BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8

Fintech to Marathon help Qatar star Radcliff e become visits Aspire Islamic Zone fi nance hub Foundation

published in QATAR since 1978

THURSDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11185 May 16, 2019 Ramadan 11, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir hosts Iftar banquet for heads of diplomatic missions and Qatar’s envoys

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani hosted yesterday an Iftar banquet in honour of heads of diplomatic missions in Qatar, Qatar’s ambassadors abroad and ranking off icials of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. The banquet was attended by His Highness Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Personal Representative of His Highness the Amir and a number of their excellencies Sheikhs. Page 23

Our Say Amir honours Dr Ibrahim Qatar well-prepared to combat all types of

By Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka ‘evolving’ cyber crimes Editor-in-Chief O MoI off icial stresses help trace fake social media account They should keep an eye on their chil- importance of making holders who commit crimes. dren’s use of electronic devices,” he Now the Metro “We have developed a systematic said adding that there are special plans children aware of the mechanism to combat the latest and to eliminate children’s involvement in and stadiums ill-eff ects of electronic evolving types of crimes,” Col al-Ku- cyber crimes. baisi said. Qatar has established ties with In- devices The department believes strict law terpol and Europol in order to ensure are ours; let us enforcement will help it bring down systematic and eff ective prevention of treasure them By Shafeeq Alingal cyber crimes. “And special focus is cyber crimes. “Qatar is the fi rst Mena Staff Reporter given to tackle social media crimes,” country which have signed agree- he said. ments with the two organisations in Tonight Qatar will mark another Social media crimes that include this regard. And we have high level in- major milestone with the opening of slew of measures have been pro- threatening, cyber bullying, posts that stitutes where offi cials are given train- the magnifi cent Al Wakrah Stadium, posed to fi ght cyber crimes which hurt social values and personal or so- ing in preventing cyber crimes. Even which is one of the venues of the Aare showing an upward trend cial sentiments and taking pictures offi cials from foreign countries rely FIFA World Cup 2022. It is a befi t- in accordance with the rapid advance- and videos without permission will in- upon these institutes to learn the lat- ting tribute to the splendid stadium ments in the information and technol- vite jail terms from six months to three est ways to combat cyber crimes,” Col that it has been chosen as the arena ogy sector, a senior offi cial has said. years along with a fi ne of QR3,000 to al-Kubaisi pointed out. for hosting a prestigious event like “The Economic and Cyber Crimes QR50,000. Qatar is also a member of the Mena the Amir Cup Final 2019. Combating Department (E&CCCD) Taking note of the involvement of region IT expert group that drafts the Al Wakrah Stadium is the sec- has in place a strong electronic search children in cyber crimes, the E&CCCD strategy to prevent cyber crimes. “Qa- ond FIFA World Cup 2022 venue to and investigation system,” director has decided to intensify awareness tar is giving much focus on preven- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani awarded the Hamad bin be ready after the Khalifa Stadium, Col Ali Hassan Ali al-Kubaisi told Gulf among students and parents. “Parents tion and a systematic approach will Khalifa Sash to HE the Economic Adviser at the Amiri Diwan, Dr Ibrahim al-Ibrahim, which was reopened in May 2017, Times in an interview. should be vigilant and they should help the country reduce the crime rate in recognition of his sincere eff orts towards Qatar, during a meeting at his off ice at with a spectacular inauguration cer- The system has latest equipment know about the ill eff ects of the de- in the cyber domain,” Col al-Kubaisi Al Bahr Palace. Dr Ibrahim expressed his deep pride and gratitude to the Amir for emony and by hosting the fi nal of the and advanced technology and these vices which they give to their children. added. the honour. Page 2 Amir Cup. Following renovation, the stadium is now ready to host matches through to the quarter-fi nals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. Al Wakrah Stadium, one of the most iconic venues of the World Qatar retains top spot Cup, is the fi rst arena to be com- Stage set for Amir Cup fi nal pleted from scratch. We have to be thankful to the thousands of people and numerous stakeholders that in hospitality sector have worked tirelessly to prepare the stadium for the momentous oc- O Guest Experience Index above the global benchmark in each at Wakrah stadium tonight casion today. The match also takes of these categories. on added signifi cance as it will be shows Qatar hotel guests Qatar’s hospitality sector also scored O List of prohibited items spectators with the aim of successfully the fi nal time legendary midfi elder report finest experiences higher in rooms (8.9), food (8.8) and issued and safely conducting the fi nal. and Supreme Committee Ambas- facilities (8.4). According to the ‘guest The committee has urged spectators sador Xavi Hernández takes to the atar’s hospitality sector con- type’ category, Qatar’s tourist accom- O Metro to run until 3am not to carry counterfeit tickets, weap- fi eld. The match will be attended tinues to win accolades, modation was particularly popular tomorrow ons, chemical substances, fi reworks by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Qranked best in the Middle East among business travellers, families, O Shuttle service from and explosives, drugs, alcoholic drinks, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. for a second consecutive year, ac- and friends. fl ags of non-participating teams, balls To Page 6 cording to the Guest Experience in “Qatar’s hospitality sector remains Wakra Station and frisbees, glassware, mugs, cans, [email protected] the Middle East Report, released by a key engine of our tourism vision. We O Mowasalat off ers taxi fl ag poles longer than 1m, perfumes and hospitality and travel data providers congratulate our partners in the private colognes, pushchairs and animals. Olery. sector for their continued growth, and discount In addition to these, for the safety RAMADAN THOUGHT The report analysed over 12mn on- their focus on providing travellers with he stage is set for the much- of spectators, the organising commit- line guest reviews in the past 12 months unparalleled hospitality and authentic anticipated Amir Cup fi nal be- tee prohibits animals, umbrellas, selfi e O mankind! Verily, the Promise (April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019) from experiences,” Qatar National Tourism Ttween Al Sadd and Al Duhail at sticks, cigarettes and lighters, bicycles of Allah is true. So let not this popular online booking sites. Council (QNTC) secretary-general HE the new 40,000-capacity Al Wakrah and skateboards, recording devices, present life deceive you, and Qatar’s score increased from 84.3 Akbar al-Baker said. Stadium tonight. horns, lasers, batteries and power let not the chief deceiver (Sa- last year to 85.4. The development of “The Olery report confi rms that The two teams will lock horns for the banks, etc. tan) deceive you about Allah. new attractions, such as the recently Qatar’s hospitality sector is best in coveted trophy in front of a packed au- Also, gambling, smoking, holding (Qur’an 35: 5) opened National Museum of Qatar, class, and a model for the industry and dience, with the Supreme Committee The organisers, Qatar Football As- political and religious rallies, unau- was credited with helping maintain the the region. The Olery report and the for Delivery & Legacy informing that all sociation and the SC, have advised thorised marketing, trading, collec- Prayer times hospitality sector’s momentum. guests who have stayed in Qatar’s ho- tickets for the match have been sold out. fans to arrive at the stadium well ahead tion of money such as busking (seeking Fajr....3.24 Zuhr....11.30 Asr....2.57 The report measures overall guest tels articulated the main selling points A number of measures have been to avoid any rush and traffi c bottle- donations) and charities, etc, are not Maghrib.....6.15 Isha.....7.45 satisfaction by considering diff erent as- as attentive service, top notch facili- taken by the organisers and other necks. The stadium gates and fan zone permitted inside the stadium. pects of their tourist accommodation ties, and authentic experiences,” he agencies concerned to ensure smooth will open at 7.30pm and the match Entering restricted areas, including Fasting times experience, including service, location, added. “These remain a priority as we conduct of the match as well as to give starts at 10.30pm. the fi eld of play, obstructing gateways, cleanliness, room quality, and value for continue to build diverse tourism and spectators an experience to cherish. In a statement yesterday, the Min- access ways, entrances, exits and stair- Iftar today ...... 6.15pm money. hospitality products and attract more The match is to be attended by His istry of Interior (MoI) said the organ- ways and climbing on any structure are Imsak tomorrow...... 3.13am In Qatar, service, cleanliness and guests to experience all that Qatar has Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin ising committee of the Amir Cup has also strictly prohibited. To Page 5 location received ratings of 9.0, to off er.” To Page 6 Hamad al-Thani. issued a number of instructions for See also Page 23, Sport Page 1 Gulf Times 2 Thursday, May 16, 2019 QATAR Amir honours Dr Ibrahim al-Ibrahim ‘Municipality of industrial zones’ to be established

QNA ity of industrial zones. between Free Zone Authority in Doha According to the draft deci- Qatar and China Council for the sion, a municipality called “mu- Promotion of International Trade. nicipality of industrial zones” zRatify protocol to co-op- he regular Cabinet meet- shall be established, to be under erate between Qatar-China ing, chaired by HE the the Ministry of Municipality and Friendship Association and the TPrime Minister Sheikh Environment. Chinese-Arab Friendship Asso- Abdullah bin Nasser bin Kha- The Cabinet took necessary ciation. lifa al-Thani, at the Amiri Diwan procedures to ratify a memoran- The Cabinet approved a draft yesterday, approved a draft law dum of co-operation in the fi eld MoU for co-operation in the on military decorations, orders of transport between the Minis- civil service aff airs and admin- and medals, and referred it to the try of Transport and Communi- istrative development between Advisory Council. cations in Qatar and Ministry of the governments of Qatar and The draft law replaces Law No Land, Infrastructure, Transport Kuwait. 12 of 1992 concerning decora- and Tourism in Japan. The Cabinet approved the tions, orders, medals and fl ags The Cabinet took necessary draft fi rst executive programme His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with HE the Economic Adviser at the Amiri Diwan, Dr Ibrahim al-Ibrahim, at of the Qatari Armed Forces and procedures to: of co-operation in the fi eld of Al Bahr Palace on Tuesday. The Amir awarded the Hamad bin Khalifa Sash to Dr Ibrahim, in recognition of his sincere eff orts towards Law No. 22 of 2002 on decora- zRatify a memorandum for education, higher education Qatar, during the meeting. The reception was attended by His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, and HE tions, orders and medals of the economic, trade and technical and scientifi c research of the the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani. HE Dr al-Ibrahim expressed his deep pride police force. co-operation between the Min- MoU for co-operation in the and gratitude to His Highness the Amir for the honour. Following the meeting, HE istry of Commerce and Indus- fi eld of education, higher educa- the Minister of Justice and Act- try in Qatar and the Ministry of tion and scientifi c research be- ing Minister of State for Cabinet Economy, Trade and Industry in tween the governments of Qatar Aff airs Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al- Japan. and Somalia for the academic Nuaimi stated the following: zRatify a memorandum of years (2019/2020 2020/2021 The Cabinet reviewed the top- understanding (MoU) to pro- 2021/2022). Amir greets ics on the agenda as follows: mote co-operation in business The Cabinet reviewed the Tunisian housing minister praises The Cabinet approved its draft events industry between the memorandum of HE the Minis- decision to establish a national National Tourism Council in ter of Municipality and Environ- president of committee for woman, child, Qatar and the China Council for ment on the proposed mecha- Qatar Fund for Development elderly and people with disabili- the Promotion of International nism to provide a database on ties aff airs. Trade in China. the real estate sector in the Paraguay The Cabinet approved its draft zRatify a memorandum of country and took the appropri- unisian Minister of nisian Parliament Selmi stated erty, create jobs and improve decision to establish municipal- understanding on co-operation ate decision. is Highness the Amir Equipment, Housing and that one of the objectives of the services and infrastructure, es- Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- TSpatial Planning Noured- offi ce is to help Tunisian cit- pecially when it comes to water, Hmad al-Thani, His High- dine Selmi praised the eff orts of ies and villages to integrate the sanitation, transport and other ness the Deputy Amir Sheikh the offi ce of Qatar Fund for De- new global urban agenda and areas. Qatar condemns attack on religious convoy in Burkina Faso Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani velopment (QFFD) in Tunisia, the goals of sustainable develop- Tunisia and Qatar have agreed and HE the Prime Minister and adding that these eff orts come ment, especially when it comes to establish an offi ce for Qatar QNA ern Burkina Faso, which caused their motives and reasons. Minister of Interior Sheikh Ab- as part of the bilateral relations to chaotic construction and re- Fund for Development as part of Doha deaths and injuries. The statement expressed dullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al- between the two brotherly coun- gional disparities. the eff orts exerted by Tunisia, in In a statement issued on Qatar’s condolences to the vic- Thani yesterday sent cables of tries and within the objectives of The Minister of Equipment, co-operation with several coun- Tuesday, the Ministry of For- tims’ families, the government congratulations to President of sustainable development. Housing and Spatial Planning tries including Qatar, to improve atar has strongly con- eign Affairs reiterated Qatar’s and people of Burkina Faso, Paraguay Mario Abdo Benitez on Addressing the Committee of said that Qatar Fund for Devel- living conditions in remote Tu- demned an attack on a re- firm stance rejecting violence wishing the injured a speedy his country’s independence day. Rights and Freedoms in the Tu- opment seeks to alleviate pov- nisian villages. – QNA Qligious convoy in north- and terrorism, regardless of recovery.

Gulf Times 4 Thursday, May 16, 2019 QATAR

GAC chairman meets Swiss envoy, deputy head of Korean mission

HE the Chairman of General Authority of Customs (GAC), Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Jamal, yesterday met the ambassador of Switzerland to Qatar Edgar Dorig. They discussed co-operation between both sides, customs issues and other related matters. HE al-Jamal also met the Deputy Head of Korean Mission Chung Suk-kyoon. They discussed promoting co-operation between both sides in the customs field, as well as issues of common economic interest between Qatar and the Republic of Korea.

Follow-up panel of National Traffi c Safety Committee holds meeting

QNA challenges and fi nding solutions The Follow-up Committee is- traffi c safety in Qatar, as well as Doha to move forward in activating the sued several recommendations, the study of children car seats plans aimed at achieving the ob- urging all parties to implement available in the local market and jectives of traffi c safety in Qatar. the National Road Safety Strat- subject them to experiments in he Follow-up Commit- The participants also high- egy through participating in the collision laboratory in the tee of the National Traffi c lighted the important role of QU the workshops and conferences centre in co-operation with the TSafety Committee held a Qatar Transportation and Traf- held by Qatar Transportation Hamad International Training meeting with representatives of fi c Safety Centre in conducting and Traffi c Safety Centre, and centre. Qatar Transportation and Traffi c research that contributed eff ec- implementing the research on The team noted that the centre Safety Centre at Qatar Universi- tively and greatly to making rad- traffi c safety after referral to the carried out two training courses ty, chaired by HE the Undersec- ical changes that raised the level authority concerned, and fa- in traffi c safety in 2018 and that retary of the Ministry of Educa- of traffi c safety in the country. cilitating the work of research- it is announcing two more train- tion and Higher Education, and They called upon all bodies ers and providing them with the ing courses this year, specifi cally Chairman of the Committee, Dr and ministries to complete their necessary data for research. in September and November. Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi. plans emanating from the Na- The team of Qatar Transpor- The courses will be attended Attendees of the meeting tional Road Safety Strategy, not- tation and Traffi c Safety Cen- by specialists in the fi eld of road stressed the importance of the ing that the role of the Commit- HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and Chairman of the tre shed light on the achieve- safety from the relevant govern- role of the Follow-up Committee tee is to maintain the progress Committee, Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi, chairing the meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the ments of the centre, including ment agencies. in reviewing the achievements of the process and overcome the National Traff ic Safety Committee. the study of the specifi cations The centre has also launched made by the authorities con- obstacles. of the methods of separation on a driving simulation laboratory cerned and ministries in imple- In addition, they stressed the cusing on the plans of impact, istries and stakeholders through competent authority, in order to the roads and the intermediate to conduct traffi c accident stud- menting the National Road Safe- need to review the plans and as well as the importance of in- investing the research issued by achieve eff ective results to raise islands, the project of the annual ies, in addition to other related ty Strategy, and in determining determine the priorities by fo- tegrating the eff orts of all min- the centre and refer them to the the level of traffi c safety in Qatar. statistical study on the state of events and projects. $180mn of Qatar grant to be used for humanitarian projects in Gaza

QNA Gaza

hairman of the Qatari Committee for the CReconstruction of Gaza Ambassador Moham- ed al-Emadi announced a set of humanitarian projects in Gaza Strip. At a press conference held in Gaza, Ambassador al-Emadi said that $180mn of the total Qatari grant will be allocated for humanitar- ian projects that serves Gaza and supports the electricity sector in the Strip. This will be done in consultation and co-ordination with the UN institutions. The Qatari envoy to the Gaza Strip, Mohamed al-Emadi, speaks during a press conference in Al-Emadi explained that Gaza City on May 14. Qatar will build a fi eld hos- pital on the border of the northern Gaza Strip on an Al-Emadi clarifi es remarks on ‘Islamic Jihad Movement’ area of 40 dunums to sup- port the health sector. Chairman of Qatar’s National Committee The ambassador noted that Qatar, through Meanwhile, the contract for the Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip its recent financial support, aff irms its of supplying the power Ambassador Mohamed al-Emadi underlined steadfast position in supporting all factions plant in Gaza will be ex- that the remarks attributed to him on the and components of the Palestinian society tended until the end of this accusation of the Islamic Jihad Movement in general, and especially in Gaza Strip, in year. are completely incorrect, contrary to reality, order to alleviate its humanitarian suff ering. He added that Qatar will and are meant to harm the relationship with He underlined that Qatar’s eff orts aim at also support the 161 projects the Palestinian brothers. protecting the Palestinian people, and within the plan to develop In a statement, ambassador al-Emadi it rejects any aggression against the and improve the electric- aff irmed the respect of all Palestinian Palestinian people in all international ity supply in Gaza, and will factions and the appreciation of their forums. continue the disbursement sacrifices, and stressed the special Ambassador al-Emadi called on the of cash assistance to poor relationship between him and all factions, brothers to wait and not to rush to explain and needy families for six including the brothers in the Islamic Jihad things, because the shared process months. Movement, as one of the most important of reconstruction and alleviating the Al-Emadi noted that both factions on the Palestinian arena. consequences of the blockade is bigger Hamas and Israel do not He said that he had several meetings and than just a statement that has never meant want to escalate the situa- direct contacts with the brothers in the to off end anyone. tion, adding that if the re- Islamic Jihad Movement during his frequent Ambassador al-Emadi left Gaza Strip at cent escalation continued visits to Gaza, noting that they have a dawn yesterday through Beit Hanoun for few more hours, the positive attitude that reflects their deep checkpoint, accompanied by his deputy world would have witnessed awareness of the nature of the stage which Khaled al-Hardan. Al-Emadi arrived in Gaza humanitarian disasters and the Palestinian issue is going through. Strip on Monday. the entire region would have entered into a critical situ- ation the consequences of Prime Minister Mohamed employees, al-Emadi ex- Gaza Strip. which are unknown. Shtayyeh in Ramallah with- plained that their file will He stressed that the grant He said that he will meet in two days. be discussed later, noting is currently allocated to with Palestinian Presi- In response to a question that it is the responsibility poor families and humani- dent Mahmoud Abbas and about the salaries of Gaza of the government in the tarian aid.

Mongolian foreign minister holds talks with Qatar’s ambassador

ongolia’s Minister of Foreign Aff airs Damdin Tsogt- During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations baatar met Qatar’s ambassador (non-resident) to between Qatar and Mongolia and ways to boost and de- MMongolia, Sultan bin Salmeen al-Mansouri in capi- velop them, in addition to issues of common interest. – tal Ulaanbaatar yesterday. QNA Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 5 QATAR HMC advises pregnant women precautions during Ramadan

amad Medical Corpora- sion,” cautioned Dr El Taher. should also immediately contact check,” said, Dr Arbab. tion (HMC) is advising “Each Ramadan we see an in- her doctor,” said Dr al-Taher. While fasting is normally safe Hwomen who have preg- crease in the number of pregnant Dr Amal Abu Bakr Arbab, for most breastfeeding women, nancy complications such as women who visit our Emergency lactation consultant and lead abstaining from food and water diabetes, high blood pressure, Department for complains as- for the Baby-Friendly Hospital for many hours may cause fatigue and anaemia to take precautions sociated with fasting. If Ram- Initiative at the Women’s Well- and dehydration. Dr. Arbab says The classes are open to children aged 4-16 and above. if they are fasting this Ramadan. adan coincides with the summer ness and Research Center, says breastfeeding women who plan Dr Faten El Taher, senior con- months, this means hot weather it is important for breastfeeding to fast should eat a healthy, well- sultant in obstetrics and gynae- and longer days, which puts women to consult their physi- balanced diet and drink plenty of cology at the Women’s Wellness pregnant women at greater risk cian prior to fasting. She says fl uids. She recommends trying to and Research Center, says while for dehydration due to low fl uid most Islamic scholars believe increase the number of times the VCUarts Qatar some studies show there is lit- intake. This could induce pre- that breastfeeding women are baby feeds between the Iftar and tle or no eff ect on babies whose mature labour and subsequently exempt from fasting and urges Suhoor meals and suggests the mothers fast during pregnancy, lead to preterm births,” added Dr women who are breastfeeding to mother gets at least two hours of other studies have found that El Taher. seek medical advice if they de- rest prior to feedings and eight launches summer pregnant Muslim women who Dr El Taher says fasting preg- cide to fast. hours of sleep during the night. fast during Ramadan are likely nancy women should contact “Fasting can result in a wom- “An average woman needs to to have smaller babies who are their doctor immediately if they an eating fewer calories and eat about 2,000 calories per day more prone to learning disabili- notice signs of distress, which Dr Amal Abu Bakr Arbab there is scientifi c evidence that to maintain her weight. Breast- art and design ties. could include weight loss, ex- suggests fasting can aff ect the feeding women need to ensure “Pregnant women with un- treme thirst, infrequent uri- woman experiences contrac- micronutrients in breast milk they are eating up to 500 extra derlying health conditions nation, or dark-coloured and tion-like pains, feels dizzy, faint, due to changes in the mother’s calories each day to should avoid fasting in order to strong-smelling urine, head- weak, confused, or tired. diet; therefore, fasting is gen- meet the increased nutrient programme protect themselves and their ache, pain, or fever, and nausea “If a woman, or her unborn erally not recommended for needs that accompany breast- unborn babies from further or vomiting. It is also important baby, shows any signs of dis- women who are exclusively feeding. Strive to eat a variety of irginia Commonwealth In the Fashion Illustration complications. However, preg- to immediately contact one’s tress, she should immediately breastfeeding. Women who nutritious whole foods, protein, University School class for ages 10-14, students nant women who decide to fast doctor if there are changes in the break her fast, drinking water are breastfeeding and decide to healthy fats, whole grains, and Vof the Arts in Qatar will work with a variety of during Ramadan should only do baby’s movement (particularly containing salt and sugar, or an fast must talk to their physician lots of vegetables and fresh and (VCUarts Qatar) in Education media and techniques to cre- so under their doctor’s supervi- a decrease in movement), if the oral rehydration solution. She and undergo a general health dried fruits,” added, Dr Arbab. City has launched the 2019 ate fashion illustrations with edition of its summer art and diff erent fashion fabrics.They design programme for chil- will also be introduced to di- dren and high school students. verse fashion drawings and The classes will start on June fashion illustrators. 29 and run until early August. In the class titled, “Coding The classes are open to chil- & Video Game Design” partic- HBKU graduate honoured at dren aged 4-16 and above, and ipants from fi ve to eight years will range from fashion design, old, will step into the world of interior design, app design, computer programming and video game design and t-shirt learn how to code and create design, to painting, printmak- video games, animations, sto- translation conference in Italy ing, collage making, fashion ries and interactive programs. illustration, and robots and They will acquire the fun- many more. damentals of programming graduate at the Col- be appealing when translating nition is to reinforce CHSS’ ca- social media. In the presenta- The “Art Explorers - Un- including loops, conditional lege of Humanities and words from English to Arabic pacity to graduate students who tion, al-Awthan focused on der the Sea” class, open to statements, and event broad- ASocial Sciences (CHSS) because of the lack of agreement can succeed wherever they go. four terms and discussed them children aged four to six years casting. at Hamad Bin Khalifa Univer- between translators on specifi c Our education experience at the through paraphrasing and se- old, children will print, paint, The “Design Thinking” sity (HBKU) recently received Arabic phrases to be used. college has been intriguing and mantic loan. sculpt and experiment with class for the age of 16+ will an award for his thesis during Al-Awthan said, “It’s been an compelling, and we were con- Dr Kockaert and Dr al-Adwan mixing medias to create their consist of creating a personal the International Conference on incredible honour to be recog- stantly challenged in ways that said, “The recognition Ahmed own interpretations of under- mood board to represent each Applied Language and Transla- nised for my translation research sought to expand our horizons.” received for his thesis on Arabi- sea life and watery worlds. one of the participants. The tion Studies in Venice, Italy. on a global stage. I’m grateful to Al-Awthan’s thesis, writ- cisation of social media terms is a On the Robot Art Explorer participants will get to create a Ahmed al-Awthan, who my mentors, whose guidance ten under the supervision of testament to his commitment to course, children aged six to digital and physical board us- graduated recently from the and support have proved invalu- Dr Hendrik Kockaert, director the subject matter he chose, which Ahmed al-Awthan eight will develop their crea- ing simple techniques of col- Master of Arts in Translation able – through them I have learnt of translation and interpreting contributes nicely to a new re- tivity and art skills by ex- lecting inspiration and Adobe Studies programme at CHSS, a great deal and their mentorship studies, and Dr Amer al-Adwan, search area in Translation Studies.” The thesis studies the challenges perimenting with a variety programmes like Illustrator was honoured for his paper that gave me confi dence in my cho- assistant professor, at CHSS, The topic of the thesis blends that translators often experience of media to create two-and- and Photoshop; which will be examined unique aspects of sen research subject.” studied how 20 diff erent trans- in with the national language when translating social media three-dimensional robot art- taught during the course of the transliteration, and how the can “To earn international recog- lators can translate 15 terms on policy enhancing the protection. terms into Arabic. works. programme. Stage set for Amir Cup fi nal at Wakrah stadium tonight From Page 1

Qatar Rail tweeted that the Doha Metro service on the Red Line (south) has been extended until 3am tomorrow so that peo- ple can use the service to watch the Amir Cup Final at Al Wakrah Stadium tonight. Also, due to the shuttle bus service in operation for the Amir Cup fi nal at Al Wakra station, the station car park (West) will be completely closed for customer vehicles all through today, Qatar Dr Khaled Machaca, Dr Sunanda Holmes, Dr Mohamed Ghaly, Dr Jeff rey Skopek, Dr Jeremie Arash Rafii Tabrizi and Dr Barry Solaiman at Rail tweeted. Alternative parking the event. will be available to the eastern side of the station. A map on Qa- tar Rail’s Twitter page provides further details. There will be changes in the Metrolink feeder bus service of WCM-Q event explores law Doha Metro, too. Service hours will be extended to 3.30am to- morrow at all stations except Al Wakra, where the service will be suspended at 6pm today, accord- and ethics of genetic medicine ing to a tweet. This is due to the operation of the shuttle service for the Amir Cup fi nal between Al octors, lawyers, ethi- ant professor at HBKU Col- Dr Tabrizi said, “If you have novel legal issues. The confer- Wakra station and the stadium. cists and academics lege of Law and Public Policy, a BRCA mutation, you have a ence brought together leading In a related development, Dconvened at Weill Cor- and co-director of the activ- very high risk of cancer, so we thinkers in law, Islamic studies, Mowasalat said it was off ering a nell Medicine – Qatar (WCM- ity, explained the existing legal do a mastectomy. What’s go- ethics, medicine and scientifi c fl at 25% discount on Karwa taxis Q) to discuss the legal and ethi- framework governing genetics ing to happen within the next research to help identify the for those travelling to Wakrah to cal implications of new gene research in Qatar and discussed few years, I think - and we are legal gaps and pave a way for- attend tonight’s fi nal. A promo editing technologies that allow the challenges involved in de- working on this in our labs ward.” code, “AMIRCUP”, has to be used for the creation of ‘genetically veloping regulations to take ac- - is to design a personalised Dr Jeff rey Skopek, lecturer in by Karwa app users, according to enhanced humans’. count of developments in gene CRISPR to correct this muta- Medical Law, Ethics and Policy a tweet by the transport company. The event, the latest in editing technologies. tion with a few cycles of injec- at the University of Cambridge, Qatar Rail said it recommends WCM-Q’s Intersection of Law Dr Sunanda Holmes, general tions in the breast, rather than a gave a lecture titled ‘The Harms that spectators reach Al Wakrah & Medicine series, featured counsel and chief compliance mastectomy.” of Human Genetic Enhance- station before 8.45pm to ensure eral Directorate of Traffi c, Qatar pedestrian crossings, tunnels, lectures and panel discussions offi cer at The American Uni- Dr Tabrizi warned that regu- ment: Secular Perspective’, af- their arrival at the stadium before Football Association and the Su- traffi c signs, etc. to ensure the of pressing issues prompted versity in Cairo, spoke about lation of gene editing poses ter which Dr Mohamed Ghaly, the game. The shuttle bus takes preme Committee for Delivery & readiness of these assets, in co- by the recent development of the global legal frameworks many problems, explaining professor of Islam and Biomed- around 20 minutes from the station Legacy, Ashghal said it contrib- operation with all partners. technologies such as CRISPR, a governing gene editing and ge- that so-called biohackers are ical Ethics at the HBKU Re- to reach the stadium, it added. utes to easing traffi c management The parties concerned agreed powerful gene editing tool that netic medicine in general, with already selling DIY CRISPR kits search Centre for Islamic Leg- Meanwhile, the Public Works on roads surrounding the stadium upon key aspects such as opera- a scientist in China claims to specifi c reference to the US, the online. Regulation of genetical- islation & Ethics, spoke about Authority (Ashghal) has urged through a number of directional tional plans, the development of have already used to produce UK and Canada. ly modifi ed plants and animals Islamic ethical perspectives on road users not attending tonight’s signs that lead people to the park- immediate emergency response twin baby girls with modifi ed WCM-Q’s Dr Jeremie Arash is also problematic, because human gene editing. fi nal to avoid the area surrounding ing plots with its diff erent catego- plans and preparation of the nec- genes that make them resistant Rafi i Tabrizi, professor of Ge- once introduced into the wider Dr Thurayya Arayssi, senior Al Wakrah Stadium from 6.30pm ries, in addition to a mobile over- essary teams and equipment to to HIV. netic Medicine in Obstetrics and environment they are diffi cult associate dean for Medical Ed- today until 2am tomorrow. head gantry with supplementary ensure the success of the Amir Co-ordinated by WCM-Q’s Gynaecology, spoke about the or even impossible to control, ucation and Continuing Pro- In a statement , Ashghal said signs to lead road users. Cup fi nal, in addition to the study Division of Continuing Profes- possible uses for genetic tech- he said. fessional Development, who it has delivered a number of local An integrated team was estab- of all road projects being imple- sional Development in collabora- nologies like CRISPR, such as HBKU College of Law dean co-directed the event with Dr roads, expressways and various lished by the Roads Operation mented around the stadium and tion with Hamad Bin Khalifa Uni- introducing genetically modifi ed Susan L Karamanian, who at- Solaiman, said, “Gene editing infrastructure projects that serve and Maintenance Department ensure readiness during the event. versity (HBKU), the event heard mosquitoes to combat the spread tended the conference, said, is one of the most exciting areas Al Wakrah Stadium, developing at Ashghal in February to survey, These were in addition to plan- lectures from practising physi- of malaria, and genetic therapies “HBKU Law was delighted to of medical research with huge new roads and upgrading exist- study and test all available road ning road closures, traffi c diver- cians, lawyers, legal academics, for breast cancer caused by mu- work with our Education City potential for treating many dif- ing roads to facilitate access to assets such as asphalt condi- sions and alternative routes during researchers and ethicists. tations in two genes known as neighbour, WCM-Q, to address ferent diseases, as well as many the stadium and its facilities. tion, road signs, safety barriers, the event to facilitate the move- Dr Barry Solaiman, assist- BRCA1 and BRCA2. a complex topic that involves other possible applications.” In co-ordination with the Gen- drainage assets, street lighting, ment of individuals and vehicles. Gulf Times 6 Thursday, May 16, 2019 QATAR

Honda distributor Qatar Airways previews unveils Ramadan ad on FIFA sponsorship off ers atar Airways recently oha Marketing Services previewed its new TV Company (Domasco), Qcommercial campaign Dthe exclusive distributor highlighting the airline’s spon- of Honda in Qatar, has unveiled sorship of the FIFA Women’s a series of off ers across its car, World Cup France 2019 taking bike, and marine lines for the place in France next month. month of Ramadan. The preview was held during Customers buying the latest a Suhoor organised by the na- Honda car can take advantage tional carrier for the local media of one-year free insurance, free at the Mondrian Hotel Doha. service for the fi rst 20,000km, The TV commercial sched- and Kidzania Vouchers for a uled to launch globally next family of four with every pur- week, expresses the “tremen- chase during Ramadan. dous excitement” generated in They will also enter a draw the run-up to the most thrilling to win gold/jewellery vouchers moment yet in women’s sports, worth up to QR100,000. set to take place in France from On pre-owned Honda vehi- June 7 to July 7. cles, Domasco is giving away Qatar Airways senior vice- Marks & Spencer gift cards president (marketing and corpo- HE al-Baker with senior Qatar Airways Group executives at the event. worth QR1,000 along with low rate communications) Salam al- down-payment and free regis- Shawa said: “We were delighted sive interest among football fans Awards, managed by interna- Airport, to more than 160 desti- tration. to welcome so many members of around the world.” tional air transport rating or- nations worldwide. Customers can also benefi t Doha’s vibrant media industry to The event was hosted by Qatar ganisation Skytrax. The airline will add a number from low monthly payments join us at this special Suhoor in HE al-Baker speaking at a ‘Suhoor’ organised by Qatar Airways for Airways Group chief executive It was also named “Best Busi- of new destinations to its ex- starting from QR1,699 on all celebration of the holy month of the local media at the Mondrian Hotel Doha recently. HE Akbar al-Baker, and was at- ness Class Seat”, “Best Airline in tensive route network this year, pre-owned Pilot models. Ramadan. tended by airline’s senior leader- the Middle East”, and “World’s including Izmir in Turkey; Rabat Customers wishing to buy a “We were especially pleased Women’s World Cup France week, and we could not be more ship. Best First Class Airline Lounge”. in Morocco; Malta; Davao in the new Honda bike can enjoy free to be able to provide a sneak pre- 2019. excited to kick-off the tourna- Qatar Airways was named Qatar Airways operates a Philippines; Lisbon in Portu- comprehensive insurance and view of our new TVC highlight- “This innovative new cam- ment with this captivating TVC, “World’s Best Business Class” modern fl eet of over 250 aircraft gal; Mogadishu in Somalia; and registration for one year, along ing our sponsorship of the FIFA paign will offi cially launch next which is sure to generate mas- by the 2018 World Airline via its hub, Hamad International Langkawi in Malaysia. with a free riding jacket and a pair of gloves. They will also get their fi rst two services free of charge. Honda Marine is off ering a special price of QR109,999 on a Qatar’s hospitality sector stays on top Now, let us treasure set of BF250 engines during Ra- madan. Customers can also benefi t From Page 1 destination in terms of hospi- Being in partnership with one 100 guest review platforms. stadiums, the Metro from free installation and acces- tality and quality. of the world’s leading compa- This commitment to trav- sories worth QR26,000 on every The hotel classifi cation sys- One of its major components nies in the area of guest senti- ellers helps the QNTC and its purchase, with three years’ war- tem introduced by the QNTC is the Voice of the Guest, which ment analysis, the QNTC uti- partners in the hospitality sec- From Page 1 with FIFA, to set a new stand- ranty as well as a free multifunc- in 2016 plays a central role in classifi es hotels through per- lises a tool in order to obtain a tor evolve new products and ex- ard in sustainability and intro- tion display. establishing Qatar as a leading formance. sentiment score from more than periences. It has been a feat of collabo- duce bold new ideas in tourna- Faisal Sharif, the Domasco ration, organisation and deter- ment legacy planning. managing director, explained: mination to get to this goal. On May 8, Doha took yet “The holy month of Ramadan It is a matter of great pride another futuristic turn with is a time of heartfelt giving; it for Qatar to get it ready three- the soft opening of the much- is also a time to refl ect and be and-a-half years before the awaited Doha Metro, at least thankful.” tournament. one year ahead of schedule. He said: “That is why we have Al Wakrah Stadium was de- Qatar Rail kicked off a pre- put together a wide array of gen- signed by the legendary archi- view service for the fi rst part erous off ers to our loyal custom- tect Zaha Hadid. of the Doha Metro’s Red Line ers.” Zaha Hadid Architects di- South last Wednesday – a He added: “Whether you want rector Jim Heverin, who re- milestone for the country’s in- to purchase from our Honda Ma- cently visited the completed frastructure in the run-up to rine line, to get your hands on a Vodafone Qatar and Hifz Al Naema off icials. venue for the fi rst time, said the 2022 World Cup. new or pre-owned Honda cars that Hadid would have been These momentous achieve- or to buy a brand-new bike, you amazed at how true it is to ments have bestowed a huge will benefi t from a special re- what “we set out to achieve, responsibility on the people of ward.” how well executed it is, with Qatar – the duty to keep them During this year’s Golden Vodafone, Hifz Al Naema the beautiful folds and beau- clean, and safe from damage. Steering Wheel Award ceremony tiful lines, and all the care and The authorities will be keen organised by Arab Motors Mid- attention”. to maintain them spotless but dle East and X-Tork, Honda Pi- distribute food baskets The other venues, eight in the residents too should show lot received the Best Family SUV total, are also on track and are their appreciation by practis- Award. expected to be completed well ing the highest standards of This award accentuates Hon- or the second year in a row, is doing incredible work to identify in time for the eagerly awaited cleanliness and civic obliga- da car’s exquisite service setting Vodafone Qatar and Hifz Al and help those less fortunate, so tournament. tions. a new standard of quality in the FNaema Social Centre came it’s important that the private and One of them, Al Bayt Sta- One example to follow is the segment. together to distribute Ramadan public sectors support their hon- dium, will serve as a model Japanese culture, where the Domasco’s Honda Ramadan food baskets that benefi ted more ourable mission.” for stadium construction in players and the fans make it a off ers are available at the show- than 200 families in need. Youssef al-Khulaifi , manager of future as a world-class edifi ce point to clean up the dressing room on Khalifa Street near the The baskets were delivered by Hifz Al Naema, said the food basket that combines heritage, sus- room as well as the balconies National Mosque and TV inter- Vodafone Qatar’s head of public project is one of the centre’s Ram- tainability, and environment- before they leave the venues. section. sector, Mohamed al-Yafei, and the adan initiatives designed to provide friendly development goals, Losing or winning does not Throughout Ramadan, the company’s brand ambassador, Ali support to families that have regis- while taking into account the infl uence their behaviour in showroom will be open Saturday bin Towar al-Kuwari. tered. societal requirements. this regard. to Thursday from 8am to 2pm The baskets contain essentials He also praised Vodafone for its The Ras Abu Aboud Stadium We too have to draw from and 7.30pm to midnight and on such as chicken, rice, pasta, lentils, support for the second year in row, is a pioneering project, being our rich Arab and Islamic cul- Friday from 8pm to 11pm. and milk and include enough food emphasising that Hifz Al Naema the fi rst in the history of the ture that permeates every as- to feed an entire family throughout welcomes partnerships and collab- World Cup to be entirely dis- pect of our life to excel in ex- the holy month. orations of all kinds with compa- mantled. emplary public demeanour. In parallel, Vodafone Qatar and nies and government institutions. In addition, it will have a Let the people of Qatar, Hifz Al Naema will use their social This refl ects the level of commit- unique design, featuring ship- both citizens and expatriates, media channels to raise awareness ment to corporate social responsi- ping containers to create an show their appreciation for about food waste, a major issue in bility required from organisations extraordinary building block the magnifi cent edifi ces and Qatar. to help realise Qatar National Vi- eff ect. institutions – whether in the The initiative is being organ- sion 2030. Constructed using shipping sport, cultural, medical, infra- ised as part of Vodafone Qatar’s Hifz Al Naema is a social aware- containers, removable seats structure or educational sec- broad-ranging corporate social re- ness centre that utilises, ration- and other modular “building tors, that have come up in the sponsibility programme during the alises, and recycles the resources blocks”, not only will this in- country. holy month under the banner of its available to society in the best way novative, 40,000-seat venue These are national assets Ramadan campaign, #Shukran- possible. have a remarkable design, but which have to be preserved FromTheHeart, the company has The centre off ers its services to it will be entirely dismantled for posterity and handed over said in a statement. those in need and raises awareness and repurposed after the FIFA to the next generations as our Al-Yafei said: “We’re proud to about food waste in Qatar. World Cup Qatar 2022. cherished legacy. once again partner with Hifz Al Hifz Al Naema was launched in Its parts will be used in other Naema to share our blessings dur- 2008 as a community initiative and sporting or projects in poor falmudahka@gulf-times. Domasco has unveiled off ers for ing the holy month. Hifz Al Naema opened the fi rst food bank in Qatar. countries, in co-ordination com Honda during Ramadan.

QNB opens new branch at Msheireb Metro station NB Group, the largest fi nan- emerging regions in the country. cial institution in the Middle The Msheireb station is located at QEast and Africa, has opened the heart of the Doha Metro, with the its new branch in the Msheireb Metro Red, Green and Gold lines all meet- Station, thus being the fi rst lender to ing at this point, and represents one open a branch in the new station. of the world’s biggest Metro stations. The opening of the branch is testa- The station also gains increased ment of QNB’s keenness to provide its importance with the approach of customers with easy access to leading the FIFA 2022 World Cup, with its banking services anywhere in Qatar position at one end of the Gold line, or through its international network. enabling it to connect passengers to The new branch is the latest ad- all the World Cup stadiums linked dition to the group’s network of lo- by Metro sites, thus forming a hub cal branches, which cover all parts of for the crowds attending the global QNB becomes the first lender to open a branch in Msheireb Metro station. Qatar and continue to expand to all sporting event.

Gulf Times 8 Thursday, May 16, 2019 QATAR/RAMADAN Ramadan cannon at Souq Al Wakrah The superiority of fasting

1. Ar-Rayyan Gate is for those who or a shelter from the Hell-fire). So, observe Saum (sincerely). Narrated the person observing Saum should Sahl ibn Sa’d (radiallah ‘anhu) the avoid sexual relation with his wife Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sal- and should not behave foolishly lam) said: and impudently. And if somebody “There is a gate in Paradise called fights with him or abuses him, he Ar-Rayyan, and those who observe should say to him twice, ‘I am ob- Saum (fast) will enter through it on serving Saum’. By Him in Whose the Day of Resurrection and none Hand is my soul, the smell coming except them will enter through it. It out from the mouth of the person will be said: ‘Where are those who observing Saum is better in Allah’s observed Saum.’ They will get up, and sight than the smell of musk. [Allah none except them will enter through (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says about it. After they have entered, the gate the person observing Saum] ‘He has will be closed and nobody will enter left his food, drink and desires for it.” (Bukhari and Muslim) My Sake. The Saum is for his food, Narrated Abu Hurairah (radiallah drink and desires for My Sake. The ‘anhu), Allah’s Messenger (sallal- Saum is for Me. So, I will reward laahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: (the person observing Saum) for “Whoever gives two kinds (of it and the reward of good deeds is things or properties) in charity for multiplied ten times.” (Bukhari) Allah’s Cause, and whoever was Narrated Abu Sa’id (radiallah amongst those who used to observe ‘anhu), the Prophet (sallallaahu Saum will be called from the gate of ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: The firing of the traditional Ramadan cannon to announce Iftar time is also taking place at Souq Al Wakrah. Yesterday, Ar-Rayyan.” (Bukhari) “No Muslim fasts one day for the Gulf Times photographer Jayan Orma watched through his camera lens as a boy (inset) cover his ears ahead of the 2. Observing Saum restricts sake of Allah but Allah will take his face cannon being fired. sexual desire. Narrated Abdullah far away from Hell-fi re the distance of ibn Mas’ood (radiallah ‘anhu), the 70 autumns.” (Bukhari and Muslim). Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sal- 7. Saum expiates sins. Narrated lam) said: Huthaifah (radiallah ‘anhu), the “O young men! He who can afford Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sal- marriage expenses should get mar- lam) said: ried, and he who cannot afford to “…sins one commits concerning his marry is advised to observe Saum, household (family), or wealth are ex- as As-Saum will diminish his sexual piated by performing Salah – prayers, Qatar Airways serves Iftar observing Saum and giving charities.” power.” (Bukhari and others) 3. There are two pleasures for the Abu Hurairah (radiallah ‘anhu), the (Bukhari, Muslim and others. This is a person observing Saum; when he Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sal- part of a long hadith). breaks the fast and when he meets lam) said: Article source: http://www.is- meals to fasting faithful lamweb.net/emainpage/ his Rabb. “As-Saum is a shield (or a screen 4. The doubling for many times Customers breaking the rewards of the one who ob- their fast on board will serves Saum to an extent not known Mistakes made in Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) except by Allah (subhanahu wa receive Ift ar meals on ta’ala). Some of the mistakes that sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: selected routes 5. The smell coming out from the fasting people make in regard “Hasten to (eating) Iftaar (in Ram- mouth of the person observing Saum to Suhoor are: adan immediately when the time atar Airways will continue its is better in the sight of Allah (sub- 1-Some people do not have Suhoor is due), and delay (eating) Suhoor.” tradition of supporting pas- hanahu wa ta’ala) than the smell of and this is contrary to the Sunnah. It [At-Tabaraani] It is an act of the Qsengers who are fasting dur- musk. is from the guidance of the Prophet, Sunnah to have Suhoor just before ing the holy month of Ramadan and Narrated Abu Hurairah (radial- sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, to have dawn (about half an hour before breaking their fast on board by serving lah ‘anhu), the Prophet (sallallaahu Suhoor if the person intends to it). Anas, May Allah be pleased with a delicious Iftar meal consisting of tra- ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: observe obligatory or voluntary him, he said: “The Prophet, sallal- ditional Middle Eastern specialities. “All the deeds of Adam’s sons fasting. Urging Muslims to have laahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and Zayd The Iftar boxes feature a bespoke in- (people) are for them; the reward Suhoor., he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa ibn Thaabit, may Allah be pleased house design inspired by Arabian cal- (of their good deeds) will be mul- sallam, said: with him, had Suhoor. When they ligraphy and will be off ered on selected tiplied ten times to seven hundred “Have Suhoor, as indeed there is finished, the Prophet, sallallaahu routes across the Middle East, Algeria, times. Allah said: ‘Except As-Saum a blessing in it.” [Al-Bukhari and ‘alaihi wa sallam, left for the prayer. Tunisia, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. which is for Me and I will reward Muslim] Anas, may Allaah be pleased with Each box contains a selection of for it. He [ie the one who observes “The difference between our fasting him, was asked how much time sweet and savoury delicacies. Saum] leaves his [sexual] desire and and the fasting of the People of was there between their finishing The Iftar boxes are off ered in addi- food for Me [ie My Pleasure]’. There the Book is the (meal of) Suhoor.” Suhoor and entering the prayer; he tion to Qatar Airways’ traditional meal are two pleasures for the person ob- [Muslim] said: ‘Enough time for the recita- service for those passenger who are not serving Saum; one at the time of Iftar Moreover, Suhoor helps the Muslim tion of 50 verses (of the Qur’an).’” fasting. (breaking his Saum) and the other at to fast, and it is a blessed act of [Al-Bukhari] Qatar Airways First and Business Qatar Airways First and Business Class passengers will be off ered Iftar boxes the time when he will meet his Rabb. the Sunnah, so it should not be 3- Continuing to eat (Suhoor) even Class passengers will be off ered Iftar containing a selection of crudités, hummus, mini Arabic bread, chicken shawarma, Verily, the smell coming out from overlooked. after hearing the Fajr prayer Athaan. boxes containing a selection of cru- focaccia with mozzarella, olives, dates, banana, fresh laban and water. the mouth of the person observing 2- Having Suhoor early in the Out of prudence for one’s fasting, one dités, hummus, mini Arabic bread, Saum is better in Allah’s sight than middle of the night or one or two should stop having his Suhoor two chicken shawarma, focaccia with the smell of musk.” (Bukhari, Muslim hours before dawn is also con- or three minutes before or at most mozzarella, olives, dates, banana, fresh and others). trary to the Sunnah. The Prophet, when he hears the Athaan for Fajr. laban and water. 6. As-Saum is a shield. Narrated Passengers travelling in Economy can enjoy Iftar boxes fi lled with focac- cia with mozzarella, apple slices, mixed nuts, fi nger baklava, dates, shortbread, marble cake, fresh laban and water. “We are pleased to be able to con- tinue our tradition this year of off ering our passengers a delicious and refresh- ing way to break their fast while travel- ling. The holy month of Ramadan is an important time for a great number of our customers, and we are delighted to provide a service that is tailored to the needs of those who are fasting,” Qatar Airways Group chief executive, HE Akbar al-Baker said. “We invite all passengers to embrace this special time of the year with this selection of items designed specifi cally with the fasting passenger in mind. On behalf of Qatar Airways, we extend to all warmest wishes for a Ramadan Kar- eem,” he added. Since travelling between time zones Passengers travelling in Economy Class can enjoy Iftar boxes filled with focaccia can be challenging for the fasting trav- with mozzarella, apple slices, mixed nuts, finger baklava, dates, shortbread, marble eller, Qatar Airways cabin crew will cake, fresh laban and water. make an announcement and serve the Iftar boxes at the appropriate time Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best It was also named ‘Best Business during the fl ight, freeing passengers Business Class’ by the 2018 World Air- Class Seat’, ‘Best Airline in the Middle from having to calculate the time. line Awards, managed by international air East’, and ‘World’s Best First Class Air- A multiple-award-winning airline, transport rating organisation Skytrax. line Lounge’.

Ramadan workshop explores Islamic art

workshop, ‘Colouring for Adults: Islamic Patterns’, was Aconducted yesterday at Qatar National Library, exploring new and creative ways to increase mindfulness and refl ection this Ramadan. The session focused on Islamic pat- terns, allowing participants to learn more about Islamic art. Geometric patterns developed over the centuries are considered important in Islamic art and partly how it repre- sents nature and objects by their spir- itual qualities, not their physical and material qualities. As part of the library’s theme of faith during May, the meditative activ- ity encouraged participants to increase mindfulness and disconnect from stressful daily routines. “Colouring gives me a sense of men- tal serenity and focus, and I was very A moment from the colouring for adults workshop at Qatar National Library yesterday. happy by the choice of Islamic deco- rations as a theme. The event was an said Taehyun Kim, a participant who of events throughout May, which is fo- excellent opportunity to make new is keen in taking part in all colouring cusing on the theme of faith. friendships with other like-minded events organised at the library. More information can be had from people who share the same passion,” The library off ers a full programme www.qnl.qa/en/events Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 9 HOL STIC

It’s time for a change Wellbeing

of their life ruined, and suff er the long-term eff ects later if they do make it to live on. How to make a friend of your anger My message is clear. Markets and Souqs shouldn’t be part of this inhumane animal cruelty that’s By David Woolfson things personal (‘all about me’) can facing backlash around the world. Guardian help reduce anger levels signifi - There are proven, ethical ways to cantly. This is typical of road rage, introduce animals into the world when we make being cut up by an- that are destined to be pets, and t’s easy to feel hijacked by our other motorist a personal attack. squashing newborn puppies into a anger. After all, anger was one crate for passing tourists to see isn’t Iof the primary evolutionary Tip 6 By Ghanim al-Sulaiti the way to do it. feelings: it was designed for sur- Keep expectations realistic In fact, high profile markets, full of vival. It knows only on and off . But Unrealistic expectations can tourists such as Qatar’s own ‘Souq this means that once the trigger is create barriers to communication In a modern day world, we’re used Waqif’ risks having its reputation pressed, often by a trivial event, and intimacy. I often see this in to being able to buy whatever tarnished by such a pet shop we end up in noise and miss out couples. comes to our minds very easily. market. This is because western on the detail and complexity of our When we demand that the oth- Especially in developed countries tourists, who are visiting from na- humanity. Our capacity for empa- er person makes up for what we like Qatar, whereby our small coun- tions with mostly strict laws when it thy is reduced and we want only to lacked in childhood, we set them try (in terms of size) has the ability comes to the breeding and selling survive, hide, hurt, blame or pun- up to fail and condemn ourselves and international leverage to be of animals, are walking directly past ish. to confl ict and disappointment. able to bring parts of Europe, Asia, a crate of Husky dog puppies, many Anger can drive terrible deeds When I have unrealistic expecta- the Americas and more — all to our of which look in a desperate state. and behaviours. But it can also tions of others, I miss who they peninsula nation. This isn’t well received by those be a force for good. It plays out in really are. But should any country like Qatar visiting, especially given Qatar is both healthy and dangerous ways. be able to sell puppies, kittens, known internationally as a fair, safe It drives athletes, philanthropists Tip 7 birds, hamsters, rabbits, and other country focused on quality of life. and protesters, as well as killers and Acknowledge and respect animals as if they were fashion Conditions at many pet stores abusers. We usually focus on the diff erence accessories? Definitely not! These around the world are inadequate ‘bad’ behaviours that come with Remember the childhood game, animals share the Earth with us at best. At worst, they are classed anger, such as losing your temper, experience of sitting in a group yourself if your opinion is accurate Tip 4 rock, paper, scissors? Ask your- having being given the gift of life; as abusive. What’s more, being bullying or being heavily critical or with other ‘normal’ people who or merely your version of the truth. Be clear about what you feel self – which one am I? Which one and while they can receive excel- deprived of regular, loving human sarcastic. But anger itself is just a all suff er with their anger is trans- and what you want is my partner? Then ask yourself lent care and live great lives as pets, contact means that puppies and feeling, not a behaviour. formative. I see this all the time in Tip 3 How often do you avoid ex- how does a rock relate to scissors/ their journey into our homes is kittens bought at these kind of pet Ultimately, anger is part of our my groups: the moment you re- Be aware when anger is out pressing your own needs for fear of to paper? To another rock? Once flawed, riddled with torture (mostly markets are very diff icult to train humanity. Denying it will not alise ‘it’s not just me’ can be life- of proportion to events rejection? you recognise diff erence, you can unintentional) and cruelty. That’s given their poor upbringing. make it go away; it creates shame, changing. Sometimes small events trig- I might want a hug, but in not start to respect it and see yourself because most animals sold in pet Coming together and recognising fear and even more anger. We can ger signifi cant anger. This usually asking for one I create an experi- and the other person in a clearer stores come from mass-breeding that these beautiful creatures de- change our relationship with anger Tip 2 means that the anger is not about ence of hurt, anger and rejection. light. Diff erence, when acknowl- facilities such a puppy mills, where serve an ethical start to their lives simply by treating it as a source of Take a ‘reality check’ what is happening in the present. The truth is I have rejected my- edged, engenders vitality and they are denied socialisation, will enrich our country with the valuable information about our- Anger is designed to tell us Each of us carries a ‘sack’ of an- self though I may blame you, be- binds people more closely. exercise, and care. Animals such ethics and morals we are proud of selves and how we see the world. something is wrong. It’s often trig- ger and history with us, and dis- cause in my head you should have as puppies are typically taken in so many areas of Qatari life. We gered by perception rather than proportionate anger tells us this guessed what I wanted. The truth Tip 8 from their mothers at an early age, need to continue to set examples to Tip 1 the truth. has been triggered. Generally, your is that I am angry with myself for Confront your inner critic packed into crates, and trucked or the rest of the world, and to those Don’t get angry about being Imagine, for instance, that a colleague’s lateness, or the wash- not asking and angry with you for Many of us carry an inner crit- flown hundreds of miles to brokers visiting our country — especially in angry colleague is late for a meeting and ing up not being done, are not real- not guessing. By letting others ical voice that berates us, con- and then to pet markets — nearly the build up to Qatar 2022. Anger has a bad reputation. you get angry because, to you, this ly big deals and won’t be important know how you feel and what you stantly telling us we are not good always without adequate food, Often, when we are angry, we tell means they don’t respect you. The by tomorrow. It certainly doesn’t need, you are less likely to fuel your enough. This voice feeds on the water, or ventilation. Some puppies The author is an expert in vegan ourselves we shouldn’t be; that reality may simply be that the traf- merit much anger. If your anger is anger and hurt. fact that we do not question it. don’t survive the gruelling journey, wellbeing and health. feeling angry is somehow bad. fi c was bad, but by the time they out of proportion, it tells you that It is usually derived from child- others have the key growing period Instagram handle: @Ghanim92 Then we get angry with ourselves arrive you are ready to punish and it is nothing to do with the present Tip 5 hood experiences we have inter- for being angry and feel ashamed – shame them for their “crime”. Is event. Recognising this can help Recognise when you take nalised. It becomes so ingrained it’s an inexorable cycle. there any real evidence that your you contain the feelings and not things personally that we cannot separate it from Anger can be isolating and the colleague doesn’t respect you? Ask act them out. Recognising when we make ourselves. Wellness Meal Plan To Cry or Not To Cry?

a self-soothing eff ect. So the next time you start crying, give yourself some time before you swallow back those tears.

Don’t do it for the drama While the listed benefi ts of crying are clearly nourishing, I’ve noticed that we get complacent in the use of the behaviour. For example, in certain situations, I’ve cried for longer periods of time just so that I could avoid By Sanah Thakur the reality of dealing with the situation. Crying can get scarily comfortable and it gives us the Crying has been such an es- perfect excuse to post pone de- sential part of my life, yet I’ve veloping a plan of action. In some spent most of it resenting the situations, I’ve seen people cry as act. We usually tend to associate a defence mechanism against ex- crying with weakness and un- posing the truth. Everyone feels necessary water works. I don’t sorry for a crying person and even blame anyone, because that’s why tears are often used as let’s be honest, it’s not the best a blackmail currency. If you keep sight to look at. I’ve never looked blaming the person for making into the mirror while crying and you cry, they’ll eventually forget thought to myself, ‘Girl, you what they even brought up, that look fi ne!’. I usually think some- triggered the crying. This may thing along the lines of ‘My face sound like I just added to the list is making me want to cry even of benefi ts, but these are actually more’. However, for some rea- universal attachment behaviour. Okay, at least cry for your we have emotional tears that self-sabotaging behaviours that son I feel immensely lighter and Through his research, Bowlby, eyes! are released by lacrimal glands should be identifi ed and called often even happier after crying. Attachment Psychologist, stated Most of us aren’t aware, but when we experience emo- out. You can cry about realising There seems to be a lot more to that interpersonally, crying is in- there are three types of tears tions such as helplessness and these behaviours in your own life the reason apart from ‘letting tended to elicit comfort and care and they’re all extremely ben- the loss of signifi cant others. because it’s better that reason Chocolate coated dates with nut butter filling it out of my system’ and today I from others around us. Hence efi cial for healthy eyes. Apart from our eyes, crying than the latter. want to fi nd out why. To cry or why, babies usually cry to at- Basal tears are the protec- has been linked with activation Research hasn’t been con- Satisfy your sugar cravings with one of nature’s best gifts: Dates. Hav- not to cry? It is always a decision tract attention to their needs and tive soldiers that are on duty of the parasympathetic nerv- clusive in fi nding evidence that ing 3-7 dates a day is a great way to keep yourself energised through and usually one of the hardest. wants when verbal communi- with every eye blink, fuelling ous system, which is instru- other animals cry, so at this mo- the day. They are considered as brain boosters because they contain cation is a struggle. As we grow our eyes and supporting eve- mental in helping the body rest ment, crying is a uniquely hu- choline, which is a B vitamin that is a component in acetylcholine (the Do we cry for ourselves? older, the need to use crying as ryday vision. Refl ex tears, like and digest. Since the benefi ts man behaviour (at least excep- memory neurotransmitter.) Though mainstream media an attention-seeking behaviour the name suggests, are those aren’t immediate, it explains tionally). If you feel like crying, Higher intakes of choline is associated with better learning and memory has validated the need to cry reduces. While it might feel ac- tears that land up when we get why we cry for a considerable forget the stereotypes and social function. personally, the biological rea- ceptable to cry while watch- in contact with onions, infec- amount of time before we feel norms and let those tears out. Dates are also a source of antioxidants and can help maintain bone son we cry isn’t to emotionally ing movies and listening to sad tions, tear gas or the wind. It’s the soothing eff ects kicking in. My advice, just do it for the right mass. They are rich in fibre, minerals and organic sulphur, which reduce depurate things alone. Like most songs, crying for yourself can important for the survival of Extended crying also releases reasons. largish reactions. things, we’ve forgotten why it help release pent up emotions our brain to react to negative ‘feel-good’ chemicals such as And if you have a sweet tooth who can’t stop snacking, these chocolate was developed for survival – and and therefore sometimes you re- external stimuli as strongly as it oxytocin and endorphins, that The author can be contacted on coated dates will help you control your sugar cravings. You can have the answer is that crying is a ally can just cry for yourself. does to positive stimuli. Lastly, make the body numb and create Instagram @sincerelysanah them as a pre/post workout snack, with your morning coff ee, or when- ever you feel you need a boost of energy during off ice hours. Give this recipe a go and share these beauties with your friends and family.

Ingredients: Pitted medjool dates The Spiritual Path Your favourite nut butter. We used cashew, almond and peanut butter Instant coff ee sion, empathy, forgiveness and and restore themselves, but they ual and an overwhelming sense of this, what I would refer to as 74% dark chocolate ultimately love. Religion is law, often come back tired, because of reverence for life. When you a world movement, where peo- Your favourite granola and as humans we need law, left they didn’t attend to their souls; have a reverence for life you have ple’s higher consciousness is be- Choose your favourite roasted nuts to stuff your dates with, we used to our own devices we can do spirituality attends to your soul. reverence for other people and coming aware through asana (the roasted almonds some pretty dark things. Spiritu- There is a lot of talk about energy their lives too. Yoga allows me to physical yoga positions) medita- Freeze dried raspberries ality is about the soul, it’s about these days and one’s energy and accept myself and in turn allows tion and self-contemplation. being in relation with God, hav- vibration is important, but for me to accept other people. Once Through clarity of mind, you Method: ing a life in which you walk with me grace is the ultimate. that happens, your interactions discover your essence and true Simply stuff the dates with nuts. Fill them with nut butter and dip them God. Grace is what my soul needs. with the world are so much bet- nature. This changes how we in your dark chocolate. Now sprinkle some coff ee, freeze dried raspber- I think we are in a spiritual cri- When my soul is tired, a nap or ter. Yoga helped me to eliminate show up in the world, we become ries and granola on them. And voila! Yes it is that simple. sis right now, because it has be- a vacation doesn’t make me feel separation and the seeds of sep- kinder, more compassionate and Enjoy the taste of eating right! come cool to be spiritual, I think better, its grace and prayer that aration. It allows me to believe I empathetic. Yoga changes the By Shefa Ali that can cause a lot of confusion. brings me back into alignment. can off er more positivity to the way I see the world and the way I believe the path of spirituality is We live in a world of self-obses- world, starting with myself fi rst. I stand in the world. The world the path of humility. You can be sion and self-indulgence, spir- Yoga gives me the under- is no longer outside of me, it’s This week on my Instagram spiritual through constant daily ituality off ers the inner warmth, standing that we can have much within me. I no longer focus on live show ‘Swalif’ ( Swalif means examination, refl ection, having the divine spark that every one of more co-operation rather than the things that separate me from chit chat in Arabic) we had an in- values that shift and evolve. You us yearns for. competition. The perception other human beings; I gravitate teresting discussion… Can you can focus on your relations with There are so many diff erent of yourself in relation to others to what unites me with them. be spiritual without being reli- others and making a positive types of spiritual practices. I see changes. There is no separation, gious? I believe it depends how contribution to society. yoga as a spiritual practice, the what’s true for one is true for The author is a consultant and you defi ne spirituality. For me People go on vacations be- reason I choose to do it every day everyone. coach. Instagram handle: @miss_ spirituality is infi nite compas- cause they want to relax, rest is because it gives me a daily rit- I feel so blessed to be a part shefa, Website: missshefa.com Gulf Times 10 Thursday, May 16, 2019 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA

LAWLESS REGION CIVIL STRIFE EMPLOYMENT WOES FINANCE INFRASTRUCTURE 17 Niger soldiers feared Fighting grips Yemen port, 24 Algeria police off icers Zimbabwe prepares Huge suspension bridge killed in an ambush complicating peace moves wounded in protest to rebase economy over Nile inaugurated

Gunmen killed at least 17 Nigerien troops in Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed pro- At least 24 police off icers have been wounded Zimbabwe’s finance minister yesterday Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi yesterday an ambush near the Malian border, where government forces battled yesterday in Yemen’s in clashes with protesters rallying against announced the rebasing of the economy, following opened a suspension bridge over the Nile several extremist groups are active, and port city of Hodeidah, breaching a ceasefire and unemployment in central Algeria, state media the adoption of a new currency earlier this year, touted as the world’s widest, one of a series of another 11 soldiers are missing, a government potentially complicating a troop withdrawal reported yesterday. Demonstrators in the and said growth would be slowed this year by a military-led, mega-projects designed to improve spokesman said yesterday. The attack on agreement intended to pave the way for wider central Tinerkouk area have been blocking drought and a cyclone that hit eastern regions. infrastructure and provide jobs. The bridge, which Tuesday occurred near the town of Tongo peace talks. Hodeidah port, which has been access to an oil company since mid-April, The economy grew higher than expected in 2018, crosses the Nile just north of central Cairo, is a key Tongo, where fighters from an Islamic State under Houthi control, is a lifeline for millions demanding jobs in the industry. The ongoing Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube told parliament. link in a highway stretching from the Red Sea in affiliate killed four US special forces and four of Yemenis threatened by starvation because rally has largely paralysed work at the site, The central bank scrapped the peg between its the east to Egypt’s northwestern Mediterranean Nigerien soldiers in an ambush in October of the war as it is the main entry point for food according to the off icial APS news agency, quasi-currency bond note and electronic dollars coast, and is meant to help reduce congestion 2017, spokesman Abdourahamane Zakaria imports and aid. The Houthi withdrawal from prompting police to move in and disperse it against the US dollar in February and merged in the capital. At its widest, the bridge has six told Reuters. Zakaria did not identify the Hodeidah and two other Red Sea ports began on late on Tuesday. Demonstrators blocked access them into a single transitional currency called traff ic lanes in each direction and measures 67.3m perpetrators of the attack, which is one of the Saturday and was the most significant advance to the local government off ices, setting fire to the RTGS dollar. Rebasing the economy broadly across. A regional director for the Guinness Book deadliest against the military in Niger’s west in yet in eff orts to end the four-year-old war. Both the buildings and looting them when the police means changing the reference points used to of World Records present at the opening said that recent years. sides reported renewed clashes yesterday. intervened, according to APS. calculate the country’s gross domestic product. makes it the world’s widest suspension bridge.

Ramaphosa Shots fi red ahead of crunch to speed up reforms and talks on Sudan ruling body fi x Eskom Reuters By Bassem Aboualabass, AFP Johannesburg Khartoum outh African President t least eight people were report- Cyril Ramaphosa said yes- ed wounded by gunshots near Sterday that he would use a Aa Khartoum sit-in yesterday, new fi ve-year term to speed up before crucial talks between military economic reforms and fi x ailing chiefs and protest leaders over a transi- state power fi rm Eskom, a week tional governing body. after his African National Con- Army generals and protest leaders gress party was re-elected with a are expected to fi nalise the make-up of reduced majority. a new body to govern Sudan for three “We are in an economy that years, the thorniest issue in installing has not been growing...in an ap- civilian rule. preciable way. That troubles us,” But just hours before the talks were Ramaphosa told investors at a due to start, a spokesman for the um- conference in Johannesburg, ac- brella protest group, the Alliance for knowledging that South Africa’s Freedom and Change, wrote on Fa- regulatory framework had dis- cebook that eight people had been couraged investment. wounded by live fi re. “We have to embark on the re- A witness told AFP that gunshots had forms, speed up,” he added. been fi red near the protest camp outside the “We are going to ensure that army headquarters in central Khartoum. the certainty that investors want The British ambassador to Khartoum to see is there.” said Sudanese security forces had fi red The ANC’s 57.5% share of at protesters. the vote was its worst result in “Extremely concerned by use of live a parliamentary election since ammunition by Sudanese security forc- it swept to power at the end of es against protesters in Khartoum to- apartheid in 1994, but it was an day, with reports of civilian casualties,” improvement on a worse show- Irfan Siddiq wrote on Twitter. “Military ing in local government elec- council must act to stop this now. No tions in 2016. more excuses.” Ramaphosa said he would give Protest leaders responded by urg- more details on his reform plans ing people to boost the numbers at the in a state of the nation address demonstration, while avoiding clashes. scheduled for next month. Security forces were later seen chas- Ramaphosa said yester- ing protesters in downtown Khartoum day that he would announce a and removing some roadblocks that “reconfi gured cabinet struc- demonstrators had put up, an AFP cor- ture” soon but did not specify respondent said. that numbers would be cut. The protest movement that brought One factor in hitting that down president Omar al-Bashir after target will be how the govern- 30 years of iron-fi sted rule is demand- ment manages a restructuring ing a civilian-led transition, which the of power utility Eskom after generals have steadfastly resisted since severe power blackouts ear- bowing to their demands and toppling lier in the year that dragged on the autocrat. growth. The latest breakthrough came despite The government has pledged a the talks being marred by violence that 23bn rand ($1.6bn) a year bailout left six people dead on Monday at the for Eskom over the next three sit-in outside the army headquarters. years. The utility had around After yesterday’s incidents, a key 420bn rand of debt last year. group in the protest movement urged “We have to address the is- people to join the thousands of demon- sue of Eskom’s debt, which is strators at the site, some of whom have precisely what we are doing camped out round-the-clock for weeks. Sudanese protesters demonstrate in Khartoum. now with our Treasury, with “We call on everybody to join the sit- our lenders, because (Eskom) in immediately and support the pro- The current talks began on Monday cords with rebels in war zones including members of the current ruling military “All powers will be in the cabinet’s is too big to fail,” Ramaphosa testers,” the Sudanese Professionals As- and the two sides have since agreed on Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan. council, vowed to reach a deal by early hand, which will be formed by the Al- said. sociation, a group of doctors, engineers an overall civilian structure, including The composition of the new sover- today that “meets the people’s aspira- liance for Freedom and Change,” he The president also reassured and teachers, said in a statement. a three-year transitional period for the eign council has been the toughest part tions”. said. investors that the government’s It added: “We are calling on revolu- full transfer of power to a civilian ad- of the negotiations, with the two sides The new council is expected to form a On the defence and interior minis- land reform policies would not tionaries to restrain themselves, be calm ministration. so far proposing diff erent compositions transitional civilian government, which tries would be headed by military fi g- result in “land grabs”. and peaceful and avoid any confronta- They have also agreed that parlia- of the body which is expected to take all would then prepare for the fi rst post- ures, he said. “There is no way we can in- tion or clash with any group whatever ment be composed of 300 members for key decisions concerning national is- Bashir election after the three-year Tensions have soared since Monday’s vite foreign investors to come to the circumstances.” the transition, with 67% from the alli- sues. changeover period ends. shootings, which the United States our country — we say come and Khalid Omar Yousef, a leader from ance and the rest drawn from other po- The generals want it to be military- Protest leader Yousef downplayed blamed on security forces. invest — and tomorrow we take the Alliance for Freedom and Change, litical groups. led, while the protesters insist on a ma- the role of the proposed ruling council, The United States has consistently your land away, that is not going told AFP: “The announcement is ex- The fi rst six months of the transition jority civilian body. insisting Sudan would have a powerful called on the military council to transfer to happen. That is not sensible,” pected after midnight.” would be devoted to reaching peace ac- General Yasser al-Atta, one of the cabinet. power to civilians. Ramaphosa said. Thousands of Palestinians demonstrate to mark Nakba

AFP fence, with the health ministry In the West Bank city of Ram- fi gure, told AFP yesterday at a Gaza City in Hamas-run Gaza reporting allah, protesters held up giant protest site east of Gaza City the 65 people injured, including 16 paper keys to symbolise their will “truce understandings played a with gunshot wounds. Protesters to return to the lands and homes role in controlling the demon- alestinians protested yes- largely avoided approaching the they were expelled from or were strations”. terday for the annual com- fence, an AFP journalist said. forced to abandon, now located Separately, there have also Pmemoration of what they The AFP journalist on the bor- inside Israel. been regular protests and clashes call the Nakba, or catastrophe, der saw a number of kites being Palestinians commemorate along the Gaza border for more when hundreds of thousands fl oated across the border and a the Nakba every year. than a year. were expelled or fl ed during the fi re breaking out inside Israeli More than 700,000 Palestin- At least 293 Palestinians have 1948 war surrounding the crea- territory. ians fl ed or were expelled from been killed by Israeli fi re in Gaza tion of Israel. Palestinians in Gaza have reg- their land during the 1948 war since the protests began in March Thousands gathered at vari- ularly used kites with fi rebombs surrounding the creation of Is- 2018. ous locations along the volatile attached to them to set fi res on rael. The majority died during the border fence between Israel and the Israeli side of the fence. This year’s protests came two often-violent weekly protests, the Gaza Strip, while crowds also Israel’s military said around weeks after a deadly fl are-up be- though others were killed in Is- demonstrated in the occupied 10,000 “rioters and demonstra- tween Gaza militants and Israel raeli air strikes or by tank fi re in West Bank. tors” were along the Gaza fence. which threatened to spill into a response to violence from Gaza. Protests and clashes in Gaza a “The rioters are setting tyres on new war. Six Israelis have been killed in year earlier, which coincided with fi re and hurling rocks,” it said in a After two days a truce was Gaza-related violence over the the controversial move of the US statement. “A number of explosive reached under which Israel is same time period. embassy to Israel to Jerusalem, devices have been hurled within the meant to ease its blockade of the Violence peaked on May 14, had seen more than 60 Palestin- Gaza Strip as well, and a number strip in exchange for calm, ac- 2018 when 62 Palestinians were ians killed by Israeli fi re but yes- of attempts have been made to ap- cording to Hamas offi cials. killed by Israeli fi re as tens of terday’s were far smaller. proach the security fence.” Israel has not commented on thousands approached the bor- Palestinian demonstrators gather east of Gaza City yesterday during a protest marking the 71th The clashes yesterday erupt- It said “troops are responding the truce. der, with many seeking to breach anniversary of Nakba. ed along parts of the border with riot dispersal means.” Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas the fence. Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 11 AMERICA

ACCIDENT AFTERMATH DUE CREDIT TRADE WAR NUMBER CRUNCH PROBE Six confirmed dead after Student sues school over Farmers got $8.52bn to CDC reports US births fell Dems investigate Justice Alaska mid-air collision college admissions scam date as aid: USDA to lowest level in 32 years action on police shootings

Six people are confirmed dead after two floatplanes A Georgetown University undergraduate, whose The US Department of Agriculture has to date paid The number of births in the US fell once again in The Democratic-led US House Judiciary carrying cruise ship passengers collided mid-air in father pleaded guilty to involvement in the US out $8.52bn in direct payments to American farmers 2018, reaching the lowest level in more than three Committee on Tuesday unveiled a probe of the Alaska, the US Coast Guard said yesterday. Volunteer college admissions scandal, yesterday sued the as part of the 2018 aid programme, designed decades, according to government statistics Trump administration’s moves to curtail the federal rescuers wrapped up their search on Tuesday once school to block it from imposing punishment, to off set losses from trade tariff s by China and published yesterday. Births have fallen in 10 of government’s role in scrutinising police shootings. the remains of the last victim were spotted by a including by taking away his academic credits. other trading partners. President Donald Trump last the last 11 years since last peaking in 2007, before In a letter to Attorney-General William Barr, Coast Guard helicopter. “In total 10 people were Adam Semprevivo, who just completed his junior year pledged up to $12bn in aid to farmers, a key the Great Recession. With 3,788,235 births in Chairman Jerrold Nadler and other committee rescued and six people were found deceased,” year, accused Georgetown of depriving him of constituency, to help off set losses due to Chinese 2018, the number of babies born dropped 2% Democrats requested documents and updates it said. The dead included four Americans, one due process by refusing to let him transfer to tariff s imposed in response to Washington’s levies compared to 2017, according to the Centers for on how the Justice Department has addressed Australian and a Canadian, Princess Cruises said another school with his credits intact. He said on Chinese goods. A USDA spokesperson said Disease Control and Prevention. It was the lowest shootings and other cases of excessive police force yesterday. The two planes carried a total of 14 a Georgetown lawyer told him on Tuesday he the department had as of yesterday paid out a figure since 1986. The total fertility rate declined since President Donald Trump took off ice in early passengers from the Royal Princess ship when cannot withdraw until the school finishes its total of $8.52bn in direct payments, one portion of a 2% to roughly 1.7 births per woman in 2018, 2017. The lawmakers cited statistics, including the collision occurred on Monday near Ketchikan, review, and that the school has said it will impose wider trade mitigation programme which also includes another record low. Birth rates declined for nearly media reports, that show nearly 1,000 people were a popular tourist spot on southern Alaskan cruise sanctions. Georgetown did not immediately support up to $1.2bn through commodity purchases all age groups of women under 35, but rose for shot and killed by police in 2018 and that at least routes surrounded by fjords and dense forests. respond to requests for comment. and $200mn allocated to developing foreign markets. women in their late 30s and early 40s. 265 others have met with the same fate this year. Trump Jr to Honour guard testify over Russia probe in US Senate

AFP Washington Congress has no right to

resident Donald Trump’s ‘do-over’ of Russia probe son Donald Jr has agreed Pto testify before the Sen- By Karen Freifeld, Reuters “The White House will not ate Intelligence Committee in- Washington participate in the committee’s vestigating Russian election ‘investigation’ that brushes aside meddling, US media reported on Congress has no right to conduct the conclusions of the Depart- Tuesday. a “do-over” of Special Counsel ment of Justice after a two-year- The agreement resolved a Robert Mueller’s Russia probe, long eff ort in favor of political looming fi ght between the Con- the White House has said in a theater pre-ordained to reach a gress and the White House after letter blasting House Demo- preconceived and false result,” Donald Jr was subpoenaed by the crats’ “sweeping” requests for Cipollone’s 12-page letter said. Republican-led committee last documents as an eff ort to harass A spokesman for Nadler did Led by colour guards, members of families arrive yesterday at the 38th Annual National Peace Off icers Memorial Service at the west week. political opponents. not immediately respond to a front of the Capitol in Washington, DC. The annual event is to remember law enforcement off icers who were killed in the line of duty. According to reports, he had The letter, dated May 15, from request for comment. initially agreed to testify behind White House counsel Pat Cipol- The documents requested closed doors and then backed out lone to House Judiciary Commit- by the Committee relate to for unclear reasons. tee chair Jerrold Nadler takes the everything from the contents of But President Trump is bat- view that the committee’s probe Trump’s meetings with Russian tling any co-operation with serves no legitimate legislative President Vladimir Putin to his Congress in the Russia meddling purpose. communications with former investigation, claiming that he The letter was drafted in White House counsel Donald Mc- San Francisco bans police has already been “totally exoner- response to Nadler’s March 4 Gahn, the firing of former White ated” of collusion and obstruc- request for documents from the House national security advisor tion of justice by Special Counsel White House for a congressional Michael Flynn and former FBI di- Robert Mueller’s report com- investigation of allegations of rector James Comey, and possible pleted in late March. obstruction of justice, public pardons for Trump associates use of facial recognition The Senate panel has inter- corruption and other abuses of who pleaded guilty to crimes viewed Donald Jr once before, power. stemming from the probe. and is believed to be seeking Cipollone asked the committee In addition, the committee By Rob Lever, AFP said Jay Stanley, a policy analyst with the of whether these systems were accurate or clarifi cation on his knowledge to narrow its “sweeping” request is seeking documents aimed at Washington American Civil Liberties Union. “Certainly unfairly impacted minorities. of contacts between the 2016 and provide a legislative purpose, probing whether Trump has used you can’t stop technology development and The researchers found nearly 4,000 state Trump presidential campaign and said many documents would the White House to enrich himself research but that doesn’t mean we can’t and local law enforcement agencies, or 25% and Russians. be entitled to be withheld under in violation of the Constitution’s ban on facial recognition for law stop the deployment of technology to pro- of the total, have the ability to run face rec- Some Democrats suspect he executive privilege. emoluments clause. enforcement in San Francisco high- tect our values.” ognition searches of their own system or may have lied about what he and Alights growing public concerns about While facial recognition may help catch that of another agency such as the FBI. his father knew of a June 2016 technology which is seeing stunning growth criminals faster than traditional methods, Facial recognition is being deployed in air- meeting in Trump Tower with a former White House lawyer Don Mueller’s report — that was sub- for an array of applications while provoking civil liberties activists say the technology ports around the United States, aiming to help Russian lawyer off ering dirt on McGahn to testify about events poenaed by lawmakers seeking to worries over privacy. is not perfect, with high error rates for mi- speed boarding and arrivals and also moni- Hillary Clinton, as well as other described in the special counsel’s exert their oversight responsibility. All but one of the nine members of San norities found in some studies. toring for suspects and people who may have connections between the two report, setting up another clash The report details how Francisco’s board of supervisors endorsed “As things stand, it is inappropriate for overstayed their visas. US customs authorities sides. with President Trump. Trump’s lawyers and advisors, the legislation on Tuesday, which will be government agencies to use face recogni- are also reported to be studying the technol- Seeking to complete their own McGahn has not confi rmed his including McGahn, repeatedly voted on again next week in a procedural tion technology because the dangers sub- ogy to help identify illegal immigrants. report on Russian election in- attendance at the House Judici- rebuff ed the president’s attempts step. stantially outweigh the benefi ts,” said Evan Microsoft has joined critics of facial rec- terference, Senate Intelligence ary Committee’s May 21 hearing, to halt Mueller’s investiga- Facial recognition technology uses a scan Selinger, a professor at the Rochester Insti- ognition deployment by government agen- Committee chairman Richard and Trump has indicated he will tion — which some analysts say of a person’s face to create an algorithm tute of Technology and fellow at the Future cies. Its president Brad Smith said last year Burr risked the wrath of the assert executive privilege to re- amounts to illegal obstruction by that is compared against a database. It can of Privacy Forum. it was urgent to begin placing limits on facial White House and his Republican sist Democrats seeking materials the president. be used to unlock a smartphone or vehicle, Tiff any Li, a researcher at the Yale Law recognition to avoid the surveillance state party by issuing a subpoena for or testimony related to Russian The House committee’s chair- pay in retail stores, verify identities at bank School’s Information Society Project, ech- described in George Orwell’s 1984. Donald Jr. meddling and alleged collusion. man, Democrat Jerry Nadler, has machines or develop customized fashion or oed those sentiments, arguing that more Supporters of the technology argue that Finally, according to multiple “I’ve had him testifying al- said he wants Mueller himself to beauty recommendations. needs to be done to study the impact of fa- facial recognition systems can help police reports, Donald Jr agreed to tes- ready for 30 hours,” Trump told testify but no date has been sent. But its use in law enforcement has created cial recognition on civil liberties. fi ght crime and keep streets safer. tify in early or mid-June, behind Fox News last week. “So I don’t Trump said this month that the greatest outcry among rights activists “The tech is not accurate, fair, or safe Daniel Castro of the Information Tech- closed doors and with limits on think I can let him and then tell Mueller should not testify before because of the potential for errors and mis- enough yet. And our laws and policies don’t nology and Innovation Foundation, a think time and the questions he will everybody else you can’t.” Congress, but he reversed course matches, and because the technology relies know how to safeguard us from the many tank following technology issues, noted that answer. The White House is seeking to last week, saying he would leave on vast databases that may have little or no abuses that can occur,” Li tweeted. authorities “can use facial recognition to ef- Meanwhile congressional shield a large swathe of material that decision up to Attorney oversight. Despite the ban in San Francisco — and fi ciently and eff ectively identify suspects, Democrats on Tuesday scheduled — including redacted portions of General Bill Barr. Adding to those concerns has been the legislation being considered in other mu- fi nd missing children or lost seniors, and deployment in China of a vast surveillance nicipalities — use of facial recognition is secure access to government buildings” and system that can track criminals but also dis- growing in cities in the US and elsewhere. save considerable expense compared with sidents, and which has been used to track A 2016 study by Georgetown University doing these tasks manually. the movements of the Uighur Muslim mi- researchers found about 64mn Americans Concerns about moving toward Chinese- Fur fury! nority, according to some reports. were in at least one database in “a vir- style surveillance systems are unwarranted The move in San Francisco “is a reminder tual line-up” even if most had no criminal because the United States has strong con- we’re not helpless in the face of technology,” record, and that there was little knowledge stitutional protections, Castro said.

Trapped farmer cuts off own leg to save life

By Ian Geoff rey Timberlake, I was trying to pull it out, and it son Adam, who happens to be The incident — shared widely AFP kept pulling,” he told the local a member of the local rescue on social media — prompted Washington ABC affi liate in Omaha, KETV. squad, the Omaha World-Her- comparisons by moviegoers “I about gave up once and just ald reported yesterday. with Danny Boyle’s 2010 fi lm said the heck with it...and then After a week in hospital and 127 Hours, in which James Fran- US farmer in his 60s I felt it jerk me again. I thought, two more in rehabilitation, Kas- co plays real-life adventurer whose leg was horrifi - well, I was going in,” Kaser add- er was back home last Friday, Aron Ralston, who amputated Acally sucked into a corn ed. optimistic that he will be walk- his own arm after being trapped hopper sawed off the limb with He realized that his only op- ing normally again, the newspa- in a canyon for fi ve days. a pocket knife to save his life. tion was to “cut it off ” using the per said. “Reminiscent of Aron Ralston. Kurt Kaser, 63, a life-long small knife in his pocket. “I was in a hurry and didn’t What a horrifying ordeal to have farmer in the central state of “So I just started sawing on pay attention,” he said, hoping to go through,” tweeted Ron Ter- Nebraska, said he was working it,” he said, matter-of-factly. his story can serve as a warning rell, a morning news anchor for alone last month when he got After performing the grisly to other farmers. Oklahoma-based Fox 23. out of his truck and mistakenly life-saving task, Kaser crawled Local media showed images of “Between 127 Hours and this stepped into “that little hole” of to his house to phone for help, Kaser in a wheelchair, his band- story, I am going to start carry- Supporters of a ban on fur sales stand on the steps of City Hall in New York yesterday. the hopper. reports said. aged left leg amputated below the ing a hacksaw,” one Twitter user “It just sucked my leg in and The fi rst to arrive was his knee. observed. Gulf Times 12 Thursday, May 16, 2019 ASIA More than 100 held as Lanka clamps curfew in riot-hit areas

AFP said there will be no curfews Colombo elsewhere in the country. The entire country was under night curfews for two straight days ri Lanka’s police arrested after the violence escalated. over 100 suspects and re- The night curfew on Tuesday Simposed night curfews in ensured there was no repeat of Government spokesman Navin violence-prone areas yesterday Monday’s violence against Mus- Dissanayake speaks during a after anti-Muslim riots left one lims, who make up some 10% of press conference in Colombo man dead and caused extensive Sri Lanka’s population of 21mn. yesterday. damage to homes, businesses “The situation is now totally and mosques. under control,” said military The military released CCTV Police spokesman Ruwan Gu- spokesman Sumith Atapattu. which showed a man in uni- nasekera said 78 people arrested “There were no incidents of form apparently standing by in the worst-aff ected North- violence overnight and we are while a mob pelted stones at a Western Province (NWP) were arresting groups of people re- home, and sought public help to remanded in custody yesterday, sponsible for taking part in mob identify the individual. while the rest were detained attacks.” Parliamentary Speaker Karu after a manhunt in other areas. Offi cial sources said police Jayasuriya condemned the vio- Some 5,500 additional police deployed special teams to review lence and appealed for calm. were deployed in NWP to con- CCTV camera footage to identify “The attacks on mosques, the tain the violence that claimed the perpetrators and carry out burning of houses and shops, the the life of a Muslim man on more arrests. attacks on innocent people can- Monday. Scores of private More police and army units not be condoned in any way,” Ja- homes, Muslim-owned shops were seen deployed in the trou- yasuriya said in a statement. and businesses were destroyed, bled areas as the authorities The attacks came during the while several mosques were also lifted the nationwide curfew Muslim holy fasting month of vandalised. yesterday morning. Ramadan. Muslims in Sri Lanka have But Muslims in NWP re- A state of emergency has been been bracing for revenge at- mained nervous and stayed in- in place since the Easter bomb- tacks since three churches and doors yesterday, after sword- ings and security forces have three luxury hotels were bombed wielding rioters killed one man been given sweeping powers to by local Islamist extremists on late Monday while vandalising Soldiers walk past a damaged shop after a mob attack in Minuwangoda, near Colombo, yesterday. detain suspects. April 21, killing 258 people. scores of shops and mosques. Internet service providers said Gunasekera said a night cur- In Bingiriya, where some Government spokesman ake, who is also a government Among those detained was Namal Kumara, a deserter from the telecoms regulator on Tues- few was being re-imposed in 2,000 people went on the ram- Navin Dissanayake said the au- minister. Amith Weerasinghe, a man from both the army and the air force. day extended a social media ban NWP, just north of the capital, page, Muslim cleric M I M Sid- thorities had identifi ed the lead- “People feel insecure and I ac- Sri Lanka’s majority Buddhist The police, meanwhile, also to Twitter. as well as the adjoining Gampa- deeque said the community was ers of the mobs and they were knowledge that,” Dissanayake told Sinhalese community and on made several changes in the Earlier, Facebook, What- ha district, which shares a bor- worried. already in police custody. reporters in Colombo. “We have bail for his role in similar riots command structure by removing sApp, YouTube and Instagram der with Colombo, as a measure “Our people are still afraid Despite the extraordinary se- given the armed forces of this in March last year in the central senior offi cers in the troubled ar- had been blocked to prevent to “maintain peace”. to go out,” he told AFP by curity measures, the minorities country... a complete free hand to Kandy district. eas after allegations offi cials did the spread of messages inciting However, a top police source telephone. felt insecure, said Dissanay- tackle the security situation.” Another was identifi ed as nothing to stop the rioters. violence. Thai king pardons 145 prisoners Bangladeshi police shoot dead two human traffi ckers

AFP in the last few months. cluding many young girls, lured Cox’s Bazar People-smugglers have in by traffi ckers to go to Malaysia. recent years sent tens of thou- On Tuesday evening Cox’s sands of Rohingya from the Bazar police rescued 34 Ro- angladeshi police shot Bangladesh camps by boat to hingya bound for Malaysia, dead two suspected Ro- relatively prosperous Malaysia, local police chief Fariduddin Bhingya human traffi ckers, usually between November and Khandker said, a day after 69 offi cials said yesterday, after April when the seas are calmer. people were rescued. rescuing 103 refugees in two But the route was disrupted Police also intercepted 23 days about to make the perilous in 2015 when a Bangladeshi Rohingya teenage girls from sea voyage to Malaysia. crackdown killed dozens of top the capital Dhaka last week The two Rohingya men were traffi ckers after Thai authori- waiting to be traffi cked to Ma- killed outside a refugee camp ties discovered mass graves laysia by air. Police suspect the in the southeast on Tuesday and overcrowded boats drifting girls were to be sold for forced evening, said Prodip Kumar at sea. prostitution. Das, police chief of Teknaf Now the traffi ckers are back, Rights activists are worried which borders Myanmar. offi cials say, preying on the about growing desperation in “They opened fi re at the camps where 740,000 Ro- the camps but said gunfi ghts police. We fi red back in hingya took shelter in 2017 were not the solution. retaliation,” he said. after fl eeing a brutal military “This (killing traffi ckers in This is the fi rst time in four crackdown in their homeland gunfi ghts) will never bring any years suspected human traf- in Myanmar. permanent solution. Instead it fi ckers were killed in a gunfi ght Masud Hossain, police chief will create a horrifi c environ- Prisoners granted royal pardon attend a ceremony at the provincial jail in Thailand’s southern province of Narathiwat yesterday. A group in Bangladesh’s southeast. of Cox’s Bazar district, said that ment in the camps,” prominent of 145 prisoners convicted of various criminal off ences were awarded royal pardon in Narathiwat. It follows a rise in attempted the police alone have this year rights worker Nur Khan Liton human smuggling of Rohingya rescued over 300 Rohingya, in- said.

UN offi cial urges aid Sherpa completes Cambodia releases access for Rakhine 23rd Everest climb 11 surrogates on bail AFP ter China eased its one-child state of Myanmar Phnom Penh policy and shadow markets in AFP he shared with two other Sherpa Cambodia continue to off er Reuters tary crackdown in response to Kathmandu climbers. the service. Yangon militant attacks crossed into Ethnic Sherpas from the val- leven women allegedly According to an agency, neighbouring Bangladesh. leys around Everest have be- paid to be surrogate desperate couples – mostly UN investigators have called or the hardy few, climb- come synonymous with high- Emothers have been re- from China – are willing to UN offi cial has urged for senior military offi cers to ing Everest is a bucket- altitude climbing, crucial for leased on bail after agreeing to pay between $40,000 and Myanmar to grant aid be prosecuted over allegations Flist feat of endurance, Nepal’s lucrative mountaineer- keep the babies, Cambodia’s $100,000 to surrogacy agents Aworkers “predictable, of mass killings, gang rapes danger and wonder. But Kami ing industry, which nets the im- traffi cking czar said yesterday, to fi nd a Cambodian woman sustained access” to Rakhine and arson. The military denies Rita Sherpa’s 23rd record sum- poverished Himalayan country as the poor Southeast Asian who can carry their child in state, where fi ghting between widespread wrongdoing. mit of the world’s highest peak more than $4mn a year. nation seeks to regulate the her womb. government troops and rebels More recently, civilians have yesterday was just another day With their unique ability to Mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa womb-for-hire trade. The 11 women arrested in has displaced nearly 33,000 been caught up in clashes be- at work. work in a low-oxygen, high-al- The women were charged in November refused to tell au- people since late last year, say- tween the military and the Ar- Sherpa, 49, reached the sum- titude atmosphere, they are the Most Everest hopefuls are es- November with human traf- thorities who they were carry- ing lack of aid has cost lives. akan Army, an insurgent group mit yesterday morning, breaking backbone of the industry, help- corted by a Nepali guide, mean- fi cking and acting as interme- ing the babies for, according to Ursula Mueller, a UN as- that recruits from the mainly his own record that he set last ing clients and hauling equip- ing about 750 climbers will tread diaries for surrogacy agents Chou Bun Eng, vice-president sistant secretary-general for Buddhist ethnic Rakhine popu- year, his expedition company ment up Himalayan peaks. the same path to the top in the after they were discovered in of the National Anti-Human humanitarian aff airs, said au- lation and is fi ghting for greater confi rmed. “It would be impossible for coming weeks. a raid on a house in the capital Traffi cking Committee. thorities had turned down her autonomy for the state. A guide for more than two many foreign climbers to sum- And at least 140 others are Phnom Penh. “They were released on bail requests to meet those dis- During her visit, Muel- decades, he fi rst summited the mit mountains without the help preparing to scale Everest from They have been in custody last month after they prom- placed by the confl ict in a re- ler met senior offi cials in the 8,848m (29,029ft) peak in 1994 of a Sherpa,” said Ang Tsher- the northern fl ank in Tibet, ac- since the raid, with some giv- ised not to give up their ba- gion barred to most aid groups capital, Naypyitaw, including when working for a commercial ing Sherpa, former president cording to expedition operators. ing birth behind bars. bies,” she said. since the fi ghting broke out. state counsellor Aung San Suu expedition. of the Nepal Mountaineering This could take the total past Cambodia issued a snap But the charges against “We need access – predict- Kyi who said she was working “I did not climb for world Association. last year’s record of 807 peo- ban on commercial surrogacy them stand and the women able, sustained access – to towards “development and records, I was just working. I “They are critical for Nepal’s ple reaching the summit. The in 2016 after neighbouring could be prosecuted at any reach the people in need,” Mu- social cohesion” in Rakhine. did not even know you could mountaineering and take a huge mountain also claimed fi ve lives Thailand pulled the plug on time if “they sell the babies”, eller said late on Tuesday, at “I was pointing out the hu- set records earlier,” he said last risk to keep this industry run- last year. the trade the previous year she said, adding that a draft the end of a six-day visit to the manitarian needs that are ex- month before setting off for ning,” he added, pointing out Mountaineering has become a – putting an abrupt end to a surrogacy law is still under Southeast Asian nation. isting that need to be urgently Everest base camp. that the government does not lucrative business since Edmund thriving industry for hopeful discussion, and could see the “If the assistance, including mo- met,” she added. The accomplished Nepali give them the recognition and Hillary and Tenzing Norgay parents, many from Australia trade formally outlawed. bile clinics, cannot get to the peo- Mueller also visited camps climber has also conquered fi nancial security they deserve. made the fi rst ascent of Everest and the US. Rights groups have criti- ple, they just don’t have the services outside Sittwe, the state’s capi- other challenging 8,000m Nepal has issued a record 378 in 1953. An Australian nurse who ran cised authorities for coercing and their needs are not being met tal, where thousands of Rohingya peaks including the world’s permits costing $11,000 each There are mounting con- a surrogacy clinic was jailed women to raise babies who and some people are dying.” have been confi ned since a previ- second-highest mountain, K2 in for this year’s spring climbing cerns, however, that the num- for 18 months, and quietly re- bear no biological ties to them Rakhine has been in the ous bout of violence in 2012. Most Pakistan. season, sparking fears of bot- bers are unsustainable, with leased last year after the term in order to avoid jail time. global spotlight since 2017, camp inhabitants lack citizenship Last year he ascended Everest tlenecks enroute to the summit fears of dangerous overcrowd- was served. But Chou Bun Eng said after roughly 730,000 Ro- and face curbs on movement and for the 22nd time, breaking the if poor weather cuts down the ing as well as trash and other But demand for commercial Cambodian law means they hingya Muslims fl eeing a mili- access to basic services. previous record of 21 summits number of climbing days. environmental problems. surrogacy remains high af- must take care of the babies. Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 13 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Assessment teams deployed after massive Papua New Guinea quake

AFP air some 12 hours after the quake, lack of roads and diffi cult ter- around 120,000 people live with- told AFP. Some locals reported safe drinking water. Papua New people. The risk from quake- Kokopo but there appeared to be no major rain mean that sometimes it can in 50km of the epicentre. The seeing the tide recede by metres Guinea is well within the Pacifi c triggered tsunamis is also a real structural damage or loss of life. be days before the full impact of a terrifying quake late Tuesday after the earthquake, but fears of “Ring of Fire” a hotspot for seis- danger in PNG. In July 1998, an “We didn’t really have that natural disaster is known. sent residents running from their a devastating tsunami do not ap- mic activity due to friction be- off shore tremor generated a mas- apua New Guinea dis- much damage thank goodness, A spokesman for the National homes for safety and sparked pear to have materialised. tween tectonic plates. sive oceanic surge that swamped patched assessment teams just ornaments falling down and Disaster Centre in Port Moresby fears of a tsunami. Kokopo is no stranger to natu- Just weeks ago a 7.2-earth- the country’s northern coast, Pyesterday to get a full pic- that kind of thing,” said Ellen told AFP they had dispatched a It occurred around 11pm, ral disasters. It sits in the shadow quake knocked items off shelves killing more than 2,000 people. ture of the damage caused by a Morgan, a manager at Kokopo team to uncover the full extent of some 44km northeast of Kokopo of nearby Rabaul, which was dev- in Port Moresby — far from the Along the South Solomon violent 7.5-magnitude earth- Beach Bungalows. Offi cials at the the damage. on New Britain island, the US astated by twin volcanic erup- epicentre — and was felt as far trench, an area of the Pacifi c quake that struck an island chain nearby port of Rabaul said there “Assessment teams have been Geological Survey said. “It was tions in 1994. away as Australia. A 7.5-magni- that includes Papua New Guin- off the north coast overnight. was no major damage to the facil- deployed to the area but we have massive, absolutely massive. Earlier this year, weeks of tude quake hit the rugged high- ea, there have been more than a An AFP reporter and residents ity, which was operating as nor- not heard from them yet, so we Very scary,” Megan Martin, the heavy rains killed at least nine lands region in February 2018 dozen quakes of magnitude 7.5 on New Britain said electricity mal. Papua New Guinea’s poor have nothing to report.” The managing director of the Rap- people, with many more families that triggered landslides, bury- or more recorded since 1900, ac- was still out and radio stations off communications infrastructure, United Nations estimated that opo Plantation Resort in Kokopo, left homeless without access to ing homes and killing at least 125 cording to USGS data. Climate heats up Aussie election

AFP landowners can help — by re- Mackay, Australia moving carbon from the atmos- Voters hope next PM fi nally serves full term phere and putting it into the soil. “If Australia is to have any hope For a country that has not seen gets to form the government, s Australians head to the of maintaining good agriculture a prime minister complete an 151 seats are up for grabs. Half polls this week after the production, we need a healthy entire term since 2007, Australia of the 76 seats in the Senate, Acountry’s hottest-ever soil,” Mattsson, who is diversi- hopes to finally choose a leader which holds an election for half summer, outback farmers — wal- fying his crops to improve soil on May 18 who will get to finish of its seats every six years, will loped by epic fi res, fl oods and quality, told AFP. the usual three-year term. The also be contested. The two men heatwaves — are leading the fi ght Queenslanders are not alone in Westminster-style system of par- vying for the prime ministership, against climate change, making it expressing concern about climate liamentary government means Morrison and Shorten, are poles one of the election’s key issues. change – or frustration about the leader of the party with the apart in politics and policies. With one of the world’s worst Canberra’s apparent reluctance most seats in the Lower House Before getting into politics, pollution records per capita — to tackle the issue. A nationwide becomes the prime minister. Shorten was a trade unionist and a prime minister who pa- survey by the Australia Institute But for the past 12 years, Austral- and Morrison was a tourism raded a lump of coal through found that more than half of re- ians voted for one but got an- marketer. And while it is a parlia- parliament —no one would mis- spondents believe the country other by the end of the tenure mentary election, both leaders take Australia for a progressive is “facing a climate emergency”, due to a series of internal leader- are campaigning as if it is for eco-haven. and support more policy action. ship coups in the country’s two a directly-elected presidential But after a prolonged drought, The push for change is so major parties, Liberal and Labor. vote. Morrison wants Austral- raging bushfi res and “once- strong analysts believe climate Liberal’s John Howard was the ians to vote for “stability and in-a-century” fl oods, many policies by Australia’s two ma- last prime minister who finished steady hands,” while Shorten Australians fear the country is jor parties – the ruling right- his tenure in 2007. wants them to vote for “change ill-equipped to tackle climate wing Liberal-National coalition Since then, Australia has had six because not all Australians are change. The northeast battle- and left-leaning Labor – might PMs. Incumbent Scott Morrison, getting a fair go,” said Warhurst. ground state of Queensland bore determine this and future elec- a 51-year-old evangelical Chris- Morrison is more aligned with the brunt of the summer’s ex- Simon Mattsson, a farmer who is an expert in sequesting carbon in soil, in Central Queensland. tions. But Queensland is also a tian, rose to power in August older voters, while Shorten is treme climate conditions, and is centre for coal mining. More than after a party-room revolt by the trying to woo the young, he said. ground zero for changing out- 20,000 people are employed in conservative faction against In the campaign, Morrison is back attitudes. the sector in the central region of Malcolm Turnbull, who had pitching lower taxes and has Insurers AIG estimated that the state alone. Even politicians ousted Tony Abbott in a similar focussed on economic manage- between 2007 and 2016 natural who believe in climate change are fashion in 2015 just ahead of ment, with his experience as disasters cost the state roughly reluctant to put those jobs at risk, the last election. The current a treasurer until last year, and A$11bn a year (US$12bn) with the or risk donations from the min- opposition Labor leader, Bill a promise of a budget surplus bill only increasing since then. ing industry and its unions. Shorten, 52, who is vying to be next year. It would be the first When Simon Gedda’s family Prime Minister Scott Morri- the next prime minister, played since before the 2008 global took over a farm about two hours’ son has said Australia will meet a kingmaker role when the party financial crisis. Meanwhile, Short- drive from Australia’s “beef cap- its international obligations un- went through three leadership en has said a Labor government ital” Rockhampton 50 years ago, der the Paris climate agreement, changes between 2010-13. will spend more money on child they did what any other Queens- but not “in a way that puts our The leadership revolving door care, health and education, and lander cattle grazier household kids’ economic future at risk”. is a point of consternation for vows to increase wages and would do. They stripped out His party’s hard-right ousted his many voters, analysts say, but increase taxes for the wealthy. the trees, cut back the grass and predecessor Liberal prime min- both parties have, for now, Both leaders have announced sprayed chemicals to make farm- ister Malcolm Turnbull in Au- introduced strict rules making massive spending in infrastruc- ing easier. But rising costs and gust amid plans to embed carbon it more diff icult to oust a sitting ture development from airports concern about climate change, emission targets in law. leader. “I think the upcoming to highways, railways and prompted Gedda to move away Labor meanwhile has com- prime minister will finish his energy projects. from high-impact methods. mitted to 50% energy coming term,” said John Warhurst, a They both have similarly strong And when a category-four cy- from renewables by 2030. But, political science professor at the border and national security clone struck his property in 2017, backed by trade unions, the party Australian National University policies, though Labor has a he joined the 5,000-member is also cautious about plans to in Canberra. “Australians are fed more immigrant-friendly stance, advocacy group Farmers for Cli- fully phase out mining. How both up with the leadership changes with the promise of expedited mate Action. parties fare in Saturday’s vote and knowing that the two major resettlement of refugees lan- “The headwaters of our creek Cattle farmer Simon Gedda on his quad bike who is part of the advocacy group Farmers of Climate Action on could determine their environ- parties have changed their rules guishing on the Pacific islands of received 40 inches (100cm) of his farm in Central Queensland. mental policies, and reshape how by which it is harder for the Manus and Nauru since 2013. rain in 14 hours,” he said. “It they campaign in rural areas in parliamentary caucus to change Labor has promised action on wasn’t any old fl ood. It was Couture, whose tomato and chil- everywhere, there’s solar every- of that intensity, that many fi res future elections. the leaders,” he told DPA. climate change – a top issue something that was totally unbe- li-growing operation in Bowen where,” Couture told AFP, point- that ran for the time frame that “I think that climate change is “Labor changed in 2013 and among voters – without ruling lievable. “This is exactly what the is a short drive from Australia’s ing to the sky above the so-called they did and were so uncontrol- right smack in the middle of the Liberals changed last year. out coal completely, while scientists have been telling us.” most northernly deepwater coal Sunshine State. lable.” electoral agenda from now on,” They have not eliminated the the Liberals, which has many In the face of government in- port terminal, is shunning fossil Craig Illingworth, who lives Poor agricultural practices Griffi th University’s Queensland possibility but ... there are just candidates who are sceptical action, Gedda and other farmers fuels and using solar panels and close to bushfi re-hit rainforests and deforestation have degraded political analyst Paul Williams more restrictions.” In the House of climate change, have argued are pushing forward with their batteries. in central Queensland, said last the soil and are major climate told AFP. of Representatives, where the against drastic measures due to own climate initiatives — in a bid “Renewable energy in Aus- year’s blaze was a wake-up call. change drivers. But Queensland “Any major party that ignores party that can muster a majority possible economic losses. to protect their livelihoods. Denis tralia is abundant. There’s wind “I’ve never seen fi res or heard farmer Simon Mattsson believes it will not be taken seriously.”

Five suspected communist China blocks all language Malaysian teen said to have jumped rebels die in clash with editions of Wikipedia Philippine to her death after ‘poll’ on Instagram troops AFP tus – dubbed the “Great Firewall” – Beijing blocks a large number of foreign sites Reuters lowers chose ‘D’, he said. “We die could be guilty of abetting had a responsibility to make its Five suspected communist in the country, such as Google, Face- Kuala Lumpur are conducting a post-mor- suicide. “Would the girl still users feel safe and supported. rebels were killed in a firefight book and The New York Times. tem to determine whether be alive today if the majority “As part of our own eff orts, with government troops eijing has broadened its block Topics that are deemed too “sen- there were other factors in her of netizens on her Instagram we urge everyone to use our in the central Philippines of online encyclopaedia Wiki- sitive” are also scrubbed, such as alaysian police are death,” he said, adding that the account discouraged her from reporting tools and to contact yesterday, a military spokes- Bpedia to include all language the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen investigating the case girl had a history of depres- taking her own life?” he said in emergency services if they see woman said. Three soldiers editions, reported an Internet cen- pro-democracy protesters which will Mof a teenager believed sion. Instagram reviewed the a statement. “Would she have any behaviour that puts peo- were also injured in the clash sorship research group, ahead of the mark its 30th anniversary on June 4. to have jumped to her death teenager’s account and found heeded the advice of neti- ple’s safety at risk,” Ching Yee in Calatrava town in Negros country’s most politically explosive The expanded block of Wikipedia after asking her social media that the online poll, which ran zens to seek professional help Wong, Instagram’s head of Occidental province, 515km anniversary. According to a report comes as Chinese authorities ramp followers to vote on whether over a 24-hour period, ended had they done so?” Youth and communications in the Asia- south of Manila, said First by the Open Observatory of Network up online controls and crack down on she should kill herself. The with 88% percent votes for Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Pacifi c, said in a statement. Lieutenant Revella Roperos, an Interference (OONI), China started Great Firewall circumvention tools, 16-year-old girl, who was not ‘L’, the company’s Malaysia Syed Abdul Rahman also called In February, Instagram army brigade spokeswoman. blocking all language editions of such as virtual private network (VPN) named, had run a poll on pho- spokeswoman, Serena Siew, for a probe, saying that rising banned graphic images and The firefight erupted when Wikipedia last month. software, under Chinese President Xi to-sharing app Instagram with told Reuters. suicide rates and mental health content related to self-harm troops encountered a group of Previously, most editions of Wiki- Jinping. the question Aidil, however, said that issues among young people from its platform, citing a need about 30 guerrillas when they pedia — besides the Chinese lan- In November, China’s cyberspace “Really Important, Help the poll’s numbers may have needed to be taken seriously. to keep vulnerable users safe. were dispatched to a village guage version, which was report- authority said it had “cleaned up” Me Choose D/L”, hours before changed after news of the girl’s Under Malaysian law, any- The changes came following where residents had reported edly blocked in 2015 — were available, 9,800 accounts on Chinese social jumping off the roof of a build- death spread. The case had one convicted of abetting the pressure from the parents of a the presence of armed men, OONI said in their report. AFP could media platforms like messaging app ing in Sarawak, on Malay- sparked concern among Ma- suicide of a minor could face British teenager, who believed Roperos said. not open any of Wikipedia’s versions WeChat and the Twitter-like Weibo sia’s east, on Monday, district laysian lawmakers who called the death penalty or up to 20 that viewing Instagram ac- “The firefight lasted for about in China yesterday. that it accused of spreading “politi- police chief Aidil Bolhassan for a wider probe. Ramkarpal years’ jail and a fi ne. counts related to self-harm an hour, after which the “At the end of the day, the con- cally harmful” information and ru- told Reuters. The ‘D/L’ meant Singh, a lawyer and member Instagram extended its and depression contributed enemy scampered to diff er- tent that really matters is Chinese- mours. Chinese Twitter users have ‘Death/Life’, and the poll had of parliament, said that those sympathies to the teenager’s to their daughter’s suicide in ent directions,” Roperos said. language content,” said Charlie also told AFP that they have expe- showed 69% of the girl’s fol- who voted for the teenager to family, and said the company 2017. Soldiers recovered a rifle with Smith, the pseudonym of one of the rienced intimidation from local au- ammunition, mobile phones co-founders of Greatfi re.org, which thorities — and even detention — for and other personal items from tracks online censorship in China. their tweets. UN chief hails Pacific’s ‘moral authority’ on climate the site of the fighting, she “Blocking access to all language The latest move to block all ver- added. Communist rebels have versions of Wikipedia for Internet sions of Wikipedia could be linked to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres Pacific, sea-level rise in some countries is the urgency of the threat,” he said. “The been fighting the Philippine users in China is just symbolic,” he online translation tools, which make said yesterday the Pacific possesses “a four times greater than the global average Pacific has a unique moral authority to government since the late told AFP. “It symbolises the fear that it easy for Chinese users to read any- unique moral authority” to demand global and is an existential threat to some island speak out – it is time for the world to listen.” 1960s, making the movement the Chinese authorities have of the thing on Wikipedia, explained Smith. action on climate change because its peo- states,” he said. Guterres’ visit – which also includes New one of the longest-running left- truth.” Wikimedia Foundation, the Images can also be considered taboo, ple are bearing the brunt of the problem. He said this was despite the fact that the Zealand, Tuvalu and Vanuatu – will see ist insurgencies in Asia. non-profi t organisation that hosts he said. “A picture is worth a thou- Visiting Fiji as part of a South Pacific tour Pacific islands contributed little to global the UN chief meet locals whose lives have President Rodrigo Duterte ter- Wikipedia, did not immediately re- sand words, and there is no dearth of to highlight the dangers of global warm- warming and had been among the first been upended by cyclones, flooding and minated peace talks with the spond to AFP’s request for comment. Tiananmen-related imagery on the ing, Guterres said the region was on the nations to minimise their greenhouse gas other extreme weather events linked to communist rebels in Novem- China’s online censorship appara- Wikipedia website,” Smith added. frontline of climate change. “Here in the emissions. “Your experiences underscore climate change. ber 2017. Gulf Times 14 Thursday, May 16, 2019 BRITAIN

Hundreds of foreign doctors mull leaving UK over ‘crippling’ fees

Guardian News and Media mean they must pay thousands of needing additional doctors these them and their families, to be cut countries, and yet when these quarter – obtained their medical recruited from abroad. London pounds a year for a working visa, policies send the message that or scrapped altogether, along with highly trained individuals arrive degree in a country that is outside Key NHS organisations have and £400 a year for them and each doctors on visas are second-class the immigration health surcharge in the UK they are treated incred- the European Economic Area. backed EveryDoctor’s call for the member of their family to use the employees, unwanted and com- (IHS), which was recently dou- ibly poorly. These high visa fees Substantially less than half that Home Offi ce to urgently review undreds of overseas doc- NHS. pletely disposable,” they said. bled to £400 for every member of coupled with the NHS surcharge number – 32,468 – came to the the charges. “We are operating in tors are considering More than 500 doctors from “I want to keep working in the an overseas doctor’s family. combine to create a fi nancially NHS from within the EEA. a highly competitive international Hquitting the NHS in pro- outside the EU have voiced their NHS as I love it and what it stands Failure to reduce the fi nancial crippling situation for thousands A small number of NHS trusts market. So anything – including test at being charged thousands concerns in testimonies given for. But I’m exploring other op- burden will exacerbate the NHS’s of doctors. Many doctors we have pay the visa and IHS costs to en- extra taxes and surcharges – that of pounds a year for visas and to EveryDoctor, a campaign- tions. The immigration system already serious shortage of med- spoken to are considering leaving courage overseas staff to stay. makes it harder to persuade over- healthcare in order to work in the ing organisation run by medics can’t expect us to keep fi ghting to ics, which is aff ecting hospitals the UK as a result. We can ill aff ord A new NHS strategy to tackle seas staff to come and work for the UK. to improve how the profession is live here when it undermines us and GP services across Britain, to lose their valuable skills and ex- chronic understaffi ng in England, NHS, and to stay here in the UK, Medics from around the world treated. every step of the way.” they warned. perience.” due this week, is expected to re- is unhelpful,” said Chris Hopson, are considering taking their skills One NHS doctor from India Medics from outside the EU27 Dr Julia Patterson from Eve- Of the 300,030 doctors in the iterate the ambition set out in the the chief executive of NHS Pro- abroad, angered by high charg- is among those considering go- want visa charges , which can ryDoctor said: “The NHS ac- UK on the General Medical Coun- recent NHS long term plan to in- viders, which represents NHS es and fees. Immigration rules ing abroad. “Despite the NHS amount to thousands a year for tively recruits doctors from other cil register, 81,427 – more than a crease the number of health staff trusts in England.

F1 car sent to cancer-stricken boy Govt security decisions can be challenged in court, say judges

Guardian News and Media tion (CNE), the term used by London intelligence agencies to describe hacking, may involve obtaining data as well as remotely activat- overnment security de- ing microphones and cameras on cisions will in future be electronic devices without the Gopen to challenge in the owners’ knowledge. courts after judges ruled that a Privacy International, sup- secretive intelligence tribunal ported by Liberty, appealed could not be exempt from legal against the IPT decision but lost action. in both the high court and the By a 4-3 majority, supreme court of appeal. The supreme court justices declared that the court has now reversed those de- extent of GCHQ’s powers to hack cisions, fi nding in favour of the into internet services should be civil rights organisations. subject to judicial review. Caroline Wilson Palow, Pri- The judgment, in eff ect inte- vacy International’s general grating the investigatory pow- counsel, said it was an “historic ers tribunal (IPT) into the exist- victory for the rule of law”. She ing hierarchy of court appeals, added: “It ensures that the UK was welcomed by human rights intelligence agencies are subject Five-year-old cancer stricken Harry Shaw looks at the F1 car which he received from Lewis Hamilton, in Redhill, Surrey, Britain, yesterday. Hamilton said it was Harry groups as a victory for the rule to oversight by the ordinary UK who inspired his Spanish Grand Prix triumph. Hamilton dedicated his win in Barcelona to Harry who is set to lose his battle against a rare bone disease. of law. courts. Robert Carnwath, who deliv- “Countries around the world ered the majority judgment, said: are currently grappling with se- “It is ultimately for the courts, rious questions regarding what not the legislature, to determine power should reside in each the limits set by the rule of law to branch of government. This rul- the power to exclude review.” ing is a welcome precedent for He added: “The legal issue de- all of those countries, striking a cided by the IPT is not only one reasonable balance between ex- of general public importance, but ecutive, legislative and judicial also has possible implications power. Jeremy Kyle Show axed for legal rights and remedies go- “It paves the way for Privacy ing beyond the scope of the IPT’s International’s challenge to the remit. Consistent application of government’s use of bulk com- the rule of law requires such an puter hacking warrants. Our issue to be susceptible in appro- challenge has been delayed for priate cases to review by ordinary years by the government’s per- after death of participant courts.” sistent attempt to protect the The IPT, which conducts a IPT’s decisions from scrutiny. Reuters brawls between guests. The prime minister’s of- personal problems. McCall said the show had a signifi cant part of its hearings We are heartened that our case London The death of Steven Dymond, fi ce said Dymond’s death was One audience member who loyal audience and had been behind closed doors, deals with will now go forward.” a 63-year-old who had taken “deeply concerning”, and law- watched the recording of the made by a dedicated production complaints about the way MI5, Simon Creighton, of Bhatt part in a lie detector test in an maker Charles Walker said par- episode featuring Dymond dis- team for 14 years, but it was the MI6, GCHQ and the police ex- Murphy Solicitors, which acted ritish broadcaster ITV has episode which was never broad- ticipants in the show were “not cussing infi delity, said he was right time for it to end. ercise their security and sur- for Privacy International, said cancelled The Jeremy Kyle cast, has raised questions about really guests, they’re victims”. clearly distressed after the lie- “Everyone at ITV’s thoughts veillance powers. The govern- security concerns should not BShow, a tabloid talkshow broadcasters’ responsibility to- In 2007, a judge compared detector test results were re- and sympathies are with the ment argued that the tribunal’s be allowed to override the rule that features confrontations be- wards people who appear on re- the programme to bear-baiting vealed. family and friends of Steve Dy- decisions could not be appealed of law. He said: “Secretive na- tween guests over issues like in- ality TV. when a participant was convict- “You just saw him collapse mond,” she said. against in the high court. tional security tribunals are no fi delity, betrayal and addiction, “Given the gravity of recent ed of assault after a fi ght during to the ground, absolutely just ITV said it would continue to The case before the supreme exception. The supreme court after a participant died a week events we have decided to end the fi lming of a show. couldn’t believe what he’d work with host Jeremy Kyle on court concerned a 2016 ruling by was concerned that no tribu- after recording the programme. production of The Jeremy Kyle ITV, Britain’s biggest free-to- heard,” Babette Lucas-Marriott other projects. the IPT in which it declared that nal, however eminent its judges, A mainstay of ITV’s daytime Show,” chief executive Carolyn air commercial broadcaster, had told the BBC. One audience member who the hacking of computers, net- should be able to develop its own schedule since 2005, the pro- McCall said yesterday. said it has an extensive support “People were laughing at him watched the recording of the works and smartphones in the ‘local law’. Today’s decision wel- gramme had similarities with The show, which is watched system for participants before, because of the lies he’d told but episode featuring Dymond, said UK or abroad by GCHQ staff did comes the IPT back from its legal America’s The Jerry Springer by about 1mn people, has been during and after the show, and he just needed help, and it just — he was clearly distressed after not breach human rights. island into the mainstream of Show, including using on-set criticised for broadcasting the said the programme had helped it was horrible to watch, it really the lie-detector test results were Computer network exploita- British law.” security guards to break up traumas of its guests. many people to resolve complex was.” revealed.

Different strokes Tommy Robinson sued Thieves steal safe stuff ed with jewellery by Syrian schoolboy “At this stage we are not reveal- Daily Mail London ing the contents of the safe other Guardian News and Media ously attacked three schoolgirls stagram for repeatedly breaking than to say it was high-value jew- London and a boy. policies on hate speech. Face- ellery and cash.” The activist, whose real name is book said he had broken rules hieves ram-raided the Adam Hastie, the general man- Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, repost- that ban public calls for vio- grounds of a stately home ager of Petworth, said the thieves he Syrian schoolboy who ed a screenshot of a message on lence against people based on Tto steal gems going on dis- had pierced a ring of steel. He add- was fi lmed being attacked his Facebook page from a mother protected characteristics, rules play at an antiques show. ed: “Security were able to see the Tin a playground in Hud- claiming her daughter had been that ban supporting or appear- In a meticulously planned vehicle coming towards them and dersfi eld is suing the far-right bullied. However, the mother ing with organised hate groups, night-time heist, they burst called the police but it was too late. campaigner Tommy Robinson for later posted on Robinson’s page and policies that prevent people through the gates of Petworth We’re expecting the police to take accusing him of assaulting white denying that Jamal had attacked from using the site to bully oth- House using two vehicles and it very seriously as there seems to schoolgirls. her daughter. ers. raced toward a marquee holding have been a signifi cant amount of Jamal Hijazi, 16, has fi led pa- In a series of posts Robin- Jamal said that following Rob- a safe stuff ed with hundreds of jewellery involved. We host several pers to the high court seeking libel son accused Jamal of “not being inson’s posts, he and his family thousands of pound of jewels. community events throughout the action against the founder of the that innocent” and claimed that had faced increasing threats and They loaded the safe on to a year and the fair is a regular.” English Defence League after he he had “hit a girl with a hockey had been forced to move out of trailer and made their escape be- Sussex Police appealed for help was alleged to have “peddled false stick.” Robinson’s Facebook page Huddersfi eld. fore Sussex Police could arrive. in catching the thieves who used a and defamatory lies” about the had more than 1mn followers and He added: “He has broken the The gems had been due to go on sports utility vehicle and a pick- schoolboy. the posts on the Huddersfi eld in- law and I hope they (the courts) show later that day at the Petworth up truck towing a trailer to batter Footage of the refugee student cident were viewed up to 900,000 agree with us. When he put those Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair. through the gates at an entrance being pushed to the ground and times each. posts up he was giving people A source claimed a specifi c off the A283 London Road. having water poured on his face Robinson said: “He violently the wrong idea about me and I trader was targeted in the raid at Detective sergeant Ali Hutch- was watched millions of times and attacked young English girls in was really worried because peo- 3.30am on Sunday. “They had a ings said: “We would also like to attracted widespread condemna- his school. Why is this kid being ple were thinking: ‘Jamal is not a snatch and go plan and they were hear from anyone who is off ered tion, including from Theresa May, portrayed as the ultimate victim good person.’ away within just a few minutes,” jewellery in suspicious circum- in December. in the entire country?” “After he posted the video we said the source. “It is clear the stances, or who may have relevant In May this year a 16-year-old Facebook deleted several of were very scared and we got lots gang were a professional outfi t closed-circuit television or dash- boy, who cannot be identifi ed, Robinson’s videos for violating of threats from people because and had one target in mind. This cam footage from the Petworth was given a caution for racially its community standards after of what he said about me hit- wasn’t a random incident, they area.” Another source said that aggravated assault on Jamal. Jamal’s family announced their ting those girls. I had never even sped across the park with a clear several dealers had gold, silver Hours after the video went viral intention to sue in November. spoken to these girls but people Houses are seen painted in various colours in a residential destination and when they got to and jewellery in the safe – and last month, Robinson claimed on Robinson was subsequently in the area started threatening street in London yesterday. the marquee they headed straight losses could run to hundreds of Facebook that Jamal had previ- banned from Facebook and In- us.” for a particular trader’s stall. thousands of pounds. Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 15

BRITAIN Critics slam Labour plans to nationalise energy network

Guardian News and Media Grid and the network arms of proposals amounted to hanging a work resilience made since priva- below the stock market value of However, National Grid said would only serve to delay the huge London Scottish Power and SSE, to pub- “closed” sign above the UK, with tisation. No one wants a return to the companies in question, by nationalisation of energy net- amount of progress and invest- lic ownership soon after a Labour renationalisation delivering “a the frequent power cuts that were deducting a range of items such works would only hinder the ment that is already helping to election win. triple whammy neither citizens a feature of nationalised indus- as pension fund defi cits and state progress already made in Britain’s make this country a leader in the abour’s plan to nationalise The Labour leader, along with nor the country can aff ord”. tries of yesteryear.” subsidies paid out to energy fi rms shift towards renewable energy. move to green energy.” Britain’s energy network the party’s shadow business sec- Matthew Fell, the CBI’s chief Companies including National since privatisation. In a statement yesterday it said: A spokeswoman for SSE said: Lwould make the country retary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, is UK policy director, said: “Much- Grid, the network arms of Scottish Nationalisation of the energy “National Grid is one of the most “Aside from extensive disrup- poorer, hinder eff orts to tackle expected to say today that the needed investment is drying up Power and SSE, as well as smaller networks forms a central part of reliable networks in the world. We tion, paying for state ownership climate change, and threatens a UK’s£62bn energy infrastructure under Labour’s threats, which se- regional grids, would all come un- Labour’s plans to address climate are also at the heart of the decar- and control of energy networks return to the frequent power cuts – the pipes and cables that supply riously risks hampering eff orts to der public ownership if Labour change, with the party arguing bonisation agenda. Only a few days would require full compensa- of the past, the UK’s leading busi- homes and businesses with gas tackle climate change, and puts in wins power. Current investors in that the profi ts generated from the ago we broke the record for the tion for owners at great expense ness lobby group has warned. and electricity – would be taken doubt the innovation that will de- those fi rms would be reimbursed infrastructure should be invested longest period of time the country to taxpayers, or risk destabilising Jeremy Corbyn is expected to back into state control at a price to liver a net-zero carbon economy. with government bonds. in the green economy rather than has gone without coal generation. UK-listed utilities, which most outline plans that would transfer be determined by parliament. “These plans would threaten It is thought Labour believes given to shareholders in the form “These proposals for state- pensions are invested in. Neither companies including National But the CBI said yesterday the signifi cant improvements in net- it will be possible to pay a price of dividends. ownership of the energy networks are in the public interest.”

Mordaunt seeking amnesty for Commons Troubles’ soldiers Brexit vote ‘is

Guardian News and Media London make or break he defence secretary has said she believes soldiers Twho served during the Troubles in Northern Ireland should be covered by a proposed amnesty from historic prosecu- tions, a declaration that risks in- for premier’ fl aming nationalist sentiment in the region. Guardian News and Media recess, including the vote on the been introduced, if it is rejected, Penny Mordaunt said she London withdrawal bill, a three-day visit that is the end of the govern- wanted to implement “a wider from Donald Trump and the Pe- ment’s strategy, and it is really solution for the veterans’ com- terborough byelection, a tightly high-stakes politics,” he said. munity” the morning after she owning Street has hinted contested seat being fought by the Jones said May had staked her announced plans for a 10-year that the Commons vote Tories, Labour and the Brexit party. “personal prestige” on the with- veterans’ amnesty covering Iraq, Don the withdrawal agree- No 10 would not put a time- drawal agreement. “She’s had Afghanistan and everywhere ment bill will be make or break frame on publishing the bill, three rebuff s now, and I think it’s other than Northern Ireland. for Theresa May’s future as prime which MPs would expect to hap- very hard to see where she goes When asked at a naval confer- minister, as a member of her Cab- pen before the Whitsun recess at after a further rebuff if the bill, ence whether she would like to see inet said defeat could kill off the the end of next week, but it in- when it’s rejected, can’t be re- the proposed exemption be ex- deal entirely. sisted the vote would happen that introduced. If that bill is rejected tended to cover the Troubles, the No 10 said the key piece of week. then it seems to me the whole recently appointed minister said: “I Brexit legislation would be voted “We want to make progress policy is dead and can’t be pur- do think it should cover Northern on in the week beginning June 3, as quickly as possible but we are sued any further.” Ireland.” “We have failed to make and talks with Labour would con- talking about getting a signifi - A spokesman for Jeremy Cor- progress,” said Mordaunt, on what tinue in the meantime. cant bill which has lots of clauses byn confi rmed Labour would not she described “the lawfare issue” May’s spokesman declined to through both houses of parlia- support the withdrawal agree- – a reference to a controversial idea confi rm explicitly that the prime ment, and we have to allow due ment bill unless a cross-party that prosecutions of historic cases minister would see it as the last time. It’s not possible to give a deal was reached. “There is no are used as a way of perpetuating a act of her premiership if she were fi rm prediction of how long that agreement and we need the gov- confl ict by other means. to lose the vote at the bill’s second will take,” the spokesman said. ernment to make further moves,” Pressure has been mounting in reading, but said May understood David Jones, a former Brexit the spokesman said. Conservative and military circles its signifi cance. minister and member of the Eu- “Without an agreement and real as the number of prosecutions “Clearly the signifi cance of ropean Research Group of Euro- compromise and movement by the of soldiers who served in North- this piece of legislation can’t and sceptic Tory MPs, told the BBC’s government coming out of these ern Ireland have increased. Last I suspect won’t be underestimat- World at One programme a defeat talks then we are talking about a month a former paratrooper was ed,” the spokesman said. “The ab- would be the end of the road for withdrawal agreement bill that is prosecuted for the murder of two solute determination and focus of this government’s strategy. based on the same botched Brexit people at a civil rights march on the government will be to get this “I think actually that No 10 deal that has been rejected three Bloody Sunday in Derry in 1972. thing through and passed.” now realise that once this has times already by parliament.” Despite Mordaunt’s declara- Speaking to the Lords EU se- tion, Northern Ireland has been lect committee, Stephen Barclay, covered by a separate process. the Brexit secretary, suggested No-deal risk is under appreciated: minister Ministers are due shortly to con- the vote would be the fi nal throw clude a consultation on so-called of the dice for the deal negotiated There is an under appreciation then there are growing voices legacy issues, which has stated with the EU’s Michel Barnier. of the risk Britain could leave in Europe, not least the French, there should be no amnesty and “I think if the House of Com- the European Union without who want to move on to other the creation of a historical inves- mons does not approve the (bill) a deal later this year, Brexit issues,” Barclay said. “So there tigations unit. then the Barnier deal is dead in minister Stephen Barclay is no automatic right of an Mordaunt also indicated she that form and I think the house said yesterday. “There is an extension and in that scenario had secured some concessions will have to then address a much under appreciation that ‘no it would then be a question for regarding Northern Ireland, cit- more fundamental question be- deal’ can still happen,” he told the House whether it voted for ing “learnings” from the Iraq tween whether it will pursue … a a committee of lawmakers a ‘no deal’ and none of can sit historical allegations team, which no-deal option or whether it will from the House of Lords. “If here and definitively answer was disbanded after many of the revoke,” he said. the House has not passed the that question,” he said. allegations it reviewed turned out Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street in London yesterday, ahead of the weekly Prime May faces a punishing week Withdrawal Agreement Bill to be untrue. Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons. when the Commons returns from Glasgow aims to be UK’s Farage campaigns May ridiculed over govt staff food bank

fi rst carbon-neutral city low-paid staff to get something AFP London to eat?” Corbyn demanded. Reuters said Britain’s approach to on- zero emissions to “well before” “Is this a government for the Glasgow, Scotland shore wind power needed a fun- 2045 — earlier than a previous many or in the pockets of an elite damental rethink, adding that for 2050 target. Scotland, with its he leader of the main few?” Britain to meet a net-zero target wet and windy weather, is home opposition party ridi- May fought back by noting lasgow aims to become it had to quadruple its renewable to one quarter of Britain’s renew- Tculed Theresa May’s that “income inequality is down” the fi rst city in Britain to energy capacity and double its able capacity, with wind power embattled government yester- since her Conservative Party Gbe carbon-neutral in a electricity generation. taking an increasingly prominent day over revelations that it had seized power in 2010. drive to tackle climate change. role in recent years. set up an emergency food bank But she sidestepped the story Glasgow City Council, work- “From the research by But offi cial statements aimed for the cleaners in one of its itself. ing with ScottishPower, has the Intergovernmental at addressing climate change ministries. The Press Association report- pledged to make Britain’s third- Panel on Climate quickly have so far failed to im- The Sunday Times discovered ed on Tuesday that the cleaners biggest city the fi rst to reach a Change to the appeals press activists. that the assistance programme and caterers in the aff ected busi- “net zero” carbon emissions tar- from our classrooms, Responding to the Scot- was hurriedly but quietly es- ness department intended to go get and beat a 2045 overall target our streets and civic tish government, XR Scotland tablished to help mitigate a on strike over pay and work con- set out by the Scottish govern- squares, we know that said “An emergency requires an “payroll blunder” involving a ditions next Tuesday. ment on Tuesday. emissions reduction is emergency response and this services contractor that began The contractor has not spoken The Scottish city plans to reach the issue of our times” doesn’t even come close.” in March. publicly about the problem and the goal by consuming greener The group is calling for net The newspaper published an it remained unclear whether the energy and promoting a mass Public awareness of climate zero greenhouse gas emissions e-mail sent to one government wages were not being paid in er- electric car charging scheme, as change and the danger to the envi- by 2025 — 20 years earlier than business department’s staff say- ror or over some dispute. well as boosting investment in ronment has risen in recent weeks government plans. ing that some cleaners were “un- The case piles on May’s prob- the renewable electricity grid. with fi lms by naturalist David Net-zero is the point where able to travel to work as they have lems in what most newspapers “From the research by the Attenborough and school pupil the same volume of greenhouse no money for bus fares”. now think are the fi nal throes of Intergovernmental Panel on strikes. High-profi le protests by gases is being emitted as is being Labour Party leader Jeremy her tumultuous three-year spell Climate Change to the appeals activists Extinction Rebellion (XR) absorbed through other off set- Corbyn seized on the story dur- as government chief. from our classrooms, our streets have disrupted central London ting techniques like forestry. ing May’s weekly question-and- May’s premiership has been and civic squares, we know that with the goal of forcing govern- The ScottishPower and Glas- answer session in parliament. defi ned by her inability to fi nd a emissions reduction is the issue ments to commit to more stringent gow city initiative aims to make “Can the prime minister tell us compromise with either the par- of our times,” said Susan Aitken, carbon emission cuts. Glasgow greener by decarbon- Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage attends a European what is going wrong in modern liament or Brussels that could Glasgow City Council leader. On Tuesday, the Scottish gov- ising heating and transport and Parliament election campaign rally in Merthyr Tydfil, south Britain that a government of- deliver on voters’ wishes to get “We simply have to act now.” ernment said it would bring for- boosting investment in the elec- Wales, yesterday. fi ce in the centre of London has Britain out of the European Un- For its part, ScottishPower ward the date for reaching net tricity grid. a food bank for some of its very ion after 46 years. Gulf Times 16 Thursday, May 16, 2019 EUROPE Merkel admits having diff erences with Macron

AFP/Reuters Instead, Merkel insisted that heart of the European project cooperation the “enormous German conservative Manfred Berlin Berlin and Paris agreed “natural- and in January signed a new co- progress” in defence policy, Weber in his quest to become the ly on the big issues”, adding that operation pact 53 years after the where “we decided to develop a next president of the European “this is how we accomplish much post-war Elysee Treaty. fi ghter plane and a tank together”. Commission, adding: “That does erman Chancellor Angela for Europe, even today”. However, Paris has voiced Merkel also said there had been not mean Germany has no other Merkel said yesterday that In Paris, Macron reacted by frustration that the reformist cases of bad timing, pointing out excellent candidates for other Gshe and French President acknowledging “fruitful con- drive of Macron has been stalled that while Macron was pushing positions.” Emmanuel Macron “wrestle” on frontations” with Merkel but by resistance from Germany, for major European reforms, she In separate remarks at a foreign policy and have diff erent out- said they result in compromises where veteran leader Merkel has was engaged in half a year of coa- policy lecture yesterday, Merkel looks, but tend to co-operate and which allow the two nations to been in power since 2005. lition building after 2017 elec- said that she is pleased Britain fi nd compromises in the end. move forward together. Merkel in the interview reject- tions. wanted to remain involved in Eu- “Of course, we wrestle with “I don’t want to believe in ed the charge that she had been She did, however, point to dif- ropean security policy despite its each other,” Merkel said about sterile confrontations or rela- a brake on change in European ferent political cultures, saying: planned exit from the EU. relations between the core EU tions,” Macron said at a press policy. “I am the chancellor of a coali- “Wherever Britain is ready to leaders who have disagreed re- conference. “I believe in fruit- “We always fi nd a middle way,” tion government and much more co-operate, we should take the cently on issues from how the ful confrontations, which means the chancellor said, adding that committed to parliament than outstretched hand – that will bloc should handle Brexit to arms you propose something, you see Germany too had “launched a the French president, who is not make us stronger,” she told an au- exports and climate policy. how your partner responds, and whole series of initiatives”, in- even allowed to enter the Nation- dience in Ravensburg, in south- “There are diff erences in men- together you try to fi nd a com- cluding in African development al Assembly.” western Germany. tality between us and diff erenc- promise.” projects. Turning to this month’s Euro- On defence policy, Merkel said es in our understanding of our He added: “What is expected She said that “in the core ques- pean Parliament elections, Mer- Germany’s restrictive guidelines Macron and Merkel speak during the informal meeting of European roles,” she added, speaking to the of France in Europe ... is to reach tions – where is Europe going, kel said: “Many people are con- on defence exports could leave its Union leaders in Sibiu, Romania, earlier this month. Sueddeutsche Zeitung and other a compromise with Germany in the economy, what responsibility cerned about Europe – including partners in despair. European newspapers. order to be able to move forward. do we have for the climate and for myself. This means I feel even To France’s irritation, Germa- sales to Saudi Arabia, its second ropean defence projects. Asked whether her relation- That’s our history, it’s the heart Africa – we are on a very similar more duty-bound to join others ny decided unilaterally last Oc- largest market in the world after “So here we, Germany, will ship with Macron had deterio- of our relationship.” wavelength”. in making sure that Europe has a tober – following the murder of Algeria. have to be more ready to compro- rated in recent months, Merkel France and Germany have tra- The German leader cited as future.” Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi The German decision compro- mise to be considered at all as a replied: “No. Not at all.” ditionally been the duo at the an example of Franco-German Merkel said she supported in Istanbul – to suspend arms mised existing and planned Eu- partner,” Merkel said.

Man in crossbow Seven tech giants sign deaths led a ‘cult’

AFP up to ‘Christchurch Call’ Munich DPA/AFP also include Amazon, Twitter, ing new restrictions on live- work to stop social media being The Elysee Palace said that in tinue to support the overall Paris Microsoft, and Dailymotion, streaming. perverted as a tool for terrorism”. addition to the countries that goals refl ected” in the so-called he man killed in Germa- have committed to ensuring the “Following the horrifi c ter- Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, had adopted the initiative, it had “Christchurch Call,” the White ny’s crossbow murder- “immediate and permanent” rorist attacks in New Zealand, Microsoft president Brad Smith, the “support” of seven other House said. Tsuicide pact is thought to even major Internet and removal of online terrorist and we’ve been reviewing what more and Facebook vice-president countries including Australia, The White House said that the have led a cultish group devoted social media fi rms, includ- violent extremist content. we can do to limit our services Nick Clegg were among those Germany and India. private sector should regulate to mediaeval folklore and treat- Sing Facebook, YouTube “It is unprecedented that we from being used to cause harm attending the talks in Paris. Canadian Prime Minister Jus- its content, but also stressed the ed the women around him like and Google, have signed up to a have an agreement here today or spread hate,” the company Leaders from Britain, Cana- tin Trudeau’s support for the need to protect free speech. slaves, witnesses said in media charter on eliminating terrorist that involves both governments said in a blog post. da, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, initiative showed North Amer- “We continue to be proactive reports yesterday. and violent extremist content and tech companies,” Ardern Eff ective from Tuesday, it Norway, Senegal and Euro- ica was shifting towards an ap- in our eff orts to counter ter- Germany has been baffl ed by from the Internet along with said after talks in Paris agreed will start implementing a “one pean Commission President preciation of the need to com- rorist content online while also the bizarre case since the man France, New Zealand and other a joint statement named the strike” policy which will see in- Jean-Claude Juncker were also bine better regulation of content continuing to respect freedom and two women killed with governments. Christchurch Call. “In the past dividuals who violate its “most present and offi cially adopted with protecting the freedom of of expression and freedom of the crossbows were found on Satur- New Zealand Prime Minister we had one or the other.” serious policies” get immedi- the initiative. expression, Macron argued. press,” it said. “We encourage day in a hotel in Passau, followed Jacinda Ardern has been pushing The Internet fi rms say they ately blocked from using the live Macron said that the talks had The United States had ex- technology companies to en- by Monday’s discovery of two for action from Internet compa- will prioritise the moderation feature for a set period of time. discussed “precise and technical pressed support for the “prin- force their terms of service and more dead women in the town of nies since mass shootings at two of terrorist and violent extrem- The company plans to invest questions” such as how to act ciples” of the Christchurch Call, community standards that for- Wittingen. mosques in the city of Christch- ist content and will make their $7.5mn in new research partner- quickly, including intervention Macron said, acknowledging bid the use of their platforms for The fi gure at the core of the urch in March. rules about such content more ships to improve image and vid- when content began to go viral. that in the “North American terrorist purposes.” group, Torsten W, 53, appeared The killings were live- obvious for users. eo analysis technology to stay A second meeting in Septem- world” the freedom of expres- “Further, we maintain that to have controlled the four wom- streamed by the shooter, a sus- They will also review “algo- ahead of media manipulation ber would aim to bring more sion was “a very strong and es- the best tool to defeat terror- en like a harsh sect leader who pected white supremacist, for rithms and other processes that used to repost banned material. governments and companies sential value”. ist speech is productive speech used physical force and psycho- 17 minutes before Facebook re- may drive users towards and/or Ardern welcomed the Fa- on board as well as listing more However, the US will not join and thus we emphasize the im- logical manipulation, Bild daily moved the stream. amplify terrorist and violent ex- cebook move but added that “concrete actions” to be taken the international eff ort. portance of promoting cred- and RTL television reported. Clips then rapidly spread on- tremist content”. the initial set of measures were and reviewing what content had “While the United States is ible, alternative narratives as the “Investigators suspect they line. Hours before the launch, Fa- “fi rst steps” and governments been removed to date as a result not currently in a position to primary means by which we can were all members of a kind of sex The Internet fi rms, which cebook said it was introduc- were looking forward to “further of the initiative, he added. join the endorsement, we con- defeat terrorist messaging.” circle with a focus on the Middle Ages. Torsten W may have been the guru of the group,” reported RTL after interviewing several people who knew them. Bild said W was apparently Selena Gomez says “in relationships with several women whom he ruled over like a master”. social media ‘terrible’ W owned a shop that sold me- diaeval-style weapons and fl ags, off ered sword-fi ghting classes for her generation and featured a bizarre female mannequin wearing suspend- ers, tied with ropes and chains, By Deborah Cole, AFP information sometimes.” and smeared with blood-like red Cannes Gomez said that pervasive In- paint. ternet bullying “scares” her and RTL spoke with a couple who left many young people “devas- feared the 19-year-old woman S pop singer-turned-ac- tated”. found dead in Wittingen was tress Selena Gomez has In light of her own massive their daughter Carina U, who Uwarned that social media social media presence, Gomez they said had fallen under the had been “terrible” for her gen- was asked what celebrities and All smiles spell of W years ago and broken eration but said she tried to set a tech industry giants could do to off contact with them. good example for her 150mn fol- make the online world less toxic. Clockwise from top: Selena Bild daily meanwhile inter- lowers on Instagram. She set out a bleak picture. Gomez poses during a viewed a former landlord who Speaking after her political- “I think it’s pretty impossi- photocall yesterday for the recalled that W had harshly ly-charged zombie fl ick, Jim ble to make it safe at this point. film The Dead Don’t Die shouted commands at the lesbi- Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die, There’s no blocking anything, at the 72nd edition of the an couple living with him, as the opened the Cannes fi lm festival, they’re exposed to it imme- Cannes Film Festival; US film women kept their heads bowed Gomez said the platforms that diately,” she said at the news actress Chloe Sevigny poses and behaved like slaves. helped make her famous were conference with her co-stars yesterday during a Investigations meanwhile destructive in the wrong hands. Bill Murray, Chloe Sevigny and photocall for the film The continued at the Passau, Ba- “I think that our world is go- Tilda Swinton. Dead Don’t Die; US actress varia state crime scene where the ing through a lot obviously. Gomez said she is “grateful” Amber Heard waves as she prosecutor’s offi ce said the mo- What Jim (Jarmusch) gestured to “have a platform” and tried to exits the Festival’s Palace tive was still unclear and a fi nal to in the fi lm is that social media use it to “share things that I’m through the stage door, after report was not expected for an- has really been terrible for my really passionate about”. she walked the red carpet other two or three weeks. generation,” Gomez, 26, told a “I also don’t do a lot of point- prior to the screening of According to the autopsy, W news conference. less pictures. I like to be inten- the film Les Miserables; and and his partner Kerstin E, 33, Her comments came as a Ma- tional with it,” she said. Ethiopian model Gelila Bekele were found lying in the double laysian teenager took her own On her own Internet use, arrives for the screening of bed, hand-in-hand, with cross- life after posting an Instagram Gomez said less was more. “It the film Les Miserables. bow quarrels (also known as poll asking if she should live or can be great in moments but I bolts) in their heads and hearts die. would just be careful and al- victim to an ambush of zombies, grim message, the fervour of and their last wills nearby. The 16-year-old from Kuch- low yourself some time limits who moan for the creature com- young climate activists gave him The other woman, 30-year- ing in eastern Sarawak state died when you use it and when you forts they craved in life like wi- grounds for hope. Lost US passport in Austria? You’re old Farina C, lay on the fl oor, a after posting the poll on Mon- shouldn’t.” fi , Xanax, and chardonnay wine. “We do have people that are gonna be lovin’ it ... try McDonald’s single quarrel in her neck. day on the Facebook-owned Jarmusch’s fi lm, a tribute to Jarmusch, 66, is a Cannes fa- concerned with it and are mak- Police were treating the case platform. the George Romero monster vourite who has premiered hits ing it their focus, mostly young- Lost and hungry for help? American citizens who find themselves as a “requested killing and sui- Gomez, who has been mobbed movies of the 1960s and 70s, such as Broken Flowers, Only er people – there is optimism for in distress in Austria can now seek support at an unusual address – cide”, suggesting Farina C fi rst by autograph hunters in Cannes depicts a small town in Trump- Lovers Left Alive, and Paterson sure but it’s just the timeframe McDonald’s. shot the couple and then herself. and dominated photo spreads era America facing an infesta- at the festival. is speeding up very quickly,” he Under a new partnership, outlets of the US fast food chain On Monday, police searching from opening night on Tuesday, tion of fl esh-eating zombies, He said that he was using the said. throughout Austria will help American citizens to get in touch with Farina C’s apartment – some also warned about the fake news including one played by Jar- zombie metaphor in his new Murray, 68, waxed philo- their embassy, it said on Facebook. 650km (400 miles) miles away, rampant on social media. musch’s friend Iggy Pop. movie to take aim at “the whole sophical about movie acting “Staff (at any McDonald’s in Austria) will assist them in making in Wittingen, Lower Saxony – “I understand that it’s amaz- The siege is triggered by po- culture of commodity fetish- as the seas rise and the planet contact with the US embassy for consular services,” the embassy found two more dead women. ing to use your platform but lar fracking which scientists say ism” as well as climate change overheats. wrote. One of them, 35-year-old pri- it does scare me when you see has “knocked the Earth off its denial. “When I’m not working, I’m Facebook users commenting on the post wasted no time in coining mary schoolteacher Gertrud C, how exposed these young girls axis”, even as the government’s “Watching nature decline at lazy ... I’m a better person when terms such as “McVisa” and “McPassport”. was the partner of Farina C, the and young boys are,” she said. energy secretary and large gas unprecedented rates in history I’m working on a fi lm,” he said. While some hailed the move as “awesome”, others seemed less other was a 19-year-old woman, “They are not aware of the news. corporations insist it’s safe. is for me terrifying and con- “This is my little ice fl oe that I impressed. said police, without naming her. I think it’s dangerous for sure if Gomez plays a “big city hip- cerning,” Jarmusch said. stand on and I hope it doesn’t “Because apparently we are too incompetent to look up the US The cause of death was still people aren’t getting the right ster” visiting the town who falls He said despite the fi lm’s melt.” embassy online??” one user wrote. unclear, police said. Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 17 INDIA SC terms BJP youth leader’s arrest ‘arbitrary’

IANS A vacation bench of Justice The court said: “This is not order was passed in your pres- had already fi led a closure report The jailer pushed me,” Sharma it would be decided if Sharma New Delhi Indira Banerjee and Justice done. First of all, her arrest was ence... jail manuals can’t have in the case. claimed and complained that should go by the West Bengal Sanjiv Khanna also slammed arbitrary... if she is not released, superintendence over the SC. “There was no question of the jail staff behaved very rude- government’s stand that she ten- the West Bengal government consequences shall follow.” “If she is not released, we will apology... has counsel for state ly with her and did not let her der an apology for sharing the he Supreme Court yes- for keeping Sharma behind the The West Bengal govern- take contempt action.” disclosed this earlier,” Kaul speak to anyone for five days. meme. terday termed as “prima bars despite the court’s order ment’s lawyer told the court that The court on Tuesday or- asked. “Even after I was given bail, “I have done no wrong. So why Tfacie arbitrary” the arrest on Tuesday for her “immediate Sharma was released at around dered Sharma’s immediate re- Meanwhile, Sharma said she they didn’t allow me to talk to should I apologise,” Sharma said of Bharatiya Janata Party’s West release”. 9.40am. The state government lease and asked her to tender was “tortured” in jail and that anyone.” as she questioned why the police Bengal youth wing leader Priya- The court’s observation came did not release her earlier due to apology upon her release for she would not tender an apology. “I will now prepare for my targeted her when a lot of people nka Sharma for allegedly pub- after Sharma’s lawyer Neeraj lack of a certifi ed copy of the top posting the meme. She also vowed to fi ght a court court battle to clear my name and had shared the post. “Why are lishing a morphed image of Chief Kishan Kaul said that despite the court’s order, as per the state jail Meanwhile, Sharma’s law- battle to clear her name as she win the case,” she said. they not arresting the many oth- Minister Mamata Banerjee on so- court’s order, Sharma was kept in manual, the lawyer said. yer informed the court that her had “done no wrong”. The Supreme Court is set to er people who shared the post,” cial media. jail for an extra day. At this, the court said: “The brother had found that the police “They tortured me in jail. hear the case again in July when she asked. BJP is trying to destroy Bengal culture: CM

IANS but we will never allow that,” she Kolkata thundered. Reiterating her allegations of the BJP using money and muscle est Bengal Chief Min- power to vitiate the poll proc- ister Mamata Baner- ess, Banerjee said despite all its Wjee yesterday dubbed eff orts the saff ron party will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi a defeated. “champion liar” and accused the Banerjee later took out a march Bharatiya Janata Party of con- with hundreds of Trinamool spiring to destroy the state’s cul- supporters deriding Modi, Shah ture and heritage. and the BJP for the desecration of A day after Bengal Renaissance the polymath’s bust and vowed fi gure Ishwar Chandra Vidyasa- to avenge it by defeating the BJP gar’s bust was vandalised during in the poll battle. BJP president Amit Shah’s road- In Lucknow meanwhile, Ba- show here, a political slugfest in- hujan Samaj Party (BSP) presi- tensifi ed as Modi charged Baner- dent Mayawati said that Modi’s jee with orchestrating the attack tenure had been full of violence on Shah and the Trinamool Con- and hence he was “unfi t” for the gress chief hit back calling him a offi ce he holds. champion liar. She termed Modi’s legacy as “Modi is a champion liar. I chief minister of Gujarat a “stain have seen many prime minis- on the BJP and country”. ters but never seen a liar prime “Prime Minister Narendra minister like him. Speaking in Modi was indeed the chief min- Bengal, he dares to lie in broad ister of Gujarat for a longer time Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel conduct route march in a street ahead of the seventh and last phase of general election, in Kolkata, yesterday. daylight saying Amit Shah was than I was the chief minister of attacked. Uttar Pradesh but his legacy is “It is them who attacked Ben- a blot on the BJP and the coun- gal’s culture, it’s them who van- try while in my regime, Uttar dalised Vidyasagar’s statue,” Pradesh was free of riots and an- Banerjee alleged while address- archy,” she said. ing a rally in Agarpara in North Mayawati said her government 24 Parganas district. was “fi t” when it came to matters Modi during an election rally of public interest while the BJP Soldiers patrol Kolkata in Basirhat Lok Sabha constitu- has been “unfi t”. ency in West Bengal, said the “Modi’s term as a prime min- attack on Shah’s roadshow in ister as well as chief minister was College Street came days after full of violence. He is unfi t to Banerjee vowed to take revenge hold public offi ce,” she said. against the BJP. “The Modi government is Banerjee claimed that the BJP anti-Dalit and have been try- after election violence was out to destroy Bengal’s cul- ing to defame the BSP since the ture and heritage. past fi ve years. They have failed Agencies mool member had been detained, Security was stepped up out- The clashes broke out as BJP Banerjee hit back by accus- “Bereft of any ideology or cul- because the BSP is an open book Kolkata but the Election Commission of side the college as well as at president Amit Shah led a cam- ing Shah acting like a “god” who ture, the BJP is conspiring to de- but Dalits should beware of their India (ECI) said it planned to in- Calcutta University where stu- paign procession through Kolk- does not allow protests. stroy Bengal’s culture. It’s Ben- motives,” she said. vestigate allegations of vandal- dents demonstrated with plac- ata, and rival Trinamool sup- She led a rally of several thou- gal which gave India’s national Stepping up her attack on Modi oldiers patrolled the cen- ism by party supporters. ards reading “Go Back Narendra porters threw stones and water sand supporters through the city anthem and national song,” said and his party, she accused the BJP tre of West Bengal capital A bust of renowned Bengal Modi”, “Go Back BJP”. bottles at each other. late yesterday. Banerjee invoking Rabindranath of having the most corrupt mem- SKolkata yesterday a day reformer, Ishwar Chandra Vid- In a response to the violence, “The reason behind the violence The communist party held its Tagore and Bankim Chandra bers. “BJP has a disease of calling after rival political supporters yasagar, was destroyed and a col- the Election Commission sus- is Trinamool Congress, not BJP,” own rally. Chattopadhyay. other parties corrupt. The nation clashed during campaigning for lege named after him ransacked pended campaigning by political Shah told reporters yesterday. West Bengal has a history of “Their only gameplan is to knows that the most corrupt peo- the country’s general election. in the troubles. parties for the last phase of the The Trinamool Congress, election-related violence, ini- destroy Bengal’s constitution, ple belong to their party.” With the third highest number Teachers and students of Vi- staggered election a day before led by fi rebrand Chief Minister tially between the communists of parliamentary seats among dyasagar College wearing black the deadline. Mamata Banerjee blamed the who ran the state for nearly three Indian states, West Bengal has badges staged a day-long protest Voting is to be held in 10 con- violence on the BJP. decades and the main opposition emerged as a battleground where yesterday, demanding an impar- stituencies on May 19 in the The authorities said soldiers Congress Party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tial investigation into the inci- state, which sends 42 lawmakers were deployed in the city to en- But now the BJP and the Trina- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is dent. to the Lok Sabha, the lower house sure there was no further vio- mool Congress have emerged as attempting to make inroads to “I could not recognise the of- of parliament. lence. frontrunners, clashes are erupt- off set likely losses elsewhere and fi ce when I stepped in today,” India’s election started on “Has Bengal acquired a gov- ing frequently between their retain power. Gautam Kundu, the college prin- April 11 and ends on May 19. ernment of gangsters? The at- supporters. Modi’s party is facing stiff op- cipal, said. The results will be announced tack on Amit Shah’s peaceful “Elections matter in Bengal position from West Bengal’s rul- “Broken shards of glass lay all on May 23. rally by TMC is deplorable,” Fi- much more than most other states ing Trinamool Congress party. over and a statue of Vidyasagar “This is probably the fi rst time nance Minister Arun Jaitley said because (the) party is the only More than 100 BJP support- was missing from the glass case. that ECI has invoked Article 324 on Twitter. form through which people tend to ers were detained for violence in “They (the teachers) were in this manner but it may not be Modi condemned what he organise themselves,” said Dwai- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee greets her supporters as she West Bengal on Tuesday, police cowering in fear inside the class- last,” an Election Commission called “TMC goons” for launch- payan Bhattacharyya, a political takes part in a protest march after a statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar said. rooms when the attack took offi cial said at a press conference ing the street battles, in a televi- science professor at New Delhi’s was damaged during Tuesday’s clashes, in Kolkata yesterday. The state police said no Trina- place. We are shocked,” he said. yesterday. sion interview. Jawaharlal Nehru University. Thousands cheer Priyanka Survived Trinamool ‘attack’ during Varanasi roadshow because of CRPF, says Shah IANS Priyanka was fl anked by the Varanasi Congress candidate Ajay Rai and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister IANS the college named after the social Bengal. This means Trinamool is re- Bhupesh Baghel. New Delhi reformer. sponsible for the violence.” ongress general secretary As the roadshow meandered “It was not violence, but an at- He also accused Banerjee of Priyanka Gandhi yester- through the lanes of Varanasi tack,” Shah said and alleged that conspiring to vandalise Vidyasa- Cday held a mega roadshow and culminated at Gudaulia, haratiya Janata Party presi- “constitutional machinery” has gar’s statue in an eff ort to gain in Varanasi along the same route thousands thronged the route to dent Amit Shah said yes- collapsed in West Bengal. sympathy. that Prime Minister Narendra catch a glimpse of the Congress Bterday that what happened “I would not have escaped un- “The gate of the college was Modi undertook on April 25. leader who waved to the crowds in Kolkata during his roadshow hurt without CRPF protection. closed and the BJP workers were Cheered on by a massive and threw fl owers. on Tuesday was not violence but Many of our workers have been outside. Trinamool goons were crowd, Priyanka’s roadshow be- Women sitting on rooftops an attack by Trinamool Congress killed there and an attack on me pelting stones from inside. This gan from Benaras Hindu Univer- showered petals on her and took “goons” and that he escaped un- was obvious. But after yesterday’s was a conspiracy and drama by sity gate where she garlanded a selfi es. hurt only because of protection incident, it is clear that Trinamool Mamata Banerjee to gain sympa- statue of Pandit Madan Mohan If Priyanka’s roadshow was a from the Central Reserve Police can go to any extent,” he said. thy. All these prove that Trina- Malaviya. show of strength by the Con- Force. “Six phases of polling have been mool Congress goons vandalised Excited Congress work- gress, the purpose was per- Addressing a press conference completed in the country, but in- the statue. Vandalising a statue ers, clad in tricolour caps and fectly served. The Congress, a day after his roadshow in Kolk- cidents of violence are happening for vote bank makes it clear that scarves, shouted slogans that according to sources, wants to ata’s College Street witnessed only in West Bengal,” Shah said. the Trinamool Congress is los- were punctuated with ‘Chowki- increase its vote share in Vara- violence and arson, Shah also “(Chief Minister) Mamata Baner- ing badly in this election,” the BJP dar chor hai’ (the watchman is a nasi, Modi’s constituency, and hit out at the Election Commis- jee is alleging that the BJP is spread- president said. thief). send out a message that the sion (EC) for remaining a “mute ing violence in the state. She is con- Claiming that the BJP will win Modi’s roadshow had rever- prime minister may be invinci- spectator” in West Bengal while testing only on 42 seats but the BJP over 23 seats in West Bengal, Shah berated with slogans like “Modi ble today, but he may not be in accusing Trinamool Congress is contesting across the country. said Trinamool’s days were num- pure hai, baaki sab chor hai” the future. “goons” of vandalising the statue No incidents of violence have been bered and that people were ready Leaders and supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attend a silent (Modi is pure, all others are Varanasi will vote in the last of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar at reported from anywhere except to vote her out of the state. protest against the violence in Kolkata, in New Delhi yesterday. thiefs)’. phase on May 19. Gulf Times 18 Thursday, May 16, 2019 INDIA Weak election campaign hurts Congress Party

Reuters Modi will come back to power, election, backed by a war chest followed by further delays in ously diffi cult to predict, and and Kashmir, where a Pakistan- election so far, but declined to Jaipur although many political analysts multiple times that controlled readying promotional materials, growing farm distress and a lack based militant group killed 40 comment on his party’s delayed and pollsters have said he has the by Congress. the two Congress offi cials said. of jobs could still hurt the BJP, policemen in February, the sec- publicity campaign. edge. On 11 Hindi TV news chan- Both requested anonymity like it did last December when ond Congress offi cial said. “I think if anybody has gained n January, the opposition Two Congress offi cials told nels, for example, Modi has got because they were not author- Congress wrested away three “After the state elections there in this election campaign it is Congress Party seemed Reuters that their campaign, nearly three times the air-time ised to speak to the media. states from the ruling party. was complacency, and after Pul- Mr Gandhi, if anybody has lost Ipoised for a strong fi ght back centred around a promise of a compared to Congress chief “The backroom work to push There are a whole series of wama happened, there was no ground in the election campaign against Prime Minister Naren- handout of Rs72,000 ($1,022) Rahul Gandhi between March out the campaign hadn’t been regional and caste-based par- coherent campaign to respond,” it is Mr Modi,” he told Reuters. dra Modi after victories in three every year for poorest families, 30 and April 26, according to done,” one of them said. “Basi- ties that could benefi t from any he said. “I think BJP will suff er huge heartland states late last year. was rolled out late - only four Broadcast Audience Research cally, it was a big royal mess.” such anti-Modi swing as much In response to Pulwama, Modi losses.” But just over four months lat- days before the fi rst phase of the Council India. A Congress candidate in east- as Congress. sent warplanes into Pakistan in Part of Congress’s confi dence er, even Congress offi cials admit polls began on April 11. Congress has also been unable ern India said that his party’s If that happens, a coalition of late February, dramatically esca- stems from states like Rajasthan, the attempt to unseat Modi in In contrast, the Modi cam- to forge alliances with other op- publicity campaign wasn’t even parties might form the next gov- lating tensions with the nuclear- where it has set up good ground the ongoing general election has paign’s communications has position parties in two impor- noticed by rank-and-fi le work- ernment with Congress a pow- armed neighbour while project- operations. suff ered from a weak campaign been a huge strength - no one tant states and adequately over- ers, let alone voters. erful force in that though not ing himself as a fearless leader, On May 6, as India voted in and fumbled communications. can complain that the message haul its grassroots organisation, On multiple trips to Ut- necessarily calling all the shots. which the BJP deftly used to craft the fi fth phase of the election, Political strategists say the didn’t get out. political strategists said, making tar Pradesh, which elects more A key problem in the cam- an election campaign focused on over 100 young men and women missteps and an inability to sew The ruling Bharatiya Janata an already diffi cult contest even lawmakers than any other state, paign has been that instead of national security. employed by a private fi rm sat up alliances with other opposi- Party (BJP) has dominated news- harder. Reuters found that many voters maximising the impact of De- P Chidamabaram, a top Con- inside a basement in Rajasthan’s tion groups had hurt Congress. paper frontpages, TV screens, The campaign slip-up was did not know about Congress’s cember’s wins, Congress stum- gress strategist and a former fi - capital city of Jaipur making and Votes are to be counted on social media posts, roadside bill- partly because the party’s de- handout promise. bled, particularly after a suicide nance minister, acknowledged receiving calls on behalf of Con- May 23 and it’s still not clear if boards and rallies through the tailed manifesto came out late, Elections in India are notori- bombing in Pulwama in Jammu that Modi had dominated the gress. Debate turns increasingly ugly as polls wind down Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati speaks as Akhilesh Yadav, chief of Samajwadi Party (SP), looks on during a joint news conference in Lucknow. Agencies car bomb attack by a Pakistan- corrupt man” who used a war- New Delhi based militant group killed at ship during a 1987 holiday as his least 40 paramilitary police in family’s own “personal taxi”. Jammu and Kashmir. Congress denies this. rom jibes over the prime “The opposition were caught “The agenda is always set by minister’s wife to criti- off guard by the national secu- the sitting prime minister and Fcism of the main opposi- rity narrative and after that it everybody has to reply in kind,” Agra by-election a prestige tion leader’s family holiday three became very diffi cult to contest said Mohan Guruswamy, found- decades ago, one trend stands on that,” Pant said. er of the Centre for Policy Alter- out in this year’s general election “Then it became all about natives think-tank. campaign in India: this time, it’s Modi, to the advantage of the BJP.” Modi has denied he has coars- personal. On Monday, Bahujan Samaj ened political debate in the issue for UP chief minister The world’s largest democ- Party chief Mayawati urged country, blaming social media racy, with around 900mn eligi- women not to vote for Modi be- for amplifying negative state- IANS constituency. The Congress has On May 19, over 400,000 to young sportspersons, water ble voters, wraps up polling held cause he had abandoned his wife ments. Agra fi elded veteran Ranvir Sharma. voters are eligible to vote at 438 ATMs, streamlining of university over six weeks on Sunday. as a teenager. “Now, from a 50-minute Though the BJP is sure of its booths. The voting percentage in education, better deal for pave- Results will be known on May “How can he (Modi) respect speech, a 10-second statement victory as the seat is predomi- the last election was 58.4. ment vendors and construction 23. others’ sisters and wives when is taken and played on loop 24 ith just three days re- nantly a “bania” constituency, The BJP has not organised a of Yamuna ghats. Election observers say this has he has left his own innocent wife hours,” he said in an interview maining for the cru- the undercurrents generated by single public meeting. “We are While the opposition con- been an unusually hostile cam- for political gains,” said Maya- with the Hindustan Times on Wcial by-election for the consolidation of Dalit, Mus- focusing on personal interac- tinues to highlight BJP’s fail- paign even by Indian standards, wati, a former chief minister of May 9, days after his jibe about the Agra North Assembly seat lim and Yadav votes is giving tion. Since our candidate, Pu- ure to clean up Yamuna, begin devoid of real policy debate to Uttar Pradesh. Gandhi’s father. on May 19, the campaign has sleepless nights to poll strate- rushottam Khandelwal, has been construction work on the bar- the expected benefi t of Prime The BJP has previously said “That said, there should defi - already turned into what locals gists. a grass roots worker for over 40 rage, the high court bench is- Minister Narendra Modi and his that Modi’s marriage was ar- nitely be courtesy.” said was “a sort of referendum” “Their leaders are not vo- years and is a popular face in the sue, and the long pending de- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). ranged by his family and existed But some indefatigable Modi on the performance of the Yogi cal, nor are they wasting time in area, the strategy is to connect mand for air connectivity with “The last few elections were in name only. baiters in the Congress have Adityanath government in Uttar pointless debates. Secret meet- directly with the voters in colo- all big cities, the BJP candidate about corruption or infl ation,” Congress president Rahul shown no signs of backing down. Pradesh. ings are being held at night and a nies, markets and mohallas. The flaunts the Yogi government’s said Harsh Pant, a political ana- Gandhi, meanwhile, has fre- One of them is the former Recognising the importance solid network of activists is busy response is overwhelming,” said effective control of the law and lyst at the Observer Research quently ended rallies by leading minister Mani Shankar Ai- of the by-election, Deputy Chief mobilising voters who should IT cell chief of the constituency, order, transparency in govern- Foundation think-tank in New chants calling Modi a “thief”. yar who justifi ed the off ensive Minister Dinesh Sharma will to- turn up in big numbers on May Pandit Jugal Kishor. ance, clearance to Metro Rail Delhi. “This time, there are no “With elections dragging on, ‘neech aadmi’ (despicable per- day take part in a roadshow in 19,” said a Samajwadi Party Most BJP leaders feel it is a project and Ganga Jal pipeline real issues being discussed.” a noticeable fatigue has set in son) remark against the prime the constituency. worker. one-sided election. On the other that has eased water problem in Modi won a surprise majority among voters, even as politi- minister in two opinion pieces. The Bharatiya Janata Party has “Already we see fatal doses of hand, Samajwadi Party and the the city. in 2014, riding a wave of anger cians appear to be running out of That was preceded by Con- fi elded Purushottam Khandelw- complacency due to over con- Bahujan Samaj Party activists “Surely this is not a routine over perceived graft by the Con- relevant issues, instead upping gress leader Sam Pitroda’s “Hua al, state vice president, from this fi dence. They fear that the up- are leaving no stone unturned by-election as it comes at a time gress Party. the venom to capture public at- to hua” (so it happened) remark stronghold of the party. The Sa- per caste and upper class voters to ensure smooth sailing of when the Yogi government’s He entered this election cy- tention,” said an editorial in the on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. majwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj may not stir out of their com- their candidate Suraj Sharma, stakes are high. The result will cle under pressure, losing three Times of India on Tuesday. In response, head of BJP’s IT Party alliance candidate Suraj fort zones to line up for voting who has even worked on the lo- indicate which way the political state polls in December amid Others see Modi as equally at cell Amit Malviya tweeted: “Up- Sharma, an MBA from Cardiff , in this hot weather. If the voting cal manifesto for Agra. Called wind is blowing in the state and rising anger over weak farm in- fault. set that Sam Pitroda was getting is taunted as a “bachcha” (kid) percentage remains low, it could “Sankalp Patra”, the manifesto whether the ‘gathbandhan’ (alli- comes and unemployment. This month Modi said Gan- all the attention, the irrepress- in politics, though his father, ring alarm bells for the BJP,” said promises mohalla clinics like in ance) will emerge as a successful But the early phase of cam- dhi’s deceased father Rajiv, him- ible Mani Shankar Aiyar pulls Madhusudan Sharma, has been a former socialist leader Jitendra Delhi, promotion to fi lmmak- experiment,” senior poll watcher paigning was dominated by na- self a former prime minister, Pitroda’s foot out of his mouth a BSP MLA from a neighbouring Yadav. ing in Braj circuit, incentives Sudier Gupta said. tional security after a suicide ended his life as “India’s most and puts it in his...”

Family issues behind Kerala Rains hit Delhi, mother-daughter suicides more likely today IANS IANS and the sister’s husband. sell the house after recovery New Delhi Thiruvananthapuram The note also said that Lekha proceedings began. I have done had been taken earlier to a per- nothing wrong,” Chandran’s son specialising in black magic. mother said. There was a huge ew Delhi and surrounding areas received suicide note recovered A police offi cer said there was public outcry on Tuesday after rains with thunderstorm yesterday. yesterday from the home no mention of any bank recovery it surfaced that Canara Bank of- N The weather offi ce said the condition Aof a 41-year-old woman proceedings in the note, which fi cials have been after the family was likely to continue till tomorrow. and her 19-year-old daughter, said that Lekha was being con- for recovery of the loan. According to the India Meteorological Depart- who set themselves ablaze a day stantly harassed by her mother- Yesterday morning, vari- ment (IMD), the temperature yesterday morning before, has revealed that family in-law. ous political outfi ts protested was below the season’s average at 24.3 degrees issues were behind the extreme “The letter reveals everything against the bank, while Congress Celsius. step, and was not provoked by and we have taken all the four Party activists went on a ram- The maximum temperature for the day is ex- the risk that their home would be into custody and have recorded page causing damage to the re- pected to hover around three-four notches be- seized by bank offi cials for non- their arrest. The charge levelled gional offi ce of the bank. low the season’s average, an IMD offi cial said. repayment of a housing loan. at the moment is that of abetting Thereafter, three branches of According to Skymet, the pre-monsoon rains Lekha and her daughter suicide and the probe will con- the bank near the home of the are caused by three phenomena - western dis- Vaishnavi doused themselves tinue,” the offi cer said. suicide victims remained shut as turbance, induced cyclonic circulation and the with kerosene and set themselves Chandran, however, told re- a matter of precaution. south westerly winds. on fi re on Tuesday. Hearing their porters he did not know why he The protests were called off , “The western disturbance creates cyclonic cries, neighbours rushed in by had been taken into custody by however, when it emerged that circulation over Rajasthan. Also the south west- breaking open the doors. While the police. “I was abroad and the suicides were provoked by erly winds from the Arabian Sea are increas- Vaishnavi died on the spot, her returned just six months back. family issues. ing the moisture,” Mahesh Palawat of Skymet mother passed away at a hospital. I knew that my mother and my In an offi cial statement on Weather told IANS. Police yesterday recovered the wife were often engaged in ver- Tuesday, the bank said Chan- The condition, he said, will continue on and mother’s suicide note stuck on bal duels. I have no other clue at dran had taken a Rs500,000 loan off till tomorrow. the wall. It said four people were all,” said Chandran. in 2005, which was declared a The rains will also decrease the heat wave and responsible for the twin suicides His mother too said she was in- non-performing asset (NPA) in keep the temperature in control in Delhi, Har- – Lekha’s husband Chandran, nocent and had done no wrong. 2010, and that legal proceedings Motorcyclists and commuters wait under a flyover bridge during heavy rains in New yana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and parts of Madhya her mother-in-law, her sister “I had given my consent to had been initiated in the matter. Delhi yesterday. Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, he added. Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 19 LATIN AMERICA

ANGER RULING DECISION LEGAL INDUSTRIAL ACTION Students strike in Brazil Court orders Temer’s Inca artefacts returned to Ex-Lima mayor jailed in Argentina’s biggest union over budget cuts release for a second time Peru from US, Argentina Peru over Odebrecht case calls for anti-govt strike

Students and teachers from hundreds of A Brazilian court ordered former president Michel More than a hundred pre-Columbian treasures A Peruvian judge sentenced former Lima Argentina’s biggest labour union has called universities and colleges across Brazil began Temer’s release from jail with conditions, less including clay idols and textiles from the Inca mayor Susana Villaran to 18 months’ preventive for a 24-hour national strike to protest the a nationwide demonstration yesterday in than a week after he was detained for a second Empire have been returned to Peru from the detention for accepting illegal campaign funds government’s austerity policies, heaping pressure “defence of education” following a raft of budget time in a case related to a corruption scandal US and Argentina. The 130 artefacts, many of from Brazilian construction firms Odebrecht and on President Mauricio Macri as he battles against cuts announced by President Jair Bolsonaro’s that has ensnared several high-profile politicians. which were voluntarily returned after being OAS. The Odebrecht bribery scandal runs deep a biting recession and jittery markets. The General government. Classes were suspended in numerous Four judges on the Superior Court of Justice illegally smuggled out of Peru, were displayed in Peru, where the country’s last four presidents Confederation of Labour (CGT), a huge umbrella establishments as demonstrations took place unanimously voted in favour of granting a habeas at the ministry of foreign affairs building in the are accused of receiving illegal payoff s. Villaran, group which held off joining industrial action by in 17 of Brazil’s 27 states, local media said, with corpus release to Temer, president from 2016 to capital Lima. The objects included decorated Lima’s mayor from 2014-2018, is accused of taking other unions in April, said they supported a strike particularly large ones in major cities like Sao 2018, for the second time since March. Temer, bowls and vases, embroidered cloths, carved millions of dollars from Odebrecht to finance a on May 29, union leaders Hector Daer and Carlos Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Belo Horizonte. 78, turned himself in to Sao Paulo federal police wooden sculptures and painted figurines. recall referendum in 2013 and from OAS for a Acuna told reporters. Argentina is grappling with In Brasilia, troops were deployed in front of the on Thursday after an appellate court ordered his “Argentina (returned) a lot of 92 cultural failed re-election bid in 2014. Judge Jorge Chavez recession, stubbornly high inflation and a volatile ministry of education. The protest movement was return back to prison as part of an investigation goods and another from the US is made up of Lima’s Third Special Investigation Court for peso currency, which has hit the jobs market and sparked by Education Minister Abraham Weintraub into alleged bribes made in 2014 in exchange for of 38 cultural assets,” said a foreign ministry Corruption Crimes justified a jail sentence saying sapped salaries and spending power. Poverty slashing federal university subsidies by 30%. work contracts at the Angra 3 nuclear power plant. statement. there was evidence of “hindering of evidence.” levels have also risen sharply.

Venezuela dialysis patients face uncertain fate after power cuts

Reuters ysis treatment, thanks to abun- Maracaibo, Venezuela dant oil revenue and generous health-care spending. But since the economy econds before William crashed along with oil prices in Lopez was set to be con- 2014, new equipment rarely ar- Snected to a dialysis machine rives and the existing machines at a state-run clinic in the west- are not maintained, doctors say. ern Venezuelan city of Maracaibo Maduro says healthcare prob- in April, the power went out. lems are caused by US sanctions Missing dialysis treatment, that blocked funds in foreign which removes toxins that build bank accounts that could be used up in the blood of people who to pay for imports of equipment suff er kidney failure, leaves Lopez and medicine. feeling dizzy and nauseous. He says the recent power out- Like any chronic kidney pa- ages are the result of Washing- tient, he could die if he goes too ton-backed sabotage of the elec- long without treatment. trical system. Unable to complete his treat- His adversaries say those ment that day, Lopez had little problems were created by in- Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro delivers a speech to the troops during the march of loyalty in Vargas, Venezuela. choice but to return home. competence and corruption, and When he arrived, the power that he has refused to recognise was out there as well. the severity of the situation. The “The helplessness that I feel information ministry and the makes me want to cry,” said health ministry did not reply to Lopez, 45, one of 11,000 Ven- requests for comment. ezuelans whose dialysis treat- Lesbia Avila said she woke ment has been thrown into dis- up feeling ill one recent morn- array by a wave of blackouts in ing after receiving just one hour Mexico gives ‘protection’ the oil-rich but crisis-stricken and 40 minutes of treatment the south American country. “Some prior day due to lack of power people go to sleep while they are and equipment shortages at her in treatment. I do not, because I Maracaibo clinic. am scared I will never wake up.” She said she feels like she is Electricity has largely been re- choking when she does not re- stored to the capital city of Cara- ceive full treatment. to lawmaker in Caracas cas after two nation-wide power “I just ask God that if I die, outages in March and April. it will not be of choking,” said AFP promote the human rights of all that of opposition leader and volved in the uprising have taken sition legislators allegedly linked But many other parts of Ven- Avila, 53, as she lay in a ham- Mexico City people, regardless of their politi- self-declared interim president shelter at diplomatic offi ces and to the attempt. ezuela now have power for only mock at her home in a working cal affi nity.” Juan Guaido. another has fl ed to Colombia. Despite US sanctions, the several hours per day under a class neighbourhood in western The Mexican government Guaido has challenged Ma- Meanwhile, the Brazilian gov- upper echelons of Venezuela’s rationing plan put in eff ect by Maracaibo. While speaking to a he Mexican government reiterated the position of non- duro’s authority since January, ernment’s top security adviser military have largely ignored en- President Nicolas Maduro. reporter, she turned pale and be- said its embassy in Ven- intervention in the Venezuelan considering his re-election as il- said Venezuela’s armed forces treaties from the opposition and Few places have been harder- gan to sweat. Tezuela has taken in oppo- confl ict that the government of legitimate. will either depose Maduro and Washington to turn against Ma- hit than sweltering Maracaibo, Her husband, who was laid sition lawmaker Franco Manuel leftist President Andres Manuel Last week, the Mexican gov- lead a transition to democratic duro and just over 1,000 troops the country’s second-largest off from his job at a nearby auto Casella to provide him “protec- Lopez Obrador has maintained ernment said it was concerned rule or face divisions that risk a have defected, mostly to Colom- city, which still experiences parts factory two months ago, tion and safety,” even as Mexico since he took offi ce on Decem- about the arrest of Venezuelan civil war. bia and Brazil. power cuts lasting 10 hours or took an old refrigerator drawer City insists it is not meddling in ber 1. National Assembly deputy Edgar Retired general Augusto “The future of Venezuela will more per day. for her to vomit into. She said the Venezuelan crisis. “The government reaffi rms its Zambrano for his involvement in Heleno, national security ad- be decided by the armed forces: That has led to water short- at the privately-owned dialysis “In line with its diplomatic position of non-intervention, a failed military uprising against viser to President Jair Bol- either they stay in power with ages, making it hard to provide centre where she goes for treat- tradition, the government of its openness to dialogue and its Maduro last month. sonaro, said the situation in the same government or they re- the minimum 120 litres of water ment, only 18 of 35 dialysis ma- Mexico received National As- fi rm commitment to collaborate The pro-government Con- Venezuela was unpredictable move Maduro,” Heleno said in an doctors say is needed for a full chines are working. sembly deputy Franco Manuel in fi nding a democratic, peaceful stituent Assembly, a separate after opposition leader Juan interview. “We don’t know how dialysis session. The situation is similar at the Casella at its diplomatic resi- solution through dialogue,” the body that enjoys plenipotenti- Guaido unsuccessfully called the military will act. Dialysis requires consistent 136 state-owned dialysis clinics dence in Caracas to provide him statement read. ary powers, stripped five op- on the military to change sides Either they will oust Maduro, supplies of power and water to across the country, said Carlos protection and safety,” the Mexi- Unlike other large Latin position lawmakers of their last month. take power and set in motion provide the recommended treat- Marquez, the president of the can foreign ministry said in a American countries such as Ar- immunity on Tuesday for their Only a handful of soldiers a return to democracy, or they ment of three or four hours, Venezuelan Nephrology Society. statement. gentina, Brazil and Colombia, participation in the uprising, headed Guaido’s call to back the could split between Guaido and three times a week. Many of the country’s 1,600 The foreign ministry added Mexico still recognises the gov- bringing the total number to 14 opposition on April 30 and since Maduro, which is the riskier Venezuela’s public hospitals machines are not working, he that Mexico “reiterates its com- ernment of Venezuelan Presi- so far. then Maduro’s government has scenario that could set off a civil for years have provided free dial- said. mitment to respect, protect and dent Nicolas Maduro and not Three other lawmakers in- launched a crackdown on oppo- war,” he said. Far-right attacking Farewell Ecuador to give US Assange possessions members: Farc party AFP because they will hand over to Madrid the US all his communications with his lawyers, which are Reuters tos, which brought an end to the the Farc political party. confi dential,” Assange’s law- Bogota Farc’s part in a fi ve-decade con- The Farc has repeatedly raised cuador will hand over yer in Madrid, Aitor Martinez, fl ict that left more than 260,000 concerns that they may be assas- to the US documents said. dead and millions displaced. sinated by right-wing paramili- Eand computer hardware Assange, 47, is currently in a he political party formed tary gangs or drug traffi ckers, in which WikiLeaks founder and London jail. by Colombia’s former “We won’t hesitate to point a replay of more than 3,000 tar- whistleblower Julian Assange A US indictment charges him TMarxist Farc rebels yes- the fi nger at right-wing geted killings during the 1980s, left behind at its London em- with “conspiracy” for working terday accused the far-right of and paramilitary sectors when the group fi rst attempted bassy, his lawyers said. with former US army intelli- assassinating its members, but closely linked to state to form a political party. Ecuadoran public pros- gence analyst Chelsea Manning pledged to continue the process security agencies, who are Meanwhile, a tribunal charged ecutors have authorised po- to crack a password stored on of reintegration. behind these murders” with prosecuting war crimes lice next Monday to search department of defence com- The statement by the Revo- committed during the confl ict the room which the Australian puters in March 2010. lutionary Alternative Common “Without a doubt, there are ordered the release of former occupied for seven years and Manning passed hundreds Force (Farc) came a day after the sectors that want to bring the Farc leader Seuxis Paucias Hern- seize his personal belongings, of thousands of classifi ed doc- shooting death of Jorge Enrique peace agreement to a crossroads andez, better known by his nom they said. uments to WikiLeaks, expos- Corredor, the highest rank- and a new cycle of violence, with de guerre Jesus Santrich. They cited an e-mail from ing US military wrongdoing ing former Farc commander to incalculable consequences for Santrich was indicted over a the public prosecutors dated in the Iraq war and diplomatic be killed since a peace deal was the entire nation,” said Farc par- year ago by a US grand jury for May 8 but AFP was not able to secrets about scores of coun- signed in late 2016. ty president Rodrigo Londono. allegedly conspiring to export 10 confi rm its authenticity. tries. “We won’t hesitate to point the “Colombia must know that tonnes of cocaine, worth $320mn The belongings, including Assange could face up to fi ve fi nger at right-wing and paramili- those of us who signed the in street value, to the US. computers, mobile phones, years in jail if found guilty, al- tary sectors closely linked to state peace agreement on behalf of He was detained by Colombi- memory sticks and other elec- though his team is fi ghting his security agencies, who are behind the insurgency will not falter in an authorities pending his pos- tronic devices, will then be sent extradition and the process these murders,” Farc senator Pablo seeking the path that leads to sible extradition. A girl caresses a horse which used to draw her father’s cart to the United States as part of could take years. Catatumbo told a news confer- reconciliation and peaceful co- All crimes committed during at an event in which horses were replaced by new vehicles Ecuador’s response to a request His lawyer in Ecuador, Car- ence, without revealing evidence existence,” Londono added. the war fall under the purview of in Caldas, department of Antioquia, near Medellin, Colombia. from the US department of jus- los Poveda, said he was “never” of what he called a “dirty war.” Under the terms of the agree- the special jurisdiction for peace The new vehicles where sponsored by the municipality of tice for co-operation into its notifi ed of the public prosecu- At least 139 former Farc rebels ment some 13,000 members of (JEP), which wrote on Twitter Caldas after a law was sanctioned prohibiting horse-drawn investigation into Assange, ac- tors’ decision. Poveda said he have been killed nationwide since the rebel group, including more that the evidence presented by carts. The animals were given in adoption to new owners cording to the e-mail. had appealed the permission the signing of a peace deal with than 6,000 combatants, hand- the US did not establish a date who committed to take good care of them. This is an “absolute viola- to seize Assange’s belongings then-president Juan Manuel San- ed in their weapons and formed for the alleged crime. tion of the right of defence, be suspended. Gulf Times 20 Thursday, May 16, 2019 PAKISTAN

KP province to raise awareness against PTI govt unveils fi rst child marriages

Internews German teenager Islamabad missing in Islamabad Police in Islamabad are tax amnesty scheme he UN Entity for Gender conducting raids to trace the Equality and the Em- German-born teenage daughter Internews Under the scheme, assets It will increase by 20% in case availing the scheme to fi le in- dul Hafeez Shaikh, the previous Tpowerment of Women of Pakistani parents who disap- Islamabad within the country and abroad of payment between September come tax returns for the tax year scheme was re-modifi ed with (UN Women for short) and the peared from her uncle’s house (except for real estate) can be 30 and December 31, 2019. 2018 or revised return, the fi nan- drastic changes and submitted to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assem- at the weekend, off icials said “whitened” at a rate of 4%. The tax rate will increase by cial statement and wealth state- the cabinet for approval. bly’s Women Parliamentary yesterday. he Pakistan Tehreek-e- The “whitened” cash assets 30% in case of payment between ment. Shaikh briefed the media on Caucus (WPC) have signed a The parents, who live in Berlin, Insaf (PTI) government will have to be in Pakistani bank December 31, 2019 and March 31, Under the scheme, the cash the scheme. memorandum of understand- sent their daughter to live with Tof Prime Minister Imran accounts. 2020, and further by 40% in case declared will have to be deposited He was accompanied by FBR ing (MoU) to raise awareness her uncle in Pakistan three years Khan has announced its fi rst tax For people wanting to keep of payment from March 31, 2019 into a bank account. chairman Syed Shabbar Zaidi, and policy advocacy for legis- ago, police off icer Tanveer Magsi amnesty scheme for “whitening” their “whitened” money abroad, onward till June 30, 2020. The foreign currency held in Minister of State for Revenue lation to end child marriages said. of undisclosed expenditures, a rate of 6% will be charged. The government is consider- Pakistan may be deposited into Hammad Azhar, and Special As- and women traffi cking in the The 19-year-old was scheduled sales and assets, including for- For the declaration of real es- ing facilitating people to repatri- the declarant’s bank account. sistant to the Prime Minister on province, including the new to marry one of his cousins this eign assets, at nominal tax rates. tate, its value will be considered ate their assets in dollar as well as The amount will be retained Information Dr Firdous Ashiq districts of former Feder- year, said Magsi, who leads the The scheme has come into ef- 150% of the Federal Board of in dirham through a UAE-based in the bank account till June 30, Awan. ally Administered Tribal Areas police team trying to recover fect through a presidential ordi- Revenue (FBR)-assigned value to bank. 2019. “We have tried to make this (Fata). the girl. nance, which will off er a period bring it on a par with the market The scheme cannot be availed Similarly, the foreign assets re- scheme very easy to understand Signed by UN Women Pa- The family had lodged a of 45 days to people for declara- rate. by the holders of public offi ce, patriated to Pakistan will be de- and implement,” Shaikh said at kistan country representa- complaint that the girl had tion of their undeclared assets, Similarly, the value of real es- including president, prime min- posited into the declarant’s own the news conference, adding that tive Jamshed Kazi and WPC been kidnapped, but the police expenditures, and sales along tate will be considered 150% of ister, chief ministers, governors, Pakistan rupee account, or his the scheme had realistic targets chairperson Maliha Asgher suspect she might have fled to with payment of taxes until June the DC (deputy commissioner- Chief Justice of Pakistan, judges, foreign currency bank account in with low rates. Ali Khan, the MoU focuses on escape what would have been a 30 this year. approved) value where the FBR their spouses and dependent Pakistan, or invested in Pakistan He said that the basic purpose joint eff orts for promulgation forced marriage. The scheme, approved by the value has not been notifi ed or less children, and any public-listed Banao certifi cate or foreign cur- of the scheme is not to gener- and implementation of pro- “We are looking into the aspect federal cabinet during a meet- than the DC rate. or government-owned company. rency-denominated bonds. ate revenue but to document the women laws with the fi rst and of forced marriage,” Magsi told ing presided over by the prime Moreover, under the current The foreign liquid assets not economy and to bring “dead” as- foremost eff orts on awareness- DPA, as his team prepared to minister, has fi ve main pillars – scheme, the persons are also al- Government offi cials have repatriated to Pakistan will be sets into the economy and make raising and advocacy for legis- search a house on the margins scope, default surcharge, exclu- lowed to enhance the declared stressed that the objective deposited in declarant’s foreign them functional. lations. of the city. sions, tax rates, and conditions. value of immovable property. of the tax amnesty scheme bank account on or before June The philosophy behind the UN Women will support The girl, who was born and Unlike past schemes, no rev- The tax rate will be 1.5% for is not to generate revenue, 30, 2019. plan is not to “intimidate” people the WPC on gender research, raised in Germany, does not enue realisation projection is “whitening” of domestic im- but rather to document the The State Bank of Pakistan but to encourage businessmen to drafting gender sensitive laws, have Pakistani nationality and made on the plea that it is meant movable properties (real estate). economy and bring ‘dead’ (SBP) will notify the mode and participate in the legal economy, developing position papers, carries only a German passport. for allowing the grey economy’s In case of foreign assets, the assets into the economy manner of repatriation of assets the adviser said. resolutions, declarations and She took the passport with her, inclusion in tax net. fair market value will be deter- to Pakistan, deposit of tax in for- Answering a question about reports. Magsi said, speculating that she The scheme can be availed by mined at the exchange rate prev- It will also not apply to gold eign currency through SBP and how this scheme is diff erent from Both the bodies will work might try to flee to Germany, all companies, associations of alent on the date of declaration. and precious stones, bearer prize method of conversion of values the ones off ered in the past, Min- together for capacity build- although Pakistani immigra- persons, and individuals only to The tax rate on undisclosed bonds, bearer securities, shares, of assets held outside Pakistan in ister Azhar said that unlike the ing of local government rep- tion off icials say she has not yet “whiten” their assets, expendi- sales or supplies is 2%, which is certifi cates, bonds or any other Pak rupees. past schemes, the one being in- resentatives, WPC members, boarded a flight. tures and sales not declared until also off ered for the rstfi time for bearer assets. The assets declaration scheme troduced now made it mandatory parliamentarians and political The family was not willing to June 30, 2018. bringing undeclared sales into The amnesty scheme is not was evolved on the request of for the people declaring assets to parties to understand better speak to DPA despite attempts There is no provision for the tax net. available to any public offi ce representatives of the Karachi become tax fi lers. the challenges faced to advance to hear their version of the “whitening” undeclared in- This will cover the sales or holder since May 15, 2009. Chamber of Commerce and In- He said the scheme is not being gender equality and undertake events. comes, both domestic and for- supplies chargeable to sales tax or It will not apply to any pro- dustry who met Prime Minister off ered to generate revenue and concerted eff orts to overcome eign. federal excise duty, which has not ceeds or assets that are involved Khan on March 5. contained an option for busi- those challenges. The government has for the been declared or has been under in or derived from the commis- Since then, the premier asked nesspersons to revise their bal- The women members of the tant initiatives to improve the fi rst time given another one-year declared up to June 30, 2018. sion of a criminal off ence. former fi nance minister Asad ance sheets. Provincial Assembly (MPAs) situation of women and girls’ period to people for payment of The amount of tax will in- It will also not apply to pro- Umar to devise a scheme. In what Azhar termed the rec- lauded the beginning of joint rights and empowerment in taxes, with additional diff erent crease by a default surcharge of ceedings pending in any court of The scheme made several tifi cation of a “major mistake” eff orts aimed at upgrading the KP,” he said. default surcharge rates on a quar- 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% for law, among other exclusions. modifi cations with a fi nal one from the last amnesty scheme, status of women in Khyber Pa- UN Women has worked with terly basis until June 30, 2020. late payment of taxes. There are a few conditions submitted to the cabinet on April people will now be required to khtunkhwa (KP). the WPC in the past to fi nalise This facility is available only to The tax rates will increase by attached to the availing of the 16. deposit all of their cash in hand “The partnership will help the KP Women Empowerment those who will fi rst declare their 10% if the tax is paid between scheme. Soon after the appointment of into the bank and declare it along us build the capacity of various Policy Framework and main- assets until June 30, 2019. June 30 and September 30, 2019. It is mandatory for the person new adviser on fi nance, Dr Ab- with the deposit slip as proof. government entities and the stream gender concerns in two community in general and ad- draft bills of Internal Human vance gender equality agenda Traffi cking Bill and Home- of the provincial government,” Based Workers Bill. A prayer ahead said Maliha Khan, a Pakistan UN Women is the United Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA. Nations organisation dedicat- Health Jamshed Kazi said that UN ed to gender equality and the Women and the WPC would be empowerment of women. drafting and promoting gender It supports the federal and activist sensitive laws for KP. provincial governments to at- “The Child Marriage Re- tain gender equality and works straint Act of KP is an impor- closely with the government, joins tant legislation that we will civil society and other stake- prioritise to jointly review and holders to design laws, policies, advocate for child marriage programmes and frameworks Cabinet remains prevalent in Pakistan needed to achieve women’s and is a grave violation of fun- empowerment and to protect damental human rights,” he the social, economical and le- Internews said. gal rights of women, girls and Islamabad He added that research in- excluded groups. dicated that 21% of girls were The KP Women Parliamen- married before the age of 18 tary Caucus was established to rime Minister Imran Khan and 3% before 15. strengthen the voice of women has appointed health ex- “These important facts have legislators in the provincial as- Ppert and activist Dr Sania made this a key direction for us sembly through a united plat- Nishtar to the post of special as- to focus on the areas of human form and put in joint eff orts for sistant to the prime minister on rights in Pakistan. Our vision debate and legislation on pro- social protection and poverty al- and mission is ideally aligned women laws in the provincial leviation, with the status of fed- to together undertake impor- assembly. eral minister. The appointment was an- nounced in a Cabinet Division notifi cation. More than 4,000 prisoners benefit Nishtar possesses impressive from reduced sentences in Punjab credentials, with broad-ranging experience in civil society, gov- More than 4,000 prisoners have benefited from 60 days remission ernment, international devel- in punishment. opment, policy and advocacy, Three-time premier Nawaz Sharif did not benefit from this, however, humanitarianism and develop- as the government of Punjab issued the orders on May 4, while he ment, institution building and was on bail. reform and with fi rsthand ex- Sharif was sent to jail again on May 7. perience setting up institutions, The special remission also excluded those convicted for murder, fundraising and partnership rape, terrorism, espionage, and anti-state activities. building. Fishermen on the deck of an anchored boat in Karachi pray before breaking their fast. Forty-nine prisoners were freed after completion of their The chairperson of the Bena- imprisonment. zir Income Support Programme and the Poverty Alleviation Co- ordination Council, Nishtar is a Sitara-e-Imtiaz recipient, and also served as a minister in the 2013 caretaker government. Nishtar established non-prof- Security audit of Islamabad hotels sought it think tank Heartfi le in 1998, an non-governmental organisation that focuses on analysis and so- Internews lice (DIG) Waqaruddin Syed and Syed suggested that security More than 1,200 offi cers recruited in Islamabad they would be resolved immedi- lutions to improve health sys- Islamabad attended by Superintendent of guards from well-reputed com- ately. tems in order to achieve univer- Police (Investigations) Dr Mus- panies be hired, and these guards The recruitment process of more than 1,200 off icers in the capital is in Earlier, the Inspector General sal health coverage in Pakistan tafa Tanveer, Industrial Area should be properly trained about final stages to meet the manpower storage and establish a new division of Police (IGP) reviewed the law and other developing countries. ays after gunmen Superintendent of Police (SP) the use of weapons. with the name “Law and Order”. and order situation of the city She was appointed co-chair to stormed a hotel in Gwa- Aamir Khan Niazi, City SP Sayed Moreover, he suggested that The posts of constables and Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI) were adver- and asked all police offi cials to the World Health Organisation’s Ddar, leaving fi ve dead, and Aziz, Saddar SP Malik Naeem closed-circuit television (CCTV) tised online and national dailies on Sunday, sources said. take eff ective measures to curb high-level commission on non- a slew of terror attacks across Iqbal, Rural SP Mohamed Omer cameras be installed and a com- A testing service has been hired for selection and recruitment of the crime. communicable diseases, and as the country, police in the federal Khan, and administrative repre- plete archive of their recordings 1,262 off icials – 18 ASI (BPS-11), 1,222 Constables (BPS-7), three Constables He asked offi cials to put more chair to the US National Acad- capital have decided to prepare a sentatives of well-reputed ho- be maintained. Mounted Police (BPS-7), and 19 Constable Band Staff (BPS-7) – for the eff ort into those areas where the emy of Sciences initiative on the Standard Operating Procedure tels of the city. Further, the DIG said that se- capital police, the sources said. crime rate was comparatively Quality of Healthcare in low and (SOP) to ensure eff ective secu- DIG Syed said that all hotels curity staff deployed at hotels Spokesman for the police Inspector Khalid Aawn said that the testing high and conduct search opera- middle-income countries, and rity of hotels. will have to conduct a complete should be briefed about how to service contract had been awarded to National Testing Service (NTS). tions there. heads the United Nations In- A security audit of the ar- security audit while a standard comprehensively check visitors He directed to senior offi - ternational Institute for Global rangements already made at operating procedure (SOP) will using metal detectors at the en- cials to have Sehri and Iftar with Health’s Advisory Committee. hotels in the federal capital will be devised to ensure all relevant try points of hotels. case of any untoward situation. and maintain vigilance of suspi- those offi cers who are perform- Nishtar has authored numer- also be undertaken. security measures are taken. Given the high temperatures Meanwhile, all police offi cials cious travellers. ing their duties at police pickets, ous research papers and books. This was decided during a He urged hotel administra- this Ramadan, Syed suggested are directed to ensure eff ective In case any suspicious activ- and brief them about eff ective The total number of federal special meeting convened at the tions to remain in close contact that only those security staff patrolling in their respective ity is noticed, the police must security steps. cabinet members is now 48: 24 Rescue 15 offi ce to review the ex- with the SP, the sub-divisional who are in good health should areas and to continue checking be informed immediately, he Moreover, he said that most federal ministers, fi ve minis- isting security arrangements. police offi cers (SDPOs) and the be assigned security-related du- hotels, motels and inns. stressed. criminals use motorbikes to ters of state, fi ve advisers to the The meeting was chaired by station house offi cers (SHO) of ties, and that these personnel to He asked the hotel adminis- The hotel offi cials informed commit crimes, hence all bikes prime minister, and 14 special Islamabad Police Operations their respective areas, and to ap- be deputed at proper places from tration to maintain a record of the DIG about their security is- driven without documents assistants to the prime minister. Deputy Inspector General of Po- point focal people in this regard. where they can take action in visitors on a continuous basis, sues, to which Syed assured that should be impounded. Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 21 COMMENT European politics ripe for restructuring

By Kemal Derviş weight to make such regulation for national monetary policies, while Washington, DC feasible. significant fiscal-policy divergence Nationalists opposed to further EU would invite a crisis of the kind integration, by contrast, also often already experienced in the EU’s n May 23-26, voters across resist globalisation. They advocate southern member states. the European Union will returning to a more loosely integrated One must hope, therefore, that go to the polls to elect Europe of sovereign nation-states, Macron revives the integration Omembers of the European and rolling back the activities and proposals he advanced at the start Parliament. Much will be at stake. reach of European institutions. Some of his presidency and manages to “Never, since World War II, has want no EU at all. convince German Chancellor Angela Europe been as essential,” French Yet although the divide between Merkel and the EPP to support him. President Emmanuel Macron wrote neo-nationalists and “Europeans” is Perhaps Merkel, who will not seek recently, “yet never has Europe been probably the dominant fault line in another term and may be thinking in so much danger.” these elections, the reality is more about her political legacy, will finally Forces challenging the foundations complicated. On the far right, for want to allow the eurozone to move of the European project are on the example, protectionists dominate, forward. rise: Brexit supporters in the United but there are also free traders who Migration policy will be another Kingdom, populist governments in combine laissez-faire economics challenge, because eurosceptics will Central and Eastern Europe, and with virulent anti-immigrant be joined by the East Europeans. far-right parties in or near power sentiment. The centrist parties will therefore virtually everywhere. Yet supporters Opinion polls suggest that anti- have great difficulties finding and of further European integration European and right-wing populist maintaining majorities, especially have been buoyed by the bold groups will together win about one- in view of the EPP’s suspension of pronouncements of Macron, France’s third of the parliament’s 751 seats. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor most pro-European president in The centre-right European People’s Orbán’s Fidesz party in March. decades. Party (EPP) and the centre-left But for all of Europe’s problems The upcoming elections will Progressive Alliance of Socialists and and political fragmentation, the entrench the growing divide between Democrats (S&D) could remain the upcoming elections refl ect the success those who want less Europe and those two largest single blocs, but they will of the European project: 28 countries who want more. And the fragmented probably lose their current combined (assuming the UK takes part) engaging parliament that is likely to emerge majority. in a cross-border election with pan- will cast further uncertainty on the The centrist Alliance of Liberals European parties, and already sharing EU’s future direction. More generally, and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) a great deal of sovereignty. And, European politics seems ripe for a is likely to be the smallest bloc. according to a European Commission fundamental restructuring, with But if, as seems likely, Macron’s Eurobarometer survey, 55% of European the long-standing division between La République En Marche! decides citizens believe that more decisions centre-left and centre-right parties to join it, ALDE could form an should be taken at the EU level. replaced by differences over the important group, with more than 13% In that respect, this month’s extent of further EU integration. of the seats. The Greens from various European elections are hugely Those in favour of deeper countries (above all Germany) will encouraging. In a world threatened integration also generally view occupy the centre and part of the left, French President Emmanuel Macron: “Never, since World War II, has Europe been as essential.” by the ghosts of extreme nationalism, globalisation positively. True, they together with the European United they are a unique manifestation of may not like the large inequalities Left/Nordic Green Left. Further eurozone integration provided it has a strong social backburner for now, it is essential the will to build a common future. - and winner-take-all markets Such an outcome will make it very should be the new parliament’s top dimension – perhaps even eurozone to the European project. The EU’s Project Syndicate that globalisation has brought. hard to form stable alliances, and may priority. With Macron’s support, unemployment insurance. But the economic recovery is faltering, But they recognise the potential complicate the process of electing ALDE will probably take the lead EPP will be much harder to convince, and a one-size-fits-all monetary z Kemal Dervis, former Minister benefits of open markets and an the next president of the European in pushing for a eurozone budget and may oppose more integration, policy cannot, and should not, be of Economic Affairs of Turkey and open global economy, provided Commission. The EPP, S&D, and ALDE and finance minister, and greater joining the rightist eurosceptic made to carry the entire burden former Administrator for the United there is adequate regulation. And will probably barely have a majority fiscal-policy coordination. The S&D parties. of macroeconomic policy. The Nations Development Program they believe that a more integrated between them, and may not always would probably be ready to support Even if further eurozone irrevocably fixed exchange rates (UNDP), is Senior Fellow at the Europe would have the necessary vote together in any case. some form of such integration, integration is placed on the created by the eurozone do not allow Brookings Institution.

Three-day forecast

TODAY The return of fi scal policy Maximum Temperature : 410c Minimum Temperature : 300c

By Barry Eichengreen rg, rate on government bonds to be below while future generations would pay of saving, creating a risk of chronic Inshore : Hot daytime with slight owners of the means of production – the economic growth rate, while the only a small share of their higher underemployment. dust and some clouds the capitalist class – earn a return that rate on capital is above it. incomes to service additional public In this case, the argument for at times Offshore : Fine exceeds the growth of the economy as Why the risk premium is so large is obligations. additional defi cit spending to a whole. a bit of a mystery. One must assume That said, public debt is not a free supplement defi cient private spending WIND By highlighting the problem of that consumers are incredibly risk- lunch in an economy close to full is stronger, because there is less risk Inshore : Southeasterly-North- easterly 05-15 KT wealth inequality and providing averse in order to generate a premium employment. By spending more, the of crowding out productive private Offshrore : Northeasterly-South- a pithy explanation of it, Piketty of the observed magnitude. Still, the government will be tapping additional investment. This does not mean easterly 05-15 KT struck a chord. Not many economics existence of this risk premium explains scarce resources. Other spending, that the scope for running defi cits is books sell more than a million how Piketty and Blanchard can both including investment, will be crowded unlimited, because at some point safe Visibility : 4 -8 KM copies. reach their respective conclusions. out, implying weaker economic government debt could be re-rated Offshore : 1-3/4 FT Earlier this year, another French What are the implications for growth. as risky, causing interest rates to rise. economist, Olivier Blanchard, the policy? Williams’s analysis, by But what about an economy that That said, these arguments lead to a is not at full employment? This is the straightforward conclusion: in the outgoing president of the American highlighting that interest rates are Around the region Economic Association and a former unusually low for this stage of the case considered by another prominent future, we will have to rely more on Weather chief economist of the International business cycle, cautions that there economist, former US Treasury fi scal policy and less on monetary Weather tomorrow Max/min Monetary Fund, gave an acclaimed may be little room to cut them in a Secretary Lawrence Summers, who policy to achieve stable and equitable today Max/min M Sunny 42/26 address in which he argued that downturn. This prospect has led the takes Williams’s analysis a step growth. - Project Syndicate Baghdad Sunny 42/22 Sunny 37/26 the debt-carrying capacity of the Fed to launch a comprehensive review further. Summers argues that the Kuwait CitySunny 39/26 P Cloudy 36/28 advanced economies is greater than of its monetary-policy strategy. rate of interest delivered by market zBarry Eichengreen is a professor Manama Sunny 36/27 M Sunny 34/28 commonly supposed. The basis for his For Piketty, the rising wealth forces, left to their own devices, is at the University of California, Muscat Sunny 37/28 M Sunny 31/18 conclusion was that the rate of interest concentration that results from a now signifi cantly below zero. Because Berkeley. His latest book is The Populist Tehran Sunny 30/18 was less than the rate of economic large risk premium calls for higher twenty-fi rst-century fi rms like Google Temptation: Economic Grievance and growth. With r>g world to Blanchard’s taxes on the wealthy on equity and Facebook require only modest Political Reaction in the Modern Era.

Live issues Light physical activity might help keep the brain young Around the world Weather Weather By Ankur Banerjee averaging less than 10 minutes per between activity levels, step counts volumes, putting them at a disad- today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Reuters Health day. and brain volume was not consistent, vantage for maintaining this already Athens Sunny 23/14 S T Storms 21/13 Those activity levels are lower with a smaller benefit seen at the depleted tissue,” she and her col- Beirut P Cloudy 28/23 Sunny 29/20 than what guidelines suggest is highest levels of exertion. leagues write in their report. Bangkok S T Storms 34/27 M Cloudy 36/27 recent study suggests that necessary to achieve substantial For the study, the researchers had Yaakov Stern, a professor of Berlin Rain 14/08 M Cloudy 21/11 light physical activity may health benefits. Guidelines typically 2,354 middle-aged volunteers wear neuropsychology at the Columbia Cairo Sunny 41/21 Sunny 36/20 help stave off signs of age- say adults should aim for at least a small accelerometer for at least University Medical Center in New Cape Town Cloudy 20/12 P Cloudy 19/13 A ing in the brain. 150 minutes per week of moderate- three days (and up to eight days), to York City who was not involved in Colombo S T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 31/26 The human brain typically shrinks intensity physical activity (about 21 measure their energy expenditure the research, pointed out to Reuters Dhaka T Storm 33/27 P Cloudy 36/28 as people age, with volume declining minutes per day), or 75 minutes per and step counts. The researchers also Health that the study only looked at Hong Kong S T Storms 27/24 T Storm 27/24 by about 0.2% per year by age 60 and week of vigorous exercise, and at used magnetic resonance imaging to brain volume and not whether dif- Istanbul P Cloudy 23/14 S T Storms 22/14 with excessive shrinkage linked with least 10,000 steps per day. assess participants’ brain volume in ferent amounts of physical activity Jakarta S T Storms 32/25 S T Storms 32/25 cognitive problems, Nicole Spartano In the new study, individuals who relation to their skull volume. translate into real-life benefits in Karachi M Sunny 32/27 M Sunny 33/27 of Boston University School of Medi- took at least 7,500 steps per day had “There shouldn’t be very much ex- cognitive function or reduced risk of London M Sunny 17/09 Showers 15/10 cine and colleagues explain in JAMA larger brain volumes than those aver- tra space in the skull that is not filled dementia. Manila P Cloudy 36/28 S T Storms 34/28 Network Open. aging fewer than 7,500 steps per day. by brain tissue. If we see lots of extra Furthermore, observational stud- Moscow P Cloudy 19/07 Sunny 19/08 Their new research, done in mid- The researchers estimate that each space than this suggests that the ies like this one can’t prove cause New Delhi M Sunny 39/26 M Sunny 38/26 dle aged adults, found that each ad- additional hour of light-intensity brain may have atrophied or shrunk and effect. New York M Sunny 22/13 S T Storms 23/14 ditional hour spent in light physical physical activity was associated with and is linked to dementia,” Spartano “Follow up trials where people are Paris M Sunny 18/09 Cloudy 18/11 activity was associated with 0.22% approximately 1.1 years less brain told Reuters Health by e-mail. randomised to specific conditions Sao Paulo Cloudy 21/17 Showers 21/16 higher brain volume. And spending ageing - although they caution that The finding that the lowest levels consisting of different intensities Seoul Sunny 29/15 Cloudy 29/17 10 to 19 minutes per day in moder- because participants were relatively of physical activity were linked with of exercise can help explore more Singapore S T Storms 32/27 S T Storms 31/27 ate-intensity physical activity, like young, this estimate might not be smaller brain volume even in middle definitively what degree of physi- Sydney M Sunny 20/12 Sunny 21/12 brisk walking, was linked with 0.29% accurate. age suggests that “some adults may cal activity is required for increased Tokyo Clear 24/15 Clear 24/16 higher brain volume, compared to They also note that the link enter older age with lower brain brain health,” Stern said in an e-mail. Gulf Times 22 Thursday, May 16, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka 16 - 05 -2019 Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Growing disaster threats put human survival in doubt: UN

Increasingly complex, growing and related risks, from global warming to pollution and epidemics, threaten human survival if left to escalate, the United Nations warned yesterday. A biennial assessment report on how the world is dealing with disasters said the past could no longer be relied on as a guide to the future, with new risks emerging “in a way that we have not anticipated”. It identifi ed a range of major threats to human life and property, including air pollution, diseases, earthquakes, drought and climate change. There is also growing potential for one type of disaster to produce or exacerbate another, as when heavy rains trigger mudslides after wildfi res, warned the report launched at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva. “If we continue living in this way, engaging with each other and Education City Stadium... the planet in the way we do, then our very survival is in doubt,” said Mami Mizutori, special representative of the UN secretary-general for disaster risk reduction. Extreme weather events have doubled over the last 20 years, causing economic losses that are making it “an uphill battle” to Jewel of the Desert maintain development gains in low and middle-income countries, she added in a statement. to be treasured both for the memories it is set for completion in the coming one telling its own story. Meanwhile, the ability of both rich and poor to withstand QNA Doha holds and its future value to the country period. He added that this helps with the wild weather and other threats is being hurt by poorly planned and region. The project manager revealed that legacy of the World Cup in Qatar. urbanisation, environmental degradation and population growth. The project manager said the the fi nishing work for the roof was The project manager said that the That “complex cocktail of risk” is destroying homes and he Education City Stadium stadium will set an example for the use 75% complete, the fl oors were more arrival of World Cup spectators to displacing people, or pushing them to migrate in search of a better is labelled the Jewel of the of intelligent building systems that than 80% fi nished, as well as thermal the Stadium of Education City will life, Mizutori said. Desert. conserves the energy of things such as insulation which is also more than 80% be easy, whether through the Doha It is one of the stadiums that automatic lighting and air conditioning complete. Metro in the presence of more than A report released last T will host the FIFA World Cup 2022 in units. The installation of the plastic seats one station in the city of education, as “If we continue week by the Internal Qatar. The environmentally-friendly will be done in the fi nal phase along well as the stadium stands beside the Displacement Monitoring It will be one of the most prominent construction practices will also reduce with laying the grass. Dukhan highway. living in this way, Centre (IDMC) showed environmentally sustainable stadiums the carbon footprint of the stadium, not He also said that they have secured He pointed out that there were also 1,600 disasters were in the world, in addition to its design just during the construction stage, but the supply of seats, in preparation for four parking lots that have a combined then our very recorded in 2018, ranging that is inspired by Islamic architecture. after its completion as well. installing them at the right moment. space for 16,000 cars, that’s in addition from monsoon fl oods in The stadium, located 12km from the Al-Qahtani said that the design of He noted that work has already to the stadium’s parking, which fi ts survival is in heart of the Qatari capital Doha, will the stadium was done using the best begun on the two roof covers, the fi rst 4,000 cars. India to wildfi res in the accommodate 40,000 spectators and practices adopted globally, which will is circular for the pitch, the second is an Al-Qahtani said that fans will be able doubt” United States. will be located in the western part of the result in high levels of water and energy indoor roof. to reach the educational city stadium The disasters displaced Education City’s southern campus. effi ciency. He added that he expects work from the east side, but will not be 17.2mn people, some in short-term evacuations, it said. The venue will be a symbol of At least 20% of the materials used on the roof to be completed in the allowed to access to the stadium by car, Since the IDMC began collecting the data in 2008, about 265mn innovation, sustainability and progress in building the stadium were from coming month, especially in light of instead a train will take them to the people have been uprooted by disasters, more than three times as for decades to come. sustainable sources, in addition the accelerating pace of work and the gates. many as those forced from their homes by confl icts and violence, The Supreme Committee’s Project to purchasing 55% of the building determination to complete all tasks on He added that the parking spaces Manager of the stadium Eid al-Qahtani materials from local sources. schedule. will be allocated for organisers and it said. said that the design of the stadium, with The project was awarded the fi ve- The project manager also said that offi cials of FIFA, as well as media and Governments have started to produce data on seven global the fl ood lights on, will make it sparkle star Global Sustainability Assessment he expects the fi nal phase of work to be senior guests in accordance to the targets set in the 2015 Sendai Framework, which aims to alleviate at night, as if a jewel in the desert, hence System programme (GSAS), thanks to easier than the previous one. requirements of FIFA. disaster risk and impacts. the nickname. the strategy employed in its design and He noted that work on the fi nal He added that the presence of the Those targets focus on reducing mortality, numbers of people Speaking to Qatar News Agency construction. fi nishing phase, in addition to the stadium near both Al Rayyan Stadium aff ected and economic losses from disasters by 2030 — but (QNA), he said that the stadium’s most It is the fi rst stadium in the world to operational phase will take place in the and Khalifa International Stadiums progress, while encouraging, is insuffi cient, Mizutori said. important characteristic is its location earn that recognition. next six months. confi rms the compact nature of Qatar’s at the heart of Education City. Al-Qahtani said that construction He said that, after that, the project 2022 World Cup. Ricardo Mena of the United Nations Offi ce for Disaster Risk He added that it will overlook key work is progressing rapidly in order to will be ready to host any event. The stadium is only 4.5km away from Reduction (UNDRR) said that of 197 UN member-states, 116 have main roads, starting with the southern meet the set deadline, noting that work He stressed that the Supreme the Khalifa International Stadium and so far contributed information to a database to monitor the targets. Khalifa area to the coastal city of on the iron structure, which includes Committee for Delivery and Legacy six from Al Rayyan Stadium. Mizutori said a little less than half of UN member states had put Dukhan. the roof and the facades and the base in all the projects of the Qatar 2022 This will allow the public to move in place a national strategy for disaster risk reduction — a Sendai Education City Stadium has a design was more than 70% complete, in World Cup remained committed to between the three stadiums and give target intended to be met by the end of 2020. that draws on the rich history of Islamic addition to completing all the concrete workers’ rights, safety, and security in them the opportunity to see three She called for stepped-up eff orts to craft such plans. architecture, blending it with striking structure work over the past two accordance to the highest international Matches in a day, something that has modernity. months. standards. not been achieved in any previous World UNDRR’s Global Assessment Report 2019 warned that failure The facade features triangles He noted the great progress He added that this was evident Cup. to act more urgently to manage intertwined risks could slow that form complex, diamond-esque made in terms of the two phases of in the committee’s rules that oblige Al-Qahtani said that he believes that or even reverse progress towards the UN goals on sustainable geometrical patterns, appearing electromechanical work. contractors to provide housing for donating about 20,000 seats from the development, which include eradicating poverty and hunger. to change colour with the sun’s Work in the fi rst phase is close to workers that is not further than fi ve stadium, following the conclusion of To prevent that happening, more investment is needed to avert movement. completion, while the second phase is kilometres away from the stadium. the World Cup, to help build stadiums disasters and protect vulnerable people from their worst eff ects, Like diamonds, the stadium’s design more than 80% complete. Al-Qahtani stressed that the Supreme in developing countries in co-operation said Mizutori. represents quality, durability and He noted the great acceleration in the Committee chose very carefully all the with FIFA will give the fans a great resilience, and will become something pace of work in all stages as the project locations of the World Cup, with each feeling. The assessment report said development aid used for things such as early warning systems, building stronger schools and hospitals, and helping farmers grow hardier crops in drought- prone areas was “miniscule” compared with funding for disaster response. About $5.2 bn was spent on reducing disaster risk between 2005 and 2017, representing just 3.8% of total humanitarian spending — or less than $4 for every $100 spent, the report noted. “We must recognise that an international development fi nancing system that allocates approximately 20 times the funding to emergency response, reconstruction, relief and rehabilitation activities rather than prevention and preparedness acts counter to sustainability principles,” Mizutori said.

To Advertise [email protected] Display 44466621 44418811 Classified 44466609 44418811 Subscription [email protected]

© 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Education City Stadium design draws on the rich history of Islamic architecture, blending it with striking modernity. Gulf Times Thursday, May 16, 2019 23 QATAR

Amir hosts Iftar for heads of diplomatic missions and Qatar’s envoys

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani hosted yesterday an Iftar banquet in honour of heads of diplomatic missions in Qatar, Qatar’s ambassadors abroad and ranking off icials of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. The banquet was attended by His Highness the Personal Representative of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, and a number of their excellencies Sheikhs. Ashghal paves the way to Al Wakrah Stadium he Public Works Author- ity (Ashghal) has delivered Ta number of local roads, expressways and various infra- structure projects that serve Al Wakrah Stadium, the venue of tonight’s Amir Cup fi nal. In a statement yesterday, Ashghal said it has developed new roads and upgraded existing ones to facilitate access to the stadium and its facilities. This is part of the eff orts ex- the southern areas, the state- World Cup preparations, Al Majd erted by the authority with the ment notes. It extends for 22km Road’s completion enhanced aim of providing well-developed from Hamad International Air- connectivity with a number of roads that will facilitate access to port (HIA) to Al Majd Road. The stadiums such as Al Rayyan, Al the 2022 FIFA World Cup stadi- project has delivered a fi ve-lane Khor and Lusail. It also facilitat- ums. “Ashghal continues to work link in each direction with seven ed access to Al Wakrah Stadium on several projects that serve the multi-level interchanges con- for road users coming from the stadiums through the comple- necting several residential and northern and southern regions tion of surrounding roads and commercial areas. The road fa- through the Bu Al Yawabi Inter- infrastructure in the areas where cilitates access to 2022 FIFA change, for those coming from they are located,” it said. World Cup stadiums such as Salwa Road, through the Hamad Through a number of projects, Al Wakrah Stadium, where the Port Interchange and for those Ashghal said it is establishing Umm Besher Interchange will coming from Mesaieed Indus- a network of roads to facilitate enable road users coming from trial City, Sealine and the Al Afj a traffi c movement during the G-Ring Road to get onto the area. World Cup in co-ordination southern part of Doha Express with the Supreme Committee for Highway and reach the Al Wu- Al Wakrah Main Road Delivery & Legacy, Ministry of kair Interchange, which directly In May 2018, Ashghal Interior, Amiri Guard and Qatar serves the stadium. launched construction works to Football Association. upgrade 9km of Al Wakrah Main This is in addition to main- Southern part of Doha Ex- Road. The project will deliver taining communication with all press Highway three lanes in each direction, entities concerned in Qatar to The southern part of Doha including an underpass that will ensure the integration of Ash- Express Highway project is con- span between Al Wakrah city and ghal projects with the various sidered one of the most impor- Doha. The project’s design al- facilities serving the World Cup, tant roads that directly connect lows for a wide central median such as Doha Metro and bus sta- to Al Wakrah Stadium though that will accommodate the Doha tions, commercial and tourist Ashghal has developed new roads and upgraded existing ones to facilitate access to the stadium through various facilities. the Al Wukair Interchange, as Metro Red Line, which connects areas, fan zones, parks and gar- it connects with Doha Express- Al Wakrah to Doha with its two dens, which will “give visitors include development works Al Wukair road, such as Bayt Al Through a number of projects, Ashghal way, Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor main stations at Ras Bu Funtas a great experience during their on part of Al Wukair Road, Maqdes Street, opposite to the and G-Ring Road on one end and and Al Wakrah. stay for the World Cup in Qatar”. which include an increase in the stadium, and the new Al Wakrah said it is establishing a network of roads with Al Wukair Road, Mesaieed Al Wakrah Main Road is an number of lanes from two to four Road which is considered an ex- to facilitate traff ic movement during Road and Al Wakrah Main Road important addition to Ashghal’s A boom in local roads net- lanes and the installation of traf- tension of Al Najma Street. on the other. external highway network as work leading to Al Wakrah fi c signals in the area between Al Development works also in- the World Cup in co-ordination with The southern part of Doha Ex- it plays a strategic role in link- Stadium Wakra Hospital and Al Wukair clude upgrading the road leading the Supreme Committee for Delivery & press Highway is located to the ing several main expressways, Ashghal’s achievements in Road’s intersection with Doha to the Al Wakrah Central Market west of Al Wakrah city. It pro- namely G-Ring Road and the implementing the highway net- Expressway. The aim of these and the new Al Wakrah Road, Legacy, Ministry of Interior, Amiri Guard vides road users with fi ve lanes southern part of Doha Express work leading to Al Wakrah Stadi- works is to facilitate the move- Packages 5 and 7, with a total and Qatar Football Association in each direction and fi ve multi- Highway. The project will also um from all over Qatar extends to ment of traffi c in the area and length of 23km, which provides level interchanges. The open- serve Al Wakrah Stadium – road include the development of local to provide additional exits from a direct connection to Al Wakrah ing of the southern part of Doha users can use The Pearl rounda- roads in Wakrah and Al Wukair, and entrances to the stadium, Stadium and is one of the most The authority has completed other upgraded roads that con- Express Highway in 2017 added bout to reach the stadium. serving the stadium through a especially after the development direct routes for those coming 1.7km of Sheikh Saud Bin Abdel nect commuters from the north, an alternative route between the series of projects. These projects of local roads branching through from Doha or Al Wakrah. Rahman Street under the Roads such as Al Majd Road, and other Al Wakrah, Al Wukair and Al Al Wukair Road and Infrastructure of West Al roads facilitating commuting Meshaf areas and Doha, due to Al Wukair Road is also con- Mashaf Project. This street from the south such as Mesaieed its connectivity to arterial roads sidered a vital addition to the will link New Al Wakrah Road Road and Hamad Port Road. such as G-Ring Road, F-Ring roads network, providing a 13km with Interchange 10 of Doha Ex- Ashghal said it substantially Road and Al Majd Road. This, in stretch of road, signifi cantly press Highway (Al Wakrah By- completed the construction turn, signifi cantly facilitates ac- upgraded to provide dual four pass). works of all expressways ad- cess to HIA, Hamad Port, Doha lanes capable of accommodat- This street is an alternative jacent to Al Wakrah Stadium and southern areas such as Me- ing 8,000 vehicles per hour in route for drivers coming from during 2017 and 2018, includ- saieed city, Ashghal points out. each direction as opposed to the north and heading towards the ing the southern part of Doha “The road’s opening has made previous confi guration of one stadium. Express Highway and G-Ring a tangible diff erence to traffi c lane in each direction. Al Wu- Ashghal has also completed Road, as these roads facilitate movement due to the added traf- kair Road connects a number of the construction of Al Meera traffi c movement from Doha and fi c volume capacity enhance- areas with Al Wakrah Stadium Junction and Aba Al Heeran the southern regions towards ment compared to Al Wakrah through the Umm Al Houl Inter- Street, which lead to Al Wakrah the stadium. These news roads Main Road, which currently in- change via Mesaieed Road, or the Main Road. Additionally, the can accommodate higher traffi c cludes only two lanes in each di- Bu Ghurban Interchange passing construction of the rising main volumes, reaching over 20,000 rection,” it adds. Road users are through Al Wukair. and foul sewer pumping sta- vehicles per hour in both direc- now able to reach their destina- tion to serve the stadium and tions. tions bypassing Al Wakrah city. Pedestrian and cycling the surrounding area as part of In order to facilitate the move- The project has also delivered tracks connect Doha Metro to the Roads and Infrastructure for ment of visitors and World Cup 67km of cycle and pedestrian the stadium Government Residential Divi- fans, the road network off ers the paths. In order to facilitate the fan sion Project in the north of Wu- distinct feature of connected pe- commute from Al Wakrah Metro kair has also been completed. destrian and bicycle paths. This Al Majd Road station to Al Wakrah Stadium, feature allows road users to reach The seven-lane free-fl ow Ashghal has implemented the Expressway network serv- their destination easily and dual carriageway from Mesaieed laying of 3.5km-long pedestrian ing Al Wakrah Stadium safely, with the expressway road to Al Khor will accommodate and cycling tracks – which start Commuting from Doha to Al network adding approximately over 14,000 vehicles per hour in from Al Wakrah Street before Wakrah nowadays does not nec- 256km of pedestrian and bicycle each direction for a distance of and pass through the Najma essarily require passing through paths, according to Ashghal. 130km. Al Majd Road includes 18 Street extension and Al Wukair Al Wakrah Main Road as there interchanges, providing effi cient Road – within two months. The are new alternative routes such G-Ring Road traffi c movement, which will be a implementation of these tracks as G-Ring Road, the southern G-Ring Road is a newly con- key contributing factor to reduc- aims to enhance the movement part of Doha Express Highway structed vital road that has ing travel time up to 50%. As part and transportation of visitors and Najma Street extension, in signifi cantly enhanced traffi c of the infrastructure projects be- and fans during the Amir Cup addition to the construction of movement between Doha and ing implemented related to the fi nal.