BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Qatar face UAE in AFC U-19 Championship QIB’s 9-month net opener today profi t tops QR2bn published in QATAR since 1978

THURSDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10975 October 18, 2018 Safar 9, 1440 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir chairs meeting of Supreme Council for Economic Aff airs and Investment

In brief

QATAR | Motoring Woqod opens new petrol stations at Lusail, HIA Qatar Fuel (Woqod) yesterday opened the Lusail-Fox Hills and Woqod Hamad International Airport (HIA) petrol stations, taking its network of petrol stations to 69. The opening of the two new petrol stations comes as part of Woqod’s ongoing expansion plans aimed at His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Economic Aff airs and Investment (SCEAI), chaired the council’s fourth meeting of 2018 yesterday at the Amiri Diwan. serving every area in Qatar. Woqod His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani, Deputy Chairman of the council; and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Executive CEO Saad Rashid al-Muhannadi Member of the council; attended the meeting along with their excellencies members of the council. The council discussed the topics on the meeting’s agenda, took the appropriate decisions on them, and reviewed said: “Woqod aspires to expand its the developments of the Hamad Port expansion, in addition to the latest developments in the fields of energy and investment. The council also briefed on the progress of the Second National Development petrol station network in the country Strategy (2018-2022). to meet the rising demand for petroleum products.” Page 4

QATAR | Businesswomen Investments in local market reach QR30bn Turkish daily: audio The volume of Qatari businesswomen’s investments in the 14 new cars make recordings indicate local market reached about QR30bn in various fields such as banking, trade, tourism, manufacturing, handicrafts, productive families Khashoggi tortured and the stock market, according to their debut as Qatar statistics from the Qatari Business Reuters to surveil the premises. The consul- Women Association. The statistics, Ankara/Washington general had left Turkey for Riyadh on presented by the delegation of the Tuesday. Association at the German-Arab Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Women Business Leaders Summit in Turkish newspaper yesterday Mike Pompeo met Turkey’s president Munich, which concluded yesterday Motor Show opens published what it said were de- and foreign minister yesterday to dis- showed that the Qatari women Atails from audio recordings that cuss the Khashoggi case, a day after occupy 20% of the companies O purported to document Saudi jour- he held talks with leaders in Saudi operating in the country. QMS hosts 37 exhibitors, 20 top brands and companies nalist and government critic Jamal Arabia. Khashoggi’s torture and interrogation. Seven US and European security of- QATAR | Tourism By Joey Aguilar ised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) the use of electric cars are in line with Khashoggi was killed within minutes fi cials also told Reuters that Turkey was Staff Reporter in co-operation with Fira Qatar on a our commitment to promote clean and and his torturers severed his fi ngers yet to share with the US government 42 ships to call on Doha 17,896sq m space at the Doha Exhibi- sustainable energy,” HE al-Sulaiti said during the interrogation, Yeni Safak or key European allies graphic audio or this cruise season: Mwani tion and Convention Centre (DECC). in a press statement. said. His killers later beheaded and dis- video evidence it allegedly collected on A total of 42 cruise ships will call on s many as 14 new cars, includ- HE the Minister of Transport and “The roads, rail, port, and airport membered him, it said. Khashoggi’s visit to the Saudi consu- Doha Port, Qatar’s “gateway to marine ing the Genesis fuel cell concept Communication Jassim Seif Ahmed al- projects that the Ministry of Trans- The New York Times cited a senior late in Istanbul. tourism” in the 2018-19 cruise season, ASports Utility Vehicle, were un- Sulaiti inaugurated the show, themed port and Communications is now Turkish offi cial confi rming the details Two weeks after Khashoggi’s disap- Qatar Ports Management Company veiled for the “fi rst time” in Qatar and ‘Drive to Innovation,’ which demon- completing, will make Qatar’s trans- published by Yeni Safak. Two Turkish pearance on October 2, the US and al- (Mwani Qatar) has said. “The new the region at the opening of Qatar Mo- strates Qatar’s commitment to introduc- portation sector one of the most ad- government offi cials contacted by Reu- lies have collected some intelligence season is set to be the busiest the tor Show (QMS) 2018 yesterday. ing the latest automotive technology. vanced in the world,” he noted. “This ters declined to confi rm the report. through their own sources and meth- cruise port has ever seen since the The fi ve-day event, under the pa- “This (8th) edition comes as Qa- will support the development plans Turkish investigators entered the ods, which partly confi rms news re- development of the cruise tourism tronage of HE the Prime Minister and tar intensifi es its eff orts to enhance of all national institutions as they Saudi consul’s residence yesterday af- ports based on leaks of audio record- sector in Qatar,” it tweeted yesterday. Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin innovation and safety in the fi eld of work to achieve Qatar National Vision ter delays. Their search included the ings, four of the sources said. The season began on October 2 with Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, is organ- transportation. New innovations in 2030.” To Page 28, Pages 11, 12, 13 roof and garage, and employed a drone Page 19, Business Page 4 the arrival of cruise ship Boudicca at Doha Port, and will continue until May 10, 2019. Seabourn Encore will be the last vessel to call on the port this season, according to a list issued by Mwani Qatar. Israeli air raids hit Gaza,

EUROPE | Crime 18 dead in Crimea killing a Palestinian college rampage AFP But Israel, which holds Hamas re- Eighteen people died and dozens Gaza City sponsible for all rocket fi re from the more were wounded, mostly territory regardless of who launches it, teenagers, yesterday when a struck 20 targets in Gaza, killing one student opened fire at a college in sraeli warplanes struck the Gaza Strip Palestinian, according to the Hamas- Russian-annexed Crimea. Speaking yesterday after a rocket fi re from the run health ministry. to journalists and parents of missing IPalestinian territory hit an Israeli city, Israel also closed both its border students in the city of Kerch, where in a blow to eff orts to avert a new war. crossings with Gaza in reprisal, further the shooting took place, Crimean Hamas disavowed the rocket fi re, isolating the blockaded enclave where leader Sergei Aksyonov said the saying they rejected “all irresponsible deteriorating living conditions have death toll stood at 18 plus the killer. HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti (centre) inaugurates the 8th edition of Qatar attempts” to undermine Egyptian ef- stoked violent protests along the bor- Page 20 Motor Show yesterday at DECC. PICTURE: Jayan Orma forts to broker a new long-term truce. der. To Page 14 UAE hired American mercenaries to kill targets in Yemen: report merican mercenaries were hired The veterans were paid to take part estinian Authority, as well as other key assassinations. The group allegedly re- months in war-torn Yemen, some of The assassination attempt against by the UAE to assassinate politi- in mercenary missions to assassinate a advisers to Emirati Crown Prince Mo- ceived 23 targets from the UAE, but Go- America’s most highly trained soldiers Mayo, which included a bomb laced Acal leaders and clerics in Yemen number of Yemeni individuals deemed hamed bin Zayed. lan did not identify any victims. worked on a mercenary mission to kill with shrapnel attached to the Al-Is- in 2015, according to a new report. “terrorists” by the UAE, the leader of The deal was discussed over a lunch The CIA reportedly told Buzz- prominent clerics and Islamist political lah headquarters in Aden, ultimately The mercenaries were former Amer- the group said. in Abu Dhabi, at an Italian restaurant in Feed that it had no information about fi gures. failed, despite two explosions going ican elite special operations fi ghters “There was a targeted assassination the offi cers’ club of a UAE military base. Spear’s missions in Yemen and the The UAE considers Al-Islah to be off . who had years of specialised training in programme in Yemen,” Spear founder Golan and a former US Navy SEAL Navy Special Warfare Command de- the Yemeni branch of the Muslim According to BuzzFeed, the group’s the US military. They were recruited by Abraham Golan told BuzzFeed. “I was named Isaac Gilmore had fl own in from clined to comment. Brotherhood, which the UAE calls plan went haywire when the mercenar- the Delaware-incorporated Spear Op- running it. We did it. It was sanctioned the US to make their pitch. On the night of December 29, 2015, a terrorist outfit. However, many ies were caught in a shootout outside erations Group, which was hired by the by the UAE within the (Saudi-led) coa- Golan told BuzzFeed that his team the team’s job was to assassinate Anssaf experts insist that Al-Islah, one of the building before they could plant the UAE to conduct a series of targeted kill- lition.” – which reportedly included a former Ali Mayo, the local leader of the Islam- whose members has won the Nobel bomb. Mayo had also reportedly left the ings for $1.5mn per month, BuzzFeed Golan, a Hungarian-Israeli security member of the CIA, a Special Forces ist political party Al-Islah. Peace Prize, is not a terror group. building about 10 minutes before the News reported recently. contractor who lives in the US, said his sergeant with the Maryland Army Na- The attack, described by two of its They say it is a legitimate politi- attack started. The soldiers who allegedly signed company, Spear Operations Group, tional Guard and two former Navy participants and corroborated by drone cal party that threatens the UAE not A spokesman for Al-Islah said the on were off ered more than $25,000 a pitched the idea to Mohamed Dahlan, SEALs – was responsible for a number surveillance footage, was the fi rst op- through violence but by speaking out assassination attempt was the “fi rst at- month. the former head of security for the Pal- of the (Yemen) war’s most high-profi le eration in a for-profi t venture. For against its ambitions in Yemen. tack” against them. To Page 19 Gulf Times 2 Thursday, October 18, 2018 QATAR Amir honours ambassador of Spain Cabinet approves draft law regulating organic products

QNA tion, manufacturing, process- pating in following up the im- Ministry of Justice of Qatar and Doha ing, trading, import and export plementation of the projects the Ministry of Law, Justice and of organic inputs and products. in co-ordination with the au- Parliamentary Aff airs of Bang- It shall also apply to licensed thorities concerned and remov- ladesh. he regular cabinet meet- production units. ing any obstacles between the The Cabinet, meanwhile, re- ing, chaired by HE the Following the meeting, HE the competent authorities during viewed the letter of the Minister TPrime Minister and Inte- Minister of Justice and Acting the implementation of various of Development Planning and rior Minister Sheikh Abdullah Minister of State for Cabinet Af- projects and after completing Statistics and Chairman of the bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Tha- fairs Dr Hassan Lahdan Saqr al- them in co-ordination with the Permanent Population Com- ni, yesterday approved a draft Mohannadi stated that the Cabi- concerned authorities. mittee regarding the completion law on organic and products. net also approved a draft decree The Cabinet also approved a of the implementation of the The draft law aims at regu- on Common Customs Tariff . draft decision to amend the ex- recommendations related to the lating the production of and It also approved a draft de- ceptions stipulated in the Com- control of the rate of population trading in organic agricultural cision amending some of the merce and Transactions Law growth and took the appropriate and animal products within the provisions of decision No 29 of promulgated by Decree Law No decision. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met the outgoing ambassador of Spain to country and controlling them to 2016 on forming the Permanent 16 of 2010 on some documents. During the meeting, the Min- Qatar, Ignacio Escobar Guerrero, at the Amiri Diwan yesterday. The Amir awarded the Spanish improve the quality of goods and Committee for Industrial Area It also approved the proposal ister of Development Planning ambassador the Al Wajbah Decoration in recognition of his role in contributing to enhancing keep abreast of developments in Aff airs. of the Ministry of Economy and and Statistics made a presen- bilateral relations, wishing the ambassador success in his future missions, and the relations the fi eld of specifi cations in the The committee established Commerce to send a staff from tation on the second quarterly between Qatar and Spain further progress and development. The ambassador expressed his world. at the Ministry of the Interior the ministry to some countries report on the progress in the thanks and appreciation to the Amir and the State’s off icials for the co-operation he received during The provisions of this law is responsible for unifying the to serve as commercial attaches, implementation of the National his tenure. shall apply in the State to any work plans in the industrial and a draft agreement on le- Development Strategy (2018- person engaged in the produc- zone for all parties, partici- gal co-operation between the 2022). Qatar ensures balanced PM meets Spanish ambassador relationship between employers and workers

QNA This came in a speech delivered forms in the protection of work- they deem necessary to obtain Doha yesterday by the Undersecretary ers’ rights including Law No 13 pre-approval before leaving the of the Ministry of Administra- of 2018 amending the provisions country due to the nature of tive Development, Labour and of Article 7 of the Entry and Exit their work. Such workers shall atar has reiterated its Social Aff airs, Yousuf Mohamed of Expatriates Law which abol- not account for more than 5% of commitment to continue al-Othman Fakhro, during a ished the exit permits for work- the total number of employees. Qtaking all measures aimed workshop on labour law reform ers, subject to the provisions of Fakhro stressed that the leg- at balancing the relationship be- organised by Qatar Chamber and the Labour Law. islative amendments introduced tween employers and protecting the Ministry of Administrative His Highness the Amir Sheikh to the Labour law aimed to es- the rights of expatriate workers, Development in collaboration Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani had tablish and promote a balanced HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met ensuring a strong and stable la- with International Labour Or- last month issued Law No 13 of and productive working rela- the outgoing Spanish ambassador to Qatar, Ignacio Escobar Guerrero, in Doha yesterday. The bour market, improving the work- ganisation, and the Institute for 2018, amending certain provi- tionship between the two par- Prime Minister and Interior Minister wished the ambassador success in his future assignments ing environment and increasing Human Rights and Business. sions of Law No 21 of 2015 regu- ties, the reference to fair use and and the relations between the two countries further progress and prosperity. investment opportunities. He also expressed his ap- lating the entry, exit and residen- work contract and based on mu- Qatar also stressed the impor- preciation for the eff orts of the cy of expatriates, which allows tual consent and transparency tance of launching a package of employers’ representatives and expatriate workers covered un- in the contract to preserve the policies and legislative amend- their role in raising awareness der the Labour Law to leave the rights of both sides. ments to achieve the goal of de- about the government’s reform country temporarily or for good He referred to the Cabinet ap- cent work environment for both programmes, whether at the without any exit permit within proval of a draft law to establish Customs Authority citizens and expatriates in order level of legislation or procedures the work contract duration. a fund to support and secure mi- Wayak and QU sign to achieve Qatar National Vision aimed at creating a work envi- However, employers may grant workers, to ensure payment attends GCC 2030 and the goals of the United ronment that encourages the submit a prior and reasoned ap- of their dues ordered by the com- Nations Agenda for Sustainable business sector. plication to the MADLSA with mittees to resolve labour disputes. pact to raise mental meeting in Kuwait Development 2030. Fakhro referred to Qatar’s re- the names of employees that He added that Qatar, in co- operation with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Admin- health awareness QNA Experts discuss Qatar’s labour law reforms istrative Development, Labour Kuwait and Social Aff airs and the Min- International legal experts discussed the labour for Delivery and Legacy (SC) took notable steps in istry of Public Health, has con- QNA out research on the fi eld. law reforms introduced by Qatar at a workshop promoting the rights of the 30,000 workers in its tracted an international service Doha Al-Ghanem stressed the im- he General Authority of held yesterday. sector, calling on other companies to intensify their provider, Biomat of Singapore, to portance of the agreement in Customs participated in The workshop was organised by Qatar Chamber, eff orts and take the necessary steps in resolving implement a pilot project to pro- enhancing the mental health Tthe 20th meeting of the and the Ministry of Administrative Development, any violations they could find. vide integrated services through a ociety of Mental Health of the university’s students, Customs Union of the GCC, Labour and Social Aff airs in co-operation with the He also called on them to commit to a minimum unifi ed channel to complete fi n- Friends ‘Wayak’ signed noting that Wayak went down which began yesterday in Ku- International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the wage that guarantees an honourable life for gerprinting, medical services for Syesterday a Memoran- a similar path with children at wait. Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB). workers, as the country prepares to host FIFA expatriates, as well as the signing dum of Understanding (MoU) schools. Qatar is represented in the Speaking at the workshop, Chief Executive Off icer World Cup 2022. of employment contracts outside with Qatar University’s Center He noted that the society’s meeting by a delegation led by of IHRB, John Morrison, expressed his appreciation Second Deputy of Qatar Chamber, Rashid bin the country, where all these serv- of Community Service and strategy focuses on holding Chairman of General Authority of Qatar’s achievements in the field of protecting Hamad al-Athba, said the State has created an ices will be provided at a centre Continuing Education to carry seminars and workshops dis- of Customs, Ahmed bin Abdul- labour rights. appropriate working environment that protects called “Qatar Visa Centre”. out a number of programmes cussing mental health. lah al-Jamal. He added that the country has set a good example workers’ rights and dignity. He pointed out that the “Qa- that will raise awareness on It also aims to sign co-op- The meeting will discuss the for promising practices regarding labour rights, The legislative environment of the State has witnessed tar Visa Centre” project will be mental health. eration agreements with many report of the General Secre- calling for an expansion in these practices and for co- the enactment of several pieces of labour legislation implemented in several stages. The MoU was signed by national institutions, he add- tariat on the requirements of operation with friends who can help in that regard. and the amendment of certain laws in accordance In the fi rst stage it will be imple- Vice-Chairman of Wayak Has- ed. the Customs Union, the transfer He noted that Qatar has made real progress on the with international and ethical standards to ensure mented in 8 countries, namely san bin Abdullah al-Ghanem For his part, al-Emadi said of shipments among member issue over the past two years. healthy working and living conditions for workers. Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Pa- and Chief Strategy and Devel- that the university is commit- countries, and the latest devel- He highlighted that the International Labour He stressed that the pieces of legislation issued kistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Bang- opment Offi cer of Qatar Uni- ted to organising events that opments on the direct and au- Organisation opened a new off ice in Qatar earlier by Qatar in recent times guarantees workers’ ladesh, India and Tunisia. The versity, Dr Darwish al-Emadi. benefi t society in all aspects. tomatic transfer of custom fees. this year, which he said reflects the good intentions rights. The reforms have received praise from International Labour Organi- The two sides will share ex- He also expressed his delight They also discussed a report of the country when it comes to enhancing international organisations concerned with labour, sation has been appointed as a pertise to boost their eff orts in at signing the MoU with Way- of the committee charged with workers’ rights. trade union institutions, and humanitarian and consultant to the project, in or- raising awareness about men- ak, saying it will provide a lot of reviewing the implementation He also highlighted that the Supreme Committee human rights organisations in the world. der to provide greater protection tal health by holding a wide va- expertise and capabilities that of the unifi ed customs system of for the rights of migrant workers. riety of events and by carrying will benefi t the Qatari society. the GCC countries.

HBKU to stage Lawal Antiquities Exhibition Sheikh Eid Humanitarian Award for

QNA Doha individuals and institutions announced

amad Bin Khalifa Uni- QNA solidate the noble human values until mid-January. Specialised QR200,000, respectively. versity (HBKU) will or- Doha that build and fi ght those who arbitration committees will re- An honorary award is dedicat- Hganise Lawal Antiquities destroy”. veal the names of the winners in ed to entrepreneurs who provide Exhibition from October 22 to The award has been estab- March 2019. invaluable humanitarian serv- 24, 2018, at the Multaqa building he Sheikh Eid Humanitar- lished to contribute in providing ices, he added. (formerly known as the Educa- ian Award was announced solutions to some of the most “Sheikh Eid Humanitarian The awards will be distributed tion City Student Center). Tyesterday in Doha. complex human problems. Many Award of a value up to on April 10, 2019, during a cer- The exhibition will showcase It aims to promote qualitative international awards have been QR1mn, will be organised emony attended by humanitar- rarities that date back to more excellence in the fi eld of human- instituted for those who can annually with the support ian leaders. Al-Buainain invited than a century. itarian service and honour the overcome challenges in areas re- of Sheikh Eid Al Thani those who wish to participate Visitors will be treated to a people and institutions that have lated to life, thought and culture, Waqf” to see the details of the award display of antique objects in- made a diff erence with their in- he added. and its terms and conditions on cluding old cameras, televisions The Lawal Antiquities Exhibition is set to run from October 22 to 24. fl uential ideas in the service of Sheikh Eid al-Thani stressed The award will be given to in- www.eidaward.com website. and radios that were vastly pop- people. on the role of humanitarian ac- dividuals and institutions who Al-Buainain said that the ular prior to the advancement of fairs at HBKU, Maryam al-Man- and-white photography ses- The Chairman of the Board tion in helping people and alle- provide innovative work in vari- award will accept only out- modern-day technologies. nai, said: “The exhibition meets sions; and present screenings of of Trustees of the award, HE viating their suff ering. ous sectors such as education, standing and pioneering works, The exhibition will also fea- HBKU’s consistent objectives old movies”. Dr Sheikh Mohamed bin Eid al- Meanwhile, the Secretary- health, culture and other fi elds whether land-based projects or ture a display of traditional Qa- of immersing the wider com- She added: “HBKU student Thani, said in a press release: General of the Award, Sheikh of development, science and in- ideas that are carefully thought tari clothes and historical books munity in culturally enriching aff airs is committed to nurturing “Sheikh Eid Humanitarian Ahmed al-Buainain, said that tellectual. out and enforceable. One of to inform visitors of the coun- experiences. The exhibition will a positive student experience by Award of a value up to QR1mn, preparations have been made The fi rst place winner will the fundamental prerequisites try’s ancestral past, as well as its provide visitors with a detailed regularly hosting cultural events will be organised annually with to start receiving participants receive QR500,000, while the for winning is originality of roadmap for the future. explanation of each object and and sporting activities to service the support of Sheikh Eid Al and nominations. The process second and third place winners the work, its social impact, its Vice-president of student af- its relevance; off er live black- the Education City community.” Thani Waqf. It seeks to con- which started yesterday will last will receive QR300,000 and spread and sustainability. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 3 QATAR

FM meets Iran’s deputy foreign minister Workshop for nurses on Asthma-friendly Schools Programme

QNA Dr Kholoud al-Mutawa, head visor of the Asthma-friendly Doha of non-communicable disease Schools Programme at the Min- section at the Ministry of Pub- istry of Public Health, explained lic Health, stressed that the that the programme represents he Ministry of Public Health Ministry co-operates a unique learning experience Health has organised a with the Ministry of Education designed to allow students with Ttraining workshop for and Higher Education, HMC, asthma to make the most of the nursing staff in the public el- Primary Health Care Corpora- available medical potential and HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs, Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman ementary schools participating tion (PHCC) and other partners live in a supportive natural social al-Thani, yesterday met the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Aff airs, Hossein in the Asthma-friendly Schools to reduce the percentage of pa- environment that helps develop Jaberi Ansari, who is currently visiting Qatar. The meeting discussed regional issues, including the Programme for the academic tients with asthma and improve their skills and improve their Syrian crisis and the Yemeni crisis as well as the ways to get out of the current situation in a way year 2018/2019. the quality of life for students quality of life. that suits the aspirations and interests of the peoples of the region. The programme is being who are suff ering from the dis- Meanwhile, Dr Mahdi al-Adly, implemented this year in 112 ease. senior consultant for Immu- schools. It will be extended to all Dr Kholoud al-Mutawa, head Dr Kholoud pointed out that nology and Allergy at Hamad schools in the country in stages. of non-communicable disease asthma is considered one of the Medical Corporation, explained Around 180 nurses partici- section at the Ministry of Public most common long-term dis- that students with asthma are Al-Marri holds meetings in Malaysia pated in the workshop, during Health eases in children, and said that trained by nurses on how to use which they were introduced the although it is not possible to cure the medicine and the peak fl ow Asthma-friendly Schools Pro- use both the strength gauge of it, it can be controlled by receiv- meter of the air that comes out gramme, the mechanism of its the air fl ow of the lung and the ing proper medical care and im- of the lung in a proper way. application and follow-up, and medicines of asthma disease by proving the living conditions of Dr Hisham Abdel Moneim, a the lessons learned from pre- correct means, to train students the patient. paediatric specialist at PHCC, vious experiences, as well as with asthma in schools to use According to the World Health emphasised that the programme several other important topics the medicine and the device in Organisation (WHO) estimates, is centred on the understanding such as pathogens, symptoms, a proper way, in addition to the 235mn people suff er from asth- of the disease and its dimensions irritants and ways to avoid them asthma crisis and how to prevent ma globally. and how to manage it by iden- within the school, and how to and treat it at school. Dr Maya al-Shaybah, super- tifying and documenting the cases of students with asthma in participating schools, providing rapid access to the drug, as well as establishing a mechanism to address the growing incidence of asthma in the school, and to identify and reduce exposure to asthma attacks within the school environment. The main goal of the Asthma- friendly Schools Programme HE the Attorney-General Dr Ali bin Fattis al-Marri, who is currently visiting Kuala Lumpur, met the is to improve the quality of life Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, Aziza Ismail, in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. He also met the and health outcomes of children Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) Deputy Minister Liew Vui Keong. with asthma in Qatar’s schools. During the two meetings, issues of mutual interest, which contribute to strengthening judicial and It targets students in the age legal relations between the two countries, were discussed. The two meetings were attended by group of 6 to 12 years who suff er Qatar’s ambassador to Malaysia Fahd Mohamed Kafood. Off icials and participants attending the Asthma-friendly Schools Programme. from this disease. Global competitiveness report ranks Qatar 2nd in Arab world

QNA The high score of Qatar re- the government”. enterprises and eighth in Doha fl ects its continued global In the ICT Adoption cat- venture capital availability competitiveness and rein- egory, Qatar ranked sev- as part of the fi nancial sys- forces the country’s plan to enth in the Internet users tem. atar is the second- join the list of the 10 most indicator and the spread of The World Economic Fo- most competitive competitive economies in high-speed Internet serv- rum’s annual study on the Qeconomy in the re- the world over the next 10 ices (broadband). Also, global economy showed gion as the country has been years. Qatar has taken the lead that Qatar has improved its ranked second in the Arab Qatar is ranked fi rst in the sector of the macr- rank by two places from last world and 30th globally in among the top 10 global oeconomic stability in the year’s 32nd place out of 135 The Global Competitive- economies in 14 indicators, infl ation rates indicator as it countries. ness Report 2018 released said the report. ranked fi rst globally. This year’s report as- by the World Economic Fo- In the institutional cat- As for business dyna- sessed 140 countries. rum (WEF) in collaboration egory, Qatar ranked ninth mism, Qatar ranked 10th in Qatar has outpaced sev- with the Qatari Business- globally in the “Effi ciency the indicators of growth of eral countries in the region, men Association (QBA) and of the legal framework in innovative companies and including Saudi Arabia, the Institute of Social and challenging regulations” the attitude towards entre- Bahrain, Italy, Turkey, Rus- Economic Research of the indicator and ranked eighth preneurial risk, ninth in fi - sia, India, Brazil and Argen- University of Qatar (SESRI). in the “Future orientation of nancing small and medium tina.

Seminar discusses ways to resolve maritime, engineering disputes

The Qatar International Centre of Conciliation and Arbitration QICCA’s Assistant Secretary-General Ibrahim Shahbik (QICCA), aff iliated to Qatar Chamber, organised an arbitration stressed that QICCA is keen to organise legal meetings on seminar on mechanisms to resolve maritime and engineering the applications of arbitration in various areas of professional dispute and each sector characteristics and methods. activities and to highlight the follow up of the Qatari The seminar focused on engineering arbitration and its arbitration law for those activities. specificities, since the vast majority of its issues related to He said that arbitration is based on a set of professional the dispute over the implementation of large capital projects, rules and standards that must be observed, especially after either in terms of delay in implementation or payment, and the arbitration has become the main method of resolving and dispute over the quality and non-compliance with the agreed settling disputes related to the execution of engineering and standards. marine contracts and other economic activities.

NHRC officials meet US Congress delegation

The National Human Rights Committee’s (NHRC) off icials yesterday discussed with a delegation of members of the US Congress issues of common interest, and ways of enhancing bilateral co-operation in the field of human rights. During the meeting, NHRC Assistant Secretary-General Sultan al-Jamali briefed the US delegation on the tasks of the committee and eff orts in the field of protection and promotion of human rights locally, regionally and internationally. Gulf Times 4 Thursday, October 18, 2018 QATAR

QU college launches Woqod opens Lusail-Fox CubeSat project atar University Col- lege of Engineering Q(QU-CENG) has an- nounced the launching of its CubeSat project. The fi rst QU built CubeSat satellite is to be Hills, HIA petrol stations called QUBSat-I. The new initiative aims to atar Fuel (Woqod) yes- conceive a multidisciplinary terday opened the Lu- students’ based mega project Dr Nasser al-Emadi Qsail-Fox Hills and Woqod focused on building, launch- Hamad International Airport ing and operating a minia- (HIA) petrol stations, taking its turised pico-satellite system network of petrol stations to 69. and a satellite ground station The opening of the two new according to the CubeSat petrol stations comes as part standardised project in addi- of Woqod’s ongoing expansion tion to an experimental rocket plans aimed at serving every area launching facility. in Qatar, the company has said in CENG acting dean Prof a statement. Abdelmagid Hammuda said, Woqod CEO Saad Rashid “Thanks to the CubeSat initia- Prof Abdelmagid Hammuda al-Muhannadi said, “We are tive, access to space technology pleased to open two new petrol turned from a farfetched dream through strong partnerships stations at Lusail-Fox Hill sand into a conceivable reality to with world renowned partner Woqod HIA. Woqod aspires to The Lusail-Fox Hills petrol station. Woqod HIA petrol station. many research and academic universities as well as local expand its petrol station network institutions around the world. and international industries.” in the country to meet the rising the completion of this project.” Al-Muhannadi indicated that assuring that the month of Oc- In the pipe line “As part of the project um- CENG Department of Me- demand for petroleum products The Lusail-Fox Hills pet- the two new petrol stations off er tober will witness the opening brella, QU will also establish an chanical and Industrial En- and achieve the goal of providing rol station is spread over an round-the-clock services to res- of at least two new fi xed petrol Woqod currently working Experimental Rocket Launch- gineering head, Prof Elsadig customers with access to best- area of 9,400sqm and has idents, include the Sidra conven- stations - Al Kharaitiyat and Al on the construction of 28 petrol ing initiative. The overarching Mahdi said, “QU has decided in-class products and services at four lanes with 12 dispensers ience store, auto and manual car Thumama 2. station projects aim of the CubeSat and Rocket to join the prestigious league their convenience and comfort. that will serve Lusail City and wash, oil change and tyre repair, The offi cial also pointed out Good number of these are Launching project is to estab- of ambitious institutions in “Woqod recently accelerated its neighbourhood, while the sale of LPG cylinders, in addi- that Woqod, to further enhance expected to be operational this lish the QU Spacecraft Design the quest for space technol- the process of construction of Woqod HIA station is spread tion to sale of gasoline and diesel customer satisfaction, will open year Lab,” he added. ogy. QU will be among the new petrol stations and will an- over an area of 11,700sqm and products for light vehicles. two mobile diesel stations near October will witness CENG Department of Elec- leading institutions in the nounce the opening of new pet- has four lanes with eight dis- He added that Woqod is cur- Wadi Albanat and Rowdat Al the opening of at least two trical Engineering head, Dr region and the fi rst in Qatar rol stations this month to meet pensers that will serve those rently working on the construc- Hamama today and is currently new fixed petrol stations - Al Nasser al-Emadi said, “The to design, build, launch and the fuel and energy needs of the frequenting Doha city and its tion of 28 petrol station projects, working on the dismantling of Kharaitiyat and Al Thumama 2 project was accomplished via operate a pico-satellite.” country. neighbourhood. and a good number of these diesel dispensers from the Wadi the human resources as well With 86 specialisations at “The Woqod team would The number of dispensers was projects are expected to be op- Albanat and Rowdat Al Hamama as the technological facilities the undergraduate and gradu- like to extend its gratitude to all increased in order to enhance erational this year. He explained petrol stations, and will replace part of its strategic expansion that are already available at ate levels, QU off ers the wid- government and private enti- the quality of service and reduce that Woqod currently has seven them with petrol dispensers. plan, Woqod is targeting the Qatar University. The remain- est range of academic pro- ties concerned that have con- vehicle congestion at the petrol new stations in the tendering Al-Muhannadi concluded his achievement of a total of 120 fuel ing required resources and grammes in Qatar to meet the tributed/are contributing to stations, Woqod said. phase and 10 in the design phase, announcement by saying: “As stations by the end of 2020.” expertise have been covered needs of Qatari society.

MEC recalls Honda Cultural Diversity Festival at Katara Crosstour, Pilot Belgian embassy to and Jazz models The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), in collaboration with Doha Marketing Services Company (Domasco), has hold cultural fest announced the recall of Honda Crosstour, Pilot and Jazz models of 2014-2015 because the front By Ramesh Mathew vet, a Belgian artist, featuring passenger airbag may not Staff Reporter 18 works of falcons and nine function properly. works of the Qatar landscape/ The MEC said the recall campaign scenery and light, will take comes within the framework of he Belgian ambassador place at the Katara Art Centre its ongoing eff orts to protect yesterday released the on November 7. “The exposi- consumers and ensure that Tschedule of the month- tion aims to highlight the op- automobile dealers follow up on long Belgian Cultural Autumn posites between Belgium and vehicles’ defects and repair them. 2018, to showcase fi lms, fash- Qatar in terms of climate (rain The MEC said that it will co- ion, fi ne arts, jazz, chocolate vs sun) and colours (grey vs ordinate with the dealer to follow fest, besides celebrations of sunny), desert and exotic col- up on the maintenance and repair the King’s Day. The festival will ours,” he said. The curator of works and will communicate with start on October 23. the exposition will be Dr Cecilia customers to ensure that the Ambassador Bart de Groof Burtica, who organised several necessary repairs are carried out. hoped Qatar residents would Belgian ambassador Bart de expositions earlier in Qatar. The Cultural Village Foundation – Katara to launch the first show of its third Cultural Diversity The MEC has urged all customers be able to enjoy, experience and Groof. PICTURE: Ram Chand Musicians Jef Neve and Festival at the Amphitheatre today, featuring Qatari and Indian bands from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. to report any violations to its understand some of the cultur- Nicolas Kummert will enter- In addition to international folklore bands, 10 local folklore bands of diff erent communities in Consumer Protection and Anti- al themes of Belgium as an ar- October 26, at the Doha Exhi- tain jazz lovers at the 5th Eu- Qatar will be performing during the festival. The countries taking part in this festival are India, Commercial Fraud Department ray of events, featuring artists, bition and Convention Centre. ropean Festival to be held at Oman, China, Ghana, Macedonia, Mexico, Turkey, Spain, Czech Republic, Iran, Kazakhstan, through the following channels: Call fashion enthusiasts and choc- “We, the Belgians in Qatar Katara. “The widely travelled Singapore, Bulgaria, Morocco, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Bosnia and Russia. From October 19 to March 9, centre: 16001, e-mail: [email protected]. olate makers from his country consider this invitation for the duo is well known across the 2019, every weekend, a performance will take place at the Katara Amphitheatre from 7.30pm to qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: are all set to be held at diff erent two designers as a great rec- world for more than a decade 9.30pm. Entry is free. MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for venues in Doha. ognition for their remarkably and their travels have infl u- Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar While highlighting the good track record in the fashion enced their compositions in a prominence of the fi lms made industry,” said De Groof while big way,” said the envoy. in his country over the years, explaining the strong strides “Nothing on Belgium is De Groof said, Flying Home, his country has made at the complete without mentioning a movie made by Academy global level in the area of fash- the remarkably good baking Award winning director Do- ions. “Antwerp and Brussels competence of our chocolate EAA announces partnership with QU minique Deruddere would be have a prominent place in the makers,” said Groof while de- screened at the Museum of Is- world map of fashion,” added. liberating on the Belgian choc- ducation Above All (EAA) yesterday by EAA Foundation. entering freshman level, not re- porting the education of non- lamic Art (MIA) auditorium on DeClerck and Belskaya com- olate festival at The Torch Ho- Foundation, through its The programme is sponsored ceiving other educational sup- Qatari students who do not have October 23 from 8pm as part of plement each other in their work tel between November 19 and Eprogramme Al Fakhoora, in conjunction with the General port, and be interested in pursu- the fi nancial means to complete the fi rst European Film Festival and share a common vision on 23. Well-known chocolatier has announced a partnership Department of Endowments at ing a degree that aligns with the their university studies. By do- to be held in Doha. aesthetics and philosophy, the Laurent Gerbaud will showcase with Qatar University for “Dy- the Ministry of Endowments future labour market needs of ing so, we will able to contrib- Two designers from Belgium ambassador said, stressing that his skills through a series of live namic Futures Qatar”, a fi rst-of- and Islamic Aff airs (Awqaf) and Qatar. Candidates for the pro- ute towards enhancing their - Zhanna Belskaya and Alicia their designs are a contempo- sessions and workshops. its-kind scholarship programme includes four prominent uni- gramme also have to demon- capabilities.” Declerck - will demonstrate rary interpretation of the ethnic The celebrations to coincide in Qatar. versities and colleges in Qatar. strate signifi cant fi nancial need. QU on its part, will fl oat a their designs and creations at or historical costume. with the King’s Day in honour The initiative aims to provide Each institution (Qatar Univer- During the signing ceremony, proposal to EAA on the possibil- the fi ve-day, 14th Heya Arabian The ambassador said an of King Philippe will be held at young adults between 17 and 25, sity, College of North Atlantic QU president Dr Hassan al- ity of sending its students from Fashion Exhibition, starting on exposition of Nadine Fie- Grand Hyatt on November 15. who have spent most of their - Qatar, Stenden University, and Derham, said: diff erent majors (colleges of en- formative years in Qatar, with University of Calgary in Qatar) “Through this partnership, gineering, medicine, education) access to higher education. In has their own admissions re- we aim to showcase the impor- to visit EAA projects in order to addition, this comprehensive quirements, and thus eligible tance of education and refl ect gain practical insights and learn programme off ers recipients the benefi ciaries for the scholar- the need for institutes like us to on-ground about the challenges opportunity to develop their ship programme must have their come forward and help in the and barriers, in order to brain- ‘Belgians a vibrant community’ civic engagement skills, as well application approved by these holistic growth of the educa- storm and fi nd logical and work- as benefi t from economic em- institutions accordingly. tional ecosystem of Qatar. We able solutions to these concerns, powerment activities. Additional criteria for eligi- truly appreciate the eff orts of taking into consideration the hough the Belgians are a professionals working in such witness the arrival of a number This holistic scholarship de- bility for the Dynamic Futures EAA Foundation and the Al Fa- psychosocial element support to small community in Qa- areas as aeronautics, construc- of Belgian professionals, sign supports students through- Qatar scholarship, set by Al Fa- khoora team in launching this refugees. Such an opportunity is Ttar, our people have been tion and dredging have con- said the ambassador. out their studies and prepares khoora, include: applicants must valuable scholarship programme aimed at expanding the schol- able to generate a lot of interest tributed considerably to the A number of local fashion them to become productive citi- hold valid residents’ permits, be and initiating the movement in arship programme mandate by and attention among the coun- respective areas over the years,” design enthusiasts are also zens who are able to contribute to currently under family spon- association with the Awqaf. We involving its students in the EAA try’s residents, ambassador said the ambassador. showing interest in the fashion society both in Qatar and abroad, sorship, have completed at least believe that this partnership will volunteering international work Bart de Groof said yesterday. De Groof said his country’s industry in Belgium, said Groof according to a statement issued 70% of their education in Qatar, achieve the desired goal of sup- including fi eld visits. While answering a query on capital Brussels, being the host to while recalling the visits made Belgians in Qatar, De Groof who the European parliament and also by the country’s residents in put their number around 700, to the headquarters of Nato, has recent years to fashion centres said the Belgians are a vibrant evoked a lot of interest among Qa- in Antwerp and Belgium. group and they have been able tar’s citizens and residents alike. “Other than sport events to remain at the forefront of A host of delegations from like football, the residents of MEC staff trained on their activities since the open- Belgium, covering diff erent ar- Qatar are showing great in- ing of the embassy in 2006. eas of interest have visited Qa- terest in learning more about “Many of my compatriots tar over the years and this year’s Belgium and its features and patent procedures in Qatar are engineers and our Belgian Cultural Autumn would characteristics,” added Groof. he Ministry of Economy on the latest research and ex- A session from the programme. and Commerce (MEC), amination procedures of patent Subaru Legacy and Outback models of 2010-2014 recalled Tin collaboration with applications. co-operation with Dr Melinder cess to conduct the research and the World Intellectual Prop- In a statement yesterday, the Lutiz, an expert at WIPO, fea- technical examination of the ap- The Ministry of Economy and campaign comes within the and repair works and will erty Organisation (WIPO), yes- MEC said the programme also tured a number of sessions. plication and how to develop the Commerce (MEC), in collaboration framework of its ongoing communicate with customers terday wrapped up a training aimed to promote the exchange These included a general intro- International Patent Classifi ca- with Mannai Trading Co, has eff orts to protect consumers to ensure that the necessary programme on researching and of expertise in the fi eld and fa- duction to patents and informa- tion, according to the Strasbourg announced the recall of Subaru and ensure that automobile repairs are carried out. examining patent applications miliarise employees with in- tion relating to the content of a Agreement Concerning the In- Legacy and Outback models of dealers follow up on vehicles’ The MEC has urged all across several fi elds. ternational standards in terms patent application. ternational Patent Classifi cation. 2010-2014 over a potential defect defects and repair them. customers to report any The programme was aimed of researching and examining Other sessions focused on how The programme also included in the control unit of electronic The MEC said that it will co- violations to its Consumer at training employees of the patent applications. to conduct technical research practical training on researching parking brake. ordinate with the dealer to Protection and Anti-Commercial ministry’s Intellectual Property The four-day training pro- and examine patent applica- and examining real applications The MEC said the recall follow up on the maintenance Fraud Department. Rights Protection Department gramme, which was delivered in tions, which databases to ac- submitted to Qatar’s patent offi ce. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 5 QATAR AZF to host ‘Pink Walk’ for breast cancer awareness on October 25

spire Zone Foundation (AZF), one to 2km walk around Aspire Park. in fi ghting breast cancer, as early de- in collaboration with the Pri- Launched to mark this year’s ‘Pink- tection can increase the success rate Amary Health Care Corporation tober’, civil society organisations of treatment. We encourage women to (PHCC) and Hamad Medical Corpo- across the globe will hold activities visit their local HMC or PHCC centre to ration (HMC), will host the fourth to promote breast cancer awareness conduct regular check-ups,” consecutive annual ‘Pink Walk’ breast among women and the wider commu- During the 2017 edition of the cancer awareness event at Aspire Park nity and raise funds for breast cancer event, more than 800 men and wom- on October 25. The event will be spon- medical research. en of all ages participated in various sored by Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co Al Anoud Almesnad, head of events activities. The event witnessed the Nissan Qatar. at AZF, said, “As a sports organisa- largest ever ‘human ribbon’ in Qatar, Forming part of AZF’s CSR ac- tion, we encourage women of all ages made up of more than 400 volunteers tivities, the breast cancer awareness in Qatar to increase physical activity of all ages standing in formation. The WCM-Q research team. event aims to encourage participants in its simplest form: walking. Physical Female residents of Qatar of all ages to embrace healthier lifestyles and activity has myriad health benefi ts and are encouraged to participate in the become familiar with both the causes can help to prevent diseases, so we en- event at Aspire Park, near Burgery res- of breast cancer and eff ective identifi - gage women in Qatar to raise awareness taurant. It will start at 4pm and a raf- cation methods. It will include breast of this serious disease, which causes fl e draw, in which a range of valuable cancer awareness sessions presented millions of fatalities across the world. prizes will be distributed to the fi rst Researchers discover by HMC medical teams, followed by a Raising awareness is a crucial fi rst step 200 entries, will be conducted at 5pm. method to determine date palm seed gender

esearchers at Weill Cornell Med- that a large region of genes appeared The discovery, which has been re- icine – Qatar (WCM-Q) can now to be always associated with gender ported in the high impact journal Rpredict whether a date palm seed but were unclear on the specifi c DNA Nature Communications could have will produce a male or female plant responsible. major implications for both commercial with eff ectively 100% accuracy – with That uncertainty has now been agriculture and horticulture. huge implications for the commercial solved, and in doing so the research Dr Malek said, “Farmers must tra- use of the plant. team has discovered how to predict ditionally wait four or fi ve years to For farmers growing date palms and the sex of all 14 palm tree species discover whether the trees that they harvesting the fruit, it is important to within the Phoenix genus – the genus have planted will yield fruit or pollen have as many female plants as possible that contains the date palm. They did so genetic testing of the seeds can en- to maximise crop yields. Conversely, this by decoding the genome of each sure a high ratio of female plants are city planners and landscape gardeners species to calculate which genes ap- grown, with only a few male plants be- who plant palm trees for aesthetic rea- peared in the male plants but not the ing cultivated for pollination purposes. sons prefer male plants, as they do not females. At the same time, the genetic test can produce fruit which must be cleared up Dr Malek said, “The mechanism be used on other species in the genus when it drops. was narrowed down to four genes that that are also important such as Canary The team led by Dr Joel Malek, as- every male plant in the entire genus Island date palm which is extremely sistant professor of genetic medicine had, but that were absent in the female widespread in the world at large for and director of the Genomics Core at plants. Essentially, those four genes landscaping.” WCM-Q, already knew that the sex of are responsible for a tree producing Future research will see Dr Malek the date palm plant is determined by pollen.” and his team identifying the genes the XY system, whereby the male of the He added that the Phoenix genus which control features such as the species determines the sex of the off - was one of only a few examples where date’s size, sweetness and texture, spring, similar to the way that human the sex determinants are the same along with its resistance to certain gender is determined. They also knew across the entire genus. diseases and stress factors like drought. Gulf Times 6 Thursday, October 18 ,2018 QATAR

Defence minister holds talks in Italy, attends agreement signing ceremony

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Aff airs, Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, met the Italian Minister of Defence, Elisabetta Trenta, at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Rome yesterday. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations between Qatar and Italy, and means of enhancing and developing them. After the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence and the Italian minister of defence attended the signing ceremony of the operational training agreement with the Italian side and the establishment of the national squadron of the NH90 helicopter in Italy. The agreement was signed for Qatar by the head of NH90 Helicopter project, Brigadier General (pilot) Mashout Faisal al-Hajri, and for Italy by the Director of the Third Department of Industrial Policy and International Relations, Brigadier General Pasquale Montegiglio. The meeting was also attended by the ambassador of Qatar to Italy, Abdulaziz bin Ahmed al-Malki al-Jahani, the Qatari Military Attache in Italy Brigadier General (naval), Hilal Ali al-Mohannadi, and a number of senior off icers from the Qatar Armed Forces.

Transport ministry wraps up workshop on pact with Adobe

he Ministry of Transport its scope and objectives, and ment and the services it provides government framework agree- and Communications what it provides to government to subscribing government enti- ments with more international T(MoTC) has wrapped up entities. Experts from the MoTC ties. He said Qatar was among companies to help provide all the a workshop on a government and Adobe, who addressed the the fi rst countries in the Middle applications, products and serv- framework agreement signed attendees, covered topics such East to have signed framework ices required for QDG2020.” between the Government of Qa- as Adobe licences management, agreements with international By so doing, he explained, “we tar, represented by the MoTC, services, products, applications, technology companies, thus assist the government entities and computer software company project management and sup- keeping up with the latest tech- in providing and innovating the Adobe, represented by its local port and the dedicated resourc- nologies. processes and applications that agent in Doha - Information and es. “The area of interaction be- help improve and enhance our Communication Technology They also talked about user tween the Government of Qatar online services.” WLL (ICT). training through the Qatar Dig- on the one hand and individuals The workshop also featured The agreement aims to secure ital Government Training Pro- and companies on the other has a presentation conducted technology needs for govern- gram (QDGTP), which is con- been expanding. This means we by the QDGTP team on the ment entities in order to further cerned with supporting the are having an upward curve in programme mission, objec- enhance effi ciency and advance Qatar Digital Government 2020 terms of digital transformation tives and milestones since its the digital transformation agen- (QDG2020) Strategy in terms of via almost all channels,” said al- launch. QDGTP trains and da across all government sectors, boosting and enhancing the dig- Sayed. qualifies more national lead- the ministry has said in a state- ital transformation at govern- “However, we don’t stop at ers and professionals in the ment. ment entities and institutions. the mere observing and moni- field of ICT and ICT executive The event was attended by QDGTP does that through spe- toring of such a constrictive and management. representatives and specialists cially designed training courses growing interaction. Indeed, we The event concluded with in- from multiple government enti- that focus on upgrading and The workshop in progress. work on boosting and enhancing tensive, one-on-one sessions ties. sharpening the technical capa- it, aiming to take it to the high- and discussions between Adobe Attendees were introduced to bilities of ICT employees coun- Speaking to government rep- undersecretary of the Govern- Sector Hassan Jassim al-Sayed est levels. We prioritise that and and MoTC experts and govern- the particulars of the agreement, trywide. resentatives, MoTC assistant ment Information Technology gave an overview of the agree- toward that end we provide more ment entity representatives.

Advisory Council Speaker holds meetings in Geneva

E the Speaker of the Advisory (Shura) Council, Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud, held Hseparate meetings with the First Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Hassan Karim al-Kaabi, and Chairman of the Parliamentarians Committee for Jeru- salem, Hamid bin Abdullah al-Ahmar, on the sidelines of the meetings of 139th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamen- tary Union (IPU) in Geneva yesterday. Discussions during the two meetings dealt with parlia- mentary relations between Qatar and Iraq, and the Commit- tee of Parliamentarians for Jerusalem and ways to promote them, besides important topics on the agenda of the 139th meetings of the IPU. The meetings were attended by a number of members of the Advisory (Shura) Council. - QNA

Qatar attends Arab Document Day celebration

Qatar participated in the celebration of the Arab Document Day, which was held yesterday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League under the title “Jerusalem the Eternal Capital of Palestine”. Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League, ambassador Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz al-Sahlawi, represented the country at the event. During the ceremony, heritage expert and adviser at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Qatar, Rashid Saad al-Muhannadi, was recognised for being the best specialist and technician in the third category of Arabic archival institutions. Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the Arab League received the award on behalf of al- Muhannadi. Ambassador presents credentials

Head of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs of Sweden, Charlotte Wrangberg, received a copy of the credentials of Qatar’s ambassador, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Thani in Stockholm yesterday. Charlotte Wrangberg wished the Qatari ambassador success in her duties, and the relations between the two countries further development and growth. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 7 QATAR Qatar Airways off ers pink amenity kits to raise breast cancer awareness The iPhone XR. atar Airways has said company. The skincare range has gone into fi ghting this dis- limited-edition pink includes lip balm, hydrating fa- ease, and are especially pleased Qamenity kits are be- cial mist and anti-ageing mois- to be able to off er these kits to ing off ered to its passengers turiser in Business Class, with our Economy Class passengers throughout the month of Octo- added Night Recovery Cream for travelling on all ultra-long-haul iPhone XR to ber to mark the airline’s contin- First Class kits. Pink socks, eye- and long-haul night fl ights, en- uing support for Breast Cancer shades and ear plugs complete suring that the message reaches Awareness Month. the range, with the addition of a as many people as possible.” Passengers travelling on BRIC’S signature luggage tag for The pink shade of ‘Rose Pom- arrive at Vodafone ultra-long-haul or long-haul First Class. padour’ used for the amenity fl ights in First Class and Busi- Passengers travelling on kits was created in France in 1757 ness Class will receive a luxuri- all ultra-long-haul fl ights at the famous Sèvres porcelain ous BRIC’S amenity bag created and long-haul night fl ights in facility. The shade, prized for its on October 26 exclusively for Qatar Airways Economy Class will also, for vivacity and beauty, was one of by the Italian luggage brand, in the fi rst time this year, receive fi ve colours produced by Sèvres, a carefully chosen shade of pink a special edition ‘pink ribbon’ which helped defi ne mag- odafone Qatar has an- called ‘Rose Pompadour’, the amenity bag. nifi cence and luxury in 18th- nounced that it will airline has said in a statement. Qatar Airways senior vice- century France. Voff er the iPhone XR, This year’s amenity kits have president (Marketing and Cor- Qatar Airways has a modern bringing the latest iPhone in- been lined with a bespoke fab- porate Communications) Salam fl eet of more than 200 aircraft novations to more people. ric featuring the famous pink al-Shawa said, “Qatar Airways fl ying to business and leisure Customers will be able to ribbon, now synonymous with is very proud to support Breast The BRIC’S amenity bag created exclusively for Qatar Airways. destinations across six conti- pre-order the iPhone XR from breast cancer awareness. Cancer Awareness Month once nents. The airline recently re- 10am tomorrow at www.voda- Each bag contains exclusive again this year by providing unique kits, designed for male breast cancer, and show our sup- vealed a host of upcoming new fone.qa and Vodafone Qatar’s products from Italy’s Castello these specially designed, limit- and female passengers alike, port for those aff ected by it. global destinations, including fl agship stores in City Center Monte Vibiano Vecchio, the ed-edition amenity kits during demonstrate our ongoing com- “As an airline, we are inspired Gothenburg, Sweden; Da Nang, Doha, Landmark, Mall of Qa- battery life and six beautiful environment-friendly olive oil the month of October. These mitment to raising awareness of by the tremendous eff ort that Vietnam; and Mombasa, Kenya. tar and Villaggio, and will be fi nishes – white, black, blue, available in stores starting on yellow, coral and (PROD- October 26, the company has UCT)RED. This new design is said in a statement. splash- and water-resistant The iPhone XR integrates with a rating of IP67 and pro- “breakthrough technologies tects against everyday spills, Fifty One East introduces SS19 from the iPhone XS in all- including coff ee, tea and soda. screen glass and aluminium The iPhone XR also brings design featuring a 6.1-inch Dual SIM to iPhone through Liquid Retina display, the most the use of digital eSIM. collection by Pamella Roland advanced LCD in a smart- With the purchase of iPhone phone, with wide colour sup- XR, Vodafone Qatar’s postpaid port and True Tone for a more customers will benefi t from ifty One East, Qatar’s lead- cantly with each new collec- silhouettes, each fashioned natural viewing experience”, free 8GB local data per month ing department store, re- tion, making Pamella Roland a with exquisite fabrics includ- the statement notes. for three months while prepaid Fcently hosted a two-day label of choice among retailers ing stretch crepe and pleated The iPhone XR brings the customers will enjoy 8GB local trunk show for the renowned such as Bergdorf Goodman, tulle, as well as a fresh take “smartest and most powerful data for 90 days. New custom- American fashion designer, Pa- Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth on a 3D fl oral jacquard. The chip in a smartphone” with ers who sign up to a RED 250 mella Roland, to introduce the Avenue, as well as locally by embroideries include 3D cut A12 Bionic, a next-generation postpaid plan with their pur- SS19 collection to the brand’s Fifty One East. feather fl owers, colourful os- Neural Engine built for ad- chase of iPhone XR will receive lovers in Qatar. The charming textures trich feathers, ombré signa- vanced machine learning in 10GB local data for six months Roland debuted her fi rst col- and playful patterns in every ture sequins, and mixed-el- everything from photogra- on top of the 15GB global and lection in the Fall of 2002; a piece of the SS 2019 collec- ement embellishments, while phy to augmented reality, the local data already included in couture collection which re- tion are the fruit of the labour the colour palette balances TrueDepth camera system, the plan, the statement adds. ceived a warm reception from of love, and a balancing act the bold with the subdued, faster Face ID, an advanced For more details, one can critics and buyers alike. Over created for the modern cus- allowing the collection to be camera system that creates visit www.vodafone.qa/ the years, the positive response tomer. The collection is com- worn at any event all over the dramatic portraits using a sin- iphonexr. For more details on continued, growing signifi - prised of simple and complex globe. A moment from the trunk show. gle camera lens, long all-day iPhone, visit www.apple.com Gulf Times 8 Thursday, October 18, 2018 QATAR

Healthcare professionals who participated in a pre-conference event pose for a photo. 300 healthcare experts to attend HMC conference he Hamad Medical Corpo- ureteral stone, or bladder stone. Urology at HMC’s Ambulatory leading delegates from Qatar, the techniques for the treatment of ration (HMC) will host the The Forum, a fi rst in the region, Care Centre and chairman of the US, the UK, Italy, China, India, Pa- urolithiasis, as well as prevention TFirst Qatar Urolithiasis Fo- will include discussions about the Forum’s organising committee, kistan, Nepal, Kuwait, Oman, and a strategies, will be demonstrated rum 2018 today and tomorrow at latest developments in the fi eld of said the event will be an important number of other countries,” said Dr and discussed. the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & urolithiasis. learning opportunity for those in- al- Rumaihi. A pre-conference event held in Convention Hotel. The event will bring togeth- volved in the care of patients with According to Dr Abdulla al-Nai- collaboration with the Hamad In- The event will be attended by er some of the world’s leading urolithiasis. mi, senior consultant in urology at ternational Training Centre took more than 300 healthcare profes- specialists in the diagnosis and “The Forum will feature state- HMC and head of the Forum’s Sci- place at the Millennium Doha Ho- sionals from Qatar and around the management of urolithiasis. In of-the-art presentations on various entifi c Committee, delegates from tel recently. That event included world. addition to hearing from urolithi- topics in the fi eld of stone manage- across HMC’s network of hos- workshops covering a number of Urolithiasis is the formation of asis experts, attendees will ben- ment. Leading international urology pitals, including Hamad General topics, including the management stones in the kidney, bladder, and/ efi t from live demonstrations, lec- experts such as Dr Michael Grasso Hospital, Al Wakra Hospital and Al of urinary calculi. Workshops also or urethra (urinary tract). De- tures, and discussions led by local and Dr Mahesh Desai, will speak at Khor Hospital, will be among the focused on lithotripsy, prostato- pending on where a stone is locat- and international specialists. the event. The Forum will also fea- event’s attendees. lithotomy, and urinary tract stone ed, it may be called a kidney stone, Dr Khaled al-Rumaihi, head of ture scientifi c lectures delivered by He said medical and surgical fragmentation procedures.

Commercial Bank teams up with QCS to raise breast cancer awareness

o mark the Breast Cancer ganised at Commercial Bank’s Awareness Month, Com- own on-site gym for employees, Tmercial Bank has held an CB House of Fitness, followed by a awareness day in collaboration presentation on why ‘Every Move- Snapshots from the breast cancer awareness initiative organised by Commercial Bank in collaboration with Qatar with Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) ment Counts’. Cancer Society. by launching a range of awareness- According to the National Cen- raising activities for its employees tre for Cancer Care & Research, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and members of the public. in Qatar the incidence of breast and through employee services like Commercial Bank off ered its cancer is 40% higher than that of our new on-site gym CB House of guests the opportunity to get other types of cancer. This makes Fitness. We like to involve em- their vital signs checked by quali- it one of the most common cancers ployees’ friends and families and fi ed nurses and receive a general among women in Qatar, the bank members of the public in these consultation from a medical doc- has said in a statement. initiatives as much as we can.” tor. They were also invited to hear Hussein Ali al-Abdulla, chief Dr Abu Rasheed added, “This inspirational talks from a breast marketing offi cer at Commercial event comes within our Life is cancer survivor and a blood cancer Bank, said: “Commercial Bank Pink campaign, which Qatar Can- survivor, as well as attend a work- was glad to play its part in helping cer Society launched during the shop run by Dr Hadi Abu Rasheed, raise awareness of breast cancer in month of October to raise aware- head of Professional Development Qatar. Prevention and early detec- ness about breast cancer, empha- and Scientifi c Research Depart- tion are the most powerful ways to sise the importance of periodic ment at QCS. beat breast cancer, which is why examination for early detection, Activities that focused on fi t- the activities we organised focused and promote a healthy lifestyle to ness and lifestyle were also of- on overall health. prevent it. fered. As studies have shown that “At Commercial Bank, our peo- “Life is Pink targets all cat- this disease and ways to prevent initiatives, and invite all com- women who exercise more are less ple are our greatest asset, and we egories of Qatari society through it. I’d like to take this opportunity munity members to participate in likely to be diagnosed with breast are committed to investing in their co-operation with various state to thank Commercial Bank for its the campaign, which continues cancer, an offi ce workout was or- well-being through initiatives like institutions to raise awareness of support of QCS’s campaigns and throughout the month.”

Ooredoo to hold workshop for female employees

oredoo has announced that it is ac- tively participating in the global OBreast Cancer Awareness Month initiative. Worldwide, October is known as the tional Vision 2030 and working to develop Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is its own Digital Health Strategy that aims to an annual campaign to increase awareness enrich people’s lives through smart home of the disease. solutions connected to the fastest networks, To help ensure that Qatar is educated on the statement notes. the symptoms and causes of breast cancer, In 2017, Ooredoo opened the Ooredoo Ooredoo has been involved in several activities Cancer Awareness Centre, a “state-of-the- to raise awareness, such as the distribution art facility and the fi rst of its kind” in the of symbolic pink ribbons to customers and Middle East to raise awareness about cancer. Ooredoo staff , an awareness video on social The centre was designed to educate people media and hosting an exclusive breast cancer on cancer, including preventive measures, workshop for female Ooredoo employees, the screenings, risks, treatment, palliative care Ooredoo has been involved in several activities to raise awareness about breast cancer, such company has said in a statement. and how to survive the disease. as the distribution of symbolic pink ribbons to customers and Ooredoo staff . At the workshop, employees will gain Located at Barwa Towers in Al Sadd, practical knowledge on breast cancer, how the facility is an Ooredoo corporate social ensure Qatar has the latest healthcare so- to learn more about breast cancer, which is to spot it as well as the treatments available. responsibility project and runs a host of lutions and the educational space to learn the most common cancer in women world- The workshop will also cover healthy living educational events throughout the year. more about the disease. We’re happy to do wide.” tips and take place in the Ooredoo Cancer Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi, director of PR our part to support such an important glo- To fi nd out more about Ooredoo’s spon- Awareness Centre. and Corporate Communications at Oore- bal awareness campaign and encourage eve- sorship and CSR work, one can head to Ooredoo is a key supporter of Qatar Na- doo, said: “Ooredoo is investing to help ryone to take fi ve minutes during the month Ooredoo.qa.

Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 11 QATAR

The perfection of the S-Class, blended with the exclusivity of the Maybach, makes Various Mercedes-Benz models displayed at the eighth edition of Qatar Motor Show. the Maybach S-Class the luxurious and technological spearhead of Mercedes-Benz. PICTURE: Jayan Orma PICTURE: Jayan Orma Mercedes-Maybach S-Class’s interior. – supplied picture NBK shines at Motor Show, reveals new Mercedes models Qatar Motor Show’s largest stand revealed the Mercedes CLS AMG, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Mercedes-Maybach S-class and displays a wide range of sedan and SUV

By Joey Aguilar of the show with our biggest as a design icon as it becomes dynamic, purposeful character,” Staff Reporter and luxury stand, display of side the fi rst Mercedes-Benz model the company noted. NBK Auto- range of vehicles, and reveal of to fully embrace the design phi- mobiles said the perfection of the three top new cars that are icons losophy of sensual purity. The S-Class, blended with the exclu- he opening of Qatar Mo- in their segments,” he noted, as result: a timeless fusion of emo- sivity of the Maybach, makes the tor Show (QMS) 2018 wit- he reiterated NBK’s commitment tion, elegant beauty and exqui- Maybach S-Class the luxurious Tnessed the regional debut to Qatar and its customers. site comfort. and technological spearhead of Mercedes-Benz’s premium SUV (GLE) is distinguished with its dynamism and assertiveness. – supplied picture of Mercedes CLS 53 AMG and According to NBK, the new Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz’s Mercedes-Benz. GLE 450, as well as the unveiling generation of the CLS sets the bar premium SUV is distinguished Some features which distin- of Mercedes S65 for the fi rst time higher by matching the model’s with its dynamism and as- guish these vehicles include ex- in the country, yesterday at the distinctive shape and captivating sertiveness, “encapsulating a tra spaciousness and lavishly Doha Exhibition and Convention appeal with enhanced comfort distinctive view of the world.” designed prestigious interiors, Centre. The new car models will and technology features. During “Imposing proportions and “off ering extensive scope for in- be on display until October 21 at its introduction in 2004, the CLS forceful, confident styling make dividualisation.” The two-tone the luxurious pavilion of Nasser introduced the four-door coupe the GLE a striking addition to exterior paint fi nish is also a clas- Bin Khaled (NBK) Automobiles, segment with an iconic shape the Mercedes-Benz lineup. The sic Mercedes-Maybach theme. authorised general distributor of that reshaped cars for a new era. GLE features striking propor- In future, there will be nine dif- Mercedes-Benz in Qatar. The CLS broke new ground by tions and dramatic body style, ferent colour combinations “NBK Automobiles and Mer- fusing the elegance and dyna- ensuring the imposing nature available on request. cedes-Benz continue their dis- mism of a coupe with the com- of the GLE lives on,” NBK Auto- NBK Automobiles is also tinguished and prominent pres- fort and functionality of a sedan. mobiles said. showcasing a range of cars that ence at QMS, refl ecting their The third generation seam- “The front section is particu- appeal to all styles and choices, values of luxury and excellence,” lessly connects every unique el- larly eye-catching with its dra- including the SUVs, sporty and NBK Holding’s automotive oper- ement of the CLS and elevates it matic air intakes, twin-louvre the luxury sedans at its pavilion, ations director Sheikh Faleh bin by setting new standards in de- grille, and wraparound full LED including the latest editions of Nawaf al-Thani said. sign, safety and technology. The headlamps. Power domes on the A-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S- Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 sets the bar higher by matching the model’s distinctive shape and captivating appeal “Today we are the benchmark new CLS reasserts its credentials bonnet further stresses the car’s Class, CLA and G-Class. with enhanced comfort and technology features. – supplied picture QAC displays wide range Maxus unveils D90 SUV

By Peter Alagos of Mitsubishi SUVs Business Reporter he new Maxus D90 atar Automobiles Sheikh Faleh bin Nawaf of SUVs that are also avail- ing pleasure and keep you in SUV made waves yes- Company (QAC), al-Thani, Automotive Op- able in the QAC showroom confi dent control. Tterday after it was un- Qthe authorised dis- erations director at NBK on Salwa road. The Outlander off ers plen- veiled by Auto Class cars at tributor of Mitsubishi Mo- Holding, said: “Qatar Auto- The Pajero is a true off - ty of room for seven passen- the Qatar Motor Show 2018, tors Corporation in Qatar mobiles Company is proud roader and a legend in its own gers with its standard third- which runs until October 21 and one of the subsidiaries to be part of this spectacu- right. Powertrain options row seating. You can also at the Doha Exhibition and of Nasser Bin Khaled (NBK) lar event that displays latest were either a 3.5-litre V6 mat- quickly change the seating Convention Centre. Holding, is taking part in the models of cars. ed to a 5-speed automatic, or confi guration to meet your Auto Class cars, the au- 2018 Qatar Motor Show, dis- “Being the authorised dis- a 3.8-litre V6 engine mated to needs. The 2017 Outlander is thorised general distributor playing a wide range of Mit- tributors of Mitsubishi mo- a 5-speed auto. The standard equipped with a 166 horse- of Maxus in Qatar and a sub- subishi vehicles. tors in Qatar, our pavilion package includes ActiveTrac power, 2.4L MIVEC engine sidiary of Nasser Bin Khaled Taking place at Doha Ex- will display a wide range of four-wheel-drive with rear- that achieves 30 highway (NBK) Holding, revealed the hibition and Convention Mitsubishi modern cars that wheel, full-time all-wheel MPG3, or upgrade to GT for Maxus D90 – a new SUV Centre until October 21, Qa- are well known of their reli- and 4WD high and low range even more performance with concept and described an tar Motor Show is the most ability, functionality, and af- with locked centre diff eren- the powerful 224 horsepow- excellent example of the in- important motoring event in fordable prices. We look for- tial. er, 3.0L MIVEC engine. novation of Chinese auto the Middle East for car lovers ward to welcome our visitors Montero Sport is ideal for The Eclipse Cross’s beau- brands. and trade professionals. The and guests in our pavilion adventures. Adventure calls tiful, dynamic form creates The Maxus pavilion also show brings together some to have a close look at new from the well-appointed the same sense of excite- displays the Maxus T60 of the most notable inter- models and latest designs.” cockpit, which surrounds ment and inspiration as the pick up, V80 15-16 seater, The new Maxus D90 makes its debut at the Qatar Motor Show 2018. PICTURE: Jayan Orma national carmakers show- The QAC pavilion will you with solid craftsman- diamond ring eff ect during and G10 7-9 seater – two casing their latest models. display a range of Mitsubi- ship, supportive comfort, a total eclipse. While stylish premier people mover solu- which adopts the C2B model customers’ demand. van with a long-wheelbase The exhibition has become shi SUVs, including Pajero, intelligent features and a like a coupe, it’s unquestion- tions. All these vehicles, in that is based on user’s sur- The model will be chassis and dropside cab. a regular date in the calen- Montero Sport, Outlander, wide open view. From re- ably a Mitsubishi Motors addition to V80 & G10 panel vey. The users’ participation equipped with a 2.0T turbo- Maxus will throw in alloy dar and off ers one of the best ASX, and Eclipse Cross. fi ned metres to sophisticated SUV. The newly developed vans, are available at the becomes an essential part supercharged engine with wheels, reverse parking sen- informative platforms about Customers can now have a fl oor console, every feature is 1.5L petrol turbo engine, it state-of-the-art Auto Class of the manufacturing proc- the maximum power of sors, one sliding side door, car manufacturing. close look on this wide range fi ne-tuned to enhance driv- provides a pleasing response, showroom on Salwa road. ess and their individual de- 224 horsepower and maxi- rear barn doors on cargo high revolutions and strong NBK Holding Automotive mands are fully considered. mum torque of 360 NM. It models and electric entry acceleration. Operations director Sheikh D90 uses the popular will also be equipped with step for passenger models, Built for the working week Faleh bin Nawaf al-Thani big-mouth style, with ag- a 6-speed automatic trans- and one-zone air-condi- as much as the weekend, the said, “We are proud to repre- gressive lattice grid and mission and 4WD system. It tioning as standard equip- ASX compact SUV has stacks sent the Maxus brand here in fashionable LED source in is also equipped with lane- ment across the range. of storage, super smart tech- Qatar and take part in Qatar front headlight group. The departure warning system, a The new Maxus T60 is a nology, zippy performance Motor Show 2018. The new new model also equips with 360-degree camera system, stylish looking double cab and eff ortless style. Available D90 that we revealed is re- six-spoke wheel, showing reversing camera and LED pickup truck. The T60 is fi t- in 2WD and AWD, ASX is built ally a new concept of SUVs a sporting style. The new headlights. ted with two airbags, Elec- for the time of your life com- and we are confi dent that model has a body size of From its design to details tronic Stability Programme bining the adventurous spirit it will appeal to visitors and 5,005/1,932/1,875 mm and of quality and technology, (ESP) with traction control, of a confi dent explorer with car enthusiasts. “Besides, wheelbase of 2,950mm. Its the Maxus G10 achieves a ABS anti-lock brakes with the considered practicality of Maxus vans and buses are a tail light also shows a fash- high level with rich con- electronic brake-force dis- a family SUV. QAC is the au- perfect blend of legacy and ionable style. It adopts a fi gurations for the top-end tribution. thorised distributor of Mit- technology, integrating Eu- Maxus family-style in inte- models. G10 uses Saic’s self- Over the years, the Max- subishi Motors Corporation rope’s century-honoured rior decoration, with simple developed 2.0T engine and us brand has won several and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck commercial vehicle culture central console and fash- has dynamic technology and awards including ‘Fleet Van & Bus Corporation in Qatar. with Shanghai Automotive ionable independent LCD top-notch safety standards. of the Year’, ‘Best New Van’, QAC was founded by the late Industry Corporation (Saic) screen. The new model also Its ZF 6-speed manual pro- ‘Innovation Award’, and also Sheikh Nasser bin Khaled al- Motor’s three-decade expe- adopts a dashboard design vides gearbox assuring a dy- ‘Van of the Year’ from 2005 Thani in 1970 as a subsidiary rience of passenger vehicle equipped with a large-size namic acceleration. The ZF to 2008. After its acquisition of Nasser Bin Khaled Holding, manufacturing and research display screen. It’s learned transmission assures power by Saic Motors in late 2000, which has more than 70 years and development.” that the model will have transmission security. it was re-branded and re- of experience in the automo- The D90 is a pioneer 5-seat, 6-seat, and 7-seat The Maxus V80 Mini- developed into the Marquee The Eclipse Cross on display. tive industry. product of Saic Maxus, version to meet diff erent bus is a light commercial brand for Saic Motors. Gulf Times 12 Thursday, October 18, 2018 QATAR Alfardan Automobiles hosts regional premiere of BMW X5

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

lfardan Automobiles, the BMW Group importer in Athe country, unveiled the BMW X5 for the fi rst time in the region yesterday at the open- ing of Qatar Motor Show (QMS) 2018. Latest BMW models – BMW X4, X2, X3, M5, i8 Roadster, and M2 Competition, along with the M760 Li and M4 CS – also made their local debut at the fi ve-day event, which will run until Octo- ber 21 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. “We’re excited to take part in the eighth edition of QMS and showcase our sophisticated new Alfardan Group board member Fahad Alfardan (3rd, left), Alfardan Automobiles general manager Rabih BMW models with the brand new Ataya (2nd, right) and BMW Group Middle East area manager Ayser Maan (3rd, right), along with other design language, and present the Alfardan Automobiles off icials at the unveiling of BMW X5 yesterday at the Qatar Motor Show 2018. BMW X5 in the Middle East for (Supplied picture) the very fi rst time,” Alfardan Au- tomobiles general manager Rabih Ataya said. “Each of our latest models tru- ly resonate the brand’s commit- ment towards intelligence, per- HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti tours the Alfardan formance and comfort. We are Automobiles pavilion yesterday at the five-day show, which concludes on October 21. (Supplied picture) proud to be steering this direc- tion with BMW locally in Qatar (0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds) and for the new performance sedan Available at the stand were also through our latest off erings,” he xDrive40i will be fi tted with a is a 4.4-litre V8 bi-turbo engine the all new M2 Competition and noted. Taking the centre stage at 340hp six-cylinder engine (0- with M TwinPower Turbo tech- M4 CS with the new Oled lights– show, X5, the fourth-generation 100km/h in 5.5 seconds). Ac- nology and develops 600hp with a symbolic pair when it comes to Sports Activity Vehicle, gives an cording to Alfardan Automobiles, impressive performance fi gures the M sub-brand, along with the imposing appearance and envi- both variants will be equipped that speak for themselves: 0 to range-topping M760Li xDrive able interior space. with the eight-speed Steptronic 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds and Series. A powerfully sculpted bonnet, transmission and will be avail- 0 to 200km/h in 11.1 seconds. The open-top two-seater i8 a short front overhang, lightly able for model-specifi c options Like all the models to come out Roadster awed attendees with hexagonal wheel arches and the from BMW Individual. of BMW M GmbH HQ, the de- its ground-hugging design. The dynamic sweep of the roofl ine The BMW X4, X3 and X2 were sign is M-specifi c and driven by electrically operated soft-top provide further references to the also on display, demonstrating function, with an interior focus- adds a whole new sensation of sporty yet rugged character of the variety of options BMW of- ing squarely on the driver. As a freedom to the combination of the new X5. Two variants will be fers though the X Model family. high-performance sports car and locally emission-free mobil- available: the new V8 engine in The new BMW M5 made an ap- business sedan in one, it blends ity and high-calibre performance the X5 xDrive50i boasts 462hp pearance. Providing ample power the best of both worlds. the i8 is justly known for. German ambassador Hans-Udo Muzel at the Alfardan Automobiles pavilion. (Supplied picture) New Range Rover and Sport models showcased Alfardan Motorcycles

lfardan Premier Motors Co, the 1,206mm in total) and can be de- offi cial retailer of Jaguar Land ployed at the touch of button. The displays latest models ARover in Qatar, has showcased exemplary comfort extends to heated both the new Range Rover and Range and cooled seats, plus heated arm, Rover Sport at the Qatar Motor Show foot and calf rests. For additional lfardan Motorcycles has launched importer in Qatar for BMW Motorrad, (QMS) 2018. convenience and personalisation, all a collaborative range of its new Ducati, Triumph, KTM, Vespa, Piaggio, The fi ve-day event, running un- seat functionality can be controlled Amotorcycles on its exclusive dis- Aprilia, Gilera, Moto Guzzi, Arctic Cat til October 21 at the Doha Exhibition via a smartphone app, whether inside play stand at the eighth edition of Qatar side by side buggy, and Sand X – Sand and Convention Centre, is showcas- or outside the vehicle. Motor Show, which is taking place at the Vehicle. ing over 165 models of classic, sports, The elegance of the interior has Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre Alfardan Motorcycles general manager mid-range, and luxury cars from top been elevated by the seamless inte- until October 21, to placate the ever in- Ayad As-Siaidi said, “We are eagerly an- international car brands. gration of the most advanced info- creasing demand for premium brands in ticipating this year’s Qatar Motor Show, Conceived nearly 50 years ago, tainment system yet created by Jaguar the motorcycle community. and every year we get to see and meet Range Rover has continuously evolved Land Rover. Touch Pro Duo, code- Established in November 2006, Al- like-minded people, bikers, and motor- to lead the world around it, remain- named ‘Blade’, combines two high- fardan Motorcycles has set the bar for cycles fans who are as eager to see the lat- ing the peerless luxury SUV, while defi nition 10-inch touchscreens on importing an exclusive range of motor- est technologies and equipment’s avail- the new Range Rover Sport is trans- Visitors to the Jaguar Land Rover stand at QMS will also get a closer look at the centre console working in perfect cycle brands to Qatar, being the offi cial able to enhance their own experience.” formed by technology, delivering ef- Jaguar’s exciting line up including the Jaguar E-Pace, Jaguar F-Pace, Jaguar harmony. Information can be swiped fi ciency, capability and performance F-Type Coupe, Jaguar XJ, Jaguar XF and Jaguar XE. from one screen to the other, making like never before. the layout highly intuitive and engag- Every Range Rover Sport has an customer satisfaction and fi rst-class a completely redesigned cabin and ing to operate, with unrivalled func- enhanced design and features new service. These new deals mean our seating layout create a tranquil sanc- tionality. consumer technology. The flag- customers will not only drive away in tuary with no compromise to the rear The Range Rover Sport’s exterior ship Range Rover SVR now delivers exceptional vehicles but will also be load space. has evolved to harmonise and mod- 575PS, making it the fastest Range able to take advantage of outstanding Up to 17 connection points in- ernise the design, making it look more Rover to date. This is an SUV driven off ers to purchase their dream cars,” cluding domestic plug sockets, USB, dynamic without changing its char- to another level of dynamic capabil- Alfardan Premier Motors general HDMI and 12-volt are available; 4G acter. ity, with breadth of appeal and de- manager Samer Bou Dargham said. Wi-Fi hotspots for up to eight de- At the front, the striking new de- sirability like no other. The exterior design of the new vices and convenient storage are all sign is enabled by intelligent Pixel-la- During QMS, customers can benefi t Range Rover has evolved, while designed for the business traveller. ser LED headlights, sitting alongside from unmatched off ers by benefi ting heightened comfort and new con- The cabin is tailored for relaxation a redesigned grille. This is comple- from complimentary add-ons on Jag- sumer technologies have been added with luxurious seats off ering 25 mas- mented by a new bumper with a more uar Land Rover fi nanced vehicles. The to the cabin. Comfort-enhancing sage programmes thanks to Hot Stone aggressive profi le. off er includes up to fi ve years war- functions transform the travelling massage technology within the seat The introduction of the Jaguar ranty and maintenance, 24/7 roadside experience for the driver and passen- backs. Land Rover Activity Key also brings assistance and up to two years com- gers. The front seats feature 24-way Wider, softer seats off er sumptu- new levels of convenience to the plimentary insurance. movement thanks to the new seat ous comfort. Reclining by up to 40 Range Rover Sport, allowing custom- “At Alfardan Premier Motors we are frames, with wider and deeper foams degrees, they make the most of the ers to lock and unlock their vehicle dedicated to provide the very best in as well as heated arm rests. In the rear additional 186mm legroom (now without the need to carry a key fob. Transparency Qatar takes part in QMS

ransparency Qatar, an educate our potential cus- cles against ageing. “We are Alfardan Group com- tomers on the high-quality in the business of supplying Tpany specialising in services that we provide, our customers with the best providing high-quality car and the Qatar Motor Show in car maintenance and pres- protection and treatment is a great opportunity for us ervation. We uphold a certain services, has announced its to achieve this goal,” he ex- standard of excellence, to en- participation in the Qatar plained. sure customer loyalty,” added Motor Show (QMS) 2018, Transparency Qatar of- al-Siaidi. which began yesterday at the fers paint protection fi lms to In an eff ort to ensure the Doha Exhibition and Con- preserve bodywork against company’s high standards vention Centre. impact from the road, high- are continuously upheld, “We off er visitors a variety quality window tinting fi lm Transparency Qatar con- of key brands such as Pro- which provides optimum ve- ducts regular checkups on all Tech, SunProtech, Hexis,” hicle protection from heat, customer vehicles, develop- said Ayad al-Siaidi, general long-lasting paint protection ment training for its employ- manager, Transparency Qa- as well as an intense colour ees, that takes place oversees tar. “It is pivotal to us that and diamond-like fi nish, in Monte Carlo, and France, we get to connect with our and car polishing and inside as well as sending renowned HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, customers, and supply them detailing which allows cus- master trainers to their German ambassador Hans-Udo Muzel and other dignitaries visit Alfardan Motorcycles’ with our latest off erings, and tomers to protect their vehi- branches. exclusive display stand at Qatar Motor Show. PICTURE: Jayan Orma Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 13 QATAR Genesis’ GV80 concept SUV in maiden reveal

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

enesis’ fuel cell concept sports utility vehicle G(SUV) was launched for the fi rst time in the Middle East and Africa yesterday at Jaidah Automotive managing director Bernhard Dolinek, Chevrolet general manager Yusuf Soydas, and other dignitaries during the launch of the eighth edition of the Qa- the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. PICTURE: Jayan Orma tar Motor Show (QMS), taking place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre until October 21. Dubbed as GV80, the con- cept car was unveiled on Oc- tober 14 to more than 300 VIPs Jaidah Auto unveils at St Regis Doha in an exclusive event, organised by Skyline Automotive, a Jaidah Automo- tive company and the offi cial HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif distribution partner of Hy- Ahmed al-Sulaiti and South Korean ambassador Chang-mo Kim at undai Motor Company and its the unveiling of Genesis’ fuel cell concept SUV to more than 300 ‘fastest, most powerful’ luxury brand Genesis in Qatar. VIPs at St Regis Doha on October 14. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil “It was a night which was all about luxury redefi ned the Ko- rean way. We fi rst introduced Genesis a little over a year ago at the previous Qatar Motor Corvette at motor show Show, and it was essential that we mark another major mile- By Peter Alagos Bernhard Dolinek, managing di- Further, the ZR1 elevates Cor- dah Automotive.” He added: “As stone ahead of this year’s edi- Business Reporter rector at Jaidah Automotive, and vette’s track capability with two part of our internal strategy as a tion,” said Mohamed Jaidah, Yusuf Soydas, general manager wind tunnel-honed aerodynam- company, we continue deliver- Group Executive Director, Jai- at Chevrolet. ics packages, including an avail- ing on our promise to customers, dah Group. he 2019 Chevrolet Cor- Soydas said, “This is an ex- able High Wing that provides an showcasing vehicles that portray “As you may know, Genesis is vette ZR1, the fastest and citing moment for Chevrolet to estimated 430Kgs of downforce. Chevrolet’s latest innovation in a relatively young luxury brand Tmost powerful produc- showcase the Corvette ZR1 to the The 2019 Corvette ZR1’s ag- safety, design, and technology in the automotive industry. tion corvette ever made, has Qatari market and have it avail- gressive appearance is driven and cementing our vision to be Much like our beloved country made its debut at the eighth edi- able for sale. The Corvette ZR1’s by function, contributing to its the future of mobility in Qatar. Qatar – a country whose am- tion of Qatar Motor Show, which exclusive LT5 supercharged en- distinction as the fastest pro- “We also pride ourselves on bitions and accomplishments Bernhard Dolinek (left) and Altar Yilmaz led the unveiling of will run until October 21 at the gine establishes a new bench- duction Corvette to date. Seven- continuing the Chevrolet Com- have earned it international Genesis’ fuel cell concept SUV at the Qatar Motor Show 2018. Doha Exhibition and Conven- mark in the vehicles’ perform- speed manual and eight-speed plete Care promise through our recognition in a short period, (Supplied picture) tion Centre. ance.” paddle-shift automatic trans- nationwide campaign, ‘We Will Genesis has come a long way Jaidah Automotive, Chevro- The ZR1’s LT5 6.2L V-8 en- missions are available with the Handle It’ that is entering its in a short space of time too by Genesis brand to create prod- let’s exclusive dealer in Qatar, gine advances Corvette’s super- LT5. It’s also the fi rst time an au- third successful year, which vis- forging its own path,” he noted. ucts which combine elegance, unveiled the Corvette ZR1 – a charging legacy, which began tomatic transmission has been itors to QMS will be able to fi nd “We at Jaidah Group are proud practicality, and fi erceness, supercar that pushes Corvette’s with the 2009 sixth-generation off ered in a ZR1. out more about.” to take part in this amazing meeting the needs of a motorist performance legacy with the ZR1 and continued with the 2015 Dolinek said, “We are excited In addition to the 2019 Cor- journey.” looking for a unique experience highest power, greatest track seventh-generation Z06. to be part of the eighth edition vette ZR1, more of Chevrolet’s The GV80 Concept is the on the road. performance, and most ad- Rated at an SAE-certifi ed of QMS, as it has a new strategy exciting line-up are on display at brand’s fi rst interpretation of “As a way of showing our ap- vanced technology in its pro- 755 horsepower and 969 Nm behind it this year, which has a the Qatar Motor Show, including a versatile luxury SUV, which preciation and commitment to duction. of torque, the ZR1’s super- focus on innovation and sus- the Silverado LTZ, Malibu Sport, strikes a perfect balance be- Qatar and our partnership with Attending the motor show on charged 6.2L V8 establishes a tainability, and that is a strategy Tahoe LTZ, and Camaro SS Con- tween elegance and versatility, Skyline Automotive, we chose behalf of Jaidah Automotive was new benchmark in performance. we are very familiar with at Jai- vertible. Skyline Automotive said. the Qatar Motor Show as the Equipped with the lat- venue to display our GV80 Con- est cutting-edge technol- cept Vehicle to the public,” Gen- ogy, the GV80 Concept Car esis for Africa and Middle East utilises a plug-in hydrogen Mohamed Jaidah, Group Region general manager Altar fuel cell electric technology Executive Director, Jaidah Group, Yilmaz said. to combine eco-performance speaking at the unveiling of “With the GV80 Concept Car, 2019 Toyota Avalon promises and capability. It is carefully Genesis’ fuel cell concept SUV to Genesis further defi nes athletic designed to represent ath- more than 300 VIPs at St Regis elegance and design language in letic prowess and confidence, Doha on October 14. an innovative, high-tech SUV combined with elegance and Concept,” Yilmaz added. versatility. region as well,” the envoy said. Jaidah Automotive managing ‘authentic driving experience’ South Korean ambassador “The model which will come director Bernhard Dolinek said Chang-mo Kim told Gulf Times out next year will be quite they received “great feedback that Genesis Concept Car re- unique from this one.” from our customers” since the By Peter Alagos sign paired with a highly spa- ceived a positive feedback from Other Genesis icons that are Genesis reveal last year. Business Reporter cious, comfortable interior ex- potential clients in Qatar. showcased at this year’s QMS “The Genesis vision is going perience with an abundance of “I am very proud that we are the G70, G90, G80 and G80 beyond just providing a new outstanding advanced features.” have this Hyundai Genesis Sport. By completing the se- luxury mode of transportation. bdullah Abdulghani Adding to its many class- concept car. It is very popular dan line-up with the arrival of We are off ering a new kind of & Bros Co (AAB), sole leading features, the 2019 Avalon in Korea and I hope this new the Genesis G70 to Qatar this ownership experience where Aagents for Toyota vehicles draws upon Toyota’s New Global model can be a big hit not only summer, Skyline Automotive is everything is centred around in Qatar, has unveiled the all- Architecture (TNGA) platform, in Doha but in the Middle East bringing to life the vision of the our customers,” he noted. new 2019 Avalon midsize pre- which represents an entirely new mium sedan in the Middle East strategy to the way the company at the Qatar Motor Show, which designs, engineers, and packages runs until October 21 at the Doha its vehicles, providing a com- Exhibition and Convention Cen- fortable and stable ride with su- tre (DECC). perior handling characteristics. QTC puts on display top brands Delivering an authentic driv- Complementing the all-new ing experience that harmonises Avalon’s daring looks is a thrill- with its stunning design and el- Visitors take a look at the all-new 2019 Toyota Avalon at the Toyota ing drive personality imbued by atar Trading Company (QTC) is show- egant luxury, the fi fth generation booth. PICTURE: Jayan Orma a new 3.5-litre V6 engine, which casing a range of high-calibre brands as of the brand’s fl agship vehicle is produces a maximum output of Qit takes part in the fi ve-day Qatar Motor set to redefi ne its class. One of the key components in It off ers luxury. Now, more than 298hp and 356 Nm of torque and Show, which began yesterday at the Doha Exhibi- Underpinned by a Toyota New getting there was the new plat- ever, it has sporty performance. is equipped with the latest Di- tion and Convention Centre (DECC). Global Architecture (TNGA) plat- form and suspension. These un- But mostly, it delivers an au- rect Injection 4-Stroke Gasoline QTC is renowned for supplying cleaning solu- form and powered and enhanced derpinnings allow us to provide an thentic driving experience. We Engine Superior Version (D-4S) tions, automotive, garage equipment, auto spray by a new fuel-effi cient 3.5-litre unequalled foundation to deliver cannot wait to put it in the hands and Variable Valve Timing-intel- solutions, automatic car wash systems, workshop V6 engine and a host of comfort the performance that matches the of our customers,” said Randy ligent Wide (VVT-iW) systems equipment, air solutions, hand and power tools, and safety features that are com- styling and the technology while Stephens, chief engineer of the to achieve top-notch power per- and instrumentation equipment, as well as, other plimented by Toyota Safety Sense, off ering a fi ne blend of luxury and 2019 Toyota Avalon. formance, environmental per- various innovative products. the 2019 Toyota Avalon embod- sportiness in the premium mid- Yugo Miyamoto, chief rep- formance, and fuel effi ciency. The company said it is keen on delivering un- ies consumers’ overarching desire size sedan segment. resentative, Middle East and Available in eight distinctive paralleled innovative, groundbreaking technol- The Qatar Trading Company booth at Qatar Motor for high-calibre, design-centric, “We really focused on bring- North Africa Representative Of- exterior colours, the all-new ogy solutions that boast of exceptional quality, Show 2018 showcases Autostacker, a collapsible and technologically-savvy modes ing as much innovation to Avalon fi ce, Toyota Motor Corporation, Avalon allows customers to ex- while enhancing productivity and improving effi - parking lift that doubles the vehicle capacity of a of attainable and premium trans- as possible. On many diff erent said: “We are excited to launch press their individuality. Two ciency to meet the ever-growing industry needs. single parking space. PICTURE: Jayan Orma portation. fronts – from ride, to handling, the all-new Avalon in the region, newly-developed colours, Slate QTC said it has accumulated an unrivalled “Throughout development, we to technology, to safety and more presenting our customers with Gray and Blackish Brown, fur- track record of maintaining major, defi ning setting the standards in car care products with focused on the all-new Avalon – this new generation really does an attainable premium mid-size ther express a premium feel with agency agreements over the years, ultimately premium requirements. The Autostacker is a being authentic and exhilarating. take the brand to the next level. sedan that features a daring de- a sporty atmosphere. catapulting the company’s name into the strato- fully-collapsible parking lift that doubles the sphere of leadership in the international market. vehicle capacity of a single parking space, while Marzooq Shamlan Al Shamlan Holding CEO maintaining a 6,000lb lifting capacity – ideal Joe Lahoud said, “Qatar Trading Company, under for home, garages and commercial applications. Marzooq Shamlan Al Shamlan Holding, is show- For so many reasons, this is the ultimate lift for QIC Insured ‘offi cial partner of Qatar Motor Show’ casing Metrovac, Sonax, and Autostacker at the homeowners. USAG, a historic brand alongside Qatar Motor Show 2018. maintenance workers and workshop profession- QIC Insured, the personal insurance division endeavour to design schemes that are not “QTC is the major supplier of equipment to als for more than 90 years, has always produced of leading insurer QIC, is the off icial insurance only cost eff ective, but can also off er great Woqod petrol stations in the country. We are also professional equipment of the highest quality partner for this year’s Qatar Motor Show, value. the key supplier to the Fahes and provide Maha ensuring extraordinary results, durability, and which will run until October 21 at the Doha “Based on our interpretation of the research equipment. It is our duty to make use of every op- complete safety of use. Karcher, the world’s lead- Exhibition and Convention Centre. on customers’ purchase patterns and pain portunity to support the Qatar economy.” ing provider of effi cient resource-conserving During the Qatar Motor Show, QIC Insured points, we decided to bring to the market a MetroVac is a product that’s 100% made in cleaning systems, will showcase the company’s launched the all-new QIC Orange – a scheme no frills, super aff ordable low cost compre- the US and committed to latest in cleaning systems and services in DIY and off ering low rates for comprehensive car hensive car insurance that caters to a wider outstanding product excel- professional. insurance in Qatar. customer base, especially for those who lence. It provides suctioning Karcher products from the home range in- Available exclusively through the online prioritise price without compromising on the equipment that cleans cars clude, steam cleaners, vacuums, fl oor polishers, portal, qic-insured.com, the newly-designed benefits.” quickly and handle exten- sweepers, window vacs, pressure washers, wa- scheme off ers customers the low rates on The QIC booth at the Qatar Motor Show 2018. To learn more about this scheme, customers sive cleaning tasks. tering systems, and pumps - perfect for home comprehensive car insurance. can simply visit the QIC Insured booth at the Another product, Sonax, and garden cleaning. Existing customers of QIC Insured can take online at an unbeatable low rate. Ahmed al- Qatar Motor Show. Alternatively, customers is acclaimed ‘Brand of the Karcher also provides a range of professional advantage of the new scheme by simply Jarboey, senior claims manager, said: “As the can log on to qic-insured.com and select the Marzooq Shamlan Century’ amongst more cleaning machines, accessories, and detergents, renewing their pre-existing insurance policy market leader, we at QIC Insured constantly ‘QIC Orange’ option. Al Shamlan Holding than 250 of the most pow- which are designed to meet the customers’ ever CEO Joe Lahoud. erful German brands for evolving needs while saving time and resources. Gulf Times 14 Thursday, October 18, 2018 ARAB WORLD/AFRICA

POLITICS Swedish royals in Jordan visit Iraq PM-designate to present new Israeli air raids cabinet for approval Iraq’s prime minister-designate Adel Abdul Mahdi said yesterday hit Gaza Strip he would present a new cabinet to parliament for approval next week. Abdul Mahdi was named by Iraq’s From Page 1 desperately needed power in new President Barham Salih last The rocket caused major the impoverished territory. month, and has until the beginning damage to a family home in The International Criminal of November to form a govern- the southern city of Beersheba, Court’s chief prosecutor said ment. The election of Salih, a Kurd, 40km away, the Israeli army yesterday she was closely fol- and his nomination of Abdul Mahdi, said. lowing the situation and “will has broken months of political dead- Another rocket came down not hesitate to take any appro- lock in Iraq after an inconclusive in the sea off Tel Aviv, 70km priate action”. May election. “The prime minister- from Gaza, the army said. Fatou Bensouda said in a designate... is carrying out the Hamas and Islamic Jihad statement from The Hague- necessary communications with the condemned the latest rocket based court that she was head of parliament and the blocs fi re as “irresponsible”. “alarmed by the continued to set a day” to present the cabinet, But Israeli military spokes- violence, perpetrated by actors his off ice said in a statement on man Jonathan Conricus reject- on both sides, at the Gaza bor- Facebook and Twitter. Since a US in- ed the disavowal, saying Ha- der with Israel.” vasion toppled Saddam Hussein in mas bore “full responsibility” The UN says Israel’s 11-year 2003, the Iraqi presidency has been as Gaza’s de facto ruler. blockade has resulted in a traditionally held by a Kurd. Abdul Retaliatory strikes had hit 20 “catastrophic” humanitarian Mahdi, a former vice president, oil targets. They killed one Pales- situation in Gaza. A handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace yesterday shows Jordanian King Abdullah II and Queen Rania pose for a minister and finance minister, faces tinian in northern Gaza. Its 2mn residents endure picture with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Prince Daniel of Sweden in the capital Amman. the tasks of rebuilding much of the At least three other Pales- routine power cuts and a country after the war. tinians were wounded in the chronic shortage of safe drink- strikes, the Gaza health minis- ing water, and more than two- try said. thirds are dependent on inter- Defence Minister Avigdor national aid. Lieberman ordered the clo- The latest fl are-up comes sure of both of Israel’s border after months of Palestinian crossings with Gaza in reprisal, protests along the Gaza border making the heavily restricted that have drawn a deadly re- Rafah crossing with Egypt the sponse from Israeli troops. UN’s Syria envoy to step enclave’s sole gateway to the The protesters have been outside world. demanding an end to Israel’s Lieberman also ordered the blockade and the right of re- reduction of the permitted turn to land now inside Israel, fi shing zone off the Gaza coast from which their families were to three nautical miles from expelled or fl ed during the down at end of November six, his ministry said. 1948 war that accompanied its Lieberman already sus- creation. Reuters the more-than-seven-year Syr- former Algerian foreign minister the United Nations. De Mis- pended deliveries of fuel that At least 207 Palestinians United Nations ian confl ict. His predecessors — Ramtane Lamamra, UN Middle tura said creation of the panel had been trucked daily into have been killed by Israeli fi re former UN Secretary-General East envoy Nickolay Mladenov had been delayed as “questions Gaza under a deal brokered by since the protests began on Kofi Annan and veteran Alge- and Norway’s Ambassador to continue to be raised, mainly by the United Nations. March 30. N Syria envoy Staff an de rian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi China Geir Pedersen. the Syrian government, over the It had seen thousands of li- One Israeli soldier has been Mistura said yesterday he — both quit in frustration over During his fi nal weeks in the composition” of the UN list. tres (gallons) of fuel paid for killed by Palestinian sniper fi re Uwould step down at the a global stalemate on how to end job, De Mistura told the Security He said he would visit Da- by Qatar delivered to generate over the same period. end of November for family rea- the war. Council that Secretary-General mascus next week and hoped sons, quitting as the Syrian gov- However, his successor faces Antonio Guterres had instructed to win government approval for ernment — backed by Iran and a tough battle to negotiate a po- him to “verify once and for all” a “credible and inclusive third Russia — has retaken most of the litical deal, which the West has whether a credible, balanced list.” country and a political deal re- said is needed to unlock its re- constitutional committee could “If there is a political will, mains elusive. construction support and to en- be convened. there is no reason for the con- AU in joint call for talks Despite the advances by Syr- courage the bulk of the millions Staff an de Mistura Participants at a Syrian peace stitutional committee not to be ian President Bashar al-Assad, of refugees in Europe and the conference in Russia in January convened in November,” he told de Mistura said a political solu- Middle East to return. “One month can be a century in had agreed to form a committee the Security Council. to end Comoros ‘crisis’ tion was still the key as “the al- When asked if he was up- politics....I have always been an to rewrite the Syrian constitu- The 15-member UN Secu- ternative will be territorial gains set at not being able to achieve optimist.” tion that will be made up of 150 rity Council has long been dead- and no sustainable peace.” a breakthrough, de Mistura — Diplomats said possible re- people, with a third chosen by locked with Western powers pit- AFP In Mutsamudu, security forc- De Mistura is the longest serv- who has been in the job for more placements for de Mistura in- the government, a third by op- ted against Syrian ally Russia, Moroni es have struggled to regain con- ing of three UN mediators during than four years — told reporters: cluded UN Iraq envoy Jan Kubis, position groups and a third by backed by China. trol of the medina, a warren of narrow streets and alleys, wit- he United Nations and nesses said, with regular shots CONFLICT African Union called continuing for a third day yes- Khartoum names Tyesterday for talks to terday. One person was killed in urgently re-start in the coup- clashes, residents and an offi cial new peace envoy prone Comoros islands after source said. Govt approves UN aid delivery to to South Sudan clashes erupted between gov- A night-time curfew has been ernment forces and opponents imposed on Anjouan due to the Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir of President Azali Assoumani. unrest. Under the constitu- remote camp on Jordan-Syria border yesterday appointed a peace envoy Assoumani’s bid to extend tional changes, Assoumani, who to South Sudan, mired in conflict term limits has fuelled anger in previously came to power in a since it won independence from the Indian Ocean archipelago military coup and was elected in Reuters The UN in Syria together involved in the operation told its northern neighbour in 2011. in recent months. 2016, will be able to run for con- Amman US envoy says Idlib with Syrian Red Arab Cresent Reuters. Former ambassador to Juba, Jamal Security forces have patrolled secutive terms. deal ‘freezes’ confl ict (SARC) will reach the camp to In the last three years, tens al-Sheikh, was put in charge of Mutsamudu, on the island of He has indicated that he provide life-saving humani- of thousands of people have “following the implementation” of Anjouan, since Monday, with plans to stage polls next year he Syrian government A Russian-Turkish deal for a tarian assistance in the coming fl ed to the camp from Islamic the peace deal signed last month gunfi re erupting as they dis- which would allow him to reset has given approval for buff er zone around Syria’s last few days.” the UN Resident and State-held parts of Syria being by warring South Sudanese parties, mantled barricades erected by his term limits and theoreti- Tthe United Nations to rebel stronghold was a “major Humanitarian Co-ordinator in targeted by Russian and US-led Bashir told a gathering of Sudanese anti-government activists. The cally rule until 2029.His critics deliver aid next week to thou- step” that has “frozen” the coun- Syria, Ali Al-Za’tari, said in a coalition air strikes. diplomats. “Peace in Sudan cannot spokesperson for United Na- including the opposition Juwa sands of civilians stranded on try’s devastating seven-year war, statement. The Syrian army has tight- be separated from peace in the tions’ Secretary-General Anto- party, which has strong support the Jordanian-Syrian border a US envoy said yesterday. James Earlier local relief bodies in ened its siege of the camp, region, and achieving peace in nio Guterres appealed for “calm in Anjouan, have accused him of and threatened with starvation, Jeff rey, Washington’s special the camp said UN offi cials had which is also near the Iraqi bor- South Sudan is a big step towards and utmost restraint”, and urged a “dictatorial power grab”. aid workers and camp offi cials representative on Syria, spoke a contacted them to say they have der, preventing smugglers and a comprehensive peace,” he said. rivals to support the “inclusive Former president Abdallah said yesterday. day after regime ally Russia and received authorisation from traders from delivering food. Civil war in the world’s youngest dialogue process” recently es- Sambi, the head of the Juwa par- A siege this month by the rebel backer Turkey said their Damascus to send an aid con- Jordan agreed earlier to allow country erupted in December 2013, tablished by the African Union. ty and originally from Anjouan, Syrian army and a block on aid agreement creating a demilita- voy on Oct 25. a one-off aid shipment but has killing tens of thousands, displacing The AU said it deplored the has been charged with cor- by Jordan has depleted food at rised zone skirting Idlib province “The UN told us they would said since it should not be held millions and triggering a regional breakdown of the talks earlier ruption as part of Assoumani’s the camp in the Rubkan area of was on course despite militants bring in aid...they have prom- responsible as the camp is not refugee crisis. this month, and said there was crackdown. southeast Syria. missing a Monday deadline to ised many times in the past but on its territory and all future “an urgent need for confi dence- “Assoumani appears increas- That has led to at least a withdraw. The deal “is a major every time they say we were not provisions must come from UN building measures to facilitate ingly intolerant of dissent,” Jane dozen deaths in the past week step because what it’s done is it able to come because the (Syr- stores inside Syria. TRIAL the resolution of the crisis”. As- Morley, analyst at the London- among its more than 50,000 has frozen the conflict not only ian) regime did not allow us,” The “deconfl iction zone” is White farmers soumani won a referendum in based Fitch Solutions risk con- inhabitants, mainly women there, but the conflict is also said Oqba al-Abdullah, a relief designed to shield US troops July on constitutional changes sultancy, told AFP. “A number and children, residents and UN frozen essentially everywhere offi cial in the camp. at the Tanf garrison and main- found guilty in that includes ending the rota- of opposition fi gures have been sources told Reuters. else,” Jeff rey told journalists in the “We hope this time it’s true.” tain for Washington a strategic black teen’s death tion of the presidency between arrested or gone into hiding, Rukban lies inside a “decon- Turkish capital Ankara. The UN children’s agency foothold in an area close to a the country’s three main islands amid accusations of coup plots, fl iction zone” set up by US Unicef warned last week that crucial supply route for Iranian A South African court yesterday after one term. corruption and the like. forces. without aid the lives of thou- weapons entering Syria from convicted two white farmers of Assoumani, from Grand Co- “Should Assoumani stand in Damascus says US troops preparations were being made sands of children in the camp Iraq. murdering a 16-year-old black boy more island, launched a crack- early elections in 2019, as looks are occupying Syrian territory for a convoy next week to des- were at risk. US-led coalition warplanes suspected of stealing sunflowers down on rivals following the likely, power is unlikely to rotate and providing a safe haven for perate camp residents. UN offi cials have been press- have several times struck mili- in a remote northwestern farming poll, which was boycotted by to Anjouan, as would have been rebels. “The overall humanitar- ing Moscow to get its ally Da- tias allied to Damascus, in what community. Pieter Doorewaar and opposition parties and which he the case under the rotational The United Nations offi ce ian situation inside the Rukban mascus to agree to the aid Washington has described as Philip Schutte were found to have won with 92.74 % support. system.” in Damascus confi rmed that camp is at a critical stage. shipment, a senior UN source self-defence. killed Matlhomola Mosweu on April 20 last year, after claiming they caught him in the act of taking a plant from a farm in the area. The boy died after being thrown out of a moving vehicle driven by the Father of murdered midwife hails her humanitarian work pair and suff ering a broken neck, in a case that sparked rioting and looting of white-owned businesses AFP Unicef, during a Boko Haram who are in dire need of help. the Islamic State-allied Boko would have been made to save in the town of Coligny. The men Maiduguri attack on the remote town of “Hauwa was a trained mid- Haram faction that seized them”. More than 27,000 people had claimed that the teen jumped Rann, in northeast Nigeria, on wife and we decided that she them. have been killed and some 2mn off the truck as they drove him to March 1. went there to help people Hardliners in the self-styled others made homeless in north- the police. he father of a young mid- Hauwa Liman’s father, who badly needed her service. Islamic State West Africa east Nigeria since the confl ict wife executed by Boko Mohamed, said that he was Rann was also her home: her Province (ISWAP) reportedly began in 2009. THaram has blasted the “deeply shocked” at his uncle and aunt still live there. killed their de facto leader, A sustained counter-off en- UNREST militants for killing his daugh- daughter’s death, which came “She proved to be of im- Mamman Nur, who had pre- sive by the Nigerian military, 18 die after clashes ter, hailing yesterday the “im- less than a week after indica- mense help to the community viously pledged only to hit with assistance from neigh- mense help” she gave to her tions from the government in the 10 days she served in “hard” military and govern- bouring states, has pushed the in South Sudan community and expressing that they would be released. Rann. ment targets rather than civil- rebels out of captured territory, Clashes between South Sudanese hope for the safe release of oth- “We are deeply disturbed, “Despite what happened I ians. although attacks persist. cattle herders over grazing land er hostages. the whole family is disturbed,” have no regret that she went to The killings have raised fears But it has also laid bare a have left 18 people dead, authorities The International Commit- he said in Hausa, in an inter- Rann and offered humanitar- for the safe release of Alice Lok- humanitarian crisis in the re- said yesterday, the latest violence tee of the Red Cross (ICRC) view in the Borno state capital, ian service. She really helped sha and a Christian schoolgirl, gion that has left millions in over territory in the troubled coun- confirmed on Tuesday that Maiduguri. the community within these Leah Sharibu, who was seized dire need of emergency food, try. “We have confirmed the killing Hauwa Liman had been killed, “Rann is my home town days.” in February from the town of healthcare and shelter. of 18 people in the inter-communal a month after the murder of where I grew up and still have Amnesty International said Dapchi, in Yobe state. Mohamed Liman said his fighting,” Terekeka state Minister for one of her colleagues, Saifura relations there. the women’s deaths amounted Mohamed Liman accused daughter, who was just 24, Information Dominic Ladu said. Khorsa. “It is now home to more to a war crime. Boko Haram of “sheer decep- “will always be remembered for The clashes occurred Tuesday Mohamed, the father of the Both were kidnapped with a that 50,000 IDPs (internally The killings are thought to tion”, saying they had “made the humanitarian service she evening in Terekeka state over the killed Nigerian aid worker third aid worker, Alice Loksha, displaced people), including be due to the overthrow of a up their mind to kill Hauwa and rendered to the community in use of grazing land along the River Hauwa Liman in Maiduguri. from the UN children’s agency children, women, and the aged more moderate leadership of Saifura no matter what eff ort Rann”. Nile, he said. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 15 AMERICA

POLIO-LIKE SYMPTOMS FINANCE ASSAULT GREENHOUSE GASES TRY YOUR LUCK CDC confirms 62 cases of President seeks to shrink Cop accused of raping US emissions fell in 2017 Mega Millions jackpot rare neurological condition cabinet agency budgets migrant at traff ic stop as coal plants shut hits $868mn in the US

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention President Donald Trump said yesterday he will A police off icer in a suburb of Washington has Greenhouse gases emissions from the largest Your chances of winning are slim to none, but has confirmed 62 cases of acute flaccid myelitis, ask every cabinet secretary for proposals to been arrested and charged with raping an US industrial plants fell 2.7% in 2017, the Trump it might be worth investing a few dollars in the a rare, polio-like condition that causes weakness cut their budgets by 5%. As a candidate in the undocumented migrant during a traff ic stop, administration said, as coal plants shut and as that Mega Millions contest in the United States before in the arms or legs, across 22 states. The CDC is 2016 presidential election, Trump pledged to off icials said yesterday. The incident occurred industry competes with cheap natural gas and solar tomorrow’s drawing. The prize? $868mn, after investigating 127 reported cases, including the slash government spending and regulation, and in the early hours of October 11 in the town of and wind power that emit less pollution. The drop no one won on Tuesday night. It would be the ones that have been confirmed. More than 90% of many fellow Republicans going into November Langley Park, just north of the capital, according was steeper than in 2016 when emissions fell 2%, the largest jackpot in global lottery history if claimed the cases reported so far are people under 18 years congressional elections have picked up the to a police statement. Ryan Macklin, 29, is Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said. EPA by a single winner. In 2016, a $1.6bn Powerball of age. The number of confirmed cases reported theme in their own campaign promises. The US accused of pulling over a female driver then acting administrator Andrew Wheeler said the data prize was split three ways by ticket holders from to date is similar to levels reported in the fall of government ended the 2018 fiscal year with a forcing her to perform a sexual act while they proves that federal regulations are not necessary California, Florida and Tennessee. Each took home 2014 and 2016. Acute flacid myelitis or AFM is not $779bn deficit, according to data released on were both seated in her car in a nearby parking to drive carbon dioxide reductions. “Thanks to $528.8mn. The previous largest single jackpot of new, but cases have been on the rise since 2014. Monday by the Treasury Department, fuelled by lot. Local media reported the victim was an President Trump’s regulatory reform agenda, the $758.7mn was won last year by Mavis Wanczyk, The condition aff ects a person’s nervous system, Republican-led tax cuts that were signed into law undocumented migrant, citing an advocacy economy is booming, energy production is surging, a 53-year-old mother of two from Massachusetts. specifically the spinal cord, causing weakness in last year. “We’re going to ask every secretary to group. Macklin is charged with first and second and we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions Mega Millions is available in 44 states, the capital one or more limbs. cut 5% for next year,” Trump said. degree rape and second degree assault. from major industrial sources,” Wheeler said. Washington and the Virgin Islands.

Apple gives Twitter publishes tweet trove US users tool to see what data from Russia, Iran campaigns is collected Reuters the existence of tweets it believes to Washington be the product of foreign misinforma- tion campaigns, but the release of the Reuters tweets themselves yesterday will allow Washington witter yesterday published a researchers to learn much more about trove of some 10mn tweets that it Russia and Iran’s disinformation eff orts Tsaid were linked to state-backed on Twitter since 2016. pple Inc yesterday rolled operations by Russia and Iran, shedding “There has been a lot of misunder- out an online tool to us- new light on the scale of misinforma- standing on the IRA operation, notably Aers in the United States tion campaigns mounted by the two na- because the public was working with and several other countries to tions, apparently designed to infl uence bits and pieces of data,” said Camille download, change or delete all voters and sow dissension in the United Francois, director of research for social the data that the iPhone maker States and elsewhere. media data analytics fi rm Graphika. has collected on them. The social media service, which “Comprehensive datasets like these Apple updated its privacy has more than 300mn monthly users allow for a fuller understanding of the website with the tool, which was worldwide, said it had identifi ed 3,841 scope and nature of these operations.” unveiled earlier this year for us- accounts affi liated with the St Peters- Russia and Iran have both denied ers in the European Union in burg-based Internet Research Agency, accusations that they attempted to in- response to the region’s General or IRA, a Russian “troll farm” that has fl uence US voters on social media or Data Protection Regulation, or been indicted by US Special Counsel through other means. GDPR. Robert Mueller for attempts to interfere Twitter’s publication of the tweets Apple will now let users in the with the 2016 US presidential election. comes just weeks before US Congres- United States, Canada, Australia It found another 770 Twitter ac- sional elections which are already the President Donald Trump speaks with workers on ‘Cutting the Red Tape, Unleashing Economic Freedom’ in the Oval Off ice of and New Zealand see and down- counts that it traced back to Iran. subject of Russian and other foreign- the White House in Washington yesterday morning. load all information that Apple “We are making this data available with directed social media campaigns, ac- has collected on them. the goal of encouraging open research and cording to senior US intelligence offi - lary Clinton, and against each other,” ential targets or topics with charged While the automated accounts stoked It also gives users a simpler investigation of these behaviours from cials. he added, referring to Donald Trump’s rhetoric. anger on one side with messages such way to make changes to the data, researchers and academics around the “The Russian operation was much presidential election challenger. For example, the Digital Forensic Re- as “Rosa Parks took a seat. We must suspend their Apple account or world,” Twitter said in a statement on its more skilled,” said Ben Nimmo, a senior The Iranian operation was more search Lab identifi ed what it described #TakeTheKnee,” they also retweeted even permanently delete it. “elections integrity” site. fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital clumsy, attempting to use social me- as a Russian-linked 2017 Twitter cam- posts directly attacking NFL players for Apple previously off ered those In total, the exposed accounts shared Forensic Research Lab, which yester- dia to draw people towards pro-regime paign aimed at infl uencing the debate their part in the protests. functions in diff erent places but more than 10mn tweets and 2mn images day published a detailed analysis of the messaging sites, according to Nimmo. over US National Football League play- “The IRA and the Iranian operation brought them together for Eu- and videos, Twitter said, before being tweets. The tweets made public by Twitter ers kneeling during the national anthem covered in Twitter’s data today are only rope’s data privacy law. taken down. “It masqueraded as real Americans either insult or praise certain election to protest police violence against Afri- the tip of the iceberg for foreign manip- It plans to roll out the same Twitter had already made public to turn real Americans against Hil- candidates, activists and other infl u- can-Americans. ulation of social media,” said Francois. tool for all users around the world by the end of the year. Apple devices such as the iPhone or Apple Watch collect detailed data about users, such as whom they e- Aft er hurricane, fate of sea turtle mail, call or text message and even nests uncertain on Florida coast biometric data such as heart rates Lack of power, phones hit rescue and fi ngerprints. When Hurricane Michael struck hatchlings make it safely to the But Apple’s practice has been Florida’s Panhandle, it swept ocean, and past natural predators to keep much of that data on away nests of threatened baby on the beach. the devices themselves and en- eff orts after Hurricane Michael loggerhead sea turtles hatching The barrier island beaches in crypt it with the user’s pass along its sandy beaches, already the Apalachicola area support code, meaning that Apple does Reuters damaged by previous storms and some of the densest concentra- not possess the data and cannot Panama Beach, Florida erosion. tions of nesting loggerhead sea unscramble it if asked to do so by Scalloped sand has replaced turtles in northwest Florida, law enforcement offi cials. dunes that have been washed according to the Florida Depart- Apple has sought to turn its lack of power and phone away in Alligator Point, one of the ment of Environmental Protec- privacy stance into a business service in the areas of most prolific areas for sea turtle tion (DEP). There were only advantage against its technol- AFlorida fl attened by Hur- nests in Franklin County and the seven nests left on St George ogy industry rivals, with chief ricane Michael last week was state. Island in Franklin County as executive Tim Cook saying that hindering eff orts yesterday to “Our dunes were about 2.44m of last week and “unless they Apple “wouldn’t be in this situ- distribute food and water and high and they’re all gone,” said hatched before today, they didn’t ation” earlier this year when to contact residents not heard Allan Feifer, 61, a Franklin County survive,” St George Island Volun- Facebook Inc came under scru- from since the storm ploughed emergency management off icial, teer Turtlers said in a Facebook tiny for the misuse of its data by through the state’s Panhandle. who lives in Bald Point, which post last week. Cambridge Analytica. The hurricane, one of the was battered by 3.5m storm The beaches of Franklin Facebook chief executive Mark most powerful storms on record surge. County have been monitored Zuckerberg in turn called Cook’s to hit the continental United Almost all Gulfside Beaches in for sea turtle nesting activity comments “extremely glib.” States, killed at least 27 people. Franklin County, along Florida’s since 1979, when the Florida Despite its focus on keeping It packed top sustained winds “forgotten coast” of the Panhan- Fish and Wildlife Research data on devices, Apple does col- of 250kph and unleashed a surge dle are dotted with sea turtle Institute (FWRI) implemented a lect and store some data about of seawater that demolished nests from May through October. statewide monitoring pro- its users. homes. “All of this is sea turtle nesting gramme, the Florida DEP said Florida offi cials have not said area,” said Deb Washburn, 62, a on its website. how many people are missing. retiree and resident of Carrabelle, After a significant increase in Melania plane Many people may not be able a seaside town of 2,700. the number of turtles hatch- to call friends and family or may “All of our lights are out at ing and crawling to the ocean lands safely after be staying elsewhere and are not night,” she said. between 1990 and 1999, there has mechanical issue necessarily presumed dead. Baby sea turtle hatchlings typi- been a drop off , it said. Debris, downed trees and cally use the light of the horizon “The downward trend seen S First Lady Melania power lines have hampered ac- to help guide them to the water. with hatch success began as a Trump’s airplane re- cess to stranded people. Artificial lighting from beach result of beach conditions and Uturned yesterday to the Teams made up of hundreds homes can turn them away from has continued due to tropical Joint Base Andrews military fa- of volunteers with the Houston- the water. storms, high tides and erosion,” cility in Maryland after experi- based CrowdSource Rescue or- As a result, the town has spe- it added. encing a “minor mechanical is- ganisation were searching for cially programmed streetlights However, last year Franklin sue”, her spokeswoman said in a more than 1,135 people in Flori- that turn on only when cars are County had 1,118 Loggerhead statement. da who lost contact with friends passing by, limiting artificial lights nests, the most in at least four About 15 minutes after takeoff , and family, Matthew Marchetti, in the area. years, the Florida Fish and Wildlife the plane’s cabin started fi lling co-founder of Houston-based Loggerheads, a federally Commission said. with smoke and there was a smell CrowdSource Rescue. protected species, are the most Hurricane Michael, which of something burning, according Most of those missing are common type of sea turtle living came ashore on October 10, to a separate statement from re- from Panama City and many are Taylor Fontenot, president of 50 Star Search and Rescue, distributes hot food prepared by Operation in Florida. was late in the nesting season porters who were on board. elderly, disabled, impoverished, BBQ Relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Springfield, Florida. The US Southeast has and may therefore have a A fl ight crew member gave or live alone, Marchetti said. a majority of the nesting lesser impact on this year’s turtle passengers damp towels to hold He said the search has been Virginia, according to a Reuters The state government is dis- four mainly rural Florida Pan- grounds for loggerheads, population, said Lesley Cox, 68, a over their faces for the smell, the hindered by spotty cell phone tally of offi cial reports. tributing ice, water and about handle counties were without said Catherine Eastman, Sea green guide and Florida master reporters said. The plane landed coverage in the devastated area, Offi cials said medical exam- 3mn ready-to-eat meals, Gov- electricity yesterday. Turtle Program Manager at the naturalist. shortly after 9am EDT. though authorities are making iners were determining whether ernor Rick Scott’s offi ce said. On Tuesday, the federal gov- University of Florida’s Whitney “I do think that we had a lot “Everything is fi ne and everyone progress in restoring communi- another four deaths in Florida In Mexico Beach, which took ernment said that 61.5% of cell Marine Laboratory Sea Turtle of nests this year and we didn’t is safe,” said the fi rst lady’s spokes- cations. resulted from the storm. a direct hit, the number of peo- sites remained out of service in Hospital. have any storms until now so we’ll woman, Stephanie Grisham. Many residents have also ex- About 35,000 Floridians have ple missing dropped to three on Bay County. The state also has a smattering probably have a lot of hatchlings The plane was en route to pressed frustration at the slow called the Federal Emergency Tuesday, said Rex Putnal, a city Offi cials said it could be of Atlantic green sea turtles. that made it,” Cox, a resident of Philadelphia, where Trump was pace of recovery of wireless net- Management Agency seeking councillor. The town of 1,200 weeks before power returns to Sea turtles lay eggs multiple Carrabelle, said. scheduled to visit Thomas Jef- works. help since and the agency has residents had reported two fa- some. times each season, which lasts The impact due to beach ferson University Hospital and Federal Communications already approved $1mn in as- talities as of Monday. Countless numbers of people from May to October. erosion, though, may be more meet with families aff ected by Commission Chairman Ajit Pai sistance for people in 12 coun- Nearly 155,000 homes and in the region’s backcountry have Across the Panhandle, there lasting, said Eastman at the Sea prenatal opioid use as part of her on Tuesday called for wireless ties, spokesman Ruben Brown businesses remained without struggled for days without run- are hundreds of nests, each hold- Turtle Hospital. “Be Best” campaign. carriers to waive bills for cus- in Tallahassee said. power in the US Southeast, with ning water or sanitation, await- ing about 50 to 150 eggs. “The question is will they have The First Lady, Health and tomers aff ected by the storm. FEMA has distributed about residents of battered coastal ing help from authorities. Nest protection is a seven- suff icient habitat to nest next Human Services Secretary Alex The death toll includes 17 in 4.5mn meals, more than 5mn towns forced to cook on fi res Some have been camping in day-a-week task and volunteers year,” she said. “You hope so. But Azar and others on the trip were Florida, one in Georgia, three litres of water and 9mn infant- and barbecue grills. tents with the belongings they and staff help make sure the it really all depends.” transferred to a second plane, in North Carolina and six in and-toddler kits, he said. At least 70% of customers in were able to salvage. the reporters’ statement said. Gulf Times 16 Thursday, October 18, 2018 ASIA

No need to intervene US prepares for cleanup of if politics stable: Thai Agent Orange in Vietnam army chief Reuters getting under way early next year. ing the strategic waterway, Reuters Bien Hoa Air Base US troops dropped Agent through which more than $3trn Bangkok Orange during the Vietnam in cargo passes every year, and War to clear thick jungle. But sees Vietnam as a crucial ally in S Defence Secretary Jim it contributed to severe health drawing regional opposition to hailand’s new army chief Mattis yesterday visited problems that, according to the Beijing’s behaviour. yesterday did not rule out Ua former American air US Department of Veterans Af- But US offi cials including Tanother military interven- base in southern Vietnam that fairs, can include Parkinson’s Mattis – who is on his second tion if there was political confl ict will soon become the biggest- Disease, prostate cancer and trip to Vietnam just this year – after the return of civilian rule in ever US cleanup site for con- Chronic B-cell Leukemia. hope that addressing America’s a general election next year. tamination left by the defoli- Of the 4.8mn Vietnamese wartime legacies like Agent Or- General Apirat Kongsompong, ant Agent Orange during the who were exposed to Agent Or- ange can become a vehicle for who took up his post this month, Vietnam War. ange, some 3mn are still dealing further strengthening ties. said the army was being closely Standing near a skull-and- with its eff ects, including chil- When a US aircraft carrier watched and would strive to crossbones warning sign meant dren born with severe disabili- visited Vietnam in March, for remain neutral. to keep people away from toxic ties or other health issues years example, one of the places US “We have to tread carefully.... soil, Mattis was briefed by Vi- after their parents were ex- sailors visited was a Vietnamese We cannot let politics use us,” etnamese offi cials about the posed, according to the Hanoi- shelter for people suff ering from Apirat told reporters in Bangkok. massive contamination area. based Vietnam Association for the eff ects of Agent Orange. When asked by a reporter if he In a possible sign of the sen- Victims of Agent Orange. The United States just com- was prepared to launch another sitivity surrounding Agent Or- More than four decades af- pleted a fi ve-year, $110mn coup, Apirat said: “If politics ange in Vietnam, where mil- ter the Vietnam War ended in programme that cleaned soil does not create confl ict like in lions of people are still suff ering 1975, ties between the United contaminated by Agent Orange the past, there is no need for us its eff ects, reporters were not States and Vietnam are less seen at Danang International Air- to intervene.” allowed to attend the outdoor through the prism of the con- port, which was one of the main Thailand has been under briefi ng for Mattis at Bien Hoa fl ict and more through shared air bases used for storing and US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis, right, is greeted by Vietnam’s Air Force Deputy Commander General military rule since a May 2014 Air Base. concerns over China. spraying the herbicide between Bui Anh Chung (second right) while he visits Bien Hoa airbase, outside Ho Chi Minh city, yesterday. coup which the army said was “I came to show the support Vietnam has emerged as the 1961 and 1971. necessary to restore order after of the Defence Department for most vocal opponent of China’s But offi cials from the US distributed to reporters. private consulting fi rm deter- “The impact on the commu- months of pro and anti-govern- this project and demonstrate territorial claims in the South Agency for International Devel- According to the US Congres- mined that contaminated soil nity is very diffi cult to measure. ment protests. that the United States makes China Sea and has been buying opment, which is overseeing the sional Research Service (CRS), had spread from hot spots at the Dioxin has impacts (on health) The government, led by former good on its promises,” Mattis US military hardware, includ- project, said the Bien Hoa site one soil sample from Bien Hoa base into nearby lakes, ponds, at very low concentrations army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, told his Vietnamese counterpart ing an armed, Hamilton-class will be four times larger than had a “toxic equivalency,” or creeks, and drainage ditches, and they’re not real consist- the current prime minister, has at a closed-door meeting later in Coast Guard cutter. Danang, a massive undertaking TEQ, of more than 1,000 times increasing the amount of soil ent,” one of the US AID offi cials repeatedly delayed elections nearby Ho Chi Minh City. The United States, in turn, that is expected to cost $390mn, over the international limit. and sediment that will require said, speaking on condition of with the latest poll date now set Cleanup is expected to start accuses China of militaris- according to a factsheet A 2011 study conducted by a treatment. anonymity. for February 2019. Maldives president accepts defeat

AFP stifl ing his opponents. abroad, after his opponent Ibra- trailed an opposition candidate, the fi nal obstacle before Solih, a Colombo “This is my fi nal address to him Mohamed Solih emerged the which ultimately allowed him to relatively unknown opposition the nation before I leave,” said winner in the September 23 poll. narrowly win a run-off poll. fi gure, takes the oath of offi ce on the 59-year-old whose term in But last week he fi led a peti- He has ruled with an iron-fi st November 17. utgoing Maldives Presi- offi ce ends on November 17. tion against the results in the ever since, crushing dissent and Ahead of the court hearing dent Abdulla Yameen “During my tenure, the most Supreme Court, defying threats jailing or exiling all his major in the capital Male, the United Otold the nation yester- diffi cult thing for me was my of possible sanctions. opponents. States had warned “appropriate day he accepted defeat in last failure to learn about the peo- The court Tuesday refused to Yameen alleges the country’s measures” would be taken if the month’s elections, even as the ple. I just couldn’t fi nd out what accept the testimony of three elections commission used dis- will of the Maldivian people was In this file photo, prominent Vietnamese blogger Nguyen Ngoc strongman ruler lobbies the Su- shapes their wishes.” unnamed witnesses put forward appearing ink on ballot papers to undermined. Nhu Quynh, centre, attending her appeal trial at a local people’s preme Court to call a fresh poll. He said that he hoped to by Yameen’s lawyers, suggesting unfairly favour the opposition. Washington and its allies have court in the central coastal city of Nha Trang. In a televised address to “serve the people” after leav- the bench was moving closer to His lawyers said the anony- been concerned by growing Chi- the nation, Yameen made no ing offi ce, without elaborating ruling against him. mous witnesses could show the nese infl uence in the strategi- reference to his controversial further. Yameen successfully lob- vote was rigged. cally positioned Indian Ocean legal bid to annul the results Yameen had already conced- bied the same court in 2013 to The court’s rejection of the archipelago, especially under Dissident blogger of the election he lost despite ed defeat, under pressure from nullify election results as he witnesses has all but cleared Yameen’s authoritarian rule. ‘Mother Mushroom’ freed, on way to US Lanka Thai monk AFP visiting a fellow activist in to revoke Hanoi prison – but even from jail she remained steadfast in her opposition to the communist bikini ban convicted dissident Vietnam- government. ese blogger known by Her family said she held AFP Athe pen name “Mother several hunger strikes, most Colombo AFP The girl was under the age of Mushroom” was on her way to recently in July when she Bangkok 15 and Wiraphon is said to have freedom in the United States stopped eating for two weeks, later fathered a child with her. yesterday after being released according to the 88 Project, a ri Lanka yesterday prom- In yesterday’s ruling, which from prison where she was political prisoner watchdog. ised to revoke a rogue bi- hailand’s infamous “jet- found him guilty of rape and serving 10 years for anti-state Earlier this year she was Skini ban raising eyebrows set monk” was convicted separating the girl from her propaganda, sources said. moved from a jail in her home at a popular seaside resort, as the Tof abusing an underage parents, the court said he had Disgraced monk Wiraphon Sukphon, third left, arrives with other It is rare but not unheard province of Khanh Hoa to a authorities urged tourists to wear girl yesterday, a court offi cial given the Buddhist faith a “bad prisoners at a criminal court in Bangkok to face another sentence of for political prisoners to be prison hundreds of kilome- what they want at the beach. said, in a case that has rocked reputation”. yesterday. released early from jail in Viet- tres away, a move her relatives The signs erected by local police at an already scandal-mired Bud- “He used his monkhood, nam, a one-party state whose objected to because it made it Habaraduwa Beach, about 130km (81 dhist clergy. which Thai people respect,” the digitised ID cards that could after $4mn was found in bank communist leadership has harder to visit her. miles) south of the capital Colombo, Wiraphon Sukphon, 39, court offi cial said. track members of the commu- accounts in his name. waged a brutal crackdown on Offi cials did not give a reason depicted a pair of western women in earned his evocative moniker af- Wiraphon’s 16-year custo- nity with criminal histories. Police are also investigating critics over the past two years, for relocating her, but her fam- bikinis crossed out with a red “X”. ter footage emerged of him wear- dial sentence punishment will Thailand is mostly Buddhist allegations of fi nancial wrong- drawing ire from Western al- ily feared it was to punish her. “According to Sri Lankan cul- ing designer sunglasses with a be added to the 20-year prison and the religion is woven into doing within the National Of- lies and rights groups. Former US ambassador to ture, please dress in an appropri- Louis Vuitton bag on a private jet. term he received in August after everyday life, but drug, sex and fi ce of Buddhism. But Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Vietnam Ted Osius, who had ate suit,” it stated, declaring biki- He was extradited back to being found guilty of multiple fi nancial scandals have weighed And early last year, soldiers Quynh’s release came as US protested the length of her nis “improper”. Thailand from the US last year, counts of fraud. on the Buddhist leadership and raided the temple of the mega- Defence Secretary Jim Mat- sentence, welcomed the news A police offi cial in Colombo accused of the rape and dup- The military junta that seized forced some high-profi le colli- rich Dhammakaya sect on the tis visited Vietnam, which has of her release. said local law enforcers had not ing donors who had given him power in 2014 has taken a hard- sions with law enforcement. outskirts of Bangkok to detain its been keen to build ties with its “I’m delighted that she’s out sought approval for the signs, money to build what he said line against monks acting out- In May, the abbot of the controversial abbot on accusa- old foe Washington as it nerv- of jail, I know she was ill and I which stirred controversy after would be the world’s largest side the law and authorities tourist-heavy Golden Mount tions of massive fraud. He eluded ously eyes the rise of its giant know her family has been terri- going viral on social media. emerald image of Buddha. have considered introducing temple in Bangkok was arrested capture and remains at large. northern neighbour China. bly worried about her,” he said. Sri Lanka does not allow visi- Mother Mushroom – a Quynh became a cause tors in revealing clothing – in- name that came from her celebre and received an In- cluding men in shorts – to visit daughter’s nickname “mush- ternational Woman of Cour- Buddhist temples and other reli- room” – became one of Viet- age Award in 2017, presented gious sites, but beaches are gen- nam’s most outspoken critics to her in absentia by US First erally more relaxed. Rohingya refugee girls sold into forced labour: UN before she was put behind bars Lady Melania Trump. Tourism authorities said visitors in 2017, thanks to her writing Months later, Quynh’s to the island’s famed coastline had Thomson Reuters Foundation said in a report this week. Thir- men and eight boys who were rived in the four months after on the taboo topic of deaths in young daughter penned an nothing to worry about, and steps Phnom Penh ty-one of the girls ended up in forced into labour. deadly attacks by Rohingya police custody, the environ- emotional letter to Mela- were being taken to remove the signs. forced labour as did 26 of the The Bangladeshi charity insurgents on Myanmar secu- ment and politics. nia Trump appealing for her “Dress code policing is un- women. Young Power in Social Action rity forces in August 2017 were She was freed from jail yes- mother to be freed. needed and unwarranted for ohingya refugee girls “The stories we commonly (YPSA) is raising awareness followed by military operations terday and put on a fl ight to The release coincided with tourists enjoying the scenic are being sold into hear are of vulnerable people among refugees of the dangers that the United Nations and the United States, an Ameri- Mattis’ trip, the second visit beaches of Sri Lanka,” the Tour- Rforced labour to raise being approached by traffi ckers of traffi cking, and has been col- human rights groups said tar- can embassy source, friends he has made to Vietnam. ism Development Authority said. money for desperate fami- with false promises of work and lecting reports from Rohingya geted civilians. and a Vietnam offi cial said. Vietnam’s most recent crack- Sri Lanka, a Buddhist-major- lies in overcrowded camps in a better life,” said IOM spokes- community leaders, as well as Myanmar has denied most of “Quynh was sent to the US down on critics picked up pace ity island popular with tourists, Bangladesh, according to the woman Dina Parmer, adding local and international groups. the allegations. earlier today,” a Vietnam- in 2016 when a new conservative has criticised foreigners in the United Nations’ migration some refugees were unaware of “More than 1,000 have been Bangladesh bars refugees ese government offi cial con- leadership came to power. past for off ending moral tastes. agency. the risks. identifi ed as victims of human from leaving the camps, or fi rmed, speaking on condition At least 55 activists have Foreigners with clothing, tat- The International Organisa- “Others may be aware it is traffi cking,” said Jishu Barua of holding jobs other than par- of anonymity. been jailed this year alone, toos or jewellery depicting the tion for Migration (IOM) said dangerous, but feel their situ- the YPSA. ticipating in small-scale cash- Family friend Nguyen Lai with several handed steep Buddha have seen tourists deport- it had identifi ed 99 cases of ation is so desperate that they More than 900,000 Ro- for-work programmes run by said “congratulations” on Fa- prison sentences of up to 20 ed from the island for “hurting the human traffi cking during the are willing to take extreme hingya, an ethnic and religious humanitarian agencies, IOM cebook to Quynh, adding she years in prison. sensibilities” of Sri Lankans. year starting September 2017, measures, perhaps sacrifi cing Muslim minority in Myanmar, noted. would soon be in a “free coun- One of those dissidents, Last month, three Sri Lankan men although it cautioned that one family member for the sake live in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Ba- “They are desperate to get try” with her two children and Nguyen Van Dai was secretly landed in hot water after exposing the true number was likely far of the rest of the family,” she zar district, the vast majority in out of the camps to make some mother. released in June and put on their bottoms near a Buddhist tem- greater. said in a statement. camps, according to the United money,” Barua told the Thom- Mother Mushroom was ar- a plane with his assistant to ple as part of a social media challenge Of the victims, 35 were girls The rest of the traffi cking Nations. son Reuters Foundation by rested in October 2016 after Germany. and posting the images online. and 31 were women, the IOM survivors comprised of 25 adult About 700,000 of them ar- phone from Cox’s Bazar. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 17 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA China propaganda chief warns Hong Kong media over ‘interference’

AFP in Hong Kong have intensifi ed af- media after a meeting with the what they should do and what turned up a report by Commercial were on a three-day visit to Bei- Correspondents’ Club, where Hong Kong ter the government denied a visa Chinese offi cial. Siu said Huang they should not do”. The com- Radio Hong Kong, but the link led jing, according to the South China Mallet serves as vice president, to a British journalist, who had had told the group of visiting ments were “plainly a clear ef- to a blank page, suggesting the Morning Post. regularly hosts talks by an array chaired a talk by an independence journalists and executives in Bei- fort, a clear attempt, to infl uence original content might have been Earlier this month China of speakers, including Chinese hina’s propaganda chief activist at the city’s press club in jing that he hoped Hong Kong the media sector here”, Yeung told removed. warned foreign countries not to offi cials. The club was pressured has reportedly warned August. media “would not become a base AFP. Apple Daily reported that The HKJA said it was “deeply “interfere” in Hong Kong’s un- by authorities to scrap the talk by CHong Kong’s senior media The reported remarks by for interfering with mainland some local news sites later re- concerned” about the reported precedented decision to eff ec- pro-independence activist Andy executives not to allow the city’s Huang Kunming, head of the politics”, according to local news moved references to the reported removals, adding that it would tively blacklist Victor Mallet, a Chan but it had refused, saying newsrooms to “become a base for Chinese Communist Party’s site Apple Daily. Hong Kong remarks after offi cials from Bei- spark “fear (that) media were senior Financial Times journalist, it stands for freedom of speech interfering with mainland poli- propaganda department, were Journalists Association (HKJA) jing’s liaison offi ce in Hong Kong practising self-censorship”. The after the UK and other govern- and freedom of the press in the tics” as Beijing ramps up pressure quoted by Siu Sai-wo, CEO of chairman Chris Yeung said said that Huang’s comments were delegation was made up of 20 ments expressed alarm over erod- region, and “neither endorses nor on challenges to its authority. Hong Kong’s Sing Tao News Cor- Huang’s remarks sounded like off the record. A Google search by senior management fi gures from ing freedoms in the former Brit- opposes the views of its various Concerns about press freedom poration, who spoke to the city’s “an obvious case of telling media AFP journalists for Huang’s quote Hong Kong’s media industry who ish colony. Hong Kong’s Foreign speakers and panellists”.

Nauru refugee camp doctor removed as pressure mounts

Taiwan to hold independence The chief doctor at an Australian off shore detention centre was removed yesterday for breaching rules, her employer said, as Canberra sought to stem criticism of conditions at a deeply controversial immigration rally in challenge to Beijing camp on Nauru. It is the second time a top doctor contracted by AFP Australia to provide healthcare Taipei at a camp on the Pacific island of Nauru has abruptly left the post. It also comes after Medecins aiwan independence campaign- Sans Frontieres was ordered by ers will take to the streets Sat- Nauru to cease its mental health Turday for what they hope will treatment earlier this month as be a major rally in a rebuke to Beijing the charity warned of a health and a challenge to the island’s already crisis among child refugees embattled government. The protest in held there. The circumstances central Taipei comes as China increas- surrounding the doctor’s removal ingly pushes its claims to the self-rul- and deportation were unclear ing democratic island and President but national broadcaster ABC Tsai Ing-wen struggles to appease Bei- reported Narau may have jing and independence factions. suspected her of trying to alert Organised by new group Formosa media about the health of her Alliance, which is backed by two pro- patients. independence former Taiwan presi- Naming the doctor as Nicole dents, Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui- Montana, ABC said she was bian, the rally will call for a public vote arrested by Nauru police late on whether the island should formally Tuesday after taking a photo declare independence from China. of a child she was treating, a It is the fi rst potentially large-scale breach of rules at the camp. protest calling for an outright inde- Her predecessor was abruptly pendence vote since Taiwan fi rst be- deported after a dispute with came a democracy more than 20 years the government over medical ago. Organisers say they aim to draw transfers. 100,000 people. International Health and “Every Taiwanese should get to Medical Services, the company choose Taiwan’s future. It should be that employed the doctor, a decision by the 23.57mn Taiwanese confirmed to AFP she was “stood people, not by China or Xi Jinping,” down for a breach of Regional said veteran independence activist Kuo Processing Centre rules” but Pei-horng, head of the alliance. China Pro-Taiwan independence activists riding bicycles with flags to promote a referendum on the streets in Taipei. Taiwan independence campaigners will take to the streets did not elaborate on what the still sees Taiwan as part of its territory October 20 for what they hope will be a major rally in a rebuke to Beijing and a challenge to the island’s already embattled government. transgression was. to be reunifi ed, despite the two sides Australia sends asylum-seekers being ruled separately since the end of Kuo told AFP. New Power Party chair- Even though her Democratic Pro- Jonathan Sullivan, director of China campaigners feel a sense of urgency in who try to reach the country by a civil war on the mainland in 1949. man and lawmaker Huang Kuo-chang, gressive Party (DPP) is traditionally programmes at Nottingham Univer- any case, as the DPP holds the leader- boat to remote Pacific facilities Taiwan considers itself a sovereign who made his name as a leading activ- independence-leaning, President Tsai sity. “These eff orts are symbolic of the ship and a parliamentary majority for such as on Nauru and Papua state, with its own currency, political ist during the anti-China Sunfl ower Ing-wen has said she wants to main- rising frustration of seeing a cautious the fi rst time. “For the activists now is New Guinea’s Manus Island, and judicial systems, but has never de- Movement rallies of 2014, said the tain the status quo with China. But DPP leader being punished by China, a golden time to push their cause,” says although the latter camp was clared formal independence from the public should join Saturday’s rally to that has not prevented relations dete- even when she’s making the eff ort to Chang Ya-chung, a political analyst shuttered late last year after a mainland. “say no to China’s ambitions to annex riorating since she took offi ce in 2016, be careful and conservative in cross- at National Taiwan University. Some local court ruling. Canberra has Beijing has warned it would respond Taiwan”. as she refuses to adhere to Beijing’s line Strait relations,” Sullivan told AFP. voters agree that there needs to be a defended the harsh policy as with force if Taiwan tried an offi cial Beijing is already incensed by a ref- that Taiwan is part of “one China”. A vote on independence would re- new eff ort to carve out a place in the being successful in ending the split. Chinese authorities have already erendum that will take place in No- Beijing has made a multi-pronged quire an amendment to current laws, world for Taiwan. arrival of new boats. But the said the Formosa Alliance should not vember asking for the island to com- attack to erase the island from the which bar referendums on changing “I think Taiwanese consciousness is conditions in the camps have go down what they called a “dangerous pete as “Taiwan” and not “Chinese international stage, including block- the constitution or sovereign territory. increasing and the consensus to rectify been slammed by rights groups path”. But Kuo, 63, who was blacklisted Taipei” in the next Olympics and other ing it from global forums and poach- Analysts agree Tsai would be unlikely our country’s name is also on the rise,” amid reports of abuse, suicides by Taiwan’s authoritarian Kuomintang international sports events. ing its dwindling number of offi cial to allow such an amendment which graduate school student Hung Pang- and lengthy detention periods. A government in the 1980s for promot- China is particularly sensitive to the diplomatic allies. At the same time, would be a red fl ag to Beijing. The DPP jen, 23, told AFP in Taipei. Others are recent visit by AFP to the Nauru ing independence, says it is worth the island’s use of names, emblems and Tsai’s measured approach has alien- has publicly prohibited its offi cials and more cautious. “Taiwan is already at camp revealed deep desperation gamble. “I think if (China’s President) fl ags as it sees them as an expression of ated some pro-independence DPP candidates from attending Saturday’s a disadvantage internationally and if among detainees and families Xi were ready to invade Taiwan, his Taiwanese sovereignty, and under Bei- supporters. The Olympic and inde- rally, which will be held outside the Tsai pushes for independence, we will living with the unbearable cloud troops would have already come or he jing pressure Taiwan has to compete pendence referendum demands refl ect party headquarters. be further marginalised and isolated,” of suicide attempts by their wives could have found any excuse to do it,” internationally as “Chinese Taipei”. disappointment in her strategy, says But observers say independence said college student Kuo Yu-hsuan, 20. and daughters. World tech summit imagines future Royal hug coexistence of robots and humans

DPA engineer has spent about 10 Tokyo years to use advanced robot- ics to produce rehabilitation robots, he said.”In Europe, re- apan kicked off the World habilitation robots were intro- Robot Summit on Tokyo’s duced about 10 years ago. Jwaterfront yesterday, pro- However, in Japan, we’ve viding a glimpse of how humans started to see them these last and robots can coexist and co- few years,” he said. operate. The carmaker is keen to ex- The fi ve-day event, held at port rehabilitation robots to the Tokyo Big Sight convention neighbouring countries, such centre, consists of two major as China. Many companies were venues – the World Robot Expo demonstrating collaborative (WRE) and the World Robot robots at the expo, and they ex- Challenge (WRC). At the expo, pect the market to grow signifi - more than 90 companies, mu- Big Clapper robots clap along with music at a demonstration in cantly. nicipalities and organisations, World Robot Summit in Tokyo yesterday. Manufacturers want collabo- many of which are from Japan, rative robots because of a lack were displaying and demon- of skilled workers and increas- strating the state-of-the-art ing labour costs, said Ryosuke robotic technology. Iwamoto, an offi cial at Yaskawa Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, interact with toddler Luke Vincent after Visitors can see and experi- Electric.” They want to work out arriving at Dubbo airport, Dubbo, Australia. ence the latest robotic technol- a cost-eff ective way.” ogy used in factories, hospitals, Japan has struggled with la- homes and in the fi eld of nursing bour shortage issues for more care, while experts were invited than a decade. The situations Japan co admits falsifying data for quake shock absorbers to discuss how humans and ro- in outlying regions are worse. bots will live together in the fu- “More factories are located in A company supplying equipment The ministry declined to name But it insisted that buildings using ture. Japan’s largest carmaker rural areas, where they have to protect major buildings in Japan buildings aff ected but local media the parts would still withstand Toyota Motor has brought the been suff ering from depopula- from earthquakes has admitted reported may they include the even a quake at the top end of latest rehabilitation robot called tion and salaries are relatively falsifying data, authorities said Tokyo Skytree — one of the world’s the Japanese seismic intensity Welwalk into the summit. It is The android robot ‘totto’, which was modelled form Japanese TV lower,” Iwamoto said. yesterday, stressing there was no tallest buildings at 634 metres scale — in which “it is impossible designed to help people who are personality Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, is seen during its demonstration at Meanwhile, at the summit, immediate safety risk. Tokyo- (2,080 feet) — as well as the Tokyo to remain standing” and “people partially paralysed to conduct World Robot Summit in Tokyo, Japan. 126 teams from 23 countries are based parts maker KYB and its local government’s headquarters. may be thrown through the gait training. competing in four categories: unit Kayaba System Machinery The ministry has instructed the air”. The shock absorbers are “You may ask why in the Konosu.”Well, we consider Since Toyota unveiled Wel- industrial robotics, service ro- falsified data linked to so-called companies involved to change part of a complex system fitted world carmaker Toyota has de- ourselves a mobility company. walk devices last year, 60 hos- botics, disaster robotics and “oil dampers”, which are used aff ected parts as soon as possible in many Japanese buildings as veloped rehabilitation robots,” Walking is fundamental to mo- pitals in the country have been junior, which features entries by in nearly 1,000 buildings across and to investigate why the data part of the country’s earthquake said company engineer Hitoshi bility.” using them, Konosu said. The students. Japan, the land ministry said. manipulation happened. preparedness. Gulf Times 18 Thursday, October 18, 2018 BRITAIN/IRELAND

HOME OFFICE REPORT BREAKDOWN SECURITY REPORT CAPACITY Majority of religious hate Commuters aff ected after Police blow up suspect Charities failing to report Gatwick mulls using crimes directed at Muslims Heathrow line suspended package near parliament misconduct: watchdog emergency runway

Statistics released by the British Home Off ice Rail travellers in and out of London faced Police yesterday used a bomb disposal robot British charities have systematically failed to Gatwick airport, the second-busiest in Britain, showed an increase in hate crimes based on disruption yesterday after damage to overhead and carried out a controlled explosion on a flag up cases of sexual harassment and abuse, will today publish draft expansion proposals religious beliefs, especially against Muslims in power lines stopped trains running between package found in central London near the British with less than 1% reporting a safeguarding which will include using its second, emergency England and Wales. According to the statistics, the British capital and Heathrow Airport parliament. Although the package was later incident in the last four years, a watchdog runway. The airport is hoping to add new hate crimes increased from about 6,000 cases and destinations in the west of the country. found not to be suspicious, emergency services said yesterday. The aid industry came under flights to overcome a summer capacity crunch, in 2016-2017 to nearly 8,500 cases during 2017- Heathrow and London are linked by a fast were called to gardens next to the River Thames scrutiny earlier this year, when revelations that despite local opposition over safety, noise and 2018. The survey showed about 52% of hate rail connection from Paddington station. UK during the afternoon, a police spokesman Oxfam staff used prostitutes in Haiti during an environmental concerns. Gatwick competes with crimes were directed at Muslims. Muslims were infrastructure operator Network Rail said said. “We’ve just been told it’s all been stood earthquake relief mission in 2010 snowballed Britain and Europe’s busiest airport Heathrow. The among the most victimised in comparison to services were suspended yesterday after lines down — non-suspicious,” he told AFP. An AFP into widespread reports of sexual misconduct airport is operating at full capacity in the summer other religions in the report. According to the were damaged on Tuesday. “We apologise to photographer at the scene saw a bomb disposal in the sector. The Charity Commission said it when its mainly leisure customer base travels survey, hate crimes have doubled since 2012- passengers aff ected by the disruption and our robot being deployed and a small explosion was had since received more than 2,100 reports of most. “Gatwick is exploring how to make best use 2013. The survey is the first of its kind carried teams have been working through the night to heard. A building where many MPs have their serious cases — a 33% increase on the whole of its existing runways, including the possibility of out by the British Home Off ice nationwide, which open the railway as soon as possible,” Network off ices was also cordoned off along with Victoria of the previous year — but believed many were bringing its existing standby runway into routine includes hate crimes based on religion. Rail said in a statement. Embankment which leads to parliament. still going unreported. use,” said a spokesman for the airport. May faces EU leaders as talks stall

Reuters With wrangling over how to EU diplomats told Reuters ear- Varadkar says all 27 Brussels keep Northern Ireland’s land lier this week that Barnier off ered EU states against hard border with the EU open after to help defuse the issue by ex- border in Ireland Britain leaves the EU’s customs tending a status-quo transition ritish Prime Minister and regulatory space, Irish For- period for Britain by an extra year Irish Prime Minister Leo Varad- Theresa May said yester- eign Minister Simon Coveney to the end of 2021 to give time kar said yesterday that he had Bday she believed a Brexit said it was unlikely the 27 lead- for a trade deal that would avert the support of all remaining deal was still possible as she ar- ers would set a date for a special the need to trigger a backstop for 27 European Union states on rived in Brussels to meet her Eu- summit to seal a deal — as was the Northern Ireland. ensuring a Brexit deal delivers ropean Union counterparts, three hope before talks stalled. Asked about that, several lead- legally-binding guarantees days after talks stalled over how Tusk had called on May to ers said that extending the tran- there will be no hard border to manage the Irish border. come to Brussels with new ideas sition, during which Britain will between Ireland and Northern But fellow EU leaders sounded to unblock the process, but Brit- be bound by EU rules but have no Ireland. impatient, signalling that they ish offi cials have given little indi- say in them, would not be a big Ahead of a meeting of EU were ready to listen to May but cation that she has much new to problem for them. leaders to seek an accord on also preparing to discuss plans say as she battles deep opposi- Many continental offi cials in- Britain’s withdrawal from the for Britain crashing out of the tion among her own allies to the volved in the process have said a bloc, he said he was open to bloc in March without a deal. kind of agreement which Brus- longer transition may be needed suggestions that a transition Many suggested the core prob- sels says is pretty much its fi nal to conclude a free trade deal any- period could be extended more lem was May’s inability to rally off er. way. than two years. her feuding party around a work- May earlier told parliament in However, May is also under able set of negotiating demands. London she wanted any treaty pressure from Brexit supporters EU Brexit negotiator Michel that includes the Irish border is- to cut ties to the bloc as soon as March 29 with no treaty in place. Barnier said weeks of work were sue linked to a separate declara- possible. Both sides are coming under needed to crack the problem, tion the two sides intend to issue There is unlikely to be much pressure from business to reach promising to approach the talks on their intentions for a close dialogue around the table when agreement soon to avoid fi rms “calmly and patiently”. EU-UK trade pact to be negoti- May was to addresses other lead- running up needless costs. French President Emmanuel Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the European Council in Brussels yesterday. ated after Brexit. ers later yesterday. A joint pre-summit plea from Macron said May could help by EU negotiators agree that a They have insisted that the European auto and car parts explaining what her precarious tions that they are tense and dif- done and that it was in the EU’s Earlier, German Chancellor close customs and regulatory re- London negotiate exclusively sector warned disruption to domestic situation would allow fi cult and challenging at the end. interest to reach one. Angela Merkel echoed the tough- lationship could avert the kind of through Barnier. cross-Channel supply chains her to accept. That doesn’t mean they will fail. “What we’ve seen is that we’ve er tone coming from the 27 other border disruption that risk reviv- The 27 will then dine with- would be “catastrophic” and “Theresa May must tell us No one wants these negotiations solved most of the issues in the governments, whose leaders will ing sectarian tensions in North- out May and hear reports from wipe out much of a quarter-cen- what she can possibly accept to fail, neither the EU nor Theresa withdrawal agreement. There is gather over dinner after a presen- ern Ireland, but they still want a Barnier and from European tury of recovery in England’s car considering the political bal- May want a hard Brexit,” Kurz said. still the question of the Northern tation by May. “backstop” guarantee that if that Commission President Jean- industry. ance,” he told reporters. May did not answer a question Irish backstop,” she told report- All member states, she said is not in place, then the EU would Claude Juncker. May will rejoin her EU coun- Austrian Chancellor Sebastian about whether she had brought ers on arrival. before fl ying to the summit, must keep the province in a special He will brief them on how terparts today as the focus shifts Kurz said the ball was in Britain’s the “creative” new proposal that “By working intensively and prepare for all outcomes: “That economic zone. the EU executive is stepping up to a summit with Asian leaders, court but cautioned against pre- summit chair Donald Tusk has closely, we can achieve that deal,” includes the possibility that Brit- May and her Northern Irish al- planning and guidance for gov- including China’s Premier Li Ke- dicting doom. asked for, instead sticking to a re- May added. “Now is the time to ain leaves the European Union lies reject that as posing a risk of ernments on what must be done qiang and the prime ministers of “It is always the case in negotia- hearsed line that a deal could be make it happen.” without a deal.” breaking up the United Kingdom. to cope with Britain leaving on Japan, South Korea and Russia.

Labour eyes government Students protest collapse, new elections, then swift Brexit deal

Reuters and that they would win power. London Labour would move quickly to strike a deal with the EU focused on protecting jobs. ritain’s opposition Labour “We think we can get a deal done Party could win power from fairly quickly...I think we would BTheresa May’s ruling Con- transform the atmosphere, and it servatives in the coming months would be on the basis of mutual and quickly tie up a new and diff er- benefi t and mutual interest, and ent Brexit deal with the European on that basis I think we’d get a deal Union, the party’s fi nance policy swiftly,” he told reporters. chief John McDonnell said yester- May, who lost her party’s ma- day. jority in parliament at a 2017 snap With less than six months to go election that she did not need to until Britain leaves the EU, May is call, said last month it would not be locked in diffi cult negotiations, try- in Britain’s national interest to hold ing to fi nd an exit deal that is ac- another election just as she is nego- ceptable to Brussels and that will tiating Brexit. please enough lawmakers at home However, McDonnell said that to pass through a deeply divided asset managers and executives had parliament. told him the government’s current McDonnell, Labour leader Jer- approach to Brexit was stalling in- emy Corbyn’s most senior ally, said vestment because of all the uncer- he thought May’s government could tainty. collapse over its internal disagree- He predicted Britain and the EU ments on the right form of EU exit would agree some kind of fudge deal and a failure to get its Brexit deal ap- later this year — which would fail to proved by parliament. allay fi rms’ concerns. If that happened, he said, his left- “I don’t think a fudge is going to ist party was fully ready for a general do it, I really don’t and people will election and confi dent that its poll see it as a fudge and as a result of Students hold up Sinn Fein anti-Brexit placards during a rally against Brexit and any hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland outside Queens University rating — currently tied or just behind that the same stagnation will take Belfast. the Conservatives — would improve place,” he said. Novel set in N Ireland confl ict wins Booker Prize

By Joe Jackson, AFP “None of us has ever read Burns trumped English debut was shortlisted for the 2002 Or- Appiah said the fi ve-person authors of any nationality, writ- US author Rachel Kushner was London anything like this before,” said novelist and British bookmakers’ ange Prize for Fiction. judging panel reached a unani- ing in English and published in also a fi nalist for The Mars Room, Kwame Anthony Appiah, chair late favourite Daisy Johnson — at Though set in an unnamed mous decision by consensus after the UK and Ireland, in 2014. a gritty tale written from the per- of the 2018 judges, in announcing 27, the youngest author ever to be city, Milkman undoubtedly drew a “good discussion”. Burns is the fi rst Briton to win spective of a former lap-dancer uthor Anna Burns on the winner. shortlisted for the Man Booker — on her experiences growing up in He added that although the the prize since the change. serving two life sentences in a US Tuesday night became the “Anna Burns’ utterly distinc- for her novel Everything Under. the British province during the novel confronts, among many This year’s shortlist — whit- women’s jail. Afi rst Northern Irish writer, tive voice challenges conven- She also triumphed over long- so-called Troubles. other issues, gender issues raised tled down from 13 — pitted four The recipient of the Man Book- and the fi rst woman since 2013, tional thinking and form in sur- time frontrunner Richard Pow- The novel chronicles the by the #MeToo movement, gen- female writers against two men. er Prize gets £52,500 ($69,400), to win Britain’s renowned Man prising and immersive prose.” ers, who had been tipped to make struggles of a middle sister in a der played no part in their choice. It featured three Britons, two although the bigger reward is Booker Prize for her novel Milk- The 56-year-old told report- it three successive wins for US family as she confronts rumour, “This novel will help people Americans, and Canadian writ- seen as the spike in sales which man. ers after the ceremony in Lon- writers with his tree-themed social pressures and politics amid to think about #MeToo...but we er Esi Edugyan for Washington invariably follows. Judges of the annual award don that she was “completely novel The Overstory. violent sectarian divisions in her think it will last and that means Black, about an 11-year-old Purchases of last year’s win- praised the work, an exploration stunned” at receiving the most Burns, who was born in the community. it’s not just about something slave on a Barbados sugar plan- ner, Lincoln in the Bardo, jumped of Northern Ireland’s three dec- prestigious English-language lit- Northern Irish capital Belfast in “There are many marvellous that’s going on in this moment.” tation. 1,227% in the week after author ades of sectarian violence known erary prize. 1962 and now lives in southern things about this book...the tex- Launched in 1969, the Man Scottish poet Robin Robert- George Saunders claimed the as The Troubles told through the “I just wait for characters to England, had previously au- ture of the language, it’s written Booker Prize was only open to son’s The Long Take became the award, with nearly three-quar- voice of a young woman, as “ut- come and tell me their stories and I thored two novels — No Bones in this amazing voice,” said Ap- novelists from Commonwealth fi rst book written in verse with ters of its sales following the win, terly distinctive”. can’t write until they do,” she said. and Little Constructions — and piah. “It’s a very powerful novel.” states until it began permitting photographs to be shortlisted. according to prize organisers. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 19 EUROPE ‘Identical samples’ uncovered at consulate and consul’s residence z Hit job suspects linked the building, Anadolu said, add- ing witnesses and other records, to crown prince, says NYT ing police cordoned off the street linked four suspects to Crown in Istanbul’s Levent district. Prince Mohamed’s security de- Al Jazeera & Agencies Saudi consul-general Moham- tail. ed al-Otaibi had left Turkey for One name matches a Linke- urkish forensic experts Riyadh on Tuesday. dIn profi le for a forensic expert who searched the resi- Pro-government Turkish media who has worked at the interior Tdence of Saudi Arabia’s published gruesome new allega- ministry for 20 years. Another is consul-general in Istanbul, as tions that Khashoggi was killed by identifi ed in a diplomatic direc- part of the probe into the Jamal being gradually dismembered by a tory from 2007 as a fi rst secretary Khashoggi case, found “samples Saudi assassination squad, some at the Saudi embassy in London. identical to those uncovered” at of whom the New York Times said Others resemble offi cers in the the kingdom’s consulate in the were tied to Crown Prince Mo- Saudi Army and Air Force. city, Al Jazeera reported yester- hamed bin Salman. The Times said it confi rmed at day. Turkish daily Yeni Safak report- least nine of the 15 worked for the Sources at the attorney-gen- ed it had heard audio recordings of Saudi security services, military eral’s offi ce “say these samples Khashoggi being tortured during or other government ministries. provide further evidence of the an interrogation, having his fi ngers The newspaper said it gathered conclusion that Jamal Khashoggi cut off and then being decapitated. more information about the sus- was killed inside the consulate It said al-Otaibi can be heard pects through facial recognition building”, an Al Jazeera corre- on one tape saying during software, a database of Saudi spondent said, reporting from Khashoggi’s torture: “Do this mobile phone numbers, leaked Istanbul. outside. You are going to get me Saudi government documents, Turkey has now asked the US in trouble.” witnesses and media. to share Khashoggi’s blood and The daily reported that in an- One suspect, Maher Abdulaziz DNA samples with them, he other tape, an unknown indi- Mutreb, was a diplomat assigned added. vidual tells Otaibi: “If you want to the Saudi embassy in London The search at the consul-gen- to live when you return to Saudi in 2007, it said, citing a British eral’s residence, which included Arabia, be quiet!” diplomatic roster. police from anti-terrorism and Last week, another Turkish Mutreb has been photo- forensic units, followed a lengthy daily had published preliminary graphed emerging from planes search of the consulate building evidence last week from investi- with Crown Prince Mohamed on that concluded early on Tues- gators who it said had identifi ed recent trips to Madrid and Paris, day when Turkish offi cials also a 15-member Saudi intelligence the newspaper reported. took soil samples from its garden, team that arrived in Istanbul on He was also photographed stand- state news agency Anadolu said. diplomatic passports hours be- ing guard during the crown prince’s Hours before the search at the fore Khashoggi disappeared. visits in the US to Houston, Boston residence, a Saudi team arrived at A New York Times report, cit- and the United Nations. Turkish police forensic experts arriving at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul yesterday. AFP Trump says truth out soon Turkey yet to share Khashoggi z Pompeo holds talks with Erdogan audio, video evidence with US z US senators press Trump on Saudi business Reuters ties Washington

AFP Washington urkey has not shared with the US government or key TEuropean allies graphic S President Donald audio or video evidence it alleg- Trump yesterday de- edly collected on US-based Saudi Unied covering up for ally journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s visit Saudi Arabia in the suspected to Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Is- murder of a critical journalist tanbul, seven US and European and said he expects to learn the security offi cials have told Reuters. truth about Jamal Khashoggi’s Two weeks after Khashoggi’s fate within days. disappearance on October 2, Trump’s comments followed the US and allies have collected the publication in pro-govern- some intelligence through their ment Turkish media of allega- own sources and methods, which tions purporting to confi rm that partly confi rms news reports Turkish forensic off icers search diplomatic cars at the backyard of the Khashoggi was not only mur- based on leaks of audio record- Saudi consulate during a second investigation in Istanbul yesterday. dered by Saudi agents in their ings, four of the sources said. consulate in Istanbul, but also The sources, who requested ‘UK should consider appeared to confi rm the lack tortured and dismembered. anonymity, spoke with Reuters Saudi sanctions’ of evidence in US hands when “No not at all, I just want on Tuesday and yesterday. he said on Wednesday that the to fi nd out what’s happening,” Turkish pro-government Britain should consider United States had asked Turkey Trump told reporters at the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Ankara. newspaper Yeni Safak published sanctions on Saudi Arabia for any audio or video evidence White House when asked if his yesterday what it said were de- if its response to questions it may have related to Khashoggi. consistently cautious approach Riyadh investment conference (Saudis) didn’t want to either.” Turkey’s investigation into the tails from audio recordings pur- over the disappearance of “We have asked for it, if it ex- to the scandal amounts to a scheduled next week. He said Riyadh should be giv- Khashoggi case. portedly documenting Khashog- journalist Jamal Khashoggi is ists ... I’m not sure yet that it cover-up. “I’m not giving cover But Trump has slow-ped- en a few more days to complete “He made clear that the Sau- gi’s torture and interrogation. inadequate, Labour opposi- exists, probably does, possibly at all.” alled on the possibility of ac- its own probe into Khashoggi’s dis had co-operated with the It reported that his torturers tion finance spokesman John does,” Trump said. The president said he would tion against Saudi Arabia, at one disappearance. He met Turkey’s investigation that the Turks are severed his fi ngers during an in- McDonnell said yesterday, “I’ll have a full report on that get a “full report” from Sec- point suggesting “rogue killers” president and foreign minister engaged in and that they’re go- terrogation, and that Khashoggi according to Reuters. from Mike (Pompeo) when he retary of State Mike Pompeo could be to blame for Khashog- yesterday. ing to share information that was killed within minutes. Ac- He told reporters at a lunch comes back ... That’s going to be on the diplomat’s return from gi’s disappearance. “They’re going to do an in- they learn with the Saudis as cording to the report, his body in parliament: “If we are not the fi rst question I ask,” he said. meetings with Saudi and Turk- Earlier yesterday, he told Fox vestigation, and when the in- well,” Pompeo told reporters was later beheaded and dismem- getting the legitimate answers Meanwhile, a small group of ish leaders, allowing him to as- Business that the US relies on vestigation comes out we’ll aboard his plane after leaving bered by his killers. that you would expect, we Turkish investigators examined sess what really happened. the kingdom to fi ght terrorism. evaluate it,” Pompeo told re- Turkey. Turkish sources told Reuters have got to be one of those the Saudi consulate in Istanbul “We will probably know that Trump said he did not want porters travelling with him. “There have been a couple of earlier this week that the au- countries, because of our yesterday, a Reuters photogra- by the end of the week,” Trump to abandon Saudi Arabia, a close A State Department spokes- delays but they seemed pretty thorities have an audio recording special relationship with Saudi pher said, the second such search said. ally, over the Khashoggi case woman said Pompeo had not confi dent that the Saudis would indicating that Khashoggi was ... that leads in the reaction to this week of the premises after Khashoggi, a US resident and and needed to see evidence to heard any audio recording pur- permit them to do the things killed inside the consulate and it and that does mean, yes, Khashoggi disappeared. Washington Post contributor prove Turkish claims that he porting to indicate Khashoggi they need to do to complete that they were sharing it with diplomatic isolation but it also The search at the consulate who had been critical of Saudi was killed by Saudi agents. was killed. their thorough and complete countries, including Saudi Ara- means economic sanctions.” appeared to mostly focus on the Crown Prince Mohamed bin He also reiterated hopes Pompeo also said the US must investigation,” he said. bia and the US. backyard, the photographer said. Salman, vanished on October 2 that Saudi leaders were not in- be mindful of important busi- Meanwhile, there was new The reluctance of the Turks Turkish investigators had after visiting the Istanbul con- volved in his disappearance of ness and government ties with political pressure on Trump to turn over hard evidence they to assess that the most brutal ac- searched the consulate for sever- sulate. Khashoggi, a US resident. “We Saudi Arabia as it considers any with nine senators from the op- have said they have document- counts of Khashoggi’s demise are al hours earlier. They also started According to latest media re- have asked for it, if it exists ... steps once the facts have been position Democrats writing to ing Khashoggi’s fate has led US likely accurate, the sources said. searching the Saudi consul’s res- ports, the Saudi journalist was I’m not sure yet that it exists, determined. express “signifi cant concerns and European security offi cials US President Donald Trump idence yesterday. assassinated by a squad that probably does, possibly does,” The top US diplomat met about confl icts of interest” be- included agents tied to Crown he later told reporters when Turkish President Tayyip Er- tween Trump and Saudi Arabia Prince Mohamed bin Salman. asked about audio or video evi- dogan in Ankara yesterday fol- concerning deals done through The controversy has blown a dence. lowing talks with Saudi Arabia’s his real estate empire. hole in Crown Prince Moham- Pompeo was also tight- king and crown prince about the The letter cited decades of High-ranking Saudi offi cer ed’s bid to promote himself as lipped after meeting the Saudi disappearance of Khashoggi. business deals and asked Trump the modern face of Saudi Arabia leadership in Riyadh, telling Pompeo said Erdogan made to provide information regard- and led to a spate of cancella- journalists he did not want “to clear during the talks that Saudi ing recent and future fi nancial tions by attendees at a major talk about any of the facts. They offi cials were co-operating with ties to Saudi Arabia. led botched mission: CNN

high-ranking offi cer with Saudi Arabia’s October 2 to get marriage documents. main intelligence service, the General Turkish authorities believe 15 Saudi men who AIntelligence Presidency, led the botched arrived in Istanbul on October 2 were connected UAE hired American mercenaries to kill targets in Yemen: report mission that resulted in the alleged death of to the Khashoggi’s disappearance. Turkish offi - missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi, multiple cials provided CNN with passport scans of seven news outlets reported yesterday, citing CNN. men they suspect were part of the group. From Page 1 Golan said during his compa- has seen children starved, vil- cans can also legally serve in Though the offi cer in question is described as Going by the passport scans taken on the day Gilmore, who was allegedly ny’s long engagement in Yemen, lages bombed and epidemics of foreign militaries. close to Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Sal- of Khashoggi’s disappearance, the group included part of the mission targeting his team was responsible for a cholera roll through the civilian The revelations come at a man’s inner circle, it is not known if the latter Salah Mohamed al-Tubaiqi, listed as the head of Mayo, said some of the people the number of the war’s high-pro- population. The bombing was time when the world is focused authorised the mission, according to sources. forensic medicine at the Saudi Ministry of Interior, unit targeted were members of fi le assassinations, though he the fi rst salvo in a string of un- on the disappearance of dissi- Agencies had said on Monday, quoting CNN and Mohamed Saad al-Zahrani, who has appeared Al-Islah, some were clerics and declined to specify which ones. solved assassinations that killed dent journalist Jamal Khashoggi that Saudi Arabia was preparing a report that on Saudi state TV alongside Mohamed bin Salman. some he had no doubt were ter- “The operation against Mayo more than two dozen of the in Turkey after he visited the would admit Khashoggi was killed as a result of Sabah, a pro-government private newspaper rorists. “There is the possibility — which was reported at the group’s leaders,” the report said. Saudi consulate in Istanbul on an interrogation that went wrong. in Turkey, last week listed 15 names alongside that the target would be someone time but until now was not Under American law it is il- October 2. Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Saudi photographs of men who authorities believe who (UAE Crown Prince Mo- known to have been carried out legal to “conspire to kill, kidnap More than 10,000 people policies and columnist for the Washington were flown into Istanbul from Riyadh. Eight of hamed bin Zayed) doesn’t like,” by American mercenaries — or maim” in a foreign country. have been killed since the Sau- Post who was living in the US, vanished after the 15 were identified by state news Anadolu he added. “We’d try to make sure marked a pivot point in the war However, the US does not pro- di-led coalition launched a mil- entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Agency. that didn’t happen.” in Yemen, a brutal confl ict that hibit mercenaries and Ameri- itary campaign in Yemen. Gulf Times 20 Thursday, October 18, 2018 EUROPE

TRAGIC GUILTY BUSTED PROTEST POLITICS Death toll rises to 13 Son-in-law who ordered Spanish drug lord arrested Police hold ‘sick-in’ on ‘Don’t unscrew Poland in Majorca floods heiress’ murder gets life after music video cameo summit day in Brussels from EU,’ Tusk tells Warsaw

The death toll from flash floods that hit Spain’s A French court yesterday handed a life sentence One of Spain’s most-wanted drug traff ickers was As world leaders descend on the Belgian capital The EU’s top off icial, Donald Tusk, a former holiday island of Majorca last week rose to 13 on Wednesday to the Polish son-in-law of a arrested yesterday after seeming to taunt police Brussels, hundreds of police off icers called in sick Polish prime minister, joked yesterday about the yesterday after the body of a missing five-year- wealthy Monaco heiress who ordered her by appearing in a music video, a police spokesman yesterday to protest working conditions. A police removal by Polish authorities of a plaque bearing old boy was discovered. The “body of little murder in an apparent attempt to acquire an told AFP. Francisco Tejon, leader of the ‘Los spokesman said about 20% of Brussels city’s his name, saying it was more important they did Arthur”, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote inheritance. Helene Pastor, 77, died from wounds Castanas’ clan, was “arrested today at La Linea de 2,600 police off icers declared themselves “absent not “unscrew” Poland from the European Union. on Twitter, was found after more than a week of sustained during an ambush in 2014 in the la Concepcion,” a southern city near the border due to illness”. The neighbouring Montgomery Poland’s embassy to the EU in Brussels recently intensive searches in Sant Llorenc des Cardassar, French Riviera city of Nice, near Monaco, when with Gibraltar, the spokesman said. According sector, where 585 police off icers are assigned, also removed from its premises a plastic plaque that one of the worst-hit towns. The boy had been in a gunman fired through the windows of her to police, Tejon runs a major hashish traff icking deplored “a big impact” linked to the protest. The commemorates the 2011 opening of the building a car with his mother and sister when they were car. Her chauff eur also died four days after the network in the southern region of Andalusia with action comes as the European quarter of Brussels and names Tusk — then prime minister — as one hit by surging water after intense rain caused attack. The court in Aix-en-Provence, southern his brother Antonio, who was arrested in June. hosts a two-day European Union summit followed of the off icials present. “Never mind the plaque. riverbeds to overflow on October 9. His sister France, found Wojciech Janowski, a businessman The two brothers had previously escaped a police by a Europe-Asia meeting today and tomorrow. It’s important that they don’t unscrew Poland survived, reportedly helped to safety by their and previously Poland’s honorary consul in operation in 2016. Francisco Tejon came back to “The summit is going to take place and the police from the European Union,” Tusk tweeted, with mother, who died. In total the floods left thirteen Monaco, guilty of both murders. The gunman the police’s attention by making a smiling cameo in will be there,” said Ilse Van De Keere, spokeswoman his trademark irony, in a swipe at the Warsaw people dead. and his lookout were also given life sentences. a music video of reggaeton singer Clase-A. for the Brussels-Capital-Ixelles police zone. government’s stance. Spain set to Teenager guns down top lifespan 19 in Crimea college by 2040 By Marlowe Hood, AFP depends on how well or poorly Reuters Paris health systems address key Moscow health drivers.” The top fi ve “drivers”, or ife expectancy in 2040 is determinants, of average t least 19 people were set to rise at least a lit- lifespans two decades from killed yesterday and doz- Ltle in all nations but the now are all related to so-called Aens injured at a college in rankings will change dramati- “lifestyle” diseases: high blood the Black Sea region of Crimea cally, with Spain taking the pressure, being overweight, when a student went through the top spot while China and the high blood sugar, along with building shooting at fellow pu- United States trade places, re- alcohol and tobacco use. pils before killing himself, Rus- searchers said yesterday. More generally, the world sian law enforcement offi cials With a projected average will see an acceleration of the said. lifespan of nearly 85.8 years, shift already under way from Eighteen-year-old Vladislav Spain — formerly in 4th place communicable to non-com- Roslyakov turned up at the col- — will dethrone Japan, which municable diseases, along with lege in the city of Kerch yesterday sits atop the rankings today injuries, as the top cause of afternoon carrying a fi rearm and with a lifespan of 83.7 years, premature death. then began shooting, investiga- and will drop to 2nd place in Ranking a close sixth is air tors said. 2040. pollution, which scientists es- His body was later found in the In a shift that will be seen by timate claims a mn lives a year college with what they said were some to refl ect a superpower in China alone. self-infl icted gunshot wounds. changing-of-the-guard, the The world’s poorest coun- There were no immediate clues world’s two largest economies tries in 2018 will continue to as to his motive in mounting such eff ectively swap positions fair poorly when it comes to an attack, which recalled similar compared to 2016: in 2040 the life expectancy, according to shooting sprees carried out by US drops from 43rd to 64th the study, published in The students in US schools. (79.8 years), while China rises Lancet. Russia annexed Crimea from from 68th to 39th (81.9 years). With the exception of Af- Ukraine in 2014, prompting in- The researchers found other ghanistan, the bottom 30 ternational condemnation and nations set to lose ground in the countries in 2040 — with pro- Western sanctions, but since race towards longevity include jected lifespans between 57 and then there have been no major Canada (from 17th to 27th), 69 years — are either in sub- outbreaks of violence on the pe- Norway (12th to 20th), Austral- Saharan Africa or small island ninsula. ia (5th to 10th), Mexico (69th states in the Pacifi c. Many of the victims from yes- to 87th), Taiwan (35th to 42nd) Lesotho, the Central African terday’s attacks were teenage and North Korea 125th to 153rd). Republic, Zimbabwe, Somalia students who suff ered shrapnel Moving up the ranking are and Swaziland are in the base- and bullet wounds. Indonesia (117th to 100th), Ni- ment of the rankings. Pupils and staff described geria (157th to 123rd), Portugal “Inequalities will continue scenes of mayhem as panicked A woman lights a candle and lays flowers at the WWII Hero Cities Memorial to the city of Kerch after nineteen people were killed and dozens (23rd to 5th), Poland (48th to to be large,” said IHME director pupils tried to fl ee the building. more wounded after a student opened fire today in a technical college in the Russian-annexed Crimean city. 34th), Turkey (40th to 26th). Christopher Murray. They said the attack had start- Assuming its interminable “In a substantial number ed with an explosion, followed by bennikova told Crimean media later that it was re-classifying I’d been deafened,” Yenshina told from the building on makeshift and devastating war comes to of countries, too many people more blasts, and a hail of gunfi re. outlets. the case from terrorism to mass Reuters. “Everyone started run- stretchers and loading them on to an end, Syria is set to rise from will continue earning relatively Russian President Vladimir “They then ran about throwing murder. ning. I did not know what to do. buses and ambulances. 137th in 2016 to 80th in 2040. low incomes, remain poorly Putin, at a meeting in the south- some kind of explosives around, An employee at Kerch’s hos- Then they told us to leave the A second pupil at the college, For the world as a whole, the educated, and die premature- ern Russian resort of Sochi with and then ran around the second pital said dozens of people were building through the gymnasium.” who gave his name as Sergei, said researchers’ study projected a ly.” his Egyptian counterpart, de- fl oor with guns, opened the of- being treated for their injuries in “Everyone ran there...I saw a he had taken a few steps out of fi ve-year gain in lifespan, from “But nations could make clared a moment’s silence for the fi ce doors, and killed anyone they the emergency room and in the girl lying there. There was a child the building into the street when 73.8 in 2016 to 77.7 in 2040. faster progress by helping victims. could fi nd.” operating theatre. who was being helped to walk the fi rst blast went off . They also forecast more op- people tackle the major risks, “This is a clearly a crime,” he Soon after the attack, Russian Anastasia Yenshina, a 15-year- because he could not move on He was hit by debris from the timistic and pessimistic sce- especially smoking and poor said. “The motives will be care- offi cials said they were investi- old student at the college, said his own. The wall was covered in blast and injured in the leg. narios, in which life expect- diet,” he added in a statement. fully investigated.” gating the possibility that it was she was in a toilet on the ground blood. Then everyone started to Sergei, 15, told Reuters he ran ancy increases to 81 years in Tobacco consumption alone The director of the school, terrorism. fl oor of the building with some climb over the fence, and we could to another building, but said he the fi rst case, and essentially claims about seven mn lives Olga Grebennikova, described Troops with armoured per- friends when she heard the sound still hear explosions. Everyone could hear more explosions going stagnates in the second. each year, according to the the scene that she encountered sonnel carriers were sent to the of an explosion. was scared. People were crying.” off every few seconds. “The future of the world’s World Health Organization. when she entered the college scene. Offi cials said an explosive de- Photographs from the scene of the He took cover and after the health is not pre-ordained,” In 2016, four of the top-ten building after the attack. Local parents were told to col- vice had gone off in the school’s blast showed that the ground fl oor attack was over, he was taken to said lead author Kyle Foreman, causes of premature mortal- “There are bodies everywhere, lect their children from the city’s cafeteria during the attack and windows of the two-storey building hospital in an ambulance. head of data science at the In- ity were non-communicable children’s bodies everywhere. It schools and kindergartens for that a second device had been had been blown out, and that debris “I arrived at the hospital, the stitute for Health Metrics and diseases or injuries. In 2040, was a real act of terrorism. They their safety. found among Roslyakov’s be- was lying on the fl oor outside. scene there was awful. They’re Evaluation (IHME) at the Uni- that fi gure is expected to rise to burst in fi ve or 10 minutes after However, the Investigative longings and defused. Emergency services teams bringing in people all covered in versity of Washington. eight-out-of-ten. I’d left. They blew up everything Committee, the state body that “I came out and there was dust could be seen in the photo- blood, some with arms missing, “But whether we see sig- The study is available at in the hall, glass was fl ying,” Gre- investigates major crimes, said and smoke, I couldn’t understand, graphs carrying wounded people some with legs missing.” nifi cant progress or stagnation www.healthdata.org

IT repairman seeks home for Apple collection, possibly world’s largest An Austrian computer repairman has amassed what he Greek foreign minister quits in Macedonia name row believes could be the world’s biggest collection of old Apple computers, but it might all soon be destroyed un- less someone can take it off his hands. Reuters accord in a region where they jostle for infl u- Over the years since he began working for a company Athens ence with Moscow. that repaired Apples in Vienna in the 1980s, Roland Bor- Two Russian diplomats were expelled from sky’s collection has grown to roughly 1,100 computers, Greece that same month on Kotzias’s watch, he says — far more than the 472 items at Prague’s Apple rime Minister Alexis Tsipras yesterday accused of trying to foment Greek opposition Museum, which says it is the world’s biggest private col- accepted the resignation of his foreign to the deal. lection of Apple products. Pminister, Greece’s fi rst major political Athens has insisted on the change because “Just as others collect cars and live in a little box to af- casualty in a drive to end a decades-old name it views the name ‘Macedonia’ as implying a ford them, so it is with me,” he said in his off ice, which is so dispute with Macedonia. territorial claim on a northern Greek region packed with dusty items like a wall of old monitors that he Tsipras has said he will do whatever is re- of that name. has moved most of them to a warehouse outside the city. quired to ensure an agreement reached in But the accord is still far from settled. Ironically, however, Apple’s success has made life June to rename the neighbouring country It is awaiting approval from both coun- harder for his business, and he has decided to close it. ‘Republic of North Macedonia’ gets imple- tries’ parliaments and, though Macedonians Apple opened its first store in Vienna in February, mented, but the deal faces opposition on backed the name change in a referendum last taking over much of the repairs previously done by firms both sides of the border. month, just 37% turned out to vote — too few like Borsky’s. Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, who for the result to be legally valid. Parts are also often harder to replace on Apple’s helped negotiate the name deal, and Defence Kammenos has threatened to quit the coa- newer devices, he says. Minister Panos Kammenos clashed over the lition if it is put before the Greek parliament. Now that his income has dried up, Borsky says he can- issue in cabinet on Tuesday. During Tuesday’s fractious cabinet meet- not aff ord the rent on his warehouse. Kammenos, who heads a small right-wing ing, Tsipras asked his ministers to put their He hopes that a benefactor will put his collection on party, views the deal as a national sellout. diff erence aside and back him if the opposi- display and pay off his debt of 20,000 euros to 30,000 “They are both explosive characters,” a tion calls a no-confi dence vote. euros ($23,000-$35,000). witness told Reuters. In a colourful tweet following his resigna- Asked what would happen to his collection if that Tsipras’ acceptance of Kotzias’s resigna- tion, Kotzias waxed lyrical: “They wanted to didn’t happen soon, he said: “It’ll be shredded. That is tion signalled he was willing to sacrifi ce one bury me deep, but forgot I was a seed.” what bothers me the most because I can’t currently rent of his closest political allies to keep his fragile The irony of his departing to keep Kam- a storage space that I can aff ord.” coalition government — comprising his left- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras makes a statement to the press in Athens following the menos and his party in the government was not He has already put his computers on display as part of wing Syriza party and Kammenos’s Inde- resign of his Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias. lost on the centre-right opposition party New temporary exhibitions in Vienna but he hopes the collec- pendent Greeks — in power. Democracy, which is leading in the polls. tion will find a permanent home. Warning against further dissent, Tsipras personal agenda (against)...the national is hoping a successful name change deal — a “I think it’s now abundantly clear Mr “I would be pleased if it is simply put on display any- said he would take over the foreign aff airs line,” he said in a televised statement, with- precondition set by Greece for lifting its veto Tsipras is not just a weak prime minister, but where...so people can see it,” Borsky, 53, said. portfolio himself. out elaborating. on Macedonia joining the EU and Nato — will a prime minister being blackmailed. Apple declined comment. “It is a decision not to tolerate, from now Tsipras, whose Syriza party is trailing bad- help boost his political standing abroad. And the quicker this farce ends, the better,” on, any double-speak from anyone, or any ly ahead of national elections due next year, Greece’s Western allies welcomed the June New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 21 INDIA Defamation suits could stall #MeToo movement

By Alasdair Pal and Aditya weeks after a Bollywood actress But two of those accused, M J Legal experts say defamation tude to withstand the rigours of a ment, and watching silently while He has called the accusations Kalra/ Reuters complained about inappropriate Akbar, who yesterday resigned as lawsuits, in particular, are some- criminal trial in India.” a government minister sues a “wild and baseless”. New Delhi behaviour on fi lm sets and com- a junior minister in Prime Minister times used as a tool to stall op- Late on Monday, more than 100 woman who has spoken out, your On Monday, he fi led the defa- plaints of improper conduct roiled Narendra Modi’s government and ponents, especially against those female authors, journalists and government is giving a regressive mation suit against one of his ac- India’s biggest comedy group. veteran Bollywood actor Alok Nath, who won’t have the wherewithal media fi gures signed a letter to message: that the fundamental cusers, journalist Priya Ramani, at efamation lawsuits fi led by Since then, more than a dozen this week launched criminal defa- to respond eff ectively to such Modi calling for Akbar’s resigna- right to life, safety and dignity of a Delhi district court. two public fi gures accused men in politics, media, entertain- mation suits against their accusers. cases. tion and a government probe into a sizeable section of the workforce Ramani had “intentionally put Dof sexual harassment have ment and the arts have been ac- Lawyers and women’s groups “Criminal defamation is usu- the allegations. does not matter,” it said. forward malicious, fabricated and sparked warnings from women’s cused of a range of off ences, with said that could act as a deterrent to ally an arm twisting tactic and “A criminal defamation charge Modi is yet to publicly speak salacious” allegations to harm his rights activists and legal experts several prominent fi gures either more victims coming forward. works as a deterrent because no- is a clear attempt to bully, intimi- on the matter and calls to three reputation, the suit alleged. that prolonged court battles could resigning or being suspended as a Unlike in many countries, where body wants to be potentially em- date and silence those who are spokespersons of his Bharatiya Ja- The other defamation case was put the brakes on the country’s result. defamation is a civil off ence, In- broiled in court for years or face a bringing to light systemic abuse of nata Party were unanswered yes- fi led by well-known screen and nascent #MeToo movement. The cases have transfi xed In- dian law also has provisions which jail term,” said Samudra Sarangi, a women by men in powerful posi- terday. television actor Nath against writ- The movement, that began in dia, published on newspaper front classify it as a criminal off ence partner at Indian law fi rm Panag tions,” said the letter, written by Akbar, who founded and edited er and producer Vinta Nanda, who the United States just over a year pages and becoming a key talking punishable with a jail term of up to & Babu which represents clients in the Network of Women in Media, several newspapers before joining recently accused him of raping her ago in response to accusations of point on prime-time television two years. defamation lawsuits. the Foundation of Media Profes- politics, has been accused of in- in 1999. sexual assault and harassment in news shows in a country where Cases typically drag on for years “Sometimes this law is used to sionals and the Brihan Mumbai appropriate behaviour by at least Nath’s lawyer Ashok Sarogi has the entertainment industry, gained discussions about sex are still ta- in India’s overstretched legal sys- suppress a victim’s voice. Not all Union of Journalists. a dozen women who had worked said the allegations against his cli- traction in India in the past two boo for many. tem. victims have the emotional forti- “By ignoring this defi ning mo- with him. ent were false. Vindicated, say women journalists

IANS Ghazala Wahab, who had ac- New Delhi cused Akbar of molesting her several times, said his quitting was eff ect of the #MeToo move- omen journalists who ment that has witnessed women hurled allegations of from across the spectrum com- Wsexual harassment ing out with their horror stories and molestation against former of sexual harassment in and out- editor M J Akbar yesterday ex- side the work place. pressed happiness over his exit “It was a momentum which as the minister of state for Exter- was built up and it is one of the nal Aff airs and vowed to continue eff ects of that momentum. I their fi ght. think that the momentum does Besides those who levelled the not stop here and it continues. It charges against Akbar, govern- is a collective victory for all the ment bodies meant to protect women,” said Wahab. women as well as feminist activ- “Hope the movement car- ists too welcomed the move. ries on and spreads in every Journalist Priya Ramani, who part of the country,” said Wa- Supporters of the main opposition Congress Party shout slogans as they stand on police barricades during a protest demanding Akbar’s resignation in New Delhi. was the fi rst to go public with her hab, who had detailed how she accusation against the former was molested and harassed by editor and is facing a defamation Akbar on several occasions suit fi led by Akbar, said she felt when she was employed with “vindicated”. The Asian Age. “As women, we feel vindicated “MJAkbar gone....” tweeted by Akbar’s resignation. I look journalist Saba Naqvi who had forward to the day when I will called him a “predator”. also get justice in court,” Ramani Journalist Harinder Baweja, Akbar quits, vows legal tweeted. who too had accused Akbar, At least 15 journalists have ac- wondered if Prime Minister cused Akbar of sexual harass- Narendra Modi and External Af- ment and molestation. He fi led a fairs Minister Sushma Swaraj defamation suit against Ramani would now “break their silence”. alleging that “scandalous allega- “As a next step, he should tions” have been made to bring withdraw the defamation suit fi ght to clear his name down his image in society. unless Akbar wants to continue Journalist Suparna Sharma, defaming himself,” Baweja said Reuters “Since I have decided to seek ment, political and art worlds sources in the ruling Bharatiya “The allegations against him who had accused Akbar of mis- on twitter. New Delhi justice in a court of law in my have been accused of off ences, Janata Party said. should be properly investigated,” behaving with her, said the fi ght The opposition Congress personal capacity, I deem it ap- ranging from sexual harassment Akbar’s boss, External Af- Athawale said. was not over with his resigna- called Akbar’s resignation “be- propriate to step down from to rape. fairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Sandeep Shastri, a politi- tion. lated” and asked Modi to break unior minister M J Akbar re- offi ce and challenge false ac- “As women we feel vindicated and Women and Child Welfare cal analyst at Jain University in “Akbar should have resigned his silence. signed yesterday to fi ght ac- cusations levied against me in a by M J Akbar’s resignation. I look Minister Maneka Gandhi both Bengaluru, said Akbar’s defa- immediately after returning to “Akbar’s belated resignation is Jcusations of sexual harass- personal capacity,” Akbar said in forward to the day when I will were opposed to him continuing mation lawsuit and his subse- India instead of issuing a state- a result of the persistent pressure ment from more than a dozen a statement. also get justice in court,” jour- in office while he fought a legal quent resignation could indi- ment,” said Sharma, referring to put by women who have shared women during his previous The #MeToo movement, nalist Priya Ramani, who was battle against his accusers, the cate damage limitation by the his statement on Sunday where their horrifi c and uncomfortable career as a journalist, the most which began in the United States the fi rst to accuse him, said in a sources, who cannot be named government. he had rubbished all the allega- stories. Now that he has fi nally high-profi le casualty of a grow- more than a year ago in response tweet. because of the sensitivity of the “You are facing an election in tions and questioned the motive resigned, will Prime Minister ing #MeToo movement in the to accusations of sexual harass- Akbar, 67, has fi led a defama- matter, said. several states and this could have behind them. Modi dare to speak up,” asked country. ment and abuse by powerful men tion suit against her. The case is Since he got back from a tour been highly embarrassing for the “When he issued the state- Ragini Nayak of the Congress. The women have accused Ak- in the entertainment industry, due in a Delhi court today. of Africa on Sunday, Akbar had government. It would have been ment, it seemed it was govern- Meanwhile, Bollywood writer- bar, minister of state for External gained traction in India in late “Eventually the truth prevails,” sought a meeting with Modi but tough for the government to jus- ment versus Priya Ramani. Now producer Vinta Nanda yesterday Aff airs, of inappropriate behav- September after Bollywood ac- Ghazala Wahab, another journal- that did not come through. tify retaining him,” said Shastri. that he has resigned, it is Akbar fi led a police complaint against iour before entering politics. tress Tanushree Dutta said vet- ist who accused Akbar of mak- He also asked to meet National Allegations of sexual harass- vs Priya Ramani,” she said and actor Alok Nath, whom she has Akbar was a prominent editor eran actor Nana Patekar behaved ing physical advances, told CNN Security Adviser Ajit Doval, a ment have ensnared the opposi- asked the former minister to accused of sexually violating her who founded several publica- inappropriately on the sets of a NEWS 18. close Modi aide, but that too did tion party as well. withdraw the defamation case 19 years ago. tions including the Asian Age. fi lm they were shooting in 2008. While Modi’s government did not happen. This week, the chief of the against Ramani. The complaint was lodged at He has denied the accusa- Patekar has denied any wrong- not make a public statement, Ram Das Athawale, junior youth wing of the Congress “The longer he fi ghts this bat- the Oshiwara police station in tions and fi led a criminal lawsuit doing. pressure was building internally minister for Social Justice, said stepped down after a female tle against Ramani, more women Mumbai, Nanda said in a state- against one of the women for de- Since then, more than a dozen for Akbar’s removal as more alle- he supported Akbar’s decision to member alleged harassment, the will come out,” she said. ment. faming him. men in the media, entertain- gations of misconduct surfaced, quit. party announced.

Jaswant’s son joins Congress Break silence on Rafale ahead of Rajasthan election deal: Congress tells PM IANS Surjewala said new set of ad- IANS he went into a coma a few years ago. to teach the BJP government a les- New Delhi ditional documents reveal that New Delhi With Singh’s induction the son,” Singh said. the deal between Dassault Avia- Congress is hoping to garner Ra- Gehlot said: “A man (Jaswant tion and Reliance Defence was jput votes in the assembly elec- Singh) who had been the country’s he Congress yesterday a “compensation’ brokered by n a big boost ahead of assembly tions. fi nance minister, defence minister asked Prime Minister Modi government”. elections in Rajasthan, Man- At the press conference, it was and external aff airs minister, who TNarendra Modi to break He said the French labour laws Ivendra Singh, son of Jaswant also announced that former Ma- was prime ministerial material, has his silence on the Rafale deal, make it compulsory for compa- Singh, former federal minister and harashtra BJP MLA Ashish Desh- been targeted systematically by the saying that fresh documents nies with over 50 employees to one of the founders of the Bharati- mukh, who represented Katol BJP in pursuance of a conspiracy. pertaining to minutes of meet- set up a ‘Central Works Council’ ya Janata Party, joined the Con- assembly seat in the Vidarbha re- “We all know how the BJP treats ings of two trade unions of Das- (CCE which is on the same lines gress yesterday. gion, has joined the party. its veteran leaders. There are many sualt Aviation reveal that he “fa- as trade unions in India). Singh had a meeting with Con- He had stepped down as an in the BJP who are being targeted cilitated a sweetheart deal” and Surjewala said the council has gress president Rahul Gandhi in MLA earlier in the month over the and are willing to join the Con- benefi ted a private entity. a role in the fi nancial manage- the morning and the announce- Rafale jet deal. gress,” said Gehlot. “Modi government’s Rafale ment of the company as well as ment of his induction into the par- Speaking to the media, Singh, a Announcing Singh’s induction scam gets murkier and muddier in the social and cultural activi- ty was made at a press conference former Lok Sabha member, said he into the Congress on social media, by the day. Fresh documents have ties of employees. later by general secretary Ashok joined the Congress over the per- Gandhi said it had bolstered the again reinforced the fact that PM “The minutes of the meeting Gehlot, a former chief minister of sistent targeting by Chief Minister party’s strength. Modi facilitated a sweetheart deal held on May 11, 2017 between Rajasthan, and other leaders, in- Vasundhara Raje-led BJP in Rajas- Voting to elect the new assembly with Dassault Aviation,” Congress two such trade unions - CGT and cluding Rajasthan Congress chief than. in Rajasthan would be held on De- spokesman Randeep Sing Surjew- CFDT - and Dassault Aviation’s Sachin Pilot. He said the problem began in cember 7 and the counting of votes ala said in a statement. Chief Operating Offi cer Loik An MLA from Sheo in Barmer, 2014 when the BJP denied his fa- would take place on December 11. He said the documents also Segalen lifts the lid off the murky Singh quit the BJP in September, ther a party ticket in the Lok Sabha Deshmukh, the son of former back the charge made by former sweetheart deal.” upset over the sidelining of his polls. Maharashtra Congress presi- French president Francois Hol- He said according to the min- father in the party ever since the “We have been consistently tar- dent and former cabinet minister lande. utes of meeting with CGT, a com- 2014 Lok Sabha elections in which geted by Chief Minister Raje and Ranjit Deshmukh, said he joined “The BJP is running helter- plete presentation of the “Make he was not given a party ticket. the BJP. Joining the Congress was the Congress to further the fi ght skelter and throwing all kinds of in India” with the creation of the Jaswant Singh, a Rajput leader, not a personal decision, rather a against the Modi government over Manvendra Singh shakes hands with Rahul Gandhi after he joined alibis to defend the indefensible,” “Dassault Reliance Aerospace” has faded away from public life after decision of the masses who want the Rafale deal. the Congress, in New Delhi yesterday. he said. enterprise in Nagpur was made. Gulf Times 22 Thursday, October 18, 2018 INDIA

INVESTIGATION SUCCESS EVENT REPORT INSURANCE Guard shot judge’s wife, Navy concludes trial IOC art exhibition Faulty system blamed Punjab unveils health son in fit of fury: police of rescue vehicle to open in Mumbai for UP train accident cover to 4.3mn families

A judge’s wife and son were shot by the The Western Naval Command has successfully Indian Oil Corporation’s biennial art exhibition A faulty mechanical installation meant to The Punjab government yesterday announced judge’s security guard in a fit of fury, a concluded the maiden trials of the Deep - The Canvas Code - will open in Mumbai guide trains from one track to another led an annual health insurance cover of senior police officer said yesterday. Ritu, Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) that can on October 24, off icials said yesterday. The the New Farakka Express to derail in Uttar Rs500,000 each to around 4.3mn families 38, and Dhruv, 18, were shot by Haryana rescue stranded personnel from a disabled exhibition, an initiative to promote young artists, Pradesh killing seven people, a railway in the state under the Pradhan Mantri Jan police constable Mahipal Singh, 32, at submarine, the navy said yesterday. The DSRV, will showcase a wide array of paintings by over investigation report said yesterday. Com Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and a state scheme. the busy Arcadia market in Sector 49 in which is operated by a crew of three, can 90 artists from all over India at the Jehangir Art missioner of Rail Safety S K Pathak in a The state has signed a memorandum of Gurugram on October 13. Asked if the guard rescue 14 personnel from a disabled submarine Gallery. The six-day event will be inaugurated preliminary inquiry report pointed out that understanding with the central government was harassed by the family of Gurugram’s at one time. On October 15, the DSRV carried by painter Bose Krishnamachari. IOC first nine coaches and the engine went off the for the implementation of the PM-JAY for over Additional District and Sessions Judge out under water mating with a bottomed organised the exhibition in 1987 to encourage tracks because the train “was given a green 1.5mn families. The state will, at its own cost, Krishan Kant, Deputy Commissioners of submarine, at over 300ft depth. On successful young artists in the early stages of their careers. signal despite the point failure”. According to cover 2.8mn more families under the state Police Sumit Kuhar said the killer told the mating the DSRV opened its hatches and the “We are delighted that it continues to be such Railway Ministry off icials, a point is located at health insurance programme, an off icial said. police it was a “cold-blooded attack.” The submarine hatches and carried out transfer an important exhibition for artists, giving them the intersection of two tracks. Only when it The MoU was signed yesterday by Health judge’s wife died late that night and the of personnel from the submarine to the DSRV. a platform to share their voices, art, and to creates a path for the train is a signal given to Department Additional Chief Secretary Satish son is brain dead. The arrested man’s uncle “These sea trials have proven the newly introduce new ideas to the ever-increasing it to go ahead. The inquiry report suggested Chandra on behalf of the state with Ayushman alleged that the police were under pressure inducted DSRV’s ability to undertake rescue audience in the world of art,” said Subodh that in this case, despite the point failure, the Bharat Chief Executive Off icer Indu Bhushan. from the judiciary to quickly resolve the operations from disabled submarines at sea Dakwale, IOC’s executive director. The display train was given a green signal. Seven people Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that the case. He added that they were not allowed and has provided the Indian Navy with a critical will feature a diverse range of artworks from died and over 30 were injured in the accident move will put healthcare within the reach of to meet him. capability,” the navy said. diff erent age groups, styles and categories. on October 10. every needy person in the state.

Company chief held Clashes erupt for cheating investors

IANS as activists Hyderabad

olice yesterday arrested leading entrepreneur- Ppolitician Nowheera Shaik on charges of allegedly cheating block women investors. Nowheera, managing director of Heera Group of Companies, was arrested in New Delhi and brought to Hyderabad, Hydera- bad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said. from temple The arrest was made during the course of investigations into Agencies Janata Party (BJP), with thousands alone,” she said, adding she was a case booked against Shaik at Thiruvananthapuram protesting in the days ahead of its ready to face trouble. Banja Hills police station in Hy- opening yesterday evening. A family of four from neigh- derabad for cheating, criminal The Kerala state government bouring Andhra Pradesh state, in- breach of trust and criminal in- lashes erupted yesterday as said it would enforce the court rul- cluding at least one woman, were timidation. traditionalists tried to stop ing and deployed 500 extra police shielded by police carrying sticks She was also booked under Cwomen visiting the Sabar- to ensure free access to the remote after protesters shouting slogans Telangana Deposits of Financial imala temple in Kerala, with police complex, which is reached by an prevented them from reaching the Establishment Act 1999 and The waving batons charging stone- uphill trek that takes several hours. temple. Prize Chits and Money Circu- throwing protestors. At Nilakkal, a base camp below Biju S Pillai, a local man in his lation Schemes (Banning) Act, Devotees opposed to allowing the temple, police cleared protes- 30s, was one of those opposed to 1978. women into the temple earlier sur- tors early yesterday morning and the court ruling. He said that he Police said they found incrim- rounded and intimidated journal- arrested seven people who were returned from working in Dubai to inating evidence against Shaikh, ists. Two female journalists were stopping vehicles. “protect the sanctity of the tem- who runs various businesses injured. “Anyone who wants to go to the ple” with his mother and young in India and the Middle East. One of them was a journalist temple will be able to do so with- son. “No one should be able to She also fl oated All India Ma- from CNN NEWS 18. Protesters out hindrance,” said police chief change the way this temple has hila Empowerment Party, which smashed the windows of the car Manoj Abraham. functioned for centuries,” he said. contested the recent assembly she was travelling in in view of the “Stern action will be taken “If any change is made they elections Karnataka but drew a police, footage from the channel against anyone who prevents dev- will have to kill us and go over our blank. showed. otees from going to Sabarimala,” bodies.” According to police Shaik is “It was shocking that offi cers Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan “I am here to protest the Su- heading 15 companies under dif- were there doing nothing,” the re- said on Tuesday. preme Court decision,” said engi- ferent names under the Heera porter, Radhika Ramaswamy, said One 45-year old woman iden- neer Anisha S, 23, one of a group Group of companies. in a broadcast by the station. tifi ed as Madhavi who wanted to chanting religious slogans. “Many of the companies are “Protesters had free rein, at- enter the temple for the fi rst time “We want to save our tradi- involved in collection of de- tacking our vehicle.” abandoned her attempt after ac- tions.” posits/investments in diff er- Footage from CNN NEWS 18 tivists prevented her climbing the Women are permitted to enter ent modes of gold scheme from showed police chasing protest- hill. Even though police gave the most Hindu temples but female public, where in these compa- ers through dense forest near Ni- woman and her family protection devotees are still barred from entry nies commit a return of around lakkal. The protesters had been and allowed them to move further, by some. 36% per annum for the invested throwing stones, the channel re- they gave up as agitated activists Two years ago, activists suc- amount,” a police statement said. ported. surrounded them. cessfully campaigned to end a While the exact number of in- Saritha Balan, a journalist from Earlier, a lone woman travelling ban on women entering the Shani vestors/depositors is not known online publication The News to Sabarimala by bus was stopped Shingnapur temple in Maharash- because the companies have not Minute, was kicked by protesters at the bus stand near the gateway tra. Women were also permitted disclosed complete information while accompanying devotees try- by a group of protesters. to enter Mumbai’s Haji Ali Dargah to the police, it is estimated that ing to access the site, she told In- The woman, identifi ed as Libi mausoleum after the Supreme the number of depositors could dian TV, while camera crews from by Asianet News, came from the Court scrapped a ban in 2016. be in thousands in diff erent several other channels had their neighbouring district of Alap- The entry of women at Sabar- states of the country, the state- vehicles vandalised. puzha. imala was long taboo but was for- ment added. Last month the Supreme Court “When democracy and the Su- malised by the Kerala High Court Police claimed that during in- overturned a ban on females be- preme Court order are being defi ed in 1991, a ruling overturned by the vestigation evidence of diversion tween the ages of 10 and 50 en- by protesters, I have come with the Supreme Court last month. of funds came to light. Evidence tering and praying at the hilltop fi rm intent of visiting Sabarimala,” The Sabarimala chief priest, has also been found of purchase temple. Libi, who uses only one name, told Kandararu Tantri, 25, warned this of assets in diff erent names of Police wield their batons against demonstrators during a protest against the lifting of ban by This enraged traditionalists, in- the channel. week that “anger could easily es- individuals as well as companies, Supreme Court that allowed entry of women to the Sabarimala temple, at the Nilakkal base camp in cluding supporters of Prime Min- “I am not scared. The police are calate into violence if a few ego- they said. Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, yesterday. ister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya providing full security. I have come tistical women try to enter”.

No burden on Haj pilgrims Rain lashes Hyderabad ED seizes assets of despite subsidy end: Naqvi Nirav Modi, Choksi IANS Trump Tower. It is in the name of IANS a record 175,025 Muslims from “The process of airlines tender New Delhi Choksi’s daughter. Mumbai India performed the pilgrimage will be completed by November The offi cial revealed that the without any subsidy and expect- 2018 and accommodation proc- agency has seized an overseas ed the number to go up further in ess in Makkah and Madinah by he Enforcement Directo- fl at worth Rs510mn belonging espite ending Haj subsidy 2019. December 2018-January 2019,” rate yesterday said it has to Mihir Bhansali, a close aide of from the 2018 pilgrimage Safety and better facilities and Naqvi said. Tseized assets in India and Nirav Modi. The offi cial also said Dseason, there was no fi - medical amenities for the pilgrims All the 20 embarkation points abroad worth Rs2.18bn belonging that Letters Rogatory have been nancial burden on the pilgrims as are the priority of the government. will be functional like 2018 and to fugitive diamond merchants sent to the authorities of foreign middlemen were eliminated and There will be no lackadaisical ap- Haj pilgrims can also go via Cali- Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul jurisdictions to enforce the provi- a transparent, fully online system proach on this, he said while an- cut Airport and the accommoda- Choksi. sional attachment orders. was put in place, Minister for nouncing the Haj 2019 season at tion rates in Saudi Arabia would The two, who have fl ed the The fi nancial probe agency has Minority Aff airs Mukhtar Abbas the Haj House in Mumbai. remain unchanged for 2019. country, are accused of defraud- so far seized properties worth Naqvi said yesterday. He said that the online applica- Earlier, a big Indian national ing state-run Punjab National Rs44.88bn in the PNB fraud case. Terming the Haj-2018 as a tion process will start on October fl ag measuring 20x30ft and 350ft Bank of Rs135bn. Nirav Modi and his uncle Me- ‘pro-pilgrim’ initiative, he said 18, while the offl ine process will above the ground was unfurled at A senior ED offi cial said: “A hul Choksi of Gitanjali Group are that in 2017, Rs10.3bn was paid to be taken up on October 22, thus the majestic Haj House by Naqvi. villa at a foreign location worth under probe by both the Cen- airlines for the fares for 1,24,852 initiating next year’s Haj prepara- The fl ag atop a 20m-high mast Rs27 crore (Rs270mn) belong- tral Bureau of Investigation and pilgrims, but in 2018, it came tions immediately after comple- on top of the iconic building near ing to Choksi has been attached.” the ED. The ED had on May 24 down to Rs9.73bn for 1,28,702 tion of the current season (2018). the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maha- The assets attached by the ED and May 26 fi led charge-sheets pilgrims who went through the In 2018, a total of 355,604 ap- raj Terminus (CSMT) in south include a Hyderabad property against the two. Non-bailable Haj Committee of India. plications were received, of which Mumbai is billed as the highest worth Rs120 crore belonging to A warrants have also been issued This means Rs570mn less was 166,387 were from women. tricolour installed on the terrace P Gems & Jewellery Park. against them. paid to airlines this year though According to Naqvi, the early of any building of such height in On specifi c intelligence, dia- The Interpol had issued a Red 3,850 more pilgrims travelled af- start of the Haj process will en- the country. monds with a market value of Corner Notice (RCN) against ter ending the Haj subsidy, Naqvi sure availability of better facili- The fl ag is made of non-fading Rs187mn belonging to the Firestar Nirav Modi, his brother Neeshal said. ties and smooth functioning as polyester and of similar size to Group related to Nirav Modi were and sister Purvi, who are Belgian Terming the Haj-2018 as “suc- all the agencies, both in India and those installed at the Bandra- Commuters struggle through a waterlogged street after also seized, the offi cial added. citizens, Bhansali and Aditya cessful”, Naqvi said that for the Saudi Arabia, would get suffi - Worli Sea Link and Mazagaon heavy rains lashed Hyderabad yesterday. The agency also seized a fl at Nanvati (both close associates of fi rst time since independence, cient time to make arrangements. Docks. worth Rs17mn in Mumbai’s Nirav Modi). Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 23 LATIN AMERICA

WET SPELL JUSTICE CRIME FINANCE DIPLOMACY Police ask for Temer to be Mexico hunts for traff icker Caracas to shun US dollar Cuba diplomats shout down indicted for corruption who made children beg in favour of yuan and euro event on political prisoners

Brazil’s Federal Police on Tuesday asked the Mexican authorities are hunting for the leader Venezuela will exclude the US dollar from Protesting Cuban and Bolivian diplomats shouted, Prosecutor General’s off ice to charge President of a human traff icking ring following the rescue its off icial exchange transactions, which will chanted and banged their hands on desks at Michel Temer and ten others, including his of dozens of indigenous children made to beg favour the yuan and the euro, Economy Vice the United Nations on Tuesday to drown out the daughter, with corruption, money laundering and on city streets as forced labour, off icials said on President Tareck El Aissami said Tuesday. The launch of a US campaign on the plight of Cuban racketeering. The federal police investigated for Tuesday. Sixty people, nearly all of them children, US sanctions on Venezuela prevent the country political prisoners. US envoy to the UN Economic more than a year whether Temer, who has been in were discovered and freed last Saturday at a from using the dollar, El Aissami said, calling and Social Council (ECOSOC) Kelley Currie power since May 2016, took bribes to issue a decree single home, said the Attorney General’s off ice of those measures “illegal, arbitrary and contrary persisted, delivering her remarks in the ECOSOC in May 2017 to benefit companies in the port sector. Oaxaca state. The victims, who included several to international law.” Pharmaceutical companies chamber, followed by Secretary General of the A boy walks in a muddy street, following heavy The Prosecutor’s Off ice must now decide whether women and six children under age 2, were of which the government had paid in dollars “had Organization of American States Luis Almagro. rains in the Pacific Coast, in Teustepe, Boaco, to file a criminal complaint against the president, if it indigenous Tzotzil origin from neighbouring their accounts closed and were prohibited from During the meeting, the protesting diplomats some 60km from Managua. Nicaragua decreed requests further investigation, or to order the case Chiapas state, off icials said. They had been doing transactions in dollars,” the vice president chanted “Cuba si, bloqueo no (Cuba yes, blockade a red alert for heavy rains aff ecting the country closed. For the Supreme Court to investigate and forced to beg for money at traff ic intersections added. He said government auctions of foreign no)!” in protest against a decades-old US trade in six departments and two autonomous possibly prosecute the president, according to the in Oaxaca City, they said. Eleven people were exchange would now use euro, yuan and other embargo on the Caribbean island nation that regions. Constitution, it must get Congress’ green light. arrested in connection with the traff icking ring. hard currencies. President Donald Trump has tightened.

Nicaragua Honduras, Guatemala move about to collapse: to stop migrant caravan dissident By Gabriela Selser, DPA Reuters another much smaller group from get- Managua Esquipulas, Guatemala ting through, television images from the border showed. “We can’t attend to people en masse. ix months after anti-gov- he organiser of a migrant caravan People are going through one by one,” ernment protests erupted from Honduras was detained in police spokesman Alex Madrid said in a Sin Nicaragua on April 18, TGuatemala on Tuesday as the US radio interview. violence and repression of op- government threatened to withdraw aid Guatemala’s government said it did ponents continue unabated. from both countries and El Salvador if not have offi cial fi gures for how many The Inter-American Com- the fl ow of migrants north to the United migrants from the caravan had already mission on Human Rights has States was not stopped. crossed the border. reported 325 deaths, while some Up to 3,000 migrants, according to Adult citizens of Guatemala, Hon- rights groups put the death toll organizers’ estimates, crossed from duras, El Salvador and Nicaragua need at more than 500. The govern- Honduras into Guatemala on a trek only present national identity cards to ment acknowledges 200 deaths. northward after a standoff on Monday cross each others’ borders. Thousands of people have with police in riot gear. That rule does not apply when they been injured and hundreds ar- The Honduran Foreign Ministry reach Mexico. rested. Nearly 30,000 Nicara- called on its citizens not to join the The local offi ces of the United Na- guans have meanwhile fl ed the group. tions High Commissioner for Human country to escape repression and The government “urges the Hondu- Rights said in a statement on Tuesday unemployment, including about rans taking part in this irregular mobi- evening they were worried about the 23,000 who have crossed the lisation not to be used by a movement safety of migrants in the caravan, not- border into Costa Rica. that is clearly political,” it said. ing the group included women, children The violence, which has been Honduran president Juan Orlando and senior citizens. condemned by organisations in- Hernandez said in a public address on Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday cluding the United Nations and Tuesday evening some Hondurans in to express his annoyance at the cara- the European Union, has left the caravan had already returned home van, which follows a similar event in President Daniel Ortega “com- and the government was preparing to May that ultimately led to hundreds of pletely isolated inside and out- support them. migrants either seeking asylum in the side the country,” Dora Maria He did not specify how many had United States or remaining in Mexico. Tellez said in an interview. turned back. “The United States has strongly in- In her early 20s, the former Over the border, Guatemalan police formed the President of Honduras that guerrilla commander participat- officers detained Bartolo Fuentes, a if the large Caravan of people heading to Guatemala’s police off icers stand as Honduran migrants, part of a caravan trying to reach the US, arrive to the border between ed alongside Ortega in the leftist former Honduran lawmaker, from the the US is not stopped and brought back Honduras and Guatemala, in Agua Caliente, Guatemala, on Tuesday. revolution that overthrew dicta- middle of the large crowd that he and to Honduras, no more money or aid will tor Anastasio Somoza in 1979 — three other organisers had led from be given to Honduras, eff ective imme- protect US borders, adding “no more matic presence in the region as an “op- Widespread violence and poverty and she can hardly believe what San Pedro Sula, Honduras, since Sat- diately!” Trump wrote. aid if it’s not stopped!” portunity.” prompt thousands of Central Ameri- is going on today. urday. Trump expanded his threat in a later The strong words could encourage Pence told Central American coun- cans, mainly from El Salvador, Hondu- “Nobody can imagine such The moves followed comments by tweet to include Guatemala and El Sal- Honduras to move closer to China amid tries last week the United States was ras and Guatemala, to make the ardu- levels of brutality. We are experi- US President Donald Trump that his vador. intensifi ed eff orts by Beijing to win rec- willing to help with economic develop- ous journey north toward Mexico and encing another dictatorship, we administration would halt aid if the “We have today informed the coun- ognition from Central American coun- ment and investment if they did more to the United States in search of a better never thought Ortega could go as Central American governments did not tries of Honduras, Guatemala and El tries aligned with Taiwan. Honduras is tackle mass migration, corruption and life. far as the Somoza,” Tellez, who act, his latest eff ort to demonstrate his Salvador that if they allow their citizens, one of a dwindling number of countries gang violence. Trump ran for president in 2016 is in hiding after receiving death tough stance on immigration. or others, to journey through their bor- that still have formal diplomatic ties The migrants in the group making its on promises to toughen US immigra- threats, told DPA by telephone. The Honduran security ministry said ders and up to the United States, with with Taiwan, an island nation off the way north plan to seek refugee status in tion policies and build a wall along the Tellez is a co-founder of the Fuentes had been detained because he the intention of entering our country il- Chinese coast that Beijing views as a Mexico or pass through to the United 3,220km border with Mexico. Sandinista Renovation Move- “did not comply with Guatemalan im- legally, all payments made to them will renegade province. States, saying they are fl eeing poverty Illegal immigration is likely to be a top ment (MRS), a political organi- migration rules” and would be deported STOP (END)!” he said. Hernandez said last month cuts in US and violence. issue in November 6 US congressional sation launched by dissidents back to Honduras in the coming hours. US Vice President Mike Pence drove support for Central America would only “What Trump says doesn’t interest elections, when Democrats are seen as of Ortega’s Sandinista National Security offi cials at the Hondu- home the point, saying he spoke to Her- hinder the country’s ability to stem ille- us,” organiser Fuentes said in an interview having a good chance of gaining control Liberation Front (FSLN) in 1995. ran border with Guatemala in Agua nandez and Guatemalan President Jim- gal immigration. shortly before his arrest. “These people of the House of Representatives from The MRS, which the gov- Caliente blocked the road to prevent my Morales and warned them to help He welcomed China’s growing diplo- are fl eeing. These people are not tourists.” Trump’s fellow Republicans. ernment accuses of plotting to destabilise it, forms part of the recently created Blue and White National Unity (UNAB), an opposition force dedicated to democratically removing Ortega With presidency in sight, Brazil’s far-right candidate on ‘cruise control’ from power. President since 2007, the 72-year-old had already held the Reuters Candidates slug it out on Twitter offi ce between 1985 and 1990. Brasilia His 16 years in power have left Brazil’s two candidates vying for the presi- the Central American country dency, far-right Jair Bolsonaro and leftist in “a situation of total deterio- razilian far-right presidential Fernando Haddad, have taken to Twitter to ration which will lead to a col- frontrunner Jair Bolsonaro and trade campaign blows in the absence so far of lapse,” according to Tellez. Bhis team are increasingly confi - any televised debate ahead of an October 28 She sees the crisis as resulting dent of winning this month’s election, run-off election. from “electoral fraud, corrup- and have switched on “cruise control” In the exchange late Tuesday, Haddad tion and authoritarianism.” as they seek to glide to victory, top tried to taunt Bolsonaro into engaging in TV “Ortega has not been able to campaign sources say. debates, hoping to close a big lead enjoyed by reverse the structural factors Bolsonaro has opened up a sizeable the far-right candidate. of this crisis and stays in power opinion poll lead over his leftist rival, “Tweeting and online lives are easy, Mr Con- only through repression, us- Workers Party candidate Fernando gressman. Let’s debate face-to-face, politely, in ing police, paramilitaries and a Haddad, ahead of the October 28 run- the sick bay if necessary,” Haddad said on his few judges who act like a fi ring off vote, and is now seeking to avoid Twitter account. squad,” Tellez says. pitfalls and ride to the presidency on The tweet was in response to one by “The paramilitaries, the tor- a wave of anger over graft, rising vio- Bolsonaro calling Haddad a “corrupt man’s turers, the neighbourhood in- lence, and a weak economy. puppet,” referring to his having replaced formers, are the same people Bolsonaro, who is still recover- former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who who committed fraud at polling ing from a near-fatal stab wound re- was barred from running while serving a prison stations, the same who attacked ceived on the campaign trail, will skip sentence for corruption. us during demonstrations. But presidential debates and avoid cam- Six televised debates were scheduled now Ortega...made them act on paigning, his would-be chief of staff , between the October 7 first round — which a massive level and under in- Congressman Onyx Lorenzoni, told Bolsonaro won handily, with 46% of the vote to structions.” Reuters on Tuesday. Haddad’s 29% — and the run-off October 28. Some of the most recent in- Lorenzoni said the debates were But Bolsonaro skipped the earlier debates cidents occurred last weekend, pointless and made no diff erence to on the advice of doctors who said he had not when police detained about 40 his candidate’s commanding lead in Presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro greets supporters as he talks to media after a visit to Federal Police headquarters suff iciently recovered from a stabbing while demonstrators, including several the race. in Rio de Janeiro yesterday. campaigning on September 6. leading MRS members. Bolsonaro has previously suff ered Haddad, a 55-year-old former mayor of Domestic and international in the polls after debate appearances, cial Liberal Party (PSL), said it was the position to the poll-leader and needs ruption and violent crime. Sao Paulo and education minister under Lula, pressure forced the government where his relative lack of expertise on right strategy. to add lustre to the damaged brand of In response to attacks by Bolsonaro believes he would have the upper hand in a to release them the following economic matters was shown up un- “It’s a very important moment for the PT which ran Brazil for 13 of the on Twitter on Tuesday, Haddad re- debate with Bolsonaro. day, but protests remain under der tough questioning. Brazilian society, and we all need to be last 15 years and is blamed by many for plied by urging his rival to debate him On Tuesday, Bolsonaro observed that a ban announced two weeks ago. His poll numbers have increased very careful,” he said. the country’s woes. face to face. The former army captain Haddad had frequently visited Lula in prison. “We are now under a real, de since his stabbing on September 6, “Today, the PSL is a protagonist on The party’s founder, former President replied by suggesting Haddad could “Each week you go and see someone who is facto state of emergency, which which some attribute to his lower pro- the political scene and we all have to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is in jail after soon join Lula in jail. in prison for corruption and to get your orders. violates the political constitu- fi le as he recovers. be responsible.” a corruption conviction, and as Lula’s Bolsonaro has run an unorthodox Watch out, given where new revelations are tion that clearly establishes the In recent days, with victory ever- Earlier in the campaign, Bolsonaro hand-picked candidate, Haddad is strug- campaign, relying on social media going you could be next,” he tweeted. right to hold meetings and to closer, Bolsonaro has ordered his team was forced onto the defensive as his gling to escape the shadow of a fi gure who and grass roots rallies that have won Haddad replied by posting an image of a mobilise freely,” Tellez says. to step back from the limelight to vice-presidential pick, retired Gen- is loved and loathed by many in Brazil. him legions of fans who delight at his television studio organized for debates with the The solution, she believes, is avoid making public declarations that eral Hamilton Mourao, and his eco- Bolsonaro, 63, a seven-term con- sharp words and Twitter putdowns. message:” I’m waiting for you here, congress- for Ortega “to hop on a plane and could hurt him in the fi nal few days of nomic advisor, Paulo Guedes, made gressman who openly defends Brazil’s Nonetheless, polls show he is also man.” leave” or to resume a dialogue the race, campaign sources told Reu- blunders over potential policies. 1964-1985 military dictatorship, is widely disliked by many in the elec- The last major voter survey, by the Ibope in- with the opposition that was ters. Bolsonaro’s hands-off strategy pitching himself as the anti-estab- torate who have been alienated by stitute, showed Bolsonaro the big favorite with suspended in July. Luciano Bivar, a federal congress- poses a major problem for Haddad, lishment candidate and appealing to years of his misogynist, racist and 59% support, against 41% for Haddad. Either way, the president man and founder of Bolsonaro’s So- who faces an uphill battle to unify op- voters fed up with the political cor- homophobic comments. would have to step down. Gulf Times 24 Thursday, October 18, 2018 PAKISTAN

Govt reviews law on anti-graft body A committee under Law Minister Farogh Nasim has sought proposals from NAB, law and interior ministries and other Major improvement in by-poll concerned about the changes required in the NAB law to improve the accountability system. Although, the decision has already been taken that NAB’s purview will not be extended to result management, says report judges and generals, there is a consideration to set some limits Internews to July 25, 2018 is disconcert- as stipulated, with the excep- and returning offi cers (ROs), in voting and counting processes ess and around 6% from the for NAB chairman’s power to Islamabad ing, the transparency and tion of PB-40 (Khuzdar), it comparison to elections man- at 4,038 polling stations in 11 counting process. arrest a person. effi ciency of vote counting points out. aged by offi cials employed from National Assembly and 27 pro- The Fafen observers reported Government sources said that in at the polling stations and This demonstrable improve- the lower judiciary for this vincial assembly constituencies a relatively lesser number of diff erent off icial meetings, Prime he Free and Fair Elec- tabulation of the provisional ment coupled with strength- purpose. (13 in Punjab, nine in Khyber illegalities and irregularities Minister Imran Khan has been told tion Network (Fafen) has results by the returning of- ened enforcement of voting For by-elections, the ECP ap- Pakhtunkhwa and two each in during the voting process. that unfettered powers and misuse Tobserved that the qual- fi cers (Form-47-provisional processes also correlates with pointed regional election com- Balochistan and Sindh). As many as 95% of the pre- of authority by the NAB has been ity of election result manage- consolidated statement of Fafen’s long-term fi nding missioners as DROs and district The by-elections witnessed siding offi cers interviewed by a major reason for harassment of ment signifi cantly improved the result of the count) was drawn from the observation of election commissioners as ROs, an increased number of reg- the Fafen observers said they government servants as well as in the recent low-turnout by- encouraging, improving the over 100 by-elections held be- except for PP-164 (Lahore-XXI) istered voters on the electoral were trained by the ECP and the business community. elections of Pakistan held in 35 overall credibility of the elec- tween 2008 and 2018 that elec- where the deputy director (lo- rolls 42,810 voters (18,540 men had the required understand- The prime minister wants to constituencies of national and toral process,” says a report tion quality is enhanced when cal government) was given the and 24,270 women) in compari- ing of using the results trans- restrict NAB to mega corruption provincial assemblies. released by Fafen yesterday. the exercise is managed directly responsibilities of RO. son with July 2018 general polls. mission system (RTS) and 95% cases. “While a considerable de- Provisional results for all of by the Election Commission of Fafen deployed 1,737 election Nearly 1% Fafen observ- of presiding offi cers success- According to an off icial source, cline in the turnout in these these constituencies were fi - Pakistan (ECP) offi cials as dis- day observers 1,296 men and ers had been restricted from fully transmitted the results the NAB chairman has been constituencies as compared nalised by the 2am deadline trict returning offi cers (DROs) 441 women who observed the observing the voting proc- through RTS. vested with extraordinary powers, considered draconian, whose application in a number of cases violates fundamental rights of the accused. However, there is Passing out parade no check on the chairman. It is said that all quasi-judicial Child killer and administrative powers rest with the chairman and are not distributed among diff erent tiers as in other laws but are delegated at the will of the chairman. He is hanged in authorised by the law to initiate any case and arrest any person at any stage. (Internews) Lahore Duty imposed on 570 items AFP “His dead body was handed The Federal Board of Revenue Lahore over to his family who took it (FBR) of Pakistan yesterday away for burial,” he said. slapped regulatory duty on import Members of Zainab’s family of 570 items from range of 5 to akistani authorities yes- had called for Ali to be execut- 90% in the aftermath of enactment terday executed a man ed in public – a move rejected of revised supplementary finance Pconvicted of abusing by the Lahore High Court on act on which the president granted and murdering a six-year- Tuesday. its assent. old girl, in an incident that “I have bit of satisfaction The FBR imposed regulatory duty shocked the country and that justice has been delivered on vehicles, SIM cards with rate of sparked riots earlier this year. but I am not fully satisfi ed as Members of the new police force ‘Eagle Squad Quetta’ stand next to their vehicles during a passing out parade in Quetta yesterday. 5%, wheat 60%, cotton yarn 5%, Chilling CCTV footage he was not hanged in public,” The Eagle Squad has been specially trained by the Pakistan’s army to counter terrorist acts and targeted killings to ensure peace. betel leaves Rs400/kg and many broadcast on television fol- Zainab’s father Ameen Ansari others imported food items and lowing the killing purportedly told media outside the prison dairy products. showed the young girl – Za- following the execution. The regulatory duty has been inab Fatima Ameen – walk- The young girl’s murder imposed on import of pistol, ing hand-in-hand with an sparked outrage across Pa- firearms and other items in the unidentifi ed man, in what may kistan, with violence erupt- range of 20 to 25%. have been her last moments. ing in Kasur as thousands ‘Active eff orts underway to recover Iran troops’ A statutory regulatory order (SRO) Imran Ali, 24, was handed swarmed police stations and issued by the Federal Board of four separate death sentences set fi re to politicians’ homes, AFP the abductions on Tuesday on intelligence counterparts”. Young Journalists’ Club (YJC), Revenue (FBR) states that the for the rape and murder, which while Pakistanis across the Islamabad the southeastern border with Qureshi blamed the kid- an Iranian state-owned news regulatory duty has been imposed took place in the eastern city country took to social media Pakistan. napping on “our common en- website, in an article that was on 570 items as 70% duty has been of Kasur in January. demanding action. Pakistan’s foreign min- emies unhappy with the ex- later deleted. slapped on the import of used cars In all he confessed to eight At least 12 cases of rape and akistan yesterday in- istry said Foreign Minister isting close, friendly relations The abduction took place and jeeps from 1801cc to 3000cc attacks on children in the murder have been recorded formed Iran that it had Shah Mahmood Qureshi met between Pakistan and Iran”, around the Sistan-Baluchistan and above. city, including fi ve murders, in the Kasur area in the past Plaunched “active” eff orts his Iranian counterpart Ja- the foreign ministry said in a province, which has long been The regulatory duty has also in a spate of violence that two years. Ali confessed to to locate 11 Iranian security vad Zarif in Islamabad and statement. a fl ashpoint, with Pakistan- been imposed on the import terrorised society. eight of these, but four remain personnel, including Revolu- briefed him “about the active The group kidnapped was in- based Baluchi separatists and of electronic items, woven “He was hanged this morn- unsolved. tionary Guards intelligence of- eff orts launched by the Paki- volved in “a security operation” jihadists carrying out regu- fabrics, ceramic items, paper ing in the presence of a prison Prior to the recent fl ood of fi cers, who were abducted near stan law enforcement agen- and included two members of lar cross-border raids against and paper board, bars/rods and offi cial and the father of the cases, Kasur was already infa- the countries’ shared border. cies to ascertain the wherea- the elite Revolutionary Guards Iranian security posts. iron products. It has also been victim,” an offi cial at Lahore’s mous for sexual abuse, after au- The Guards blamed “terror- bouts of the missing Iranian intelligence unit and seven The province has a large, main- imposed on the import of new central prison, where the con- thorities uncovered a huge pae- ist groups that are guided and guards, in co-ordination with Basij militiamen as well as ly ethnic Baluchi community vehicles, mini-vans and sports vict was executed, said. dophile ring in the city in 2015. supported by foreign forces” for the Iranian military and regular border guards, said the which straddles the border. vehicles. (Internews) KP to abolish 6,500 lower cadre posts Navy commissions Internews attended by administrative Earlier, the fi nance secretary current fi scal year, including the for the relief of common man indigenously built Pashawar secretaries. told the news conference that strengthening of the province’s and had targeted the people not The fi nance secretary said the province’s foreign debts to- own revenue base, fi nding of a paying taxes. that the 6,500 lower cadre posts talled $3.8bn, while the provin- compact yet permanent solution He said most of the develop- PNS Moawin he Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in question had been part of the cial government spent 1.5% of its to the issues of net hydel profi t ment budget had been allocated (KP) government has de- provincial civil service since the budget to return loans and pay and other dues to be cleared by for ongoing schemes to reduce Internews Pakistan in the past and vari- Tcided to gradually abolish British rule but those working interest on them. the federal government. the throw-forward liabilities. Karachi ous warships and submarine 6,500 lower cadre posts to save on them had lost utility after the He added that $3.8bn also in- The minister said the gov- The secretary said the devel- construction projects planned over Rs4bn declaring them a introduction of technology and cluded the loans, which were in ernment’s third priority was to opment schemes of every de- in the future will substantially burden on the exchequer. development in society. the pipeline. minimise its expenditure, which partment would be rationalised akistan Navy commis- enhance our ship building “These posts have been de- He said there existed 90 Finance Minister Jhagra were going up by 20% every to control the throw-forward sioned an indigenously capability. clared the dying cadres. All these posts of mashalchis tasked with praised the last provincial gov- year. “All eff orts will be made liabilities. Pbuilt 17,000-tonne fl eet While addressing the cer- posts will be done away with putting oil into the lantern. ernment for ‘best fi nancial man- to support the private sector for Regarding the completion and tanker named PNS Moawin emony, the president said, after the retirement of the in- The secretary said the cabinet agement’, which, he said, had creating jobs,” he said. cost of the ongoing Peshawar to its fl eet at a ceremony held “Pakistan is blessed with im- cumbents,” Finance Secretary had already approved the aboli- resulted in the province’s sta- The minister said the budget Bus Rapid Transit project, plan- yesterday. mense maritime resources Shakeel Qadar said at a news tion of such posts in a meeting ble fi nancial conditions though making mechanism also needed ning and development secretary The ceremony was attended which can be optimally ex- conference yesterday. held on Monday. there’s a fi nancial crisis at the reforms as the existing designing Shahab Ali Shah said the project by President Arif Alvi, Sindh ploited through development The presser was mainly ad- He said the other posts to be national level. of the budget was very old. would be completed by the end Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah of our maritime sector or the dressed by Finance Minister abolished included basta bardar, He said the fi nance department The fi nance secretary said the of December, while the service and Naval Chief Admiral Zafar blue economy.” Taimur Saleem Jhagra and was dishwasher, misalchi, tandoorchi’s. had set certain priorities for the budget didn’t have new taxes would begin by March next year. Mahmood Abbasi. “The development of this PNS Moawin is the larg- sector will enhance our ex- est warship ever constructed ports, generate employment Apex court seeks details of luxury vehicles at the Karachi Shipyard and and increase foreign ex- Engineering Works, in col- change,” he added. The Supreme Court yesterday out of these 38. To this, the CJ laboration with Savunma He said that with the reali- ordered the governments in all remarked, “Why shouldn’t we Punjab slashes development Teknologiler Muhendisilik sation of CPEC, the maritime four provinces to submit details task agencies with probing the (STM) of Turkey. trade and activity off our coast of luxury vehicles under their luxury vehicles case!” The ship is capable of per- will increase manifold which use within 10 days. The chief justice also inquired budget by more than half forming variety of maritime calls for a strong navy to pro- A three-judge bench of the top about the 598 vehicles operations – including the vide security and seaward court, headed by Chief Justice recovered from the Sindh Internews less than the previous govern- Rs66bn has been earmarked provision of logistic support defence. (CJ) Mian Saqib Nisar, passed government. Lahore ment’s fi rst year (2013-14) allo- by infrastructure development to other ships at sea through The president said that the the order while hearing a case “Eligibility criteria over cation of Rs290bn for ADP. In followed by services with 17% transfer of fuel and other im- government will provide all pertaining to luxury cars. entitlement of luxury vehicles fact, throughout its fi ve-year or Rs39.3bn. Production sec- portant military cargo. necessary resources to en- Justice Nisar directed the must be determined,” he said. he Punjab province term, the former government tors like agriculture, food, It can carry two helicopters. hance the capability of Paki- authorities concerned to put Justice Nisar further asked government yesterday increased its development al- livestock, industries and tour- The ship is also equipped with stan Navy and help develop the recovered vehicles in the the Punjab government’s Tunveiled Rs238bn an- location by 15% per annum. ism were allotted 8% share or state-of-the-art medical fa- our maritime sector. government’s surplus pool, counsel as to who decided to nual development programme In tandem with the trend Rs19.7bn. cilities and can provide over- The chief guest said that instead of auctioning them off return these vehicles to their (ADP) for 2018-19, which is during last two years, ADP’s The ADP document ensures seas support to friendly coun- Pakistan and Turkey have straightaway. parent companies. “The former 62.51% down from Rs635bn set contribution remains con- allocation to major initiatives tries during any humanitarian time-tested and deep rooted During the hearing, the chief minister was part of the by the previous government for centrated in the social sector including Rs5bn to expand assistance and disaster relief. relationship and joint ven- additional advocate general of boards of all these companies,” preceding fi scal year. as 39% of total allocation or health insurance programme During his welcome ad- tures like PNS Moawin will Punjab informed the court that he said. “Has the incumbent Explaining this massive de- Rs93.6bn goes to education, across the province, Rs5bn for dress, naval chief Admiral Ab- further strengthen these rela- 201 luxury cars were recovered government made any policy cline, Finance Minister Hashim health, water supply and sani- Insaf programme for rural wa- basi highlighted that Pakistan tions and open new vistas of from the Punjab government, regarding this?” Jawan Bakht said, “Poor poli- tation, social welfare, women ter supply and sanitation, Rs- Navy was striving to achieve co-operation. including 38 that were in Responding to the CJ’s query, cies and fi nancial irregularities development, and local gov- 12bn for mother, child health- self-reliance in warship The president also congrat- excess. the counsel said that the of the previous government ernment and community de- care and nutrition and Rs1.5bn construction. ulated the ministry of defence The Punjab government’s decision was made by the made inevitable slashing down velopment for the remaining to revamp 25 district and 100 The construction of vari- production, Pakistan Navy, counsel informed the court that incumbent government. of the development outlay”. eight months of current fi scal tehsil headquarters hospitals ous naval platforms like F- STM of Turkey and Karachi 22 vehicles would be auctioned (Internews) The incumbent govern- year. and upgradation of teaching 22-P Frigates, submarines Shipyard for constructing ment’s allocation is markedly In addition to that, 28% or hospitals. and combat support ships in the ship. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 25 PHILIPPINES

Watchdog fi nes Grab, Binay declares support Uber for rushed for daughter in polls merger By Neil Jayson Servallos itself. Just like the councillors Reuters Manila Times and barangay captains who Manila have expressed their support for Mayor Junjun, we believe akati Mayor Mar-Len he is the best person for the he Philippines’ competi- Abigail “Abby” Binay job,” said the UNA stalwart. tion watchdog fi ned ride- Mfi led her certifi cate of Binay Jr was accompanied Thailing fi rms Grab and candidacy (CoC) yesterday ac- by Bautista, UNA President Uber Technologies yesterday, companied by her father, former Senator Nancy Binay, younger saying they consummated their vice president Jejomar Binay, sister Anne, and former Com- merger too soon and that the offi cially sealing an electoral mission on Election chairman quality of service dipped, be- battle with her brother Junjun. Sixto Brillantes when he filed coming the second regulator in Junjun, fi led his CoC on his CoC. the region to penalise them. Tuesday. Last week, 13 out of the 16 Uber sold its money-losing Abby was also accompanied elected councillors and 21 out Southeast Asian business to big- by her running-mate, Vice of 33 barangay captains de- ger regional rival Grab in March, Mayor Monique Lagdameo. clared their support for Binay prompting regulators in the re- The Binay patriarch declared Jr, who also won the backing gion to scrutinise the deal to see his full support to his daughter’s of senior citizens, women’s if it substantially reduces com- bid for re-election. groups and vendors federa- petition and leads to poor serv- “Let’s just say that I am sup- tions. ice. porting Abby,” he told reporters Binay Jr said he would try The Philippine Competition when asked who he will be cam- his best to ensure that his sup- Commission (PCC) approved paigning for. porters followed the parameters Grab’s acquisition of Uber’s op- Abby, who will run under set by his father, who had ex- erations in August, making it the United Nationalist Coali- horted both sides to run a clean, conditional upon rules being tion (UNA), was also joined by platform-based campaign.“It is met to ensure fairness to con- her councillors including Rebo not easy, there being two can- sumers given Grab’s strangle- Saguisag Jr, son of former sena- didates; we have both served as hold on the local market. tor Rene Saguisag; Armand Pa- mayor, so it is natural for our But the ride-hailing fi rms vio- dilla and re-electionist council- supporters to compare our lead- lated the conditions, including man Jhong Hilario. ership styles. What we can try to combining their businesses and The mayor said she was heart- Former vice president Jejomar Binay raises the hand of daughter Abby (left), mayor of Makati City, and her running-mate, Vice Mayor emphasise is to exert all eff orts Uber taking a board seat in Grab ened by her father’s gesture of Monique Lagdameo, after the two filed their certificates of candidacy. to make all discourse as civil as during the anti-trust body’s re- support. “I was surprised. I did possible,” he said. view of the merger, the PCC said. not expect anything, that’s why Makati’s fi rst district. her father’s vision of a “compe- nis Almario, Bodik Baniqued, fi cial candidate but he can count He added that he cannot The regulator said it was it is truly heartening that my fa- Mayor Abby earlier said tent, compassionate and trans- Ives Ebrada, Ed Marquez, Doris on the support of key leaders. stop the councillors accused left with no choice but to fi ne ther is here,” she said. Makatizens are enjoying more parent leadership.” Arayon, Ina Sarosa, Sammy Bautista confirmed that UNA by his sister of being involved them a cumulative 16mn pesos She thanked her father for services under a “transparent, The other candidates for Cruz, and Bong Ariones. leaders joined the clamour for in “nefarious” activities from ($296,873). “This is a fair re- supporting her ticket. The elder professional and performing councillor are Martin Arenas, Also yesterday, UNA Secre- the return of Binay Jr. defending themselves after minder to parties subjected to Binay is running for a seat in administration.” She vowed that Alcine Yabut, Carmina Ortega, tary-General JV Bautista said “Our presence yesterday they declared their support for merger reviews to co-operate Congress as representative of if re-elected, she would pursue Joey Villena, Jojo Javier, Den- Junjun may not be the party’s of- with Mayor Junjun speaks for him. and comply with the commis- sion’s orders,” PCC Chairman Arsenio Balisacan said in a state- ment. The competition body ordered Grab and Uber to collectively More incentives planned for pay 4mn pesos for failure to keep Andaya reveals failed their businesses separate during the review. Grab should pay 8mn pesos farmers to boost rice stocks for failure to maintain the con- assassination attempt ditions before the transaction, such as pricing policies, rider By Eireene Jairee Gomez The programme, which will and slow adoption” of good promotions, driver incentives Manila Times be on top of the other incen- quality inbred and hybrid rice Manila Times with attempted murder in vi- a serial number) loaded with and service quality, PCC said. tives already off ered by the DA seeds due to higher cost of the Manila olation of Republic Act (RA) five live ammunitions. He was Uber was slapped with a 4mn to farmers’ co-operatives and seeds. Hybrid seeds cost up to 10591 or the Comprehensive then turned over to PO3 Re- peso fi ne for the same violation. he Department of Agri- associations, will be implement- P5,000 per bag, which is good for Firearms and Ammunition nan Bongalon for proper dis- “We are currently studying culture (DA) has com- ed in the fi rst quarter of 2019. one hectare. ajority leader Rolan- Regulation Act. Witnesses position. all our legal options with regard Tmitted to improve gov- “I suggested that for every The agriculture chief pointed do Andaya Jr of the told police that 26-year-old Andaya said the suspected to the fi ne imposed by the PCC,” ernment support to farmers in four metric tonnes delivered to out that incorporating good MHouse of Representa- Musa, who happens to be a assassin “was acting on orders Leo Gonzales, public aff airs head a bid to boost the country’s rice the NFA by individual farmers quality inbred and hybrid seeds tives yesterday admitted to re- member of the Capitol Com- of powerful political figures of Grab Philippines, said in a stocks and ensure the presence or farmers associations and co- have shown “dramatic” increase porters that he had escaped an plex Security Unit, was seen in Camarines Sur” who were statement yesterday. of aff ordable rice in the market. operatives, they will be given one in the farm yield of farmers. “assassination attempt” by a acting suspiciously when he threatened by his decision to Uber did not immediately re- In a statement yesterday, Ag- bag of PhilRice developed in- “PhilRice recommended In- lone gunman, shortly after he mingled with a throng of sup- run for governor. spond to a request for comment. riculture Secretary Emmanuel bred rice seeds which would be a bred Varieties, especially RC222, fi led his certifi cate of candidacy porters who accompanied An- “The truth will come out Several local ride hailing fi rms Pinol said the DA would provide choice of RC222, RC160, RC300, which could yield as much as (CoC) for governor in Cama- daya in filing his CoC. and we will know who com- have started operations in the free seeds to farmers who will RC216 or RC238,” said Pinol. 8 to 10 metric tonnes (MT) per rines Sur. About 30 minutes after An- manded him to do it. The sus- Philippines’ capital and in major sell their produce to the National “For every eight metric tonnes hectare and are priced lower at Andaya said the incident daya left the Comelec office, pect will not have the guts to provinces since March, but they Food Authority (NFA). of rice delivered, the farmers P1,560 per bag good for one hec- occurred at about 2:30pm on the suspect reportedly ap- do it if he is not associated have yet to make a dent on Grab’s Pinol directed Assistant Sec- or their co-operatives and as- tare,” said Pinol. Tuesday inside the Capitol proached him and tried to pull with a powerful entity,” An- market share, which stood at retary Andrew Villacorta, head sociations will be given a bag of “Commercial Hybrid Rice Complex in Pili Town after out a firearm. The gun, how- daya said. 93%. of the National Rice Programme commercial hybrid seeds which Seeds, on the other hand, have he filed his CoC at the Com- ever, fell to the ground and Andaya is running against Singapore’s competition of the DA, to formulate policies would include such brands as yielded as much as 10 to 14 met- mission on Elections (Come- drew attention to Andaya’s Camarines Sur Governor watchdog last month ordered and guidelines for the Free Seeds SL8, SL12, Bigante, Arize or ric tonnes per hectare in areas lec) office. Andaya said in a close-in security officers. Miguel Villafuerte, son of Ca- Grab and Uber to pay S$13mn Incentives Programme for farm- Seedworks,” he added. where the growing conditions statement that the gunman, Seized from the gunman marines Sur Second District ($9.5mn) in fi nes after conclud- ers who will deliver their rice to Pinol said the agriculture sec- are ideal,” he added. identified as Ray John Musa, was a .38 calibre revolver (TM representative Luis Raymund ing that their merger had driven the NFA. tor had been experiencing “low had been arrested and charged Smith and Wesson without Villafuerte. up prices. Philippines’ total fertility Duterte appoints new higher rate is highest in Asean: UN education agency chief By Ralph Villanueva Manila Times By Ed Velasco based on the agency’s defini- Manila Times tion, is the economic growth potential that can result from resident Rodrigo Duterte shifts in a population’s ages has appointed Prospero de he Philippines, the sec- structure, mainly when the PVera 3rd as chairman of the ond biggest country share of the working age pop- Commission on Higher Educa- Tamong members of the ulation is larger than the non- tion (Ched). Association of Southeast Asian working age share. De Vera, who had sought more Nations, has the highest total “Over half of Filipinos are subsidy for higher education, fertility rate (TFR) in the region, 24 years of age or below. For will serve until July 21, 2022. according to the United Nations this youthful country to reap He replaced Patricia Licua- Population Fund (UNFPA). a demographic dividend, there nan. Iori Kato, UNFPA country is an imminent need to invest De Vera was a commissioner representative in the Philip- more in health, education and of the agency from Sept 13, 2016 pines, said the country’s pop- employability of young people and served as its offi cer-in- ulation is fast growing. and on gender equality,” Kato charge since January 24 this year. “If you ask me if it’s good or said. He shepherded the formula- bad, you must look at the rate He added that many Filipi- tion of the Implementing Rules of employed persons,” Kato no adolescents are not reaping and Regulations of Republic Act told Manila Times in an inter- the fruits of their most pro- 10931, or the Universal Access to view. ductive years. Quality Tertiary Education Act The Philippine Statistics “Millions of Filipinos would of 2017, and the fast-tracking of Prospero de Vera: new responsibility Authority defines TFR as the benefit from having the power its implementation, Ched Offi c- average number of children to choose whether and when er-in-Charge Executive Director He was a Senior Fulbright Yesterday, Malacanang also that would be born alive to a to have children, and how Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro Visiting Professor/Fellow at released the appointment let- woman during her lifetime. many children to have. If you said in a statement on Monday. the Johns Hopkins University in ters of Foreign Aff airs Secretary The Department of Labour The Philippines, the second biggest country in the Association of can plan your family, you can De Vera was the University of Baltimore, Maryland in 2000 to Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr and Employment earlier re- Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), has the highest total fertility rate plan your life,” Kato said. the Philippines’ vice president 2001. and Social Welfare Secretary Ro- ported that of the Philippines’ (TFR) in the region. He added that the UNFPA for public aff airs, from 2011 to He also specialised in Higher lando Bautista. 100.98mn population, roughly will continue to partner with 2016. Education administration at the Both appointment letters were 30% are employed. bad for the Philippines,” the get. The UNFPA said countries the Philippines to ensure that He obtained his Bachelor of Rossier School of Education of signed by Duterte yesterday. “If close to half of popula- UN official said. with high TFR can reap “de- all Filipinos have access to Arts, major in History and Doc- the University of Southern Cali- Locsin replaced Alan Peter tion is jobless, it’s for you to He said the Philippines’ TFR mographic dividend.” sexual and reproductive health torate on Public Administration fornia (USC), as a Fulbright Hays Cayetano, who will be running in decide if the TFR is good or has always been above the tar- Demographic dividend, information and services. from UP. Visiting Scholar. next year’s mid-term elections. Gulf Times 26 Thursday, October 18, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Truth about human life is more important than any arms deal

The disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist critical of the Saudi government, has rightly led to bipartisan outrage in Washington. Republican Senartor Lindsey Graham, for one, has vowed there will be “hell to pay” if, as has been reported by numerous news outlets citing multiple sources, the US green-card holder was lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 and brutally murdered by Saudi agents. Concern over extra-judicial One has to agree with Graham and applaud the bipartisan eff ort of nearly two dozen US senators – led by Republican Bob Corker of Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Democrat Bob Menendez of New Jersey – calling for an immediate investigation into what are credible reports that the Saudi killings in Indian state government is behind the journalist’s disappearance. As Senator Corker told the press last week after intelligence briefi ngs on Khashoggi, “everything points criticism, Uttar Pradesh off ered the weak farm incomes and job creation. after a post-mortem examination, Meer at this juncture to Saudi Arabia” and “unfortunately it By Krishna N Das Lucknow, India widow a state government job and An opinion poll by Times Now TV Hasan said he hoped trouble for his would appear that he’s been murdered.” compensation for the death of her channel in August said Modi’s BJP family would end with the police killing President Trump told 60 Minutes on Sunday that, husband. would see its parliamentary seats from of the eldest of his nine sons, Furquan. if reports of Khashoggi’s murder at the hands of Saudi rivate security guard Ajit Singh Police also issued a rare public Uttar Pradesh fall to 49 from 73 in 2014. Hasan, a Muslim, said in an affi davit Rana says he supports a police apology. There are 80 seats altogether from to a court in western Uttar Pradesh authorities are true, crackdown on gangsters in But that hasn’t stopped activists and the state. that 37-year-old Furquan was with his Trump seems there would be PIndia’s most populous state, opposition politicians from demanding State BJP leaders say they will win cousin and a friend on the evening of “something really even after cops gunned down an Apple the state government rein in “trigger- more seats than in 2014. October 22 last year when police offi cers to be taking the terrible and disgusting executive at a road stop in what human happy” police. Sanjeev Singh, a BJP politician who seized and beat them. about that.” He went on rights activists say was the latest in a They say Tiwari’s killing garnered is now in the state government as an Furquan, his father told Reuters, had word of Saudi series of extra-judicial killings. attention because he was a high-caste offi cer on special duty to Adityanath, been out on bail in connection with a to say that, “We’re going Police have said the shooting was an Hindu and worked for a high-profi le said “change is visible” to the common village land dispute case. Arabia over his to get to the bottom of it accident, but are adamant there will be company but the deaths of minority man and that should benefi t the party He said the same night they were and there will be severe no let-up in the anti-crime campaign, Muslims and poor people at the hands politically. taken away to a jungle where Furquan own intelligence punishment.” which is popular with many people in of the police rarely get a public airing. Ten Hindu voters Reuters spoke was shot dead in a “fake encounter” — But on Monday, after India’s most politically important state. Adityanath’s aides and police offi cers, with during visits to Lucknow and a deliberately staged police shootout community dispatching Secretary of “Goons and criminals have held however, told Reuters that security Shamli, a district near the site of several — while his two companions were back the state for years,” said Rana, forces would continue to operate of the killings, said they backed the wounded in the legs and taken into State Mike Pompeo to 31, who guards a river-front park in without fear or political interference clampdown while half a dozen Muslims custody. Saudi Arabia and “other places if necessary,” Trump said Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow in the as they needed to improve the law — who make up just 19 % of the state’s Hasan said his court statement he had spoken to Saudi King Salman and that he “fi rmly evening and is the supervisor of a group and order situation to attract more population — said they felt it was was based on what his son’s two denied any knowledge” of Khashoggi’s disappearance. of street cleaners in the morning. investment. mainly targeting them. companions said happened. Remarkably, the president then seemed to off er an “The government is right in killing “The Lucknow incident has given Kumar, an additional director general Police told the court that Furquan them and everyone here appreciates it,” us a setback, made us hang our heads of police, said there was no bias against was a “dreaded” criminal with a bounty alternative scenario. he said. in shame,” Anand Kumar, the second any community or caste. of Rs50,000 on his head for off ences “It sounded to me like maybe these could have been Uttar Pradesh, in India’s north, highest police offi cial in Uttar Pradesh, He said 22 of the suspected criminals including rioting, carrying deadly rogue killers. Who knows? We’re going to try getting to is home to 220mn people and sends told Reuters. “But it really was an killed were Muslims, while the other 45 weapons without a licence and unlawful the bottom of it very soon, but his was a fl at denial.” more lawmakers to the lower house of aberration and we are resilient enough were Hindus. assembly. What’s remarkable about this statement is that Trump parliament than any other state. to bounce back. But rights activists say the BJP According to the police version of It is run by Prime Minister Narendra In this state we can’t let our guard government is allowing police to take events, a group of fi ve men on two seems to be taking the word of Saudi Arabia – granted, Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya down.” the law into its own hands. motorcycles fi red at offi cers when asked a longstanding US ally – over his own intelligence Janata Party (BJP), and state Chief He said that courts in the state had “Evidence points to use of encounters to stop at a checkpoint. community. Minister Yogi Adityanath, a saff ron cleared police of any wrongdoing as a means to instil fear in the minds of In the ensuing shootout, two According to a recent report by The Wall Street robe-wearing Hindu priest, launched a in more than half of the so-called criminals, and to raise the image of the policemen were wounded and Furquan Journal, Turkish authorities have shared with US “zero-tolerance” fi ght against criminals “encounter” deaths; that investigations state government and the police, in the was killed. months after taking offi ce in March last were ongoing in other cases; and that public eye, as being tough on crime and In January, the court dismissed intelligence offi cials an audio recording from inside the year. 95% of the dead criminals had a bounty criminals,” said Citizens Against Hate, a Hasan’s petition seeking an Saudi consulate that “makes it clear” the Saudis killed Since then police have killed 67 on their heads. civil society alliance, in a report in May. investigation into the killing. Khashoggi. suspected criminals in more than 2,700 Kumar said the perception of the The report said the alliance had Hasan said he would not pursue the Even more remarkable, Trump seemed to be parroting “engagements”, wounded 700 and state was changing from “no go” to “go found at least 17 cases of suspected case any further. what may soon be the offi cial Saudi line. CNN has arrested 6,500, according to the draft go”. extra-judicial executions, based on “Whatever had to happen with of a government report reviewed by It is diffi cult to estimate the impact interviews with victims’ families and Furquan happened,” Hasan, 68, said reported that two sources have confi rmed that Reuters. of the hardline strategy on next year’s analyses of police complaints and sitting outside his run-down red brick Khashoggi’s death “was the result of an interrogation Four policemen died and about 500 national election, due to be held by medical reports. house in his village in Shamli. “I hope (at the Saudi consulate) that went wrong, one that was offi cers were injured in the incidents. May, given law and order will be only Showing a stamp size photo of his my other boys stay safe. I hope they intended to lead to his abduction from Turkey.” Adityanath’s state government has one of the issues amid concerns about son’s body stitched up from the front live.” Those of us not privy to intelligence briefi ngs may never been boasting about the success of the crackdown and claims it has reduced know defi nitively what happened to Jamal Khashoggi. major crimes signifi cantly. President Trump has promised “severe punishment” if In the fi rst nine months of this year, Saudi involvement is proven. Yet he has also repeatedly reported cases of murder fell 4%, rape said that any potential US sanctions should not include 8%, burglary 11%, extortion 35% and killing an arms deal with the Saudis. robbery 40% compared with the same period a year earlier, according to a The truth about a human life is more important than government document reviewed by any arms deal. Reuters. As Florida Senator Marco Rubio said on Tuesday: “This will benefi t Modi and Yogi, “There isn’t enough money in the world to purchase 100%. I will vote for them again, back our credibility on human rights and the way nations 100%,” said Rana. Rana’s colleague Damodar Singh, should conduct themselves.” - Tribune News Service 34, said he also approved of the tough stance but added crime won’t end as long as there’s a big jobless problem. Opposition parties and rights To Advertise activists say that as farm distress and high unemployment dent the [email protected] BJP’s popularity in the country, the Display Adityanath government is playing to the basest fears of the electorate about 44466621 44418811 their safety and security. The Apple executive, Vivek Tiwari, Classified was stopped by two police constables 44466609 44418811 on motorcycle patrol near Lucknow early on the morning of September 29, Subscription and shot dead. One of the constables told reporters [email protected] he fi red accidentally at Tiwari, who was driving back from an iPhone store launch. Wife of Vivek Tiwari, a sales manager for Apple, is consoled by her relatives after her husband was shot dead by a police con- © 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved In an attempt to defuse the wave of stable in the Gomti Nagar neighbourhood of Lucknow, on September 29. Gulf Times Thursday, October 18, 2018 27 COMMENT America’s ongoing civil war

By Jeff rey D. Sachs sentiments that could be construed as The Democrats and Republicans are New York racially resentful.” parties not just of diff erent cultures and Both before and after the Civil War, regions, but also of diff erent economies. poor Southern whites accepted their The Northeast and Pacifi c states lead merica continues be in a lowly status because they prized their the US in high technology, innovation, state of civil war. Not just a superiority over even more desperate higher education, well-paying jobs, and civil war, but the civil war. In African-Americans. Racial politics thus per capita income. The South lags far Athe fi rst round, back in the blocked the emergence of class politics, behind. Not only are the working-class 1860s, the Confederacy lost. Yet now which would have brought poor whites white men of the South and Midwest the Confederacy is temporarily on top. and poor blacks together to demand defending their status and racial The United States remains one country more public services paid for by higher privileges; they are also fi ghting for their divided by two cultures. taxes on elite whites. jobs in industries where automation From the start, the US has been a Of the 26 senators representing the and foreign trade have steadily eroded battleground of two competing visions. 13 former Confederate states today, 21 employment. America’s founding credo was that “all are Republicans and fi ve are Democrats. Working-class southern whites would men are created equal.” Yet the founding Of the 38 senators now representing have much to gain from abandoning reality was that white males were far the 19 northern states of 1861, 27 are the Republicans’ race-based politics more equal than everyone else. White Democrats and nine are Republicans in favour of class-based politics. It is, men owned slaves, denied the vote to (two Independents, Bernie Sanders after all, white corporate elites, not women, and took the lands and lives of and Angus King, caucus with the poor African-Americans, Hispanics, native Americans. Democrats). President Donald Trump is and other minorities, who deprive During the 1861-1865 Civil War, the a geographical anomaly, a pro-southern working-class whites of quality public slaveholding Confederacy, formed by racist from liberal New York. Trump, a schools, aff ordable healthcare, and 13 secessionist states, was defeated by champion of the white male southern environmental safety. Southern white 19 northern states and then occupied culture, is shunned by his home state male senators play up the culture war in by the federal government for a dozen (59% disapproval as of September part to shield the Republicans’ mega- years. Yet after “Reconstruction” ended 2018). He is more Mississippi than rich donors, who feast on corporate tax in 1877, the South vigorously practised Manhattan. cuts and environmental deregulation systemic racism for almost a century, The cultural divide was on full display while the party scapegoats African- until the US Congress enacted the 1964 in the Senate proceedings that recently Americans and Hispanics. Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting confi rmed Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the The declining predominance of non- Rights Act, mainly with the support US Supreme Court. Kavanaugh’s Senate Hispanic whites in the total population of northern Democrats. From that defenders were mainly white men of has probably widened America’s cultural moment, Southern white voters deserted the South and Midwest who defl ected divide during the past 20 years. And the Democratic Party en masse. The the questioning of Kavanaugh’s white with non-Hispanic whites expected Republicans embraced the so-called male prerogative to drink and carouse to become a minority of the total Southern strategy, based on resisting as a young man by instead attacking the population by around 2045, America’s the rise of African-Americans and nominee’s accusers. Mitch McConnell ongoing civil war could worsen. It will other minority groups and opposing of Kentucky, a former slave state, not end until working-class Americans legislation that would transfer any funds, successfully orchestrated Kavanaugh’s of all regions, races, and ethnicities status, or power to them. The Republican Party’s gun culture reflects the same cultural forces that shape its anti-minority views. confi rmation. Lindsey Graham of South join forces to demand higher taxes The Republicans thereby became the Carolina, the fi rst slave state to secede in and greater accountability of the rich party of the South, and the Democrats also carried the frontier culture of white Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz reminds us that argue in their recent book Deep Roots: 1860, was Kavanaugh’s most aggressive corporate elite. – Project Syndicate the party of the Northeast and Pacifi c settlers suppressing native Americans the “well-regulated militias” mentioned How Slavery Still Shapes Southern promoter on the Senate Judiciary West, with the Midwest and western and Asian and Hispanic immigrants. in the US Constitution’s Second Politics, it is the legacy of slavery and Committee, describing sexual assault Jeff rey D. Sachs, Professor of mountain states the swing regions. Gun ownership marks another divide Amendment, which enshrines the right post-Civil War segregation that gave rise allegations against Kavanaugh as “the Sustainable Development and Professor The industrial Great Lakes region between Democrats and Republicans. to bear arms, were groups of white men to the South’s current political culture. most unethical sham since I’ve been in of Health Policy and Management at tended toward the Democrats while The Republican Party’s gun culture that raided native American villages and “It is within formerly high-slave areas,” politics.” John Kennedy of Louisiana, Columbia University, is Director of the Midwestern farm states and refl ects the same cultural forces that hunted down escaped slaves. they show, “that whites are the most another former Confederate state, called Columbia’s Center for Sustainable mountain states leaned Republican. shape its anti-minority views. In As Avidit Acharya, Matthew likely to oppose the Democratic Party, the hearings “an intergalactic freak Development and the UN Sustainable The Midwestern and mountain states a brilliant book, Loaded, historian Blackwell, and Maya Sen powerfully oppose affi rmative action, and express show.” Development Solutions Network.

The case against national AI strategies Three-day forecast TODAY from the US, France, Finland, and New nationalised approach is necessary, or – will be economically disadvantageous Maximum Temperature : 330c By Mark Esposito, Terence Tse, and Minimum Temperature : 280c Joshua Entsminger Zealand to China all now have national even wise. in the long run. As the changing Cambdrige AI strategies to boost domestic talent After all, to frame the matter in strictly composition of global trade suggests, FRIDAY and prepare for the future eff ects of national terms is to ignore how AI is most of the economic value in the future Maximum Temperature : 330c automation on labour markets and social developed. Whether data sets are shared will come not from goods and services, Minimum Temperature : 280c ff orts to develop artifi cial programmes. internationally could determine whether but from the data attached to them. SATURDAY intelligence (AI) are increasingly Still, the true nature of the AI race machine-learning algorithms develop Thus, the companies and countries with Maximum Temperature : 330c being framed as a global race, remains to be seen. It most likely will country-specifi c biases. And whether access to global data fl ows will reap the Minimum Temperature : 280c or even a new Great Game. In not be restricted to any single area, and certain kinds of chips are rendered as largest gains. E Fisherman's forecast addition to the race between countries the most important factor determining proprietary technology could determine At a fundamental level, the new to build national competencies and outcomes will be how governments the extent to which innovation can global competition is for applications WARNING proceed at the global level. In light that can compile alternate choices and Inshore : Thundery rain establish a competitive advantage, fi rms choose to regulate and monitor AI expected at places are also in a contest to acquire AI talent, applications, both domestically and in of these realities, there is reason to make optimal decisions. Eventually, associated with sudden leverage data advantages, and off er an international context. China, the US, worry that a fragmentation of national the burden of adjusting to such strong wind at times. unique services. In both cases, success and other participants not only have strategies could hamper growth in the technologies will fall on citizens. Offshore : Expected Thundery rain associated with will depend on whether AI solutions can competing ideas about data, privacy, digital economy. But before that moment arrives, it strong wind and high be democratised and distributed across and national sovereignty, but also Moreover, in the current environment, is crucial that key AI developers and sea sectors. divergent visions of what the twenty- national AI programs are competing governments coordinate to ensure that WEATHER Inshore : Partly cloudy to cloudy The global AI race is unlike any other fi rst-century international order should for a limited talent pool. And though this technology is deployed safely and with scattered rain global competition, because the extent look like. that pool will expand over time, the responsibly. maybe thundery on to which innovation is being driven When drawing these lines, the most competencies needed for increasingly Back when the countries with the best some areas. Offshore : Partly cloudy to cloudy by the state, the corporate sector, or important point to remember is that data AI-driven economies will change. For sailing and navigation technologies ruled with a chance of scat- academia diff ers substantially from fl ows align with geographic boundaries example, there will be a greater demand the world, the mechanical clock was a tered rain. country to country. On average, though, only incidentally, not fundamentally. for cybersecurity expertise. technology available only to the few. This WIND Inshore : Northeasterly-North- the majority of innovations so far Geopolitically, nation-states are So far, AI developers working out of time is diff erent. If we are to have super westerly 05-18/25 KT have emerged from academia, with sovereign entities; but in the digital key research centres and universities intelligence, then it should be a global Offshrore : Southeasterly-South- governments contributing through economy, they are sovereign in name have found a reliable exit strategy, and public good. – Project Syndicate westerly 06-16/35KT procurement, rather than internal only, not necessarily in practice. The a large market of eager buyers. With Visibility : 4-8/3 KM corporations driving up the price for Mark Esposito, co-founder of Nexus research and development. fact that global data fl ows are currently Around the region While the share of commodities in organised along the lines of political researchers, there is now a widening FrontierTech, is Professor of Business and Weather global trade has fallen, the share of sovereignty does not mean that they global talent gap between the top fi rms Economics with appointments at Harvard Weather tomorrow Max/min digital services has risen, such that have to be. and everyone else. And because the University and Hult International today Max/min P Cloudy 34/22 digitalisation now underwrites more Thus, nationalised AI programmes major technology companies have access Business School. Terence Tse, co-founder Baghdad P Cloudy 36/23 Sunny 34/24 than 60% of all trade. By 2025, half of all are a hedged bet. Until now, to massive, rich data stores that are of Nexus FrontierTech, is Professor at Kuwait City Sunny 35/24 Sunny 34/27 economic value is expected to be created governments have assumed that the unavailable to newcomers and smaller ESCP Europe Business School in London Manama Sunny 34/28 P Cloudy 30/26 in the digital sector. And as governments country that is fi rst to the fi nish line will players, the market is already heavily and serves as an adviser to the European Muscat M Cloudy 31/27 Sunny 22/12 have searched for ways to claim a be the one that captures the bulk of AI’s concentrated. Commission. Joshua Entsminger is a Tehran Sunny 22/11 position in the value chain of the future, potential value. This seems accurate. Against this backdrop, it should be researcher at Nexus FrontierTech and they have homed in on AI. And yet the issue is not whether the obvious that isolationist measures – not Senior Fellow at École des Ponts Center Accordingly, countries ranging assumption is true, but whether a least trade and immigration restrictions for Policy and Competitiveness. Live issues Most older adults would willingly take fewer medicines

Around the world By Lisa Rapaport to side eff ects like dizziness, cognitive express a willingness to stop taking one benefi ts of medications,” Giff ord, who Reuters Health impairment, falls, hospitalisations and or more drugs. wasn’t involved in the study, said by Weather Weather deaths. People with more chronic medical e-mail. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min “Over time the potential benefi ts problems were more likely to want Just because many health problems Athens P Cloudy 25/14 P Cloudy 24/16 ost elderly patients taking and harms can change,” said lead study to stop taking at least one drug than that develop with age – like high Beirut S T Storms 27/23 S T Storms 27/23 multiple prescription author Emily Reeve of the University of individuals with fewer health issues, the cholesterol or elevated blood pressure Bangkok S T Storms 33/26 S T Storms 33/26 medications would Sydney in Australia. study also found. – can be controlled by medications, Berlin P Cloudy 20/06 P Cloudy 15/04 Mbe willing to reduce “So it’s important to regularly review The study wasn’t a controlled that doesn’t always mean that people Cairo Sunny 30/19 Sunny 31/20 their daily pill regimen to minimise the medications that older adults are experiment designed to prove whether who start taking drugs need to continue Cape Town P Cloudy 23/14 Cloudy 19/13 their risk of side eff ects like falls or taking and consider whether they are all or how this willingness might translate treatment indefi nitely, said Joshua Colombo S T Storms 29/24 S T Storms 29/24 dangerous drug interactions, a US still necessary,” Reeve said by e-mail. into people actually stopping any Thorpe, a researcher at the University Dhaka M Sunny 33/23 Sunny 33/23 study suggests. For the study, Reeve and colleagues of their routine medications, and it of North Carolina Chapel Hill Eshelman Hong Kong S Showers 24/21 P Cloudy 24/21 Nine out of ten people 65 and examined survey data collected from also wasn’t designed to examine how School of Pharmacy. Istanbul Cloudy 21/14 P Cloudy 21/14 older are willing to stop taking one 1,981 adults covered by Medicare, the US stopping might impact people’s health. “While entirely appropriate, every Jakarta S T Storms 34/25 S T Storms 33/25 or more medications if their doctor health insurance programme for people Still, the results suggest that at medicine also carries potential risks and Karachi P Cloudy 35/24 Sunny 36/24 recommends this, the study found. 65 and older. Most of them had two or least some patients may be missing takes a toll on our minds and bodies,” London M Cloudy 16/08 P Cloudy 17/07 And two-thirds of older adults would more chronic medical conditions, and out on opportunities to cut back on Thorpe, who wasn’t involved in the Manila P Cloudy 33/26 S T Storms 32/25 like to cut back on the total number of more than half were no more than 74 medications they shouldn’t be taking, study, said by e-mail. Moscow Sunny 18/08 M Cloudy 17/03 medicines they take. years old. said Dr David Giff ord of the American “Unfortunately, these risks are New Delhi Sunny 34/19 Sunny 33/20 Approximately half of adults 65 While about 56% of the participants Health Care Association in Washington, exacerbated in older patients because New York Sunny 11/05 Sunny 16/12 and older are taking fi ve or more took no more than fi ve medications on DC. the ageing process causes older adults Paris Sunny 22/10 Sunny 21/09 medications, researchers note in a regular basis, 40 percent of them took “Patients need to tell their physicians to process and react to medicines Sao Paulo S T Storms 27/20 Showers 22/15 JAMA Internal Medicine. While this at least six drugs regularly, the study when they think they are taking too diff erently than younger adults,” Thorpe Seoul Showers 17/07 Sunny 19/06 is necessary in some circumstances, found. many medications or want to take fewer added. “In older adults, taking fi ve or Singapore T Storm 29/26 S T Storms 30/26 drugs that are safe and eff ective in Compared to people who took fewer medications, and physicians need to talk more medicines is a risk factor for a Sydney S T Storms 22/16 M Sunny 23/17 isolation can become dangerous in than six medications, those taking more to their patients more about stopping range of bad outcomes like: dizziness/ Tokyo Clear 21/15 Cloudy 16/14 certain combinations and contribute were almost three times more likely to medications and discussing the risk and falls, memory loss, and overdose.” Gulf Times 28 Thursday, October 18, 2018 QATAR Glimpses of Qatar Motor Show 2018

HE al-Sulaiti tours other booths at the exhibition hall.

HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti visits the exclusive stand of Alfardan Motorcycles after opening the eighth edition of Qatar Motor Show, which will run until October 21 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. PICTURES: Jayan Orma

Ecuador’s ambassador Ivonne A-Baki strikes a pose beside a Jaguar.

The 2019 Lexus ES luxury sedan on display. 14 new cars make their debut as Qatar The Chevrolet booth. More vehicles from Maxus. Motor Show opens

From Page 1 under the model name of GV80. Fira Qatar general manager Top international car brands QMS 2018 also features Ahmad al-Mulla said that busi- are showcasing over 165 models special stands for QTA, in co- ness events sector is witnessing of classic, sports, mid-range, operation with the Ministry of large growth in Qatar and QMS and luxury cars while 37 booths Interior, Traffi c Department, has become one of the most representing manufacturing Mowasalat, Qatar Insurance prominent and highly popular and local car accessory brands, Company and Arab Motors. events due to its content and and partners are displaying “This year’s edition focuses the experience it creates for their products and activities at on new off erings for the pub- visitors. the fair. lic, car enthusiasts, exhibitors, Some of the vehicles featured at the Toyota booth. A Mercedes model on display. Regional debuts include Al- and the car industry in Qatar Highlights fardan Group’s all-new BMW and the region in general. QTA The Qatar Motor Show 2018 X5 2019 model and Nasser bin invests in developing the busi- hosts 37 exhibitors and 20 top Khaled (NBK) Group’s Mer- ness events sector as part of its brands and companies: BMW, cedes CLS 53 AMG and GLE 450, strategy to grow the tourism Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Lex- in addition to its local launches sector as a whole,” QTA’s ex- us, Nissan, Infi nity, Chevrolet, – the Mercedes S65 Maybach hibitions director Ahmed al- Maxus, MG, Mitsubishi Motors, 2019, D90 Maxus 2019 and the Obaidli said. Harley Davidson, Jaguar, Land MG6 2019 from MG.Abdullah “We work with various part- Rover, Genesis, ZX Auto, Borg- Abdulghani Group launched ners from public and private ward, Universal Motors (Lo- the all new Toyota Avalon while sectors to attract the largest tus), Crystal Car, Auto Stacker, Lexus showed its collection of and most important interna- Kracher, Breu, Four Stroke, Car hybrid cars for the fi rst time in tional conferences and exhibi- Care Centre, Al Jaber Car Care the country. tions as well as to promote local Centre, Pegasus, My Tyre, and Local reveals also includ- events to attract more visitors Titanium (Smart Line). ed Saleh AlHamad AlMana and, consequently, increase The show’s sponsors and Group’s all new Infi nity QX50, tourism spending and support partners are: Mawater Cen- Jaidah Group’s Chevrolet’s the hospitality, transport, and tre, Qatar Insurance Company, Corvette ZR1, Taleb Group’s ZX aviation sectors,” he added. Mowasalat, W Doha Hotel, and Auto’s Terralord pickup 2019, Over the past seven years, Joué Club. and Borgward’s BX7 TS and QTA noted that the show Aimed at enriching the BXi7. Universal Motors is also evolved to become one of the show’s content and cater to a displaying the Lotus Car model leading motor shows in the re- variety of tastes, Mawater Cen- EVORA GT430, which is one of gion, strengthening its position tre also organised a special ex- only 60 hand-made cars glo- as a platform for interaction hibition of classical cars under bally. between international brands the sponsorship of QTA, exhib- Giving a sneak peak of an and their local agents on one iting more than 65 classical and upcoming design, Genesis un- hand and consumers and po- modifi ed cars, 4-wheel drive veiled its concept of the fi rst tential customers in Qatar and cars, classical motorbikes, and SUV, which will be launched the region on the other. government cars. Wide range of luxury vehicles by Alfardan Automobiles.