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Charity Duhail ride aim for around Doha for unprecedented a noble domestic cause treble

published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10823 May 19, 2018 Ramadan 3, 1439 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief

ARAB WORLD | Confl ict Hundreds protest on Gaza-Israel border Around 1,000 Palestinians protested on the Gaza border with Israel on the first Friday of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. The leader of Gaza’s ruling movement Hamas attended the fresh protest, taking part in prayers along the border before sunset and then participating in a demonstration. Ismail Haniya gave the V-for-victory salute and waved the Palestinian flag a few hundred metres from the His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with heads of Islamic delegations who attended the Extraordinary Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) in Istanbul yesterday. fence along the border with Israel. The latest protests came after Israeli forces killed 60 Palestinians along the border on Monday in a demonstration that coincided with the transfer of the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Page 3 Amir calls for just solution to AMERICA | Crime 10 dead in Texas school shooting, student arrested Ten people were killed and at least 10 injured when a student armed with a stop Palestinian bloodshed shotgun and a revolver opened fire at his Texas high school yesterday, off icials said, in the latest deadly school QNA “The question of Palestine has gone broad daylight. The world watched the shooting in the United States. The Istanbul down in history as a cause of a people massacre live on TV screens. gunman, who was taken into custody whose homeland was usurped, and ref- He appreciated the countries which on murder charges, was identified ugees who have scattered in diaspora condemned the massacre. “We also re- as Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old is Highness the Amir Sheikh around the world, with the majority of spect those who expressed dismay and junior at Santa Fe High School in Santa Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani them taking refuge in the Arab coun- anger over this outrageous act and all Fe, Texas. Governor Greg Abbott said Hhas called for a just solution to tries and in some Palestinian cities, in- those who called for establishing an in- 10 people were killed and 10 wounded the cause of Palestine and redressing its cluding the Gaza Strip. dependent commission of inquiry; but in what he called “one of the most people, without which the 70-year-old “Before the elapse of two decades af- the Palestinian people and our peoples heinous attacks that we’ve ever seen in bloodshed cannot be stopped. ter the Nakba, the Gaza Strip fell under generally reckon this as not enough. the history of Texas schools.” Page 5 Addressing the opening session of the direct Israeli occupation in the after- “Is it conceivable that a ceremony Emergency Summit of the Organisation math of the 1967 war, as is the case of be held to celebrate the transfer of the of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) on Pales- the West Bank and Jerusalem. American embassy to Jerusalem, the LATIN AMERICA | Accident tine held in Istanbul yesterday, the Amir “After a protracted struggle and sovereignty on it is one of the most said the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip heavy sacrifi ces, as well as two well- important issues of the permanent so- Many feared dead as must be stopped by a political decision, known popular uprisings against the lution, which is supposed to be nego- Cuba airliner crashes and a just solution to the Palestinian occupation, Israel withdrew unilat- tiated by American mediation, while A Cuban state airways plane with question must be imposed as the last erally from the Gaza Strip alone, but blood is being shed in the Gaza Strip. 104 passengers crashed shortly after case of colonialism that continues to be imposed a stifl ing siege on it that con- What message does this convey to taking off from Havana yesterday, a cause of concern for the world. tinues up to this day, which means, it the Palestinian people, the Arab peo- leaving a wreck of smouldering “On the 70th anniversary of the has continued the occupation by other ples and all peace-loving forces in the fuselage, as the country’s president Palestinian catastrophe (Nakba), the means.” world? The situation in the occupied warned many people were feared Israeli forces have committed a brutal The Amir said that during the Pales- Palestinian territories needs sincere dead. The Boeing 737 operated by massacre against peaceful Palestinian tinian march on May 15, Israeli soldiers positions and political will to take Cubana de Aviacion crashed into a demonstrators in Gaza,” His Highness fi red a type of explosive bullets to mass meaningful steps to eliminate the oc- field close to a wooded area near the Amir said. kill the unarmed demonstrators in cupation.” Havana’s Jose Marti airport, sending a Concluding his speech, the Amir said thick column of acrid smoke into the the issue of Palestine is still an open air. State media reported that three Erdogan to raise Gaza violence at UN wound in the consciousness and mem- people had been pulled alive from ory of peoples, and disregarding that by the mangled wreckage and were in a Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said yes- for the innocent people it has massacred some regimes does not change this fact. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met in Istanbul yesterday critical condition in hospital. Page 11 terday he would raise the violence in Gaza in front of international law. We will follow This cause has become a symbol for the evening with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sideline of the at the United Nations General Assembly, this issue in the United Nations General oppressed peoples everywhere. Emergency Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) on Palestine. after dozens of Palestinian protesters were Assembly as well,” he said in his opening zHis Highness the Amir left Istanbul The meeting dealt with the strategic bilateral relations between the two brotherly BRITAIN | Royal wedding killed by Israeli security forces this week. speech at the summit in Istanbul. yesterday after participating in the OIC countries and means to deepen them. His Highness the Amir and President Erdogan Erdogan castigated both Washington and “Unfortunately, any step taken towards jus- summit. He was accompanied by an of- also exchanged views on the current regional and international issues, especially the Prince Charles to walk the United Nations for the violence that tice is being blocked by the US leadership fi cial delegation. Full speech Page 14 serious developments in Palestine. Markle down aisle followed US President Donald Trump’s in the Security Council.” Escalating his criti- Meghan Markle will begin her walk decision to move the US embassy in Israel cism of Israel’s actions, he likened treatment down the aisle on her own when she to Jerusalem. of Palestinians to the suff ering endured by Qatar urges independent probe into Israeli crimes in Gaza marries Prince Harry before being Erdogan has described Israel as “terrorist Jews in Nazi concentration camps. joined by his father Prince Charles, state” and accused it of using Nazi-like Erdogan stressed that Muslims will not Qatar has called on international measures to hold accountable all those situation in the occupied Palestinian off icials said yesterday after a last- methods. Turkey declared three days take a step back in holding onto their organisations and the international involved. territories, including East Jerusalem.” minute upset when her own dad of mourning following the Gaza events rights in Jerusalem, cannot leave it in the community to conduct independent This came in a statement delivered Qatar, at the same time, rejected any pulled out. Despite sadness at her and Erdogan called for an extraordinary hands of “terrorists” - a reference to the and credible investigations into the by Qatar’s ambassador to the United resolutions and measures aimed at father Thomas Markle’s absence, summit of the 57-member Organisation of Israeli occupation of the holy city. crimes and grave violations committed Nations, Ali Khalfan al-Mansouri, at changing the political and demographic the US former actress said she felt Islamic Co-operation (OIC). “Defending Jerusalem is a defence of by the Israeli occupation forces against the 28th extraordinary session of the identity of the city of East Jerusalem, “wonderful” as she and her mother “Israel must certainly be held accountable humanity and peace.” unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in UN Human Rights Council on “The including the transfer of the US Doria Ragland arrived at the plush the Gaza Strip and take the necessary deterioration of the human rights embassy to the city. Page 3 Cliveden House Hotel to spend the night before the wedding. Meanwhile Harry and his best man, brother Prince William, went to greet the crowds outside Windsor Castle, where many will spend the night to secure a good spot for today’s events. Page 8 Massacre of Palestinians a ‘disgrace to humanity’: Qatar

QNA Ministerial Council on Jerusalem. He described the US decision showed He also pointed out that such an un- heroic Palestinian people in facing the RAMADAN THOUGHT Cairo Qatar called on the international blatant bias to the occupation and viola- calculated step would undermine in- Israeli war machine, reiterating Qatar’s community and all international and tion of legitimate historical Palestinian ternational eff orts to achieve a peaceful fi rm position in support of the Pales- How can you disbelieve in Allah? regional forces to act immediately to rights and fl agrant violations of interna- settlement through a two-state solu- tinian cause and the steadfastness of Seeing that you were dead and He atar has expressed its strong put an end to the Israeli war machine tional law and resolutions of internation- tion, reiterating Doha strong rejection the Palestinian people in their legiti- gave you life. He will give you death, condemnation of the brutal and urged the UN Security Council and al legitimacy, including Security Council of any violations of the rights of worship mate struggle for freedom, independ- then again will bring you to life (on the Qmassacre and systematic kill- the international community to assume resolutions No 476 and 478 of 1980, and or prejudice to Islamic holy sites in Pal- ence and self-determination and the Day of Resurrection) and then unto ing committed by the Israeli occupation their full responsibility to immediately the UN General Assembly resolution on estine. establishment of their independent Him you will return (Qur’an 2: 28) forces against the unarmed Palestinians stop these atrocities, to hold account- the basis of the Union for Peace. HE al-Muraikhi stressed Qatar’s state on the 1967 borders with East Je- Prayer times in the Gaza Strip in commemoration of able the perpetrators and to protect the The minister added that “the mas- condemnation of Israeli settlers storm- rusalem as its capital. Nakba Day and their peaceful and legiti- defenceless Palestinian civilians. sacres refl ects the inability of the inter- ing the Al Aqsa Mosque as part of the The minister expressed sincere Fajr....3.22 Zuhr....11.30 Asr....2.56 mate protest against the decision of the “Qatar strongly supports the forma- national community to stop the brutal so-called “Unifi cation of Jerusalem condolences of Qatar to the brotherly Maghrib.....6.16 Isha.....7.46 US to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem. tion of an independent international Israeli killing machine and the failure of Day” and stressing the special status Palestinian people on dozens of inno- “The massacres committed against commission of inquiry to investigate the collective security system entrusted of Jerusalem for all Muslims, calling on cent martyrs, including men, women Fasting times the defenceless Palestinian people are Israeli massacres and violations. We to- with maintaining international peace the international community to carry and children who sacrifi ced their pure a disgrace to humanity,” HE the Min- tally reject the unilateral decision of the and security to protect civilians against out its moral and legal responsibilities blood to uphold their right to return to Iftar today ...... 6.16pm ister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan US to recognise Jerusalem as the capital Israeli arrogance and blatant defi ance for the protection of Al Aqsa Mosque their land, praying to Almighty Allah to Imsak tomorrow...... 3.11am bin Saad al-Muraikhi told the extraor- of Israel and to transfer its embassy to of the international community with- and religious shrines in Palestine. grant them mercy and grant thousands dinary meeting of the Arab League Jerusalem,” HE al-Muraikhi said. out caring for the consequences. “ He hailed the steadfastness of the of wounded a speedy recovery. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, May 19, 2018 QATAR Qatar committed to global partnership to maintain peace and security: envoy

QNA ment, promoting understand- emerging threats to internation- imposition of the obligation re- tional peace and security, there New York ing and dialogue, promoting al peace and security were grow- fl ected the will of states, which is an urgent need to strengthen values of tolerance and co-op- ing in the absence of compli- was the presence of interna- the mechanisms adopted by the eration, combating extremism ance with the obligations under tional and international judicial international community in the atar has reiterated its and terrorism, reducing impu- international law. “This serious institutions established by the area of collective security to re- commitment to fulfi ll- nity and holding accountable challenge was compounded by international community, which solve disputes, fi nd solutions to Qing the international perpetrators of mass crimes. poor co-operation to contain had enriched, recognised and international crises, confront obligations dictated by its part- She referred to Qatar’s docu- those threats to the world and to respected international law. any attempts to change the in- nership with the international mented eff orts to reduce ten- prevent and resolve confl icts and She said that “international ternational situation, or to vio- community to achieve the goals sions and prevent and resolve crises by peaceful means.” law has achieved many gains late its conditions in an illegal and purposes of the Charter of confl icts by peaceful means, Sheikha Alia pointed out that for humanity, but violating its manner, and not to harm inter- the United Nations, stressing which had achieved successful the exacerbation of these con- provisions or ignoring them and national peace and security. that maintaining international results that had been appreci- fl icts and crises is the spread of disrespect aff ects the credibility She referred to the suff er- peace and security is a shared ated by the Security Council. impunity for serious violations of of international institutions and ing of Palestinians in the Gaza responsibility and requires The ambassador said, “De- international humanitarian law is refl ected in the face of interna- Strip, saying that while the states to make the utmost eff orts spite this record of regional and and international human rights tional challenges and crises and Security Council was dedicat- to fi nd just solutions to common international co-operation to law, praising the experience of its implications on international ing this meeting to promoting challenges. achieve the goals and purposes the international community, eff orts to maintain international respect for international law, This came in a statement de- of the Charter, which has been which emphasised that the vari- peace and security. the unarmed Palestinians in the livered by Qatar’s Permanent recognised by the United Na- ous threats to international peace The ambassador added that it Gaza Strip suff er during their Representative to the UN, HE tions, Qatar has faced, for nearly and security can only be met is a striking paradox in today’s peaceful and legitimate protest Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif a year, an unjust blockade and within the framework of co-op- world that there is a promising were fl agrant violations of inter- al-Thani at the offi cial meeting arbitrary unilateral measures eration, concerted collective ac- international reality in various national law, reiterating Qatar’s of the UN Security Council to under false pretenses and base- tion and respect for international areas of life and an alarming in- condemnation in the strongest Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani discuss “strengthening interna- less arguments that contradict law, referring to the international crease in confl icts that the in- possible terms. tional law in the context of the the provisions of international fi ght against terrorism, which ternational community is un- “In view of the seriousness of on the relevant international rity Council was meeting today maintenance of international law and human rights, contrary highlights the added value of in- able to resolve. “This requires the violations committed by the instruments,” she added. to promote compliance with it, peace and security”. to the basis of friendly relations, ternational co-operation and re- international institutions to Israeli occupying forces, Qatar She noted that the shared re- saying that this would not be Sheikha Alia noted the steps which have serious consequenc- spect for international law. fulfi l their mandates to enforce calls upon the Security Council sponsibility of member states achieved with policies based on taken by Qatar, which refl ect es for regional and international The ambassador noted that international law,” she noted. and the international community for international peace and se- the threat of undermining and its commitment to the inter- peace and security.” international law and the in- In light of the magnitude and to assume its responsibilities to curity requires respect for inter- violating states sovereignty and national community’s agree- She added that current and stitutions concerned with the gravity of the threats to interna- protect Palestinian civilians based national law, for which the Secu- Illegal objectives. PHCC announces working hours during Ramadan EAA Foundation moves exhibition to W Doha

ollowing last month’s high-level event in New FYork, Education Above All (EAA) Foundation hosted its ‘Reaching 10 Million Out of School Children’ exhibition at Qatar Academy from May 7 to 14 to mark a major milestone in empowering 10mn marginalised and vulnerable children around the world. EAA’s exhibit has now moved to W Doha Hotel, where it will be held until May 30. EAA has invited the public to visit the exhibition. With the hashtag #Together- The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has announced working hours during the holy month of Ramadan. The off icial working for10million and #Itispossible, hours at the PHCC headquarters are from 8am to 1pm, Sunday to Thursday. The off icial working hours in the health centres are provided the event has been “success- in the accompanying chart. ful in creating awareness about the barriers to education, such as poverty, confl ict and natu- ral disasters, which millions of children around the world face”, Children at the exhibition. EAA has said in a statement. The exhibition at Qatar Acad- lation was followed by a dis- by way of paintings and drawings Traffi c emy was spread across diff erent play of an art piece dedicated to to project as to how the how the zones: Confl ict Zone, Zones of EAA’s achievement of reaching future should look like. Peace, Tree Zone and School Zone. 10mn out-of-school children Leena al-Derham, senior edu- offi ce In the Confl ict Zone, guests around the world. cation specialist of the Educate were able to experience a war In the Tree Zone, guests were A Child programme, said: “This Experts, including professionals engaged on all the SC’s stadium and training sites, along with zone using visuals and sound introduced to some of the chal- exhibition marks yet another continues representatives from the Doha Port redevelopment project, attend an event. eff ects. Afterwards, guest lenges that refugees face, and milestone of bringing together moved to the dark room where given the opportunity to present like-minded people to further a neon art piece translated the solutions to educating hard-to- emphasise the importance of ed- to off er word ‘education’ in Arabic to reach children who face those ucating out-of-school children. emphasise how education is the challenges. This was a unique opportunity light in the darkness. In the School Zone, EAA por- to refl ect our vision and mis- services 2022 FIFA World Cup For EAA, ‘Knowledge is trayed the diff erence between sion and create a spark in youth Light’, and last month EAA lit a school in a well-developed to drive change. We believe that up major landmarks in Doha country and a school in a poor it is possible to provide access he Ministry of Interior and New York to celebrate its country. Kids were given a to quality education for all the has made considerable achievement. The light instal- chance to showcase their ideas world’s out-of-school children.” Tpreparations for the holy sustainability experts month of Ramadan, it has been announced. The Traffi c Awareness De- partment director Colonel Mo- Ceiling art for Metro station hamed Radi al-Hajiri explained share knowledge that the Traffi c Department continues to off er its usual nvironmental and sus- Cup and the SC’s numerous vilion helped illustrate the services at its headquarters at tainability experts legacy programmes, including enormity of the project we Madinat Khalifa and the other Eworking on 2022 FIFA Workers’ Welfare, Challenge are going to deliver, while it centres across the country from World Cup projects have 22, Community Engagement, was extremely useful to brief 8am to 5.30pm. participated in an event at Generation Amazing and the the wider team about the The vehicle technical inspec- Al Bidda Tower to share best Josoor Institute. Sustainability Strategy and tion is from 7am to 5pm. Traffi c practices and lessons learned. After the tour, attend- gather their feedback. It was patrols have been intensifi ed in The fourth Environment ees were briefed on the Joint also benefi cial to share de- crowded areas. & Sustainability Knowledge FIFA/SC/LOC Sustainability tails of our numerous internal The General Directorate of Management Event was or- Strategy and informed about projects, which will hopefully Civil Defence also has intensi- ganised by the Supreme Com- sustainability projects at Al inspire other sites to put sus- fi ed its public awareness eff orts mittee for Delivery & Legacy’s Bidda Tower, including the tainability at the forefront of to instruct people on the im- (SC) Technical Delivery Offi ce SC’s Green Offi ce campaign, everything they do.” portance of following the safety and the Health, Safety, Secu- which encourages staff to re- In addition to the meeting and security instructions. The rity & Environment Division, duce, reuse and recycle ma- at Al Bidda Tower, attendees Operations Department direc- sc.qa reported. terials. The group also dis- previously enjoyed visits to tor Major Mohamed Ahmed The event was the latest cussed a system to share best three stadium sites – Lusail al-Marafi , gave several tips for knowledge sharing forum to be practice and lessons learned Stadium, Al Wakrah Sta- the public to ensure the safe use organised by the SC since the from all the SC’s project sites. dium and Qatar Foundation of gas and electric appliances inaugural Knowledge Transfer Bodour al-Meer, the SC’s Stadium – in order to share at home, and how to deal with Day in November 2017. Sustainability & Environmen- knowledge and discuss best emergencies. More than 40 attendees tal manager, said it was vital practice. The rescue police patrols participated in the event, in- to provide a forum for sus- Next month, attendees will maintain round-the-clock cluding professionals engaged tainability experts from across visit Al Thumama Stadium. presence and provide immedi- on all the SC’s stadium and the 2022 FIFA World Cup pro- Khalid al-Kubaisi, chief of ate response if requested by the training sites, along with rep- gramme to share information. the Advisory Unit & Special public, especially in residential resentatives from the Doha “It was a pleasure to wel- Projects, said the event sup- areas and near shopping malls Port redevelopment project. come all our sustainability pro- ports the SC’s commitment to and markets. The event began with a visit fessionals to Al Bidda Tower organisational resilience. The Community Policing to the SC’s Legacy Pavilion, and share knowledge about the “Projects such as this, help Department has also scheduled which showcases Qatar’s foot- vast array of projects we are us share knowledge and build Qatar Rail has posted, on its Twitter page, an image showing the installation of pre-moulded petal a number of activities during ball history, the bidding proc- working on,” said al-Meer. organisational resilience,” ceiling panels at the concourse of Metro Red Line’s Al Bidda station. Ramadan. ess for the 2022 FIFA World “Attending the Legacy Pa- said al-Kubaisi. Gulf Times Saturday, May 19, 2018 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD Israel’s Gaza response ‘wholly disproportionate’: UN rights chief

AFP Geneva UN sets up human rights probe into killings he UN human rights chief yesterday slammed Is- Israel railed against the UN Hu- Trael’s deadly reaction to man Rights Council yesterday as protests along the Gaza border it voted to set up a probe into re- as “wholly disproportionate”, cent killings in Gaza and accused backing calls for an international Israel of excessive use of force. investigation. The resolution to send a commis- Addressing a special session sion of inquiry to investigate was of the UN Human Rights Coun- rejected by the United States and cil on the violence which has Australia, but backed by 29 mem- claimed more than 100 Gazan bers of the 47-state UN forum. lives in six weeks, Zeid Ra’ad Another 14 countries, including al-Hussein warned that “kill- Britain, Germany and Japan, ing resulting from the unlaw- abstained. Israel’s ambassador in ful use of force by an occupy- Geneva, Aviva Raz Shechter, cas- ing power may also constitute tigated the council for “spreading wilful killings, a grave breach lies against Israel” during “five of the Fourth Geneva Conven- hours of ludicrous statements”. tion”. United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad “Simply put, with this resolution, Violations of the Geneva Con- al-Hussein attends a special session of the council to discuss “the this council has reached a new ventions adopted in 1949 fol- deteriorating human rights situation” in the Palestinian territories, Palestinian demonstrators shout slogans during clashes with Israeli forces along the border with the height of hypocrisy, and the low- lowing World War II are com- after Israeli forces killed 60 Palestinians, in Geneva, yesterday. Gaza Strip, east of Gaza city, yesterday. est standards of credibility,” she monly called “war crimes” said. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said although Zeid did not explicitly by the horrifi c events of the past urgent dispatch of “an inde- vilian protests that began on 30 in Geneva, Aviva Raz Shechter, the chest, in the head and limbs it totally rejected the resolution, use that word. week,” he said. The special UN pendent, international commis- March 2018”. meanwhile slammed the special with live ammunition,” he said, adding the entire purpose of the He pointed out though that session comes after six weeks of sion of inquiry” — the UN rights It said the aim should be to session yesterday, saying it was saying there was “little evidence council was “not to investigate while 60 Palestinians were killed mass protests and clashes along council’s highest-level of inves- “establish the facts and circum- “politically motivated and won’t of any (Israeli) attempt to mini- the truth but to compromise and thousands injured in a single the Gaza border with Palestinian tigation. stances” around “alleged viola- improve the situation on the mise casualties.” He said, “some Israel’s right to self-defence and day of protests that coincided refugees demanding the right The draft resolution, which tions and abuses including those ground by even one iota.” of the demonstrators threw Mol- to single out the Jewish state for with Monday’s move of the US to return to their homes inside was presented by Pakistan that may amount to war crimes US representative Theodore otov cocktails, used slingshots to demonisation”. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jeru- what is now Israel. on behalf of the Organisa- and to identify those responsi- Allegra also charged that the throw stones, fl ew burning kites Palestinian Foreign Minister salem, “on the Israeli side, one Israel has justifi ed its ac- tion of Islamic Co-operation ble”. UN session was “blatantly tak- into Israel and attempted to use Riyad al-Maliki welcomed the soldier was reportedly wounded, tions, arguing it was necessary and backed by 47 UN mem- Zeid said he supported the ing sides and ignoring the real wire-cutters against the two UN decision. “The Human Rights slightly, by a stone.” to stop mass infi ltrations from ber states, said investigators call for an investigation “that is culprit for the recent outbreak of fences between Gaza and Israel.” Council’s formation of an interna- “The stark contrast in casual- the blockaded Palestinian en- should probe “all violations of international, independent and violence.” But he added: “these actions tional committee of investigation ties on both sides is... suggestive clave which is run by the Hamas international humanitarian law impartial, in the hope the truth But Zeid insisted that many of alone do not appear to constitute is a step towards doing justice to of a wholly disproportionate re- movement. and international human rights regarding these matters will lead those injured and killed on Mon- the imminent threat to life or the Palestinian people,” he said in sponse,” he told the council. The council is due to consider law...in the context of the mili- to justice.” day “were completely unarmed, deadly injury which could justify a statement. “Nobody has been made safer a draft resolution calling for the tary assaults on large-scale ci- Israeli ambassador to the UN (and) were shot in the back, in the use of lethal force.”

CONFLICT 11 pro-regime forces dead in Syria blasts At least 11 pro-government fighters were killed as explosions ripped Egypt orders border opened Erekat says Trump through weapons and fuel depots yesterday at a regime military air base in central Syria, a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the blasts in Hama province were likely due to destabilising Mideast a “technical problem”. “The explosions struck several regime depots of to ensure Palestinians’ travel weapons and fuel at Hama military airport,” said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. “They were probably caused by a technical problem,” he AFP and Gaza and dropping the is- said. Eleven regime forces were killed, including members of allied mili- Reuters turn for the de-escalation of a With Israeli border cross- Washington sue of Palestinian refugees tias, and dozens more wounded or still unaccounted for, Abdel Rahman Rafah, Gaza Strip deadly six-week protest on the ings closed to the vast major- from possible negotiations. said. Off icial Syrian state media also reported massive explosions heard Gaza-Israel border. ity of Palestinians since Ha- “This will not work for Pal- near the Hama airbase but did not provide any details. Tensions are high Israeli troops killed dozens mas seized control of Gaza in S President Donald estinians,” Erekat said. in Syria after several Israeli bombing raids in recent weeks on regime po- azans lined up from of Palestinians at the ‘Great 2007, the Egyptian border has Trump’s administration “We have been weakened by sitions, as well as on military instillations reportedly used by government dawn yesterday to travel March of Return’ protest on become critical to Gaza’s eco- Uhas fanned extremism the actions of Trump and the ally Iran. The latest wave came in the early hours of May 10, when Israel Gacross the border into May 14, the day that the United nomic survival. and weakened political moder- actions of Netanyahu.” carried out dozens of raids against what it said were “Iranian” targets in Egypt after President Abdel States opened its new embassy Although Hamas controls ates in the Middle East, a senior Erekat was speaking days Syria. It has repeatedly threatened to act if Iran developed an entrenched Fattah al-Sisi said his country’s to Israel in the contested holy Gaza, it is not directly in con- Palestinian offi cial and chief after some 60 Palestinians military presence in southern Syria, which borders the Israeli-occupied gateway with the Gaza Strip city of Jerusalem. trol of the strip’s most im- negotiator warned yesterday. were killed by Israeli forces in Golan Heights. would be opened throughout “This is political. I can bet portant crossings, Rafah with Saeb Erekat, Palestine Lib- chaotic demonstrations on the the holy month of Ramadan. my life on it,” said one 34-year- Egypt and Erez with Israel. eration Organisation secre- Gaza border on the same day Sisi’s announcement late old Gazan as he waited among It handed control of those tary-general, said Trump’s de- the United States inaugurated OPINION Thursday, if fully imple- busloads of passengers at Ra- crossings late last year to its ri- cision to move the US embassy its Jerusalem embassy. US-Iraq military ties ‘not impacted by polls’ mented, would open the Rafah fah. val, the West Bank-based Pal- from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and While Erekat stressed that crossing to Palestinians for the He pointed to the May 13 estinian Authority, in a recon- his close alignment with Is- the anger level was “higher The US military’s relationship with Iraq’s security forces will not be longest single period in years. visit by Hamas leader Ismail ciliation deal signed in Cairo. raeli Prime Minister Benjamin than any time before,” he also impacted by the election win of cleric Moqtada Sadr, whose followers The Egyptian leader’s Twit- Haniyeh to Egypt, which has Egyptian government Netanyahu on issues such as said it was up to offi cials such fought US troops in past years, a top general said yesterday. General Joe ter account said the opening sought to act as a broker be- spokesmen did not immedi- Jewish settlements, were ma- as himself and moderate Israeli Votel, who heads the US military’s Central Command, which oversees of the crossing would “allevi- tween Israel, Hamas and its ately respond to requests for jor destabilising factors. leaders to step up and help im- forces in the Middle East, said he had confidence in the positive dynamic ate the burdens of brothers in Palestinian rivals. comment on whether Egypt “They’re giving so much prove prospects for peace. built up while the Iraqis fought the Islamic State group for three years. Gaza.” Yesterday, the fi rst Gaza “I believe this is part of a deal had indeed brokered a deal. strength to extremism in the “This is the absence of “They are very focused on continuing to provide protection for their passengers who lined up from Haniyeh made with the Egyp- Preaching in Gaza on the region,” Erekat said on a con- peace,” he said, referring to the people and increasing the capabilities and professionalism of their force, 5am tians, who asked him to calm fi rst Friday of Ramadan, Ha- ference call organised by the current conditions. “I don’t so I think we have a very good relationship and their military — much like were fi nally let through into down the situation in Gaza,” he mas leader Haniyeh did not say Wilson Center, a think-tank see anyone expressing sorrow our military — is very apolitical,” Votel said in a phone interview. Egypt eight hours later, at said, refusing to give his sur- whether he had reached a deal on global issues. for one human life.” Sadr’s gains have called into question the presence of US forces in Iraq, 1pm. name because he feared Egypt with Egypt. Erekat accused Trump of Erekat also accused Trump’s where more than 5,000 troops are indefinitely deployed to work with Hamas has denied Cairo would refuse him entry. Instead he sought to present seeking to “dictate” a solution son-in-law Jared Kushner, Iraqi counterparts and help prevent a resurgence of IS. Votel said he did pressure but the opening was “We are not against it. On the Rafah opening as the fruit through his deeply contentious who is working on an upcom- not want to wade into Iraq’s politics, but noted that he supported the widely seen in Gaza and Israel the contrary, we hope it will of protests which, he said, had act of moving the embassy, ing peace plan with Jason electoral process. “As the Iraqi parliament and various parties begin to as the likely result of a deal to also include lifting the Israeli “revived the Palestinian cause as well as slashing aid to pro- Greenblatt, the US envoy for form their government, we will do everything we can to continue to be provide Gazans with a lifeline blockade. It would mean the and attracted international and grammes aimed at improving Middle East peace, of failing to the good supporting partner that we are,” Votel said. to the outside world in re- marches were eff ective.” Arab support.” conditions in the West Bank support a two-state solution. Pompeo to call for broad support for Iran talks

Reuters back to the table as it did a few was interested in pursuing “the nity to work with our allies to try Washington years ago, leading to the 2015 maximum pressure and brutal to come up with a new security nuclear accord. show of strength idea” instead of architecture, a new framework,” But it was not immediately negotiating. he said, adding: “I think people S Secretary of State Mike clear whether the Europeans “We say that there has to be a are overstating the disagree- Pompeo will outline a would support the plan as they negotiating method but if they ments between the US and Eu- U“diplomatic road map” try to salvage investment and are purely in the maximum pres- rope.” and call for broad support from trade ties with Tehran that fol- sure and brutal show of strength Trump said the 2015 agree- European and other allies to ap- lowed the accord. idea and they believe it will work ment did not adequately curb ply pressure on Iran to force it Hook said Washington was because they believe it worked Iran’s nuclear ambitions or ad- back to the negotiating table, a seeking a diplomatic outcome with North Korea then we will dress Iran’s ballistic missile pro- senior US offi cial said yesterday, with Iran and sanctions were have a major problem,” the of- gramme and what the Trump as Washington seeks to chart part of that. fi cial said. administration views as its a course after it pulled out of a “The goal of our eff ort is to The threat of US sanctions has destabilising role in the region. landmark nuclear deal. bring all necessary pressure to already forced some European Under the agreement Tehran Rebuffi ng appeals from bear on Iran to change its behav- companies to pull back from agreed to limits on its nuclear France, Germany and Britain, US iour and to pursue a new frame- Iran. programme in exchange for the President Donald Trump with- work that can resolve our con- German lender DZ Bank said it lifting of sanctions against it. drew the United States 10 days cerns,” Hook told reporters. will suspend its fi nancial trans- Iran has denied it sought in ago from the 2015 nuclear deal “We very much want to be, to actions with Iran in July, while the past to develop an atomic between Iran and six major pow- have a kind of up-tempo diplo- French gas and power group weapon, saying its nuclear pro- ers and ordered that sanctions be macy, one that’s very focused Engie also said it would end its gramme has always been for reimposed on Tehran. and very determined to achieve contracts in Iran by November. purely peaceful purposes. Iranians take part in an anti-US and Israel demonstration after weekly prayers in the capital Tehran, In his fi rst foreign policy our national security objec- This week, the US Treasury Hook said the Iran nuclear yesterday, to show their solidarity with Palestinians over recent violent events in Gaza. speech on Monday, Pompeo will tives,” he said, adding: “We need imposed sanctions against Ira- accord had given countries a call for broad support to address a new... nian fi nance offi cials and fi nan- false sense of security and the things around its nuclear pro- In recent days, US offi cials southern city of Kazeroon, ac- “the totality of Iran’s threats,” framework that’s going to ad- ciers it said were linked to Hez- United States wanted to ensure gram, missiles, proliferating have highlighted protests in Iran cording to the semi-offi cial Fars said Brian Hook, senior US pol- dress the totality of Iran threats.” bollah. any new agreement covered not missiles and missile technology to illustrate economic discon- news agency on Thursday. icy advisor. A senior European offi cial Hook played down diff erences only Iran’s nuclear and missile and support for fi ghters and its tent among Iranians and a reason Iran’s President Hassan Rou- Hook said US offi cials hoped whose country is party to the between the United States and capabilities, but also curbed its aggressive and violent activities Iran should return to talks. hani has assured Iranians that economic pressure from re- deal said there were concerns Europe over Iran. regional activities. that fuel civil wars in Syria and At least one person was killed their oil-reliant economy can newed sanctions would lead Iran that the Trump administration “We have a period of opportu- “This involves a range of Yemen,” said Hook. and six others wounded in the withstand new sanctions. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, May 19, 2018 RAMADAN/AFRICA Generosity during Ramadan Ebola in DRC not pending charity re- Abu Tharr, may Allah be moves sins as water pleased with him, report- Sextinguishes fi re ... ed that the Messenger of charity extinguishes the Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wrath of Allah… charity wa sallam, said:“When shades the person on the you get up in the morning, yet an ‘emergency Day of Resurrection. There charity is due from every are many other great vir- one of your joints. There is tues for spending in char- charity in every ascription ity, and Ramadan is the of glory to Allah (i.e. by month of generosity. uttering SubhaanAllah); Ramadan is the month there is charity in every of global concern’ of obedience and the per- declaration of His Great- formance of good deeds, ness (i.e. by uttering Al- AFP and the Prophet, sallal- lahu Akbar); there is char- Geneva laahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was ity in every utterance of the best of mankind and the praise of Him (i.e. by ut- most obedient to his Lord, tering Al-Hamdulillaah); he Ebola outbreak in the Demo- yet he used to increase his there is charity in every cratic Republic of Congo does acts of worship during this declaration that none is Tnot yet merit being labelled an blessed month. Imaam Ibn worthy of worship except emergency of “international concern,” Al-Qayyim, may Allah have Allah (i.e. by uttering Laa the World Health Organisation (WHO) mercy upon him, said: “The ilaaha IllAllah); there is said yesterday. Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi charity in enjoining good; “It was the view of the committee wa sallam, was the most there is charity in forbid- that the conditions for a Public Health generous of all people, but ding evil. Two Rak’ah of Emergency of International Concern the time he spent the most Dhuhaa (Forenoon prayer) have not currently been met,” WHO was during the month of is equal to all this (in re- said in a statement after a meeting of Ramadan, and he used to ward)”. [Muslim] its International Health Regulations increase his recitation of Sacrifi cing one’s hon- Emergency Committee. the Qur’an, prayers, men- our: This is by forgiving The statement added that “the re- tioning Allah and I’tikaaf someone for badmouthing sponse by the government of the Dem- (i.e. residing in the mosque and backbiting you. This ocratic Republic of Congo, WHO and with the intention of wor- refl ects ones purity in the partners has been rapid and compre- World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom ship)”. heart and grants peace of hensive.” Ghebreyesus (left) and WHO chairman of the Emergency Committee on Ebola, The companions were mind and serenity. The Kinshasa government an- Robert Steff en attend a press conference following an International Health distinctly generous dur- Being patient: This is nounced the outbreak of the deadly vi- Regulations Emergency Committee on an outbreak in Democratic Republic of ing Ramadan. Imaam Ibn another honourable rank rus in northwestern Equateur province the Congo yesterday, at the United Nations Off ices in Geneva. Al-Qayyim, may Allah that benefi ts the person on May 8. To date, there are 45 sus- have mercy upon him, said: more than sacrifi cing his pected, probable or confi rmed cases epidemic struck three West African transit point on the Congo River. “There is a diff erence be- lallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and status. wealth. This rank grants the and 25 people have died. countries; and in 2016, in response to Separately, WHO Director-General tween being generous in would be more generous Sacrifi cing comfort: A person support from Allah In the WHO’s parlance, “a pub- an outbreak of the Zika virus. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told charity and being wasteful: than the strong uncontrol- generous person exhausts and leads to others holding lic health emergency of international Once the emergency is declared, the reporters that health workers planned a generous person spends lable wind (i.e. in readiness himself and sacrifi ces his him in high esteem, as only concern” is an “extraordinary event” WHO plays a co-ordinating role. to start Ebola vaccinations tomorrow his charity in proper chan- and haste to do charita- comfort and sleep for oth- selected people are able to in which a disease may spread across It advises countries that are aff ected in Mbandaka and in the remote, rural nels, whilst the wasteful ble deeds).” [Al-Bukhari & ers. endure patiently when oth- borders and requires a vigorous inter- on how to contain the disease, includ- Bikoro area where the outbreak began. person might spend ex- Muslim] Off ering ones knowl- ers harm them. national response. ing measures on health surveillance The UN agency expects to have travagantly in places where Ibn Hajar, may Allah edge: This is one of the Being cheerful with oth- “This defi nition implies a situa- and trade and travel guidelines, and 7,500 doses of the new experimental it is not needed, and be have mercy upon him, said noblest ranks of generos- ers: Abu Tharr, may Allah tion that: is serious, unusual or unex- helps to pool scientifi c data. vaccine dubbed rVSV-ZEBOV on the very poorly in places where commenting on this narra- ity, and it is better than be pleased with him, re- pected; carries implications for public Invoking the measure also helps to ground by the weekend. spending is direly needed.” tion: “This added generos- sacrifi cing ones wealth be- ported that the Messenger health beyond the aff ected State’s na- mobilise funding and support on the The initial target group of people Anas, may Allah be ity resulted from the virtue cause knowledge is more of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi tional border; and may require imme- ground. While holding off the offi cial to be vaccinated is between 8,000 to pleased with him, said: of the month, the one with honourable than wealth. wa sallam, said:“Do not diate international action,” the WHO emergency declaration, the commit- 10,000 people. “The Prophet, sallallaa- whom he reviewed the Never will a stingy person belittle any good deed, says on its website. tee underscored that the decision can That includes health workers, other hu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was Qur’an and the thing being be able to benefi t from any even meeting your Mus- The agency fi rst invoked the emer- be revisited “if the outbreak expands frontline responders like those tasked the bravest person and reviewed (i.e. the Words of knowledge if he possessed lim brother with a cheerful gency mechanism in 2009 when a new signifi cantly, or if there is international with burying Ebola victims, along with the most generous.” [Al- Allah).” any, and it is from the wis- face”.[Muslim] This is one strain of infl uenza, so-called H1N1 spread.” 100 to 150 contacts of each Ebola pa- Bukhari & Muslim] Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim dom of Allah that He only of the heaviest deeds on the swine fl u, emerged. It is also noted that “the risk of tient. Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Al- counted 10 levels of gener- grants this knowledge to scale. It was declared twice in 2014, when international spread is particularly Vaccine maker Merck has said it has lah be pleased with him, osity, and they are as fol- generous people who will Not longing to possess polio re-emerged after the disease was high” given the confi rmation of a case 300,000 doses ready for the UN’s use stated: “TheProphet, sal- lows: be willing to off er it to oth- what others have: This is nearly eradicated and after an Ebola in Equateur’s capital Mbandaka, a key free of charge. lallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, Sacrifi cing ones soul: ers and benefi t them with the best type that refl ects was the most generous of Getting killed for the sake it. Generosity in this fi eld ones contentment with the all the people, and he used of Allah is the most para- is to teach the one who asks decrees of Allah and im- CRIME to reach the peak in gener- mount rank. you what you know and to poses ones respect on oth- Dramatic SA osity in the month of Ram- Utilising ones position: answer people’s queries. ers. Prayer time adan when Jibreel met him. This is the second best rank Utilising ones prestige: Article source: http:// cash van heist Jibreel used to meet him as in this case generosity This is by interceding to www.islamweb.net/ caught on camera every night of Ramadan to makes a person favour ful- people and facilitating their emainpage/ teach him the Qur’an, and fi lling the needs of others aff airs with those in charge. Robbers armed with assault when he met him, he, sal- over his personal interest Sacrificing physically: rifles and explosives blew up two armoured cash-carrying vans in Johannesburg this week in a brazen broad-daylight incident that underscored South Africa’s reputation for violent crime. In dramatic cellphone footage of the incident recorded by a motor- ist, the assailants seal off a block in the suburb of Boksburg, east of Johannesburg’s commercial centre, before calmly detonating explosives under the cash vans. Three large explosions are heard, with plumes of grey smoke shoot- ing up into the air. There are also rapid exchanges of gunfire before and after the blasts, although it is not clear where the shots were coming from. The assailants, who Men read the Holy Qur’an before the start of the prayers yesterday during the numbered around a dozen, then month of Ramadan inside a mosque in Mogadishu. load sacks into at least two get- away cars before speeding away. ‘Yes’ votes ahead in Burundi constitutional referendum

AFP stitution currently allows presidents to seek two fi ve-year Nairobi mandates. Nkurunziza circumvented that in 2015 by claim- ing he had been elected by parliament in 2005. The new constitution will increase term lengths to seven urundi looked set to adopt constitutional reforms that years, which would allow Nkurunziza to start again from could allow President Pierre Nkurunziza to remain in scratch in 2020. If passed, Nkurunziza would be the latest Bpower until 2034, with offi cial results yesterday show- in a long line of African leaders to tweak the constitution in ing a “yes” vote winning in 14 of 18 provinces. order to stay in power, along with Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, The offi cial results, published by a coalition of 15 public Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Cameroon’s Paul Biya and oth- and private radio stations which covered Thursday’s refer- ers. endum, showed a majority of “yes” votes in the 14 provinces. Other changes weaken constitutional constraints over the The referendum comes three years after Nkurunziza feared national intelligence agency and allow the revision of sought a third term in offi ce, plunging the country into cri- ethnic quotas seen as crucial to peace after the war. sis with a crackdown on protests, an attempted coup and The new constitution also gets rid of one of two vice- spiral into violence leaving 1,200 dead and displacing some presidents and shifts powers from the government to the 400,000. Critics say the referendum has struck a death blow president. to the Arusha peace deal which ended a 1993-2006 civil war, “There were articles preventing authorities from doing and ushered in measures to ensure power would not be con- good, paralysing government works. These reforms will al- centrated in either the hands of the majority Hutu or minor- low us to move things forward,” said Ntakarutimana. ity Tutsi, after decades of violence between the communi- The opposition and rights groups have said that, much ties. In traditional opposition strongholds, where the ruling like the preceding three years, the run-up to the referendum CNDD-FDD has never won an election, such as the capital was marked by threats, intimidation and violence. Bujumbura and southern Bururi, the “yes” vote won 53.9% There were “intimidations of every kind and even people and 51.97% respectively. This prompted accusations of fraud going to polling stations, forcing people to vote against their from opposition parties who complained of massive voter will,” said main opposition leader and former rebel Agathon intimidation. Rwasa. Ruling party deputy secretary general Joseph Ntakaruti- Human Rights Watch said yesterday it had documented mana denied these “exaggerations”. “15 killings, six rapes used as punishment against those seen The other provinces recorded between 61% and 84% of as against the (ruling) CNDD-FDD, eight abductions, and “yes” votes. The media coalition reported turnout in the numerous other violations.” The watchdog said that with provinces counted stood at over 90%. fear preventing the report of abuses, the real fi gures were Some 4.8mn people had registered to vote. Burundi’s con- likely much higher. Gulf Times Saturday, May 19, 2018 5 AMERICA 10 killed, 10 injured in high school shooting

AFP as fast as I could to the nearest for- Santa Fe est so I could hide and I called my mum.” Earlier this year, 17 students and en people were killed and staff were killed at a Florida high another 10 injured when a school – a massacre that prompted Tstudent opened fi re yester- survivors to launch a grassroots day at a high school in Texas, the campaign against gun violence. state’s governor said, as President A sombre Trump expressed Donald Trump expressed “heart- “sadness and heartbreak” over the break” over the latest deadly school latest shooting spree. shooting in the United States. “This has been going on too long “It’s with a very heavy heart that in our country,” said the president, I can confi rm that as of this time, speaking at an event on prison re- there have been 10 lives that have form at the White House. “We’re been lost, and another 10 that have with you in this tragic hour.” been wounded,” Governor Greg Trump, who has previously Abbott told a news conference. shied away from gun control and The shooting took place as proposed arming teachers, said classes were beginning for the day his administration is “determined at Santa Fe High School in the city to do everything in our power to of the same name, located 50km protect our students, secure our southeast of Houston. schools, and to keep weapons out “There are multiple fatalities,” of the hands of those who pose a Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez threat to themselves, and to oth- told reporters earlier. “There could ers”. be anywhere between eight to 10, The shooting erupted before the majority being students.” 8am, as the fi rst classes of the day Law enforcement and medical personnel at the Santa Fe High School following a shooting incident. At least six people were hospi- were starting. talised, including a police offi cer, “There was someone that dents were taken out by teachers to Florida police shoot gunman at Trump golf resort Santa Fe school district police chief walked in with a shotgun and start- a nearby gas station. Walter Braun said. ed shooting, and this girl got shot “I saw some girl – she had, you Florida police shot and wounded a gunman who had opened fire in the lobby Braun also said “explosive de- in the leg,” an eyewitness identifi ed know, she got shot in the kneecap, I of a Trump Organisation-owned golf resort near Miami and yelled rhetoric vices” had been found in the school as Nikki told local television sta- guess. So she had a bandage around against US President Donald Trump, authorities said yesterday. and “surrounding areas” and tion KTRK. it. She was limping and then the Off icers from both the Doral and Miami-Dade Police Departments responded warned people to exercise caution. The school district, which fi refi ghters came and got her,” an- to reports of shots fired at the Trump National Doral golf resort in the early The male teen suspect in custo- quickly imposed a lockdown, other student, Tyler Turner, told hours of yesterday. dy was not immediately identifi ed. cleared the students from the cam- CBS. The “subject came in, removed a flag from a flag pole at the rear of the com- A second possible person of pus, with television footage show- Police as well as agents from the plex and brought it into the hotel lobby and draped it over the counter and interest was being questioned, ing them leaving in a single fi le. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire- began to yell out anti-Trump ... rhetoric”, Juan Perez, director of the Miami- Gonzalez told reporters. Some students were evacuated arms and Explosives responded to Dade Police Department, told a news conference. The shooting was the latest in to a nearby auto shop, where par- the incident. Perez said that the shooter – a 42-year-old resident of Doral who fired into the what has become an all-too-famil- ents were picking up their children, The Santa Fe shooting came ceiling of the hotel, prompting calls to police – is believed to have been “trying iar situation in American schools, according to CBS affi liate KHOU- three months after the shooting at to engage our police off icers (in) some type of ambush”. where gun violence has become a TV. Marjory Douglas Stoneman High Police responded and opened fire on the gunman, who sustained “multiple part of everyday life. Parent Richard Allen told KTRK School in Parkland, Florida, which wounds to his legs from the gunfire”, said Perez, adding that “he is in stable “I shouldn’t be going through that he arrived at the school soon sparked a student-led movement condition in one of our local hospitals”. this. It’s my school. This is my after the shooting and reported for tighter gun laws. One off icer “sustained a broken arm ... as a result of a fall during the engage- daily life,” said a weeping Santa Fe seeing a number of victims being “We are fi ghting for you,” tweet- ment”, he said. student, Dakota Shrader. “I feel taken away in ambulances. ed David Hogg, a Stoneman Doug- Juan Carlos Bermudez, the mayor of Doral, said that no employees or guests scared to even go back. As soon as “My son said someone went into las student who has emerged as a of the hotel were harmed. the alarms went off everybody just the art room and started shooting a leader of the gun control campaign. On Twitter, Eric Trump – President Trump’s son and executive vice-president started running outside. lot of the kids,” Allen said. “We cannot let this continue of the Trump Organisation – expressed a “huge thank you to the incredible “And the next thing you know Student Paige Curry told local to be the norm,” tweeted Delaney men and women” of both police departments. everybody looks and you hear media that she heard gunshots and Tarr, another student at Stoneman “We are very grateful to you!” he wrote. ‘boom, boom, boom’ and I just ran then a fi re alarm, after which stu- Douglas. “We cannot.”

President alleges FBI spy inside his campaign Freedom

AFP gence Committee and a close sup- tiple investigations, who provided Caucus Washington porter of Trump, demanded that information on campaign-Russia the FBI and Justice Department contacts. provide his committee with classi- The Post reported yesterday that ‘defeats’ resident Donald Trump al- fi ed information on the informant, the FBI has been working for two leged yesterday that the Fed- raising worries that the infamous- weeks to try and control any dam- Peral Bureau of Investigation ly leaky panel would expose his or age that could come if the source’s $867bn (FBI) planted an informer in his her identity. identity is outed. 2016 election campaign, stepping Hoping to avoid that, senior The FBI declined to comment up eff orts to cast Special Counsel government intelligence offi cials yesterday on the issue. farm bill Robert Mueller’s Russia probe as gave Nunes and fellow Republican Nevertheless, Trump lawyer a politically-driven “witch hunt”. lawmaker Trey Gowdy a private Rudolph Giuliani, a former Jus- “Reports are there was indeed briefi ng last week, at the Justice tice Department prosecutor who Reuters at least one FBI representative Department and FBI. has worked closely on FBI inves- Washington implanted, for political purposes, But that has not quelled the tigations, told CNN yesterday that into my campaign for president. story. they did not have any proof of an “It took place very early on, and Suggestions that law enforce- FBI informant embedded in the he Republican-controlled long before the phony Russia Hoax Trump: this is bigger than ment had an inside Trump cam- Trump campaign. US House of Representa- became a ‘hot’ Fake News story. Watergate! paign source have been around “We’re told there were two infi l- Ttives failed to approve a If true – all time biggest political nearly as long as the one-year-old trations, two embedded people in sweeping $867bn farm bill yes- scandal!” information on contacts between Mueller investigation into cam- the campaign,” he said. terday after conservative Repub- On Thursday Trump tweeted the Trump campaign and Russia paign-Russia ties. He said they learned that from licans warned party leaders not about news reports on the alleged during 2016. Last year Trump alleged, with- unnamed “people”, adding: “We to hold the vote until they were informant, suggesting it was a If true, the powerful law en- out off ering proof, that Obama had don’t know if they are right or not.” given the chance to consider a spying operation of then-presi- forcement agency – which had a law enforcement tap communica- “I don’t know for sure, nor does bill to clamp down on immigra- dent Barack Obama. sordid history in its early years of tions in his Trump Tower offi ces in the president, if there really was. tion. “If so, this is bigger than Water- monitoring prominent politicians New York during the election. We’re told that ... by people who The next steps are unclear for gate!” Trump said. – could be forced to defend itself Both the New York Times and for a long time have been told there the bill, which failed in a 198-to- Trump’s tweets came as the FBI against charges it was spying on a Washington Post say that law en- was some kind of infi ltration.” 213 vote. remained silent on questions of presidential candidate. forcement sources confi rm the The FBI “should tell us if there Representative Cathy Mc- whether it did have a deep intelli- Last month Devin Nunes, the existence of a deep-cover source, was”, he added. Morris Rodgers, a member of Re- gence informant providing inside chairman of the House Intelli- used by the FBI for years in mul- publican leadership, told report- ers that “the Freedom Caucus” was the reason the bill failed. The conservative Freedom Caucus has about 30 members in the 435-seat House and they Gates mocks Trump for not knowing have been pushing for consid- eration of a conservative immi- gration bill. the diff erence between HIV and HPV The group told party leaders on Thursday that they should postpone the vote on the farm AFP if there was a diff erence between were causing bad things. bill until a debate is held on im- Washington HIV and HPV so I was able to ex- “And I said no, that’s a dead end, migration. plain that those are rarely con- that would be a bad thing, don’t do Democrats also voted against fused with each other,” Gates said, that,” Gates told the closed meet- the farm bill because of changes ill Gates is not a huge fan in video footage of the meeting ing. Gates: was thrown off by Trump’s that it would make to a food of Donald Trump, and at a broadcast late on Thursday by A vaccine against human papil- habit of referring to himself in the stamps programme used by Brecent event hosted by his MSNBC. lomavirus (HPV) – one of the most third person. about 40mn Americans, offi - foundation, he made that clear as Gates, whose foundation works common sexually-transmitted cially known as the Supplemen- he revealed details about his inter- to combat disease and poverty in diseases in the United States – al- and was thrown off by the real es- tal Nutrition Assistance Pro- actions with the US president. developing countries, said that the ready exists. tate magnate’s habit of referring to gramme (SNAP). The billionaire Microsoft question had arisen after he had Despite intense research ef- himself in the third person. Members of the Senate Com- founder drew laughter from the urged the president to speed up forts, there is still no vaccine for “He said: ‘Trump hears that you mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition crowd when he said that at two research for a vaccine for HIV. the human immunodefi ciency don’t like what Trump is doing.’ and Forestry have said that they meetings, Trump needed help dis- “In both of those two meetings, virus (HIV), which causes Aids, a And I thought, ‘Wow, but you’re are writing their own version of tinguishing the HIV virus, which he asked me if vaccines weren’t a disease that killed 1mn people in Trump.’ I didn’t know the third- the farm bill because the House’s can lead to Aids, from HPV, a sex- bad thing because he was consid- 2016. party form was always expected. proposed SNAP changes could ually-transmitted disease that can ering a commission to look into ill- Gates told the audience that he ‘Gates says that Gates knows that not pass the chamber, where cause cervical cancer or genital eff ects of vaccines and somebody had fi rst bumped into Trump at you’re not doing things right’,” Republicans hold a slim 51-49 warts. – I think it was Robert Kennedy Jr an event they were both attending Gates told the audience, prompt- majority and passing most legis- “Both times, he wanted to know – was advising him that vaccines before he was elected president, ing laughter. lation requires 60 votes. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, May 19, 2018 ASIA

Child-killing virus hits Lanka

Sri Lanka’s health off icials have warned that a virus aff ecting children was spreading in the Thai junta targets opposition island’s south and five deaths had been reported, IANS reports from Colombo. The government’s information department quoting medical off icials said the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle had for election delay comments been experiencing an increase in the number of patients who Reuters day after a news conference by arrived with a fever over the past Bangkok the Puea Thai Party, founded by few days, Xinhua news agency ousted former prime minister reported. Thaksin Shinawatra. According to doctors, patients hailand’s military gov- “Yesterday the NCPO came who were admitted included ernment has accused to fi le charges against the Puea children aged two to three Topposition members of Thai Party,” Maitri Chimcherd, years old as well as infants fl outing a ban on political activ- commander of the Crime Sup- who were less than six ity, among other charges, after pression Division, told Reuters. months old. they criticised it for reneging on “We just fi nished interrogating The symptoms of the promises to restore democracy this morning at 5am. Police must disease included high and protect basic rights, police fi rst gather evidence and see if there fever, cough and breathing said yesterday. is suffi cient evidence to prosecute.” diff iculties. The military, which has ruled The party was charged with Aruna De Silva of the since a 2014 coup it said was violating a ban on political ac- paediatric unit at Karapitiya needed to restore order after tivity, sedition and breaking Hospital said they examined months of protests, promised a Thailand’s computer crimes act Pheu Thai party members Watana Muangsook, left, Chaturon Chaisaeng, centre, and Chusak Sirinul speak at a press conference in Bangkok the matter and had identified return to democratic rule with- by publicising the event online, yesterday, ahead of the fourth anniversary of the May 22 Thai military coup. that the situation arose as a in two years, but has repeatedly said Burin Thongpraphai, chief result of a virus that causes delayed general elections, most of the junta’s legal team. Chaturon Chaisang, a senior Thailand is divided broadly The delays in holding elec- As the coup’s fourth anniver- pneumonia. recently set for February 2019. Since the coup, the junta has member of the Puea Thai Party. between those backing Thaksin tions, which some analysts have sary approaches on May 22, the He added that the disease Police said the junta, formally banned gatherings of more than “The charges are not propor- and his sister, Yingluck Shina- said could be pushed back yet junta faces a crisis of public per- was caused by the Influenza known as the National Council fi ve people on grounds of main- tionate to what happened,” he watra, whose government was again, have spurred protests in ceptions, say international and and Adino viruses and aff ects for Peace and Order (NCPO), taining national security. said. “They want to bully the removed in the coup, and the Bangkok in recent weeks seek- domestic polls that show cor- children who are less than two fi led the charges late on Thurs- The charges were unfair, said Puea Thai Party.” elite in the capital, Bangkok. ing a quick return to democracy. ruption as rife as ever. years old. Solo climber Civilians fl ee Myanmar’s ‘forgotten war’

By Richard Sargent, AFP “It was so diffi cult and we had to Danai, Myanmar cross a river.” dies on Nepal For the group that included many young children, as well eng Moon grabbed her as the sick and elderly, progress day-old baby and fl ed into through the arduous jungle ter- Sthe thick jungle, joining rain was slow. mountain thousands of villagers escaping But they were lucky to en- fi ghting between ethnic Kachin counter local elephant handlers rebels and Myanmar’s army, – known as mahouts – who AFP ly led an expedition on the now reinforced by a unit noto- helped ferry the most vulner- Kathmandu 8,201m Cho Oyu peak – also rious for its brutal “clearance” able across a chest-deep river in the Nepali Himalaya – only operations. to a displacement camp in the arrived at Everest base camp The insurgency in Myanmar’s grounds of a small, wooden Russian climber died in early May, according to his remote northeast has festered church. just below the summit Facebook page. for six decades, but unlike the Ethnic Kachin are mainly Aof Lhotse, the world’s Most climbers arrive in April Rohingya crisis in the far west of Christians in a nation that is fourth highest peak, in at and spend at least a month ac- the country, it has garnered few overwhelmingly Buddhist. least the third fatality of the climatising to the harsh, low global headlines. International focus has been spring climbing season in the oxygen environment. Fighting has surged dramati- on the crisis in Rakhine state, Nepali Himalaya, offi cials said Altitudes above 8,000m are cally this year, displacing 20,000 from where some 700,000 yesterday. known as the “death zone” people since January, adding to Rohingya Muslims have been Rustem Amirov was alone among climbers. The air con- the legions already uprooted by driven into Bangladesh by a re- on the 8,516m (27,940ft) tains less than a third of the one of the world’s longest-run- lentless military campaign the mountain, which neighbours oxygen at sea level and hu- ning civil wars. UN says amounted to “ethnic Mount Everest, when he died mans cannot survive at those Often called the “forgotten cleansing”. of altitude related complica- heights for long. war”, the Kachin confl ict is a An army unit accused of tions on Thursday. Deprived of oxygen, fl uid messy struggle over autonomy, atrocities against the Rohingya Internally displaced people eat meals at a temporary shelter at a church compound in Tanghpre village “He was climbing solo builds up on the lungs and ethnic identity, drugs, jade and – the 33rd Light Infantry Divi- outside Myitkyina, Kachin state of Myanmar. without any guides with brain, which is fatal if climbers other natural resources be- sion – has now been redeployed him. The body has not do not reach a lower altitude in tween the Kachin Independ- to Kachin. against civilians on previous of military domination. But the amber and jade mining areas, he been brought down to the time. ence Army (KIA) and the While the scale of violence in missions to Kachin. army still retains control over se- added. base camp yet,” Gyanendra Most climbers use bottled Myanmar state. Kachin does not match opera- “Kachin civilians... have lit- curity issues. Myanmar’s army accuses the Shrestha, a government li- oxygen to reduce the eff ects of On April 11, with the sound of tions against the Rohingya, ex- tle hope of divisions like these The Kachin confl ict reignited KIA of involvement in an attack aison offi cer at Everest base high altitude. It was not clear gunfi re and fi ghter jets closing perts say the deployment of the changing their behaviour,” HRW in 2011 after a 17-year ceasefi re at the weekend on security posts camp, said. if Amirov was climbing with in, the residents of Danai town- unit is an ominous sign for Myanmar researcher Rich Weir collapsed. Clashes have intensi- and a casino in Shan that left at Climbers attempting Lhotse supplemental oxygen. ship sought refuge in their paddy civilians. said. fi ed since 2016, displacing more least 19 dead. use the same base camp as A post on Amirov’s Face- fi elds. “Yes, they are here,” Kachin The insurgency in the north- than 100,000 in Kachin and The military says it is protect- those aiming for Everest’s book page said that a rescue Three days later shells started state minister for security and east is one of two dozen ethnic the north of neighbouring Shan ing the country’s sovereignty and summit. team was sent but failed to falling on their village and lead- border aff airs, Colonel Thura minority rebellions that have state. borders. But the KIA’s political They follow the same route reach him in time. ers took the decision for the Myo Tin, said without giving plagued Myanmar since inde- Independent analyst David wing has a diff erent view. up the mountain, scaling the “High altitude porters 2,000 inhabitants to fl ee. any further details about their pendence from British colonial Mathieson said the military ap- “They are invaders. We are de- sheer Lhotse Face – a 1,125m were sent to rescue him, and Seng Moon, 22, had given mission. rule in 1948. pears to be taking advantage of fenders,” said Dau Hka, a spokes- wall of ice – before the path help him down to camp two. birth to her daughter only the Human Rights Watch accus- Civilian leader Aung San Suu the focus on the Rohingya to at- man for the Kachin Independ- to the neighbouring summits Unfortunately it was too day before. es the unit of “multiple mas- Kyi said forging nationwide tack the KIA and bring it “to the ence Organisation (KIO). divides. late. He was unconscious “I was still bleeding (from the sacres” in northern Rakhine peace was her main priority after peace negotiation table”. “The fi ghting will stop imme- Amirov, an experienced when he passed away,” the birth) and I felt like I was dying,” while Amnesty International her government assumed power The military is also “targeting diately” once the military halts climber who had previous- post said. she said at a camp in Danai town. has recorded “violations” two years ago, ending decades the KIA’s sources of income” in its off ensive, he added. Sherpa shortage takes a toll on Everest New owner defends ‘rocky start’ at Post By Annabel Symington, AFP done’. But I found a small pulse Mingma denied there were can make up to $10,000 in the Their unique physiology, Everest Base Camp, Nepal in him,” said guide Ang Tshering any problems. April to May climbing season, adapted over thousands of years AFP of a wider crackdown on critics Lama, who found Sange. “A Sherpa can summit fi ve more than 14 times Nepal’s av- of living at high altitudes, has Phnom Penh ahead of 2018 polls that Hun Lama dragged the uncon- times, eight times but some- erage annual income. The low- made them essential since. A Sen is determined to win. he Everest industry is scious Sange back down the times he gets a problem. That’s est paid will barely scrape to- recent British study found that The new owner of Cambodia’s In a combative press conference suff ering from a danger- mountain while others helped the body,” he said. gether $1,000 for two months’ Sherpas use oxygen more beleaguered Phnom Penh yesterday, Siva said he took Tous shortage of its most his client. With the climbing season risky work. effi ciently than lowlanders. Post yesterday denied links over Asia PR in 2011, long after important resource: experi- Both had severe frostbite. barely started, so far this year at “It’s the fault of the clients as But climbing Sherpa have ar- to the country’s authoritarian any business it might have had enced Sherpa guides. Sange lost all of his fi ngers, least four Sherpas from Seven well if they just close their eyes guably become a victim of their government and defended with Hun Sen’s administration, Ethnic Sherpas from the val- spelling the end of his short Summit Treks have already sus- and go cheap,” said Lama, who own success, and the commu- a stormy takeover which insisting no ties remain. leys around Everest have be- career on Everest. tained frostbite, according to rescued Sange. nity is now at a generational saw journalists resign en “I wish to clarify there is no come synonymous with high Sange was not meant to base camp sources. Seven Summit Treks – which turning point. masse over fears for editorial government involvement,” he altitude climbing. be guiding that year. He No qualifi cations are needed charges about $20,000 to climb Many experienced Sherpa independence. said of the sale, admitting that it With their unique ability to was planned to be carrying to work on Everest. Some ex- Everest, less than a third of oth- who started working for the The May 4 takeover of the had gotten off to a “rocky start”. work in a low-oxygen, high al- equipment up the mountain, pedition operators require staff er operators – blames rivals for fi rst commercial expeditions in English-language daily by Citing his own background as titude atmosphere, they are the a job many young Sherpa do to do one of two short courses the shortage, accusing them of the 1990s are retiring. Others Malaysian investor Siva Kumar a journalist by training, Siva backbone of the industry, haul- before graduating to become for mountain workers. Others not investing in the next have left Nepal for rival moun- G after he purchased the paper said the sale was a “simple and ing clients and equipment to guide. do not. generation of Sherpa guides. taineering countries buoyed last month sent a shudder of honest business venture” and the top of the 8,848m (29,029ft) “I was in the second team, in Mingma dismissed the Nepal “They take only experienced by their reputation for being dread through advocates of that he had been “demonised mountain. which untrained Sherpa usually Mountaineering Association Sherpas. They don’t want to strong and dedicated. free expression in the kingdom, by certain journalists at the The number of Everest carry the equipment and food courses as worthless, saying spend extra money to train new They have earned enough where premier Hun Sen has Phnom Penh Post”. climbers has more than dou- from the base camp to camp everything could be learned on Sherpas,” Mingma said. money to educate their children crushed all criticism in the run- Most of the foreign staff bled in two decades, however, two, three and four,” Sange said. the mountain. Phurba Tashi Sherpa, head in Kathmandu, or even in India up to July elections. members resigned after refusing and the Sherpa supply has not But his employer, Seven “My Sherpas don’t have Sherpa with the Himalayan and the United States. The buyer also owns Asia PR, to take down an article about the kept pace. Raw recruits are Summit Treks, the largest Ne- any training with NMA. NMA Experience company, who has “They are educated so they a company that once worked sale while the Cambodian editor- now being used to reach the pal-based expedition opera- training for us is not enough, we summited Everest 21 times, said can fi nd other jobs,” said Kami for Cambodia’s government, in-chief was fired. top and it has already taken a tor, had more than 60 clients should do our own training on it was becoming more diffi cult Rita Sherpa, who has been stirring alarm over apparent One former employee disputed toll. on Everest and needed some- the mountain,” he said. to fi nd experienced Sherpa for guiding on Everest since 1994 cosy links with the ruling party. Siva’s comments about the ex- Dawa Sange Sherpa, 20, sum- one to take a paying climber to Dawa Steven Sherpa of Asian his team. and admits he would never al- Hun Sen has dismantled the staff ers, saying the article was mited Mount Everest last year – the top. Trekking requires all staff to “The young Sherpas are very low his son to work in such a fragile democracy’s once- a “straight news report in order a fi rst for him and the climber Mingma Sherpa, head of Sev- have done the NMA course. strong and they think they can “risky business”. vibrant media scene over the to be transparent about the sale he was with. en Summit Treks, said Sange He said that budget expedition do everything, but actually they “If the old climbing guides past year, with the Post one of of the Phnom Penh Post”. On the way down, the cold, was ready to be a guide and had operators hire inexperienced can’t. The older Sherpa go slow don’t bring their kids into this few remaining watchdogs in Siva, whose full name is Siva lack of oxygen and exhaustion previously summited Everest. Sherpa to cut costs. and steady,” he said. sector, the number of climbing the graft-riddled country. Kumar Ganapathy, hinted took hold. The pair collapsed Sange said he had not. “As long as his name is Sherpas have been helping Sherpas will defi nitely decline,” The paper’s main rival, the yesterday at new restructuring just below the summit and were Nine other Sherpas from Sherpa,” he quipped of the Everest climbers since the fi rst he continued. Cambodia Daily, was among plans, saying he had appointed found hours later, barely alive. Seven Summit Treks were res- recruitment criteria. British teams set their sights on “Those from the next generation media closed last year as part a transition team. “My friend said to me, ‘He’s cued on Everest that year, but Experienced Sherpa guides the summit in the 1920s. won’t join this fi eld.” Gulf Times Saturday, May 19, 2018 7 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Designer bags, jewellery, cash seized from former Malaysia PM

Reuters plagued state fund 1Malaysia and the number of jewellery is Najib founded. Authorities in six she has never spoken about it fi cial residence in the adminis- A prime minister earns a Kuala Lumpur Development Berhad (1MDB), an rather big,” Amar Singh, direc- countries, including the United herself. trative capital of Putrajaya, the fi xed salary of 22,826.65 ring- extraordinary turn of events that tor of police commercial crime States, are investigating the The US Justice Department family mansion in Kuala Lumpur git a month and cannot invest in few would have predicted before investigations, told reporters at fund. Najib denies any wrong- said last year in a fi ling in a civil where Najib lives, and three oth- businesses or stocks while in of- alaysian police seized a May 9 general election that he the scene. doing. His lawyer on Thursday lawsuit that nearly $30mn of er private residences linked to fi ce. Najib earned an additional 284 boxes of designer was expected to win. Shortly after Najib and his denounced the long search of funds stolen from 1MDB was him. monthly salary of 16,000 ringgit Mhandbags and dozens Items such as Birkin handbags long-ruling political coalition Najib’s home as “harassment”. used to buy jewellery for Ros- “This is the result of the search as a member of parliament. of bags fi lled with cash and jew- from Hermes, jewellery, watches were defeated in the polls, new Critics of Najib have often ac- mah, including a rare 22-carat in one of the six premises,” Singh Police began their searches ellery yesterday from a luxury and other valuables were carted Prime Minister Mahathir Mo- cused his wife of lavish spend- pink diamond set in a necklace. said, pointing to the hundreds late on Wednesday, with offi c- condominium in the centre of out of the condominium at the hamad barred him and his wife, ing, which they say was done Singh said police carried out of luxury items seized from the ers seen entering Najib’s private Kuala Lumpur linked to former upmarket Pavilion Residences, Rosmah Mansor, from leaving with public funds. Rosmah’s al- simultaneous searches at six condominium. home some 20 minutes after he prime minister Najib Razak. in the pre-dawn hours, police the country. Mahathir, 92, who leged excesses included designer premises linked to Najib, all in Singh said police had also had asked, in a post on Twitter, Police have been searching said. “Exactly how much jewel- was once Najib’s mentor, says handbags, watches and jewel- connection with their investiga- seized documents linked to for “forgiveness for past sins,” Najib’s home and other places lery, I would not be able to say, there is suffi cient evidence to in- lery, which she bought while tion into 1MDB. 1MDB. Stories of lavish spending shortly after he had attended linked to him as part of an in- because we know that we confi s- vestigate the multi-billion-dol- travelling around the world, have The premises include the by Najib’s family have long been prayers on the eve of the holy vestigation into the scandal- cated bags containing jewellery lar scandal at the 1MDB fund that been widely reported, although prime minister’s offi ce and of- a sore point for Malaysians. month of Ramadan.

Media access denied for nuclear site event

North Korea has declined to accept a list of South Korean journalists hoping to observe North Korea’s about-face the closure of its nuclear test site, South Korea said yesterday, raising new questions about the North’s commitment to reducing tension. North Korea had invited a limited number of journalists from South Korea and complicates peace process other countries to witness what it said will be the closing of its Reuters “I am sceptical about the spec- only nuclear weapons test site at Seoul ulation that China was behind Punggye-ri next week. Kim Jong-un’s renewed hard The North Korean off er to scrap line,” Zhao said. the test site has been seen as outh Korean President “I believe China wants North major concession in months of Moon Jae-in has been rid- Korea and the US to reach a deal, easing tension between it, on the Sing high after a string of which would make it easier for one hand, and South Korea and successes with North Korea, see- China to enhance economic co- the United States on the other. ing his popularity surge after his operation with North Korea and But the remarkable progress historic meeting with Kim Jong- better facilitate North Korea’s appears to have been checked un as he looks ahead to the US- strategic transition to economic in recent days with North North Korea summit he helped development and open-up.” Korea raising doubts about an engineer next month. Moon’s administration quickly unprecedented June 12 summit But just days before a key accepted North Korean leader in Singapore between leader Kim meeting with US President Don- Kim Jong-un’s New Year’s pro- Jong-un and US President Don- ald Trump, Pyongyang has made posal to ease tensions, arranged ald Trump, and calling off talks Moon’s role as a diplomatic go- a historic inter-Korean summit, with the South. The South Ko- between much harder, calling and passed on Kim’s invitation rean Unification Ministry, which his government “ignorant and to meet with Trump. North Ko- handles dealings with the North, incompetent” and pulling out of rea, meanwhile, has pledged to said North Korea had “declined inter-Korean talks. publicly dismantle its nuclear to accept” the list of journalists Moon heads to Washington test site next week. South Korean submitted by the South for the next week with the daunting task offi cials said they still believe the test site dismantling. Trump of crafting a unifi ed approach be- nuclear site will be dismantled, sought to placate North Korea tween the two allies ahead of the and said they had not seen any after it threatened to call off June 12 meeting between Trump changes in their lines of commu- the June summit, saying Kim’s and Kim in Singapore. While nication with the North Koreans. security would be guaranteed in publicly supporting Trump’s Moon is scheduled to meet any deal and his country would campaign of sanctions and with Trump on Tuesday in not suff er the fate of Muammar military threats, Moon has long Washington. Despite professed Gaddafi’s Libya, unless that could called for reconciliation with the unity, Trump has often taken a not be reached. North Korea had North and has pushed Washing- harder line on North Korea than said on Wednesday it might not ton to engage with Pyongyang’s Moon, and the US president has attend the Singapore summit if overtures. North Korea’s threat repeatedly criticised South Korea the United States continued to this week to scrap the Trump over trade while questioning the demand it unilaterally abandon summit if Washington continues usefulness of the alliance. South its nuclear arsenal, which it has to press for unilateral denucleari- Korea’s presidential Blue House, developed in defiance of UN sation and complaints about US- however, says it hopes Moon’s Security Council resolutions to South Korea military drills has North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaking while attending the first Enlarged Meeting of the 7th Central Military Commission of the Workers’ meeting with Trump will help set counter perceived US hostility. done little to advance Moon’s Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang. the stage for more progress with Trump said as far as he knew hope for a peace deal. “Moon did North Korea. the summit was still on track, an impressive job building up po- still in a position to act as a go- lomat to Britain who defected to In rambling remarks in the made there. North Korea’s re- “As this US-South Korea sum- but that the North Korean leader litical capital with both leaders between, but only as far as the the South in 2016, to hold a press White House’s Oval Offi ce in newed ties with China “certainly mit is taking place three weeks was possibly being influenced – with Trump throughout 2017 other two parties take bridgeable conference on Monday at the which he also sharply criticized has emboldened” Kim by making ahead of the US-North Korea by Beijing. But he also stressed and Kim more in 2018 – and has positions.” South Korean National Assembly China over trade, Trump said him less reliant on a successful summit, we hope it will act as a that North Korea would have to spent some of it to create a situa- The North’s outburst aimed for his publication of his memoir. that as far as he knew the meet- summit with Trump, but Beijing bridge for the success of the US- abandon its nuclear weapons tion that brings North Korea and at Moon’s government appeared In his memoir, ‘Password from the ing with Kim was still on track, is unlikely to be directing the lat- North Korea summit,” said Nam and warned that if no deal was the US to the table,” said Andray partially driven by anger over Third Floor’, Thae describes North but that the North Korean leader est outbursts, said Zhao Tong, a Gwan-pyo, second deputy direc- reached, North Korea could be Abrahamian, adjunct fellow at South Korea allowing Thae Yong- Korean leader Kim as “impatient, was possibly being infl uenced by North Korea expert at the Carn- tor of the Blue House’s National “decimated” like Libya or Iraq. the Griffi th Asia Institute. “He’s ho, a former North Korean dip- impulsive and violent”. Beijing after two recent visits he egie-Tsinghua Center in Beijing. Security Offi ce. Indonesia city protests The showstoppers suicide bomber burials

AFP Surabaya

ngry residents of an In- donesian city struck by Aa wave of suicide bomb- ings refused to let the attack- ers’ bodies be buried in their neighbourhood yesterday, po- lice said. The attacks on churches and a police station by two families — including a nine and 12-year- old girl— rocked the Southeast Asian nation, which has long struggled with militancy. Police have said the suicide bomber families — and a third An anti-terror policeman gestures amid tight security at a linked to the attacks — were hospital morgue, where the bodies of the individuals involved members of a weekend study in the Surabaya suicide bombings are being kept, in Surabaya, group and have been tied a lo- East Java province, yesterday. cal extremist network operating Australian designer Camilla Franks (centre) stands with young models at the end of her show during Fashion Week Australia in Sydney. in Indonesia’s second-biggest of the victims was a resident Residents of another com- city Surabaya. Relatives of the here. The church is also part munity on the outskirts of two families have not claimed of this sub-district. Now the Surabaya also pushed back their bodies so police said they bombers are going to be buried against plans to bury Tri Erna- NZ budget aims to deliver on ‘Jacinda-mania’ planned to bury some of them here too?” wati, the mother of a family of in a local graveyard, but resi- “Their own families don’t fi ve who blew themselves up New Zealand’s centre-left ing Labour Party. An extra Minister Grant Robertson. “We budget, much of it aimed at the dents pushed back at the plan. want to take the bodies so why at a police station on Monday. government boosted spending NZ$4bn (US$2.76bn), or about are determined to turn the page country’s impoverished Pacific “We’ve had to postpone their should they be buried here?” Her seven-year-old daughter on welfare and public services 6.3%, was allocated to health on the ideology of individualism neighbours. New outlays were funerals,” said East Java police he added. Surabaya Mayor Tri survived the bombing. But local in a maiden budget aimed at spending through to 2021-22, and a hands-off approach to the partially paid for by scrapping chief Machfud Arifi n. Rismaharini said he reached offi cial Kukuh Santoso did not delivering on the promises made including NZ$850mn to fix economy that has left too many NZ$7.9bn in tax cuts promised A dozen people were killed in out to the Indonesian Ulema share residents’ concerns. “She during last year’s “Jacinda-ma- run-down hospitals. Elsewhere people behind,” he added. by the previous government, the Surabaya attacks including Council – the Muslim major- is already dead -- she can’t do nia” election campaign. Health an extra NZ$1.6bn will be spent Spending to reduce child pov- Robertson said, a move Ardern a 15-year-old boy who lived in ity country’s top religious body anything,” he said, referring to services were the centrepiece on schools to hire 1,500 new erty and domestic violence was foreshadowed during the elec- the neighbourhood where the -- for an opinion on what to do Ernawati. of the budget’s spending spree, teachers, along with a promise also boosted, along with support tion campaign. graveyard is located. with the bodies. Muslims are “Where is our humanity? after Prime Minister Jacinda of 6,000 new public housing services for refugees. The gov- He said the goal of reducing “I can understand how my typically buried within a day of The bombing was a tragedy but Ardern’s campaign promises to dwellings. “We can’t make up for ernment had already announced net government debt to 20% of people feel,” said Yunus, a local their death. let’s think about her family who help “left behind” voters eked nine years of neglect in just one a NZ$5.5bn families package gross domestic product had been offi cial, who like many Indone- “This is a very sensitive mat- was shocked to learn that she out a narrow victory for the budget, but these are the first and a rise of NZ$700mn, or pushed back two years to 2021-22 sians goes by one name. “One ter,” Rismaharini said. was one of the bombers.” popular young leader’s govern- steps in doing that,” said Finance one third, in the foreign aid to allow more spending. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, May 19, 2018 BRITAIN

Bristol police offi cer cleared of assault over stun gun shooting

Guardian News and Media to identify himself and twice drew to refuse to identify himself. Bod- on social media and made head- Adunbi said: “Don’t ask me any (tormenting) me. I’m gonna put He said: “I am going about my London her stun gun as he refused, fi ring die denied assault. lines around the world. questions. I don’t give a damn. Go you to sleep. I’m telling you now.” business and you draw Taser.” He on the second occasion. Adunbi has sat on Bristol’s in- The court was played footage and fi nd who you’re looking for ... At this point, Boddie drew her added: “Leave me alone ... get out Describing the eff ect of the stun dependent advisory group, which from Boddie’s bodycam where I don’t wanna talk to you. I don’t stun gun and said: “Right are you of my yard.” police offi cer has been gun, Adunbi told the court: “My forges links between the police and suspecting that Adunbi was a wanna talk to you people because threatening, right this is a Taser. Boddie discharged the stun found not guilty of assault head was frying.” He said he felt the community, and has worked wanted man, Boddie can be heard (inaudible) messing around with Listen fella, all right fella.” gun and said: “Taser, Taser, Taser, Aafter a court heard she shot “angry, frustrated, alarmed and with the Crown Prosecution Serv- telling him: “Hang on fella.” Adun- black people. Why are you (inau- Adunbi is heard saying: “You you’ve been Tasered, OK, stay a 64-year-old race relations ad- distressed” at being challenged by ice’s local community involvement bi is then heard telling the offi cers: dible) with a black man.” gonna Taser me, you gonna Taser calm, all right. OK, you’re under viser with a stun gun when she the police. panel. The alleged assault took “You are victimising me.” Boddie said: “I’d like to know me.” Adunbi was told he looked arrest for section 5 of the Public mistook him for a wanted man. The prosecution alleges that place close to his home in the Eas- Boddie said: “We are not vic- who you are.” Adunbi told the of- like Royston McCalla, who they Order Act, OK, and assault police. The court heard that acting Boddie, 48, used unlawful force ton area of Bristol last year, where timising you. My colleague has fi cers: “I’m an African black in- said was wanted by police. Adunbi Cautioned.” sergeant Claire Boddie repeatedly when she fi red at Adunbi. It claims he is a well-known fi gure. A video explained to you that you look fa- dividual living in my own city and was angry because he had been Adunbi repeatedly said: “I’m asked Bristol man Judah Adunbi that Adunbi was within his rights of the incident was widely shared miliar.” you are coming around tommin mistaken for McCalla before. nearly 70 ... here’s my ID.”

Bus for homeless impounded by police

A double-decker bus used as a shelter for rough sleepers in Wind- sor has been impounded by police before the royal wedding. Charles to walk Thames Valley police said The Ark Project’s 10-bed bus was seized from the town centre due to an is- sue with the driver’s licence. The charity’s founder, Michael Longsmith, 42, said nine people on the bus had been “kicked out” Meghan down on to the streets because police wanted the bus removed before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, despite it being parked on private land with full permis- sion. The bus had been parked in “a lovely spot” right on the corner next the aisle after to the castle, said Longsmith. Police had towed it away, claiming it was a public service vehicle – which Longsmith said it was not. “They towed it away to be inspected and categorised and it’s not going to be given back until after the wedding.” dad drops out Inspector Gavin Biggs, a roads police off icer, said the force seized AFP And the palace itself has come be displayed in a special “instal- the vehicle on Thursday afternoon. Windsor under fi re for its handling of the lation”, according to Kensington “It was being driven otherwise than situation. “Kensington Palace has Palace. in accordance with a licence, a man missed a trick with the whole fam- Ingredients for the cake, which was reported for the off ence and rince Charles will be the ily,” veteran royal biographer Pen- will be assembled at Windsor to- the vehicle was removed,” he said. one to walk Meghan Mar- ny Junor said, suggesting it might day, include 200 Amalfi lemons, Windsor council’s Conservative Pkle down the aisle when she have been prudent for Meghan 500 eggs and 10 bottles of elder- leader, Simon Dudley, sparked con- marries his son Prince Harry, pal- to invite her half-siblings. “The fl ower cordial. troversy earlier this year with a let- ace offi cials said yesterday as final relatives have become a bigger Details about Markle’s wedding ter to Thames Valley Police, saying preparations were under way on story than the event itself, which dress remain a closely-guarded rough sleepers should be removed the eve of the royal wedding. is tragic.” secret, and will not be revealed from the Berkshire town before The bride had initially hoped Despite the pre-ceremony fi as- until the bride arrives for the the wedding. But, after a backlash, her father Thomas Markle would co, Meghan was smiling as she ar- service. it appeared no homeless people take on the role, but confi rmed on rived for Thursday’s dress rehears- Mother and daughter spent had been removed and the Royal Thursday he would not attend as al involving military marches and a yesterday night together at the Borough of Windsor and Maiden- he is recovering from a heart op- dry-run of the carriage procession Cliveden House Hotel, set amid an head said it has been working with eration after being caught up in a that will whisk the couple around expansive country estate 30 min- charities to get rough sleepers paparazzi fi asco involving staged Windsor to greet the crowds af- utes drive from Windsor Castle, the help they needed. Longsmith pictures. ter their wedding at St George’s while Harry stayed with his broth- said of the bus: “It’s been used as a Although many thought her Chapel, in the castle grounds. er Prince William at the nearby motorhome for the last year, since mother Doria Ragland could step The duo made a brief appear- Coworth Park hotel. it was converted.” Normally used at in, Kensington Palace said her fu- ance, surprising crowds milling Security forces have trans- a shelter in Reading, he had moved ture father-in-law would take on around the rehearsal route by pull- formed the picturesque town into it to Windsor two days ago “to help the responsibility at today’s cer- ing in to Windsor Castle via the fa- an impregnable fortress. Every the homeless because of the kerfuf- emony. mous Long Walk promenade. nook and cranny has been scoured fle around them”. “There were nine “Meghan Markle has asked the Meanwhile, Violet Bakery in and every imaginable security people on board at the time it was prince of Wales to accompany her east London was yesterday ap- measure deployed to guarantee the seized. They’ve just been kicked out down the aisle...on her wedding plying fi nishing touches to the safety of the royal couple and the back on to the streets. There is no- day,” a statement said. “ethereal” lemon and elderfl ower tens of thousands of spectators set where for them. No provisions set “The prince of Wales is pleased wedding cake, which it said would to fl ood the streets. up for them in Windsor. Now we are to be able to welcome Meghan to trying to rally around to find tents the royal family in this way.” Police ban confetti from wedding procession for them.” “The real motivation was Meanwhile, Meghan’s mum because the place we were parked yesterday met Queen Elizabeth II Police have banned the hope everyone enjoys the day.” in was right opposite the castle and for the fi rst time at Windsor Cas- traditional throwing of confetti Snipers have been deployed on with the amount of press and media tle, where the nuptials will take during the royal carriage rooftops with police, the army that it was shining on the homeless place. She met with Charles and procession to follow Prince and undercover members of problem, they just wanted it gone. his wife Camilla on Thursday, and Harry and Meghan Markle’s the security services ready So they have used whatever power was joined by her daughter and wedding at Windsor Castle today. ‘do whatever is necessary’ to they could.” He claimed police had future son-in-law for yesterday’s “Please do not throw confetti prevent any attack on Harry lured them out of a private car park afternoon tea with the monarch. or any other items at any time and Meghan’s big day, including “saying they wanted to have a word, In the weeks running up to the during the day, particularly shooting to kill. The couple’s and can you bring the bus down the wedding, organisers have been during the procession,” Thames decision to invite more than road. They were all smiley-faced. caught off guard by the chaos sur- Valley Police tweeted. “It poses 2,000 members of the public to But, when we got out of the view of rounding the family of the bride- a potential security risk and attend celebrations at Windsor the public that is when they seized to-be, with palace staff referring it’s a bit of a pain to clean up!” Castle has also increased it”. to it as the “Markle Debacle”, the the force said, adding: “We security costs. Prince Harry greets wellwishers outside Windsor Castle yesterday. Daily Mirror reported. Cancer patient ‘had to wait Bragg honoured Poisoned Russian 18 months for treatment’ ex-spy leaves hospital AFP He and Yulia Skripal were London discharged from hospital ear- Guardian News and Media to England’s 172 acute and com- Every trust bar two who replied lier. “Treating people who are London munity health trusts, to which 95 to Labour’s survey said that at least so acutely unwell, having been responded. one patient had waited more than ormer Russian spy Sergei poisoned by nerve agents, re- Jonathan Ashworth, the shad- 62 days for treatment. Skripal, who was poisoned quires stabilising them, keep- he longest waits for cancer ow health secretary, said: “The The fi gures also showed a de- Fwith a nerve agent in Brit- ing them alive until their bodies treatment in England have number of people needing cancer terioration in longest waits for ain, triggering a diplomatic crisis could produce more enzymes to Tsoared since 2010, with one treatment has risen sharply in the two other key cancer targets since with Russia, has been discharged replace those that had been poi- patient waiting 541 days, analysis past 10 years and the government 2010. from hospital, the facility said soned,” the hospital statement suggests. has simply failed to increase avail- After receiving a diagnosis of yesterday. said. Two-thirds of NHS trusts re- ability of services at the rate re- cancer, patients should receive “It is fantastic news that Skri- Britain has accused Russia ported having at least one can- quired. their fi rst defi nitive treatment pal is well enough to leave Salis- of being behind the poisoning cer patient waiting more than six “The truth is that the brilliant within a month (31 days) and after bury District Hospital,” Cara and has said that a type of nerve months last year, while almost eff orts of NHS staff around the an urgent referral for suspected Charles-Barks, the hospital’s agent known as Novichok that seven in 10 (69%) trusts said they country to deliver the best for their cancer they should see a consult- chief executive, said in a state- was developed in the Soviet Un- had a worse longest wait than in patients are being hampered by ant within two weeks. ment. ion was used. 2010. This was refl ected in the tight NHS budgets. Years of un- In both cases, as with the 62 Nursing director of nursing UN experts have confi rmed average longest wait rising to 213 derfunding and abject failure to days target, two-thirds of trusts Lorna Wilkinson said: “This is an that a high-purity nerve agent days – 16 days longer than in the invest in the frontline doctors and had lengthier longest waits last important stage in his recovery, was used without specifying year the Conservatives entered nurses we need, means Theresa year than in 2010. The average which will now take place away which one or who might be be- government. May is letting down cancer pa- longest wait to start defi nitive from the hospital. Treating him hind the poisoning. The offi cial target requires at tients. treatment rose to 90 days – three and the other two people poi- Russia has challenged Britain least 85% of cancer patients to “Now we know the astonish- higher than in 2010 – with one soned by this nerve agent, while to provide evidence in the case have their fi rst treatment within ing truth that some patients are patient waiting 254 days. The av- still providing outstanding care to and has requested consular ac- 62 days of referral by their GP, waiting a year or more just to get erage longest wait for a consultant the other patients who rely on our cess to Skripal, who is also a Rus- but this has not been met for 27 treatment. It’s simply not good appointment increased to 66 days hospital has been a huge and un- sian citizen. months in a row. enough.” – eight time higher than seven precedented challenge,” he said. The former Russian military More than 100,000 people have The number of patients wait- years ago – with the worst exam- Skripal and his daughter Yulia, intelligence offi cer, who passed waited more than two months for ing more than 62 days last year ple being a patient who waited 377 Author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg poses with his who was visiting from Moscow, information on Russia’s agents in treatment to start since the target was double that in 2010 (26,693 days. medal after he was made a Companion of Honour by collapsed on March 4 on a bench Europe to British security serv- was fi rst missed in January 2014. compared with 13,354), includ- In an ideal world, people would Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, during an investiture in Salisbury where the former ices, was imprisoned in Russia. The longest waiting times data ing 10,000 who waited for more start treatment within a month ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London yesterday. double agent lives. Nick Bailey, a He moved to Britain as part of was obtained by Labour through than three months, NHS statistics of being diagnosed, according to Also seen is Gabriel Clare-Hunt, a former film assistant. police offi cer who came to assist a spy swap in 2010 and has lived freedom of information requests show. Cancer Research UK. them, was also hospitalised. there ever since. Gulf Times Saturday, May 19, 2018 9 EUROPE

Migrant girl died Italian populists unveil from gunshot joint policy programme wound: AFP party at the March elections, ams and immediately shut down authorities Rome gaining nearly 33% of the vote, “radical Islamic associations”. while the League – shorn of the The proposals contained in rest of the right-wing coalition the document have caused con- AFP nti-establishment and that won 37% – will be the junior sternation at home and abroad. Tournai, Belgium far-right parties began coalition partner with 17%. The key worry is how Italy, the Ahaggling over who will be While an exit from the single eurozone’s second most debt- Italy’s next prime minister after currency – mooted in leaked laden country, can fund the coa- two-year-old girl of publishing a joint policy pro- drafts of the document – is no lition’s proposals, such as dras- Kurdish origin who died gramme yesterday that brought longer proposed, the document tic tax cuts and a monthly basic Aafter police gave chase to the eurozone’s third largest announced the parties’ inten- income for some 9mn people. a van carrying illegal migrants in economy a step closer to a popu- tion to review “with European Some experts have estimated Belgium succumbed to a bullet list government. partners the economic govern- the cost of the document’s pro- wound to the face, prosecutors The political deadlock ance framework” of the EU, in- posals at €100bn. said yesterday. brought about by March’s in- cluding the euro. The Grande Oriente freema- Berlusconi: I’m available, and The police had opened fi re conclusive elections neared its The parties want a monetary sons lodge blasted as “fascist” I don’t think that there’s any to stop the van after a highway end after the plan’s unveiling by union that is “appropriate for and “unconstitutional” the par- candidate comparable to Silvio chase between Namur and Mai- the Five-Star Movement (M5S) the current geopolitical and ties’ decision to ban any of their Berlusconi. sieres, a suburb of the city of and the far-right League party. economic imbalances and con- members from becoming a gov- Mons. The programme promises Mattarella: must agree to the parties’ nominee before they can seek sistent with the objectives of the ernment minister. ordered to stand trial for brib- The child, who was on board the end of post-crisis austerity parliament’s approval for their nascent government. economic union”, it said. Meanwhile, former prime ing witnesses in a sex scandal, the van with her parents, died measures and seeks deep change The document featured a minister Silvio Berlusconi said that he was “very worried” in the ambulance on her way to in relations with the European The League will also off er a seek parliament’s approval for number of manifesto promises clearly rejected the programme, about the “sermonising” con- hospital. Union. vote to anyone who visits the their nascent government. from the League. tweeting yesterday that his tent of the programme. “The autopsy determined that In a Facebook video, M5S party stands which are to be put Both M5S leader Di Maio and These included hardline im- party would act as a “reasonable It proposes that no-one con- the cause of death was a bullet leader Di Maio said that more up across the country over the Salvini remained tight-lipped migration and security propos- and scrutinising opposition” to victed of corruption or being in- that entered the cheek,” pros- than 94% of M5S members weekend. on who they want as the next als, pension reform and a plan an M5S-League government. vestigated for serious crimes can ecutor Frederic Bariseau told had voted in favour of the pro- With voter approval little prime minister, as they hashed to have just two tax rates, of 15% The fl amboyant media ty- become a minister. reporters in Tournai near the gramme after it was published more than a formality, all eyes out their 58-page “Contract for and 20%. coon also took the opportunity Confl ict of interest criteria for French border. for voter approval on the party’s were on who the two parties will the Government of Change”. The programme proposed to propose himself as the leader parliamentarians would also be Police have opened an inter- online platform. choose as their candidate for Yesterday Di Maio suggested that Italy and the EU implement of a separate executive given beefed up. nal investigation to determine “Of the 44,796 people who prime minister. that he could be one of the can- bilateral agreements with other “the lack of candidates with the The media mogul, in the Aosta the circumstances of the girl’s voted, 42,274 voted in favour They need to announce a didates. countries in order to speed up qualities of trustworthiness, Valley with his Forza Italia party death, Bariseau said. of the programme, more that name in time for a meeting on “I don’t know if I will end up the repatriation of illegal immi- good sense and balance”. for tomorrow’s regional elec- “We cannot exclude that this 94%,” said Di Maio, who hailed Monday with President Sergio being prime minister, but our grants. He campaigned alongside Sal- tions, said: “I’m available, and bullet came from a police offi c- the “outstanding result” as a Mattarella. real leader, the programme, will The programme also pledged vini before the election as part of I don’t think that there’s any er’s gun,” he said. show of “trust and enthusiasm” Mattarella must agree to the govern this country,” he said. to close all “illegal” Roma a right-wing coalition. candidate comparable to Silvio “The investigation will have for the new programme. parties’ nominee before they can M5S became Italy’s largest camps, set up a register of im- The 81-year-old, recently Berlusconi.” to determine whether there were other shots, and from which police offi cer if it was a police offi cer, or someone in the van who could have been armed,” he added. Chihuahua from Rules of engagement “are strict. Police are free (to open fi re) if they deem themselves in danger”, he said. Italian crime fi lm The prosecutor’s offi ce initial- ly said on Thursday that the girl had “not died as a result of the police shooting”. wins Palm Dog In the van intercepted by the police were 30 people including 26 adults, all of Kurdish origin, Reuters/AFP Bradshaw, one of the Palm Dog who are now in custody. Cannes judges. Authorities initially evoked The fi lm’s producer, Jer- a number of possible causes of emy Thomas, said that their death, including illness or reck- chihuahua won the triumph was “proof that WC Turkish actors Akin Aksu and Aydin Dogu less driving during the police “Palm Dog” award at Fields got it wrong when he Demirkol with Turkish-Cypriot actress Hazar chase. Athe Cannes Film Festi- said, ‘Never work with dogs Erguclu pose on the red carpet on their The prosecutor said that the val yesterday, for its perform- and children’.” arrival yesterday for the screening of the incident began with a routine ance in Dogman, an Italian fi lm The jury also handed a spe- film The Wild Pear Tree (Ahlat Agaci) at the patrol by police at a parking lot about an animal groomer who cial prize to the CGI-gener- 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival. in Namur, the capital of the Bel- reluctantly gets involved in ated pink Pekingese “fl uff y gian region Wallonia. burglary. puppies” in the wacky satire Left: Tanzanian model Miriam Odemba Police determined that the The unoffi cial award is made Diamantino, which features a poses on the red carpet on her arrival plates on the van were fake and every year at the festival as an footballer not dissimilar to Real yesterday for the screening of the film The approached the vehicle, which “antidote to the extreme seri- Madrid superstar Cristiano Wild Pear Tree (Ahlat Agaci). drove away. ous human ego issues at the Ronaldo. “A fi rst arrest attempt was real ceremonies”, said organiser In the romp, which won the made in Sambreville when the Toby Rose. best fi lm in the Critics’ Week vehicle pretended to stop and In the fi lm, directed by Mat- section of the festival, the then accelerated,” the prosecu- teo Garrone, who is known for striker’s career is destroyed by tor said. Naples mafi a movie Gomorrah, visions of the dogs blocking his “That’s when the police called the burglars shut the chihua- way as he bears down on goal. for reinforcements and why we hua in a freezer to stop it yap- Writer Vanessa Davies and found ourselves with a fairly ping. her pug, Patrick, were also large number of police offi cers,” It is later rescued by the honoured with the Palm Dog- he said. fi lm’s hero. manitarian Award for her The shots were fi red by po- Dogman is competing for the forthcoming Disney family lice at the end of the chase near Palme d’Or – the offi cial prize comedy named after her pet. Mons, he added. given to the best fi lm that will “It’s a wonderful real life The death caused a stir on be awarded today. story and a worthy winner for Thursday in the migrant com- Dogman has been hailed celebrating the bond between munity of Grande-Synthe, near as a brutal modern parable of canines and humans,” Rose Dunkirk in France, as the girl was the little guy who can take no added. a member of a family currently more, with fi lm critics raving The Palm Dog – which has housed there, French authorities about its lead actor, Marcello been awarded at Cannes since said. Fonte. 2001 – is the world’s best- The Belgium border region Fonte, the fi lm’s human known award for dogs on Kazakh film director Adilkhan Yerzhanov and Kazakh actress Dinara Baktybayeva near France has become a mag- star, turned up at the award screen. pose on Thursday during a photocall for the film The Gentle Indiff erence of the World net for migrants, with many ceremony to toast the vic- Past winners include Uggie (Laskovoe Bezrazlichie Mira) at the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival. heading towards Grande Synthe tory with a stand-in for the from the Oscar-winning The or Calais to try to board lorries chihuahua, who in the fi lm is Artist and Ken Loach for cast- Left: Dogman cast member Marcello Fonte jokingly accepts the Palm Dog award. and reach Britain. put into a freezer “in a chilling ing a three-legged dog named scene worthy of Hitchcock”, Shae in his Palme d’Or-win- said the Guardian’s critic Peter ning I, Daniel Blake. Weird Scandinavian romance Border wins ‘Un Certain Regard’ prize Egyptian man in custody over ‘foiled attack’ in France

An unusual Scandinavian movie about a relationship between two AFP He “had tutorials that showed and claimed that a person, not yet area of Paris as Azimov, the 18th since the massacre of journalists outsiders that Variety said was “destined to be a cult classic”, won Paris how to make ricin-based poi- identifi ed, had asked him via Tel- arrondissement. at the satirical magazine Charlie the “Un Certain Regard” prize at Cannes yesterday. sons”, Collomb told BFM TV. egram to fi nd fi reworks to make a Parts of the district are packed Hebdo in January 2015, the fi rst Directed by Iranian-born Ali Abbasi and co-written by John Ajvide The man, who was born in bomb and strike in France,” the with low-income high-rises and in a wave of religious extremist Lindqvist, the author of Swedish vampire movie Let the Right One rench police have foiled Egypt and living legally in France, source said, in reference to an a mix of French and immigrant strikes on French soil which have In, Border entertained and baff led audiences at the festival which a suspected attack by a was not previously known to se- encrypted messaging app. communities. left 246 people dead. closes today. F20-year-old Egyptian, one curity services, Collomb said. Police later found that despite The Islamic State group later A police source said the attack It is the story of Tina, a strange-looking Swedish customs off icer of three prevented by domestic The suspect was arrested later denials, in subsequent mes- claimed responsibility for the foiled this week was the third who finds herself drawn to a similarly odd man, Vore, and discovers intelligence agents since the start alongside another Egyptian, ini- sages the suspect “had in real- knife attack, releasing a video uncovered by France’s DGSI do- an uncomfortable truth about her own identity. of this year, offi cials and sources tially identifi ed by Collomb as a ity accepted the mission and was purporting to show Azimov – mestic intelligence service so far Variety critic Alissa Simon called it an “exciting, intelligent mix of close to the inquiry said yester- brother, who has been released ready to die as a martyr by blow- who was shot dead by police – this year. romance, Nordic noir, social realism and supernatural horror that day. after investigators determined he ing himself up”, the source said. pledging allegiance to the reli- In late March, Prime Minis- defies and subverts genre conventions”. Interior Minister Gerard Col- was not involved in the planned Investigators believe the evi- gious extremists. ter Edouard Philippe indicated Lead actress Eva Melander said: “It’s a very unpredictable story and lomb said the attack would have attack. dence suggests he was “very de- A friend of Azimov’s, named that a total of 51 attacks had been people watching it are really touched by it. been committed “with explo- The pair were detained after termined” to strike, the source as Abdul Hakim A, was charged thwarted by French security “They go out from the cinema and they kind of forget their mobile sives or ricin, this very powerful a search of an apartment un- added. with terrorist conspiracy on services since January 2015. phone and wonder: ‘What’s this and what did I just see?’” poison”. covered a bag of gunpowder ob- The two Egyptians were ar- Thursday and two women have Collomb said in a statement Un Certain Regard is the second-tier competition at Cannes, which The suspect was arrested on tained from fi reworks and guides rested just a day before a 29-year- been detained for questioning. that the latest thwarted plot closes today with the award of the Palme d’Or and other prizes for May 11 and charged with terror- for making explosives and poi- old man was killed and fi ve other A source said one of the wom- showed “the relevance and ef- the films in the main selection. ist conspiracy on Tuesday after sons, the source close to the in- people injured in a knife attack by en was a radicalised 19-year-old fi ciency” of a controversial new Among the other Un Certain Regard winners were Belgian he was tracked down through a quiry told AFP. Khamzat Azimov, a 20-year-old who married Abdul Hakim A be- anti-terror law passed by Ma- actor Lukas Dhont who won Best Performance for his role as a religious extremist social media Under questioning, the sus- man of Chechen origin, in Paris fore trying to leave for Syria in cron’s government to replace a transgender teenage girl’s quest to become a professional ballerina account, a source close to the in- pect “freely admitted looking up last Saturday night. January 2017. state of emergency imposed after in Girl. vestigation said. (religious extremist) propaganda They live in the same northern France has been on high alert the November 2015 Paris attacks. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, May 19, 2018 INDIA

DISPUTE ACHIEVEMENT REPRIEVE WEATHER LEGAL Kejriwal seeks Modi help in Kerala wins Lonely Karti Chidambaram Monsoon to hit Ex-diplomat’s sentencing Delhi-Haryana water row Planet’s travel award allowed to travel abroad Kerala on May 29 in spying case today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal yesterday Kerala yesterday bagged the ‘Best Destination The Supreme Court yesterday allowed Karti Monsoon rains are set to arrive in India, with Kerala A court in New Delhi yesterday convicted former wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Families’ award through an online poll Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader receiving the first showers on May 29, the India diplomat Madhuri Gupta in a case related to urging him to persuade Haryana to continue conducted by Lonely Planet magazine. P Chidambaram, to travel abroad subject to Meteorological Department said yesterday. India is passing on information to Pakistan’s Inter-Services supplying the same levels of water to the Tourism secretary Rani George said “it feels certain conditions. The court allowed Karti set to get a normal monsoon this year, with average Intelligence. Judge Sidharth Sharma held Gupta national capital it has been supplying for the overwhelming that the tourism industry Chidambram’s permission to travel to the UK, rainfall likely to be 97% – essential for the economy. guilty under sections of the Off icial Secrets Act last 22 years. “I urge you to kindly use your players have appreciated the eff orts of the Germany and Spain from May 19 to 27 but said The southwest monsoon will mark the beginning (OSA) and criminal conspiracy under the Indian good offices to persuade Haryana to continue Kerala tourism department”. The Lonely Planet that “Karti shall not open or close any overseas of the rainy season. As it progresses northward, Penal Code (IPC). However the court acquitted her supplying same levels of water to Delhi that Magazine India Travel Award 2018 recognises bank account and not enter into any property the heat marred region will experience relief from of the stringent section 3(1) (Part-I) of the Off icial it has been supplying for 22 years and not to the best travel destinations among various transaction abroad”. Karti is facing probes by the scorching summer, Met said. “The southwest Secrets Act which attracts a maximum punishment disrupt it till the issue is decided by the court,” categories and winners are chosen by an online enforcement directorate and the Central Bureau monsoon is expected to set in over Kerala on May of 14 years. The court will hear arguments on Kejriwal wrote. He said that Haryana had been readers’ survey. Over the years, Kerala has of Investigation in several cases, including alleged 29 with a model error of plus-minus four days,” the quantum of sentence today. Gupta has been supplying 1,133 cusecs of water since 1996 and witnessed tremendous growth in tourist arrivals irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion IMD said. In 2017, the average seasonal rainfall over accused of using a computer installed at her this should not be cut so that Delhi does not with an increase of 11.39% in domestic arrivals in Board clearance to then INX Media and the Aircel- northwest India was 95%, in central India 106%, in residence in Islamabad and a Blackberry phone witness any water scarcity. 2017, compared to the previous year. Maxis case in 2006 and a money laundering case. southern peninsula 92% and in northeast India 89%. to stay in touch with two Pakistani spies. SC collegium favours more deliberations on judges’ elevation

IANS gium had earlier recommended New Delhi the elevation of chief justices of the high courts in Rajasthan, Kolkata, Telangana and Andhra he Supreme Court colle- Pradesh. gium has said that a unan- The collegium, during its May Timous view existed on 11 meeting, had taken an “in- further deliberation and broad- principle” decision to reiterate based consideration of names of its recommendation for the el- high court chief justices before it evation of Justice Joseph. sent to the Centre its reiteration The collegium reiterated its on the elevation of Uttarakhand January 10 recommendation, chief justice K M Joseph as an after the Centre on April 26 re- apex court judge. turned it for reconsideration. A resolution adopted at the Besides justice Joseph, the May 16 meeting of the Supreme collegium had on January 10 also Court collegium said: “... in the recommended the appointment meeting of the collegium, an of senior counsel (now Judge) unanimous view was expressed Indu Malhotra to the Supreme Congress workers participate in a protest rally against Karnataka governor Vajubhai R Vala’s decision to administer oath to BJP legislature party leader B S Yeddyurappa in that there should be further de- Court. While returning the name Bengaluru yesterday. liberation and broad-based con- of justice Joseph, the govern- sideration of the names of the ment cleared (now justice) Mal- chief justices as well as judges hotra’s appointment. of the high courts, which are at The collegiums on January 10 present not represented in the said: “The collegium consid- Supreme Court. ers that at present justice K M “In view of the above, the Joseph is more deserving and meeting stands deferred to be suitable in all respects than other chief justices and senior judges BJP confi dent of winning held at the earliest.” The resolution was uploaded of the high courts for being ap- on the Supreme Court website pointed as judge of the Supreme yesterday. Court.” Sources had on Wednesday But, the government, while said the collegium had met to de- sending back justice Joseph’s liberate on several issues, includ- name for reconsideration, had Karnataka trust vote today ing reconsidering the name of invoked the principle of senior- justice Joseph for elevation to the ity, saying justice Joseph stood IANS Ashok Bhushan yesterday said velopment Minister Prakash senior-most member being ap- ture party leader in Hyderabad, apex court after it was returned at number 42 in the seniority of New Delhi/Bengaluru the pro-tem Speaker, conven- Javadekar, who was election in- pointed to the post. the party said. by the central government. high court judges and there were tionally the senior-most mem- charge of the BJP in Karnataka, Advocate Dev Dutt Kamat, who “The party unanimously passed But, as no decision could be 11 chief justices of high courts ber of the assembly, would also expressed similar confi - fi led the application for the Con- a resolution to elect Siddaramaiah taken on the elevation of other senior to him – a clear sugges- he Supreme Court direc- administer the newly-elected dence. gress and the JD-S, told reporters as the Congress legislature party judges to the apex court, the tion that any elevation of justice tive yesterday to hold a members their oath and then On the other hand,, Congress at the Supreme Court that the ap- leader,” the statement said. two-hour meeting had also de- Joseph to the top court would be Tfl oor test in the Karnataka conduct the fl oor test. President Rahul Gandhi said the plication was fi led at 7.45pm and The Congress legislature party ferred the decision to reiterate at their expense. Assembly today led to height- The court junked attorney BJP’s “bluff ” has been called. has been listed to be heard by a meeting was held at a star hotel in the elevation of justice Joseph to It had also said that the Kerala ened political activity in the general K K Venugopal’s sugges- “The BJP’s bluff that it will bench of justice A K Sikri, jus- the Deccan city where its newly- the Supreme Court, the sources High Court, being comparative- state, with the Congress-JD-S tion that the fl oor test be con- form the government, even tice S A Bobde and justice Ashok elected lawmakers stayed after said. ly a smaller court with a sanc- post-poll alliance sure of Chief ducted through secret ballot. without the numbers, has been Bhushan at 10.30am today. reaching earlier in the day from The collegium comprises tioned strength of 42 judges, was Minister B S Yeddyurappa losing The court also barred Yeddy- called by the court. Stopped le- The Congress contended that Bengaluru in chartered buses. chief justice Dipak Misra and a parent high court for Supreme the battle and the BJP sounding urappa from taking any policy gally, they will now try money Bopaiah is not the senior-most The Congress and the Janata four senior most judges – justice Court judge Kurian Joseph, confi dent of sailing through. decisions till the fl oor test. and muscle, to steal the man- member in the newly-elect- Dal-Secular (JD-S) had shifted J Chelameswar, justice Ranjan and chief justices of three high The Supreme Court had in its Following the apex court or- date,” he tweeted. ed House. The party alleged their newly-elected legislators Gogoi, justice Madan Lokur and courts -- justice K M Joseph Thursday morning order reject- der, Yeddyurappa told reporters Yesterday evening, the con- Bopaiah’s appointment was to Hyderabad late Thursday to justice Kurian Joseph. (Uttarakhand), justice T B Rad- ed Yeddyurappa’s plea, made in Bengaluru that he was confi - frontation between the two made “with the sole intent of prevent the Bharatiya Janata Yesterday was the last work- hakrishnan (Chhattisgarh) and through senior counsel Mukul dent of proving his majority in sides once again reached the manufacturing a majority out of Party (BJP) from poaching them ing day for justice Chelameswar justice Antony Dominic (Kerala). Rohatgi, asking for at least a the House. “We welcome the Supreme Court, with the Con- minority for Yeddyurappa”. for defection. since the court’s summer vaca- The government had also week’s time to face the fl oor Supreme Court order of fl oor gress claiming that the ap- Meanwhile ahead of the cru- The legislators will be return- tions start from May 19. He is set fl agged the issue of non-repre- test, and directed it to instead test at 4pm today. We are con- pointment of BJP legislator K cial fl oor test in the Karnataka ing to Bengaluru before 11am to retire on June 22. sentation of Scheduled Castes be conducted today. fi dent of proving our majority,” G Bopaiah as pro-tem Speaker Assembly, former chief minis- today, when the new assembly Besides reiterating the eleva- and Tribes judges in the apex A bench of justice A K Sikri, he said. by the governor “violates every ter Siddaramaiah was yesterday will be convened to enable them tion of justice Joseph, the colle- court. justice S A Bobde and justice Union Human Resource De- single constitutional norm” of elected as the Congress legisla- to take oath. Court approves Cauvery Heavy rains in Agartala ED issues summons Management Authority to Nirav’s dad, sister IANS to appear before it in the ongo- New Delhi ing money laundering probe of IANS to with promptitude before the are of the considered opinion over Rs130bn. New Delhi onset of monsoon,” the court or- that the suggestions/objections The alleged banking fraud dered. of Karnataka and Kerala are de- he enforcement direc- was committed by the dia- Headquartered in Delhi, the void of merit.” torate (ED) has issued mond merchant, his group of he Supreme Court yes- CWMA will be the sole body to “The fact that the subject of Tsummons to absconding companies – Diamond R US, terday approved the Cau- implement the Cauvery Wa- water, that is to say, water sup- businessman Nirav Modi’s fa- Solar Exports and Stellar Dia- Tvery Water Management ter Disputes Tribunal award – plies, irrigation and canals, ther Deepak Modi, sister Purvi monds – along with uncle Me- Authority (CWMA) for imple- aimed at distribution of Cauvery drainage and embankments, Mehta and her husband May- hul Choksi and others. mentation of the 2007 Cauvery waters between Tamil Nadu, water storage and water power, ank Mehta as part of its probe An ED offi cial said that fur- Award, as modifi ed and reaf- Karnataka, Kerala and Puduch- forms part of Entry 17 of List II in the multi-crore Punjab Na- ther notices would be issued fi rmed by the top court by its erry – as modifi ed by the apex of the Seventh Schedule to the tional Bank (PNB) fraud, an of- to the three in case they fail to February 16 judgment. court. The Centre would have Constitution, cannot be the fi cial said here yesterday. respond to the fi rst summons. “The corrected draft scheme no say in it except for issuing ad- basis to whittle down the effi - The fraud was committed Deepak is reportedly based is in consonance with the dictum ministrative advisories to it. cacy of the award ..., to ensure during 2011-17 by illegally is- in Antwerp in Belgium, while and directions in the award, as The CWMA will be assisted smooth, eff ective and effi cient suing Letters of Undertaking Purvi and her husband are set- modifi ed by this court and also in the discharge of its functions implementation of the award (LoUs) and Foreign Letters of tled in Hong Kong. “They were in conformity with Section 6A by a Cauvery Water Regulation ...,” said Justice Khanwilkar. Credit (FLCs). sent the summons through of the 1956 Act,” the court said Committee (CWRC) located in The court said: “The draft Deepak, Purvi and Mayank mail,” the offi cial said. while telling the government Bengaluru. scheme has been formulated sin- have been asked to appear be- Purvi is under the ED’s radar that “the draft scheme ought to The CWRC is mandated to gularly for that purpose and the fore the ED investigators at its for her alleged role in round- be taken forward to its logical collect daily water levels, infl ows same will have to be taken for- Mumbai offi ce to record their tripping of Nirav Modi’s laun- end in accordance with law with and storage position at He- ward to its logical end in accord- statements in the case as the dered money via foreign direct utmost dispatch”. mavathy, Harangi, Krishnara- ance with law with promptitude” agency is in the process of fi l- investment (FDI) back to India A bench of chief justice Dipak jasagara, Kabini, Mettur, Bha- and with utmost dispatch. ing a chargesheet in a special while her husband is suspected Misra, justice A M Khanwilkar vanisagar, Amaravathy and “Needless to observe, we can- Prevention of Money Laun- of supporting the diamond and justice D Y Chandrachud Banasurasagar reservoirs. not allow the parties to reopen dering Act (PMLA) court in merchant in similar opera- said the government would no- Clearing the draft scheme, the the issues already settled in the Mumbai, expectedly by the tions. tify it before the monsoon sea- court rejected the suggestion/ award and as modifi ed by this next week. The multi-crore fraud was son sets in on June 1. objections to the scheme by Kar- court, indirectly in the guise of A man paddles his rickshaw as he helps a passenger ED investigators said Nirav committed in connivance with “We hope and trust that the nataka and Kerala. questioning the appropriateness wade through a water-logged street during heavy rains in Modi’s relatives were sum- PNB’s Mumbai Brady House draft scheme ... is notifi ed in the Justice Khanwilkar, who pro- of Clause 9(3)(iii) in the draft Agartala yesterday. moned in the fi rst week of this branch offi cers between 2011- Offi cial Gazette and given eff ect nounced the order, said: “... we scheme....” month and were given 15 days 17. Gulf Times Saturday, May 19, 2018 11 LATIN AMERICA

CLAIM CRIME DECISION LEGAL TREND Venezuela prison riot Suspected gang leader held Ecuador to cut security Colombia suspends Farc Duque ‘keeps lead’ in two leaves 11 dead: charity in Mexico along with tiger at London embassy leader’s extradition to US polls for Colombia election

A prison riot in northern Venezuela left at least 11 Mexican military and police forces detained Ecuador has announced it would withdraw ad- A Colombian court set up to try crimes com- Conservative candidate Ivan Duque has kept a lead people dead, an NGO said yesterday, days ahead a suspected leader of a fuel-stealing gang — ditional security measures at its London embassy mitted by former leftist rebels during decades over his rivals ahead of Colombia’s May 27 presi- of presidential elections in the crisis-hit country. along with a tiger “guarding” his house, weap- after an investigation found it plunged $5mn into of conflict has suspended the extradition of a dential election, according to two surveys. Support “There was an uprising resulting in 11 deaths, ons and drugs, authorities said. “We carried out a spy operation to protect WikiLeaks founder former Farc leader wanted in the US. Prosecu- for Duque rose 1 percentage point in a Cifras y Con- including two guards and nine prisoners,” and 28 two searches, seized firearms, drugs, radio com- Julian Assange. The move, ordered by President tors in New York accuse Jesus Santrich of con- ceptos poll, compared with its last survey a week wounded on Thursday, Carlos Nieto, the director munication equipment and a tiger guarding the Lenin Moreno, came after the Guardian news- spiring to ship 10,000kgs of cocaine to the US ago, while a poll by Centro Nacional de Consultoria of prisoners’ rights group A Window on Freedom, house,” said Jesus Morales, security secretary paper and Focus Ecuador revealed the previous while serving as a senior member of the Farc (CNC) saw support for him drop two points from its said. A group of inmates in the prison in the town of of the state of Puebla, east-central Mexico. administration of Rafael Correa funded the opera- leadership. They are pushing for his extradi- May 4 poll. Leftist candidate Gustavo Petro, a former Irribarren snatched the gun from a guard, sparking Authorities accuse the unidentified suspect of tion that involved monitoring Assange’s visitors, tion along with three others who are also allied M-19 rebel and ex-mayor of Bogota, was in second a 20-minute shootout, the NGO said, quoting family being “one of the important leaders of a gang embassy personnel and the British police. In with the group. The special tribunal decided place with 24%, up 1.5 points from the last survey by members of the victims. Some of the dead and dedicated to fuel theft.” In the detainee’s house, March, Ecuador cut off Assange’s ability to com- to suspend Santrich’s extradition “for a 10-day Cifras y Conceptos, and at 27% in the CNC poll, up 2 wounded were shot or stabbed. The riot came after there were also blankets with threatening municate with the outside world after he broke a probationary period,” tribunal chairman Jesus points from its last poll. Centrist Sergio Fajardo was 68 prisoners died in a fire in a police station’s jail in messages apparently signed by the Jalisco NE 2017 promise to not interfere in other countries’ Bobadilla said. The partially-sighted Santrich, 51, third with 16% in the Cifras y Concepto poll and 18% the northern city of Valencia in March. Generation cartel. aff airs while in the mission. has been on hunger-strike since April 10. in the CNC survey. Bank faces lawsuit over Honduras dam project

Guardian News and Media panies and European banks, who Tegucigalpa don’t take these violent situa- tions seriously when it comes to setting up their projects. he organisation co- “The lawsuit is also intended to founded by the murdered make them do something they’ve Tenvironmental activist never wanted to do before, which Berta Caceres is taking legal ac- is to say they’re sorry.” tion against a Dutch bank over its Channa Samkalden, the law- involvement in the construction yer leading the action against of a controversial dam project in FMO in the Netherlands, told a Honduras. press conference that the bank’s The Civic Council of Popular funding provided the company and Indigenous Organisations of leading the construction work, Honduras (Copinh), along with Desarrollos Energéticos SA the Caceres family, announced (Desa), “with the means and the the suit against the Dutch de- reason to spread … violence and velopment bank FMO, one of the intimidation in order to break the backers of the Agua Zarca dam resistance against the dam”. on the Gualcarque river, in the Samkalden said: “FMO insists Netherlands on Thursday. on having fully adopted the dif- The lawsuit says the bank ferent relevant international prin- failed to observe the human ciples aimed at preventing and rights of local people aff ected mitigating human right violations Firefighters and rescue workers search for survivors amid the plane wreckage near Jose Marti airport, Havana. by the project and disregarded … On the basis of these principles, warnings about human rights vi- FMO was obliged to do a proper olations perpetrated in the area, and thorough due diligence to pre- and raised by Caceres before her vent any negative impact that may death in 2016. result from its investments. FMO suspended loans to the com- “So FMO had a duty of care pany after Caceres’ death, pending a towards Berta Caceres, her review. Last year, following protests children and the inhabitants in by members of Copinh, the bank, Honduras to make sure that this Many feared dead as Cuba along with the Finnish Fund for In- investment would come to the dustrial Co-operation, Finnfund, benefi t of the Honduran people withdrew from the project “to reduce and would not lead to human international and local tensions in the rights infringements.” area”. FMO and Finnfund had pro- Papers are expected to be vided $15mn to the project. A third served in the next two weeks. plane crashes on takeoff backer, the Central American Bank of In a statement, FMO said: Economic Integration (Cabei), which “Berta Caceres was a highly AFP journalist at the scene said. scene, said there was a “high shirt and surrounded by offi - offi cials declined to confi rm that had given $24mn, has also withdrawn respected defender of human Havana The plane was almost com- number” of casualties. “There cials. fi gure. support. rights whose murder is a tragedy. pletely destroyed in the crash has been an unfortunate avia- Airport sources said the jet- The last major airline crash Caceres’ daughter, Bertha, We express our deepest sympa- and subsequent fi re. tion accident. The news is not liner was heading from the in Cuba was in July 1997, when told the Guardian that the le- thies to her family and friends. Cuban state airways Firefi ghters, some still hosing very promising, it seems that capital to the eastern city of an Antonov-24 passenger plane gal action against FMO was de- We reiterate our call on the Hon- plane with 104 passen- down the burnt fuselage, and there is a high number of vic- Holguin. State television said fell into the sea off Santiago de signed to compel those provid- duran authorities to bring those Agers on board crashed rescue workers combed through tims,” Diaz-Canel was quoted as the airliner was operated by a Cuba. ing international aid fi nancing to responsible for this terrible shortly after taking off from Ha- the wreckage, but there seemed saying after his visit. foreign crew, but gave no de- All 44 aboard were killed, in- abide by their responsibilities. crime to justice. vana yesterday, leaving a wreck little chance of fi nding survi- Diaz-Canel said nine crew tails. cluding two Brazilians and two “We’ve got to call things by “FMO is a development bank of smouldering fuselage, as the vors. members were believed to have Reports said European airline Spaniards. their name: it was negligence that empowers entrepreneurs to country’s president warned What appeared to be one been on board, in addition to the Blue Panorama had been leasing In March 2002, a small An- that led to violence and even build a better world, sometimes many people were feared dead. of the wings of the plane was passengers. a 737-400 plane to Cubana de tonov-2 plane travelling from murder,” she said. under the most diffi cult circum- The Boeing 737 operated by wedged among scorched tree The 58-year-old president, Aviacion for several months. Cienfuegos to Cayo Coco “But it could also be a prec- stances. FMO commissioned Cubana de Aviacion crashed into trunks, but the main fuselage who succeeded Raul Castro A military offi cer who de- crashed in the central province edent to make sure that these an independent expert mission, a fi eld close to a wooded area appeared to have been entirely as the island’s leader only last clined to provide his name to re- of Santa Clara. All 16 people crimes don’t happen again in acted upon its fi ndings to reduce near Havana’s Jose Marti air- destroyed. month, appeared aghast as he porters said that there appeared aboard, among them six Cana- other communities that are community tensions, and exited port, sending a thick column of Cuba’s President Miguel Di- surveyed the recovery eff orts, to have been only three survivors dian tourists, four Britons and fi ghting against European com- the project.” acrid smoke into the air, an AFP az-Canel, who went to visit the wearing a short sleeved green in critical condition, but other two Germans.

Ortega should step aside, IMF talks opposed Lula fl ays jail term, demand student protesters loses privileges AFP “The question of ex-president Brasília Lula is determined by the judici- AFP He is seen as increasingly au- tion swept them from power in ary. In Brazil we respect the sep- Managua tocratic and reliant on his wife 1979, and his father was a former aration of powers and we won’t Rosario Murillo, who serves as Sandinista rebel. razil’s leftist ex-president question a decision by the judici- his vice president and govern- Ortega’s government, he said, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ary,” the minister, Eliseu Padilha, icaraguan President Dan- ment spokesperson. has become “intransigent and Blashed out against his im- told foreign journalists. iel Ortega’s time is up and Ortega and Murillo have dictatorial.” It also was showing prisonment for corruption but There was more bad news for Nhe should step aside to gone into the talks that started no signs of stopping the police the government rejected his Lula when a Sao Paulo judge allow a transitional government Wednesday with the aim of re- repression against protesters, he claim to have been victim of a granted a temporary injunction to take over, a representative of storing their authority and calm- said. “farce” and a judge stripped him annulling a series of privileges university students spearhead- ing the protests. The students, though, were of presidential privileges. automatically granted to ex- ing protests against the veteran But the students say it’s too intent on seeing through the dia- In a column in French news- presidents. leader said. late. “We are calling for Ortega logue to belie Ortega’s accusa- paper Le Monde, Lula called his These include vehicles, chauf- Victor Cuadras, a 25-year-old to step down, the setting up of tions that they were not willing conviction and 12 year sentence feurs, bodyguards and assistants. student in chemical engineering, a transitional government, and to talk. “We want to show that for graft “a judicial farce” and Judge Haroldo Nader said Lula’s is one of the students taking part the start of a democratisation we truly do want peace,” Cuadras said that presidential elections security in prison in Curitiba was in talks that started this week with process,” Cuadras said in an in- said. would be unfair without his par- greater than when he was free, so Ortega following a month of anti- terview. Their demands include “the ticipation. he did not need more protection. government protests countered “This is an ethical revolution,” halt of the repression and jus- Lula’s jailing in April almost “It’s also absolutely unneces- with deadly force by the police. said the representative, who is tice” for those killed, he said. certainly knocks him out of the sary to have two vehicles with At least 58 people have been one of the heads of the University “We are demanding that the October election in which opin- drivers when your right to move- killed, most of them youths, in the Student and Civil Society Coali- Inter-American Commission on ion polls show him to be the ment is restricted to the federal unrest which is the worst faced by tion. Human Rights and UN human frontrunner. The election “will police building in Curitiba and Ortega since his return to power 11 He and others in the student rights rapporteurs be allowed to not be democratic unless all po- controlled by prison staff ,” the years ago in the country which is movement say Ortega has lost come in,” he said. Union workers, along with members of social, political litical forces can take part in a judge noted. one of Latin America’s poorest. the support of his Sandinista They also want a democrati- and students organisations, demonstrate against the free and fair way,” he wrote in Le Lula served two terms from The 72-year-old president is a base in bastions such as Mana- sation of Nicaragua that would government’s negotiations with the International Monetary Monde. 2003 through 2010, winning former Sandinista rebel who pre- gua, Masaya and Leon. entail “a profound reform of the Fund (IMF), in Buenos Aires. Argentina’s President Mauricio The Cabinet chief for current plaudits for overseeing a com- viously ruled between 1979 and Cuadras himself was raised constitution, and independence Macri last week opened negotiations with the International centre-right President Michel modities-fuelled economic 1990 after his forces ousted the in a pro-Sandinista family. His for all branches of government,” Monetary Fund for a loan to stabilise the economy, and the Temer responded that Lula’s boom and major programmes to Somoza dictatorship backed by grandfather was gunned down by which are currently seen as un- IMF board met yesterday to discuss the crisis. court case had nothing to do with lift millions of Brazilians from the US. Somoza forces before the revolu- der Ortega’s command. politics. extreme poverty. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, May 19, 2018 PAKISTAN

Children slain in PML-N leaders ‘bicker’ border shelling

Reuters over Sharif’s interview Islamabad Internews the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. that Rafi que and Kirmani ex- have damaged the party, Saad ous and declared him [ Kirmani] out of proportion,” he said. Lahore Diff erence of opinion is ex- changed harsh words over the told Kirmani.” a ‘personal employee’. ‘How dare When asked if Sharif would he Pakistani army said the pressed politely [in party meet- issue of Sharif’s interview that He said the two leaders ex- you discredit my struggle of 40 soften his stance on state insti- Indian army shelled a dis- ings]. was published in Dawn. changed barbs just after the years,’ retorted Saad.‘My loyalty tutions at the request of PML- Ttrict bordering Kashmir ailways Minister Khawaja “We all are upholders of the “Saad asked Kirmani how he meeting had ended. to the party and Nawaz Sharif is N president Shahbaz Sharif, yesterday, killing four civilians Saad Rafi que has played party narrative – ‘give respect could allow that reporter [Cyril “Sharif was not close to unquestionable’,” he said. the minister said: “Sharif has including three children. Rdown his reported alter- to the ballot’ – and a debate on Almeida] to interview Sharif, them, otherwise he might have When contacted, PML-N in- already made it clear what the Indian troops initiated an cation with Asif Kirmani, the the party’s strategy is a continu- knowing well about the episode stopped them from fi ghting over formation secretary and Climate party’s narrative is. He and his unprovoked ceasefi re violation political secretary to PML-N ous political process,” Rafi que of ‘news leak’ of October 2016,” this issue,” he added. Change Minister Mushahidul- party want that other institu- along the Working Boundary supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, said when he was asked about a he said. Another PML-N leader said lah Khan only confi rmed that tions should not be involved in targeting civilian population in over the former prime minister’s “verbal clash” with Kirmani at At this, Kirmani said his duty that Kirmani kept on calling Rafi que and Kirmani bickered politics and should let the poli- Sialkot sector, the army said in a interview published on May 12. a party meeting in Islamabad on was to facilitate interaction of Rafi que a “spy” who leaked pro- over a matter after a party meet- ticians do their job. statement. “We [Kirmani and me] have Wednesday. his boss [Sharif] with media per- ceedings of party meetings to ing in Islamabad. “Those who think that Shah- It said that the shelling also not exchanged harsh words. Kir- A Pakistan Muslim League – sonnel. others [an apparent reference to “However, it was not some- baz will introduce some other wounded another 10 Pakistani mani is respectable to me. Nawaz (PML-N) leader present “It is your fault that the party the establishment]. thing unusual. It was a petty narrative than Nawaz are living citizens. “The PML-N is united under at the meeting said yesterday is facing a lot of criticism as you “At this Saad Rafi que got furi- matter and should not be blown in a fool’s paradise.” Paramilitary Pakistani Rang- ers responded and targeted the Indian posts, the statement said. No immediate comment was available from New Delhi. Both the countries claim in American Zardari sets conditions for talks with ex-PM full the picturesque Kashmir valley, and have fought two of their three wars over the Hima- diplomat Internews Rehman in the Karol Ghati area The PPP chief said that in layan region, which they have Lahore yesterday. their fondness for power, the disputed since partition and in- “When [these] people came Sharifs forgot even to remain dependence from British colo- involved in to Pakistan, what did they bring loyal to the homeland. nial rule in 1947. ormer president Asif Ali here [with them] and what do Addressing the PML-N lead- Relations between the arch- Zardari has hinted at sof- they own now?” he asked. er, he criticised politicians for rivals have been poor since the fatal crash Ftening his stance towards The PPP co-chairman has so deceiving their country in quest 2008 Mumbai siege, which killed ousted prime minister Nawaz far rejected all off ers by Sharif for power, counselling them 166 people. Sharif, saying that talks may to sit together “in the larger in- that “homeland comes prior to Delhi blamed the Islamist to be tried be held with the arch-rival but terest of democracy”. power”. militants from Pakistan for the only after the latter divulges his Zardari accused the Pakistan Zardari said that a presiden- attack. sources of income. Muslim League – Nawaz (PML- tial reference about reopen- India wants Hafi z Saeed, the in the US “Talks may be held (with N) supreme leader of colluding ing of PPP founder Zulfi kar Ali Sharif: accused of colluding chief of Pakistani militant group the Sharifs) on issues but they with the establishment for 30 Bhutto’s case had been lying with the establishment for 30 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) – Army should fi rst reveal that how years and taking the anti-es- with the Supreme Court and years and taking the of the Pure – and some of his Internews they built their fortunes while tablishment line only after his urged the court to adjudicate anti-establishment line only deputies to be tried in the Mum- Islamabad they had come [migrated to Pa- ouster from power, saying that the issue at the earliest. after his ouster from power. bai attack. kistan after partition] empty- they were the ones who intro- He said that by getting the Pakistan says that no evidence Zardari: Talks may be held (with handed,” the Pakistan Peoples duced the politics of Changa case reopened he didn’t mean mistakes and forgive them be- was found against Saeed, but he foreign ministry has the Sharifs) on issues but they Party (PPP) co-chairperson Manga, a reference to horse- to get someone penalised; rath- cause those needed to be penal- initiated a trial against the depu- clarifi ed that the US em- should first reveal that how said at an Iftar event hosted by trading in the late 1980s and er he said he meant to remind ised had already left this world ties who have been bailed. Tbassy’s defence attaché, they built their fortunes. the party’s Lahore chief Azizur early 1990s. (the perpetrators) of the past for good. The trial remains unfi nished. who was involved in a fatal road accident, was allowed to leave the country after assurances that he would be tried in his home country. “The US has assured us that it 50,000 cases of Pakistanis owning assets abroad to be scrutinised will initiate criminal/adminis- trative action against Col Joseph in US courts,” Foreign Offi ce Internews (OECD), with eff ect from Octo- the fold of the OECD forum, assistance agreement. As the tax amnesty scheme from those in the past because spokesman Dr Mohammad Fais- Islamabad ber 1. Islamabad made several com- Through Finance Bill 2018, ends on June 30, the last month after the OECD agreement on al said at the weekly media brief- Top offi cials in the Federal mitments to align its tax laws by the FBR has brought foreign ju- – the last 10 days in particular – taxation becomes operational, ing yesterday. Board of Revenue (FBR) said amending laws through Finance risdictions into tax net, enabling will be quite crucial for its suc- the FBR would be fl ooded with Colonel Joseph Hall had on akistan’s tax authorities yesterday that they placed the Bill 2017 and 2018, overhauled the OECD agreement for all tax cess. information about owners of April 7 killed a motorcyclist and have software in place for software with the grant of the procedures and mechanism so collection purposes. Ideally, the offi cial said, the foreign assets and bank account injured co-rider after jumping Preceiving the fi rst batch UK-based Department for Inter- that exchange of information The FBR, the offi cial said, in- amnesty scheme could not be holders, and concealment cases a red signal at an intersection in of around 50,000 cases of Paki- national Development (DFID). could be done instantly in secure tended to launch vigorous cam- termed good tax policy for any would be framed against those the federal capital. stanis owning assets and bank “We have devised a full- manner. paign after approval of budget country because it is considered who would not avail of the am- He left Islamabad this week, accounts abroad, an through fl edged campaign for apprising When their team showed sat- 2018-19 from Parliament, add- incentive for those who evaded nesty. raising questions about the automatic exchange portal from potential non-fi lers possessing isfaction over placed system in ing that the campaign would be taxes. The policy of name and shame conditions under which he was the Organisation for Economic assets abroad,” said the offi cial. Pakistan, they granted permis- run in full swing after the instal- However, he said that the will be adopted against tax evad- eventually allowed to go, espe- Co-operation and Development For accepting Pakistan into sion to operationalise mutual lation of caretaker regime. scheme would be quite diff erent ers after June 30, he added. cially because he was a couple of days earlier denied exit. The spokesman recalled that Hall enjoyed diplomatic immu- nity, because of which he could Keeping watch not be prosecuted in Pakistan. Court seeks aid on Updating on the restrictions imposed by Pakistan and the US on each other’s diplomats, the Sanjrani’s eligibility spokesman noted that the two sides are continuing discussions on the matter. as acting president He hoped that the issue could be resolved through dialogue. In reply to a question, Faisal Internews admitted that US diplomatic Islamabad missions in Pakistan had enjoyed special facilities. He at the same time noted that he Islamabad High those facilities had now been Court (IHC) has sought withdrawn. Tassistance from the at- The special facilities which torney general in a matter re- included holding multiple pass- lated to Senate Chairman Sadiq ports, issuance of biometrically Sanjrani’s eligibility to hold the that Sanjrani was born in 1978, unverifi ed cell phone SIM cards, offi ce of acting president. and being 40 years old, did not Muslims off er prayers as a police off icer stands guard during the first relaxations with regards to li- Yesterday the court asked meet the basic requirement to Friday of Ramadan on a street in Karachi. cense plate rules, hiring of build- Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf hold the offi ce, even in an act- ings without host government’s Ali to assist the court in the ing capacity. Left: Women pray at Lahore’s Data Darbar mosque yesterday. approval, radio communication case in the next hearing. He further stated that on equipment, and safe houses, be- On May 15, Advocate Afzal May 15 President Mamnoon came public when a Note Verbale Khan Shinwari fi led a petition Hussain departed to perform notifying reciprocal restrictions stating that Sanjrani (pictured) Umrah and in his absence San- on US diplomats got leaked. could not become acting presi- jrani would take the seat as act- The spokesman said these dent because he did not meet ing president until his return. concessions, whose details were the requirements set by the Shinwari argued that the Tribesmen end protest over killings previously never disclosed, were Constitution. Senate secretariat committed given to the US diplomatic mis- According to Article 49 of an illegality in its appointment sions by “earlier governments”. the Constitution, the Sen- of Sanjrani as the Senate’s AFP protest also spread to the neigh- According to the agreement, insurgency that has cost Paki- He did not specify which pre- ate chairman becomes acting chairman. Peshawar bouring South Waziristan tribal seen by AFP, security forces will stan thousands of lives. vious governments he specifi - president in the absence of the He alleged that the offi ce of district. launch joint-patrols with tribal Security has increased dra- cally meant. head of state. the president had been “ille- “The protest ended on Thurs- militias along with the deploy- matically across the country in However, it is assumed that he However, Article 41 states gally usurped” and demanded housands of protesters day after authorities assured us ment of more military troops the operation’s wake. was referring to the special facil- that the individual needs to be that the May 14 notifi cation is- in Pakistan’s tribal belt of more security measures in the and police offi cers to the area. However, people from the ities extended by former military more than 45 years of age. sued by the Senate secretariat Talong the Afghan border area,” Noor Islam, president of Offi cials have also vowed to tribal belt are increasingly call- ruler General Pervez Musharraf. The petition pointed out be termed “unconstitutional”. have ended a days-long protest the “Youth of Waziristan” that expedite compensation pay- ing for investigations into abus- against a string of recent kill- organised the rally, told AFP. ments to families whose homes es committed by the military ings, organisers said yesterday, Islam said that at least eight were damaged or destroyed in during the off ensive. Security forces foil major terror attack in Quetta as pressure mounts on the mili- tribesmen have been killed in recent military operations. In February, the newly formed tary over its security operations total in a series of murders this North Waziristan was once Pashtun Protection Movement Security forces have foiled a major terror attack in city of Nowshera, wounding 10 people. in the area. month, enraging locals who say a stronghold of the Pakistani began holding rallies across the Quetta, killing five suicide bombers, the military said. The two attacks on the FC came a day after Pakistani Demonstrators and an AFP that the authorities have not Taliban, Al Qaeda and Haqqani country, demanding the forma- The target of the attack on Thursday was a local forces killed Salman Badeni on the outskirts of reporter in the area said that done enough to ensure their se- network where the extremist tion of a commission to investi- off ice of the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC). Quetta. more than 3,000 tribesmen curity. groups operated with impunity gate extra-judicial killings and “An explosive-laden vehicle carrying five suicide No militant group immediately claimed responsibility launched the sit-in protest on Mohammad Ayaz – a senior and allegedly murdered hun- enforced disappearances by au- bombers tried to enter the FC help centre. Vigilant FC for the attacks on Thursday, but the military said the Sunday in North Waziristan’s government offi cial in North dreds of tribal elders. thorities. soldiers fired at (the) terrorists and killed them,” the attempted storming of the FC off ice in Quetta was a Mir Ali after three tribal elders Waziristan – confi rmed that The army launched an opera- The group has also accused military said in a statement. “response” to the killing of Badeni on Wednesday. were shot dead in the last week tribesmen ended the protest af- tion under US pressure in mid- the military of backing insur- Four soldiers were injured in the firefight, it added. Badeni was the provincial commander of the group by unidentifi ed gunmen in sep- ter receiving written assurance 2014 in a bid to wipe out mili- gents fi ghting in Afghanistan, The failed attack came just hours after a suicide Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, widely considered one of the arate incidents. that offi cials would increase pa- tant bases in the area and end saying the policy has destabi- bomber struck an FC convoy in the northwestern most violent militant outfits in Pakistan. Following the killings, the trols in the area. the near decade-long Islamist lised the tribal belt. Gulf Times Saturday, May 19, 2018 13 PHILIPPINES

Poe seeks Opposition eyes impeachment probe of abuses charges against eight judges by Grab

By Llanesca T Panti Manila Times drivers

iling an impeachment case By Bernadette E Tamayo against the eight Supreme Manila Times FCourt justices is the rem- edy for the SC’s “unconstitu- tional” grant of a quo warranto enator Grace Poe has petition that ousted Chief Jus- sought an inquiry on gov- tice Maria Lourdes Sereno from Sernment policies and her post, opposition lawmakers measures to address increasing from the so-called Magnifi cent cases of alleged abuses commit- 7 have said. ted by Grab drivers. In granting the quo war- She fi led on May 2 Resolution ranto petition fi led by Solicitor 719 directing the Senate Com- General Jose Calida, party-list mittee on Public Services to con- congressmen Tomasito Villarin duct an inquiry “on the policies, of Akbayan and Gary Alejano of plans, penalty system and reme- Magdalo said, the eight justices dial measures that can be for- violated the 1987 Constitution, mulated on the increasing cases which states that impeachable of abusive drivers in Grab, taxis, offi cials such as the chief justice and other common carriers con- can only be removed through sidering that the present rel- impeachment and that the evant statutes mandate that they House of Representatives and are bound to observe extraordi- the Senate have the sole author- nary diligence for the safety and ity to initiate and resolve im- protection of passengers.” peachment cases, respectively. Poe, who chairs the Senate The eight justices who fa- Committee on Public Services, voured Calida were Associate said Grab became the sole oper- Justices Noel Tijam, Teresita de ating TNVS (transport network Castro, Alexander Gesmundo, vehicle service) in the Philip- Francis Jardeleza, Samuel Mar- pines in April when it merged tires, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas with its former competitor, Uber. Bersamin and Andres Reyes. “Immediately after the reported Calida’s quo warranto peti- merger, riders began to complain tion sought Sereno’s ouster for of unduly high fares from Grab, her failure to submit her com- which led to calls to set a cap on plete statements of assets, li- their fares,” the senator said. abilities and net worth during She also cited reports about her tenure as faculty member the abusive behaviour of some of the University of the Philip- taxi drivers. pines College of Law to the Ju- “The high fares were com- dicial and Bar Council when she pounded with reports of un- applied for the chief justice post responsive and even frequent in 2012. cancellation by Grab drivers who “By removing the chief jus- would at times not even show tice through quo warranto, the up at their rider’s location,” the associate justices are culpable senator said. of violating these provisions of Activists and supporters of ousted Supreme Court chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno light candles next to a coff in decorated with a caricature of President Rodrigo Duterte “Due to the above events, Grab the 1987 Constitution, which (bottom right) and portraits of Supreme Court justices who voted to oust Sereno during a vigil rally in front of the Supreme Court in Manila, yesterday. is exercising a de facto monopo- can be a ground for their own ly, a dominant position in the impeachment. Members of the larin told Manila Times. of impeachment complaints Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay, a offi cial statement on the mat- able, there is the impeachment TNVS market, independently ‘Magnifi cent 7’ and other mem- “Magdalo believes that the against the justices is the only the de facto leader of the oppo- ter on May 22. Rep. Ariel Casilao (process). But we know that it from competitors, customers, bers of the House across party eight justices who granted the viable remedy to correct this sition group, did not say if they of Anakpawis party-list agreed would be a tough road to take, suppliers, or consumers,” Poe lines are expected to support quo warranto petition to remove mistake and save the integrity would pursue the fi ling of an that the impeachment route was considering that majority of said. “Although other competi- this call for Congress to assert the chief justice committed an of the Supreme Court before the impeachment case against the a remedy but said it was as good the members of the House will tors are forthcoming, it will take its constitutional power, which impeachable off ence. Thus, we Filipino people,” Alejano said in eight justices but announced as asking for a miracle. not go for it,” Casilao said in an a while before they are fully inte- applies to Sereno’s case,” Vil- strongly believe that the fi ling a statement. that they would come up with “As to holding the justices li- interview. grated in the local market.” Croc captivation Panel reveals govt offi cials linked to airport smuggling

By Jeff erson Antiporda not be included in case. Manila Times The PACC started its in- vestigation on the “Customs Sundo” scheme after the he Presidential Anti- commission received a report Corruption Commis- about a smuggling incident Tsion (PACC) has tagged in December 2017 involv- officials of the Bureau of Cus- ing the Mimbalawang couple, toms (BoC), and some pros- who were found carrying as- ecutors in a jewellery smug- sorted jewellery amounting to gling operation at the Ninoy P15.1mn. Aquino International Air- The couple was supposed to port (NAIA) believed to have pay P6.9mn in taxes and du- helped fund terrorists and in- ties but because of the alleged surgents. intervention of Macaram- PACC Commissioner Greco bon, the amount was reduced Belgica said the commission to P1.3mn. This was alleg- had submitted its report and edly done upon the approval A visitor looks at a replica of “Lolong”, the largest saltwater crocodile, on display at the National recommendation to President of Anquilan. Museum in Metro Manila, yesterday. Rodrigo Duterte regarding the Belgica said similar inci- erring officials, including re- dents happened in January signed Justice assistant secre- and February wherein cus- tary Moslemen Macarambon toms and airport officials in- Sr. tervened and even escorted Macarambon was earlier the Mimbalawang couple to asked by Duterte to resign avoid inspection. 25 families 80 poll winners from his post because of his He noted that there were alleged involvement in illegal apprehensions made in the activities. past but the suspects were displaced face disqualifi cation Apart from Macarambon, able to avoid prosecution be- the PACC has recommended cause of their connections to the filing of an administra- the Pasay Prosecutor’s Of- after blaze By Cris Diazon must be at least 18 years, but tive complaint and summary fice. Manila Times not more than 24 years of age dismissal proceedings against “These smuggling syndi- on the day of the elections. customs operations officer cates have connection from Manila Times Ramil Acol, Cagayan de Lomotod Macabando, after he the airport up to the prosecu- Manila bout 80 elected can- Oro City Comelec offi cer, was apprehended on May 5 for Anti-corruption commissioner Greco Belgica points to a security tor’s office that is why they didates for the Sang- said at least 14 elected SK smuggling 1.9 kilos of assorted footage where customs operations off icer Lomotod Macabando is were able to continue their Aguniang Kabataang chairmen were found to be gold jewellery worth P6bn at shown beside a suspected jewellery smuggler at the Manila airport. operations,” Belgica said. ire hit a commercial-resi- (SK) in Northern Mindanao disqualifi ed from among the the NAIA Terminal 3. The Mimbalawangs were dential building in Manila (Region 10) face disqualifi - more than 20 elected can- Macabando was spotted at sorted gold jewellery. President Duterte on said to have been operating Fyesterday, aff ecting 25 fami- cation for various election didates, including council the NAIA Terminal 3 allegedly The PACC also recom- Wednesday revealed that since 2014 and have traveled lies and causing damage to prop- off ences, while the Commis- members. assisting the couple Abraham mended preventive suspen- these officials have been sus- 133 times, meaning they could erty estimated at P5mn, according sion on Elections (Comelec) He added that the disqual- Mimbalawang and Bang-sa sion, pending investigation, pended and placed under in- have smuggled billions of pe- to reports. suspended the proclamation ifi cation proceedings were Mimbalawang, members of for Ramon Anquilan, district vestigation. sos worth of jewellery into the The fi re at Wellington in Tay- of seven others in Bicol Re- forwarded to the Comelec one of the eight jewellery customs collector of NAIA; “They have cases before the country. tana Street on Barangay 288 in gion. First Division in Manila for smuggling syndicates suppos- Elizabeth Pableo, officer in Presidential Anti-Corruption With eight syndicates oper- Binondo started on a six-storey Election offi cials in Region fi nal review and decision. edly operating at the NAIA. charge (OIC) of the NAIA ar- Commission. But I prefer the ating in the airport, the PACC building at 11:58am and reached 10 said some candidates have Similarly, the Comelec in Belgica, in a news confer- rival division; lawyer Marlon Ombudsman so they can’t say estimates that about P10bn fi fth alarm by 1:06pm, which not reached the 18-year-old Bicol suspended the proc- ence on Thursday, presented Agaceta, chief of the customs anything against it,” he said in have been raised from their il- meant that at least 12 fi retrucks requirement on the day of lamation of two elected SK to the media a closed-circuit legal division at Naia; Ben- comments to reporters. legal activities with the help of were sent to the site, City Fire the elections, while most chairmen, four councilmen television footage showing jamin Lanto, OIC of the Pasay The commission required corrupt officials. Marshall Jonas Silvano was quot- elected SK offi cials were al- and a member of the Sang- Macabando accepting a black City prosecutor’s office; Cle- Adsar Albani and Butch “These smuggling activities ed as saying. The cause of the fi re, ready more than 24-years- guniang Barangay (Village bag from a male individual at mente Villanueva, inquest Ledesma, both from the NAIA could be part of fund-raising which was placed under control at old. Council) in the provinces of the baggage carousel area of prosecutor; and Florencio de Customs Intelligence and In- efforts possibly to fund ter- about 2pm, is still unknown. No The guidelines state that Albay, Camarines Sur and the NAIA terminal 3, which la Cruz, assistant city pros- vestigation Service, to show rorists and insurgents in the one was hurt during the incident. the qualifi ed SK candidate Catanduanes. was later found to contain as- ecutor. cause why their names should country,” Belgica disclosed. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, May 19, 2018 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko Production Editor Amjad Khan

P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani addressing the session of the Emergency Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) on Palestine GULF TIMES held in Istanbul yesterday. New European Amir calls for ending injustice data rules could infl icted upon Palestinians set global norm QNA a stifl ing siege on it that continues up to people who are deprived of their most The siege imposed on the Gaza Strip Istanbul this day, which means, it has continued basic rights to travel, education, work must be stopped by a political decision, the occupation by other means. and medical treatment. and a just solution to the Palestinian New European standards of data protection are being Recently, the residents of the Strip, When their sons take arms they are question must be imposed as the last eyed by privacy activists as a new global benchmark, at a is Highness the Amir Sheikh who are the sons and grandsons of those called terrorists, and when they stage case of colonialism that continues to be time when Internet users around the world are reeling from Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani refugees have organised courageous peaceful demonstrations they are called a cause of concern for the world. addressed the opening peaceful marches to commemorate extremists, and are shot dead with live There is an international consensus a scandal over the misuse of Facebook data. Hsession of the Emergency the right of return for the Palestinian ammunition. that transcend political and ideological The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes Summit of the Organisation of Islamic refugees, which was approved by the We appreciate the countries that diff erences on the need to put an end into eff ect on May 25, just over two months after revelations Co-operation (OIC) on Palestine held United Nations in its Resolution No clearly condemned the massacre. to the injustice infl icted upon the that social media giant Facebook had improperly shared the in Istanbul yesterday evening with the (194) of 11 December 1948. We also respect those who expressed Palestinian people. participation of heads of delegations of To remind you I would say: Israel’s dismay and anger over this outrageous act The way to this is through a historic data of 87mn users with an analysis fi rm hired to infl uence Islamic countries. commitment to implement that and all those who called for establishing settlement establishing a Palestinian the US elections and Britain’s Brexit referendum in 2016. His Highness the Amir gave the resolution and to implement the an independent commission of inquiry; State in the territories occupied in 1967 The new EU rules, which have been years in the making, following speech: Partition Plan of 1947 was a prerequisite but the Palestinian people and our — that is to say 22% of the historic land aim to give consumers more power over their data. In the Name of Allah The Most for its acceptance as a member in the peoples generally reckon this as not of Palestine — with Jerusalem as its Merciful, the Most Compassionate United Nations. enough. capital. They stipulate that entities can only collect what is Honourable Audience, During the march on May 15, which Facts are well known, and Israel itself There is an international consensus strictly necessary and must be transparent about how they At the outset, I would like to extend corresponds with the anniversary of does not deny shooting at demonstrators. that the Israeli expansionist policies, use the information, while individuals can demand insight thanks to His Excellency Brother, the establishment of Israel, and which What is required is to take a position in terms of the construction of into their data as well as its erasure. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is considered by the Palestinians and to be followed by practical steps. settlements and the Judaisation of for his invitation to this emergency the Arabs as the Nakba of Palestine, Who among us does not know the Jerusalem, are illegal and constitute an Organisations that breach the new rules can be fi ned conference and to the government and the massacre took place, and the world declared siege forced on Gaza Strip obstacle in the way of achieving this up to 20mn euros ($23.6mn) or 4% of their global annual people of the Turkish Republic for their watched it live on TV screens. and collective punishment against historic settlement. turnover, depending on which is higher. honourable positions supportive of the Israeli soldiers fi red a type of its population We also know that But the international community The recent Facebook scandal “shows that protection of Palestinian cause and the just causes of explosive bullets to mass kill the reports of commissions of inquiry may stands helpless in front of Israel’s peoples in general. demonstrators on broad daylight. accumulate on shelves, as happened rejection of this consensus and takes personal data can have a major impact on our democracy On the 70th anniversary of the The perpetrators of the carnage repeatedly in the past, if there is no no steps vis-à-vis such intransigence, and on our elections,” EU Justice Commissioner Vera Palestinian catastrophe (Nakba), the themselves have not claimed that the international will to take real and despite its danger to regional and Jourova told EU lawmakers last month. Israeli forces have committed a brutal Palestinians were armed. eff ective steps. international security. “All around the world, massacre against peaceful Palestinian For weeks, Palestinians in the Is it conceivable that a ceremony This issue must remain a matter of demonstrators in Gaza. besieged Gaza Strip have been be held to celebrate the transfer of the consensus in our organisation, and we “The New World democratic countries are The question of Palestine has gone launching peaceful marches as a American embassy to Jerusalem, the should not, in any case, subject it to now looking at GDPR for down in history as a cause of a people reminder of the right of return, and to sovereignty on it is one of the most diff erences between our States. must learn from inspiration,” she added. whose homeland was usurped, and reject the liquidation of the Palestinian important issues of the permanent The issue of Palestine is still an The new European data refugees who have scattered in diaspora cause without a just solution. solution, which is supposed to be open wound in the consciousness and the Old World” around the world, with the majority Although the right of return negotiated by American mediation, while memory of peoples, and disregarding protection standards are of them taking refuge in the Arab is in itself a theme for legitimate blood is being shed in the Gaza Strip. that by some regimes does not change already having an impact beyond the bloc, as they will countries and in some Palestinian demonstrations, it is rather diffi cult What message does this convey to the this fact. apply to anyone off ering their services within the EU, cities, including the Gaza Strip. to understand this Palestinian outcry Palestinian people, the Arab peoples and This cause has become a symbol for including the US-based Internet giants. Before the elapse of two decades at the border with their country from all peace-loving forces in the world. The the oppressed peoples everywhere. after the Nakba, the Gaza Strip fell which they were displaced without situation in the occupied Palestinian The recent massacre perpetrated “There are already many companies who adopt these under direct Israeli occupation in the the backdrop of the suff ocating and territories needs sincere positions and against peaceful demonstrators deepens standards on a global scale and who announced that they aftermath of the 1967 war, as is the case inhumane siege enforced on the political will to take meaningful steps to the sense of injustice and inactivity of will make European data protection their selling point on a of the West Bank and Jerusalem. Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip eliminate the occupation. international legitimacy. global market,” EU lawmaker Jan Philipp Albrecht said. After a protracted struggle and since they took the right to vote This is a prelude to any just solution. But on the other hand, it proves that a heavy sacrifi ces, as well as two well- seriously in the 2006 elections. Without a just solution to the cause people who has been patient, struggling At a recent US Congress hearing over the Facebook scandal, known popular uprisings against the As a result of the blockade, the Gaza of Palestine and redressing its people, and making sacrifi ces for 70 years is a the company’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said he would occupation, Israel withdrew unilaterally Strip has been transformed into a large this 70-year-old bloodshed cannot be vivid people, whose cause can not be extend GDPR protections to users around the world. from the Gaza Strip alone, but imposed concentration camp for millions of stopped. liquidated without achieving justice. Meanwhile, Google began preparing for GDPR more than 18 months ago, its chief executive Sundar Pichai told investors last month. “We’ll also update all the privacy policies and controls we provide to users worldwide,” he added. “The European Union’s law should indirectly help Americans somewhat,” wrote Tom Wheeler, the former chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission, in a guest article for the New York Times last month. The FCC had sought to introduce similar data privacy safeguards in the US, only to have them overturned by Congress. “The New World must learn from the Old World,” Wheeler added. Christopher Kuner, a law professor and privacy expert at the Free University of Brussels, believes that this is already happening, with countries such as Japan and Korea following Europe’s example. “The EU is a regulatory superpower,” Kuner said, noting that the bloc’s standards are being adopted in other areas too. However, only time will tell how eff ective the new EU safeguards really are, amid concern that the bloc’s 28 national data protection agencies tasked with overseeing them are under-equipped for the task. Until legislation catches up elsewhere, companies still have plenty of room to set their own global standards.

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© 2018 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Gulf Times Saturday, May 19, 2018 15 COMMENT Managing the risks of a rising dollar

By Mohamed A. El-Erian market corporates have resorted to external Newport Beach dollar borrowing, materially increasing their fi nancial vulnerability to higher interest rates and adverse currency moves. rgentinian President Mauricio Externally driven changes in fi nancial Macri’s government has asked the variables have thus become a source of serious International Monetary Fund for a risk, especially in countries, like Argentina, Aloan that it hopes can stem a peso rout with a history of economic mismanagement, that has driven up interest rates, will slow the large current account defi cits, other fi nancial economy, and threatens the reform programme. imbalances, and a habit of pursuing too many This reversal of fortune for the economy partly, objectives with too few instruments. With the though far from fully, refl ects broader pressure emerging-market economies still structurally created by the US dollar’s recent appreciation – subject to short-term risks of contagion, it a process that is set to accelerate, because both is usually just a matter of time until a few monetary policy and growth diff erentials are countries’ problems result in a tightening of now favouring the United States. fi nancial conditions for the asset class as a For a while now, the US Federal Reserve has whole. been well ahead of other systemically important Beyond challenging emerging markets’ central banks in normalising monetary policy – stability, a sudden and sharp appreciation of that is, raising interest rates, eliminating large- the US dollar – and, specifi cally, the losses scale asset purchases, and starting the multi- in trade competitiveness that it causes – year process of shrinking its balance sheet. This threatens to complicate already-delicate trade was amplifi ed this year by another catalyst of negotiations. In particular, eff orts to modernise the dollar’s recent appreciation; a growing, and the North American Free Trade Agreement less favourable, divergence between economic (Nafta) and to establish fairer trade relations data and expectations in the rest of the world. between the US and China could be put at risk. During most of 2017, markets were Against this background, policymakers scrambling to catch up to indications of growth should be implementing measures that take outside the US that were markedly more pressure off foreign-exchange markets. This favourable than anticipated. As a result, the includes, fi rst and foremost, pro-growth most widely followed measure of a trade- Currency exchange values are displayed in the buy-sell board of a bureau de exchange in Buenos Aires. Argentina’s peso plummeted by more than policies, particularly for Europe, which, weighted dollar index depreciated by 10% 6% on Monday, sparking new inflation fears for Latin America’s third-largest economy. The currency fell 6.6% to trade at 25.20 against the dollar as despite recent economic gains, faces signifi cant last year. Capital fl ows into Europe and major markets opened. structural headwinds. Emerging economies, emerging economies picked up, as investors meanwhile, should focus on maintaining solid sought to benefi t from the expansion, while appreciation of the US dollar. The only way In the run-up to the Asian fi nancial crisis of it would boost infl ation and send the costs of balance sheets, improving their understanding enjoying both higher yields and the possibility to ease that upward pressure, and to mitigate the 1990s, many emerging economies kept servicing external debts soaring to prohibitively of market dynamics, and safeguarding policy of capital gains from currency moves. spillovers, is with eff ective policy responses. their currencies rigidly pegged to the dollar, high levels. credibility. But, in recent months, measures of The good news is that there are suffi cient and governments tended to borrow heavily Many developing countries now have fl exible Country-level measures should be reinforced economic “surprises” have turned negative, as tools to reduce the risk of dislocations. But in dollars, despite generating most of their exchange rates, and, by shifting to domestic by better global policy coordination, especially growth momentum has weakened in Europe there is a need for broader implementation revenues in the domestic currency (what sources of borrowing, they have reduced the to help avoid or break vicious cycles. The and beyond. To cite one dramatic example, within individual economies, and better co- economists labelled “original sin”). currency mismatches associated with their IMF, which may soon face more requests for declining economic indicators caused the ordination across borders. As the dollar appreciated in international liabilities. Yet two vulnerabilities remain. fi nancing, has an important role to play here. implied market pricing of an interest-rate hike To be sure, some may view the US dollar’s markets, these economies became less First, the recent extraordinary period of Using a bit of extra precaution now is obviously ahead of the Bank of England’s policy meeting appreciation as consistent with a longer- competitive and experienced sharp repressed volatility in fi nancial markets, preferable to risking a mess that will need to be this month to plummet from over 90%, or a term rebalancing of the global economy. deteriorations in their current-account ultra-low interest rates, and dollar weakness cleaned up later. – Project Syndicate near-certainty, to 20% in just a few weeks. But, as Argentina’s situation demonstrates, positions. Actual and potential capital outfl ows unleashed another surge of capital fl ows Now, there is less external capital chasing excessively sharp and sudden appreciation of forced central banks to raise local interest rates, to emerging countries, including “tourist Mohamed A. El-Erian, Chief Economic returns in Europe and the emerging economies, such a systemically important currency risks intensifying economic contractionary pressures dollars,” which tend to fl ow right back out at Adviser at Allianz, was Chairman of US President and some that was there has already fl owed unbalancing things elsewhere. and undermining the creditworthiness of the fi rst sign of trouble. Second, empowered Barack Obama’s Global Development Council and back home. So economic and fi nancial factors Emerging markets have long been the domestic corporate sector. Currency by exceptionally generous global fi nancing is the author of The Only Game in Town: Central can be expected to continue to fuel the particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon. devaluation was not an easy option, either, as conditions, a growing number of emerging- Banks, Instability, and Avoiding the Next Collapse.

LEGAL HELPLINE Three-day forecast TODAY Maximum Temperature : 370c Minimum Temperature : 290c

SUNDAY Maximum Temperature : 350c Eligibility conditions for maternity leave Minimum Temperature : 260c MONDAY Maximum Temperature : 360c By Dr Nizar Kochery Company retains 8 of the Entry, Exit and Residence to sell the shares in the company Minimum Temperature : 260c Doha law, the employer shall return the to another company of Qatari Fisherman's forecast workers’ passports passport or travel document to partner. So, I require to authorise Q: I am working in a construction the employee after completion of my friend to act on my behalf WARNING Question: What are the eligibility company and our company holds permit procedures or renewal, unless for the sale. What shall I do to Inshore : Nil conditions for maternity leave employees’ passports in the main the employee requests in writing authorise him? Please advise. benefits and how will this affect offi ce. Now the company has that the employer shall retain PJ, Doha Offshore : Nil the annual leave entitlements notifi ed the employees to sign a the passport or travel document WEATHER of the women employees? letter authorising the company provided that such passport or A: In order to transfer the shares in Inshore : Relatively hot daytime When can the eligible employee to hold their passports. I started travel document should be returned a company, prepare a special power with scattered clouds and chance of light rain at avail this leave? Is any medical working in the company in 2014 to employee upon request. In the of attorney authorising a friend in places certification essential for grant and have not issued any such event of breach of this provision, the Qatar to sell the shares. The power WIND or extension of the said leave? letter. Does the company have violator shall be subject to fine not of attorney should specifically state Inshore : Northwesterly-Northeasterly 05-15/18 KT at places day- SR, Doha legal authority to hold employees’ exceeding QR25,000. the purpose and it should include time, becoming by night passports? Please advise. all relevant details to identify the variable less than 05 KT Answer: According to Article 96 HZ, Doha shares in the company. The power of Offshrore : Mainly Northwesterly 05- of the Labour Law, the working Authorising friend attorney prepared outside Qatar for 15/18 KT woman having a period of service A: Confiscation of employee to sell the shares use in Qatar requires to be notarised, Visibility : 4-8 KM not less than one year will get a full passport by the employer or its attested, and consularised to the rate payment for 50 days, including representative is not in conformity Q: I was working as an engineer level of the Qatari embassy in the SEA STATE Offshore : 2-4 FT the period preceding birth and with law; companies have no valid in a company in Doha and I have country of origin, before it is re- after that, provided that the period justification for retaining passports. purchased some shares in a real attested by the Ministry of Foreign Around the region following the delivery shall not be The only authority allowed to estate business. Due to some Affairs in Qatar. Weather Weather less than 35 days. If the remaining hold the passport is the judicial issues with the employer, I have today Max/min tomorrow Max/min period of leave after delivery is authorities concerned or in cases returned home. Now I am unable Please send your questions to Baghdad Sunny 39/23 Sunny 40/26 less than 30 days, complementary specified by the law. As per Article to return to Qatar. We are planning [email protected] Kuwait City M Sunny 37/27 Sunny 38/27 leave may be granted from annual Manama P Cloudy 34/27 M Sunny 36/26 leave. After the 50 days, the working Muscat Sunny 33/28 Sunny 33/28 lady may be absent with no pay for Tehran Sunny 26/14 M Sunny 28/17 a period not exceeding 60 days; whether continuous or not, if such LEGAL SYSTEM IN QATAR absence is caused by sickness proven by a medical certificate issued by According to Article 322 of Civil take; The trust money that shall be a licensed physician. The law also and Commercial Procedure law, in deposited with the court treasury states that such leave should not be the case of a person who is unable to cover the expenses of the expert calculated or covered by the annual to speak, the habitual signs shall be and the remuneration for his eff orts, leave or otherwise. considered oath, or his withdrawal fees of depositing this trust money, from and objection to making the the time during which the deposit oath if he is unable to write. If he shall be made and the amount that Employee destroys knows how to write, the oath or the expert may withdraw to cover company property withdrawal from and objection to the expenses; The time specifi ed for taking the oath shall be in writing. fi ling the report; and Date of hearing Q: My company decided to The minutes including the oath after adjournment of the case in the terminate an employee as he shall be signed by the swearer, the event of depositing the trust money. was not fit for the job. The staff presiding judge or the deputed judge Another session shall be determined Around the world member was not performing and the Registry of the court. in the event of non-deposit of the Weather Weather well to reach the assigned sales Anyone who directs a decisive oath trust money. today Max/min tomorrow Max/min target. The company also noticed shall disclose all other evidence If the litigants agree on the selection Athens M Sunny 29/18 P Cloudy 29/18 that the property which was pertaining to the event based on of one or three experts, the court will Beirut Sunny 32/26 Sunny 30/24 under his possession is damaged which the oath is taken. No party pronounced through the Registry of approve their agreement. Otherwise, Bangkok P Cloudy 33/27 P Cloudy 34/28 and from the CCTV footage it to the case may prove the perjury the court at least 24 hours prior to the the court shall select the experts from Berlin P Cloudy 22/08 Sunny 22/11 was clear that the employee of an oath after it has been made by specifi ed time. The court shall make among those acceptable to it. Should Cairo Sunny 41/24 Sunny 40/25 had purposefully destroyed the the party to whom it is directed or a record of all proceedings related to one of the expert employees be Cape Town P Cloudy 26/15 Cloudy 19/14 things. What will be the action referred back. However, if the false the inspection, otherwise it shall be depute, the administrative authority Colombo T Storm 29/26 T Storm 29/27 initiated against the employee oath has been proved by a criminal and void. upon being informed of depositing Dhaka T Storm 31/24 T Storm 31/24 if the management files a judgment, the party who suff ers The court or any of its deputed the trust money, shall immediately Hong Kong P Cloudy 29/25 M Sunny 29/25 complaint? Please advise. damages therefrom may claim judges, in the event of relocating for appoint the expert who was mandated Istanbul S T Storms 26/17 S T Storms 23/16 DJ, Doha compensation without prejudice to inspection, may appoint an expert to to act as such and inform the court of Jakarta T Storm 32/26 T Storm 32/25 the right to challenge the judgment give his assistance in the inspection this appointment. Karachi Cloudy 41/28 Sunny 40/27 A: The management can file a issued against him because of the and shall hear any witnesses it deems If the trust money has not been London Sunny 21/08 Sunny 22/11 police complaint for destroying the false oath. appropriate. Such witnesses may deposited by the litigant assigned to Manila P Cloudy 36/28 S T Storms 35/27 property. According to Article 389 As per Article 329, at the request of be summoned to appear before the deposit it or by any other litigant, Moscow Rain 21/08 Cloudy 13/08 of the Penal law, any person, who either litigant or at its own discretion, court even at the verbal request of the the expert shall not be obligated to New Delhi M Sunny 41/28 Sunny 42/29 intentionally destroys, damages or the court may order to relocate to Registry of the court. perform the work assigned. Within New York Rain 15/14 T Storm 28/15 spoils, another person’s movable inspect the disputed matter or it may According to Article 333, when two days following the deposit of the Paris Sunny 21/09 Sunny 24/12 or immovable properties, or makes depute for this purpose any one of necessary, the court shall depute one trust money, the Registry of the court Sao Paulo S T Storms 22/12 P Cloudy 20/09 them unusable, invaluable, useless its judges. There shall be no need to or three experts. The court shall state shall call the expert to examine the Seoul Sunny 25/11 P Cloudy 24/11 or invalid, shall be punished with pronounce the said order if issued in its judgment: Precise statement papers deposited in the case fi le. A Singapore T Storm 31/26 S T Storms 31/27 imprisonment for a term not against the litigants and if it is not of mandate of the expert and urgent copy of the judgment shall be given Sydney M Sunny 18/09 Sunny 19/11 exceeding three years and/or a fine issued against them, the order shall be measures which is permitted to to him. Tokyo Cloudy 28/21 Cloudy 20/15 not exceeding QR10,000. Gulf Times 16 Saturday, May 19, 2018 QATAR

Iftar time Ramadan festivities

The ambience of the holy month of Ramadan is evident across Qatar. The prayers gather large numbers of faithful to the mosques. Family gatherings at Iftar and Suhoor are among the most distinctive features of the month with sumptuous banquets. The Ministry of Interior has intensified traffic and security patrols during the peak hours around key locations, especially near mosques to ensure smooth flow of traffic. Shops selling dry fruits and nuts, and incense and The Ramadan cannon being fired at Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab Grand Mosque in Doha, announcing the Iftar time. perfumes do brisk business throughout the holy month. The picture shows decorative lights put PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil up at Katara Cultural Village. PICTURE: Ram Chand

IIA holds Audit Awareness Fest

he Institute of Internal building eff orts. In line with does internal audit bring?’ was 16 hours’ scooter Auditors (IIA) held the this, the Qatar chapter organ- the theme of the third session, TAudit Awareness Festival ised a full-day technical event and another session dealt with in Doha recently as a celebration supported by top audit and con- ‘How can co-sourcing assist to elevate the profession and sulting organisations; Protiviti, internal audit to be relevant and promote it to audit customers, KPMG, Deloitte and Ernst & focus on key business risks?’. executive management, boards Young. With 150 members par- “It‘s an exciting time to be in of directors and local communi- ticipating, it was a successful internal auditing – one of the ride around Doha ties. event,” said Christian Adonis, most attractive and dynamic May is International Inter- event chair. professions today. The IIA Qatar nal Audit Awareness Month — Hassan al-Mulla, president, chapter plays a vital role in pro- an opportunity to promote the opened the meeting, while moting the profession through profession and its important Fahad al-Marri, senior vice- specialised knowledge sharing role in corporate governance, president, made the concluding events, training and education. internal control and risk man- remarks. This helps in strengthening for a noble cause agement, the IIA has said in a The fi rst technical session was organisations and protecting statement. a panel discussion on the topic, stakeholders to manage risks, By Joseph Varghese planning such adventures for no- “Building awareness – year ‘Data is the new oil: is internal promote corporate governance, Staff reporter ble causes in the future. “I have round – is essential to elevating audit ready?’, while the second transparency and ensure that not specifi cally planned and set the image of the internal audit session was on ‘Why should in- policies, procedures and con- dates for anything for the future profession. The month of May, ternal audit’s focus be aligned trols are in place,” said Sunda- South African expatri- as of now. however, is designated to focus with the corporate goals of the resan Rajeswar, director on the ate went around Doha on But I have plans for such on internal audit awareness- entity?”. ‘What value addition board. Ahis scooter for 16 hours projects and in December this recently on a charity adventure year, I may take up a seven day to raise awareness and funds ride around Qatar,” he added. for a non-profi t animal rescue This charity scooter adventure and shelter. Gavin McNeil set was inspired by McNeil’s love of off from Corniche and scooted scooting since he was a child. 95km to support Paws Rescue McNeil’s World of Adventures — Qatar (Paws), which provides a a social media blog — was found- safe haven for homeless animals ed earlier this year, aims to raise until they can be placed in loving awareness and funds for charity homes. organisations in Qatar. McNeil kicked off his adven- On this maiden scooter ad- ture on the evening of May 11 in venture — Paws captured his the presence of his family and attention as being in need and Paws supporters and its founding making a real diff erence in the members, Alison Caldwell and community— not only by saving Emily Blinkinsop. abandoned animals but also in- His aim was to cover 100km in volving and educating the youth Participants of the Audit Awareness Festival. a 12-hour period, starting off at and the community. the fountains on the Doha Cor- McNeil, 28, is a restaurant niche and fi nishing at the same manager in Doha and loves to location. raise as much money as possible He covered the areas of Qatar to help the animals in Qatar. University, Duhail up to Um Slal The summer heat and dust DCMF hosts training course Mohamed and returned through make the outdoor conditions ex- Gharaff a, Al Waab back to Cor- treme for any abandoned pet or niche, taking a total of 16 hours stray animal. Paws Rescue Qa- and covering 95km. tar, founded in 2014, is a Qatar- in collaboration with QRCS “It was a remarkable endeav- British Business Forum awarded our indeed as it was my fi rst such community animal welfare eff ort. With a blood blister on project. he ‘International human- of journalists, a press statement hance their safety in diff erent the foot and a seized up tendon It is run entirely by volunteers itarian law and media in noted. In his speech on the sec- environments. on the other leg — I had to call it McNeil on the move. (supplied picture) and donations by animals lovers Tlight of current challeng- ond day of the course, Abdul- He added that journalists quits and settle with 5km short of Qatar and across the world. es’ training course was held re- rahman bin Nasser al-Obaidan, have an impact on the global of the target, fi nishing at 8.45am ride. It was a great sense of ac- all other obstacles,” McNeil ex- Currently, Paws cares for more cently by Doha Centre for Media member of the Executive Com- opinion; therefore, it is crucial on Saturday morning,” an excited complishment. Though the long plained. than 240 abandoned animals at Freedom (DCMF) in collabora- mittee and director of DCMF, to strengthen their knowledge McNeil told Gulf Times. ride was painful physically, the Encouraged by the success of the shelter, situated towards Sea- tion with Qatar Red Crescent welcomed all the course partici- of law. Hanan al-Yafei, content “I was really happy to fi nish my sense of achievement overcomes his maiden eff ort, McNeil is also line Beach area. (QRCS) on the occasion of the pants and wished that they ben- manager at DCMF, expressed National Day of International efi t from Dr Oussedik’s experi- pride and happiness in the part- Humanitarian Law in the Is- ence in the fi eld of international nership with QRCS, and praised lamic World. humanitarian law and human the organisation of the training The training course was pre- rights charters. course and previously the oc- Brisk sales sented by Dr Fawzi Oussedik, Dr Oussedik said the training casion of World Press Freedom head of the International Re- course was held on the occasion Day. lations and International Hu- of the National Day of Inter- Al-Yafei said the training manitarian Law general secre- national Humanitarian Law in course targeted journalists in tariat at QRCS. On the fi rst day, the Islamic World, which falls order to introduce them to in- a brief introduction to the inter- on May 9 annually, in addition ternational humanitarian laws, national humanitarian law was to implementing the partner- especially in areas of confl ict, given by Dr Oussedik, while the ship between QRCS and DCMF, and the mechanisms of acti- second day dealt with disaster which works to expand the vating them to be the protec- response law and international knowledge of laws and rights tive shield for all workers in this mechanisms for the protection that protect journalists and en- fi eld.

Brisk sales of Iftar snacks were reported from various outlets across Qatar. PICTURE: Jayaram The training course was held on the occasion of the National Day of International Humanitarian Law in the Islamic World.