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Sunday 15 October 2017 | 25 Muharram 1439 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Volume 22 | Number 7315 | 2 Riyals

Land allotted to SPU awards PM Honorary Doctorate in Law Emir greets eattle Pacific University (SPU) of the Macron on United States has awarded Prime Min- Sister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh telephone Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani first private fish QNA an Honorary Doctorate in Law, with the Prime Minister receiving the certificate in Doha. SPU President Daniel J Martin said mir H H Sheikh Tamim the Prime Minister was awarded the hon- bin Hamad Al Thani held farming project orary doctorate for “his leadership of Qatar” Elast evening a telephone and “commitment to education,” express- conversation with President ing his delight to honour him. Emmanuel Macron of France The Peninsula The Prime Minister enrolled at SPU dur- to congratulate him on the ing his educational career. He was entrusted French candidate Audrey atar has launched The company with numerous civil service roles ranging Azoulay winning the post of first private sector won the bid for from law enforcement to leading security Director-General the United pisciculture project which a group of initiatives. Nations Educational, Scientific to produce fish with Founded in 1891, SPU aims to equip and Cultural Organization Qa capacity of 2,000 investors competed. people with knowledge to engage the cul- (Unesco), wishing her success tonnes per year. It has also been ture and change the world. It is the only and the people of France fur- The Ministerial Group for granted land in private university in the Pacific Northwest ther progress and prosperity. the Encouragement and Par- to make the 2018 US News and World ticipation of the Private Sector the Industrial Area Report Best National Universities list. Its Foreign Minister in the Economic Development of Al Shamal so comprehensive academic programmes greets French Projects of the State, chaired by that it can run its serve more than 3,700 undergraduate and Prime Minister and Interior graduate students. Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah operations. counterpart bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, announced the launch of the QNA pisciculture project . The Assistant Undersecre- run its operations. The com- oreign Minister H E tary for Agriculture and pany will produce 2,000 tonnes New MEC guidelines for AC dealers Sheikh Mohamed bin Fisheries Affairs at the Ministry of local fish annually for the FAbdulrahman Al Thani of Municipalities and Environ- local market. The Peninsula other expenses including gas. parties, but in both cases the yesterday held over tele- ment Sheikh Dr Falih bin Dr Falih pointed out that The circular, issued to deal- warranty must be written and phone a conversation with Nasser Al Thani yesterday said Qatar’s self-sufficiency for fish he Ministry of Economy ers and agents of ACs, has should be given separately from Foreign Minister of France a national company from pri- will increase after implemen- and Commerce issued specified a time limit of 48 hours the bill. Jean-Yves Le Drian. vate sector has been selected tation of the remaining two Tyesterday new guidelines from the moment of request Suppliers and retailers are The Foreign Minister con- to run the first fish farming projects. The three will increase for dealers and agents of air given by consumers for provid- asked to provide details of gratulated his French project. the fish producion in the coun- conditioners (ACs) that aim to ing after sales servicing. maintenance and services that counterpart on Audrey Azou- The company won the bid try to 6,000 tonnes and the safeguard consumer rights. According to the conditions they would provide and it lay’s winning of the post of for which a group of investors entire stock will be supplied to As per the new guidelines, set by the Ministry, the warranty should be approved by the Director-General of United competed. It has also been local markets. the warranty will be for one year of ACs start from the moment of consumers. Nations Educational, Scien- granted land in the Industrial and it will cover spare parts, operation or ACs or according tific and Cultural Area of Al Shamal so that it can → Continued on page 3 labour charge, maintenance and the agreement between the two → Continued on page 3 Organization (Unesco). Foundation treaty to be signed at Global Dryland Alliance meet

The Peninsula The conference will witness than 50 countries around the the signing of the foundation world. The initiative is of great he Global Dryland Alliance treaty of the new organisation, importance as the world popu- (GDA) Founding Confer- established to face food insecu- lation grows exponentially, with Tence will kick-off today in rities in areas with dryland, and it expected to reach 9 billion by Doha, a day before the World will be headquartered in Doha. 2050 and as the global temper- Food Day is celebrated globally GDA is an initiative put for- atures continue to rise and the and at a time when the chal- ward by Emir H H Sheikh Tamim ongoing threat of climate change lenges of providing food to the bin Hamad Al Thani in a speech making it more difficult to meet growing numbers of the world’s at the 68th UN General Assembly the required food needs. population are increasing, in 2013. The GDA foundation International reports indicate The high-profile event will treaty was proposed to the coun- that global food production must see the participation of 25 dele- tries that supported the initiative increase by 70 percent in 2050 gations representing countries during a ministerial conference in with dryland nations being vulner- from the Middle East, North Marrakesh on May 29-30, 2015. able to food crises and will face Africa, Sahel, Central Africa, Cen- The GDA initiative comple- harsh cycles of drought, desertifi- tral and East Asia, and South ments the global efforts to cation, poverty and hunger. America and a number of inter- guarantee food security for a national organisations. population of 3 billion in more → Continued on page 8

Qatar emerges new island QDB is full member of Enterprise of hope in the region Europe Network

The Peninsula Commenting on results of QNA Unesco’s election, “Diplomatic E Dr Hamad bin Square”, an Indian news web- atar Development Bank Abdulaziz Al Kawari site, further wrote that Qatar is (QDB) has acquired full Hmay have lost the bat- power packed literally and met- Qmembership of the Enter- tle, but he has helped Qatar win aphorically – with its gas prise Europe Network (EEN), the war in the comity of nations reserves and oil, Qatar may pos- making Qatar the first GCC coun- by establishing itself as an alter- sibly emerge the new global try to gain that status as it becomes native regional power, a pivot for shipping and air travel the 67th country in the network dignified power that respects and also a model country for after the European Commission democratic practices and tra- development and tourism. finalized the ratification process. ditions and has the wherewithal to lead and sustain a campaign. → Continued on page 8 → Full report on page 8 02 HOME SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 Call for joint efforts to Foreign Minister meets UNDP Associate Administrator combat crime & drugs

The Peninsula dangers of organised crime and efforts, Qatar occupied an its consequences on societies and advanced position in the fight he State of Qatar has values and on achieving the goals against corruption in the overall taken many measures of sustainable development in classification of Transparency at the legislative and 2030, Qatar has worked tirelessly International. executive levels to deal to implement its legal and ethical At the international level, with crime and com- obligations towards the imple- Qatar launched the “Sheikh Tbating drugs. It has also been keen mentation of the Convention Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani Inter- on cooperating with international against Transnational Organized national Anti-Corruption and regional organisations to Crime and its protocols, and Excellence Award”, which is combat organised crime and applied them as a mechanism for awarded annually on the World drugs, address their causes and international cooperation in the Anti-Corruption Day to honour work on plans to address them, strengthening of criminal justice individuals and institutions who said Abdul Hadi Said Al Mansouri, systems and the rule of law. have dedicated themselves to member of the delegation of He highlighted that Qatar has combating corruption in four Qatar participating in the 72nd studied with interest the reports areas: excellence, research and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met Associate Administrator Session of the UN General prepared by the Secretary-Gen- academic teaching materials, of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Tegegnework Gettu. The meeting Assembly. eral under this item and youth creativity and interaction, reviewed means of supporting the programs of UNDP, particularly in the fields of energy, Addressing the Third Com- commends the efforts made in the and innovation. Al Mansouri infrastructure and reconstruction. mittee of the UN General preparation of these reports, underlined that the award serves Assembly on Item (107) on “Crime which contained many important as an incentive to raise awareness Prevention and Criminal Justice”, conclusions and and strengthen international and Item (108) on “International recommendations. efforts to combat corruption, and Drug Control”, the delegation of Qatar welcomed the efforts a tool to identify those who have Deal to provide health care to Qatar stressed the importance of made by Member States to imple- shown vision, leadership, crea- strengthening coordinated ment their commitments to the tivity, enthusiasm, commitment regional and international coop- Doha Declaration, and reiterated and dedication to address corrup- eration and increasing investment its commitment to continue to tion, as well as the ability to Yemeni refugees in Somalia in capacity-building. work with the United Nations inspire others to make similar Efforts to combat crime, the Office on Drugs and Crime to efforts, recognise their role, hon- scourge of drugs and corruption ensure appropriate follow-up to our and reward them. QNA Foundation to provide health support, expressing his gratitude face major challenges that over- the implementation of the Doha In the context of Qatar’s care to more than 2,000 Yem- for this donation provided by the shadow the implementation of Declaration and to support relentless efforts to combat traf- assim and Hamad bin Jassim eni refugees in Somalia, focusing Jassim and Hamad bin Jassim the goals of the 2030 Sustainable projects for youth crime preven- ficking in persons at all levels, it Charitable Foundation and on people suffering from Foundation for Yemeni refugees Development Plan at the national, tion through sport, rehabilitation has undertaken, in cooperation Jthe United Nations High Com- chronic diseases and those in in Somalia, because of the regional and international and reintegration of prisoners, with Greece and Belgium, a lead- missioner for Refugees (UNHCR) need of psychological support. urgent need. “We are confident levels. education for justice, integrity of ing role in facilitating negotiations have signed a cooperation In a statement on the occa- that this project will make a dif- Al Mansouri said, referring to the judiciary and prevention of on the organisation of the UN agreement aimed at providing sion of the signing of the ference in the lives of these Doha Declaration issued by the corruption. General Assembly High-level emergency health care to Yem- agreement, Al Hajri noted the refugees and will provide them 13th United Nations Congress on In the meantime, Qatar has Meeting on the appraisal of the eni refugees in Somalia. importance of this cooperation with a healthier life,” he added. Crime Prevention and Criminal played an active role in the region Global Plan of Action to Combat The agreement was signed with the UNHCR. “This agree- Some estimates suggest Justice, which actively contributes to raise awareness about the fight Trafficking in Persons. Qatar has by Saeed Al Hajri, Board Mem- ment stems from our full faith there are more than 5,000 Yem- to efforts to integrate crime pre- against corruption as part of its called on all Member States to ber and Chief Executive Officer as Jassim and Hamad Bin Jas- eni refugees who have fled to vention and criminal justice into commitment to the rule of law implement all the commitments of Jassim and Hamad Bin Jassim sim Charitable Foundation,” to Somalia since the outbreak of the wider United Nations agenda and the fight against corruption. and recommendations contained Charitable Foundation, and cooperate with the Office of the the conflict in Yemen, most of in order to address social and eco- The State has taken many steps in this Declaration, which was Khalid Khalifa, Regional Repre- UNHCR with a view to provid- them arrived by boats. nomic challenges and to promote to fulfil its obligations to the UN agreed upon thanks to the polit- sentative of the United Nations ing a better life for refugees to Most of the Yemeni refugees the rule of law at the national and Convention against Corruption, ical will of Member States to take High Commissioner for Refu- preserve their dignity “. are concentrated in the Punt- international levels. and the Rule Of Law and Anti- concerted and decisive action to gees in the GCC. For his part, the Regional land and Somaliland regions, Based on Qatar’s belief in the Corruption Center (ROLACC). implement the Plan of Action and The agreement includes a Representative of the UNHCR while some have taken refuge importance of addressing the Thanks to these measures and put an end to this heinous crime. $250,000 grant from the stressed the importance of this in Mogadishu. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 HOME 03 Qatar & Georgia to broaden bilateral relations

Irfan Bukhari She said that exports from The Peninsula “The work on two bilateral agreements is Georgia to Qatar in 2016 valued $486,400 but it increased to utgoing Ambassador complete and they will be signed in the near $592,800 in first eight months of Georgia to Qatar, future. The first agreement is on investment (Jan-Aug) of 2017. Ekaterine Meiering- cooperation while the second one revolves She lauded Katara’s role in Mikadze (pictured), facilitating Georgian embassy in has said that Qatar around economic and technical cooperation,” organising concerts, exhibitions Oand Georgia will soon sign two outgoing Ambassador of Georgia to Qatar, etc. “I brought Georgia here so agreements on investment pro- Ekaterine Meiering-Mikadze, said. that the people can see its cul- motion and economic, technical tural beauty before visiting the cooperation. country.” “The work on two bilateral Before opening of the task on assuming office back in She said that Georgia was agreements is complete and they embassy of Georgia in Qatar in 2012 was to make Georgia visi- organising an international con- will be signed in the near future. 2012, she was serving as an ble in Qatar. “The first thing was ference on One Belt One Road The first agreement is on invest- Ambassador of Georgia to the making people from both coun- next month in which Qatar was ment cooperation while the GCC countries performing her tries know each other. We had a also invited. second one revolves around eco- duties from Georgian Embassy niche for tourism and culture Praising Qatar’s policy of nomic and technical in Kuwait. After serving as an with which I made Georgia vis- diversification of its economy, cooperation,” Mikadze said while ambassador in Qatar for the last ible in Qatar.” the share of tourism in Georgia’s becoming a favourite destina- the outgoing ambassador said: talking to The Peninsula. five years, she has recently been She said that the two coun- GDP was 7 percent in 2014, tion of tourists particularly “It is also an opportunity for Outgoing Georgian ambas- posted back to home country and tries were also cooperating in which increased to 7.6 percent expatriates residing in Qatar due Georgia to make new partner- sador said that she was highly set to leave Doha at the end of education field. The outgoing in 2016. to country’s proximity and trip’s ships and increase its trade with impressed with the vibrancy of this month. The outgoing ambas- ambassador said that the Geor- To a question about the exact low costs. “Georgia is close and Qatar. We can provide agro-pro- Qatar and its quick development. sador said that the thing which gian government had facilitated number of tourists visiting Geor- also affordable. It has seas, green duce as well as construction “A lot of events, activities con- she liked the most in Qatar was tourists by making visa processes gia from Qatar (both nationals mountains, rich culture, rivers material and technology to tinue throughout the year in the hospitality of Qatari people. easy. “All GCC citizens and expats and residents), she replied that and marvellous culinary Qatar.” Qatar. Qatar is welcoming and “Qatari people show enormous can travel to Georgia with visa- exact stats were not available. experiences.” The outgoing ambassador secure. It was very pleasant to hospitality. They are always on-arrival facility.” “As expats need no visa and their Mikadze said that the coop- said that there were great invest- work here,” she noted. ready to help.” She said that the number of entry in Georgia is done on their eration between two countries ment opportunities for Qatari “Before assuming office here She said that Qatar had not Qatari nationals visited Georgia respective passports, therefore in agricultural sector was also investors in Georgia particularly in Doha in 2012, I had laid foun- only the vision to develop the in 2015 was 400 visitors which we do not have exact number of growing with the passage of time. in the tourism sector. “There are dations of bilateral relations and country but also the plans to exe- increased to 2,100 from January residents of Qatar visiting “After the siege, agro-produce already private Qatari invest- used to visit Qatar frequently,” cute the vision. to September 2017. Georgia.” from Georgia have started hit- ments in real estate sector of she said. She said that the very first She told The Peninsula that She said that Georgia was ting hypermarkets in Qatar.” Georgia.” Innovative plantation technique Qatar’s first private sector introduced to save water fish farming project launched Continued from page 1 planned to implement in line with the directives Sanaullah Ataullah concerned to cover He pointed out that it was decided to add a of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad The Peninsula more areas under its separate project for prawn farming which would Al Thani and in accordance to the recommenda- plantation drive and be first of its kind in Qatar. tions made by the Technical Committee of the he Ministry of Municipal- increase greenery The technical committee at the ministerial Ministerial Group. ity and Environment is across the country, group is about to float tender for these projects As well as part of the Government’s efforts to Texperimenting with a new the Ministry added. for private sector in near future. achieve self-sufficiency in food and agricultural water saving technique — Groa- The Waterboxx The project is the first of a series of similar products including meats and other animal and sis Waterboxx — for irrigating plant cocoon projects in various sectors that the State has food industry. plants in collaboration with an reduces the water international company. use in agriculture Groasis Waterboxx is a and trees can be watering system — a plastic planted with less device that provides a constant water, said a report source of moisture to young posted on the web- trees by collecting dew and rain- site of the company. fall and slowly distributing the The Waterboxx plant water through a wick that cocoon uses 90 per- resembles that of an oil lamp. cent less water and Using this new technique, the trees that are the Public Parks Management planted with it have Department at the Ministry has a survival rate of planted two trees at the back- more than 90 yard of its headquarters, said a percent. report shared on social net- The Groasis working sites of the Ministry. Waterboxx plant The Department has hosted framework of the cooperation, cocoon is an alterna- experts from the device manu- two trees were planted in the tive for drip irrigation. It is made facturing company presence of the Mohamad Sada, of polypropylene (plastic) and — Waterboxx. The experts gave Deputy Head of the Public Parks therefore it can be used many details about new technique and Management Department. times. The tree needs the box how to use it to the agricultural The remaining devices are from nine to 12 months to grow. engineers of Public Parks expected to receive soon and The Groasis is a polypropylene Department. It was agreed with will be handed over to the tar- bucket with a lid. It has a verti- Waterboxx Company to provide geted municipalities in coming cal tunnel in the middle for two more devices for planting trees days, said the Ministry. plants. A wick allows water from using it at various municipali- This technique helps grow inside the box to trickle into the ties across the country under the trees in desert climate like GCC ground via capillary action. The supervision of the countries and save water, said device mimics the insulating Department. the Ministry. The new technique effect bird feces provide to ger- Initially within the will enable the department minating seeds. New guidelines for AC sales to safeguard consumer rights

Continued from page 1 In addition to providing with information and The circular also carries details of the proc- correct data about the commodities and related ess of sale, display and specifications related to services, the Ministry is keen to identify the the ACs. In case of any manufacturing defect in requirements which suppliers should adhered to AC, the models will be recalled and the consum- for consumers. ers will not have to face any financial burden. If The information and warranty should be pro- compressor is replaced, it should carry an addi- vided to consumers making the policy of replacing tional warranty of six months, stated the or returning the ACs clear to consumers. The Min- circular. istry has given three months starting from today The circular is issued in line with Ministry pol- to comply with the conditions and standards men- icies which aim to organise the commercial tioned in the circular. activities and practices in line with applicable rules After the deadline concerned inspectors of the and regulations protecting basic consumers rights. Ministry will start monitoring to ensure that the The Ministry said in a statements yesterday suppliers and retailers are adhering to the rule the initiative aims to regulate the markets and and will take necessary legal measures against ensures that suppliers are complying with the pro- the violators. The circular has made the policy of visions of law number 8, 2008 on consumers return and replacement of the product clear, said protection and its executive regulations. the Ministry. 04 HOME SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 Doha to host Soccerex Asia Forum

QNA It will be the second oha is set to play host to Soccerex time for Doha to Asia Forum on host the event December 4 and 5, after staging last bringing together a year’s edition of Dwide selection of sports experts, chairman and directors of the England-based international clubs and sports forum. Nearly 750 institutions as well as business- participants from men, economists and sports 54 countries took rights owners. It will be the second time part in the previous Sultana Afdhal, acting CEO of World Innovation Summit for Health; and Machaille Al Naimi, President of Community Development for Doha to host the event after edition along with 32 of Qatar Foundation, with the children and trainers at the end of Liverpool Football Club Foundation’s ‘Respect 4 All, Qatar’ staging last year’s edition of the exhibiting companies England-based forum. training program on Thursday. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula Nearly 750 participants and 150 rights from 54 countries took part in owners. the previous edition along with WISH & LFC in pact to coach children with autism 32 exhibiting companies and 150 rights owners.Over 750 sports legal services, discipli- participants and 40 exhibitors nary and governance at Asian Fazeena Saleem the program he said, “The chil- are expected in the next edition Football Confederation; and The Peninsula WISH collaborated with the LFC Foundation, the dren who have been invited to representing 84 countries and Salman Al Ansari, head of Qatar the training sessions clearly had more than 200 cities and gov- Players Association and mem- hildren with autism, sen- official charity of Liverpool Football Club (LFC), a great time – and in many cases, ernment entities. Of all the ber of the FIFA Appeals sory or physical and hosted the week-long football training course have enjoyed participating in participants, 63 percent are Committee who will speak Cimpairments in Qatar now ‘Respect 4 All, Qatar’ that addressed effective team and ball sports for the first managers and executives. about governance in Asian have the opportunity to learn ways for people working in sport in Qatar. time. What matters now is that Some leading figures have football. and enjoy playing football games the network of coaches who been already confirmed in the Soccerex Chairman Tony as result of a new programme have completed the course are line-up of the guests attending Martin is set to give the open- by the World Innovation Sum- together the participating had the opportunity to bring the able to implement their new the event, including Facebook ing speech of the forum that is mit for Health (WISH). coaches and children for a range LFC Foundation team to Qatar skills across Qatar, thus creat- Sport Partnership Lead Jerry scheduled to discuss a number WISH collaborated with the of fun activities. Together with and to work with them to deliver ing the sustainability that the Newman; Dr Ryland Morgans, of issues such as clubs and LFC Foundation, the official coaches from LFC Foundation, a program that we hope will program and most importantly, head of performance of Wales rights holders, commerce and charity of Liverpool Football Machaille Al Naimi, President of have a positive impact on the the children, deserve.” national team and the supervi- sponsorship, finance and reg- Club (LFC), and hosted the week- Community Development, QF, health and wellbeing of children The program follows on sor of the performance of Welsh ulation, broadcasting and new long football training course Greg Gomis, goalkeeper from Al with disabilities within our local from a workshop held in May superstar Gareth Bale; James media, performance, stadia and ‘Respect 4 All, Qatar’ that Sailiya Sports Club, a Qatar Stars community for many years to 2017 that was organized by Kitching, the former head of major events, and social addressed effective ways for League football club, Sultana come,” she added. WISH and delivered by LFC responsibility. people working in sport in Qatar. Afdhal, Acting Chief Executive The program trained 40 Foundation community coaches. Over two days at Grand It focused on giving sports Officer of WISH and several oth- coaches from different organi- At the May workshop, represent- Over 750 participants Hyatt Hotel, participants will coaches with practical training ers were present at the event. zations in Qatar. “The training atives from a variety of local and 40 exhibitors are discuss many aspects of Asian in helping children with autism “To see local coaches bene- program provides coaches with government, health, and educa- football, including the lifecycle reach their potential, socialise, fiting from the expertise, the skills and expertise to deliver tional organizations were expected in the next and evolution of tournament and pursue a healthy lifestyle professionalism, and warmth of football based lessons to chil- briefed on the skills required to edition representing delivery, the economic man- through participation in football- the LFC Foundation team is dren with autism and other set up successful training pro- 84 countries and agement of domestic leagues, related activities. extremely rewarding. As well as learning complex needs – grams for children with autism. more than 200 cities ways to ,maximize the perform- The course included both being a globally famous and suc- including visually and hearing WISH’s collaborative work with and government ance and efficiency of players, classroom sessions and practi- cessful football club, Liverpool impaired as well as those with the LFC Foundation is in line and the wealth of football clubs cal outdoor workshops, the latter FC is well known for its strong physical disabilities,” Neil Moors, with its commitment to estab- entities. Of all the and the new world order, the of which saw coaches work commitment to using sport to Head of Community Develop- lishing a sustainable program participants, 63 grassroots of football in Asia , directly with children who have benefit communities, both in the ment at WISH and who is leading that supports Qatar’s National percent are managers the governance of Asian foot- autism. city of Liverpool, the UK, and the Respect 4 All, Qatar’ project Mental Health Strategy, ‘Chang- and executives. ball, and football’s ability to It concluded on Thursday around the world,” said Afdhal. told The Peninsula. ing Minds, Changing Lives create social change in Asia. with a festival day that brought “WISH is delighted to have Referring to the impact of 2013-2018’. DICID meet to focus on role of religious values in promoting community stability

The Peninsula conference in cooperation with the DICID will organise Ukrainian Dialogue and Communications the conference in he role of religious values in pro- Center and the participation of a group of moting community stability and intellectuals and researchers from the cooperation with the Tspreading a culture of coexistence three heavenly religions. Ukrainian Dialogue and rejection of hatred will be the theme In a statement issued yesterday, DICID and Communications for international conference to be held on said the conference is an initiative to Center in Ukraine on October 17 and 18 in Ukraine. enhance dialogue among religions and October 17 & 18. Doha International Center for Inter- reiterate the values of tolerance and coex- faith Dialogue (DICID) will organise the istence, noting that the event touches on three main pillars; the role of religious val- ues in disseminating the culture of coexistence and rejection of hatred, the role of religious leaders in raising gener- ations to embrace dialogue and accept the other, and the role of governments in con- solidating ties between followers of different faiths. DICID said its Chairman Dr. Ibrahim Al Naimi will present a working paper dur- ing the conference on the contributions of the State of Qatar and DICID in spreading the culture of coexistence and rejection of hatred, while DICID board member Mohamed Al Ghamdi will present another working paper on the role of religious insti- tutions in enhancing the culture of coexistence and rejection of hatred. Dr. Al Naimi said that organising the conference comes within the State of Qatar’s vision that reiterate the need for peaceful coexistence and rejection of violence and hatred among followers of different faiths, noting that DICID, through its cooperation with similar organisations, sends a message to the world that Qatar is a country that sup- ports peace, rejects violence and terrorism, and stands side by side with the countries that suffer from terrorism. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 HOME 05 Role of education amid siege stressed

Fazeena Saleem you have been stronger,” said The Peninsula HBKU hosted a Martin. He referred the denial of stu- he evolving role of public lecture titled dents from siege countries to education in Qatar ‘Education and the enter Qatar as a challenge despite the illegal Blockade: Challenges resulted from the unjust block- blockade imposed by and Opportunities,’ ade. Other challenges included the siege countries, disrupted partnerships, which he Tand the primary value of educa- with Daniel J Martin, said inhibit higher education Daniel J Martin, President, Seattle Pacific University, delivering a lecture organised by the Hamad tion in the advancement of President of Seattle from being a place where inno- Bin Khalifa University at the Student Centre, Education City in Doha, on Thursday. societies was highlighted by edu- Pacific University, as vative solutions can be Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula cationalists on Thursday. the main speaker. developed. “I think the partner- Hamad Bin Khalifa Univer- ships made around the Gulf sity (HBKU), of Qatar Foundation, region have been impacted on level, as well as promoting the as part of a series of talks that educational institutions in Qatar hosted a public lecture titled some way on the continued good use of technology to counter were conducted at HBKU to pro- explore the crisis through an ‘Education and the Blockade: other nation. work in research and on stu- impaired access to education. mote a better understanding of analytical lens. By hosting Challenges and Opportunities,’ “It’s (the blockade) is an dents’ access, to come here and While, he commended on the unjust blockade imposed on informative lectures and semi- with Daniel J Martin, President opportunity for the country to re- study,” said Martin. Qatar Foundation’s and HBKU’s Qatar. It was held at the HBKU’s nars on the blockade, we are of Seattle Pacific University, as invest its self, to invest capacity During his lecture on ‘Edu- progressive mandate in provid- Students Centre in the education giving community members an the main speaker. more into the development for cation and the Blockade: ing high quality education and City. opportunity to engage with lead- He expressed confidence in the future. You have addressed Challenges and Opportunities,’ research, emphasising the grow- Dr Ahmad M Hasnah, Presi- ing experts on the topic, enabling Qatar’s ability to emerge out of the crisis stronger together, I Martin also spoke of numerous ing demand for higher education dent of HBKU, said, “The current them to understand the critical the crisis stronger than ever, have seen a real determination opportunities, including possi- all around the world, and fuel- political situation in the region role of education and its impor- describing the resilience shown and resilience here, than I have bilities for enhanced ling Qatar’s advancement. is a topic of international inter- tance in fostering a politically by Qatar is as unlike that of any seen at other places. As a nation partnerships on an international The public lecture was held est; therefore, it is essential that conscious society.” QNB staff donate blood in initiative

The Peninsula from all departments. to their donation to ensure the QNB was very pleased to This year’s campaign fol- staff’s awareness of the impor- continue its partnership with NB, the leading financial lowed the success of last year’s tance of blood donation. This HMC in this initiative as it high- institution in the Middle turnout that strengthens the campaign pushes the employ- lights the importance of health QEast and Africa, has organ- established objectives of ees towards sharing and wellbeing. ised a blood donation drive with enhancing blood bank stocks at responsibility within the com- This initiative is one of the employees in conjunction with HMC and raising awareness of munities the group operates in. pillars of QNB’s robust CSR strat- Hamad Hospital Blood Donor the importance and benefits of This initiative also benefits egy, that includes Health and Center. blood donations in the the donors as studies have Environment. This important annual Cor- community. shown that blood donation The blood donation drive is porate Social Responsibility QNB staff eagerly partici- reduces cancer risk and other one of QNB’s many CSR initia- (CSR) initiative was held in pated in the event, as employees blood diseases, it also purifies tives which the Group holds in three different locations this from all branches gathered to the donor’s system from toxins cooperation with HMC and other year at QNB’s Head Office, Al partake in this altruistic and stimulates blood circula- prominent organisations in Mathaf building and Grand initiative. tion. Blood donation also offers Qatar and across its interna- Hamad branch over a three- The event entitled staff to the opportunity to know that tional network in its efforts to day period and witnessed the undergo a blood pressure test, the donor is free of blood support and strengthen the com- QNB staff participating in the blood donation drive. participation of employees stamina and eligibility test prior diseases. munities in which it operates in. 06 HOME SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 Talks on climate change impact at NU-Q Construction work

As part of an annual of new PIS project visit to NU-Q to raise awareness of journalism to start soon campaigns that focus on global issues, Sanaullah Ataullah three international The Peninsula reporters from the Pulitzer Center on he ambitious project of Crisis Reporting Pakistan International TSchool (PIS) to add new who specialise in educational stream, the O level, reporting on climate will start soon at a cost of over change, shared their QR7m with the help of a local charity organisation. experience and “The project that aims to discussed the future build an additional facility inside of the environmental the campus of PIS has reached issue. the design stage, a requirement Jassim and Hamad bin Jassim to obtain the building permit,” Charitable Foundation had PIS Principal Nargis Raza Otho signed a Memorandum of Under- (pictured) told The Peninsula. standing (MoU) with the The Peninsula Talking on the sidelines of a Pakistani embassy to build addi- press conference at the head- tional classrooms and other limate change was the quarters of Jassim and Hamad necessary facilities at the cost of centre of discussion Participants at the presentation of climate change conference at NU-Q. bin Jassim Charitable Founda- over QR7m at the campus of PIS. during a week-long tion recently, the Principal said Under the project, the new visit by distinguished drastically increasing, and the prevalent global issues and to Iran who documents the impact that a number of other proce- building will have 18 additional journalists from the wildlife is being severely involve students in projects and of climate change on Iran’s dures required for building classrooms, offices for adminis- CPulitzer Center on Crisis Report- affected. fellowships aimed at analysing desert landscape and the region permit have been completed. trators and supervisors, in ing to Northwestern University “Antarctica is different to the worldwide areas of concern. surrounding it, and Janice Can- “We have applied for the addition to laboratories, meet- in Qatar (NU-Q). Arctic because Antarctica is land “The Pulitzer Center’s mis- tieri, a Northwestern alumna building permit for the project ing halls, among others. As part of an annual visit to surrounded by water, whereas sion is to support journalists who and Fulbright-National Geo- and awaiting for the approval”, The Principal said: “Once we NU-Q to raise awareness of jour- the Arctic is water surrounded are covering urgent issues and graphic digital storytelling fellow said Otho. get the building permit, we give nalism campaigns that focus on by land, which makes for a very to improve coverage on global who most recently reported on The new facility will increase it to the foundation and they will global issues, three international interesting climate,” said issues. NU-Q is committed to the impact of rising sea levels in the capacity of PIS significantly float the tender to start the con- reporters who specialise in Kinitsch. educating our students on the Kiribati, an island in the South and help start new international struction. We did not have O level reporting on climate change, “The temperature in the Arc- importance of accurate and Pacific. curriculum. “The new building education so the Ministry of Edu- shared their experience and dis- tic has increased by two degrees, objective reporting, as well as Accompanying the journal- will accommodate about 700 cation and Higher Education cussed the future of the twice as much as the rest of the exposing them to the realities of ists was Tom Hundley, Pulitzer new students and they will be asked us to construct new build- environmental issue. earth, and as the temperature crisis reporting. We have had Center senior editor, who has offered world standard educa- ing for adding the new As part of a presentation to has gone up, the sea ice, which great success in partnering with almost four decades of experi- tion — International General educational stream.” the NU-Q community, Eli Kin- usually reflects solar energy the Pulitzer Center, which has ence as a foreign correspondent Certificate of Secondary Educa- Around 3,500 students (boys tisch, a contributing back into the atmosphere, has also provided our students with for the Chicago Tribune. He tion (IGCSE),” said Otho. and girls), mostly Pakistanis, are correspondent for Science mag- plummeted, and that is contrib- fellowships and journalism res- served as the Tribune’s bureau Speaking on the fees struc- enrolled at the PIS , established azine and author of Hack the uting to global warming, rising idencies in Washington D.C.,” chief in Jerusalem, Warsaw, ture of new education, the as a non-profit community Planet: Science’s Best Hope — or sea levels, and even hotter sum- said Everette E Dennis, dean and Rome, and London, and reported Principal said that PIS is a com- school aimed at meeting the edu- Worst Nightmare — for Avert- mer days in Qatar.” CEO of NU-Q. from more than 60 countries, munity school so the fees will be cational needs of Pakistani ing Climate Catastrophe shared NU-Q is one of 30 interna- In addition to Kintisch, this including three wars in the Ara- low compared to the other Paki- children in particular and other his personal experiences cover- tional universities who partner year’s visiting journalists bian Gulf, the Arab-Israeli stani schools offering same communities in general, and to ing the Arctic, where glaciers are with the Pulitzer Center to fos- included Ako Salemi, an award- conflict, and the rise of Iran’s educational level in Qatar. deliver a high quality education melting, temperature is ter greater discussions around winning photojournalist from post-revolutionary theocracy. In September last year, the at affordable fees.

‘Arbitration of Ooredoo, Es’hailSat & Engineering Disputes’ event Al Rayyan join hands launch today to bring best content The Peninsula atar International The Peninsula Center for Conciliation Al Rayyan HD is Qand Arbitration of Qatar oredoo has announced Chamber will be launching that the popular Qatari available now on today the “Arbitration of Ochannels Al Rayyan HD channel number Engineering Disputes” pro- and Al Rayyan Al Qadeem HD 151, and Al Rayyan gramme, in cooperation with are now available in full HD on Al Qadeem HD is the Center for Continuing Ooredoo tv. Education at the University The upgraded channels are available on channel of Qatar. available thanks to a partner- number 156. The five-day event ship between Ooredoo, Al includes 30 training hours, Rayyan Media and Marketing, aiming to introduce the engi- and Qatar satellite company — governments in the Mena neering contracts related to Es’hailSat. Es’hailSat launched region and beyond. We’re construction and urbanisa- in 2010 in Qatar and works to proud to be working with other tion, introduce main features support key broadcasters in the Qatari companies, to broadcast of the tender law and its region with its advanced satel- the latest Qatari content in high implementations, and review lite services, including definition.” the legislative framework of broadcast, telecommunications Al Rayyan HD is available construction contracts in the and broadband. now on channel number 151, Qatari law and the most prac- Talking about the partner- and Al Rayyan Al Qadeem HD tical problems. ship, Manar Khalifa Al Muraikhi, is available on channel number The programme includes Ooredoo Director of PR and 156. Al Rayyan channels aim to lawyers, legal advisers, legal Corporate Communications, provide a variety of pro- and administrative leaders in said: “We’re proud to be part of grammes to show interest in public and private sector this agreement between three Qatar’s culture, highlight the companies, legal departments Qatari companies, to bring the national identity, interests and in ministries and government best quality local television to aspirations, and respect Qatar’s institutions, banks and finan- our customers. Since its launch, customs and traditions. cial institutions, heads and Ooredoo tv has gone from Existing Mozaic TV custom- members of boards and strength to strength and now ers who want to upgrade to directors of companies, busi- offers close to 400 channels, Ooredoo tv and take advantage ness owners, contractors, including premium packages of the HD content can simply commercial agents, arbitra- from around the world. We visit any Ooredoo Shop, order tors and experts in the field hope that this is the beginning and collect a free Ooredoo tv of commercial disputes, engi- of a great partnership between set-top-box today. neers and accountants, Ooredoo, Al Rayyan Media and Ooredoo tv offers features training and law students. Marketing, and Es’hailSat, and such as 4K resolution, time The programme contains we look forward to working shift, Android apps, parental elements of the fundamentals together again in the near control, thousands of hours of of commercial arbitration, as future.” on-demand content and much well as a definition of engi- Hamad Omar Al Mannai, more at no extra cost. neering contracts, tenders, Executive Director for Com- Ooredoo tv is available now FIDIC contracts, and the mercial, Es’hailSat, said: via Ooredoo Shops, Starlink, requirement for settling of “Es’hailSat provides independ- TechnoBlue and Jumbo outlets. engineering disputes in Qatari ent, high-quality, advanced The service has no upfront law, subcontracting and its satellite services to broadcast- charges, no equipment costs relationship to the original ers, businesses and and no ongoing contracts. contract. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 HOME 07 Vodafone shows safer ways of Internet use Amna Pervaiz Rao The Peninsula The event comes as part of Vodafone’s odafone recently held AmanTech online a “Connected Fami- safety programme, lies” workshop at Qatar Foundation which aims to Recreation Centre, to empower parents helpV parents gain confidence in and support them allowing their children to access in equipping their the Internet safely. Vodafone organised the children with the right workshop for three schools that tools to navigate the operate under the umbrella of digital world. Qatar Foundation’s Pre-Univer- sity Education- Qatar Academy between the different stations. Doha, Qatar Academy Sidra and more which includes, to under- “Across the Vodafone Group, Awsaj Academy, which benefited stand Internet safety, protect we have a wealth of experience Participants during the Vodafone Qatar Connected Families workshop at Qatar Foundation from the workshop. their reputation, how to deal with in developing industry-leading “ ” This comes as part of Voda- cyber bullying and keep a posi- initiatives to help parents and Recreation Center yesterday. Pic; Baher Amin / The Peninsula fone’s AmanTech online safety tive self-image in the huge world children navigate the online programme, which aims to of technology. We organise these world. We are committed to digital parent, second was parents to understand, without support our students on how to empower parents and support workshops for parents to get ensuring that children are given ‘Parental Priorities’ in which par- them our children can be safely navigate the Internet and them in equipping their children comfortable and learn the tech- the opportunity to make the most ents identified critical exposed to serious safety issues. counter cyber bullying and be with the right tools to navigate nology without hesitations.” of communication technologies online-safety issues, third was As parents, without safeguards, 21st century ready.” the digital world. The ‘Connected Families’ for their development while also ‘Digital Tech at home’ which we may not have any ideas about AmanTech works through a Talking to The Peninsula, workshops are short events that instilling healthy online habits. guided the parents who to keep what our children may be view- three-pronged approach to reach Fahad Abood Al Saiari (pictured), use interactive activity stations We want to ensure parents are children safe in the digital world ing or how they may be out to parents and children aged CSR Manager at Vodafone Qatar to explore important topics like well equipped and prepared to and lastly ‘Online Gaming’ which “groomed” or made vulnerable between 5 and 17 with a focus on said: “AmanTech is a part of our cyber bullying, online gaming keep up with what their children was a station on which parents to very bad influences.” awareness, education and tech- CSR initiative, we take it as our and different approaches to dig- are doing online,” said Al Yami, were told about the online games Dr. Donald Francis, Director, nical support. The AmanTech responsibility to make society ital parenting. The events provide Director of External Affairs at they children play despite their Awsaj Academy, said: “Such program includes ongoing work- aware about how to use technol- a great opportunity for parents Vodafone Qatar. ages. workshops are a great opportu- shops, an online source for ogy in the safest way. We have a to come together to ask ques- The workshop included four Paul Nery, Primary School nity for our parents. As a part of information and tips for parents platform (website) for parents on tions, share experiences and stations for parents, first one was principal said, at Qatar Academy our team, we are excited that [www.vodafone.qa/AmanTECH], which all the information is learn more about Internet safety. named as ‘Digital Dilemmas’ Doha: “I believe Internet secu- parents have this educational where online magazines and a available to guide them in order Each workshop runs for two which helped parents to rity and safety are extremely opportunity regarding electronic digital parenting guide is also to understand their children hours with attendees rotating acknowledge themselves as a important issues for today’s learning and safety so we can all available. HMC to receive visiting consultants from various medical specialities

The Peninsula Robotic Urologist and Oncolo- arrived on Friday will be here Surgeon and Professor of Ortho- Other experts are scheduled Qatar. Members of the public gist and Director of Robotic until October 30. pedics from the Robert Jones and to visit throughout the remain- wishing to book an appointment amad Medical Corpora- Urologic Surgery at Palms West Dr Alexander Lyon, a Senior Agnes Hunt Orthopedic Hospi- der of the year as part of HMC’s with one of the visiting consult- tion (HMC) is set to Hospital in Loxahatchee, Flor- Lecturer in Cardiology at Impe- tal NHS Foundation Trust in focus on hosting highly- ants are advised to discuss this Hreceive a number of vis- ida, USA, is on a visit until rial College London and a Oswestry, England, UK, will visit respected physicians and option with their physician. If iting consultants from various Tuesday. Consultant Cardiologist at the from October 22 to 26 and Pro- surgeons from around the world. your doctor agrees that an medical specialities during the Professor Alan Saber, Chief Royal Brompton Hospital in Lon- fessor Christian Dumontier, a Hosting visiting international appointment with a visiting con- month of October. of Bariatric and Minimally Inva- don, England, UK, is visiting since Plastic, Reconstructive and Aes- consultants who are experts in sultant is appropriate, they will The visiting consultants sive General Surgery at The yesterday until October 19. thetic Surgeon located in their field is in line with HMC’s provide a referral. include, Dr Fred Muhletaler Mag- Brooklyn Hospital Center, in Professor James B. Richard- Guadeloupe, France, will visit policy to provide specialized For more information visit giolo, a fellowship-trained Brooklyn, New York, USA, who son, Consultant Orthopedic from October 28 to November 3. medical services to the people of www.hamad.qa. 08 HOME SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 Qatar acquires member status in Enterprise Europe Network worldwide, including 28 EU member Network. Through our newfound mem- adding that the launch of the Network exchange information that will improve QNA countries and 38 non-member coun- bership status, we underscore our Business Cooperation Centre aims to the professional capabilities of young tries outside of the EU, bringing together nation’s solid ability to unlock new mar- “improve the business climate” between business entities to gain a stronger com- atar Development Bank (QDB) has 3,000 experts from more than 600 kets through fostering new relationships SMEs in the EU and Qatar. petitive footing in markets dominated acquired full membership of the member organizations. across the globe. In the days to come, Admission to the EEN serves as “a by more established players.” QEnterprise Europe Network (EEN), The network’s member organiza- we hope that Qatari and European SMEs gateway for access to a market with the QDB was nominated by the Inter- making Qatar the first GCC country to tions operate across a diverse range of will develop strong professional bonds, world’s leading business and innova- national Trade Center (ITC), a joint gain that status as it becomes the 67th sectors, including technology poles, invest in each others businesses and tion support organizations as well as agency of the World Trade Organiza- country in the network after the Euro- innovation support organizations, uni- markets as well as add great value to over 500 million direct consumers,” tion (WTO) and the United Nations pean Commission finalized the versities and research institutes, one anothers quality of work,” QDB Export Development and Promotion Conference on Trade and Development ratification process. regional development organizations, Chief Executive Officer Abdulaziz bin Agency (Tasdeer) Executive Director (UNCTAD), for the 2016 Trade Promo- EEN is an initiative of the European and various chambers of commerce and Nasser Al-Khalifa said. Hassan Khalifa Al Mansoori said. tion Organization (TPO) Award under Commission to support small- and industry, a press release issued Satur- In turn, Hajar Al Hajri, head of Through the EEN membership, he the category of the best development medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with day by QDB said. export development and consortium said, “we aspire to advance business- agency in a developing country. international ambitions in the European “We, at QDB, are honored to have coordinator at EEN-Qatar, said the to-business cooperation, partner with QDB was the sole development Union (EU) and its international part- enabled Qatar to achieve ‘member’ sta- membership marks the start of “a new Europe’s leading research organizations agency shortlisted from the GCC and ner countries. The network is active tus in the prestigious Enterprise Europe dynamic for economic development,” in the interest of mutual benefit and Middle East and North Africa region.

Foundation Qatar participates in Frankfurt Book Fair treaty to be signed at Dryland Frankfurt renowned story tellers in Qatar. The Peninsula The idea of translating this col- Alliance meeting lection crystalized after having Continued from page 1 he Ministry of Culture it translated into English and and Sports in Qatar Turkish in 2015, then was pre- participated in the pared to be launched in the 69th GDA aims to find sustain- 69th edition of Frank- edition of the Frankfurt Book able solutions for food furt Book Fair, which Fair, marking the German-Qatari insecurities and exchange Twas inaugurated last Wednes- cultural year. help at tough times in order day by the German Chancellor, Mohammed Hasan Al to achieve international peace Angela Merkel, and the French Kuwari, one of Qetaf’s authors and security. President Emmanuel Macron. added, “Qetaf was selected to be The alliance also aims to Qatar’s contribution was translated into German because establish wide cooperation remarkable and fell within the short stories have become one with local, regional and inter- year of culture between Qatar of the most preferred genres of national partners to find and Germany. The Ministry of contemporary arts”. He pointed solutions, spread them and Culture and Sports had a ward that Qetaf was on huge demand implement them to face among 7,300 other exhibitors by the fair guests, and it’s suc- obstacles found in agricul- from more than 100 countries. cess in Qatar could be attributed ture, water and energy in The fair aimed at turning into to the fact that some of its chap- dryland nations. digital books. ters were published in Doha The alliance also aims to In the opening speech, the Monthly Magazine. facilitate partnerships Director of the fair, Euorgen between the private and pub- Bose, said, “Publishers play a key Seminar on cultural lic sectors to finance and role in the thriving fake news dialogue today implement programs and world, we as liberal and demo- projects for member states in cratic publishers have to face he Frankfurt Book Fair all fields related to food such a trend with decent publi- offers today a seminar on security. cations to offset hatred and fear The ambassador of Qatar to Germany, H E Sheikh Saod bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, with other Tthe cultural dialogue GDA is expected to follow that are filling the world today.” officials at the 69th edition of Frankfurt Book Fair. between East and West entitled complementary new “The Eastern and Western Cul- approach based on integrated Qatar Ambassador visits visitors of the fair on Saturday bodies took part in the exhibi- Qatari Story Collection tures: Link and Interaction”. The treatment to all aspects of and Sunday. tion, such as Qatar Museums, Al launched seminar was inspired by the Ger- food securities facing dryland he ambassador of Qatar to Other wards of the fair were Jazeera Center for Studies, man poet, J W Gotteh and The nations, and will depend on Germany, H E Sheikh Saod open to specialised people only Mohammed bin Hamad Center he second day of the fair Occidental East, for Bridget Bell. strong private and public Tbin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in the first three days. The Turk- for Muslim contributions in civ- witnessed the launch of the The seminar will be attended by partnerships. It is also paid a visit to the exhibition and ish ward in the exhibition ilizations, Hasan bin TGerman version of the a group of researcher from Qatar expected to find financing had a chance to see the Qatari donated a number of Turkish- Mohammed Center for Histor- Qatari story collection “Qetaf”, as well as many others exhibi- methods that lessen the bur- contributions. Germa publications to the Qatari ical Studies, some rendered into German by Evlan tors from the book fair in a bid den on member states’ There were a number par- ward. Key exhibition directors representatives from Katara Ighbareyh. The collection was to extend cultural bridges budgets with regards to pro- ticipations that his Excellency of London and New York have international award, and the previously translated into Eng- between the German culture and grams and projects of food inspected, such as the live cal- also stopped by the Qatari ward. Arab Center for Research and lish and Turkish. The book its counter parts from all over the security. ligraphy shows offered to the Several Qatari publishers and Studies. included chapters for the most world. The alliance will also facilitate the development of state-of-the-art food security policies among member states and use latest technol- Qatar emerges new island of hope in the region ogies in agriculture, irrigation, seeds, fertilisers, early warn- ing of natural disasters and Continued from page 1 international level. Plenty of Al Qaida and Taliban – the rise in petroleum prices and from climate change as well as squabbling was reported with multi-headed demons who were that time, the footprints of a cer- effective partnership during According to Diplomatic one contesting country being responsible for the destruction tain Arab nation can be seen emergencies and crises, and Square, Long last the result is out accused of alleged undiplomatic of Bamiyan Buddha, the Palmyra everywhere, stretching from will face food price fluctua- – France is the winner with 30 behaviour. Countries brought and the ancient cities of Raqqa, Indonesia, Malaysia to Myanmar, tions in global markets. votes while Qatar garnered 28 into open, though tacitly, their Alleppo and others. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Food security is a grow- votes. It was a well contested bilateral disputes into this inter- Of course, the DG-elect has Afghanistan, Sudan, Egypt, Tuni- ing obstacle to most of the election, at times bitterly fought national forum. the many other responsibilities sia, Iraq, Syria and others. It has dryland nations and has deep and now with the result being Qatar demonstrated its on hand but with US and Israel fine-tuned a strategy to change impact on them, and if the declared, the Qatari nominee – maturity by not resorting to such pulling out of this international the demography, change the cul- efforts are not unified to face Hamad Al-Kawari immediately allegations and accusations and forum, she may be staring down ture, bribe and slowly bring these obstacles, sustainable congratulated the French can- in the finest democratic tradi- at the end of an empty financial people, communities and entire development will become didate, Audrey Azoulay, as she tion, accepted the verdict with barrel – restoring the financial nations under its command. unachievable and, most goes on to occupy the august all humility – Hamad bin health being the most challeng- Diplomatic Square further importantly, regional and office of Director General, Abdulaziz Al Kawari pledging his ing task. Will Qatar step in to fill writes: “How Qatar wants to international political stabil- UNESCO. full support to Unesco in pursu- the void? position itself is Qatar’s prerog- ity will be inexistent. Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin ance of its mission. One hopes Along with the restructuring ative but it can emerge as the Drylands make up 40 Hamad Al Thani sent a congrat- that Unesco will become inclu- of Unesco, certain punitive new centre for medical research, percent of the Earth and ulatory message to the French sive and work towards a new clauses should also be brought from vector borne diseases to house nearly three billion President Emmanuel Macron world order that would accept in. Countries that support, viruses that cause Ebola, Yellow region, be a new lighthouse of people, two thirds of whom bringing to a closure a demo- history, plurality and diversity. overtly or covertly, destructive Fever, Malaria, Dengue to non- thinking, and globally dispel the rely on agriculture to secure cratic election amidst turbulent Director-General-elect forces like Al Qaida, ISIS and vector borne virus infections like darkness caused in the name of their lives. Food security in times with the United States and Audrey Azoulay has now the similar sinister groups must be HIV, Hepatitis and others. Qatar a religion.” drylands remains the main Israel sadly pulling out of the UN onerous obligation of protecting compelled to pay huge compen- with its financial clout can attract Truly, Qatar can become an concern for inhabitants of organization. the world heritage centres that sation for their wanton acts of the best brains in the industry, island of Hope for entire Human- poor rural areas who face The present election marked are increasingly being threat- destruction. and construct the finest institu- ity which is screaming for succor fragile environment systems a new high and a new low in ened by the very forces that It is no surprise that the rise tions for these purposes. It can against diseases and ailment that due to water scarcity, soil elections being contested at created and nourished the ISIS, of terrorism coincides with the serve a very positive role in the are presently incurable! deterioration etc. QRCS provides aid to 1,298 Nepal families

The Peninsula to the recent floods and land- capital city of Nepal. achievements in Nepal since (6,490 people) received shel- slides in the country. At a press conference held 2013. Then, the media report- ter and hygiene kits, including atar Red Crescent Soci- The intervention was by the Ambassador of the State ers were informed about the material like mosquito nets, ety’s (QRCS) relief funded by Qatar Fund for of Qatar to Nepal, Yousef details of the current relief tarpaulins, soaps, washing Qdelegation to the Repub- Development (QFFD) and Ahmed Al Hail, QRCS’s team intervention plan. powder, toothpaste, tooth- lic of Nepal has completed the supervised by the Qatari gave an overview of the organ- Over a period till Septem- brushes, hair shampoo, and The volunteers of QRCS distribute aid. first phase of quick response embassy in Kathmandu, the isation’s humanitarian ber 24, 1,298 affected families nail clippers. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA 09 Truck bomb explodes outside Mogadishu hotel; 20 dead

Mogadishu Devastation busy road and left many people AFP dead. I saw several dead bodies Witnesses said the strewn about but could not count truck bomb exploded blast, which threw a them,” said witness Ismail Yusuf. outside a hotel at a thick cloud of smoke Emergency services were busy junction in into the sky that overwhelmed as they sought to Somalia’s capital could be seen across respond to the bombing. Mogadishu yesterday the city, badly “This was very horrible inci- causingA widespread devastation dent. The emergency team don’t damaged a nearby that left at least 20 dead, with the even know how many people hotel and left scenes toll likely to rise. they have collected because of “Initial reports from emer- of devastation on the the high number of the casual- gency departments indicate busy road. ties,” said Abdukadir Haji Aden, more than 20 bodies picked up director of Mogadishu’s main off the street and many more are There was no Amin Ambulance Service. under the wreckage of buildings immediate claim of “They have collected tens of destroyed by the blast”, said responsibility, but dead and injured and the work Ibrahim Mohamed, a senior the Al Qaeda aligned is still ongoing,” he said. police officer. Al Shabaab carries The so-called “Kilometre 5” Government security official out frequent suicide junction is in the Hodan district, Mohamed Aden said that bomb- bombings in the a bustling commercial part of the ing took place in a busy part of capital and city with many shops, hotels and the city. elsewhere as it fights businesses. The explosion “There was a huge blast occurred outside the Safari Hotel, to overthrow the Somali Armed Forces evacuate their injured colleague, from the scene of an explosion in KM4 caused by a truck loaded with a popular place but not one that internationally- street in the Hodan district of Mogadishu, Somalia, yesterday. explosives. It went off at the backed government. is commonly used by govern- entrance of a hotel alongside the ment officials. It is not known K5 intersection,” he said. whether the hotel was the target it was, “the biggest blast I have scene from a war,” said Ahmed and launch attacks on military, There was no immediate blast, which threw a thick cloud on this occasion, but in the past ever witnessed, it destroyed the Bare, another witness. government and civilian targets claim of responsibility, but the of smoke into the sky that could the Al Shabaab has frequently whole area.” “There were dead The Shabaab was forced out in Somalia, as well as terrorist Al Qaeda aligned Al Shabaab car- be seen across the city, badly attacked hotels where officials bodies everywhere and injured of the capital six years ago by raids in neighbouring Kenya. ries out frequent suicide damaged a nearby hotel and left stay. people were screaming, some of African Union and Somali troops, Saturday’s blast comes two bombings in the capital and else- scenes of devastation on the busy In any case, the devastation them from under the rubble of and subsequently lost control of days after Somalia’s defence where as it fights to overthrow road. caused was widespread. Muhi- destroyed buildings,” said major towns across southern minister and army chief both the internationally-backed gov- “This was very horrible, the din Ali, a Mogadishu resident Fadumo Dahir, a witness. Somalia. However, the militants resigned from their posts with- ernment. Witnesses said the bomb went off alongside the who was close by at the time said “The whole area looks like a continue to control rural areas out explanation.

Turkey orders 4 dead as French detention of 100 former cops plane crashes Ankara Reuters

urkish authorities issued detention warrants yes- off Ivory Coast Tterday for 100 former police officers and have so far Abidjan Sakho said. The plane had taken detained 63 of them, the AFP off from Ouagadougou in state-run Anadolu news Burkina Faso and crash-landed agency said, as part of a wid- our Moldovan nationals in the sea near Abidjan, break- ening crackdown since last were killed yesterday when ing in half, he explained. year’s failed coup attempt. Fa transport plane chartered Local forces were hoping to The suspects were by the French army crashed off secure the wreck before it drifted believed to be users of Ivory Coast, firefighters said. away “so investigators can do ByLock, an encrypted mes- Another six people were their job”, he said. saging app which the injured in the crash of the A French military source said government says was used by Antonov aircraft which had 10 the Antonov was chartered as the network of US-based People stand on the beach of Port-Bouet in Abidjan as they look at the wreckage of a cargo people on board, firefighter part of Barkhane, under which cleric Fethullah Gulen, Colonel Issa Sakho told local France maintains a 4,000-man plane that crashed off Ivory Coast, yesterday. accused by Ankara of orches- television. mission in the region. trating last July’s abortive Four French nationals were The operation aims to shore forces are stationed in cargo. There was a heavy storm Gabon and Dakar, Senegal. putsch. among the injured, a French mil- up fragile Sahel countries against Ouagadougou. over Abidjan early Saturday, but One of their key missions is Gulen, who has lived in itary source said, indicating that jihadists who have carried out a Every year, around 100 sor- it was unclear whether the heavy to extract French or other west- self-imposed exile in Penn- the plane had been chartered as wave of bloody bombings, shoot- ties are flown out of Abidjan weather was the cause of the ern civilians in case of trouble in sylvania since 1999, denies part of the anti-jihadist Opera- ings and kidnappings. airport as part of Barkhane, often accident. France keeps around Ivory Coast or neighbouring involvement. Anadolu said tion Barkhane. The French military base in by former Soviet army pilots in 950 military personnel in Ivory countries. Abidjan is strategically security forces were seeking “There were 10 people on Abidjan provides logistical sup- Ukrainian-made Antonovs. The Coast as part of the FFCI force well-placed in the region as most the suspects in 19 provinces board, Moldovans and French port for the operation which is planes frequently carry French based in the biggest French army French-speaking African coun- across the country. people. The four victims who headquartered in N’Djamena, the military personnel and sub-con- base on Africa’s Atlantic coast. tries can be reached by air in Since the abortive coup, died are Moldovan nationals,” capital of Chad. French special tractors accompanying their Other bases are in Libreville, under three hours. more than 50,000 people have been jailed pending trial over alleged links to Gulen, while 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended Attack on Syria vaccine store leaves children at risk: WHO from jobs in the military, pub- lic and private sectors. Rights groups and some London the attack would put thousands received were of an attack on a “Until a new cold room is - tend to break out in war zones of Turkey’s Western allies Reuters of children at risk of these seri- vaccine cold room at health built and the required cold chain because low vaccine coverage have voiced concern about ous infectious, viral diseases. facilities in Al Mayadin, near Deir equipment - including solar leaves gaps in population immu- the crackdown, fearing the he World Health Organi- Both can spread rapidly in areas Al Zor in eastern Syria. The WHO fridges, cold boxes and vaccine nity, exposing children to government is using the coup zation said it had received of conflict. did not say whether the reports carriers - are delivered, this will infection. The WHO previously as a pretext to quash dissent. Treports of an attack on “We unequivocally condemn it received gave any detail on delay ... routine immunization tackled a polio outbreak in the The government says only medical facilities in eastern Syria these actions. Vaccines are not who carried out the reported for vulnerable children in the same area of Syria in 2013-2014. such a purge could neutral- that had destroyed a store con- a legitimate target of war,” the attack. area,” Hoff said. The UN health agency said that ise the threat represented by taining more than 130,000 WHO’s representative in Syria, The store had held 100,000 Polio - a viral disease that in its last polio vaccination cam- Gulen’s network, which it vaccine doses against measles Elizabeth Hoff, said in a state- doses of measles vaccine, 35,000 can cripple its victims - and paign in Deir al-Zor it reached says deeply infiltrated insti- and polio. ment issued. doses of polio vaccine, plus measles - which can cause diar- more than 252,000 babies and tutions such as the army, If confirmed, the WHO said, The WHO said the reports it syringes and other equipment. rhoea, blindness and can kill children. schools and courts. 10 VIEWS SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI [email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED [email protected]

EDITORIAL Taking note ix days after Russian President Vladimir Putin What does KRG referendum mean celebrated his birthday in style and received a deluge of greetings from Russians extolling his unparalleled virtues, the Kremlin came under the spotlight for issuing a currency note with the for Arabs, Turks and Middle East? Simage of Crimea on it. Ukrainians were quick to react. The government in Kiev, already bitter years after the Crimean Peninsula Arabs. In fact, for the first time in many border since the founding of the Republic was annexed to Russia, banned the note immediately as it Sener Akturk decades, there is not a single state, de facto of Turkey, and yet the independence of the did any other Rouble bill that had an image of the region. Anatolia or de jure, that Sunni Arabs of Iraq and Syrian Arab Republic did not lead to any Moscow had earlier issued a new note worth 200 Syria can identify as their own state. Sunni significant Arab secessionism in Turkey. roubles featuring a naval memorial in the city of Arabs are excluded from political power There are a significant number of ethnic Sevastopol — the base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet — and not only in Baghdad and Damascus, which Georgians among Turkish citizens, and Unesco-protected Greek and Roman ruins at nearby he significance of the Kurdistan Regional are more sectarian than before in part due they might make up majorities in some dis- Chersonesus. The design also includes the Crimean Government’s unilateral decision to hold to the ongoing wars, but Sunni Arabs are tricts in Turkey’s northeastern border with Peninsula’s map. a referendum for secession from Iraq can- also excluded from political power in Erbil Georgia, and yet the independence of Geor- That the Kremlin likes to be in the news is no news. It not be overstated. Both the arguments in and Qamisli (Kamışlı), the political capitals gia in 1992 did not lead to Georgian cleverly wants to keep Russians talking and thinking favor of and against the Kurdish Regional of the Kurdish nationalist and Kurdish secessionism in Turkey. about Crimea — an issue that propelled Russian TGovernment’s referendum have been based on some socialist state-like entities (devlet benzeri The same is true for the failure of strongman Putin to the top of ranking charts when the incomplete and misleading statements and wrong yapılar) that are taking shape in northern “Turkish secessionism” in the Balkans. Russian economy had tanked because of international assumptions, which I will critically review and Iraq and northern Syria, respectively. Even though the majority of the population sanctions imposed by the United States and other attempt to correct in this brief commentary. I hope This is in great part the result of the in the Kırcaali (Kardzhali) region of south- Western powers. that a more accurate picture of what is happening ongoing wars in Iraq and Syria since 2003 eastern Bulgaria near the Turkish border The note issue has again roiled ties between Ukraine and its historical significance will emerge in the and 2011, respectively, which marginalized are Turkish speaking Muslims, there has and Russia as the two neighbours continue to tussle over course of such a correction. Sunni Arabs in both countries. In other not been any Turkish secessionism in Bul- the territory and insurgency in eastern Ukraine threatens Referendum fractured not just Kurdish-Shia words, Sunni Arabs became “the largest garia. Similarly, although the majority of the Donbass. but also Kurdish-Sunni Arab alliance stateless ethno-religious group” in what the population in the Gümülcine (Komotini) Putin’s Crimea gambit has played out well inasmuch First of all, in his first address to the public used to be Iraq and Syria. Numbering tens province of Greece near the Turkish border through the official Kurdish news channel Rudaw of millions of people, they are “governed” are Turkish speaking Muslims, there has as it has made him very in Iraq, Masoud Barzani, the leader of the Kurdish mostly through brute military force alone. not been any Turkish secessionism in popular with the average Regional Government, declared that, “you were They are living in what resembles “four Greece, or a demand to reunite with Tur- Russian as the country the ones who announced that the Kurdish-Shia zones of occupation” by the Assad regime, key through a referendum since such a weathers a Western onslaught alliance is over; there is no purpose of continuing Baghdad government, KRG’s peshmerga, referendum was one of the explicit goals of Kremlin’s decision led by the eastward expansion an unsuccessful experience.” However, Barzani’s and the PYD militia. The Kurdish socialist Turkey’s national pact (Misak-ı Milli). of the North Atlantic Treaty to print a rouble statement is incomplete in the sense that perhaps PYD in particular is supported by the A similar dynamic can be observed in Organisation (Nato) and the greater significance of the KRG’s referendum strange alliance of Western volunteers the relationship between Azerbaijan and note with deployment of missile for secession is not the end of the Kurdish-Shia including anarchists, Marxists, and the Iran since 1992, which is even more sur- Crimea’s image interceptor systems. alliance, but the end of the Kurdish-Sunni Arab United States airforce. The latter deserves prising in many respects. Azerbaijanis, who is redolent of a Putin is more concerned coexistence going back more than a thousand special emphasis in this alliance, since speak a Turkic language that is very distinct about his popularity not only confrontational years. The significance of this development can- recently the US airforce has been killing and unrelated to Persian, make up approx- because he has to sustain not be overstated, as Arabs and Kurds have been more civilians than the Assad regime. imately one-fourth of the population of attitude. himself amid a flailing living together and deeply influenced each other KRG’s decision to secede from Iraq on Iran, with their capital city being Tabriz. Yet economy and faltering rouble since their conversion to Islam thirteen hundred an ethnic basis, thus abandoning Sunni the independence of the oil-rich former but because of elections in years ago (many Kurds even claim and take pride Arabs to the mercy of the Baghdad govern- Soviet republic of Azerbaijan immediately 2018. in being the second major ethnic group to convert ment, completes their exclusion and bordering Iran’s Azerbaijan province, did The former KGB spy has to Islam, after Arabs). Arab-Kurdish split has been militarized oppression. Moreover, other not lead to the secession of southern weathered many a storm over the years. He has revelled underway in Syria for many years now, where the minority groups such as Turkmens, which Azerbaijan from Iran. Examples can be in taking on the West and riling responsible governments. Kurdish socialist PYD, supported by the United include both Shias and Sunnis, and Assyr- multiplied ad infinitum. Under Putin’s presidency, Russia has been spreading its States military, has taken over many Arab towns ian Christians, are also being The bottom line is that the independ- sphere of influence by strong-arming former Soviet such as Tel Abyad, and driven out (or “ethnically disenfranchised as a result of the bifurca- ence of a coethnic state, even if speaking Republics Georgia and Armenia and trying to sow fear in cleansed”, to use a terrible euphemism) a signifi- tion of political power between Shiite elites the same language, would not and did not the Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. The cant portion of the Arab population of in Baghdad and Damascus on the one lead necessarily to secessionism in neigh- three Baltic Republics, with their peaceful societies and northeastern Syria. hand, and various stripes of Kurdish elites boring countries in the Middle East and the placid polities, have been shaken by Russian warplanes If the decision for KRG’s secession from Arab- in Erbil and Qamisli on the other. Balkans. This has a simple reason: Human repeatedly trying to violate their air space. majority Iraq was primarily motivated by Would KRG’s secession trigger seces- beings have multiple identities including As far as Crimea is concerned, the Russian strongman sectarian discrimination (pro-Shia, anti-Sunni) sionism in Turkey, Iran, Syria, or the ethnic, religious, sexual, ideological, parti- was also supported in his misadventure by former Soviet practiced by the Baghdad government, not just Balkans? san, and territorial, and there is no inherent President Mikhail Gorbachev — the father of Praestroika Sunni Kurds but also Sunni Arabs and other non- Another major theme in the debates reason why they would choose their ethnic and Glasnost — who is known to have praised Putin for Shiites could have joined in founding a rival “free over KRG’s referendum to secede from Iraq identity above all the other identities they righting a historical wrong. Iraq”, “northern Iraq” or some other rival state has been the speculation that KRG’s seces- have. Amid Russia’s isolation from the West, Putin has where Sunnis would not be discriminated. Such a sion would trigger Kurdish secessionism in If people can express their ethnic iden- cleverly worked to keep Russians happy by spouting state would not only include Erbil, the capital of Turkey. This claim is incomplete and thus tity relatively freely in the public sphere, nationalistic rhetoric and the country’s glorious Soviet KRG, but also Mosul, the largest Sunni Arab city misleading in that KRG’s secession could and receive state support for education and that remains in Iraq. However, this is not what indeed contribute to a secessionist wave broadcasting in their native language for past. Though even cultural icons like Leo Tolstoy are happened. As it happened, the KRG went for a worldwide, including both near and fara- example, there might not be much of a jus- known to have been jettisoned in the new Russia being referendum calling for a unilateral secession from way lands such as Syria, Iran, Catalonia, tification for secession. Turkey’s historic led by Putin, a large number of Russians feel that the the rest of Iraq, seemingly based on KRG’s ethnic Scotland, and Quebec. However, such reforms allowing for publicly funded Kurd- glory of their country has been restored by their leader. difference alone, hence abandoning Sunni Arabs secessionism would not necessarily affect ish language broadcasting and education and other minorities to confront the Shia-domi- Turkey the most, as some seem to assume. between 2004 and 2013 helped to curb nated central government in Baghdad. The There are several very relevant counter- secessionism by expanding support for eth- immediate repercussion of this decision for all examples against this nic and linguistic expression of minorities. QUOTE OF THE DAY the other “Sunnis” in Iraq will be disastrous: claim. There have been For the same reasons, KRG’s secession Together with the Kurds, all Sunnis made up significant number of is much more likely to trigger Kurdish approximately 40-45% of Iraq’s population, but Turkish Arabs (probably secessionism in Iran, where Kurds are per- once Kurds secede from Iraq, the remaining more than a million) living secuted both as an ethnic and a religious I hope the resolution Sunnis will be an even smaller minority in an alongside the Syrian (Sunni) minority, and where there is very that comes out urges overwhelmingly Shiite state, which will make little if any democratic mechanism for the government to really them even more vulnerable to persecution than Kurds to express their grievances and press ahead and create they already are. It is very difficult to justify interests vis-à-vis the Tehran government. Sunni Arabs of Iraq and Syria: Stateless It is also likely to trigger secessionism in the conditions that would group divided by four state-like entities KRG’s secession primarily on territories controlled by the Kurdish social- allow the refugees to There are multiple ways in which the KRG’s the basis of ethnic or religious ist PYD in northeastern Syria with direct US return with dignity and secessionist initiative further weakened Sunni persecution, because KRG has support. For the same reason, it is very dif- Arabs and other discriminated against minori- a high level of autonomy, and ficult to justify KRG’s secession primarily with a sense of security. ties vis-à-vis the Baghdad government, making on the basis of ethnic or religious persecu- them even more vulnerable than ever before. the ethnic and religious rights tion, because KRG has a high level of Kofi Annan Even though the Turkish media mainly focused of the Kurds are safeguarded autonomy, and the ethnic and religious Former UN chief on the plight of the Turkmen, the biggest losers within the KRG. rights of the Kurds are safeguarded within of KRG’s referendum may have been Sunni the KRG. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 OPINION 11 Production of biofuels from different ethical dimensions

farmers and consumers in developing countries regarding On the other hand, biofuel production seems to offer Mohammed Rashid Al-Sulaiti to this aspect and there could be social and environmental great opportunities and promises to farmers, particu- To what extent we should costs at the global scale. In this regard, the UN Secretary larly, the poor farmers in developing countries, as it can examine new technologies? General - Ban Ki-moon, in his opening comments to the guarantee for them sufficient income and a promising High-level Segment of the 16th session of the UN Commis- generous life. Different reports have conducted an sion on Sustainable Development, recommended that: assessment in Mozambique, and it was found biofuel select appropriate and environmentally n a time where science and technology are advanc- “We need to ensure that policies promoting biofuels are production can enhance growth and reduces poverty. friendly energy sources. It was con- ing in fast pace, we as a community should step consistent with maintaining food security and achieving Another report shows that biofuel production has the cluded that biofuel production widely forward in a thoughtful way maintaining sustaina- sustainable development goals’’ (UN, 2008). Alongside potential to eliminate the poverty in drylands in India, can lead to inequality, while in some bility pillars (Social, Environment and Economic). these risks associated with increasing biofuel production, and may eradicate poverty if it is carefully implemented. cases, biofuel production may affect Biofuel production concept has been practicing food security in developing countries is a point of focus Diverting arable land into biofuels production land food and water security, and if it is not Isince long time ago. As a trail of tackling the determinis- and major concerns are being raised about exacerbating will have an impact on land appraisal, as land values will controlled, it may lead to further fam- tic consequences of using non-renewable energy, food security problem. To start with, in the short term, liable to increase. Simultaneously, this can offer oppor- ine particularly in developing countries. biofuel production was touted as the saviour to solve the world population estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050, tunities to poor farmers. Production of biofuel crops can Biofuel production has raised some problem. Although the spent efforts to mitigate the con- which means the demand on food will increase alongside. present a long-term opportunity for agricultural and concerns in terms of the direct effects sumption of fossil fuels and to find alternative sources The enormous increasing in population growth poses a rural areas in which the demand can promote the to biota. However, biofuel production are commendable, the application of these alternative challenge for the whole world, and puts us in a large ethi- growth in supply and generate the resources to increase may introduce promises for some sources widely, have raised queries whether biofuels cal dilemma, as partners in decision making, to offer the income and capital in rural areas. farmers as it can offer them sustainable production can equally be distributed in the world with- best solutions to deal with this challenge. When considering the different aspects that may be profit. By the same token, biofuel pro- out consequences or not. One of the deterministic consequences may follow affected by biofuel production, putting environment into duction is intended to mitigate Researches have shown that biofuel production is the food security issue is increasing in food prices. The account should be the first thing to consider, as the envi- greenhouse emissions, however, being developed and can produce a wide range of feed- inflation is more likely to affect poorer and vulnerable ronment represents important pillar to all of the changing land usage does produce car- stock, such as biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane and groups. During 2007 – 2008 the world encountered an previous aspects. If it is decided to plant biofuel feed- bon dioxide. The problem lies in the biohydrogen, the feature that makes the idea more use- international food price crisis, the food commodities stock, a native vegetation has to be eradicated, fact even bioenergy will absorb carbon ful. Also, many researches have demonstrated how prices has increased dramatically, the sudden increase subsequently, ecological damage can be done in some- dioxide as they grow, thence, bioenergy various sources of biofuel production are efficient and had spectacular effects on the poor people developing how. One of the concerns raised between ecologists and can only substitute non-renewable how they can be improved through the advanced tech- countries, who spent most of their income revenue on posing an actual danger is destroying local habitat. This energy in the short term. nologies. While many countries seem willing to reduce staple food. As it can be seen from figure 1, prices of dif- can be done through destroying animal and plant habi- Finally, it was concluded, judging their greenhouse emissions, biofuel production has ferent grains started to increase since 2008. Findings tations. Lessons can be learnt from previous example, from the consequentialist theory, become an attractive choice because of its efficient stated in a report ‘‘A note on rising food prices’’ that the such as amplification of corn ethanol production, crop-based biofuel may lead to many energy, as well as applying it in wider area would not inflation is ascribed to the production of biofuel crops. whereas since 2005, the ethanol production has threat- environmental and social conse- comprise a big difference in the way the non-renewable Biofuels production contributed the increase in food ened lands enrolled in the US and amplification of palm quences, and judging from the energy used previously. For example, it still can be used prices, which led to 110 million people into poverty and oil plantations of natural habitats in Malaysia. On the deontological theory, and apart from in internal combustions engines and combustions added 44 million people to the undernourished. For this, other angle, recent study has shown native vegetation infringement of food sources, produc- fuelled electric power plant. the UN Special Rapporteur Jean Ziegler was quoted represents an excellent scrubber of carbon dioxide, and tion of biofuel crops may lead to However, debates regarding to extending biofuel pro- describing the practice of biofuel production as a ‘crime introducing new vegetation may result in elevation of inequitable access and unevenly dis- duction in a larger domain have been accelerating in last against humanity’. carbon dioxide or/and less efficient removal of green- tributed means of energy. Further decades. It is argued that using biofuel production in Water availability in regions can be a challenge while house emissions. researches are needed to alleviate the widespread area may have adversely impact on various freshwater is already scarce in several regions of the Moreover, further damages can occur through creat- direct effects arising from land divert- aspects. Concerns were raised about the implications for world. It is estimated that around 80% of the world’s pop- ing carbon debt. Converting rainforests, peatlands, ing and to develop the technology as ulation is prone to threat to water security. Besides, in savannas or grassland to produce crop-based biofuel biofuel production has proven it effi- such a critical time where the climate change is causing requires large amount of energy, therefore, elevating ciency in some areas. Production of biofuels contributed droughts and affecting water resources through the greenhouse emissions. In Brazil, Southeast Asia and the world, water resource became depletable. Higher tem- United States a biofuel carbon debt was created by releas- The writer is a graduate from Univer- the increase in food prices, which perature and less of rainfall will increase the need of ing 17 – 40 times more carbon dioxide than the annual sity of Nottingham and Bachelor of led to 110 million people into irrigation. For example, in the Western US, water supply greenhouse gas reductions that these biofuels could help Environmental Science. poverty and added 44 million are highly susceptible to the melting that affect snowpack. by minimising fossil fuels emissions. people to the undernourished. Previous researches have concluded water availability The overgrowing population and the energy demand can address threats and should be considered carefully. are putting us under pressure and huge responsibility to

D-RING ROAD In Austria, the problem is not the far-right party POST BOX: 3488 DOHA - QATAR his campaign, Kurz asked the [email protected] Farid Hafez right-leaning Austrian voters to Al Jazeera give their votes to the OVP, claim- ing that he is the one capable of EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE actually implementing original TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 anti-immigrant FPO-positions to FAX: +974 4455 7758 ast year, many observers who were law. But Kurz was not only tar- worried about the rise of the far- geting staunch FPO supporters; MANAGING EDITOR right in Europe and the United he has something to offer to the TEL: 4462 7505 States felt relieved after the former others, as well: His discourse is leader of the small Green Party, more ambivalent than any of his DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR LAlexander Van der Bellen, won Austria’s rivals, giving space to interpreta- TEL: 4455 7769 presidential elections by a small margin. He tion and leaving the listeners with managed to defeat the seemingly nice face of an image of him as someone they Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO), Nor- can relate to, wherever they may LOCAL NEWS SECTION bert Hofer, by mobilising the liberal, left, place themselves on the political TEL: 4455 7743 cosmopolitan and urban part of the elector- spectrum. ate behind him. But that race was for a The SPO is less ambivalent in BUSINESS NEWS SECTION political position of limited influence (Austria its discourse, but also more silent TEL: 4462 7535 is a parliamentary democracy), and Bellen’s on the “hot issues”. The party victory was very narrow. seems to be facing a program- SPORT NEWS SECTION Now, Austria is getting ready for national matic dilemma between showing TEL: 4455 7745 parliamentary elections and most polls pre- internationalist solidarity with dict that the far right will once again come a the marginalised, the immi- ONLINE SECTION close second. According to the last poll con- Supporters hold posters for the final campaigning event of the leader of the right-wing grants, and the working poor, Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe) in Vienna ahead of the parliamentary elections. TEL: 4462 7501 ducted before Sunday’s election, the FPO is and protecting Austrian workers [email protected] expected to get 27 percent of the vote, behind as a traditional labour party. In the conservative party (OVP), which is esti- as the scapegoat of all social and political problems in terms of the Muslim stereotype, the party’s dilemma arises between PUBLIC RELATIONS mated to gain around 33 percent. The today’s Austria. It called for Islam not to be legally rec- its anti-racist agenda on one side and its secularist anti-religion incumbent social democrats (SPO) are ognised as a religion and regularly used slogans such as agenda on the other. Both camps are active and vocal in the party, TEL: 4455 7613 expected to get only 24 percent of the vote. “Islam is not at home here” and the like for its election causing divisions in party ranks. The party’s leader and current Aus- [email protected] But the relative strength of the far right in campaigns. The party even called for the surveillance of trian chancellor, Christian Kern, has not shown the ability to lead the the polls, which implies that they can become Muslim prayer rooms and the closing of Muslim Kin- party on a stringent strategy. So there is still a chance that the party ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT a junior partner in a coalition government, is dergartens and schools. In a nutshell, the FPO wants to will move further towards the right after the election. TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 not the most worrying thing about the reverse the 1912 law that recognised Islam as an official After the election, the OVP and the SPO are not likely to form FAX: 4455 7870 upcoming election — the right-wing swing of religion in Austria and reverse the country’s quite toler- another coalition, given that the last coalition formed by these two [email protected] the country’s two main parties is. A traditional ant — compared with several other European countries mainstream parties was beset with friction and deadlock before it political establishment composed of the SPO — attitude towards Muslims. Slowly but surely, the rest finally broke down earlier this year, triggering the forthcoming elec- CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT and the OVP ruled Austria for a very long of the political parties in Austria followed suit. The peak tions. So after Sunday’s election, the main question will most probably TEL: 4455 7857 time. This system, where the two main par- of this development manifested in the 2015 Islam Act be: Who will join ranks with the FPO and form the governing coalition? [email protected] ties shared power for most of the time, was and the 2017 Integration Act. While the first has institu- Will it be — as most commentators tend to believe — the OVP, shaken only in the late 1980s, when the FPO tionalised a number of anti-Muslim claims made by the since it has, in fact, adopted numerous positions claimed originally by SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION and the Greens were established. The FPO FPO, the latter banned the wearing of the full face-veil. the FPO and since both share a neo-liberal economic programme that TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 eventually became a junior government part- The veil ban has had far-reaching consequences. Since strengthens the rich and cost the poor? This model is already practised FAX: 44557819 ner in 2000. But more significantly, the FPO it was implemented on October 1, civilians - not the locally in the Upper Austrian county. Or will it be the SPO? If the right- has had a deep impact on the country’s politi- police! — started stopping Muslim women and hinder- leaning camp within the party, which has a hard stance on [email protected] cal discourse throughout the years, as it ing their right to free movement. immigration politics, becomes more dominant, the party can easily managed to carry its aggressive politics Neither of these acts was concocted solely by the find enough common ground with the FPO to form a coalition. This towards minorities to the mainstream. The far-right FPO; they were both approved in parliament model is also currently in practice in the county of Burgenland. SPO’s All thoughts and views FPO, which was formed as a traditional pro- by the majority of the MPs from the SPO and the OVP. long-held position to not form a coalition with the far-right FPO, expressed in these columns test party, lost its appeal and was nearly The election campaigns for this year’s parliamen- which was established under the leadership of Frantz Vranitzky in disintegrated after being part of the govern- tary elections were in line with the anti-Muslim 1986, has been officially abandoned, not only for the pragmatic reason are those of the writers, not ing coalition between 2000-2005. Yet, the sentiment that led to the approval of these two acts, and of crippling OVP’s chances to cooperate with them, but also because of the newspaper. FPO rose from its ashes in the last decade. In were generally shaped by far-right positions. the traditionally left-wing party became more accommodating of FPO order to make a comeback, the party The foreign minister and new leader of the OVP, positions over time. The smaller parties, liberals, Greens, and some All correspondence removed its economically liberal members 31-year-old Sebastian Kurz, who renamed his party other marginalised groups, will unlikely to make it into a coalition regarding Views and and replaced them with far-right fraternities “List of Kurz — The New People’s Party”, was able to government and again stay in opposition. Opinion pages should be fond of the traditional sport of fencing. present himself as a tough law-and-order politician In the end, whatever may be the outcome of the election — to As a result, 2005 onwards, the FPO con- throughout the election campaign. He worked for the some extent — is secondary in terms of Austria’s swinging to the right, mailed to the centrated on the imaginary “Muslim enemy” closure of the Balkan and Mediterranean immigration because right-wing populism has long been in power and practised by [email protected] to stay relevant and cast Muslim immigrants routes during his time as foreign minister. In both the OVP and SPO. 12 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017

Turkish foreign IS fighters give minister talks to Hamas chief

in as Raqqa’s Ankara Anatolia

oreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke over fall imminent Fthe phone with senior Palestinian officials late Fri- day following the recent Kobane political reconciliation effort AFP The US-led coalition in Cairo. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Cavu- ozens of Islamic backing the offensive soglu spoke with Palestinian State group fight- insisted that foreign Foreign Minister Riyad Al ers have fighters would not Maliki and Hamas chief Ismail surrendered in Haniyeh. their former Syrian be allowed to leave The minister told Anadolu Dstronghold of Raqqa, the US- the city. Agency: “We share great hap- led coalition said yesterday, as piness and feel rightful pride the fall of the one-time jihadist in seeing our Palestinian bastion nears. brothers/sisters embracing In neighbouring Deir Ezzor since then they have captured each other.” province meanwhile, Syria’s around 90 percent of the city. He reaffirmed Turkey’s army captured the IS strong- In recent days, talks had support, especially as the cur- hold of Mayadeen, in the latest been under way on a deal to rent chair of Organization of blow to the jihadists who are secure the last parts of Raqqa Islamic Cooperation (OIC). seeing their self-styled while protecting trapped civil- File picture shows the damage in the embattled northern Syrian city of Raqqa last month. “I’ve underlined the “caliphate” crumble. ians, some of them being used importance of continuing the A war monitor said no Syr- by IS fighters as human shields. process as it is, without wast- ian members of the jihadist Yesterday, the US-led coa- Observatory head Rami Abdel much of which remains under IS Abdel Rahman said up to 150 for- ing any time and [urge them group remained in Raqqa, and lition confirmed dozens of IS Rahman, saying they numbered control. eign jihadists remain in Raqqa to] reach a conclusion.” that negotiations on the fate of fighters had handed themselves around 200 fighters. Members of the RCC — a pro- and negotiations on their fate Cavusoglu also said rec- foreign fighters were ongoing. in. “Within the past 24 hours, A Raqqa official said yester- visional administration for the were ongoing. onciliation in Palestine was But the US-led coalition approximately 100 ISIS terror- day that Syrian IS members had city, set up by the SDF — had been “The foreign fighters are ask- necessary for “defending the backing the offensive insisted ists have surrendered in Raqqa, surrendered overnight to the SDF, working with tribal leaders ing to leave in one group towards rights of the Palestinians at that foreign fighters would not and were removed from the without specifying how many. throughout the week to try to areas under IS control in Deir international platforms”. be allowed to leave the city. city,” the coalition said in a “They sent a message to the secure safe passage for Ezzor province,” in eastern Syria, On Thursday, Hamas and Raqqa was once the de statement in response to Raqqa Civil Council (RCC) and to civilians. he said. Fatah signed a landmark rec- facto Syrian capital of the jihad- questions. the tribal mediators,” the official Up to 1,500 civilians have The US-led coalition however onciliation agreement in ist group’s “caliphate” and the Earlier, the Syrian Observ- said. managed to flee the battle-rav- insisted that “foreign fighters are Egyptian capital Cairo aimed city’s loss would be a new blow atory for Human Rights, a “Those that surrendered are aged city in the past week, not being allowed to leave at ending 10 years of deep for IS, which has already been Britain-based monitor of the local, not foreigners — the for- according to the coalition. The Raqqa,” and cautioned that it still inter-Palestinian political driven from its strongholds in war, reported that all the eigners have not handed United Nations estimates thou- expected “difficult fighting in the division. Under the deal, the Iraq including second city remaining Syrian IS members themselves in yet,” he said. sands more may still be trapped days ahead.” Ramallah-based Palestinian Mosul. in the city had now left with An SDF military source told inside. And Nuri Mahmud, a spokes- unity government will In June, the US-backed Syr- their families. AFP that buses and trucks were US-led coalition strikes have man for the key Kurdish People’s assume political and admin- ian Democratic Forces (SDF), “All Syrian fighters from the waiting outside Raqqa and would dropped off at points in the past Protection Units that forms the istrative responsibility for the an alliance of Kurdish and Arab Islamic State group left Raqqa take the surrendered fighters fur- week, with their latest update SDF’s backbone, denied that any Gaza Strip no later than fighters, broke into Raqqa, and over the past five days,” said ther east to Deir Ezzor province, reporting no air raids on Friday. deal would be cut with IS. December 1.

Nigeria to issue visa Iraq troops in armed standoff with Kurd forces on arrival for Maryam Beik visible behind an earthen areas in their autonomous region AFP embankment topped with con- until the independence vote is crete blocks painted with the red, annulled. He insisted on Thursday all Africans housands of Iraqi troops white green and yellow of the that he was “not going... to make were locked in an armed Kurdish flag. war on our Kurdish citizens”. Addis Ababa Tstandoff with Kurdish “Our forces are not moving But thousands of heavily AP forces in the disputed oil prov- and are now waiting for orders armed troops and members of ince of Kirkuk yesterday as from the general staff,” an Iraqi the Popular Mobilisation Force igeria has decided to Washington scrambled to avert army officer said, asking not to (PMF) — paramilitary units start issuing visas on fighting between the key allies be identified. largely made up of Iran-trained Narrival for all Africans, in the war against the Islamic The two sides have been at Shia militias — have massed the African Union said yes- State group. loggerheads since the Kurds around Kirkuk. terday, in a major step toward The clock was ticking down voted overwhelmingly for inde- They have already retaken a the goal of free movement on to a 2am yesterday deadline that pendence in a September 25 string of positions to the south the continent. The continen- the Kurds say Baghdad has set referendum that Baghdad of the city after Kurdish forces tal body’s deputy chairman for their forces to surrender rejected as illegal. withdrew. Kwesi Quartey praised the positions they took during the Polling was held not only in The Kurds have deployed action as a “laudable move fightback against the jihadists the three provinces of the auton- thousands of peshmerga fight- People mourning during the funeral of a Kurdish fighter in the towards Africa’s integration over the past three years. omous Kurdish region but also ers to the area around Kirkuk Kurdish town of Kobane in northern Syria, yesterday. agenda” in a Facebook post. Armoured cars of the Iraqi in adjacent Kurdish-held areas, itself and have vowed to defend The AU has advocated for army bearing the national flag including Kirkuk. the city “at any cost.” necessary. If “the other side they had received an ultimatum a “single African passport” were posted on the bank of a Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Just hours before the dead- makes the mistake of advanc- to withdraw. “The deadline set that aims to improve intra- river on the southern outskirts Abadi has said there can be no fur- line, a peshmerga commander ing, we’ll give them a lesson they for the peshmerga to return to African trade and has called of the city of Kirkuk, an AFP pho- ther discussion of the Kurds’ on the western front said Kurd- won’t forget in a hurry”, Kamal their pre-June 6, 2014 positions for “the abolishment of visa tographer reported. longstanding demands to incor- ish fighters had “taken all the Kirkuki said. will expire during the night,” a requirements for all African On the opposite bank, Kurd- porate Kirkuk and other necessary measures” and were So far the front lines have senior Kurdish official said, ask- citizens in all African coun- ish peshmerga fighters were historically Kurdish-majority “ready for a confrontation” if been quiet but the Kurds said ing not to be identified. tries by 2018.” A spokeswoman for the AU chairperson, Ebba Kalondo, said they were wait- Demo glamour ing for details from Nigeria as Kenya school attack the news was “announced verbally with no formal communication.” leaves seven dead Nigerian officials could not immediately be reached. Nigeria announced the action Nairobi said Seif Matata, Turkana coun- at a retreat for permanent rep- AFP ty’s commissioner. resentatives, the AU’s political Matata said the incident affairs office said in a tweet. student suspected of join- occurred at around 03:00am Africans need visas to travel ing in an armed raid that while students at Lokichogio to 55 percent of the continent, A killed six at a school in Mixed Secondary School were according to AU figures. Kenya’s far north yesterday was asleep in their dormitories. According to the African stoned to death by angry locals Turkana governor Josphat Development Bank’s 2017 and his body burned, officials Nanok said 18 people suffered Africa Visa Openness Report , said. The suspect— a suspended bullet wounds in the attack. Africans can get a visa on student at the school in Loki- Members of the Toposa arrival in just 24 percent of chogio — was arrested before tribal militia from South Sudan, other African countries, while irate locals forced their way into 200km to the north, are believed North Americans, for exam- the police station and dragged to be responsible for the vio- ple, have easier travel access him from his cell. lence. Matata alleged that a on the continent. “Free move- He was being held over the suspended student, identified by ment on the continent would school attack that left five stu- officials as 20-year-old Abra- entail the implementation of dents and a security guard at ham Lochor from South Sudan, continent-wide visa-free A Lebanese woman takes a selfie during a protest in the northern town of Zouk Mosbeh, the boarding school dead. led the raid. The Kenya Red regimes including issuance of calling for the departure of Syrian refugees who have fled their war-torn country into “Six people were killed in Cross said it had evacuated those visas at ports of entry for Afri- Lebanon, yesterday. the attack, including students, injured in the school attack by cans,” the AU suggested. and we have others injured,” plane for treatment. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 ASIA 13 Modi announces Rs100bn for 20 best universities

Patna Promises autonomy involved in the selection proc- IANS ess,” Modi said. “We are not among Referring to demands for rime Minister Naren- the top 500. We making Patna University a cen- dra Modi yesterday should remove this tral university, Modi said it said it was a “blot” that blot or not. The should strive to be among the Indian universities do situation should globally-ranked varsity based on not figure among the change through our the competition and “this was Ptop 500 of the world and added determination and many times ahead of being a that the government has decided hard work,” Modi central university”. to give autonomy and Rs100bn said. “Patna University should not to top 10 public and 10 private stay behind (in the challenge),” universities over the next five he said. Modi said reforms in the years to make them country’s education sector have world-class. public universities world-class progressed at a slow speed and Addressing the centenary by providing them autonomy there have been differences celebrations of Patna University from the constraints of govern- among educationists which had here in presence of Bihar Chief ment rules and freedom to grow. hampered innovation with the India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centenary Celebrations of Patna University, in Minister Nitish Kumar, Modi said “They will be given Rs100bn governments too not measuring Patna, yesterday. Indian universities such as in the next five years,” Modi said. up to the task. Nalanda and Takshashila He said the selection will not The Prime Minister said that make the best use,” he said. more actively. “We need to understand the attracted students from all over be on any recommendation. “The for two years he heard argu- Modi said that Patna Univer- Modi said both students and changing trends across the world the world. universities will be a selected on ments for and against granting sity was known to produce IAS universities face challenge due and the increased spirit of com- “We are not among the top the basis of a challenge in which more autonomy to Indian Insti- and IPS officers and in the same to technological intervention and petitiveness. In that context India 500. We should remove this blot they will be required to prove tutes of Management (IIMs) and manner IIMs are known to pro- there was need to “un-learn, de- has to make its place in the or not. The situation should their mettle. then a big decision was taken. duce Chief Executive Officers learn and re-learn”. world,” Modi said. change through our determina- The selection will be based “It is for the first time that the (CEOs) of global companies. He said 65 per cent of the He appreciated the efforts of tion and hard work,” Modi said. on factors such as history, per- IIMs are out of government con- He also urged universities to population of the country was Nitish Kumar towards develop- He said the government has formance and its roadmap reach trol and have been professionally move from conventional teach- below 35 years in age and the ment of the state and said the come out with a scheme to make global benchmarks. A third party opened up. This is a big oppor- ing to innovative learning and dreams of development can be progress of eastern India is the 10 private and 10 professional agency will be tunity for them and they would involve alumni associations fulfilled. Centre’s topmost priority.

Kejriwal’s Air pollution Five thrashed on suspicion stolen car of carrying beef in Haryana

found in Faridabad auto-rickshaw. IANS On yesterday, police regis- Ghaziabad tered a case under Sections 148, ive Muslim youths from 149, 323, 341, and 506 of the Faridabad district of Har- Indian Penal Code at Mujessar New Delhi Fyana were thrashed by police station against unknown IANS cow vigilantes who suspected 15-20 persons for thrashing the them of transporting beef in five youths. Police said on a elhi Chief Minister Mujessar area, following which complaint by Faridabad’s San- Arvind Kejriwal’s sto- members of both the groups jay Colony resident Bajranji, the Dlen blue Maruti were booked in different cases, five youths too were booked in Wagon R car was found police said yesterday. a cross-case under The Hary- abandoned early yesterday Police said two brothers ana Gauvansh and in Ghaziabad in Uttar Isaan Mohammad and Shahzad Gausamvardhan Act of 2015. Pradesh, police said. along with Shakeel, Sonu, and “A laboratory test has since A senior police officer Azaad Mohammad -- all resi- established that the seized meat told IANS that the Uttar dents of three villages in was of buffalo and not cow or Pradesh Police found the car An Indian farm labourer burning paddy stubble in a field on the outskirts of Amritsar Faridabad district -- were its progeny. After the report, and informed their Delhi yesterday. The burning of waste agricultural products is a major factor in the air pollution thrashed by a mob of cow vig- 15-20 unknown persons were counterparts. crisis in winter months. ilantes on Friday when they booked under the IPC,” a sen- Delhi Police Spokesper- were carrying meat in an ior police officer said. son Madhur Verma said the car was not parked in an authorised parking and there was no anti-theft device in Top LeT militant the car which made it easy Five dead after heavy rain in Bengaluru for the thief to steal it. dead in Kashmir Preliminary police inves- Bengaluru Among the victims, Vasudev, suburb when the wall of the old during its withdrawal phase tigation revealed that only IANS 40, a priest in Ganesha temple house crashed and fell on them even as the north-east monsoon gunfight one person was involved, in Basaveshwarnagar slipped as they were clearing the rain is a week away. “The city and all available leads were ive people, including two into a storm-water drain and water in a room. received 181 mm rain since being pursued to arrest him, women, were killed and a drowned. The fire brigade per- Karnataka Chief Minister October 1 and the forecast is Srinagar the officer said. Fdozen others injured since sonnel recovered his body in an Siddaramaiah, who visited the moderate to heavy rains will IANS The car, registered in the Friday as heavy monsoon rains open culvert a km away from the rain-affected areas along with continue till the onset of the name of the Aam Aadmi continued to pound the city, spot. Bengaluru Development Minis- north-east monsoon from Octo- wo Lashkar-e-Taiba Party (AAP), was being used wreaking havoc and flooding “Meenakshi, 55, and her ter K J George and City Mayor ber 20,” said regional met militants, including a by the party’s Media Coordi- several localities, said a civic daughter Pushpalatha, 22, were Sampath Raj, took stock of the director Sundar Metri. Ttop “commander” nator Vandana Singh. official yesterday. washed away when the flood situation and declared Rs 5 lakh An active monsoon led to Wasim Shah who is believed It was stolen from out- “Heavy downpour with thun- water entered their house in a compensation to the families of heavy rains in and around the to be behind recruiting local side the Delhi Secretariat on derstorm and gusty winds in the low-laying area at Laggere (in the victims. city this season, with a record youth to join the terror out- Thursday. The officer said city claimed five lives since Fri- the western suburbs). Their bod- “The toll in rain-related inci- 430 mm rainfall in September fit, were killed in a gunfight the stolen car was caught on day night. A temple priest, a ies are yet to be traced despite dents across the city has gone and 250 mm in August. The with security forces in Jammu CCTVs installed at the Delhi- couple and a mother and daugh- day-long search,” said Suresh. up to 8 this season,” added meteorological department fore- and Kashmir’s Pulwama dis- Noida Direct flyover and ter died in rain-related incidents,” Shankarappa, 55, and his Suresh. cast heavy showers for the next trict yesterday, triggering police suspected it must have Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara wife Kamalamma, 44, were Though the south-west two days. The city recorded protests by locals who been driven to Noida or Palike (BBMP) spokesman N found dead earlier in the day at monsoon was set to end in Sep- 1,540 mm of rain by October 14 clashed with police, in which Ghaziabad. Suresh said. Kuruburahalli in the north-west tember, it remained active this monsoon. one civilian was killed. In a separate incident, mil- itants attacked a police vehicle in Damhal Hanjipora area Sat- urday evening, killing a Police release sketches of Lankesh murder suspects constable. LeT district com- mander Wasim Shah alias Usman, hailing from Shopian, Bengaluru sketch-makers as per eyewitness Giving an account of the part of the investigation so far, any link between Lankesh’s was killed along with Naseer IANS accounts,” SIT head and Inspec- investigation conducted over the added Singh. murder to the killings of ration- Mir in Litter village, where the tor General of Police (IGP) B.K. last one month, Singh said the “We request the public to alist Narendra Dabholkar (shot gun battle took place. he Special Investigation Singh told reporters here. suspects, aged between 25-35 help us find their hideouts in the dead in 2013), and scholar M.M. Police said Wasim Shah Team (SIT) probing the Lankesh, 55, editor of Kan- years, were residing in the city city,” he added. Kalburgi (shot dead in 2015), he was a close associate of Hiz- Tmurder last month of jour- nada weekly tabloid “Gauri for at least one week before they He also asserted that the said, “Till date, we could not find bul commander, Burhan nalist-activist Gauri Lankesh Lankesh Patrike” was shot dead committed the crime. 150-member SIT is carrying out any such links.” Wani who was killed on July yesterday released three outside her house in the city’s “It is suspected that these the investigation “without any He said “there is a personal 8 last year in Kokernag area sketches of two persons sus- southwest suburb on the night persons stayed in the area near bias and is hunting for the sus- angle, a professional angle, and of Anantnag district, trigger- pected to be her killers. of September 5, sparking outrage the residence of Gauri Lankesh,” pects based on the sketches”. an activist angle” that they are ing months-long violent “Three sketches of two sus- and nationwide protests. he said. “We are investigating only on probing in the murder, adding, protests in the valley in which pects have been made on the “We have got video clips of They carried out a “recce” the basis of evidence, and are not “So far, we have ruled out the many people were killed. The basis of their description by eye- a motorcycle rider who is sus- around Lankesh’s home prior to looking at any particular insti- professional angle, which has to protester, identified as Gul- witness accounts and the CCTV pected to be involved in the committing the crime, he said. tution behind these suspects,” do with her journalism (mean- zar Ahmad Mir, sustained a footage obtained. Two sketches commission of the offence,” The SIT has interrogated Singh asserted. ing that no professional rivalry gunshot injury and was of one suspect were made by two asserted Singh. more than 200-250 people as Asked if the SIT could find led to her murder).” shifted to a nearby hospital. 14 ASIA SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 Four Rohingya trampled to death by wild elephants

Cox’s Bazar other vegetation anywhere they AFP Annan’s plea can to erect shelters from the Victims were monsoon rain. ild elephants building a shack in a Many newly arrived refugees killed four are camping in the open or along part of the forest Rohingya refu- roadsides, where they rush aid gees including where wild trucks for food and other des- three children elephants frequently perately needed supplies. Was they were building a shack on search for food. The Bangladesh government forest land in southern Bangladesh has allocated 3,000 acres (1,214 yesterday, police said. Former UN chief Kofi hectares) of forest land to build The incident occurred at Bal- Annan urged Security proper shelters for the refugees ukhali camp in Cox’s Bazar Council to push for but many have already set up district, where hundreds of thou- the return of shacks before the actual con- sands of Rohingya have set up Rohyinga to Myanmar. struction begins. makeshift shelters since fleeing A Cox’s Bazar district forest violence across the border in official said that clashes between Myanmar. “They were trampled attacked by wild elephants in the animals and refugees were to death by seven or eight wild area. Earlier two Rohingya -- an “inevitable” as the camp areas Rohingya refugees walk back after collecting health and sanitation aid at the Balukhali refugee elephants. They include a woman elderly person and a child -- have been a roaming ground for camp in the Bangladeshi district of Ukhia, yesterday. and three children,” Afrozul Haq were killed by elephants as they elephants for centuries. “The is Tutul, deputy police chief of were sleeping in a makeshift a reserve forest land, frequented Cox’s Bazar, said. shelter. An estimated 536,000 by wild Asian elephants all the ously overcrowded. Meanwhile, former UN chief must work with the country’s Two people were also Rohingya have arrived in Bang- time,” he said, speaking on con- The latest violence erupted Kofi Annan urged the Security military and civilian leaders to injured, he said, adding all the ladesh since a fresh outbreak of dition of anonymity. after Rohingya militant raids on Council yesterday to push for the end the refugee crisis. victims were Rohingya who were violence erupted on August 25 The authorities want to 30 police posts in Rakhine trig- return to Myanmar of hundreds The Security Council is building a shack on in a part of in Myanmar’s westernmost extend the existing camps gered a military crackdown. of thousands of Muslim Rohyin- weighing action, possibly a res- the forest where wild elephants Rakhine state. around Kutupalong and Bal- The UN calls the army fight- gas who have been driven out in olution laying out demands, but frequently search for food and Space at established refugee ukhali into a refugee city for back a “textbook example of an army campaign. diplomats have said China, a shelter. camps in Bangladesh has been 800,000 Rohingya, but the ethnic cleansing” with villages Annan, who led an advisory supporter of Myanmar’s former This is the second time all but exhausted, with new United Nations has warned such set ablaze to drive Rohingya commission to the Myanmar ruling junta, and Russia are Rohingya refugees have been arrivals hacking away trees and a settlement would be danger- civilians out. government, said world powers opposed to such a measure. Bangladesh judge accused of corruption as he leaves country

Dhaka widespread speculation that he Bangladesh President Abdul and at one stage he even said secular judiciary in the Muslim- the country’s justice minister that AFP had come under pressure to take Hamid had called four top judges clearly that he would step down majority nation. his absence was due to illness. leave over a landmark verdict of the Supreme Court to his pal- if they stopped sitting with him In a written statement issued “I’m not sick. I’m not fleeing. I’ll angladesh’s chief justice delivered by his court that went ace on September 30 and handed in court. Later, on October 2, he before his departure, Sinha said come back,” Sinha said, adding has been accused of seri- against the government in August. over the documents on “11 specific sought a one-month leave from he was a “bit worried about the that his leave was “in the inter- Bous crimes including The graft allegations emerged allegations” against Sinha. “They the President, who granted the independence of the judiciary”, ests of the judiciary”. corruption by the country’s gov- in a rare statement from Sinha’s include money laundering, finan- holiday from the next day, it said. expressing dismay over criticism “I’m fully well, but the way a ernment, it emerged yesterday, own Supreme Court yesterday, cial irregularities, corruption, The saga over his leave came he has faced from the govern- political quarter, lawyers, and as he departed for Australia which said other top judges have moral degradation and other spe- just months after he led the ment over the August ruling on especially some honourable min- expressing his fears for judicial refused to sit with him at the top cific serious allegations ,” it said. Supreme Court in scrapping par- judicial dismissals. Sinha, who isters of the government and the independence in the nation. bench after he was accused of It said the judges held a liament’s power to sack top insisted he would return to Bang- honourable prime minister are The accusations against serious crimes such as graft. meeting with Sinha over the judges -- a move hailed by law- ladesh once his leave ends on criticising me recently over a ver- Surendra Kumar Sinha follow The statement said charges at his residence in Dhaka yers as a crucial safeguard for a November 10, rejected claims by dict made me embarrassed.” Typhoon Japan zoo mourns death ‘Khanun’ expected to of love-struck penguin hit China Tokyo worldwide. AFP A steady stream of mourn- Shanghai ers has visited Tobu zoo’s Reuters n elderly penguin who penguin enclosure, many with shot to fame in Japan flowers, since the tragic news yphoon “Khanun” is Aafter falling in love with broke on Friday, while officials expected to hit China’s a cardboard cut-out of a car- erected a makeshift shrine to THainan Island or south- toon character has died, at the their fallen celebrity on ern provinces this weekend, ripe old age of 21. Saturday. the official Xinhua news Officials at Tobu zoo in “Little Grape had a wife agency reported yesterday. Saitama, north of Tokyo, said called Midori but she left him The train and vehicle ferry Grape passed away after a brief and found herself a new hus- on the Qiongzhou Strait, which illness with the object of his band,” Tobu zoo’s penguin connects the island with the desire right by his side. caretaker Eri Nemoto told local southern province of Guang- He would have been around media. “We put the cardboard dong on China’s mainland was 80 in human years. panel next to him to comfort suspended yesterday morning Earlier this year, the Hum- him to the very end.” as winds of 24.5 to 36.9 metres boldt penguin became smitten Tributes flooded in on per second are expected in the with a cut-out of Hululu -- a social media too under the Paramilitary police officers keep watch in an alley in the old part of Beijing as the capital evening. character from the Japanese trending hashtag “Grape-kun” Meanwhile, the southern prepares for the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, yesterday. anime “Kemono Friends” -- (little grape), with several province of Fujian has acti- after being dumped by his users posting elaborate hand- vated a level 4 anti-typhoon former mate, a female called drawn pictures of Grape response, which involves the China Communist Party agrees to Midori. gazing longingly at Hululu. mooring of vessels in regional A love-sick Grape found “Goodnight sweet prince,” waters, a separate report solace in Hululu and would wrote one Twitter user, while from the agency said amend constitution at key conclave stare at her for hours on end. another posted: “You charmed yesterday. The plight of the romantic the world and made it a little The typhoon is slowly penguin went viral, earning brighter. See you, Space approaching China’s south- Beijing National Congress for review,” Analysts speculate that Xi’s Grape millions of fans Cowboy.” ern coast and the impact on AFP it said in a statement released name could be added to the par- Fujian province is increasing, through the official state news ty’s constitution, elevating him said the agency. hina’s Communist Party agency, without giving further into the exclusive pantheon of Fujian has experienced announced yesterday that details. Chinese leaders. That privilege around two weeks of rain and Cit agreed to amend its The congress is expected to has only been granted to Xi’s two extreme winds. constitution, ahead of a keenly- see Xi granted the customary most powerful predecessors, Mao For the last two days the watched congress, with second five-year term as gen- Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. wind-speed level has been speculation mounting that eral secretary of the Communist The Communist command- between levels 9 to 11, accord- leader Xi Jinping’s name will be Party, thereby renewing his de ments currently features “Mao ing to the agency. added to the document, enshrin- facto mandate to serve as pres- Zedong Thought” and “Deng Fujian authorities have ing his legacy. ident of the world’s Xiaoping Theory”, with the asked all relevant depart- The Central Committee said second-largest economy. political philosophies or ideas ments to be at the ready along it had passed an amendment to The official Xinhua news of other leaders included with- coastal areas. the party’s constitution at the agency said last month that the out their names. Typhoons Talim and Dok- end of a plenary meeting held constitution will be amended dur- This weeks congress is hotly suri brought torrential rain in advance of the main twice- ing the congress to “reflect the anticipated to herald a signifi- and gales to Hainan and other a-decade congress, which opens new governance concepts, cant shake-up in the leadership coastal provinces in southern Wednesday and is expected to thoughts and strategies” devel- ranks, with five out of seven A file photo shows Humboldt penguin Grape. Grape shot to China last month, leading to see Xi tighten his grip on power. oped by the Central Committee members of the Politburo Stand- the suspension of sea and rail “The document will be sub- since the last meeting five years ing Committee that rules over fame in Japan after falling in love with a cardboard cut-out services in the regions. mitted to the upcoming 19th CPC ago. China set to be replaced. of a cartoon character Hululu. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 ASIA 15 N Korea ‘readies missile launch’ before US-South Korea drill

Seoul hangars near Pyongyang and in reach the US West Coast. after another nuclear-powered have fuelled fears of conflict on the AFP Trump threats the North Phyongan Province. A defence ministry spokes- submarine -- the USS Tuscon -- Korean peninsula. Satellite pictures US and South Korean mili- man declined to comment on the left after a five day visit. But military intervention orth Korea is show ballistic tary officials suspect the North report, saying: “We don’t com- Earlier this week the US flew against North Korea would have believed to be pre- missiles being might be preparing to launch ment on any matters of military two supersonic heavy bombers “devastating consequences”, paring to launch a transported out of missiles capable of reaching US intelligence”. over the Korean peninsula, stag- Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg ballistic missile territory, the newspaper said. “We are keeping a close ing the first night-time joint warned Friday, after Trump said hangars near ahead of an upcom- This could be the Hwa- watch over the North,” he added. aviation exercises with Japan and diplomatic efforts had failed. Ning joint naval drill by the US and Pyongyang. song-14 inter-continental The joint drills led by the USS South Korea. Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg South Korea, a news report said ballistic missile (ICBM), whose Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier That mission came 17 days said on Friday that a military yesterday, citing a government Trump’s threats range could extend to Alaska, or come after hectic US military after four US F-35B stealth intervention against North Korea source. against North Korea Hwasong-12 intermediate-range hardware movements around the fighter jets and two B-1Bs flew would have “devastating conse- The US navy said on Friday have fuelled fears missiles which Pyongyang Korean peninsula in recent days. over the peninsula. Professor quences”, after US President that a US aircraft carrier will lead of conflict on the threatened to fire towards the US These follow a flurry of missiles Yang Moo-Jin of the University Donald Trump said diplomatic the drill in the coming week, a Korean peninsula. Pacific territory of Guam in from Pyongyang, which con- of North Korean Studies said it efforts had failed. fresh show of force against North August, the report said. ducted its sixth and most powerful was “highly likely” that the North Stoltenberg, who will visit Korea as tensions soar over the Another possibility is that the nuclear test last month in defiance could launch missiles in response South Korea and Japan in the hermit state’s weapons pro- The Donga Ilbo daily, quot- North might be preparing to test of international sanctions. to next week’s joint navy drill. coming weeks as a show of sup- gramme. The move will likely rile ing a government source, said a new Hwasong-13 ICBM, it On Friday the nuclear-pow- US President Donald Trump’s port, stressed that Washington Pyongyang which has previously satellite pictures show ballistic added, that has a longer maxi- ered USS Michigan submarine continued threats of military had the right to defend itself and responded angrily to joint missiles mounted on launchers mum range than the other two arrived at the southern South action against Pyongyang if it does its allies, but called for greater exercises. being transported out of missiles and could potentially Korean port of Busan, just days not tame its weapons ambitions diplomatic efforts.

Australian Thousands rally in charged for Malaysia against Najib drugs in Bali Denpasar Kuala Lumpur way things are going under AFP Reuters Najib. “Prices of everything have n Australian who was housands of protesters gone up but not our salaries. We nabbed with drugs in gathered at an unsanc- can’t save. So we don’t want this Ahis luggage in Bali and Ttioned rally yesterday to leader anymore,” said Hasmurni, briefly escaped custody by demand action against Prime who travelled several hours climbing through a toilet air Minister Najib Razak over the north from her home state of vent has been charged with mismanagement of billions of Malacca to attend the evening narcotics possession, a police dollars by a state fund. rally. Yesterday’s rally was spokesman said yesterday. Malaysia’s opposition are touted as the finale of a two Joshua James Baker was counting on the 1Malaysia Devel- month-long anti-kleptocracy detained after arriving at opment Berhad (1MDB) scandal roadshow, a platform set up by Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport from to turn as many voters as they the opposition Pakatan Harapan Bangkok on October 8 when can against Najib, who can call (PH) coalition to convince the Indonesian police found for national polls anytime majority Malay-Muslim voters drugs in his luggage. between now and the middle of in rural battleground areas that “He had 28 grammes of next year. the country has suffered from marijuana and 37 diazepam The prime minister has so far Najib’s handling of 1MDB. pills,” Bali police spokesman been able to weather the scan- Najib’s popularity took a hit Hengky Widjaja said. dal, consolidating power by from persistent bad press linked But Baker slipped away clamping down on dissenters to 1MDB, especially after the US when he was led to a toilet for and curbing local media and Department of Justice filed civil People attend an anti-kleptocracy rally in Petaling Jaya, near Kuala Lumpur, yesterday. a urine test on Monday, activists even as he faces a fierce suits to recover over $1.7bn climbing through a ventila- challenge from his former men- alleged to have been misappro- expected to announce plenty of community. continue to rule. tion shaft to make his tor, Mahathir Mohamad. priated from the 1MDB fund. people-centric initiatives later But Mahathir, who saw “Never before have we had getaway. But rising living costs and a A rebounding economy and this month when he tables his through Malaysia’s industriali- a prime minister who is a thief. Police soon became sus- broad-based consumption tax strengthening ringgit currency, last budget before the polls. Just sation as its longest-serving He steals so he can have a com- picious of his long bathroom are leaving people like Hasmurni however, are working in Najib’s a few months prior, he prime minister, warned that fortable life,” Mahathir told the break and launched a man- Tamby, a 42-year-old single favour. announced billions in housing nothing good will come out of crowd when delivering the final hunt when they realised he mother of five, fed up with the The prime minister is and cash aid for the Malay allowing his former protege to speech of the night. had escaped. They found him around 10 hours later in the beach village of Canggu. Baker is charged with drug possession and faces a More women killed in gender violence than conflicts in Asia: Expert minimum of five years in prison if convicted. Kuala Lumpur study on conflicts and violence one of the largest killers in Asia of women branded as witches is becoming the deadliest threat Indonesia has some of the Reuters revealed violence against - if not the largest,” Barron told have persisted in some parts of to women in Southeast Asian world’s toughest drugs laws, women in Asia has greater - and the Thomson Reuters Founda- South Asia, including India and nations such as Indonesia and with sentences including the ender-based violence is more deadly - impacts than pre- tion by phone from Pakistan, despite years of cam- East Timor but a lack of data death penalty available for emerging as one of the viously thought. Washington. paign to halt these practices. hampers a definitive smugglers who carry five or Gdeadliest forms of vio- In India for example, the “We see a rise in violence as An archaic practice of ban- conclusion. more grammes. lence in Asia and it has killed study showed over 8,000 women assert their rights,” the ishing menstruating girls and “The problem is a lot of gen- Several foreign and Indo- more women than armed con- women were killed every year group’s conflict and develop- women to sheds during their der-based violence happens nesian nationals have been flicts in some parts of the region, over dowry disputes - a figure ment regional director added. period also persists in remote within households and because convicted to death by firing an expert on conflict said, call- far higher than the 278 who died He said the trend was also parts of Nepal, resulting in some of cultural norms against report- squad in recent years includ- ing for more attention to the in a Maoist rebellion in eastern seen in Nepal, where gender- dying from attacks by wild ani- ing it, a lot of it goes unreported,” ing Australian Andrew Chan issue. India last year. based violence has become the mals or from snake bites. he said. Barron said he hoped the and Myuran Sukumaran, a Researcher Patrick Barron “The evidence is not abso- deadliest form of violence this Barron said the study findings will spur lawmakers case that sparked diplomatic of the US-based non-profit The lute but it certainly suggested year. “Honour” killings, dowry- released on Thursday also into action to tackle the outrage and a call to abolish Asia Foundation said a two-year that gender-based violence is related deaths and the lynching showed gender-based violence problem. the penalty. Philippines’ Duterte warns of ‘revolutionary government’

Manila would require congressional “I will declare a revolution- AFP approval, if communists and ary government, you are all other opponents tried to desta- arrested. I am not scaring peo- hilippine President Rod- bilise his rule. ple, just remember that,” he said. rigo Duterte has warned “If your destabilisation is Duterte cited the precedent Phe is prepared to establish taking place and there is chaos set by Corazon Aquino, who a “revolutionary government” already, I will not hesitate to established a revolutionary gov- to fend off alleged efforts to oust declare a revolutionary govern- ernment soon after leading a him, fuelling fears of a looming ment until the end of my term “People Power” uprising in 1986 dictatorship. and I will arrest all of you and that ended the dictatorship of He issued the warning on we can go to a full-scale war Ferdinand Marcos. state television late on Friday as against the reds,” Duterte said, Aquino sacked all elected he railed against the press, Euro- in reference to communist officials, abolished Congress and pean lawmakers and other rebels who have waged a nearly tore up the 1973 constitution in critics of his drug war that has 50-year insurgency. favour of a provisional charter. left thousands dead and led Duterte alleged the US Cen- But she then ensured a new rights groups to warn of a crime tral Intelligence Agency was part constitution was written and against humanity. of a plot to destabilise him, and stepped aside after elections in Anti-government protesters display placards during a rally against extra-judicial killings, Duterte said he would resort warned he would jail all of his 1992. She is revered by many inside the state university campus, in Manila, yesterday. Some 3,000 people participated in to a revolutionary government, opponents as well as the com- Filipinos who see her as a her- the rain-soaked street protest in Manila. as opposed to martial law that munist leaders. oine of democracy. 16 EUROPE SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017

Macron says Austria’s Kern in last-ditch poll warning he is not out of touch with Vienna AFP After a campaign people beset by scandals, ustria’s embattled Berlin left-wing chancellor missteps and Reuters gave a last-ditch resignations, the odds warning yesterday to appear to be against rench President voters not to allow Kern, 51, the former Emmanuel Macron, theA country to turn right with a Faccused by critics of coalition of the conservatives Austrian Railways boss being out of touch with ordi- and the far-right. parachuted in by the nary people, denied in an “Austria is at the most SPOe as chancellor in interview with a German mag- important crossroads in dec- May 2016. azine he was aloof, saying that ades,” Christian Kern told a rally he was merely trying to stamp of his Social Democrats (SPOe) out cronyism between politi- in Vienna a day ahead of elec- cians and the media. tions in the wealthy but The 39-year-old former disgruntled Alpine nation. deputy chancellor, 17 years after banker was caught on video “Do we want an Austria Joerg Haider alarmed Europe earlier this month saying dur- where the rich get richer and and Israel by taking the party ing a visit to a struggling where the social security sys- into government. company that workers protest- tem, healh and education are “In parts of society we are ing his economic policies under attack? Or an Austria becoming a minority in our own would do better to get a job in where everybody has an oppor- country,” Strache, 48, told a a nearby aluminium factory tunity?” he said. Vienna rally late Friday. “Let’s battling to find employees. After a campaign beset by get rid of this... government That prompted the far-left scandals, missteps and resigna- before the Austrian people dis- and far-right, who have sought tions, the odds appear to be appear.” Kurz could also go into NEOS party candidates Irmgard Griss (left) and Matthias Strolz arrive for their final election to cast Macron as out of touch against Kern, 51, the former Aus- yet another “grand coalition” with the common man and a campaign rally in Vienna, Austria, yesterday. trian Railways boss parachuted with the SPOe, but the outgoing president for the rich, to say he in by the SPOe as chancellor in one was acrimonious and had shown “contempt”. May 2016. Polls put “wunder- unpopular with Kern and Kurz Strache attacked the crusty SPOe Islamic kindergartens and cut will be the fastest in years. But Macron told Germa- wuzzi” (“whizz-kid”) Sebastian visibly disliking each other. and OeVP, moved to the left on immigrants’ benefits. He claims “The OeVP and the FPOe are ny’s Der Spiegel: “I am not Kurz, 31, and his centre-right “I’ll shoot myself,” one FPOe social issues and went neo-lib- credit for closing the Balkan promising billions of euros in tax aloof. When I travel through People’s Party (OeVP) in first supporter said. Until earlier this eral on the economy. migrant trail in 2016 that brought gifts for the big companies that the country, when I visit a place with over 30 percent and year, the FPOe was on a roll, its “Only if we cut taxes can hundreds of thousands of finance their campaigns,” Kern factory, my staff tell me after on course to become Europe’s candidate almost becoming firms make a profit, invest, and migrants to Europe. said yesterday. “But it won’t be three hours that I am ruining youngest leader. president in December. secure and create jobs,” Strache In slick campaign adverts of the OeVP and the FPOe who pay the schedule.” He added: His most likely coalition Like Alternative for Ger- said Friday. “We need to hike him scaling the Alps, he has the bill, it will be ordinary Aus- “When I am with French peo- partner is seen as the anti-immi- many, Marine Le Pen’s National wages so that people can live.” promised — echoing the FPOe — trians. We are here to stop this.” ple, I am not aloof because I gration Freedom Party (FPOe), Front in France and Geert But when rosy-cheeked to slash taxes and red tape and “I don’t want friends of belong to them.” which may humiliatingly rele- Wilders in the Netherlands, the Kurz, who is foreign minister, “return this beautiful country to Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders Macron said being sur- gate the once-mighty SPOe into FPOe stoked concerns about became OeVP party chief in May, the peak”. Austrian firms have in power,” SPOe supporter Elis- rounded by journalists was third place. Europe’s migrant crisis to boost revamping the party as his own indeed long complained about abeth Untermayer, 68, said, not akin with being close to FPOe chief Heinz-Christian support. personal “movement”, he stole onerous rules and Austria no remembering protesting in 2000 the people, adding: “A presi- Strache, who flirted with neo- Sharply critical of the Euro- supporters from Strache in longer has the EU’s lowest unem- when the FPOe last entered dent should keep the media Nazism in his youth, would be pean Union in its current form, droves. Kurz pledges to close ployment. Growth in 2017 though government. at arm’s length.”

Azores on Autumn in France German minister upsets hurricane alert as Ophelia fellow conservatives approaches over Muslim holidays Lisbon AFP Berlin Reuters Germany is home to he Portuguese Azores around 4.5 million archipelago was on erman Interior Minister Muslims, many of Tweather alert yesterday Thomas de Maiziere has as Hurricane Ophelia Gupset fellow members of whom have a Turkish approached, with heavy rain- Chancellor Angela Merkel’s background. Many fall forecast in the region. conservative bloc by proposing of the more than The hurricane is expected that Germany introduce Mus- to move past the island of lim public holidays. a million migrants Santa Maria before approach- Germany is home to around who have arrived ing Ireland. The Miami-based 4.5 million Muslims, many of in the country from US National Hurricane Center whom have a Turkish back- the Middle East and said that Ophelia was fore- ground. Many of the more than cast to produce total rain a million migrants who have elsewhere over the accumulations of two to four arrived in the country from the last two years are inches (51 to 101 millimetres) Middle East and elsewhere over also Muslims. over the southeastern Azores. People enjoying the weather at the Canal du Midi which is covered with autumn leaves the last two years are also Mus- The rainfall could trigger in Ayguesvives, near Toulouse, yesterday. lims. Speaking on the campaign flooding, it said. Seven of the trail ahead of an election in the whatever religious festivals nine islands that make up the northern state of Lower Saxony they wanted but added: Azores were placed on red due on Sunday, de Maiziere - a “Whether the state should also alert by the regional civil pro- member of Merkel’s Christian protect non-Christian holidays tection services between Democrats (CDU) - said he was with legal regulation in future 1800 GMT and 2400 GMT due Cyprus president to seek second open to certain regions of Ger- is a different issue entirely.” to expected rainfall of 40 mil- many having Muslim public Alexander Dobrindt, a sen- limetres per hour. holidays. ior figure in the Christian Social The local population, He pointed out that All Union (CSU) - the Bavarian sis- which totals 245,000, was five-year term in Jan 2018 vote Saints’ Day was only a public ter party of Merkel’s CDU - told told to stay home if possible holiday in Germany’s Catho- the same newspaper that Ger- during the passage of the hur- Nicosia told supporters in Nicosia. the peace negotiations resum- lic regions and added: “In many’s Christian heritage was ricane which is now a Reuters Peace talks collapsed in July ing. Anastasiades is expected to places where there are many non-negotiable, adding: “We category two out of five, but after the sides failed to agree on run against at least three other Muslims, why can’t we think won’t consider introducing still capable of generating ypriot President Nicos the status of Turkish forces on contenders, including Nicolas about introducing a Muslim Muslim public holidays in Ger- winds of more than 100km Anastasiades said yester- the island, as well as interven- Papadopoulos, son of late pres- public holiday?” many.” A spokeswoman for the per hour. All 17 firefighting Cday that he planned to tion rights of Turkey in Cyprus ident Tassos Papadopoulos who In a speech posted in an Interior Ministry said de Mai- units on the archipelago are seek a second five-year term in stemming from a 1960 inde- rejected a United Nations reuni- audio clip on local news web- ziere remained of the view that on standby to intervene, a elections scheduled for January pendence treaty. fication blueprint for Cyprus in site regionalwolfsburg.de he Germany’s public holidays were spokeswoman for the secu- 2018, pledging to pick up the Anastasiades has faced crit- 2004. also said Germany’s public hol- of a Christian nature “and don’t rity services said. The pace of reunification talks which icism at home for either granting Elections will be held on Jan. idays were generally Christian, have any other roots”. authorities imposed traffic collapsed in acrimony in too many concessions in talks, 28, with a runoff a week later if and should remain that way. The constitution sets out that restrictions on the islands of mid-2017. or of tactical errors which ham- a single candidate does not mus- His proposal prompted a Germany’s individual states Sao Miguel and Santa Maria, Anastasiades, 71, a conserv- pered prospects of a deal. The ter a majority in the first round. backlash from fellow conserv- decide on religious public holi- which are expected to see the ative, was widely credited with simmering conflict remains a The early days of Anastasi- atives, who are due to start days so the federal interior worst of the hurricane. leading a renewed bid to reu- source of tension between Nato ades’s presidency in 2013 were tricky three-way coalition talks minister has no influence on Portugal’s weather cen- nite Cyprus, split in a Turkish allies Greece and Turkey and marked by a financial meltdown with the liberal Free Democrats whether there should be Mus- tre said the eye of the invasion in 1974 after a brief one of the obstacles Ankara has triggered by the exposure of the (FDP) and the Greens next lim public holidays, the hurricane was projected to Greek-inspired coup. to face in its long-frustrated bid island’s banks to indebted week. The conservatives won spokeswoman added. She said pass Santa Maria some 150 “Failure to reach a solution to join the European Union. Greece and fiscal slippage. a September election but suf- the northern city states of Ham- kilometres to the south, with- is not in the interests of either A ‘historic opportunity’ to The island required a €10bn fered their worst result since burg and Bremen had signed out making landfall, before Greek or Turkish Cypriots, and end the decades-old conflict international bailout. contingent 1949 as they lost support to the agreements with some Muslim moving north-west. Ophelia naturally, not of Turkey either. was missed, United Nations Sec- upon winding down one com- far-right. organisations so that Muslim should no longer be a hurri- I want to believe Turkey will see retary-General Antonio Guterres mercial bank and seizing Senior CDU member Wolf- pupils could have such time off cane by the time it reaches the benefits of a solution,” Anas- wrote in a report to the Security deposits in a second. Cyprus gang Bosbach told the school and workers could take Ireland, but will still whip up tasiades, who represents Greek Council on Sept. 28. made a successful exit from the newspaper Bild that everyone holidays for festivals important a powerful storm. Cypriots in peace negotiations, To date, there is no sign of programme in 2016. in Germany could celebrate to Islam. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 EUROPE 17 Infighting threatens to derail Catalan separatists

Barcelona Andrea Levy, a member of the AP Polls show roughly Catalan parliament from Rajoy’s half of Catalonia’s 7.5 Popular Party, said Saturday. atalonia’s separatist Along with being flanked movement is at risk of million residents don’t politically, Puigdemont has eco- breaking apart over want to leave Spain. nomic factors to consider. Banks deepening infighting Pro-union forces have and businesses are discussing about the right strategy held large rallies in relocating their headquarters Cto culminate the long-held desire from Catalonia to other parts of for the prosperous region to Barcelona this week. Spain over fears they would be secede from Spain and become The European Union out of the common European an independent state. supports a united Union market if the region breaks Diehard separatists are push- Spain and no foreign away from the country. ing for a definitive declaration of The Spanish government has independence in the next few country has voice warned that the constitutional days. Moderates still hope to open support for Catalonia’s crisis in Catalonia is already hurt- negotiations with Spanish author- separatists. ing the economy. ities who insist the disputed Puigdemont claimed he had referendum on which such a dec- the mandate to declare an inde- laration would be based was pendent Catalonia after an illegal. for dialogue. Gibert said Puigde- overwhelming “Yes” vote in a Oct. The fault lines widened on mont’s ambiguous position only 1 referendum that Spain’s top Saturday, when the far-left CUP creates “confusion.” court had suspended on grounds party demanded an unambigu- While CUP upped the pres- the vote was likely unconstitu- ous affirmation of Catalan sure on Puigdemont, his main ally tional. Only 43 percent of eligible independence from regional appealed to supporters of seces- voters cast ballots amid a brutal president Carles Puigdemont by sion to stop bickering and stand Spanish police crackdown. Par- A combination picture shows Estelada (Catalan separatist flag), banners that read “Yes”, and the Monday deadline given by behind their leader. ties against secession boycotted Spain’s central government. “We must preserve the unity the referendum. Spanish flags hanging from balconies in Barcelona, Spain, yesterday. If Puigdemont does not com- that is necessary to go all the way ply, CUP spokeswoman Nuria on this path to a republic,” Cata- Gibert said the party will threaten lan vice president Oriol Junqueras to withdraw its support for his said. Junqueras delivered his mes- Spain to take control if gets ambiguous reply ruling coalition in Catalonia’s sage to 200 members of his regional parliament. Such a move Republic Left party at its head- Madrid a split - threatening to suspend for his minority government. 1 referendum that central would likely bring down Puigde- quarters in Barcelona. Reuters Catalonia’s autonomy if he CUP on Friday called on Puig- authorities in Madrid had mont’s government and force The party forms a governing chooses independence. demont to make an unequivocal declared illegal and most oppo- elections. coalition with Puigdemont’s con- he Spanish government will “The answer must be with- declaration of independence in nents of independence “Until there is (a declaration servatives in Catalonia’s take control of Catalonia if out any ambiguity. He must say defiance of the Madrid govern- boycotted, reducing turnout to of independence), we don’t see parliament. Tregional leader Carles Puig- ‘yes’ or ‘no’,” Spanish Interior ment’s deadlines. around 43 percent. any sense in continuing normal Junqueras said the best way demont replies ambiguously to Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido told Such a hardline position has “We have an unequivocal parliamentary activity,” Gibert forward was for secessionists to Madrid’s question about whether Cope radio. “If he answers also been backed by influential and absolute commitment to ful- said. show the world “who wants to he has declared independence ambiguously, it means he doesn’t pro-independence civic group fil the democratic mandate from CUP had initially given Puig- offer dialogue and who rejects it.” from Spain, the interior minister want dialogue and thus the Asamblea Nacional Catalana Oct. 1,” Junqueras said. Under demont a month to attempt talks Spain’s conservative govern- said yesterday. Spanish government will have (Catalan National Assembly). Article 155 of the Spanish con- with the Spanish government. ment, led by Prime Minister Puigdemont made a sym- to take action,” he also said. They were joined on Satur- stitution, the central government However, he disappointed the Mariano Rajoy, is also leaning bolic declaration of Puigdemont, who is holding day by another key member of in Madrid can suspend the polit- party and the secession move- heavily on Puigdemont. The Mon- independence on Tuesday night, consultations with local parties Puigdemont’s coalition, Esquerra ical autonomy of a region if it ment’s grassroots groups when day deadline it gave him to clarify only to suspend it seconds later to prepare his answer, faces a Republicana de Catalunya, breaks the law. he wavered on making an out- his position on independence and call for negotiations with tough dilemma. whose leader Oriol Junqueras This article, which enables right declaration of independence came with an ultimatum: fall in Madrid on the region’s future. If he says he did proclaim said they should press ahead Rajoy to sack the Catalan gov- before the regional parliament on line by October 19 or face losing Spain’s Prime Minister Mar- independence, the central gov- with splitting from Spain follow- ernment and call a regional Tuesday. some or all of the region’s auton- iano Rajoy has given him until ernment will step in. If he says ing an independence vote. election, has never been acti- Instead, Puigdemont asked omous powers. Monday to clarify his position - he did not declare it, then the The Catalan government vated since the constitution was separatist lawmakers to delay the “Time for reflection is running and then until Thursday to far-left Catalan party CUP would said 90 percent of Catalans had adopted in 1978 after the death declaration to provide more time out for Carles Puigdemont,” change his mind if he insists on probably withdraw its support voted for a breakaway in an Oct. of dictator Francisco Franco.

Germany’s FDP does not expect coalition to One of world’s most form before year-end remote islands gets BERLIN: A senior member of the pro-busi- ness Free Democrat (FDP) party that is likely to be a partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s commercial flights new government said in a magazine interview he did not expect the coalition to form before the end of the year. Prosperous Bay Plain referring to a quick change in Next week Merkel’s conservatives - who AP wind speed or direction, or remain the biggest bloc in parliament despite both. That prompted harsh crit- losing support to the far right in a Septem- ne of the world’s most icism of the British government ber election - are due to start talks on remote places became a in a parliamentary report that forming a tricky “Jamaica” coalition with Olittle less isolated yester- said the failure to foresee the the FDP and the Greens. The alliance is day when the first commercial difficult weather conditions was untried at national level and is likely to be flight arrived in St. Helena, a “staggering”, fraught with disagreements on issues like South Atlantic island that until Larger aircraft can land at migrants, tax, European Union reform and recently was only accessible by the airport but with weight the environment. boat and where Napoleon Bona- restrictions, meaning fewer pas- Asked whether the parties could work parte spent his last years in exile. sengers. SA Airlink’s smaller together, FDP deputy leader Wolfgang Kubicki The SA Airlink plane left Embraer E190 is carrying nearly Stephan Weil (left), top candidate of the social democratic SPD party for state said: “It can succeed. The most important thing Johannesburg on a six-hour 80 passengers, including “Saints” is that trust needs to be built between partic- elections in Lower Saxony, distributes roses during an election campaign rally in journey to the British-ruled ter- — the nickname for people from ipants and that takes time.” Hildesheim, central Germany, yesterday. ritory, which hopes to draw St. Helena — tour operators from more tourists to the deposed South Africa and journalists. The French emperor’s final abode, flight from Johannesburg Longwood House, as well as includes a stop in Windhoek, the rugged landscapes, marine life Namibian capital. Margaret Atwood says Trump era ‘feels like 1930s’ and the novelty of visiting a spot The SA Airlink plane con- far off the beaten track. ducted 13 flight trials at the St. Frankfurt a possible reality for them,” said Atwood, a she said, before adding that the exploitation “’Thank you for being part Helena airport in August, AFP prolific Canadian author and poet famed for of young women by powerful men has been of this historical event,” the according to a statement by her cautionary tales. “The Handmaid’s Tale” going on “for really quite a long time”. pilot said before takeoff. Cele- island authorities. Some char- ward-winning novelist Margaret is now a major television show, and the sto- But the recent downfalls of some of these bratory chocolates were ter and medical evacuation Atwood on Saturday said Donald ry’s trademark red cloaks and white bonnets men showed that things were changing. handed out en route. On arrival, flights have used the airport in ATrump’s America reminded her of have been donned as symbols of protest at “I think there have been a number of the island’s governor shook the past year. Europe in the 1930s, and warned that the US demonstrations against threats to wom- cases involving large powerful men with passengers’ hands. Tourism would bring a world was “at a moment of change and dis- en’s healthcare under Trump. lawyers in which, partly due to social media, The new weekly air serv- much-needed boost to St. ruption”. “I think it’s a moment of turmoil “There’s a widespread feeling of dissat- it has become possible for people to speak ice brings an end to what had Helena, which lies about everywhere,” the 77-year-old author said at isfaction and resistance, but no leading figure about it publically in a way they would not been the only regular way to 1,930km west of the border the Frankfurt Book Fair here. has appeared yet,” Atwood said. The US have been able to do once upon a time.” “It reach the island. The royal between Angola and Namibia, “This feels like the 1930s,” she told a press Republican party is “in disarray”, she said, all comes down to the question: who is a mail ship St. Helena, which the nearest mainland. The conference, referring to the rise of populist while the Democrats had yet to formulate a person? The only reasonable answer to that takes nearly a week to arrive island’s biggest industry was leaders and fascism that ultimately led to response. “One wonders what the Demo- has to be: everyone is a person,” she said. from Cape Town, will stop its once growing flax for the man- World War II. “And what’s surprising to many crats are going to come up with because so Atwood was in Frankfurt to receive the voyages in February. ufacture of rope, but St. people in Europe is that this is also happening far... ‘hello, where are you?’” she said. German book trade’s annual “Peace Prize” The official opening of the Helena’s population of more in the United States” which was long seen as Asked what she would say to Trump, for her prescient body of work, due to be St. Helena airport, built on the than 4,000 people is now heav- “a beacon of democracy”, Atwood added. Atwood jokingly replied: “Could you get that awarded today. Regularly tipped for the island’s Prosperous Bay Plain ily dependent on British George Orwell’s “1984” and her own 1985 Twitter account away from him, please?” Nobel Prize for Literature, Atwood was for about $380m of British tax- government support. book “The Handmaid’s Tale”, about a total- But she also praised the power of social asked whether she was disappointed when payers’ money, was supposed Discovered by Portuguese itarian regime where fertile women live in media in giving a voice to the voiceless, as high- the accolade went to British novelist Kazuo to happen in May 2016. But a mariners in 1502, St. Helena sexual servitude, were resonating right now lighted in the sexual assault scandal Ishiguro last week. “I am very used to not Comair Boeing 737 test flight at was a way station for ships for because those worlds no longer seemed so surrounding Hollywood mogul Harvey Wein- winning the Nobel prize. So it’s really not the airport encountered severe centuries and was a key port for far-fetched. “People suddenly feel that it’s stein. “He had nothing to do with our show,” a concern for me,” she quipped. wind shear, a phenomenon Britain’s East India Company. 18 AMERICAS SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 California wildfires rage; over 200 still missing

Sonoma Homes ravaged together — had consumed nearly Reuters 222,000 acres of dry brush, The wind-driven grasslands and trees across eight ire officials in Northern blazes have counties. Officials have said California reported destroyed an power lines toppled by gale- further headway estimated 5,700 force winds the first night may against the most lethal homes and have sparked the conflagration, outbreak of wildfires in businesses and though the official cause Fstate history, as the death toll forced the remained under investigation. rose to 35 and teams with evacuation of at Much of the devastation cen- cadaver dogs combed charred least 25,000 people. tered in and around the Sonoma ruins for human remains. County town of Santa Rosa, The wind-driven blazes, where whole neighbourhoods which erupted on Sunday night Much of the were reduced to landscapes of in the heart of California’s devastation centered gray ash, smoldering debris and renowned town, north of San in and around the burned-out vehicles. A structure burns in the early morning hours in Sonoma, California, yesterday. Francisco, have destroyed an Sonoma County town Some victims were asleep estimated 5,700 homes and busi- of Santa Rosa, where when flames engulfed their nesses and forced the evacuation whole homes, and many survivors had enclave is surrounded by vine- accounted for the overwhelm- know what’s going to happen,” of at least 25,000 people. neighbourhoods only minutes to flee. The pictur- yards, upscale hotels and even a ing majority of individuals Gonzalez said. The region’s With more than 200 people were reduced to esque town of Calistoga, at the replica of a medieval Italian cas- initially reported missing, health system has also been still missing in Sonoma County landscapes of gray northern end of Napa Valley, tle, Castello di Amorosa, one of its authorities said. weakened by the fires. Kaiser alone, and rubble from thou- faced one of the biggest remain- best known attractions. Still, Giordano said 45 Permanente was forced to close ash, smoldering sands of incinerated dwellings ing hazards. Its 5,000-plus The 35 confirmed fatalities - search-and-rescue teams and 18 its Santa Rosa medical center debris and burned- yet to be searched, authorities residents were ordered from 19 in Sonoma County — mark the detectives had been deployed to and pharmacy, and many doc- have said the number fatalities out vehicles. their homes as a fierce blaze greatest loss of life from a single scour obliterated neighbour- tors and small practices from the so-called North Bay dubbed the Tubbs fire crept to fire event on record in Califor- hoods for more victims. evacuated. Kaiser said that it was fires would likely climb higher. extreme heat and winds were within 3.2km of city limits. nia, surpassing the 29 deaths At a fairground converted to rerouting patients, some of Even as firefighters gained forecast to revive over the week- On Friday evening, fires from the Griffith Park fire of 1933 a shelter in the nearby city of whom complained of respiratory more ground, they braced for a end. “We’ve challenged the troops raged along mountain ridges in Los Angeles. Sonoma County Petaluma, about 250 cots were ailments as a result of smoke, to return of higher temperatures, to get out there and secure mainly overlooking Calistoga, threaten- Sheriff Robert Giordano said his full, and people slept in tents in nearby medical centers. lower humidity and strong, gusty the south parts of these fires in ing to rain embers onto the town office had investigated nearly the parking lot as volunteers At least 40 Sonoma County winds that could increase the preparation for those strong north if strong winds blow out of the 1,500 missing-persons reports served porridge and eggs for physicians have lost their homes threat to communities still in winds,” Bret Gouvea, deputy chief north as predicted, Cal Fire stemming from the fires, and all breakfast. Yasmin Gonzalez, 28, in the fires, leaving the county harm’s way. of the California Department of spokesman Dennis Rein said. but 235 had since turned up safe her four children and husband, medical association to seek alter- Ground crews raced to clear Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal A resort and spa destination as of Friday evening. a grape picker, were anxious to native accommodations for drought-parched vegetation along Fire), said. dating from the mid-1800s, Calis- Disruptions in communica- leave the shelter and return to them, agency director Wendy the southern flanks of fires, As of Friday, 17 major wild- toga is famed for its mud baths, tions and the failure of many their apartment in Sonoma. Young said. The year’s wildfire removing highly combustible fuels fires — some encompassing hot springs, geysers and a historic evacuees to promptly check in “It’s horrible to leave your season is one of the worst in his- adjacent to populated areas before several smaller blazes merged Western-style downtown. The with authorities or loved ones home, and your things and not tory in the United States.

Prince Harry among Northern Michigan University too headliners to attend Obama offers marijuana degree Foundation summit Marquette with medicinal value but aren’t illegal to AP grow. Students learn how to measure and Chicago extract the compounds in the plants that AFP university in Michigan is offering can be used for medicinal purposes, then an unusual degree — in marijuana. transfer that knowledge to marijuana, ormer US president ANorthern Michigan University in which has been used to treat a variety of Barack Obama and first Marquette began its medical plant chem- illnesses, including chronic pain, nausea, Flady Michelle are plan- istry programme this semester, with seizures and glaucoma. ning a star-studded gathering about a dozen students in the first class, Canfield said he got the idea while at the end of October, in their the Detroit Free Press reported . The pro- attending the American Chemical Socie- ongoing post-White House gram combines chemistry, biology, botany, ty’s annual meeting in San Diego last year. effort to support future lead- horticulture, marketing and finance. “It was my off day and I saw there was a ers. Prince Harry, Gloria It’s an unusual program. Other uni- cannabis chemistry group that was putting Estefan, and Chance the Rap- Residents affected by Hurricane Maria wait for medical specialists to arrive at versities offer classes on marijuana on a whole series of talks,” he said. “I heard per are among the names the HIMA San Pablo Hospital in the municipality of Caguas, outside San Juan. policy and law. And places such as Oak- all about the need for analytical chemists attending the two-day Chi- sterdam University, Cannabis College, and all sorts of interesting talks. That was cago summit. and Humboldt Cannabis College, all in the initial spark.” University officials say The British royal will Puerto Rico storm toll at 48 California; and THC University, the Grow the program fills a need because 29 address the roughly 500 School and Clover Leaf University in states have legalized medical marijuana, young civic leaders and New York depends on energy.” President Donald Denver offer certificates in a variety of including eight states where marijuana community activists chosen Bloomberg Trump has cited the low reported death disciplines. But Northern Michigan’s pro- is also legal for recreational use. from 20,000 applicants toll in lauding his administration’s gram is unique because the university is “Many of the states are legalizing dif- from around the world, for uerto Rico’s efforts to record how response to the storm, comparing it favo- offering a four-year degree addressing ferent substances and they’re really what the Obama Foundation many people died as a result of rably to “a real catastrophe like Katrina” the science and business behind grow- looking for quality people to do the chem- promises will be intensive PHurricane Maria have slowed to a during a visit to the island. ing marijuana. istry and the science,” said university workshops and opportuni- crawl because a lack of power has forced The official toll from Maria rose to “When they hear what my major is, trustee James Haveman. ties to share ideas. officials to rely on written records col- 48 yesterday after hospitals sent three there are a lot of people who say, ‘Wow, In Michigan, voters in 2008 approved Chance the Rapper and lected from 53 medical offices, rather bodies to the medical examiner. One of cool dude. You’re going to get a degree the use of marijuana to treat certain ill- Estefan will perform in a pub- than using electronic files. those people died from not receiving growing marijuana,’” said Alex Roth, a nesses, but the law has confused many lic concert to cap the event. “We have to go piece of paper by dialysis. Bodies are being sent to medi- sophomore in the program. “But it’s not and has led to significant legal disputes, The gathering in the piece of paper,” Hector Pesquera, secre- cal examiners while hospital reports and an easy degree at all.” including over how to obtain and store Obamas’ hometown is being tary of public safety, said yesterday at permits needed for burials are reviewed. Brandon Canfield, an associate chem- the drug. The state is developing a new organized by their epony- the government’s San Juan command Governor Ricardo Rossello istry professor at Northern Michigan, said regulatory system aimed at increasing mous foundation, which is center. “Energy. That’s the crux of all this announced what he called an aggressive students don’t grow marijuana plants in oversight and imposing new taxes on also building the former thing. That’s why the governor is taking plan to restore 95 percent of the electric- the program, but instead look to other the industry. Applications for licenses president’s library in the such an aggressive approach. So much ity grid by Christmas. plants that are traditionally recognized will be available on December 15. Midwestern US city where Obama got his political start. “The Obama Founda- tion’s goal is to encourage and empower young people Weinstein rebukes continue; brother says business as usual to create positive change in their communities,” David New York statement mentioned a slate of starred in the Weinstein pro- Thompson said she had only “The Hateful Eight” were pro- Simas, CEO of the Obama AP three upcoming films — “Polar- duced film “Brideshead “business contact” with Wein- duced by Weinstein, says he will Foundation, said. oid,” “Paddington 2” and “War Revisited,” said on BBC Two’s stein but recalled his “bullying address the issue soon. Among the attendees he chorus of Hollywood with Grandpa” — and said: “Busi- “Newsnight.” “What he’s at the behavior.” The actress said there More actresses took to social highlighted by the founda- stars denouncing film pro- ness is continuing as usual as the top of the ladder of is a system are “many” men in Hollywood media to describe uncomforta- tion was Trisha Shetty of Tducer Harvey Weinstein company moves ahead.” of harassment and belittling and in the Weinstein vein and asked: ble past meetings Weinstein had India, who started the echoed across the Atlantic, even The public pressure increased bullying and interference.” “Does it only count if you really requested with them in hotels. organization SheSays to as his brother said the embattled on the one-time movie mogul, Some 30 women — includ- have done it to loads and loads Pushback against Weinstein combat sexual abuse production company that bears with Oscar-winners and former ing actresses Angelina Jolie, and loads of women or does it and his company also came against women. both their names insisted busi- Weinstein colleagues Emma Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Pal- count if you do it to one woman, after Showtime said it will not Other notable speakers ness was “continuing as usual.” Thompson and Quentin Taran- trow — have spoken out recently once? I think the latter.” move forward with an Oliver was Matteo Renzi, the former Bob Weinstein, co-chairman tino airing their displeasure, and to say Weinstein had sexually Tarantino said he was Stone drama in development, Italian prime minister, and of The Weinstein Co. issued a more actresses coming forward harassed or sexually assaulted “stunned and heartbroken” “Guantanamo,” unless The Hamdi Ulukaya, founder of statement saying the company to describe harrowing hotel them. Weinstein was fired on about the allegations, but needed Weinstein Co. was removed as the Chobani yogurt brand. wasn’t shutting down or explor- encounters with movie mogul. Sunday by The Weinstein Co., a time to wrap his head around it. a producer. The drama about Chance the Rapper, a ing a sale following allegations “I don’t think you can studio he co-founded with his In a brief statement via Twitter detainees at Guantanamo Bay socially active hip-hop artist that co-founder Weinstein sex- describe him as a sex addict — brother. Harvey Weinstein has relayed by Amber Tamblyn, had not yet been approved for who was born and raised in ually harassed or sexually he’s a predator. There’s a denied any nonconsensual sex- Tarantino, whose films “Reser- a series and scripts are cur- Chicago, was helping to assaulted dozens of women. The difference,” Thompson, who ual conduct with any women. voir Dogs,” “Pulp Fiction” and rently being written. organize the concert finale. SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 AMERICAS 19 18 states sue to block Trump’s Obamacare subsidies cut

Washington Lawsuit court in California. The states too high to qualify for certain The Senate failed in both July applause for his latest action dur- Reuters include: California, Connecticut, government assistance. and September to pass legisla- ing an appearance before a Trump’s latest action Delaware, Kentucky, Illinois, About 10 million people are tion backed by Trump to repeal group of conservative voters. ighteen US states sued raised concerns Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, enrolled in Obamacare through Obamacare due to opposition by “It’s step by step by step, and President Donald about chaos in Minnesota, New Mexico, New its online marketplaces, and a handful of Republican sena- that was a very big step yester- Trump’s administra- insurance markets. York, North Carolina, Oregon, most receive subsidies. Trump’s tors. One of them, Susan Collins, day,” Trump said. “And one by tion on Friday to stop The subsidies cost Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Ver- action came just weeks before a moderate Republican from one, it’s going to come down, and him from scrapping a $7bn this year and mont, Virginia and Washington the period starting on Novem- Maine who had been contem- we’re going to have great health- Ekey component of Obamacare, state. The states will ask the court ber 1 when individuals have to plating running for governor next care in our country.” were estimated at subsidies to insurers that help to force Trump to make the next begin enrolling for 2018 insur- year, on Friday said she planned Earlier on Twitter he called $10bn for 2018. millions of low-income people payment. Legal experts said the ance coverage through the law’s to remain in the Senate and Obamacare “a broken mess” that pay medical expenses, even as states were likely to face an marketplaces. The administra- would use her voice in reform- is “imploding,” and referred to Trump invited Democratic lead- The new lawsuit uphill battle in court. tion will not make the next ing the healthcare system. the “pet insurance companies” ers to negotiate a deal. would be separate “His effort to gut these sub- payment to insurers, scheduled Hospitals, doctors, health of Democrats. Republicans for One day after his adminis- from a case pending sidies with no warning or even for Wednesday, US Attorney insurers, state insurance com- seven years had vowed to get rid tration announced plans to end before an appeals a plan to contain the fallout is General Jeff Sessions said. missioners and patient advocates of Obamacare, but deep intra- the payments next week, Trump court in the District breathtakingly reckless,” New Senate Democratic leader decried Trump’s move, saying party divisions have scuttled said he would dismantle of Columbia in which York Attorney General Eric Sch- Chuck Schumer expressed opti- consumers will ultimately pay their efforts to get legislation Obamacare “step by step”. His 16 Democratic state neiderman said. “This is an effort mism about chances for a deal with the price. They called on Con- through the Senate, where they latest action raised concerns attorneys general simply to blow up the system.” Republicans to continue the sub- gress to appropriate the funds hold a slim majority. about chaos in insurance mar- The new lawsuit would be sidy payments. “We’re going to needed to keep up the subsidy Since taking office in Janu- are defending the kets. The subsidies cost $7bn this separate from a case pending have a very good opportunity to get payments. ary, Trump threatened many legality of the year and were estimated at before an appeals court in the this done in a bipartisan way” dur- The nonpartisan Congres- times to cut the subsidies. Health $10bn for 2018, according to payments. District of Columbia in which 16 ing negotiations in December on sional Budget Office has insurers that planned to stay in congressional analysts. Democratic state attorneys gen- broad federal spending legislation, estimated that erasing the sub- the Obamacare market prepared “As far as the subsidies are Frustrated by the failure of his eral are defending the legality of “if we can’t get it done sooner,” sidies would increase the federal for the move in many states by concerned, I don’t want to make fellow Republicans who control the payments. If the subsidies Schumer told reporters. deficit by $194bn over the next submitting two sets of premium the insurance companies rich,” both houses of Congress to vanish, low-income Americans Trump offered an invitation decade because the government rates to regulators: with and Trump told reporters at the repeal and replace Obamacare, who obtain insurance through for Democratic leaders to come still would be obligated under without the subsidies. White House. “They’re making a Trump has taken several steps Obamacare online marketplaces to the White House, while also other parts of Obamacare to help The National Association of fortune by getting that kind of to chip away at it. where insurers can sell policies lashing out at them. “We’ll nego- lower-income people pay for Insurance Commissioners said money.” Trump’s action took aim Democrats accused Trump would face higher insurance pre- tiate some deal that’s good for insurance premiums. the change would drive up pre- at a critical element of the 2010 of sabotaging the law. Demo- miums and out-of-pocket everybody. But they’re always a Trump, who as a candidate mium costs for consumers by at law, his Democratic predeces- cratic attorneys general from the medical costs. It would particu- bloc vote against everything. last year promised to roll back least 12 to 15 percent in 2018 and sor Barack Obama’s signature 18 states as well as Washington, larly hurt lower-middle-class They’re like obstructionists,” the law formally called the cut more than $1bn in payments domestic policy achievement. DC, filed a lawsuit in federal families whose incomes are still Trump told reporters. Affordable Care Act, received to insurers for 2017.

Trudeau ticks Las Vegas police off Mexico say no delay in over women’s massacre response rights record Mexico City Reuters Austin The police account is simi- Reuters lar to one given on Thursday by anada’s Prime Minister the hotel operator MGM Resorts Justin Trudeau urged as Vegas police presented International, which said in a CMexican lawmakers to a third version late on Fri- statement that Paddock opened improve women’s rights, Lday of the timeline of fire on Campos and the crowd delivering a sharp rebuke to events for the Las Vegas gun- at the same time or within 40 a key trading partner that has man who killed 58 people and seconds. Campos was shot in struggled to curb years of himself, saying they responded the leg when Paddock strafed femicide, drug violence and immediately to the deadliest the hallway with about 200 rights abuses. mass shooting in modern US bullets, police said. In a visit to the Mexican history. Paddock, who placed cam- capital amid tense talks in the Clark County Sheriff Joseph eras in the hotel hallway to United States to save the Lombardo, who oversees the monitor activity, also injured North American Free Trade Las Vegas police department, 546 people before killing him- Agreement, Trudeau met told reporters that gunman self. No motive for the attack human rights organizations Stephen Paddock shot at Man- has been made public. that briefed him on the vio- dalay Bay hotel security guard The third timeline could lence and challenges faced by Jesus Campos outside his room affect claims brought by some many of the country’s women. on October 1 at about the same victims that depend on the In an address at the Mex- time he opened fire on the more hotel’s allegedly delayed ican Senate, Trudeau told than 20,000 concertgoers at an response after Campos was lawmakers that the stories he outdoor venue. shot. One attorney told Reu- had heard from the rights Previously, police said that ters MGM may have acted groups about the treatment Paddock shot Campos six min- quickly but questioned of women were “unaccepta- utes before he started firing on whether “reasonable precau- ble,” and pressed for gender the crowd, raising questions as tions” were in place. imbalances to be addressed to whether police and hotel secu- Most of the wounded have in an updated Nafta. rity could have acted faster to been discharged from hospi- “I challenge you to use prevent casualties in the attack. tals, but 45 were still your position and power to “Nobody is attempting to hospitalized, some with critical strongly push for the rights of hide anything. The dynamics injuries, Lombardo said. Lom- women and girls in Mexico,” and the size of the investigation bardo said law enforcement Trudeau said. “We must require us to go through volu- had acted heroically on the move the needle forward on minous amounts of information night of the attack and that he gender inequality.” Trudeau’s in order to draw an accurate was angered by the criticism his comments serve as a repri- picture,” Lombardo said of the department has received over mand of Mexican President changing timeline. its investigation. Enrique Pena Nieto’s failure to tackle years of drug crime. Violence against women in Mexico has risen dramatically since the previous adminis- Venezuela Supreme Court to operate in exile tration declared war on organized drug trafficking about a decade ago. Bogota international support and above Venezuelan regime to its knees”. embassies in Caracas or exiled in magistrates will be recognized “Mexico and Canada Anatolia it all, thanks to Venezuelan peo- The US has imposed sanctions other countries. One is under by the OAS and the 12 regional share values, and that cer- ple,” Miguel Angel Martin, who and threatened military action home detention in Venezuela. countries that in August signed tainly includes gender hirty-three magistrates was named chairman of the TSJ against the government of Pres- “The decisions taken by this the Lima Declaration that found equality and enhancing wom- from Venezuela’s top court by the National Assembly, said ident Nicolas Maduro. tribunal will be executable, but actions by the Maduro govern- en’s rights,” Pena Nieto’s Twere sworn in at a cere- at the ceremony that was Venezuelan lawmaker Sonia what’s really complicated here is ment unconstitutional. office said. mony in the US on Friday to attended by OAS Secretary-Gen- Medina attended the ceremony that the Venezuelan dictatorship Maduro in April signaled The National Citizen begin operating in exile. The eral Luis Almagro. to certify the high court’s actions will not allow [the tribunal] to Venezuela would abandon the Observatory of Femicide Supreme Tribunal of Justice “We will perform legal acts and said it sets a precedent. adopt its rulings in the country. OAS, which it accused of help- (OCNF), which uses govern- (TSJ), designated by the National based on the public international “The TSJ’s installation and The Supreme Tribunal of Justice ing to foment economic and ment statistics, reported that Assembly in which the opposi- law. We will protect Venezuelan operation is a crucial event, exiled is legitimate and will prior- political instability as part of a 2,735 women were murdered tion holds the majority, took the people from humanitarian har- because it’s the first time that this itize lawsuits against human rights plan by Washington to enable a in Mexico last year, up sharply oath of office at the headquar- assment, money laundering and situation is happening in America violations in Venezuela,” said law- collapse of the government. Ven- from 2,383 the year before. ters of the Organization of the ongoing corruption inside the and is even allowed by the OAS yer Carlos Ramirez Lopez. ezuela’s exit from the OAS UN Women, a branch of American States (OAS) regional Venezuelan government. We will reginal bloc. The magistrates who The National Assembly cannot take place until 2019. the United Nations, says on its bloc in Washington. put a face and a name to those are not located in Washington will stripped authority from the TSJ Maduro has threatened the website that Mexico has taken The justices will begin work governors who have sank Ven- hold sessions from Bogota or dif- and canceled its operation in magistrates elected by the steps in recent years to on October 13 and the TSJ will be ezuela into a political crisis,” he ferent embassies,” Medina said. Venezuela because some mag- National Assembly with jail time, improve gender equality, but called the Supreme Court in added. The magistrates designated by istrates were loyal to the prompting Colombia, Chile, Mex- has struggled to fully imple- Exile. “We have managed to Almagro said “sanctions are the Parliament have been holed controversial ruling National ico and the U.S. to offer political ment and enforce its own integrate a tribunal thanks to the the path to bring the up for more than two months in Constituent Assembly. The exiled asylum to the magistrates. regulations. 20 MORNING BREAK SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017

PRAYER TIMINGS

FAJR 04.16 am ‘Qatar’s reputation reflected at SHOROOK 05.32 am

ZUHR 11.20 am MAGHRIB 05.09 pm ASR 02.39 pm ISHA 06.39 pm Unesco; Al Kawari deserved win’ WEATHER TODAY

o o only for Qatar and if you don’t help Qatar then at least you should not vote 28 C 37 C against it. Qatar still continues its suc- Minimum Maximum cesses although that neighbouring countries stand against Qatar and accusing it,” he pointed out. “The Unesco needs a person like Al Kawari and his programme includes a new vision to restore the cultural renaissance of the organisation. If we look by objectivity we can say that Al Kawari deserves to be the Director- General but we also believe in election and win and lose,” he said. “Qatar, through Unesco, was plan- ning to spread education and peace and countries like Egypt don’t want that and that is why they don’t like Qatar to win,” he said, adding Qatar was achieving successes in all fields like education, sports and on economic Sidi Mohamed Arab countries in primary and high like Egypt must know that Qatar’s suc- front and will continue its success The Peninsula education,” Al Shafi noted. cess is for all Arab countries and not either they like it or not. About Qatar’s candidate Dr Hamad espite the blockade and bin Abdulaziz Al Kawari, he said that brothers’ conspiracies, “Al Kawari worked in Unesco, served “It is shame for an Arab country to do like this while Qatar succeeded in reach- as Qatar’s ambassador to many coun- both Qatar and Egypt are members of Arab League. ing the final round of tries and also worked as a Minister of Unesco’s elections and its Culture and Adviser at the Emiri Diwan Egypt foreign minister statement was strange when Hot daytime with slight dust and Dcandidate received 28 votes in the last and has command on multiple lan- he expressed his hope that France should win against some clouds. round, two votes short of the French guages which make him qualified and Qatar. How after this they can talk about pan-Arab. candidate, and took the lead in the first he deserves to be the director-general The headquarters of Arab league must be shifted from four rounds of elections, said Dr. Kha- of the Unesco,” Dr. Al Shafi added. lid bin Mubarak Al Shafi, “This success of reaching the final Egypt,” said Dr. Khalid bin Mubarak Al Shafi, Editor-in- HIGH TIDE 01:30 – 13:30 LOW TIDE 06:00 – 21:00 Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula while round means that the countries are not Chief of The Peninsula. talking on a Qatar TV talk show over measured by their areas and countries Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department the recent Unesco election. “This success reflects Qatar’s good reputation, and that Qatar deserve to win the post of Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco),” Al Shafi added. He also questioned how Egypt sup- ported France and not Qatar. “It is shame for an Arab country to do like this while both Qatar and Egypt are members of Arab League. Egypt for- eign minister statement was strange when he expressed his hope that France should win against Qatar. How after this they can talk about pan-Arab. The headquarters of Arab league must be shifted from Egypt.” “The envy blinded them and they forgot Arab and Islamic brothers and this is not the first time that they have done like this. Qatar will continue its successes and as it succeeded to host World Cup 2022. It will continue Dr. Khalid bin Mubarak Al Shafi (second left), Editor-in-Chief ofThe Peninsula, with Majid Al Khulaifi (left), Editor- achieving successes not only in sports

but also in education as Qatar topped in-Chief of Estad Al Doha newspaper, while talking on a Qatar TV talk show over the recent Unesco election. Action movies should channel ‘deep emotions’: Woo

Busan who made his name with gritty Quentin Tarantino, said action marking a return to the kind “A good film inspires,” AFP Hong Kong thrillers like movies “can add vitality to our of action films that made him said Woo. “It doesn’t matter “Hard-Boiled”, said he was lives by making us question famous in the 1980s and what generation watches it. ction movies should now hoping to inspire “new what motivates us to make the 1990s. The film is inspired by I feel like I have a lot more reflect “deep emotions”, voices” in the industry. decisions we make”. Ken Takakura’s Japanese clas- challenges ahead of me and Aacclaimed Hong Kong “Action allows you to Woo said young directors sic “You Must Cross the River new opportunities to learn thriller director John Woo said reflect on the deep emotions should use action films to of Wrath” (1976), and features about other cultures, and yesterday, calling on young human beings share,” said make their audiences think Woo’s daughter Angeles other lives.” Woo rose to filmmakers to breathe life into Woo, speaking to the press at about their own lives, and their alongside Chinese star Zhang prominence in the Hong Kong the genre by exploring the the 22nd Busan International relationships with others. Hanyu. action scene with classics human condition. Film Festival in South Korea. The veteran filmmaker is And despite battling health including “A Better Tomor- Woo, whose Hollywood The 71-year-old, who has touring the international fes- issues recently, Woo revealed row” (1986) and Hard-Boiled films include “Face/Off” and inspired the likes of maverick tival circuit with the new gritty on Saturday that he has more (1992), which both starred “Mission: Impossible II” but American Oscar-winner urban thriller “Manhunt”, thrillers in the pipeline. Chow Yun-Fat.

Asterix illustration sells In peparation for record €1.4m

Paris AFP

n original illustration for the cover of one of the early Asterix comic books sold for a record ¤1.4m Aat an auction, more than 7 times its expected price, an auction house announced. The drawing for “Asterix and the Banquet” (“Le Tour de Gaul” in French), signed by the creators of the legendary series, Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny, was sold by the Drouot auction house in Paris. The story, first published as an album in 1965, recounts the travels of shrewd Gallic hero Asterix and his rotund sidekick Obelix as they travel round France collecting local delicacies and wine. It had been expected to sell for 180,000-200,000 euros, a statement from Artists perform on the stage to celebrate the upcoming 19th National Congress of the Drouot said. Another cover illustration for the “Asterix Communist Party of China (CPC), in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, China, yesterday. and the Chieftain’s Shield” volume sold for ¤1.2m.