doggie smorgasbord e-mail him at Tokyo Clear 2 0/ 1 0 Cloudy 19/14 was time for blood work. to be here. I don’t know when that will that was laid out before her at feeding [email protected] Gulf Times 28 Sunday, April 3, 2016 QATAR QRCS donates More than 60 exhibitors $100,000 worth to attend Cityscape Qatar of relief goods Event will be held under the in Fallujah patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser atar Red Crescent So- by distributing in-kind as- bin Khalifa al-Thani ciety (QRCS) has do- sistance with a total value of Qnated $100,000 worth $69,300. ityscape Qatar 2016 will of relief goods to some 39,000 Dubbed as the “warm win- feature more than 60 ex- people of Fallujah as part of its ter campaign 2015-2016,” Chibitors who will show- humanitarian response in the QRCS distributed 4,950 blan- case a wide range of real estate area located in Anbar gover- kets for 1,650 families (around opportunities to homebuyers, norate. 10,000 benefi ciaries) inside private and professional inves- Funded by QRCS – Disaster IDP camps in A’mereyet Al tors, as well as key industry pro- Response Emergency Fund, Fallujah, Al Khalideya and Al fessionals from Qatar, the region the aid will provide food as- Hubaneya in the Anbar gover- and around the globe. sistance to 7,800 families of norate. Known as the largest inter- Fallujah and Makhmour. QRCS also distributed national real estate develop- QRCS also activated the blankets, clothing, and heat- ment and investment event in Disaster Management Infor- ing materials amounting to the country, it will be held un- mation System in the head- $494,000 which targeted der the patronage of HE Sheikh quarters on March 28 aimed at 6,500 families (39,000 ben- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa making continuous follow-up efi ciaries) in A’amereyet Al al-Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister and assessment on the situ- Fallujah, Baghdad suburbs and Interior Minister. ation of internally-displaced (Abu Ghreib, Rudwaneyah, Al Now in its fi fth year, City- persons (IDPs) in Iraq. Youssefeyah), Al Habaneya scape Qatar 2016 will be held In co-operation with the Camp and Beizibeiz Camp. from April 26-28 at the Doha QRCS delegation in Irbil, these Most of the benefi ciaries Exhibition and Convention eff orts also aim to produce a belong to the most vulnerable Centre amid recent announce- detailed intervention and re- and the most aff ected sectors ments from Qatar National Bank sponse plan to help thousands such as IDPs, widows, unac- that the Qatar government has of besieged and aff ected fami- companied minors, orphans focused 49.2% of its $70bn to lies. and the poorest who fl ed their $80bn diversifi cation drive in The United Nations Hu- cities due to the ongoing war. real estate. manitarian Needs Overview QRCS, represented by its “Cityscape is the world’s lead- 2016 in Iraq recorded an in- delegation in Iraq, worked ex- ing portfolio of real estate events crease in the number of the tensively in relief projects to and provides an opportunity for IDPs in that country due to the assist the Iraqi IDPs in Kurdis- ongoing confl ict. Out of the tan-Iraq. It established water 3.2mn IDPs, 75% are women storage and distribution net- and children. work in Ashti camp for Iraqi QRCS also helped Iraqi IDPs IDPs in Al Sulimeaneyah that Cityscape Qatar 2016 will feature more than 60 exhibitors. to survive the extreme weather served 1,312 families (7,878 conditions during the winter benefi ciaries). exhibitors and attendees to come Real Estate (JRE) as its platinum fice tower located at Marina with the ideal platform to dis- together and ensure that both sponsor. The Qatari-based Commercial District in Lusail cuss projects in detail with key their brands and projects are real estate company will be City, will offer approximately industry professionals and to seen by infl uential stakehold- launching at this year’s event 34 floors of office space. be an active part of the dialogue ers,” exhibition director Ahmed a number of projects including It is positioned to attract around both the construction Zakaria said. the architecturally impressive both local businesses and in- and real estate sectors in Qa- In addition, Cityscape Qa- tower, ‘THE e18hteen’. ternational corporations. tar,” JRE chairman Nasser al- JRE chairman Nasser al-Ansari. tar has recently confirmed Just The luxury commercial of- “Cityscape Qatar provides us Ansari said. Desert drives showcase Honda Pilot’s capabilities

omasco, the authorised to maximise performance on the distributor for Honda selected terrain. Dcars in Qatar, held a se- “With pushbutton mode se- QRCS distributes relief goods to families and beneficiaries. ries of desert drives last month lection between normal, snow, to showcase the off -roading ca- sand and mud, the Pilot off ers an pabilities of the all-new 2016 amplifi ed performance on deep Honda Pilot. sand and rough terrain,” the The event was organised for statement noted. “The fi rst time potential customers to “immerse off -roaders were able to tackle themselves in a unique test rough terrains with ease while drive experience”, according to a relishing the spacious and luxu- statement. rious interior of the Pilot.” A convoy of seven cars headed “Organising this adventure for from Doha to the Sealine desert, our potential customers, in order enabling the participants to ex- to give them a fi rsthand experi- perience both the on-road and Participants getting some advice on desert driving. Right: The Honda Pilot convoy. ence of the enviable off -road off -road capabilities of the new performance of the Pilot, was a Honda Pilot. The convoy was led As the group assembled for The convoy reached the Wynd- The Pilot’s Intelligent Trac- pleasure for us. With the Sand by Abdulla al-Louh, a profes- their departure, Greig Roff ey, ham Regency camp, where the tion Management system pro- Mode selected and the tyres de- sional desert driver. head of sales and marketing for group spent time relaxing with vides drivers with a number fl ated, the customers were able to For many in the group, this Domasco Honda, welcomed the Domasco team, enjoying a of condition-specifi c presets cruise over the dunes and tackle was their fi rst off -road experi- everyone and provided them day of food, conversation and for the throttle response, shift all the obstacles that got in their QRCS holds continuous follow-up and assessment on the situation ence. with some tips on desert driving. adventure. mapping and stability control way with ease,” said Roff ey. of IDPs in Iraq. Katara to host Islamic and orientalist art auction

lBahie Auction House will hold its inaugural auction of Islamic Aand Orientalist art at Katara – the Cultural Village on April 5. The auction will off er works such as Holy Qur’an and manuscripts, Orien- talist paintings and sculpture, enam- els, a large selection of arms and ar- mour, glass, fi ne furniture and Indian period jewellery, according to a press statement. All 240 artworks from the upcom- ing auction are currently on display at the auction house’s permanent space in building 22C, Katara. The preview exhibition is open eve- ry day, from 9am to 9pm, up to the day of the live sale on April 5. AlBahie has advised those interest- ed in bidding on works from the sale to register ahead of time for the auc- tion by e-mail to [email protected] or calling 44080534/44080535. Representatives are available to provide additional information such The auction will off er a wide range of artworks. as condition reports on the items in the sale and help guide anyone unfa- any lot in the sale by simply raising should be submitted up to 24 hours miliar with the auction and bidding your paddle when the lot opens.” The prior to the auction,” the statement process. auction can be followed live online on added. Anyone not available during “AlBahie has made it easy for any- albahie.com and Internet bidding is a the live auction can leave an absentee one to bid at the auction as the bid- convenient and easy method of bid- bid, or maximum bid, and the auc- ding can be done in four ways: in per- ding from home. Internet registra- tioneer will execute an absentee bid at son at the live auction, online via the tion should be done prior to the start the lowest possible price. website, www.albahie.com, by tel- of the auction. Absentee bids should also be sub- ephone bidding, or by leaving an ab- “Telephone bidding is another way mitted prior to the start of bidding. sentee (or maximum) bid,” the state- to participate during the live sale by The live auction kicks off at 4pm on ment noted. “If you choose to bid live having a representative from AlBahie April 5 and is free to attend and open during the auction in the saleroom, call you when your lot is up for bid- to all. Print catalogues are available by once you have registered you will ding. Telephone bidding will be done request to [email protected] as well receive a paddle and can then bid on in Arabic, English or French and bids as in the showroom.