BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Bengaluru FC take on Air Force Club of INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2, 16 COMMENT 14, 15 North Sea oil fl ood REGION 3 BUSINESS 1 – 12 Iraq in AFC Cup looms as Opec 17,911.27 9,955.99 44.12 ARAB WORLD 3 CLASSIFIED 7, 8 -19.40 -117.07 -0.54 INTERNATIONAL 4 – 13 SPORTS 1 – 8 plans output cuts fi nal today -0.11% -1.16% -1.21% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10263 November 5, 2016 Safar 5, 1438 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Festival showcases Chinese culture

In brief QBRI leads neurological QATAR | Phone call Congratulations to al-Hariri HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser research bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday held a telephone conversation with Saad al-Hariri, congratulating the latter for becoming the prime minister of Lebanon. HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser stressed during the initiatives call that the State of Qatar would continue its support to Lebanon and QBRI is pioneering an remain committed to the latter’s epidemiological study to find the security and stability. He wished the Zhejiang’s leading performers entertaining the crowd with traditional music and dances yesterday at the Chinese Festival 2016, prevalence rate of autism in Qatar Lebanese people further progress which concludes today at the Museum of Islamic Art Park. The four-day event, which features a variety of Chinese cultural and prosperity. Lebanon’s newly- shows and activities, art and crafts exhibitions, food, and workshops, is a key part of the Qatar China Year of Culture, which By Joseph Varghese elected President Michel Aoun on ends in December. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Staff Reporter Thursday named al-Hariri as prime minister. Aoun’s move came after Hariri was nominated for the post atar Biomedical Research In- by the majority of members in the stitute (QBRI), one of the three 127-strong parliament. Qresearch institutes under Ha- mad Bin Khalifa University, has initiated TURKEY | Attack a number of pioneering studies in the Historic global climate fi eld of neurological disabilities, Gulf Bombing claims nine Times has learnt. lives in Diyarbakır “QBRI is the only research centre in At least nine people were killed the Gulf region focusing on neurological Prof Omar El-Agnaf: QBRI acting yesterday in a bomb attack carried disorders,” said acting executive director executive director out by PKK militants on a police pact enters into force Prof Omar El-Agnaf. station in the southeastern Turkish The study on neurological disorders is tism, the greater the chance of interven- province of Diyarbakir, Turkish news AFP December, after years of complex a niche area for HBKU as not much re- tion and therapy,” he elaborated. agency Anadolu reported. Earlier, Paris and divisive negotiations, but the search is done in this area, he explained. “We also have other studies focusing Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had ratification was reached with record QBRI is doing something unique on discovering and understanding novel mentioned eight deaths, including speed. in the region, by focusing on autism, genes contributing to autism, epilepsy two police off icers and six civilians. worldwide pact to battle glo- At least 55 parties to the UN’s cli- which is quite common, Prof El-Agnaf and intellectual disabilities. QBRI is also One terrorist was also killed, he bal warming entered into mate convention (UNFCCC), respon- revealed. looking at neurodegenerative diseases said. The prime minister said that A force yesterday, just a week sible for at least 55 % of global green- QBRI is pioneering an epidemiologi- such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s 100 people were also injured, 93 before nations reassemble to discuss house gas emissions, had to ratify it for cal study to fi nd the prevalence rate of diseases,” noted Prof El-Agnaf. of whom had been released from how to make good on their promises it to take eff ect. autism in Qatar by screening students “We are also planning to use stem cells hospitals. However, one wounded to cut planet-warming greenhouse It passed the threshold last month, from more than 100 primary schools from the patients and produce neurons civilian succumbed to his injuries gases. and by yesterday it had been ratifi ed by through the use of social communica- to study the disease mechanism. We will in the hospital, according to police. Dubbed the Paris Agreement, it The Eiff el Tower being illuminated in 97 of the 197 UNFCCC parties, repre- tion questionnaires. This study will be also use those cells for drug screening. Diyarbakir provincial governor’s off ice is the fi rst-ever deal binding all the Paris last night to celebrate the first day senting 67.5% of emissions, accord- fi nalised by early next year. This is the best approach and we are do- said in a statement that the outlawed world’s nations, rich and poor, to a of the application of the Paris COP21 ing to France’s environment minister “We are starting a new study on using ing it now for diabetes.We will extend it PKK group staged the attack. Page 9 commitment to cap global warming climate accord. Segolene Royal, outgoing president of the eye tracking system for the early di- to our research related to neurological caused mainly by the burning of coal, the UN talks. agnosis of autism. We have a very close diseases,” described the offi cial. AMERICA | Injury oil and gas. 12bn to 14bn tonnes of carbon dioxide “It is a magnifi cent day, concluding collaboration with Cleveland Clinic at “Our scientists who are leading these “A historic day for the planet,” said equivalent (CO2e) higher than the de- years of hard work,” Royal told jour- Ohio. We will work with them to devel- studies get funding from several agen- Samsung recalls the offi ce of President Francois Hollande sired level of 42bn tonnes. nalists in Paris. op and customise tools and protocols to cies and pharmaceutical companies washing machines of France, host to the 2015 negotiations The 2014 level was about 52.7bn “We must maintain this extraor- diagnose kids with autism as early as six from the US and Europe. One major Samsung Electronics Company, that yielded the breakthrough pact. tonnes. dinary momentum by encouraging months of age.” pharmaceutical company has put in already reeling from a global recall of “Humanity will look back on No- The current year is on track to be the countries to continue ratifying the Since the Cleveland scientists have $800,000 in one of the projects of our its Note 7 smartphones, said yesterday vember 4, 2016, as the day that coun- hottest year on record, and carbon di- deal, and by moving full steam ahead already validated these tools, QBRI will Neurological Disorders Research Cen- it would recall about 2.8mn top-load tries of the world shut the door on in- oxide levels in the atmosphere passed with our preparations to put it into work with them to validate the Arabic tre,” Prof El-Agnaf said. washing machines in the United evitable climate disaster,” UN climate an ominous milestone in 2015. action across the world,” Europe’s version in Qatar. “We will also add other “We are doing cutting edge research States following reports of injuries. chief Patricia Espinosa and Moroccan Lit up in green, the Eiff el Tower in climate commissioner Miguel Canete tools which will make the system more and that is the reason why big phar- The top of the washing machines can Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar Paris proclaimed: “Accord de Paris, said in a statement. sensitive and accurate.We are going to maceutical companies are willing to unexpectedly detach from the chassis said in a joint statement. c’est fait!” (Paris Agreement, it’s a A major doubt looms over the proc- involve the Shafallah Centre, Rumailah put their money here and partner with during use, posing a risk of injury from Mezouar will preside over the UN done deal!) – to hail the entry into ess, however, as diplomats gear up for Hospital as well as Sidra Medical and our researchers to help them with their impact, the US Consumer Product meeting opening in Marrakesh on force of the pact meant to stop the rot. 11 days of talks in Morocco to discuss Research Center to have stations for the projects.This brings more visibility to Safety Commission said. The South Monday. The historic agreement was finally way of putting the agreement’s politi- study.The earlier the diagnosis of au- the university,” he added. Korean tech company has received “It is also a moment to look ahead endorsed in the French capital last cal undertakings into practice. nine reports of injuries. with sober assessment and renewed will over the task ahead,” they said. PHILIPPINES | Response This meant drastically and urgently The world remains ‘in a race against time’ cutting emissions, which requires po- Kidnapping threat litical commitment and considerable UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon however, warned the world remains prompts tight security fi nancial investment. yesterday welcomed the entry into “in a race against time” to fi ght climate The Philippines has stepped up The urgency was brought home by a force of the global climate deal agreed change as negotiators begin meeting security in a central province after UN report on Thursday which warned in Paris last year. “Today we make on Monday in Marrakech to begin the United States warned terrorists that emissions trends were steering history in humankind’s eff orts to hammering out details to ensure it were planing to kidnap foreigners, the world towards climate “tragedy”. combat climate change,” he said at works to limit global temperature a presidential spokesman said By 2030, said the UN Environment UN headquarters in New York. Ban, increases eff ectively. yesterday. Page 12 Programme, annual emissions will be The Research Complex of HBKU. PICTURE : Jayan Orma

Brexit High Court ruling ‘does not adversely impact UK’s relations with Qatar’

By Denise Marray in the Gulf region for Britain to maintain “The referendum says that we should add to the government’s diffi culties in of MPs will take the view that the refer- Gulf Times Correspondent/London its standing internationally. leave the EU but is does not set out what trying to bring about a smooth exit. endum should be respected and the vote “They hope that Britain will remain a the relationship should be in the future. Above all it risks delaying the whole upheld,” he said. key player on the international stage be- There needs to be a national debate process. The likelihood is that Brexit will The Remain camp, he noted, main- he High Court ruling that UK cause the UK is a close ally of the GCC about that to reach a consensus. But it is go ahead, but there will now be many tains that by leaving the largest trad- Prime Minister Theresa May can- states including Qatar and it is in their very diffi cult because it is not in Britain’s more hurdles for the government to ne- ing bloc in the world Britain will forfeit Tnot trigger the formal process of interests that Britain remains a leading power to determine what the relation- gotiate. some infl uence on the international leaving the European Union without the actor in the international community. ship will be; it will depend on the nego- “There will now be opportunities for stage. The counter view is that remov- prior approval of Parliament is not seen “Within Europe, as opposed to the tiating positions of the other EU states. those opposed to leaving the EU to hold ing the EU shackles allows Britain more as adversely impacting on the UK’s rela- EU, Britain along with France, remains “There is public pressure on the gov- up the process in the House of Lords; to freedom to develop its own positions tions with Qatar and other Gulf states. the major military and intelligence pow- ernment to make its negotiating po- insert amendments into any bill put be- and increase its own infl uence. “Qatar sees its relations with Britain er and Britain has an especially strong sitions public, while the EU member fore Parliament, insisting, for example, In Doyle’s opinion, Britain will have to as essentially bilateral,” Chris Doyle, relationship with the US. I doubt that countries do not have to make their ne- that the UK should not leave the Com- develop policies that keep it competitive director of the Council for Arab-Brit- is going to change. Britain will still be gotiating positions public.” mon Market.” globally. ish Understanding (CAABU), told Gulf needed as a partner by Gulf countries. I Undoubtedly, there are now more However, he did not expect to see the “The performance of the government Times. do not think that is going to disappear.” obstacles in the way of the government Brexit decision reversed despite market and how Britain adapts to relationships “The sense I have picked up is that Doyle acknowledges that the High though he noted that High Court deci- sentiment. outside of the EU will be critical. Will it Qatar and the Gulf countries are quite Court ruling puts the government un- sion could be subject to an appeal by the “The markets have reacted positively be prepared to have more fl exible over- relaxed about whether Britain is in or der pressure in terms of how its handles Supreme Court. to the news and we have seen a rise in seas trade policies? If so it will need to out of the EU. But what they do want to Brexit, particularly in view of demands “The ruling continues a period of the pound. Some people see a reversal of have a more fl exible visa regime and see is a degree of certainty and stability.” Chris Doyle: director of the Council for for its negotiating positions to be made acute uncertainty about the exact proc- the Brexit decision as possible but ulti- more fl exible tax regime to match,” he He believes that there is a desire with- Arab-British Understanding public. ess of Britain’s exit from the EU. It will mately the likelihood is that the majority concluded. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, November 5, 2016 QATAR Women’s Hospital FM meets Yemeni counterpart treats hundreds of high-risk newborns he largest Neo-Natal In- Social and Sports Activities tensive Care Unit (NICU) Support Fund. Tin the GCC countries, the “Providing the specialised 111-cot NICU at Hamad Medical care for each of our patients and Corporation’s Women’s Hos- ensuring that every member of pital continues to save the lives the clinical team knows what HE Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani has met with Yemeni Foreign Minister of hundreds of high-risk or to do, and when, is a top prior- Abdulmalik al-Mekhlafi. During the meeting, they discussed a number of issues of common concern, in critically ill newborns in Qatar. ity in the NICU. This multidis- addition to the latest political developments in Yemen. HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman, during “Since our launch in 1975, our ciplinary approach can mean the meeting, renewed Qatar’s full support to Yemen’s unity and its support to political solution to the NICU has expanded to become the diff erence between life and crisis based on the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanisms, the outcomes of national dialogue, the the largest in the GCC region,” death for our newly born pa- Riyadh declaration and the Security Council resolutions, especially resolution No. 2216. said Dr Hilal al-Rifai, Women’s tients,” said Flonor Reyes Vista, Hospital medical director and head nurse of the NICU and an director of its Neonatal/ employee at Women’s Hospital Perinatal Services. since its opening. Greetings On average, the unit admits In addition to this expansion, almost 2,000 babies per year for Women’s Hospital introduced sent to UAE serious medical concerns caused a neonatal developmental care president by premature birth, respiratory model that has changed the cur- HBKU Press distress, cardiac disease, con- rent neonatal philosophy into an HH the Emir Sheikh genital anomalies, multi-sys- environment that is focused on Tamim bin Hamad tem organ failure and other life understanding the individual- al-Thani, HH the threatening issues. ised needs of patients and their Deputy Emir Sheikh Along with off ering the latest families. This model of care fo- Abdullah bin Hamad to publish state-of-the-art medical equip- cuses on optimising both short al-Thani and HE the ment, the recently expanded and long term physical, mental Prime Minister and NICU is staff ed by a group of Dr Hilal al-Rifai and Flonor Reyes Vista at NICU. and emotional growth and sup- Minister of Interior highly specialised and expe- ports positive health outcomes Sheikh Abdullah bin rienced staff . This includes 50 “We take great pride in our higher level of intensive care for neonates admitted to the ne- Nasser bin Khalifa al- QGBC meet physicians, over 300 nurses and ability to provide the highest in- to our most vulnerable ba- onatal intensive care units across Thani have sent cables a multidisciplinary team made ternational standard of care for bies and as a result increases HMC. of congratulations up of respiratory therapists, the many neonates admitted and our successful outcomes for “It is an exciting time in the to UAE President social workers, a clinical phar- are continuously working on en- patients that fall into this NICU. Not only has our envi- Sheikh Khalifa bin macist, occupational therapist, hancing our patient and family- high risk category,” said Dr ronment changed for the bet- Zayed al-Nahyan on proceedings physiotherapist, lactation con- centred care experience.” al-Rifai, adding that the ex- ter, but our concept of care and the anniversary of sultant, speech therapist and “The expanded facility em- pansion project inaugurated approaches are evolving too,” his accession to the two NICU special educators. powers us to provide an ever in late 2015 was backed by the added Dr al-Rifai. throne. amad Bin Khalifa Uni- ing unveiled at the conference”, versity Press (HBKU according to a press statement. HPress) is set to publish “We are delighted to collabo- the conference proceedings of rate with HBKU Press’s open- the second annual Qatar Green access platform for the second Building Council (QGBC) con- time,” added al-Shamari. “Our ference on QScience.com collaboration ensures greater Workshop at QU centre tackles QScience.com is the free, on- exposure to the profound re- line, open-access research plat- search brought to light by our form run by HBKU Press. various stakeholders and experts Last year marked the fi rst at the conference.” annual Qatar Green Building cyber security challenges Conference, which was estab- “The second annual lished as a platform to gener- Qatar Green Building ate and foster awareness, cre- Conference will explore INDI Centre for Com- ing Dr Arosha Bandara, senior ate understanding and initiate ways to translate Qatar’s puting Research at Qa- lecturer in computing Dr Yijun education; develop a defi ni- sustainability vision Ktar University College of Yu and computing researcher tive set of clear environmental into action in line with Engineering (QU-CENG) host- Dr Thein Thun, as well as CENG and green building best prac- the global sustainability ed “UK-Qatar Cyber Security faculty and staff . tice guidelines; and support agenda” Workshop on Adaptive Infor- Dr al-Madeed delivered the and commit to research and mation Security” in conjunc- welcome speech and Prof Ab- development. The conference proceed- tion with CENG Department bes Amira gave the opening re- This year’s conference will be ings available on QScience. of Computer Science and En- marks. Keynote speakers were held from November 13 to 15. com will include a review of the gineering, Qatar National Re- Dr Marc Dacier, Cyber Security “The second annual Qatar lectures, seminars and overall search Fund (QNRF) and Open Group Research Director at Qa- Green Building Conference will content discussed at the QGBC University (UK). tar Computing Research Insti- explore ways to translate Qatar’s conference. The event aimed to bring to- tute (QCRI), and Prof Ernesto sustainability vision into ac- HBKU Press uses its QScience gether researchers, educators Damiani, chair of the Informa- tion in line with the global sus- platform to provide a home to and industry partners in the tion Security Group at Khalifa tainability agenda,” said Meshal the proceedings of many confer- fi eld of cyber security to share University. They presented “IoT Mohamed al-Shamari, direc- ences held in Qatar and the re- their experiences on cyber se- security: what are we talking tor of QGBC. “Participants will gion, which makes them citable curity research and to identify about?” and “Controlling Data witness a range of informative and archived for use by future opportunities for collaboration. Leakage and Theft in Big Data sessions around multiple sus- generations. Attendees included KINDI Applications”. tainability themes relevant to “Our recent reports show Centre for Computing Research CENG dean Dr Khalifa al- Qatar, which will be conducted that QScience Proceedings director Prof Abbes Amira, Khalifa said: “Cyber security Attendees at the worshop. by leading sustainability experts downloads are among the high- CENG Department of Com- is a growing challenge in Qatar and researchers from Qatar and est overall, which shows a need puter Science and Engineering and is an international issue that provides effi cient solu- mercial organisations and the with partners from various beyond.” by researchers to fi nd the lat- (CSE) head Dr Sumaya al-Ma- that aff ects everyone. In hosting tions to tackle the numerous general population in the Gulf countries to off er the society QGBC has chosen to publish est research on a given topic,” deed, QNRF ICT Programme such an event, CENG is demon- challenges in the area of cyber region. in Qatar and the region high- the conference proceedings with explained Dr Alwaleed Alkhaja, manager Dr Munir Tag, and strating its ongoing eff orts to security.” “We are looking at ways to quality research that increases HBKU Press to “ensure that the senior editor at HBKU Press. Open University professor of strengthen collaborations with Prof Abbes Amira explained improve cyber security prac- community awareness on the wider community has unre- “To date, HBKU Press has pub- computing Prof Bashar Nusie- local and international institu- that the event was customised tices for individuals and or- importance of securing our stricted access to the informa- lished over 2,000 conference beh, senior lecturer in comput- tions and to promote research to address the needs of com- ganisations in coordination connectedness as a society.” tion and valuable research be- proceedings.” QTTSC partnering with Malaysian institute on traffi c safety projects

he Malaysian Insti- tute of Road Safety TResearch (MIROS) is partnering with the Qatar Transportation and Traf- fi c Safety Centre (QTTSC) at Qatar University College of Engineering (QU-CENG) on projects and initiatives From right: Brigadier Mohamed Saad al-Kharji, Brigadier Mohamed al-Malki and Dr Khalifa al-Khalifa. related to traffi c safety. “The collaboration contrib- QU president Dr Hassan al- comes in line with CENG’s the causes of accidents and the nity’s awareness of Qatar’s traffi c utes to leading several pro- Derham was joined at the event eff orts to raise community critical factors that have an safety challenges. “These work- grammes in areas that benefi t by CENG dean Dr Khalifa al- awareness of the importance impact on accident reduction.” shops make a strong addition to the society in Qatar and Malay- Khalifa, Traffi c Department of traffi c safety. “The college Brigadier al-Kharji expressed our eff orts to better respond to sia,” said MIROS director-gen- director Brigadier Mohamed is committed to strengthen- gratitude to QU for its continuous these challenges,” he said. eral Dr Shaw Voon Wong. Saad al-Kharji and NTSC gen- ing its research collaborations support in providing communi- Brigadier al-Malki noted, “We He was delivering a pres- Dr Shaw Voon Wong, director-general, MIROS. eral secretary Brigadier Mo- with government and private cation and consultations with the would like to express our grati- entation recently at QU on hamed al-Malki, as well as institutions in Qatar, and to Traffi c Department, and in de- tude to QTTSC for the great ef- Malaysian traffi c safety rules, MIROS, the National Traffi c ghal) and Mowasalat. It aimed CENG faculty and staff and spreading knowledge on road veloping various road safety ini- forts made in these workshops conditions and developments. Safety Committee (NTSC), Qa- to exchange information in poli- representatives from the Traffi c safety and accident prevention tiatives. He also noted the impor- and events, which add value The event brought together tar’s Ministry of Interior (MoI), cies, strategies and technologies Department. through a wide range of stud- tance of fostering the eff orts of to our previous training and experts from CENG, QTTSC, Public Works Authority (Ash- of traffi c safety. Dr al-Khalifa said the event ies and research that identify both parties to raise the commu- activities on road safety.” Gulf Times Saturday, November 5, 2016 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Three US Iraqi special forces push military trainers shot dead deeper into eastern Mosul in Jordan Counter-terrorism troops Boris Johnson said intelligence alongside a rocket launchpad, launch major operation; suggested he had “vacated the and mortars as well,” one resi- Mosul residents say militants scene”, and a Kurdish intel- dent said. Reuters deploy rocket launchers ligence source said he was be- People in southern and east- Amman lieved to be in the region of Baaj, ern neighbourhoods said on Reuters about 130km west of Mosul. Thursday night that their hous- Mosul Mosul is still home to nearly es had been shaken by artillery hree US military trainers 1.5mn people, who risk being and rocket barrages launched were shot dead in Jordan caught up in brutal urban war- from their districts towards the Tyesterday when their car raqi special forces said they fare. advancing troops. failed to stop at the gate of a mili- recaptured six districts of The United Nations has As well as the Islamic State tary base and was fi red on by Jor- Ieastern Mosul yesterday, ex- warned of a potential humani- resistance in Mosul itself, the danian security forces, a Jordanian panding the army’s foothold in tarian crisis and a refugee exo- militants have launched di- military source said. the Islamic State bastion a day dus. versionary attacks across the The incident occurred at the after its leader told his followers Iraqi offi cials say Islamic country since the start of the Prince Faisal air base in the south there could be no retreat. State is holding the civilian off ensive. of the country, a close ally of the An offi cer in the elite Counter population as human shields. In the town of Shirqat, about United States. Terrorism Service, which has UN human rights spokes- 100km south of Mosul, mili- Two trainers died immediately spearheaded the Mosul off en- woman Ravina Shamdasani said tants stormed a mosque and and a third died later in hospital. sive, said troops had launched yesterday Islamic State fi ghters several houses early yesterday, A Jordanian army guard was a major operation against the had killed hundreds of people, a local police offi cer said, killing also shot and wounded. militants who are now almost including 50 deserters and 180 seven soldiers and fi ghters from “There was an exchange of fi re surrounded in their last major former Iraqi government em- the Shia Popular Mobilisation at the entrance to the base after urban redoubt in Iraq. ployees, around Mosul. force. an attempt by the trainers’ vehicle CTS special forces took over They have also transported The insurgents crossed from to enter the gate without heeding Malayeen, Samah, Khadra, 1,600 people from the town of the eastern bank of the Tigris orders of the guards to stop,” the Karkukli, Quds and Karama dis- Hammam al-Alil, south of Mo- into the town at 3am, taking military source said. tricts, the army said. sul, to Tal Afar to the west, pos- over al-Baaja mosque and fan- “An investigation is now under “This is something very big sibly for use as human shields ning out into alleyways. way to know exactly what hap- — it means large parts of the left against air strikes, and told resi- Security forces imposed a pened.” bank have been liberated,” CTS dents to hand over boys above curfew and said reinforcements Another Jordanian security commander Lieutenant-Gen- the age of nine, in an apparent from the Popular Mobilisation, source said it was not possible to eral Talib Shaghati said, refer- recruitment drive for child sol- or Hashid Shaabi, forces were rule out political motives in the ring to the half of Mosul which diers. being sent to the town. incident at an air base where doz- lies on the east bank of the Ti- The United Nations says In their drive towards Mosul, ens of US trainers work alongside gris. 22,000 people have been dis- Iraqi troops and Kurdish pesh- Jordanians.US offi cials, speaking However, a resident of one placed since the start of the merga fi ghters have closed in on condition of anonymity, told district which the army de- Mosul campaign, not including from the north, from the east- Reuters they were reviewing the clared recaptured told Reuters thousands from outlying vil- ern Nineveh plains and up the incident and could not rule out the after the announcement that A woman walks as fire and smoke rises from oil wells, set ablaze by Islamic State militants before fleeing the lages forced to head to Mosul by Tigris from the south. possibility of a deliberate attack. clashes continued. oil-producing region of Qayyara, Iraq, yesterday. retreating Islamic State fi ght- The Hashid Shaabi forces of One said there were Americans “It’s true urban warfare,” he ers who used them as human mainly Shia militias joined the in the convoy who were unharmed said by telephone. The battle to drive the fi ght- off ensive say progress has been parts of neighbouring Syria, shields. campaign on Saturday, fi ght- in the incident. In the neighbourhood of In- ers out is the biggest ground faster than expected but stress but Mosul is by far the larg- Mosul residents, speaking ing to cut off the western sup- Many ordinary Jordanians har- tisar, still fi ercely contested by operation in Iraq since the US that the operation is still in its est city under control of the to Reuters by telephone, said ply route to Islamic State areas bour strong anti-American sen- the army and militants, a Reu- invasion in 2003, and is likely to early stages. ultra-hardline militants in ei- Islamic State fi ghters were de- in Syria. timent over Washington’s strong ters correspondent heard heavy decide the fate of the self-pro- Iraqi regular troops and spe- ther country, many times bigger ploying artillery and rocket A Hashid spokesman said support for Israel and its military gunfi re and explosions. claimed Islamic State caliphate cial forces, Shia militias, Kurd- than any other city the militants launchers in and near residen- they had made progress, but interventions in the region. Black smoke rose from an area that has defi ed the world for two ish peshmerga fi ghters and oth- have held. tial areas. cars have continued to leave A Pentagon spokesman con- nearby and damaged buildings years. er groups backed by US-led air In a speech released on Some were hidden in trees Mosul, heading west. fi rmed the shooting incident. showed signs of combat. The advances took the troops strikes launched their campaign Thursday Baghdadi said there near the Wahda district in the A witness in western Mo- “We are saddened to report that The territory taken by the 1 1/2km inside the city. to retake Mosul nearly three could be no retreat in a “total south, while others were de- sul told Reuters by telephone three US service members were government still amounts to Districts captured so far, weeks ago. war” against the forces arrayed ployed on the rooftops of hous- that vehicles fl owed in and out killed today in a shooting incident just a fraction of the sprawling however, are less built-up than Winning back the city would against Islamic State, telling es taken over by the militants of the city yesterday.”I can see at a Jordanian military base,” Peter city, which is divided into doz- other areas, particularly those crush the Iraqi half of a cross- fi ghters they must remain loyal in the Ghizlani district close to long convoys...some of them Cook said, adding more informa- ens of residential and industrial on the west bank of the Tigris. border caliphate declared by to their commanders. Mosul airport, they said. are heading outside the city tion would be provided “as ap- districts and was home to 2mn Iraqi offi cers and those from Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi’s whereabouts are “We saw Daesh (Islamic through the Mosul-Rabiya road propriate”. Jordan hosts several people before it was captured by a US-led coalition providing al-Baghdadi two years ago. unknown. State) fi ghters installing a heavy and others are coming into the hundred US contractors in a mili- Islamic State in 2014. air and ground support to the Islamic State also holds large British Foreign Secretary anti-aircraft machine gun city”. tary programme which includes the stationing of F-16 fi ghter jets that use Jordanian airfi elds to hit CRACKDOWN Islamic State positions in neigh- Egypt arrests Skill showcase bouring Syria. leaders of US offi cials say aid to Jordan, Palestinians set to protest one of the largest recipients of militant groups US foreign military assistance, is expected to rise to $800mn in Egyptian authorities claimed Interpol membership delay 2016 and grow in future years. yesterday that they had arrested members of two recently emerged militant groups, along with weap- AFP examination,” foreign minis- the Palestinian Authority was ons, explosives and “evidence” that Ramallah try offi cial Ammar Hijazi said. seeking to enlist support for the organisations had been set up He added that “executive its bid. Morocco lifts by the Muslim Brotherhood. measures” had prevented the Interpol confi rmed it had Police detained five leaders and he Palestinian gov- issue being on the agenda for received “several” requests other members of the Hasam ernment will protest Interpol’s next annual meet- from member countries to ban on mobile Movement and Louwaa al-Thawra, Tagainst a delay in its ing, to be held on the Indo- discuss Palestine’s member- the interior ministry said - both application to join the In- nesian island of Bali from No- ship at the annual conference. Internet calls groups that have claimed respon- ternational Criminal Police vember 7-10. “However, under Interpol’s sibility for assassination attempts Organisation (Interpol) at Hijazi said Palestinian of- rules it is the Executive Com- Reuters on judges, policemen and military the body’s annual conference fi cials would nevertheless at- mittee which sets the agen- Rabat off icers. next week, an offi cial said tend the meeting to register da,” a statement said. There was no immediate com- yesterday. their protest. The committee will meet ment from either organisation, “Palestine applied for “There is no plan to vote today to fi nalise the agenda, orocco has lifted a ban or from the Muslim Brotherhood, membership of Interpol more on the Palestinian request it added. on calls made through which says it is a peaceful move- Palestinian members of the National Resistance brigades, than a year ago, but the ex- at the next meeting, but the The Lyon-based Interpol Mmobile Internet connec- ment and accuses the government the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation ecutive committee of Interpol diplomatic battle ahead is to currently has 190 member tions, its national telecoms regu- of abuses. of Palestine (DFLP), are seen during a graduation rejected the Palestinian re- expose what the Executive countries, enabling police lator said, acting after fi erce pro- The Brotherhood won Egypt’s first ceremony in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, yesterday. quest for a vote and referred it Committee did to postpone a across the globe to share in- tests on social media against a rule free elections after the 2011 upris- to a committee of experts for decision,” he said, adding that formation. introduced at the start of the year. ing that ended Hosni Mubarak’s The ban was applied to the 30-year rule. But the Brotherhood three mobile operators in Mo- leader who became president, Mo- rocco who off er Internet access hamed Mursi, was himself deposed for computers via USB and other and replaced by the army’s Abdel mobile modems, as well as via Fattah al-Sisi in 2013. Aleppo evacuation routes deserted as ceasefi re ends mobile phones. The Telecommunications Reg- ulatory National Agency (ANRT) OUSTER AFP both sides of the Bustan al- Russian defence ministry Russians or any of their cheap bombardment and others had said telecom services such as Minister sacked Aleppo Qasr crossing said no one was said. initiatives,” said Yasser al- suffering shortages of equip- phone calls need licences wheth- seen using the evacuation cor- Syrian state media said Youssef, a politburo member ment. er they are Voice over Internet over comments ridor. a Syrian reporter was also of the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel UN agencies tried but failed Protocol (VoIP) or others. unilateral Russian- A similar three-day pause wounded.The attack forced brigade in Aleppo. to organise convoys for se- “The decision (to lift the ban) Tunisia’s religious aff airs minister declared ceasefi re for last month ended with only a Moscow to temporarily cut Rebels have so far captured verely ill or wounded residents comes after the ANRT’s evalua- was fired yesterday for “attacking A Syria’s Aleppo ended handful of residents quitting a live video feed of the area, the Dahiyet al-Assad neigh- of Aleppo during last month’s tion of the telecom national and the foundations of diplomacy” after yesterday evening, marred by the besieged east, home to which had shown barrels bourhood and the village of pause, and did not attempt international markets, the legal he made controversial comments rebel fi re on evacuation routes more than 250,000 people. painted with the Syrian fl ag Minyan west of Aleppo. evacuations during yesterday’s context and taking into consider- about Saudi Arabia. and with no sign any civilians Once Syria’s economic pow- next to a photograph of Presi- Rocket fi re on the southern ceasefi re. ation the requirements to develop A government statement said or rebels left besieged neigh- erhouse, Aleppo has been dev- dent Bashar al-Assad propped regime-held district of Ram- “The UN will not be involved a sector that benefi ts customers,” Prime Minister Youssef Chahed bourhoods. astated by fi ghting since the up by sandbags. ussa yesterday killed two peo- in any way in the evacuation of the regulator said in a statement had relieved Abdeljalil Ben Salem The 10-hour “humanitar- rebels seized the east of the Another featured waiting ple and wounded seven, state civilians from east Aleppo re- yesterday. of his position due to his “attack” on ian pause” was announced by city in 2012, turning its historic ambulances while the third — media said. lated to this announcement,” The ban aff ected the two most- Tunisia’s diplomatic principles. Damascus ally Russia as an heart into a battlefi eld. which appeared to be fi lmed The situation for civilians in said David Swanson, a spokes- used applications in Morocco Justice Minister Ghazi Jribi will take attempt to “prevent senseless Rebels and allied groups from a drone — showed a line Aleppo is growing increasingly man for the UN humanitarian Skype and WhatsApp, along with on Ben Salem’s duties for the time casualties”. launched a bid to break the of green coaches. dire, with the United Nations offi ce. Facebook and Viber and other being, the statement said. But the ceasefire for the government’s three-month Civilians in east Aleppo, who warning that “food supplies in “Medical evacuations can providers of VoIP services. On Thursday Ben Salem confirmed city’s rebel-held east came siege a week ago, stepping have faced weeks of devastat- eastern Aleppo city will run out only take place if parties to Morocco’s telecoms market is during a parliament session that he to an end at 7pm local time up their attacks on Thursday ing bombardment by the gov- in mid-November”. the conflict take all the nec- dominated by Maroc Telecom, had “dared” to question two senior (1700 GMT) without anyone hours before the ceasefi re came ernment and Russia, have ex- In a report distributed yes- essary measures to provide an majority owned by the UAE’s Etis- Saudi off icials. using the eight evacuation into force. pressed scepticism about safe terday, the UN’s humanitar- enabling environment, which alat, French group Orange’s local Ben Salem tried to row back from passages. Rebel rocket fi re yesterday passage off ers. ian co-ordination agency said hasn’t happened,” he told affi liate Medi Telecom (Meditel) his comments, issuing a statement “We did not record a sin- hit the Castello road, which The rebels dismissed the lat- there were so few supplies in AFP. and Wana Corporate, a subsidiary saying that Tunisia’s relations with gle civilian or fi ghter leaving leads north out of opposition- est ceasefi re as a ploy by Mos- east Aleppo’s hospitals that “We remain very, very con- of the royal holding SNI. the kingdom were “completely the eastern districts,” said the controlled territory in eastern cow to defl ect international “patients are using body bags to cerned about the humanitar- Lifting the ban came as the harmonious”. Syrian Observatory for Hu- Aleppo, state media and the criticism over the high civilian keep warm”. ian situation in east Aleppo. kingdom prepares to host the Tunisia has witnessed a series of man Rights, adding that bat- Observatory said. death toll from its bombing Medical facilities in east There have been no humani- 2016 United Nations climate extremist attacks since the popular tlefronts across the city were Rocket fire lightly wound- campaign. Aleppo are under severe tarian supplies reaching the change conference and only few uprising of 2011, including deadly quiet. ed two Russian servicemen “This announcement is strain, with many rendered east of the city since early days after the head of ANRT was attacks on foreign tourists in 2015. AFP correspondents on monitoring the ceasefire, the worthless...We don’t trust the out of service by repeated July.” sacked. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, November 5, 2016 AFRICA Kenya deports South Sudan rebel leader’s spokesman

AFP cording to Roman, a spokesman the life of an innocent person.” we would like to emphasise right force accused of failing to protect man Kamama, the Kenyan chair dan following July’s clashes be- Nairobi for the rebel SPLM/A-IO. That viewpoint was shared by now is that this person needs to civilians during a fresh outbreak for national security. tween his rebel fi ghters and Kiir’s Machar telephoned Kenya’s Gerry Simpson, a senior refu- have his rights protected and his of violence in Juba in July. Violence between Machar’s government forces, and has been deputy president, William Ruto, gee researcher at Human Rights well-being ensured by the gov- Kenya has responded to Tues- supporters and troops loyal to his on the run ever since, turning up enya has deported the in a bid to halt Gatdet’s deporta- Watch. ernment,” Geneva-based UNH- day’s sacking of lieutenant gen- bitter political foe, President Sal- variously in the Democratic Re- spokesman of South Su- tion on the grounds of “profound “In colluding with South Su- CR spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly eral Johnson Ondieki by an- va Kiir, has blighted South Sudan public of the Congo, Sudan and Kdan’s rebel chief Riek fear for his life” but the spokes- dan and deporting James Gatdet said. nouncing that it will pull its 1,050 for much of its hard-won inde- South Africa. Machar, offi cials said yesterday, man was sent back anyway, Ro- Dak, Kenya has exposed him to a South Sudan’s rebels warned troops out of South Sudan and pendence from Sudan, achieved A return to Ethiopia, where despite rebels’ warning that for- man said. serious risk of persecution,” said that Kenya could face repercus- drop plans to contribute soldiers in 2011. he lived during previous peace cibly returning him to the war- “The deportation of Mr James Simpson. sions over the deportation. to a planned UN regional force South Sudan descended into negotiations, was ruled out by wracked country puts his life in Gatdet Dak is a violation of the A Kenyan offi cial, on condition “This can inadvertently put in for Juba. war just two and a half years later that country’s prime minister, danger. Geneva Convention,” Roman of anonymity, confi rmed to AFP danger Kenyan NGOs’ workers in According to South Sudanese when Kiir in December 2013 ac- Hailemariam Desalegn, who said Senior rebel offi cial Nyarji Ro- added, saying that an interven- that Gatdet had been deported, (rebel-held) areas in South Su- radio station Tamazuj, a delega- cused Machar – whom he had in September: “We do not need man said James Gatdet Dak had tion by the UN refugee agency without elaborating. dan,” said the SPLM/A-IO repre- tion of Kenyan MPs was visiting sacked as his deputy – of plotting someone who is leading an armed been arrested at his Nairobi home had failed to prevent the move. South Sudan President Salva sentative to the United Nations, South Sudan yesterday and ex- a coup. struggle in Ethiopia.” on Wednesday and taken to the “Moreover, the Kenyan govern- Kiir’s spokesman Ateny Wek At- Miyong G Kuon. pressed their opposition to the The war has left tens of thou- Machar’s naming as a vice- airport 24 hours later. ment is a guarantor to the peace eny also confi rmed that Gatdet Just before his arrest, Gatdet rebels. sands of people dead and forced president was a key condition of He was sent back to the South agreement that was signed in was back in the country, refusing had expressed his support for the “We will discourage anybody nearly 2mn people to fl ee their a hard-won peace deal signed in Sudanese capital Juba where he August 2015 and we do not ex- to comment further. sacking of a Kenyan general of trying to use our country as a homes. August 2015 which is now in tat- was immediately detained, ac- pect that it would put in danger “Obviously the key element a United Nations peacekeeping launching pad for war,” said As- Machar himself fl ed South Su- ters.

Congo Republic Somalia’s Shebaab still a push for quitting potent threat: UN report the ICC AFP After a bomb concealed in Reuters United Nations a laptop exploded on a Daallo Brazzaville airlines fl ight in February, the monitors warned that the She- omalia’s Al Qaeda-linked baab were resorting to more wo parties in Congo Re- Shebaab group remains sophisticated tactics targeting public’s ruling coalition Scapable of launching aircraft. Tpetitioned the govern- large-scale attacks despite They cited indications that ment late on Thursday to with- claims that the insurgency is the Islamists are “likely to have draw from the International weakening, a UN report warned had external assistance in the Criminal Court (ICC), a move yesterday. construction of the device”, but that threatens to deal a fresh The Islamist group carried out those fi ndings were detailed in blow to the tribunal in The six sophisticated hotel attacks in a separate strictly confi dential Hague. Mogadishu from November 2015 annex to the report. African states have long com- to June of this year, the report by Allied to Al Qaeda since 2012, plained of ICC bias against Afri- UN sanctions monitors said. the Shebaab controlled Mogad- cans. “Contrary to prevailing narra- ishu for several years until it was Last month, South Africa and tives of successful counter-in- pushed out in 2011. Burundi became the fi rst coun- surgency and counter-terrorism However, the extremist group tries to offi cially notify the Unit- eff orts, the monitoring group continues to fi ght to overthrow ed Nations of their intention to assesses that the security situa- the Western-backed govern- pull out of the Rome Statute, the tion has not improved in Soma- ment. 1998 treaty establishing the ICC. lia,” they said. A series of drone strikes and Gambia also said last month The Shebaab group “repre- raids that killed at least three that it would withdraw, accusing sents the most immediate threat senior Shebaab leaders may have the court of ignoring the “war to peace and security in Somalia failed to have a serious impact crimes” of Western nations and and continues to be a destabil- on the Islamist group, the UN seeking only to prosecute Afri- ising force in the broader East report said. cans. and Horn of Africa region”, they “Shebaab possesses a robust The two Congolese parties, added in the report sent to the and ideologically committed the Patriotic Front and the 2020 Security Council earlier this ‘middle management’ capable Awakening Movement, led a week. of seamlessly stepping into po- protest march of about 300 peo- While the Islamist militants sitions vacated by assassinated ple in the capital Brazzaville, have not launched a major at- senior leaders,” it added. where they argued that court tack outside Somalia since the After the council slapped a membership was incompatible 2015 massacre at Kenya’s Garis- ban on charcoal exports, a major with a provision in the Congo’s sa University, the group “retains source of Shebaab funding, the constitution that forbids extra- both the capability to carry out insurgents turned to the illicit dition to “a foreign power or or- another such attack and a self- sugar trade and “taxation” of ganisation”. proclaimed motive with regard agricultural production. “This measure in our consti- to targeting countries contrib- The Shebaab derive up to A vehicle burns at the scene of a suicide car bombing outside Hotel Ambassador on Maka Al Mukaram Road, Mogadishu, on June 1. tution contradicts the opera- uting troops to AMISOM”, they $18mn a year in revenue from tional mode of the ICC, which said. checkpoints demanding pay- into Shebaab coff ers per year pay soldiers’ salaries, which led It cited continued corruption Attacks on AMISOM have aims to ask signatory countries The African Union’s AMISOM ment from trucks carrying sug- from taxing agricultural pro- to withdrawals from areas in the and a likely misappropriation of continued, the report said, in- to hand over their citizens for force in Somalia includes mostly ar, according to the report. duction. south and centre of the country funds and supplies intended for cluding a deadly twin truck whatever reason,” Paolo Benaza, troops from Kenya, Ethiopia, It cited a Somali intelligence The report criticised the So- that allowed Shebaab forces to soldiers, some of which came bombing of a Kenyan military the spokesman for the Patriotic Uganda and Burundi. estimate that some $9.5mn go mali government for failing to return. from outside countries. compound in January. Front, told reporters. The head of the Patriotic Front is the Congo’s youth minister, Nigeria frees men Destinee Hermella Doukaga. The two parties delivered a accused of murder memorandum to Justice Minis- over blasphemy Huge cyber-attack disrupts Internet in Liberia ter Pierre Mabiala, who said he would study the proposal before A court in northern Nigeria has making a recommendation to freed five Muslim men accused of AFP Using software called “Mi- sive distributed denial of serv- made it a useful way of testing they rely on cable-based Inter- the government. killing an elderly Christian woman Monrovia rai”, the hackers deployed a ice (DDoS) attack. out even larger attacks. net to power their businesses. The ICC opened in July 2002 for allegedly blaspheming the network of infected comput- DDoS attacks involve fl ood- “There is only one Internet The outages would only reg- and has 124 member states. Prophet Muhammad. ers known only as “Botnet ing websites with more traffi c link to the country for broad- ister for a few seconds but are It is the fi rst legal body with The court in the city of Kano massive cyber-attack 14” to repeatedly overload the than they can handle, making band, so it might be the ideal devastating for companies that permanent international juris- discharged the five men on targeting Liberia’s sin- country’s broadband network, them diffi cult to access or tak- test bed for attacks,” he said. require constant connections to diction to prosecute genocide, Thursday on the legal advice of Agle broadband link has taking Liberia offl ine for a few ing them offl ine entirely. The vast majority of Liberia’s servers in order to function. crimes against humanity and the prosecution. taken the country’s Internet in- minutes at a time, Internet se- “By hacking these devices Internet users access the Web October’s US incident saw war crimes. “The legal advice presented to termittently offl ine for the last curity expert Kevin Beaumont you can cause them to attack via their smartphone, mean- domain name services com- Defenders of the ICC say the the court, dated June 24, states week, Web security experts said told AFP. another location, or country,” ing they are unaff ected by a pany Dynamic Network Serv- accusations of bias against Af- that there is no case to answer as yesterday. The hackers took control Beaumont said. targeted attack on broadband ices Incorporated, or Dyn, suf- ricans are unfair as the vast ma- the suspects are all innocent and The characteristics of the of ‘Internet of things’ devices The UK-based expert said the services. fer successive attacks, causing jority of requests for ICC inter- orders the court to discharge all attack point to the same type such as CCTV cameras or digit- reason why Liberia was targeted But the Network World web- outages for hours for millions vention have come from African the suspects,” the judge said in of cyber-weapon that crippled al video recorders plugged in to was as yet unknown but its vul- site reported Liberian mobile of users of high-profi le web- governments themselves, who his ruling. several major websites based in offi ces and homes worldwide, nerable Internet infrastructure phone service providers them- sites including Twitter, Spotify often lack the capacity to try The five men were accused, along the US in late October. he explained, to direct the mas- and lack of technical expertise selves had been aff ected, as and Netfl ix. such complex cases. with six others who are on the run, of killing 74-year-old Bridget Abahime on June 2 after she Prosecutor says probe on Gordhan’s allegedly insulted the Prophet. The suspects had pleaded not role in ‘spy unit’ at advanced stage guilty of the charge. Judges facing graft probe asked to step down The victim, an ethnic Igbo South Africa’s main prosecutor said yesterday that investigations trader from the southeast and into Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s role in setting up a wife of a pastor, was beaten to AFP In a statement at the end of government control, also set up The DSS said the arrests fol- surveillance unit at the tax department that allegedly spied on death, sparking outrage across Abuja a two-day meeting in Abuja on a three-member transparency lowed a “lack of co-operation politicians were at an advanced stage. the country with President Thursday, the NJC said it had and anti-corruption committee by the National Judicial Coun- The rand eased briefly against the dollar, moving to 0.76% down on Muhammadu Buhari calling the decided that judges “shall not to handle petitions and graft ac- cil, such as refusal by the NJC to the day’s 0.61% lower before the news, amid concerns the outcome killing “utterly condemnable”. igeria’s National Judicial be standing trial for alleged cor- cusations against the judges. allow the aff ected persons to be of the probe could shake financial markets. Northern Nigeria is Council watchdog has ruption-related off ences and be Although the judges have questioned by the DSS”. “The status of the rogue unit investigation – I’ve been advised that predominantly Muslim while the Nasked a group of judges performing judicial functions at since been released on bail, they The agency said its investiga- investigations are at an advanced stage,” National Prosecuting south is largely Christian and facing corruption investigations the same time”. are yet to be charged. tion started in April. Authority head Shaun Abrahams told a parliamentary hearing. Kano city has been plagued by to step down pending resolution “Judicial offi cials who are Justice ministry sources told President Muhammadu Bu- Abrahams dropped fraud charges on Monday against Gordhan, religious violence in the past. of their cases. being investigated for alleged AFP the attorney general has hari was elected last year on an executing a U-turn in a case that had rattled markets and drawn In one notorious case in 1996 At least seven judges were high-profi le criminal off ences prepared their charges and they anti-corruption platform, vow- accusations of political meddling. a trader, also an ethnic Igbo arrested last month by the De- (must) not perform judicial would be arraigned in the com- ing to stamp out the endemic He confirmed that Gordhan was still being investigated for his role Christian, was beheaded by partment of State Service (DSS) functions until their cases are ing days. graft that plagues the oil-rich in setting up the surveillance unit at the tax department a decade suspected Muslim youths who accused of taking bribes, trig- concluded,” added the body, Some $800,000 (€715,000) country. ago when he headed the revenue service. accused him of desecrating the gering outcry from the bar as- headed by Chief Justice Mah- in cash was seized during last But critics have accused the Gordhan was first questioned about this in February by the police Qur’an. sociation and rights groups who mud Mohammed. month’s nationwide operation former military ruler of using but in August ignored a follow-up summons. His severed head was hoisted called the raids unprecedented. The NJC, which aims to en- from the homes of the judges his anti-graft crackdown to si- Asked if the probe on the surveillance unit would be handled in the on a spike and paraded around In all 15 judges are under in- sure the independence of the involved, according to claims by lence political opponents and same manner as the fraud investigation on Gordhan, Abrahams the city. vestigation. judiciary and protect it from security agents. crush dissent. said: “Of course we will ensure that the same thing doesn’t happen.” Gulf Times Saturday, November 5, 2016 5 AMERICAS

COMMENT WILDLIFE CRIME LEGAL PEOPLE ‘Don’t give me ultimatums,’ Rescuers pull together to Suspect charged with Canada spy agency flayed Three-year-old son has Maduro warns opposition save beached whale in Chile Iowa police killings for data collection abuse cancer, says singer Buble

Tensions fraying a fragile political truce in A bloodied and beached minke whale, measuring The suspect in the ambush-style shootings The head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Canadian singer Michael Buble yesterday said Venezuela escalated as President Nicolas almost 39 feet, was hauled to safety by a team of two police off icers has been charged with Service (CSIS) said he agreed with a court ruling he is taking a break from his career because his Maduro warned his opponents not to issue of rescuers using rope and tug boats in Chile. two counts of first-degree murder, off icials in that the spy agency had held onto sensitive three-year-old son Noah has been diagnosed ultimatums on holding elections and accused Fishermen and other residents jumped into action Iowa said. Scott Michael Greene was arrested data beyond the time frame allowed by court with cancer. “We are devastated about the them of lying. Adding a nail to the coff in of a after seeing the large mammal thrashing on a and taken to jail wearing the handcuff s carried warrants. CSIS director Michel Coulombe recent cancer diagnosis of our oldest son Noah short-lived detente declared this week, the beach in Arica, a surfing destination. “All the ships by the two slain off icers, the Des Moines ordered all access to information dating back who is currently undergoing treatment in the embattled leftist lashed out at political enemies in the area, the shellfish gatherers, we worked Police department said. “The investigation as far as 2006 to be denied while the agency US,” Buble said in a Facebook message posted trying to drive him from power and downplayed together to rescue it,” said one fisherman. “We has produced probable cause to support assesses the legal impact of the decision and by him and his wife, Argentine model Luisana expectations for Vatican-mediated talks. tied some ropes around it. It was a bit of a struggle these charges,” the department said. Anthony determines how best to move forward. “I regret Lopilato. “Luisana and I have put our careers on Maduro took issue with opposition leaders’ but we were able to do it, to hook her and get her Beminio, 39, a 11-year veteran of the Des Moines that we did not meet our duty of candor to the hold in order to devote all our time and attention statements that their goal for the upcoming out,” said another. The adult whale swam off into police department, and Justin Martin, 24, who court and I commit to continuing my eff orts to helping Noah get well. At this diff icult time, talks – set for November 11 – was an agreement the Pacific Ocean with only superficial wounds had served one year on the police force were with the deputy minister of justice to address we ask only for your prayers and respect for our to hold elections early next year, well ahead of caused by rocks, the regional director of Chile’s ambushed Wednesday, authorities said. Greene this concern,” CSIS director Coulombe told a privacy,” said the four-time Grammy-winner. “We the scheduled end of his term in 2019. National Fisheries Services said. turned himself in several hours later. press conference. have a long journey in front of us.”

Woman chained in On the campaign trail storage container A South Carolina woman Christie’s former reported missing in August along with her live-in boyfriend has been found “chained up like a dog” in aides guilty in a storage container, and a registered sex off ender was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, the county ‘Bridgegate’ trial sheriff said. Kala Brown, 30, was discovered after police searching a large Reuters Jersey, creating a massive days- property in Spartanburg New York long traffi c jam to punish the County, northeast of town’s mayor, Mark Sokolich, for Greenville, heard banging declining to endorse Christie’s noises from inside the 15- wo former allies of New reelection campaign. foot by 30-foot container, Jersey governor Chris The bridge, which connect Spartanburg county sheriff TChristie were yesterday New Jersey to Manhattan, is one Chuck Wright told a news convicted for their roles in the of the country’s busiest. conference. Wright said “Bridgegate” lane closure scan- Lawyers for Kelly and Baroni deputies arrested Todd dal, following a six-week trial vowed to appeal. Kohlhepp, 45, who they that served to further tarnish the “This is not over,” Michael found on the property Republican’s damaged reputa- Critchley, Kelly’s lawyer, said US President Barack Obama walks toward Marine One while departing from the White House yesterday. President Obama is travelling when they arrived to serve tion. outside the courthouse, with his to Fayetteville, North Carolina to campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. a search warrant. Bridget Kelly, the governor’s arm around a weeping Kelly. former deputy chief of staff , He said the judge had erred and Bill Baroni, former deputy during jury instructions. executive director of the Port Defence lawyers were furious Authority of New York and New when US district judge Susan Jersey, were found guilty in Ne- Wigenton told jurors during de- wark federal court on all counts, liberations in response to a ques- the US attorney’s offi ce in New tion that they could convict Kelly Jersey said on Twitter. and Baroni on conspiracy even Kelly and Baroni were convict- if the act itself was not “inten- ed of fraud, conspiracy and de- tionally punitive toward Mayor Clinton, Trump in fi nal push priving the residents of Fort Lee, Sokolich.” New Jersey, of their civil rights. Wigenton said prosecutors Christie, who has repeatedly did not have to prove motive, denied any advance knowledge even though their case had re- of the scheme, is a top adviser for volved around the political ret- Republican presidential candi- ribution. “By answering the way to court undecided voters date Donald Trump. you’re answering, you’re direct- “Let me be clear once again, ing a verdict of guilty,” an an- AFP dates in US presidential campaign and saying politics had gotten dependence in the city, and later fectively would not have time to I had no knowledge prior to or gry Critchley told Wigenton on Washington history are now focused on prod- “too mean.” signed the US Constitution there. run the country. Pennsylvania during these lane realignments, Tuesday. ding lukewarm voters toward the Both candidates are also satu- The Clinton campaign yes- voter Frank Behum, who spent 32 and had no role in authorising Baroni’s lawyer, Michael Bal- polls — and using a stable of sur- rating the airwaves with ads — terday rolled out a hard-hitting years working as an electrician for them,” Christie said in a state- dassare, told reporters yesterday hite House frontrun- rogates to make their cases. mainly negative ones — and dial- ad describing Trump’s sup- a steel plant before retiring, said ment following the verdict. the case was a “disgrace” and ner Hillary Clinton and Where enthusiasm is lacking, ing the scare rhetoric up to fever posed fi rst year in offi ce. “The the choice was not ideal. “Anything said to the contrary said the conviction would be WRepublican insurgent they are trying to manufacture it. pitch. video highlights what could hap- “You’ve got to pick the lesser of over the past six weeks in court is overturned. “I am innocent of Donald Trump launched a fi nal Clinton was in Cleveland yes- Clinton’s campaign will reach pen if America elects someone the two evils here,” he said. simply untrue.” these charges,” a smiling Baroni blitz to win votes in key battle- terday at a rally featuring Jay Z and a crescendo in Philadelphia on so unqualifi ed and unfi t to be The campaigns are still jostling The scandal has dogged Chris- said. ground states yesterday, slogging perhaps Beyonce, after stops in Monday, where she will appear commander-in-chief, and what for supremacy in the handful of tie, once seen as a rising political Kelly and Baroni’s co-con- toward the end of America’s divi- Pittsburgh and Detroit. with Bill Clinton and Barack and Trump’s dangerous and divisive battleground states that will de- star and a potential presidential spirator, former Port Authority sive presidential campaign. Trump meanwhile made stops Michelle Obama — a union of vision would mean for Ameri- cide Tuesday’s election. Trump nominee before his campaign for offi cial and confessed master- Clinton is slightly ahead in na- in New Hampshire, Ohio and Democratic Party A-list power. cans,” the campaign said. has the slenderest of leads in New the White House failed this year. mind David Wildstein, pleaded tional polls as the nearly two-year Pennsylvania — all swing states. Voters can expect not-so- Meanwhile, with little evi- Hampshire, is up 3.3 points in The two offi cials were accused guilty and appeared as the gov- race approaches its climax, with The Manhattan billionaire’s subtle and not-so-gentle com- dence, Trump has warned vot- Ohio and trails by three points in of shutting down access lanes at ernment’s star witness, detailing many Americans expressing relief telegenic wife Melania made a parisons between Trump and the ers that the 69-year-old Clinton Pennsylvania, according to poll the George Washington Bridge in how the three schemed to pay that it will all be over in four days. rare campaign appearance, mak- still-revered US founding fathers, would be so busy fi ghting a pos- aggregates compiled by Real- September 2013 in Fort Lee, New back Sokolich, a Democrat. Two of the most disliked candi- ing a polite case for her husband who made their Declaration of In- sible FBI indictment that she ef- ClearPolitics. Authorities warn of Selfi e with students Inmate’s execution put Qaeda threat to election off for seventh time AFP But offi cials delayed the tim- Washington ing of the execution as they wait- Reuters and state offi cials fl agging the is continuing high levels of ed for the court’s decision. New York information but that the threat patrol it has had in place, said Supreme Court justice was relatively low-level. spokesman Steve Coleman. n inmate set to die by lethal Clarence Thomas issued an or- A US offi cial familiar with the He declined to off er specifi cs injection in Alabama was der about 10.30pm temporarily ederal offi cials have threat information said that it of the warning, but the police Agranted an 11th-hour re- halting the execution until he or warned authorities in was “uncorroborated,” but that department said the threat re- prieve, his latest stay of execution. other justices made another de- FNew York, Texas and Vir- federal agencies believed that port lacked specifi cs and was The late-night order by the cision, a court document said. ginia about an unspecifi c threat they needed nonetheless to re- still being assessed. Supreme Court in Washing- Just before midnight, the Su- of attacks by the Al Qaeda mili- main vigilant. Although some of the at- ton was the seventh time that preme Court granted Arthur’s tant group around Election Day, The New York Police Depart- tention of US authorities has Thomas Arthur, 74, has seen his request to stay the execution, the putting local law enforcement ment and the Port Authority of shifted to Islamic State-in- scheduled execution called off . Washington Post reported. on alert the weekend before New York and New Jersey were spired attacks, the Al Qaeda Arthur had been scheduled to It would remain in place until Tuesday’s vote, offi cials said alerted to the information, the network has shown resilience die at 6pm at the prison in Alt- the full court decides whether it yesterday. local agencies said. more than 15 years after it was Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau poses for a selfie more, following decades-long will consider the case. A US government source in The Port Authority, which responsible for the September following a meeting with high school students in Ottawa, imprisonment for his conviction “We are greatly relieved by the Washington said some federal operates airports, tunnels and 11 attacks on New York and the Ontario, Canada. in the 1982 murder of his mis- Supreme Court’s decision grant- agencies sent bulletins to local bridges around New York City, Pentagon. tress’s husband. ing a stay” Arthur’s counsel said. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, November 5, 2016 ASEAN

Myanmar freedom Police quell mass protest of speech under against Jakarta governor threat: Reuters monitors Jakarta

Reuters ndonesian police quelled a Yangon mass protest by tens of thou- Isands of hardline Muslims yesterday, fi ring tear gas and uman rights monitors water cannon into crowds de- have raised concerns manding the resignation of the Habout press freedom in Christian governor of Jakarta, Myanmar after a journalist at who they said had insulted the an English-language newspa- Qur’an. per said she was fi red following A police spokesman said one government criticism of her re- person died and 12 were hurt. porting of allegations of rape by Indonesia is the world’s most soldiers. populous Muslim country, but Violence in the north of trou- most follow a moderate form bled Rakhine State, which began of Islam and protests on such a with deadly attacks on border large scale are rare. police posts on October 9, has Critics say that the protest sparked the biggest crisis of de was whipped up by an extremist facto Myanmar leader Aung San group that latched on to politi- Suu Kyi’s seven months in pow- cal tension ahead of February’s er. election for the governorship of Troops poured into the region Jakarta, the country’s capital, after the attacks, which the gov- and was allowed to grow because ernment says were carried out the government failed to rein it Protesters taunt police near by minority Rohingya Muslims in. burned cars outside the with links to militant Islamists Police said the number of presidential palace in clashes overseas. demonstrators in central Jakarta that marred an otherwise The military operation has swelled to about 150,000 in the peaceful rally in Jakarta against sharpened the tension between hours after Friday prayers as they governor Basuki Tjahaja Suu Kyi’s civilian administration congregated around the palace Purnama. and the army, which ruled the of President Joko Widodo. country for decades and retains By late afternoon the crowd Left: A protester holds up a key powers, including control of grew restive – some threw rocks poster of the Jakarta governor ministries responsible for secu- at the police, two vehicles were as thousands march pass his rity. torched and a fi re broke out near cally do not enter politics. lims should not choose non- off ice in Jakarta. The Committee to Protect the city’s National Monument. Indonesian Chinese have Muslims as leaders. Journalists (CPJ) said report- Police responded with tear gas faced persecution and violence “He is not Muslim but he hu- Right: Police prepare to move ers trying to cover the unrest in and water cannon and, by late in the past, especially during the miliated the Qur’an,” said one of against protesters near the Rakhine faced obstruction and evening, most protesters had political and social turmoil that yesterday’s protesters, Muham- presidential palace. harassment. left. gripped Jakarta when former mad Said. “Don’t refer to any- Authorities have not allowed However, hundreds said they strongman Suharto was toppled. thing in the Qur’an, especially He has a reputation as a no- foreign journalists to visit the would camp out overnight be- More than a thousand were interpreting it incorrectly ... I nonsense reformer with lit- area and the international me- side the parliament building, killed during the 1998 violence call on God to jail him.” tle patience for the corruption dia was not invited to travel with while in the north of the capital and many ethnic Chinese fl ed Led by a group called the Is- widely blamed for the chaos of senior diplomats who visited media reported a clash between the country as mobs rampaged lamic Defenders Front, the pro- an overcrowded city, and re- this week, even as state media police and a few dozen protest- through Jakarta, looting and testers chanted “God is greatest” mains popular despite the pro- obtained full access. ers and social media reports burning Chinese-owned shops and waved placards calling for tests. Zaw Htay, the spokesman for showed a convenience store be- and houses. Purnama, popularly known as Widodo, a Muslim, has vowed President Htin Kyaw, has said ing looted. The atmosphere in Jakarta Ahok, to be jailed for blasphemy. not to interfere in any legal pro- reports of sexual violence, ex- Many protesters were clad in was tense through the day and A white banner hung at an ceedings against Purnama, ac- trajudicial killings and arbitrary robes and Muslim caps as they some companies asked employ- overpass was painted with red cording to media reports. As the protests raged in the one dares challenge it. Indone- arrests by soldiers are being fab- called for the resignation of Ja- ees to work from home. letters that read “Hang Ahok But Vice-President Jusuf Ka- heart of Jakarta, the presi- sia’s spineless political leaders ricated by people in cahoots with karta Governor Basuki Tjahja Jakarta has some of the here”. lla told reporters yesterday that dent visited a rail construction have allowed extremists to seize the insurgents. Purnama. world’s worst traffi c jams at the Police are investigating the he and other government of- project at the capital’s airport, the momentum and foment reli- The CPJ raised particular con- A Christian and the fi rst eth- best of times, but yesterday ac- case against Purnama, who has fi cials had met representatives his offi ce said. gious hatred,” she said. cern over the response of Zaw nic Chinese politician to lead cess to business districts was apologised for his remarks, in- of the protesters, and promised Security expert Sidney Jones There was talk that Islamist Htay to an October 27 report the sprawling city of 10mn, Pur- impossible for many. sisting he was not criticising the that the legal process involv- said in an online commentary militants would use yesterday’s carried in the Myanmar Times nama is standing for re-election, About a dozen Muslim groups Qur’anic verse but those who ing Purnama would be executed ahead of the protest that the protest as cover to launch an at- newspaper alleging multiple competing with two Muslims for have accused Purnama of blas- used it to attack him. “fi rmly and quickly”. movement brought together tack in Jakarta. gang rapes by soldiers. the job. phemy after he jokingly said his Purnama served as deputy to Critics say Widodo’s govern- “violent extremists, moralist An attack in the capital early Reuters also reported on the Ethnic Chinese make up just opponents had used a verse from Widodo when the now-pres- ment has not done enough to thugs and powerful political in- this year by supporters of Islam- allegations, interviewing eight over 1% of Indonesia’s popula- the Qur’an to deceive voters. ident was city governor from contain the religious and ethnic terests”. ic State raised fears of a wave of women who said they were raped tion of 250mn, and they typi- The verse implies that Mus- 2012 to 2014. tension. “And because of the latter, no violent militancy. by troops. Zaw Htay complained about the report and singled out My- anmar Times special investiga- tions editor Fiona MacGregor for criticism on his Facebook page. Days later MacGregor was in- Thai junta pleads for trust as rice prices fall formed by the newspaper’s sen- ior management that she was being fi red for damaging the AFP the courts for a similar subsidy among many farmers but led to but it’s the same principle as my paper’s reputation, she told Reu- Bangkok scheme. huge stockpiles of unsold rice rice pledging scheme.” ters yesterday. “I know that farmers are suf- and galvanised protests against Parties led by or aligned to “It’s extremely concerning fering but my government is do- her government that led to the Yingluck and her billionaire and unacceptable that repre- hailand’s junta chief has ing its best,” coup-leader turned 2014 coup. brother Thaksin Shinawatra, a sentatives of the democratically pleaded for trust in his premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha Since then, the junta has former premier ousted in an ear- elected government would use Trice policy, as a price said yesterday. tangled her in legal cases and lier coup, have won every general social media and bullying tactics slump deepens anguish among “I’m not forcing anyone to do blocked a political comeback. election since 2001. to suppress stories about impor- poor farmers fi ercely loyal to the anything or destroying the rice She faces a $1bn fi ne and up to tant issues like gender-based government he toppled. business, but if we keep doing 10 years in prison in a negligence violence in confl ict,” said Mac- Rice is Thailand’s staple dish things the old fashioned way we trial over the rice scheme, which Gregor. and one of its main agricultural will keep facing the same prob- prosecutors say was riddled with Zaw Htay, a former soldier and exports, but also carries im- lems,” he added. graft. holdover from the previous mil- mense political value as farm- He also hit out at political “PR But she retains the loyalty of itary-aligned administration, ers are the backbone of a pro- stunts” in an apparent reference rice farmers. said the government had noth- democracy movement that the to Yingluck who was greeted Yesterday Yingluck was ing to hide. junta has suppressed. yesterday by tearful farmers as swarmed by supporters, many “I’m really sorry to hear about A global oversupply has seen she toured the rural northeast – handing her rice stalks or 20 the sacking of the Myanmar rice prices tumble, hitting as Thailand’s top rice basket and baht notes, outside the Bangkok Times reporter,” he told Reuters. low as 5-6,000 baht ($142-171) her political heartland. court where her trial is being “Actually we didn’t make any per tonne, leaving many farmers With prices plummeting, held. personal attack on her, but just with big losses. some desperate farmers have “I am overwhelmed with highlighted she didn’t reach oth- This week the junta approved started selling sacks of rice on farmers’ golden hearts. Even er reliable sources and it led to a a rescue package of at least Facebook and Instagram. though they are seriously suf- one-sided news article based on $1.3bn in subsidies for farmers Yingluck’s fl agship rice- fering and don’t have money to unreliable sources.” who agree to delay selling their pledging policy saw her govern- spend ... they still came to off er The Myanmar Times did not crops to avoid a glut. ment buy paddy from farmers me moral support,” she told re- immediately respond to a re- Yingluck receives a symbolic gift of rice from supporters on her However, it is an awkward at nearly twice the market rate porters. quest for comment. arrival at the Supreme Court in Bangkok for a trial on criminal policy for a junta that has in an eff ort to drive up global However, she was coy on her Prayut: I know that farmers are The paper has not carried any negligence, looking into her role in a debt-ridden rice subsidy pursued toppled ex-premier prices. views on the junta’s rice policy, suff ering but my government is reports on the Rakhine crisis scheme during her administration. Yingluck Shinawatra through It cemented her popularity saying: “I will not go into detail, doing its best. since Monday. Phil Robertson, deputy di- rector of Human Rights Watch in Asia, said the case marked “a Jack Ma named digital economy new low” for the government. adviser to Malaysian government “Rather than trying to shut Syria-bound Malaysians arrested in Turkey down reports that it doesn’t like, Chinese businessman Jack Ma was named a digital economy the government should respect adviser to the Malaysian government yesterday, reports said. press freedom and permit jour- Reuters Khalid Abu Bakar said in a state- Muhammad Wanndy had bul, where they were arrested by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak made the nalists to do their jobs by inves- Kuala Lumpur ment that the two suspects, a claimed responsibility for a gre- Turkish authorities on October announcement during a visit to Beijing, Malaysian state news tigating what is really happening factory technician and a welder, nade attack on the outskirts of 28. agency Bernama reported. on the ground,” said Robertson. had been recruited by Muham- Kuala Lumpur in June and is- They were deported and ar- “Jack Ma has accepted our invitation ... he will advise us and tell us Suu Kyi’s government should wo Malaysians were ar- mad Wanndy Muhammad Jedi, a sued death threats against top rested by Malaysian police on how to put together the road, the path to the future,” said Najib, “assert civilian control over its rested by Turkish au- known Malaysian Islamic State Malaysian police and govern- October 30. according to a report in the New Straits Times. security forces”, Shawn Crispin, Tthorities on their way to member in Syria. ment offi cials. Muslim-majority Malay- “We will work at super speed to make this happen,” he added. CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia rep- Syria, where they were planning “Muhammad Wanndy co- Khalid said that the two Syr- sia has been on high alert since Earlier, the Alibaba executive chairman reportedly said he had a resentative, said in a statement. to join up with the Islamic State ordinated plans for the two sus- ia-bound suspects had man- IS-linked militants carried out “wonderful discussion” with Najib, adding: “I am very excited about “The best way to prove or dis- (IS) group, Malaysian police said pects to travel to Syria and con- aged to elude local authorities an armed attack in the capital what we’re going to do next year and in the years ahead.” prove allegations of rights abus- yesterday. tributed funds for their fl ight,” by boarding a train to Bangkok, of neighbouring Indonesia in Ma agreed to help launch Malaysia’s e-Free Trade Zone in March, es is to allow independent media Inspector General of Police Khalid said. Thailand, before fl ying to Istan- January. the New Straits Times report said. to probe the accusations.” Gulf Times Saturday, November 5, 2016 7 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA

China Internet authority ‘Hard to forgive myself’ formalises rules for for political crisis: Park industry Reuters Seoul

Reuters Beijing tearful and apologetic South Korean Presi- Adent Park Geun-hye said hinese Internet authori- yesterday that her “heart was ties have formalised con- breaking” over a political scan- Ctroversial rules regulat- dal that has engulfed her admin- ing the country’s fast-growing istration, pledging to co-operate live-streaming video industry, with prosecutors in their inves- in a move that strips out smaller tigation. competitors and places hardline Park has been rocked by an surveillance measures on lead- infl uence peddling scandal in- ing fi rms. volving an old friend, sending In an announcement posted her approval rating to just 5%, a on their website yesterday, the 12-percentage point drop from Cyberspace Administration last week and the lowest since Park: It is hard to forgive myself and sleep at night with feelings of of China grouped a handful of such polling began in 1988, ac- sorrow. earlier restrictions under a fi nal cording to a Gallup poll released 24-point regulation that will yesterday. cal opponents to resign. and her lawyer has said he ex- come into eff ect on December 1. In a brief televised address No South Korean president pects prosecutors to look into The rules require stream- to journalists, Park said that has ever failed to fi nish their whether she inappropriately re- ing services to log user data and prosecutors should clarify what fi ve-year term. ceived classifi ed documents and content for 60 days, and work happened and that everyone in- A group of civic organisations benefi ted unlawfully from two with regulators to provide in- volved should be held account- has planned a large street protest non-profi t organisations. formation on users who stream able, including herself, and take for this evening, demanding that “It is very miserable and re- A woman stands with a group of artists holding a placard reading ‘shame on censorship’ as they face content that the government responsibility if found guilty. Park step down. grettable that a particular in- off with police during an anti-government demonstration in central Seoul calling for the resignation of deems threatening to national “It is hard to forgive myself A former Park aide, Jeong dividual is said to have taken President Park. security or social order. and sleep at night with feelings Ho-seong, was arrested late on profi ts and committed several Both users and providers are of sorrow,” Park, 64, said, her Thursday on suspicion of leak- unlawful acts, while we are Park acknowledged careless- father was murdered by his dis- to a close adviser to the last tsar punishable under the regula- voice trembling. ing classifi ed information, a working on a job in hopes of ness in her ties with Choi, who gruntled spy chief. of Russia and the perceived in- tions. A prosecution offi cial declined prosecution offi cial told Reuters, helping the national economy Park has said helped her through Choi, who has been in custody fl uence over Park Geun-hye. The law also codifi es rules that to comment to Reuters when the second member of Park’s and people’s lives,” Park said, re- diffi cult times. since Monday, told South Ko- Choi Soon-sil has been por- ban online news broadcasting asked if Park would be subject former inner circle of advisers to ferring to Choi. “It is true that I lowered the rea’s Segye Ilbo newspaper last trayed in Korean media as hav- services from original report- to investigators’ questioning, be arrested this week. Park closed her remarks with wall of caution myself because week that she received drafts ing inherited her father’s in- ing, requiring them to identify which would be a fi rst for a sit- Prosecutors asked a court to a bow and walked towards a row she stood by me in the most dif- of Park’s speeches after Park’s fl uence over Park, while local sources and non-selectively re- ting South Korean president. grant an arrest warrant for an- of journalists and repeated her fi cult period in my life,” Park election victory but denied she media have also characterised produce state-sanctioned infor- The leader of the main oppo- other former adviser, An Chong- apology. said. “I’ve already cut all the had access to other offi cial ma- Choi Tae-min’s religious group mation. sition party said Park’s apology bum, on suspicion of abuse of She did not take questions. connections in my heart but terial, infl uenced state aff airs or as a cult and alleged that Park China’s live video streaming was insincere. power and attempted extortion, “I think she’ll manage to re- from now on will completely benefi ted fi nancially. held a shamanistic ritual at the industry has experienced boom- “The president should re- a prosecutor said, declining to gain a bit of sympathy from the break my private connections.” Choi’s late father, Choi Tae- presidential compound. ing growth in the past two years move her hands from state af- elaborate. people who used to like her, but Their friendship dates to an min, headed a now-defunct re- Park rejected those allega- as dozens of video and social fairs,” Choo Mi-ae, leader of the An has been under emergency the speech itself was not enough era when Park served as acting ligious sect and was also close tions. media sites scrambled to add the Democratic Party of Korea, said detention since Wednesday. to fi x the crisis at hand,” said fi rst lady after her mother was to Park during and after her fa- “There is even talk that I fell updated capabilities to their ex- in a statement, stopping short of Park’s long-time friend, Choi Kim Man-heum, head of the killed by an assassin’s bullet ther’s presidency. into a cult or I held a shamanis- isting services. demanding Park’s resignation. Soon-sil, 60, is alleged to have Korea Academy of Politics and intended for her father, then- A 2007 US diplomatic cable tic ritual at the Blue House,” she Credit Suisse Group analysts Park has faced growing pres- used her closeness to the presi- Leadership, a research organisa- president Park Chung-hee. described the senior Choi as the said. “I am saying clearly: none estimate the industry could top sure from the public and politi- dent to meddle in state aff airs, tion. Five years later, in 1979, Park’s “Korean Rasputin”, an allusion of this is true.” $5bn by the end of 2017, driven by cheap bandwidth and a grow- ing population of young mobile users. The industry’s exponential growth attracted increased scru- tiny from government authori- China wades into HK rebel ties in 2016. In April, Chinese authorities called on 20 of the country’s top fi rms to join a self-criticism co- alition, saying the industry was lawmaker oath controversy damaging China’s youth by pro- liferating content including por- nography, fraud and terrorism. AFP cil members must swear alle- makers advocating self-de- The judge for the case said he On June 1 companies includ- Hong Kong giance to the “Hong Kong Spe- termination or independence would hand down his judgment ing Baidu Incorporated, Sina cial Administrative Region of swept to victory. as soon as possible. Corporation, Sohu.com Incor- the People’s Republic of China”, They are yet to be sworn into “I believe the main reason is porated and Youku Tudou, ac- eijing is set to step into a the government said it had been the Legco, after their fi rst oath about the unity of the coun- knowledged new rules as part controversy over whether told by Beijing. attempt last month was de- try and territorial integrity,” of the group, including require- Btwo Hong Kong lawmak- Local media reports said Chi- clared invalid when they draped pro-establishment fi gure Maria ments for real-name authenti- ers who advocate a split from na’s National People’s Congress themselves in “Hong Kong is Tam, a member of the Basic Law cation. China should be banned from Standing Committee (NPCSC) not China” banners and altered Committee, told reporters in While the latest move places taking up their seats, authori- could issue an “interpretation” the wording of their pledges to China yesterday as explanation wide-reaching restrictions on ties in the special autonomous of Hong Kong’s constitution on include derogatory terms and of Beijing’s decision to examine the sites, it also signals an offi - region said yesterday. Monday in relation to the case. expletives. the Hong Kong law. cial sanctioning of the industry The announcement comes “The interpretation of the At Thursday’s court hearing, Tam said the NPCSC had and its top players by Chinese a day after a court hearing in NPCSC brings a lethal blow to government lawyer Benjamin asked for the Basic Law Com- offi cials. which Hong Kong authorities the legal system and the rule of Yu argued that Leung and Yau mittee’s view on the matter. Much like China’s earlier on- were seeking to disqualify Bag- law in Hong Kong,” lawmaker should not be allowed to take up The Legco descended into line video and music industries, gio Leung and Yau Wai-ching Leung told reporters after the their seats because they failed to chaos for the third consecutive the regulations put pressure on from the Legislative Council announcement. swear allegiance to Hong Kong week on Wednesday after Yau smaller competitors and bring (Legco) after they made invalid Leung also branded the leader as an “inalienable part of China” and Baggio tried to force their larger fi rms into line with regu- oaths, amid widespread fears of the city and the chairman of at the oath-taking ceremony way into the chamber to take lators, off ering more growth op- that China is tightening its grip the NPCSC “traitors to Hong three weeks ago. their oaths, having been tempo- portunities for a smaller number on the city. Kong”. But lawyers for Yau and Leung rarily barred pending the judi- of controllable companies. China’s top legislative body Yau and Leung won seats in said the Legco should be able to cial review. “One of the things the govern- will at its next meeting discuss city-wide polls last month, in make an independent decision Six security staff were injured ment always wants to do is nar- Yau and Leung. the law which states that coun- which a number of new law- about their oath. during the clashes. row the playing fi eld to a smaller number of higher profi le known entities, ideally ones that have a Two arrested over better track record of cooperat- ing with the government,” says Sydney wildfire Mark Natkin of Marbridge Con- HK killer ‘needed cocaine boost’ for courage for acts sulting. “In the long run it’s ac- Police in Sydney, Australia, tually relatively benefi cial to the arrested two people yesterday as large companies.” Reuters rise apartment in a case that citing one of Jutting’s self- Jutting, the grandson of a should be defi ned in legal terms more than 300 firefighters and In May the government Hong Kong has received widespread inter- made videos. British police offi cer in Hong ... this is a court of law, not a water-bombing aircraft battled handed down 588 licences for national attention. The prosecution said on Kong and an ethnic Chinese court of morals.” a wildfire that was destroying prominent media outlets and The prosecution has stated Wednesday that Jutting act- woman, was a former vice- Murder carries a manda- property in the city’s west, live-streaming sites, eff ectively rosecution and defence the former Cambridge Univer- ed rationally before and after president and head of Struc- tory life sentence, while man- authorities said. banning all unapproved services. lawyers used their clos- sity graduate was able to form the killings and had even tel- tured Equity Finance and Trad- slaughter carries a maximum of At least one home had been Ping arguments yesterday judgements and exercise self- ephoned his mother. ing (Asia) at Bank of America. life though a shorter sentence destroyed and several residential to try to convince a Hong Kong control, describing when he Jutting captured parts of The bank declined to com- can be set. properties, two schools and a Japan mourns jury of the extent British banker cut Ningsih’s neck as she knelt his torture of Ningsih on his ment. Owen detailed Jutting’s nursing home were evacuated in Rurik Jutting was in control of by the toilet bowl and later iPhone. The defence has argued that stressful working life describ- the suburb of Cranebrook, 65km prince Mikasa his actions when he tortured, dragged her to the shower to He also shot hours of himself Jutting’s recognised disorders ing the start of a negative spiral west of Sydney’s central business raped and killed two Indonesian fi nish sawing her neck. discussing the killings, cocaine from cocaine and alcohol abuse after a complex tax product in district, New South Wales police Japan held a funeral ceremony women. “He needed the boost of co- binges and detailed his violent on top of other personality dis- Luxembourg Jutting worked on said. yesterday for prince Mikasa, an Jutting, 31, a former Bank of caine to give him the courage sexual fantasies. orders of sexual sadism and in 2012 which fl agged him as “Right now we’re just trying to uncle of Emperor Akihito, at a America Corp employee, has to rape, torture and ultimately The footage has been shown narcissism impaired his ability “representing serious risk” to save as much as we can and halt cemetery for the imperial family denied murder in the 2014 kill- kill,” prosecution lawyer John to the jury during the two-week to control his behaviour. Bank of America. the progress of this fire,” the in Tokyo with nearly 600 people ings of Sumarti Ningsih, 23, Reading said, explaining that trial while the court has been Defence lawyer Tim Owen He explained how Jutting was Deputy Commissioner of Rural attending the event. and Seneng Mujiasih, 26, on the despite Jutting’s disorders his packed with reporters due Jut- said Jutting was not “asking for involved in a “battle of wills” Fire Services Rob Rogers told The state funeral comes eight grounds of diminished respon- “mental responsibility was not ting’s profi le and the nature of sympathy” and acknowledged with the auditor and was asked reporters. days after the death of the prince sibility. substantially impaired”. the killings in a city where such that he intended to kill both by his boss to “calm down, have A 21-year-old man and a 17-year- at age 100, who served as an He has pleaded guilty to the Reading detailed Jutting’s crime is rare. victims. a quiet year and was pushed to old boy were arrested and off icer during World War II. lesser charge of manslaughter. plan to torture Mujiasih, his Sitting in a sectioned-off However, he argued that a diff erent part of the business” helping with inquiries, police said He was the youngest brother of The judge is expected to sum buying of items including a area in the court, Jutting, who manslaughter and diminished before being sent to Hong Kong in a statement, adding there had late emperor Hirohito, the current up the case on Monday and a hammer and pliers from a hard- has an IQ in the top 1% of the responsibility applied because in 2013. been no reported injuries. emperor’s father. verdict is expected the follow- ware store, and his hiding of population according to the de- he was not able to make rational “That kind of setback of his Fire service authorities issued The emperor and Empress ing day. two knives. fence, watched the arguments decisions. brilliance, of his destiny, is an emergency warning Michiko did not attend the The prosecution told the “Let’s be clear about these, I with a blank expression. “Not all killings are the something he couldn’t handle for Cranebrook, as well as ceremony in line with custom, but court that Jutting needed the am going to use these to torture He has attended the trial eve- same,” Owen told the jury. “I and was the start of what be- neighbouring Llandilo and other members of the imperial “boost” of cocaine to commit someone in the most inhumane ry day, escorted by three police am asking you to do no more came a very, very serious and Londonderry areas in western family did. the crimes in his luxury high- way possible,” Reading said, offi cers. than ask you how his actions rapid decline.” Sydney. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, November 5, 2016 BRITAIN

LAW AND ORDER OFFBEAT FINDINGS PEOPLE VERDICT Police issue arrest warning Woman takes two buckets Yard ‘should have ended Baroness denies Bag thief who ignored to masked marchers sweets left by pensioner child abuse probe sooner’ makeover ‘extravagance’ travel ban jailed

Police have warned that “masked criminals seeking A pensioner who hoped to give away leftover Scotland Yard spent too long investigating claims Baroness Scotland yesterday denied claims of A thief who stole handbags, purses, and phones to run amok” during the Million Mask March will Halloween sweets to local children was surprised that VIPs and establishment figures sexually “extravagance” amid an outcry over the six- from women across London was branded a be arrested if the protest turns violent. Thousands to watch a woman walk up and take the lot. abused and killed children, a report has concluded. figure makeover she has given her grace-and- “nuisance” by a judge as he was jailed for 14 of mask-wearing supporters of Anonymous, Michael Rutter, 71, had 20 bags of confectionery Operation Midland should have been wound up favour home. The Commonwealth secretary- months. Peter Dallip, 55, flouted a ban on him the anarchic hacking collective, are expected to to spare after buying them for trick-or-treaters sooner when inconsistencies emerged in the general was hitting back at claims she had travelling on public transport in the capital as he descend on central London today. Almost 20,000 and decided to put them outside his home in account of the main witness, according to the spent up to £450,000 of taxpayers’ money dipped into bags on buses and Tubes and swiped people have posted on Facebook that they will two buckets. He left them with handmade signs report. The witness, known only as Nick, made refurbishing her off icial residence in Mayfair. handbags during an eight-month crime spree. He attend the event. Police have imposed restrictions reading: “Help yourself to a bag of sweets.” But accusations of abuse against politicians and senior But she put the maximum cost of the work at took a phone from a woman’s bag last December on the march, limiting protesters to a route when they all disappeared within moments, he figures including former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, £330,000, adding: “We are just getting the final as she boarded a bus in Bromley, stole others in between Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square. checked footage on a security camera to see what former home secretary Leon Brittan, former figure now. I can say there are no chandeliers, February on buses in Pimlico and stole a phone More than 2,000 off icers will be on duty for the had happened. The footage shows a woman pull head of the Army Lord Bramall and Sir Edward there are no marble fireplaces – none of those from a woman on a bus in Brixton the same month. event which saw 50 arrests last year. The annual up in her car and take all the sweets. He said the Heath, the former prime minister. Scotland Yard things which are alleged has been spent at all. I Dallip also spent £300 on bank cards after stealing anti-capitalist protest is one of many marches held woman later knocked on his door to apologise, conducted a 16-month inquiry but found there was said, and I was really clear about this, there had them on the Tube and using contactless payments worldwide on November 5. saying she had taken the sweets for her children. insuff icient evidence to arrest anyone. to be no extravagance whatsoever.” in shops in January and February this year.

Work on Duchess visits women’s centre Clyde May moves to frigates to begin in summer reassure EU

Guardian News and Media London over Brexit ichael Fallon, the de- fence secretary, has Mannounced that work on the Clyde to build a new gen- eration of warships will start next summer after months of delay. He visited BAe Systems’ ship- court ruling yard at Govan yesterday to con- fi rm that cutting steel for the fi rst Reuters The end of March remains the ter 52% of voters supported leav- of eight Type 26 global combat London target for the government.” ing the EU at a referendum which ships will begin in summer 2017, The spokesman declined to deepened splits in the country and guaranteeing a 20-year long pro- comment on whether the govern- gave voice to resentment – mir- gramme for the yard. rime Minister Theresa May ment was now drafting contingen- rored across western Europe and In a statement, Fallon said: told European Union leaders cy plans for a possible failure in the the US – with a ruling elite seen as “The government’s commitment Pyesterday she is confi dent a Supreme Court, a move that would out of touch. will secure hundreds of high- court ruling that could delay Brit- allow parliament to delay any Some lawmakers who had skilled shipbuilding jobs on the ain’s departure from the bloc will move to start the divorce process. backed staying in the bloc were Clyde for at least two decades be overturned, and that she can “What is important here is that criticised on social media, accused and hundreds more in the supply stick to her Brexit timetable. we had a referendum, there was an of trying to stop Brexit. “Tolerance chain across Britain.” A spokesman said May had told overwhelming result in favour of must win over hate and scaremon- His announcement follows German Chancellor Angela Merkel leaving the European Union and gering. I’m not alone in standing heated disputes over the future of and European Commission Presi- that is what the government must up for the 48% who also have the the frigate contract after defence dent Jean-Claude Juncker she do,” he said. right to be heard and listened to,” trade unions and Scottish politi- believed her case that the govern- Parliament is unlikely to defy said Anna Soubry, a pro-EU law- cal leaders complained about long ment, not parliament, should be the referendum vote by blocking maker from May’s ruling Conserv- delays and cuts in the size of the responsible for triggering Article Brexit, but if – as one aide said was ative Party. programme. The multi-billion 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty and the logical conclusion of the court May had wanted to move on pound project was a major bar- start the divorce would win in the ruling – she is forced to draft legis- Brexit as quickly as possible – keen gaining chip in the 2014 inde- country’s highest court. lation for both houses to consider, to show that although she cam- pendence referendum. The anti- May is determined to carry her March deadline looks tight, paigned quietly for Britain to re- independence campaign warned out what she calls “the will of the several lawmakers said. main in the EU she would “deliver” it would be lost, in eff ect ending people” and deliver Brexit, but a That could force her to call an on the referendum. shipbuilding on the Clyde and High Court ruling on Thursday early election, they said, a move There was clear frustration closing one of the city’s largest that parliament must approve the her aides have repeatedly rejected. among her aides that the court employers, if Scotland left the UK. process raised doubts over wheth- Bookmakers odds on an election had put a question mark over a David Cameron, the then er she can trigger Article 50 by the next year were cut after the court schedule May has been outlining prime minister, said the contract end of March as planned. decision but 2020 was still the fa- to EU leaders for weeks after some, was evidence of a valuable union It also prompted suggestions of vourite date. especially French President Fran- dividend, with thousands of Scot- an early election. The court ruling has spurred cois Hollande, called for Britain to tish jobs secured by UK military Her focus on ensuring govern- hope among investors and pro- move quickly. spending. The government prom- ment has the right to invoke Arti- EU lawmakers that parliament Her tough stance seemed be- ised a programme of 13 vessels, cle 50 has incensed some lawmak- will now be able to put pressure hind a decision by Conservative with work due to start this year. ers, and yesterday, a member of on May’s government – which lawmaker Stephen Phillips, who In the event, Glasgow still voted her ruling Conservative Party said has three high profi le eurosceptic backed Britain leaving the EU but yes to independence and the con- he had resigned over “irreconcil- ministers in key roles – to soften wants parliament to have a say, to tinuing delays and uncertainties able policy diff erences” with May. any plans for a “hard Brexit”, or a quit her party. over the Type 26 contract has “The focus of the government is clean break with the EU’s lucrative “It has become clear to me over continued to fuel complaints from on the Supreme Court case, win- single market. the last few months that my grow- nationalists and Yes campaigners. ning that case and proceeding with But it has enraged pro-Brexit ing and very signifi cant policy With a second independence Article 50,” May’s spokesman told campaigners and Britain’s euro- diff erences with the current gov- referendum again high on the reporters. “Clearly we are disap- sceptic newspapers, with the Daily ernment mean that I am unable agenda after Scottish voters opted pointed by Thursday’s decision, Mail calling the three judges who properly to represent the people to remain in the EU, David Mun- we’d rather not be in this position handed down the ruling ‘Enemies who elected me,” he said in a state- dell, the Scottish secretary, said Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leaves after visiting the Nelson Trust Women’s Centre in but we are, so...the key is our com- of the people’. ment. the contract was proof of the mer- Gloucester, Britain, yesterday. The visit was part of her work on addiction and mental health. mitment to triggering Article 50 The ruling is stirring passions in “This decision has been a dif- its of staying in the UK. no later. Britain just over four months af- fi cult one.” Extra 120 armed police to Photo call Rowling book ‘set to fetch £500,000 at sale’ protect VIPs from terror Guardian News and Media in a white Jiff y envelope. Inside London was a cloth-wrapped, leather- bound manuscript covered in London Evening Standard changes in government which manufacturer’s website as having semi-precious stones and fea- London have aff ected key roles such as that found “worldwide acclaim with handwritten copy of J K turing a silver mounted skull. A of the home secretary and prime both private and public security Rowling’s story collec- note from Rowling in the front minister. agencies”. Ation The Tales of Beedle of the edition reads: “To Barry, cotland Yard is recruiting A drive to recruit more close The weapon is described as be- the Bard, which she made for the man who thought an over- an extra 120 armed offi cers protection offi cers from regional ing smaller than a conventional the publisher who fi rst accepted long novel about a boy wizard in Sto protect the royal family, forces was launched earlier this service pistol and ideal as a “con- Harry Potter for publication, is glasses might just sell … THANK government ministers and high- year with the Met saying: “Right cealed carry or as a back-up weap- set to fetch up to £500,000 when YOU.” profi le fi gures, it has emerged. now, the threat to national secu- on”. The prime minister and key it is auctioned next month. The Tales of Beedle the Bard The offi cers will also be em- rity – and high-profi le fi gures – is government ministers are always Rowling handwrote and illus- play a crucial role in Harry Pot- ployed to provide close protec- greater than ever.” fl anked by a team of close protec- trated six copies of her collec- ter and the Deathly Hallows, the tion to visiting heads of state and The job advert states: “It’s a tion offi cers, trained in rearms fi tion of fairytales set in the Harry fi nal novel in Rowling’s fantasy foreign VIPs amid the heightened varied and rewarding role, where use and advanced driving tech- Potter universe, giving them as series. A copy is left to Hermione terror threat. you’re trusted to protect the niques. presents to “those most closely Granger by Albus Dumbledore, Police say the extra offi cers will world’s most powerful and infl u- The Royalty and Special- connected to the Harry Potter and contains clues used by the be deployed to the Royalty and ential people, both nationally and ist Protection Command was books”. A seventh copy, which friends in their quest to destroy Specialist Protection Command. overseas. As part of this key Met formed in 2015 with the merger Rowling made to raise money for Voldemort. The number is in addition to the Police specialist team, you won’t of the Royalty Protection Com- her charity Lumos, was sold at “The personal resonance of 600 extra armed offi cers being just be safeguarding London – you mand and the Specialist Protec- auction by Sotheby’s in 2007 for this book makes this both an ex- recruited and trained to bolster could be protecting lives.” tion Command following the £1.95mn. ceptional and highly desirable London’s ability to respond to a The job vacancy says: “Your Plebgate scandal. The manuscript, which object to come to auction,” said marauding fi rearms attack. main task is to provide armed close London Assembly Green Party Sotheby’s will auction in Lon- Dr Philip W Errington, director Met commissioner Sir Bernard protection to members of the royal member Sian Berry questioned don on December 13 with a guide of Sotheby’s books and manu- Hogan-Howe told the Standard: family, senior government minis- why the Met had not announced price of between £300,000 scripts department, “It is partic- “We found there were more in- ters, and visiting foreign dignitar- the extra 120 offi cers. She said: and £500,000, was made for ularly special as it is only one of dividuals to protect. Our offi cers ies. Identifying potential threats “Any increase should be transpar- publisher Barry Cunningham, six made for those closest to the were working incredibly hard and and ways to minimise risks and ent and offi cially announced so who signed up Harry Potter author throughout the journey of the list of people being protected vulnerabilities.” Londoners are properly informed. and the Philosopher’s Stone for creating the Harry Potter series, has grown.” Armed protection offi cers are The assembly shouldn’t have to Actress Lily James poses for photographers during a Bloomsbury. gifted to the man who recognised One reason for the increase in trained in the use of a range of fi nd out about extra armed offi c- Christmas photo call outside Harrods department store Cunningham was sent the the brilliance of J K Rowling’s demand for close protection of- weapons, including the Glock 19 ers by spotting discrepancies in in London. manuscript of The Tales of Beedle writing and her potential impact fi cers is thought to be the recent pistol, which is described on the numbers.” the Bard on December 12, 2007, on children’s literature.” Gulf Times Saturday, November 5, 2016 9 EUROPE

Smoking a pack a day causes 150 mutations in every lung cell: scientists

By Kate Kelland, Reuters the DNA of cancerous tumours. until now scientists were not tumours, comparing cancers tions in each cell in the larynx, London The highest mutation rates clear on the mechanisms behind from smokers with those from 39 mutations for the pharynx, 23 were seen in lung cancers, but tu- many of them. people who had never smoked. for the mouth, 18 for the bladder, mours in other parts of the body Ludmil Alexandrov of Los It found certain molecular and six mutations in every cell of cientists have found that – including the bladder, liver and Alamos National Laboratory in fi ngerprints of DNA damage – the liver each year. smoking a pack a day of throat – also had smoking-asso- the United States, one of those called mutational signatures Mike Stratton, who co-led the Scigarettes can cause 150 ciated mutations, they said. who carried out the research, ex- – in the smokers’ DNA, and the work at Britain’s Wellcome Trust damaging changes to a smoker’s This explains why smoking plained that in particular, it had scientists counted how many of Sanger Institute, said it was a bit lung cells each year. also causes many other types of until now been diffi cult to ex- these were in diff erent tumours. like digging in to the archaeology The fi ndings come from a cancer beside lung cancer. plain how smoking increases the In lung cells, they found that of each tumour study of the devastating genetic Smoking kills 6mn people risk of cancer in parts of the body on average, smoking a pack of “The genome of every cancer damage, or mutations, caused by a year worldwide and, if cur- that don’t come into direct con- cigarettes a day led to 150 muta- provides a kind of archaeologi- smoking in various organs in the rent trends continue, the World tact with smoke. tions in each cell every year. cal record, written in the DNA body. Health Organisation (WHO) “Before now, we had a large Each mutation is a potential code itself, of the exposures that Publishing in the journal Sci- predicts more than 1bn tobacco- body of epidemiological evidence start point for a “cascade of ge- caused the mutations,” he said. ence on Thursday, the research- related deaths this century. linking smoking with cancer, but netic damage” that can eventu- “Looking in the DNA of cancers ers said the fi ndings show a di- Cancer is caused by mutations now we can actually observe and ally lead to cancer, they said. can provide provocative new rect link between the number of in the DNA of a cell. quantify the molecular changes The results also showed that clues to how (they) develop and School students stand around an ashtray on the pavement outside cigarettes smoked in a lifetime Smoking has been linked with in the DNA,” he said. a smoking a pack of cigarettes a thus, potentially, how they can their school in Nice, France. and the number of mutations in at least 17 types of cancer, but This study analysed over 5,000 day led to an average 97 muta- be prevented.”

PM Rajoy forms new govt Deadly car blast

AFP Madrid

pain’s leader Mariano Ra- following arrest joy, who kicks off a second Sterm after months of po- litical paralysis, formed a new cabinet on Thursday that looks set to maintain controversial economic reforms and cement Turkish police off icers detain Sabahat Tuncel, former HDP member EU ties. of parliament, at Diyarbakir courthouse during a demonstration At the helm of a minority of Kurdish MPs yesterday. conservative government with little parliamentary support, Reuters the southeastern city of Diya- Rajoy faces a daunting task as Diyarbakir rbakir where some of the law- Spain grapples with separatism makers were being held. in Catalonia, seeks to consoli- The HDP, which made history date its economic recovery and urkish authorities arrest- last year by becoming the fi rst reduce its defi cit under EU scru- ed the leaders of the main Kurdish party to win 10% of the tiny. Tpro-Kurdish opposition vote and enter parliament, said Foreign Minister Jose Manuel party in a terrorism investiga- that the detentions risked trig- Garcia-Margallo, a stalwart of tion yesterday. gering civil war. Rajoy’s Popular Party (PP), left Selahattin Demirtas and Fi- In a video message on a web- government and was replaced gen Yuksekdag, co-leaders of site close to the PKK, one of the by Alfonso Dastis, 61, until now the Peoples’ Democratic Party militant group’s top command- Spain’s permanent representa- (HDP), were jailed pending trial ers, Murat Karayilan, said the tive to the European Union. after being held in overnight group would intensify its three- An experienced diplomat, raids, offi cials said. decade old armed struggle and Dastis was already in Brussels Ten other HDP lawmakers called on Kurds, the country’s in 2012 when the EU decided to were also detained, although largest minority, to react. rescue Spain’s fi nancial sector some were later released. Access was restricted to social at the height of the crisis, thus The United States expressed media including Twitter, What- avoiding a full sovereign debt concern, while Germany and sApp, YouTube and Facebook bailout. Denmark summoned Turkish and a ban imposed on media In a move likely to reassure diplomats over the Kurdish de- coverage of the car bomb. the markets, Economy Minister tentions, and European Parlia- Asked about the measures, Luis de Guindos remained in his ment President Martin Schulz Yildirim said that access would post, according to a government said the actions “call into ques- return to normal “once the dan- statement. tion the basis for the sustainable ger is removed”. The 56-year-old helped lift relationship between the EU and US State Department spokes- the country out of the economic Turkey”. man John Kirby said: “The United crisis with sweeping spending Turkish Prime Minister Binali States is deeply concerned by the cuts that met with criticism and Yildirim told reporters: “Turkey Turkish government’s detentions of People run on a street near the explosion site in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir. mass protests. is a nation of laws, nobody has opposition members of parliament He has stressed that more ef- preferential treatment before ... and by government restrictions justify gagging opponents. with the PKK, deemed a terror- against default hit its highest in street of the HDP headquarters. forts will be required to reduce the law ... what’s been done is on Internet access today.” Turkish Foreign Minister ist organisation by the United over a month. A group of protesters chanting Spain’s defi cit as required by within the rule of law.” He also condemned yester- Mevlut Cavusoglu accused EU States and European Union as “I will not hesitate to be held slogans tried to reach the party Brussels. The HDP lawmakers were ar- day’s bombing and urged the member states of supporting the well as Turkey. accountable in front of a fair offi ces, but were stopped by po- Labour Minister Fatima Ban- rested after they refused to give PKK to “cease its senseless bru- PKK and dismissed the bloc’s President Recep Tayyip Erdog- and impartial judiciary. There lice before they could enter the ez, who oversaw the implemen- testimony in a probe linked to tal attacks”. criticism as “unacceptable”. an and the ruling AK Party accuse is nothing I cannot answer for,” street, a Reuters witness said. tation of much-criticised labour “terrorist propaganda”. European Union foreign policy Turkey began negotiations the HDP of links to the PKK. the arrested Demirtas said in The HDP is the third-largest reforms, remains in her post. “Politics can’t be a shield for chief Federica Mogherini raised to join the EU in 2005, but has The HDP denies direct links a statement to the prosecutor, party in the 550-seat Turkish The PP credits the reforms for committing crimes,” Yildirim her concerns in a telephone call made glacial progress, and there and says it is working for a which was shared by HDP law- parliament, with 59 seats. helping reduce unemployment, said. with Turkey’s foreign and EU af- is no prospect of it joining any- peaceful resolution of the Kurd- maker Besime Konca. Parliamentarians in Turkey which came close to 27% in 2013 Hours after the detentions, a fairs ministers late yesterday. time soon. ish confl ict. Police also raided and normally enjoy immunity from and now stands at 18.9% – still car bomb planted by suspected German Foreign Minister Southeastern Turkey has been The lira hit a new low against searched HDP’s head offi ce in prosecution, but the immunity the second highest rate in the Kurdish PKK militants killed Frank-Walter Steinmeier said rocked by political turmoil and the dollar of 3.14 after the ar- central Ankara. of many lawmakers, including European Union after Greece. nine people and wounded more Ankara had a right to fi ght ter- violence for more than a year rests, while the cost of insur- Police cars and armed vehicles HDP deputies, was lifted earlier The reforms reduced the than 100 near a police station in rorism but could not use it to after the collapse of a ceasefi re ing Turkish government debt had closed the entrances to the this year. amount of compensation com- panies must pay workers they fi re and created a new open- ended contract with a one-year trial period. But the opposition says most After Calais, France clears Paris migrant camp Jewel heist of the jobs created are temporary and unstable. “We have opted for continuity AFP issue. Their conditions were were torn down last week, kingpin on the economic team ... a team Paris disgraceful, unbearable,” Prime which coincided with an in- that was crucial in reversing the Minister Manuel Valls told re- crease in the numbers of people economic situation that Spain porters yesterday. sleeping rough in the capital. sent to jail was going through fi ve years undreds of French po- Interior Minister Bernard Plans to house migrants in ago,” Rafael Hernando, parlia- lice cleared a huge mi- Cazeneuve said there was now public buildings across the mentary spokesman for the PP, Hgrant camp in northeast “no humanitarian problem in country, including in rural ar- AFP told reporters. Paris yesterday in a fresh sign Calais and there isn’t one either eas, has created unease and re- Bucharest Altogether, six new ministers of the government’s determi- in Paris”. sistance from some local may- make their appearance in Rajoy’s nation to take refugees off the While some activists wel- ors. government, with the foreign, streets and into shelters. come the fresh political will to Many migrants, particularly court in Romania on interior and defence portfolios The evacuation of 3,800 tackle a long-standing prob- those bussed to far-fl ung loca- Thursday jailed for all changing hands. people from the Stalingrad area lem, they stress that France has tions, have simply left and re- A24 years the head of a As foreign minister, Garcia- of the city came less than two been slow to react to a crisis turned to Paris or gone back to 100-strong gang of jewel thieves Margallo had sparked regular weeks after the demolition of that has grown in intensity over the north coast to resume their who amassed millions robbing spats with Gibraltar due to his the notorious “Jungle” camp in the last two years. eff orts to slip into Britain, ac- stores across Europe. vocal desire to see the Brit- the northern port city of Calais. It has lagged behind other tivists say. Adrian Botez, 38, nicknamed ish overseas territory returned Starting at dawn, police ar- countries, Germany in particu- A bulldozer removes tents after an evacuation of a makeshift Europe is facing its biggest the “Supreme Commander”, ran to Spain, and it is unclear how rived to wake people sleeping lar, in providing appropriate camp near Stalingrad metro station in Paris. migrant crisis since World War a military-style crooks’ “acad- much his successor will focus on in tents or on mattresses under lodgings for refugees to seek II. emy” with strict rules and rig- the ongoing sovereignty row. an overhead metro line, 15 min- safety. In Stalingrad, the arrival of repressive African state of Eri- More than 1.5mn people have orous training that planned its Interior Minister Jorge Fern- utes’ walk from Gare du Nord “Our worry is always the the fi rst bus before dawn yes- trea. crossed the Mediterranean robberies meticulously. andez Diaz, who had been criti- railway station. same: that the facilities in the terday was greeted with cheers The clearance, which fi n- since 2014 to escape wars or They would be in and out of cised over a new public security The area around Stalingrad, shelters are absolutely not the from a crowd of hundreds of ished around lunchtime when poverty in the Middle East, Af- the stores in less than 60 sec- law that slaps hefty fi nes on un- a gritty multi-ethnic part of same standard,” local activist Afghans who had gathered, the last bus left, came after rica and South Asia. onds, had no mobile phones and authorised protests, is replaced the capital, is a magnet for mi- Valerie Osouf told AFP, criti- bags packed, to take it. authorities dismantled Calais’ France has welcomed a frac- had to sign a loyalty agreement by Juan Ignacio Zoido, former grants and police have repeat- cising the dirty and costly ho- “I don’t know where we are Jungle camp and dispersed its tion of the number of asylum- giving the names and addresses mayor of the southern city of edly cleared camps there, only tel rooms being used in some going,” said 28-year-old Kha- 7,000 inhabitants around the seekers who have headed to of relatives. Seville. for them to spring back up days cases. lid. “The important thing for country. Germany, which registered The gang amassed around Meanwhile Maria Dolores de later. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo me is to have my papers. I have The squalid settlement, 890,000 refugees last year. €8.5mn in Britain, France, Ger- Cospedal, until now secretary But six months before elec- has announced the creation of been here in a tent for a month, home to up to 10,000 at its France received 73,500 new many, Italy and elsewhere. general of the PP, takes up the tions, Socialist President Fran- the city’s fi rst refugee transit it’s good to leave.” height, had served for years as a requests in 2015, up 24%, ac- Botez was convicted for his defence portfolio. cois Hollande has said he is camp, which will have initial Most of the people in the jumping-off point for migrants cording to interior ministry role in 24 robberies by the Bu- Rajoy’s Deputy Prime Minis- determined to take refugees capacity for 400 men. camp, which included hun- attempting to stow away on fi gures. charest appeals court, which re- ter Soraya Saenz de Santamaria off the streets and that France It is set to open this month dreds of women and children, trucks and trains crossing the The authorities have forecast duced his earlier sentence of 30 remains in her post, and also be- needs to off er a better welcome. in a disused railway yard in the were from war-wracked Af- Channel to Britain. 100,000 new asylum requests years behind bars from a previ- comes minister for the regions. “We’ve got to grips with this north of the capital. ghanistan and Sudan or the The last shelters and shacks this year. ous trial in May. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, November 5, 2016 INDIA

DECISION PEOPLE DECISION INQUIRY WILDLIFE Schools shut today as Jayalalithaa has fully Kerala CPI-M suspends Probe teams ‘get vital Leopard burnt alive after Delhi chokes on pollution recovered, say doctors councillor accused of rape leads’ in Malappuram blast eight-year-old girl killed

Some 1,800 primary schools in New Delhi were Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has The Communist Party of India (Marxist) The National Investigation Agency and the A leopard was burnt to death by angry ordered to shut down today as the capital recovered fully after 43 days in hospital, the yesterday suspended P N Jayanthan, a party Kerala Police teams probing the November 1 villagers soon after it killed a girl in Gujarat, grapples with some of the worst pollution Apollo Hospitals announced yesterday. “She is municipal councillor, and another party worker Malappuram Collectorate bomb blast, have got a news report said yesterday. The eight-year- in recent years. The decision would aff ect very satisfied. She is completely recovered and after a woman accused the two of raping her. K vital leads in the case, according to sources. A old girl, Nikita Vasava, was attacked by the 900,000 children studying at schools run by the understands what is going around her,” Pratap Radhakrishnan, a former assembly Speaker and team of NIA off icials yesterday located a four- leopard near her home in a village in Surat municipality in a city which has been enveloped C Reddy, chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said. presently the Thrissur district secretary of the wheeler parked in the compound of a religious district on Tuesday, following which forest by a thick smog since last weekend’s Diwali He added that it was up to Jayalalithaa to decide CPI-M, made the announcement after a series institution at Taliparambu, near Kannur which staff trapped and caged the cat, the online festival celebrations. “It has been decided to when to return home. “The most important part of party meetings. “Following a preliminary they believe was used by those behind the blast. edition of the Times of India daily reported. keep the municipal schools shut today because of the treatment is over.” The 68-year-old All probe by the party, it has come to light that The bomb, kept in a pressure cooker, was placed Furious over the girl’s killing, a group of of smog in Delhi,” a spokesman for the Municipal India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader there was some financial dealings between beside the vehicle of a state government off icial angry villagers on Wednesday doused the Corporation of Delhi, said. “The schools will was admitted to Apollo Hospitals with fever and Jayanthan and the woman and there has been who had come for a meeting at the district cage with petrol and set the animal on fire, operate as normal from Monday.” The crisis dehydration on September 22. Doctors later no findings of any misbehaviour. However, a collectorate off ice. There were no casualties in the report said. The forest department began in the aftermath of the celebrations last said she needed a longer stay at the hospital as detailed probe is already on by the police and the incident. The probe team found the pressure had lodged a police complaint against the Sunday for Diwali when millions of firecrackers she had infection and was put on respiratory the party also will further look into it,” said cooker was manufactured in Chennai and had villagers and an investigation had been were set off , leaving the city blanketed in smog. support. Radhakrishnan. no sales outlets in Malappuram. launched. Gandhi’s Delhi building collapse kills woman grandson battles death in penury

IANS other as they had no place of their Surat own here. They lived for short spells in ashrams or inns, and at one point were compelled to anu Ramdas Gandhi, whose spend six months in New Delhi’s picture holding his grand- Guru Vishram Vruddha Ashram,” Kfather Mahatma Gandhi’s Badhia said. stick on the beaches of Gujarat’s That experience was harrowing Dandi village during the historic as the ashram, meant for mentally Salt Satyagraha of March-April ill senior citizens, was located in 1930, has been etched in public an unsafe locality, and the Gandhis memory for over eight decades had to hire private armed security and even immortalised in me- guards. morials on the Salt Satyagraha at Then a minister got in touch Mumbai’s Juhu Beach and several with Kanu and he even spoke to other parts of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, today, the 87-year- “Modi was most sympathetic old Kanu, an ex-Nasa (National and even assured help. But till Fire department off icials along with local residents look at the debris of a residential building that collapsed in the old quarters of New Delhi yesterday. At least one woman Aeronautics and Space Adminis- date, we have not heard from ei- lost her life and another was carried out alive by rescuers after the building collapse. tration) scientist, lies critical in a ther his offi ce or the Gujarat gov- charitable hospital here, with little ernment,” said Badhia, adding that monetary resources and virtually no Gujarat leader or ministers have nobody to care for him. visited or enquired about Kanu. Ahmedabad-based Dhimant The turning point came on his Badhia, an old friend and grand- arrival in Surat on October 22 when son of a close associate of Mahat- he suff ered a cardiac arrest and a ma Gandhi, is arranging for small severe stroke which left half his monetary help for the ailing Kanu, body paralysed. Since then, Kanu and recently donated Rs 21,000 remains in coma and on life-sup- ($315) from his personal resources. port systems, with Shivalaxmi and Government ban on “The Radhakrishna Temple is an aide Rakesh, deployed by the rendering a great service. They got temple authorities, beside him. him admitted to the Shiv Jyoti Hos- “I cannot travel frequently pital nearby and are taking care of from Ahmedabad to Surat due to his 90-year old wife, Shivalaxmi old age. An ashram aide, Rakesh, Kanu Gandhi, who is practically is deployed round-the-clock to deaf and suff ers from other old age- look after Kanu, while the temple NDTV sparks uproar related problems,” Badhia revealed. authorities care for Shivalaxmi,” The going has not been good Badhia said. IANS night of November 9 for allegedly press was fettered, it is extraor- tion and broadcasting ministry. Congress Vice President Rahul for the elderly childless Gandhi Fortunately, Kanu’s very aged New Delhi breaching broadcast norms in its dinary that NDTV is being pro- The Editors Guild said it was Gandhi, RJD leader Lalu Pras- couple since their return after a sister - Usha Gokani from Mum- coverage of the January 2 terror ceeded against in this manner,” an “unprecedented decision” ad and Delhi and West Bengal four-decade-long stay in the US bai - regularly enquires after his attack on the IAF base in Punjab. the NDTV said. that violated the freedom of the Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal in 2014, including Kanu’s career of health and another Bangalore- ournalists and major oppo- The NDTV in a statement The channel has the option to media and therefore of the citi- and Mamata Banerjee also con- over 25 years with Nasa. based sister, Sumitra Kulkarni, a sition politicians yesterday strongly refuted the charges and appeal the order before a tribunal. zens of India. demned the “unprecedented” Handpicked by the then US am- former Rajya Sabha member, vis- Jstrongly condemned and said it “is examining all options” Rallying behind the news “(It) amounts to harsh censor- decision that they said refl ected bassador to India, John Kenneth ited him recently. asked the government to imme- to challenge the government or- channel, the Editors Guild of In- ship imposed by the government the government’s Emergency-like Galbraith, for studies at the Massa- Badhia feels bitter that the diately rescind its Emergency- der likened to Emergency days dia, the Broadcast Editors Asso- reminiscent of the Emergency,” attitude. chusetts Institute of Technology (in world-famous Sabarmati Ashram like decision to ban Hindi news in India, which ranks 133 among ciation (BEA), the News Broad- it said. “Detaining opposition leaders, MIT), Kanu later worked with Nasa in Ahmedabad, “which is splurging channel NDTV India for a day 180 countries in the 2016 World casters Association (NBA), the The Guild said the central blacking out TV channels - all in a and the US defence department crores of rupees to prepare for its for airing “strategically sensitive Press Freedom Index by Report- Indian Journalists Union (IJU) government with this decision day’s work in Modi’s India. NDTV on wing structures fi ghter aircraft, upcoming centenary next year; or details” during the Pathankot ers Without Borders. and the All India Newspaper Edi- had entrusted itself with the Banned - shocking and unprec- while Shivalaxmi was a professor scores of institutions set up by Ma- terror attack. “Every channel and newspa- tors Conference (AINEC) all con- power to intervene in the func- edented,” Gandhi tweeted. and researcher at the Boston Bio- hatma Gandhi or named after him The ministry of information per had similar coverage. In fact demned the government decision tioning of the media and take Kejriwal said he hoped the medical Research Institute. with huge funding from the gov- and broadcasting has directed the NDTV’s coverage was particu- that came after the recommen- arbitrary punitive action when it “whole media” would go off air “After returning to India, they ernment - simply does not care for news channel to go off air from the larly balanced. After the dark dation of an inter-ministerial did not agree with the coverage. for a day to express solidarity with kept moving from one place to an- Gandhi’s ideals or his descendants”. midnight of November 8 to mid- days of the Emergency when the panel instituted by the informa- Political leaders, including NDTV India. Campaign hopes to boost Kashmir unrest Hospital staff held NRIs participation in polls for stealing babies Thomson Reuters Foundation three children so far and are Chennai looking for the others. There may By Ashraf Padanna now crossed only 16,000 much to our overseas citizens might face.” be many more.” Thiruvananthapuram the dismay of the authorities. The ECI has roped in Tata In- Statements by the arrested Reports say Prime Minister stitute of Social Sciences (TISS) ix hospital staff in southern gang members indicate the in- Narendra Modi, who enjoys a for the initiative, which includes India have been charged volvement of a doctor as well, he Election Commission of huge fan following abroad, wants uploading slogans, songs, videos, Swith stealing babies and police said. India (ECI) has launched an to reverse the trend and facilitate photos and off ering a chance to young children and selling them The six were arrested on Tues- Tonline survey and compe- absentee voting before the general win attractive prizes. to childless couples in an illegal day following a lengthy inves- tition on the voting rights of over- elections in 2019. The Supreme Court had last adoption racket, police in Karna- tigation triggered in April when seas Indians. The online survey hopes to as- year directed the government to taka state said yesterday. police received a complaint from The initiative aims at engaging sess expatriates’ level of aware- make provisions for absentee vot- The three men and three a woman who said her two-year- with “the target population and ness about the registration and ing as well, and the authorities women, who worked as nurses old son had been snatched off the seeks their contribution to the voting process and to gather their are thinking about electronically and lab technicians at fi ve private street. cause ‘Every Indian Vote Counts’,” voting preferences. transferring postal ballots as it al- hospitals and a government-run Crime data released by the says an offi cial statement. It has “The survey shall help us not lowed for police and armed forces hospital in Mysuru city, were government in August showed also launched a hashtag campaign only identify information gaps but last month. part of a bigger, organised gang more than 40% of human traf- on social media platforms #eve- also fi nd the preferred methods of The government assured the involved in traffi cking children, fi cking cases in 2015 involved ryIndianvotecounts. voting which we can subsequently apex court that the Cabinet would investigating offi cer Ravi Chan- children being bought, sold and The two-month-long survey share with the government and consider a draft bill seeking to al- nannavar said. exploited as modern day slaves. and month-long competition, legislators,” the ECI said. low e-voting. “The gang targeted poor cou- “This case is one of the few which opened this week, aims to Saudi Arabia is home to the This requires two amendments ples coming to the hospitals to that has come to light, but there attract Indians who live abroad to largest Indian expatriate com- in the law - allowing electronic deliver or get an abortion, in are many more unreported cas- enrol as voters in India as the re- munity (2,801,410) followed by postal ballot and NRIs voting by which case they convinced them es,” said Paul Sundar Singh of sponse so far has been lukewarm. the UAE (2,001,586), the UK post. to deliver the child. They would non-profi t Karunalaya, which India amended its Representa- (1,500,000), the US (927,283), and The TISS will analyse the fi nd- then steal the babies,” he said. runs a centre for street children tion of the People Act 1950 in 2011 Qatar (720,000). ings of the survey for the ECI, In other cases, the gang would in Chennai. making special provisions for ex- “We are exploring the best pos- which will submit it to the gov- steal children from beggars on “Stealing children is a big or- patriates enrol as an elector in the sible means to facilitate electoral ernment. the streets and sell them for ganised crime that police are constituencies as shown in their participation by overseas Indi- Competition winners can claim Rs200,000 ($2,995) in cities like still struggling to clamp down on passports while in India. ans,” says Dr Nasim Zaidi, chief a round trip to India and get “a Bengaluru. “Our investigations across the country. However, in the 2014 gen- election commissioner of India, once in a lifetime” chance to be Masked Kashmiri protestors throw stones towards have revealed that the group had Cases of young children stolen eral elections, only 11,846 of the explaining the new initiative. honoured by the ECI on the Na- government forces during clashes at a protest against civilian sold at least 15 children to diff er- from the pavements of Chennai 11.4mn strong non-resident citi- “We want to systematically ad- tional Voters’ Day on January 25 in killings in Kashmir’s ongoing unrest in Srinagar yesterday. ent childless couples,” Chann- city earlier this year are still un- zens enrolled as voters. This has dress additional challenges that New Delhi. annavar said. “We have rescued solved.” Gulf Times Saturday, November 5, 2016 11 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

Journalist Pakistan to deport National killed by roadside Geographic ‘Afghan girl’ bomb Reuters AFP Pakistan’s cruel treatment of undocumented foreigners. Lashkar Gah Peshawar Afghan refugees.” Pakistan has for decades pro- The 1985 National Geograph- vided safe haven for millions of ic image of Gula, then aged 12, Afghans who fl ed their coun- journalist working for n Afghan woman im- made her the face of Afghani- try after the Soviet invasion Afghan television station mortalised on a National stan’s decades-long refugee of 1979. AAriana News was killed by AGeographic cover will crisis. But since July hundreds of a roadside bomb in the southern be sent back to the war-torn After a 17-year search, the thousands have returned to Af- province of Helmand yesterday, homeland she fi rst fl ed dec- photographer McCurry tracked ghanistan in a desperate exodus his employer said, adding to a ades ago, after a Pakistani court Gula down to a remote Af- amid fears of a crackdown, as growing toll on media workers in ordered yesterday that she be ghan village in 2002 where she Pakistan’s famed hospitality Afghanistan this year. deported. was married to a baker and the ran out. Witnesses said Nematullah Sharbat Gula, whose blazing mother of three daughters at Last month UNHCR said Zaheer had been travelling with green eyes were captured in an the time. more than 350,000 Afghan other journalists to report on a image taken in a Pakistan refu- Pakistani offi cials say she ap- refugees - documented and police operation just outside the gee camp by photographer Ste- plied for the fraudulent ID card undocumented - had returned provincial capital Lashkar Gah ve McCurry in the 1980s that in Peshawar in 2014. from Pakistan so far in 2016, when their vehicle came under became the magazine’s most The photo attached to the adding it expects a further fi re and police advised them to famous cover in history, was application has the same pierc- 450,000 to do so by the year’s leave the main road. arrested last week. ing green eyes and sculpted end. Shortly after leaving the road, She was accused of living in face seen in McCurry’s famous They face an uncertain future the vehicle hit an improvised Pakistan on fraudulent identi- image, only lined by age and in an Afghanistan still at war explosive device and Zaheer was ty papers following a two-year surrounded by a black hijab and already overwhelmed by killed. investigation, one of thou- covering her hair completely. so many people fl eeing fi ghting Ariana News confi rmed the sands of refugees using fake Sharbat Gula, centre, leaves the court in Peshawar yesterday. Her children will also return that offi cials warn of a humani- death in a statement posted on ID cards. with her. Gula, who is suff er- tarian crisis. Twitter. The illiterate mother-of- could be freed as early as Monday. Jalili, counselor for refugees of Pakistan’s status as a gener- ing from Hepatitis C, has told “By forcing Afghan refugees Prior to Nematullah’s death, four pleaded guilty yesterday, An Afghan consulate offi - at the Afghan consulate in ous host,” said Champa Patel, media her husband passed away to return across the border into at least 11 journalists had been her lawyer Mubashar Nazar cial said that the fi ne imposed Peshawar, said. Amnesty International’s South several years ago. the arms of an increasingly killed in Afghanistan so far this said, and the court sentenced on Gula has already been paid Amnesty International Asia director. Gula’s plight highlights deadly confl ict, Pakistan ... is year, according to the Afghan her to 15 days imprisonment and confi rmed she would be slammed the decision, calling it “Now, by sending her back the desperate measures putting the lives of vulnerable Journalists Safety Committee, and a 110,000 Pakistani rupee released on Monday. a “grave injustice”. to a country she hasn’t seen in many Afghans are willing people at risk of serious human including two working for US ($1,050) fi ne. “We... will take her to Af- “For decades, she was known a generation and her children to take to avoid returning rights abuses,” the Amnesty broadcaster National Public Ra- “She has already spent 11 days ghanistan in an honourable way as the world’s most famous have never known, her plight to their war-torn homeland statement said yesterday. dio who were killed in Helmand in jail,” Nazar said, meaning she on Monday,” Abdul Hameed refugee and seen as a symbol has become emblematic of as Pakistan cracks down on in June. Blast kills 11 on way to wedding

AFP, Reuters were heading to a wedding. in Buz Kandahari, the village tion around Kunduz remains. Abdullah Abdullah expressed his Mazar-i-Sharif, Kunduz A provincial police spokesman outside Kunduz where the raid Although the city centre was condolences to the victims and confi rmed the same toll. took place in the early hours of eventually secured last month, said there would be an investi- Roadside bombs are the fa- Thursday, as white-shrouded the Taliban control much of the gation into the incident. He said roadside bomb has killed vourite weapon of the Islamist bodies, many of small children, surrounding district, including the Taliban used Kunduz resi- 11 people on their way to militants fi ghting to oust the were laid out for burial. the area of Buz Kandahari. dents as human shields. Aa wedding in the northern Western-backed Kabul govern- “My brother and three of his Offi cials from the Nato-led The use of air strikes in ci- Afghan province of Faryab, of- ment. children were killed. My brother Resolute Support mission in Ka- vilian areas came under heavy fi cials said yesterday, as civilian Insurgents frequently target had no connection to any group, bul have said it takes all reports criticism last year after 42 peo- casualties rise in the war-torn Afghan police and military, but he was a labourer,” said Mawlawi of civilian deaths seriously and ple were killed in a strike against country. the surge in attacks has also tak- Haji Allahdad, a resident of the would investigate. a hospital operated by aid group School students return home as heavy smog envelops the city in The blast occurred on Thurs- en a heavy toll on civilians. village. Human rights group Amnesty Medecins sans Frontieres in Lahore yesterday. day just as 30 Afghan civilians The UN recently cited a 42% “Did you see which of those International called for an in- Kunduz. were killed in US air strikes in rise in casualties caused by pro- infants and children who were quiry into the incident, saying According to fi gures from the the neighbouring province of government forces this year killed by the Americans were those killed in the air strike de- United Nations, there was a 72 Kunduz, a hotbed of Taliban in- compared to 2015. terrorists?” served justice. “This cannot be percent increase in civilian casu- surgency. But Islamist militants were re- “We will avenge our dead another example of inaction in alties caused by air strikes in the Heavy smog hits life No group immediately sponsible for the majority – 61% against the Americans and the the face of such loss of life,” said period from January to Septem- claimed responsibility for the - of total casualties. government,” he said. Champa Patel, Amnesty Inter- ber, with 133 deaths and 159 in- Faryab blast, which also killed ANGER AS MOURNERS Two Americans and four national’s South Asia director. jured. One third were caused by in parts of Pakistan women and children, but offi - BURY VICTIMS: Hundreds members of the Afghan special Former Afghan President Ha- international forces. cials blamed Taliban militants. of mourners gathered yesterday forces were killed during the mid Karzai, a trenchant critic of However, Afghan military of- “Eleven civilians were mar- to bury more than 30 civilians initial raid, a month after Taliban the use of American air power fi cials see US air power as a vi- Internews school teacher, said only a few tyred and 12 others wounded killed in an air strike called in fi ghters managed to enter Kun- in Afghanistan, condemned the tal support in the fi ght against Islamabad children in her class showed when they struck a roadside to protect Afghan and US forces duz, threatening a repeat of their strikes, but otherwise reaction the Taliban while the country’s up on Friday and parents bomb in Kosa Qala village in during a raid on suspected Tali- success a year earlier when they from Afghan political leaders own nascent air force is still be- called the school to tell them Faryab province,” provincial ban militants outside the north- briefl y captured the city. was relatively muted. ing built, and the number of air he thick smog hanging that they would not be send- spokesman Ahmad Jawed Bedar ern city of Kunduz. The fi ghting underlined how Speaking at an event in Kabul, strikes has spiked sharply this in the air in Lahore and ing their children. said, adding that the victims There was an angry mood precarious the security situa- Government Chief Executive year. Tits adjoining districts Imran Ahmed, a parent of has disrupted routine life, two, said he did not send his causing health problems and children to school because of Pakistan will not fatal road accidents as well as the pollution and low visibility. fl ight delays. “I cannot take the chance attend tobacco Heavy smoke particles in- as children are getting sick meet in India teract with water vapour in the because of this weather,” he Women in Afghanistan army atmosphere to create smog, added. Pakistan will not attend a global which is a combination of vol- At least seven fl ights of Pa- tobacco control conference in atile organic compounds and kistan International Airlines India next week, a minister said harmful gases. were delayed and another two yesterday, the latest fallout of Usually smog is formed in were diverted from the Allama strained diplomatic ties between overcome opposition, threats the upper atmosphere but Iqbal International Airport the nuclear-armed neighbours. conditions are ripe for heavy owing to low visibility in La- India is hosting the biennial particulate matter to accumu- hore and its suburbs. conference of the only global treaty Reuters late in the ground atmosphere Two international air carri- aimed at deterring tobacco use, the Kabul with the onset of winter sea- ers, Turkish Air and Qatar Air- WHO Framework Convention on son. ways, diverted their Lahore- Tobacco Control (FCTC). Delegates Dr Sajid Rashid, principal bound fl ights to Karachi due to from about 180 nations are abul’s military training of Punjab University’s College the prevailing smog. expected to attend the conference. academy is churning out of Earth and Environmental The Civil Aviation Author- “It’s a very important meeting Kclasses of enthusiastic Sciences, says the prevailing ity, however, said the runway at on tobacco, but our visit doesn’t women to serve in Afghani- condition is not a natural phe- Lahore airport was not closed appear feasible due to ongoing stan’s army, but the realities of nomenon. as last year the authority in- tensions,” Saira Afzal Tarar, rising violence and a conserva- “This (smog) is the result of stalled the Instrument Landing Pakistan’s junior minister of tive society make the future for persistent and unsustainable System, which allowed fl ights health services regulation and the young recruits far from cer- burning of carbon-based fuels to land at a visibility of as low co-ordination, said. tain. in the region and the situation as 50 metres. But only aircraft Relations between Pakistan and Some of the nearly 150 wom- has been building up over the having the system and trained India have soured in recent weeks en training to be offi cers in the Lieutenant Colonel Cobra Tanha, 45, stands in front of her soldiers at the Kabul Military Training Centre past few years,” he said. “Nu- pilots can manage that. after New Delhi said it had launched latest class say they feel proud (KMTC) in Kabul. merous coal-fi red power sta- The situation might im- retaliatory “surgical strikes” against to be part of the eff ort to secure tions in Indian Punjab have prove after some rainfall, Islamist militants in Pakistan in the the country, still racked by an Unlike many Afghans, all the the Afghan army fi elds less than Nato trainers found that com- come online that have also according to the Pakistan wake of a raid on an Indian army insurgency by the Taliban and women who graduate from the 900 women soldiers, far fewer mon reasons women cited for contributed to the smog.” Meteorological Department camp that left 19 soldiers dead. other militants to topple the academy are literate and will go than the goal of 5,000, accord- leaving the security forces were Dr Sajid said the practice of (PMD). Weather experts have Pakistan says the claim is false and Western-backed government. into one of several non-combat ing to the US government’s “opposition from male relatives, setting fi re to the fi elds to get predicted light to moderate the episode was normal shelling by “I decided to join the army roles, including management, Special Inspector General for problems with male colleagues, rid of remaining stalks post- showers at isolated places in its neighbour. Artillery duels and to save the lives of my people human resources, logistics, ra- Afghanistan Reconstruction low pay, family obligations, lack harvest might also be consid- eastern Punjab during the next skirmishes on the border dividing and to defend ourselves,” said dio operations, or intelligence, (SIGAR). of promotion or meaningful as- ered as one of the major trig- 24 hours. the disputed Kashmir region have Sakina Jafari, 21, adding that said Lieutenant Colonel Cobra Hasina Hakimi, 19, said she signment opportunities, and a ger factors. PMD chief Dr Ghulam Rasul surged since. she believed her service set an Tanha, a 28-year military vet- could not return to her home lack of training and security”, “It is our social and moral said that lack of rainfall over Pakistani health ministry off icials example. eran. province because of Taliban according to SIGAR. responsibility to develop sus- the past few months was the had not yet secured visas to “This encourages other girls Some, however, may go on threats, and many women re- Those diffi culties were con- tainable habits, and consider prime reason behind having attend the conference, Tarar said. to join the army’s ranks.” to assist Afghan special forces port facing challenges within fi rmed by Benafsha Sarwari, the consequences of our ac- dense smog in November. “One or two off icials of the health Afghanistan is one of the with missions like night raids, the army itself. a 20-year-old teacher at the tions on not just the local lev- According to the Met Offi ce, ministry had applied for visa to hardest places in the world to which often require women to Women working in public Kabul academy, who neverthe- el,” he added. the visibility level in Lahore attend the conference, but I think be a woman, according to the help with culturally sensitive positions are controversial in less expressed determination to Although the Met Offi ce on Friday had improved than a they are facing issues in getting it.” United Nations, despite years searches of homes, she said. Afghanistan. Last year, nearly keep serving. said the smog had reduced day earlier. India’s foreign ministry spokesman of pressure by women’s groups The United States, which has 60% of Afghans surveyed by “I have experienced many in Lahore as compared to At 10am on Wednesday, the could not immediately be reached and international donors. about 7,000 troops in Afghani- the Asia Foundation said they challenges,” she said. “We live Wednesday, attendance at visibility level was recorded for comment. Women and men train sepa- stan as part of a Nato-led mis- did not consider it acceptable in a conservative society and private and public schools re- at 500m while at the same Pakistan was invited to the conference rately at the base on the out- sion to help advise and train for women to work in the army most people are pessimistic mained thin as parents com- time on Friday it was 1,200m. but said it would not be able to attend, skirts of the capital, but offi cers Afghan forces, has budgeted at or police. about the women who work plained about low visibility, By 7pm, the visibility level in Guangyuan Liu, an off icial of the FCTC say the training is similar, and least $93.5mn in 2016 to try to Even after joining, women outside. But we must not give pollution and health issues of Faisalabad was recorded at secretariat, told reporters in New includes physical education, increase the number of women may fi nd obstacles to jobs and up. We have to overcome the children and preferred to keep 900m; Joharabad 600m; Ba- Delhi on Thursday, without giving any fi rearms, tactics and medical in the military. being promoted in the military, challenges and perform our their children indoors. hawalpur and Multan 2,000m; reason for the decision. care. Despite years of investment, SIGAR reported. duties.” Asma Nazeer, a private and in Jhang it was 1,000m. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, November 5, 2016 PHILIPPINES

Duterte eyes joint Govt steps up security after US patrols with warns citizens of kidnap threat

Reuters Malaysia Manila

By Catherine S Valente hilippine police have Manila Times stepped up security on the Pholiday island of Cebu, the president’s spokesman said resident Rodrigo Duterte yesterday, after the US embassy plans to propose joint bor- warned its citizens that “terror- Pder patrols with Malaysia ist” groups could be planning during his meeting with Prime kidnappings there. Minister Najib Razak next week The travel advisory was is- in Kuala Lumpur. sued in response to comments Speaking to reporters in Davao made to media by regional po- City, Duterte said his talks with lice that said six Abu Sayyaf his Malaysian counterpart would rebels were in Cebu, an island cover the issue of piracy in the popular for diving and racy Strait of Malacca, where kidnap- nightlife and far from the hard- ping, murder and other crimes line group’s stronghold in the are rampant. south. “There’s a need for us, the The warning said it had no three countries – Malaysia, specifi c information of the kid- Philippines, and Indonesia – to nap threat but advised citizens talk about this seriously, and to to be vigilant and avoid travel to put a stop (to it)because it has certain areas. somehow paralysed the trade Presidential spokesman Er- and commerce in that area,” the nesto Abella said authorities president said. were still trying to confirm the Duterte is set to visit Malaysia media report but the Philip- on November 9-10. pine National Police were tak- The president earlier said he ing it seriously and beefing up wanted intensifi ed maritime pa- security measures, including trols in the waters overlapping at public venues where crowds the boundaries of the Philip- gather. pines, Indonesia and Malaysia, “The PNP commanders at A recent photo shows Philippine soldiers standing guard next to an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) inside a military camp in Jolo, Sulu province on the southern island of Mindanao. which are infested by armed pi- various levels have taken the rates including the Abu Sayyaf necessary steps to harden Abu Sayyaf, which has links to tens of millions of dollars in Malaysians, Filipinos and In- resort in Mindanao. ings.Warnings about Cebu it- group. or protect possible targets,” Al Qaeda but has gained noto- ransom money in recent years, donesians and a Netherlands Travel advisories on the self are rare. A bomb at a mar- Duterte also said he would Abella said in a statement. riety more for kidnappings and helping it to entrench its net- national. Philippines are frequent, ket in Duterte’s home city of visit Thailand to pay respects President Rodrigo Duterte piracy than its stated separa- work and buy modern weapons This year it beheaded two mostly warning against kid- Davao on Sept 2 killed 15 peo- to the late Thai King Bhumibol has deployed troops to several tist goals. and equipment. Canadians, who were among a napping, crime and in certain ple and wounded more than 60 Adulyadej. southern islands to wipe out It is believed to have netted Abu Sayyaf are holding group abducted from a holiday areas, extremism and bomb- people.

Anti-drugs operation Malacanang plans massive infrastructure development

By Catherine S Valente ous administrations that al- City, Davao del Sur to Panabo, Manila Times located an average of 2.6% of Davao del Norte. GDP to infrastructure in the “In our budget this year, last 50 years. 25% is allocated to a na- alacanang on Thurs- “These projects will require tionwide decongestion pro- day unveiled an ramping up the spending on gramme. This is unprec- MP8.2tn plan to build infrastructure … we’ll keep it edented new roads, bridges and trans- at least at 5% of GDP and it in the history of our coun- port facilities for the next six will likely go up higher to 7% try and I think that we’ll be years, promising a “golden until the end of the Duterte able to—in the next year we’ll age of infrastructure develop- administration,” Pernia said. be able to feel the effects of ment.” Villar said the government these infrastructure spend- Three Cabinet officials – would create new hubs to ing,” Villar said. Socio-economic Planning decongest Metro Manila and Tugade said there would be chief Ernesto Pernia, Trans- bring development to the re- three major railway projects: portation Secretary Arthur gions. the Manila – Clark Railway, Tugade and Public Works Among the road and bridge the Subic-Clark Cargo Rail- Secretary Mark Villar – vowed projects is the Sta. Monica – way and the Mindanao Rail- to complete the projects in Lawton – Bonifacio Global way that will pass through three to five years, before the City (BGC) Bridge, which Vil- Davao, Surigao and Cagayan end of President Rodrigo Du- lar said would cut Edsa traffic de Oro. terte’s term. by 100,000 vehicles. Tugade emphasised the The board of the National The Iloilo – Guimaras – need for Congress to approve Economic and Development Negros – Cebu Link Bridge emergency powers for the Ex- Authority, headed by the will be the “most ambitious ecutive branch to expedite the president, has approved nine project,” costing $1bn, he ambitious projects. projects, and seven more are said. “We are only asking for a being studied, Pernia said. Other key projects are the window of two years,” he told Pernia said the Duterte ad- UP – Miriam – Ateneo Via- reporters ministration’s infrastructure duct, the Northern Luzon “If it’s not given, we will spending would reach 5.4% Expressway – South Luzon do what we think ought to be Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) hold up plastic bags of crystal meth known locally as “shabu”, after they were seized of the Philippines’ gross do- Expressway Connector Road, done. But there will be delays. following a police anti-drugs operation, at a police station in Manila yesterday. mestic product (GDP) in 2017 and the Davao City Bypass Is the population willing to alone, compared with previ- Road that will run from Digos wait some more?” he said.

POLICY Tourism dept begins clean-up Police arrest two fake campaign Court junks graft case in Intramuros cigarette traders Tourism Secretary Wanda Cora- zon Tulfo-Teo has directed the against ex-Makati mayor Manila Times penalty of two to five years’ Intramuros Administration (IA) to Manila imprisonment and a fine rang- start the “general cleaning” of the ing from P50,000 to P200,000. historic Walled City, Manila Times By Ma. Reina Leanne Tolentino present evidence. It submits gilinan, former city adminis- offi cial acted with evident bad Industry observers attribute reported. Manila Times the case for judgment based trator Santiago; former Makati faith, founded on its charge of he Philippine National the proliferation of fake ciga- The IA is an attached agency of only on the prosecution’s evi- General Services Department rigged bidding which has not Police (PNP), in hot pur- rettes to the rising prices of the the Department of Tourism (DOT). dence on the ground that the Head Aspillaga, Asia Concept been conclusively shown to Tsuit of untaxed and other product by virtue of the imple- The DOT is set to mount more he Sandiganbayan’s evidence does not warrant former Chief Executive Of- have attended the award of PO prohibited products, arrested mentation of the Sin Tax Law events to attract tourists, while Special Fifth Division conviction. fi cer Beda Aquino and its former 11106 to Asia Concept; (2) to two fake cigarette traders in San almost three years ago. fostering unity and co-operation Thas dismissed the graft “Accordingly, the instant Corporate Offi cer Bernadette prove conspiracy between the Mateo, Isabela, recently. Fake cigarette products are among the Intramuros stake- complaint fi led against former case against all the accused, Aquino. accused public offi cials on the The arrested were Analiza tempting to retailers as they holders at the same time. Other Makati Mayor Elenita Binay including accused Salvador one hand and the accused pri- Bartolome, 38, and Dominador promise higher profit margins DOT attached agencies are also and several others in connec- Pangilinan and accused Beda In a 90-page decision vate individuals, on the other; Pascua, 43, of Angadanan town while essentially undercutting ready to do their share in reviving tion with the alleged anoma- R. Aquino, is ordered dis- promulgated on October and (3) to fully establish undue in Isabela, who were caught in the government in due taxes. Intramuros. lous purchase of offi ce parti- missed,” the court said. 28, the anti-graft court injury to the government, or the act of selling fake Mighty and Bureau of Internal Revenue Participating in the clean-up are tions and furniture amounting It also lifted the hold de- found the prosecution’s unwarranted benefi ts to Asia Marvels brand cigarettes. (BIR) offi cials had warned re- educational institutions, busi- to P21.7mn for the New Makati parture order the court is- evidence insuffi cient Concept, through the accused Police responded to the com- tailers to only deal with offi cial ness locators and barangays in City Hall Building in 2000. sued against the accused that private individuals, Beda Aqui- plaint of a Mighty employee company personnel bearing le- Intramuros. In a 90-page decision barred them from leaving the “Here, we have ascertained no and Bernadette G Aquino, by who chanced upon the two on gitimate identifi cation and com- The drive is also supported by promulgated on October 28, country. The Offi ce of the Om- whether the evidence presented reason of the award of PO 11106 board a tricycle without a li- pany-marked vehicles or face the Naval Reserve Command, the anti-graft court found the budsman fi led the case in 2006 by the prosecution suffi ces to to them,” the court said. cense plate doing the rounds the consequence of the law. Intramuros Fire Station, Club prosecution’s evidence insuf- alleging that the deal awarded to sustain the charges or justify a Associate Justice Roland in Purok 3, Barangay Victoria, Over the last two years, Intramuros Golf Course, Metro fi cient and granted the peti- Asia Concept International, Inc. verdict of guilt and we fi nd the Jurado, who leads the court’s while in possession of boxes of combined effort of the BIR, Manila Development Authority, tion for demurrer to evidence allegedly through a simulated/ same insuffi cient for the pur- Fifth Division, penned the rul- the contraband items. PNP, Bureau of Customs and Department of Public Works and fi led in 2014 by Binay and her rigged public bidding resulted in pose. “The prosecution failed to ing which was concurred by The suspects were charged the National Bureau of Inves- Highways, Manila-DPS, Intramuros co-accused Bernadette Aqui- excess purchases worth P5.9mn discharge this burden of proving Associate Justices Samuel Mar- for violation of Section 155 tigation have led to the arrest security provider Lockheed no, Ernesto Aspillaga and Ni- and/or supposed overprice of that the accused violated Sec- tires and Jose Hernandez. (trademark infringement), in of many suspects, including Security Agency, Friends of Imelda canor Santiago Jr. the offi ce partitions and furni- tion 3(e) of RA 3019 by proof Associate Justices Ma. There- relation to Section 170 of Re- two minors, connected to the Romualdez Marcos (FIRM), Rotary A demurrer is a motion fi led ture to the amount of P2.78mn. beyond reasonable doubt for its sa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta public Act 8293, or the Intel- smuggling, distribution and Club of Fort Santiago and other by a defendant after the pros- Named respondents were Bi- failure (1) to satisfactorily es- and Geraldine Faith Econg dis- lectual Property Code of the sale of large quantities of fake non-government organisations. ecution completes its turn to nay, former city councillor Pan- tablish that the accused public sented. Philippines which carries a cigarette brands. Gulf Times Saturday, November 5, 2016 13 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL

Deuba Fire at Colombo school Paramilitary forces leaves for deployed after mob India attack on temples

epali Congress president DPA desh, over a controversial social and former prime min- Dhaka media post by a Hindu man. Nister Sher Bahadur Deuba The Facebook post, which left on a three-day visit to New showed an image of the Hindu Delhi yesterday. aramilitary forces god on top of the Great Mosque This was his fi rst India visit have been deployed to in Makkah, caused anger after being elected Nepal’s larg- Pcurb religious tension among Muslims. est political party’s president in in Bangladesh after a Mus- More than a dozen temples March. lim crowd vandalised Hindu and nearly 100 homesteads According to the party, Deu- homes and temples in an east- were ransacked in nine villages ba has been invited as Keynote ern district on the weekend, east of the capital of Dhaka, Speaker at the India Ideas Con- offi cials have said. local resident Mashuk Ridoy clave-2016 in Goa by India Foun- “We have taken every neces- said. dation and will deliver his speech sary measure to ensure peace,” The district police chief, today. Mizanur Rahman, chief of however, said fi ve temples and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Brahmanbaria district police, 20 homes were attacked. chief Amit Shah and Union Fi- said about the measures taken The suspect who had posted nance Minister Arun Jaitely are after Sunday’s attack. “The the controversial image on Fa- among the other prominent situation is absolutely under cebook apparently was also ar- speaker at the conclave. control.” rested, he said. After concluding his Goa visit, Eleven suspected attackers Home Minister Asaduzza- Deuba will reach New Delhi and were taken custody, he said, man Khan said people belong- meet top Indian politicians, in- adding that the paramilitary ing to minority faiths are safe cluding Prime Minister Narendra forces were also deployed to in Bangladesh. Modi and Shah. guard Hindu neighbourhoods Less than 10% of the 160mn Deuba, who is seen as Prime that had come under attack. nation’s inhabitants are Hin- Minister-in-waiting, will meet Hundreds of Muslims used dus. leaders from both the opposition Fire-fighters battle flames inside an auditorium of a girls’ school, Museaus College, as it marked its 125th anniversary in Colombo locally-made weapons to at- “We are assessing the dam- and ruling parties. He is also ex- yesterday. Some 12 fire fighting vehicles were rushed to the school located in a diplomatic quarter of the capital, but police said tack homesteads and temples age and the victims will be pected to address students at the students and residents managed to escape unhurt. of Hindus, a religious minority compensated,” the minister Jawaharlal Nehru University in in Muslim-majority Bangla- said. New Delhi. There has been an agreement between Nepali Congress and the Unifi ed Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to hand over the country’s leadership to Deuba after April 2017. India values its partnership Cyclone storm to hit with Nepal, says president Bangladesh IANS takes pride in its close devel- He said that the govern- twin city agreement signed by Kathmandu opment partnership with Ne- ment of India was assisting in Janakpur and Ayodhaya that re- pal and the achievements of its the construction of four Inte- inforced their ancient ties. cyclonic storm is forecast friendly people.” grated Check Posts (ICPs) along The Indian president said to hit Bangladesh and is resident Pranab Mukher- He stressed on the develop- important India-Nepal entry that the development of the Alikely to cause “heavy to jee yesterday said that In- ment of border infrastructure. point. Ramayana tourism circuit, with heavy rainfall” in India’s north- Pdia values its partnership “It is essential that we pay “The ICPs at Birgunj and Bi- better facilities for millions of eastern and coastal eastern with Nepal, and stressed on the adequate attention to the devel- ratnagar will be of great advan- pilgrims, will not only generate states, in next two-three days. development of border infra- opment of border infrastructure tage to the people of Jankapur employment opportunities but The cyclone, which is in its structure. and connectivity to facilitate and the surrounding region. I also strengthen the story of our preliminary stage of “depres- “India deeply values its part- movement of people. have been informed that ICP at common heritage. sion”, is at present centred about nership with Nepal across di- “Today, in consonance with Birgunj will soon be operational. On the occasion, he an- 1,020km south-southwest of verse sectors. As a close and priorities of the people of Nepal, “These ICPs, with their mod- nounced the construction of Khepupara in Bangladesh. friendly neighbour, India’s both Governments are giving ern, state of the art facilities, will two dharmashalas in Janakpur. The system is very likely to abiding interest in Nepal is particular attention to expedit- be instrumental in promoting “I am pleased to announce move initially northwestwards peace, stability and prosperity,” ing implementation of connec- trade and tourism and facilitate the construction of two dhar- during next 24 hours and then Mukherjee said at a civic recep- tivity and development projects the convenient movement of mashalas along the Parikrama re-curve northeastwards towards tion in Janakpur in Nepal. such as Terai roads, cross-bor- people across the border,” he said. Path around Janakpur. These Bangladesh coast during subse- Mukherjee is in Nepal on der rail links, Integrated Check He further said the people two dharamshalas will, I hope, quent 48 hours. It is very likely to a three-day state visit from posts, power transmission lines. and government of India are be of benefi t to the pilgrims intensify into a deep depression Wednesday - in the fi rst presi- “These projects are vital not committed to further deepen from both Nepal and India,” he during next 24 hours and subse- dential visit from India in 18 only for Nepal’s socio-econom- and expand their close ties with said. quently into a cyclonic storm. years to the Himalayan nation. ic and infrastructural transfor- Nepal on the basis of mutual President Mukherjee also This is the second cyclone in The Indian president ap- mation but also demonstrate trust and mutual benefi t. thanked Bimalendra Nidhi, the Bay of Bengal in less than 10 plauded the eff orts of the peo- our collaborative eff orts to fa- Mukherjee also drew atten- Deputy Prime Minister and days. Cyclone ‘Kyant’ occurred ple and government of Nepal for cilitate trade, investments and tion on promotion of tourism in Home Minister of Nepal, for be- in the last week of October, but achieving inclusive economic movement of people,” President Janakpur. ing present in Janakpur on the President Pranab Mukherjee during a visit to a temple in did not make a landfall. development, saying “India Mukherjee said. He gave the example of the occasion. Kathmandu yesterday.

Lankan airline launches service Sri Lanka mourns death of to Seychelles Bangladesh set to In a bid to attract more tourists from India as also China, to hold tiger census Seychelles, SriLankan Airlines on Thursday launched its inaugural musical legend Amaradeva service to the Indian Ocean By Mizan Rahman clined to only 106 tigers in the archipelago nation. Dhaka Bangladesh part of the Sunda- SriLankan Flight UL 0707 touched rbans in 2015 while it was 440 Agencies down at Seychelles International in 2004. Colombo Airport shortly after noon on Thursday tiger census using cam- Forest Department data and was greeted with a water cannon era trapping method shows at least 49 tigers were salute amid torrential rains. Awill begin in the Sun- killed in the last 14 years ri Lanka has declared a “It is very important for us to darbans, the world’s biggest (2001-2014) since the ille- week of mourning from for reach out to major (tourism) mangrove forest in Bangla- gal poaching of wildlife and Sthe nation to pay respect source markets like India and desh, in the middle of this tiger-human confl ict is on to the late W D Amaradeva. China,” Seychelles Minister of month. the rise in the Sundarbans, The legendary musician Tourism and Civil Aviation Alain “The census will continue the country’s only natural passed away Thursday at age St Ange said soon after the for the next three months tiger habitat with a range of 88 after he was suddenly taken SriLankan flight from Colombo installing 300 cameras in 6,017sq kms. Besides, about ill and taken to the Sri Jaye- touched down. the Sundarbans,” divisional 232 people were killed in wardenepura Hospital. “SriLankan can play a very forest offi cer (Sundarbans tiger-human confl ict during Born Wannakuwatta Wa- important role in this,” he said. West Zone) Sayeed Ali told the period. duge Don Albert Perera, he later Tourism contributes to 80 newsmen yesterday. Dr Tapon Kumar Dey, con- changed his name to Amarade- percent of the Seychelles’ Two experts from Washing- servator of Forests (Wildlife va and in 1972 composed the revenue, exports of tuna fish ton-based Conservation Biol- and Nature Conservation Cir- melody for the Maldivian na- being the other major source. ogy Institution will monitor cle) said that cameras would tional anthem, Qaumii Salaam, The country comprises 115 islands the census under the Bengal be planted in a certain area or national salute. of which Mahe, on which capital Tiger Conservation Activ- for a certain period of time to He has been recognised for Victoria is situated, Praslin and La- ity Project, according to forest identify individual tigers. his contribution to music by the Digue are the three biggest ones offi cials. In response to a question, governments of India, France According to the minister, this Forest conservator Jahir Ud- he said there was no scope of and Sri Lanka as well as by year, till date, over 7,000 Indian din Ahmed (Sundarbans cir- a tiger being counted twice several international organisa- tourists have visited this exotic cle) has been appointed as the because the stripes of each tions. tropical tourist destination. project director. Bengal Tiger were unique like Sri Lankan President “SriLankan’s operations will help Forest offi cials claimed that thumb prints. Maithripala Sirisena has rec- us reach out to a much larger tiger breeding has increased in Yunus Ali, chief conser- ommended the funeral of Am- market as they have operations the world’s largest mangrove vator of forests, Bangladesh aradeva to be held under full to much more Indian destinations forest since tiger cubs are Forest Department, said the state honor. than Air Seychelles,” Ange said. found roaming at Nilkomol, major threats to the Bengal President Sirisena condoled He said Seychelles wanted Indians Kachikhali and Satkhira ranges Tiger were poaching of the his death on Twitter, saying not only as tourists and for holding of the forest. animal and its prey, deer, and “Maestro Amaradeva, it has Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena, centre, assists in carrying the coff in of legendary musician W weddings but also for film shooting Sundarbans is the lone habitat loss. been an honour to have you in D Amaradeva, during his funeral at Independence Square in Colombo yesterday. as “we provide readymade outdoor natural habitat to tigers. But Bangladesh has taken a our lives. May you attain Nib- shooting sets”. wildlife is currently facing number of steps for tiger con- bana.” “Maithree (Mrs Wickremesin- by Pundit Amaradeva’s creativi- Amaradeva’s mortal remains According to Siva Ramachandran, various troubles in the coun- servation, including Bangla- Sri Lankan Prime Minister ghe) and I are deeply shocked ty. He was also renowned for the will lie at the Independence Chief Commercial Off icer of try due to unchecked poach- desh Tiger Action Plan 2009- Ranil Wickremesinghe, who and saddened to hear about the great tradition of taking Eastern Square till 3pm today, for the SriLankan, his airline operates 107 ing and destruction of natural 2017, National Tiger Recovery is in Hong Kong attending passing of W D Amaradeva.” and Western classical music and public to pay their last respects. flights to diff erent destinations in India forests. Programme, and an amend- the 15th Asia-Pacifi c Confer- “The past several decades of giving them a unique local fl air,” Final rites will be conducted per week, and is planning to increase According to the Tiger Cen- ment to the Forest Act 2012, ence of German Business said, Sri Lankan music was marked the PM said. with full state honours today. this number further next year. sus 2015, tiger population de- he said. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, November 5, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah A cross-border European bank Production Editor: C P Ravindran

P.O.Box 2888 merger will have many benefi ts Doha, Qatar [email protected] Restoring stability in International Monetary Fund, some jurisdictions – thereby benefi ting the Kingdom is set to start negotiating one-third of Europe’s banking sector, wider economy. its way out of the EU altogether – a Telephone 44350478 (news), Europe’s banking system, representing assets worth $8.5tn, But a cross-border merger that decision that can reasonably be viewed 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) by the IMF’s own estimate, remains weak and unable to generate creates a kind of European super- as an indictment of Europe’s current Fax 44350474 sustainable profi ts. All of this creates bank would be even more eff ective integration model. will require at least signifi cant downside risks for the EU in addressing perennial operational From the perspective of fi nancial one-third of Europe’s economy and, ultimately, the entire challenges (in particular, liquidity and markets and investors, a cross-border European political experiment. capital). More important, this type of merger would be viewed bullishly, banks to close or merge Restoring stability in Europe’s fi nancial restructuring would open boosting confi dence. Even for ordinary banking system, by the IMF’s own credit channels that are vital to fund citizens, any indication that the EU is By Dambisa Moyo estimate, will require at least one-third investment and drive economic growth. not simply going to fall apart would GULF TIMES of Europe’s banks to close or merge. A cross-border European merger carry major benefi ts, off ering some New York For Deutsche Bank, market speculators would also give a key region of semblance of assurance in a highly already seem to be expecting a merger, the world economy a bank that uncertain environment. he multi-billion-dollar such as with Commerzbank, another is commensurate with its global To be sure, a cross-border merger fi ne recently imposed by German institution. importance. A European banking is a radical proposal. The amount of Marrakech test for the US government on champion would be far more political will it would require will not TGermany’s Deutsche Bank competitive globally, rivalling the be easy to muster. for mis-selling mortgage securities Europe has no brawn of America’s dominant banks. But no bold play is ever a sure thing. in the United States has done Creating such an institution is The truth is that, without credible and momentum to fi ght little to improve confi dence in the shortage of banks: particularly urgent today, given transparent evidence of deepening European Union, which remains that many countries worldwide linkages – not just in fi scal matters, plagued by slow economic growth, Germany has more seem to be increasingly rejecting but also in business and fi nance (the high unemployment, immigration than 1,500, and Italy economic openness in favour of more backbone of a modern economy) – the climate change challenges and mounting uncertainty. protectionist policies and balkanised EU will remain a loosely connected and What the Deutsche Bank scandal has regulation. In a more fragmented, less not particularly credible collection of In 2002, a large part of the Larsen B ice sheet, at the done is shine a light on a last-resort has over 600 globalised world, where cross-border countries. northernmost edges of southern polar region just above option that could potentially save the capital fl ows are declining – last year, As we have seen in the last few years, European project. But, if such a merger is to be the the Institute of International Finance such an arrangement will not resolve the Antarctic Circle, vanished. Much of the ice sheet Despite representing around 20% fi rst step toward consolidating reports, net capital fl ows for emerging those countries’ economic woes. composed a white expanse curving around a deep black of world GDP, the eurozone does the European banking sector and markets were negative for the fi rst One might argue that now is not not have a top-ten bank or fi nancial strengthening the EU, it should be a time since 1988 – Europe’s banking the time to push toward greater bay. A series of photos taken by Nasa show the sheet’s services institution in the FT 500 cross-border aff air, bringing Deutsche infrastructure will need to become integration. The situation is too fragile, transformation: it looks like a giant fi nger reached down global ranking. The knock-on eff ects Bank together with a signifi cant French broader and deeper in order to thrive. and popular opposition is too strong. and smudged the sheet out into the ocean. of such a fragmented and vulnerable and/or Italian fi nancial institution. The third – and perhaps most If growth were even middling, sceptics banking system are apparent in Such an approach could be a game important – reason why cross-border might say, the political environment The sheet was estimated to be 10,000 years old. Its Europe’s relatively poor showing in changer in terms of the EU’s political mergers might be the key to saving would be far more amenable. partial disappearance took three months. other sectors, such as technology and credibility, which is perhaps most Europe’s banking sector is that they But the EU’s current disjointed energy, that are vital for EU members’ crucial to keeping the EU dream alive. would signal to market participants structure will not hold. If strong action Scientists were stunned. Larsen B ice sheet’s collapse, economic future. A cross-border European bank and European citizens alike that is not taken soon, the cracks will linked to climate warming in the Antarctic Peninsula, Europe has no shortage of banks: merger would have several benefi ts. political leaders are committed to only widen, generating increasingly was a sudden event that succeeded long stretches of Germany has more than 1,500, and As with any merger, consolidating European integration. powerful political discord and, Italy has over 600. But many of these weak, underperforming banks would Again, the political and economic ultimately, dooming the entire inaction. are so-called “zombie banks,” with too enable them to strengthen their backdrop intensifi es the urgency of European project. – Project Syndicate, Likewise, the climate agreement meant to stall many branches, too few deposits, and balance sheets and restructure non- such a move. Progress toward fi scal funding costs that far exceed those of performing loans – estimated to be integration has stalled. National zDambisa Moyo, an economist and its further demise was only arrived at after years of their more successful peers. worth some €1tn ($1.1tn), roughly agendas have often taken priority author, sits on the boards of several accumulation. And In fact, according to the three times higher than other global over co-operation. And the United global corporations. Scientists estimate likewise, it is now moving faster than that under the expected. current plans, With another UN climate conference to the world will still start in Marrakech, warm by at least Morocco, on Monday, 2.7 degrees over and nearly a year after the Paris agreement pre-industrial was adopted by levels 195 countries – pledging to keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees – diplomats and analysts have been surprised at how quickly the accord entered into force. One of the explanations for Paris’ success after so many failed attempts to hammer out a global agreement to combat climate change was the way it was structured: the accord sets out an overall goal but leaves the specifi cs for reaching that goal up to individual countries. And while the agreement is legally binding, countries individual emissions reductions plans are not. The plans already submitted by countries cumulatively fall short of reaching the under-2-degree goal. Scientists estimate that under the current plans, the world will still warm by at least 2.7 degrees over pre- industrial levels. But the Paris agreement also asks countries to submit improved plans – incorporating the best technology as it becomes available – at fi ve-year intervals. The creeping public-pension debacle With individual reductions plans at the heart of the agreement, ensuring that carbon emissions drop By Bill Emmott the equivalent of nearly 14% of its GDP and all the other urgent causes that retirement does not steal jobs; it creates London annually on public pensions. Early politicians claim to support. Pensioners them. globally relies in large part on how to manage the system, retirement is even costlier for Italy, do spend the money they receive, so On August 29-31, I moderated and many of those details still need to be sorted out. which tops OECD rankings of public- this revenue isn’t wasted; but it could the World Demographic & Ageing f developed countries acted pension spending, with an annual be better spent to propel stronger Forum in St Gallen, Switzerland, These include making decisions on how to count rationally, and in the interest outlay equivalent to nearly 16% of its economic growth. where attendees arrived at a emissions reductions and how to make sure countries of electorates that understood GDP. Developed countries have been clear conclusion: although we are meeting their goals. Ihow their tax money is spent, In all, 13 OECD countries – including raising their retirement ages gradually, have increasingly rich data and they would set their public-pension Japan, Germany, Poland, and Greece – but trade unions and pensioner groups sophisticated knowledge about future Countries that have ratifi ed the agreement can take retirement age at or above 70. But devote the equivalent of 10% or more lobby hard against any increase. In fact, population trends, our concerted part in making the decisions as part of a UN body called most developed countries have of their GDP to public pensions every in 2014 Germany’s governing coalition action to address those trends falls retirement ages below this mark, year. These and other countries are yielded to union pressure and actually woefully short. the CMA, the fi rst session of which is expected to take and, despite some progress, it will be taking money mainly from working reduced the retirement age for some Public policy is one part of the place in Marrakech. But many analysts say that the fi rst decades before they catch up. In the taxpayers and giving it to retirees. manual workers, despite frequently problem, but corporate behaviour CMA wasn’t expected to take place for a few years, meantime, Western welfare states When German Chancellor Otto von lecturing other eurozone countries to has been an even bigger obstacle to will remain fi nancially unviable, Bismarck invented the world’s fi rst do the opposite. commonsense pension reforms. For A report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) economically sickly, and politically statutory pension scheme in 1889, he starters, corporate pay and promotion released on Thursday showed that global annual strained. set the eligibility age at 70; few people structures are biased toward early Demographic ageing is the social and were expected to live long enough to In all, 13 OECD retirement, because companies tend greenhouse gas emissions would have to be reduced economic equivalent of climate change: collect benefi ts, and certainly not for to push out older workers fi rst when by between 12bn to 14bn tons annually by 2030 to stay it is a problem that we all know must be many years. Now, Italians who retire on countries devote the they need to cut costs. Even companies addressed, but which we would rather average at 61-62 can expect to receive equivalent of 10% or catering to the “silver market” below 2 degrees, deep cuts that would have to take place leave for future generations to solve. their pensions for several decades, and (elderly consumers) have barely in a very short amount of time. The impulse to put things off for a later in some cases, for almost as many years more of their GDP begun to develop more age-friendly day is understandable, given current as they worked. employment practices. economic and political troubles; but With around one-fi fth of advanced to public pensions The slow recovery following the To Advertise when it comes to public pensions, countries’ populations over 65 (a 2008 fi nancial crisis has obscured procrastination comes at a high cost – proportion that is expected eventually every year the long-term reality that developed [email protected] even more so than in the case of global to rise to one-third), public-pension countries now face. Any country Display warming. expenditures will increasingly crowd Beyond lobbying, the current system required by its public-pension policy In 1970, the average eff ective out other public spending. Moreover, is upheld by mythology: the belief that to transfer billions of dollars to Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 retirement age for French male workers reducing public-debt levels will keeping older people in the workforce citizens for decades-long retirement Classified was 67, which was roughly the same as become more diffi cult unless there is a worsens unemployment. It does not, periods risks bankruptcy or, at best, male life expectancy at that time. Now, miraculous revival in economic growth, and this is what economists call the stagnation. One of the most urgent Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 the eff ective retirement age in France which current pension policies makes “lump of labour fallacy” – the idea tasks for governments, companies, Subscription is just below 60 (the offi cial retirement less likely every year. that handing out pensions frees up and individuals today is to rethink the [email protected] age is 65, but in practice public This is not just a question of how employment for younger people, as if length and pattern of our working lives. pensions can be drawn much sooner), we treat older people. Tax revenues there were a fi xed number of jobs to go – Project Syndicate even though male life expectancy is transferred to pensioners could have around. In reality, more people earning, 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved nearly 83. been invested in infrastructure, consuming, and paying taxes leads zBill Emmott is a former editor-in-chief It is no wonder that France spends education, scientifi c research, defence, to more economic growth. Delaying of The Economist. Gulf Times Saturday, November 5, 2016 15 COMMENT How trees make cities healthier The Sustainable 11,000-36,000 lives annually and reduce adverse health eff ects for tens of Development Goals, which millions of people. include a dedicated goal That return on investment is comparable to estimates for other for sustainable cities, strategies, such as industrial scrubbers, have established rising limits on automobile traffi c, and use of light-coloured building materials that temperatures and urban absorb less heat. All of these strategies have a part to play; trees alone won’t air quality as urgent global solve all of our heat and air-quality issues issues. But only tree-planting addresses both urban heat and air pollution. By Pascal Mittermaier Trees also off er a host of other Washington benefi ts for cities. They provide habitat for wildlife, reduce storm-water runoff , and sequester carbon from the ast May, I had the dubious atmosphere, which helps to mitigate fortune of visiting Mumbai in climate change. India during the city’s hottest There is also a growing body of Lmonth on record. Temperatures research showing that exposure to trees remained at over 40°C (104°F) for and other vegetation has a positive days at time. The diff erence between eff ect on mental health, especially for standing in the shade of a tree and children. standing in full sunlight was like night All of these co-benefi ts speak to the and day. wisdom of greater investment in trees Such heat waves are not merely and urban green infrastructure such as uncomfortable. They pose a serious parks and rain gardens. health threat – one that is often The Sustainable Development Goals, overlooked when addressing extreme which include a dedicated goal for weather. sustainable cities, have established In fact, heat waves account for more rising temperatures and urban air deaths than any other type of weather- quality as urgent global issues. Both related event, killing more than 12,000 will be discussed extensively at the people worldwide each year. The danger annual United Nations Climate Change is particularly pronounced in cities, where Conference, which starts next week the “urban heat island” eff ect results in Organisation estimates that 92% of reducing PM levels in the surrounding The highly localised eff ects of trees worldwide could benefi t from similar in Marrakech, Morocco. But these are temperatures as much as 12°C higher than the world’s population is exposed to 30 meters (nearly 100 feet) by as much mean that planting them can provide initiatives. Areas with vulnerable also local issues, experienced very in less-developed areas nearby. And the dangerous air pollution. Given rapid as one-quarter. It is a one-two punch of highly targeted benefi ts, even in cities populations – near schools and diff erently in each city – and even in issue is not confi ned to tropical cities like urbanization – up to 70% of all people environmental action. that ostensibly have plenty of green hospitals, for example – are particularly each neighbourhood. Mumbai. In August 2003, a devastating will live in cities by 2050 – the rate of My organisation, The Nature space. Consider Louisville, Kentucky. good candidates for such eff orts. Trees As global action on climate change heat wave across Europe killed more than exposure to higher levels of pollution is Conservancy, has carried out a study With its lush parks and shaded can even be used as a natural screen and sustainability moves forward, 3,000 people in Paris alone. rising rapidly. of 245 cities around the world that neighbourhoods, it would appear to against pollution from highways or municipal leaders can take their own Making matters worse, cities tend But urbanisation doesn’t have to stand to benefi t from tree-planting have little in common with Mumbai or industrial areas. steps, starting with a targeted, localised, to have higher rates of air pollution, create a health crisis. In fact, there is a initiatives, estimating their potential Karachi. Yet there are neighbourhoods Worldwide, $100 million of annual and replicable tree-planting strategy especially fi ne particulate matter (PM) beautifully simple action that municipal return on investment in terms of both in Louisville with minimal tree cover, investment in tree-planting initiatives that improves the health and well- resulting from the combustion of fossil leaders can take to reduce both extreme temperature and PM. Given that the making the city one of the fastest- could provide as many as 68 million being of their residents. Time to get fuels and biomass, which contributes to heat and air pollution: plant more trees. most signifi cant eff ects of trees are growing heat islands in the United people with signifi cant reductions planting.- Project Syndicate, up to three million deaths every year. For Trees and other vegetation naturally highly localised, we found that densely States – and prompting The Nature in PM levels, while also providing many city residents, the greatest health cool the air around them by shading populated megacities in Pakistan, India, Conservancy to initiate a targeted tree- 77 million people a reduction of 1°C zPascal Mittermaier is global managing and safety threat is the air around them. surfaces and releasing water vapour. and other parts of South and Southeast planting eff ort. in air temperature. An investment director for Cities at The Nature Already, the World Health Moreover, their leaves act as fi lters, Asia would benefi t most. Countless other neighbourhoods equivalent to $4 per person could save Conservancy. LEGAL HELPLINE Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY High: 33 C Low : 25 C Aftermath of an argument Strong wind and high seas

Any person who off ends A: The cheque is a tool of payment and employee agree the rates for buildings, who is responsible for SUNDAY that is considered as money gratuity? it? We are into real estate business High: 33 C a female by words or and replaces it while paying the ER, Doha and our tenancy contract is silent Low: 24 C gestures shall be punished obligations. It is an unconditional on minor maintenances. Some of P Cloudy order by the drawer to the bank to pay A: As per law, the employment with our tenants have not carried out with imprisonment for a the benefi ciary certain sum of money the company got automatically maintenance. In such case, shall term not exceeding one on a specifi c date. The issuance of confi rmed on completion of the three we claim compensation for non- MONDAY cheque without suffi cient funds in the months probationary term. In the maintenance and damage? High: 32 C year or a fi ne or both account is an off ence regardless of the event of extension of the period of OY, Doha Low: 24 C motive for issuing such a cheque. The probation, written orders to be issued M Sunny By Nizar Kochery criminal liability will arise against the and the maximum permitted term A: According to Article 615 of the Doha signatory of the cheque regardless of shall be six months. civil law, the tenant shall carry out all instructions of the company. No specifi c confi rmation letter is such minor repairs as are required for Fishermen’s forecast required to establish the employment the proper use of the leased property OFFSHORE DOHA QUESTION: Last week, my friend confi rmation. Article 54 of the Labour and as applicable by practice, unless Wind: NW 12-22/28 KT had some arguments with his Automatic Law provides that an employer and agreed otherwise. The tenant is Waves: 5-7/10 Feet neighbour related to his car’s employee can agree on the rate of obligated to return back the property INSHORE DOHA confirmation Wind: NW 05-15/18 KT parking. He had shouted at her gratuity provided the rate equals to in its original condition considering Waves: 2-3/4 Feet during the argument. The lady Q: As per my employment or is higher than 3 weeks’ of the basic the element of normal wear and tear. fi led a case against him before contract, my probation period salary for every full year that he has If the leased property is delivered Around the region the police. Police took him into was agreed for three months. worked for the employer. Basic salary without a description of its condition, Weather Weather custody and presented him However, even after completion at the date of termination is the basis the tenant shall be presumed to have today Max/min tomorrow Max/min before public prosecution. He of the six months of employment and part years to be pro rated. taken delivery of the property in Abu Dhabi Sunny 32/23 Sunny 34/22 was released on bail later and he the company did not issue any good condition until evidence to the Baghdad Sunny 26/11 Sunny 25/11 Dubai received a paper from the Public confi rmation letter. As I want contrary is provided. The tenant shall Sunny 32/23 Sunny 33/22 Tenant responsible Kuwait City Sunny 30/18 Sunny 30/18 prosecution in which two sections to avail a vehicle loan from the be bound to compensate the landlord Manama Sunny 31/22 P Cloudy 32/23 are mentioned – 291 and 293. bank, is it mandatory that a for minor repairs in case of any damage to the property. Muscat Sunny 30/24 Sunny 30/24 What are these sections? confi rmation letter be issued Riyadh Sunny 32/17 P Cloudy 32/17 WQ, Doha by the company for proving Q: If the contract is silent on zPlease send your questions by Tehran M Sunny 18/10 S Showers 18/09 employment? Do the employer the minor maintenance of the e-mail to: [email protected] ANSWER: Articles 291 and 293 are the charges fi led against the accused. According to Article 291 of the Penal LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR laws, any person who off ends a female by words or makes a sound, a gesture According to Article 209, partnership authorized him so to do shall be liable or a display for the purpose of letting limited by shares is a company therewith toward the obligations her hear the word or the sound, or which is formed by two groups, one arising from such actions. see the gesture shall be punished of them includes one or more joint As per Article 218, the Partnership with imprisonment for a term not partners responsible for the debts of by Shares shall have a General exceeding one year or a fi ne not the company to the extent of all their Assembly consisting of all the joint exceeding QR5,000 or both. assets, and the other includes one or partners and the shareholding As per Article 293, anyone who more partners whose responsibility for partners. The General Assembly in the disturbs or annoys other people the company’s debts is limited to the Partnership by Shares is subject to the by using immoral expressions or value of shares in the capital. provisions with respect to the General words via a wireless set or other For the joint partners, the company Assembly in the Joint-Stock Company electronic means shall be punished shall be considered as a joint liability concerning its formation, meetings, with imprisonment for a term not company and the joint partners shall and decisions voting. The director of exceeding six months or a fi ne not be considered as trader even if they the Partnership by Shares Company exceeding QR3,000 or both. had no such capacity before joining shall act on behalf of the Board of the company. All joint partners should million Riyals to be fully paid upon Directors in inviting for the General Criminal be natural persons who are Qatari incorporation. The subscription of Assembly and the General Assembly Around the world nationals. shares in the Partnership limited by shall represent the shareholders in all Weather Weather liability As per Article 211, the name of the Shares company shall be subject to the meetings with the directors. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min company shall be composed of one or provisions relating to the subscription According to Article 219, the General Athens P Cloudy 22/13 Sunny 23/17 Q: I am working with a contracting more of the names of the joint partners of shares in the Joint Stock company. Assembly in the Partnership by Beirut Sunny 22/17 Sunny 22/16 P Cloudy S T Storms 32/26 company as its manager and the and may include an innovated name According to Article 216, the Shares shall not take part in company Bangkok 33/26 Berlin Showers 08/03 P Cloudy 07/01 company has authorised me to or another derived from its objective. shareholding partner shall not activities in connection with third Cairo Sunny 26/17 Sunny 27/17 sign its cheques. We face fi nancial The name of the shareholding partner interfere in the management aff airs parties or amend to the Article of Cape Town P Cloudy 18/13 Cloudy 20/13 diffi culties at present due to the shall not be included to the name of relating to the third parties, even Association of the company without Colombo T Storms 29/25 T Storms 29/25 unpleasant market conditions. In the company. If his name was included by virtue of an authorization. the approval of the Directors unless Dhaka Rain 26/23 Rain 25/23 Hong Kong M Sunny 26/23 Sunny 27/24 our board meeting, it was decided with his knowledge, the partner shall Notwithstanding, he may participate the Articles of Association stipulates Istanbul S Showers 18/11 P Cloudy 20/16 to issue post-dated cheques to be considered as joint partner with in the internal management matters otherwise. Jakarta P Cloudy 33/25 S T Storms 33/26 creditors even though without respect to dealings with a bona fi de within the limits stipulated in the The Partnership by Shares shall have Karachi Sunny 36/19 Sunny 34/18 funds in the account. Suppose, if third party. In all cases, the words Articles of Association. a Supervisory Council comprising London P Cloudy 09/02 M Cloudy 08/05 S T Storms Showers 31/24 If the shareholding partner at least three members elected by Manila 32/24 I sign a cheque without suffi cient ‘Partnership by Shares’ shall be added Moscow Cloudy -1/-9 Cloudy -3/-4 fund as instructed by the company to the name of the company. breaches the restriction provided the General Assembly from the New Delhi Sunny 31/16 Sunny 31/17 management and when there is a The capital of Partnership limited in the preceding article, he shall be shareholding partners or otherwise, New York M Sunny 17/08 M Sunny 14/03 cheque dishonour issue, can I get by Shares company shall be divided responsible to the extent of all his subject to the provisions stipulated Paris P Cloudy 11/02 P Cloudy 08/03 any exemption from the criminal into negotiable shares of equal value assets for liabilities arising out of his in the Article of Association of the Sao Paulo Cloudy 21/16 S T Storms 25/16 Seoul S Showers 19/11 Cloudy 15/09 charges being signed on behalf of which are indivisible. The capital management acts. If he carried out company. The joint partners shall not Singapore S T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/25 company or its decision? of Partnership limited by Shares such actions under authority from have voting rights in the election of the Sydney Cloudy 24/13 Sunny 24/13 DY, Doha company shall not be less than one the joint partners, the party who had members of the Supervisory Council. Tokyo Clear 20/10 Cloudy 20/10 Gulf Times 16 Saturday, November 5, 2016 QATAR

Chinese performers from Zhejiang province enthral the crowd. PICTURES: Jayan Orma Chinese Festival’s unique attractions delight visitors

By Joey Aguilar and calligraphy demonstrations; photogra- areas of the venue. Some of the dishes of- Staff Reporter phy exhibition; and arts and crafts activities fered by popular hotel restaurants at the fes- including woodblock printing, rice sculp- tival include Peking duck sliders, a variety of ture, puppet shows and kite-making work- dumplings with choices of diff erent sauces, large number of visitors thronged the shops. spring rolls, Yangzhou fried noodles (mixed Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park “This is lovely, fantastic and would entice vegetable, chicken and noodles), sweet and Ayesterday to experience ‘a unique cel- a lot of people in Qatar to visit China,” said sour chicken and Wok fried rice noodle with ebration of rich Chinese culture and tradi- Sarah, an expatriate from the UK. She is also beef, among others. tion’ at the Chinese Festival 2016. planning to visit exhibits from the Terracotta Visitors were also fascinated with the pup- Divided into several zones, the four-day Army at the MIA. pets and dolls used for the Pingyang puppet Xiashi coloured lanterns fascinate visitors. event, which concludes today, features a va- Like any visitor roaming around the park, show, which has more than 800 years of his- riety of authentic Chinese traditional shows Sarah said she enjoys the atmosphere at the tory. and entertainment led by Zhejiang’s leading festival with her family: from the cherry The puppet show mainly uses marionettes musicians and performers. blossoms to the Chinese food, as well as the (hanging wire puppets), known to be an ex- The festival also showcases tea ceremonies red suns and lanterns displayed at various tensive stage performing arts using hand and rod puppets, and dolls altogether. Some of the attractions at the event also include the Xiashi coloured lantern, named after Xiashi town, Haining City in Zhejiang province, which has 1,200 years of history. Described as a “wonderful work of art,” the making of Xiashi coloured lanterns include poetry, calligraphy, painting, carving, em- broidery and other artistic elements. These are mainly pavilions, animals, drag- on lights colourful boats, fl ower baskets and pagodas. Each of the eight techniques in making the lanterns is complex, delicate, and exquisite. Many residents, particularly families, who are spending their weekend on the Doha Cor- niche, were also enticed to visit the festival. “It is something new, this is the fi rst time we are seeing this kind of festival. It is unique and the food is really great,” Indian national Sanjay told Gulf Times. He fi nds the exhibitions, performances and tea ceremonies, as well as the lanterns and woodblock printing “very interesting.” The festival is part of the Qatar China Year of Culture presented by Qatar Museums with the Ministry of Culture of China and the Visitors at the Chinese Festival 2016 gather in front of the main stage to watch the shows. Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture. A view of a dance. Several visitors enjoy the atmosphere at the festival. Photo expo brings to light Doha’s night-time landscapes

By Peter Alagos photography is a diffi cult, yet fi liated with the International Business Reporter very challenging genre,” he told Federation of Photographic Art, Gulf Times yesterday. Photographic Society of Ameri- After selecting a suitable van- ca, Nikon Japan Club and Qatar he fi rst camera that pro- tage point, al-Yafei said he would Scientifi c Club. fessional photographer wait patiently for sunset to take He is also a recipient of many TMohamed al-Hasel al- the perfect shot hence the theme Arab and international awards, Yafei used in 1986 was a Yashica. Msyan Doha. and gold medals, including fi ve After exposing thousands of Al-Yafei further explained gold medals in the Austria In- rolls of fi lm and owning around that once nightfall sets in, he ternational Competition and six 10 other cameras, including only has a few minutes to com- gold medals in the Al Thani In- a Hasselblad, and more re- pose and take pictures of his ternational Competition. cently, the latest Nikon DSLRs, subjects. His fi rst personal photo ex- the long-time Doha resident is A handful of the images fea- hibit was held in 2002, while the showcasing more than 60 of his tured at the exhibit includes second one, dubbed as “the fi rst works in an exhibition entitled, before and after photographs of of its kind in the world,” was held Msyan Doha in Building 18 of Doha’s cityscapes taken almost in 2014 featuring plants men- Katara – The Cultural Village. two decades apart, giving view- tioned in the Holy Qur’an and The pictures are from his three ers a historical glimpse of Doha’s Hadith. The third exhibit, ‘Mes- decades of taking snapshots of a urban transformation. siaen Doha’, was held in 2015. wide range of subjects – from More photographs of Doha’s Al-Yafei said he is current- people to horses, and desert fau- scenic landscapes are available ly working on another book, na to colourful cityscapes. in al-Yafei’s book entitled, which is a collection of fl owers The photographic exhibition Msyan Doha and features al- Qatar-based professional photographer Mohamed al-Hasel al-Yafei with and trees that were taken in the forms part of Katara’s “keenness A captivating frame from Qatar-based professional photographer most 200 pages of night-time three of his photographs currently on display at Katara’s Building 18. desert since 2000. […] at embracing diverse art that Mohamed al-Hasel al-Yafei’s book, Msyan Doha. Doha. PICTURE: Peter Alagos “I have collected a photograph- will add value to the local artistic “After years of photography, ic series of budding desert fl ow- scene,” according to Katara gen- by al-Sulaiti on November 2, According to al-Yafei, the ex- this book fi nally came to light time, Msyan. I have relied on the media by all its means,” al-Ya- ers and trees, which I have taken eral manager Dr Khalid bin Ibra- will run until November 17 from hibition is a photographic col- […] It is an unprecedented idea proverb ‘A picture paints a thou- fei, in his book, said. Al-Yafei, a on a regular basis. They show the him al-Sulaiti. 10am to 10pm. It is open to the lection of Qatar’s landscapes to issue such a photography book sand words’, as it became the founding member of the Qatar growth of these plants over a pe- The exhibition, inaugurated public for free. taken just before dark. “Night dedicated to Qatar’s evening offi cial language for the visual Photographic Society, is also af- riod of several years,” he said.