BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Energy fi rm Equinor looks to establish presence in Qatar Momen survives al-Tamimi scare to book spot in last 8 published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11364 November 12, 2019 Rabia I 15, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Amir meets Norway’s crown prince MoI launches QATAR | Culture 2nd edition of Drama Writers Forum opens The second edition of Drama Writers new unifi ed Forum, organised by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, kicked off yesterday with the participation of academics, artistes, writers and critics visit visa portal from 14 Arab countries, including the hosting country Qatar, at Al Messila Hotel. In his opening speech, HE the Application for a visa can submit the visa application. The ap- Minister of Culture and Sports Salah be made within 90 days plicant has to register with an e-mail id bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali called on fi rst to log in to the portal. The applica- writers of drama and artistes to enter and at least four days tion fee is QR100. The documents to be the depths of the Arab conscience in before travel submitted include copies of passport, order to extract the strengths of Arab photo, fl ight ticket and hotel reserva- heritage and culture in their values By Shafeeq Alingal tion or the applicant’s residence in Qa- and morals to reflect it on the reality Staff Reporter tar. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met yesterday at the Amiri Diwan off ice with the Crown Prince of of Arab drama. Page 8 The applicant is then asked to choose Norway Haakon Magnus and his accompanying delegation who are visiting the country to participate in the golden jubilee the events that he wants to attend in celebration of Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco) and the 50th anniversary of its co-operation with Norwegian Yara International REGION | Unrest new Qatar Visa Portal (http:// Qatar. He can attend multiple events ASA company. During the meeting, they reviewed Qatar-Norway relations in various fields, ways to enhance them and issues of Iraq expresses regret www.qatarportal.gov.qa), a uni- during the 30-day visa validity period, mutual interest. Page 2 Afi ed platform to receive applica- which could be extended for another 30 at protester deaths tions for visas to enter the country for days. The applicant can track the status Iraqi off icials expressed “deep regret” major events and for various activities of the application on the portal as well. yesterday at the death of protesters including business and investment, Maj al-Mohannadi said that an ap- during weeks of unrest but defended was launched yesterday. plication for a visa can be made within Baghdad’s handling of the situation. The Ministry of Interior’s (MoI) Visa 90 days and at least four days before Nearly 300 people have been killed Support Service (VSS) Department di- travel. The passport should be valid Qafco ‘world’s largest single-site in Iraq since the protests against rector Major Abdullah Khalifa al-Mo- for at least six months from the date of political corruption, unemployment hannadi told a press conference that entry into Qatar. This service cannot be and poor public services began on the new facility is aimed at facilitating used to obtain a visa for children regis- producer of ammonia and urea’ October 1. the visa application process for visitors tered with their parents’ passports. from all countries through a simple and The offi cial added that the Qatar Visa REGION | Diplomacy smooth process. Portal is not connected with the Qatar By Pratap John “The company has become a bright remarks at Qafco’s “50 years anniver- EU urges Iran to comply Visa Centres (QVC) that are presently Business Editor industrial face of the State of Qatar, sary celebrations” at the Qatar Na- working in various countries for proce- starting production from its fi rst fac- tional Convention Centre. with nuclear accord dures connected to work visas. tories in 1973 with a capacity of 900 HE the Prime Minister and Minister EU foreign policy chief Federica The Qatar Visa Portal was opened atar Fertiliser Company (Qaf- tonnes of ammonia and 1,000 tonnes of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nass- Mogherini, France, Germany and in collaboration with various entities co), which is celebrating its of urea per day, to become one of the er bin Khalifa al-Thani attended the Britain yesterday urged Iran to stick including those dealing with various Qgolden jubilee, has become the largest producers of chemical fertilis- Qafco golden jubilee celebrations in to the 2015 nuclear agreement with events and the Qatar National Tourism largest single-site producer of ammo- ers in the world, with a total produc- the presence of the Norwegian Crown major powers or face action which Corporation. The portal lists the ma- nia and urea in the world through six tion of 3.8mn tonnes of ammonia and Prince Haakon Magnus. could include the reimposition of jor events and gives all details in a bid export-oriented integrated production 5.6mn tonnes of urea annually. This Al-Kaabi noted Qafco was the “fi rst sanctions. The three countries and to help potential visitors get a proper lines, HE the Minister of State for En- makes Qafco the world’s largest pro- company established in Qatar on the Mogherini expressed concerns idea. Details of transportation, accom- ergy Aff airs, Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi ducer of urea and ammonia from one principle of partnership with a for- about Iran’s decision to resume modation and tourist destinations are said yesterday. location,” al-Kaabi said in his opening eign investor, and the fi rst partnership low-grade uranium enrichment at also available in the portal. model for many Qatari joint ventures its underground Fordow nuclear The Supreme Committee for Deliv- with partners from around the world.” plant last week, saying the move was ery & Legacy’s (SC) Security Commit- The fertiliser major was the “fi rst inconsistent with the accord. tee’s Technical Aff airs Committee head building block” of Mesaieed Industrial Lt Col Jassim Abdul Raheem said the City, the fi rst Qatari petrochemical EUROPE | Terrorism launching of the Qatar Visa Portal was manufacturer to export its products Turkey starts deporting an important achievement of the MoI in from Mesaieed ports to the world, and The Ministry of Interior’s Visa Support full co-ordination between the compe- the fi rst company to train and develop Islamic State detainees Service Department director Maj tent authorities, such as the VSSD under Qatari capabilities to work in and lead Turkey said yesterday it had Abdullah Khalifa al-Mohannadi speaking the General Directorate of Passports, the the petrochemical sector. deported two captives from Islamic at the launch event. Security Committee of the SC, as well as Qafco was also the “cornerstone” of State, a German and an American, the Qatar Olympic Committee. the establishment of Industries Qatar, starting a programme to repatriate “The application form does not ex- The MoI’s Security Systems Depart- the largest listed company on the Qa- detainees that has caused friction ceed one page. Any user can fi ll the ment director Lt Col Jassim Abdur tari stock market. This listing has ben- with its Nato allies since it launched form electronically from anywhere Raheem al-Sayed, Public Relations efi ted the national economy. an offensive in northern Syria. in the world within a very short time. Department assistant director Maj Al-Kaabi said Qafco has also “main- Ankara says it has captured 287 If the application meets the required Mubarak Salim al-Bouainain and the tained its unwavering commitment to militants in northeast Syria and conditions, visa is issued within 48 SC’s Security Committee spokesperon environmental standards and developed already holds hundreds more hours,” he explained. Lt Col Dr Jabr Hamoud al-Noaimi were new innovative products to enhance Islamic State suspects. Page 16 The Qatar Visa Portal provides op- also present at the press conference. HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa food production while minimising nega- tions to get details of the events and Page 4 al-Thani attended the Qafco golden jubilee celebrations along with other dignitaries. tive impacts on nature. To Page 2 EUROPE | Vote Spain’s repeat election fails to break deadlock Spain’s Socialists faced tough talks to form a government yesterday after the party emerged on top but Pilot water-saving greenhouse launched weakened from a repeat election that produced an even more divided parliament and propelled far-right By Shafeeq Alingal hamed Badr al-Sadah said: “It is our ploying state-of-the-art crop nutrition Vox into third place. Neither the Staff Reporter pleasure to be part of this partnership, and climate management systems that left nor the right bloc are anywhere and to jointly conduct this pilot project enable precise control of nutrients and near an absolute majority in the in one of our greenhouses at Al Shee- greenhouse environment and therefore 350-seat assembly following atar’s fi rst pilot water sav- haniya, as we are committed to support provide the ideal growth conditions for Sunday’s polls, prolonging political ing greenhouse was offi cially the local agricultural sector.” the crop.” deadlock in the eurozone’s fourth- Qlaunched yesterday at Hassad’s Explaining the idea behind the The climate in the greenhouse is largest economy following a similar farm in Al Sheehaniya, in a ceremony project, he said: “When we implement regulated by the air conditioning sys- result in April’s election. Page 16 attended by Crown Prince Haakon of an innovative water saving system and tem and completely independent of the Norway, Torbjorn Roe Isaksen, Nor- apply the tailored fertiliser recipes in outside weather. The closed cycle of air LATIN AMERICA | Protests way’s Minister of Trade and Industry, the pilot greenhouse, we will be able re-circulation allows recovery of water the chief executive offi cers of Hassad to increase production by 20 times the from evapotranspiration of the plants Morales’ exit leaves and technology partner Yara along with average in Qatar and reduce the water through dehumidifi cation. Recovered Bolivia power vacuum other Norwegian and Qatari offi cials. consumption by 90%, which will cer- water then will be re-used for irrigation Looting and roadblocks convulsed The pilot greenhouse was engineered tainly contribute to local agricultural of the plants. Bolivia yesterday after President Evo by Yara International ASA (Norway) development.” As part of the opening ceremony, Morales’ resignation ended 14 years and developed in collaboration with Qafco Chief Executive Offi cer Ab- Norwegian and Qatari offi cials as well of socialist rule and left a power Hassad Food, Qatar Fertiliser Company dulrahman al-Suwaidi added: “Qafco is as business representatives planted to- vacuum his opponents scrambled (Qafco), Wageningen University and proud to support such initiatives in line mato seedlings in the pilot greenhouse. to fill. The departure of Bolivia’s first executed in partnership with Trane Qa- with Qatar’s Food Security objective.” The Norwegian offi cials are in the indigenous president followed weeks tar, Jiff y, Hoogendoorn and MST Hol- Head of Yara Middle East at Yara In- country to participate in the 50th an- of violent protests over a disputed land. ternational, Ivan De Witte commented: niversary celebrations of Qafco. October 20 re-election. Page 19 Hassad Chief Executive Offi cer Mo- Hassad’s green house at Al Sheehaniya. PICTURE: Ram Chand “Such goals will be achieved by em- To Page 6 Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 QATAR

In brief

Amir sends cable of congratulations to Polish president

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables of congratulations to the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, on the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day. Amir sends cable of congratulations HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon Magnus and other dignitaries at the Qafco golden jubilee celebrations at the QNCC yesterday. to Angola president

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Amir PM meets crown prince of Norway Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani have sent cables of Shura Council congratulations to President Joqo Lourenco of Angola on the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day. Qatar participates forms fi ve in Arab Document Day celebration

Qatar participated in the activities of the annual celebration of the Arab Document Day which began at committees the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League QNA yesterday. Doha HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met Representing Qatar at the yesterday with the Crown Prince of Norway Haakon Magnus and his accompanying delegation, on ceremony was HE the Deputy the occasion of his visit to participate in the golden jubilee celebration of Qatar Fertiliser Company Permanent Representative of the he Shura Council yes- (Qafco). During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and ways of developing them in State of Qatar to the Arab League terday held its second diff erent fields, in addition to a number of issues of common concern. ambassador Hassan bin Ahmed Tmeeting within its 48th al-Mutawa. ordinary session under the pres- Under the title ‘Arab Archives: idency of HE the Speaker Ahmad Reality and Hopes’, the bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mah- celebration of the Arab moud. Document Day is being held The Council began its session Qafco is world’s largest single-site in co-ordination with the by reviewing the speech of His Arab Regional Branch of the Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim International Council on Archives bin Hamad al-Thani at the open- producer of ammonia, urea: al-Kaabi (ARABICA) for the seventh ing of the 48th ordinary session consecutive year. of the Council last Tuesday. The celebration underscores the The Council’s members HE the Speaker Ahmad bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud chairing From Page 1 ensure that our projects are car- historical importance the Arab praised the speech, stressing that yesterday’s session of the Shura Council. ried out in accordance with the League attaches to the Arab it was comprehensive in clari- “This is a glimpse of our highest environmental stand- document, which preserves fying the achievements of the Ghani, and Dr Aisha bint You- al-Suwaidi, and Mohamed bin achievements over the past fi ve ards in recognition of the impor- Arab national rights as the country made despite the unfair suf al-Mannai. Mahdi al-Ahbabi. decades, which we will work to tance of the environmental fac- authentic base upon which the blockade imposed on it, and in zThe Economic and the Fi- zThe Internal and External strengthen over the coming dec- tor for the whole world.” identity of nations is founded, determining the requirements nancial Aff airs Committee Aff airs Committee ades to make Qafco a milestone “Our role in development and and highlights the importance of the next stage, the country’s Members are Nasser bin Rashid Members are Ibrahim bin Kha- on the global petrochemical map. growth is not confi ned to inter- of the Arab archives in their internal and external policy, and al-Kaabi, Yousuf bin Rashid al- lifa al-Nasr, Saqr bin Fahd al- “We have built on this success nal projects, but we have also cultural concept and their Arab in affi rming its fi rm positions on Khater, Mohamed bin Khalid al- Muraikhi, Nasser bin Ahmed al- by establishing multiple compa- HE the Minister of State for embarked on further horizons,” national content, especially in regional and international issues. Ghanem, Nasser bin Sulaiman Malki, Dr Yousef bin Mohamed nies and joint ventures, such as Energy Aff airs, Saad bin Sherida he said. light of the challenges for the The members also affi rmed al-Hayder, Abdullah bin Khalid Yousef al-Obaidan, Abdulrahman Qatar Petrochemical Company al-Kaabi delivering keynote The recent years have seen Arab world which faces attempts their keenness to act in accord- Mohamed al-Jabor al-Nuaimi, bin Yousef Abdulrahman al-Khu- (Qapco), Qatar Chemical Com- address at Qafco’s golden the launch of several joint ven- to obliterate and falsify its history ance with His Highness the Dr Hessa bint Sultan al-Jaber, laifi , Abdullah bin Khalid Mo- pany (Q-Chem), Qatar Petrole- jubilee celebrations at the Qatar tures with prominent partners and documentary heritage. Amir’s directives. Mohamed bin Mahdi al-Ahbabi, hamed al-Jabor al-Nuaimi, Dah- um Additives Company (Qafac), National Convention Centre in the United States, Argentina, Then, the Speaker of the Shura Ali bin Abd al-Latif al-Misnad lan bin Jamaan Bashir al-Hamad, Qatar Steel and others.” yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Brazil, Congo, South Africa, Qatar condemns Council directed that the speech al-Muhanadi, Nasser bin Sultan Abdulaziz bin Mohamed Abdul- Speaking of joint ventures, al- Thekkayil Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, be provided to the committees al-Hemaidi, Khalid bin Abdullah lah al-Attiyah, Khalid bin Abdul- Kaabi said: “I would like to ac- and many other countries of the bombing in Iraq of the Council, each of which Rashed al-Buainain, Dr Hind bint lah Rashid al-Buainain, Abdullah knowledge Qatargas, a high-level launched and sponsored by His world, he noted. shall study its guidelines, ideas Abdulrahman Mohamed Mubarak bin Fahd Abdullah Ghorab al- liquefi ed natural gas giant, which Highness the Amir “ . “On this occasion, I have the Qatar has strongly condemned and visions and come up with al-Muftah, Fahd bin Mohamed Marri, Abdul Latif bin Mohamed plays a leading role in providing This vision, he said “aims to honour to thank His Highness the bombing in Iraq which specifi c recommendations to be Fahd Saad Buzwair, Saleh bin Abdul Latif al-Sada, Dr Hind bint clean energy to consumers around transform Qatar by 2030 into a Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- resulted in the injury of five presented to the Council. Abdullah Mohamed Ibrahim al- Abdulrahman Mohamed Mubarak the globe. We are also proud of our developed country capable of Thani, the Amir of the State of Italian soldiers, who were part The council then formed its Mannai, Mohamed bin Ali Sultan al-Muftah, and Reem bint Mo- GTL industry through Oryx and achieving sustainable develop- Qatar for his wise leadership and of international monitoring and fi ve committees. al-Ali al-Maadeed, and Reem bint hamed Rashid al-Mansouri. Pearl GTL, the largest project of its ment, playing a positive role at guidance in the energy sector.” training mission to assist the local zThe Legal and Legislative Mohamed Rashid al-Mansouri. zThe Information and kind in the world. the global level and ensuring the Al-Kaabi also “thanked Qa- forces that confront ISIS. Aff airs Committee zThe Services and the Cultural Aff airs Committee “I would like to point out that continuation of a decent life for tar’s partner in the project - In a statement, the Ministry of Members include Rashid bin Public Utilities Committee Members are Rashid bin Hamad the role of joint ventures is not its people generation after gen- Yara, and all the employees Qaf- Foreign Aff airs reiterated Qatar’s Hamad al-Maadhadi, Nasser Members are Hadi bin Saeed al-Meadhadi, Abdulla bin Kha- only to provide investment op- eration. With this in mind, we co since its establishment until firm stance rejecting violence and bin Rashid al-Kaabi, Yousuf bin al-Khayareen, Ismail bin Mo- lid al-Mania, Ahmed bin Khalifa portunities, expertise and re- place the highest priority on the now for their sincere eff orts.” terrorism, whatever the motives Rashid al-Khater, Nasser bin hamed Shareef al-Emadi, al-Rumaihi, Mubarak bin Saif al- sources, but also contributes development of Qatari citizens, Norwegian Minister of Trade and causes. Khalil al-Jaidah, Abdulrahman Yousef bin Ahmed Omaran al- Mansouri, Khalid bin Mohamed signifi cantly to achieving growth good management of our hydro- and Industry Torbjørn Røe Isak- The statement expressed the bin Yousuf al-Khulaifi , Mo- Kuwari, Khalifa bin Ali al-Het- Ajaj al-Kubaisi, and Mohamed and sustainability, in line with carbon resources and thoughtful sen also spoke on the occasion. wishes of Qatar for a speedy hamed bin Abdulla al-Abd al- mi, Nasser bin Salmaine Khalid bin Mansour al-Shahwani. the Qatar National Vision 2030 and diversifi ed investment, and Business Page 1 recovery for the injured. Conference highlights Qatar’s eff orts in promoting human rights

QNA and international events. of civil, political, economic, social fort of the UN Human Rights Doha In his opening remarks, the and cultural human rights. Training and Documentation Assistant Secretary-General of He praised the eff ective part- Centre for South-West Asia and the NHRC Sultan bin Hassan al- nership and the joint action the Arab Region in strengthen- conference organised Jamali said that the protection between the Human Rights De- ing national human rights ca- yesterday by the Ministry of human rights is a national re- partment of the Ministry of In- pacities. Aof Interior (MoI) in co- sponsibility, as stated in the UN terior and the NHRC in the areas For his part, HE the Assist- operation with the National Hu- Charter. Al-Jamali commended of handling complaints and peti- ant Director of Human Rights man Rights Committee (NHRC) the commitment of Qatar to the tions of the public, commenting Department at the Ministry of highlighted the eff orts of Qa- human rights system at all levels, on the relevant draft laws and Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed tar in the protection of human whether international, regional monitoring the human rights bin Yousef al-Thani said that the rights, especially the national or national. situation. promotion and protection of hu- mechanisms in this regard, and He stressed that Qatar, since Colonel al-Dossari pointed man rights is a strategic choice as its pioneering experience in the its accession to international out that this year witnessed joint it forms the backbone of the policy light of the national legal system policies and conventions con- scientifi c and awareness initia- of comprehensive reform and is at and international mechanisms cerned with the protection and tives by the Human Rights De- the top of the priorities of Qatar. and conventions. promotion of human rights, has Dignitaries participating in the conference organised by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the National partment and the NHRC on the He noted that the country’s The conference was organised been working to translate the re- Human Rights Committee in Doha yesterday. occasion of International Wom- interest in promoting human on the occasion of the celebra- quirements of these conventions en’s Day and the Arab Human rights was most evident in its ac- tion of the Qatari Human Rights in its domestic legislation and Al-Jamali noted that the tor of Human Rights Depart- the requirements of the state of Rights Day, while appreciating cession last year to international Day, which falls on November 11 policies. NHRC is one of the leading na- ment at the Ministry of Interior institutions, the support of the the role of the Human Rights De- covenants on human rights. every year, and in the context of Al-Jamali pointed out in this tional institutions and a national Colonel Saad Salem al-Dosari rule of law and good governance. partment at the Ministry of For- Director of the UN Human Rights the technical framework of co- context that the accession of Qa- reference for human rights in said that human rights in Qatar He added that this could be eign Aff airs in co-ordinating the Training and Documentation Cen- operation between the NHRC tar to both the International Cov- the country working in paral- have become a constant strate- seen in the incorporation of ‘hu- eff orts of the authorities con- tre for South-West Asia and the and the Department of Human enant on Civil and Political Rights lel with other relevant national gic choice guiding the action of man rights’ into the Constitution, cerned in the country to present Arab Region Dr Abdel Salam Si- Rights at the Ministry of Interior and the International Covenant mechanisms for the protection the State and society, and that the National Vision 2030, the the national performance in the dahmed praised the co-operation on knowledge production, aware- on Economic, Social and Cultural and promotion of human rights the provision of guarantees nec- system of legislative instruments, fi eld of human rights to the in- between the Centre and the NHRC ness-raising and joint contribu- Rights, reinforces and deepens at the national level. essary for their implementation the package of programs, projects ternational community led by and the Department of Human tion to relevant national, regional this national commitment. For his part, Assistant Direc- has become an integral part of and creative initiatives in favour the United Nations, and the ef- Rights at the Ministry of Interior. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 3 QATAR

58th meeting of Al-Hammadi meets Malaysian FM executive board of Arabosai concludes MoPH organises The 58th meeting of the executive board of the Arab Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (Arabosai) concluded yesterday. The two-day meeting discussed a number of important topics and event on mental adopted a number of resolutions and recommendations to be submitted to the General Assembly for approval. The 13th session of the General Assembly of Arabosai will kick off health awareness today and will continue for three days at the Sheraton Doha Hotel, with the participation of heads he Ministry of Public mental health. A series of short cess but aims to reduce stigma, of the supreme audit institutions Health (MoPH), in col- presentations were given by which allows our frontline staff in the Arab countries, as well as Tlaboration with partners, partners highlighting the mental to deliver prevention and early experts and representatives of hosted an event to raise aware- health services provided. detection of mental disorders,” international and regional bodies ness about mental health and Dr Samya Ahmad al-Abdulla, Dr Samya stated. Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah yesterday met HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry and organisations. well-being. deputy national lead for Mental Iain Tully, national lead for of Foreign Aff airs Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi, who is currently visiting Malaysia. During the Qatar, represented by the State Audit The event was part of a se- Health and Well-being and ex- Mental Health and Well-being meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations, as well as issues of common concern. Bureau, will preside over Arabosai ries of national activities to ecutive director of operations and HMC chief executive of- in the next three years. The 13th raise awareness and to change at Primary Health Care Corpo- fi cer of Mental Health Services session of the General Assembly will the negative perception and the ration, discussed the fi rst line conducted an interactive exer- be chaired by the State Audit Bureau social stigma associated with screening that is being done. cise with the audience which President HE Sheikh Bandar bin mental disorders in the society. She also informed par- highlighted the need for mental Mohamed bin Saud al-Thani. ‘Mental Health and Well-being’ ticipants of the mental health health awareness and removing A number of important topics is one of the seven priorities services available in PHCC the stigma in seeking help. RLIC-COP becomes strategic and working papers will be on outlined in the National Health highlighting the availability of Following the exercise, Prof the agenda. They aim to support Strategy (NHS) 2018-2022 and psychological therapies within Muhamed Waqar Azeem, chair and strengthen the co-operation therefore raising awareness is their support clinics. of psychiatry at Sidra Medi- and co-ordination between the an important factor in reducing “Our regional psychology cine, provided an overview of partner of IJSO Qatar 2019 Arab supervision bodies, and stigma. support clinics deliver care clos- the mental services provided by create appropriate opportunities Susan Clelland, acting di- er to the community, playing a Sidra Medicine. he Ministry of Education Educational Aff airs and vice- the bright image of Qatar at the for the exchange of expertise rector of the National Mental lead role in enhancing mental He emphasised the impor- and Higher Education and chairperson of the Higher organisational and academic and experience to raise the level Health Offi ce at MoPH, opened healthcare services, improving tance of child and adolescent Tthe Ras Laff an Communi- Committee of IJSO 2019. levels for strengthening its re- of performance of these bodies the event by welcoming attend- access, quality, and outcomes. mental health services and peri- ty Outreach Programme (RLIC- In a statement, al-Buainain gional and international status,” to enable them to eff iciently and ees and outlined the importance Integrating the mental health natal mental health services to COP) have signed a sponsorship expressed his appreciation for added al-Buainain. eff ectively perform their duties. of increasing awareness about services not only improves ac- the people of Qatar. contract, whereby RLIC-COP RLIC-COP and praised its “pio- Sheikha Dana said, “We are During the meetings of the becomes the strategic partner of neering role in and continuous glad to sponsor the Interna- General Assembly, the president the upcoming 16th International support to the events organised tional Junior Science Olympiad and first and second vice- Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) by the Ministry of Education and 2019, hosted by Qatar through presidents will be announced, and 2019 in Qatar. Higher Education at the local the Ministry of Education and the report of the strategic plan The event will be held from and international levels”. Spon- Higher Education for the fi rst committee on the achievements December 3 to 12 under the theme sorship of the Ras Laff an Com- time in the Arab world, as part of of Arabosai in the implementation ‘Motivating Today’s Young Gen- munity Outreach Programme, our sponsorship of educational of its strategic plan since the eration for the Skills of Tomor- according to him, refl ects its programmes for schools in the adoption will be considered. row’, with the participation of recognition of social responsi- northern region. This represents Four organs of the executive board more than 70 countries. bility and keenness to ensure the a strategic direction for us. to succeed the outgoing members, The sponsorship agreement success of IJSO 2019 as one of “What distinguishes this glo- and the programme of work of was signed by Ali Abdullah al- the main international scientifi c bal event is that it combines the organisation and the financial Buainain, acting Assistant Un- competitions organised in Qatar knowledge and fun. While stu- programme and appointment of dersecretary for Shared Services to spread the spirit of excellence dents from over 70 countries will the members of the organisation’s Aff airs and chairman of the or- in the fi eld of science and cele- compete in this scientifi c compe- financial supervision committee ganising committee of IJSO, and brate talented students and mo- tition, they will have the oppor- will also be approved. Sheikha Dana Rashed al-Thani, tivate them to hone their talents tunity to discover Qatar and learn A scientific symposium will be senior offi cial from the Ras Laf- and develop them in the fi eld of about its potential and develop- held tomorrow on the sidelines fan Community Outreach Pro- natural sciences. ment in various fi elds through of the General Assembly of the gramme, in the presence of “This requires the combined tourism and entertainment pro- organisation on the theme of Fawzia Abdul Aziz al-Khater, eff orts of both the government grammes prepared by the IJSO ‘development of supreme audit A series of short presentations were given by MoPH and partners highlighting the mental health services provided. Assistant Undersecretary for and private sectors to highlight Organising Committee.” institutions’. (QNA) Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 QATAR Media experts Qatar Visa Portal aims to share their stories with students of draw foreign spectators Doha Institute By Shafeeq Alingal to attract tourists, he said, have Staff Reporter made Qatar one of the most open countries in the world. he Doha Institute content in a new way in line “The number of visitors is for Graduate Stud- with the requirements of the he new Qatar Visa Por- remarkably going up, thanks Ties (DIGS) organised times. tal will help the tour- to the programmes hosted by a seminar on traditional and They also discussed tra- Tism sector fl ourish and the country. Presently, pas- contemporary forms of me- ditional and contemporary draw international spectators sengers from more than 90 dia during which its students investigative production, to the events, the Visa Sup- countries are eligible for on interacted with media profes- explaining a number of con- port Services (VSS) department arrival visas when they ar- sionals in Qatar. The seminar stants and variables in the director Maj Abdullah Khalifa rive at Hamad International aimed at integrating theory media, including that ethics al-Mohannadi told Gulf Times Airport,” he added. with practice in the students’ are the constants of journal- yesterday. MoI’s Security Systems De- university life. ism, and that the standards “The portal is dedicated to partment director Lt Col Jas- The seminar discussed tra- and ethics of the profession provide tourist visa services for sim Abdur Raheem al-Sayed, ditional and contemporary draw the line between media attending major events includ- Public Relations Department forms of media and high- and others. ing the Gulf Cup, the 2019 FIFA assistant director Maj Mu- lighted personal experiences The seminar discussed the Club World Cup and 2022 FIFA barak Salim al-Bouainain, the in order to strengthen the links presence of women in inter- World Cup,” he explained on the Supreme Committee for De- between fi eld work on the one national and Arab media and sidelines of launch event. livery & Legacy’s (SC) Security hand and scientifi c research on highlighted the most impor- “Qatar hosts many diff erent Senior off icials at the launch of the new Qatar Visa Portal yesterday. Committee’s Technical Aff airs the other. tant challenges faced by wom- cultural, scientifi c, sports and Committee head Lt Col Jassim During the seminar, Al en when thinking of entering tourism events throughout the that receives applications for The portal, according to services and contribute to the Abdul Raheem and Security Jazeera journalists spoke about the media fi eld, as well as the year. These events attract a lot of visas to enter the country. The Maj al-Mohannadi, has been strengthening of the state’s eco- Committee spokesperson Lt the vision of the channel and need to strengthen their pres- people from inside and outside portal will ease the proceedings launched as Ministry of Inte- nomic growth in line with Qatar Col Dr Jabr Hamoud al-Noai- the mechanisms of interaction ence in the media and through the country. There is a need to and makes application simple rior’s (MoI) eff orts to help the National Vision 2030. mi were also present at the with the public, including new their involvement in decision- establish an exclusive platform and smooth,” he said. applicants easily access the The recent reforms by the MoI portal launch. media and how to promote the making. (QNA) Qatar, Nato sign agreement to protect classifi ed information

QNA Brussels

atar and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) Qhave signed an agreement on administrative arrangements to protect classifi ed information be- tween the two sides, at Nato head- quarters in the Belgium capital Brussels. International Military Co-oper- ation Authority president Brigadier General Abdulaziz Saleh al-Sulaiti and Nato Offi ce of Security director and Deputy Assistant of Nato’s Sec- retary-General of Security Donald Gonneville signed the agreement in the presence of Qatari ambassador to Belgium Abdulrahman bin Mo- hamed al-Khulaifi , Qatari military attache to Belgium and Nato Briga- dier General Abdul Hadi bin Mubar- ak al-Hajri, and representatives of the armed forces and the ministries. The administrative arrange- Qatari and Nato off icials pose for a group photo. ments for the protection of classi- fi ed information are the latest steps exchange, as defi ned by the Nato countries have signed bilateral se- laying the foundations of co-op- to operationalise and implement Council of all 29 member countries. curity agreements. This agreement eration for countries seeking part- the classifi ed information secu- These agreements are signed by enables the activation of all the pro- nership with the alliance through rity agreement signed in Brussels in Nato partner countries that seek visions of the Individual Partner- international initiatives such as the 2018, which provides a framework to strengthen co-operation with ship and Co-operation Programme, Istanbul Co-operation Initiative for the protection of information the organisation. All Nato partner which is the main framework for signed by Qatar in 2004.

Transport ministry holds workshop for cybersecurity service providers he Ministry of Trans- chain in the fi eld of cyberse- port and Commu- curity as it enables accredit- Tnications organised ed service providers to build a workshop for the cyber- trust and confi rms the abil- security service providers ity and professionalism of accreditation programme the accredited provider, in- as part of the ministry’s cluding all accredited serv- keenness to strengthen the ice providers, as this guide cybersecurity system in the provides an updated list country. of all credits issued by the The workshop, which was Compliance and Data Pro- attended by a large number tection Department, allow- of representatives of the ing organisations to verify public and private sectors, the validity of accreditation. aims to raise the effi ciency The accreditation pro- in various parts of the coun- gramme is a catalyst for the try by activating the joint private sector, as the service responsibility between the provider accredited by the two sectors. Ministry receives multiple Director of Compliance advantages that facilitate and Data Protection at the access to new markets for Ministry Engineer Dana al- audit services for the sys- Abdullah stressed the im- tem of certifi cates of com- portance of working with pliance. It also provides new the National Information marketing opportunities to Security Standards Frame- accredited service provid- work within the National ers by including its name Cybersecurity Strategy and in the online platform for its role in assisting organisa- the Compliance and Data tions and institutions from Protection Department. all sectors in securing infor- The programme is divid- mation systems and raising ed into several key pathways the level of maturity in the for accreditation: audit applications of information services, advisory services, security policies. penetration testing servic- She added that accredita- es, cloud services, and cyber tion contributes to raising security operations centre the effi ciency of the supply services. (QNA) Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 5 QATAR 5th Hospitality Qatar opens today at DECC ospitality Qatar, the an- hoteliers, restauranteurs, café to 100% from previous year, or- Sports and Entertainment”. Live cooking competitions will nual global hospitality operators, and tourism experts, ganisers are set to introduce sev- The Hospitality Qatar Confer- once again tease the palates and Hand Horeca (an abbre- with a bigger and wider platform eral new initiatives during the ence, a CPD-certifi ed confer- aesthetic taste of food connois- viation of the words hotel/res- to unlock business opportunities event, which include the dedi- ence, returns with a fresh out- seurs with mouthwatering sig- taurant/café) trade show, kicks in Qatar’s competitive and ever- cated exhibition zones. look on major new developments nature dishes. off its fi fth edition today to wel- growing tourism and hospitality The “Destination Pavilion” in the industry and off er insight- The Qatar Barista Champion- Al-Subaie and Bilchuk signing the protocol. come visitors from the region and sector, and align the capabilities zone is sponsored by Qatar Air- ful knowledge of the sector, new ship, sponsored by Corona, will around the world at the Doha Ex- of experienced hospitality pro- ways and the “Luxury Tourism” strategies and innovations, as present the country’s best baris- hibition and Convention Centre fessionals with the available op- zone will run in association with well as sessions and discussions tas with their creative versions of (DECC). portunities and prospects in the the Luxury Trade & Marketing on the opportunities and chal- classic and elaborate coff ee bev- Organised by IFP Qatar, the country. Group (LT&MG). lenges facing the sector. erages. Qatar and Ukraine sign event is being held under the IFP Qatar general manager In addition, the event will also Some of the themes include The event expects a total of patronage of HE the Minister of Haidar Mshaimesh said: “We are off er for the fi rst time a free-of- “An Overview of Qatar’s Future 228 exhibitors and seven interna- Commerce and Industry Ali bin excited to open this year’s edition charge certifi ed training pro- Tourism Sector Developments”, tional pavilions from 33 partici- air services protocol Ahmed al-Kuwari and in part- of Hospitality Qatar and welcome gramme for hospitality profes- “Showcasing Qatari Market pating countries, representing nership with the Qatar National the exhibitors and visitors over sionals to promote leading best Opportunities in the Hospital- the various aspects of the hospi- Tourism Council (QNTC) for the the next three days as we expand practices among industry prac- ity Sector”, and “Hospitality Re- tality industry, such as hotels and atar and Ukraine have chairman of Ukraine’s State Avi- second consecutive year. our halls to accommodate several titioners. quirements Towards FIFA World facilities, interiors and design, signed a protocol to ation Administration, Oleksandr The event, which consists of new additions to the show. Event participants will learn Cup 2022”. entertainment and leisure, travel Qamend some provisions Bilchuk. the exhibition, a CPD (continu- “We are looking forward to more about customer service- The fi fth edition will witness and tourism, resorts and outdoor of the air services agreement The new protocol allows for ing professional development)- welcome exhibitors and visitors themed “Managing People in Big Hospitality Qatar’s signature landscape, Horeca technologies signed between the two coun- co-operation in the area of the certifi ed conference, certifi ed from the local, regional, and in- Events”, time management (“Get events, the Salon Culinaire, or- and equipment, ecologically- tries. codeshare between designated training sessions, specialised live ternational hospitality markets Organised for Peak Perform- ganised in partnership with Qa- friendly hotels systems and solu- The protocol was signed by carriers and the opening of the competitions, and B2B (business and explore the country’s off er- ance”), and food safety and food tar Culinary Professionals (QCP) tions, and food and beverages. the chairman of the Qatar Civil fl ight schedule so that Qatar to business) matchmaking pro- ings and opportunities for busi- hygiene focused on “Making it a and supported by the World As- The three-day exhibition is Aviation Authority, Abdullah bin Airways can reach any point in grammes, will provide top hos- ness.” Habit”, and “Delivering Unique sociation of Chefs Societies for open daily until November 14 Nasser Turki al-Subaie, and the Ukraine. pitality stakeholders, including Apart from increasing its space Experiences in the World of Africa and Middle East. from 1pm-9pm.

Qatar A-G Ukrainian companies meets Rwandan to showcase expertise minister HE the Attorney-General of Qatar, Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri, By Peter Alagos Revina said Ukraine is also seeking met Rwandan Justice Minister Business Reporter joint partnerships in other sectors, Johnston Busingye in Kigali such as agriculture, food production, yesterday. During the meeting, machine building, advanced IT solu- they discussed co-operation eading companies from Ukraine tions, cybersecurity, fashion, renewa- and ways to enhance bilateral representing the tourism and ble energy, health, and fi ntech, among work in this area. Lhospitality sectors will be show- others. casing their industry expertise at the “Ukraine is known as an agricul- three-day Hospitality Qatar, which tural country, but we are also quite opens today at the Doha Exhibition advanced in a wide range of sectors. and Convention Centre (DECC). Ukraine can off er Qatar so many com- Dr Olga Revina, the founder and petitive products. chairperson of the Qatar-Ukraine “The QUBF also understands the Business Forum (QUBF), said two ma- need to create more awareness of the jor Ukrainian travel operators and 11 strengths and opportunities available companies from diff erent hospitality- in Qatar and Ukraine, which is why related sectors are seeking to network we want to bridge that gap to enhance with their Qatari counterparts during economic, and cultural relations of the exhibition. both countries,” Revina said. “This is the fi rst time that Ukraine According to her, the QUBF is pro- is participating in Hospitality Qatar, Revina: The QUBF is keen to support moting Qatar as an export hub for and our companies are very keen and the Qatar government’s initiatives to many Ukrainian industries. looking forward to meet with potential promote the ‘Made in Qatar’ She said there is a huge potential for partners in the country. trademark. joint partnerships between Qatari and “The QUBF will also host a session Ukrainian companies, especially in the that introduces the incentives off ered reputed business council for making industrial and manufacturing sectors. by Qatar to the delegates,” Revina told an essential contribution in enhanc- “We are aware of the government’s Gulf Times yesterday. ing economic ties between Qatar and initiatives to promote the ‘Made in Since it was offi cially licensed with Ukraine. Qatar’ trademark, which the QUBF is the Qatar Financial Centre Author- “Having profound knowledge and keen to support by developing joint ity in 2018, Revina said the QUBF has acting in line with global tendencies, ventures with Qatari manufacturing been working to facilitate bilateral, the QUBF’s founders have elaborated companies to enable them to produce sustainable partnerships across all in- programmes to promote the latest a wide range of goods using Ukrainian dustries via trade and investment, and trends, world-class expertise, and expertise and technology. the transferring of innovations and innovations to increase the speed of “The QUBF is encouraging compa- technology, as well as sharing knowl- Qatar-Ukraine partnerships, in col- nies in Ukraine to consider Qatar not edge and expertise for the benefi t of all laboration with the key organisations only as a destination for Ukrainian stakeholders. in both countries. goods, but also as an export hub for “The QUBF has affi liated partners in “With the close support of the products jointly-manufactured here in Ukraine to consolidate professional ef- Ukraine embassy in Qatar, the QUBF the country. forts for exploring mutually-benefi cial acts as a unique channel for privileged “Ukraine has advanced technolo- opportunities to fuel economic inter- dialogue between Qatar and Ukraine gies, which could be brought to Qa- actions. business communities and other insti- tar to support the development and “The QUBF set up a socially-in- tutions,” Revina stressed. growth of its manufacturing sector,” tegrated vision to become a highly- Aside from the hospitality sector, Revina pointed out.

Conference on Arab-Islamic Ecuador National Assembly history next week president meets Qatar envoy The Leadership in Pre-Colonial Arab-Islamic Social and Political History Conference, organised by the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, will kick off next week. A number of researchers from various academic institutions and universities from Qatar and abroad will take part in the conference, which runs from November 18-19. The conference discusses the socio-political mechanisms and practices of leadership, as well as its references, perceptions and historical models through the political, religious, literary, social and Islamic blogs in general, and through the historical studies of specific leadership experiences. Participants will also discuss intellectual topics and issues that are closely related to the concept of leadership in the Arab-Islamic context, including political, religious and tribal leadership, Imamate, and other topics. The organisers believe that the conference is a historical- The president of Ecuador’s National Assembly, Cesar Litardo, has met HE anthropological introduction the ambassador of Qatar to Ecuador, Mohamed Ali al-Malki. They discussed to the next phase of a broader bilateral relations and ways of supporting and developing them, in addition research project that is being to matters of mutual concern. prepared. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 QATAR WISE publishes eight new research reports

he World Innovation Summit for A team of researchers from Ohio Uni- of case studies of eff ective student recruit- Education (WISE) has released versity, sponsored by Josoor Institute of ment strategies. Teight new research reports that pro- the Supreme Committee for Delivery & The well-being of students was ad- vide detailed insights and actionable rec- Legacy, have focused on the education dressed in a report by researchers from the ommendations to education challenges in challenges that elite athletes encounter Rand Corp supported by both WISE and Qatar and beyond. during and after their athletic life. World Innovation Summit for Health – also The reports – relevant to educators, Researchers from Northwestern Uni- a QF initiative – shedding light on a number policy-makers, school leaders, and par- versity propose a new way to think about of successful initiatives and programs from ents – include topics such as local learning educational leadership from a multilevel the Middle East and around the world. ecosystems, language policies, well-being distributed perspective. This presses the A study conducted in collaboration with of students, educational leadership, global researchers to examine educational lead- Durham University, UK, focuses on the citizenship education, excellence in higher ership systemically by attending to how impact of Global Citizenship Education on education, and student mobility. aspects of the school, system, and sector students’ attitudes towards equality, di- “We are very pleased to launch these interact to constitute educational leader- versity, and tolerance. reports that signify strong collaboration ship in practice. And, in partnership with senior re- with international partners to address Additionally, WISE collaborated with searchers from the Graduate School of timely education issues. At WISE, we de- Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar – a Education at the University of Pennsyl- sign our research to inform policy and QF partner university – to produce a re- vania, US, WISE has produced a report on practice, and support eff orts to improve port on language policies in globalised how higher education institutions pursue educational outcomes in various con- contexts where the author advocates for excellence, not by obtaining high positions texts,” said Dr Asmaa al-Fadala, director of collaboration, as opposed to competition, in international rankings but by eff ectively research, WISE – a Qatar Foundation (QF) among languages in multilingual environ- serving the needs of their local societies. initiative. ments. The offi cial launch of the reports will One of the research studies, conducted The Institute of International Education take place during the upcoming 2019 in collaboration with the Innovation Unit, conducted a study on the global competi- WISE Summit on November 19-21 at Qa- UK, focuses on the emerging local learning tion for talent by analysing national strat- tar National Convention Centre, where re- eco-systems and how these eco-systems egies for attracting international students search authors will present to discuss their support and enhance student learning. around the world, highlighting a number fi ndings with participants. Generation Amazing plans rapid three-year expansion Dr Dena al-Thani speaking at the event. By Joey Aguilar development initiatives to address social is- ered most of I think eight countries so far, Staff Reporter sues in countries with identifi ed need, in line including Qatar, Oman and the region, and with the United Nations Sustainable Develop- other countries around Asia and Africa,” al- ment Goals. Waeli noted. HBKU event mulls he Supreme Committee for Delivery & Al-Waeli stressed that GA will stay beyond “The programme itself has evolved a lot Legacy (SC)’s Generation Amazing (GA) the prestigious football tournament in 2022 from the basic football for development meth- Tprogramme is set to expand and cover saying “it is a foundation that we will make odology, we have developed our own curricu- impact of artifi cial the Caribbean, Central Africa, and some of the sure has the sustainable model.” lum through four modules that are delivered to North American countries in the next three “We believe that GA is one of our most im- our benefi ciaries,” he said. years, GA executive director Mushtaq al-Waeli portant initiatives through which we can con- “The core of our strategy is basically to intelligence on art has said. tribute to the betterment and positive con- strengthen the curriculum, get those curricu- “The power of football and the power of the tribution of football to the entire world, and lum certifi ed and recognised by international World Cup as a tournament will enable us to particularly to communities who do not have bodies and also have a very strong base and talk at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) yester- shed light and enable more interest to come the chance or the privilege like ours to use the a pool of coaches who have been through a day raised the questions such as ‘Can Artifi cial Intel- to those who do not have the privilege to live power of football to their positive develop- very specifi c coaching methodology to deliver Aligence (AI) really make Art?’ and ‘Is AI a friend or an a privileged life around the world,” he told re- Mushtaq al-Waeli. PICTURE: Jayan Orma ment,” he said. those materials,” al-Waeli added. enemy of human creativity?’ porters recently. The SC initiative has benefi ted 500,000 He said these two components will enable The event was organised by HBKU’s College of Science and Al-Waeli, along with GA programmes direc- Foundation’s Oxygen Park. people so far in the Middle East and Asia and GA to become and stand diff erent from other Engineering (CSE) and the Translation and interpreting In- tor Nasser al-Khori and marketing and com- Noting GA as one SC’s most important aims to reach another 500,000 more to posi- programmes in the world. stitute (TII) at the College of Humanities and Social Science munication director Moza al-Mohannadi, was legacy programmes, al-Waeli said they had tively impact 1mn people by 2022 through the “What we aim to deliver to them through (CHSS). speaking at a round table discussion to provide planned it to become a sustainable project power of football. our programme is the values, is how we can ‘Is Art Created by AI Really Art?’ featured an eclectic mix some updates of the programme and announce right after the FIFA World Cup in 2022 was “We grew signifi cantly since then (GA’s help them to get better decision making, lead- of speeches, panels, and question and answer sessions led by the launch of the fi rst edition of GA Youth Festi- awarded to Qatar. inception) and this is our tenth year of the ership skills, and self-esteem, among others,” key members of the CSE and CHSS faculties. val 2019, scheduled on December 15-18 at Qatar Since 2010, GA has been using football for journey and we are proud that we have cov- al-Waeli said. Proceedings began with a keynote speech in which CSE’s Dr James, who outlined how AI and related technologies are helping to develop original, aesthetic and meaningful con- tent for visual artwork and cultural businesses. This provided the context for the fi rst panel session, in which Dr She and the TII’s Dr Joselia Neves considered the impact that AI now has on established defi nitions of art and ISO recognition for Qatar Post IT system culture. The second panel session, led by Dr Dena al-Thani, looked at how AI is changing audience involvement with art. atar Post has successfully International Organisation for policies, procedures, guidelines, The panel addressed case studies to show how AI can be received ISO 27001:2013 Standards (ISO). and standards to support and gov- utilised by people with disabilities to shape their experience Qcertifi cation for its imple- It ensures that systems and ern the information security man- and understanding of contemporary art forms. mentation of Information Secu- processes at organisations protect agement within the Qatar Post IT Discussions concluded with the speakers off ering their rity Management System (ISMC), clients from unnecessary risk and environment. perspectives on the future shape and trajectory of AI’s con- boosting customer confi dence exposure through best-in-class The two-stage certifi cate audits tribution to the development and consumption of art. with its robust new protective data privacy and security stand- were conducted on September 8 “This event undoubtedly resonates with our commitment measures of personal and com- ards. and October 13-17, respectively. to advancing knowledge and nurturing talent capable of tra- mercial records. With the certifi cation, Qatar Qatar Post received the certifi - versing an increasingly sophisticated and fl uid technological ISO 27001:2013 is an interna- Post has joined 38 already certi- cate on October 24. landscape. Artists, businesses, entrepreneurs and media pro- tional recognised framework that fi ed government agencies in the Qatar Post is currently undergo- fessionals are increasingly looking at how AI can be utilised to helps organisations become more country. ing an ambitious transformation produce visual content like advertisements, product designs, resilient and responsive to infor- The formal process of imple- plan to refl ect the realities of a 21st and even paintings. These technologies have the potential to mation security threats. mentation began in June 2018 with century society. make often-complex design tasks simpler without neces- “This award is more evidence a strategic alignment with Qatar Its mission places customers sarily compromising aesthetics and quality,” said Dr Mounir that Qatar Post is meeting rig- Post’s objectives. in the heart of its operations and Hamdi, dean, CSE. orous international standards A new framework of action was utilises digitisation as a key of- “Advances in AI will nevertheless redefi ne how wider so- in ensuring confidentiality, in- A cake-cutting ceremony marks Qatar Post’s latest achievement. developed around the IT security fering. ciety understands what exactly constitutes art,” added Dr tegrity, and availability of data Joselia Neves, TII. contained with us. At Qatar Post, “Such debates inevitably lead to further discussions con- we understand the importance cerning ownership of the end-product and ethics of trust- of trust and security, especially ing machines to develop artistic content. Given TII’s and when working with personal and CHSS’ commitment to fostering educational experiences commercially-sensitive data, that bridge disciplinary boundaries, it was important that we both of which require a high made a full and frank contribution at this event. AI provides standard of information security both challenges and opportunities for the development and to uphold those values. I wish to appreciation of art.” thank the entire IT security team and colleagues who worked tire- lessly to make this achievement possible,” Qatar Post chairman and managing director Faleh al- Naemi said in a press statement. The ISO 27001: 2013 is primarily an information security standard published and managed by the Qatar Post staff with the ISO 27001:2013 certification.

Pilot water saving greenhouse launched at Sheehaniya From Page 1 The pilot period is for one year and the fi rst tomato harvesting will be done after three Crown Prince Karina Enikeeva, manager of Yara’s farm- months. Haakon of Norway ing excellence programme in Qatar said the “We are celebrating 50 years of our Torbjørn Røe greenhouse is an innovative pilot project. partnership with the State of Qatar Isaksen (Norway’s “Our aim is to help Qatar farmers produce through our shareholding in Qafco. To- Minister of Trade more with fewer resources,” she said. day we are making another important and Industry), the The water saving pilot greenhouse has 400 step in our continued commitment. We chief executive tomato plants and the new technology will be are very proud of the first results of our off icers of Hassad implemented in more farms if it is proven a collaboration with Hassad and Qafco in and Yara along with success. developing this project. We sincerely other Norwegian “We are keen to look into the results. Further look forward to demonstrating signifi- and Qatari action will be decided based on the outcome at cant innovations in knowledge and solu- off icials planting Hassad’s greenhouse,” said Dr Faleh bin Naser tions that will make Qatari agriculture tomato saplings al-Thani, Assistant Undersecretary for Agri- more efficient and sustainable”, said in the greenhouse culture and Fisheries Aff airs at the Ministry of Svein Tore Holsether, president and CEO PICTURE: Ram Municipality and Environment. of Yara International ASA. Chand Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 7 QATAR Festival an ‘opportunity to experience richness’ of Qatari products, says LuLu

uLu Hypermarket Qatar has stressed that it is creat- Ling, through the ‘Festival of Qatari Farm Products’, an oppor- tunity for customers to identify and experience the richness of Qatari food and non-food items and agricultural produce. The festival, organised by the Ministry of Municipality and En- vironment (MME) and LuLu Hy- permarket Qatar, got under way yesterday and continues until November 17 at all LuLu Hyper- market stores. “Since 2010, LuLu Hypermar- ket has been organising the ‘Fes- tival of Qatari Farm Products’ every year regularly. This year, it has been organised in a big way,” LuLu said in a statement yester- day. Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani, Assistant Undersecre- tary for Agriculture and Fisheries Aff airs at the MME, inaugurated the festival by cutting the ribbon Dignitaries at the launch of the ‘Festival of Qatari Farm Products’ yesterday. PICTURE: Jayaram Dignitaries at the inauguration of the ‘Festival of Qatari Farm Products’ at LuLu Hypermarket--Al Gharrafa yesterday at LuLu Hypermar- yesterday. Supplied picture ket - Al Gharrafa in the presence Flora, Gourmet, Jerry Smith, Ag- this great nation. Our history and items.”Supporting local compa- of Yousuf al-Khulaifi , director rico Qatar, Paramount Agricole, reputation are intimately linked nies and farms has manifold ben- ‘Festival of Qatari Farm Products’ launched of the MME’s Agriculture Af- Ocean Fish, Napoli Bakeries, Al to the support of local farmers efi ts for consumers. fairs Department; Dr Mohamed Waha, Korean Bakeries, Parline, and companies. We sincerely “It provides a fresh connec- heikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser selling local products. On this oc- duce, adding that a company al-Aseer, adviser to the depart- Ghazlan, Al Manhal, Dana, Aqua hope the festival will shed light tion to the foods that are off ered al-Thani, Assistant Under- casion, Sheikh Dr Faleh stressed dealing with crops will be in- ment; Mohamed Althaf, director Gulf, Safa, Sidra, Lusail, Doha on the rich heritage of the coun- to shoppers, which keeps them Ssecretary for Agriculture that the festival is part of the ef- volved in the coming period, of LuLu Hypermarket Qatar, a and Napico, etc, are on regular try. connected to the seasons as well and Fisheries Aff airs at the Minis- forts undertaken to support local helping facilitate the marketing number of distinguished Qatari display,” the statement noted. “We take this opportunity to as the unique fl avour and diver- try of Municipality and Environ- producers and farm owners to the produce of farm owners. nationals and dignitaries from LuLu Hypermarket “has a thank our customers and well- sity of crops. ment (MME), yesterday inaugu- market their products in the Qa- On his part, director of the various public and private sector long-standing close tie-up with wishers who have been our “Also, buying produce from rated the ‘Festival of Qatari Farm tar market. Agriculture Aff airs Department organisations and other senior local farmers and has been the source of strength during these local growers minimises the en- Products’ at LuLu Hypermarket- He added that the ministry Yousuf al-Khulaifi said the fes- offi cials from the LuLu manage- focal point in marketing local years. We would also like to thank vironmental impact and costs Al Gharrafa. has launched two programmes tival aims to support local prod- ment. agricultural produce for many all ministry and municipal au- of transporting,” the statement The festival has been organ- in order to enable local products ucts, raise the self-suffi ciency Ahmed Aziz T T al-Shamari, years”. thorities for being the guiding noted. ised by the MME, represented by to compete with foreign ones. ratio for various local products, head of Business Relations rep- While LuLu Hypermarket has force in our success. “Many farmers are growing the Agriculture and Fisheries Af- The two programmes have been market Qatari farm products in resenting Mahaseel, and offi cials been promoting Qatari products “We are permanently commit- a variety of crops instead of just fairs Department, in co-operation launched in collaboration with major malls around the country from 21 farms were also present and farm produce for many years, ted to buying from local produc- one, which is a boon for biodiver- with LuLu Hypermarket Qatar. major malls and shopping centres and support and encourage other at the inaugural ceremony. it has been concentrating more ers whose fruits and vegetables sity as well as the palate of con- The festival was launched in to diversify sales locations and farms to produce and display their “LuLu Hypermarket has always in this regard since June 2017 as meet our high-quality standards, sumers. the presence of representatives market local farm products. items on the market. been an ardent promoter of Qa- a social and economic commit- particularly those who farm sci- “It also minimises handling of LuLu as well as the companies Further, he noted that previ- Al-Khulaifi added that the tari food and non-food products ment to the nation, the statement entifi cally and are themselves and transportation costs, which and owners of farms participating ous programmes were launched ministry sets prices in co-oper- and agricultural produce, and al- stressed. dedicated to environmentally gives farmers maximum returns in the event. with the participation of only ation with Mahaseel, so that the most all prominent Qatari brands Speaking on the initiative, an friendly, sustainable agriculture. on their investment. Most of the The initiative aims to support seven farmers. Now, the number value of production is calculated — namely Dandy, Al Maha, offi cial spokesman of LuLu Hy- We continue to help them make money spent on location and the owners of national farms by of farms participating has risen and a suitable profi t margin is Baladna, Ghadeer, Qbake, Ath- permarket said: “We strongly advancements in a big way by production stays in the commu- introducing their products at ma- to 120. added, while maintaining the ap- ba, Rawa, qfm, Rayyan, Qatarat, believe this would be the best increasing our procurement of nity, thereby ‘greening up’ the jor shopping malls in the coun- Sheikh Dr Faleh said the farms propriate price for the public and Qatar Pafki, Pearl, Jawharah, tribute that we can ever off er to locally grown produce and food local economy.” try in order to expand the venues off ered large quantities of pro- maintaining high quality. (QNA) AAB Warehousing holds customer meet Qatari talent makes it to top

AB Warehousing Solu- tions, a division of Abdul- levels in Ooredoo overseas Alah Abdulghani & Bros Co (AAB), has held its annual meet for valued customers. oredoo, Qatar’s lead- The ceremony was primarily ing telecommunication aimed at introducing the latest Oprovider, has said local solutions, services and equip- talents are increasingly mak- ment off ered by the division. It ing it to the top levels in its also included presentations on operating companies overseas. the developments taking place With the appointment of in the warehousing and material Mansoor Rashid al-Khater handling industry in the world in as chief executive of Oore- general. doo Tunisia; taking the total The ceremony was attended number of Qatari CEOs head- by key companies in the food & ing Ooredoo Group’s operat- beverage, FMCG, 3PL, manu- ing companies to three; un- facturing, oil & gas and logistics derscoring the contribution of sectors. Attendees also included Qatari business leaders to both delegates from manufacturers, group success and to econo- represented by AAB in Qatar, the mies in the countries in which AAB executive team and AAB the group operates. Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdullah bin Mohamed al-Thani Warehousing Solutions team. In “We know we have an in- a statement, AAB stressed that it credible talent pool amongst organised the annual ceremony our Qatari employees, and we “to contribute to its clients’ ef- off er amazing opportunities forts and support their require- Off icials at the event. for them to gain valuable ex- ments in the warehousing fi eld in perience with Ooredoo Qatar Qatar”. and Ooredoo Group that they Inaugurating the ceremony, can then leverage as their ca- Yazan Mustafa, COO of the AAB reers advance,” Sheikh Saud Commercial & Industrial Divi- bin Nasser al-Thani, chief sion, thanked AAB’s customers executive at Ooredoo Group, for their trust and continuous said, adding, “we look forward support. He emphasised AAB’s to seeing many more taking “commitment off ering superior the helm in the near future.” and high-quality products and Al-Khater recently took services at all times”. over as chief executive at “AAB is very proud of our Ooredoo Tunisia, while Sheikh partnership with the world’s Mohamed bin Abdullah bin leading companies, such as Toy- Mohamed al-Thani is current- ota Material Handling, for several ly chief executive at Ooredoo decades as well as Godrej Storage Kuwait and Ahmad Abulaziz Ahmad Abulaziz al-Neama Solutions,” he said. “Over the al-Neama was appointed chief last few years, AAB has made executive at Indosat Ooredoo extensive and focused eff orts to in May 2019. be among the key players in the Al-Khater joined Ooredoo fi eld of warehousing and material in 2009, holding several sen- handling equipment. Today, we ior roles at Ooredoo Group and off er an extensive range of prod- Ooredoo Qatar – including ucts and services that meet and Strategy Offi cer - before his exceed our customers’ require- most recent role as group chief ments, and contribute positively strategy offi cer. He also serves to the improvement of their on the board of Asiacell Iraq. warehousing operations.” Sheikh Mohamed’s career On behalf of Toyota Material Some of the products on display. in Qatar included a stint as Handling, a brief was provided Director of Financial Opera- on all the products off ered by the age Solutions, delivered a brief cess Platforms from Italy. The ment, fast doors, industrial doors tions, followed by promotion company, including Toyota fork- speech on the diff erent products product range of IMER includes and fi xed & retractable PVC to Senior Director, Budget and lifts, which are considered the off ered by the company, which scissor lifts, articulated boom warehouses. The programme Decision Support and Deputy “fi rst choice” for forklifts in Qa- mainly include the full range platforms and crawler access concluded with the announce- Chief Offi cer, Finance. He is tar as well as globally. There was of racking, shelving and semi- platforms. ment of AAB’s new services of- also currently chairman of Mansoor Rashid al-Khater also a briefi ng on the high-quali- automated storage systems. The The other brand was Kopron fered in the fi eld of buying and Ooredoo Algeria. ty warehouse equipment of BT, a ceremony included the exhibi- Logistics, a world-renowned selling pre-owned Toyota fork- Prior to his appointment as offi cer, having previously been doo Qatar. He continues his Swedish brand owned by Toyota. tion of a number of new prod- Italian brand. Kopron is a spe- lifts, long-term rental and lease- chief executive, Indosat Oore- chief sales and services offi cer responsibilities on the board Gnanasekaran, manager – In- ucts recently introduced by AAB. cialised international player in to-own facilities to cater to the doo, al-Neama was most re- and Director of Demand and for both Indosat Ooredoo and ternational Sales at Godrej Stor- The fi rst brand was IMER Ac- the fi eld of loading bays equip- demands of existing clients. cently group chief technology Project Management at Oore- Ooredoo Oman. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 QATAR Doha to host ‘global conference of parliamentarians against corruption’

By Ayman Adly event is a good opportunity Staff Reporter for lawmakers from around the world to meet and ex- change their experiences and he seventh Global Confer- views on the issue and come ence of Parliamentarians up with suitable suggestions TAgainst Corruption will and solutions. be held in Doha from December He told the ambassadors 9-10 as a joint initiative of the and heads of missions that Shura Council and the Global their support to the event was Organisation of Parliamentari- much appreciated and needed ans Against Corruption (Gopac). to guarantee its success. In this connection, HE the Fighting corruption is of Speaker of the Shura Council utmost importance to achieve Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid the desired developmental al-Mahmoud met with ambas- goals. sadors and heads of diplomatic During the meeting, HE the missions accredited to Qatar last Speaker explained that Qa- evening to talk to them about the tar’s hosting of this impor- preparations for the event and its HE Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud addresses the meet- tant international conference importance in view of the global ing. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions attend the meeting. comes out of its belief on the eff orts undertaken to combat need to work hard to combat corruption. HE al-Mahmoud told the at- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in The award will be given at a more than 1,300 parliamentar- He said various committees the scourge of corruption in Invitations have already been tendees that there would be fur- the fi eld of combating corrup- ceremony in Rwanda on Decem- ians from 106 countries with 63 would discuss, during the two- the world, as it represents a sent to diff erent countries to ther communication with them tion and establishing transpar- ber 9. branches around the world. Be- day conference, issues pertain- grave danger to the future of nominate delegations of parlia- on the details of the event. ency and good governance. In Al-Mahmoud said an agree- sides, the president of the Inter- ing to corruption and how to nations and their progress mentary representatives, com- He noted that the hosting of this regard, the Amir has dedi- ment was signed with Gopac Parliamentary Union (IPU) will tackle them, in addition to pa- and the welfare of peoples as prising up to four delegates each, the conference comes in con- cated an international award in to host the event and all neces- also be present at the conference pers submitted by the partici- well as providing them with a to take part in the upcoming junction with the eff orts of the name of His Highness in the sary preparations were under as the IPU’s 130th anniversary pating parliamentarians. decent life, the official Qatar conference in Doha. His Highness the Amir Sheikh fi ght against corruption. way. The organisation includes will be marked during the event. Al-Mahmoud noted that the News Agency added. Second edition of Arabic drama writers’ forum launched

he second edition of the Arabic drama writers’ Tforum was launched yes- terday in Doha with the partici- pation of authors, academics, critics and artistes from 14 dif- ferent Arab countries including Qatar. In his address at the forum, HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Off icials at the contract signing ceremony yesterday for Pearl School’s new campus. Nasser al-Ali called on the dra- ma writers and artistes in the Arab world to plunge deep into the Arab conscience to explore the strength of Arab culture and Contract signed for Pearl heritage and its various values and ethics. The aim, he ex- plains, is for drama to refl ect the contemporary Arab realities. School’s new campus project He also stressed that the Arab World is full of able think- HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali speaks at the forum yesterday. ers and authors, especially the he contract signing ceremony for Pearl istry of Education and Higher Education, is af- young people, who can express for discussing the major issues with around 820 works sub- winners soon. School’s new campus at Umm Bashir, Me- filiated to the Central Board of Secondary Edu- the various dimensions of the of the nation through drama mitted for the award in its fi rst A short documentary, pro- Tshaf Area, close to Al Wakrah, was signed cation, India.The school has two campuses Arab culture and the aspirations works. The minister said that edition. The entries came from duced by Qatar TV on the his- yesterday at a ceremony in Doha, according to a presently, with one at Thumama for Kindergar- of man for freedom, dignity and the Ministry of Culture and diff erent countries by writers tory and development of Qa- statement. ten and Primary and the other at West Bay for social justice. Sports gives great care to drama able to write in Arabic and the tari drama, was featured at the Pearl School’s patron Sheikh Hassan bin Ab- Primary and Preparatory. The forum is considered a and creativity and dedicated an award committees are review- opening of the forum, which dullah Hassan Ali al-Thani and Al Muftah Con- “The school management decided to go for a good platform for creativity and Arab Award for drama writing, ing the works to announce the concludes today. tracting Company’s fi nance director Khalid Abdul new purpose-built campus in order to cater to Rahman Muftah al-Muftah signed the contract. the growing demand from the Indian expatriate The school’s sponsor Abdulrahman al-Ansari and community,” it was explained in the statement. board members were present on the occasion. The new campus, for about 2,200 students, Pearl School, which started its operations in from Kindergarten to Primary levels, is expected 2013-14 under the supervision of Qatar’s Min- to be ready by September 2020. More than 250,000 to get aid during QRCS’ Warm Winter campaign WCM-Q researcher off ers advice on atar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has launched the Warm Winter pregnancy after bariatric surgery QCampaign for the year 2019-2020, which seeks to provide winterisation aid worth QR18mn for more than 250,000 vul- aculty at Weill Cornell men should also lose weight if nerable benefi ciaries. Medicine – Qatar (WCM- they and their partner are try- The initiative was announced yesterday at FQ) have contributed to new ing to have children. a press briefi ng addressed by QRCS offi cials guidelines to advise on the care Other guidance includes the Muhsen Abdullah al-Maliki, director of Com- of pregnant women who have advice that women who have munication; Dr Mohamed Salah Ibrahim, had bariatric surgery to treat undergone bariatric surgery executive director of the Relief and Interna- obesity. should postpone pregnancy tional Development; and Yousef Mohamed The majority of bariatric sur- until their weight has stabilised al-Awadi, director of the Financial Resources geries are carried out to reduce and that quickly absorbed car- Development. the capacity of the stomach bohydrates should be avoided; “For 14 consecutive years, QRCS has which in turn reduces food in- meals should instead comprise launched a winterisation camp every year to take and results in substantial protein and low-glycemic in- help the homeless and the displaced during weight loss. dex alternatives. the cold winter. There are millions of children, The procedure is increasingly As with standard pregnan- women, patients and old persons who suf- carried out in women who are of cies, expectant mothers should fer too much in the winter. QRCS is there for childbearing age. take a variety of supplements, them, providing them with shelter, clothes, QRCS off icials at the press conference yesterday. PICTURE: Nasar K Moidheen Twenty experts from across and their levels of micronu- heating and food,” said al-Maliki. the world have now conducted trients monitored before they Thanks to benevolent donors in Qatar, “this Palestinian refugees). Each parcel will contain funds to help our brothers and sisters, utilis- a systematic review of the avail- conceive and then during each year we plan to expand our winterisation aid local food staples of the respective host coun- ing the power of charity.” able research papers to off er trimester. But the systematic projects, reaching out to more than 250,000 tries and, for a fi ve-member family, a parcel An Arabic-English brochure has been pub- guidance on a range of issues Dr Shahrad Taheri review found that breast milk benefi ciaries, whether they are expatriate can last for a month. The total number of tar- lished for this purpose and it includes all the which may aff ect bariatric sur- is not compromised after bari- workers in Qatar or victims of disasters, wars, get benefi ciaries exceeds 100,000. project details, host countries, number of gery patients who are pregnant and fat metabolism. Pregnancy atric surgery and that breast- storms and famine in eight countries - Pal- Also, other forms of aid will include shelter, benefi ciaries, donation shares and means of or trying to conceive, including is a major physiological and nu- feeding should be encouraged. estine, Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, Bangladesh, Af- nonfood items, heating and winter clothes for donation. A webpage dedicated to the cam- contraception, diet, nutrient tritional challenge so the health Dr Taheri said,“Pregnancy can ghanistan, Sudan and Somalia”, he stressed. adults and kids. Among the items to be dis- paign has also been created on the QRCS levels, gestational weight gain, of pregnant women who have be a confusing time for all fi rst- Dr Ibrahim said the Warm Winter Cam- tributed are jackets, shoes, gloves, hats, socks, website. and breast feeding. undergone bariatric surgery. time mothers with a lot of infor- paign is driven by QRCS’ humanitarian mis- woollen scarves, blankets, mattresses, straw In a press statement, QRCS has listed Dr Shahrad Taheri, profes- There needs to be careful moni- mation to absorb about optimal sion and the long-established Qatari culture mats, carpets, umbrellas, gas heaters and the ways in which people can donate to the sor of medicine and director of toring to ensure that women nutrition, supplements and ex- of benevolence and giving.“This year, we look heating oil. campaign: call hotlines (16002-66644822); clinical research at WCM-Q, receive suffi cient nutrients to ercise alongside the fact that the forward to implementing winterisation relief Around 150,000 people will benefi t from call for home visit (66666364); donate was one of experts to contribute allow them and the fetus to grow body is physically changing and operations at a total cost of QR18mn for the these distributions, which will be executed by through QRCS agents at malls and shop- to the paper, entitled ‘Pregnancy and remain healthy.” has diff erent requirements. This benefi t of more than 250,000 people,” he said. QRCS’ foreign missions in the host countries ping centres (such as Landmark, Villaggio, after bariatric surgery: Consen- For women, obesity increas- confusion can be compounded In Qatar, winterisation bags will be pro- in co-ordination with the fellow national so- Hyatt Plaza, Ezdan Mall, Gulf Mall, Al Khor sus recommendations for peri- es the possibility of complica- for pregnant women who have vided containing the basic needs of workers cieties and international humanitarian agen- Mall and Al Meera hypermarkets); make conception, antenatal and post- tions during pregnancy, and undergone weight-loss surgery, during the winter. These include gloves, hats, cies concerned.On his part, al-Awadi said: remittances via Barwa Bank (IBAN: QA- natal care.’ poor maternal nutrition can and by contributing to this fi rst socks, scarves and blankets, and these will be “We would like to thank the Regulatory Au- 26BRWA000000000100000002005); send Dr Taheri said, “Bariatric pro- have a long-lasting impact international guideline, I and distributed among 2,500 workers at work- thority for Charitable Activities for helping an SMS with “W” to donate as follows: 92216 cedures are increasingly avail- on the infant, so it is recom- my colleagues hope that we can sites. with all the administrative preparations for (QR100), 92402 (QR150), 92552 (QR250), able and cause physiological mended that women try to lose simplify the messages being de- Outside Qatar, food parcels will be provided the launch. Thanks also go to the donors who 92869 (QR350) and 92092 (QR500); or visit changes in the body that change weight before conceiving. In livered and off er some reassur- in Palestine, Yemen, Bangladesh, Afghani- contributed to the previous editions of the the QRCS headquarters (Old Salata) or the Al processes like energy balance addition, the report states that ance to expectant mothers.” stan, Sudan, Somalia and Jordan (Syrian and campaign. As usual, we expect to raise more Khor branch. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 9 REGION/ARAB WORLD Bombings kill at least six civilians in Qamishli AFP/Reuters Qamishli

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas lays a wreath on the tomb of late leader Yasser Arafat on the 15th anniversary of the death of his hree simultaneous bomb- predecessor in the West Bank city of Ramallah, yesterday. ings killed at least six Tcivilians in the Kurdish- majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria yesterday, a Kurdish security source and a Britain-based monitor said. Palestinians mark death There was no immediate claim for the bombings, but they oc- curred shortly after the Islamic State group said it was responsi- ble for the killing the same day of anniversary of Arafat a priest from the same city. In Qamishli, an AFP corre- spondent saw charred cars and AFP smoke rise from the site of the Hebron blasts. Firefi ghters tried to put out Security forces and civilians gather at the site of bombings in the city the fl ames caused by the explo- of Qamishli in the northeastern Hasakah province, yesterday. lashes erupted between sions, as rescue workers carried Palestinians and Israeli away the victims. October 9 heightened fears that thousands of people in rebel- Cforces yesterday during The Syrian Observatory for IS fi ghters could break out in held areas hit by bombing by demonstrations marking the Human Rights war monitor, mass from Kurdish jails. government and Russian forces 15th anniversary of Yasser Ara- which relies on sources inside But a fragile Turkish-Russian in Syria’s more than eight-year- fat’s death in the occupied West Syria, said two car bombs and ceasefi re deal has more or less old civil war. Bank, leaving a Palestinian shot an explosives-rigged motorcycle halted that off ensive, and seen White Helmets members say dead, medics and Palestinian blew up in a market and near a Kurdish forces withdraw from they are neutral. offi cials said. school in the city. areas along the Turkish border, Syrian President Bashar al- Demonstrations were held in More than 20 people were except Qamishli. Assad and his backers, including Ramallah and the Hebron area wounded in the simultaneous Meanwhile, the British found- Moscow, describe them as tools in the West Bank to commemo- attacks, said the Britain-based er of an organisation that trained of Western propaganda and in- rate the legacy of Arafat, re- monitor said. the “White Helmets” emergency surgents. vered as a hero by Palestinians. The blasts come after IS response group has been found The Russian Foreign Minis- Palestinian President Mah- claimed to have killed an Arme- dead in Istanbul, fi ve years after try said on Twitter on Friday moud Abbas, who succeeded nian Catholic priest from Qam- the group was set up to perform that the White Helmets help Arafat, laid a wreath at his tomb A relative of Palestinian Omar al-Badawi reacts during his funeral in Al-Arroub refugee camp, in the ishli. The Observatory said the rescue work in rebel areas during “the most dangerous terrorist at a ceremony in Ramallah, occupied West Bank, yesterday. priest and his father were killed the Syrian civil war. groups,” and that Le Mesurier where hundreds gathered with by gunfi re as they made their The body of James Le Mesu- was a former British agent with pictures and fl ags for the anni- An Israeli military spokes- total, including two from live proof of poisoning. Abbas, 84, way to the eastern province of rier, founder of the Mayday reported “connections to terror- versary. woman said a large number of fi re.Palestine Liberation Or- spoke again of holding elec- Deir Ezzor to inspect the resto- Rescue group, was found early ist groups.” Sporadic clashes erupted Palestinians threw stones and ganisation secretary general tions yesterday, saying legisla- ration of a church there. yesterday near his home in cen- Mayday Rescue, a not-for- with Israeli forces, including in fi rebombs at soldiers, who re- Saeb Erekat called on the In- tive polls should be held fi rst, Kurdish fi ghters have led the tral Istanbul’s Beyoglu district, a profi t organisation, began its op- the Hebron area, where a Pales- sponded with “riot-dispersal ternational Criminal Court to followed by a presidential vote. US-backed battle against IS in neighbour said. erations in 2014 and established tinian man was shot dead, the means and live fi re”. investigate the shooting of al- He has insisted on holding Syria, expelling the extremists The Istanbul Governor’s Of- an offi ce in Istanbul in 2015 to Palestinian health ministry and Medics also reported Israeli Badawi. the elections in the West Bank, from the last scrap of their pro- fi ce said an investigation had support its Syria project. medics said. use of live fi re in clashes at Arafat died on November 11, in the Gaza Strip and in Jerusa- to-state in March. been launched. Its projects have been funded MAN SHOT DEAD Fawwar, south of Hebron, one 2004, at a hospital near Paris lem. Israel occupied the West But the militants have con- A security source told Reuters by the United Nations and vari- Palestinian medical sources of the most tense cities in the from unknown causes at the age Bank and east Jerusalem in the tinued to claim deadly attacks in it was believed that Le Mesur- ous governments, its website identifi ed the man as 22-year- West Bank. of 75. Palestinians have long ac- 1967 Six-Day War. northeastern and eastern Syria ier had fallen from the balcony said. A former British army of- old Omar al-Badawi, who was Palestinians threw stones at cused Israel of poisoning him, It later annexed east Jeru- ever since. of his home offi ce and his death fi cer, Le Mesurier was awarded hit in the chest with live fi re at Israeli soldiers in Hebron itself charges the Israeli government salem and considers the entire In July, IS said it was responsi- was being treated as suspected an Order of the British Empire Al-Arroub refugee camp before and troops responded with tear fi rmly denies. city its capital, while the Pal- ble for a massive truck bomb that suicide. (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth in being taken to Ahali hospital gas, an AFP journalist reported. His body was exhumed in estinians view the eastern sec- killed at least 44 people in Qam- The White Helmets, known 2016 for services to Syria Civil in Hebron, where he was pro- The Palestinian Red Crescent 2012 for tests, but a subsequent tor as the capital of their future ishli. A Turkish cross-border at- offi cially as Syria Civil Defence, Defence and the protection of nounced dead. reported at least 49 injuries in French investigation found no state. tack against Kurdish fi ghters on have been credited with saving civilians in Syria.

Jordan’s Lebanon leaders try to buy time to address protests Iran sees lifting of arms king tours AFP tect deposits”, he said. Salameh embargo in 2020 as Beirut said he had asked local banks to lift restrictions imposed after enclave protests started on October 17. ‘huge political goal’ ebanon’s embattled Protesters demand a complete leaders tried to buy overhaul of a political system Reuters Ltime yesterday, dodging they say has been dominated Reuters an end to the arms embargo next Amman mounting public pressure over by the same families of politi- Dubai year. the country’s unprecedented cal leaders since the end of the “When the embargo...is lifted economic and political crises. 1975-1990 civil war. next year we can easily buy and ordan’s King Abdullah paid Nearly four weeks into na- The government resigned resident Hassan Rouhani sell weapons...This is one of his first visit yesterday tionwide protests calling for the on October 29 but stayed on in said yesterday Iran would those important impacts of this Jto an enclave fringing its ouster of the ruling elite, radical Protesters chant slogans as as they demonstrate outside the a caretaker capacity and par- Pregain access to the inter- (nuclear) agreement,” Rouhani northern border with Israel a changes demanded by demon- Lebanon Central Bank during ongoing anti-government protests liamentary consultations on national arms market later next said, according to state TV. day after the expiry of a 25-year strators have not been imple- in Beirut, yesterday. forming a new government are year if it stuck to its 2015 nuclear “By remaining in the deal, special regime that allowed Is- mented. The peaceful protests yet to be held. Activists on so- deal with world powers and this we would reach a huge politi- raeli farmers access to the area, against corruption and sectari- Salameh — increasingly un- “The central bank’s fi rst and cial media called for a general would prove “a huge political cal, defensive and security goal official sources said. anism have paralysed Lebanon, der fi re for his monetary poli- foremost goal is to protect the strike and to block main roads success”. (in 2020)...It would be a huge The king on Sunday declared worsening an economic crisis cies — insisted however that Lebanese pound’s stability,” he today, as Speaker Nabih Berri However, while a United Na- political success.” But US Presi- an end of the arrangement, that has brought the country to deposits were safe and the told a news conference. postponed a scheduled par- tions-imposed arms embargo dent Donald Trump’s adminis- which many Jordanians saw as the brink of default. country’s currency would re- The bank has taken measures liament session by a week to on Iran is supposed to be lifted tration has warned that a lifting a humiliation that perpetuated Central bank governor Riad main pegged to the dollar. “to protect depositors and pro- November 19. in October 2020, fi ve years after of the arms embargo would let what they regarded as an Israeli the nuclear deal took eff ect, it is Iran acquire weapons that could occupation of Jordanian terri- questionable whether that will fuel confl icts in the Middle East, tory. transpire given the recent unrav- where Tehran has been involved Under the 1994 Jordan-Is- elling of the accord. in proxy wars for decades. rael peace treaty, two territo- The United States withdrew But with the nuclear deal crum- ries straddling the border were Top cleric casts doubt on off ered reforms from the deal in 2018, arguing bling, prospects for a removal of recognised as under Jordanian it was fl awed to Iran’s advan- the arms embargo appear to have sovereignty but with special tage, and has reimposed sanc- dimmed, and the United States provisions allowing Israeli Reuters unemployment and poor public services “His eminence made clear the impor- tions crippling Tehran’s oil ex- would wield a veto on any deci- farmers to work the land with- Baghdad erupted in Baghdad on Oct 1 and spread to tance of enacting serious reform within a ports, prompting to retaliate by sion by the Security Council. The out visas. the south. reasonable time frame,” his offi ce said. breaching the deal’s limits on its UN nuclear watchdog reported But in 2018, Jordan said it The government has failed to fi nd an Sistani welcomed reform recommenda- nuclear capacity. yesterday that Iran was enriching did not want to renew the ar- raq’s top cleric yesterday expressed answer to the unrest among mostly unem- tions presented by the UN Assistance Mis- Iran has said its steps to re- uranium at its underground For- rangement, in what was widely concern that the political elite is not ployed young people who see no improve- sion in Iraq (UNAMI). activate uranium enrichment, dow site and rapidly accelerating seen as a sign of increasingly Iserious about enacting reforms in the ment in their lives even in peacetime after These include the release of all detained a pathway to developing nu- enrichment more broadly, outlin- strained bilateral relations. face of mass unrest and said protesters decades of war and sanctions. peaceful protesters, investigations into clear bombs, could be reversed if ing Tehran’s latest breaches of the The treaty is unpopular in should not go home until concrete steps Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who killings of protesters, declarations of as- Washington rescinded sanctions 2015 nuclear deal. Germany said Jordan where there is strong had been taken to meet their demands. only speaks on politics in times of crisis sets by political leaders to address graft and returned to the deal. yesterday it along with Britain and support for Palestinians who Security forces shot dead two protest- and wields enormous infl uence over pub- accusations, corruption trials, electoral Rouhani held out the prospect France should be ready to consider seek the Israeli-occupied West ers in the city of Nassiriya, bringing to lic opinion in Iraq, yesterday met Jeanine reform and constitutional changes to of the deal being saved despite starting moves to reinstate full Bank, bordering Jordan, for 300 the number of people have been killed Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN mission chief make leaders more accountable within the its rapid erosion and said a ma- United Nations sanctions on Iran part of a future state. since protests against political corruption, in the country. next three months. jor dividend for Iran would be over its breaches. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 AFRICA

MILITANCY RIGHT OF WAY BIRTHDAY GIFT REPORT AGRICULTURE Burkina says 3 assailants Giraff e killed, tourist hurt Zambia president pardons HRW: Nigeria mental health Drier spell, sunshine boost killed in ‘terrorist attack’ in Kruger Park accident separatist and journalist system chains patients up Ivory Coast cocoa crop

At least three assailants were killed yesterday in a A Swiss tourist was in intensive care yesterday Zambian President Edgar Lungu yesterday Thousands of people with mental health Below average rainfall mixed with long sunny “terrorist attack” on army troops, Burkina Faso’s after being involved in a vehicle accident in marked his 63rd birthday by pardoning a conditions are held in chains in institutions across spells last week in most of Ivory Coast’s cocoa military said, five days after the country suff ered South Africa’s Kruger National Park that also separatist leader jailed for treason for trying to Nigeria, Human Rights Watch said in a report in regions will improve growing conditions after its worst casualties in a long-running militancy. A left a giraff e dead. “His condition is critical and create a new state called Barotseland. Afumba which it urged the government to ban the practice. weeks of wet weather, farmers said yesterday. Ivory detachment in Foutouri, in the eastern province he is in the intensive care unit of the Nelspruit Mombotwa, the leader of Linyungandambo, one HRW said its researchers visited 28 mental health Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer, is entering of Komandjari, came under attack at around Medi Clinic,” said park spokesman Ike Phaalah. of several groups calling for the secession of facilities in Nigeria’s capital and eight of the the dry season, which runs from mid November 5am, the army said in a statement. “The vigorous According to a statement yesterday by the South the country’s Western Province, was serving a country’s 36 states, during which interviews were to March, when rain is scarce or light. Farmers said response neutralised at least three assailants and African National Parks, the accident occurred in 10-year jail term. Lungu’s off ice said he had also conducted with 124 people. The researchers found soil moisture content was still high after abundant led to the seizure of weapons and ammunition,” it the northern part of the reserve after a minibus pardoned journalist Derrick Sinjela, who was many people were shackled with iron chains, November rain, so plantations would need one said, adding that two troops were treated for “light carrying 13 passengers hit a giraff e when it jailed for 18 months in December for contempt of around one or both ankles, to heavy objects or to good rainfall per week in December to help trees wounds” and then evacuated. Last Wednesday, stepped out into the road. The giraff e, which was court for accusing the judiciary of taking bribes other detainees. This was happening in a range of weather the dry season and the dry Harmattan 38 people were killed and 63 injured when rebels killed, “dropped on top of a rental safari vehicle, from a commercial bank. “President Lungu has institutions including federal psychiatric hospitals, wind. Farmers said bean quality was good. in eastern Burkina ambushed a convoy carrying travelling in the opposite direction with two pardoned five inmates from various correctional state hospitals and state-owned rehabilitation Harvesting picked up last week and was expected employees of a Canadian mining company. occupants,” the statement read. facilities,” said a statement from the presidency. centres, churches and informal Islamic centres. to increase gradually until late December.

African oil New Zimbabwe currency states seek to lure investors

By Libby George, Reuters fails to arrive at banks Cape Town

By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters “We now think we may get the cash colour to the bond notes that were in- ower prices and increasing com- Harare tomorrow. People have been calling all troduced in 2016 as a surrogate for US petition for investment are driv- day to inquire whether they can come dollars. Ling many African states to make to make withdrawals,” an executive at It has said it plans to inject Z$1bn it easier and cheaper for overseas com- ew low-denomination ban- a foreign-owned bank said. in cash into the economy the next six panies to keep their oil and gas output knotes touted by the govern- The executive, who declined to be months. fl owing. Nment as the solution to the named because he is not authorised to But many locals and market ana- From Ghana to Gabon, governments acute cash shortage that has crippled speak to the press, said the RBZ’s fail- lysts are unconvinced that new notes are adjusting terms to lure picky inves- Zimbabwe’s economy failed to arrive ure to deliver the notes would add to will do much to alleviate the crisis. tors who are also increasingly concerned yesterday, leaving banks in confusion the mistrust that citizens have of the “If only they had introduced higher about long-term demand for fossil fuels and customers frustrated. central bank. denomination notes like Z$50 that as renewable energy gains ground. The dearth of cash, along with short- In 2008, hyperinfl ation wiped out would have made more sense. What The shift follows declining oil pro- ages of staple goods exacerbated by a many Zimbabweans’ pensions and do you do with Z$5?” said Rachel duction in Angola and Cameroon and long drought, has sent infl ation to its savings and forced the southern Af- Mandeya, a 28-year-old street foreign disappointing bid rounds in Ghana. highest since 2008, estimated at 380% rican country to dump the Zimbabwe currency trader. It also marks an recognition that the year on year, economists estimate. dollar currency. The Z$5 note, the highest new de- era of $100 per barrel oil is over. “Where’s the money?”, the govern- In June this year, the government nomination, is worth just 32 US cents “Because of increased competition ment’s mouthpiece, The Herald news- unexpectedly ended a decade of dol- and is only enough to buy a bottle of for investment in Africa, we are chang- paper, said in an online report. larisation by reintroducing the Zim- soda. ing our strategy,” Mohamed Amin Adam, The central bank had failed to circu- babwe dollar to give it more fl exibility Tony Hawkins, a professor of busi- Ghana’s deputy minister for petroleum, late the new banknotes by the close of in shaping monetary policy. ness studies at the University of Zim- said at last week’s Africa Oil Week in business yesterday, it said. It hopes the new notes, which will babwe, said the central bank was try- Cape Town. Banking executives told Reuters have the same denominations as bond ing to deal with “symptoms of a bigger Ghana’s Adam was not alone in an- they had received no new bills as ex- notes currently in circulation, will problem.” nouncing plans to revise oil and gas li- pected or any communication from help end the cash crunch, bring down That included foreign currency censing laws in an eff ort to spur output. the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) infl ation and speed up the restoration shortages, lack of foreign investment, A street vendor displays bond notes before the introduction of new currency in Ministers from Angola, Cameroon about why the notes had not been dis- of the long neglected domestic cur- infl ation and lack of confi dence in Harare yesterday. and Gabon also stressed changes to legal tributed. rency. policy. and fi scal terms to boost their own pro- RBZ Governor John Mangudya The RBZ said it would issue new “The new cash will not resolve the more cash around to feed the black up to 40% for customers paying cash duction. could not be reached for comment af- Z$5 and Z$2 notes as the next stage economic problems we face...What it market for currency,” he added. and charge more for those using mo- “We are aware that oil companies ter earlier promising to speak. of that process, similar in design and means is that we will probably have Many businesses discount prices by bile money or bank cards. have to spend a lot of money. That is why we are careful in the way we design our (terms) to have it as a win-win,” Gabon’s petroleum minister Noel Mboumba said at the event. Anti-Ebola radio shut As renewables and eff orts to cut fos- Drought-hit Zimbabwe to relocate wild animals sil fuel consumption gain ground, there are also growing concerns that the world after broadcaster killed will not need all of Africa’s oil. AFP “We don’t know how much new sup- Harare AFP ply we’re going to need. So obviously Goma everybody is going to have to be com- petitive for that,” Andrew Latham, vice imbabwe’s wildlife agency president of global exploration at Wood said yesterday it would local radio station that has been involved in Mackenzie, said. Zmove hundreds of elephants the fi ght against Ebola in eastern DR Congo Ghana plans to allow companies more and other animals in a dramatic Asaid yesterday it was closing down after one leeway in where and when they can drill, bid to save them from a lethal of its broadcasters was murdered. while Angola is revising local content drought. Joel Musavuli, head of Lwemba radio in Mam- laws and privatising oil assets. At least 120 elephants have basa in Ituri province, told AFP that the station Cameroon’s senate in April approved already died over the past two had been targeted by armed groups hostile to the a reform to replace its 1999 petroleum months as the country grapples campaign to roll back the Ebola epidemic. code, sweetening tax terms for oil and with one of the worst droughts in “Each of us have received threats since last condensate development and allowing its history. month. We have now decided to stop broadcasting, companies to recoup “exploration ex- “We are moving 600 elephants, Musavuli said, adding that he himself had escaped penses” from production sharing con- two prides of lion comprising two kidnap attempts. tracts. between fi ve and 10 members, a “We are victims of our commitment to the Gabon revised its fi scal terms to re- pack of wild dogs, 50 buff alo, 40 awareness campaign about the spread of Ebola vi- duce the government take for shallow giraff es and 2,000 impalas,” parks rus disease. We don’t know why the militiamen are and deepwater concessions and in- and wildlife authority spokesman targeting us.” creased the cost-recover limits for com- Tinashe Farawo told AFP. Nearly 2,200 people have died since the notori- panies. The animals will be moved from ous haemorrhagic disease erupted in eastern Dem- But not all African producers are Save Conservancy, a major park in ocratic Republic of Congo in August 2018, accord- sweetening the deal. southeastern Zimbabwe, to three ing to the latest offi cial fi gures. Nigeria, the continent’s largest pro- other game reserves. “This will The fi ght against the outbreak has been ham- ducer, last week increased the amount be the biggest translocation in our pered by local fears and superstititions, exploited oil companies pay the government for history,” said Farawo. Elephants and giraff es walk past the carcass of an elephant at a dry watering hole inside Hwange National by militia groups that are rampant in the remote off shore production, while an overhaul Permits for the operation have Park, Zimbabwe. region. of its oil and gas terms has languished already been secured, Farawo said. Several health workers have been killed and for more than a decade. The transfer will start “during after the death of dozens of el- Several southern African coun- in its famed Chobe National media that have supported the campaign have re- Nigerian Senate president Ahmad La- the rain season, when pastures ephants in Hwange, Zimbabwe’s tries are in the grip of one of the Park. ceived threats. wan said the revisions would raise rev- and foliage start fl ourishing,” he biggest game reserve, located in worst droughts in decades, caused The drought has left more than Several radio stations in the Mambasa area say enue while allowing companies to make added. The rain season usually the northwest of the country. by months of above-average tem- 5mn rural Zimbabweans — nearly they have stopped broadcasting anti-Ebola mes- money — and the government has prom- kicks off from around the middle Hungry elephants have been peratures and erratic rainfall. a third of the population — at sages because of intimidation. ised to pass the broader bill next year. of November. breaking out of wildlife areas and This year’s drought has wilted risk of food shortages before the On November 2, Lwemba broadcaster Papy Ma- Companies and analysts said reforms “We want to avoid a situation raiding human settlements in grasslands and dried up water next harvest in 2020, the UN has hamba was killed at his home by unidentifi ed men. are needed. where we trans-locate animals, search for food, posing a threat to holes, making it increasingly dif- warned. His wife was injured and their house set ablaze. “The continent has to compete for only for them to starve to death communities. fi cult for animals to survive. Food shortages for people have The station said the authorities had failed to take capital with other areas,” said Mike because there is no food in their Farawo said 200 people have Botswana last month an- been amplifi ed by the combined action against the threats. Sangster, head of Nigeria for French oil new habitat,” he explained. died in “human-and-animal con- nounced that more than 100 el- eff ects of drought and the coun- It said it would resume broadcasts after “the major Total. “It’s important that the The relocation was announced fl ict” over the past fi ve years. ephants had died in two months try’s enduring economic crisis. state has restored authority in the area”. regulators understand that.”

Johannesburg seeks to avert ‘ecological disaster’ from beetle-infested trees

By Kim Harrisberg, Reuters in Johannesburg, South Africa’s trigger an ecological disaster if “They give us shade, clean habitats and kill off pollinating while, have started marking break killed millions of trees over Johannesburg biggest city, range from 5,000 to not managed”, Moodley told pollutants, reduce movement of insects like bees. beetle-ridden trees with “PSHB” the past decade. well over 20,000 trees, while fi g- the Thomson Reuters Founda- dust and cool the urban heat is- So far the city has removed 220 stickers to alert city residents. Both de Beer and Byrne said ures across the country are not tion. lands,” he said. dead trees that are being chipped The beetle is thought to have en- more research and data were esearchers and city offi - yet known. Researchers said the beetles Various solutions to the beetle into smaller pieces, covered with tered the country around 2012 on needed before solutions could be cials are racing to under- According to Jenny Moodley, had been spotted in nearly every problem have been proposed, in- plastic and left in the sun for wood pallets, said Wilhelm de Beer, proposed. Rstand the extent of a bee- spokeswoman for Johannes- South African province. cluding tree felling and chemical three months to kill all the bee- an associate professor in microbiol- Byrne is seeking funding to an- tle infestation damaging trees burg City Parks, trees — besides Environmentalists say pro- products, said Moodley. tles in the wood. ogy at the University of Pretoria. alyse satellite imagery going back across South Africa that, if left beautifying urban areas — store tecting existing forests and re- But “no successful proof” has But until more is known about “We do believe this is a risk to 10 years, and using Google Street unaddressed, could have a ripple planet-warming carbon, fi lter air storing damaged ones prevents been presented for any one of the infestation, the city is cau- other southern African coun- View and citizen-gathered data eff ect on the climate, air quality pollution, cool temperatures and fl ooding, sequesters more car- them as a feasible strategy to roll tious about cutting down any tries,” warned de Beer, who is to build maps of the infestation and ecosystems. regulate the climate. bon, limits climate change and out country-wide, she added. more trees, Moodley said. running workshops on the prob- across Johannesburg. The Polyphagous Shot Hole “Removing them could impact protects biodiversity. “We have hit a stone wall,” she She urged residents to plant lem with researchers across 15 De Beer is researching the use Borer (PSHB), indigenous to the health of residents and the “Trees are a massive part of the said. indigenous trees that are not African nations. of a natural agent, such as an in- Southeast Asia, is a tiny beetle environment, as well as property urban landscape,” said Marcus The Johannesburg city website prone to infestation, report any The beetle attacks more than sect or fungus, to control the in- that drills holes into trees, de- values in the city,” she said, not- Byrne, an Ig Nobel prize winner cautions residents against apply- signs of the beetle and take care 300 hard and softwood species festation. positing a fungus that can even- ing that cutting down the infest- and entomologist at the Univer- ing chemicals to infected trees, when buying fi rewood that may of diff erent sizes, noted de Beer, “We are already losing trees to tually kill its hosts. ed trees was a last resort. sity of the Witwatersrand in Jo- as doing so could contaminate be infested. who is working with experts in drought,” de Beer added. “We do Estimates of the infestation The beetle infestation “could hannesburg. ground water, destroy animal Community groups, mean- California where a major out- not need to lose any more.” Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 11 AMERICA Impeachment hearings set to grab spotlight

By James Oliphant, Reuters Long Island’s Pete King retires in blow to GOP Washington Pete King, the dean of the New York representative to throw in the towel Republican congressional delegation, as lawmakers grapple with the new his week will mark a new and yesterday announced his retirement reality of being in the minority with unparalleled chapter in Donald in a new blow to already slim GOP little hope of regaining control soon. TTrump’s tumultuous presi- hopes of retaking the House of Rep- King is one of just six Republicans dency, as the Democratic-led im- resentatives, DPA reports. in New York’s 27-member congres- peachment probe goes public with King, 75, became the latest in a sional delegation. televised hearings into allegations flood of Republican departures, say- Lee Zeldin is the only other GOP- about Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. ing in a Facebook post that he would er representing a district south of A man in military garb participates in the Veterans Day parade in New York City yesterday. Beginning tomorrow, three witness- not run for a 15th term representing a Albany. es will publicly detail their concerns, district that has been trending more King, who grew up in Queens, is previously expressed behind closed Democratic in recent years. an outspoken advocate for peace in doors, that the Trump administration “I intend to...be active politically Northern Ireland. sought to tie military aid to Ukraine and look forward to seeing what AFP adds: King long enthusiasti- Sanders vows to strengthen services to an investigation of the Republican opportunities and challenges await cally defended the Irish Republican president’s potential Democratic rival me in this next chapter of a very Army, distinguishing himself from for the presidency, Joe Biden. fortunate life,” King wrote. most Irish-American lawmakers who, The testimony will be carried by King, a conservative member while often sympathetic to the cause for veterans if elected US president major broadcast and cable networks of the GOP establishment, vowed of unifying British-ruled Northern and is expected to be viewed by mil- to vote against President Donald Ireland with the rest of the island, By John Whitesides, Reuters “We will not dismantle or privatize expand veterans’ access to healthcare af- lions, who will watch current and Trump’s impeachment and to sup- deplored the group’s campaign of Washington the VA. We will expand and improve the ter a scandal over long wait times. former offi cials from Trump’s own port his re-election bid. violence. VA,” Sanders, a US senator and a former The plan would simplify the claims administration begin to outline a case Still, other Republicans have be- The congressman likened the IRA to chairman of the Senate’s Veterans’ Af- process so veterans are compensated for his potential removal from offi ce. come significantly more outspoken George Washington and Nelson Man- S Democratic presidential con- fairs Committee, said in a statement. more quickly and accurately, and put a It has been 20 years since Ameri- about Trump’s misdeeds after they dela, saying in a 2011 interview with The tender Bernie Sanders yesterday An independent from Vermont, Sand- priority on eliminating a backlog Sand- cans last witnessed impeachment have decided to leave off ice. Washington Post that he still believed Upromised to boost healthcare ers is one of 17 candidates competing for ers’ campaign said had led to waits of proceedings, when Republicans King boasted that he could’ve won the group and its political wing Sinn Fein services for military veterans if he is the Democratic nomination to challenge more than 125 days for many veterans to brought charges against then-Dem- reelection next year, noting that he served as a “legitimate force.” elected, putting a priority on upgrading Republican President Donald Trump in get a determination of their benefi ts. ocratic president Bill Clinton. has a $1mn campaign war chest and His reputation was such that facilities and hiring more doctors and the November 2020 election. The proposal would expand incentives Democrats in the US House his poll numbers are better than ever. a judge in Northern Ireland once nurses for the Department of Veterans One of the two veterans in the large for companies to hire veterans, bolster of Representatives argue Trump The suburban district will be hotly ejected King from a courtroom, Aff airs. Democratic fi eld, Mayor Pete Buttigieg access to mental health and suicide pre- abused his authority in pressing the contested by both parties as Demo- calling him an “obvious collaborator” To mark yesterday’s US Veterans Day of South Bend, Indiana, also released a vention services and ensure women vet- Ukrainian government to investigate crats will view it as a prime pick-up with the IRA. holiday honouring those who served in plan yesterday to serve military com- erans receive women’s health services, Biden and his son Hunter, who was opportunity as swing districts with But King found unlikely allies in the military, Sanders vowed to fi ll nearly munities that advocates streamlining including fertility treatments and abor- on the board of a Ukrainian energy high numbers of educated voters former president Bill Clinton and 50,000 slots for doctors, nurses and oth- access to medical care including suicide tion care, through the VA. company, Burisma. revolt against Trump. even British prime minister Tony er medical professionals at facilities run prevention measures. It also would immediately end depor- Representative Eric Swalwell, a King beat little known Liuba Blair, who argued that the congress- by Veterans Aff airs during his rstfi year Buttigieg’s plan also would provide tation proceedings against non-citizen Democrat on the House Intelligence Grechen Shirley by just 6% in 2018 man helped bring Sinn Fein to the in offi ce. more help for families of service mem- members or veterans of the armed forces Committee, which will hold the after romping to easy victories in table for the 1998 Good Friday Sanders also called for at least $62bn bers, rescind the transgender military and their families, and includes a provi- hearings tomorrow and on Friday previous elections. agreement which has largely brought in new funding to repair, modernise and ban and support transition from active- sion to ensure those discharged from the this week, had accused Trump on King becomes the 16th GOP peace to Northern Ireland. rebuild hospitals and clinics to meet duty to civilian life. military for marijuana use or possession Sunday of “extortion.” what he called the “moral obligation” Sanders’ proposal would build on his can apply for an upgrade of their dis- “We have enough evidence from of providing quality care for those who work with Republican Senator John Mc- charges, making them eligible for the full the depositions that we’ve done to fortable with what he described as an Intelligence Committee chairman served in the military. Cain, who died in 2018, on a 2014 bill to services and benefi ts off ered. warrant bringing this forward, evi- “irregular channel” of people involved in Adam Schiff , a Democrat, is unlikely dence of an extortion scheme, us- Ukraine policy, including Rudy Giuliani, to summon either to testify, and even ing taxpayer dollars to ask a foreign the president’s personal lawyer. some Republicans have opposed the One new case of measles government to investigate the presi- George Kent, a senior State De- push from Trump and some of his reported from Georgia dent’s opponent,” Swalwell said on partment offi cial who oversees supporters that the whistleblower be CBS’ Face the Nation. Ukraine, will appear at tomorrow’s identifi ed. SpaceX launches 60 satellites for One new case of measles was report- Trump argued on Twitter over the hearing as well. “I think we should be protecting ed this weekend in the United States, weekend that he was not guilty of Kent was also concerned about the identity of the whistleblower,” broadband Internet network with the country suff ering its worst misconduct and that the probe was Giuliani’s role in conducting shadow Will Hurd, a former CIA offi cer and outbreak of the highly contagious and politically driven. diplomacy — and has testifi ed that a Republican member of the com- DPA The payload was the heaviest to date sometimes deadly disease in close-to “NOTHING WAS DONE he was cut out of the decision-mak- mittee, said on Fox News Sunday Washington for the Falcon 9 and it was the fi rst time three decades. WRONG!” he wrote on Sunday. ing loop on Ukraine matters. program, “because how we treat this SpaceX reused a fairing, Musk tweeted. The measles case was confirmed on ‘Democrats consider the open On Friday, the committee will whistleblower will impact whistle- The reusable Falcon 9 rocket also Saturday in an unvaccinated resident hearings to be crucial to building hear from former US ambassador to blowers in the future.” paceX yesterday delivered 60 sat- became the fi rst to fl y a fourth mission, of the southeastern US state of Geor- public support for a formal im- Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Hurd said, however, he “would ellites into space as part of a mis- Musk said. gia, according to the state’s health peachment vote against Trump. She says she was ousted from love to hear from Hunter Biden” Ssion to provide high-speed Inter- SpaceX plans over time to deliver at department. If that occurs, the Republican- her post after Giuliani and his al- and accused Democrats of running a net access to users around the world. least 12,000 Starlink satellites into or- The measles outbreak, which began controlled Senate would hold a trial lies mounted a campaign against “partisan exercise.” The private company’s Falcon 9 bit. in New York in October 2018, has on the charges. her with what she called “unfound- Trump and Giuliani have led ac- rocket carried the satellites into low- That number could increase to more largely been linked to parents who Republicans have so far shown ed and false claims by people with cusations — without providing evi- Earth orbit after being launched from than 40,000 satellites, which are de- declined to vaccinate their children. little support for removing Trump clearly questionable motives.” dence — that Joe Biden sought the Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 9.56am. signed to burn up in Earth’s atmos- It threatens to end United States’ from offi ce, which would require a Democrats are likely to call further dismissal of a Ukrainian prosecutor to The mission, known as Starlink, is phere at the end of their lives. measles-free status. two-thirds vote in the Senate. witnesses after this week. block a corruption probe of Burisma. building a constellation of satellites, the Each satellite weighs more than As of October 3, the country had The House Intelligence Commit- House Republicans released their The Bidens have denied wrongdoing. fi rst of which were launched on May 24. 200km and their low-Earth orbit recorded 1,250 cases of measles this tee will fi rst hear from William Tay- list on Saturday of witnesses they Republicans on the committee Starlink is designed to serve people means the lag time of communications year from across 31 states. lor, the top US diplomat in Ukraine, would like brought before the com- will be permitted to question the with little or no connectivity, including sent through them is shorter compared The individual may have exposed who told the committee in closed- mittee, including Hunter Biden and the witnesses this week and defend the those in rural communities and places with older satellites. others to the measles virus between door testimony that he was unhappy yet-unnamed whistleblower who fi rst president, although the president’s where existing services are too expen- They operate by receiving and trans- October 31 and November 6 and the US aid to the country was held up by brought the complaint against Trump lawyers will not allowed to do so — sive or unreliable, the company, led by mitting data from Earth among other Georgia Department of Public Health the administration. over his July 25 call with Ukrainian something Trump has complained technology billionaire Elon Musk, said satellites in the constellation with the said it was notifying those people. Taylor said he also became uncom- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. about bitterly. in a mission description. help of lasers. Their future in US at stake, ‘Dreamers’ trek to Supreme Court

By Ariela Navarro, AFP presidential election — matters Antonio Alarcon, 25, is another most will probably slip quietly Washington hugely to Fung Feng. Dreamer with much at stake. into the shadowy life of the un- She feels she can be the voice He arrived in the US from documented, for whom working for other young people in her Mexico as a child. and studying is fraught with dif- arolina Fung Feng was situation, as well as the other He recalls the day he regis- fi culty. resting after the gruelling 10.5mn undocumented mi- tered with DACA as when “I was “I will change my lifestyle,” C230-mile (370km) walk grants estimated to be in the recognized by the United States said Alarcon. from New York to Washington country. fi nally after living so many years “But I don’t think I will change for a Supreme Court hearing to- According to United States in the shadows.” the way that I provide for my day that will determine the fate Citizenship and Immigration In 2017, Trump gave Congress community. of “Dreamers” like her — the Services, there are 660,000 reg- six months to devise a plan to re- “Our family members are still 600,000 young migrants who istered DACA benefi ciaries, in- place DACA, saying he was sym- undocumented, and they still arrived illegally in the country as cluding 529,760 from Mexico and pathetic to the Dreamers but that survive. Our parents have shown children. smaller numbers from El Salva- Obama had established the pro- us how to be warriors.” Only 12 years old when she dor, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, gram illegally. Silvia Garcia arrived in the US arrived from Costa Rica, Fung South Korea, Brazil and other But lawmakers were unable to from Argentina in 2002 and de- Feng, now 30, has made her life in countries. reach agreement, and the pro- cided to stay. America. While their experiences diff er, gram expired the following year. She and her husband live in But that life was plunged into Fung Feng said: “We all have the The phase-out of the pro- New York state. limbo after President Donald same pain.” gramme has been appealed to Neither is documented. Trump — who campaigned on a In the courtroom today, nine several courts across the country, For her, the walk from New starkly anti-immigrant platform black-robed justices will weigh ultimately reaching the Supreme York required considerable sac- — moved in 2017 to end the De- the Dreamers’s fate. Court. rifi ce: the factory where she has layed Action for Childhood Ar- Five of them are conserva- Alarcon has lived alone in New worked for 10 years would not rivals (DACA) program that has tives, including two appointed by York since the age of 17, when his give her time off , so she had to given Fung Feng and others the Trump. parents returned to Mexico. quit, but she said it was worth it legal cover to work and study in “I expect the judges to listen to While studying fi lm and politi- to come represent her 19-year- the US. Demonstrators arrive in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC on Sunday during the ‘Home Is our case, understand that we’re cal science, he has been working old son. Together with dozens of other Here’ march for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and Temporary Protected Status (TPS). human beings,” Fung Feng said. as a community organiser. “It’s a lot of diffi culty,” she “Dreamers,” she had trudged “And their decision could not He came to Washington, he sighed. “We have a lot of blisters, southward for 16 days, braving preme Court in Washington on lowed DACA to remain provi- to remind them that we’re still just impact myself as an individ- said, to “amplify the message... we had cold showers — really rain, cold, and bruised and blis- Sunday, shouting, “Our home is sionally in force. here,” she said. ual, but my family and my com- that this is our home.” raining hard — and I twisted my tered feet. here.” “Through this march, we Being part of the suit — the munity as well.” If the Supreme Court fails to ankle.” Shrugging off their exhaus- Fung Feng is a plaintiff in a wanted to let people know that Supreme Court is not expected The DACA program was creat- extend legal protection to the Still, she has no regrets. tion, the group broke into a jog lawsuit that, while wending its the program is in danger of be- to issue a ruling before 2020, the ed in 2012 under president Barack Dreamers, they are not expected “It’s a lot of things, but we as they fi nally neared the Su- way to the high court, has al- ing fully terminated and we want same year as a hotly contested Obama. to be automatically deported; made it. We did the 230 miles.” Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 ASIA

Cyclone death toll rises to 12 in Bangladesh

The death toll from Cyclone Bulbul rose to 12 in Bangladesh Myanmar faces genocide and five fishermen are still missing, government off icials said yesterday. Most of the victims had refused to evacuate and died due to falling trees, said Enamur Rahman, Bangladesh’s junior minister for disaster management and relief. lawsuit at top UN court One fisherman drowned and five were missing after their boats AFP mar of breaching the 1948 UN Gambia’s request for urgent in- to punish the perpetrators, and Other legal attempts to bring ter World War II to adjudicate in capsized on Sunday due to strong The Hague Genocide Convention through terim measures “to protect the to provide reparations for the Myanmar to justice over alle- disputes between UN member winds and currents, authorities a brutal military campaign tar- Rohingya against further harm”, Rohingya victims,” Gambia’s gations of crimes against the states. said. Another 30 fishermen were geting the Rohingya minority in Gambia’s lawyers Foley Hoag justice ministry said. Rohingya have so far stalled. It normally deals with issues rescued. yanmar faced accusa- Rakhine state. said in a statement, describing It said Myanmar had failed The prosecutor for the In- of international law such as Around 6,000 homes were tions of genocide in The 2017 crackdown forced the case as “historic”. to meet its obligations to pre- ternational Criminal Court – a border disputes, but sometimes partially or fully damaged. No Ma landmark lawsuit 740,000 Rohingya to fl ee over Human Rights Watch hailed vent and to punish genocide, separate tribunal from the ICJ rules on alleged breaches of UN major damage was reported fi led by Gambia at the UN’s top the border into sprawling camps the move by the tiny west African accusing it of “wanton acts of that investigates war crimes conventions such as those on in camps in southeastern court yesterday over the South- in Bangladesh, in violence that state, saying it was the “fi rst ju- violence and malicious degra- – launched a preliminary in- terrorism or genocide. Bangladesh where hundreds east Asian nation’s treatment of United Nations investigators dicial scrutiny” of Myanmar’s al- dation with the specifi c intent vestigation into Myanmar in The ICJ previously dealt with of thousands of refugees from Rohingya Muslims, Gambia’s say amounts to “genocide”. leged crimes against the Rohingya. of state actors to destroy the 2018 but no charges have been a genocide case when Bosnia neighbouring Myanmar are living. government said. “Gambia is taking this action Param-Preet Singh, associate Rohingya as a group”. fi led yet. brought a lawsuit against Serbia A ship was to sail to St Martin’s Gambia said it was acting on to seek justice and account- international justice director at Gambia said it had “stepped UN investigators have also over the confl ict in the former Island yesterday to rescue 1,200 behalf of the 57-nation Organi- ability for the genocide being HRW, said the court’s “prompt up” to fi le the case on behalf of called on the UN Security Yugoslavia in the 1990s. mostly local tourists who have sation of Islamic Co-opera- committed by Myanmar against adoption of provisional meas- the rest of the OIC. Tambadou Council to refer Myanmar to the That case ended in 2007 with been stranded there for days, said tion (OIC) in bringing the case the Rohingya,” Justice Minister ures could help stop the worst is a former genocide prosecu- Hague-based ICC or to set up a Serbia being held to have failed Saiful Islam, the administrative against Myanmar before the Abubacarr Tambadou said in a ongoing abuses” in Myanmar. tor at the International Crimi- tribunal, like for the former Yu- to prevent genocide during the head of Teknaf sub-district. International Court of Justice statement. The lawsuit asks the ICJ to nal Tribunal for Rwanda and goslavia and Rwanda, but again 1995 Srebrenica massacre and The cyclone season in the Bay (ICJ) in The Hague. The court is expected to hold “order Myanmar to cease and has visited Rohingya camps in no action has yet been taken. of failing to cooperate with war of Bengal can last from April to The lawsuit accuses Myan- its fi rst hearings in December on desist from its genocidal acts, Bangladesh. The ICJ was set up in 1946 af- crimes tribunals. December. (Reuters) Australian citizen jailed Lanka minister in Vietnam for ‘terrorism’ slams Facebook

AFP years, and Tran Van Quyen who duct human rights research over ‘censorship’ Hanoi was sentenced to 10 years, both and meet with activist and civil on the same charges. society contacts, Viet Tan said. AFP “In court Kham said he did not Prosecutors accused him Colombo ietnam jailed a dissident conduct any terrorist acts, his of giving money to Vien and with Australian citizen- activities were peaceful,” Phuc spreading information about Vship for 12 years yesterday told AFP after the one-day trial Viet Tan in Vietnam, according senior Sri Lankan min- on terrorism charges, his law- in Ho Chi Minh City. to state media. ister accused social yer said, in the one-party state “Twelve years is too high,” Kham has been a member of Amedia giant Facebook where anti-government criti- Phuc said, adding that Kham had the banned anti-government Chau Van Kham, left, escorted for trial in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday. yesterday of censoring com- cism is routinely quashed. hoped for a sentence of less than Viet Tan group since 2010. ments he made question- Chau Van Kham, who fought 10 years. It is run by members who are ment Monday, accusing Vietnam a Facebook friend of Kham. ing the citizenship of presi- against the communists dur- His son said he was “shocked” mostly overseas since Hanoi of “criminalising human rights Quyen was accused of making dential election frontrunner ing the Vietnam War, belongs to by the verdict, which could see designated it a terrorist organi- advocacy”. fake IDs for Viet Tan members, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. the outlawed Viet Tan group and his father remain in jail until sation in 2016, accusing it of Kham is a former Navy serv- but the group says it has no as- The nationality of Rajapak- was in Vietnam for a fact-fi nding he is over 80 if his appeal is not “instigating violence”. iceman who fought on the side sociation with him. sa, brother of former strong- Harin Fernando speaks during mission when he was arrested in successful. Viet Tan denies the claim of the south during the Vietnam Communist Vietnam fre- man president Mahinda, is a a press conference. January. “It’s the worst possible out- and says it “advocates for social War, fl eeing on a boat in 1983 quently jails its critics, and a key issue ahead of voting Sat- The 70-year-old was jailed come,” Dennis Chau said from justice and democratic change after the fall of Saigon – now conservative regime in power urday as Sri Lankan law pro- “American companies for “terrorism against the Peo- Britain, where he lives. through peaceful means”. called Ho Chi Minh City – and since 2016 has cracked down on hibits dual citizens from hold- shouldn’t interfere on behalf ple’s Administration” and will Kham and Vien were ar- The group called for the men eventually settling in Australia, activists in the one-party state. ing elected offi ce. of an American contesting be deported after he serves his rested on January 13 in Ho Chi to be released immediately. where his wife and another son Scores are currently behind Communications Minis- a SL election. I stand by my sentence, his lawyer Trinh Vinh Minh City, two days after Kham “We challenge the Vietnam- now live. bars, an increasing number for ter Harin Fernando asked in every word,” he tweeted. Phuc said. entered Vietnam overland via ese government to provide any His co-defendant Vien be- posting on Facebook since a con- a Facebook post on his offi - A Facebook spokesperson Kham was jailed alongside Cambodia. evidence linking them to ‘ter- longs to the Brotherhood for troversial cybersecurity law was cial ministry page on Sunday said they routinely took down Nguyen Van Vien, who got 11 He was in the country to con- rorism’,” Viet Tan said in a state- Democracy group and was passed last year. whether Rajapaksa should be any posts containing personal allowed to stand, suggesting or confi dential information. he was still a US national. “We remove this content “Is Mr Rajapaksa legally whenever we become aware of able to contest at a presiden- it,” the company said. Boats race tial election in Sri Lanka?” Last month, Facebook founder Arrest warrant Fernando asked in the now- Mark Zuckerberg said it would deleted post. not censor political speech. “If elected, will he be able to “I don’t think most people take oaths and discharge the want to live in a world where issued for offi cial duties of the offi ce?” you can only post things that Gotabhaya became a US cit- tech companies judge to be izen in 2003, giving up his Sri 100% true,” he said. Lanka passport after migrat- Rajapaksa’s nationality is over murder of ing to Los Angeles following a also the subject of a police in- 20-year military career. vestigation, but the next court He returned to Colombo hearing will only be held after in 2005, when he says he re- the election. Thai activist claimed Sri Lankan citizen- If he wins the vote he would ship and was appointed de- be immune from prosecution AFP Ethnic Karen leader Por fence secretary in his brother’s during his term. Bangkok Cha Lee Rakcharoen administration. Social media has been abuzz went missing in April Gotabhaya insists he re- with speculation about Ra- 2014 while working on a nounced US citizenship in japaksa’s citizenship, while hailand has issued an lawsuit accusing offi cials of May this year. a copy of a purportedly can- arrest warrant for a destroying homes in Kaeng Fernando said Facebook celled US passport shown Tpark offi cial implicated Krachan national park took down the post from his by his lawyers has been in the disappearance of an ac- offi cial ministry page on Sun- challenged as fake. tivist more than fi ve years ago, say one thing and another say day, and he repeated the alle- The US embassy in Colom- a rare reversal months after another thing.” gations on Twitter while com- bo has declined to comment the discovery of the victim’s The warrants are the lat- plaining he had been censored. on the issue. charred remains shed new est dramatic development in The same post was still vis- Rajapaksa and current light on the case. a case that has haunted family ible on his private Facebook Housing Minister Sajith Pre- Ethnic Karen leader Por members. Cambodian people watch dragon boats race during the Water Festival on the Tonle Sap river in page, however, including a madasa, are the leading candi- Cha Lee Rakcharoen – known In April divers found a burnt Phnom Penh yesterday. screenshot of what he claimed dates in a fi eld of 35 contesting as Billy – went missing in fragment of a skull stuff ed in was Rajapaksa’s US passport. Saturday’s election. April 2014 while working on an oil drum in a reservoir in- a lawsuit accusing offi cials of side the park. destroying homes in Kaeng Forensic tests established it Krachan national park. belonged to Billy, confi rming The park chief at the time, the worst fears of his widow Chaiwat Limlikitaksor, was and fi ve children. Cambodian leader meets envoys after house arrest lifted one of the last people to see At a tearful memorial in him alive, after Billy was de- September, the family ex- Reuters grip for more than three decades. ment in the vote. tained for apparently collect- pressed hope justice would be Phnom Penh It also came days after self- “I regret that his liberties ing honey illegally. served by the Department of exiled opposition party founder have been denied these past At the time Chaiwat insisted Special Investigation, Thai- Sam Rainsy increased public two years,” Murphy told report- he let him go and has denied land’s equivalent of the FBI. ambodian opposition scrutiny on Hun Sen in a high- ers after meeting Sokha, calling any involvement in his disap- Rights groups say Billy’s leader Kem Sokha met profi le return to the region from for the government to drop the pearance. He was later moved case sweeps across several Cthe French and US am- Paris. He had said he would go to charges and restore the opposi- to run a larger national park. problems plaguing activists in bassadors yesterday after his Cambodia despite facing arrest, tion leader’s political freedom. But Thailand’s corruption the country, including impu- house arrest was lifted, although but stopped in Malaysia. He also raised the cases of court yesterday approved ar- nity for forced disappearanc- he remains charged with treason Cambodian authorities have dozens of others arrested in a rest warrants for Chaiwat and es, environmental destruction and is banned from politics and arrested about 50 of Sokha’s sweeping crackdown. three other park offi cials on and the rights of indigenous leaving the country. banned opposition party sup- “We urge that they be freed, charges including premedi- groups. US ambassador W Patrick porters and other activists this that they be allowed whether tated murder, detention and Billy was Karen, an ethnic Murphy praised Sokha’s release year, accusing them of plotting a they are inside the country or robbery, the Department of minority from eastern Myan- and urged the government to coup to overthrow Hun Sen. outside the country, to partici- Special Investigation said. mar many of whom fl ed mili- also free dozens of others who US envoy Murphy said it was pate, so that their voices can be Premeditated murder car- tary abuses for neighbouring have been jailed in a crackdown a “source of joy” to meet Sokha, heard,” he said. ries the death sentence in Thailand. by the government of Prime 66, who was arrested on treason Earlier, Sokha met French am- Thailand. Thailand is among the most Minister Hun Sen. charges in 2017 shortly before bassador Eva Nguyen Binh. The US ambassador to Cambodia Patrick Murphy, left, shakes hands with former When contacted by AFP, deadly places in Asia for envi- Sokha’s house arrest was lifted his Cambodia National Rescue two made no statement after the opposition leader Kem Sokha at his home in Phnom Penh yesterday. Chaiwat sounded calm and ronmental and rights defend- as the European Union consid- Party (CNRP) was dissolved by meeting. said he planned to turn him- ers and the United Nations ers whether to cut preferential the Supreme Court in the run- Sokha did not speak to report- allowed him to speak in public. trade preferences granted under self in on Tuesday. has counted over 80 cases of trade terms with Cambodia after a up to last year’s general election. ers, saying he was not sure if the The crackdown on Cambo- an “Everything But Arms” (EBA) “The legal process will disappearances in the country crackdown by Prime Minister Hun Hun Sen’s ruling party went terms of his release by the Phnom dia’s opposition prompted the trade programme for least- start, now not one person will since 1980. Sen, who has ruled with an iron on to win every seat in parlia- Penh Municipal Court on Sunday European Union to reconsider developed countries. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 13 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Former Malaysian PM ‘shocked’ over court’s decision not to acquit

DPA his defence in a trial that con- proceed. “We were expecting an ternational graft probe spanning defence on all seven charges, ac- has seen 57 prosecution witness- years since the country’s inde- Singapore nects him to a sweeping scandal acquittal,” Najib’s lead counsel multiple countries - including cording to local media. Najib told es take the stand, and the sub- pendence from the British. Police involving the pilfering of billions Shafee Abdullah told reporters Singapore, Switzerland and the the court he would take the stand mission of 750 exhibits including raids on Najib’s private residenc- of dollars from the sovereign at the High Court after the judg- US - over allegations that high- in his defence, and is expected to bank documents related to Na- es following the election yielded ormer Malaysian prime wealth fund 1Malaysia Develop- ment was pronounced. ranking Malaysian offi cials had do so on December 3. jib’s bank accounts, cash trans- more than 270 million dollars’ minister Najib Razak was ment Berhad (1MDB), state news An acquittal would have al- been siphoning an estimated “Until now, only prosecution actions, minutes of meetings and worth of foreign currency, ex- F‘shocked’ to hear he would agency Bernama reported. lowed Najib to walk free. Najib $4.5bn of public money from the witnesses have been called and his Blackberry Messenger chats. pensive jewellery, luxury hand- not be acquitted of the charges Judge Mohamed Nazlan said has been standing trial since fund. this time, defence witnesses will Widespread public anger over bags and watches. against him at a trial linked to the the prosecution had established April for the charges, which in- Former premier Najib, his wife be given a chance to give a clear the alleged misappropriation of Najib has since been slapped alleged multibillion-dollar fraud suffi cient evidence against Na- volved transactions totalling Rosmah Mansor and some of his picture and to prove that I am funds during Najib’s term led to with a dozens of charges of mon- involving a government fund, his jib on all seven counts of crimi- 42mn ringgit ($10mn) from state closest family members and aides innocent,” Najib wrote in a Fa- his ouster from the premiership ey laundering, corruption and lawyers said. nal breach of trust, corruption development fund 1MBD to his have emerged as central fi gures in cebook post yesterday. “This is a in the 2018 general elections, criminal breach of trust for his A Malaysian court ordered the and money laundering, thereby personal bank account. the scandal. The judge ordered chance to clear my name in court ending his political party’s un- alleged involvement in the scan- former prime minister to enter paving the way for his trial to 1MDB is at the centre of an in- the former premier to enter his soon,” he added. So far the trial interrupted hold on power in 60 dal. Sydney region faces major bushfi re threat

AFP Sydney

ydney residents were warned of “catastrophic” Sdanger and a state of emer- gency was declared yesterday as Australia girded for a fresh wave of devastating bushfi res. For the fi rst time, Australia’s largest city and the surround- ing area faced the top level of fi re warning — with authorities warning “lives and homes will be at risk”. “There is nothing built or designed to withstand ... cata- strophic” conditions, said Shane Fitzsimmons, commissioner of the rural fi re service for New South Wales state, which en- compasses Sydney. High temperatures and strong winds were expected to cre- ate tinderbox conditions today, prompting state premier Gladys The burnt-out remains of cars and property belonging to Art Murphy and his wife Shirley are seen following Berejiklian to declare the seven- bushfires in Old Bar, 350km north of Sydney yesterday. day state of emergency. More than 350 schools will be livestock away from the poten- closed, a broad fi re ban has been tial path of the fi res. put in place and the military is “Tomorrow is about protect- providing logistic support for ing life, protecting property and fi refi ghters. Three people have ensuring everybody is safe as died, thousands have been dis- possible,” said Berejiklian. placed and more than 150 homes Some communities faced the destroyed by dozens of out- threat of fresh blazes even as of-control blazes in the state’s they picked up the pieces from north. In the last few months, the last one. roughly 11,000sq km — an area In Old Bar, fi refi ghters were larger than Jamaica or Kosovo — back-burning to starve the has been scorched, according to fi re of fuel, while helicopters the New South Wales fi re service. dropped water from overhead. Conditions eased yesterday “There (are) unburned pock- and some residents were able to ets of land, so we have actu- return home, although a heavy ally... burnt it out so it doesn’t haze lingered over many fi re-hit pose a threat in the next couple regions. of days,” said fi refi ghter Brett A firefighter talks to residents in Old Bar yesterday. A helicopter drops water on spot fires in Old Bar, 350km north of Sydney yesterday. The Blue Mountains to Syd- Slavin. Shirley Murphy, 82, re- ney’s west, the wine-producing turned from evacuation and said eastern Australia, creating dan- worse as summer gets closer”. adding that level had already arguments about the threat from governing coalition, drew ire for Hunter Valley to the north as she was “very lucky” to have her gerous conditions for the out- As well as the direct risk from been breached in multiple loca- climate change and fresh criti- suggesting now was not the time well as the Illawarra region to home still standing. break and spread of wildfi res. fi re, Read said there will be a tions, including Sydney. Haze cism of the conservative govern- to talk about the climate. “We the city’s south are expected to “You can rebuild a home but Many fi res have been burning broader risk associated with was reported as far away as New ment’s refusal to curb the use of don’t need the ravings of some be the hardest hit. In the town you can’t rebuild lives.” since October, which accord- smoke haze. “An air quality in- Caledonia, almost 1,500km fossil fuels. pure, enlightened and woke cap- of Rainbow Flat, emergency Months of drought have ing to Paul Read, an expert at dex (AQI) above 300 is consid- across the Coral Sea. Deputy Prime Minister ital-cities greenies at this time, services were cutting down trees sapped moisture from the earth Monash University, was “much ered hazardous to everybody, The severity of the fi res so Michael McCormack, leader of when (people) are trying to save and trying to open roads to get and vegetation across much of earlier than usual and will get not just the vulnerable,” he said, early in the season has sparked the rural National Party in the their homes,” he said.

Man pokes crocodile in Remembrance Day eye to survive Shooting of protester leads to mauling in Australia spiral in Hong Kong violence An Australian was able to free himself from the jaws of a crocodile, poking it Reuters Police fi red tear gas in the nar- and People’s Liberation Army in gun to his head. The man in white in the eye near a remote Hong Kong row streets of the Central busi- Hong Kong,” Hu Xijin wrote on escapes. A friend visited the cattle station on the north- ness district where some protest- his blog. “They can go into Hong wounded man in hospital. “My eastern tip of Australia, ers, crouching behind umbrellas, Kong to provide support any friend didn’t actually attack the local media reported yes- ong Kong police shot and blocked streets as offi ce work- time.” police or do anything,” Rigan, terday. The 54-year-old off - critically wounded a pro- ers crowded the pavements and Police fi red live rounds at close 19, said. “They just shot him. My duty ranger had his arms Htester and a man was set hurled anti-government abuse. range at protesters in Sai Wan Ho friend is optimistic, friendly and and legs ripped open after on fi re yesterday as the territory Some passersby took cover in- on the eastern side of Hong Kong willing to help others.” being attacked by the croc- spiralled into violence, prompt- side the Landmark mall, one of island and one 21-year-old pro- The man fell just a couple of odile on Sunday evening ing a warning from a Chinese the oldest and most expensive, tester was wounded. Police said metres from a large makeshift at Captain Billy’s Landing editor that the mainland People’s as volley after volley of tear gas the victim was in critical condi- memorial to a student who died in Queensland’s Cape York Liberation Army could step in at rained down. There have been tion. Anson Yip, 36, said protest- from a fall in a car park last week, Peninsula, Australian news any time. almost daily protests in Hong ers were building a road block the blood staining the street next agency AAP said. The Protesters also threw pet- Kong, sometimes with no no- when police ran to the scene. to candles, fl owers, and anti- man was fly-fishing alone rol bombs at police on univer- tice, but it was rare for tear gas “They didn’t fi ght and the police government posters. on a riverbank when the sity campuses after a weekend to be fi red during working hours ran and directly shot. There were The live rounds fired by po- crocodile lunged out of the of clashes at shopping malls in Central, lined with bank head- three sounds, like ‘pam, pam, lice are clear evidence of reck- water, bit him on the leg across the territory, marking a quarters and top-brand shops at pam’,” Yip said. less use of force,” Amnesty and latched onto his hand. dramatic escalation in more than the foot of Victoria Peak. Some Video footage showed polysty- International Hong Kong said He then poked the deadly fi ve months of often violent pro- offi ces closed early and workers rene boxes and other debris lit- in a statement, demanding an reptile in the eye to get it democracy unrest. headed home. tering a cross-section and block- investigation. “Another police- to let him go, according to Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam China has a garrison of up to ing traffi c. A protester wearing a man was seen driving at high paramedics. “The patient said the “rioters” were destroy- 12,000 troops in Hong Kong who white hoodie and mask walks to- speed into a group of protest- was able to attack the eyes ing society and would not suc- have kept to barracks through- wards a policeman, as if to chal- ers on a motorbike. These are of the crocodile enough ceed in their demands with out the unrest, but it has vowed lenge him. The offi cer draws his not policing measures - these so the crocodile released violence in the “special admin- to crush any attempts at inde- gun and points it at him at close are officers out of control with its bite and the patient was istrative region” (SAR) of China. pendence, a demand for a very range and grabs him round the a mindset of retaliation.” able to get away from that “If there’s still any wishful think- small minority of protesters. The neck. Police said the motorcycling area,” said Superintendent ing that by escalating violence, editor in chief of China’s Global As the offi cer holds the man offi cer had been suspended. Warren Martin, who is with the Hong Kong SAR government Times tabloid, published by the with his left hand, he shoots Video images circulating online the Royal Flying Doctor Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New South Wales will yield to pressure, to satisfy state-owned People’s Daily, said another approaching masked also showed a man dousing pet- Service, an air ambulance premier Gladys Berejiklian lay wreaths during a Remembrance the so-called political demands, Hong Kong police had nothing to protester at close range with his rol on another and setting him on service. After freeing Day Service at Martin Place in Sydney yesterday. At the 11th I’m making this statement clear be scared of. right hand. Three shots ring out fi re outside Ma On Shan Plaza in himself, the man drove by hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month, Australians, veterans and and loud here: that will not hap- “You have the backing of not and the man falls to the ground. the New Territories. Engulfed in himself for an hour before their families will gather across the country to mark the end of pen,” she said in one of her most only Hong Kong and Chinese The fallen man is pinned to the fl ames, the man was able to rip he was able get help from World War I. defi ant televised addresses. people, but also Chinese soldiers ground by an offi cer holding a off his shirt and douse the blaze. his neighbour. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 BRITAIN/IRELAND

Johnson set to break pledge not to nominate EU commissioner

Guardian News and Media last week, asking him to propose Brexit extension, Johnson would in the European Union is com- will not nominate a UK com- approval of her team of commis- appointment as a member of the London a British candidate or candidates comply, albeit reluctantly and at ing to an end, and that reality missioner for the new commis- sioners in the European parlia- commission”, as part of a promise for EU commissioner “rapidly, in the last minute. needs to be recognised by all sion taking offi ce on December ment. She needs to fi ll four EU not to undermine the workings of the shortest time possible”. In his fi rst address to the parties. Indeed, today there are 1 – under no circumstances – commissioner vacancies, includ- the EU. oris Johnson’s govern- Johnson’s spokesman said House of Commons after be- very many brilliant UK officials although clearly that is not in- ing the UK’s. However, lawyers for the EU ment appears to be pre- yesterday the government would coming prime minister in July, trapped in meeting after meet- tended to stop the EU appointing Under EU law, each member institutions have concluded that Bparing to nominate an comply with the law. “The UK Johnson told MPs that “under no ing in Brussels and Luxem- a new commission.” state must nominate a candidate even if the UK – or any other EU commissioner, potentially meets its legal obligations, and circumstances” would he nomi- bourg, when their talents could With less than 12 hours until or candidates to become Euro- member state – failed to off er a breaching another Brexit prom- our offi cials remain in regular nate a new commissioner – a be better deployed in preparing the lapse of an informal deadline pean commissioner, a rule sup- candidate, Von der Leyen could ise after he failed to meet his contact with the president- promise aimed at signalling his to pioneer new free trade deals for the UK to submit its nomi- ported by Theresa May at her still take offi ce. But sources say “do or die” deadline to leave on elect’s team,” the spokesman determination to leave the EU or promoting a truly global nee, Brussels said it had not yet last EU summit in June. When she must ask the UK for a com- October 31. said. on October 31. He also promised Britain,” he said. received a letter from British au- Johnson was granted an exten- missioner. “It’s not for us to The incoming president of the That appeared to suggest that, to “unshackle” offi cials from EU “I want to start unshackling thorities. sion last month, he also agreed decide not to have a UK com- commission, Ursula von der Ley- as with the Benn act that obliged meetings. our offi cials to undertake this Von der Leyen hopes to take that the UK would have “the ob- missioner. We have to follow the en, wrote to the prime minister the prime minister to request a “Our national participation new mission right away, so we offi ce on December 1, pending ligation to suggest a candidate for rules,” an EU source said. Greens stand Brexit Party aside to help not to contest Labour

Guardian News and Media London Tory-held Green party candidate has withdrawn in a sec- A ond marginal seat tar- geted by Labour, prompting speculation that more Greens could step aside as part of an seats: Farage informal anti-Conservative alliance not sanctioned by the Guardian News and Media promises on delivering Brexit, at €1.168. Sterling was also up central party. London and getting Brexit Party MPs into a cent against the US dollar at Andrew Johns, the Green can- parliament to keep the pressure $1.288. didate in Chingford and Wood- on him. City traders are calculating ford Green, the constituency igel Farage has said the “We are going to keep saying: that a hung parliament is now held since 1992 by the former Brexit Party will not fi eld remember you told us we were less likely – although the Brexit Conservative leader Iain Dun- Nany candidates against leaving at the end of 2020. Re- party will still be competing in can Smith, was “tactically with- the Conservatives in the 317 seats member you told us we’re not Conservative target seats. drawing” to help Labour take the they won at the last general elec- going to have political align- Other political parties were seat, a statement on the local tion, after Boris Johnson com- ment. He will know, just as May’s quick to criticise the move, with party’s website said. mitted to leaving the EU by 2020 vote disappeared in the European Ian Lavery, the chair of the La- It comes little more than a and pursuing a Canada-style elections of this year, the same bour party, saying Johnson had week after the Greens stood trade deal. will happen again if a British formed an alliance with Farage down their candidate in the Farage said his party’s climb- prime minister breaks fi rm com- and in effect Donald Trump, West Yorkshire seat of Calder down came after months of try- mitments and promises made to with whom he has a close rela- Valley, held by the Conservative ing to create a Leave alliance with the British people. tionship. Craig Whittaker with a majority the Tories, but he felt it was time “I have got no great love for Lavery said: “This is a Farage of 609 over Labour. In the 2017 to put the country before his par- the Conservative party at all, but and Johnson alliance with Don- election, the Greens took 631 ty and make a “unilateral” move. I can see right now that by giving ald Trump to sell out our country votes. He will announce on Friday Boris half a chance … and stop- and send £500mn per week from There will be increased pres- in which seats the Brexit Party ping the fanatics in the Liberal our NHS to US drugs compa- sure for more such local agree- is standing. Speculation con- Democrats – they even want to nies.” ments after the Brexit Party tinues over where the party will revoke the result of the refer- Ed Davey, the deputy leader announced it would not fi eld stand but it is not expected to run endum – I think our action, our of the Liberal Democrats, said: candidates in any seats won by in Northern Ireland or parts of announcement today, prevents “Farage standing down shows the Conservatives in the last Scotland. a second referendum from hap- the Conservatives and the Brexit election in an informal Brexit- As he spelled out his general pening.” Party are now one and the same. based alliance. election strategy at a rally in Farage said he had been re- Johnson’s hard-right Brexit Duncan Smith formerly had Hartlepool, which voted 70% to assured after Johnson said he takeover of the Tory party has a majority of more than 10,000 leave the EU, Farage said he had would not accept an extension of now been endorsed by both in his seat in north-east London concluded that if the Brexit Party the transition period for Britain Trump and Farage.” but in 2017 this fell to 2,400. The had stood a candidate in every leaving the EU beyond the end of Some people in the audi- Greens took 1,200 votes then. seat it could split the vote and 2020. ence sighed with disappoint- Labour has been heavily tar- usher in dozens of Liberal Demo- The prime minister has also ment when the decision was geting Chingford and Woodford crat MPs and, in turn, create the said he will negotiate a “super announced. However, a local Green, where the party’s candi- circumstances for a second ref- Canada-plus” trade deal with supporter called Dave Paul said date is Faiza Shaheen, an econo- erendum. no political alignment, which he trusted Farage’s strategy: mist and activist who is from the He said: “The Brexit Party is closer to what Leave voters “He’s Mr Brexit. We are right be- area. will not contest the 317 seats want. hind Nigel.” In a statement, Johns said that the Conservatives won at the Farage, who is not stand- Alice Burke, from Buck- while Labour and the Greens still last election. We will concen- ing for election himself, said inghamshire, who was in the had diff erences he had decided trate our total effort into all he had been offered a peerage area and decided to attend the to stand down after Shaheen the seats that are held by the by the government on Friday Hartlepool rally, said: “My ex- agreed to work with his party Labour party, who have com- but turned it down. Specula- perience of Nigel is he’s a well against airport expansions and pletely broken their manifesto tion will continue as to what he thought-through strategist. to curb carbon emissions. pledge in 2017 to respect the re- or his party will get out of the He’s probably agonised over “Iain Duncan Smith has dem- sult of the referendum, and we decision to stand down parlia- this decision but he’s got the onstrated through his horren- will also take on the rest of the mentary candidates. courage to stand up for what he dous record on welfare that he Remainer parties. We will stand Farage’s announcement lifted believes in. does not care for people who are Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage (right) and Hartlepool parliamentary candidate and Brexit Party chairman, up and fight them all.” sterling on the foreign exchange “I don’t think he looks weak. struggling to make ends meet,” Richard Tice visit the Headland War memorial in Hartlepool, northeast England yesterday during a general He said this strategy was reli- markets. The pound hit a six- It’s a well thought-out strategy. Johns said. election campaign visit. ant on Johnson sticking to his month high against the euro, He can’t please everybody.” Tory pledge on Troubles Labour promises inquiries draws criticism ‘managed migration’ Guardian News and Media a Labour government left the EU, London the post-departure immigration Guardian News and Media Ben Wallace, the UK’s de- said he would not support the policy would include controls on London fence secretary, said the elec- move, and Sinn Fein’s Linda Dil- EU nationals, although those al- tion pledge was not an amnesty lon described it as “unaccept- Labour government would ready in the UK would face no re- but would protect veterans from able”. introduce “managed mi- strictions. reland has expressed concern “vexatious” legal action. The SDLP leader, Colum East- Agration” for EU nationals The party’s Brexit policy would over a Conservative party He told BBC Radio 4’s Today wood, said the party would op- in the event Brexit happens, the be to try to swiftly renegotiate a Ipledge to change the law to programme that confl icts be- pose “any proposals aimed at shadow foreign secretary, Emily departure deal that included cus- protect former soldiers in North- tween diff erent pieces of inter- erasing the ability of victims and Thornberry, has said as the party toms union membership and ac- ern Ireland from possible pros- national law had led to “contin- survivors to access truth, justice continues to debate what immi- cess to the single market. ecution over deaths during the ued, repeated” inquests. Up to and accountability”, regardless gration policy to off er at the elec- “If we leave the European Union Troubles. 1,000 former personnel face be- of their allegiances. “If this ap- tion. then what we want to have is fair The Tories have promised to ing questioned as witnesses in 70 pears in Boris Johnson’s mani- Labour’s campaign coordina- rules and managed migration. But end what they describe as “un- inquests. festo, it makes a mockery of the tor, Andrew Gywnne, said Labour those people who were here al- fair trials” of soldiers accused “How do we make sure that unreserved apology off ered by would seek to strike “reciprocal ready, we will guarantee that they of unlawful killings in Northern soldiers are not above the law David Cameron following the agreements with the EU27 that al- will be allowed to stay,” she said. Ireland by amending the Human but that vexatious claims don’t publication of the Saville inquiry low British citizens to enjoy some Asked how this squared with a Rights Act to exclude any case trigger continued investigations report,” he said. of the freedoms that they will lose motion passed at Labour’s con- dating from before the act came time and time again into the same Legal commentators have said as a result of Brexit”. ference in September seeking to into force in 2000. people? That is unfair to our sol- any move to amend the Human In an article in the Times yester- “maintain and extend free move- Ireland’s deputy prime minis- diers and people who’ve gone Rights Act would put the UK on day, the senior Conservative min- ment rights” for EU citizens, ter, Simon Coveney, tweeted yes- out to defend us, whether that’s collision course with the Europe- ister Michael Gove argued that a Thornberry said: “I think we’ll terday: “This is very concerning. in Iraq, Afghanistan or Northern an court of human rights. Signa- Jeremy Corbyn government would need to wait and see what comes There is no statute of limitations, Ireland,” Wallace said. tories to the European conven- place pressure on public services out of the manifesto, but I can cer- no amnesty, for anyone who The campaign promise was tion on human rights are obliged with free movement, calling the tainly say that the thinking within committed crimes in Northern criticised by some Northern Ire- to conduct investigations where idea “extreme, dangerous and out of the Labour party is that if we’re Ireland. The law must apply to land parties. Doug Beattie, an there has been a loss of life as a Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visits Stonehaven with touch with the British people”. going to leave the European Union all, without exception, to achieve Ulster Unionist member of the result of use of force by agents of candidate Fergus Mutch on the campaign trail yesterday. But asked about this by BBC Ra- we will have fair rules and man- reconciliation.” legislative assembly in Stormont, the state. dio 5 live, Thornberry said that if aged migration.” Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 15

BRITAIN BA to review ‘fuel tankering’ after Panorama revelations Carrying excess fuel saves but drives up CO2 emissions. The information of excess fuel an additional 600kg of CO2 was in the environmental impact of that airlines save a total €265mn Ryanair as “woefully inadequate”. airlines on fuel bills but has Willie Walsh, chief executive carriage came from a BA insider emitted. that. (£229mn) a year through us- Passengers can pay a voluntary adverse environmental of BA’s parent company IAG, during a BBC Panorama investi- Speaking to analysts last week, “Clearly the fi nancial savings ing the practice within Europe €1 donation when booking. impact admitted that using the method gation. Walsh said BA often did fuel incentivise us to do tankering. – but at the cost of an additional Simon Lewis, professor of – called “fuel tankering” within IAG recently tried to burnish tankering in order to save money, But maybe that’s the wrong thing 901,000 tonnes of CO2. global change science at Uni- Guardian News and Media the industry – was “maybe the its environmental credentials citing the example of Glasgow to do.” John Sauven, Greenpeace UK’s versity College London, said London wrong thing to do” despite the with a commitment to become airport where jet fuel is 25% more BA said that its fuel tankering executive director said it was a that tree planting schemes fi nancial incentive behind the the fi rst airline group worldwide expensive than at Heathrow. generated 18,000 tonnes of ad- “classic example of a company funded by Ryanair in Ireland practice, because of its environ- to commit to net zero emissions However, Walsh said BA was ditional CO2 per year – less than putting profi t before planet … and Portugal would offset just ritish Airways has mental impact. by 2050. now considering its position on 0.1% of its overall emissions – they’ll happily pour extra fuel on 0.01% of the airline’s emissions. pledged to review its Critics said the widespread However, documents seen by the practice. “We continue to do and that it accounted for 2% of the fi re for a small boost to their He said: “To me, that’s a green Bpractice of making air- use of fuel tankering called into the BBC showed a recent BA fl ight tankering today. We’re challeng- tankering in Europe. profi t margin.” gimmick.” Michael O’Leary, craft carry tonnes of excess fuel question airlines’ commitment to Italy took on board nearly three ing that, we’re asking ourselves A report from Eurocontrol, Meanwhile, a climate expert Ryanair’s chief executive, told to avoid filling up at destination to reducing their impact on the tonnes of extra fuel: a cost sav- whether this is sustainable, and which co-ordinates air traffi c described a carbon off setting Panorama: “From little acorns airports, which saves money environment. ing of just £40 but which meant whether we should be pricing control for Europe, estimated scheme off ered to customers by grow mighty trees.” BBC set to strip 1mn vulnerable pensioners of free TV licence

Daily Mail The bar for being eligible for London this benefit is set quite high so by definition many among this group of a million-plus people ore than a million of are likely to have difficulty get- the most frail and vul- ting out and about. Mnerable pensioners “If you are in this position, face having to pay for their TV largely confined to your four licences next year, a charity has walls, TV is so much more than warned. a box in the corner, often acting The BBC – which is taking as your main source of news, over the cost of funding free TV entertainment and companion- licences for the over-75s from ship. It seems utterly heartless June – has said it will offer the to take a free licence away in benefit only to the very poor- this situation. est retirees who get Pension “We know that come next Credit. summer there will be older But research by the Age UK people, in every constituency, charity shows the huge impact who will be forced to spend an Homes in the village of Fishlake near Doncaster, northern England, yesterday, remained flooded following heavy rains and the River Don bursting its banks. the change will have on some of extra £154.50 a year they can ill the most in need elderly people. afford to buy a TV licence. It found that, of the 1.6mn “Linking a free licence to over-75s who claim either At- Pension Credit means hundreds tendance Allowance or Disabil- of thousands of the poorest ity Living Allowance, around a won’t get the help they bad- million will no longer get a free ly need and so risk having to TV licence. choose between giving up their Attendance Allowance is paid cherished TV or skimping on ‘Abandoned’ fl ood-hit to pensioners who have care heating or eating. Surely that’s needs because of physical or totally unacceptable.” mental disabilities, while Disa- Labour has promised to save bility Living Allowance is given free TV licences for all over- to those who have extra needs 75s if it wins power, while Boris for care or getting around be- Johnson has also said it is im- cause of their disability. portant the benefit is main- villagers slam council The BBC was given respon- tained and is said to have asked sibility for providing free TV his officials to find a way of Guardian News and Media And they said they have since and farmers caring for livestock. just fl oating about in my gar- the clock to help people aff ected licences as part of the 2015 keeping it. But there have been London been left with “no support” on the Louise Holling, who owns The den.” by fl ooding, while an RAF Chi- licence fee deal. It initially no specific details from No 10 ground from the local council. Old Butchers cafe, said: “We Builder Mark Sengelow, 47, nook helicopter was drafted in to agreed to pay but sparked fury on how this will be achieved. After the weather brought gave out coff ee and sandwiches woke up on Saturday morn- shore up fl ood defences. earlier this year when it said it Last week a House of Lords illagers whose homes have chaos to parts of Yorkshire, Not- to everyone who wanted them, ing to fi nd his house fi lled with Chief executive Damian Allen could no longer afford the full committee said the cost of been swamped with waist- tinghamshire and Derbyshire, but we’ve had no support at all 2ft of water. He said: “It stinks. said: “The council is unable to £745mn-a-year cost and was funding the free licences should Vdeep fl oodwater have ac- and with little sign of the wa- from Doncaster Council. My There’s debris and sewage in it. off er on-the-ground support to scaling back the benefit. never have been passed on to cused the authorities of abandon- ter subsiding, it is likely to be house is one of the few which It was heartbreaking to see the residents who are in severe fl ood With the general election in the BBC by the government. ing them. days until residents can start to wasn’t fl ooded. We’ve had 15 house ruined.” warning areas, based on advice the offing, Age UK is calling A BBC spokesman said: “It Fishlake, near Doncaster, was examine the damage. But with people staying. We can’t un- In the nearby market town of from the environment agency. on all political parties to make was the Government who de- cut off by its worst fl ooding in liv- forecasters warning of more derstand why the fl oods were so Stainforth, residents were pro- We have set up a dedicated a commitment in their mani- cided to stop funding free TV ing memory when the River Don heavy rain in the North today, bad. There are people who have viding supplies and support to rest centre for all Fishlake resi- festos to work with the BBC to licences for the over-75s and burst its banks. there were fears that other com- lived in the village for 90 years families who had abandoned dents in neighbouring Stain- ensure the benefit remains for Parliament gave responsibility About 700 residents were told munities could be devastated and they’ve never seen anything their homes. Mother-of-fi ve forth, where council offi cers are all over-75s. to the BBC to make a decision to evacuate after nearly a month’s too. like it.” Amy Grant, 27, said: “We’ve on hand to off er dedicated sup- Its charity director Caroline on the future of the scheme. worth of rain fell in a single day. In Fishlake, which was acces- Linda Bushell said she re- had donations from Sainsbury’s port, advice and guidance.” Abrahams said: ‘Attendance “We’ve reached the fair- But many said by the time fl ood sible only by boat or tractor yes- ceived a fl ood alert text message and McDonald’s but absolutely Seven severe ‘danger to life’ Allowance helps older disabled est decision we can in funding warnings had been issued and terday, residents joined together from the environment agency nothing from Doncaster council. fl ood warnings remained in people with some of the costs of free TV licences for the poorest sandbags handed out, it was al- to provide hot food and drinking only after the water was in her It’s terrible.” place, all along the River Don in their disabilities, enabling them pensioners, while protecting ready too late to save their proper- water for families who had been house. “It’s completely under Doncaster council insisted its Yorkshire, along with 40 active to stay independent for longer. BBC services.” ties from the fl ood. unwilling to leave their homes water,” she said. “Everything is staff had been working around fl ood warnings.

Photography project Man killed wife with Woman stabbed scalding oil, court told

Guardian News and Media nancial pressures put a strain on London their relationship at times. to death at shelter Witnesses said both had short tempers and “always argued, Daily Mail “There was a large slash (on the phone), but I didn’t know he owner of a chip shop in a swearing and shouting at each London wound across his throat – it was who he was so I didn’t let him Welsh village murdered his other”, Lewis said. In the months horrifi c.” in until he came back with the Twife by throwing a deep fat leading up to her death, Mavis’s The neighbour said the vic- police. Then I took them to the fryer containing scalding oil over friend, Caroline Morgan, re- woman was stabbed to tim was known as “Sam” and housing offi ce to get a spare set her, a jury has been told. ported that the relationship was death in an apparent mur- spoke with a foreign accent. The of keys. I feel terrible for ignoring Geoff rey Bran, 71, allegedly at- deteriorating, Lewis added. Ader-suicide at a supported man police believe killed her was the brother now.” tacked his wife, Mavis Bran, 69, He said: “Mavis would tel- housing complex for ‘vulnerable’ thought to be Somalian, and was Another neighbour said the at their business the Chipoteria ephone Caroline in tears saying, women. described as a “regular visitor” to victim moved in six months ago, in Hermon, Carmarthenshire. ‘He’s getting nasty,’ and that she Police were called to the fl at by the fl at. adding: “She was lovely. She She rang a friend and was scared of him.” the victim’s distraught brother, The neighbour said the couple didn’t deserve this.” A male visi- screamed: “Please help me, Another friend, Gareth Davies who said he had been called by had followed her into the con- tor to the block, which is owned please. Emergency, emergency, – who lived with the couple and the terrifi ed woman as she was verted Edwardian townhouse in by housing association Trident, please get here. Geoff has thrown also helped in the shop – said being attacked by a man. Moseley, Birmingham, just two said: “(The building) is one step boiling oil over me. Please get Mavis was in a “happy mood” on A neighbour told how she hours before she was confront- up from a hostel – the women here, I need you now. Help.” the morning of the incident. But helped police gain entry to the ed by the horrifi c scene. “They are given fl ats here to see if they She suff ered burns to 46% of at lunchtime he heard her shout: one-bedroom fl at, and saw the seemed happy enough,” she add- can cope with running a place on her body and died six days later, “I’ve been burnt” and “I’ve had 28-year-old woman’s body on ed. “They were smiling – I went their own, then they get moved the jury at Swansea crown court boiling hot fat all over me”. the lounge fl oor. The body of a into my fl at and they went into on. heard. Despite her injuries, she man- man, also 28, was slumped be- theirs opposite me. “People come and go from here Paul Lewis, prosecuting, said: aged to tell Davies that he needed hind the front door. The neigh- “I didn’t hear any screaming all the time.” “The terrible burns she suff ered to get some fi sh for customers. bour, who asked not to be identi- or shouting at all – I only real- Neighbour Diana West, 77, said were not the result of an ac- Geoff rey told a customer there fi ed, added: “I can’t get the sight ised there was a problem when the fl ats were used to accommo- cident, but were caused by her had been “a bit of an accident” of those bodies out of my mind. her brother turned up with the date ‘vulnerable women’, adding: husband deliberately pushing or and that his wife had burnt her- The police thought the door was police.” “It’s very quiet normally.” throwing over her a deep fat fryer self. chained at fi rst because they She said the brother had West Midlands Police con- which contained scalding oil.” Geoff rey Bran, of Hermon, was were having such diffi culty get- turned up at the property a short fi rmed that the pair were known The court was told the Brans, initially arrested on suspicion of ting in. But the reason became time earlier, begging to be let in. to each other but did not live to- British artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen poses at the who had been married for more assault but after his wife died apparent after they fi nally forced ‘He was ringing all of the buzz- gether, and said offi cers were not Tate Britain yesterday at the opening of a photographic than 30 years, came out of re- was rearrested and charged with the door open – the man was on ers saying his sister was in there looking for anyone else in con- project to take pictures of all Year 3 school children in tirement to start their roadside murder. He denies the off ence. the fl oor right behind the door. and he had heard her screaming nection with the deaths. London. cafe in south-west Wales but fi - The trial continues. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 EUROPE

Four hurt in French Spain’s repeat election quake

AFP Lyon fails to break deadlock n unusually strong earth- quake hit southeastern Reuters ensued after he failed to agree an his party are more open to co- however, meaning a mix of ab- failed independence bid in 2017, AFrance yesterday, injuring Madrid alliance with left-wing Unidas operation. stentions and more “yes” than putting the secessionist drive at four people, one of them seri- Podemos. “It’s time to unite Spaniards. “no” votes would suffi ce. the forefront of voters’ minds in ously, authorities said. Overall, a polarised electorate The political leaders can divide Market reaction to the elec- the election. A physicist at a geophysics in- he head of Spain’s cen- awarded neither right nor left- or look (to) ... build bridges,” a tion result was muted as the eu- Joining a nationalist wave in stitute the IPGP said that quakes tre-right Ciudadanos wing parties enough seats to visibly-moved Rivera said in his rozone’s fourth-largest econo- other parts of Europe, Vox has of this strength are rare in that Tquit yesterday after vot- govern with a majority in Sun- resignation speech. my remains on the growth path. benefi ted from vehement oppo- region, but warned of possi- ers deserted his party in droves, day’s ballot, Spain’s fourth since The rise of Vox, the fi rst far- But many voters were down- sition to the secessionist drive, ble aftershocks and said people potentially easing the way for a 2015. right party to get more than one beat. and its anti-immigrant stance should leave fragile buildings. Socialist-led government fol- However, the outcome – lawmaker since General Fran- “I think it (election) has been has also struck a chord. The quake, with a magnitude lowing a national election that played out against a tense back- cisco’s Franco’s Fascist regime a great blow to us all, because we Despite the extremist shift of 5.4, was felt in a vast area produced another fragmented drop overshadowed by a vio- ended with his death in 1975, are in the same place as before. on the right, the overall balance between the cities of Lyon and parliament. lence-tinged secessionist crisis may also concentrate minds on The same or even worse,” said of power between the left and Sanchez: To be confirmed as Montelimar which are about The Socialists said they would in Catalonia and a sharp rise in the left. Lola, a 62-year-old public serv- right has however changed little, prime minister in a first-round 150km (93 miles) apart, the na- to act fast to form a government support for far-right Vox – has Socialist Abalos ruled out ant. compared with the April elec- parliamentary vote, he would tional seismological offi ce said. after winning the most seats, left Spain’s political landscape another election, which he said The Catalan crisis also imme- tion. need an absolute majority. “I was leaning against the though they ended on three few- even more fragmented. would mean “an institutional diately reared its head as some The PP, which alternated in oven in my mother’s bakery er than they held after fi nishing The Socialists immediately failure”, and said Sanchez would 500 pro-independence protest- government with the Socialists abstain, but even if he did, we when I felt the tremor,” said Vic- fi rst in the previous election in ruled out a grand coalition with start calling other party leaders, ers blocked a border point be- for decades after Franco died, wouldn’t give it to him because toria Brielle, a resident in Privas, April. the conservative People’s Party saying that Ciudadanos could be tween France and the Spanish recovered from a disappointing we don’t trust him,” he said. some 25km from the quake’s epi- “We will try to keep our (PP), which fi nished second. a possible support. region on an important truck result in April to take 88 seats. Independent political ana- centre. promise to form a government But the resignation of Albert To be confi rmed as prime route stopping traffi c just hours Sanchez may need at least lyst Miguel-Anxo Murado said “A customer said her side- as quickly as possible because Rivera – whose market-friendly minister in a fi rst-round parlia- after the election. tacit support from the PP – Sanchez has failed to get enough board had moved and all her the country needs it,” said senior Ciudadanos shrank to just 10 mentary vote, Sanchez would Organisers said their goal was which refused to abstain in votes seats to force the far-left to back crockery was broken,” she said. Socialist offi cial Jose Luis Aba- parliamentary seats from 57 in need an absolute majority, im- to call upon the international on his premiership after the him without agreeing to a coali- Another resident in the area, los, expressing hope that it could April as Vox rose to 52 from 24 plying the support of left-wing community “to make the Span- April ballot – to be named prime tion. Didier Levy, who lives in a 15th take offi ce before the end of the – could off er Sanchez a helping Podemos and Mas Pais as well ish state understand that the minister. “No one has won,” he said. century castle, told AFP that year. hand. as Ciudadanos and several non- only way is to sit down to talk”. Senior PP offi cial Teodoro “The best success has been for “chandeliers were still trem- The party’s leader, acting pre- The Ciudadanos leader took separatist regional parties on top Catalonia has been rocked by Garcia Egea told Onda Cero ra- ... Vox, but this win does not bling” several minutes after the mier Pedro Sanchez, had gam- a hardline stance against co- of that. mass protests since long prison dio yesterday that Sanchez had give them any power ... It’s not quake. bled on a repeat ballot to try to operating with him following A second-round vote would sentences were handed down in not asked his party to do so. enough for the right-wing bloc Levy, who said his dog start- break the political deadlock that April’s election, but others in require only a qualifi ed majority, mid-October to nine leaders of a “Sanchez has not asked us to to form a government.” ing barking even before humans felt the tremors, added: “I have never experienced anything like it, I could feel the trembling even though these walls are 1m thick.” One person was seriously Swedish hurt when some scaff olding col- Germany kicks off carnival season lapsed, the regional prefect’s of- fi ce said. police set Three other people in the DPA neighbouring Ardeche region Cologne were slightly injured. up team Quakes in this region are rarely higher than Magnitude 5, oolery got underway yes- said Mustapha Meghraoui of the to combat terday in Germany’s car- IPGP’s offi ce in Strasbourg. Fnival bastions, with rev- ellers raising their glasses to the gang traditional start of the festivi- Greek students, ties at 11.11am on the 11th day of the 11th month. police clash over violence The cities of Cologne and school shutdown Mainz are the main carni- val bastions, but many other, Greek police fired teargas Reuters chiefl y Catholic, areas around yesterday at students protesting Stockholm Germany were also ushering against the shutdown of a in carnival – often dubbed the Members of a carnival dance group perform during an event to prominent Athens university that year’s “fi fth season”. celebrate the start of the carnival season at the city hall in Erfurt. authorities raided at the weekend wedish police said yester- In Mainz, jesters swayed to confiscate materials they said day that they would set around a fountain sculpture were typically used in violent Sup a special task force to honouring the carnival. Women in costume pose in front of the Cologne Cathedral as they demonstrations. deal with a wave of shootings In Dusseldorf, the traditional celebrate the start of the carnival season. It was the first time police and and bombings linked to criminal local fool known as Hoppeditz protesters had clashed inside gangs following the fatal shoot- awoke from the dead, after university premises since the ing of a 15-year old in the city of having been buried on Ash Conservative government’s Malmo at the weekend. Wednesday last year. abolition of academic sanctuary Sweden has long held a repu- In Cologne, a new carnival earlier this year. tation as being one of the safest triumvirate took offi ce to over- With about 200 students countries in the world and while see the festivities. rallying outside the University of overall crime and murder rates The city’s police said that it Economics and Business, several remain low, gang wars in major had deployed 1,000 offi cers to dozen broke through the locked cities have claimed an increas- prevent excesses. gate and entered the front yard, ing number of victims in recent The fact that the carnival witnesses said. years. season kicked off on a Monday Police fired gas and firecrackers On Saturday, two 15-year-olds did not dampen spirits, with a to disperse them, as some were shot outside a pizza restau- Cologne police spokesman say- students threw stones and rant in Malmo in what police said ing that the number of visitors scuff led with off icers while others appeared to be a gang confl ict was high. clapped and chanted slogans. over control of the drug trade in Full-body costumes helped Fools in clown costume mark On Sunday, police had entered the area. protect revellers from the cold city hall to fools for a day. the start of the carnival season the university to grab motorbike “The weekend was a black weather. The carnival season culmi- in Duesseldorf. helmets, face masks, fire weekend for Malmo and for the In Cottbus, hundreds of fools nates in February with proces- extinguishers and other materials Malmo police,” Malmo police marked the start of the fi fth sions on Shrove Monday. Right: The ‘Mainzer they said were used in attacks chief Stefan Sinteus said. season with a loud “Helau!” In The fun ends on Ash Schwellkpp’ (Mainz’s ‘Swollen and protests. The attack was preceded by a Potsdam, Mayor Mike Schubert Wednesday, when the 40-day Heads’) carnival characters, University authorities decided to large car bomb about a mile away symbolically handed over the Lent fasting season begins. walk through a crowd in Mainz. shut it for a week. which police believe was intend- ed to divert their attention. Following the attack, the po- lice’s Department of National Operations said they had set up a task force with a nationwide Turkey begins deporting IS detainees to home countries mandate to fi ght gang activities, to be called Operation Hoarfrost. Sweden has been hit by a surge Reuters/DPA other Germans, and 11 French who was extradited from Turkey While German and Dan- warning that it could hinder the in gang violence in recent years Ankara citizens. yesterday has been arrested on ish authorities have confi rmed fi ght against IS. with police saying last week that “Eff orts to identify the na- arrival in Denmark, police say. they were aware of the Turkish Turkey has rejected those there had been 187 bomb attacks tionalities of foreign fi ghters He is due to face a pre-trial plans, French Defence Minister concerns and vowed to combat so far this year, up from 152 in the urkey said yesterday that captured in Syria have been detention hearing today at Co- Florence Parly said she was not IS with its allies. whole of 2018. it had deported three cap- completed, with their interroga- penhagen city court, police said, aware of them. It has also accused the YPG of In June, about 20 people were Ttives from the Islamic tions 90% fi nished and the rel- but declined further comment. A Dutch court in The Hague vacating some IS jails. wounded when a bomb exploded State (IS) group – a German, a evant countries notifi ed,” inte- Several Danish media outlets meanwhile ruled yesterday that European states are trying to on a residential street in Linkop- Dane, and an American – start- rior ministry spokesman Ismail identifi ed him as Ahmad Salem the Netherlands must help re- speed up a plan to move thou- ing in southern Sweden. ing a programme to repatriate Catakli said, according to state- el-Haj, born in Aarhus, Den- patriate children of women who sands of religious extremists out By the end of August, 26 detainees that has caused fric- owned Anadolu news agency. mark. He left for Syria in 2013 to joined IS, but the mothers do not of Syrian prisons and into Iraq. people had been shot dead in tion with its Nato allies since it Germany’s foreign ministry join IS. need to be accepted back. Denmark, Germany and Brit- Sweden against 45 last year as a launched an off ensive in north- said Ankara had informed Ber- Denmark charged him the Turkey launched its off en- ain have revoked the citizen- whole. ern Syria. lin of 10 people – three men, fi ve following year in absentia over sive into northeastern Syria ship of some fi ghters and family The ruling coalition of the So- Ankara says it has captured women, and two children. terrorism and issued an interna- against the Kurdish YPG militia members. cial Democrats and Greens has 287 militants in northeast Syria A spokesman said he did not tional warrant for his arrest. last month, following President Last week Turkey’s Presi- sharpened sentences for gun and already holds hundreds know whether any of these were El-Haj was severely injured in Donald Trump’s decision to dent Recep Tayyip Erdogan was crimes and promised extra re- more IS suspects. IS fi ghters, but did not contest a bomb attack in Syria in early move US troops out of the way. quoted as saying that there were sources for the police. It has accused European their citizenship. 2017, and has since had to use a The YPG, the main element 1,201 IS prisoners in Turkish But opposition parties claim countries of being too slow to Erdogan: was quoted as saying The ministry said seven were wheelchair. of the Syrian Democratic Forces jails, while Turkey had captured the eff ort is too little, too late. take back citizens who travelled that there were 1,201 Islamic expected on Thursday and two He was later smuggled into (SDF) and a US ally against IS, 287 militants in Syria. Yesterday the far-right Swe- to fi ght in the Middle East. State prisoners in Turkish jails. on Friday. Turkey with his Syrian wife and has kept thousands of religious Yesterday state broadcaster den Democrats, who have been Allies have been worried that “Citizens can rest assured their two children. They were extremists in jails across north- TRT Haber said Turkey aimed gaining support among voters IS militants could escape as a Turkey would begin to send for- that each individual case will arrested in the Turkish border east Syria and has also overseen to repatriate around 2,500 mili- worried about crime, called a result of Turkey’s assault against eign IS militants back to their be carefully examined by the town of Kilis in December 2017. camps where relatives of fi ghters tants, mostly to EU countries. motion of no confi dence in Jus- Syrian Kurdish militia who have home countries starting yester- German authorities,” Interior In Turkey, el-Haj was sen- have sought shelter. It said there were 813 militants tice Minister Morgan Johansson. been holding thousands of the day, even if the nations the fi ght- Minister Horst Seehofer said. tenced to four years and two Ankara views the YPG as a at 12 deportation centres. “He has done too little,” Swe- group’s fi ghters and tens of ers came from had revoked their “We will do everything possible months’ imprisonment but he terrorist group. Erdogan said Turkey had cap- den Democrat leader Jimmie thousands of their family mem- citizenship. to prevent returnees with links was released on probation and The Turkish off ensive tured 13 people from the inner Akesson said. “There is a lot of bers. The 22 others to be deported to IS becoming a threat in Ger- has been held in a transit cen- prompted concern over the fate circle of IS leader Abu Bakr al- talk where they send signals, but Interior Minister Suleyman in coming days were all Euro- many.” tre since the summer, Danish of the prisoners, with Turkey’s Baghdadi, who died during a US in practice nothing happens.” Soylu had said last week that pean: two Irish nationals, nine The 28-year-old Danish man broadcaster DR reported. Western allies and the SDF raid last month. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 17 INDIA A no-nonsense man, Seshan cleaned up electoral system

IANS during his term as the country’s cracked down on several mal- He had earlier served as the and zero defi ciency.” expressed condolences. Chennai/New Delhi 10th chief election commissioner practices like wall graffi ti. Voter 18th cabinet secretary of India in He was awarded the Ramon “T N Seshan was an outstand- from 1990-1996. IDs for all eligible voters were in- 1989. In 1996, he won the Ramon Magsaysay award in 1996 for ing civil servant. He served India His strict commandments troduced during his term. Magsaysay Award. Seshan even “his resolute actions to bring with utmost diligence and integ- ormer chief election com- were: no bribing or intimidating While he endeared himself to contested for the post of presi- order, fairness, and integrity to rity. His eff orts towards electoral missioner T N Seshan, who voters, no distribution of liquor the citizens by cleaning up the dent of India in 1997 and lost to K elections in India, the world’s reforms have made our democra- Fpassed away on Sunday at during the elections, no use of elections of the blatant manipu- R Narayanan. largest democracy. In asserting cy stronger and more participa- the age of 86, brought back faith offi cial machinery for campaign- lative tactics employed by politi- Born on December 15, 1932 in the authority and independence tive. Pained by his demise,” Modi in the electoral system at a time ing, no appealing to voters’ caste cal leaders, in the process he also Palakkad, in then Madras Presi- of the Election Commission, Se- tweeted. when Indian elections were syn- or communal feelings, no use of ended up off ending politicians dency, now in Kerala, his full shan locked horns with India’s Shah said he was “saddened onymous with booth rigging and religious places for campaigns with his iron-clad instructions. name was Tirunellai Narayana Supreme Court and has feuded by the demise of the former chief misuse of government machin- and no use of loudspeakers with- Appointed by prime minis- Iyer Seshan. bitterly with the country’s poli- election commissioner.” ery. out prior written permission. ter Chandrashekhar, Seshan Seshan who was 86, had once ticians, leading to more than one He said Seshan “played a The no-nonsense Seshan He also enforced the Model would always be remembered as told an interviewer. “I had never attempt to impeach him.” transformative role in reforming managed to stamp his authority Code of Conduct, strictly moni- a shining example of what a CEC conducted an election. I went Prime Minister Narendra Modi and strengthening India’s elec- on the country’s electoral system tored limits on poll expenses, and Seshan: resolute actions should be. with two principles: zero delay and Home Minister Amit Shah toral institution.”

Muslim group to hold meeting on Nov 17, Ayodhya verdict on agenda

IANS then fi le a review petition. Lucknow “All senior leaders will meet, dis- cuss and then take a fi nal decision on the legal options,” said Jilani. he All India Muslim Per- The Indian Union Muslim sonal Law Board (AIM- League (IUML), the second big- TPLB) will meet on No- gest ally of the Congress-led vember 17 to discuss whether a United Democratic Front in review petition is to be fi led in Kerala, called the verdict “deeply the Supreme Court verdict on disappointing”. the Ayodhya dispute case. “It’s a very disappointing ver- In what will go down in his- dict due to various reasons. There tory as one of its most landmark are a lot of contradictions in it and verdicts, the court on Saturday hence more discussions are need- granted the ownership of the 2.77 ed on what needs to be done,” said acres of disputed land in Ayod- senior party MP P K Kunhalikutty. hya to Hindus, paving the way for On Saturday, when the verdict the construction of a temple, and came, IUML chief Hyderali Shi- ruled that Muslims will get fi ve hab Thangal said party will ac- acres of land at an alternative site cept the verdict. in the holy city. Meanwhile, sources said the According to senior lawyer land to be given to Muslims is not Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray addresses a press conference after his meeting with Governor B S Koshyari in Mumbai yesterday. and AIMPLB member Zafaryab available in Ayodhya, and that Jilani, the meeting is likely to be it may be allotted at some other held in Delhi where senior law- location, such as across the river yers could also be invited to dis- Saryu where the Uttar Pradesh cuss the issue. government plans to develop a Muslim stakeholders in the township or at Muslim-domi- Ayodhya case have been sharply nated Shahenwan village, about divided on the issue of fi ling a re- 5km from the temple town. Maharashtra governor view petition after the top court Shahenwan village has a mau- gave the entire disputed land for soleum believed to be of Mir temple construction and said Baaqi, the general of Mughal em- Muslim would be given fi ve acres peror Babar, who built the Babri of land ‘elsewhere’ in Ayodhya. Masjid in the 15th century. The court clarifi ed that ei- The fi ve-acre land allotted by ther the central government can the court will not be within the invites NCP to form govt give the land to the Sunni Waqf acquired area of 67 acres, in the Board from the nearly 68 acres vicinity of former Babri Masjid IANS knowledge why he was called. NCP though it had secured ‘in- ences with Shiv Sena”. elections, and was expected which it had acquired in 1993 site, the sources said. Mumbai Malik added that given the principle’ support from both An indication about Con- to comfortably retain pow- under the Acquisition of Certain Before the verdict came in, short 24-hour time limit, the parties. gress’ disinclination to sup- er with the help of the Shiv Area at Ayodhya Act or the Ut- prominent Muslim community Congress-NCP alliance could The Congress did not commit port the Shiv Sena came in the Sena. tar Pradesh government could leaders were under the impres- aharashtra Governor not comply with all the require- support to a government headed afternoon after the meeting of But in-fi ghting between the hand over the land at a “suitable sion that if they lost the case, B S Koshyari late yes- ments to enable the Shiv Sena by Uddhav Thackeray’s party as Congress Working Committee BJP and the Shiv Sena, which prominent place in Ayodhya”. they would be given land in the Mterday invited the Na- fi nalise its claim for forming the some senior leaders expressed (CWC) Venugopal was asked has gone on for a fortnight, has The chairman of the UP Sunni acquired area on the basis of pro- tionalist Congress Party (NCP) government. opposition to such a move. about the decision. culminated in the allies part- Central Waqf Board, Zufar Faru- visions in the Ayodhya Act 1993, to form the next government in “The governor requires letters According to sources, three He laughed and said: “No ing ways, dealing the fi rst major qi, has already said he is not in facilitating acquisition of 67.7 the state, a party said. with signatures, names, constit- senior leaders - A K Antony, outside or inside.” political blow to Prime Minister favour of fi ling a review petition. acres in and around the disputed “Our delegation has been in- uency names and the number of Mallikarjun Kharge and K C A subsequent meeting saw Narendra Modi’s party since it Another plaintiff , Iqbal Ansari, site where the mosque stood till vited by the governor and the all the supporting legislators Venugopal - particularly were Venugopal talking to legislators retained power with a landslide has also ruled out fi ling a review December 6, 1992. The central indication is that a letter of invi- which was diffi cult to organise opposed to supporting a Shiv from Maharashtra to ascertain mandate in a May general elec- petition and has said that he re- government had done so in order tation will be given to us,” NCP at such a short notice. The Sena Sena government as they feared their views. tion. spects the Supreme Court verdict. to check communal tension. spokesman Nawab Malik said. sought additional time, but the backlash for the Congress in The Sena could not gauge the On Sunday, the BJP’s state However, Jilani, who is also the Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh “Tomorrow we shall discuss governor expressed his inability other states. Congress style of functioning president Chandrakant Patil convener of the All India Babri government has started the with the Congress on the ways to grant the extension,” Malik The Congress has not closed as its emissary waited to receive said his party had decided to Masjid Action Committee (AIB- process to identify the alterna- and means to form the next gov- said. the window but the party has the letter of support while the not stake claim to form gov- MAC), and has been a lawyer for tive sites in and around Ayod- ernment,” he told reporters. On Sunday, the Bharatiya Ja- ideological issues with the Shiv meeting was underway. ernment. the Waqf Board, has said that he hya for the proposed site of the Earlier, senior NCP lead- nata Party expressed its inabil- Sena, the sources said. The Shiv Sena had been given In a tweet yesterday, the Shiv respected the verdict but was not mosque. An offi cer on the condi- er and former deputy chief ity to form the government, and Even Maharashtra leader a deadline till 7.30pm by the Sena’s Arvind Sawant, the fed- ‘satisfi ed’ with it. He announced tion of anonymity said: “We have minister Ajit Pawar said he yesterday the Shiv Sena could Manik Rao Thackeray had res- governor. eral minister of Heavy Industries in Delhi on Saturday that he been asked to fi nd the land for was called by the governor at not produce the letters of sup- ervations as he said that “there The BJP emerged as the and Public Enterprises, also quit would study the judgment and mosque at a prominent place.” 8.30pm, but claimed he had no port from the Congress and the is an issue of ideological diff er- single largest part in the state from Modi government. Rogue elephant caught after JNU students clash with police killing 5 people An elephant named after the late during protest over fee hike Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden that killed five villagers has been caught after a massive operation IANS and Deputy Commissioner of lor and the HRD minister meet to hunt down the creature, off icials New Delhi Police Mandeep Singh Randhawa some of them. said yesterday. Wildlife off icers entered the campus that they They also taunted the police tracked the pachyderm - dubbed were able to escort the minister with shouts of ‘Tis Hazari, Tis “Laden” by the locals it menaced ngry students of the Ja- out safely after 4pm. Hazari’ after the police clashed in Assam state - through a forest waharlal Nehru Univer- In between the police brought with lawyers at the Tis Hazari for several days using drones and Asity clashed with po- in water cannons to disperse courts over a parking row that domesticated elephants. lice yesterday during a protest the students, and kept one on left many injured. “We started the final leg of the against the hostel draft manual standby for use. The use of water Later, when some female con- operation today. Two darts were and sharp increase in fees pro- canon angered the students even stables pushed and shoved the fired by experts which tranquillised posed by the administration. more. protesting women students, the the male elephant,” a senior forestry The protest continued even as While he was confi ned inside, police were taunted with “Vakil off icial said. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu the HRD minister met a delega- Bualo, Vakil Bulao” (call the “Now the work is on to shift the was addressing the university’s tion of students to hear about lawyers), in a throwback to the elephant to a forest where there is Third Convocation Day. The en- their demands. However, the police-lawyers scuffl e. no human habitation nearby.” tire road outside the campus was students were unwilling to bring Three women journalists were The animal killed five people, includ- blocked for hours due to the pro- in the minister into the fracas, reportedly manhandled by the ing three women, during a 24-hour test. and demanded that the only way protesting students. rampage through Goalpara district While Naidu was able to leave to call off the protest was arrang- “While I was taking a few in October. Off icials said they would the campus after his speech, ing talks with Vice Chancellor shots of the protests, some of the take the elephant’s welfare into Human Resource Develop- Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar. students surrounded me. One account as well as the safety of peo- ment Minister Minister Ramesh In the evening, the students male student blocked my way ple living nearby in deciding where Pokhriyal was not so lucky. He appeared in no mood to call off and tried to snatch my camera,” a it would be relocated had to remain inside the com- their protest, and began to call journalist said. Nearly 2,300 people have been pound for around fi ve hours as more students to support them. “They also tried to grab me, killed by elephants in India over the angry students massed outside The students also shouted twisted my arms and attempted last five years, according to off icial the gate. “Shame, Shame” at those who to break my equipment. They figures released in June, while 700 It was only after a delegation received degrees at the convo- also hurled abuses at me and my elephants have been killed since of Delhi police, comprising Spe- cation ceremony. The protesters fellow reporters covering the in- 2011 - figures resulting in part from cial Commissioner R S Krishnia demanded that the vice chancel- cident,” she added. Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) clash with police in New Delhi yesterday. shrinking natural habitats. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 INDIA

ACCIDENT HONOUR EXHIBITION JUDICIARY ENVIRONMENT Man dies in mobile Samsung recognises IIT Himachal governor opens Court permits jailed Ministry to launch mass phone blast in Odisha students for innovation 400-year-old Lavi Fair Maoist to fight poll cleanliness campaign

A 22-year-old man died after his mobile Samsung India yesterday conducted the ninth Himachal Pradesh Governor Bandaru The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court The Environment Ministry is launching a mass phone exploded while charging in Odisha’s edition of the ‘Samsung Innovation Award’ at Dattatraya yesterday inaugurated the yesterday allowed jailed Maoist Kundan Pahan cleanliness drive at 50 beaches under the “Swachh Jagatsinghpur district, police said yesterday. the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indore, Lavi Fair, which is almost 400 years old, to fight the Jharkhand assembly elections. Pahan - Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan”. The government’s eff ort The victim, identified as Kuna Pradhan, to recognise and reward innovations that have at Rampur town that was once a centre of is an accused in several criminal cases including is to clean up the beaches and create awareness was sleeping when the phone exploded on the potential to revolutionise everyday living. barter trade with Tibet. The fair will conclude the murder of former minister Ramesh Singh among citizens about the importance of coastal Sunday night, the police said. Pradhan, a This year, the theme was ‘Systems that learn’ and on November 15. The Lavi Fair dates back to Munda. Pahan had filed a petition in the NIA court ecosystems. The campaign from November 11-17 native of Ranpur village of Nayagarh district students were encouraged to think creatively the time when Raja Kehari Singh of Rampur seeking permission to contest the elections. will clean the beaches in Gujarat, Daman & Diu, was a labourer involved in the construction and propose practical ideas around multi-modal Bushahr state signed a treaty to promote He will file nomination papers on November 15 Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, of Jagannath temple in Paradip. The temple sensing, applications of learning systems, VR, trade with Tibet. Rampur, 120km from Shimla, and fight from Tamar assembly seat,” his lawyer Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The is being constructed by the Jagannath XR, 3D imaging, distributed AI and more. Prizes was once a major trade centre as it is located Ishwar Dayal said. The Jharkhand government beaches have been identified after consultations Truck Owners Association. President of the worth Rs350,000 were awarded to the top three on the old silk route connecting Afghanistan, had put a Rs5mn reward on Pahan. He with the states, the ministry said. The drive will association Chhaila Chandra Jena said he winners, while three other finalists received Tibet and Ladakh. Traders from Tibet used to surrendered in Ranchi in 2017. Apart from killing involve school and college students who are part rushed to the spot after getting being told awards of merit. “Over the past nine years, bring raw wool, herbs and leather products several policemen, he is also accused of looting a of eco-clubs, district administration, institutions, about the incident around 5am and informed Samsung Innovation Award has been delighted and take back wheat flour, rice, spices, butter, bank van carrying Rs50mn in cash and 2kg gold. volunteers, local communities and other the police. The Jagatsinghpur police registered to recognise the talent pool across various IITs in farm implements and livestock. He is lodged in an open jail in Hazaribagh district. stakeholders. State agencies will facilitate the week a case and sent the body for postmortem. India,” the company said. ch 7 while polls to assembly are due in May. long cleanliness drive.

Jagan slams Venkaiah, TDP chief Haze wraps over move on schools Delhi again

IANS Vijayawada

ndhra Pradesh Chief Min- ister Y S Jagan Mohan Red- as air quality Ady yesterday slammed his predecessor Chandrababu Naidu and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu for opposing the move to turn all government-run schools into English medium institutions. “Where did your children plummets study,” Reddy asked the vice president, the former chief min- Agencies season approaches, farmers in air quality. ister and actor-politician Pawan New Delhi Delhi’s neighbouring Punjab and >> Researchers have found a Kalyan. Haryana states, where agriculture growing link between agricultural “Sir, Chandrababu garu, in is a mainstay, burn off rice eldfi fi re and air pollution with the im- which medium did your son aze shrouded India’s capi- stubble in preparation for the sow- pact of the former aggravating in study? Tomorrow your grandson tal city again yesterday, ing season. the last decade. will be studying in which medi- Hwith residents braving The smoke from fi elds mixes Researchers at an international um? Sir, Venkaiah Naidu garu, in dangerous air quality to return to with vehicle exhaust and con- conference on forestry at TERI which medium did your son and work after a weekend of clearer air struction dust, making Delhi the School of Advanced Studies found grandsons study?” and better weather. world’s most-polluted capital. that agricultural fi res have been The chief minister also targeted The air quality index (AQI) of The forecast for the next two the same on the Pakistan side of Kalyan. “Sir, actor Pawan Kalyan the US embassy in New Delhi days is not bright with the share of Punjab while the fi res have in- garu. You have three wives, four- stood at “hazardous” levels of 497 stubble burning set to rise to 25% creased on the Indian side since fi ve children. What is the medium early morning, with levels of air- of Delhi’s AQI which will plummet 2008. of instruction in the schools they borne PM 2.5 - particles that can to the ‘severe’ category. There has been around 2% in- are studying,” he asked. reach deep into the lungs - touch- According to a forecast by Safar crease in aerosol concentration in “If you want to compete in the ing nearly 700 in parts of the city. India, AQI is likely to deteriorate to the last three decades. The black world today, English is a must. That is more than 10 times the ‘severe’ category for next two days carbon concentration and absorb- That’s why I have taken the ini- recommended safe limit of 60 for and improvement towards very ing aerosols over the Indo-Ganget- tiative to ensure that our children PM 2.5. poor is predicted only by Novem- ic plain has been increasing due to study through English medium,” A dip in wind speed and tem- ber 14. biomass burning and other activi- Reddy said. perature is making air denser, Delhi’s Environment Minister ties which peak during post-mon- The chief minister announced trapping pollutants and worsening Kailash Gahlot yesterday wrote to soon seasons (October-December). that from the next academic air quality, said Vivek Chattopad- the chief Ministers of Pubjab and This was recorded using satellite year (2020-21), English will be hyay, a senior programme manager Haryana urging them for immedi- data products of Moderate Resolu- the medium of instruction from at New Delhi-based non-profi t ate actions to stop stubble burning. tion Imaging Spectroradiometer the fi rst to the sixth standards Centre for Science and Environ- Gahlot said that he also wrote to (MODIS) and Multiangle Imaging in all government schools. Sub- ment. federal Environment Minister Pra- Spectroradiometer (MISR). sequently in one to four years, The city government of Delhi, kash Jaavdekar over the issue and Forests in Himachal Pradesh English will become the me- a metropolis of over 20mn, is re- expressed displeasure as a meeting and Uttarakhand have been under dium of instruction up to the stricting the use of private cars called by the central government constant stress from forest fi res 10th standard. He said Telugu or until November 15 with an “odd- on November 9 was not attended and this problem is now being Urdu will be a compulsory sub- even” system - allowing cars on by the environment ministers of tackled by providing early warn- ject in all schools. alternate days, depending on Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh ing to forest departments from real The YSR Congress Party (YS- whether their licence plate ends in and Punjab. time monitoring using high reso- RCP) chief said poor families an odd or even number. “The major reason for the air lution remote sensing data. were facing hardship in educat- The scheme, which includes a pollution in the national capital is Moreover, various initiatives ing their children. He said their two-day waiver for a religious fes- the stubble burning in the neigh- have been taken by the Forest children wanted to do well in tival, has helped little, prompting bouring states. Despite the Su- Survey of India to monitor and studies and hence he was intro- environmentalists to call for ur- preme Court’s intervention, the manage forest fi res which include ducing English as the medium gent action. environment ministers of the four providing real time monitoring of of instruction. “The chief minister (of Delhi) states did not attend the meeting,” forest fi re and burnt area assess- He announced that the gov- needs to declare an emergency,” Gahlot said. ment through a geoportal called ernment schools will undergo a said Bharati Chaturvedi, founder The Supreme Court last week “Van Agni”. complete makeover under the of the Chintan environmental ad- chided authorities for their failure According to the National For- ‘Nedu-Nadu’ programme to be vocacy group. to curb the pollution and asked the est Inventory programme, 9.89% launched on November 14. In the “If this was the plague, he would city government, its neighbouring of forest areas are heavily aff ected fi rst phase, all amenities will be have declared an emergency.” states and the federal government and 54.40% areas are mildly af- provided in 15,000 schools. People ride a boat across Yamuna river on a smoggy morning in the old quarters of Delhi, yesterday. Every year, as India’s winter to work together to help improve fected due to forest fi res. Kerala Congress (Mani) may Devotees throng break into two parties soon historic Sikh shrine IANS getting an average of four-fi ve Sultanpur Lodhi, Punjab lakh devotees at the gurdwara IANS way things have now panned out. went out of control when it came every day. Today and tomor- Thiruvananthapuram We will wait,” said Augustine, to select a candidate for the by- row, we are expecting over 25 who was also considered a close election for the Pala assembly sea of devotees from lakh devotees,” an offi cial at the aide of the late Mani. seat that fell vacant after the across the country shrine said. here is a rift in the Kerala Mani senior remained the death of Mani senior. Athronged the historic Ninety ‘langars’ or commu- Congress (Mani) - the big- chairman of the party from the The junior Mani nominated Gurdwara Ber Sahib in Punjab nity kitchens are running round- Tgest ally in the Congress- time he founded it in 1976 till his Josh Tom for the seat but he lost yesterday, on the eve of the 550th the-clock in the town to serve led United Democratic Front. death. due to diff erences in the party. birth anniversary of the fi rst Sikh the visiting devotees. Two factions are being headed by In 2010, Joseph pulled out of Before that K M Mani had won guru, Guru Nanak Dev. A grand light and sound show P J Joseph and Jose K Mani which the Left Democratic Front gov- the seat in every election since The highly revered Gurdwara is being conducted every evening are expected to turn into two ernment in Kerala, and merged 1965. Ber Sahib is where Guru Nanak to sensitise the masses about parties soon. his Kerala Congress (Joseph) But the situation turned worse is said to have gained enlighten- the teachings and philosophy of The party has been in a state with the Kerala Congress for Jose earlier this month when a ment at the end of the 15th cen- Guru Nanak Dev. The show will of crisis since the death of its (Mani). court refused to accept his elec- tury. continue till November 15. founder K M Mani in April this Since then Mani and Joseph tion as the chief of the Kerala Home Minister Amit Shah Security has been beefed up year. moved forward without any is- Congress (Mani). visited shrine yesterday ac- and closed circuit television There is a struggle for power sues. The first signs of a break- Joseph is the working chair- companied by Chief Ministers (CCTV) cameras have been in- between Joseph and Mani’s son up appeared when Mani decid- man of the party and he has con- Manohar Lal Khattar of Haryana stalled to manage the crowd in Jose K Mani. ed to name his candidate to the trol over the party symbol - two and Jai Ram Thakur of Himachal all the prominent places, a senior Roshy Augustine and N Jayaraj, lone Lok Sabha seat early this leaves. Besides, he has two leg- Pradesh. police offi cial told IANS. two legislators attached to Jose’s year. islators – C F Thomas and Mons President Ram Nath Kovind Prime Minister Narendra faction, told IANS that as things Though Joseph protested ini- Joseph - in his favour. He is also will address the celebrations to- Modi on November 9 paid obei- stand now, the possibility of rea- tially, he maintained silence after the leader of the party in the as- day. sance at the Ber Sahib Gurd- lignment is remote. the death of the senior Mani. sembly. A majority of the pilgrims are wara, before heading for Dera “Now the two factions of the However, a major crisis erupt- “May be for the time being coming from Punjab, Haryana, Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur dis- party have formed their own ed when Jose’s faction decided Joseph might be having an edge, Chandigarh, Delhi, Bihar and trict to inaugurate the Kartar- committees at all levels. Moreo- to appoint him as the new party but the time is not that far when A Nihang performs ‘Gatka,’ an ancient form of Sikh martial art as Maharashtra. Several are coming pur Corridor and flag off the ver, the leaders who are with chairman in June. things will turn in favour of Jose. he participate in ‘Nagar Kirtan’ (religious procession) on the eve from Britain, Canada, the US and first batch of pilgrims to visit Joseph owe their political growth Thereafter, a slugfest began After all he is the son of Mani Sir,” of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in New Delhi other countries. Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in to Mani Sir. It’s sad for all, the between the two factions. Things added Augustine. yesterday. “For the past one week, we are Pakistan’s Punjab province. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 19

LATIN AMERICA Argentina goat farmers face the brunt of climate change

AFP But he isn’t giving up the ghost With his wife and three of his (INTA) in San Rafael, Mendoza. Climate warming has slowly years. Goat breeders, scattered Sazo uses his herd to sustain his Malargüe, Argentina just yet. “I’ll stay here with my lit- children, he ekes out a living from Water fl ow on the mountain but clearly been shrinking the gla- high in the valley, compete for family. Four of his seven children tle goats, I’ll keep fi ghting.” Sazo a herd of 300 goats in Arro Po- rivers will be 11% lower in 2019- ciers along the Andean Cordillera water with bigger farms further have left the farm to look for work. and other goat breeders scattered nigue, 350kms south of Mendoza. 20 than the previous year, and above the valleys. below that use a system of irriga- Rosales says the break-up of rural n a vast valley at the foot of the along the Andes foothills here are Here, 1,300kms west of Bue- 54% lower than the province’s “Here we have a lot of drought. tion canals to grow potatoes and families is another consequence Andes, Antonio Sazo counts on the frontline of climate change, noa Aires, farmers have seen the historical average, according to a It is very cold and there’s a lot of garlic. of climate change here. Young Ihis goats, having ushered devoid of the safety net of irriga- eff ects of lighter winter snowfall fl ow forecast by the Mendoza re- wind,” said Sazo, his hands black- “About 5% of land in Mendoza people go to the city in search of them down mountain slopes in tion canals utilised by neighbour- in the austral spring, when melt- gional government. ened from carrying pregnant is dependant on irrigation, and work “but they cannot always re- the south of the Argentine prov- ing farms or by Mendoza’s vine- water was scarce on the slopes, “Last year, we said it was not goats to a corral where they will that’s where 95% of the popula- integrate into another activity and ince of Mendoza, where climate yards. lakes dried up and grassy pastures an emergency. It was part of a give birth to one or two kids. tion lives,” Rosales, the agricul- end up in the slums that surround change forces them higher every “The situation has changed a thinned out. pattern. The same scenarios are But Sazo knows that the yield tural engineer, said. “Everything the city,” he said. In December, year in order to graze. lot here. It’s not what it was two “Climate change has altered the being repeated year after year for will be lower this year, because else is dry, depending on rain or Sazo expects to sell his young From a third generation of years ago, when the winter was entire cycle of life in the region,” the last 10 or 11 years,” said Sergio the animals don’t give birth or the weather cycles. All they have goats that were born in October. goat breeders, 68-year-old Sazo good, with more snowfall,” Sazo said Ivan Rosales, an agricultural Marinelli, a Mendoza state irriga- stop feeding their off spring when there is sheep, goat and horse- “But the females aren’t getting has seen his herd decimated by said inside his wood and adobe engineer at the National Insti- tion offi cial, presenting a report in there is a lack of pasture or water. breeding, there is no other activ- fat,” he said. “They are not pro- drought in recent years. traditional house. tute of Agricultural Technology October. He has seen the trend of recent ity possible.” ducing milk for the kids.”

Codelco set for Power vacuum reduction in copper output in Bolivia after

Reuters Santiago Morales exits, odelco’s giant Chuqui- camata mine is set for a C40% drop in production over the next two years, an in- ternal forecast seen by Reuters shows, pointing to the sharp challenge facing the world’s top chaos erupts copper miner as it scrambles to maintain output. AFP spirators, will go down in history came Bolivia’s fi rst indigenous The giant open-pit mine, set La Paz as racists and coup plotters.” president in 2006. to be the Chilean state-run min- Camacho is a key opposition He defended his legacy on er’s biggest by output this year, is leader in Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s Sunday, which includes land- undergoing a complex $5bn-plus olivia’s Evo Morales yes- biggest city and economic capi- mark gains against hunger and transformation into an under- terday called on the op- tal. poverty and tripling the coun- ground shaft mine in a bid to ex- Bposition that ousted him Mesa, a former president, try’s economy during his nearly tend the century-old prospect’s to “pacify the country” after came a close second to Morales 14 years in offi ce. lifespan. his shock resignation following in the disputed October 20 elec- He gained a controversial Chile’s President Sebastian weeks of protests over his dis- tion. fourth term when he was de- Pinera is expected to formally puted re-election left a power Morales, whose Movement for clared the winner of the presi- cut the ribbon on the revamped vacuum in the country. Socialism party retains a ma- dential election by a narrow copper mine, often referred to as Shops and offi ces in La Paz jority in the Congress that will margin. ‘Chuqui’, in the coming months. were shuttered early yesterday elect his temporary successor, But the opposition said there This year, ores from the new after looting broke out late Sun- said “the world and patriotic was fraud in the vote count and project will be added to the ex- day in some parts of the capital Bolivians repudiate the coup.” three weeks of street protests isting open-pit operations, giv- and the neighbouring city of El Morales announced his res- ensued, during which three ing Chuqui overall production Alto. ignation in a televised address people died and hundreds were of 459,000 tonnes – its highest Thousands of commuters were Sunday, capping a day of fast- injured. since 2010 – the previously un- forced to walk to work in the moving events in which many The Organisation of American reported 2019 forecast shows. morning drizzle as the city’s ca- ministers and senior offi cials States carried out an audit of the But as Codelco scales down ble-car network remained para- quit, some seeking refuge in election and on Sunday reported and ultimately shutters open pit lysed and buses were scarce. the Mexican ambassador’s resi- irregularities in just about every extraction next year, while the The police — largely confi ned dence. aspect that it examined: the underground project still ramps to barracks since riots broke out The streets of La Paz imme- technology used, the chain of up, output will drop sharply, the on Friday, with many units join- diately exploded in celebra- custody of ballots, the integrity fi gures show – down 182,000 ing the protests — were return- tion, with jubilant Bolivians of the count, and statistical pro- tonnes by 2021 versus 2019. ing to the streets, police chief waving the country’s flag, but jections. That will drive overall Codelco Vladimir Yuri Calderon said. violence and vandalism later As chanting Bolivians kept up production down 4% by 2021, ac- “The Bolivian police will be act- erupted overnight there and in demonstrations in the street, cording to the long-term business ing,” Calderon told ATB televi- El Alto. the 60-year-old Morales called development plan. That would be sion. In the confusion, a group of new elections, but this was not steeper were it not for a planned Tweeting from the central co- 20 lawmakers and government enough to calm the uproar. production hike at the miner’s Ra- ca-growing region of Chapare, offi cials took refuge at the Mexi- The commanders of the armed domiro Tomic prospect. where he fl ed on Sunday, Mo- can ambassador’s residence, and forces and the police joined the Codelco said in a statement rales called on the opposition to Mexico announced it was off er- calls for the president’s resigna- in response to Reuters questions “assume its responsibility” after ing asylum to Morales as well. tion. that it expected to maintain Sunday’s riots. Morales also wrote that “vio- A raft of ministerial resig- production levels over the next He said the opposition lead- lent groups” had attacked his nations followed Morales’ an- decade by “progressively and ership had a “responsibility to home. nouncement and raised the systematically replacing existing pacify the country and guar- Police announced that they question of who was in charge, operations.” antee the political stability and had arrested Maria Eugenia given that vice president Alvaro The changes at Chuqui under- peaceful coexistence of our peo- Choque, the head of the coun- Garcia Linera also resigned. score the risk to Codelco’s global ple.” try’s electoral court, an institu- Under the constitution, pow- dominance amid a $39bn over- Morales, who was Bolivia’s tion slammed by the opposition er then passes to the president of haul of its key operations to try fi rst indigenous president, said as biased. the Senate and the speaker of the and counteract rapidly falling ore his opposition rivals, Carlos Morales, a member of the Ay- lower house of Congress, in that grades that are hitting top cop- Members of the security forces detain a woman during clashes between supporters of Evo Morales Mesa and Luis Fernando Cama- mara indigenous community, is order. But they have resigned, per exporter Chile more broadly. and the opposition in La Paz, Bolivia, yesterday. cho, “discriminators and con- a former coca farmer who be- too.

Leftist icon Mujica set Chile govt agrees to for ministerial return

AFP ary and driving an old Volkswagen Montevideo Beetle. rewrite constitution He remains a fi gurehead of the Broad Front, the leftist coalition Reuters three weeks of protests over a hike Blumel did not give a timeline x-Uruguay president Jose which has been in power since Santiago in metro fares that have descended for the process but said that the Mujica is on the brink of 2005. into arson, riots and looting. government would move quickly Ea sensational return to Outgoing Montevideo mayor At least 20 people have been to begin. the political spotlight, after the Martinez polled 47% in the fi rst he Chilean government killed, while businesses have suf- Blumel made the announce- 84-year-old former guerrilla round but faces a strengthened has agreed to write a new fered billions of dollars in damages ment after meeting a coalition of leader said he had agreed to be a challenge from Luis Lacalle Pou Tconstitution to replace one and Santiago’s public transport centre-right and right-wing par- minister in a Broad Front govern- in the run-off . dating back to the Pinochet dic- system has been hobbled. ties, which until now had been the ment. The centre-right candidate tatorship, bowing to the demands A new constitution has repeat- most reluctant to change the con- Mujica has been tapped by the took 42% of the votes in the fi rst of protesters who have taken to the edly arisen as a central demand of stitution. ruling party as minister for live- round but has secured backing streets in often violent demon- protesters. Among the proposed changes stock, agriculture and fi sheries from other parties for the run-off . strations in recent weeks. Critics have long said the ex- are “a better defi nition of human should the Broad Front win a No- Mujica wasn’t the only ageing Interior Minister Gonzalo isting document, written and ap- rights” and their means of en- vember 25 presidential run-off . stalwart called on by Martinez, Blumel said the president, Cabinet proved during General Augusto forcement, plus clarifi cation on The announcement came as whose proposed Cabinet also in- members and political allies had Pinochet’s 1973-1990 military “the obligations of the state” and party candidate Daniel Martinez cludes 79-year-old Danilo Astori agreed Congress should lead the dictatorship, lacks legitimacy. “better mechanisms of participa- presented his proposed Cabinet as foreign minister. process of re-writing the consti- The document has been tion” for citizens, added the presi- line-up at a news conference in The choices prompted mock- tution. tweaked several times since it was dent. Montevideo alongside Mujica. ery from Lacalle Pou’s adviser Pa- The document would be put to a enacted in 1980. After weeks of sometimes vio- “Because of my age, my skele- blo da Silveira, who said Martinez public referendum. But those calling for change say lent and deadly demonstrations, ton, my guts, the job is too big for “campaigned on a ticket of gener- “Above all, we must focus on any new text must add further most polls show the protest move- me,” Mujica told reporters. ational change and independence the goal of reconfi guring the so- protection of social rights and in- ment is supported by 75% of Chil- But he said he would use it as a from the old guard, but has ended cial contract, which has arisen crease citizen participation in the eans. “springboard, so that they replace up giving them the spotlight.” as a fundamental demand of our 30-year old democracy. A similar number – 87%, ac- me in any case with someone with Mujica became a cult fi gure citizens,” Blumel told a news con- Opponents of the overhaul say cording to a survey by pollster more advantages and youth.” during his 2010-15 rule, known as ference. the current charter has been a pil- Cadem published early this month Mujica became a cult fi gure “the world’s poorest president” The announcement from Presi- lar of stability for Chile, among the – also say they favour the protest- during his 2010-15 rule, known as for giving away most of his sal- dent Sebastian Pinera’s centre- region’s strongest and most inves- ers’ demand for constitutional re- Health workers protest in Santiago against the government of “the world’s poorest president” ary and driving an old Volkswagen right government was made after tor-friendly economies. forms. President Sebastian Pinera yesterday. for giving away most of his sal- Beetle Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 PAKISTAN

India’s curbing of Govt to decide on Sharif’s Kashmiri religious fate after NAB feedback rights Internews board of Sharif Medical City. said that the delay in remov- independent … you can ask any slammed Islamabad The government does not take ing Sharif’s name from the ECL board member.” decisions in light of directions poses a threat to his life. Sharif was rushed from Kot from a private medical board … Additionally, the former pre- Lakhpat jail to the hospital last Internews he chief spokesperson it is important to take the opin- mier’s personal physician, Dr month after his personal physi- Islamabad for the Pakistani govern- ion of the government’s medical Adnan Khan, had warned that cian, Dr Khan, raised the alarm Tment, Dr Firdous Ashiq board.” any delay in sending the former over his deteriorating health. Awan, has said that the decision Awan said that reports from premier abroad could increase Doctors have been struggling akistan has strongly con- to remove former prime minister the NAB and the medical board the risk to his health. to bring his platelet count – that demned the restrictions Nawaz Sharif from the no-fl y were delayed due to the week- Meanwhile, addressing a had dropped to dangerous levels Pimposed by Indian au- list will be taken in light of rec- end, and added that a review press conference, Punjab Health – back to normal. thorities on all the congrega- ommendations of the National committee in the law ministry Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid PML-N president Shehbaz tions in the Indian-administered Accountability Bureau (NAB) would “analyse” the opinions said that an application had Sharif had last week submitted Kashmir on Eid Milad-un-Nabi, and the medical board. of both bodies, after which the been submitted to the ministry a request to the interior min- which marks the birthday of the “The government itself does matter would be forwarded to of interior to permit Sharif to go istry as well as the NAB for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). not place any individual’s name the cabinet. abroad for treatment. removal of his brother’s name According to Foreign Offi ce on the ECL (exit control list). Pakistan Muslim League – Following this, the interior from the ECL so that the former spokesman Dr Mohamed Faisal, Names are placed on the ECL Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson ministry had written to the Sharif: a family source said that the former premier ‘finally agreed prime minister could travel all roads leading to the Hazrat- on the recommendations given Marriyum Aurangzeb has ex- health ministry, asking them to to go to London after the doctors told him categorically that they abroad for medical treatment. bal Shrine in Srinagar, other holy by the NAB and the courts,” she pressed concern over the de- get the opinion of the medical had already exhausted all medical treatment [options] available in Sharif has been diagnosed shrines and mosques in the Indi- said. “Now that an application lay in removing Sharif from the board. Pakistan’. with an immune system disor- an-administered Kashmir were has been fi led for the name to ECL. In response to this, the board der, and his condition is said to sealed by Indian forces. be removed, the same process is In a statement, she said that said that they had written a dis- may be tests that cannot be done board about which tests can be be “extremely critical”. The move was done to stop being followed.” the medical board formed by the charge summary and had pro- in Pakistan, they recommend conducted in Pakistan’s public “Nawaz Sharif has fi nally any processions on the occasion, “Hopefully, we will receive government had already recom- vided all the details of the tests that he should be sent abroad. sector hospitals, and which ones agreed to go to London after the which was traditionally observed the NAB’s recommendations mended that the former prime that needed to be carried out, She added that the health cannot. doctors told him categorically by Kashmiris with great fervour. soon. The NAB is the plaintiff minister be sent abroad for adding that they [the interior ministry had written to the Additionally, they asked that they had already exhausted “Imposition of restrictions on in this case, he (Sharif) is a sus- treatment as soon as possible. ministry] should act as they fi nd medical board informing them which tests can be sent abroad all medical treatment [options] celebrations and other congre- pect in [a case being probed by] Aurangzeb said that the medi- suitable. that they had found some short- and why Sharif is a high-risk available in Pakistan and that gations on the birthday of the the NAB and was convicted by cal board had also recommended However, the interior minis- falls in the report and thus could patient. going abroad is the only option Holy Prophet (PBUH) represents an accountability court,” the sending him abroad following a try said they wanted a detailed not send it to the interior minis- In response to a question left,” a Sharif family source said utter disrespect for the senti- special assistant to the prime meeting last night. report, particularly regarding try. regarding whether there was on Thursday. ments of the Muslims of Indian- minister on information told the She said that once Sharif’s whether Sharif should be sent They had told the board to pressure on the medical board, In a statement, the interior Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” media after her hearing in the name is removed from the ECL, abroad or not. provide details of “each test or Rashid said: “Being a doctor ministry said last week that it Faisal said in a statement. “It is Islamabad High Court in a con- other arrangements, such as ar- Rashid said that the board met intervention required, with risk myself, when I read the report, I had forwarded Nawaz’s health also a fl agrant violation of their tempt case. ranging an air ambulance and last night, and based on their factor involved to be specifi cally felt that it was insuffi cient. reports received from Sharif fundamental freedom of reli- “Secondly, the recommenda- sending the premier abroad, will analysis, they feel that because mentioned”. “We have not put any sort of Medical City, Lahore, to the gion.” tions attached with the applica- start. the former premier’s condition The provincial health minis- political pressure on anyone. I “Standing Medical Board” for The spokesman urged the tion fi led are made by a medical The PML-N spokesperson has not stabilised, and that there ter said that they had asked the think the board is completely their input and review. international community, the United Nations, and other hu- man rights organisations to take PM, Indian Punjab notice of the “brutal suppres- sion” of the religious rights and leader share freedoms of the Kashmiri peo- family ties: report PM’s ‘Hamara Sidhu Kahan Hai’ video goes viral ple, which is a violation of inter- national laws and conventions. A five-minute bus ride by Prime He said that for over 14 weeks, Minister Imran Khan and Indian Internews obvious before, but a new video The video was tweeted by In- more than 8mn Kashmiris have Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Islamabad shows just how fond the former dian journalist Geeta Mohan. been under the “inhumane” Singh, on the inauguration of is of the latter. In the video, the prime min- lockdown by more than 900,000 Kartarpur Corridor, revealed that A video of Khan, in which he ister can be heard saying: “Acha Indian occupation forces. the two have had family ties for rime Minister Imran’s can be seen asking about Sidhu hamara woh Sidhu kidhar hai? The spokesman demanded years, Indian News Channel NDTV fondness for Indian crick- before the opening of the Kar- Main keh raha hoon hamara Sid- that the Indian government im- reported yesterday. Peter-turned-politician tarpur Corridor on Saturday, has hu” (“So where is ‘our’ Sidhu? I mediately restore Internet and An off icial statement issued by Navjot Singh Sidhu, has been gone viral. am saying ‘our’ Sidhu?”) as eve- mobile phone services. Singh’s off ice said that the two ryone around him laughs. Faisal also called for the re- discovered the “special connect” The prime minister is then lease of all prisoners, including between their families, even told that the former Indian civil society members, especially though they had not met each cricketer was stopped from en- the abducted young boys, and other before and did not know tering via the Wagah border. remove Article 144 of the Public each other personally. Khan then asks if former In- Safety Act and other draconian The statement said: “During his dian prime minister Manmohan laws. conversation with [PM] Imran, Singh had arrived at Kartarpur. He also said that independent Captain Amarinder told the Speaking at the inauguration media and international human (prime minister) that his uncle, ceremony, the prime minister rights observers must be allowed Jahangir Khan, had played for welcomed thousands of Sikh to visit the region to independ- Patiala, along with Mohd Nisar, pilgrims into Pakistan. Prime Minister Khan: can be heard saying in the video clip: “Acha ently observe the well-being of Lala Amarnath, fast bowler Amar “There is humanity in the hamara woh Sidhu kidhar hai? Main keh raha hoon hamara Sidhu” the Kashmiri people. Singh, and the two Ali batsmen philosophy of Guru Nanak,” he (“So where is ‘our’ Sidhu? I am saying ‘our’ Sidhu?”) as everyone (Wazir Ali and Amir Ali). said. “Humanity is what sepa- around him laughs. “These seven players were part rates human beings from ani- PM takes notice of the team captained by Captain mals. Our God also talks about Organisation) and other min- than dividing them. Amarinder’s father, Maharaja humanity and our Holy Prophet istries worked to complete the “When I was elected prime of ‘mishandling’ Yadvinder Singh (the ruler of the Muhammad (PBUH) was sent as project in 10 months’ time,” minister, I told (Indian Prime on Citizen Portal erstwhile Patiala state) in 1934-35, a mercy for all mankind.” Khan said. “I never knew my Minister Narendra) Modi that for India and for Patiala.” The prime minister congratu- government was so capable.” our biggest problem was pov- Prime Minister Imran Khan has The Congress leader’s off ice This picture taken on Saturday shows security personnel escorting lated his ministers for working The prime minister also said erty,” he said. “I told him that if taken notice of the mishandling, said that the bus ride lasted less Sidhu (centre) as he visits the Shrine of Baba Guru Nanak Dev at hard on the corridor. that a leader is someone who we open our borders, then trade non-resolution, or delayed than five minutes, but, thanks to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. “The FWO (Frontier Works brings people together, rather will eliminate poverty.” response on the complaints cricket, it was enough to break registered on the Pakistan the ice between the two leaders. Exchange between Pakistani bus driver and Indian journalist winning hearts online Citizen Portal, and directed all the The Punjab chief minister was ministries to form a dedicated part of the group of more than A touching moment between a Pakistani both sides of the border. “I don’t think you are as happy as me,” standing demand of the Sikh community committee to evaluate the 550 pilgrims who were the first bus driver and an Indian journalist is However, one exchange between a Hussain replied. “The way my eyes have in India and other parts of the world. performance of the concerned Indians to enter Pakistan via the winning hearts across the border. Pakistani bus driver and a Sikh from India welled up with tears. I am very happy.” Gurdwara Darbar Sahib is believed to off icers. Kartarpur Corridor. On Saturday the Kartarpur Corridor, a land is warming hearts on the Internet. The bus driver, who previously worked in be where the founder of Sikhism, Guru According to a letter issued to Singh shared the bus ride with passage between India and Pakistan, was The video of the conversation was the Middle East, added that he has several Nanak, died in the 16th century. all ministries and divisions by Prime Minister Khan after he opened, allowing thousands of Indian Sikh recorded by Ravinder Singh Robin, a friends from the Sikh community, who As the bus came to a stop outside the the Prime Minister’s Off ice, a was received by latter and pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Dabar Sahib in reporter from India. were like brothers to him. Gurdwara, Hussain added: “Punjab has performance evaluation of a Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Punjab for the first time since the partition. Robin asked Saddam Hussain, the driver, “Seeing you all, I have that feeling that one been united once again. May God always number of off icers’ dashboard Qureshi at the Zero Point of As the door of the Sikh temple opened, who was escorting the pilgrims to has when one goes for the Haj. This is the keep you happy. May you always come showed that the complaints were the International Border of the there were moments of joy, celebration Kartarpur, how he felt about the historic same experience for you,” Hussain said. here. We [Pakistan] will always welcome neither handled according to Kartarpur Corridor. and brotherhood between pilgrims from day. Opening the corridor has been a long- you with open arms.” the instructions, nor were they decided at an appropriate level. “It was evident from the quality of response to the citizens that the system was left in the hands of subordinates, and the majority PTM activist Ismail reproached over ‘foreign’ agenda of the decisions were made by them,” the letter stated. The dedicated committee will Internews think the easiest route to earn- tional court reprieve to fl ee the Peshawar, remains sceptical of comprise a joint secretary, who Islamabad ing fame and money is to speak country. Gulalai’s motives and what he will also be the chairman, an out against the state in the garb “It’s a familiar pattern. Pick calls “activist branding”. administrative focal person of the of human rights,” Shahida Khan, up a controversial issue that res- “Remember the NGO named ministry or division, a technical ulalai Ismail began as an an executive of an Islamabad- onates with the West, and cook ‘Aware Girls’, which she set focal person, a focal person of activist for the rights of based non-governmental or- up a storm by going against the up years ago, which stirred so attached departments, and any Ggirls and women in Khy- ganisation (NGO), said. grain. Play the bold woman card much trouble at home in recent co-opted member. ber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), but with “For quite some time, she in a patriarchal set-up and you’re years but was favourably seen The committee will conduct a the passage of time and generous had been propagating on be- all set up for acclaim,” Anaya Te- abroad?” he said. performance evaluation of the media attention, gradually shift- half of and attending meetings hreem, herself a member of civil Inam was referring to the or- assigned or selected off icers’ ed to subjects and often contro- of a rebel movement that has society, who works in a bank in ganisation that is now banned dashboards, and identify versial themes that brought her been challenging the writ of the Lahore, said. “Look how Gulalai after it was accused of propagat- the loopholes in the sample into limelight. state,” she said. turned up amongst a few dozen ing for rights deemed against Is- complaints handled, resolved, or Last September, she left for Khan was referring to the Pa- anti-Pakistan protesters in New lamic injunctions. dropped so far. the United States after giving the shtun Tahafuz Movement – or York outside the UN General As- “It is all understandable. She The body will identify the off icers law enforcement authorities the PTM – which claims to be a re- sembly when the prime minister is following the same path a few responsible for poor performance slip, which authorities claim was sistance movement for the pro- Ismail: used a conditional reprieve to flee the country. (Imran Khan) was making that others have also taken, to be- and also those doing the best. orchestrated by elements inimi- tection of Pashtun rights, but historic speech.” come poster boys or girls in the Besides taking corrective cal to the state – both at home which the government and mili- aimed at inciting the public to are the ones in uniform). “On the fl ip side, she studi- garb of rights activism,” he bris- measures in complaints identified and abroad – “to avert facing the tary authorities accuse of sow- create a law and order situation Subsequently, three First In- ously evaded a response to a tled. “Note how only they get with improper handling or law” after she was charged with ing the seeds of discord along in a direct challenge to the writ formation Reports (FIRs) were question on the situation in awards left, right and centre in resolution, the committee will incitement against the state ethnic lines in pursuance of a of the state. lodged against her by law en- Kashmir,” Tehreem said. “Where the West, while those who spend also point out the success stories through hate speech and a slew “foreign agenda”. One of the oft-used slogans in forcement agencies, which led to was her commitment and sense all their lives genuinely strug- of the portal. of “anti-state activities”. As a PTM activist, Gulalai was the speeches was “ye jo dehshat her being put on the Exit Control of rights, then?” gling to support the less privi- The ministries and divisions have “It is all very well-scripted. charged with participating in gardi hai, is ke peechey wardi List (ECL). Mahmood Inam, a school- leged in Pakistan through social been given 30 days to furnish the We have seen people before who and organising gatherings that hai” (The ones behind terrorism However, she used a condi- teacher at a private school in work, remain unsung.” evaluation report. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 21 PHILIPPINES

Govt monitors Robredo can halt drug war for eff orts to free better strategy: Malacanang

11 abducted By Catherine S Valente “Maybe it’s time for us to Americans have been helping Manila Times think about replacing it with us for a long time, sharing in- another campaign that would telligence is one of them,” he sailors be more effective, so no one said. “Let’s not interfere with alacanang yesterday would die senselessly,” she her work,” he added. said Vice President said. Robredo, who was ap- Philippine National Police DPA MMaria Leonor “Leni” pointed co-chairman of the (PNP) officer in charge Lt. Manila Robredo can stop the imple- Inter-Agency Committee on Gen. Archie Francisco Gam- mentation of Oplan Tokhang Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) boa also on Monday said he if she has a better strategy to had floated several ideas to was open to other options to he Philippine govern- fight the drug menace. address the drug problem, eliminate illegal drugs. ment said yesterday it “If she thinks there is including the scrapping of “I would like to open up Twas monitoring efforts something more effective Oplan Tokhang, as well as options because we had a to free 11 Filipino sailors ab- than Tokhang, she can do it,” opening the anti-drug cam- drug war, which I think is ducted in West Africa since last Palace spokesman Salvador paign to a United Nations’ very successful, but if there week. Panelo said yesterday. probe. is a need to recalibrate and Nine of the Filipinos were He added that President Panelo said Duterte ex- maybe touch a few points, abducted in Benin last week, Rodrigo Duterte would give pected Robredo to be “on study it, then the PNP is open while two were taken “some- Robredo “all that she needs” top” of the drug war and to it,” Gamboa said in a press where in Togo,” the Depart- in handling the government’s function as his “alter-ego.” briefing. ment of Foreign Affairs said. campaign against illegal “As we have said, we will He noted that the govern- “The Philippine government drugs. give her all that she needs. ment’s approach should be is actively tracking the devel- “Vice President Leni is in She should be given a wide dynamic as “time changes.” opment of the case with the charge, so whatever she feels latitude and she should pur- Gamboa said Robredo had embassy in Abuja continuing that should be enforced, we sue her own scheme of things a “very extensive” discussion its co-ordination with relevant will do it… The president is in pursuing the drug war in her first meeting as ICAD authorities to ensure the safety open if that will be effective initiated by this adminis- co-chairman last week. and security of the Filipino as far as the drug war is con- tration,” the Palace official The vice president sug- seafarers,” the statement said. cerned. She has been given added. gested that Oplan Tokhang The department said it the authority,” Panelo said Meanwhile, Panelo said the should be scrapped for a was in close contact with the when asked if Robredo could Palace has no problem with new campaign against illegal agency that employed the crew stop the Tokhang operations. Robredo consulting various drugs. members. Tokhang is a component Vice President Maria Leonor ‘Leni’ Robredo meets with off icers of the Community- Based Drug Rehab foreign officials, including She also suggested that the “Due to the sensitiv- of the Philippine National Alliance (Cobra) in Quezon City. the UN and United States, Philippine anti-illegal drugs ity of negotiations, it is best to Police’s Oplan Double Bar- which have been critical of strategy should be improved share very little,” department rel. Under Tokhang, lawmen them to stop their involve- riety when it was associated Robredo earlier said Duterte’s drug war. by adding “attainable” and spokesman Assistant Secretary are supposed to knock on ment in illegal drugs. with the killings of drug sus- Tokhang was a war “against “If she feels America can “realistic” short-term tar- Eduardo Menez said. drug suspects’ homes and ask But Tokhang gained noto- pects, mostly in poor areas. the poor.” help in the drug war — the gets by 2022. Duterte to take break Senate approves bill to from ‘punishing’ schedule set up Malasakit centres DPA Manila By Javier J Ismael financial assistance,” Go ex- medical inflation rate will out- benefit packages in the Na- Manila Times plained. pace the actual inflation in the tional Health Insurance Pro- hilippine President Ro- He said concerned govern- country and is projected to rise gramme, process and utilise drigo Duterte will take ment agencies would still run to 13.7%. This makes our medi- data from patient experience Pa three-day break from he Senate approved yes- their own medical assistance cal inflation rate the second through a standardised form to his “punishing” schedule this terday a bill that aims to programmes. highest in the Association of shape institutional changes in week, his spokesman said yes- Tinstitutionalise the estab- So far, 50 Malasakit Centres South East Asian Nations re- the hospital and provide capac- terday. lishment of Malasakit Centres have been established nation- gion, next to Vietnam’s 14.2%,” ity building and performance Duterte will have no offi cial or one-stop centres for medical wide. Go said. evaluation that ensure good schedule starting today and and fi nancial assistance in 73 Despite the signing of the Under the bill, hospitals run client interaction. stay mostly in his home in the hospitals under the Department Universal Health Care Law, Go by local government units and The bill adopted an amend- southern city of Davao, presi- Rodrigo Duterte: break from work of Health (DoH). said indigent patients had to other public hospitals may ment from Sen. Ana Theresia dential spokesman Salvador Sen. Christopher Lawrence shell out money for expendi- also establish their own Mala- “Risa” Hontiveros that would Panelo told reporters. who he recently appointed to lead pain in his spinal column” due to “Bong” Go, author and spon- tures that are not covered by sakit Centres provided that require Malasakit Centres to The 74-year-old president the campaign against illegal drugs. a motorcycle accident. sor of Senate Bill 1076, other- the benefit package under the they guarantee the availability provide “critical information decided to take a rest “upon the “It’s just a rest. It’s like a break from Duterte has been dogged by wise known as the “Malasa- Philippine Health Insurance of funds for its maintenance, on healthy behaviours and con- advice of friends, colleagues and his work,” he said. rumours about his health since kit Centre Act of 2019,” said the Corp. (PhilHealth). personnel and staff training, duct health promotion activi- doctors...to take a respite from his The president’s health is a becoming president in 2016. measure aimed to consolidate He cited the 2017 data from among others. ties in the hospital.” punishing schedule,” he said. Pan- major concern among Filipinos, Critics have been calling for his the assistance provided by the the Philippine Statistics Au- Go said patients who would The bill also adopted Sen. elo, however, noted that Duterte with rumours about him being administration to issue regular DoH, the Department of Social thority, which showed that be admitted to public hospitals, Franklin Drilon’s amendment was not taking offi cial leave and gravely ill spreading from time to medical bulletins, but he has in- Welfare and Development and out-of-pocket payment ac- but are eligible for medical and that the proposed legislation does not have to turn over power time. Last month, he cut short a sisted that there was no need for the Philippine Charity Sweep- counted for 55% of health ex- financial assistance, could also would not limit the “access to to Vice President Leni Robredo, trip to Japan due to “unbearable that. stakes Office under one roof. penditures despite the safety seek assistance from the Mala- or availability of medical and “We are not providing ad- nets provided by PhilHealth. sakit Centres. financial assistance only to in- ditional funds for assistance, “Data from Mercer Marsh He added that the centres digent and financially incapac- we are merely establishing a Benefits 2019 Medical Trends would provide patients infor- itated patients referred through Eco-friendly ride one-stop shop for medical and Around the World showed that mation on the coverage and Malasakit Centres.” Lorenzana rejects new extension of martial law

By Dempsey Reyes in 2017 following clashes between govern- said it could be implemented in selected ar- Manila Times ment troops and militants affi liated with the eas. Islamic State. Congress extended the imple- mentation of martial law three times. If it will “We are waiting for the commendation efence Secretary Delfi n Lorenzana not be extended again, military rule will be of the Armed Forces and the PNP, it will yesterday said he would no longer lifted at the end of the year. depend on them” Dsupport any proposal to extend mar- Lorenzana said three years of martial law is tial law in Mindanao. too long. Malacanang said President Rodrigo Du- But he added that the fi nal decision would “It’s been there for so long. If the Senate terte would take into consideration Loren- be based on the recommendation of the or Congress can pass the (amended) Human zana’s opinion in deciding whether to extend Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Phil- Security Act (of 2007), which will give more martial law in the South or not. ippine National Police (PNP). teeth on our law enforcement and that’s a Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said “We are waiting for the recommendation better arrangement than martial law,” he Duterte would wait for the recommendation of the Armed Forces and the PNP, it will de- added. of people on the ground before making any pend on them. But if I will be asked, I will not National Security Adviser Hermogenes decision. recommend anymore the extension (of mar- Esperon Jr earlier proposed another exten- “That will be considered by the president. Cyclists join the Tour of the Fireflies in Marikina City. The bicycle event has become a symbol for the tial law),” he told reporters in an interview at sion of martial law in Mindanao. However, The president always says he will defer to the need for clean air, sustainable transportation and positive action in addressing climate change. Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. the heads of the Eastern Mindanao Com- advice or the recommendation of those on Mindanao was placed under martial law mand and the Western Mindanao Command the ground,” he added. Cagayan fl oods damage crops, livestock worth millions

By Leander C Domingo 11 municipalities in the prov- both amounting to an initial ter the disaster,” Edillo said. yesterday. The reservoir inflow As a result of the rising water adjacent to and along the Ga- Manila Times ince, which were submerged by estimated value of P285.9mn. Meanwhile, the Magat Dam is at 390 cubic metres per sec- level at Magat Dam reservoir, nano and Magat in upper Ca- fl oods, suff ered most of the huge He said the damaged rice reservoir water lever is rising to ond (m3/s) and outflow at 390 the Cagayan River, may slowly gayan River, Siff u-Mallig and losses in agriculture, livestock crops were either in the seed- its spilling level, threatening to m3/s with a rivergate discharge rise and bring floods to low-ly- Pinacanuan Rivers of Ilagan, ore than P286mn and property. ling, newly-planted, repro- again bring floods to low-lying at 371 m3/s. ing areas in the 15 municipali- Tumauini and San Pablo town worth of crops and Narciso Edillo, DA RFO2 ex- ductive or maturity stage. areas particularly in Isabela The low-lying areas that ties. in middle Cagayan River, and Mlivestock have been ecutive director, said the floods Under the DA’s Quick Re- and again in some parts of Ca- are likely to be affected in Isa- Towns in Cagayan that may Pinacanauan de Tuguegarao, damaged as a result of floods damaged a total area of 2,006.15 sponse Fund, the field office gayan province. bela province are the towns of also be flooded are Penablanca, Chico, Pared and Dummun in and landslides brought about hectares (ha) of standing crops said it is ready to provide as- According to the National Ir- San Agustin, Jones, Echague, Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Sola- lower Cagayan River were alert- by the northeast monsoon and of more than 1,637 farmers. sistance to farmers who were rigation Administration-Magat Alicia, Angadanan, Cauayan, na, Iguig, Amulung, Alcala, ed against possible landslides the tail end of the cold front in Of the affected areas, ac- severely affected by the calam- River Integrated Irrigation Sys- Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, Baggao, Lasam, Gattaran, Lal- and fl ashfl oods. Cagayan province. cording to Edillo, damaged ity. tem, the Magat Dam reservoir San Mateo, Cabatuan, Aurora, lo, Camalaniugan, Aparri Tuao, Disaster Risk Reduction and According to the Depart- rice crops were initially as- “We will give immediate as- water level was 191.50 metres Luna, Tumauini, Delfin Al- Piat, Santo Nino and Aparri. Management Councils con- ment of Agriculture Regional sessed in 1,656.15 ha and for sistance like free hybrid seeds or 1.5 metres close to its spill- bano, Santo Tomas, Cabagan, People living near the low- cerned were also advised to Field Offi ce 2 (DA RFO2), at least high-value crops in 350 ha, so that they can start again af- ing level of 193 metres as of 1pm Santa Maria and San Pablo. lying areas particularly those take appropriate actions. Gulf Times 22 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Reds display ruthless streak of champions Liverpool have lived through too many false dawns to take a fi rst Premier League title in 30 years for granted, but in overpowering their biggest rivals Manchester City 3-1 to open up an eight-point lead at the top of the table, they showed why the long wait looks set to end. Only City’s brilliance kept Jurgen Klopp’s men waiting last season when even the third highest points tally in the league’s history still saw the Reds miss out on the title by a single point. That disappointment has broken Liverpool sides of Johnson takes up the the past who have fi nished second best and quickly regressed. But Klopp’s outfi t are a diff erent mould. A mix of strength and blistering speed, blended with the inspiration of a fan base that has waited too long to populist Brexit banner see another title challenge falter. Ruthlessness was the diff erence between the two sides. By Laura King party identity, and people will try to stance to voters scattered among motives. Johnson grudgingly acceded Where Fabinho, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane London vote to get the best outcome in line with smaller opposition parties such as as Parliament was reconvened, but his produced diff ering fi nishes each of their own special that,” said Tim Bale, a politics professor the Liberal Democratic Party and the lieutenants railed bitterly about judicial at Queen Mary University of London. Scottish National Party, Scotland’s overreach. quality, City’s diff erence makers were wayward. rom his elite education to his That scrambles the notion of simple largest. The latter represents a direct His opening campaign salvos Sergio Aguero is still to score at Anfi eld and the posh accent, Alexander Boris party-line loyalties and introduces the challenge to Johnson not only in have revolved around accusing usually clinical Argentine may not get a better chance de Pfeff el Johnson is, despite notion of “tactical” voting guided by opposing Brexit, which Scottish his opponents of bad faith and than the one he dragged wide with just Alisson Becker to Fhis shambling appearance, the Brexit, he and others say. voters emphatically rejected, 62% to of undermining democracy – a very embodiment of a wealthy, powerful Under Johnson, the Conservative 38%, but also by seeking to revive an script that may sound familiar to beat just before half-time. and privileged British establishment. platform centres on getting out of the independence referendum if Britain those following the impeachment Raheem Sterling thrived off But as the 55-year-old prime minister EU – but the even harder-line, single- pushes ahead with plans to leave the EU. proceedings unfolding across the Klopp’s the jibes of the fans he left to crisscrosses the country in advance of issue Brexit Party, created this year to The prime minister has said he would Atlantic against Trump. join City four years ago as he an enormously consequential election contest European Parliament elections, try to block any new Scottish breakaway “We can take back control!” Johnson Liverpool in next month, he is casting himself in a says Johnson has already ceded too vote, saying Scotland’s failed 2014 told cheering followers at his party’s twisted, turned and teased role that has served him well through- much ground to EU negotiators. It could independence referendum settled the election launch. “This country is aching pole position England teammate Trent out his political career: a cheerfully thus siphon off votes cast by the most matter. to move on ... . Let’s make 2020 about Alexander-Arnold but always down-to-earth guy, a full-throated man die-hard Brexit advocates, who would Mindful that Johnson benefi ts from a the people of this country, and not its for title found an extra Liverpool body of the people. prefer to see Britain “crash out” of the divided opposition, some of the smaller politicians!” In a headline-sized quote In a campaign dominated by Brexit bloc without a withdrawal accord. parties are forming an alliance, looking splashed across the front page of the in the way to thwart him. – Britain’s tortuous eff ort to leave the President Trump, in commentary at dozens of constituencies across Telegraph newspaper last week, he The course of the game and the title race could European Union – Johnson is wielding delivered via Twitter and soundbites England and Wales where candidates likened his opponents to Soviet dictator have been very diff erent had Alexander-Arnold been the populist cudgel in ways that many from the White House, has called on would step aside in one another’s Josef Stalin. penalised for a handball inside his own box 22 seconds critics fear could have long-term, Johnson to strike an electoral pact with favour in a bid to garner more seats for While Johnson’s populist rhetoric damaging eff ects on the country’s Nigel Farage, the far-right politician members of Parliament opposing Brexit. may sound incongruous coming from before Fabinho struck the fi rst dagger into City’s hearts centuries-old democratic traditions. who is not contesting a seat, but is Amid this fragmented landscape – someone with a background redolent just six minutes in. He bashes Parliament, pooh-poohs leading the Brexit Party’s national and even before the campaign’s formal of the spoils of Britain’s class system When Salah stooped to head home Andy Robertson’s the authority of the courts and accuses campaign. start last week – Johnson has alarmed – he attended preparatory school at brilliant in-swinging cross seven minutes later, political rivals of seeking to thwart the “What I’d like to see is for Nigel and many critics with his willingness Eton, an incubating ground for future will of the people, as expressed in the Boris to come together,” Trump told to batter democratic norms and prime ministers, and studied classics at Liverpool had scored with their fi rst two attacks. 2016 Brexit referendum. reporters last week. institutions, including some important Oxford, where he was the president of While the European champions’ effi ciency was The prime minister, who assumed But although Trump considers both precepts of Britain’s unwritten the Oxford Union debating society – the exceptional, the holes in City’s defence were entirely his offi ce in July on the strength of a men his ideological allies and calls each constitution. prime minister has long proved adept at predictable. leadership vote by about 160,000 dues- his good friend, a public embrace by When Parliament voted this year presenting himself as a champion of the paying members of his Conservative the two is considered unlikely. Many to prevent the prime minister from downtrodden, analysts say. A failure to replace captain Vincent Kompany after Party, is for the fi rst time the party’s moderate members of Johnson’s party crashing out of the EU without a “He knows exactly how to raise the his departure to take charge of Anderlecht has been standard-bearer in a general election set are put off at least in part by Farage’s departure accord, Johnson angrily volume, how to make people get angry compounded by a long-term knee injury to Aymeric for Dec 12, two years ahead of schedule. longtime association with nationalist- branded it a “surrender” bill, saying his and jump up and down,” said Johnson’s Laporte to leave Pep Guardiola scrambling for solutions. Much is at stake: If Johnson can win fringe fi gures who openly espouse racist hands had been tied because he could biographer Andrew Gimson. “And he a parliamentary majority, he vows to and anti-Muslim views. no longer seek to win concessions from knows exactly how to use humour to Another untimely injury left the Catalan without swiftly push through a thrice-delayed The Labour Party, the main the bloc by threatening a chaotic split. puncture anyone being pompous or fi rst-choice goalkeeper Ederson and the Brazilian’s back Brexit, brushing aside fears of economic opposition, has sought to tread a When he suspended Parliament, dull – in the theatre of politics, people up Claudio Bravo should have done better to prevent upheaval and social disruption. centrist path, saying it would negotiate limiting the time for weighing Brexit- see him as one of the most enjoyable Mane’s diving header at the back post extinguishing any This election is being portrayed a new Brexit accord and then put it to a related matters in advance of a then- performers.” in many quarters as a far-reaching popular vote. But it is hampered by the scheduled Halloween departure date, he Still, a freewheeling style that worked hope of a City comeback early in the second half. referendum on Britain’s status as a seeming ambiguity of its Brexit stance, received a highly unusual smackdown well in lower-stakes endeavours – The makeshift back-four of Angelino, on his second pillar of a postwar order that has kept and by the personal unpopularity from the Supreme Court, which Johnson was an extremely popular Premier League start, an out of position Fernandinho, peace in Europe for seven decades and of its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who ruled that he had acted unlawfully mayor of London, despite or perhaps John Stones and Kyle Walker was never likely to resist perhaps, ultimately, whether the United is considered by many voters to be in sending lawmakers home – and because of a sometimes-bumbling Kingdom will remain united. too radical and is also dogged by strongly implied, while not saying so image – may play less well in an election the force of Liverpool’s front three. But on the campaign trail, Johnson accusations of anti-Semitism. directly, that he had lied to the public, in which Britain could have a great deal Defi ant in defeat, Guardiola lauded his players for the hews to a simple, repetitive message: That leaves the straight-up “remain” and to Queen Elizabeth II, about his to lose. – Tribune News Service way they penned Liverpool in for the fi nal half hour even “Get Brexit done!” with the game gone at 3-0 as Bernardo Silva pulled a Opponents struggling to connect with voters are left to voice more goal back. nuanced themes: That leaving “There is still seven months to go. If Liverpool win the European Union, rather than the title, I will be the fi rst to congratulate them for how representing a clean break, will only good they are,” said Guardiola. “We want to fi ght until mark the start of decades of complex and contentious negotiations. That the end.” rather than asserting its sovereignty, City cannot be brushed aside but they know they have a post-Brexit Britain will fi nd itself a lot of catching up to do. at the mercy of potentially predatory trading partners, perhaps including the United States. That the lifting up of society’s “left-behinds” must involve a To Advertise recalibration of domestic priorities and won’t be achieved simply by turning [email protected] Britain’s back on its closest partners. Display A scant month before the vote, opinion polls give Johnson’s party a 44466621 44418811 commanding lead. But analysts say traditional party loyalties may break Classified down as voters seek to fi nd a way to 44466609 44418811 express their views on whether to “leave” or “remain.” That was the Subscription ballot question on the June 2016 Brexit referendum that resulted in a narrow [email protected] 52%-48% vote to depart the bloc and has left the country at loggerheads since. Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a baby as he meets supporters at the Lynch Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton, Britain, © 2019 Gulf Times. All rights reserved “Brexit identity is more powerful than yesterday. Gulf Times Tuesday, November 12, 2019 23 COMMENT The rise of nationalism after the fall of the Berlin Wall

By George Soros are capable of correcting their own disturbingly, China could sell the social Berlin excesses, and if they did not, central credit system worldwide to would-be banks would take care of failing dictators, who would then become institutions by merging them into politically dependent on China. he fall of the Berlin Wall on bigger ones. That was a false belief, as Fortunately, Xi’s China has an the night of November 8, 1989 the global fi nancial crisis of 2007-08 Achilles heel: it depends on the US dramatically and suddenly demonstrated. to supply it with microprocessors Taccelerated the collapse of The crash of 2008 ended the that 5G companies, like Huawei and communism in Europe. The end of unquestioned global dominance of ZTE, need. Unfortunately, however, travel restrictions between East and the US and greatly boosted the rise of Trump has shown that he puts his West Germany dealt a death blow to nationalism. It also turned the tide personal interests ahead of the national the closed society of the Soviet Union. against open societies. The protection interests, and 5G is no exception. Both By the same token, it marked a high they received from the US was always he and Xi are in political trouble at point for the rise of open societies. indirect and sometimes insuffi cient, home, and in the trade negotiations I had become involved in what I call but its absence left them vulnerable with Xi, he has put Huawei on the my political philanthropy a decade to the threat of nationalism. It took table: he has converted microchips into earlier. I became an advocate of the me some time to realise this, but bargaining chips. concept of open society that had the evidence was incontrovertible. The outcome is unpredictable, been imbued in me by Karl Popper, Open societies were forced onto the because it depends on a number of my mentor at the London School of defensive worldwide. decisions that have not yet been taken. Economics. Popper had taught me that I should like to think that the We live in revolutionary times, when perfect knowledge was not attainable, nadir was reached in 2016, with the the range of possibilities is much wider and that totalitarian ideologies, which United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum than usual and the outcome is even more claimed to be in possession of the and the election of US President uncertain than in normal times. All we ultimate truth, could prevail only by Donald Trump, but the jury is out. can depend on is our convictions. repressive means. The outlook for open societies is I am committed to the goals pursued In the 1980s, I supported aggravated by the exceptionally rapid by open societies, win or lose. That dissidents throughout the Soviet development of artificial intelligence. is the diff erence between working empire, and in 1984 I was able to It can produce instruments of social for a foundation and trying to make set up a foundation in my native German Chancellor Angela Merkel is seen during the ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, control that can help repressive money in the stock market. - Project Hungary. It provided financial at the Wall memorial on Bernauer Strasse in Berlin. regimes but pose a mortal danger for Syndicate support to any activity that was not open societies. initiated by the one-party state. in one country after another. My disruptive than internationalism. the prescriptions of the neoliberal For example, Chinese President z George Soros is Chairman of The idea was that by encouraging annual budget jumped from $3mn to This was not an inevitable outcome. Washington Consensus. Xi Jinping has embarked on creating Soros Fund Management and the Open non-party activities, people would $300mn in just a few years. Those were After the collapse of the Soviet Union That is when China embarked on a so-called social credit system. If Society Foundations. A pioneer of the become aware of the falsehood of heady days. Open societies were in in 1991, the United States emerged as its amazing journey of economic he succeeded in completing it, the hedge-fund industry, he is the author the official dogma – and it worked the ascendant and international co- the sole surviving superpower, but it growth, enabled by its accession – state would gain total control over its of many books, including The Alchemy like a charm. With an annual budget operation was the dominant creed. failed to live up to the responsibilities with US support – to the World Trade citizens. Disturbingly, the Chinese of Finance, The New Paradigm for of $3mn, the foundation became Thirty years later, the situation is that its position conferred. The US Organisation and the international public fi nds the social credit system Financial Markets: The Credit Crisis stronger than the Ministry of very diff erent. International co- was more interested in enjoying the fi nancial institutions. Eventually, attractive, because it provides them of 2008 and What it Means, and Culture. operation has hit serious roadblocks, fruits of its Cold War victory. It failed China replaced the Soviet Union as a with services they previously lacked, The Tragedy of the European Union: I became hooked on political and nationalism became the dominant to extend a helping hand to former potential rival to the US. promises to persecute criminals, Disintegration or Revival? His most philanthropy, and, as the Soviet empire creed. So far, nationalism has turned Soviet bloc countries, which were in The Washington Consensus and off ers citizens a guide on how recent book is In Defence of Open collapsed, I established foundations out to be much more powerful and dire straits. Thereby, it adhered to assumed that fi nancial markets to stay out of trouble. Even more Society (Public Aff airs, 2019).

The new anti-capitalism Three-day forecast TODAY News anchor Tucker Carlson has is no sticker price that we can see: the than the new alternatives. For all Maximum Temperature : 300c By Harold James Minimum Temperature : 220c Princeton channelled the pathos of the Trumpian price paid is our privacy and personal of the improvements in electronic right through lengthy rants against autonomy. communication, bank costs and WEDNESDAY capitalism, complaining about At the same time, zero-sum charges have scarcely fallen; indeed, Maximum Temperature : 290c e are currently living “mercenaries who feel no long-term thinking has become the predominant for many consumers in areas with Minimum Temperature : 220c through the most dra- obligation to the people they rule” and form of economic analysis. This, zero or negative interest rates, fees THURSDAY matic technological and “don’t even bother to understand our too, clearly has roots in the fi nancial have actually increased. At some Maximum Temperature : 290c Weconomic transforma- problems.” crisis. But it has also been fostered point in the not-too-distant future, Minimum Temperature : 220c A partial explanation for the new by the new information technologies most banking services will likely be tion in the history of mankind. We are Fisherman's forecast also witnessing declining support for zeitgeist is that it is a predictable (IT), owing to the power of network unbundled and off ered individually capitalism around the world. Are these reaction to fi nancial destabilisation. eff ects within winner-take-all – and in new and improved ways – WARNING Just as monetary conditions following markets – particularly with respect through online platforms. Inshore : Expected thundery rain two trends connected, and if so, how? at places associated It is tempting to say that World War I seemed unfair and to the platform economy and the The genius of capitalism lies in its with strong wind capitalism’s growing unpopularity is generated a ferocious reaction, development of artifi cial intelligence ability to produce organic answers Offshore : Expected thunder rain simply a symptom of Luddism – the the 2008 fi nancial crisis fuelled a (AI). The more people there are to most problems of scarcity and associated with strong wind and high sea impulse that led artisan workers in widespread belief that the system on a network, the more valuable it resource allocation. Markets tend WEATHER the early Industrial Revolution to is rigged. While governments and becomes to each user, and the less naturally to reward the ideas that Inshore : P cloudy to cloudy at break the machinery that threatened central banks rescued large fi nancial room there is for any second player prove most useful, and to penalise times with c of sctd rain maybe thundery& their jobs. But that explanation institutions in order to prevent a in the market. According to a famous dysfunctional behaviour. They can blowing dust at times doesn’t capture the complexity collapse of the entire global fi nancial Avis advertisement from 1962, “When bring about broad-based outcomes Offshore : P cloudy to cloudy of today’s movement against system and a repeat of the Great you’re only No 2, you try harder.” But that states cannot, by driving vast with c of sctd rain maybe thundery at capitalism, which is being led not Depression, the millions of people who now if you’re No 2, there’s no point. numbers of individuals to adjust some areas at times so much by distressed workers as by lost their homes and jobs were left to You’ve already lost. their behaviour in response to price WIND intellectuals and politicians. fend for themselves. Moreover, the new IT and AI signals. Inshore : Northwesterly-North- easterly 05-15/25 KT The current anti-capitalist wave The fi nancial crisis alone capitalism has a specifi c geography. It In today’s warming world, there is Offshore : Northeasterly-North- comes at a time when free-market was enough to sow the seeds of is rooted in the US and China, but the obviously a need for eff ective ways westerly 05-15/25 KT neoliberalism and globalisation anti-capitalist sentiment. But Chinese aim to achieve dominance by to limit greenhouse-gas emissions. Visibility : 4-8/2 KM are nearly universally excoriated. it also coincided with a much 2030. Capitalism has always driven But even a problem as complicated Offshore : 2-4/8 FT geopolitical change, but now that it as climate change should not be left Opposition to neoliberalism came broader technological and social Around the region originally from the left, but has transformation. Innovations like is becoming increasingly associated to technocrats. We all need to be Weather been taken up – perhaps even more smartphones – the iPhone was with China – after having been involved, as citizens and as market Weather tomorrow Max/min vigorously and rancorously – by the unveiled in 2007 – and new Internet synonymous with America from the participants. For their part, the today Max/min P Cloudy 28/14 populist right. platforms have fundamentally interwar period onward – it invites defenders of capitalism need to fi gure Baghdad M Sunny 28/14 Sunny 30/17 After all, there was more than a changed the way that people connect objections from diff erent sources than out how to make the system more Kuwait City M Sunny 31/17 Sunny 29/23 touch of old-style interwar-era anti- and conduct business. In many in the past. inclusive, so that it can claim the Manama Sunny 29/24 Sunny 27/19 capitalist sentiment in former British ways, the new mode of business is Looking ahead, the radical changes public’s support once again. - Project Muscat Sunny 27/20 Sunny 18/07 prime minister Theresa May’s 2016 antithetical to capitalism, because of the post-fi nancial-crisis world Syndicate Tehran Sunny 19/08 speech denouncing cosmopolitan it is based on opaque payments and will continue to unfold, with the IT/ “citizens of the world” as “citizens asymmetric or two-sided markets. We AI revolution altering the nature z Harold James is Professor of of nowhere.” Her successor, current now obtain services by “selling” our of most economic activity. Banks History and International Aff airs at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, personal information. But we’re not will fade away, not because they Princeton University and a senior has also denounced capitalism. actually aware that we are engaged in are evil or systemically dangerous, fellow at the Centre for International Likewise, in the United States, Fox a market transaction, because there but because they are less effi cient Governance Innovation.

Live issues Around the world Weather Weather Sleep deprivation linked to weaker bones today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens M Cloudy 24/17 Rain 19/14 Beirut Sunny 27/22 P Cloudy 28/23 By Stacey Burling mood, metabolic and immune system problems. Bangkok P Cloudy 34/26 I T Storms 32/26 The Philadelphia Inquirer Previous work by this team found an association Berlin Cloudy 08/02 Cloudy 06/02 between sleeping too much or too little or having Cairo M Sunny 33/19 Sunny 33/21 disturbed sleep and recurrent falls and fractures. Cape Town Cloudy 22/16 Cloudy 23/16 omen who don’t get enough sleep may This new study analysed data on 11,084 Colombo I T Storms 29/24 P Cloudy 29/25 be putting their bones at risk, a new postmenopausal women. It relied on self reports Dhaka M Sunny 31/21 Sunny 31/21 study found. of sleep. The researchers, who were from 12 Hong Kong P Cloudy 24/20 Sunny 24/18 W The research showed that institutions, including the University of Pittsburgh, Istanbul Sunny 24/15 M Cloudy 24/14 postmenopausal women who slept less than fi ve controlled for weight, smoking, age, education and Jakarta S T Storms 34/25 T Storms 33/26 hours a night were 22% more likely than those who several other factors. Ten% of the women said they Karachi P Cloudy 29/20 P Cloudy 30/20 slept at least seven hours to have low bone mass slept less than fi ve hours a night. London S Showers 08/03 M Cloudy 09/04 and 63% more likely to have osteoporosis of the hip. Ochs-Balcom said this study was not meant to Manila S T Storms 31/25 Cloudy 31/24 Results for the spine were similar. examine why sleep aff ects bone health. Previous Moscow Cloudy -7/01 P Cloudy 05/00 Bone mass is important because weaker bones work has shown a connection between short sleep New Delhi M Sunny 28/16 P Cloudy 28/17 are more likely to break. In the elderly, fractures can and hormonal and metabolic changes as well as New York Rain 12/-3 Sunny 02/-3 reduce quality and length of life. no harmful side eff ects. “It’s not a pill. No one has to infl ammation. Paris S Showers 08/03 P Cloudy 09/04 In the study, which was published in the Journal pay for it,” said Heather Ochs-Balcom, a University Earlier this week, the American Academy of Sleep Sao Paulo Cloudy 22/18 S T Storms 25/19 of Bone and Mineral Research, researchers described at Buff alo epidemiologist who led the study. “It’s just Medicine released a new survey that found that Seoul M Cloudy 14/02 Rain 14/-3 the relationship between short sleep and bone health a nice easy recommendation to improve health.” many Americans are letting entertainment get in the Singapore S T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 31/26 as “modest” and said it was equivalent to a year of The study adds to mounting evidence that sleep way of a good night’s sleep. Binge watching was the Sydney Cloudy 34/14 Sunny 20/14 ageing. has wide-ranging eff ects on our health. Short most common culprit, but video games, books and Tokyo Clear 21/12 Cloudy 19/11 Still, sleep, unlike many treatments, comes with sleeping has been associated with cardiovascular, sports events were also common sleep robbers. Gulf Times 24 Tuesday, November 12, 2019 QATAR Over 400,000 register for organ donation

he total number of regis- ister of Public Health, the Medal of egy for organ donation and trans- tered organ donors in Qatar Altruism was presented to 36 living plantation is not only world- Thas reached over 400,000 kidney donors, 15 stem cell donors, leading in terms of the clinical as Hamad Medical Corporation’s and the families of nine deceased and ethical standards it applies, (HMC) Qatar Center for Organ donors. Dr Fadhil said his organi- but it is also one that is appropri- Transplantation recently hon- sation has worked tirelessly with ate to the healthcare needs of our oured 60 organ and tissue donors the Qatar Center for Organ Trans- growing and diverse population,” for their selfl ess act of organ do- plantation to implement the ten- said Dr al-Kuwari. nation, saving the lives of 70 re- ets of the Doha Donation Accord, An organ transplant can be a HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, and HMC off icials with the donors who were honoured at the event. cipients last year. which is marking its 10th anniver- life-saving procedure and can “HMC’s full commitment to sary this year. signifi cantly improve the quality Qatar Center for Organ Trans- changing needs of our commu- ering of the ROOTS Alliance lectures. Held over three days the Doha Donation Accord has “Organ donation saves lives of life for someone with chronic plantation director Dr Yousuf nity and has been striving to ful- (Reaching Out for Organ Trans- November 8 to 10, the events seen the number of registered and the success of Qatar’s organ organ failure. These life-saving al-Maslamani said the success fi l its vision to provide the best plant Self Suffi ciency). As part centred on advancing plans and donors increase signifi cantly over donation and transplantation organs come from deceased do- of HMC’s organ transplant pro- quality care for all patients, irre- of these events, representatives strategies to educate staff and the last six years from 2,000 to programmes is something which nors who have pledged during gramme has led to a decrease in spective of nationality, religion, from India, Pakistan, The Phil- raise public awareness about or- more than 400,000 today,” dis- we can be extremely proud of. their lifetime to give their organs the number of patients who are or race,” said Dr al-Maslamani. ippines, Sudan, Iraq, Oman, and gan traffi cking. closed Dr Riadh Fadhil, director, We have a single, unifi ed waiting to someone in need. A deceased travelling abroad for commercial The annual honouring cer- Ethiopia joined delegates from Discussions also focused on Qatar Organ Donation Center. list and have led the way in terms organ donor can save up to eight transplantation by around 85%. emony coincided with the third Qatar, Australia, Spain, Croatia, supporting each alliance country During the annual honour- of setting a high standard of care lives. It is also possible to donate “The wider organ donation Annual Meeting of the Doha In- South Africa, the United States, to establish its own ethical organ ing ceremony, attended by HE Dr and support for donors and their a kidney or part of the liver to a and transplantation programme ternational Academy for Organ and the United Kingdom for a donation and transplantation Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, Min- families. Qatar’s national strat- relative while you are alive. continues to evolve to meet the Donation and the second gath- series of high-level meetings and programmes. Find Qatar’s storytellers at Ajyal 2019 ‘Made in Qatar’ presented by Ooredoo Programme features world premieres of latest Qatari Film Fund recipient projects: Ahmad al-Sharif’s End of the Road and Kholood al-Ali’s Fragile ignalling the vibrancy of a Hassan al-Remaihi said. strong national fi lm indus- “The quality of the fi lms being Stry, the 7th Ajyal Film Fes- produced in Qatar demonstrates tival, presented by the Doha Film an exciting path that our young Institute (DFI), will present 22 fi lmmakers are taking, and we are captivating fi lms by Qatari direc- excited to present fi lms this year tors and Qatar-based fi lmmakers that were shot internationally, in this year’s Made in Qatar pro- attesting to the ever-expanding gramme presented by Ooredoo. infl uence of Qatar’s burgeoning A highly-anticipated highlight fi lm industry. Ajyal Film Festi- of the Festival, Made in Qatar val is pleased to celebrate fi lm- serves as a unique platform for making in our country and help Paper Kite (2019) follows the story of two Catholic schoolgirls on a aspiring fi lmmakers to showcase audiences fi nd themselves in kite-making mission. their works on a global stage, the stories that form our narra- drawing on the immersive power tive,” she said. The 2019 Made In the Middle (2019) — a poign- Fragile (2019) by Kholood al-Ali of cinema to tell their stories and in Qatar section at Ajyal once ant portrayal of Ali who is forced — an animated short fi lm that establish a creative dialogue with again presents two programmes to pick up arms depicting the follows a ceramic girl’s journey audiences from around the world. of shorts that include narratives, harsh reality of the ongoing war of self-discovery and reinven- The fi lms will vie for the Made in thought-provoking documen- in Yemen; Falling Leaves (2019) tion as she sets off to conquer the Qatar Awards, chosen by a jury taries and refl ective essays, in- by Dimitri Yuri, which follows a mountains separating her from The Unlucky Hamster follows hilarious misadventures of Fluff y — a cute hamster in a pet shop dreaming that includes Sudanese fi lm- spired by the values that defi ne young girl’s induction to the in- the world beyond her home. of a new home. maker Amjad Abu Alala; British the nation — its culture, heritage, ner workings of her family’s unu- Meanwhile, Programme 2 will actor Kris Hitchen; and Qatari people and places. On November sual business — embalming dead take place at Katara Drama Thea- their personal experience in the architect and urbanist Fatma al- 19, Programme 1 will take place at bodies; Refuge (2019) by Maha tre on November 20 (8pm) and service; Ana Bas (2019) by Tony Shelawy. Katara Drama Theatre (8pm) and Essid – an insightful short about at VOX Cinemas, Doha Festival El Ghazal and Ayah Awartani — Made in Qatar will once again at VOX Cinemas, Doha Festival two Palestinian expats’ connec- City on November 22 (8.30pm). about an Egyptian rapper, caught shine a spotlight on home-grown City (8.30pm) on November 21. tion to their homeland, and the Films that will be screened in- between his fi rst-ever album re- talents with two fi lm programmes Films that will be screened in- ways they try to stay close to their clude: Abdulaziz Mohammed lease and his personal life; Beit of narratives and documentaries clude: End of the Road (2019) by identity, history and culture; Ab- Khashabi’s The Unlucky Ham- Byoot (2019) by Mayar Hamdan, that include the world premieres Ahmad al-Sharif – set in 1990’s dulanaser Hassan al-Yafei’s F-57 ster (2019), which follows hi- set in a dystopian dollhouse, lit- of recently completed projects Doha, follows the story of Mu- (2018) — a profoundly unsettling larious misadventures of Fluff y tle Jameela must choose between from Qatar Film Fund recipients: nir, an honest and God-fearing story about the nefarious power — a cute hamster in a pet shop being odd and fi tting in, tackles Ahmad al-Sharif’s End of the taxi driver whose journey to his of social media — disturbed IT dreaming of a new home. But his issues of conformity versus indi- Road and Kholood al-Ali’s Frag- daughter’s birthday celebration genius Yousef, targets kids in his dream soon turns into a night- viduality; Dhabya al-Muhanna- ile. is disrupted when a mysterious wicked online game; Socotra — mare when a mysterious man di’s Maha’mel (2018) — is a silent “Undoubtedly, Made in Qatar man appears on the road – and The Invisible Island (2019) by adopts him; Revive the Lira’s study on the precision engineer- holds a special place in the Ajyal he is torn between being a good Ching Siew Hua — a sober por- Glory (2019) by Alessandra El ing and expert craftsmanship in- Film Festival programme, high- Samaritan or a good father; Tick trayal of the often-overlooked is- Chanti, which follows a young volved in the creation of Qatar’s lighting our local creative talents Tock (2019) by Awad Karrar, land of Socotra, situated 400km Lebanese artist, who paints por- iconic Dhow boats; Nada Bedair’s and inspiring young fi lmmakers which details the story of Ahmed, off the coast of Yemen. traits of national icons on his Paper Kite (2019), which follows The Black Veil (2019) follows the story of a woman who puts her to fi nd their ambitions in Qa- who is elected president of the Suff ering the indirect conse- country’s banknotes in an eff ort the story of two Catholic school- life at risk to find her freedom- highlighting the struggles of women tar. This year’s impressive slate student body, only to discover quences of the confl ict, the island to metaphorically give them back girls on a kite-making mission; around the world who suff er under oppression. of 22 accomplished fi lms stands deep administrative corruption is facing a devastating environ- their value; Desert Bounty (2019) Doubled (2018) by Rana al-Khouli out with bold subjects and bril- that presents him with a trou- mental crisis; AJ al-Thani’s The by Yassine Ouahrani — about a — is a personal and inspiring an insight into Ghassan Hajar’s manufacturing traditional fi sh- liant narrative styles, and we are bling ethical decision; The Artist: Black Veil (2019), which follows young girl’s journey in the Ara- portrait of a student as she te- incredible antique collection; ing boats; and Beyond Boundaries proud of the contributions of our Yacoub Missi (2019) by Tony El the story of a woman who puts bian desert in search of water to naciously pursues her academic Majdy Naeem al-Sukhnii’s Oh (2019) by Hemanth Madupu — a emerging talents to building a vi- Ghazal, which depicts the inspi- her life at risk to fi nd her free- heal her mother; Sana al-Ansari’s dreams between her two homes Ya Maal (2019) takes viewers on documentary about the crick- brant creative industry in Qatar rations that led the Syrian painter dom- highlighting the struggles Batch 10 (2019) — an enlighten- Damascus and Doha; Ghassan’s a journey to discover Qatar’s rich et scene in Doha, and how the and inspiring their peers,” Festi- and sculptor to pursue his pas- of women around the world who ing look at the military service in Green Door (2019) by Lubna maritime heritage, the festival much-beloved sport manages to val director and DFI CEO Fatma sion for art; Mariam al-Dubhani’s suff er under oppression; and Qatar, following two recruits and Mohsin and Munera al-Dosari — of ‘Mahamel’, and the process of transcend national borders. QSTP hosts intensive pitches on XLR8 Demo Day

ourteen teams of aspiring while Fire Cruise, a remotely- The competing teams short- from mentors who special- techpreneurs competed to operated fi refi ghting vehicle listed as fi nalists underwent a ise in the commercialisation of Fattract investors’ atten- that helps oil and gas companies competitive selection process by tech-based innovations, and tion as they pitched their ideas to safely extinguish fi res and re- QSTP. Teams included Partix, a have years of hands-on, indus- to the local tech community at duce accidents, landed in second mobile app that helps mechanics try experience in what it takes the Demo Day of the eighth cy- place. Hitch, a pay-per-minute and car owners fi nd spare parts to launch and grow tech-based cle of Qatar Science & Technol- car rental service, allowing cus- at the best available price; Qash- startups. ogy Park’s (QSTP) ‘XLR8’ pro- tomers to plan commutes on the Card, a mobile wallet app off er- ‘XLR8’, a key component of gramme held recently. go, came in third. ing customers cashbacks for QSTP’s mission to create a vi- The eighth cycle of the in- The event, which brought shopping; and Thought Square, brant tech innovation and entre- tensive two-month training and together over 200 attendees at a digital platform that gathers preneurship ecosystem in Qatar, mentorship programme wel- QSTP, saw the graduating teams innovative thinkers from around helps participants transform comed for the fi rst time the three present their startup ideas to an the world to co-defi ne challeng- their tech ideas into functioning fi nalists of season 11 of Stars audience of seasoned technol- es and co-design solutions. prototypes to further develop of Science, Qatar Foundation’s ogy professionals and industry Habes Howail, founder and them into market-viable solu- edutainment reality TV show experts to secure the support CEO, Thought Square, said: tions. Since its inception in 2015, and the Arab world’s leading in- of investors for launching their “The 10-week programme was more than 300 participants have novation show. startups. very impressive. Each session graduated from the ‘XLR8’ pro- In another fi rst for ‘XLR8’, QSTP executive director Yo- taught us a new skill to further gramme. Demo Day featured an online souf Abdulrahman Saleh said, develop our projects. A distin- Through this programme, audience vote to select the top “All teams have demonstrated guished panel of mentors guided QSTP, part of Qatar Foundation three startups, which received passion, determination, and us throughout the programme Research, Development, and In- three months of mentorship and truly innovative approaches to and enriched our experience novation, contributes to Qatar’s a fast-tracked process to be in- be here. QSTP’s association with The eighth cycle of the intensive two-month training and mentorship programme welcomed for the first through their expertise in the journey towards a sustainable cubated in QSTP. these entrepreneurs does not time the three finalists of season 11 of Stars of Science, Qatar Foundation’s edutainment reality TV show fi nancial, business, design, and and diversifi ed economy, in line ClassTap, a lifestyle company end here; in fact, our journey to- and the Arab world’s leading innovation show. marketing aspects.” with the broader vision of Qatar off ering access to every fi tness gether has only just begun. Over the course of the pro- Foundation. For more informa- class at every gym with a single “Our technology develop- chain is geared towards ensuring develop their ideas and proto- startups, and drive their busi- gramme, participating teams tion on QSTP’s programmes and membership, won fi rst place, ment and innovation value- that the graduates of ‘XLR8’ will types further, establish viable nesses to commercial success.” received intensive guidance events, visit www.qstp.org.qa