BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Futsal ‘will nurture technical INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2 – 11, 32 COMMENT 30, 31 HIA achieves top REGION 12 BUSINESS 1 – 7, 12 – 16 skills of 17,849.14 9,919.32 48.85 ARAB WORLD 13 CLASSIFIED 8 – 11 ranking on list of +44.27 +94.07 -0.52 INTERNATIONAL 14 – 29 SPORTS 1 – 12 children’ +0.25% +0.96% -1.05% ‘coolest airports’ Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978

WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXVII No. 10127 June 22, 2016 Ramadan 17, 1437 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Economic affairs council meets 1.5mn workers In brief now under Wage

JORDAN | Stance Qatar condemns bomb attack Qatar has strongly condemned the Protection System bombing that targeted a military HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the chairman of the Supreme site for refugee services at the Council for Economic Aff airs and Investment, presided over the council’s second The new salary payment scheme informed of any developments in the northeastern borders of Jordan, meeting in 2016 at the Al Bahr Palace yesterday evening. HE the Prime Minister requires companies to transfer streamlining process,” al-Nuaimi leaving six soldiers dead and and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, the council’s salaries electronically to said during the dialogue. 14 Jordanian army and security executive member, along with other council members, attended the meeting. employees’ bank accounts To address issues on recruitment personnel injured. Pages 8, 13 HE the Minister of Finance Ali Sherif al-Emadi, the council’s secretary-general, of employees, the minister said a told the off icial Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the meeting discussed topics on By Peter Alagos committee was formed “to solve the agenda, including follow-up to resolutions of the council and action taken, Business Reporter all obstacles faced by recruitment RAMADAN THOUGHT recent developments related to energy and investment aff airs, review of Qatar’s agencies”. The committee members, If you correct your hidden achievements in the 2016 edition of the annual World Competitiveness Yearbook he explained, would come from the deeds (i.e. what’s in your and adoption of Qatar Investment Authority’s list of tenders and auctions. even months since the imple- HE al-Nuaimi, left, and Sheikh Khalifa Ministry for Administrative De- heart) subsequently Allah will mentation of a new salary pay- bin Jassim during the consultative velopment and Labour and Social correct your outward deeds (i.e. Sment scheme last year, as many meeting with private sector companies. Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Qatar actions). [Ibn Taymiyyah] as 1.5mn of the 1.7mn labourers in Chamber and recruitment firms. Qatar are now receiving their sala- to the “great strides” taken by com- Al-Nuaimi also expressed op- Prayer times ries under the state’s Wage Protec- panies to comply with the new sala- timism on the implementation of Fajr....3.15 Zuhr....11.36 Asr....2.58 Croatia snatch top spot tion System (WPS), HE the Minister ry payment system, in co-operation the new labour law, which, he said, Maghrib.....6.30 Isha.....8.00 for Administrative Development and with “relevant agencies”. would take effect “later this year”. Labour and Social Aff airs Dr Issa During the meeting, the partici- The new labour law, he said, “will Fasting times with late defeat of Spain Saad al-Juff ali al-Nuaimi has said. pants raised their concerns before change the relationship between the Iftar today ...... 6.30pm The minister made the announce- the minister, including issues on worker and the company”, refer- Suhoor tomorrow ...... 3.15am ment before Qatar Chamber (QC) employment contracts, housing re- ring to the abolishment of the kafala DPA Croatia - who played without stars chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jas- quirements, change of sponsorship, (sponsorship) system. Bordeaux, France Luka Modric and Mario Mandzukic - sim al-Thani and other QC officials and cases of absconding workers, “Qatar is keen on developing leg- fi nished with seven points, Spain with during a consultative meeting with among other problems. islative and legal infrastructure in six. This means that Italy will face Spain business owners and representa- The employers also called on the line with the conventions and trea- roatia dramatically snatched in the round of 16 on Monday in a repeat tives of private sector companies ministry for the establishment of a ties signed by Qatar, and to achieve top spot in Euro 2016 Group D of the 2012 fi nal that Spain won 4-0. held at the chamber’s headquarters “labour court” that will handle and ease of doing business. The leader- Caway from Spain yesterday with Meanwhile, Croatia will go into the on Monday. decide on various labour and em- ship of this country places great im- a last-gasp 2-1 defeat of the holders in supposedly easier side of the knockout The WPS was implemented on ployment issues. portance on the implementation of Bordeaux. bracket and will face one of the third- November 2 last year, based on They also raised the issue on de- all security and safety standards for Alvaro Morata - who is tournament placed teams in the round of 16 on Sat- amendments to Labour Law No 14 lays, suspension or rejection, and foreign workers,” he said. joint top scorer - gave Spain an early urday. of 2004. lengthy procedures in the granting For his part, Sheikh Khalifa said: lead only for Croatia to turn the tables Turkey fi nished third with three The new salary payment scheme of visas to workers. “As a representative of the pri- with goals from Nikola Kalinic and Ivan points, with a 2-0 defeat of the Czech requires companies to transfer sal- “We have already discussed this vate sector in Qatar, the chamber is Perisic. Republic in Lens and will have to wait aries electronically to employees’ issue with the Prime Minister. A working hard to communicate with Spain captain Sergio Ramos had a to see if they go into the round of 16 as bank accounts. new mechanism will be created to all agencies in the state to solve all penalty well saved by Croatia keeper one of the four best-placed third teams. Al-Nuaimi attributed the “suc- streamline or simplify the issuance obstacles facing business owners Danijel Subasic. Sport Pages 1, 2, 3 cessful implementation” of the WPS of visas. The chamber will be duly and companies.” Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 QATAR

Transport Minister meets US envoy

HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti met US ambassador to Qatar Dana Shell Smith in Doha yesterday. The meeting discussed the relations between Qatar and the US in the field of transportation and information and communication technology and means of further enhancing them.

Qatar slams Syrian regime’s move to bar international probe panel

QNA Qatar said the interna- Geneva tional community should give the Syrian people hope that they have human rights atar has strongly de- and they deserve protection nounced the Syrian and that the international Qauthorities’ move to community should work prevent the International tirelessly in order to protect Independent Investigation and promote these rights. Commission on Syria from Al-Henzab said that Qa- entering the country in or- tar calls on the international der to carry out its tasks. community to remember, Addressing the 32nd Ses- in light of the serious de- sion of the Human Rights terioration of the situation Council on “interactive dia- of human rights in Syria, logue with the International including hundreds of Independent Investigation thousands of dead and ar- Commission on Syria,” am- Faisal bin Abdullah al-Henzab, Permanent Representative of rested, and the millions of bassador Faisal bin Abdul- Qatar to United Nations displaced persons and refu- lah al-Henzab, the Per- gees, mostly women and manent Representative of phe and gross violations and countable all who are guilty. children, and the collapse of Qatar to United Nations and atrocities committed by the Qatar also called for tak- almost the complete infra- other international organi- Syrian regime and its al- ing all necessary actions at all structure and services, that sations offi ce in Geneva, lies against the Syrian peo- international forums, particu- all this is a great price paid said that it is a shame that ple for more than fi ve years larly the UN Security Council, by the Syrians for demand- the international commu- and is so helpless to stop the in order to put an end to the vi- ing freedom and democracy nity remains a spectator to bloodshed and save the Syr- olations and crimes commit- and the elimination of in- the humanitarian catastro- ian people and to hold ac- ted against the Syrian people. justice and tyranny.

Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 QATAR QA off ers discount at QDF to online check-in passengers

atar Airways and Qatar Duty Free Q(QDF) are heralding the height of summer with a global discount for all trav- ellers to enjoy on their next trip from Doha’s Hamad International Airport (HIA). Every passenger who checks in online for a Qatar Airways fl ight this summer will receive a 10% discount for redemption at partici- pating QDF stores in HIA. A voucher will be available for passengers to download Every passenger who checks in online for a Qatar Airways flight this summer will receive a upon completion of online 10% discount at select QDF stores. check-in via qatarairways. com and can be redeemed best travel experience and international designers Chopard, Bulgari, Har- when they arrive at the value for our passengers, and exclusive luxury bou- rods, Michael Kors, Coach, airport. from booking their journey tiques, the statement notes. perfumes, cosmetics and The convenience of on- to reaching their fi nal des- QDF provides a shopping skincare, Godiva choco- line check-in and down- tination. This summer, pas- environment where pas- lates, Swarovski jewellery loading the boarding pass sengers can enjoy seamless sengers can get the best and gifts from Marmalade at home “provides a seam- travel when they are ‘Going looks, trends, inspiration Market. less airport experience” and Places’ with Qatar Airways, and shopping picks to take Passengers can discover passengers will be rewarded starting with online check- on their travels to any des- an array of products inside with a discount to shop at in and continuing with our tination in Qatar Airways’ HIA’s departure terminal, one of the world’s top air- esteemed shopping at Qatar global network. from cosmetics to designer port retail spaces, according Duty Free.” As part of the summer labels, all “perfect purchas- to a statement. Travellers can enjoy pre- promotion, passengers can es” for those venturing on Qatar Airways Group paring for their summer choose from a wide vari- summer vacations as well as chief executive Akbar al- holiday in style with QDF’s ety of duty-free products at for business travellers who Baker said, “Our focus is al- wide selection of brands, “amazing prices” from Tif- are keen to benefi t from the ways on providing the very from high street stores to fany, Burberry, TAG Heuer, off er, the statement adds.

MEC issues guidelines on gold purchase The Ministry of Economy and authenticity of the precious stones, get standardised jewellery, gold and Commerce (MEC) has issued some and take care to clean and polish other precious metals according to the guidelines to help consumers make the pieces of jewellery to be bought stipulations set forth by the ministry. better choices when shopping for gold, before weighing them. MEC said that gold is one of the most jewellery and other precious metals and Customers should ensure to buy sought after precious metal worldwide stones. jewellery in a special box for the items, and it also enjoys a growing demand The move is part of MEC’s Ramadan review the shop or outlet’s policy of due to its various uses. Demand on gold initiative to enhance consumer return and exchange of defective items, for investment purposes, in the shape awareness. MEC advises people to warranty terms and condition, and of bars and coins, represented 20% of visit more than one shop or outlet, ensure the warranty is written and not the total global demand on the metal compare prices, ask the seller to only verbal. in 2015, while jewellery and decoration explain to them the component of Starting from September 17, MEC items represented around 58% of such the item on display, make sure of the asked shoppers to ensure that they demand in the same period. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 7 QATAR Qatar envoy presents credentials HMC offi cial honoured for excellence in social work

he Association of the provision of mental health and She added that she has col- State of Kuwait for social services to women and laborated with local and regional TWomen’s Aff airs in the the community at large as well media to raise public awareness Arab Gulf States has recognised as for her efforts to combat hu- of mental health in an eff ort to Amira al-Eshaq, acting head of man trafficking which earned change many people’s percep- Psychology at the Psychiatry her recognition as an interna- tion of mental illness in the com- Hospital, a division of Hamad tional visitor by the US State munity. Medical Corporation’s Mental Department. “I have carried out opin- Health Service, for the leading Al-Eshaq, one of the fi rst Qa- ion polls in collaboration with role she has played in serving the tari women to work in the fi eld of many social and humanitarian community. Clinical Psychology, had joined institutions such as the Cen- Al-Eshaq was honoured at a HMC’s Psychiatry Department tre for Combating Traffi cking ceremony held under the slogan in 2003. in Humans to monitor abuses “Women can do it” alongside “Right from the beginning of against children and women and other women from other GCC my career, I sought to change the to communicate with key stake- countries. At the ceremony, a traditional view of mental health holders,” she highlighted. documentary fi lm was shown in the Qatari community. I want- Al-Eshaq stressed the need to showcase and highlight their ed to help realise Qatar’s strategy for the community and the me- Chief of Protocol at the Australian Department of Foreign Aff airs and Trade Lyndall Sachs received a individual achievements and the for mental health and reinforce dia to provide support to peo- copy of the credentials of Qatar’s ambassador to Australia, Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa, in Canberra leading roles they play in their the fact that mental illness is un- ple with mental illness and the yesterday. Sachs wished ambassador Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa success in his job and further respective communities. like any other disease because it importance of supporting their growth in bilateral relations between Qatar and Australia. Al-Eshaq was nominated is often misunderstood by many integration into the community for her success in leading the people.” after their recovery. Amira al-Eshaq QRCS brings succour to Syrians, Palestinians in Lebanon

s part of 2016 Ramadan According to Katerji, the inter- Iftar programme, Qatar vention involves distributing food ARed Crescent Society’s packages, each suffi cient for one (QRCS) mission in Lebanon has family for one month, as well as launched a campaign to distrib- distributing freshly cooked meals ute daily meals and food pack- every day for Syrian refugees ages to Syrian refugees in Arsal. through a catering hub estab- Part of the campaign includes lished by QRCS in Arsal. distributing food packages to Hussein Hamdan, relief co- Palestinian refugee camps across ordinator and media consultant the country, including basic food of QRCS mission in Lebanon, items needed for those who fast said the 2016 Ramadan cam- during the holy month. paign is geographically far- Omar Katerji, head of QRCS reaching and targeting more mission in Lebanon said: “This Syrian refugees. year, the Ramadan projects come He highlighted the diversity of in slightly better climate condi- aid off ered including fresh meals tions compared to the past year, and food packages, in addition Refugees receive food packages from QRCS. but not so in terms of the living to the focus on Arsal to cover as conditions. These projects are many refugees as possible. talling 157,000 throughout the “The mission diversifi ed the dispersed in Arsal, Sidon, Tyre, Hamdan said the plans to dis- holy month and another 8,000 packages to contain the basic Baalbek, Tripoli, Akkar, and Bei- tribute more than 5,000 meals food packages to Syrian and Pal- items used by refugees on a daily rut.” every day across the camps, to- estinian refugees. basis,” he noted. QRCS staff distributes meals to young children in Arsal. Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 QATAR Rolls-Royce Phantom Zenith Collection makes Qatar debut

olls-Royce Motor Cars January 1, 2003 saw the lowing the announcement of to showcase the very last Phan- Doha has celebrated the ar- handover of the fi rst seventh- the eighth-generation Phantom tom Drophead Coupé and Phan- Rrival of the Phantom Zenith generation Phantom to its cus- limousine and its all-new alu- tom Coupé motor cars ever to be Collection, representing some tomer at the newly established minium architecture that prom- built.” of the last Phantom Drophead home of Rolls-Royce in Good- ises to underpin all future Rolls- Phantom Zenith Collection Coupé and Phantom Coupé motor wood, England. Royce motor cars. customers were invited to com- cars ever to be built, in Qatar. “Four years later, Phantom Now, the time has come for plete their collection in the fi nest The celebration took place Drophead Coupé revived the no- Phantom Drophead Coupé and style with the addition of a spe- during a private Suhoor, which tion of uncompromised open- Phantom Coupé to leave the cial Bespoke version of the Rolls- was attended by a selection of top luxury touring; a legacy that stage, a “moment that will be Royce Picnic Hamper. This ac- VIP customers, at the Rolls- is being continued with beautiful marked with a remarkable” Be- cessory – created to add a touch Royce Motor Cars Doha show- eff ect with 2016’s Rolls-Royce spoke Collection. of glamour to a day’s touring room, The Pearl-Qatar. Dawn. Phantom Coupé followed The Phantom Zenith Collec- – will be personalised further to Only 50 of these highly-sought in 2008, taking its place as one tion serves to celebrate these two match the materials and colour collectibles will be built, commis- of the rarest and most celebrated extraordinary motor cars with a palette of the customer. sioned by connoisseur customers Continental Grand Tourers of suite of bespoke pieces, designed 2016 also represents the fi nal who will add them to some of the all time – paving the way for its to “amplify the beauty and luxu- year of production for the sev- world’s most signifi cant luxury col- natural heir, Wraith, which took ry of two of the rarest and best- enth-generation Phantom limou- lections, safe in the knowledge that its place as the ultimate gentle- loved luxury goods in the world”. sine, with connoisseur customers their numbers will never grow and man’s gran turismo in 2013,” the Ihab Allam, general man- invited to take the last opportuni- their value will never be eroded by statement noted. ager of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars ty to commission deeply personal, proliferation, Rolls-Royce Motor Today, the marque “stands on Doha, said: “We are honoured bespoke expressions of this most Cars Doha has said in a statement. the cusp of a bold new era” fol- to host such an exclusive event seminal motor car. Omar Hussain Alfardan, president and CEO of Alfardan Group, with other off icials at the event. GPPC hosts Iftar party QA celebrates Garangao with staff and families

atar Airways recreated a traditional fereej, or QQatari neighbourhood, as it hosted a Garangao celebra- tion for its employees and their families. This was done to showcase the company’s pride in Qatar and experience and celebrate Qatari culture and customs, includ- ing time-honoured festivities, food and children’s activities, the Doha-based carrier said in a Gulf Publishing and Printing Company (GPPC), the publishers of Gulf Times and Arrayah, has hosted statement. an Iftar party for the company’s employees. Top off icials and editors were present at the gathering. Some 1,500 employees and their family members immersed themselves in Qatari culture at the company’s traditional Ram- adan celebration, the statement noted. The fereej featured a number of traditional houses and tents with surprises inside. In line Children singing at Qatar Airways Garangao event. with the Garangao tradition, children were encouraged to president (human resources) ing Ramadan and Garangao on the 14th day of Ramadan. knock on each door in the neigh- Nabeela Fakhri said, “Qatar has a for the first time – enables us The name comes from the Gulf bourhood, and were greeted rich culture and so many beauti- to ensure that the cultural nu- word ‘Gara’, which describes with treats, stories and educa- ful traditions that we are proud ances that make Qatar such a the sound of things knocking tional facts about the residences. to bring alive for our more than beautiful place remain relevant together – such as the sound of Additionally, the celebration 40,000 employees. Garangao is and celebrated for generations children knocking on doors, or hosted a storyteller to regale a tradition that goes back cen- to come.” the nuts and sweets they gather guests with Qatari folktales, turies, and is something that During the Garangao celebra- in the bag they carry around while traditional games were many of us have fond childhood tion, traditional food and bev- their neck. played to teach children about memories of. erages were served to the Qatar Children dress in traditional the country’s culture in years “Recreating the experience Airways staff and guests. clothing and sing Garangao gone by. for our staff and their families Garangao is unique to the Gulf songs as they visit neighbour- Qatar Airways senior vice- – many of whom are celebrat- region and celebrated every year hood homes.

Top women’s jewellery retailer Qatar condemns bombing to off er Ramadan collection at Jordanian military site

QNA In a statement issued yester- harming Charlie, a lead- available in silver, gold, or star- Charming Charlie’s internation- Doha day, the Foreign Ministry said ing women’s contempo- dust and feature pearl and rhine- al licensing partner. that Qatar denounces such a Crary jewellery and acces- stone details. There is a variety Launched in 2004 by Char- criminal act that targets Jorda- sory retailer, announced that it of metallic scarves too. lie Chanaratsopon the brand is atar has strongly con- nian army personnel, and reaf- will off er a special curated Ra- Charming Charlie, which rap- known for merchandising its demned the bombing fi rms its backing for Jordan in the madan collection at its stores in idly continues to expand its retail broad assortment of product by Qthat targeted a military measures it takes to protect its the region. footprint throughout the Middle colour. site for refugee services at the borders and preserve its security Handbags, jewellery, hair ac- East, opened its fi rst store re- Charming Charlie has more northeastern border of Jordan, and stability. The statement reit- cessories and scarves are part of cently in Qatar. than 350 global retail stores leaving six soldiers dead and erated the need to join eff orts to the range. The mixed metal jew- The stores in the region are across the US, Canada, Middle 14 Jordanian army and security tackle all forms and manifesta- ellery and hair accessories are operated by Apparel Group, East and the Philippines. A Charming Charlie store personnel injured. tions of violence and terrorism. Alliance of Civilizations committee issues sixth annual report

QNA events, which resulted in many The report also provided a of the Alliance of Civiliza- tions in human progress, and its the Alliance of Civilizations, establishing strong relations be- Doha achievements and culminated brief plan for Qatar Plan for the tions as a tool of preventive role in promoting dialogue and supervising the existing and tween nations and removing the in the preparation of the fi rst re- Alliance of Civilizations (2014- diplomacy power, through resolving confl icts and disputes proposed State projects in this causes of division and misun- port of follow-up of the imple- 2016) which was prepared based co-operation with all actors besides emphasising the val- context and follow up public derstanding; in order to achieve atar Committee for Alli- mentation of Qatar plan for the on Qatar National Vision 2030. at the regional and interna- ues of tolerance, solidarity and awareness programmes. the main objective which is ance of Civilizations has Alliance of Civilizations (2014- The report also reviews the tional levels. peace among peoples and the Regarding Qatar’s plan for peaceful coexistence and ac- Qissued its sixth annual 2016), refl ecting the importance Committee’s most important In a statement to Qatar News fi ght against extremism and in- the Alliance of Civilizations as ceptance of others. report. of the eff orts exerted by various meetings, forums and confer- Agency, he said that the report tolerance. outlined in the second chapter He added that the plan also The report began with a governmental and non-govern- ences organised at the inter- contains fi ve chapters, the fi rst The chapter also includes the of the report, he explained that included the implemented Qa- speech by HE the Minister of mental agencies to highlight the national and regional levels, chapter introduces Qatar Com- Committee’s vision for a closer the Committee has developed tari initiatives in the field of the Foreign Aff airs and Chairman of leading role of the State of Qatar in addition to the role of the mittee for Alliance of Civiliza- co-operation between races, Qatar’s in this area for the period Alliance of Civilizations during Qatar Committee for Alliance of in the four areas of the alliance of Committee in the fi eld of media tions and its inception under the religions and cultures, and for (2014-2016), which kept pace the past period, which were Civilizations Sheikh Mohamed civilizations, which are educa- awareness in various educa- Council of Ministers Resolution establishing the values of soli- with the second generation of carried out by several institu- bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. tion, youth and expats and the tional, youth and cultural insti- No (8) of 2010. darity and the exchange of ex- national plans for the Alliance of tions and organs, noting that HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Ab- media. tutions. pertise and benefits between Civilizations. Qatar’s plan for the Alliance dulrahman al-Thani said that He explained that the sixth He said that Qatar Committee The Committee seeks to peoples on the basis of truth, He said that the Plan was of Civilizations for the period the issuance of the report by report highlights a range of ac- for the Alliance of Civilizations promote the goals of the justice and equality and in or- based on the basic premises of (2014-2016) includes the im- the Committee’s Secretariat tivities and programmes which hopes that the report would re- Alliance of Civilizations der to achieve the noble goals the directives of the political plementation of several pro- comes within the framework of were implemented by the Com- fl ect the eff orts of the State of as a tool of preventive of all humanity. leadership and the Permanent grammes and activities aimed its terms of reference contained mittee in the diff erent areas Qatar within the alliance as a key diplomacy power, through HE ambassador Hassan Constitution of the State of Qa- at achieving the goals of the in the Council of Ministers’ De- inside and outside the country supporter of the UN Alliance of co-operation with all bin Ibrahim al-Muhannadi tar, Qatar National Vision 2030 alliance of civilizations in the cision No 8 of 2010, which en- during from January 2015 until Civilizations at regional and in- actors at the regional and reviewed the tasks of Qatar and the National Development four main fields. trusted the Committee with the December 2015 in co-operation ternational levels. international levels Committee for the Alliance Strategy (2011-2016), as well The third chapter of the re- task of documenting its work with various institutions and For his part, HE the Vice- of Civilizations as outlined as the Organization of Islamic port deals with the Committee’s and preparing periodical reports organisations, pointing out that Chairman of Qatar Commit- The chapter also addresses in the first chapter of the re- Co-operation (OIC) Plan for the participations in conferences, on its activities and achieve- the report focused on aspects tee for Alliance of Civiliza- the Committee’s message of port, including overseeing the Alliance of Civilizations (2012- meetings and forums, while the ments. related to Qatar Committee for tions ambassador Dr Hassan strengthening the role of the development of the State’s 2014). fourth Chapter includes the He noted that the commit- Alliance of Civilizations, it mis- bin Ibrahim al-Muhannadi State of Qatar in highlighting the working plan for the Alliance He pointed out that the plan events organised in co-operation tee has implemented a range sion and objectives that it seeks underlined that the Commit- contributions of Islamic civili- of Civilizations, follow up aims at achieving understanding with international organisations of programmes, activities and to achieve. tee seeks to promote the goals zation along with other civiliza- the State’s contributions to between nations and peoples, and Arab and regional bodies. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 9 QATAR

Vodafone launches double data off er on Business Red M

Vodafone Business Services statement. has launched a summer For QR225 a month, Red promotion that gives all new Business M includes Initiative launched to Business Red M customers, unlimited local minutes, SMS or customers who upgrade and MMS plus 150 minutes to Business Red M, double to call any country while data at a total of 6GB for six in Qatar or receive calls months from the date of while roaming. Moreover, sign-up. BlackBerry Internet services The off er is valid until are included free of charge help diabetes patients October 1 and Business as is Vodafone Passport. customers can sign up Vodafone Passport allows ction on Diabetes (AoD) by calling their dedicated Business customers to roam and the Qatar Metabolic sales account manager in 26 countries for as low as AInstitute (QMI) at Hamad or Business care on 110, 75 dirhams per MB, minute Medical Corporation (HMC) have the company has said in a or SMS, the statement notes. collaborated to run a series of screening and educational events at mosques during Ramadan to Subaru Legacy recalled support the community in man- aging diabetes. The Ministry of Economy vehicles’ defects and repair The screenings started on the and Commerce, in them. fi rst Friday of Ramadan at Al Saad collaboration with Mannai The MEC will co-ordinate mosque in Al Mamoura and Omar Trading Company, has with the dealer to follow Bin Al Kattab mosque with more announced the recall of up on the maintenance than 1,000 worshippers tested by Subaru Legacy models and repair works and medical professionals from HMC. of 2015 over the possible communicate with Members of the public are invit- overheating of the internal customers to ensure that ed to attend forthcoming screen- parts of the electronic the necessary repairs are ings at Al Emadi mosque this Fri- parking brake motor. carried out. day, and at Al Wakrah Al Ghani The MEC said the recall The MEC has urged all mosque the following Friday. campaign comes within customers to report Professor Abdul-Badi Abou- the framework of its any violations to its Samra, chairman of Internal Med- ongoing eff orts to protect Consumer Protection and icine at Hamad Medical Corpora- consumers and ensure that Anti-Commercial Fraud tion and co-chair of the National car dealers follow up on Department. Diabetes Committee, said: “AoD’s success in educating the public about diabetes highlights the val- ue of public-private partnerships in tackling major health chal- lenges. During the holy month, attendance for prayers at mosques increases. “This is an opportune time for us to screen large numbers of the local community for diabetes. It Over 35,000 people have been screened and supported by AoD and HMC’s screening programme in managing and preventing diabetes. is also an ideal time to help peo- ple understand the risk factors for All screenings are conducted by the leading public-private part- Sheikh Faisal bin Fahed al- programme manager from Novo type 2 diabetes and other lifestyle nurses and professionals trained nership initiated and supported by Thani, deputy managing direc- Nordisk, said: “AoD has achieved diseases. Large-scale screening in diabetes care. Participants are Maersk Oil Qatar to tackle diabetes, tor at Maersk Oil Qatar, said: “We notable success in building aware- events are an important mecha- given a personalised analysis of and HMC have teamed up during are wholly committed to ensuring ness and understanding of the nism for increasing awareness, results, advice on how to manage Ramadan to off er screening during the successful implementation factors that increase the risk of while also providing advice on their condition and medication Friday prayers at a number of the of the National Diabetes Strategy developing diabetes. managing the disease.” eff ectively, and how to fast safely country’s busiest mosques. Such through programmes that support “The holy month of Ramadan is Abou-Samra, who is also QMI during Ramadan. Educational in- activities build on the success of awareness, prevention, and em- a challenging time for those living chair, said the success of the formation is also being distributed similar community events organ- powerment and we’re very proud with the condition, so we’re de- screening events “is evidence of in fi ve languages to provide people ised by AoD since the partnership that our AoD partnership contin- lighted at the levels of engagement the contribution that such col- with vital information on the im- began in 2011. To date, over 35,000 ues to play a leading role in reduc- we’ve seen during this campaign laborations are making toward portance of early detection and people have been screened and ing the trajectory of diabetes in the and look forward to increasing the putting the National Diabetes tips on living a healthy lifestyle. supported by the programme in country.” numbers of people we can support Strategy into practice.” This is the third year that AoD, managing and preventing diabetes. Herluf Nis Thomsen, AoD during the rest of Ramadan.” No signifi cant increase in patients visiting ED: doctor

here has been no signifi cant active in the period between Iftar and increase in the number of pa- Suhoor. Ttients visiting the Emergency According to Dr al-Nuaimi, other Department (ED) at Hamad General cases usually common in Ramadan Hospital since the start of Ramadan, include headaches, body aches and according to a senior doctor. muscle cramps as well as injuries from “We have not recorded any signifi - domestic and road traffi c accidents. cant diff erence in the number of pa- To prevent headaches in those ob- tients requiring urgent care either due serving fasting, he advised against to fasting in Ramadan or other causes drinking a lot of caff einated drinks and it is almost comparable with other like coke, coff ee or tea at either Iftar or months of the year,” Dr Saad al-Nuai- Suhoor. A sudden decrease in caff eine mi, senior consultant at the Emergen- can prompt headaches, mood swings cy Department said. and irritability. However, he said there has been a Dr Saad al-Nuaimi He said that injuries due to road slight change in the fl ow of patients traffi c accidents happen especially to the Emergency Department as the ing half-a-cup of orange juice. That shortly before Iftar as some people are number of consultations tends to peak helps a person’s glucose levels to re- in a hurry to return home before Ma- around Iftar until Suhoor time. turn to normal and helps to control grib Adhan signifying the end of the He added that the types of cases re- appetite during the main meal. Any day’s fasting. ceived have been similar to previous main meal to be consumed later after “These accidents are mostly due to years. Magrib prayer should be balanced, speeding, lack of concentration, par- “Although, we haven’t seen an unu- consist of fi bre rich food and eaten ticularly if using a mobile phone or sual infl ux of patients to the ED dur- in moderate amounts. Carbonated breaking traffi c rules.” ing this time, it is usual to see more drinks should be avoided,” al-Nuaimi “As Ramadan is being observed patients with gastrointestinal com- stressed. this year in summer, a fasting per- plaints due to over-eating and the He noted that some people suff er son working outdoors or under direct consumption of unbalanced diets and from constipation due to lack of phys- sunlight may experience dehydration fi zzy and sugary drinks due to fasting. ical activity while fasting or due to the or other heat-related illnesses such Most cases present with abdominal consumption of food which is low in as heat cramp, heat exhaustion and in pain, bloating, vomiting and consti- or lacking in dietary fi bre. extreme cases heat stroke. It is there- pation,” he said. The doctor said dehydration due to fore recommended to drink plenty of “To avoid these conditions, it is fasting may also worsen constipation. water between Iftar and Suhoor. To recommended to break a fast at Iftar To avoid constipation, Dr al- further prevent dehydration, out- by eating a simple and easily digesti- Nuaimi recommended increasing the door activities or direct sun exposure ble meal such as three pieces of dates, intake of water, natural juices, veg- should be limited during the fasting one cup of vegetable soup and drink- etables and fruits and being physically hours,” he said.

HMC honours AAB

bdullah Ab- mento and appreciation dulghani & Bros letter on behalf of the ACo (AAB), the ex- company. clusive dealer of Toyota AAB conducted its and Lexus in Qatar, was blood donation campaign recognised by the Ha- in two of its locations - mad Medical Corporation Al Abdulghani Tower and (HMC) for supporting the AAB Main Workshop in Blood Donor Centre last Street 6 in the Industrial year. Area. The ceremony was With more than 3,000 held under the patron- employees spread across age of HE the Minister of its nine service centres Public Health Dr Hanan at strategic locations and Mohamed al-Kuwari as corporate offi ce, the com- part of a series of activi- pany encourages the spirit ties organised for World of volunteerism among its Blood Donor Day on June employees towards com- 14. munity projects in order AAB offi cial Yazan to become socially re- Mustafa received a me- sponsible citizens. AAB’s Yazan Mustafa receiving a memento. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 QATAR/RAMADAN Commercial Bank gives Points to ponder person might con- in faith and refrain from lah The Almighty, he affi rms the pinnacle of his generos- Garangao gifts to children the Oneness of his Lord, ity in the month of Ramadan, template during disobedience. It would en- ARamadan upon nu- able him to endure the dif- loves Him, fears Him, has when Jibreel (Gabriel) would ommercial Bank has merous subjects. He should fi culty of striving against the hope in Him, supplicates teach him the Qur’an. [Al- celebrated Garangao refl ect upon his aff airs, his evil he is suff ering from, re- Him, draws near Him, and Bukhari and Muslim] Cby distributing spe- fi nal abode, and what is member the grave, death and makes his share from Allah To conclude those ben- cial gifts to a number of awaiting him, as regards accounting, and remember The Almighty the most im- efi ts, let us say that fasting, organisations across Qatar. his departure to Allah The the terrors and standing in portant priority for him in standing (at night in prayer), Garangao takes place on Almighty. He can also con- front of Allah The Almighty. the world and the Hereafter. remembrance of Allah The the 14th day of Ramadan template over his morals All of this would be a motive You need this meaning Almighty and reduction of and is considered a tradition and evil aspects, in the hope for him to hasten to Allah today and after Ramadan, food, drink and desire in in Qatar and the Gulf, with of getting rid of the latter; The Almighty, to keep away otherwise, what would you Ramadan break the soul’s its roots in the pearl diving his acts of worship in which from sins, fear Allah The Al- do if your days pass and you voracity, greediness, wrong- heritage of the region. he was negligent and which mighty, do his best and strive return to your old state, and ness and transgression. This As part of Commercial were fi lled with doubts and to excel in worship and obe- the month of Ramadan gets is one of the most important Bank’s CSR initiatives focus- passing thoughts, which dience, and persist in think- over without getting any of reasons that make one sub- ing on the Qatari community, kept him far from Allah The ing of what returns upon him that? mit to his Lord and increase the bank distributed Garangao Almighty, and from having with good in his worldly life The next meaning is to in piety. gifts such as traditional sweets good private talk with Him. and his fi nal abode. make substantial contribu- The human soul inclines and nuts to children at Al Wakra He can contemplate about As for the remembrance tions to increasing the sus- to transgression, errors, Hospital, Hamad Hospital and standing in front of Him; of Allah The Almighty, if tenance for the poor and arrogance, laziness, idle- Best Buddies (under the um- what mends his own self one devotes himself to it, needy. It is one of the traces ness and sleep -- it holds brella of Shafallah Centre), and fi nal abode, and what he will be in the same state of Taqwa (consciousness of all things dear. This is why it said in a statement. causes him to know and mentioned by Allah The Allah The Almighty). It is fasting is one of the greatest Children also had the op- have love for his Lord The Almighty Who Says (what your share (of good) which means to break the destruc- portunity to enjoy Garangao Almighty. means): {So remember Me; you should be keen to obtain, tive desires of the soul for the stands at Commercial Bank A believer should refl ect I will remember you. And to give out of your property sake of Allah The Almighty, branches in malls, with gifts Children attending Garangao celebrations at a branch of Commercial Bank. upon the Names and At- be grateful to Me and do not to the poor and needy, for the whereby it becomes submis- and photographs on off er. tributes of Allah; and his deny Me.} [Qur’an 2:152] sake of Allah The Almighty. sive, humble, reassured and Commercial Bank CEO dren during the holy month and support Qatari tradi- by the entire Qatari commu- standing to his Lord on the Among the benefi ts of one’s Make hunger and thirst a devout. It hastens to obedi- Abdulla Saleh al-Raisi said, of Ramadan, and Commer- tions that preserve our herit- nity and Commercial Bank is Day the people would stand leaving his food and drink (in reminder for you of those ence and seeks forgiveness, “Garangao is a wonderful cial Bank believes it is our age. Garangao is a culturally proud to spread the Garangao to the Lord of the Worlds. If fasting) is to realise this state. who have long been suff ering humbles and submits itself time of celebration for chil- responsibility to encourage signifi cant event celebrated joy for everyone.” one refl ects upon the Names Is it appropriate that one re- from hunger and thirst, sup- to Allah The Almighty, and and Attributes of Allah, his alises this during his day, and port your brethren and the the heart and the physical living and fi nal abode, his when he breaks his fast, he righteous slaves of Allah The organs respond to His love departure, death and grave, gives up meditation and re- Almighty, and honour and and obedience, and refrain his resurrection and stand- membrance of Allah The Al- bring about pleasure upon from disobedience to Him. ing in front of Allah The Al- mighty? We mean those high them. All of this is among mighty, the evil of his own ranks that represent the ori- the best deeds mentioned by Article source: http://www. soul, and the defi ciencies of gin of the knowledge of and the Messenger of Allah. That islamweb.net/emainpage/ his actions and provision, love for Allah The Almighty. was his state in Ramadan. He undoubtedly his refl ection Once he refl ects upon the was the most generous of all would cause him to increase names and attributes of Al- people, and he used to be at

Iftar for Domasco associates Following its annual tradition during the holy month of Ramadan, Doha Marketing Services Company (Domasco) hosted an Iftar for its associates. Al Futtaim Group regional managing director Colin associates from all departments were 2016. Sharif said the event was a perfect Cordery, Domasco managing present. Cordery appreciated all the opportunity for all to gather and engage director Faisal Sharif, members associates for their contribution to the with each other, and thereby enhance the of the executive team and company’s performance in the first half of performance of the team.

Syrian children take part in a cooking competition to prepare Iftar meals during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in the rebel-held town of Douma, east of the capital Damascus. Most of the children who took part in the cooking activity, organised by the Douma Society and Health Touch organisation, have had one of their limbs amputated due to injuries caused by shelling from the ongoing conflict.

A number of construction workers attended the Iftar. Rota hosts Iftar for workers in Al Khor each Out To Asia (Rota) hosted an Iftar Rfor construction workers in Al Khor as part of its Ramadan 2016 project. The Iftar, sponsored by Occidental Petroleum Cor- poration (Oxy), was deliv- ered to the construction workers by Rota volunteers. “Through our Ramadan 2016 Project, Rota aims to provide engaging and edu- cational community serv- ice opportunities to vol- unteers, which will enable individuals to contribute to the development of com- munities in Qatar. In addi- tion, the programme aims to develop and strengthen relationships with com- munity-based partners by implementing benefi cial activities,” said Mohammed Saleh, director, National Programmes. “This is a time to say thank you and show these workers how important they are, to let them know that without their hard work, we would never reach our goals. I hope we have helped to deliver the mes- sage of how important we all are to each other as hu- man beings,” said Ahmed Allanjawi, a volunteer. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 11 QATAR

Emir holds phone talk with Nawaz Sharif HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. They discussed bilateral relations and the latest regional developments. Humid days ahead

rise in humidity is ex- expected in the country and it speed and cause a drop in pected in the country will also be relatively humid by the maximum temperature. Ain the coming days, night. Slight dust is also likely Meanwhile, the mercury the Qatar Met department in off shore areas. level reached a high of 45C has said. In a post on its social me- yesterday in the Qatar Uni- While the temperature is dia channels yesterday, the versity area and Turayna, likely to drop to the high-30C Met department said the hu- 44C in Abu Hamour, Shee- level during this period, it will midity levels were expected haniya, Mesaieed and other feel hotter than that due to the to increase in the coming places, and 43C in the Doha increase in relative humidity, days due to a change in the airport area and other places. according to the weather of- wind direction to easterlies, Today, the maximum tem- fi ce. Today’s forecast for in- locally known as “kous”. perature is expected to be shore areas says a hot day and The easterlies are likely 41C in Mesaieed, Wakrah and slightly dusty conditions are to be of slight to moderate Al Khor, and 40C in Doha.

Live screenings of Euro matches

eading network beIN between June 30 (quarter-fi - lish and Arabic commentary has joined hands with nals) and July 10 (fi nal). from beIN’s anchors. Tickets LNovo Cinemas to bring The UEFA Euro 2016 can be purchased from no- the action from UEFA Euro partnership comes after live vocinemas.com, the Novo 2016 closer to fans this Ra- screenings of a number of Cinemas mobile app and at madan and Eid by showing landmark sporting events, any of the Novo Cinemas re- matches on the big screen. including the El Clasico be- gional Box Offi ces. The match Under this partnership, live tween FC Barcelona and Real schedule is as follows: quarter- screenings of Euro matches Madrid earlier this year, also fi nals on June 30, July 1, July 2 will be held at Novo Cinemas in association with beIN. and July 3, semi-fi nals on July in Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE The matches will have Eng- 6 and 7, and the fi nal on July 10. QRCS’s volunteers welcome children in one of the Ramadan activities. QRCS volunteers shine in Ramadan activities Ramadan campaign of Qatar Red Crescent Society’s per day - 9,000 meals in total throughout the “For the fi fth year in a row, thousands of (QRCS) volunteers division is expected to benefi t holy month - in partnership with The Ritz- Doha municipality workers receive healthy Athousands of workers in the country. Carlton Hotel and New Special Kitchen. food from QRCS. For the fi fth consecutive year, the division conducts a In a press statement, QRCS said their vol- It is a noble humanitarian message that Ramadan Iftar programme for municipality workers at the unteers have been working hard to imple- embodies the spirit of solidarity in the Qatari Industrial Area, which involves distributing 300 Iftar meals ment the campaign since the beginning of society and refl ects QRCS’s slogan of Saving the holy month with several Ramadan Iftar Lives and Preserving Dignity,” QRCS execu- activities at a total cost of QR240,000. tive director Fahad bin Mohammed al-Naimi A total of 10,000 water bottles donated by said. DoubleTree Hotel and 400kg of dates donat- Al-Naimi thanked the initiative of The ed by Doha Dates are distributed throughout Ritz-Carlton (QRCS’s hospitality partner), Ooredoo connects the month. DoubleTree Hotel, and New Special Kitchen These distributions are estimated to bene- in sponsoring the programme. fi t more than 9,000 cleaners and road work- He hopes such partnerships will continue with children at ers in Qatar. as they have a good impact on all segments In addition, QRCS volunteers also distrib- of society. ute water bottles and dates to visitors of the The QRCS offi cial also lauded good spirit Hamad Hospital Grand Mosque during Iftar time, in co-oper- and great eff orts of volunteers in contribut- ation with DoubleTree Hotel. ing to the Ramadan campaign. The volunteers take part in organising “We are proud of our volunteers who do group of volunteers from Ooredoo visited the pa- events and programmes by other QRCS de- their best in benevolence, help of others, and tients and distributed gifts to children at Hamad partments such as ‘This Is My Wish’ to fulfi l deepening of brotherly and human bonds AHospital yesterday. the wishes of ill children; ‘Recite and As- with vulnerable groups. The visit was part of a series of activities planned for the cend’ to honour the students who memorise So, they deserve our encouragement and holy month of Ramadan supported by Ooredoo to perform the Glorious Qur’an; and ‘Outstanding Stu- hail for the great reward of their good deeds acts of kindness at hospitals, homes for the elderly, and dents’ to honour the students with high aca- in the holy month of Ramadan,” he stressed. children’s centres. demic achievements; among others. During the visit, Ooredoo volunteers distributed gifts and thanked doctors and staff in the children’s ward for their hard work. Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, director, Community and Public Relations at Ooredoo, said: “This year’s campaign #CloserConnection is not just about connecting with your loved ones but also with those that are in need. Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces today, thanks to our volunteers, was a gift, and I thank the hard work of all the staff at Hamad Hospital for their dedication in helping these children.” Dr Mohamed al-Janahi, chairman, Pediatrics Depart- ment, Hamad General Hospital, thanked Ooredoo for the #CloserConnection initiative, and described it as “a gen- erous act of kindness,” which is in line with the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan. “We thank Ooredoo for bringing this campaign to our department. The joy our young patients felt during this visit has truly gladdened their hearts and I believe it will have a lasting eff ect and play a part in their healing proc- ess.” said al-Janahi. During the holy month, Ooredoo’s volunteers will par- ticipate in various events and locations around the country with surprises and entertainment for all. Customers can follow Ooredoo’s Ramadan campaign via Ooredoo’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter page, and the hashtag #CloserConnection.

Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, director, Community and Public Relations at Ooredoo, with one of the young patients at Hamad Hospital. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 REGION/ARAB WORLD Libyan forces advance against Islamic State in Sirte

Reuters ed in yesterday’s fighting, Issa Bin Hamel mosque are all recap- Islamic State expanded into their camp after clashing with locals protested by blocking the parliaments and governments in Tripoli said. tured.” Libya from 2014, establishing a local residents. main coastal road between Mis- Tripoli and the east have fought Brigades composed mainly of Government-backed forces presence in several towns and The explosion happened as rata and Tripoli, Assayed and the for supremacy. fi ghters from the western city had also seized a second ammu- cities. residents entered the camp, resident said. On one side of the most recent orces aligned with Libya’s of Misrata launched a campaign nition store from Islamic State, It took full control of Sirte last though it was not immediately Garabulli is about 50km (30 air and ground battle are Libyan unity government said they against Islamic State a month he said. year, benefi ting from a security clear what had triggered the miles) east of Tripoli and 140km National Army (LNA) units loyal Fhad made signifi cant gains ago, advancing rapidly towards The UN-backed Government vacuum and from the political blast. west of Misrata. to eastern commander Khalifa in residential districts of Sirte Sirte from the west. of National Accord (GNA) has chaos that has roiled Libya since “The number of casualties is Meanwhile, forces loyal to Lib- Haftar, who has been waging a yesterday as they battle to oust In the past week they had faced been trying to unite Libya’s fac- long-time leader Muammar rising and we are working hard to ya’s eastern leadership launched campaign against Islamists and Islamic State from its coastal counter-attacks from militants tions since arriving in Tripoli in Gaddafi was toppled in an upris- transfer them to nearest hospi- attacks near the town of Ajda- other opponents in Benghazi stronghold. holed up inside the city, who have March, and has created several ing in 2011. tals,” Assayed said. biya yesterday against a newly since 2014. Rida Issa, a spokesman for deployed snipers, mines and car operations rooms in an eff ort to At least 20 civilians were killed Some 30 people had been formed rival brigade, in fi ght- On the other are several hun- the government-backed bri- bombs to try to force the brigades coordinate the campaign against yesterday in an explosion at an wounded, he said. ing that threatens to prolong the dred men from the recently gades, said they were securing back. Islamic State in Sirte. ammunition store in the western A Garabulli resident, who also country’s confl ict and expose named Benghazi Defence Forces the “700” neighbourhood, just “Our forces are combing the A separate GNA-aligned force Libyan town of Garabulli, a mu- confi rmed the deaths, said the divisions in a UN-backed unity (BDF), which says it wants to take south of central Sirte, and had 700 neighbourhood after fi erce that controls some of Libya’s key nicipal offi cial said. clashes had erupted following government. back control of Libya’s second also made ground to the west of clashes,” Issa said yesterday.”The oil terminals has forced Islamic Mohamed Assayed said the a dispute in a shop between lo- Libya has been blighted by a city. the city centre. electricity company headquar- State back to the east of Sirte, store was under control of an cals and a member of the armed power vacuum over the past two They include members of the Sixteen brigade members ters, TV and radio building, recapturing several villages from armed group from the city of group who was refusing to pay. years, in which loose alliances of Al Qaeda-linked militant group had been killed and 60 wound- Number 2 neighbourhood, and the militant group. Misrata, but the group had left Following the clashes, some armed groups aligned with rival Ansar Al Sharia. Yemen missile launch and coalition raid shake truce

Reuters Peace talks in Kuwait between di-led air strike late on Monday Aden the government and Houthis targeted Houthi forces who ad- have dragged on for two months vanced into the area the day be- with few concrete results, while a fore, causing eight civilian casu- Saudi-led military coali- truce has dampened fi ghting that alties. tion said it intercepted killed at least 6,400 people and It was not clear how many of Aa missile fi red in Yemen plunged impoverished Yemen those may have been killed. yesterday and residents said an into a humanitarian crisis. A coalition spokesperson did air strike by the alliance caused United Nations Yemen envoy not immediately respond to a eight civilian casualties, strain- Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed ap- Reuters request for comment. Children play next to houses destroyed during a vigil marking one year since a Saudi-led air strike started on a residential area in Sanaa, ing a civil war ceasefi re. pealed to the parties yesterday to The strategic Jalis mountain Yemen, yesterday. The ballistic missile was fi red “quicken the pace” of the talks. area is near al-Anad, a major toward the central city of Marib, He told the UN Security Coun- military and air base that once which is controlled by Saudi- cil he would present a written hosted US counterterrorism backed government forces, but concept in the coming days for forces deployed to fi ght Al Qaeda was intercepted and destroyed the next stage. in the Arabian Peninsula. along with the source of the “The Kuwait talks have pro- In the town of Jaar, about UN envoy proposes roadmap launch, the coalition said in a gressed slowly, yet construc- 60km (40 miles) east of Anad, statement without elaborating. tively,” he said.”The parties to residents said AQAP fi ghters Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab the negotiations now have the mobilised at the local prison and allies intervened in a civil war in responsibility to fi nd a political freed several inmates. March 2015 on behalf of the in- solution for the pending issues, The militants took advantage for a peaceful end to confl ict ternationally backed government which revolve mainly around the of wartime chaos to seize a broad of President Abd-Rabbu Man- timeline and sequencing of the swath of the country but pulled sour Hadi against the Iran-allied diff erent steps.” out of Jaar without a fi ght in May AFP/QNA Under the roadmap, the nation- sidelines of Kuwait-hosted Yem- Yemen in line with the interna- Houthi group, which controls the Residents in a mountainous as part of a deal with local tribes- United Nations/Kuwait al unity government would ensure en talks. tional resolutions, Kuwait’s News capital Sanaa. area of Lahj province said a Sau- men. the delivery of basic services, ad- The UN special envoy briefed Agency (KUNA) reported. dress the recovery of the economy al-Arabi on progress of talks Al-Arabi reaffi rmed the Arab he UN special envoy to and prepare for dialogue paving among the Yemeni parties and League’s support to UN eff orts Yemen said yesterday he the way for a comprehensive solu- challenges facing them, with the to end the confl ict in Yemen and Thas proposed a roadmap tion, said Ould Cheikh Ahmed. objective of reaching a peace- help the Yemeni people overcome UN warns over food ‘emergency’ for a peaceful settlement to end “The delegations have re- ful resolution for the confl ict in this critical phase. 14 months of armed confl ict in the sponded positively to the pro- AFP “At least 7mn people - a quar- The confl ict, fuel shortages, impoverished Arab nation. posals, but have not yet reached German held in Yemen evacuated to Oman Rome ter of the population - are living restrictions on imports and a The envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh agreement on the sequencing of under Emergency levels of food surge in domestic wheat prices Ahmed proposed the roadmap af- the diff erent steps provided in the A German national held were air-lifted out of Yemen to insecurity,” the agencies said in a have all contributed to the crisis. ter two months of negotiations in roadmap,” mainly when would hostage in Yemen was airlifted Oman. irtually all of Yemen is statement. Shortages of seeds and ferti- Kuwait. the national unity government be to Muscat yesterday after The capture of Sanaa in 2014 facing severe food short- “This refl ects a 15-percent in- lisers have crippled crop produc- “The roadmap provides for the formed, he said. neighbouring Oman helped by the Houthis provoked armed Vages with 7mn people in crease since June 2015. tion across Yemen with strug- implementation of the security Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the negotiate a release, the Omani intervention by a Saudi-led an “emergency” situation, UN A further 7.1mn people are in a gling farmers having been hit arrangements specifi ed in Secu- two sides to speed up the process foreign ministry said. Arab alliance, which has been agencies warned yesterday. state of crisis,” they said, using a hard by cyclones in November rity Council Resolution 2216 and of reaching a fi nal accord. The German was flown out of waging an air strike campaign The hunger crisis gripping food security ranking system to 2015 and fl ash fl oods and locust the establishment of a national The government has resisted Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, which against the Houthis and the confl ict-wracked state has describe the threat level. swarms in April this year. unity government,” he said in a proposals for a unity administra- is controlled by the Iran-allied allied soldiers loyal to former intensifi ed signifi cantly in the “This clearly show the huge The UN says fi ghting has left briefi ng to the UN Security Coun- tion before the rebels’ withdrawal Houthi militia, on an Omani air president Ali Abdullah Saleh. last year and the situation is set magnitude of the humanitarian more than 6,400 people dead in cil from Kuwait City. and handover of arms, fearing it force flight yesterday evening, Oman, which is not part of the to deteriorate further, the UN’s crisis in Yemen,” said Jamie Mc- Yemen since March last year, the Security arrangements under would undermine the interna- the ministry said in a statement, Saudi-led alliance, has played Food and Agriculture Organisa- Goldrick, UN Humanitarian Co- majority of them civilians. Resolution 2216 require the Shia tional legitimacy of President without identifying the hostage. an active role in eff orts to tion and the World Food Pro- ordinator for Yemen. Violence has driven 2.8mn Houthi rebels and their allies to Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Oman was asked to help by the negotiate an end to the conflict, gramme said in a new report. “This is one of the worst crises people from their homes and left withdraw from areas they occupied Meanwhile, Arab League Sec- German government, it said. which has killed thousands, Three million children were at in the world and is continuing to more than 80% of the population in 2014, including the capital Sanaa, retary General Nabil al-Arabi met In November, three Americans many of them civilians. risk of malnutrition, it said. get worse,” he added. needing humanitarian aid. and the handover of weapons. with Ould Cheikh Ahmad on the

Saudi foils bid to smuggle Baker’s dozen! narcotic drugs WHO says misdiagnosis Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry announced that in the framework of preventive eff orts to implement caused Mers outbreak the tasks of the security authorities to combat drug Reuters ily as the one that caused China’s The Saudi Health Ministry had traff icking, an attempt was Geneva deadly 2003 outbreak of Severe no immediate comment on the foiled to smuggle more Acute Respiratory Syndrome WHO statement. than 2,400,000 of narcotic (Sars). Mers is thought to be linked to amphetamine tablets he wrong diagnosis of a The WHO said the woman had camels and consumption of camel through the beaches of Haqel woman suff ering from the initially gone to hospital for a con- milk, but most of the known hu- governorate in Tabuk region. TMers coronavirus led to dition unrelated to Mers. man-to-human transmission has A suspected boat powered more than 49 other patients and “She was then admitted to the occurred in healthcare settings, by engine passed Saudi medical staff being exposed to the vascular surgery ward — Mers- and the WHO has said hospitals maritime border towards disease in a Saudi hospital, the CoV infection was not consid- and medical workers should take the beaches of Haqel World Health Organisation said in ered. She was not isolated and was stringent precautions as a stand- governorate; the boat was a statement yesterday. managed in a multi-bed room. ard measure to stop the disease intercepted, two passengers The unnamed 49-year-old During this time, more than 49 spreading. with no personal identity from Buridah city developed HCWs (healthcare workers) and WHO Director-General Marga- cards claimed to be Egyptians symptoms on June 9 and was patients were exposed,” the WHO ret Chan has previously criticised were arrested, in addition to admitted to hospital on June 10 said. Saudi Arabia for allowing Mers the seizure of the narcotic where she was in a critical condi- A rapid response team immedi- to spread in its hospitals, which tablets, eight kilos and 190 tion in an intensive care unit, the ately tried to trace the people with showed infection control stand- grams of opium, and eight WHO said. whom she had had contact at her ards were not being adhered to. kilos and 400 grams of On June 12, she tested positive home or in the hospital in Riyadh, But she said last October new hashish, the ministry said in for Middle East Respiratory Syn- and 20 of them tested positive, al- Saudi Health Minister Khaled al- a statement carried by Saudi An Egyptian baker is seen beside a vegetable market in Cairo. drome (Mers), a potentially fatal though 18 of the 20 had no symp- Falih, was “much more forthcom- Press Agency. coronavirus from the same fam- toms. ing” than his predecessor. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 13 REGION/ARAB WORLD

Egypt court annuls ‘handover’ of two Red Sea islands to Saudi

Reuters prompted rare protests in Egypt But a group of lawyers, in- Saudi and Egyptian offi cials “The government is studying It was not clear whether the whether strong Gulf Arab sup- Cairo where many people say they cluding former presidential can- say they belong to the kingdom the reasons for the ruling and government could activate the port can be sustained. Egyptians were taught at school that Tiran didate Khaled Ali, challenged the and were only under Egyptian will challenge it at the higher accord if parliament approved are eager for economic revival af- and Sanafi r were Egyptian. agreement in court. control because Saudi Arabia administrative court of the it but the higher administrative ter years of political upheaval. n Egyptian court yester- The timing of the announce- Yesterday, Judge Yehia al- asked Egypt in 1950 to protect State Council and request that court did not. But the islands issue hurt na- day annulled a maritime ment, during a visit to Cairo by Dakroury ruled that Egyptian them. it be cancelled,” Magdy al-Agaty, Saudi Arabian and other Gulf tional pride, prompting thou- Aborder accord with Saudi the Saudi king that coincided sovereignty over the islands Ali argued that according to a minister of legal and parliamen- states have provided Cairo with sands of protesters to take to the Arabia that would have seen with the signing of aid deals, holds and could not be amended 1906 maritime treaty between tary aff airs, said. billions of dollars in aid and in- streets in April chanting “people Egypt lose control of two Red Sea created the impression among in favour of another state. Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, The demarcation agreement vestment to help Egypt’s bat- want the fall of the regime”, a islands, in a setback for Presi- many that the islands were sold. Tiran and Sanafi r lie between the islands are Egyptian. was also due to be discussed by tered economy. slogan from the Arab Spring up- dent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. As anger rose, Sisi made an Saudi Arabia and Egypt’s Sinai The treaty precedes the parliament in the coming weeks. But a sharp drop in oil prices risings of 2011. The maritime demarca- impromptu speech denying the Peninsula at the narrow entrance founding of Saudi Arabia in 1932. Two parliamentarians said the and diff erences over foreign More than 200 people were tion accord, announced in islands were sold and urging to the Gulf of Aqaba leading to The government said it would debate would go ahead and take policy issues such as the war in arrested in connection with pro- April, caused public uproar and Egyptians to end the debate. Jordan and Israel. appeal the verdict. into account the verdict. Yemen have raised questions over tests over the islands. Iraqi forces only control one-third of Fallujah, US military says

DPA been liberated after govern- Cairo ment forces recaptured the government compound in the city centre. raqi forces are so far in The progress by government control of one-third of the forces in the Fallujah off ensive, Iwestern city of Fallujah, the launched in late May, comes Jordan’s King Abdullah (centre) listening to his Military Adviser and Chairman of the Joint Chief-of-Staff General Mishal al-Zibn (centre) talking during an emergency meeting in Pentagon said yesterday, four months after they recaptured Amman after car bomb killed several soldiers and wounded others outside a refugee camp near the Syrian border. days after Iraqi Prime Minister Ramadi, the other major city Haider al-Abadi declared the in the Sunni-dominated An- city liberated from the Islamic bar province. State extremist group. The Iraqi army declared Ra- “Approximately 1/3 of madi liberated in late Decem- the city of Fallujah has been ber, but fi ghting continued for cleared by Iraqi-led ground weeks in some districts. forces,” US Defence Depart- Also yesterday, the US an- ment spokesman Matthew Al- nounced an additional $20mn Car bomb kills six Jordan len said. in humanitarian aid for the “The rest of the city remains United Nations High Com- contested and we will continue missioner for Refugees’ (UN- to support the Government of HCR) Iraq response following Iraq in eliminating ISIL from its appeals for those displaced Fallujah,” by the Fallujah confl ict. Allen added, saying the bat- The aid is part of a larger soldiers at Syria border tle “has been and will continue US package coming later in to be a diffi cult fi ght.” the year, US State Department Reuters from behind a berm and dodged International relief workers Since the start of the Syria ciary of foreign aid because of its Al-Abadi declared Fallujah, spokesman John Kirby said. Amman gunfi re to reach the military said the Jordanian authorities confl ict, Washington has spent eff orts to help refugees but has a long-standing stronghold The UN now estimates post, it added. had also suspended all humani- tens of millions of dollars to help drawn criticism from Western of the extremist group some 85,000 people have fl ed the It was the fi rst such assault tarian aid to the area and that Amman set up an elaborate sur- allies and aid agencies over the 50km west of Baghdad, to have fi ghting in Fallujah, Kirby said. ix Jordanian border guards targeting Jordan from Syria since this could put the lives of refu- veillance system known as the humanitarian situation at Rak- were killed by a suicide Syria’s descent into confl ict in gees at risk. Border Security Programme to ban, diplomats say. Sbomber who drove a car 2011 and followed an attack on This was not immediately by stem infi ltration by militants Earlier waves of Syrian refu- at speed across the border from June 6 on a security offi ce near the Jordanian authorities. from Syria and Iraq. gees had an easier time, with Syria and rammed it into a mili- the Jordanian capital Amman Jordan’s King Abdullah said The Rakban crossing targeted some walking just a few hundred tary post yesterday, security of- in which fi ve people, including the perpetrators would not go yesterday is a military zone far metres to cross into Jordan. 50 Saudi men detained fi cials said. three Jordanian intelligence of- unpunished and that his secu- from any inhabited area, and Jordan sealed those border The explosives-laden vehicle fi cers, were killed. rity forces would deal with “an includes a 3km stretch of berms crossings in 2013. blew up a few hundred metres The incidents have jolted the iron fist” with any group that built a decade ago to combat The United Nations refugee over necklaces, haircuts from a camp for Syrian refugees Arab kingdom, which has been sought to harm the country’s smuggling. agency said late last year Jordan in a remote and desolate area relatively unscathed by the in- security or borders, a palace The border is heavily guarded should accept the new wave of where where the borders of Iraq, stability that has swept the Arab statement said. by patrols and drones. refugees - their numbers have AFP vestigations,” said Sabq, which Syria and Jordan meet, a Jorda- world since 2011, including the Jordan is a staunch ally of the US Patriot missiles are sta- risen, aid offi cials say, since Riyadh accompanied investigators nian army statement said. expansion of Islamic State in United States and is taking part tioned in the kingdom, however, Russia started air strikes last during their visits to shopping The southeastern desert area Syria and Iraq. in the US-led campaign against and the US army has hundreds of September - and move them to areas in the city. is close to where Islamic State In a rare move, the chief of Islamic State in Syria, where the trainers in the country. established camps closer to Am- ifty young men have Offi cers noticed “a number militants are known to operate, staff of the Jordanian army Gen- militant group still controls large It is the only area where Jor- man. been arrested in Saudi of off ences like strange hair- according to a security source eral Mishal al-Zibn declared areas of territory including much dan still receives Syrian refu- Jordan, which has already ac- FArabia for haircuts, cuts, chains that are hung who requested anonymity. the northern and northeastern of the east. gees, some 50,000 of whom cepted more than 600,000 UN- necklaces and other adorn- upon the chest or arms, head The source said the attack border strip with Syria a closed Jordan has kept tight control are stranded in Rakban refugee registered Syrian refugees, is ments considered un-Islam- wraps and short clothes and appeared to be a well planned military zone, an order that went of its frontier with Syria since camp in a de facto no-man’s land resisting. ic. immodest ones - for both men military operation. No group has into eff ect immediately. the outbreak of the war in its some 330km northeast of Am- It says Islamic State militants The suspects were detained and women,” reported Sabq, claimed responsibility. “Any vehicle and personnel neighbour. man. may have infi ltrated their ranks during a Ramadan crackdown which is close to the authori- The army said a number of movement within these areas Washington condemned the The population of the camp as most of them come from Is- in the western Saudi holy of ties. other vehicles used in the attack that move without prior co-or- deadly attack as a “cowardly ter- has since last year grown from lamic State-held areas in central Makkah, Islam’s holiest site, The law enforcement team, at around 5.30am (0230 GMT) dination will be treated as en- rorist act” and said it would con- several thousand to over 50,000 and eastern Syria, and has al- according to Saudi news web- which included women, ad- were destroyed and that 14 other emy targets and dealt with fi rmly tinue “unwavering support” for people as the fi ghting in Syria lowed only a trickle of refugees, site Sabq. vised citizens against “habits people were wounded. and without leniency,” the army the Jordanian army, a statement intensifi ed, relief workers say. mostly women and children, in “They were handed over to and traditions that are against The suicide bomber drove out statement said. from the US embassy said. Jordan has been a big benefi - recent months. the department of criminal in- religious teachings.” Israel kills Palestinian teen ‘mistaken for stone-thrower’

AFP The stone-throwers were also cluded the person killed, she said the wounded,” he said. “Is this Beit Ur, Palestinian Territories said to have hurled fi rebombs at yes, as well as those wounded. the same army that says it made passing cars and poured oil on During the current holy a mistake? They are liars.” the road. month of Ramadan, Muslims of- Palestine Liberation Organi- sraeli troops killed a Pales- Soldiers opened fi re on what ten go out and socialise late into sation secretary general Saeb tinian teenager yesterday af- they believed to be suspects, the night following the end of Erekat condemned the shooting Iter apparently mistaking his the army said, killing Mahmoud the daytime fast. in a statement that said Badran group for stone-throwers as they Rafat Badran and wounding the “One of my nephews who had been “murdered” and called returned from a swim, sparking four others. Two people were ar- lives in Qatar was staying with it a “cold-blooded assassination”. outrage and debate about the se- rested, it said. us,” Badran’s father Rafat said Also yesterday, Israeli forces curity forces’ use of fi rearms. The army initially released a as received condolence visits in demolished the home of a Pal- Palestinian offi cials harshly statement saying troops shot the council building in his home estinian who killed a US tourist condemned the shooting, saying two people “after a number of town of Beit Ur. and wounded several Israelis in the 15-year-old was “murdered” Palestinians hurled rocks and Mahmoud and the other cous- a March stabbing rampage in Tel while in a car in the occupied West Molotov cocktails at moving ve- ins “decided to go together to the Aviv. Bank with four teenaged cousins, hicles near the village of Beit Sira Aqua Park” in neighbouring Beit An army spokeswoman said the who were wounded by the gunfi re. on route 443”. Sira, he said. Palestinian carried out the March Circumstances surrounding “An initial review suggests After several hours bathing 8 seafront knife attacks which the shooting were unclear and that as the mob continued, they were returning home by car killed 29-year-old Texan Taylor the army was still investigating, nearby forces acted in order to though an underpass in the early Allen Force and wounded at least but in a stark admission it said it protect the additional passing hours of the morning. 10 Israelis as US Vice President Joe appeared those shot were “unin- vehicles from immediate danger “A car appeared on the 443 Biden arrived for a visit. volved bystanders”. and fi red towards the assailants. road above them, armed men got The Palestinian was shot dead The military said the over- “Forces confi rmed hits result- out and fi red at their moving car,” during the attack. night shooting followed stone- ing in the death of one of the at- said 51-year-old Rafat, his eyes Netanyahu has expedited throwing at Israelis travelling a tackers.” red from grief and lack of sleep. home demolitions of Palestinian road that cuts through the West Later, the army revised its ac- When news reached the fam- attackers in a bid to deter vio- Bank for several kilometres on its count, with a spokeswoman say- ily and relatives tried to reach lence. way from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. ing that “it appears uninvolved the scene, “soldiers prevented us Human rights groups say the Palestinian flag are seen placed on the rubble of a house belonging to a Palestinian man who carried out Israeli media reported two bystanders were mistakenly hit approaching by fi ring at us. measure amounts to collective a knife attack in Tel Aviv on March 8 in which an American tourist was killed, after it was demolished by foreigners and one Israeli lightly during the pursuit.” They refused to allow Pales- punishment, forcing families to Israeli security forces in the village of Haja, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank yesterday. wounded by stone-throwing. Asked by AFP whether that in- tinian ambulances to evacuate suff er for the acts of others. Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 AFRICA Nigeria agrees Riots rock S Africa’s ceasefi re with capital ahead of vote Delta rebels Reuters government amnesty scheme. AFP Abuja The petroleum ministry Pretoria offi cial, who asked not to be identifi ed, said the ceasefi re igeria has agreed a was agreed last week when a uses were torched and one-month ceasefi re government delegation led by roads were barricaded Nwith militants behind the oil minister, Emmanuel Bwith rocks and burning recent attacks on oil facilities Ibe Kachikwu, held talks with tyres in South Africa’s capi- in its southern Niger Delta, community leaders and state tal Pretoria yesterday in riots a petroleum ministry offi cial governors. sparked by upcoming nation- said yesterday, as eff orts con- “It was very diffi cult get- wide municipal elections. tinue to end the unrest that ting the Niger Delta Avengers The unrest erupted late on has pushed crude output to to the negotiating table, but Monday after factional disputes 30-year lows. we eventually did through a over the ruling African National Militants say they want a proxy channel and achieved Congress (ANC) choice for Pre- greater share of Nigeria’s oil the truce,” said the offi cial. toria mayor in the hotly-con- wealth to go to the impover- “Government requested tested vote due on August 3. ished Delta region. Crude sales more than a month but since Part of the country’s main make up about 70% of nation- they insisted a month we have north-south highway, the N1, al income and the vast major- no choice than to oblige them. was closed off after protesters ity of that oil comes from the Government will use this pe- hurled stones at cars and bus- southern swampland. riod of respite to come up with es, while the defence minister The ministry offi cial said a master plan for the region,” pledged to crack down on the the Niger Delta Avengers, who added the offi cial. violence. have claimed responsibil- Nigeria, an Opec member, Party secretary-general ity for most attacks in the last was Africa’s top oil producer Gwede Mantashe blamed the few weeks, were among those until the recent spate of at- unrest on “thuggery” driven by who have agreed to the truce. tacks pushed it behind An- factionalism and patronage, but A second government offi cial gola. Oil production has fallen protesters accused the party of confi rmed that a truce was from 2.2mn barrels at the start riding roughshod over their own agreed. of the year to around 1.6mn choice for candidate. But militant groups includ- barrels. Similar protests, on a small- ing the Avengers, who last The impact on output has er scale, broke out earlier this week told the government also helped global oil prices month in Durban in the home they would only agree to talks to rally. province of embattled Presi- if independent foreign me- Neither the presidency nor dent Jacob Zuma, signalling diators were involved, could the petroleum ministry issued increasing factionalism within not immediately be reached offi cial statements on a truce. the party ahead of a vote which Policemen clearing debris and burnt objects following violent protests in Pretoria’s Atteridgeville township yesterday over a disputed mayoral for comment. The group, President Muhammadu Bu- analysts believe could see the candidate for upcoming municipal elections. whose leaders are not known, hari has said the government ANC lose power in some major mainly communicates via its wanted to hold talks with Ni- cities. The party has split into fac- “Here is a capital city and we Tuesday as protesters continued the run-up to the elections. twitter feed. ger Delta leaders to address The party is reeling under tions, with some Mandela- are not going to allow anarchists, to vent their anger over a mayoral In a bid to overcome deep local It may be diffi cult to imple- poverty and oil pollution. “factionalism, corruption and era leaders joining the chorus hooligans and gangsters to take candidate they say was imposed divisions arising from the three ment a ceasefi re in the hard to But his administration leadership without credibility”, of opposition to Zuma, say- over maybe what is a legitimate on them by the national party proposed candidates for Pretoria access swamps where mili- angered former militants said political analyst and author ing he has stripped the party concern of the communities and... leadership. mayor, the ANC national leader- tants are divided into small when it cut by two-thirds the Prince Mashele. of the moral credibility it had turn it into a state of anarchy,” Police said they were in- ship named its own candidate, groups that tap widespread budget allocated for the am- The ANC of former president during the struggle against she told a news conference. vestigating a case of murder, Thoko Didiza. anger over poverty and oil nesty programme set up in and liberation icon Nelson Man- apartheid. Transport Minister Dipuo Pe- along with malicious damage to But some protesters com- spills. Leaders have little sway 2009. Former militants were dela is facing a tough test in the The local elections touch a raw ters said that 19 buses belonging property and intimidation. plained that although she lives in over unemployed youths will- paid stipends and given em- August elections after sweeping nerve, dealing with issues such to a state-owned transport fi rm Security Minister David Mahl- Pretoria she is an outsider as she ing to work for anyone who ployment training from that to power in elections that ended as housing and water and sewage were burnt on Monday. obo confi rmed the death of an hails from Durban, a port city in pays them. programme. apartheid in 1994. services in a country where many “The buses were set alight ANC supporter who was report- the east of the country. Earlier this month, the A number of new militant Zuma has faced months of feel they have not benefi ted as yesterday afternoon on their way edly shot during an ANC party Pretoria resident Philemon government said the military groups have sprung up in the criticism and growing calls for they should have from the end of to the depot and drivers had to gathering in Pretoria on Sunday. Pholoma said the protesters were campaign in the Delta would last few weeks, each with their him to step down after a se- white minority domination. fl ee for their safety,” she said in a The activist later died in hospital. ANC members “fi ghting about be scaled down as part of an own set of demands, which ries of corruption scandals Defence Minister Nosiviwe statement. Several deaths attributed the mayor”. attempt to pursue talks with has made the insurgency in- as the country battles falling Mapisa-Nqakula stepped in An AFP photographer saw a to factionalism within the “They are saying they don’t militants, who laid down their creasingly fractured. It is not economic growth and record Tuesday to issue a warning to the truck and a bus on fi re in Pre- ANC have been reported want that woman,” Pholoma arms in 2009 in exchange yet clear how many groups unemployment. protesters. toria’s Atteridgeville township from around the country in said. for cash benefi ts under a took part in the talks.

Former aide of Jonathan faces graft charge Bemba sentenced A special adviser to Nigeria’s former president Goodluck Jonathan has been charged with corruption and given bail, the country’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said to 18 years in jail yesterday. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa is facing 23 counts of “concealment and AFP Bemba, dressed in a dark suit a sentence of at least 25 years retention of proceeds of crime” The Hague and blue tie, is the highest- imprisonment. worth more than 1.6bn naira level offi cial to be sentenced by The case however is likely to ($7.8mn). the ICC after being convicted drag on for a few more years, Dudafa, who was Jonathan’s he International Criminal in March on fi ve charges of as his defence team has already former senior special assistant Court yesterday handed war crimes and crimes against fi led notice that it intends to on domestic aff airs, pleaded not Tdown its toughest sen- humanity. appeal, and argued that Bemba guilty during a hearing at the tence yet, ordering former And he is the only the third should be released immediately federal high court in Lagos, the Congolese vice president Jean- person to be sentenced at the as he has been behind bars since EFCC said in a statement. Pierre Bemba to serve 18 years tribunal based in The Hague his arrest in 2008. A bank employee who allegedly in jail for “sadistic, cruel” rapes since it began work in 2002. Bemba was “extremely dis- helped Dudafa launder the and murders by his troops in The atrocities were car- appointed” with Tuesday’s Jean-Pierre Bemba attending his trial in the courtroom of the ICC in The Hague yesterday. money through four companies Central African Republic. ried out by Bemba’s private sentence, his lawyer Kate also denied the charges. “The chamber sentences Mr army, the Congolese Liberation Gibson said. at the world’s only perma- in Brussels in 2008 after losing a rapes and other serious abuses Both were given bail on condition Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to Movement (MLC), when he sent The jail term was “dramati- nent war crimes court, based bid for his country’s presidency. committed by troops under their of payment of sureties totalling a total of 18 years of imprison- them into neighbouring CAR in cally outside the sentences that in The Hague, judge Steiner His case was the fi rst at the control.” 500mn naira and ordered to ment,” said judge Sylvia Steiner late October 2002 to put down have been given to command- said Bemba had done “more ICC to focus on rape as a weapon But his defence has argued surrender their passports. The case as the once feared rebel leader, a coup against then president ers before the other courts and than tolerate the crimes as a of war and the fi rst to highlight that “the whole trial process was adjourned until July 4 and 5. who has denied all culpabil- Ange-Felix Patasse. tribunals,” she said. commander”. a military commander’s respon- was fl awed and unfair and that Jonathan’s cousin, Robert ity, sat intently listening in The 1,500 troops unleashed “Today’s sentence is by no “Mr Bemba’s failure to take ac- sibility for the conduct of the Mr Bemba’s rights as an accused Azibaola, has previously been the courtroom, showing no a fi ve-month campaign of ter- means the end of the road for Mr tion was deliberately aimed at troops under his control. were violated throughout,” his charged with syphoning $40mn emotion. ror, during which the judges Bemba,” she added. “It merely encouraging the attacks directed In a swift reaction, Human lawyer Peter Haynes said. of public funds meant to buy In justifying the ruling, said “entire families were signals that we are now moving against the civilian population,” Rights Watch said in a statement “No reasonable trial chamber communications equipment for Steiner said the former mili- victimised.” to the next phase of the process she said, adding he had all the nec- on Twitter that it welcomed could have convicted him of the Nigerian special forces. tia leader had failed to exercise Some victims were raped re- which is the appeal.” essary means to deter his troops the sentence saying it “off ers a charges he faced,” Haynes ar- The former president’s national control over his private army peatedly by as many as 20 sol- The three-judge bench how- from committing the crimes. measure of justice for victims of gued in a fi ling late Monday. security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, is sent into CAR in late October diers, others were shot point ever insisted it had “not found Bemba, a rich businessman sexual violence.” In diff erent cases, the ICC has currently facing a slew of charges 2002 where they carried out a blank for refusing to hand over a any mitigating circumstances” who became one of the vice It also served as a warning to previously sentenced two other over allegedly bogus arms deals series of rapes, murders and pil- motorbike or a sheep. to reduce its sentence. presidents of the Democratic “other commanders that they Congolese warlords to 14 and 12 in which procurement cash was laging of “particular cruelty.” Prosecutors had called for Reading out their fi ndings Republic of Congo, was arrested too can be held accountable for years respectively. diverted for political purposes. The money was allegedly paid into accounts of senior figures in Jonathan’s then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to fund his re-election campaign in 2015. 16 killed in fresh Central African Republic violence Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in May accused Jonathan’s administration of stealing some AFP Christians and Muslims that the capital Bangui on Monday in from attacks from cattle thieves, in the centre of Batangafo”. at the weekend, blamed on a $15bn of public money through Bangui has driven half a million people which three people were killed. and they sometimes stage dead- At least 10 people were killed rebel group based in PK5. It fraudulent arms deals. from their homes. The offi cer said the violence ly reprisals against the towns last week in northwest in vio- was unclear if the fi ghting was Dasuki claims Jonathan as “According to an initial toll, in the north began in the region where the rustlers are from. lence blamed on Fulani herds- connected to the kidnapping. commander-in-chief signed off on ixteen people have been 16 people, most of them armed of Batangafo and spread to the Kaga Bandoro resident Mau- men and the Seleka militia. A police source in Bangui said the procurement deals, eff ectively killed in two days of clashes Fulani herdsmen, were killed towns of Wandago and Gondava. rice Yanandji said the clashes In a sign of the continuing the three people killed “were making the former president an Sbetween Fulani herdsmen and more than 20 others were The clashes are linked to the on Sunday and Monday forced a tensions, three people were members of the (neighbourhood) alibi. and the mainly Muslim Seleka wounded in the clashes,” a annual transhumance of Fulani number of bush residents to fl ee killed and hundreds forced to self-defence force who tried to But so far he has not apparently militia in the Central African Re- police offi cer in the northern cattle herdsmen, sometimes into the centre of the town. fl ee their homes after gunfi re attack” a police station “and who been questioned or interviewed. public, police said yesterday. town of Kaga Bandoro said on from neighbouring Cameroon Batangafo resident Polycarpe broke out Monday in Bangui’s were prevented by national and Former PDP spokesman Olisah The chronically unstable condition of anonymity. and Chad, into the north of the Nzalaye said troops from MI- predominantly Muslim PK5 international forces.” Metuh, who allegedly received a nation is struggling to over- The clashes, which erupted Central African Republic. NUSCA, the UN peacekeeping neighbourhood. He said several people were share of the cash, has also said come the legacy of three years on Sunday, were not connected The herdsmen are often force in the country, “inter- The deaths followed the wounded, some some of them he was only acting on Jonathan’s of deadly confl ict between to a separate wave of violence in armed to protect themselves vened and the clashes stopped kidnapping of six policemen seriously. orders. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 15 AMERICAS Aboriginal Day Impulse 2 begins Atlantic crossing

AFP with the sun as its only source New York of power. “Smooth takeoff and all #Si2 systems have been checked he Solar Impulse 2 air- here at the Mission Con- craft was soaring yes- trol Center for the #Atlantic Tterday over the western Crossing,” Borschberg posted Atlantic, one of the most diffi - on Twitter soon after Solar Im- cult legs of its record-breaking pulse 2 was off the ground. bid to fl y across the globe using A few hours into the fl ight, only solar energy. which could be tracked via in- The plane, which took off ternet on the solarimpulse.com from New York’s JFK airport website, the fl ight team wrote around 2.30am (0630 GMT) that the fl ight was blessed with Monday, is piloted by Swiss “a beautiful day without a sin- adventurer Bertrand Piccard, gle cloud”. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paddles in a voyageur canoe on the Ottawa River past Parliament Hill after the National Aboriginal Day Sunrise Ceremony in who is expected to spend ap- In another post about seven Gatineau, Quebec, yesterday. proximately 90 hours — dur- hours into the fl ight, Piccard ing which he will take only described spotting a cluster of short naps — crossing the At- whales in the ocean waters. lantic. “What a beautiful sight of “It’s my fi rst time taking off jumping whales. from JFK,” Piccard said over a Just like the whales below live feed from the aircraft as me, #Si2 depends only on na- he headed off into the night ture,” he wrote, as a live video sky en route to Spain’s Seville feed on the website captured Airport. his every movement at the As of 9.30pm in New York controls of the aircraft. Trump fi res campaign (0130 GMT Tuesday), the plane Prince Albert of Monaco, a was near Canada’s Nova Scotia patron of the project, gave the and turning east to begin its fl ight the go-ahead from its ocean crossing after hugging mission control centre in Mo- the North American coast dur- naco, telling Piccard “you are ing the day. released to proceed”. Piccard noted in a blog post Approximately a third of the manager Lewandowski that he gets to experience a journey still remains for the “Strawberry Moon” from the plane, which will fl y through The sacking may indicate some course publican National Committee’s commu- sign this time of any signifi cant infi ghting Trump has made building a wall along plane — an astrological phe- Europe and on to Abu Dhabi correction nications director, said in an interview, among her advisers. the country’s border with Mexico a central nomenon that occurs when after crossing the Atlantic. referring to Manafort. The former US secretary of state has theme of his campaign, and his comments there’s a full moon on the Sum- The single-seat aircraft is Reuters The RNC spokesman did not think there also spent millions of dollars on television on immigrants have enraged many ethnic mer Solstice, the longest day of clad in 17,000 solar cells. New York would be a change in Trump’s tone.”It’s commercials in recent weeks. minorities and their supporters. the year.He will have “a bright During nighttime flights, going to be more of a streamlined eff ort Trump has not aired any paid advertise- His campaign rallies have been marred full moon to guide me across it runs on battery-stored and more of an understanding of the dif- ments since becoming the presumptive by some of the most violent clashes be- the Atlantic Ocean in my solar- power. onald Trump fi red Corey Lewand- ference that a general election has,” Spicer nominee, preferring to spread his message tween protesters and supporters at US powered airplane.” “Solar Impulse is like a fl ying owski, the campaign manager who said, referring to the November 8 general through his Twitter account and in media presidential events in decades, leaving The voyage marks the fi rst smart grid, and if we can make Dhelped him win the Republican election. interviews. some people injured and bloodied. solo transatlantic crossing in a it work in an airplane, where Party’s presidential nominating contests Lewandowski, 42, had been a near-con- His decision to fi re his manager came in Lewandowski, a former New Hamp- solar-powered airplane and is we can’t cheat, we can make it but has clashed with other advisers on stant presence at Trump’s side since the part at the urging of his daughter, Ivanka shire fi eld director for a conservative ad- expected to last four consecu- work on the ground, in our cit- how to appeal to the broader general elec- New York developer launched his cam- Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, vocacy group, argued that Trump’s un- tive days and nights, depend- ies, for our homes and for all torate, several people with knowledge of paign on June 2015. who have powerful advisory roles in the conventional campaigning style did not ing on weather. applications,” Borschberg said the decision said. In a brief statement read on CNN, campaign, the two people in contact with need to be changed after it proved suc- The plane, which is no heav- in a statement. The fi ring on Monday morning was yet Lewandowski said, “I stand by the fact Trump aides said. cessful in the last few months of primary ier than a car but has the wing- The plane typically travels another shakeup for a campaign already at that Mr Trump is a great candidate and is Hope Hicks, who single-handedly fi elds contests. span of a Boeing 747, is being at a mere 30 miles per hour, odds with many senior Republican fi gures better than Hillary Clinton ever will be.” Trump’s media inquiries, disputed reports Lewandowski repeatedly defended that fl own on its 35,400km trip in although its fl ight speed can over Trump’s policies, with the party’s The Trump campaign confi rmed only that she had complained about Lewand- strategy with a line that became his man- stages with two pilots — Pic- double when exposed to full nominating convention in Cleveland less Lewandowski’s departure, not the cir- owski to Ivanka Trump.“That is entirely tra: “Let Trump be Trump.” card and Swiss entrepreneur sunlight. than a month away. cumstances. untrue,” she said. Known for his brusque manner, Andre Borschberg — taking “Best of luck on this won- But it may also prove a step toward Some of Trump’s staff viewed Lewand- Lewandowski also denied there were Lewandowski was accused of manhan- turns at the controls. derful adventure @bertrandp- calming concerns among party leaders owski as opposing strategic changes and any tensions between him and Trump’s dling a female reporter in Florida during The pair have flown alter- iccard & all the team,” British about Trump, a wealthy businessman and staff hires urged by Manafort as needed family in an interview with CNN. the primary campaign, but the battery nating legs of the journey, billionaire entrepreneur Rich- political neophyte, and the confl icting ad- to take on Clinton, the likely Democratic Trump, the presumptive Republican charge against him was later dropped. with Borschberg piloting the ard Branson, owner of space vice he was getting from senior aides. Party candidate, according to three people nominee, has faced setbacks in the past He is still scheduled to attend the flight’s final Pacific stage, a tourism company Virgin Ga- Lewandowski was often at odds with close to the campaign. two weeks. Cleveland convention as chairman of New 6,000km flight between Ja- lactic, posted on Twitter. Paul Manafort, a prominent strategist The three, a campaign staff er and two His renewed calls to temporarily ban Hampshire’s delegation. pan and Hawaii. The 118-hour Piccard and Borschberg are Trump hired in April partly for having ex- people in regular contact with Trump Muslims from entering the United States The Democratic National Committee leg smashed the previous no strangers to adventure. perience on presidential campaigns that advisers, spoke on condition of anonym- have drawn heavy criticism from Re- said Lewandowski’s exit was unlikely to record for the longest unin- Piccard, a psychiatrist, Lewandowski lacked, according to people ity because they were not authorised by publican politicians in Washington and change Trump. terrupted journey in aviation made the fi rst non-stop bal- close to the campaign. Trump to discuss the fi ring. prompted corporate sponsors like Apple “Corey Lewandowski is not the prob- history. loon fl ight around the world Manafort will take over as campaign Clinton’s campaign has hundreds more and JPMorgan Chase to withhold fund- lem. It’s Donald Trump,” Mark Pausten- The plane, now on the 15th in 1999. manager, according to Carl Paladino, the staff than that of Trump, in states across ing from the party’s July 18-21 conven- bach, a party spokesman, said in a leg of its east-west trip, set Borschberg narrowly es- co-chairman of the campaign’s operations the country. tion. statement.“It wasn’t Corey Lewandowski out on March 9, 2015 in Abu caped an avalanche 15 years ago in New York state. In contrast to her unsuccessful 2008 Recent opinion polls show at least half who called for a ban on Muslims entering Dhabi, and has fl own across and in 2013 survived a helicop- “Paul’s in charge,” Sean Spicer, the Re- presidential bid, there has been no public of all voters approve of the Muslim ban. the United States; it was Donald Trump.” Asia and the Pacifi c to the US ter crash with minor injuries. Justice dept opposes Obama proposal on Gitmo

Reuters condition of anonymity.”The top law- that would transfer detainees from the Lynch and her deputies at the Jus- operatives who used it to carry out a tainees who are interested in pleading New York yer in the land has weighed in, and that Cuban enclave to the United States. tice Department argued that the laws truck bombing in Indonesia, and to guilty” in US federal courts. Adminis- was the DOJ’s purview to do that.” Obama views the video feed proposal of criminal procedure do not allow plotting with Khalid Shaikh Mohamed, tration offi cials spent much of the next If enacted into law, the Obama- as a meaningful step toward closing the defendants to plead guilty remotely by the mastermind of the September 11 at- two months drafting the new law. resident Barack Obama is again backed plan would allow detained ter- facility and making good on one of his videoconference. tacks, on various planned strikes. On a Friday afternoon in mid-April, facing dissent from within his rorism suspects who plead guilty to earliest pledges as president, adminis- Even if congress were to pass the law, Senate investigators found internal White House staff emailed all the in- Padministration — this time from serve their sentences in a third-country tration offi cials said. Lynch and her aides have told the White CIA documents confi rming that Khan’s volved agencies with a fi nal draft of the attorney general Loretta Lynch — over prison, without setting foot on US soil. Of the 80 prisoners remaining in House that federal judges may rule that CIA interrogators subjected him to bill, according to the offi cials. his plans to shutter the Guantanamo The plan would thus sidestep a con- Guantanamo, roughly 30 have been ap- such pleas are in eff ect involuntary, forced rectal feedings. The bill would be submitted to con- Bay military prison, according to senior gressional ban on transferring detain- proved for transfer to third countries by because Guantanamo detainees would That treatment makes it diffi cult for gress the following Monday, the White administration offi cials. ees to the United States, which has left an interagency review board. not have the option of standing trial in the department of justice to success- House e-mail said. Lynch, a former federal prosecutor dozens of prisoners in long-term judi- Most of those 30 men are expected to a US courtroom. fully prosecute Khan in federal court, That weekend, Lynch intervened un- whom Obama appointed to head the cial limbo in Guantanamo, the Ameri- be released from Guantanamo in com- according to administration offi cials. expectedly and said the justice depart- justice department two years ago, is can military enclave in Cuba. ing weeks, according to administration The most enthusiastic backers When White House offi cials learned ment opposed the bill. opposing a White House-backed pro- The video plea plan has broad back- offi cials. of the plan have been defence that Khan and other detainees were The eleventh-hour move frustrated posal that would allow Guantanamo ing within the administration, includ- The offi cials said they think that as lawyers representing up to ready to plead guilty to terrorism White House staff . Bay prisoners to plead guilty to terror- ing from senior state department and many as 10 more prisoners could be a dozen Guantanamo Bay charges in federal court, they thought Deciding again to not overrule Lynch, ism charges in federal court by vide- Pentagon offi cials. added to the approved-for-transfer list detainees they had found a solution. the White House shelved the bill. oconference, the offi cials said. The most enthusiastic backers of the by the review board. “The beauty of a guilty plea is you In late May, White House offi cials Over the past three months, Lynch plan have been defence lawyers repre- Finally, another 10 detainees are A defendant in federal court usually don’t need a trial,” said the senior ad- found a sympathetic lawmaker who in- has twice intervened to block adminis- senting up to a dozen Guantanamo Bay standing trial in military commissions. has the option to plead guilty or face a ministration offi cial who supports the serted language authorising video pleas tration proposals on the issue, object- detainees who are eager to extricate That leaves roughly 30 detainees trial by jury. video plea proposal. into the annual defence spending bill. ing that they would violate longstand- their clients from seemingly indefi nite whom the government deems too dan- In the case of Guantanamo detain- In February, senior Obama aides pro- The White House drafted a policy ing rules of criminal-justice procedure. detention. gerous to release but unlikely to be suc- ees, the only option they would likely posed pushing ahead with video guilty memo publicly supporting the pro- In the fi rst case, her last-minute oppo- Republicans in congress have op- cessfully prosecuted in court. face is to plead guilty or remain in in- pleas at an interagency meeting at the posal, which is known as a Statement of sition derailed a White House-initiated posed the president’s plans to empty As a result, those men would likely defi nite detention. White House on the closure of Guan- Administration Policy, or SAP. legislative proposal to allow video guilty the prison, on the grounds that many of have to be transferred to detention in “How would a judge assure himself tanamo, according to offi cials briefed Lynch opposed the idea, according pleas after nearly two months of intera- the detainees are highly dangerous. the United States if the prison were that the plea is truly voluntary when if on the meeting. to administration offi cials, sparking gency negotiations and law drafting. But there is some bipartisan support closed. Administration offi cials say the plea is not entered, the alternative is Justice Department offi cials said renewed tensions between the justice In the second case, Lynch blocked for the proposal as well, a rarity in the that allowing video feeds could reduce you’re still in Gitmo?” said a person fa- they opposed video guilty pleas. department and White House. the administration from publicly sup- Guantanamo debate. that number to between 10 and 20. miliar with Lynch’s concerns about the The meeting ended with an agree- A SAP is the president’s public dec- porting a Senate proposal to legalise Kevin Bishop, a spokesman for Sena- The administration believes that proposal.”That’s the wrinkle.” ment to pursue new legislation allowing laration on the substance of a bill, ac- video guilty pleas. tor Lindsey Graham, a leading Repub- with such a small number of prisoners Lawyers for Guantanamo detainee the guilty pleas, the offi cials said, which cording to Samuel Kernell, a political White House offi cials confi rmed that lican voice on defence and national requiring transfer to the United States, Majid Khan, a 36-year-old Pakistani the department of justice supported. science professor at the University of president Obama supports the proposal. security issues, said Graham was “in- it would be easier to win support for citizen, fi rst proposed allowing Khan to One week later, president Obama California at San Diego. But the president declined to overrule trigued” by the proposal. closing the facility, which is run by a plead guilty by videoconference in a le- rolled out his plan to close the prison Without one, it’s often more diffi cult objections from Lynch, the administra- While support from a Republican staff of 2,000 military personnel. gal memo submitted to the Department in a nationally televised announcement to get lawmakers on the fence to vote the tion’s top law-enforcement offi cial. senator would by no means guarantee “This is the group that gives the of Justice in November. from the Roosevelt Room. way the White House wants.The White “There were some frustrations,” said the votes needed to pass, it does give the president the most heartburn,” said the In 2012, Khan confessed in military Obama’s plan included seeking “leg- House again bowed to Lynch’s objec- a White House offi cial who spoke on proposal a better chance than schemes senior administration offi cial. court to delivering $50,000 to Qaeda islative changes that might enable de- tions and declined to issue the SAP. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 AMERICAS Latino voter Music video awards group to get free space on Telemundo

Reuters Hillary Clinton in the November 8 presidential election, New York launched his candidacy last year by calling for a crackdown on illegal immigration from Mexico, a country he said was sending rapists and drug dealers into the United States. leading US promoter of Latino boxing, All Star Box- The wealthy New York businessman has also repeatedly ing Inc, will give free television advertising space to vowed to build a wall along the border and force the Mexican AHispanic civic group Mi Familia Vota, which openly government to pay for it if elected. criticises Donald Trump’s anti-immigration stance, in an More recently Trump angered Latinos by criticising a fed- eff ort to encourage Latino Americans to vote in November’s eral judge overseeing a fraud trial against Trump University, The band Marianas Trench arrives for the iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards (MMVAs) in Toronto. presidential election. calling the Indiana-born man a Mexican and, later, saying The partnership will put the name and website of the his Mexican heritage meant he couldn’t do his job properly. group on signs in boxing ring corners and on T-shirts worn Trump has rejected accusations that his comments are by the athletes on Spanish language network Telemundo’s racist and has said he is well-liked by Hispanics. Boxeo Telemundo programme, starting at the end of June, A spokeswoman for Trump was not immediately avail- offi cials at both organisations told Reuters. able to comment. “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” said Ruben The partnership between All Star Boxing and Mi Familia De Jesus, the director of operations at Florida-based All Star Vota will begin on June 24 and run for four events this sum- Attorney general visits Boxing, referring to this year’s presidential election. mer, then another four events after a brief hiatus, compris- He said he decided to contact Mi Familia Vota with the ing 128 boxers in total, De Jesus said. off er of free advertising after hearing “just the whole rheto- Half the shows will take place in Florida and half in Mexico. ric with regards to the Hispanic community” in the current The fi ghters will also hold local events in Florida to boost election. voter engagement in the critical swing state, De Jesus said. Orlando after deadly attack He did not mention any candidate by name. That could include visits to political events around Tam- “Our platform is not to tell our Latino citizens who to vote pa and Orlando, such as helping to register voters. for, but it’s important that this year especially we engage,” “The boxers are coming out of their corners to fi ght for By Marisa Gerber he told Reuters in an interview, adding the free advertising the community,” Monterroso said. Los Angeles Times/TNS space could reach as many as 5mn people. Boxeo Telemundo, with an over 25-year history, calls it- Ben Monterroso, the executive director of Mi Familia self the most-watched Spanish-language boxing show in Vota, was blunter about the partnership’s aim. the United States. ttorney General Loretta Lynch “I think Mr Donald Trump lives in another world,” he The show attracts an average 550,000 viewers weekly, es- met with victims’ families in said.“In my experience working with the community, a big pecially among men 18 to 49, De Jesus said. AOrlando yesterday, nine days majority of the people that I talk to, they defi nitely don’t like Mi Familia Vota is a non-profi t, non-partisan group that after what she called a “shattering at- what Donald Trump has done.” works to register Latino voters and get Latinos involved in tack” at a nightclub. Trump, the Republican who will likely face Democrat US political life. “The message of Orlando that I have seen today - and what the American people have seen in the wake of this horrifi c assault - is a message of deter- mination to remove hatred and intoler- ance from our midst,” Lynch said dur- ing a televised news conference. Lynch announced a $1mn emergency grant to help Florida law enforcement pay for overtime costs related to the shooting and met with fi rst responders later yesterday. An American flag is flown by demonstrators honouring Miguel Angel Honorato The visit comes as federal investi- as family and friends arrive for his funeral in Apopka, Florida, north of Orlando. gators continue to dig into the back- Honorato was one of the 49 victims fatally wounded in the Pulse nightclub ground of Omar Mateen, the gunman shooting. whose June 12 rampage at Pulse night- club left 49 dead and dozens injured. versations with Orlando police negoti- Monday showed that emergency of- Sixteen remain hospitalised, with ators, the FBI said, Mateen threatened fi cials were inside the club during that four in critical condition. to use explosives - although none were time rescuing victims. An FBI offi cial this week said the in- found - and told police to tell Ameri- Both Lynch and the FBI took sharp vestigation could easily stretch on for cans to stop bombing Syria and Iraq. criticism from Republicans on Mon- years. “While the killer made these mur- day after initially releasing a partially Federal offi cials on Monday released derous statements, he did so in a chill- redacted version of the 911 transcript, the transcript of a phone conversation ing, calm and deliberate manner,” said which didn’t identify the gunman, al- Mateen, 29, had with an emergency FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Baghdadi or Islamic State by name. dispatcher from inside the club during Ronald Hopper. Federal offi cials initially defended the attack, in which he pledged alle- After fi ring an initial hail of bullets, the decision, saying it was meant to giance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, head Mateen holed up inside a bathroom withhold publicity from extremists, of the militant group Islamic State. with hostages and the drama stretched but reversed course later Monday, ac- “I’m in Orlando, and I did the shoot- on for three hours until police barrelled knowledging that much of the with- ONE SMOKER. ings,” Mateen told the dispatcher at into the building with a tactical vehicle held material had already been re- about 2:35am, roughly half an hour af- and Swat offi cers shot and killed the ported and saying the redactions had ter shooting his way into the club. gunman. created “an unnecessary distraction”. TWO PATIENTS. During three follow-up phone con- A timeline released by the FBI on Two LA-area wildfi res

TOBACCO KILLS threaten to merge

Reuters northeast of downtown Los Ange- temperatures were reported in some Los Angelese les have forced at least 700 people to areas. evacuate, Mitchell said. Larry Subervi, spokesman for the The communities nearest the fl ames Phoenix fi re department, said one of the wo rapidly growing wildfi res include the suburban towns of Duarte victims was an experienced 28-year- burning a few miles apart in and Azusa. old female mountain biker who had em- Tparched foothills just northeast Overnight, a fl ank of the Fish Fire barked on a two-and-a-half-hour ride of Los Angeles threatened to merge crept down a hillside on the east side in the Phoenix area with enough water yesterday after forcing the evacuation of Duarte, lapping at brush just be- but got overwhelmed by the heat. of more than 700 people, offi cials said. yond some houses before fi refi ghters Three other people reportedly The blazes came as California and extinguished the fl ames, Los Angeles died in the Tucson area, including a other southwestern US states baked in County Fire Chief John Tripp said at a 57-year-old German national — iden- a heat wave. news conference. tifi ed as Stefan Guenster — who was The so-called Fish Fire and the Res- “Our big threat today is still that hiking with two other fellow Germans ervoir Fire, which both broke out on left side of the fi re,” Tripp said.”That on the Ventana Trail early Sunday. Monday in the Angeles National For- still is a very uncontrolled fl ank of the The Pima County Sheriff ’s Depart- est, more than doubled in size over- fi re.” ment, located in Tucson, said one of night and were entirely unconfi ned, Offi cials warned more evacuations the men was able to make it down the the US Forest Service said in a state- could be ordered. trail to get help. ment. While the two blazes have not yet Rescuers found Guenster dead near The Fish Fire, whose cause is under merged, they are being handled as one the trail and the third man, identifi ed investigation, has grown to 3,000 acres incident called the San Gabriel Com- as 33-year-old Marcus Turowski, is while the Reservoir Fire, which fi re of- plex Fire. still missing. fi cials say was sparked by a car crash, At least four people, including a The other victim was identifi ed as stood at about 2,400 acres according German man, have died from the blis- a 54-year-old woman who went for a to fi gures from the US Forest Service. tering heat that has gripped the west- walk along a path known as The Loop “It is a possibility that the two fi res ern United States and sparked wildfi res and was found dead after her husband would merge,” Andrew Mitchell, a and evacuations across the region, au- reported her missing. spokesman for the team battling the thorities said Monday. “We have a heatwave every year, but Reservoir Fire, said in a phone inter- Three hikers and a mountain biker we are close to our all-time record in Issued in Public Interest by GULF TIMES view. succumbed to the heatwave in Arizona 1990 of 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50C),” The fi res burning more than 32km on Sunday, where record-breaking Subervi told AFP. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 17 ASEAN Indonesia navy says Chinese fi shing is ‘ruse’ to stake claim

AFP nese government had “given its the Natuna Islands them- Jakarta blessing”. “China protested be- selves. cause it thinks this area is theirs,” Following Friday’s clash, commander Achmad Taufi qoer- China’s foreign ministry noted ndonesia’s navy said yes- rochman told reporters. that “China and Indonesia have terday that poaching by “Actually the (fi sh) stealing is overlapping claims for maritime IChinese trawlers in its wa- just a ruse to stake its claim,” he rights and interests” in the area, ters was a “ruse” to stake Bei- said, referring to allegations that a statement which analysts said jing’s claim to fishing grounds, Chinese vessels regularly fi sh il- was signifi cant as it openly ac- after the latest clash in the legally in Indonesian waters near knowledged the existence of a South China Sea. the Natunas. dispute. The confrontation Friday near “They need a presence and In the past, China has typi- Indonesia’s Natuna Islands was their way to do it is with fi shing cally defended the actions of its the third such skirmish in the boats.” vessels by saying they were op- area this year between Chinese Unlike several of its South- erating in “traditional Chinese and Indonesian vessels, as ten- east Asian neighbours, the In- fi shing grounds”. Ian Storey, a sions mount in the waterway donesian government has long South China Sea expert at Sin- over Beijing’s growing assertive- maintained it has no maritime gapore’s ISEAS Yusof Ishak In- ness. disputes with China in the South stitute, said it was “a shift in the Indonesian warships fi red China Sea. existing position of just calling it warning shots at a group of for- It has no overlapping claims traditional fi shing grounds. eign vessels allegedly fi shing il- with China to islets or reefs “It suggests that it doesn’t legally and detained a Chinese- there. recognise Indonesia’s claim to fl agged boat and seven crew. But Beijing’s claim to fi shing that exclusive economic zone.” Beijing protested after the rights near the Natunas, some Confrontations between In- clash and said one fi sherman was 3,000 kilometres from Chinese donesian and Chinese vessels injured. shores, appears to overlap with around the Natunas have esca- Jakarta has said none of the Indonesia’s exclusive economic lated since Jakarta launched a detained crew were hurt. zone — waters where a state has crackdown on illegal fi shing in The commander of the Indo- sole rights to exploit resources — 2014. Relatives of Malaysian opposition politician Bill Kayong, 43, grieve at the scene after he was shot dead in his pickup truck while at a traff ic light nesian navy’s western fl eet said around the islands. Indonesia plans to sink a in Miri, Malaysian Borneo’s Sarawak state yesterday. he suspected the incursions were China has said it recognises group of impounded foreign “structured”, indicating the Chi- Indonesia’s sovereignty over fi shing vessels next month.

MH370 meeting ends with no updates on search plans Malaysian politician and Malaysian, Chinese and Australian off icials yester- Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation director-gen- day wrapped up two days of talks on the deep-sea eral Azharuddin Abdul Rahman declined comment search for missing flight MH370 but made no an- to AFP on what was discussed in the meeting. nouncements, amid expectations the operation will As the meeting began on Monday, an international rights activist shot dead finish by August. Off icials said the closed-door gath- network of MH370 next-of-kin released a statement ering in Malaysia’s administrative capital Putrajaya repeating its call for the search to be extended and paves the way for a tripartite meeting of transport expanded, and for the full public disclosure and Thomson Reuters Foundation his party, the opposition Peo- heart of the Sarawak people, Sarawak, part of the vast is- ministers in the near future in which search plans reassessment of data used to determine the sus- Jakarta ple’s Justice Party. including the issue of native land of Borneo which is shared could be spelt out. No date for that meeting has pected crash zone. “The search for the plane and The motive for the killing customary rights, which he between Malaysia, Indonesia been set yet. The Australian-led search is scouring the truth of what happened is vital to look ahead was not immediately clear. constantly raised during the and Brunei. Activists have long the seabed within a designated 120,000-square- and move on,” said the group, called Voice370. Malaysian opposition Kayong, who is a Dayak, one state elections,” his party ad- blamed the rapid expansion of kilometre zone in the remote Indian Ocean where “A decision to end the search is a cruel response to politician who had cam- of the many indigenous tribes viser Anwar Ibrahim and presi- palm oil plantations, rampant authorities believe the Malaysia Airlines passenger a desperate human crisis.” Apaigned for indigenous in Sarawak, had fought for dent Wan Azizah Wan Ismail logging and a wave of dam- jet may have gone down. The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 vanished on land rights was shot dead yes- native people and their land said in a joint statement. building for causing environ- That is expected to be completed by August, and March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to terday. rights, including when he stood Kayong lost in the May 7 mental damage and displacing the three countries have said the hugely expensive Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese Bill Kayong was gunned as an opposition candidate in state election, in which the rul- indigenous people. high-tech sonar search west of Australia will not be nationals.The cause of the disappearance is still un- down in his pickup truck when the Sarawak state elections last ing Barisan Nasional coalition Tribespeople have staged further expanded without “credible” new evidence known and it remains one of the greatest mysteries he stopped at a traffi c light in month. scored a landslide victory. protests in the past, and have pointing to a crash site. in aviation history. the city of Miri, in the eastern “He has always campaigned Indigenous land rights have set up road blockades in a bid to state of Sarawak, according to on issues that are close to the been a contentious issue in stop some mega-projects.

Refugees tackle life in limbo through school Offi cials banned from

AFP more of this,” Savage said. saying ‘Rohingya’ Cisarua, Indonesia The learning nest is already at capacity, Abbas said. Twelve students are on a as UN envoy visits ahboob Jafari had waiting list as the school seeks barely seen the inside much-needed donations for an Mof a classroom, let additional classroom and learn- AFP Scores of Rohingya have died alone taught in one, before he ing materials. Yangon in sectarian violence since 2012 arrived in Indonesia as a refugee There are still far more refu- and tens of thousands more have fl eeing persecution in Afghani- gee children at home than in since languished in squalid dis- stan. schools. yanmar offi cials must placement camps in western Ra- The 19-year-old now teaches The International Organisa- refer to the oppressed khine State. English at a pioneering school tion for Migration (IOM), which MRohingya Muslim mi- The order by the Information in the mountains south of Ja- assists refugees with housing nority as “people who believe Ministry attempts to sidestep karta, where refugees from and other essential needs, ap- in Islam” rather than by their the controversy that surrounds war-torn corners of the globe plauded community-run ini- name, according to a letter seen the identity of the Rohingya are banding together to educate tiatives but stressed they only by AFP yesterday, as a UN rights and head off disquiet during an their children. reached a handful of children in envoy prepares to visit the be- ongoing visit by United Nations Founded by refugees, for ref- need. nighted group. Special Rapporteur on Myanmar ugees, this unique initiative is “The bigger picture is that Buddhist nationalists bitterly Yanghee Lee. giving these children a chance there are thousands,” IOM oppose the use of the term Ro- “Rohingya or Bengali shall not to go to school while they wait project manager Paul Dillon hingya to describe the roughly be used,” during Lee’s visit, the years for resettlement to a new said. million-strong minority — most letter said. country. Refugee children attending a pioneering school in Cisarua, West Java, in the mountains south of Jakarta, By its nature, the situation is of whom live in strife-torn west- “Instead, ‘people who believe “Years ago, when I came to where refugees from war-torn corners of the globe are banding together to educate their children. continually evolving. ern Rakhine State. in Islam in Rakhine State’ shall Indonesia, I could not imag- Abbas said one of his key co- Hardliners instead label the be used,” it added. ine that one day I would study afternoon, their parents ar- lifetime on the move. four years”. “No job, nothing to founders was resettled to the stateless group ‘Bengalis’, short- The letter, dated June 16 in such a school like this one,” rive for English classes — a top The pupils at Learning Nest do but play football,” said Jafari, United States just a month ago, hand for illegal migrants from and labelled ‘secret’, added 14-year-old Ali Riad from Iraq priority for families awaiting are from Afghanistan, Iran, Pa- from Afghanistan’s persecuted but remains in touch via e-mail. neighbouring Bangladesh, en- ethnic Rakhine should be re- said at the Refugee Learning resettlement to new homes in kistan, Iraq and Sri Lanka. Shia Hazara minority. In July, another student will dorsing the government’s refusal ferred to “as ‘people who be- Nest in Cisarua. countries like Canada, New Abbas Hussaini, one of the “But this is an opportunity. depart for Australia with her to grant the majority of them lieve in Buddhism’ in Rakhine “In the future I want to be a Zealand and the United States. school’s founders, said the stu- Every refugee in here should use family. citizenship. State”. doctor and help people.” There are 13,745 refugees and dents were divided by age and their time, because they’re not Sony Samandri, a 13-year The school, which marked its asylum seekers registered with ability but some “had no edu- going to get it back.” Hazara refugee from Afghani- one-year anniversary in March, the Offi ce of the United Nations cation before they came here”. Other refugee communities stan, is another who will even- REFUGEES has become a source of im- High Commissioner for Refu- “They started at zero, from around Cisarua are independ- tually leave for good. Pledge not to tow stranded Lankans out to sea mense pride among the migrant gees in Indonesia, including the beginning,” he said, ges- ently setting up their own edu- Her family has just received community in hilly Cisarua, nearly 2,700 children of school turing to a group of students cation programmes, with four confi rmation of their offi cial The Indonesian government said ously insisted that the 43 migrants once a key transit point on the age. reciting the alphabet for their schools now operating in the refugee status from the UNHCR yesterday a boatload of stranded would be sent back to sea to largely closed people-smug- Although technically refugee Afghan teacher. area. — the fi rst step towards reset- Sri Lankan migrants would not continue their journey to Australia gling route to Australia. children can attend Indonesian For the teachers, volunteer- All are backed initially by a tlement. be towed back out to sea, after after repairs to their vessel. Its 58 students study in four schools, very few do, UNHCR ing helps alleviate the anxi- grant from a foreign charity, It’s a milestone for any fam- local off icials had sparked anger The Indian-flagged boat, whose brightly-painted classrooms, senior protection offi cer Jeff rey ety and boredom rife in refugee which covers rent for a school ily in Cisarua, but Samandri by pledging to send them on their passengers included many borrow books from a small Savage said. transit towns like Cisarua. building and other basic costs. doesn’t want to dwell on the way in a rickety craft. women and children, has been library and play football at Language barriers, a lack of Once registered with the UN But beyond that, everything prospect of leaving behind her Authorities will allow those with stranded by a beach in the town lunchtime at a basic pitch con- available spaces, registration refugee agency, there’s little for falls to the community. classroom. genuine refugee claims to stay of Lhoknga since June 11 after its structed by the parents. problems and transport costs asylum seekers to do but wait, Parents pack lunches and “It’s a great opportunity to in Indonesia pending permanent engine broke down. Nearly two dozen volunteers, hinder enrolment. unable to work or study. maintain the school grounds, show myself that I’m talented,” resettlement to another country, Aceh off icials at first refused to let all refugees themselves, teach The vast majority of refugee Jafari, who fl ed Afghanistan while volunteers prepare class- Samandri said, before handing and send the others back home, the migrants come ashore, argu- mathematics, English, compu- children in Indonesia go with- after his uncle was murdered es, manage fi nances and oversee out platters of traditional food an immigration department ing that Indonesia was not their ter studies and art to students out school for years. by the Taliban, said the four administrative issues. to celebrate the occasion. spokesman said. destination, despite pleas from the age six to 18. Some are already far behind months he spent idle in Cisarua “We think they’re absolutely “I just hope that this school Local authorities in the western vice president and rights groups As the children depart in the for their age, having spent a before volunteering “was like fantastic, and we encourage will always be here.” province of Aceh had previ- to allow them to disembark. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Eleven more die in China rainstorms

DPA Beijing

leven more deaths were reported yester- day after a brace of heavy rainstorms that Ehave battered most of the country since the weekend, the offi cial Xinhua news agency reported. Six people were dead and three remain miss- ing in east China’s Jiangxi province, with two drowned in rivers and four killed by lightning. In Xingwen County, in south-west China’s Si- chuan province, seven people were found dead. Rescuers said their deaths were a result of landslides caused by rainstorms. China renewed a national yellow alert Monday A truck is seen in a flooded river in Poyang for heavy rain after at least 22 people died and county, Jiangxi Province, China. more than a dozen went missing in rainstorms earlier this month. ing streets and houses with knee-high water, China uses a four tier, colour-coded system while others said they heard roaring noises in ar- for inclement weather, eas hit by night-time landslides. with red being the most severe, followed by More rain was expected in coming days, the orange, yellow and blue. weather agency said. Rainstorms are expected to hit most parts of It has issued heavy rain and thunderstorm the country, with precipitation expected to reach warnings for Kumamoto and surrounding areas 200mm in some areas, the National Meteorolog- on Kyushu island. ical Centre said on its website. A 92-year-old man died after a landslide hit The centre urged people to take precautions his house in Kamiamakusa city, a local disaster against possible fl oods and landslides, and sug- management offi cial said on condition of ano- gested staying indoors if possible. nymity. China is bracing for heavy fl ooding this year, A 79-year-old man drowned in a fl ooded ditch Villagers including schoolchildren take part in a protest march, demanding the release of their village chief Lin Zuluan, in Wukan. according to Xinhua. in the town of Kosa. TOKYO: At least three people have died and The local government said in a statement that three are missing after landslides and fl oods hit a third person had died, but did not provide de- a region in southern Japan that was recently bat- tails. tered by major earthquakes, offi cials said yester- According to media reports, the victim was a day. 66-year-old man whose house was hit by a land- Rescuers are searching for three people in the slide in Uto city. southern prefecture of Kumamoto where nearly Local media also widely reported that the body of 2,000 residents evacuated their homes, includ- an 86-year-old woman was pulled from her house ing those who had fl ed to safety after two huge which was hit by a landslide in Kumamoto city. ‘Rebel’ village earthquakes in April. Another person who lived with her remained The 6.2-magnitude and 7.0-magnitude trem- unaccounted for, public broadcaster NHK said. ors were followed by more than 1,700 after- Offi cials could not immediately confi rm a shocks, which broke up the ground in many ar- fourth death but said three people were missing. eas, offi cials said. The central government, which is support- The tremors left 49 dead and caused wide- ing post-quake rebuilding in Kumamoto, has spread damage. strengthened its crisis management department. Torrential rain has triggered widespread land- “We will take thorough measures to deal with head admits to slides and fl ooding in the area overnight. this,” said chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Local residents reported swollen rivers fl ood- Suga. corruption Fewer Japanese seek marriage There is widespread feeling corruption and illegal land grabs, Lin’s wife, Yang Zhen, told fession was distributed online. amid worries over income: poll that the confession was has again become a focus of dis- reporters in her family’s walled Back in 2011, thousands of forced sent, with mass protest marches compound, however, that she be- Wukan villagers ransacked po- taking place under the gaze of lieved the confession was forced. lice and government offi ces, and Reuters “More than half of single The rates of single Japanese Reuters hundreds of heavily armed riot “This is to deceive people,” forced provincial Communist Tokyo women want their spous- men and women in their 30s Wukan police. she said, in the heavily accented Party authorities to grant rare es to earn at least 4mn yen who want to marry also fell The video, distributed to vil- dialect of the Chaozhou region in concessions for a people’s move- ($38,000) a year. by more than 10 percentage lagers via social media, showed eastern Guangdong. ment. he proportion of Japa- Meanwhile, only 15.2% of points to 40.3% and 45.7%, he chief of a Chinese Lin confessing to taking kick- “He is innocent.” A corrupt village chief was nese men in their 20s single men in their 20s earn respectively, the data showed. “rebel” village once seen backs for public works projects Around the coastal village fi red and a democratic election Twho want to marry 4mn yen or more,” the report Japan’s population is pro- Tas a symbol of grassroots and purchases of resources. of some 15,000 people early on was permitted, resulting in the has slumped, with many cit- for a Meiji Yasuda Life Insur- jected to fall around a third to democracy said in a video yes- “This is my biggest crimi- Monday there appeared a tense election of many protest leaders, ing their income not meet- ance affi liate said. 87mn in 2060, the National terday that he’d accepted bribes, nal activity,” said Lin who was calm. including Lin. ing women’s expectations as “This gap seems to be one Institute of Population and but many in the village said the scruffi ly dressed in a check shirt Since Lin’s arrest groups of It was unclear what the next a reason not to tie the knot, of the reasons for more people Social Security Research says. confession was probably forced as he sat before two unidentifi ed young men have patrolled and step would be but groups of vil- think tank research showed. not marrying at all or marry- The pension system is and pledged to ramp up protests. people in a blue-walled, padded guarded Wukan’s perimeter. lagers in Wukan debating the With a dip in the rate for ing late.” creaking under the growing Lin Zuluan, the democratically room. Just after midnight on Mon- latest developments yesterday women as well and it still be- The data comes as Abe number of elderly and the elected and popular party chief The Southern Daily, an offi - day, gongs were sounded and seemed inclined towards fi ght- ing relatively rare for children campaigns for an election low birth rate, as a smaller of Wukan village in southern cial provincial Communist Party many people streamed outside ing on, with talk of another pro- to be born out of wedlock in for the upper house on July working population need to Guangdong province, was ar- publication, said Lin had been preparing to repel intruders, test march to the nearby Lufeng Japan, the fi gures point to a 10, playing up his economic shoulder a growing number rested in a surprise midnight raid sacked after confessing to taking though it turned out to be a false government headquarters in the potential obstacle for Prime policy and promising steps to of retirees. on Saturday. bribes. alarm. afternoon. Minister Shinzo Abe’s key raise the fertility rate. While some economists Lin’s arrest came days after he Government spokesman Shi A relative of Lin who declined Wukan’s defi ance in 2011 took policy of boosting the na- Abe’s government wants to have applauded Abe for made a public appeal for the vil- Shuoyan was quoted as saying to be named said scores of arrest place during the administration tion’s low birth rate. raise the birth rate to 1.8 per wom- putting birth rates on the lage to launch a massive protest they welcomed media from home warrants had been issued for vil- of former president Hu Jintao. The survey showed 38.7% an from 1.4, which is still below agenda, others warn the gov- march against illegal land sei- and abroad to “objectively and lagers who might cause trouble, It remains unclear whether of single Japanese men in 2.1 — the rate needed to prevent a ernment has fallen so far be- zures. fairly report in accordance with and that Lin’s grandson had been security forces would take a their 20s who were polled population from shrinking. hind on the population issue For the past three days, the the law”, but warned they would arrested yesterday. stronger line under president Xi said they wanted to marry as For single women in their that it will be diffi cult to raise village, that made international take action against publications This grandson, however, was Jinping who has cracked down on soon as possible or wanted to 20s, the rate fell to 59% from economic growth without headlines in 2011 for a months- who tried to incite people in Wu- reportedly released overnight, rights across China since taking marry eventually, down from 82.2% over the same period, opening up to large-scale im- long people’s uprising against kan. just before Lin’s videotaped con- offi ce. 67.1% three years ago. the survey said. migration. S Korea to extend protection PM ends longest running of waitresses from North

Reuters South has said the group decided to defect Aboriginal land claim Seoul of its own free will. The Seoul Central District Court said it had ruled to stay a petition fi led by Min- Reuters outh Korea’s spy agency has decided byun, or Lawyers for a Democratic Society, Sydney to retain 13 North Korean defectors at seeking to question the women. Sthe heart of a bitter dispute between “We don’t think it is possible to make a the rivals, with Pyongyang accusing Seoul decision without confi rming the restaurant ustralia’s Prime Minister of abducting the group from their posts at workers’ intent in this case,” Chae Hee- Malcolm Turnbull yesterday a restaurant in China, an offi cial said yes- joon, a lawyer for Minbyun, told reporters, Asettled the nation’s longest- terday. adding they had fi led a recusal motion to running land rights claim, handing The move came ahead of a hold a South the court, citing the women’s absence. Aborigines land title deeds wrapped Korean court put on a request by a group of The spy agency has said it will not in eucalyptus paperbark to a penin- lawyers for a hearing to question 12 wait- present the defectors in court and only sula on Darwin harbour in the tropi- resses in the group whether they had de- their legal representatives will attend. cal north. fected of their free will, after the spy agen- The intelligence agency has held the The Kenbi land claim, cover- cy refused to present them in court. group since its April 7 arrival in the South ing 676sqkm of the Cox Peninsula “The director of the National Intelli- at a facility it runs on the southern out- west of Darwin, was fi rst lodged by a gence Service has decided to extend their skirts of the capital, Seoul, where more group of Larrakia Aboriginal people protection,” a South Korean offi cial said, than 1,000 defectors from the North stay 37 years ago in 1979. citing a law covering the resettlement of each year in the initial stages. “We formally recognise what Lar- North Korean defectors and concerns for For up to 180 days, they are screened and rakia people have always known: their safety. questioned on their lives in the North. That this is Aboriginal land,” Turn- “A propaganda campaign by the North” The spy agency’s decision means the 13 bull said in a televised speech on the over the status of the group was a factor in will not be moved to a resettlement com- Cox Peninsula. the decision, the government offi cial told plex where other defectors spend 12 weeks “I acknowledge that the Larra- Premier Malcolm Turnbull with aboriginal dancers at the land claim ceremony. Reuters, requesting anonymity because the to learn about a vastly diff erent new life kia cared for this country for tens topic is sensitive. in the South. South Korea is technically at of thousands of years and that your were dispossessed when the conti- rigines can prove an unbroken asso- nal landowner Jason Singh told the North Korea says the South abducted the war with the North because their 1950-53 songs have been sung since time out nent was colonised by Britain in the ciation with the land. Australian Broadcasting Corp. “I am 12 waitresses and the restaurant manager confl ict ended in an armistice, not a peace of mind,” he said. eighteenth century, but native title “I am very happy after 37 years, very sad that our mums are not here and has demanded their return, but the treaty. Australia’s aboriginal people laws now allow land claims if Abo- we have got our land back,” aborigi- today.” Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 19 AUSTRALASIA/EAST ASIA Solstice madness Barrier Reef bleaching could hit tourism

Agencies The global bleaching event Sydney began in mid-2014 with glo- bal warming and a particularly intense El Nino phenomenon oral bleaching on the resulting in higher than normal Great Barrier Reef could ocean temperatures, according Cresult in 1mn fewer to the National Oceanographic visitors and hundreds of mil- and Atmospheric Administra- lions of dollars in lost tourism tion. revenue each year, according to NOAA presented its grim a report by a Canberra-based outlook for the world’s coral think tank. reefs at an international sym- “The massive drop in visitors posium being held this week in would result in the loss of 1bn Honolulu, Hawaii. Australian dollars ($759mn) in It said the impact is expected income, and 10,000 tourism to be particularly hard on reefs jobs,” the Australia Institute in US states and territories. said in a report Monday. Reefs in Hawaii, Guam, the While many potential visi- Northern Marianas, the Flori- tors may seek other Austral- da Keys, the US Virgin Islands ian attractions, some “175,000 and Puerto Rico are particu- potential visitors may not larly vulnerable. come to Australia at all,” “Since its onset, all US coral the report said. reefs have seen above normal More than 4,400 people temperatures and more than were surveyed for the report 70% of them have been ex- in the United States, Britain, posed to the prolonged high Shane Ness at Australia’s Mawson Station after expeditioners cut a hole in the sea ice and plunged into the Southern Ocean to mark the midwinter solstice. China and Australia, said Tom temperatures that can cause Burmester, a spokesman for bleaching,” NOAA said. the Institute. It noted that studies also “China, UK and US are the have shown that about 93 % of top three countries, making Australia’s Great Barrier Reef up two in fi ve tourists visiting was bleached as of April. Australia,” he said yesterday. Moreover, there is a 90% A mass bleaching, blamed chance of widespread coral on global warming and acidi- bleaching in the Pacifi c island fi cation of the ocean, has killed states of Palau and Micronesia 35% of the corals on the north- during an impending La Nina HK raises bookseller ern and central Great Barrier phenomenon, which can cause Reef, according to scientists. high ocean temperatures in the The impact is still unfold- western Pacifi c. ing and it will take decades to “It’s time to shift this con- regain the largest and oldest versation to what can be done corals that have died, research- to conserve these amazing ers from the Australian ARC organisms in the face of this issue with Beijing Center of Excellence said last unprecedented global bleach- month. ing event,” Jennifer Koss, the Hong Kong’s chief executive has had carried out cross-border law enforce- “This is probably the most striking, the Earlier, Guardian Australia director of NOAA’s coral reef sought answers from Beijing ment in the city. most unsettling case that actually ham- reported that Australia pushed conservation programme. Mainland law enforcers are barred from pers the One country, two systems prom- to have a whole chapter on the She said local conserva- AFP operating in the city under the “One coun- ise.” Great Barrier Reef removed tion eff orts have proved in- Hong Kong try, two systems” agreement governing Lam, 61, likened his ordeal to Cultural from a UN report on climate adequate, and that a greater Hong Kong’s return from Britain to China Revolution-era repression during an in- change, fearing it would im- global eff ort was needed to re- in 1997. terview with AFP Sunday. pact tourism. spond to the eff ects of climate ong Kong’s leader said yesterday Leung said his letter also asked “if the He told a local radio station he had no “The Great Barrier Reef is a change. he has raised concerns with China handling of the issue aff ected One coun- hopes Leung’s follow-up actions would major tourist attraction. If it’s Corals are nourished by mi- Habout the case of a bookseller who try, two systems and the Basic Law, which bring about change. lost to coral bleaching, then croscopic algae, called dino- reported being detained for eight months guarantees the freedoms and rights of “The Hong Kong and the Chinese gov- there is a big risk of losing the fl agellates, that live in vast on the mainland, amid fears Beijing is Cantopop singer Denise Ho performs in Hong Kong people”. ernments are not on equal terms,” he tourists, colonies on their surface. tightening its grip on the city. Hong Kong as part of a protest. When asked about Leung’s remarks, a said. along with income and jobs,” The algae consume nitrogen, Lam Wing-kee was one of fi ve em- Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Lam and two other booksellers went Burmester told DPA. phosphorus and other nutri- ployees of a Hong Kong fi rm — which the government “pathetic”, and said its ac- said China will stick to the handover ar- missing in the city of Shenzhen just across Coral bleaching is caused by ents derived from the coral, published gossipy books about leading tions failed to allay residents’ fears that the rangement. the border from Hong Kong, while a fourth a die-off of the living organ- and use light to transform Chinese politicians — to go mysteriously semi-autonomous city’s freedoms are be- “I would just like to reiterate the Chi- — Gui Minhai — disappeared in Thailand isms, or algae, inside the coral. those substances into energy. missing last year. ing eroded. nese government’s fi rm determination and a fi fth — Lee Bo — went missing in It can be triggered by small The photosynthesis also All later emerged on the mainland. Lam, who was placed on suicide watch to uphold the One country, two systems Hong Kong itself. changes in environmental con- liberates energy in the coral’s Lam has said he was seized just across during his detention, made his explosive (principles) is steadfast. Three of the other booksellers have dis- ditions, like a rise in sea tem- tissues, enabling it to build the the border from Hong Kong, taken away disclosures about his detention in Hong The people of Hong Kong enjoy their full puted parts of Lam’s account. perature. calcium skeletons that provide blindfolded and then kept in a cell, under Kong last Thursday. rights and freedoms in accordance with Lee Bo has denied he told Lam that he It is the loss of these colour- a habitat for these unicellular interrogation and without access to his He said Chinese authorities had al- the law,” Hua Chunying told reporters. (Lee) was taken to the mainland against his ful algae that causes the corals algae. family or a lawyer, for alleged involvement lowed him to return home to collect a list Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo de- wishes. to turn white and “bleach”. When the coral is under in bringing banned books into the main- of mainland customers for the banned scribed the Hong Kong government’s re- Gui remains in custody in China while The planet’s coral reefs are stress, it sheds the dinofl agel- land. books, but he is refusing to go back across sponse as “pathetic, as everyone’s expect- Lee has insisted he is a free man volun- likely facing warmer than lates and whitens. Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed chief ex- the border. ed it to be”. tarily helping the investigation into the normal water for an unprec- The disappearance of coral ecutive Leung Chun-ying, who has been Leung told reporters his letter asked “Leung is quite terrifi ed obviously, to smuggled books. edented third year in a row, reefs has had a big impact on accused of dragging his feet over the issue, Beijing to clarify how relevant mainland take up the issue clearly and loudly with Two other booksellers who were de- extending what is already the the marine ecosystem because said he had written to Beijing relaying local departments handle cases in which Hong the Beijing authorities; he obviously wants tained in China have briefl y returned to longest coral bleaching event they provide food and shelter concerns. Kong people have broken mainland laws, to make sure that he doesn’t embarrass his Hong Kong on bail, but then travelled back on record, US observers said for many species of fi sh and A leading pro-democracy activist called and whether or not mainland personnel master in any way,” Mo told AFP. to the mainland. Monday. crustaceans.

Aussie recruits forced to Yoga day abuse each other: probe

AFP Sydney

eenage recruits into the Australian military were forced to rape each other, often as part Tof brutal initiation practices, a public inquiry into child sex abuse heard yesterday. The Royal Commission into Institutional Re- sponses to Child Sex Abuse has already examined churches, sports bodies and the entertainment in- dustry with its focus now on the Australian Defence Commissioner Peter McClellan, head of the Royal Force. Commission into Institutional Responses to Child The spotlight is on two former training estab- Abuse, during a public hearing in Sydney. lishments used from the 1960s to 1980s — HMAS Leeuwin in Western Australia where junior na- One practice was the “royal fl ush” in which jun- val recruits were trained, and an army apprentice ior recruits held the head of one of their number in a school at Balcombe in Victoria state. used toilet bowl and fl ushed. Counsel assisting the inquiry Angus Stewart said Survivors rarely reported the crimes, over- the commission had been contacted by 111 people come by shame and fear, while those who did have about incidents of child sexual abuse within the claimed they were not believed or were told such ADF — and 50 of these involved either Leeuwin or experiences were “a rite of passage”, he said. Balcombe. Survivors giving evidence to the inquiry One survivor CJA, who was 16 at the time in 1967, would reveal they were sexually abused during their would tell the inquiry that his complaints went fi rst six months at Leeuwin, when they were 15 or 16 nowhere and he was described as a troublemaker, years old, he said. Stewart said. “The Royal Commission will hear that most of Survivors from Balcombe, where apprentices the abuse was perpetrated by older recruits as part were often as young as 15, were subject to similar of an informal hierarchy in which older recruits practices as those at Leeuwin, the inquiry heard. physically and sexually abused more junior recruits The Australian military has been subject to two as part of ritualised practices of ‘bastardisation’ major inquiries into abuse over the last fi ve years, that were designed to ‘break in’ and humiliate new with complaints dating from the 1940s. Chinese enthusiasts practsing yoga at Futian sports park in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province, to mark yoga day. entrants to the navy,” he said. The ADF has since embarked on cultural reforms. Gulf Times 20 Wenesday, June 22, 2016 BRITAIN ‘We don’t stoke fears about immigration: Mail Online

Guardian News and Media legitimate fears over immigra- Middle East resulted in the cor- would say on behalf of both the said there was “no alternative” to Both Clarke and his chief of start making a profi t “sooner than London tion,” he told MediaGuardian yes- rection. “I regret getting anything website and the paper that the the ad-funded model for newspa- staff said that the column is over- you think”. When asked when, he terday. “We don’t stoke the fears. wrong,” said Clarke. “But if you agency responsible for that story per websites. whelmingly read and written by simply said: “wait and see.” The fears are there.” want to try to demolish the legiti- is not one that I would expect to Those who fear the media’s women. With the Daily Mail ex- Clarke scoff ed at the idea of ail Online publisher On Friday, the Daily Mail was mate fears and concerns over im- have to double check.” obsession with body image and pected to come out in favour of charging for content, pointing out Martin Clarke has vig- criticised by independent char- migration on the basis of one story He added that, given the most its impact on young readers have Brexit, in opposition to the Mail that US competitors like Buzzfeed Morously defended the ity the Joint Council for the Wel- then that’s ridiculous.” popular stories on the site and the long criticised Mail Online for on Sunday, Clarke said the web- or the Huffi ngton Post were set to website’s coverage of immigration fare of Immigrants over a front- “At the end of the day the peo- comments left on it: “I’m guess- stories on the right hand side of site “tried to do it straight” despite remain free. ahead of tomorrow’s EU refer- page story that fi rst appeared on ple in that van did come from ing our readers are pro-Brexit.” the site, which is overwhelmingly promoting the views of pro-Brexit “They would come into Britain endum, saying the migrant story Clarke’s website claiming that a somewhere via somewhere. They In a bullish interview on board populated by female bodies. columnist Katie Hopkins. like a plague of locusts if Brit- that prompted a correction last group of migrants who arrived in may not have been from Europe the biggest of the Mail’s two “The women who appear in DMGT, the company behind ish newspapers started retreating week still involved people “in the the UK in the back of a lorry were but they were in the back of a van yachts in Cannes this week, Clarke that column want to be in it,” said the website, warned of worse behind a paywall … if you want to back of a van illegally.” from Europe. illegally.” “Obviously you regret took aim at critics of his website’s Clarke. “Trust me. They are ob- than expected profi ts recently but make money you need to have a “We’ve reported people’s very The fact they were from the getting anything wrong, but I so-called “sidebar of shame” and sessive about it. Clarke said Mail Online would big global audience.” No going back if ‘Brits don’t Britain leaves EU, says Khan quit’, Cameron

London Evening Standard London declares as EU adiq Khan squared up against Boris Johnson yes- Sterday and warned there was “no going back” from a vote to leave the European Union. The mayor of London branded Johnson “ridiculous” for claiming vote in balance a Brexit vote would put Britain in a better position to negotiate EU Reuters called Brexit, well within the mar- The anti-EU UK Independ- reform. London gin of error. ence Party issued a poster show- “If we as a country decide to Commentators said the hast- ing a traffi c jam with the message quit the EU that’s fi nal, that’s it, ily arranged appearance suggested “The school over-run” and say- there’s no going back,” said Khan. rime Minister David Cam- Cameron, who promised the ref- ing nearly one in four of Britain’s The London mayor attacked eron made a dramatic last- erendum in 2013 under pressure primary schools were full or over- his predecessor for coming out Pminute appeal to voters from lawmakers in his Conserva- subscribed. against the EU and in favour of im- yesterday to back staying in the tive Party, and the “In” campaign The EU — already shaken by migration control. “I’ve been here European Union two days before were very worried about the out- diff erences over migration and the for seven weeks now and seen no a referendum that will shape the come. future of the euro zone — would evidence from the offi cials that the future of the West, as polls indi- “Cameron is panicked, it’s out lose its second-largest economy, EU is anything but a source of good cated the outcome was too close of his hands now,” Arron Banks, one of its top two military pow- for our city.” to call. a multi-millionaire insurance ty- ers and by far its richest fi nancial He told the Evening Standard Britons vote tomorrow on coon who is funding one of the centre. the former mayor should take whether to quit the 28-nation bloc Leave campaigns, said on Twitter. George Soros, the billionaire joint responsibility for a Leave amid warnings from world lead- Raoul Ruparel, co-director of who bet against the pound in campaign that was “horrible” and ers, investors and companies that Open Europe, a think-tank, said 1992, wrote in an article for the “poisonous”. a decision to leave would diminish Cameron wanted to project a sol- Guardian newspaper that a vote to Pointing the fi nger at Johnson, the former imperial power’s infl u- emn, statesmanlike image. leave would trigger a bigger, more Michael Gove and Nigel Farage, ence, unleash turmoil on markets “Because it was called off the disruptive devaluation than the he said: “They are part of the same and send shock waves around the cuff it looks panicked, but all peo- fall on Black Wednesday, when team, it’s the Leave team, it is their Western world. ple will see from the news are the market pressure forced sterling campaign and they’re responsible In a rare televised address out- clips which show him looking very out of the European Exchange for it.” side his Downing Street offi ce, measured and relaxed,” Ruparel Rate Mechanism. Hitting back at criticism from Cameron repeated his message said. Britain’s biggest carmaker, Jag- his successor, Johnson told the that leaving the EU would jeop- As each side sought to play uar Land Rover, estimates its an- Standard: “Sadiq and the Remain ardise the economy and its na- its last trump cards, the pro-EU nual profi t could be cut by £1bn campaign have consistently cho- tional security, with fewer jobs, “Britain Stronger in Europe” by the end of the decade if Britain sen fear over hope in this debate. fewer allies and higher prices. campaign issued a fi nal poster of a leaves the EU, two sources familiar They have no vision and they con- “Brits don’t quit,” he said, using door leading into a dark void with with the company’s thinking said tinue to run down this city and this the offi cial backdrop to make a di- the slogan: “Leave and there’s no in the latest forecast of potential country at every turn. The risk is to rect pitch to older voters consid- going back.” economic damage. remain.” ered more eurosceptic and more Former England soccer captain There could also be severe po- Johnson distanced himself likely to vote. “It will just be you in David Beckham, a hugely popular litical ramifi cations, with many in from Farage yesterday morning in that polling booth. Just you, tak- public fi gure, added his voice to the Brexit camp regarding Cam- a sign of a deeper rift in the Leave ing a decision that will aff ect your Remain’s list of celebrity support- eron’s leadership as untenable if ranks. He said he was “profoundly future, your children’s future, ers. there is a vote to leave. unhappy” with the immigration your grandchildren’s future.” “For our children and their Justice Secretary Michael Gove, poster unveiled by Farage and The Conservative prime min- children we should be facing the the most senior cabinet minister dismissed claims the Ukip leader ister’s intervention, which was problems of the world together campaigning for Leave, said he might have a place in a Johnson billed as a signifi cant statement and not alone,” he said. would “refl ect” on his own posi- government. but not publicised in advance, Leave campaigners stepped up tion depending on the outcome. Johnson said the poster had came as an opinion poll showed their relentless focus on what they An earlier ORB survey for the “xenophobic undertones” and support for remaining in the EU call uncontrolled immigration, Daily Telegraph put support for insisted: “We have nothing to do shrinking. saying Cameron had been warned Remain at 53%, up fi ve percentage with that campaign. The Survation poll put the “In” four years ago his goal of reducing points on the previous one, with “On the poster, I didn’t like it,” Prime Minister David Cameron gestures while speaking with campaign volunteers for ‘Stronger In’ during camp just one percentage point net arrivals was impossible due to support for Leave on 46%, down he told LBC. a visit to Panorama Antennas, a small family business in Wandsworth, south London yesterday. ahead of the campaign for a so- EU rules. three points.

Happy birthday Schools sound warning Strike brings misery to rail passengers after Salford drug scare London Evening Standard over the role of 400 train con- London ductors, which Southern plans to change from August with the Guardian News and Media know what she was taking but appeal to children, including introduction of driver-only op- London whoever has phoned the am- some with logos of Darth Vad- ail passengers who have erated trains. Responsibility for bulance has saved her life. She er, R2D2 and Mickey Mouse. suff ered weeks of chaos opening and closing doors and is very lucky.” Councillor Lisa Stone, ex- Ryesterday said they were despatch of the train will then chools across Salford The three girls were criti- ecutive lead member for chil- living a “nightmare” as their rest with the driver instead of the will issue a drugs warn- cally ill but are now recovering. dren’s and young people’s services were hit by a fresh strike. conductor. Sing after three 12-year- One was discharged on services at Salford council, de- They once again found them- RMT assistant general secre- old girls were taken to hospital Monday while the other two scribed the case as “disgrace- selves late, delayed and sitting tary Mike Lynch apologised for having taken so-called “teddy remain in a stable condition in ful” and said schools would on stationary trains as Southern disruption but said responsibil- tablets”. hospital. reiterate the message about the Rail suff ered a fourth 24-hour ity lay with a rail fi rm “incapable The three friends fell seri- dangers of drug-taking. walkout. of running” the franchise. Asked ously ill after ingesting the “We think that these She said: “Salford city coun- Thousands faced misery as the on BBC radio about the reforms, ecstasy pills branded with a tablets are being sold for cil is shocked and saddened to franchise, run by Govia Thames- he argued there were “safety child-friendly logo, sparking as little as 50p. She was in learn of this situation and we link Railway, reported seven of its problems” where they had been fears they were being marketed a very, very bad way” are receiving regular updates 10 main routes were part closed. introduced in other places. at children. on the girls’ progress. The The company claimed yes- He said: “There are track and Relatives of one of the girls Police were called to Salford safeguarding of our children is terday’s industrial action was drag incidents on the railway, said the drugs were being sold Precinct shopping centre to critical to us. needless but the RMT rail un- people getting caught in the on the street for as little as 50p reports that the girls had tak- “We take matters such as ion warned that planned staff - doors and dragged along which — but that the girls believed en ecstasy pills described as this very seriously and our ing changes could lead to “life- can obviously cause life-chang- they were harmless sweets. “teddy tablets”. Officers be- thoughts are with the girls and changing injuries and even ing injuries and even fatalities.” A relative told the Manches- lieve the drugs may have been their families during this dif- fatalities”. The RMT staged 24-hour ter Evening News: “We think mixed into a bottle of fizzy fi cult time. We would also like Commuters’ lives have been walkouts on April 26 and 27 and that these tablets are being drink before the girls passed it to continue to remind people in disarray with Southern can- on May 18. There are warnings of sold for as little as 50p. She around. of the danger of taking drugs celling services amid high levels more strikes unless the dispute is was in a very, very bad way. If it A 22-year-old man and and will be following up with of sickness and a dispute over settled. hadn’t been for the person who 21-year-old woman were ar- young people in Salford to of- changes in the roles of conduc- Southern says driver-only dialled 999 when they did, it rested and questioned. Both fer support over the coming tors. The strike came as plans trains are “nothing new” and might have been another story. were bailed until July 15. days but would like to remind Queen Elizabeth is driven past well-wishers who gathered at were unveiled to fi ne fi rms if “just as safe as operating trains “She was all over the place Drugs experts have warned the public of online informa- Windsor, west of London, yesterday to greet the monarch on trains are just a minute late. without a conductor” and and the police had to calm her about batches of ecstasy pills tion and support on talktof- the occasion of her 90th birthday. The ongoing dispute between changes will mean a better serv- down. We think she did not that appear to be designed to rank.com.” Southern and the RMT union is ice. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 21 BRITAIN

VIOLENCE LAW AND ORDER TRAGEDY CRIME PROPOSAL Prisoner beaten to death Policemen hurt as illegal Man dies from serious Horse shot in eye with Fine firms for failing to at Long Lartin prison rave descends into riot burns at Glastonbury site arrow in ‘senseless attack’ report cyberattacks: MPs

A prisoner has been battered to death at one of A teenage girl was rushed to hospital after A man has died after suff ering serious burns Police are hunting for an attacker who shot an Criminals who buy and sell stolen cyber-data the UK’s maximum security jails. The victim was collapsing from a suspected drugs overdose at an on the Glastonbury Festival site. Avon and arrow through the eye of a horse in what has been should face up to two years in jail, an MPs’ attacked in one of Long Lartin prison’s workshops. illegal rave in east London that descended into a Somerset Police said they were called to the described as a “senseless, cruel crime”. The injured committee said yesterday. The group of MPs He suff ered severe head injuries during the attack street riot. Nine off icers were injured as they tried farm in Pilton following reports of a man on fire. colt was found with the arrow still in the wound claimed recent high- profile data breaches like at the jail near Evesham, Worcestershire. It is to shut down the party attended by thousands of The man, reported to be in his 20s, was taken by in a field off Bedmond Road in Abbots Langley, that at phone firm Talk Talk have been a “wake thought he was pronounced dead as prison staff people in an abandoned warehouse in Barking air ambulance to Bristol’s Southmead Hospital. Hertfordshire. The horse, called Widget, is currently up call” for lawmakers. Their report suggested awaited the arrival of paramedics. Another inmate, on Saturday. Revellers hurled bricks at police in A spokesman said: “He was transferred to the being treated for its injury at the Royal Veterinary government should introduce fines for companies a man in his 60s, has been arrested on suspicion riot gear in a five-hour stand-off that neighbours Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, where College. It is believed it will survive its injury. failing to report threats to their computer systems. of murder and is in police custody. It is understood likened to a “storm of people”. The Met was alerted he sadly later died. The man’s family have been Detective sergeant Dan Stoddart, of Hertfordshire They also warned that new security rules requiring the attack followed a long-running dispute to the event on Thames Road at 9.30pm by off icers informed and our thoughts are with them at this Police, said: “This appears to be senseless, cruel firms to store data on people’s communications between the two prisoners. Detective inspector from British Transport Police, who reported groups time.” It added: “Our inquiries are continuing but crime and we are doing all we can to find the could create a major target for thieves. In its report Paul Hardman, who is leading the investigation, of hundreds of young people at the nearby railway we are treating the death as unexplained and do person responsible. “If you saw anyone acting the committee said those convicted of unlawfully said: “A thorough and robust investigation has station. Nine men were arrested as 1,000 people not believe it to be suspicious.” Gates open for the suspiciously around the field ... we would like to obtaining and selling personal data should face a been launched. were cleared from the building. popular music event at Worthy Farm open today. hear from you as soon as possible.” two-year jail term. Police unit Eight girls get big break in musical ‘exaggerated success to secure funds’

Guardian News and Media parents that their dead children’s London identities were stolen by under- cover offi cers. The names of only a hand- olice offi cers running an ful of offi cers who adopted the intelligence operation identity of a dead child have Pthat covertly infi ltrated been so far been exposed. hundreds of political groups However, a ruling in favour of exaggerated the achievements openness could potentially lead of their unit, a top-level police to the unmasking of many more. report has found. The public inquiry — led by Eight girls got their big break in the West End after being picked from hundreds to star in The Secret Garden musical. The actresses share the lead role of Mary Lennox in An internal inquiry uncov- Lord Justice Pitchford — was the show, based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book. More than 2,000 young people auditioned for roles after producer Matthew Chandler advertised on social media. The ered evidence that the manag- set up by the home secretary, musical is at the Ambassadors Theatre from July 27 to August 31. ers of the secretive Scotland Theresa May, to scrutinise Yard unit, known as the Special what she has called the un- Demonstration Squad (SDS), dercover spies’ “signifi cant “clearly” exaggerated the value failings of judgment, intrusive of the intelligence gathered by supervision and leadership its undercover offi cers. over a sustained period”. The inquiry suggested that Pitchford’s inquiry has been the SDS embellished the im- holding preliminary hearings portance and success of the before embarking on its sub- unit to obtain public funding. stantive sessions. The inquiry’s fi ndings were Revelations about the con- sent to the Metropolitan po- duct of the undercover offi cers ‘Evil’ dad gets life for lice commissioner, Sir Bernard began to emerge in 2010 fol- Hogan-Howe, last year but lowing investigations by po- have been kept secret until now. litical activists and journalists. The disclosure adds to the Police chiefs were forced to criticism surrounding the set up an internal inquiry in clandestine infi ltration of at 2013 — headed by Mick Cree- least 460 political groups by don, Derbyshire’s chief con- more than a hundred under- stable — to examine the activ- daughter’s murder cover offi cers over more than ities of the undercover spies. four decades. His inquiry has been dis- Guardian News and Media Butler, 36, was convicted yes- jurors sided with the prosecu- old, spent all of his £70,000 Ellie was killed by Butler in Undercover offi cers have been missed by critics as being in- London terday of murdering Ellie, who tion, who said unemployed But- savings fi ghting Butler in the what the prosecution described found to have formed long-term suffi ciently independent — a was found dead in October 2013 ler “consistently teetered on the courts. It can be reported for the as a “truly disturbing” case. To- intimate relationships with claim denied by the police. in the family home in Sutton, edge of a violent loss of temper” fi rst time that he warned Justice gether with Gray, he then staged women during their secret mis- In February last year, Creedon en Butler has been sen- south-west London. She had and had killed Ellie in a fi t of Hogg, the high court judge who an elaborate cover-up. The pair sions, gathered intelligence about sent a “restricted” report to Hog- tenced to life in prison as suff ered fatal injuries similar to rage when minding her alone at ruled on returning Ellie to her fa- put potentially contaminated the relatives of murdered teen- an-Howe outlining the progress Ba judge told him he “may those infl icted in a high-speed home. ther in 2012, that she would have clothes in the wash and dumped ager Stephen Lawrence and other of his inquiry. A partial version never be released” following the car accident, just 11 months after Butler mumbled angrily as “blood on her hands” if she did Gray’s torn-up diary, which ex- grieving families campaigning for of the report has been released “horrifi c” murder of his six- Butler had convinced a judge to the verdicts were returned. Gray so. posed the “toxic” atmosphere justice, and concealed evidence to the Guardian following a free- year-old daughter Ellie. return her to his care. said: “Big mistake, big mistake, Following a high court appli- in the house and their abusive in court cases. dom of information request. Justice Wilkie said Butler Jennie Gray, the girl’s mother big mistake.” cation by the media for the re- relationship. He took the dog for Many of the undercover In one section, Creedon must serve a minimum of 23 and Butler’s partner, was jailed Butler did not stand up when lease of family court judgments a walk, trying to appear normal spies secretly stole the iden- reported: “Evidence of SDS years, adding: “You are very far for 42 months for child cruelty the verdicts were returned. related to the case, it emerged and smiling at neighbours while tities of dead children to help managers clearly exaggerating from being a good parent; you as well as her part in covering up Butler’s effort to regain cus- that the high court judge Justice she texted work to say she was develop their fake personas, the involvement of SDS offi c- are a self-absorbed, ill-temper- her child’s murder. tody of Ellie had included an King concluded in 2014 that “El- too ill to work. without consulting or inform- ers and the value of their in- ed, violent, domineering man.” The 36-year-old was convict- extraordinary press campaign lie died as a result of the father It can now be reported for the ing the children’s parents. telligence has been discovered He told the Old Bailey in Lon- ed of the fi rst charge yesterday by the former PR guru Max either hitting her on the back of fi rst time that as part of their The senior judge heading a and certainly for the fi rst two don that Butler had left his dead after earlier pleading guilty to Clifford and was successful the head with the leg of a child’s “cynical” cover-up, the couple public inquiry into the covert in- decades of the unit there was daughter on the fl oor “like a covering up her daughter’s death in spite of warnings from the table, or swinging her with such set up a younger sibling who was fi ltration of political groups since an annual report to the com- prop in a stage scene” and de- and perverting the course of jus- child’s grandfather and the lo- violence that her head came so in the house at the time of the 1968 will today hold a hearing to missioner (of the Metropolitan scribed his call to 999 two hours tice to “save the skin” of her vio- cal council. forcefully into contact with the murder to “discover” her body help determine whether the po- Police) and the Home Offi ce to after her death as “deceit” on a lent and aggressive partner. Neal Gray, 70, who had cared table leg … and she sustained the in her bedroom before calling an lice have a duty to inform these ensure continued funding.” “breathtaking” level. In a unanimous decision, the for Ellie since she was 10 weeks skull fracture”. ambulance. House prices in Wales, Hive aglow Man killed partner after duvet row, court told

Guardian News and Media weapon in case of intruders and England hit new high struck his partner on the head, London Dunkels said. Guardian News and Media on buyers’ decisions, but Right- Within London there were Fairhurst then got dressed and London move said there were signs that steep falls in some of the most retired chemist bludg- tried unsuccessfully to take his sellers were sitting tight until the costly boroughs, with Rich- eoned his 83-year-old own life. He subsequently called outcome is known. mond on Thames recording a Apartner to death after a 999 at 4.15am to say that he had sking prices for homes in “Fewer new sellers are com- 10.2% drop month on month, row about straightening his du- beaten his partner to death, the England and Wales have ing to market, with this month’s followed by Kensington and vet, a court has heard. jury heard. Arisen to a new record high, numbers being 5.3% below the Chelsea, where prices were Edgar Fairhurst, 74, is accused “She was goading me. I beat and sales are being agreed quick- monthly average for this time listed at an average price 9.4% of striking Marjorie Elphick with her to a pulp. It’s a mess up there. er than at any point since 2010, of year since 2010,” the monthly below May’s. a lump hammer about 10 times She was nagging and would not according to latest fi gures from report said. Estate agents at the top end in the bedroom of their home in stop going on and on,” he is said the property website Rightmove. “The most reluctant are own- of the market have reported Bideford, Devon. to have told police. The site, which measured ask- ers of larger homes, those with reluctance among buyers and Fairhurst allegedly later told On the way to the police sta- ing prices for just under 150,000 four or more bedrooms, with sellers to commit to deals ahead police that she had “goaded and tion, Fairhurst reportedly told properties listed over the past 6.6% fewer sellers over the of Thursday’s referendum, par- irritated” him for decades and offi cers: “Marjorie did not de- month, said they had risen by same time period. Given the ticularly those investing from that when Elphick told him to serve to die. She was good. You 0.8% in June, to an average of well-documented structural overseas. Developers of luxury straighten his duvet, “something can’t just kill someone because £310,471 – 5.5% higher than in shortages of housing supply any fl ats are off ering so-called Brexit happened in his brain” and he they are irritating you.” June 2015. longer-term reluctance of own- clauses, alongside discounts and attacked her. Forensic experts said Elphick, Asking prices have risen every ers to come to market would be a incentives to tempt buyers as the He is said to have told offi cers: a mother-of-one, was lying in month so far in 2016, and Right- worrying trend.” market slows. “I deserve to go to prison for life. bed when she was hit for the move said the rush for properties Rightmove’s breakdown of Rightmove’s director, Miles I have destroyed the only person fi rst time. During the remainder ahead of April’s stamp duty in- asking prices around England Shipside, said that in the event I loved and needed, in a moment of the attack, she was at times crease for second homes and the and Wales shows monthly in- of a vote to Leave the EU, sell- of insanity.” standing up, kneeling and on the availability of cheap mortgages creases in all regions except ers might need “more realistic” Exeter crown court was told fl oor. had supported the market. Greater London, where sellers pricing to achieve a sale. that Fairhurst denies murder but The prosecution said his claim As a result of increased buyer bring properties on to the mar- “A vote to remain should has admitted manslaughter. He that she had goaded him for years demand, the average time taken ket asked an average of 0.2% less mean that the housing market had been in a relationship with was a “gross overstatement”. The to sell a property dropped to 57 than in May, at £643,117. quickly returns to its previous the victim for about 40 years. jury will hear from two psychia- days, compared with 60 in May The biggest monthly increases norm, but a vote to leave would The Hive lights up its surroundings in at the royal Botanic Paul Dunkels QC, prosecut- trists about Fairhurst’s mental and 65 in June 2015. in asking prices were in north- create political and economic gardens in Kew. The artwork, by artist Wolfgang Buttress, ing, said the attack took place state at the time, Dunkels said. The headline fi gures do not west England, where new sellers uncertainty, which historically tells the story of bees and highlights the dangers to their in the early hours of December There was no suggestion that suggest that the looming EU asked an average of £183,482, up has had more serious repercus- habitats. 30, 2015. Fairhurst used a ham- Fairhurst had ever been violent referendum is having an impact 2.2% on May’s fi gure. sions,” he said. mer that he kept in a drawer as a towards her before, he added. Gulf Times 22 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 EUROPE 5-Star mayors Little explorers set collision course with banks, utilities

Reuters or cities where it had advanced to the Rome run-off s. In the northern industrial city of Turin, home of carmaker Fiat, the fi rst he new mayors from Italy’s an- move by new 32-year-old mayor Chi- ti-establishment 5-Star Move- ara Appendino was to call for the res- Tment who won control of Rome ignation of the chairman of the main and Turin on Sunday are squaring for stakeholder in Italy’s biggest retail a confrontation with the management bank, Intesa Sanpaolo. of fi nancial fi rms and utilities they Appendino said Francesco Profumo, control. who had been put at the helm of the Five-Star, whose main appeal is its banking foundation Compagnia di tough stance on graft and privilege, Sanpaolo by the previous mayor just a has often spoken out against Italy’s few weeks earlier “should quit because corporate elite. we did not agree with his appoint- Analysts say its relations with busi- ment”. The banking foundations are ness could be diffi cult as its political non-profi t organisations which be- power increases. came key shareholders in Italy’s main The head of Rome’s listed water banks when they were privatised in the and energy utility Acea, of which city 1990s. hall holds a 51% stake, said yesterday They fi nance local cultural and so- he would seek a meeting with Rome cial activities and have become major mayor Virginia Raggi, who threatened political power bases. to change the company’s management Compagnia di Sanpaolo is Italy’s during her election campaign. second biggest banking foundation, “It will be necessary soon to have controlling some 7bn euros and wield- a calm discussion about everything ing enormous infl uence in and around and we will ask for that. It’s our duty Turin. to speak to all our shareholders,” Acea “I would like to know if Profumo CEO Alberto Irace told reporters. doesn’t have the qualities needed for Falls in Acea’s share price in March that role or if he needs to be changed German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks to children at the City Kindergarten in Berlin during the “Tag der kleinen Forscher” (little explorer day). were widely attributed to remarks by just because he was named by me,” Raggi that if she was elected she would outgoing mayor Piero Fassino said install new management and demand yesterday. that the utility invested more to im- Raggi has refused to back Rome’s prove services rather than make prof- bid for the 2024 Olympics, clashing its. with Caltagirone. Acea, whose other main stakehold- The constructor has enormous ers are Italian constructor and editor potential business interests in the Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone and project, and has vigorously promoted France’s Suez Environnement, issued it in the city’s main newspaper, which a statement yesterday denying press he controls. Man with ‘suicide belt’ reports that its president Catia To- Raggi has promised to clean up the masetti was ready to resign. public transport company Atac and The principle that water services trash collection fi rm Ama, ineffi cient should be public and not profi t-driven and loss-making operations which is one of the fi ve policy platforms, or have both been at the centre of cor- “stars” on which the 5-Star Movement ruption scandals in recent years. was founded in 2009. The head of Ama, Daniele Forti- triggers Brussels alert The 5-Star Movement trounced ni, will off er his resignation today, a Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in source at the company told Reuters. AFP “After an initial inspection it was formally arrested on charges of falsely The terror alert level in Brussels re- local elections last weekend, clouding The source added however, that this Brussels confi rmed that it contained salt and threatening an attack. mained at level three out of four, Belga his chances of completing his term of was normal procedure when a new biscuits. Any threat of an explosion “JB is known to the authorities for news agency reported. offi ce. mayor takes over and did not indicate has been initially ruled out,” prosecu- various incidents, including some linked The City 2 mall had been mentioned Five-Star won in 19 of the 20 towns Fortini expected to be replaced. man with psychiatric prob- tor’s spokesman Rym Kechiche said in to psychiatric problems,” Kechiche said. in Belgian media in recent days as a lems who was carrying a fake a statement. In one recent incident, he had con- possible target for attacks. A suicide belt full of salt and Police later searched the house of tacted the police saying he had been The incident comes only days after biscuits was arrested yesterday after the suspect’s mother where they found urged to leave for Syria to join the Is- Belgian authorities charged three men he triggered a major anti-terror op- the remains of the material used in the lamic State group. with “attempted terrorist murder” af- eration at a Brussels shopping mall, fake belt. Yesterday’s apparent threat had ter raiding dozens of homes linked to a Spain’s Podemos party prosecutors said. “The suspect gave a confession and triggered a massive security operation reported threat to fans watching dur- Belgium remains on high alert after admitted having fabricated his abduc- involving soldiers and police sealing ing a Euro 2016 football game. Islamic State-claimed bomb attacks in tion,” Kechiche said. off the shopping centre and a nearby The areas searched included neigh- eases Catalonia stance March left 32 people dead at the air- The suspect also confessed to hav- Metro station. bourhoods in Brussels where Novem- port and at a metro station near Euro- ing taken at random a license plate Prime Minister Charles Michel ber’s jihadist attackers in Paris and pean Union headquarters buildings. number from a car in the street that called an emergency meeting of his se- the Brussels suicide bombings had Reuters about anything. We wish to talk with- Prosecutors said the 26-year-old he alleged was the one in which he was curity cabinet when the shopping mall planned their assaults. Madrid out red lines and hear other kinds of man, identifi ed only as JB, admitted driven, he added. alert was ongoing, refl ecting the ten- In proportion to its population, Bel- proposals,” Unidos Podemos (Together having made up his claim that he had The vehicle’s driver was released sions in the country. gium has the highest number of so- We Can) leader Pablo Iglesias said in a been abducted and driven to the City 2 following questioning. “The situation is for now under called foreign fi ghters in the EU who he leader of Spain’s anti-aus- radio interview. mall in central Brussels fi tted with an Prosecutors called for the man to control. We remain vigilant,” Michel have travelled to wage war in Syria and terity Unidos Podemos party Catalonia, a wealthy and populous explosives belt for remote detonation. undergo a psychiatric exam and be said after the meeting. Iraq, an estimated 500. Tsuggested yesterday it would region with its own language, has long not insist on an independence refer- had a strong independence movement, endum in Catalonia as a condition for and even many residents there who do forming a national government with not support a split from Spain favour rivals after Sunday’s election re-run. having their say on its future. The plebiscite on secession for Unidos Podemos, an alliance formed Erdogan loses appeal against German media boss Spain’s northeastern region, favoured by last month between Podemos and far- Podemos but rejected by all other large left party Izquierda Unida, opposes a parties, had been a central dealbreaker split of Catalonia from Spain. AFP After failing to get an injunction The legal action came after Doepfner Germany’s legal limits to free speech in eff orts to form a coalition after Spain’s But its stance on the referendum has Berlin from a lower court last month, Erdog- published in April an open letter in one and was intended as a provocation. inconclusive election last December. helped it build a strong power base in an also lost an appeal before the higher of the Springer group’s newspapers, in In his letter, Doepfner took the co- That parliamentary vote left Spain the region. regional court in the western German which he backed Jan Boehmermann — median’s side, declaring: “For me, your with a political landscape fragmented The leftist alliance is running sec- urkey’s President Recep Tayyip city of Cologne. the satirist who in a poem accused Er- poem worked. I laughed out loud.” among four parties with none holding ond in national polls ahead of Sunday’s Erdogan yesterday lost a Ger- The judges said they considered dogan of bestiality and watching child In a controversial move, Chancel- a large enough majority to establish a vote and some surveys have shown a Tman court battle against a top Doepfner’s letter of support “a per- pornography. lor Angela Merkel authorised criminal government. coalition with the Socialists could win media boss when his appeal in a bitter missible expression of opinion as pro- Boehmermann’s recital of his so- proceedings against the comedian af- Exhaustive talks in the following a majority. row over free speech was thrown out. tected under Article 5” of Germany’s called “Defamatory Poem” on national ter Turkey requested he be prosecuted months failed to produce a majority Socialist party leader Pedro Sanchez Erdogan had sought a court or- constitution, the court said in a state- television in late March sparked a dip- for defamation. coalition, prompting a re-run of the yesterday reiterated his opposition der to stop the Axel Springer media ment. lomatic fi restorm and a row over free- The higher regional court stressed election on Sunday. to a coalition with Iglesias, saying group’s chief Mathias Doepfner from Erdogan could still seek recourse dom of expression. yesterday that its ruling in favour of “Our proposal is that there is a ref- he would not back any proposal that repeating support for a TV satirist who before Germany’s top tribunal, the During the broadcast Boehmermann Doepfner had no bearing on the other erendum, but we are available to talk could lead to the break-up of Spain. crudely insulted the Turkish leader. Federal Constitutional Court. gleefully admitted his poem fl outed case still pending. Firefi ghters die tackling huge Cyprus forest fi re

Agencies British military bases in Cyprus. The blaze coincided with the tation as “tragic”. Thick plumes and 80 tonnes of retardant mate- Nicosia The two fi refi ghters were killed fi rst major heatwave of the year, of smoke hung over the mountain rial to battle the blaze. when a water tanker overturned. creating tinderbox conditions. range normally clearly visible yes- “We have responded quickly A third was in a critical con- The broader area contains a terday from the capital Nicosia. and in full solidarity to the call wo fi refi ghters were killed dition after a fi re truck plunged cluster of 10 well-conserved Adding to the international re- for assistance,” EU Commis- and a third was critically down a ravine. painted churches dating from the lief eff orts, France sent three fi re- sioner for Humanitarian Aid and Tinjured while tackling one They were the fi rst fatalities Byzantine era which are on the fi ghting aircraft to Cyprus yester- Crisis Management, Christos of the largest forest fi res in Cyprus among fi refi ghters reported in at Unesco World Heritage list. day, the state-run Cyprus News Stylianides, said in a statement. in years. least a decade in Cyprus, which “They are not in danger, we are Agency reported. “I commend the tremendous The blaze, possibly started by an has frequent brush fi res during its protecting them,” Leonidou told Akinci, head of the breakaway eff orts of the fi rst responders and attempt to burn dry stubble, broke hot summer months but usually Reuters. Turkish Cypriot state in northern would like to express our deepest out on Sunday in the foothills of on a much smaller scale. Cypriot President Nicos Anas- Cyprus, also off ered assistance, condolences to the families of the the Troodos mountain region of “The situation is diffi cult, it has tasiades asked for a postpone- but Anastasiades declined. fi refi ghters who gave their lives to the eastern Mediterranean island. not been totally brought under ment of a meeting scheduled with Cyprus was split along ethnic save their country,” he added. It has been fanned by high control,” said Leonidas Leonidou, Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa lines following a Turkish invasion Police said they had arrested winds and scorching tempera- a spokesman for Cyprus’s fi re bri- Akinci, part of a series of talks fo- in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek two people suspected of starting tures, hampering efforts by gade service. cused on reunifi cation of the war- inspired coup. the earlier fi re. A Cypriot reservist volunteer firefighter and members of the firefighters backed by water The Soleas area hardest hit by divided island. The European Union said They said a 12-year-old boy was forest department battle a forest fire above the Cypriot village bomber aircraft from Greece and the blaze is covered by pine forest During a visit to the area on member-state Cyprus had re- suspected of starting the Evrychou of Evrychou in the Troodos mountain area. Israel and helicopters from the and fruit orchards. Monday, he described the devas- quested several fi refi ghting planes blaze while playing with a lighter. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 23 EUROPE

French unions, government in standoff over new protest plan Europe

AFP the Euro football tournament contested labour reforms kicked After yesterday’s talks the out a march to reduce the risk of Le Foll noted that the secu- divided on Paris is under way in France - insists off in March and have frequently unions said they “categorically clashes. rity forces were already over- that a stationary rally would be descended into violence, nota- refused” to limit the protest to Faced with the unions’ re- stretched with the Euro and the easier to control. bly in Paris and in the western a rally after proposing alternate fusal the police said they may be continuing threat of jihadist at- path after he French government Interior Minister Bernard Ca- cities of Nantes and Rennes. routes to their planned march. “forced to ban” the protest. tacks. and unions planning an- zeneuve said in a letter to the Last Tuesday, the violence The police said afterwards: The seven unions responded Earlier, a defi ant Prime Minis- Tother demonstration head of the largest union, the reached a new peak when “Talks are continuing and at jointly that the police should ter Manuel Valls vowed to stand Brexit vote against labour reforms were at CGT, on Monday that the June 14 marchers bashed storefronts this stage no decision has been “guarantee everyone’s safety” fi rm on the labour reforms de- loggerheads yesterday over how unrest “for the fi rst time clearly and attacked a children’s hos- made” and that a rally would be “much spite the mass protests. to address security fears follow- proved the role of some union pital, smashing some of its win- Seven unions had lodged a more dangerous” than a march. Hollande’s Socialist govern- By Yacine Le Forestier, AFP ing the violence that marred a activists in deliberate aggression dows. joint request late last week for The day after the June 14 vio- ment is trying to push through Berlin protest last week. against security forces.” Several hundred masked pro- permission for a march covering lence, President Francois Hol- changes to the labour market in a The unions are demanding Given the “context of tension testers hurled projectiles at po- 2.3km, a short distance that they lande threatened to ban demon- bid to bring down France’s stub- permission to march in Paris and recurrent clashes” another lice, who made dozens of arrests. said “took into account” secu- strations “if property and people bornly high unemployment rate. uropeans will have to tomorrow, but the Socialist gov- march “seems inconceivable”, he Two police offi cers were hos- rity concerns. and public property cannot be But critics see the reforms as struggle to drag the EU out ernment - which has mooted the added. pitalised, while another 26 were But on Monday, Paris police safeguarded,” his spokesman skewed towards business inter- Eof the doldrums after Brit- idea of banning protests while Protests against France’s hotly injured. asked them to stage a rally with- Stephane Le Foll said. ests. ain’s vote tomorrow, with a pub- lic hostile to further integration while Berlin and Paris are at odds over the way forward. Whatever the results of the British referendum on whether or not to quit the EU, heavy- weights France and Germany — both founding members of the bloc — will fi nd themselves Turkey arrests activists over under pressure to defend what’s left of their vision for Europe. They may be forced to only pursue issues such as security, as enthusiasm for the bloc has eroded due to a morose econom- support for pro-Kurdish paper ic outlook and as populist rheto- ric gains ground. “Attempting to maintain the DPA, Reuters status quo and remaining im- Istanbul mobile would amount to politi- cal suicide”, as the UK vote could push other countries to also seek urkey yesterday arrested several their own referendum, warned people, including the local offi - the Institut Montaigne in France. Tcial for Reporters Without Bor- But what’s the next step? ders and the head of a key human rights French Economy Minister organisation, over their support for a Emmanuel Macron has cham- newspaper that targets a Kurdish audi- pioned a common budget, par- ence. liament and a commissioner They are accused of helping to spread for the eurozone, as he told Le “terrorist” propaganda, the Dogan news Monde that France would carry agency reported. the initiative “to avoid contagion Ozcan Kilic, a lawyer handling the from Brexit” and to immediately case, told DPA that prosecutors is- launch “a positive project for sued arrest warrants for Erol Ondero- Europe”. Berlin however sees it glu, from the journalist advocacy group; diff erently. Sebnem Korur Fincani, the chairman of After the vote, “we can’t say, the Turkish Human Rights Foundation; let’s go on as usual, or in a more and journalist Ahmet Aziz Nesin. intensive manner,” said Ger- Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish news- man Finance Minister Wolfgang paper, has been under pressure from Schaeuble. the government over alleged ties to “Rather, we should say, fi rst the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party things fi rst, let’s concentrate on (PKK). The three stepped in as symbolic the things that are urgent,” he editors for a day in support. said, adding that Europe must Supporters of Ozgur Gundem yester- focus on “solving pressing prob- day protested against the arrest. lems through fl exible pragmatic About 200 people chanted “The free measures”. Pursuing further in- press cannot be silenced” as riot police tegration can only happen “after stood by outside Ozgur Gundem. we have regained confi dence” The three people who were arrested from European citizens, he said had joined a “solidarity campaign” with at a forum in Berlin on Tuesday. nearly 50 other journalists to guest-edit Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijs- the paper for a day each. selbloem also shied away from “The court, directed by the palace major action. and acting on its orders, once again has “Let’s strengthen what we signed its name to a shameful decision have. I don’t think we need big and arrested our three friends,” editor Demonstrators shout slogans as they hold pictures of Ahmet Nesin, Sebnem Korur Fincanci and Erol Onderoglu during a protest in front of the pro-Kurdish Ozgur steps,” said Dijsselbloem, who is Inan Kizilkaya said, referring to Presi- Gundem newspaper in central Istanbul. also Dutch fi nance minister, at dent Tayyip Erdogan’s offi ce. the same event. The presidency said it would not UN principles for detecting and docu- tured the writings of Abdullah Oca- Most are Kurds working in the strife- month over coverage of alleged arms European Commission Presi- comment on court cases. menting torture. lan, the PKK’s jailed leader, and has hit southeast. shipments to Syrian rebels, but is free dent Jean-Claude Juncker sent The EU, which Turkey seeks to join, Erdogan has vowed to stamp out a published columns by senior rebel Can Dundar, editor-in-chief of pending appeal. the same signal. claimed the arrests violated Ankara’s three-decade insurgency by Kurdis- commanders. the secularist Cumhuriyet newspaper He is aware he could be prosecuted The bloc would have to learn commitment to fundamental rights. tan Workers Party (PKK) militants that Turkey, the US and EU list the PKK as which is often at odds with Ozgur Gun- again after his stint at the helm of Ozgur lessons not only from events in Fincanci, 57, a professor of forensic fl ared anew a year ago after peace talks a terrorist group. dem’s pro-Kurdish stance, yesterday Gundem. Britain but from the rest of Eu- medicine, is particularly well-known, he spearheaded collapsed. The Index on Censorship says 20 took on the symbolic role of editor-in- “If we don’t stand together, we will rope, he said, adding that push- having won the fi rst International Med- Left-wing Ozgur Gundem, which journalists have been detained in Tur- chief. all lose. The time is now to support each ing for more integration “risks ical Peace Award for helping establish has a circulation of 7,500, has fea- key this year. Dundar was jailed for fi ve years last other,” he told Reuters. adding to the confusion”. “This euroscepticism is not only present in Britain,” he add- Killing baby like ‘going shopping’ ed. The spectacular gains across A French woman who left her years her senior, Michel Lafon. the continent by populist eu- baby to drown on a beach yes- Described by her lawyer as rosceptic parties, including in terday gave a chilling account highly intelligent, she told the From death row to romance: Germany, attest to that. of the murder, telling a court it court she had no other explana- “I would be surprised to see was as perfunctory as “going tion for her acts but “witchcraft”. from June 24 a major project shopping”. Kabou said she carried out targeted at boosting European Fabienne Kabou, 39, who has the murder “perfectly me- integration,” said a German blamed witchcraft for her acts, chanically, as if a part of me was ex-con couple beats the odds government source speaking on detailed the final hours of her anaesthetised” and returned condition of anonymity. 15-month-old daughter’s life on home the next day “with the at- “Many countries are afraid of the second day of a trial into titude of someone who has just By Pierre-Henry Deshayes, AFP From his death row cell, he could hear this subject because, at the mo- the 2013 murder which shocked gone shopping”. Oslo the guards who monitored him around ment, they have no support for France. “I didn’t want to kill this child the clock talking about his upcoming ex- such ideas among the public,” She said she left her home but it was at my hands that she ecution, about the bonus they hoped to get, the source added. in Paris and took a train to died,” said Kabou. he was headed for the electric chair in about the fact that they would have to pull For all the talk of the special the northern resort town of Prosecutor Luc Fremiot inter- Florida, he for the gallows in Ireland: on his legs to ensure his neck vertebrae were French-German relationship, Berck-sur-Mer where she asked rogated her over the fact that Sboth escaped death row and are now properly broken... the two leading EU nations make passers-by about a hotel near she never registered Adelaide’s an unlikely couple campaigning for an end Less than two weeks before his sched- an odd couple. the beach. birth, and none of her family to capital punishment. The chances of them uled execution, he was informed that his Germany follows a liberal “I find it ridiculous that a crim- knew about the existence of ever meeting were small. sentenced had been commuted to 40 years economic line, far closer to Brit- inal would speak to so many the child. Frail but alert, Sunny Jacobs spent fi ve of in prison. “It would have been political ain’s than France’s, and preaches people before carrying out her Kabou has said Lafon never her 68 years in a small cell in total isolation, suicide to hang somebody in the country at reforms and budgetary rigour act,” Kabou said impassively. wanted the child and ques- waiting to have 2,400 volts sent through that time,” he says. while refusing to share in other “When you premeditate a tioned whether he was even the her body. It was in a pub in Galway, Ireland, in 1998 countries’ debt burden. crime, you don’t want to be father. Thousands of kilometres away, Peter that he met Jacobs, who was there to talk Paris, meanwhile, is strug- traced.” “If I never wanted Ada, I Pringle, his hair and beard now white at age about the death penalty. gling to keep its defi cits within She said she played with wouldn’t have carried her for 77, was rotting away in jail, waiting for a Peter Pringle and Sunny Jacobs speak to They found they had a lot in common: the EU limit, having trouble her daughter Adelaide, before nine months, I wouldn’t have noose to be placed around his neck. AFP at the Opera house in Oslo, one day their convictions, the happy endings, their putting down resistance to re- breastfeeding her until she fell raised her for 15 months, I “Peter and I, we don’t often talk about it before the 6th World Congress against interest in yoga and meditation that they forms at home and baulks at giv- asleep after which she took her wouldn’t have loved her,” Kabou but sometimes things will remind us. That the Death Penalty. had practised in prison, and more. ing a supranational entity more to the beach and laid her at the said, sobbing. reminds me (of something) from inside, Married since 2011, they now run a help oversight over its budget. water’s edge. On Monday, the accused said that reminds me (of something) from when He received three life sentences, while centre in Ireland for the victims of wrongful “Today, we are blocked by two “She didn’t move, she was she had spent some 40,000 we fi rst got out,” says Jacobs, ahead of the Sunny and Jesse were sentenced to death. convictions. taboos — a French taboo which silent,” Kabou said. euros ($45,000) consulting vari- 6th World Congress Against the Death Pen- “I was at the wrong place at the wrong And they work tirelessly for the abolition is to transfer sovereignty, and a “I understood the water was ous “witchdoctors and healers” alty, being held in Oslo until tomorrow. time with the wrong people,” she says. of capital punishment. German taboo which is a fi nan- covering my daughter, my boots before carrying out the murder, “We very, very rarely mention the word After fi ve years, her death sentence was “If you teach children that if you make me cial and solidarity transfer. We were in the water. It was so dark and that she had suff ered hal- prison. It’s a visceral feeling you get when commuted to a life term, and she was fi - angry enough, or you do something (that) I can’t progress without breaking the moon was like a spotlight.” lucinations. you say it.” nally released in 1992 having spent nearly think is completely wrong, (and that) it’s them,” said Macron. After leaving her daughter However, Jean-Christophe That’s where she ended up after the mur- 17 years behind bars. just fi ne for me to kill you, then when they As a result, no French-Ger- there, she ran away. Boyer, a lawyer for a children’s der of two police offi cers in 1976. Accord- Jesse Tafero was electrocuted in horrifi c get angry enough, they get a gun. man joint strategy appears to be Prawn fisherman found the group that is a civil party to the ing to her version of events, she and then- circumstances: his face caught fi re due to a “And then you have Orlando, you have close at hand. toddler’s lifeless body the next case, has accused Kabou of us- boyfriend Jesse were in a car belonging to a malfunction, executioners had to start the Sandy Hook,” says Jacobs, referring to this “The Germans are afraid of morning. ing witchcraft and her culture as friend along with their nine-year-old son chair three times, and then it took seven month’s massacre of 49 people at a gay fi nding themselves face-to-face Kabou grew up in Senegal in a defence strategy. and 10-month-old daughter. minutes for him to die. nightclub, and another shooting at a Con- with a weak France,” said Do- a well-off Catholic family before A court psychiatrist, Paul Ben- During a routine check, police found a In Ireland, Peter Pringle was just 11 days necticut school in 2012 in which 26 people minique Moisi, from the French moving to Paris to study phi- sussan, said her act was possibly weapon in the car and a deadly gunfi ght away from execution by hanging. Known to were killed. Institute of International Rela- losophy and architecture where triggered by a deep depression broke out. The friend, whom she says was police for his past IRA connections, he was “The death sentence is not about deter- tions. “There is no consensus on she fell in love with a sculptor 30 related to having the child. holding a gun, later cut a deal, blaming the wrongfully convicted in 1980 for the murder rence,” adds Pringle. policies that can be adopted the young couple. of two police offi cers in an armed robbery. “It’s about revenge. day after.” Gulf Times 24 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 INDIA

TRAGEDY TOURISM JUDICIARY POLITICS CRIME Nine school children River cruise via Bail plea of exam board Shorgul banned in Murder triggers violence killed in road crash Sundarbans soon scam accused rejected Muzaff arnagar in Ranchi, 30 houses burnt

Nine school children were killed and 11 injured Cruise enthusiasts will soon be able to sail in luxury A court in Patna yesterday dismissed The makers of Shorgul, a political drama At least 30 houses and 10 motorcycles were when a bus rammed into a school van in from Kolkata to Dhaka and relish the sights of the the interim bail pleas of Bihar School which also touches upon the 2013 torched and a number of houses looted in violence Karnataka yesterday, police said. The crash celebrated Sundarbans mangrove forests, courtesy Examination Board’s former chairman Muzaff arnagar riots, claim the film has been that erupted after a land broker was murdered on occurred in Kundapur, 400km west of the state a river cruise service between India and Bangladesh, Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and his wife Usha banned from the western Uttar Pradesh city. the outskirts of Jharkhand capital Ranchi, police capital Bengaluru, as the van was on its way to an off icial said. “The guidelines are being finalised Sinha, police said. The court said granting The filmmakers yesterday claimed that the said yesterday. According to police, the trouble drop the children off at school. The victims were by the Director General of Shipping and it will them bail would hamper an investigation District Magistrate of Muzaff arnagar has erupted after Nasim Ansari, a resident of Newari six girls and three boys, aged between 6 and commence soon,” Arvind Kumar, assistant director into the Class 12 toppers’ scam. Earlier, police prohibited screening of Shorgul in all theatres village, 20km from Ranchi, was hacked to death 15 years old, police off icer Nasir Hussain said. of Inland Waterways Authority of India, said. The brought the couple to the court amid tight across the western Uttar Pradesh city as the on Monday night. The alleged killer, identified as “It was a major head-on collision. The impact Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corp (BIWTC) is security. Scores of people had gathered in film touches upon a sensitive issue and fears Mohamed Zakir, reportedly called Ansari for a was such that the van was turned into a heap of looking after the part in the neighbouring country the court to catch a glimpse of the couple, it might lead to communal riots. The film is meeting to settle a land dispute. When Ansari was mangled steel,” Hussain said. “Four of the nine while IWAI is monitoring the Indian part. Currently who had their faces covered. Last week, a based on intolerance and touches upon grave seated, he was allegedly attacked with a sharp injured children are in serious condition and only cargo vessels are allowed across the border civil court issued an arrest warrant against subjects such as the Muzaff arnagar, Godhra weapon. Ansari’s supporters later attacked people have been admitted to a hospital’s intensive via waterways. “It will be a 14-day cruise through Lalkeshwar Prasad, who until recently and Babri Masjid riots apart from making and set fire to several houses. A large number of care unit,” he added. The driver and a teacher the Indian and Bangladesh part of Sundarbans. It headed the BSEB which conducts the Class references to bureaucratic misdoings, mind security personnel have been deployed in the area were also injured in the crash. The bus driver is likely to begin end of the year,” said S R Banerjee, 10 and 12 examinations. So far, 10 people games and controversial master strokes of and off icials described the situation as “tense but fled after the accident. consultant of Vivada Cruises. have been arrested in the case. some high-profile dignitaries. under control.”

Taxi drivers protest All set for launch of Bollywood 20 satellites in single mission star under

IANS Chennai

he countdown for the launch of a record 20 sat- attack over Tellites in a single mission today morning is progressing smoothly, the Indian Space Re- search Organisation (ISRO) said. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C34 will be used to carry the satellites, including India’s rape remark earth observation spacecraft Cartosat-2, from the second National Commission for television shows since his fi rst hit launch pad of the space centre at Women demands public Maine Pyar Kiya in the 1980s. 9.26am today. apology from Salman Khan But his personal life has long The satellites’ health is being been dogged by controversy. checked and preparations for the Agencies Last year he was cleared of kill- fi lling of the fuel for the second Mumbai ing a homeless man in a hit-and- rocket’s second stage/engine are run crash and he is battling alle- under progress, the ISRO said gations he used unlicensed arms yesterday. ollywood superstar Salman to shoot antelopes in Rajasthan. “The countdown is progress- Khan has sparked contro- When he was appointed good- ing normally,” it said. Bversy by saying his heavy Khan: yet another controversy will ambassador for India’s Ol- The rocket’s main cargo will be training schedule for an upcom- ympic team in the Rio Games in India’s 725.5kg Cartosat-2 series ing fi lm left him feeling “like a The Bollywood star also said he April, the country’s sports stars satellite for earth observation. raped woman.” had been able to quit every “vice” reacted with dismay. This satellite is similar to the Khan made the comments in except women, giving up ciga- Bollywood fi lms are notorious earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B. an interview to promote his latest rettes, coff ee and alcohol but not for their sexism and Khan’s mov- The other 19 satellites weigh- Bollywood movie Sultan, which female company. ies in particular have been criti- ing totally about 560kg are from tells the story of an ageing wres- His father, Bollywood lyri- cised for their weak female roles. the US, Canada, Germany and tler trying to make a comeback. cist Salim Khan, took to Twitter While several Indian fi lmmak- Indonesia as well as one satellite “When I used to walk out of the to apologise on his son’s behalf, ers are breaking with stereotypes, each from Sathyabama Univer- ring, after the shoot, I used to feel but insisted that “the intention such movies are still few and far sity in Chennai and the College of like a raped woman,” 50-year-old (behind the comments) was not between. Engineering in Pune. Khan said in an interview with lo- wrong.” “If you are a Salman Khan fan, The rocket will blast off with a cal news site Spotboye.com pub- “Undoubtedly what Salman it’s good, but if you support his total payload of 1,288kg. lished on Monday. said is wrong, the simile, exam- pathetic statement, you are noth- The whole mission will be The National Commission for ple and the context. The inten- ing but a disgusting creature,” completed in about 26 minutes. Women (NCW) yesterday de- tion was not wrong,” Salim Khan wrote Twitter user @gautam- Images sent by Cartosat satel- manded a public apology, calling tweeted. verma23. lite will be useful for cartograph- the comments “reprehensible,” “Nevertheless I apologise on Shaina N C, a spokeswoman for ic, urban, rural, coastal land use, following an outcry on social me- behalf of his family, his fans and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party water distribution and other ap- dia. his friends. Forgiveness is to par- in Maharashtra tweeted: “Rape is plications. “It’s not only a wrong state- don the unpardonable or it is no an exercise of power to destruct a The 1.5kg Sathyabamasat from ment, it’s very irresponsible and virtue at all,” added the 80-year- woman’s self esteem, (from what) Sathyabama University will collect callous for a man whose fame and old veteran, who has in the past I (know) of @BeingSalmanKhan data on greenhouse gases while the wealth is based on the adoration also come forward in his son’s he respects #women so he must 1kg Swayam satellite from College of his female fans,” NCW chief defence. apologise.” of Engineering will provide point- Lalitha Kumaramangalam said. The screenwriter also said that Asha Devi, mother of the 2012 to-point messaging services to the “Just because he is Salman on International Yoga Day, “let’s Delhi gang-rape victim, said she ham radio community. Khan does not mean he will make not run our shops on this mis- was “hurt” by Khan’s remarks. Today’s mission will be the fi rst Taxi drivers take part in a protest against private carriers Uber and Ola in Mumbai yesterday. such a statement. This is sad,” take.” “He says he felt like a raped time the ISRO will be launch- Uber has said it is not a transport company like taxi firms, and that it simply connects drivers Kumaramangalam said. Khan is one of Bollywood’s woman. What does he know of ing more than 10 satellites with a with passengers. She said Khan may be issued a biggest box-offi ce draws, star- rape?” she told a news channel, single rocket. summons if he failed to comply. ring in more than 100 fi lms and trying to fi ght back tears. Rajan’s exit makes Modi’s talent pool shallower he Narendra Modi-led one of the “fragile fi ve” in Mor- territory of Delhi, the appointment 21 MLAs as parliament secretar- AAP hopes to gain power. Close to Bharatiya Janata Party gan Stanley’s list of emerging of 21 members of legislature be- ies, Kejriwal has nowhere to hide. 7mn of Delhi’s 19mn population is T(BJP) government is get- market economies that were too longing to Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi The Election Commission of Punjabi and it has always impact- ting more and more enigmatic by dependent on foreign invest- Delhi Diary Party (AAP) to these posts is un- India is the authority to disqualify ed elections in that state. the day. ments. While Brazil and South constitutional. The AAP has tried an elected representative and Ke- There is much disgruntle- On the one hand the prime Africa continue to remain in the By A K B Krishnan to circumvent the law by declaring jriwal’s MLAs have appealed to the ment among the voters in Delhi minister says he is totally fo- expanded list of “troubled ten,” these 21 MLAs have been, and will ECI that they are not getting any about the way in which Kejriwal cused on his agenda of “devel- India staged a strong recovery Gulf Times Correspondent be, working pro bono but that ar- fi nancial benefi ts from their jobs has gone about administering the opment for all. He tells his party and came out of the list thanks gument does not wash because the and, therefore, theirs should not be capital city-state. Here was a men that the only way forward is in no small measure to Rajan’s Supreme Court, while hearing two clubbed with the normal offi ce of chance for him to show how good through ‘saiyyam’ (restraint) and able handling of the rupee. So, he surveys in India’s governance. AAP’s Punjab similar cases pertaining to Sonia profi t cases. But since the president – and diff erent – a government he ‘samvedana’ (sensitivity). On the in the normal circumstances, Perhaps that is true in Rajan’s case Gandhi and Jaya Bachchan at dif- has given his opinion, most experts can provide but Kejriwal squan- other hand many of his party col- an extension was Rajan’s for the as well. For a man who can be frank dreams hang ferent times, had observed that the say the commission has little scope dered it by taking a confronta- leagues, including some senior taking. and outspoken when he chooses, absence of direct pecuniary bene- to do anything otherwise. These 21 tional approach to all and sundry, ones, indulge in outright com- It is not as if Modi had asked Modi’s silence could have been in balance fi ts alone cannot nullify the “offi ce MLAs must now be counting their most of all the federal govern- munalism. Rajan to put in his papers. In fact, the result of outside powers that of profi t” advantage. The court had days in the assembly. ment. He may have just reasons On the one hand Modi and Rajan himself is on record say- were forcing his hand. Was it the Arvind Kejriwal is faced with the said these posts have the potential So where does Kejriwal go from in some of those complaints but his top minister Arun Jaitley say ing he has had a fi ne professional RSS and its affi liates or was it biggest challenge in his short po- to receive remuneration, hence can here? In any other case he could he forgot the fact that the ultimate the governorship of the Reserve working relationship with Jait- crony capitalism which Rajan has litical career. In the aftermath only be seen as offi ces of profi t. have taken to the streets, as is his suff erer is the Delhi citizen. Bank of India (RBI) is a not a ley. So what happened then? The been fi ghting ever since he took of the heady victory in the Delhi Clause (a) of Article 102 of the wont, but the issue is not political Naturally, the BJP is sensing matter of public discussion and personal attack by Swamy was over or was it something else? Of assembly elections last year, Ke- Constitution of India says a per- but purely constitutional. Delhi’s that in less than two years anti- that the right decision would be certainly below the belt. But what course, all this is in the realm of jriwal appointed seven ministers, son shall be disqualifi ed from chief minister has called India’s incumbency is weighing down taken at the right time. On the must have hurt Rajan more was speculation. Rajan’s statement including himself, and three times being chosen as, and for being, a prime minister names of the worst Kejriwal. The Congress, too, feels other, they remain totally silent probably the absence of an out- that he was hoping to see his un- more that number as parliamen- member of either house of parlia- kind but he cannot take the same it can attack both the BJP and when RBI Governor Raghuram right denunciation of Swamy by fi nished work through makes it tary secretaries. Kejriwal did this ment/legislature, if she/he holds course against India’s president. the AAP for good reason and can Rajan is pilloried by high-profi le the BJP leadership. If either Modi clear that he indeed had wanted to because he could not exceed the any “offi ce of profi t” under the Re-elections will have to be certainly do better than the total Subramanian Swamy, S Guru- or Jaitley had had any personal stay on. The blame for his leaving, 10% limit for ministership but had government of India or the gov- held in these 21 constituencies washout it suff ered in the 2015 murthy and a few others in the interaction with Rajan to assuage therefore, squarely falls on the to satisfy the ambitions of some of ernment of any state other than and it is there that Kejriwal should elections. BJP eventually leading to Rajan his feelings, it is not in the public government. the more prominent members of an offi ce declared by parliament now be focusing. But here again The BJP could get the ECI to declaring he is not interested in domain. It is even safe to assume Modi has been fi nding it diffi - his party who couldn’t make it to by law not to disqualify its holder. Kejriwal is at the mercy of the BJP declare elections, if it eventually continuing beyond September that no such interface took place cult to even reshuffl e his cabinet his cabinet. The founding fathers of the because the Election Commission happens, a little ahead of the Pun- 4 when his present three-year whereas Rajan could have been for want of talent within his par- That, however, was a hasty act. Constitution rightly felt that the declares poll dates in consultation jab dates. In that case anything tenure ends. waiting to hear some words of as- ty. The RBI governor has nothing And as the saying goes, if you act executive must be accountable with the federal home ministry, but a clean sweep of the 21 seats The popular principle is: if it surance from the government’s to do with the party, but Rajan’s in haste you can repent at leisure, to the legislature and appoint- meaning it will be up to the BJP to would put the AAP at a big dis- ain’t broke, don’t fi x it. Far from top brass. In the end he told his exit makes that overall talent which is what Kejriwal is doing ing legislators to offi ces of profi t decide what is the right time for advantage in Punjab. If the BJP or being broken, the RBI was doing colleagues he was packing his pool that much shallower. You now. would prove counter-productive these polls. the Congress does well in these 21 very well under Rajan’s steward- bags. don’t let go a talent like Rajan if The post of a parliamentary to this intent. With President It so happens that the tim- seats they can hope to prevent the ship. When he became governor, In an earlier column I had you genuinely have India’s in- secretary has been deemed an of- Pranab Mukherjee rejecting the ing of these elections will have a AAP from running away with it in the rupee was slithering down touched upon the possibility of terests at heart. Cry, the beloved fi ce of profi t and as per law that Delhi assembly notifi cation re- major impact on next year’s as- Punjab. Kejriwal’s is a clear and a slippery slope and India was Modi not being the master of all country! governs the federally administered garding the appointment of these sembly polls in Punjab where the present danger! Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 25 INDIA Don’t buy mica mined by child workers, offi cials tell traders

Reuters in India’s crumbling mica mines, “Many of these mines are il- he told the Thomson Reuters 5.7mn child workers in India aged three-decade-old law to outlaw Few have systems to check the Mumbai extracting the sparkly mineral legal and they hire child workers Foundation. fi ve to 17, out of 168mn globally. child labour in all sectors. use of child labour, activists say. used in lipsticks and eye-shad- to keep costs down. But legal or Thousands of children climb Up to 20,000 children may But children who help in fam- Nobel laureate and child rights ow as well as electronics. not, no one should be engag- down narrow mine shafts with be working in the mica mines in ily businesses will be permitted activist Kailash Satyarthi has ffi cials appealed to trad- Offi cials from the National ing child workers - it is against no safety equipment, and cut Jharkhand and Bihar, according to work outside school hours, a said big corporations must do ers yesterday to stop Commission for Protection of the law,” said Yashwant Jain, a mica with hammers and chisels to some estimates. loophole that activists say may more to clean up their supply Obuying mica mined by Child Rights (NCPCR) visited member of NCPCR, who visited for up to eight hours a day, activ- The current law bans children be exploited by unscrupulous chains and ensure that no child child workers, as the govern- the eastern state of Jharkhand Jharkhand. ists say. under 14 from working in only employers. The mica from il- labour is involved in the prod- ment comes under pressure from this month to assess the extent “We met with some traders The work puts children at risk 18 hazardous occupations and legal mines is sold to traders or ucts they manufacture. activists to clamp down on child of child labour in its mica mines. and told them not to buy mica of skin disease, respiratory in- 65 processes including mining, intermediaries, who sell it to Jain said it would not be fair labour. The state, along with Bihar from child workers. We told fections, injury and death. gem cutting and cement manu- exporters, who in turn sell it to to target the children’s families, Thousands of children risk produces about three-quarters them we would take strict action The International Labour Or- facture. manufacturers of cosmetics, who are usually poor and illiter- their lives working for a pittance of the mica mined in India. against anyone caught doing so,” ganisation estimates there are India wants to amend the chemicals and electronics. ate. Hindu migrants from Pakistan live on hope

IANS on odd jobs. Our children don’t New Delhi get educated. There seems to be no hope for us and our children,” Advani said. n a settlement of 30 rickety Unemployment has had its huts near Majnu ka Tilla in effect on other aspects too. Inorth Delhi, Hindu refu- The living condition of these gees from Pakistan are waiting hapless migrants is pathetic. for a change. And that change They live in huts made of bam- is possible when they receive boo that are not good enough the Aadhaar cards as has been to protect them from the ele- promised by the central govern- ments of nature. They don’t ment. have access to clean water, ex- Ran Singh is one among the cept a water tank built by the 400 refugees and has been hop- civic body. ing that once the Aadhaar cards But with Prime Minister are issued to them, the displaced Narendra Modi’s government families can apply for jobs and announcing that the Hindu mi- have access to education and grants would be issued Aadhaar other facilities like any other In- card, PAN card, ration card and dian citizen. other documents, the residents “My 14-year-old son works as of this refugee settlement are Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes part in a yoga demonstration at the Capitol Complex in Chandigarh yesterday. a helper. He earns about Rs100 a hopeful. day. I don’t have money to fund “At least the government is his education or help him in set- now thinking about us. I hope ting up a small business,” Ran that once we get the docu- said. ments, our problems will be He says life was “dreadful” in gradually solved,” said Sona Pakistan where they faced dis- Das who had migrated from Pa- crimination. So they left every- kistan in 2013. thing behind to migrate to India “Our lives would be saved if Yoga is not a religious “in search of safety and digni- we are allowed to work here, ty.” However, after the family our children have access to ed- reached Delhi in 2011, life hasn’t ucation and the local authori- been easy as they had imagined. ties stop being hostile,” Sona It’s “not a paradise” they had added. hoped for. Similar confi dence is ech- Without the work permit, oed by other migrants who also activity, says Modi bank account and ration card, believe that their plight may Ran and his family - like other come to an end if they are allot- Millions stretch and bend on gathered at the Indian embassy Yoga, the prime minister tweeted photos of sailors on 35,000 people in New Delhi to migrants from Pakistan - have ted some land along the Yamuna International Day of Yoga in Kabul. said, could give “health as- mats atop an aircraft carrier in mark the fi rst world yoga day, been leading a tough life in Del- river. Yoga-loving Modi, dressed in surance at zero budget” and it Mumbai. setting two world records - one hi. “We are farmers and we know Agencies a white tracksuit, led more than should be made a part of eve- Modi, who credits yoga for his for the largest yoga class at a None of these migrants has how to make the best use of fer- New Delhi 30,000 people in Chandigarh ryone’s daily life for peace and ability to work long hours on lit- single site and another for the any stable income. Many eke tile land. We left it all in Paki- where they performed poses and harmony. tle sleep, has been spearheading greatest number of nationalities out a living by selling vegetables stan. But this is our home now conducted breathing exercises at He also called for a focus on an initiative to reclaim the prac- attending. and other goods. However, they and we would turn this land into rime Minister Narendra the outdoor Capitol Complex. mitigating diabetes through tice as a historic part of Indian Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and alleged that the local adminis- gold. Just give us that chance,” Modi described yoga as “Do not wait, make yoga a yoga. culture after his Bharatiya Jana- spiritual gurus Sri Sri Ravis- tration has been hostile. “The Dayal said. Pa “people’s mass move- part of your life,” Modi urged in The number of adults with ta Party came to power in 2014. hankar and Sadhguru Jaggi Vas- pushcarts we take out to sell veg- It is this hope for a chance that ment” as he took to the mat a brief speech to mark the event, diabetes has quadrupled world- In his home state of Gu- udev all supported the yoga ini- etables are often confi scated,” has enthused the youngsters as yesterday along with millions of an idea he successfully asked wide in less than four decades jarat, more than 1,700 pregnant tiative, with several events. said Dayal Das, a migrant. “The well. Like Bharat Kumar, a teen- others in India and overseas to the United Nations to adopt. to 422mn, and the condition is women performed the camel, Indian scholars believe yoga police and the MCD (Municipal ager, who wants to join the In- celebrate the ancient practice. “This is a day linked with fast becoming a major problem cobra and other poses in hopes dates back 5,000 years, based Corporation of Delhi) offi cials dian Army. Across India, schoolchildren, good health and now it has be- in poorer countries, a World of setting a new world record, on archaeological evidence of say that we do not have the per- “I want to join the army and sailors, soldiers and bureaucrats come a people’s mass move- Health Organisation study an local offi cial said. poses found inscribed on stones mit to carry out any trade,” he serve India. This land is my bent and twisted their bod- ment,” the 65-year-old premier showed in April. “The previous record was and references to yogic teach- added. land and I will do everything ies from early morning at mass said. Modi took a short break to 930 pregnant women perform- ings in the ancient Hindu scrip- Mahadev Advani, an elderly to defend it,” he said. “All I outdoor sessions to mark the “Yoga is not a religious activ- inspect the poses of his fellow ing yoga simultaneously in Chi- tures of the Vedas. migrant from Pakistan, shared a need is a chance to educate second International Yoga Day. ity. Many people do not under- yogis, who included students na in 2009... we have submitted Since taking offi ce, the pre- similar experience. myself.” Sessions were also held stand yoga completely. It is not and soldiers, before returning to all documents to the offi cials mier has set up a ministry dedi- “Wherever we go to look for So despite harsh realities, around the world including at what you will get from yoga, but his spot. of Guinness World Records cated to promoting yoga and a job or to seek admission in the migrants are waiting for an the Sydney Opera House where what is important is what you His ministers were also dis- who were here to evaluate traditional Indian treatments, schools for our children, they opportunity to contribute to colourful mats were spread out- will give to yoga and what all patched to cities around India the record,” district collector and started free lessons for his ask for documents which we a growth story. Aadhaar card side the Australian landmark, (ailments) will it rid you off ,” he to stretch and bend alongside Vikrant Pandey said. government’s 3mn bureaucrats don’t have. So we have to rely would be the beginning. while Afghans and foreigners said. schoolchildren, while the navy Modi last year led some and their families.

Modi wants to scare me Rajnath persuades through FIR, says Kejriwal MP to end protest IANS defeat. I am going to end my IANS You will fi nd me struggling over has admitted to a direct political New Delhi hunger strike,” Girri said New Delhi the issues of the farmers and confrontation with him. in the presence of Rajnath Dalits,” the Aam Aadmi Party “Modi ji, you do your work Singh. leader said. and I will do mine. You will see haratiya Janata Party MP Earlier in the day, Girri per- elhi Chief Minister “Six months back, they (Modi me raising my voice if you try to Maheish Girri, who was formed yoga to mark the sec- Arvind Kejriwal yester- government) conducted a CBI save Sonia Gandhi in the Agus- Bon hunger strike outside ond International Yoga Day Dday slammed Prime Min- (Central Bureau of Investigation) taWestland helicopter scam. I Delhi Chief Minister Arvind here. ister Narendra Modi a day after raid at my offi ce but got noth- will also raise voice if your BJP Kejriwal’s residence, yesterday “On IDY2016 today, partici- police fi led a case against him ing. Now, they have lodged an leaders try to save the killers of ended his protest on the advice pated in a Yoga Session with all and his predecessor Sheila Diks- FIR against me. The fact is that I an honest NDMC (New Delhi of federal Home Minister Ra- karyakartas, here at the venue hit in the water tankers scam. am the only one who stands like Municipal Council) offi cer M M jnath Singh. of my Anshan,” he tweeted. He said Modi wanted to scare a rock against Modi. He cannot Khan,” Kejriwal said. Singh went to the Civil Lines Federal Minister Harsh him through such actions. tolerate this,” the chief minister He said he will raise voice if where Girri was staging the Vardhan, BJP’s Delhi unit “Modi ji has intimidated eve- said. Modi tried to save Bharatiya hunger strike and persuad- president Satish Upadhyay ryone else through false com- Taking a dig at the Congress Janata Party’s Chief Minis- ed him “not to put his life at and several other leaders plaints and probes. He wants to top brass, Kejriwal said he was ters Shivraj Singh Chauhan and stake.” joined the hunger strike led scare me as well. So, he got the not Congress president Sonia Vasundhara Raje in the Vyapam Girri was on an indefinite by Girri. FIR (fi rst information report) Gandhi or its vice-president Ra- scam and Lalit Modi scam re- hunger strike since Sunday Khan was shot dead in Ja- registered against me,” Kejriwal hul Gandhi “who can be scared” spectively. after Kejriwal charged that mia Nagar here on May 16, a said at a press conference. by the prime minister. The Delhi Anti-Corruption the MP was involved in the day before he was expected to He, however, did not take any “Modi ji, I am not a Rahul Branch registered the case on murder of a New Delhi Mu- pass an order on the terms of questions from the media. Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi that Monday against Kejriwal and nicipal Council official M M the lease of The Connaught, a Kejriwal said the FIR was reg- you can scare me. I am not a Dikshit, a former Congress chief Khan. four-star hotel. istered on Modi’s orders and that Robert Vadra, with whom you minister. The home minister off ered Kejriwal had reiterated his he was not afraid of any probe by can stage-manage or strike any ACB chief M K Meena said Girri a glass of juice, which demand for the arrest of Girri a central agency. unscrupulous deal. The Modi the FIR against Kejriwal was he drank to break his two-day and urged Delhi police to probe “Respected Narendra Damo- government doesn’t fi le cases registered on the complaint of fast. the relationship between Girri dardas Modi, get as many FIRs against Rahul Gandhi or Sonia BJP legislator Vijender Gupta “I challenged Kejriwal for and hotelier Ramesh Kakkar, registered against me (as you Gandhi or Vadra but targets me,” “for causing delay and not can- a debate over his accusation. who ran The Connaught and is can), I will keep raising my voice. Kejriwal said. celling the contract for water Home Minister Rajnath Singh offers a glass of juice to BJP MP It has been three days but he the main accused in the mur- I won’t bend, break or back off . The chief minister said Modi tankers.” Maheish Girri yesterday. didn’t turn up. So, it’s their der of Khan. Gulf Times 26 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 LATIN AMERICA

PEOPLE CORPORATE DECISION LAW AND ORDER PEOPLE Oi files for bankruptcy Brazil agrees to $15bn Mexico police under probe Drug boss Guzman ready protection from creditors in state debt relief over deadly protest for US extradition: lawyer

Oi SA filed for Brazil’s largest ever bankruptcy Brazil has off ered its state governments 50bn reais Mexican authorities are investigating whether Mexican drug boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is protection after the country’s No. 1 fixed-line phone ($15bn) of emergency debt relief over the next police were responsible for any deaths in weekend prepared to agree to extradition to the US given carrier ran out of time to reorganise operations and three years in an eff ort to shore up public services violence that killed 10 people. The investigation the right conditions, one of his attorneys said in a restructure 65.4 bn reais ($19.3bn) of debt amid and extended an emergency loan to Rio de Janeiro came as thousands of people led by the radical radio interview. If Guzman can reach an acceptable a harsh recession. The petition for bankruptcy before the Olympics amid the worst recession CNTE teachers union marched in the capital of the deal with US authorities, he will waive legal protection from Oi, Brazil’s fourth-biggest mobile since the 1930s. Finance Minister Henrique southern state of Oaxaca to denounce Sunday’s measures to fight the foreign ministry’s decision to provider, and six subsidiaries came after talks with Meirelles announced after a meeting among state deaths as a “massacre.” The unrest followed send him to face prosecution by Mexico’s northern creditors ground to a halt earlier this month ahead governors and interim President Michel Temer months of protests by teachers who reject neighbour, Jose Refugio Rodriguez told Radio of a July debt payment. Oi’s bankruptcy filing — that states would receive a six-month grace period President Enrique Pena Nieto’s landmark reform, Formula. A defence attorney in the US will handle the equivalent of Chapter 11 in the US — comes on debt to the federal government, followed by a which requires educators to undergo performance further negotiations, Rodriguez said, pointing Lilian Tintori, wife of Venezuelan jailed after a record number of Brazilian companies year and a half of reduced payments. The federal evaluations. Eight people died in Asuncion to previous arrangements with US authorities opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, and filed for court protection from creditors in 2015 as government also agreed to extend a 3bn-real Nochixtlan, where police said they were ambushed that led to reduced prison sentences for other opposition deputy Luis Florido outside the Latin America’s largest economy plunged into a ($850mn) loan to the state of Rio de Janeiro, a by an unidentified armed group after off icers drug smugglers. Mexican authorities last week National Assembly in Caracas yesterday. recession not seen in eight decades. source with knowledge of the situation said. removed barricades set up by teachers. approved Guzman’s extradition. Brazil credit Gunman shot dead at bank crunch hits commodity exports

Reuters The squeeze coincides with Sao Paulo a recovery in global commodity prices. Sugar prices are at the highest razil’s worst credit crunch in nearly three years; soybeans in two decades is forcing are at a two-year high; and cof- Bthe nation’s debt-laden fee and corn prices are near their grain producers, sugar mills and highest in almost a year. coff ee farmers to curb invest- Brazil is No 2 corn exporter ment, making one of the world’s and the top exporter for the oth- top farm exporters miss out on er three commodities. a recovery in global commodity All four commodities have re- prices. cently suff ered major losses due Banks, hit by a wave of defaults to bad weather or market condi- and bankruptcies triggered by tions, depleting producers’ cap- the country’s harshest reces- ital or loading them with more sion in eight decades, tightened debts, exacerbating the contrac- credit bringing lending growth tion in credit. to a 17-year low in April. On Thursday, Marcos Lutz, Agricultural producers, which chief executive of Brazil’s largest borrowed heavily in the past years sugar producer Cosan SA, said Police off icers and security personnel stand outside Venezuela’s Central Bank building in Caracas. An armed man opened fire inside Venezuela’s central bank wounding to fund rapid expansion, were cane crushing would be smaller two people. He was later shot dead by security off icials. among those hit the hardest. than expected in the current “We’ve not seen credit con- 2016 season. tract like this in recent history,” Despite the biggest global said Alexandre Figliolino, who sugar defi cit in decades, Lutz ex- advises agricultural fi rms on pected no investment in capacity structured credit and capital in the short or medium term be- markets for consultancy fi rm MB cause of the funding constraints Associados. “We may lose two for many mills. years of farm expansion.” Macquarie Bank, Itau Uni- Several bankers said they ex- banco Holding SA and Rabobank pected credit to remain tight for NA are among banks refi nancing Rousseff ‘was warned at least another year, extending a or even renegotiating maturing sharp slowdown in farm produc- credit to farmers before off ering tion. them new working capital and Area planted to grains, includ- investment loans. ing soybeans and corn, grew only Banco Pine SA, ABN Amro 0.3 % this year, compared with Group NV, Credit Agricole SA growth of 3% in 2015 and 5% in and others have followed suit. of illegal donations’ 2014, an analysis of agriculture Odebrecht Agroindustrial SA, ministry data showed. privately-held grain producer Reuters cht will acknowledge having Folha did not say how it ob- The strongest signal Odebre- gain deals to reduce jail time can Soybean and corn production Grupo Bom Jesus SA and farming Brasilia warned Rousseff on May 26, tained that information. cht was seeking to collaborate take place after sentencing in fell this year for the fi rst time company JPupin are among the 2015 in Mexico that prosecutors Rousseff confi rmed in a state- came on June 2, when federal certain cases. since 2011 and 2013, respectively. large producers that are restruc- were about to discover illegal ment to the press that she met judge Sergio Moro suspended As a consequence of the Although exports for both turing debt or entering creditor arcelo Odebrecht, the transfers to Rousseff ’s re-elec- with Odebrecht in May 2015 in one of several lawsuits against Petrobras-focused corrup- crops were up strongly over the protection, after amassing more former chief execu- tion strategist, Joao Santana. Mexico but said she never dis- Odebrecht executives for 30 tion probe, known in Brazil as past year due to the strong dol- than 15bn reais ($4.4 bn) in com- Mtive of Latin America’s Odebrecht was arrested 24 cussed campaign donations days. “Operation Car Wash,” many lar, analysts expect corn exports bined liabilities. largest construction company, days later as police deepened with him. Marcelo Odebrecht, the scion of Odebrecht’s 15 subsidiaries to retreat until June 2017 due to With the benchmark borrow- will admit in plea bargain tes- an investigation on a massive A spokeswoman at Odebre- of the family that controls the are refi nancing up to 35bn reais local shortages facing livestock ing rate at 14.25%, near a decade timony that he personally over- kickback scheme at state-run cht’s corporate offi ces declined company, formally known as ($10.4bn) in loans and stepping producers. high, and tougher lending terms, saw illegal campaign donations oil company Petrobras. to comment on the newspaper Odebrecht SA, was sentenced up asset sales. Coff ee exports have also de- producers are relying more on for suspended President Dilma Folha said that under the report. to 19 years in prison after be- Rousseff was suspended last clined in recent months com- barter, said a recent report by Rousseff in 2010 and 2014, terms of the plea agreement In Brazil, plea bargain tes- ing convicted of corruption and month to face a Senate trial over pared to record 2015 levels, as Imea, a research institute based newspaper Folha de S. Paulo Odebrecht will testify that timony to prosecutors is con- money laundering in the Petro- allegedly breaking budget laws. producers rebuild depleted in Mato Grosso, Brazil’s biggest said yesterday. Rousseff did not pay attention fi dential until approved by a bras case. She has repeatedly denied stocks after two years of drought. grain state. The newspaper said Odebre- to his warning. judge. Under Brazilian law, plea bar- any wrongdoing. Santos predicts deal Official visit 130,000 Haitians face deportation with Farc by July 20 AFP between the two countries that Port-au-Prince share the island of Hispaniola. For many Haitians, the treat- Reuters come under fi re over the past to fi nance it – war is more ex- ment amounts to racism against Bogota week for comments about the pensive,” Santos said on public ore than 130,000 peo- black people by Dominicans, referendum he has promised television. Uribe told journal- ple of Haitian origin most of whom are lighter will take place to approve a ists the tax comments were “an Mliving in the Dominican skinned and of mixed heritage. olombia will have com- deal. act of intimidation” aimed at Republic risk deportation be- More than 250,000 people pleted negotiations with The country’s right-wing scaring Colombians into voting cause it is nearly impossible for — mostly those born to Haitian Cleftist Farc rebels by opposition, led by former pres- for a peace deal in the eventual them to renew their temporary parents — became stateless un- July 20, President Juan Manuel ident Alvaro Uribe, now a sena- referendum. residency permits, a migrant aid der the court ruling. A Dominican Santos said, in what would be a tor, has called for the public to Santos said last week the Farc group offi cial said. programme allowed more than key step in eff orts to end more vote against the peace deal, was prepared to return to the From June 2015 to May 2016, 130,000 people of Haitian origin than fi ve decades of war in the which he says will grant rebels battlefi eld, especially in urban 106,000 Haitians were deported to obtain a residency permit, but it Andean country. impunity for human rights vio- areas, if peace negotiations fall or left the Dominican Republic, is only valid for a year. Those who The government has been in lations. apart, which opposition fi gures according to the latest statistics aren’t able to renew their permits talks in Cuba with the Revolu- criticised as fear-mongering. from Amnesty International. by July 18 face deportation. tionary Armed Forces of Co- “I think that by July 20 Santos has said a tax reform The Intentional Organisation “The Dominican authorities lombia, or Farc, since late 2012. we will have been able bill, considered vital as plung- for Migration found that 1,516 did not want to solve this prob- The two sides have reached ac- to close negotiations in ing oil revenues have battered unaccompanied minors were lem once and for all,” said Lis- cords on more than half a doz- Havana and from there a national income, will be ap- expelled from the Dominican saint Antoine of the Jesuit Refu- en topics but have yet to come new era for the country proved by congress before the Republic during that time, in gee and Migrant Organisation. to agreement on a bilateral will come” end of the year. The president violation of an agreement with “The majority of these 130,000 ceasefi re or implementation of also has said a peace deal could Haiti in 1999. A 2013 Dominican people don’t have the fi nancial a deal. Santos was criticised by fuel economic growth of 2%. Republic court ruling said people means or the documents that “I think that by July 20 we opposition fi gures earlier on He reiterated a call for the born there to parents without le- would allow them to renew their will have been able to close ne- Monday for suggesting Colom- country’s highest court to ap- gal residency would no longer be permits.” Migrant rights groups gotiations in Havana and from bia will have to raise taxes to prove the public vote. considered Dominican. have denounced the specifi cs of there a new era for the country fund the war if a peace deal falls “Hopefully the Constitu- Most are of Haitian origin. the residency programme. will come,” Santos said after a through. tional Court will approve the Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez (left) is The Dominican Republic be- “To qualify, people were asked Cabinet meeting. “It’s been said we’ll raise plebiscite soon and from there received by his Costa Rican counterpart Luis Guillermo Solis gan enforcing the policy last to present proof of employment, Negotiators missed a self- taxes to pay for peace, but it’s we will have another very im- upon his arrival on off icial visit at the presidential house in summer. Some of those deported but the residency permit doesn’t imposed deadline for signing a the opposite, if the war con- portant challenge,” the presi- San Jose yesterday. had never lived in Haiti. give them the right to work,” An- deal in March, and Santos has tinues we’ll have to raise taxes dent said. The decision has hurt ties toine said. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 27 PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN

DIPLOMACY Pakistan president to attend SCO Pakistan ‘successfully lobbying’ against India’s NSG bid summit in Tashkent

IANS Islamabad’s entry to the 48-na- Aziz rejected the accusa- that our (Pakistan’s) relations concrete achievements which the last three years the budget President Mamnoon Hussain will Islamabad tion bloc. tions and said that Indian Prime with Muslim countries have de- will help increase connectivity has only increased by 14%.” lead Pakistan’s delegation to the India and Pakistan have both Minister Narender Modi’s re- teriorated after Modi paid visit to with the region. He pointed out However, National Assem- meeting of the Head of States applied for the NSG membership cent visits to Muslim countries two such countries,” he said. that with the SCO membership, bly members were unmoved by Council of the Shanghai Co- artaj Aziz, Pakistan’s top and both countries are lobbying – Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar He highlighted Pakistan’s Pakistan’s political role in the re- Aziz’s long speech, and many operation Organisation (SCO) in foreign aff airs adviser, yes- with member nations to seek and Iran – haven’t led to “deteri- “historic and religious” relations gion will be enhanced. slammed him. Tashkent on June 23-24. Sterday said that Islamabad support for their bids. Pakistan’s oration” in Islamabad’s relation with Muslim countries, saying Aziz reaffi rmed that Pakistan “At this age Sartaj Aziz should According to Pakistan’s Foreign was “making successful eff orts” all-weather friend China has with those countries. that ties with Iran are “mov- has not been isolated in the re- pray on a prayer mat,” opposition Off ice, the president will also hold against New Delhi’s Nuclear been consistently opposing In- The adviser strongly denied ing in the right direction”, and gion, but “after 9-11 Muslim lawmaker Jamshed Dasti said, important bilateral meetings on Suppliers Group (NSG) mem- dia’s bid for NSG membership. that Modi’s visits to the Islamic that after the lifting of sanctions countries suff ered hostilities” taking a jibe at Aziz, who is 87. the sidelines of the SCO Summit. bership bid, ahead of the bloc’s Aziz was briefi ng the National countries were an example of against Tehran, Pakistan-Iran and that Islamabad’s “successful Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf SCO is an important organisation important plenary in Seoul this Assembly to counter opposition the “failure of Pakistan’s foreign relations are getting strength- foreign policies helped in secur- leader Shireen Mazari too la- founded in Shanghai in 2001 with week. criticism that Pakistan lacks a policy” and added that Islama- ened. ing Pakistan”. mented the absence of a foreign China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyr- Aziz’s remarks come days af- foreign minister and was losing bad is “working upon its policy He said the China-Pakistan The foreign aff airs adviser said minister in the country. “As a gyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan ter India’s External Aff airs Min- out in infl uencing friendly coun- of non-interference” in the af- Economic Corridor (CPEC), that compared to other countries result, there is no direction to as member-states. The SCO Heads ister Sushma Swaraj said that tries in the face of India’s grow- fairs of other states. CASA-1000, TAPI and Iran- in the region, Pakistan’s foreign the country’s foreign policy,” she of States Council is the highest New Delhi was “not opposed” to ing diplomatic outreach. “The impression was given Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project are ministry budget is very low. “In said. decision-making body of the Organisation. Pakistan was invited to start the process of becoming full SCO member at the Heads of State Pakistan marks Yoga Day Council meeting held in Ufa, Rus- sia, in July 2015. Pakistan is expected to sign the “Memorandum of Obligations” at the Tashkent summit, which will Taliban kidnap be major step towards becoming a full member of the SCO.

PUNISHMENT US national Afghan bus deported from Rawalpindi

An American travelling without a valid Pakistani visa was deported on her arrival at Rawalpindi’s Bena- zir Bhutto International Airport. passengers An off icial of the Federal Investi- gation Agency (FIA) told Dawn AFP precise fi gure, but added the ernment offi cials aboard the ve- that during verification of Etihad Kandahar, Afghanistan passengers were travelling on a hicles. Airways flight EY-231 passengers, bus and two trucks from south- “They have been taken based the immigration staff found the ern Kandahar to western Herat on the intelligence. documents of Krystle Nicole aliban yesterday kid- province. Those who are innocent will Keehn were invalid. napped around two dozen “Our latest report shows they be released and those who are The FIA said the woman was Tpeople after pulling them have been taken to Marja district working with the puppet Kabul deported to her port of origin on off buses in southern Afghani- of Helmand. We have started our administration will be brought the same flight. stan, offi cials said, the latest search and rescue operation,” he to justice in Islamic Emirate’s In a similar development, 10 Paki- in series of abductions on the said. court,” a spokesman for the in- Pakistani people take part in a yoga session to mark International Yoga Day in Lahore yesterday. stanis deported by Turkey were country’s increasingly danger- Marja district is the Taliban surgents said on Twitter. arrested on their arrival at the air- ous highways. hotbed and a battleground be- Highways around Afghanistan port and sent to the Anti-Human The pre-dawn incident in tween the Taliban and Afghan passing through insurgency- Traff icking Cell. Washer district of Helmand forces in volatile Helmand prov- prone areas have become ex- province comes a day after mili- ince. ceedingly dangerous, with the REAL ESTATE tants killed more than 20 peo- Witness Agha Jan told AFP Taliban and other armed groups ple, including 14 Nepali secu- the militants, who were wear- frequently kidnapping or killing Dubai property firm rity guards, in a wave of violence ing army uniforms, initially de- travellers. Kidnappers snatch son to invest $500mn across the country. tained 37 people. Earlier this month, gunmen “They abducted around 25 “They released women and abducted 40 people in north- in Pakistan people, all men,” the Helmand children later, but kept the men,” ern Kunduz province, releas- governor’s spokesman Omar he said. ing some later, but an unknown A leading property development Zwak said. The Taliban insurgents said number of others remain in Tali- of top provincial judge in Middle East has expressed its He was unable to give a more they were targeting Afghan gov- ban captivity. interest in investing more than $500mn to provide aff ordable Reuters Dino Khawaja, the police chief in Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, housing units in Pakistan, a state- Karachi Sindh province said. an umbrella group of militant ment said yesterday. Security offi cials, speaking organisations seeking the over- A delegation of Tameer LLC is cur- on condition of anonymity be- throw of the government, since rently visiting Pakistan to explore People satisfi ed with PM Sharif’s asked men kidnapped cause they were not authorised 2007. the business opportunities in low- the son of a senior Paki- to speak to the media, said they Violence countrywide has cost housing sector of the country. Mstani judge in the south- suspected the kidnappers would dropped signifi cantly since 2014, The delegation expressed interest performance: Gallup survey ern port city of Karachi, police said off er to free Shah in return for when the military launched an in $500mn worth of investment yesterday, suspecting the victim the release of captured militants. operation in the tribal areas in the housing sector, especially could be used as a bargaining chip Kidnapping by criminal gangs along the border with Afghani- low-cost housing units, in the next Internews A total of 54% of the people Panama leaks investigation to in negotiations to free imprisoned and militants is common in Pa- stan, but attacks against civil- two years. Islamabad surveyed also expressed their begin with the Prime Minister Islamist militants. kistan. ians and security forces con- “We see this as an opportunity,” satisfaction over the perform- Nawaz Sharif, around 50% of the Awais Ali Shah, the son of Police did not say why they tinue. the statement quoted Salah al- ance of the prime minister. respondents rejected the idea Sindh High Court Chief Justice suspected Shah had been ab- Earlier this year, Shahbaz Talal, General Manager Business ajority of the people The survey was carried out and said that the investigation Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted ducted by militants. Taseer, the son of slain Punjab Development at Tameer as saying. surveyed by the Gal- among a sample of 1,707 men should be held simultaneously outside a supermarket in the city Karachi, a teeming metrop- governor Salmaan Taseer, was “There is a big gap between the Mlup Pakistan have ex- and women in the rural and ur- for all the people mentioned in on Monday, according to police. olis of more than 20 million rescued four years after he was supply and demand of housing in pressed their satisfaction over ban areas of all the four provinc- the Panama Papers. Eyewitnesses told offi cers that people, has long been plagued kidnapped by militants in the the Pakistan market. Our goal is the performance of Prime Min- es of the country, during May 30 Responding to this, 68% of Shah, a lawyer, had put up a fi ght by political, ethnic and reli- eastern city of Lahore. to close this gap by providing af- ister Nawaz Sharif. to June 6, 2016. the people agreed that it was before being quickly overpow- gious violence, although crime Last month, US and Afghan fordable housing to people in the About 68% people were asked The error margin is estimated dishonesty of Imran Khan to ask ered and thrown into a white has dropped sharply since the forces freed Ali Haider Gilani, lower to middle income groups in to respond to questions regard- to be approximately 2-3% at 95% for PM Nawaz Sharif’s resigna- getaway car. launch of a paramilitary opera- the son of former Pakistani the market.” ing investigation into Panama confi dence level. tion, while 29% believed that it “So far it is kidnapping, and tion in September 2013. prime minister Yusuf Raza Gi- The housing sector in Pakistan is Papers, saw duplicity in the op- Responding to a query related was not the case and his demand my professional assessment is Pakistan has been fi ghting an lani, three years after gunmen facing severe shortage of more position’s demands. to the opposition’s demand over was legitimate. that it is not for ransom,” Allah Islamist insurgency led by the abducted him. than 7mnn houses. Uber’s upstart rival in Pakistan uses rickshaws, SMS

Reuters Rixi founder Adnan Khawaja that here. (And) the major form tracking, reliant as it is on im- Lahore says his company works with of transport is not cars.” precise cellphone tower trian- more than 1,000 rickshaw driv- Adam Ghaznavi, a technol- gulation and Google Maps, has ers in Lahore, where many peo- ogy entrepreneur who has stud- thrown up some major kinks. s taxi hailing giant Uber ple rely on small, noisy three- ied the rickshaw market, thinks Several customers com- enters Pakistan, a little- wheelers that are well suited Pakistan will not necessarily be plained that Rixi’s service was Aknown local competitor to beating traffi c in the eastern a large market for taxi ride hail- unable to deliver on its prom- is counting on a mix of new ideas city’s crowded streets. ing apps like Uber, but it could be ised 15-minute service delivery and old technology to tap what Rixi works by bypassing poor very lucrative for an equivalent time. could be a big chunk of the mar- smartphone penetration in the app for rickshaws. “Even in the most densely ket: low-income residents who low-income rickshaw market by “If somebody can fi gure that populated cities in the country, travel in rickshaws, not cabs. polling drivers’ locations using out, the potential is huge,” he the accuracy is no more than a Known as Rixi, the Lahore- cellphone towers and matching said. few hundred metres, which is based service hails rickshaws passengers’ messaged locations So far, Rixi says it has reg- not good enough for a driver instead of cars. to points on Google Maps. istered about 100,000 rides looking for a passenger,” said Its platform is not smart- “If you look at Uber’s opera- since it launched in late 2013, Danielle Sharaf, a technology phones, but older SMS phone tional model, they will be de- and is averaging about 100 entrepreneur whose company messaging that allows nearby pending on the smartphones,” rides a day. provides value-added services drivers to bid for any user’s busi- said Khawaja. “In countries like That’s just a fraction of the for cellphones. ness. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, roughly 200,000 trips that rick- Rixi says it has an error rate Pakistan has more than 130mn that population is growing, but shaws in Lahore take every day, of only three percent, and says cellphone subscriptions, but it’s still smaller compared to the according to the Awami Rick- mismatches are because of its only 21% subscribe to data pack- vast market.” shaw Union. reliance on external services ages, and, while the proportion Uber declined to comment on “Rickshaw drivers do not such as Google Maps. is rising, there are opportunities Rixi’s business model, and said know anything about these (on- Ghaznavi said a major hurdle across emerging economies in that while it had tested SMS- line apps),” said Majeed Ghauri, to adoption in the Pakistani mar- Asia to tap a relatively low-tech based services, there were no head of the union, which rep- ket is the lack of literacy, both customer base. immediate plans to deploy such resents the drivers of 60,000 of traditional and digital, among In Thailand, Taxi Radio uses a service in Pakistan. Lahore’s roughly 80,000 regis- rickshaw drivers and passengers, calls and text messages to put “We continue to explore tered rickshaws. “They simply compared to those using taxi cabs and people in touch and products that would stimulate want their daily wages.” ride hailing apps. is popular with those with- demand and better service the Rixi rickshaw driver Saeed Akhtar sits in his rickshaw in Lahore. Ghauri said market dynamics “The rise of the middle class is out smartphone apps, and city, whether that is a motor- and consumer behaviour in the the key to resolving the rickshaw HeyKuya!, an SMS-based serv- bike, whether that is a rickshaw, To entrepreneurs like Shehmir over Pakistan’s digital divide and waves because of the readily low-income market were mark- situation. ice provider in the Philippines, whether that is a chopper,” said Shaikh, who recently launched its large, low-income transport available technology that people edly diff erent from those in the Right now, the middle class is was recently acquired by Indo- Zohair Yousafi , Uber’s head of errand start-up Scooty Bhejo in market. are using, like iPhones in their taxi ride sharing arena. not travelling on a rickshaw, the nesia’s YesBoss. expansion in Pakistan. Lahore, Uber is missing a trick “Abroad, Uber has made hands,” he said.”We don’t have Moreover, Rixi’s location- lower middle class is,” he said. Gulf Times 28 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 PHILIPPINES Duterte adds traffi c jams to hit list

Reuters Manila/Davao

he Philippines’ tough- talking president-elect Thas vowed to wipe out crime — and now he plans to tame the grinding traffi c grid- lock of Manila through the im- position of emergency powers. Nicknamed “the Punisher” for his crime-busting crusade as mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte may have his work cut out to defeat the traffi c chaos of the Southeast Asian nation’s capital. A survey by the GPS-based navigation app Waze last year found that Manila had the worst traffi c on Earth, with Rio de Ja- President-elect Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a conference with neiro, Sao Paulo and Jakarta not businessmen in Davao city, southern Philippines yesterday. Motorists drive through a heavy traff ic flow near a passing metro train along the main highway Edsa in Makati, Metro Manila yesterday. far behind. “The image of the Philippines They would also be able to tion and drug abuse, impressing 2014 was called off after seven quit having not been paid.The Ja- economist of the World Bank for can’t feel the air conditioning has been damaged because of the bypass bureaucracy to spend voters with his unapologetic months because it led to a pile- pan International Co-operation the Philippines, said that growth because it’s jam-packed and your traffi c,” said Arthur Tugade, who directly on upgrading highways vows to have off enders killed. up of containers at Manila’s main Agency estimated in 2013-14 that could be as high as 8 % if 15-30 % back hurts from sitting for so will become transport minister and on property for new roads. Brash and openly scathing of port, which handles more than Manila’s street snarl-ups cost of people’s productive time was long. when Duterte takes offi ce next He gave few other details of the political establishment, he 80% of the country’s foreign the country 2.4bn pesos ($52mn) not lost in traffi c jams as it is today. “Duterte is not god who can week.”If this is not a crisis, what the plan, which he said was be- has been likened to US presiden- trade. a day in lost productivity and in- Judith Sanano, an accountant miraculously fi x this mess. It is a crisis?” ing prepared by legal experts for tial candidate Donald Trump. The plan also includes un- come, and that this would more who commutes 13km to the cen- will take time before traffi c is re- He told a gathering of business presentation to Congress, but There have been many at- specifi ed measures to try to rec- than double by 2030 if nothing tre of Manila, says she leaves her solved.” leaders in Davao that under the assured his audience it would tempts and proposals over the tify chronic delays in fl ights in is done. offi ce at 6pm and arrives home Tugade, incoming transport emergency decree authorities not be applied “whimsically or years to tackle Manila’s traffi c and out of Manila’s overrun air- The Philippines’ economy three hours later exhausted. minister, acknowledged the up- will be able to open gated resi- capriciously”. misery but most have come to port, which has only one run- is one of Asia’s most buoy- “You do not get tired from hill task his department faced, dential neighbourhoods to si- Duterte won last month’s nought. way and a terminal that was only ant, notching up average annual work but you are tired from the telling business executives in phon vehicles away from clogged presidential election on a plat- A daytime ban on trucks ply- partially completed because the growth of 6 % so far this decade. commute,” she said.”Even when Davao: “Give us your prayers be- main roads. form of crushing crime, corrup- ing the roads of the capital in fi rm carrying out its renovation Karl Kendrick Chua, senior you are seated in the bus, you cause we don’t want to fail.” Earthquake drill Govt and rebels to cease hostilities to aid peace talks

Reuters ceasefire,” Silvestre Bello, the mode and timeframe of the Davao incoming labour minister and truce, but we can easily agree a peace negotiator, told re- to a simultaneous ceasefire.” porters in the southern region Bello said he expected the he Philippines and com- of Davao, days after returning truce to be in place before Du- munist guerrillas are from informal talks with ex- terte attends a joint session of Tplanning to each declare iled rebel leaders in Oslo. Congress for his first State of ceasefi res before formal peace Both sides agreed to resume the Nation address on July 25. talks resume next month in talks in Norway after the in- The two sides had agreed to Norway, the fi rst in 30 years, coming government of Ro- a ceasefire in 1986 but it end- government and rebels nego- drigo Duterte offered to free ed two months later when po- tiators said yesterday. about 20 jailed rebel negotia- lice opened fire at protesting The Philippines has been tors and some ailing political farmers near the presidential talking on and off since 1986 prisoners. palace, killing 13 people. with the National Democratic Hopes are high that Du- Bello said a third party, a Front, the political arm of the terte’s cordial relations with foreign country, may be asked Communist Party of the Phil- the rebels could bolster any to monitor the ceasefire im- ippines, to end nearly 50 years peace deal. plementation. of conflict that has killed “It is possible we will have a He said the government ex- more than 40,000 people. separate but co-ordinated and pected peace talks to run for The process stalled four simultaneous ceasefire with nine to 12 months and reach years ago, when Manila de- the government,” Luis Jalan- agreement on key economic, clined to free political prison- doni, a rebel negotiator, told social, political and electoral Students use their hands to cover their heads during an earthquake drill at the Baclaran Elementary School Unit-1 in Paranaque city, ers. Reuters by telephone from his reforms, including land re- Metro Manila yesterday. “After we resume talks for- base in Utrecht, Netherlands. form and nationalisation of mally, we declare a unilateral “We will still discuss the some industries. Former mayors face Many senators express opposition to corruption charges emergency powers for new president By Reina Leanne C Tolentino contrary to the prevailing mar- Manila Times ket price that time at only P125 per bottle based on the 2004 By Jeff erson Antiporda ment in addressing traffi c con- to solve the country’s problems help.It will merely create addi- Duterte should not get high on audit report of the Commission Manila Times gestion. worrisome. tional traffi c areas.They should the scent of emergency powers by he Offi ce of the Om- on Audit (COA).In addition, “We should not rely on mere While she is willing to support fi rst implement a complete ‘no scrapping biddings. budsman has found suf- the ombudsman alleged that band-aid solution. measures that will ease traffi c parking’ in the entire Metro Ma- “That’s an overkill. One Tfi cient grounds to fi le the fertilisers delivered were of ome senators are not too We have to know why they congestion through the expan- nila. The villages are fi lled with doesn’t need emergency pow- graft charges against the former inferior quality based on labo- enthusiastic about a pro- need emergency powers and sion of mass transit systems and parked cars also, so what’s the ers to handle traffi c problems in mayors of Buenavista town in ratory tests. Sposal to grant incom- what they plan to do with the reduction of vehicular vol- point?” Sotto said. Metro Manila. Agusan del Norte and Libertad in Meanwhile, the ombuds- ing President Rodrigo Duterte (them),” Gatchalian told report- ume on major thoroughfares, Sen.Grace Poe expressed sup- Just fast-track the projects Misamis Oriental in connection man also found grounds to file emergency powers to solve the ers in his fi rst news conference she believes that it will be better port to the proposal but she cited already in the pipeline under or with the anomalous procure- charges against former Liber- traffi c crisis in Metro Manila after winning in the May 9 sen- if these are achieved without the the need for the next government being built by the Aquino ad- ment of fertilisers on separate tad Mayor Alberto Acain and because they believe that it only atorial race. use of emergency powers. to explain the terms of the emer- ministration,” Ifugao Rep.Teddy occasions in 2004. several others for the alleged takes political will to address Although he said is not to- “We cannot always do that gency powers the Duterte admin- Baguilat said. Charged before the Sandi- highly irregular procurement the problem. tally against granting emergency without eventually emasculating istration may have in mind. “Emergency powers cannot ganbayan’s Second Division was of fertilisers in 2004. Senate Majority Leader Vice- powers to Duterte, he maintained the legislative branch. “Congress will have to review be trifl ed with.(They) should be Percianita Racho, former mayor To be indicted with him were nte Sotto on Tuesday said there that he would rather see the gov- That is why emergency powers the terms and set the necessary sought with caution, lest (they of Buenavista town, for the al- Lucia Almene, Oscar Benlot, is a need for Congress to know ernment address the worsening are only reserved for emergency parameters or safeguards. become) addictive,” Baguilat leged anomalous disbursement Isidro Gervacio, Elizabeth Pa- what powers are involved in the traffi c situation in Metro Manila situations. It is in the great interest of the added. of P3 mn for the purchase of galan and Sergio Jacalan Jr, all proposal, noting that the word without additional powers. Congress cannot always be public that we join hands across Even Duterte’s allies in the 17th overpriced fertilisers. former members of the bids “emergency” has many conno- Another incoming senator, Joel expected to give up its powers at political affi liations to lick this Congress, Representatives Luz Also named respondent, in a and awards committee; as well tations. Villanueva, said other options the slightest justifi cation for the traffi c woes once and for all,” said Ilagan of Gabriela and Sherwin case fi led by Asst. as the former representatives “Right now, simple political should be considered like asking need of emergency powers,” she Poe, who will head the Senate Tugna of Citizens Battle Against Special Prosecutor II Harry of Green’s International Enter- will can resolve most problems local and national leaders to help pointed out Incoming Transpor- public services committee. Corruption, also expressed res- Caldino was Lucio Lapidez, list- prises (GIE)—Ricardo Mendoza in traffi c,” Sotto said in a text fi nd solutions to vehicle conges- tation Secretary Arthur Tugade Sen.Aquilino Pimentel, the ervations. ed as then-representative of Fe- Jr and Ma Lourdes Mendoza. message. tion in Metro Manila. earlier said the Duterte adminis- next Senate president, supports Ilagan noted that drastic so- shan Philippines Inc, that sup- The ombudsman said that the Senator-elect Sherwin Villanueva added that the gov- tration will ask Congress to grant the proposal to give Duterte lutions should not compromise plied the fertilisers. case was based on the Commis- Gatchalian agreed, noting that ernment can convene a working the incoming leader emergency emergency powers. good governance. “Thinking out Caldino alleged that Racho, sion on Audit’s (COA) fi ndings emergency powers give the ex- group to look into the proposed powers to solve Metro Manila’s Outgoing Senate President of the box, taking radical steps in conspiracy with Lapidez, that Acain and the others re- ecutive department very broad extension of powers and what traffi c mess. Franklin Drilon is also open to the might be necessary. awarded the deal to his com- sorted to direct contracting in- powers, including those involv- can be done through concerted A solutions eyed by the next idea but, like most senators, he But doing away with the pany for the purchase of 2,000 stead of calling for a public bid- ing biddings and contracting eff orts of diff erent leaders at the administration is possibly open- also would like to see the specifi c bidding(s) should be studied bottles of Bio-Nature Organic ding in the procurement of the and it is for these reasons that national and local levels. Incom- ing some residential subdivisions powers to be granted. carefully. Liquid Fertiliser at P1,500 per two batches of fertilisers worth there is a need to fi nd out fi rst ing Senator Leila de Lima viewed to traffi c. At the House of Representa- It might open the gates of cor- bottle without public bidding, P4.99mn. the strategy of the next govern- the use of emergency powers “Opening up villages will not tives, lawmakers warned that ruption,” she pointed out. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 29 SRI LANKA/BANGLADESH/NEPAL Bangladesh Judge in the dock over baby elephant offi cials to meet NY Fed over $81mn

Reuters Both said the talks follow a gations and said its messaging Dhaka meeting in Basel in Switzerland platform was not breached in in May where the heads of the the Bangladesh hack. Bangladesh central bank, the Unknown hackers breached angladesh central bank New York Fed and representa- the computer systems of Bang- offi cials will hold a meet- tives from SWIFT agreed to ladesh Bank in early February Bing with the New York help Bangladesh Bank get back and attempted to steal $951mn Federal Reserve next month its money. from its account at the Fed- to try and speed up eff orts to One offi cial involved in the eral Reserve Bank of New York, recover $81mn stolen by hack- preparations for the meeting which it uses for international ers from its account at the Fed, said yesterday they would also settlements. offi cials in Dhaka said. be discussing future arrange- Some attempted transfers Suspended Sri Lankan judge Thilina Gamage, right, walking out of the High Court in Colombo yesterday, after being granted bail over charges More than four months af- ments on the central bank’s were blocked, but $81mn was of owning a baby elephant without holding a licence. Elephants are considered national treasures in Sri Lanka and it is illegal to own one of the ter the hackers broke into deposits held in New York. transferred to accounts in the animals without a licence from wildlife authorities, who have stopped giving permits to capture the animals from the wild. the computer systems of “Its a follow-up meeting for Philippines belonging to casino Bangladesh Bank and trans- recovery of funds. But there operators. ferred money into bank ac- are other things as well. Fed Bangladesh also formally counts in Philippines using is holding our account. We sought assistance from the US the SWIFT payment network, are their customers, there are Federal Bureau of Investigation there is no breakthrough yet in things we need to discuss,” the to track down the cyber crooks. investigations. offi cial said, speaking on con- Bangladesh has appointed Nepal to fl y home bodies of 12 killed in Kabul Most of the money has dition of anonymity, citing law fi rms to weigh its options disappeared into casinos in bank rules. vis-à-vis the NY Fed. the Philippines and remains The offi cial said he was not “We will wait till the rec- IANS press adviser Pramod Dahal told At least seven Nepali security Nepal does not have dip- missing. sure if SWIFT would be part ommendations of the govern- Kathmandu Xinhua news agency. guards working with the Cana- lomatic mission in Kabul and While the criminal investi- of the meeting. SWIFT had ment-formed investigation Deputy Prime Minister Kamal dian embassy were also injured its Islamabad-based envoy gation has made slow progress, no immediate comment to committee,” Finance Minis- Thapa, who is also in charge of in the terror attack. is concurrently accredited to Bangladesh Bank has focused make. ter Muhith said, referring to he Nepalese government foreign aff airs, said the govern- At least 14 guards - 12 Nepa- Afghanistan. on getting back the money, Bangladesh police investi- a three-member committee has decided to dispatch ment has made preparations to lis and two Indians - were killed Bharat Raj Paudyal, a spokes- leaning on the New York Fed gators have said that SWIFT headed by Mohammad Farash Tan aircraft to Afghanistan send an aircraft to Kabul to bring and nine persons were injured man at the Nepalese ministry and the Philippines central technicians introduced secu- Uddin, a former central bank to bring home the remains of 12 home the injured and the cas- after a suicide bomber struck a of foreign aff airs, said all the 12 bank for help. rity loopholes when connect- governor. Nepali nationals killed in the Ka- kets of the Nepalis killed in the minibus in the Afghan capital of Nepalis killed in the bombing Bangladesh Bank deputy ing the messaging network to “We will act as per its rec- bul suicide bombing on Monday. attack. Kabul on Monday. have been identifi ed. governor Mohammad Razee Bangladesh’s fi rst real-time ommendations.” A meeting of Prime Minister The Nepali nationals were Meanwhile, acting Nepali am- Initially, the Afghan interior Hassan, who heads its fi nancial gross settlement (RTGS) Last month Muhith said K P Sharma Oli and the cabinet working as security guards with bassador in Islamabad Tirtha ministry stated that the 14 killed intelligence unit, will meet Fed system late last year. Dhaka might resort to suing the ministers yesterday morning the Kabul-based Canadian em- Raj Aryal has reached Kabul to in the attack were Nepalis. How- offi cials in New York on July SWIFT, a co-operative Fed to recover the money: “The decided to send a Nepal Air- bassy, and were hired out by Sa- initiate the process to send home ever, during verifi cation it was 15, two offi cials at the bank in owned by 3,000 fi nancial insti- Fed must take responsibility,” lines aircraft to Kabul to bring bre International, a British the mortal remains of the Nepali revealed that two were Indian Dhaka said. tutions, has rejected those alle- he said. the mortal remains home, Oli’s security consultancy fi rm. nationals. nationals. Gurkhas to guards: Nepalis doing risky jobs abroad

By Ammu Kannampilly, AFP The Gurkhas’ World War I “Thanks to the Gurkhas’ more reliable and their physical Kathmandu exploits also secured the Hima- fame... people think Nepalis are similarity allows them to blend in layan kingdom’s sovereignty via loyal, honest, hardworking men better than other foreigners. a 1923 treaty between Nepal and who can survive anywhere and “Young Nepali males don’t re- he deaths of 14 Nepali Britain. cope with tough conditions,” ally have many options at home guards in Afghanistan Famed for their ferocity and G4S’s Shrestha said. and so they seek dangerous Thave highlighted the skilful use of razor-sharp curved The hillside towns the Gurkhas jobs overseas... because of their Himalayan nation’s role as kukri knives, the Gurkhas have come from are islands of relative desperation,” journalist Kunda supplier of security forces to fought in every British confl ict prosperity in Nepal thanks to Dixit said. the world, an industry fuelled for the last two centuries. salaries and pensions which are Nepali migrant workers play by poverty and built on the More than 45,000 have died in substantially higher than local a critical role in propping up the centuries-old reputation of its action. wages. country’s economy: their remit- Gurkha troops for courage and They have also enlisted in Thousands of young men tances make up about 30% of loyalty. the Singapore police force and apply to join the British Gur- gross domestic product. While the number of Gurkha the Indian army, whose former khas each year, but only Authorities say some soldiers Britain recruits annu- chief of staff Filed Marshal Sam around 230 make the fi nal cut. 3,300 Nepalis currently ally in the impoverished nation Manekshaw is reported to have Their tests include a 4.6km work in Afghanistan as se- has fallen in recent years, global said: “If a man says he is not (2.9-mile) race up a steep curity guards but accurate demand for Nepalis as private afraid of dying, he is either lying hill while carrying a basket fi gures for the total number security guards remains high. or is a Gurkha”. packed with rocks. employed across the world “Everyone wants a Gurkha Today, private security fi rms The British army now em- are hard to come by. to protect their assets - from a seek to trade on that reputation ploys around 2,500 Gurkhas, Despite the dangers, com- billionaire in Hong Kong to pri- when they advertise their re- down from an all-time high mentators say the deaths this vate fi rms in Kabul,” said Ma- cruitment of Nepalis - including of 112,000 during World War week will do little to stop other hesh Shrestha, Nepal country The British army employs around 2,500 Gurkhas, such as these soldiers “on parade” at The Royal Military non-Gurkhas - to prospective II, and many have taken jobs Nepalis from venturing into war manager for British security Academy in Sandhurst, southern England. clients. as security guards in confl ict zones in desperate pursuit of giant G4S. As a result, Nepalis enjoy a zones like Afghanistan, where work, as the country struggles to “Gurkhas have always been tive jobs for retired Gurkhas as Nepalis were fi rst recruited British struck a deal to hire their virtual monopoly in the private 14 Nepalis working for the Ca- recover from last year’s massive a big craze as far as the mar- well as former Nepal army and overseas by the British East India former foes as soldiers, using security sector in countries like nadian embassy were killed in a earthquake. ket for security (personnel) is police staff willing to risk their Company after the Anglo-Nepali Gurkha troops to crush riots in Malaysia, where companies are bomb attack this week. “It won’t change anything... concerned,” Shrestha said. lives in confl ict zones around the war that ended in 1816. 19th-century India and fi ght for only allowed to hire them or lo- They are more expensive than the economic benefi ts are too The industry provides lucra- world. Impressed by their bravery, the Britain in World Wars I and II. cals as guards. Afghan security, but are seen as important to give up,” said Dixit. Indian donors save Bangladeshi worker with rare blood group

By Mizan Rahman Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka blood group is that it does After discovering his blood Dhaka on Monday. not express the H antigen. group, a frantic online and of- According to him, Kamruzza- As a result, it cannot form A fl ine search led Kamruzzaman’s man is the fi rst person in Bang- antigens or B antigens on red colleague to Vinay Shetty of he rarest blood called ladesh with the Bombay blood blood cells. Thus people with the Mumbai-based NGO Think Bombay blood group, group. this group can donate blood Foundation. Tdonated by four Indians On May 21, Kamruzzaman, to anybody with ABO group- Alam reached Mumbai to has saved a Bangladeshi from a factory worker, was injured ing but can receive blood only collect the blood donated by certain death. in a traffi c accident. A hand from the Bombay blood group Swapna Sawant, Krishnanand Had it not been detected and a leg of the worker were people, according to medical Kori, Mehul Bhelekar and Pravin that Mohammed Kamruz- broken badly and his pelvis experts. Shinde. zaman had the rare Bombay was displaced. Alam said Bangabandhu In India, where a robust blood blood group in the fi rst place, Kamruzzaman’s colleague Sheikh Mujib Medical University distribution network exists, less it would have been very diffi - Tuhinur Alam, who had been at- later discovered that Kamruzza- than 400 people are known to cult to save him. tending on him from the begin- man had the rare Bombay blood have the Bombay blood group, a “Perhaps many patients ning, knocked the doors of sev- group. few of whom were donors. had died earlier for the im- eral large hospitals in the capital “His haemoglobin level Kamruzzaman, who is the proper diagnosis of blood but none could fi nd out why they dropped very low,” Alam said, fi fth among six brothers, hails group,” said Dr O F G Kibria could not match his blood with adding that they could not trans- from Noakhali district. “How after conducting a surgery another’s. fuse blood as no-one’s blood was would I ever repay my debt to on Kamruzzaman at the The peculiarity of Bombay a match to his. them,” he said. Kamruzzaman recovering at the Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka. > Gulf Times 30 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 COMMENT

Chairman: Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Production Editor: C P Ravindran Why the Brexit result will

P.O.Box 2888 Doha, Qatar echo around the world [email protected] Telephone 44350478 (news), Tomorrow’s referendum “Remain” by similar margins of 60% so-called experts were wrong in the dominant two-party systems. 44466404 (sport), 44466636 (home delivery) will be the fi rst big test of to 40% and higher. past, and they are wrong now. Statistical theory even allows us to Fax 44350474 In Britain, the United States and This kind of frontal attack on quantify how expectations about the whether it is the experts and Germany, the populist rebellions are political elites has been surprisingly US presidential election should shift if markets, or the opinion polls, not only fuelled by similar perceived successful in Britain, judging by the Brexit wins in Britain. grievances and nationalist sentiments, latest Brexit polling. Suppose, for the sake of simplicity, that have been closer to the but also are occurring in similar But only after the votes are counted that we start by giving equal truth about the strength of economic conditions. will we know whether opinions credibility to opinion polls showing All three countries have returned expressed to pollsters predicted actual Brexit and Trump with almost 50% GULF TIMES the populist upsurge to more or less full employment, with voting behaviour. support and expert opinions, which unemployment rates of around 5%. This is the second reason why the gave them only a 25% chance. By Anatole Kaletsky But many of the jobs created pay low Brexit result will echo around the Now suppose that Brexit wins. London wages, and immigrants have recently world. A statistical formula called Bayes’ displaced bankers as scapegoats for all The referendum will be the first theorem then shows that belief in Britain should vote social ills. big test of whether it is the experts opinion polls would increase from he febrile behaviour of The degree of mistrust of business and markets, or the opinion polls, 50% to 67%, while the credibility of fi nancial markets ahead leaders, mainstream politicians and that have been closer to the truth expert opinion would fall from 50% to of the United Kingdom’s expert economists is evident in the about the strength of the populist 33%. This leads to the third, and most to ‘Remain’ in Treferendum tomorrow on extent to which voters are ignoring upsurge. worrying, implication of the British whether to remain in the European their warnings not to endanger the For now, political pundits and vote. Union shows that the outcome will gradual restoration of prosperity by fi nancial markets on both sides If Brexit wins in a country as stable infl uence economic and political upending the status quo. of the Atlantic assume, perhaps and politically phlegmatic as Britain, the European Union conditions around the world far more complacently, that what angry voters fi nancial markets and businesses profoundly than Britain’s roughly A Brexit vote could tell pollsters does not refl ect how they around the world will be shaken 2.4% share of global GDP might will actually vote. out of their complacency about On Friday morning London time, the result of the suggest. be the catalyst for Analysts and investors have populist insurgencies in the rest of referendum to decide whether Britain should quit the There are three reasons for this consistently assigned low odds to Europe and the US. These heightened outsize impact. another global crisis insurgent victories: in late May, market concerns will, in turn, change European Union will be out after months of the “to be First, the “Brexit” referendum betting markets and computerised economic reality. or not to be” debate by both the “Remain” and “Leave” is part of a global phenomenon: In Britain, after three months of models put the probabilities of As in 2008, fi nancial markets will camps. On the eve of the Brexit vote, let there be no populist revolts against established debate about Brexit, only 37% of Trump’s election and of Brexit at only amplify economic anxiety, breeding mistake about it: Britain should vote to Remain. political parties, predominantly by voters agree that Britain would be around 25%, despite the fact that more anti-establishment anger and older, poorer, or less-educated voters worse off economically if it left the EU opinion polls showed almost 50% fuelling still-higher expectations of Here is the bigger picture: For all its fl aws, the angry enough to tear down existing – down from 38% a year ago. support for both. political revolt. EU has brought peace, prosperity and democratic institutions and defy “establishment” In other words, all the voluminous If Brexit wins tomorrow, the low The threat of such contagion means governments across a continent riven for centuries by politicians and economic experts. reports – by the International odds accorded by experts and fi nancial a Brexit vote could be the catalyst for Indeed, the demographic profi le of Monetary Fund, the OECD, markets to successful populist another global crisis. war. Most recently, after the collapse of Communism potential Brexit voters is strikingly the World Bank and the British revolts in America and Europe will This time, however, the workers who and the ensuing chaos of erstwhile Soviet Union’s similar to that of American supporters government and the Bank of immediately look suspect, while lose their jobs, the pensioners who lose disintegration, the EU extended the perceived benefi ts of Donald Trump and French England – unanimously warning of the higher probabilities suggested their savings and the homeowners who adherents of the National Front. significant losses from Brexit have by opinion polls will gain greater are trapped in negative equity will not be of liberal capitalism across much of the former Soviet Opinion polls indicate that British been disregarded. credibility. This is not because US able to blame “the bankers”. Those who empire. voters back the “Leave” campaign by Rather than trying to rebut the voters will be infl uenced by Britain; of vote for populist upheavals will have As threats to Europe’s safety and well-being a wide margin, 65% to 35%, if they experts’ warnings with detailed course they will not be. no one but themselves to blame when did not complete high school,are analyses, Boris Johnson, the leader of But, in addition to all the economic, their revolutions go wrong. - Project continue to arise, a Brexit could jeopardise the union. over 60, or have “D, E” blue-collar the Leave campaign, has responded demographic, and social similarities, Syndicate An EU without Britain would be fragile; but a Britain occupations. with bluster and rhetoric identical to opinion polling in the US and Britain without EU would be even weaker. By contrast, university graduates, Trump’s anti-politics: “Who is remotely now face very similar challenges and zAnatole Kaletsky is chief economist If one loses sight of this bigger picture (both camps voters under 40, and members of the apprehensive about leaving? Oh believe uncertainties, owing to the breakdown and co-chairman of Gavekal “A, B” professional classes plan to vote me, it will be fi ne.” In other words, the of traditional political allegiances and Dragonomics. have), here are the more populist and immediate concerns: The economic fallout of the Brexit, control over immigration, and a “superpower” union that makes laws and rules binding on its members. There has been no dearth of authoritative studies and dire warnings to unquestionably problematise how a Brexit would put the UK economy at risk. Britain depends heavily on the EU for trade and investment. It would have to negotiate As threats to new trade terms with Europe’s safety European nations and with its non-EU and well-being partners, too. This continue to would be a complex business, taking years. arise, a Brexit US billionaire Wilbur could jeopardise Ross said a British vote to leave the EU would the union be the “most expensive divorce proceeding Campaigners from the “Vote Remain” group hand out stickers, flyers and posters in Oxford Circus, central London yesterday. With two days to go until Britain goes to in the history of the world” with the potential to roil the polls in a Brexit referendum, the result remains too close to call. global markets. It could spark a 10% slump in house prices and “wipe out” about half the net worth of the average older British citizen and sink the value of sterling, Ross said. Billionaire George Soros has British referendum in context predicted a plunge in the sterling if Britain votes itself out. By Michael Spence the formal unemployment rate leaving them feeling powerless. as it was in Scotland’s independence Stakes are high for sovereign and private investors Milan has fallen, large-scale failures in But while all countries must deal referendum in 2014. terms of inclusiveness have fuelled with the challenges of globalisation Some Britons (perhaps even a from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE, who disenchantment at growth patterns and technological change, important majority), and many other EU citizens, have been prolifi c buyers of British assets in the do not believe that foreigners and policies that seem to benefi t those elements of governance in the EU still want future generations to think past decade. The Qatar Investment Authority has at contribute usefully by issuing at the top disproportionately. are beyond the reach of democratic of themselves as Europeans (albeit least $7bn directly invested in equities traded on the strong opinions about how a Given the magnitude of recent institutions, at least those that people with a proud British, German, or country’s citizens, or those of a economic shocks, developed understand and relate to. Spanish origin), and are prepared London stock Exchange, in which it also holds a 10.3% I larger unit like the European Union, countries’ citizens might be less This is not to say that local to take another shot at reforming stake, according to Thomson Reuters data. Qatar’s should decide when faced with an unhappy were there evidence of a governance is problem-free. It isn’t. Europe’s governance structures. total investments in Britain are worth around £30bn important political choice. concerted eff ort – based on genuine Corruption, special interests, and And they are right to think that the Our insights, based on international burden sharing – to address these sheer incompetence are common world would be a far better place with ($44bn), according to a Financial Times report. experience, may sometimes be issues. In the context of Europe, that problems. But democratic governance a united, democratic Europe as a major A Brexit could also mean a blow to the UK’s helpful; but there should never be any would mean a multinational eff ort. is in principle fi xable, and institutional force for both stability and change. ambitious plans to establish London as a global hub confusion about the asymmetry of But, for the most part, eff ective defences and countermeasures do exist. That is my hope, though it may roles. responses have been missing. The situation in the eurozone border on wishful thinking. for Islamic fi nance, according to an exclusive Gulf This is particularly true of the is particularly unstable, owing to Regardless of the outcome of the Times report published today. In 2014, the UK became British referendum on whether to Just one day citizens’ growing alienation from a Brexit referendum (like many outsiders, the fi rst country in the EU to issue some sovereign remain in the EU. distant, technocratic elite; the absence I hope Britain votes to stay and Just one day before the vote, the before the vote, the of conventional economic adjustment advocates for reform from within), the sukuk and listed them on the LSE. outcome is too close to call, and there mechanisms; and tight limits on fi scal British vote, along with similar strong Brexit concerns are now seeping into virtually every appear to be enough undecided voters outcome is too close transfers, which send powerful signals centrifugal political trends elsewhere, corner of the global fi nancial world. And here is the to tip it either way. about the real boundaries of cohesion. should bring about a major rethink of undeniable reality: Britain needs Europe; Europe But, with political and social Central banks have been left Brexit is a part of this larger drama. European governance structures and fragmentation extending well beyond largely alone with objectives that It is primarily about governance, not institutional arrangements. needs Britain. And the world needs the both to live Europe, outsiders may be able to add exceed the capacity of their tools economics. The goal should be to restore a sense together. some perspective on what is really at and instruments, while elements of From a strictly economic point of of control and responsibility to the Britain should vote to “Remain.” issue. the elite wait for a chance to blame view, the risks for both Britain and the electorates. First, it will come as no surprise monetary policymakers for weak rest of the EU are almost entirely on That would be a good outcome in that, in terms of the distribution economic performance. the downside. the long run. of income, wealth and the costs In the face of non-monetary But if that was all there was to the It would require inspired leadership To Advertise and benefi ts of forced structural policy responses that are somewhere issue, the outcome would be a foregone from all corners of Europe – including change, growth patterns in most between defi cient and non-existent conclusion in favour of staying. government, business, organised [email protected] of the developed world have been relative to the magnitude of the The real issue – eff ective and labour and civil society as well as a Display problematic for the past 20 years. challenges we face, the natural inclusive self-governance – is not renewed commitment to integrity, Telephone 44466621 Fax 44418811 We know that globalisation and response in a democracy is to an easy one to tackle anywhere, inclusiveness, responsibility and some aspects of digital technology replace the decision-makers and try because forces such as technological generosity. Classified have contributed to job and income something diff erent. disruption do not respect national That is a tall order; but it is not Telephone 44466609 Fax 44418811 polarisation, placing sustained After all, democracy is a system boundaries. an impossible one to fi ll.- Project pressure on the middle class in every for experimentation, as well for the In part, Britons are voting on Syndicate Subscription country. expression of citizens’ will. whether their capacity to navigate in [email protected] Second, Europe’s ongoing crisis Third, the EU is confronting, in more these turbulent waters is enhanced zMichael Spence, a Nobel laureate in has kept growth far too low and severe form, a problem facing much of or diminished by continued EU economics, is professor of economics unemployment unacceptably high. the developed world: powerful forces membership. at New York University’s Stern School 2016 Gulf Times. All rights reserved And Europe is not alone. operating beyond the control of elected But a more fundamental question of of Business and senior fellow at the In the United States, while offi cials are shaping citizens’ lives, political identity is also at stake – just Hoover Institution. Gulf Times Wednesday, June 22, 2016 31 COMMENT Similar situations but diff erent reactions

What a gorilla and an her other three children when Isaiah alligator can tell us about scampered off . Before police and prosecutors ourselves decided that no charges were warranted, an online petition seeking By Dahleen Glanton “Justice for Harambe” had received Chicago Tribune/TNS more than 100,000 signatures in less than 48 hours. Anger also was clearly aimed at ot far from the Magic Isaiah. Some people didn’t think the Kingdom, a child was toddler seemed frightened while in swept up by an alligator, the grasp of a 180-kilo dominant male Ndragged into a lagoon gorilla. and killed. The two-year-old had Some criticised him for being too wandered away from his parents, as curious, pointing out that he had toddlers often do. been overheard telling his mother that Before they knew it, the child he wanted to go swimming with the had made his way to the edge of the gorillas. water where a 1.5m to 2m gator lay Some just labelled him as a bad waiting. kid when, in fact, he was just being a A day after their son’s body was normal kid. found, the Nebraska couple who had Lane’s family, including his been on vacation at an upscale Walt four-year-old sister, were sitting Disney World resort thanked the in a beachlike area near the resort’s public for their prayers and asked to be pool when he went to the edge of the left alone to grieve. bank to play in the water, authorities For the most part, the public and said. His playpen was set up nearby. the media obliged. People correctly Bloggers took to social media asking understood that this was a horrifi c Lane Graves and Isaiah, right. for compassion for the parents. Some tragedy that no family should have to compared Lane to 18-month-old endure. boy fell into a gorilla habitat at the deeply. A person named Harambe was criminal justice system and other people sometimes is based on how “Baby Jessica” who was rescued after A toddler had innocently gotten Cincinnati Zoo. shot because his life was deemed less adverse situations at much younger comfortable we feel with them. falling into a well in 1987. too close to a man-made lake where Of course, there is an obvious valuable than a person named Isaiah. ages than white boys. In a Stanford University study, Another said it was reminiscent of alligators dwelled, placing his life diff erence in the two incidents. Lane Like racism, ‘speciesism’ (sic) is According to the Civil Rights researchers asked 190 teachers to the abduction of six-year-old Adam in grave danger. And in the end, the Graves died and Isaiah survived. Other fuelled by fear and ignorance.” Data Collection, a national survey review information about a student Walsh from a shopping mall in 1981. helpless child lay dead. than that, the circumstances basically I could not bring myself to respond. conducted by the US Department misbehaving in class. In one scenario, The Orange County sheriff said There was no chorus of brutal were the same. It should not be a surprise to of Education, schools begin kicking a student fell asleep in class. a routine investigation would be attacks on the parents for losing sight Why, then, was the public reaction anyone that poor, black boys from the African-American students out Some teachers were told the boy’s conducted but quickly added that of their child for a quick moment. so diff erent? inner city are the most vulnerable of of class at higher rates than white name was Jake, and for others, it was charges against the parents were There was no online petition calling I believe the answer has a lot to do America’s children. When we look students as early as preschool. Darnell, a common name for African- unlikely. for child endangerment charges with how we value lives. Some simply at an African-American boy from A recent survey found that black Americans. In many cases, Darnell “I believe what this two-year-old against the mother. are more expendable than others. Lane Cincinnati, we don’t always see the boys, though they made up 52% of received the harsher punishment. The was doing was what, perhaps, any There were no candlelight vigils for was from an affl uent, suburban family. same inherent innocence that we preschool enrolment, represented 79% result is a growing achievement gap two-year-old might be doing as well,” the fi ve alligators that were killed by Isaiah is not. Lane was white. Isaiah would notice in a white child from of preschoolers who were suspended between black and white boys. But it the sheriff said at a news conference. rescue workers during their frantic is African-American. Nebraska, though they are close to the once and 82% of preschoolers also lends itself to a lack of compassion The sheriff got it right about Lane search for the boy. And no one blamed After I wrote a column that said same age. suspended multiple times. One for African-American boys. and his parents, just as authorities in the child for simply doing what zoo offi cials were right in killing the Multiple studies have found that of biggest problems, according to Cincinnati Zoo offi cials had no Cincinnati got it right about Isaiah children do. Any of those reactions gorilla after it dragged the little boy black boys are more likely to be researchers, is perception. choice but to shoot and kill the and his. would have been insensitive, even through a moat, a reader sent me mistaken as older than they actually Whether we realise it or not, skin western lowland gorilla, yet it created What happened at the Disney resort inhumane. this e-mail: “Your column about not are. As a result, they experience tone and social class often play a an unnatural outpouring of rage. was horrible. And what could have Yet that is exactly what happened understanding those who are outraged higher suspension rates in school role in determining our comfort Most of it was levelled at the mother, happened at the Cincinnati Zoo would last month after a three-year-old at Harambe’s murder troubles me and are thus introduced to the level. And the way we respond to who had turned to attend to one of have been just as bad. Letters Weather report Three-day forecast

TODAY Charities must give no option but to throw these things satisfactory explanation from them. there are more than 8,000 pawn shops High: 40 C off. I have also been making frequent that are licensed to sell guns. Low : 34 C Hot daytime with slight dust and helpline numbers I request Qatar’s charities to calls to the company’s Doha offi ce, It is high time the US reviewed its relatively humid by night provide a helpline number so that they seeking answers. The staff there gun licensing policy. Dear Sir, could be called to collect them and always give me lame excuses and ask give them to the needy. People who me to wait for a few more days. Ramesh G Jethwani THURSDAY The holy month of Ramadan is the fi nd such good things in the bins can My fervent request to the (Address supplied) High: 39 C best time to do charity work. Giving call the helpline number, asking them authorities concerned is to take strict Low: 32 C away things we don’t need and which to collect them. action against those cargo companies Sunny might be useful to others is always a which don’t fulfi l their promises on good thing to do. In this context, the CV cargo delivery. Please send us Tayf programme of the Qatar Charity (Full name and e-mail address FRIDAY (QC) comes to one’s mind. It is a great supplied) JD your letters High: 40 C initiative indeed. (Full name and address supplied) Low: 32 C Tayf boxes are installed at various By e-mail Sunny locations for people to donate new/ Cargo firm gives used clothes and related items. lame excuses US must curb [email protected] I live in a residential complex in its gun culture Fax 44350474 Fishermen’s forecast Al Wakrah and I often find a lot of Or Post OFFSHORE DOHA useful items ending up in the bins Dear Sir, Wind: NW-NE 05-15/20 KT there. And I often feel that anyone Dear Sir, Letters to the Editor Waves: 1-3 Feet can set up an entire house full of Further to the letter “Poor service Gulf Times INSHORE DOHA things just by collecting from what is by cargo firm” (Gulf Times, June The recent massacre at a nightclub Wind: NW-NE 03-12 KT P O Box 2888 Waves: 1-2 Feet thrown away. 21) and the report “Cargo firms’ in Orlando in the US has horrifi ed the Doha, Qatar The other day I tried collecting service poor, customers complain” world. A gunman killed 49 people and Around the region some good materials that I found (Gulf Times, June 20), I would like to injured 53 others inside a nightclub on Weather Weather discarded as I felt they could be of use narrate my own experience with a June 12. All letters, which are today Max/min tomorrow Max/min to fi nancially-struggling parents with company. This is not the fi rst time the US is Abu Dhabi Sunny 44/31 Sunny 44/29 babies. I wanted to leave them in Tayf Its representatives picked up the witnessing such a mass shooting. subject to editing, should Baghdad Sunny 45/28 Sunny 46/28 boxes. But some of the things were too stuff I was planning to send from These incidents highlight the Dubai Sunny 42/32 Sunny 41/30 have the name of the Kuwait City Sunny big to fi t in my car. my residence in Doha in mid- urgent need for gun control in the US. Sunny 46/29 46/29 writer, address and phone Manama Sunny 37/29 Sunny 38/29 As many families are leaving Qatar December last year. Six months have There are more than 55,000 licensed Muscat Sunny 37/31 Sunny 36/30 these days for various reasons, a lot passed since then but it is still to be gun dealers in the US, according to a number. The writer’s Riyadh Sunny 43/28 Sunny 43/28 of usable items are being left behind delivered! report. That includes everything from name and address may be Tehran M Sunny 34/23 M Sunny 33/22 as they are too big for them to carry I have been in touch with the Doha small privately-owned gun shops and withheld by request. back home or are finding it hard to company’s agents in Mumbai for sporting goods stores to big chain sell them off. The clearing staff have information but there has been no stores that sell guns. Additionally, Live issues Messages from the beyond or just coincidence?

By Oliver Burkeman The rationalist in me knows this all Spooky! But less so when you All very unscientifi c, I know. New York comes down to the “law of truly large factor in the patients the therapist But the truth is that the biggest numbers”, which states that, given a didn’t dream about – not to mention personal decisions in life can’t be large enough sample, many seemingly all the other therapists with no such made in scientific fashion anyway; n 1944, a British soldier fi ghting unlikely things become downright anecdotes to relate. there are too many variables in Italy was knocked unconscious probable. Still, Beitman makes an intriguing involved. Around the world by shell fragments. That same case for approaching coincidences as Yet we often do seem to know, just Weather Weather day in Monmouthshire, he later if they weren’t just random, whatever below the surface of awareness, what’s today Max/min tomorrow Max/min I The truth is that the Sunny 34/26 recalled: “My wife was washing up your beliefs. best for us – and noticing how we Athens 36/26 Sunny after lunch. My daughter, aged two biggest personal Connecting With Coincidence respond to bizarre coincidences can Beirut Sunny 31/24 Sunny 31/25 and a half, to whom I was only a name, is full of people taking such provide clues to that subconscious Bangkok S T Storms 33/26 T Storms 32/26 Berlin Cloudy 26/14 Sunny 31/19 was playing with some bricks on the decisions in life can’t happenings as “signs”, telling them knowledge. Cairo Sunny 40/24 Sunny 40/24 kitchen fl oor. who to marry, whether to have kids One of Beitman’s patients, his Cape Town Sunny 19/09 P Cloudy 22/10 She suddenly got to her feet, went be made in scientifi c or get divorced – and it serves them marriage on the rocks, has a thrilling Colombo T Storms 29/26 S T Storms 29/26 over to my wife, said ‘Daddy’s been rather well. encounter with an old girlfriend in a Dhaka T Storms 32/27 T Storms 32/27 M Sunny Sunny 31/27 hurt,’ and went back to her bricks.” fashion One widow injures her fi nger while bar, which he seems to take as a sign he Hong Kong 31/27 Istanbul Sunny 30/21 Sunny 31/22 This eyebrow-raising tale appears gardening, forcing hospital staff to should recommit to his marriage. Jakarta S T Storms 32/24 S T Storms 33/24 in Connecting With Coincidence, a Even assuming the soldier’s cut away her wedding ring, which she Why not as a sign that he should Karachi P Cloudy 34/27 P Cloudy 33/27 new book by the psychiatrist Bernard memories were accurate, so many takes as a sign from her dead husband leave his wife? Both interpretations London S Showers 24/16 Showers 24/14 Beitman – along with so many others fought in the second world war that that it’s OK to date again. work, but only one had meaning for Manila T Storms 33/24 T Storms 31/24 Moscow P Cloudy 27/16 M Sunny 27/17 it becomes easier to keep one’s it’s almost inevitable a few would have A message from beyond the grave? him. New Delhi S T Storms 37/28 P Cloudy 39/30 eyebrows permanently raised. odd stories. Presumably not. It’s odd to ask whether such New York P Cloudy 30/19 T Storms 26/17 Beitman has one of his own: in 1973, Beitman tells of one therapist Did she subconsciously arrange the coincidental encounters “really Paris P Cloudy 29/21 S T Storms 31/19 he found himself inexplicably choking who dreamed of an ex-patient lying injury herself? Maybe. mean” anything, as if they’d need to Sao Paulo Showers 19/12 S Showers 18/09 P Cloudy P Cloudy 27/19 be choreographed by some cosmic Seoul 32/21 at his kitchen sink – only to learn, the immobile in a beach hut; later, he But I’m not sure it matters: Singapore S T Storms 33/27 P Cloudy 31/26 next day, that his father had choked learned that one week after that dream, either way, the incident smoothed a force. Sydney P Cloudy 18/08 P Cloudy 18/12 on his own blood and died at the same that patient had taken an overdose in a transition she’d been struggling to Who says that’s what “meaning” Tokyo Rain 26/21 Rain 28/22 moment. seaside hotel and nearly died. make. means? - Guardian News and Media Gulf Times 32 Wednesday, June 22, 2016 QATAR

International Day of Yoga celebration QU, Qatar Charity to collaborate on volunteerism, civic engagement

n agreement signed be- The agreement was signed by tween Qatar University QU president Dr Hassan Rashid A(QU) and Qatar Char- al-Derham and Qatar Charity ity will establish collaboration chief executive offi cer Yusuf bin in the fi eld of volunteerism and Ahmed al-Kuwari in the pres- civic engagement. ence of QU Associate VP for The terms of the agreement Student Aff airs Abdulla al-Yafei, include collaboration between and Qatar Charity Community both institutions to expand the Development Centre director Ali culture of volunteerism among Atiq al-Abdulla, as well as offi - youth, and to provide young cials from both institutions. people with a range of volun- Dr al-Derham said the initia- teering opportunities inside and tive will enhance QU students’ outside Qatar. sense of civic responsibility Also included are the estab- and spirit of volunteerism. lishment of a Civic Engagement The agreement highlights Offi ce at the Centre for Volun- QU’s commitment to develop- teerism and Community Service ing partnerships with private in QU Male Activity Building, to and government organisations supervise the volunteering ac- with the aim to drive social and The Indian embassy held a public event yesterday to celebrate the second International Day of Yoga at Al Gharafa Sports Club Indoor Hall. The event was organised with the tivities and campaigns of both economic growth in Qatar. support and co-operation of the government of Qatar, Indian Cultural Centre and other community organisations. Indian ambassador Sanijv Arora, several Qatari dignitaries institutions. Al-Kuwari observed that the and a large number of yoga enthusiasts took part in the event which included a short film on yoga and a demonstration by yoga experts. The First International Day of Yoga was The agreement also covers partnership will contribute to celebrated on June 21, 2015 and a special event was held in Qatar on the occasion. Qatar Post had issued commemorative stamps to mark the occasion. Government of India joint volunteering and commu- providing students with a wide in 2014 had called on the UN Member States to work towards adopting an International Day of Yoga. India’s resolution at the United Nations General Assembly to declare June 21 nity service activities, the es- range of volunteering opportu- as the International Day of Yoga was unanimously adopted on December 11, 2014, with a record co-sponsorship of 177 countries, including Qatar. PICTURE: Jayan Orma tablishment of a research com- nities both within the campus mittee for student training and and in the wider community, internship programmes, and which will help them devel- co-operation between both par- op their critical thinking and ties to provide fi nancial aid to problem-solving skills while fi ve international students who empowering them towards be- have satisfi ed the requirements coming the country’s future QTA’s grading system for admission at QU. leaders. ‘raises service standards’

By Joey Aguilar results will pave the way for a on the star scale or move up on needed improvements, or chose statement of Suleiman saying Staff Reporter more sustainable and diverse it, giving them an incentive to not to, will then be re-graded – that the hotels’ star-rating sys- hospitality sector in Qatar. enhance facilities and services,” this could involve them losing a tem is now based on sets of cri- QTA is now inspecting more QTA said. star,” it added. teria that evaluate their public he new hotel grading and than 80 hotel establishments According to QTA inspectors, In addition, hotels that need areas, guest rooms, guest bath- classifi cation system in- in Qatar, which have complet- some of the required improve- to make extensive structural rooms, quality of service, staff Ttroduced by Qatar Tour- ed the self-inspection stage ments are related to better- changes (involving work on development, food and bever- ism Authority (QTA) earlier this recently. It involves evaluat- ing measurement of water and more than 40% of their infra- age and room amenities. year has contributed to raising ing the services and amenities electricity usage to ensure sus- structure) will be given until “For the fi rst time in Qatar, the standards of hotel services provided by the hotels to their tainable practices, adding busi- December 31, 2020 to complete hotels will also be evaluated in the country, several hoteliers customers using several criteria ness centres and meeting facili- the changes before they are re- based on their environmental in Doha have said. listed in the Hotel Classifi cation ties, increasing the number of graded. sustainability management,” he “What sets the QTA system Manual. multilingual staff , and training Changing the star-rating of a added. apart is that it places the re- QTA is also working with staff on providing first aid. hotel does not aff ect its licence Derbas cited some of the sponsibility of classifying ho- hoteliers to verify the results “The inspections will be or ability to operate and receive system’s unique features such tels on developers, managers of self-inspections and set a making sure that hotels have ei- guests, QTA stressed, adding as a built-in ‘guest experience and operators equally,” Marsa timeline to make the needed ther made the changes required that “the main drive behind index’ which analyses ratings Malaz Kempinski general man- improvements in their services of them, or have put into place implementing the new classi- and reviews on 130 hotel review ager Wessam Suleiman said. or facilities. an agreed schedule for the rec- fi cation system is to elevate the websites such as TripAdvisor While the changes requested “This gives hotels a holistic tifi cation of any defi cits in facil- standards of quality.” and Booking.com for incor- to maintain the hotel rating view of the changes needed so ities and services,” QTA noted. St Regis Hotel general man- poration into the hotel’s fi nal Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham and Yusuf bin Ahmed al-Kuwari exchange will take time, he believes the they can maintain their place “Hotels that do not make the ager Tareq Derbas echoed the grading report. the agreement. CMC seeks study on dedicated lanes for driving school trainees

By Ayman Adly schedule, which will ensure lead to a variety of problems, ing space on both sides and en- Staff Reporter that training is avoided in peak including potential accidents, a try and exit points for public traffic hours, it was suggested threat to children playing near transport (buses, for example) at yesterday’s biweekly session their houses or damage to ve- with adequate and safe crossing he Traffi c Department of the CMC. hicles parked alongside such points for pedestrians. should study the possi- Further, the council recom- roads, it observed. In addition, Ashghal should Tbility of providing spe- mended that the Traffic De- In view of this, the council take into consideration the need cial lanes where driving school partment, in co-ordination felt it would be better to have to link these with the upcoming trainees could practise, the Cen- with the entities concerned, dedicated lanes on roads for Metro stations to enhance road tral Municipal Council (CMC) conduct a comprehensive driving schools and prepare safety in general and pedestrian recommended yesterday. study on the locations of driv- their training schedule accord- safety in particular. The council also asked the ing schools in order to keep ingly. With yesterday’s meeting, the Traffic Department to see if them away from densely-pop- Meanwhile, the CMC recom- council concluded its sessions it was possible to have these ulated areas. mended that the Public Works for the season and would resume dedicated lanes away from res- The council earlier discussed Authority (Ashghal) review the in September after the summer idential areas to avoid posing the issue of driving school designs of under-construction vacation. CMC chairman Mo- any safety risk to people living trainees practising on internal internal roads and ensure that hamed bin Hammoud al-Shafi in these places, especially chil- roads and thereby posing safety these comply with the guide- thanked all the members and dren and the elderly. risks to residents of such areas book for road design in Qatar. staff of the council for their sin- Another study should be besides causing inconvenience All new internal roads should cere eff orts and wished them The CMC meeting under way yesterday. conducted on preparing a to them. Such a practice may include pedestrian tracks, park- well for their holidays. QRCS distributes QR851,579 worth of food aid to African nations

atar Red Crescent So- worth of food packages to 1,560 identify the benefi ciaries and benefi ciaries thanked QRCS for ciety’s (QRCS) food aid families (9,360 people) in several avoid duplication. its noble contribution as they are Qdistributions in three Af- IDP camps across the Banaadir In Chad, which hosts 8,210 in dire need of any form of as- rican countries, which are part region. Central African refugees, sistance during the holy month of its Ramadan Iftar programme, Each package contains 90kg QRCS’s mission and Al-Bir As- of Ramadan. is expected to benefi t more than of food items such as maize, rice, sociation of Chad are distribut- “May God protect the govern- 24,000 internally displaced peo- sugar, powdered milk, dates and ing food packages to 410 families ment and people of Qatar,” he ple (IDP). vegetable oil. (2,780 people) in Gore and Doba said. At a total cost of QR851,579, At the same time, QRCS’s provinces. The Governor of Gore invited this relief operation comes at a mission in Niger is distribut- At a total cost of $37,000, each other humanitarian groups to time when IDP families are suf- ing 1,700 food packages worth package contains 59kg of food adopt QRCS’s approach, laud- fering from deteriorated condi- $100,000 to 11,900 people in the items, including rice, fl our, sug- ing its constant support to the tions amid scarce supplies from destitute parts of Niamey, the ar, oil, and dates, which is good incoming Central Africans as a charities. capital, as well as in IDP camps. for one month. leading humanitarian organisa- In response, the offi cials Suffi cient for 30 days, each QRCS personnel are co-or- tion. of benefi ciary municipalities package contains 62kg of rice, dinating with provincial au- “We in the Government of thanked the State of Qatar and millet, sugar, oil, dates, tea, salt thorities and non-governmental Chad are ready to join QRCS and QRCS for helping the needy and canned tomato paste. organisations to facilitate fi eld Al-Bir Association in any en- families during Ramadan. The distributions have been visits and distributions. deavour to implement relief and In Somalia, QRCS’s mission in co-ordinated with other hu- Central African refugee camp health projects in the country,” Mogadishu distributes $100,000 manitarian organisations to chief Ahmed Mohamed said he said. People in Chad during Ramadan Iftar.